cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Working Together Resource Teachers and Paraeducators

Paraeducators have become vital contributors to service delivery in special education programs. The duties of paraeducators and their performance of those duties are much discussed but not well documented. The supervision of paraeducators falls largely on the shoulders of special education teachers who are relatively unprepared to assume this supervisory role. This study served as an initial exploration into (a) the relationship between 18 matched pairs of teachers and paraeducators assigned to resource programs, (b) the duties that these paraeducators performed, (c) their preparation for the job, (d) the quality of their work, and (e) the thinking of the teachers who held supervisory responsibility. Results indicated that the paraeducators served primarily in instructional roles and that their performance was satisfactory. Teachers were divided in their beliefs about the fundamental role of paraeducators---whether they were assistants to the teacher or assistants to the student. Teachers said, in many di...
A rule engine for query transformation in Starburst and IBM DB2 C/S DBMS

The complexity of queries in relational DBMSs is increasing, particularly in the decision support area and interactive client sewer environments. This calls for a more powerful and flexible optimization of complex queries. H. Pirahesh et al. (1992) introduced query rewrite as a distinct query optimization phase mainly targeted to responding to this requirement. This approach has enabled us to extensively enrich the optimization rules in our system. Further, it has made it easier to incrementally enrich and adapt the system as need arises. Examples of such query optimizations are predicate pushdown, subquery and magic sets transformations, and decorrelating subquery. We describe the design and implementation of a rule engine for query rewrite optimization. Each transformation is implemented as a rule which consists of a pair of rule condition and action. Rules can be grouped into rule classes for higher efficiency, better understandability and more extensibility. The rule engine has a number of novelties in that it supports a full spectrum of control-from totally data driven to totally procedural. Furthermore, it incorporates a budget control scheme for controlling the resources taken for query optimization as well as guaranteeing the termination of rule execution. The rule engine and a suite of query rewrite rules have been implemented in Starburst relational DBMS prototype and a significant portion of this technology has been integrated into IBM DB2 Common Server relational DBMS.
Nonlinear optical microscopy for imaging thin films and surfaces

We have used the inherent surface sensitivity of second harmonic generation to develop an instrument for nonlinear optical microscopy of surfaces and interfaces. We have demonstrated the use of several nonlinear optical responses for imaging thin films. The second harmonic response of a thin film of C{sub 60} has been used to image patterned films. Two photon absorption light induced fluorescence has been used to image patterned thin films of Rhodamine 6G. Applications of nonlinear optical microscopy include the imaging of charge injection and photoinduced charge transfer between layers in semiconductor heterojunction devices as well as across membranes in biological systems.
Delay of Preterm Delivery in Sheep by Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturates

A positive correlation has been shown between dietary intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids in late pregnancy and gestation length in pregnant women and experimental animals. To determine whether omega-3 fatty acids have an effect on preterm labor in sheep, a fish oil concentrate emulsion was continuously infused to six pregnant ewes from 124 days gestational age. At 125 days, betamethasone was administered to the fetus to produce preterm labor. Both the onset of labor and the time of delivery were delayed by the fish oil emulsion. Two of the omega-3-infused ewes reverted from contractions to nonlabor, an effect never previously observed for experimental glucocorticoid-induced preterm labor in sheep. Maternal plasma estradiol and maternal and fetal prostaglandin E2 rose in control ewes but not in those infused with omega-3 fatty acid. The ability of omega-3 fatty acids to delay premature delivery in sheep indicates their possible use as tocolytics in humans. Premature labor is the major cause of neonatal death and long-term disability, and these studies present information that may lead to a novel therapeutic regimen for the prevention of preterm delivery in human pregnancy.
Classification of fumarate reductases and succinate dehydrogenases based upon their contrasting behaviour in the reduced benzylviologen/fumarate assay.

Reduction of fumarate by soluble beef heart succinate dehydrogenase has been shown previously by voltammetry to become increasingly retarded as the potential is lowered below a threshold potential of −80 mV at pH 7.5. The behaviour resembles that of a tunnel diode, an electronic device exhibiting the property of negative resistance. The enzyme thus acts to oppose fumarate reduction under conditions of high thermodynamic driving force. We now provide independent evidence for this phenomenon from spectrophotometric kinetic assays. With reduced benzylviologen as electron donor, we have studied the reduction of fumarate catalysed by various enzymes classified either as succinate dehydrogenases or fumarate reductases. For succinate dehydrogenases, the rate increases as the concentration of reduced dye (driving force) decreases during the reaction. In contrast, authentic fumarate reductases of anaerobic cells (and ‘succinate dehydrogenase’ from Bacillus subtilis) neither exhibit the electrochemical effect nor deviate from simple kinetic behaviour in the cuvette assay. The ‘tunnel-diode’ effect may thus represent an evolutionary adaptation to aerobic metabolism.
From Reliability Block Diagrams to Fault Tree Circuits

