cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The creation of capital through an ICT-based learning program: a case study of MOOC camp

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have recently received a great deal of attention from both researchers and the general public. Their free, open nature allows global access, including by individuals in developing countries. This study will explore ways in which MOOCs can be used as tools for development in these underprivileged areas. Using data collected through interviews with facilitators and students participating in a US State Department program, we apply and extend Bourdieu's framework of cultural and social capital. Results show that MOOCs can be used to foster unique forms of cultural capital as well as both individual and organizational social capital. The research provides recommendations for both development agencies and MOOC platform designers.
microRNA-132 regulates dendritic growth and arborization of newborn neurons in the adult hippocampus

Newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus of the adult hippocampus rely upon cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) signaling for their differentiation into mature granule cells and their integration into the dentate network. Among its many targets, the transcription factor CREB activates expression of a gene locus that produces two microRNAs, miR-132 and miR-212. In cultured cortical and hippocampal neurons, miR-132 functions downstream from CREB to mediate activity-dependent dendritic growth and spine formation in response to a variety of signaling pathways. To investigate whether miR-132 and/or miR-212 contribute to the maturation of dendrites in newborn neurons in the adult hippocampus, we inserted LoxP sites surrounding the miR-212/132 locus and specifically targeted its deletion by stereotactically injecting a retrovirus expressing Cre recombinase. Deletion of the miR-212/132 locus caused a dramatic decrease in dendrite length, arborization, and spine density. The miR-212/132 locus may express up to four distinct microRNAs, miR-132 and -212 and their reverse strands miR-132* and -212*. Using ratiometric microRNA sensors, we determined that miR-132 is the predominantly active product in hippocampal neurons. We conclude that miR-132 is required for normal dendrite maturation in newborn neurons in the adult hippocampus and suggest that this microRNA also may participate in other examples of CREB-mediated signaling.
EFFECT OF THEOPHYLLINE ON VENTILATORY ROLL-OFF DURING HYPOXIA IN GOATS

Abstract The increase in pulmonary ventilation (V e ) during the first minutes of hypoxia is not sustained as after several minutes V e decreases or “rolls-off” toward control levels. We hypothesized that intravenous infusion of theophylline, by blocking the central inhibitory effects on breathing of adenosine, would attenuate the hypoxic V e roll-off. Twelve unanesthetized adult goats were exposed for 20 min to a 12% O 2 -88% N 2 gas mixture. In some studies, theophylline was infused intravenously (IV) for 20 min before and during the hypoxia. The highest infusion rate of 6.0–8.0 mg/min was sufficient to totally prevent the arterial hypertension and bradycardia that occurred with IV infusion of 4 mg·min −1 of adenosine. Nine of the 12 goats demonstrated V e roll-off without the theophylline infusion. In goats that demonstrated V e roll-off without theophylline, a significant ( P e roll-off was observed even at the highest theophylline infusion rate. We therefore conclude that the V e roll-off during hypoxia is not primarily or critically mediated by adenosine in awake, adult goats.
Lung cancer and the human gene for ribonucleotide reductase subunit M1 (RRM1)

LOH11A is a region of Chromosome (Chr) 11p15.5 where 75% of lung cancers show loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Clinical and cell biological studies suggest that LOH11A contains a tumor/metastasis suppressor gene. We have mapped this region (650 kb) using overlapping genomic P1/PAC/BAC clones, and one of the genes that we have identified is RRM1. This gene encodes the large subunit (M1) of ribonucleotide reductase, the heterodimeric enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in deoxyribonucleotide synthesis. By comparing our genomic sequences with the previously published cDNA, we have found that the human gene is composed of 19 exons. It is oriented telomere to centromere and is Alu rich. In order to verify that RRM1 maps within the boundaries of LOH11A, we assessed the frequency of LOH at a SacI polymorphism within intron IX of the gene. We observed LOH in 48% (15/31) of informative lung tumor specimens. To determine whether RRM1 was mutated in tumors, SSCP analysis of the 19 RRM1 exons was performed. No mutations were revealed in 12 pairs of normal and tumor DNA samples. Immunoblots on protein extracts from normal/tumor pairs indicated that a protein of the expected size was present in both. Our conclusion is that RRM1 lies within the LOH11A region, but that its exons are not mutated in tumors. The potential for RRM1 to act as a tumor suppressor is discussed.
Trace elements in primitive meteorites—VI. Abundance patterns of thirteen trace elements and interelement relationships in unequilibrated ordinary chondrites

