cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
UNDERSTANDING FACULTY ADOPTION OF TECHNOLOGY USING THE LEARNING/ADOPTION TRAJECTORY MODEL: A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY

Using a technology adoption model, the Learning/Adoption Trajectory model, and this study aimed to identify the technology adoption level of a faculty member, Mary. In addition, I examined how Mary arrived at her technology adoption level. Finally, using Mary’s path to technology leadership as a guide, I offered several recommendations about how colleges and departments can encourage faculty members to integrate technology effectively. To be able to get enough data and to strengthen the internal validity and the reliability of this qualitative case study, the triangulation strategy or the multiple data collection method was used. In this basic interpretive qualitative study, the data were collected through interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis.
Metapopulation structure for perpetuation of Francisella tularensis tularensis

Outbreaks of Type A tularemia due to Francisella tularensis tularensis are typically sporadic and unstable, greatly hindering identification of the determinants of perpetuation and human risk. Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts has experienced an outbreak of Type A tularemia which has persisted for 9 years. This unique situation has allowed us to conduct long-term eco-epidemiologic studies there. Our hypothesis is that the agent of Type A tularemia is perpetuated as a metapopulation, with many small isolated natural foci of transmission. During times of increased transmission, the foci would merge and a larger scale epizootic would occur, with greater likelihood that humans become exposed. We sampled questing dog ticks from two natural foci on the island and tested them for tularemia DNA. We determined whether the force of transmission differed between the two foci. In addition, we examined the population structure of F. tularensis from ticks by variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis, which allowed estimates of diversity, linkage disequilibrium, and eBURST analysis. The prevalence of tularemia DNA in ticks from our two field sites was markedly different: one site was stable over the course of the study yielding as many as 5.6% positive ticks. In contrast, infected ticks from the comparison site markedly increased in prevalence, from 0.4% in 2003 to 3.9% in 2006. Using 4 VNTR loci, we documented 75 different haplotypes (diversity = 0.91). eBURST analysis indicates that the stable site was essentially clonal, but the comparison site contained multiple unrelated lineages. The general bacterial population is evolving clonally (multilocus disequilibrium) and the bacteria in the two sites are reproductively isolated. Even within an isolated island, tularemia natural foci that are no more than 15 km apart are uniquely segregated. One of our sites has stable transmission and the other is emergent. The population structure at the stable site is that of a clonal complex of circulating bacteria, whereas the emerging focus is likely to be derived from multiple founders. We conclude that the agent of tularemia may perpetuate in small stable natural foci and that new foci emerge as a result of spillover from such stable sites.
Structural Analysis of the Consumer-Directed Theory of Empowerment

This investigation tested the hypothesized structural model of the consumer-directed theory of empowerment (CDTE). Participants were 159 consumers with disabilities who were receiving services at a...
Electro-optical seasonal weather and gender data collection

This paper describes the process used to collect the Seasonal Weather And Gender (SWAG) dataset; an electro-optical dataset of human subjects that can be used to develop advanced gender classification algorithms. Several novel features characterize this ongoing effort (1) the human subjects self-label their gender by performing a specific action during the data collection and (2) the data collection will span months and even years resulting in a dataset containing realistic levels and types of clothing corresponding to the various seasons and weather conditions. It is envisioned that this type of data will support the development and evaluation of more robust gender classification systems that are capable of accurate gender recognition under extended operating conditions.
Alzheimer's residents' cognitive and functional measures: special and traditional care unit comparison

The aim of this field experiment was to compare the effects of a special care unit (SCU) on residents with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who lived on the SCU and on traditional (integrated) nursing home units. Twenty-two subjects, 13 on the SCU and 9 on traditional integrated units were compared. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess differences between the two groups and within the groups over two bimonthly pretests and two bimonthly posttests. No significant differences on cognitive or functional abilities scores were evident for the groups and no significant differences were found over time. However, consistent with the prediction of the Progressively Lower Stress Threshold Model, the SCU subjects' function was better than subjects on traditional units when measured by socially accessible behaviors.
Burden of hospitalizations primarily due to uncontrolled diabetes: implications of inadequate primary health care in the United States.

This study describes the burden of potentially preventable hospitalizations primarily due to uncontrolled diabetes. Uncontrolled diabetes, if not managed properly, often leads to biochemical imbalances that can cause acute life-threatening events and hospitalizations. Since diabetes management relies heavily on ambulatory care, hospitalizations with uncontrolled diabetes largely reflect the quality of the primary health care provided outside the hospital setting. Therefore, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) selected uncontrolled diabetes as a prevention quality indicator (PQI) where timely and appropriate ambulatory care would have prevented a hospitalization (1). To improve primary health care, it is essential to track an outcome of current status of prevention quality indicators. However, the extent of potentially preventable hospitalizations associated with uncontrolled diabetes and its economic burden in the U.S. remains under-investigated. A primary diagnosis indicative of uncontrolled diabetes was analyzed using two nationally representative samples of inpatients records. First, to estimate the number of potentially preventable hospitalizations, the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) was analyzed. The NHDS-2004, the latest annual survey available (2), acquired a probabilistic sample of 370,785 inpatient records from a national sample of ∼500 hospitals. Overall, the hospital response rate was 92% in 2004 (3). Details concerning sampling procedures are published elsewhere (4). Briefly, the NHDS, conducted annually since 1965, is …
Forensic determination of blood sample age using a bioaffinity-based assay

