cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterizing population exposure to coal emissions sources in the United States using the HyADS model.

Abstract In anticipation of the expanding appreciation for air quality models in health outcomes studies, we develop and evaluate a reduced-complexity model for pollution transport that intentionally sacrifices some of the sophistication of full-scale chemical transport models in order to support applicability to a wider range of health studies. Specifically, we introduce the HYSPLIT average dispersion model, HyADS, which combines the HYSPLIT trajectory dispersion model with modern advances in parallel computing to estimate ZIP code level exposure to emissions from individual coal-powered electricity generating units in the United States. Importantly, the method is not designed to reproduce ambient concentrations of any particular air pollutant; rather, the primary goal is to characterize each ZIP code's exposure to these coal power plants specifically. We show adequate performance towards this goal against observed annual average air pollutant concentrations (nationwide Pearson correlations of 0.88 and 0.73 with SO 4 2 − and PM 2.5 , respectively) and coal-combustion impacts simulated with a full-scale chemical transport model and adjusted to observations using a hybrid direct sensitivities approach (correlation of 0.90). We proceed to provide multiple examples of HyADS's single-source applicability, including to show that 22% of the population-weighted coal exposure comes from 30 coal-powered electricity generating units.
Popular Music Fans and the Value of Concert Tickets

In an age of streaming, popular music fans have shifted their expenditures on recordings to concert tickets. That shift raises the question of how fans discuss the value of concerts. As an answer t...
Overview of accelerated aging and polymer degradation kinetics for combined radiation-thermal environments

Abstract Polymer aging under combined radiation-thermal oxidative conditions is intrinsically more convoluted than traditional thermal degradation. Accelerated aging methods for predictive purposes have to include thermal as well as radiative degradation pathways that initially may be regarded as independent parallel processes without additional synergism. Material aging is therefore represented as the sum of a thermal and radiative contribution. Data from accelerated aging may be available as dose to equivalent damage (DED) or degradation rates, yet they require different analytical approaches to yield the underlying temperature dependence and its activation energy. Further, kinetic models that embrace combined pathways can offer guidance for extrapolation of accelerated to ambient conditions, enabling the prediction of material aging behavior or remaining performance margins for requalification purposes. The existing theoretical approaches, their implications and an alternative option for globally fitting experimental data sets to kinetic aging models for combined environments are reviewed. This overview offers a pragmatic approach towards an expanded interpretation of oxidation rate and aging data properties for combined environments, all the way to time-dependence for rates and synergistic contributions. Further evidence is provided that for some material behaviors an additional E a for the radiative term under high dose rate conditions could be beneficial, as similarly expressed by increases in a synergistic interaction parameter. Improved kinetic aging models are derived and applied to a comprehensive set of experimental oxidation rates for a chlorosulfonated polyethylene material. Emphasized is also the issue that initial oxidation rates versus superposition of oxidation levels (integrated rates) may result in slightly different thermal E a values through added time dependency. Constant oxidation rates relate to an exponential decay in elongation at break data. Aging predictions can be improved through measured oxidation rates, a systematic understanding of material behavior over a large dose rate - temperature regime, and application of an appropriate aging model. The most general aging model will contain a radiative E a , time-dependence of rate, and added synergism that may grow with temperature.
A binary cooperative bat algorithm based optimal topology design of leader-follower consensus.

Abstract In this paper, a binary cooperative bat searching algorithm(BCBA) is developed to tackle binary optimization problems. Different from the original bat searching algorithm, a consensus term was added into the velocity equation of the original bat searching algorithm in the cooperative bat searching algorithm(CBA). To develop the binary algorithm, the velocity value is mapped into a probability value between zero and one, and then the position will update to one or zero depending on the comparison between the mapped velocity and a random number. In this paper, four different mapping functions are investigated to determine the best transfer function for the binary CBA. The numerical illustrations are provided to demonstrate the superior performance of BCBA by comparing with the four binary algorithms in the literature. Moreover, the leader–follower consensus problem of multi-agent systems is studied. The condition of the communication topologies of the leader–follower protocol is relaxed so that the different topologies can be used to share different state information. In order to find the trade-off between the convergence rate and communication cost, a binary variable optimal topology design problem is formulated, and then the BCBA is used to tackle the proposed design problem. The numerical evaluation is conducted to show the competitive performance of the BCBA.
Design of a buried explosive hazard pre-screener in forward looking imagery based on shearlet filtering and image post-processing

