cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Deficiency of Adenosine Deaminase 2 in Adult Siblings: Many Years of a Misdiagnosed Disease With Severe Consequences.

Objective: Describe the clinical characteristics and histopathology findings in a family with two siblings affected with deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2). Both patients presented in childhood with polyarthritis and developed significant neurological and gastrointestinal features of DADA2 in early-adulthood, including variable degrees of immunologic and hematologic manifestations. Methods: CECR1 exon sequencing and serum adenosine deaminase 2 (ADA2) levels were performed to confirm the diagnosis of DADA2. Comparison of serum ADA2 levels were made to DADA2 patients, carriers and healthy controls in patient 2. Autopsy specimens from brain and liver tissues were submitted for analysis. Results: Both patients were found to carry a previously reported rare intronic missense mutation predicted to affect the transcript splicing (c.973-2A>G; rs139750129) and an unreported missense mutation p.Val458Asp (c.1373T>A; V458D). Both brothers started therapy with a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor following the molecular diagnosis of DADA2 with good response and were eventually tapered off prednisone. However, Patient 1 died 18 months later due to complications of end-stage liver disease. His autopsy showed evidence for nodular hyperplasia of the liver often seen in common variable immune deficiency (CVID) and numerous small, old infarcts throughout the brain that had not been demonstrated on prior MRI/MRA imaging. Conclusion: These cases emphasize the importance of recognition of DADA2 in adults, compares CNS imaging modalities to pathologic findings and suggests similarities in liver pathology between DADA2 and CVID. MRI may not be most sensitive method to identify small subcortical infarcts in patients suspected to have DADA2.
Nanoprober image based localization techniques for SOI technology

As we continue scaling down in technology, non-visible defects are dominating our defect paretos and nanoprobing has become an essential part of Failure Analysis [1]. However, nanoprobing can become highly time consuming if the defect is not localized to a few devices. Traditional localization techniques like SEM based Voltage Contrast and AFM based Current Imaging have been employed to localize defects on Bulk Semiconductor Technology. These techniques cannot be used as is for localizing defects on SOI technology as there is no direct path to ground from the SOI to the sample chuck. This paper will discuss two different Atomic Force Probe (AFP) based localization techniques that have been successfully implemented to localize defects on SOI Technology. The first technique is Capacitance based top-down Scanning Capacitance Localization also known and Nanoprobe Capacitance Voltage Spectroscopy (NCVS). The second technique is a Current Imaging based Pico-Current Localization Technique (also known as Conductive AFM) that has been modified to localize defects on SOI
Bones for Stones

I want to share some observations that ethnographers and archaeologists have made regarding the use of bone and stone as weights and as construction materials both in the arctic and on the North American plains. First, I simply wish to document the fact that bone is known to function in place of stone and wood in some high-arctic, settings. Figure 1 shows a typical ring of stones used to weigh down a tent at Netsilik Lake, in the core of the Netsilik Eskimo territory. Figure 2 shows a typical tent ring on a major site at Creswell Bay on Somerset Island, approximately 350 km north of the stone ring shown in Fig. 1. I think it is clear that under some conditions bone is used in the same way stone might be used, namely, as a weight.
Nondestructive Evaluation of Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Subjected to Combined Localized Heat Damage and Fatigue Damage Using Acoustic Emission

The effect of fatigue damage to unidirectional fiberglass composite specimens with prior contact heat damage was investigated. After damaging the specimens by contacting them to a hot tip at 360°C, the specimens were subjected to fatigue loading at cyclic stress amplitude corresponding to 65% of the specimens' ultimate tensile strength. The fatigue experiments was halted after 3,000 cycles. The specimens were then subjected to tensile tests while monitoring their acoustic emission (AE) activity. In addition, acoustic emission activities of undamaged and contact heat-damaged specimens were monitored during tensile tests for comparison with specimens with combined fatigue and heat damage. AE activities of all specimens can be categorized into three regions: an early rise in activity, a relatively dormant period in activity, and a high exponential activity before failure. The early rise in activity did not appear on the specimens with combined contact heat and fatigue damage. For undamaged and contact heat-damaged specimens, the period of the dormant activity was independent of the contact heat duration of less than 15 minutes. However, the period was a function of the contact heat duration for combined contact heat and fatigue damaged specimens. Analyzing event duration distribution identified micro-mechanisms of the damage growth upon tensile loading. AE-stress delay concept was used to predict the state of the damage in the composite. A correlation between stress delay parameter and damage parameter was obtained for all of the specimens. Fatigue life of contact heat damaged specimen was also studied. It was found that localized heat damage reduced the fatigue life significantly. Loss of matrix to transfer the load to the fibers uniformly was believed to be responsible for the reduction in the fatigue life.
A practical framework for medical device interoperability conformity testing (IHE PCD and IHE DEV Domain)