A bioaffinity-driven cascade assay was developed to determine the time elapsed from the point a blood sample was left at a crime scene to the point of discovery. Two blood markers, creatine kinase (CK) and alanine transaminase (ALT), were utilized to determine the age of the blood spot based on their natural denaturation processes. The analysis with the proposed bioassay was performed in human serum samples, which underwent the aging process under environmental conditions that could be expected at crime scenes. The concentration of the markers in the sample was based on physiological levels present in healthy adults. These two markers were concerted in a biocatalytic cascade composed of two parallel subsystems, with each of them following the activity of one marker. Both markers have very distinct denaturation rates which would not allow them to be used in a single marker setup while still providing satisfactory results. However, by parallel tunable monitoring of both markers, it is possible to provide information of the blood sample age with low temporal error for a prolonged period of time. To mimic a possible real crime scene situation – the reliability of the proposed assay was then successfully tested on dried/aged serum samples (up to 5 days old) in environments with different temperatures.
Tuning coherent radiative thermal conductance in multilayer photonic crystals

Photonic crystals can be used to drastically influence coherent radiative thermal conductance. In a multilayer crystal, radiative thermal conductance can transit from above to below vacuum value when temperature increases, due to photonic band effects.
Energy reduction in multiprocessor systems using transactional memory

The emphasis in microprocessor design has shifted from high performance, to a combination of high performance and low power. Until recently, this trend was mostly true for uniprocessors. In this work the authors focused on new energy consumption issues unique to multiprocessor systems: synchronization of accesses to shared memory. The authors investigated and compared different means of providing atomic access to shared memory, including locks and lock-free synchronization (i.e., transactional memory), with respect to energy as well as performance. It is shown that transactional memory has an advantage in terms of energy consumption over locks, but that this advantage largely depends on the system architecture, the contention level, and the policy of conflict resolution.
Phase 2 trial of pemetrexed in children and adolescents with refractory solid tumors: a Children's Oncology Group study.

Background Pemetrexed is a multi-targeted antifolate that inhibits key enzymes involved in nucleotide biosynthesis. We performed a phase 2 trial of pemetrexed in children with refractory or recurrent solid tumors, including CNS tumors, to estimate the response rate and further define its toxicity profile. Procedure Pemetrexed, at a dose of 1910 mg/m2, was administered as a 10-minute intravenous infusion every 21 days. Patients also received vitamin B12, daily multivitamin supplementation, and dexamethasone. A two-stage design (10 + 10) was employed in each of the following disease strata: osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma/peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, ependymoma, medulloblastoma/supratentorial PNET, and non-brainstem high-grade glioma. Results Seventy-two eligible subjects (39 males) were enrolled. Median age was 11 years (range 3–23). Sixty-eight were evaluable for response. The median number of cycles administered was 2 (range 1–13). No complete or partial responses were observed. Stable disease, for a median of 5 (range 4–13) cycles, was observed in five patients (ependymoma, Ewing sarcoma, medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, osteosarcoma; n = 1 each). Neutropenia (44%), anemia (35%), and elevated alanine transaminase (35%) attributable to pemetrexed were the most commonly recurring toxicities observed in patients receiving multiple cycles. Other toxicities attributed to pemetrexed occurring in ≥10% of cycles included thrombocytopenia (30%), fatigue (18%), nausea (14), hyperglycemia (13%), rash (11%), vomiting (13%), and hypophosphatemia (11%). Conclusions Pemetrexed, administered as an intravenous infusion every 21 days, was tolerable in children and adolescents with refractory solid tumors, including CNS tumors, but did not show evidence of objective anti-tumor activity in the childhood tumors studied. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:237–241. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Weighted low-rank approximations

We study the common problem of approximating a target matrix with a matrix of lower rank. We provide a simple and efficient (EM) algorithm for solving weighted low-rank approximation problems, which, unlike their unweighted version, do not admit a closed-form solution in general. We analyze, in addition, the nature of locally optimal solutions that arise in this context, demonstrate the utility of accommodating the weights in reconstructing the underlying low-rank representation, and extend the formulation to non-Gaussian noise models such as logistic models. Finally, we apply the methods developed to a collaborative filtering task.
Applied Factor Analysis in the Natural Sciences

1. Introduction 2. Basic mathematical and statistical concepts 3. Aims, ideas, and models of factor analysis 4. R-Mode methods 5. Q-Mode methods 6. Q-R-Mode Methods 7. Steps in the analysis 8. Examples and case histories.
Nucleation and growth kinetics in high strength low carbon ferrous alloys