A major difficulty in designing an automatic explosive hazard detection (EHD) system in forward looking (FL) imagery is the robust and efficient detection of regions of interest (ROIs) that warrant further investigation. FL-EHD is particularly challenging, versus a downward looking technology, because a camera sees everything in the scene, on- and off-road. While off-road can be somewhat mitigated through various mechanisms, such as road masks or a road detector, on-road obstacles still have to be addressed. A brute force strategy is infeasible for this application as it requires advanced standoff capabilities, a low false alarm rate, and real-time processing to achieve a goal such as route clearance or target avoidance. Herein, we discuss the design of a new pre-screener based on shearlet filtering and image post-processing that lets us exploit important characteristics of targets in FL imagery identified by a maximally stable extremal region (MSER) keypoint detector. Results indicate that this approach performs as desired, i.e., identifies expected percentage of target ROIs at the defined acceptable FAR, without need for extensive parameter learning. Performance is assessed in the context of receiver operating characteristic curves on data from a U.S. Army test site that contains multiple target and clutter types, burial depths and times of day.
A Genome-Wide CRISPR/Cas9 Screen Reveals that Riboflavin Regulates Hydrogen Peroxide Entry into HAP1 Cells

Extracellular hydrogen peroxide can induce oxidative stress, which can cause cell death if unresolved. However, the cellular mediators of H2O2-induced cell death are unknown. We determined that H2O2-induced cytotoxicity is an iron-dependent process in HAP1 cells and conducted a CRISPR/Cas9-based survival screen that identified four genes that mediate H2O2-induced cell death: POR (encoding cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase), RETSAT (retinol saturase), KEAP1 (Kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1), and SLC52A2 (riboflavin transporter). Among these genes, only POR also mediated methyl viologen dichloride hydrate (paraquat)-induced cell death. Because the identification of SLC52A2 as a mediator of H2O2 was both novel and unexpected, we performed additional experiments to characterize the specificity and mechanism of its effect. These experiments showed that paralogs of SLC52A2 with lower riboflavin affinities could not mediate H2O2-induced cell death and that riboflavin depletion protected HAP1 cells from H2O2 toxicity through a specific process that could not be rescued by other flavin compounds. Interestingly, riboflavin mediated cell death specifically by regulating H2O2 entry into HAP1 cells, likely through an aquaporin channel. Our study results reveal the general and specific effectors of iron-dependent H2O2-induced cell death and also show for the first time that a vitamin can regulate membrane transport.IMPORTANCE Using a genetic screen, we discovered that riboflavin controls the entry of hydrogen peroxide into a white blood cell line. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a vitamin playing a role in controlling transport of a small molecule across the cell membrane.
Gendering the Boy Scouts: Examining Hegemonic Masculinity at a Co-Ed Backpacking Camp

Masculinity has been studied in various outdoor settings, including the industries of ecotourism, outdoor education, and forestry. However, few studies have examined how physical space contributes to the construction of hegemonic masculinity in organizations associated with nature and the outdoors. This study relies on nine in - depth interviews conducted with outdoor educators and sixteen hours of ethnographic research completed at Mountain View Scout Camp, a backpacking program for youth operated by the Boy Scouts of America. Findings indicate that Mountain View is gendered both through its organizational aesthetics, which valorize a hegemonically masculine ideal, and via sta members’ conception of nature as feminine and forestry work and tools as masculine. Results also suggest that men employed at Mountain View will occasionally embody a hybrid masculine gender performance by utilizing non - hegemonic traits of masculinity such as pro - feminist ideas. However, these episodic masculine performances also serve to subtly reproduce gender inequalities by accepting only a speci c type of woman and rewarding men for super cial allyship.
Rare Ameloblastic Carcinoma Metastasis to the Cervical Spine: A Case Report.

Background and importance Ameloblastic carcinoma (AC) is a malignant neoplasm of epithelial origin that typically arises from the mandible or maxilla. It represents approximately 2% of all odontogenic tumors. Gross total resection is the surgical goal given AC's aggressiveness and propensity for recurrence. We present the first reported AC metastasis to the cervical spine. Clinical presentation A 61-yr-old African American female with a history of AC of bilateral mandibles and lung metastases presented with neck pain and right arm weakness progressive over several months. Cervical spine imaging demonstrated a cervical 3 pathological fracture with severe anterior vertebral body compression and resultant cervical 2-3 kyphotic deformity and bony retropulsion causing severe cord compression. The patient underwent a cervical 3 corpectomy and cervical 2-4 anterior fixation followed by a cervical 3 laminectomy and cervical 2-5 dorsal internal fixation and fusion. Postoperatively, the patient's neurological exam remained stable and imaging showed improved spinal alignment and appropriate anterior and posterior instrumentation. Unfortunately, the patient thereafter suffered a decline in performance status and progression of lung metastatic disease. Her oncology team is considering chemotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery, but her prognosis remains grim. Conclusion AC is a rare and aggressive pathology with a poor prognosis despite multimodal therapy. We present the first case of AC metastatic spread to the spine. We aim to bring this pathology to the attention of our worldwide neurosurgical colleagues and share our surgical approach and multidisciplinary management to assist those who may encounter this pathology in the future.
Two-Step Synthesis of α-Aryl-α-diazoamides as Modular Bioreversible Labels

α-Aryl-α-diazoamides were synthesized in two steps under mild conditions. This expeditious route employs Pd-catalyzed C-H arylation of N-succinimidyl 2-diazoacetate to obtain N-succinimidyl 2-aryl-2-diazoacetates, followed by aminolysis. The ensuing diazo compounds can esterify carboxyl groups in aqueous solution, and the ester products are substrates for an esterase. The broad scope of the synthetic route enables the continued development of diazo compounds in chemical biology.
Navigating a doctrinal grey area: Free speech, the right to read, and schools

