cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Exploration of the Effect of Cognitive and Collaborative Strategies on Keyboard Skills of Music Education Students

In the United States, all music education majors at the tertiary level who graduate from institutions accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music must demonstrate piano proficiency. ...
Statistics Education, Fin de Siècle

Abstract Higher education faces an environment of financial constraints, changing customer demands, and loss of public confidence. Technological advances may at last bring widespread change to college teaching. The movement for education reform also urges widespread change. What will be the state of statistics teaching at the university level at the end of the century? This article attempts to imagine plausible futures as stimuli to discussion. It takes the form of provocations by the first author, with responses from the others on three themes: the impact of technology, the reform of teaching, and challenges to the internal culture of higher education.
Health of Electronic Communities: An Evolutionary Game Approach

Creating electronic communities is a critical venture in the digital economy. However, fraud and misrepresentation have led to widespread skepticism and distrust of electronic communities. We develop an evolutionary model to explore the issue of trust within an electronic community from a dynamic process perspective. This model emphasizes large populations, continuous change in community memberships, and imperfect information and memory. As the term trust is often used in the context of individual interaction, at a group level we propose using the term health to measure the sustained competitive advantages of honest members over cheaters throughout the evolution of a community. We find conditions under which an electronic community is healthy and attracts outside population. We find that many factors, such as information dissemination speed, honest players' payoffs and possible losses, new community members' initial trust status, and the replacement rate of community members, all affect the health of an electronic community, and that some of them also affect a community's size. We then discuss the implications of our research for e-community practices.
The effects of psychological factors on recovery from surgery.

Certain patient characteristics were associated with poor recovery from surgery. Awareness of these factors can enable dentists to better prepare their patients for oral surgery.
Androgen inhibition of MAP kinase pathway and Elk-1 activation in proliferating osteoblasts

Non-aromatizable androgens have significant beneficial effects on skeletal homeostasis independently of conversion to estradiol, but the effects of androgens on bone cell metabolism and cell proliferation are still poorly understood. Using an osteoblastic model with enhanced androgen responsiveness, MC3T3-E1 cells stably transfected with androgen receptor (AR) under the control of the type I collagen promoter (colAR-MC3T3), the effects of androgens on mitogenic signaling were characterized. Cultures were treated with the non-aromatizable androgen 5-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and the effects on osteoblast viability were determined as measured by an MTT assay. A complex response was observed in that continuous short-term DHT treatment enhanced osteoblast viability, but with longer-term DHT treatment inhibition was observed. The inhibition by DHT was prevented by the specific AR antagonist hydroxyflutamide, and was also observed in primary cultures of normal rat calvarial osteoblasts. In order to identify potential mediators of this effect, mitogenic pathway-specific cDNA microarrays were interrogated. Reduced hybridization of several genes important in MAP kinase-mediated signaling was observed, with the most dramatic effect on Elk-1 expression. Analysis of phosphorylation cascades demonstrated that DHT treatment inhibited phosphoERK1/2 levels, MAP kinase activation of Elk-1, Elk-1 protein and phosphoElk-1 levels, and downstream AP-1/luciferase reporter activity. Together, these data provide the first evidence that androgen inhibition of the MAP kinase signaling pathway is a potential mediator of osteoblast growth, and are consistent with the hypothesis that the MAP cascade may be a specific downstream target of DHT.
Hierarchical bases and the finite element method

In this work we present a brief introduction to hierarchical bases, and the important part they play in contemporary finite element calculations. In particular, we examine their role in a posteriori error estimation, and in the formulation of iterative methods for solving the large sparse sets of linear equations arising from finite element discretization.
Energy conservation techniques for disk array-based servers

In this paper, we study energy conservation techniques for disk array-based network servers. First, we introduce a new conservation technique, called Popular Data Concentration (PDC), that migrates frequently accessed data to a subset of the disks. The goal is to skew the load towards a few of the disks, so that others can be transitioned to low-power modes. Next, we introduce a user-level file server that takes advantage of PDC. In the context of this server, we compare PDC to the Massive Array of Idle Disks (MAID). Using a validated simulator, we evaluate these techniques for conventional and two-speed disks and a wide range of parameters. Our results for conventional disks show that PDC and MAID can only conserve energy when the load on the server is extremely low. When two-speed disks are used, both PDC and MAID can conserve significant energy with only a small fraction of delayed requests. Overall, we find that PDC achieves more consistent and robust energy savings than MAID.
New vessel formation in the central nervous system during tumor growth, vascular malformations, and Moyamoya

In the normal adult brain, blood vessel formation is tightly down-regulated. However, pathologic processes such as brain tumors can increase the proportion of endothelial cells involved in angiogenesis. When this process is initiated, a complex series of timed events result in new vessel formation. In this review, we will describe the process of angiogenesis in the central nervous system. We will discuss the roles of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), Angiopoietins, Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF), and integrins in angiogenesis. We will also look into their significance in disease processes such as neoplasms, arteriovenous malformations (AVM), and Moyamoya disease.
Rare medical manifestations of severe restricting and purging: “Zebras,” missed diagnoses, and best practices

