cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient requests and provider suggestions for alternative treatments as reported by rural and urban care providers.

Summary Objectives Explored the relationship between different types of care providers’ willingness to suggest alternative and complementary treatments (CAM), patients’ requests for CAM, and provider perceptions about CAM as barriers to effective healthcare. Design Large survey. Setting Alaska and New Mexico. Main measures Survey responses from 1528 physical and behavioral healthcare providers. Results Over 97% of providers suggested CAM; over 97% reported patients asked for CAM. Providers were more likely to suggest CAM than perceived CAM as a barrier to care. Healthcare providers who were female, from small rural areas, or specializing in behavioral healthcare were more likely to suggest CAM and less likely to perceive CAM as a barrier. Patients of physical healthcare providers asked for CAM more often than patients of behavioral healthcare providers, yet physical care providers suggested CAM less frequently. Conclusions Healthcare providers of all disciplines, regions, and gender are sensitive to patients’ desire for CAM and do not perceive CAM as a barrier to care.
Laser Radar and Quantum States of Light

We examine proposals to employ squeezed states and NOON states, novel quantum states of light, in laser radar. We find that the use of these states does not yield enhanced performance.
Beta Amyloid Toxicity Does Not Require RAGE Protein

It has been suggested that a receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is the nerve cell receptor for amyloid beta protein (A beta). To determine if this is indeed the case, two neural cell lines as well as rat cortical neurons were examined for the presence of the mRNA for RAGE by PCR and northern blot analysis. Although lung was strongly positive, in no case was RAGE mRNA detected in the cultured neural cells. Glycated-albumin is a major ligand for RAGE and the cell surface RAGE protein is trypsin sensitive. In agreement with the mRNA data, trypsin treatment did not alter A beta toxicity, nor did glycated albumin modify the A beta response. It follows that RAGE is not the neural receptor for A beta.
Truncus arteriosus and other lethal internal anomalies in Goltz syndrome.

An infant girl of 36 weeks gestational age was found to have cardiovascular and other lethal internal anomalies in addition to characteristic external abnormalities of focal dermal hypoplasia (Goltz syndrome). The internal anomalies included truncus arteriosus type II with truncal origin of hypoplastic pulmonary arteries, cardiac ventricular septal defect, severe hypoplasia of lungs and pulmonary veins, massive diaphragmatic hernia, and absence of the right kidney. Such a combination of severe anomalies has not been reported previously in Goltz syndrome.
Ontology Creation as a Sensemaking Activity

This article explores the use of diagramming to support simultaneous sensemaking and ontology development. The authors argue that tools can be developed to support a continuum of knowledge models, from initial free-form diagrams that make it easy to capture anauthores knowledge and intent but are only interpretable by humans, to propositionally coherent concept maps that structure the free-form diagrams into independently meaningful node-link-node triples, and finally to description-logic concept maps that combine human readability and understanding with logical formalism and a machine-understandable format. The CmapTools Ontology Editor (COE) is a version of CmapTools that uses a descriptive-logic style to encode meanings. Rendering Web Ontology Language (OWL) into concept map notation may be regarded as a first marker in the territory that lies toward the formal end of a continuum of human-machine functionality. In COE-OWL diagrams, the machine reads the parts of the diagram that it can and performs allowable logical operations, while ignoring the parts of the diagram it cannot read. Conversely, humans read those parts of the diagram that make sense and can ignore the rest, knowing that the two formsothe natural and the logicaloare linked in a way that is itself meaningful and functional. The authors call this merger of ontology creation and sensemaking iopportunistic computation.
Geostatistics: Models and tools for the earth sciences

The probability construct underlying geostatistical methodology is recalled, stressing that stationary is a property of the model rather than of the phenomenon being represented. Geostatistics is more than interpolation and kriging(s) is more than linear interpolation through ordinary kriging. A few common misconceptions are addressed.
The Hypocreales of North America

Stroma upright, stalked, surrounded at the base by the cespitose perithecia. Spores i-septate. Spores muriform. Stroma depressed or tubercular, often concealed at maturity by the perithecia. Spores simple. Spores hyaline. Spores brown. Spores compound. Spores I-septate. Spores hyaline. Spores brown. Spores more than i-septate. Perithecia dark blue (black to naked eye). Perithecia bright colored, red, yellow,
Determination of vitamins a and e in serum and plasma using a simplified clarification method and high-performance liquid chromatography

