cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Positive Youth Development Among Diverse Racial–Ethnic Children: Quality Afterschool Contexts as Developmental Assets

Positive youth development (PYD) deserves more empirical attention, particularly among children of diverse racial–ethnic backgrounds. Given the need among families for monitoring and supervision during out-of-school time, community-based afterschool is a potentially promotive ecological setting. This study explores the quality of afterschool experiences upon PYD. This multimethod study includes over 500 elementary school children in Grades 2–5 (Mage = 8.80, SD = 1.12). The sample comprises of 49% White, 27% African American, 7% Latino, and 17% mixed race/others with 45% free/reduced lunch eligible children. In multilevel models, independently observed quality across time positively impacted competence, connection, caring for all youth, and cultural values for racial–ethnic minority youth. Afterschool fosters PYD, including sociocultural dimensions, when comprised of appropriately structured, supportive, and engaging interactions.
Energopolitics and nuclear waste: Containing the threat of radioactivity

Abstract Managing the back-end of the nuclear fuel cycle continues to be a systemic issue for nuclear states. This paper examines some of the rationales and justifications for communities that choose to accept nuclear waste, focusing specifically on the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico. The negotiations that the federal government undertook with residents of the town closest to WIPP demonstrate the complex interplay of scientific information, economic and cultural benefits, and trust in governance, in order to make risks from radioactive waste understandable and manageable for a local community. Using the concept of “energopolitics” (Boyer, 2014), this paper seeks to understand how residents of nuclear communities discursively negotiate their relationships to their local environment, technoscientific expertise, and visions of the future through the materiality of nuclear waste, by using interviews, site visits, and public meeting testimonies from various stakeholders.
Nanosecond KTN varifocal lens without electric field induced phase transition

This paper presents a nanosecond speed KTN varifocal lens. The tuning principle of varifocal lens is based on the high-speed refractive index modulation from the nanosecond speed tunable electric field. A response time on the order of nanoseconds was experimentally demonstrated, which is the fastest varifocal lens reported so far. The results confirmed that the tuning speed of the KTN varifocal lens could be significantly increased by avoiding the electric field induced phase transition. Such a nanosecond speed varifocal lens can be greatly beneficial for a variety of applications that demand high speed axial scanning, such as high-resolution 3D imaging and high-speed 3D printing.
From Research to the Clinic: Targeting Stem Cell Pathways in Cancer

The Notch pathway and the Wnt pathway are fundamental stem cell pathways that are frequently deregulated in cancer, and components of these pathways have long been recognized to possess oncogenic potential. However, efforts to generate therapeutics have been hindered by the challenges of achieving effective and selective targeting in these complex pathways characterized by numerous signaling components, often with overlapping or redundant functions. Despite these challenges, therapeutic agents have now been generated that target specific components of the Notch or Wnt pathways and several are now progressing in clinical trials. This review highlights many of the agents now in clinical testing. The coming several years will likely provide significant answers to the therapeutic benefit that may be obtained by the targeting of Notch and Wnt. These pathways play central roles in the regulation of differentiation and self-renewal and thus these clinical trials may also, hopefully, help to provide clinical evaluation of the cancer stem cell hypothesis.
First Report of Soybean Vein Necrosis Virus Infecting Kudzu (Pueraria montana) in the United States of America

Soybean vein necrosis virus (SVNV) is a virus originally discovered in Arkansas and Tennessee and is currently present in all major soybean-producing states in the United States and Canada (Zhou and Tzanetakis 2013). Studies were carried out to investigate the role of kudzu (Pueraria montana) in SVNV epidemiology. Kudzu is present in millions of acres in the southeastern United States and is known to host at least another soybean-infecting virus, tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV) (Aboughanem-Sabanadzovic et al. 2014; Khankum et al. 2013). Eighty-five samples collected from 15 Mississippi counties during September 2015 were tested for SVNV infections using DAS-ELISA (Agdia Inc, U.S.A.) and three were infected by the virus. Two of the samples displayed mild deformation of young leaves, whereas the third was symptomless. In order to verify the results, virus-specific RT-PCR tests were performed on nucleic acid extracts from all ELISA-positive samples along with three SVNV-free kudzu plants and controls, represented by SVNV-infected and healthy soybeans. A DNA band of 236 bp corresponding to the NSs gene (Zhou and Tzanetakis 2013) was amplified only from the three ELISA-positive kudzu samples and positive controls. The products were directly sequenced in both directions and confirmed to be SVNV-specific as they shared 96 to 99% nt identity with corresponding region of the SVNV reference isolate (GenBank accession no. GU722319). In a greenhouse-based study, first instar larvae of soybean thrips (Neohydatothrips variabilis Beach) were fed on symptomatic soybean for virus acquisition and transferred to eight SVNV-free kudzu seedlings as described (Zhou and Tzanetakis 2013). Leaf and root tissues were randomly collected from virus-inoculated and mock-inoculated kudzu, respectively, at 6 weeks post inoculation. Total nucleic acids were isolated and RT-PCR was performed using primer set SdetF/SdetR (Zhou et al. 2011). Amplification products corresponding to the complete NP gene (834 bp) were obtained in both leaf and root tissues from five inoculated plants and shared 97 to 99% identity with the reference isolate (GenBank accession no. GU722319), whereas there was no amplification from mock-inoculated controls. Those results were further confirmed by dot blot immunoassay with infected plants remaining asymptomatic for at least a month post inoculation. Our findings represent the first report of SVNV infections of kudzu in the U.S.A. and the world. Kudzu is likely to play a role in the epidemiology of virus and disease. Furthermore, our results expand the range of pathogens (Asian soybean rust, TRSV) and insects (kudzu bug) that kudzu can sustain, indicating its ecological impact as an invasive species.
HTF-MPR: A heterogeneous TensorFlow mapper targeting performance using genetic algorithms and gradient boosting regressors