Abstract Neutron activation analysis was used to determine As, Au, Bi, Cd, Co, Cu, Ga, In, Sb, Se, Te, Tl and Zn in 13 different unequilibrated ordinary chondrites (UOC), i.e. those having chemicallyinhomogeneous silicates. This study together with prior data completes our coverage of this group of 23 primitive chondrites. Four elements are quite variable in UOC (Cd—20 x, In—30 x, Bi—300 x and Tl—1300 x), the others varying by 2–8 x. Three highly-depleted elements—Bi, In and Tl—are richer by 5–35 x in unequilibrated chondrites than in their equilibrated congeners. All 3 elements vary directly in characteristic fashion with disequilibrium parameters for olivine and pyroxene in UOC and generally with petrologic type 3 > 4 > 5 > 6. The data do not provide unambiguous evidence for nebular fractionation of siderophile elements. Examination of statistically-significant interelement relationships among various ordinary chondrite populations involving 34 elements reveals patterns distinct from those of other chondritic groups. These patterns reflect nebular metal-silicate fractionation which preceded or accompanied thermal fractionation. The results point to significant differences in the formation of primitive carbonaceous, enstatite and ordinary chondrites.
A new type of collapsible insect‐surveillance light trap for sampling Diptera

The newly designed Army Collapsible Insect Surveillance trap for nocturnal collection of flying Diptera that are attracted by light is described. A polyvinyl chloride construction increases durability, while the capability to collapse from a height of 92.1 cm to 24.1 cm facilitates transportation and storage.
Flow Accelerates Interfacial Coupling Reactions

Reactive coupling of functional polymer chains has been reported to be 3 orders of magnitude slower at static interfaces than under mixing conditions, and the reaction rates under mixing are close to the rates measured in homogeneous melts [Jeon et al. Prog. Polym. Sci. 2005, 30, 939]. However, due to the complexity of interfacial area generation during mixing, it was difficult to isolate the effects of flow on reaction kinetics. In this paper, a reactive multilayer system was created to explore this issue. A 640-layer polystyrene (PS)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) sample was fabricated with a multilayer coextruder. Each component contained 10 wt % functional polymer, an amine-terminal PS (PS-NH2), and an anthracence-labeled anhydride-terminal PMMA (PMMA-anh-anth), respectively. Coupling reactions between PS-NH2/PMMA-anh-anth occurred during extrusion. The reaction conversion was measured with size exclusion chromatography, and interfacial morphology was monitored with both scanning and transmission el...
Traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the anterior tibial artery treated with ultrasound-guided thrombin injection in a pediatric patient

Pseudoaneurysms are relatively common in the adult population because of the high volume of procedures requiring large bore arterial access. This experience has allowed adult caregivers to develop simple maneuvers to treat pseudoaneurysms such as ultrasound-guided thrombin injection. However, because of the extremely low volume of pseudoaneurysms seen by pediatric caregivers, this modality has not been well documented in the pediatric population. Here, we present a case of a 13-year-old female who had a stab wound to her left leg and subsequently developed a pseudoaneurysm of the anterior tibial artery that was successfully treated with ultrasound-guided thrombin injection.
Langley Ground Facilities and Testing in the 21st Century

A strategic approach for retaining and more efficiently operating the essential Langley Ground Testing Facilities in the 21st Century is presented. This effort takes advantage of the previously completed and ongoing studies at the Agency and National levels. This integrated approach takes into consideration the overall decline in test business base within the nation and reduced utilization in each of the Langley facilities with capabilities to test in the subsonic, transonic, supersonic, and hypersonic speed regimes. The strategy accounts for capability needs to meet the Agency programmatic requirements and strategic goals and to execute test activities in the most efficient and flexible facility operating structure. The structure currently being implemented at Langley offers agility to right-size our capability and capacity from a national perspective, to accommodate the dynamic nature of the testing needs, and will address the influence of existing and emerging analytical tools for design. The paradigm for testing in the retained facilities is to efficiently and reliably provide more accurate and high-quality test results at an affordable cost to support design information needs for flight regimes where the computational capability is not adequate and to verify and validate the existing and emerging computational tools. Each of the above goals are planned to be achieved, keeping in mind the increasing small industry customer base engaged in developing unpiloted aerial vehicles and commercial space transportation systems.
The influence of direction of gaze on the human electroretinogram recorded from periorbital electrodes: a study utilizing a summating technique.

