cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Curcumin Acrylation for Biological and Environmental Applications

Curcumin has recently gained interest for use in drug delivery, chemical sensing, and environmental applications. As a result, the development of synthesis strategies for the incorporation of curcumin into novel materials has become a priority. One such strategy, curcumin acrylation, involves the introduction of acrylate functional groups to the curcumin scaffold, with the potential generation of mono-, di-, and triacrylate curcumin species. The relative populations of these species in the resulting multiacrylate mixture can be controlled by the ratio of curcumin to acryloyl chloride in the initial reaction formulation. Characterization of the acrylation reaction and the resulting curcumin multiacrylate product is essential for the effective preparation of new curcumin-containing materials. In this work, a synthesis method for curcumin acrylation is presented and the resulting curcumin multiacrylate product is characterized via various techniques, i.e., HPLC, LCMS, and NMR, as a basis to establish the rel...
2015 US Geological Survey assessment of undiscovered shale-gas and shale-oil resources of the Mississippian Barnett Shale, Bend arch–Fort Worth Basin, Texas

The Mississippian Barnett Shale within the Bend arch–Fort Worth Basin is a major continuous shale-gas resource in the United States. The Barnett Shale was last assessed by the US Geological Survey (USGS) in 2003 and only included vertical drilling. The Barnett Shale was reassessed in 2015 for undiscovered, technically recoverable gas and oil resources to include the impact of over 12 yr of horizontal-drilling development. The 2015 USGS assessment delineated three continuous assessment units (AUs): (1) Barnett Continuous Gas AU, (2) Barnett Mixed Continuous Gas and Oil AU, and (3) Western Barnett Continuous Oil AU. The AU boundaries were defined by hydrogen index (HI) values as a proxy for thermal maturity, in addition to shale thickness. An HI value of 100 mg hydrocarbon (HC)/g total organic carbon (TOC) was used to define the Barnett Continuous Gas AU boundary. The Barnett Mixed Continuous Gas and Oil AU was defined within the northeastern part of the basin where HI values are greater than 100 mg HC/g TOC and the shale thickness exceeds 100 ft (31 m). Resulting undiscovered, technically recoverable resource estimates for these two AUs were 53 tcf of gas, 172 million bbl of oil, and 176 million bbl of natural gas liquids. The western part of the Barnett Shale (HI >100) comprises the Western Barnett Continuous Oil AU, and it was not quantitatively assessed. The recent USGS assessment is nearly double the 2003 mean resource estimate of 26.2 tcf of gas and is the first study to provide quantitative estimates for shale-oil resources in the Barnett Shale.
ON-LINE EDUCATION: DEVELOPING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

This article examines the evolution of on-line university programs in the United States and describes the key strategic challenges this new technology offers for existing universities. It suggests possible strategic plans for universities interested in gaining and sustaining a competitive advantage in the world of international distance learning.
Skin Diseases Associated with Biologic Therapies

Biologics have become the mainstay of many dermatological and systemic diseases in our current practice. While safety and efficacy of these drugs has been proven extensively in clinical trials, these drugs possess the potential for cutaneous as well as systemic toxicity owing to their immunosuppressive effects. This book chapter focuses on the adverse cutaneous reactions observed with biologics, specifically tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors. These side effects can include but are not limited to injection site reactions, hypersensitivity reactions, psoriasiform eruptions, eczema, vasculitis, and lupus-like reactions.
QA-QC of IMRT: American Perspective

11.1 The Paradigm of Quality Assurance . . . . . . . . . . 129 11.1.1 Verification of Patient Position . . . . . . . . . 129 11.1.2 Dosimetric Verification as Validation of IMRT Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 11.1.3 Computational vs Experimental Dosimetry . . 130 11.1.4 Reliability and Validity of Tests for QA . . . . . 131 11.1.5 QA of Total Treatment Chain . . . . . . . . . . 131 11.1.6 QA as a Familiarization Tool when Starting IMRT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 11.1.7 Howmuch QA Is Enough? . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
AID PROGRAMS TO PEOPLE TO OFFSET TERRORISM

Abstract One of the great problems of the world is how to control revolutionary terrorism. We always seem to be placed in a position where severe military retribution cannot be applied and we become forced into a waiting game which is played upon by an arrogant and misinformed news media. We find it difficult to relate to certain countries' problems, particularly in the rural areas. The villages usually provide support for terroristic groups and if anything is to be done about stabilizing the situation before a terroristic attack occurs, the area must be controlled. This cannot be achieved only by attempts to kill a terrorist. In fact, the population must be protected and won over at the same time. This may require a concerted aid program considering all of their needs, particularly their medical needs, which should be the easiest to apply. The problem is that the area of medical aid has never received much concern from branches of government which never seem to have enough funding or true knowledge to relieve local problems but always seem to have enough funding for military efforts. The recommendations of the author based on his experiences both in Viet Nam and South America will be discussed.
Intestinal Crypts Assume the Fetal Position in Response to Injury.

