cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The relation of gender, race and socioeconomic status to obesity and obesity comorbidities in a sample of US adults.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the obesity-related chronic diseases in the US adult population according to gender, race and socioeconomic status. METHODS: Data from the 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (1994-1996 CSFII) conducted by the US Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS) were used in the analysis. Relevant data included self-reported weight and height, self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart disease and high serum cholesterol. Analysis was conducted according to gender, race, income level and education level. RESULTS: There was a graded increase in diabetes, hypertension and high serum cholesterol with increasing body weight in nearly all gender, racial and socioeconomic groups. Among the obese individuals, the prevalence of hypertension was higher in black subjects and the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension and heart disease was higher in individuals with lower education compared to their counterparts. The odds of having diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and high serum cholesterol increased with increasing body weight after adjusting for age, gender, race, income, education and smoking. CONCLUSION: Although cross-sectional in nature, our results suggest that the disease burden associated with obesity in the population may be substantial. This burden increases with increasing severity of obesity. Our findings support the current opinion that, although the nature of obesity-related health risks is similar in all populations, the specific level of risk associated with a given level of obesity may be different depending on gender, race and socioeconomic condition.
Orally self-administered cocaine: reinforcing efficacy by the place preference method.

Abstract In three separate place preference conditioning (PPC) experiments, groups of rats were exposed to different modes of receiving cocaine: IP cocaine doses (7.5 mg/kg), PO cocaine self-adminisered bolus doses (15 mg/kg), and 1-h schedule-induced cocaine-solution drinking sessions (19.1 mg/kg). Oral cocaine self-administration of PO bolus and schedule induction took place in situations that preceded transfer into an apparatus for PPC sessions. Thus, the reinforcing efficacies of the pharmacological consequences of both oral cocaine self-administration methods were evaluated by a procedure separate from the self-administration behavior itself. The IP cocaine dose imposition and the two oral cocaine self-administration arrangements all resulted in dose-exposure conditions sufficient for the production of PPC. The serum and brain cocaine pharmacokinetics sufficient for the production of reinforcing efficacy were measured and related to previous data.
Redundant operators for Ising spins.

We remind the reader of the important role that could be played in Monte Carlo renormalization-group studies by redundant operators, defined to be changes in the Hamiltonian due to infinitesimal changes of variables. We then overcome the problem of defining an infinitesimal change of variables for discrete Ising spins and construct redundant operators in d=2 and 3. We analyze how they may be seen in numerical experiments.
Monolithically integrated micromachined RF MEMS capacitive switches

Abstract RF MEMS switches are newly designed and fabricated with various structural geometry of transmission line, hinge, and movable plate formed by using electroplating techniques, low temperature processes, and dry releasing techniques. In particular, strontium titanate oxide (SrTiO 3 ) with high dielectric constant is investigated for high switching on/off ratio and on capacitance as a dielectric layer of a micromechanical capacitive switch. Achieved lowest actuation voltage of the fabricated switches is 8 V. The fabricated switch has low insertion loss of 0.08 dB at 10 GHz, isolation of 42 dB at 5 GHz, on/off ratio of 600, and on capacitance of 50 pF, respectively.
CORRELATION LENGTHS IN QUANTUM SPIN LADDERS

Analytic expressions for the temperature dependences of the correlation length are given for antiferromagnetic spin-(1)/(2) Heisenberg ladders using a finite-size nonlinear {sigma} model approach. These calculations rely on identifying three successive crossover regimes as a function of temperature. In each of these regimes, precise and controlled approximations are formulated. The analytical results are found to be in excellent agreement with Monte Carlo simulations for the Heisenberg Hamiltonian. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Coherent synchrotron radiation in storage rings as a broadband high power terahertz source

Coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) is a fascinating phenomenon recently observed in electron storage rings and shows promise as a broadband source of terahertz radiation with average powers at the kilowatt levels. The ring source of CSR also has several other unique characteristics such as high repetition rate, stability, synchronization with x-rays, and shaping of the electric field pulse. However, because of the properties of the radiation and the electron beams needed to produce it, there are a number of interesting features of the storage ring that can be optimized for CSR.
A survey of the assessment practices of child and adolescent clinicians.