TensorFlow [1] is a library developed by Google to implement Artificial Neural Networks using computational dataflow graphs. The neural network has many iterations during training. A distributed, parallel environment is ideal to speedup learning. Parallelism requires proper mapping of devices to TensorFlow operations. We developed HTF-MPR framework for that reason. HTF-MPR utilizes a genetic algorithm approach to search for the best mapping that outperforms the default Tensorflow mapper. By using Gradient Boosting Regressors to create the fitness predictive model, the search space is expanded which increases the chances of finding a solution mapping. Our results on well-known neural network benchmarks, such as ALEXNET, MNIST softmax classifier, and VGG-16, show an overall speedup in the training stage by 1.18, 3.33, and 1.13, respectively.
Parent Depressive Symptomatology Moderates the Etiology of Externalizing Behavior in Childhood: An Examination of Gene-Environment Interaction Effects

Parent depressive symptomatology is robust risk factor for externalizing behavior in childhood (Goodman et al., 2011). Although the precise mechanisms underlying this association have yet to be fully illuminated, there is some evidence that parent depression can impact externalizing behavior via both genetic and environmental pathways. In the current study, we investigated the extent to which genetic and environmental influences on externalizing behavior are moderated by parent depressive symptoms (i.e., genotype-environment interaction) in a sample of 2,060, 6- to 11-year-old twins. Results suggest that genetic influences explain more variance in externalizing behavior as maternal depressive symptoms increase, whereas shared environmental effects decrease. These findings were specific to maternal depressive symptoms, however, and did not extend to not paternal depressive symptoms. Findings are critical for understanding the role of parental depression as a risk factor for problematic child behavior, and informing programs that seek to minimize the impact of this risk factor. (PsycINFO Database Record
10.12 Estuaries

Estuaries are among the most biologically productive and geomorphologically complex environments in the coastal zone. Estuaries vary considerably in terms of geomorphology, tides, drainage basin and fluvial processes, water chemistry, wave characteristics, sediment provenance, upland land use and land cover, biodiversity, and degree of human modification. This chapter presents background information on the definition, classification, and characteristics of estuaries as well as the physical processes that shape morphology. A review of research is presented, focusing on broad-scale estuarine morphology and evolution and an examination of contemporary processes and forms in the intertidal zone. The chapter includes a discussion of current issues in estuarine research, including geomorphic–biotic interactions, human-modified estuaries, and restoration practices. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of future areas of concern given current attention to climate variability and sea-level rise. Although the focus is on geomorphic research, there are references to key work within biology, chemistry, and hydrology.
Die Entdeckung der Röntgenstrahlen im zeitgenössischen Humor

In den Zeitschriften des Jahres 1896 fand sich eine grose Anzahl humorvoller Auserungen, Gedichte und Zeichnungen uber die „merkwurdige Entdeckung“, die ein gutes Bild von der Aufnahme der unglaublichen Tatsache, das man „die Knochen durch das Fleisch hindurch photographieren kann“. beim Publikum gaben.
Asynchronous Curriculum "Socially Synchronized": Learning Via Competition.

Author(s): Smart, Jon; Olson, Adriana Segura; Muck, Andrew | Abstract: Introduction: Now widespread in emergency medicine (EM) residency programs, asynchronous curriculum (AC) moves education outside of classic classrooms. Our program’s prior AC had residents learning in isolation, achieving completion via quizzes before advancing without the benefit of deliberate knowledge reinforcement. We sought to increase engagement and spaced repetition by creating a social AC using gamification. Methods: We created a website featuring monthly options from textbooks and open-access medical education. Residents selected four hours of material, and then submitted learning points. Using these learning points, trivia competitions were created. Residents competed in teams as “houses” during didactic conference, allowing for spaced repetition. Residents who were late in completing AC assignments caused their “house” to lose points, thus encouraging timely completion. Results: Completion rates prior to deadline are now g95% compared to ~30% before intervention. Surveys show increased AC enjoyment with residents deeming it more valuable clinically and for EM board preparation. Conclusion: Socially synchronized AC offers a previously undescribed method of increasing resident engagement via gamification.
The Migration of Government Documents Duties to Public Services: An Analysis of Recent Trends in Government Documents Librarian Job Advertisements

