cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Super Hyperfine Structure in the EPR Spectrum of Divalent Manganese in Single Crystal Zinc Selenide

The EPR spectrum of divalent manganese in single crystals of zinc selenide having the zinc blende modification is reinvestigated. In addition to the fine structure and self-hyperfine structure spectra, the super-hyperfine structure spectrum due to interactions with host ion nuclei of the first three neighboring shells is observed. A list of spectral parameters deduced from data taken at 4.2 K is given.
Negotiating the Transition to Middle School: The Role of Self-Regulatory Processes

The present research examined the role of maladaptive self-regulatory beliefs as vulnerability factors for academic and emotional difficulties during the transition to middle school. A short-term longitudinal design was employed to follow two groups of early adolescents: 187 adolescents who experienced a school transition between the fifth and sixth grades, and 142 adolescents who did not experience a school transition between the fifth and sixth grades. Adolescents completed measures of perceptions of academic control and importance of academic success, experience of chronic academic strain, daily school hassles, and depressive symptoms. Teachers reported on students' academic engagement, including levels of helpless behavior, effort, and academic performance. Consistent with the proposed model of self-regulation, maladaptive self-regulatory beliefs (i.e., decreased perceptions of academic control and importance) predicted individual differences in perceived school-related stress and depressive symptoms over the course of the middle school transition, but were not associated with academic and emotional difficulties in adolescents who remained in a stable school environment. Moreover, a self-regulatory sequence was identified proceeding from maladaptive self-regulatory beliefs, to academic disengagement, to enhanced perceptions of school-related stress, to depressive symptoms. This study bridges prior theory and research concerning the psychological impact of normative developmental transitions, the developmental context of depression, and the associations among self-regulatory beliefs, achievement-related behavior, and emotional experience.
An exploratory investigation of adolescent intimate partner violence among African American youth: a gendered analysis.

Extant research demonstrates that while adolescent intimate partner violence (IPV) is an ever-growing concern in the United States, most research on IPV has focused on adult victims and offenders. To fill this gap in the literature, the present research examines youth IPV by conducting focus groups with 25 male and female youth between the ages of 15 and 19 years whose race was primarily African American. Drawing on open-ended responses by adolescent participants, the present study aimed to shed light on African American youths’ perceptions of IPV, their perceptions regarding such violence among their peers, the dynamics of help-seeking behaviors, and what services youth perceive as most helpful in the prevention and intervention of adolescent IPV. Findings reveal that most participants only recognize physical aggression as IPV; express hesitation in disclosing violence to adults, especially nonfamily adults; and report being unaware of and/or unwilling to utilize existing prevention and intervention serv...
Helicobacter pylori 5′ureB-sRNA, a cis-Encoded Antisense Small RNA, Negatively Regulates ureAB Expression by Transcription Termination

Urease is an essential component of gastric acid acclimation by Helicobacter pylori. The increased level of urease in gastric acidity is due, in part, to acid activation of the two-component system consisting of the membrane sensor HP0165 (ArsS) and its response regulator HP0166 (ArsR), which regulates transcription of the seven genes in two separate operons (ureAB and ureIEFGH) of the urease gene cluster. Recently, we identified a novel cis-encoded antisense small RNA, 5′ureB-sRNA, targeted at the 5′ end of ureB, which downregulates ureAB expression by truncation of the ureAB transcript at neutral pH. It is not known whether the truncated transcript is due to transcription termination or processing of the full-length mRNA by codegradation of a ureAB mRNA-sRNA hybrid complex. S1 nuclease mapping assays show that the truncated transcript is due to transcription termination. Further studies using an in vitro transcription assay found that 5′ureB-sRNA promotes premature termination of transcription of ureAB mRNA. These results suggest that the antisense small RNA 5′ureB-sRNA downregulates ureAB expression by enhancing transcription termination 5′ of ureB. With this mechanism, a limited amount of 5′ureB-sRNA is sufficient to regulate the relatively high level of ureAB transcript.
A Genetic System for Clostridium ljungdahlii: a Chassis for Autotrophic Production of Biocommodities and a Model Homoacetogen

