cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thinking Outside the Box: Orbitofrontal Cortex, Imagination, and How We Can Treat Addiction

Addiction involves an inability to control drug-seeking behavior. While this may be thought of as secondary to an overwhelming desire for drugs, it could equally well reflect a failure of the brain mechanisms that allow addicts to learn about and mentally simulate non-drug consequences. Importantly, this process of mental simulation draws upon, but is not normally bound by, our past experiences. Rather we have the ability to think outside the box of our past, integrating knowledge gained from a variety of similar and not-so-similar life experiences to derive estimates or imagine what might happen next. These estimates influence our current behavior directly and also affect future behavior by serving as the background against which outcomes are evaluated to support learning. Here we will review evidence, from our own work using a Pavlovian over-expectation task as well as from other sources, that the orbitofrontal cortex is a critical node in the neural circuit that generates these estimates. Further we will offer the specific hypothesis that degradation of this function secondary to drug-induced changes is a critical and likely addressable part of addiction.
Corpus building for data-driven TTS systems

To generate a data-driven TTS system of Mandarin, we built a large and balanced Mandarin text-and-speech corpus, named IBM Mandarin TTS Corpus. The corpus is designed for both statistical prosody modeling, and context dependence of phonemic features. In the script-design stage, we investigated the problem of a proper synthetic unit. Based on the appropriate choice of synthetic unit, we developed a numerical criterion for the coverage and balance of variants of the synthetic units. In the speech-recording stage, we paid attention to speaking style, which is essential to generate an effective concatenative speech synthesis system. We formulated a specification of speaking style, and guided the speaker to strictly follow the guidelines. Corpus processing is another important step. In that step, we carefully executed pronunciation marking, segment aligning, and the prosodic events labeling, etc. We defined a set of prosodic hierarchical layers, to describe various prosodic events. Because those issues often involve manual effort, the quality of the processed corpus depends on both proper specifications for each step, and the training of the operating team.
Popular Science Versus Lab Lit: Differently Depicting Scientific Apparatus

For the lay public, science is often associated with the laboratory and its equipment. This is why representation of scientific apparatus in texts targeting non-professionals is worth a close look....
Prevention of Red Cell Alloimmunization by CD25 Regulatory T Cells.

BACKGROUND: Alloimmunization after exposure to donor red cell (RBC) antigens remains a major clinical problem in transfusion medicine, particularly for patients in need of chronic transfusions. The identification of T regulatory cells (Tregs) among the CD4+CD25+ T cell subset as key regulators of peripheral tolerance in mice as well as humans has opened an exciting era in the prevention and treatment of autoimmune disease and for improving organ transplantation. However, their potential in inducing transfusion tolerance so as to prevent or blunt the alloimmune response to allogeneic red cells has not been explored. METHODS AND RESULTS: To determine a role for Tregs in control of alloimmune responses, we have manipulated Treg numbers by either depletion of CD25-expressing cells or transfer of purified CD4+CD25+ Treg cells in two different mouse models of RBC immunization. Using a mouse model of RBC immunization in which weekly injection of rat RBCs results in the development of antibodies to rat red cells, we previously showed that depletion with anti-CD25 increased the antibody response to rat RBCs (Mqadmi et al., 2005, Blood, 105, 3746). We now found that adoptive transfer of purified populations of CD4+CD25+ cells from non-primed C57/Bl6 mice into naive syngeneic recipients (n=9) completely inhibited the anti-Ig response to rat RBCs in 8 out of 9 mice even up to 5 weeks post-immunization but transfer of control CD4+CD25- cells did not (p=0.029). As an experimental system to study regulation of antibody production following allogeneic RBC transfusion, we used red cells (equivalent to either 1 or 2 packed red cell units) from mice transgenic for human glycophorin A (GPA) blood group antigen as donor cells and transfused wild type C57/Bl6 mice to induce alloantibodies. We found that depletion with anti-CD25 enhanced the alloantibody (IgG and IgM) production (p=0.042), indicating that CD25 Tregs play an important role in regulation of alloantibody responses. More importantly, adoptive transfer of purified splenic population of CD4+CD25+ from naive mice prevented the induction of IgG and IgM alloantibody production in transfusion recipients (n=8). CONCLUSIONS: Altogether, our results demonstrate that Tregs control transfusion-associated alloantibody responses. Our data indicate that Treg immunotherapy by enhancement of Treg function may be exploited for future therapeutic approaches for suppressing transfusion immunization events.
Comparative in vitro toxicity assessment of perfluorinated carboxylic acids

