cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teacher attention to number choice in problem posing

Abstract This study examined how teachers used number choice in contextualized word problems as a pedagogical approach for meeting instructional goals. By collecting and analyzing the contextualized word problems posed by 20 teachers along with their rationales, I identified several means by which teachers used number choice. Additionally, results indicate and characterize a progression for using number choice from no attention to purposeful attention. Implications for decomposing the teaching practice of posing problems to children are discussed.
Identity and strategies of identification: a moral and aesthetic shift in architecture and urbanism

AbstractThe relationship between architecture and urban centers and concepts such as community and identity is undeniably complex and has been described, by both philosophers and architectural theorists, in radically different ways. In this essay, I will focus on the contrast between the role of architecture and cities as providers of a sense of identity while also emphasizing the risks associated with this conception. I will begin with an overview of a few theories arguing—on aesthetic, moral, and functional grounds—for the necessity of a connection among architecture, identity, and community. I will then move, in the second part, to what can be seen as the critical and theoretical dismantling of such a notion: a dismantling that, however, does not end the discussion of identity as much as it problematizes it. Architecture and urbanism, I aim to show, are still discussing the means and terms of the debate on identity, but the interpretation of such a concept has changed in significant ways. Specifically,...
State observer design for a high frequency distributed power system

Control of a distributed power system (DPS) is a challenging task and requires unique control formulation as they arise in complex engineering problems. Since DPSs are gaining widespread importance, development of robust control strategies, which encompasses the nonlinear behavior and spatial spread of such networks, commands utmost gravity. Due to the spatial spread of such networks, state observer design based on local state variables plays a role of paramount importance. In this paper, the authors have outlined the design of a non-linear state observer which will aid a distributed control architecture for a single-input multi-output high frequency distributed power system (HFDPS) which incorporates need-based asynchronous power transfer. An adaptive control strategy for independent control of the need-based asynchronous HFDPS will be implemented based on the estimated state variables of the observer. Hence global control objectives are addressed using local sensing and a robust estimator design. Experimental results are portrayed in order to verify the stability and robust dynamic performance of the observer so designed. The nonlinear state observer was designed in the framework of exact formulation based on nonlinear map. Hence the observer encompasses the impact of switching frequency and other fast scale dynamics without any bandwidth limitation.
Hahn polynomials on polyhedra and quantum integrability

Abstract Orthogonal polynomials with respect to the hypergeometric distribution on lattices in polyhedral domains in R d , which include hexagons in R 2 and truncated tetrahedrons in R 3 , are defined and studied. The polynomials are given explicitly in terms of the classical one-dimensional Hahn polynomials. They are also characterized as common eigenfunctions of a family of commuting partial difference operators. These operators provide symmetries for a system that can be regarded as a discrete extension of the generic quantum superintegrable system on the d-sphere. Moreover, the discrete system is proved to possess all essential properties of the continuous system. In particular, the symmetry operators for the discrete Hamiltonian define a representation of the Kohno-Drinfeld Lie algebra on the space of orthogonal polynomials, and an explicit set of 2 d − 1 generators for the symmetry algebra is constructed. Furthermore, other discrete quantum superintegrable systems, which extend the quantum harmonic oscillator, are obtained by considering appropriate limits of the parameters.
STEM Education by Exploring Robotics

The chapter on ‘STEM Education by Exploring Robotics (SEEbots)’ describes a wide range of educational robotics modules for increasing STEM learning at pre-college level and at the college level. The recent advances in electronics technology and computer technology are making a variety of novel and versatile robotics modules within the budget of educational institutions for creating interest among the students toward STEM learning, and to broaden participation of students seeking STEM careers. The suggested robotics modules are based on the experiences gained in teaching robotics for STEM education to middle school level to college level, through projects sponsored by funding agencies. The information described is intended for educators as a reference guide to designing their robotics courses for STEM learning in secondary or post-secondary introductory robotics educational program.
Introduction: Of Gendered/Racial Boundaries and Borders

Inclusivity. Equality. They seem like reasonable standards or ideals of citizenship. After all, both are basic values in the mythos of the founding of the United States. The United States is suppos...
Sexual Goals, Plans, and Actions: Toward a Sexual Script Emerging Adults Use to Delay or Abstain from Sexual Intercourse

This mixed-methods study of emerging adults investigates the messages asserted to delay or abstain from sexual intercourse. Goals-plans-action theory and sexual script theory inform the investigati...
Porcelain Gallbladder: Is Observation a Safe Option in Select Populations?

