cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preface to COAST 2018 Innovators' Workshop: Bridging the biology and technology gap in orthodontics and craniofacial care.

Objective A third focused workshop explored how to transfer novel findings into clinical orthodontic practice. Setting and sample population Participants met at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort, 12-16 September 2018 for the Consortium for Orthodontic Advances in Science and Technology 2018 Innovators' Workshop. Thirty speakers and four lunch-hour focus group leaders shared and exchanged information with approximately 45 registered attendees. Material and methods This Innovators' Workshop was organized according to five themed sessions which covered: (a) The relevance of genetics, biology and environment to therapeutic outcomes; (b) Application of bioinformatics in craniofacial research; (c) Regeneration with and for orthodontic treatment; (d) Technology in precision orthodontics; and (e) Muscle, joint, and airway: Growth, function and pain. Results The papers that comprise this supplemental issue exemplify the important outcomes of the 2018 COAST Workshop. In addition, matters identified as important needs include improved understanding of neural, skeletal and muscle tissue crosstalk in early craniofacial growth; standardized methods for three-dimensional radiographic and surface landmark and reference plane identification, measurements and serial superimpositioning techniques for use in the clinic; sharing and making available existing data sets (eg, cone beam computed tomography images, genotype-phenotype data); evidence of the usefulness and effectiveness of new devices; guidelines of what to measure to characterize the airway; more information about the influences of the soft tissues on craniofacial morphology; and information about effective digital work flows applied to clinical and educational settings. Conclusions Progress in bridging the biology-technology gap has identified new needs for improvements in orthodontics and craniofacial care.
Access to Knowledge and Expression: Multimedia Writing Tools for Students with Diverse Needs and Strengths

This paper explores the proposal that some nine and ten-year old children with serious writing problems do not make progress because much of their instruction is centered around their weaknesses ra...
Fast gamma-ray interaction-position estimation using k-d tree search

We have developed a fast gamma-ray interaction-position estimation method using k-d tree search, which can be combined with various kinds of closeness metrics such as Euclidean distance, maximum-likelihood estimation, etc. Compared with traditional search strategies, this method can achieve both speed and accuracy at the same time using the k-d tree data structure. The k-d tree search method has a time complexity of [Formula: see text], where N is the number of entries in the reference data set, which means large reference datasets can be used to efficiently estimate each event's interaction position. This method's accuracy was found to be equal to that of the exhaustive search method, yielding the highest achievable accuracy. Most importantly, this method has no restriction on the data structure of the reference dataset and can still work with complicated mean-detector-response functions (MDRFs), meaning that it is more robust than other popular methods such as contracting-grid-search (CG) or vector-search (VS) methods that could yield locally optimal instead of globally optimal results.
Reducing energy requirements for instruction issue and dispatch in superscalar microprocessors (poster session)

Recent studies [MGK 98, Tiw 98] have confirmed that a significant amount of energy is dissipated in the process of instruction dispatching and issue in modern superscalar microprocessors. We propose a model for the energy dissipated by instruction dispatching and issuing logic in modern superscalar microprocessors and validate them through register level simulations and SPICE-measured dissipation coefficients from 0.5 micron CMOS layouts of relevant circuits. Alternative organizations are studied for instruction window buffers that result in energy savings of about 47% over traditional designs.
Adaptive Integral Sliding Mode Design for the Pitch Control of a Variable Speed Wind Turbine

This paper proposes an adaptive integral sliding mode control design (AISMC) for a variable speed wind turbine (WT). Its main objective is to capture maximum power when wind speeds are above the rated value (region III), while reducing fatigue due to overloads. The design implements an adaptation mechanism for the upper bounds of the norm of the uncertainties to smooth the pitching action and reduce chattering. System stability was established using the Lyapunov theory. The effectiveness of the proposed approach was validated on a 5 MW variable speed WT modeled using the fatigue, aerodynamic, structures, and turbulence (FAST) aeroelastic simulator. A comparison to a standard SMC showed a considerable decrease in fluctuations of generator torque and generator speed, and subsequently a reduction in mechanical stress when wind speeds are above the rated value. It also confirmed the AISMC’s ability to reduce chattering.
FINE ROOT DYNAMICS, COARSE ROOT BIOMASS, ROOT DISTRIBUTION, AND SOIL RESPIRATION IN A MULTISPECIES RIPARIAN BUFFER IN CENTRAL IOWA, USA