Methods for genetic manipulation of Clostridium ljungdahlii are of interest because of the potential for production of fuels and other biocommodities from carbon dioxide via microbial electrosynthesis or more traditional modes of autotrophy with hydrogen or carbon monoxide as the electron donor. Furthermore, acetogenesis plays an important role in the global carbon cycle. Gene deletion strategies required for physiological studies of C. ljungdahlii have not previously been demonstrated. An electroporation procedure for introducing plasmids was optimized, and four different replicative origins for plasmid propagation in C. ljungdahlii were identified. Chromosomal gene deletion via double-crossover homologous recombination with a suicide vector was demonstrated initially with deletion of the gene for FliA, a putative sigma factor involved in flagellar biogenesis and motility in C. ljungdahlii. Deletion of fliA yielded a strain that lacked flagella and was not motile. To evaluate the potential utility of gene deletions for functional genomic studies and to redirect carbon and electron flow, the genes for the putative bifunctional aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenases, adhE1 and adhE2, were deleted individually or together. Deletion of adhE1, but not adhE2, diminished ethanol production with a corresponding carbon recovery in acetate. The double deletion mutant had a phenotype similar to that of the adhE1-deficient strain. Expression of adhE1 in trans partially restored the capacity for ethanol production. These results demonstrate the feasibility of genetic investigations of acetogen physiology and the potential for genetic manipulation of C. ljungdahlii to optimize autotrophic biocommodity production.
The effect of situational constraints on workforce performance and JIT implementation: an empirical study

This study examines the impact of situational performance constraining factors on workforce performance in a just–in–time (JIT) environment of US manufacturers. A review of literature related to situational performance constraining factors is presented. The link between situational constraints effects on worker performance in manufacturing and the impact on JIT implementation success is explored. A field study of fifteen firms was conducted followed by an empirical study of 130 US manufacturing firms. The findings of the study are discussed in the context of the identification and elimination of situational performance constraints in JIT manufacturing.
Influenza in the Emergency Department: Vaccination, Diagnosis, and Treatment: Clinical Practice Paper Approved by American Academy of Emergency Medicine Clinical Guidelines Committee

Abstract Background Influenza is an acute respiratory virus that results in significant worldwide morbidity and mortality each year. As emergency physicians, we are often the first to encounter patients with seasonal influenza. It is therefore critical that we draw on the most recent and relevant research when we make clinical decisions regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prophylaxis of this disease. Methods A MEDLINE literature search from August 2009 to August 2015 was performed using the keywords influenza vaccination efficacy AND systematic , influenza AND rapid antigen testing , and Oseltamivir AND systematic , while limiting the search to human studies written in the English language. General review articles and case reports were omitted. Each of the selected articles then underwent a structured review. Results We identified 163 articles through our literature search, of which 68 were found to be relevant to our clinical questions. These studies then underwent a rigorous review from which recommendations were given. Conclusions Influenza vaccine efficacy continues to range between 40% and 80%. Vaccination has the potential to decrease disease severity and is recommended for individuals older than 6 months of age. If resources permit, vaccination can be offered to patients presenting to the emergency department. Rapid antigen detection for influenza is a simple bedside test with high specificity, but generally low sensitivity. If a patient presents with a syndrome consistent with influenza and has negative rapid antigen detection, they should either receive a confirmatory reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction or be treated as if they have influenza. Treatment with neuraminidase inhibitors can decrease the duration of influenza and is recommended in hospitalized patients, or in those with high risk of complications.
The Hypertonic and Hypotonic Syndromes

Extracellular fluid (ECF) osmotic homeostasis is regulated by a neurorenal axis involving thirst, antidiuretic hormone (ADH), and ADH-responsive renal epithelia (see Chapter 38). Osmoregulatory disorders can best be understood through consideration of two of the cardinal physiologic processes involved in osmotic homeostasis: the water repletion reaction and the cell volume regulatory response. The former provides a frame of reference for understanding the pathogenesis of these disorders, while the latter provides a means for considering the changes in brain volume which can attend osmoregulatory disorders.
'Sociology of Law:' One View from the Lawyer's Side of the Fence

An important addition to the literature of sociological jurisprudence/sociology of law has been provided by an anthology assembled by sociologists Donald Black and Maureen Mileski. They examine law from the perspective of a strict "positivistic" sociology of law and use this perspective to organize the readings in terms of basic theoretical propositions. Black and Mileski believe that such propositions can be used to order the complex area of "law and society" and make predictions about the role of law in society. This Article critically examines the Black and Mileski position relating to its "positivistic" definitions of law and the "scientific" study of law and its theoretical propositions concerning law and their relation to various aspects of social life. This analysis examines the strengths and weaknesses of the Black and Mileski approach, and the problems inherent in developing a "scientific" study of law and society. This Article, therefore, attempts to go beyond Black and Mileski in the development of a more general perspective concerning scientific approaches to jurisprudence.
Photosynthetic Platform Strain Selection: Strain Selection Considerations and Large-Scale Production Limitations