This paper establishes trends in the duties of government documents librarians through analysis of job advertisements and provides insights into the current delivery of government information in an...
Constructing a Network Fundamental Diagram: Synthetic Origin–Destination Approach:

The network fundamental diagram (NFD) is increasingly used in traffic monitoring and control. One obstacle to a wider application of NFDs in network control is the difficulty of obtaining data from...
Further discussion on the Eocene drowning of New Caledonia: Discordances from the point of view of zoology

We discuss the fauna of New Caledonia in the context of the prolonged submergence of Grande Terre until its re‐emergence around 37 million years ago and whether the resulting fauna can be entirely explained by over‐water dispersal. The current literature discussing the predominant neoendemism in New Caledonia is reviewed, questioning some of the discourse about how the fact that most animal and plant lineages are neoendemics should weigh in to disregard the fewer cases of paleoendemism (clades that have persisted and diversified in New Caledonia for over 37 million years). We argue that many of the examples used in the literature, selected for other purposes, were not chosen to test this particular hypothesis, but several old lineages of non‐vagile animals show that a non‐trivial number of clades have a history that predates the supposed emergence of New Caledonia. We conclude by posing the question of how much additional evidence should be needed to demonstrate a discordance between the geological history of the archipelago and the evolutionary history of its biota.
Gendering indigenous subjects: an institutional ethnography of corporate social responsibility in Ecuador

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are institutions of governance and development designed to respond to socio-ecological impacts of resource extraction. I argue that CSR programs are a...
Ventricular Septal Defect Patch Closure

Ventricular septal defect is the most frequent congenital heart disease and it exists as an isolated form or combines with other complex cardiovascular malformations. Soto's classification is based on the location and extension of the defect and it is most useful and comprehensive for a surgeon. Ventricular septal defect closure is one of the basic surgical procedures that a congenital heart surgeon must master first. In order to perform a perfect patch closure of the defect without making complications such as residual interventricular shunt, tricuspid valve regurgitation, or atrioventricular block, surgeon must acquire, ① preoperative and intraoperative accurate assessment and understanding of the anatomical features of the defect, ② effective intraoperative exposure of the defect, and ③ safe and assured stitch and ligation.
Continuity and sensitivity analysis of parameterized Nash games

In this paper we consider continuity of the set of Nash equilibria and approximate Nash equilibria for parameterized games. For parameterized games with unique Nash equilibria, the continuity of this equilibrium mapping is well-known. However, when the equilibria need not be unique, there may exist discontinuities in the equilibrium mapping. The focus of this work is to summarize continuity properties for parameterized Nash equilibria and prove continuity via the approximate Nash game with uniformly continuous objective functions over potentially non-compact strategy spaces.
Total-transfer comprehensive three-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Abstract Although comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography (GC × GC) is a powerful technique for complex samples, component overlap remains likely. An intriguing route to address this challenge is to utilize the additional peak capacity and chemical selectivity provided by comprehensive three-dimensional (3D) gas chromatography (GC3), especially with time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection (GC3-TOFMS). However, the GC3-TOFMS instrumentation reported to date has employed one or both modulators with a duty cycle
Group-specific models of healthcare workers’ well-being using iterative participant clustering

Healthcare workers often experience stress and burnout due to the demanding job responsibilities and long work hours. Ambulatory monitoring devices, such as wearable and environmental sensors, combined with machine learning algorithms can afford us a better understanding of the naturalistic onset and evolution of stress and emotional reactivity in real-life with valuable implications in behavioral interventions. However, the typically large degree of inter-subject variability, due to individual differences in responses and behaviors, makes it difficult for machine learning models to robustly learn behavioral signal patterns and adequately generalize to unseen individuals. In this study, we design group-specific models of well-being (i.e., stress, sleep, positive affect, negative affect) and contextual outcomes (i.e., type of activity) based on real-life multimodal longitudinal data collected in situ from healthcare workers in a hospital environment. Group-specific models are constructed by learning an initial model based on all individuals and subsequently refining the model for a specific group of participants. Participants are originally grouped based on the feature space constructed by the multimodal data, while the original grouping is iteratively refined using the learned multimodal representations of the group-specific models. The results from this study indicate that in the majority of cases the proposed group-specific models, learned through iterative participant clustering, outperform the baseline systems, which involve general models learned based on all participants, as well as group-specific models without iterative participant clustering. This study provides promising results for predicting psychological and behavioral factors that affect the well-being of healthcare workers and lays the foundation toward ambulatory real-life assessment and interventions.
Racial Segregation and the Data-Driven Society: How Our Failure to Reckon with Root Causes Perpetuates Separate and Unequal Realities

