cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intersex and Intimacy: Presenting Concerns About Dating and Intimate Relationships

The intersex label applies to individuals born with medically classified genitalia, gonads and/or chromosomes that are not solely male nor female. The intersex community must navigate the precarious world of dating and intimacy dominated by heterosexual cisgender bodies and schemas. How do intersex people approach dating and what anxieties do they experience when considering relationships with potential partners? The purpose of this research is to depathologize intersex narratives and study intersex people through the lens of social interaction in the context of intimacy. Data were collected from BodiesLikeOurs.org, a website for communication within the intersex community. From 36 original posts, content analysis identified the following themes: condition description, rejection sensitivity, sexuality and attraction, gender presentation, self-deprecation, genital appearance and function, disclosing the intersex condition, finding potential partners, and reproduction and family. Additionally, some posts were written by non-intersex individuals seeking relationship advice. The present research expands on dating anxiety research by identifying the specific set of dating anxieties experienced by intersex persons when approaching intimate relationships.
Optic Chiasm Involvement With Concurrent Typical Wernicke Encephalopathy Magnetic Resonance Findings: A Case Report

The variable clinical presentation of Wernicke encephalopathy often complicates interpretation. Prompt and accurate diagnosis relies on a constellation of typical and atypical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, which are not always simultaneously present. Our case demonstrates concurrent presentation of all typical Wernicke encephalopathy MRI findings with additional signal abnormalities involving the optic chiasm and optic tract. We suggest that optic pathway involvement may be considered among several atypical MRI manifestations, reinforcing the prompt diagnosis of the potentially life-threatening encephalopathy.
Social Cognition in Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Recent Advances and Trends in Research

Abstract This chapter provides an overview of recent research on social cognition and social functioning in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), with a particular focus on neurodevelopmental disorders associated with distinctive social-cognitive and behavioral phenotypes. We review the main experimental paradigms that have been used to probe social cognition in both typically and atypically developing populations and discuss findings primarily from research on two neurodevelopmental disorders that have been extensively studied in the last 3 decades: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and William's syndrome (WS). Viewed in the past as diametric opposites in their social phenotypes, the two disorders have been intensely researched for their potential to provide insights into the neurocognitive bases of sociocognitive capacities and ultimately into the neurogenetic underpinnings of the “social mind.” The findings reviewed in this chapter convey a mixed and sometimes contradictory account of commonalities and differences in sociocognitive abilities between and within syndrome, underscoring the need to further explore, within an etiology-based framework, individual differences, developmental trajectories, links with genetic variation, and experiential factors to solve the many puzzles of social cognition in people with IDD.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ORAL PERFORMANCE: WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL PROFICIENCY-BASED FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM

Major Foreign Language (FL) programs in Indonesia, i.e. Indonesian for non-native speakers (BIPA) and English for Indonesian Speakers (EIS), have no standard of assessments on what constitutes a successful program. Some in-country BIPA programs that measure their success using Oral Proficiency Interviews (OPI) show the standard of success in the form of oral proficiency. This paper’s purpose is to argue that oral proficiency tests such as OPI is not only a good measure of learners’ communicative competence in general, but it also necessitates curriculums, methods, and activities geared toward the better level of communicative proficiency. Therefore, FL learning should emphasize oral proficiency to show a higher level of performable learning outcomes. Based on class observations as well as interviews of BIPA and EIS learners and instructors, this paper shows that lack of oral performance practices and assessments lead to achievement in the target language (TL) knowledge but not the communicative competence. Thus, if communicative competence is the goal, oral proficiency must be the main outcome of any FL programs.
Robust Network Control and Disjunctive Programming

The problems in this paper are motivated by studies concerning the deployment of storage (batteries) in power grids in order to mitigate stochastic behavior of renewables. From a mathematical standpoint, these problems can be viewed as two-stage adjustable robust optimization problems. We present a generic network-based robust optimization problem and describe a cutting-plane algorithm based on disjunctive programming for a specific application to power grid control.
Phase Behavior of cis–trans Mixtures of Double-Decker Shaped Silsesquioxanes for Processability Enhancement

Closed double-decker shaped silsesquioxanes (DDSQ-(Ph)8-2((Me)(R))) with R as phenyl, para-phenylamine, and para-phenylethynyl phenyl were synthesized. Isolation of nearly pure trans and cis isomers was obtained by fractional recrystallization. Crystallographic and thermal characteristics of these isolated isomers were obtained by X-ray diffraction of a single crystal and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). It was observed that melting temperature increases as the size of the R group decreases from para-phenylethynyl phenyl to phenyl and the magnitude of the entropy difference at melting increases as the size of the R group increases. Isolated isomers were then mixed to different cis-to-trans ratios, and their thermal characteristics investigated by DSC. The upper portion of the phase diagram was constructed for these DDSQ compounds using results from DSC traces. Interestingly, cis and trans isomers of these DDSQ compounds form a binary eutectic. Experimentally observed eutectic composition and tempe...
Adipokines are associated with pediatric multiple sclerosis risk and course.