By influencing belowground processes, streamside vegetation affects soil processes important to surface water quality. We conducted this study to compare root distributions and dynamics, and total soil respiration among six sites comprising an agricultural buffer system: poplar (Populus × euroamericana‘ Eugenei), switchgrass, cool-season pasture grasses, corn (Zea mays L.), and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). The dynamics of fine (0--2 mm) and small roots (2--5 mm) were assessed by sequentially collecting 35 cm deep, 5.4 cm diameter cores from April through November. Coarse roots were described by excavating 1 × 1 × 2 m pits and collecting all roots in 20 cm depth increments. Root distributions within the soil profile were determined by counting roots that intersected the walls of the excavated pits. Soil respiration was measured monthly from July to October using the soda-lime technique. Over the sampling period, live fine-root biomass in the top 35 cm of soil averaged over 6 Mg ha-1 for the cool-season grass, poplar, and switchgrass sites while root biomass in the crop fields was < 2.3 Mg ha-1 at its maximum. Roots of trees, cool-season grasses, and switchgrass extended to more than 1.5 m in depth, with switchgrass roots being more widely distributed in deeper horizons. Root density was significantly greater under switchgrass and cool-season grasses than under corn or soybean. Soil respiration rates, which ranged from 1.4--7.2 g C m-2 day-1, were up to twice as high under the poplar, switchgrass and cool-season grasses as in the cropped fields. Abundant fine roots, deep rooting depths, and high soil respiration rates in the multispecies riparian buffer zones suggest that these buffer systems added more organic matter to the soil profile, and therefore provided better conditions for nutrient sequestration within the riparian buffers.
Chapter 16 – Pigging Operations

The term pig was originally referred to Go-Devil scrapers driven through the pipeline by the flowing fluid trailing spring-loaded rakes to scrape wax off the internal walls. Pigs were originally developed to remove deposits, which could obstruct or retard the flow through a pipeline. Nowadays, they are used during all phases in the life of a pipeline for many different reasons. For instance, pigging is used for debris removing, gauging, cleaning, flooding, and de-watering during pipeline construction. It is utilized for removing wax in oil pipelines, removing liquids in gas pipelines, and meter proving during fluid production operations. Pigging is widely employed for pipeline inspection purposes such as wall thickness measurement and detection of spanning and burial. Pigging is also run for coating the inside surface of pipeline with inhibitor and providing pressure resistance during other pipeline maintenance operations. This chapter describes how to apply different pigging techniques to solve various problems in the pipeline operations.
Dramatic neurological and biological effects by botulinum neurotoxin type A on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, beyond the blockade of neurotransmitter release

Gene expression profile analysis on mammalian cell lines and animal models after exposure to botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) has been investigated in several studies in recent years. Microarray analysis provides a powerful tool for identifying critical signaling pathways involved in the biological and inflammatory responses to BoNT and helps determine the mechanism of the function of botulinum toxins. One of the pivotal clinical characteristics of BoNT is its prolonged on-site effects. The role of BoNT on the blockage of neurotransmitter acetylcholine release in the neuromuscular junction has been well established. However, the effects of the treatment time of BoNT on the human cellular model and its potential mechanism remain to be defined. This study aimed to use gene microarray technology to compare the two physiological critical time points of BoNT type A (BoNT/A) treatment of human neuroblastoma cells and to advance our understanding of the profound biological influences that toxin molecules play in the neuronal cellular system. SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were treated with BoNT/A for 4 and 48 h, which represent the time needed for the entrance of toxin into the cells and the time necessary for the initial appearance of the on-site effects after BoNT application, respectively. A comparison of the two time points identified 122 functional groups that are significantly changed. The top five groups are alternative splicing, phosphoprotein, nucleus, cytoplasm, and acetylation. Furthermore, after 48 h, there were 744 genes significantly up-regulated, and 624 genes significantly down-regulated (p‹ 0.01). These genes fell into the following neurological and biological annotation groups: Nervous system development, proteinaceous extracellular matrix, signaling pathways regulating pluripotency of stem cells, cellular function and signal transduction, and apoptosis. We have also noticed that the up-regulated groups contained neuronal cell development, nervous system development, and metabolic processes. In contrast, the down-regulated groups contained many chromosomes and cell cycle categories. The effects of BoNT/A on neuronal cells extend beyond blocking the neurotransmitter release, and that BoNT/A is a multifunctional molecule that can evoke profound cellular responses which warrant a more in-depth understanding of the mechanism of the toxin’s effects after administration.
Racial Unfairness and Fiscal Politics

We provide and test a theory explaining how and why racial attitudes shape public opinion on government spending in the United States. We hypothesize that many people think the government allocates...
Animal Models of Contact Dermatitis: 2,4-Dinitrofluorobenzene-Induced Contact Hypersensitivity

