cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Predictive Validity of the Kindergarten Teacher Rating Scale.

This study assessed the predictive validity and classification accuracy of the Kindergarten Teacher Rating Scale (KTRS). The KTRS was a significant predictor of first grade reading achievement for three school districts. The KTRS also explained a significantly greater proportion of the variance in first grade reading scores than did the reading readiness tests used in the districts studied. Finally the percentages of correct classification for the KTRS were greater than the percentages of correct classification for the reading readiness tests.
A Ceramide Pentasaccharide of Human Erythrocyte Membrane

Abstract A new glycosphingolipid with a structure of β-galactopyranosyl(1→ 3)β-galactopyranosyl(1 → 4)β-N-acetylglucosaminosyl(1 → 3)β-galactopyranosyl(1 → 4)glucopyranosylceramide has been isolated and characterized from human erythrocyte ghosts.
Multiple Effects and Metabolism of α-Naphthoflavone in Induced and Uninduced Hepatic Microsomes

α-Naphthoflavone (7,8-benzoflavone [ANF])(see Figure 1) has been reported to elicit multiple effects with regard to the mixed-function oxidase enzymes that metabolize drugs, steroids, and xenobiotics (1). These effects -- enzyme induction, enzyme inhibition, and enzyme activation -- seem to occur by different mechanisms in the mammalian species studied. ANF has been reported to be a less effective inducer of cytochrome P-448-mediated hepatic mixed-function oxidases in rats than its isomer s-rnaphthoflavone (BNF) (2). ANF is a potent inhibitor of 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC)-induced or BNF-induced rat liver microsomes (cytochrome P-448) and was first described by Diamond and Gelboin (3) and Wiebel et al. (2). In addition, ANF is found to have no inhibitory effect on the mixed-function oxidases from phenobarbital (PB)-induced rat liver (cytochrome P-450) (2,4). In fact, ANF stimulates or activates these enzymes (2,4). This activation phenomenon is also observed in hepatic preparations from untreated rats, mice, rabbits, and humans (1). The mechanisms by which ANF activates or inhibits the mixed-function oxidases were of interest to us, and we began a series of investigations to try to elucidate them. This paper reviews these previous and present investigations and presents new findings that may help to explain the multiple effects of ANF observed in mammalian hepatic tissues.
Berger code self-testing checkers with partitioning and folding scheme

Due to the salient feature of the least redundant separable codes, Berger codes have been implemented for fault-tolerant, fail-safe, and concurrent error testable designs of digital circuits and systems. The features of high speed and low hardware cost are highly desirable, especially for a checker design. A fast self-testing checker (STC) design of Berger code implemented with partitioning scheme has been proposed recently. The design offers an improvement in delay, but still high hardware overhead. In this paper, an alternative partitioning scheme manipulating the most significant check bit is proposed. Results show that, implementing with the proposed partitioning scheme, the number of m/n sub-checkers required in a STC design can be reduced by half, and the hardware reduction can be as much as 50%. >
A Margin Technique for Dimension Reduction with Applications to Hyperspectral Imagery

Target classification in hyperspectral imagery has been demonstrated to be very useful in remote-sensing applications. While spectral bands provide information for classification, they give rise to a large number of features. However, a large number of features often degrade performance. In such situations, dimensionality reduction can be very helpful. There are many such techniques in the literature, and the most popular one is Fisher's linear discriminant analysis (LDA). For two class problems, LDA can be shown to be optimal. For the multi-class case, LDA is not. As such, a multi-class problem is cast into a binary one. This formulation not only simplifies the problem but also works well in practice. However, it lacks theoretical justification. We show in this paper the connection between the above formulation and Relief feature selection, thereby providing a sound basis for observed benefits associated with this formulation. Furthermore, we propose a margin based algorithm for dimensionality reduction that addresses some of the problems facing the two class formulation. We provide experimental results that corroborate well with our analysis. Index Terms - Classification, dimensionality reduction, Relief
Gibbsianizing nonequilibrium dynamics of artificial spin ice and other spin systems

Beyond effective temperature for nonequilibrium spin systems is the concept of an effective potential, an 'as if' potential with no regard for real energies. But if the former is ad hoc, the latter would surely seem more so. We take up the task of tying a flow of effective interaction in coupling space to specified dynamics, and illustrate what can be done with pencil-and-paper approximations as well as Monte-Carlo integration of the flow equations. This Gibbsianization program is applied to a model of a zero-temperature quench from a completely disordered state as well as a model of artificial spin lattice rotational demagnetization in the disorder-dominated regime. Lessons are drawn regarding the most fruitful effective potentials to use in modelling laboratory systems.
ATM-Dependent Chromatin Changes Silence Transcription In cis to DNA Double-Strand Breaks

