cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Student evaluations of the portfolio process.

Objective. To evaluate pharmacy students’ perceived benefits of the portfolio process and to gather suggestions for improving the process.Methods. A questionnaire was designed and administered to 250 first-, second-, and third-year pharmacy students at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy.Results. Although the objectives of the portfolio process were for students to understand the expected outcomes, understand the impact of extracurricular activities on attaining competencies, identify what should be learned, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and modify their approach to learning, overall students perceived the portfolio process as having less than moderate benefit. First-year students wanted more examples of portfolios while second- and third-year students suggested that more time with their advisor would be beneficial.Conclusions. The portfolio process will continue to be refined and efforts made to improve students’ perceptions of the process as it is intended to develop the self-assess...
The permissive role of glucocorticoids in the development of ethanol dependence and tolerance

In mice chronically treated with ethanol (in a liquid diet containing 6% ethanol ad libitum for 2 weeks), brain tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) activity was increased (by 30-45% in whole brain), while brain tyrosine hydroxylase activity remained unchanged. Such chronic ethanol treatment also induced susceptibility to audiogenic seizures during withdrawal (60% incidence). When ethanol treatment was given to adrenalectomized (Adx) mice, the increase of brain TPH activity and the development of withdrawal audiogenic seizures were both prevented. In Adx mice receiving daily injections of corticosterone (0.5 mg/mouse), the ethanol-induced increase of brain TPH activity and the occurrence of withdrawal audiogenic seizures were both restored. Similarly, the ethanol-induced increase of liver alcohol dehydrogenase activity (by 60%) was prevented in Adx mice and restored by corticosterone replacement. It was noted that in all three cases replacement with such large doses of the corticoid did not enhance the ethanol effects, but merely restored the effects to the levels observed in intact mice. Apparently, glucocorticoids are required in a permissive role in order for the ethanol effects to occur.
Towards Formal Verification of a Commercial Wireless Router Firmware

Formal verification of the trusted computing base of a software system is essential for its deployment in mission-critical environments. Commercial off-the-shelf routers are nowadays being used for managing traffic in high-assurance networks. The specifications for the development of these routers are provided by RFCs that are only described informally in English. It is essential to ensure that a router firmware conforms to its corresponding RFC before it can be deployed for managing mission-critical networks. In this paper, we report the formal verification of the conformance of the open source Netgear WNR3500L wireless router firmware implementation to the RFC 2131 [6] based on which it is designed. The formal verification effort led to the discovery of several possible problems in the implementation that we report in this paper. We have used the Coq proof assistant extensively in this verification effort. The formal verification process demonstrates the usefulness of inductive types and higher-order logic in software certification.
RULE GENERALIZATION IN OLD HIGH GERMAN

. This paper will discuss an alteration in the phonological components of Alemannic and Bavarian within the framework of generative phonology. First, an apparent discrepancy in the earliest documents concerning the relative chronology of two early rules will be accounted for. The rules are the second sound shift and the rule lowering au to ao. Internal evidence will also be presented for the diphthongal status of the orthographic symbol ao (and likewise ae). Second, the changes discussed here represent further evidence for the simplification principle recently discussed by Kiparsky. It is important to note that documented examples of simplification of synchronically existing rules are empirical evidence for the generative model of natural language.
Interventions to Reduce Spasticity and Improve Function in People With Chronic Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury Distinctions Revealed by Different Analytical Methods

Background. Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in impaired function, and ankle joint spasticity is a common secondary complication. Different interventions have been trialed with variable results. Objective. We investigated the effects of pharmacological and physical (locomotor training) interventions on function in people living with incomplete motor function loss caused by SCI and used different analytical techniques to understand whether functional levels affect recovery with different interventions. Methods. Participants with an incomplete SCI were assigned to 3 groups: no intervention, Lokomat, or tizanidine. Outcome measures were the 10-m walk test, 6-minute walk test, and the Timed Up and Go. Participants were classified in 2 ways: (1) based on achieving an improvement above the minimally important difference (MID) and (2) using growth mixture modeling (GMM). Functional levels of participants who achieved the MID were compared and random coefficient regression (RCR) was used to assess recovery in GMM classes. Results. Overall, walking speed and endurance improved, with no difference between interventions. Only a small number of participants achieved the MID. Both MID and GMM-RCR analyses revealed that tizanidine improved endurance in high-functioning participants. GMM-RCR classification also showed that speed and mobility improved after locomotor training. Conclusions. Improvements in function were achieved in a limited number of people with SCI. Using the MID and GMM techniques, differences in responses to interventions between high-and low-functioning participants could be identified. These techniques may, therefore, have potential to be used for characterizing therapeutic effects resulting from different interventions.
Approximating Solutions of Equations Using Two‐Point Newton Methods

We provide a local as well as a semilocal convergence analysis for two-point Newton methods under very general conditions. Our equation contains a Frechet differentiable operator F and another operator G whose differentiability is not assumed. Using more precise majorizing sequences than before we provide sufficient convergence conditions for Newton methods to a locally unique solution of equation F (x) + G(x) = 0. In the semilocal case we show under weaker conditions that our error estimates on the distances involved are finer and the information on the location of the solution at least as precise as in earlier results [17]. In the local case a larger radius of convergence is obtained [21]. Several applications are provided to show that our results compare favorably with earlier ones [11]–[14], [17], [21], [23], [25]. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The specificity of the tobacco hornworm, Protoparce sexta, to solanaceous plants.

