cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
2007 costs and coverage of antiretrovirals under Medicare Part D for people with HIV/AIDS living in North Carolina.

BACKGROUND: Effective January 1, 2006 Medicare Part D became a new source of prescription drug coverage for people with HIV/AIDS in the United States. The implementation of Part D has affected access to antiretrovirals for people with HIV/AIDS. In North Carolina, access can be difficult because of the state's struggling safety net programs and the growing HIV-infected populations among Blacks and in poor rural counties. This analysis examines Medicare Part D antiretroviral coverage in 2007 for beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS in North Carolina, particularly those who did not qualify as dual eligibles or for a full low-income subsidy. METHODS: Data describing program coverage were obtained from the Web site www.medicare.gov and descriptive analyses were performed to assess changes in antiretroviral coverage in Part D prescription drug plans in North Carolina. RESULTS: Most of the 26 antiretrovirals are covered in some way by 76 North Carolina prescription drug plans. There may be variability in coverage however associated with (a) antiretroviral classification within formularies; (b) drug premiums; (c) whether premiums can be waived; (d) annual deductibles; and (e) whether coverage is provided in the "doughnut hole." LIMITATIONS: The data may not reflect actual patterns of drug use and realized access to the drugs. The findings are limited to antiretroviral coverage in North Carolina's Part D offerings but could be generalized to other states with similar prescription drug plan costs and coverage. CONCLUSION: These concerns continue to pose significant challenges to accessing antiretrovirals for Part D beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS in North Carolina. Variability demonstrated within prescription drug plans will continue, and beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS who do not qualify as dual eligibles or for low-income subsidies will need to evaluate these issues when selecting a prescription drug plan in future enrollment periods.
Finding an Efficient Threshold for Fixation Detection in Eye Gaze Tracking

We propose a combined analytical/statistical method to determine an efficient threshold on the dispersion of estimates of the point of gaze POG to indicate a user fixation. The experimental data for this study was obtained with an EyeTech TM3 eye gaze tracker EGT. The experimental protocol to make the user fixate on pre-determined visual targets was implemented using the C language and OpenCV. Subjects first used the system in a training mode, from which an individualized dispersion threshold was obtained. Our approach was verified by applying the individualized threshold to POG data from a second run, in testing mode, with encouraging results.
Introduction: Kant, Hegel, and the Nature of Logic

Truth is a matter of peculiar disciplinary significance for both philosophers and logicians. Of course, every science and inquiry seeks to say something true about ‘what is’. Theologians, scientists, and artists seek to discern the true, whether this truth concerns the highest being, the nature of depression, or social justice, and so forth. The logician and the philosopher, however, are unique in their efforts to mark out the conditions of truth. They both share the tasks of determining the boundaries of intelligibility, separating formal from material conditions of truth, and striving for a language of utmost precision. Both disciplines are thus concerned, in contrast to the particular sciences and arts, with conditions by which truth happens.
MATRIX-VBS (v1.0): implementing an evolving organic aerosol volatility in an aerosol microphysics model

The gas-particle partitioning and chemical aging of semi-volatile organic aerosol are presented in a newly developed box model scheme, where its effect on the growth, composition, and mixing state of particles is examined. The volatility-basis set (VBS) framework is implemented into the aerosol microphysical scheme MATRIX (Multiconfiguration Aerosol TRacker of mIXing state), which resolves mass and number aerosol concentrations and in multiple mixing-state classes. The new scheme, MATRIX-VBS, has the potential to significantly advance the representation of organic aerosols in Earth system models by improving upon the conventional representation as non-volatile particulate organic matter, often also with an assumed fixed size distribution. We present results from idealized cases representing Beijing, Mexico City, a Finnish forest, and a southeastern US forest, and investigate the evolution of mass concentrations and volatility distributions for organic species across the gas and particle phases, as well as assessing their mixing state among aerosol populations. Emitted semi-volatile primary organic aerosols evaporate almost completely in the intermediate-volatility range, while they remain in the particle phase in the low-volatility range. Their volatility distribution at any point in time depends on the applied emission factors, oxidation by OH radicals, and temperature. We also compare against parallel simulations with the original scheme, which represented only the particulate and non-volatile component of the organic aerosol, examining how differently the condensed-phase organic matter is distributed across the mixing states in the model. The results demonstrate the importance of representing organic aerosol as a semi-volatile aerosol, and explicitly calculating the partitioning of organic species between the gas and particulate phases.
Panoramic view picks out physics

Brian Silver's book is an enormously ambitious project, and might well be subtitled "Everything you always wanted to know about science". Silver proposes to explain to an idealized layreader (whom he calls "HMS" for "l'homme moyen sensuel") the "great breakthroughs of science" achieved in the "major battles". He does indeed demonstrate that he is a fine writer and a very knowledgeable scientist.
Investigation of the Effects of Receptors on the Lightning Strike Protection of Wind Turbine Blades