Abstract Background Obesity during adolescence confers an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in both adults and children. However, obesity-mediated inflammatory mechanisms require elucidation. In models of MS, leptin and fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP-4) have been identified as proinflammatory adipokines, while adiponectin has anti-inflammatory effects. Methods Morning serum samples from 32 pediatric MS (POMS) patients (22 females;10 males) and 67 pediatric healthy controls (PHC) (47 females; 20 males) followed at Massachusetts General Hospital were studied. Levels of leptin, FABP-4 and adiponectin were compared between POMS and PHC groups, adjusting for sex, age and vitamin D3 levels. Associations between each marker and the time to next relapse was assessed using a Cox proportional hazards model. The association between each marker and EDSS was assessed using linear regression. Results Pediatric MS patients had significantly higher levels of leptin and FABP4 and significantly lower adiponectin than healthy controls. Higher levels of adiponectin were associated with a lower hazard of relapse. Similar differences were observed between POMS and PHC males for both leptin and adiponectin, and within females for FABP4. In females with MS, there was a trend for a positive association between higher leptin levels and higher disability scores. In males with MS, paradoxically, higher leptin levels were associated with longer time to next relapse. All these results remained significant after adjusting for Vitamin D. Conclusions FABP4 and leptin levels are higher, while adiponectin levels are lower in pediatric MS compared to controls in sex-specific patterns. These adipokines could serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets of disease risk and course in early forms of MS.
Decoding of Generalized Three-Layer Integrated Interleaved Codes

Generalized integrated interleaved (GII) codes nest sub-codewords, also called interleaves, to generate parities shared by the interleaves. They achieve better tradeoffs compared to other locally recoverable erasure codes and are good candidates for hyper-speed data storage and communications. By nesting the interleaves in a hierarchical manner, the recent three-layer GII codes further improve the decoding locality. However, due to the fundamentally different structure and larger size of the nesting matrix, three-layer GII decoding faces many issues that do not exist previously. In this paper, constraints on the relative correction capabilities of the nested codes are defined to achieve the target correction goal. The bottleneck on syndrome conversion matrix inversion is eliminated by transforming the conversion matrices and syndrome vectors. The overall decoding process is optimized to increase correction capability and reduce complexity.
Prevalence and Characteristics of Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation in a Community-Dwelling Elderly Population: The ARIC Study.

Background: The prevalence of subclinical atrial fibrillation (AF) in the elderly general population is unclear. We sought to define the prevalence of subclinical AF in a community-based elderly po...
Representative and Statistical Volume Elements for Grain Boundary Networks: A Stereological Approach

Abstract Experimental and computational studies have demonstrated that the structure of grain boundary networks (GBNs), e.g. the connectivity of certain types of grain boundaries (GBs), has a significant impact on macroscopic material properties. Because minor changes in GBN structure can cause large changes in effective properties, it is common to use large microstructures or report averages over many microstructural instantiations with the assumption that results become more representative as the size or number of samples increases. For crystallographic texture, and composite materials, such ideas have been made rigorous through the definition of representative volume elements (RVEs) and statistical volume elements (SVEs). However, for GBNs, the size of an RVE and the cardinality of a set of SVEs have not yet been determined. In this study, we employ stereological methods to evaluate the convergence of triple junction fractions in both idealized and realistic 2D GBNs to quantitatively define RVEs and SVE sets for GBNs. We compare these results to those for crystallographic texture in the same polycrystals and find that the trends for GBNs and texture are remarkably different. Because the vast majority of experimental work currently relies on 2D microstructure characterization, the results obtained for 2D systems have great practical value in and of themselves. However, the stereological approach employed also allows us to make quantitative predictions of RVEs and SVEs for fully 3D microstructures. These results are expected to aid future experimental and computational work in selecting appropriately sized material volumes to achieve robust quantitative results.
Fiber endface illumination diffuser for endo-cavity photoacoustic imaging

The laser illumination delivery method is important in designing probes that achieve high imaging quality and deep tissue penetration. Here we present a novel, to the best of our knowledge, fiber diffuser tip using microspheres dispersed within an ultraviolet adhesive to scatter light. This diffuser keeps the skin surface fluence under the maximum permissible exposure, while enabling higher laser energy injection to enhance the photoacoustic (PA) signal generated from the tissue. We compare the light diffusion effects of different microsphere materials, sizes, and concentrations, and find that 10 µm silica microspheres provide the best light scattering with minimal 5% output energy loss. With the Zemax simulation and experimental validation, we show that this fiber diffuser tip is a valuable tool for endo-cavity PA imaging.
Fungal allergen-induced IL-33 secretion involves cholesterol-dependent, VDAC-1-mediated ATP release from the airway epithelium.

