cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Controlling Choice: Teachers, Students, and Manipulatives in Mathematics Classrooms

This research study examines the instructional practices of 10 middle grades teachers related to their use of manipulatives in teaching mathematics and their control of mathematics tools during instruction. Through 40 observations of teaching, 30 interviews, and an examination of 67 written documents (including teachers' plans and records), profiles were developed that describe how teachers used and controlled manipulatives during instruction. Results showed that teachers used a variety of manipulatives and other mathematics tools over the course of the year-long study. Teachers reported using a mathematics tool (manipulative, calculator, or measuring device) in 70% of their lessons, and this self-report was verified by observations in which teachers used mathematics tools in 68% of their lessons. During a 3- to 4-month period of “free access,” in which students had some measure of control in their selection and use of the mathematics tools, the students used manipulatives spontaneously and selectively. During free access, teachers exhibited various behaviors, including posting lists of items on containers, assigning group leaders to manage tools, and negotiating the control of the mathematics tools during instruction.
A Parallel Steiner Tree Construction on the Server-Client Model of Computation

This paper presents the computational analysis of the Steiner tree problem on the Server-Client model of computation. In particular, this work analyzes the time delays among server and clients for the parallel Steiner tree algorithm and examines some consequences of time delays on the execution time by considering constant and variable delays.
A 4.75-GHz Fractional Frequency Divider-by-1.25 With TDC-Based All-Digital Spur Calibration in 45-nm CMOS

This paper presents a fractional frequency divider-by-1.25 and associated all-digital calibration circuitry. The divider can be used in a wireless transceiver to prevent direct or harmonic pulling of the VCO by the power amplifier. Timing errors between the quadrature phases used in the phase-rotating divider introduce fractional spurs at the output. In this design, the timing errors are measured with a stochastic time-to-digital converter with 20 fs resolution, and corrected to suppress output spurs. The fractional divider has been implemented in a 45 nm CMOS LP process and its core dissipates an estimated 17 mA current from a 1.1 V supply. After calibration, fractional spurs are on average below -59 dBc and -50 dBc (? ~ 2 dB over 10 samples) with a 2.5 and 3.8 GHz output frequency respectively. Calibration performance has been confirmed for temperatures from -20°C up to 85°C. The low spur level facilitates radio co-existence with no need for additional filtering. This makes this divider a good candidate for WiFi and WiMAX radios up to 3.8 GHz.
Information in Isolation: Gossip and Rumour during the UK 2001 Foot and Mouth Crisis – Lessons Learned

The 2001 foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak constituted the biggest crisis ever to affect the UK farming system; it was one of the worst epidemics of its kind in the world. Farmers and rural communities were disrupted and traumatized as FMD spread rapidly through the whole of the country. The crisis unfolded as a series of information and communication problems, primarily from government to farmers, with consequences for action in a time of crisis. Farmers needed information at the different stages of the crisis to inform them about the various processes and procedures that had to be carried out once a farm had been infected, and information on the complex system of biosecurity measures introduced by the government. As these measures were implemented to control the spread of the disease, the places where farmers usually met to communicate and exchange information either shut down or became inaccessible. There were many gaps in the information needed; there was not enough information; it conflicted with earlier information or information from other sources; and it was disseminated and received too late for the required purpose. The paper explores the role of rumour and gossip as a means of conveying information between the various actors during the crisis. During the FMD crisis there was much confusion and distrust, which provided the right kind of setting for rumour and gossip to flourish. Rumour and gossip took on new dimensions and played an important role in the exchange and transfer of information about events and also in people's behaviour and activities. As farmers were isolated, unable to meet, much of their information came third-and fourth-hand via informal channels of gossip and rumour. This study used a mixed method approach of semi-structured interviews with members of farming house-holds. It concludes with suggestions as to what various actors, including libraries, in similar crisis situations could learn from this study by examining how lessons learned concerning the role of gossip and rumour in the FMD crisis may be applied to other crises, particularly the current H1N1 virus (swine flu) pandemic.
Optimal diversity product rotations for quasiorthogonal STBC with MPSK symbols

The optimal rotations for quasiorthogonal space-time block codes (STBC) with MPSK symbols are presented, where the optimality means that the optimal diversity product is achieved. The optimal diversity products of quasiorthogonal STBC with rotated MPSK constellations are given. The sensitivity of the diversity product to the rotation angle offset is studied.
Rapidly progressing adenocarcinoma of the prostate presenting as prostatitis.

In elderly men perineal pain, rapidly rising prostate specific antigen (PSA) and a tender prostate are traditionally indicative of prostatitis as opposed to prostatic adenocarcinoma. Rapidly progressing prostatic adenocarcinoma typically affects younger men and presents with bony metastasis. A Medline and Old Medline search did not reveal any cases of prostatic adenocarcinoma presenting as perineal pain and clinical prostatitis. We report on an elderly man who presented with signs and symptoms consistent with prostatitis who, in fact, had rapidly progressing prostatic adenocarcinoma. CASE REPORT
What are Principles, and Do They Exist?

