cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Imitating Prebiotic Homochirality on Earth

We show how the amino acids needed on prebiotic earth in their homochiral L form can be produced by a reaction of L-alpha-methyl amino acids—that have been identified in the Murchison meteorite—with alpha-keto acids under credible prebiotic conditions. When they are simply heated together they perform a process of decarboxylative transamination but with almost no chiral transfer, and that in the wrong direction, producing D-amino acids from the L-alpha-methyl amino acids. With copper ion a square planar complex with two of the reaction intermediates is formed, and now there is the desired L to L transformation, producing small enantioexcesses of the normal L-amino acids. We also show how these can be amplified, not by making more of the L form but by increasing its concentration in water solution. The process can start with a miniscule excess and in one step generate water solutions with L/D ratios in the over 90% region. Kinetic processes can exceed the results from equilibria. We have also examined such amplifications with ribonucleosides, and have shown that initial modest excesses of the D-nucleosides can be amplified to afford water solutions with D to L ratios in the high 90’s. We have shown that the homochiral compound has two effects on the solubility of the racemate. On one hand it decreases the solubility of the racemate by its role in the solubility product, as a theoretical equation predicts. On the other hand, it increases the solubility of the racemate by changing the nature of the solvent, acting as a cosolvent with the water. This explains why the amplification, while large, is not as large as the simple theoretical equation predicts. Thus when credible examples are produced where small enantioexcesses of D-ribose are created under credible prebiotic conditions, the prerequisites for the RNA world will have been exemplified.
Dysuria in adolescents.

Dysuria is a frequent and often frustrating complaint of young women. Although it is tempting to equate dysuria with a urinary tract infection, special care must be taken in adolescents to rule out a sexually transmitted infection. Even with a careful history, the difficulty differentiating between a urinary tract infection and a sexually transmitted infection often forces physicians to subject patients to invasive exams and laboratory studies. Many young women receive their first pelvic exam when they experience dysuria; it costs the physician time and causes discomfort to the patient. A review of the literature yields more confusion than clarity regarding the reliability of pelvic exams, urine dipstick tests, and microscopic analysis. However, a few conclusions may be drawn from experience with these tests, and newer tests may make the treatment of adolescent girls with dysuria less daunting and more time and cost effective.
The Effect of Instruction on Children's Perceived Musical Tension in Debussy's "Noel des enfants qui n'ont plus de maisons"

The study explored possible effects of instruction (highlighting a choral composition’s historical and social context) on perceived musical tension recorded by children (N = 62). Children listened ...
Real-time forecasting of pediatric intensive care unit length of stay using computerized provider orders.

OBJECTIVE To develop a model to produce real-time, updated forecasts of patients' intensive care unit length of stay using naturally generated provider orders. The model was designed to be integrated within a computerized decision support system to improve patient flow management. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Twenty-six bed pediatric intensive care unit within an urban, academic children's hospital using a computerized order entry system. PATIENTS A total of 2,178 consecutive pediatric intensive care unit admissions during a 16-month time period. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS We obtained unit length of stay measurements, time-stamped provider orders, age, admission source, and readmission status. A joint discrete-time logistic regression model was developed to produce probabilistic length of stay forecasts from continuously updated provider orders. Accuracy was assessed by comparing forecasted expected discharge time with observed discharge time, rank probability scoring, and calibration curves. Cross-validation procedures were conducted. The distribution of length of stay was heavily right-skewed with a mean of 3.5 days (95% confidence interval 0.3-19.1). Provider orders were predictive of length of stay in real-time accurately forecasting discharge within a 12-hr window: 46% for patients within 1 day of discharge, 34% for patients within 2 days of discharge, and 27% for patients within 3 days of discharge. The forecast model incorporating predictive orders demonstrated significant improvements in accuracy compared with forecasts based solely on empirical and temporal information. Seventeen predictive orders were found, grouped by medication, ventilation, laboratory, diet, activity, foreign body, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. CONCLUSIONS Provider orders reflect dynamic changes in patients' conditions, making them useful for real-time length of stay prediction and patient flow management. Patients' length of stay represent a major source of variability in intensive care unit resource utilization and if accurately predicted and communicated, may lead to proactive bed management with more efficient patient flow.
Saturation of band-gap resonant optical phase conjugation in HgCdTe

The saturation behavior of band-gap resonant optical nonlinearity is studied by degenerate four-wave mixing experiments at 10.6 μm in HgCdTe over a wide range of laser intensities. The reflectivity clips at a constant level when the laser intensity is increased above 100 W/cm2, and the corresponding effective third-order nonlinear susceptibility drops as the inverse of the laser intensity. A theory based on the saturation of the interband absorption at the pump frequency resulting from state blocking is presented and agrees well with the experiment.
Strategic Patent Acquisitions