Distinct stem/progenitor cells generate intestinal epithelium during fetal and postnatal life. In a recent issue of Nature, Nusse and Savage et al. use helminth infection to show that Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells are replaced by fetal-like progenitors following injury, suggesting that some fetal developmental pathways are repurposed during injury-induced tissue regeneration.
A Usable Authentication System Using Wrist-Worn Photoplethysmography Sensors on Smartwatches

Smartwatches are expected to become the world's best-selling electronic product after smartphones. Various smart-watches have been released to the private consumer market, but the data on smartwatches is not well protected. In this paper, we show for the first time that photoplethysmography (PPG)signals influenced by hand gestures can be used to authenticate users on smartwatches. The insight is that muscle and tendon movements caused by hand gestures compress the arterial geometry with different degrees, which has a significant impact on the blood flow. Based on this insight, novel approaches are proposed to detect the starting point and ending point of the hand gesture from raw PPG signals and determine if these PPG signals are from a normal user or an attacker. Different from existing solutions, our approach leverages the PPG sensors that are available on most smartwatches and does not need to collect training data from attackers. Also, our system can be used in more general scenarios wherever users can perform hand gestures and is robust against shoulder surfing attacks. We conduct various experiments to evaluate the performance of our system and show that our system achieves an average authentication accuracy of 96.31 % and an average true rejection rate of at least 91.64% against two types of attacks.
Skin Conditions in Athletes

Skin conditions in athletes are common. These can lead to athletes missing competitions as well as spreading the conditions to other competitors. The conditions range from bacterial to viral to dermatophyte in origin. The clinician should be able to recognize these conditions, decide whether the athlete can safely continue to compete, and treat these appropriately. Other skin conditions can be related to the sport itself, and the primary care clinician is often faced with the task of helping the athlete deal with these problems as well.
Diabetes Management in Community Health Centers: a Review of Policies and Programs.

Community health centers (CHCs) provide care to millions of vulnerable patients in the USA, including a disproportionate number with diabetes. Policies affecting diabetes management in CHCs therefore have broad implications for clinical practice and patient outcomes nationwide. We describe prior policies that have influenced diabetes management in CHCs, discuss current policies and programs, as well as present emerging innovations and future directions for diabetes care in this setting. Domains for current diabetes policies and programs in CHCs include coverage requirements, quality reporting and incentives, prescription discounts, healthy behavior incentives, and team-based care. Policies in these areas affect the management of diabetes at multiple levels, from organizations that support CHCs to individual health centers, and the providers and patients based there. Several domains of interrelated policies and programs impact CHC diabetes management at multiple levels. Stakeholders’ understanding of these policies and programs may identify opportunities to improve diabetes care.
Development of the living donation and kidney transplantation information made easy (KidneyTIME) educational animations.

Background Current web-based educational approaches about living kidney donation (LKD) are complex, lengthy, and/or text-laden, which may impair accurate interpretation of information, thereby limiting kidney transplant access. Purpose This paper describes the process of developing animation-based LKD education designed to be suitable for and acceptable to kidney transplant candidates and their support networks. Methods Based on formative work, early animation prototypes were designed by a transplant surgeon and a health communication expert. In qualitative focus groups and individual interviews, animation prototypes were shown to 46 kidney transplant recipients, 28 kidney transplant candidates, 32 previous or potential kidney donors, 10 caregivers, 32 transplant providers, 24 dialysis providers, and 4 cultural and community advisors for their input regarding animation suitability, acceptability, and potential usability/feasibility. Viewer feedback was used to iteratively refine the animations. Animation design to facilitate adult learning was guided by elaboration theory, Bandura's self-efficacy theory, and Mayer's cognitive theory of multimedia learning. Results KidneyTIME currently consists of 12 animations about LKD process, benefits, and risks. Conclusions Patients/friends/family members, experts, and stakeholders provided valuable feedback to the research team that was integrated into the development of KidneyTIME with the goal of enhancing suitability, acceptability, engagement, usability, and feasibility of dissemination.
Meta-reinforcement learning in a thalamo-orbitofrontal circuit