Reliability block diagrams (RBDs) depict the functional relationships between components comprising a system, whereas Bayesian networks (BNs) represent probabilistic relationships between uncertain variables. Previous research has described how one can transform an RBD into a BN. In parallel, developments in the artificial intelligence literature have shown how a BN can be transformed into another graphical representation, an arithmetic circuit, which can subsequently be used for efficient inference. In this paper, we introduce a new graphical representation that we call a fault tree circuit, which is a special kind of arithmetic circuit constructed specifically for an RBD. A fault tree circuit can be constructed directly from an RBD and is more efficient than an arithmetic circuit that is compiled from the BN corresponding to that RBD. We develop several methods for fault tree circuits, highlighting how they can aid the analyst in efficient diagnosis, sensitivity analysis, and decision support for many typical reliability problems. The circuit framework can complement tools that are popular in the reliability analysis community. We use a simple pump system example to illustrate the concepts.
300-Area VOC Program Slug Test Characterization Results for Selected Test/Depth Intervals Conducted During the Drilling of Well 399-3-21

This report presents brief test descriptions and analysis results for multiple, stress-level slug tests that were performed at selected test/depth intervals within well 399-3-21 as part of the 300-Area volatile organic compound characterization program. The test intervals were characterized as the borehole was advanced to its final drill depth (45.7 m) and before its completion as a monitor-well facility. The primary objective of the slug tests was to provide information pertaining to the vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivity with depth at this location and to select the final screen-depth interval for the monitor well. This type of characterization information is important for predicting/simulating contaminant migration (i.e., numerical flow/transport modeling) and designing proper monitor-well strategies within this area.
Acid Rain: Transnational Perspectives

Although published in 1983, the central issue raised in this article remains -- today -- as much a vexatious conundrum as then: namely, the extent to which modern industrialized societies can and will make intelligent responses to the scientific information base which shows, with alarming clarity, the limits or tolerance of the earth and its climate to man-made pollution.This Article compares the geo-political responses of the United Nations and The Trans-boundary Air Pollution Convention, U.S. Congressional initiatives to promote and develop control strategies in the states designated as acid deposition import regions, and examines especially the leadership role of the German Federal Republic in containing issues of transnational air pollution.Recognizing that the goal of reducing the trans-boundary flow of sulfur pollution cannot be obtained without establishing cost-effective optimum ceilings for total atmospheric loadings, together with enforcement mechanisms for imposing sanctions when violations occur to the ceilings, the conclusion reached is that more direct domestic and substantive international efforts must be undertaken and incentivized in order to achieve a workable policy for air pollution containment and management.
Avalanche Stratification - Experimental Tests of the “Metastable Wedge” and “Continuous Flow” Models

When an initially homogeneous binary mixture of granular media such as fine and coarse sand is poured near the closed edge of a “quasi-two-dimensional” Hele-Shaw cell consisting of two vertical transparent plates held a narrow distance apart, the mixture spontaneously forms alternating segregated layers. Experimental measurements of this stratification effect are reported in order to determine which model, one which suggests that segregation only occurs when the granular material contained within a metastable heap between the critical and maximum angle of repose avalanches down the free surface, or one for which the segregation results from smaller particles becoming trapped in the top surface and being removed from the moving layer during continuous flow. The result reported here indicate that the Metastable Wedge model provides a natural explanation for the initial mixed zone which precedes the formation of the layers, while the Continuous Flow model explains the observed upward moving kink of segregated material for higher granular flux rates, and that both mechansims are necessary in order to understand the observed pairing of segregated layersfor intermediate flow rates and cell separations.
Characteristics of US Adults Who Have Positive and Negative Perceptions of Doctors of Chiropractic and Chiropractic Care.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to compare characteristics, likelihood to use, and actual use of chiropractic care for US survey respondents with positive and negative perceptions of doctors of chiropractic (DCs) and chiropractic care. Methods From a 2015 nationally representative survey of 5422 adults (response rate, 29%), we used respondents' answers to identify those with positive and negative perceptions of DCs or chiropractic care. We used the χ 2 test to compare other survey responses for these groups. Results Positive perceptions of DCs were more common than those for chiropractic care, whereas negative perceptions of chiropractic care were more common than those for DCs. Respondents with negative perceptions of DCs or chiropractic care were less likely to know whether chiropractic care was covered by their insurance, more likely to want to see a medical doctor first if they were experiencing neck or back pain, less likely to indicate that they would see a DC for neck or back pain, and less likely to have ever seen a DC as a patient, particularly in the recent past. Positive perceptions of chiropractic care and negative perceptions of DCs appear to have greater influence on DC utilization rates than their converses. Conclusion We found that US adults generally perceive DCs in a positive manner but that a relatively high proportion has negative perceptions of chiropractic care, particularly the costs and number of visits required by such care. Characteristics of respondents with positive and negative perceptions were similar, but those with positive perceptions were more likely to plan to use—and to have already received—chiropractic care.
Modeling and Control of UAVs using Neural Networks

