cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new Particle Filtering algorithm with structurally optimal importance function

Bayesian estimation in nonlinear stochastic dynamical systems has been addressed for a long time. Among other solutions, particle filtering (PF) algorithms propagate in time a Monte Carlo (MC) approximation of the a posteriori filtering measure. However, a drawback of the classical PF algorithms is that the optimal conditional importance distribution (CID) is often difficult (or even impossible) to compute and to sample from. As a consequence, suboptimal sampling strategies have been proposed in the literature. In this paper we bypass this difficulty by rather considering the prediction sequential importance sampling (SIS) problem; the filtering MC approximation is obtained as a byproduct. The advantage of this prediction-PF method is that it combines optimality and simplicity, since for the prediction problem, the optimal CID happens to be the prior transition of the underlying Markov chain (MC), from which it is often simple to sample from.
An in vivo optical system: Control and monitor cortical activity with improved laser speckle contrast imaging and optogenetics

An integrated optical system combining optogenetics and laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) method was explored. For the first time, LSCI was demonstrated capable of revealing the modulated neuronal behavior induced by light activated halorhodopsin - a light sensitive chloride pump. Decreased amplitude and extent of both cerebral blood flow response and oxy-hemoglobin concentration response were revealed when halorhodopsin was activated during the electrical forepaw stimulation. The combination of fast transient neuronal manipulation technique-optogenetics with the high spatio-temporal resolution, wide field of view and minimum invasive imaging method LSCI, brings unique insights into studies on basic brain studies, neurovascular coupling and neurological diseases.
Fabrication and characterization of high current field emitters with silicon ball-tip pins

This paper introduces a novel design of high current field emitters based on unique pin structures with a ball shaped tip. Our ball-tip pins provide relatively large surface area at the tip and increase the field enhancement factor regardless of dimension of the pin base. The ball-tip pins turn out to produce higher field emission current than that from the generic sharp-tip pins due to the significantly increased field emission sites at the ball-tip surface.
Conformation of a polymer chain in explicit solvent: A solvation potential approach

In much of the theoretical work on polymers in dilute solution the effects of solvent are treated in an implicit fashion: thus one studies an isolated chain inter- acting via an effective site-site potential. Although a formally exact mapping is possible between the chain-in-solvent system and a corresponding isolated effective- potential-chain, this mapping involves a many-site solvation potential which is not practical to compute. Thus, one generally resorts to a two-site potential approxima- tion. In this article we test the validity of this two-site approximation for a short hard-sphere (HS) n-mer chain (n � 5) in a HS solvent. This test involves computing a set of ''exact'' site-site solvation potentials for an isolated chain. These potentials are shown to reproduce the conformation of a chain in explicit solvent. We make use of these exact short-chain results (combining them with the solvent potential of mean force) to construct approximate two-site solvation potentials for long chains. Monte Carlo simulations have been performed for HS chain-in-solvent systems and for the corresponding isolated effective-potential n-mer chain with n � 50. These simulations show that our solvation potentials provide a quantitatively accurate description of the conformation of a HS chain in explicit (hard sphere) solvent. V C 2007 Wiley Periodi-
MARVEL: a distributed real-time monitoring and analysis application

Real-time AI is gaining increasing attention for applications in which conventional software methods are unable to meet technology needs. One such application area is the monitoring and analysis of complex systems. MARVEL (multimission automation for real-time verification of spacecraft engineering link), a distributed monitoring and analysis tool with multiple expert systems, was developed and successfully applied to the automation of interplanetary spacecraft operations at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In this chapter, we describe marvel implementation and validation approaches, the MARVEL architecture, and the specific benefits that were realized by using marvel in operations. MARVEL is an automated system for telemetry monitoring and analysis. It has been actively used for mission operations since 1989. It was first deployed for the Voyager spacecraft's encounter with Neptune and has remained under incremental development since this time, with new deliveries occurring every 6 to 10 months. marvel combines standard automation techniques with embedded rule-based expert systems to simultaneously provide real-time monitoring of data from multiple spacecraft subsystems, real-time analysis of anomaly conditions, and both real-time and non-real-time productivity enhancement functions. The primary goal of marvel is to combine conventional automation and knowledge-based techniques to provide improved accuracy and efficiency by reducing the need for constant availability of human expertise. A second goal is to demonstrate the benefit that can be realized from incorporating AI techniques into complex real-time applications.
Constraint databases: promising technology or just intellectual exercise?

