cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vortex fluctuations in polycrystalline Bi1.75Pb0.25Sr2Ca2Cu3O10

Abstract Reversible magnetization M(H, T) data are reported for polycrystalline Bi1.75Pb0.25Sr2Ca2Cu3O10. After subtraction of the normal state contribution, the data exhibit a characteristic fluctuations dominated behavior near the critical temperature, already observed experimentally and explained theoretically for single crystals of weakly coupled layered superconductors with the magnetic field along the c crystal direction. It is shown that the M H, T) behavior is compatible with the notion that only the field component along the c-axis of each crystalline grain results in an induced superconducting state magnetization.
Upper Bounds on the True Coverage of Bootstrap Percentile Type Confidence Intervals

Abstract Since its inception, a major use of the bootstrap methodology has been in the construction of approximate nonparametric confidence intervals. As evidenced by many spirited discussions over the past few years, the best way of constructing these intervals has not been resolved. In particular, empirical studies have shown that many of these intervals have disappointing finite sample coverage probabilities. The purpose of this article is to show that intervals based on percentiles of the bootstrap distribution have bounds on their finite sample coverage probabilities. Depending on the functional of interest and the distribution of the data, these bounds can be quite low. We argue that these bounds are valid even for methods that are asymptotically second-order accurate. These results are useful to researchers who are contemplating using this type of confidence interval when the sample size is small. These bounds are computed for several examples including the moments and quantiles of several distribu...
Constrained resource sharing and conflict resolution in Hebe

Abstract Hardware resources can be shared to reduce the area of the resulting design. The synthesis system must ensure that no resource conflicts arise due to simultaneous access of a shared hardware resource. With traditional scheduling formulations where operations are statically assigned to control steps, conflict resolution simply determines whether two operations can execute concurrently based on their control step assignment. In this case, operations are assumed to have fixed execution delay. For hardware models that supports external synchronization and handshaking, however, operations may have unbounded execution delay , e.g., detecting the rising edge of a signal. The presence of unbounded delay operations invalidates the traditional scheduling and conflict resolution approaches. We formulate in this paper conflict resolution as the task of serializing operation bound to the same hardware resource. A technique called constrained conflict resolution is presented to resolve resource conflicts such that the resulting design satisfies the required timing and handshaking requirements. The timing constraint topology is used to reduce the computation time of the algorithm. This technique extends the relative scheduling formulation to support resource sharing under timing constraints. We describe both exact and heuristic algorithms to resolve resource conflicts; these algorithms are implemented in a synthesis system called Hebe that is targeted towards the synthesis of Application-Specific Integrated Circuit designs. Results of applying the system to the design of benchmark and complex ASIC designs are presented.
The Effectiveness of Attentional Diversion and Situation Redefinition for Reducing Stress due to a Nonambiguous Threat.

Abstract After receiving a sample shock, subjects in a Threat Condition were told that they would receive additional painful shocks while subjects in a Nonthreat Condition were not threatened with additional shocks. Subjects in an Attentional Diversion Condition were then instructed to read and think about an amusing story, subjects in a Situation Redefinition Condition were instructed to write down reasons why they should not be afraid in this situation, and subjects in a Control Condition were not given any instructions for coping with stress. (Coping Conditions were factorially crossed with Threat Conditions and 192 subjects were employed.) Physiological measures (pulse rate, finger pulse volume, skin resistance) indicated that unlike the results of previous research, attentional diversion was effective in reducing stress but situation redefinition was not. Discussion was focused on the parameters which determine whether or not a coping strategy will be effective.
A characterization of software design tools

Software tools have been proposed and are available for a number of major activities involved in an information system development. Tools exist that help the designer in systems analysis, requirements specification, program design, coding, testing and implementation. However, there is very little standardization of tool characteristics, terminology, applicability, and classification. This paper identifies the global environment in which software design tools exist and proposes a hierarchy of characteristics that are required or desirable for tools to serve their intended purpose. Once formally established and accepted, such characteristics and properties will not only help tool developers, but also be useful in selection and use of tools in the system development environment.
Maintaining HNF6 expression prevents AdHNF3β-mediated decrease in hepatic levels of Glut-2 and glycogen☆