*† ‡ § ** †† , This paper presents the research being done at Cal Poly Pomona on the dynamic modeling and control of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using neural networks. The overall goal of the ongoing project is to develop and validate the neural network-based robust nonlinear controllers using a number of UAVs. Another goal is to compare the performance of the controllers designed using various methods. This paper talks about the development of custom avionics system for the UAVs, flight data collection, dynamic modeling, and training of networks using Radial Basis Function and Multi-Layer Perceptron networks. Simulation results are shown. Nomenclature p = airplane roll rate, rad/sec q = airplane pitch rate, rad/sec r = airplane yaw rate, rad/sec V = freestream velocity, ft/sec x F = force along X axis, lb y F = force along Y axis, lb z F = force along Z axis, lb g = acceleration due to gravity, ft/sec 2
Analysis and stability of bent-core liquid crystal fibers

In this paper we analyze a free-boundary model for free-standing fibers made from smectic layers of kinked (bent-core) liquid crystal molecules. In [1] a radial model was proposed to explain how fibers form (assuming radially symmetric configurations) based on the distinctive packing and ferroelectric properties of bent--core molecules. We develop this model further to include smectic energy terms so as to allow for non--circular cross--sections with non--radial configurations and fields. We show that the relative size of the energy's elasticity constants can be used to determine the stability (instability) of radially symmetric fibers with respect to non--radial perturbations.
A historical overview of stall/spin characteristics of general aviation aircraft

Even today, stall/spin accidents involving general aviation aircraft account for more fatal and serious injuries than any other kind of accident. The classic stall/spin accident is one in which the pilot stalls the aircraft at too low an altitude to affect recovery. The primary attention in the investigation is given to aerodynamic considerations, although it is recognized that human factors and pilot training are also very important aspects of the total problem. A review of some 70 years of flight indicates that incorporation of the proper combination of aerodynamic parameters to provide good stall/spin avoidance has persistently remained an elusive goal for designers of general aviation aircraft.
The Selection Materials and the Heat Treatment of Circular Saw Blade for Cold Cutting Steel Tubes

This paper analyses the work conditions and the property requirements of circular saw blade for cold cutting steel tubes. For making better the intrinsic quality of the cold cutting saw blade made in our country, the necessity of improving the heat treatment technique of cold cutting saw blade made of 65Mn steel, and the significance of developing new kinds of steel for cold cutting saw blade are put forward.
Economic Impact of Delaying or Preventing AIDS in Persons with HIV

Objectives To investigate how preventing or delaying the development of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) [or other severe conditions related to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)] through antiretroviral therapy affects the lifetime cost of HIV/AIDS care, and to compare the cost of therapy with the potential savings in HIV/AIDS-related end-of-life care. Methods The analysis utilized a previously developed economic model of HIV/AIDS-related medical care costs under various disease progression scenarios to compare the costs and benefits of antiretroviral therapy. Results The analysis suggests that: (1) recent projections of long-term medical care cost savings due to highly effective protease inhibitor combination therapies are probably illusory; (2) it makes relatively little difference to the overall long-term cost of HIV/AIDS care whether combination antiretroviral therapy completely prevents or just substantially delays progression to AIDS; and (3) although combination therapy is not likely to save economic resources in the long run, it nevertheless can be highly cost effective. Conclusions The health-related benefits of antiretroviral therapy are not free, but appear to be worth the cost.
Laser Induced Fluorescence Studies on Ultraviolet Laser Ablation of Polymers

In organic molecules, the absorption of photons of ultraviolet wavelength gives rise to electronic excitation [1]. At wavelengths > 200nm the resulting transitions are from from bonding to anti-bonding levels of the valence electrons. At shorter wavelengths, Rydberg transitions are also important. Polymeric organic materials undergo similar excitation processes except that a single molecule, which can consist of 10,000 atoms, may contain a thousand atomic groups called chromophores which can each absorb a UV photon.
Academic responsibility: toward a cultural politics of integrity

ABSTRACTThe authors consider how globalisation has fundamentally reshaped education. The assumption that in a knowledge economy workers need to be better educated has led to the belief that education is a private good. What the authors define as ‘responsibilisation’ frames a radically different vision of public life from that of the past. The pressures of globalisation, privatisation, and changes in communications technology have led to educational reforms consistent with the neoliberal suggestion that all individuals can succeed; if they do not, then it is their failure rather than that of the state. The authors suggest that ideas such as ‘grit’ and a culture of assessment are by-products of globalisation and responsibilisation, and argue that the educator's role is to engage in an analysis of the overall cultural politics that defines the era and proffer ways for social engagement aimed at the elimination of injustice and the promotion of democracy.
Simultaneous Monitoring of Surface and Gas Phase Species during Hydrogenation of Acetylene over Pt(111) by Polarization-Dependent Infrared Spectroscopy