Abstract Nucleation and growth kinetics, and age hardening behavior in high strength, low carbon ferrous alloy containing 1.2 wt% copper and a model alloy, Fe–1.2%Cu, have been studied with and without the presence of carbides. It is well known that after austenization and quenching, Cu is retained in solid solution. During subsequent aging, Cu initially appears as a coherent nanometer size spherical precipitates. These precipitates, difficult to detect by conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), have been evaluated by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements. Longer aging transforms the Cu precipitates into incoherent particles which are easily detected by conventional TEM. A combination of techniques such as TEM, SANS, and hardness measurements have been used to study nucleation and growth kinetics of copper in both alloy systems. Direct measurement from TEM micrographs and integral transform of the SANS data were used to calculate the size distribution for a variety of aging conditions.
Nonlinear crossover model of vehicle directional control

This paper develops a simple nonlinear control model to represent the dynamics of a coupled vehicle-driver system. It is applied to an analysis of delay and preview time in closed-loop control. The model is a reduced-order non-linear model based on a separation between kinetic and kinematic driver control components. In kinetic control, vehicle dynamics and compensatory actions are represented in a fashion similar to the well-known linear “crossover” model; kinematic control takes the form of a reference velocity derived from the local roadway. Analytic stability results are developed, providing specific relationships between minimum preview, speed, time-delay and disturbance amplitude. The analysis is developed quite generally, but is applied in detail to straight-line path following on a flat horizontal road. Predictions are validated using results from one specific experimental study. The model is suitable for developing high-level control methods relating to active safety, as in automated collision avoidance systems.
Theory of the Elastic Net Applied to Cord-Rubber Composites

Abstract There has been considerable interest over the last twenty years in the subject of the elastic properties of cord-rubber composites. This has been due to the rather intensive study of composite material characteristics, brought about by the increased use of rigid composites in many structural applications. In addition, work on the prediction of cord rubber composite properties has also continued because of the active development of finite element programs for analysis of pneumatic tire properties. These finite element programs require a thorough knowledge of cord-rubber composite elastic characteristics, which in turn are found to be considerably more difficult to calculate than had been originally thought. The present paper introduces a simplified theory for the prediction of such properties with sufficient accuracy for engineering uses.
Microfeature Heat Exchanger Using Variable-Density Arrays for Near-Isothermal Cold-Plate Operation

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the possibility to selectively tune the convective heat transfer coefficient in different sections of a heat sink by varying the density of microfeatures in order to minimize temperature gradients between discrete heat sources positioned along the flow path. Lifetime of power electronics is strongly correlated to the thermal management of the junction. Therefore, it is of interest to have constant junction temperatures across all devices in the array. Implementation of microfeature enhancement on the convective side improves the heat transfer due to an increase in surface area. Specific shapes such as micro-hydrofoils offer a reduced pressure drop allowing for combined improvement of heat transfer and flow performance. This study presents experimental results from an array of three discrete heat sources (20 × 15 mm) generating 100 W/cm2 and positioned in line along the flow path with a spacing of 10 mm between each of the sources. The heat sink was machined out of aluminum 6061, and micro-hydrofoils with a characteristic length of 500 μm were embedded in the cold plate. The cooling medium used is water at a flow rate of 3.6–13.4 g/s corresponding to a Reynolds number of 420–1575. It is demonstrated that the baseplate temperature can be maintained below 90 °C, and the difference between the maximum temperatures of each heat source is less than 6.7 °C at a heat flux of 100 W/cm2 and a water flow rate of 4.8 g/s.
Isospin-mixing corrections for fp-shell Fermi transitions.

Isospin-mixing corrections for superallowed Fermi transitions in fp-shell nuclei are computed within the framework of the shell model. The study includes three nuclei that are part of the set of nine accurately measured transitions as well as five cases that are expected to be measured in the future at radioactive-beam facilities. We also include some new calculations for $^{10}\mathrm{C}$. With the isospin-mixing corrections applied to the nine accurately measured ft values, the conserved-vector-current hypothesis and the unitarity condition of the Cabbibo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix are tested.
Human muscle performance and PCr hydrolysis with varied inspired oxygen fractions: a 31P-MRS study.

The purpose of this study was to use31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy to examine the relationships among muscle PCr hydrolysis, intracellular H+ concentration accumulation, and muscle performance...
Water Activity Relationships for Selected Mesophiles and Psychrotrophs at Refrigeration Temperature

The growth rate and lag phase of Pseudomonas fluorescens, Brochothrix thermosphacta, Salmonella typhlmurium, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus were studied in liquid media as a function of temperature, water activity (aw) and solute type. The lag phase lengthened and the growth rate decreased when the temperature was lowered or the aw reduced, and these variations depended on the aw-controlling solute. In general, the magnitude order of the solute effect on the growth rate parameters was glycerol < NaCl < sucrose. This effect can be related to the ability of the solutes to permeate the cell and can be explained by the osmoregulatory mechanism. The specific growth rate was not as sensitive to the aw-controlling solute as the lag phase. A linear extrapolation method was a reliable and convenient method to estimate the minimum aw for microbial growth.
The blackmailer and the sodomite: Oscar Wilde on trial