The hepatocyte nuclear factor 3 (HNF-3) proteins are members of the Forkhead Box (Fox) family of transcription factors that play important roles in regulating expression of genes involved in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and metabolic homeostasis. In previous studies we increased liver expression of HNF-3beta by using either transgenic mice (transthyretin HNF-3beta) or recombinant adenovirus infection (AdHNF3beta), and observed diminished hepatic levels of glycogen, and glucose transporter 2 (Glut-2), as well as the HNF-6, HNF-3, HNF-1alpha, HNF-4alpha, and C/EBPalpha transcription factors. We conducted the present study to determine whether maintaining HNF-6 protein expression during AdHNF3beta infection prevents reduction of hepatic levels of glycogen and the earlier-mentioned genes. Here, we show that AdHNF3beta- and AdHNF6-infected mouse liver displayed increased hepatic levels of glycogen, Glut-2, HNF-3gamma, HNF-1alpha, and HNF-4alpha at 2 and 3 days postinfection (PI). Furthermore, restoration of hepatic glycogen levels after AdHNF3beta and AdHNF6 coinfection was associated with increased Glut-2 expression. AdHNF6 infection alone caused a 2-fold increase in hepatic Glut-2 levels, suggesting that HNF 6 stimulates in vivo transcription of the Glut-2 gene. DNA binding assays showed that only recombinant HNF-6 protein, but not the HNF-3 proteins, binds to the mouse -185 to -144 bp Glut-2 promoter sequences. Cotransfection assays in human hepatoma (HepG2) cells with either HNF-3 or HNF-6 expression vectors show that only HNF-6 provided significant transcriptional activation of the Glut-2 promoter. In conclusion, these studies show that the hepatic Glut-2 promoter is a direct target for HNF-6 transcriptional activation.
An analysis of health behavior theories applied to breast-screening behavior for relevance with American Indian women.

This article reviews studies of the efficacy of breast-screening interventions and their related theories that have had a positive effect in influencing women to use mammography and assesses the po...
Grade Inflation Reconsidered

(1984). Grade Inflation Reconsidered. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 57, No. 9, pp. 387-387.
COACh Career Development Workshops for Science and Engineering Faculty: Views of the Career Impact on Women Chemists and Chemical Engineers

For the field of chemistry to play a leading role in the science and technology sector of the U.S. economy it must recruit and retain the best and brightest talent from all segments of our society. Currently in the United States there is a significant disparity in the recruitment and retention of women relative to their male counterparts, particularly at advanced-degree levels. For the past eight years the Committee on the Advancement of Women Chemists (COACh) has been offering professional development workshops on negotiation and communication skills for women faculty in the chemical sciences. The workshops are a combination of professional-skills training, experiential learning, role-playing, and group problem solving. To date, over 400 women chemistry faculty have attended these workshops held prior to national professional meetings for chemists. This article examines the participants’ perceptions of the impact of the workshops on their careers. The results show that the overwhelming majority of the women report that the skills learned at the COACh workshops have enhanced their career progress in important and long-lasting ways.
Corticotropin-releasing factor in antinociception and inflammation

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) plays a major role at the level of the hypothalamus and pituitary to control the body's response mechanisms to stressful stimuli. The recent discovery of CRF outside the central nervous system suggests that CRF may well play a similar role in peripheral tissues, most likely in a paracrine manner. While its effects in many other peripheral tissues is not known yet, CRF and its receptors are upregulated in inflammatory pain states pointing to a key role under these circumstances. Indeed, locally expressed CRF seems to act on CRF receptors on immune cells which have migrated into the area of the inflamed tissue, and induce the release of opioid peptides synthesized within these immune cells. These opioids subsequently act on peripheral opioid receptors located on peripheral sensory nerves to inhibit the transmission of painful stimuli. CRF may also affect the inflammatory response; however, these data are still controversial. The peripheral paracrine effects of CRF may be similar to those of hypothalamic CRF, i.e., to counterbalance local stressful events, such as inflammation and pain, so that they do not threaten the homeostasis of the body. Interestingly, CRF-like peptides have been identified not only in mammalians, but also in species such as the frog (Stenzel-Poore et al., 1992, Mol. Endocrinol. 6, 1716) and the teleost fish (Okawara et al., 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 8439) indicating that this is a peptide that has been conserved over a long period (200 million years) across species (Lederis et al., 1990, Prog. Clin. Biol. Res. 342, 467) and that the release of ACTH-like peptides by peptides of the CRF family may represent an ancestral type of stress response (Ottaviani et al., 1992, Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 87, 354; Tran et al., 1990, Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 78, 351).
Delayed endocrine pancreas graft function after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation. Incidence, risk factors, and impact on long-term outcome