In this paper I distinguish principles from rules and standards and ask if there are norms that fit this description. I conclude that these may be moral principles but that there are no legal principles. Accounts of law such as Dworkin’s and Alexy’s, in which legal principles play a role, are thus vitiated.
A Weighted Metric Based Adaptive Algorithm for Web Server Load Balancing

We propose a load balancing algorithm that adapts its strategies for allocating Web requests based on the Web servers’ status. The system used in our experiment comprises of two components: (1) a Prober and (2) an Allocator. The Prober gathers the status information from the Web servers every 50 milliseconds. The status information consists of the load on each Web server and a check for a cache hit. Based on this status information, the Allocator calculates a weighted metric for each server. This metric has three components: (1) CPU load on the server, (2) server’s response rate, and (3) the number of requests served by the server. The Allocator chooses the Web server with the least value for this metric. Unique features of this approach are (1) consideration of both the global information (consisting of status at other Web servers) and local information at each Web server to choose the best server to allocate a request, and (2) the algorithm passes the IP address of the chosen Web server to the client that initiated the request and then allows the client to establish a connection with the server directly, thereby eliminating the participation overhead of the intermediate redirector. We compare our algorithm with three different methods: (1) random allocation scheme, (2) round robin allocation scheme, and (3) a recently reported scheme that uses neural networks. Our method is as good as or better (in most cases) in response time, than the other three approaches.
Synthesis of heterocyclic monomers via Reissert chemistry

The chemistry of Reissert compounds has been used to synthesize activated difluorotetraketone monomers containing two coupled isoquinolyl moieties, linked at either the 1,1′- or 4,4′-positions. These monomers offer routes to novel families of poly(heteroarylene ether)s. New 4,4′-coupled bis(Reissert compound) 9 containing 4,4′-diketo moieties failed to afford the desired difluorotetraketo monomer upon attempted rearrangement. However, analogous bis(Reissert compound) 19 containing 4,4′-dibenzyl units did so, via aldehyde condensation, hydrolysis of the intermediate ester and oxidation of the four benzylic moieties to keto groups; thus the novel difluorotetraketone monomer 10 was prepared. Novel bis(Reissert compound)s 24, 28, and 35 were synthesized from diacid chlorides and 4-(p-fluorobenzyl)isoquinoline. Rearrangement of 24 to the diketone 29, followed by oxidation of the 4-benzyl moieties resulted in difluorotetraketone monomer 30 containing a 1,1′-linked bisisoquinoline. The 1,1′-linked bis(isoquinolylfluorodiketo) monomer 38, isomeric with 10, was prepared from 4-(p-fluorobenzyl) Reissert compound 36 by condensation with terephthaldehyde, ester hydrolysis to diol 37, and oxidation. In the course of this effort, a number of new isoquinoline Reissert compounds were synthesized as model systems. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3856–3867, 2010
Conservation of the Escherichia coli dnaX programmed ribosomal frameshift signal in Salmonella typhimurium

Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III subunits tau and gamma are produced from one gene, dnaX, by a programmed ribosomal frameshift which generates the C terminal of gamma within the tau reading frame. To help evaluate the role of the dispensable gamma, the distribution of tau and gamma homologs in several other species and the sequence of the Salmonella typhimurium dnaX were determined. All four enterobacteria tested produce tau and gamma homologs. S. typhimurium dnaX is 83% identical to E. coli dnaX, but all four components of the frameshift signal are 100% conserved.
THE TRANSFORMATION OF PNEUMOCOCCAL TYPES : I. THE CONVERSION OF R FORMS OF PNEUMOCOCCUS INTO S FORMS OF THE HOMOLOGOUS TYPE.

R forms of Pneumococcus may be converted into S forms of the homologous Type. In addition to the methods previously reported,-(1) animal passage and (2) growth in anti-R sera,-conversion may be effected by the following procedures as employed by Griffith; (1) The subcutaneous injection, in white mice, of large amounts of living R organisms. (2) The subcutaneous injection, in white mice, of small amounts of living R organisms together with the heat-killed bacteria from large amounts of homologous S cultures. There are "varying degrees of constancy of the R variant"; but by these means it has been possible to effect conversion of all R forms selected. Attempts to cause a further "degradation" of R organisms by continued growth in homologous immune serum have been unsuccessful. Type II S and III S vaccines are equally effective in producing conversion when heated for 15' at 60 degrees C., or for 15' at 100 degrees C. Type I S vaccine, however, while effective in causing conversion when heated for 15' at 60 degrees C., apparently loses this property when heated for 15' at 100 degrees C. R vaccines, and vaccines of other organisms, when injected together with live R cultures, have always failed to produce conversion. The causes responsible for conversion under these experimental conditions are discussed and the possibility of the occurrence of a similar process under natural conditions in human beings is indicated.
Validating the acute heart failure index for patients presenting to the emergency department with decompensated heart failure

