cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Functional Theory

Structural functional theory is a sociological paradigm that was once dominant within the discipline of sociology. As of the early twenty-first century, it is most relevant in the study of families, where its influence is still guiding and shaping scholarship and inquiry. As a theory, it explains institutions, practices, and social structures by focusing on how they help address societal needs. The most influential functionalist scholars were G. P. Murdock and Talcott Parsons, who reached the height of their influence in the middle of the twentieth century. As a theoretical framework, functionalism has been criticized for universalizing and normalizing social structures that can be seen as problematic or oppressive. Keywords: dysfunctions; functionalism; functions; latent functions; manifest functions; structural functionalism; structure; theoretical paradigms; theory; universal
The Association of Blood Urea Nitrogen Levels and Coronary Artery Disease

Renal dysfunction has been associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Estimates of renal function routinely utilize creatinine-based measures. Serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, however, may provide supplemental information in regard to renal function as renal proximal tubule cells may increase BUN reabsorption in the setting of increased neurohormonal activation. We performed a retrospective chart review on 156 consecutive adult patients presenting to the Montefiore Medical Center Emergency Department with symptoms of unstable angina and no known prior history of coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent cardiac catheterization as part of their index hospitalization. On multivariate analysis, admission serum BUN was associated with an increased burden of CAD on cardiac catheterization and was not associated with ruling in for myocardial infarction (MI).
Frequency dependent charge pumping — A defect depth profiling tool?

We investigate the validity of using frequency-dependent charge pumping (FD-CP) to determine bulk defect depth distributions. Using simple physical arguments we conclude that: (1) the effective tunneling length to a bulk defect can be very different than its actual physical depth, and (2) only a fraction of detrapping charge may contribute to the CP current (I CP ) resulting in analysis errors. Thus, the relationship between frequency and defect depth is much more complex than what has been previously reported.
Analyses of Snowstorms during 1987

The year 1987 will be remembered for its many heavy snowstorms over the Middle Atlantic states and southern New England. During the first few weeks of the year, severe winter weather was confined to the interior sections of New York, Pennsylvania, and New England, where near-record amounts of snow had fallen since mid-November 1986. Little snow had occurred along the coast, but the center of activity for major snowstorms soon shifted to the Middle Atlantic region, bringing the area from Virginia through southeastern New England the greatest amounts from late January through February. Storms on 22–23 January, 25–26 January, 9–10 February, 16–18 February, and 22–23 February were the most noteworthy events during this period. The storms of 22–23 January, 25–26 January, and 22–23 February produced major snow accumulations across some of the densely populated regions of the Middle Atlantic states, so map analyses for these cases will be presented in this section. Although the areal extent of heavy snowfall for the two latter cases was somewhat less than the storms sampled earlier in this chapter, their severe impact on major metropolitan areas of the northeastern United States warrants their inclusion.
Myelodysplastic Syndrome, Unclassifiable (MDS-U) With 1% Blasts Is a Distinct Subgroup of MDS-U With a Poor Prognosis.

Objectives Three situations qualify as myelodysplastic syndrome, unclassifiable (MDS-U): (1) refractory cytopenia with dysplasia and 1% blasts in peripheral blood (BL), (2) pancytopenia with unilineage dysplasia (Pan), and (3) persistent cytopenia, less than 5% bone marrow blasts, and less than 10% dysplastic cells and presence of MDS-defining cytogenetic abnormalities (CG). We compared the clinicopathologic features and mutational profiles for these three groups. Methods MDS-U cases were reviewed at four major academic institutions. Targeted next-generation sequencing for genes implicated in myeloid neoplasms was performed in a subset of cases. Results Twenty-seven patients were identified (six MDS-U BL, 13 MDS-U Pan, and eight MDS-U CG). Clonal cytogenetic abnormalities were found in six of six, seven of 13, and eight of eight cases in MDS-U BL, Pan, and CG, respectively (P > .05). Overall, four of six patients with MDS-U BL progressed to acute myeloid leukemia; no MDS-U Pan or CG patients did. The rates of progression-free survival and mortality (overall survival) were significantly higher in MDS-U BL compared with Pan and CG (P < .001 for both). Conclusions We find that MDS-U BL is a distinct subset of MDS-U with a poor prognosis, while MDS-U Pan and CG are relatively indolent. Evaluation of peripheral blood smears in patients with MDS is essential for accurate classification and prognosis.
Testing a Threshold-Based Bed Bug Management Approach in Apartment Buildings.