BACKGROUND The incidence of delayed endocrine pancreas graft function and its impact on long-term outcome after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation are unknown. METHODS We studied 54 technically successful adult type I insulin-dependent diabetic recipients of cadaver, whole organ, bladder-drained simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants (mean age, 37.6 years; 65% male, 35% female; 9% pancreas retransplants; 63% on chronic pretransplant dialysis; mean duration of diabetes, 25.1 years). Insulin was administered during the first 2 weeks after transplantation, as needed, to keep blood glucose 30 U between day 5 and day 10, and/or > 15 U between day 11 and 15. Quadruple immunosuppression was used for all recipients. RESULTS The incidence of delayed endocrine pancreas graft function was 69%. By univariate analysis, delayed endocrine graft function was associated with pretransplant recipient weight > 80 kg (P = 0.04), donor age > 45 years (P = 0.02), and cardiocerebrovascular (P = 0.06) and nontraumatic causes of donor death (P = 0.02). The incidence of acute pancreas rejection episodes was similar for recipients without and with delayed endocrine pancreas graft function. Pancreas graft survival at 1 and 3 years was 94% and 82% without versus 76% and 59% with delayed endocrine graft function (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Increased pancreas graft failure after delayed endocrine function was a consequence of insufficient functional reserve (e.g., older donors) rather than increased immunogenicity. Pretransplant reduction of recipient weight and careful donor selection are therefore crucial in order to decrease the incidence of delayed endocrine pancreas graft function and its negative impact on long-term outcome.
Reconstruction of complex passageways for simulations of transport phenomena: development of a graphical user interface for biological applications

Flow of fluids, such as blood, lymph and air, plays a major role in the normal physiology of all living organisms. Within individual organ systems, flow fields may significantly influence the transport of solutes, including nutrients and chemical toxicants, to and from the confining vessel walls (epithelia and endothelia). Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) provides a potentially useful tool for biologists and toxicologists investigating solute disposition in these flow fields in both normal and disease states. Application of CFD is dependent upon generation of accurate representations of the geometry of the system of interest in the form of a computational reconstruction. The present investigations, which were based on studies of the toxicology of inhaled reactive gases in the respiratory tract of rodents, provide computer programs for the generation of finite element meshes from serial tissue cross-sections. These programs, which interface with a commercial finite element fluid dynamics simulation package (FIDAP 7.05, Fluid Dynamics International, Evanston, IL), permit simulation of fluid flow in the complex geometries and local solute mass flux to the vessel walls of biological systems. The use of these programs and their application to studies of respiratory tract toxicology are described.
The location-allocation problem using multi-objectives

Abstract The paper presents a model for the location-allocation problem which incorporates both qualitative and quantitative factors. A normalized composite measure incorporating all the qualitative factors is obtained. The qualitative factor's are weighted on the basis of the relative importance assigned to each factor. An overall weighted objective function is then developed using the qualitative and quantitative measures. The values of the weights are influenced by the desirable emphasis on the qualitative and quantitative factors. The transportation method of linear programming is used to obtain optimal solutions to the above-mentioned problem. These solutions are compared with those obtained from using only the quantitative factor in the objective function. The sensitivity of the solution to the degree of emphasis on the quantitative factor is studied through an example.
Mobile Use in Medicine: Taking a Cue from Specialized Resources and Devices

This article compares mobile resources and the use of mobile devices in medicine and healthcare with those in non-practice-based disciplines, examines libraries' challenges in providing access to mobile resources, and explores the questions of whether and how mobile devices will be able to offer unique benefits to students, instructors, and researchers as mobile technologies continue to advance. This article is based on the presentation, “Mobile Access to Licensed Databases in Medicine and Other Subject Areas,” given at the Handheld Librarian Online Conference II on February 17, 2010.
An estimate of the equilibrium speciation of sulfur vapor over solid sulfur and implications for planetary atmospheres

Sulfur allotropes have been observed in planetary atmospheres and are believed to have been present in the ancient Earth atmosphere. The vapor pressures of sulfur allotropes, especially S2, S3, and S4, are poorly known at typical atmospheric temperatures, but have generally been assumed to be high enough to represent significant gas phase abundances in model calculations. Here I present estimates of the speciation of the equilibrium vapor pressure over solid sulfur, which would seem to imply that the vapor pressures of most allotropes are too low at typical atmospheric temperatures for gas phase formation reactions to be important. However, consideration of the kinetics of condensation shows that gas phase sulfur allotrope reactions can be important under certain conditions. The implications for the mechanism of sulfur isotope mass-independent fractionation on early Earth are discussed. Implications for the presence of sulfur allotropes in Venusian clouds, the distribution of S2 in the atmosphere of Jupit...
Some properties of thrombin preparations.

Bio-resin thrombin preparations were found to contain three weak precipitinogens. The clotting activity was not demonstrably associated with the precipitinogenic systems. Further, work was done on ...
A Tentative Outline of Problems in the Knowledge, Understanding, and Teaching of Cultures Pertaining to the Target Language.

