cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Weed control and soybean injury from preplant vs. preemergence herbicide applications

Palmer amaranth is one of the most troublesome weeds of soybean in the United States. To effectively control this weed it is necessary to optimize timing of PRE residual herbicides to mitigate Palmer amaranth emergence. Field studies were conducted in 5 site-years to assess the effect of application timing 12 to 16 d prior to planting (preplant) and at planting (PRE) on soybean injury and longevity of Palmer amaranth control using five residual herbicide treatments. A reduction in longevity of Palmer amaranth control was observed when S-metolachlor + metribuzin and flumioxazin + chlorimuron-ethyl were applied preplant vs. PRE in 2 of the 5 site years. Sulfentrazone, sulfentrazone + cloransulam-methyl, and saflufenacil + dimethenamid-P + pyroxasulfone + metribuzin did not reduce longevity of Palmer amaranth control when applied preplant vs. PRE in all 5 site-years. Visible estimates of soybean injury were lower at 21 d after planting when herbicides were applied 12 to 16 d preplant vs. PRE. These findings suggest that preplant applications can be used to reduce the potential for crop injury and may not result in reduced longevity of control when herbicides with a prolonged residual activity are used. Preplant herbicides increase the likelihood of the residuals being activated prior to subsequent weed emergence as opposed to PRE herbicides applied at soybean planting.
A feasibility study for noninvasive measurement of shear wave speed in live zebrafish

Abstract Zebrafish are being increasingly used as animal models for human diseases such as cardiomyopathy and neuroblastoma. Owing to a nearly fully sequenced genome and efficient genetics/chemical genetics, zebrafish open new research opportunities for human diseases research. The purpose of this study was to develop zebrafish ultrasound vibro-elastography (ZUVE) for measuring the shear wave speed of zebrafish. An adult female zebrafish was anesthetized for three minutes for the ZUVE testing. A 0.1 s gentle harmonic vibration was generated on the tail using a sphere tip indenter with 3 mm diameter. Shear wave propagation in the zebrafish was measured using a high frequency 18 MHz ultrasound probe. Shear wave speeds were measured at 300, 400, and 500 Hz. Shear wave speeds were, respectively, 3.13 ± 1.20 (m/s) for 300 Hz, 4.28 ± 1.36 (m/s) for 400 Hz, and 5.07 ± 1.45 (m/s) for 500 Hz for zebrafish 1 in a region of interest (ROI) which covered the central body. The shear wave speed dispersions were similar for four zebrafish and shear wave speeds ranged between 2.5 (m/s) and 5 (m/s) from 300 Hz to 500 Hz. The experimental setup and testing for a zebrafish lasted less than three minutes. All tested zebrafish were alive after testing. ZUVE is safe, fast, and noninvasive, making the testing of elastic properties of zebrafish feasible.
Industry Survey for Determining the State of Practice of Front End Engineering Design for Industrial Construction

AbstractPlanning work conducted early during a construction project, known as front end planning (FEP), has a large impact on project outcomes and significant influence on the configuration of the ...
Economic Evaluation Studies

Economic evaluations, including cost-effectiveness analyses, are frameworks for decision-making. They help to illustrate tradeoffs between selecting one choice over another. This form of analysis is of great power and value to the health-care system. Health-care decisions are complex; they require synthesis of a myriad of data variables and sources, and the impact of the choices made is significant. Given this importance and the increasing demand and complexity of health decisions, it is imperative to ensure that economic evaluations are of high quality, comprehensive, and follow the guidelines and recommendations of experts in the field. This article provides an overview of the types of economic evaluations and their role in decision-making. It also discusses key study design considerations, including methods, scope, results, and reporting. Links to published checklists are provided along with additional sources of information, including a glossary of terms (Appendix), to guide the researcher to produce high-quality economic evaluations and guide the reviewer to provide high-quality feedback during the review process.
Using Machine Learning to Make Predictions in Patients Who Fall.

Abstract Background As the population ages, the incidence of traumatic falls has been increasing. We hypothesize that a machine learning algorithm can more accurately predict mortality after a fall compared with a standard logistic regression (LR) model based on immediately available admission data. Secondary objectives were to predict who would be discharged home and determine which variables had the largest effect on prediction. Methods All patients who were admitted for fall between 2012 and 2017 at our level 1 trauma center were reviewed. Fourteen variables describing patient demographics, injury characteristics, and physiology were collected at the time of admission and were used for prediction modeling. Algorithms assessed included LR, decision tree classifier (DTC), and random forest classifier (RFC). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values were calculated for each algorithm for mortality and discharge to home. Results About 4725 patients met inclusion criteria. The mean age was 61 ± 20.5 y, Injury Severity Score 8 ± 7, length of stay 5.8 ± 7.6 d, intensive care unit length of stay 1.8± 5.2 d, and ventilator days 0.7 ± 4.2 d. The mortality rate was 3% and three times greater for elderly (aged 65 y and older) patients (5.0% versus 1.6%, P Conclusions RFC can accurately predict mortality and discharge home after a fall. This predictive model can be implemented at the time of patient arrival and may help identify candidates for targeted intervention as well as improve prognostication and resource utilization.
Impact of Pre-Existing Mitral Regurgitation Following Left Ventricular Assist Device Implant.