Practicing child and adolescent clinicians (N = 309) completed a survey regarding their actual and preferred child and adolescent assessment practices. Most reported using the following tools: family interview, individual child/teen interview, and a review of previous treatment records. The majority reported interviewing the identified child/teen patient and the adults in the home with a parental role. Clinicians reported they would also prefer to use parent rating scales, teacher rating scales, child/teen self-report scales, naturalistic observation, and a review of recent report cards and previous educational testing. The top 3 factors reported to influence assessment practice were ethics, organizational pressures, and theoretical orientation. Twenty-one percent of the sample reported that research findings are unimportant in their assessment decision making.
Quality Assessment of Speech Enhanced using Particle Filters

Among the various types of existing speech enhancement algorithms, respective advantages are usually well-known and well-studied, making it possible to choose the right algorithm given a certain type of audio quality requirement (e.g. background noise intrusiveness, naturalness of the speech, etc.). Very little has however been said so far on the quality of speech enhanced by particle filters (PFs). In this paper, we show the detailed results of the analysis of PF-enhanced speech signals. This analysis is conducted using several objective measures, and is based on the comparison with other enhancement algorithms. We find that in general, PF-based algorithms yield speech signals which are among the most natural-sounding, with a residual noise that can be seen as a white noise with its variance "modulated" by the resulting speech.
NT-31KETOGENIC DIET USED AS TREATEMENT FOR PRIMARY AGGRESSIVE BRAIN CANCERS: EXPERIENCE IN HUMANS

BACKGROUND: A ketogenic diet (KD) has been proposed as an alternative therapy for treatment of malignant gliomas. Unlike normal brain, malignant brain tumors may not be able to efficiently metabolize ketones. The ketogenic diet exploits this metabolic difference as a possible therapeutic approach. This report reviews the past reported experiences in humans using a ketogenic diet to treat aggressive primary brain cancers and includes our experience treating 2 patients with an energy restricted ketogenic diet (ERKD). METHODS: Patients in this report include 5 detailed case reports, 2 new patients treated with an ERKD protocol and 19 recently reported patients from Germany. RESULTS: Patients were treated using different protocols. Two were monitored with twice daily measurements of blood glucose and ketones and daily weights while the remaining patients' ketones and glucose and weight measurements were intermittent and not at prescribed intervals. Prolonged remissions ranging from more than 5 years to 4 months were reported in detailed case reports. Only one of these patients was treated using the ketogenic diet as monotherapy. The best responses reported in more recent patient series were stable disease for approximately 6 weeks. Two patients with progressive disease after 12 weeks of diet therapy had tissue expression of at least one of 2 mitochondrial ketolytic enzymes succinyl CoA: 3-oxoacid CoA transferase (OXCT-1), β-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1 (BDH1). The 19 patients from Germany treated with a ketogenic diet demonstrated that the diet was safe with no major side effects. CONCLUSION: 1. Treatment with a ketogenic diet may be effective in controlling some patients with primary brain cancers, but additional protocol studies are needed; 2. Ketosis can be induce using customary foods and; 3. A ketogenic diet is safe without major side effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov# {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01535911","term_id":"NCT01535911"}}NCT01535911
GABAA receptor mediated inhibition contributes to corticostriatal frequency filtering

The striatum plays an important role in the initiation and learning of skilled motor behavior [6] and receives topographic input from most areas of the cortex. Cortical afferents make divergent contact with many striatal medium spiny neurons while individual medium spiny neurons receive tens of thousands of these glutamatergic synapses [13]. Temporal filtering of frequency information within synaptic fields plays an important role in the processing of neuronal signals. We have previously shown differential filtering characteristics within CA1, CA3, and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus [26] and have now extended these studies to the cortical input to the dorsal striatum in order to address the network filtering characteristics in this important synaptic field. We measured field potentials of striatal medium spiny neurons in response to layer V cortical input over a range of stimulus frequencies from 2Hz to 100Hz. The average population spike amplitude in response to these stimulus trains exhibited a non-linear relationship to frequency, with characteristics of a low pass filter. In order to assess potential modulation of these filter properties, we examined the frequency response in the presence of antagonists to CB1, D2, nACh, and GABA(A) receptors, which are all known to be expressed at these synapses [13]. Of these, only GABA(A) receptor antagonists significantly modulated the frequency filtering characteristics over the examined frequency range. High frequency stimulation induces long term plasticity at corticostriatal synapses [4] and this process is strengthened when GABA(A) receptors are blocked [7,20,29]. Our results suggest a model whereby a temporary decrease in GABA level would modulate the filtering parameters of the corticostriatal circuit, allowing a more robust induction of high frequency-dependent plasticity.
Cell death during sepsis: integration of disintegration in the inflammatory response to overwhelming infection

