cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rural Families' Use of Multiple Child Care Arrangements from 6 to 58 Months and Children's Kindergarten Behavioral and Academic Outcomes.

Abstract Non-parental child care prior to kindergarten is a normative experience for the majority of children in the United States, with children commonly experiencing multiple arrangements, or more than one concurrent child care arrangement. The experience of multiple arrangements has predominantly been shown to be negatively related to young children’s health and behavioral outcomes. The present study examined the use of multiple concurrent arrangements for children in the Family Life Project, a representative sample of families living in six high-poverty rural counties. Using the full sample of 1292 children who were followed from six months to kindergarten, this study examined the associations between the number of child care arrangements averaged across six time points and children’s behavioral and academic outcomes in kindergarten. After including a number of control variables, regression results suggested that a greater number of arrangements prior to kindergarten were related to higher levels of teacher-reported negative behaviors, but not positive behaviors, and letter-word decoding skills, but not mathematics skills, though effect sizes were small. Moderation analyses by child care type and quality were conducted, with no evidence emerging that findings varied by type or quality of care.
A New Method to Teach Financial Modeling Using Excel

When applying Excel to finance, there exist many issues, such as how to focus on hands-on experience, how to inspire students to learn Excel, how to teach macros and how to get data into our spreadsheets in the first place. This paper offers a brand new approach with the following features. First, during each lecture, students do at least none hands-on exercise. Second, students are given many explanations and formulae that they could access instantly. Thus, they could learn Excel by themselves. Third, students access a huge amount of data such as US GDP (Gross Domestic Product), US national debt, unemployment rate, CPI (Consumer Price Index), Fama-French factors, risk-free rate, historical stock prices, latest several years’ financial statements for several thousand public firms in the US. Fourth, students could apply an efficient way to download data, about 3 second for each time series. Fifth, all supporting materials are written in a text format. Thus, instructors could modify them easily. The setup is trivial for both students and instructors: one-page instruction on R installation plus one-line R codes.
Design and performance evaluation of a localization system to locate unwanted drones by using wireless signals

The use of consumer drones has increased greatly in the last few years. It is important in many situations to be able to determine the location of unwanted drones for the sake of privacy, security, and safety. In this paper, a localization system is designed to determine the location of an unwanted drone in an outdoor line of sight (LOS) situation by using its wireless signal transmitted for communication with the controller. Two algorithms using the received signal strength (RSS) of the unwanted drone, the recursive least squares (RLS) algorithm and an improved maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), are implemented. Experiments are conducted in the open areas of the university campus to obtain a 3D RF empirical propagation model and this channel model is used in the algorithms. The performance of the two algorithms are compared with each other and with the Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB). By analyzing the results, we conclude that the improved MLE algorithm performs better than the RLS in our localization system. We also discuss the challenges that we will face in the future to improve our system.
Gold Nanoplate‐Enhanced Chemiluminescence and Macromolecular Shielding for Rapid Microbial Diagnostics

With the global rise of antimicrobial resistance, rapid screening and identification of low concentrations of microorganisms in less than 1 h becomes an urgent technological need for evidence-based antibiotic therapy. Although many commercially available techniques are labeled for rapid microbial detection, they often require 24-48 h of cell enrichment to reach detectable levels. Here, it is shown that the widely used reducing agent tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) can also act as a powerful oxidant on gold nanoplates and subsequently lead to a strong catalysis of luminol chemiluminescence. The catalytic reaction results in up to 100-fold signal enhancement and unprecedented stable luminescence for up to 10 min. However, when TCEP is exposed to microorganisms, it is oxidized by the microbial surface proteins and loses its catalytic properties, leading to a decrease in chemiluminescence. The competitive interaction of TCEP with Au nanoplates and microorganisms is used to introduce a homogenous rapid detection method that allows microbial screening in less than 10 min with a limit of detection down to 100 cfu mL-1 . Furthermore, the concept of microbial macromolecular shielding using antibody-conjugated polymers is introduced. The combination of TCEP redox activity and macromolecular shielding enables specific microbial identification within 1 h, without preconcentration, cell enrichment, or heavy equipment other than a hand-held luminometer. The technique is demonstrated by specific detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in environmental and urine samples containing a mixture of microorganisms.
Effects of Four Different Feeding Techniques on the Pond Culture of Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of four feed‐management techniques on the production of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, using a 16‐wk trial performed in 16, 0.1‐ha ponds stocked at 17 shrimp/m². Four treatments were used for this study: standard feeding protocol (SFP) fed twice daily, a 15% increase to the SFP fed twice daily, timer feeders programmed to feed six times daily following the SFP, and ad libitum using the AQ1 acoustic demand feeding system. Significant increases in final weights were seen using the timer and acoustic feeders (28.66 and 35.91 g, respectively) when compared with the SFP and SFP + 15% (23.55 and 24.65 g, respectively). The AQ1 treatment also resulted in a significantly higher shrimp value ($21,198/ha) than the other treatments ($11,776–$13,446/ha). No significant differences were seen in survival (72.2 ± 5.99%), feed conversion ratio (1.03 ± 0.095), or water quality. These results demonstrate that increasing the feed by 15% when feeding twice daily gives no advantage to production. Increasing the feedings from two to six times per day did improve growth and economic returns, and using acoustic feedback to feed based on feeding activity can further improve production and economic returns.
Design of Liquid Desiccant Dehumidification and Cooling Systems