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a common skin disease with high prevalence in work environments. Human allergic contact dermatitis is triggered by the exposure to haptens that leads to an initial phase known as sensitization. During this phase, hapten-protein complexes presented by antigen-presenting cells activate a T-cell-mediated response, leading to the generation of memory cells against the hapten. Upon re-exposure to the same hapten, the elicitation phase is initiated. This phase is characterized by a quicker acute inflammatory response involving activation and/or infiltration of a variety of immune cell populations. Human ACD can be studied through the use of animal models of contact hypersensitivity (CHS). The 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced CHS model is a commonly used mouse model that has been helpful in the study of the mechanisms as well as potential therapeutic interventions of ACD. In this chapter I will provide a detailed protocol to develop acute DNFB-induced CHS in mice in a period of 7 days. In addition, I will discuss several key considerations for experimental design including best controls, potential expected outcomes, and sample collection.
Cognitive Load in Solving Mathematics Problems: Validating the Role of Motivation and the Interaction among Prior Knowledge, Worked Examples, and Task Difficulty.

Cognitive load can play a key role in learners’ abilities to solve complex problems like mathematics. Many factors can affect the presence of cognitive load in learning including instructional strategy, task difficulty and prior knowledge. To understand the interaction of above factors and their influence on learner cognitive load and performance, a three-way interaction study was conducted with worked example (full- vs. completion-worked examples), task difficulty (easy vs. difficult) and prior knowledge (high vs. low) serving as independent variables, and cognitive load and performance as dependent variables. One hundred and sixty participants were recruited who were randomly assigned into one of eight learning conditions. Results revealed a significant three-way interaction by posttest. It was found that higher-prior knowledge learners performed better with completion-worked examples than full-worked examples whereas lower-prior knowledge learners performed better with full-worked examples than completion-worked examples. Significant positive correlation was found between intrinsic and germane cognitive load implying that interest in the instructional domain is an important determinant in effecting germane cognitive load.
Certified Teaching Artist? Using Professional Development to Train Mentors, Teachers, and Community Workers in a Teaching Artist’s Approach

This article examines the challenges faced and lessons learned while developing the SPEAK Young Women’s Vocal Empowerment Curriculum and leading 30 educators through a Professional Development Trai...
Complicating methods for understanding educators’ language ideologies: transformative approaches for mixing methods

This study enlists a transformative approach to mixed methods research in order to problematize what different methods can offer for expanding understandings of educator language attitudes and ideo...
The COVID-19 pandemic and small business in Illinois: A preliminary comparison of neighboring states

The COVID-19 pandemic brought widespread health, social and economic hardship to households and businesses across Illinois, the nation, and the world. This report provides an initial look at some early evidence regarding one element of COVID-19 economic challenges by conducting comparative analysis of small business conditions in Illinois and in neighboring states. The analysis relies primarily on two data sources: The US Census Bureau Small Business Pulse (SBFS) surveys and Opportunity Insights economic tracker. More than 90% of Week 1 Illinois SBFS survey respondents said that the pandemic had a moderate or large negative effect on their business. This was similar to the national (U.S.) share but somewhat higher than other states in the region with the exception of Michigan. The share of respondents with such a negative response gradually declined over the next eight weeks in Illinois and nationally. The data from the SBFS survey, which reports small business’ self-assessment of the pandemic’s economic impact, suggests that the effect in Illinois has moderated somewhat over time and is quite similar to the impact nationally and among neighboring states. Opportunity Insights data is based on actual market transaction from a possibly non-random selection of private sector sources. Based on this data, Illinois’ Cook county its surrounding counties suffered a precipitous decline in the share of businesses that were open beginning in early March. Each of the counties recovered somewhat as time progressed, but all remained far below their January 2020 levels as late as March 2020. Indiana counties exhibited a similar pattern. We also examined Illinois border counties and find that in most cases they suffered consequences similar to their pair across state borders despite the somewhat different timing and strictures of state stay-at-home orders. We see similar patterns between Illinois and each of its neighboring states and there is little evidence that states’ stay-at-home orders were a significant predictor of the negative economic outcomes for small business.
Generation of Nucleic Acid Aptamer Candidates against a Novel Calicivirus Protein Target.

Human norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness globally. One of the challenges in detecting noroviruses is the identification of a completely broadly reactive ligand; however, all detection ligands generated to date target the viral capsid, the outermost of which is the most variable region of the genome. The VPg is a protein covalently linked to the viral genome that is necessary for replication but hitherto remains underexplored as a target for detection or therapeutics. The purpose of this work was to generate nucleic acid aptamers against human norovirus (Norwalk) and cultivable surrogate (Tulane) VPgs for future use in detection and therapeutics. Eight rounds of positive-SELEX and two rounds of counter-SELEX were performed. Five and eight unique aptamer sequences were identified for Norwalk and Tulane VPg, respectively, all of which were predicted to be stable (∆G 5.0), and all but two of the candidates displayed very strong binding (positive:negative > 10.0), significantly higher than binding to the negative control protein (p < 0.05). Overall, this work reports a number of aptamer candidates found to be broadly reactive and specific for in vitro-expressed VPgs across genus that could be used for future application in detection or therapeutics. Future work characterizing binding of the aptamer candidates against native VPgs and in therapeutic applications is needed to further evaluate their application.
Supersymmetric waves in Bose-Fermi mixtures

