In this study we have shown that Eap (extracellular adherence protein) plays a role in the internalization process of Staphylococcus aureus into eukaryotic cells. Eap is a protein that is mostly extracellularly and to a lesser extent is bound to the bacterial surface as a result of rebinding. Eap is able to bind to several plasma proteins, such as fibronectin, fibrinogen, and prothrombin. It ha...

The Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) is a powerful tool for ana­ lyzing the Medicare population. Based on a stratified random sample, we can derive information about the health care use, expenditure, and financing of Medicare’s 36 million enrollees. We can also learn about those enrollees’ health status, living arrangements, sources of and need for information, and access to and satis...

This paper presents a set of 22 adaptation patterns, independent of any application domain and independent of any adaptation engine. They have been translated to LAG and GLAM adaptation languages in order to plug them on existing adaptation engines. Currently, they are used in the EAP framework, which allows defining complex adaptation strategies in Adaptive Hypermedia. We also propose a typolo...

FROM THE EDITOR Yoseph Bar-Cohen, JPL [email protected] The last year of the 2 Millennium, 1999, has been marked with important milestones for the field of EAP in terms of communication platforms. I am please to state that as of this year we have established 2 international conferences: SPIE – emphasizing actuators, mechanisms, smart structures and robotics; and MRS – emphasizing materials scie...

This paper presents a novel approach for active structures driven by soft dielectric electro-active polymers (EAPs), which can perform contractive displacements at external tensile load. The active structure is composed of an array of equal segments, where the dielectric films are arranged in a pile-up configuration. The proposed active structure has the capability of exhibiting uniaxial contra...

Statistical properties of the ability level estimate ( ) in item response theory (IRT) were investigated through a Monte Carlo investigation, based on data generated with a four cases multifactor design. Dichotomous items and the logistic two-parameter IRT model in a one-dimensional setting have been chosen. The estimation procedure was the marginalized Bayesian item parameters estimation and E...

This paper describes preliminary experiments with an EAP (electroactive polymer) robot. The research reported here serves two purposes. First, we aim at building a testbed to investigate control methods of EAP actuators. Second, we wish to build an underwater robot that mimics undulating motions of pectoral fins. The prototype described in this paper has two pectoral fins. The tests confirm tha...

This report describes patterns of cigarette smoking and interest in smoking cessation programs among employees in a public worksite (n = 6,000) and a private worksite (n = 14,000). Of the 622 employees who attended an employee assistance program (EAP) orientation, 110 (18%) were current smokers. A significantly greater proportion of public employees smoked cigarettes, smoked more heavily, and e...

Following a brief overview of alternative Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), this article proposes a comprehensive model of care for emergency service personnel. The pivotal element of the multilayered model is the Peer Support Officer (PSO) component providing early support to ambulance personnel following exposure to potentially traumatic events. After initial recruit training, peer support...

PURPOSE The current study adapted two workplace substance abuse prevention programs and tested a conceptual model of workplace training effects on help seeking and alcohol consumption. DESIGN Questionnaires were collected 1 month before, 1 month after, and 6 months within a cluster randomized field experiment. SETTING Texas small businesses in construction, transportation, and service indus...