Abstract Computer averaging and summating techniques have made it possible to record by means of periorbital leads electroretinograms (ERGs) which bear strong resemblance to those obtained via corneal electrodes. Data are presented which were obtained on healthy light-adapted volunteers by summating 60 ERG responses monitored in five directions of gaze between each of four periorbital electrodes and an interconnected earlobes reference. The amplitudes and latencies of the components of the ERG varied with direction of gaze and electrode position. Moreover, the a -wave recorded from an electrode just lateral to the external canthus was reversed in polarity in medial gaze. ERGs were more easily measured where the amplitudes were highest, usually in supra- and infra-orbital locations.
Endotoxin Promotes Adverse Effects of Amorphous Silica Nanoparticles on Lung Epithelial Cells in Vitro

Amorphous silica engineered nanoparticles (ENP) are used for drug delivery and food additive under current regulations. Although the adverse effects of amorphous silica ENP may be negligible, contamination by bacterium products may enhance the toxic potential of these so-called safe products. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an endotoxin component generated by gram-negative bacteria, is a potential contaminant of amorphous silica ENP due to its ubiquitous presence in the environment. The combined effects of amorphous silica ENP and LPS are therefore of particular concern. In this study, A549 cells were exposed to amorphous silica ENP in combination with LPS for comparison with the cells treated with ENP. Measurements of MTT assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity indicated that the toxicity of amorphous silica ENP was low but co-treatment of the cells with LPS significantly enhanced this toxicity. Decreased cell viability and increased LDH activity release occurred earlier and at lower concentration level...
Metformin suppresses pediatric acute myeloid leukemia cell viability and clonogenicity

Background Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) accounts for 15-20% of childhood leukemias. Although remission is achieved following treatment with front-line chemotherapy, nearly half of the patients are faced with disease relapse associated with chemoresistance. Therefore, therapies that could sustain the remission phase in pediatric AML are urgently needed. Metformin is a widely used antidiabetic drug known to exhibit anti-cancer effect in several malignancies. Metformin is well-tolerated at very high doses, and its safety has also been demonstrated in clinical trials in diabetic children.
Torrefaction of Conservation Reserve Program biomass: a techno-economic evaluation

Abstract The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which was initiated to prevent soil erosion, provides a large amount of cellulosic biomass that is potentially useful for bioenergy production. We investigated the effects of torrefaction conditions on the physicochemical properties of CRP biomass using an elemental analyzer, a thermogravimetric analyzer, and a calorimeter. Results suggest that the upgraded biomass is a hydrophobic, high-energy density, and low-moisture-content material. The study on biomass polymer composition showed how polymer components changed with processing conditions. The polysaccharides in biomass were degraded significantly at 300 °C, suggesting that processing conditions should be managed properly for sugar or energy recovery. Our economic analysis suggested that the processing cost for a torrefaction plant with an annual capacity of 100,000 tons of CRP biomass is $16.3 per ton of feedstock. Further analysis of the effects of torrefaction on the biomass supply chain suggested that processing could save pelletization and transportation costs.
System U: automatically deriving personality traits from social media for people recommendation

This paper presents a system, System U, which automatically derives people's personality traits from social media and recommends people for different tasks. The system leverages linguistic signals appearing in a person's social media activities to compute the personality portraits including Big Five personality, fundamental needs and basic human values. This system and technology can be used in a wide variety of personalized applications, such as recommending people to answer questions.
Effect of inclining angle, bundling and surface treatment on synthetic fibre pull-out from a cement matrix

Abstract In an experimental investigation of synthetic fibre pull-out at an angle, it was generally observed that the force and energy of fibre pull-out increase with the inclination angle, but such increases are limited by the strength of the cement matrix at high angles due to matrix spalling. Studies were also conducted on the effects of fibre bundling and surface treatment on the pull-out behaviour. It is suggested that for effective use of the reinforcing fibres, fibre bundling should be minimized and the fibre/matrix bond property should be controlled.
Evolution in parallel: new insights from a classic system

Neo-darwinists have long argued that parallel evolution, the repeated evolution of similar phenotypes in closely related lineages, is caused by the action of similar environments on alleles at many loci of small effect. A more controversial possibility is that the genetic architecture of traits initiates parallelism, sometimes through fixation of alleles of large effect. Recent research (by Cole et al., Colosimo et al., Cresko et al., and Shapiro et al.) offers the surprising insight that reduction in two armor traits of threespine stickleback is governed by independently segregating major loci as well as additional quantitative trait loci (QTL), and that alleles at the same major loci are associated with parallel phenotypes in globally distributed populations. This research suggests the emergence of a new and exciting vertebrate model system for evolutionary genetics.
Suppressor cell function in patients with primary glomerular disease

Abstract Concanavalin A-activated suppressor cell function was evaluated in patients with biopsy-proved primary glomerular disease. All three patients with minimal-change nephrotic syndrome had significantly greater suppressor activity than controls (percentage suppression 70 ± 4% mean ± SEM vs 29 ± 5%). Ten patients with glomerular immunoglobulin deposits and proteinuria had a normal mean suppression activity: but the individual suppressor activity varied widely. These results suggest that patients with certain types of primary glomerular disease may have altered suppressor cell function.
Ecriture et réel dans Notre‐Dame de Paris: l'exemple de Gringoire