The Relationship of Language and Culture IN SPITE of the fact that many competent anthropologists, linguists and humanists have written extensively on this relationship, foreign language teachers have paid little attention to it. Yet, such reluctance is understandable if we consider that to explore this relationship meaningfully the foreign language teacher, a person in charge of imparting skills or literature, is not prepared at all to analyze the relationship of culture and language because to do so would mean a systematic knowledge of fields that lie outside of his province. Even today the language teacher who ventures outside of this province to examine the framework of culture and language is rare indeed; and what is more, he will largely be considered an amateur, suspect or ignored by anthropologists, linguists, or behavioral psychologists. 301
Robustness of Liesegang patterns

We propose a conceptual analysis of stationary reaction–diffusion patterns with geometric spatial scaling laws as observed in Liesegang patterns. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for such patterns to occur in a robust fashion. The main ingredients are a skew-product structure in the kinetics, caused by irreversible chemical reactions, the existence of localized spikes and slowly decaying boundary layers. The proofs invoke the analysis of homoclinic orbits in orbit-flip position for spatial dynamics. In particular, we show that there exists a manifold of initial conditions that do not converge to the equilibrium but to the homoclinic orbit as a set.
Aplastic Anemia in Children: Diagnosis and Management

The procedure used by the hematologist who is treating a patient with aplastic anemia is as follows: bone marrow examination to confirm aplastic anemia; thorough physical examination plus chromosomal studies as indicated to rule out Fanconi9s anemia; and investigation into possible etiologic factors for the aplasia. If severe (usually acquired) aplasia is diagnosed, family members should be HLA-typed immediately. The patient should be observed for approximately 2 weeks during the work-up, at bed rest and with platelet and RBC transfusion support as needed (but not from family members, in order to avoid sensitization in case a marrow transplantation will be done). If a match is found, the transplantation should be performed as quickly as possible. If there is no match, blood product support from random as well as family donors may be increased. Antilymphocyte serum should be given, and an immediate or delayed response awaited. Androgen therapy should be reserved as a last resort because it is of questionable efficacy except in the treatment of Fanconi9s anemia. Putative causal environmental factors should be eliminated, and genetic factors must be considered. considered. In fact, all "acquired" aplastic anemia may occur on the background of homozygosity or heterozygosity for genes predisposing to aplastic anemia.
National Dairy Council Award for Excellence in Medical/Dental Nutrition Education Lecture, 1995: medical-nutrition education--factors important for developing a successful program.

Currently, there are no established guidelines which define the goals, the course content, or the approach to developing a successful medical-nutrition education program. The result has been great variability in the approach to teaching nutrition to medical students. A common concern among medical educators is how to teach all of the material currently known. The obvious outcome of trying to teach the constantly expanding body of facts is an increasing demand and competition for instructional time. In turn, nutrition educators have fallen into the trap of vying for more time and claiming success for their program on the basis of their acquired number of hours of instruction rather than on the demonstrated quality or effectiveness of their program. The purpose of this report is to recommend a set of goals for nutrition training of medical students and to highlight those factors which appear to be most (and least) important to achieving those goals. It is my belief that the primary goal of educating medical students should be to sensitize students to the relevance of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of disease. A secondary goal should be to impart important information about nutrition. Relative to these goals, and based on previous studies and on my experience at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, I believe that two factors are critical to the success of any medical-nutrition education program : I) demonstrated relevance of the course material to the practice of medicine, and 2) positive role modeling. Important but not critical factors include whether the course is required or elective, the content of the course, and the length of the course. Factors which are least important include whether the material is presented as a separate course or is integrated into other course work and when the course is taught in the medical curriculum.
Automatic precondition verification for high-level design transformations

A precondition verification system for high-level (register-transfer-level) design transformations is described. The system can verify spatial preconditions in terms of the data path composition and topology, as well as temporal preconditions in terms of assertions on the control flow paths. The system is implemented in Prolog and incorporates a mixture of techniques including symbolic equivalence and partial evaluation to effectively verify the preconditions in the presence of arbitrarily nested data-dependent decision points (conditional and iterative constructs) in the control graph. An example which shows how the system can be used for precondition verification is presented. >
A Numerical Study of the Light Bullets Interaction in the (2+1) Sine-Gordon Equation

The propagation and interaction in more than one space dimension of localized pulse solutions (so-called light bullets) to the sine-Gordon [SG] equation is studied both asymptotically and numerically. Similar solutions and their resemblance to solitons in integrable systems were observed numerically before in vector Maxwell systems. The simplicity of SG allows us to perform an asymptotic analysis of counterpropagating pulses, as well as a fully resolved computation over rectangular domains. Numerical experiments are carried out on single pulse propagation and on two pulse collision under different orientations. The particle nature, as known for solitons, persists in these two space dimensional solutions as long as the amplitudes of initial data range in a finite interval, similar to the conditions on the vector Maxwell systems.
Metric-based transformations for self testable VLSI designs with high test concurrency

We propose an approach for improving the testability of a design under BIST methodology through behavioral restructuring. Our results show that the proposed transformations help reduce the number of required test sessions.
Options for fabrication and design of CuInSe/sub 2/ based solar cells