Abstract With increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and volatile fuel prices and supply, it is becoming increasingly more important to develop reliable, renewable sources of fuels. Biofuels can be produced by a variety of organisms including bacteria, fungi, plants, and algae. Phototrophic microorganisms (algae, diatoms, and cyanobacteria) have a distinct advantage over heterotrophic organisms because they do not compete with the food or feed supply for carbon substrates. Their photosynthetic apparatus is also more efficient at light harvesting than land plants, which gives them a distinct advantage in terms of growth and carbon fixation. Despite these advantages, there has been much less focused effort at using these organisms for metabolic engineering projects to produce biofuels and bioproducts. In this chapter, we discuss how to approach the selection of a platform strain in terms of the tools and information available for different genus and species. In recent years, there has been much more focus on developing more sophisticated tools for certain organisms which have high potential. Transferring a platform strain created in a laboratory to large-scale production is not straight forward, so we also address the challenges associated with this and how to avoid or compensate for the most common pitfalls.
Walking in Ron’s Footsteps: “Pilgrimage” Sites of the Church of Scientology

This article contends that a number of ecclesiastical and historical centers associated with the Church of Scientology can be considered and analyzed as pilgrimage sites. Although the notion of pilgrimage is not explicitly taken up by Scientology’s founder L. Ron Hubbard (1911–1986), his Bridge to Total Freedom is intended to provide church members with a distinct spiritual path leading to the states of Clear and Operating Thetan ( OT ). In order to walk this spiritual path, individual Scientologists must physically journey to a series of Scientology churches (organizations) where auditing (spiritual counseling) and auditor training levels are delivered in a gradient fashion. In addition, the church has established L. Ron Hubbard Landmark Sites for members (and interested outsiders) to tour key sites in the development of Dianetics and Scientology. These spaces have no direct soteriological value but are educationally and spiritually significant because they allow visitors to “walk in Ron’s footsteps” and retrace the Founder’s research into the nature of the mind and spirit as later systematized and streamlined in the Bridge to Total Freedom.
Milestones in Greenhouse Fumigation

The control of destructive insects and other pests is one of the most important considerations in the growing of any ornamental crop since even the slightest blemish to the flowers or foliage may reduce the sales value. Insects are constant pests in greenhouses because of the uniform temperature and humidity conditions and the almost total absence of natural enemies and other factors which regulate insect abundance out-of-doors. On the other hand, it is possible to use certain control methods such as fumigation or costly insecticides and equipment to reduce or prevent losses of valuable crops that would often be wholly impracticable under most conditions in the open.
Using cloud computing to support higher education in networks and systems

Virtual machine (VM) technology is widely used in higher education to support pedagogy and research. However, without a standard platform for managing VM technology, VM-based infrastructure is likely to be acquired and deployed in an ad-hoc manner. The virtual computing lab (VCL) system is an open source cloud computing platform developed specifically to support higher education. The main goal of VCL is to make available dedicated, custom compute environments to users. We built a small VCL cloud and trialed its use to support several networking courses offered in the School of Computing at Clemson University during the 2013/2014 academic year. In this paper, we summarise the trial and provide results and conclusions. We found that well provisioned PCs might support up to ten VMs however when subject to peak loads, the system is not able to support accurate and reproducible network experiments.
Exploring Grade Optimism in Business Courses: A Probability Approach

Studies show that students in general have higher expectations or optimism towards their final course grade. This higher expectation leads to dissatisfaction and grade dispute. A survey of students from four business courses at a mid-sized public institution in Mid-Atlantic region is utilized to draw inferences between grade expectation and achievement. This research effort utilizes empirical probabilities of achieving a specific grade based on their grade expectation on the first day of class. The statistical difference in grade expectation and achievement between student’s gender, residency and sport involvement is also explored.
Influence of Oil Temperature to Noise of Engine

The impact of oil temperature to noise of engine is investigated in this paper.The noise level of engine can be affected by power performance indirectly.After mechanism analysis and experimental study of composite vibration damping parts are made,the influence of oil temperature to damping characteristic is investigated.The results show that an optimal temperature exists in using damping parts and there may be an inverse results beyond the temperature range.High temperature would induce noise increase which is proved by experiment.
48 Effects of Bariatric Surgery on Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity represent the twin scourge of the modern era demanding urgent and long-lasting solutions. T2DM had a worldwide prevalence among adults of at least 285 million in 2010, and this will likely increase to 439 million by 2030 (Shaw et al., Diabetes Res Clin Pract 87(1):4–14, 2010). Medical management of diabetes has historically revolved around lifestyle intervention combined with pharmacotherapy to address insulin resistance and/or defective beta cell function, the core issues in the pathophysiology of this disease. Despite several advances in medical therapy, few patients are able to achieve and maintain optimal glycemic targets in the long term. Moreover, weight gain from insulin usage and the risk of hypoglycemia often preclude intensive medical management.
Pulmonary surfactant apoproteins: a review of protein and genomic structure