Key points Alternaria aeroallergens induce the release of ATP from human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells by activating a conductive pathway involving voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC-1) and by exocytosis of ATP localized within membrane vesicles. Inhibition of VDAC-1 blocked Alternaria-evoked Ca2+ uptake across the plasma membrane of HBE cells and interleukin (IL)-33 release into the extracellular media. Reducing cholesterol content with a cholesterol scavenger (β-methylcyclodextrin) or statin compound (simvastatin) blocked ATP and IL-33 release by lowering the expression of VDAC-1 in the plasma membrane. Pretreatment with simvastatin for 24 h also inhibited the increase in tight junction macromolecule permeability that occurs following Alternaria exposure. These results establish a novel role for VDAC-1 as a mechanism underlying ATP release induced by fungal allergens and suggests a possible therapeutic use for cholesterol lowering compounds in reducing Alternaria-stimulated allergic inflammation. Abstract Human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells exposed to allergens derived from the common saprophytic fungus, Alternaria alternata release ATP, which in turn stimulates P2X7 receptor-mediated Ca2+ uptake across the plasma membrane. The subsequent increase in intracellular calcium concentration induces proteolytic processing and secretion of interleukin (IL)-33, a critical cytokine involved in the initiation of allergic airway inflammation. A major objective of the present study was to identify the mechanism responsible for conductive ATP release. The results show that pretreatment of HBE cells with inhibitors of the voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC-1) or treatment with a VDAC-1 selective blocking antibody or silencing mRNA expression of the channel by RNA interference, inhibit Alternaria-evoked ATP release. Moreover, inhibition of VDAC-1 channel activity or reducing protein expression blocked the secretion of IL-33. Similarly, reducing the cholesterol content of HBE cells with simvastatin or the cholesterol scavenger β-methylcyclodextrin also blocked ATP release and IL-33 secretion by decreasing the level of VDAC-1 expression in the plasma membrane. In addition, simvastatin inhibited the increase in tight junction macromolecule permeability that was previously observed after Alternaria exposure. These results demonstrate a novel function for VDAC-1 as the conductive mechanism responsible for Alternaria-induced ATP release, an essential early step in the processing, mobilization and secretion of IL-33 by the airway epithelium. Furthermore, the simvastatin-evoked reduction of VDAC-1 expression in the plasma membrane, suggests the possibility that cholesterol lowering compounds may be beneficial in alleviating allergic airway inflammation induced by fungal allergens.
Combination of Foley and prostaglandins versus Foley and oxytocin for cervical ripening: a network meta-analysis.

Abstract Background Trial and meta-analysis data show a reduction in time to delivery for Foley and prostaglandins or Foley and oxytocin versus Foley alone. However, there is scant data for comparison of the two combination methods against each other. Objectives To determine whether Foley and prostaglandins or Foley and oxytocin decrease the time to vaginal delivery via network meta-analysis. Study Design A network meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42018081948) was performed comparing Foley and prostaglandins (PGE1 or PGE2) and Foley and oxytocin for cervical ripening. Foley alone and prostaglandins (PGE) alone were used as nodes for indirect comparison. Database searches were performed from inception to March 2020 with data abstracted from published manuscripts. Eligibility criteria included randomized trials comparing Foley and oxytocin to Foley and prostaglandins (PGE1(misoprostol) or PGE2 (dinoprostone)). Trials were also included if they compared the Foley catheter or PGE to a combination of Foley and PGE or Foley and concurrent oxytocin. Nulliparous and multiparous women were analyzed together. Foley catheters of any catheter material or size, gestational age greater than 24 weeks with a live fetus were included. Quasi-randomized, cohorts and other combination methods for cervical ripening were not included. PGE1 and PGE2 combined methods were analyzed separately in a planned subanalysis. The primary outcome was the mean time from induction to vaginal delivery in hours. Secondary outcomes included time from induction to delivery, delivery within 24 hours, cesarean delivery, chorioamnionitis, endometritis, epidural use, tachysystole, postpartum hemorrhage, meconium, NICU admission, and 5 minute APGAR Results 30 randomized controlled trials with a total of 6,465 women were considered eligible for inclusion in this network meta-analysis. When compared to Foley alone, the use of Foley/oxytocin reduced the time to vaginal delivery by 4.2 hours (MD -4.2 hours [95% CI -6.5 to -1.9]). Foley/PGE reduced time to vaginal delivery compared to Foley but did not meet statistical significance (MD -2.9 hours [95% CI -5.7 to 0.0], p=0.05). When compared head to head, there was no difference in the time to vaginal delivery between Foley/PGE and Foley/oxytocin (MD 1.3 hours [95% CI -2.0 to 4.7]). There was no difference in the rate of cesarean delivery, chorioamnionitis , epidural, tachysystole, postpartum hemorrhage, meconium, NICU admissions, or 5min APGAR Conclusions Time to vaginal delivery was similar when comparing Foley with combined misoprostol, combined dinoprostone, and combined oxytocin. Dinoprostone comparisons are limited by small sample size, but suggest longer time to delivery compared with Foley and misoprostol or oxytocin. No significant differences were seen in maternal or neonatal adverse events with the exception of endometritis, but this is limited by the sample size, varied reporting of studies used in the indirect comparisons, and definitions of infectious morbidity use in the studies.
The Impact of Task Complexity, Task Motivation, Decision Support System (DSS) Motivation, and DSS Use on Performance