Three options for the fabrication and design of CuInSe/sub 2/-based solar cells are presented. Single-phase CulnSe/sub 2/ films have been deposited in a closed-loop selenization reaction system using Se to convert Cu/In layers. The system operates as a thermosiphon to circulate Ar gas containing elemental Se across the substrates, which eliminates the hazards associated with H/sub 2/Se gas. An approach to increasing V/sub OC/ without loss in J/sub SC /using a thin higher bandgap Cu(InGa)Se/sub 2/ layer deposited on the CuInSe/sub 2/ is demonstrated. Devices with V/sub OC/ approximately 0.5 V and collection to 1.0 eV have been fabricated. CuInSe/sub 2//CdS cells in a superstrate configuration have been fabricated by depositing CuInSe/sub 2/, on a glass/ITO/CdS substrate. Cells with efficiencies near 6% have been made with a J/sub SC/ comparable to high-efficiency cells, but the present devices have a V/sub OC/ >
Negative-skewed shadow registers for at-speed delay variation characterization

The increased process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variability that comes with integrated circuit (IC) technology scaling has become a major problem in the semiconductor industry. In order to refine manufacturing processes and develop circuit design techniques to cope with variability, we must be able to accurately and precisely characterize the variations that occur. In this paper, we introduce a technique for characterizing combinational path delay variations by measuring a designer-controlled number of register-to-register delays in manufactured ICs with negative-skewed shadow registers. This technique enables delay measurements to be performed with at-speed tests that are run in parallel with and are orthogonal to other testing techniques, and therefore does not add combinatorial complexity to the testing process. This technique can be implemented cost-effectively on a large number of otherwise unobservable internal combinational paths to get accurate, precise data about delay variability.
Pill versus IUD: Continuation rates of oral contraceptive and Dalkon Shield users in Maryland clinics

Abstract One hundred eighty-one oral contraceptive patients were matched to 181 Dalkon Shield patients by age, race, parity, and county in the family planning clinics of three Maryland counties. The continuation rate for Shield patients was 69.9 percent at 12 months as opposed to 55.4 percent for the pill patients. Fourteen of the pill patients became pregnant unintentionally as opposed to four of the Shield patients. Two hypotheses for the difference in continuation are offered. Patients wanting a temporary contraceptive method for purposes of child spacing may select orals; patients wanting a more permanent method to limit family size may select the IUD. Alternatively, the greater inconvenience of pills may be responsible for the lower continuation rate with that method.
A Field Study on the Impact of Variations in Short-Term Memory Demands on Drivers’ Visual Attention and Driving Performance Across Three Age Groups

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess sensitivity of visual attention and driving performance for detecting changes in driver cognitive workload across different age groups.Background: The...
Blocking SDF-1α/CXCR4 Downregulates PDGF-B and Inhibits Bone Marrow–Derived Pericyte Differentiation and Tumor Vascular Expansion in Ewing Tumors

Bone marrow cells (BMC) are critical to the expansion of the tumor vessel network that supports Ewing sarcoma growth. BMCs migrate to the tumor and differentiate into endothelial cells and pericytes. We recently demonstrated that stromal-derived growth factor 1α (SDF-1α) regulates platelet-derived growth factor B (PDGF-B) and that this pathway plays a critical role in bone marrow–derived pericyte differentiation in vitro . We investigated the role of SDF-1α/PDGF-B in the tumor microenvironment in vivo in promoting bone marrow–derived pericyte differentiation in Ewing tumors. The CXCR4 antagonist AMD 3100 was used to disrupt the SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis in vivo in two xenograft Ewing tumor models. BMCs from GFP+ transgenic mice were transplanted into lethally irradiated nude mice to track BMC migration to the tumor site. Following BMC engraftment, tumor-bearing mice received daily subcutaneous injections of either PBS or AMD 3100 for 3 weeks. Tumors were resected and tumor sections were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. AMD 3100 inhibited BMC differentiation into desmin+ and NG2+ pericytes, affected the morphology of the tumor vasculature, decreased perfusion, and increased tumor cell apoptosis. We observed smaller vessels with tiny lumens and a decrease in the microvessel density. AMD 3100 also inhibited PDGF-B protein expression in vitro and in vivo . SDF-1α in the tumor microenvironment plays a critical role in promoting pericyte formation and Ewing sarcoma tumor neovascularization by regulating PDGF-B expression. Interfering with this pathway affects tumor vascular morphology and expansion. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(2); 483–91. ©2013 AACR .
The Thermoelasticity of Laser-Based Ultrasonics