Oviposition and feeding of the tobacco hornworm arc almost entirely restricted to plants of the family Solinaceae. Oviposition appears to be initiated by olfactory stimuli widely distributed in this plant family, and consequently it, is largely suppressed in the absence of host plants or after excision of the antennae. Both in the field and laboratory, the moths preferred tomato foliage over other solanaceous plants for oviposition. Larval feeding appears to be governed by gustatory stimuli common to plants of this family. On certain ones, such as Nicandra and Petunia , feeding and growth are limited by the presence of repellents or toxins. Some limited feeding occurred on certain nonsolanaceous plants after various periods of starvation.
Social network analysis comparing researcher collaborations in two cardiovascular cohort studies

The development of social network analysis techniques and comprehensive online bibliographic databases has led to studies of scientific co-authorship networks. This study compares collaboration among researchers associated with two epidemiological cohort studies, the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) and the Strong Heart Study (SHS), using journal article citations published from 1990 through 30 June 2011. Descriptive analyses of their publications and authors were computed, network graphs were produced, and network statistics were calculated. While similar in scientific methodology, these studies differed in ways that influenced researcher collaboration and entry into the networks. As a result, the number of unique authors for the CHS was three times greater than for the SHS (1,749 versus 571, respectively), driven by the CHS' larger number of research institutions and the higher influx of non-formally affiliated authors into its network. The CHS network had more ports of entry and also had more components, or collections of authors collaborating independently from the main network. In contrast, even at similar sizes, the SHS network was denser, indicating a greater cohesiveness than the CHS. The SHS had higher network centralization scores, suggesting the network contained relatively more authors that acted as gatekeepers. Indeed, the SHS had the majority of authors with the highest individual centrality scores, a measure of their collaborative prominence in the network. Differences in the studies' designs, populations, and organizations; funding mechanisms and policies; and awardee institutions likely explain these findings.This work provides a preliminary glimpse into understanding the mechanisms of collaboration among research studies. Copyright , Oxford University Press.
Treatment of vascular calcification

A variety of potential therapies for vascular calcification, based either on the underlying biology or physical chemistry or solely on empiric observations in patients, may be effective but lack rigorous testing. Pasch et al. provide convincing evidence that sodium thiosulfate prevents medial vascular calcification in uremic rats. Although this provides some scientific basis for the clinical use of thiosulfate, uncertainty about mechanism of action and safety still remains.
Effective use of thiazolidinediones for the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced diabetes

We evaluated the efficacy of a thiazolidinedione in the treatment of diabetes induced by glucocorticoids. We examined the effectiveness of troglitazone in seven patients with long-standing steroid-induced diabetes. Five of the seven subjects were treated with insulin alone, one was treated with both insulin and oral therapy and one was treated with oral therapy alone. The mean insulin dose in six of the seven subjects was 0.66±0.09 units/kg per day. Diabetes status was assessed by measuring serum fructosamine, HgbA1c, oral glucose and meal tolerance tests (OGTT and MTT) at baseline and after treatment for 5–8 weeks with troglitazone 400 mg/day. Troglitazone caused a significant decrease in fructosamine (274±32 vs. 217±22 mmol/l; P<0.01) and HgbA1C (7.8±0.4 vs. 7.2±0.4%; P<0.01) as well as decrements in the areas under the OGTT 2,308±156 vs. 1,937±127 mmol/l; P<0.05) and MTT glucose curves (4694±449 vs. 4057±437 mmol/l; P<0.05). In addition, the area under the insulin curve for the oral glucose tolerance test showed a significant increase from 27,438±4,488 to 41,946±6,048 pmol/l (P<0.05). Total and LDL cholesterol were also significantly decreased (6.4±0.9 vs. 5.0±0.6 mmol/l and 3.8±0.7 vs. 2.7±0.4 mmol/l, respectively, P<0.05). Fasting leptin values decreased by 23% despite an increase in body weight. Troglitazone is effective in the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced diabetes as manifested by lower measures of glycemia, HgbA1c, and post-prandial glucose values, while the doses of other diabetes medications remained unchanged or were reduced. The insulin-sensitizing drug also produced a marked increase in endogenous insulin secretion in response to glucose, lower total and LDL cholesterol, and decreased fasting leptin despite weight gain. Thiazolidinediones may improve diabetes-related parameters by antagonizing pathways of glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance and by reversing adverse effects of glucocorticoids on beta cell function.
Electrofishing Mark–Recapture and Depletion Methodologies Evoke Behavioral and Physiological Changes in Cutthroat Trout