On 25 May 1895, Oscar Wilde went to jail after three humiliating trials – the first was Wilde’s failed suit against the Marquess of Queensberry who libelled him for ‘posing as a sodomite’; and the subsequent two involved the Crown’s prosecution of Wilde for committing acts of gross indecency with other men. This article revisits the trials by looking at sources that paint a rather different picture from the influential one that Ed Cohen and Alan Sinfield established in the 1990s. First, it shows that the prosecution persuaded the jury that it was far worse for Wilde to have committed sodomy on two young blackmailers (who also engaged in male prostitution) than the kinds of extortion of which, as they freely admitted, they were culpable. Secondly, the discussion suggests that it is unreasonable to claim that the trials defined the modern identity of the male homosexual.
CYTOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE TELIOSPORE AND TELIOSPORE GERMINATION IN PUCCINIA LOBATA

SUMMARY The meiotic process and basidial development of Puccinia lobata Berk. & Curt. were studied. Centrioles, two-fibered spindles and clearly defined metaphase plates are described. It is suggested that the residual cytoplasm in the advanced epibasidium is homologous to the periplasm in the ascus. Puccinia lobata Berk. & Curt. is a short-cycled rust of Althaea rosea (L.) Cav. (hollyhock) and other members of the Malvaceae. No cytological studies could be found dealing with this rust. A few investigators have worked on another short-cycled species, P. malvacearum Bert., which also attacks hollyhock.
Dielectric Properties of Ba1−xSxTiO3 Films Grown on LaAlO3 Substrates

We report the crystal structures and dielectric properties of barium strontium titanate, Ba1−xSrxTiO3 (BST), films deposited on LaAlO3 substrates using pulsed laser deposition, where x = 0.1 to 0.9 at an interval of 0.1. We have found that when x < 0.4 the c-axis is parallel to the plane of the substrate but normal as x approaches 1. Temperature-dependent capacitance measurements at 1 MHz show that the capacitance has a peak and that the peak temperature decreases with increasing x. We have found that the peak temperatures of the films are about 70 °C higher than those of bulk BSTs when x < 0.4. From room-temperature capacitance (C) vs applied voltage (V) measurements, we have found that the C-V curves of the BST films exhibit hysteresis except for x = 0.9 and that the peak voltage at which the capacitance becomes maximum decreases with increasing x. At room temperature, the Ba0.6Sr0.4 TiO3 film exhibits the largest capacitance tunability (≈ 37%) with an applied electric field of 40 kV/cm.
Analysis on concentration of heavy metals lead,mercury,cadmium,chromium in seafood in Ningbo in 2012

Objective To understand the levels of lead,mercury,cadmium and chromium in seafood of Ningbo in 2012 and to evaluate the safety for consuming. Methods 285 samples of 11 representative species were collected in Ningbo and analyzed by GB 5009 and GB / T 5009. Results The detection rates of lead,mercury,cadmium and chromium were 93. 7%,98. 9%,98. 2% and 97. 2%,and the violation rates were 2. 8%,0%,15. 4% and 0. 4%,respectively. Heavy metal content in descending order was algae, molluscs, crustaceans and fish. Conclusion The heavy mental contamination in seafood should be highly concerned,and high content of heavy mental was found in some seafood. Environmental protection should be strengthened during the economic development.
A 15-year experience with gastric neuroendocrine tumors: Does type make a difference?

Background Gastric neuroendocrine tumors (GNETs) are rare and classified into three types by disease etiology and typical behavior. Methods The aim was to describe outcomes after GNET resection at a single institution from 2000 to 2014, stratified by tumor type. Given the small patient number, P-values were not assigned. Results Of 22 patients, 12 patients (55%) had Type 1, none (0%) had Type 2, and 10 (45%) had Type 3 tumors. Compared to Type 3, Type 1 patients were younger (mean age: 52 vs. 59 years) with similar rates of endoscopic resection (25% vs. 20%). Type 1 GNETs often had multiple tumors (60% vs. 10%) and were not poorly differentiated (0% vs. 11%). Only 33% of Type 1 had nodal metastases compared to 71% of Type 3. Type 1 GNETs presented with metastatic disease less often (17% vs. 40%). Three year recurrence-free survival was 33% for Type 1 compared to 86% for Type 3. Disease-specific survival at 3-years was 100% and 75% for Types 1 and 3, respectively. Conclusion Type 1 GNETs are often indolent and multifocal without nodal involvement, but have high recurrence risk. Type 3 is more aggressive with increased nodal involvement; nodal evaluation should be routinely performed. Determination of GNET type is paramount to treating patients with this rare disease. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:576-580. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Subsampling phase retrieval for rapid thermal measurements of heated microstructures.