Background The acute heart failure index (AHFI) is a previously derived prediction rule to identify patients presenting to emergency departments (ED) with decompensated heart failure (DHF) at low risk of early life-threatening events. Study objectives To validate the AHFI prospectively. Methods Using a prospective cohort study, adult patients presenting to an urban university hospital ED with DHF were included. Data on 21 variables were gathered to calculate the AHFI. Primary endpoints included inpatient death and non-fatal serious outcomes (myocardial infarction, ventricular fibrillation, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, intubation, or cardiac reperfusion). Secondary endpoints included death from any cause or readmission for heart failure within 30 days. Primary and secondary endpoint rates were calculated with 95% CI for the low and higher-risk subgroups. Results 259 patients were enrolled. 245/259 (95%) were admitted. 60/259 (23%) met low-risk criteria, of whom 1/60 (1.7%, CI 0.04 to 8.9) was discharged after sustaining pulseless electrical activity arrest. The comparable primary outcome rate in the derivation study was 1.4% (CI 1.1 to 1.7). 17/199 (8.5%, CI 5.1 to 13.3) higher-risk patients experienced an endpoint, compared with 13.3% (CI 12.9 to 13.7) in the derivation cohort. One low-risk patient (1.7%, CI 0.04 to 8.9) died within 30 days, and five (8.3%, CI 2.8 to 18.4) were readmitted. Corresponding rates in the derivation study were 2% and 5%, respectively. Conclusion The results are consistent with those previously reported for the low-risk subgroup of the AHFI. Further research is needed to determine the impact, safety and full range of generalisability of the AHFI as an adjunct to decision making.
CryptoManiac: a fast flexible architecture for secure communication

The growth of the Internet as a vehicle for secure communication and electronic commerce has brought cryptographic processing performance to the forefront of high throughput system design. This trend will be further underscored with the widespread adoption of secure protocols such as secure IP (IPSEC) and virtual private networks (VPNs).In this paper, we introduce the CryptoManiac processor, a fast and flexible co-processor for cryptographic workloads. Our design is extremely efficient; we present analysis of a 0.25um physical design that runs the standard Rijndael cipher algorithm 2.25 times faster than a 600MHz Alpha 21264 processor. Moreover, our implementation requires 1/100th the area and power in the same technology. We demonstrate that the performance of our design rivals a state-of-the-art dedicated hardware implementation of the 3DES (triple DES) algorithm, while retaining the flexibility to simultaneously support multiple cipher algorithms. Finally, we define a scalable system architecture that combines CryptoManiac processing elements to exploit inter-session and inter-packet parallelism available in many communication protocols. Using I/O traces and detailed timing simulation, we show that chip multiprocessor configurations can effectively service high throughput applications including secure web and disk I/O processing.
Convex superposition in piecewise-linear systems☆

Abstract Piecewise-linear systems of the type that arise in relay servomechanisms or problems involving Coulomb friction, which are usually regarded as nonlinear, are shown here to exhibit linear behavior in some circumstances. Specifically, for certain sets of input signals (or forcing functions) and associated responses, the responses are linear in the inputs with respect to convex linear combinations; equivalently, the average of a set of inputs has, as its response, the average of the associated responses. The result is illustrated by means of an explicit formula for periodic responses in a second-order on-off control system.
Effect of strain on duck breast meat quality

SUMMARY Duck meat consumption is low but steady in the United States (US), while rapidly expanding inothercountries.Theduckindustryismovingfromatraditionalwholecarcassproducttowards deboned breast fillets and other portions, which has prompted strain selection for breast weight and yield. The effect of bird strain was therefore evaluated for fillet weight, yield, and breast meat quality characteristics. Eighty butterflied paired fillets were obtained from each of 4 Pekin duck strains after carcasses were sized by weight at the processing plant (n = 640). All fillets were weighed and then half of the fillets were evaluated for color. One fillet from each carcasspair was either frozen or kept fresh for cooking, reweighing, and subsequent color analysis (Commission Internationale de I’Eclairage (CIE) lightness L ∗ , redness a ∗ , and yellowness b ∗ ). Both fillets in each carcass-pair were evaluated using Allo–Kramer (AK) and Warner–Bratzler (WB) shear. Strain affected (P < 0.05) raw and cooked fillet weight. Strain C, with the largest BWandselectedforbothbreastyieldandgrowthrate,hadhigherrawandcookedbreastweight. Cooked yield was not affected by strain and averaged 64.4%. Neither AK nor WB shear values were affected by strain, and averaged 4.8 kg/g and 4.2 kg, respectively. Strain had a slight but significant effect on color, affecting lightness (L ∗ ) values of all categories, and redness (a ∗ ) values of raw and cooked meat. Freezing and thawing produced large and significant thaw losses ranging from 10.4 to 13.6%; differing losses depended on the strain of duck. Duck strain affected breast fillet weights and lightness to a slight extent, but not cook yield or shear values.
Empire State of Mind: The Illiberal Foundations of Liberal Hegemony

This paper explores the interventionist mindset required for success under the U.S. government’s foreign policy strategy of liberal hegemony. This approach to foreign policy contains an inherent tension. Its adherents claim a commitment to liberal values but successfully implementing the strategy requires, attracts, and reinforces a mentality fundamentally at odds with those values. We discuss the defining characteristics of the interventionist mindset and how the adoption of this mentality is incentivized by government bureaus which reward those who successfully implement the government’s foreign policy strategy. Those who rise to the top will tend to be those who are most comfortable and willing to engage in illiberal behaviors toward foreign populations.
Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis

Yersinia is one of the most common causes of bacterial enteritis in Western and Northern Europe. It has a worldwide distribution; the incidence of infection is rising within both Europe and the United States, although this may be due to better methods of detection and wider recognition of Yersinia species as important enteric pathogens. Y. enterocolitica (YE) and Y. pseudotuberculosis (YP) are the species that cause human gastrointestinal disease. Yersinia infection can be transmitted by both food and water, and the bacteria is associated with meat, dairy products, chocolate, poultry, and produce. Pork-related infection has been particularly well documented. Infection also can be acquired from animals. Yersinia has a preference for cold temperatures; thus, there is a natural affinity for refrigerated food, and there is speculation that infection is more common in cooler months. Familial, hospital-acquired, transplacental, and transfusion-associated infections also have been well documented.
The Royal Stamps and the Kingdom of Josiah

In a collection of essays dedicated to the memory of Paul Lapp it is fitting that one of them should deal with the lmlk or royal jar stamps to the study of which he made such an important contribution. It is our purpose here not to emulate his example nor to present a full review of the many problems associated with the interpretation of these stamps but to deal with the question of their date and to make some suggestions about the historical implications of the pattern of their geographical distribution.
Group IVA Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Regulates the G2-to-M Transition by Modulating the Activity of Tumor Suppressor SIRT2

The G2-to-M transition (or prophase) checkpoint of the cell cycle is a critical regulator of mitotic entry. SIRT2, a tumor suppressor gene, contributes to the control of this checkpoint by blocking mitotic entry under cellular stress. However, the mechanism underlying both SIRT2 activation and regulation of the G2-to-M transition remains largely unknown. Here, we report the formation of a multiprotein complex at the G2-to-M transition in vitro and in vivo. Group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2α) acts as a bridge in this complex to promote binding of SIRT2 to cyclin A-Cdk2. Cyclin A-Cdk2 then phosphorylates SIRT2 at Ser331. This phosphorylation reduces SIRT2 catalytic activity and its binding affinity to centrosomes and mitotic spindles, promoting G2-to-M transition. We show that the inhibitory effect of cPLA2α on SIRT2 activity impacts various cellular processes, including cellular levels of histone H4 acetylated at K16 (Ac-H4K16) and Ac-α-tubulin. This regulatory effect of cPLA2α on SIRT2 defines a novel function of cPLA2α independent of its phospholipase activity and may have implications for the impact of SIRT2-related effects on tumorigenesis and age-related diseases.
Keynote speaker I: Big data transforming industries

We live in the Era of Big Data in which data sizes massively larger than previously seen, and increasing access to this data, are transforming people's lives in major ways. Two of the main drivers of this era are the proven capability to extract more value from more data; and the exponential growth of available data enabled in large part to mobile devices and the sensor instrumentation of the world. Consumers, companies and governments have benefited from this new value and are demanding more access and more analysis. In this presentation, I will explore implications of these trends and present IBM's view of the centrality of data in the coming transformation of the IT industry.
Multi-Class Queuing Models

This chapter introduces models with multiple types of customers, these are also known as models of multi-class systems. The queuing models described in previous chapters had only one customer type, so all customers were treated alike. In multi-class systems, each customer class can have its own mean arrival rate, mean service period, and other workload parameters. Usually, each customer type is given a priority.
Bone-Targeted Acid-Sensitive Doxorubicin Conjugate Micelles as Potential Osteosarcoma Therapeutics

Osteosarcoma is a malignancy of the bone that primarily affects adolescents. Current treatments retain mortality rates, which are higher than average cancer mortality rates for the adolescent age group. We designed a micellar delivery system with the aim to increase drug accumulation in the tumor and potentially reduce side effects associated with chemotherapy. The design features are the use of the hydrophilic D-aspartic acid octapeptide as both the effective targeting agent as well as the hydrophilic micelle corona. Micelle stabilization was accomplished by binding of model drug (doxorubicin) via an acid-sensitive hydrazone bond and incorporating one to four 11-aminoundecanoic acid (AUA) moieties to manipulate the hydrophobic/hydrophilic ratio. Four micelle-forming unimers have been synthesized and their self-assembly into micelles was evaluated. Size of the micelles could be modified by changing the architecture of the unimers from linear to branched. The stability of the micelles increased with increasing content of AUA moieties. Adsorption of all micelles to hydroxyapatite occurred rapidly. Doxorubicin release occurred at pH 5.5, whereas no release was detected at pH 7.4. Cytotoxicity toward human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells correlated with drug release data.
Breeding and utilization of dual-purpose genic male sterile rice C815s