This paper describes the state of Constraint Databases (CDBs), a young discipline at the intersection of Database Management, Constraint Programming, Computational Geometry and Operations Research. As in Constraint Logic Programming, constraints in CDBs are a first class data type, and can play many modeling roles including spatial and temporal behavior, complex design requirements, and partial and incomplete information, for which existing databases have proven inadequate. We motivate the importance of CDBs, outline the work in the area that has been done, the current trends, and future directions and challenges. We briefly discuss (1) constraint modeling, canonical forms and algebras, (2) data models and query languages, (3) indexing and approximation-based filtering, (4) constraint algebra algorithms and global optimization, and (5) systems and case studies. We argue that CDBs are a promising technology that will impact many important application realms, and furthermore have the potential to be integrated into future database systems, and operations research and constraint programming tools.
CORD: cost-effective (and nearly overhead-free) order-recording and data race detection

Chip-multiprocessors are becoming the dominant vehicle for general-purpose processing, and parallel software will be needed to effectively utilize them. This parallel software is notoriously prone to synchronization bugs, which are often difficult to detect and repeat for debugging. While data race detection and order-recording for deterministic replay are useful in debugging such problems, only order-recording schemes are lightweight, whereas data race detection support scales poorly and degrades performance significantly. This paper presents our CORD (cost-effective order-recording and data race detection) mechanism. It is similar in cost to prior order-recording mechanisms, but costs considerably less then prior schemes for data race detection. CORD also has a negligible performance overhead (0.4% on average) and detects most dynamic manifestations of synchronization problems (77% on average). Overall, CORD is fast enough to run always (even in performance-sensitive production runs) and provides the support programmers need to deal with the complexities of writing, debugging, and maintaining parallel software for future multi-threaded and multi-core machines.
A New Active Set Algorithm for Box Constrained Optimization

An active set algorithm (ASA) for box constrained optimization is developed. The algorithm consists of a nonmonotone gradient projection step, an unconstrained optimization step, and a set of rules for branching between the two steps. Global convergence to a stationary point is established. For a nondegenerate stationary point, the algorithm eventually reduces to unconstrained optimization without restarts. Similarly, for a degenerate stationary point, where the strong second-order sufficient optimality condition holds, the algorithm eventually reduces to unconstrained optimization without restarts. A specific implementation of the ASA is given which exploits the recently developed cyclic Barzilai-Borwein (CBB) algorithm for the gradient projection step and the recently developed conjugate gradient algorithm CG_DESCENT for unconstrained optimization. Numerical experiments are presented using box constrained problems in the CUTEr and MINPACK-2 test problem libraries.
The growth of economic values in preservation: An estuarine case study

Abstract An estuarine sanctuary is a store of public values due to the ecological, cultural, recreational, aesthetic, historic, and economic services provided by the preserve. These values may be expected to increase over time because of (1) growth in the population demanding estuarine services, (2) growth in the willingness to pay for such services, and (3) growth in the actual quality and quantity of services which are provided by a protected natural system. Thus an estuarine sanctuary will be more valuable to future generations than to current generations. When weighing the cost and benefits of a preservation or development decision, a preservation decision which seems currently undesirable may in fact be socially beneficial when growth in the value of estuarine services is included.
Suicide Prevention Public Service Announcements

Background: Suicide prevention public service announcements (PSAs) help to disseminate information about suicide and help-seeking options. However, little is known about how individuals at risk for suicide recall PSAs. Aims: The current project assessed which features of suicide prevention PSAs are recalled by young adult participants and whether there are differences between those who are at low or high risk for suicide. Method: Participants (N = 140) viewed a simulated suicide prevention billboard that consisted of a main message, help-seeking message, and graphical features. Participants provided written recollections of the billboard features approximately 15 min post-viewing, which were coded and analyzed. Results: High-risk participants were significantly less likely than low-risk participants to include a description of the help-seeking message in their written recall. Few group differences were noted in the recall of the main message or graphical features. Limitations: Recall was limited to short-term recall based on a single exposure. Efforts to enhance internal validity (e.g., measurement of suicide risk) and external validity (e.g., a balanced sample regarding sex and race) are recommended. Conclusions: Results suggest that new tactics may need to be considered when developing suicide prevention messages, including crafting help-seeking messages that are more easily committed to memory for target audiences.
Polypharmacy and the Role of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing practices lead to higher rates of mortality and morbidity, particularly in vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those with complex medical conditions. Physical medicine and physiatrists face particular challenges given the array of symptoms treated across a spectrum of conditions. This clinical review focuses on polypharmacy and the associated issue of potentially inappropriate prescribing. The article begins with a review of polypharmacy along with relevant aspects of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in the elderly. The adverse effects and potential hazards of selected medications commonly initiated and managed by rehabilitation specialists are then discussed with specific attention to pain medications, neurostimulants, antipsychotics, antidepressants, antispasmodics, sleep medications, and antiepileptics. Of particular concern is the notion that an adverse effect of one medication can mimic an indication for another and lead to a prescribing cascade and further adverse medication events. Appropriate prescribing practices mandate an accurate, current medication list, yet errors and inaccuracies often plague such lists. The evidence to support explicit (medications to avoid) and implicit (how to evaluate) criteria is presented along with the role of physicians and patients in prescribing medications. A brief discussion of "medication debridement" or de-prescribing strategies follows. In the last section, we draw on the essence of physiatry as a team-based endeavor to discuss the potential benefits of collaboration. In working to optimize medication prescribing, efforts should be made to collaborate not only with pharmacists and other medical specialties but with members of inpatient rehabilitation teams as well.
Bone formation near direct current electrodes with and without motion