We report data on patent litigation activity initiated by patent assertion entities and discuss the tactics used by these entities to monetize the patents they acquire. We develop a simple economic model to evaluate the effect of enhanced patent monetization on innovation and on consumers. We then study the economic effects of several different categories of patent acquisitions based on the type of seller, the type of buyer, and the patent portfolio involved.
The Effects of Mechanisms of Managerial Control on Unionization

This study, utilizing data from the 1977 Quality of Employment Survey, finds important differences in the way labor is managed among unionized and nonunion workers, as well as among unorganized workers who are willing to vote for unionization and those who are not. Furthermore, components of “bureaucratic control” are found to inhibit unionization and the desire to unionize. The effect of these labor management mechanisms persists even in a structural model of the determinants of unionization.
Carbon dynamics and microbial activity in tallgrass prairie exposed to elevated CO2 for 8 years

Alterations in microbial mineralization and nutrient cycling may control the long-term response of ecosystems to elevated CO2. Because micro-organisms constitute a labile fraction of potentially available N and are regulators of decomposition, an understanding of microbial activity and microbial biomass is crucial. Tallgrass prairie was exposed to twice ambient CO2 for 8 years beginning in 1989. Starting in 1991 and ending in 1996, soil samples from 0 to 5 and 5 to 15 cm depths were taken for measurement of microbial biomass C and N, total C and N, microbial activity, inorganic N and soil water content. Because of increased water-use-efficiency by plants, soil water content was consistently and significantly greater in elevated CO 2 compared to ambient treatments. Soil microbial biomass C and N tended to be greater under elevated CO2 than ambient CO2 in the 5‐15 cm depth during most years, and in the month of October, when analyzed over the entire study period. Microbial activity was significantly greater at both depths in elevated CO 2 than ambient conditions for most years. During dry periods, the greater water content of the surface 5 cm soil in the elevated CO2 treatments increased microbial activity relative to the ambient CO2 conditions. The increase in microbial activity under elevated CO2 in the 5‐15 cm layer was not correlated with differences in soil water contents, but may have been related to increases in soil C inputs from enhanced root growth and possibly greater root exudation. Total soil C and N in the surface 15 cm were, after 8 years, significantly greater under elevated CO 2 than ambient CO2. Our results suggest that decomposition is enhanced under elevated CO2 compared with ambient CO2, but that inputs of C are greater than the decomposition rates. Soil C sequestration in tallgrass prairie and other drought-prone grassland systems is, therefore, considered plausible as atmospheric CO2 increases.
The influence of hibernation on testis growth and spermatogenesis in the golden-mantled ground squirrel, Spermophilus lateralis.

Testis size and spermatogenesis were monitored serially in individual golden-mantled ground squirrels before, during, and after the hibernation season. During hibernation, animals spent 81% of days in torpor at body temperatures of 3-4#{176}C. Torpor bouts of 6 days duration were interspersed with brief arousals from torpor during which animals were normothermic. In the 5 mo between December (when animals entered hibernation) and April (when torpor was spontaneously terminated), the estimated mass of testes increased gradually from 500 to 1100 mg, but spermatogenesis did not advance beyond pachytene spermatocytes, which were present before hibernation began. In contrast, during the month after torpor was terminated, testes increased rapidly to 3500 mg and after 31 days, spermatozoa were found in the epididymides. We suggest that the limited testis growth that occurred during the hibernation season was restricted to intervals during which squirrels were aroused from torpor. The major portion of gonadal growth and spermatogenesis in the laboratory, and presumably in the field, occurs after ground squirrels have regained the normothermic state. Since males are reproductively mature when first trapped in spring, these findings suggest that males are normothermic for several weeks before they emerge from their hibernacula in the spring.
Pseudotumor cerebri in children receiving recombinant human growth hormone.

Abstract Purpose This article represents the first report in the ophthalmology literature of an association between pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) and recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH). Design Noncomparative case series. Participants Three children receiving rhGH for short stature with Turner syndrome, Jeune syndrome, or Down syndrome. Methods Children underwent full ocular examination. After papilledema was identified, patients underwent lumbar puncture and imaging with either magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomography. Treatment was under the guidance of the primary physician or neurosurgeon. The rhGH was discontinued in all children. Main outcome measures Visual acuity and evaluation of the optic nerve for resolution of papilledema were followed at each examination. Results In all three cases, papilledema resolved with the cessation of rhGH, and treatment with acetazolamide or prednisone. Visual acuity was unchanged in case 1, decreased by two to three lines in case 2, and was inconsistent in case 3. One child (case 2) required a ventriculoperitoneal shunt for persistent elevation of intracranial pressure. Conclusion There appears to be a causal relationship between the initiation of rhGH with the development of PTC. Children should have a complete ophthalmic evaluation if they report headache or visual disturbances. Baseline examination with routine follow-up should be instituted when children cannot adequately communicate.
Paternal Participation in Child Care and Its Effects on Children's Self-Esteem and Attitudes Toward Gendered Roles

