cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Content Acquisition Podcasts to Improve Teacher Candidate Knowledge of Curriculum-Based Measurement:

Given the significant literature supporting the use of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) for data-based decision making, it is critical that teacher candidates learn about it prior to student teaching and entry into the field as full-time teachers. The authors of this study used a content acquisition podcast (CAP), a multimedia-based instructional tool, to deliver information regarding CBM to teacher candidates. A second set of students received a practitioner-friendly text containing the same content as the CAP. Participants from three universities (N = 270) were randomly assigned to condition and completed pretest, posttest, and maintenance probes of CBM knowledge and ability to apply skill. In addition, participants completed a measure of motivation during their instruction. Results showed that participants who learned using the CAP scored significantly higher on the knowledge and application measures and reported being more motivated during instruction than peers in the text-only condition. The autho...
Democracy and the making of contentious policy: The role of democracy in the abolition of the death penalty, 1950–2010

Previous scholarship discussed the pivotal role of democracy in promoting human rights policies. However, prior work did not examine the distinct process of how democratic regimes adopt contentious policies with low public support. In focusing on the distinct policy-making process of contentious policy, this study examines how democracy can lead to a policy change with one contentious policy in particular: the abolition of the death penalty. The research compares dissimilar dynamics within gradual and immediate abolition processes with data from 164 countries between 1950 and 2010. The results of a competing risks event history model suggest that a country’s overall level of democracy, a specific democratic component such as the institutional separation of powers, democratic transition, and the presence of democratic legacy increase the likelihood of gradual abolition. However, democracy does not lead to immediate death abolition, except in cases where there is a sudden transition to democracy. The result...
Sediment budget for a high energy glacial lake

A detailed sediment budget study was undertaken for a relatively shallow glacial lake in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia. The lake, with it's relatively large water and sediment input lev...
Aromatic Cyanoalkylation through Double C–H Activation Mediated by Ni(III)

Herein we report an atom- and step-economic aromatic cyanoalkylation reaction that employs nitriles as building blocks and proceeds through Csp2–H and Csp3–H bond activation steps mediated by NiIII. In addition to cyanomethylation with MeCN, regioselective α-cyanoalkylation was observed with various nitrile substrates to generate secondary and tertiary nitriles. Importantly, to the best of our knowledge these are the first examples of C–H bond activation reactions occurring at a NiIII center, which may exhibit different reactivity and selectivity profiles than those corresponding to analogous NiII centers. These studies provide guiding principles to design catalytic C–H activation and functionalization reactions involving high-valent Ni species.
Perforation of the Gastric Segment of an Augmented Bladder Secondary to Peptic Ulcer Disease

AbstractGastrocystoplasty consists of bladder augmentation using part of the gastric body. We describe a child in whom peptic ulcer disease developed in the gastric portion of the bladder, with subsequent perforation of the ulcer. Chronic renal failure, hypercalcemia and oliguria are potential ulcerogenic conditions commonly present in patients with gastrocystoplasty. Perforation of the ulcer is a potentially fatal complication. Periodic cystoscopy and prophylactic treatment with hydrogen blockers and alkalization of the urine should be considered in patients with those risk factors.
Metabolic dependence of protein arrangement in human erythrocyte membranes. I. Analysis of spectrin-rich complexes in ATP-depleted red cells

The discocyte-echinocyte transformation and the decrease in deformability associated with red cell ATP depletion have been attributed to changes in the physical properties of spectrin and actin, membrane proteins located at the membrane-cytosol interface. We investigated the spontaneous formation of spectrin-rich complexes in human erythrocyte membranes, employing two-dimensional SDS- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Membranes of red cells depleted in ATP under aerobic conditions exhibited (1) an increase in components 4.5 and 8 and globin subunits, (2) a spontaneous formation of heterodimers of spectrin 1 + 2 and spectrin 2 + component 4.9, and (3) a large molecular weight (greater than 10(6) daltons) protein complex with a high spectrin to band 3 ratio. These complexes were dissociated with dithiothreitol and were prevented by anaerobic incubation or the maintenance of red cell ATP and GSH levels with glucose, adenine, and inosine. The complexes 1 + 2 and 2 + 4.9 were also seen in acetylphenylhydrazine-treated, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase- deficient fresh erythrocytes that showed marked GSH depletion but preserved greater than 70% of the original ATP level. However, membranes of these cells did not contain the greater 10(6) dalton aggregate with a high spectrin to band 3 ratio. We concluded that the formation of the latter complex results from rearrangement of spectrin and other polypeptides in membranes of ATP-depleted red cells. Under aerobic conditions, the rearranged proteins undergo spontaneous intermolecular crosslinkings through disulfide couplings.
Influence of Acute Tubular Necrosis on First Cadaver Kidney Transplant Function