Objectives: Optimal management of significant mitral regurgitation (SMR) during left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement remains uncertain. This study evaluates the effect of untreated preop SMR on outcomes following LVAD implant. Methods: Adults undergoing primary LVAD placement from April 2004 to May 2017 were included. Most recent preop transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) was used to divide patients into an SMR group with moderate or greater regurgitation, and a group without SMR. Patients underwent LVAD implant without correction of SMR. Primary endpoint was 3-year postoperative survival, with secondary endpoints of length of stay (LOS), resolution of SMR following LVAD on postdischarge (30 day) TTE, and 1-year TTE. Results: LVAD placement was performed in 270 patients, 172 (63.7%) without SMR and 98 (36.3%) with SMR. There were no differences in comorbidities including diabetes, hypertension, and renal disease. Preop ejection fraction was similar, but a higher pulmonary vascular resistance was recorded in the SMR group (3.6 vs 3.0 Wood Units, P = 0.048). There was no difference in 3-year mortality between the 2 cohorts (log-rank P = 0.0.803). The SMR group had decreased LOS (median 19.5 vs 22 days, P = 0.009). Of the 98 SMR patients, 91 (92.9%) had resolution of SMR to less than moderate at 30 days. At 1 year, 15% of those with preoperative SMR had recurrent SMR. Conclusions: Patients undergoing LVAD placement with preop SMR experience no differences in mortality, and a majority experience resolution of MR after implant. Longer-term SMR recurrence and need for mitral intervention with LVAD implant warrant further investigation.
On the epistemic rationality and significance of self-fulfilling beliefs

Some propositions are not likely to be true overall, but are likely to be true if you believe them. Appealing to the platitude that belief aims at truth, it has become increasingly popular to defend the view that such propositions are epistemically rational to believe. However, I argue that this view runs into trouble when we consider the connection between what’s epistemically rational to believe and what’s practically rational to do. I conclude by discussing how rejecting the view bears on three other epistemological issues. First, we’re able to uncover a flaw in a common argument for permissivism. Second, we can generate a problem for prominent versions of epistemic consequentialism. Finally, we can better understand the connection between epistemic rationality and truth: epistemic rationality is a guide to true propositions rather than true beliefs.
Convalescent hyperimmune plasma in patients with hematologic malignancies and severe COVID-19 infections.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, evolved to a deadly pandemic that has resulted in more than 103 million cases worldwide and nearly 2.5 mil...
Troubling Belonging: The Racialized Exclusion of Young Immigrants and Migrants of Color.

In this article, four Latina educators of Color trouble the neutrality of belonging, exploring its politics. They collectively revisit and reflect on their memories and lived experiences as immigrant children of Color and as young children of immigrants and migrants of Color in the United States. They employed platicas as method to prompt the sharing of memories, experiences, and stories imparting personal knowledge, familial practices, and cultural histories. Through platicas, they developed a collective understanding of their fragmented memories as situated representations of how belonging engenders othering children of immigrants and migrants of Color. As they reflected on the harm they withstood, named dehumanizing schooling experiences, and reflected on the exclusion and bordering etched in their memories, they noted how belonging had sponsored their marginalization. After audio-recording and transcribing their platicas, they identified transcript sections associated with heightened emotional displays, shared resonance, and cultural memory. Then, they creatively recombined sections of original transcripts to reveal things about the experiences of young immigrant children of Color and of children of immigrants and migrants of Color that early childhood educators ought to know. Findings unveil the harm enacted by schooling on young immigrant children of Color and young children from immigrant and migrant families of Color in the name of belonging. Implications, offered as poetic advice, urge early childhood education policy and practice to upend the harmful pseudo-neutrality of belonging.
“When Am I Fertile?”: A Pilot Study Comparing Ovulation Prediction Accuracy of Apps and LH Kits