We tested a threshold-based bed bug (Cimex lectularius L.) management approach with the goal of achieving elimination with minimal or no insecticide application. Thirty-two bed bug infested apartments were identified. These apartments were divided into four treatment groups based on apartment size and initial bed bug count, obtained through a combination of visual inspection and bed bug monitors: I- Non-chemical only in apartments with 1–12 bed bug count, II- Chemical control only in apartments with 1–12 bed bug count, III- Non-chemical and chemical control in apartments with >12 bed bug count, and IV- Chemical control only in apartments with ≥11 bed bug count. All apartments were monitored or treated once every two weeks for a maximum of 28 wk. Treatment I eliminated bed bugs in a similar amount of time to treatment II. Time to eliminate bed bugs was similar between treatment III and IV but required significantly less insecticide spray in treatment III than that in treatment IV. A threshold-based management approach (non-chemical only or non-chemical and chemical) can eliminate bed bugs in a similar amount of time, using little to no pesticide compared to a chemical only approach.
Using actor-partner interdependence modeling to understand HPV vaccine acceptance

A wealth of scientific literature has been devoted to understanding what factors influence parents and their adolescent children to obtain the HPV vaccine. This literature is relatively uniform in its methodological approach of sampling individuals (i.e., either parents or adolescents) and examining the predictors of uptake for that individual. To improve understanding of HPV vaccination uptake, we sampled low-income, African American parent-child dyads with either a female (n = 93) or a male (n = 116) adolescent who had not been vaccinated. Both parents and children completed self-report measures that tapped intent to receive the vaccine and hypothesized predictors of intent (i.e., self-efficacy, beliefs about the vaccine, beliefs about HPV, knowledge of HPV). Using a dyadic analytic approach (i.e., the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model or APIM) [1], we found that parents and their adolescents have different structures of beliefs regarding HPV vaccination (i.e., they are empirically distinguishable). Consistent with prior research, the majority of predictors of an individual's own intention to vaccinate were individual-level variables; uniquely though, some predictors endorsed by one member of the dyad influenced the intentions held by the other member. Specifically, parents' reports of HPV severity and their self-efficacy were both associated with adolescents' intent to obtain the vaccine. Further, adolescents' beliefs that the vaccine will lead to greater promiscuity or be stigmatizing were associated with parents holding an increased intent to vaccinate. Use APIM improves understanding of HPV vaccination uptake and can be used to guide intervention efforts.
Efficient and accurate Word2Vec implementations in GPU and shared-memory multicore architectures

Word2Vec is a popular set of machine learning algorithms that use a neural network to generate dense vector representations of words. These vectors have proven to be useful in a variety of machine learning tasks. In this work, we propose new methods to increase the speed of the Word2Vec skip gram with hierarchical softmax architecture on multi-core shared memory CPU systems, and on modern NVIDIA GPUs with CUDA. We accomplish this on multi-core CPUs by batching training operations to increase thread locality and to reduce accesses to shared memory. We then propose new heterogeneous NVIDIA GPU CUDA implementations of both the skip gram hierarchical softmax and negative sampling techniques that utilize shared memory registers and in-warp shuffle operations for maximized performance. Our GPU skip gram with negative sampling approach produces a higher quality of word vectors than previous GPU implementations, and our flexible skip gram with hierarchical softmax implementation achieves a factor of 10 speedup of the existing methods.
The Honest Ads Act Won't End Social Media Disinformation, but It's a Start

The Honest Ads Act, introduced in the Senate in October 2017, would hold social media and other online platforms to the same political advertising transparency requirements that bind cable and broadcast systems. No longer would these platforms be able to deny that they know they are distributing foreign and other covert political ads (as part of a disinformation campaign), and no longer would the public be blind to advertiser identity. Above a certain threshold, the buyers of these ads would be exposed. However, paid political advertising is a relatively small part of the disinformation that infected the public sphere during the U.S. 2016 federal election. The Honest Ads Act will not reach organic social media posts, troll farms or -- most fundamentally -- the logic of social media sites which rewards outrage and bias confirmation. Moreover, it would not reach paid ads that are not considered "political", and there is a risk that an overly broad definition would raise First Amendment problems. Even given these limits and caveats, even relatively weak disclosure regulations have proven to foster a culture of greater transparency in commercial advertising. They could do the same with online political advertising, without compromising free speech values. Normalizing social media to the standards of traditional media transparency is a reasonable place to start.
Verrucous epidermal nevus

A 64-year-old man presented with a three-year history of an enlarging, pruritic, linear, verrucous plaque on his left lower extremity. Histopathologic examination was consistent with a verrucous epidermal nevus, which is a benign epidermal hamartoma, most commonly observed in the pediatric population. Verrucous epidermal nevi are often refractory to treatment and have high rates of recurrences, causing them to be therapeutic challenges. We review the treatment modalities reported to be effective in verrucous epidermal nevi.
Abstract IA11: Oxidized 5-methylcytosine: At the interface of epigenetics and DNA repair