AbstractProlonged cold storage following intracellular electrolyte flushing increases the probability of significant acute tubular necrosis after cadaver kidney transplantation. The renal function of primary cadaver kidney grafts was compared in 68 recipients who required dialysis and 92 who did not require dialysis during the first week after transplantation. All kidneys were retrieved from beating-heart cadaver donors by our center, flushed with ice-cold intracellular electrolyte solution and cold-stored until transplantation at our hospital.Recipients requiring dialysis during the first week after transplantation received kidneys with a significantly longer cold storage time (27.4 plus or minus 10.2 versus 23.2 plus or minus 7.6 hours) and had significantly higher 1-month serum creatinine nadirs (2.1 plus or minus 1.3 versus 1.5 plus or minus 0.6mg./dl.). Actuarial kidney graft survivals and serum creatinine levels 1 to 5 years after grafting were not significantly different. Acute tubular necrosis fol...
P169: Is patient participation useful to improve staff hand hygiene compliance in a geriatric hospital?

Methods We conducted a survey on the impact of feedback and patient participation on hand hygiene compliance at our institution in 2012 and included 5 of 16 wards at the geriatric hospital. Patients were randomly recruited by an infection control nurse in 2 of the 5 wards to investigate the potential for patients to be actively engaged in hand hygiene practices. Inclusion criteria were: a cognitive capability of >19 as measured by a Mini Mental State examination and a stable health condition. At day 0, patients were trained in hand hygiene indications that should be carried out by staff and by themselves. Patients were given a training brochure and a bottle of alcohol-based handrub, together with a questionnaire about their willingness to either carry out hand hygiene or remind staff of the procedure, if not accomplished. At day 7, included patients underwent an interview to assess their active participation.
A randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial of the effects of fluid rate and/or presence of dextrose in intravenous fluids on the labor course of nulliparas

Background Prolonged labor has been demonstrated to increase adverse maternal and neonatal outcome. A practice that may decrease the risk of prolonged labor is the modification of fluid intake during labor. Objective Several studies demonstrated that increased hydration in labor as well as addition of dextrose-containing fluids may be associated with a decrease in length of labor. The purpose of our study was to characterize whether high-dose intravenous fluids, standard-dose fluids with dextrose, or high-dose fluids with dextrose show a difference in the duration of labor in nulliparas. Study Design Nulliparous subjects with singletons who presented in active labor were randomized to 1 of 3 groups of intravenous fluids: 250 mL/h of normal saline, 125 mL/h of 5% dextrose in normal saline, or 250 mL/h of 2.5% dextrose in normal saline. The primary outcome was total length of labor from initiation of intravenous fluid in vaginally delivered subjects. Secondary outcomes included cesarean delivery rate and length of second stage of labor, among other maternal and neonatal outcomes. Results In all, 274 subjects who met inclusion criteria were enrolled. There were no differences in baseline characteristics among the 3 groups. There was no difference in the primary outcome of total length of labor in vaginally delivered subjects among the 3 groups. First stage of labor duration, second stage of labor duration, and cesarean delivery rates were also equivalent. There were no differences identified in other secondary outcomes including clinical chorioamnionitis, postpartum hemorrhage, blood loss, Apgar scores, or neonatal intensive care admission. Conclusion There is no difference in length of labor or delivery outcomes when comparing high-dose intravenous fluids, addition of dextrose, or use of high-dose intravenous fluids with dextrose in nulliparous women who present in active labor.
Post-Apocalyptic: The Real Consequences of Activist Short-Selling

This paper examines the real effects of a recent phenomenon commonly referred to as “activist short-selling,” where short-sellers publicly talk down stocks to benefit their short positions. First, we show that after firms are targeted by activist short-sellers, their investing, financing, and paying-out activities on average drop by 7.2%, 24.5%, and 7.6%, respectively. Using a battery of empirical tests, we find that our results are unlikely driven by the activists’ ability to select declining firms. Second, we provide evidence of three different channels through which activist short-selling leads to real changes in the firm: increased cost of capital, more monitoring, and feedback from stock prices. Third, we find that firms that are more vulnerable to “short and distort” suffer from more drastic declines in real activities. Fourth, our evidence indicates that on average, firms targeted by activist short-sellers experience improvement in real efficiency. This study contributes to the literature on activist investors and on short-selling, and sheds light on the policy debate over regulations on activist short-selling.
Diversity of seeds captured by interception exceeds diversity of seeds deposited in traps