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are synthetic fluorinated compounds that are highly bioaccumulative and persistent organic pollutants. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), an eight-carbon chain perfluorinated carboxylic acid, was used heavily for the production of fluoropolymers, but concerns have led to its replacement by shorter carbon chain homologues such as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA). However, limited toxicity data exist for these substitutes. We evaluated the toxicity of PFOA, PFHxA and PFBA on a zebrafish liver cell line and investigated the effects of exposure on cell metabolism. Gross toxicity after 96 h of exposure was highest for PFOA and PFO- , while PFHxA and PFBA exhibited lower toxicity. Although the structural similarity of these compounds to fatty acids suggests the possibility of interference with the transport and metabolism of lipids, we could not detect any differential expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (ppar-α, -β and -γ), fabp3 and crot genes after 96 h exposure to up to 10 ppm of the test compounds. However, we observed localized lipid droplet accumulation only in PFBA-exposed cells. To study the effects of these compounds on cell metabolism, we conducted fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy using naturally fluorescent biomarkers, NADH and FAD. The fluorescence lifetimes of NADH and FAD and the bound/free ratio of each of these coenzymes decreased in a dose- and carbon length-dependent manner, suggesting disruption of cell metabolism. In sum, our study revealed that PFASs with shorter carbon chains are less toxic than PFOA, and that exposure to sublethal dosage of PFOA, PFHxA or PFBA affects cell metabolism. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Story of CBAE for Future Art Educators

A community-minded university professor tells the story of five students who were involved in an independent-studies course that involved painting a large wall mural at a behavioral health center. The experiential learning in studio core content was combined with curriculum appropriate for future art educators that included art criticism, recognition of diversity, contemporary art themes, and civic involvement. Through problem solving, collaboration, and learning from one another, the students gained valuable knowledge that they felt could help them in their future art classrooms. Their reflections suggest community art education has something to offer curriculum for future art educators.
Photonic crystal cavities in bulk diamond for efficient spin-photon interfaces

We report a new fabrication process of planar photonic crystal nanocavities from bulk diamond. Experimental devices have quality factors Q > 1 × 104 with resonances matched to the negatively charged nitrogen vacancy zero phonon line, allowing for an enhanced spin-photon interface.
Habitus as topic and tool. Reflections on becoming a prizefighter

Boxing gym has become scene and principal actor in the study of professional boxing in black Chicago ghetto. Research tools elaborated by P. Bourdieu were utilized with the central place of his concept of habitus. “Forging” of corporeal and mental dispositions of boxer, practical acquisition of those dispositions permit boxers to conquer the space new for them. Basics of studying the topic from inside are demonstrated.
The Interplay Between Meaning and Sacred Awareness in Everyday Life: Evidence From a Daily Smartphone Study

ABSTRACTPeople experience meaning in various ways across different secular and sacred situations. However, scholars know relatively little about the situational contexts in which meaning occurs. In this article, we first explored the daily contexts of meaning using data collected by a unique, 2-week experience sampling method through participants’ smartphones. Meaning levels were highest during religious and spiritual practices, as well as during traditional work hours. They were also higher with some activities, such as talking to other people, than other activities, such as playing video games. Second, we examined how feelings of meaningfulness were related to sacred states, parsing out which preceded the other. Sacred states, in which people were aware of God or a higher being, tended to come before feelings of meaning rather than the reverse. From these analyses, meaning emerged as richly patterned in everyday life and closely associated with—and often a consequence of—sacred awareness.
Steering algorithm for nonholonomic mechanical systems using adaptive sliding mode control

In this article, a steering control algorithm for the nonholonomic mechanical system is presented, which is based upon adaptive sliding mode control for nonholonomic mechanical systems. The control and adaptive laws are derived using a combination of Hurwitz sliding surface and Lyapunov stability theory. These control laws result in closed loop stability. The proposed algorithm is applied to the nonholonomic unicycle model and the numerical simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Mucosal Infections and Invasive Potential of Nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae Are Enhanced by Oligopeptide Binding Proteins AliC and AliD