Interviews with forty 10- and 11-year-old children (24 boys and 16 girls) investigated the effects of parents' division of child care responsibilities on children's self-esteem, their relationships with parents, and their gendered ideas and preferences. Children whose fathers participated relatively more in the emotional side of parenting (e.g., comforting) showed greater preferences for “feminine” activities and had higher self-esteem than children whose fathers were less involved. Children whose fathers performed a higher proportion of the “work” of parenting (e.g., transporting, planning activities, and arranging child care) endorsed a more gender-free model of family life. The absolute amount of time fathers spent with children had no independent significant effects. Egalitarian parenting clearly benefits children when fathers share “maternal” tasks, but even when fathers do not fully participate in those “maternal” aspects of parenting, dividing the time 50-50 may benefit mothers without hurting chil...
Specific VS. Non-Specific Face Recognition Device

Evidence from preference studies suggests that infants can discriminate face and non-face patterns and usually prefer to look longer at face-like patterns. This face preference is present at birth. Recognition memory studies demonstrate that the learning curve for face and non-face patterns differ. On the basis of this and other evidence, some have suggested that faces represent an ecologically privileged class of stimuli and that there is a qualitative difference between the recognition and identification of face and non-face patterns.
Penile Prostheses and the Litigious Patient: A Legal Database Review

Abstract Introduction Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common problem with significant impact on patient quality of life. Penile prosthesis implantation provides an effective treatment for ED but as an invasive procedure carries with it an increased risk of medicolegal liability. Aim To investigate factors associated with malpractice litigation surrounding penile prosthesis implantation. Methods The Westlaw legal database was used to perform an advanced search for case reports using the term “medical malpractice” in combination with “penile” or “penis” and “prosthesis” or “implant” with dates between the January 1990 and December 2013. Main Outcome Measures Each report was examined for trial information including patient demographics, device model and indications, alleged breach of duty, alleged damages, progression to trial, case outcome, and plaintiff award(s). Results The initial search yielded 76 cases that were narrowed to 40 after exclusions. There were 23 (57.5%) cases that were found in favor of the defendant, while 17 (42.5%) cases led to indemnity payment to the plaintiff including two cases (5.0%) that were settled out of court and 15 (37.5%) favoring the plaintiff in front of a jury. The mean settlement received was $335,500 compared with the mean indemnity award of $831,050 for verdicts decided in favor of the plaintiff ( P = 0.68). The most common breach of duty was error in surgical decision making, present in 20 cases (48.8%). Informed consent was an issue in 13 filings (31.7%), and postoperative infection was seen in 13 cases (31.7%). In cases that identified the type of implant used, 58.3% were malleable implants, and 41.7% were inflatable devices. Conclusions The main issues involved in malpractice litigation for penile prosthesis implants included surgical performance, informed consent, and postoperative management. Urologists must be aware of these potential issues in order to minimize their malpractice liability. Sunaryo PL, Colaco M, and Terlecki R. Penile prostheses and the litigious patient: A legal database review. J Sex Med 2014;11:2589–2594.
The California Advanced Transportation Management Systems Testbed

The California Advanced Transportation Management Systems (ATMS) Testbed program focuses on the development of an integrated transportation operations system (TOS) based on real-time computer-assisted traffic management and communication. As distinct from previous "smart corridor" developments, this TOS is structured to integrate network-wide traffic information (both surface street and freeway) in a real-time environment and to provide "intelligent" computer-assisted decision support to traffic management personnel. With funding from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of New Technology and Research, a research program to accomplish this ambitious objective has been designed as a symbiosis between traffic management research and technology development, with provision for implementation of promising research developments in a real-world testbed. The effort is organized along three principal dimensions: (1) TOS decision support; (2) ATMS strategic response; and (3) database management, integration and communication.
Technical Aspects of Total Artificial Heart Implantation For Temporary Applications

