cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beyond rationalism: Rhetoric, democratic virtue, and liberatory pedagogy

This paper redefines the Platonic cardinal virtues in democratic, dialogic terms following upon the fragments of Protagoras. Of foremost significance is sophrosyne, as each of the others embody this virtue. Classically defined as a union of arete (virtue), episteme (knowledge), and techne (skill), the purpose of sophrosyne is to rescue public decisions from private interests; thus Plato considers it a virtue only of the ruling elite, while Aristotle interprets it as knowing and maintaining one's place in the social order. As rational liberalism likewise distinguishes between elite and mass, these virtues may be tied by analogy to assumptions that often result in anti-democratic patterns in current pedagogical practices and field service in developing communities. Neo-Protagorean theory resonates with the pedagogical theory of Paolo Freire, which balances the liberty and authority of teacher and students against the needs of the collective, grounding pedagogy in collegial and co-investigative practice, thus redefining the practices of decision-making from agonistic and competitive to dialogic and problem-solving.
Violent Crime, Victims, and Society in Pennsylvania, 1682-1800

This paper is an inquiry into violent crime in one of the most honored places in modern history and the first liberal society in the Western world: Pennsylvania.1 From its inception to the present, early Pennsylvania has en joyed an unmistakably good reputation, especially because the liberal present honors its liberal ancestor. While Pennsylvania was still novel, Voltaire called it "the golden age of which we have all heard so much, and which has appar ently never existed except in Pennsylvania." It was the "Utopie de Penn," declared the Abbe Raynal. "This republic," he continued, "without wars, without conquests, without effort. . . became a spectacle for the whole uni verse." "Behold and see peace and happiness reigning with justice and liberty among this people of brothers." "Happy Pennsylvania, thou Queen of Prov inces," exclaimed J. Hector St. Jean Crevecoeur. As he traveled among Penn sylvanians, evangelist George Whitefield recorded that "Their oxen are strong to labour and there seems to be no complaining in their streets. . . . The Constitution is far from being arbitrary; the soil is good, the land exceedingly fruitful, and there is a greater equality between the poor and rich than perhaps can be found in any other place of the known world." It was the "best poor man's country on earth."2 The philosophes of the French Enlightenment?Voltaire, Montesquieu, Abbe Raynal, Chevalier de Jaucourt, the Encyclopedists?especially made Pennsylvania a byword. In the Encyclopedic and Raynal's History of the Indies they broadcast the success of Pennsylvania until it became general knowledge among literate, hopeful men and women. Pennsylvania proved the wisdom of their liberal critique of the ancien regime and of their prescriptions to change or replace it: "people could be happy without masters and without priests."3 While some of these enthusiasts, like Voltaire, had never been to Pennsyl vania and others, like Crevecoeur, had, neither were grossly mistaken about it. In varying degrees, Pennsylvania's laws and government, religious freedoms, social structure, and economy were what they asserted. Historians now so berly affirm what the Enlightenment savants wrote: Pennsylvania was "a worldly success," "an ideal colony," "a hopeful torch in a world of semidarkness."4 After independence in 1776, attention to America swelled along with hope for change in Europe and revolution in France. While an independent United States inspired European liberals as Pennsylvania earlier had, it was still the
A semi-blind algebraic constant modulus algorithm

A modification to the algebraic constant modulus (ACM) algorithm is proposed that exploits the presence of known pilot symbols within the transmitted data. The pilot symbols are used to place soft constraints on the subspace in which the ACM solution should lie, and relax some of the identifiability conditions required by ACM. The primary advantage of the proposed method is that sources transmitting linearly independent pilot data can be separated without resorting to a joint diagonalization procedure, and hence without computing the beamformers of signals that are not of interest.
HTEE: An HMAC based Tamper Evident Encryption

This paper presents a HMAC based Temper Evident Encryption (HTEE) technique for providing confidentiality and integrity of numeric data in a database environment through an encryption scheme based on the keyed Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC) function. The encryption scheme implemented in this project extends and improves an existing HMAC based encryption scheme. The result is a symmetric encryption process which detects unauthorized updates to ciphertext data, verifies integrity and provides confidentiality. This encryption scheme provides an alternative to standard approaches that offer confidentiality and integrity of data such as combining the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm with a hash digest. The purpose of the scheme is to provide a straightforward and efficient encryption that supports data integrity, to investigate the use of HMAC for reversible encryption and key transformation, and to improve upon an existing method.
Course of development of Leishmania enriettii infection in immunosuppressed guinea pigs.