Abstract We examined the behavioral and physiological responses of wild and hatchery-reared cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki subjected to a single electroshock, electroshock plus marking, and multiple electroshocks in natural and artificial streams. In a natural stream, cutthroat trout released after capture by electrofishing and marking showed distinct behavioral changes: fish immediately sought cover, remained relatively inactive, did not feed, and were easily approached by a diver. An average of 3–4 h was required for 50% of the fish to return to a seemingly normal mode of behavior, although responses varied widely among collection sites. Using the depletion method, we observed little change in normal behavior offish remaining in the stream section (i.e., uncaptured fish) after successive passes with electrofishing gear. In an artificial stream, hatchery-reared and wild cutthroat trout immediately decreased their rates of feeding and aggression after they were electroshocked and marked. Hatchery fis...
The relationship between information technology use and buyer-supplier relationships: an exploratory analysis of the buying firm's perspective

No doubt exists that information technology is emerging as a key resource in the purchasing process. Concurrently, buyer-supplier relationships are changing. The purpose of this research is to determine if there is a relationship between the use of information technology and buyer-supplier relationships. A brief review of the literature on the use of information technology in purchasing is provided. Next, the nature of buyer-supplier relationships is discussed. Triangulation-involving field interviews followed by a mail survey-was used to collect data and attempt to answer the three research questions. The three questions were the following. (1) What is the relationship between the use of information technology and frequency of information shared between buyers and suppliers? (2) What is the relationship between the use of information technology and the richness of information shared between buyers and suppliers? (3) What is the relationship between the use of information technology and buyer-supplier trust? Information technology is defined in terms of automated purchasing systems, supplier links via electronic data interchange, information systems and computer-to-computer links with key suppliers. The research results suggest that three of the different types of information technology were significantly related to the frequency of information shared among buyers. Two of the different types of information technology were significantly related to the richness of information shared. However, only one of the types of information technology appears to be significantly related to trust among buyers and suppliers.
An information analysis of the auditory localization of a lateral sound source

Abstract To account for interaural information used in locating a lateral sound in space, the one-dimensional static wave mechanics equation, Δƒ.Δt⋍ 1 2 [11] , is extended to two dimensions. To satisfy Laplace's equation, the evoked potential input from one ear to the contralateral cerebral hemisphere may be considered a simple harmonic function, e z , where z is a complex number referencing both the binaural and interaural information content of the signal. With the ability to auditory locate a sound, an extra degree of freedom in information space is required to register the input from the ipsilateral hemisphere. This second input is the conjugate harmonic function of the first. Thus the summated input, e Z , to one celebral hemisphere remains a simple harmonic function of the natural logarithmic kind but of a second degree, thus providing an explanatory framework for the time-intensity trading phenomenon which occurs in locating a sound in lateral space. The central nervous system thus appears to respond primarily to uncertainty relations and not to signal parameters per se, and an alternative view is provided to that of preformed nerve-net theory.
Semantic object segmentation by dynamic learning from multiple examples

We present a novel "dynamic learning" approach for an intelligent image database system to automatically improve object segmentation and labeling without user intervention, as new examples become available, for object-based indexing. The proposed approach is an extension of our earlier work on "learning by example", which addressed labeling of similar objects in a set of database images based on a single example (Saber et al. (2003)). It utilizes multiple example object templates to improve the accuracy of existing object segmentations and labels. We also propose to use Normalized Area of Symmetric Differences (NASD) as the similarity metric in "dynamic learning", due to its robustness to boundary noise that results from automatic image segmentation. The performance of the dynamic learning concept is demonstrated by experimental results.
Electronic quenching of OH A 2Σ+ radicals in single collision events with H2 and D2: a comprehensive quantum state distribution of the OH X 2Π products

A pump–probe laser-induced fluorescence technique has been used to examine the nascent OH X 2Π product state distribution arising from non-reactive quenching of electronically excited OH A 2Σ+ by molecular hydrogen and deuterium under single-collision conditions. The OH X 2Π products were detected in v″ = 0, 1 and 2; the distribution peaks in v″ = 0 and decreases monotonically with increasing vibrational excitation. In all vibrational levels probed, the OH X 2Π products are found to be highly rotationally excited, the distribution peaking at N″ = 15 when H2 was used as the collision partner and N″ = 17 for D2. A marked propensity for production of Π(A′) Λ-doublet levels was observed, while both OH X 2Π spin–orbit manifolds were equally populated. These observations are interpreted as dynamical signatures of the nonadiabatic passage of the OH + H2/D2 system through the seams of conical intersection that couple the excited state (2 2A′) and ground state (1 2A′) surfaces.
Generalized weak presentations