Temporary use of the Jarvik-7 artificial heart in critically ill patients awaiting transplantation has prevented death in greater than 60% of attempts. Success is very dependent on meticulous surgical technique. Failures in the operating room cascade into enlarging problems postoperatively. Appropriately selected patients implanted without bleeding or fit problems recover quickly and are suitable candidates for transplantation within a few days. Even acute renal failure or pulmonary insufficiency from end-stage cardiac disease rapidly reverses upon restoration of normal hemodynamics. Anticoagulation is mandatory to prevent thromboembolism and continuous heparin plus oral dipyridamole is the most successful regimen to date. Primary intraoperative security of all suture lines or potential bleeding foci is thus essential. Bleeding has been associated with tamponade, pulmonary complications, and transfusion stimulated anti-HLA antibodies which can prevent subsequent transplantation. The length and suturing technique of the aortic conduit are critical. Compression of the mediastinal structures by the device can impede systemic or pulmonary venous return, with disastrous results. Displacement of the blood pumps away from the midline, usually into the pleural space, allows for more room when closing the sternum. The 100 cc blood pump fits best in patients greater than 85 kg, while the 70 cc model can be implanted in patients as small as 50-60 kg.
Lattice form IIR adaptive filters: a structural issue in filtering

The minimum mean square output error (MSOE) associated with IIR (infinite impulse response) lattice structure is analyzed. It is shown that, contrary to parallel and cascade realizations, saddle manifolds are not found by mapping the direct form parameter space onto that of the lattice. This property and some hidden characteristics of the lattice form are identified by manipulation of the Jacobian of that transformation. >
Demand for fixed-price multi-year contracts: Experimental evidence from insurance decisions

Do individuals prefer a fixed-price multi-year insurance (MYI) policy to current annual contracts with fluctuating prices? If so, are they willing to pay more for these policies? In a web-based 2-period repeated game with significant real money at stake, individuals have an opportunity to purchase 1-period insurance contracts, 2-period contracts or no insurance against the risk of a hurricane causing damage to their property. When premiums for both insurance options are actuarially fair, more than five times as many people favor the 2-period contract over the 1-period contract. The demand for a 2-period contract remains high even with a loading cost of 5% and 10% while keeping the 1-period premium actuarially fair, indicating a preference for stable premiums over time. These findings support the need for multi-year contracts that will lead more individuals to be adequately protected against future extreme events, given the empirical evidence on lack of interest in insurance against catastrophic risks.
Supporting students with disabilities and limited English proficiency: STEM educator professional development participation and perceived utility

Professional development offerings assist K–12 educators in addressing new and evolving classroom dynamics, circumstances, and situations. With the emerging demands of an increasingly science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-infused society, teachers are challenged to provide high-quality service and equitable educational opportunities to all STEM education students, particularly to those students who traditionally are underrepresented in comparison to their peers in STEM education and/or have aspirations of participation in STEM-related careers. This study investigated K–12 STEM educator participation and perceived utility regarding professional development addressing specific needs of students with identified categorical disabilities and limited English proficiency (LEP). Collection and analysis methods employed data retrieval and tabulation from the 2011–2012 School and Staffing Survey (SASS) Teacher Questionnaire (TQ). The national restricted access dataset was used to identify targeted teacher populations as well as provide a profile of STEM teacher participation in practice-oriented professional development activities regarding the two specified student groups. The results were categorically summarized and compared across science, technology, and mathematics (STM) disciplines and also between STM educators, non-STM educators, and educators in general. The results indicated that STM teachers tended to engage in fewer professional development opportunities and dedicated fewer hours in the professional development regarding students with categorical disabilities and LEP than the remainder of the teaching population. Overall, STM teachers’ perceived utility of the provided professional development experience was lower than that of the remainder of the teaching population.
Eye-Witness Appraisal of Soviet Farming, 1955

HE trip that I made as a member of the American Agricultural Delegation to the U.S.S.R. during the summer of 1955 was a conducted tour. The particular farms that I visited cannot in any sense be considered a random sample of Russian farms. Only one of the more than 30 farms visited by our group was selected by us. The rest were selected by the Soviet authorities. Most of the farms that we visited were substantially better than the average of the U.S.S.R. However, some farms were near the average for the area in which they were located and we did travel two or three thousand miles by car in farm areas. Thus one has some possibility of putting what he saw in some kind of perspective, but one must also say that he cannot be certain as to the accuracy of that perspective. I do not intend to give what might be called a systematic appraisal of the problems and prospects of Soviet agriculture. I shall try to give you a number of impressions that I have as a result of my five weeks' trip. These impressions represent nothing more than an honest effort to report some of the things that I witnessed or heard.
Health Plan Choice: Findings from the 2011 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey

This paper explores differences in health-plan choice using data from the 2011 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey as well as earlier versions of the survey. It examines the likelihood of having a choice of plans and how that is changing over time; the main reasons for choosing a plan; and how demographics, health status and health behaviors vary by plan type among those with a choice of health plans. Satisfaction with various aspects of health care is also examined by plan type among individuals with a choice of health plans. Most Americans get their health insurance coverage from employment-based plans, yet most employers do not offer a choice of health plans. In 2011, 84 percent of employers offering health benefits offered only one health plan; 15 percent offered two choices; and 1 percent offered three or more choices. Large firms were more likely to offer a choice of health plans than small firms; 42 percent of large firms offered two or more choices, compared with 15 percent of smaller firms. As a result, nearly one-half (47 percent) of covered workers had a choice of health plans, and according to the 2011 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey, 59 percent of adults 21-64 with employment-based health coverage had a choice of health plans. Consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) enrollees are more likely than individuals with traditional coverage to have a choice of health plans, and the availability of health plan choice is trending upward for CDHP enrollees, although not for those enrolled in traditional plans. Among individuals with a choice of health plans, CDHP enrollees tend to have higher incomes and higher education than individuals with traditional coverage; they are also less likely to be obese; and they are less likely to be satisfied with many aspects of their health plan. Among individuals with a choice of health plans, those opting for CDHPs are more likely to cite cost factors, but also more likely to express dissatisfaction with the cost of prescription drugs and out-of-pocket costs for other health care. Additionally, they were less likely to be satisfied with the program overall.The PDF for the above title, published in the July 2012 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another July 2012 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: “Own-to-Rent Transitions and Changes in Housing Equity for Older Americans.”
Needs Assessment for Behavioral Health Workforce: a State-Level Analysis

This study describes trends in the supply and the need for behavioral health professionals in Nebraska. A state-level health workforce database was used to estimate the behavioral health workforce supply and need. Compared with national estimates, Nebraska has a lower proportion of all categories of behavioral health professionals. The majority of Nebraska counties have unusually high needs for mental health professionals, with rural areas experiencing a decline in the supply of psychiatrists over the last decade. Availability of robust state-level health workforce data can assist in crafting effective policy for successful systems change, particularly for behavioral health.
Role Of Prophylactic Magnesium Supplementation in Prevention of Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Meta-analysis of 23 Randomized Controlled Trials

Several randomized clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy of prophylactic magnesium (Mg) supplementation in prevention of post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) in patients undergoing cardiac artery bypass grafting (CABG). We aim to determine the role of prophylactic Mg in 3 settings (
Evaluation Practice and Theory Up and Down the Ladder of Abstraction

Debra Rog presented the 2014 Eleanor Chelimsky Forum address, offering ways to integrate evaluation theory and practice by abundant use of practice examples. These examples illustrate the effective...
Influence of total correction in different ranges of infants less than 12 months old with tetralogy of Fallot

Objectives To evaluate the outcome of early total correction in different ranges of infants less than 12 months old with tetralogy of Fallot(TOF).Methods Clinical data of 43 infants less than 12 months old undergone total correction of isolated TOF from January 2008 to March 2010 in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center were reviewed.The infants were divided into 2 groups according to the age: 19 in group A aged(3.2±1.4) months;24 in group B aged(7.7±1.9) months.Operation methods,postoperative complications,other observation indexes and follow-up outcomes between the two groups were compared.Results There was no mortality in two groups.There were no significant differences of postoperative complications between the two groups(P0.05).Duration of ventilation [(59.3±47.1) h vs.(26.3±23.8) h,P0.05] and duration of intensive care [(109.8±60.8) h vs.(70.5±41.6) h,P0.05] in group A were significantly longer than those in group B.There were no significant differences in duration of external circulation,aortic clamping time,index of cardiotonic,duration of hospitalization between the two groups(P0.05).After followed up for(12.5±3.5) months,no death and no residual right ventricular outflow tract obstruction showed in the 43 infants.All of them had pulmonary regurgitation at different levels.Residual ventricular septal defect showed in 2 patients,but reoperation was not required.Conclusions Different ranges of infants less than 12 months do not effect the outcome of total correction of TOF.
The Prediction and Analysis of Labor Supply of Beijing in the Future

The labor supply is commonly determined by population scale,age structure and labor participation ratio.Some analyses have been made on the future change of labor supply in Beijing.Because of the lack of the data of labor participation ratio,however,few special prediction has been made on labor supply in Beijing.The analyses and predictions that have been made focus on the labor resources which are the labor-age population,and the data used by those analyses are 2000 population census data,which have been considered to be out of date for the rapid change of labor status.It predicts the various possible changes under different scenarios,by using the new data from 2005 yearbook of China,the population sample data,and the PEOPLE software from population fund committee of the United Nations.
Load Modeling and Parameter Identification Based on Random Fuzziness Clustering