A method of sample clarification and high-performance liquid chromatography specifically developed to permit precise and rapid determination of vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) in serum and plasma is reported. Serum proteins were denatured by the addition of acetonitrile containing alpha-tocopherol acetate, the internal standard; the vitamins were subsequently extracted into an organic matrix consisting of ethyl acetate-butanol (1:1); no solvent evaporation step was required. The three vitamins of interest were eluted from a reversed-phase C18 column with an isocratic mobile phase methanol-water (95:5); detection was accomplished by measuring ultraviolet absorption at 280 nm. Recoveries of retinol, alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol acetate from spiked aqueous samples averaged 100.0, 100.0 and 98.8%, respectively. Recoveries of retinol, alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherol acetate from plasma and serum relative to water were 102.6, 96.9 and 96.5%, respectively. Retinol and alpha-tocopherol were stable in the extraction matrix for up to 3.5 h, and were stable in heparinized plasma stored at room temperature for two days. Oxalate, citrate and EDTA caused significant losses of retinol and alpha-tocopherol, while vitamin levels in serum and heparinized plasma were similar. Limits of detection for retinol and alpha-tocopherol were 60 ng/ml and 0.9 micrograms/ml, respectively. Each run required 12 min. Same-day coefficients of variation were 3.5 and 3.6% for retinol and alpha-tocopherol, respectively (n = 11). Between-day coefficients of variation for retinol and alpha-tocopherol were 4.8 and 5.5%, respectively (n = 5). This method permits simple, rapid, sensitive, selective and precise determination of retinol and alpha-tocopherol using 0.5 ml of serum or heparinized plasma.
ROCKs as immunomodulators of stroke

Introduction: Stroke is the third leading cause of death and a major cause of long-term disability in the adult population. Growing evidence suggests that inflammation may play an important role in the evolution of stroke. Because Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinases (ROCKs) are important mediators of inflammation, they may contribute to stroke and stroke recovery. Areas covered: The pathophysiological role of ROCKs in mediating inflammation at different phases of stroke, and the therapeutic opportunities for stroke prevention and stroke treatment with ROCK inhibitors will be discussed. Expert opinion: Inflammation is a double-edged sword during the evolution of stroke. Immunomodulation might provide a novel therapeutic approach for stroke prevention and stroke treatment. ROCK plays an important role in mediating the inflammatory response following vascular injury as well as platelet activation and thrombus formation. ROCK inhibitors have been shown to be beneficial in stroke prevention, acute ne...
THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSISTENCE IN RESPONDENT SELECTION FOR PREELECTION SURVEYS

Different techniques for respondent selection can af- fect data quality. These differences can result in variations in the distribution of partisans in preelection surveys, which in turn can have an effect on the distribution of candidate preference. Persis- tence in trying to interview designated respondents in telephone households increased the number of Republicans in a 1984 sam- ple, and therefore Reagan's margin over Mondale. Such dif- ferences in interviewing techniques might account for some of the variations in national preelection estimates of the outcome of the presidential election, and they suggest that caution be used in comparing marginals for party identification from differ- ent surveys employing different respondent selection tech- niques. Appropriate sample designs are only a necessary prerequisite for col- lecting valid data with the survey method. The implementation of the sample design also has an important effect on the quality of the data which are obtained. Variations in techniques for selecting respondents within sample households can affect the quality of data and therefore the substantive conclusions which are drawn from many surveys. These effects derive from a number of factors, including the way in which individuals residing in the household are enumerated or listed, if at all, how a designated respondent is subsampled, and the persistence with which designated respondents are called back in order to obtain an interview. While these methodological differences affect the demo- graphic characteristics of the sample, the most significant conse- MICHAEL W. TRAUGOTT iS Senior Study Director, Center for Political Studies, The Uni- versity of Michigan. An earlier version of this article was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, McAfee, New Jersey, May 16-19, 1985. The research assistance of Julio Borquez is gratefully acknowl- edged.
Phycodnaviruses: a peek at genetic diversity.

The family Phycodnaviridae encompasses a diverse collection of large icosahedral, dsDNA viruses infecting algae. These viruses have genomes ranging from 160 to 560 kb. The family consists of six genera based initially on host range and sup- ported by sequence comparisons. The family is monophyletic with branches for each genus, but the phycodnaviruses have evo- lutionary roots that connect with several other families of large DNA viruses, referred to as the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA vi- ruses (NCLDV). The genomes of members in three genera in the Phycodnaviridae have recently been sequenced and the purpose of this manuscript is to summarize these data. The viruses have diverse genome structures, some with large regions of non-cod- ing sequence and others with regions of single-stranded DNA. Typically, phycodnaviruses have the coding capacity for hundreds of genes. The genome analyses have revealed in excess of 1000 unique genes, with only 14 homologous genes held in common among the three genera of the phycodnavirses sequenced to date. Thus, the gene diversity far exceeds the number of so-called "core" genes. Little is known about the replication of these viruses, but the consequences of these infections of the phytoplankton have global affects, including altered geochemical cycling and weather patterns.
Chimeric analysis of the small GTPase RacE in cytokinesis signaling in Dictyostelium discoideum