A cause de son statut marginal dans le recit, Gringoire est le personnage laisse pour compte de la reception critique de Notre-Dame de Paris. Cet ecartement d'un personnage pourtant hautement semantisea de multiples niveaux est proprement irrecevable. Si la duplicite qui travaille Gringoire rend problematique son insertion dans les structures narratives du recit, elle facilite en revanche son effcacitt cognitive: interprete et informateur, Gringoire forme ecran entre la diegese et les autres personnages, entre la ditgkse et le lecteur. Cependant des I'instant ou Gringoire lui-meme s'impose comme producteur de discours, cette fonction de connaissance est condamnee a s'evanouir. Parasite impitoyablement par un narrateur envahissant et ironique, le discours de Gringoire exhibe la felure, a savoir l'impossible coincidence de la veridiction et de I'illocutoire. En tant que tel il fonctionne comme l'image en creux du narrateur hugolien hante par la suture, desireux de colmater la breche entre ecriture et reel.
Cardiovascular disease risk, vascular health and erectile dysfunction among middle-aged, clinically depressed men

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is especially common in men with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study examined the extent to which risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and vascular endothelial dysfunction were associated with ED severity in MDD patients. The sample included 46 middle-aged [M (s.d.)=53 (7) years], sedentary men diagnosed with MDD. ED severity was assessed by the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX), item 3. Depression severity was measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI). The Framingham risk score was calculated as a composite measure of CVD risk factors. Vascular endothelial function was measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery. Regression analysis showed that ASEX scores were predicted by the greater Framingham risk score (beta=0.41, P=0.008) and lower FMD (beta=-0.38, P=0.01), but not by BDI scores (beta=0.00, P=0.99). When FMD was included in the regression model, the relationship between Framingham risk and ASEX scores was partially attenuated (beta=0.27, P=0.08). ED was associated with greater CVD risk and impaired vascular endothelial function in depressed men. CVD risk factors may affect ED through impairment of vascular endothelial function.
SVC and STATCOM application in Electric Arc Furnace efficiency improvement

Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) are high power industrial loads which cause power quality problems at all voltage levels due to their unbalanced and nonlinear characteristics. The rapid, stochastic large swings in real and reactive power required by the arc furnace causes voltage drops, rapid voltage variation and distortion across the ac supply network. These voltage drops and fluctuations not only have negative impact on the power system quality and other loads, but also have an effect on the arc furnace operation, power output and efficiency. Hence, some sort of reactive compensation is required to limit the voltage disturbances injected by arc furnace into the electric power system. In this paper, an accurate electric arc furnace model, whose parameters have been set according to a 80 MVA actual arc furnace, is studied. A Static VAR Compensator (SVC) is simulated in PSCad and Real Time Digital Simulation (RTDS)/RSCAD platform for the purpose of comparison of voltage regulation at EAF bus. It is shown that the SVC mitigates the reactive power fluctuations in addition to providing the fundamental reactive power, and regulates the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) bus voltage precisely during the arc furnace operation. To verify the PSCad simulation results and make a comparison, a real time simulation study based on Real Time Digital Simulation (RTDS)/RSCAD platform has been performed in this case. On the other hand, a 80 MVA static synchronous compensator (STATCOM) is simulated in PSCad. It is illustrated that the SVC is inherently limited in its ability to respond rapidly to the fluctuating arc furnace load. It is found that the transient performance of the EAF voltage in case which equipped with the STATCOM is better than the case equipped with SVC. It is also demonstrated that although the voltage regulation by the SVC compensates a portion of the reactive power fluctuation, it is completely unable to supply any portion of the fluctuating real power drawn by the arc furnace, while the STATCOM can supply those components of active and reactive power fluctuation. The STATCOM will not normally have a source of real power connected to its DC terminals. It is therefore unable to supply sustained real power or real power fluctuations. With suitable choice of DC capacitor, however, it is capable of supplying in large part the fluctuating real power requirement of the furnace.
Inflation Risk, Payment Tilt, and the Design of Partially Indexed Affordable Mortgages

This paper integrates two fundamentally important parameters into a theory of optimal mortgage design: the proportion of inflation risk borne by the lender / investor and the borrower and the amortization-graduation schedule for loan repayments. Equations are derived for a family of innovative mortgages, termed hybrid PLAMs, which offer advantages to borrowers and lenders over either the standard fixed rate mortgage (FRM) or the price level adjusted mortgage (PLAM). The superiority of the hybrid PLAMs lies in their ability to simultaneously and independently accommodate differing degrees of inflation-risk sharing and payment affordability. Inflation-risk sharing is represented by an indexation parameter set over a continuum of values such that the FRM has zero index variability and the PLAM has unit index variability. Similarly, payment tilt is represented by a tilt parameter such that the FRM has zero tilt and the PLAM has unit tilt. We demonstrate that these two parameters are independent and can each be continuously varied in a two-dimensional family of self-amortizing mortgages. A specific hybrid PLAM can be designed to partition inflation risk in any proportion between the borrower and the lender and to simultaneously prescribe any level of payment tilt between the extremes of the FRM and PLAM. The behavior of representative hybrid PLAMs is simulated and compared to FRMs and PLAMs for three different inflation scenarios, one of which uses actual market data from the period of 1960–1990.
Investigation of Giving Behavior to United Way Using Log-Linear Modeling and Discriminant Analysis: An Empirical Study:

Giving behavior toward a charitable organization is modeled by two different procedures: discriminant analysis and a log-linear model. Although the discriminant procedure is beter known in marketing, the log-linear approach has less restrictive model assumptions and may more accurately represent the conceptual basis of consumer decisions. Two situations are considered: (1) a simple binary classification of the giving decision, and (2) a three-group case of no gift, small, and large gift. Utilizing a large data base and a holdout sample for comparative purposes, the log-linear procedure is found to be an attractive alternative to discriminant analysis in terms of correct classification of individuals.
Ischemia–reperfusion injury: assessment and treatment, part II

Objective: To review the current scientific literature on ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury in both human and veterinary medicine and to describe the assessment of IR injury, the available testing methods, and the options available for treatment. Data sources: Data sources include scientific reviews and original research publications in both human and veterinary medicine. Summary: The assessment of IR injury includes measuring products formed by the reaction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with biological membranes, measuring levels of endogenous antioxidants, and measuring ROS themselves. Testing depends on the laboratory used, the test method chosen, the sample submitted (i.e., plasma, urine, tissue, etc.), and the timing of the test in relation to sample collection. For this reason, testing is not standardized and pharmacological data on antioxidant effectiveness are not available. Antioxidants and drugs tested have included single agents as well as ‘cocktails’ consisting of several agents working at different key points in the injury cascade. Conclusions: There are several new testing methods as well as new strategies for attempting to ameliorate the damage inflicted upon reperfusion and this article is intended as a review of the assessment and treatment of IR injury.
Coherent detection for optical duobinary communication systems

We propose and analyze coherent detection schemes for optical duobinary modulation. Thus, new quantum limits are established at 15, 30, and 31 photons/bit for coherent duobinary based on homodyne, heterodyne synchronous, and heterodyne asynchronous detection, respectively.
A spatially varying two-sample recombinant coalescent, with applications to HIV escape response

Statistical evolutionary models provide an important mechanism for describing and understanding the escape response of a viral population under a particular therapy. We present a new hierarchical model that incorporates spatially varying mutation and recombination rates at the nucleotide level. It also maintains separate parameters for treatment and control groups, which allows us to estimate treatment effects explicitly. We use the model to investigate the sequence evolution of HIV populations exposed to a recently developed antisense gene therapy, as well as a more conventional drug therapy. The detection of biologically relevant and plausible signals in both therapy studies demonstrates the effectiveness of the method.
Analysis of overmoded waveguides using the finite-difference time domain method

Presents techniques developed for analyzing scattering and coupling in overmoded waveguides using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. Sources and adsorbing boundary conditions for waveguide modes are examined. The stair-step approximation to round surfaces is considered, and a technique for finding the effective radius of a cylindrical model is described. A numerical example of scattering from a step diameter transition in circular waveguides is presented and compared to the analytic solution. >
Methods of external cardiac massage in the newborn infant.

A RECENT OFFICIAL PUBLICATION of the American Medical Association recommended a method of cardiac compression during resuscitation using "only the tips of the index and middle fingers" of one hand. 1 It has been our clinical impression for some time that this recommended method of cardiac massage, even when the infant is on a firm surface, frequently fails to produce adequate peripheral perfusion. We have, for the past year, been teaching our residents to use a two-handed method of external massage in neonates which encircles the chest and uses both thumbs to compress the midstern u m 2-3 cm (Fig. 1). Our clinical impression has been that this form of external cardiac massage results in dramatically better peripheral pulses than does the recommended two-finger method. Recently we had occasion to resuscitate a 3-day-old neonate in whom a previously placed femoral arterial catheter allowed us to quantitatively compare the two methods.
Scaffolding collaborative argumentation in asynchronous discussions with message constraints and message labels

This study examined the effects of message constraints and labels on collaborative argumentation in asynchronous online discussions. Thirty-eight undergraduate students in an introductory educational technology course were assigned to one of three groups. In one group, students posted specific types of messages using a prescribed set of message categories such as argument, evidence, critique, and explanation. Using the same message categories, another group inserted message labels directly into the subject headings to identify each message by category and increase the visibility of the arguments and challenges presented in debates. A control group received none of the above instructions and constraints. Students in the constraints-with-labels group were significantly less likely to (a) challenge other students, and (b) respond to challenges from other students. The label used to identify critiques might have discouraged students from posting critiques and shifted attention to posting more arguments, following up explanations with more explanations, and evidence with more evidence.
Negative association between treated osteoporosis and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in women