C815S is a new combination by crossing AnxianglingS as famale parent with Peiai64S as male parent,it was selected at the condition of the pressure of the artificial lower temperatureand the natural lower temperature in 2002 by directional cultivation 10 genearation of 5 years.The sterile has the characteristics of lower temperature,ideal plant type,high quality,a wide compatabifity,high outcross setting rate and high combining ability.It was examined and approved by Hunan provincial variety examination and approval committee in 2004.Furthermore,it has some new super hybrid rice combinations such as C Liangyou396,C Liangyou87,Cliangyou343,Cliangyou755,Cliangyou1102 which was significant in the examination and regional trial of Hunan Province and nation.The breeding of the sterile was the important success in the breeding of high quality super rice.
Research on CAPP integrated technology based on PDM system

The five system integration problems about product construction mangement、user infor mation management、process planning management、process examination and approval management and data storage management about PDM and CAPP are discussed.The integration mode in the core of the unique product data,and based on functions integration and data integration is used in the system integration,which is with the platform of PDM.CAPP is used as the emulation environment of process file works and process data operations,which not only keeps the consistency between data and user operations,but also preserves the strong specialized functions of PDM and CAPP separately.It is a kind of simply-realized but higher integration.
Ultrafast kinetics of supramolecules with a Ru(II)- or Os(II)-polypyridyl light absorber, cis-Rh(III)Cl2-polypyridyl electron collector, and 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine bridge

Abstract The femtosecond transient absorption spectra (fsTA) and excited state kinetics for a series of six structurally related mixed-metal polypyridyl supramolecules are reported. Each complex consists of one or two light absorbers (LA) with Ru(II) or Os(II) centers attached to a Rh(III)-centered electron collector (EC) by an aromatic bridging ligand (BL). The resulting bimetallic and trimetallic complexes have LA-BL-EC and LA-BL-EC-BL-LA architectures, respectively. Excitation at 470 nm light populates metal-to-bridging ligand charge transfer states (MLCT), showing a transient absorption band near 380 nm due to π → π∗ transitions of a bridging ligand-localized radical anion and a transient bleach around 525 nm resulting from formal oxidation of the LA metal in the excited state. Loss of the ligand localized radical signal during the first 10 ps reflects conversion of the excited state population from an MLCT state into metal-to-metal (i.e. M(dπ)-to-Rh(dσ∗)) charge transfer states (MMCT). Each complex shares a similar ultrafast component, indicating that the kinetics governing MLCT → MMCT population transfer do not depend on the nature of the LA. Return to the ground state, however, is strongly LA dependent and controlled by the free-energy difference between the MMCT state and ground state, as well as an associated large reorganization energy.
Risk factors for post-operative respiratory failure among 94,621 neurosurgical patients from 2006 to 2013: a NSQIP analysis

Post-operative respiratory failure can occur after neurosurgical operations. Identification of risk factors for respiratory failure after neurosurgery may help guide clinical decision-making, decrease length of stay, improve patient outcomes, and lower costs. We performed a search of the ACS-NSQIP database for all patients undergoing operations with a neurosurgeon from 2006 to 2013. We analyzed demographics, past medical history, and post-operative respiratory failure, defined as unplanned intubation and/or ventilator dependence for more than 48 h post-operatively. Of 94,621 NSQIP-reported neurosurgical patients from 2006 to 2013, 2325 (2.5 %) developed post-operative respiratory failure. Of these patients, 1270 (54.6 %) were male, with an overall mean age of 60.59 years; 571 (24.56 %) were current smokers and 756 (32.52 %) were ventilator-dependent. Past medical history included dyspnea in 204 patients (8.8 %), COPD in 198 (8.5 %), and congestive heart failure in 66 (2.8 %). The rate of post-operative respiratory failure decreased from 4.1 % in 2006 to 2.1 % in 2013 (p < 0.001). Of the 2325 patients with respiratory failure, 1061 (45.6 %) underwent unplanned intubation post-operatively and 1900 (81.7 %) were ventilator-dependent for more than 48 h. The rate of both unplanned intubation (p < 0.001) and ventilator dependence (p < 0.001) decreased significantly from 2006 to 2013. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that significant risk factors for respiratory failure included inpatient status (p < 0.001, OR = 0.165), age (p < 0.001, OR = 1.014), diabetes (p = 0.001, OR = 1.489), functional dependence prior to surgery (p < 0.001, OR = 2.081), ventilator dependence (p < 0.001, OR = 10.304), hypertension requiring medication (p = 0.005, OR = 1.287), impaired sensorium (p < 0.001, OR = 2.054), CVA/stroke with or without neurological deficit (p < 0.001, OR = 2.662; p = 0.002, OR = 1.816), systemic sepsis (p < 0.001, OR = 1.916), prior operation within 30 days (p = 0.026, OR = 1.439), and operation type (cranial relative to spine, p < 0.001, OR = 4.344, Table 4). Based on the NSQIP database, risk factors for respiratory failure after neurosurgery include pre-operative ventilator dependence, alcohol use, functional dependence prior to surgery, stroke, and recent operation. The overall rate of respiratory failure decreased from 4.1 % in 2006 to 2.1 % in 2013 according to these data.
Diary-based outcome predictors in a self-management trial in chronic fatigue syndrome

Patient-kept home diaries are an important element of behaviorally oriented self-management (SM) protocols [1] in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). In particular, diaries help to identify activities ...
Street Foods in Central Kenya: Actors, Trends, and Opportunities