Objective Medical problems that arise due to severe restricting and/or purging may be misdiagnosed or suboptimally treated, from outpatient clinics to top medical hospitals. A symptom may be presumed to be a psychological manifestation of the eating disorder and inappropriately dismissed for further medical evaluation. Alternatively, a detailed medical workup may be performed, overlooking a classic relationship between starvation and a physical finding, which delays referral to eating disorder care. This review article focuses on rare medical issues (also called “zebras” in medical training), diagnoses that may be missed in patients with eating disorders, and best practices for management, organized by organ system. Method A PubMed search was performed, using search terms “eating disorder,” “anorexia nervosa,” and “bulimia nervosa” in combination with different words for each organ system and known medical manifestations of severe eating disorders, with high quality and relevant studies from the past 20 years cited. Discussion Adults with eating disorders may present with extreme organ dysfunction and atypical signs and symptoms of typical medical problems. Timely diagnosis, risk awareness, appropriate treatment, and avoidance of harm are all vital. With judicious management and nutritional rehabilitation, most of these complications will significantly improve or resolve. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:331–344).
Determinants and Consequences of Arsenic Metabolism Efficiency among 4,794 Individuals: Demographics, Lifestyle, Genetics, and Toxicity

Background: Exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs), class I carcinogen, affects several hundred-million people worldwide. Once absorbed, iAs is converted to monomethylated (MMA) and then dimethylated forms (DMA), with methylation facilitating urinary excretion. The abundance of each species in urine relative to their sum (iAs%, MMA%, and DMA%), varies across individuals, reflecting differences in arsenic metabolism capacity. Methods: The association of arsenic metabolism phenotypes with participant characteristics and arsenical skin lesions was characterized among 4,794 participants in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (Araihazar, Bangladesh). Metabolism phenotypes include those obtained from principal components (PC) analysis of arsenic species. Results: Two independent PCs were identified: PC1 appears to represent capacity to produce DMA (2nd methylation step), and PC2 appears to represent capacity to convert iAs to MMA (1st methylation step). PC 1 was positively associated (p <0.05) with age, female sex, and BMI, while negatively associated with smoking, arsenic exposure, education, and land ownership. PC2 was positively associated with age and education but negative associated with female sex and BMI. PC2 was positively associated with skin lesion status, while PC1 was not. 10q24.32/AS3MT region polymorphisms were strongly associated with PC1, but not PC2. Patterns of association for most variables were similar for PC1 and DMA%, and for PC2 and MMA% with the exception of arsenic exposure and SNP associations. Conclusions: Two distinct arsenic metabolism phenotypes show unique associations with age, sex, BMI, 10q24.32 polymorphisms, and skin lesions. Impact: This work enhances our understanding of arsenic metabolism kinetics and toxicity risk profiles.
Earth at the Center of the World

Aristotle himself notes in the previous reading that the complexity of the planetary motions do not seem to follow a rational pattern. One might expect—based on the divine simplicity of the motion of the outermost sphere of fixed stars and the chaotic motion of bodies here on Earth—that the complexity of the planetary motions would increase gradually as their distances from the outermost sphere of fixed stars is increased. This, however, is not the case. Since the planets are all spherical in shape—and therefore lack the ability to move themselves—Aristotle is at pains to explain the source of their movement.
Viable Progeny from Crosses between Geographically Isolated Populations of Podisus (Say)1 Indicate a Single Species

Abstract. Discrepancies in reports on the presence of spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), in the western region of the USA, and morphological variations of the species brought into question whether the species existed west of the Rocky Mountains. In this study, morphological variations in color and size were observed between two geographically isolated populations from Missouri and California. Differences were determined in color, weight, and size measurements. However, all crosses and backcrosses produced viable progeny of both genders and the crosses were maintained as inbred lines for 16 generations. These results indicated the two populations are closely related.
Inhibition vs. excessive use of vitamin K and other nutrients for the control of carpet beetles

In the broad sense, antimetabolites are substances that inhibit the utilization of metabolites, usually by antagonistic action. They are compounds which chemically resemble essential nutrients such as vitamins and amino acids and, when introduced into a biological system, prevent these food sources from performing their normal function. In effect, antimetabolites are “metabolic disruptors”. Conversely, some metabolites by themselves are capable of disrupting a system when administered in excess, and induce symptoms which are directly or indirectly related to hypervitaminosis. This paper explores both views as a new approach to pest control wherein non- pesticidal chemicals are used which, by their nature, minimize the problems of toxic residues.
Examining Population Heterogeneity in Finite Mixture Settings Using Latent Variable Modeling

