cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls or Dioxin: Do Changes in Thyroid Function Mediate Effects on Spatial Learning?

SYNOPSIS. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins are widespread environmental contaminants that are suspected of causing cognitive deficits in children exposed in utero. Very little is known about which of the PCB and dioxin congeners present in the environment are responsible for the changes in cognitive function or about the mechanisms through which these chemicals affect the central nervous system (CNS). Because both PCBs and dioxins reduce circulating thyroid hormone levels, it has been proposed that these chemicals may affect CNS function indirectly by reducing the availability of thyroid hormone to the brain during development. Thyroid hormones play a critical role in brain development, and spatial learning and memory is one of the behavioral functions most severely affected by neonatal hypothyroidism. In the studies reviewed here, we investigated the effects of three ortAo-substituted PCBs, two coplanar PCBs and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on spatial learning and memory in the rat. Pups exposed to PCBs or TCDD in utero and during lactation were tested when they reached adulthood. All three ortAo-substituted PCBs caused deficits in spatial learning, but only two of the three reduced circulating thyroid hormone concentrations. Furthermore, the learning deficit was observed only in females, but thyroid hormones were equally depressed in males and females. Thus, the PCB-induced deficit in spatial learning did not appear to be mediated by the decreased thyroid hormone levels. TCDD and coplanar PCBs caused moderate reductions in thyroid hormone, but facilitated rather than impaired spatial learning, an effect that has been reported in neonatally /type/thyroid rats. The possibility that TCDD and coplanar PCBs may act as "mixed" thyroid agonists/antagonists causing hypothyroid-like effects in some tissues and hyperthyroid-like effects in other tissues is discussed.
A 14-Year-Old Boy With Nodules on His Feet.

A 14-year-old previously healthy boy was referred to the pediatric infectious disease clinic for evaluation of painful nodules, which had been present for 2 weeks, on both soles of his feet. The nodules were first noted 2 weeks after returning to the United States from a 1-month family vacation to visit relatives in his native Guyana, South America. The foot nodules were unimproved after application of topical Neosporin and a 1-week course of oral trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole prescribed by his primary care physician. The nodules were nonpurulent but expressed serosanguinous fluid. Neither he nor other family members had developed skin lesions during the trip itself. The patient denied systemic symptoms, including fever, rash, headache, respiratory, or joint complaints. He had no significant past medical history or drug allergies. The patient denied swimming in fresh or sea water, insect bites, or animal contact, and he denied sexual activity; however, he did walk with sandals in sandy soil. On physical examination, his vital signs were within normal limits. The examination was notable only for nodules to the soles of his feet bilaterally (as shown in Figure 1). He had approximately 20 firm, nodules (1 × 2 cm) on his right foot and 9 discrete (1 × 2 cm) nodules on his left. His physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. After dermatology consultation, an excisional skin biopsy was performed with microscopic examination of the biopsy specimens, which confirmed the visual diagnosis.
Astrocytes influence the severity of spinal muscular atrophy

Systemically low levels of survival motor neuron-1 (SMN1) protein cause spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). α-Motor neurons of the spinal cord are considered particularly vulnerable in this genetic disorder and their dysfunction and loss cause progressive muscle weakness, paralysis and eventually premature death of afflicted individuals. Historically, SMA was therefore considered a motor neuron-autonomous disease. However, depletion of SMN in motor neurons of normal mice elicited only a very mild phenotype. Conversely, restoration of SMN to motor neurons in an SMA mouse model had only modest effects on the SMA phenotype and survival. Collectively, these results suggested that additional cell types contribute to the pathogenesis of SMA, and understanding the non-autonomous requirements is crucial for developing effective therapies. Astrocytes are critical for regulating synapse formation and function as well as metabolic support for neurons. We hypothesized that astrocyte functions are disrupted in SMA, exacerbating disease progression. Using viral-based restoration of SMN specifically to astrocytes, survival in severe and intermediate SMA mice was observed. In addition, neuromuscular circuitry was improved. Astrogliosis was prominent in end-stage SMA mice and in post-mortem patient spinal cords. Increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines was partially normalized in treated mice, suggesting that astrocytes contribute to the pathogenesis of SMA.
Visual perception without awareness in a patient with posterior cortical atrophy: impaired explicit but not implicit processing of global information.