Every year thousands of people challenge the contents of libraries and school curriculum. The exact number of these complaints is impossible to measure and most are likely verbal in nature and hand...
Improving Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency Using Polymer Coated Urea in Two Crop Establishment Methods of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Under Vertisol (Typic Pellustert)

Polymer coated urea (PCU) was evaluated for its efficiency under two rice establishment methods [transplanting method (TP) and direct-seeded rice (DSR)] during two crop seasons (rabi, dry season and kharif, wet season). The results indicated that split application of PCU @ 75 and 100% recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) were at par and resulted in significantly higher yields (46 and 49%) than normal urea in splits, respectively, during rabi 2015–2016 under transplanting method. During kharif-2016 under transplanting method, grain yield was maximum with 100% RDN from PCU single dose (5.13 t ha−1) which was on par to 100% PCU in 3 splits (4.62 t ha−1) and 75% PCU (4.80 t ha−1) as a basal dose. In DSR, significantly higher grain yield was recorded in 100% RDN supplied through PCU as basal dose (6.16 t ha−1). The maximum nitrogen use efficiency indices were observed in 75% PCU (split) followed by 100% PCU (Split) in rabi-2015–2016 but in the case of kharif-2016, basal application of 100% PCU found to be superior followed by 75% PCU. Thus, PCU proved its efficiency by saving 25% of N in transplanted rice in both wet and dry seasons and by considerable labour saving due to single basal application in case of transplanting as well as DSR in the wet season.
Frequency of higher risk sexual behaviors for men who have sex with men

Safer sex behaviors have been widely promoted for many years as an effective means of preventing the transmission of HIV However, creating an initial change in an individual's behavior does not guarantee that an individual will maintain that behavioral change. This meta-analysis looked at one population—men who have sex with men—and fit a random effects model to the data for the available studies on the frequency of higher risk sexual behaviors. It is clear that prevention programs need to be developed that focus on maintenance of changes to safer sex behaviors. By identifying the important predictors of the frequency of higher risk sexual behaviors, this meta-analysis provides suggestions on what may be important to include in targeted prevention programs. 1 CHAPTER
The stripping of U.S. Treasury securities

This monograph traces the early development of the U.S. Treasury strips market. The stripping of U.S. Treasury securities began in 1982 as a private market. In 1985, the U.S. Treasury began to allow dealers to strip Treasury securities and in 1987 the Treasury permitted reconstitution of strips into the underlying bonds. The taxation of Treasury bonds and strips is examined. Except in the case of a flat after-tax term structure of interest rates, the after-tax value of a bond is shown to be different from the after-tax value of a portfolio of strips with the same pretax future cash inflows.
SU-E-T-613: Physics Considerations for Single-Isocenter Volumetric Modulated Arc Radiosurgery for Treatment of Multiple Intracranial Targets

Purpose: To address physics challenges associated with single isocenter radiosurgery for multiple intracranial metastases (SIRMIT). Because the Varian High Definition MLC has thicker leaves >4cm from the isocenter, we predict inferior dose falloff and plan quality for small targets located >4cm from isocenter. To address this concern, we evaluate various isocenter placement strategies including one that places the isocenter closer to smaller targets. We also evaluate the significance of arc geometry avoidance angles to limit lens dose. Methods: 11 SIRMIT plans with isocenter at centroid were retrospectively analyzed to determine the relationship between relevant dosimetric indices and distance from isocenter (e.g. relative tumor volume). We investigated three isocenter placements for four SIRMIT patients whose lesions had larger variations in target volume; placements included: centroid, Eclipse’s built-in method, and an “inverse center of mass” (ICM) method that weights the isocenter towards smaller lesions. Three VMAT SIRMIT plans were prepared according to institutional and Clark et al.’s guidelines to investigate the effect of arc geometry on lens dose. Results: Dose conformity and gradient fall-off tended to be better for larger tumors (>1cc) close to isocenter. For the four largest tumors (per plan), centroid CI, GI, and HI values were 9±9%, 12±4%, and 3.8±4.9% better than the next best isocenter placement strategy. None of the methods yielded significantly higher conformity for small tumors, however ICM GI and HI values were better for three of the small tumors by 6±12% and 1.8±2.2% respectively. Lens dose range decreased from [3.3%, 11.4%] to [0.1%, 0.5%] by avoiding arc geometries that enter/exit through the eyes. Conclusion: CI and GI values were poorer for small distal targets, especially >6cm. Large tumors benefited from centroid placement more than small tumors did from ICM. It is necessary to consider arc geometry avoidance angles to adequately reduce lens dose.
Comparison of activation of ceramic and ferritic structural materials with D-T and D-/sup 3/He fuel cycles