Let K be a computable field. Let ℱ be a collection of recursive functions over K , possibly including field operations. We investigate the following question. Given an r.e. degree . is there an injective map j : K → ℕ such that j ( K ) is of degree a and all the functions in ℱ are translated by restrictions of total recursive functions.
An Unusually Low Microsatellite Mutation Rate in Dictyostelium discoideum, an Organism With Unusually Abundant Microsatellites

The genome of the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum is known to have a very high density of microsatellite repeats, including thousands of triplet microsatellite repeats in coding regions that apparently code for long runs of single amino acids. We used a mutation accumulation study to see if unusually high microsatellite mutation rates contribute to this pattern. There was a modest bias toward mutations that increase repeat number, but because upward mutations were smaller than downward ones, this did not lead to a net average increase in size. Longer microsatellites had higher mutation rates than shorter ones, but did not show greater directional bias. The most striking finding is that the overall mutation rate is the lowest reported for microsatellites: ∼1 × 10−6 for 10 dinucleotide loci and 6 × 10−6 for 52 trinucleotide loci (which were longer). High microsatellite mutation rates therefore do not explain the high incidence of microsatellites. The causal relation may in fact be reversed, with low mutation rates evolving to protect against deleterious fitness effects of mutation at the numerous microsatellites.
On the number of solutions to a diophantine equation

Abstract Let A 1 , …, A r , x 1 , …, x r , and A be known positive integers. Let f(A) be the number of integer solutions (x1, …, xr) satisfying the Diophantine equation ∑ j=1 r A j x j = A and the conditions 0 ⩽ x i ⩽ x j , j = 1, …, r. This paper expresses f(A) recursively as a linear function of f(0), f(1), …, f(A−1).
Heterogeneous integration of carbon nanotubes and graphene microassemblies for environmental and breath sensing

This paper demonstrates a new paradigm for realization of functional devices on CMOS die/wafer based on nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene, for chemical and biological sensing. This is made possible through a post-CMOS directed assembly approach based on dielectrophoresis (DEP); a low-cost, maskless approach electric-field based technique that is compatible for high throughput assembly of diverse array of nanomaterials. A new paradigm that utilizes CMOS die/wafer as electroactive functional substrates for DEP based assembly of nanomaterials is proposed. The proposed "CMOS for Nanoassembly (C4NA)" approach is an ideal pathway for heterogeneous integration of multiple nanomaterials on the same platform for variety of applications such as nanosensors-on-chip for environmental and biological sensing. We show some preliminary investigations in C4NA approach of single walled carbon nanotubes, DNA-functionalized carbon nanotubes and graphene for sensing of volatile organic compounds in the environment with potential for breath-based biomedical diagnostics.
Intentional Icons: Towards an Evolutionary Cognitive Ethology

In most species in which social play has been observed, play-soliciting signals have evolved. These social signals appear to be important in communicating play intention. Here, using the work of Ruth Millikan as a working guide and canid play bows as an example, we argue that (i) some play signals may be simple “intentional icons” and (ii) senders and receivers are “cooperating devices,” in that the disposition of senders to produce play-soliciting signals and the disposition of receivers of play signals to respond appropriately to play invitations, have evolved together. Millikan's views of social communication are difficult to render and are virtually untested. However, her stance, while philosophically controversial, is somewhat consistent with early ethological views of social communication. Thus, in combination with classical ethological positions, Millikan's position could serve as a useful guide not only to inform and motivate future empirical research in cognitive ethology, but also to stimulate ethologists to reconsider, in innovative ways, nonhuman animal cognition. To reject the empirical utility of Millikan's theory because of its difficulty or on philosophical grounds would be premature and would represent a confusion of empirical with philosophical issues.
High-level resistance to cefotaxime and ceftazidime in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from Cleveland, Ohio.

Abstract Two isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae possessing both TEM-1 and SHV-2 beta-lactamases were isolated from patients at the Cleveland Clinic in 1988. The beta-lactamases were discriminated and identified by using substrate hydrolysis data and an isoelectric focusing procedure in which the gel was overlaid with beta-lactamase inhibitors.
A Finite-Volume Icosahedral Shallow-Water Model on a Local Coordinate