Seed dispersal, a key process in terrestrial landscapes, is increasingly important in the face of habitat fragmentation and global climate change. Seed dispersal is also notoriously difficult to characterize, especially in species rich and spatially complex tropical forests. We contrasted assemblages of biotically dispersed seeds collected from four sites using two methods: deposition into seed traps and interception by the capture of frugivorous birds. We also compared seed deposition and interception with local fruit production. Species accumulation curves for seeds deposited in seed traps began to level off sooner than curves for seeds collected from birds captured in mist nets, and extrapolation showed significantly greater estimated species richness for seeds collected from birds than for those deposited in traps. Assemblages from birds and from traps at each site were quite different, with an abundance-based similarity index of 0.64; this dissimilarity increases if bat-dispersed seeds are included in the analysis. Common bird-dispersed species were retrieved from both mist-netted birds and from seed traps, but numerous locally fruiting understory species were recovered only from birds. We conclude that the sampling of seeds carried by birds provides a valuable complement to other methods of studying seed dispersal in species-rich tropical forests by revealing relationships between specific dispersers and their seed plants and by creating a more complete account of species diversity of seeds being transported at a given site.
Why Tax Policy Is Not Politics in China: Public Finance and China's Changing State‐Society Relations

Public finance is at the heart of politics. In China, public finance has remained marginal to political contestations. This is puzzling because public revenue as a percentage of gross domestic policy has risen rapidly in the past two decades, indicating enhanced extractive efforts by the state. By examining two components of China's public financial system—tax and nontax revenues—this article considers the specific sources of China's public revenues and the state-society relationship implicated in the processes of collecting them. I argue that there has been an institutional design by the Chinese central state to depoliticize public finance in the reform era, with both intended and unintended consequences. First, China's evolving tax structure played the role of fending off the formation of politically active social groups that could develop out of a progressive tax profile. Second, fiscal centralization attempted by the central state since the 1990s has severed the fiscal contracts established previously between grassroots governments and local communities. It has turned local governments into upwardly oriented applicants for central fiscal transfers and economic entrepreneurs on the capital market. Related Articles Gatchair, Sonia D. 2015. “Ideology and Interests in Tax Administration Reform in Jamaica.” Politics & Policy 43 (6): 887-913. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12139/full Wise, Carol, and Cintia Quiliconi. 2007. “China's Surge in Latin American Markets: Policy Challenges and Responses.” Politics & Policy 35 (3): 410-438. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2007.00067.x/full Hu, Shaohua. 2007. “Confucianism and Contemporary Chinese Politics.” Politics & Policy 35 (1): 136-153. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2007.00051.x/full
Nanoporous carbon-composites as gas sensors: Importance of the specific adsorption forces for ammonia sensing mechanism

Abstract Wood-based/polymer-derived nanoporous carbon composites were tested as ammonia sensors for gas concentrations from 45 to 500 ppm. A synergy between the composite components affected their electrical response. Incorporation of only a 1% polymer-derived carbon phase was sufficient to convert the conduction type of the carbon matrix and to increase the sensitivity. An increase in the amount of the polymer-derived carbon phase (10 and 25%) in the composites decreased the electrical signals. This was linked to a decrease in the porosity and thus to a decrease in the contribution of physical adsorption to a sensing mechanism. The reversible sensing of the carbon-coated chips was governed by weak physical interactions of ammonia with surface functional groups and by a charge transport through ionic conductivity (NH4+). The results suggested that the nature of the weak interactions rather than the electronic properties of the carbon matrix is responsible for the electrical performance in gas sensing. Based on the results obtained, a priority order of the importance of various surface functional groups for the ammonia sensing capability of nanoporous carbons is proposed for the first time.
Enhanced vasculotoxic metal excretion in post-myocardial infarction patients following a single edetate disodium-based infusion

Abstract Toxic metals have been associated with cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. We have hypothesized that enhanced excretion of vasculotoxic metals might explain the positive results of the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT). The purpose of this study was to determine whether a single infusion of the edetate disodium- based infusion used in TACT led to enhanced excretion of toxic metals known to be associated with cardiovascular events. Methods Twenty six patients (post-MI, age > 50 years, serum creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL) were enrolled in this open-label study. Urinary levels of 20 toxic metals normalized to urinary creatinine concentrations were measured at baseline in overnight urine collections, for 6 h following a placebo infusion of 500 mL normal saline and 1.2% dextrose, and for 6 h following a 3 g edetate disodium-based infusion. Self-reported metal exposure, smoking status, food frequency, occupational history, drinking water source, housing and hobbies were collected at baseline by a metal exposure questionnaire. Results The mean age was 65 years (range 51–81 years). All patients were male. 50% had diabetes mellitus and 58% were former smokers. Mean (SD) serum creatinine was 0.95 (0.31) mg/dL. Toxic metals were detected in the baseline urine of >80% of patients. After placebo infusion there were no significant changes in total urinary metal levels. After edetate infusion, total urinary metal level increased by 71% compared to baseline (1500 vs. 2580 µg/g creatinine; P Conclusions Edetate disodium-based infusions markedly enhanced the urinary excretion of lead and cadmium, toxic metals with established epidemiologic evidence and mechanisms linking them to coronary and vascular events.
The International Duration Evaluation of Adjuvant Chemotherapy study: implications for clinical practice.

