cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does Gender Impact Business Students' Perceptions of Teaching Effectiveness?.

While there are certainly differences ofopinion regarding teaching effectiveness, the goal of this study is toinvestigate whether there is consistency or differences in opinion based on thegender of the student doing the evaluation of the instructor or the gender ofthe instructor being evaluated. Thispaper summarizes the gender-based findings from a survey administered tostudents in fall 2011 at a mid-sized Association to Advance Collegiate Schoolsof Business International (AACSB International) accredited Midwesternuniversity business school. Thirty-fivetraits were presented for evaluation. Thefindings of this study suggest that there are differences between female andmale student ratings of teacher effectiveness.Females in general tend to rate teachers higher overall in terms ofteaching effectiveness. Furthermore,there are specific traits that appear to be more important to females, andother specific traits which appear to be more important to males. This study provides strong evidence thatthere are systematic differences between male and female students in terms of theirperceptions of the teaching traits they find important and how they rateinstructors of each gender. It isimportant that faculty members and especially administrators are aware of thepotential for gender bias in ratings of teacher effectiveness. Men and women have different perceptions. Male and female students are different, andthey perceive differences between male and female faculty members.
'Documents, Please': Welfare State Extensions and Advances in Birth Certification in the Developing World

A birth certificate is essential to exercising citizenship yet vast numbers of poor people in developing countries have no official record of their existence. Few academic studies analyze the conditions under which governments come to document and certify births routinely, and those that do leave much to be explained, namely, why non-autocratic governments at low to middle levels of economic development prioritize birth registration. This article draws attention to the impetus that state-building initiatives give to identity documentation. The empirical focus is on contemporary Latin America, where extensions in institutionalized social protection since the 1990s have increased the demand for and supply of birth registration, raising the life chances of the poor and creating new political constituencies. Our argument promises to have broader applicability as welfare states form in other developing regions.
A Pedagogy of Civic Engagement for the Undergraduate Political Science Classroom

ABSTRACTThis article provides an overview of a classroom project, titled the Priorities Project, which is designed to promote responsible and informed civic engagement on the part of students in upper level political science courses at Drake University. It provides an overview of the Priorities Project, a brief summary highlighting the process and results of this project, and preliminary assessment data. The article discusses this classroom assignment in the context of more general pedagogical debates regarding the relative advantages of service-learning in comparison to traditional models of teaching and learning focused on knowledge acquisition. The Priorities Project demonstrates a pedagogy of civic engagement grounded in a participatory conception of citizenship that represents a “third way”—between a traditional, lecture-based classroom focused on the development of personally responsible citizens and a service-learning model emphasizing a justice-oriented conception of citizenship—of balancing the p...
A Welfarist Approach to Manipulation

I argue for two modifications in Sunsteinâs definition of manipulation, designed to make the definition more compatible with a welfarist/utilitarian view of what manipulation is and why we should care about it. I think we need a clearer distinction between good and bad manipulation, and a distinction between good and bad reflection. Good reflection is actively open-minded and serves to achieve the decision makerâs goals. Manipulation is designed to prevent such reflection, or prevent the choice that would be made if such reflection occurred, and this is why it is bad, even if it is consistent with reflection that merely bolsters a favored option.
Controlling the Trap State Landscape of Colloidal CdSe Nanocrystals with Cadmium Halide Ligands

We developed a simple and robust colloidal route for the installation of CdX2 (X = Cl, Br, I) ligands on the surface of CdSe nanocrystals, which effectively displace the native ligands and form stable suspensions. After colloidal ligand exchange, these nanocrystals can be easily solution cast into nanocrystal films. Photoelectrochemical measurements on solution-cast nanocrystal films reveal a striking influence of surface cadmium halide on photocurrent response, with mildly annealed, CdCl2-treated CdSe nanocrystals showing the greatest enhancement in photocurrent to above band gap illumination. The strong dependence of photoresponse on surface halide is thought to result from ligand-induced changes in the electronic structure of the nanocrystal samples. We arrive at this conclusion using a combination of ultrafast transient absorption, time-resolved photoluminescence, and surface photovoltage spectroscopies, which are being applied together for the first time to investigate nanocrystal trap states. From t...
The Effects of Monocular Viewing on Verbal Versus Figural Processing during Focal Versus Global Attention (P02.030)