The course of development of L. enriettii infection in normal and immunosuppressed guinea pigs was studied. The leishmanial lesion in normal guinea pigs is confined and self-limiting, but in immunosuppressed animals it metastasizes and diffuses to various parts of the body, particularly the extremities. Successful immunosuppression for such studies can be achieved by administering antilymphocytic antiserum, cyclophosphamide, or whole-body irradiation. All such immunosuppressants must be continuously applied to lower the total white blood cell count to about 2,000/ml and maintain it at that level. (auth)
Endometrial immunofluorescence associated with endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease

Anti-immunoglobulin G (anti-IgG) staining in the endometrium by immunofluorescence has been associated with endometriosis. To investigate this phenomenon further, we took endometrial samples from 42 patients who underwent laparoscopy or laparotomy, which were tested for immunofluorescence. Fluorescein-labeled anti-IgG was incubated with tissue samples. Of 18 patients with documented endometriosis, 16 had positive immunofluorescence (89% sensitivity). Of 24 patients with no evidence of endometriosis, 9 had false-positive immunofluorescence and 15 had negative immunofluorescence. Of the 9 false-positive samples, 8 had evidence of old pelvic inflammatory disease. In the absence of this condition, there was only one false-positive study for immunofluorescence. The implications of these findings in terms of the pathyophysiology of endometriosis-associated infertility is that it may be an immune-mediated process. With regard to diagnosis, the high predictive value of endometrial immunofluorescent IgG may be a useful tool in indicating early laparoscopic examination of the infertile period.
Cysts of the pleura.

The differential points and diagnostic procedures to be evaluated in a case presenting a circumscribed or “coin” lesion of the chest have been given. The literature concerning the subject of cystic formations of the chest, including the so-called “pericardial coelomic cysts,” has been reviewed. The literature has been extensively reviewed in the preparation of this paper. An interesting case of cyst of the pleura, operated, with follow-up, has been presented. This is the fifth such case which has been reported.
Inflammation in Neurodegenerative Disease—A Double-Edged Sword

Inflammation is a defense reaction against diverse insults, designed to remove noxious agents and to inhibit their detrimental effects. It consists of a dazzling array of molecular and cellular mechanisms and an intricate network of controls to keep them in check. In neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation may be triggered by the accumulation of proteins with abnormal conformations or by signals emanating from injured neurons. Given the multiple functions of many inflammatory factors, it has been difficult to pinpoint their roles in specific (patho)physiological situations. Studies of genetically modified mice and of molecular pathways in activated glia are beginning to shed light on this issue. Altered expression of different inflammatory factors can either promote or counteract neurodegenerative processes. Since many inflammatory responses are beneficial, directing and instructing the inflammatory machinery may be a better therapeutic objective than suppressing it.
Selecting logistic populations using the sample medians

This paper is concerned primarily with subset selection procedures based on the sample mediansof logistic populations. A procedure is given which chooses a nonempty subset from among kindependent logistic populations, having a common known variance, so that the populations with thelargest location parameter is contained in the subset with a pre‐specified probability. Theconstants required to apply the median procedure with small sample sizes (≤= 19) are tabulated and can also be used to construct simultaneous confidence intervals. Asymptotic formulae are provided for application with larger sample sizes. It is shown that, under certain situations, rules based on the median are substantially more efficient than analogous procedures based either on sample means or on the sum of joint ranks.
Implementing the flipped classroom

The purpose of this article is to describe the process of implementing a flipped classroom model in the second year of undergraduate medical education within a hybrid problem-based learning curriculum. In the flipped classroom, what was traditionally done in the classroom (lecture) is moved outside the lecture hall as a pre-class activity and what was done outside the classroom (homework and problem solving) is moved inside the classroom. The authors found preparing the faculty, students, and infrastructure prior to implementing the model to be critical to its success. Key factors included getting faculty and student buy-in, faculty mentoring and training, updating and purchasing additional software, finding innovative ways of using physical spaces designed for lectures, and motivating students to come to class prepared. The flipped classroom model facilitated interactions among students and faculty leading to more in-depth questions and lively discussions. Students appreciated having the ability to review lectures online and control the speed of playback. Offering online lectures followed by in-class active learning sessions improved both student and faculty satisfaction. Although shifting to the flipped classroom required more planning and training, the benefits to both students and faculty outweighed the costs. Keywords: Medical education, undergraduate; Flipped classroom; Active learning; Pedagogy. Revista HUPE, Rio de Janeiro, 2014;13(4):39-45 doi: 10.12957/rhupe.2014.13946
Isolation and kinetic analysis of the multiple forms of glyoxalase-I from human erythrocytes.