The osteogenesis induced in the medullary canal of rabbits by the implantation of moving and stationary wire electrodes was studied with and without the simultaneous application of 20-microA constant direct cathodic current. After 3 weeks, the formation of new trabecular bone in the canal was studied and measured microscopically. Electrically stimulated osteogenesis was not observed at stationary electrodes. As in previous studies with this model, a movable electrode alone stimulated new bone formation whose area was 7-10% of the canal area. The amount of this bone was not statistically increased by the addition of cathode current. Movable, electrically active cathodes were associated, however, with fluid-filled spaces incorporated within the new trabecular bone. When mechanical stimuli were controlled, we were not able to demonstrate that the direct current stainless steel cathode acts either as an inducer or a substantial enhancer of medullary osteogenesis.
MicroRNAs in endometrial cancers from black and white patients.

Objective Previous studies have identified differences in gene mutations among endometrial cancers from whites and blacks suggesting that differences in tumor biology may explain racial disparities in patient outcome. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as regulators of transcript expression and their aberrant expression has been discovered in many diseases, including endometrial cancer. We performed quantitative polymerase chain reaction–based analysis in a set of endometrial cancers to identify whether there are racial differences in miRNA expression. Study Design Tumor cells from 50 stage-I endometrioid endometrial cancer specimens from 41 white and 9 black patients were prepared by laser microdissection and miRNA extracts were analyzed using TaqMan (Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA) low-density arrays. Statistically significant, differentially expressed miRNAs between blacks and whites were identified using multidimensional scaling, Wilcoxon testing, and analysis of variance. Results There were no global differences in miRNA expression between endometrial cancers from 41 white and 9 black patients. To minimize potential bias introduced by unbalanced sample size, we performed a subset analysis with stage- and histology-matched specimens from 9 whites and 9 blacks that identified 18 differentially abundant miRNAs (>2-fold at P Conclusion These data indicate that hsa-mir-337-3p is more frequently down-regulated in endometrial cancers from whites compared to blacks. Future studies are focused on determining the phenotypic impact of miR-337-3p and whether its differential expression is associated with clinical outcome.
Changes in U.S. radio programming 1960–1961

It is impossible for any one person, leading a normal life, to listen to more than a small fraction of the more than 3,700 commercial AM stations in the United States. Yet, within our own communities, we notice changes in program policy and format occuring from time to time as we listen to the stations at our disposal. The following descriptive report illustrates the changes that took place on a sample of U.S. radio stations during a given period. Although another year has gone by, bringing its own changes, the scope of this study is not adversely affected. It should be noted that the sample used in this study is not intended to represent the total of U.S. radio stations proportionately. It would be invalid to project these data to all 3,700 stations. Nevertheless, the size of the sample employed and its geographical distribution should guard to some extent against the possibility that it is unrepresentative. The methodological problems of content analyses of this type should not mitigate against their us...
Gauging a Pseudosymmetry

We consider extending the gauge group of an earlier model of Dicus, Teplitz, and Young by taking advantage of the existence of a possible pseudosymmetry. We retain the requirement of duality as was initially proposed. In addition, we propose that spin-zero exchange is the reason for the ..delta..I = 1/2 rule among the hadrons and the anomalous strength of the weak nonleptonic decays. The model is anomaly-free and offers some interesting ideas as to the role that spin-zero exchange might play in the weak interaction. We also find a ''superweak'' interaction where abs. value of ..delta..S = 2 and neutral, strangeness-changing transitions are allowed in second order, but such processes are suppressed relative to ordinary weak processes. (AIP)
The Stanford InfoBus and Its Service Layers: Augmenting the Internet with High-Level Information Management Protocols

The Stanford InfoBus is a prototype infrastructure developed as part of the Stanford Digital Libraries Project to extend the current Internet protocols with a suite of higher-level information management protocols. This paper surveys the five service layers pro vided by the Stanford InfoBus: protocols for managing items and collections (DLIOP), metadata (SMA), search (STARTS), payment (UPAI), and rights and obligations (FIRM).
Evaluation of the efficacy of a nonlatex condom: results from a randomized, controlled clinical trial.