Sepsis is a major health problem and a leading cause of death worldwide. In recent years, a crescendo of attention has been directed to the mechanisms of cell death that develop during this disease, since these are viewed as important contributors to the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses associated with poor outcome. Here we discuss mechanisms of cell death evident severe bacterial infection and sepsis including necrosis, apoptosis, pyroptosis, and extracellular trap-associated neutrophil death, with a particular emphasis on lymphocyte apoptosis and its contribution to the immunosuppressed phenotype of late sepsis. Individual bacterial pathogens express virulence factors that modulate cell death pathways and influence the sepsis phenotype. A greater knowledge of cell death pathways in sepsis informs the potential for future therapies designed to ameliorate immune dysfunction in this syndrome.
Paternalism in Nursing and Healthcare: Central Issues and their Relation to Theory

Paternalistic practices, wherein providers confer a treatment or service upon a person or persons without their consent, ostensibly by reason of their limited autonomy or diminished capacity, are widespread in healthcare and in societies around the world. In the United States, paternalism in health and human services is widespread and probably increasing with newly emergent forms. Numerous issues surround paternalistic practices. In this column, the author examines these issues in relation to theory development in healthcare and nursing as well as theory as a guide to practice. It is suggested that scientific and ethical knowing are not separate but must be united in theoretical structures that include both in unity, along with an appreciation of the infinite complexity of life as it is humanly lived. It is also suggested that nursing's unique theory base of frameworks that honor human dignity and focus on human experience offers an opportunity for leadership in further developing theoretical frameworks that transcend paternalistic practices.
Ubiquitylation of nuclear receptors: new linkages and therapeutic implications

The nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily is a group of transcriptional regulators that control multiple aspects of both physiology and pathology and are broadly recognized as viable therapeutic targets. While receptor-modulating drugs have been successful in many cases, the discovery of new drug targets is still an active area of research, because resistance to NR-targeting therapies remains a significant clinical challenge. Many successful targeted therapies have harnessed the control of receptor activity by targeting events within the NR signaling pathway. In this review, we explore the role of NR ubiquitylation and discuss how the expanding roles of ubiquitin could be leveraged to identify additional entry points to control receptor function for future therapeutic development.
Evidence for a medial K+ recycling pathway from inner hair cells.

Abstract K + effluxed from outer hair cells and their nerves is thought to flow laterally to strial marginal cells for recycling into scala media. Observations reported here provide evidence that K + effluxed from inner hair cells and inner radial nerves travels medially through border cells, inner sulcus cells (ISCs), limbal fibrocytes and interdental cells (IDCs) for return to endolymph. Morphologic features of ISCs in the medial route resembled those of Hensen and Claudius cells in the lateral indicating an ion transport role for ISCs like that of Hensen and Claudius cells. Na,K-ATPase in plasmalemma of IDCs testified to their capacity to resorb and transport K + through their known gap junctions. IDCs were differentiated into three subgroups. The most lateral IDCs formed short and long columns. Long columns contacted the medialmost ISC inferiorly and the undersurface of the tectorial membrane superiorly providing thereby a potential transcellular route for K + transit from ISCs to endolymph. Short columns faced inner sulcus below and tectorial membrane above and accordingly possessed cells with opposite polarity at the bottom and top of the column. Short columns thus appeared situated to resorb electrolytes from limbal stroma for release into inner sulcus and beneath tectorial membrane at opposite ends of the column. The central IDCs were positioned for resorbing and transporting K + effluxing from the Na,K-ATPase-rich stellate fibrocytes which spread toward the IDCs from near the inner sulcus. The most medial IDCs lined cup-like invaginations near the attachment of Reissner's membrane and lay apposed to light fibrocytes located between supralimbal fibrocytes and the medial IDCs. Content of Na,K-ATPase and position in the K + transport route likened the limbal stellate fibrocytes to the spiral ligament type II fibrocytes and supralimbal fibrocytes to suprastrial fibrocytes in the lateral wall. From content of creatine kinase and position in the transport path, limbal light fibrocytes appeared analogous to spiral ligament type I fibrocytes. The additional finding that limbal fibrocytes showed unchanged or upregulated Na,K-ATPase immunoreactivity in aged gerbils with strial atrophy provided further evidence for an independent medial transport route and for the survival of inner hair cells in presbyacusis.
Ontologizing gene-expression microarray data: characterizing clusters with Gene Ontology

Summary: An XML-based Java application is described that provides a function-oriented overview of the results of cluster analysis of gene-expression microarray data based on Gene Ontology terms and associations. The application generates one HTML page with listings of the frequencies of explicit and implicit Gene Ontology annotations for each cluster, and separate, linked pages with listings of explicit annotations for each gene in a cluster. Availability: http://www.charite.de/ch/medgen/ontologizer
Human Herpesvirus 8 Glycoprotein B (gB), gH, and gL Can Mediate Cell Fusion