Abstract A simple electrophoresis procedure was developed to detect glyoxalase-I variants in human erythrocytes by using a direct stain for glyoxalase-I activity. The multiple forms of glyoxalase-I were purified from human erythrocytes by a procedure involving ethanol;chloroform treatment to remove hemoglobin and chromatography on blue dextran affinity columns. Glyoxalase-I from individuals with homozygous phenotypes (GLO-1 or GLO-2) was more labile in this purification procedure than was glyoxalase-I from individuals with the heterozygous phenotype (GLO 2-1). Nevertheless, the various glyoxalase-I allozymes are indistinguishable, kinetically. In addition, the glyoxalase-I allozymes from human erythrocytes are kinetically similar to glyoxalase-I from other mammalian sources in that they exhibit broad substrate specificity for the hemimercaptals of glutathione and aliphatic or aromatic α-ketoaldehydes and function by rate-determining cleavage of the hemimercaptal C-H bond, as reflected in a primary isotope effect.
Analysis of formulations containing pralidoxime mesylate by liquid chromatography.

Abstract An improved liquid chromatography procedure has been derived for the analysis of pralidoxime mesylate (P2S) and its degradation products in solution. An additional degradation product, 2-hydroxyaminoiminomethyl-l-methylpyridinium, has been positively identified and its route of formation and that of another recently identified product, 2-hydroxymethyl-l-methylpyridinium, has been established. Previous problems with the chromatography of 2-formyl-l-methylpyridinium have been resolved and the new method will resolve P2S and eight of its degradation products.
Adult daughters whose mothers come out later in life: what is the psychosocial impact?

SUMMARY When a family member comes out, it is a process not only for that individual lesbian but also for their entire family. Adult daughters whose mothers come out later in life have distinctive paths to navigate. This article reports findings of an interview study with six daughters who were adults when their mothers came out to them. Most daughters felt they emerged from childhood with an open mind about sexual identity, but had no idea about their mother's lesbianism until told by her. Half the participants questioned the role of women in their lives after their mother came out. Five of the six have a very close relationship, or have become closer, with their mother, since her coming out.
Developmental Truths in Memories of Childhood and Adolescence

This study of age-related changes in memories of personally important encounters showed "developmental truths," that is, patterns that converged with prior developmental theories and research. Participants were 47 males and 48 females in their early 20s. An average of 16 memories were collected from each person during an intensive personal interview. Memories were coded for age at the time of the episode, the identity of the other person with whom the study participant was interacting, what the participant wanted from the other person, and the outcome. As expected, memories of encounters with parents and about wanting help prevailed for childhood, whereas memories of encounters with close friends and about wanting intimacy prevailed by mid-adolescence. Memories about wanting to help others were sparse for this young-adult sample, but, like needs for intimacy, increased with age. Although patterns for males tended to be more dramatic than patterns for females, this trend appeared more attributable to actual developmental differences in social dynamics than to differences in the degree to which current concerns intruded into the memory process. The advantages of personally salient, event-specific retrospective reports for understanding personality development and change are discussed.
Analysis of short range forces in opto-mechanical devices with a nanogap

We employ the finite-difference time-domain method to calculate the dominant short range forces in optomechanical devices, Casimir and gradient optical forces. Numerical results are obtained for typical silicon optomechanical devices and are compared to metallic reference structures, taking into account geometric and frequency dispersion of silicon. Our results indicate that although a small gap is desirable for operating optomechanical devices, the Casimir force offsets the gradient force in strongly coupled optomechanical devices, which has to be taken into account in the design of optical force tunable devices.
Human ferredoxin-2 displays a unique conformational change

Human ferredoxin-1 (hFd1) and human ferredoxin-2 (hFd2) share high sequence similarity but serve on distinct cellular pathways. A unique conformational change is observed when holo hFd2 is warmed to physiological temperatures, or higher. Enzymatic studies show that this conformational change causes the increase of affinity between hFd2 and adrenodoxin reductase. No such change was observed for hFd1, which may contribute to the distinct cellular functions of hFd1 and hFd2 under physiological conditions.
Dietary Fish Oil Sensitizes A549 Lung Xenografts to Doxorubicin Chemotherapy

A549 xenografts were allowed to grow in nude mice to about 5 mm in diameter, then diets were changed to modified AIN-76 diets containing 19% wt./wt. fish oil (FO) or 20% wt./wt. corn oil (CO). Ten days later dietary ferric citrate (0.3% wt./dry wt.) was added and doxoribicin (DOX) treatment (3.6 mg/kg i.v. each of the 5 days for 18 days) commenced. Treatment with DOX halted the growth of tumors in the CO fed mice. However, in those mice, which consumed FO or FO with ferric citrate, treatment with DOX caused significant tumor regression.
High compliance rates observed for follow up colonoscopy post polypectomy are achievable outside of clinical trials: efficacy of polypectomy is not reduced by low compliance for follow up