In recent years, as the complexity of the surfactant system has become more apparent, investigators with an increasingly diverse set of skills have been attracted to the study of this secretory product of the alveolar epithelium. In addition to advancing our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the mechanical stability of the lung, recent studies of the surfactant system have also contributed information to less organ-specific biological phenomena such as exocytosis, endocytosis, cell differentiation and lipid-protein interactions in biomembranes. Pulmonary surfactant is not composed of a single class of molecules but, rather, is a collection of interrelated macromolecular lipoprotein complexes that differ in composition, structure, and function. The purpose of this review is to describe the structure of the lung-specific proteins that are associated with the phospholipids of surfactant in the alveolar space. The organization of the genes for the surfactant proteins is outlined and the affects of these proteins on the properties of phospholipid membranes are discussed.
Analysis of the genetic differences in the nucleoprotein between rabies virus and its vaccine strains in Guizhou province from year 2005 to 2010

Objective This study was to explore the differences in the nucleoprotein gene between rabies virus (RABV) and its vaccine strains in Guizhou province from year 2005 to 2010.Methods Samples from 4 rabies patients and cerebral tissue samples of 28 rabies infected dogs were collected from different districts in Guizhou province between year 2005 and 2010.Direct Immunofluorescence Assay (DFA) and RT-nested PCR assay were applied to detect the overall length of N gene sequence.Meanwhile,based on the comparison between the homology and phylogenetic tree,the differences in N gene sequence between the prevalent RABV and the RABV vaccine strains collected from NCBI database in these years.Results According to DFA and RT-nested PCR assay,the antigen and nucleic acid of the 21 dogs and 4 human samples were both confirmed positive; whose full length of N gene sequences were both 1353 bp.The homological analysis showed that the 25 strains of RABV virus and the RABV type Ⅰ virus stored by GenBank database shared a high homology in N gene nucleotide and amino acid sequences,which were 89％ - 100％ and 98％ - 100％,respectively.Besides,the homology between the 25 strains of RABV virus and its vaccines in nucleotide and amino acid sequences were separately 86％ - 95％ and 96％ - 100％.The N gene of vaccines for livestock shared the highest homology with HEP-Flury strain in the nucleotide and amino acid,which were 88％ - 89％ and 98％ - 99％,respectively.The vaccines for human use showed its greatest homology with the CTN strain in nucleotide (86％ -100％ ) and amino acid (96％ - 100％ ).The phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that the 25strains of RABV virus,RABV type Ⅰ virus and the CTN vaccine strains constituted one individual cluster,which was least different from the CTN vaccine for human use.Conclusion The prevalent RABV virus,the vaccine HEP-Flury for livestock and the vaccine CTN for human use were found to be highly similar in N gene expression in Guizhou province from 2005 to 2010. Key words: Rabies virus; Rabies vaccines; Nucleoproteins; Mutation (Genetics)
Observations and comments on the displacements of pre-adsorbed water from BPL activated carbon by chloropicrin vapour

The breakthrough curves of chloropicrin vapour through beds of BPL activated carbon pre-equilibrated at different relative humidities (RH) have been measured. The associated water displacement curves and effluent temperature profiles are also presented. At first, as the experimental RH increases, the slope of the breakthrough curves gradually decreases. However, at high RH (i.e. 80%) the curve becomes distinctly biphasic. It is proposed that the initial steep part of the curve is the result of a build-up of water in the macro (transport) pore structure of the carbon which restricts access of chloropicrin to the micropores
Measurement of the Profile Drag of Compressor and Turbine Cascades and the Effect of Wakes in Exciting Vibration

The Melvill Jones equation for the profile drag of a single aerofoil is adapted to the case of an aerofoil in cascade, where the static pressure may be permanently raised (compressor), or lowered (turbine). A simplified procedure for measuring the drag is then described, assuming that the total pressure wake has the form of an error curve. A table of multiplying factors is given, for compressible flow up to an outlet Mach number of 0·9. Many published measurements of cascade drag have ignored this factor, with a consequent error of up to 25 per cent.
Simple Topological Network Properties

Topology is the property of something that doesn't change when you bend it or stretch it as long as you don't break anything – Edward Witten The stoichiometric matrix is a connectivity matrix. Elementary topological properties of the network it represents can be computed directly from the individual elements of S . Direct topological studies are interesting from a variety of standpoints. They focus on relatively easy to understand and intuitive properties of the structure of the network. Elementary topological properties relate to how connected a network is, and how its components participate in forming the connectivity properties of the network. There may be many functional states for a given network structure (see Chapter 16). Topological properties are thus global and less specific than functional states of networks. Some of the differences between functional states and network topology are covered in Part III. The Binary Form of S The elementary topological properties are determined based on the non-zero elements in the stoichiometric matrix. Thus, we define the elements of a new matrix ŝ as ŝ ij = 0 if s ij = 0 ŝ ij = 1 if s ij ≠ 0 which is the binary form of S . This matrix is composed of only zeros and ones. If ŝ ij is unity, it means that compound i participates in reaction j . Note that in the rare case where a homodimer is formed, i.e., in a reaction of the type 2 A → A 2 , the stoichiometric coefficient of two becomes unity in the binary form of S . S is a sparse matrix A number of genome-scale stoichiometric matrices have been reconstructed (see [2]). As there are typically only a handful of compounds that participate in a reaction out of hundreds of compounds participating in a network, the stoichiometric matrix is sparse . A sparse matrix is mostly composed of zero elements. For instance, if there are on average 3 compounds that participate in a reaction, but there are m compounds in the network, then the fraction of non-zero elements in the matrix is 3/ m . If m is 300, then only 1% of the elements are non-zero and the matrix is sparse.
Acetazolamide in Vestibulocerebellar Syndrome