Prediction of peak fertility is critical yet challenging in both planning and preventing pregnancy. Period tracking applications for the smartphone are ubiquitous, free of charge, and user friendly with many providing ovulation estimates. The objective of this study was to analyze the period tracking applications (apps)’ ability to accurately predict fertility windows and ovulation. Three medical students tracked their menstrual cycle over four months in seven commercially available menstrual period tracking applications. Six of the apps were analyzed for fertility window, ovulation prediction, and usability. Two home ovulation kits were utilized to confirm ovulation. The sensitivity to predict the fertility window ranged from 35% to 94% (p 0.05). Four of the apps allowed for menstrual cycle lengths greater than 35 day and offered an adjustable algorithm. Apps had increased sensitivity due to an expanded fertility window with increased number of predicted fertile days, but a low ovulation sensitivity and an inability to predict the day of ovulation. Additionally, apps allowed for additional personal information to be added with some apps sharing this data with a third party, raising the question of data protection for users. Solely using period tracking apps is not the gold standard for contraception or conception. The use of these apps in conjunction with luteinizing hormone home kits for detection of physiologic ovulation provides an accurate tool that allows a woman to take charge of her reproductive health.
Exclusion Criteria of Breast Cancer Clinical Trial Protocols: A Descriptive Analysis

3–8% of US adults with cancer are enrolled in a clinical trial due to various barriers to enrollment. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the variability of eligibility criteria, which currently have no standard guidelines. This descriptive analysis utilized all therapeutic breast protocols offered at the University of Alabama at Birmingham between 2004 and 2020. Exclusion criteria were abstracted using OnCore and ClinicalTrials.gov. Laboratory values included liver function tests and hematologic labs. Comorbid conditions included congestive heart failure, cardiovascular disease, central nervous system (CNS) metastases, and prior cancer history. Comorbid conditions were further analyzed by amount of time protocols required participants to be from diagnosis or exacerbation-free. 102 protocols were eligible. Among liver laboratory values, bilirubin (78%) was included in most protocols ranging from institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) (9%) to 3xULN (2%), with 1.5xULN (56%) being most common. Similar variability was observed in alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase. Among hematological labs, 82% of protocols defined a lower limit of acceptable absolute neutrophil count ranging from 500 μL (1%) to 1800 μL (1%), with 1500 μL (64%) being most common. Of the comorbid conditions, exclusion criteria varied for congestive heart failure (49%), an acute exacerbation of cardiovascular disease (80%), CNS metastases (59%), and a prior cancer (66%). The allowable timeframe varied between protocols for cardiovascular disease and prior cancer. Substantial heterogeneity was observed across laboratory values and comorbid variables among protocols. Future research should focus on defining standardized eligibility criteria while allowing for deviation based on drug specificity.
The Past as Prologue: Remote Working to the Cusp of the Pandemic

The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has refocused attention on remote working, raising questions about its future trajectory, the reasons for its prevalence, and the potential implications for urban areas. Examining data from four large-scale U.S. surveys from 2000 to the cusp of the pandemic, this paper provides historical perspective. The plurality of those working at home for pay was doing so as a supplement to tasks performed in the workplace. However, in 2019, 5.8 percent of those engaged in paid employment generally worked from home (forgoing a workplace journey), increasing by an average of .14 percent annually. On any given day, 13.2 percent were working from home, increasing by .29 percent per year. Many of those working from home were professional workers concentrated in select low-touch sectors. By 2019, the majority were formal employees (v. self-employed or gig workers). The age distribution of those working from home suggests that a significant portion of remote work is an outcome of the informalization of late-career employment relations among the highly-educated. Remote work is but one of several cost-reduction strategies available to firms.
Communication Planning for Cooperative Terrain-Based Underwater Localization

This paper presents a decentralized communication planning algorithm for cooperative terrain-based navigation (dec-TBN) with autonomous underwater vehicles. The proposed algorithm uses forward simulation to approximate the value of communicating at each time step. The simulations are used to build a directed acyclic graph that can be searched to provide a minimum cost communication schedule. Simulations and field trials are used to validate the algorithm. The simulations use a real-world bathymetry map from Lake Nighthorse, CO, and a sensor model derived from an Ocean Server Iver2 vehicle. The simulation results show that the algorithm finds a communication schedule that reduces communication bandwidth by 86% and improves robot localization by up to 27% compared to non-cooperative terrain-based navigation. Field trials were conducted in Foster Reservoir, OR, using two Riptide Autonomous Solutions micro-unmanned underwater vehicles. The vehicles collected GPS, altimeter, acoustic communications, and dead reckoning data while following paths on the surface of the reservoir. The data were used to evaluate the planning algorithm. In three of four missions, the planning algorithm improved dec-TBN localization while reducing acoustic communication bandwidth by 56%. In the fourth mission, dec-TBN performed better when using full communications bandwidth, but the communication policy for that mission maintained 86% of the localization accuracy while using 9% of the communications. These results indicate that the presented communication planning algorithm can maintain or improve dec-TBN accuracy while reducing the number of communications used for localization.
ERK signaling dissolves ERF Repression Condensates in Living Embryos