Background Management of gallbladder wall calcifications has been controversial for many decades. Although the traditionally perceived strong association with gallbladder cancer mandated prophylactic cholecystectomy, newer evidence suggests a much lesser association and might indicate an observational approach. Study Design A retrospective cohort study of 113 patients with gallbladder wall calcifications diagnosed between 2004 and 2016 at a single institution was conducted. Radiographic re-review identified patients with definitive (n = 70) and highly probable (n = 43) gallbladder wall calcifications. Patients were categorized according to their designated treatment plan. Results In the observation group (n = 90), delayed cholecystectomy for gallbladder-related symptoms was necessary in 4 patients (4%). None of the patients in this group were diagnosed with a gallbladder malignancy during a mean of 3.2 ± 3.2 years follow-up. In the operative group (n = 23), peri-operative complications occurred in 13%, and gallbladder malignancy was found in 2 patients. In comparison, although patients in the observation group were older and had more comorbidities, the rate of adverse events was not significantly different (4% vs 13%; p = 0.15) with an overall low risk for potentially life-threatening complications to the patient when observed clinically. Conclusions For management of gallbladder wall calcifications, observation appears to provide no significant difference in adverse events, including the risk of gallbladder malignancy developing, compared with an operative approach. Although there is a need for intervention in the presence of symptoms and findings suggestive of malignancy, prophylactic cholecystectomy should be avoided in patients with limited life expectancy and significant comorbidities.
Head Start, two-generation ESL services, and parent engagement

Abstract Innovation in English as a Second Language (ESL) services to support Latino immigrant parents and their children is needed, and this study examines a novel program that suggests future directions for the field. The Community Action Project of Tulsa County, Oklahoma’s two-generation ESL program recruits parents of children enrolled in Head Start and delivers an ESL curriculum that is contextualized to child development and children’s early school experiences. This mixed methods study explores the progress and the perspectives of parents and staff in this ESL program over two semesters (n = 35). Among enrollees in each semester, parents had high levels of completion (83% in semester 1; 70% in semester 2) and class attendance (94% in semester 1; 88% in semester 2). Yet, only about half (46%) of the parents completed both semesters 1 and 2. Parents who completed either semester 1 or semesters 1 and 2 did exhibit advancement in their English language skills, moving on average from beginner ESL levels to high intermediate levels based on National Reporting System benchmarks. Data from focus groups with parents and staff suggest that involvement in a two-generation ESL program can support parents’ focus on their children, including: (a) alignment of parent curriculum with child development, (b) bidirectional parent and child learning, and (c) an improved sense of parent agency with their children’s schooling and other child-related domains. Implications for future two-generation ESL programming are discussed.
Off the Charts: Medical documentation and selective redaction in the age of transparency

A growing demand for transparency in medicine has the potential to strain the doctor-patient relationship. While information can empower patients, unrestricted patient access to the electronic medical record may have unintended consequences. Medical documentation is often written in language that is inaccessible to people without medical training, and without guidance, patients have no way to interpret the constellation of acronyms, diagnoses, treatments, impressions, and arguments that appear throughout their own chart. Additionally, full transparency may not allow physicians the intellectual or clinical freedom they need to authentically express questions, problematic impressions, and concerns about the patient's clinical and psychosocial issues. This article examines the ethical challenges of transparency in the digital era and suggests that selective redaction may serve as a means to maintain transparency, affirm physician's discretion, and uphold the core values of the doctor-patient relationship amidst disruptive technological change.
Do Vaccines Cause Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?

Influenza vaccines reduce the risk of influenza infection, which causes Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). Thus, influenza vaccines prevent GBS by protecting against natural influenza infection. However, influenza vaccines can very rarely cause GBS within 6 weeks of vaccination in adults, at an estimated rate of 1-3 cases per million vaccinations. Influenza vaccines have not been shown to cause GBS in children. Older formulations of rabies vaccine did cause GBS, but newer formulations of rabies vaccine have not been shown to cause GBS, and rabies vaccine is not routinely recommended to the general population in the United States. Other vaccines that are currently routinely recommended to the general population in the U.S. have not been shown to cause GBS. In years when influenza vaccine strains are a good match for the circulating wild type viruses, influenza vaccines prevent much more GBS than the vaccines cause. Therefore, the very small risk of GBS from influenza vaccines pales in comparison to the benefits of the vaccine.
Modeling centrifugal, multiphase, turbulent flows with a mixture-averaged drift-flux algorithm

A two-dimensional, axisymmetric, mixture-averaged multiphase flow model, developed to predict solid phase stratification arising from flow acceleration, has been generalized for three dimensions. T...
‘Straight-ish’: agency, constraints, and the linguistic negotiation of identity and desire in online personal advertisements among men seeking men