Acetylene hydrogenation was monitored at ambient pressure with polarization-dependent reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS), which permitted gas phase and surface species to be simultaneously monitored as C2H2(g) was converted first to C2H4(g) and then to C2H6(g). Experiments in which an acetylene-covered surface was hydrogenated with 1.0 × 10–2 Torr H2 between 120 and 300 K indicated that vinyl is the intermediate species to ethylene formation and that the addition of one H to acetylene is the rate-limiting step of the reaction. At a C2H2(g)/H2(g) ratio of 1:100, the reaction was monitored from 300 to 370 K and separately in a constant pressure and constant temperature reaction at 370 K. Ethylidyne and di-σ-ethylene were observed on the surface in both reactions and were found to be spectator species in the hydrogenation of ethylene to ethane. A minor hydrogenation pathway involves a third species, which is best assigned to an ethylidene intermediate. A small coverage of π-ethylene was also...
94. A Scalable Recombinant HSV-Based Manufacturing System for Production of Highly Potent Adeno-Associated Type 9 Vectors

Introduction: Adeno-associated virus vectors (AAV) have been utilized as a gene delivery tool to treat a multitude of diseases. As the potential uses for these vectors expand, the need for improved manufacturing methods becomes essential for large-scale implementation. Recombinant Herpes Simplex Virus (rHSV)-based method delivering AAV capsid and transgenes for recombinant AAV (rAAV) production has been shown to be a robust and scalable method for producing multiple rAAV serotypes for pre-clinical and clinical studies. Here we will present the first scalable production and purification method for rAAV serotype 9 utilizing the rHSV system. Methods: Recombinant rAAV9-GFP stocks were produced by transfection or rHSV co-infection on HEK 293. Vector genome titers were assessed by quantitative PCR, digital droplet PCR and dot blot. Infectivity was assessed by an infectious center assay, flow cytometry, and green cell transduction assay (GCA). Coomassie SDS-PAGE, or western blot analyses were performed to evaluate identity and purity of rAAV samples and electron microscopy to assess full versus empty ratio for each method. Results: rAAV vectors produced by the HSV method showed a 7 and 10 fold increase in total vector genomes and transducing units per CellStack®, respectively. Increased infectivity was observed in rHSV-made vectors as demonstrated by an increasing in transducing unit titers by GCA and infectious center assay. Flow cytometry of C12 cells infected with equal vector genome amounts of both transfection and rHSV made rAAV showed a 30% increase in GFP expressing cells. Coomassie staining and western blot analysis showed a 20-32% reduction in total capsid proteins in rAAV made by rHSV co-infection. Electron microscopy confirmed this reduction in total capsid protein was due to a decrease in empty particles in HSV-made rAAV samples. Overall, this method produced greater than 1×1014 rAAV9 vector genomes per liter equivalent of 293 cells of a final, purified product. Conclusions: Our data demonstrated the significant improvement in rAAV9 manufacturing by utilization of the rHSV based manufacturing methods. An improvement in both vector titer and infectivity was observed in rHSV made rAAV vectors compared to transfection-based production. Importantly, this scalable purification method is readily suitable for pre-clinical GLP studies and GMP manufacturing in our laboratory. Further improvements will be presented specifically evaluating rHSV production in a suspension-adapted HEK 293 cell system in view of a large scale manufacturing protocol of rAAV9 vectors for clinical studies.
Spironolactone for the treatment of acne in women, a retrospective study of 110 patients

Abstract Background There is limited evidence on the safety and efficacy of spironolactone in the treatment of women with acne. Thus, for many dermatologists spironolactone remains an alternative rather than a mainstay treatment for female patients with acne. Methods An electronic medical records search tool was used to select data from a group of women who received spironolactone to treat acne and were evaluated with the comprehensive acne severity scale (CASS) before treatment and at all follow-up visits. Data points were collected for CASS scores at each follow-up visit, concurrent and previous treatments, and side effects. These data points were used to draw conclusions about the safety and efficacy of spironolactone in this patient population. Results There were 110 patients that met all eligibility requirements. Of these, 94 patients saw an improvement in their CASS score and 61 patients completely cleared their score to 0. There were 16 patients who did not improve and six who relapsed after initial improvement. The women saw an average improvement in their acne by 73.1% for the face, 75.9% for the chest, and 77.6% for the back. Fifty-one women experienced side effects, but only six found them bothersome enough to stop taking spironolactone. Conclusion A majority of women in this study saw a dramatic improvement in their acne while treated with spironolactone. There were low rates of relapse or discontinuation of the medication. To further promote the use of spironolactone as a first-line systemic treatment for women with acne, there must be more prospective controlled trials.
Strategies for Addressing a Broader Definition of Conflicts of Interest.

In the pursuit of truth in scientific evaluation, objectivity of the researcher is assumed, but in reality, interpreting research data requires judgment and interpretation. That 2 scientists can analyze the same data set and come to different conclusions is a reflection of the subjective elements that illustrate both the complexity of science and the potential for bias to influence reported outcomes. As one potential source of bias, a conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning some primary interest or responsibility is affected by a secondary interest or responsibility.1 Because all human beings have interests beyond their primary duties (eg, self-interest), conflicts of interest are ubiquitous and the evaluation of their potential effect is a matter of assessing the probable degree to which bias might have influenced the conduct of research or interpretation of data. The policies, rules, investigations, and scholarship on conflicts of interest have largely focused on financial conflicts of interest, with ongoing debates as to whether the definition of conflict of interest appropriately or disproportionately relies on financial relationships as a proxy indicator of bias. More comprehensive strategies for mitigating bias, regardless of whether it has been observed, can effectively supplement targeted responses to identified financial conflicts of interest.
Racial and ethnic differences among children with new-onset autoimmune Type 1 diabetes.