Herpesvirus entry into cells and herpesvirus-induced cell fusion are related processes in that virus penetration proceeds by fusion of the viral envelope and cell membrane. To characterize the human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) glycoproteins that can mediate cell fusion, a luciferase reporter gene activation assay was used. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing the HHV-8 glycoproteins of interest along with a luciferase reporter gene under the control of the T7 promoter were cocultivated with human cells transfected with T7 RNA polymerase. Because HHV-8 glycoprotein B (gB) expressed in CHO cells localizes to the perinuclear region, a truncated form of gB (designated gB(MUT)) that lacks putative endocytosis signals was constructed by deletion of the distal 58 amino acids of the cytoplasmic tail. HHV-8 gB(MUT) was expressed efficiently on the surface of CHO cells. HHV-8 gB, gH, and gL could mediate the fusion of CHO cells with two different human cell types, embryonic kidney cells and B lymphocytes. Substituting gB(MUT) for gB significantly enhanced the fusion of CHO cells with human embryonic kidney cells but not B lymphocytes. Thus, two human cell types known to be susceptible to HHV-8 entry were also suitable targets for cell fusion induced by HHV-8 gB, gH, and gL. For human embryonic kidney cells and B cells at least, optimal fusion was noted with the expression of all three HHV-8 glycoproteins.
Efficient Euclidean projections in linear time

We consider the problem of computing the Euclidean projection of a vector of length n onto a closed convex set including the l1 ball and the specialized polyhedra employed in (Shalev-Shwartz & Singer, 2006). These problems have played building block roles in solving several l1-norm based sparse learning problems. Existing methods have a worst-case time complexity of O(n log n). In this paper, we propose to cast both Euclidean projections as root finding problems associated with specific auxiliary functions, which can be solved in linear time via bisection. We further make use of the special structure of the auxiliary functions, and propose an improved bisection algorithm. Empirical studies demonstrate that the proposed algorithms are much more efficient than the competing ones for computing the projections.
The Role of Temperament by Family Environment Interactions in Child Maladjustment

In order to advance our understanding of the etiology of individual differences in child maladjustment (i.e., conduct and emotional problems), we tested hypotheses about the statistical interactions between child temperament and two aspects of the family environment: maternal negativity and positivity, and household chaos (e.g., crowding, noise, lack of routines). Mothers (n = 149) reported on their child’s effortful control, negative affect, surgency, and behavioral/emotional problems. The age range of the children was 3 to 7 years old and half of the sample was girls. Observers rated maternal negativity and positivity based on brief structured interaction tasks in the laboratory. Child temperament moderated the association between maternal negativity/positivity and child maladjustment. Maternal negativity and child problem behavior were associated only for those children who also were high in surgency or negative affectivity. Maternal positivity was associated with less child problem behavior for those high in surgency. Child effortful control interacted with both maternal negativity and chaos. Maternal negativity and child problem behavior were most strongly associated for children who were low in effortful control and living in chaotic homes. The results point to distinct transactions between child temperament and maternal negativity/positivity that depend in part on the dimensions of temperament and parenting behavior in question.
Stapedial reflex and ears with high static acoustic admittance.

Purpose To evaluate modified acoustic reflex diagnostic protocols for a group of individuals (n = 9) with high peak compensated static acoustic admittance (Ytm) tympanograms. Method A modified proc...
Influence of lateral boundary conditions on a phase-defect description of traveling-wave convection patterns

Abstract Traveling-wave convection patterns in binary fluid mixtures of ethanol and water have been studied experimentally in containers with lateral boundaries of different shapes, including circular cells of two different sizes, rectangular and stadium-shaped cells. The nature of the patterns depends qualitatively upon the shape of the lateral boundaries. This paper analyzes these patterns in terms of topological phase defects in the complex order parameter, providing a reduced description of the system. The experimentally measured phase fields (and hence the patterns) can be reconstructed from the location and charge of the topological defects. For good agreement with experiment, the structure of individual defects is found to depend on both nearest-neighbor interactions of like-sign defects and the global structure of the patterns, reflected by the net charge of the defects. Further implications of these results for understanding traveling-wave patterns and dynamics are discussed.
Effects of government incentives on wind innovation in the United States