Introduction The National Polyp Study demonstrated that removal of adenomas with at least a three-year follow up reduced the incidence of colorectal cancer. However, compliance with follow up colonoscopy may affect the estimates of reduction in colorectal cancer incidence demonstrated by the National Polyp Study. While an 80% compliance rate for follow up colonoscopy was achieved during the National Polyp Study, the compliance rate for follow up colonoscopy is unknown in the general population. The aim of this study was to determine the compliance rate for follow up colonoscopy and factors which affect follow up. Methods A retrospective medical record review to identify patients who had adenomatous polyps excised in 1997 was undertaken. Patients who had inflammatory bowel disease, a prior history of colorectal cancer, familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome, colonic surgery; incomplete polypectomy or incomplete colonoscopy, and those patients who died before planned follow up, were excluded from analysis. Follow up was performed by telephone survey. Results Three hundred and thirty-three patients were identified (196 males; 147 females) with a mean age of 70 years. Three hundred and thirty-one (99%) of 333 had a documented recommendation for follow up of three years or less. Thirty-four percent (113 of 333) had previously undergone colonoscopy; 29% (98 of 333) had previously undergone polypectomy and 54% (180 of 333) were symptomatic at the time of the colonoscopy. Twenty-eight percent (40 of 141) had a family history of colorectal cancer. Pathology at polypectomy included a single polyp and polyps less than 10 mm in 68% and 88% of cases, respectively. Follow up was available in 211 of these cases, 179 (85%) of which had been compliant with follow up colonoscopy. In a univariate analysis, previous colonoscopy (P = 0.035), previous polyps (P = 0.043), asymptomatic status at time of colonoscopy (P = 0.021), polyp size (P = 0.008) and number of polyps (P = 0.010) were significantly associated with patients who were compliant with follow up colonoscopy. A multivariate logistics regression analysis revealed number of polyps (P = 0.036) and polyp size (P = 0.045) to be statistically significantly associated with compliance. Conclusion Compliance with follow up colonoscopy after polypectomy is greater than 80%, regardless of age, education, family history, prior colonoscopy, or prior polypectomy. Risk reduction published in the National Polyp Study may likely reflect what can be achieved through the general use of colonoscopy for surveillance.
Reformasi and the Indonesian ‘War on Terror’: State, Military and Legislative–Executive Relations in an Emerging Democracy

Indonesia's fledgling democracy was just three years into defining its constitutional structure when the 9/11 attacks took place in the United States. It was less affected by the acts themselves than by the ‘war on terror’ that they provoked. Militant Islamic groups, already active, sometimes violently, were invigorated by widespread opposition to the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. A series of violent attacks on western targets at the same time put strong international and domestic pressure on the newly established democracy to act, sometimes in ways that ran counter to its reform agenda. Indonesia's unique configuration of legislative and executive powers continues to evolve, but seems – for now – to have been relatively unaffected by these pressures. Rather, as the country increasingly recognised terrorism as a problem deserving political attention, it turned not to tighter central controls or a strengthened president but to the reinvigoration of the nation's already formidable military. At question...
Mechanism of synergistic induction of hepatic heme oxygenase by glutethimide and iron: Studies in cultured chick embryo liver cells

Heme oxygenase, the rate controlling enzyme for heme catabolism, is inducible by a variety of treatments, some of which induce by a heme-dependent mechanism and others by a heme-independent mechanism. This work shows that, in cultured chick embryo liver cells, synergistic induction of heme oxygenase by iron, added with the phenobarbital-like drug, glutethimide was heme-dependent. Addition of an inhibitor of heme biosynthesis abolished the synergistic induction of heme oxygenase providing evidence for the heme-dependent mechanism of induction. Glutethimide and iron appeared to induce at the transcriptional level since both heme oxygenase mRNA and protein levels correlate with changes in heme oxygenase activity.
Why Pyrite Is Unstable on the Surface of Venus

Abstract The observed sulfur vapor abundance near Venus' surface is lower than the amount needed for pyrite to be stable. This conclusion is reached using either the observed S 3 abundance or the S 2 abundance calculated from the observations of S 3 . Furthermore, the atmosphere is too oxidizing for pyrite to be stable. Pyrite is unstable at Venus' modal radius of 6051.4 km (1992. P. G. Ford and G. H. Pettengill, J. Geophys. Res. 97, 13,103–13,114) where T = 740 K and P = 95.6 bar (1986. A. Seiff, J. T. Schofield, A. J. Kliore, F. W. Taylor, S. S. Limaye, H. E. Revercomb, L. A. Sromovsky, V. I. Kerzhanovich, V. I. Moroz, and M. Ya. Marov, In The Venus International Reference Atmosphere (A. J. Kliore, V. I. Moroz, and G. M. Keating, Eds.), pp. 3–58. Pergamon Press, Oxford). Pyrite is also unstable at 6056 km ( T = 705 K, P = 71.2 bar), which is at 4.6 km altitude in the low radar emissivity region (Pettengill et al . 1996). Any pyrite on Venus' surface should decompose rapidly to iron oxides and sulfur vapor, as experimentally demonstrated by Fegley et al. (1995. B. Fegley Jr., K. Lodders, A. H. Treiman, and G. Klingelhofer. Icarus 115, 159–180).
Production of Unisexual Progenies by the Sorghum Midge, Contarinia sorghicola

