cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning Hormonal Therapy Medication Adherence from an Online Breast Cancer Forum

Online health communities (OHCs) have become popular online environments for patients seeking and sharing treatment experiences. These platforms enable us to move beyond traditional sources of clinical information for learning about a patient’s long-term adherence to treatment. In spite of this opportunity, large-scale self-composed online free text brings challenges in processing and understanding patients’ health-related behaviors. Additionally, it has been shown that social support from trusted relationships (e.g., family and friends) positively influences treatment adherence in offline environments, but much less is known about the online setting. In this chapter, we showed that user activities in online health communities can be applied to learn about their medication adherence. Specifically, we focused on a 5-year hormonal therapy, a highly prevalent long-term treatment for breast cancer, with varying completion rates, in the breastcancer.org OHC. We characterized online user activities with emotion of self-disclosure and social interaction and focused on learning how these activities are associated with different adherence behaviors. To do so, we first designed a machine learning classifier to extract three types of adherence behaviors (taking, interruption, and completion of hormonal therapy), and then studied how emotions differ when patients mentioned different adherence behaviors. To examine the effect of social interaction, we relied on reciprocity (specifically in the form of reciprocal response to each other) to measure the social support between each other in this OHC. We first examined how reciprocity is related to time active in the OHC and the tones communicated by authors in their posts (e.g., emotions, writing styles, and social tendencies), and then assessed if such reciprocity is associated with treatment adherence. We found that patients in online health communities tend to exhibit fear with taking events, anger with interruption events, and joy (with a tinge of sadness and disgust) with completion events. We also found that the volume of the reciprocity is positively associated with completing the 5-year protocol, rather than the rate of the reciprocity or the fraction of the posts that received replies. We anticipate that our methodology can be applied to study treatment adherence for other diseases using online self-reported information.
Electronic Health Record Implementation: A Review of Resources and Tools.

Implementing an electronic health record (EHR) can be a difficult task to take on and planning the process is of utmost importance to minimize errors. Evaluating the selection criteria and implementation plan of an EHR system, intending interoperability, confidentiality, availability, and integrity of the patient health information data, while ensuring timely, accurate, and regulatory compliant generation of reports is a critical task. This article discusses the selection and implementation plan that will primarily consist of assessing existing institutional workflows for each department, and it outlines the necessities and inclinations of the institution to include in the EHR system for the organization to function properly. Resources and tools are included to assist in the selection of the product as well as ideas on how to train staff and evaluate staff readiness. Regulatory requirements are also included for consideration during the initial process. EHR increases the logistic productivity of workflows and offers a safer way to care for patients. To ensure efficiency, there is a series of steps the provider’s staff must follow to ensure proper implementation and handling of the EHR system. Before using the implemented EHR, it is recommended to have a testing protocol in place to ensure areas of possible staff confusion are identified and controlled. Using a proper implementation strategy for a new EHR system can facilitate success, minimize delays, and increase health care worker’s satisfaction and decrease the chances of usability being compromised.
Effects of greenspace morphology on mortality at the neighbourhood level: a cross-sectional ecological study

Summary Background The association between urban greenspace and mortality risk is well known, but less is known about how the spatial arrangement of greenspace affects population health. We aimed to investigate the relation between urban greenspace distribution and mortality risk. Methods We did a cross-sectional study in Philadelphia, PA, USA, using high-resolution landcover data for 2008 from the Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access database. We calculated landscape metrics to measure the greenness, fragmentation, connectedness, aggregation, and shape of greenspace, including and omitting green areas 83·6 m2 or smaller, using Geographical Information System and spatial pattern analysis programs. We analysed all-cause and cause-specific mortality (related to heart disease, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and neoplasms) recorded in 2006 for 369 census tracts (small geographical areas with a population of 2500–8000 people). We did negative binomial regression and principal component analyses to assess associations between landscape spatial metrics and mortality, controlling for geographical, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. Findings A 1% increase in the percentage of greenspace was predicted to reduce all-cause mortality by 0·419% (95% CI 0·050–0·777), with no effect on cause-specific mortality. All-cause mortality was negatively associated with the area of greenspace. A 1 m2 increase in the mean area of greenspace led to a 0·011% (95% CI 0·004–0·018) fall in all-cause mortality and a 0·019% (0·007–0·032) decrease in cardiac mortality; considering only green areas larger than 83·6 m2 would contribute to a 0·002% (95% CI 0·001–0·003) decrease in all-cause mortality and a 0·003% (0·001–0·006) reduction in cardiac deaths. Census tracts with more connected, aggregated, coherent, and complex shape greenspaces had a lower risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality. The negative association between articulated landscape parcels and all-cause mortality varied with age and education, such that the relation was stronger for census tracts with a higher percentage of older and less well-educated adults. Interpretation A significant modest association exists between the spatial distribution of greenspace in cities and mortality risk. The overall amount of greenspace alone is probably failing to capture significant variance in local health outcomes and, thus, environment-based health planning should consider the shape, form, and function of greenspace. Funding None.
Management of anastomotic leaks after esophagectomy and gastric pull-up