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) initiate extensive local and global alterations in chromatin structure, many of which depend on the ATM kinase. Histone H2A ubiquitylation (uH2A) on chromatin surrounding DSBs is one example, thought to be important for recruitment of repair proteins. uH2A is also implicated in transcriptional repression; an intriguing yet untested hypothesis is that this function is conserved in the context of DSBs. Using a novel reporter that allows for visualization of repair protein recruitment and local transcription in single cells, we describe an ATM-dependent transcriptional silencing program in cis to DSBs. ATM prevents RNA polymerase II elongation-dependent chromatin decondensation at regions distal to DSBs. Silencing is partially dependent on E3 ubiquitin ligases RNF8 and RNF168, whereas reversal of silencing relies on the uH2A deubiquitylating enzyme USP16. These findings give insight into the role of posttranslational modifications in mediating crosstalk between diverse processes occurring on chromatin.
Speaking of Books: Bonfire of the Humanities

Book reviewed in this article: Victor Davis Hanson, John Heath, Bruce S. Thornton, Bonfire of the Humanities: Rescuing the Classics in an Impoverished Age
Succession of Exotic and Native Species Assemblages within Restored Floodplain Forests: A Test of the Parallel Dynamics Hypothesis

Exotic plants pose a threat to restoration success in post-agricultural bottomlands, but little information exists on their dynamics during succession of actively restored sites. We hypothesized that exotic assemblages would establish during succession and that their compositional trends during succession time would mirror those published for native species in other systems, with an early peak in herbaceous richness followed by a decline as woody species establish. In the summer of 2008, we sampled 16 sites across an 18-year chronosequence of restored forests, with an additional four mature forest stands for comparison, within the Cypress Creek NWR, Illinois, U.S.A. We identified all vascular plant species and quantified canopy openness at three canopy strata, and soil texture and chemistry. Trends in exotic assemblages were significantly correlated with canopy openness at all strata. Richness of exotic and native herbaceous species was related to stand age and consistent with a Weibull regression model. Native and exotic herbaceous cover followed an exponential decay model. Woody native richness over time conformed to a logistic model; woody exotics exhibited no relationship with stand age and were present in sites of all ages. Our results indicate that although their rates of decline differ, herbaceous exotics and natives exhibit similar successional dynamics; therefore, herbaceous exotics may not pose a lasting threat to restoration success in reforested floodplains. Woody exotics can establish across a range of successional stages and persist under closed canopy conditions. Bottomland restorations are vulnerable to the invasion and expansion of exotic plant species even after canopy closure.
An Orthogonal Full Rate Full Diversity Space Time Block Code for Four Transmit Antenna Systems

We present a new space-time block code (STBC) that is orthogonal, full rate and achieves full diversity for four transmit antennas when a special "triple-QPSK" modulation is used. The performance of this STBC is evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation and union bounding techniques. The pairwise error probability is presented. The analytical results match very well with the simulation results at reasonable signal to noise ratios (SNR). The performance of this STBC using the "triple-QPSK" is better than that of the conventional STBC.
Using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle to Track the Thermocline Based on Peak-Gradient Detection

The thermocline plays a key role in underwater acoustics and marine ecology. In oceanographic surveys, it is often desirable to detect the thermocline and track its spatio-temporal variation. Mobility of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) makes it an efficient platform for thermocline tracking. In this paper, we present an autonomous algorithm for detecting and tracking the thermocline by an AUV. The key is detection and close tracking of the maximum vertical gradient of temperature. On August 31 and September 1, 2010, the Tethys AUV ran the algorithm to closely track the thermocline across a sharp temperature front in Monterey Bay, CA.
Phase control and intra-pulse phase compensation of the Advanced Photon Source (APS) linear accelerator

RF power for the APS linear accelerator is provided by five klystrons, each of which feeds one linac "sector", containing accelerating structures and SLED cavities. A VXI-based subsystem measures the phase of each sector of the linac with respect to a thermally stabilized reference line. The resulting information is used to control a linearized varactor phase shifter. Error correction is done by software, using operator-controllable parameters. A second phase shifter provides an intra-pulse correction to the phase of the klystron drive pulse. When the intra-pulse correction is applied, the resulting phase is flat to within 0.5/spl deg/ after 2.5 /spl mu/sec. A second correction, made after the PSK trigger to the SLED and during the filling of the accelerating structures, resulted in an energy gain of 5 MeV from a single sector.
Simulation study of a capacitively coupled plasma by two dimensional fluid model