Abstract RacE is a small GTPase required for cytokinesis in Dictyostelium discoideum . To investigate RacE's potential binding and signaling interfaces that allow its function in cytokinesis, 10 different chimeras were created between RacE and the closely related small GTPase, RacC. RacE/RacC chimeras, containing various combinations of four RacE regions, E I–IV: E-I (aa 1–67), E-II (aa 68–124), E-III (aa 125–184), and E-IV (aa 185–223), were tested for their ability to rescue the multinucleated, cytokinesis-defective phenotype of RacE null cells grown in suspension. Regions E-II and E-IV were essential but not sufficient for the rescue of RacE null cells. These two regions, in combination with either region E-1 or E-III, resulted in rescue. Results presented here suggest that region E-II contains a crucial, yet incomplete, binding site. Regions E-I or E-III separately provide additional, necessary elements for RacE's function. The extended E tail of RacE (E-IV) may act as a ‘sensor’ of the bound nucleotide state of RacE and facilitate GDP to GTP exchange (possibly through interactions with a GEF molecule), thereby resulting in activation of RacE. This study provides new evidence for small GTPases engaging several distinct protein interfaces to mediate signaling in various cellular processes.
Scheduling of airport runway operations using stochastic branch and bound methods

In this paper we present a solution methodology based on the stochastic branch and bound algorithm to find optimal, or close to optimal, solutions to the stochastic airport runway scheduling problem. The objective of the scheduling problem is to find a sequence of aircraft operations on one or several runways that minimizes the total makespan, given uncertain aircraft availability at the runway. Enhancements to the general stochastic branch and bound algorithm are proposed and we give the specific details pertaining to runway scheduling. We show how the algorithm can be terminated early with solutions that are close to optimal, and investigate the impact of the uncertainty level. The computational experiment indicates that the sequences obtained using the stochastic branch and bound algorithm have, on average, 5–7% shorter makespans than sequences obtained using deterministic sequencing models. In addition, the proposed algorithm is able to solve instances with 14 aircraft using less than 1 min of computation time.
Causal Analysis in the Health Sciences

The final quarter of the twentieth century witnessed a burgeoning of formal methods for the analysis of causal effects. Of the methods that appeared in the health sciences, most can be identified with approaches to causal analysis that originated much earlier in the century in other fields: counterfactual (potential outcomes) models, graphical models, and structural equations models. Connections among these approaches were elucidated during the 1990s, and the near future may bring a unified methodology for causal analysis. This vignette briefly reviews the counterfactual approach to causal analysis in the health sciences, its connections to graphical and structural equations approaches, its extension to longitudinal data analysis, and some areas needing further work. For deeper and more extensive reviews, I especially recommend Sobel's (1995) discussion of the connections among causal concepts in philosophy, statistics, and social sciences; Pearl's (2000) unified approach to counterfactual, graphical, and structural equations models; and Robins's (1997) review of causal analysis for longitudinal data.
“This Comes of Settling a Country!”: Masculinity on the Borderlands in James Fenimore Cooper’s The Pioneers

John Gast’s iconic 1872 painting, American Progress, is often referred to as a visual argument for the credo of “Manifest Destiny” in nineteenth-century America1 (see Figure 1). In the painting, a ...
A Maximum Entropy Model of Phonotactics and Phonotactic Learning

The study of phonotactics is a central topic in phonology. We propose a theory of phonotactic grammars and a learning algorithm that constructs such grammars from positive evidence. Our grammars consist of constraints that are assigned numerical weights according to the principle of maximum entropy. The grammars assess possible words on the basis of the weighted sum of their constraint violations. The learning algorithm yields grammars that can capture both categorical and gradient phonotactic patterns. The algorithm is not provided with constraints in advance, but uses its own resources to form constraints and weight them. A baseline model, in which Universal Grammar is reduced to a feature set and an SPE -style constraint format, suffices to learn many phonotactic phenomena. In order for the model to learn nonlocal phenomena such as stress and vowel harmony, it must be augmented with autosegmental tiers and metrical grids. Our results thus offer novel, learning-theoretic support for such representations. We apply the model in a variety of learning simulations, showing that the learned grammars capture the distributional generalizations of these languages and accurately predict the findings of a phonotactic experiment.
Evolution of a java just-in-time compiler for IA-32 platforms

JavaTM has gained widespread popularity in the industry, and an efficient Java virtual machine (JVMTM) and just-in-time (JIT) compiler are crucial in providing high performance for Java applications. This paper describes the design and implementation of our JIT compiler for IA-32 platforms by focusing on the recent advances achieved in the past several years. We first present the dynamic optimization framework, which focuses the expensive optimization efforts only on performance-critical methods, thus helping to manage the total compilation overhead. We then describe the platform-independent features, which include the conversion from the stack-semantic Java bytecode into our register-based intermediate representation (IR) and a variety of aggressive optimizations applied to the IR. We also present some techniques specific to the IA-32 used to improve code quality, especially for the efficient use of the small number of registers on that platform. Using several industry-standard benchmark programs, the experimental results show that our approach offers high performance with low compilation overhead. Most of the techniques presented here are included in the IBM JIT compiler product, integrated into the IBM Development Kit for Microsoft Windows®, Java Technology Edition Version 1.4.0.
Automating the development of shipyard manufacturing models