Objective: To learn how right versus left monocular viewing may affect response times (RT) for verbal vs. figural stimuli when using focal or global attention. Background Posner and Rafal (1987) proposed the use of right eye patching as a rehabilitation strategy for left spatial neglect based on the Sprague Effect (i.e., right eye patching inducing left collicular deactivation, will reduce activation of the hyperactive non-injured hemisphere). To understand how monocular viewing influences lateral hemispheric activation, we performed electrophysiological studies on healthy individuals and found frontal hemispheric activation contralateral to the patched eye, contrary to the Sprague Effect. Since it has been demonstrated that the left hemisphere mediates focal attention and the right global attention we want to learn how eye patching influences global versus focal attention. Design/Methods: 16 normal right handed participants were presented with 48 Navon Figures on a computer monitor with the letter "A" or the shape "triangle" in the focal or global view, a combination of both (A and Triangle), and figures containing neither. With either left vs. right eye viewing, subjects were randomly assigned to respond with either the left or right index finger when the target letter or shape appeared and their response times (RT) were measured. Results: Using a general linear model, we found significantly faster RT for right eye compared to the left eye patching, when the letter "A" was presented in the focal view of the figure (P Conclusions: Verbal processing and focal attention is mediated by the left hemisphere. Thus, in conformity with our electrophysiological study indicating contralateral hemispheric activation to the patched eye, these results indicate that right eye patching-left eye viewing increases activation and attentional processing in the left hemisphere. Further studies will be needed to understand the role of eye patching in rehabilitation. Disclosure: Dr. Jaffer has nothing to disclose. Dr. Burtis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Salazar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Williamson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Heilman has received personal compensation for activities with law firms as a consultant.Dr. Heilman has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Journal Watch. Dr. Isham has nothing to disclose.
Solar Eclipses Recorded in China During the Tarng Dynasty

(1981). Solar Eclipses Recorded in China During the Tarng Dynasty. Monumenta Serica: Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 347-430.
Oil lenses on the air–water surface and the validity of Neumann's rule

Many studies have focused on the mechanisms of oil spreading over the air-water surface, oil lens formation, and lens dynamics: Franklin et al.(1774), Rayleigh (1890), Neumann and Wangerin (1894), Hardy (1912), Lyons (1930), Langmuir (1933), Miller (1941), Zisman (1941), Pujado and Scriven (1972), Seeto et al. (1983), and Takamura et al. (2012). Despite all of these studies, the phenomenon of the oil lens's air-water surface equilibrium is still under discussion. Here, we highlight an accurate method to study the oil lens's three-phase-contact angle by reflected light interferometry, using both common (CRLI) and differential reflected light interferometry (DRLI) to verify Neumann's rule (the vectorial sum of the three tensions is zero). For non-spreading oils, the validity of Neumann's rule is confirmed for small lenses when the role of the oil film tension around the lens's meniscus is taken into consideration. Neumann's rule was also validated when the monolayer surface pressure isotherm was taken into consideration for oil spreading on the air-water surface. The periodic monolayer surface pressure oscillation of the oil phase monolayer created by the air-evaporating biphilic oil was monitored with time. The monolayer's surface pressure periodic oscillation was attributed to the instability of the aqueous film covering the oil drop phase. The knowledge gained from this study will benefit the fundamental understanding of the oil lens's air-water surface equilibrium and oil spill mechanisms, thereby promoting better methods for the prevention and clean-up of oil spills.
Evidence-based Medicine Teaching Mode Applied in Neurology Teaching at Different Stages of 8-year Medical Program

Evidence-based medicine(EBM) teaching mode in 8-year medical program is a new mode of medical teaching.Introducing EBM into teaching poses new demands for neurology teaching.EBM teaching based on different stages is a feasible approach,which can make students master the skills and methods of study and finally become lifelong self-educators.
Surgical anatomy of the orbit.

The performance of orbital surgery requires a thorough understanding of the intricate anatomy of this region. This article divides orbital anatomy into subsystems that can be studied individually or allow review of the entire topic.
Vasilii Shukshin's Liubavin Family Chronicle and the Autobiographical Novel of Co-Consciousness

(1996). Vasilii Shukshin's Liubavin Family Chronicle and the Autobiographical Novel of Co-Consciousness. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 11, RETHINKING RUSSIAN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, pp. 105-124.
Health services organizations computer innovation. Ready or not

Health services organizations (HSOs) have expanded into increasingly integrated delivery systems requiring more sophisticated health information systems (HISs) to support decision making. Computer innovations are required in most HSOs to support these HISs. Health services organizations decision makers are faced with many complex decisions during the computer innovation process. One of their most important decisions is judging HSO innovation readiness. Accurate judgments about HSO innovation readiness will have a direct impact on how successful decision makers are as computer innovators.
Multi-agent based control and reconfiguration for restoration of distribution systems with distributed generators

