cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self and other dialogue in infancy: normal versus compromised developmental pathways.

Dialogical Self Theory, co-regulation, and foundational movement analysis are used to present a description of the development of the dialogical self during the first five months of life using observations of two mother-infant dyads. Susan and her mother illustrate normative emergence of the dialogical self. Susan's I-positions emerge through positive interactions with her mother, for example, through body positioning and dialogue in a flexible yield–push pattern. Peter, another infant we observed, and his mother show how the development of the dialogical self may be disrupted or delayed as rigid boundaries are formed between the mother and infant. Peter's tendency to withdraw, coupled with his mother's persistence at diminishing his positions, results in both avoidant and ambiguous monological positions in relation to his mother. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The modeling of a neural net as a best input-output map approximation in a generalized Fock space

In filter design theory, one derives the filter structure by requiring that the frequency response of the filter match, in some optimal way, a desired frequency response. A similar philosophy is adopted to derive the architecture of a neural net, except that in this case, because of the nonlinear nature of the neural net, the frequency response can no longer be used as a design criterion. Instead, it is required that the net N, whose structure is to be determined, match a set of exemplary input-output pairs while minimizing the maximum error in some appropriate space. The latter criterion guarantees the robustness of the net. >
Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in New Zealand children, demographic, clinical features, initial management and outcome after twelve-month follow-up: results of a three-year national surveillance study.

Aim: To describe the demographic, clinical features, steroid response, histopathology and complications of all children diagnosed with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) in New Zealand over a 3-year period. Methods: A questionnaire seeking relevant clinical information was sent to all paediatricians who reported a new case of nephrotic syndrome to the New Zealand Paediatric Surveillance Unit. A follow-up questionnaire was sent to reporting paediatricians after the first 12 months of follow-up. Results: The incidence was 1.9 children per 100 000 under age 15 years. There was no significant difference in INS between ethnic groups. Approximately 80.4% were steroid responsive with median time to response of 8.4 days and mean time to relapse was 15.1 ± 12.1 weeks (10.1–19.8 95% confidence interval). Follow-up at 12 months after diagnosis showed that two-thirds were either steroid dependent or frequent relapsers. Steroid resistance patients had a more variable course with some developing chronic renal failure and other remaining persistently nephrotic. Conclusion: The incidence and outcome of children with INS are similar to overseas studies. A large variety of steroid treatment regimens were noted. Current evidenced-based guidelines to treat INS were used infrequently.
Molecular Studies of Mutagenesis using Plasmid Vectors in Xeroderma Pigmentosum Cells

A plasmid shuttle vector, pZ189, containing a marker gene, supF, was used to measure DNA repair and mutagenesis in human cells. Plasmids were treated with ultraviolet radiation (UV) in vitro and transfected into xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) and repair proficient human cells. Replicated episomal plasmids were harvested and assayed for survival and mutations by transforming indicator bacteria. Plasmids with mutated supF gene yield white or light blue colonies after transformation while those with wild type supF result in blue colonies. After passage of the UV damaged plasmid through SV40 transformed XP cells of complementation group A (XP-A) or D (XP-D), plasmid survival was markedly reduced in comparison to plasmids harvested from normal cells. The plasmid mutation frequency was greater with the XP than with the normal cells. Removal of cyclobutane dimers by photolyase treatment prior to transfection indicated that dimers are the major mutagenic lesions. The major UV photoproduct, the TT dimer, was only weakly mutagenic in these human cells. Most mutations occured at cytosines that were 3′ to a cytosine or a thymine. There was a restricted spectrum of UV induced mutations with XP-A and XP-D cells: Plasmids recovered from normal cells had single, tandem, and multiple base substitution mutations in the supF gene. With XP-A and XP-D, fewer plasmids had multiple base substitutions. In addition, the XP-D cells had fewer plasmids with tandem mutations. Unique mutagenic hotspots were present with each XP line.
Person-Centered Care For Nursing Home Residents: The Culture-Change Movement

The “culture change” movement represents a fundamental shift in thinking about nursing homes. Facilities are viewed not as health care institutions, but as person-centered homes offering long-term care services. Culture-change principles and practices have been shaped by shared concerns among consumers, policy makers, and providers regarding the value and quality of care offered in traditional nursing homes. They have shown promise in improving quality of life as well as quality of care, while alleviating such problems as high staff turnover. Policy makers can encourage culture change and capitalize on its transformational power through regulation, reimbursement, public reporting, and other mechanisms.
Enhanced growth and hepatic differentiation of fetal liver epithelial cells through combinational and temporal adjustment of soluble factors.