Interacting Bose-Fermi mixtures possess a fermionic (super)symmetry when bosons and fermions in the mixture have equal masses, and when the interaction strengths are appropriately tuned. This symmetry is spontaneously broken in the ground state of the mixture, leading to a novel Goldstone mode with fermionic statistics and quadratic dispersion. Here we examine the effect of explicit symmetry-breaking perturbations on the Goldstone mode. When the symmetry is not exact and the system is allowed to deviate from the symmetric point, we find that the Goldstone mode acquires an energy gap. We show that the excitations manifest themselves as a nonanalyticity of the thermodynamic pressure.
VARIABILITY OF FREEZING LEVELS, MELTING SEASON INDICATORS, AND SNOW COVER FOR SELECTED HIGH-ELEVATION AND CONTINENTAL REGIONS IN THE LAST 50 YEARS

We have used NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis data and a Northern Hemisphere snow cover data set to analyze changes in freezing level heights and snow cover for the past three to five decades. All the major continental mountain chains exhibit upward shifts in the height of the freezing level surface. The pattern of these changes is generally consistent with changes in snow cover, both over the course of the year and spatially. We examined different free-air temperature parameters (dry bulb temperature, virtual temperature, and 700–500 hPa thickness) using the Reanalysis grid point values located over the different mountain areas as defined in this study. The different trend values were in reasonably good agreement with each other, particularly over the second half of the record. Freezing level changes in the American Cordillera are strongly modulated by the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon and the freezing level heights (FLH) respond to both interannual and decadal-scale change in tropical Pacific sea surface temperature (SST). The ~0.5 °C increase in SST recorded in the tropical Pacific since the 1950s accounts for approximately half of the increase in FLH in tropical and subtropical latitudes of the Cordilleran region during that same time.
On the use of Realistic Fermi problems for introducing mathematical modelling in school

In this paper an analytical tool referred to as the MAD (Modelling Activity Diagram) framework adapted from Schoenfeld’s parsing protocol coding scheme is used to address the issues of how to intro ...
Event-detecting multi-agent MDPs: complexity and constant-factor approximation

Planning under uncertainty for multiple agents has grown rapidly with the development of formal models such as multi-agent MDPs and decentralized MDPs. But despite their richness, the applicability of these models remains limited due to their computational complexity. We present the class of event-detecting multi-agent MDPs (eMMDPs), designed to detect multiple mobile targets by a team of sensor agents. We show that eMMDPs are NP-Hard and present a scalable 2-approximation algorithm for solving them using matroid theory and constraint optimization. The complexity of the algorithm is linear in the state-space and number of agents, quadratic in the horizon, and exponential only in a small parameter that depends on the interaction among the agents. Despite the worst-case approximation ratio of 2, experimental results show that the algorithm produces near-optimal policies for a range of test problems.
Determinants of Success in High School Economics: Lessons from the Field

Recently, the Hawaii Council on Economic Education conducted a survey of high school seniors to gauge their understanding of basic economic concepts. Based on these results, we conduct a series of case studies, consisting of interviews with principals and economics teachers at eight Hawaii public high schools. We summarize the qualitative and quantitative results of these interviews. We then use these and other data to estimate the effects of school, demographic, and other characteristics on average student achievement on the survey. We find that the improvement in student test scores as a result of a one semester economics course is modest, but that the single greatest determinant of achievement is overall school quality. Based on these and other findings, we present recommendations for policy and further research.
Learning to talk the talk and walk the walk: interactional competence in academic spoken English