This study provides insight into the inconsistent findings on the impact of task complexity on performance by identifying the mediating role of task motivation in the effect of task complexity on DSS motivation and the interactive impact of DSS motivation and DSS use on performance. A research model is proposed to test the mediating and interaction hypotheses. One hundred participants use an experimental DSS application designed for the purpose of this study to complete a rating and selection task. Participants are randomly assigned to a high or low task motivation condition and a high or low task complexity condition. The DSS measures incorporates the accurate additive difference compensatory decision strategy, cognitive effort associated with use of this effortful strategy is attenuated. The partial mediating effect suggests that enhanced task motivation explains the positive effect of task complexity on DSS motivation. In addition, the results reveal that increased DSS use and enhanced DSS motivation lead to improved performance. The results have important implications for DSS research and practice.
Two-Stream Attention Spatio-Temporal Network For Classification Of Echocardiography Videos

There is considerable interest in AI systems that can assist a cardiologist to diagnose echocardiograms, and can also be used to train residents in classifying echocardiograms. Prior work has focused on the analysis of a single frame. Classifying echocardiograms at the video-level is challenging due to intra-frame and inter-frame noise. We propose a two-stream deep network which learns from the spatial context and optical flow for the classification of echocardiography videos. Each stream contains two parts: a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for spatial features and a bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network with Attention for temporal. The features from these two streams are fused for classification. We verify our experimental results on a dataset of 170 (80 normal and 90 abnormal) videos that have been manually labeled by trained cardiologists. Our method provides an overall accuracy of 91.18%, with a sensitivity of 94.11% and a specificity of 88.24%.
Methods to assess numerous distillation schemes for binary mixtures

Abstract In this work, we describe strategies that help process designers in the identification and design of efficient distillation schemes for separating binary mixtures. Over the decades, numerous distillation schemes have been proposed in the literature as more efficient alternatives for the conventional heat-supplied distillation. However, a comprehensive analysis that helps to navigate through this large landscape of distillation schemes remains unavailable at one source. Here, we present numerous insights in the form of observations and remarks that explain why and when the alternatives are more efficient than the conventional heat-supplied distillation. The need for this article becomes apparent given that an understanding has begun to emerge that distillation is inherently inefficient and it needs to be replaced with alternative technologies to make industrial separations more sustainable. The main reason behind such general statements is either the use of an incorrect definition of efficiency or the consideration of an inefficient mode of operation. Here, we elucidate the correct approach to understand the efficiency of distillation, and demonstrate that it can be very efficient when the right operating mode is chosen.
Differences between Members and Shareholders of a Friendly Society and the Payment of Dividends: A South African–Australian Perspective

This article focusses on a very specific problem statement, namely how shareholder society relationships are viewed in Australia and South Africa. Friendly societies are special "legal creatures" enjoying legal personality from the date and time of their registration (not as companies). In South Africa friendly societies have been in existence for more than 160 years, with the latest legislation being promulgated in 1956. As an unregistered company, the friendly society forms part of the South African business enterprise landscape and has both members and shareholders. The legal relationships between members and shareholders and the payment of a dividend are unclear in the Friendly Society Act, 1956, and are generally regulated by the constitution or memorandum of incorporation of the friendly society. In Australia friendly societies developed approximately 200 years ago. In 1999 friendly society legislation was repealed by the Financial Sector Reform Act, 1999, in terms of which friendly societies had to convert to companies either as companies limited by guarantee or public companies as regulated by the Corporations Act, 2001. Prior to 1999, friendly societies were largely regulated by the Queensland Friendly Society Act, 1997 as unregistered companies. The Code regulated the relationships between members and shareholders and the payment of dividends. In this article we also focus on Australian friendly societies after 1999 and how they compare with South African friendly societies with regard to the member/shareholder relationships and the payment of dividends.
Applying livestock thresholds to examine poverty in Karamoja