A latent variable modeling procedure for examining whether a studied population could be a mixture of 2 or more latent classes is discussed. The approach can be used to evaluate a single-class model vis-a-vis competing models of increasing complexity for a given set of observed variables without making any assumptions about their within-class interrelationships. The method is helpful in the initial stages of finite mixture analyses to assess whether models with 2 or more classes should be subsequently considered as opposed to a single-class model. The discussed procedure is illustrated with a numerical example.
The Locus Coeruleus-Noradrenergic System and Stress: Implications for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Stress is associated with the activation of a number of central physiological systems, which act to enhance arousal and modulate attentional, memory, and other behavioral processes. The net consequence of these actions better permits the organism to contend with a challenging situation and react promptly and effectively when similar conditions are reencountered. It has long been known that stress is associated with a robust activation of the locus coeruleus and other noradrenergic systems. Moreover, evidence indicates a prominent involvement of central noradrenergic systems in a variety of behavioral and cognitive processes associated with stress, including arousal, memory, and attention. Under normal conditions, these actions are likely beneficial to the individual. However, under conditions of extreme stress/trauma, stressor-induced sensitization of noradrenergic systems and long-term actions of norepinephrine may well prove maladaptive. Consistent with this hypothesis, available evidence indicates a prominent involvement of noradrenergic systems in the behavioral pathology associated with various stress-related disorders, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In particular, there is strong evidence for an involvement of noradrenergic systems in PTSD-related hyperarousal, intrusive memories, and sleep disturbances. Consistent with this, recent studies suggest that pharmacological disruption of noradrenergic neurotransmission may well be efficacious in treating these symptoms of PTSD. Combined, available information indicates that the central noradrenergic systems likely contribute to a broad spectrum of behavioral symptoms of PTSD and that pharmacological treatments targeting noradrenergic neurotransmission will prove clinically beneficial.
Imaging using a supercontinuum laser to assess tumors in patients with breast carcinoma

The supercontinuum laser light source has many advantages over other light sources, including broad spectral range. Transmission images of paired normal and malignant breast tissue samples from two patients were obtained using a Leukos supercontinuum (SC) laser light source with wavelengths in the second and third NIR optical windows and an IR- CCD InGaAs camera detector (Goodrich Sensors Inc. high response camera SU320KTSW-1.7RT with spectral response between 900 nm and 1,700 nm). Optical attenuation measurements at the four NIR optical windows were obtained from the samples.
Nine suggestions for historians of American ethnic literature

2. The opposition of good (ethnic) guys ("we") and bad (non-ethnic) ones ("them") may result from legitimate feelings of hurt, frustration, or anger, but it does not make for a useful or persuasive analytical framework. Therefore, avoid writing critical melodrama (MELUS-drama?), and neither idealize your own group, author, and subject matter nor vilify literature or groups which you choose not to discuss. Even where authors polarized their identities very strongly along national or ethnic lines, it is your task to understand this process, not to repeat it blindly.
II. Young activists, new movements: Contemporary Chinese queer feminism and transnational genealogies

In 2012, in response to victim-blaming statements by the Shanghai Subway System online, two young feminists appeared in Shanghai’s subway, wearing headscarves, short skirts, and metal bras, carrying signs saying ‘‘I can be flirtatious, you can’t harass,’’ as a resistance to social control of women’s bodies (Phillips, 2012). This small performance inspired a storm of national media coverage and public discussion, giving unprecedented public visibility to the issues of women’s sexual expression and sexual assault. Being part of a broader milieu of young Chinese feminists protesting through various forms of public performance arts in the past two years, the Shanghai Subway protesters, in particular, were queer feminist activists with years of involvement in lesbian communities. As young, diasporic feminist activist–scholars involved in queer feminist movements across China, Taiwan, and New York City, we reflect on the emergent ‘‘new’’ queer feminism in China today, with its amorphous cohesion and dramatic impact, as highlighted by the subway protest. Drawing on transnational feminism, we are part of this latest ‘‘new’’ response to growing global inequalities and
Abstract 1178: Phase I clinical trial of Lenalidomide in combination with Sorafenib in patients with advanced cancer.