In the United States, as elsewhere, state and federal governments have considered or implemented a range of policies to create more sustainable energy generation systems in response to concerns over climate change, security of fuel supply, and environmental impacts. These policies include both regulatory instruments such as renewable portfolio standards (RPSs) and market incentives such as tax credits. While these policies are primarily geared towards increasing renewable generation capacity, they can indirectly affect innovation in associated technologies through a ‘demand-pull’ dynamic. Other policies, such as public research and development (R&D) funding, directly incentivize innovation through ‘technology-push’ means. In this letter, we examine these effects on innovation in the United States wind energy industry. We estimate a set of econometric models relating a set of US federal and state policies to patenting activity in wind technologies over the period 1974‐2009. We find that RPS policies have had significant positive effects on wind innovation, whereas tax-based incentives have not been particularly effective. We also find evidence that the effects of RPS incentives differ between states. Finally, we find that public R&D funding can be a significant driver of wind innovation, though its effect in the US has been modest.
Tetralogy of Fallot – Introduction

Surgical therapy for tetralogy of fallot is one of the success stories of the early era of cardiac surgery. Despite the many advances of the ensuing fifty years, such as new techniques for imaging, extension of surgical therapy to the neonatal period, and improved treatment in the intensive care unit, there has been an increasing recognition that the outcomes for many patients over the long term remain less than optimal. Mortality for surgical correction of tetralogy of Fallot, even in very small neonates, approaches zero at most institutions. Patients remain at risk, however, for right ventricular dysfunction, congestive heart failure, and an ongoing need for future therapeutic interventions, including cardiac catheterization and re-operation. Surgical reconstruction of the abnormal subpulmonary right ventricular outflow tract often results in pulmonary insufficiency and scarring, leading to ventricular volume overload and dysfunction. Postoperative right ventricular dysfunction may be associated with congestive heart failure, poor exercise tolerance, arrhythmias, and sudden death. The chapters which follow in this section of our supplement focus on the current state of knowledge concerning treatment and management of patients with pulmonary insufficiency following surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot. There is considerable controversy concerning the clinical significance of pulmonary insufficiency; there is no standard technique for the assessment of right ventricular function; and there are considerable disagreements concerning the optimal timing of surgical re-intervention to replace the pulmonary valve. I believe that the reviews will help clarify these important issues.
Assessment of Persistence of Hybrids between Alien Pima Cotton, Gossypium barbadense (Malvaceae), and Endemic Hawaiian Cotton, G. tomentosum, in Hawai'i

Abstract: Hybridization between alien plant species and their native congeners represents a major global threat to native floras. In Hawai'i, two introduced cotton species, Pima cotton (G. barbadense) and Upland cotton (G. hirsutum), have naturalized on the main Hawaiian Islands. Both species are capable of producing fertile hybrids with the native Hawaiian cotton (G. tomentosum). Hybrid populations between Pima and Hawaiian cotton were documented at Nanakuli on the Wai'anae coast of O'ahu in 1964 by the late Stanley G. Stephens. Extant populations of Pima and Hawaiian cotton in the vicinity of those documented by Stephens (1964) were screened using both morphological and molecular (microsatellite markers) techniques to assess persistence of the original hybrid population and potential gene flow that may have occurred between the two cotton species. We did not relocate the original hybrid populations described in Stephens (1964), although a herbarium voucher that was verified as a hybrid indicates that at...
Imaging Lung Disease in Systemic Sclerosis

Interstitial lung disease and pulmonary hypertension (PH) are the most common cardiopulmonary findings in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). About two thirds of patients suffering from SSc develop scleroderma interstitial lung disease. PH is present in about 20% of SSc patients and is typically associated with severe lung disease, although it may be an isolated manifestation of SSc. High-resolution CT scanning is a key method for evaluating chest involvement. There are four roles of imaging in scleroderma interstitial lung disease: 1) detection of lung involvement, 2) identification of patients likely to respond to treatment, 3) assessment of treatment efficacy, and 4) exclusion of other significant diseases to include PH and cardiac and esophageal abnormalities.
Legitimation Issues in the State-Nonprofit Relationship:

Current theories on the origin of the nonprofit sector do not adequately explain changes in the relative scale of social welfare service provision by the state versus private nonprofit entities. French and Japanese experiences illustrate that nations can undergo significant change, cycling through periods of expansion then restriction of the legal status and role of the nonprofit sector. This article considers the potential for legitimation strategies to explain the shifts in nonprofit status in France and Japan. The article concludes that although some theoretical foundation exists on legitimation concepts, additional work needs to be done to derive a sufficient theory of how legitimation issues affect change in the nonprofit sector.
Spatial models: stochastic and deterministic