Restoration entails the development of a plan consisting of opening or closing of switches, which is called reconfiguration. This dissertation proposes the design of a fast and efficient service restoration with a load shedding method for land-based and ship systems, considering priority of customers and several other system operating constraints. Existing methods, based on centralized restoration schemes that require a powerful central computer, may lead to a single point of failure. This research uses a decentralized scheme based on agents. A group of agents created to realize a specific goal by their interactions is called a Multi-Agent System (MAS). Agents and their behaviors are developed in Java Agent DEvelopment Framework (JADE) and the power system is simulated in the Virtual Test Bed (VTB). The large-scale introduction of Distributed Generators (DGs) in distribution systems has made it increasingly necessary to develop restoration schemes considering DG. The separation of utility causes the system to decompose into electrically isolated islands with generation and load imbalance that can have severe consequences. Automated load shedding schemes are essential for systems with DGs, since the disconnection of the utility can lead to instability much faster than an operator intervention can repair. Load shedding may be the only option to maintain the island when conditions are so severe as to require correction by restoration schemes. Few algorithms have been reported for the problem of maintaining the island, even though load shedding has been reported for power systems using under-frequency and under-voltage criteria. This research proposes a new operational strategy for sudden generator-load imbalance due to loss of utility that dynamically calculates the quantity of load to be shed for each island and the quantity of load that can be restored. Results presented in this dissertation are among the first to demonstrate a state-of-the-art MAS for load shedding under islanded conditions and restoration of the shed loads. The load shedding and restoration schemes developed here have behaviors that can incorporate most of the distribution topologies. Achieving service restoration with DG is complicated but new automated switch technologies and communications make MAS a better scheme than existing schemes.
Prenatal PCB Exposure and Cognitive Development

IQ scores of 118 Taiwanese children who had been exposed prenatally to high levels of heat-degraded polychlorinated phenyls (PCBs) in contaminated rice oil and compared with controls are reported from the National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Ultrafast Time-Resolved Spectroscopy of Quantum Confined Semiconductor Heterostructures

We review recent investigations of ultrafast dynamics of electronic excitations in quantum confined semiconductor heterostructures. We concentrate on two topics: the femtosecond time resolved investigations of the nonlinear optical response of semiconductor quantum wells in strong perpendicular magnetic field, and the investigations of many-body effects in the temporal lineshape of coherent emission from semiconductor quantum wells.
The Social Work Librarian and Information Literacy Instruction: A Report on a National Survey in the United States

ABSTRACTAs an interdisciplinary profession encompassing macro, mezzo, and micro fields of praxis, well-informed and ethical social work practice necessitates the continual utilization of information literacy skills across a wide and ever-evolving range of information sources and access points. In response to a dearth of scholarship concerning information literacy instruction in social work education, this article reports on an initial endeavor to quantify and describe the nature of information literacy instruction in social work education on a national level in the United States. In addition to a review and discussion of the National Social Work Librarians Survey's descriptive data, this article addresses pedagogic and institutional challenges germane to the advocacy for the inclusion of information literacy instruction in social work curricula.
Investor Base, Cost of Capital, and Firm Performance: The Case of Post-Issuance Anomalies

We examine the link between a firm’s investor base, discount rate, capital budgeting decisions, and profitability. We argue that a downward shift in discount rates associated with an expanded investor base can account for both poor stock returns and operating performance following security offerings. Our most striking result is that an expansion in the firm’s investor base is both a necessary and sufficient condition for anomalous poor performance. That is, issuing firms that do not experience a change in investor base do not exhibit anomalous post issuance performance while non-issuing firms matched on changes in investor base exhibit identical performance to that of issuing firms. More generally, our evidence suggests that the investor base plays an important role in corporate finance.
Medicine Enters the Computer Age

The electronic health record (EHR) has been cast as the archvillain in many of the narratives about modern medicine ranging from dehumanization to overregulation. Commentators from the worlds of medicine, business, politics, and computer science have all blamed the EHR for their choice of problems in order to propose their own cures. The ubiquity of these narratives can help us forget how recently EHRs were both heralded and rare and the fascinatingly, maddeningly speedy arrival of the current moment. The computer age came for medicine slowly, piecemeal, and with great resistance—until it occurred all at once. In this chapter, we explore the twists and turns and fits and starts by which medicine tiptoed across a digital chasm that most other industries had long crossed.
Robbing Peter to Pay Paul? isds and ics from an eu Law Perspective

In 2009 the Treaty of Lisbon conferred upon the European Union the exclusive competence on foreign direct investments (Article 207 TFEU). Following from this new competence the EU has carried out a comprehensive regulation of trade and investment issues and reforms which include the creation of an International Investment Court, as proposed by the European Commission in both CETA and TTIP negotiations. This article analyses some of the core legal issues of the proposed Court from a European perspective and comes to the conclusion that the same EU constitutional obstacles allegedly posed by ISDS are present in the ICS. As a result, the Commission’s proposal weakens the perception of ISDS as a fair and legitimate mechanism to deal with investment-state disputes, whereas it perpetuates the existence of an external and parallel mechanism of dispute resolution outside the European court system.
Draft Genome Sequences of Four Parasaccharibacter apium Strains Isolated from Honey Bees.