After long anticipation, the preliminary results of the International Duration Evaluation of Adjuvant Chemotherapy (IDEA) study were reported at the American Society of Clinical Oncology on June 4, 2017.
Site-selective growth of Ag nanocubes for sharpening their corners and edges, followed by elongation into nanobars through symmetry reduction

It remains a challenge to synthesize Ag nanocubes with sharp corners and edges while retaining a compact size below 20 nm. Here we demonstrate the use of site-selective growth to sharpen the corners and edges of truncated Ag nanocubes with sizes down to 18 nm, followed by their elongation into nanobars with aspect ratios up to 2. The key to the success of this synthesis is the site-selective deposition at corners and edges, as enabled by cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC). While CTA+ is an effective colloidal stabilizer, Cl− can react with Ag+ to generate AgCl precipitates, slowing down the reduction kinetics. In addition, Cl− can serve as a facet-selective capping agent towards the {100} side faces and thereby confine the growth mainly to corners and edges. Interestingly, once all the corners and edges have been sharpened, the growth is switched to an asymmetric mode to favor deposition on one of the six side faces only, leading to the formation of Ag nanobars with controllable aspect ratios. The symmetry reduction takes place as a result of the limited supply of Ag atoms, the strong capping of Cl− ions towards the {100} facets, and the possible involvement of localized oxidative etching caused by Cl−/O2. We also demonstrate that the Ag nanocubes with sharp corners and edges can serve as a better sacrificial template than their truncated counterparts in generating Au hollow nanostructures with ultrathin walls.
Introduction to microfluidics

Utilization of MEMS devices that employ fluids offers many advantages over macroscale devices, including enhanced portability and performance, as well as allowing for increased integration and automation. The array of microscale devices that incorporate fluids is large, and includes inkjet printer heads, devices used for DNA amplification, a variety of sensors, and a number of emerging technologies such as the use of microneedles for drug delivery. The use of fluids at the microscale is also becoming increasingly important in thermal management, particularly through the use of microfluidic devices to cool electronic components. Power generation via microscale turbomachinery and even microrocket engines are currently under development as well. Figure 12.1 gives yet another application, the use of controlled fluid flow to grow crystals.
The Relationship Between Brain Temperature and Neutrophil Accumulation After Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats

Mild hypothermia reduces secondary damage after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rodent models; however, the mechanisms involved in this beneficial effect remain unclear. We previously reported that TBI induces the upregulation of adhesion molecules and infiltration of neutrophils (PMN) in brain. Since PMN accumulation may be associated with the development of hyperemia and blood-brain barrier injury, we hypothesized that hypothermia would reduce acute inflammation after TBI in rats. To test this hypothesis, rats were anesthetized and subjected to TBI by controlled cortical impact to left parietal cortex. Brain temperature was controlled at 32°C, 37°C, or 39°C (n = 8 per group) for 4 h after TBI, then rats were sacrificed and brain were harvested. Immunohisto-chemistries were performed on brain sections using antibodies that recognize the adhesion molecules E-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and PMN. PMN were also quantified using a myeloperoxidase (MPO) assay. PMN accumulation in injured brain was decreased in rats maintained at 32°C vs 39°C (4-fold by immunohistochemistry and 8-fold by MPO, p < 0.05). E-selectin was induced after TBI, but not attenuated by hypothermia. ICAM-1 was not up-regulated at this early time after TBI. Based on these preliminary data, we conclude that mild hypothermia reduces PMN accumulation in injured brain during the initial 4 h after TBI, without decreasing adhesion molecule expression.
Nanotechnology for Various Applications: Materials, Environmental and Medical

Within the past two decades, the production, characterization and ­application of nanotechnology has had exponential growth. In this study, nano-size materials in the liquid (micelles and liposome) and solid (nanoparticles) phases have been used to advance the technologies in the areas of materials (superconductors), environmental (waste treatment) and medical (drug delivery) applications. In order to produce nanoparticles of various sizes and shapes, many technologies are being used to achieve the results. In this study, ceramics and metal nanoparticles were produced using the solution, microemulsion and foam methods. Superconducting materials were produced using the microemulsion method. Nano-size iron and bimetallic particles were synthesized using the solution method, foam method and microemulsion method and particles were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS), SEM, EDX and XRD.
Electrical coupling between model midbrain dopamine neurons: effects on firing pattern and synchrony.

The role of gap junctions between midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons in mechanisms of firing pattern generation and synchronization has not been well characterized experimentally. We modified a multi-c...
An analysis of some sensitizing agents in the pathogenesis of stress-induced gastric erosive disease.