A survey of liquid desiccant cooling systems is presented, along with references to recent work and an assessment of the potential and future research necessary for successful large-scale applications. Details of component and system design are presented, and research areas are discussed based on recent experimental work.
Development of the Olfactory System in the African Clawed Frog, Xenopus Laevis

The olfactory system of adult mammals has been studied extensively (see Halasz, 1990). The basic structure of the mammalian olfactory epithelium and olfactory bulb is outlined in this section to serve as background for the development and adult structure of the olfactory system in the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. The peripheral sensory tissue of the vertebrate olfactory system is the olfactory epithelium (see Farbman, 1992). The olfactory epithelium lines the dorsal roof, septum, and lateral turbinates of the caudal region of the mammalian nasal cavity. Another area of chemosensory tissue located at the floor of the nasal cavity of many mammals, snakes, and amphibians is the vomeronasal organ (see Farbman, 1992; Eisthen, 1997). In both the olfactory epithelium and vomeronasal organ, there are three basic cell types: olfactory receptor neurons, supporting cells, and basal cells. The receptor neurons are primary sensory neurons that are responsible for transducing odorant stimuli. They are bipolar neurons with an axon that projects to the olfactory bulb. The supporting cells can be secretory or ciliated cells that span the sensory epithelium from the apical border to the basal lamina. The basal cells are stem cells that have the ability to divide and differentiate into receptor cells during development and throughout the life of the organism.
Thermodynamic Scaling of Interfering Hemoglobin Strain Field Waves.

Hemoglobin (Hgb) forms tetramers (dimerized α–β dimers), which enhance its globular stability and may also facilitate small gas molecule transport, as shown by recent all-atom Newtonian solvated si...
Identification of inhibitors of the E. coli chaperone SurA using in silico and in vitro techniques.

Abstract SurA is a gram-negative, periplasmic chaperone protein involved in the proper folding of outer membrane porins (OMPs), which protect bacteria against toxins in the extracellular environment by selectively regulating the passage of nutrients into the cell. Previous studies demonstrated that deletion of SurA renders bacteria more sensitive to toxins that compromise the integrity of the outer membrane. Inhibitors of SurA will perturb the folding of OMPs, leading to disruption of the outer membrane barrier and making the cell more vulnerable to toxic insults. The discovery of novel SurA inhibitors is therefore of great importance for developing alternative strategies to overcome antibiotic resistance. Our laboratory has screened over 10,000,000 compounds in silico by computationally docking these compounds onto the crystal structure of SurA. Through this screen and a screen of fragment compounds (molecular weight less than 250 g/mol), we found twelve commercially readily available candidate compounds that bind to the putative client binding site of SurA. We confirmed binding to SurA by developing and employing a competitive fluorescence anisotropy-based binding assay. Our results show that one of these compounds, Fmoc-β-(2-quinolyl)- d -alanine, binds the client binding site with high micromolar affinity. Using this compound as a lead, we also discovered that Fmoc- l -tryptophan and Fmoc- l -phenylalanine, but not Fmoc- l -tyrosine, bind SurA with similar micromolar affinity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a competitive fluorescence anisotropy assay developed for the identification of inhibitors of the chaperone SurA, and the identification of three small molecules that bind SurA at its client binding site.
Vaccination Data When the Outbreak Happens: A Qualitative Evaluation of Oregon's Rapid Response Tool.

OBJECTIVE Immunization data are vital to support responses to vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. The Oregon Immunization Program developed a unique prototype instrument-the Rapid Response Tool (RRT)-that provides population data to local responders within 2 hours of a request. Data outputs include vaccination coverage by age group and zip code; percentages of students with nonmedical exemptions to vaccination requirements, by school; and current, comprehensive lists of local vaccination providers. METHODS The RRT was demonstrated to staff at 7 Oregon counties and feedback was solicited via comments and a structured survey. RESULTS The RRT received strong support. Attendees identified several uses for RRT data, including outbreak response and ongoing intervention efforts, and they pointed to areas for further development. CONCLUSIONS The success of the RRT demonstrations illustrates that a well-populated immunization information system can contribute to preparedness work well beyond current standards. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:682-685).
Closure of orocutanous fistula using a pedicled expanded deltopectoral flap