In pastoralist and agro-pastoralist areas, wealth and poverty are closely aligned to levels of livestock ownership and social inclusion. Whereas cash income per capita is a useful measure of poverty in non-pastoralist areas, measures of livestock ownership per capita are needed to understand poverty in pastoralist systems. This study estimated a livestock threshold for agro-pastoralist households in Karamoja, being the minimum per capita ownership of livestock needed to sustain a predominantly agro-pastoral livelihood. The study then applied the livestock threshold to pre-existing livestock population data to estimate the proportions of households above and below the threshold. Using an estimated livestock threshold of 3.3 Tropical Livestock Units (TLU)/capita for agro-pastoralism, 56.5% of households in Karamoja’s main livestock-keeping districts were below the threshold and could be categorized as livestock-poor. The ownership of livestock was skewed in two main ways. First, there was a high-end skew with the wealthiest 30% of households owning 69.3% of all livestock in terms of TLU. Second, there was a low-end skew. Among poorer households, below the 3.3 TLU/capita livestock threshold, livestock ownership was skewed away from the threshold. Forty-seven per cent of these households owned only 1.2 TLU/capita or less; 13% of households owned no livestock at all. These findings are discussed, with programming and policy recommendations.
DNA AS X: An Information-Coding-Based Model to Improve the Sensitivity in Comparative Gene Analysis

In recent studies [1-3], lots of hidden homology in DNA genome are not found by current comparative tools despite decades of research. Many scholars modeled the genome as a monotonous string, which limits and probably obstructs the discovery of some significant patterns. We propose an information-coding-based model called DNA As X (DAX) to improve the sensitivity in comparative genomic studies by integrating the principles and concepts of other disciplines including information coding theory and signal processing into genome analysis. The proposed DNA As X model uses character-analysis-free (CAF) techniques, where X is the intermediate for analysis that can be digit, code, signal, vector, tree, graph network and so on. It provides novel and comprehensive perspectives to further analyze and recognize the critical patterns hidden in DNA genomes. Comparing with traditional character-analysis-based (CAB) methods, DAX not only enriches the tools and the knowledge library of computational biology but also extends the domain from 1-D character string analysis to 2-D spatial/temporal domain. Furthermore, by applying the DAX model to the issue of exon prediction as an evaluation, we illustrate the insights behind this model. The experimental results show that the DAX methodology can improve the sensitivity in genome analysis by using the novel information-coding techniques.
Analysis of 19 PCB congeners in catfish tissue using a modified QuEChERS method with GC-MS/MS

A simple approach to determine 19 PCB congeners in catfish tissue was presented. A modified QuEChERS method employing high solvent to sample ratio 10:1 was used to improve the extraction recovery of 19 PCB congeners. After salting out by shaking with anhydrous magnesium sulfate and sodium chloride, 1 mL of acetonitrile extract was pipetted into a 2-mL centrifuge tube containing anhydrous magnesium sulfate, primary secondary amine sorbent, and C-18 sorbent. The tube was then shaken and centrifuged to absorb fat and fatty acid residue present in the acetonitrile extract. The acetonitrile extract was analyzed by GC-MS/MS. The excellent sensitivity of GC-MS/MS allows for the direct injection of the samples to detect the low level of the PCB congeners. The method therefore is high throughput, uses fewer consumable lab supplies, and provides excellent sensitivity with an LOQ below 1 ng/g.
Congenital tricuspid insufficiency

Abstract An unusual cardiac anomaly, presenting defective and displaced tricuspid valvular segments and a large, patent foramen ovale, is reported. This belongs to the type of congenital tricuspid insufficiency designated as Ebstein's disease.
Silver Iodide Generations and Public Health

Exposure of the operator of a cloud seeding generator is compared with threshold limits for prolonged exposure established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. For silver iodide and its complexes, iodine and carbon monoxide, maximum exposure was found to be greatly below hazardous levels. Concentrations of silver and iodine in precipitation from seeded storms were found to be greatly below permissible levels set by the U.S. Public Health Service for drinking water. The inoffensive nature of the effluent from a silver iodide generator is emphasized by contrasting its chemical content with that of automobile exhaust.
How much expressive power is needed for natural language temporal indexicality