Fetal liver epithelial cells (FLEC) are valuable for liver cell therapy and tissue engineering, but methods for culture and characterization of these cells are not well developed. This work explores the influence of multiple soluble factors on FLEC, with the long-term goal of developing an optimal culture system to generate functional liver tissue. Our comparative analysis suggests hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is required throughout the culture period. In the presence of HGF, addition of oncostatin M (OSM) at culture initiation results in concurrent growth and maturation, while constant presence of protective agents like ascorbic acid enhances cell survival. Study observations led to the development of a culture medium that provided optimal growth and hepatic differentiation conditions. FLEC expansion was observed to be ~2 fold of that under standard conditions, albumin secretion rate was 2 – 3 times greater than maximal values obtained with other media, and the highest level of glycogen accumulation among all conditions was observed with the developed medium. Our findings serve to advance culture methods for liver progenitors in cell therapy and tissue engineering applications.
Time perception and attention: The effects of prospective versus retrospective paradigms and task demands on perceived duration

This research was designed to compare time judgments obtained under prospective conditions (in which subjects are instructed to attend to time) and retrospective conditions (in which subjects are unaware that they will be required to judge time). In Experiment 1, subjects prospectively or retrospectively judged the duration of intervals spent performing a perceptual-motor task at different levels of difficulty. The results showed that subjects tested under both research paradigms tended to give increasingly shorter and/or more inaccurate time judgments with increases in nontemporal task demands. Experiment 2 was designed to test the effects of attentional deployment on perceived time by comparing prospective and retrospective judgments under control, selective attention, and divided attention conditions. Both types of time judgments became increasingly inaccurate as attention was more broadly deployed. The results of these experiments are consistent with an attentional allocation model, and they suggest that nontemporal task demands disrupt or interfere with timing in both prospective and retrospective situations.
QUANTUM AND THERMAL NUCLEATION I N POLYDIACETYLENE

A simple continuurn model of polydiacetylene (PD) is constructed and used to study the structural-phase-transition that occurs in certain PD's. It is concluded that the transition in ETCD-PD is thermally-nucleated while that in TCDU-PD is probably quantum-nucleated.
Dynamics of viscoelastic fluids, melt fracture, and the rheology of fiber spinning

The hydrodynamic theory for the flow of nonlinear viscoelastic fluids is developed. Two new dimensionless groups must be introduced into the complete second-order correction of viscoelastic flow. These groups are called the Weissenberg and viscoelastic ratio numbers. Applications to industrially important problems are discussed. It is argued that the Weissenberg number determines the onset of melt fracture.
Regge slope expansion in the dual resonance model

The expansion, in the Regge-slope parameter alpha ', of simplified meson DELETE ABSTRACT 14001
Use of histochemical stains in needle biopsy of the liver. I. Neutral polysaccharide stain.

Summary Needle biopsy specimens of the liver fixed in absolute alcohol readily lend themselves to staining with both routine hematoxylin and eosin stain and with the periodic acid stain. The latter stain demonstrates quantitative and distributional changes of neutral polysaccharide (glycogen) within the liver cells. Through the application of the neutral polysaccharide stain, it is possible to gain added information regarding hepatic cell integrity. Normally, hepatocellular glycogen is present in generous amounts and is evently distributed throughout the parenchymal cells. In various disease states, where study of hepatic morphology may be unrevealing, reduction in quantity and irregular distribution of intracellular glycogen demonstrated by this stain may be considered evidence of continued disease activity. Liver needle biopsy specimens have routinely been interpreted on the basis of morphologic change. The addition of the neutral polysaccharide stain permits interpretation on the basis of a functional alteration as well, and gives an added opportunity for the correlation of hepatocellular structure with function.
Not Black Like Me: The Cultural Journey of an Early Childhood Program.

Universities and colleges across the United States have been increasingly intentional in their effort to become educational institutions with a culture reflective of all their students, faculty and staff. However, achieving a proportionate representation of faculty for the community of students they serve seems to be a goal yet to be achieved by the higher education institutions. Closing this gap of representation of faculty and students is critical for allowing students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to access support and mentorship from faculty with whom they can identify. This paper describes the approach employed by an Early Childhood program of a southern university with faculty from culturally diverse backgrounds significantly underrepresented. Diverse students within the institution are unable to connect with a faculty member with whom they can identify. The faculty in this program took the initiative to discuss how the learning environment offered to pre-service teachers truly recognizes and creates learning opportunities inclusive of all cultural identities. The faculty and students participated in the Undoing Racism training program and further extended the conversations to address the needs of the program. Using the theoretical framework of the critical race theory, this paper describes how employing the Undoing Racism program to increase awareness and access to all students led to structural changes.
Expression of aquaporins in the renal connecting tubule

The renal connecting tubule (CNT) is a distinct segment that occurs between the distal convoluted tubule (DCT) and the cortical collecting duct. On the basis of its characterization in rabbit it is...
THE KINETICS OF MULTIPLE ENZYME INHIBITION