5-methylcytosine (5mC) is an epigenetic DNA modification that represses transcription when placed into CpG-rich promoter sequences. The removal of 5mC from DNA occurs through stepwise oxidation of the methyl group by 5mC oxidases, the so-called Ten-Eleven-Translocation (TET) enzymes. These oxidases sequentially produce 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). Whereas 5hmC occurs at substantial levels in several mammalian cell and tissue types, the other two oxidation products are often described as intermediates in the DNA demethylation pathway, which is completed by base excision repair following excision of 5fC and 5caC by thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG). 5caC is a block to polymerases and may elicit a DNA damage response. Mammalian genomes encode three TET enzymes, TET1, TET2, and TET3. TET3 exists as three major isoforms including an oocyte-specific form, likely responsible for the preferential oxidation of 5mC in the paternal genome of fertilized oocytes, as well as two somatic isoform that differ with regards to presence or absence of an N-terminal zinc finger-type CXXC domain. We recently characterized the full-length TET3 isoform containing the CXXC domain (TET3FL). This CXXC domain binds to unmethylated CpG sequences but, unexpectedly, its highest affinity is towards 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). We determined the crystal structure of the CXXC domain - 5caC-DNA complex revealing the structural basis of the binding specificity of this domain as a reader of 5CcaCG sequences. We propose that binding of TET3 to its reaction product 5caC through its CXXC domain enforces the genomic specificity of this protein. Mapping of TET3FL in neuronal cell populations showed that Tet3FL is localized at the transcription start sites (TSS) of genes involved in lysosome function, mRNA processing and key genes of the base excision repair pathway. Thus, Tet3FL may function as a regulator of 5caC removal by base excision repair. TET3FL peaks coincided with binding sites for the master regulator of the lysosome and autophagy pathways, TFEB. Active removal of accumulating 5mC from the TSS of genes coding for essential proteins by TET3FL may be important for preventing age-associated diseases including neurodegeneration and cancer. Citation Format: Gerd Peter Pfeifer. Oxidized 5-methylcytosine: At the interface of epigenetics and DNA repair [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR International Conference: New Frontiers in Cancer Research; 2017 Jan 18-22; Cape Town, South Africa. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(22 Suppl):Abstract nr IA11.
Personalized brain network models for assessing structure-function relationships.

Many recent efforts in computational modeling of macro-scale brain dynamics have begun to take a data-driven approach by incorporating structural and/or functional information derived from subject data. Here, we discuss recent work using personalized brain network models to study structure–function relationships in human brains. We describe the steps necessary to build such models and show how this computational approach can provide previously unobtainable information through the ability to perform virtual experiments. Finally, we present examples of how personalized brain network models can be used to gain insight into the effects of local stimulation and improve surgical outcomes in epilepsy.
Specification of trophoblast from embryonic stem cells exposed to BMP4

Trophoblast (TB) comprises the outer cell layers of the mammalian placenta that make direct contact with the maternal uterus and, in species with a highly invasive placenta, maternal blood. It has its origin as trophectoderm, a single epithelial layer of extra-embryonic ectoderm that surrounds the embryo proper at the blastocyst stage of development. Here, we briefly compare the features of TB specification and determination in the mouse and the human. We then review research on a model system that has been increasingly employed to study TB emergence, namely the BMP4 (bone morphogenetic protein-4)-directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (ESCd), and discuss why outcomes using it have proved so uneven. We also examine the controversial aspects of this model, particularly the issue of whether or not the ESCd represents TB at all. Our focus here has been to explore similarities and potential differences between the phenotypes of ESCd, trophectoderm, placental villous TB, and human TB stem cells. We then explore the role of BMP4 in the differentiation of human pluripotent cells to TB and suggest that it converts the ESC into a totipotent state that is primed for TB differentiation when self-renewal is blocked. Finally we speculate that the TB formed from ESC is homologous to the trophectoderm-derived, invasive TB that envelopes the implanting conceptus during the second week of pregnancy.
Click to count–The birth of a journal support campaign

The University of North Texas libraries, like many other universities, has experienced budget fluctuations for many years. In 2010, the materials budget at the University of North Texas was a healt...
On Robustness and Regularization of Structural Support Vector Machines

Previous analysis of binary support vector machines (SVMs) has demonstrated a deep connection between robustness to perturbations over uncertainty sets and regularization of the weights. In this paper, we explore the problem of learning robust models for structured prediction problems. We first formulate the problem of learning robust structural SVMs when there are perturbations in the sample space, and show how we can construct corresponding bounds on the perturbations in the feature space. We then show that robustness to perturbations in the feature space is equivalent to additional regularization. For an ellipsoidal uncertainty set, the additional regularizer is based on the dual norm of the norm that constrains the ellipsoidal uncertainty. For a polyhedral uncertainty set, the robust optimization problem is equivalent to adding a linear regularizer in a transformed weight space related to the linear constraints of the polyhedron. We also show that these constraint sets can be combined and demonstrate a number of interesting special cases. This represents the first theoretical analysis of robust optimization of structural support vector machines. Our experimental results show that our method outperforms the nonrobust structural SVMs on real world data when the test data distribution has drifted from the training data distribution.
Bulk Parameterizations for the Wind Stress and Heat Fluxes