Receptor plays an essential role in determining the efficiency of lightning strike protection (LSP) on wind turbine blades. To investigate the effects of receptors with different shapes and sizes on the LSP, we apply five different receptor configurations to the blade of a high-fidelity wind turbine model. The static electric field strength on the blade surfaces due to a lightning stepped leader is predicted through the development of a numerical model with finite element analysis. The interception efficiency is evaluated by comparing the predicted maximum electric field strength in the vicinity of the receptors. In addition, the locations of the predicted lightning strike attachment points match well with those obtained by experimental measurements, which validate the current numerical approach.
Experimental characterization of high pressure gasoline direct injection sprays

An experimental investigation of multihole gasoline direct injection sprays at high injection pressures in a quiescent test chamber is carried out. A multihole injector with six injection holes and 60° spray cone angle is used for this purpose. High-speed Mie-scattering and high-speed Schlieren visualisations are used to characterise vapour penetration, liquid penetration, spray angle and velocity under typical engine high load and low load conditions. Variations of chamber conditions are also investigated in order to assess the effects of chamber temperature, density and pressure on the spray characteristics. The important chamber parameters are identified which affect the performance of multihole injectors in spark ignition engines.
Neighborhood perception and self‐rated health among Mexican American older adults

Aim The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between neighborhood perception and poor self-rated health among older Mexican Americans, adjusting for important background characteristics, such as neighborhood ethnic composition and other health conditions. Methods Drawing on the 2004–2005 Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly data (n = 1780), the present study used logistic regression to examine the effects of neighborhood perception on poor self-rated health of older Mexican Americans. Results The results show that participants with a greater positive perception of their neighborhood were less likely to report poor self-rated health, controlling for both socioeconomic status and health status covariates. Conclusions The findings suggest that positive neighborhood perception serves as an important protective factor in overall health. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; ••: ••–••.
Vocational behavior and career development, 1984: A review

Abstract Nearly six hundred 1984 publications on vocational behavior and career development were identified, with about one-half reviewed here. The counseling psychology perspective is used to review articles on career development, decision making and problem solving, women, minorities, special groups, assessment, and interventions. The industrial/organizational perspective is used to review personnel functions and techniques, leadership, reactions to organizational life, and unions. Publications with exemplary methodological and/or substantive features are spotlighted. Especially notable advances are the Handbook of Vocational Psychology ( W. B. Walsh & S. H. Osipow, Eds., 1983a, 1983b ; Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum) and the Handbook of Counseling Psychology ( S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent, Eds., 1984 , New York: Wiley).
88-Inch Cyclotron: The one-stop facility for electronics radiation testing

In the outer space down to the altitudes routinely flown by the larger commercial aircrafts, radiation is a serious problem for the microelectronics circuits. The 88-Inch Cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is a sector-focused cyclotron and is the home of the Berkeley Accelerator Space Effects Facility, where the effects of energetic particles on sensitive microelectronics are studied with the goal of designing electronic systems for the space community. The paper will describe the flexibility of the facility and its capabilities for testing the bombardment of the electronics by heavy ions, light ions, and neutrons.
State of the World’s Children

This chapter reviews the state of children in both rich and poor countries of the world. It examines some recent data with respect to the longterm sequelae of malnutrition. It suggests that, unless urgent improvements in protecting fetal and infant brains can be achieved in both rich and poor countries, developmental-behavioral disorders will emerge by the 21st century as an overriding health issue in many areas of the world.
Computing global strategies for multi-market commodity trading

The focus of this work is the computation of efficient strategies for commodity trading in a multi-market environment. In today's "global economy" commodities are often bought in one location and then sold (right away, or after some storage period) in different markets. Thus, a trading decision in one location must be based on expectations about future price curves in all other relevant markets, and on current and future storage and transportation costs. Investors try to compute a strategy that maximizes expected return, usually with some limitations on assumed risk. With standard stochastic assumptions on commodity price fluctuations, computing an optimal strategy can be modeled as a Markov decision process (MDP). However, in general such a formulation does not lead to efficient algorithms. In this work we propose a model for representing the multi-market trading problem and show how to obtain efficient structured algorithms for computing optimal strategies for a number of commonly used trading objective functions (Expected NPV, Mean-Variance, and Value at Risk).
Two-player nonzero-sum ω-regular games