Street foods served by vendors and hawkers are a popular snack or meal in most developing countries due to the industry’s widespread benefits. Benefits for vendors include low start-up costs, flexible schedules, and a fast return on investment, while benefits for consumers include affordability, fast service, and ease of accessibility, illustrating their symbiotic relationship. In many regions however, street foods lack adequate nutrition due to price and infrastructural constraints. Where street foods make up a significant portion of peoples’ diets, factors such as price, availability, and preparation method have direct implications on the economic status, food security, and health of a community. Research conducted in Nyeri, Kenya demonstrates the motivations behind buying and selling street foods, social and economic factors that influence these patterns, and their impact on vendors’ livelihoods, women’s empowerment, and consumer food options. This study, based on interviews with 50 street food vendors and 50 street food consumers who, moderately to regularly, buy and sell street foods, outlines the local street food market, obstacles faced by vendors, and recommendations for increasing the industries healthiness and social acceptance. General recommendations include social and political advancements, legal protections, education programs, and opportunities related to health innovation.
Drilled shaft foundation construction problems

Various problems were encountered during the construction of three full-scale Drilled Shaft Foundations (DSF) at the Monticello Arkansas Test Site (MATS). These construction problems included, but were not limited to: loss of slurry, broken equipment and premature set-up of the concrete. Comparisons between the results obtained from the Bi-directional Load Cell (BLC) testing that was performed on each of the DSF aided in the determination of the effects of the construction problems on the axial capacity of the DSF. The measured unit end bearing resistance values were investigated to determine the effects of using a 1.2 m diameter clean-out bucket on a 1.8 m diameter DSF. In the South 1.2 m diameter DSF, the bottom plate of the BLC moved more than predicted (approximately 10 cm) due to the premature set-up of concrete below the BLC. Soil data obtained by using the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) and University of Arkansas (UofA) geotechnical investigation methods, in conjunction...
Education Through Athletics: An Examination of Academic Courses Designed for NCAA Athletes

Fundamental to the union of athletics and the academy is an underlying theoretical premise of education through athletics. Despite an organizational union of varsity athletics and American higher education, athletics is commonly viewed as extracurricular, tangential, or a detractor from the educational mission of the academy, and athletics-centric curricula have historically not been viewed as worthy of academic credit despite documented educational benefits. Through survey of a stratifiedrandom sample of National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I, II, and III athletic academic advisors (n = 240), this exploratory study examined the prevalence, design, and institutional perceptions of classes offered exclusively for varsity athletes. Results indicate roughly 1/3 of sample schools facilitate athletecentric academic opportunities, with the majority of courses being 1st semester transition, physical education, or leadership courses. Academic opportunities for athletes were greatest in wester...
Tropical ocean-atmospheric forcing of Late Glacial and Holocene glacier fluctuations in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru

Evaluating the timing and style of past glacier fluctuations in the tropical Andes is important for our scientific understanding of global environmental change. Terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide ages on moraine boulders combined with 14C-dated clastic sediment records from alpine lakes document glacial variability in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru during the last ~16 ka. Late Glacial ice extents culminated at the start of the Antarctic Cold Reversal and began retracting prior to the Younger Dryas. Multiple moraine crests dating to the early Holocene mark brief readvances or stillstands that punctuated overall retreat of the Queshque Valley glacier terminus during this interval. Glaciers were less extensive during the middle Holocene before readvancing during the latest Holocene. These records suggest that tropical Atlantic and Pacific ocean-atmospheric processes exerted temporally variable forcing of Late Glacial and Holocene glacial changes in the Peruvian Andes.
P24 Descriptive predictors of movement based on bayesian probabilities in subjects with chronic ankle instability

Study Design Descriptive laboratory study. Objectives Use descriptive subject data to predict specific movement strategies in subjects with chronic ankle instability. Background Subjects with chronic ankle instability are identified with a set of standard, accepted criteria, however, several movement strategies have been identified within this patient population using Bayesian clustering of representative movement functions (curves). The next step is to use a Bayesian probability approach to predict movements based on available subject descriptive data. Methods and Measures 100 subjects (22±2 years) with a history of ankle sprains (4.4±3.2), who scored below 90% (83±9) on the FAAM ADL, below 75% (62±13) on the FAAM Sport, reported at least 2 ‘yes’ responses (4±1) on the MAII, and had no sprain in the previous 3 months; completed a series of max vertical/side jumps. Lower extremity kinematic (250 Hz), kinetic (2500 Hz), and EMG (2000 Hz) data were collected. Bayesian statistical modelling was used to create clusters from representative functions, and descriptive subject data were built into the model to determine which variables, or combination of variables, predicted specific movement patterns or clusters. Results Several variables predicted specific movement patterns with high probability. Conclusion A probability based approach to describing relationships between descriptive subject data and specific movement patterns could provide valuable information to clinicians who might look to identify specific movement alterations in patients with ankle instability.
Energy recovery from commercial-scale composting as a novel waste management strategy