This Essay asserts that in the United States racial segregation has and continues to play a central evolutionary role in the inequalities we see reproduced and amplified by data-driven technologies and applications. Racial segregation distorts and constrains how data-driven technologies are developed and implemented, how problems of algorithmic bias are conceptualized, and what interventions or solutions are deemed appropriate and pursued. After detailing the foundational aspects of how racial segregation has evolved over time and its less obvious social, political and epistemic implications for White Americans, the demographic group that dominates the technology sector, this Essay explores how racial segregation affects algorithmic design, analysis and outcomes. It concludes with analysis of how prevailing approaches to evaluating and mitigating algorithmic bias are insufficient and why a transformative justice framework is necessary to adequately examine and redress algorithmic bias as well as improve the development of data-driven technologies and applications. This Essay illustrates how critical analysis of racial segregation can deepen our understanding of algorithmic bias, improve evaluations of data-driven technologies for social and racial equity concerns, and broaden our imaginations about what meaningful redress of technology-mediated harms and injustices should include.
Caveolae: Portals for transmembrane signaling and cellular transport

Publisher Summary Caveolae, also known as “plasmalemmal vesicles,” are 50–100nm flask-shaped vesicular organelles located at the plasma membrane and within the Golgi complex. Caveolae play a central role in normal and pathogenic signaling events and represent a focal point for a variety of human diseases. Caveolin was first identified as a major v-Src substrate and later as a caveolar marker protein. Known to be an integral membrane phosphoprotein, caveolin could play the role of an adaptor molecule, linking other caveolar components to cytoplasmic signaling molecules. The role of caveolae in the transcellular transport of protein was studied in endothelial cells. A series of both large and small fluid-phase tracer molecules were transported across capillary endothelial cells via caveolae.
Electron transfer reactions within σ- and π-bridged dinitrogen-centered intervalence radical cations

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the intramolecular electron transfer (ET) between the charge-bearing units (M groups) of symmetrical intervalence (IV) compounds. The classical two-state Hamiltonian has been widely used by scientists. It is now accepted that ET is a tunneling process that must be treated quantum mechanically. Changing the bridge for the σ-bridged compounds discussed in this chapter requires preparation of a different bis(azo) compound. Because methylene chloride is a solvent of low dielectric constant, ion pairing occurs detectably even for rather large cations and anions. Medium effects on ET reactions of metal complexes have been recently reviewed. Solvent effects have been uniquely important in ET studies. Marcus splits the vertical reorganization energy into solvation and internal components using dielectric continuum theory. Marcus pointed out that intrinsic rate constants (those for zero driving force reactions) are the significant ones to consider for intermolecular ET reactions, and he developed a cross-rate theory to determine them. Electron hopping is unquestionably the way that really long-distance ET is achieved in nature, and is currently a topic of great interest.
Combinatorial Games: Tic-Tac-Toe Theory

Preface A summary of the book in a nutshell Part I. Weak Win and Strong Draw: 1. Win vs. weak win 2. The main result: exact solutions for infinite classes of games Part II. Basic Potential Technique - Game-Theoretic First and Second Moments: 3. Simple applications 4. Games and randomness Part III. Advanced Weak Win - Game-Theoretic Higher Moment: 5. Self-improving potentials 6. What is the Biased Meta-Conjecture, and why is it so difficult? Part IV. Advanced Strong Draw - Game-Theoretic Independence: 7. BigGame-SmallGame decomposition 8. Advanced decomposition 9. Game-theoretic lattice-numbers 10. Conclusion Appendix A. Ramsey numbers Appendix B. Hales-Jewett theorem: Shelah's proof Appendix C. A formal treatment of positional games Appendix D. An informal introduction to game theory Appendix E. New results Complete list of the open problems What kinds of games? A dictionary Dictionary of the phrases and concepts References.
Mechanism Analysis of a Cam Driven Rotary Engine

The plate cam rotary mechanism has application as an IC engine, a pump, a compressor or any similar device. The basic design and operating parameters are explained. The kinematic analysis provides the relationships necessary for a parametric cam track equation. Various parameters are explained and tracks for sinusoidal motion and dwell motion are computed. Various applications are discussed of how this mechanism may be employed. 6 references.
Narrative, Truth & Trial

This article critically evaluates the relationship between constructing narratives and achieving factual accuracy at trials. The story model of adjudication — according to which jurors process testimony by organizing it into competing narratives — has gained wide acceptance in the descriptive work of social scientists and currency in the courtroom, but it has received little close attention from legal theorists. The article begins with a discussion of the meaning of narrative and its function at trial. It argues that the story model is incomplete, and that “legal truth” emerges from a hybrid of narrative and other means of inquiry. As a result, trials contain opportunities to promote more systematic consideration of evidence. Second, the article asserts that, to the extent the story model is descriptively correct with respect to the structure of juror decision making, it also gives rise to normative concerns about the tension between characteristic features of narrative and the truth-seeking aspirations of trial. Viewing trials through the lens of narrative theory brings sources of bias and error into focus and suggests reasons to increase the influence of analytic processes. The article then appraises improvements in trial mechanics — from prosecutorial discovery obligations through appellate review of evidentiary errors — that might account for the influence of stories. For example, a fuller understanding of narrative exposes the false assumption within limiting instructions that any piece of evidence exists in isolation. And to better inform how adjudicators respond to stories in the courtroom, the article argues for modifying instructions in terms of their candor, explanatory content, and timing.
Throughput, energy efficiency and interference characterisation of 802.11ac