Mated females of the sorghum midge, Contarinia sorghicola (Coquillett) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), produce exclusively either male or female progenies. Unmated females deposit few eggs and produce no offspring. Production of single-sex progeny was not due to differential larval mortality of one sex.
Readers’ Theatre: A Communication Tool for Colorectal Cancer Screening

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer mortality for Alaska Native people, yet it can be almost totally prevented through colonoscopy screenings. Purpose: A 25-minute Readers’ Theatre script was developed with and for Alaska Native and American Indian Community Health Workers (CHWs) and the people in their communities to provide CRC screening information, model ways to talk about CRC screening, increase comfort with talking about CRC, and encourage healthy lifestyle choices. Methods: Grounded in Indigenous methodologies, this paper describes the collaborative development, implementation, and evaluation of a CRC Readers’ Theatre. Results: 94% (161/172) of participants from 11 Readers’ Theatre completed a written evaluation. 90% (145) of participants reported feeling more comfortable talking about CRC and 77% (124) described healthy changes they planned to make. Readers’ Theatre was associated with increased knowledge, comfort talking about CRC, and served as a catalyst for positive intent to change behavior.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome after exposure to asenapine: a case report.

To the Editor: Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a serious side effect of antipsychotic medications that occurs in up to 2% of those receiving neuroleptics.1 The syndrome is characterized by hyperthermia, extreme muscle rigidity that leads to elevated creatinine phosphokinase, autonomic instability, and mental state changes characteristic of a delirium. Asenapine is a newly available second-generation antipsychotic. Described here is a patient who developed a malignant neuroleptic syndrome following exposure to asenapine.2 We believe it is the first such case described with this agent. Case report. Mr A, a 23-year-old white man, was administered asenapine 10 mg at bedtime in 2010 for a psychotic state characterized by auditory hallucinations and paranoid ideation. The auditory hallucinations were characterized by multiple voices calling him derogatory names. Prior to initiation of this treatment, the patient had received no medication. The patient was administered 3 subsequent doses without clinical improvement over the next 72 hours. On the third day of treatment, he became confused; his confusion was characterized by disorientation to time and situation that was distinct from his psychotic state. His mother reported that he appeared “feverish” due to excess sweating. He went to a general hospital emergency room, where examination revealed his temperature to be 99.8°F, with elevated blood pressure of 190/87 mm Hg, diaphoresis, elevated creatine kinase (719 IU/L), and leukocytosis characterized by a white blood cell count of 14.6 × 103/mm3. A tentative diagnosis of malignant neuroleptic syndrome was made. Because the patient was psychotic and trying to leave against medical advice, he was sedated with benzodiazepines to such a significant degree that intubation was required and then was admitted to the medical intensive care unit. Hydration, dantrolene, and bromocriptine were administered. His creatine kinase level returned to within normal limits within 36 hours, and he was extubated. After he was transferred to the inpatient psychiatric unit, his psychotic symptoms remained, but he was completely oriented and cooperated with the ward milieu. History revealed that his psychotic symptoms were gradual in onset, and a tentative diagnosis of schizophrenia (per DSM-IV criteria) was made. The above case fits with criteria for neuroleptic malignant syndrome and should remind all clinicians that all antipsychotics, whether first or second generation, have potential for this serious side effect. Clinicians utilizing asenapine must remember this potential side effect that is found in all agents in this class of drug.3
The Diagnostic Value of Nipple Discharge Cytology: Breast Imaging Complements Predictive Value of Nipple Discharge Cytology