A subsampling technique for real-time phase retrieval of high-speed thermal signals is demonstrated with heated metal lines such as those found in microelectronic interconnects. The thermal signals were produced by applying a current through aluminum resistors deposited on soda–lime–silica glass, and the resulting refractive index changes were measured using a Mach–Zehnder interferometer with a microscope objective and high-speed camera. The temperatures of the resistors were measured both by the phase-retrieval method and by monitoring the resistance of the aluminum lines. The method used to analyze the phase is at least 60× faster than the state of the art but it maintains a small spatial phase noise of 16 nm, remaining comparable to the state of the art. For slowly varying signals, the system is able to perform absolute phase measurements over time, distinguishing temperature changes as small as 2 K. With angular scanning or structured illumination improvements, the system could also perform fast thermal tomography.
Climate Science for Decision-Making in the New York Metropolitan Region

New York City is one of the world's most vulnerable cities to coastal flooding, due to a high concentration of population and assets near a coastline exposed to warm-season tropical storms and cold -season Nor'easter storms. Among U.S. cities, New York City is second only to New Orleans in population living less than 4 ft above the local high tide. By the 2050s, average annual losses due to coastal flooding alone could exceed $2 billion for the combined New York City-Newark region. Perhaps the most iconic example of a vulnerable New York City asset is the financial district located at the southern tip of Manhattan, however low-lying coastal assets include the full complement of major highways, subways and tunnels, hospitals, schools, wastewater treatment plants, food distribution centers, and people's homes. Given the magnitude of the assets at risk, a compelling case can be made that long-term adaptation makes economic sense for New York City. Given New York's access to economic, human, and technological resources for resilience measures, the City may be able to achieve this resilience. The city's political environment-New York City is a place where climate science is generally not a partisan issue-and the city's experience with uncertainty and overall risk framing (e.g., financing of bond issues for multi-billion dollar infrastructure with multidecade expected lifetimes), encourage climate risk framing.
Rationalism Lost: The Original Benacerraf Dilemma

I who erewhile the happy garden sung, By one man’s disobedience lost, now sing Recovered Paradise to all mankind, By one man’s firm obedience fully tried Through all temptation, and the Tempter foiled In all his wiles, defeated and repulsed, And Eden raised in the waste wilderness.
The diversity of sulfide oxidation and sulfate reduction genes expressed by the bacterial communities of the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela

Qualitative expression of dissimilative sulfite reductase (dsrA), a key gene in sulfate reduction, and sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (sqr), a key gene in sulfide oxidation was investigated. Neither of the two could be amplified from mRNA retrieved with Niskin bottles but were amplified from mRNA retrieved by the Deep SID. The sqr and sqr-like genes retrieved from the Cariaco Basin were related to the sqr genes from a Bradyrhizobium sp., Methylomicrobium alcaliphilum, Sulfurovum sp. NBC37-1, Sulfurimonas autotrophica, Thiorhodospira sibirica and Chlorobium tepidum. The dsrA gene sequences obtained from the redoxcline of the Cariaco Basin belonged to chemoorganotrophic and chemoautotrophic sulfate and sulfur reducers belonging to the class Deltaproteobacteria (phylum Proteobacteria) and the order Clostridiales (phylum Firmicutes).
Platelet Factor 4 (PF4) Causes Cell Cycle Arrest in Megakaryocytes (Megs) by Inactivating CDC2 (CDK1) and CDK2

Abstract Abstract 1238 PF4 (CXCL4), a platelet specific chemokine released in large amounts from activated platelet α -granules, is a negative regulator of megakaryopoiesis. In mouse studies, we have shown that PF4 levels regulate steady-state platelet count and impact chemotherapy and radiation-induced thrombocytopenia. In a clinical study in leukemia patients, we found that PF4 levels were inversely related to steady-state platelet count and to recovery after chemotherapy. The molecular basis for the effect of PF4 in megakaryopoiesis is largely unknown. Our studies in cell models suggested that PF4 might act through the cell surface receptor low-density lipoprotein related protein-1 (LRP1). Using an early megakaryoblastic cell line, which expresses LRP1, Meg-like cell line (Meg01), we show that PF4 exerts an anti-proliferative effect on the cells through inactivation of cell cycle regulators CDC2 (CDK1) and CDK2. PF4 treatment (200 μg/ml for 48 hrs) of Meg01 cells induced a decrease in cells in G1 (from 68% of cells to 51%, p=0.001) with a concurrent increase in the percentage of cells in S (12% of cells to 21%, p = 0.02 for no PF4 vs. PF4 treatment) and G2 (from 20% to 28% of cells) phase, without significant bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation by the cells in the S phase, suggesting that PF4 causes a cell cycle arrest resulting in decreased cell proliferation. The cell cycle arrest and lack of BrDU incorporation was confirmed in primary murine Megs. No apoptosis was detected in PF4 treated Meg01 or primary cells. To determine the molecular mechanisms by which PF4 causes cell cycle arrest, we used Western blots interrogating cell cycle proteins. We detected a transient increase in the inhibitory phosphorylation (at Tyr15) of CDC2 after PF4 treatment, as well as a decrease in phosphorylation of the activating site (Thr160) on CDK2. In addition, we found PF4 treatment resulted in the degradation of Cdc25c, the upstream phosphatase of Tyr15 of CDC2. In primary murine Megs, we detected a significant decrease of total CDC2, biologically equivalent to the CDC2 inactivation seen in Meg01 cells. The CDK inhibitor Roscovitine inhibited Meg01 cell proliferation and had minimum additive effect with PF4. Overexpression of the constitutively active CDC2 mutant CDC2AF with the inhibitory phosphorylation sites Thr14 and Tyr15 replaced by Ala and Phe, respectively, desensitized the cells to PF4 treatment. These results suggested that PF4 inhibits megakaryopoiesis by decreasing the proliferation of megakaryocytes in their early developmental stage by inactivating cell cycle regulators CDC2 and CDK2. Unraveling the mechanisms by which PF4 inhibits megakaryopoiesis may lead to the development of novel therapeutics to regulate platelet counts. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Analysis of Minority Participation in Texas’ East Region 4-H and Youth Development Program in Relationship to Leadership, Marketing, and Educational Opportunities