Anastomotic leak is one of the most feared complications of esophagectomy, leading to prolonged hospital stay, increased postoperative mortality, and additional cost both to the patient and the hospital. Historically, anastomotic leaks have been treated with several techniques including conservative measures, percutaneous or operative drainage, primary surgical repair with buttressing, T-tube drainage, or excision of the esophageal replacement conduit with end esophagostomy. With advances in treatment modalities, including endoscopic stenting, clips and suturing, endoluminal vacuum-assisted closure (EVAC), such leaks increasingly are being managed without operative re-intervention and with salvage of the esophageal replacement conduit. For the purposes of this review, we identified studies analyzing the management of postoperative leak after esophagectomy. We then compared the efficacy of the various newer modalities for closure of anastomotic leaks and gastric conduit defects. We found both esophageal stent and EVAC sponges are effective treatments for closure of anastomotic leak. The chosen treatment modality for salvage of the esophageal replacement conduit is entirely dependent on the patient's clinical status and the surgeon's preference and experience. Emerging endoscopic and endoluminal therapies have increased the armamentarium of tools the esophageal surgeon has to facilitate successful resolution of anastomotic leaks following esophagectomy with reconstruction. While some literature suggests that EVACs have a slightly superior result in conduit success, we question this endorsement as EVACs mostly are utilized for contained leaks, many of which may have healed with conservative measures. This poses a challenge as there is clearly a bias given patient selection.
Three-level BDDC

BDDC (Balancing Domain Decomposition by Constraints) methods, so far developed for two levels [3, 7, 8], are similar to the balancing Neumann-Neumann algorithms. However, the BDDC coarse problem is given in terms of a set of primal constraints and the matrix of the coarse problem is generated and factored by direct solvers at the beginning of the computation. The coarse component of the preconditioner can ultimately become a bottleneck if the number of subdomains is very large. In this paper, two three-level BDDC methods are introduced for solving the coarse problem approximately in two and three dimensions, while still maintaining a good convergence rate. Estimates of the condition numbers are provided for the two three-level BDDC methods and numerical experiments are also discussed.
International Models of Psychiatric Emergency Care: The State of Qatar

A variety of cultural, legal, and ethnic influences have led to an increase in mental health-related emergency department (ED) visits in Qatar. Patients who experience psychiatric emergencies often require resources not available at the general hospital, and require transfer to an appropriate psychiatric facility such as the emergency department of Hamad General Hospital (HGH), the only hospital that provides psychiatric services in the country. In May of 2014, Hamad General Hospital established the psychiatric emergency service (PES) as an innovative and pioneering psychiatric liaison service based in the ED of HGH. This chapter describes this model of psychiatric emergency services that successfully reduced response time, boarding time, and disposition when compared to previous years.
Neuroprotective Effect of Piracetam against Cocaine-Induced Neuro Epigenetic Modification of DNA Methylation in Astrocytes.

Cocaine abuse is known to alter mitochondrial biogenesis and induce epigenetic modification linked with neuronal dysfunction. Cocaine-induced epigenetic modification of DNA methylation and the mitochondrial genome may affect mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA), as epigenetic DNA methylation is key to maintaining genomic integrity in the central nervous system (CNS). However, the impact of cocaine-mediated epigenetic changes in astrocytes has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we explored the neuroprotective effect of piracetam against cocaine-induced epigenetic changes in DNA methylation in astrocytes. To study our hypothesis, we exposed human astrocytes to cocaine alone or in combination with the nootropic drug piracetam. We examined the expression of the DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) DNMT-1, DNMT-3A, and DNMT-3B; global DNA methylation levels of 5-methycytosine (5-mC); and induction of ten–eleven translocation (TET) enzymes in astrocytes. In addition, we analyzed mtDNA methylation by targeted next-generation bisulfite sequencing. Our data provide evidence that cocaine impairs DNMT activity and thereby has impacts on mtDNA, which might contribute to the neurodegeneration observed in cocaine users. These effects might be at least partially prevented by piracetam, allowing neuronal function to be maintained.
Threats of Bots and Other Bad Actors to Data Quality Following Research Participant Recruitment Through Social Media: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire.