RESULTS: During the first five uses, the nonlatex condom had a higher frequency of breakage or slippage during intercourse or withdrawal (4.0%) than latex condoms (1.3%); the breakage rate for the nonlatex condom was about eight times that of latex condoms. The six-cycle typical-use pregnancy rate did not differ significantly between users of nonlatex (10.8%) and latex condoms (6.4%). The six-cycle consistent-use pregnancy rate was higher for nonlatex condom users than for latex condom users (4.9% vs. 1.0%).
The Modern Temperature-Accelerated Dynamics Approach

Accelerated molecular dynamics (AMD) is a class of MD-based methods used to simulate atomistic systems in which the metastable state-to-state evolution is slow compared with thermal vibrations. Temperature-accelerated dynamics (TAD) is a particularly efficient AMD procedure in which the predicted evolution is hastened by elevating the temperature of the system and then recovering the correct state-to-state dynamics at the temperature of interest. TAD has been used to study various materials applications, often revealing surprising behavior beyond the reach of direct MD. This success has inspired several algorithmic performance enhancements, as well as the analysis of its mathematical framework. Recently, these enhancements have leveraged parallel programming techniques to enhance both the spatial and temporal scaling of the traditional approach. We review the ongoing evolution of the modern TAD method and introduce the latest development: speculatively parallel TAD.
One Asia, or Many? Reflections from connected history

It is now widely rumoured that the ‘Asian century’ is upon us. But what does this really mean? As late as 1988, Deng Xiaoping—in remarks made before the Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi—expressed some scepticism about the facility of the formulation. As Deng stated then: In recent years people have been saying that the next century will be the century of Asia and the Pacific, as if that were sure to be the case. I disagree with this view. If we exclude the United States, the only countries in the Asia-Pacific region that are relatively developed are Japan, the ‘four little dragons’, Australia and New Zealand, with a total population of at most 200 million. (. . .) But the population of China and India adds up to 1.8 billion. Unless those two countries are developed, there will be no Asian century. No genuine Asia-Pacific century or Asian century can come until China, India and other neighbouring countries are developed. By the same token, there could be no Latin-American century without a developed Brazil. We should therefore regard the problem of development as one that concerns all mankind and study and solve it on that level. Only thus will we recognize that it is the responsibility not just of the developing countries but also of the developed countries.Whatever the doubts about his standing as a Marxist, then, we may say that Deng remained resolutely universalist in his perspective, at least outwardly.
Comparative effectiveness of postoperative chemotherapy among older patients with non-metastatic rectal cancer treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy.

Abstract Objective Postoperative chemotherapy is standard following preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT) and curative resection for clinically staged II/III rectal cancer. Recent trials have questioned whether postoperative chemotherapy improves overall survival. The objective of the study was to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of postoperative chemotherapy following CRT or radiation therapy (RT) with specific attention to the impact of age on postoperative chemotherapy effectiveness. Materials and Methods Patients treated with CRT or RT then resection of pathologically staged 0-III rectal cancer diagnosed from 2004 to 2009 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program-Medicare database. Propensity score weighted Cox proportional hazards models and Kaplan Meier methods were used to compare the effectiveness of 1) postoperative 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or capecitabine to no treatment and 2) postoperative oxaliplatin+5-FU/capecitabine to 5-FU/capecitabine alone on mortality. Results were stratified by age. Results We identified 1316 patients; 49% received postoperative chemotherapy, 341 (52%) included oxaliplatin. After weighting, postoperative 5-FU/capecitabine alone was associated with decreased mortality in patients aged 66–74 (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR)=0.46, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.72), corresponding to a 5-year risk difference of −0.23, (95% CI: −0.33, −0.12). No further mortality reduction from adding oxaliplatin to 5-FU/capecitabine was seen in patients aged 66–74 (aHR=1.57, 95% CI: 0.93, 2.65). No mortality reduction for 5-FU/capecitabine alone was observed among patients aged 75+ (aHR=1.11, 95% CI: 0.76, 1.63). Conclusions Among patients
Assessing the impact of RTN on logic timing margin using a 32nm dual ring oscillator array