For the generally larger fluctuation range of reactive loads than active loads in practice,along with the time and composition variation of power load,a new method for load modeling and parameter identification is proposed.Firstly,to describe the mentioned characteristic of reactive power,an improved linearized-GNLD reactive model is introduced.Then,a new random fuzzy clustering method is presented by applying the effectiveness function to the random fuzzy clustering,thus achieving the optimal clustering center number and the corresponding clustering membership grade simultaneously without prior classification number.Finally,a new method for load modeling and parameter identification is obtained by combining the method proposed,the improved linearized-GNLD model and the identification strategy of clustering-before-parameter identification.Compared with other methods,the model obtained makes the practical application more convenient even though the load model number is not given in advance.Moreover,the application of the identification strategy proposed guarantees that each type of load models gained is based on a similar load curve(i.e.,the collected load curve groups composed of the node voltage,the active power and the reactive power) and the model obtained has higher identification precision and is better for promotion.Example results demonstrate the effectiveness and validity of the method proposed.
Freziera dasycarpa (Pentaphylacaceae), a new species from the montane forest of Antioquia, Colombia

Freziera dasycarpa , a new species from the montane forest of Antioquia, Colombia, is described. The new species is compared with morphologically similar species and distinguished from them by a unique combination of characters, among them, notably the villous abaxial surface of the petals, ovary, and immature fruits, a feature otherwise, at present, unknown in the other species of the genus Freziera .
Current viewpoints in mechanisms of bone length growth

Pertinent morphology and physiology of the growth plate is discussed and theories related to mechanisms of bone length growth are reviewed.
Some tests for the allometric extension model in regression

ABSTRACTThe allometric extension model is a multivariate regression model recently proposed by Tarpey and Ivey (2006). This model holds when the matrix of covariances between the variables in the response vector y and the variables in the vector of regressors x has a particular structure. In this paper, we consider tests of hypotheses for this structure when (y′, x′)′ has a multivariate normal distribution. In particular, we investigate the likelihood ratio test and a Wald test.
An Alcohol Treatment Model for Use with the Puerto Rican Community

Hispanics constitute a significant and rapidly growing segment of the American population. According to the 1970 census there were 9.6 million persons of Spanish origin in this country (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1973). The 1975 current population reports raised the number to 11.2 million, which can be considered as the most conservative base figure for the Hispanics (U. S. Bureau of Census, 1976). Other estimates which take into consideration census under count, increase from births, and legal as well as undocumented immigration indicate that probably more than 23 million Hispanics live in this country today. Furthermore, they are the fastest growing ethnic group. Although projections diverge widely on the basis of baselines and growth rates, it is expected that by the year 2000 the number of Hispanic Americans will reach 55.3 million. Even by conservative estimates, they will soon become the largest ethnic minority in the United States (Macias, 1977).
Changes in Collective Memory: The Schematic Narrative Template of Victimhood in Kharkiv Museums

(2003). Changes in Collective Memory. Journal of Museum Education: Vol. 28, Sociocultural Perspectives on Museums: Part 1, pp. 17-22.
Tracing the Arc of Smartphone Application Security

The introduction of smart phones in the mid-2000s forever changed the way users interact with data and computation--and through it prompted a renaissance of digital innovation. Yet, at the same time, the architectures, applications and services that fostered this new reality fundamentally altered the relationship between users and security and privacy. In this talk I map the scientific community's evolving efforts over the last decade in evaluating smart phone application security and privacy. I consider several key scientific questions and explore the methods and tools used to answer them. Through this exposition, I show how our joint understanding of adversary and industry practices have matured over time, and briefly consider how these results have informed and shaped technical public policy in the United States. I conclude with a discussion of the open problems and opportunities in mobile device security and privacy.
Inspiration to 3D Design

A strong attraction of solid freeform fabrication is the removal of design constraints imposed by commercial metal shapes and conventional processes; opening a whole new world of design possibilities. Commercial metal shapes associated with sheet metal, tubing, angle iron, pipes and plates will not be going away anytime soon, but add the possibility of forming flowing organic surface shapes, complex passageways, and unique internal or external structures, and we can begin to rethink what is possible when working with metal. The same thinking can release us from shape constraints imposed by creating features using drilling, shearing, bending, milling and casting or pressing into molds. This chapter will describe the AM design process and compare it side by side with the design process for conventional metal processing. We will include a few examples of how one method is better than the other and which is right for you. We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of selecting one material over another. In addition, we will highlight a few examples of hybrid applications, combining the best of 3D printing, conventional and subtractive processing and how 3D metal printing can define a new design space for thinking outside the box. This chapter will build upon the existing body of metal working design knowledge, complement it, transform it and take it to levels not possible in years past.
Ms. Degraw’s ESL Classroom