Abstract This testing framework for virtual product and system testing, virtual Connectathons that allow heterogeneous manufacturers to test and improve the compatibility and interoperability of their products, and virtual or in situ device conformance testing and/or certification testing applications and products that implement actors in IHE profiles. It is also a planning document designed to identify specifications for interfaces/harnesses and/or modifications to EMR/Electronic Health Record (EHR)/Health Information Exchange (HIE)/IHE Patient Care Device (PCD)/IHE DEVICE (DEV) systems or devices as needed to accomplish the tests. These specifications and tools described in this chapter are designed to improve ease of recurring testability in multiple environment types. This includes the potential for a mix of virtual and in situ environments where some or all of the systems under test and the test supporting systems are within one of the many IHE Connectathons that take place around the globe, or in a virtual environment where one or more of the systems under test or the test supporting systems is located elsewhere across an Internet connection.
THE EFFECTS OF CIS-RETINOIC ACID ON SCANNING ELECTRON MICROGRAPHS OF BLADDERS FROM RATS FED 0.03% FANFT

Male Fischer 344 rats were fed 0.03% N[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazole] formamide (FANFT) and FANFT + 13- cis -retinoic acid. The bladders were examined by scanning electron microscopy every month for 6 months. FANFT induced hyperplastic changes which increased with time. These changes included appearance of cobblestone cells and uniform microvilli. A dramatic change occurred in 6 months when all cells were hyperplastic and bore numerous microvilli. At least half the cells had pleomorphic microvilli, a possible marker for neoplasia. 13- cis -Retinoic acid inhibited all these changes. At 6 months, very few cells had pleomorphic microvilli.
Response in Nighttime Activity of White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to Lunar Cycle and Cloud Cover

From 14 October 2014 through 31 November 2018, we used trail cameras to investigate the relationship between nighttime activity of Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer) and 2 extraneous variables (lunar cycle and cloud cover). We hypothesized that greater amounts of illumination would positively affect the nighttime activity of White-tailed Deer. Our findings supported our hypothesis indicating that both lunar cycle and cloud cover affect the activity of the species. Nighttime activity decreases as illuminance of the moon decreases through the lunar cycle (number of detections: full moon = 578, new moon = 232, first quarter = 386, third quarter = 329). Lowest activity occurred on nights when illuminance was the lowest (e.g., new moon with overcast skies) and highest activity on nights when illuminance was the greatest. The amount of illumination may be important regarding White-tailed Deer avoidance of predators.
The monofunctional platinum(II) compounds, phenanthriplatin and pyriplatin, modulate apoptosis signaling pathways in HEI-OC1 auditory hybridoma cells.

Abstract Cisplatin is a platinum(II) chemotherapy drug that can cause the side-effect of ototoxicity and hearing loss. The monofunctional platinum(II) complexes, phenanthriplatin and pyriplatin, have recently been investigated as anti-cancer agents but their side-effects are largely unknown. Here, we used the auditory hybridoma cell line, HEI-OC1, to investigate the ototoxicity of cisplatin, phenanthriplatin and pyriplatin. The effect of these compounds against cellular viability, on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial membrane polarization, caspase-3/7 activity, DNA integrity and caspase-12 expression were measured using spectrophotometric, flow cytometric and blot analyses. We found that the monofunctional complexes and cisplatin decreased cellular viability. All three compounds increased ROS yield at 24 h, but at 48 h, ROS levels returned to normal. Also, the compounds did not depolarize the mitochondrial membrane. All three compounds reduced caspase-3/7 activity at 24 h; cisplatin increased caspase-3/7 activity and caused apoptosis at 48 h. Caspase-12 expression was associated with all three compounds. In summary, the monofunctional complexes may cause ototoxicity like cisplatin. Phenanthriplatin and pyriplatin may cause ototoxicity initially by inducing ROS production, but they may also signal through distinct apoptotic pathways that do not integrate caspases-3/7, or may act at different time-points in the same pathways.
Learning Analytics Dashboard for Problem-based Learning

This study examined two machine learning models for de- signing a learning analytics dashboard to assist teachers in facilitating problem-based learning. Specifically, we used BERT to automatically process a large amount of textual data to understand students' scientific argumentation. We then used Hidden Markov Model (HMM) to find students' cognitive state transition with time-series data. Preliminary results showed the models achieved high accuracy and were coherent with related theories, indicating the models can provide teachers with interpretable information to identify in-need students.
People of remembrance: archival thinking and religious memory in Sufi communities

This paper looks at tariqa-based Sufism, the mystical aspect of Islamic practice, as an example of how archival thinking is used to traditionalize practices by way of religious memory. There is currently a lack of engagement in archival studies with religion and religious practices. Because we are aware of the ways that communities remember through embodied ritual as well as of the powerful relationship between affect and archiving, looking at how religious communities remember seems natural. Key archival concepts of provenance, authenticity, and original order can be seen to be at work in the ways in which Sufi communities seek to preserve both knowledge and spiritual experiences. This has led the author to conceive of tariqa-based Sufism as a system of conscious documentation of spiritual lineages, practices, sacred texts, and experiential knowledge of the Divine.
Can we make In2O3 and Ga2O3 p-type? (Conference Presentation)

P-type doping of wide-band-gap oxides such as In2O3 and Ga2O3 would open vast opportunities in device in device design, ranging from transparent contacts for solar cells to high-power transistors. In this presentation we discuss the fundamental difficulties concerning p-type doping in these materials and opportunities offered by forming dilute alloys, with minimum disturbance in structural parameters yet bringing beneficial changes to their electronic structure.
Academic librarians' support of autistic college students: A quasi-experimental study

Abstract The role of academic libraries and librarians in support of autistic students has been studied on a limited basis with no confirmation on how to best convey knowledge of support services most effectively. A quasi-experimental research protocol with three academic library sites and related professional development treatments enabled comparison on the impact of online training alone, online coaching combined with coaching, and existing autism support programs. Academic librarians' knowledge and attitudes, along with measures of the library's physical environment were calculated pre and post training. Results showed that coaching, combined with online instruction, is the most effective professional development strategy for increasing knowledge of academic library patrons on the autism spectrum; librarians are enthusiastic to learn more about services taking place in other academic libraries, and small changes in the library environment can be impactful.
Fish Oil Emulsion Reduces Liver Injury and Liver Transplantation in Children with Intestinal Failure-Associated Liver Disease: A Multicenter Integrated Study.

Objective To compare the aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index, liver transplantation, and mortality rates between children with intestinal failure-associated liver disease who received fish oil lipid emulsion (FOLE) or soybean oil intravenous lipid emulsion (SOLE). Study design In this multicenter integrated analysis, FOLE recipients (1 g/kg/d) (n = 189) were compared with historical controls administered SOLE (≤3 g/kg/d) (n = 73). Results Compared with SOLE, FOLE recipients had a higher direct bilirubin level at baseline (5.8 mg/dL vs 3.0 mg/dL; P Conclusions FOLE recipients experienced a higher rate of cholestasis resolution, lower aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index, and fewer liver transplants compared with SOLE. This study demonstrates that FOLE may be the preferred parenteral lipid emulsion in children with intestinal failure-associated liver disease when DB reaches 2 mg/dL. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov : NCT00910104 and NCT00738101 .
Testing Models of Social Learning on Networks: Evidence from a Lab Experiment in the Field