We study infinite stochastic games played by two-players on a finite graph with goals specified by sets of infinite traces. The games are concurrent (each player simultaneously and independently chooses an action at each round), stochastic (the next state is determined by a probability distribution depending on the current state and the chosen actions), infinite (the game continues for an infinite number of rounds), nonzero-sum (the players' goals are not necessarily conflicting), and undiscounted. We show that if each player has an ω-regular objective expressed as a parity objective, then there exists an MediaObjects/InlineFigure1.png-Nash equilibrium, for every MediaObjects/InlineFigure2.png. However, exact Nash equilibria need not exist. We study the complexity of finding values (payoff profile) of an MediaObjects/InlineFigure3.png-Nash equilibrium. We show that the values of an MediaObjects/InlineFigure4.png-Nash equilibrium in nonzero-sum concurrent parity games can be computed by solving the following two simpler problems: computing the values of zero-sum (the goals of the players are strictly conflicting) concurrent parity games and computing MediaObjects/InlineFigure5.png-Nash equilibrium values of nonzero-sum concurrent games with reachability objectives. As a consequence we establish that values of an MediaObjects/InlineFigure6.png-Nash equilibrium can be computed in TFNP (total functional NP), and hence in EXPTIME.
A single-step framework to generate spatially self-shielded multi-group cross sections from Monte Carlo transport simulations

Abstract A key challenge for full-core transport methods is reactor agnostic multi-group cross section (MGXS) generation. Monte Carlo (MC) presents the most accurate method for MGXS generation since it does not require any approximations to the neutron flux. This paper introduces a framework that replaces the traditional multi-level approach to MGXS generation with a single MC calculation to generate the fine-spatial mesh MGXS that are needed by high-fidelity transport codes. In addition, three pin-wise spatial homogenization schemes are introduced to model inter-pin spatial self-shielding spectral effects with varying levels of spatial fidelity. Most notably, the Local Neighbor Symmetry (LNS) scheme uses a nearest neighbor-like analysis of a reactor geometry to determine which fuel pins should be assigned the same MGXS. The single-step MGXS framework with the three spatial homogenization schemes are evaluated for two PWR benchmarks. The results demonstrate the potential for single-step MC simulations of the complete heterogeneous geometry as a means to generate reactor agnostic MGXS for deterministic transport codes.
Jewish Boys on the Run: The Revision of Boyhood in Holocaust Fiction and Film

Focusing on Rachel Seiffert’s 2017 novel A Boy in Winter and Pepe Danquart’s 2013 film Run Boy Run, this essay argues that representations of Jewish boyhood in Holocaust fiction and film posit critical challenges to the timeless coming-of-age boy’s story and restoration of a mythical “golden age.” Among features that invite comparative study, the protagonists in both Seiffert’s novel and Danquart’s film struggle to survive on the run with hidden identities after their parents are rounded up by the Nazis. In Danquart’s film, eight-year-old Srulik runs from the Nazis only because his father commands him to. In Seiffert’s novel, thirteen-year-old Yankel escapes with his younger brother on his own initiative, without informing their parents.
Using Think-Alouds to Understand How Students Balance Free Speech and Inclusion

Higher education is increasingly under fire as a bastion of liberal intolerance, where freedom of expression is routinely curtailed to protect and coddle vulnerable individuals and foster inclusion. While much of this picture is exaggerated, recent evidence suggests there is some truth at the core of this claim. We explore student attitudes toward freedom of speech on campus using a think-aloud method, in which students are exposed to source material on a subject and “think aloud” as they work through it. We gain an in-depth picture of how students understand and make judgments about who should and should not be allowed to speak on campus. Students tend to be more restrictive than a civil libertarian might like, albeit in (usually) internally consistent and sympathetic ways. We conclude by suggesting interventions that could help students better understand the way First Amendment rights are typically adjudicated and balanced against other lofty goals.
A Comparison of Two Rule-Enforcing Experiences

In Chapter 8 we examined individual differences among our subjects in their propensity to follow or violate rules. We found that offense status is related to the rule-enforcing environment and norms of behavior and enforcement but is not related to legal reasoning level or personality. It seems plausible, therefore, that the interaction between legal reasoning and the rule-enforcing environment is more a product of group socialization than of individual propensities. We turn now to an analysis of the nature of that group experience in the two different rule-enforcing environments established by our experimental manipulation.
Comparison of Dead-Time Effects in a WPT System Inverter for Different Fixed-Frequency Modulation Techniques

In this paper, a comparative study of the dead-time effects in a wireless power transfer (WPT) system inverter is performed for different fixed-frequency control techniques. The dead-time is provided between the complementary switching instances of the inverter phase-legs to ensure safe operation of the input power source. Under certain operating conditions, the dead-time results in waveform distortions or voltage-polarity reversal (VPR) at the inverter output. The VPR affects the switching characteristics, harmonic spectrum, switching losses, and output voltage/power of the system. A detailed analysis of the dead-time effect on the WPT system parameters such as output voltage and output power is conducted for the different fixed-frequency control strategies (i.e., traditional phase-shift control, asymmetrical clamped-mode, and asymmetrical duty-cycle control). Furthermore, the impact of dead-time on the inverter switching losses is compared for the different control strategies.
The Far Right: Formidable but Not Unbeatable

The level of discontent and alienation with neoliberalism was already very high in the Global North before the coronavirus hit, owing to the inability of the established elites to reverse the decli...
A validated thermal and biological model for predicting algal productivity in large scale outdoor cultivation systems