Background: Recruitment of health research participants through social media is becoming more common. In the United States, 80% of adults use at least one social media platform. Social media platforms may allow researchers to reach potential participants efficiently. However, online research methods may be associated with unique threats to sample validity and data integrity. Limited research has described issues of data quality and authenticity associated with the recruitment of health research participants through social media, and sources of low-quality and fraudulent data in this context are poorly understood. Objective: The goal of the research was to describe and explain threats to sample validity and data integrity following recruitment of health research participants through social media and summarize recommended strategies to mitigate these threats. Our experience designing and implementing a research study using social media recruitment and online data collection serves as a case study. Methods: Using published strategies to preserve data integrity, we recruited participants to complete an online survey through the social media platforms Twitter and Facebook. Participants were to receive $15 upon survey completion. Prior to manually issuing remuneration, we reviewed completed surveys for indicators of fraudulent or low-quality data. Indicators attributable to respondent error were labeled suspicious, while those suggesting misrepresentation were labeled fraudulent. We planned to remove cases with 1 fraudulent indicator or at least 3 suspicious indicators. Results: Within 7 hours of survey activation, we received 271 completed surveys. We classified 94.5% (256/271) of cases as fraudulent and 5.5% (15/271) as suspicious. In total, 86.7% (235/271) provided inconsistent responses to verifiable items and 16.2% (44/271) exhibited evidence of bot automation. Of the fraudulent cases, 53.9% (138/256) provided a duplicate or unusual response to one or more open-ended items and 52.0% (133/256) exhibited evidence of inattention. Conclusions: Research findings from several disciplines suggest studies in which research participants are recruited through social media are susceptible to data quality issues. Opportunistic individuals who use virtual private servers to fraudulently complete research surveys for profit may contribute to low-quality data. Strategies to preserve data integrity following research participant recruitment through social media are limited. Development and testing of novel strategies to prevent and detect fraud is a research priority.
Impacts of Financial and Digital Inclusion on Poverty in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals calls for the elimination of many global challenges related to poverty. The first Sustainable Development Goal – the elimination of poverty – targets the challenges faced by the more than 700 million people who live on less than $1.90 per day. This study uses data from the 2017 InterMedia Financial Inclusion Insights surveys to examine the relationship between poverty and financial and digital inclusion across seven developing countries in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. We find that increases in various measures of financial and digital inclusion are associated with significant reductions in poverty, including food insecurity. While the results are robust across the measures, some spatial heterogeneities are found for rural and urban populations. The most significant and consistent reductions in poverty are related to ownership and usage of traditional bank accounts. Access to and usage of non-bank financial institutions and mobile money accounts also significantly matters. Robustness checks for endogeneity and selection are conducted. The results provide strong evidence for the continued expansion of both traditional and non-traditional financial services and underscore the importance of digital financial services to support and sustain poverty reduction in developing countries.
Rhotic Variation in Costa Rican Spanish: a Preliminary Acoustic Analysis

The class of sounds classified under the umbrella term “rhotic” demonstrate considerable variability across, languages, dialects, and speech styles. This is no exception in Spanish, where rhotics have received considerable attention. Among dialects of Spanish, the pronunciation of rhotics in Costa Rican Spanish is a highly salient feature of this variety, where the standard trill /r/ and tap /ɾ/ are often assibilated or realized as fricatives. A number of studies have examined Costa Rican rhotics from both phonological and phonetic perspectives, yet the results of these studies have been inconclusive. Notably absent from these studies are acoustic analyses of rhotic production, instead relying on impressionistic transcriptions which risk glossing over phonetic detail. This pilot study revisits the question of rhotic variation in Costa Rican Spanish by analyzing five sociolinguistic interviews with native speakers of Costa Rican Spanish. Using acoustic analyses of rhotic tokens, I propose a rhotic inventory for this variety which includes approximant and fricative variants in addition to the standard tap and trill. Additionally, I propose a potential explanation for the distribution of rhotic variants through an Articulatory Phonology framework, suggesting that rhotic variation can be explained as a result of gestural weakening and co-articulation. The study presents preliminary conclusions regarding socioeconomic factors, suggesting areas for future research, including the effect of age and gender on rhotic variation. Overall this work contributes to the understanding of the Costa Rican variety of Spanish, considering both linguistic and extralinguistic factors as potential predictors of variation.
An Introduction to Expertise at Work: Current and Emerging Trends

This chapter provides the reader with a framing of the book’s content. First, a brief overview of expertise is offered using definitions and scholarship that are continually referenced throughout the book. It also situates those constructs within the context of work and organizations. Next, each chapter is introduced to provide readers with an overview of how the authors of each chapter frame expertise within a particular domain or how they address a particular question related to expertise that is relevant to organizations.
Higher Diet Quality in African-American Adolescents Is Associated with Lower Odds of Metabolic Syndrome: Evidence from the NHANES.