ABSTRACT Nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae (NESp) is an emerging human pathogen that colonizes the nasopharynx and is associated with noninvasive diseases such as otitis media (OM), conjunctivitis, and nonbacteremic pneumonia. Since capsule expression was previously thought to be necessary for establishment of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), serotype-specific polysaccharide capsules are targeted by currently licensed pneumococcal vaccines. Yet, NESp expressing oligopeptide binding proteins AliC and AliD have been isolated during IPD. Thus, we hypothesize AliC and AliD are major NESp virulence determinants that facilitate persistence and development of IPD. Our study reveals that NESp expressing AliC and AliD have intensified virulence compared to isogenic mutants. Specifically, we demonstrate AliC and AliD enhance murine nasopharyngeal colonization and pulmonary infection and are required for OM in a chinchilla model. Furthermore, AliC and AliD increase pneumococcal survival in chinchilla whole blood and aid in resistance to killing by human leukocytes. Comparative proteome analysis revealed significant alterations in protein levels when AliC and AliD were absent. Virulence-associated proteins, including a pneumococcal surface protein C variant (CbpAC), were significantly downregulated, while starvation response indicators were upregulated in the double mutant relative to wild-type levels. We also reveal that differentially expressed CbpAC was essential for NESp adherence to epithelial cells, virulence during OM, reduction of C3b deposition on the NESp surface, and binding to nonspecific IgA. Altogether, the rise in NESp prevalence urges the need to understand how NESp establishes disease and persists in a host. This study highlights the roles of AliC, AliD, and CbpAC in the pathogenesis of NESp. IMPORTANCE Despite the effective, widespread use of licensed pneumococcal vaccines over many decades, pneumococcal infections remain a worldwide burden resulting in high morbidity and mortality. NESp subpopulations are rapidly rising in the wake of capsule-targeted vaccine strategies, yet there is very little knowledge on NESp pathogenic potential and virulence mechanisms. Although NESp lacks a protective capsule, NESp lineages expressing AliC and AliD have been associated with systemic infections. Furthermore, higher antibiotic resistance rates and transformation efficiencies associated with emerging NESp threaten treatment strategies needed to control pneumococcal infections and transmission. Elucidating how NESp survives within a host and establishes disease is necessary for development of broadened pneumococcal prevention methods. Our study identifies virulence determinants and host survival mechanisms employed by NESp with a high pathogenic potential. Moreover, our study also identifies virulence determinants shared by NESp and encapsulated strains that may serve as broad prevention and therapeutic targets.
Paradigmas de imperfección: el individuo y sus espacios en Nazarín y Halma de Benito Pérez Galdós

En Nazarin y Halma Galdos discute las relaciones interpersonales del individuo dentro de espacios privados y publicos en el siglo XIX que en una de sus novelas tempranas se describe como un ‘siglo enciclopedico’ caracterizado por una ‘[m] onstruosa sintesis de los tiempos’. El celebre novelista plasma esta indefinicion al entrelazar multiples textos e imagenes. Nazarin constituye el principal sitio de la discusion y el entrelazamiento sobredichos. Este paradojico altruista ascetico se acerca al paradigma de ‘agente etico’ referente al individuo que, llevado por motivaciones entre afectivas y racionales, consigue actuar desinteresadamente, llegando incluso a la autoanulacion. Sin embargo, por su egocentrica procura de la salvacion de su alma, Nazarin se erige en una imperfecta encarnacion de tal paradigma. Su escenario es un mundo igualmente sintetico compuesto por espacios confusos e inestables que pautan una inquietante representacion de la existencia del individuo en la edad moderna.
Research in Sign Language Interpreting at California State University, Northridge

The nature of communication through the use of sign language is of growing interest to educators, psychologists, and linguists. For example: 1. in California, Nevada, and Oklahoma, psychologists are exploring the ways and means by which primates communicate with each other, and with humans, after they have been taught sign language; 2. in Washington, D.C., and La Jolla, California, linguists are in the process of describing the grammar of a unique language, American Sign Language; 3. at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) the use of a sign language interpreter in regular classes offers an exciting alternative model of educating deaf college students.
Dress and Fashion

Clothing and fashion are images that have meaning. They form a system of signs and symbols designed to organize society and allow for social change. Clothing signs indicate expected behavior; clothing symbols reflect the achievement of cultural values. When some members of a society reject societal arrangements and form their own group, they also choose a different style of dress. The attire indicates membership in the group and is a clothing tie-sign. Clothing tie-symbols refer to elements of dress and styles of appearance that exhibit support for a political party, a social agenda, or a public persona. Fashion, on the other hand, is a period's desired appearance. It reflects, and acts to integrate, sociocultural change. The history of the Western world had been marked by centralized control over clothing and appearance. In the twentieth century these strictures loosened significantly. As a result, fashion evolved to give people of all social classes more opportunities for personal expression than ever before. As a result, clothing and fashion offer a greater opportunity for social criticism and social change.
Sets and Counting

This brief chapter provides the prerequisites for Chapter 12 on probability and Chapter 13 on cardinality. For these topics one needs some acquaintance with the mathematical notation for sets.
Buckling of a Column with Non-Linear Lateral Supports

During the investigation of the buckling phenomenon of thin spherical shells [1] and thin cylindrical shells [2] , it was found that for these structures the load sustained is not a linear function of the deflection even when the stresses are below the elastic limit and are proportional to the corresponding strains. This non-linear load vs. deflection relation gives a buckling phenomenon entirely different from that of the classical theory. However, the exact solution of these problems involves a pair of non-linear partial differential equations. It is difficult to obtain an exact solution. The method adopted in these investigations is the so-called energy method, where a plausible form of deflection of the shell is assumed, first with certain undetermined parameters, and then these parameters are determined by the condition that the first variation of the strain energy of the system must be zero. Although this method yields quite satisfactory results for the cases investigated, it is felt that due to the novel nature of the problem, an exact solution is very desirable. Experiments on a column with non-linear lateral supports [3] show that the essential characteristics of the buckling of curved shells can be reproduced by this structure. The problem of a column with non-linear lateral supports is, however, much simpler than the problem of curved shells, and an exact solution can be obtained without any mathematical difficulty. In the present paper, an exact solution of the column problem will be carried out.
Case study of a health optimizing physical education-based comprehensive school physical activity program.