In this study, we present a rigorous 2-D mathematical model for the analysis of plasma density, ion density, and electron temperature in a capacitively coupled plasma under different operating conditions. The model is based on the solutions of conservation equations of mass, momentum, species, and electrostatic field obtained in a fully integrated finite-volume solver using CFDRC. The calculation results show that the plasma density profile has a maximum value between the anode and the cathode and that high-energy electrons are scattered on the cathode wall. The plasma density increases with pressure because of an increase in the electron collision frequency, and the argon in density distribution increases with flow rate. The high ion density at the center of the chamber is because of the additional ionization caused by bombardment with the high-energy electrons2. With an increase in the chamber pressure, the ions move toward the outlet; this is because of a decrease in mean free path and temperature of the electrons. The 2D fluid model can be used to obtain additional information about the inter-electrode distance. It is found that the plasma densities at both the electrodes show a nonuniform profile with an increase in the inter-electrode distance. This nonuniformity is expected to affect the uniformity of the deposited layer.
Coming of age in the age of the American revolution

Americans understood the Revolution by means of a developmental metaphor: the thirteen rebellious colonies were like children outgrowing their dependence on their parents and asserting their own autonomy. On this analogy, their Declaration of Independence was a natural unfolding of “things in the womb of time.” But the bitterness and bite of this developmental view of the Revolution went beyond a bland assertion of biological maturity. In the American apprehension of the matter, British parents mistreated their colonial offspring and provoked their wish to be free. The familial relationship was a dysfunctional one. And such an outlook made sense to Americans because their familial experience conditioned their familial imagery. In early America, colonists routinely left home at an early age, some because their parents sent them away, others because they chose to go. Patterns of precocious autonomy were widespread, impelled not only by withering mortality but also by an array of intergenerational animositie...
FOSSIL ARGONAUTS (MOLLUSCA: CEPHALOPODA: OCTOPODIDA) FROM LATE MIOCENE SILTSTONES OF THE LOS ANGELES BASIN, CALIFORNIA

Abstract Fossilized argonaut egg cases have been recovered from marine siltstones of the late Miocene exposed around margins of the Los Angeles Basin, California. Low radial ribs on the thin, keelless, planispirally coiled egg cases suggest referring them to Mizuhobaris lepta new species. Occurrence of these egg cases in fine-grained Monterey Formation sediments with mesopelagic fish fossils, nannofossils, and Foraminifera indicate deposition in middle-to-upper bathyal depths. Argonaut egg cases have been described from Tertiary strata in Japan, New Zealand, Sumatra, and Europe, but this is the first report of fossilized argonaut egg cases from the Western Hemisphere. Secretion of egg cases by argonauts probably developed during the Paleogene as a solution to problems of spawning encountered by octopi as they acquired an epipelagic, open-ocean habitat. Shape and sculpture of the egg cases represent responses to hydrodynamics rather than an inheritance from or copying of ectocochliate cephalopods. The case...
Attitudes Toward Epilepsy Genetics Testing Among Adult and Pediatric Epileptologists-Results of a Q-PULSE Survey.

Epilepsy genetics is complex and involves a multitude of different candidate genes with diverse mechanisms, varying modes of inheritance, and often a broad range of phenotypes for single genes (1). Patients and families frequently request genetic testing to better understand the basis of their disease, obtain a better understanding of potential risks to future offspring, and often with the hope to personalize treatment based on the genetic finding (2). Although a genetic diagnosis has a direct treatment implication only in a small number of cases, identifying a genetic cause may help avoid unnecessary testing and offer an explanation to patients and families (3, 4). There are also risks of testing including incurring substantial patient cost, patient fear of discrimination, and obtaining variants of uncertain significance that may be confusing for physicians and families (2, 5, 6). Given these complexities and the accelerating pace of discovery in epilepsy genetics, it has become increasing challenging to understand the proper application of genetic testing in epilepsy. Although there are reviews and proposed algorithms detailing genetic testing options in epilepsy, no formalized guidelines exist to date (5, 7–9). An understanding of the current perceptions and experiences with genetic testing in epilepsy among neurologists may be instrumental in identifying knowledge gaps and barriers to testing—ultimately improving epilepsy care. This Quantitative Practical Use-Driven Learning Survey in epilepsy (Q-PULSE) of the medical directors of leading U.S. epilepsy centers was conducted to investigate the varying practices and beliefs among pediatric and adult neurologists in the utilization of epilepsy genetic testing. Survey Results
Graduate Training in Entomology: The Students' Views Edited, and with an Introduction and Afterword

These papers are essentially as they were presented at a symposium held at the 1970 meeting of the Entomological Society of America. In organizing that symposium, and in editing its results here, I tried to leave as much as feasible of the actual data-gathering and interpreting to the students themselves, not wholly from laziness, but because I believed (and believe) the times are ready for students' views, presented to us by students.
Erythropoietin after Bone Marrow Transplantation

The anemia associated with bone marrow transplantation is in part related to a relative erythropoietin deficiency. Recombinant human erythropoietin has been studied in different clinical situations. After allogenic bone marrow transplant, recombinant human erythropoietin has enchanced erythroid engraftment and in several studies, decreased transfusion requirement.
Myocardial viability. Assessment by cardiac scintigraphy.