Despite a robust literature on agency in language, gender, and sexuality research, constraints on agency as seen through multiple layers of identity, conflict, or construct are less clearly discussed. Through an analysis of straightidentified men seeking other men on a popular internet personal advertisement forum, I examine the language that individuals posting in men-seeking-men online personals employ to balance a self-presentation as a straight male while simultaneously seeking same-sex partners. To do so, I build upon current conceptualisations of agency to focus on the linguistic manipulation and negotiation of the constraints to their agentive abilities to construct identities and desires. These discursive negotiations serve to separate one's identity from one's desires in terms of space, time, and agency and create a nuanced understanding of these men's sexuality.
Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor-Induced Neutrophil Recruitment Provides Opioid-Mediated Endogenous Anti-nociception in Female Mice With Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral cancer patients report severe function-induced pain; severity is greater in females. We hypothesize that a neutrophil-mediated endogenous analgesic mechanism is responsible for sex differences in nociception secondary to oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Neutrophils isolated from the cancer-induced inflammatory microenvironment contain β-endorphin protein and are identified by the Ly6G+ immune marker. We previously demonstrated that male mice with carcinogen-induced oral SCC exhibit less nociceptive behavior and a higher concentration of neutrophils in the cancer microenvironment compared to female mice with oral SCC. Oral cancer cells secrete granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), a growth factor that recruits neutrophils from bone marrow to the cancer microenvironment. We found that recombinant G-CSF (rG-CSF, 5 μg/mouse, intraperitoneal) significantly increased circulating Ly6G+ neutrophils in the blood of male and female mice within 24 h of administration. In an oral cancer supernatant mouse model, rG-CSF treatment increased cancer-recruited Ly6G+ neutrophil infiltration and abolished orofacial nociceptive behavior evoked in response to oral cancer supernatant in both male and female mice. Local naloxone treatment restored the cancer mediator-induced nociceptive behavior. We infer that rG-CSF-induced Ly6G+ neutrophils drive an endogenous analgesic mechanism. We then evaluated the efficacy of chronic rG-CSF administration to attenuate oral cancer-induced nociception using a tongue xenograft cancer model with the HSC-3 human oral cancer cell line. Saline-treated male mice with HSC-3 tumors exhibited less oral cancer-induced nociceptive behavior and had more β-endorphin protein in the cancer microenvironment than saline-treated female mice with HSC-3 tumors. Chronic rG-CSF treatment (2.5 μg/mouse, every 72 h) increased the HSC-3 recruited Ly6G+ neutrophils, increased β-endorphin protein content in the tongue and attenuated nociceptive behavior in female mice with HSC-3 tumors. From these data, we conclude that neutrophil-mediated endogenous opioids warrant further investigation as a potential strategy for oral cancer pain treatment.
When a maximal angle among cones is nonobtuse

Principal angles between linear subspaces have been studied for their application to statistics, numerical linear algebra, and other areas. In 2005, Iusem and Seeger defined critical angles within a single convex cone as an extension of antipodality in a compact set. Then, in 2016, Seeger and Sossa extended that notion to two cones. This was motivated in part by an application to regression analysis, but also allows their cone theory to encompass linear subspaces which are themselves convex cones. One obstacle to computing the maximal critical angle between cones is that, in general, the maximum will not occur at a pair of generators of the cones. We show that in the special case where the maximal angle between the cones is nonobtuse, it does suffice to check only the generators. This special case can be checked at essentially no extra cost, and we incorporate that information into an improved algorithm to find the maximal angle.
Neoadjuvant cisplatin based therapy in bladder cancer: Is less enough?

e17046Background: Patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) often are not able to complete three or four cycles of therapy which is standard of car...
Risk Factors for Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Behavior Problems in Children and Adolescents Following a Home Fire

Based on a model of (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) PTSD by Green, Wilson and Lindy (1986), fifty-six children ages 6 to 17 years were interviewed at five months (T1) and 9 months (T2) after a fire in their homes. Outcome variables were PTSD and behavior problems. Major correlates of the outcome variables, include guilt at T1, worry about other family members at T2, and lack of satisfaction with family support at both times, as well as the attribution that “another child did it.” The stressor variable, “present at the fire,” became significant only at T2. The greatest variance in the PTSD scores occurred at T2 suggesting delayed onset or delayed reporting by children. Children may process traumatic events in a different cognitive fashion and in a different time frame than adults. Implications of these results are considered within the context of social work and nursing.
pH- and chaotropic anion-induced conformational changes of tertiary amine-containing binary heterografted star molecular bottlebrushes in aqueous solution