Abstract In this article, we report a qualitative case study, in which we examined enablers and barriers related to the development, implementation, and sustainability of a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) aligned with the Health Optimizing Physical Education (HOPE) curriculum model at a middle school. Literature on program-diffusion and school-university partnerships guided data collection and analysis. Data sources included semi-structured interviews with the program implementation team (n = 9) and the school’s health and physical education teachers (n = 7); a focus group interview with students; documents (e.g., lesson plans), and observations. Constant comparison techniques were used to code and draw out themes from the data. Findings revealed the extensive effort needed for program implementation and highlighted the importance of strong external support mechanisms, conducting needs assessments, and training teachers to market physical activity programming. Partnerships may provide critical support for schools in their efforts to generate and sustain CSPAPs.
The Nineteenth Century

The nineteenth century, broadly defined, is described by Moore as one of the most important periods in the history of universities. The French Revolution, the “Berlin model” of universities as research institutions, the Industrial Revolution, and finally the new Imperialism, all these had dramatic impacts on the development and expansion of universities. The emphasis on universal natural rights and individual freedom caused rebellions throughout society. The needs of industrialism produced more technical schools, many of which evolved into universities, and engineering became a standard part of higher education. Industrialism also created new classes ultimately to outweigh traditional classes: a laboring proletariat replacing peasants and a bourgeoisie replacing aristocracy. New movements like democracy and Marxism found channels to the world through western imperialism and its universities.
Nanomolar To Micromolar Oh And 1 O 2 Delievery With 3D Printed Microplasma Jets Array

A novel microplasma jet array was developed under 3D printing platform with resolution as high as 50 $\mu {\mathrm{ m}}$ to disinfect the virus in water. The reactive oxygen species, recognized as the key component for the disinfection process, produced through microplasma in liquid and quantified with two chemical probes. The positive correlation was observed between plasma power dosages and radicals concentrations. The concentration of OH radical was achieved within nM range, while the concentration of $^{1} \mathrm {O}_{2}$ is sub$- \mu \mathrm {M}$. The long lived species, like H 2 O 2 and O 3 , were also monitored to probe the long-lasting oxidation effect from microplasma treatment in liquid. The realization of the microplasma array beyond two dimensions provides a powerful tool for un-flat surface. The innovations of the microplasma through 3D printing techniques provide a promising method for disinfection treatment in water distribution system. The detailed experiment findings will be introduced in the conference.
Groups of homeomorphisms of one-manifolds III: nilpotent subgroups

This self-contained paper is part of a series (Groups of homeomorphisms of one-manifolds I: actions of nonlinear groups. Preprint , 2001; Group actions on one-manifolds II: extensions of Holder's Theorem. To appear in Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. ) seeking to understand groups of homeomorphisms of manifolds in analogy with the theory of Lie groups and their discrete subgroups. Plante and Thurston proved that every nilpotent subgroup of Diff 2 ( S 1 ) is abelian. One of our main results is a sharp converse: Diff 1 ( S 1 ) contains every finitely generated, torsion-free nilpotent group.
Thermo-responsive 3D-printed polyrotaxane monolith

Thermo-responsive 3D-printed hydrogels that are composed of methylated α-cyclodextrin polyrotaxanes have been synthesized through post-3D-printing methylation. With a high methylation degree of the threaded α-cyclodextrins, the fabricated monolith exhibits a two-stage thermo-induced aggregation behavior, in which a second micro-crystallization process was identified for the first time. The methylated polyrotaxane monoliths possess reversible temperature-dependent size, transparency, and elastic moduli switching in an aqueous environment. Through dual-material 3D printing, the 3D-printed monolith actuates back-and-forth at different temperatures.
Inflicted versus unintentional injury: towards improved detection and surveillance of supervisory neglect.