Several studies have shown that life skill development is positively related to 4-H club participation. However, this study indicates that even though the 4-H club program is available to all youth, fewer minorities choose to participate and, thus, lose the opportunity to benefit from the positive outcomes. Targeting specific diverse audiences has been a mandate for the 4-H and Youth Development Program since desegregation of the 1960s and efforts have been made to make educational programming available to everyone. Nonetheless, are current techniques being used effectively? Youth are not all alike and differences should be understood. This study gathered information that addressed some ethnic/racial issues pertaining to marketing the 4-H and Youth Development Program. It was determined that differences did exist for youth involved in the East Region 4-H and Youth Development Program and in order to market to the specific audiences, certain media should be used.
ISLAMIC RADICALISM AND BOKO HARAM; A REVIEW

The incidence and terror activities of boko-haram in Nigeria can not be over-emphasised especially in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, its activities has led to a very high rate of death, human casualties and monumental capital loss in terms of society and its structural losses. This study is basically dependent on the use of secondary data newspaper reports, books and internet writings. The paper findings reveal that government clamp down on the group has reduced its evil assult on the Nation State of Nigeria and North East in particular, with hope that after the rooting out of Shambisha forest, the incident of Boko- Haram would soon be an incident of the past. The paper recommends that the Nation collectively attend to the incidence of very high unemployment rate in Nigeria and youth restiveness as a way of bringing about lasting peace in Nigeria.
The Aggregation of Particles

Ludwig Boltzmann was a towering figure in the physics of the late nineteenth century. Every undergraduate physics and chemistry major now studies the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution, Boltzmann statistics, the Boltzmann factor and perhaps also the Boltzmann equation. Despite his significant fame, much of which he witnessed during his own lifetime, he is also one of physics’ most tragic protagonists.
The conjunctival crypt of the equine third eyelid

Summary The purpose of this study is to characterise the gross anatomy of a relatively large, cryptic structure within the bulbar conjunctival surface of the equine third eyelid that has commonly been observed by the authors during equine ophthalmic examinations. In this study, cadaveric eyes and adnexa were obtained from 13 Quarter Horses without history of ocular disease. The gross anatomy of the bulbar surface of the third eyelid was characterised by digital macrophotography and with an image capture system using an operating microscope. A well-defined cryptic structure was readily identified in the majority of eyes (17/26). The location of the crypt varied but was most commonly observed within the central aspect of the bulbar surface of the third eyelid, often in close proximity to prominent blood vessels oriented perpendicular to the leading edge of the third eyelid. A patch of lymphoid follicles was often observed surrounding the crypt. The rectangular shape and upward facing orientation of the crypt was akin to a shirt's breast pocket. Width and depth were variable but ranged between 1 and 8 mm in either dimension. Some crypts were complex, with multiple channels observed within the primary opening. In conclusion, this study confirms the presence of a well-organised mucosal crypt within the bulbar surface of the equine third eyelid capable of harbouring foreign material and ocular irritants. Additional anatomical characterisation of the macro-crypt by light microscopy, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy is underway. Evaluation of this structure by equine practitioners and veterinary ophthalmologists should be performed during the routine ophthalmic examination to better understand its role in ocular disease.
Solvent controlled intramolecular electron transfer in mixtures of 1-butyl-3-methylimidizolium tetrafluoroborate and acetonitrile.

Time-resolved emission techniques were used to study the excited-state intramolecular electron transfer of 9-(4-biphenyl)-10-methylacridinium (BPAc+) in mixtures of 1-butyl-3-methylimidizolium tetrafluoroborate ([Im41][BF4])+ acetonitrile (ACN), a mixture previously shown to be of nearly constant polarity and nearly ideal mixing behavior. Reaction times (τrxn) track solvation times (τsolv) as a function of mixture composition over a range of more than 3 orders of magnitude in τsolv. This same correlation extends to a variety of neat dipolar solvents and ionic liquids. Reaction times are ∼2-fold larger than τsolv over most of the range studied but appear to reach a limiting value of ∼3 ps in the fastest solvents.
E-cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Use and Switching Among Smokers: Findings From the National Adult Tobacco Survey.