Neutron-activation-induced radioactivity is a major source of radiological hazards of a fusion reactor. In a conventional D-T-fueled, ferritic-steel-structure fusion reactor, the induced radiological hazards may be comparable with those of typical fission reactors. The activation radioactivity can be reduced by utilizing low-activation materials or low-neutron-yield fusion fuel cycles. The authors study the merits of these two approaches by comparing the resulting activation radiological hazards of a low-activation silicon carbide ceramic composite D-T-fueled reactor design and a ferritic steel D-/sup 3/He-fueled reactor design. They use as examples ARIES-type 1000-MW electric power reactors as their point-of-departure designs. They follow the ESECOM scheme in evaluating the critical, chronic, contact, and intruder doses for assessing the accident, occupation, and waste disposal radiological hazards. The study indicates that the silicon carbide design has a better environmental and safety performance than the D-/sup 3/He design. >
Estimating Consumer Sentiment During a Period of Economic Uncertainty

This research project uses the difference between the traditional measure of the unemployment rate and an adjusted unemployment rate - accounting for discouraged workers - to attempt to estimate consumer sentiment. The purpose of the research project was to attempt to model consumer sentiment during a period of economic uncertainty. Interestingly enough, the final model, after removing various predictor variables, consisted of a ‘new’ variable representing the difference between the traditional estimate of the unemployment rate and an adjusted estimate, the interest rate, the consumer price index (CPI), and the Wilshire 500 Index (note: the model’s predictive power or coefficient of determination was .89).
Differential effects of cyclic and constant stress on ATP release and mucociliary transport by human airway epithelia.

In the lungs, the first line of defence against bacterial infection is the thin layer of airway surface liquid (ASL) lining the airway surface. The superficial airway epithelium exhibits complex regulatory pathways that blend ion transport to adjust ASL volume to maintain proper mucociliary clearance (MCC). We hypothesized that stresses generated by airflow and transmural pressures during breathing govern ASL volume by regulating the rate of epithelial ATP release. Luminal ATP, via interactions with apical membrane P2-purinoceptors, regulates the balance of active ion secretion versus absorption to maintain ASL volume at optimal levels for MCC. In this study we tested the hypothesis that cyclic compressive stress (CCS), mimicking normal tidal breathing, regulates ASL volume in airway epithelia. Polarized tracheobronchial epithelial cultures from normal and cystic fibrosis (CF) subjects responded to a range of CCS by increasing the rate of ATP release. In normal airway epithelia, the CCS-induced increase in ASL ATP concentration was sufficient to induce purinoceptor-mediated increases in ASL height and MCC, via inhibition of epithelial Na+-channel-mediated Na+ absorption and stimulation of Cl− secretion through CFTR and the Ca2+-activated chloride channels. In contrast, static, non-oscillatory stress did not stimulate ATP release, ion transport or MCC, emphasizing the importance of rhythmic mechanical stress for airway defence. In CF airway cultures, which exhibit basal ASL depletion, CCS was partially effective, producing less ASL volume secretion than in normal cultures, but a level sufficient to restore MCC. The present data suggest that CCS may (1) regulate ASL volume in the normal lung and (2) improve clearance in the lungs of CF patients, potentially explaining the beneficial role of exercise in lung defence.
Salmeterol and Inhaled Corticosteroids in Patients With Persistent Asthma

To the Editor: In their study comparing the efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids (ICs), salmeterol monotherapy, and placebo, 1 Dr Lazarus and colleagues concluded that it is probably unsafe to switch patients with moderate persistent asthma from ICs to monotherapy with salmeterol. Some patients received placebo, and all patients received a placebo during a 6-week run-out period at the end of the study. Although the study protocol was approved by a federal protocol review committee and the institutional review boards at each of the clinical sites, the report did not fully address several complex and controversial ethical issues in the study design. The authors did not address whether there was clinical equipoise 2 between the safety or efficacy of either of these agents compared with placebo. If no equipoise exists between the study arms, then we question whether it was justifiable to expose the placebo group to the risks of undertreatment, and all patients to this risk during the placebo runout phase. A more appropriate design may have been an active control superiority trial to eliminate the need for a placebo control. 3 This concern is particularly relevant to children enrolled in the study. Since 97% of all participants who were randomized were already being treated with ICs, this protocol appears not to offer prospects of direct benefit, particularly for those who received placebo. Indeed, the results demonstrate a substantial decline in well-being for participants randomized to nonstandard therapy (therapy that does not include ICs). Assuming equipoise between the 2 active treatment groups, this study only could be approved under prospect of direct benefit 4 without the placebo group, since placebo conferred greater risk than “available alternative approaches.” 5 If a study does not offer prospects of direct benefit, then pediatric patients should not be exposed to more than minimal risk, 6 or more than a minor increase over minimal risk if additional criteria are met. 7 Even with rescue therapies, the prolonged discontinuation of controller medications in children with moderate persistent asthma confers more than minimal risk. The placebo group experienced significantly more treatment failures and exacerbations than the standard therapy group, as well as substantial declines in all quality-of-life measures. The Common Rule permits research with children that entails a minor increase over minimal risk but only if the research “is likely to yield generalizable knowledge about the subject’s disorder or condition that is of vital importance,” among other requirements. While the interpretation of “minor increase over minimal risk” is subjective, it is questionable whether the risk of an asthma exacerbation for children in the placebo group represents only a minor increase over minimal risk. Furthermore, this is justifiable only if the use of placebo was essential to answer the primary research
Hayes Receives 2012 Ronald Greeley Early Career Award in Planetary Science: Response