The adaptive fermentation of galactose by yeast is inhibited by fluoride and azide. At sufficiently low concentrations, however, it is stimulated. From a mathematical analysis, using the known fact that fluoride inhibits the enzymes enolase and adenosinetriphosphatase, it is possible to infer the existence of such stimulation. Conditions for this effect are derived which relate the sensitivities of the enzymes to the poison with the rate constants of the various reactions in the fermentation chain.
Phase Boundaries and Biological Membranes

Bilayer mixtures of lipids are used by many researchers as chemically simple models for biological membranes. In particular, observations on three-component bilayer mixtures containing cholesterol show rich phase behavior, including several regions of two-phase coexistence and one region of three-phase coexistence. Yet, the relationship between these simple model mixtures and biological membranes, which contain hundreds of different proteins and lipids, is not clear. Many of the model mixtures have been chosen for study because they exhibit readily observed phase separations, not because they are good mimics of cell membrane components. If the many components of cell membranes could be grouped in some way, then understanding the phase behaviors of biological membranes might be enhanced. Furthermore, if the underlying interaction energies between lipids and proteins can be determined, then it might be possible to model the distributions of lipids and proteins in a bilayer membrane, even in complex mixtures.
Immigran t Men tal Health: Conflicts and Concerns of Indian Immigrants in the U.S.A

This paper explicates the different factors which determine the adaptation of immi grants. Immigration is conceptualised as a stressful process which necessitates readjust ment on several dimensions of functioning. The varying adjustment patterns of immigrants as they cope with cultural changes are outlined. Focusing on Indian immigrants, four phases of adjustment (pre-immigration, transition, discontentment and adaptation periods) and their behavioural correlates are described. The conflicts and concerns of the post-1965 immigrants are articulated in terms of issues pertaining to dependency vs. independence, competition vs. collusion, loneliness and changing values and family commitments. The problems of women immigrants are also discussed.
Impact of storage time and temperature on thermal inactivation of Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30 on oil-roasted almonds.

Whole Nonpareil variety almonds were inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis PT 30 and stored at 4 or 23 ◦ C for up to 48 wk. At 1, 12, 24, 37, and 48 wk of storage, almonds were heated by immersion in 121 ◦ C oil. After heating for 0.5 to 2.5 min, almonds were drained, transferred to tryptic soy broth, and mixed with a stomacher prior to plating onto tryptic soy and bismuth sulfite agars. Over the 48 wk of storage, Salmonella declined by 0.5 and 2.1 log CFU/g at 4 and 23 ◦ C, respectively. The survivor inactivation curves were upwardly concave with rapid initial reductions in the levels of Salmonella. For up to 24 wk of storage, the mean counts of the survivors after treatment were not significantly different. The Weibull model predicted 4- and 5-log reductions of Salmonella in 0.85 ± 0.16 and 1.8 ± 0.43 min, respectively, for almonds stored at 4 ◦ C, and in 1.6 ± 0.53 and 3.2 ± 1.0 min, respectively, for almonds stored at 23 ◦ C. Refrigerated
Flexible Polyurethane Foam: A Literature Review of Thermal Decomposition Products and Toxicity

This report presents a comprehensive literature review of the toxicity of the combustion products of flexible polyurethane foam and the thermal decomposition products of this polymer.Combustion toxicity results obtained using different test methods but measuring the same toxicologic endpoints were compared. That is, time to incapacitation and time to death using the USF and FAA test methods were compared. Also, LC50 values using the DIN, NBS, and University of Pittsburgh tests were compared. The results indicate that despite the use of different test methods, foam densities, formulations, fire retardants, and other additives, combustion toxicity data were generally considered comparable when similar endpoints were compared. Neither CO nor HCN appeared to be the primary cause of death due to the combustion products of flexible polyurethane foam, although they were probably contributory factors.Under conditions of oxidation and pyrolysis, polyurethane foams decomposed into a liquid polyol component and a “y...
Significance of Transiently Positive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Results in Detection of Helicobacter pylori in Stool Samples from Children

In young children, the significance of stool samples transiently positive for Helicobacter pylori antigen is unknown. As part of a larger prospective study on enteric infections, stool samples were obtained from 323 children at two time points 3 months apart and tested for H. pylori antigen using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. Seminested PCR for a Helicobacter-specific 16S rRNA gene was performed on all 26 pairs reverting from positive to negative (transient positives), all 4 persistent antigen-positive pairs, and 10 randomly selected persistent antigen-negative pairs. Helicobacter species were amplified from the first stool samples of 15/26 (58%) of the transient positives and 1 (25%) of 4 persistent positives. No Helicobacter species were amplified from the 10 persistent negatives. Among the 15 amplicons from transient-positive stool, H. pylori was sequenced and identified from 12 (80%; 95% confidence interval, 52% to 96%) and other Helicobacter spp. were identified from three (Helicobacter canis, Helicobacter winghamensis, and MIT 99-5504). Four of the 15 remained positive by PCR for the second (antigen-negative) stool sample, including all 3 initially identified as non-H. pylori. Helicobacter bilis was amplified from the second sample of a persistent positive. Two of eight transient positives from whom serum was available had accompanying transient elevations in anti-H. pylori antibodies. Transiently positive stool ELISAs for H. pylori are common and represent H. pylori in the majority of cases where sequences can be obtained. A not-insignificant percentage of antigen-positive stools, however, may represent other Helicobacter species.
Uplink Interference Management for Coexisting MIMO Femtocell and Macrocell Networks: An Interference Alignment Approach