Abstract Background Many children evaluated for child abuse have non-inflicted injuries due to supervisory neglect. Despite its prevalence, supervisory neglect has received minimal attention. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients maintained in a hospital forensic registry. Text analytics software was used to classify types of supervisory neglect from reported mechanism of injury (MOI). Logistic regression was used to assess risks associated with supervisory neglect. Results For 1185 eligible patients, 553 were classified as having unintentional injuries. Text analysis identified four types of supervisory neglect for falls (N = 376): interrupted supervision (53.4%); failure to adapt the home (26.7%); safety equipment non-compliance (12.8%); inadequate substitute care (7.0%); a fifth category was identified for non-falls (N = 54): rough handling (32.0%). Supervisory neglect was associated with MOI consistent with the injury (AOR = 15.5[p Conclusions Interrupted supervision was the most common form of supervisory neglect. Twenty percent of forensics patients with head injury found to have non-inflicted injuries had evidence of prior head injury. Supervisory neglect suggests a high-risk population. Level of Evidence Level II, Prognosis.
A CURE Biochemistry Laboratory Module to Study Protein-Protein Interactions by NMR Spectroscopy.

The design of undergraduate laboratory courses that provide meaningful research-based experiences enhances undergraduate curricula and prepares future graduate students for research careers. In thi...
Internal crack detection in concrete pavement using discrete strain sensors

Cracking in concrete pavements is a major concern for their performance, especially the existence of the internal bottom-up cracks. These cracks may induce water penetration in-pavement structure and foundation, resulting in-pavement degradation. Early detection of the hidden cracks in concrete pavements can expedite timely maintenance, which improves the safety of the infrastructure. This paper develops a detection system for internal crack location and propagation using discrete strain sensors at the bottom of the concrete pavements. In this study, based on linear elastic fracture mechanics, a theoretical approach is derived from locating the bottom-up crack and tracking the crack propagation using a minimum of two discrete in-pavement strain sensors. Experimental results showed that the proposed crack detection approach with two discrete strain sensors could detect bottom-up cracks with an average measurement accuracy of 82.4% for three specimens tested in the laboratory. This study may provide an alternative technique to detect hidden bottom-up cracks in concrete pavements.
Clinical characteristics, genomic features, and recurrence risk of early-stage MET exon 14 mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

9042Background: MET exon 14 alterations occur in ~3% of patients (pts) with NSCLC. Although clinical and genomic features of MET exon 14 mutant (mut) NSCLC are better characterized in the metastati...
Dopamine Release Neuroenergetics in Mouse Striatal Slices

Parkinson9s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. Dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra par compacta with axonal projections to the dorsal striatum (dSTR) degenerate in PD while in contrast, DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area with axonal projections to the ventral striatum including the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) shell, are largely spared. To understand the pathogenesis of PD, it is important to study the neuroenergetics of DA neurons. This study aims to uncover the relative contribution of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) to evoked DA release in the striatum. We measured evoked DA release in mouse striatal brain slices by fast-scan cyclic voltammetry every 2 minutes. Blocking OxPhos caused a greater reduction in evoked DA release in the dSTR compared to the NAc shell, and blocking glycolysis caused a greater reduction in evoked DA release in the NAcc shell than in the dSTR. Furthermore, when glycolysis was bypassed in favor of direct OxPhos, evoked DA release in the NAcc shell was decreased by ~50% over 40 minutes whereas evoked DA release in the dSTR was largely unaffected. These results demonstrated that the dSTR relies primarily on OxPhos for energy production to maintain evoked DA release whereas the NAcc shell relies more on glycolysis. Using two-photon imaging, we consistently found that the oxidation level of the DA terminals was higher in the dSTR than in the nAcc shell. Together, these findings partially explain the specific vulnerability of DA terminals in the dSTR to degeneration in PD.
Spiritual Resilience and Struggle Following the Experience of a Stroke

Because strokes raise fundamental issues of finitude, loss of control, and suffering, the experience of stroke may be an important context for studying religion and spirituality. Focusing on stroke survivors and their caregivers, this chapter explores the double-edged character of spirituality—its capacity to sustain people in their most difficult times, and its ability to provoke profound struggle and strain about matters of deepest importance to people. We review the theory and research that speaks to spirituality as a source of both resilience and struggle in stroke and other medical populations, bringing material to life with references to qualitative studies. We posit potential moderators of the relationship between religion/spirituality and adjustment and discuss existing interventions targeting religious and spiritual coping in these populations. Finally we provide recommendations for those providing care for stroke survivors and suggest directions for future research.
On the Optimization of Broadband Photometry for Galaxy Evolution Studies