This paper presents a novel method for characterizing the impact of random telegraph noise (RTN) on logic timing margin under sub-0.5V supply voltages. The proposed dual ring oscillator array test structure improves the frequency measurement resolutions of the tested-and-proven beat frequency detection (BFD) technique by pairing a ROSC from one array with a ROSC from a second array having a similar frequency. Detailed circuit level RTN data was collected from a 32nm HKMG test chip, including voltage stress results. Measured data confirms that the proposed dual-array technique is effective in collecting high quality RTN statistics at sub-0.5V. The impact of RTN on logic timing margin is estimated based on the measured frequency data.
A Comida Fica Na Cozinha: Tudo Que EU Precisava Saber Sobre a Interpretação De Um Estatuto EU Aprendi Quando Tinha 9 Anos (Food Stays in the Kitchen: Everything I Needed to Learn About Statutory Interpretation I Learned by the Time I Was Nine)

Portuguese Abstract: O Regulamento proibe que a "comida" seja ingerida fora da cozinha. Esta proibicao nao se aplica a agua, que e considerada bebida ao inves de comida. Nossa interpretacao e confirmada pelo dicionario Webster, que define o significado de comida, no que importa, como "material consistente essencialmente de proteina, carboidrato e gordura utilizada pelo corpo de um organismo para manter o crescimento, reparar o processo vital e fornecer energia" e "nutricao em forma solida." Claramente, agua, que nao contem proteina, carboidrato ou gordura e que nao e forma solida, nao e comida.English Abstract: What happens when kids and their parents interpret laws like lawyers and judges? Where and why does interpretation go off the rails?Based on a true story, this piece starts with a proclamation by Mother, the Supreme Lawmaker, that "no food may be eaten outside the kitchen." What follows is a series of rulings by Judges - father, babysitter, grandma (a liberal jurist, of course), etc. - who, using traditional tools of interpretation, eventually declare it to mean that all food may be eaten outside of the kitchen. Ultimately, the supreme lawmaker reacts and clarifies.The piece is meant to demonstrate the following: We all regularly use the basic tools and modes of statutory interpretation; When we interpret pronouncements in real life, we resort to a mix of textualist, literalist, purposivist, legal process, precedent, and other techniques and sources; Although the various tools seem perfectly reasonable individually, in the aggregate, they can lead to ridiculous results; Even when we agree that the ultimate results are ridiculous, it is sometimes hard to pinpoint exactly where the error occurred; The legislature can sometimes clean up after bad judicial opinions, but it often takes a long time.
Discontinuity of care for mothers with chronic hepatitis B diagnosed during pregnancy

Assiduous measures are taken to prevent perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) to infants; it is unclear whether the mothers receive appropriate care for their chronic HBV. We sought to assess the quality of HBV care in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive mothers following pregnancy. HBsAg-positive women (n = 243) who had sought prenatal care at Massachusetts General Hospital were retrospectively identified and charts reviewed. The primary outcome was adherence to the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines. Over one-third (37%) of women were first diagnosed with HBV infection at a prenatal visit. One-third (32%) did not undergo timely liver function test measurements. HBV DNA was never measured in 26% and was untimely in 34% of patients. One-third (34%) of the women were at high-risk for HCC based on AASLD criteria, yet only 33% of these women underwent timely imaging. Nearly half (49%) never saw a liver specialist for their HBV care. In multivariate analysis, women were 3.7 times more likely to have a timely ALT and 8.1 times more likely to have a timely HBV DNA if they were followed by a liver specialist (P = 0.001, <0.001). We demonstrate remarkably inadequate and discontinuous HBV care for chronically infected mothers following pregnancy. As HBV infection is already being identified prenatally, quality improvement measures encompassing obstetricians, primary care providers and hepatologists are needed to ensure that HBV-infected women are linked to care postpregnancy.
FROM 'PUBLIC CRIMINOLOGY' TO THE REFLEXIVE SOCIOLOGY OF CRIMINOLOGICAL PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION A Review of Public Criminology? by Ian Loader and Richard Sparks (London: Routledge, 2010)