Aim To compare demographic and clinical characteristics among children from ethnic minorities and non-Hispanic white children with new-onset autoimmune Type 1 diabetes. Methods We analysed a single-centre series of 712 children with new-onset autoimmune Type 1 diabetes between January 2008 and March 2011. The median (range) age was 9.7 (0.3–18.1) years, the mean (sd) BMI percentile was 69.7 (25.4) and 48.3% of the cohort were girls. The cohort comprised 57.3% non-Hispanic white, 20.5% Hispanic and14.8% African-American children, and 7.4% were of other, mixed or unknown race. Results The Hispanic subgroup, compared with non-Hispanic white subgroup, had a higher mean (sd) C-peptide level [0.82 (1.62) vs 0.55 (0.47) ng/ml; P=0.004), and a greater proportion of children with elevated BMI (overweight or obesity; 49.6% vs 32.5%; P<0.001) and diabetic ketoacidosis (51.8% vs 38.2%; P=0.006). The African-American group had a higher mean (sd) glucose level [24.4 (12.8) vs 21.4 (10.7) mmol/l; P=0.017], a greater proportion of children with ketoacidosis (56.7% vs 38.2%; P=0.001), a greater proportion with elevated BMI (52.9% vs 32.5%; P<0.001), and a lower proportion of children at pre-pubertal stage (49.0% vs 61.6%; P=0.01), and tended to have higher C-peptide levels [0.65 (0.59) vs 0.55 [0.47] ng/ml; P=0.079) compared with the non-Hispanic white children. The differences in C-peptide levels compared with non-Hispanic white children persisted for Hispanic (P=0.01) but not African-American children (P=0.29) after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, ketoacidosis, glucose, Tanner stage and autoantibody number. Conclusion At the onset of paediatric autoimmune Type 1 diabetes, Hispanic, but not African-American children had higher C-peptide levels, after adjustment for potential confounders, compared with non-Hispanic white young children. These findings suggest that ethnicity may contribute to the heterogeneity of Type 1 diabetes pathogenesis, with possible implications for intervention. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
An impedance biosensor for simultaneous detection of low concentration of Salmonella serogroups in poultry samples

An impedance-based MEMS biosensor was designed, fabricated and tested for the rapid and simultaneous detection of three Salmonella serogroups or other pathogens at low concentrations in ready to eat (RTE) turkey. The important features of the device are the existence of the focusing region and the multi-channels to enable the detection of multiple pathogens or serogroups. The performance of the devices was excellent as evidenced by the focusing capability that increased the strength of the measured signal by a factor between 4 and 18, high sensitivity of 7 cell/ml and detection time of 30 minutes which is significantly quicker than traditional bacterial culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based detection [1,2].
Thermodynamic Studies of [HPt(EtXantphos)2]+ and [(H)2Pt(EtXantphos)2]2+

[HPt(EtXantphos)2](PF6) (where EtXantphos is 9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diethylphosphino)xanthene) can be prepared by the reduction of Pt(COD)Cl2 (where COD is 1,4-cyclooctadiene) with hydrazine in the presence of 2 equiv of the diphosphine ligand followed by exchange of Cl- with PF6-. Deprotonation of [HPt(EtXantphos)2](PF6) (pKa = 27.3 in acetonitrile) leads to the formation of Pt(EtXantphos)2, which has been characterized by an X-ray diffraction study. Pt(EtXantphos)2 has a distorted tetrahedral geometry. The average chelate bite angle is 108.2°, and the dihedral angle between the two planes formed by the phophorus atoms of each diphophine ligand and platinum is 80.4°. Protonation of [HPt(EtXantphos)2]+ results in the formation of [(H)2Pt(EtXantphos)2]2+, which has a pKa of 6.8 in acetonitrile. Oxidation of Pt(EtXantphos)2 with ferrocenium tetrafluoroborate produces [Pt(EtXantphos)2]2+. [Pt(EtXantphos)2]2+ undergoes two reversible one-electron reductions (E1/2(II/I) = −0.81 V versus ferrocene and E1/2(I/0) =...
UV and NIR-Responsive Layer-by-Layer Films Containing 6-Bromo-7-hydroxycoumarin Photolabile Groups

