cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systemic-structural theory of activity: a model for holistic learning technology systems

The lack of one holistic view on technology mediated learning and teaching (LT) complicates and hinders development of adaptive LT oriented learning echnology systems (LTS) and integration of independently developed educational components intended for specific educational tasks. We introduce the Systemic-Structural Theory of Activity (SSTA) that gives way to resolve the psychological and pedagogical issues in formally modeling LTS under the umbrella of one holistic LT activity. This paper demonstrates relevancy of SSTA, discusses conceptual, strategic, semantic, heuristic, algorithmic, logical, computational, and self-regulative viewpoints, and addresses relevant software engineering research issues for adaptive LTS design.
Defining the Role of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in the Survival, Proliferation, and Self-Renewal of Human Embryonic Stem Cells

We used a panel of human and mouse fibroblasts with various abilities for supporting the prolonged growth of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to elucidate growth factors required for hESC survival, proliferation, and maintenance of the undifferentiated and pluripotent state (self-renewal). We found that supportive feeder cells secrete growth factors required for both hESC survival/proliferation and blocking hESC spontaneous differentiation to achieve self-renewal. The antidifferentiation soluble factor is neither leukemia inhibitory factor nor Wnt, based on blocking experiments using their antagonists. Because Wnt/beta-catenin signaling has been implicated in cell-fate determination and stem cell expansion, we further examined the effects of blocking or adding recombinant Wnt proteins on undifferentiated hESCs. In the absence of feeder cell-derived factors, hESCs cultured under a feeder-free condition survived/proliferated poorly and gradually differentiated. Adding recombinant Wnt3a stimulated hESC proliferation but also differentiation. After 4-5 days of Wnt3a treatment, hESCs that survived maintained the undifferentiated phenotype but few could form undifferentiated hESC colonies subsequently. Using a functional reporter assay, we found that the beta-catenin-mediated transcriptional activation in the canonical Wnt pathway was minimal in undifferentiated hESCs, but greatly upregulated during differentiation induced by the Wnt treatment and several other methods. Thus, Wnt/beta-catenin activation does not suffice to maintain the undifferentiated and pluripotent state of hESCs. We propose a new model for the role of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in undifferentiated hESCs.
PDATS II: improved compression of address traces

The tremendous storage space required for a useful data base of memory reference traces has prompted a search for trace compaction techniques. PDATS is the standard trace format used in the NMSU TraceBase, a widely used archive of memory and instruction traces. The PDATS family of trace compression techniques achieves trace coding densities of about six references per byte with no loss of reference type or address information by using differential run-length encoding. This paper proposes an improvement on the PDATS scheme that doubles the typical compression ratio without losing information.
Growth and differentiation of astrocytes and neural progenitor cells on micropatterned polymer films.

: This paper investigates the influence of micropatterned polymers and chemical modification on neural progenitor cell growth and differentiation in co-culture systems with astrocytes. We sought to develop stategies to facilitate nerve regeneration using a synergistic combination of guidance cues, investigating the cellular mechanisms of nerve repair using adult rat hippocampal progenitor cells (AHPCs). Our studies have shown that this synergistic combination of physical, chemical, and biological cues can lead to oriented growth of astrocytes and progenitor cells, can control and accelerate neurite outgrowth and alignment in vitro, and may influence differentiation of progenitor cells.
Random walks on finite groups and rapidly mixing Markov chains

© Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York, 1983, tous droits reserves. L’acces aux archives du seminaire de probabilites (Strasbourg) (http://www-irma. u-strasbg.fr/irma/semproba/index.shtml), implique l’accord avec les conditions generales d’utilisation (http://www.numdam.org/legal.php). Toute utilisation commerciale ou impression systematique est constitutive d’une infraction penale. Toute copie ou impression de ce fichier doit contenir la presente mention de copyright.
What Makes Muslims Feel French

In this article, we analyze the extent to which Muslims self-identify as French. A common interpretation of Muslim political attitudes assumes that Islam fundamentally conflicts with mainstream European society and that when Muslims are more attached to their religion they will be less likely to identify as French. We examine this assumption by exploring whether Muslim national identification is more strongly related to religiosity or other factors such as socio-economic status, social networks, and immigrant integration. Our results offer some support for each explanation, but we find that religiosity is not the dominant force shaping Muslims’ attitudes. Instead, factors associated with immigrant integration have the most profound relationship with Muslim identification. These conclusions are supported by the fact that religiosity and immigrant integration variables have similar effects on the national identification of Christian immigrants. Our findings suggest that focusing on religiosity is not the best way to analyze Muslims’ attitudes or identities, and that tensions surrounding Muslims’ self-identification with France are likely to decrease in future generations, as immigrant integration proceeds through the increased prevalence of birth in France, having French citizenship, and French language fluency.
Comparative Efficacy of Monoclonal Antibodies That Bind to Different Epitopes of the 2009 Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Virus Neuraminidase