The paper studies how much expressive power beyond the capabilities of the simple Priorean temporal language Kt is needed to give proper translation to natural language examples by Kamp and Vlach which are extensively used in the linguistic and philosophical literature as forcing the use of quite expressive languages, all the way up to full twosorted FOL. It turns out that when examined carefully, the examples in question only require a quite mild Kamp- and Cresswell-style system with now and then operators, or, equivalently, hybrid Kt + ↓ + @. The paper generalizes the earlier results showing that in the propositional case, now and then do not increase the power of Kt. For the first-order case, a notion of FOL path bisimulation for first-order KtFO with untensed quantification and equality is defined, and it is demonstrated how to prove that a particular NL sentence cannot be expressed in KtFO through non-preservation under FOL path bisimulation. It is also shown that KtFO plus now and then is still strictly less expressive than HL (↓, @), which is itself much less expressive than the strong systems that were claimed to be needed for NL translation. Thus the paper provides strict lower and upper bounds on the expressivity of the translation language forced by Kamp-Vlach NL sentences, and the upper bound turns out to be much lower than was widely believed in the linguistics community.
Process-Theory of Parts (1)

The reader will recall that My New Foundations to Geometry define shape as the causal history recovered (i.e., inferred) from a data set, i.e., the history needed to create that data set. That is, contrary to the Standard Foundations to Geometry, the New Foundations state that it is impossible to define shape independently of its recovered history.
System Efficiency of Miniature Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines With and Without Gear Transmission

AbstractIn this paper, two miniature horizontal-axis wind-turbine systems (MHAWTs) with and without gear transmission consisting of commercially available off-the-shelf components were designed for harvesting energy from ambient airflow to power wireless sensors. The basic performance of the MHAWTs was tested at various wind speeds (2–8 m/s) and resistive loads (10–500 Ω). The maximum output powers of the MHAWT with and without gear were 8.6 and 11 mW at the wind speed of 4 m/s, which suggested that both MHAWTs enabled powering low-power wireless sensors in natural airflow environment. To analyze the system efficiency and predict the optimal resistive load of the MHAWTs, an equivalent-circuit model was used. According to this model, the maximum system efficiency of the MHAWT system was predicted to be 14.8%. The actual maximum system efficiency of the MHAWTs with and without gears was tested as 8.4% and 7.5% at the wind speed of 8 and 6.5 m/s. In addition, the predicted optimal resistive loads of the M...
Legal Change: Selective Litigation, Judicial Bias, and Precedent

Abstract A key question in the literature on legal change is whether the law evolves via the conscious efforts of judges or is the result of invisible‐hand processes. This paper confirms Priest’s claim that when judges are unbiased, selective litigation alone can cause the law to evolve toward efficiency. However, when judges are biased, the direction of legal change depends on whether the extent of judicial bias is large enough to overcome the selective litigation effect. The paper also shows that the desirability of binding precedent lies in its ability to restrain biased judges from driving the law away from efficiency.
Courseware And Small Group Development: A Comparative Analysis

The scholarship of teaching and learning is the basis for this research, which investigated the use of the information technology tool- courseware or software that facilitates collaboration in classroom settings. The study focuses on the use of computer-mediated communication as a tool for group decision-making. The study compared a distance education class in the Collaborative Degree Program at regional mid-size state university to a face-to-face course taught at the same university. The purpose of this work is to better understand group interaction in computer-mediated situations. The results of this study contribute to a growing body of research on the ways evolving technologies impact group collaboration.
Characteristics of Cell Phone Only, Listed, and Unlisted Telephone Households

Cell phone only households have increased from about 4% in 2004 to over 14% in 2007. Since cell phone only households are not included in random digit dialing (RDD) samples, they represent a major source of noncoverage error. To assess the extent of this noncoverage error we compared the results of a CATI telephone survey of three different samples of households: (1) cell phone only households; (2) directory listed households; and (3) unlisted households. The survey results are based on samples of at least 400 respondents per group, and show significant differences in demographics between all three groups, as well as differences in attitudinal measures. The results indicate that including cell phone only households in a telephone samples can lead to substantial improvements in coverage. Cell phone only respondents tend to be younger, single, and male, and tend to rent rather than own their home, and have either less or more education than respondents from listed and unlisted RDD samples. Cell phone only respondents are also more likely to have more than one cell phone, and to have full time employment. A significant difference was also observed for political party affiliation. The cell phone only sample also picked up the highest rate of Asian respondents. We found significant differences in the characteristics of directory listed vs unlisted households as well. Listed households are the least likely to have a computer in the home, have fewer male respondents, have the highest proportion of retired, and elderly respondents, the highest proportion of white and married respondents. The paper discusses the implications of these results for obtaining representative samples for telephone surveys.
Using support vector machines in data mining

Multivariate data analysis techniques have the potential to improve data analysis. Support Vector Machines (SVS) are a recent addition to the family of multivariate data analysis. A brief introduction to the SVM Vector Machines technique is followed by an outline of the practical application.
Research on home care utilization: A critical analysis of the preeminent approach

Abstract To study the complex phenomenon of home care utilization, most researchers have conducted epidemiologic tests of the Andersen model. Understanding any complex phenomenon requires attention to these problems: (1) identifying the phenomenon's parts, (2) determining relationships among the parts, and (3) identifying changes in the phenomenon. Focused on population risk factors rather than individual behaviors, epidemiologic tests of the Andersen model have not yielded an empirically valid construct of home care need (a critical “part” of the phenomenon). Tests of relationships among such constructs have not produced conclusive predictions of use. Analyzing changes in use has been thwarted in part because prospective longitudinal designs have seldom been employed. Employing these basic arguments, this critique of the epidemiologic study of home care utilization is presented as a rationale for descriptive phenomenological study of the experience of home care. A phenomenological perspective on the three problems of complexity is discussed, as it is being implemented in a study of older windows' experience of home care.
The “Science” behind a Successful Field Trip to the Zoo.

A field trip to the local zoo is often a staple in many elementary school curricula. Many zoos offer free entry to local teachers and their students. Teachers take students on field trips to enrich the curriculum, make connections to what students are learning in school, and provide students with meaningful learning experiences (Kisiel 2007). However, teachers often struggle to find a balance between allowing students the opportunity to freely explore exhibits of their choice for their preferred time periods and making students adhere to a rigid lesson that limits their opportunities to wonder and discover but reinforces or introduces content that fits their curriculum. By providing students with opportunities to explore and develop their science process skills through multidisciplinary lessons, teachers can help students funnel their curiosity into meaningful learning experiences. The following lessons are examples of how to incorporate student curiosity and excitement about animals into grade-level appropriate activities for students before, during, and after zoo field trips. Each activity takes place over three class sessions, ranging from 30 min to 1 hr per session. The activities are divided into three grade levels: K–1, 2–3, and 4–5.
Use of an anaerobic chamber environment for the assay of endogenous cellular protein-tyrosine phosphatase activities

Protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) have a catalytic cysteine residue whose reduced state is integral to the reaction mechanism. Since exposure to air can artifactually oxidize this highly reactive thiol, PTPase assays have typically used potent reducing agents to reactivate the enzymes present; however, this approach does not allow for the measurement of the endogenous PTPase activity directly isolated from the in vivo cellular environment. Here we provide a method for using an anaerobic chamber to preserve the activity of the total PTPase complement in a tissue lysate or of an immunoprecipitated PTPase homolog to characterize their endogenous activation state. Comparison with a sample treated with biochemical reducing agents allows the determination of the activatable (reducible) fraction of the endogenous PTPase pool.
Medicare's hospice benefit: analysis of utilization and resource use

OBJECTIVE This work provides descriptive statistics on hospice users. It also explores the magnitude of relative resource use during hospice episodes and whether such patterns vary by episode length for patients who only use routine home care as compared to those who use multiple levels of hospice care. Examining resource use for hospice users who require different hospice levels of care within an episode versus solely routine home care provides insight to the varied resource use associated with the different patient populations (i.e., those who may require steady routine home care across the entire episode versus those who require varied levels of care across the episode). DATA SOURCE The analyses were based on a longitudinal analytic file that was constructed from 100% of Medicare claims for hospice users with completed episodes spanning September 1, 2008 through the end of calendar year 2011. In examining resource use for routine home care users and all levels of hospice care, the analyses were restricted to single episode decedents who began their hospice episode on or after April 1, 2010 and whose date of death was on or before December 31, 2011. Daily wage-weighted visit units (WWVUs) were calculated for each patient during their hospice stay. In order to compute a WWVU, one-fourth of the Bureau of Labor Statistics hourly wage rate for each visit discipline (i.e., skilled nursing, medical social services, home health aide, and an average for therapies) was multiplied by the corresponding number of visit units reported on hospice claims. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Using enhanced data on the intensity of service use, the results confirm previous research that suggested a curved pattern to service use during a hospice episode. For several measures of resource intensity, service use is more intensive during the initial days in the episode and for the last few days prior to death relative to the middle days of the episode. The pattern becomes more pronounced as episodes increase in length, but is otherwise a similar curve when compared by diagnosis. Thus, the results provide useful information for potential policy discussions about Medicare hospice reform.
The end of the survival journey.

Objectives : To review the problems encountered by cancer survivors who face the end of their cancer journey. Data Sources : Published review and research articles and textbook chapters. Conclusions : The experiences found at the end of the survivorship journey may be exacerbations of previously encountered symptoms and feelings. Achieving physical comfort replaces the goal of controlling the tumor. Implications for Nursing Practice : Continued support is needed from the oncology health care team as expertise is sought from hospice or a palliative care team to provide a seamless transition in care.
Irrigated agriculture and freshwater wetlands: A struggle for coexistence in the western United States

This paper is a review of the major environmental problems associated with irrigated agriculture in the western United States. Freshwater wetlands are being contaminated by subsurface agricultural irrigation drainage in many locations. Historic freshwater inflows have been diverted for agricultural use, and remaining freshwater supplies are not sufficient to maintain these important natural areas once they are degraded by irrigation drainage. Migratory birds have been poisoned by drainwater contaminants on at least six national wildlife refuges; waterfowl populations are threatened in the Pacific and Central flyways. Revised water allocation policies and regulatory actions are probably necessary to correct existing damage and prevent future problems. The benefits of maintaining healthy wetlands should be used as a rationale for negotiating increases in freshwater supplies. Cost analyses that show the importance of wetlands in dollar values are critical to the success of these negotiations. The next few years will provide unique opportunities for wetland managers to use cost analyses to make changes in water allocation policies. Federally subsidized water has supported and expanded agriculture at the expense of native wetlands for over 100 years in the western United States. This trend must be reversed if these wetlands and their fish and wildlife populations are to survive.
‘Being while black’: resistance and the management of the self

‘Being while black’ is ultimately an ‘everyday revolution’, Despite the fact that people manage their selves by their own choosing, especially as their desires are being shaped (Foucault, 1977), their selves remains the basic revolutionary unit. Foucault's oeuvre on power and concept of dressage is utilized to explain racial profiling of blacks of what I call ‘racial dressage’, intended primarily to discipline the ‘black body’ (el-Khoury, 2009). In this paper, I argue that despite this false sense of presence of power and internalized social-control, blacks actively construct their day-to-day activities as a discursive object of resistance. Critical awareness to racial oppression is in itself is a form of opposition to it (Collins, 1990). I argue that social control and resistance are coproduced. Using discursive analysis of interviews I identified the following modes of resistance: disposition to steadiness (constituting an ethical self, sustaining an internal dialogue, and emotional management), rejecti...
The Paradox of Social Class and Sports Involvement The Roles of Cultural and Economic Capital

Studies in the sociology of sport have found that the higher one's social class, the greater is one's overall involvement in sports, but the less likely is one's involvement in what have come to be called `prole' sports. Using data from the 1993 General Social Survey, this study tests two explanations for this paradox, one stressing class-based differences in cultural capital and the other emphasizing class-based differences in economic capital. Findings show that those who are richest in cultural capital and those richest in economic capital are most likely to be involved in sports generally, and that these tendencies are independent of one another. However, those richest in cultural capital are least likely to be involved in `prole' sports, and economic capital has no bearing on `prole' sports involvement. In all, cultural capital explains the paradox of social class and sports involvement better than economic capital does. Inferences are drawn for the role of sports involvement in the reproduction of s...
Amino acid analysis of soils and sediments: Extraction and desalting

Abstract A convenient desalting method is described for removing interfering cations from hydrolysates of soils and sediments in preparation for Chromatographie separations of amino acids. The method is based on the retention of multivalent cations as their polyanionic fluoride complexes (SiF 2− 6 . A1F 3− 6 and FeF 3− 6 ) on an anion exchange resin (F − form). Recovery of amino acids is quantitative and the technique facilitates the determination of aspartic and glutamic acids without further chromatography. An HF pretreatment was required for maximum extraction of organic nitrogen from subsurface soils.
Implementation of a medication management improvement system for community- dwelling older adults

Background: Older adults have many chronic medical problems. Along with these issues, an older adult is prescribed multiple medications. This medication regimen increases the risk of adverse events. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of student nurses implementing a medication management program in a home care population. Methods: The study was carried out with a convenience sample of community-dwelling older adults who were receiving home care services. Included a sample of 34 adults aged 62 and older who took an average of 12 medications daily. Participants were assessed for medication problems on two separate home visits 30 days apart. Medication problems identified at the first visit were addressed using an established protocol. A total of 14 student nurses conducted the assessment over an eight-month period. Results: Findings showed a statistically significant (Z=2.33, p <0.05) reduction in the mean number of medication problems between two visits. Conclusions: Student nurses can effectively implement a medication management program.
Macroscopic pancreatic heterotopia on a congenital biliary dilatation

Pancreatic heterotopia is generally asymptomatic and occurs in gut-related sites. An antenatally detected subhepatic cyst was finally diagnosed to be a congenital biliary cystic dilatation (without a caudal duodenal communication) with macroscopic Heinrich Type 2 pancreatic heterotopia. The embryogenesis and pathology of the malformation are discussed.