This paper considers uplink interference management for two-tier cellular systems by way of Interference Alignment (IA). In order to manage the uplink interference caused by macrocell users at the femtocell base stations (FBS), cooperation between macrocell users with the closest femtocell base stations is proposed with the goal of aligning the received signals of macrocell users in the same subspace at multiple FBSs. The precoder design for macrocell users is accomplished using successive semidefinite programming relaxations. The proposed solution aims to minimize the cross-tier interference leaked to the femtocells while providing the macrocell users with a minimum received signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR) at the macrocell base station (MBS). Intra-tier femtocell interference is dealt with minimum mean squared error (MMSE) interference suppression. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed two-tier interference management approach improves the performance of femtocell users, while maintaining the desired quality of the communication channel of macrocell users.
Pair correlation effects in heavy fermions

Abstract We summarize progress in studying a model of two Kondo impurities interacting directly with a conduction electron sea and indirectly with each other. In the presence of particle-hole symmetry, a critical point exists at finite ratio of (antiferromagnetic) RKKY coupling to Kondo temperature. For the more general case of no particle-hole symmetry, however, indications from both a 1 N (mean field) expansion and numerical renormalization group studies of potential scattering are that the transition is washed out. We discuss the implications of these findings on pair correlations in a real (lattice) system.
Two real critical constraints for real parameter margin computation. I. Theory and applications

A novel approach to real parameter margin computation for dynamical systems with multilinearly uncertain parameters is presented. The concept of two real critical constraints is introduced. The proposed approach is essentially a frequency-sweeping approach which is based on a sufficient condition for checking for critical instability only in the corner directions of the parameter space hypercube. >
Risk of Metal Mobilization from Redevelopment Activities in Hyperarid Climates: A Laboratory Experiment and Discussion

The reclamation and redevelopment of abandoned mine sites into parks, golf courses, and residential communities in arid and hyperarid regions has been caused, in part, to rising land costs. A laboratory experiment using three columns was monitored for 273 days to evaluate trace metal and metalloid availability. The sediment from the Three Kids Mine that was used in this study is documented to contain high levels of trace metals and metalloids. The experiment simulated agricultural activities over time to assess whether fertilizers would mobilize trapped contaminants. Results indicate that irrigation and fertilizers can provide conditions for Pb, Mn, Zn, Al, Ba, Cu, and As to become mobile, though on a limited basis. There was an increase in Pb, Mn, Zn, Al, Ba, Cu, and As within the first 30 days followed by a decrease at 90 days. Concentrations of Pb, Mn, and Zn increased at 273 days due to application of fertilizer-fortified waters. This study shows the potential for mobilized trace metals and metalloids to enter the wider environment after developmental activities are finished.
Multicultural Consumers and the Retail Service Experience

The recent economic crisis in the U.S. and global economies has marked the beginning of a turbulent climate for numerous retailers, many of whom have filed for bankruptcy, closed stores nationwide, and downsized the workforce and inventory levels drastically to deal with declining sales. While some of these measures have helped is sustaining retail businesses, the road to recovery for U.S. retailers is ­long-drawn and far from being smooth, with every season potentially spelling the need for more closures and bankruptcies. Given these challenging conditions, the question arises whether there is a single, effective strategy that can help retailers sustain in this turbulent climate and remain poised for future growth? The ubiquitous answer to this question is centered around creating and fostering a superior and memorable retail shopping experience for the customer. As a result, customer experience management has emerged as a key retailing strategy in depressed economic times to combat declining sales and customer loyalties (Grewal et al. 2009; Puccinelli et al. 2009; Verhoef et al. 2009).
Stably Doped Conducting Polymer Nanoshells by Surface Initiated Polymerization

Despite broad applications ranging from electronics to biomedical sensing and imaging, a long-standing problem of conducting polymers is the poor resistance to dedoping, which directly affects their signature electrical and optical properties. This problem is particularly significant for biomedical uses because of fast leaching of dopant ions in physiological environments. Here, we describe a new approach to engineer multimodal core-shell nanoparticles with a stably doped conductive polymer shell in biological environments. It was achieved by making a densely packed polymer brush rather than changing its molecular structure. Polyaniline (PANI) was used as a model compound due to its concentrated near-infrared (NIR) absorption. It was grafted onto a magnetic nanoparticle via a polydopamine intermediate layer. Remarkably, at pH 7 its conductivity is ca. 2000× higher than conventional PANI nanoshells. Similarly, its NIR absorption is enhanced by 2 orders of magnitude, ideal for photothermal imaging and therapy. Another surprising finding is its nonfouling property, even outperforming polyethylene glycol. This platform technology is also expected to open exciting opportunities in engineering stable conductive materials for electronics, imaging, and sensing.
Do Financial Analysts Play a Role in Valuation? Evidence from Asian Stock Markets