Abstract Proper assessment of the sustainability of algal products requires an understanding of algal growth rate with regional and temporal resolution. This study developed a bulk growth model that utilizes geospatial data, reactor geometry inputs, and a maximum of six strain-specific parameters to predict algal productivity with temporal and regional resolution. The model requires local weather data to calculate the time-resolved culture temperature which is combined with a biological model based on maximum theoretical carbon fixation to predict the time-resolved algal concentration. Validation of the model against experimental data illustrates an average accuracy of 0.27% ± 5.32% when comparing algal concentration at harvest over 45 days of cultivation data for Galdieria sulphuraria 5587.1, and Galdieria sulphuraria Soos grown in photobioreactors (PBRs) in Mesa, AZ (33.4152° N, 111.8315° W). For open raceway ponds (ORPs), an accuracy of 0.9% ± 2.35% was achieved when comparing algal concentration at harvest over 50 days of cultivation data for Chlorella vulgaris, Desmodesmus intermedius, Nannochloropsis oceanica grown in Atlanta, GA (33.7490° N, 84.3880° W) and Mesa, AZ (33.4152° N, 111.8315° W). The validation trials spanned three seasons (winter, spring, and summer) to ensure model accuracy throughout the year, and concentration between harvests was modeled with hourly resolution. The validated model is used to assess the productivity at several case-study locations in the United States with Chlorella vulgaris, grown in open raceway ponds and Galdieria sulphuraria grown in vertical flat panel photobioreactors. The model has been published as an open-source tool, in an effort to increase the fidelity of future studies that rely on outdoor algae cultivation for feedstock production and allow for time resolved results for future techno-economic and life cycle assessments.
Uma Abordagem Probabilística para a Operação de Redes de Distribuição de Energia Elétrica em um Ambiente Pré-Smart Grid

Neste trabalho e apresentada uma metodologia para melhorar o desempenho da rede de distribuicao eletrica explorando a capacidade de despacho de energia reativa de unidades de geracao distribuida (GDs), considerando as incertezas inerentes ao processo, de forma probabilistica. Nesta metodologia, baseada em matrizes de sensibilidade, as redes de distribuicao eletrica sao divididas em clusters e cada cluster recebe um setpoint de GD, definido sem comunicacoes online entre as GDs e as distribuidoras (definido como ambiente pre- smart grid). Alem disso, e proposto neste artigo uma metodologia com abordagem probabilistica para operar uma rede de distribuicao de energia eletrica com GDs em um ambiente pre- smart grid. Os resultados permitiram considerar o grau de incerteza associado a uma ou mais variaveis de entrada e como estas podem afetar os resultados esperados. A adocao de metodos probabilisticos tende a ser aproximar mais da realidade, uma vez que podem considerar as incertezas associadas a cada variavel de entrada.
A Metabolomics Analysis of Circulating Carotenoids and Breast Cancer Risk

Background: Higher circulating carotenoids are associated with lower breast cancer risk. The underlying biology remains under-explored. Methods: We profiled 293 prediagnostic plasma metabolites in a nested case–control study (n = 887 cases) within the Nurses9 Health Studies. Associations between circulating carotenoids and metabolites were identified using linear-mixed models (FDR ≤ 0.05), and we further selected metabolites most predictive of carotenoids with LASSO. Metabolic signatures for carotenoids were calculated as weighted sums of LASSO selected metabolites. We further evaluated the metabolic signatures in relation to breast cancer risk using conditional logistic-regression. Results: We identified 48 to 110 metabolites associated with plasma levels of α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, estimated-vitamin-A-potential, lutein/zeaxanthin, and lycopene, which included primarily positively associated metabolites implicated in immune regulation (tryptophan), redox balance (plasmalogens, glutamine), epigenetic regulations (acetylated-/methylated-metabolites), and primarily inversely associated metabolites involved in β-oxidation (carnitines; FDR ≤ 0.05). The metabolomic signatures derived for β-carotene (Q4 vs. Q1 relative risk RR = 0.74, Ptrend = 0.02), and estimated-vitamin-A-potential (Q4 vs. Q1 RR = 0.74, Ptrend = 0.02)—measured ≥10 years before diagnosis—were associated with lower breast cancer risk. Modest attenuations of RR for measured levels of β-carotene and estimated-vitamin-A-potential were seen when we adjusted for their corresponding metabolic signatures. Conclusions: Metabolites involved in immune regulation, redox balance, membrane signaling, and β-oxidation were associated with plasma carotenoids. Although some metabolites may reflect shared common food sources or compartmental colocalization with carotenoids, others may signal the underlying pathways of carotenoids-associated lowered breast cancer risk. Impact: Consumption of carotenoid-rich diet is associated with a wide-range of metabolic changes which may help to reduce breast cancer risk.
Surface discretization considerations for the boundary-element method applied to three-dimensional ellipsoidal particles in Stokes flow