Objective To determine the degree of association, if any, between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and osteoporosis, both of which are disorders of impaired calcium carbonate homeostasis. Methods A retrospective chart review was undertaken in two otology clinics to assess the prevalence of treated osteoporosis in 260 women with and without benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, between the ages of 51 and 80 years. Results There was a statistically significant, negative association between benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and treated osteoporosis in women aged 51 to 60 years. We also observed a trend towards a negative association for women in their 60s, and for the group as a whole. Conclusion Osteoporosis, or the medication used to treat it, may provide protection against benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
Abdominal Pain and Health Related Quality of Life in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Objective To summarize rates of abdominal pain in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease, and to examine associations of abdominal pain, disease activity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods 44 youths aged 11–18 years completed ratings of abdominal pain, whereas youths and mothers provided ratings of HRQoL at Time 1 (T1) and Time 2 (T2; 6 months later). Disease activity was rated by physicians at T1. Results At T1, 55% of participants reported pain in the past week, with most in clinical remission. Approximately one-third reported abdominal pain at neither (absent), either (transient), or both (chronic) T1 and T2, respectively. T1 abdominal pain did not contribute significant variance to T1 HRQoL beyond disease activity. However, pain group uniquely predicted T2 HRQoL, with chronic abdominal pain associated with lower HRQoL. Conclusions Abdominal pain is prevalent in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease, even during clinical remission. Interventions to address abdominal pain also may enhance HRQoL.
Modeling watershed rainfall–runoff relations using impervious surface-area data with high spatial resolution

A distributed object-based rainfall–runoff simulation (DORS) model with incorporation of detailed impervious surface-area (ISA) data, derived from digital true-color orthophotography data with high spatial resolution, was developed. This physically based model simulates hydrologic processes of precipitation interception, infiltration, runoff, evapotranspiration, change of soil moisture, change of water-table depth, runoff routing, groundwater routing, and channel-flow routing. The modeling processes take objects based on land-cover types as fundamental spatial units in order to reduce data volume, increase computational efficiency, strengthen representation of watersheds, and utilize the data in variable scales. US Geological Survey stream-gaging data were used to validate the temporal variation of simulated discharge within two watersheds in Rhode Island State. The ratio of absolute error to the mean and the Nash coefficient in the validation period are 7.2% and 0.90 for the first watershed, and 8.0% and 0.77 for the second watershed, respectively. The results indicate that the DORS model is able to capture the relationship between rainfall and runoff in the study area, and that it is applicable in the further study of ISA impacts on the water cycle and associated pollution problems. The results also demonstrate that the performance of the hydrologic simulation is improved with ISA data with high spatial resolution.
Design and Control of a Large Call Center: Asymptotic Analysis of an LP-Based Method

This paper analyzes a call center model with m customer classes and r agent pools. The model is one with doubly stochastic arrivals, which means that the m-vector of instantaneous arrival rates is allowed to vary both temporally and stochastically. Two levels of call center management are considered: staffing the r pools of agents, and dynamically routing calls to agents. The system managers objective is to minimize the sum of personnel costs and abandonment penalties. We consider a limiting parameter regime that is natural for call centers and relatively easy to analyze, but apparently novel in the literature of applied probability. For that parameter regime, we prove an asymptotic lower bound on expected total cost, which uses a strikingly simple distillation of the original system data. We then propose a method for staffing and routing based on linear programming (LP), and show that it achieves the asymptotic lower bound on expected total cost; in that sense the proposed method is asymptotically optimal.
Screening and Brief Intervention in Primary Care Settings

Primary care practitioners are in a unique position to identify patients with potential alcohol problems and intervene when appropriate. Screening, the process by which practitioners can identify at-risk drinkers, can be followed by one-time or repeated short counseling sessions, known as brief interventions, which are designed to help the patient reduce drinking and minimize related problems. Varied levels of screening and brief intervention can be implemented in the primary care setting, depending on patient and physician factors. Although screening and brief intervention are valuable tools, they are underutilized in primary care practices. Strategies that may help increase physicians’ use of these techniques in the primary care setting include skills-based role-playing, performance feedback, clinical
Which interventions against the sale of tobacco to minors can be expected to reduce smoking