ABSTRACT Parasaccharibacter apium displays multiple ecological strategies in its honey bee host. We sequenced the genomes of four strains found in larvae and the adult gut in order to better understand its ecology and relationship to other Acetobacteraceae. The P. apium genome consists of 2,009,892 bp and 1,830 protein-coding genes.
What Caused the 2016 Chicago Homicide Spike? An Empirical Examination of the 'ACLU Effect' and the Role of Stop and Frisks in Preventing Gun Violence

Homicides increased dramatically in Chicago in 2016. In 2015, 480 Chicago residents were killed. The next year, 754 were killed–274 more homicide victims, tragically producing an extraordinary 58% increase in a single year. This article attempts to unravel what happened. This article provides empirical evidence that the reduction in stop and frisks by the Chicago Police Department beginning around December 2015 was responsible for the homicide spike that started immediately thereafter. The sharp decline in the number of stop and frisks is a strong candidate for the causal factor, particularly since the timing of the homicide spike so perfectly coincides with the spike. Regression analysis of the homicide spike and related shooting crimes identifies the stop and frisk variable as the likely cause. The results are highly statistically significant and robust over a large number of alternative specifications. And a qualitative review for possible “omitted variables” in the regression equations fails to identify any other plausible candidates that fit the data as well as the decline in stop and frisks. Our regression equations permit quantification of the costs of the decline in stop and frisks. Because of fewer stop and frisks in 2016, it appears that (conservatively calculating) approximately 239 additional victims were killed and 1129 additional shootings occurred in that year alone. And these tremendous costs are not evenly distributed, but rather are concentrated among Chicago’s African-American and Hispanic communities. The most likely explanation for the fall in stop and frisks that appears to have triggered the homicide spike is a consent decree entered into by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) with the Chicago Police Department (CPD). Accordingly, modifications to that consent decree may be appropriate. More broadly, these findings shed important light on the on-going national debate about stop and frisk policies. The fact that America’s “Second City” suffered so badly from a decline in stop and frisks suggests that the arguably contrary experience in New York City may be an anomaly. The costs of crime — and particularly gun crimes — are too significant to avoid considering every possible measure for reducing the toll. The evidence gathered here suggests that stop and frisk policies may be truly lifesaving measures that have to be considered as part of any effective law enforcement response to gun violence.
Immersive peer education: Virtual Interactive Scalable Online Notebooks for Science (VISONS)

Educating peers and broader audiences is of great significance within the scientific community. The education process aids the communication of ideas and allows for engagement with science. We present a ready-to-use tool to exchange data collected in laboratories in a scalable, graphical and easily accessible manner using Massively Scalable Online Laboratories (MSOL) embedded within Virtual Interactive Scalable Online Notebooks for Science (VISONS). The tool we present replicates the experiment in a visual and interactive way, dynamically displaying the experiment in all of its states. Using VISONS, researchers can more easily engage in discussions about their experimental results, which allows for a deeper understanding of their data and scientific challenges. The form of data exchange and graphic interface we present here helps to stimulate purposeful conversations about cutting-edge science by using VISONS during discussions with peers or in publications. Moreover, our approach, which uses efficient data storage and retrieval capabilities, provides scalable data management that laboratory environments currently lack. Simultaneously, we provide a more effective way for researchers manage their own work. VISONS offer a clear and concise version control system, assisting scientists at all stages of the development process. To provide information security during preliminary experimental work, before official publications, we incorporated a feature to choose the target audience for each experiment. To demonstrate the merits of VISONS, we recorded different versions of a cutting-edge science experiment, a quantum-noise limited differential phase contrast X-Ray imaging system, during its development process.
Developmental Aspects of Mental Imagery: A Theory of Thematic Dissonance

Usually cited as the principal exponents of cognitive theories on the ontogenetic evolution of imagery are Piaget and Inhelder (1971) and Bruner (1964). Both theories follow the line of reasoning that cognitive maturity develops from “concrete” conceptual organization to more “abstract” abilities in the processing of information.
Exploratory Band Structure Calculations for Actinide Compounds