We have derived the uncertainties to be expected in the derivation of galaxy physical properties (star formation history, age, metallicity, and reddening) when comparing broadband photometry to the predictions of evolutionary synthesis models. We have obtained synthetic colors for a large sample (~9000) of artificial galaxies by assuming different star formation histories, ages, metallicities, reddening values, and redshifts. The colors derived have been perturbed by adopting different observing errors and compared against the evolutionary synthesis models grouped in different sets. The comparison has been performed using a combination of Monte Carlo simulations, a maximum likelihood estimator, and principal component analysis. After comparing the input and derived output values we have been able to compute the uncertainties and covariant degeneracies between the galaxy physical properties as a function of (1) the set of observables available, (2) the observing errors, and (3) the galaxy properties themselves. In this work we have considered different sets of observables, some of them including the standard Johnson-Cousins (UBVRCIC) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) bands in the optical, the Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) bands in the near-infrared, and the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) bands in the UV, at three different redshifts, z = 0.0, 0.7, and 1.4. This study is intended to represent a basic tool for the design of future projects on galaxy evolution, allowing an estimate of the optimal bandpass combinations and signal-to-noise ratios required for a given scientific objective.
Theorizing racialization through India’s “Mongolian Fringe”

The “Mongolian Fringe” extending from India’s Northwest Himalayas to the hill regions of the Northeast frontier, was conceptualized by British authorities as a site of geopolitical and racial anxie...
Policy attributes, perceived impacts, and climate change policy preferences

Abstract There are broad differences in popularity amongst different policies designed to address climate change. Across two studies, we explore systematic preferences across three policy attributes: 1) who is targeted: business versus individuals, 2) what is targeted: energy supply versus energy demand, and 3) how change is motivated: incentives versus disincentives. Additionally, in Study 2, we examine whether perceptions of policy impacts along the three pillars of sustainability (environment, economic, and social) can explain the effect of these policy attributes on the lay public's policy preferences. First, participants preferred policies that a) attempt to change the energy supply by changing the source of energy (e.g., more renewable energy) over policies that attempt to reduce the demand by reducing energy use (e.g., encourage energy efficiency). Second, participants preferred policies using incentives over policies using disincentives, especially when considering policies that targeted individuals (vs. businesses). The latter suggests that participants were more tolerant of the use of disincentives for businesses than individuals. Participants' expectations about policy consequences explained these patterns of preferences: Preferred types of policies were expected to have the most environmental benefits (suggesting that the policies would be effective) and the most net-positive economic and social impacts.
Social-Media Activity Forecasting with Exogenous Information Signals.

Due to their widespread adoption, social media platforms present an ideal environment for studying and understanding social behavior, especially on information spread. Modeling social media activity has numerous practical implications such as supporting efforts to analyze strategic information operations, designing intervention techniques to mitigate disinformation, or delivering critical information during disaster relief operations. In this paper we propose a modeling technique that forecasts topic-specific daily volume of social media activities by using both exogenous signals, such as news or armed conflicts records, and endogenous data from the social media platform we model. Empirical evaluations with real datasets from two different platforms and two different contexts each composed of multiple interrelated topics demonstrate the effectiveness of our solution.
INFUSING PRODUCIBILITY INTO ADVANCED SUBMARINE DESIGN

The SEAWOLF submarine design is promoting the employment of a variety of advanced ship design and production techniques. Major goals of the design are to fully support a zone construction program, capture the database in a digital format, provide digital products for construction and logistics support and simplify, as much as possible, the construction effort. Four innovations that support these goals include: Producibility Steering Group, improved drawings, planning and sequence documents, and a producibility review process. The implementation of these producibility tasks into a new submarine acquisition has required extensive development by a creative group of designers and a contingent of production planners. The SEAWOLF producibility team has undertaken the task to understand and apply the advancements in shipbuilding technology that are in place and are being implemented today. The infusion of producibility is the result of this knowledge being reflected in SEAWOLF design products.
The Individualized Contingency Contracy for Students

Individualized contingency contracts can be a powerful intervention for helping at-risk students succeed in regular education. Several issues should be considered relative to developing and implementing the contingency contract. These issues include developing precise definitions of the problem behaviors and prioritizing problem behaviors for contract intervention. In addition, activities should be undertaken that facilitate collaboration among special services providers, regular education teachers, the student in question, and possibly his/her parents. Next, the appropriate contract contingencies need to be selected and the criterion should to be set at the appropriate level of difficulty. The actual writing of the contract encompasses several issues including the use of language and concepts that are both attractive and developmentally appropriate for the student. Guidelines for incorporating cognitive interventions into contracts are presented. Finally, implementation and generalization issues are disc...
Methods for Coalition Formation in Adaptation-Based Social Networks

Coalition formation in social networks consisting of a graph of interdependent agents allows many choices of which task to select and with whom to partner in the social network. Nodes represent agents and arcs represent communication paths for requesting team formation. Teams are formed in which each agent must be connected to another agent in the team by an arc. Agents discover effective network structures by adaptation. Agents also use several strategies for selecting the task and determining when to abandon an incomplete coalition. Coalitions are finalized in one-on-one negotiation, building a working coalition incrementally.
Should Pretermitted Issue Be Entitled to Inherit