Objective Signatories of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control have committed themselves to prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors. The tobacco industry has a long history of legal challenges to such restrictions claiming that they cannot be expected to reduce youth smoking. The object of this study was to determine if disrupting the sale of tobacco to minors can be expected to reduce tobacco use by youths. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted for studies that evaluated the impact on youth tobacco use of efforts to disrupt the sale of tobacco to youths. Results There was little evidence that merely enacting a law without sufficient enforcement had any impact on youth tobacco use. There was no evidence that merchant education programmes had any impact on youth older than 12 years of age. There was no evidence that enforcement efforts that failed to reduce the sale of tobacco to minors had any beneficial impact. All enforcement programmes that disrupted the sale of tobacco to minors reduced smoking among youth. Conclusions Government officials can expect that enforcement programmes that disrupt the sale of tobacco to minors will reduce adolescent smoking.
Interrater agreement for discriminant classifications for the adjustment scales for children and adolescents

Investigation of interrater agreement for the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA) discriminant classifications is reported. Two teaching professionals or paraprofessionals working in the same classroom for a minimum of 1 hour per day provided independent ratings of the same child using the ASCA. A total of 119 students ranging in age from 7 to 18 years were independently rated on the ASCA. Results indicated significant and moderate to substantial interrater agreement for the discriminant classifications. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Binary Floral Lure Attractive to Velvetbean Caterpillar Adults (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

ABSTRACT Evaluation of combinations of flower odor compounds in northern Florida revealed that linalool was synergistic in attractiveness with phenylacetaldehyde (PAA) to the migratory moth velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis Hubner). This noctuid was the most common species collected from traps with a binary lure composed of PAA and linalool, with over 900 males and females collected in Sep 2005 and almost 13,000 collected in a 4-week period in Aug and Sep 2006. Different lid openings of the vials containing the chemical blend in an attempt to vary the release rate of the binary lure did not affect the number of velvetbean caterpillar moths captured. Traps baited with the binary lure and placed in May, Jun and early Jul of 2005 and 2009 failed to capture adults demonstrating the absence of adult moths early in the season. Management application of floral attractants in an attract-and-kill strategy is discussed. Translation provided by the authors.
A simulator of the manufacturing of induction motors

A simulator of the manufacturing process of induction motors is presented whose main purpose is to provide feedback in the form of motor cost and production scheduling during the design process. Emphasis is on modeling and simulating a factory, modeling production costs, and providing examples of how the design of electric motors can be improved by taking manufacturing information into account via software. The simulator uses principles of system dynamics and technical cost modeling to model the flows of materials and evolution of the product through manufacturing stages across the factory floor. The inputs to the simulator are blueprint data for motor design and the status of the factory. The output is cost and schedule information. The simulator also provides a mechanism whereby design variables can be tested for variations that produce cost improvements. >
Creating Sales with Stock-Outs

Stock-outs convey information about the propensity of other consumers to purchase a product and this can increase the willingness of marginally interested consumers to buy. But in order to leverage stock-outs, firms must be able to capture the extra demand. We show how asymmetric inventory allocations to ex ante identical retailers may increase the expected satisfied demand compared to symmetric inventory allocations; when one retailer stocks out, the other retailer faces increased demand, not only due to overflow demand, but also due to an increase in the residual demand triggered by the stock-out information. In short, stock-outs can trigger herding behavior. Taking consumer reactions to stock-outs into account may lead to higher inventory investment (to capture the 'herd') and asymmetric inventory allocation (one retailer is 'sacrificed' to trigger the herd) for high margin products with a low prior on the quality (i.e. 'brand perception'). In other cases, accounting for consumer reactions to stock-outs can lead to lower investment in inventory.
GeoTagger: a collaborative and participatory environmental inquiry system

This note focuses on the motivation, approach, and the initial prototype implementation of Geotagger: a collaborative participatory environmental inquiry system. We situate the need for such a technology, and discuss related work -- much of which is situated in the realm of citizen science. Our work uniquely distinguishes itself from many other citizen science applications in that it supports limited data collection and analysis, with the additional benefit of supporting social interactions and engagement through conversations about observed data. This is accomplished by creating friends and groups which are collaborators in the observational inquiry process.
Properties of q-Binomial Coefficients

Let us examine some properties of the q-binomial coefficients, defined by (4.5), with n and j being nonnegative integers and n ≥ j. Because we will recover the ordinary binomial coefficients if we take q → 1, we expect their q-analogues to have similar properties. Firstly, as already remarked in (5.4), $$ \left[ {\begin{array}{*{20}c} n \\ j \\ \end{array} } \right] = \frac{{[n]!}} {{[j]![n - j]!}} = \left[ {\begin{array}{*{20}c} n \\ {n - j} \\ \end{array} } \right] $$ (6.1) follows exactly the classical result. However, the correspondence is more subtle for another identity of binomial coefficients, the Pascal rule: $$ \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} n \\ j \\ \end{array} } \right) = \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {n - 1} \\ {j - 1} \\ \end{array} } \right) + \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}c} {n - 1} \\ j \\ \end{array} } \right), 1 \leqslant j \leqslant n - 1. $$
Tumor necrosis factor alpha plays a role in the acceleration of atherosclerosis by Chlamydia pneumoniae in mice