ABSTRACT Antibodies against the neuraminidase (NA) of influenza virus correlate with resistance against disease, but the effectiveness of antibodies against different NA epitopes has not been compared. In the present study, we evaluated the in vitro and in vivo efficacies of four monoclonal antibodies (MAbs): HF5 and CD6, which are specific to two different epitopes in the NA of 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) virus, and 4E9 and 1H5, which are specific to a conserved epitope in the NA of both H1N1 and H5N1 viruses. In the in vitro assays, HF5 and CD6 inhibited virus spread and growth more effectively than 4E9 and 1H5, with HF5 being the most effective inhibitor. When administered prophylactically at 5 mg/kg of body weight, HF5 and CD6 protected ∼90 to 100% of DBA/2 mice against lethal wild-type pH1N1 virus challenge; however, at a lower dose (1 mg/kg), HF5 protected ∼90% of mice, whereas CD6 protected only 25% of mice. 4E9 and 1H5 were less effective than HF5 and CD6, as indicated by the partial protection achieved even at doses as high as 15 mg/kg. When administered therapeutically, HF5 protected a greater proportion of mice against lethal pH1N1 challenge than CD6. However, HF5 quickly selected pH1N1 virus escape mutants in both prophylactic and therapeutic treatments, while CD6 did not. Our findings confirm the important role of NA-specific antibodies in immunity to influenza virus and provide insight into the properties of NA antibodies that may serve as good candidates for therapeutics against influenza. IMPORTANCE Neuraminidase (NA) is one of the major surface proteins of influenza virus, serving as an important target for antivirals and therapeutic antibodies. The impact of NA-specific antibodies on NA activity and virus replication is likely to depend on where the antibody binds. Using in vitro assays and the mouse model, we compared the inhibitory/protective efficacy of four mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that bind to different sites within the 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) virus NA. The ability of each MAb to protect mice against lethal pH1N1 infection corresponded to its ability to inhibit NA activity in vitro ; however, the MAb that was the most effective inhibitor of NA activity selected pH1N1 escape variants in vivo . One of the tested MAbs, which binds to a conserved region in the NA of pH1N1 virus, inhibited NA activity but did not result in escape variants, highlighting its suitability for development as a therapeutic agent.
Research Article: Re-isolation of bacteria from intentionally contaminated surfaces

Abstract The natural habitat of the bacterium Staphylococcus is human skin and it can therefore be passed indirectly from person to person through fomites. An initial study investigating the metal push plates of 46 public restrooms throughout Angelo State University's campus for the presence of the bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus yielded evidence that the metal composing the push plates might be exerting a fairly rapid level of auto-disinfection. To test this hypothesis, studies were done to compare the re-isolation of S. aureus, S. capitis, and Salmonella typhimurium from metal and plastic surfaces intentionally contaminated with these organisms. All three organisms were more difficult to re-isolate from the metal surfaces as compared to the plastic surfaces.
Red Sea 'Pirates': Illicit Mobility in the Colonial Era

The Red Sea was carved into European spheres of influence during the colonial era. Conquest set the stage for the rise of a host of smugglers, outlaws and rogues who / the colonial powers lumped together as ‘pirates.’ These pirates took advantage of inter-imperial divisions. They smuggled guns for the French to subvert British authority in South Arabia. They continued to trade on their own terms and flew the Ottoman flag as protection against British ‘counter-piracy’ measures. Other Red Sea pirates rejected colonial authority altogether, smuggling goods, arms and people and rejecting outside pressure to trade ‘legitimately.’ Some even attacked shipping carrying colonial flags in the dangerous coastal waters of the Red Sea. They presented themselves as legitimate merchants and local rulers – one ‘pirate’ petitioned the League of Nations to this effect for five years. Jean Francois Bayart argued that the colonial state was a rhizome through which Africa’s modern actors navigated. Red Sea piracy serves as an excellent example of the opportunities for subversion created by the presence of multiple state architectures in a single, maritime, space. My paper will focus on the individuals and groups in the Red Sea who maintained their mobility and rejected colonial authority.
ERP pre-implementation framework for Higher Education Institution: A case study in Purdue University

The costs associated with higher education continue to increase placing even great emphasis on the need to understand and control costs. In response to these needs, many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are adopting business management models, processes and technologies. With the increased business activities at HEIs, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) vendors recognized this new market opportunity and quickly moved in to recommend business solutions. Purdue University began implementation of SAP, one of ERP softwares, in 2005. OnePurdue is one of the first universities to adopt SAP as the solution to enhance its growth, improve services and increase collaboration between departments. This study will focus on the OnePurdue - SAP software pre-implementation phase. The study will provide a framework for ERP system pre-implementationin a higher education institution.
The Effect of Aromatics and Cycloparaffins on Dl Diesel Emissions