Background Development of clinical risk factors linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescence is associated with higher incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular events in adulthood. Given the increasing burden of obesity and MetS in African-American (AA) youth, there is a need to establish the relation of MetS with modifiable risk factors such as diet quality, because these data may enhance preventative and treatment approaches. Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess diet quality, measured by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010) and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) pattern score, in AA adolescents and youth (aged 12-21 y) from the NHANES, and to investigate the association of diet quality with MetS and its components. Methods This study is a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES data from the 2005-2016 cycles (n = 2459). Survey-weighted logistic regression models were used to assess the association of diet quality with the prevalence of MetS and individual cardiometabolic components [overweight/obesity, hypertensive blood pressure (BP), impaired fasting glucose, low HDL cholesterol, hypertriglyceridemia]. Results The mean ± SD AHEI-2010 score was 38.9 ± 9.7 and DASH pattern score was 21.8 ± 4.4, which is equivalent to 35% adherence to recommendations to achieve an optimal diet quality and 45% adherence to the DASH-style dietary pattern, respectively. Compared with those within the lowest quartile of DASH pattern score, individuals in the fourth quartile group had 0.63 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.97) times the odds of having hypertensive BP. Among individuals with complete clinical measures (n = 1007), individuals within the highest-quartile AHEI-2010 group had 0.25 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.99) times the odds of having MetS compared with those within the lowest quartile. Conclusions Diet quality in US AA youth is low. Higher DASH pattern scores were associated with lower odds of hypertensive BP and higher AHEI-2010 scores were associated with lower odds of MetS.
Field statistics in linearized elastic and viscous composites and polycrystals

Abstract This paper presents a general method to estimate the first and second moments of the stress and deformation fields in linearized elastic and viscous composites and polycrystals. The methodology can be seamlessly extended by means of the ‘linear comparison’ variational homogenization methods (Ponte Castaneda, 1991, 2016) to extract the corresponding field statistics in composites and polycrystals with nonlinear properties, including hyperelastic composites, as well as viscoplastic composites, undergoing finite deformations. Expressions are obtained for the overall response and statistics of the deformation gradient field in hyperelastic composites with linearized (incremental) response characterized by elasticity tensors exhibiting major symmetry, but not minor symmetry. These results are then specialized for composites with fully symmetric elasticity tensors, and use is made of a well-known analogy to convert these results into corresponding estimates for the overall viscosity tensor and statistics of the velocity gradient for linearly viscous composites. Subsequently, the velocity-gradient statistics are projected onto the appropriate symmetric and anti-symmetric subspaces to extract the strain-rate and spin tensor statistics, respectively. The formulation recovers known relations for the overall response and fields statistics, but also allows for the computation of hitherto unexplored quantities, such as the second moments of the spin fluctuations in viscous composites. To illustrate the results, applications are considered for various examples, including two-phase viscous composites, as well as viscous polycrystals, with special types of isotropic and anisotropic linearized response.
“Of Course We Need to Help the Undocumented Immigrants!”: Twitter Discourse on the (Un)deservingness of Undocumented Immigrants in the United States during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Undocumented individuals in U.S. society have been barred from access to federal economic relief during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Increased visibility of the vulnerability of undocumented indiv...
The Financial Burden of CKD: The Medication Edition

The mounting out-of-pocket expenses of prescription medications for people living with CKD and their comorbid conditions can be overwhelming. When you consider patients with low and middle incomes, it can create worsening health outcomes because of the lack of available resources to assist them in this area. No one should have to make life-altering decisions about affording prescription medications and managing their quality of life. One day at work in 2003, I was feeling exhausted and lethargic. I went to the medical department to get checked out. The attending nurse asked me if I had ever had my glucose levels checked. Her question was foreign to me, because I had not a clue to what she was alluding to. After explaining what glucose levels were, she took blood from my finger, and her next comment changed my life. The nurse told me my glucose level was 758 and I needed to go directly to the nearest hospital's emergency room. Upon being seen by the emergency room physician, he told me my A1c was 11.7 and diagnosed me with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, the physician referred me to an endocrinologist for follow-up care. My physician told me I needed to lose weight and eat a healthier diet, but she never mentioned diabetes was the leading cause of kidney disease. The doctor also prescribed three different medications to help manage my diabetes:
Optimizing Rankings for Recommendation in Matching Markets.