Theoretical studies of biological populations via analysis and/or simulation of deterministic and stochastic systems sometimes end up drawing conflicting conclusions. Papers purporting to investigate the same dynamics, albeit through different methods, often cannot agree on essential properties of the system being modeled. This problem often arises when trying to compare results that were obtained from different kinds of mathematical models, say those based on differential equations and individual-based stochastic models. While such models can successfully represent or characterize different views of the same phenomena, it is important to know when two different approaches are comparable, as well as any limitations that may be inherent in such a comparison. This survey paper is directed primarily to mathematical biologists whose primary mode of operation is partial differential equations. More generally, we seek to illuminate connections between the two main realms of spatial modeling. We begin by presenting a quick introduction to a class of stochastic spatial models, known as interacting particle systems, which are readily applicable to biological (and many other) systems. We then give examples of how various scaled limits of these models give rise to reaction-diffusion equations and integrodifferential equations. The first case falls under the heading of hydrodynamic limits and the second case is an example of a mean-field limit theorem.
3-D Navier-Stokes analysis of crossing, glancing shocks/turbulent boundary layer interactions

Abstract Three-dimensional viscous flow analysis is performed for a configuration where two crossing and glancing shocks interact with a turbulent boundary layer. A time marching 3-D full Navier—Stokes code, called PARC3D, is used to compute the flow field and the solution is compared to the experimental data obtained at the NASA Lewis Research Center 1 ft × 1 ft supersonic wind tunnel facility. The study is carried out as part of the continuing code assessment program in support of the Generic Hypersonic Research at NASA Lewis. Detailed comparison of static pressure fields and oil flow patterns is made with the corresponding solution on the wall containing the shock/boundary layer interaction in an effort to validate the code for hypersonic inlet applications.
Biological Effects Of Ultrasound

The sections in this article are 1 Fundamentals Of Propagation and Absorption Of Ultrasound 2 Physical and Chemical Processes Engendered By Medical Ultrasound 3 Diagnostic Ultrasound 4 Therapeutic Ultrasound 5 Conclusions
Each One Teach One: The Legacy of Evangelism in Adult Literacy Education.

Scholars of adult basic literacy curricular materials have argued that the skill-based, deficit-oriented approach of many such materials denies the interests and motivations of adult learners. Exploring why these kinds of curricular materials are prevalent in adult basic literacy education, this article focuses on the case of ProLiteracy, a nongovernmental adult basic literacy organization that grew out of missionary Frank Laubach's work in the 1930s to convert illiterate adults to Christianity and a belief in American-style capitalism. This article argues that the legacy of Laubach's evangelism continues to affect adult literacy instruction in the United States today, through the content of many of the materials in the ProLiteracy catalogue, as well as through the volunteer-based one-to-one tutoring model's positioning of low-literacy adults.
Effect of end-tethered polymers on surface adhesion of glassy polymers

The adhesion between a glassy polymer melt and substrate is studied in the presence of end-grafted chains chemically attached to the substrate surface. Extensive molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out to study the effect of the areal density ∑ of tethered chains and tensile pull velocity v on the adhesive failure mechanisms. The initial configurations are generated using a double-bridging algorithm in which new bonds are formed across a pair of monomers equidistant from their respective free ends. This generates new chain configurations that are substantially different than the original two chains such that the systems can be equilibrated in a reasonable amount of cpu time. At the slowest tensile pull velocity studied, a crossover from chain scission to crazing is observed as the coverage increases, while for very large pull velocity, only chain scission is observed. As the coverage increases, the sections of the tethered chains pulled out from the interface form the fibrils of a craze that are strong enough to suppress chain scission, resulting in cohesive rather than adhesive failure. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 199–208, 2004
Design of an omnidirectional and holonomic wheeled platform prototype

The authors present the concepts for a new family of wheeled platforms which feature full omnidirectionality with simultaneous and independent rotational and translational motion capabilities. They first describe the original orthogonal-wheels assembly on which these platforms are based and discuss how a combination of these assemblies is used to generate an omnidirectional capability. The design and control of a prototype platform developed to test and demonstrate the proposed concepts are then described, and experimental results illustrating the full omnidirectionality of the platform with decoupled rotational and translational degrees of freedom are presented. >
Power, Memory, and Prehistory: Constructing and Erasing Political Landscapes in the Naco Valley, Northwestern Honduras

ABSTRACT In this article, we explore how research conducted among societies and social segments that are not historically documented can contribute to a comparative study of social memory. Such investigations, it is suggested, might profitably focus on how different population segments strategically used materials of various sorts to create landscapes for the enactment of power and its precedents. By attending to the strategies through which diverse factions in varied times and places yoked memory and power, we can heighten our appreciation for the ways in which culturally distinct symbols were deployed in broadly comparable processes to centralize control, build hierarchies, and resist both of these effort. This approach is exemplified in the study of the fluid political situation that pertained during the Late Classic (C.E. 600–800) to Terminal Classic (C.E. 800–1000) transition in the Naco Valley, northwestern Honduras.
Influence of Home Size on the Risk from Soil-Gas and Waterborne Indoor Radon