The actinides are well known for forming compounds with many of the elements of groups IVB, VB, and VIB of the periodic table. The specific compounds we wish to bring to attention are the carbides, the pnictides (N, P, As, Sb, and Bi), and the chalcogenides (S, Se, and Te) of the actinide metals. Now, a wide variety of interesting physical properties are possessed by the various members of this class of solid state compounds; e. g., all members are of a refractory nature, some members are semiconducting whilst most are fair metallic conductors, and some members are paramagnetic at all investigated temperatures whilst others undergo transitions to ordered magnetic states. But detailed discussions of these compounds’ properties is not our purpose, and since a sampling of their properties may be gained from an inspection of the literature [1¶, 2§], we wish to note here only that a diversity of properties does exist, and that its existence has provided the motivation for our work. Rather, our purpose is to discuss some of the fundamentals necessary for the eventual theoretical understanding of the compounds’ properties. In doing this, we will mainly present a review of some of our work [3–5] which has been concerned with investigating the electronic structure of a subclass of these compounds. The subclass of our interest has been those actinide monocarbides, monopnictides, and monochalcogenides which possess the NaCl type of structure. Throughout, we will denote a general compound in this NaCl-structured subclass as AX. Specific examples of AX compounds are ThP, UC, UAs, NpSb, PuS, etc.
Thirty-five years of ISLA on form-focused instruction: A methodological synthesis:

This article offers a methodological synthesis spanning 35 years of instructed second language acquisition research on the efficacy of form-focused instruction. Eighty-eight (quasi-) experimental s...
Selective Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation via Transition Metal Catalysis: Is Nickel or Palladium Better than Copper?

The cross-coupling reaction involving the interaction of organometallic species, such as those containing lithium and magnesium, with organic halides and related electrophilic derivatives represents one of the most straightforward methods of carbon-carbon bond formation (eq 1).
GA hard problems

We define GA-hardness and provide a method for analyzing the GA-complexity of the underlying problem in a way that can be related to classical complexity.
Sensorimotor deficits related to postural stability. Implications for falling in the elderly.

The effects of age-related sensorimotor and central processing deficits on postural control are reviewed, and the paucity of knowledge about proprioceptive changes with age is noted. A model of processing stages in the production of responses to postural instability is outlined. Even slight response slowing produces disproportionate increases in clinically slow responses. Many aspects of postural responses are "cognitively penetrable." Research on falls should examine learned as well as automated behaviors.
Fundamental Aspects of micro-CT in Cone-Beam Geometry

The terms “micro-CT” and “microtomography” have been used recently to describe the extension of the techniques of computed tomography to the evaluation of objects and structures where the dimensions of structures of interest are measured in micrometers or tens of micrometers. The resolution thus implied is not microscopic in the sense of a traditional microscope but still is much smaller than that approached by the vast majority of computed tomography systems.
Examining the Effects of a Powered Exoskeleton on Quality of Life and Secondary Impairments in People Living With Spinal Cord Injury

Background: Secondary impairments associated with spinal cord injury (SCI) limit one's independent functionality and negatively impact quality of life (QoL). Objective: The purpose of this study wa...
Comparative features and overall survival in adenosquamous carcinoma, a rare tumor of the esophagus.

e15541Background: Esophageal adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC) is a rare, mixed-histology tumor with aggressive clinical behavior. Having characteristics of both adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell c...
Buyer's remorse: what predicts post-decision dissonance after bariatric surgery?

Abstract Background Bariatric surgery continues to be the most effective long-term treatment for obesity and its associated co-morbidities. Despite the benefits, not all patients may repeat the decision to undergo bariatric surgery based on their postoperative experience (postdecision dissonance). Objectives In this study, we explore the predictors of postdecision dissonance following bariatric surgery. Setting Accredited bariatric center at an academic medical center. Methods Patients at an accredited Bariatric Center who underwent bariatric surgery between 2011 and 2017 were surveyed to determine factors predictive of postdecision dissonance, as well as expectations, well-being, and overall satisfaction. Results A total of 591 patients were sent surveys, of whom 184 (31.1%) responded. Of the 184 responders, 20 (10.9%) patients would not choose to undergo bariatric surgery if they had it do to over again (postdecision dissonance). There was no difference in the time since surgery, age, sex, or type of bariatric surgery among groups. Dissonant patients were less likely to be married and privately insured. Dissonant patients were more likely to feel they had inadequate preoperative education on postoperative expectations (P Conclusion Postdecision dissonance is driven in part by a patient's perceived inadequacy of preoperative preparation for postoperative outcomes coupled with postoperative weight regain, depression, dissatisfied body image, and failed weight loss expectations. This highlights the importance of preoperative counseling on managing expectations and outcomes after surgery, as well as the need for continued postoperative engagement with a bariatric program to address weight regain and provide mental health support.
The effects of divestiture, privatization, and competition on productivity in U.S. and U.K. telecommunications