A patient with progressive posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) was examined on several tests of visual cognition. The patient displayed multiple visual cognitive deficits, which included problems identifying degraded stimuli, attending to two or more stimuli simultaneously, recognizing faces, tracing simple visual stimuli, matching simple shapes, and copying objects. The patient was also impaired in identifying visual targets contained at the global level within global-local stimuli (i.e., smaller letters that compose a larger letter). Although the patient denied any conscious awareness of the global form, he nevertheless displayed a normal pattern of global interference when asked to identify local level targets. Thus, the patient processed the global information despite not being consciously aware of such information. These results suggest that global-local processing can take place in the absence of awareness. Possible neurocognitive mechanisms explaining this dissociation are discussed.
Manganese Requirements of Laying Hens as Related to Diet Calcium

Abstract A manganese requirement for the laying hen has not been established (National Research Council, 1966), although the requirement of the chicken breeder hen has been stated as 33 p.p.m. Little research has been conducted attempting to establish the minimum manganese requirement of chicken hens kept for the production of market eggs. Gallup and Norris (1939) showed that pullets fed diets containing 13 p.p.m. of manganese for seven weeks prior to production laid at a markedly lower rate , 34.1% versus 66.2% for those fed 113 p.p.m. during the same period and then fed 213 p.p.m. after the onset of production. Their data also show that the manganese content of the egg increased as diet manganese was increased. Golding et al. (1940) presented data which indicate that White Leghorn hens have a lower manganese requirement than Barred Plymouth Rock hens. Gutowska and Parkhurst (1942) fed rations containing 17, 24, 61 or…
Permanence of agricultural afforestation for carbon sequestration under stylized carbon markets in the U.S.

This paper examines the permanence of agricultural land afforestation under stylized carbon markets at the regional level in the US. Attention is focused on Southern and Midwest regions which historically have experienced a relatively large amount of land-use change between the agriculture and forest sectors. The Forest and Agriculture Sector Optimization Model–Greenhouse Gases model is used to examine responses between sectors as part of the regional afforestation policy analysis. Main findings suggest that most of afforested area in the Midwest regions remains unharvested by mid-21th century but a significant percentage of afforested area in the Southern regions shifts back to agricultural uses by this time. We also simulated a policy where carbon sequestration credits paid for afforestation are reduced 40% relative to other mitigation actions. A permanence value reduction for afforestation further promotes the harvesting of afforested stands in the Southern regions. Also, it has an impact not only on grassland pasture but also on high productive cropland. Results of this analysis are robust to lower permanence value reduction rates for higher carbon prices and can serve as upper bound of impacts for lower carbon prices.
On the design of spaceborne polarimetric SARs

To date, spaceborne polarimetric SARs have predominantly been implemented as experimental add-on modes to existing designs for single-pol or dual-pol systems. As a result, current and planned spaceborne SARs have polarimetric (or quad-pol) modes that are severely limited in swath width, are restricted in the range of look angles, suffer from low SNR and ambiguity problems, and are difficult to calibrate. The consequence of this is that the high potential science return expected from polarimetric SAR data has not and will not be realized. In this paper, the design of polarimetric SAR systems is revisited. Design principles are established, and recent advances will be described that allow wider swath polarimetry over a wide range of incidence angles, and simplified calibration of the final data product.
Determination of Molecular Binding in Aqueous Solution from Optical Activity Measurements

Although the feasibility of using ORD for determining stability constants of molecular complexes in organic solvent has already been shown, the present investigation appears to be the first attempt to apply it to an aqueous system. Measurements at 330 mμ show distinct changes in the apparent optical activity of the zwitter ionic form of the amino acid when alkylxanthines were added to its solutions. These readings when analyzed by the iterative procedure previously developed for PMR data have yielded self-consistent stability constant values. Results are given for interaction with caffeine, theophylline, 8-methoxycaffeine, 1,3-dimethyluracil, and sarcosine anhydride. From measurements at several temperatures the heat of binding of tryptophan with caffeine was shown to be −4.0 kcal./mole and that with theophylline to be −4.2 kcal./mole. These results appear to be consistent with results obtained previously on related systems.
Lazy garbage collection of recovery state for fault-tolerant distributed shared memory

In this paper, we address the problem of garbage collection in a single-failure fault-tolerant home-based lazy release consistency (HLRC) distributed shared-memory (DSM) system based on independent checkpointing and logging. Our solution uses laziness in garbage collection and exploits consistency constraints of the HLRC memory model for low overhead and scalability. We prove safe bounds on the state that must be retained in the system to guarantee correct recovery after a failure. We devise two algorithms for garbage collection of checkpoints and logs, checkpoint garbage collection (CGC), and lazy log trimming (LLT). The proposed approach targets large-scale distributed shared-memory computing on local-area clusters of computers. In such systems, using global synchronization or extra communication for garbage collection is inefficient or simply impractical due to system scale and temporary disconnections in communication. The challenge lies in controlling the size of the logs and the number of checkpoints without global synchronization while tolerating transient disruptions in communication. Our garbage collection scheme is completely distributed, does not force processes to synchronize, does not add extra messages to the base DSM protocol, and uses only the available DSM protocol information. Evaluation results for real applications show that it effectively bounds the number of past checkpoints to be retained and the size of the logs in stable storage.
Electronic Structure, Ionization Potential, and Electron Affinity of the Enzyme Cofactor (6R)-5,6,7,8-Tetrahydrobiopterin in the Gas Phase, Solution, and Protein Environments