Learning to predict rewards is essential for the survival of animals. Contemporary views suggest that such learning is driven by a reward prediction error, the difference between received and predicted rewards. Here we show using two-photon calcium imaging and optogenetics in mice that a different class of reward learning signals exists within the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Specifically, the reward responses of many OFC neurons exhibit plasticity consistent with filtering out rewards that are less salient for learning (such as predicted rewards, or, unpredicted rewards available in a context containing highly salient aversive stimuli). We show using quasi-simultaneous imaging and optogenetics that this reward response plasticity is sculpted by medial thalamic inputs to OFC. These results provide a biological substrate for emerging theoretical views of meta-reinforcement learning in prefrontal cortex.
The Becklin-Neugebauer Object as a Runaway B Star, Ejected 4000 years ago from the theta^1C system

We attempt to explain the properties of the Becklin-Neugebauer (BN) object as a runaway B star, as originally proposed by Plambeck et al. (1995). This is one of the best-studied bright infrared sources, located in the Orion Nebula Cluster -- an important testing ground for massive star formation theories. From radio observations of BN's proper motion, we trace its trajectory back to Trapezium star theta^1C, the most massive (45 Msun) in the cluster and a relatively tight (17 AU) visual binary with a B star secondary. This origin would be the most recent known runaway B star ejection event, occurring only \~4000 yr ago and providing a unique test of models of ejection from multiple systems of massive stars. Although highly obscured, we can constrain BN's mass (~7 Msun) from both its bolometric luminosity and the recoil of theta^1C. Interaction of a runaway B star with dense ambient gas should produce a compact wind bow shock. We suggest that X-ray emission from this shocked gas may have been seen by Chandra: the offset from the radio position is ~300 AU in the direction of BN's motion. Given this model, we constrain the ambient density, wind mass-loss rate and wind velocity. BN made closest approach to the massive protostar, source ``I'', 500 yr ago. This may have triggered enhanced accretion and thus outflow, consistent with previous interpretations of the outflow being a recent (~10^3 yr) "explosive" event.
An Exploration of Preceptor-Provided Written Feedback on Entrustable Professional Activities During Early Practice Experiences.

Objective. To explore and evaluate open-ended feedback provided by preceptors on Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) to students on the first practice experience. Methods. Upon successful completion of the first professional year, student pharmacists complete a two-calendar month practice experience in community or health-system pharmacy. Preceptors evaluate student performance using a validated EPA framework. A retrospective review of the qualitative data collected from preceptor evaluations of student pharmacists was completed. A codebook was developed around the EPA framework and sub-coding accounted for positive, negative, or neutral assessment within each EPA. After several rounds of coding consensus was reached for all coding by two investigators. A dependability audit was implemented to ensure trustworthiness. Results. Preceptor evaluations of 153 student pharmacists were utilized with 80 students (52.3%) completing a community experience and 73 (47.7%) completing a health-system experience between May and August 2018. Preceptors from both settings provided overwhelmingly positive feedback on all EPAs. Optimization opportunities for preceptor-provided feedback were identified. Feedback provided by preceptors in health-system and community practice settings focused on knowledge and behavior, respectively, with both emphasizing skill-based performance. Conclusion. Results from this study suggest that preceptor-provided feedback may provide valuable insight into the opportunities to provide training and support intended to enhance the provision of optimal written feedback on EPAs. Deeper analysis employing focus groups or structured interviews are suggested to further explore the collective implementation experiences of preceptors regarding EPA assessment in real-world practice settings.
Synthesis and characterization of substrates for grafting polymers used in medical plastics

Abstract This synthetic overview describes the formation and characterization of branched substrates for future use in obtaining graft copolymers with characteristics appropriate for medical plastics. Due to the critical necessity of medical devices, optimization of materials used in their production is of substantial interest. The substrate synthesis was varied by utilizing reactants with different heteroatoms (e.g., diols, dithiols) and chain lengths. Although sixteen new molecules were synthesized and confirmed by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), the reaction conditions and purification methodology require further optimization before subsequent use. The objective of this research was to synthesize novel substrates for altering the physical properties of polymers used for clinical applications. Experimental results and crude spectral data analysis are provided herein for newly synthesized compounds.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Treatment of Chronic Pain.

Objective To summarize the current literature on disparities in the treatment of chronic pain. Methods We focused on studies conducted in the United States and published from 2000 and onward. Studies of cross-sectional, longitudinal, and interventional designs were included. Results A review of the current literature revealed that an adverse association between non-White race and treatment of chronic pain is well supported. Studies have also shown that racial differences exist in the long-term monitoring for opioid misuse among patients suffering from chronic pain. In addition, a patient's sociodemographic profile appears to influence the relationship between chronic pain and quality of life. Results from interventional studies were mixed. Conclusions Disparities exist within the treatment of chronic pain. Currently, it is unclear how to best combat these disparities. Further work is needed to understand why disparities exist and to identify points in patients' treatment when they are most vulnerable to unequal care. Such work will help guide the development and implementation of effective interventions.
Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas other than mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome. Part I: Clinical and histologic features and diagnosis.

Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are defined as lymphomas with a T-cell phenotype that present in the skin without evidence of systemic or extracutaneous disease at initial presentation. CTCLs other than mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome (SS) account for approximately one third of CTCLs and encompass a heterogenous group of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, ranging from indolent lymphoproliferative disorders to aggressive malignancies with a poor prognosis. The spectrum of CTCLs continues to broaden as new provisional entities are classified. Given the morphologic and histologic overlap among CTCLs and other diagnoses, a thorough clinical history, physical evaluation, and clinicopathologic correlation are essential in the work up and diagnosis of these rare entities. This article will summarize the epidemiologic, clinical, pathologic, and diagnostic features of CTCLs other than mycosis fungoides and SS.
Applying cefepime population pharmacokinetics on critically ill patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy

Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) may need continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) due to acute kidney injury or worsening of underlying chronic kidney disease. This will affect their antimicrobial exposure and may have a significant impact on the treatment. We aim to develop a cefepime pharmacokinetic (PK) model in CRRT ICU patients and generate the posterior predictions for a group and assess their therapy outcomes. Adult patients, admitted to the ICU, received cefepime, and had its concentration measured while on CRRT were included from three different datasets. In two datasets, samples were collected from the predialyzer, postdialyzer ports, and effluent fluid at different times within the same dosing interval. The third dataset had only cefepime plasma concentration measured as part of clinical service. Patients' demographics, cefepime regimens and concentration, CRRT parameters, and therapy outcomes were recorded. NPAG was used for population PK and posterior predictions. A total of 125 patients were included. Cefepime was described by a five-compartment model, and the CRRT flow rates described the rates of cefepime transfer between compartments. The posterior predictions were generated for the third dataset and the median (range) fT>MIC was 100% (27%-100%) and fT>4×MIC was 64% (0%-100%). The mortality rate was 53%. There was no difference in target attainment in terms of clinical cure and 30-day mortality. This model can be used as a precision dosing tool in CRRT patients. Future studies may address other PK/PD targets in a larger population.
Replace: Real-time Security Assurance in Vehicular Platoons Against V2V Attacks

Connected Autonomous Vehicular (CAV) platoon refers to a group of vehicles that coordinate their movements and operate as a single unit. The vehicle at the head acts as the leader of the platoon and determines the course of the vehicles following it. The follower vehicles utilize Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication and automated driving support systems to automatically maintain a small fixed distance between each other. Reliance on V2V communication exposes platoons to several possible malicious attacks which can compromise the safety, stability, and efficiency of the vehicles. We present a novel distributed resiliency architecture, Replace for CAV platoon vehicles to defend against adversaries corrupting V2V communication reporting preceding vehicle position. Replace is unique in that it can provide real-time defense against a spectrum of communication attacks. Replace provides systematic augmentation of a platoon controller architecture with real-time detection and mitigation functionality using machine learning. Unlike computationally intensive cryptographic solutions Replace accounts for the limited computation capabilities provided by automotive platforms as well as the real-time requirements of the application. Furthermore, unlike control-theoretic approaches, the same framework works against the broad spectrum of attacks. We also develop a systematic approach for evaluation of resiliency of CAV applications against V2V attacks. We perform extensive experimental evaluation to demonstrate the efficacy of Replace.
Effectiveness of written exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.

OBJECTIVE Written Exposure Therapy (WET) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been shown to be efficacious in clinical trials; however, research is needed to determine WET's effectiveness in clinical practice settings. Additionally, research is needed to understand whether patient characteristics or treatment delivery format moderate outcomes. METHOD Patient outcomes (n = 277) were assessed as part of a multisite training and implementation program in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). During treatment, patients completed self-report measures of PTSD, depression, and functional impairment. Patient characteristics (i.e., demographics, psychiatric comorbidity, trauma type) and treatment delivery format (i.e., telehealth vs. in-person) were assessed as treatment moderators. RESULTS Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that WET was effective in reducing PTSD symptoms (d = .84), depression symptoms (d = .47), and functional impairment (d = .36) during treatment. Approximately one quarter of patients dropped out of treatment prematurely. No moderators of PTSD treatment outcome were observed; however, telehealth delivery was associated with lower dropout. CONCLUSIONS WET was an effective approach across a range of patient characteristics in this sample of veterans with PTSD. WET was also effective whether delivered in-person or via telehealth. WET is a promising treatment option for veteran patients in VA clinical care settings. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Back to the Future: Candida Mitochondria and Energetics