Background: Preclinical data have shown that lenalidomide and sorafenib target endothelial cells, inhibiting growth of ocular melanoma cells and growth of tumors in a xenograft model (additive to synergistic activity)(Mangiameli et al, J Transl Med 2007;5:38). Patients and Methods: We conducted a phase 1 study in patients with advanced cancer. During the escalation phase (“3+3” design), lenalidomide (D1-21) and sorafenib (D1-28) were given orally at the following respective daily doses: Level 1 (10mg, 200mg); Level 2 (10mg, 400mg); Level 3 (20mg, 400mg); and Level 4 (25mg, 400mg) (1 cycle=28 days). Results: Forty-one patients were treated [median age: 50 yrs (16-72); men: 18 (44%); median no. of prior therapies: 3 (0-12); ≥2 metastatic sites: 80%]. The most common diagnoses were adenoid cystic carcinoma (N=9), ovarian adenocarcinoma (N=7) and melanoma (N=6). Overall, 140 cycles (median: 3; range, 1-17) were administered. No DLTs were noted during the escalation phase (N=19) and Level 4 (lenalidomide 25 mg/day D1-21 and sorafenib 400mg/day Day 1-28), the maximum tested dose was used in the expansion phase (N=22). Grade 3-4 treatment-related toxicities were as follows: neutropenia (N=7; 17%), thrombocytopenia (N=2; 5%), skin rash (N=2; 5%) and thromboembolism (N=2; 5%). Thirty-eight patients were evaluable for response. Stable disease (SD) was noted in 20 (53%) patients, including SD ≥6 months in 6 (16%). SD≥6 months by tumor type was as follows: ocular melanoma, 1/1 (100%); other melanoma, 2/5 (40%); adenoid cystic carcinoma, 2/9 (22%); and ovarian cancer, 1/5 (20%) (Table). The median progression-free survival (N=41) was 3.7 months (95% CI, 2.0-5.4) and median overall survival (N=41) was 12.3 months (95% CI, 10.1-14.5). Conclusions: Lenalidomide 25mg (D1-21) combined with sorafenib 400 mg (D1-28) was well tolerated and it was associated with disease stabilization for ≥6 months in selected patients with melanoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma and ovarian adenocarcinoma. Citation Format: Prasanth Ganesan, Sarina Piha-Paul, Aung Naing, Gerald Falchook, Jennifer Wheler, Siqing Fu, David S. Hong, Razelle Kurzrock, Filip Janku, Shell Laday, Agop Y. Bedikian, Merrill Kies, Robert Wolff, Apostolia M. Tsimberidou. Phase I clinical trial of Lenalidomide in combination with Sorafenib in patients with advanced cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1178. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1178 Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 because the presenter was unable to attend.
Arts and the People: The New Deal Quest for a Cultural Democracy

LIFE IS DRAB AND UGLY. LIFE CAN BE BEAUTIFUL" if only we can reshuffle the constituent parts that formed the dreary design of our national life" into a "picture of democratic justice and spiritual beauty."' The words are those of George Biddle, American artist, mural painter, and Groton schoolmate of that master reshuffler and reshaper of American life, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and they reflect the faith of those who believed that inherent in the American dream of a more abundant life was the promise not only of economic and social justice but also of cultural enrichment-in short, "Arts for the Millions." Individuals sharing that belief expressed it in a variety of phrases. "People's Theatre" was the term of those who saw in the federal theatre project the seeds of a national institution belonging to all the people. In the same spirit, Federal Art Project directors entitled a collection of essays on that project, "Art for the Millions."2 But it is the term "cultural democracy"3 which best encompasses the ideas and aspirations of a New Deal elite who sought to integrate the artist into the mainstream of American life and make the arts both expressive of the spirit of a nation and accessible to its people.4
Effect of Surface Unsteady Pressure Field on Global Beam Jitter for a Hemisphere-on-Cylinder Turret

Simultaneous point surface pressure measurements, accelerometer, optical wavefront and jitter measurements were performed using a hemisphere-on-cylinder turret with realistic geometric features like “smiles” at M = 0.33 and M = 0.4. A Linear Stochastic Estimation (LSE) technique was used to separate the aero-optical and the aero-mechanical jitter components. The unsteady pressure field on the turret was approximated using a combination of LSE technique and Proper Orthogonal Decomposition. To determine the driving factors of the aero-optical jitter, correlations were performed between the global POD modes, local pressure sensors and the measured aero-optical jitter. To further investigate sources of aero-optical jitter, correlations were performed between dominant wavefront modes and the measured jitter. It was found that different flow features, primarily the unsteady separation line, wake vertical global motion and the vortical structures formed in the separated wake influence the aero-optical jitter, both indirectly via Biot-Savart induction mechanism and directly, when crossing the laser beam. It was also found that different flow features affect the aero-optical jitter at different frequency ranges. Total jitter reduction based on the LSE technique is discussed and possible expansion of the technique using surface pressure measurements is investigated.
Lysozyme titres in regional enteritis, miscellaneous tissues, microorganisms, and excreta.

SummaryThe stools of 14 regional enteritis cases possessed a mean lysozyme content of 19.8 units per gram of stool (wet weight) and a mean daily output of 6,220 units. This is 7.34 times the mean lysozyme content of normal stools and 39.4 times the mean daily output in the stools of normal persons. These data, together with the experimental production by lysozyme of ulcerations in the canine alimentary tract,2 indicate that lysozyme is an etiologic agent in the pathogenesis of regional enteritis.A survey of various microorganisms, tissues, and excreta revealed generally high titres in fetal tissues and placenta, moderately high levels in endometrium with a suggestion of cyclic variation, and very large amounts in pus and in fluid from an enterocystoma. Low titres were found in the stools of two acute specific dysenteries and in canine gastric juice, with no measurable amounts in mass cultures from two chronic ulcerative colitis cases and one paratyphoid B culture. A case of acute infantile diarrhea exhibi...
Development of CF Card IDE Driver on VxWorks Operating System

This paper describes how to access CF card and build IDE file system on VxWorks operating system. The management to CF card is realized on FAT16 and FAT32 file systems.
In defense of an onset-rime syllable structure for English.