Prior surgical implantation of a venous catheter sensitized rats to coldimmobilization stress. Three of six catheterized females succumbed during the stress. The remaining rats fell into two groups in terms of their core temperature at the end of the stress period: Male uncatheterized rats had higher temperatures than rats in the other three groups. No relation was found between catheter patency and magnitude of hypothermia. Degree of gastric disease paralleled the core temperature findings in that the male uncatheterized rats had significantly fewer gastric erosions than the rats in the other three groups. Additionally, a robust effect of gender was found with uncatheterized females showing more hypothermia and more gastric disease than uncatheterized males. A subsequent experiment was conducted to evaluate whether anesthesia or wearing the protective spring was responsible in part for the sensitization seen. Here, the gender difference was less although females consistently averaged lower core temperatures after stress than did males. Despite similar core temperatures after stress, females that were prepared with the protective spring apparatus developed more gastric disease than female controls or similarly treated males. Thus, the additional sensitization exhibited by females in the first experiment may relate to the fact that both catheterization and the taping procedure were sensitizers while only catheterization was a sensitizer for males.
Thermodynamics of H2O and CO2 Absorption and Guest-Induced Phase Transitions in Zeolite RHO

Gas absorption calorimetry at low pressures has been employed to probe the interaction of water and carbon dioxide with several ion-exchanged zeolite RHO samples. It reveals that guest-induced framework flexibility transitions from a less hydrated (initially anhydrous) acentric form to the more hydrated centric phase during water absorption. The differential enthalpy of absorption as a function of water loading directly identifies the strengths of different interactions along with possible water binding mechanisms. Interactions with CO2 are weaker, and no phase transition is seen except in Li,H-RHO. The most negative initial enthalpies have been obtained in both water and CO2 absorption for Cd and Cs-RHO. However, Li,H-RHO shows the strongest capture ability for CO2 despite a less exothermic initial enthalpy of absorption. The derived differential enthalpy, chemical potential, and entropy elucidate the thermodynamic behavior of multiple interactions of small guest molecules (H2O and CO2) and ion-exchanged...
Improved-anomalous diffraction approximation for accurate extinction, scatter, and absorption efficiency calculations

In the 1950s H.C. van de Hulst heuristically developed a simple formula, called anomalous diffraction approximation (ADA), which closely represents the extinction efficiency derived from Mie theory for spherical dielectric particles in certain limits. The method is computationally fast and can be applied to non-spherical particle shapes, thus it is very useful. The formula works best for large size parameters (proportional to radius over wavelength) and for the refractive index ratio of the particle to background close to one. Because of its usefulness, work has continued to develop this approach for a variety of particle shapes and a greater range of size parameter and refractive index. In this paper a more rigorous foundation is used that begins with the scalar Helmholtz equation and leads to the ADA formulas with appropriate approximations for both dielectric and conducting particles. By relaxing some of the approximations and accounting for the polarizability response of the particle to the applied field, an improved-ADA formula is derived. It more accurately predicts the extinction and absorption efficiencies over the full range of the particle size parameter and for real part of refractive index ratios from just less than one up to 2.5 and for the imaginary part much less than 1.
Acute Myocardial Infarction and Postinfarction Remodeling

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is ideally suited to evaluate the consequences of myocardial ischemia and infarction (MI) because of its excellent spatial resolution and ability to characterize tissue. Cine CMR readily measures LV size and function post-MI and can delineate adverse post-MI remodeling. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging is used to measure infarct size. Dark areas at the core of larger areas of LGE delineate microvascular obstruction, the presence of which denotes adverse prognosis for that infarct and that patient. T2-W imaging as well as T1 mapping can detect the area at risk. Subtracting infarct size from area at risk can estimate myocardial salvage after reperfusion. T2* imaging can identify intramyocardial hemorrhage, which is also associated with adverse prognosis. Emerging techniques are being applied to estimate the size of the infarct border zone, which also may impact prognosis. CMR is an ideal technique to assess post-MI complications including thrombi, aneurysms, pseudoaneurysms, pericarditis, papillary muscle infarction, and RV infarction. In summary, CMR is a comprehensive and versatile technique for assessing the post-MI patient.
The right to exist: homelessness and the paradox of leisure

This essay explores one man’s life as a person experiencing homelessness and the societal impositions (stigma) and barriers (criminal ordinances) that shape his sense of self and perceived ability ...
RCS Enhancement Using Topology Optimization

Radar cross section (RCS) reduction has been a topic of interest for a long time; on the other hand, RCS enhancement has gained significant interest recently in the automotive industry to improve road safety. This paper introduces an efficient way to improve/enhance the RCS of an object using topology optimization. A planar metal sheet is used as an example to demonstrate the concept. Global response surface method (GRSM) for double objectives topology optimization is used. Numerical results show a promising use of topology optimization for RCS enhancement. The optimized structure shows around 10 dB improvement of the RCS.
Physical Layer Security for UAV Swarm Communications via Protected Zone

Along with the appealing uses cases of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the next-generation wireless communications, the privacy of the information and the robustness against malicious attacks are of significant concern in this paradigm shift. In this study, we investigate the physical layer security for a multiuser communications scenario where a terrestrial base station (BS) serves multiple authorized (i.e., legitimate) UAVs simultaneously. In order to improve the secrecy rates, which are compromised by the unauthorized UAVs present in the vicinity of the legitimate ones, we adopt the protected zone approach which ensures any unauthorized UAV is away by at least a certain distance (i.e., protected radius) from any legitimate UAV. The numerical results verify that the proper choice of the protected radius significantly enhances the secrecy rates.
Reflections of a First-Generation College Student, American, and Academician.