Ohlson (1995) motivates the adoption of the historical price model in value relevance studies, which expresses value as a function of earnings and book values (e.g., Collins et al. 1997; Francis and Schipper 1999). However, Ohlson (2001) argues that 'other information' is ignored in these studies and the valuation model could be improved by incorporating analyst earnings forecasts. This study uses the argumentation provided by Ohlson (2001) and examines whether the empirical version of the residual income model that uses earnings forecasts is a better model than the historical price model in seven Asian countries: Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Korea, as well as in country groups and subgroups by their legal origins: the common-law group and the civil-law group (with subgroups of French origin and German origin). The results show that the adjusted R2 for the residual income model is higher than for the historical price model in some countries and country groups. The improvements are more significant in countries or country groups where public disclosure is more important to solve the information asymmetry problem between managers and investors.
Missed Ischemic Stroke Diagnosis in the Emergency Department by Emergency Medicine and Neurology Services

Background and Purpose—The failure to recognize an ischemic stroke in the emergency department is a missed opportunity for acute interventions and for prompt treatment with secondary prevention the...
Hyperpolarization-activated Na(+)-K+ current (Ih) in neocortical neurons is blocked by external proteolysis and internal TEA

1. After 1 day in culture, neurons derived from the neonatal cerebral cortex of the rat exhibited a slowly activating current gated by hyperpolarizing voltage clamp pulses. The current was blocked by extracellular Cs+ and unaffected by extracellular Ba2+, and was permeable to both Na+ and K+ (PNa/PK = 0.29). Its form and pharmacology are consistent with a current termed Ih in other preparations. 2. Ih was absent from cells acutely dissociated from both the neonatal and mature cerebral cortex, despite the use of low enzyme concentrations. The sensitivity of Ih to extracellular proteolysis was demonstrated by superfusing the cells with trypsin (1 mg/ml) while monitoring the presence of Ih in the whole cell mode of recording. Ih was rapidly abolished (t1/2 approximately 5 min at 22 degrees C) by proteolysis and exhibited no shifts in its range of activation or changes in its activation kinetics during the course of the digestion. 3. Intracellular tetraethylammonium (TEA), at a concentration of < 15 mM was shown to block Ih completely, while extracellular TEA had no effect on the current. This suggests that the inner vestibule of Ih may be structurally related to that of potassium channels.
Re-evaluation of the Pathogenicity of A/Chicken/Alabama/75 (H4N8) Influenza Virus

SUMMARY. Avian influenza (AI) virus A/chicken/Alabama/7395/75 (H4N8), a putatively non-pathogenic virus associated with a self-limiting outbreak of severe disease in commercial layers, was selectively passed in chickens or in cell cultures and then in chickens to determine whether virus with increased pathogenicitywould emerge. When 20 derivatives of the parental virus were each inoculated intranasally and intratracheally in leghorn hens, mortality rates ranged from zero (0/24) to 25% (6/24); mortality was 4% (1/24) for hens inoculated with the parental virus. Many virus reisolates (51/144) from hens that died exhibited high pathogenicity, killing at least six of eight intravenously inoculated 4-week-old chickens. Most derivatives examined produced plaques in trypsin-free cell cultures more efficiently than the parental virus, but the highest plaquing efficiencies observed (10%) were lower than would be expected (100%) for highly pathogenic subtype H5 or H7 AI viruses. These results confirm that the Alabama H4N8 virus can acquire increased pathogenicity upon passage in chickens and suggest that it may have acted alone in producing the severe disease observed in laying chickens in Alabama.
What Are “Commodities of like Grade and Quality”?

The U. S. Supreme Court was never more correct than in saying that "precision of expression is not an outstanding characteristic of the Robinson-Patman Act." This article shows the varied interpretations given by the FTC to one section of the Act, dealing with "commodities of like grade and quality." The author also shows how the phrase "like grade and quality" may be given sharper and less ambiguous meaning. NO OTHER trade law has aroused more interest, controversy, and confusion among businessmen and students of marketing than the Robinson-Patman Act.' The present article deals specifically with Section 2 (a) concerning "commodities of like grade and quality." The language of the Robinson-Patman Act is not easy to understand. The U.S. Supreme Court observed in the Automatic Canteen Case that "precision of expression is not an outstanding characteristic of the Robinson-Patman Act."2 Nevertheless, it is clear that the basic issue of price discrimination is confined to comparable business transactions, and that discrimination can take place only if a seller will sell two or more competing buyers "identical" products at different prices. The thesis of this article is that neither the Federal Trade Commission nor the courts have given a uniformly consistent interpretation of the phrase "like grade and quality," and that the interpretations are conflicting and confusing. Assuming that the purpose of the Robinson-Patman Act is to stimulate competition by eliminating unfair discrimination, one important corollary would be the establishment of a set of rules to aid businessmen in their marketing policies. If this is the case, the Federal Trade Commission and the courts have failed--and this is illustrated by the following discussion of cases.
Poverty, gender, and empowerment in sustained adoption of cleaner cooking systems: Making the case for refined measurement