Based on the success of recommender systems in e-commerce, there is growing interest in their use in matching markets (e.g., labor). While this holds potential for improving market fluidity and fairness, we show in this paper that naively applying existing recommender systems to matching markets is sub-optimal. Considering the standard process where candidates apply and then get evaluated by employers, we present a new recommendation framework to model this interaction mechanism and propose efficient algorithms for computing personalized rankings in this setting. We show that the optimal rankings need to not only account for the potentially divergent preferences of candidates and employers, but they also need to account for capacity constraints. This makes conventional ranking systems that merely rank by some local score (e.g., one-sided or reciprocal relevance) highly sub-optimal -- not only for an individual user, but also for societal goals (e.g., low unemployment). To address this shortcoming, we propose the first method for jointly optimizing the rankings for all candidates in the market to explicitly maximize social welfare. In addition to the theoretical derivation, we evaluate the method both on simulated environments and on data from a real-world networking-recommendation system that we built and fielded at a large computer science conference.
Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide, Adrenomedullin, and Adrenomedullin 2 Function in Uterine Artery During Human Pregnancy

RATIONALE Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and its family members adrenomedullin (ADM) and adrenomedullin 2 (ADM2; also known as intermedin) support vascular adaptions in rat pregnancy. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the relaxation response of uterine artery (UA) for CGRP, ADM, and ADM2 in nonpregnant and pregnant women and identify the involved mechanisms. FINDINGS (1) Segments of UA from nonpregnant women that were precontracted with U46619 (1μM) in vitro are insensitive to the hypotensive effects of CGRP, ADM, and ADM2; (2) CGRP, ADM, and ADM2 (0.1-100nM) dose dependently relax UA segments from pregnant women with efficacy for CGRP > ADM = ADM2; (3) the relaxation responses to CGRP, ADM, and ADM2 are differentially affected by the inhibitors of nitric oxide (NO) synthase (L-NAME), adenylyl cyclase (SQ22536), apamin, and charybdotoxin; (4) UA smooth muscle cells (UASMC) express mRNA for calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR) and receptor activity modifying protein (RAMP)1 and RAMP2 but not RAMP3; (5) receptor heterodimer comprising CRLR/RAMP1 and CRLR/RAMP2 but not CRLR/RAMP3 is present in UA; (6) soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFLT-1) and TNF-α treatment decrease the expression of RAMP1 mRNA (P < 0.05) in UASMC; and (7) sFLT-1 treatment impairs the association of CRLR with all 3 peptides while TNF-α inhibits the interaction of CGRP but not ADM or ADM2 with CRLR in UASMC (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Relaxation sensitivity of UA for CGRP, ADM, and ADM2 is increased during pregnancy via peptide-specific involvement of NO system and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factors; vascular disruptors such as sFLT-1 and TNFα adversely impact their receptor system in UASMC.
De Quincey's Romanticism: Canonical Minority and the Forms of Transmission

Margaret Russett uses the example of Thomas De Quincey, the nineteenth-century essayist best remembered for his Confessions of an English Opium-Eater and his memoirs of Wordsworth and Coleridge, to examine the idea of the 'minor' author, and how it is related to what we now call the Romantic canon. The case of De Quincey, neither a canonical figure nor a disenfranchised marginal author, offers a point of access to specifically Romantic problems of literary transmission and periodization. Taking an intertextual approach, Russett situates De Quincey's career against the works of Wordsworth and Coleridge; the essays of Lamb, Hazlitt, and other writers for the London Magazine; and discourses of ethics and political economy which are central to the problem of determining literary value. De Quincey's Romanticism shows how De Quincey helped to shape the canon by which his career was defined.
Theory into Practice: An in-Service Approach

(1975). Theory into Practice: An in-Service Approach. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 46, No. 9, pp. 31-32.
Improving Speaker Segmentation via Speaker Identification and Text Segmentation

Speaker segmentation is an essential part of a speaker diarization system. Common segmentation systems usually miss speaker change points when speakers switch fast. These errors seriously confuse the following speaker clustering step and result in high overall speaker diarization error rates. In this paper two methods are proposed to deal with this problem: The first approach uses speaker identification techniques to boost speaker segmentation. And the second approach applies text segmentation methods to improve the performance of speaker segmentation. Experiments on Quaero speaker diarization evaluation data shows that our methods achieve up to 45% relative reduction in the speaker diarization error and 64% relative increase in the speaker change detection recall rate over the baseline system. Moreover, both these two approaches can be considered as post-processing steps over the baseline segmentation, therefore, they can be applied in any speaker diarization sys
Securing electronic medical records using biometric authentication

Ensuring the security of medical records is becoming an increasingly important problem as modern technology is integrated into existing medical services. As a consequence of the adoption of electronic medical records in the health care sector, it is becoming more and more common for a health professional to edit and view a patient's record using a tablet PC. In order to protect the patient's privacy, as required by governmental regulations in the United States, a secure authentication system to access patient records must be used. Biometric-based access is capable of providing the necessary security. On-line signature and voice modalities seem to be the most convenient for the users in such authentication systems because a tablet PC comes equipped with the associated sensors/hardware. This paper analyzes the performance of combining the use of on-line signature and voice biometrics in order to perform robust user authentication. Signatures are verified using the dynamic programming technique of string matching. Voice is verified using a commercial, off the shelf, software development kit. In order to improve the authentication performance, we combine information from both on-line signature and voice biometrics. After suitable normalization of scores, fusion is performed at the matching score level. A prototype bimodal authentication system for accessing medical records has been designed and evaluated on a small truly multimodal database of 50 users, resulting in an average equal error rate (EER) of 0.86%.
Enacting Culture in Gaming: A Video Gamer's Literacy Experiences and Practices.