Abstract An icosahedral-hexagonal shallow-water model (SWM) on the sphere is formulated on a local Cartesian coordinate based on the general stereographic projection plane. It is discretized with the third-order Adam–Bashforth time-differencing scheme and the second-order finite-volume operators for spatial derivative terms. The finite-volume operators are applied to the model variables defined on the nonstaggered grid with the edge variables interpolated using polynomial interpolation. The projected local coordinate reduces the solution space from the three-dimensional, curved, spherical surface to the two-dimensional plane and thus reduces the number of complete sets of basis functions in the Vandermonde matrix, which is the essential component of the interpolation. The use of a local Cartesian coordinate also greatly simplifies the mathematic formulation of the finite-volume operators and leads to the finite-volume integration along straight lines on the plane, rather than along curved lines on the sph...
Vehicle State Estimation for Roll Control System

Methods of estimating key vehicle states for roll stability control systems, including roll rate, roll angle, and lateral velocity, are investigated in this paper. Roll angle and roll rate estimators based on the two different vehicle models, 3-DOF (degree-of-freedom) and 1-DOF models, are evaluated and compared in both linear and non-linear regions using CarSim, a non-linear simulation software for vehicle dynamics control and integration. The effects of using roll rate sensor measurement in estimation are discussed. This paper also presents a new scheme of lateral velocity estimation, which compensates for errors in lateral acceleration and longitudinal speed measurements.
Access to Primary and Preventive Care among Foreign-Born Adults in Canada and the United States

Understanding the health care needs of immigrant populations is important because of their large and growing numbers. Migration patterns have a significant impact on the demographic composition of postindustrial countries, such as Canada and the United States. These countries display stagnant population growth due to lower fertility rates and higher life expectancy, and they attract immigration from countries that are still maturing (LaVeist 2005). The proportion of foreign born in both countries has been growing steadily in the past few decades and, if current trends persist, is expected to surpass historical peaks. Currently, about 20 percent (6.2 million) of the Canadian population and 12 percent (34 million) of the American population is foreign born (Larsen 2004; Statistics Canada 2007;). The United States currently gains about 1.2 million new immigrants each year, with top source countries including Mexico, Philippines, China, India, Vietnam, El Salvador, and South Korea (Passel and Suro 2005; Terrazas, Batalova, and Fan 2007;). Canada receives about 220,000 new immigrants each year, a much smaller absolute number than the United States but twice the rate per capita; top source countries include China, India, Philippines, Pakistan, the United States, and South Korea (Citizenship and Immigration Canada 2007). As immigrant populations continue to grow, the health of this group will increasingly be reflected in the overall health status of Canada and the United States, making it ever more critical to monitor immigrant health and health care. The “healthy immigrant effect” is well documented in the scientific literature (Frisbie, Cho, and Hummer 2001; Singh and Siahpush 2001; McDonald and Kennedy 2004; Newbold 2005; Cunningham, Ruben, and Narayan 2008;), and it is a term used to describe the phenomenon whereby immigrants of all racial/ethnic groups are healthier upon arrival to their country of resettlement, compared with their native-born counterparts; however, this health advantage decreases over time (Stephen et al. 1994; Lara et al. 2005; Antecol and Bedard 2006;). Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, but one of particular relevance to this study is the notion that poor access to health care, especially primary and preventive care which can prevent or detect health problems early, contributes to immigrants' health deterioration (LeClerce, Jensen, and Biddlecom 1994; Shi et al. 2002; Newbold 2005; Starfield, Shi, and Macinko 2005;). That is, although immigrants may be relatively healthy upon arrival, barriers to health care may lead to increased health risks over time. Thus, understanding the extent to which barriers to care exist has important implications for maintaining the health of individuals who migrate to these countries.
Use of Expression Analysis to Predict Outcome After Radical Prostatectomy

ABSTRACTPurpose: We summarize and discuss our recent work exploring the use of gene expression analysis for the prediction of histopathological features of prostate cancer and patient outcome following radical prostatectomy.Materials and Methods: Using “gene chips” capable of analyzing expression of greater than 10,000 genes simultaneously, expression data were collected from prostate tumors and adjacent normal tissue taken from patients undergoing radical prostatectomy between 1995 and 1997 at our hospital. Differentially expressed genes were analyzed using a signal-to-noise metric and by Pearson correlation, while predictive models were built and tested using nearest-neighbor prediction and leave-one-out cross validation. Patient outcome data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier plots.Results: Robust expression differences were readily detected between tumor and normal tissue, and computer models were built that could predict the identity of tumor or normal differences with 92% accuracy. We were able to fin...
Inhibition of TWEAK signaling preserves the glomerular filtration barrier and ameliorates spontaneous murine lupus nephritis (THER6P.845)