Background Papilloma is the most common finding associated with pathologic nipple discharge. In the absence of breast imaging abnormalities, the incidence of occult malignancy is <3%. Objective To determine the predictive value of nipple discharge cytology in conjunction with breast imaging. Methods Retrospective review of 160 charts; inclusion criteria of clinically pathologic nipple discharge, subsequent excisional biopsy, and absence of palpable abnormalities. Nipple discharge cytology categorized as negative, atypical, suspicious, and papillary. Breast imaging was analyzed. Preoperative tests were correlated to final surgical pathology. Results 89 patients identified. Sixty-five had positive cytology, with a false positive rate of 32.3%. They were associated with papillomas in 52%, benign non-papillary in 33% and malignant lesions in 9% of cases. Nipple discharge cytology was positive in 69.6% of papillomas and 92% of atypical/malignant lesions; 30% had abnormal breast imaging and positive cytology. Nipple discharge cytology had a sensitivity of 74.5%, specificity of 30%, and positive predictive value of 68%. The positive predictive value increased to 85% with associated abnormal breast imaging. Conclusions Nipple discharge cytology is useful in evaluating pathologic discharge. However, negative cytology with negative imaging is not enough to avoid surgery in cases of suspicious clinical presentation. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012; 106:381–385. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optimizing the clean effect of wafer backside in lithography developer process

In the photo process, the defect of developer residue on wafer backside is always negligible. Such as figure 1 is the photographs of residue defect onto wafer backside, this defect is easy to induce some problems such as a wafer transfer error, chamber particle in the etcher machine and rework issue for cleaning wafer backside. In this paper, we provide serval methods to prevent the 'developer residue on wafer backside issue' reoccurrence. Specially the clean effect of wafer backside of developer process had to be improved effectively, the effective clean method include the gap (distance) be optimized from the knife edge to wafer backside with the various film (Silicon; Nitride; Poly: TEOS; PESIN film) and the liquid drain port of developer machine had to be modified to reduce the remained liquid that is absorbed onto wafer backside.
Multilevel governance and deployment of solar PV panels in U.S. cities

Solar photovoltaic (PV) installations have been growing rapidly in the United States over the last few years, incentivized by policies from federal, state and local governments. The complex relationships between solar policies at multiple levels of government and solar deployment are questions of importance to policy makers and scholars. Extant literature on solar policies pays less attention to the role of local governments and policies than to their federal and state counterparts. Local governments and policies play indispensable roles in the deployment of solar PVs. This paper studies the multilevel governance of solar development in the U.S. by evaluating the relative effectiveness of state and local policy tools in stimulating solar PV installations, with an emphasis on local solar policies. With a regression analysis on a national sample of 186 U.S. cities, we find that cities with local financial incentives deploy 69% more solar PV capacities than cities without such policies. We also find that cities subject to RPS requirements have 295% more solar PV capacity, compared with cities not regulated by state RPS.
A novel approach to integrate computer exercises into teaching of utility-related applications of power electronics

The author presents a novel approach to integrating computer exercises into the teaching of utility-related applications of power electronics. First, it is argued that the various emerging high-power applications of power electronics should be included in the power engineering curriculum. Based on a survey of available software packages, two royalty-free programs which are best suited for this purpose are compared. By means of a detailed example of a computer exercise, it is shown how the use of computer simulation in homework problems, laboratory exercises, and group projects can make the education of these important topics more effective and exciting for both the students and the instructor. >
Are wetland regulations cost effective for species protection? A case study of amphibian metapopulations

Recent declines in amphibian populations have raised concern among conservation biologists, with habitat loss and degradation due to human activities among the leading causes. The most common policies used to protect the habitat of pond-breeding amphibians are wetland regulations that safeguard the wetland itself. However, many amphibians spend much of their adult lives foraging and over-wintering in upland habitats and exist as metapopulations with dispersal among ponds. With no consideration of lands in the dispersal matrix, wetland policies may be ineffective at protecting amphibians or other wetland species that disperse across the landscape. This paper examined the adequacy and cost effectiveness of alternative conservation policies and their corresponding land use patterns on the long-term persistence of pond-breeding amphibians in exurban landscapes. We used computer simulations to compare outcomes of wetland buffer policies and broader landscape-wide conservation policies across a variety of landscape scenarios, and we conducted sensitivity analyses on the model's species parameters in order to generalize our results to other wetland species. Results showed that, in the majority of human-dominated landscapes, some amount of dispersal matrix protection is necessary for long-term species persistence. However, in landscapes with extremely low-intensity land use (e.g., low-density residential housing) and high pond density, wetland buffer policies may be all that is required. It is not always more cost effective to protect core habitat over the dispersal matrix, a common conservation practice. Conservation costs that result from forgone residential, commercial, or agricultural activities can vary substantially but increase in a nonlinear manner regardless of land use zoning. There appears to be a threshold around an average habitat patch occupancy level of 80%, after which opportunity costs rise dramatically.
Enhanced responsibilities for pharmacy interns at a teaching hospital.