Simulation results are often needed within a short time frame, while the development of simulation models can be time consuming. We develop a methodology to facilitate rapid generation of simulation models from an enterprise database. Data is communicated between product lifecycle management (PLM) software and Flexsim using a standard Microsoft Excel format. We have developed a custom Flexsim interface and software-specific model generator that creates a discrete event simulation model from the PLM input data. Preliminary results show that the methodology can reduce the cost of simulation model generation while simultaneously improving the accuracy of generated models. This work highlights the benefits of automatic model generation techniques, describes a ship-building implementation of the methodology, and provides direction for future work.
In situ experimental techniques to study the mechanical behavior of materials using X-ray synchrotron tomography

In situ X-ray synchrotron tomography is an excellent technique for understanding deformation behavior of materials in 4D (the fourth dimension here is time). However, performing in situ experiments in synchrotron is challenging, particularly in regard to the design of the mechanical testing stage. Here, we report on several in situ testing methods developed by our group in collaboration with Advanced Photon source at Argonne National Laboratory used to study the mechanical behavior of materials. The issues associated with alignment during mechanical testing along with the improvements made to the in situ mechanical testing devices, over time, are described. In situ experiments involving corrosion-fatigue and stress corrosion cracking in various environments are presented and discussed. These include fatigue loading of metal matrix composites (MMCs), corrosion-fatigue, and stress corrosion cracking of Al 7075 alloys.
The impact of semantic memory organization and sentence context information on spoken language processing by younger and older adults: an ERP study.

To examine changes in semantic memory organization and use during aging, we recorded event-related potentials as younger and older adults listened to sentences ending with the expected word, an unexpected word from the same semantic category, or an unexpected word from a different category. Half of the contexts were highly constraining. In both groups, expected words elicited less negativity 300–500 ms (N400) than unexpected ones, and unexpected words elicited smaller N400s when these were categorically related. Whereas younger adults showed the greatest N400 reduction to unexpected but related words in high constraint contexts, older adults showed the opposite tendency. Thus, unlike younger adults, older adults as a group do not seem to be using context predictively. Older adults with higher verbal fluency and larger vocabularies, however, showed the younger response pattern, suggesting resource availability may offset certain age-related changes.
Restricted Boltzmann Machines are Hard to Approximately Evaluate or Simulate

Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBMs) are a type of probability model over the Boolean cube {-1, 1}n that have recently received much attention. We establish the intractability of two basic computational tasks involving RBMs, even if only a coarse approximation to the correct output is required. We first show that assuming P ≠ NP, for any fixed positive constant K (which may be arbitrarily large) there is no polynomial-time algorithm for the following problem: given an n-bit input string x and the parameters of a RBM M, output an estimate of the probability assigned to x by M that is accurate to within a multiplicative factor of eKn. This hardness result holds even if the parameters of M are constrained to be at most Ψ(n) for any function Ψ(n) that grows faster than linearly, and if the number of hidden nodes of M is at most n. We then show that assuming RP ≠ NP, there is no polynomial-time randomized algorithm for the following problem: given the parameters of an RBM M, generate a random example from a probability distribution whose total variation distance from the distribution defined by M is at most 1/12.
Low-loss material coating for horn antenna beam shaping

A comprehensive study of the coating on the inner walls of a horn antenna is very beneficial for minimizing unnecessary losses while maintaining the same beam shape. An analytic method to investigate ohmic losses is presented. Based on the analytic investigations, guidelines are provided for low-loss designs of lossy material coatings for horn antenna beam shaping. Experimental results in support of the theory are also presented. >
DNL 1.9: a monoclonal antibody which specifically detects all murine B lineage cells.

A rat anti-mouse monoclonal antibody, DNL 1.9, has been produced and shown to bind to all cells of the B lineage in mice. By quantitative immunofluorescence, DNL 1.9 binds to approximately 50% of spleen cells, 20-30% of lymph node cells, but no to thymocytes. In bone marrow and neonatal liver, 70-80% of the small cells and 10-20% of the large cells were identified by this antibody. Two-color immunofluorescence studies showed that all immunoglobulin-positive cells were also DNL 1.9-positive, while Thy-1.2-positive cells did not bind the monoclonal antibody. All pre-B cells in bone marrow , as identified by cytoplasmic IgM staining, were labeled by the DNL 1.9 antibody. A significant proportion of lymphocytes in the bone marrow which did not express cell surface immunoglobulin did bind DNL 1.9. Both direct and indirect plaque-forming cells were also shown to bind DNL 1.9 antibody. The antigen recognized by this monoclonal antibody was not immunoglobulin nor was the antigen present in normal mouse serum. All seven mouse strains tested showed similar patterns of antigen expression. These results show that all of the cells indentifiable as being of the B lineage were identified by this monoclonal antibody. It is possible that the cells which bind DNL 1.9 but do not express cell surface immunoglobulin may be very early precursors of B lymphocytes.
Plasma thrombopoietin compared with immunoglobulin heavy-chain mutation status as a predictor of survival in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