The telecommunications industries in the United States and the United Kingdom have undergone massive changes during the 1980s. This paper decomposes the total factor productivity growth of AT&T and British Telecom into their various components. It finds that while a great deal of the productivity increases apparently resulted from continuing scale economies, competition for AT&T and privatization of BT have been responsible for 17 percent and 25 percent of their respective gains in recent years. Among other variables, divestiture appears to have initially depressed AT&T's productivity growth, and competition for BT is too insignificant to yet have an impact.
Theses and Dissertations Completed in Home Economics: 1988

A compilation of titles of theses and dissertations completed in colleges and universities in the United States during 1988 is presented. The 856 titles submitted by 59 schools are listed by subject matter area and degree; each entry includes title, author, institution, and availability of the thesis or dissertation. Information about graduate research in home economics is summarized in five tables: (1) numbers of titles submitted by each school, (2) numbers and percentages of theses and dissertations by subject matter areas, (3) institutions reporting highest numbers of theses and dissertations, (4) institutions reporting highest numbers of theses and dissertations by subject matter areas, and (5) total numbers of titles by degree and subject matter area since reporting began in 1982.
Abstract MP53: Caregiving, Stress, and Depression Are Associated with Lower Achievement of Cardiovascular Health Metrics Among Women: The AHA’s Life’s Simple 7 and the Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network

Background: Women constitute the overwhelming majority of caregivers in the US, whether taking care of children, ill spouses, or others. Caregiving has been identified as an independent risk factor...
P90 The Sustainability of Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change Strategies Implemented in Partnership with the South Carolina SNAP-Ed Program

Background SNAP-Ed program implementers are encouraged to engage in sustainability planning with partner sites as a long-term environmental outcome per the SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework. However, currently no literature exists on the sustainability of policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change strategies adopted with the guidance of program implementers. Objective The study explored the sustainability of PSE strategies implemented in partnership with the South Carolina SNAP-Ed program. Study Design, Settings, Participants Key informants at SNAP-Ed partner sites where at least one PSE strategy was adopted in FY2017 participated in an interview six to eight months post adoption (n = 31). An interview guide was developed based on a validated program sustainability assessment tool to explore the tool's eight domains of sustainability. Measurable Outcome/Analysis Interview transcripts were qualitatively analyzed using NVIVO. Each domain was coded based on being evidenced or not evidenced for the strategy. Then, categories of “sustained” and “not sustained” were developed based on emergent common storylines of sustainability among sites. Categories were then dichotomized to demonstrate high versus low capacity for future sustainability and comparisons were made between the two groups for each domain. Results Five storylines of sustainability surfaced, including strategies that were: going strong (n = 17); going with site investment but unstable (n = 4); going but lacked site investment (n = 1); going but with site planning to discontinue (n = 2); and not going but with site interest in reviving (n = 7). Strategies that demonstrated high capacity for future sustainability commonly had evidence of environmental support, organizational capacity, and partnerships (81%, 48%, 86%, respectively) as compared to strategies with low capacity for future sustainability (10%, 0%, 20%, respectively). Conclusion Sustainable PSE strategies are crucial for SNAP-Ed to achieve its goal of ensuring low-income people are able to meet dietary guidelines and to maximize program funding. SNAP-Ed implementers should work with sites to ensure the most salient domains for future sustainability are in place during PSE implementation. Funding USDA.
Pneumolysin: Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Target

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for widespread illness and is a major global health issue for children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised population. Pneumolysin (PLY) is a cholesterol-dependent cytolysin (CDC) and key pneumococcal virulence factor involved in all phases of pneumococcal disease, including transmission, colonization, and infection. In this review we cover the biology and cytolytic function of PLY, its contribution to S. pneumoniae pathogenesis, and its known interactions and effects on the host with regard to tissue damage and immune response. Additionally, we review statins as a therapeutic option for CDC toxicity and PLY toxoid as a vaccine candidate in protein-based vaccines.
Established and emerging effects of traffic-related air pollution

Abstract The World Health Organization estimates that about 4 million people die every year due to air pollution exposure including deaths from ischemic heart disease and stroke, respiratory diseases, and lung cancer. Transportation sector emissions are one of the major sources of air pollutants. In recent years, research on the health effects of traffic-related air pollution has expanded beyond respiratory, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases to include a growing literature on pregnancy, birth outcomes and development, neurotoxicity and various neurological diseases and disorders. This chapter describes the range of health effects that have been associated with traffic-related air pollution. Several special topics including cumulative risk assessment and environmental justice considerations related to traffic-related air pollution exposures are also presented.
The meaning of regular participation in vigorous-intensity exercise among men with Parkinson's disease.

Purpose To understand the meaning of regular participation in multiple types of vigorous-intensity exercise for those with Parkinson's disease (PD). Materials and methods Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, in-depth individual interviews were conducted with eight male participants who engaged in at least two modes of vigorous-intensity exercise, including Rock Steady Boxing, about their experiences with exercise and the multifaceted role it played in their lives. Interview data were analyzed using systematic coding and organized into primary themes. Results Three primary themes emerged from the interview data: (1) the unique importance of social connections with others diagnosed with PD, (2) a sense of purpose, and (3) determination and confidence. Specifically, for those with a minimal history of engagement in exercise, regular participation in multiple types of vigorous-intensity exercise accompanied life-affirming social connections that served to boost feelings of hope and foster a clear sense of purpose in the face of disease. Participation in regular vigorous-intensity exercise fueled determination and confidence to engage in even more vigorous activities. Conclusions Implications for rehabilitation practice include the importance of collaboration between health care professionals and community programs for people with PD. Promotion of group-based community activities, vigorous-intensity modes of exercise, and consideration of a patient's exercise history will be essential for the successful delivery of future services.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONSocial connections built through Rock Steady Boxing, a group exercise program, served as a catalyst for increasing hope, sense of purpose and motivation for people with Parkinson's disease;Vigorous-intensity exercise at Rock Steady Boxing fueled determination and confidence to engage in additional vigorous exercise regimens;Collaboration between health care providers and community partners is essential for long-term service provision for individuals with disability;Exercise history should be considered when making recommendations for physical activity.
Multicomponent bioluminescence imaging with naphthylamino luciferins.

Bioluminescent tools have been used for decades to image processes in complex tissues and preclinical models. However, few distinct probes are available to probe multicellular interactions. We and others are addressing this limitation by engineering new luciferases that can selectively process synthetic luciferin analogues. In this work, we explored naphthylamino luciferins as orthogonal bioluminescent probes. Three analogues were prepared using an optimized synthetic route. The luciferins were found to be robust emitters with native luciferase in vitro and in cellulo. We further screened the analogues against libraries of luciferase mutants to identify unique enzyme-substrate pairs. The new probes can be used in conjunction with existing bioluminescent tools for multi-component imaging.
Seasonal temperature and precipitation recorded in the intra-annual oxygen isotope pattern of meteoric water and tree-ring cellulose

Abstract Modern and ancient wood is a valuable terrestrial record of carbon ultimately derived from the atmosphere and oxygen inherited from local meteoric water. Many modern and fossil wood specimens display rings sufficiently thick for intra-annual sampling, and analytical techniques are rapidly improving to allow for precise carbon and oxygen isotope measurements on very small samples, yielding unprecedented resolution of seasonal isotope records. However, the interpretation of these records across diverse environments has been problematic because a unifying model for the quantitative interpretation of seasonal climate parameters from oxygen isotopes in wood is lacking. Towards such a model, we compiled a dataset of intra-ring oxygen isotope measurements on modern wood cellulose (δ18Ocell) from 33 globally distributed sites. Five of these sites represent original data produced for this study, while the data for the other 28 sites were taken from the literature. We defined the intra-annual change in oxygen isotope value of wood cellulose [Δ(δ18Ocell)] as the difference between the maximum and minimum δ18Ocell values determined within the ring. Then, using the monthly-resolved dataset of the oxygen isotope composition of meteoric water (δ18OMW) provided by the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation database, we quantified the empirical relationship between the intra-annual change in meteoric water [Δ(δ18OMW)] and Δ(δ18Ocell). We then used monthly-resolved datasets of temperature and precipitation to develop a global relationship between Δ(δ18OMW) and maximum/minimum monthly temperatures and winter/summer precipitation amounts. By combining these relationships we produced a single equation that explains much of the variability in the intra-ring δ18Ocell signal through only changes in seasonal temperature and precipitation amount (R2 = 0.82). We show how our recent model that quantifies seasonal precipitation from intra-ring carbon isotope profiles can be incorporated into the oxygen model above in order to separately quantify both seasonal temperature and seasonal precipitation. Determination of seasonal climate variation using high-resolution isotopes in tree-ring records makes possible a new understanding of the seasonal fluctuations that control the environmental conditions to which organisms are subject, both during recent history and in the geologic past.
Vote Buying, Village Elections and Authoritarian Rule in Rural China

In this paper, I explore the effects of electoral competition and the size of the electorate on outcomes of grassroots elections, examining China’s village elections. China’s authoritarian regime has allowed, encouraged, and required elections to be held at the village level, but not at higher levels. Using a simple game-theoretic model, I suggest a logic that can account for how introducing elections at the grassroots level is consistent with the survival strategy of the authoritarian regime. At equilibrium, electoral competition would increase the probability of vote buying in a smaller electorate, while it may decrease the probability of vote buying in a larger electorate. In other words, electoral competition gives strong incentives for candidates to buy votes, but not to form an organization for mobilizing votes in a smaller electorate. Hence, the apparently democratic institution of grassroots elections would not threaten the survival of an authoritarian regime.
Defending (Religious) Institutionalism