Orocutaneous fistulas are associated with considerable morbidity. Closures of these fistulas are a challenge to the reconstructing surgeon. The aim of treatment is to provide healthy tissue to repair both the oral and cutaneous defects. The use of an expanded pedicled deltopectoral flap for the closure of an orocutaneous fistula in a patient who has undergone bilateral neck dissection and radiation is reported.
Resilience of a commercial fishing fleet following emergency closures in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract We used high-resolution fisheries-dependent data and a quantitative modeling approach to examine resilience of a commercial reef fish fleet after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWH) emergency closures in 2010. Our results indicate that the fleet was largely resilient to the closures, although there were spatially-varying differences in attrition, and concomitant management changes and emergency payouts that likely influenced resilience. Five percent of previously active vessels exited the fleet after DWH (compared to the background annual attrition rate of ˜20%). The predicted probability of exiting after DWH was lower for vessels with a pre-closure history of high catch-per-unit-effort, low snapper revenue variability, or low grouper revenue. There was ˜80% overlap in pre- to post-DWH effort distribution, although vessels that exited concentrated effort in the north-central and eastern Gulf of Mexico. The Vessels of Opportunity program and other emergency compensation likely ameliorated some of the negative economic impacts from DWH, allowing more vessels to remain in the fleet than may have otherwise. Implementation of gear restrictions and individual fishing quotas leading up to DWH may have also ‘primed’ the fleet for resilience by removing marginal fishers. This work is novel in its use of high-resolution spatial data, coupled with trip logbooks, to construct quantitative models identifying drivers of fisher resilience after significant and sudden perturbations to fishery resources in the Gulf of Mexico. This work also highlights the need to better understand fisher response to disturbance for long-term fishery sustainability and management.
Geometric and Electronic Structure Contributions to O-O Cleavage and the Resultant Intermediate Generated in Heme-Copper Oxidases.

This study investigates the mechanism of O-O bond cleavage in heme-copper oxidase (HCO) enzymes, combining experimental and computational insights from enzyme intermediates and synthetic models. It is determined that HCOs undergo a proton-initiated O-O cleavage mechanism where a single water molecule in the active site enables proton transfer (PT) from the cross-linked tyrosine to a peroxo ligand bridging the heme FeIII and CuII, and multiple H-bonding interactions lower the tyrosine p Ka. Due to sterics within the active site, the proton must either transfer initially to the O(Fe) (a high-energy intermediate), or from another residue over a ∼10 A distance to reach the O(Cu) atom directly. While the distance between the H+ donor (Tyr) and acceptor (O(Cu)) results in a barrier to PT, this separation is critical for the low barrier to O-O cleavage as it enhances backbonding from Fe into the O22- σ* orbital. Thus, PT from Tyr precedes O-O elongation and is rate-limiting, consistent with available kinetic data. The electron transfers from tyrosinate after the barrier via a superexchange pathway provided by the cross-link, generating intermediate PM. PM is evaluated using available experimental data. The geometric structure contains an FeIV═O that is H-bonded to the CuII-OH. The electronic structure is a singlet, where the FeIV and CuII are antiferromagnetically coupled through the H-bond between the oxo(Fe) and hydroxo(Cu) ligands, while the CuII and Tyr• are ferromagnetically coupled due their delocalization into orthogonal magnetic orbitals on the cross-linked His residue. These findings provide critical insights into the mechanism of efficient O2 reduction in HCOs, and the nature of the PM intermediate that couples this reaction to proton pumping.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Hypoxia-Inducible Factor PAS-B Domain Confirm That Internally Bound Water Molecules Function To Stabilize the Protein Core for Ligand Binding

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are heterodimeric transcription factors that are induced in many cancer types, promoting tumor-forming pathways. The HIF-2α PAS-B domain of the human HIF-2 complex contains a large buried hydrophilic cavity that is filled with eight ordered water molecules, making the domain a promising drug target. Recent work has led to the hypothesis that these buried water molecules act as an internal scaffold that stabilizes the buried cavity, holding it open to ease ligand binding. Here we show that extensive molecular dynamics simulations of the HIF-2α PAS-B domain strongly support this hypothesis. If water is prevented from entering the buried cavity, several amino acid side chains lining the cavity undergo a major conformational change that shrinks the cavity volume by an average of ∼45% relative to the hydrated cavity. The structural change within the cavity is due mainly to side chain rearrangements; the absence of bound water has only minor effects on the protein backbone conformation. Moreover, when the cavity lacks internally bound water, the side chain of Tyr307 rotates such that it blocks a major route for entry of the ligand into the cavity, greatly raising the free energy barrier for binding of an artificial ligand compared to when the cavity contains water. Finally, there is no difference in global protein stability of PAS-B when the cavity lacks water, as indicated by the same degree of protein flexibility and identical predicted melting temperatures. These findings help to explain further how water stabilizes large internal cavities, a relatively underexamined feature of proteins.
Insights into human-wildlife interactions in cities from bird sightings recorded online