Myocardial systolic contractile dysfunction can occur despitepreservation of myocardial viability, conditions referred to as myocardial 'stunning' or 'hibernation.' Because simple assessment of wall motion does not adequately distinguish nonviable from viable but noncontracting myocardial regions, clinicians require alternate methods to assess whether strategies might be useful. Nuclear imaging techniques can provide relatively precise, clinically relevant information regarding the status of myocardial viability, despite the presence of regional or global systolic dysfunction.
Chapter Zero Ending(s)

This chapter begins by looking at some of the foundational ideas in epistemology, from Plato’s attempts to differentiate between knowledge and belief, to Rene Descartes’s rejection of previous ideas and development of a “method of doubt,” to John Locke’s turn toward experiential data and empiricism. Calvin demonstrates ways in which ideas central to all three of these thinkers were grounded in gendered concepts, and they have had profound consequences over time. The chapter then examines some ways in which feminist philosophers have devised a number of strategies to avoid or counteract those biases.
FBMC and L-DACS Performance for Future Air-to-Ground Communication Systems

Recently, two different L-band digital aeronautical communication systems (L-DACS), i.e., L-DACS1 and L-DACS2, have been proposed as two future communication infrastructure candidates for air-to-ground (AG) communication systems, with L-DACS1 selected as the best candidate. In this paper, we describe a filter bank multicarrier (FBMC)-based communication system and show its advantages over the L-DACS systems. We provide simulation results for all three communication systems to fairly compare their power spectral density, peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR), and bit error ratio (BER) performance. We show that in a measurement-based AG communication channel model, FBMC has better performance (and spectral containment) than the L-DACS schemes, and this is particularly true in the presence of actual interfering signals from distance measuring equipment (DME). Simulation results show that FBMC can substantially reduce the out-of-band power and can suppress DME interference by at least 19.5 dB, due to its well-localized subcarrier prototype filters. FBMC can also increase throughput and spectral efficiency by reducing the number of guard-band subcarriers and removal of the cyclic prefix, postfix, as well as windowing techniques used in L-DACS1. These results show that an FBMC-based communication system can be an appealing candidate for future AG communication systems.
History of Environmental Economic Thought

(2000). History of Environmental Economic Thought. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 238-240.
Lymphoma Therapy and Adverse Events: Nursing Strategies for Thinking Critically and Acting Decisively.

Background Multiple treatment options, combined with disease heterogeneity, have created nursing challenges in the management of adverse events (AEs) during antilymphoma therapy. Testing has revealed that less than half of participating nurses correctly graded peripheral neuropathy and neutropenia related to antilymphoma regimens. Objectives This article identifies nursing challenges in the management of AEs associated with therapy for lymphomas and describes how strategies in critical thinking can help meet those challenges. Methods A comprehensive literature search in oncology nursing, nursing education, and critical thinking was conducted; participant responses to pre- and post-tests at nursing education programs were evaluated; and a roundtable meeting of authors was convened. Findings Oncology nurses can cultivate critical thinking skills, practice thinking critically in relation to team members and patients, leverage information from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, and manage workflow to allow more opportunity for critical thinking.
Synthesis of Historical Azo Pigments: The Challenge and Opportunity of the Nearly Forgotten

Synthetic organic pigments (SOPS) find wide use in modern and contemporary works of art. These laboratory-made pigments are used in many fields, including industrial and architectural paints, printing inks, plastics, textiles, and artists’ materials. They have been examined by a variety of techniques including spectroscopic methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman, and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) as well as chromatographic or mass spectrometric techniques such as pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS). Often, a combination of techniques has been used to examine these pigments. Previously, we used a combination of Raman spectroscopy and LDI-MS to characterize commercially available SOPS. However, many pigments, termed “historical” are no longer manufactured, and therefore, may not have been characterized. This paper describes the synthesis of members of several classes of SOPS and their characterization.
Adapting Dialectical Behavior Therapy for College Counseling Centers.