This article reports on the conformational behavior of binary heterografted three-arm star molecular bottlebrushes composed of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and either poly(2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA, the brushes denoted as SMB-1) or poly(2-(N,N-diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEMA, the brushes denoted as SMB-2) side chains in aqueous solutions in response to pH changes and addition of salts containing chaotropic anions (CAs). PEO was introduced into the brushes as a stabilizer when the tertiary amine-containing side chains collapsed. While a small size decrease of SMB-1 was observed with increasing pH from acidic to basic, SMB-2 exhibited a large and abrupt size transition caused by the pH-induced solubility change of PDEAEMA. Atomic force microscopy imaging revealed a star-to-globule shape transition of SMB-2 upon increasing pH across the pKa; in contrast, SMB-1 stayed in the starlike state at both low and high pH values. Intriguingly, both SMB-1 and -2 displayed star-to-globule shape transitions in acidic solutions upon addition of salts containing sufficiently strong CAs such as ClO4−, with SMB-2 showing a greater sensitivity to moderate CAs than SMB-1. Moreover, superchaotropic anions (e.g., Fe(CN)63− and S2O82−) were significantly more efficient in inducing shape changing than common CAs. The CA-induced shape transitions resulted from the ion pairing of CAs and protonated tertiary amine groups and the high propensity of CAs to associate with hydrophobic moieties in the brushes, which decreased the solubility of the tertiary amine-containing side chains and caused the brushes to collapse. The findings reported here may enable potential applications of molecular bottlebrushes in, e.g., encapsulation and release of ionic substances.
Advertising, Market Concentration, and Firm Performance on the Distribution System

This paper examines the impact of advertising on the firm performance as measured two profit variables and market structure as measured by market concentrations and the relationship is analyzed by two different distribution systems: independent agency writers vs. direct writers. The empirical testing results show that a positive and non-significant relationship between concentration and advertising for both distribution systems, while a negative and significant relation between market share and advertising is found. These results are consistent with the two distribution systems. This paper, however, finds differences between the two distribution systems in the profit model. A negative and significant relationship is found between advertising and profits for independent agency writers, while there exists no significant relationship for direct writers. So, in this highly competitive market, advertising does not boost profit for independent agency writers.
Computer-Aided Design and Manufacture of Intraoral Splints: A Potential Role in Cleft Care.

Abstract Background Nasoalveolar molding is a nonsurgical modality for the treatment of cleft lip and palate that uses an intraoral splint to align the palatal shelves. Repeated impressions are needed for splint modification, each carrying risk of airway obstruction. Computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) has the ability to simplify the process. As a precursor to CAD/CAM splint fabrication, a proof-of-concept study was conducted to compare three-dimensional splints printed from alginate impressions versus digital scans. We hypothesized that intraoral digital scanning would compare favorably to alginate impressions for palate registration and subsequent splint manufacture, with decreased production times. Methods Alginate and digital impressions were taken from 25 healthy teenage volunteers. Digital impressions were performed with a commercially available intraoral scanner. Plaster casts made from alginate impressions were converted to Standard Triangle Language files. Patient-specific matched scans were evaluated for total surface area with the concordance correlation coefficient. Acrylic palatal splints were three-dimensionally printed from inverse digital molds. Subjective appliance fit was assessed using a five-point scale. Results A total of 23 participants were included. Most subjects preferred digital impression acquisition. Impression methods showed moderate agreement (concordance correlation coefficient 0.93). Subjects rated splints from digital impressions as having a more precise fit (4.4 versus 3.9). The digital approach decreased impression phase time by over 10-fold and overall production time by 28%. Conclusions CAD/CAM has evolved extensively over the past two decades and is now commonplace in medicine. However, its utility in cleft patients has not been fully realized. This pilot study demonstrated that CAD/CAM technologies may prove useful in patients requiring intraoral splints.
emGraziaedessa/em emanastrephae/em (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Edessinae) a new genus and species collected in Multilure® fruit fly traps baited with ammonium acetate and putrescine.

Graziaedessa anastrephae (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae: Edessinae) a new genus and species collected in Multilure® fruit fly traps baited with ammonium acetate and putrescine. During a survey for fruit flies (Anastrepha spp., Diptera, Tephritidae) in Peru, specimens of a previously undescribed genus and species of Edessinae were collected in Multilure® fruit fly traps baited with a combination of ammonium acetate and putrescine. The new taxon, Graziaedessa anastrephae n. g., n. sp., resembles species of the edessine genus Hypoxys Amyot & Serville but is smaller and the thoracic sternal structure is unique, consisting of an enlarged metasternal process which is bifurcate posteriorly but simple and rounded anteriorly, reaching for a short length onto the mesosternum and continued by a mesial carina on the mesosternum. Graziaedessa n. g. and G. anastrephae n. sp. are described and figured and compared to other genera of Edessinae.
Members of cooperatives: more heterogeneous, less satisfied?

The ability to successfully engage in collective action is often related to group heterogeneity. In the case of farmer cooperatives, member heterogeneity is often assumed to relate negatively to lo...
Update on the omega-3 fatty acid trial landscape: A narrative review with implications for primary prevention.