Abstract Interactions with nature can improve the wellbeing of urban residents and increase their interest in biodiversity. Many places within cities offer opportunities for people to interact with wildlife, including open space and residential yards and gardens, but little is known about which places within a city people use to observe wildlife. In this study, we used publicly available spatial data on people’s observations of birds from three online platforms—eBird, iNaturalist, and Flickr—to determine where people observe birds within the city of Chicago, Illinois (USA). Specifically, we investigated whether land use or neighborhood demographics explained where people observe birds. We expected that more observations would occur in open spaces, and especially conservation areas, than land uses where people tend to spend more time, but biodiversity is often lower (e.g., residential land). We also expected that more populated neighborhoods and those with higher median age and income of residents would have more bird observations recorded online. We found that bird observations occurred more often in open spaces than in residential areas, with high proportions of observations in recreation areas. In addition, a linear regression model showed that neighborhoods with higher median incomes, those with larger populations, and those located closer to Lake Michigan had more bird observations recorded online. These results have implications for conservation and environmental education efforts in Chicago and demonstrate the potential for social media and citizen science data to provide insight into urban human-wildlife interactions.
Opioid Prescription Patterns at Emergency Department Discharge for Children with Fractures.

OBJECTIVE To measure the variability in discharge opioid prescription practices for children discharged from the emergency department (ED) with a long-bone fracture. DESIGN A retrospective cohort study of pediatric ED visits in 2015. SETTING Four pediatric EDs. SUBJECTS Children aged four to 18 years with a long-bone fracture discharged from the ED. METHODS A multisite registry of electronic health record data (PECARN Registry) was analyzed to determine the proportion of children receiving an opioid prescription on ED discharge. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine characteristics associated with receipt of an opioid prescription. RESULTS There were 5,916 visits with long-bone fractures; 79% involved the upper extremity, and 27% required reduction. Overall, 15% of children were prescribed an opioid at discharge, with variation between the four EDs: A = 8.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.9-9.7%), B = 12.1% (95% CI = 10.5-14.0%), C = 16.9% (95% CI = 15.2-18.8%), D = 23.8% (95% CI = 21.7-26.1%). Oxycodone was the most frequently prescribed opioid. In the regression analysis, in addition to variation by ED site of care, age 12-18 years, white non-Hispanic, private insurance status, reduced fracture, and severe pain documented during the ED visit were associated with increased opioid prescribing. CONCLUSIONS For children with a long-bone fracture, discharge opioid prescription varied widely by ED site of care. In addition, black patients, Hispanic patients, and patients with government insurance were less likely to be prescribed opioids. This variability in opioid prescribing was not accounted for by patient- or injury-related factors that are associated with increased pain. Therefore, opioid prescribing may be modifiable, but evidence to support improved outcomes with specific treatment regimens is lacking.
Les louvoiements du patient au sein du cabinet médical : éléments d'une pragmatique de l'exposition de l'inquiétude

Sur la base de l’observation d’echanges entre medecins (generalistes et specialistes) et patient.e.s et du retour retrospectif (lors d’entretiens) de ces dernier.e.s sur leur conduite, nous examinons des consultations medicales a partir d’une lecture pragmatique de l’exposition de l’inquietude. Du seuil a la sortie du cabinet, les patient.e.s semblent louvoyer. Alors meme que les situations rencontrees sont relativement peu problematiques du point de vue du diagnostic, la personne – et sa position de sujet – semblent constamment glisser entre differents etats. L’ampleur de la difficulte du patient a quelque chose de surprenant. Il doit louvoyer tant pour communiquer un trouble qui l’expose simultanement a differents risques – ne pas etre pris au serieux, ne pas etre examine avec attention, sa souffrance ne soit pas soulagee, sa demande de sollicitude ne soit pas entendue – que pour elucider ce qu’il se passe avec ce corps biologique. En examinant les dynamiques par lesquelles il s’expose en inquietude et s’en trouve expose, nous ouvrons un espace de questionnements. Ce site d’enquete classique qu’est la rencontre medecin-patient permet de poser quelques jalons d’une reflexion socio-anthropologique plus large qui interroge les reconfigurations des conditions d'exposition et de traitement de l’inquietude qui accompagnent l’essor de nouvelles mediations donnant acces a des informations relatives au corps en general (extensions d'Internet, cartes genomiques individuelles, applications de self-tracking).
The Affordable Care Act and Tax Policy

The Affordable Care Act fails to coordinate the impact of tax burdens on individuals with the global aim of extending the availability of health care insurance. The price of private health insurance depends in this country on who buys it; large employers pay less than small employees and individuals for the same level of coverage. Because the ACA does not eliminate these and related artefactual cost differences, the Act’s pricebased adjustments of the post-tax cost of health care to individuals simply perpetuate or worsen central problems of tax fairness and neutrality.
DELAYED NEED FOR PERMANENT PACEMAKER IMPLANTATION AFTER TAVR HOSPITAL DISCHARGE INSIGHTS FROM THE BRADY-TAVR STUDY