The effects of the chemical composition of Diesel fuels on emissions is a critical issue for future Diesel fuels and synthetic fuels. In order to understand these effects, a series of fuels prepared from blends of pure hydrocarbons were studied in a single cylinder, DI Diesel engine. the base fuel was a 2:1 mixture by volume of iso-octane and tetradecane. The exhaust emissions measured were: CO, CO 2 , O 2 , NO x , UHC, aldehydes, particulates, and soluble organic fraction
Introduction: Feminist and Queer Legal Theory

This essay is the introduction to Feminist and Queer Legal Theory: Intimate Encounters, Uncomfortable Conversations, M.A. Fineman, J. E. Jackson, and A. P. Romero, Eds. (Ashgate 2009). The book explores the tensions among feminist and queer theorists. Wendy Brown (UC-Berkeley) sates that it is “possibly the most useful theory anthology of the decade.” In the Introduction the intersecting histories of feminist and queer legal theories are considered and the convergences and departures are addressed.
Methodology to extract, data mine and score geometric constructs from physical design layouts for analysis and applications in semiconductor manufacturing

At advanced technology nodes (sub-22 nm), design rules become very complicated as interactions between multiple layers become more complex, while the number of design elements within the optical radius increases. As a result, one may possibly encounter novel yield limiters in the 2D/3D design space with every new product taping out to the fab. Key to fast yield ramp is identifying novel constructs that may become yield detractors, and to address the challenge in the DFM space before actual Silicon is run. A comprehensive methodology to find such geometric constructs is proposed.
Semiquantitative Microprecipitin Assays

Quite often only very limited amounts of reactants are available for immunochemical studies of certain antigens or antibodies. In such cases the investigator has to be satisfied with less accurate methods if they can be carried out with small amounts. The method described here in Part A allows the comparison of different antigen- or antiserum-containing preparations on a microliter scale, using precipitation in gel layers (Nowotny et al., 1963). Another procedure described in Part B of this Exercise allows the determination of the optimal antibody/antigen zone using an approach similar to the one used by Everhart and Shefner (1966).
HEMATOPOIESIS IN PANTOTHENIC ACID-DEFICIENT RATS

Rats fed a purified diet low in pantothenic acid developed granulocytopenia and anemia singly or in combination. In the former, the marrow showed marked depletion of granulocytes, particularly of the more mature cells, and a slight increase in erythroid cells. In combined granulocytopenia and anemia the granulocytes of the marrow were still further reduced and the erythroid cells were also depleted. Marked reduction in the number of megakaryocytes occurred both in the granulocytopenic and in the granulocytopenic and anemic rats. Purpura was noted grossly in about 25 per cent of the rats of both groups. In anemia without accompanying granulocytopenia the marrow granulocytes showed slight to moderate depletion, whereas the erythroid index (mean) was not significantly lowered. Megakaryocytes were moderately reduced. Lymphoid tissue—spleen, thymus, and cervical nodes—showed atrophy of variable degree, most marked in the thymus. Adrenal glands showed marked depletion of cortical lipoids and rarely hemorrhage and necrosis. Following treatment with combined folic acid, pantothenic acid, and niacinamide, granulocytopenic rats responded by showing a prompt rise in lymphocyte and polymorphonuclear leukocyte count, marked granulocyte response of the bone marrow, increased splenic hematopoiesis, lymphoid hyperplasia, and increased lipoid content of the adrenal glands.
The Confederate Republic in Montesquieu

Montesquieu's political thought has been of interest to American practitioners and theorists since the early days of the republic. Hamilton and Madison in Federalist No. 9 and No. 10 tried to extract useful knowledge concerning the confederate republic from Montesquieu's theoretical insights in The Spirit of the Laws. In view of the bearing of Montesquieu's theory upon contemporary problems of American federalism, Christopher Wolfe raises the question of its practicability. His conclusion inclines toward a negative answer.
Alfalfa,Medicago sativa L., in highly weathered, acid soils

Rooting into acid subsoils would be a desirable trait for alfalfa which should result in better water extraction and yield. In this study, the rooting depth into acid subsoils and top yield of alfalfa plants selected for acid tolerance were investigated in a repacked profile with a limed, fertile topsoil, but unamended, acid subsoil. The effects of subsoil modification by CaCO3 and CaSO4·2H2O addition on alfalfa rooting, top growth, and water extraction were also studied.
Use of age structure to assess insecticidal treatments of face fly populations, Musca autumnalis DeGeer (Diptera: Muscidae).