This chapter reviews the role of mitochondria in human fungal pathogens, focusing upon Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, and Candida parapsilosis. The respiratory pathways of Candida species are highlighted along with the roles of mitochondria in morphogenesis, adaptive responses to oxidant stress and carbon depletion, and antifungal drug resistance and sensitivity. The focus therefore is on the role of mitochondria in the pathogenesis of candidiasis and developing the concept that there are differences in mitochondria of mammalian cells versus pathogens. The study of mitochondria in Candida species first followed those that were of industrial importance, examples being Candida utilis and Candida lipolytica. The morphogenesis of C. albicans has long been featured as critical to the establishment of candidiasis. Mitochondria play an active role in detoxifying reactive oxidant species (ROS) produced during cell metabolism. This has been convincingly shown through the use of inhibitors of respiratory complexes. 7-Chlorotetrazolo[5,1-c]benzo[1,2,4]triazine (CTBT) increases the activity of several antimycotics, including flucytosine as well as azoles. The target of histatin 5, a human basic salivary peptide that has demonstrated antifungal activity, was initially shown to be the energized mitochondria. There is ample proof that mitochondrial functions as well as regulation of these functions vary among pathogenic and model fungi, and that mammalian mitochondria have less complexity with regard to respiratory pathways.
Optimizing story-based learning: an investigation of student narrative profiles

Narrative-centered learning environments offer significant potential for creating effective learning experiences in which students actively participate in engaging story-based problem solving As the capabilities of narrative-centered learning environments expand, a key challenge is identifying experiential factors that contribute to the most effective story-based learning To investigate the impact of students' narrative experiences on learning outcomes, a Wizard of Oz (WOZ) study was conducted with middle school students interacting with a narrative-centered learning environment Students' experiences were examined using narrative profiles representing their type of story interaction With narrative planning, tutorial planning, and natural language dialogue functionalities provided by wizards, the WOZ study revealed that in interactive story-based learning supported by beyond-state-of-the-art ITS capabilities, 1) students exhibit a range of learning outcomes, 2) students exhibit a range of narrative profiles, and 3) certain student narrative profiles are strongly associated with desirable learning outcomes The study suggests design decisions for optimizing story-based learning.
Supplier Involvement in Integrated Product Development

Increasing competitive parity in the areas of cost and quality has forced global manufacturers to seek other sources of competitive advantage with new product development rapidly becoming the focal point in the quest for sustained growth and profitability. The essence of today′s new product development strategies is the simultaneous development of the new product and the accompanying manufacturing process such that quality is enhanced, costs reduced, and lead times shortened. The implementation of the integrated product development (IPD) process has come to depend on the use of multi‐functional teams. Today, outside suppliers represent increasingly important members of the new product development team. Supplier involvement promotes better resource utilization, the development and sharing of technological expertise, and network effectiveness. Explores the state of supplier involvement in the IPD process, and compares the practices of US and European firms.
Structure Elucidation of Natural Products by Mass Spectrometry

For over three decades, mass spectrometry has played a central role for the structure elucidation of natural products because it can be used to determine the molecular weights and elemental compositions of substances with a wide range of chemical and physical properties. In addition, if the molecular ion is formed with sufficient excitation energy, it will undergo a series of unimolecular reactions to give fragment ions, the relative abundances of which are normally unique to the structure of the molecular ion. By understanding the general rules governing the fragmentation reactions, the types of functional groups present, as well as the manner in which they are joined to form a unique molecular structure may be deduced from the mass spectrum.
Studies of baker's yeast metabolism. II. The role of adenine nucleotides and inorganic phosphate in the control of respiration during alcohol oxidation.

Abstract The respiratory inhibition following within 40 seconds after the addition of ethanol to a starved baker's yeast cell suspension has been studied by the analysis of intracellular adenine nucleotides and phosphate. Experiments with chemicals like glucose, 2-deoxyglucose, or glucose in the presence of iodoacetic acid have revealed that the observed respiratory inhibition is caused by the unavailability of adenosine 5′-diphosphate. By the use of a suitable phosphate trap, such as 2-deoxyglucose or glucose, it has been possible to demonstrate in the alcohol-oxidizing yeast a respiratory inhibition mediated by the lack of inorganic phosphate. A true Crabtree effect brought forth by glucose could not be demonstrated, although a net inhibition of respiratory rate has been shown by the use of 2-deoxyglucose or by glucose in the presence of iodoacetic acid. The data have been discussed in relation to the general problem of control of respiratory metabolism in intact cell systems.
Programmers Ain't Mathematicians, and Neither Are Testers