The boundary-element method has often been used for simulating particle motion in Stokes flow, yet there is a scarcity of quantitative studies examining local errors induced by meshing highly elongated particles. In this paper, we study the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the double layer operator for an ellipsoid in an external linear or quadratic flow. We examine the local and global errors induced by changing the interpolation order of the geometry (flat or curved triangular elements) and the interpolation order of the double layer density (piecewise-constant or piecewise-linear over each element). Our results show that local errors can be quite large even when the global errors are small, prompting us to examine the distribution of local errors for each parameterization. Interestingly, we find that increasing the interpolation orders for the geometry and the double layer density does not always guarantee smaller errors. Depending on the nature of the meshing near high curvature regions, the number of high aspect ratio elements, and the flatness of the particle geometry, a piecewise-constant density can exhibit lower errors than piecewise-linear density, and there can be little benefit from using curved triangular elements. Overall, this study provides practical insights on how to appropriately discretize and parameterize three-dimensional boundary-element simulations for elongated particles with prolate-like and oblate-like geometries.
Transdermal estradiol treatment during breastfeeding: maternal and infant serum concentrations

We examined estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1) concentrations in breastfeeding mother-infant dyads. The mothers had postpartum depression and were participants in a randomized clinical trial with three treatments (transdermal E2, sertraline, and placebo). Neither infant E1 and E2 concentrations nor infant growth differed across the treatments. Transdermal E2 administration of 50 to 200 mcg/day for breastfeeding women did not affect infant E1 or E2 concentrations or infant growth.
NMR studies delineating spatial relationships within the cardiac troponin I-troponin C complex.

NMR spectroscopy and selective isotope labeling of both recombinant cardiac troponin C (cTnC3) and a truncated cardiac troponin I (cTnI/NH2) lacking the N-terminal 32-amino acid cardiac-specific sequence have been used to probe protein-protein interactions central to muscle contraction. Using [methyl-13C]Met-labeled cTnC3, all 10 cTnC Met residues of Ca(2+)-saturated cTnC3 could be resolved in the two-dimensional heteronuclear single- and multiple-quantum coherence spectrum of the cTnI.cTnC complex. Based on the known Met assignments in cTnC3, the largest chemical shift changes were observed for Met81, Met120, Met137, and Met157. Methionines 120, 137, and 157 are all located in the C-terminal domain of cTnC. Methionine 81 is located at the N terminus of the central helix. Minimal chemical shift changes were observed for Met45, Met47, and Met103 of cTnC3 in the cTnI.cTnC complex. All 6 Met residues in [methyl13C]Met-labeled cTnI/NH2 could be resolved in the cTnI.cTnC complex, suggesting that both cTnI and cTnC form a stable homogeneous binary complex under the conditions of the NMR experiment. In the absence of added protease inhibitors in the cTnI.cTnC complex, cTnI/NH2 was found to undergo selective proteolysis to yield a 5.5-kDa N-terminal fragment corresponding to residues 33-80. Judging from the NMR spectra of [methyl13C]Met-labeled cTnC3, cTnI-(33-80) was sufficient for interaction with the C-terminal domain of cTnC in a manner identical to that observed for native cTnI/NH2. However, in the presence of the proteolytic fragment cTnI-(33-80), the chemical shift of Met81 was not perturbed from its position in free cTnC3. Thus, residues located C-terminal to Arg80 in cTnI appear to be responsible for interaction with the N-terminal half of cTnC. Taken together, these results provide strong evidence for an antiparallel arrangement for the two proteins in the troponin complex such that the N-terminal portion of cTnI interacts with the C-terminal domain of cTnC. This interaction likely plays a role in maintaining the stability of the TnI.TnC complex.
Gastric Clearance Does Not Influence Glycemic Response to Cranberry Juice in Metabolic Syndrome Subjects.

Acetaminophen (AC) may be used to estimate gastric clearance effects on glycemic response to a dietary challenge. Healthy (n=6) and metabolic syndrome (MSD) subjects (n=14; BMI >30) consumed reduce...
The Constitutional interpretation/construction distinction: a useful fiction

Part of symposium: The Interpretation/Construction Distinction in Constitutional Law: Annual Meeting of the AALS Section on Constitutional Law.
Maximizing Efficiency of Alternation Algorithms for Hemodynamic Optimization of the AV Delay of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