This paper describes polyelectrolyte multilayer films prepared by the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique capable of undergoing dissolution upon exposure to either ultraviolet or near-infrared light. Film dissolution is driven by photochemical deprotection of a random methacrylic copolymer with two types of side chains: (i) 6-bromo-7-hydroxycoumarinyl esters, photocleavable groups that are known to have substantial two-photon photolysis cross sections, and (ii) cationic residues from the commercially available monomer N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). In addition, the dependence of stability of both unirradiated and irradiated films on pH provides experimental evidence for the necessity of disrupting both ion-pairing and hydrophobic interactions between polyelectrolytes to realize film dissolution. This work therefore provides both new fundamental insight regarding photolabile LbL films and expands their applied capabilities to nonlinear photochemical processes.
Sildenafil induced vasorelaxation is associated with increases in the phosphorylation of heat shock protein 20 (hsp20)

Abstract Background: Sildenafil is an oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Phosphorylated heat shock protein 20 (pHSP20) mediates cyclic nucleotide induced vasorelaxation. The purpose of this study was to determine if sildenafil induced vasorelaxation is mediated through pHSP20. Methods: Peptides containing an 11 amino acid enhanced protein transduction domain (PTD) and the functional 13 amino acid sequence of HSP20 with a phosphoserine (PTD-pHSP20) were synthesized using F-MOC technology. Rings of porcine coronary artery were suspended in a muscle bath and maximally contracted with serotonin. Increasing concentrations of PTD-HSP20 (0.1 – 1.0mM), sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 0.1 - 10μM), or sildenafil (0.1 – 100 μM) were added to the baths and the percent relaxation was recorded. To determine if sildenafil induced vasorelaxation is associated with an increase in HSP20 phosphorylation, strips of porcine coronary artery were untreated (control), or treated with SNP (100 μM) or sildenafil (100 μM) for 5 minutes and then snap frozen. Extracted proteins were then separated using 2-dimensional SDS-PAGE and probed for HSP20. Results: Transduction of peptide analogues of pHSP20 led to a dose dependent relaxation of pre-contracted porcine coronary artery (open triangles). Sildenafil induced vasorelaxation of pre-contracted coronary artery in a dose dependent manner (closed triangles). Sildenafil induced vasorelaxation was associated with an increase in the phosphorylation of HSP20 (See graph). Conclusions: Transduction of PTD-pHSP20 results in a dose dependent relaxation of porcine coronary artery similar to the relaxation induced by Sildenafil. Sildenafil treatment led to increases in the phosphorylation of HSP20. Taken together, these findings suggest that protein transduction of PTD-pHSP20 may be an effective method of treating erectile dysfunction.
Plain Language to Communicate Physical Activity Information: A Website Content Analysis:

Plain language techniques are health literacy universal precautions intended to enhance health care system navigation and health outcomes. Physical activity (PA) is a popular topic on the Internet, yet it is unknown if information is communicated in plain language. This study examined how plain language techniques are included in PA websites, and if the use of plain language techniques varies according to search procedures (keyword, search engine) and website host source (government, commercial, educational/organizational). Three keywords (“physical activity,” “fitness,” and “exercise”) were independently entered into three search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo) to locate a nonprobability sample of websites (N = 61). Fourteen plain language techniques were coded within each website to examine content formatting, clarity and conciseness, and multimedia use. Approximately half (M = 6.59; SD = 1.68) of the plain language techniques were included in each website. Keyword physical activity resulted in websit...
Landgrebe’s School of Phenomenology

Among various developments of Husserlian phenomenology, there is one direction that was influenced by Ludwig Landgrebe and a group of students who were influenced by him. While this direction is found in Landgrebe’s writings, it is also extended in the works of his students. The latter will appear in our exposition of this direction of phenomenology. No doubt, Landgrebe himself was influenced by Heidegger and Dilthey, yet he was the first to come to the defense of Husserlian phenomenological philosophy against Daseinsanalyse and Lebensphilosophie. 1 Concurrently, internal philosophical problems of Husserlian phenomenology did not escape Landgrebe’s incisive and penetrating thought. Among the greats who knew Husserl personally, those who helped edit and publish his manuscripts, who had an intimate knowledge of the problems of phenomenological philosophy, Landgrebe was the clearest and most precise. In his writings, lectures, and discussions, Landgrebe is capable of penetrating to the essential issue, to the limit of a particular philosophical direction, without detracting from the depth and strength of such a direction.2 In this sense, he is an “eidetic thinker.”
Characterization of a cdc14 null allele in Drosophila melanogaster

Cdc14 is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine phosphatase. Originally identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a cell cycle regulator, its role in other eukaryotic organisms remains unclear. In Drosophila melanogaster, Cdc14 is encoded by a single gene, thus facilitating its study. We found that Cdc14 expression is highest in the testis of adult flies and that cdc14 null flies are viable. cdc14 null female and male flies do not display altered fertility. cdc14 null males, however, exhibit decreased sperm competitiveness. Previous studies have shown that Cdc14 plays a role in ciliogenesis during zebrafish development. In Drosophila, sensory neurons are ciliated. We found that the Drosophila cdc14 null mutants have defects in chemosensation and mechanosensation as indicated by decreased avoidance of repellant substances and decreased response to touch. In addition, we show that cdc14 null mutants have defects in lipid metabolism and resistance to starvation. These studies highlight the diversity of Cdc14 function in eukaryotes despite its structural conservation.
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and arthritis.