I am deeply honored to be the inaugural recipient of the Ronald Greeley Early Career Award. Ron was an icon in the field of planetary science, and the establishment of this award is a fitting way to pay tribute to his legacy. I applaud Laurie Leshin, Bill McKinnon, and the rest of the AGU Planetary Science section officers and selection committee for taking the time to organize this memorial. Ron is remembered not only for his fundamental scientific contributions but also for his mentorship and support of early-career scientists, both his own students and postdocs and those of his colleagues.
Capillary electrophoresis for food analysis

Publisher Summary The capillary electrophoresis methodology combines column chromatographic and gel electrophoretic techniques. The basic electrophoretic principle given in this chapter states that: suppose a sample (e.g., two cationic analytes) is subjected to capillary electrophoretic separation. The two cationic analytes are loaded at the anode and an electrical voltage (V) is applied across the fused silica capillary of total length (L t ). Both analytes will migrate from the anode to the cathode, through the detector. The analyte migration time (t a ) is the interval between the electrophoretic initiation and detection. The analyte migration distance is the effective length (L a ) for on-capillary detection. The electrophoretic mobility (μ ep ) rather than the electrophoretic velocity is preferred, because it facilitates comparison between electropherograms. The zeta potential (Z) is a result of the electrical double layer. The electrical double layer develops between the internal charge on the capillary wall and the charged carder electrolyte. The internal surface of a fused silica capillary is anionic due to the ionization and/or adsorption of cations. The ionization (major contribution) of the silanol groups (SiO) and adsorption (minor contribution) of cations is responsible for the anionic surface. The cations in the carder electrolyte buildup and equilibrate the anionic surface. The electrical double layer generates a potential difference near the capillary wall and is termed “zeta potential.”
The Wheeled Actively Articulated Vehicle (WAAV): An Advanced Off-Road Mobility Concept

This manuscript contains descriptions of the kinematic configuration, the mechanical systems, and the sensing, control and actuation sub-systems of the Wheeled Actively Articulated Vehicle (WAAV). It includes a discussion of the current capabilities of the WAAV. System enhancements that are being considered for future experiments have also been addressed.
Simple high‐performance liquid chromatographic assay for norethindrone‐mestranol in combination tablets

A simple, sensitive, and specific high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure was developed to assay norethindrone-mestranol combination tablets. The method involves a chloroform extraction of a single pulverized tablet. After centrifugation, an aliquot of the supernate was injected into a modular high-performance liquid chromatograph. The effluent from the silica column was monitored serially with a fixed-wavelength UV detector (254 nm) for norethindrone quantitation and a fluorescence detector (230 nm for excitation and 280-nm cutoff filter for emission) for mestranol quantitation. Progesterone was used as an internal standard. The method was employed successfully in content uniformity studies of several brands of commercially available tablets.
Structural Comparisons of Three Phosphatetracyclo[3.3.0.02,8.03,6]Octane Compounds

The solid state structures of three phosphorus heterocycles trans- and cis-4-methyl-4-phosphatetracyclo [3.3.0.02,8.03,6]octane 4-sulfide (3a and 3b, respectively) and trans-4-phenyl-4-phosphatetracyclo[3.3.0.02,8.03,6]octane 4-oxide (5a), were established by X-ray crystallography. Although the ring structure in each was expected to be conformationally rigid, some differences were noted when 3a, 3b, 5a, and 4- methyl-4-p-nitrobenzyl-4-phosphoniatetracyclo[3.3.0.02,8.03,6]octane bromide (4) were compared. Examination of both bond lengths and angles indicates that the phosphetane ring is greatly affected by the tetracyclic system. Semi-empirical calculations at the PM3 level were used to estimate the relative energy of cis and trans 5. The single crystal data are as follows: (trans-3a), triclinic, P-1, with a = 6.2227(4) A,b = 6.5205(6) A, c = 10.3651(13) A, α = 86.670(10)°, β = 87.340(8)°, γ = 83.712(6)°, V = 416.99(7) A3, Z = 2, D calc = 1.356 g/cm3, 743 observed reflections, and R = 0.040; (cis-3b), tric...
The State and Civil Society Response to Disaster: The Challenge of Coordination