Background: During optimization of the atrioventricular (AV) delay of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), it is not known exactly which windows of time around the transition are most informative for identification of the optimum. Method and Results: In 22 patients with CRT, we performed AV delay optimization using continuous noninvasive hemodynamics. We used signal-to-noise ratio to determine the most efficient averaging window location and width. We found that it is most efficient to position the averaging windows immediately before and immediately after the transition in AV delay. For example, skipping five beats after the transition decreases signal-to-noise ratio by 17.5% (P < 0.0001). Similarly, skipping five beats immediately before the transition reduces signal-to-noise ratio by 11.7% (P < 0.0001). The best choice of “fixed” averaging window width was found to be six beats, with signal-to-noise ratio falling by, for example, 41% for a one-beat window (P = 0.0002). However, even better was to set the window width for each patient to match one respiratory cycle. We observed that the pre- and posttransition signal-to-noise ratio traces begin to diverge three beats after the transition in AV delay. We believe this represents the time taken for the peripheral response to pacing-induced changes in stroke volume to occur. Conclusions: The most efficient way to use alternating transitions for the hemodynamic optimization of CRT is to use an averaging window of one respiratory cycle, and not to skip any beats between the pretransition and posttransition averaging windows. (PACE 2011; 34:217–225)
Raising Consciousness and Examining Values Through Playback Theatre

This article presents an overview of a one-day Playback Theatre for Educators course, designed for graduate students from a college of education. The central purpose of the course was to raise consciousness around participants’ identities and values as educators and students through storytelling, dramatic enactment, reflection, and dialogue. During a final discussion session, there was a consensus that the Playback Theatre process strengthened the participants’ identities as educators and expanded their awareness of common values and challenges in the field of education. In addition, the author discusses the development of an environment of trust and empathy, which honors every voice.
Activation of α7‐containing nicotinic receptors on astrocytes triggers AMPA receptor recruitment to glutamatergic synapses

Astrocytes, an abundant form of glia, are known to promote and modulate synaptic signaling between neurons. They also express α7-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChRs), but the functional relevance of these receptors is unknown. We show here that stimulation of α7-nAChRs on astrocytes releases components that induce hippocampal neurons to acquire more α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors post-synaptically at glutamatergic synapses. The increase is specific in that no change is seen in synaptic NMDA receptor clusters or other markers for glutamatergic synapses, or in markers for GABAergic synapses. Moreover, the increases in AMPA receptors on the neuron surface are accompanied by increases in the frequency of spontaneous miniature synaptic currents mediated by the receptors and increases in the ratio of evoked synaptic currents mediated by AMPA versus NMDA receptors. This suggests that stimulating α7-nAChRs on astrocytes can convert 'silent' glutamatergic synapses to functional status. Astrocyte-derived thrombospondin is necessary but not sufficient for the effect, while tumor necrosis factor-α is sufficient but not necessary. The results identify astrocyte α7-nAChRs as a novel pathway through which nicotinic cholinergic signaling can promote the development of glutamatergic networks, recruiting AMPA receptors to post-synaptic sites and rendering the synapses more functional. We find that activation of nicotinic receptors on astrocytes releases a component that specifically recruits AMPA receptors to glutamatergic synapses. The recruitment appears to occur preferentially at what may be 'silent synapses', that is, synapses that have all the components required for glutamatergic transmission (including NMDA receptors) but lack sufficient AMPA receptors to generate a response. The results are unexpected and open up new possibilities for mechanisms underlying network formation and synaptic plasticity.
Studies of the secretion and metabolic effects of human growth hormone in children with glucocorticoid-induced growth retardation

Plasma growth hormone responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia, orally administered glucose, and the intravenous infusion of arginine were normal in 4 children with growth retardation secondary to prolonged treatment with glucocorticoids. The short-term administration of growth hormone to 3 of these subjects resulted in nitrogen retention comparable to that observed in a patient with hypopituitarism who was treated similarly. Transient acceleration of linear growth rate was observed when somatotropin was administered to each patient for 6 months. Two of the four patients developed serum gamma globulins capable of binding growth hormone. It has been concluded that glucocorticoids do not suppress growth by inhibition of growth hormone release, but rather by peripheral antagonism to the long-term growth-promoting activities of somatotropin.
Numerical studies of transient planetary circulations in a wind-driven ocean