The determination of the surface fluxes of momentum, heat, and mass on temporal and spatial scales is of direct importance to two major fields of geophysics: air-sea interaction and remote sensing. Although the surface fluxes, in a sense, represent the common link between these two growing fields, the disciplines of air/sea interaction and remote sensing have, in the most part, evolved independently. Only recently, with the promise of continuous operational satellite retrievals of directly measured surface data, have the two disciplines begun to merge. Research programs are now being conducted with the intent of describing geophysical variables with remote sensing data in addition to understanding the physics of ocean surface scattering, the processes involved in describing the air-sea exchange rates, and the statistical character of the surface wave state. The outcome of such joint research efforts is intended to provide higher quality monitoring and forecasting of the marine environment through remote sensing techniques.
Operantly Controlled Somatosensory Brain Potentials: Specific Effects on Pain Processes

We have on several earlier occasions discussed aspects of the voluntary (operant) control of evoked potentials (EPs), (e.g., Rosenfeld, Hetzler, Birkel, Kowatch, & Antoinetti, 1976). In this earlier work, we focused on the nontriviality of the effects, as well as on their unique applications. Having ultimately satisfied ourselves that it was possible for animals and people to control the amplitude of specific EP components without resorting to obvious and trivial mediation (such as closing one’s eyes to reduce visual EPs), we began to pose questions about functional significance: EPs are usually understood to represent neural processing in sensory systems possibly subserving perception; do changes in EPs therefore indicate altered perception?
True Mobilities in Semi-Insulating O- and Cr-Doped GaAs

It is well known that an analysis of the magnetic field dependences of the resistivity ρ and Hall coefficient R, in nearly intrinsic material, will uniquely yield μ n, μ p, n, and p as long as single -carrier magnetic field dependences are not important. Unfortunately, recent data indicate that such effects are often important in semi-insulating GaAs and thus a new approach is necessary. We suggest an approach that requires only the usual, low field Hall effect and resistivity parameters, R0, and ρ0, but that also assumes knowledge of the intrinsic carrier concentration ni, and the hole mobility μ p as a function of the electron mobility, i.e. μ p = f(μ n).We describe analyses which yield ni≏(2.6±0.5)×106 cm-3, and a tentative relationship for μ p namely, μ p -1 ≏ 9×10-4 + 13μ n -1 . Curves of μ n versus R0/ρ 0, with ρ 0 as a parameter, are calculated by using these relationships. For ρ 0 ≤4×106 Ω-cm, the only solutions are μ n ≈ R0/ρ 0 which means that simple Hall measurements will suffice for nearly all O-doped and undoped semi-insulating GaAs. For higher ρ 0, the solutions are double-valued, and means of selecting the proper solution are discussed. A simple compensation-distribution model is presented which yields the positions of the ‘O’ and Cr energy levels.
Capturing Children's Mathematical Knowledge: An Assessment Framework.

This paper explores an innovative assessment framework for measuring children’s formal and informal mathematical knowledge. Many existing standardized measures, such as the Early Grade Mathematics Assessment, measure children’s performance in early primary grade skills that have been identified by researchers and policy makers as foundational and predictive of later academic achievement (Platas, Ketterlin-Geller, & Sitabkhan, 2016; RTI International, 2014). However, these standardized assessments only provide information on children’s mathematical ability as it pertains to skills and concepts that are a focus of school instruction, referred to as formal mathematics. While valuable, they leave unmeasured the mathematics that children use and develop as part of their everyday life, such as the strategies they use to solve simple arithmetical problems that arise as they move through their day (Khan, 1999; Saxe, 1991; Taylor, 2009). In this article, we draw from mixed methods studies which focus on capturing the informal mathematical skills that children develop outside of school in various contexts (Guberman, 1996; Nasir, 2000; Sitabkhan, 2009; Sitabkhan, 2015). We describe how the use of observations of children’s mathematical activities in natural settings and subsequent cognitive interviews using mathematical tasks derived from those observations can illuminate mathematical knowledge and skills that may otherwise remain hidden. We found that an assessment framework that focuses on both standardized measures of formal mathematical learning and contextualized measures of children’s everyday mathematics can provide a more complete and nuanced picture of children’s knowledge, and taken together can inform the development of curricular materials and teacher training focused on early learning.
Arnheim After the Post-medium Condition

Arnheim’s media theory is introduced amidst the uncertain context of the contemporary post-medium condition. After decades of suspicion of both medium and media systems, some robust theory of medium is needed. Nevertheless, those process-based accounts of medium introduced recently with the turn to “materialism” and “ontology,” and, influenced by Deleuze, do not directly address an affirmative account of medium, instead substituting partial systems intended to account for the determinacy of media in a half-hearted way. Against caricatures of traditional ontological theories as “essentialistic,” or defining fixed and eternal natures, it is argued that they are sufficiently rich to stake out a variety of commitments and to deal with the persistent aspects of media without erecting a rigid and reductive system. Indeed, the conflation of the possession of powers with their actualization confuses the description of a medium and the norm of its use.
Noninvasive Duplex Ultrasound Findings of Left-Sided Inguinal Endometriomas:

Endometriosis is described as the presence of endometrial tissue found at sites outside of the uterus. Symptoms can include pain, hemorrhage, and/or infertility. Typically, computer tomography is u...
Teaching with Simulation

Critical care is like aviation: there is little room for error. As a result, simulation is becoming a cornerstone of training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Simulation allows for deliberate practice of individual and teamwork skills, practice for rare but potentially deadly events, and optimization of health system performance. In specific situations, simulation can be used to demonstrate competency while also improving patient care outcomes. Successful simulation-based education demands planning and attention to the skill levels of participants, availability of equipment, time for careful and scripted debriefing, and proper evaluation of performance. In this chapter, we discuss the value of and evidence for using simulation in medical education in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, as well as the educational theory which supports its use, tips for implementing and sustaining successful simulation programs, and the limitations of simulation.
Isostable Reduction and Boundary Feedback Control for Nonlinear Convective Flows

A model reduction strategy using isostable coordinates is developed and applied to a prototype nonlinear convective flow past an obstacle. The flow is governed by the two-dimensional Burgers’ equation subject to Dirichlet boundary controls. The Burgers’ equation is used as a surrogate to the Navier-Stokes equations. The isostable coordinates are fully nonlinear and based on the infinite time convergence of transient behavior to a stationary solution. Linearization yields a model reduction strategy that explicitly accounts for the temporal dynamics of the underlying nonlinear flow and a strategy is developed for fitting observed data to the isostable reduced model. Open loop simulations of the isostable reduction outperform a previously validated nonlinear reduction strategy based on proper orthogonal decomposition. Additionally, the resulting isostable reduced framework is amenable for feedback control as demonstrated by solving a linear quadratic regulator problem in an isostable reduced coordinate system and applying the result to the full order system. To our knowledge, the use of isostable coordinates for reduced order modeling of fluid flows is novel.
Abstract P3-11-26: Investigating the synergistic anti-cancer effects on mitochondrial function in breast cancer cells using arctigenin, cinnamaldehyde, and chlorogenic acid individually and in combination

One of the major obstacles in current breast cancer treatment efficacy is the ability of breast cancer cells to develop resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition, a second major obstacle is the off-target cytotoxicity of these drugs on normal cells, leading to debilitating side effects. Many of these current chemotherapeutics target DNA (repair, replication, division). As a result, the bystander effect to normal cells and tissues is significant. However, one major difference between cancer and normal cells is their metabolism. The Warburg Effect suggests that cancer cells prefer a glycolytic, hypoxic environment. Emerging studies have begun to delineate differences in mitochondrial function between cancer and normal cells. In this study, we sought to exploit this metabolic difference by investigating alternative breast cancer treatment options based on application of natural product components. Previous studies from our lab demonstrated the efficacy of a mixture of plant extracts in killing cancer cells. Proteomics studies showed significant mitochondrial disruption in the cancer cells compared to normal cells. Here, we investigate three of the main components, identified by Mass Spectometry, to determine their anticancer properties compared to the whole extracts’ mixture. Arctigenin, chlorogenic acid, and cinnamaldehyde all demonstrate anti-cancer activity. We hypothesize that each component of the whole extract causes breast cancer cell death by disruption of mitochondrial activity and metabolic shifts, and lead to an increase in oxidative stress that is further amplified by combination treatment. These small molecules were administered to MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer or normal MCF-10A and MCF-12F breast cells, either alone or in combination. To evaluate differences in cell response, mitochondrial integrity and metabolic shifts were evaluated by flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy and the Agilent Seahorse XF Cell Mito Stress Test. The ladder measures the mitochondria’s oxygen consumption rate, basal respiration, ATP production, proton leak, maximal respiration, spare respiratory capacity, and non-mitochondrial respiration. This study provides evidence that targeting the mitochondria may be a more effective anticancer treatment and that either components of natural products or combinations thereof offer new approaches in treating breast cancer that significantly reduce off-target effects to normal cells. Citation Format: Caroline Schuster, Lauren S Gollahon. Investigating the synergistic anti-cancer effects on mitochondrial function in breast cancer cells using arctigenin, cinnamaldehyde, and chlorogenic acid individually and in combination [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-11-26.
Radical Inequalities: China’s Revolutionary Welfare State in Comparative Perspective

Nara Dillon's book Radical Inequalities: China's Revolutionary Welfare State in Comparative Perspective examines the Chinese Communist welfare state with the goal of eradicating income inequality. ...
Health Status and Burden in Caregivers of Patients With Multimorbidity