SUMMARY A variety of inflammatory arthritic conditions are observed in the setting of HIV infection. The epidemiology of these disorders is a point of current controversy, although it appears that several unique syndromes are clinically associated. The pathogenesis of these disorders remains unclear, but we hope that further work in this area will lend important insights into the mechanisms of both HIV-associated and non–HIV associated rheumatic disease. The overall management of such patients is based on recognizing the underlying HIV infection and the judicious use of antirheumatic drug therapy. Rheumatologists need to be aware of the natural history of HIV infection and its clinical manifestations.
A Case Study of Using Domain Engineering for the Conflation Algorithms Domain

In this study we used domain engineering as a method for gaining deeper formal understanding of a class of algorithms. Specifically, we analyzed 6 stemming algorithms from 4 different sub-domains of the conflation algorithms domain and developed formal domain models and generators based on these models. The application generator produces source code for not only affix removal but also successor variety, table lookup, and n-gram stemmers. The performance of the generated stemmers was compared with the stemmers developed manually in terms of stem similarity, source, and executable sizes, and development and execution times. Five of the stemmers generated by the application generator produced more than 99.9% identical stems with the manually developed stemmers. Some of the generated stemmers were as efficient as their manual equivalents and some were not.
Robot Ethics, Value Systems and Decision Theoretic Behaviors

Robot labor is desirable for many mundane tasks, yet there are also numerous potential robot services that are not currently commercially available, including road-based delivery; industry and residential cleaning; and building and grounds maintenance. Robots can be built that can physically perform the actions necessary to do these services, but the requisite robot vision capabilities are not adequate to perform these tasks safely and reliably in open, uncontrolled environments.
Regulation of Safety, Efficacy, and Quality

This article focuses on market access regulations for innovative, brand name drugs. Market access regulation for brand name drugs is designed to ensure their safety, efficacy, and quality. The article begins with an introduction to the scope, rationale, and objectives of market access regulations for brand name drugs. The key cost trade-offs associated with these objectives are characterized. An overview of important pharmaceutical regulatory legislation affecting the market access of brand name drugs is then presented. This overview highlights the motivating forces for regulatory change and the key features of the new regulation. EMA regulation is discussed in the later section. The next section describes the evolving evidence about the cost trade-offs reflected in pharmaceutical policy. The final section provides a discussion of recent reforms in Food and Drug Administration regulation and offers some concluding thoughts on the state of current regulation.
MySQL Database System

This chapter covers the MySQL relational database system. It introduces MySQL and points out its importance. It shows how to install and run MySQL on Linux machines. It shows how to use MySQL to create and manage databases in both command mode and batch mode using SQL scripts. It shows how to interface MySQL with C programming. It also shows how to integrate MySQL with PHP to create and manage databases by dynamic Web pages.
Teología Y Política De La Libertad Religiosa En Norteamérica: Cuatro Modelos Procedentes De La Época Fundacional (The Theology and Politics of the U.S. Religion Clauses: Four Models from the Foundational Era)

Spanish Abstract: En este articulo, el autor analiza los cuatro distintos modelos de libertad religiosa que se pueden distinguir en la epoca fundacional estadounidense: el modelo puritano, el evangelico, el ilustrado y el civico-republicano. Los exponents de estos cuatro modelos a menudo defendieron causas communes y utilizaron un mismo lenguaje, particularmente durante el periodo de debates de la convencion constitucional y ratificacion. Sin embargo, cada grupo ofrecio su propia doctrina sobre la libertad religiosa y tuvo sus propias preferencias para su implementacion en el derecho constitucional. Juntos, se puede decir que estos grupos sostuvieron las cuatro esquinas de un amplio dosel de opinion sobre la libertad religiosa en la America del siglo XVIII. English Abstract: In this article, the author explores the four distinct models on religious liberty that can be distinguished from the American founding era: Puritan, Evangelical, Enlightenment, and Civic Republican models. Exponents of these four models often found common cause and used common language, particularly during the constitutional convention and ratification debates. Yet each group offered its own distinct teachings on religious liberty and had its own preferences for their implementation in constitutional law. Together, these groups held up the four corners of a wide canopy of opinion about religious liberty in eighteenth-century America.
Influencing building design in care for older people

A Florence Nightingale Foundation travel scholarship was used to support a nurse's journey to gather information and knowledge on aspects of building design for older people in emergency care. Evid...
High-Fidelity Imaging Using Compact Multi-Frame Blind Deconvolution

Multi-frame blind deconvolution (MFBD) has been a cornerstone for ground-based space situational awareness of near-Earth satellites since the early 2000’s. In 2011 a variation of the classic MFBD algorithm was introduced that required solving for fewer variables than in the classic algorithm, but which still used all the available data to constrain the solution. The initial application of the new approach, referred to as compact multi-frame blind deconvolution (CMFBD), was found to be significantly faster than MFBD, and showed an indication that it may be able to provide restorations of higher quality, i.e. fewer artifacts. Since its introduction, the CMFBD approach has become the foundation of several MFBD-based algorithms that have been developed for applications such as high-accuracy wave front sensing from image plane data, and imaging through strong turbulence: both of which contribute to space situational awareness by increasing the area of sky available for surveillance. Here we show that the performance of the CMFBD approach can be improved through the addition of a new ”internal consistency” constraint on the estimated point-spread functions.
Spatiotemporal gait parameters and tremor distribution in essential tremor.