ABSTRACT Phase separation underlies the organization of the nucleus, including the biogenesis of nucleoli and the packaging of heterochromatin. Here we explore the regulation of transcription factor condensates involved in gene repression by ERK signaling in gastrulating embryos of a simple proto-vertebrate (Ciona). ERK signaling induces nuclear export of the transcriptional repressor ERF, which has been linked to various human developmental disorders. Using high resolution imaging we show that ERF is localized within discrete nuclear condensates that dissolve upon ERK activation. Interestingly, we observe dynamic pulses of assembly and dissociation during the cell cycle, providing the first visualization of a nuclear phase separation process that is regulated by cell signaling. We discuss the implications of these observations for producing sharp on/off switches in gene activity and suppressing noise in cell-cell signaling events.
Lexical Variation among Punjabi Dialects as a Marker of Linguistic Boundaries in Pakistani Punjab

The purpose of this study is to examine lexical variation among five Punjabi dialects (Majhi, Doabi, Saraiki, Potohari and Jangli) to find out how far lexical variation marks the existence of regional boundaries. This study examines ten Punjabi variants, five functional words (kiwain/ kidan/ kaistran ,tohada/ tussan da/ taira, hanji/ ahoo/ han, Jiwain/ jidan/ jaistran, bhawain/ chahay/ bhalay) and five content words (laal/ ratta/ suwa, biwi/ zanani/ sawani, niana/ baal/ bachajatak, chhaiti/ jaldi/ jhabday/ trikh, bohta/ baon/ ghana). The data was collected from 300 middle aged (30 to 50 years old) educated (primary to bachelor) and non-educated male and female respondents of five regions of Pakistani Punjab (Bahawal nager, Lahore, Faisalabad, Khewra and Multan). Chi square test of independence was used to measure the association between linguistic variable and social variable. The study reveals that lexical variation occurs between five specific Punjabi dialects. The respondents show heterogeneity in their linguistic behavior to maintain their identities. Lexical variation differentiates the resident of one region from another region and can mark the existence of regional boundaries.
’A Guiding Light in a Virtual Haven’: A Preliminary Analysis of Conversations Around Navigating and Repairing Self-worth in an Online Professional Community for Women

The establishment of one’s professional identity can be essential to one’s sense of worth. For women, such challenges can be further magnified owing to the need to perform traditional roles along with sustaining a professional career. Through an analysis of a random sample of 10 discussion threads (80 conversation traces) from a subreddit called r/careerwomen, we explore the needs that draw women to use such forums and the ways in which such forums help develop endurance. Our preliminary analysis provides 2 main themes towards understanding how multiple socio-cultural pressures create tensions in defining one’s sense of worth. In contrast, 5 other themes provide insights into strategies to redefine norms of worth. Building on these themes, we propose the analytical frame of morale repair, which aims to discuss how such socio-technical interventions can be designed and structured to further address the struggles for women in establishing a sense of worth.
A Risk Assessment Model for Stroke in the Early Post-Transplant Period in Adult Cardiac Allograft Recipients: A UNOS Database Analysis.

ABSTRACT Background Stroke risk in adult cardiac allograft recipients in the early postoperative period remains less defined. This study attempts to develop a risk assessment model in this population. Methods Patients (≥18 years of age) between 2005 and 2015 who underwent cardiac transplantation were selected from the United Network for Organ Sharing database. The final study cohort had 20,915 patients. Risk factors were identified and multivariate logistic regression was used to test associations. SAS software was used for analyses. Results Male recipients had a lower risk (odds ratio [OR] 0.7 [0.6-0.92]; P Conclusions For the first time, a weighted risk score GIMVECH (female gender, ischemic time, mechanical ventilation, left ventricular assist device support, ethnicity, clinical history) was generated to assess stroke in the early post-transplant period.
Self-esteem and race.

You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise. Maya Angelou INTRODUCTION This chapter examines the current state of research on race and self-esteem. In tracing the development of this line of work, we discuss the ways in which this literature speaks to self-esteem theory, as expounded by Rosenberg and his colleagues (1965, 1972, 1973, 1979, 1985, 1986). Although many scholars have provided a fertile foundation for further research on this topic, there has been little care taken to address some of the fundamental assumptions underlying this research tradition. There has been even less appreciation for related areas of work that speak directly to the issue of self-esteem development among ethnic minorities. Embracing a more social definition of the self would help bring the research on race and self-esteem in line with the broader theory of the self-concept. We conclude by discussing the implications of the disproportionate theoretical and empirical work devoted to black–white differences in self-esteem. The literature on minority self-esteem is much too extensive to attempt to summarize in this chapter (see Cross, 1981; Imani, 1996; Porter & Washington, 1979,1989,1993; Smith, 1979; Wylie, 1974, 1978, 1979 for reviews). Various empirical and theoretical pieces are selected to represent and/or shed light on some of the issues that will be discussed. As such, this chapter is organized around two broad themes: (1) black self-esteem and (2) cross-ethnic research on personal self-esteem.
The Ecology of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Communities