During a 6-year study of Musca autumnalis DeGeer population ecology in central Iowa, various ear-tag treatments were applied to cattle. Zero, one, or two tags impregnated with 10% permethrin or 13.7% stirofos were applied to cows at a cow/calf operation of between 250 and 350 head. The ecological studies permitted a test of the hypothesis of ear tag effectiveness without the bias of fly counts being associated with a particular treatment. The proportions of parous flies were used as an index of fly population age structure and were homogeneous among years. Thus adult survival rates were not detectably different. No effects of ear tags on face fly populations were detected.
Polypeptide-Facilitated Formation of Bimetallic Plasmonic Nanoparticles in Presence of Ionizing Radiation

Ionizing radiation, which includes X-rays and gamma rays, is used in a variety of different applications, including in human health. However, high levels of exposure can result in significant morbidity and mortality in humans. Molecular and nanoscale systems that can detect different levels of ionizing radiation can ultimately lead to effective sensing platforms for a variety of applications. In the current work, we describe the use of polypeptide-templated formation of bimetallic metal nanoparticles with potential applications as a colorimetric reporter of elevated levels of ionizing radiation typically used in blood irradiation. Cysteine-containing elastin-like polypeptides were employed together with reducing agents in order to engender radiation-facilitated formation of bimetallic gold–silver bimetallic nanoparticles from a mixture of their respective metal salts. This formation of colored nanoparticle dispersions from colorless metal salt solutions acted as a visual reporter of ionizing radiation in the dose range of 25–100Gy. Nanoparticles were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, elemental analyses and dynamic light scattering. Our results indicate that polypeptide-bimetallic nanoparticle systems may be attractive reporters of elevated levels of ionizing radiation.
Impact of Sudden Expansion of Catchment Area on Admissions to a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit

PURPOSE The closure of a neighboring psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU) provided an opportunity to evaluate the number of PICU beds required per head of population and to explore how referrals to the PICU are prioritized. DESIGN AND METHODS Data were collected and analyzed for admissions to our PICU in the year before and the year after the closure of the other unit. FINDINGS Admissions increased (in year 2) by 42%, although there was no significant increase in the use of restrictive nursing interventions. There was, however, a shift in patients’ characteristics, which differed between males and females. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS The closure of the other PICU was uneventful, suggesting that the new arrangement of one bed per 100,000 population is potentially safe and feasible. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the threshold for referring patients to the PICU was adjusted, and the length of stay on the PICU was reduced (in males only) in order to adapt to the reduction in the number of PICU beds.
Anisotropic Magnetoresistance (AMR) Magnetometers

Anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) based magnetometers are used in devices as varied as global positioning systems to provide dead reckoning capability and in automotive ignition systems to provide crankshaft rotational position. Presented are data and methods that can assist in the design and implementation of these systems and a method to design a Helmholtz coil system to test these devices. The transverse and longitudinal behavior of individual AMR sensors along with group (proximity) behavior is addressed with both data and modeling. The design of a 3-axis measurement system goes from basic electromagnetics to the use of COMSOL and the verification of the measurement system using a commercial 3-axis magnetometer.
Final design of the C-SPECT-I lab-prototype

Improving system sensitivity without sacrificing imaging resolution is the key to improving the performance of cardiac SPECT imaging. This sensitivity increase is needed for reducing imaging time, or radiation dose, and/or motion artifacts for clinical imaging studies, as well as for exploration of new clinical applications. In addition, attenuation correction is necessary to yield quantitative information — the long-standing goal of SPECT imaging. These goals can be met by C-SPECT — our proposed dedicated cardiac platform for SPECT imaging. High sensitivity is accomplished by C-SPECT's optimized detection and system geometry, which wraps around patients' left-front thorax and provides the highest practical geometric efficiency for any spatial resolution of collimation. The first generation of C-SPECT platform — C-SPECT-I — is the simplified version that uses parallel axial collimation instead of the ultimate 3D converging collimation. In the presented final design, C-SPECT-I's variable collimation system provides 5 slit-arcs, for transaxial collimation to match with 2 slat-stacks, for axial collimation, to provide high system sensitivity and a large number of simultaneous projections. This lab-prototype will provide a system sensitivity that is 2.5 times that of a dual-head SPECT system for heart imaging with the same hardware resolution at the center of the imaging volume as well as unprecedented functionality and operational versatility.
Craniofacial Syndromes with Airway Anomalies: An Overview

Neonates with craniofacial syndromes may present with more than one airway anomaly. When evaluating a neonate in respiratory distress, it is critical to assess for the anticipated abnormalities when a specific syndrome is suspected and to identify additional levels of potential obstruction. This chapter highlights the characteristic findings and airway management options for several craniofacial syndromes.
Origin of resonant peaks in plasmonic dots-in-a-well infrared detectors

Recently, highly efficient absorbers have been demonstrated that utilize the enhanced transmission and high-intensity near field characteristics of surface plasmons1. By engineering the geometry of these nanostructures, the field characteristics can be tailored and light can be concentrated beyond the traditional diffraction limit. The resonant nature of surface plasmon coupling has been used to tune the spectral response of infrared detectors in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) region2,3. The use of a thin semiconductor region along with a cladding layer results in the excitation of plasmonic modes and optical waveguiding modes in these devices. In this paper, we use theoretical modeling coupled with experimental data to understand the differences between plasmonic and waveguide modes. The modes are excited selectively, by altering the coupling geometry and absorption cross-section to couple the desired modes into the active region. Experimental results confirming the simulations are presented.
In vitro studies of erythropoiesis. II. The effect of anoxia on heme synthesis.