ABSTRACT The generation of ultrasound by heat deposition due to laser irradiation has several advantages over conventional generation by piezoelectric transducers. Ultrasound generation by focused laser beam irradiation is a problem of thermoelastodynamics. A mathematical analysis for focused laser beam heating of the surface of an elastic half-space can be carried out by the use of integral transform techniques. It is, however, well known that a point source of heat is mechanically equivalent to a center of expansion. Here we use, therefore, simpler thermoelastic arguments to determine the mechanical loading equivalent to heating by laser irradiation, and then proceed to determine the induced wave motion. This approach has the advantage that the surface center of expansion can be determined for a general class of elastic materials without the necessity of using integral transform techniques. As an example, we consider line-focused laser irradiation of a transversely isotropic material whose axis of symme...
Effectiveness-implementation hybrid designs: implications for quality improvement science

Presentation This article summarizes the three types of hybrid effectiveness-implementation designs and associated evaluation methods. It includes a discussion of how hybrid designs have the potential to enhance knowledge development and application of clinical interventions and implementation strategies in “real world” settings. The authors propose implications of hybrid designs for qual
Reflection on Designerly Talk in Non-Pedagogical Social Spaces

This study was an early attempt to understand the kinds of talk students engaged in outside of the formal curriculum in student-run communities that enhanced their design learning. While this paper (Gray & Howard, 2014) has only been available for a relatively short time, it appears that there has been wide interest in the confluence of social media, design education, and learning opportunities that exist outside of the formal curriculum
Does Homo Economicus Have a Will

Economics is often described as the science of choice, but the typical economic agent in fact has no choice - his decisions are made for him by his preferences and constraints. This may be sufficient for normative purposes, demonstrating how agents "should" make choices if they want to adhere to the economic conception of instrumental rationality and maximize their utility or degree of preference satisfaction. But it has little connection to how real persons make decisions, for we like to believe that, given all of the information at our disposal, we have true, free choice. We can make the "right" choice, or we can make the "wrong" one. We can let principles and commitments reign over our most intensely-felt preferences, sometimes choosing to endure great sacrifice for our beliefs, or we can succumb to our basest temptations, even ones that our judgment clearly counsels against.To support such free choice, some would say that each of us has a will, a distinct faculty of choice that operates between judgment and action, and can either follow the dictates of one's best judgment or not. In this chapter I suggest a way to incorporate a meaningful conception of the will into the economic model of decision-making, relying on recent work by philosophers such as John Searle and R. Jay Wallace, who themselves question the standard models of choice in philosophy. I further develop a basic model that I introduced in several other papers that can help understand fallibility in choice, such as succumbing to temptation, as well as resisting it. I offer a descriptions of how one's character or strength of will changes as temptations are confronted (successfully or not). I compare my approach to others offered in the literature, and I conclude with suggestions for future applications of my basic framework.
DREADD-induced activation of subfornical organ neurons stimulates thirst and salt appetite

Subfornical organ (SFO) neurons play a pivotal role in body fluid homeostasis and autonomic function including neurogenic forms of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. In the present study, we ...
Robotic Cerclage in Advanced-stage Endometriosis.

Abstract Study Objective To show a stepwise surgical technique of robotic-assisted transabdominal cerclage placement in a patient with deeply infiltrative endometriosis. Design A step-by-step surgical tutorial using narrated video. Setting The George Washington University Hospital. Local institutional review board approval is not required for case reports (Canadian Task Force Classification III). Patients A 38-year-old woman with cervical incompetence and a history of infertility with 5 pregnancies accomplished by in vitro fertilization. Pregnancies were as follows: 3 first trimester losses, 1 second trimester loss, and another second trimester loss despite McDonald cerclage placement. Interventions Indications for transabdominal cerclage placement include a congenital short or amputated cervix, cervical scarring that would prevent a transvaginal approach, and failed prior vaginal cerclage [1] . Robotic-assisted abdominal cerclage placement was performed in a case of advanced rectovaginal endometriosis. Normal anatomy was restored; however, no excision of endometriosis was performed because the patient was asymptomatic and already undergoing in vitro fertilization for infertility. The procedure used a 12-mm camera port through the umbilicus, 2 ancillary 8-mm robotic ports, and a 5-mm assistant port; ¼-inch-width Mersilene tape (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ) was preloaded in the abdomen through the 12-mm port before docking. Survey of the pelvis revealed the presence of advanced rectovaginal endometriosis hindering visualization of the cervicouterine isthmi on the posterior side of the uterus. The preloaded needle was parked on the right parietal peritoneum. Before cerclage placement, retroperitoneal spaces dissection bilaterally was necessary to lateralize the ureters and mobilize the rectum away from the cervicovaginal junction where the cerclage would be placed. Anteriorly, the vesicouterine peritoneum was dissected transversely, and the bladder was dissected off the lower uterine segment. A window was created in the posterior leaf of the right broad ligament lateral to the cervicouterine junction and medial to the ureter. The uterine vessels were then skeletonized, and the needle was placed through the lateral cervical isthmus medial to the vascular bundle going posterior to anterior. The procedure was repeated on the contralateral side with the needle going in the anteroposterior direction. The tape was pulled tightly against the anterior cervical isthmus. The tape ends were tied together posteriorly. There was minimal blood loss with no complications. Conclusion A robotic-assisted abdominal cerclage can be performed safely and effectively in patients with advanced-stage endometriosis.
Classroom Management Reflection

Teachers do not generally want to give control to their students. Teachers are instructed that the mark of a good teacher is that the teacher is in control of the class. The amount of control that teachers have in the class is often seen by the administration as measurement of the quality of a teacher. Administrators are usually happy if a teacher never sends a student to the office and understand this as proof that the teacher is in control and must be doing a good job.
Partially Observable Sequential Decision Making for Problem Selection in an Intelligent Tutoring System.