The Higher Education Act of 1965 and 1998 defined a first-generation college student as “a student both of whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree, or in the case of students who live with and are supported by only one parent, a student whose only such parent did not complete a
Static Analysis through Topic Modeling and its Application to Malware Programs Classification

We perform static analysis of malware programs in the BIG 2015 dataset, a repository containing nine different families of malware programs. Our main goal is to provide a framework for classification of the programs in the dataset. Our analysis of the programs is static in the sense that the contents of the said programs are looked at and their representations are constructed without executing the programs. More precisely, assembly language opcodes are extracted from the programs in the dataset and concatenated in order to construct documents representing these programs. Opcodes being words, we then employ Natural Language Processing tools and techniques for analysis of the documents. Mainly, the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) algorithm is used to model documents as weighted mixtures of a fixed number of topics. A topic is a collection of words grouped together for their ability to capture meaningful attributes about the documents. We note that the weight distribution of topics within documents of the same family (visually) shows a common pattern that seemingly varies from one family to another. This, therefore, aids in justifying the use of the LDA technique as a feature extraction method, with the features here being the weights of the topics representing each and every document. Ensuing, after training a fine k-nearest neighbors classifier, which takes topic weights as inputs, testing results show a 97.2% classification accuracy, thereby attesting to the efficacy of the overall approach.
Restrictions on Homflypt and Kauffman polynomials arising from local moves

We study the effects of certain local moves on Homflyptand Kauffman polynomials. We show that all Homflypt(or Kauffman) polynomials are equal in a certain nontrivial quotient of the Laurent polynom...
Tolerability of Highly Protein Bound Targeted Oral Oncolytic Drugs in Patients With Hypoalbuminemia: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Hypoalbuminemia is commonly observed in cancer patients. Given the pharmacokinetic interactions between serum proteins and protein bound medications, administration of highly protein bo...
Learning Design: Discussing Political Issues with Ruth

In this learning design, the book of Ruth is read closely and critically in order to foster dialogue about political issues in the classroom. Using bell hooks’ model of engaged pedagogy, political issues such as feminism, immigration, gender, sex, and consent are carefully addressed through the pedagogical strategies described. Teachers may use all of the strategies in a full unit on Ruth, or they may choose one or two to implement in a single class. Cobb suggests the use of polling, creative expression through drawing, videos, small group discussions, and maps to incite thoughtful conversation about relevant political issues and the book of Ruth.
Clinicopathologic analysis of conjunctivochalasis and paste-pinch-cut conjunctivoplasty for management.

Objective To correlate the histopathologic results of conjunctival specimens with clinical findings in patients with conjunctivochalasis and report the results of the paste-pinch-cut technique for management. Design Retrospective chart review. Methods SETTING: Single tertiary ophthalmological centre (Ocular Surface Diseases and Dry Eye Clinic, Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.). Methods Twenty-five patients (32 eyes) with clinically significant conjunctivochalasis. All patients were referred for clinically significant dry eye without previous diagnosis of chalasis. Sixteen patients had an underlying inflammatory systemic condition. Intervention or Observation Procedure(s): Patients underwent surgery with paste-pinch-cut technique. Subjective dry eye symptoms and ocular surface staining scores (corneal and conjunctival staining using fluorescein and lissamine green respectively) were assessed at every visit. Main outcome measures Change in patient symptoms and ocular surface staining scores and histopathologic findings in conjunctival specimens. Results After surgery, significant improvement was achieved in dry-eye symptoms as well as both corneal and conjunctival staining scores in 29 eyes on reduced topical therapy. Only 3 eyes had persisting conjunctival lissamine staining. Light microscopic examination disclosed mild to moderate lymphoplasmocytic inflammation of the conjunctivae with areas of epithelial goblet cell loss, squamous metaplasia, stromal edema, and fibrosis. Conclusion Conjunctivochalasis appears to be associated with significant inflammation in the setting of dry eye and underlying inflammatory systemic conditions. Although topical anti-inflammatory treatment could be attempted in the initial management, surgical excision should be considered in the absence of clinical response.
FLUXO DE CO2 COMO PARÂMETRO PARA RECOMENDAÇÃO DE ADUBAÇÃO NITROGENADA NA CULTURA DO MILHO CULTIVADA EM SUCESSÃO À AVEIA, NABO E ERVILHACA

