cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction kernels for A = 4n binary cluster systems

Bargmann transformtechniquesused to calculatenorm kernelsfor nuclearclustersystems have been generalizedto evaluateinteractionkernelsfor centralinteractions of gaussianform forbinaryclustersystemsmade up of SU(4}scalar(A = 4n)clusterfragmentswith internalfunc tionsof good SU(3) symmetry and equal oscillator width parameters.The techniqueinvolvesa reductionfrom A-particleorbitalstatesof space symmetry characterizedby 4-columned Young tableauxto 4A-particlestatesof single-columnsymmetry .The interactionkernelsarebuiltpartly through a convolutionof thesingle~olumn Bargmann transformsof the Fouriercomponents of basicone-body operators. Bargmann transformsof single-columntype have been evaluatedin algebraicform fora two-body gaussianinteractionand forthe one-body Fourierkernel,~~Exp (iq~r;),forthe followingA-particlesystemsand clusterdecompositions:A = 12,x+"Be :A = 16,x+' 2C, "Be+"Be ;A = 20,x+"'O, "Be+` ZC ;and A = 24, 'zC+' zC, "Be+'`'O, x+ Z°Ne . The constructionof the Bargmann transformfor the fullA-particlesystem isillustrated with a simpleexample.The example alsoshows how thecoordinatespacematrixelementsneeded forthe evaluationof RGM and GCM kernelscan be extractedfrom appropriateexpansionsofthisBarg- mann transformby purelyalgebraictechniques.
Celiac Disease Genomic, Environmental, Microbiome, and Metabolomic (CDGEMM) Study Design: Approach to the Future of Personalized Prevention of Celiac Disease

In the past it was believed that genetic predisposition and exposure to gluten were necessary and sufficient to develop celiac disease (CD). Recent studies however suggest that loss of gluten tolerance can occur at any time in life as a consequence of other environmental stimuli. Many environmental factors known to influence the composition of the intestinal microbiota are also suggested to play a role in the development of CD. These include birthing delivery mode, infant feeding, and antibiotic use. To date no large-scale longitudinal studies have defined if and how gut microbiota composition and metabolomic profiles may influence the loss of gluten tolerance and subsequent onset of CD in genetically-susceptible individuals. Here we describe a prospective, multicenter, longitudinal study of infants at risk for CD which will employ a blend of basic and applied studies to yield fundamental insights into the role of the gut microbiome as an additional factor that may play a key role in early steps involved in the onset of autoimmune disease.
Gordonia bronchialis Bacteremia and Pleural Infection: Case Report and Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT Gordonia species are aerobic actinomycetes recently recognized as causing human disease, often in the setting of intravascular catheter-related infections. We describe a case of Gordonia bronchialis bacteremia and pleural space infection in the absence of an indwelling intravascular catheter and review the breadth of reported infections with this emerging pathogen.
Systematically Reviewing the Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Enhanced Athletic Performance

The field of applied sport psychology has traditionally grounded its performance enhancement techniques in the cognitive-behavioral elements of psychological skills training. These interventions typically advocate for controlling one’s cognitive and emotional processes during performance. Mindfulness-based approaches, on the other hand, have recently been introduced and employed more frequently in an effort to encourage athletes to adopt a nonjudgmental acceptance of all thoughts and emotions. Like many applied interventions in sport psychology, however, the body of literature supporting the efficacy of mindfulness-based approaches for performance enhancement is limited, and few efforts have been made to draw evidence-based conclusions from the existing research. The current paper had the purpose of systematically reviewing research on mindfulness-based interventions with athletes to assess (a) the efficacy of these approaches in enhancing sport performance and (b) the methodological quality of research c...
Exact Scattering by Isorefractive Paraboloidal Radomes

The scattering of a plane electromagnetic wave axially incident on the convex side of a multilayered paraboloidal structure is considered. An exact solution is obtained via geometrical optics, when the materials of all layers are isorefractive to one another. The solution is given explicitly for single- and double-layer radomes, and via a recursive algorithm for radomes with three or more layers. Previously known exact results (conducting paraboloid, isorefractive paraboloid, Fabry-Perot etalon) are particular cases of our general solution. Extensive numerical results are shown and discussed.
Retention of nutrition knowledge and practices among adult EFNEP participants

Abstract This preliminary study examined long-term effects on food and nutrition behaviors and other benefits of the adult Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) on participants who completed the program. Data collection instruments included the Family Record form and at follow-up, an open-ended questionnaire to determine additional benefits. The impact of EFNEP on nutrition knowledge and practices and retention of information after graduation was examined among 50 participants in New York City who were assessed at program entry, graduation, and a 1-year follow-up. For 10 of 12 food behaviors, the participants improved significantly between entry and graduation. At follow-up the gains made during the program were maintained; significant improvement occurred for two behaviors. Data from a 24-hour recall revealed a significant decrease between entry and graduation in the amount and percentage of calories from fat. Between graduation and follow-up, mean protein, calcium, and vitamin A intakes declined but were within acceptable ranges or exceeded NRC RDAs. Significant increases in nutrition knowledge existed for all four items examined; additional increases in nutrition knowledge occurred between graduation and follow-up. The participants also attributed personal and social improvement to EFNEP participation at follow-up including help in their jobs, community participation, and improved family and personal health.
Precision Medicine Initiative

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has continued to transform the health care system that provides men’s health care services. ACA has proposed a patient-centered, safe, quality initiative that embraces transparency from the funding of health care services to the provision of services. In January 2015, President Obama presented a proposal to Americans that focuses on Precision Medicine. For some health care providers, health care system administrators, and the lay public, precision medicine was considered an unknown entity. This editorial seeks to further elaborate on the White House’s plans for precision medicine. Precision medicine is considered an innovative approach to disease prevention, health promotion, and the treatment of men’s health conditions. Precision medicine will integrate basic science, diagnostic testing, with the best evidence-based knowledge to individualize health education, counseling, and clinical management of complex health conditions with a primary focus on prevention. This advanced approach will take into consideration the man’s genetic profile and predisposition, environment, emotional and psychological state, and lifestyle choices into the preventive medicine plan of care. Precision medicine leverages advances in genomics and large data sets of health information systems to further accelerate biomedical breakthroughs. The ultimate expected outcome is an improvement in individual and population-based health outcomes. As men’s health providers, we should follow the proposed funding initiatives for precision medicine. As we continue to explore the best evidence-based practice to improve individual and population health outcomes, we should collect relevant individual data among male cohorts to explore mechanisms to improve their health. In addition, as health care providers, it is time for us to embrace and to increase our knowledge regarding the use of big data sets, population health, and genomics to develop and manage the best health care system that provides patient-centered, transparent, safe, and quality health care. In addition, our research efforts in men’s health must be patient-powered research that has the individualized patient at the core of the research agenda while using population-based health data that inform the individualized patient powered research. 574512 JMHXXX10.1177/1557988315574512American Journal of Men’s HealthPorche research-article2015
Suffix-Tree Based Error Correction of NGS Reads Using Multiple Manifestations of an Error

Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies produce large quantities of short length reads with higher error rates. Erroneous reads that cannot be aligned, are either ignored during de-novo sequencing, or must be suitably corrected. Such reads pose problems for mapping as well, since it is difficult to distinguish errors from true variants. Methods for detection and correction of errors typically rely on frequencies of substrings of the reads. Suffix trees are often utilized for this purpose, since they can be used to index and count the frequencies of substrings of all lengths. Existing suffix-tree based methods detect errors by identifying statistically under-represented branches (suffixes) and fix them. However, they do not refer back to the reads to put the correction in context. Since an error in a single read manifests itself at multiple nodes of a suffix tree, a read-driven approach that relies on its multiple manifestations is expected to perform better. Based on this observation, we develop an algorithm, PLURIBUS, which reconciles corrections suggested by multiple manifestations of an error using a voting scheme. We compare the accuracy of PLURIBUS in detecting and correcting errors against existing error correction techniques using simulated sequencing data. We also assess the impact of error correction on the performance of sequence assembly. Our results show that PLURIBUS corrects errors with improved precision and enables the assembler to generate longer contigs, particularly when the genome is longer, or coverage is lower. PLURIBUS is freely available at http://compbio.case.edu/pluribus/.
Predicting HIV/STD risk level and substance use disorders among incarcerated adolescents.

Abstract Incarcerated adolescents are among the most vulnerable groups for STD infection, and substance abuse is prevalent in over half of this population. Substance abuse and HIV/STD-associated risk behaviors are closely linked among juvenile justice-involved youth, but it is unclear whethercommon antecedents explain these different problems. The current study examined predictors of HIV/STD risk level and substance use disorders, and investigated whether family variables added unique predictive variance for these problems among incarcerated youth. The sample included 154 substance-involved youth ages 13 to 17 recruited in detention facilities in Miami and Tampa, FL and was primarily male (82%) and African-American (58%). Using a comprehensive assessment strategy with data obtained from youth report, parent report, and laboratory confirmed STD testing, the results show that delinquency is a consistent predictor of both HIV/STD risk level and substance use disorders, and also that substance use directly pr...
Redefining the Refuge: Symbolic Interactionism and the Emergent Meanings of Environmentally Variable Spaces

I utilize ethnographic data to illustrate how the meanings of a National Wildlife Refuge were being rearticulated following a shift in Canada goose migrations that undermined previously established meanings of the space. Beyond highlighting the ability of symbolic interactionism to incorporate a range of interdisciplinary works on space, I illustrate how the Meadian approach to temporality can be useful for understanding how the meanings of spaces are rearticulated in response to variable socio-environmental processes like goose migrations or climate change. Through this analysis, I hope to highlight the usefulness of symbolic interactionism for future research on space generally and adaptations to socio-environmental variabilities specifically.
Academic Libraries Should Consider Deselection of Some Electronic Books

A Review of: Waugh, M., Donlin, M., & Braunstein, S. (2015). Next-generation collection management: A case study of quality control and weeding e-books in an academic library. Collection Management, 40(1), 17-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01462679.2014.965864 Abstract Objective – To describe and advocate for the development of a procedure to discard electronic books from an academic library collection. Design – Case study. Setting – Academic library in the United States of America. Subjects – 514 electronic books purchased from NetLibrary, a subset of 52,000 NetLibrary titles collected by the investigating library 2001-2007. Methods – The researchers examined a set of 514 electronic books in the health sciences and medical field, specifically for qualities such as currency and content relevance. An anecdotal case with limited validity, the goal was to articulate why a particular set of electronic books failed to meet the investigating library’s collection standards, and to remove these e-books. Main Results – A set of 514 e-books published by ICON Health Publications were found to be mass-produced, and displayed other notable problems, including age over seven years, outdated or irrelevant content, quality issues, and inclusion in an older platform no longer favored for e-books. The ICON Health e-books were removed from the library collection and, with some difficulty, the items were also removed from the vendor platform. The authors recommended an e-book weeding procedure that considers six potential problems: publication date; inclusion of defunct Internet links; mass production; low quality works by the same authors or publishers; e-book packages that appear to feature multiple low quality works; and e-books from early packages, which may have integration problems. Conclusion – Electronic books may take up little physical space but libraries should not ignore them when making deselection decisions because their content may be inappropriate for a library or for the disciplines the library serves. The ICON Health Publications e-book package is an egregious example of low-quality e-book content that the authors discovered and subsequently removed from their collection, offering a set of recommendations based on the experience.
Serum Immunoglobulin Levels in Vasectomized Men: Preliminary Report * †

Seventy-five men undergoing vasectomy were tested by radial immunodiffusion assay prevasectomy and at 6 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months postvasectomy for possible changes in serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels. No significant changes occurred when the results were analyzed on a group basis per time period. However, when each individual's prevasectomy Ig level was considered as his norm, significant changes appeared to occur in serum IgG levels at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months postvasectomy; in serum IgM levels at 6 weeks; but not, to date, in serum IgA levels. Seasonal, environmental, and infectious factors do not seem to be associated with the changes found. No significant seminal Ig changes have been demonstrated. Consideration of these findings and implications for possible immunopathology are briefly discussed.
SB 1070: A Review of the Impact on Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence in Arizona

This article argues that the tenor of Arizona Immigration Bill, SB1070, will exacerbate the plight of victims of domestic violence in Arizona. Specifically, the Bill threatens to impinge upon the rights provided to victims under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and has the potential to destabilize a federal scheme that provides rights to these victims. This Bill threatens to nullify well-established federal laws pertaining to the rights and obligations of immigrant victims of domestic violence. Chief among them is the right to be free from deportation. Not only does the Bill threaten to erode these laws, and further destabilize an anemic immigration system, the Bill seeps into the international law arena, and has the potential to violate certain human rights treaties, such as the U.N Convention Against Torture (CAT). At its very core is an inherent tyranny. The language contained in this Bill will sever the rights and civil liberties of not just illegal immigrants, but all of us as American citizens. The Bill raises questions of civil liberty issues already cognizable under Federal immigration law and secondarily the rights of VAWA and asylum victims to confidentiality, which the policing embodied in this bill seeks to erode.
Evaluation of field-effect mobility and contact resistance of transistors that use solution-processed single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Solution-processed single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) offer many unique processing advantages over nanotubes grown by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, including capabilities of separating the nanotubes by electronic type and depositing them onto various substrates in the form of ultradensely aligned arrays at low temperature. However, long-channel transistors that use solution-processed SWNTs generally demonstrate inferior device performance, which poses concerns over the feasibility of using these nanotubes in high-performance logic applications. This paper presents the first systematic study of contact resistance, intrinsic field-effect mobility (μFE), and conductivity (σm) of solution-processed SWNTs based on both the transmission line method and the Y function method. The results indicate that, compared to CVD nanotubes, although solution-processed SWNTs have much lower μFE for semiconducting nanotubes and lower σm for metallic nanotubes due to the presence of a higher level of structur...
Major bleeding in patients with mediastinitis: a heartbreaking series.

Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a life-threatening complication that develops in 5% of patients undergoing median sternotomy. One feared complication is major bleeding, associated with up to 50% mortality. We characterized a series of patients who experienced major bleeding following DSWI. We included eight patients with DSWI who experienced major bleeding at our institution from 1990 to 2012. The median age was 70.9 (range, 47–81) and the cohort consisted of seven male patients and one female patient. All eight patients required emergent surgical repair for the bleeding and all survived past 30 days postoperatively from the repair.
Abstract 1928: Travel distance and pattern of care for laryngeal cancer in Kentucky

Introduction: Previous studies have found that access to medical care was associated with stage at cancer diagnosis and receipt of treatment. For laryngeal cancer, radiation related treatments are a preferred option in the majority of cases. Travel distance to the radiation facilities may impact patient access to radiation treatment, especially in a rural mountainous state such as Kentucky. The aim of the study is to assess the influence of travel distance to the nearest radiation center and other factors on inclusion of radiation in the first course treatment for laryngeal cancer. Study Population and Methods: 1995-2006 Kentucky Cancer Registry data were used for this study. A total of 2099 patients age 20 and older at diagnosis with no previous history of cancer and with known TNM stage laryngeal cancer (C32.0-C32.2) were included for the analysis. The road travel distance from their home address to the nearest radiation center was calculated based on road network in GIS. Poverty rate and high school education rate at census tract level were linked with the case data. The SAS procedure GLIMMIX was used to fit random intercept logistic models to predict the association between treatment and other demographic and clinic factors. Results: About 78% of patients received treatment that included radiation as part of first course treatment. The rate of radiation related treatment increased from 68% to 79% in the study period. The average travel distance was 13.5 miles for the group receiving radiation treatment vs. 13.9 miles for the group not receiving radiation treatment. The multivariate logistic model indicated that the travel distance was not associated with radiation treatment. In addition, patients diagnosed recently (per year) were more likely to have radiation related treatment (OR=1.05, p=0.001), and patients treated in large hospitals were positively associated with radiation treatment (OR=2.72, p=0.002) than patients in small hospitals. Conclusions: Although longer travel distance has been found as a barrier for cancer patients living in this rural state, we did not find a similar association for laryngeal cancer. The increasing use of radiation related treatment is encouraging and may be associated with increasing availability of radiation centers in this region. Under utilization of radiation treatment for patients treated in smaller hospitals is a serious concern. Further research is needed to investigate the cause of this under utilization. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1928. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1928
Platelet retention in particle-filled columns: effects of particle type, plasma proteins, and platelet reactivity.

Platelet retention values for normal individuals and for patients with von Willebrand’s disease, thrombasthenia, congenital afibrinogenemia, factor XII deficiency, and factor XIII deficiency were compared using columns filled with untreated glass particles or with sand, quartz, or glass particles treated with organic solvents and acid. New data obtained in tests with treated glass, sand, and quartz particles are compared with data obtained in tests with untreated glass particles. The results generally confirm published observations. Lower than normal platelet retention values were found for patients with von Willebrand’s disease who had prolonged bleeding times and for a thrombasthenic patient. Patients with congenital deficiencies of factor XII or factor XIII had normal or slightly elevated platelet retention values. The patient with congenital afibrinogenemia had normal platelet retention values in tests with untreated glass beads or quartz-filled columns, but low values with treated glass or sand-filled columns. The effects of particle composition and geometry on platelet retention values and mechanisms responsible for retention of platelets in particle-filled columns are discussed.
Information Seeking and Evaluation of Online Sexual Health Resources among Late Adolescents

Adolescents increasingly rely on the Internet as a private resource for sexual health information. Despite growing interest in adults' use of online health resources in HCI, we lack a deeper understanding of adolescents' information-seeking processes and assessments of trustworthy online health information. We conducted a qualitative, observational study of late adolescents as they searched for sexual health and sexuality information and a "think aloud" protocol to concurrently capture user thoughts and perceptions of online content in situ. Our results reveal a four-phased process that late adolescent users employ for searching and evaluating sexual health information on the web, as well as several emergent themes regarding credible and trustworthy information.
The Application of Blood Serum Indicator Detecting Method on the Middle Stage of Pregnancy to Screening the Birth Defect in Fetus

OBJECTIVE Investigate the pre-pregnancy screening effect of the blood serum indictor such as AFP and Freeβ-HCG on birth defect mainly as abnormality of chromosome and Neural Tube Deformity(NDT)in fetus on the middle stage of pregnancy. METHOD We detect the above-mentioned two blood serum bio-chemical indicators in women on the middle stage of pregnancy by the three-level network of medical care for women and children. Through the risk calculation,we provide heritage consultation to high-risk pregnant women and pre-birth diagnosis,and trace each pregnant women till the baby is born. RESULT 652 cases in the 20 011 pregnant women are high-risk in the process of screening,5 were found as abnormality of chromosome,16 as NTD,and 19 as other kinds of birthdefects,as well as 39 as abnormal gestation. CONCLUSIOS While detecting down's syndrome inpre-pregnancy through screening blood serum indicator in the middle stage of pregnancy, we may find some birth defects and other abnormal gestation,such as chromosome abnormity and NTD. All these evidence prove that blood serum,indicator detecting method in the middle stage of pregnancy to screening is an effective way to screening the chromosome abnormity and NTD.
Science Signaling Podcast for 10 May 2016: PKCα in Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract This Podcast features an interview with Alexandra Newton and Rudolph Tanzi, authors of a Research Article that appears in the 10 May 2016 issue of Science Signaling , about activating mutations in protein kinase Cα that may promote the type of neural defects that characterize Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes cognitive loss and, eventually, death. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ), synaptic depression, and synaptic degeneration. Alfonso et al . found activating mutations in the gene encoding protein kinase Cα (PKCα) in some families with inherited Alzheimer’s disease. Loss of PKCα function prevented Aβ-induced synaptic depression in brain tissue from mice, suggesting that activated forms of PKCα may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease in some patients. Listen to Podcast
HPLC determination of vancomycin in human plasma

Objective:To establish an HPLC method to detemine vancomycin in human plasma.Method:Metron- idazole was used as an interal standard.The chromatography was performed on a ZORBAX Eclipse XDB-C_(18)(4.6 mm×150 mm,5 μm)column with the mobile phase consiting of 25 mmol·L~(-1) potassium dihydrogen phosphate- acetonitrile(92.8:7.2),the flow rate was 1.2 mL·min~(-1).UV detection was set at 230 nm and column tempera- ture was 20 ℃.Results:The calibration curve was linear within the range 0.5-100.0 μg·mL~(-1)(r=0.9996). The limit of test was 0.25 μg·mL~(-1).Intra-day and inter-day RSD were 2.4%-4.4% and 3.4%-5.5%(n =5),The cleansed recoveries were 76.3%,81.5%,77.1% and method recoveries were 99.3%,100.6%, 101.1%,respectively.Conclusion:The method is rapid,simple and accurate.
Hysterectomies. Where are the indications

This article reviews the major reasons for hysterectomies and critiques some of the alternative practices, such as medical therapy to shrink fibroids, and new surgical techniques, such as laparoscopic-assisted hysterectomies. Perhaps in response to the increased attention and the new procedures and drugs that allow more conservative management, the rate of hysterectomies has actually decreased.
The State of Multiculturalism and Diversity in Undergraduate Psychology Training

Over the past few decades, diversity and multiculturalism have received considerable attention in the field of psychology. While there have been notable efforts to ensure these important areas are addressed in undergraduate psychology training, little is known about this undertaking. The present study examined how diversity and multiculturalism were addressed in the course titles and course descriptions of 200 undergraduate, psychology programs across North America and their corresponding general education programs. Analyses revealed that while most undergraduate psychology programs offered diversity or multicultural courses, very few programs required these courses. Moreover, when these courses were offered, they typically examined diversity or multiculturalism in a singular fashion, giving very little attention to the intersectionality that exists among cultural factors. With respect to the institutions’ general education programs, we found that while some institutions had a multicultural awareness requ...
Una reseña de cuatro libros fundadores de los estudios de memoria

Desmemoria y perversion: privatizar lo publico, mediatizar lo intimo, administrar lo privado. Fernando Blanco (2010). Santiago: Cuarto Propio. State Repression and the Labors of Memory. Elizabeth Jelin (2003). Trad. Judy Rein y Marcial Godoy-Anativia. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota. Critica de la memoria (1990-2010). Nelly Richard (2010). Santiago: Ediciones Universidad Diego Portales. Pasado y presente: guerra, dictadura y sociedad en la Argentina. Hugo Vezzetti (2009). Buenos Aires: SigloVeintiuno Ed.
Developing the Evidence to Support Clinical Use of Genomics

Genomic tests can improve health by informing patient and provider decisions. Developing the evidence to support the use of these tests has proven challenging because of the rapid pace of discovery, the complexity of assessing the benefits and harms of diagnostic and predictive tests, and the implications of genetic information for multiple conditions and other family members. The ACCE framework guides the assessment of genomic tests through four components: Analytic validity, Clinical validity, Clinical utility, and Ethical, legal, and social implications. For each component, the generation of evidence requires attention to the selection of outcome or gold standard, the use of appropriate analytic techniques, the inclusion of representative patients or samples, and the assessment of incremental value compared to existing approaches. The emergence of comparative effectiveness research, personalized medicine based upon dynamic and multidimensional biological data, unsustainable growth in health care costs, and decision support integrated with “big data” will drive new approaches to evidence-based genomic medicine.
Engaging K-12 teachers in engineering through a professional development program: Implementation strategies, results and lessons learned

In order for the United States to remain the global leader in engineering and technology, it must produce and retain a higher number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) talent. Over the past few decades, there have been a number of national initiatives that have promoted STEM education with the goal of generating student interest in science and engineering and increasing the number of students entering the STEM pipeline. Research literature confirms that teachers are the single most important factor affecting student achievement and interest in STEM subjects. Several models of teacher professional development have been reported along with the evidence of the degree of their effectiveness in promoting student interest in engineering. These professional development programs are designed to increase the engineering content knowledge of math and science teachers, thereby having a direct impact on student achievement in math and science and helping to promote a positive attitude to engineering. This paper presents the design of a teacher professional development program offered in a predominantly Hispanic region in South Texas. The professional development program provides an opportunity for teachers to participate in engineering projects, become more knowledgeable about the engineering profession, and learn new pedagogical tools that they use to develop engineering-based hands-on learning activities for their classrooms. One of the effective approaches adopted by this program is the development of creative engineering connections between the math and science concepts taught by the teacher participants and real-world engineering applications that not only can K- 12 students easily understand, but also find tangible and interesting. The paper also provides evidence of the effectiveness of the program strategies that have resulted in about 89% of the developed learning activities being successfully implemented in the teachers' classrooms. The results of the program teacher surveys and discussion of lessons learned by the program management are also presented.
Geometric average-based fast-converging proportional fair scheduling for LTE downlink transmissions

Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless communication system has adopted Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) technology to provide downlink transmissions to multiple User Equipment (UE) in a single transmission time interval. In OFDMA, UEs provide quantized channel quality information, called channel quality indicator (CQI), to the base station. CQI feedback is then used at the base station to choose which UE to be scheduled and which modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for the selected UE to be used in downlink transmissions. Each UE sends averaged CQI over all subcarriers instead of sending the CQI of each subcarrier to minimize feedback overhead. As a result, only one MCS is applied at the base station for multiple subcarriers intended for the same UE. This can cause significant throughput degradation, especially in low SNR regions in which the actual CQI of each subcarrier may vary significantly. Our experimental results show that the two well-known scheduling algorithms, namely Best CQI and Proportional Fair Scheduling (PFS), fail to provide spectrum efficiency and/or fairness among UEs. These algorithms tend to provide a large fraction of bandwidth to a single UE; hence, the UE fails to demodulate transmitted data to which only one modulation scheme was applied. In this paper, we propose a novel scheduling algorithm that achieves better throughput performance, while providing more fairness among UEs than existing solutions in both high and low SNR environments. The proposed algorithm improves cell throughput by 66% over the PFS when UEs experience various SNR values. When UEs undergo similar SNR values, the system throughput can be improved by more than 120% over BestCQI and by almost 60% over PFS. Extensive simulations validate that our proposed solution also significantly enhance Block Error ratio (BLER) in addition to network throughput and fairness.
A clash of constructs? Re-examining grit in light of academic buoyancy and future time perspective

Grit, defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals, has been found to be a powerful predictor of student success and persistence. Yet, it has been a recently scrutinized construct due to weaknesses in its discriminant and predictive validity. To investigate these issues further, we examined grit, its dimensions (perseverance of effort and consistency of interest), and other motivational factors—academic buoyancy and future time perspective—to test whether they were distinct constructs, and whether they were predictors of academic achievement, incorporating individual differences in gender, ethnicity, and major. The current study revealed that grit positively predicted undergraduates’ GPA (N = 328, Mage = 20.88, SDage = 1.70) over and beyond demographic and other motivational variables. Regarding individual differences, men and women differed on subscales of future time perspective, and Asian Americans reported lower grit compared to White and Hispanic students, despite higher GPA compared to Hispanics. The relevance of the findings is discussed along with implications for research and practice.
Characterization of $\gamma $ -Ray Cross Talk in Cherenkov-Based Detectors for Active Interrogation Imaging Applications

In imaging arrays, the sensors are typically packed as tightly as possible to maximize spatial resolution, which leads to detector-to-detector scatter, or cross talk, adding to image noise and hindering contrast. In this paper, we compare custom-made quartz-based Cherenkov detectors with an inherent energy threshold to low-energy photons to standard sodium iodide detectors, which are typically used for x-ray detection due to their efficiency and spectroscopic capabilities. In particular, we evaluate pulse pileup and cross talk effects in high-flux applications. The quartz detectors, while having reduced intrinsic efficiency, outperform the sodium iodide with regards to pileup and cross talk. Simulation further shows that even at a 4 mm edge-to-edge separation, cross talk contributes less than 2% of the total signal in Cherenkov detectors.
First-Principles Study of the Interactions between Graphene Oxide and Amine-Functionalized Carbon Nanotube

We applied plane-wave density functional theory to study the effects of chemical functionalizations of graphene and carbon nanotube (CNT) on the properties of graphene–CNT complexes. The functionalizations of graphene and CNT were modeled by covalently attaching oxygen-containing groups and amines (NH2), respectively, to the surfaces of these carbon nanomaterials. Our results show that both dispersion energy and hydrogen bonding play crucial roles in the formation of complexes between graphene oxide (GO) and CNT–NH2. At a lesser degree of functionalization, the interaction energies between functionalized graphene and CNT were either unchanged or decreased, with respect to those without functionalization. Our study indicated that the gain or loss of interaction energy between graphene and CNT is a competition between two contributions: dispersion energy and hydrogen bonds. It was found that the heavy functionalization of graphene and CNT could be a promising route for enhancing the interaction energy betwe...
CFO Outside Directorships: An Opportunity for Development or Simply a Distraction?

Demand for chief financial officer (CFO) service on corporate boards has grown substantially in recent years, leading to questions about how outside board appointments affect a CFO’s ability to fulfill her home firm responsibilities. Contrary to concerns about CFOs being distracted from their primary duties, we find no on average association between outside board service and the quality of home firm mandatory and voluntary financial reporting. However, consistent with our cross-sectional predictions, we identify several learning opportunities associated with stronger home firm financial reporting practices. In contrast, we find only limited evidence of negative effects associated with outside board service, which occur in cases where the likelihood of distraction should be higher. Our results should be of interest to investors, auditors, and board members considering the implications of CFO outside board service because we identify types of board service associated with higher and lower performance of the CFO’s core responsibilities.
Time-lagged intraspecific competition in temporally separated cohorts of a generalist insect

Competition can have far-reaching consequences for insect fitness and dispersion. Time-lagged interspecific competition is known to negatively affect fitness, yet time-lagged intraspecific competition is rarely studied outside of outbreak conditions. We tested the impact of competition between larval cohorts of the western tent caterpillar (Malacosoma californicum) feeding on chokecherry (Prunus virginiana). We reared larvae on host plants that either had or did not have feeding damage from tent caterpillars the previous season to test the bottom-up fitness effects of intraspecific competition. We measured host-plant quality to test potential mechanisms for bottom-up effects and conducted field oviposition surveys to determine if female adult tent caterpillars avoided host plants with evidence of prior tent caterpillar presence. We found that time-lagged intraspecific competition impacted tent caterpillar fitness by reducing female pupal mass, which is a predictor of lifetime fitness. We found that plants that had been fed upon by tent caterpillars the previous season had leaves that were significantly tougher than plants that had not been fed upon by tent caterpillars, which may explain why female tent caterpillars suffered reduced fitness on these plants. Finally, we found that there were fewer tent caterpillar egg masses on plants that had tent caterpillars earlier in the season than plants without tent caterpillars, which suggests that adult females avoid these plants for oviposition. Our results confirm that intraspecific competition occurs among tent caterpillars and suggests that time-lagged intraspecific competition has been overlooked as an important component of insect fitness.
Obstetric patients’ perspectives on functional magnetic neuroimaging research in pregnant women

Magnetic resonance neuroimaging (MRI) studies of healthy pregnant women could identify key mechanisms of spontaneous health behavior changes observed in expectant mothers as novel intervention targets, but are currently unprecedented. As balancing potential benefits of research with unknown risks, including participant perceptions of risk, is foundational to ethical conduct, we surveyed a convenience obstetric sample to understand pregnant women’s perspectives on this issue. Respondents were 76 pregnant women (modal age of 30–39 years; 64% multiparous) presenting for obstetric care from April to June 2016 at privately and publicly funded clinics at an urban academic medical center in the Midwestern USA. Following a written description about functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging (fMRI) and its known and unknown risks, women were queried on their willingness to participate in a hypothetical study involving fMRI during pregnancy, and specific concerns about doing so, if hesitant or unwilling. Willingness to participate was “yes” (28.4%, n = 21), “maybe” (28.4%, n = 21), and “no” (43.2%, n = 32). Among those responding “maybe” or “no” (n = 53, 73.6%), 11 women (20.7%) articulated concern about the fetus. Other concerns expressed were time commitment (n = 11, 20.7%) and discomfort being in an MRI machine (n = 4; 7.5%). Pregnant women may be open to participating in research involving MRI provided concerns about fetal health, time, and personal comfort are addressed.
Drug Metabolism in Adult Rat Hepatocytes in Primary Monolayer Culture

Primary monolayer culture of adult rat hepatocytes represents a novel and potentially useful technique to study many aspects of hepatic physiology for extended periods of time in vitro (J Cell Biol 59:722–734,1973). In examining the hepatic drug-metabolizing system in these cells, we have discovered that the conditions of cell culture exert rapid, selective, and reproducible changes in microsomal enzymes. In the 24- to 48-hr period immediately following preparation and culture of the isolated parenchymal cells, the level of the drug-binding microsomal hemoprotein, cytochrome P-450, measured in extracts of cell homogenates, declined to less than 20% of its in vivo level, whereas NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity was only moderately reduced and glucose-6-phosphatase activity remained unchanged. The activity of aminopyrine-N-demethylase and aniline hydroxylase also fell, paralleling the level of cytochrome P-450. By contrast, p-nitroanisole O-demethylase activity was unchanged in the cultured hepatocytes despite evidence (type I binding spectrum, NADPH requirement, inhibition by carbon monoxide or by SKF 525A) that p-nitroanisole O-demethylase is a cytochrome P-450-dependent enzyme. In culture, as in vivo, aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons stimulated p-nitroanisole O-demethylase and aryl hydrocarbon (benzo[α]pyrene) hydroxylase activities; however, this effect was unaccompanied by a detectable increase in total carbon monoxide-binding hemoprotein. The data indicate that the profile of microsomal oxidase enzymes and their control undergo striking changes as hepatocytes adapt to cell culture.
Rending Hypatia: The Body of the Elements

In the previous chapter, I considered the lengths to which Renaissance humanists went to construct a biography for that most familiar of ancient mathematicians, Euclid. As I argued there, the story of Euclid, the friend of Plato, was crafted in part to support a Platonic notion of mathematics, in part to provide a distinguished biography, one worthy of this most authoritative of ancient writers. Yet it was also an honorable attempt to make sense of suggestive, but contradictory evidence. However strong their convictions about the nature of mathematics, humanists writing the history of the art were of course constrained by what had actually survived from antiquity. The fragmentary state of the evidence and the scholarly errors they made in interpreting it led humanists down particular paths in mathematical history. Evidence about the mathematical past had survived haphazardly, at best; information about Euclid was very spare indeed. Humanists had to impose some interpretation onto this material. When they did, they were misled as much by textual contingencies and the happenstance of there being two men with the same name, as by their preexisting notions of the relationship between mathematics and philosophy, or their desire to elevate the person of Euclid.
Molecular Analysis of a Gene (irpA) Encoding a Function Essential for Iron-limited Growth in the Cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans R2

We describe the cloning, sequencing and mutagenesis of an Anacystis nidulans R2 gene whose function is required for growth in iron-limited medium. The gene, designated irpA, was cloned from a λgt11 phage expression library: irpA directs the synthesis of a 36 kDa membrane polypeptide which accumulates only in iron-deficient cells. DNA sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame capable of encoding a polypeptide of 38.6 kDa, and hydropathy plots suggested that the hodrophobic amino terminus of the IrpA protein could represent a signal sequence. A site-directed mutant of A. nidulans R2 lacking irpA function was constructed by Tn5 insertion, and the mutant, designated A. nidulans K7, was defective in growth in low-iron medium. Lastly, the DNA sequence of the region immediately upstream from the irpA bears close similarly to the consensus operator sequence conferring iron regulation in Escherichia coli.
The Simple View of Reading: Advancements and False Impressions:

In this article, I highlight the impact that the simple view of reading (SVR) has had on the field of reading over the last 30 years. I argue that the SVR has led to many significant advancements i...
Precision Medicine in Pediatric Cancer: Current Applications and Future Prospects

Precision oncologic medicine is an emerging approach for cancer treatment that has recently taken giant steps in solid clinical practice. Recent advances in molecular diagnostics that can analyze the individual tumor’s variability in genes have provided greater understanding and additional strategies to treat cancers. Although tumors can be tested by several molecular methods, the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has greatly facilitated our understanding of pediatric cancer and identified additional therapeutic opportunities. Pediatric tumors have a different genetic make-up, with a fewer number of actionable targets than adult tumors. Nevertheless, precision oncology in the pediatric population has greatly improved the survival of patients with leukemia and solid tumors. This review discusses the current status of pediatric precision oncology and the different clinical scenarios in which it can be effectively applied.
Results of the 2012 AORN salary and compensation survey.

Abstract AORN conducted its 10th annual compensation survey for perioperative nurses in June 2012. A multiple regression model was used to examine how a number of variables, including job title, education level, certification, experience, and geographic region, affect nurse compensation. Comparisons between the 2012 data and previous years’ data are presented. The effects of other forms of compensation, such as on-call compensation, overtime, bonuses, and shift differentials on base compensation rates, also are examined. Additional analyses explore the effect of the current economic downturn on the perioperative work environment.