This article presents a case study of the reception of low-income Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Austin, Texas, to reveal the multiple barriers and problems faced by families and individuals dislodged by Katrina, as well as the difficulties faced by the service providers. The authors surveyed evacuees who had used the emergency shelter system and received housing assistance at least 10 weeks after the disaster. These survey data are supplemented with focus group and individual interviews with the city staff who conducted the survey, as well as interviews and participant observation with a range of service providers who assisted evacuees in the months following Katrina. Austin’s case managers were able to quickly organize and respond to evacuee families with an array of emergency services, including food and household goods. They also introduced new coordination efforts among agencies to distribute newly available Katrina funding. These efforts were aimed at both targeting emergency services and enhancing t...
Cultural-historical activity theory and the zone of proximal development in the study of idioculture design and implementation

For a large part of its history cognitive science has been grounded in views of the mind based on the traditional Cartesian dualisms. These dichotomies have been reinforced in particular by the view of the mind as an encased symbol-processing system ''protected from the external world'' (Newell, A., Rosenbloom, P. S., & Laird J. E. (1990). Symbolic architectures for cognition. In M.I. Posner (Ed.), Foundations of cognitive science, Cambridge, MA: Bradford Books/MIT Press, pp. 93-131:107). Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) seeks to supersede Cartesianism, thinking about cognition and culture as mutually constitutive of each other. This approach analyzes thought processes as embedded in and manifested through systems of historically developing, culturally mediated activity. Consequently for CHAT, a basic unit for the study of human thought is joint mediated activity. In this paper we will discuss an example of research that follows the CHAT approach to the analysis of learning and development. The data sample is taken from a session of the Fifth Dimension, an after-school activity designed to implement CHAT principles in order to promote the cognitive and social development of adult and child participants alike.
PHYSIOLOGY AND ENDOCRINOLOGY SYMPOSIUM: Nutritional aspects of developing replacement heifers 1

Studies in numerous species provide evidence that diet during development can mediate physiological changes necessary for puberty. In cattle, several studies have reported inverse correlations be- tween postweaning growth rate and age at puberty and heifer pregnancy rates. Thus, postweaning growth rate was determined to be an important factor affecting age of puberty, which in turn influences pregnancy rates. This and other research conducted during the late 1960s through the early 1980s indicated puberty oc- curs at a genetically predetermined size, and only when heifers reach their target BW can increased pregnancy rates be obtained. Guidelines were established indicat- ing replacement heifers should achieve 60 to 65% of their expected mature BW by breeding. Traditional ap- proaches for postweaning development of replacement heifers used during the last several decades have pri- marily focused on feeding heifers to achieve or exceed an appropriate target BW and thereby maximize heifer pregnancy rates. Intensive heifer development systems may maximize pregnancy rates, but not necessarily op- timize profit or sustainability. Since inception of target BW guidelines, subsequent research demonstrated that the growth pattern heifers experience before achieving a critical target BW could be varied. Altering rate and timing of BW gain can result in compensatory growth periods, providing an opportunity to decrease feed costs. Recent research has demonstrated that feeding replacement heifers to traditional target BW increased development costs without improving reproduction or subsequent calf production relative to development sys- tems in which heifers were developed to lighter target BW ranging from 50 to 57% of mature BW.
Biological basis for extrapolation across mammalian species

The rationale for extrapolation or "scaling" across species is founded in the commonality of anatomic characteristics and the universality of physiologic functions and biochemical reactions. The development of the allometric equation, Y = aWn, relating species body size (W) with various morphological, physiological, biochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological characteristics, as the fundamental basis for extrapolation of biological data from laboratory animals to man is outlined. The familiar methods of extrapolation on the basis of "milligrams per kilogram body weight" and "body surface area" are simply examples, W1.0 and W0.67, respectively, of this equation. The experimental observations used to support these two, and other extrapolation bases, are reviewed. Criteria for the selection of an appropriate base for transfer of specific biologic data from laboratory animals to man, and the expected reliability of the extrapolation, are discussed with the enunciation of four guiding principles. The application of these principles to the extrapolation to man of dose-tumor incidence data from carcinogenicity bioassays of laboratory animals is discussed. The components are identified, and illustrative examples are given.
Age-related decrease in proopiomelanocortin gene expression in the arcuate nucleus of the male rat brain

The decline in reproductive function with aging is due in part to decreased gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion. β-Endorphin (βE), an endogenous opioid peptide derived from proopiomelanocortin (POMC), is thought to exert a tonic inhibitory effect upon hypothalamic GnRH secretion. We tested the hypothesis that the age-related decrease in GnRH secretion in male rats is due to increased βE synthesis, by comparing POMC mRNA levels in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of intact young, middle-aged and old male rats. In an initial study (Study 1), sixteen 20-μm coronal sections each from the ARC of 3- (n=5) and 23-month-old (n=4) male Fischer 344 rats were anatomically matched and analyzed. In a second study (Study 2), four anatomically matched sections of caudal arcuate nucleus from 3- (n=4), 11- (n=7) and 23-month-old (n=5) male rats were compared. POMC mRNA levels were quantitated by in situ hybridization histochemistry, using a 35S-labeled oligodeoxynucleotide probe complementary to a portion of rat POMC cDNA and computerized image analysis. The number of grains per cell and cells per section were used as indices of cellular POMC mRNA content and the number of neurons expressing the POMC gene, respectively. Cellular POMC mRNA content was significantly lower in old compared to young animals (Study l: 54±3 vs. 74±2 grains/cell, p<0.01; Study 2: 59±2 vs. 71±2 grains/cell, p<0.05). The number of labeled POMC neurons per section was also decreased in old compared to young rats (Study 1: 40±6 vs. 55±5 cells/section, p<0.05; Study 2: 54±4 vs. 76±7 cells/section, p<0.05). These findings were not localized to a specific rostro-caudal region of the ARC. Cellular POMC mRNA content of middle-aged rats was similar to young animals but significantly higher than in old rats (p<0.05), while the number of neurons expressing the POMC gene demonstrated a significant and progressive decline with age from young to middle-aged to old animals. We conclude that βE synthetic capacity is decreased with age in the male rat, and that the decline in GnRH secretion in old animals is not a result of increased (βE synthesis.
Automatic type inference via partial evaluation