In a recent study of about 700 homes in Virgin ia and Maryland, three-month measurements of airborne radon derived from soil-gas combined with indoor radon derived from potable water in the home ranged from about 10–40 pCi/L. The radon in the potable water ranged from less than 100 to 8000 pCi/L/L. The home sizes ranged from about 20,000 to 100,000 cubic feet. In a study set composed of all the homes using water with low concentrations of waterborne radon, no correlation was observed between indoor radon and home size. In study sets of increasingly high waterborne radon, a correlation can be seen between waterborne radon and indoor radon. As the waterborne radon increases, smaller homes tend to have more indoor radon than larger homes. In terms of the risk of developing lung cancer, the greatest risk is experienced by people using well water while living in small homes.
Gaining colour stability in live image capturing

Digital colour cameras are dramatically falling in price, making them affordable for ubiquitous appliances in many applications. An attempt to use colour information reveals a significant problem that usually escapes our awareness. Due to the adaptive nature of the human visual system in most cases we do not recognise most changes in illumination characteristics, a camera however will measure scenes under changing illumination differently. Attempts to deduce object colour from the images will need to cope with the influence of the illumination and the camera's characteristics. Furthermore, a large variety of colour spaces are available to describe colour. Differences between them and their fitness to quantify colour are discussed. This paper tries to establish a basic understanding of the intricacies behind the processes involved in capturing images and recognising colour- from light as a stimulus to the sensed colour values in cameras. The goal is to outline a novel approach fusing common industrial best practices with dynamic adaptation capabilities needed for robustly measuring colour using cameras in real-time. First positive results towards improving colour based reasoning on adaptable colour spaces are stated as an outlook for further development directions.
Investigating Bilingual/ESL Teachers’ Knowledge and Professional Development Opportunities in a Large Suburban School District in Texas

Despite the fact that the population of English Language Learners (ELLs) is rapidly increasing, there is ample evidence that indicates that most teachers can benefit from training for teaching ELLs effectively. The purpose of this study is to examine teachers’ knowledge of instructional practices for ELLs, research on bilingual programs, research-based instructional strategies, and knowledge related to second-language development among 225 bilingual/English as Second Language (ESL) teachers in a large suburban school district in Texas. Additionally, because professional development (PD) plays a key role in teachers’ knowledge, this study considers the PD opportunities provided to teachers of ELLs. Findings indicated that many teachers of ELLs are not receiving adequate training, particularly in areas related to bilingual education and knowledge related to second-language development, and that bilingual teachers are more knowledgeable than ESL teachers in terms of bilingual programs and knowledge related t...
Mössbauer studies of exchange coupled cluster assemblies in biological systems

Biological systems have evolved active sites containing [4Fe-4S]2+ clusters covalently linked to a mononuclear Fe or Ni or to a diiron cluster. Such structures have been found in sulfite reductase, carbonmonoxide dehydrogenases and most recently in [Fe]-hydrogenases. The link through a bridging ligand provides an exchange pathway that couples the spins of the two chromophores. In this contribution the spin physics of these systems as viewed from a standpoint of Mossbauer spectroscopy is discussed.
Variable-Length Limited Feedback for Amplify-and-Forward Relay Networks

We study the channel quantization problem for amplify- and-forward (AF) relay networks with a sum power constraint for the relay nodes. Our target is to design a quantizer to minimize the outage probability. It is priorly known that any fixed-length quantizer with a finite- cardinality codebook cannot attain the same minimum outage probability as the case where all nodes in the AF relay networks have access to perfect channel state information (CSI). We propose a variable- length quantizer with a random infinite- cardinality codebook, and we prove that the proposed quantizer is able to achieve the full-CSI outage probability with a finite average feedback rate. Numerical simulations validate our theoretical analysis.
Novel autonomous structural health monitoring using piezoelectrics

A simple, novel method of automatically monitoring the health of a structure with piezoelectric devices is presented. With this method, piezoelectric devices are attached or embedded to a structure. When damage occurs in the piezostructure, a change in stiffness typically occurs. Since the piezoelectric patch is electromechanically coupled to the structure, it will respond with a change in permittivity or capacitance. A relatively new transducer technology, the adaptive piezoelectric sensoriactuator, inherently monitors the capacitance of a piezoelectric device, providing the opportunity for real-time health monitoring. This method is simple, cheap, and easy to implement. A simple experiment demonstrates the success of the concept by detecting a change in the boundary conditions of a composite beam piezostructure.
Optical Enumeration Technique for Detection of Baculoviruses in the Environment