Caregivers of patients with multimorbidity are important for improving patient outcomes. This descriptive study examines health status and burden of 22 caregivers of patients with multimorbidity di...
Escape the Simulation Room

Background.Healthcare simulations are used at most academic facilities to improve knowledge and performance on critical and key concepts and can also be used to enhance competency and teamwork. Gro...
Connecting tobacco users in the primary care setting to comprehensive tobacco treatment: a quality improvement initiative

The goal of the Stanford Tobacco Treatment Initiative was to improve referrals from primary care clinics to a specialty tobacco addiction treatment clinic. Lean A3 problem solving was used to map current state, perform a cause and effect analysis, develop key drivers for program referrals, and ideate tests of change. We discarded ideas that put any additional burden on on-the-ground providers, favouring automated and sustainable processes. After prioritizing for feasibility and impact, plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles were performed on the following interventions: education and outreach, referral champions, and automated referrals. Following implementation, referrals to the specialty tobacco treatment clinic increased by 600% and had no impact on clinic provider workflow. The new process spread through all of Stanford Primary Care clinics, has sustained over time, and could serve as a model for other institutions seeking to enhance capacity for tobacco treatment in their health care system using process improvement methodology.
Moving On From Supportive Housing (MOSH): Development and evaluation of a transitional skill-building curriculum for providers helping residents exit homeless services.

Abstract This article describes the development and evaluation of MOSH (Moving On From Supportive Housing), a transitional skill-building curriculum for providers helping residents exit homeless services to mainstream housing without embedded supports. In this evaluation, we assess the feasibility, acceptability, fit, and potential efficacy of the MOSH curriculum to improve proximal provider-level outcomes, including self-efficacy to provide MOSH-related independent living skills and supports. Homeless-services providers (N = 49) from a range of programs and settings participated in the training. Findings from focus groups and pre- and posttest surveys indicate high levels of overall satisfaction with the training. The majority of trainees perceived the training to be useful to their work and potentially useful for service recipients, felt the training would fit well within their existing day-to-day work, and said they were very likely to use MOSH skills in such work. Statistically significant improvements in self-efficacy regarding all skills but one were also found. MOSH holds promise as an intervention that can enhance provider practice and promotion of independent living skills in homeless services. Although these initial findings on MOSH are encouraging, further research will be needed to evaluate provider knowledge gains and effective use of these skills in practice.
Highly versatile near-infrared emitters based on an atomically defined HgS interlayer embedded into a CdSe/CdS quantum dot

The availability of colloidal quantum dots with highly efficient, fast and ‘non-blinking’ near-infrared emission would benefit numerous applications, from advanced optical communication and quantum networks to biomedical diagnostics. Here, we report high-quality near-infrared emitters that are based on well known CdSe/CdS heterostructures. By incorporating an HgS interlayer at the quantum dot core/shell interface, we convert normally visible emitters into highly efficient near-infrared fluorophores. Employing thermodynamically controlled sequential deposition of metal and chalcogen ions, we achieve atomic-level precision in defining the thickness of the HgS interlayer (H). This manifests in ‘quantized’ jumps of the photoluminescence spectrum when H changes in discrete, atomic steps. The synthesized structures show highly efficient photoluminescence, tunable from 700 to 1,370 nm, and fast radiative rates of ~1/60 ns−1. The emission from individual CdSe/HgS/CdS colloidal quantum dots is virtually blinking free and exhibits nearly perfect single-photon purity. In addition, when incorporated into a light-emitting-diode architecture, these quantum dots demonstrate strong electroluminescence with a sub-bandgap turn-on voltage. By incorporating an atomically defined HgS interlayer at the core/shell interface of CdSe/CdS quantum dots, these normally visible-light emitters can be converted into spectrally tunable, near-infrared fluorophores that exhibit excellent light-emission characteristics under both optical and electrical excitation.
Policing for Peace: Institutions, Expectations, and Security in Divided Societies

In communities plagued by conflict along ethnic, racial, and religious lines, how does the representation of previously-marginalized groups in the police affect crime and security? Drawing on new evidence from policing in Iraq and Israel, Policing for Peace shows that an inclusive police force provides better services and reduces conflict, but not in the ways we might assume. Including members of marginalized groups in the police improves civilians' expectations of how the police and government will treat them, both now and in the future. These expectations are enhanced when officers are organized into mixed rather than homogeneous patrols. Iraqis indicate feeling most secure when policed by mixed officers, even more secure than they feel when policed by members of their own group. In Israel, increases in police officer diversity are associated with lower crime victimization for both Arab and Jewish citizens. In many cases, inclusive policing benefits all citizens, not just those from marginalized groups.
A Model of Negotiation, Not Bargaining: Explaining Incomplete Contracts