SINCE the original hypothesis in 1893 by Miescher, 1 it has been generally accepted that the stimulus for the production of red blood cells by the bone marrow is anoxia. That anoxic anoxia stimulates erythropoiesis is well known from the observations of polycythemia and marrow hyperplasia at high altitudes and in various pathologic conditions producing decreased arterial oxygen tensions. Polycythemia produced by anemic anoxia and by cobalt have been explained by assuming local bone marrow anoxia and interference with bone marrow respiratory enzymes, respectively. However, direct studies of bone marrow oxygen tension have failed to show marrow anoxia after slow bleeding sufficient to produce an excellent erythropoietic response 2 or in chronic anemia. 3
A fast structured regression for large networks

Structured regression has been successfully used in many applications where explanatory and response variables are inter-correlated, such as in weighted attributed networks. One of structured models, Gaussian Conditional Random Fields (GCRF), utilizing multiple unstructured models to learn the non-linear relationships between node attributes and the structured response variable, achieves high prediction accuracy. However, it does not scale well with large networks. We propose a novel model, called Scalable Approximate GCRF (SA-GCRF), which integrates weighted attributed network compression with GCRF, with the aim of making GCRF applicable to large networks. The model consists of three steps: first, it compresses a network into a smaller one by generalizing nodes into supernodes and edges into superedges; then, it applies GCRF to the reduced network; and finally, it unfolds the predicted response variables into the original nodes. Our hypothesis is that the reduced network maintains most information of the original network such that the loss in prediction accuracy obtained by GCRF on the reduced network is minor. The comprehensive experimental results indicate that SA-GCRF was 150–520 times faster than standard GCRF and 11–29 times faster than state-of-the-art UmGCRF on large networks, and provided regression results where GCRF and UmGCRF were not applicable. Furthermore, SA-GCRF achieved a similar regression accuracy, 0.76, to the one obtained from the original real-world weighted attributed citation network, even after compressing the network to 10% of its size.
Efficient Computation of Top-k Frequent Terms over Spatio-temporal Ranges

The wide availability of tracking devices has drastically increased the role of geolocation in social networks, resulting in new commercial applications; for example, marketers can identify current trending topics within a region of interest and focus their products accordingly. In this paper we study a basic analytics query on geotagged data, namely: given a spatiotemporal region, find the most frequent terms among the social posts in that region. While there has been prior work on keyword search on spatial data (find the objects nearest to the query point that contain the query keywords), and on group keyword search on spatial data (retrieving groups of objects), our problem is different in that it returns keywords and aggregated frequencies as output, instead of having the keyword as input. Moreover, we differ from works addressing the streamed version of this query in that we operate on large, disk resident data and we provide exact answers. We propose an index structure and algorithms to efficiently answer such top-k spatiotemporal range queries, which we refer as Top-k Frequent Spatiotemporal Terms (kFST) queries. Our index structure employs an R-tree augmented by top-k sorted term lists (STLs), where a key challenge is to balance the size of the index to achieve faster execution and smaller space requirements. We theoretically study and experimentally validate the ideal length of the stored term lists, and perform detailed experiments to evaluate the performance of the proposed methods compared to baselines on real datasets.
Effects of Diet, Packaging and Irradiation on Protein Oxidation, Lipid Oxidation of Raw Broiler Thigh Meat

The effects of dietary treatment, packaging and irradiation singly or in combinations on the oxidative stability of broiler chicken thigh meat were studied. Lipid and protein oxidation of thigh meats from birds fed the diet supplemented with antioxidants (vitamin E + BHA) were significantly lower than those of the control while those from oxidized oil treatment were higher than the control. Vacuum-packaging slowed down while irradiation accelerated both lipid and protein oxidation of thigh meat during storage. Dietary antioxidants (vitamin E + BHA) and irradiation treatments showed stronger effect to lipid oxidation than protein oxidation. Significant correlation between lipid and protein oxidation in meat was foundduring storage. The results indicated that appropriate use of dietary antioxidants in combination with packaging could be effective in minimizing oxidative changes in irradiated raw chicken thigh meat.
Ensuring Community Participation During Program Planning: Lessons Learned During the Development of a HIV/STI Program for Young Sexual and Gender Minorities.

HIV/STI incidence has shifted to a younger demographic, comprised disproportionately of gay and bisexual men, transgender women, and people of color. Recognizing the importance of community organizing and participatory engagement during the intervention planning process, we describe the steps taken to engage diverse constituents (e.g., youth and practitioners) during the development of a structural-level HIV/STI prevention and care initiative for young sexual and gender minorities in Southeast Michigan. Our multi-sector coalition (MFierce; Michigan Forward in Enhancing Research and Community Equity) utilized a series of community dialogues to identify, refine, and select programmatic strategies with the greatest potential. Evaluation data (N = 173) from the community dialogues highlighted constituents’ overall satisfaction with our elicitation process. Using a case study format, we describe our community dialogue approach, illustrate how these dialogues strengthened our program development, and provide recommendations that may be used in future community-based program planning efforts.
Abstract 116: The Effect of a Practice-based Multi-component Intervention That Includes Health Coaching on Medication Adherence and Blood Pressure Control in Rural Primary Care