Abstract This study reports operational information from a commercial-scale Aerated Static Pile (ASP) composting system with energy recovery, one of the few currently in operation globally. A description of this innovative system is followed by operational data on energy capture efficiency for 17 experimental trials with variable compost vapor and heat sink temperatures. Energy capture was directly and predictably related to the differential between compost vapor and heat sink temperatures, with energy capture ranging from 17,700 to 32,940 kJ/h with a compost vapor temperature range of 51–66 °C. A 5-day temperature lag time existed between compost pile formation, and when compost vapor temperatures were sufficiently high for energy recovery (≥50 °C). The energy recovery system also exhibited a time lag between the initiation of aeration and when the vapor reaching the heat exchanger reached pile vapor temperature. Consequently, future ASP composting sites employing an energy recovery system may have to alter aeration system design and schedules to compensate for any type of heating-up phase that reduces energy recovery.
Use of Metabolic Ratios of Drugs in Urine for Monitoring Pain Management Patients.

This is my opinion about the utility of urine metabolic ratios (MRs)2 in the setting of providing laboratory services for pain management patients. In the following sections, I define the MR and some terms related to it, and describe the urine drug testing services at my institution. The MR's utility and limitations are then reviewed, followed by a summary. This institution's core/chemistry laboratory serves the immediate drug testing needs of the 950-bed main hospital, its emergency department, and an outpatient department generating about 1500 urine and 600 oral fluid drug screens per month; typically, fewer than 100 of the oral fluid screens have a simultaneously collected urine sample tested for comparison. Urine screens provide qualitative immunoassay results, and oral fluid tests provide quantitative LC-MS/MS results. Clarification of unexpected urine results is performed by LC-MS/MS at a reference laboratory after consultation between the ordering clinician and a laboratory director. The urine panel detects drugs prescribed for pain management as well as illicit drugs, and includes class-specific assays for benzodiazepines (BZ), buprenorphine (BUP), methadone (METHAD), opiates (OPI), and oxycodone (OXYCOD). The MR is the ratio of a drug metabolite concentration to its parent drug concentration, expressed as a range. A parent drug will have an MR for each of its main metabolites. …
Acromegaly, Diagnosis of

Endocrinological investigation using hormone measurements and function tests to document active acromegaly is indicated whenever symptoms and clinical stigmata suggestive for the disease are present. Thus, the diagnosis of acromegaly is made by measuring elevated, often glucose nonsuppressible, growth hormone levels and elevated insulin-like growth factor-1 levels.
Vision-Targeted Health-Related Quality of Life in Adult Survivors of Retinoblastoma.

Importance Retinoblastoma survivors are at risk for adverse oculo-visual outcomes. Limited data are available regarding long-term vision-targeted health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of adult retinoblastoma survivors. Objective To examine vision-targeted HRQoL as reported on the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Field Questionnaire for overall and specific scale scores among adult survivors of retinoblastoma. Design, Setting, and Participants The Retinoblastoma Survivor Study is a retrospective cohort of adult retinoblastoma survivors treated at 3 academic medical centers in New York between 1932 and 1994. Participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire between April 2008 and June 2010. Items were scored in January 2013 and preliminary analyses were performed in July 2015. Models were finalized in May 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures Self-reported vision-targeted HRQoL as reported on the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Field Questionnaire. Items are scored from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the highest quality of life. Results Among 470 adult retinoblastoma survivors (53.6% with bilateral disease; 52.1% female; 86.4% white and non-Hispanic; mean age at study, 43.3 years; range, 18.0-77.0 years), 86% had at least 1 eye removed (1 eye, 74.5%; both eyes, 11.5%); 56.5% were previously treated with radiotherapy; and 61.3% rated their eyesight as excellent/good while 16.2% reported complete blindness. The overall mean (SD) VFQ composite score for all survivors was 81.1 (17.2) (mean [SD] score for unilateral retinoblastoma survivors, 91.4 [7.7]; bilateral retinoblastoma survivors, 72.3 [18.2]; difference between survivors with unilateral and bilateral disease, 19.1 [95% CI, 16.5-21.7;P Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest retinoblastoma-related oculo-visual problems are associated with functional status and vision-targeted HRQoL of adult survivors, particularly among those with bilateral disease.
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Pressure Change and Headaches

Intracranial pressure (ICP) is derived from the relationship between intracranial volume changes and the ability to compensate for those changes. When compensatory mechanisms are exhausted in response to a significant change in intracranial volume, pathologic changes in ICP can result and often translate into different headache syndromes among other clinical manifestations. Headaches secondary to low and high ICP are discussed here.
Pollicization of Biphalangeal Index Finger for Type IV Thumb Hypoplasia: A Case Report Describing Preoperative Planning, Intraoperative Decision-Making, and Technical Modifications.