Publisher Summary Hydrothermal vents, first discovered in 1977 at 2500m depth on the Galapagos Rift, provide an example of such an alternative ecosystem supported by chemosynthetic primary production (Jannasch and Mottl, 1985). Hydrothermal fluid pouring from the cracks, crevices, and chimneys in the sea floor supports large numbers and kinds of bacteria capable of deriving energy from reduced compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide. This life-supporting fluid is the result of sea water circulating deep within porous basalts and reacting at high temperatures with the rock from magma chambers along ridge axes, where new sea floor is being formed. Large clusters of red-plumed tube-worms emerging from 2- to 3-m-long, thick, white tubes give another-worldly appearance to the rich community of animals sustained by the bacteria. These oases contrast sharply with the surrounding relatively barren rock surfaces on the mid-ocean ridge. Hydrothermal vent populations are of particular interest since these dense populations of large, fast-growing animals flourish in the dark at high pressures and low temperatures, the usual environment of the deep sea.
Trends in domestic violence service and leadership: implications for an integrated shelter model.

Domestic violence is a dangerous and prevalent social problem affecting up to 4 million women and countless children annually. Shelters offer safety and an opportunity for change during the crisis of family violence. These individuals also have the potential for retraumatization if leadership within the program recapitulates the abuse and coercion felt at home. This article reviews three related trends through the lens of power and control—domestic violence policy and service, models of leadership, and the study of traumatic stress disorders and recovery—and describes their implications for modern shelter service delivery.
Designers' use of paper and the implications for informal tools

While informal tools can benefit early design, their use requires that a designer surrender the richer affordances of physical tools. To better understand the importance of physical tools for early design, we conducted contextual interviews with twelve designers. We found that paper is an integral part of the early design process and argue that informal tools will not realize their full potential unless they provide similar benefits. We recommend that informal tools provide a mechanism to connect the use of physical tools to complement their electronic interfaces. We discuss several mechanisms and use lessons from our study to evaluate their relative strengths and weaknesses, concluding that a digital ink interface would be most effective. A realistic scenario involving a digital ink interface is evaluated. Results confirm our design rationale and suggest that a digital ink interface would benefit existing design practice.
Branding (Health) Journalism: Perceptions, practices, and emerging norms

Observational studies of journalists on social media platforms suggest that journalists are beginning to develop personal brands using social media. Similar studies suggest that journalists covering specialty areas such as health are more likely to experiment with and adopt new forms of practice that break with the traditional tenets of journalism. Through interviews with such journalists, this study explores the perceptions, practices, and drivers of personal branding among journalists. Findings indicate journalists are squarely focused on branding at the individual level (rather than branding the organizations they work for). Journalists cite technological and cultural changes in the profession as giving rise to personal branding. They also describe the tension they feel between their obligation to uphold the traditional tenets of journalism and their perceived need to incorporate more branding into their practice, especially on social media platforms. The findings indicate that journalists may be chang...
FAMILY COURT REFORM IN SIX PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES

This article describes judicial behavior in local family court reform movements, vis-a-vis six case studies, as part of a larger study on the implementation of court-connected custody mediation in Pennsylvania. Research findings provide new insight into the initiation of change by judges at the local court level. When motivated to do so, family court judges in Pennsylvania bring about local reform independently and expeditiously. Judges who desire alternative methods to litigation of custody disputes implement court change with few organizational constraints: They decide how and when reform is to be implemented, and they assign nonjudicial professionals to assist in reform implementation. Finally, judges establish their own criteria for assessing the success of change initiated. Throughout reform movements, judges take on a variety of roles in bringing about change—first as reform activists, then as leaders in reform movements, and finally, as advisors in reform implementation. These case studies reveal the diversity in judicial style when court change is implemented; at the same time, similar court goals and objectives are obtained.
The Pomeron contribution to p p and p anti-p scattering in AdS/QCD

We consider the differential and total cross sections for proton-proton and proton-antiproton scattering in the Regge regime from the point of view of string dual models of QCD. We argue that the form factor which appears in the differential cross section is related to the matrix element of the stress tensor between proton states and give a procedure for computing the strength of the coupling of the Pomeron trajectory to the proton. We compute this coupling in the Sakai-Sugimoto model and find excellent agreement with the data at large $s$ and small $t$. The form factor can be estimated in the Skyrme model or in AdS/QCD models and gives a stiffer form factor than the commonly used electromagnetic form factor, in agreement with our fits to data. Our model is also in good agreement with the measured ratio of real to imaginary parts of the forward scattering amplitude at large $s$.
Containing "Perversion": African Americans and Same-Sex Desire in Cold War Los Angeles