Introduction Assessing the extent that cigarette smokers use or switch to e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco can help inform the population health impact of these products. This study estimated the prevalence of e-cigarette and smokeless tobacco use and switching among current and recent former adult cigarette smokers. Methods Data from the 2012–2013 (n=8,891) and 2013–2014 (n=11,379) National Adult Tobacco Survey were analyzed in 2016. Response rates for this telephone survey were 44.9% and 36.1%, respectively. Tobacco product use was assessed by smoking status. Results Current e-cigarette use increased for all groups, with a greater increase among recent quitters, 9.1% (95% CI=7.1%, 11.1%) in 2012–2013 and 15.8% (95% CI=13.7%, 17.9%) in 2013–2014, than smokers with an unsuccessful quit attempt, 10.4% (95% CI=9.1%, 11.7%) in 2012–2013 and 14.8% (95% CI=13.5%, 16.1%) in 2013–2014, or smokers with no quit attempt, 5.9% (95% CI=4.8%, 6.9%) in 2012–2013 and 10.7% (95% CI=9.4%, 12.0%) in 2013–2014. Between 2012–2013 and 2013–2014, current use of smokeless tobacco remained steady for recent quitters (4.6% to 4.7%, p=0.92) and smokers with no quit attempt (4.0% to 4.3%, p=0.97), and decreased in smokers with an unsuccessful quit attempt (5.7% to 3.8%, p=0.004). More recent quitters completely switched to e-cigarettes in the past year (15.3% in 2012–2013, 25.7% in 2013–2014) than to smokeless tobacco (4.6% in 2012–2013, 4.5% in 2013–2014). Conclusions Current and recent former adult smokers are more likely to use e-cigarettes than smokeless tobacco. Current e-cigarette use was most prevalent among unsuccessful quitters and recent quitters, who were substantially more likely to report complete switching to e-cigarettes than smokeless tobacco.
Sweden Is a World Leader in Peace, Security, and Human Rights:

This article examines Sweden’s role in soft power diplomacy on issues such as women’s rights, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender & Intersex (LGBTI) equality, and feminist foreign policy. Given tha...
What Does It Mean to Be Latinx-Serving? Testing the Utility of the Typology of HSI Organizational Identities.

While scholars agree that enrolling a large percentage of Latinx students is not enough for postsecondary institutions to be considered “Latinx-serving,” there continues to be a debate about what it means for institutions to have an organizational identity for serving this population. The Typology of HSI Organizational Identities is a guiding framework that suggests there are multiple ways for an institution to serve Latinx students, and thus multiple “types” of Hispanic- Serving Institutions (HSIs). The typology considers academic and non-academic outcomes for Latinx students as well as the institution’s ability to provide a culture that enhances their racial/ethnic experience. In this study, I used the typology to classify four HSIs and two emerging HSIs in the Midwest, a geographic area in the United States with a growing population of Latinxs and HSIs. I drew on secondary data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and primary data from institutional websites. In doing so, I sought to test the utility of the typology for classifying institutions for research, practice, and policy, and found that it is a useful tool for looking at how postsecondary institutions may serve Latinx students beyond enrollment. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.
From Health Decisions to Performance: The Network Effect

This study uses a simulation as a vehicle for social networks research application. Eighty five companies were created as part of a simulated healthcare industry. Our results suggest that companies positioning themselves at pivotal points within the network outperform companies that do not. The findings show the applicability of network theory and the use of simulations in applied research on healthcare decision-making.
Nutritional Antioxidants, Vitamins, Cognition, and Neurodegenerative Disease

Abstract More than 4 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease AD and other dementias. The prevalence of these disorders will increase markedly with the aging of the population. There is tremendous interest in the prevention and treatment of AD, particularly through nutrition and dietary supplements. Crosssectional and prospective studies in humans show that higher intakes of B vitamins and antioxidants decrease the risk of AD, other dementias, and cognitive impairment. Antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamins E and C, are receiving a great deal of attention because several studies have shown that higher intake of these nutrients is associated with a decreased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. In addition, studies have shown new evidence on the potential role that these nutrients may have in reducing the risk of cancer. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that exists in eight different forms. Each form has its own biologic activity. The most active form of vitamin E in humans is α-tocopherol, a powerful biologic antioxidant. Vitamin C has an essential role in human nutrition. In addition to its role in collagen formation and other life-sustaining functions, this nutrient serves as a key immune system nutrient and a potent free radical fighter. Antioxidants such as vitamins E and C and flavonoids present in fruits and vegetables act to protect cells in the body against the effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging by-products of the body's metabolism. In addition, these nutrients have other roles at the molecular level by participating in biochemic processes relevant to cell function and body homeostasis.
β-Cell Failure or β-Cell Abuse?