(6R)-5,6,7,8-Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is a key cofactor involved in the electron transfer to the P450 heme of nitric oxide synthase. We calculated the electronic structure of the neutral, cationic, and anionic forms of BH4 in the gas phase, in solution (both dielectric and explicit water), and in the protein environment using density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p)). Subsequently, we derived the ionization potential (IP) and electron affinity (EA) of the cofactor in these chemical environments. We found that the electronic structure of BH4 is susceptible to the presence of an external electric field and that conformational changes in the structure of BH4 alone do not affect its electronic structure significantly. In the gas phase, water, and protein environments neutral BH4 is the most stable species, while in the dielectric environment the anion becomes the most stable species. The IP of BH4 in the protein environment is about half of that in the gas phase, and its EA is about 5 times smaller than ...
Morale and Faculty Development in Agricultural Economics

Morale and faculty development are closely related. The agricultural economics Profession must decide what it is about. There is room to practice the principle of comparative advantage and allow a degree of specialization in teaching, extension, and research. To continue in the role of an applied discipline, there must also be an opportunity for the young professional to establish rapport with, and understanding of, the private sector and the policy-making arena. If that is to happen, there must be encouragement in the institutional setting and by faculty colleagues who respect the importance of investment in building rapport and in establishing credibility. If that environment is present, morale should be good and faculty development will occur.
Using Ground-Penetrating Radar to Locate Clandestine Graves of Homicide Victims: Forming Forensic Archaeology Partnerships With Law Enforcement

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has become an important forensic archaeology tool used by law enforcement agencies to search for buried bodies of homicide victims. However, these agencies most often...
Safety of Vaccines Used for Routine Immunization of US Children: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: Concerns about vaccine safety have led some parents to decline recommended vaccination of their children, leading to the resurgence of diseases. Reassurance of vaccine safety remains critical for population health. This study systematically reviewed the literature on the safety of routine vaccines recommended for children in the United States. METHODS: Data sources included PubMed, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices statements, package inserts, existing reviews, manufacturer information packets, and the 2011 Institute of Medicine consensus report on vaccine safety. We augmented the Institute of Medicine report with more recent studies and increased the scope to include more vaccines. Only studies that used active surveillance and had a control mechanism were included. Formulations not used in the United States were excluded. Adverse events and patient and vaccine characteristics were abstracted. Adverse event collection and reporting was evaluated by using the McHarm scale. We were unable to pool results. Strength of evidence was rated as high, moderate, low, or insufficient. RESULTS: Of 20 478 titles identified, 67 were included. Strength of evidence was high for measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine and febrile seizures; the varicella vaccine was associated with complications in immunodeficient individuals. There is strong evidence that MMR vaccine is not associated with autism. There is moderate evidence that rotavirus vaccines are associated with intussusception. Limitations of the study include that the majority of studies did not investigate or identify risk factors for AEs; and the severity of AEs was inconsistently reported. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence that some vaccines are associated with serious AEs; however, these events are extremely rare and must be weighed against the protective benefits that vaccines provide.
Dislocation Density Analysis for Growth Processes of Single Crystals

The formation of defects during melt growth of advanced compound semiconductor materials is one of the primary factors limiting their performance. As the electronic and photonic crystals find more novel applications in the fields of microelectronics and optoelectronics it is of paramount importance that the dislocation density in the crystals can be controlled to a low level during growth. t has been widely recognized that the primary cause for the dislocations is the crystallographic glide induced by excessive thermal stresses during the growth process.
The capacity of wireless ad hoc networks with multi-packet reception

We compute the throughput capacity of random dense wireless ad hoc networks for multi-pair unicast traffic in which nodes are endowed with multi-packet reception (MPR) capabilities. We show that ? ((R(n))(1-2)/?/n1/?) and ? (R(n)) bits per second constitute tight bounds for the throughput capacity under the physical and protocol model assumptions, respectively, where n is the total number of nodes in the network, ? > 2 is the path-loss parameter in the physical model, and R(n) is the MPR communication range. In so doing, we close the gap between the lower and upper bounds of throughput capacity in the physical model. Compared to the capacity of point-to-point communication reported by Gupta and Kumar, MPR increases the order capacity of random wireless ad hoc networks under both protocol and physical models by at least ?(log n) and ? ((log n) ?-2/2?), respectively. We address the cost incurred in increasing the throughput capacity of wireless ad hoc networks over what can be attained when sources and destinations communicate over multi-hop paths under the physical model assumption. We define the power efficiency ?(n) as the bits of information transferred per unit time (second) in the network for each unit power, and compute such power efficiency for different techniques. We show that a lower power efficiency is attained in order to achieve higher throughput capacity.
Rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin induction therapy does not prolong survival after lung transplantation.