Previous studies have identified delayed heart block (DHB) as an important consideration of post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients, occurring at rates similar to heart block during the immediate hospitalization period. Patients post-TAVR therefore may need extended rhythm
Evaluation of sputtered nickel oxide, cobalt oxide and nickel–cobalt oxide on n-type silicon photoanodes for solar-driven O2(g) evolution from water

Thin films of nickel oxide (NiOx), cobalt oxide (CoOx) and nickel–cobalt oxide (NiCoOx) were sputtered onto n-Si(111) surfaces to produce a series of integrated, protected Si photoanodes that did not require deposition of a separate heterogeneous electrocatalyst for water oxidation. The p-type transparent conductive oxides (p-TCOs) acted as multi-functional transparent, antireflective, electrically conductive, chemically stable coatings that also were active electrocatalysts for the oxidation of water to O2(g). Relative to the formal potential for water oxidation to O2, Eo′(O2/H2O), under simulated Air Mass (AM)1.5 illumination the p-TCO-coated n-Si(111) photoanodes produced mutually similar open-circuit potentials of −270 ± 20 mV, but different photocurrent densities at Eo′(O2/H2O), of 28 ± 0.3 mA cm−2 for NiOx, 18 ± 0.3 mA cm−2 for CoOx and 24 ± 0.5 mA cm−2 for NiCoOx. The p-TCOs all provided protection from oxide growth for extended time periods, and produced stable photocurrent densities from n-Si in 1.0 M KOH(aq) (ACS grade) under potential control at Eo′(O2/H2O) for >400 h of continuous operation under 100 mW cm−2 of simulated AM1.5 illumination.
A Feminist Critique of Police Stops: (Introduction to Published Book)

Three feminist principles animate this book and apply these principles to policing: Consent; Bodily Integrity; and The Victim/Survivor Point of View. POV: The debate over stop-and-frisk generally assumes that unconstitutional policing is the sole problem, that everything will be fine if officers act within the confines set by the Supreme Court. But that assumption won’t hold if we look at police stops from the point of view of the victims of unwanted police encounters. Civilians must assert their Constitutional rights or lose them, dangerous territory as asserting any right might trigger retaliation. CONSENT: As some states restrict consent as a defense available to police officers charged with sexual assault, it begs the question: why does the law still pretend that civilians can say no to police who seek “consent” to search our bodies and possessions? What courts call “consent,” feminists would describe as submission. BODILY INTEGRITY: Even lawful frisks can create trauma. In Terry v. Ohio, the Court famously weighed the benefits of this crime fighting tool against the harms to individuals. New psychological literature reveals the fallout from police stops beyond anything the Supreme Court imagines. Using real life examples as well as court cases, the author shows that “consent” is a sham, that it is impossible to exercise free speech (1st Am), the right to silence (2nd Am) or demand probable cause when police seek to search our bodies (4th Am). Just as the Supreme Court opinions hide race in order to allow racial profiling to flourish, they also hide and disguise police aggression in order to blame the victims of unconstitutional policing for failing to assert their rights. This reckoning should be a death knell for stops and frisks and consent searches.
Acute Gastrointestinal Injury and Feeding Intolerance as Prognostic Factors in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients.

Although acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) and feeding intolerance (FI) are known independent determinants of worse outcomes and high mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, the incidence of AGI and FI in critically ill COVID-19 patients and their prognostic importance have not been thoroughly studied. We reviewed 218 intubated patients at Stony Brook University Hospital and stratified them into three groups based on AGI severity, according to data collected in the first 10 days of ICU course. We used chi-square test to compare categorical variables such as age and sex and two-sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U-tests for continuous variables, including important laboratory values. Cox proportional hazards regression models were utilized to determine whether AGI score was an independent predictor of survival, and multivariable analysis was performed to compare risk factors that were deemed significant in the univariable analysis. We performed Kaplan-Meier survival analysis based on the AGI score and the presence of FI. The overall incidence of AGI was 95% (45% AGI I/II, 50% AGI III/IV), and FI incidence was 63%. Patients with AGI III/IV were more likely to have prolonged mechanical ventilation (22 days vs 16 days, P-value <0.002) and higher mortality rate (58% vs 28%, P-value <0.001) compared to patients with AGI 0/I/II. This was confirmed with multivariable analysis which showed that AGI score III/IV was an independent predictor of higher mortality (AGI III/IV vs AGI 0/I/II hazard ratio (HR), 2.68; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.69–4.25; P-value <0.0001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that both AGI III/IV and FI (P-value <0.001) were associated with worse outcomes. Patients with AGI III/IV had higher daily and mean D-dimer and CRP levels compared to AGI 0/I/II (P-value <0.0001). The prevalence of AGI and FI among critically ill COVID-19 patients was high. AGI grades III/IV were associated with higher risk for prolonged mechanical ventilation and mortality compared to AGI 0/I/II, while it also correlated with higher D-dimer and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. FI was independently associated with higher mortality. The development of high-grade AGI and FI during the first days of ICU stay can serve as prognostic tools to predict outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
Novel Integration of Administrative Pharmacy Residents in a Management Course.