Video games are growing as a subject for scholarly analysis (Gee, 2003; Selfe & Hawisher 2004; Selfe & Hawisher 2004, 2007): This discussion argues that video games are another simulacra for postmodern cultural critique. Video games do cultural work by allowing gamers to play out socially constructed hopes and fears. As cultural products mediated by overarching values, video games enact the culture from which they come and to which they are marketed, including features of individualism, militarization, and perseverance. Following Brian Streetâ€™s (2003) ideological model of literacy, this analysis of a particular gamerâ€™s literacy practices found them heavily influenced by contemporary culture: Video game environments require gamers to read dynamic semiotic systems (Gee, 2003) that position them to be cultural critics on the one hand and learners acquiring new literacy practices on the other. â€œBrent,â€ a creative writer, creates fictional worlds in his writing that reinscribe common video game narratives, an intertextuality reinforcing how literacy is never learned in a vacuum outside of cultural influences. Acquiring literacy skills via gaming involves socio-political immersion in and interaction with media reflecting the surrounding dominant cultural ideology.
Masses of Te130 and Xe130 and double-β-decay Q value of Te130

The atomic masses of $^{130}\mathrm{Te}$ and $^{130}\mathrm{Xe}$ have been obtained by measuring cyclotron frequency ratios of pairs of triply charged ions simultaneously trapped in a Penning trap. The results, with 1 standard deviation uncertainty, are $M(^{130}\mathrm{Te})=129.906\text{ }222\text{ }744(16)\text{ }\mathrm{u}$ and $M(^{130}\mathrm{Xe})=129.903\text{ }509\text{ }351(15)\text{ }\mathrm{u}$. From the mass difference the double-$\ensuremath{\beta}$-decay $Q$ value of $^{130}\mathrm{Te}$ is determined to be ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}}(^{130}\mathrm{Te})=2527.518(13)\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{keV}$. This is a factor of 150 more precise than the result of the AME2003 [G. Audi et al., Nucl. Phys. A729, 337 (2003)].
The domain of a point set surface

It is useful to be able to define a two-dimensional point-set surface determined by a point cloud. One popular definition is Levin's MLS surface. This surface is defined on a domain which is a three-dimensional subset of R3, a narrow region around the input point cloud. If we were to extend the definition outside the domain, we would produce components of the surface which are far from the point cloud. This is important in practice, since when moving points onto the MLS surface, we need to begin with an initial guess which is within the domain. We visualize the domain in two dimensions, and explain why it is so narrow. We also consider two MLS variants which can be defined on a wider domain without producing spurious surface components. One is efficient and works well except near sharp corners. The other is computationally expensive but seems to work well everywhere.
Design analysis of a self-acting spiral-groove ring seal for counter-rotating shafts

A self-acting spiral groove inter-shaft ring seal of nominal 16.33 cm (6.43 in.) diameter for sealing fan bleed air between counter rotating shafts in advanced turbofan engines was analyzed. The analysis focused on the lift force characteristics of the spiral grooves. A NASA Lewis developed computer program for predicting the performance of gas lubricated face seals was used to optimize the spiral groove geometry to produce maximum lift force. Load capacity curves (lift force as function of film thickness) were generated for four advanced turbofan engine operating conditions at relative seal speeds ranging from 17,850 to 29,800 rpm, sealed air pressures from 6 to 42 N/sq cm (9 to 60 psi) absolute and temperatures from 95 to 327 C (203 to 620 F). The relative seal sliding speed range was 152 to 255 m/sec (500 to 836 ft/sec). The analysis showed that the spiral grooves are capable of producing sufficient lift force such that the ring seal will operate in a noncontacting mode over the operating range of typical advanced turbofan engines.
An investigation into the factors affecting the sol-gel processing of PZT thin layers

A method for depositing ferroelectric thin layers of PZT 53/47 and 45/55 on platinized silicon is described. Results of preliminary investigations into the nature of the precursors are presented and the effects on the reproducibility of solutions in processing are discussed. Comparisons of the microstructures of thin layers prepared from the two compositions are given and differences in polarization reversal hysteresis measurements are discussed in relation to them. >
Abstract 14004: Pharmacodynamic Profiles of Ticagrelor in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Prospective Randomized Comparison of Escalating Loading Dose Regimens