r u t h F o s t e r , a t w e n t y y e a r o l d African American, repeatedly stabbed her lover, Louise Ford, a forty-three-year-old African American, on 19 May 1948 in the home they shared on South Avalon Boulevard in Los Angeles. Foster killed the woman to whom she had been a “wife” because Ford intended to end their five-year relationship. Ford had found another woman who had more money than Foster did. After Ford taunted her, Foster said: “A strange frenzy came over me, and i grabbed a steak knife and began stabbing her.” Two weekly African American newspapers in Los Angeles reported on Foster’s crime. The California Eagle referred to the relationship between Foster and Ford as “strange” and “unnatural.” in a front-page article, the Los Angeles Tribune suggested that Foster should have been ashamed of her relationship with Ford. The newspaper reported that Foster’s “truthfulness and lack of guile or shame” in discussing her relationship with Ford “startled a squad of sophisticated policemen.” The Tribune also noted that Foster’s attorney, Walter L. Gordon, Jr., would argue that she was “not guilty by reason of insanity.” Gordon told reporters that Foster’s “alleged insanity grew out of ‘illicit love’” and that she was “obviously mentally deficient.” Two months later, Foster was sentenced to one to ten years in prison for manslaughter. The sentence prompted a third African American newspaper, the Los Angeles Sentinel, to observe that “life is extremely cheap when Negroes murder Negroes.” in a front-page editorial, Sentinel editor and publisher Leon H. Washington, Jr., criticized the sentence (which the editorial described as lenient), Gordon’s defense of Foster, and the African American community’s tolerance of same-sex relationships. The newspaper declared that the light sentence “creates the impression among others who
Chromic Oxide Inclusion in the Diet Does Not Affect Glucose Utilization or Chromium Retention by Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

This study was conducted to determine if the level of dietary chromic oxide will affect glucose utilization and tissue chromium retention by channel catfish. Purified diets containing graded levels of supplemental chromic oxide (0, 50, 100, 200, 400, 1000, 5000 and 10,000 mg/kg diet) and glucose as the carbohydrate source were fed to channel catfish fingerlings for 10 wk. Another diet containing dextrin as the carbohydrate source and without chromic oxide supplementation was also fed and served as the control diet. Fish fed the dextrin diet had significantly (P < 0.05) greater weight gain, feed efficiency ratio and protein efficiency ratio but lower plasma glucose concentrations than fish fed the glucose diets irrespective of the level of chromic oxide supplementation. The growth performance and postprandial plasma glucose concentrations of channel catfish fed glucose diets supplemented with various chromic oxide levels were not significantly different. No obvious trends were observed in the whole-body composition of fish fed glucose diets containing various chromic oxide levels. Carbohydrate source or the level of dietary chromic oxide did not significantly affect chromium concentrations in the whole-fish carcass. These results suggest that the level of dietary chromic oxide had no significant effect on glucose utilization or chromium retention by channel catfish. It is suggested that chromic oxide is sufficiently inert to be used as an external marker in digestibility studies in channel catfish.
Psychology, Physical Disability, & the Application of Buddhist Mindfulness to Martial Arts Programs

Physical disabilities lead to difficult challenges for many people. The teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha (“Awakened One”), including the practice of mindfulness, have been described by some as a form of cognitive psychology. Mindfulness is a means of restraining our minds and reactions so that we might be relieved of suffering. The successful cultivation of mindfulness often begins with developing a healthy body, so that we might be able to meditate for significant periods of time as we cultivate mindfulness. Spiritually-minded martial arts training can provide numerous benefits for everyone, including individuals with disabilities who may seek formal and informal programs with such emphasis.
Use of a Deployable Medical System During the Remodeling of an OR

How can a five-suite OR be remodeled while providing continuous, cost-effective surgical procedures without decreasing workload? Such a question was met with an innovative answer at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Fresno, Calif. Deployable Medical System units were selected to provide surgical support. The decision-making process, challenges, and surgical capabilities will be reviewed. Methods of quality control are presented, and cost benefits are described.
Further studies of concordant fluctuation in sensitivity of peripheral leucocytes to unrelated allergens and the meaning of nonspecific ‘desensitization’

Summary These studies pertain to the significance and mechanism of concordant fluctuation in sensitivity of peripheral leucocytes to release of histamine by unrelated allergens. One type of concordant fluctuation occurs during injection of allergen. In this type, reduction of leucocyte sensitivity is only partial and recovery is rapid when injection of allergen ceases, and the reduction is related to degranulation of basophils and decrease in the histamine content. The nonspecific nature of the concordant, proportionate reduction in sensitivity to unrelated allergens suggests degranulation of a population of basophils in the circulation that apparently carries the reaginic antibodies for all allergens to which the subject is hypersensitive. Another type of concordant loss of peripheral leucocyte sensitivity to unrelated allergens occurs uncommonly, without clear relation to allergen injection. In this type, reduction of leucocyte sensitivity proceeds gradually to the point of unresponsiveness to allergen and persists for prolonged periods. The nonspecific nature of this type is not associated with decrease in histamine content of the peripheral leucocytes (basophils). In both types, simultaneous determination of other indices of hypersensitivity (sensitivity of skin and bronchi, and reaginic antibody content of serum) showed no significant changes concomitant with fluctuation in peripheral leucocyte sensitivity. This suggests basophils in the peripheral blood behave differently from mast cells in tissues. The findings point to important limitations in the use of in-vitro measurement of sensitivity of peripheral leucocytes (basophils) as an index of hypersensitivity of a person and as a means of monitoring the efficacy of injection therapy. The term ‘desensitization’ should be used precisely to distinguish loss of hypersensitivity of tissues throughout the body from reduced sensitivity of only certain cells.
Peer Collaboration on a Nonverbal Reasoning Task by Urban, Minority Students