Abstract Residual risk mediated by hypertriglyceridemia among statin-treated individuals is an important clinical and public health challenge. Niacin, fibrates and omega-3 FA are three classes of non-statin agents with demonstrated TG-lowering effects. Randomized controlled trials of niacin and fibrates have been consistently negative, but the trial landscape for two key sources of omega-3 FAs, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is more complex. Clinical trials evaluating omega-3 FA can be differentiated into those that studied mixed formulations (EPA + DHA) and those that studied EPA alone. Those assessing the impact of mixed formulations have not consistently demonstrated CVD risk reduction, whereas trials of EPA alone have been successful. Two recent trials of mixed formulations - STRENGTH (Long-Term Outcomes Study to Assess Statin Residual Risk with Epanova in High Cardiovascular Risk Patients with Hypertriglyceridemia) and OMEMI (Omega-3 fatty acids in Elderly patients with Myocardial Infarction) – studied contemporarily treated patients with mixed EPA + DHA formulations at higher doses than before and showed no benefit, thus adding valuable information to our overall understanding of this evolving therapeutic class. In this review, we contextualize the findings of STRENGTH and OMEMI within the existing omega-3 FA clinical trial landscape and look ahead to how future trials can inform existing knowledge gaps, particularly with regards to the applicability of these agents within the primary prevention realm.
Muenke syndrome

Background Muenke syndrome is a genetically determined craniosynostosis that involves one or both coronal sutures. In some patients it is associated with skeletal abnormalities such as thimble-like middle phalanges, coned epiphysis, and/or neurological impairment, namely sensorineural hearing loss or mental retardation. In spite of a variable phenotype, Muenke syndrome has been related to a unique mutation on the FGFR3 gene, Pro 250 to Arg, which is characteristic of this disease. Because of the incomplete penetrance of this anomaly, the suspicion of Muenke syndrome must be raised in any child with uni- or bilateral coronal craniosynostosis, and the genetic analysis propounded even in the absence of extracranial features.
Hijacking Sexual Immuno-Privilege in GBM-An Immuno-Evasion Strategy.

Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) are immunosuppressive T-cells, which arrest immune responses to ‘Self’ tissues. Some immunosuppressive Tregs that recognize seminal epitopes suppress immune responses to the proteins in semen, in both men and women. We postulated that GBMs express reproductive-associated proteins to manipulate reproductive Tregs and to gain immune privilege. We analyzed four GBM transcriptome databases representing ≈900 tumors for hypoxia-responsive Tregs, steroidogenic pathways, and sperm/testicular and placenta-specific genes, stratifying tumors by expression. In silico analysis suggested that the presence of reproductive-associated Tregs in GBM tumors was associated with worse patient outcomes. These tumors have an androgenic signature, express male-specific antigens, and attract reproductive-associated Related Orphan Receptor C (RORC)-Treg immunosuppressive cells. GBM patient sera were interrogated for the presence of anti-sperm/testicular antibodies, along with age-matched controls, utilizing monkey testicle sections. GBM patient serum contained anti-sperm/testicular antibodies at levels > six-fold that of controls. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are associated with estrogenic tumors which appear to mimic placental tissue. We demonstrate that RORC-Tregs drive poor patient outcome, and Treg infiltration correlates strongly with androgen levels. Androgens support GBM expression of sperm/testicular proteins allowing Tregs from the patient’s reproductive system to infiltrate the tumor. In contrast, estrogen appears responsible for MDSC/TAM immunosuppression.
Are rules and modules really necessary for explaining language

Over the past few years Steven Pinker has argued that although some aspects of language may be more associational, and therefore properly modeled in connectionist networks, for the most part human language is still best characterized as a modularized set of rulesymbol systems. In support of his claim, Pinker garners a broad array of clinical, experimental, and observational data from neurology, psychology, and linguistics. Those data, unfortunately, are not compelling because they do not support his position uniquely. In this paper, I show how each of his arguments is compatible with alternative interpretations. I argue, moreover, that in focusing on certain details of connectionist models Pinker and his colleagues actually overlooked both the most serious deficiencies of the connectionist approach and its most significant theoretical contribution. I conclude by sketching briefly some emerging alternatives to connectionism which avoid those deficiencies while retaining its strengths over the rule-symbol systems of linguistic theory.
Chemosensory identity and the Y chromosome.