Many linguists and psycholinguists have suggested that English syllables have an-onset-rime structure. Pierrehumbert and Nair (1995) have recently argued against this view and in favor of the idea ...
Macrocrystalline silicon solar cells

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an introduction to the thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cells with very small grain size formed at low temperatures and are referred to as microcrystalline silicon solar cells. Microcrystalline silicon solar cells formed by plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at low temperatures are assumed to have a shorter lifetime than single-crystal cells, and it is a common practice to employ a p-i-n structure that includes an internal electric field in the same way as in amorphous solar cell. A microcrystalline silicon cell exhibits a characteristic of 10% or more regardless of its small grain size because of the low recombination speed at its grain boundaries. This low recombination speed originates from the small barrier height at the grain boundaries, which is guaranteed by the passivation of hydrogen at grain boundary defects, uncharged intrinsic grains, and the orientation of crystal grains.
Detection of Alprazolam in Three Cases of Methadone/Benzodiazepine Overdose

Benzodiazepine abuse is common among clients at methadone maintenance clinics. Diazepam and lorazepam are readily detected by immunological screening methods and confirmed by GC/MS. Alprazolam has been relatively difficult to confirm. We recently reported a modification of an existing serum HPLC procedure which allows us to analyze whole blood. We report here three cases of fatal drug overdose caused by co-ingestion of methadone and alprazolam. In all three cases, alprazolam was detected by HPLC and could not be identified by alkaline extraction GC/MS. Postmortem blood concentrations of methadone were at the lower range or below the concentrations previously identified in methadone overdose fatalities, suggesting an increased risk from co-ingestion of methadone and alprazolam.
Testimony of Gail Heriot, Professor of Law, University of San Diego & Member, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Before the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections

This is Congressional Testimony in favor of H.R. 548. That bill is aimed at correcting a narrow problem created by the EEOC's April 25, 2012 guidance. The 2012 guidance is itself a controversial document aimed at restricting an employer's discretion to make employment decisions (e.g. decisions to hire, fire or promote) based on an employee's or job applicant's criminal conviction record. It purports to draw its authority from Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended), which prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. To get from discrimination on the basis or "race, color, religion, sex or national origin" to discrimination on the basis of criminal record, it employs disparate impact theory.H.R. 548 seeks to solve a potential conflict between federal law (or at least the EEOC’s conception of federal law) and state or local law. On the one hand, the 2012 guidance is aimed in very vague and general terms at limiting an employer’s discretion to make employment decisions based on an employee’s criminal record. Alas, after reading it, even experienced attorneys won’t know how the EEOC wants employers to resolve particular cases. But on the other hand, state and local laws sometimes require employers to decline to hire or dismiss employees based on their criminal records.The 2012 guidance forces employers into an impossible bind. Employers are told that maybe, but only maybe, federal law forbids what state or local law requires and that, if so, it is their duty to obey federal law and ignore state or local law. According to the guidance, it depends on the circumstances of each situation. The one thing that is clear is that if federal law demands the opposite of what state or local law demands, employers’ allegiance must be to federal law. Employers are apparently expected to make their best guess as to whether federal law overrules state or local law in any particular case. In the end it will be utterly unclear to any conscientious employer exactly what, if anything, the EEOC is attempting to require them to do. The EEOC is, of course, correct that under the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, federal law trumps state or local law. But the lack of clarity in the 2012 guidance makes the situation extremely unfair to employers. It doesn’t have to be that way. But it is quite clear that the EEOC is not going to fix the problem. The job therefore falls to Congress.
Perspectives on Oceans Past: A Handbook of Marine Environmental History

Kathleen Schwerdtner Manez and Bo Poulsen’s edited Perspectives on Oceans Past will offer little of substance to Pacific historians, but it should be a useful and sometimes provocative guidebook fo...
The interplay between liquidity regulation, monetary policy implementation and financial stability

Abstract I outline a simple framework for thinking through how the Basel III liquidity regulations – in particular, the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) – will impact short-term interest rates and the process of monetary policy implementation. This framework suggests that a regulatory premium may arise in some market interest rates, creating a new wedge in the monetary transmission mechanism. I discuss ways in which a central bank could react to this new wedge, highlighting what may be a fundamental tension between implementing monetary policy effectively and using liquidity regulation to promote financial stability.
Novel Developments in Formal Methods for Human Factors Engineering