I want to both congratulate and chastise Ian Loader and Richard Sparks for their oddly titled book, Public Criminology? (Loader and Sparks 2010, henceforth PC). I will make my remarks brief and pointed for the sake of provoking and then reorienting the discussion away from textualist disquisitions on the hoary label of ‘public’ (enter discipline) and towards the political economy of the production, circulation and consumption of criminological knowledge in the age of escalating inequality and pornographic penality. First, I congratulate the Loader–Sparks team for raising the question of the social and political uses of criminology in this period of frenetic transformation of justice policy discourses and practices and for mapping out influential ways of resolving that question through the exposition of five ‘styles of engagement’, or manners of gearing scholarship on crime and punishment with public debate. This is an urgent topic at a time when variants of penal populism rule the day in nearly all Western countries: crime fighting has everywhere been elevated to the rank of government priority and ‘insecurity’—understood narrowly in strict reference to lower-class street offending, despite the mounting wave of corporate criminality—has been turned into a driver of election campaigns and raw materials for re-asserting state sovereignty. Moreover, politicians of both Left and Right not only vie to prance on the law-and-order stage, but they increasingly claim that their martial solutions are based on solid science, often imported from the United States, promoted global Mecca of the ‘War on Crime’. PC is an oblique yet keen response to this transnational drift towards reactive punitiveness, especially in its proposal to deploy ‘cooling devices’ to inject baseline rationality and civic mindfulness into the penal policy goulash. In addition to being small, compact and friendly to the hand (making it a perfect read for a transatlantic flight), this book is learned, clearly written, scrupulously argued and highly stimulating, thanks to a number of innovative moves. Thus, Loader and Sparks bring the ‘historical hermeneutics’ of John Dunn and Quentin Skinner to bear on criminological texts; they borrow fruitfully from the social studies of science to transfer lessons gleaned from controversies over scientific inquiry and the public good in the natural sciences to discussions of justice; they smartly deploy the metaphor of global warming to characterize the latter’s changed atmospherics; and they employ their considerable
Individual differences in Kindergarten through Grade 2 fluency relations

Abstract Despite long-standing interest in reading fluency, little has been documented about the specific factors that developmentally contribute to individual differences. Consequently, precursory relations were longitudinally examined for students grouped at the end of Grade 2 as low, average, or high fluency readers to describe early alphabetic and word fluency contributions to later passage reading fluency outcomes. Using structural equation modeling, we modeled Kindergarten letter sounds, Grade 1 word reading, and Grade 2 passage reading fluency with 2302 students to identify early fluency differences in the emergence and growth of beginning reading skills for each fluency group. We compared initial level and growth slope estimates, and reported cross-year developmental fluency relation patterns by group. In general, our findings point to the importance of building letter sound fluency in kindergarten, and shed light on the disruptive impact of delayed skill progress on reinforcing relations during reading skills development.
Fifty Years On: A Half-Century of Heroism

The last pre-First World War Victoria Cross was granted in 1904. Thus it is a convenient point, 50 years after the first decoration was won, to examine the statistical trends that evolved in that half-century. Since its creation 521 Crosses had been confirmed by the Crown, enough for a viable statistical universe. For our purposes what is critical are the trends in the types of acts that were winning the VC, the ‘cost of courage’ in terms of casualties amongst those identified as heroes, and the pattern of distribution of the award throughout the ranks of the military.
Inferring Disability and Care Provision in Late Prehistoric Tennessee

The recent development of the “bioarchaeology of care” (see Tilley, Chap. 2 this volume) provides a methodology for assessing disability and the provision of care in bioarchaeological contexts. This approach provides a framework for investigating relationships between biological and sociocultural dimensions of physical impairment. The current study presents a case of possible trauma-related disability of an adult female from a late prehistoric agricultural community in Tennessee. This individual survived significant traumatic injuries to her pelvis, as well as fractures to her ribs, spine, and facial bones. Her possible disability and likely care are considered within the contexts of both accidental injury and intentional violence. Utilizing the Index of Care, her injuries are assessed to determine the immediate and long-term impacts that they may have had on her ability to perform daily activities within the specific social, cultural, and physical context. The chapter also examines how long the recovery process may have taken and the type of care she likely received from members of her community. This emphasis provides a unique opportunity to critically evaluate normative assumptions about biological differences that can be limited by ahistorical approaches.
Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy Interventions for Adults With Musculoskeletal Conditions of the Forearm, Wrist, and Hand: A Systematic Review

Occupational therapy practitioners are key health care providers for people with musculoskeletal disorders of the distal upper extremity. It is imperative that practitioners understand the most effective and efficient means for remediating impairments and supporting clients in progressing to independence in purposeful occupations. This systematic review provides an update to a previous review by summarizing articles published between 2006 and July 2014 related to the focused question, What is the evidence for the effect of occupational therapy interventions on functional outcomes for adults with musculoskeletal disorders of the forearm, wrist, and hand? A total of 59 articles were reviewed. Evidence for interventions was synthesized by condition within bone, joint, and general hand disorders; peripheral nerve disorders; and tendon disorders. The strongest evidence supports postsurgical early active motion protocols and splinting for various conditions. Very few studies have examined occupation-based interventions. Implications for occupational therapy practice and research are provided.
Effect of heat treatment conditions on the passivation behavior of WE43C Mg–Y–Nd alloy in chloride containing alkaline environments