College counseling centers report increased student presentation with severe psychological issues (Gallagher, 2012). Although dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has demonstrated efficacy with multiple clinical populations, standard model DBT is not feasible for many traditional college counseling centers. This article describes the iterative development and evolution of a comprehensive DBT program adapted to fit the scope of a traditional college counseling center. Guidelines for implementing lessons learned over the 3 years of the program are provided.
Synthesis, characterization and alloying of Cu2ZnSnQ4 (Q=S, Se and Te) nanocrystals

Abstract Cu2ZnSnQ4 nanocrystals, with Q=S, Se and Te, were grown by a colloidal synthetic approach and characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and optical absorbance. We also demonstrate that doping and alloying at the nanoscale is possible by this approach. The results are discussed in terms of developing a standardized synthetic approach for the synthesis of quaternary nanocrystals, including doping and alloying, in order to allow for bottom-up processing of these materials for energy-related applications.
Downregulation of PKCζ/Pard3/Pard6b is responsible for lung adenocarcinoma cell EMT and invasion

Atypical protein kinase C ζ (PKCζ) forms an apico-basal polarity complex with Partitioning Defective (Pard) 3 and Pard6 to regulate normal epithelial cell apico-basolateral polarization. The dissociation of the PKCζ/Pard3/Pard6 complex is essential for the disassembly of the tight/adherens junction and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) that is critical for tumor spreading. Loss of cell polarity and epithelial organization is strongly correlated with malignancy and tumor progression in some other cancer types. However, it is unclear whether the PKCζ/Pard3/Pard6 complex plays a role in the progression of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We found that hypoxia downregulated the PKCζ/Pard3/Pard6 complex, correlating with induction of lung cancer cell migration and invasion. Silencing of the PKCζ/Pard3/Pard6 polarity complex components induced lung cancer cell EMT, invasion, and colonization in vivo. Suppression of Pard3 was associated with altered expression of genes regulating wound healing, cell apoptosis/death and cell motility, and particularly upregulation of MAP3K1 and fibronectin which are known to contribute to lung cancer progression. Human lung adenocarcinoma tissues expressed less Pard6b and PKCζ than the adjacent normal tissues and in experimental mouse lung adenocarcinoma, the levels of Pard3 and PKCζ were also decreased. In addition, we showed that a methylation locus in the gene body of Pard3 is positively associated with the expression of Pard3 and that methylation of the Pard3 gene increased cellular sensitivity to carboplatin, a common chemotherapy drug. Suppression of Pard3 increased chemoresistance in lung cancer cells. Together, these results suggest that reduced expression of PKCζ/Pard3/Pard6 contributes to NSCLC EMT, invasion, and chemoresistance.
Digital Holographic Microscopy, a Method for Detection of Microorganisms in Plume Samples from Enceladus and Other Icy Worlds.

Detection of extant microbial life on Earth and elsewhere in the Solar System requires the ability to identify and enumerate micrometer-scale, essentially featureless cells. On Earth, bacteria are usually enumerated by culture plating or epifluorescence microscopy. Culture plates require long incubation times and can only count culturable strains, and epifluorescence microscopy requires extensive staining and concentration of the sample and instrumentation that is not readily miniaturized for space. Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) represents an alternative technique with no moving parts and higher throughput than traditional microscopy, making it potentially useful in space for detection of extant microorganisms provided that sufficient numbers of cells can be collected. Because sample collection is expected to be the limiting factor for space missions, especially to outer planets, it is important to quantify the limits of detection of any proposed technique for extant life detection. Here we use both laboratory and field samples to measure the limits of detection of an off-axis digital holographic microscope (DHM). A statistical model is used to estimate any instrument's probability of detection at various bacterial concentrations based on the optical performance characteristics of the instrument, as well as estimate the confidence interval of detection. This statistical model agrees well with the limit of detection of 10^3 cells/mL that was found experimentally with laboratory samples. In environmental samples, active cells were immediately evident at concentrations of 104 cells/mL. Published estimates of cell densities for Enceladus plumes yield up to 104 cells/mL, which are well within the off-axis DHM's limits of detection to confidence intervals greater than or equal to 95%, assuming sufficient sample volumes can be collected. The quantitative phase imaging provided by DHM allowed minerals to be distinguished from cells. Off-axis DHM's ability for rapid low-level bacterial detection and counting shows its viability as a technique for detection of extant microbial life provided that the cells can be captured intact and delivered to the sample chamber in a sufficient volume of liquid for imaging.
Mirrored changes in Antarctic ozone and stratospheric temperature in the late 20th versus early 21st centuries

Observed and modeled patterns of lower stratospheric seasonal trends in Antarctic ozone and temperature in the late 20th (1979–2000) and the early 21st (2000–2014) centuries are compared. Patterns of pre-2000 observed Antarctic ozone decreases and stratospheric cooling as a function of month and pressure are followed by opposite-signed (i.e., “mirrored”) patterns of ozone increases and warming post-2000. An interactive chemistry-climate model forced by changes in anthropogenic ozone depleting substances produces broadly similar mirrored features. Statistical analysis of unforced model simulations (from long-term model control simulations of a few centuries up to 1000 years) suggests that internal and solar natural variability alone is unable to account for the pattern of observed ozone trend mirroring, implying that forcing is the dominant driver of this behavior. Radiative calculations indicate that ozone increases have contributed to Antarctic warming of the lower stratosphere over 2000–2014, but dynamical changes that are likely due to internal variability over this relatively short period also appear to be important. Overall, the results support the recent finding that the healing of the Antarctic ozone hole is underway and that coupling between dynamics, chemistry, and radiation is important for a full understanding of the causes of observed stratospheric temperature and ozone changes.
A Novel Probing Technique for Mode Estimation in Video Coding Architectures