The TNF superfamily member TWEAK acts through its receptor, Fn14, to mediate several key pathological processes known to be involved in lupus nephritis. To explore the potential for renal protection by targeting this pathway, we introduced the Fn14 null allele into the MRL/lpr lupus mouse strain. At 26 to 38 weeks of age, female MRL/lpr Fn14 knockout (KO) mice (backcross #8) had significantly lower levels of proteinuria, BUN, and creatinine as compared to Fn14 wild type (WT) mice. Furthermore, Fn14KO mice had significantly improved renal pathology, accompanied by attenuated glomerular and tubulointerstitial inflammation and less glomerular immune deposits. There were no detectable differences between the strains in either serum autoantibody levels or in splenic immune cell subsets, although less lymphadenopathy was observed in Fn14KO mice. Importantly, Fn14KO mice displayed substantial preservation of podocytes in kidney glomeruli. Moreover, we demonstrated that TWEAK signaling via Fn14 directly damaged the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier through effects on both podocytes and glomerular endothelial cells. Inhibition of TWEAK signaling due to deficiency of the Fn14 receptor significantly improves renal disease in a spontaneous lupus nephritis model, likely through prevention of the direct injurious effects of TWEAK on the filtration barrier. Thus, blocking the TWEAK/Fn14 axis is a novel therapeutic target in immune-mediated proliferative glomerulonephritis.
HMM adaptation using linear spline interpolation with integrated spline parameter training for robust speech recognition.

We recently proposed a method for HMM adaptation to noisy environments called Linear Spline Interpolation (LSI). LSI uses linear spline regression to model the relationship between clean and noisy speech features. In the original algorithm, stereo training data was used to learn the spline parameters that minimize the error between the predicted and actual noisy speech features. The estimated splines are then used at runtime to adapt the clean HMMs to the current environment. While good results can be obtained with this approach, the performance is limited by the fact that the splines are trained independently from the speech recognizer and as such, they may actually be suboptimal for adaptation. In this work, we introduce a new Generalized EM algorithm for estimating the spline parameters using the speech recognizer itself. Experiments on the Aurora 2 task show that using LSI adaptation with splines trained in this manner results in a 20% improvement over the original LSI algorithm that used splines estimated from stereo data and a 28% improvement over VTS adaptation.
Changes in Political Astuteness Following Nurse Legislative Day

Political astuteness, including awareness, knowledge, and involvement, is necessary if nurses are to engage in policy advocacy-a vital aspect of the nursing profession. However, little is known about the effects of learning activities, such as legislative days, on political astuteness. The purpose of this research was to determine if political astuteness changed after participants attended a state nurse legislative day. Pre and post data were collected from participants in two studies (N = 80 and N = 34) using the Political Astuteness Inventory (PAI). Political astuteness scores were significantly higher after participants attended legislative day as compared to before. Age and educational rank were positively correlated with political astuteness. Experiential activities such as attending nurse legislative days that offer opportunities to learn policy advocacy skills can enhance knowledge of and participation in the policy process.
Disparities in Healthcare for Racial, Ethnic, and Sexual Minorities

This chapter situates healthcare as a concern for the field of adult education through a critique of disparities in access to healthcare, quality of care received, and caregiver services for racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities.
Apathy in Parkinson’s Disease

Apathy is a common word used to describe an inner lack of motivation that is distinct from a depressive condition, cognitive impairment, fatigue, or emotional sorrow. Apathy can be an isolated syndrome or a prominent feature found in depression and post-injury events such as stroke or trauma, infectious or metabolic comorbidities in neurodegenerative conditions (e.g., dementias, movement disorders), schizophrenia, and other systemic illness. Because of these, despite its estimated high prevalence, misdiagnosis of apathy as a syndrome is frequent and probably underestimated. Because apathetic patients, by definition, are non-complainers, Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients will often first acknowledge the presence of motor impairment, and even other behavioral symptoms, cognitive compromise, and worsening of quality of life before complaining of lack of motivation or loss of interest. The differentiation between apathy, fatigue, and depression also can become a challenge due to the overlap of symptoms
The tragic failure of energy planning

How and when will Americans accept the need for energy conservation? Not soon enough argues this energy analyst.
NCs in Moghamo: prenasalized onsets or heterosyllabic clusters?

This paper is concerned with the analysis of nasal-plus-oral-stop sequences in Moghamo, a Grassfields Bantu language of Cameroon. Although Stallcup [1978] tentatively analyzed these sequences as heterosyllabic clusters, the evidence suggests that they are actually prenasalized syllable onsets. First, the distribution of NCs closely parallels that of unambiguous onsets: they occur both initially and medially in words of several grammatical categories. Instances of unambiguous heterosyllabic clusters, by contrast, are rare. Second, while the nasal portion of noun-initial NCs was historically a prefix, it appears to be part of the root synchronically. Third, the nasal portion of an Niger-Congo does not appear to be phonologically tone-bearing. Finally, the contention that NCs are on-sets is supported by native speaker intuitions.
A representational approach to metaphor