We investigated the association of plasma thrombopoietin (TPO) and overall survival in 127 patients with previously treated and previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Higher levels of TPO were associated with advanced Rai stage (P < .001), higher levels of2-microglobulin (2-M) (P < .001), and the absence of mutation in the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region(IgVH) (P < .001), and were inversely correlated with platelet count (P .002). We found that TPO correlated strongly in a continuous manner with overall survival in both previously treated and untreated patients. The univariate Cox proportional hazard model demonstrated that high TPO levels were associated with shorter survival (P < .001), and multiple variable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis demonstrated that this was independent of the IgVH mutation status, 2-M, and Rai stage. Recursive partitioning showed that a cutoff point of 639 pg/mL separated the CLL patients into 2 major survival groups (P < .001). The effects of 2-M were masked by the effects of TPO in the patients with TPO levels higher than 639 pg/mL, but in the remainder, patients with 2-M level higher than 4.95 mg/L had significantly shorter survival than those with lower values. Plasma TPO and 2-M may be useful for the prediction of clinical behavior in CLL and may replace the need for the determination of IgVH mutation status. (Blood. 2006;108:1001-1006)
Democratic Dominoes Diffusion Approaches to the Spread of Democracy in the International System

This article is an attempt to indicate how diffusion approaches, based on the concepts of linkage and interdependence, can be of help in our thinking about the spread of democracy. The analyses address the existence or absence of diffusion effects in regard to changes in the degree of freedom in the world’s governments, and whether or not there has been a more specific global movement towards democracy. The dependent variable is the set of “governmental transitions,” based on yearly Freedom House data. Diffusion analyses are at the global, regional, and neighbor-state levels (1974–1987). Thus analysis is limited to cues or prototypes from the external environment of states. Although neighbor effects are less than those found with the diffusion of war, all three levels support the proposition that there has been a diffusion of governmental transitions, including a movement towards democracy that provided a context for the dramatic events of 1988 and 1989.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Open Organizing as a Model for Re-designing Design Learning*

In this paper we assess the appropriateness of open organizing as a model for re-designing design education. First, we review prior work on open organizing, particularly open innovation, to understand what makes these approaches novel and successful. Next, we draw on empirical findings from field studies of open source software projects that leverage open innovation principles and outline the advantages that accrue from interacting with external communities and participants, thereby increasing the authenticity of projects, and of making the design task the cornerstone of the learning activity—as opposed to structuring learning around a person. Finally, we synthesize lessons for creating open design experiences and offer suggestions that are equally applicable to in-class undergraduate design projects and to informal design projects undertaken by students.
Mobilizing Interracial Solidarity: A Comparison of The 1919 and 1937 Steel Industry Labor Organizing Drives

We examine working-class race relations during two steel industry unionization efforts: the 1919 AFL drive and the 1937 CIO drive. Racial conflict divided steel workers in 1919 but interracial labor solidarity prevailed in 1937. We contrast the two drives using event-structure analysis (ESA) to highlight the imputed causal connections in our argument. Comparison of the 1919 and 1937 cases suggests that three developments were necessary for interracial solidarity in steel. First, industrial unions had to replace craft unions, which promoted class-oriented organizing strategies. Second, interracial solidarity required an easing of split labor market conditions. Third, unions had to incorporate concrete strategies to recruit black workers. In both cases, state actions and economic conditions mediated the impact of these factors on interracial organizing.
Text mining for science and technology: A review – Part II‑citation and discovery

This second part of a two-part review addressed three complementary components of text mining: Citation scientometrics, seminal literature reviews (SLR), and literature-related discovery and innovation (LRDI). All three have at their core the development of very comprehensive and precise queries for retrieving the data of interest. For any literature of interest, the citation scientometrics approach analyzes in detail the papers that cite the literature of interest (citation mining), and/or the papers that are cited by the literature of interest. The SLR uses the highly-cited references in a retrieved literature of interest to map out the intellectual heritage of that literature. The LRDI integrates (a) discovery generation from disparate literatures with (b) the wealth of knowledge contained in the prior art to (c) potentially solve technical problems that appear intractable. The review highlights each of the approaches drawing from studies undertaken by author and his research group.
Reform in the Canadian Parliament and the US Congress: Institutional Choices and Member Power