Type checking and type inference are fundamentally similar problems. However, the algorithms for performing the two operations, on the same type system, often differ significantly. The type checker is typically a straightforward encoding of the original type rules. For many systems, type inference is performed using a two-phase, constraint-based algorithm.We present an approach that, given the original type rules written as clauses in a logic programming language, automatically generates an efficient, two-phase, constraint-based type inference algorithm. Our approach works by partially evaluating the type checking rules with respect to the target program to yield a set of constraints suitable for input to an external constraint solver. This approach avoids the need to manually develop and verify a separate type inference algorithm, and is ideal for experimentation with and rapid prototyping of novel type systems.
Low-energy interband absorption in bcc Fe and hcp Co

We have examined the electronic structure of bcc Fe and single-crystal hcp Co by using optical absorptivity and thermoreflectance techniques for $0.2\ensuremath{\le}h\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\le}5$ eV. The optical conductivities $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ were calculated by Kramers-Kronig analyses. A prominent structure was observed in $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ for Fe at 2.37 eV and a shoulder was observed near 0.8 eV; the latter structure was the dominant feature in the thermoreflectance spectrum. These were discussed in terms of minority-spin band interband absorption and spin-flip interband transitions. The anisotropic optical conductivities of hcp Co were discussed in terms of recent energy-band calculations.
An elasticity analysis for the generally and specially orthotropic beams subjected to concentrated loads

Abstract A classical elasticity solution for the stress and displacement fields in loaded orthotropic beams is presented. The corresponding stress equations, derived from a stress function which satisfies the orthotropic analogue of the biharmonic equation, are written as Fourier series. From these expressions, the stress distributions in a series of centrally loaded generally and specially orthotropic beams are calculated. A detailed discussion of these stress distributions at selected beam sections and their symmetry about the loading axis is also presented. The stress fields are found to be unique relative to what is calculable from beam theory; for example, the stress distribution about the loading axis of a generally orthotropic beam is not symmetric. Finally, regions where beam theory coincides with the classical theory are identified.
Using the California Psychological Inventory to assess the Big Five personality domains: A hierarchical approach

The present research developed a new, multi-step approach for hierarchically assessing the Big Five personality domains from a large and diverse pool of existing questionnaire items: those of the California Psychological Inventory (CPI). First, the Abridged Big Five Circumplex (AB5C) structural model was used to organize the CPI item pool in Big Five factor space. Using the 10 resulting CPI-AB5C circumplexes as starting points, 16 facet scales were then developed to assess specific personality characteristics within the broad Big Five domains. Finally, principal components analysis with validimax rotation was used to score the five domains from the facet scales. In three independent samples, the resulting CPI-Big Five measure demonstrated strong reliability, convergence with self- and peer-reports, and discriminant validity. Availability of the new measure brings more than a half-century’s worth of archival CPI data to bear on contemporary research questions about the Big Five. Additionally, the process of developing the CPI-Big Five measure illustrates some of the challenges that may arise when attempting to assess new psychological constructs from existing measures, as well as methods for addressing such challenges.
An electrochemical study of the μ-peroxo complex of cobalt(III) cyclam

Determination des conditions pour lesquelles le processus redox [LCo(OH) 2 ] 2 O 2 5+ +e − →[L Co(OH) 2 ] 2 O 2 4+ serait reversible ou quasi reversible, afin de pouvoir calculer son potentiel normal (L designe le cyclam). L'electrode de travail est du graphite pyrolytique dont les plans sont perpendiculaires a la surface de l'electrode (EPGE). L'analyse des resultats obtenus au moyen de techniques electrochimiques usuelles montre que cette reversibilite est obtenue dans l'acide trifluoroacetique, le potentiel du systeme etant 1,21 V
Long-term effectiveness of disseminating quality improvement for depression in primary care