Genes in the extended major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the mouse (H-2∶ Qa∶T1a) impart to each mouse an odor that reflects its genetic constitution at this region of chromosome 17. Sensory recognition of these differential odors influences reproductive behavior and evokes neuroendocrine responses critical to the maintenance of pregnancy. To determine whether other parts of the mouse genome contribute to individual odor, and so may similarly exert a selective force on loci other than the MHC, mice differing genetically only in their X and/or Y chromosomes were tested for individuality of scent in the Y-maze system previously employed to investigate MHC-related scent distinctions. It was found that the X and Y chromosomes each confer individuality of scent related to genotype, but differences at the H-2 locus are considerably more salient. Never-theless, chemosensory cues controlled by differences on the Y chromosome could play a role in individual recognition, mate selection, aggressive interactions, and perhaps other aspects of mouse chemosensory behavior.
Germinal Centers in Autoimmune Disease

From the teleological point of view, it is a basic function of the living body to eliminate any foreign substance entering the system. Foreign material when taken by mouth is digested by the enzymes of the intestinal tract and split into amino acids and other basic substances; when given parenterally, in order to preserve the body’s integrity, the immunological apparatus is called upon to eliminate the foreign invader. By the same token, the immunological apparatus has to be unresponsive as far as “own” constituents are concerned, otherwise self destruction would occur. Burnet and Fenner (1949) have termed the capacity of the living body to distinguish between self and not self as self-recognition. Autoimmunization (or autosensitization) therefore, if it occurs at all, would indicate some deviation from the normal. On the basis of clinical observations, however, this same mechanism, i.e., autosensitization, has been blamed for many years as the cause of several human diseases, especially certain blood dyscrasias. Until recently, however, experimental proof of autosensitization has been missing. Should substances present in the body suddenly become empowered with antigenic potency they are most likely to be found in tissues or cells which are anatomically somewhat isolated from the bloodstream, such as the lens of the eye, brain, testicles, and the colloid in the thyroid follicles. The intravenous injection of foreign brain suspension into the rabbit leads, indeed, to the formation of organ-specific brain antibodies (Witebsky and Steinfeld, 1928). Such an antiserum precipitates brain extracts from all mammals, even birds and fish, However, no clinical symptoms are associated with the appearance of brain-specific antibodies in the blood serum of these animals.
Toward the Next Generation of Media -- Cloud TV: Markets and Policy

This paper aims to analyze the next generation of TV media, its market structure and economics, and the next generation of policy issues. It will investigate the technological building blocks of such a media system, the economic reasons why the central players of such a media environment will be “cloud” intermediaries, and the business and policy implications. For a hundred years, the main issue for telecom regulation had been interoperation and interconnection. The rules for TV were different than those of telecom. Mostly, these transmission systems were closed operations. But now, the two network types are converging. The next generation of interoperation is emerging, the interoperation of media clouds. There will be other significant policy issues, too. The paper identifies and analyzes them and concludes that only two principles are needed to assure a competitive structure. If we do not start a serious analysis of next-generation TV now, the slowness of the governmental process practically guarantees that public policy will be caught unprepared and a retardant rather than an active participant in the shaping of the future media environment. Furthermore, it will leave it to other countries and their companies to determine the future of the world’s media system.
1,000&#37 Interest - Good While Supplies Last: A Study of Payday Loan Practices and Solutions

Would you pay $1000 in fees to borrow $100 for a period of twenty weeks? Is it possible that such a loan is even legal? Welcome to the world of payday lending, one of the fastest growing segments of the consumer credit industry. This Article describes the practices of payday loan companies and then discusses some states’ failed attempts to institute regulation. These legislative efforts frequently fail because crafty lenders quickly adapt to new legislation by finding loopholes that undermine any consumer protection provided by the new regulatory laws. This Article also reports on an empirical study of borrower conduct and understanding of payday lending terms. This study is one of the first to gather information about these loans directly from customers at the point of sale. These study data uncover critical facts, including a deep misunderstanding by most borrowers of the true cost of the loans. These data also reveal an apparent inability of many consumers to “do the math” necessary to conceptualize the structure of the loans. This lack of understanding leaves many consumers unable to make important comparisons with other forms of credit which may have been available to them. This study reveals the great need for effective regulation through legislation, and suggests that a federal usury cap may be the only real solution.
Toward Greater Validation of Supply Chain Management Theory and Concepts: The Roles of Research Replication and Meta‐Analysis

Although researchers have been working for over three decades to identify, construct, and test the critical concepts and theories that comprise the supply chain management (SCM) discipline, the field’s theoretical basis has yet to be thoroughly vetted through repetitive, rigorous study. Emerging theories in SCM offer great explanatory potential, but if they are to stand the tests of time, place, and reason, research findings must be accumulated and synthesized. For the field to prosper, we advocate the execution of multiple studies that replicate findings across contexts while simultaneously encompassing relevant theoretical extensions. Furthermore, as SCM research streams mature, scholars should then employ meta-analytic techniques to gain consensus across studies, such that findings can be more confidently extolled to both academic and practitioner constituencies. In this article, we evaluate the progress of replication and meta-analysis to date within the SCM field and provide some prospects for thematic research that could perpetuate accelerated validation.
Neighborhood food environments and Body Mass Index: the importance of in-store contents.