Background: Lower adherence to anti-hypertensive medications contributes to sub-optimal patient outcomes, yet there are few successful interventions in rural primary care that target improved adherence. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a multi-component quality improvement intervention that included literacy-sensitive health coaching with motivational interviewing was associated with improved medication adherence and reductions in blood pressure (BP) in patients with a history of uncontrolled hypertension (HTN). Methods: Adult patients in six rural primary care settings with one or more visits in the last year with a systolic BP > 150 mmHg were recruited. Project faculty facilitated systematic changes in care delivery in local practices. Patients also received monthly phone-based literacy-sensitive health coaching including a focus on medication adherence, and a BP cuff for home monitoring. Data regarding medication adherence (Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8) and BP were collected at baseline, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Linear mixed effects modeling was used to determine the effects of the multi-component intervention on medication adherence and whether changes in medication adherence were associated with changes in systolic and diastolic BP. Results: There were 477 patients enrolled; the majority were female, black, and reported an annual household income of Conclusion: A practice-based quality improvement intervention that includes health coaching is associated with improvements in medication adherence and BP, and offers promise as a clinically applicable intervention in rural primary care.
Gay and Lesbian Cohabiting Couples in Stepfamilies

Estimates of the number of gay and lesbian couples are likely to be lower than the actual number because identifying oneself publicly as part of a gay or lesbian couple may be riskier than coming out of the closet as an individual (Bryant & Demian, 1994; Kaiser Family Foundation, 2001). Based on data from the latest U.S. Census (2002), 301,026 households were headed by a male householder and a male partner and 293,365 households were headed by a female householder and a female partner. Some of these are long-term relationships—between 8% and 21% of lesbian couples and between 18% and 28% of gay couples have lived together 10 or more years (Blumstein & Schwartz, 1983; Bryant & Demian, 1994; Falkner & Garber, 2002; Kurdek, 2004; The Advocate sex poll, 2002).
Зарубежный Опыт Реализации Региональной Политики На Примере Испании (Foreign Experience of Regional Policy on the Example of Spain)

В данной работе представлен краткий обзор теоретических аспектов проведения региональной политики, а также более подробно исследуются практические аспекты ее реализации в Испании. Для России актуальным и интересным может оказаться опыт проведения региональной политики в данной стране. Обе страны имеют много общего в проблемах развития территорий, в то время как способы их решения различны. Автор выражает благодарность Вахштайну В.С., Володиной И.А., Карповой О.В., Поливановой К.Н за предоставленные материалы и ценные комментарии.This article provides a brief description of theoretical aspects of regional policy and in more detail investigates practical aspects of its implementation in Spanish economy. Its experience could be interesting and actual for Russian researches as both countries have many common problems in development of its territories while ways of their solving are quite different.
STRUCTURE-PROPERTY RELATIONSHIPS IN COMPOSITE MATRIX RESINS

Abstract Composite matrix resins typified by epoxy-amine formulations are examined for microstructural effects on properties. Cross-link density and nodular morphology are characterized for various epoxy/amine ratios, and fracture energy evaluated at several rates and temperatures. A model inhomogeneous glassy network was prepared in a 2-step procedure which produced a controlled microstrueture. Differences in cross-link density and network architecture in epoxies did not result in significant differences in fracture behavior until test temperatures were increased to within 100 ° C of Tg. Model materials showed effects of nodule concentration, but not size, reasonably duplicating epoxy morphology and properties at about 25 volume %.
Reliability of Measured Interests of Hospitalized Psychiatric Patients

(1968). Reliability of Measured Interests of Hospitalized Psychiatric Patients. Measurement and Evaluation in Guidance: Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 115-121.
Toward effective interventions to reduce diabetes distress among adults with type 1 diabetes: Enhancing Emotion regulation and cognitive skills.

Abstract Objective We tested three models to determine how improvements in emotion regulation (ER) and cognitive skills (CS) as a result of intervention operate to affect reductions in diabetes distress DD. Methods Change data were drawn from the baseline and 9-month T1-REDEEM trial. Adults with type 1 diabetes were recruited from several U.S. states and Toronto, Canada. A primary and two alternative structural equation models were tested to explore the directionality of effect: primary model – changes in ER and CS drive changes in DD; reverse model – changes in DD drive changes in ER and CS; and bidirectional model – changes in ER, CS and DD occur together with no directionality. Results All three models displayed a good fit to the data. The primary model indicated 7 significant directional pathways: improvements in ER and CS operate together to drive reductions in DD. The reverse model only indicated that reductions in DD affected changes in one CS variable; and the bidirectional model indicated only that these results were bidirectional. Reductions in all tested domains of DD occurred together. Conclusions Improvements in ER and CS drive reductions in DD. Practice implications Interventions to reduce high DD should focus on improving ER and CS.
Disrupting ß-catenin dependent Wnt signaling activates an invasive gene program predictive of colon cancer progression