Formal methods have been developed for decades. An early promise was that we could use formal methods to "prove" our programs correct.We have also tried to use formal methods to completely specify functional behavior of programs and to partially specify specific aspects of software behavior. Research into formal methods have led to weaker techniques to "model" functional behavior, less completely and less precisely, but in ways that are easier to use. Despite these years of activity, formal methods are still seldom used in industry. As software engineering researchers, we are compelled to take the view that there must be a path from our research to actual use in industry, where real software developers use our ideas to help create real, and better, software. Thus we must ask, are formal methods a solution in search of a problem? In this talk, I will draw a distinction between mathematical thinking, which is required to develop formal models of software behavior, and engineering thinking, which is required to develop working software. In a broad sense, formal methods are used to create abstractions, and abstraction should be used to handle complexity, not to ignore it. The talk will explore this distinction and suggest specific ways formal methods can be successfully integrated into software development, testing and education. Mathematicians who specify software models and design software tests should delve into this abstraction, using formal engineering methods to help real programmers build real software, faster, better and cheaper.
On Restructuring the NYSE: Might a Nonprofit Stock Exchange have been Efficient?

This spring the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (NYSE) completed an historic restructuring. On March 7, 2006, the NYSE completed its merger with Archipelago Holdings Inc. (Archipelago), a publicly traded electronic trading platform. As a result, the old NYSE itself will become the New York Stock Exchange LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of NYSE Group, Inc. (NYSE Group). The former members, or seat holders, of the NYSE will receive one of three forms of consideration: all cash, all stock in NYSE Group, or a package of cash and stock. Then, NYSE Group will allow those former members to offer their shares to the public in a secondary offering.Because the NYSE was a not-for-profit corporation, the merger was also a change in organizational form. The change from nonprofit to for-profit, or demutualization, has mostly been viewed as a long-overdue response to new, on-line competition from electronic communications networks (ECN's). But there has been little assessment of the strengths or efficiencies of the nonprofit form of the exchange. This paper presents the possibility that the NYSE's choice of form was an efficient solution to a classic lemons problem, in which misinformation from bad issuing firms (firms whose shares trade on the exchange) could drive out good issuing firms. We apply a robust theory of nonprofits in which the highest demanding consumers of a nonrival good organize the production of that good. In this case, investment bankers and other financial intermediaries organize to produce liquidity. The resulting nonprofit is the former NYSE, which was able to align issuing firms' incentives to disclose with those of investors. Banker-owners of the NYSE acted as gatekeepers to the exchange, screening issuing firms through an extensive due diligence process, providing capital via underwriting, and connecting issuing firm insiders to one another via initial public offering (IPO) allocations. Over a period of many decades this system maintained an equilibrium in which issuing firms, big and small investors, and exchange members could participate with relative ease, transparency and fairness in the exchange. The shift to a for-profit corporation will have a significant, and potentially deleterious, impact on this equilibrium as it breaks up the longstanding components of the nonprofit system.
Mind the Gap in the Middle: A Call to Study Midlife

Although the study of midlife has increased somewhat over the last decade, middle- aged adults are often omitted from research on adult development and aging. Possible reasons for the lack of attention to middle age are considered and recommendations for ways to increase research on midlife are suggested to generate new knowledge and to dispel the myths. Findings related to the happiness curve and the midlife crisis are discussed in the context of addressing misconceptions. A model of midlife as a pivotal period in the life course at the intersection of growth and decline is presented. Closing the research gap in the middle of the life course will help to further our understanding of this understudied age period. The findings can inform interventions to promote well-being among the middle-aged with concomitant benefits for the welfare of those younger and older who depend on them.
Intensification of production in Medieval Islamic Jordan and its ecological impact: Towns of the Anthropocene

Medieval Islamic archaeology in Jordan is relevant to the ‘Anthropocene’ discourse because of state investment in intensive land use, including irrigation and diversion of local agricultural econom...
A methodology to incorporate formal methods in hybrid KBS verification