The role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in Chlamydia pneumoniae atherogenesis was evaluated in TNF-alpha p55 receptor-deficient C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat/high-cholesterol diet. No acceleration of atherosclerotic lesion development was observed in infected mice compared to uninfected mice, indicating that TNF-alpha plays a role in the acceleration of atherosclerosis by C. pneumoniae.
Arts & Bots: Application and outcomes of a secondary school robotics program

Arts & Bots combines intrinsically creative craft materials, common robotics components, a custom programming environment and teacher professional development to create a flexible robotics intervention for secondary school classrooms. In order to engage students underserved by other robotics programs, Arts & Bots is oriented to support the creation of collaborative expression-focused robots, as opposed to more commonly implemented competitive task-focused robot activities. Specifically, Arts & Bots targets integration into traditional nontechnical classes, such as literature and history, to reach a broader base of students than would be enrolled in elective technology programs. This paper describes three classroom implementations, including a secondary school poetry project. By including Arts & Bots in these core courses, we expose diverse students to engineering education activities such as hands-on experiences with computer programming, prototyping, and the engineering design process. We present our outcomes grouped within two primary themes: first, in Technological Fluency, we present students' self-reporting of concepts learned, confidence with technology, and breaking of technology stereotypes; second, in Complementary Non-Technical Skills, we present other skills students learned by participating in the Arts & Bots program.
The concerted impact of domestication and transposon insertions on methylation patterns between dogs and grey wolves

The process of domestication can exert intense trait-targeted selection on genes and regulatory regions. Specifically, rapid shifts in the structure and sequence of genomic regulatory elements could provide an explanation for the extensive, and sometimes extreme, variation in phenotypic traits observed in domesticated species. Here, we explored methylation differences from >24 000 cytosines distributed across the genomes of the domesticated dog (Canis familiaris) and the grey wolf (Canis lupus). PCA and model-based cluster analyses identified two primary groups, domestic vs. wild canids. A scan for significantly differentially methylated sites (DMSs) revealed species-specific patterns at 68 sites after correcting for cell heterogeneity, with weak yet significant hypermethylation typical of purebred dogs when compared to wolves (59% and 58%, P 66%) of differentially methylated regions contained or were associated with repetitive elements, indicative of a genotype-mediated trend. However, DMSs were also often linked to functionally relevant genes (e.g. neurotransmitters). Finally, we utilized known genealogical relationships among Yellowstone wolves to survey transmission stability of methylation marks, from which we found a substantial fraction that demonstrated high heritability (both H2 and h2 > 0.99). These analyses provide a unique epigenetic insight into the molecular consequences of recent selection and radiation of our most ancient domesticated companion, the dog. These findings suggest selection has acted on methylation patterns, providing a new genomic perspective on phenotypic diversification in domesticated species.
Is the fossil record of regular echinoids really so poor? A comparison of living and subfossil assemblages

Live (biocoenoses) and dead (taphocoenoses) populations of regular and irregular echinoids inhabiting shallow water environments of San Salvador and Leestocking Island, Bahamas (and elsewhere in the Caribbean) have been censused over the last five years to test Kier's (1977) hypothesis that the relatively poor fossil record of the regular echinoid is the result of taphonomic bias. In general, results reveal that distributions of living regular echinoids are not reflected by accumulations of their carcasses, while the reverse is true for irregular taxa: subfossil material is more often associated with living populations suggesting that irregulars may have relatively greater likelihood of preservation
Prevention of experimental dietary hepatic cirrhosis by goitrogenic substances.

SummaryAdmixture of propyl-thiouracil (.05%) with a cirrhosis-producing. synthetic diet will prevent effectively the production of dietary cirrhosis in rats. This result is achieved with simultaneously reduced food intake and is manifested not only in the absence of cirrhotic changes in the liver but also in the improved general condition of the experimental animals and increased feeding efficiency.Aminothiazole in the dose used (3½ times the equivalent of propyl-thiouracil) was without any significant effect on the production of dietary cirrhosis, on food intake, survival rate and weight changes.For the goitrogenic substances tested efficiency in prevention of cirrhosis seems to parallel goitrogenic potency.
IDIOPATHIC VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION ORIGINATING FROM SHORT-COUPLED VARIANT TORSADE-DE-POINTES IN A PATIENT WITHOUT EARLY REPOLARIZATION

Short-coupled variant torsade de pointes is a rare form of ventricular fibrillation (VF) without usual QT prolongation or early repolarization and lacks defined treatment. A 42 year-old male with remote implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement for sudden cardiac arrest presented with