Background This article addresses whether dissemination of short-term quality improvement (QI) interventions for depression to primary care practices improves patients' clinical outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) over 2 years, relative to usual care (UC). Methods The sample included 1299 patients with current depressive symptoms and 12-month, lifetime, or no depressive disorder from 46 primary care practices in 6 managed care organizations. Clinics were randomized to UC or 1 of 2 QI programs that included training local experts and nurse specialists to provide clinician and patient education, assessment, and treatment planning, plus either nurse care managers for medication follow-up (QI-meds) or access to trained psychotherapists (QI-therapy). Outcomes were assessed every 6 months for 2 years. Results For most outcomes, differences between intervention and UC patients were not sustained for the full 2 years. However, QI-therapy reduced overall poor outcomes compared with UC by about 8 percentage points throughout 2 years, and by 10 percentage points compared with QI-meds at 24 months. Both interventions improved patients' clinical and role outcomes, relative to UC, over 12 months (eg, a 10-11 and 6-7 percentage point difference in probable depression at 6 and 12 months, respectively). Conclusions While most outcome improvements were not sustained over the full 2 study years, findings suggest that flexible dissemination of short-term, QI programs in managed primary care can improve patient outcomes well after program termination. Models that support integrated psychotherapy and medication-based treatment strategies in primary care have the potential for relatively long-term patient benefits.
A Controller Design for a Class of Nonlinear Systems Using the Lyapunov-Bellman Approach

The method of synthesis for a wide class of nonlinear systems affine in control is considered. The proposed approach is based on the solution of a special optimal control problem. The integrand of the optimized functional is chosen in such a way that the Bellman equation has a desired solution. The nonlinear system design is reduced to the examination of the integrand of the optimized functional. To extend the domain of asymptotic stability of the nonlinear system, a sequence of the Lyapunov functions is used. The whole system becomes a system with variable structure
Chemical rescue of proton transfer in catalysis by carbonic anhydrases in the β- and γ-class

Catalysis of the dehydration of HCO3 - by carbonic anhydrase requires proton transfer from solution to the zinc-bound hydroxide. Carbonic anhydrases in each of the R, ‚, and A classes, examples of convergent evolution, appear to have a side chain extending into the active site cavity that acts as a proton shuttle to facilitate this proton transfer, with His 64 being the most prominent example in the R class. We have investigated chemical rescue of mutants in two of these classes in which a proton shuttle has been replaced with a residue that does not transfer protons: H216N carbonic anhydrase from Arabidopsis thaliana(‚ class) and E84A carbonic anhydrase from the archeon Methanosarcina thermophila (A class). A series of structurally homologous imidazole and pyridine buffers were used as proton acceptors in the activation of CO2 hydration at steady state and as proton donors of the exchange of 18 O between CO2 and water at chemical equilibrium. Free energy plots of the rate constants for this intermolecular proton transfer as a function of the difference in pKa of donor and acceptor showed extensive curvature, indicating a small intrinsic kinetic barrier for the proton transfers. Application of Marcus rate theory allowed quantitative estimates of the intrinsic kinetic barrier which were near 0.3 kcal/mol with work functions in the range of 7-11 kcal/mol for mutants in the ‚ and A class, similar to results obtained for mutants of carbonic anhydrase in the R class. The low values of the intrinsic kinetic barrier for all three classes of carbonic anhydrase reflect proton transfer processes that are consistent with a model of very rapid proton transfer through a flexible matrix of hydrogen-bonded solvent structures sequestered within the active sites of the carbonic anhydrases.
A critical note on the predictive validity of "the hyperkinetic syndrome".

SUMMARY It is argued that the diagnosis of “Hyperactivity Syndrome” tells little about aetiology and does not permit generalizations to be made about clinical state. Its usefulness in predicting response to drug or other forms of treatment has yet to be demonstrated. A series of follow-up studies have been reviewed in order to determine whether a diagnosis of hyperactivity syndrome will allow predictions to be made about natural history. The literature reveals widely differing outcome in different samples. It may be that this inconsistency simply reflects methodological variation between the studies. However, it can also be taken that the lack of consistency further weakens the validity or clinical usefulness of this diagnostic concept.
Automated mixed-signal SoC BIST synthesis utilizing hardware accelerators

BIST techniques for analog and mixed-signal circuits have attracted considerable research activity; especially utilizing on-chip ROMs to store high precision sinusoidal stimuli and pre-calculated Delta-Sigma modulated bit-streams. However, usage of ROMs in high-performance circuits has poses substantial challenges, mainly because of its inability to run at-speed tests and high area overhead due to its prohibitively large size. An alternative to ROM utilization is the use of LFSRs. But, the computation time of the LFSR based BIST synthesis for large mixed-signal SoC poses a huge challenge. A high-performance computing (HPC) based automated mixed-signal SoC BIST synthesis technique that can outperform the conventional ROM implementation not only with respect to the computation time needed to generate the test vectors or waveforms, but also the BIST hardware required, is presented in this paper. Furthermore, the versatility of the presented LFSR based BIST test vector generator, that allows itself to be used for embedding deterministic patterns for LBIST and storing sinusoidal stimuli or pre-calculated Delta-Sigma modulated bit-stream for analog BIST, is demonstrated.