Abstract Studies in the household air pollution sector have often used non-coherent frameworks and indicators to evaluate the sustained adoption of cleaner cooking systems. There is a lack of universally acknowledged metrics to characterize and measure sustained adoption of cleaner cooking systems. Through a series of workshops, public consultations, and a webinar, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves has developed indicators and metrics in 5 core measurement areas of adoption. These are: 1) Distribution & Uptake, 2) Promotion, 3) Policy & Coverage, 4) Adoption, and 5) Sustained Adoption. As a starting point, these indicators could be further revised, which will benefit policy makers, researchers, and business practitioners in this sector.
Improved low pH bicelle system for orienting macromolecules over a wide temperature range.

We have prepared and characterized a novel bicelle system composed of 1,2-di-O-dodecyl-sn-glycero-3-phos- phocholine (DIODPC) and 3-(chloramidopropyl)dimethylammonio-2-hydroxyl-1-propane sulfonate (CHAPSO). At the optimal DIODPC/CHAPSO molar ratio of 4.3:1, this medium becomes magnetically oriented from pH 6.5 down to pH 1.0. Unlike previously reported bicelle preparations, these bicelles are chemically stable at low pH and are capable of inducing protein alignment, as illustrated by the large residual dipolar couplings measured for rusticyanin from Thiobacillus ferrooxidans at pH 2.1. The DIODPC/CHAPSO system is particularly useful for measuring residual dipolar couplings of macromolecules that require very acidic conditions.
Business as usual: Politicians with business experience, government finances, and policy outcomes

Abstract Are government finances and policy outcomes different under politicians with business experience? We study California city councils and implement a regression discontinuity strategy to provide causal evidence on this issue. Ultimately, we find no evidence that the election of a candidate with business experience impacts city expenditures, revenues, unemployment rates, and other outcomes. Future vote shares for candidates with business experience are also unaffected, which suggests that these politicians are not having an impact that is observed to voters but unobserved in our data.
INCOME AND WEALTH INEQUALITY: EVIDENCE AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Drawing on the author's work, this lecture presents evidence on U.S. income and wealth inequality. It presents series for top income and wealth shares, and the distribution of economic growth by income groups. It discusses the mechanisms behind the evolution of U.S. income and wealth inequality from historical and comparative perspectives. It analyzes the role of public policy and in particular taxation in the evolution of inequality. (JEL D31, F66, J24)
Becoming an embedded librarian: Making connections in the classroom

In Becoming an Embedded Librarian, Michelle Reale describes in precise detail her process of embedding herself in senior thesis seminars in the English department at Arcadia University. The book is...
A genetic algorithm to optimize the adaptive Support Vector Regression model for forecasting the reliability of diesel engine systems

This paper presents the use of the Support Vector Regression (SVR) technique to forecast the reliability of a system. Future predicted values of system reliability are highly sensitive to the choice of SVR parameters and the type of kernel SVR function. The dataset of a turbocharged diesel engine system was used as a case study. The Normalize Root Mean Square Error (NRMSE) measure was used to evaluate the SVR model in predicting the reliability of the system. Many experimental attempts were done using the optimal SVR parameters and the proper kernel function. Results showed that Order 5 of the polynomial kernel outperformed both Gaussian and linear kernel functions in predicting the future reliability values with minimal NRMSE. Experimentally, choosing the proper parameters for the SVR is a hard process, and there are no guarantees that the good parameters and the best kernel function are used. Therefore, artificial intelligence must be used. A genetic algorithm (GA) was used as an AI search optimization method to optimize both the SVR parameters and the type of the kernel function by generating a GA-SVR model. The GA successfully optimized the SVR model to ensure accurate predictions. The adaptive GASVR model was used to overcome such problems as small size of the dataset, varying lifetimes of the system components, and odd behavior of the system because of external environmental causes. Results confirmed the efficiency of the adaptive model to predict precisely the reliability of the system, even with a small dataset.
Association of specific gene expression profiles with a pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal adenocarcinoma.