The time-dependent primitive equations for a shallow homogeneous ocean with a free surface are solved for a bounded basin on the sphere, driven by a steady zonal wind stress and subject to lateral viscous dissipation. These are the vertically integrated equations for a free-surface model, and are integrated to 60 days from an initial state of rest by an explicit centered-difference method with zero-slip lateral boundary conditions. In a series of comparative numerical solutions it is shown that at least a 2-deg resolution is needed to resolve the western boundary currents adequately and to avoid undue distortion of the transient (Rossby waves. The β-plane formulation is shown to be an adequate approximation for the mean circulation in the lower and middle latitudes, but noticeably intensifies the transports poleward of about 50 deg and both slows and distorts the transients in the central basin. The influence of the (southern) zonal boundary on the transport solutions is confined to the southernmost gyre, except in the region of the western boundary currents where its influence spreads to the northern edge of the basin by 30 days. The total boundary current transport is shown to be approximately proportional to the zonal width of the basin and independent of the basin's (uniform) depth, while the elevation of the free water surface is inversely proportional to the basin depth, in accordance with linear theory. The introduction of bottom friction has a marked damping effect on the transient Rossby waves, and also reduces the maximum boundary-current transport. The solutions throughout are approximately geostrophic and are only slightly nonlinear. The root-mean-square (rms) transport variability during the period 30 to 60 days is concentrated in the southwest portion of the basin through the reflection of the transient Rossby waves from the western shore and has a maximum corresponding to an rms current variability of about 3 cm sec−1. The transport variabilities are about 10 percent of the mean zonal transport and more than 100 percent of the mean meridional transport over a considerable region of the western basin (outside the western boundary current regime). Some 99 percent of the total kinetic energy is associated with the zonal mean and standing zonal waves, which are also responsible for the bulk of the meridional transport of zonal angular momentum. Although the transient Rossby waves systematically produce a momentum flux convergence at the latitude of the maximum eastward current, much in the manner of their atmospheric counterparts, this is only a relatively small contribution to the zonal oceanic momentum balance; the bulk of the mean zonal stress is here balanced by a nearly stationary net pressure torque exerted against the meridional boundaries by the wind-raised water. In an ocean without such boundaries the role of the transient circulations may be somewhat more important.
A multiphase porous medium transport model with distributed sublimation front to simulate vacuum freeze drying

Abstract A porous medium transport model with a distributed sublimation front is developed for low pressure freeze drying of beef by radiant surface heating and volumetric microwave heating. The model incorporates the importance of Knudsen flow in porous materials during low pressure freeze drying. This effort is part of fundamental physics-based framework building for simulating food and biomaterial processes involving rapid evaporation/sublimation. Temperature, pressure and ice saturation histories were computed. Drying rates and spatial temperature profiles showed excellent agreement with literature experimental data. Sublimation front width, a novel result, is seen to increase as ice saturation decreases, justifying the importance of this distributed sublimation formulation in contrast with the sharp sublimation front commonly employed in literature. The insulation effect of the gas fraction in the pores is observed by the slow movement of the sublimation front in ‘thick’ samples. Effects of porosity, initial ice saturation and microwave heating are illustrated.
Control of T Helper Cell Differentiation--in Search of Master Genes

Naive T helper (T(H)0) cells can differentiate into one of two distinct populations: T(H)1 and T(H)2. Each population is characterized by the expression of specific cytokines and their ability to participate in cell-mediated or humoral immune responses. Recent efforts at identifying the molecular mechanisms through which T(H)0 cells become T(H)1 or T(H)2 cells have been promising. A number of transcription factors, including GATA-3 and T-bet, have been identified that promote the differentiation of T(H)0 cells and the maintenance of the differentiated cell phenotype. Dong and Flavell review recent findings on proteins that control the fate of T(H)0 differentiation, whether by promotion or inhibition, and discuss the role of epigenesis in the differentiation process.
Role of Combined Thermo-Mechanical Loading on the Nonlinear Response of a Skin Panel

The goal of this paper is to understand transient dynamics of an aero-structure under combined loading. In this study, a nonlinear finite element model of a representative panel is used to evaluate the effect of combined thermal and mechanical loading on nonlinear response with specific focus on severe aerodynamic heating and fluctuating pressure. This results in nonlinear response behavior including thermal buckling, snap-through and snap-buckling. A snap-through boundary is presented in the space of combined loading parameters. Relationship between the frequency of snap-through and loading magnitude is also discussed. Some observations are presented on transient behavior as well as the asymmetric response. It is demonstrated that boundary conditions can be utilized to enhance the design of such structural panels.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Behavioral relaxation training with hyperactive children

Three boys meeting multiple criteria of hyperactivity were trained to emit ten specific relaxed behaviors by means of Behavioral Relaxation Training (BRT). Dependent measures included the Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS), frontalis electromyogram (EMG), the Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire, and self-report. A multiple-probe design across subjects was employed, plus a reversal between recliner and beanbag chair for each subject. BRT was effective in producing high levels of relaxed behaviors and low EMG levels in the office setting, particularly in conjunction with the beanbag chair, with some reduction of hyperactivity scores on the Conners. Subsequent training in each child's home by his mother was accompanied by further reductions in parent-reported symptoms and low EMG levels, which were maintained at a 1-month follow-up.
Homelessness and Drug Abuse among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men in New York City: A Preliminary Epidemiological Trajectory.