Background: Management skills are an essential component of a pharmacy graduate’s abilities for successful practice. Although pharmacy education standards require that students have a working knowledge of management principles, students often do not see the value in management and business courses. One innovative approach is restructuring course content using case examples and real-world experiences to improve student understanding of finance and management principles. Innovation: Two specific changes were implemented in a second year (P2) management and finance course to improve the relevance of business principles. Course content was organized around current pharmacy service cases from a variety of practice settings and supported by the value of problem-based learning. Post-graduate year 1 (PGY-1) administrative pharmacy residents were engaged as course teaching assistants (TAs) who brought real-world experiences into the class. An analysis of pre- and post-course voluntary surveys, course evaluations, and TA evaluations assessed the impact of the course redesign. Findings: The course redesign achieved its intended goal of improving student-perceived course relevance. This was shown through statistically significant improvements in course evaluations that were intended to measure student perception of pharmacy management and its relevance in their future career. Student completed TA evaluations showed that those who reported their TA shared real-world applications had higher confidence in applying course concepts and greater understanding of course materials. Conclusions: Administrative pharmacy residents were successfully integrated into a pharmacy management course redesign, resulting in improved student perceptions of course relevance.
microRNAs and osteocytes

Abstract MicroRNAs, identified in the early 1990s, are believed to regulate approximately 30% of the human genome. The role of microRNA in bone cells was first reported in 2007 in a manuscript showing that microRNA-223 is essential for osteoclast differentiation in vitro, and a few studies reported a role of microRNAs in osteoblasts the same year. The first report of microRNA actions in osteocytes was published in 2010, in which it was demonstrated that the microRNA cluster 23a~27a~24-2 regulates osteocyte differentiation. Since then, few studies have described the role of these 18-25-nucleotide non-coding RNAs on osteocyte biology, reporting osteocytes both as producers and as targets of the actions of microRNAs. We review here the current knowledge on the effects of microRNAs on osteocyte biology.
P4KP: QoS-Aware Top-K Best Path Using Programmable Switch

Data center networks offer multiple parallel paths between a source-destination pair. But, due to the use of TCAM based single logical step ‘path-search and selection’ mechanism in the switches, most of the existing packet forwarding systems can utilize only a single-best path. It prevents them from utilizing the benefit of multiple paths for achieving application-specific QoS objectives. In this work, we propose P4KP, a programmable switch-based novel scheme for utilizing the top-k best paths toward a destination in a QoS-aware manner. P4KP complements TCAM’s path-selection capability using SRAM; decouples path-searching from path-selection and facilitates the path-selection using an SRAM-based data structure. Its SRAM-based data structure reduces costly TCAM usage and enables the efficient update of the top-k best paths in the data plane. P4KP also provides a bitmask-based API to express the QoS-based policy for selecting one-of-the-top-k best paths. We implemented P4KP using P4 language to demonstrate that it is realizable in currently available programmable switches while maintaining line-rate throughput. Our preliminary evaluation shows that P4KP significantly reduces the stateful memory consumption in programmable switches and achieves improved performance.
Special considerations for acquisition of pediatric MRI of high spatial and temporal resolution

Abstract The purpose of this chapter is to highlight the special considerations to be borne in mind when undertaking pediatric imaging. These are broadly speaking divided into technical approaches, given the nature of the infant and child and related to head size, motion compliance, etc. as well as developmental factors (such as ongoing myelination, and related contrast changes). By outlining these considerations, it is hoped that the reader will gain an appreciation for the nuances of pediatric imaging and will better understand the choices made in developing the sophisticated array of multimodality acquisition tools and analysis methodologies described in detail in the remaining chapters of the book.
Distributive Justice Antecedents of Race and Gender Disparities in First-Year College Performance

Public education is a sphere of society in which distributive justice with respect to the allocation of opportunities to learn can have profound and lasting effects on students’ educational outcomes. We frame our study in the distributive justice literature, and define just outcomes specifically from a meritocratic and strict egalitarian perspectives in order to investigate how assignment to academic tracks and the availability of opportunities to learn during high school are associated with students’ academic achievement during college. We examine the role of “just” placement into high school academic tracks, “just” access to high-quality teachers, and “just” assignment of secondary schools’ resources in high school, in relation to college freshmen’s grade point averages (GPA). We utilize longitudinal data from a unique dataset with over 15,000 students who spent their academic careers in North Carolina public secondary schools and then attended North Carolina public universities. Our results suggest that “unjust” assignment of students to certain high schools, access to high-quality teachers, and assignment to learn in specific academic tracks result in long-lasting consequences that are reflected in freshman college GPA. Importantly, findings also show that the direction and magnitude of the relationship between distributional injustice at schools and college performance is moderated by students’ own gender and race. Race and gender interact with the high schools’ institutional contexts operationalized by tracking practices, teacher quality, and by school racial and socioeconomic composition. Results show that similar settings do not affect all students in the same ways.
Reassessing Damage Remedy to Online Copyright Infringement