Abstract Background Essential Tremor is characterized by an action tremor of the upper extremities, which may or may not be accompanied by a head, voice, leg or trunk tremor. Problems with gait and balance have also been identified in persons with Essential Tremor. Therefore, understanding gait performance is an important area of focus for clinicians and researchers. Research question We sought to 1) conduct a factor analysis on a broad spectrum of spatiotemporal gait parameters 2) build upon the normative database of gait measures in persons with Essential Tremor 3) understand the influence of age on gait speed in persons with Essential Tremor and 4) identify the relationships between gait performance and clinical measures of disease severity. Methods Gait data and Tremor Rating Scale scores were retrospectively collected from one hundred and forty-two ambulatory participants with a diagnosis of Essential Tremor. A factor analysis was used to characterize spatiotemporal gait parameters and regression models were applied to associate tremor scores to gait performance factors. Results Three domains of gait performance factors were identified in persons with Essential Tremor. Specifically, we observed a pace, rhythm, and stability factor. In sum, these factors accounted for 91.9% of the variance in gait performance. Only the pace and stability factors were associated with disease severity, suggesting these factors are most sensitive to disease severity compared to the rhythm factor. Our linear regression analysis revealed a significant influence of age on gait speed. Gait speed decreased with age significantly by 0.64 cm/s/year. Significance Reference values for 12 gait parameters will be highly useful for assessing gait performance in individuals with Essential Tremor. Our observations suggest that a clinical assessment of gait and balance would be an important measure to consider in routine clinical practice when treating persons with Essential Tremor.
The risk management implications of using end of day consensus pricing for single name CDS

When markets are opaque, market participants rely to a large extent on end-of-day consensus prices published by service providers; such as in the case of the single name credit default swaps (CDS) market. End-of-day consensus CDS prices are critical for valuation and risk management purposes, since profits and losses of inventory positions can be determined by marking to market using end-of-day consensus prices. Deviations between end-of-day prices and intraday quotes can occur due to many factors, including market illiquidity. This paper identifies determinants of such deviations, lays out the times when they can occur, and examines the impact of these deviations for risk management purposes. End-of-day consensus prices are representative of average and median intraday quotes; however, in periods of high volatility and market distress, end-of-day prices can notably differ from actual intraday quotes. Such analysis can allow market participants to better rely on end-of-day consensus prices during normal market conditions.
Graph Fourier Transform: A Stable Approximation

In graph signal processing (GSP), data dependencies are represented by a graph whose nodes label the data and the edges capture dependencies among nodes. The graph is represented by a weighted adjacency matrix $A$ that, in GSP, generalizes the Discrete Signal Processing (DSP) shift operator $z^{-1}$ . The (right) eigenvectors of the shift $A$ (graph spectral components) diagonalize $A$ and lead to a graph Fourier basis $F$ that provides a graph spectral representation of the graph signal. The inverse of the (matrix of the) graph Fourier basis $F$ is the Graph Fourier transform (GFT), $F^{-1}$ . Often, including in real world examples, this diagonalization is numerically unstable. This paper develops an approach to compute an accurate approximation to $F$ and $F^{-1}$ , while insuring their numerical stability, by means of solving a non convex optimization problem. To address the non-convexity, we propose an algorithm, the stable graph Fourier basis algorithm (SGFA) that improves exponentially the accuracy of the approximating $F$ per iteration. Likewise, we can apply SGFA to $A^H$ and, hence, approximate the stable left eigenvectors for the graph shift $A$ and directly compute the GFT. We evaluate empirically the quality of SGFA by applying it to graph shifts $A$ drawn from two real world problems, the 2004 US political blogs graph and the Manhattan road map, carrying out a comprehensive study on tradeoffs between different SGFA parameters. We also confirm our conclusions by applying SGFA on very sparse and very dense directed Erdős-Renyi graphs.
Do not swipe the small stuff: A randomized evaluation of rules of thumb‐based financial education

We perform the first rigorous test of a rules of thumb‐based approach to financial education on consumer behavior and outcomes. We test two rules of thumb that are targeted at reducing credit card revolving and deliver them in a randomized fashion via e‐mail, online banner, and physical mailer. Using monthly administrative data and pre and postintervention credit data on almost 14,000 consumers, we find that the “Do not swipe the small stuff” rule of thumb reduces participants' targeted credit card balance by an average of 2% at a cost of around $0.50 per person. The “Credit keeps charging” rule shows a decline as well but the impact is not significant.