IN THIS PAPER I shall argue that the relations between metaphorical and literal kinds of language may be illuminated and clarified by comparison with corresponding differences and similarities between representing and represented objects. A kind of "picture theory" of metaphorical language will be proposed (though one which draws more on Wittgenstein's Investigations than on the Tractatusl), in which successful metaphorical phrases2 are taken as being about things which are capable (in context) of being seen or recognized as representing or depicting that which the words ordinarily refer to or describe when being used literally. Example: suppose that someone disparagingly (and metaphorically) says of an ineffective guarddog, "that dog is a dead sheep." This will be explained as "that dog can be seen (or: recognized) as representing a dead sheep." This kind of approach to metaphorical language has some significant advantages over more usual approaches, such as those which treat metaphorical language as in some way involving violations or denials of the ordinary linguistic rules for the application of the relevant terms.3 These advantages will become apparent as the discussion proceeds. Broadly, they center around the fact that representational objects can indeed be very dissimilar to that which they represent (hence accounting for the "non-literal" aspect of metaphor), while the things which are thus represented are yet ordinary things (hence explaining how ordinary words hav-
Effects of Cysteamine on Blood Pressure: Possible Mediation through Vasopressin Release

Cysteamine (beta-mercaptoethylamine, CSH) has been reported to have various effects on the neuroendocrine system. Reports indicate CSH decreases pituitary oxytocin (OT) without affecting pituitary vasopressin (VP). However, preliminary studies from our laboratory strongly indicate that CSH has an effect on VP release. Experiments were conducted with dibenzyline-treated, urethane-anesthetized, male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Rats were injected with 4 mU of standard VP and 4 mg/100 g of CSH. Administration of VP resulted in an increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 23.5 +/- 3.2 mm Hg. Administration of CSH resulted in a consistent, immediate decrease in MAP of 13.0 +/- 2.0 mm Hg prior to an increase of 21.0 +/- 2.6 mm Hg. The effects due to VP and CSH were strikingly different; the CSH-induced MAP rise took longer to peak and to return to baseline. Both the VP- and CSH-induced MAP rise were markedly inhibited by a prior administration of a specific VP antagonist d(CH2)5[Tyr(Me)]AVP. In addition, the typical increase in MAP observed in SD rats following CSH administration was substantially reduced when the same dose was administered in homozygous diabetes insipidus (HODI) rats. The data presented here strongly suggest that CSH-induced MAP elevation is due to the release of VP from the pituitary gland.
Some properties of the virus of duck plague

Experiments were conducted to determine some of the physical and chemical characteristics of duck plague virus. As measured by filtration through membranes of graded porosity, the infectious particles were more than 100 mμ in diameter but less than 220 mμ The virus is sensitive to ether and chloroform and has the acridine orange-staining characteristics of DNA. Its infectivity is destroyed by heating at 50° C for 2 hours or at 56°C or 60°C for 10 minutes. At 22°C infectivity declines slowly and is no longer detectable after 30 days. Drying over calcium chloride at 22° C results in complete inactivation in 9 days. The virus is fairly stable over the pH range from 5 to 10 but is very rapidly inactivated at pH 11 or higher and pH 3 or lower. Infectivity is destroyed by trypsin, chymotrypsin and pancreatic lipase.
Technical note: isolation and characterization of sheep ruminal epithelial cells.

A system for the isolation and characterization of sheep ruminal epithelial cells has been developed. Ruminal papillae from the ventral cranial sac of 12- to 24-wk-old Dorset ram lambs were subjected to serial tryptic digestions. Initial digestions (two 15-min periods) in the series were used to remove keratinized cells of the stratum corneum, which were able to produce only small amounts of beta-hydroxybutyrate from butyrate (5.37 +/- .72 nmol/120 min/per milligram of dry cell weight). Later digest fractions, containing primarily cells from the stratum basale, exhibited high viabilities (75 to 95%) and proved capable of converting butyrate to beta-hydroxybutyrate at relatively high rates (33.6 +/- 6.7 nmol/120 min per milligram of dry cell weight). Neither acetate nor propionate underwent significant conversion to beta-hydroxybutyrate. However, addition of acetate inhibited (77.4% of control) and addition of propionate stimulated (200% of control) beta-hydroxybutyrate production. Acetate addition reduced the propionate-induced stimulation of beta-hydroxybutyrate production from butyrate (136% of control). These results are similar to those obtained from in vitro incubations of ruminal papillae and suggest that an isolated cell system may prove useful in the further study of ruminal epithelial metabolism.
Designing Communication Systems for Human Systems: Values and Assumptions of “Socially Open Architecture”

This chapter describes socially open architecture as an approach to designing technology-based communication systems. It argues that designers must pursue a “principle of incompleteness,” which rec...
Immunogenicity of Bacteria Treated in vitro with Subinhibitory Concentrations of Antibiotics