Video compression standards operate by removing redundancy in the temporal, special, and even frequency domains. Temporal redundancy is usually removed by motion compensated prediction resulting in Inter-, Intra-, Bidirectional- frames. However, video coding standards do not specify the encoding process but the bit stream. Thus one of the key tasks of any implementations of such standards is to estimate the modes of frames as well as macro blocks. In this article we propose a novel technique for this purpose.
Optical coherence tomography angiography: Technical principles and clinical applications in ophthalmology

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a functional extension of OCT that provides information on retinal and choroidal circulations without the need for dye injections. With the recent development of high-speed OCT systems and efficient algorithms, OCTA has become clinically feasible. In this review article, we discuss the technical principles of OCTA, including image processing and artifacts, and its clinical applications in ophthalmology. We summarize recent studies which qualitatively or quantitatively assess disease presentation, progression, and/or response to treatment.
The processing of the object marker a by heritage Spanish speakers

Objectives:Previous research has found that object marking with the Spanish particle a is variable among heritage Spanish speakers, based on data from offline experimental measures. The online self-paced reading method used for the present study has the advantage of being less metalinguistic, which may be important with heritage speakers. This incremental measure of sentence processing can also examine whether the single letter form a is simply skipped over during reading.Methodology:Thirty-two heritage Spanish speakers and 16 later Spanish-English bilinguals participated. Critical stimuli were 20 items testing a marking with direct objects and 20 items testing a marking of indirect objects in ditransitive constructions.Data and analysis:The data set included reading times from self-paced reading, accuracy for post-stimulus comprehension questions, and secondary data from an offline acceptability judgment, all of which were analyzed via ANOVAs by subject and by item.Findings:Both groups exhibited robust s...
Differential Influence of Early Life and Adult Stress on Urogenital Sensitivity and Function in Male Mice.

Experiences of adverse childhood events have been associated with improper output of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in adulthood, as well as development of comorbid functional pain disorders. Symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome frequently overlap with those of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome and symptom severity is often triggered by stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence early life stress and acute adult stress on (1) perigenital sensitivity, (2) micturition, (3) anhedonia, and (4) HPA axis regulation and output in male C56Bl/6 mice. Neonatal maternal separation (NMS) was performed for 3 h a day from postnatal day 1 to 21 and naive pups remained unhandled during this time. As adults, male mice were tested for referred prostate sensitivity and micturition patterning prior to and 1 and 8 days after exposure to 1 h of water avoidance stress (WAS). Following testing, prostate and bladder tissues were used for mast cell and Western blot analysis and RT-PCR was performed on mRNA from hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus. Serum corticosterone (CORT) was also measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A significant increase in perigenital sensitivity and micturition frequency was observed in NMS mice and these measures were exacerbated by WAS exposure. Exposure to NMS significantly increased mast cell degranulation in both the bladder and prostate. Mast cell degranulation was also increased in naive prostate tissue following WAS exposure. Cytokine mRNA levels were influenced by both NMS and WAS exposure, though WAS had a larger impact on central gene expression. Protein levels of CRF1 were differentially regulated by NMS and WAS in the bladder and prostate and serum CORT levels were significantly diminished following stress exposure. Taken together, these data suggest that NMS results in neurogenic inflammation and hypersensitivity within the urogenital organs, coupled with diminished gene expression and output from the HPA axis. Future studies of NMS in male mice may provide a useful tool as a preclinical model of male chronic urological pain syndromes for investigating potential pharmacological and interventional therapies.
Racial Resentment Attitudes Among White Millennial Youth: The Influence of Parents and Media*

Objective We examine levels of racial resentment among white Millennial youth. In addition, we explore the individual‐level determinants of racial resentment among this group, with specific attention given to the potential role of political socialization and social media. Methods Using a national survey of parents and children collected in October 2012 immediately prior to the U.S. presidential election, we examine the individual‐level predictors of racial resentment among white respondents (n = 613) who are 18 years old and younger. We test several competing explanations of racial resentment among Millennial youth, including demographic differences, traditional media use, social media use, general societal views, and levels of racial resentment among parents. Results Our findings suggest that white American Millennial youth may be slightly more racially progressive than their parents, and parental racial attitudes remain strong predictors of youth racial attitudes. In addition, some forms of social media may help to reduce levels of racial resentment.
Bôcher's theorem