O milho e uma das culturas mais consumidas e importantes no mundo, tendo em vista isso e sabendo-se que o aumento de produtividade esta estreitamente ligado ao incremento de nitrogenio, milhoes de toneladas de fertilizantes sao produzidos e aplicados anualmente em todo o mundo. Atualmente, nos estados do Rio Grande do Sul e Santa Catarina, os principais parâmetros para recomendacao de adubacao nitrogenada no milho sao: o teor de materia orgânica do solo, a expectativa de produtividade de graos e a contribuicao da cultura antecedente. No entanto, considerando a complexidade da dinâmica do nitrogenio no solo, e todas as modificacoes que ocorrem durante o ciclo desta cultura, outros parâmetros podem ser uteis para auxiliar na decisao quanto ao manejo da adubacao nitrogenada em cobertura. Neste contexto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial de utilizacao do fluxo de CO2 do solo como parâmetro auxiliar na recomendacao da adubacao nitrogenada na cultura do milho cultivado sob plantio direto. O trabalho foi conduzido na area experimental do Instituto Federal Catarinense, Campus Concordia. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas 4x3+1 com tres repeticoes, composto por quatro culturas de cobertura de inverno antecessoras ao milho: aveia preta solteira, aveia preta + nabo forrageiro, aveia preta + ervilhaca e aveia preta + nabo forrageiro + ervilhaca; e tres doses de nitrogenio em cobertura: 50, 100 e 150 kg ha-1de nitrogenio aplicados na forma de ureia com inibidor de urease no estadio fenologico V4, mais o tratamento controle sem adubacao em cobertura. Para determinacao do fluxo de CO2 do solo seguiu-se a metodologia descrita por Franzluebbers (2016). Os resultados mostraram haver diferencas significativas analisando-se o efeito simples das fontes de variacao em estudo. Valores medios de fluxo de CO2 variaram de 148 a 224 mg de CO2-C kg-1 de solo, enquanto que valores medios de produtividade de graos de milho variaram de 5264 a 11640 kg ha-1. Foram observadas correlacoes positivas entre a produtividade de graos de milho e o fluxo de CO2 do solo. A insercao de leguminosas como a ervilhaca antecedendo a cultura do milho propiciam valores superiores de atividade biologica mensurada pelo metodo do fluxo de CO2 e, ainda, favoreceu o aumento da produtividade de milho grao, bem com o diminuiu a dose de MEE e MET. A adubacao nitrogenada de cobertura propicia incremento linear na atividade biologica do solo mensurada no florescimento da cultura do milho. Ambos os momentos de avaliacao, 0 e 15 dias apos a semeadura do milho, podem ser utilizados para a identificacao do fluxo de CO2 visando o planejamento da adubacao nitrogenada. O metodo da avaliacao biologica atraves do fluxo de CO2 do solo apresenta potencial de utilizacao como parâmetro auxiliar na recomendacao da adubacao nitrogenada na cultura do milho, entretanto, sugere-se que novos trabalhos sejam realizados em distintas condicoes de cultivo e solos.
Illustrated Plants of Florida and the Coastal Plain, Second Edition

David W. Hall. 2020. Illustrated Plants of Florida and the Coastal Plain, Second Edition. (ISBN-13: 9780813066561, hbk). University Press of Florida, 2046 NE Waldo Road, Suite 2100, Gainesville, Florida 32609, U.S.A. (Orders: upress.ufl.edu). $85.00 US, 536 pp., illustrations throughout, references, index, 7" × 10".
Representativeness of Participants Eligible to Be Enrolled in Clinical Trials of Aducanumab for Alzheimer Disease Compared With Medicare Beneficiaries With Alzheimer Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

This study evaluates whether patients enrolled in trials of aducanumab, EMERGE and ENGAGE, were representative of patients with dementia enrolled in Medicare by estimating the proportions of Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer disease (AD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who would have been excluded from these trials.
Multiple Identities in Faith-based Organizations: Exploring Status and Value Homophily in Idealized Partnerships

Research suggests that organizations tend to collaborate with others that share similar ascribed status, but focuses less on the role of value homophily. To advance a fuller understanding of how or...
Barriers to mitigation: Incentives and the influence of social networks

This study is an expansion of previous research and a pilot study conducted on the barriers to hazard mitigation. Using a sample of 235 American Red Cross staff members and volunteers, factors such as the barriers and incentives around earthquake mitigation were assessed. Demographic characteristics and threat perceptions were also measured and compared to respondents' mitigation activities. While few demographic characteristics could be related to mitigation activity overall, findings were consistent with information found in the literature review and the pilot study. Barriers to mitigation were generally cost, time required, lack of information, and a feeling that it was unnecessary or useless. Incentives that were highly ranked were those that provided financial assistance or free items or services. Generally, respondents perceived that any earthquake that would happen in the near future had the potential to cause damage or injury. In turn, respondents had mitigated to varying degrees. It was found that respondents who knew someone who had mitigated were also more likely to practice mitigation, and respondents' relationships with individuals who had experienced damage or injury from an earthquake did have some positive influence on mitigation activity.
The Relational Nature of Privacy