To effectively enforce a given right, the right holder needs to focus on two factors: the first factor concerns ex ante precaution, which means making prohibitive rules that aim at any kind of violations. The second one, more importantly, concerns efficient ex post remedies which compensate the losses of right holders as a result of infringements. In the context of copyright, such framework remains the same. Copyright damages, inter alia, function as a highly important role in copyright law for enforcement. For one, copyright damages can give prevailing party actual benefits -- monetary compensation. Such benefits can preserve sufficient incentives for right holders to continue creation of new works. For another, significant amount of damages no doubt deprive infringers of unjust enrichment and deter future violation. Under the circumstances, copyright damages primarily design for the protection of copyright and maintaining the progress of culture. Stepping into digital age, each copyright holder regards their online works as personal property and seeks to effectively enforce their copyright online. They frequently depend on damages for enforcement when infringements occur, yet the high frequency eventually lead to unreasonable results. The reason lies in the misunderstanding of property rules and the application of such misunderstanding to copyright damages. Never a property owner can internalize all positive externalities. So, copyright holders should not rely on damages to internalize all positive externalities from their online works so long as they are sufficiently compensated. Theoretically, copyright law is enacted to “promote the progress of science and useful arts.” Hence, permitting some free riding online will better achieve the purpose because most copyright creations rely on preexisting works.Whether copyright damages are efficient lies in how the final awarding affects disparate groups. On one hand, copyright holders need sufficient compensation to preserve incentive for further creation. Lacks of such incentives, no one are willing to continue creation because free riding frustrate their motivation. Under the circumstances, the society will have a gradual narrower public domain and less available resources. On the other hand, copyright damages should deter infringement by make infringers unprofitable. As a result, infringers will choose to obtain license from copyright holders rather than commit infringement. Therefore, copyright damages should both achieve two requirements: sufficient compensation and effective deterrence.
TWO HERMENEUTICAL TENSIONS IN EVANGELICAL FEMINISM

This article shows that there are at least two key hermeneutical tensions in evangelical feminist interpretation of the Bible. The first hermeneutical tension concern the issue of readers' prejudices. Feminists remind us that readers are always disposed to read texts against the background of their own expectations, customs, and world views. And the second hermeneutical tension, namely the tension over the nature of the actual practices of the first century church. Evangelical feminists have tended to give different answers depending on the passage that they are interpreting. In sum, feminism in its hermeneutical principles alerts us to the role of reader prejudice and social background in understanding texts. KEYWORDS: Hermeneutic, feminist, prejudice, Christian
In-Group and Out-Group Differences in Information About Political Candidates

Group membership can have important effects upon how voters perceive candidates. In addition, stereotypes can have large effects when considering candidates who are members of out-groups. Yet even without stereotypes, the entire view of in-group or out-group status may lead voters to feel that they are more familiar with in-group candidates than ones from the out-group. This can have two immediate effects. First, in-group members may feel that they simply know more about the in-group candidate. Second, they may believe that the in-group candidate is more likely to be like them than an out-group candidate. This paper uses data from the 2008 American National Election Study to examine differences in white, black, and Latino voters' information and impressions of Barack Obama and John McCain in the 2008 election. The results show that in-group members display greater levels of familiarity with in-group candidates.
Androgen Deprivation Therapy Impact on Quality of Life and Cardiovascular Health, Monitoring Therapeutic Replacement