Abstract The recent classification of colon cancer into molecular subtypes revealed that patients with the poorest prognosis harbor tumors with the lowest levels of Wnt signaling. This is contrary to the long-standing understanding that overactive Wnt signaling promotes tumor progression from early initiation stages through to the later stages including invasion and metastasis. Here, we lower the levels of Wnt signaling in colon cancer via interference with two different steps in the pathway that lie upstream or downstream of the effector protein s-catenin. We find that these Wnt-reduced cancer cells exhibit a more aggressive disease phenotype, including increased mobility in vitro and localized invasion in an orthotopic mouse model. RNA sequencing reveals that interference with Wnt signaling leads to an upregulation of gene programs that favor cell migration and invasion. We identify a set of upregulated genes common among the Wnt perturbations and find that elevated expression of these genes is strongly predictive of poor patient outcomes in early-invasive colon cancer. These genes may have clinical applications as patient biomarkers or new drug targets to be used in concert with existing therapies. One Sentence Summary Low Wnt Signaling Leads to Invasive Tumor Phenotypes in Colorectal Cancer.
Social Media and Investor Returns: The Case of Reddit

We document a positive association between signed stock-related social media activity on Reddit, one of the largest forums on the internet, and next day stock returns using a battery of sentiment analysis tests with a variety of controls. Stock-related activity on Reddit is positively related to next day stock trading volume as well. Furthermore, unsigned social media activity in a stock on Reddit is not linked to the next day returns or variation in liquidity but is positively related to the next day intraday volatility. Together, the findings suggest that social media platforms continue to gain ground as a significant source of investor attention with substantial market implications.
The Charles Bonnet Syndrome: a Systematic Review of Diagnostic Criteria

To perform a systematic review of diagnostic criteria for the Charles Bonnet syndrome (CBS). Across 33 studies that specified diagnostic criteria for CBS, hallucinations and vision loss were a common requirement, but there was considerable heterogeneity regarding hallucination properties (i.e., formed vs. unformed) and the severity of vision loss. The exclusion of confounding neuropsychiatric disorders was also common, but specific disorders and their method of ascertainment were variable. There is considerable diagnostic heterogeneity for CBS in the literature. These differences have important implications for the results of observational and interventional studies of CBS and highlight the need for unified diagnostic criteria.
Jewish-Americans in New York’s Latin music scene: an analysis of Larry Harlow’s career, 1965–1979

ABSTRACTIn this paper, I analyze the contributions of Jewish-American musicians to the history of salsa music in New York City, utilizing as a case study the career of Larry Harlow. The paper provi...
Hemodynamic Reserve Predicts Early Right Heart Failure After LVAD Implantation

Background Right heart failure (RHF) remains a major source of morbidity and mortality after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, yet efforts to predict RHF have proved only modestly successful. Acute pharmacologic unloading of the LV to assess ventricular and hemodynamic reserve may better predict post-implant RHF. Objectives To compare pre-implant baseline and post-vasodilator hemodynamic predictors of INTERMACS defined severe or severe-acute RHF after LVAD implantation. Methods After IRB approval, we performed a retrospective analysis of all subjects implanted with a durable LVAD at our institution between February 2017 and April 2020 (n=108). Only those who underwent vasodilator testing with nitroprusside during their pre-implant right heart catheterization were ultimately included (n=29). Continuous variables were compared with t-test and Levene's test of equality of variances; categorical via Fisher's Exact test. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of severe or severe-acute RHF. Results Ten subjects met criteria for severe or severe-acute RHF (34%) after implant. There were no significant differences in demographics, HF etiology, INTERMACS profile, echo assessment of LV/RV function, or pre-implant baseline hemodynamics including RAP:PAWP ratio and PAPi between groups (TABLE). Both groups saw a similar reduction in systemic mean arterial pressure with nitroprusside, which led to significant and similar reductions in PAWP and pulmonary pressures. Compared to the group with severe or severe-acute RHF, those without significant RHF achieved higher peak cardiac index (CI) with nitroprusside infusion, suggesting better cardiac reserve. Peak CI was a significant predictor of RHF (p= 0.022), even after controlling for baseline values (p=0.048). No subject achieving a peak CI > 2.66 L/min/m2 developed severe or severe-acute RHF, and every 0.25 L/min/m2 decrease in peak CI was associated with 2.3 fold increased risk. Mortality was higher and hospital length of stay longer in the severe or severe-acute RHF group. Conclusion Peak CI with nitroprusside infusion predicts post-implant LVAD RHF better than resting hemodynamics in this small cohort. Hemodynamic reserve measurements may prove to be an important risk stratification tool when assessing LVAD candidacy.
Performance and Simulation of the RICE detector

The RICE experiment (Radio Ice Cherenkov Experiment) at the South Pole, co-deployed with the AMANDA experiment, seeks to detect ultra-high energy (UHE) electron neutrinos interacting in cold polar ice. Such interactions produce electromagnetic showers, which emit radio-frequency Cherenkov radiation. We describe the experimental apparatus and the procedures used to measure the neutrino flux.
Parsonage-turner syndrome associated with SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) infection.