A combination detergent wash-optical staining technique was developed to determine the concentration of virus polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIBs) present on samples of common forest substrates. Experiments were performed to determine the efficacy of the procedure for estimating the abundance of applied virus of gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L). (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), from samples of bark, leaf litter, and soil. Detection and quantification of inclusion bodies present in the wash supernatant was accomplished by staining the inclusion body protein and observing the stained particles using phase contrast microscopy. Positive identification of the virus particles and the determination of virus activity was accomplished through the bioassay of the wash supernatants. The mean recovery rate of virus applied to substrates, after washing and staining, was high (76.5%) but differed between bark (65%), leaf litter (68%), and soil (79%). No difference in recovery rates was detected when different concentrations of virus were applied to the same substrates. Bioassays were performed for virus concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 PIBs per ml by applying virus directly to artificial diet, and by applying virus to forest substrates, subjecting these substrates to the washing procedure, then applying the wash supernatant to artificial diet. An analysis of covariance was performed on the doseresponse curves of control virus and virus washed from the three substrates. The analysis revealed no significant differences between the two curves, indicating that the washing and staining procedure itself has no effect on virus viability. The optical enumeration technique, therefore, provides a reliable and inexpensive method for the assessment of virus abundance on substrates in the environment.
Forest fire policy: change conventional thinking of smoke management to prioritize long-term air quality and public health

Wildland fire smoke is inevitable. Size and intensity of wildland fires are increasing in the western USA. Smoke-free skies and public exposure to wildland fire smoke have effectively been postponed through suppression. The historic policy of suppression has systematically both instilled a public expectation of a smoke-free environment and deferred emissions through increased forest fuel loads that will lead to an eventual large spontaneous release. High intensity fire smoke is impacting a larger area including high density urban areas. Policy change has largely attempted to provide the avenue for increased use of ecologically beneficial fire but allows for continued reliance on suppression as a primary tool for a smoke averse population. While understanding the essential role of suppression in protection of life and property, we dispute the efficacy of attempting to eliminate smoke exposure through suppression in a fire prone area to protect human health at the population level. Sufficient consideration to future negative health outcomes needs to be considered in fire management decisions. It is likely that long term air quality is inextricably linked to ecosystem health in the Sierra Nevada. We contend that landscape use of ecological fire is essential to forest and human health. Radical change is needed where beneficial wildland fire smoke is treated as natural background and exempted from much of the regulation applied to anthropogenic sources. Tolerance of the measured release of routine smoke emissions from beneficial fire is needed. Using present air quality standards in the more remote areas will provide an opportunity to increase burning in many forests while protecting public health.
Molecular epidemiology in the care of patients.

Abstract Several different epidemiologic typing methods have been applied in studies of microbial pathogens. These methods include the more traditional nonmolecular approaches as well as the more s...
A review of diagnostic and prognostic capabilities and best practices for manufacturing

Prognostics and health management (PHM) technologies reduce time and costs for maintenance of products or processes through efficient and cost-effective diagnostic and prognostic activities. PHM systems use real-time and historical state information of subsystems and components to provide actionable information, enabling intelligent decision-making for improved performance, safety, reliability, and maintainability. However, PHM is still an emerging field, and much of the published work has been either too exploratory or too limited in scope. Future smart manufacturing systems will require PHM capabilities that overcome current challenges, while meeting future needs based on best practices, for implementation of diagnostics and prognostics. This paper reviews the challenges, needs, methods, and best practices for PHM within manufacturing systems. This includes PHM system development of numerous areas highlighted by diagnostics, prognostics, dependability analysis, data management, and business. Based on current capabilities, PHM systems are shown to benefit from open-system architectures, cost-benefit analyses, method verification and validation, and standards.
Fission products measured from highly-enriched uranium irradiated under 10B4C in a research reactor

Prior work has demonstrated the use of a natural B4C capsule for spectral-tailoring in a mixed spectrum reactor as an alternate and complementary method to critical assemblies for performing nuclear data measurements at near 235U fission-energy neutron spectrum. Previous fission product measurements showed that the neutron spectrum achievable with natural B4C was not as hard as what can be achieved with critical assemblies. New measurements performed with the Washington State University TRIGA reactor using a B4C capsule 96 % enriched in 10B resulted in a neutron spectrum very similar to a critical assembly and a pure 235U fission spectrum. Fission product yields measured following an irradiation of a sample with this new method and subsequent radiochemical separations are presented here.