Abstract An experimental study of collaborative reasoning in 86 7th-grade minority students from an urban, low-income school was conducted. The students completed items from the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence-Third Edition (TONI-3) and were asked to provide written explanations for their judgments. All students worked individually during the pretest and posttest phases of the study. During the experimental phase, some students worked independently while others worked in small, same-gender or mixed-gender groups. Significant improvements in judgments were evident during the experimental phase for all groups except the single-gender female group. The mixed-gender group reached the ceiling level of performance and outperformed both the students who worked independently and the collaborative, single-gender female group during the experimental phase. Posttest judgment scores declined and were not significantly different from pretest scores for any group. Significant improvements in written explanations for jud...
Teaching compiler construction using a domain specific language

Building a compiler for a domain specific language (a language designed for a specific problem domain) can engage students more than traditional compiler course projects. Most students feel that compiler courses are irrelevant because they are not likely to get a job writing compilers[2]. However, the technologies used to construct a compiler are widely applicable [2,5]. Using a domain specific language demonstrates to students the wide applicability of compiler construction techniques. This paper presents the results of using a domain specific language in an upper division compiler course.
Religious Environmentalism: Thomas Berry, the Bishnoi, and Satish Kumar

: This article explores two thinkers and one movement involved with religious environmentalism. Thomas Berry drew from the world's religious traditions and a depth study of science to develop what he refers to as “The New Story,” a narrative that encourages the cultivation of intimacy with nature, leading to an appropriate ethical response. The Bishnoi movement, which originated in fifteenth-century India, sets forth a pre-modern paradigm, still widely observed in northern India, for dealing with threats to local eco-systems. Satish Kumar, a former monk and post-Gandhian activist, invokes the ideas and practices of Jainism in developing an environmental action plan. These examples demonstrate the interdisciplinary and cross-cultural aspects of religious environmentalism.
Induction of Liver-Associated Transforming Growth Factor β1 (TGF-β1) mRNA Expression by Carbon Tetrachloride Leads to the Inhibition of T Helper 2 Cell-Associated Lymphokines

Acute treatment of B6C3F1 mice with a hepatotoxic dose (500 mg/kg) of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) produced a marked but transient increase in transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) mRNA expression in the liver within 24 hr. We have previously shown that an identical dose of CCl4also produces a marked increase in serum TGF-β1 concentrations which peak at 48 hr and produce a marked inhibition of the anti-sRBC IgM antibody forming cell (AFC) response. Similar increases in TGF-β1 transcripts in the liver were also induced by an acute hepatotoxic dose (600 mg/kg) of acetaminophen. No increase in TGF-β1 mRNA expression was detected in the spleen following treatment with either agent. Direct addition of TGF-β1 (0.05–1.0 ng/ml) to naive splenocyte cultures produced a marked and dose-related inhibition of the anti-sRBC IgM AFC response. Under the same conditions, TGF-β1 induced a marked decrease in IL-4 and IL-5 mRNA expression in sRBC-sensitized splenocytes. Concomitantly, TGF-β1 induced a rapid increase in NF-κB/Rel trans-acting factor binding within the first 24 hr post-sRBC sensitization of splenocytes. Conversely, NF-κB/Rel binding activity was inhibited on Days 2 through 4 in sRBC-sensitized splenocytes in the presence of TGF-β1. The increase in NF-κB/Rel binding within 24 hr following sRBC sensitization is consistent with the positive influence TGF-β1 exerts on Th1 cytokines such as IL-2 and IFN-γ. Conversely the decrease in NF-κB/Rel binding at the later time period during the AFC response (Days 2–4) coincides with the inhibitory effects TGF-β1 exerted on IgM production by B cells.
Measurement of Panofsky Ratio: Nuclear Absorption of π − from K Shell in Hydrogen

The ratio of charge exchange to radiative capture in hydrogen for stopped ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ mesons has been determined by measuring the total photon spectrum in a lead glass \ifmmode \check{C}\else \v{C}\fi{}erenkov counter. The ratio was found to be 1.87 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.10. Possible contribution from in-flight pions has been shown to be quite small. The error has been estimated including this effect, as well as errors related to total number of events observed, and errors arising in the data analysis. Evidence for high-energy photon production by capture of slow ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ in elements other than hydrogen is discussed.
A correlation study of social network usage among health care students.