Background Lung transplant survival is limited by the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). The strongest risk factor for BOS is acute rejection (AR). We have previously shown that rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (RATG) induction therapy is associated with a decrease in early AR. Thus, we hypothesized that RATG induction would translate to reduced BOS and improved long-term graft survival. Methods Forty-four lung recipients were prospectively randomized to receive conventional immunosuppression with RATG induction (RATG group) or conventional immunosuppression alone (control group). End-points included graft survival, early and total acute rejection, BOS and treatment complications. Results There was no difference in graft survival between the groups at 8 years (RATG: 36%; control: 23%; p = 0.48). The RATG group had fewer early rejections compared with the control group (5% vs 41%; p = 0.01). However, the overall rejection incidence did not differ (RATG: 62%; control: 68%; p = 0.52). There was a trend toward a delay in BOS onset among RATG subjects compared with control subjects (2,376 days vs 1,108 days; log rank, p = 0.15). There was no difference in the incidence of infections, but the RATG group had a higher rate of malignancies. Conclusions Our results suggest that alternative approaches to anti-thymocyte induction should be pursued to reduce BOS and prolong allograft survival.
Virtual Environments Leadership: Do Physical Characteristics Matter?

Quantitative methods were employed to explore the effect that group member’s physical identity had on other member’s perceptions of those individuals as leaders during group work in a virtual context. Comparisons were made between perceptions of leadership after a session in which identity was highly anonymous and after a session in which identity was known via avatar photographs. Participants comprised 149 students engaged in a virtual learning environment, designed to develop a variety of leadership capabilities. The results give some indication that age and weight characteristics may affect perceptions of leadership. Overall, the introduction of physically identifying cues after groups had worked together anonymously for a period of time did not affect perceptions of leadership. Implications of these findings relative to availability of identifying cues, impression formation, status-based equalization, and leadership in virtual learning environments are discussed.
Parameter Determination and Application to Nuclear Model Calculations of Neutron-Induced Reactions on Yttrium and Zirconium Isotopes

The mass region around A = 90 was chosen for examination of the validity of nuclear models and input-parameter determination techniques often used to meet nuclear data requirements where no experim...
Methods of Formal Neurocognitive Assessment of Concussion

Pediatric mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussion, is frequently associated with neuropsychological impairments that can adversely affect cognitive, academic, behavioral, and interpersonal functioning. This chapter reviews methods of formal assessment of pediatric concussion, with an emphasis on neuropsychological and neurocognitive assessment. Critical research related to neurocognitive assessment of pediatric concussion is reviewed and implications of research findings are discussed. Recent advances in the assessment of pediatric concussion are presented, including the use of computerized neurocognitive assessment.
Use of a Computer Program for Advance Care Planning with African American Participants.

Acknowledgments The authors wish to acknowledge the support and assistance of Dr. William Lawrence for his contribution to the M.A.UT model used in the decision aid, Making Your Wishes Known: Planning Your Medical Future (MYWK), Dr. Cheryl Dellasega for her leadership in focus group activities, Charles Sabatino for his review of legal aspects of MYWK, Dr. Robert Pearlman and his collaborative team for use of the advance care planning booklet “Your Life, Your Choices,” Megan Whitehead for assistance in grant preparation and project organization, and the Instructional Media Development Center at the University of Wisconsin as well as JPL Integrated Communications for production and programming of MYWK. Background For various cultural and historical reasons, African Americans are less likely than Caucasians to engage in advance care planning (ACP) for healthcare decisions. Purpose This pilot study tested whether an interactive computer program could help overcome barriers to effective ACP among African Americans. Methods African American adults were recruited from traditionally Black churches to complete an interactive computer program on ACP, pre-/post-questionnaires, and a follow-up phone interview. Results Eighteen adults (mean age = 53.2 years, 83% female) completed the program without any problems. Knowledge about ACP significantly increased following the computer intervention (44.9% → 61.3%, p=0.0004), as did individuals’ sense of self-determination. Participants were highly satisfied with the ACP process (9.4; 1 = not at all satisfied, 10 = extremely satisfied), and reported that the computer-generated advance directive accurately reflected their wishes (6.4; 1 = not at all accurate, 7 = extremely accurate). Follow-up phone interviews found that > 80% of participants reported having shared their advance directives with family members and spokespeople. Conclusion Preliminary evidence suggests that an interactive computer program can help African Americans engage in effective advance care planning, including creating an accurate advance directive document that will be shared with loved ones.
Determination of Tensile Strength of Natural Rubber and GR-S. Effect of Specimen Size

