cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of Hope in subsequent health and well-being for older adults: An outcome-wide longitudinal approach

Abstract Hope is a topic widely discussed in the humanities and researched in the field of psychology. To explore the potential public health implications of hope for subsequent health and well-being outcomes, we prospectively examined the relation between baseline hope and a wide range of outcomes that included indicators of: physical health, health behaviors, and psychosocial well-being in older adults using an outcome-wide approach. Data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 12,998, mean age = 66 years) were analyzed. Bonferroni correction was used to account for multiple testing. All models controlled for a wide array of factors including: sociodemographic characteristics, personality factors, and prior values of the exposure (hope) and all outcomes. A greater sense of hope was associated with: better physical health and health behavior outcomes on some indicators (e.g., reduced risk of all cause-mortality, fewer number of chronic conditions, lower risk of cancer, and fewer sleep problems), higher psychological well-being (e.g., increased positive affect, life satisfaction, and purpose in life), lower psychological distress, and better social well-being. A secondary analysis explored antecedents of hope. We identified several potentially modifiable factors that may lead to increased hope. These results may have important population-level implications for increasing hope and improving the physical, psychological, and social well-being of our growing older adult population.
Deliberative Democratic Theological Education: A Proposal for Youth Ministry That Builds Peace

Drawing on research in deliberative pedagogy, this paper will develop in depth one piece of a larger project that envisions peace education as an essential component of youth ministry. The paper pr...
Instructional Video on Performing an Efficient Vaginal Hysterectomy for the Tech Savvy Trainee

Study Objective Historically, surgery was learned in the operating room after first reading step-by-step instructions in a well-respected and well-illustrated text-book. Today, with technology at their fingertips, young surgeons seek and utilize video for learning surgical procedures. Often however, the more important “why” behind many surgical steps is left out. Our objective therefore, was to marry the demonstration of the anatomy with the why in order to provide a more complete experience for the learner. Design N/A Setting Operating room. Patients or Participants Patients undergoing planned hysterectomy for pelvic organ prolapse repairs who provided consent for filming. Interventions We carefully walk through performing the steps of a complete vaginal hysterectomy. We begin with identifying the cervix, and finish demonstrating how to check the pedicles for occult bleeding once the uterus and cervix are removed. We include tips and tricks within the video with specific benefits related to each suggestion, to help provide the "why". We cover many of the most challenging areas for new surgeons in completing a successful vaginal hysterectomy. We cover plane development, efficient tying technique, aids for visualization, introduction of a modified Heaney stitch, which brings each pedicle together, closing the gaps between them and greatly reducing blood loss, and provide and demonstrate other pearls throughout. Measurements and Main Results N/A Conclusion If performed correctly, utilizing the techniques and tips included in this instructional video, the gynecologic trainee will enter the operating room for their first hysterectomy, empowered with knowledge and understanding that typically are learned during their first five to ten cases. Thus, empowering them with a framework for not only success in their first case, but one they can carry with them through their career.
FLARE FOOTPOINT REGIONS AND A SURGE OBSERVED BY HINODE/EIS, RHESSI, AND SDO/AIA

The Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on the Hinode spacecraft observed flare footpoint regions coincident with a surge for an M3.7 flare observed on 2011 September 25 at N12 E33 in active region 11302. The flare was observed in spectral lines of O vi, Fe x, Fe xii, Fe xiv, Fe xv, Fe xvi, Fe xvii, Fe xxiii, and Fe xxiv. The EIS observations were made coincident with hard X-ray bursts observed by RHESSI. Overlays of the RHESSI images on the EIS raster images at different wavelengths show a spatial coincidence of features in the RHESSI images with the EIS upflow and downflow regions, as well as loop-top or near-loop-top regions. A complex array of phenomena were observed, including multiple evaporation regions and the surge, which was also observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly telescopes. The slit of the EIS spectrometer covered several flare footpoint regions from which evaporative upflows in Fe xxiii and Fe xxiv lines were observed with Doppler speeds greater than 500 km s−1. For ions such as Fe xv both evaporative outflows (~200 km s−1) and downflows (~30–50 km s−1) were observed. Nonthermal motions from 120 to 300 km s−1 were measured in flare lines. In the surge, Doppler speeds are found from about 0 to over 250 km s−1 in lines from ions such as Fe xiv. The nonthermal motions could be due to multiple sources slightly Doppler-shifted from each other or turbulence in the evaporating plasma. We estimate the energetics of the hard X-ray burst and obtain a total flare energy in accelerated electrons of ≥7 × 1028 erg. This is a lower limit because only an upper limit can be determined for the low-energy cutoff to the electron spectrum. We find that detailed modeling of this event would require a multithreaded model owing to its complexity.
Weighted estimators of the complier average causal effect on restricted mean survival time with observed instrument-outcome confounders.

A major concern in any observational study is unmeasured confounding of the relationship between a treatment and outcome of interest. Instrumental variable (IV) analysis methods are able to control for unmeasured confounding. However, IV analysis methods developed for censored time-to-event data tend to rely on assumptions that may not be reasonable in many practical applications, making them unsuitable for use in observational studies. In this report, we develop weighted estimators of the complier average causal effect (CACE) on the restricted mean survival time (RMST) in the overall population as well as in an evenly matchable population (CACE-m). Our method is able to accommodate instrument-outcome confounding and adjust for covariate dependent censoring, making it particularly suited for causal inference from observational studies. We establish the asymptotic properties and derive easily implementable asymptotic variance estimators for the proposed estimators. Through simulation studies, we show that the proposed estimators tend to be more efficient than instrument propensity score matching based estimators or inverse probability of instrument weighted estimators. We apply our method to compare dialytic modality-specific survival for end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients using data from the United States Renal Data System (USRDS).
Guidelines for Responding to COVID-19 Pandemic: Best Practices, Impacts, and Future Research Directions

AbstractDue to the novelty of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the lack of measurable data, no enough research studies have been conducted to provide guidelines for responding to the coronav...
The South China Sea Arbitration and the Fullness Thereof

On July 12, 2016, an UNCLOS Arbitration Tribunal under the auspices of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) – The Hague Netherlands – handed down a far-reaching award in favor of the Philippines over the South China Sea. The Tribunal found that it had jurisdiction to hear and determine the dispute despite China’s protestations and refusal to take part in the proceedings. It also held inter-alia that whatever ‘historical rights’ claimed by China, regarding the resources in the waters of the South China Sea, such rights were extinguished to the extent that they were incompatible with the Exclusive Economic Zones provided by the UNCLOS Convention. The Spratly islands – which China is laying claims to and is presently modifying – were also held ‘not to be capable of generating extended maritime zones for China.’ Therefore, it pronounced the activities of China within the claimed ‘nine-dash-line’ as generally unlawful in light of the obligations assumed by state parties to UNCLOS of which China is one. The award is thus remarkable in many respects. First, it has deep resonance for international law, international Arbitration, Maritime Law and Foreign Policy in general. Indicative of the ramifications it has for these fields and the countries involved is the amount of publicity and commentary which it is generating – and would continue to generate. Hence it is the aim of this piece to attempt an analytical evaluation of the Award and its implications for international law – and global peace and security by extension.
An Empirical Guide to Investor-Level Private Equity Data from Preqin

This note provides guidance on the use of investor-level private equity data from Preqin for empirical research. Preqin primarily sources its cash flow data through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests with U.S. public pensions. Our focus is on the components of these data that are used for calculating returns on investments made by individual public pensions into private market vehicles, most notably private equity. We discuss how accounting practices may impact cash flow variables, document the prevalence of data quality and other measurement error issues, and recommend transparent adjustments that deliver reliable estimates of net-of fee returns that are comparable across investors and time.
Growth Through Crisis: Preservice Teachers Learning To Enact Culturally Relevant Literacy Teaching

A critical mass of literacy scholars have re-defined what it means to prepare reading teachers toward approaches that foreground culture, critical inquiry, and multilingualism. An upsurge in resear...
What African Media? Rethinking Research on Representation in African Press

Writing about media representations of the Ethiopian famine, Styan stated that a majority of African countries got"their images of other African countries from a handful of western-based news agencies," (1999, p. 289). Additionally, he stated, local journalists were rarely, if ever, employed by foreign news agencies due to a bias towards in-house trained staff familiar with the organizational structures of western agencies (Styan, 1999) . Styan's (1999) argument raises an interesting conundrum in the study of knowledge production about atrocities in Africa by news organisations in the continent. Especially because, according to Gans (1979), news organisations work to create and shape knowledge about the world outside ourselves. Thus, following Styan's (1999) logic, in African countries' understanding of atrocity in Africa presumably, therefore, reflects a western understanding of the same. With this in mind, it important to ask how we study African representations of atrocity in Africa and what we need to keep in mind when doing so. This paper uses interview data of journalists from Kenya and South Africa collected in 2012 and 2015 in conjunction with a content analysis of published news reports about Darfur from 2003 to 2009
Meeting the Body-Space A Score

This score is an invitation for the improviser to attune themselves to the space they are in and enter into a relationship with what surrounds them. It can be used as a performance score or as an exercise to synchronize body, mind, and spirit before one. It was developed through many explorations during the year-long quarantine of COVID-19 as I sought to develop an active relationship to my living space.
Architecture and evolution of the cis-regulatory system of the echinoderm kirrelL gene

The gene regulatory network (GRN) that underlies echinoderm skeletogenesis is a prominent model of GRN architecture and evolution. KirrelL is an essential downstream effector gene in this network and encodes an Ig-superfamily protein required for the fusion of skeletogenic cells and the formation of the skeleton. In this study, we dissected the transcriptional control region of the kirrelL gene of the purple sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. Using plasmid- and BAC-based transgenic reporter assays, we identified key cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and transcription factor inputs that regulate Sp-kirrelL, including direct, positive inputs from two key transcription factors in the skeletogenic GRN, Alx1 and Ets1. We next identified kirrelL cis-regulatory regions from seven other echinoderm species that together represent all classes within the phylum. By introducing these heterologous regulatory regions into developing sea urchin embryos we provide evidence of their remarkable conservation across ~500 million years of evolution. We dissected in detail the kirrelL regulatory region of the sea star, Patiria miniata, and demonstrated that it also receives direct inputs from Alx1 and Ets1. Our findings identify kirrelL as a component of the ancestral echinoderm skeletogenic GRN. They support the view that GRN sub-circuits, including specific transcription factor-CRE interactions, can remain stable over vast periods of evolutionary history. Lastly, our analysis of kirrelL establishes direct linkages between a developmental GRN and an effector gene that controls a key morphogenetic cell behavior, cell-cell fusion, providing a paradigm for extending the explanatory power of GRNs.
Stochastic Modeling of an Infectious Disease Part II: Simulation Experiments and Verification of the Analysis

In Part 1, we introduced a stochastic model of an infectious disease, based on the BDI (birth and death with immigration) process. We showed that random processes defined by this model can capture the essence of the stochastic, often erratic, behavior of the infection process. The most significant finding was that it is negative binomial distributed with small r, hence it is geometrically distributed with an exceedingly long tail. This leads to a much larger disparity in the epidemic patterns than has been known to the modeling community. In Part 2 we conduct simulation experiments by implementing an event-driven simulator. Several independent runs are presented to verify the findings reported in Part 1. The enormous variations among the sample paths obtained from several consecutive and independent runs with statistically identical conditions confirm our analysis. Note that the epidemic pattern that we observe is merely one sample path taken out of infinitely many paths. Thus, one such path cannot represent the ensemble of the underlying random process. By plotting the simulation runs in the semi-log scale, we can see that the probabilistic chances in the early phase of the infection process determine the behavior of the process. Once the process has reached a considerable number, the weak law of large numbers sets in, and the process behaves less erratically than in the early phase. One important implication of our findings is that it would be a futile effort to attempt to identify all plausible causes of the epidemic patterns. Mere luck may play a more significant role than most people believe. It would be worth remarking that the BDI process might be applicable to explain the disparity in wealth among individuals of similar earning power, expenditure, and investment portfolio.
Research on Economic Operation Strategy of AC / DC Hybrid Distribution Network Based on Power Electronic Transformer

Multi-port Power Electronic Transformer (PET) can establish a flexible power circulation path in the AC/DC hybrid power distribution network to achieve inter-regional energy interconnection and mutual support. This paper proposes an economic operation strategy of AC/DC hybrid distribution network based on multi-port PET. Firstly, based on the typical topology of the AC/DC hybrid distribution network, the flexible regulation capability of the AC/DC distribution network including PET is analyzed. Then, according to the physical constraints during the operation of PET, the power flow relationship of each port of multi-port PET is analyzed, and the energy flow model of PET in the hybrid distribution network is established. Finally, taking the lowest operation cost of the AC/DC hybrid distribution network as the objective function, and taking the system power balance, power flow limit violation and equipment operation as constraints, the day-ahead economic operation model of the AC/DC hybrid distribution network is established and a model solving method based on CPLEX solver is proposed. Taking an AC/DC hybrid distribution network demonstration project in a certain area as an example, the day-ahead economic operation model of the demonstration project is established and solved. The calculation results show that the proposed PET-based AC / DC hybrid distribution network economic operation strategy can effectively reduce the system operation cost and increase the level of renewable energy accommodation.
What if? Behavior Estimation by Predicting Traffic Scenes from State Histories

In this work, we present an approach to estimate route intentions of traffic participants, which can additionally be utilized to infer information about occluded areas from the behavior of visible road users. The approach predicts a traffic scene from a past state to the current time frame while incorporating all combinations of possible road user intentions and uses these predictions in combination with the real observed behavior to update the intention estimation in a Hidden Markov Model (HMM). After showing the suitability of the approach to efficiently estimate the intention of the road users, its ability to infer information about traffic participants in occluded areas is demonstrated. The available context information about visible road users is used to reason about the presence of other, hidden road users. Therefore, the observed scene development is compared to possible hypothetical scene developments induced by the presence or absence of the hidden road users. Our approach considers information about vehicles, trucks, pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as additional regulatory elements like traffic signals or road regulations. We evaluate the approach in multiple simulated and real world traffic scenarios.
Cognitive Linguistics and Lexical Change: Motion Verbs from Latin to Romance

This monograph offers the first in-depth lexical and semantic analysis of motion verbs in their development from Latin to nine Romance languages — Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, Occitan, Sardinian, and Raeto-Romance — demonstrating that the patterns of innovation and continuity attested in the data can be accounted for in cognitive linguistic terms. At the same time, the study illustrates how the insights gained from Latin and Romance historical data have profound implications for the cognitive approaches to language — in particular, for Leonard Talmy’s motion-framing typology and George Lakoff and Mark Johnson’s conceptual metaphor theory. The book should appeal to scholars interested in historical Romance linguistics, cognitive linguistics, and lexical change.
A powder metallurgy method for manufacturing Ti-6Al-4V with wrought-like microstructures and mechanical properties via hydrogen sintering and phase transformation (HSPT)

In this paper, the feasibility of producing Ti-6Al-4V with a range of wrought-like microstructures and mechanical properties via a novel powder metallurgy (PM) process with simple heat treatments is investigated. The wrought-like PM Ti-6Al-4V is obtained by sintering blended elemental (BE) powder in a hydrogen atmosphere, followed by conventional Ti-6Al-4V heat treating profiles. This is achieved without resorting to energy-intensive thermomechanical processing (TMP) that is compulsory for producing high performance titanium alloys via wrought processing or traditional powder metallurgy.
Regulation of Bacterial Type IV Secretion

This chapter explores the question of how bacterial pathogens regulate the biogenesis and function of their type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) in pathogenic settings. First, it describes a regulatory cascade involving the perception of multiple signals exchanged between Agrobacterium tumefaciens and its plant host. This signaling dialogue leads not only to infection of plant tissue but also to enhanced conjugative transfer of the virulence-associated tumor-inducing (pTi) plasmid. Second, it summarizes the regulatory features of a large T4SS subfamily, the conjugation systems functioning in gram-negative and -positive species. The chapter then summarizes regulatory features of the well-characterized effector translocators of Brucella spp., Legionella pneumophila, and Bartonella spp., and also examines why and how these and other bacterial pathogens cross-regulate T4SSs and other surface motility or attachment devices such as flagella and type IV pili. Finally, the chapter discusses post-transcriptional regulation of substrate-T4SS docking reactions and donor-target cell contacts. The overarching goal of this chapter is to identify mechanistic themes and variations that have evolved to regulate the myriad of T4SS activities exploited by bacterial pathogens during infection. The conjugation systems are the largest subfamily, present in nearly all bacterial species and some archaeal species. Many bacterial pathogens rely on flagellar or type IV pilus-based motility to migrate to sites favorable for colonization within the host. For all T4SSs, transduction of exogenous or physiological signals ultimately converges on the regulatory machinery controlling transcription of machine subunits, DNA processing enzymes, or protein effectors.
Comparison of aerosol properties derived from Sun photometer data and ground‐based chemical measurements

[1] Aerosol optical depth (AOD) data from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) instrument at Goddard Space Flight Center were compared with surface chemical data from the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) sampler at Washington, D.C. for the years 1995–1997. These sites were the only ones in the two networks in close enough proximity to make such a comparison. The Spearman correlation coefficients between AOD and boundary-layer aerosol properties derived from the IMPROVE data ranged from about 0.42 to 0.55. The relatively weak correlations for these urban sites are consistent with findings in previous studies, and are most likely due to the lack of information on the vertical profiles of aerosol mass concentration, composition, and relative humidity.
The effect of temperature on the speciation of U(VI) in sulfate solutions

Sulfate, one of the inorganic constituents that could be present in the nuclear waste repository, forms complexes with U(VI) and affects its migration in the environment. Results show that the complexation of U(VI) with sulfate is enhanced by the increase in temperature. The effect of temperature on the complexation and speciation of U(VI) in sulfate solutions is discussed.
Experimental Status of K -> pi nu nu_bar

The experimental program for the study of the rare kaon decays, K -> pnn, is summarized. A review of recent results is provided along with a discussion of prospects for the future of this program. The primary focus of the world-wide kaon program is the two golden modes: K+ -> pnn and KL -> pnn. The first step in an ambitious program to precisely measure both branching ratios has been successfully completed with the observation of two K+ -> pnn events by E787. The E949 experiment is poised to reach an order of magnitude further in sensitivity and to observe ~10 Standard Model events, and the CKM experiment should observe ~100 SM events by the end of this decade. Limits on the neutral analog KL -> pnn have been set by KTeV and within the next couple of years will be pushed by E391a. Measurements of the branching ratio should be made within the next 10 years by KOPIO, with a goal of ~50 events, and at the JHF, with a goal of up to 1000 events.
Radar Studies of the Solar Corona: A Review of Experiments using HF Wavelengths

Abstract : The use of high frequency (9 to 40 MHz), high power radars to study the solar corona has a remarkable history. Solar radar experiments were proposed and started at the beginning of the modern era of space physics research. Early in the 1960's the El Campo solar radar facility began routine operations. The published results from these pioneering experiments remain our largest resource of information on active probing of the solar corona. In 1969, solar radar experiments ceased even though experimental results suggested that significant diagnostics of the solar corona could be obtained with this technique. After the El Campo facility was decommissioned, a hiatus of about 25 years followed for further solar radar experiments. Recently, high frequency radar facilities in Russia and Ukraine have been used to conduct new solar radar experiments. The information that solar radars may provide is particularly relevant today, as we now recognize the important role of coronal mass ejections in geomagnetic disturbances. Solar radars offer the possibility of direct detection of earthward-moving coronal mass ejections, providing several days of advance warning to possible geomagnetic storms. In addition, investigations of wave scattering in the solar corona may provide information on coronal densities and irregularities. The techniques derived for studies of the earth's ionosphere using incoherent scatter radars are potentially applicable to the solar corona as well. We will review the early and current solar radar experiments and also discuss future directions for radar studies of the solar corona.
The Future of Us All: Race and Neighborhood Politics in New York City

The Future of Us All: Race and Neighborhood Politics in New York City. Roger Sanjek. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1998. 466 pp.
Detection and diagnosis of parameters change in linear systems using time-frequency transformation

A systematic approach to selecting and optimizing kernel functions of a time-frequency transformation for parameter change detection in linear, piecewise-constant-parameter systems is presented. The time-frequency transformation is applied to the system output, and the local moments' sensitivity with respect to the change is maximized. The local moments' optimization leads to a partial characterization of the transformation kernel function. Under proper kernel constraints, the local moments are simply related to the characteristic parameters of a linear system (e.g., natural frequencies, time constants, damping coefficients) and thus are suitable for parameter change diagnosis. An illustrative numerical example based on a second-order linear system is given. >
Binder, a logic-based security language

We introduce the concept of a security language, used to express security statements in a distributed system. Most existing security languages encode security statements as schematized data structures, such as ACLs and X.509 certificates. In contrast, Binder is an open logic-based security language that encodes security statements as components of communicating distributed logic programs. Binder programs can be more expressive than statements in standard security languages, and the meanings of standard security constructs and operations such as certificates and delegation are simplified and clarified by their formulation in Binder. Translation into Binder has been used to explore the design of other new and existing security languages.
The DeLey-Doudoroff Pathway of Galactose Metabolism in Azotobacter vinelandii.

Azotobacter vinelandii cell extracts reduced NAD+ and oxidized d-galactose to galactonate that subsequently was converted to 2-keto-3-deoxy-galactonate. Further metabolism of 2-keto-3-deoxy-galactonate required the presence of ATP and resulted in the formation of pyruvate and glyceraldehyde 3-P. Radiorespirometry indicated a preferential release of CO2 at the first carbon position of the d-galactose molecule. This suggested that Azotobacter vinelandii metabolizes d-galactose via the DeLey-Doudoroff pathway. The first enzyme of this pathway, d-galactose dehydrogenase, was partially characterized. It has a molecular weight of about 74,000 Da and an isoelectric point of 6.15. The pH optimum of the galactose dehydrogenase was about 9. The apparent Kms for NAD+ and d-galactose were 0.125 and 0.56 mM, respectively. Besides d-galactose, the active fraction of this galactose dehydrogenase also oxidized l-arabinose effectively. The electron acceptor for d-galactose or l-arabinose oxidation, NAD+, could not be replaced by NADP+. These substrate specificities were different from those reported in Pseudomonas saccharophila, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Rhizobium meliloti.
Orbit determination across unknown maneuvers using the essential Thrust-Fourier-Coefficients☆

Abstract Any maneuver performed by a satellite transitioning between two arbitrary orbital states can be represented as an equivalent maneuver involving Thrust-Fourier-Coefficients (TFCs). With a selected TFC set as a basis, a thrust acceleration can be constructed to interpolate two unconnected states across an unknown maneuver. This representation technique with TFCs enables us to facilitate the analytical propagation of uncertainties of the satellite state. This approach allows for the usage of existing pre-maneuver orbit estimation to compute the orbit solution after the unknown maneuver. In this paper, we applied this approach to orbit determination (OD) problems across unknown maneuvers by appending different combinations of TFCs to the state vector in the batch filter. The aim is to investigate how different maneuver representations with different TFC sets affect the OD solution across unknown maneuvers. Simulation results show that each TFC set provides different representations of the unknown perturbing acceleration, which yields varying magnitudes of delta velocity for a given maneuver. However, OD solutions across unknown maneuvers using different TFC sets display equivalent performance over the post-maneuver arc as long as those TFC sets are capable of generating the apparent secular motion caused by a given unknown maneuver.
Fish cleaning behaviour of shrimp

Cleaning behaviour of five species of shrimp from three families was studied at three different geographic locations in an effort to gain a quantitative understanding of cleaning behaviour, and to compare a broad cross-section of cleaner shrimp species. Two shrimp from the genus Periclimenes, two from the genus Lysmata, and one from the genus Stenopus were used and 27 hours of recorded laboratory observations were made for each of the five shrimp species. All shrimp species were inactive most of the observed time, and most spent less than 2% of the observed time cleaning fish hosts. Also, the shrimp spent more time cleaning the ventral rather than the dorsal surface of the fish because they were reluctant to board the fish. However, evenness in cleaning does not appear to be an indicator of overall excellence in cleaning because the two best cleaners (based on number and duration of cleaning bouts) were among the least even in their cleaning. The fish cleaning behaviour of the shrimp appeared to be strictly stereotypic in form, but the stimulus-response and the total amount of cleaning differed greatly among the five species. A Cleaning Efficiency Index (CEI) was created in an attempt to incorporate significant aspects of the cleaning behaviour. According to this CEI, Lysmata grabhami was by far the most efficient (best) cleaner, CEI = 55–51, compared to the others; Stenopus hispidus, 33–78; Periclimenes pedersoni, 6–29; Periclimenes yucatunicus, 5–60; and Lysmata californien, 2–12. The cleaners most widely distributed geographically have the highest CEI scores, while the most localized cleaners have the lowest CEIs. This relationship may allow the CEI score to be useful in determining a cleaner shrimp's potential geographical distribution, and may also serve as an indicator for the degree of phylogenetic relationship to other cleaner shrimps.
Degree of swelling and extent of crowding of flexible polymer coils in low concentration region

Abstract At infinite dilution, a flexible polymer chain is an isolated coil swollen with solvent. The situation may be treated in a manner analogous to the swelling equilibrium of a lightly crosslinked network. From the thermodynamic relation, the degree of swelling of the polymer coil may be estimated (1, 2). This value, the degree of chain extension, was found to be somewhat larger than that estimated from intrinsic viscosity. This finding was interpreted to mean that the chain segments in the periphery of the coil are more extended than the average coil extension (1). In the present work the dilute but finite concentration range was examined. In this case a polymer coil is in equilibrium with solvent containing polymer chains of the same kind. As the concentration is increased, the excess extension of the chain segments in the periphery of the coil diminishes. With further concentration increase, the polymer coil continues to decrease in size to the size defined by the theta condition, when the free so...
Trouble ahead, trouble behind: Narcissism and early maladaptive schemas

Narcissism is a multifaceted construct that is inconsistently defined and assessed between clinical psychology and social-personality psychology. The purpose of the present study was to examine the similarities and differences in the cognitive schemas underlying various forms of narcissism. This was accomplished by examining the associations of normal and pathological forms of narcissism with the early maladaptive schemas. The results showed important similarities in these associations (e.g., all of the narcissism scales were positively associated with the entitlement schema) as well as differences (e.g., vulnerable narcissism was the only form of narcissism that was positively associated with subjugation). Discussion focuses on the implications of these results for the ways in which individuals with these forms of narcissism perceive and navigate their social environments.
Impact of health maintenance organizations and fee‐for‐service on health care utilization among people with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective To compare health care utilization in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and fee-for-service (FFS). Methods A structured survey was administered to a cohort of 982 people with SLE who were assembled between 2002 and early 2005. A total of 2,656 person-years of observation were completed by the end of 2005. In each year, respondents reported their health care utilization and whether they had HMO or FFS coverage. We compared health care utilization of those in HMOs and FFS, with and without adjustment for socioeconomic, demographic, and health characteristics using repeated-measures regression techniques. Results Compared with people with SLE who were in FFS, those in HMOs were younger (3.3 years), received a diagnosis at an earlier age (3.6 years), had slightly less disease activity (0.4 on a 10-point scale), were more likely to be nonwhite (8.8%), were less likely to be below the poverty line (7.8%), and were less likely to have public insurance (29.7%). The 2 groups did not differ in other characteristics. On an unadjusted basis, subjects with SLE in HMOs had significantly fewer physician visits (3.1; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.7, 4.5) and were less likely to report one or more outpatient surgical visits (6.3%; 95% CI 2.5, 10.0), and hospital admissions (5.5%; 95% CI 1.7, 9.3) than those in FFS. Adjustment reduced the differences in physician visits (2.3; 95% CI 1.1, 3.5), outpatient surgical rates (4.4%; 95% CI 0.6, 8.1), and hospital admission rates (4.0%, 95% CI 0.4, 7.7). Conclusion Subjects with SLE in HMOs utilized substantially less ambulatory care and were less likely to have outpatient surgery and hospital admissions than those in FFS; the effects were not completely explained by socioeconomic, demographic, and health characteristics.
Notch regulates cell fate in the developing pronephros.

The mechanisms that regulate cell fate within the pronephros are poorly understood but are important for the subsequent development of the urogenital system and show many similarities to nephrogenesis in the definitive kidney. Dynamic expression of Notch-1, Serrate-1, and Delta-1 in the developing Xenopus pronephros suggests a role for this pathway in cell fate segregation. Misactivation of Notch signaling using conditionally active forms of either Notch-1 or RBP-J/Su(H) proteins prevented normal duct formation and the proper expression of genetic markers of duct cell differentiation. Inhibition of endogenous Notch signaling elicited the opposite effect. Taken together with the mRNA expression patterns, these data suggest that endogenous Notch signaling functions to inhibit duct differentiation in the dorsoanterior region of the anlage where cells are normally fated to form tubules. In addition, elevated Notch signaling in the pronephric anlage both perturbed the characteristic pattern of the differentiated tubule network and increased the expression of early markers of pronephric precursor cells, Pax-2 and Wilms' tumor suppressor gene (Wt-1). We propose that Notch signaling plays a previously unrecognized role in the early selection of duct and tubule cell fates as well as functioning subsequently to control tubule cell patterning and development.
Effects of Varenicline on Ethanol‐ and Food‐Maintained Responding in a Concurrent Access Procedure

Background Varenicline has been reported to reduce drinking in smokers and to selectively decrease responding for ethanol (EtOH) versus alternatives in preclinical studies. Such selectivity may reflect potential therapeutic effects and the involvement of nicotinic receptors in EtOH reinforcement. However, these studies have been conducted with EtOH and an alternative available in isolation or in separate groups, and selectivity can depend on the context in which reinforcement occurs. Whether varenicline selectivity is maintained when EtOH and an alternative are concurrently available has not been reported. To examine the effects of varenicline on EtOH self-administration when an alternative is concurrently available, male Lewis rats (n = 5) were trained to respond for EtOH and food under a concurrent FR5 FRX schedule where the fixed ratio (FR) for food was adjusted (FR = 25 or 35 for each subject) to provide similar numbers of EtOH and food deliveries during a 30-minute session. Methods Doses of varenicline (0.56 to 5.6 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle were administered 30 minutes before sessions. Effects of varenicline on responding across the session and during each tenth of the session were compared to responding following vehicle treatment. Results Lower doses (0.56 to 1.0 mg/kg) of varenicline increased responding for EtOH without affecting responding for food. Higher doses disrupted responding for EtOH and food similarly. Conclusions Previous reports of varenicline selectivity on EtOH-maintained responding do not generalize to other experimental conditions such as a concurrent schedule. The increase in responding for EtOH following lower doses might be due to enhanced EtOH reinforcement, decreased food reinforcement, rate dependency, or greater perseverance on the initial, EtOH response.
Paget's disease of the breast

Paget's disease of the breast is a rare type of cancer of the nipple-areola complex and that is often associated with an underlying in situ or invasive carcinoma. This article provides an overview and we review the main clinicopathological and therapeutic features of mammary Paget's disease.
The Perennial Debate: Nature, Nurture, or Choice? Black and White Americans' Explanations for Individual Differences

This paper examines three common explanations for human characteristics: genes, the environment, and choice. Based on data from a representative sample of White and Black Americans, respondents indicated how much they believed each factor influenced individual differences in athleticism, nurturance, drive, math ability, violence, intelligence, and sexual orientation. Results show that across traits: 1) Black respondents generally favor choice and reject genetic explanations, whereas White respondents indicate less causal consistency; 2) although a sizeable subset of respondents endorse just one factor, most report multiple factors as at least partly influential; and 3) among White respondents greater endorsement of genetic explanations is associated with less acceptance of choice and the environment, although among Black respondents a negative relationship holds only between genes and choice. The social relevance of these findings is discussed within the context of the attribution, essentialism and lay theory literature. The results underscore the need to consider more complex and nuanced issues than are implied by the simplistic, unidimensional character of the nature/nurture and determinism/free will debates - perennial controversies that have significance in the current genomic era.
Biodiesel production, characterization, and performance: A hands-on project for first-year students

Abstract Biodiesel fuel production and use has been used as the focal point of a semester-long, project-based introductory engineering course at Rowan University. Students worked in teams to conduct a series of laboratory investigations through which they explored the engineering aspects of biodiesel production and purification, properties characterization, quality control and performance testing. The experiments were designed to be cost–effective and transferrable. The laboratory experiments were conducted within the How People Learn framework. An assessment instrument was used as a pre- and post-evaluation method to assess learning outcomes. Students’ gained significantly in learning outcomes areas related to the application of mathematics, science and engineering principles; designing and conducting experiments; analyzing and interpreting experimental data, and solving engineering problems.
SU‐E‐T‐122: Routine Quality Assurance for the MEVION S250 Proton System

Purpose: We have established a robust and efficient daily routine to ensure our proton radiotherapy imaging and delivery systems operate as expected. Our goal was to prioritize tests according to impact, and have them completed by our therapists in 30 minutes. Methods: Morning warm‐up includes recording of machine startup parameter and noting faults, and connectivity to MOSAIQ. Safety checks include warning lights; Beam On, X‐ray On, and Magnet On, audio/video, door interlocks, neutron detector, beam pause recovery, and pendant functions. Patient alignment checks include lasers vs. scribed phantom. Imaging checks include; panel distance, image and centering vs. lasers, isocentricity (scribed phantom), 2D/2D match (offset fiducials) using Daily (dosimetry) QA device, 6D table translations/angulations, and coincidence of proton and x‐ray beam with film. Daily dosimetric checks focus on any one of 24 options available, using the Daily QA3 device and a range compensator (RC) idealized for the particular option. All options are checked over 5 weeks. With a single exposure the designated; range, modulation, output peak/plateau ratio, SOBP flatness, and lateral profile symmetry/flatness are measured and reviewed. The custom RC has 4 quadrants of different thickness that shadow detectors strategically, corresponding to one location in the plateau, two in the SOBP, and one just beyond the range. Results: Daily QA takes <30 minutes. The single exposure for dosimetric checks is sensitive enough to detect; a change in output of 1%, change in range and modulation of 1mm, and changes in SOBP flatness and profile attributes of 2%. Using the daily dosimetry device for imaging saves considerable time. Conclusion: We have daily tests for an efficient yet robust to ensure patient and employee safety. These tests fall in line with the forthcoming TG224 report.
Predicting Concentrations of Individual Sugars in Dry Mixtures by Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

To support research in nondestructive quality evaluation of fruits and vegetables, near infrared reflectance spectroscopy was used to measure concentrations of fructose, glucose, and sucrose in model systems intended to represent the major constituents of dried apple tissue. Spectra (950-1850 nm) of a series of known samples were recorded, and multiple linear regression techniques were used to relate the concentrations of each sugar to reflectance measurements at selected wavelengths. Reflectance measurements at 3 computer-selected wavelengths for each sugar were used to predict the concentrations in an independent set of samples. Correlation coefficients for actual vs predicted values were 0.995 for fructose, 0.994 for glucose, and 0.986 for sucrose, while the respective standard errors computed as variation from the regression lines were 1.48%, 1.39%, and 1.44%.
Direct Optical Estimation of Deformation Gradient Tensors Using Lucas-Kanade Digital Image Warping

Mechanical characterization of inhomogeneous and/or geometrically complex biological tissues requires precise and accurate determination of strain fields. Digital image correlation is a well established technique for determining strain fields on the surfaces of deforming materials. The technique involves matching patterns between pairs of images to estimate the displacement of certain regions or features on a sample.2 Image correlation has also been used to track deformations in dynamic magnetic resonance images of heart and brain.3Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Helix is a helix is a helix

The experimental approach has been to perform “host–guest” experiments in which the effect of individually substituting each “guest” amino acid on the stability of a “host” protein or peptide is measured. As a result of such studies, a quantitative ranking of the propensity of each amino acid to adopt a α-helical or β-sheet conformation is obtained (3, 4). Of key importance is the selection of the host protein or peptide and the local environment of the guest site. If such measurements are to be meaningful the aim, in so far as it is experimentally feasible, is to isolate the guest site from interactions with neighboring residues. The goal is to measure only the free energy associated with the unfolded-to-helix transition. To date, several different hosts have been employed, initially block copolymers (5) and more recently short, designed peptides (6–9) and small natural proteins (10 …
Model-Free Feature Screening for Ultrahigh Dimensional Discriminant Analysis

This work is concerned with marginal sure independence feature screening for ultrahigh dimensional discriminant analysis. The response variable is categorical in discriminant analysis. This enables us to use the conditional distribution function to construct a new index for feature screening. In this article, we propose a marginal feature screening procedure based on empirical conditional distribution function. We establish the sure screening and ranking consistency properties for the proposed procedure without assuming any moment condition on the predictors. The proposed procedure enjoys several appealing merits. First, it is model-free in that its implementation does not require specification of a regression model. Second, it is robust to heavy-tailed distributions of predictors and the presence of potential outliers. Third, it allows the categorical response having a diverging number of classes in the order of O(nκ) with some κ ⩾ 0. We assess the finite sample property of the proposed procedure by Mont...