Five patients with long-standing episodic vertigo and ocular motor signs are reported from the Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA.
Real-Time Charging Navigation of Electric Vehicles to Fast Charging Stations: A Hierarchical Game Approach

This paper proposes an integrated electric vehicle (EV) charging navigation framework, which takes into consideration the impacts from both the power system and transportation system. The proposed framework links the power system with transportation system through the charging navigation of massive EVs. It benefits the two systems by attracting EVs to charge at off-peak hours and saving the time of EV owners with real-time navigation. Based on the formulated framework, a hierarchical game approach is proposed in this paper to effectively navigate EVs to electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs). At the upper level of the hierarchical game, a non-cooperative game is proposed to model the competition between EVCSs. Based on the pricing strategies obtained from the non-cooperative game, multiple evolutionary games are formulated at the lower level to evolve EVs’ strategies in choosing EVCSs. The simulation results show that the proposed integrated charging navigation approach is effective in improving both the reliability of the power distribution grid and economic profits of the charging stations.
Tailored approach to sleep health education (TASHE): study protocol for a web-based randomized controlled trial.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that disproportionately affects African Americans (hereafter referred to as blacks). Moreover, blacks may underutilize sleep services including overnight polysomnography. Thus, OSA among blacks may go undiagnosed and untreated, which has significant health consequences, including hypertension, diabetes, cognitive impairment, and daytime sleepiness. This two-arm randomized controlled trial will assign 200 participants to a culturally and linguistically tailored web-based sleep educational platform. The website will be developed to ensure that the content is user friendly and that it is readable and acceptable by the target community. Participants will receive login information to a password-protected website and will have access to the website for 2 months. Study assessments will be collected at baseline, 2 months (post-enrollment) and at 6 months (follow-up). We will use qualitative and quantitative methods to develop tailored materials and to ascertain whether tailored materials will increase OSA knowledge and OSA health literacy by comparing blacks exposed to tailored materials versus those exposed to standard sleep health literature. We hypothesize that exposure to tailored OSA information will improve OSA health literacy. Few studies have investigated the racial/ethnic disparities in relation to OSA screening and treatment comparing blacks and whites. Moreover, we know of no interventions designed to increase OSA knowledge and health literacy among blacks. Use of the Internet to disseminate health information is growing in this population. Thus, the Internet may be an effective means to increase OSA health literacy, thereby potentially increasing utilization of sleep-related services in this population. The study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov, reference number NCT02507089 . Registered on 21 July 2015.
Impacts of lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum) infestation on stand structure and fuel load in lodgepole pine dominated forests in central Colorado1

Parasitic plants are capable of causing substantial alterations to plant communities through impacts on individual host plants. Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe is an important parasite in forests of...
Overview of Limnology and Trophic Status

Figure 44 is a general synopsis of the annual cycle based on the foregoing chapters that have dealt with physical, chemical, and biological variables in Lake Dillon. The cycle is generalized for the 2 years of record. Layering and mixing patterns are the key to understanding chemical and biological changes through the year. Since layering and mixing are principally under the control of seasonal changes of air temperature and solar radiation, the general pattern will be very much the same from one year to the next. This is well illustrated by the similarity of layering and mixing phenomena in 1981 and 1982, which were quite different in amount of runoff.
Evaluation and Treatment of Sexual Disorders Due to Medical Conditions