Formal methods are robust tools and techniques for modeling, specifying, and mathematically proving properties about (verifying) systems. They are particularly good at both finding unexpected probl...
The effect of early and salient investment experiences on subsequent asset allocations—An experimental study

Abstract In two experiments on sequential asset allocation decisions between a safe and a risky asset, we find that an early market crash leads subjects to invest less in a risky asset in later periods, a result that is mediated by gender. In the first experiment subjects who experience a market bust early in the investment lifecycle invest less in a risky asset compared to subjects who experience a market boom, even when the subjects receive the exact same return stream over twenty periods. In the second experiment we manipulated the size and timing of the market crash and find that the “size” of a bust matters more than its timing. Changes in beliefs about future stock market returns correlate strongly with short-term changes in stock allocations but cannot explain the persistence of decreased stock allocations for subjects exposed to early market crashes in contrast to some prior literature.
From the Roars of Hurricanes to the Chords of Standards: How We Used Popular Music in the Aftermath of Hurricane María in Puerto Rico

In this article I describe and analyze how a community dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and how we used music to deal with the aftermath of the consequences. Music, such a...
An Uneasy Relationship: Atheism and Scepticism in the Late French Enlightenment

At first glance, the materialistic atheism of the late French Enlightenment appears philosophically dogmatic and wholly incompatible with philosophical scepticism. A closer examination of the works of Denis Diderot, the baron d’Holbach, and Jacques-Andre Naigeon, however, reveals that at their seemingly most dogmatic moments, they reflected significantly on “the weakness of the human mind” in ways that had important sceptical consequences. More importantly, when they examined the status of their own propositions, they concluded on behalf both of the impossibility of philosophical demonstration of their own foundational assumptions and of the impossibility of changing, in the ways they would have desired, the thinking and the behavior of the human species.
N-Terminal Acetylated Mitochondrial Aldehyde Dehydrogenase is Found in Fresh but not Frozen Liver Tissue

Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase was isolated from fresh liver tissue with a blocked N-terminal amino acid. In contrast, from frozen tissue an unblocked residue was detected. The blocking residue was an acetyl group. The blocked and unblocked enzymes possessed identical enzymatic properties. It is possible that many mitochondrial proteins will be actylated if isolated from fresh tissue.
A Novel Time-Frequency Analysis for Power System Waveforms Based on “Pseudo-Wavelets”

A novel multiresolution time-frequency analysis method for power system waveforms is proposed. Inspired by wavelet transform, which is widely used in time-frequency analysis of signal to achieve high resolution in both time and frequency domains, the proposed method uses “pseudo-wavelets” and performs similar procedures to calculate the correlations between scaled “pseudo-wavelets” and input signal, revealing the detailed energy distribution of input signal on a wide frequency range throughout the entire data window length. Both mathematical derivation and simulations show that the proposed method is capable of frequency tracking and disturbance detection. By extracting the features of proposed transform on typical power system signals, disturbance classification is also made possible.
Synthesis and characterization of oxyapatite [Ca2Nd8(SiO4)6O2] and mixed-alkaline-earth powellite [(Ca,Sr,Ba)MoO4] for a glass-ceramic waste form

Abstract This paper discusses the synthesis, characterization, and chemical durability assessment of oxyapatite [Ca2Nd8(SiO4)6O2] and mixed-alkaline-earth powellite [(Ca,Sr,Ba)MoO4]. These are the major crystalline phases that precipitate from the melt during cooling of a glass-ceramic waste form currently being evaluated for immobilizing wastes produced during the aqueous reprocessing of used nuclear fuel. The oxyapatite was made at 99.7% purity using a solution-based process followed by heat treatments. The powellite, made by melting carbonates and slow-cooling the melt, formed two different phases, one rich in Ca (74.7%) and Sr (19.4%) (balance is Ba) and the other rich in Sr (25.6%) and Ba (65.6%) (balance is Ca). Following static dissolution tests after 5 days, the oxyapatite phase had a maximum normalized loss of 0.024 g m−2 for Ca and the powellite phases showed a higher normalized loss from the Ba-powellite (0.22 g m−2) compared with the Sr-powellite (0.06 g m−2) and Ca-powellite (0.02 g m−2). Additionally, crystal structure data were measured using X-ray diffraction and are compared in detail with literature data of powellites and oxyapatites of similar chemistries.
The Effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on Children's Health Coverage.