espanolEn este articulo presento la teoria de competencia interaccional y la comparo con formas alternativas de describir el conocimiento de la lengua por parte de los aprendices. La competencia interaccional se centra en la estructura de situaciones o episodios recurrentes de interaccion presencial que adquieren una importancia social y cultural para una comunidad de hablantes. A dichos episodios les denomino practicas discursivas y convengo en que los participantes coconstruyen una practica discursiva mediante una arquitectura de recursos interaccionales especificos para la practica. Los recursos comprenden el texto o guion retorico, el registro de la practica, el sistema de turnos, la gestion de los temas, el marco de participacion y el modo de senalizar los limites y las transiciones. Ejemplifico la teoria de la competencia interaccional y la arquitectura de la practica discursiva analizando dos ejemplos de la misma practica: tutorias entre profesores ayudantes y los estudiantes de grado en una universidad americana, una en matematicas y otra en italiano como lengua extranjera. Comparando a fondo los recursos interaccionales que los participantes aportan a los dos ejemplos, argumento que el conocimiento y la destreza interaccional son locales y especificos de cada practica, y que la construccion conjunta de la practica discursiva conlleva que los participantes empleen los recursos que han adquirido en momentos anteriores de la misma practica. EnglishIn this article I present the theory of interactional competence and contrast it with alternative ways of describing a learner´s knowledge of language. The focus of interactional competence is the structure of recurring episodes of face-toface interaction, episodes that are of social and cultural significance to a community of speakers. Such episodes I call discursive practices, and I argue that participants co-construct a discursive practice through an architecture of interactional resources that is specific to the practice. The resources include rhetorical script, the register of the practice, the turn-taking system, management of topics, the participation framework, and means for signalling boundaries and transitions. I exemplify the theory of interactional competence and the architecture of discursive practice by examining two instances of the same practice: office hours between teaching assistants and undergraduate students at an American university, one in Mathematics, one in Italian as a foreign language. By a close comparison of the interactional resources that participants bring to the two instances, I argue that knowledge and interactional skill are local and practice-specific, and that the joint construction of discursive practice involves participants making use of the resources that they have acquired in previous instances of the same practice.
Dairies in New Mexico: The Environmental Implications of a New Industry

The dairy industry, at first blush, might seem to be an odd growth industry for New Mexico, but the last decade has seen an extraordinary expansion of the industry in the state. The presence of the industry has consequences for the state in several domains, including water quantity and water quality, as well as economics, animal welfare and state finances. This article is an attempt to characterize these implications for water policy and to solicit insights from those who are familiar with the industry.
Dystroglycan modulates the ability of insulin‐like growth factor‐1 to promote oligodendrocyte differentiation

The adhesion receptor dystroglycan positively regulates terminal differentiation of oligodendrocytes, but the mechanism by which this occurs remains unclear. Using primary oligodendrocyte cultures, we identified and examined a connection between dystroglycan and the ability of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) to promote oligodendrocyte differentiation. Consistent with previous reports, treatment with exogenous IGF-1 caused an increase in MBP protein that was preceded by activation of PI3K (AKT) and MAPK (ERK) signaling pathways. The extracellular matrix protein laminin was further shown to potentiate the effect of IGF-1 on oligodendrocyte differentiation. Depletion of the laminin receptor dystroglycan using siRNA, however, blocked the ability of IGF-1 to promote oligodendrocyte differentiation of cells grown on laminin, suggesting a role for dystroglycan in IGF-1-mediated differentiation. Indeed, loss of dystroglycan led to a reduction in the ability of IGF-1 to activate MAPK, but not PI3K, signaling pathways. Pharmacological inhibition of MAPK signaling also prevented IGF-1-induced increases in myelin basic protein (MBP), indicating that MAPK signaling was necessary to drive IGF-1-mediated enhancement of oligodendrocyte differentiation. Using immunoprecipitation, we found that dystroglycan, the adaptor protein Grb2, and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), were associated in a protein complex. Taken together, our results suggest that the positive regulatory effect of laminin on oligodendrocyte differentiation may be attributed, at least in part, to dystroglycan's ability to promote IGF-1-induced differentiation.
A 10-element active lens amplifier on a dielectric slab

This paper presents an active lens amplifier on a dielectric slab. An amplifier gain of 11 dB at 8.25 GHz, measured from input to output connector, with a 3-dB bandwidth of 0.65 GHz has been demonstrated. Measurements of output power versus input power are also presented.
Measurement of the three-dimensional microscope point spread function using a Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor

Summary We present a technique to measure the wavefront in the exit pupil of a microscope to determine the microscope’s three-dimensional point spread function (PSF) experimentally. The wavefront yields the microscope PSF through a Fourier transform that models propagation of light from the exit pupil to the image plane. A Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor is used to measure the wavefront shape by recording lateral displacements of a grid of focused spots created by a lenslet array. The displacement of each spot is related to the local wavefront slope. Thus, with appropriate sampling across the exit pupil, the entire wavefront can be reconstructed. This technique does not require the use of a sub-resolution object to obtain the three-dimensional microscope PSF. Consequently, larger, brighter fluorescent objects may be imaged, thereby reducing the requirements for detector sensitivity and leading to a three-fold increase in the axial range over which the PSF is measured. The Shack–Hartmann technique results in a description of the PSF as a continuous function whose sampling is not dependent on the size of the CCD pixels. The Shack–Hartmann sensor is not limited by the numerical aperture of the objective and can easily be calibrated to measure the PSF at any wavelength.
Photographs Objects Histories: On the Materiality of Images

Photographs Objects Histories: On the Materiality of Images. Elizabeth Edwards and Janice Hart, eds. London: Routledge Press, 2004. 222 pp.
Throughput improvement through dynamic load balance

Dynamic load balance improves the performance of a multiprocessor system by reallocating tasks such that all the processors are evenly loaded. Problems in several areas qualify for dynamic load balance. The paper studies the performance of load balancing while solving a branch and bound problem using hypercubes. If the hypercube has link faults, special measures need to be taken to balance the load. An algorithm for load balancing in the presence of link faults is described. Performance improvement obtained with the help of load balancing using the link-fault-tolerant algorithm is observed through simulation. >
The Volk of New Jersey? State Identity, Distinctiveness, and Political Culture in the American Federal System

The legal literature on federalism has long taken for granted that Americans no longer meaningfully identify with, or feel strong loyalties to, their states. This assumption has led some scholars to reject federalism altogether; others argue that federalism must be reoriented to serve national values. But the issue of identity and loyalty sweeps far more broadly, implicating debates about the political safeguards of federalism, the ability of states to check national power, and the likelihood that states will produce policy innovations or good opportunities for citizen participation in government. The ultimate question is whether American federalism lacks the cultural and psychological support to sustain itself.This article is the first comprehensive effort to assess whether contemporary American states are meaningfully distinctive from one another and whether contemporary Americans identify with their states. The death of state identity is an empirical claim, but no proponent of that claim has ever marshalled empirical evidence to support it. It is also a claim unique to legal scholarship: Scholars in political science, history, economics, cultural psychology, and other disciplines have developed extensive literatures on state political cultures. This article surveys those literatures and collects evidence on the states’ geographic, demographic, and policy diversity, states’ impact on political preferences, relative trust in state and federal institutions, state’s distinct historical narratives, and the impact of individual mobility among the states. I conclude that reports of the death of state identity are greatly exaggerated — and that has important implications for American federalism.
Characterization of a novel splicing variant in the RAPTOR gene

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays an essential role in the regulation of cell growth, proliferation and apoptosis. Raptor, the regulatory associated protein of mTOR, is an important member in this signaling pathway. In the present report,we identified and characterized a novel splicing variant of this gene, RAPTOR v2, in which exons 14-17, 474 bp in total, are omitted from the mRNA. This deletion does not change the open reading frame, but causes a nearly complete absence of HEAT repeats, which were shown to be involved in the binding of mTOR substrates. Real time PCR performed on 48 different human tissues demonstrated the ubiquitous presence of this splice variant. Quantification of mRNA levels in lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) from 56 unrelated HapMap individuals revealed that the expression of this splicing form is quite variable. One synonymous SNP, rs2289759 in exon 14, was predicted by ESEfinder to cause a significant gain/loss of SRp55 and/or SF2/ASF binding sites, and thus potentially influence splicing. This prediction was confirmed by linear regression analysis between the ratio of RAPTOR v2 to total RAPTOR mRNA levels and the SNP genotype in the above 56 individuals (r=0.281 and P=0.036). Moreover, the functional evaluation indicated that this splicing isoform is expected to retain the ability to bind mTOR, but is unlikely to bind mTOR substrates, hence affecting signal transduction and further cell proliferation.
Viral contacts confound studies of childhood leukemia and high-voltage transmission lines.

Studies of childhood leukemia have reported a link with residential proximity to electric utility facilities. This paper elaborates on the hypothesis that residential proximity to electric utility transmission-systems is a surrogate for viral contacts, a potential confounder in these studies. While the causal implications of increased viral contacts is not established, the assumption made here is that a significant component of childhood leukemia has an infectious etiology. Increased viral contacts can result from residential mobility, being first born, or use of community childcare facilities. Re-analysis of existing studies should look specifically for the interaction between childhood leukemia, markers for viral contacts (e.g., residential mobility, birth order, use of outside childcare facilities), and residential proximity to high-voltage transmission lines. New study designs should include parameters to test directly for a virus-related infectious model for childhood leukemia.
The classification of neuropsychological deficit

The study involves classification of neuropsychiatric patients on the basis of neuropsychological and intelligence test performance. One hundred twenty-five hospitalized male neuropsychiatric patients with various diagnoses were administered the Halstead-Reitan and Luria-Nebraska neuropsychological test batteries, as well as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. A cluster analysis was performed for each of those three procedures utilizing Ward's method. It was found in all cases that clusters were determined on the basis of level rather than pattern of performance. Relationships were found between cluster membership and age, education, and presence or absence of structural brain damage but were not found for diagnoses of schizophrenia or alcoholism. Schizophrenic and alcoholic patients were found in all clusters in the case of all three test procedures. Differences in clustering among the three test procedures were noted, with the WAIS being relatively more sensitive to educational differences while the Halstead-Reitan was more sensitive to age differences. The clinical utility of classifying patients on the basis of neuropsychological and cognitive test performance was discussed.
Postmenopausal estrogen therapy, 1995

Estrogen therapy offers women important benefits, including the potential prolongation of life by prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) and osteoporotic fractures, and improvement of life by prevention of menopausal symptoms. Not all women can accept the potential side effects and risks, however, which include uterine bleeding, cystic mastitis, fluid retention, and increased risk of uterine cancer and breast cancer. Thus, the benefits and risks must be patiently weighed for each individual, and the alternatives of no treatment or other treatment should be clear. We review here the pertinent information that now makes these decisions quite sound.
Diversity: creating an environment of inclusiveness.

Diversity is a concept that most organizations espouse but find challenging to put into practice. It is especially critical for healthcare organizations to be responsive in addressing issues of diversity related to not only employees but also clients. This article identifies the following 3 areas that must be addressed if an organization is to succeed in creating an environment where diversity and inclusiveness are honored: (1) organizations and their leaders need to be aware of their reactions “those who are different”in their organization. This awareness is critical in identifying the underlying obstacles that prevent a truly inclusive workplace; (2) organizations and their leaders need to be able to expand their perspectives allowing them to not only understand but appreciate others. These expanded perspectives can provide a potentially powerful tool for both problem solving and conflict resolution; (3) if organizations and their leaders are actively engaged in exploring options and are open to alternatives, they will find that they not only succeed in creating an environment of inclusiveness but also are in a better position to meet the needs of employees, patients, and a multicultural society.
Hydroxylated secondary dopants for surface resistance enhancement in transparent poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)–poly(styrenesulfonate) thin films

Abstract The addition of small, hydroxylated secondary dopants (SDs) can greatly decrease the surface resistance (SR) of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)–poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT–PSS) thin films with virtually no loss in film transparency. For example when 2,2′-thiodiethanol or glycerol are added to an aqueous suspension of PEDOT–PSS, thin films cast from the suspension exhibit approximately five-to-seven-fold decrease in surface electrical resistance while their optical transparencies remain nearly constant, or, in some cases, increase slightly. This behavior is strikingly different from that of conducting polymer films doped with standard ionic dopants, wherein decreases in surface resistance are accompanied by a sharp loss in film transparency. These findings may be important to the development of plastic “throwaway” electronics such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays, imaging materials for flexible substrates, and organic field-effect transistors (FETs). Studies using mid-IR spectroscopic data and deuterated solvents support the premise that 2,2′-thiodiethanol enhances film properties by stabilizing the PEDOT–PSS electrostatic interactions. This dopant enables formation of films with conductivities as high as 98 S/cm and optical transparencies of 84%. Solution thermodynamic analysis indicates that it exerts a chaotropic effect on the aqueous solvent that may aid its ability to enhance film properties.
Some Properties of Atomic Hydrogen

Duration of atomic hydrogen in a bulb 20 cm in diameter.\char22{}A large bulb of 3 liters capacity was sealed to the middle of a Wood's hydrogen tube and the atomic hydrogen formed in the discharge tube was allowed to enter the bulb. It was found that atomic hydrogen could be detected, by means of a speck of Welsbach mantle, three seconds after the discharge was shut off. The piece of Welsbach was quite large which indicated that there was still probably considerable atomic hydrogen in the bulb even after three seconds. Certain other effects, such as small white infected spots on the glass, which were due to atomic hydrogen, were observed for as long as six seconds after the discharge was discontinued. There were indications that the atomic hydrogen lasted as long as 10 seconds, but, because of impurities in the tube, these indications may have been due to something else. It has also been shown that in the absence of water, a surface is a much better catalyzer than when water is adsorbed on it. Several curious phenomena are described.
A new derivation of Akcasu’s “MLP” equations for 1-D particle transport in stochastic media

Abstract This paper presents a new derivation of Akcasu’s modified Levermore–Pomraning (MLP) model, which estimates the ensemble-averaged angular flux for particle transport problems in 1-D geometrically random media. The significant new feature of the MLP equations is that, unlike the earlier Levermore–Pomraning (LP) model, the MLP equations are exact for certain classes of problems with scattering. We also show, via asymptotic analyses, that the MLP equations are accurate in the atomic mix and diffusion limits.
Compressibility of Anhydrous Tricalcium Phosphate

It is shown that tricalcium phosphate follows a simple Heckel relationship in pressures of usual tablet compression, only if a density of 1.92 g/mL is used. This coincides with the density obtained by wet pycnometry, whereas the crystallographical density is 3.1 g/mL. The interpretation is that some of the pore space is occluded and does not constitute a part of the Heckel pore space.
Is It Ideology or Desperation: Why Do Organizations Deploy Women in Violent Terrorist Attacks?