This paper is the first of its kind in presenting a detailed characterisation of IEEE 802.11ac using real experiments. 802.11ac is the latest Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) standard that is rapidly being adapted because of its potential to deliver very high throughput. The throughput increase in 802.11ac can be attributed to three factors—larger channel width (80/160 MHz), support for denser modulation (256 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)) and increased number of spatial streams for Multiple-input Multiple-output (MIMO). We provide an experiment evaluation of these factors and their impact using a real 802.11ac testbed. Our findings provide numerous insights on benefits and challenges associated with using 802.11ac in practice. Because utilisation of larger channel width is one of the most significant changes in 802.11ac, we focus our study on understanding its impact on energy efficiency and interference. Using experiments, we show that utilising larger channel width is in general less energy efficient because of its higher power consumption in idle listening mode. Increasing the number of MIMO spatial streams is comparatively more energy efficient for achieving the same percentage increase in throughput. We also show that 802.11ac link witnesses severe unfairness issues when it coexists with legacy 802.11. We provide a detailed analysis to show how medium access in heterogeneous channel width environment leads to the unfairness issues. We believe that these and many other findings presented in this work will help in understanding and resolving various performance issues of next generation WLANs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Shared and Unshared Knowledge Resources

This chapter provides an analysis of the use of shared and unshared knowledge resources in four discussion groups as group members analyze a case describing the problems of a particular classroom teacher. The first part of this chapter briefly describes a key goal of teacher education programs in fostering clinical reasoning by the application of theoretical principles to problems of practice. The use of cases as an instructional tool has the potential to foster this kind of thinking but there is relatively little empirical work on the use of cases. The chapter delineates some of the expected benefits of the use of cases and points to the potential of group discussion of cases as a method for reaping those benefits. The need for an appropriate model of collaboration that may fit the task and expected outcomes is also noted. These issues are further explored in the context of the analysis of the specific group discussions presented here. Attention is also drawn to some thorny issues in the consideration of shared and unshared knowledge resources.
Arthritis severity and spirochete burden are determined by serotype in the Borrelia turicatae-mouse model of lyme disease

Immunodeficient mice infected with Borrelia turicatae, a relapsing fever agent, have a disorder that resembles disseminated Lyme disease. Two serotypes, A and B, differed in their arthritogenicity in both CB-17 SCID and C3H SCID mice. In CB-17 SCID mice infected with serotype A or B, arthritis was assessed by measurement of tibiotarsal diameter, functional ability on a beam walk test, and microscopic assessment of joint inflammation. Serotype B-infected mice had greater joint swelling, functional disability, and leukocytic infiltration in the joints than serotype A-infected mice. Joint swelling and disability peaked at 2 weeks of infection and then decreased, while leukocyte infiltration in the joints persisted. To investigate the basis for the differences in arthritogenicity of serotypes A and B, spirochete burdens in infected mice were measured by quantitative PCR of spirochete DNA in joints, direct immunofluorescence of spirochetes in joints, and counts of spirochetes in the blood. At 2 weeks of infection there were seven times more spirochetes in the joints of serotype B-infected mice than in those of serotype A-infected mice, measured by both quantitative PCR and direct enumeration. Although serotypes A and B had the same infectivity and growth rate in vivo, serotype B spirochetes were eightfold more abundant in the blood than serotype A spirochetes and produced greater fatality in newborn mice. These findings indicate that differences in disease severity in mice infected with serotype A or B are attributable to differences in the spirochete burden in the joints and blood.
Integrative aspects of zinc transporters.

Cells maintain zinc concentrations with relatively narrow limits. Nevertheless, physiologically relevant changes in free Zn(II) pools or changes in Zn bound to specific ligands or within vesicles may occur without a major change in total cellular zinc concentrations. The task of maintaining such levels rests in part with zinc transporter proteins. The genes for some putative zinc transporters have recently been cloned. As of this time, most have not been directly shown to transport zinc in functional studies, albeit evidence is strong that they have such a function. Zinc transporter (ZnT)-1 was identified as a rescue agent for cells maintained in very high extracellular zinc conditions; therefore, ZnT-1 has been suggested to function as an exporter. ZnT-1 is expressed in a variety of tissues, including intestine, kidney and liver. Intestinal expression is regional, being much greater in duodenum and jejunum and in villus versus crypt cells. Immunolocalization places ZnT-1 at the basolateral membrane of intestinal enterocytes and epithelial cells of the distal renal tubules. Regulation of ZnT-1 mRNA and ZnT-1 protein does not change markedly with changes in dietary zinc level except when a large single oral zinc supplement is provided. ZnT-1 is induced by transient ischemia of the forebrain. ZnT-2 and ZnT-3 may function in tissue-specific vesicular zinc transport. ZnT-4 is believed to be abundant in mammary gland and may be associated with zinc secretion into milk. A mutation of the ZnT-4 gene may account for the lethal milk (Im) syndrome. The putative zinc transporters identified thus far appear to have characteristics commensurate with functions in integrative zinc acquisition and homeostasis.
Teacher Leader Programming Theoretical Underpinnings