HE question of what language in a will is a sufficient mention of the testator's issue to prevent them claiming, as "pretermitted" heirs, the right to inherit under the statute of succession, again comes up in the recent case of Estate of Price.1 The testatrix had two sons, Arthur and Walter, and two grandchildren who were children of another son (Merton) who had died about three weeks before she executed her will. She left all her
A Communication Backend for Parallel Language Compilers

Generating good communication code is an important issue for all compilers targeting parallel or distributed systems. However, different compilers for the same parallel system usually implement the communication generation routines (e.g., message buffer packing) independently and from scratch. As a result, these compilers either pursue a simple approach (calling a standard runtime library), which does not do justice to the capabilities of the system, or they incur high development costs. This paper describes a way to separate the communication issues from other compilation aspects (e.g., determining the distribution of data and computation). This organization places the responsibility for communication issues with the communication backend, and this backend can be shared by different compilers. It produces code that is customized for each communication step, based on the exact data distribution and the characteristics of the target parallel system. This approach has several advantages: (1) The communication backend can be shared by multiple compilers, e.g., for different parallel languages. (2) The communication backend provides a way to integrate regular and irregular communication, e.g., as required to deal with irregular codes. (3) Retargeting of a parallel compiler is simplified, since the communication backend deals with the interface to communication (and the single-node compiler). (4) The communication backend can optimize the code, e.g., by constant folding and constant propagation. Code produced by the communication backend is always at least as fast as library code, but the customization has the potential to significantly improve performance depending on what information is known at compile time.
Transitions to Adulthood in Immigrant America: Barriers and Opportunities [Figures and Data Tables]

[Power point slides to accompany SSRN abstract= 2182128.] Approximately 30 percent of the more than 68 million young adults aged 18 to 34 in the United States today are either foreign born or of foreign parentage. As these newcomers make their transitions to adulthood, their experiences and readiness to progress to adulthood differ significantly from one another, and from their native-parentage counterparts. For many ethnic groups, significant progress takes place from the first to the second generation. But for millions of young immigrants, a lack of legal permanent residency status blocks their prospects for social mobility. Immigrant groups experience gaps in social, economic, and legal status that are even greater than the gaps between native whites and blacks. These social and economic divides reflect three very different ways immigrants enter the country: through regular immigration channels, without legal authorization, or as state-sponsored refugees. Having an undocumented status has become all the more consequential with the failure of Congress to pass comprehensive federal immigration reforms. In the 2011 Pastora Cafferty Lecture on Race and Ethnicity in American Life, professor Ruben G. Rumbaut described how generation, national origin, and the contexts in which they are coming of age in America shape the experiences of these newcomers as they become adults.
Using Internet Delivered Video Cases, To Support Pre-Service Teachers' Understanding of Effective Early Literacy Instruction: An Exploratory Study.

This preliminary study explores the effects ofusing CTELL (Case Technologies EnhancingLiteracy Learning) cases on preserviceteachers' learning. Students participated inone of three instructional treatments:traditional, traditional plus video, andtraditional plus CTELL cases. A pre-postconcept web, describing students' understandingof effective reading instruction, served as themajor outcome measure. This was supplementedwith a unidimensional confidence measure,journal entries, and student interviews. Nosignificant differences were found for any ofthe three treatment conditions on the conceptmapping task or the confidence measure.However, the journal entries and interview datahighlight important issues, challenges andbenefits, with respect to the use of multimediacases. Implications for teacher education areexplored.
Is Recovery Planning Any Different from Treatment Planning

Using process evaluation data, this paper compares the "recovery" planning process of the social model programs with the "treatment" planning process in a comparison medical model program. We consider how the planning process is actually conducted, the role of staff versus clients in the planning process, and how the implementation of the planning process is monitored and evaluated at the programs. Results point to major differences in the actual process of treatment planning and recovery planning. Professional staff at medical model programs generally direct and control the planning process and its implementation. In social model programs, clients are directly responsible for developing their own recovery plans, within a context of help from peers and recovering staff; the latter oversee the process. We conclude that both treatment planning and recovery planning are distinct and defining features of medical and social model philosophies. Treatment planning in medical model programs and recovery planning in social model programs serve similar administrative and programmatic functions. However, the impact on patients/residents is likely to be significantly different. Recovery planning becomes a skill acquired by clients, part of the experiential education characterizing social model programs. Future research is needed to assess whether these planning skills actually aid social model clients in structuring a sober lifestyle in aftercare, and whether differences are obtained by the more passive client role in planning taken at the medical model program.
Detection of tones and pulses using a large, uncalibrated array