Background Prior research of the impacts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on children's health coverage has been largely descriptive and focused on the Medicaid expansions. Objective This study examined the causal impacts of the PPACA Medicaid expansions and of the PPACA as a whole on children's health coverage through 2016. Research design We utilized quasiexperimental difference in differences designs to estimate the Medicaid expansion and overall PPACA effects. The first model compared coverage changes between Medicaid expanding and nonexpanding states by household income level. The second model identified the overall PPACA effects by estimating coverage changes across differences in pre-PPACA area-level uninsured rates in expanding states for which the identifying assumptions were valid. We used data from the American Community Survey for years 2011 through 2016 for 3,630,988 children aged 0-18 years living in the 50 states and District of Columbia. Results The PPACA Medicaid expansions led to gains in public coverage for children at ≤405% federal poverty line especially in 2015-2016. Gains were largest for children at 138%-255% federal poverty line (~4 percentage-point increase in 2016). These gains however were mostly due to switching from private to public coverage (ie, crowd-out effects). As a whole however, the PPACA reduced children's uninsured rate in Medicaid-expanding states by about 3 percentage-points in 2016. Conclusions The PPACA resulted in a meaningful decline in children's uninsured rate in Medicaid-expanding states. PPACA provisions targeting private coverage take-up offset crowd-out effects of the Medicaid expansions resulting in lower children's uninsured rates.
The “Had Mores”: Exploring korean immigrants’ information behavior and ICT usage when settling in the United States

The process of settling in a new country can be extremely challenging, entailing various information needs to cope with rapid changes and adjustments to a new environment. Through interviews with 16 Korean immigrants in the United States, we explored their information behaviors in the settlement process. In line with prior work (Shoham & Strauss, 2008), we found that Korean immigrants needed various types of information: housing, work, banking, transportation, law, school, health, and language. Out of these information types, the Korean immigrants prioritized information for education and struggled to seek health and legal information. We further uncovered that various information needs are closely intertwined and found an additional type of information need: to build a new social network after migration. They often used Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as information sources while adapting the ICT infrastructures of the U.S. into their information practices. ICTs enabled them to build and maintain “local” and “global” identity; however, they may struggle to assess user‐generated content in the new context. We noted that their strong use of ICTs for intraethnic interaction might slow down their integration into the host society. We discuss implications for future work to support immigrants' settlement in the host country.
Use of CT Imaging to Quantify Progression and Response to Treatment in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

Background In lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), infiltration of the lungs with smooth muscle-like LAM cells results in cystic destruction and decline in lung function, effects stabilized by sirolimus therapy. LAM lung disease is followed, in part, by high-resolution CT scans. To obtain further information from these scans, we quantified changes in lung parenchyma by analyzing image "texture." Methods Twenty-six texture properties were quantified by analyzing the distribution and intensity of pixels with a computer-aided system. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies were performed to examine the relationships between texture properties, cyst score (percentage of lung occupied by cysts), FEV1, and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (Dlco), and to determine the effect of sirolimus treatment. Results In the cross-sectional study, 18 texture properties showed significant positive correlations with cyst score. Cyst score and 13 of the 18 texture properties showed significant differences in rates of change after sirolimus treatment; 11 also significantly predicted FEV1 and Dlco. Conclusions Increased cyst score was associated with increased texture degradation near cysts. Sirolimus treatment improved lung texture surrounding cysts and stabilized cyst score. Eleven texture properties were associated with FEV1, Dlco, cyst score, and response to sirolimus. Texture analysis may be valuable in evaluating LAM severity and treatment response.
Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles Minor) in Agricultural Landscapes: Genetic Structure of Populations Restricted to Urban Rooftop Nesting

Agricultural development may produce highly fragmented landscapes, which can influence population genetic structure for organisms restricted to insularized breeding habitats. Common Nighthawks (Chordeiles minor) in agriculturally dominated landscapes nest on urban gravel rooftop and might be subject to reduced gene flow among isolated urban sites. We conducted an analysis of the genetic variability and population genetic structure of Common Nighthawks nesting on rooftops in four towns in southeastern South Dakota, an area that has experienced extreme conversion of native prairie to agriculture. Using sequence data from a 725 bp region of the cytochrome b (cytb) mitochondrial gene sampled from 37 individuals representing a total of 30 different nests collected in summers 2014–2016, we found evidence of a recent population bottleneck and reduced mtDNA variability. The spatial dispersion of the 14 detected haplotypes and the presence of nine haplotypes unique to one of the four sampled towns further suggested a lack of panmixia among these nighthawks. These data are consistent with a hypothesis of habitat fragmentation due to agricultural expansion resulting in population isolation within this species of conservation concern.
Treatment Issues in Type 1 Diabetes