Abstract Peirce's equation, which relates observed tensile strength of textile fibers with their length, was found to be applicable to rubberlike material if specimen volume is used in place of specimen length. Experiments in which the tensile strengths of GR-S and natural rubber compositions were determined for a range of specimen volumes yielded results in close accord with theory. A tenfold increase in the volume of the material resulted in a decrease of 308 and 339 and of 204 pounds per square inch in the observed tensile strength of GR-S and comparable natural rubber stocks, respectively. The numerical magnitudes of the slopes of the straight lines obtained when tensile strengths were plotted against the logarithms of the relative specimen volumes are shown to bear direct relationships to the homogeneity of the stocks under test. The use of a dumbbell sample with a constricted center should result in a relatively simple means of measuring quantitatively the degree of homogeneity of rubber compositions.
Indirect Demand Strategies—Land Use, Transit, Alternative Modes

This chapter describes strategies that reduce motor vehicle use in urban areas by 1) improving public transportation services (where appropriate) and 2) implementing land use policies that support travel mode alternatives to the automobile.
DARC: Mapping Surface Topography by Ray-Casting for Effective Virtual Screening at Protein Interaction Sites

Protein–protein interactions represent an exciting and challenging target class for therapeutic intervention using small molecules. Protein interaction sites are often devoid of the deep surface pockets presented by “traditional” drug targets, and crystal structures reveal that inhibitors typically engage these sites using very shallow binding modes. As a consequence, modern virtual screening tools developed to identify inhibitors of traditional drug targets do not perform as well when they are instead deployed at protein interaction sites. To address the need for novel inhibitors of important protein interactions, here we introduce an alternate docking strategy specifically designed for this regime. Our method, termed DARC (Docking Approach using Ray-Casting), matches the topography of a surface pocket “observed” from within the protein to the topography “observed” when viewing a potential ligand from the same vantage point. We applied DARC to carry out a virtual screen against the protein interaction si...
T(T,2n)4He and 3He(3He,2p)4He: The Reaction Mechanism from Solar Energies to 10 MeV

We have studied the energy dependence of the reaction mechanism of the T(t,2n)4 He reaction at stellar energies and of its charge symmetric analog reaction 3 He(3 He,2p)4 He at energies up 10 MeV. We find that the reaction mechanism changes dramatically over this energy range in part due to the interference of the two identical fermions in the three-body final state.
Predictors of cognitive ability in adults aging with HIV : A pilot study

Abstract Adults infected with HIV are living longer due to pharmacological advances, resulting in an increased potential for aging. Little is known about the effects of HIV infection and aging on cognition. Therefore, this pilot study assessed cognitive differences, symptoms of depression, and other measures of HIV-negative (n= 50) and HIV-positive adults (n= 50) who were 30 years of age or older. The normal convention of 50 years and over is used in HIV research to denote older adults and was used in this study as well. Self-rated questions as well as paper and pencil questionnaires were used to assess the study variables. Disease status of HIV-positive individuals was assessed through self-reported biological indicators. Depressive symptomatology had a significant association with cognitive decline; addressing these areas in adults aging with HIV may ameliorate cognitive ability. Surprisingly, age and CD4+ lymphocyte count were not predictive of cognitive performance. Controlling for education, gender, ...
The Sickness Unto Death In The Underworld: A Study of Nihilism

Since the Enlightenment ennui and despair have been among the most dominant themes in western literature. In the twentieth century there scarcely exists a single major work of fiction which views man's nature and destiny under the aspect of hope or fulfillment. Why this should be so is the subject of interminable discussion which, generally speaking, locates the deeper cause in the breakdown of virtually all genuine religiousness with an attendant rise of meaninglessness and emptiness. This development in turn is linked to the various revolutions, particularly the Industrial, that have combined to undermine traditional occidental modes of thought and living. While some critics hold that it is merely a question of modern society becoming gradually accustomed to the blessings so precipitously conferred upon it by technology, thus comparing its present growing pains to those of an adolescent, few seem to disagree on the prevailing exhaustion and anxiety. In addition to the note of doom struck by the best intellectuals of our day — and its fashionableness is no argument against its truth — it would appear that the unreflecting masses independently of being exposed to this literature do not know how to redeem their leisure time, have lost a great deal of capacity for spontaneous participation, and seek despairingly if not eagerly for something vital to which they can relate themselves and through which find renewed structure in their lives.
Ab initio Bethe-Salpeter calculations of the x-ray absorption spectra of transition metals at the L -shell edges