Background: Pharmacodynamic (PD) studies have shown that in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI), ticagrelor is associated with suboptimal platelet inhibition and elevated rates of high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) in the early hours after loading dose (LD) administration. Impaired absorption affecting drug pharmacokinetics (PK) has been hypothesized as a contributing factor suggesting increasing LD regimens to improve PK/PD profiles. To date there are no randomized studies which have investigated the PK/PD effects of escalating ticagrelor LD regimens in patients undergoing PPCI. Methods: In this prospective, randomized study, STEMI patients undergoing PPCI (n=52) were randomized 1:1:1 to receive 180mg, 270mg or 360mg LD of ticagrelor. PK and PD analysis were performed before and at 6 time points after LD. PD assessments included P2Y 12 reaction units (PRU) measured by VerifyNow P2Y12 and platelet reactivity index (PRI) measured by VASP. PK assessments included plasma concentrations of ticagrelor and its metabolite AR-C124910XX. Results: At baseline there were no differences in platelet reactivity between groups. At 2 hrs (primary endpoint), there were no differences in PRU between groups (p=0.54). There were no differences in PRU between groups during the overall study time course (p=0.17; Figure). Accordingly, HPR (PRU>208) at 2 hrs was observed in 30% of patients and was not reduced by escalating ticagrelor LD regimens. Consistent PD findings were observed with VASP-PRI. PK data tracked PD results, with a non-dose related delay in peak plasma concentrations of both ticagrelor and AR-C124910XX, particularly in HPR patients. Conclusions: In STEMI patients undergoing PPCI, increasing the LD regimen of ticagrelor did not translate into more prompt or potent P2Y 12 inhibition, which is attributed to impaired absorption in the early hours after drug administration.
A framework for networked knowledge-based systems

A conceptual framework for building a network of knowledge-based systems (KBS) to fully utilize the benefits of these systems within complex decision-making environments is proposed. The authors focus on three issues: (1) what should be the capabilities of the system supporting the human decision-maker; (2) how the nodes of such a network should be linked; and (3) what knowledge each node in the network should possess. A framework for modeling knowledge and communications between the nodes of a networked KBS is outlined. The framework is developed from the viewpoint that the decision support that is provided by the KBS is not restricted to the easy access to, and processing and management of, models and data. It also includes expertise, which the user does not possess and might need for the solution of the decision problems. The resulting conceptual framework draws on concepts from decision-support systems and expert systems. >
What is known about the mechanisms underlying SUDEP

Summary This article highlights studies in three major domains of potential mechanisms of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP): cardiac, respiratory, and autonomic. Ictal cardiac arrest is a clinically rare but well-recognized potential mechanism of SUDEP. Studies have failed to identify preexisting cardiac electrophysiologic or structural abnormalities that distinguish SUDEP persons. Some degree of pulmonary congestion is a common autopsy finding, but severe pulmonary edema occurs very rarely with seizures. In contrast, periictal apnea and hypoxia occur commonly with generalized tonic–clonic seizures and, to a lesser degree, with complex partial seizures. There are several animal models of postictal respiratory arrest. Postictal respiratory arrest in audiogenic seizure mice can be induced by serotonin receptor inhibition or prevented by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drugs. Reduced heart rate variability occurs in patients with refractory epilepsy and can be induced in animal seizure models, but its precise role in predisposing persons to sudden death requires further investigation.
Pulp and Paper Mill Effluents Contain Neuroactive Substances That Potentially Disrupt Neuroendocrine Control of Fish Reproduction

Here we show for the first time that components of pulp and paper mill effluents contain neuroactive substances that may impair fish reproduction. Grab samples of primary and secondary effluent were obtained from a representative pulp and paper mill in Eastern Canada. Effluents were fractionated using classic polarity and polyphenolic extraction methods into solvents of selected polarities (water, ethanol, ethyl acetate, and hexane). By means of in vitro, competitive assays on goldfish (Carassius auratus) brain tissues, the extracts were screened for their ability to interact with enzymes and receptors involved in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine, glutamate, and acetylcholine-dependent neurotransmission. These neurotransmission pathways have essential regulatory roles in fish reproduction. Radioligand binding to the following neurotransmitter receptors were significantly impacted following in vitro incubations with extracts (percentage change from controls indicated in brackets): dopamine-2 (D2; 2...
The Role of Phonological Decoding in Second Language Word-Meaning Inference

Two hypotheses were tested: Similarity between first language (L1) and second language (L2) orthographic processing facilitates L2-decoding efficiency; and L2-decoding efficiency contributes to word-meaning inference to different degrees among L2 learners with diverse L1 orthographic backgrounds. The participants were college-level English as a second language (ESL) learners with either alphabetic or logographic L1 backgrounds. Response speed and accuracy of English real- and pseudoword naming served as the decoding efficiency measure. The participants read three passages that contained pseudowords and inferred their meanings. Results showed that (i) alphabetic, as opposed to logographic, L1 background was associated with better decoding; (ii) the groups did not differ in meaning-inference performance; and (iii) the relationship between decoding efficiency and meaning-inference was stronger in the alphabetic group.
Oleanane triterpenoid CDDO-Me inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in prostate cancer cells through a ROS-dependent mechanism