A problem of growing interest in radio astronomy is that of how to detect transient astronomical signals over a wide field of view (FOV). Two classes of signals of particular interest are ultra-narrowband tones, which are sought in SETI and wideband pulses associated with gamma ray bursts and intermittent "giant pulses" from pulsars. A useful method to detect weak signals over a wide FOV is to use an array consisting of elements whose patterns are individually broad enough to cover the entire FOV, yet which can be processed together to achieve the sensitivity of a large, fixed-aperture antenna. The optimal detection algorithm for such a system requires a search over all possible directions of arrival, This paper presents a suboptimal approach that avoids the need to calibrate the array, but is robust to noise covariances which are spatially or spectrally non-white. The tone-detection version of the algorithm is described followed by a study of performance and computation burden. A pulse-detection version of this algorithm is outlined.
Context Trees: Crowdsourcing Global Understanding from Local Views

Crowdsourcing struggles when workers must see all of the pieces of input to make an accurate judgment. For example, to find the most important scenes in a novel or movie, each worker must spend hours consuming the entire plot to acquire a global understanding and then apply that understanding to each local scene. To enable the crowdsourcing of large-scale goals with only local views, we introduce context trees, a crowdsourcing workflow for creating global summaries of a large input. Context trees recursively combine elements through written summaries to form a tree. Workers can then ground their local decisions by applying those summaries back down to the leaf nodes. In the case of scale ratings such as scene importance, we introduce a weighting process that percolates ratings downwards through the tree so that important nodes in unimportant branches are not overweighted. When using context trees to rate the importance of scenes in a 4000-word story and a 100-minute movie, workers’ ratings are nearly as accurate as those who saw the entire input, and much improved over the traditional approach of splitting the input into independent segments. To explore whether context trees enable crowdsourcing to undertake new classes of goals, we also crowdsource the solution to a large hierarchical puzzle of 462,000 interlocking pieces.
Dynamics of terraces on a silicon surface due to the combined action of strain and electric current

Abstract A (0 0 1) surface of silicon consists of terraces of two variants, which have an identical atomic structure, except for a 90° rotation. We formulate a model to evolve the terraces under the combined action of electric current and applied strain. The electric current motivates adatoms to diffuse by a wind force, while the applied strain motivates adatoms to diffuse by changing the concentration of adatoms in equilibrium with each step. To promote one variant of terraces over the other, the wind force acts on the anisotropy in diffusivity, and the applied strain acts on the anisotropy in surface stress. Our model reproduces experimental observations of stationary states, in which the relative width of the two variants becomes independent of time. Our model also predicts a new instability, in which a small change in experimental variables (e.g., the applied strain and the electric current) may cause a large change in the relative width of the two variants.
Beyond Optical Design Interaction Between The Lens Designer And The Real World

Techniques are explored for enhancing the communication link between the optical designer and the engineering groups involved in the design and implementation of high performance optical hardware.
Mitral valve replacement in the transplanted heart

Because of the scarcity of donor hearts, conventional operations on heart allografts are now being performed in lieu of retransplantation. Our experience with mitral valve replacement in the orthotopically transplanted heart is presented, supporting the utility of conventional operations when indicated.
Lung Apoptosis In Response To Therapy With Nitric Oxide (No) And Hyperoxia(HYP) • 1733

Previous in vivo studies indicate that prolonged exposure to NO+HYP causes significant lung injury in newborn piglets. Peroxynitrite-mediated oxidant damage has been implicated in the pathogenesis of this injury. However, little is known about the in vivo mechanisms of cell injury or the mode of subsequent cell death. Our previous in vitro studies in human alveolar epithelial (A549) cells demonstrated that NO+HYP directly induced acute and synergistic cytotoxicity, but the mode of cell death was found to be nonapoptotic. To determine if NO+HYP results in apoptosis in vivo, we studied 1-3 day old piglets, mechanically ventilated for 48h with 100% O2, 100 PPM NO + 21% O2, 5 PPM NO + 100% O2, 100 PPM NO + 90% O2 or unventilated control animals(n=2/group). Animals were sacrificed, lungs removed and instillation-fixed in buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin. TUNEL (TdT dUTP Nick End Labeling) assays were performed on sections of lung tissue (right lower lobe) and the number of apoptotic (TUNEL+) nuclei/field were quantified. Unventilated animals had 3.5±0.5 (mean ± SE) apoptotic nuclei/field while animals ventilated with 100 PPM NO + 21% O2 had 7.0±2, 100% O2 had 27±3, 5 PPM NO + 100% O2 had 31±4, and 100 PPM NO+ 90% O2 had 68±9 (p< 0.05, ANOVA). Preliminary data suggest that combined therapy with NO+HYP results in increased apoptosis in the lung which may correlate with previously documented pulmonary injury.