Background Most public health studies on the neighborhood food environment have focused on types of stores and their geographic placement, yet marketing research has long documented the influence of in-store shelf-space on consumer behavior. Purpose This paper combines these two strands of research to test whether the aggregate availability of specific foods in a neighborhood is associated with the BMIs of its residents. Methods Fielded from October 2004 to August 2005, this study combines mapping of retail food outlets, in-store surveys, and telephone interviews of residents from 103 randomly sampled urban census tracts in southeastern Louisiana. Linear shelf-space of fruits, vegetables, and energy-dense snack foods was measured in 307 food stores in the study tracts. Residential addresses, demographic information, and heights and weights were obtained from 1243 respondents through telephone interviews. Cumulative shelf-space of foods within defined distances of each respondent was calculated using observations from the in-store survey and probability-based assignments of shelf-space to all unobserved stores in the area. Results After controlling for sociodemographic variables, income, and car ownership, regression analysis, conducted in 2008, showed that cumulative shelf-space availability of energy-dense snack foods was positively, although modestly, associated with BMI. A 100-meter increase in shelf-space of these foods within 1 kilometer of a respondent's household was associated with an additional 0.1 BMI points. Fruit and vegetable shelf-space was not significantly related to BMI. Conclusions Interventions that seek to improve the neighborhood food environment may need to focus on more than just increasing access to healthy foods, because the results suggest that the availability of energy-dense snack foods plays a role in weight status.
Improvement in clinical asthma score and PaCO2 in children with severe asthma treated with continuously nebulized terbutaline.

Abstract We analyzed continuous nebulized terbutaline (CNT) therapy in 19 patients with 27 admissions for severe asthma and impending respiratory failure who failed to respond to our standard asthma protocol of methylprednisolone, aminophylline, and intermittently nebulized terbutaline. Terbutaline was administered by continuous face mask nebulization at a dose equaling the most frequent previous intermittent dose per hour (4 mg per hour). No patient with frank respiratory failure (i.e., Paco 2 ⩾60 torr, exhaustion, or coma) was studied. All patients improved, and therapy was stopped in a mean of 15.4 hours (range 3 to 37 hours). The average heart rate did not increase over baseline measurements through 24 hours of CNT. The mean clinical asthma score improved significantly during 8 hours, falling from 6.9 to 3.2 ( p > 0.001). In 14 patients whose Paco 2 was ⩾39 torr (range 39 to 58 torr) and clinical asthma score was 6 or greater, Paco 2 decreased a mean of 11.7 torr during a mean of 8.1 hours. In six patients whose Paco 2 was 45 torr or greater at the start of CNT (mean 49, range 45 to 58 torr) and in whom we would have previously treated with intravenous isoproterenol, Paco 2 decreased a mean of 15 torr in an average of 8.7 hours. This preliminary study suggests that CNT is an effective therapy for severe asthma in children.
Preparation, Characterization, and Reactivity of (3-Methylpentadienyl)iron(1+) Cations

The title cations (9 and 12) were prepared by dehydration of (3-methyl-2,4-pentadien-1-ol)Fe(CO)2L+ complexes. The structure of the (CO)2PPh3-ligated 12 was determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. Reaction of carbon and heteroatom nucleophiles to (3-methylpentadienyl)Fe(CO)3+ cations 9 and 12 proceeds either via attack at the dienyl terminus to give (3-methyl-1,3Z-diene)iron complexes or via attack at the internal carbon, followed by carbon monoxide insertion and reductive elimination to afford 3-methyl-4-substituted cyclohexenones. Cyclohexenone formation was found to be prevalent for addition of stabilized nucleophiles with strongly dissociated counterions to cation 9 (L = CO). Reaction of cation 9 with sodium bis[(−)-8-phenylmenthyl] malonate gave a single diastereomeric cyclohexenone.
Improving the Utility of Public Library Budgets: Information Used in Public Libraries in the Commonwealth of Virginia

A public library budget can serve varied purposes: a contract, a management tool, a communication mechanism, a financial control mechanism, a motivator, a plan, a major policy‐making tool and as an instrument of democracy. This paper presents a methodology that public library directors can use to determine if the budget contains the information they need in order to make decisions.
A Complete Object Recognition System as a Computer Vision Course Project

This paper describes a rather simple but complete object recognition system that was implemented in one semester as a class project in our course in computer vision. The system accepts video images of three-dimensional objects composed of configurations of toy blocks and delivers a one-word classification (e.g., ``arch'') of the scene. The strategy employed is one of identifying individual blocks, establishing spatial relationships between the blocks, and establishing instances of one block supporting another. The constraints of gravity are thus incorporated into the recognition process. It is designed so that any one student can elect to build one of three modules that comprise the system; the system can thus be implemented by three students in one semester. The modules span the complete range of problems encountered in any machine vision system???from image acquisition to high-level model matching. The entire project can be implemented with readily available hardware.
High-power vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers have been produced which emit greater than 100 mW CW output power. The devices have been optimised for operation at high temperatures, and are heatsunk to improve operation at large bias currents.
Fast Bit Gather, Bit Scatter and Bit Permutation Instructions for Commodity Microprocessors