Studies in this and other laboratories over the last few years have pointed to the possible synergistic relationship between the host immune defense system and antibiotics in protection and/or treatment against a variety of infections agents, especially those caused by opportunistic bacteria [1–4]. Studies in this laboratory have shown that a semi-synthetic penicillin, such as cyclacillin or ampicillin, but not Penicillin G itself, may alter the susceptibility of susceptible Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli to host immune defenses, both humoral and cellular. E. coli pretreated in vitro with a subinhibitory concentration of cyclacillin or ampicillin became much more susceptible to the bactericidal activity of specific antibody and complement. Such antibiotic pretreated bacteria, even after extensive washing, also showed increased susceptibility to phagocytosis by normal peritoneal or splenic macrophages [5, 6]. In addition, the antibiotic pretreated bacteria were even more readily phagocytized by peritoneal macrophages from adjuvant treated mice. Thus antibiotic pretreatment appeared to result in marked increases in the susceptibility of the microorganism to phagocytosis. The bacteria also became much more susceptible to antibody mediated lysis in the presence of complement.
High-Conductance Pathways in Ring-Strained Disilanes by Way of Direct σ-Si-Si to Au Coordination.

A highly conducting electronic contact between a strained disilane and Au is demonstrated through scanning tunneling microscope-based single-molecule measurements. Conformationally locked cis diastereomers of bis(sulfide)-anchor-equipped 1,2-disilaacenaphthenes readily form high-conducting junctions in which the two sulfide anchors bind in a bipodal fashion to one gold electrode, providing enough stability for a stable electrical contact between the Si–Si σ bond and the other electrode.
Comparison of a new optical biometer using swept-source optical coherence tomography and a biometer using optical low-coherence reflectometry

Purpose To investigate agreement between the IOLMaster 700 based on swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and the Lenstar LS 900 based on optical low-coherence reflectometry (OLCR). Setting Private practice, Castrop-Rouxelle, Germany. Design Prospective evaluation of diagnostic test. Methods Axial length (AL), keratometry (K), anterior chamber depth (corneal epithelium to lens) (ACD), lens thickness, and central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured in 183 eyes of 183 patients. Analyses used a paired t test, Pearson correlation coefficient (r), and Bland-Altman plots. Intraocular lens (IOL) power calculations were compared using the Hoffer Q, Holladay 1, and SRK/T formulas. Results The difference in the mean AL between SS-OCT and OLCR was statistically significant but clinically insignificant (23.61 mm ± 1.27 [SD] and 23.60 ± 1.27 mm, respectively; P Conclusions Agreement between SS-OCT and OLCR was very good. The clinically insignificant but statistically significant differences in AL, ACD, and lens thickness did not reflect a statistically significant difference in IOL power calculation using 3 third-generation formulas. Financial Disclosure Proprietary or commercial disclosures are listed after the references.
Understanding the Juggling Act: Gendered Preferences and Social Structural Constraints

In this paper we use longitudinal data to test the strength of individual preferences and structural variables as explanations for married women's labor force participation. Data drawn from a subset of the Career Development Study are used to compare gendered preferences measured toward the end of adolescence vs. work and family structural variables as predictors of the actual number of hours married women work for pay. Family structures that push women out of the labor force and pull them into family work prove to be the strongest predictor of married women's employment hours, with work structures (e.g., aspects of “good” jobs) and the subjective definition of paid work as a career also being substantively important for explaining hours in the labor force. Our findings also indicate that attitudes formed before and during early adolescence do have a weak but statistically significant effect on married women's labor force participation, at least for baby boom women.
Correlates of self-efficacy for disease management in adolescent/young adult cancer survivors: A systematic review.

Objective The primary objective of this review was to summarize the literature regarding factors associated with self-efficacy for disease management (SEDM) in cross-sectional studies and the efficacy/effectiveness of psychosocial interventions that are designed to improve SEDM in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors. The secondary aim was to assess the quality of included studies. Method We conducted a systematic review using PsycINFO and PubMed to identify studies for review. Eligible studies were conducted in AYA cancer survivors ages 15 to 39; included a measure of SEDM assessed as an outcome or in a cross-sectional analysis; and were published in a peer-reviewed, English-language journal. Results From the 2,910 records screened, 7 cross-sectional studies and 4 intervention studies met criteria for inclusion. Eleven of the 12 SEDM measures in the studies were author-constructed, limiting the ability to draw conclusions across studies. All cross-sectional studies met at least 21 of 26 relevant quality assessment criteria, and intervention studies met between 4 and 11 of 14 criteria. Cross-sectional findings indicate that SEDM is positively associated with health-promoting behaviors and inversely related to physical and mental health problems. The intervention studies demonstrated that behavioral and educational interventions have the potential to increase SEDM. Conclusion Directions for research include the need for validated measures of SEDM for AYA cancer survivors, as well as interventions that target both the health care team's and the patient's role in promoting SEDM. (PsycINFO Database Record