We present ab initio Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) calculations of the ${L}_{2,3}$ edges of several insulating and metallic compounds containing Ca, V, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu, spanning a range of 3$d$-electron occupations. Our approach includes the key ingredients of a unified treatment of both extended states and atomic multiplet effects, i.e., Bloch states, self-consistent crystal potentials, ground-state magnetism, $GW$ self-energy corrections, spin-orbit terms, and Coulomb interactions between the ${L}_{2}$ and ${L}_{3}$ levels. The method is implemented in the ocean package, which uses plane-wave pseudopotential wave functions as a basis, a projector-augmented-wave construction for the transition matrix elements, and a resolvent formalism for the BSE calculation. The results are in near quantitative agreement with experiment, including both fine structure at the edges and the nonstatistical ${L}_{3}$/${L}_{2}$ ratios observed for these systems. Approximations such as time-dependent density-functional theory are shown to be less accurate.
Teachers’ experiences with co-teaching as a model for inclusive education

ABSTRACTCo-teaching is an instructional strategy that can be implemented by educators in several different ways. This paper considers how frequently co-teachers implement different approaches to co-teaching and what factors are associated with the implementation of these approaches. This study found that teachers most frequently reported implementing an approach to co-teaching in which one teacher designs and delivers a lesson and the other teacher provides individualised support to specific students with disabilities. The approach to co-teaching in which educators co-plan and co-instruct different components of the curricular content occurred the least frequently. The results of logistic regression analyses indicated that structural aspects of co-teaching (multiple years with co-teacher, time spent daily with co-teacher, number of current co-teachers), teacher attitudes, and professional development opportunities (pre-service and in-service) were associated with the use of different approaches to co-teac...
Roles of Electric Power Scientific Research Enterprise in Scientific Development of Shaanxi Power Network

The condition and challenge confronted in the development of Shaanxi power network are analyzed.The roles of electric power scientific research enterprise in scientific development are described.The practice of Shaanxi Electric Power Research Institute in Shaanxi power network development is introduced.The future striving direction is put forward.
Design of bowtie-slot on-chip antenna backed with E-shaped FSS at 94 GHz

To meet the growing demand for miniaturization and compactness, antennas are being designed over CMOS chips. On-chip antennas (OCAs) suffer from low gains and radiation efficiency due to high dielectric constant and low resistivity of Silicon. Artificial magnetic conductors (AMC) are used in OCAs to increase gain and reduce power confinement in the substrate. In this paper, a bowtie slot antenna is presented whose gain is enhanced by an array of back-to-back E-shaped (B2BE) frequency selective surface (FSS). The operating frequency of antenna is 94 GHz where its gain is boosted from −2.71 dBi to −1.94 dBi. Designed in a standard IHP 130nm BiCMOS process without any extra post-processing step, the S11 is below −10dB from 90 GHz to 105 GHz with an antenna size of 710×310×650 µm3
A model for assessing the impact of behavioral stress on domestic animals.

Animal scientists need a reliable measure of behavioral stress in domestic animals if they are going to be able to assess the stress of various management practices and to answer public concern about the well-being of animals used in agriculture. Popular measures of stress, alterations in behavior or changes in hormone secretion, are not adequate because of a failure to establish any direct correlation between changes in these characteristics with adverse effects on animal well-being. Further complicating the use of these indicators of stress is the variation in their pattern of response to different kinds of stressors. Even the same stressor can elicit divergent responses in different animals because of inter-animal variation in the stress response. To address these problems, a model of animal stress is discussed and tested. From this model it is proposed that the best indicator of an animal suffering from stress is the development of a pre-pathological state; i.e., a stress-related change in biological function that threatens the animal's well-being. Examples of such pre-pathological states would be a suppression of the immune system, the loss of reproductive events critical for normal reproduction, or the development of behaviors that would lead to such undesirable acts as tail-biting or excessive fighting. Although determining the existence of such pre-pathological states is not convenient, their existence is currently the only defensible indicator of an animal suffering from behavioral stress.
Re-examining TG-142 recommendations in light of modern techniques for linear accelerator based radiosurgery.