Bargaining models ask how a surplus is split between two parties in bilateral monopoly. Much of real-world negotiation involves complications to the original split which may or may not increase the welfare of both parties. The parties must decide which complications to propose, how closely to examine the other side's proposals, and when to accept them. Ex ante, this type of negotiation results in Pareto improvement, rather than reducing welfare. I model negotiation as a two-period auditing game, and find a variety of plausible equilibria. Precommitment or optimistic expectations can result in Pareto improvements. Perhaps most important, the model suggests a reason for contract incompleteness: contract-"reading" costs matter much more than contract-"writing" costs. Fine print that is very cheap to write can be very expensive to read carefully enough to detect the absence of booby trap clauses artfully written to benefit the writer.
A Phenomenological Investigation of the Problem of Adult Student Attrition in Community College Online

Although popular, online courses have high attrition rates, and it is important to understand why. More adult (age 24 and over), than traditionally aged students take online courses. A hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted to understand more clearly why some adult students complete or do not complete online courses. Emerged themes were flexibility, time and energy, success, and a subtheme of instructor.
HEAVY METALS – VANADIUM IN POULTRY

Os minerais essenciais devem ser fornecidos na dieta em concentracoes suficientes para promover uma resposta adequada, e a ingestao de outros minerais e deve ser baixa o suficiente para garantir a total seguranca tanto para os animais quanto para a populacao humana que consumira a carne e os ovos. Os niveis dieteticos maximos tolerados tem sido gerados, o que pode servir como orientacao para garantir a seguranca tanto para animais domesticos quanto para humanos. Embora existam varias fontes dieteticas de elementos toxicos em potencial para aves, programas de controle de qualidade adequados na fabrica de racao, associados com boas praticas de producao e um nutricionista capacitado, devem diminuir consideravelmente a ocorrencia de uma contaminacao significativa. Lencois freaticos contaminados por dejetos e outras formas de poluicao industrial assim como sistemas uubanos de esgoto representam provavelmente as fontes mais comuns de contaminacao nos EUA atualmente. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: minerais, desempenho, toxidcez, nutricao
Song Repertoires and Sexual Selection in the Red-Winged Blackbird

The female choice and male-male competition hypotheses for the evolution of song repertoires were tested by studying repertoire size, pairing success, reproductive experience, and territory size in the Red-winged Blackbird. Analysis of these variables produced the following results: These results are consistent with the hypothesis that song repertoires in the Red-winged Blackbird evolved in response to male-male competition.
Dislocations and gauge invariance

Abstract The paper deals with gauge invariance applied to dislocations in their field theory formulation. By comparison with electromagnetism, the role of distortion and velocity fields as potentials for dislocation density and dislocation current is shown. The gauge transformation involving one vector field for those potentials is given and the equilibrium equation is recognized to be a guage condition. The constitutive laws are shown to form a basis of this gauge condition.
Release of Trace Organic Compounds during the Decomposition of Municipal Solid Waste Components

Landfill gas contains numerous speciated organic compounds (SOCs) including alkanes, aromatics, chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, terpenes, chlorofluoro compounds, and siloxanes. The source, rate and extent of release of these compounds are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to characterize the release of SOCs and the regulated parameter, non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs) during the decomposition of residential refuse and its major biodegrad able components [paper (P), yard waste (YW), food waste (FW)]. Work was conducted under anaerobic conditions in 8-L reactors operated to maximize decomposition. Refuse and YW were also tested under aerobic conditions. NMOC release during anaerobic decomposition of refuse, P, YW, and FW was 0.151, 0.016, 0.038, and 0.221 mg-C dry g-1, respectively, while release during aerobic decomposition of refuse and YW was 0.282 and 0.236 mg-C dry g-1, respectively. The highest NMOC release was measured under abiotic conditions (3.01 mg-C d...
Magnesium homeostasis in cardiac cells.

Several aspects of Mg2+ homeostasis were investigated in cultured chicken heart cells using the fluorescent Mg2+ indicator, FURAPTRA. The concentration of cytosolic Mg2+ ([Mg2+]i) is 0.48 ± 0.03 mM (n = 31). To test whether a putative Na/Mg exchange mechanism controls [Mg2+]i below electrochemical equilibrium, we manipulated the Na+ gradient and assessed the effects on [Mg2+]i. When extracellular Na+ was removed, [Mg2+]i increased; this increase was not altered in Mg-free solutions, but was attenuated in Ca-free solutions. A similar increase in [Mg2+]i, which was dependent upon extracellular Ca2+, was observed when intracellular Na+ was raised by inhibiting the Na/K pump with ouabain. These results do not provide evidence for Na/Mg exchange in heart cells, but they suggest that Ca2+ can modulate [Mg2+]i. In addition, removing extracellular Na+ caused a decrease in intracellular pH (pHi), as measured by pH-sensitive microelectrodes, and this acidification was attenuated when Cat+ was also removed from the solution. These results suggest that Ca2+ and H+ interact intracellularly. Since changes in the Na+ gradient can also alter pHi, we questioned whether pH can modulate [Mg2+]i. pHi was manipulated by the NH4Cl prepulse method. NH4 +-evoked changes in pHi, as measured by the fluorescent indicator BCECF, were accompanied by opposite changes in [Mg2+]i; [Mg2+]i changed by −0.16 mM/unit pH. These NH4 +-evoked changes in [Mg2+]i were not caused by movements of Mg2+ or Ca2+ across the sarcolemma or by changes in cytosolic Ca2+. Additionally, pHi was manipulated by changing extracellular pH (pHo). When pHo was decreased from 7.4 to 6.3, pHi decreased by 0.64 units and [Mg2+]i increased by 0.12 mM; in contrast, when pHo was raised from 7.4 to 8.3, pHi increased by 0.6 units and [Mg2+]i did not change significantly. The results of our investigations suggest that Ca 2+ and H+ can modulate [Mg2+]i, probably by affecting cytosolic Mg2+ binding and/or subcellular Mg2+ transport and that such redistribution of intracellular Mg2+ may play an important role in Mg2+ homeostasis in cardiac cells.
On the modification of cam-type profiles