Introduction. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is commonly utilized in the management of both localized and advanced adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The use of ADT is associated with several adverse events, physical changes, and development of medical comorbidities/mortality. Aim. The current article reviews known adverse events associated with ADT as well as treatment options, where available. Current recommendations and guidelines are cited for ongoing monitoring of patients receiving ADT. Methods. A PubMed search of topics relating to ADT and adverse outcomes was performed, with select articles highlighted and reviewed based on level of evidence and overall contribution. Main Outcome Measures. Reported outcomes of studies detailing adverse effects of ADT were reviewed and discussed. Where available, randomized trials and meta-analyses were reported. Results. ADT may result in several adverse events including decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, vasomotor symptoms, cognitive, psychological and quality of life impairments, weight gain, sarcopenia, increased adiposity, gynecomastia, reduced penile/testicular size, hair changes, periodontal disease, osteoporosis, increased fracture risk, diabetes and insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and anemia. The definitive impact of ADT on lipid profiles, cardiovascular morbidity/mortality, and all-cause mortality is currently unknown with available data. Treatment options to reduce ADT-related adverse events include changing to an intermittent treatment schedule, biophysical therapy, counseling, and pharmacotherapy. Conclusions. Patients treated with ADT are at increased risk of several adverse events and should be routinely monitored for the development of potentially significant morbidity/mortality. Where appropriate, physicians should reduce known risk factors and counsel patients as to known risks and benefits of therapy. Trost LW, Serefoglu E, Gokce A, Linder BJ, Sartor AO, and Hellstrom WJG. Androgen deprivation therapy impact on quality of life and cardiovascular health, monitoring therapeutic replacement. J Sex Med 2013;10(suppl 1):84-101.
Comparison of the monoamine transporters from human and mouse in their sensitivities to psychostimulant drugs

Background The plasma membrane neurotransmitter transporters terminate neurotransmissions by the reuptake of the released neurotransmitters. The transporters for the monoamines dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin (DAT, NET, and SERT) are targets for several popular psychostimulant drugs of abuse. The potencies of the psychostimulant on the monoamine transporters have been studied by several laboratories. However, there are significant discrepancies in the reported data with differences up to 60-fold. In addition, the drug potencies of the 3 monoamine transporters from mouse have not been compared in the same experiments or along side the human transporters. Further studies and systematic comparisons are needed.
Flash photolysis and triplet states and free radicals in solution

A personal account is given of the development of microsecond flash photolysis in George Porter’s laboratory at Cambridge in the early 1950s. This made possible, for the first time, the observation of the absorption spectra of the lowest triplet states of many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fluid solutions. The T–T transitions were found to be very intense with oscillator strengths approaching unity in many cases. Detailed kinetic studies showed that triplet state decay was first order and viscosity dependent and strongly quenched by dissolved oxygen. Several aromatic free radicals such as benzyl were also observed in liquid solution for the first time. The advent of the laser in the early 1960s made it possible to extend flash photolysis studies to the ns and ps and eventually the fs time range. Such studies have revolutionized the study of excited states and free radicals and have made possible advances in the understanding of the dynamics of chemical and biological systems that would have been unimaginable 60 years ago.
Proof Procedures for Disjunctive Logic Programming

Several proof procedures have been explicitly proposed for the pure (without nonmonotonic negation) Disjunctive Logic Programming (DLP) domain. These include SLO-resolution (Rajasekar, Minker), SLI-resolution (Minker, Zanon) and near-Horn Prolog in several variants (Loveland, Reed). Other procedures extend SLD-resolution to the full first-order predicate calculus and thus are also candidates for consideration as procedures for the DLP domain. Examples include variations of Model Elimination (which includes SLI-resolution) and SLWV-resolution (Pereira, Caires and Alferes). We introduce all of these procedures, all but SLO-resolution in a common sequent-style presentation that makes comparison of procedures more direct. It is seen that all have a goal-reduction rule equivalent to that of SLD-resolution, and also some type of ancestor invocation rule. The procedures differ in the use of contra-positives and use of restart rules. We argue that near-Horn Prolog has features that make it stand out in this crowd as a logic programming language for DLP.
Community Variations in Low-Income Latino Families’ Technology Adoption and Integration

Constrained access to the Internet and new communication technologies is commonly associated with social disparities related to income, education, immigration status, age, and geography. Policymakers in many sectors—and particularly, in education—have placed their bets on increased technology access having the potential to mitigate broader social disparities. In the context of a national digital equity initiative, this study examines how parents and children of low-income Latino families incorporate new technologies into their everyday lives. Through a comparison of three demographically similar communities where discounted broadband is being offered to low-income families with school-age children, we take a bottom-up, communication-centered perspective on a top-down technology policy. Our ecological approach considers the intersection of macro- and meso-level factors that influence Latino families’ perceptions of technology and that shape their consequent adoption and integration decisions.
Evaluation of an Electrostatic Dust Removal System with Potential Application in Next-Step Fusion Devices

The ability to manage inventories of carbon, tritium, and high-Z elements in fusion plasmas depends on means for effective dust removal. A dust conveyor, based on a moving electrostatic potential well, was tested with particles of tungsten, carbon, glass and sand. A digital microscope imaged a representative portion of the conveyor, and dust particle size and volume distributions were derived before and after operation. About 10 cu mm volume of carbon and tungsten particles were moved in under 5 seconds. The highest driving amplitude tested of 3 kV was the most effective. The optimal driving frequency was 210 Hz (maximum tested) for tungsten particles, decreasing to below 60 Hz for the larger sand particles. Measurements of particle size and volume distributions after 10 and 100 cycles show the breaking apart of agglomerated carbon, and the change in particle distribution over short timescales 1 s).