Advanced bit manipulation operations are not efficiently supported by commodity word-oriented microprocessors. Programming tricks are typically devised to shorten the long sequence of instructions needed to emulate these complicated bit operations. As these bit manipulation operations are relevant to applications that are becoming increasingly important, we propose direct support for them in microprocessors. In particular, we propose fast bit gather (or parallel extract), bit scatter (or parallel deposit) and bit permutation instructions (including group, butterfly and inverse butterfly). We show that all these instructions can be implemented efficiently using both the fast butterfly and inverse butterfly network datapaths. Specifically, we show that parallel deposit can be mapped onto a butterfly circuit and parallel extract can be mapped onto an inverse butterfly circuit. We define static, dynamic and loop invariant versions of the instructions, with static versions utilizing a much simpler functional unit. We show how a hardware decoder can be implemented for the dynamic and loop-invariant versions to generate, dynamically, the control signals for the butterfly and inverse butterfly datapaths. The simplest functional unit we propose is smaller and faster than an ALU. We also show that these instructions yield significant speedups over a basic RISC architecture for a variety of different application kernels taken from applications domains including bioinformatics, steganography, coding, compression and random number generation.
James Glimm: mathematician, friend, mentor

A description of Jim's contributions to mathematics would take us far beyond our expertise. Jim was never content to spend too long in any one area of mathematics. Operator algebras, hyperbolic systems of conservation laws, uid dynamics, quantum field theory and statistical mechanics and the computational aspects of applied mathematics are just a few of the areas to which Jim has contributed. Here we relate a few impressionistic recollections of personal interactions, together with some ideas about his work in quantum field theory and statistical mechanics. In spite of the non-technical character of these observations, we hope nevertheless that they will provide pleasure for our dear friend and for other readers as well.
Toward the nanoscale study of insect physiology using an atomic force microscopy-based nanostethoscope

Insects constitute the most diverse and populated subclass of animals, with two million species identified. They also display a vast diversity of morphological and functional adaptations that allow them to thrive in various environments, which enables them to fly, swim, or walk nearly anywhere. Insects can be regarded as highly efficient and robust bio-machines, a precious source of material and information for bioinspired miniature technological devices. Yet, to date, little study of the functionality of insects has been undertaken with modern nanotechnology tools. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a technique generally used to study surface properties of materials at the nanoscale. Recently it has been shown that the AFM method can be extended to study complex living organisms, cells, and even entire animals, such as insects. AFM has demonstrated the feasibility of recording surface oscillations with sub-Angstrom spatial and sub-millisecond temporal resolutions while positioning the AFM probe at different parts of an insect with nanometer precision. In effect, it enables the AFM to function as a nanostethoscope. This article describes how such a nanostethoscope can be used to study the material properties, physiological reactions, and sensing mechanisms of insects.
Including alternative resources in state renewable portfolio standards: Current design and implementation experience

Abstract As of October 2012, 29 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have instituted a renewable portfolio standard (RPS). Each state policy is unique, varying in percentage targets, timetables, and eligible resources. Increasingly, new RPS polices have included alternative resources. Alternative resources have included energy efficiency, thermal resources, and, to a lesser extent, non-renewables. This paper examines state experience with implementing renewable portfolio standards that include energy efficiency, thermal resources, and non-renewable energy and explores compliance experience, costs, and how states evaluate, measure, and verify energy efficiency and convert thermal energy. It aims to gain insights from the experience of states for possible federal clean energy policy as well as to share experience and lessons for state RPS implementation.
Use of the RoboFlag synthetic task environment to investigate workload and stress responses in UAV operation.

Use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is an increasingly important element of military missions. However, controlling UAVs may impose high stress and workload on the operator. This study evaluated the use of the RoboFlag simulated environment as a means for profiling multiple dimensions of stress and workload response to a task requiring control of multiple vehicles (robots). It tested the effects of two workload manipulations, environmental uncertainty (i.e., UAV’s visual view area) and maneuverability, in 64 participants. The findings confirmed that the task produced substantial workload and elevated distress. Dissociations between the stress and performance effects of the manipulations confirmed the utility of a multivariate approach to assessment. Contrary to expectations, distress and some aspects of workload were highest in the low-uncertainty condition, suggesting that overload of information may be an issue for UAV interface designers. The strengths and limitations of RoboFlag as a methodology for investigating stress and workload responses are discussed.