51Background: Predicting prognosis in esophageal cancer remains an unrealized goal despite studies linking constellations of genes to therapeutic response. In this study, we analyzed specific predictor genes expressed in tumor specimens from our institutional repository. Our aim was to determine if specific gene expression profiles are associated with pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (CRT). Methods: We investigated eleven genes identified from prior studies (CCL28, SPARC, S100A2, SPRR3, SIRT2, NOV, PERP, PAPSS2, DCK, DKK3, ALDH1) that have significant association with esophageal cancer progression. Patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma treated with neoadjuvant CRT followed by esophagectomy at our institution between January 2011 and July 2015 were included. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was conducted on pre-treatment biopsy specimens to determine gene expression. Patients were classified into two groups: 1) pCR and, 2) no or poor response (NR) af...
Exploring Out-of-School Play and Educational Readiness

Play researchers and theorists have cautioned that children’s early play is changing in a manner that is detrimental to their development. Meanwhile U.S. governmental pressures and increasingly higher standards for education are changing the landscape of kindergarten and early learning. This study investigates the relationship between children’s out-of-school play and their educational readiness. Parents of kindergarten students in a suburban Midwestern school district completed the Child Play Survey on time their children spent in out-of-school play. Kindergarten teachers rated students on three domains of readiness using the newly devised Illinois Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS 2015): Attention to Learning—Self-Regulation (ATL-REG); Social and Emotional Development (SED); and Language and Literacy Development (LLD). Correlational and regression analyses suggest that time in out-of-school play is not positively associated to teacher ratings of academic and behavioral performance in kindergarten. Rather, increased time in outdoor play on school days and non-school days resulted in lower scores on all three readiness domains. Time in outdoor play was correlated to free-reduced lunch eligibility, the socioeconomic measure utilized in the study. Parent education level, income level, attendance at 3-year-old preschool and daycare attendance were found to positively influence readiness measures. Implications for future research are presented.
Gender-Specific Amelioration of SMA Phenotype upon Disruption of a Deep Intronic Structure by an Oligonucleotide

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading genetic disease of children, is caused by low levels of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. Here, we employ A15/283, an antisense oligonucleotide targeting a deep intronic sequence/structure, to examine the impact of restoration of SMN in a mild SMA mouse model. We show gender-specific amelioration of tail necrosis upon subcutaneous administrations of A15/283 into SMA mice at postnatal days 1 and 3. We also demonstrate that a modest increase in SMN due to early administrations of A15/283 dramatically improves testicular development and spermatogenesis. Our results reveal near total correction of expression of several genes in adult testis upon temporary increase in SMN during early postnatal development. This is the first demonstration of in vivo efficacy of an antisense oligonucleotide targeting a deep intronic sequence/structure. This is also the first report of gender-specific amelioration of SMA pathology upon a modest peripheral increase of SMN.
Sure enough: efficient Bayesian learning and choice

Probabilistic decision-making is a general phenomenon in animal behavior, and has often been interpreted to reflect the relative certainty of animals’ beliefs. Extensive neurological and behavioral results increasingly suggest that animal beliefs may be represented as probability distributions, with explicit accounting of uncertainty. Accordingly, we develop a model that describes decision-making in a manner consistent with this understanding of neuronal function in learning and conditioning. This first-order Markov, recursive Bayesian algorithm is as parsimonious as its minimalist point-estimate, Rescorla–Wagner analogue. We show that the Bayesian algorithm can reproduce naturalistic patterns of probabilistic foraging, in simulations of an experiment in bumblebees. We go on to show that the Bayesian algorithm can efficiently describe the behavior of several heuristic models of decision-making, and is consistent with the ubiquitous variation in choice that we observe within and between individuals in implementing heuristic decision-making. By describing learning and decision-making in a single Bayesian framework, we believe we can realistically unify descriptions of behavior across contexts and organisms. A unified cognitive model of this kind may facilitate descriptions of behavioral evolution.
Evolution of Sex Chromosome Dosage Compensation in Animals: A Beautiful Theory, Undermined by Facts and Bedeviled by Details

Many animals with genetic sex determination harbor heteromorphic sex chromosomes, where the heterogametic sex has half the gene dose of the homogametic sex. This imbalance, if reflected in the abundance of transcripts or proteins, has the potential to deleteriously disrupt interactions between X-linked and autosomal loci in the heterogametic sex. Classical theory predicts that molecular mechanisms will evolve to provide dosage compensation that recovers expression levels comparable to ancestral expression prior to sex chromosome divergence. Such dosage compensating mechanisms may also, secondarily, result in balanced sex-linked gene expression between males and females. However, numerous recent studies addressing sex chromosome dosage compensation (SCDC) in a diversity of animals have yielded a surprising array of patterns concerning dosage compensation in the heterogametic sex, as well as dosage balance between sexes. These results substantially contradict longstanding theory, catalyzing both novel perspectives and new approaches in dosage compensation research. In this review, we summarize the theory, analytical approaches, and recent results concerning evolutionary patterns of SCDC in animals. We also discuss methodological challenges and discrepancies encountered in this research, which often underlie conflicting results. Finally, we discuss what outstanding questions and opportunities exist for future research on SCDC.
Disparities in Use and Access to Postmastectomy Breast Reconstruction Among African American Women: A Targeted Review of the Literature.