A spate of recent work on the Canadian Parliament highlights the importance of constituency pressures in understanding the legislative behavior of individual Members of Parliament (MPs). In light of this renaissance, we reexamine decisions by Canadian Liberal Party MPs to defy Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his cabinet by supporting party-weakening reform in 2002. More specifically, we model votes on the question of selecting committee chairs through secret ballot as a function of factors both internal and external to the Parliament. While we find some evidence of exogenous, constituency-based forces, we find that support for reform was largely driven by internal party power dynamics. We gain additional insight into our findings by comparing this reform to analogous reforms in the US Congress. The patterns we uncover highlight the stark difference between the “double monopoly of power” held by party leaders in Westminster-style legislatures and the lack of such a monopoly in Congress. We conclude by adv...
Making Meaning of Domestic Adoption Reunion in Online Narratives

This qualitative study, from the domestic adoptee perspective, reflects the analysis of thirty-seven online stories of adoptee-birth mother/family reunions. The present study contributes to existing literature on adoption reunion and extends understanding of adoption reconnection by focusing on the constitution of its meaning. Studies privileging meaning-making help unravel why certain outcomes emerge and emphasize the importance of communication in studying relationships. Framed by relational dialectics theory and examined using Baxter’s newly developed contrapuntal analysis, a dominant discursive struggle of romanticized versus pragmatic reconnection emerged. The discourse of romanticized reconnection emerged from two themes: (a) desire for physical resemblance and (b) immediate connection. Three themes constituted the discourse of pragmatic reconnection : (a) birth family as strangers, (b) desire for health information, and (c) connection not guaranteed. In addition, a hybrid utterance surfaced providing evidence of a phenomenon where new meanings are likely to emerge.
A questionnaire

Comments from the editorsTo determine the current status of some of the work being done by our readers I have put together a questionnaire. The questionnaire itself will be found following this short note. I would appreciate hearing from all persons currently doing some work in the area of computer graphics, or from anyone wishing to contribute information on a system in use. I will try to put all responses together (assuming someone out there responds) and summarize what is being done, as indicated by the returned questionnaires.
Secret Key Rates and Optimization of BB84 and Decoy State Protocols Over Time-Varying Free-Space Optical Channels

We optimize secret key rates (SKRs) of weak coherent pulse (WCP)-based quantum key distribution (QKD) over time-varying free-space optical channels affected by atmospheric turbulence. The random irradiance fluctuation due to scintillation degrades the SKR performance of WCP-based QKD, and to improve the SKR performance, we propose an adaptive scheme in which transmit power is changed in accordance with the channel state information. We first optimize BB84 and decoy state-based QKD protocols for different channel transmittances. We then present our adaptation method, to overcome scintillation effects, of changing the source intensity based on channel state predictions from a linear autoregressive model while ensuring the security against the eavesdropper. By simulation, we demonstrate that by making the source adaptive to the time-varying channel conditions, SKRs of WCP-based QKD can be improved up to over 20%.
Endogenous and exogenous control of gastrointestinal epithelial function: building on the legacy of Bayliss and Starling.

Abstract Transport of fluid and electrolytes in the intestine allows for appropriate adjustments in luminal fluidity while reclaiming water used in digesting and absorbing a meal, and is closely regulated. This article discusses various endogenous and exogenous mechanisms whereby transport is controlled in the gut, placing these in the context of the ideas about the neurohumoral control of alimentary physiology that were promulgated by William Bayliss and Ernest Starling. The article considers three themes. First, mechanisms that intrinsically regulate chloride secretion, centred on the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), are discussed. These may be important in ensuring that excessive chloride secretion, with the accompanying loss of fluid, is not normally stimulated by intestinal distension as the meal passes through the gastrointestinal tract. Second, mechanisms whereby probiotic microorganisms can impart beneficial effects on the gut are described, with a focus on targets at the level of the epithelium. These findings imply that the commensal microbiota exert important influences on the epithelium in health and disease. Finally, mechanisms that lead to diarrhoea in patients infected with an invasive pathogen, Salmonella, are considered, based on recent studies in a novel mouse model. Diarrhoea is most likely attributable to reduced expression of absorptive transporters and may not require the influx of neutrophils that accompanies infection. Overall, the goal of the article is to highlight the many ways in which critical functions of the intestinal epithelium are regulated under physiological and pathophysiological conditions, and to suggest possible targets for new therapies for digestive disease states.
Penetration of magnetosheath plasma into dayside magnetosphere: 1. Density, velocity, and rotation