A key part of effective teaching is adaptively selecting pedagogical activities to maximize long term student learning. In this poster we report on ongoing work to both develop a tutoring strategy that leverages insights from the partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) framework to improve problem selection relative to state-of-the-art intelligent tutoring systems, and evaluate the computed strategy in the classroom. We also highlight some of the challenges in data mining related to automatically constructing pedagogical strategies.
A STOCHASTIC FRONTIER ANALYSIS TO EXAMINE RESEARCH PRIORITIES FOR GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PEANUTS

Pesticide applications are essential for peanut production to control insects, weeds, and other plant pathogens and for a profitable operation. We use a stochastic frontier analysis/primal system approach to test the hypothesis of the overuse of fungicides among peanut farmers. With nationally representative data available from the Agricultural and Resource Management Survey, we find evidence that U.S. peanut growers used excessive amounts of fungicides to prevent fungal infections. If those farmers adopt a new cultivar resistant to fungal pathogens, they could reduce the total cost of chemicals up to 36.2%. The reduction in fungicide use would have spillover environmental benefits.
Identifying and assessing the risk of opioid abuse in patients with cancer: an integrative review.

The misuse and abuse of opioid medications in many developed nations is a health crisis, leading to increased health-system utilization, emergency department visits, and overdose deaths. There are also increasing concerns about opioid abuse and diversion in patients with cancer, even at the end of life. To evaluate the current literature on opioid misuse and abuse, and more specifically the identification and assessment of opioid-abuse risk in patients with cancer. Our secondary aim is to offer the most current evidence of best clinical practice and suggest future directions for research. Our integrative review included a literature search using the key terms “identification and assessment of opioid abuse in cancer”, “advanced cancer and opioid abuse”, “hospice and opioid abuse”, and “palliative care and opioid abuse”. PubMed, PsycInfo, and Embase were supplemented by a manual search. We found 691 articles and eliminated 657, because they were predominantly noncancer populations or specifically excluded cancer patients. A total of 34 articles met our criteria, including case studies, case series, retrospective observational studies, and narrative reviews. The studies were categorized into screening questionnaires for opioid abuse or alcohol, urine drug screens to identify opioid misuse or abuse, prescription drug-monitoring programs, and the use of universal precautions. Screening questionnaires and urine drug screens indicated at least one in five patients with cancer may be at risk of opioid-use disorder. Several studies demonstrated associations between high-risk patients and clinical outcomes, such as aberrant behavior, prolonged opioid use, higher morphine-equivalent daily dose, greater health care utilization, and symptom burden. screening questionnaires, urine drug screens, prescription drug-monitoring programs
Key elements of the Reggio Emilia approach and how they are interconnected to create the highly regarded system of early childhood education

ABSTRACTReggio Emilia is a small city in Italy that has emerged as an exemplary model of early childhood education. The first schools were started and run by parents who wanted their children to experience an education that was different from their own. From that humble desire rose a system of infant/toddler preschools and now early elementary classes that use artistic expression, long- and short-term projects, and engaging environments to establish learning communities that embody democracy and freedom. Within this system is a series of fundamental principles that are intimately connected and dependent on each other. The combination of history and fundamental principles is supported by a deep civic commitment to children. The Reggio Emilia approach has inspired many educators around the world, not only because of its beautiful schools and intriguing artefacts but because they face adversity with resolve and imagination.
Conclusion: The Spillover Effects of Participation

Initiatives to stimulate participation in governance and development have often prompted arguments from two extremes: unquestioning advocates and dismissive critics. This study has mapped out a middle path. Contrary to participation cheerleaders who assume that new venues for citizen participation will automatically strengthen civil society and democracy, we show how political context and problems in program implementation impinge on PG initiatives. But, unlike those who dismiss participation, we found evidence that PG initiatives can produce spillovers among a non-trivial minority of participants, thereby changing the civic and political life of certain citizens.
Inkjet printing on transparency films for reagent storage with polyester-toner microdevices