Agents often use noisy signals from their neighbors to update their beliefs about a state of the world. The effectiveness of social learning relies on the details of how agents aggregate information from others. There are two prominent models of information aggregation in networks: (1) Bayesian learning, where agents use Bayes' rule to assess the state of the world and (2) DeGroot learning, where agents instead consider a weighted average of their neighbors' previous period opinions or actions. Agents who engage in DeGroot learning often double-count information and may not converge in the long run. We conduct a lab experiment in the field with 665 subjects across 19 villages in Karnataka, India, designed to structurally test which model best describes social learning. Seven subjects were placed into a network with common knowledge of the network structure. Subjects attempted to learn the underlying (binary) state of the world, having received independent identically distributed signals in the first period. Thereafter, in each period, subjects made guesses about the state of the world, and these guesses were transmitted to their neighbors at the beginning of the following round. We structurally estimate a model of Bayesian learning, relaxing common knowledge of Bayesian rationality by allowing agents to have incomplete information as to whether others are Bayesian or DeGroot. Our estimates show that, despite the flexibility in modeling learning in these networks, agents are robustly best described by DeGroot-learning models wherein they take a simple majority of previous guesses in their neighborhood.Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.
Prevalence and Correlates of Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis in the U.S.

Introduction As cannabis use rises among adults in the U.S., driving under the influence of cannabis represents a public health concern. Methods In 2020, public-use data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health were examined, using an analytic sample of 128,205 adults interviewed between 2016 and 2018. The annual prevalence of driving under the influence of cannabis was computed overall, by state, by demographic group, and among cannabis users. Demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral correlates of driving under the influence were tested by multivariate logistic regression. Results The self-reported annual prevalence of driving under the influence of cannabis was 4.5% (95% CI=4.3, 4.6) among U.S. adults, ranging from 3.0% (Texas) to 8.4% (Oregon) in individual U.S. states. Among cannabis users, 29.5% (95% CI=28.6, 30.3) reported driving under the influence of cannabis; the predicted probabilities of driving under the influence of cannabis were highest for those with more frequent use, with daily cannabis users evidencing a 57% predicted probability. Among individuals with symptoms suggestive of a cannabis use disorder, the prevalence of driving under the influence of cannabis was 63.8% (95% CI=60.8, 66.6). Among cannabis users, those reporting driving under the influence of cannabis had higher odds of driving under the influence of other illicit substances, using other illicit drugs, taking part in illegal behavior, and suffering from mental distress, after adjusting for demographic characteristics and psychosocial/behavioral correlates. Conclusions Findings suggest that prevention efforts should focus on frequent and problem cannabis users and should include content related to other illicit drug use and other drug-impaired driving.
Partial Differential Equations

This chapter considers techniques for solving some types of partial differential equations. The solution method that is considered in this book is the separation of variables method. Linear partial differential equations can be categorized by type, similar to categorizing ordinary differential equations. However, in contrast to ordinary differential equations, for the limited number of partial differential equations considered in this book, the categorization does not affect the solution method, but rather is a reflection of the properties of the resulting solution, which itself is a result of the underlying physics.
How Chatty Are Daddies? An Exploratory Study of Infants' Language Environments.

Purpose Fathers play a critical but underresearched role in their children's cognitive and linguistic development. Focusing on two-parent families with a mother and a father, the present longitudin...
Application of an automatic segmentation method for evaluating cardiac structure doses received by breast radiotherapy patients.

Abstract Background and purpose Quantifying radiation dose to cardiac substructures is important for research on the etiology and prevention of complications following radiotherapy; however, segmentation of substructures is challenging. In this study we demonstrate the application of our atlas-based automatic segmentation method to breast cancer radiotherapy plans for generating radiation doses in support of late effects research. Material and methods We applied our segmentation method to contour heart substructures on the computed tomography (CT) images of 70 breast cancer patients who received external photon radiotherapy. Two cardiologists provided manual segmentation of the whole heart (WH), left/right atria, left/right ventricles, and left anterior descending artery (LAD). The automatically contours were compared with manual delineations to evaluate similarity in terms of geometry and dose. Results The mean Dice similarity coefficient between manual and automatic segmentations was 0.96 for the WH, 0.65 to 0.82 for the atria and ventricles, and 0.06 for the LAD. The mean average surface distance was 1.2 mm for the WH, 3.4 to 4.1 mm for the atria and ventricles, and 6.4 mm for the LAD. We found the dose to the cardiac substructures based on our automatic segmentation agrees with manual segmentation within expected observer variability. For left breast patients, the mean absolute difference in mean dose was 0.1 Gy for the WH, 0.2 to 0.7 Gy for the atria and ventricles, and 1.8 Gy for the LAD. For right breast patients, these values were 0.0 Gy, 0.1 to 0.4 Gy, and 0.4 Gy, respectively. Conclusion Our automatic segmentation method will facilitate the development of radiotherapy prescriptive criteria for mitigating cardiovascular complications.
A privacy protection procedure for large scale individual level data