It is first period in Ms. DeGraw’s English as a Second Language (ESL) class and today there is a guest speaker who will be speaking about careers and life planning. Ms. Short, the ESL counselor at Drew Middle School (DMS) will be delivering the presentation. As Ms. DeGraw marks the daily attendance, Mrs. Short explains to the class that they will be learning about life’s major events and what it takes to make ends meet by playing a fun board game.
Meditative Training Improves Undergraduate Executive Functioning

The experience of attending college can be a stressful experience for many students, one that college and university counseling centers may have limited resources of time and finances to assuage. For instance, decision making may deteriorate during times of stress and result in a narrowed perceptual set. The present study sought to determine through a novel design whether meditative training could effectively address the situation. Results indicated that classroom-based meditative training improved executive functioning among college students regarding stress, cognitive flexibility, and insight. Such an approach to intervention may provide college and university counseling centers with greater opportunities to better meet student emotional and academic needs.
Assisted Technologies of Social Reproduction: Pharmaceutical Prosthesis for Gender, Race, and Class in the White Opioid “Crisis”

This article examines the symbolic work of gender as it intersects with race and class in popular media and in local community discourses surrounding the “suburban opioid epidemic,” in which nation...
LORE: A loop repository for the evaluation of compilers

Although numerous loop optimization techniques have been designed and deployed in commercial compilers in the past, virtually no common experimental infrastructure nor repository exists to help the compiler community evaluate the effectiveness of these techniques. This paper describes a repository, LORE, that maintains a large number of C language for loop nests extracted from popular benchmarks, libraries, and real applications. It also describes the infrastructure that builds and maintains the repository. Each loop nest in the repository has been compiled, transformed, executed, and measured independently. These loops cover a variety of properties that can be used by the compiler community to evaluate loop optimizations using a broad and representative collection of loops. To illustrate the usefulness of the repository, we also present two example applications. One is assessing the capabilities of the auto-vectorization features of three widely used compilers. The other is measuring the performance difference of a compiler across different versions. These applications prove that the repository is valuable for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of a compiler and for quantitatively measuring the evolution of a compiler.
Rapidly adaptive cell detection using transfer learning with a global parameter

Recent advances in biomedical imaging have enabled the analysis of many different cell types. Learning-based cell detectors tend to be specific to a particular imaging protocol and cell type. For a new dataset, a tedious re-training process is required. In this paper, we present a novel method of training a cell detector on new datasets with minimal effort. First, we combine the classification rules extracted from existing data with the training samples of new data using transfer learning. Second, a global parameter is incorporated to refine the ranking of the classification rules. We demonstrate that our method achieves the same performance as previous approaches with only 10% of the training effort.
Competency Curriculum Intervention: Student Task Self-Efficacy and Attitudes in Child Welfare

Three cohorts of BSW and MSW Title IV-E and NCWWI student scholars (n= 125) were educated using a university-agency developed competency-based curriculum and field placement. In order to determine if this curriculum and field placement would improve perceived competence and attitudes toward child welfare work, pre and post-field placement surveys were used. Statistically significant change was demonstrated for most competencies. Attitudes toward child welfare work demonstrated no change from the favorable attitudes students had before entering their field placements. There were no statistically significant differences between BSW and MSW students. Students who had higher perceived competence endorsed motivation and intent to remain in child welfare. Based on the findings, we recommend key strategies to keep up the morale of BSW and MSW graduates in child welfare agencies: transition-to-work initiatives by schools, mentoring programs by agencies, manageable caseloads, and the application of skills and knowledge learned.
High-Rate Ultrasonic Through-Wall Communications Using MIMO-OFDM

This paper investigates methods to achieve high-rate data transmission through metallic barriers using ultrasound. Multiple-input-multiple-output-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) is employed in conjunction with interference mitigation techniques to reduce throughput-limiting crosstalk. Several crosstalk mitigation strategies are investigated and their theoretical and practical bit-loaded data rates are determined for the general case of $A$ transmitters and $A$ receivers ( $A \times A$ MIMO). A physical MIMO acoustic-electric channel array is formed using a 40 mm (1.575 in) thick steel barrier with seven pairs of 4 MHz nominal resonant frequency piezoelectric disk transducers, each with 10 mm (0.394 in) diameter. To investigate the effects of crosstalk, the transducers are closely spaced, and each transmitter–receiver pair is coaxially aligned on opposing sides of the metallic barrier. It is shown that, with the use of crosstalk mitigation techniques, the aggregate multichannel theoretical capacity performance scales linearly with the number of channels. This paper also investigates the use of novel power allocation techniques in a MIMO-OFDM acoustic-electric channel, which show significant throughput performance gains over conventional bit-loading and greedy bit-filling techniques. Finally, this paper presents a study on the effects of transducer misalignment on the multichannel theoretical capacity and achievable data transmission rates using bit-loading techniques.
Quels visages pour l'Europe dans 50 ans?. Hommage à Denis de Rougemont