BACKGROUND Due to anecdotal concerns about adequacy of health professions students' communication skills, health professions faculty at a private university formed an interprofessional research team. The study was designed to explore whether the use of social networking services (SNS) influenced health care students' written and oral communication skills. METHOD One hundred thirty-two students participated in the study. Communication skills were assessed by using assignments from a health care ethics course required of all students. Use of SNS was measured with an information technology questionnaire. RESULTS Contrary to expected findings, this exploratory correlation study found no meaningful relationship between the frequency of SNS usage and oral and written communication skills in health professions students. CONCLUSIONS Future studies of SNS would benefit from a younger and more homogeneous study population to assess the use of SNS for learning versus leisure.
New methods for calculating the dew/bubble curves of classical model fluids

We describe two new methods for locating the dew/bubble curves of fluids. One is a numerical method and the other an analytical method based on the use of series expansions. The utility of these two methods is illustrated by application to a simple one-component fluid model and to several model polydisperse fluids. The numerical method is based on a new geometric representation of the equilibrium conditions-similar in spirit to the geometric representations often used for solving the equilibrium conditions of pure fluids. Our calculations show that the series-expansion technique can be quite effective at producing accurate representations of the phase boundaries.
Kinetics of the reaction between SiC (SCS-6) filaments and Ti (6 Al-4 V) matrix

Interet des alliages a matrice en alliage de titane renforces par des fibres de SiC pour la construction aerospatiale. Inconvenient de la degradation des proprietes mecaniques de ce materiau par reaction entre la fibre de renforcement et la matrice a haute temperature. Progres realises avec des fibres de type SCS-6 fabriquees par depot chimique en phase vapeur avec une couche superficielle constituee de petits cristallites de SiC
Control of aversive stimulus termination in systematic desensitization.

Indirect experimental evidence does not support Wolpe's (1958) notion that desensitization to an item early on the hierarchy is a prerequisite for movement to a more aversive item lest residuals of anxiety may summate and lead to sensitization. An experiment involving forty female snake-phobics was conducted to test this contention directly. In addition to two control groups of no treatment (NT) and pseudodesensitization (PD), two other groups were used. All Ss were matched on their pre-treatment fear of a live snake and randomly assigned to the groups. One group was treated by Wolpean procedure (SD) wherein two successive presentations without signalling were set as criterion for movement to the next item. The other (YSD) was yoked to the SD group but neither had control over termination of the aversive stimulus nor was necessarily desensitized to early items before the more aversive ones were attempted. The SD and YSD improved equally and significantly better than the PD and NT (p<0.01) while neither control group changed. The same changes were maintained in a follow-up. These results paved the way for devising standardized treatments, scheduled and taped in advance, applicable to individuals and groups alike.
The rank, stock, order and epidemic effects of technology adoption: an empirical study of bounce protection programs

Karshenas and Stoneman (RAND J Econ 24(4):503–528, 1993) gathered four theories of technology adoption: the rank, stock, order and epidemic effects. Tests of these four effects reveal support for rank and epidemic but not the stock or order effects. Since then numerous other studies have tried to find evidence in support of the stock and order effects. But evidence has been elusive, until now. Further, a survey by Frame and White (J Econ Lit 42:116–144, 2004) concludes that much more work is needed into financial innovation. This paper accomplishes three goals: (1) evidence is found to support certain technology adoption theories (the order effects and possibly the stock effects), (2) since the technology under consideration is a financial innovation called bounce protection, the paper answers Frame and White’s call for papers, and (3) refinements are made to the Karshenas and Stoneman methodology and found to be superior to the original empirical model.
Understanding the connection between spiritual well-being and physical health: an examination of ambulatory blood pressure, inflammation, blood lipids and fasting glucose

Growing research has demonstrated a link between spiritual well-being and better health; however, little is known about possible physiological mechanisms. In a sample of highly religious healthy male and female adults (n = 100) ages 19–59 (m = 28.28) we examined the influence of spiritual well-being, as measured by the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp-Ex), on physiological risk factors for heart disease. Specifically we examined 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP), inflammation (hs-C-reactive protein), fasting glucose, and blood lipids. Regression analyses reveal that higher levels of spiritual-wellness (total FACIT-Sp-Ex score) was significantly related to lower systolic ambulatory BP (β = −.345; P < .001), diastolic ambulatory BP (β = −.24; P = .02), hs-C-reactive protein (β = −.23; P = .04), fasting glucose (β = −.28; P = .006), and marginally lower triglycerides (β = −.21; P = .09) and VLDL (β = −.21; P = .10) controlling for age, gender, and church attendance. Results remained generally consistent across the Meaning, Peace, Faith and Additional Spiritual Concerns subscales of the FACIT-Sp-Ex. Spiritual well-being may be cardio protective.