Teacher-leader programs are a common graduate option for inservice teachers. In this article, Rogus identifies a rationale for teacher-leader programs, explicates selected findings from the teacher...
Photoacoustic deflection spectroscopy: a new specie-specific method for combustion diagnostics.

On applique cette technique aux molecules OH dans une flamme methane-oxygene; on montre que le changement de pression accompagnant le chauffage de la region irradiee par le faisceau d'un laser a colorant, peut etre detecte par la deflexion d'un faisceau sonde place a une petite distance du faisceau pompe
Supraumbilical pyloromyotomy: a unique indication for antimicrobial prophylaxis

Abstract Background The umbilical fold incision for infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis provides a convenient exposure and cosmetically appealing scar. This study investigates the possible difference in infection rates between traditional and supraumbilical approaches for pyloromyotomy. Methods All patients who underwent pyloromyotomy for infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis at a tertiary pediatric hospital were reviewed. Baseline wound infection rate was determined through review of patients with right upper quadrant incisions (group 1). A nonrandomized comparison was performed between patients with a supraumbilical approach (group 2) and those undergoing supraumbilical incisions after prophylactic antibiotic administration (group 3). Results Complete records were reviewed on 384 patients over a 6-year period. Demographics and preoperative factors were similar among groups. The rate of infection in group 1 (n = 258) was 2.3%. With introduction of the supraumbilical approach, there was a statistically significant increase in wound infection rate to 7.0% ( χ 2 ; group 1 vs group 2, P χ 2 ; group 1 vs group 3, P P Conclusions The risk of wound infection by classic pyloromyotomy of 2.3% is significantly increased with an open supraumbilical approach. The use of prophylactic antibiotics reduces this risk of wound infection.
Synergistic effect of antibodies to human leukocyte antigens and defensins in pathogenesis of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after human lung transplantation.

Background This study aims to determine the role of antibodies to donor-mismatched human leukocyte antigen (HLA) developed during the post-transplant period in inducing defensins and their synergistic role in the pathogenesis of chronic rejection, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), after human lung transplantation (LTx). Methods Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum from 21 BOS+ LTx patients were assayed for β-defensins human neutrophil peptides (HNP) 1-3 (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]) and anti-HLA antibodies (Luminex, Luminex Corp, Austin, TX). Human airway epithelial cells (AEC) were treated with anti-HLA antibodies, HNP-1/2, or both, and the levels of β-defensin were measured by ELISA. Using a mouse model of obliterative airway disease induced by anti-major histocompatibility (MHC) class-I antibodies, we quantitatively and qualitatively determined neutrophil infiltration by myeloperoxidase (MPO) staining and activity by MPO assay, and defensin levels in the BAL. Results In human LTx patients, higher defensin levels correlated with presence of circulating anti-HLA antibodies ( p p Conclusions Anti-HLA antibodies developed during the post-transplant period and α-defensins stimulated β-defensin production by epithelial cells, leading to increased cellular infiltration and inflammation. Chronic stimulation of epithelium by antibodies to MHC and resulting increased levels of defensins induce growth factor production and epithelial proliferation contributing to the development of chronic rejection after LTx.
Vagus nerve stimulation reduces daytime sleepiness in epilepsy patients.

Background: Given that vagal afferents project to brainstem regions that promote alertness, the authors tested the hypothesis that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) would improve daytime sleepiness in patients with epilepsy. Methods: Sixteen subjects with medically refractory seizures underwent polysomnography and multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT) and completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), a measure of subjective daytime sleepiness, before and after 3 months of VNS. Most subjects (>80%) were maintained on constant doses of antiepileptic medications. Results: In the 15 subjects who completed baseline and treatment MSLT, the mean sleep latency (MSL) improved from 6.4 ± 4.1 minutes to 9.8 ± 5.8 minutes (± SD; p = 0.033), indicating reduced daytime sleepiness. All subjects with stimulus intensities of ≤1.5 mA showed improved MSL. In the 16 subjects who completed baseline and treatment ESS, the mean ESS score decreased from 7.2 ± 4.4 to 5.6 ± 4.5 points (p = 0.049). Improvements in MSLT and ESS were not correlated with reduction in seizure frequency. Sleep-onset REM periods occurred more frequently in treatment naps as compared to baseline naps (p Conclusions: Treatment with VNS at low stimulus intensities improves daytime sleepiness, even in subjects without reductions in seizure frequency. Daytime REM sleep is enhanced with VNS. These findings support the role of VNS in activating cholinergic and other brain regions that promote alertness.
Effect of chemical reactions on turbulent diffusivities