The objective of this paper is to profile the role of homelessness in drug and sexual risk in a population of young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Data are from a cross-sectional survey collected between 2000 and 2001 in New York City (N = 569). With the goal of examining the import of homelessness in increased risk for the onset of drug and sexual risk, we compare and contrast three subgroups: (1) YMSM with no history of homelessness, (2) YMSM with a past history of homelessness but who were not homeless at the time of the interview, and (3) YMSM who were currently homeless. For each group, we describe the prevalence of a broad range of stressful life events (including foster care and runaway episodes, involvement in the criminal justice system, etc.), as well as selected mental health problems (including past suicide attempts, current depression, and selected help-seeking variables). Additionally, we examine the prevalence of selected drug and sexual risk, including exposure to a broad range of illegal substances, current use of illegal drugs, and prevalence of lifetime exposure to sex work. Finally, we use an event history analysis approach (time-event displays and paired t-test analysis) to examine the timing of negative life experiences and homelessness relative to the onset of drug and sexual risk. High levels of background negative life experiences and manifest mental health distress are seen in all three groups. Both a prior experience of homelessness and currently being homeless are both strongly associated with both higher levels of lifetime exposure to drug and sexual risk as well as higher levels of current drug and sexual risk. Onset of these risks occur earlier in both groups that have had an experience of housing instability (e.g., runaway, foster care, etc.) but are delayed or not present among YMSM with no history of housing instability. Few YMSM had used drug prior to becoming homeless. While causal inferences are subject to the limitations of a cross-sectional design, the findings pose an empirical challenge to the prevailing assumption that prior drug use is a dominant causal factor in YMSM becoming homeless. More broadly, the data illustrate the complexity of factors that must be accounted for, both in advancing our epidemiological understanding of the complexity of homelessness and its relationship to the onset of drug and sexual risk among high risk youth populations.
A Critical Analysis of Description Logics for Engineering Information Management

Engineering information management (EIM), specifically the development of information models, is becoming increasingly important to facilitate the exchange of digital product information across the extended enterprise. A myriad of information models has been proposed for capturing a broad scope of design information. Recently, description logics (DLs) have received significant attention in current literature as an underlying representational formalism for developing engineering information models. In this paper, we address the question: “Why should description logics (DLs) be used for engineering information management (EIM)?” We identify the characteristics of engineering design problems and the requirements for EIM, review common information modeling formalisms, and critically evaluate the benefits of DLs over other representational formalisms. The use of DLs is illustrated for modeling engineering decision information. Finally, it is argued that DLs provides several advantages over other modeling formalism, including Semantic Data Model (SDM) and Object-Oriented Data Model (OODM), through a logic-based representation that enables reasoning to be performed for checking the consistency of the information model and providing a means for organizing the information into a hierarchical taxonomy.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
The Reconnection Myth

The concept of magnetic reconnection for the interaction of the solar wind plasma with the Earth's magnetosphere is illustrated by Dungey's [1961] classic drawing (Figure 1a). According to this concept, the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) lines, frozen in to the antisunward solar wind plasma flow, divide, or disconnect, at an X-line at the magnetopause, with one end going over the north pole and the other end over the south pole. The polar cap field lines are called “open,” with only one end connected to the Earth; the total amount of open flux over the two polar caps must be the same to conform to Maxwell's equations.
The Borrowed Expositor

If, as Peter Travis has argued, Expositors were incorporated in the Chester cycle in the early sixteenth century, what model did the reviser draw upon to construct them? I argue that the reviser could not have found a suitable template in cycle dramaturgy; rather, in bringing presenters into the Chester cycle, the reviser has adopted a technique hitherto found, in English drama, only in non-cycle plays - an innovation which is part of a wider pattern of rethinking cycle plays in the sixteenth century.
Cerebral Oxygenation, Blood Flow, and Oxygen Metabolism During the First Days of Life

In order to better understand the injured neonatal brain, we quantify cerebral oxygenation, blood flow, and oxygen metabolism in healthy neonates during the first days of life using non-invasive optical spectroscopies.
Using Green's theorem to satisfy data requirements of multiple removal methods: The impact of acquisition design

The freedom of choosing a convenient reference medium means Green’s theorem offers a flexible framework for deriving a number of useful algorithms. Methods that can be derived from Green’s theorem include: separation of reference and scattered wavefields (P=P0+Ps), wavelet estimation, and ghost removal. Green’s theorem preprocessing methods are fully consistent with the inverse scattering series (ISS) isolated task subseries processing because Green’s theorem wave separation methods are multidimensional and make no assumptions about the earth. The ISS multiple removal algorithms require their input data to be deghosted and to have an estimate of the wavelet. We discuss the effect of acquisition design on Green’s theorem for predicting P0 and Ps and for deghosting.
Space division multiplexing of blue lasers for undersea communications

This paper explores space division multiplexing of blue lasers for undersea applications. Experimental results will be shown for optical vortices utilizing a range of charge numbers corresponding to various Orbital Angular Momentum states.
The role of big data in improving power system operation and protection

This paper focuses on the use of extremely large data sets in power system operation, control, and protection, which are difficult to process with traditional database tools and often termed big data. We will discuss three aspects of using such data sets: feature extraction, systematic integration for power system applications, and examples of typical applications in the utility industry. The following analytics tasks based on big data methodology are elaborated upon: corrective, predictive, distributed and adaptive. The paper also outlines several research topics related to asset management, operation planning, realtime monitoring and fault detection/protection that present new opportunities but require further investigation.