The usual proofs of Bocher's Theorem rely either on the theory of superharmonic functions ([4], Theorem 5.4) or series expansions using spherical harmonics ([5], Chapter X, Theorem XII). (The referee has called our attention to the proof given by G. E. Raynor [7]. Raynor points out that the original proof of Maxime Bocher [2] implicitly uses some non-obvious properties of the level surfaces of a harmonic function.) In this, paper we offer a different and simpler approach to this theorem. The only results about harmonic functions needed are the minimum principle, Harnack's Inequality, and the solvability of the Dirichlet problem in Bn. We will investigate a harmonic function by studying its dilates. For u a function defined on Bn \ {0} and r E (0, 1), the dilate ur is the function defined on (l/r)Bn \ {0} by
Engineering in Earth Materials

This chapter discusses the scope of engineering in earth material. A classification of the rock material could be based on mineralogical and petrological structure, including the rock fabric on scales ranging through the molecular, microscopic, and macroscopic sizes. This requires an exploration of the deformation characteristics of the material under load, sometimes up to the point of fracture. The purpose of this investigation is for the engineer to estimate the strength of the rock and its ability to withstand the loads that will be required to sustain the circumstances of the engineering problem concerned. The response of an earth material to dynamic loads is very different from what it displays in response to static loads. The environment of a rock mass, which includes the degree and the manner in which the rock is constrained, and the pore fluid pressures, are major factors of critical importance.
Factors Influencing the Reliability and Validity of Observation Data

During the past 3 decades, researchers and clinicians alike have become increasingly interested in the nature of family interaction in their attempts to understand, modify, and prevent such diverse maladaptations as schizophrenia, depression, alcoholism, and childhood aggression. Overall, such investigations have sought to (a) construct and evaluate theoretical models of marital and parent—child behavior with the aim of understanding the development and functioning of family systems; (b) identify family interactions that reliably differentiate problem from nonproblem families as a first step toward developing more effective methods of treatment and prevention; and (c) assess the influence of various treatment approaches on the nature of intrafamilial interactions.
Nonlinear Control of Breathing Activity in Early Development

Spontaneous breathing movements have been described in the fetal sheep, fetal baboon and the human fetus prior to birth. In the fetal lamb and baboon, breathing movements can be observed as electromyographic activity in the diaphragm coupled with negative changes in intratracheal pressure[1],[2]. Movements of the fetal chest wall and diaphragm can readily be seen with the use of real-time ultrasound in the human[3]. Although they do not regulate fetal oxygenation, fetal breathing movements are similar to postnatal respiratory activity in that they involve phrenic nerve firing and are modulated by a variety of chemical signals including hypoxia, hypercarbia and pharmacological agents such as opiates. However, the dynamics of fetal breathing movements are quite unique and very different from the postnatal breathing pattern.
Recovery of Superconductivity of Formvar-Coated Composite Nb-Ti/Cu from Postquench Conditions

Among the various approaches to superconducting magnet design, several categories of magnets may be distinguished, which include liquid-helium-cooled magnets. There are generally accepted stabilization criteria [1] for these large superconducting magnets [2], such as steady-state stability. An extension of related stability data to transient conditions has been reported for a number of bare conductors, but not for coated composites of large magnets.
Stając się modlitwą. Trzy postaci, trzy głosy (tłum. B. Brzezińskiego)

The article Becoming what we pray: Three images, three voices by professor Michael Plekon presents three persons who were very important for Orthodox culture, spirituality and thought — saint Seraphim of Sarov, Mother Maria Skobtsova and Paul Evdokimov. Showing the most substantial facts from their life and activity the author exhibits the real transformation, metamorphosis of their personalities, hearts and consciousnesses under the action of practice of the Jesus' Prayer or the prayer of the heart. The main aim of the article is — one can suppose — to underline the role of the Jesus' Prayer in changing people who systematically practicing it in their life, and in giving them the power to go over the stereotypes, myths and customs, even religious. The heart of the matter is emphasizing — in positive meaning — the real close union between the prayer and the life and the relationship with neighbour. Professor Plekon stresses that “the personal and interior aspects of this prayer are never separated from liturgical prayer and our lives”. Christians believe in salvation and resurrection of Jesus Ch rist and they practice the Jesus Prayer, but this prayer formula is not only devoid of life meaning formula but it is the method of changing the whole human mentality, in each everyday circumstances concerning family, marriage, work, life in monastic community, doing shopping, reading books, watching TV programs, raising children, writing the scientific articles, being in different social and cultural situations, generally — it changes all, the vision of life and the universe.
Computational optimization for nonimaging solar concentrators using generalized pattern search