A mixing length model describes the recently observed (Bilger et al., 1991) effect of chemical reactions on turbulent diffusivities. From this viewpoint, the coupling between microscale reactions and macroscale mixing occurs because the reaction rate is a quasitransferable property which causes more reaction in fluctuating fluid lumps leaving regions of high rate than low rate. The net effect, which raises or lowers reactant diffusivities, depends on a characteristic macromixing time and the rate at which the mean reaction rate changes with mean concentration: e A /e=1-τ M dr A /dC A The model shows correct qualitative behavior and appears to agree quantitatively with much of the existing data. It adds an apparent flux, eτ M (dr a /dy), to the convective diffusion equations which can enhance or hinder the normal turbulent fluxes, but is likely to have little effect on the mean concentration field
Tocilizumab-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Adult Onset Still’s Disease

Background. Tocilizumab, a monoclonal humanized anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, is used in treatment of refractory adult onset Still's disease (AOSD). Mild to moderate liver enzyme elevation is a well-known side effect, but severe liver injury has only been reported in 3 cases in the literature. Case. A young female suffering from corticoid and methotrexate refractory AOSD was treated by tocilizumab. After 19 months of consecutive treatment, she developed acute severe liver injury. Liver biopsy showed extensive hepatocellular necrosis with ballooned hepatocytes, highly suggestive of drug-induced liver injury. No other relevant drug exposure beside tocilizumab was recorded. She recovered totally after treatment discontinuation and an initial 3-day course of intravenous N-acetylcysteine with normalization of liver function tests after 6 weeks. Conclusion. Acute severe hepatitis can be associated with tocilizumab as documented in this case. Careful monitoring of liver function tests is warranted during tocilizumab treatment.
Modulation of Circulating Cellular Adhesion Molecules in Postmenopausal Women With Coronary Artery Disease

AbstractObjectives. The present study examined the association of estrogen (E2) and the inflammatory response of endothelium in coronary artery disease (CAD) by measuring circulating cellular adhes...
Abstract: Extended Abstract for Evaluating Asynchrony in Gibraltar RAID's GPU Reed-Solomon Coding Library

GPU has been utilized for Reed Solomon coding tasks for arbitrary (k+n) RAID system. In this project, we apply the asynchronous design with CUDA in order to run multiple coding tasks simultaneously. Results show significant performance boosts for small block coding tasks by concurrent kernels.
Complex interactions between biota, landscapes and native peoples

The papers presented here originated with a symposium held at the Ecological Society of America’s annual meeting in Portland, Oregon, in 2012. They describe how native people and indigenous researchers view and understand the cultural and biological complexity inherent in coupled socio-ecological systems. The researchers note that interactions between native peoples and their environments consist of a complex network of linkages, feedbacks, and change, and they describe synthetic approaches to problem solving. These approaches often spring from long cultural traditions and recent adaptations to environments. There are examples of native peoples successfully managing biota and ecosystems for thousands of years. Yet, current societal conditions often challenge indigenous-based efforts to continue managing ecosystems and biota. Nonetheless, in the face of the new challenges native people continue to innovate and manage their environments and biota.
Tidal heating in an internal ocean model of Europa

Results are reported from computations of tidal heating processes in a realistic three-layer Europa model featuring an elastic ice lithosphere, an underlying inviscid water layer, and an elastic silicate core. The volumic density of the outer two layers were 940 and 1000, respectively, while the Europan mean density was 3030 kg/cu m and the total depth of the water layers was 100 km. Calculations of various thermal distributions in the liquid layer, heated tidally by the core, indicate that a decoupled ice lithosphere would be distorted by 23 m at the sub-jovian point, which would correspond with a Love number of 0.26. The tidal heating scenario does not explain the observed recent cracking of Europa's surface, unless the satellite also recently had a significantly more eccentric orbit.
Mean excitation energies of several compounds and mixtures

Abstract Previously measured stopping powers of several hydrocarbon compounds and mixtures have been fitted with the Bichsel energy loss computer code to determine mean excitation energies. The best fit values differ by as much as 14% from the corresponding calculated values based on an assumed additivity of stopping effects, although the average deviation is only 2%.
What a polyclonal antibody sees in von Willebrand factor

Introduction Von Willebrand factor (VWF) plays a critical role in hemostasis by carrying factor VIII (FVIII) and binding to specific ligands on the surface of blood platelets and within the blood vessel wall.
Anti-DNA Antibodies: Specificity?