Purpose The recent development of multifocal stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) using a single isocenter volumetric modulated arc theory (VMAT) technique warrants a re-examination of the quality assurance (QA) tolerances for routine mechanical QA recommended by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group Report Number 142. Multifocal SRS can result in targets with small volumes being at a large off-axis distance from the treatment isocenter. Consequently, angular errors in the collimator, patient support assembly (PSA), or gantry could have an increased impact on target coverage. Methods The authors performed a retrospective analysis of dose deviations caused by systematic errors in PSA, collimator, and gantry angle at the tolerance level for routine linear accelerator QA as recommended by TG-142. Dosimetric deviations from multifocal SRS plans (N = 10) were compared to traditional single target SRS using dynamic conformal arcs (N = 10). The chief dosimetric quantities used in determining clinical impact were V100% and D99% of the individual planning target volumes and V12Gy of the healthy brain. Results Induced errors at tolerance levels showed the greatest change in multifocal SRS target coverage for collimator rotations (±1.0°) with the average changes to V100% and D99% being 5% and 6%, respectively, with maximum changes of 33% and 20%. A reduction in the induced error to half the TG-142 tolerance (±0.5°) demonstrated similar changes in coverage loss to traditional single target SRS assessed at the recommended tolerance level. The observed change in coverage for multifocal SRS was reduced for gantry errors (±1.0°) at 2% and 4.5% for V100% and D99%, respectively, with maximum changes of 18% and 12%. Minimal change in coverage was noted for errors in PSA rotation. Conclusions This study indicates that institutions utilizing a single isocenter VMAT technique for multifocal disease should pay careful attention to the angular mechanical tolerances in designing a robust and complete QA program.
As Possíveis Causas Domésticas Da Liderança Brasileira Na América Do Sul (The Possible Domestic Causes of Brazilian Leadership in South America)

Portuguese Abstract: A internacionalizacao do Estado brasileiro tem sido vista como uma consequencia de sua ascensao internacional, muito embora tambem pudesse ser considerada uma das causas de sua crescente lideranca e projecao no exterior. Neste artigo, resume-se o debate atual sobre o processo de formulacao da politica externa brasileira, discutindo o papel do Ministerio dasRelacoes Exteriores, da Presidencia da Republica e sua burocracia e do Congresso. Alem disso, propoe-se uma comparacao original com a atuacao de instituicoes congeneres da Argentina. Por fim, conclui-se que a menor internacionalizacao do Estado argentino poderia explicar tanto a perda da influencia internacional desse pais nos ultimos vinte anos, como o exito brasileiro na regiao. English Abstract: The Internationalization of the state in Brazil has often been considered an effect of the country’s recent rise as an emerging power, even when it could easily rather be seen as the cause of its mounting projection and leadership. This article summarizes the recent Brazilian debate on foreign policy decision-making, analyzing the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President, the bureaucracy and the Congress. It also proposes an original comparative approach to their equivalents in Argentina. The results show that the lower levels of internationalization of the Argentinean state could easily be interpreted as diminishing the country’s international influence in the last twenty years, while explaining Brazilian leadership in the region.
An exact algorithm for the modular hub location problem with single assignments

We study a hub location problem with flow-dependent transportation costs.We propose a branch-and-bound algorithm that uses Lagrangean dual bounds.Numerical results are reported for benchmark instances with up to 75 nodes. A key feature of hub-and-spoke networks is the consolidation of flows at hub facilities. The bundling of flows allows reduction in the transportation costs, which is frequently modeled using a constant discount factor that is applied to the flow cost associated with all interhub links. In this paper, we study the modular hub location problem, which explicitly models the flow-dependent transportation costs using modular arc costs. It neither assumes a full interconnection between hub nodes nor a particular topological structure, instead it considers link activation decisions as part of the design. We propose a branch-and-bound algorithm that uses a Lagrangean relaxation to obtain lower and upper bounds at the nodes of the enumeration tree. Numerical results are reported for benchmark instances with up to 75 nodes.
Biological chlorine cycling in the Arctic Coastal Plain

This study explores biological chlorine cycling in coastal Arctic wet tundra soils. While many previous chlorine-cycling studies have focused on contaminated environments, it is now recognized that chlorine can cycle naturally between inorganic and organic forms in soils. However, these pathways have not previously been described for an Arctic ecosystem. We measured soil organic and inorganic Cl pools, characterized soils and plant tissues with chlorine K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (Cl-XANES), measured dechlorination rates in laboratory incubations, and analyzed metagenomes and 16S rRNA genes along a chronosequence of revegetated drained lake basins. Concentrations of soil organic chlorinated compounds (Clorg) were correlated with organic matter content, with a steeper slope in older soils. The concentration and chemical diversity of Clorg increased with soil development, with Clorg in younger soils more closely resembling that of vegetation, and older soils having more complex and variable Cl-XANES signatures. Plant Clorg concentrations were higher than previously published values, and can account for the rapid accumulation of Clorg in soils. The high rates of Clorg input from plants also implies that soil Clorg pools turn over many times during soil development. Metagenomic analyses revealed putative genes for synthesis (haloperoxidases, halogenases) and breakdown (reductive dehalogenases, halo-acid dehalogenases) of Clorg, originating from diverse microbial genomes. Many genome sequences with close similarity to known organohalide respirers (e.g. Dehalococcoides) were identified, and laboratory incubations demonstrated microbial organohalide respiration in vitro. This study provides multiple lines of evidence for a complex and dynamic chlorine cycle in an Arctic tundra ecosystem.
#refugeesnotwelcome: Anti-refugee discourse on Twitter:

In this study, I examine the online discourse of the European refugee crisis on the micro-blogging platform, Twitter. Specifically, I analyze 100 tweets that include #refugeesnotwelcome, and explor...
Lukács in Self-Translation: The Necessity of Contingency in The Soul and the Forms

A series of meditations on history and criticism, Gyorgy Lukacs's The Soul and the Forms appeared first in Hungarian in 1910 and then in German in 1911—arguably having been translated by the author...
Clinical and Arterial Spin Labeling Brain MRI Features of Transitional Venous Anomalies.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Transitional venous anomalies (TVAs) are rare cerebrovascular lesions that resemble developmental venous anomalies (DVAs), but demonstrate early arteriovenous shunting on digital subtraction angiography (DSA) without the parenchymal nidus of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). We investigate whether arterial spin labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can distinguish brain TVAs from DVAs and guide their clinical management. METHODS We conducted a single-center retrospective review of patients with brain parenchymal DVA-like lesions with increased ASL signal on MRI. Clinical histories and follow-up information were obtained. Two readers assessed ASL signal location relative to the vascular lesion on MRI and, if available, the presence of arteriovenous shunting on DSA. RESULTS Thirty patients with DVA-like lesions with increased ASL signal were identified. Clinical symptoms prompted MRI evaluation in 83%. Symptoms did not localize to the venous anomaly in 90%. Ten percent presented with acute symptoms, only one of whom presented with hemorrhage. ASL signal in relation to the venous anomaly was identified in: 50% in the adjacent parenchyma, 33% in the lesion, 7% in a distal draining vein/sinus, and 10% in at least two of these sites. Follow-up DSA confirmed arteriovenous shunting in 71% of ASL-positive venous anomalies. Interrater agreement was very good (κ = .81-1.0, P < .001). CONCLUSION A DVA-like lesion with increased ASL signal likely represents a TVA with arteriovenous shunting. Our study indicates that these lesions are usually incidentally detected and have a lower risk of hemorrhage than AVMs. ASL-MRI may be a useful tool to identify TVAs and guide further management of patients with TVAs.
Algae-based sorbents for removal of gallium from semiconductor manufacturing wastewater

Removal of various soluble metallic impurities from wastewater in semiconductor fabrication plants is a critical issue facing the microelectronics industry. Considering the large volume of wastewater and a highly variable concentration of these contaminants, finding a robust adsorption process using a low-cost sorbent is of great value and interest to this industry. Of particular interest is the development of a flow-through abatement method for treating the process-tool effluent before it is mixed with other wastewaters. In this work, a strain of freshwater green algae (Chlorella sorokiniana), representing an algae-based sorbent, and a simulated wastewater, containing soluble gallium as the metallic impurity, are used as model compounds. The choice of gallium is based on its increased use, and the lack of related adsorption data compared to the information available for other metals such as copper and arsenic. Both batch and continuous-flow operations were used in this study. Comprehensive process models were developed and validated for both batch and flow systems. These models were found to be valuable for understanding the process steps as well as for obtaining the fundamental parameters that are needed for process design and scale-up. The sorbent was found to have high adsorption capacity even at low pH values (14.1 mg/g at pH of 2.3, and 38.5 mg/g at pH of 2.8). Based on the comparison of adsorption rate and capacity with data on previously studied and conventional sorbents, such as activated carbon and ion-exchange resins, the use of this algae-based sorbent is potentially an attractive option for the removal of gallium from the process-tool wastewater.
Rhetoricians on Human Remaking and the Project of Genomics

Over the previous two decades, rhetoricians came to grips with the transition of genetics to genomics by employing rigorous analyses of public discourse, analysis characterized by respect for diverse audiences, attention to precisely what is said, and the historicity of texts. In so doing, they provided helpful models for addressing a new wave of genomics that may threaten to change “genomic medicine” from the curing of disease into the remaking of human beings and the earth’s biosphere. Their work can be read as supporting and illustrating an integrative model of biological and discursive codes as opposed to the hierarchization of mind over body, or the reverse. The inauguration of Rhetoric of Health & Medicine creates a valuable locus for building upon such work, ready to address the new wave of genomics and the on-going challenge of being social creatures who remake ourselves and others.