This review is motivated by the need to question dogma that has not yielded significant improvements in outcomes of Type 2 Diabetes treatment: that insulin resistance is the driver of s-Cell failure and resulting hyperglycemia. We highlight the fact that hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and hyperinsulinemia all precede overt diabetes diagnosis and can each induce the other when tested experimentally. New research highlights the importance of high levels of circulating insulin as both a driver of weight gain and insulin resistance. Data from our lab and others document that several nutrients and environmental toxins can stimulate insulin secretion at non-stimulatory glucose in the absence of insulin resistance. This occurs either by direct action on the s-Cell or by shifting its sensitivity to known secretagogues. We raise the next logical question of whether s-Cell dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes is due to impaired function, defined as failure, or if chronic overstimulation of the s-Cell that exceeds its capacity to synthesize and secrete insulin, defined as abuse, is the main abnormality in Type 2 Diabetes. These questions are important as they have direct implications for how to best prevent and treat Type 2 Diabetes.
Eye Tracking Investigation Into Semantic Convergence In Fully Fluent Spanish-English Bilingual Adults

Aims and Objectives:This article examines semantic convergence of bilinguals’ two languages in the case of words that overlap semantically but are not fully isomorphic in meaning and application. T...
Strange Places: Loci of Design Inspiration

The inspiration for designing tangible, embedded, and embodied interaction can come from stranger places than needs assessments and observations. In conceptualizing home+, a pair of interactive furnishings enabling independent living, our design-research team found inspiration in modern painting and contemporary dance. Giorgio de Chirico's painting "Furniture in the Valley" (1928) captures the curious vitality and intermingling of furniture outside their normal confines that our team translated into this active pair of home+ robots and their intimate rapport. Two contemporary dance works, Andrea Miller's "(C)arbon" and Ohad Naharin's "STOP," explore the interrelationships of three bodies, coping with their circumstances, which inspired the interoperability and control strategies across the pair of robots and a human "in-the-loop." This paper aims to inspire other design researchers to seek, in strange places, inspirations for tangible, embedded, and embodied interaction.
Medical Treatment Options/Advances in Portopulmonary Hypertension: How the Spectrum Is Expanding

[Editor's Note: This article is Part 2 of coverage that began in the last issue on pulmonary hypertension in the setting of liver disease. Whereas the first articles discussed pathophysiology and l...
Redox states of Archean surficial environments: The importance of H2,g instead of O2,g for weathering reactions

Abstract Redox states of the Archean Eon have been constrained by various lines of evidence, including atmospheric, photochemical, and ecological models, mass-independent fractionations of sulfur isotopes, Fe-depletion of paleosols, and preservation of diagnostic detrital minerals. Although these lines of evidence present seemingly consistent upper limits on pO2,g, they are conceptually contradictory about the redox state of Archean surficial environments. Atmospheric, photochemical, and ecological modeling studies suggest weakly reducing environments under redox states represented by moderate H2,g levels. However, current interpretations of Fe-depletion in paleosols and the preservation of detrital minerals are based on low O2,g levels at which the reducing detrital minerals are thermodynamically unstable and survive because of slow kinetics of oxidative weathering. In this study, we show that under the redox state indicated by the Archean pH2,g range, Fe2+ and reducing Fe(II)-minerals are actually thermodynamically stable and have no tendency to be oxidized. We emphasize that pH2,g values are orders of magnitude higher than pO2,g in the Archean atmosphere and that H2,g and O2,g are not in equilibrium. The redox states of Archean surface environments behave as though they were controlled by the more abundant H2 instead of the very low O2, as in modern anoxic basins. Weathering in this case should have involved non-redox acidic dissolution of Fe(II)-species or reductive reaction of Fe(III)-species. Fe(II)-depleted paleosols and the preservation of relatively reduced detrital minerals are natural consequences of their thermodynamic stabilities in the Archean Eon's reducing environments rather than slow kinetics of oxidizing reactions. After the appearance of oxygenic photosynthesis, probably in the middle/late Archean, locally oxygenated environments could have existed, while the atmosphere as a whole remained anoxic. The profile of redox states on the Archean surface seems to be a reverse analogue to the modern Earth. Although oxidizing dissolution of transition metals could happen in O2-oases, quick reduction of oxyanions by abundant reductants, such as aqueous Fe2+, Fe(II)-minerals, and H2, might have restricted riverine transport of oxyanions and potentially complicate the interpretation of signals of O2-whiffs in marine sediments.
High-dose naxitamab plus stepped-up dosing of GM-CSF for high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB): Efficacy against histologically-evident primary refractory metastases in bone marrow (BM).

10024Background: Cure of HR-NB often requires ablating BM metastases that are chemoresistant and survive 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) therapy. BM is ideal for immunotherapy with anti-GD2 ant...
The future of critical pedagogy

I have been invited to comment on the future of critical pedagogy. What is the future of critical pedagogy? Has its tacit and enduring framework of liberation of the oppressed from forces and relat...
RACIAL THREAT THEORY AND MINORITIES IN THE AMERICAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

People of color in the United States have historically played second fiddle. Their position in the racial caste is essentially a function of demography, fueled by competition for scarce resources. Group survival is thus at the heart of the discriminatory practices in the U.S. criminal justice system which functions as a tool to ensure that each group knows and keeps to its place in the social hierarchy. In this competition, the structure of society and its key institutions are compromised in their deployment to maintain the status quo and to ensure that the majority population’s dominant position is unchallenged. In the zero-sum game of racial dominance, the criminal justice system, therefore, is a non-neutral social control mechanism and a pliant tool to restrict minority access to valued but scarce resources. Article visualizations: