cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design Science I: The Role of Design Science in Electronic Commerce Research

The fast-paced development of e-commerce caused many people in business to overlook key aspects of the relevant design principles for ecommerce systems. E-commerce applications that are currently being implemented and used are not necessarily the best and the most efficient that people can design and build. The result is an opportunity for e-commerce design science researchers to make significant contributions and for business schools to create and maintain a strong e-commerce design science group of researchers. However, fulfilling this need is often difficult for business schools, because resources and design science researchers are both scarce. Partnering with the computer science school within the same university to set up an e-commerce research center that focuses on design science research may be a feasible alternative.
Introduction to Inferential Statistics

This chapter presents an introduction to inferential statistics. It discusses such topics as sampling theory; estimation, which includes point estimates and interval estimates; hypothesis testing; and linear regression analysis.
Definitive enzymatic assays in polyphosphate analysis.

Inorganic polyphosphate (polyP), an anhydride-linked linear polymer of orthophosphate, is present in a wide variety of organisms from bacteria to mammals (Kulaev 1979; Kulaev and Vegabov 1983; Wood and Clark 1988). Despite the prominence of polyP (as in the vacuolar deposits in yeast that may represent 10 to 20% of cellular dry weight), this molecule has received scant attention. Studies by Kulaev, Wood and a few others (Kulaev et al. 1987; Wood and Clark 1988; Kornberg 1995) disclosed the ubiquity of polyP and identified a few related enzyme activities. Yet, polyP has remained a largely forgotten polymer. Among the reasons is the lack of evidence describing its metabolic role, due in measure to the inadequacy of specific quantitative methods for polyP analysis.
Offset-fed metal-only reflectarray antenna designs

In this work, we present two offset-fed metal-only reflectarray designs that are suitable for space applications in which the use of dielectrics is not desired. Crossed-slot type of elements are used to achieve the phase shift coverage of 360° in both of these reflectarray designs. Two illustrative design examples are presented. The first of these is a reflectarray which points the beam in the specular direction with the illumination incident from a feed horn that has a skew angle of 30°, while the second design points the beam at 0°, i.e., toward boresight. We present the simulated results of these designs and compare their performances. The simulated gain for the normal-directed beam is found to be 26.2 dBi at 35.6 GHz with an aperture efficiency of 25.5%, and the sidelobe level is −19dB. The corresponding values for the reflectarray with specular-directed beam are; gain of 28 dBi at 35.6 GHz, aperture efficiency of 35.4% and sidelobe level of −21dB.
Short interpregnancy intervals and adverse pregnancy outcomes by maternal age in the United States

Abstract Purpose The purpose of the article was to examine the association between short interpregnancy intervals and adverse outcomes by maternal age among U.S. women. Methods Using publicly available natality files for 2013–2016 singleton births, we compared the risks of preterm birth, gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, and maternal morbidity (delivery-related complications) for less than 6-month, 6 to 11-month, and 12 to 17-month to 18- to 23-month interpregnancy intervals, overall and by maternal age. Models adjusted for maternal demographics, conditions, and behaviors. Results Among 2,365,219 births, adjusted risk ratios (aRR) for preterm birth overall for intervals less than 6, 6–11, and 12–17 months were 1.62 (95% confidence interval: 1.60, 1.65), 1.16 (1.15, 1.18), and 1.03 (1.02, 1.05), respectively, compared with 18–23 months. Intervals less than 6, 6–11, and 12–17 months were significantly protective overall for gestational diabetes (aRR range: 0.89–0.98), gestational hypertension (aRR range: 0.93–0.95), and maternal morbidity (aRR range: 0.93–1.08). All aRRs attenuated or remained flat with increasing maternal age. Conclusion Interpregnancy intervals less than 18 months showed different patterns of association for preterm birth compared with maternal outcomes, overall and across age. This suggests that increasing maternal age may have discordant effects on associations between short interpregnancy interval and adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes.
Looking Under the Hood of Z-Wave: Volatile Memory Introspection for the ZW0301 Transceiver

Z-Wave is a proprietary Internet of Things substrate providing distributed home and office automation services. The proprietary nature of Z-Wave devices makes it difficult to determine their security aptitude. While there are a variety of open source tools for analyzing Z-Wave frames, inspecting non-volatile memory, and disassembling firmware, there are no dynamic analysis tools allowing one to inspect the internal state of a Z-Wave transceiver while it is running. In this work, a memory introspection capability is developed for three Z-Wave devices containing a ZW0301, a Z-Wave transceiver system-on-chip. In all three devices, the firmware image is modified to include the memory introspection capability by hooking an existing data exfiltration mechanism used by the device. The memory introspection capability is applied to determine how nonces are generated by Z-Wave devices to prevent replay attacks. Through a combination of static and dynamic analysis, the nonce generating algorithm is found to be based on a nonce round key that updates every secure frame transaction.
Collecting and media change, or: Listening to Phish via app:

Practices of collecting are constrained by media circumstances. To show how changing media circumstances can occasion changes in collecting practices, this article explores one case study, an iOS a...
Being There: International Negotiations as Study Sites in Global Environmental Politics

This forum traces the emergence of international negotiations as study sites in the field of global environmental politics, from its early days until the present. It sets the scene for the research...
Rapid electrophoretic recovery of DNA from dried blood spots.

Large-scale genetic screening of neonatal dried blood spots for episomal DNA has a great potential to lower patient mortality and morbidity through early diagnosis of primary immunodeficiencies. However, DNA extraction from the surface of dried blood spots remains one of the most time consuming, costly, and labor-intensive parts of DNA analysis. In the present study, we developed and optimized a rapid methodology using only 50 V and heat to extract episomal DNA from dried blood spots prepared from diagnostic cord blood samples. This electric field DNA extraction is the first methodology to use an electric field to extract episomal DNA from a dried blood spot. This 25-minute procedure has one of the lowest times for the extraction of episomal DNA found within the literature and this novel procedure not only negates the need for costly treatment and wash steps, but reduces the time of manual procedures by more than 30 min while retaining the 75-80% of the yield. Combined with real-time PCR, this novel method of electric field extraction not only provides an effective tool for the large scale genetic analysis of neonates, but a key step forward in the simplification and standardization of diagnostic testing.
A highly effective nonpolar isostere of deoxyguanosine: synthesis, structure, stacking, and base pairing.

We describe the preparation and structure of the deoxyribonucleoside of 4-fluoro-6-methylbenzimidazole, abbreviated dH (8), which acts as a close shape mimic of the nucleoside deoxyguanosine. The nucleoside is prepared from 2-fluoro-4-methylaniline in seven steps. The X-ray crystal structure reveals a (−sc) glycosidic orientation, an S conformation for the deoxyribose moiety, and quite close shape mimicry of guanine by the substituted benzimidazole. Conformational studies by 1H NMR and 1H−1H ROESY experiments reveal an S-type conformation and an anti glycosidic orientation in solution (D2O), essentially the same as that of deoxyguanosine. Base-stacking studies in a “dangling end” context reveal that the benzimidazole base mimic stacks more strongly than all four natural bases, and more strongly than its counterpart guanine by 1.1 kcal/mol. Base-pairing studies in a 12mer DNA duplex show that, like other nonpolar nucleoside isosteres, H is destabilizing and nonselective when paired opposite natural bases. ...
Surrejoinder to Rejoinder by Norman A. Constantine and Carmen R. Nevarez to "Youth Health Services, Development Programs, and Teenage Birth Rates in 55 California Cities"

Objective: A support model consisting of a local health educators’ network, a technical assistance team with academic and practice experts, and an evolving sequence of professional continuing education activities supported health educators transitioning from community or school health education sites to health care sites as part of the Clinic Health Education and Life Style Promotion Project (Clinic HELP) designed to increase health education options for individuals within the Paso del Norte Region of the United States-Mexico Border. Methods: Focus groups, interviews and surveys were used to evaluate intervention activities designed to assist in the transition. Results/Conclusions: Lack of familiarity with health care settings and role delineation were identified as barriers while “expert” sounding boards, professional development activities, and advanced education assisted in the transition. Use of the professional network was less than anticipated. Practice Implications: Based on the Clinic HELP experience, recommendations are provided for professional education and support for health educators within clinical practice settings.
Approximate Stability Analysis for Drystacked Structures

We introduce a fast approximate stability analysis into an automated dry stacking procedure. Evaluating structural stability is essential for any type of construction, but especially challenging in techniques where building elements remain distinct and do not use fasteners or adhesives. Due to the irregular shape of construction materials, autonomous agents have restricted knowledge of contact geometry, which makes existing analysis tools difficult to deploy. In this paper, a geometric safety factor called kern is used to estimate how much the contact interface can shrink and the structure still be feasible, where feasibility can be checked efficiently using linear programming. We validate the stability measure by comparing the proposed methods with a fully simulated shaking test in 2D. We also improve existing heuristics-based planning by adding the proposed measure into the assembly process.
The Effect of Proximity in Social Data Charts on Perceived Unity

Social data charts – visual presentations of quantitative data about peer behaviors – may offer new means to motivate individuals to participate in group goals. However, to do so these charts need to create a semantic response of ‘unity’ among the chart viewers in order to overcome the problems of social loafing where people act selfishly and undervalue the group’s goal. In this paper, we focus on two properties of social data charts that may affect a viewer’s perceptions of unity: (1) The skewness in the data structure – the statistical distribution of the social data, and (2) the proximity in the visual structure of the chart – the spatial organization of the data points. We performed a controlled perceptual experiment to examine the effect of proximity and skewness on four different semantic facets of perceived group unity: similarity, entitativity, rapport, and centrality. We exposed 179 participants on Amazon Mechanical Turk to different group charts using a 2 x 2 factorial design, varying both proximity and skewness. Our two-way ANCOVA analyses reveal three important findings: (1) Across all conditions, proximity has a strong positive effect on perceived group unity and conveys a social meaning of group entitativity, as well as, member similarity and rapport; (2) Skewness and proximity interact in a non-linear way, suggesting that skewness creates a negative force that modifies the semantic responses to high proximity; and (3) The perceptual responses to proximity have different semantic facets that are either stable or sensitive to skewness. These findings contribute to perceptual as well as social InfoVis literature.
Bilateral Brachial Plexus Block Using Chloroprocaine For Surgery Of Bilateral Radial Fractures.

We report a case of a 41-year-old male with anticipated difficult airway undergoing a repair of a bilateral radial fracture under bilateral sequential brachial plexus block. Anesthesiologists are reluctant to perform bilateral blocks because of the fear of complications like diaphragmatic paralysis, local anesthetic (LA) toxicity, and pneumothorax. We advise that with the correct application of LA pharmacokinetics, careful patient selection and usage of ultrasound, bilateral blocks can be done safely. We used chloroprocaine as an LA in one of the blocks to reduce the dose required for the more toxic LAs. chloroprocaine’s fast metabolism also helped us to prevent the overlapping of peak plasma concentration of different LAs. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case in the literature where chloroprocaine was used for bilateral brachial plexus block.
Problem-Solving Behaviors of Different Achievement Groups on Multiple-Choice Questions in General Chemistry.

On the basis of the results of two prior studies at the US Naval Academy (USNA), which described the choice of study resources and the self-reported learning approaches of students of differing ach...
High temperature neutron diffraction investigation of U3Si2

Abstract The U-Si system is actively undergoing studies due to its promise as a component of an accident tolerant nuclear fuel. The crystal structure of the U3Si2 compound in the U-Si system was investigated as a function of temperature from room temperature to 1298 K for a sample of approximately 42.02 at.% Si composition and 1373 K for a sample with approximately 42.10 at.% Si using high temperature time-of-flight neutron diffraction on the High-Pressure Preferred Orientation (HIPPO) diffractometer at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). The simultaneous Rietveld refinement of five histograms from the five HIPPO detector backs (40°, 60°, 90°, 120°, and 145°) provided datasets for the lattice parameters, anisotropic atomic displacement parameters, and atomic positions as a function of temperature. To explore the possibility of a homogeneity range, two sample compositions were analyzed, a 40.02 at.% Si (near stoichiometric) and a potentially hyperstoichiometric (40.10 at.% Si) sample. While minor differences in the anisotropic atomic displacement parameters between the two samples were observed, over the entire investigated temperature range no additional phases were found indicative of a single phase sample and the ability of the U3Si2 compound to accommodate nonstoichiometry, suggesting that the U3Si2 compound is not a line compound confirming previous determinations. However, the differences observed in the average coefficient of linear thermal expansion identified between the two compositions warrant future investigation. Synopsis High temperature time-of-flight neutron diffraction measurements were carried out on 2 different compositions of U3Si2 and detailed analyses of the U3Si2 crystal structure as a function of temperature to 1298 K (for a 42.02 at.% Si sample) and 1373 K (for a 42.10 at.% Si sample) were performed. Anisotropic atomic displacement parameters, bond lengths, thermal expansion, coefficient of thermal expansion, and related properties were assessed as a function of temperature as well as the location of excess Si atoms and compared with simulation predictions.
Quality and Publication of Emergency Medicine Trials Registered in ClinicalTrials.gov

Introduction Promoting emergency medicine (EM) clinical trials research remains a priority. To characterize the status of clinical EM research, this study assessed trial quality, funding source, and publication of EM clinical trials and compared EM and non-EM trials on these key metrics. We also examined the volume of EM trials and their subspecialty areas. Methods We abstracted data from ClinicalTrials.gov (February 2000 - September 2013) and used individual study National Clinical Trial numbers to identify published trials (January 2007 - September 2016). We used descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to examine study characteristics by EM and non-EM status, and Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests to compare time to publication of completed EM and non-EM studies. Results We found 638 interventional EM trials and 59,512 non-EM interventional trials conducted in the United States between February 2000 and September 2013, registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. EM studies were significantly less likely than non-EM studies to be National Institutes of Health-funded or to evaluate a drug or biologic. However, EM studies had significantly larger sample sizes, and were significantly more likely to use randomization and blinding. Overall, 34.3% of EM and 26.0% of non-EM studies were published in peer-reviewed journals. By subspecialty, more EM trials concerned medical/surgical and psychiatric/neurological conditions than trauma. Conclusion Although EM studies were less likely to have received federal or industry funding, and the EM portfolio consisted of only 638 trials over the 14-year study period, the quality of EM trials surpassed that of non-EM trials, based on indices such as randomization and blinding. This novel finding bodes well for the future of clinical EM research, as does the higher proportion of published EM than non-EM trials. Our study also revealed that trauma studies were under-represented among EM studies. Periodic assessment of EM trials with the metrics used here could provide an informative and valuable longitudinal view of progress in clinical EM research.
The influence of crop insurance agents on coverage choices: The role of agent competition

We examine how competition among crop insurance agents affects coverage choice in the federal crop insurance program. Agents may influence producers’ insurance decisions to maximize their total compensation. We develop a theoretical model of producer–agent interaction to examine how loss potential, agent compensation mechanisms, and market competition affect the coverage level selected. Using crop insurance unit‐level datasets from five states, we find evidence that agent market concentration and agents’ market share matter in the insurance coverage decisions of producers but that the economic significance of the influence is relatively small. Agent influence over coverage level, premium, and liability choice is generally positive but inconsistent across states, which may be attributable to differences in loss risk and agent compensation mechanisms.
Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates at 6 Weeks Postpartum as a Function of Preconception Body Mass Index Are Not Impacted by Postpartum Obstetrical Practices or Routines.

Objective: Women with overweight/obesity have significantly lower rates of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) at 6 weeks postpartum compared with women of normal weight. We sought to determine whether differences in Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) adherence, obstetric practices, or social support explain these weight-related EBF disparities. Methods: One hundred forty-two healthy women who intended EBF (61 normal weight, 50 overweight, and 31 obese by preconception body mass index [BMI]) were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Obstetric data were collected and participants completed modified Infant Feeding Practices Study II surveys at 6 weeks postpartum. Results: Women with obesity were significantly less likely to undergo spontaneous labor and more likely to receive synthetic oxytocin and epidural anesthesia compared with women with overweight or normal weight. Women who were overweight were less likely to report extended family support for breastfeeding compared with women with obesity or normal weight; however, BFHI components and composite BFHI score did not differ by maternal BMI. Furthermore, regardless of BMI, women with greater adherence to BFHI practices were more likely to be EBF at 6 weeks postpartum (p-value <0.001). Nonetheless, at 6 weeks postpartum, women with obesity were expressing milk more frequently and less likely to have met their own breastfeeding goals compared with women with overweight and normal weight. Conclusions: Differences in EBF rates by BMI were not explained by BFHI adherence or obstetric practices. These data suggest physiological differences, rather than intrapartum practices and support services, may explain differences in EBF rates by maternal overweight/obesity.
El cine ingresa a las aulas de derecho

Este trabajo pretende fundamentar desde la didactica y la estetica la inclusion del visionado de peliculas en las aulas de derecho. Mediante el analisis de la pelicula “Tony Manero” (2008) del director Pablo Larrain, se abordaran, en primer lugar, las caracteristicas que posee la clase magistral trascendente como espacio abierto a distintos intervinientes, medios y saberes (en contraste con la clase magistral meramente expositiva), para luego presentar la teoria de Jacques Ranciere sobre el regimen estetico del arte que, en su aplicacion al cine, se funda en lo que el llama la “tragedia en suspenso”. Esta conjuncion interdisciplinaria nos dara la pauta para volver a comprender fenomenos pertenecientes al Derecho (la violencia en este caso) en su total complejidad, permitiendo asi la emancipacion intelectual del estudiante y del espacio de ensenanza-aprendizaje.
Atmospheric Research: Past, Present and Future Directions

This is a conceptual paper which examines the progress made over the past 20 years in the exploration of the effects of environmental cues or “atmospherics” on buyer behavior. Herein the authors review the pertinent literature by constructing a comprehensive table of the em-pirical studies in this area, then, comparing and contrasting the various findings associated with these investigations. In addition to discussing current trends in research methodologies, the paper concludes by offering numerous suggestions for future atmospheric-related research.
Collaborating Online: A Logic Model of Online Collaborative Group Work for Adult Learners

The paper introduces a logic model of online collaborative group work for adult learners. This logic model was developed through a literature review in the context of a multi-year educational design research study aimed at optimizing the online group work experience of adult learners. The model is intended to guide online instructors at post-secondary levels who aspire to develop and teach online courses using collaborative group work and authentic complex learning tasks as primary pedagogies. The paper describes each component of the model such as the goals of collaborative group work, attributes of different groups, and various factors influencing effective group work.
Evaluation of the Overweight and Obese Patient

Determining body mass index and waist circumference are the first steps in evaluating the risk to an individual patient. This can be complemented by more sophisticated methods and supplemented with laboratory data. If no specific etiologies are identified as contributory, and which could be ameliorated, then treatment can be designed, taking into considerations the patients needs and the realities of obesity. It is the role of the physician to evaluate individual patients and to estimate their health risk from obesity and aberrant fat deposition. As treatment approaches become more sophisticated and more effective, a proactive approach to risk assessment is an imperative.
Lessons and Outlook

The CoSy project had a very ambitious set of goals from the outset. The effort was driven forward by scientific and technical goals as outlined in Chapter 1. Early in the project integration efforts were undertaken to ensure that both component and systems issues could be addressed. Already after 12 months early demonstrators were available for empirical studies of cognitive systems. Obviously, at that stage, the systems were brittle and of limited functionality but they framed the problems in a nice way.
Resilience in Preschoolers and Toddlers from Low-Income Families

Authoritative parenting has been demonstrated to promote healthy, loving children across home environments of different SES income levels. However, anecdotal evidence shows that some children who encounter nonsupportive parenting and an impoverished environment may develop into remarkably resilient children. Further research is needed in this area of child development.
Aspiration Pneumonia: Prevention of Aspiration in Patients with Tracheostomies

Abstract Previous work has documented the incidence of aspiration in patients with tracheostomies to be very high. This has been suggested as a reason for the frequent pulmonary complications seen in patients with tracheostomies. In this study, two modified tracheostomy tube cuffs were evaluated as to their ability to act as a mechanical barrier and prevent aspiration. Forty spontaneously breathing patients with tracheostomies were studied. Utilizing an Evans blue dye test for aspiration, 13 (87%) of the 15 patients with standard tracheostomy tubes aspirated. Aspiration in the two study groups in which modified tracheal cuffs were used was decreased to 17% (2/12) and 15% (2/13). It is suggested that by proper tracheostomy cuff design, the high incidence of aspiration in patients with tracheostomies can be decreased.
Euclidean Distance Based Permutation Methods in Atmospheric Science

The majority of existing statistical methods inherently involve complex nonmetric analysis spaces due to their least squares regression origins consequently, the analysis space of such statistical methods is not consistent with the simple metric Euclidean geometry of the data space in question. The statistical methods presented in this paper are consistent with the data spaces in question. These alternative methods depend on exact and approximate permutation procedures for univariate and multivariate data involving cyclic phenomena, autoregressive patterns, covariate residual analyses including most linear model based experimental designs, and linear and nonlinear prediction model evaluations. Specific atmospheric science applications include climate change, Atlantic basin seasonal tropical cyclone predictions, analyses of weather modification experiments, and numerical model evaluations for phenomena such as cumulus clouds, clear-sky surface energy budgets, and mesoscale atmospheric predictions.
The Schweizer-Middleditch star - Not a stellar remnant of SN 1006

The blue star found by Schweizer and Middleditch (1980) near the center of SN1006 cannot be a stellar remnant of that supernova, unless it is considerably more exotic than is justified by existing observational data. Conventional stellar evolution theory shows that the time to cool to the observed effective temperature is approximately one million years, far in excess of the 975 year age of the supernova remnant.
Ripple Profiles Modeled Mathematically

FUNDAMENTAL TO THE MECHANICS OF RIPPLE AND DUNE BEHAVIOR IS THE EDDY ZONE IN THE LEE OF THE BED-FORM. A PROFILE MODEL BASED ON IRROTATIONAL FLOW AND INCORPORATING AN EDDY ZONE IS PRESENTED AS AN ADVANCEMENT ON SINUSOIDAL PROFILE MODELS. VELOCITY AND PRESSURE DATA TAKEN FROM A STYROFOAM REPLICA OF THE PROFILE MODEL ARE COMPARED TO THOSE OBTAINED THEORETICALLY ASSUMING IRROTATIONAL FLOW, AND ALSO TO THOSE OBTAINED THEORETICALLY ASSUMING INVISCID ROTATIONAL FLOW. THE LATTER SHOWS GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS. A COMPLETE MODEL OF BED-FORM BEHAVIOR INVOLVES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BED- FORM PROFILE, THE FLOW OVER THE BED-FORM, AND THE SEDIMENT TRANSPORT OVER THE BED-FORM. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BED-FORM PROFILE AND THE SEDIMENT TRANSPORT IS EXACT AND WELL KNOWN. A MODEL OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROFILE AND THE FLOW IS PRESENTED IN THIS PAPER. /ASCE/
In vivo lung morphometry with accelerated hyperpolarized (3) He diffusion MRI: a preliminary study.

Purpose Parallel imaging can be used to reduce imaging time and to increase the spatial coverage in hyperpolarized gas magnetic resonance imaging of the lung. In this proof-of-concept study, we investigate the effects of parallel imaging on the morphometric measurement of lung microstructure using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging with hyperpolarized 3He. Methods Fully sampled and under-sampled multi-b diffusion data were acquired from human subjects using an 8-channel 3He receive coil. A parallel imaging reconstruction technique (generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisitions [GRAPPA]) was used to reconstruct under-sampled k-space data. The morphometric results of the generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisitions-reconstructed data were compared with the results of fully sampled data for three types of subjects: healthy volunteers, mild, and moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Results Morphometric measurements varied only slightly at mild acceleration factors. The results were largely well preserved compared to fully sampled data for different lung conditions. Conclusion Parallel imaging, given sufficient signal-to-noise ratio, provides a reliable means to accelerate hyperpolarized-gas magnetic resonance imaging with no significant difference in the measurement of lung morphometry from the fully sampled images. GRAPPA is a promising technique to significantly reduce imaging time and/or to improve the spatial coverage for the morphometric measurement with hyperpolarized gases. Magn Reson Med 73:1609–1614, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of AIN ceramics containing long-period polytypes

Two AIN-SiO2 materials have been investigated by means of electron microscopy; fracture toughness has been used to characterize both materials. Three new long-period polytypes, close to the 2H hexagonal AIN structure, have been identified by high-resolution electron microscopy, namely 33R, 24H and 39R. These polytypes are built on the same stacking principle as those in the previously observed shorter polytypes in the AIN system. Indentation measurements indicate similar hardness and toughness for the different polytypes in these ceramics.
RAG1 Core and V(D)J Recombination Signal Sequences Were Derived from Transib Transposons

The V(D)J recombination reaction in jawed vertebrates is catalyzed by the RAG1 and RAG2 proteins, which are believed to have emerged approximately 500 million years ago from transposon-encoded proteins. Yet no transposase sequence similar to RAG1 or RAG2 has been found. Here we show that the approximately 600-amino acid “core” region of RAG1 required for its catalytic activity is significantly similar to the transposase encoded by DNA transposons that belong to the Transib superfamily. This superfamily was discovered recently based on computational analysis of the fruit fly and African malaria mosquito genomes. Transib transposons also are present in the genomes of sea urchin, yellow fever mosquito, silkworm, dog hookworm, hydra, and soybean rust. We demonstrate that recombination signal sequences (RSSs) were derived from terminal inverted repeats of an ancient Transib transposon. Furthermore, the critical DDE catalytic triad of RAG1 is shared with the Transib transposase as part of conserved motifs. We also studied several divergent proteins encoded by the sea urchin and lancelet genomes that are 25%−30% identical to the RAG1 N-terminal domain and the RAG1 core. Our results provide the first direct evidence linking RAG1 and RSSs to a specific superfamily of DNA transposons and indicate that the V(D)J machinery evolved from transposons. We propose that only the RAG1 core was derived from the Transib transposase, whereas the N-terminal domain was assembled from separate proteins of unknown function that may still be active in sea urchin, lancelet, hydra, and starlet sea anemone. We also suggest that the RAG2 protein was not encoded by ancient Transib transposons but emerged in jawed vertebrates as a counterpart of RAG1 necessary for the V(D)J recombination reaction.
Sport and soft authoritarian nation-building

Abstract Authoritarian regimes have long taken an interest in promoting elite and mass sport, deploying it as both a nation-building strategy and a tool to elicit respect and legitimacy on the global stage. However, authoritarian regimes do not equally engage sport for these ends. Rather, as I argue, it is characteristic of ‘soft’ authoritarian regimes, i.e. those that rely less on overtly violent tactics of maintaining power (‘coercion’) and more on seemingly ‘positive’ tactics (‘persuasion’). Through the example of sport in Kazakhstan, and specifically the Astana Professional Cycling Team, I argue that nation-building through state promotion of sport illustrates the ways that soft authoritarian regimes such as that of Nursultan Nazarbayev perpetuate their rule. Adding nation-building as the sixth tool in the Schatz's (2009) ‘soft authoritarian toolkit,’ I demonstrate through discourse analysis and focus group research, how the nationalist performances surrounding elite sport are fundamental to allowing ordinary people to see their everyday practices and support for the ‘nation’ as something ‘objective,’ rather than intimately tied to the system of unequal power relations perpetuated by the ruling regime.
Extending Problem Frames to deal with stakeholder problems: An Agent- and Goal-Oriented Approach

The Problem Frames approach captures problems as seen by developers, but not by stakeholders. This paper presents a framework that extends the problem diagram of the Problem Frames approach to represent stakeholder problems using "soft-problem", a notion referring to an undesirable situation that negatively affects stakeholder goals and may have less clear-cut resolution criteria. A soft-problem may be refined to more specific sub-problems and root causes, which are then traced to corresponding solutions in a diagram called Problem Interdependency Graph. The framework has been applied to the 1992 London ambulance case study, which shows that the framework helps to more precisely represent the stakeholder problems suffered by the existing system ("as-is") together with the solutions to be provided by the new system ("to-be") to such problems. The study also shows that the framework helps to determine whether the problems have been sufficiently addressed and, if not, why.
High prevalence of Inoue-Melnick virus antibodies in patients with colorectal carcinoma.

Abstract The high prevalence of serum neutralizing antibodies against Inoue-Melnick virus (IMV) among American patients with colorectal carcinoma has been confirmed. Sera from 26 patients with colorectal carcinoma along with the identical number of age- and sex-matched patients with non-colorectal neoplasia and normal healthy controls were collected in the Buffalo area. All of the colorectal carcinoma group possessed antibodies against IMV (100%), while antibody positivity for non-colorectal neoplasia and for normal controls were 34.6% and 38.5%, respectively. Geometric mean titers of antibodies to IMV type 1 and type 2 for colorectal carcinoma were 266 and 338, respectively, whereas the mean titers in the other two control groups were less than 10.3. These differences between colorectal carcinoma and the two controls were highly significant (P
Histologic findings in T-cell lymphoma infiltration of the optic nerve.

Objective To report the clinical and histologic features of lymphomatous infiltration of the optic nerve by systemic T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Design Interventional case report. Participant A patient with peripheral T-cell NHL. Methods A 39-year-old man with a diagnosis of peripheral T-cell NHL, stage IV, with CNS involvement and decreased vision was found to have lymphomatous infiltration of the optic nerves. Main Outcome Measure Visual acuity. Results Despite treatment with chemotherapy and an optic nerve sheath fenestration, the patient lost vision in the right eye and subsequently underwent an optic nerve biopsy. The histopathology showed diffuse infiltration with a clonal population of lymphocytic cells that were CD3 positive and CD20 negative, consistent with T-cell NHL. Conclusion Optic nerve infiltration from systemic B-cell lymphoma is rare and has been reported; we report an unusual case of bilateral optic nerve infiltration secondary to peripheral T-cell NHL.
Communicating difficult news.

Radiologists may be called upon to be the bearers of difficult news, as imaging studies frequently reveal findings that patients, families, and health professionals would prefer not to see. A chest radiograph may reveal a bronchogenic carcinoma, a head CT scan may reveal a subarachnoid hemorrhage, and a bone radiograph may reveal a complex fracture. In some cases, radiologists communicate such diagnoses to referring health professionals who then convey the results to patients. In other cases, radiologists may inform patients directly, a practice likely to become more common if calls for greater radiologist-patient communication are heeded [1-3]. Like image interpretation, communicating difficult news is a skill, and it is important for radiologists who convey results to patients to be well prepared. In this column, we review the frequency of a number of major adverse diagnoses in medicine (on the basis of data from the National Center for Health Statistics [4]) and outline an approach to conveying such news effectively and compassionately [5,6]. If radiologistsin-training and practice have little familiarity with communicating difficult news, they are less likely to perform well at it, potentially sowing seeds of confusion and even contributing to the distress of patients [7,8]. On the other hand, if radiologists understand how to break bad news and have gained experience at it, they can enhance the care of patients, their own sense of professional fulfillment as physicians, and public regard for radiology and radiologists. THE FREQUENCY OF BAD NEWS
The Won Cause: Black and White Comradeship in the Grand Army of the Republic. By Barbara A. Gannon. (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2011. Pp. 282. $39.95.)

The author examines the fraternal and social lives of Union Civil War veterans in this new study. She posits the “Won Cause,” the memory of Union veterans, against the “Lost Cause” ideology popular...
Comparative Photosynthesis of Three Gap Phase Successional Tree Species

Photosynthesis was measured in situ on trees growing in an open, gap-like site and under a closed canopy. Photosynthetic responses also were monitored on trees grown in the laboratory under either a high or low light regime or on those trees transferred from a low to a high light regime. All three species studied, Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer rubrum and Cornus florida, were able to acclimate to a high light environment as evidenced by their higher photosynthetic rates. This acclimation was achieved by an increase in transfer conductance and was ultimately due to changes in leaf anatomy. Species avoided photo-bleaching primarily by changes in leaf orientation and canopy structure. Species-specific physiological responses to high light intensity may account for each species' known growth response following canopy opening.
Stages of Adopting Regular Screening Mammography Do Women Differ in Decisional Balance Within Stages

This study examined whether distinct subgroups of women could be identified within stages of adoption for screening mammography. These subgroups may represent differential readiness to move to the next stage of the adoption continuum. Data were from a baseline survey of 1323 women between the ages of 50 and 74 years who were recruited through a staff- model HMO for an intervention study to increase rates of mammography. Multiple regression models were used to identify correlates of positive decisional balance within each of four stages of adoption, and an index of positive indicators was developed from the significant correlates for each stage. Analysis of variance showed that the number of positive indicators discriminated women within each stage. This information can be used to develop more effective tailored interventions to increase the percentage of women receiving mammograms on a regular schedule.
Indices of tree susceptibility to bark beetles vary with silvicultural treatment in a loblolly pine plantation

Abstract We evaluated the effects of thinning and fertilization on eight indices of susceptibility to insects in loblolly pine trees ( Pinus taeda L.) growing in a 24-year-old plantation in eastern Virginia, U.S.A. Resin flow rates, starch concentratons in phloem, an index of relative growth, and bark and phloem thickness all were greater in trees in thinned plots than in control or fertilized plots. Resin flow and starch concentrations varied seasonally. Bark electrical resistance values were greater in the control and fertilized treatments. Based on association of stocking densities with bark-beetle-induced mortality, thinning is often recommended as a silvicultural treatment to reduce susceptibility of forest stands to insects. This study demonstrates that thinning affects many of the biochemical and physical characteristics of loblolly pine that have been suggested as predictors of host susceptibilityto bark beetles.
Agency, Identity, and Social Justice Education: Preservice Teachers’ Thoughts on Becoming Agents of Change in Urban Elementary Science Classrooms

Using multiple theoretical frameworks, reflective writings and interviews, this study explores preservice elementary teachers’ emerging identities as science teachers and how this identity is connected to notions of critical agency and a stance toward social justice. The study addresses two central questions pertaining to preservice teachers’ conceptions as “agents of change” and how their perceptions as change agents frame their science teacher identities and understanding of teaching science in urban elementary classrooms. Their identity in the moment as elementary preservice teachers—not yet teachers—influences how they view themselves as teachers and how much agency or power they feel they have as agents of change in science classrooms. Findings suggest that science teacher education must play a more immediate, fundamental and emancipatory role in preparing preservice teachers in developing science teacher identities and a stance toward social justice.
Rett syndrome: recognition of facial expression and its relation to scanning patterns.

Abstract Background Rett syndrome is a severely disabling neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the X-linked MECP2 gene. Very little is known about its cognitive phenotype and nothing about recognition of emotional expression, a key factor for social interaction and communication. Using eye tracking technology, a technique uniquely suited for studying cognition in this disorder, we examined this ability here. Methods Rett syndrome female patients (n = 37; 2-31 years) and a typically developing age- and gender-matched comparison group (n = 34; 2-30 years) were assessed on recognition of three basic emotions (happy, sad, and fear) using six visual paired-comparison problems. Each problem consisted of a 10-second familiarization, in which two identical faces posing one emotion were presented, followed by a 10-second test, in which the familiar emotion was paired with a novel one posed by the same model. Recognition was inferred from preferential looking to the novel target on test. During familiarization, attention was measured by total looking time, number and/or length of fixations, and gaze dispersion across three key facial features (eyes, nose, and mouth). Results Individuals with Rett syndrome had difficulty recognizing most emotional expressions, unlike the typically developing comparison group. Also, their scanpaths were atypical—less looking, fewer and/or longer fixations, and less time devoted to all facial features (48% versus 72%), particularly the mouth. Significant correlations between looking to critical features and recognition underscored the importance of scanning. Conclusions Our results suggest that individuals with Rett syndrome have difficulty reading emotional expressions and that these problems are linked to atypicalities in scanning.
SOCIOECONOMIC AND COERCIVE POWER WITHIN THE FAMILY

This study investigates whether couples' income and occupational status covary with wife and child abuse. The author interviewed 365 battered and nonbattered women about different facets of family violence and finances and obtained reports from one of their children about abuse in the home. The author compares the relative influence of overall family resources to resource disparity between women and their partners. Asymmetry in income favoring women, rather than total family income, predicted the men's frequency and severity of abuse toward their wives. Overall combined occupational status of the couple also predicted wife abuse, but disparity in occupations did not. These findings suggest that income disparity rather than overall poverty contributes to wife abuse. Class standing as indexed by membership in lower-status occupations also is a risk factor for wife battering. Fathers or stepfathers who harm women are also more likely to abuse the children, with few effects of income and occupation after part...
SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF AN INVERSE METHOD FOR CHARACTERIZING INDUSTRIAL FOAMS

Assessing the effect of a foam layer on critical transport phenomena is of significant interest in many industries, so a method for measuring structural and radiative properties of foam is being developed. A model of the propagation of radiation from an amplitude modulated laser beam through a non-absorbing foam layer has been developed using diffusion theory. Relationships between foam layer properties and measurable characteristics of the reflected radiative flux are obtained from this model. A parameter estimation method capable of inferring the targeted properties is being developed. As part of the development, a sensitivity study has been conducted to determine the optimal distance between the source and the detector. Factors influencing the accuracy of the estimated properties are identified, and a method to balance these competing factors is proposed. Simulated experimental measurements were generated using a Monte Carlo method, and the proposed method has been tested for a specific case. The reduced scattering coefficient and the thickness of a non-absorbing foam layer were determined to within 2% in this specific case.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Paraduodenal herniation: An internal herniation in a virgin abdomen.

INTRODUCTION A paraduodenal hernia is an uncommon hernia that results from an abnormal rotation of the midgut. Commonly, these hernias are congenital in nature, and are reported to cause 1.5–5.8% of intestinal obstructions. These hernias occur when a part of the jejunum herniates through the posterior portion of the ligament of Treitz. Diagnosing these hernias preoperatively has been shown to be difficult, despite the studies that are available. Early diagnosis is imperative to the patient in order to avoid strangulation of the bowel, which is associated with a high mortality.
Endothelial, platelet and leukocyte interactions in ischemic heart disease: Insights into potential mechanisms and their clinical relevance

Recent investigations of the complex interactions among vascular endothelium, platelets and leukocytes have relevance to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Perturbations in the hemodynamic equilibrium maintained by these cellular elements may lead to vasospasm, in vivo thrombosis and a reduction in blood flow. Recent advances in the understanding of these interactions in health and disease states are summarized. The effect of pharmacologic agents on these cell-cell interactions are discussed to provide the reader with a general understanding of the relevance of these interactions in cardiovascular disease.