Abstract Thereis an increasing need for hybrid knowledge based systems(KBS) that accommodate more complex AI applications. Weconsider a hybrid KBS to be one that combinesobject-oriented, frame-based, and rule-based paradigms.Building hybrid KBSs requires formal methods forverification due to the possible interactions betweenobjects, inheritance, methods, and rules. The necessarycomplex verification for this type of KBS can be achievedwith formal specification and derivation because theyprovide unambiguous specifications and proof mechanisms.However, the complete use of formal methods is often tootime consuming and hence, impractical. Therefore, it isnecessary to find a balance between using formal methods andtraditional KBS techniques for development and verification.This paper presents a practical methodology to constructverifiable hybrid KBSs from formal specifications thatfollows traditional KBS development techniques. Themethodology involves prototyping a partial specificationexpressed in a formal language into an incrementallyverifiable KBS. The prototype is subjected to automatedanalysis and expert examination to suggest modifications andrefinements to the partial specification. The transformationof the partial specification to a prototype is consistentwith the refinement and transformation strategies found informal program derivation. Thus, the prototype isverifiable. The cycle of specification, prototype, andanalysis continues until the specification is believed to besufficiently complete to fully implement the KBS. Acombination of two formal specification languages isexamined within the methodology to allow for moreflexibility in the specification. We illustrate themethodology in an example hybrid KBS for oil reservoircharacterization.
Combinatorial materials research applied to the development of new surface coatings X: a high-throughput electrochemical impedance spectroscopy method for screening organic coatings for corrosion inhibition.

The objective of the study was to develop a high-throughput electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (HT-EIS) method for rapid and quantitative evaluation of corrosion protective coatings. A 12-element, spatially addressable electrochemical platform was designed, fabricated, and validated. This platform was interfaced to a commercial EIS instrument through an automated electronic switching unit. The HT-EIS system enables four parallel EIS measurements to be run simultaneously, which significantly reduces characterization time compared to that of serial EIS measurements using a multiplexer. The performance of the HT-EIS system was validated using a series of model systems, including a Randles equivalent circuit, an electrochemical reaction (Ti/K4FeCN6, K3FeCN6), a highly uniform polymer film, and several polymer coatings. The results of the validation studies showed that the HT-EIS system enables a major reduction in characterization time and provides high quality data comparable to data obtained with conven...
CIT in Context: The Impact of Mental Health Resource Availability and District Saturation on Call Dispositions

The goals of Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs include improving safety during encounters between police and persons with mental illnesses, diverting persons with mental illnesses away from the criminal justice system, and increasing referral and access to mental health services. CIT is a systemic intervention, and as such, its implementation and effectiveness are influenced by existing practices and infrastructures. However, little research has considered the context in which CIT programs are implemented. In this paper, we present research on CIT in four Chicago police districts that vary in terms of two contextual factors hypothesized to influence the impact of CIT training on how calls involving persons with mental illnesses are resolved. Using data from 112 patrol officers in four Chicago police districts, we consider the impact of mental health services availability and CIT saturation (the percentage of district personnel that are CIT certified). Findings indicate that CIT training increased direction to mental health services primarily in districts with greater availability of mental health services. In districts with low service availability, higher CIT saturation increased direction to mental services. The opposite pattern emerged for contact only or informal call resolution. No effects were found for arrest as a call outcome.
Differentiated Compensation: How California School Districts Use Economic Incentives to Target Teachers

Many districts and schools have trouble recruiting and retaining teachers who have the necessary credentials and skills to meet the needs of their students. This trend is particularly severe in low-income, "high-needs" schools and districts. As such, districts and schools are implementing policies that are intended to reform compensation in order to increase teacher recruitment and retention. Although much of the recent discussion surrounding teacher compensation has centered around districts' use of merit pay, many districts are already using differentiated compensation incentives to target specific kinds of teachers in an attempt to attract and retain not only the highest quality teachers, but also the teachers districts most need to teach in their specific local contexts. Using a self-collected dataset of California school districts from the 2005-2006 and 2008-2009 school years, the frequency with which districts in California use targeted economic incentives and the kinds of districts that are most likely to implement such policies are examined. While many school districts in California have economic incentive policies targeted at teachers with specific skills or credentials, most incentive policies are focused on teachers with rough proxies for "quality." Those that do target teachers in high-need subjects, for the most part, focus on rewarding those certified to teach special education students and English language learners (ELLs)—few are aimed at teachers of other hard-to-staff subjects such as math or science. In addition, there is limited evidence that particularly "hard-to-staff" districts—such as those with high proportions of minority and poor students and those with low academic achievement—are more likely to implement economic incentives that target teachers with specific subject credentials and are less likely to focus their efforts on attracting and retaining "high-quality" teachers.
Neurobiology of tobacco smoking and other addictive disorders.