Abstract Objective To describe the implementation of a pharmacy intern distribution coordinator position and its impact on the intern's professional development. Setting Tertiary academic medical center. Practice description In 2009, our institution implemented a pharmacy intern distribution coordinator position, which was previously staffed by a pharmacist. Interns, who are in their first through fourth professional year, take the lead in the medication distribution process while under the direct supervision of a pharmacist. The intern adjudicates the medication distribution process by ensuring proper processing, filling and timely delivery of the medications, as well as triaging inventory issues and maintaining open communication with the pharmacists about any medication issues. Additionally, the intern can make clinical interventions during the various checkpoints in the final verification process and answer drug information questions for fellow medical professionals. Practice innovation Pharmacy intern resources and development are maximized via staffing in a medication distribution coordinator position previously staffed by a pharmacist. By adapting to the role of pharmacist early on in one's career, pharmacy interns are provided with a valuable opportunity to grow professionally. The position can foster the development of pharmacotherapy knowledge, communication skills, leadership experience, time management, and critical thinking by allowing pharmacy interns to practice at the top of their licensure. Conclusion Our pharmacy intern distribution coordinator position provides interns with a professional development opportunity by assuming enhanced roles and responsibilities in a hospital pharmacy department. The expansion of the pharmacy intern's role can increase pharmacy department resources and provide a valuable platform for their development. Institutions should seek to maximize the opportunities for pharmacy interns to work at the peak of their licensure.
Self-assessed performance improves statistical fusion of image labels

Purpose: Expert manual labeling is the gold standard for image segmentation, but this process is difficult, time-consuming, and prone to inter-individual differences. While fully automated methods have successfully targeted many anatomies, automated methods have not yet been developed for numerous essential structures (e.g., the internal structure of the spinal cord as seen on magnetic resonance imaging). Collaborative labeling is a new paradigm that offers a robust alternative that may realize both the throughput of automation and the guidance of experts. Yet, distributing manual labeling expertise across individuals and sites introduces potential human factors concerns (e.g., training, software usability) and statistical considerations (e.g., fusion of information, assessment of confidence, bias) that must be further explored. During the labeling process, it is simple to ask raters to self-assess the confidence of their labels, but this is rarely done and has not been previously quantitatively studied. Herein, the authors explore the utility of self-assessment in relation to automated assessment of rater performance in the context of statistical fusion. Methods: The authors conducted a study of 66 volumes manually labeled by 75 minimally trained human raters recruited from the university undergraduate population. Raters were given 15 min of training during which they were shown examples of correct segmentation, and the online segmentation tool was demonstrated. The volumes were labeled 2D slice-wise, and the slices were unordered. A self-assessed quality metric was produced by raters for each slice by marking a confidence bar superimposed on the slice. Volumes produced by both voting and statistical fusion algorithms were compared against a set of expert segmentations of the same volumes. Results: Labels for 8825 distinct slices were obtained. Simple majority voting resulted in statistically poorer performance than voting weighted by self-assessed performance. Statistical fusion resulted in statistically indistinguishable performance from self-assessed weighted voting. The authors developed a new theoretical basis for using self-assessed performance in the framework of statistical fusion and demonstrated that the combined sources of information (both statistical assessment and self-assessment) yielded statistically significant improvement over the methods considered separately. Conclusions: The authors present the first systematic characterization of self-assessed performance in manual labeling. The authors demonstrate that self-assessment and statistical fusion yield similar, but complementary, benefits for label fusion. Finally, the authors present a new theoretical basis for combining self-assessments with statistical label fusion.
Networks of Hamiltonian systems and feedback

Abstract Motivated by the design of complex networks transmitting pulse-like signals, we investigate and develop a network theory for Hamiltonian systems. The main topics of this paper are articulated around the following result: under a few natural assumptions, a network of Hamiltonian systems with energy-conserving interactions will itself be Hamiltonian for the symplectic form ω c l = ω − G ∗ ( K ( I − C K ) − 1 ) where ω is the symplectic form of the individual components of the network, K encodes the network structure and C , which we call the symplectic gain matrix, is related to the non-involutivity of the control vector fields. A further analysis of this form will reveal how certain interactions result in effectively putting constraints on the system, giving a new result in the flavor of the Dirac theory of constrained Hamiltonian systems but of a control-theoretic origin. Throughout the paper, we use the Toda lattice to illustrate the results and find a new approach to the description of the periodic Toda lattice as a Hamiltonian system on the space of Jacobi matrices.
Bureaucratic Ideology in the United States and the Soviet Union Some Empirical Dimensions

The concept of "bureaucratic ideology " is provided here, as well as empirical grounding by means of interviews with American and Soviet local government officials and with those who educate and tr...
Regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in human colon carcinoma cells by activity of src kinase