A major problem facing practicing physicians is the continued prevalence of sexual disorders due to medical conditions. There is a growing awareness surrounding their effect on patient well-being and life satisfaction. To date, our understanding of the impact that various medical conditions can have on optimal sexual function is a complex and difficult clinical phenomenon, which often has many competing etiological considerations and treatment options. Accordingly, there is growing concern pertaining to both the evaluation of, and treatment for, sexual disorders that are secondary to a variety of medical conditions. Previously, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) characterized sexual disorders due to medical conditions as psychiatric diagnoses. However, recent changes in the classification system of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) have established new criteria for sexual disorders. Specifically, new guidelines require disorders of sexual dysfunction that are attributable to a medical condition to be viewed as non-psychiatric diagnoses. As such, the initial evaluation of presenting sexual disorders requires ruling out any comorbid medical condition(s) that may affect sexual function. Therefore, it is important for physicians to have a deep appreciation for and robust understanding of the innumerable medical conditions that can affect optimal sexual function. In this chapter, we discuss epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria, and best evidence-based practice and approaches to the diagnosis of sexual disorders due to medical conditions. We further provide a review of diagnostic tests frequently used by physicians to aid in diagnosis and monitoring of treatment outcomes for sexual disorders. We conclude by highlighting key findings from studies focused on the treatment of sexual disorders by reviewing evidence-based approaches to biological treatments (i.e., medications, devices), psychosocial treatments, and prognosis of sexual disorders.
Field acceleration factor extraction in MOL and BEOL TDDB

Recently a BEOL (Back End Of Line) and MOL (Middle Of Line) Time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) reliability test and fail rate projection methodology based on large data analysis was proposed and studied. However the extraction of one of the key model parameters, the field acceleration factor Y e was ambiguously defined. If no enough caution is taken, a systematically lower γ E will be obtained which leads to a pessimistic projection. In this work, the fundamental differences with two different extraction methods are systematically studied by both experiments and Monte Carlo simulations. A more realistic and robust method is then proposed, for a more accurate reliability projection.
Beyond Reflection: Using ePortfolios for Formative Assessment to Improve Student Engagement in Non-Majors Introductory Science

Success rates in non-majors introductory biology courses tend to be lower than those in courses for majors. The use of student learning ePortfolios correlates with increased retention and improved learning. Additionally, when ePortfolios are used for periodic formative assessment, they have been shown to stimulate student response to feedback and improve the quality of student work—both indicators of increased student engagement. In our study, the implementation of low-stake assignments in ePortfolio fostered a dialogue between the instructor and student outside of class time and provided opportunities for formative assessment of individual student and overall class learning prior to larger, high-stakes summative assessments. Furthermore, ePortfolio allowed the instructor to give students feedback on their work, creating opportunities for confirmation of learning or extended learning outside of class. Through intentional and embedded use of ePortfolios, we have created a learning environment that fosters more interaction with course material outside of class, better assignment turn-in rates, and improved exam scores, for increased success rates in the course. These results describe a promising intervention that can improve success rates in introductory biology courses.
Addressing the Skills Gap: A Regional Analysis

In the current volatile economic climate, job requirements and corresponding skill sets are also changing. This is evidenced by the apparent contradiction that while real unemployment rates for certain occupations remain high, jobs are left unfilled due to a lack of applicants with the requisite qualifications to fill them. Moreover, changes in existing jobs pose challenges for modifying existing skill sets. In order to stay competitive, organizational leaders and managers need to utilize effectively their investments in human capital. Using the case of Northwest Indiana (NWI), this study examines the current skills gap and solutions for closing it.
SERUM PROLACTIN LEVELS OF TURKEY HENS IN RELATION TO REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the serum prolactin levels of turkey hens in relation to reproductive function. Serum prolactin levels of somatically mature, sexually immature photosensitive female turkeys, housed in a 6L: 18D photoperiod are low. In different experiments with birds of varying history mean levels of prolactin have varied from less than 5 ng/ml to as high as 20 ng/ml. The data were obtained from 8 large white strain turkeys. The hens had been held on a 6L:18D photoperiod and were changed to 15L: 9D on the first day of the experiment. Blood was drawn from the birds at 1300–1400 h each day. It appears from the data that the drop in feed consumption follows the behavioral manifestation of broodiness. The time course of changes in feed consumption and serum prolactin suggest that the drop in feed consumption is not a casual factor in increasing the serum prolactin. The composite data suggest that the prolactin levels increase before the increase in nesting. Most birds sampled follow this general pattern, however, one did not. This individual bird showed the behavioral manifestations of broodiness, the concomitant drop in feed consumption, and cessation of egg production but her serum prolactin level did not increase until after the onset of broodiness.
Cell Lines as a Model for the Study of Metamorphosis

Upon first thought it might appear unlikely that a coherent paradigm concerning the hormonal regulation of insect metamorphosis could be developed from a study of established insect cell lines. However, during the past 5 years the potential usefulness of such cell lines has been forcefully demonstrated in a number of laboratories (Courgeon, 1972, 1975; Cherbas et al., 1977; Maroy et al., 1978; Chang et al., 1980). It seems appropriate prior to a detailed discussion of the recent data obtained from the use of insect cell lines that two obvious questions be answered. What advantages does the use of cell lines offer and what cell types are represented in the presently established cell populations?
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Induced Fos Expression in the Brains of Febrile Rats