The use of overhead transparencies as substrates for the fabrication of microfluidic devices brings new capabilities in the creation of fully-integrated systems. Here, we describe a reagent storage method through inkjet printing that is complementary to the simple print, cut and laminate (PCL) fabrication technique, which already incorporates printing toner onto commercial off-the-shelf materials for fabrication of polyester–toner microdevices. With the surface of the polyester film dramatically different than paper, substrate optimization was required to increase printability without incorporating additional substrate-coating steps. Functionality for chemical sensing devices, operated centrifugally here, was demonstrated through standard human serum albumin analysis. Quantitative results were obtained through image analysis using a desktop scanner to determine color change in the presence of various total protein and albumin concentrations. Printed devices exhibited a shelf life of at least two months with no loss in activity, resulting in a relative standard deviation of 0.652% for total protein analysis.
High performance 35nm L/sub GATE/ CMOS transistors featuring NiSi metal gate (FUSI), uniaxial strained silicon channels and 1.2nm gate oxide

This paper describes the fabrication and performance of uniaxial strained silicon CMOS transistors with NiSi metal gate electrodes and ultra-thin 1.2nm gate oxide. This work offers the first comprehensive evaluation of Si CMOS devices integrating NiSi metal gate (FUSI) process with highly strained Si channels. Performance gains from FUSI gate stack and uniaxial strained Si channels are demonstrated to be fully additive and enable record high drive currents - NMOS lDSAT=1.75mA/mum, PMOS IDSAT=1.06mA/mum (VDD=1.2V, IOFF=100nA/mum). These devices have the best IDSAT vs. IOFF characteristics reported to date in the industry
Aerogel volatiles concentrator and analyzer (AVCA) – Collection and concentration of trace volatile organics in aerogel for spectroscopic detection

Abstract A study was conducted to determine the efficacy of using silica aerogel to collect and concentrate ambient trace organics for spectroscopic analysis. Silica aerogel was exposed to atmospheres containing trace amounts of polycyclic aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. The organics present were concentrated in the aerogels by factors varying from 10 to more than 1000 over the levels found in the atmospheres, depending on the specific organic present. Since silica aerogel is transparent over a wide range of optical and near infrared wavelengths, UV-induced fluorescence, Raman and infrared spectroscopies were used to detect and identify the organics collected by the aerogel. Measurements were conducted to determine the sensitivity of these spectroscopic methods for determining organics concentrated by aerogels and the effectiveness of this method for identifying systems containing multiple organic species. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were added to simulated Mars regolith and then vaporized by modest heating in the presence of aerogel. The aerogels adsorbed and concentrated the PAHs, which were detected by induced fluorescence and Raman and FTIR spectroscopies.
Subsurface interactions of actinide species and microorganisms : implications for the bioremediation of actinide-organic mixtures.

By reviewing how microorganisms interact with actinides in subsurface environments, we assess how bioremediation controls the fate of actinides. Actinides often are co-contaminants with strong organic chelators, chlorinated solvents, and fuel hydrocarbons. Bioremediation can immobilize the actinides, biodegrade the co-contaminants, or both. Actinides at the IV oxidation state are the least soluble, and microorganisms accelerate precipitation by altering the actinide's oxidation state or its speciation. We describe how microorganisms directly oxidize or reduce actinides and how microbiological reactions that biodegrade strong organic chelators, alter the pH, and consume or produce precipitating anions strongly affect actinide speciation and, therefore, mobility. We explain why inhibition caused by chemical or radiolytic toxicities uniquely affects microbial reactions. Due to the complex interactions of the microbiological and chemical phenomema, mathematical modeling is an essential tool for research on and application of bioremedation involving co-contamination with actinides. We describe the development of mathematical models that link microbiological and geochemical reactions. Throughout, we identify the key research needs.
An Approach to Teaching the Finite Element Method That Uses Best Practice Techniques From Industry

Finite element analysis has become an essential part of the formal design process since it can be used to verify the functionality and life of design components in their loading environments. For large engineering firms with numerous analysts that have varying years of experience, it can be challenging to ensure that analysis results are accurate and free of modeling errors. A finite element analysis checklist (FEA Checklist) can be used as a desktop tool to provide an auditing procedure that each analyst has to follow to prove to both supervisors and, more importantly, customers that the finite element models were created and solved correctly such that the results can be trusted.In this work, an approach to teaching an introduction to the finite element method for undergraduates is proposed. The proposed course structure includes lectures for theoretical development, where the theory is developed using familiar undergraduate mechanics and mathematics concepts, and a computational practicum, where the practicum uses approaches based on industry finite element analysis techniques.In the computational practicum, students are tasked with using a finite element analysis checklist to complete all of their analysis projects. During a recent offering of the course, the students were anonymously surveyed regarding the utility of the finite element analysis checklist. 100% of the students agreed that the checklist provided a useful tool to help them understand and execute the finite element method, and nearly half of them agreed strongly.Copyright © 2016 by ASME