Postmastectomy breast reconstruction is a therapy that has been shown to have positive psychological effects on its recipients. There is evidence that racial disparities in its use exist, particularly among African American (AA) women. The purpose of this targeted review of the literature was to examine the use of postmastectomy breast reconstruction among AA women and to explore factors that contribute to such disparities. Published literature that evaluated rates of breast reconstruction in AA women, as well as barriers to reconstruction in this population, was reviewed. All of the reviewed data consisted of retrospective studies. There are conflicting data in the literature regarding disparities in the rates of postmastectomy breast reconstruction among AA women. However, a majority of studies found that AA women were less likely (odds ratios: 0.36-0.71) to receive postmastectomy breast reconstruction compared to white women. System-associated factors, physician-associated factors, and patient-associat...
High-resolution Detection of Isotopic Oxygen using Modulation Spectroscopy

We discuss a new method of obtaining parametric information in measurements with tunable diode laser spectroscopy utilizing spectral lineshape analysis and quantitative metrics of signal structure of wavelength modulation spectroscopy signals.
Registration accuracy between whole slide images and glass slides in eeDAP workflow

The purpose of this study is evaluating registration accuracy of evaluation environment of Digital and Analog Pathology (eeDAP). eeDAP was developed to help conduct studies in which pathologists view and evaluate the same fields of view (FOVs), cells, or features in a glass slide on a microscope and in a whole slide image (WSI) on a digital display by registering the two domains. Registration happens at the beginning of a study (global registration) and during a study (localregistration). The global registration is interactive and defines the correspondence between the WSI and stage coordinates. The local registration ensures the pathologist evaluates the correct FOVs, cells, and features. All registrations are based on image-based normalized cross correlation.This study evaluates the registration accuracy achieved throughout a study. To measure the registration accuracy, we used an eyepiece ruler reticle to measure the shift distance between the center of the eyepiece and a target feature expected in the center. Two readers independently registered 60 FOVs from 6 glass slides, which covered different tissue types, stains, and magnifications. The results show thatwhen the camera image is in focus, the registration was within 5micrometers in more than 95% of the FOVs. The tissue type, stain, magnification, or readerdid not appear to impact local registration accuracy. The registration error was mainly dependent on the microscope being in focus, the scan quality, and the FOVcontent (unique high-contrast structures are better than content that is homogeneous or low contrast).
Pastoral Openness to Interaction with a Private Christian Counseling Service

Recognizing the important “gatekeeper” role of clergy in relation to the mental health field, the purpose of this research was to identify, among pastors of clients at a private Christian counselin...
Women in Control: A Comparative Effectiveness Pilot Study of a Virtual World- VS. a Face to Face- Intervention Format to Promote Diabetes Self-Management among African American Women

Background: Face to face programs designed to promote healthy lifestyle changes for patients with diabetes are hampered by a number of challenges. The Internet, through its potential for increased access to specialized behavior change experts, convenience to patients, and potentially lowered costs, offers alternatives to these challenges. However, while online alternatives show promising improvement in health behaviors and glycemic control, effect sizes have been small. Limited human interactivity and engagement in online programs have been hypothesized as contributors to the small effect size. In contrast, Virtual World (VW) technologies are potentially more suitable environments for supporting diabetes self-management programming. Through the use of 3D environments that depict real places and avatars that represent people, VW environments offer opportunities for interaction, intense engagement, and opportunities for scripted immersive experiences, simulations, role-playing, and constructivist experiences, all important facilitators of active learning. The use of VW environments continues to increase. There were 1,772 million registered VW accounts in 2011, with 27 million users registered in Second Life alone. The potential of VW environments for implementing or supplementing diabetes care interventions has been noted, but there is a scarcity about the feasibility and potential effectiveness of such an approach. Objective: This pilot study examined the feasibility of delivering a group-based diabetes self-management intervention via a VW environment (Second Life), and explored the potential effectiveness of the VW-based intervention condition on self-management behaviors and glucose levels, as compared to a traditional face-to-face (FF) intervention condition. Methods: A pilot randomized clinical trial design was used. African American women with type 2 diabetes were recruited and randomized to the VW or the FF intervention. Baseline and four-month follow up included clinical (HbA1c), behavioral and psychosocial measurements. Pre-post differences within and between intervention groups were assessed using t-tests and binomial tests (two-sided and intention to treat analyses for all comparisons). Results: Participants (n=89) had an average age of 52 years, 60% had 9% (VW p=0.014; FF p=0.002), with no between group difference (p=0.493). No significant between group differences were observed for blood pressure, BMI, blood glucose self-monitoring, dietary outcomes, medication adherence, or social support, but were significant for depressive symptoms. The VW intervention costs were $1,117 vs. $931 for FF. Conclusions: It is feasible to deliver diabetes self-management interventions to inner city African American women via VW and outcomes may be comparable. Further effectiveness research is warranted. []