We have mapped the distribution of Fos-like immunoreactivity (FLI) in the brains of restraint-trained, LPS-treated rats. Fos was visualized in the septum, preoptic area, endocrine hypothalamus, bed nuclei of the stria terminalis, thalamus, amygdala, and nuclei of the solitary tract. Only diffusely scattered FLI neurons were observed in these regions of trained pyrogen-free saline (PFS)-treated controls. But FLI neurons were abundant in these regions of untrained PFS-treated rats, and also in other regions thought to be involved in stress. Thus, discrete hypothalamic and brainstem nuclei are activated by LPS and overlap to some extent with those stimulated by stress.
Some General Remarks on Configurational Assignments

As we have seen, the spectral curve of a carotenoid is a function of the molecular shape and hence of the spatial configuration. Were the rules that govern this relationship fully known, it would be easy to assign cis configurations. Since this is not the case, some of the following considerations and assignments have tentative character and require confirmation by stereospecific syntheses.
Material Selection For The Periodic Elements Of A Metamaterial-Enhanced Resistive Wall Amplifier

Resistive wall amplifiers are wideband vacuum electron devices that suffer from low gain due to available resistive materials 1. Metamaterial-enhanced resistive wall amplifiers (MERWAs) have been demonstrated, theoretically, to be a candidate for wideband, high gain, and high power microwave amplification 2. Implementation of a MERWA requires the use of an epsilon-negative (ENG) liner in a waveguide structure. A periodic array of inductively meandered wires have been demonstrated as one possible implementation of the ENG liner 3. In this work, we investigated how the choice of material for the periodic elements affects the device's performance. In particular, we have constructed metamaterial (MTM) structures using meander elements constructed from metals with very different conductivity values, copper and stainless steel. Modification of the element's conductivity drastically changes the performance of both the electromagnetic waves that propagate in the structure as well as the resistive wall mechanism.
5.12 Communication

This article addresses what is a “communication” for purposes of the attorney-client privilege. It notes that observations, as distinguished from communications, are generally not privileged, but that when observations are a form of confidential communication they are privileged. The article discusses the trend toward a two-way privilege that covers communications from the lawyer to the client as well as from the client to the lawyer.
Non-classical continuum theories for solid and fluent continua and some applications

This paper presents two specific thermodynamically consistent non-classical continuum theories for solid and fluent continua. The first non-classical continuum theory for solid continua incorporate...
Characterizing anxiety at the first encounter in women presenting to the clinic: the CAFÉ study.

Background Clinically based anxiety questionnaires measure 2 forms of anxiety that are known as state anxiety and trait anxiety. State anxiety is temporary and is sensitive to change; trait anxiety is a generalized propensity to be anxious. Objective Our study aims to characterize the reasons for anxiety among women about the initial consultation for their pelvic floor disorders to measure change in participant state anxiety after the visit and to correlate improvement in anxiety with visit satisfaction. Study Design All new patients at our tertiary urogynecology clinic were invited to participate. After giving consent, participants completed pre- and postvisit questionnaires. Providers were blinded to pre- and postvisit questionnaire responses. The previsit questionnaires included the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and the 6-item short form of the Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Participants were also asked to list their previsit anxieties. The postvisit questionnaires comprised of the Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory, patient global impression of improvement of participant anxiety, patient satisfaction, and the participant’s perception of whether her anxiety was addressed during the visit. The anxieties listed by participants were then reviewed independently and categorized by 2 of the authors. A separate panel arbitrated when there were disagreements among anxiety categories. Results Fifty primarily white (66%) women with a median age of 53 years (interquartile range, 41–66) completed the study. The visit diagnoses included stress urinary incontinence (54%), urge urinary incontinence (46%), myofascial pain (28%), pelvic organ prolapse (20%), and recurrent urinary tract infection (12%). Less than one-quarter of participants (22%) had a history of anxiety diagnosis. The average previsit Spielberg State Trait Anxiety Inventory score was 42.9 (standard deviation, 11.98) which decreased by an average of 12.60 points in the postvisit (95% confidence interval, –16.56 to –8.64; P Conclusion Women with the highest satisfaction after their initial urogynecology visit also demonstrated the largest decreases in anxiety after the visit. Changes in anxiety scores were not correlated with the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory or with measures of generalized anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7). Recognizing and addressing patient anxiety may help physicians better treat their patients and improve overall patient satisfaction.
Nephrolithiasis in Patients with Gastrointestinal Disorders

Patients with malabsorptive gastrointestinal disorders are at higher risk of kidney stones than those without. These disorders include inflammatory bowel diseases, with or without bowel resection, chronic pancreatitis, and celiac disease. The malabsorption of water, sodium, oxalate, bicarbonate, and fat leads to increased urinary concentration of stone-forming factors. The most common stones seen in gastrointestinal disorders contain calcium oxalate or uric acid. Major risk factors for stone formation are decreased urinary volume, hyperuricosuria, and hypocitraturia from high gastrointestinal output, and enteric hyperoxaluria from fat malabsorption. Prevention of kidney stones in such patients requires modifying standard stone-forming risk factors, but special consideration should be paid to metabolic abnormalities specific to this patient population. Treatment of the underlying gastrointestinal disorders also results in decreased incidence of kidney stones in this group.
Management of Ileal Neuroendocrine Tumors with Liver Metastases.