The hard Fourth Amendment cases, especially those involving surveillance, ask whether the police investigative tactic at issue counts as a “search”; if not, the Fourth Amendment does not apply at all. Under the Court’s main test, at least for surveillance without a trespass, the police conduct a “search” if they invade a person’s reasonable expectation of privacy.But when the Court assesses Fourth Amendment privacy, it treats it as an all-or-nothing concept without regard to the relation between the person searched and the person searching. For example, the Court has held that when the police rummage through a person’s garbage left curbside, this conduct does not amount to a search. The Court reasoned that a person does not expect privacy in his garbage in relation to animals, scavengers, or children, and therefore has no privacy in his garbage with respect to anyone, including the police.This Article argues that in assessing the Fourth Amendment, the Court should take into account the relational nature of privacy, and acknowledge that we have a greater expectation of privacy as against the government than we do as against our neighbors and friends. In fact, we desire and expect the highest level of privacy when the government pursues a criminal investigation, and it is here the Fourth Amendment should play its greatest role. This follows based upon the relational nature of privacy, certain lines of Supreme Court precedent, such as the inventory and administrative search cases, and the history of the Fourth Amendment, rooted especially in the seminal John Wilkes cases, which were initiated as a criminal case.
Methods in Quaternary Ecology #4. Freshwater Sponges

In recent years, there has been an increased awareness of the value of fossilized remains of freshwater sponges in Quaternary paleoecological reconstructions. Because the taxonomy and ecology of extant forms have been clarified, and because a well-defined fossil record exists that exhibits continuity with extant species, the stage is set for wide-spread utilization of freshwater sponge remains in Quaternary environmental reconstructions. This paper presents an introduction to the freshwater sponges, techniques for their utilization in Quaternary paleoecological studies, and summarizes some of the most recent work performed in North America.
Active Camouflage of Underwater Assets (ACUA)

Abstract : The long-term goals of this research are to develop the control methodology for active cloaking of underwater assets and the initial hardware concepts to test the proposed cloaking approach. This work is a natural extension of ONR Project N00014-02-1-0211 (Optical Variability and Bottom Classification in Turbid Waters: HyMOM Predictions of the Light Field in Ports and Beneath Ship Hulls) where the perceptibility of underwater assets was modeled. The initial objective of this work is to extend the existing 3-D Hybrid Marine Optical Model (HyMOM) (Reinersman and Carder 2004; Carder et al, 2005; Carder and Reinersman, 2007) to determine the three-dimensional light structure of representative marine environments in order to calculate the character of the radiance field needed to remove asset contrast with the background. A secondary objective is to develop a practical method to provide the additional radiance necessary to accomplish this task and to make the asset "self-aware" of its background contrast. Only in this manner will the asset be able to change radiance fields with environmental conditions.
Localization of host immunoglobulin G to the surface of Pneumocystis carinii.

Abstract In immunoblotting studies of Pneumocystis carinii surface proteins, we found that a secondary antibody, anti-human immunoglobulin G (IgG), recognized a 52-kilodalton (kDa) band in homogenates of P. carinii purified from human autopsy lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, even when serum as a source of primary antibody was omitted. The electrophoretic mobility of the 52-kDa band is identical to that of IgG heavy chains. In addition to affinity-purified, anti-human IgG, monoclonal antibodies specific for the Fab and Fc regions of human IgG recognized the 52-kDa band. To determine whether the 52-kDa band represents IgG bound to the surface of P. carinii, we treated intact organisms with Triton X-100 and acid in order to elute immunoglobulin from the surface of P. carinii. After purification over a protein G column, the eluate comigrated with human IgG, was recognized by anti-IgG, and bound to discrete bands with molecular sizes of 65 to 70, 60, 50, and 35 kDa in purified, rat-derived P. carinii. To confirm the presence of human IgG on the surface of P. carinii, we performed immunocytochemical and immunoelectron microscopic studies. Staining of intact P. carinii aggregates by anti-human IgG was pronounced and was abolished by acid treatment. IgA was also present. Ultrastructural studies showed the presence of IgG on the cyst wall and on fine membranous structures and vesicles adjacent to cysts. We conclude that the surface of P. carinii is coated with human IgG. The close association of human IgG with P. carinii may have implications for the pathogenesis of P. carinii pneumonia in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
Novel reluctance machine concepts for variable speed drives

Little effort has been expended on improving the torque capability of various types of synchronous reluctance machines for potential use in motor drives. Based on preliminary work, it appears that substantial improvements can be made in the design of such motor drives, resulting in performance characteristics which could match or exceed that of the induction of variable reluctance machines. Six innovative variable-speed reluctance machine drive configurations which show considerable promise are set forth to demonstrate the possibilities. >