In this study, we examine a large number of plasma structures (filaments), observed with the Cluster spacecraft during 2 years (2007-2008) in the dayside magnetosphere but consisting of magnetosheath plasma. To reduce the effects observed in the cusp regions and on magnetosphere flanks, we consider these events predominantly inside the narrow cone less than 30 about the subsolar point. Two important features of these filaments are (i) their stable antisunward (earthward) motion inside the magnetosphere, whereas the ambient magnetospheric plasma moves usually in the opposite direction (sunward), and (ii) between these filaments and the magnetopause, there is a region of magnetospheric plasma, which separates these filaments from the magnetosheath. The stable earthward motion of these magnetopause show the possible disconnection of these filaments from the magnetosheath, as suggested earlier by many researchers. The results also show that these events cannot be a result of back-and-forth motions of magnetopause position or surface waves propagating on the magnetopause. Another important feature of these filaments is their rotation about the filament axis, which might be a result of their passage through the velocity shear on magnetopause boundary. After crossing the velocity shear, the filaments get a rotational velocity, which has opposite directions in the noon-dusk and noon-dawn sectors. This rotation velocity may be an important factor, supporting the stability of these filaments and providing their motion into the magnetosphere.
Long-term home monitoring of intraocular pressure in pediatric glaucoma.

Purpose Diurnal fluctuation of intraocular pressure (IOP), implicated in progression of adult glaucoma, has been reported in children only in the context of office and short-term home monitoring. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term patterns of IOP fluctuation and changes resulting from outflow-enhancing intervention in pediatric glaucoma. Methods Parent-measured home-based rebound tonometry (Icare, Finland Oy) in pediatric glaucoma patients was studied prospectively. IOP was monitored for more than 1 month, with requested measurements at least 3 times daily. Demographic and glaucoma-related information were collected for each participant. IOP was recorded at home on electronic data sheets. It was then evaluated for trends including mean overall IOP, IOP pre- and post-planned IOP-lowering interventions, and IOP spikes over determined time intervals. Results IOP was measured in 14 eyes of 7 children (mean age, 9.3 ± 2.4 years) over a mean of 164.3 days (range, 75-341), with a mean of 2.46 readings daily. Six eyes of 5 children underwent attempted outflow improvement, with improved mean IOP before versus after intervention (26.6 vs 15.5 mm Hg, P P Conclusions Long-term home monitoring in pediatric glaucoma proved feasible in this study population and often demonstrated large IOP fluctuations. A 14-day period of home monitoring provided >90% chance of identifying an IOP spike. Successful outflow improvement lowered both mean IOP and mean daily IOP fluctuations.
The Scaffold Immune Microenvironment: Biomaterial-Mediated Immune Polarization in Traumatic and Nontraumatic Applications .

The immune system mediates tissue growth and homeostasis and is the first responder to injury or biomaterial implantation. Recently, it has been appreciated that immune cells play a critical role in wound healing and tissue repair and should thus be considered potentially beneficial, particularly in the context of scaffolds for regenerative medicine. In this study, we present a flow cytometric analysis of cellular recruitment to tissue-derived extracellular matrix scaffolds, where we quantitatively describe the infiltration and polarization of several immune subtypes, including macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, monocytes, T cells, and B cells. We define a specific scaffold-associated macrophage (SAM) that expresses CD11b+F4/80+CD11c+/-CD206hiCD86+MHCII+ that are characteristic of an M2-like cell (CD206hi) with high antigen presentation capabilities (MHCII+). Adaptive immune cells tightly regulate the phenotype of a mature SAM. These studies provide a foundation for detailed characterization of the scaffold immune microenvironment of a given biomaterial scaffold to determine the effect of scaffold changes on immune response and subsequent therapeutic outcome of that material.
144. In Vivo Targeting hTfR and EGFR Using Aptamers

Aptamers which bind cell surface receptors represent an exciting and potentially important class of ligands for the development of diagnostics and therapeutics. However, if aptamers are to be utilized in vivo, and more importantly for the targeted delivery of therapeutic cargoes, the molecular function must be robust, especially with regard to specificity and activity. Because assay formats for determining the binding specificity of aptamers to their cell surface targets vary greatly, and because some molecules have yet to be tested in vivo, it remains difficult to compare the function of these molecules and to identify which candidate molecules could be used for future development as both diagnostics and therapeutics. In order to assess this, we have chemically synthesized 15 different aptamers from the literature which target a range of human cell surface receptors associated with cancers. These include aptamers targeting EGFR, EPCAM, nucleolin, PSMA, PTK7 and hTfR, as well as some aptamers which have been derived from variations on ‘whole cell SELEX’ or similar approaches against cancer cells lines. Using standardized conditions, we assayed each aptamer in vitro using flow cytometry on a panel of different cancer cell lines to compare relative binding affinity and specificity. Molecules which function in vitro were subsequently assessed for tumor targeting capabilities in vivo using near-infrared imaging. Interestingly, some molecules which function robustly in vitro demonstrate little to no activity in vivo. Of the molecules tested,three demonstrate significant activity in vivo. These include an anti-EGFR aptamer, an anti-hTfR aptamer and a molecule identified via an ‘internalization selection method’ that is readily internalized by cancer cells, but shows little uptake by normal tissue. Taken as a whole, our data demonstrate some surprising differences in the apparent affinities and specificities of different aptamers when assayed under these standardized conditions. They also provide us with molecules which we can now think about transitioning for in vivo applications. Data on using these molecules to deliver cytotoxic drugs in vitro and in vivo will be presented.
Using A Visual Programming Environment and Custom Robots to Learn C Programming and K-12 STEM Concepts