Assessment of treating metastatic ileal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) with complete resection of primary tumor, nodal and liver metastases, plus administration of long-acting somatostatin analogues (SSAs). A prospective database was queried for patients with ileal or pancreatic NETs with pathology-confirmed liver metastases and tumor somatostatin receptors. Patients did not have MEN-1 and had no previous treatment. The impacts of SSA treatment on the primary outcome of survival and secondary outcome of progression-free survival were assessed with Kaplan–Meier analysis. Log rank test was used to compare overall and progression-free survival among groups. Seventeen ileal NET patients and 36 pancreatic NET patients who underwent surgical resection between 2001 and 2018, who had pathology-confirmed liver metastases and confirmed tumor somatostatin receptors, did not have MEN-1, and had no previous treatment were identified. Median follow-up for patients with ileal NETs was 80 months (range 0–197 months) and 32 months (range 1–182 months) for pancreatic NETs. Five-year survival was 93% and 72% for ileal and pancreatic NET, respectively. Progression-free 5-year survival was 70% and 36% for ileal and pancreatic NET, respectively. Overall 5-year survival for pNETs was greater in those patients treated with SSA (79%) compared to those who underwent surgery alone (34%, p < 0.01). The average ECOG score was low for surviving patients with ileal (0.15) and pancreatic NET (0.73) indicating a good quality of life. Resection of primary lymph node and liver metastatic ileal or pancreatic NETs followed with continued SSAs is associated with an excellent progression-free and overall survival and minimal side effects.
Robust Aleatoric Modeling for Future Vehicle Localization

The task of 2D object localization prediction, or the estimation of an object's future location and scale in an image, is a developing area of computer vision research. An accurate prediction of an object's future localization has the potential for drastically improving critical decision making systems. In particular, an autonomous driving system's collision prevention system could make better-informed decisions in the presence of accurate localization predictions for nearby objects (i.e. cars, pedestrians, and hazardous obstacles). Improving the accuracy of such localization systems is crucial to passenger / pedestrian safety. This paper presents a novel technique for determining future bounding boxes, representing the size and location of objects - and the predictive uncertainty of both aspects - in a transit setting. We present a simple feed-forward network for robust prediction as a solution of this task, which is able to generate object locality proposals by making use of an object's previous locality information. We evaluate our method against a number of related approaches and demonstrate its benefits for vehicle localization, and different from previous works, we propose to use distribution-based metrics to truly measure the predictive efficiency of the network-regressed uncertainty models.
Are RNA networks scale-free?

A network is scale-free if its connectivity density function is proportional to a power-law distribution. It has been suggested that scale-free networks may provide an explanation for the robustness observed in certain physical and biological phenomena, since the presence of a few highly connected hub nodes and a large number of small-degree nodes may provide alternate paths between any two nodes on average—such robustness has been suggested in studies of metabolic networks, gene interaction networks and protein folding. A theoretical justification for why many networks appear to be scale-free has been provided by Barabasi and Albert, who argue that expanding networks, in which new nodes are preferentially attached to highly connected nodes, tend to be scale-free. In this paper, we provide the first efficient algorithm to compute the connectivity density function for the ensemble of all homopolymer secondary structures of a user-specified length—a highly nontrivial result, since the exponential size of such networks precludes their enumeration. Since existent power-law fitting software, such as powerlaw, cannot be used to determine a power-law fit for our exponentially large RNA connectivity data, we also implement efficient code to compute the maximum likelihood estimate for the power-law scaling factor and associated Kolmogorov–Smirnov p value. Hypothesis tests strongly indicate that homopolymer RNA secondary structure networks are not scale-free; moreover, this appears to be the case for real (non-homopolymer) RNA networks.
Incidence and Risk Factors for Postoperative Residual Neuromuscular Blockade

To define the incidence of residual neuromuscular blockade (rNMB) and identify patients at risk. Incidence of rNMB continues to be high, and risk factors are complex and difficult to predict. Sequelae of rNMB, however, are significant. Despite literature describing the significance of rNMB on patient safety, the incidence continues to be high, and risk factors are difficult to predict. Patient, anesthetic, and surgical risk factors all contribute, and an understanding of the unique risks for each individual patient is required to properly prevent rNMB.