Abstract Background. The c-src protooncogene encodes a protein tyrosine kinase, pp60c-src, that is a mediator in many signal transduction pathways. One pathway in which pp60c-src protein tyrosine kinase activity is implicated involves regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an angiogenic factor important to neovascularization of growing tumors. Recently we demonstrated that decreased activity of pp60c-src in colon tumor cells contributes to decreased expression of VEGF. This study examined the relationship between pp60c-src activation, cell density, and VEGF production in a colon tumor cell line. Methods. Parental HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells and stable subclones created by transfection with c-src antisense and sense (control) expression vectors were plated under sparse (2 × 104 cells/cm2) and confluent (20 × 104 cells/cm2) conditions and grown for 36 hours. Protein and RNA were extracted from cells to determine pp60c-src levels, c-Src tyrosine kinase activity, and VEGF mRNA expression. Results. The pp60c-src kinase activity of HT-29 cells and control sense-transfected clones grown under confluent conditions was increased threefold to fivefold compared with cells grown under sparse conditions. In contrast, the ability of confluent culture conditions to increase pp60c-src activity was blunted in antisense transfectants. By regression analysis, VEGF expression was found to vary directly with pp60c-src levels (r2 = 0.886). Conclusions. Cell density contributes to the regulation of c-src kinase activity and VEGF expression in HT-29 cells. When the steady-state level of pp60c-src is reduced in antisense transfectants, not only is the steady-state level of VEGF reduced, but the ability of confluence to stimulate pp60c-src activity and VEGF production is too. These data suggest that c-src may be an intermediary of both constitutive and inducible pathways for VEGF production in colon tumor cells.
Polls in the Media: Content, Credibility, and Consequences

This paper makes an exploratory attempt to answer that question. We examined every poll reported on the NBC and CBS evening news programs and in the New York Times during the years 1973, 1975, and 1977. We chose these particular years in order to avoid the abundance of election-related polls which litter the media during presidential election years and would skew the data. We selected NBC and CBS because they attracted the largest audiences during the period studied. The New York Times aspires to be a national newspaper of record and still enjoys unmatched prestige and influence among elites and journalists. We shall discuss the number of polls and their subjects; to what extent the polls were depicted as reliable and treated as credible;
Novel techniques for reducing blocking artifacts in motion compensated frame

We present two new techniques for reducing blocking artifacts in motion compensated frames. These techniques can be applied generally to motion compensated frames obtained by employing any partitioning schemes. In the first technique, the weighting coefficients of the overlapped block motion compensation are modeled with fuzzy relations. These fuzzy relations are formed based on two fuzzy sets, which define the closeness of a given pixel to the block boundaries in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. The second technique uses the similarity between a set of pixels inside a partitioned region and that on the borders to modify the border pixels. Simulations conducted on several benchmark video sequences indicate that the proposed techniques can improve the subjective quality of the frames as well as reduce the prediction error.
Eshelby problem of polygonal inclusions in anisotropic piezoelectric full- and half-planes

This paper presents an exact closed-form solution for the Eshelby problem of polygonal inclusion in anisotropic piezoelectric full- and half-planes. Based on the equivalent body-force concept of eigenstrain, the induced elastic and piezoelectric fields are first expressed in terms of line integral on the boundary of the inclusion with the integrand being the Green's function. Using the recently derived exact closed-form line-source Green's function, the line integral is then carried out analytically, with the final expression involving only elementary functions. The exact closed-form solution is applied to a square-shaped quantum wire within semiconductor GaAs full- and half-planes, with results clearly showing the importance of material orientation and piezoelectric coupling. While the elastic and piezoelectric fields within the square-shaped quantum wire could serve as benchmarks to other numerical methods, the exact closed-form solution should be useful to the analysis of nanoscale quantum-wire structures where large strain and electric fields could be induced by the misfit strain.
Humeral bone density losses after shoulder surgery and immobilization

This study evaluates disuse osteoporosis of the proximal humerus after shoulder surgery and immobilization. This was accomplished by quantifying bone mineral density changes in 22 patients' proximal humeri after 6 weeks of immobilization for soft-tissue shoulder surgery. The bone mineral density of the humeral head, neck, and proximal diaphyseal subregions was determined 1 to 2 weeks before surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 weeks after surgery with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. By the sixth postoperative week statistically significant bone mineral density decreases of 6% to 14% were observed in the humeral neck and head subregions, respectively. The changes in these three regions diminished slightly after 6 weeks of remobilization, but the differences were still statistically significant. No significant bone mineral density changes occurred in any subregion or during any time interval in the nonoperated humerus. Our study represents the first report with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry to quantify bone loss of the proximal humerus of patients after shoulder immobilization. Further long-term study is warranted to determine the clinical significance of this bone loss and to determine whether these losses are partially or fully recoverable.