As is the case in most medical subspecialties, the developments in basic and clinical research of addictive disorders continues to change the field. Research over the past 10 to 20 years has clearly demonstrated that addictive disorders have a neurobiologic basis with direct behavioral ramifications. The hallmark behavioral pattern in patients with addiction is a loss of control with compulsive drug use despite adverse psychosocial and health consequences. These behavioral sequelae to addiction are responsible for both the debilitations that addicts suffer and the stigma applied to addictive disorders by the public and many health care providers. At one time, addiction was viewed rather simplistically as a drive to avoid unpleasant withdrawal from a substance (i.e., negative reinforcement); however, as research has elucidated the neural substrates for drugs of abuse and some of the modifications induced in brain function, this concept has changed to a view of addiction as drive state for brain reward (i.e., positive reinforcement). 11 The relevance of this goal-directed or drive theory is clinically apparent. If addictions were solely driven by avoiding withdrawal, then detoxification would be an effective treatment; however, this is clearly not true. Addictive disorders have a chronic, relapsing course (even after prolonged periods of abstinence), which is consistent with the concept that addiction is an acquired brain disease mediated by neurotransmitter adaptations to drive self-administration or positive reinforcement. Brain retraining or learning alters gene expression and contributes to the biologic basis of individuality and abnormalities in behavior. 21 Addiction can best be defined by the compulsive use of a drug that develops after repeated drug exposure despite severe, adverse consequences. Long-term administration of the drug elicits changes at the level of individual neurons in the CNS. These adaptations alter the functional properties of the neurons, which, in turn, alter the functioning of neural circuits in which these neurons are involved in the brain. Examples of these neuroadaptive processes include dependence, tolerance, and sensitization. 25 Dependence is the altered physiologic state induced by long-term drug exposure that leads to a withdrawal syndrome upon cessation of drug administration. Processes of dependence may also contribute to an aversive or dysphoric state during the early phases of withdrawal from drugs of abuse, including cocaine. 33 Sensitization, which is the opposite of tolerance, is the ability of a drug to evoke increases in behavioral responses following repeated administration of the drug. 42 Sensitization seems to play an important role in the development of addictive disorders. This article reviews the current understanding of addictive disorders, especially tobacco smoking, from a neurobiologic perspective, at the gross anatomic, cellular, and molecular levels.
Fixed-bed adsorption with nonplug flow: Perturbation solution for constant pattern behavior

Adsorption of a dilute solute from a fluid in nonplug flow through a fixed bed is investigated via a perturbation approach. The continuity equation for fixed-bed adsorption with axial dispersion is solved for the constant pattern concentration profile with the axial velocity characterized by a general axisymmetric function and the system having no resistances to external or intraparticle mass transfer. The isotherm is slightly favorable (i.e., concave downward) in order to justify the assumption that axial gradients of concentration are independent of the radial coordinate in the bed, as in the classical problem of Taylor diffusion. A series expansion of a general isotherm is used to treat adsorption equilibrium. The solution reveals the formation of a radial gradient of fluid-phase concentration and breakthrough behavior at the bed outlet dependent on the nonlinearity of the isotherm and the magnitude of the nonplug-flow-velocity profile. The results can be used to predict the breadth of the breakthrough wave of many chromatographic-type processes for packed beds and slightly favorable isotherms.
The Structure and Coherence of Competence from Childhood through Adolescence

The structure and coherence of competence from childhood (ages 8-12) to late adolescence (ages 17-23) was examined in a longitudinal study of 191 children. Structural equation modeling was utilized to test a conceptual model and alternative models. Results suggest that competence has at least 3 distinct dimensions in childhood and 5 in adolescence. These dimensions reflect developmental tasks related to academic achievement, social competence, and conduct important at both age levels in U.S. society, and the additional tasks of romantic and job competence in adolescence. As hypothesized, rule-breaking versus rule-abiding conduct showed strong continuity over time, while academic achievement and social competence showed moderate continuity. Results also were consistent with the hypothesis that antisocial behavior undermines academic attainment and job competence.
The Anonymous Community: Queries and Comments

sites, but neither can we endorse the unthinking use of pseudonyms. We find that community anonymity is not inherently more ethical than identification; either choice involves costs and poses problems. T ere are no formal guidelines that directly address the question of community anonymity. The AAA's Principles of Professional Responsibility and the federal government's Protection of Human Subjects address only the individual's right to confidentiality. They do not refer to community pseudonyms. The common assumption, however, is that informant confidentiality and community pseudonyms are simply different labels for the same phenomenon: the ethical imperative to protect sources of information. Yet the connection between in-
An Adaptive Digital PID controller scheme for power converters

An Adaptive Digital PID (AD-PID) controller scheme is presented in this paper in order to improve the dynamic performance of power converters. The controller adaptively adjusts the integral constant ( K i ) and the proportional constant ( K p ) based on the amount of change in the error signal caused by the load transient and following a control law. The AD-PID controller results in dynamic output voltage deviation reduction and in shorter settling time. The AD-PID controller concept and architecture and its proposed control law are presented in this paper and verified by experimental results obtained from a proof-of-concept experimental prototype.