This piece is a reply to Richard Schragger and Micah Schwartzman's forthcoming article, Against Religious Institutionalism. The issue of the institutional status and rights of religious entities is an important and hot topic, given recent cases like Hosanna-Tabor, pending controversies over the application of the contraceptive mandate, and a spate of recent scholarship arguing for church autonomy and/or the revival of the ancient concept of "freedom of the church." Schragger and Schwartzman raise a number of tough questions about institutionalism, both in general and as it applies to churches. This reply offers a partial but forceful defense of institutionalism, in the church context and elsewhere. Schragger and Schwartzman make some excellent points in their important article. In particular, they ask difficult questions about whether group rights stand on their own or are purely derived from individual rights, and sound an appropriate, if overly stringent, note of caution about "sovereignty talk" with respect to religious institutions. Nevertheless, they have not made out a conclusive case against (religious) institutionalism. In this reply, I offer a description of the institutionalist approach I have advocated for churches and other entities in my recent book, First Amendment Institutions, and argue that many of Schragger and Schwartzman's critiques of religious institutionalism don't apply to it. Schragger and Schwartzman argue that religious institutionalism is unnecessary because general principle of conscience and associational rights will be sufficient to protect conscience-based associations, including churches. Because they remain noncommittal about the actual scope of conscience and associational rights, however, they have not yet shown that this is true. Finally, I argue that Schragger and Schwartzman do not give an adequate sense of why religious institutionalists, and group-oriented pluralists in general, find the institutional turn attractive: why these thinkers are convinced of the importance of non-state institutions and concerned about the "pulverizing, macadamizing tendency" of the state toward those institutions. Those concerns remain very much alive, and as long as they do pluralism and institutionalism ought to have a place in our thinking.
A simplified scheme for scheduling multivariable controllers

A simplified scheme for scheduling multivariable controllers for robust performance over a wide range of plant operating points is presented. The approach consists of scheduling only the output matrix of a dynamic controller, thus significantly reducing the number of parameters to be scheduled. The approach starts with a given robust controller at a nominal design point designed such that it gives a stable closed-loop system at various off-design operating points. The parameters of the controller output matrix are then optimized such that the closed-loop response at the off-design points closely matches the design point closed-loop response. The optimization problem formulation for the synthesis of controller scheduling gains is discussed. Results are presented for controller scheduling for a turbofan engine for a conceptual short take-off and vertical landing aircraft. The simplified controller scheduling is shown to provide satisfactory response for engine models corresponding to significant gross thrust variations from the nominal design point.
Second-order Preisach model of scalar hysteresis

Abstract A second-order Preisach model of scalar hysteresis is proposed and investigated. Parameter functions of this model are identified using transition curves of up to the third order. Wiping-out property and the property of invariance in the change of minor loop shape due to elimination of the first input extremum are shown to be the necessary and sufficient conditions for the representation of a given scalar hysteresis relation by the proposed model
Regulation of Calcineurin Phosphatase Activity by Its Autoinhibitory Domain

Abstract The Ca2+-dependent activation of calcineurin phosphatase activity is regulated by an autoinhibitory element (residues 457–482) located 43 residues COOH-terminal of the calmodulin-binding domain (residues 390–414). Removal of residues 457–482 does not result in full Ca2+/calmodulin-independent activity. Full activity in the absence of Ca2+ requires the removal of residues 420–457. In the present study the presence of additional autoinhibitory elements within residues 420–457 was tested using two calcineurin A subunit COOH-terminal region constructs containing residues 420–511 (AI420–511) or 328–511 (AI328–511). Using recombinant, Ca2+/calmodulin-independent calcineurin, AI420–511 and AI328–511 were three- to fourfold more potent inhibitors of calcineurin phosphatase activity than the synthetic calcineurin autoinhibitory peptide457–482. Calmodulin reversed the inhibition of calcineurin phosphatase activity by AI328–511 but not AI420–511. Kinetic studies indicated that AI420–511 exhibited mixed-type inhibition and that the enzyme/substrate/inhibitor complex is partially active. These results indicate that (i) additional autoinhibitory elements are present within residues 420–457, (ii) calmodulin-binding to the autoinhibitory domain neutralizes the inhibitory function of the 420–457 autoinhibitory segment, (iii) the full-length autoinhibitory domain is a mixed-type inhibitor of calcineurin phosphatase activity, and (iv) the enzyme/substrate/inhibitor complex is partially catalytically active.