Background: Index finger (IF) pollicization is the standard treatment for severe congenital thumb hypoplasia. The procedure requires a supple and anatomically normal IF. No guidelines exist for IF ...
Predictors of Participant Attendance Patterns in a Family-Based Intervention for Overweight and Obese Hispanic Adolescents

This study examined participant attendance patterns and individual (e.g., income), family dynamics (e.g., communication), and cultural (i.e., Americanism, Hispanicism) predictors of these patterns among Hispanic families enrolled in a 12-week family-based intervention, Familias Unidas for Health and Wellness. Hispanic adolescents (n = 140, 49% female, 13.04 ± 0.87 years old, 36% overweight, 64% obese, 39% immigrants) and their parents (87% female, 42.09 ± 6.30 years old, BMI 30.99 ± 6.14 kg/m², 90% immigrants) were randomized to the intervention condition. A repeated measures latent class analysis that included 12 binary variables (yes/no) of attendance identified three subgroups of attendance patterns: consistently high, moderate and decreasing, and consistently low. An ANOVA was then conducted to examine whether the identified attendance patterns differed by individual, family dynamics, and cultural characteristics at baseline. Parents in the consistently high attendance group had lower Americanism than those in either of the other attendance groups. Adolescents in the consistently high attendance group had lower Hispanicism than those in either of the other attendance groups. No other variables significantly discriminated between attendance groups. Sustained attendance in the Familias Unidas for Health and Wellness intervention may be driven by Hispanic parents' desire to better understand their host culture, connect with other culturally similar parents, and reconnect adolescents with their heritage culture.
Entity Linking in Enterprise Search: Combining Textual and Structural Information

Fast and correct identification of named entities in queries is crucial for query understanding and to map the query to information in structured knowledge base. Most of the existing works have focused on utilizing search logs and manually curated knowledge bases for entity linking and often involve complex graph operations and are generally slow. We describe a simple, yet fast and accurate, probabilistic entity linking algorithm that can be used in enterprise settings where automatically constructed, domain-specific knowledge graphs are used. In addition to the linked graph structure, textual evidence from the domain-specific corpus is also utilized to improve the performance.
Maternal dyslipidemia and risk for preterm birth

Maternal lipid profiles during pregnancy are associated with risk for preterm birth. This study investigates the association between maternal dyslipidemia and subsequent preterm birth among pregnant women in the state of California. Births were identified from California birth certificate and hospital discharge records from 2007-2012 (N = 2,865,987). Preterm birth was defined as <37 weeks completed gestation and dyslipidemia was defined by diagnostic codes. Subtypes of preterm birth were classified as preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), spontaneous labor, and medically indicated, according to birth certificate data and diagnostic codes. The association between dyslipidemia and preterm birth was tested with logistic regression. Models were adjusted for maternal age at delivery, race/ethnicity, hypertension, pre-pregnancy body mass index, insurance type, and education. Maternal dyslipidemia was significantly associated with increased odds of preterm birth (adjusted OR: 1.49, 95%CI: 1.39, 1.59). This finding was consistent across all subtypes of preterm birth, including PPROM (adjusted OR: 1.54, 95%CI: 1.34, 1.76), spontaneous (adjusted OR: 1.51, 95%CI: 1.39, 1.65), and medically indicated (adjusted OR: 1.454, 95%CI: 1.282, 1.649). This study suggests that maternal dyslipidemia is associated with increased risk for all types of preterm birth.
Checklist to Capture Food, Physical Activity, and Sedentary Devices in the Home Environment: The Home Inventory Describing Eating and Activity (Home-IDEA2).

Abstract Objective To modify and test a self-report checklist for the home food and activity environment, Home–Inventory Describing Eating and Activity (IDEA2), psychometrically with families of young children. Design A mixed-methods approach: (1) cognitive interviews informed instrument design (content validity), (2) parent and trained independent raters concurrently and independently completed the Home-IDEA2 during home visits (criterion validity); (3) the Home-IDEA2 was compared with a national sample via the Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS) database (construct validity). Setting Rural communities in Colorado. Participants Families of preschoolers: cognitive interviews (n = 20) and home visits (n = 26). Main Outcome Measures and Analysis Content validity: responses to each question were analyzed using a general inductive approach. Criterion validity: Cohen's kappa (κ) coefficient was calculated for each Home-IDEA2 item. Construct validity: frequencies were calculated to determine the proportion of Home-IDEA2 food items found in FoodAPS households. Results Cognitive interviews identified the need for more food descriptions and the reduction of total items from 154 to 134. Testing resulted in acceptable agreement (κ = 0.6–1.0) for 82 items (58 food, 16 physical activity, and 8 electronics), moderate agreement for 36 (35 food and 1 physical activity; κ = 0.4–0.5), and poor agreement for 16 (15 food and 1 electronics; κ ≤ 0.3). Overall reliability improved from 55% to 65% for Home-IDEA2 items. Comparison of Home-IDEA2 items with FoodAPS demonstrated that 60% of foods found in US homes were covered by the Home-IDEA2. Conclusions and Implications This study resulted in a valid, reliable, and low-burden self-report measure for food, activity, and electronic home environments by low-income, minority parents of preschoolers.
Facial Myokymia in Brain-Stem Disorders

Myokymia may occur in numerous muscles innervated by cranial and spinal nerves, but it is seen most commonly in those innervated by the facial nerve. The presence of facial myokymia indicates a lesion involving the facial nerve, either within the pons or peripherally, and can be helpful in identifying the nature of the underlying problem.