Parsonage-Turner Syndrome (PTS), also known as idiopathic brachial plexopathy or neuralgic amyotrophy, is an uncommon condition characterized by acute onset of shoulder pain, most commonly unilateral, which may progress to neurologic deficits such as weakness and paresthesias (Feinberg and Radecki, 2010 [1]). Although the etiology and pathophysiology of PTS remains unclear, the syndrome has been reported in the postoperative, postinfectious, and post-vaccination settings, with recent viral illness reported as the most common associated risk factor (Beghi et al., 1985 [2]). Various viral, bacterial, and fungal infections have been reported to precede PTS, however, currently there are no reported cases of PTS in the setting of recent infection with SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19). We present a case of a 17 year old female patient with no significant past medical or surgical history who presented with several weeks of severe joint pain in the setting of a recent viral illness (SARS-CoV2, COVID-19). MRI of the left shoulder showed uniform increased T2 signal of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, teres major, and trapezius muscles, consistent with PTS. Bone marrow biopsy results excluded malignancy and hypereosinophilic syndrome as other possible etiologies. Additional rheumatologic work-up was also negative, suggesting the etiology of PTS in this patient to be related to recent infection with SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19). Radiologists should be aware of this possible etiology of shoulder pain as the number of cases of SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) continues to rise worldwide.
The Pitfalls of Temporary Corporate Tax Rate Cuts

Although it is widely recognized that a temporary corporate tax rate cut will do less to encourage investment than a permanent rate cut, the temporary cut’s limitations are actually even more severe. A temporary rate cut would discourage many types of investment during the period it was in effect and could have long-lasting, adverse consequences if it was deficit-financed. A temporary corporate tax rate reduction does not necessarily lower the lifetime tax burden on an investment made while the rate reduction is in effect. Although the rate reduction lowers the taxes collected on the asset’s gross payoffs, it also shrinks the tax savings from the asset’s capital cost recovery allowances. For investments with front-loaded capital cost recovery allowances, the latter effect can easily outweigh the former effect, resulting in higher lifetime tax payments. Adverse effects are most pronounced for investments that are expensed.
Depression and Elevated Inflammation Among Chinese Older Adults: Eight Years After the 2003 SARS Epidemic

Background and objectives This study examined associations between exposure to the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic and Chinese older adults' depression and inflammation 8 years after the crisis. Further, this study investigated the buffering effects of perceived social support and social participation. Research design and methods Data were drawn from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey, including N = 4,341 Chinese adults aged 60 years and older. For the survey, local officials identified whether the 2003 SARS outbreak was one of the major disasters in the history of their communities. Depression was assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale and inflammation was measured by C-reactive protein (CRP) collected from participants via venous blood draws. Results Results from multilevel logistic regression models revealed that Chinese older adults living in communities exposed to SARS were more likely to have elevated CRP compared to those not living in such communities. Moreover, community SARS exposure was associated with greater risks of depression for Chinese older adults who had no perceived social support. Among Chinese older adults who had low levels of social participation, community SARS exposure was more strongly related to elevated CRP. Discussion and implications Findings suggest community-level exposure to the SARS epidemic had enduring consequences for Chinese older adults' health. However, active social participation and supportive social ties provided important resources that may buffer against negative effects of exposure to the SARS epidemic.
Dissecting Performance of Production QUIC

IETF QUIC, the standardized version of Google’s UDP-based layer-4 network protocol, has seen increasing adoption from large Internet companies for its benefits over TCP. Yet despite its rapid adoption, performance analysis of QUIC in production is scarce. Most existing analyses have only used unoptimized open-source QUIC servers on non-tuned kernels: these analyses are unrepresentative of production deployments which raises the question of whether QUIC actually outperforms TCP in practice. In this paper, we conduct one of the first comparative studies on the performance of QUIC and TCP against production endpoints hosted by Google, Facebook, and Cloudflare under various dimensions: network conditions, workloads, and client implementations. To understand our results, we create a tool to systematically visualize the root causes of performance differences between the two protocols. Using our tool we make several key observations. First, while QUIC has some inherent advantages over TCP, such as worst-case 1-RTT handshakes, its overall performance is largely determined by the server’s choice of congestion-control algorithm and the robustness of its congestion-control implementation under edge-case network scenarios. Second, we find that some QUIC clients require non-trivial configuration tuning in order to achieve optimal performance. Lastly, we demonstrate that QUIC’s removal of head-of-line (HOL) blocking has little impact on web-page performance in practice. Taken together, our observations illustrate the fact that QUIC’s performance is inherently tied to implementation design choices, bugs, and configurations which implies that QUIC measurements are not always a reflection of the protocol and often do not generalize across deployments.