Abstract Cam-type motions are increasingly being used in many dynamical systems to move loads with smooth starts and stops. In the area of high-speed cam design itself, the control of residual vibrations is important. In both these instances cam-type profiles must be judiciously selected or altered. In a recent work, the authors developed a new procedure to systematically modify cam-type profiles which accomplishes the dual task of smoothing starts and stops, as well as improving its residual vibration characteristics. This previous work considered modifier and cam-type functions of equal ranges. In the present paper, it is shown that modifier functions of ranges different than the cam type functions lead to rather different kinds of profile modification. Methodology of these modifications and their influence on the motion characteristics are discussed.
Continuous Learning Skill Demands: Associations with Managerial Job Content, Age, and Experience

Purpose Given that competence at continuous learning is increasingly a key part of successful work, we investigated which aspects of managerial work are associated with a need for competence at continuous learning. Also, given the aging work force, we investigated whether age or experience is associated with reported need for continuous learning competence for effective performance.
Soil Erosion Study through Simulation: An Educational Tool

Abstract The need for education and understanding about the continuing soil erosion problem is acute. Most segments of the population have little knowledge of the critical impacts erosion can have on the environment. The use of the Soil Conservation Service model for erosion determination, the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), is a good perceptual tool to show the impacts of human and natural action on the land. Micro-DYNAMO, a special-purpose computer simulation language, was programmed to simulate the USLE under several different environmental and farming practice scenarios. This type of simulation will never duplicate nature but will allow natural processes to be evaluated and this information to be used for rational decision making and understanding.
Analytic study on the generalized fifth-order KdV equation: New solitons and periodic solutions

Abstract An analytic study is conducted on a generalized fifth-order KdV equation. The tanh method and a sinh–cosh functions ansatz are used. A set of entirely new solitons and periodic solutions is established. The study introduces new ansatz to handle nonlinear PDEs in the solitary wave theory.
Texting and Accessing the Web While Driving: Traffic Citations and Crashes Among Young Adult Drivers

Objective: We examined relations between young adult texting and accessing the web while driving with driving outcomes (viz. crashes and traffic citations). Our premise is that engaging in texting and accessing the web while driving is not only distracting but that these activities represent a pattern of behavior that leads to an increase in unwanted outcomes, such as crashes and citations. Methods: College students (N = 274) on 3 campuses (one in California and 2 in Utah) completed an electronic questionnaire regarding their driving experience and cell phone use. Results: Our data indicate that 3 out of 4 (74.3%) young adults engage in texting while driving, over half on a weekly basis (51.8%), and some engage in accessing the web while driving (16.8%). Data analysis revealed a relationship between these cell phone behaviors and traffic citations and crashes. Conclusion: The findings support Jessor and Jessor's (1977) “problem behavior syndrome” by showing that traffic citations are related to texting an...
Color Doppler Imaging of Normal Orbital Vasculature

Background: Color Doppler imaging has become a useful adjunctive tool in diagnosing ophthalmic vascular disease. However, a paucity of information exists regarding normal values. This investigation was conducted to generate a database of normal retrobulbar circulatory parameters. Methods: The authors prospectively studied the retrobulbar hemodynamic parameters of 53 normal eyes from 32 healthy individuals of various ages, all without risk factors for the development of systemic vascular disease. Preliminary Doppler spectral analysis was used to demonstrate normal carotid arterial, carotid siphon, and ophthalmic vascular anatomy. Results: Mean hemodynamic values were recorded for each retrobulbar vessel. Diastolic blood pressure significantly correlated with ophthalmic arterial end-diastolic velocity ( P P P P P Conclusion: Orbital hemodynamic parameters do not appear to be sex dependent or variable between fellow orbits. These data suggest that age and diastolic blood pressure may affect normal orbital blood flow and vascular resistance patterns. Significant interindividual variability is limited only to ophthalmic arterial blood flow.