Abstract Mg–Y–Nd alloy (WE43C or Elektron 43) is a heat treatable magnesium wrought alloy that can be used up to 250 °C for aerospace application. This alloy has excellent mechanical properties (UTS: up to 345 MPa at room temperature) and improved corrosion resistance. Electrochemical passivation studies were conducted on this alloy under different heat treatment conditions in 0.1 M NaOH solution with the addition of chloride from 0 to 1000 ppm. The passive potential range typically extended to more than 1.5 VAg/AgCl. The transpassive potential was not dependent on the heat treatment condition of the alloy when the chloride concentration increased up to 500 ppm. However, pitting protection potential varied with the heat treatment condition when the chloride addition was 500 ppm or more. The specimen surface was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy to understand the passivation behavior of this alloy. The passivated surface of the WE43C specimens indicated that the surface layer consisted of MgO, Mg(OH)2, and rare earth oxide phases, and the heat treatment conditions did not significantly affect the composition of the surface film.
The effects of left and right monocular viewing on hemispheric activation

Background/Objectives: Prior research has revealed that whereas activation of the left hemisphere primarily increases the activity of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, r...
Cytokine balance and behavioral intervention; findings from the Peer Approaches to Lupus Self-Management (PALS) project

The Peer Approaches to Lupus Self-Management program sought to address the disparate impact of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on African American women through a peer mentoring intervention with aims of reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Given the association between psychological health and immune function this study examines the relationship between patient reported outcomes (PROs) in these domains and immunologic indicators of disease activity. Twenty-three African American women with SLE served as mentees in the intervention from whom PRO measures were collected at the outset, midpoint, and end of the 12week pilot study. Blood samples were collected pre- and post-intervention. Plasma was collected from the samples and cryopreserved for subsequent analyses. The strongest correlations were between the Generalized Anxiety Disorder measure and Th1/Th2 cytokine balance. Weaker correlations existed between depression and the Th1/Th2 cytokine balance. Assessment of fresh versus cryopreserved samples revealed that changes in Th1/Th2 cytokine balance within the intervention were generally equivalent, regardless of sample type. The PALS intervention resulted in significant improvements to anxiety and depression levels which were significantly associated with positive changes in Th1/Th2 cytokine balance indicating a possible underlying mechanism of action. The nature of this relationship warrants further study.
Effects of Military activity and habitat quality on DNA damage and oxidative stress in the largest population of the Federally threatened gopher tortoise.

Department of Defense lands are essential for providing important habitat for threatened, endangered, and at-risk species (TER-S). However, there is little information on the effects of military—related contaminants on TER-S on these lands in field situations. Thus, this study examined genotoxicity and oxidative stress in gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) on Camp Shelby, MS—the largest known population of this species, which is listed as an “endangered species” in Mississippi and a “threatened species” by the U.S. government. Blood was collected from tortoises at 19 different sites on the base with different levels of habitat quality (high-quality and low-quality habitat) and military activity (high, low, and no military activity). Oxidative stress was quantified as lipid peroxidation and GSSG/GSH ratios, while DNA damage was determined using flow cytometry. Our results suggest that: (1) for tortoises residing in low-quality habitats, oxidative stress and DNA damage increased with increasing military activity, while in high-quality habitats, oxidative stress and DNA damage decreased with increasing military activity; (2) in the absence of military activity, tortoises in high-quality habitat had higher levels of oxidative stress and DNA damage than those in low-quality habitat, and (3) there were interactions between military activity, habitat quality, and landuse in terms of the amount of observable DNA damage and oxidative stress. In particular, on high-quality habitat, tortoises from areas with high levels of military activity had lower levels of oxidative stress and DNA damage biomarkers than on reference sites. This may represent a compensatory or hormetic response. Conversely, on low-quality habitats, the level of oxidative stress and DNA damage was lower on the reference sites. Thus, tortoises on higher-quality habitats may have a greater capacity for compensatory responses. In terms of management implications, it is suggested that low quality habitats should be a higher priority for remediation, and lower priority for conducting military activities.
Exceptional Grain Growth in Formamidinium Lead Iodide Perovskite Thin Films Induced by the δ-to-α Phase Transformation

The annealing of fine-grained (∼0.175 μm) “yellow” δ-FAPbI3 nonperovskite thin films at 100 °C in dimethyl sulfoxide vapor for a few minutes results in exceptional grain growth (∼5 μm) induced by their transformation to the desirable “black” α-FAPbI3 perovskite phase. Mechanistic insights into this unprecedented phenomenon are provided.
Attractiveness of male Zebra Finches is not affected by exposure to an environmental stressor, dietary mercury