Excerpt To the editor: I read with interest the review on recent advances in rheumatoid diseases (Ann Intern Med77:455-464, 1972). I was particularly impressed by the statement, "antibodies against...
Nonsteady Accretion in Protostars

Observations indicate that mass accretion rates onto low-mass protostars are generally lower than the rates of infall to their disks; this suggests that much of the protostellar mass must be accreted during rare, short outbursts of rapid accretion. We explore when protostellar disk accretion is likely to be highly variable. While constant α disks can in principle adjust their accretion rates to match infall rates, protostellar disks are unlikely to have constant α. In particular, we show that neither models with angular momentum transport due solely to the magnetorotational instability (MRI) nor gravitational instability (GI) are likely to transport disk mass at protostellar infall rates over the large range of radii needed to move infalling envelope material down to the central protostar. We show that the MRI and GI are likely to combine to produce outbursts of rapid accretion starting at a few AU. Our analysis is consistent with the time-dependent models of Armitage et al. and agrees with our observational study of the outbursting object FU Ori.
Electron stimulated desorption from CO and O adsorbed on clean and Cu covered W(110) surfaces

Abstract Electron stimulated desorption from CO adsorbed on Cu n W (110) with n = 0, 1, and 2 was carried out in order to compare cross sections and thresholds for CO, CO + , and O + desorption. It was found that the thresholds for all three products were virtually independent of the presence or absence of Cu, indicating very similar mechanisms; however cross sections for n = 1, 2 were appreciably higher than on clean W(110). The threshold for CO production is attributed to creation of a 5σ hole; absence of 2π b DOS for n ⩾ 1 rules out a 2 π b → 2 π a transition as the mechanism. CO + production could correspond to creation of 5σ −2 . CO + formation near threshold may occur by creation of a 5σ −2 state. Arguments are presented to show that formation of 4σ −1 also corresponds to the CO + threshold and may lead to CO + desorption. O + production from adsorbed CO corresponds to formation of various 2 hole states. Comparison of yields of neutral CO from n = 0 and n ⩾ 1 also made it possible to obtain desorption and β-CO conversion cross sections for CO adsorbed on bare W(110). The ESD behavior of O/Cu n /W(110) layers for n = 0, 1–4 was also investigated. Only O + could be detected in all cases and there was no change in O coverage after prolonged electron bombardment. It is argued that O + comes from minority states corresponding to O adsorption on edge or corner metal atoms at steps and other imperfections. The thresholds are consistent with initial creation of a 2s hole on O, followed by filling of this hole by a metal electron and ejection of an O2p Auger electron. The resulting M + O + state leads to desorption of energetic O + . This process restricted to O bound to metal atoms in sufficiently poor contact with the rest of the substrate to give M + and O + the required lifetimes. None of the processes investigated showed openings of new channels at energies corresponding to creation of holes in substrate metal atoms.
Further Validation of the Quartic Concentration Profile Approximation for Describing Intraparticle Transport in Cyclic Adsorption Processes

Models developed previously by the authors that describe nonlinear adsorption, and simultaneous pore and surface diffusion in a single particle, that are based on intraparticle quartic and parabolic concentration profile approximations, and that utilize the summation of the gas and adsorbed phases approach in the material balance formulations, were further validated under more diverse, yet more realistic, cycling conditions. Periodic square, sinusoidal and triangular wave functions were used to more accurately represent the periodic boundary conditions that the external surface of an adsorbent particle may be exposed to during repeated adsorption and desorption cycles in a fixed bed adsorber. Analytical solutions that describe the periodic uptake and release of the adsorbate by the adsorbent were obtained for all three periodic wave functions, and for both the quartic and parabolic profile approximations. By comparing the predictions obtained from both models with the exact numerical solution, the superiority of the quartic model over the parabolic model was clearly demonstrated for all wave functions, and for a wide range of adsorbate-adsorbent systems and bulk concentrations. Excellent agreement between the quartic and exact models was obtained in most cases. In general, the predictions improved as the wave function changed more gradually with time (triangular more gradual than sinusoidal and sinusoidal more gradual than square), as the degree of mathematical linearity of the adsorbate-adsorbent system increased, and as the maximum external surface concentration decreased (an isotherm nonlinearity effect). Subtle differences in the predictive ability of the new approximate models, stemming from the use of the different wave functions, were exposed. Overall, these results exemplify the importance of comparing the predictive ability of new approximate models that describe intraparticle transport under more diverse cycling conditions than are typically utilized in the literature, which has been dominated by the square wave function.
The Stern Test of Objectivity for the Useful Science of Agricultural Economics

that to realize its highest potential of service in meeting real-world problems, to hold public support, and to be called a science, it must not only perform well technically but also demonstrate unblemished objectivity. The challenge to objectivity is more pervasive than is generally realized. It is greatest in the field of policy, where political and private interests' are expressed. It takes on more importance now that action programs for agriculture are apparently a fixture and there is such a close organizational tie in agricultural economics-unlike general economics-between work on policy and management counseling. Although compromises, active or passive, are doubtless few, the preserving of objectivity is of crucial importance.