This paper presents a robot-Visual Programming Environment (VPE) interface that can support K-12 students to learn science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts. Specifically, we employ Google's Blockly VPE to construct a blocks-based visual programming tool to facilitate easy programming of and interaction with physical robots. Through a careful and intentional integration of the Blockly VPE and physical robots, we illustrate that many K-12 level STEM concepts, which are traditionally treated through lectures and problem-solving, can be explored in a hands-on manner. The use of Blockly VPE obviates the need for prior experience with computer programming or familiarity with advanced programming concepts. Moreover, it permits students to learn various programming constructs, sequentially, starting from the fundamentals and gradually progressing to advanced concepts. The web-based Blockly VPE provides an interface that allows the user to browse through a block library and construct a block code for which a corresponding C program is automatically generated. The default web-based Blockly interface has been modified to permit the user to edit the resulting C program or to create an entirely new C program. Moreover, the Blockly VPE allows the user to wirelessly upload the C program to a Linux server running on a Raspberry Pi computer hosted on the robot. The Raspberry Pi compiles the received C program and serially transfers corresponding instructions to the robot's embedded hardware. The efficacy of the proposed robot-VPE interface is examined through students' experiences in conducting several illustrative robot-based STEM learning activities. The results of content quizzes and surveys show gains in students' understanding of STEM concepts after participation in robotics activities with the VPE interface.
Wearable Interfaces for Cyberphysical Musical Expression.

We present examples of a wireless sensor network as applied to wearable digital music controllers. Recent advances in wireless Personal Area Networks (PANs) have precipitated the IEEE 802.15.4 standard for low-power, low-cost wireless sensor networks. We have applied this new technology to create a fully wireless, wearable network of accelerometers which are small enough to be hidden under clothing. Various motion analysis and machine learning techniques are applied to the raw accelerometer data in real-time to generate and control music on the fly.
Vision retention in early versus delayed glaucoma surgical intervention in patients with Boston Keratoprosthesis type 1.

Author(s): Lin, Mark; Bhatt, Anand; Haider, Asghar; Kim, Grace; Farid, Marjan; Schmutz, Mason; Mosaed, Sameh | Abstract: ImportanceThe loss of vision following Boston Keratoprosthesis (BKPro) surgery due to glaucoma occurs at a high frequency as diagnosis and management of glaucoma after this procedure pose challenges.ObjectiveTo compare visual outcomes in patients undergoing Boston Keratoprosthesis surgery with and without prior or concurrent glaucoma surgery.Design, setting, and participantsThis is a retrospective, observational cohort study of patients who underwent Boston Type I Keratoprosthesis surgery. 19 eyes of 18 patients who had undergone BKPro and met the inclusion criteria were identified. Twelve eyes received BKPro with prior or concurrent glaucoma surgery (Group 1), and seven eyes were identified undergoing BKPro surgery without prior or concurrent glaucoma surgery (Group 2).Main outcomes and measuresMain outcome included best corrected visual acuity at each follow up.ResultsIn Group 1, mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) within a year of BKPro surgery was 20/100 (range 20/40 to Count Fingers (CF); n = 12) and mean BCVA at 1 year from BKPro surgery was 20/115 (range 20/30 to CF; n = 12). 7 out of 12 patients retained or had improved BCVA at 1 year follow up after BKPro implantation, and 5 out of 12 patients had mild BCVA worsening. In Group 2, the mean BCVA within a year of BKPro surgery was 20/140 (ranging from 20/25 to hand motion vision (HM); n = 7) and mean BCVA at 1 year from BKPro surgery was Count Fingers (range 20/60 to Light Perception (LP); n = 6). 4 out of 6 patients lost significant vision at one year after BKPro.Conclusions and relevanceBKPro patients with early glaucoma surgical intervention retained vision significantly better compared to patients with late or no intervention. Our preliminary findings support the recommendation for concurrent or pre-emptive glaucoma surgical intervention in patients undergoing BKPro implantation.
Sport Tourism and Feminism

This chapter describes the development of scholarship in sport tourism from the 1990s. While some of the earliest scholars were women, the authors document the lack of a feminist analysis in sport tourism research. Much of the early work was devoted to defining sport tourism, with a general consensus that sport-related travel comprises both active (e.g., skiing, cycling, triathlons, etc.) and passive (spectating or visiting sports museums) forms. However, a review of the literature is used to show that as the body of knowledge became more substantive, despite well-established feminist analyses in sport studies and a growing gender-aware presence in Tourism Studies, as relevant sport tourism disciplines, until recently feminist perspectives have been largely absent. Suggestions for future research directions to remedy this are discussed.