Why do some terrorist organizations deploy women on the front lines and in violent attacks? This study explores the social conditions, economic factors, and organizational characteristics that might explain women's participation in violent terrorist activity. With a new data set of 395 terrorist organizations, women's participation in terrorist attacks was quantified and coded. The logistic regression analysis results suggest that women's educational attainment, social rights, terrorist organization's age and size, and the level of a country's economic development are important predictors of the deployment of women in terrorist violence while a terrorist group's ideological or religious orientation and the level of democracy do not significantly influence the likelihood of women's participation.
Physiological nature of the internal mammary artery grafts

A 4-month postoperative angiographic study of an internal mammary artery (IMA) graft illustrates its capacity to regulate flow by changes in caliber in response to changes in coronary vascular resistance. This physiological adaptability may be one of the reasons for excellent long-term results of in situ IMA grafts.
Embedded piezoelectrics for sensing and energy harvesting in total knee replacement units

The knee replacement is the second most common orthopedic surgical intervention in the United States, but currently only 1 in 5 knee replacement patients are satisfied with their level of pain reduction one year after surgery. It is imperative to make the process of knee replacement surgery more objective by developing a data driven approach to ligamentous balance, which increases implant life. In this work, piezoelectric materials are considered for both sensing and energy harvesting applications in total knee replacement implants. This work aims to embed piezoelectric material in the polyethylene bearing of a knee replacement unit to act as self-powered sensors that will aid in the alignment and balance of the knee replacement by providing intraoperative feedback to the surgeon. Postoperatively, the piezoelectric sensors can monitor the structural health of the implant in order to perceive potential problems before they become bothersome to the patient. Specifically, this work will present on the use of finite element modeling coupled with uniaxial compression testing to prove that piezoelectric stacks can be utilized to harvest sufficient energy to power sensors needed for this application.
Feasibility of bioelectric impedance as a measure of muscle mass in mechanically ventilated ICU patients

Background: Critically ill patients receiving prolonged mechanical ventilatory support are at risk for loss of muscle mass and muscle strength from immobility. Feasible, non-invasive methods are needed to accurately obtain data on markers of muscle mass to design effective interventions and monitor patient progress during recovery from critical illness. Bioelectric impedance has been used in other settings to obtain data on body composition and muscle mass. Purpose: The aims of this study were to determine the feasibility of bioelectric impedance as a marker of muscle mass in a sample of mechanically ventilated patients and to assess data trends in these obtained values. Methods: A descriptive design was used to obtain standard bioelectric impedance parameters (total body resistance, legs resistance, and percent lean body mass) over 4 days from eligible patients already enrolled in a randomized clinical trial. Results: Bioimpedance parameters were readily obtained over 4 days in a sample of 43 patients (age 59 + 15.7 years, 56% male) receiving prolonged ventilatory support (mean 9.4 + 10.4 days) due to respiratory failure. Reasons for not obtaining impedance measures included skin impairment, monitoring devices, or presence of implantable cardiac defibrillator or pacemaker. Average total body impedance was 464.3 + 117.1 ohms, while average impedance of legs was 479.1 + 146.4 ohms. Lean body mass was 68.4% (+10.8). Conclusions/Implications for Practice: With carefully trained staff and a standardized measurement protocol, bioimpedance is a feasible method to obtain body composition data reflective of muscle mass in mechanically ventilated patients. Further research will determine the utility of bioimpedance to monitor recovery and effectiveness of interventions to restore function after prolonged periods of ventilatory support and immobility in mechanically ventilated patients.
Scattering from normal-incidence EUV optics

Measurements of nonspecular EUV scattering from Mo/Si multilayer coated mirrors have been performed. The surface power spectral density is deduced from the angular scattering distribution and in all cases is found to be in excellent agreement with surface profile measurements, by both optical and atomic force microscopy. It is demonstrated that the effects of scatter on the EUV imaging performance of a single normal incidence optic are accurately predicted from surface profile measurements.
Two-dimensional two-layer channel flow near a step

Abstract The influence of surface topography on channel flow of immiscible liquids is considered in this paper. Using a diffuse-interface method, we perform two-dimensional numerical simulations of two-layer flow in a channel containing a step. Our simulations indicate that a much simpler model based on lubrication theory predicts well the interface shape provided that the capillary number is small. Inertial effects are also considered. When the inertia of the top layer becomes sufficiently large, the interface shape deviates significantly relative to the case where the inertia of the top layer is negligible. For low to moderate Reynolds numbers, the interface shapes are very similar to those in the creeping-flow limit, indicating that the lubrication model can still be used provided that the capillary number is small. The results presented here provide guidance on when it is appropriate to use lubrication-theory-based models to describe multilayer flow of immiscible liquids in channels containing topographical features.