ABSTRACT Choosing a high-quality mate contributes to increased reproductive success in birds. Females assess quality in males, in part, via condition-dependent signals such as songs and plumage. The production of these signals of quality can be disrupted by environmental stressors, including toxic pollutants such as mercury. Mercury affects song, plumage, bill color, and courtship behaviors in male birds, but the effect of these changes on female mate choice is unknown. By affecting the condition-dependent signals that females use to assess quality, mercury could alter males' attractiveness to females. We used mate choice of female Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to determine if male attractiveness to females is affected by lifetime exposure to mercury. Males were either exposed to dietary mercury or left unexposed and then assessed by unexposed females in 3 types of mate preference tests: song-playback phonotaxis (preference for audio recordings of mercury-exposed or unexposed males' songs); 2-choice...
Effect of Growth Conditions on the Extracellular Production of the Aspartic Proteinase by Candida Albicans

There is increasing evidence that the aspartic proteinase (AP) of C. albicans (CA) is a pathogenic factor.1–3 It is one of few fungal proteins known to be transported through the cell wall and, as a major antigenic protein of CA, allows for its use in the development of immunodiagnostic tests.4 In order to facilitate this goal, increased production of AP is needed. Controversy exists as to which protein substrate allows for maximum AP production in vitro. Previous studies have used one strain of CA, one time point during AP production, and one cultivation temperature.5,6 We compared the effect of temperature, substrate and strain on the kinetics of AP production in vitro over a 14 day period.
LOCAL RESISTANCE OF SINGLE-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES AS MEASURED BY SCANNING PROBE TECHNIQUES

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) resistance arising from point defects can be directly imaged using scanning probe techniques. Here, we combine Scanning Gate Microscopy (SGM) and Kelvin Force Microscopy (KFM) to electronically identify defect sites and study their contributions to SWCNT resistances. defect; local resistance A ballistic SWCNT is theoretically predicted to have a 6.5 k: resistance based on the presence of two one-dimensional channels for conduction. In real devices, however, the experimental resistance is typically higher than this measured value. Various mechanisms contribute to this increased resistance. In long SWCNTs, diffusive scattering plays a significant role. In shorter SWCNTs, contact effects can be dominant. In short devices with ohmic contacts, however, a significant number of devices continue to exhibit unexpectedly large resistances. This variability poses a major problem for both the fundamental understanding and commercial application of SWCNT circuits. Scanning probe techniques provide a novel way to directly image the electric potential gradients along a SWCNT and identify the sources of resistance. 1,2 In this study, the contact resistance was minimized through proper processing of the SWCNT circuit and devices were selected which nevertheless had large, gate-dependent resistances. Nearly 10% of the devices from a wafer- scale fabrication batch met these criteria. Figure 1, left, shows an example of two voltage profiles acquired along a particular SWCNT device using KFM. At different source-drain biases, the SWCNT exhibits localized voltage drops at particular points along its length. It
Watchdogs or guard dogs: Do anti-corruption agencies need strong teeth?

Anti-corruption advocates worldwide deride “toothless” anti-corruption agencies and demand agencies “with teeth,” meaning strong law enforcement powers. However, there are drawbacks to such powers. This paper draws from the documented experiences of dozens of anti-corruption agencies worldwide to show that law enforcement powers are not determinative of agency effectiveness, nor are they always helpful. Rather, both “guard dog” agencies, which use law-enforcement powers to address crimes of corruption directly, and “watchdog” agencies, which merely uncover and report corruption issues, face unique challenges and constraints. An anti-corruption agency's powers may influence its strategic response to its operating environment, but ultimately are less critical to corruption reduction than other factors such as independence, political will, and the reliability of partner institutions.
Next-generation sequencing identifies novel single nucleotide polymorphisms in high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) causes 1 million cases in the United States annually. There are germline single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that result in an increased risk of SCC and altered response to therapy. PREMISE There may be biologically relevant SNPs not detected using traditional GWAS studies. HYPOTHESIS There are clinically and biologically relevant SNPs in high-risk SCC that may only be appreciated with next-generation sequencing. HOW TO TEST HYPOTHESIS We performed next-generation sequencing (NGS) on primary SCCs using a targeted mutation panel with 76 cancer-associated genes. We analysed the presence of SNPs in a cohort of 20 high-risk SCCs compared to the American population (AP) (dbSNP). RELEVANCE AND PERSPECTIVES Missense rs3822214 was present in significantly more SCC cases versus the AP. While the remainder is synonymous SNPs, there is growing evidence suggesting clinical relevance of these variants. A larger cohort to validate these findings would be useful.