We present a computational framework for optimizing nonimaging solar concentrators. Our approach is to represent the concentrator’s shape as a polygon, use ray tracing to compute the flux at the receiver, and employ Generalized Pattern Search (GPS) on the polygon’s vertices. Many shape optimization techniques use gradients to seek a direction of steepest ascent or descent. For solar concentrators, these approaches can easily get trapped in local minima. In contrast, GPS is a derivative-free method that seeks a global optimum on suitable meshes, without computing gradients. This helps to avoid getting trapped in local minima. Results for 2D concentrators show that our algorithm can converge to the ideal concentrator's shape as the number of polygon vertices increases. We also show that when the number of vertices is small and fixed, the optimal polygon can differ significantly from the polygon that would be obtained using a uniform collocation of the ideal shape. This approach could lead to a simple, accurate, and fast design method, and improve the performance and lower the fabrication costs of nonimaging concentrators for solar and thermal applications.
Spatial decision‐support tools to guide restoration and seed‐sourcing in the Desert Southwest

Altered disturbance regimes and shifting climates have increased the need for large‐scale restoration treatments across the western United States. Seed‐sourcing remains a considerable challenge for revegetation efforts, particularly on public lands where policy favors the use of native, locally sourced plant material to avoid maladaptation. An important area of emphasis for public agencies has been the development of spatial tools to guide selection of genetically appropriate seed. When genetic information is not available, current seed transfer guidelines stipulate use of climate‐based or provisional seed transfer zones, which serve as a proxy for local adaptation by representing climate gradients to which plants are commonly adapted. Despite this guidance, little emphasis has been placed on identifying best practices for deriving provisional seed zones or on incorporating predictions from future climate. We describe a flexible, multivariate procedure for deriving such zones that incorporates a broad range of climatic characteristics while accounting for covariation among climate variables. With this approach, we derive provisional seed zones for four regions in the Desert Southwest (the Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert, Colorado Plateau, and Southern Great Basin). To facilitate future‐resilient restoration designs, we project each zone into its relative position in the future climate based on near‐term, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emissions scenarios. Although provisional seed zones are useful in a variety of contexts, there are also situations in which site‐specific guidance is preferable. To meet this need, we implement Climate Distance Mapper, an interactive decision‐support tool designed to help practitioners match seed sources with restoration sites through an accessible online interface. The application allows users to rank the suitability of seed sources anywhere on the landscape based on multivariate climate distances. Users can perform calculations for either the current or future climates. Additionally, tools are available to guide sample effort in regional‐scale seed collections or to partition the landscape into climate clusters representing suitable planting sites for different seed sources. Our tools and analytic procedures represent a flexible and reproducible framework for advancing native plant development programs in the Desert Southwest and beyond.
Service-Learning and Experiential Learning in Criminal Justice Education: An Exploratory Examination of Faculty Perspectives

Scholarship on service-learning and experiential learning consistently demonstrates benefits for students, but little evidence has emerged examining the perspectives of faculty. The current study e...
Silly meets serious: discursive integration and the Stewart/Colbert era

This paper traces political satire on U. S. television. Using the theory of discursive integration, the paper examines the satire of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and the scholarship about their...
A Comparison of E-Cigarette Use Patterns and Smoking Cessation Behavior among Vapers by Primary Place of Purchase

Background: E-cigarettes are purchased through multiple channels, including general retail, online, and specialty smoke and vape shops. We examine how e-cigarette users’ primary purchase place relates to e-cigarette use and smoking cessation behaviors. Methods: Probability-based samples of the U.S. population who were current e-cigarette users were surveyed in 2014 (N = 879) and 2016 (N = 743), with responses combined for most analyses. E-cigarette use and smoking cessation behaviors were compared across users’ primary purchase place. Results: Higher percentages of vape shop (59.1%) and internet (42.9%) customers were current daily users of e-cigarettes compared to retail (19.7%) and smoke shop (23.2%) customers (p-values < 0.001). Higher percentages of vape shop (40.2%) and internet (35.1%) customers were also former smokers, compared to 17.7% of retail and 19.3% of smoke shop customers (p’s < 0.001). Among those smoking 12 months prior to survey, smoking cessation rates were higher for vape shop (22.2%) and internet customers (22.5%) than for retail customers (10.7%, p = 0.010 and p = 0.022, respectively), even though retail customers were more likely to use FDA-approved smoking cessation aids. The percentage of customers purchasing from vape shops increased from 20.4% in 2014 to 37.6% in 2016, surpassing general retail (27.7%) as the most likely channel in 2016. Conclusions: E-cigarette customers differed in significant ways by channels of purchase, most notably in their smoking cessation behaviors. Previous population studies have relied mostly on retail channel data, which accounted for less than 30% of all products sold by 2016. Future studies of e-cigarette use should consider a broader set of channels.