CDDO-Me, a synthetic triterpenoid derived from oleanolic acid, is a promising anticancer agent that has shown strong activity against a wide variety of cancer types in vitro and in vivo. We have previously shown that CDDO-Me induces apoptosis in prostate cancer cells irrespective of their hormonal status. To further understand the proapoptotic mechanism of CDDO-Me, we investigated the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mediating the apoptosis inducing activity of CDDO-Me in LNCaP and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines. Here, we show that CDDO-Me induces ROS generation from both nonmitochondrial and mitochondrial sources, which is associated with the induction of apoptosis as characterized by increased annexin V-binding, cleavage of PARP-1 and procaspases-3, -8, -9, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c. In addition, CDDO-Me inhibited cell survival Akt, NF-kappaB and mTOR signaling proteins. The inhibition of ROS generation by N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or by overexpression of antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD-1) prevented CDDO-Me-induced apoptosis. Pretreatment with NAC blocked annexin V-binding, cleavage of PARP-1 and procaspases-3, -8, -9, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and release of cytochrome c by CDDO-Me. NAC also prevented the inhibition of constitutively active Akt, NF-kappaB and mTOR by CDDO-Me. Together, these data indicate that ROS plays an essential role in the induction of apoptosis by CDDO-Me in prostate cancer cells.
Reading ability and the development of lateralization of speech

Abstract One hundred twenty subjects were tested on a verbal dichotic listening task in order to assess the influence of sex and reading ability on lateralization of speech. All subjects were right-handed, with no familial sinistrality. Forty of the subjects were nine years old, forty were thirteen years of age, and forty were seventeen years of age. Half of the subjects at each age level were male, and half were female. Half of each age-sex group were good readers (who were reading at least two grade levels above their current grade) and half were poor readers (who were reading at least two grade levels below their current grade). Results indicated that older subjects and better readers accurately identified more stimuli than did the younger and poor readers. In general, as the males increased in age they exhibited increasing lateralization. Although male good readers showed stronger lateralization for speech at an earlier age as compared to male poor readers, reading ability had no effect on lateralization for males by late adolescence. Females demonstrated significantly greater lateralization for speech than did males at the youngest age tested. The influence of reading ability on lateralization was variable in the female groups. This precludes a definitive statement concerning the effect of reading ability on hemispheric lateralization in females. In addition to assessments of handedness, all subjects were also evaluated as to eye dominance. A surprising finding of the present study is that eye dominance is a highly significant variable with regard to the lateralization of language functions, and may prove to be a more reliable indicator of lateralization than such variables as sex or cognitive abilities. However, this finding is preliminary and must be investigated more fully.
High-resolution cross delay line detectors for the GALEX mission

The GALEX instrument consists of a 50cm normal incidence mirror telescope in combination with a grism, and a dichroic beamsplitter system projecting images onto two detectors simultaneously. The objective of this instrument is to provide sensitive high resolution imaging of galaxies in two bandpasses, with the option of the modest resolution spectroscopy. We are currently developing the microchannel plate, delay line, sealed tube detectors for the Galaxy Evolution Explorer mission to be launched in 2001.
A statistical-thermodynamic view of cooperative structural changes in phospholipid bilayer membranes: their potential role in biological function

It is a great honor to receive the Huffman Memorial Award from the Calorimetry Conference. Such an honor was certainly not on my list of expectations when I first became interested in calorimetric experimentation over 20 years ago. I thank the conference for this honor and the many of you who have aided and encouraged the work which this award recognizes. In 1969, I had the opportunity to spend three months in the laboratories of the late Stig Sunner and Ingemar Wadsii at the University of Lund, Sweden. It was during that visit that I first became acquainted with state-of-the-art calorimetric equipment. That visit provided me the opportunity to explore from a practical perspective the many possibilities of applying calorimetric techniques to probe the thermodynamic details of questions of biological interest. My interest in, and motivation for, using calorimetric techniques has always been driven by specific thermodynamic questions related to biological systems. The original questions were related to understanding the thermodynamic mechanism of unfolding of globular proteins in aqueous solution. In the early sixties these thermally induced unfolding transitions were assessed by spectroscopic changes primarily and calculation of thermodynamic quantities associated with the process required that the two-state approximation (i.e. the protein existed in one of only two thermodynamic states) be valid, an assumption which had no previous means of being proven. Additionally, in 1964 Brandts(‘**) put forth a phenomenological