En este texto, Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, Presidente de la Comision europea, recuerda su pasado personal en Ginebra y pone de relieve el presente y el futuro del proyecto de integracion europea, describiendo el contexto en que se encuentra la Union europea en un mundo donde los cambios geopoliticos se han multiplicado.
Human Ecology, Sociology, and Demography

In 1934, R. D. McKenzie published an essay entitled “The Field and Problems of Demography, Human Geography, and Human Ecology” in the book, The Fields and Methods of Sociology, edited by L. L. Bernard. In his essay, McKenzie endeavored to show that, for purposes of scientific study, the human community could be viewed as demographic, geographic, or ecological, depending on the orientation and goals of the investigation. If concern was with the human community as a population aggregate, the community would be delineated demographically. If the relation between the population and its physical habitat was the focus of analysis, the community would be defined geographically. If studied as a symbiotic unity, the community would be described ecologically. Although McKenzie’s goal was to distinguish among these three different ways of studying the human community, our purpose here is to outline in a general manner the ecological orientation to the human community and then to show the sociological significance of the ecological orientation for the study of the demographic process of migration (see Namboodiri 1988 and 1994 for other, although not dissimilar, treatments).
The Experience of Systems: The Centrality of Perception in Healthcare Quality and Cost Management

Hospitals are increasingly challenged to improve healthcare quality while reducing costs but key actors in healthcare, specifically physicians (as leaders or clinicians) and administrators, are not...
Basic Units of Inter-Individual Variation in Resting State Connectomes

Resting state functional connectomes are massive and complex. It is an open question, however, whether connectomes differ across individuals in a correspondingly massive number of ways, or whether most differences take a small number of characteristic forms. We systematically investigated this question and found clear evidence of low-rank structure in which a modest number of connectomic components, around 50-150, account for a sizable portion of inter-individual connectomic variation. This number was convergently arrived at with multiple methods including estimation of intrinsic dimensionality and assessment of reconstruction of out-of-sample data. In addition, we show that these connectomic components enable prediction of a broad array of neurocognitive and clinical symptom variables at levels comparable to a leading method that is trained on the whole connectome. Qualitative observation reveals that these connectomic components exhibit extensive community structure reflecting interrelationships between intrinsic connectivity networks. We provide quantitative validation of this observation using novel stochastic block model-based methods. We propose that these connectivity components form an effective basis set for quantifying and interpreting inter-individual connectomic differences, and for predicting behavioral/clinical phenotypes.
Chapter 16 Chemical Control of Fertility

Publisher Summary This chapter summarizes the use of different drugs in the control of fertility. The conventional and the “paper pill,” each containing 150 μg of levonorgestrel and 30 μg of ethynylestradiol (EE), have been equally effective in suppressing ovulation. In a modified sequential oral contraceptive dosage schedule, 50 μg of EE administered for seven days followed by 50 μg of EE and 1 mg of lynestrenol for 15 days has resulted in complete inhibition of ovulation. Danazol has been reported to be an oral contraceptive in the rhesus monkey and in women. Administration of estrogens, either 5 mg of EE or 50 mg of diethylstilbestrol p.o. for five days beginning within three days of coitus in midcycle, is effective in preventing pregnancy in women. Azastene, a competitive inhibitor of P biosynthesis in vitro , has disrupted pregnancy in both rat and rhesus monkey. This agent blocks human chorionic gonadotropin-induced prolongation of corpus luteum function and lacked hormonal activity. LH–RH and its agonist analogs are antifertility rather than profertility drugs in many experimental models despite their inferred profertility properties. The antifertility activity of agonists is associated with a decrease in gonadotropin receptor concentrations in the gonads of both male and female rats. Administration of LH–RH at a dose of 250 μg, several times on one day between the second and the seventh day following ovulation, caused premature luteolysis in women. If these results are confirmed, a method could be available for improving the effectiveness of the rhythm method. The most promising approach to male contraception is suppression of spermatogenesis mediated by inhibition of gonadotropin release by the pituitary gland. Danazol plus testosterone propionate or TE caused a variable reduction of spermatogenesis in man.