This is the third in a series of reports on the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 61st Scientific Sessions held in Philadelphia, PA, in June 2001. It covers topics related to the treatment of type 1 diabetes. In a symposium at the ADA meeting, Charles M. Peterson, Bethesda, MD, gave an overview of noninvasive glucose monitoring, stressing the need to critically evaluate the differing technologies. Since 1995 there have been 8 new drugs, 8 new insulins, and 35 new meters introduced on the market; glucose monitoring is a huge industry that is growing by 15% annually. Peterson asked why there is no noninvasive meter, and answered, “because it’s so difficult!” Wet chemistry, solid-phase reagent chemistry, and electrochemical sensing all require a sample as well as a reagent and therefore are “invasive.” Three general approaches exist for glucose enzyme electrodes, measuring O2 consumption, or measuring H2O2 production, with potential cross reactions from metals and ingested drugs. The latest approach has used a two-step enzymatic reaction in which glucose oxidase reduced by glucose is regenerated to its original form for further sample processing. Problems include sample size and preparation, complicated electronics and processing, response time versus sensitivity, sensor fouling, and effects of oxygen and oxidizing interfering substances, including ascorbic acid, uric acid, and acetaminophen. Humidity effects, stability, precision, accuracy, and membrane issues when the substrate is partitioned into a different compartment are additional factors to be addressed. Satish K. Garg, Barbara Davis Center, Denver, CO, discussed clinical applications of continuous glucose monitoring, which can overcome the discomfort of multiple fingerstick glucose measurements and allow assessment of the peaks and valleys of glucose levels in patients with diabetes. He noted an important discrepancy between the conventionally treated and intensively treated groups in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), so …
TETRIS: A Streaming Accelerator for Physics-Limited 3D Plane-Wave UItrasound Imaging

High volume acquisition rates are imperative for medical ultrasound imaging applications, such as 3D elastography and 3D vector flow imaging. Unfortunately, despite recent algorithmic improvements, high-volume-rate imaging remains computationally infeasible on known platforms.In this paper, we propose TETRIS, a novel hardware accelerator for ultrasound beamforming that enables volume acquisition rates up to the physics limits of acoustic propagation delay. Through algorithmic and hardware optimizations, we enable a streaming system design outclassing previously proposed accelerators in performance while lowering hardware complexity and storage requirements. For a representative imaging task, our proposed system generates physics-limited 13,020 volumes per second in a 2. 5W power budget.CCS CONCEPTS• Hardware → Emerging architectures; 3D integrated circuits.;
Logistics Hubs in Oman and Political Uncertainty in the Gulf

AbstractOman is taking remarkable steps to develop its logistics sector to be one of the main pillars of the nation’s non-oil-based economy in the future. The current fluctuation in oil prices has ...
Media, crime, and trust in the police in Latin America:

This article examines the effect crime is having on support for law enforcement in Latin America. Scholars empirically demonstrate a strong negative effect of crime on support for institutions and ...
Agricultural Management Affects Root-Associated Microbiome Recruitment Over Maize Development

Diversified cropping systems provide yield benefits that may result from enhanced nutrient availability via the root microbiome. We hypothesized that root-associated microbial communities in divers...
The Enactment of Official Language Policies in Mutituni and Nyika Primary Schools: Their Impact on Learning

This chapter discusses the implications of teaching a child in a foreign language or a primary language. The two primary schools under discussion are Mutituni and Nyika in Kenya. Mutituni was situated in the countryside while Nyika was situated in the city. The language of instruction in both schools was English. English was a primary language to the majority of the city children, while English was foreign to the countryside children. This study found out that teaching a child in its primary language promotes learning, while teaching a child in a foreign language impedes learning. The chapter also discusses how translanguaging was used by both the teachers and their pupils, especially at Mutituni, to create meaning and how the teacher’s mediating role empowered pupils in their learning.
Monetary and Fiscal Policy Interactions in a Frictional Model of Money, Nominal Public Debt and Banking

In this paper we examine the interactions between fiscal and monetary policy in an economy with financial frictions, where fiat money, bank deposits and short and long-term nominal bonds coexist. Because agents face information frictions and bankers have limited commitment, fiat money is always accepted and bank deposits can be used in some trades. Within this frictional environment, we study how consumption inequality varies when the central bank pursues an active monetary policy and when the fiscal authority is active. Specifically, we find that consumption wedges across the different states of the world are more severe when an active central bank pursues expansionary monetary policy. Moreover, we find a unique stationary equilibrium when the monetary authority follows an active policy, while multiple stationary equilibria exist when the fiscal authority pursues an active regime. Consequently, such indeterminacy can result in greater volatility in economies in which the fiscal authority is active and the central bank is passive.
Direct laser-induced nanocarbon formation on flexible polymers: tailoring porous and fibrous morphologies

Direct Laser-based carbonization of commercial polymers, such as polyimide, is a promising alternative to printing conductive carbon electrodes on flexible substrates. These laser-induced nanocarbons (LINCs) are formed along surface patterns based on the irradiation of high intensity beams of CO2 lasers in a direct-write fashion. Recent efforts have demonstrated the fabrication of various functional devices like micro-supercapacitors, sensors and microfluidic devices directly on polyimide films. While LINCs have been observed to have a turbostratic carbon structure with different hierarchical porous and fibrous morphologies, the fundamental mechanisms underlying the formation of LINCs is still largely missing. Here, we elucidate the process-structure-property relationships that are needed in order to correlate the laser processing parameters to the resulting micro-scale and nanoscale morphology, as well as to the achieved electrode properties.