We present a transformation procedure for large scale individual level data that produces output data in which no linear combinations of the resulting attributes can yield the original sensitive attributes from the transformed data. In doing this, our procedure eliminates all linear information regarding a sensitive attribute from the input data. The algorithm combines principal components analysis of the data set with orthogonal projection onto the subspace containing the sensitive attribute(s). The algorithm presented is motivated by applications where there is a need to drastically ‘sanitize’ a data set of all information relating to sensitive attribute(s) before analysis of the data using a data mining algorithm. Sensitive attribute removal (sanitization) is often needed to prevent disparate impact and discrimination on the basis of race, gender, and sexual orientation in high stakes contexts such as determination of access to loans, credit, employment, and insurance. We show through experiments that our proposed algorithm outperforms other privacy preserving techniques by more than 20 percent in lowering the ability to reconstruct sensitive attributes from large scale data.
Control of semiconductor manufacturing: curriculum development under an NSF combined research-curriculum grant

In this paper, the authors describe their NSF sponsored research-curriculum program devoted to the topic of modeling and control of semiconductor manufacturing. The paper is focused for the most part on the curriculum development under this program.
Noise robustness of EBNN learning

A variety of methods have recently been proposed for constraining neural networks to fit various constraints while being trained. One such approach is to constrain the function approximated by the network to fit desired slopes, or derivatives. Such slopes may be provided by the designer, as in Simard's character recognizer network which was constrained so that the slope of the output with respect to translations, rotations, etc. of the input should be zero. Alternatively, target slopes may be generated automatically by program as in explanation based neural network (EBNN) learning. While slope information is known to improve generalization, sometimes slope information as well as value information is corrupted by noise. This paper explores the effects of noise in value and slope information on EBNN learning, compared with standard backpropagation. Experimental results show several characteristics of noise robustness of EBNN learning.
Integrating technological advancements in Behavioral Interventions to Promote health: Unprecedented opportunities for Behavior analysts

The use of mobile devices is growing worldwide in both industrialized and developing nations. Alongside the worldwide penetration of web-enabled devices, the leading causes of morbidity and mortality are increasingly modifiable lifestyle factors (e.g.,improving one’s diet and exercising more). Behavior analysts have the opportunity to promote health by combining effective behavioral methods with technological advancements. The objectives of this paper are (1) to highlight the public health gains that may be achieved by integrating technology with a behavior analytic approach to developing interventions, and (2) to review some of the currently, under-examined issues related to merging technology and behavior analysis (enhancing sustainability, obtaining frequent measures of behavior, conducting component analyses, evaluating cost-effectiveness, incorporating behavior analysis in the creation of consumer-based applications, and reducing health disparities). Thorough consideration of these issues may inspire the development, implementation, and dissemination of innovative, efficacious interventions that substantially improve global public health.
Genital herpes and human immunodeficiency virus: double trouble

The synergistic relationship between herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be substantial in developing countries that have high prevalences of both viral infections. Genital herpes, most frequently caused by HSV-2, has become the leading cause of genital ulcer disease worldwide. This review of recent research on genital herpes and enhanced susceptibility to, and transmission of, HIV is part of the "Advances in HIV/AIDS research series" which endeavours to form a bridge between the research into HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the practice of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support in developing countries. Research findings have shown that being seropositive for HSV-2 can increase the risk of HIV acquisition among high-risk HIV-negative people exposed to HIV and, likewise, the infectiousness of individuals co-infected with HIV-1 and HSV-2 can increase during periods of HSV-2 reactivation. These observations have led to the initiation of several intervention trials and could ultimately lead to the setting of new priorities in public health and clinical practice. WHO has recently issued new guidelines for the syndromic management of genital ulcer disease that include antiviral treatment for lesions consistent with genital herpes. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued updated Sexually Transmitted Diseases Treatment Guidelines in 2002 that recommended the use of type-specific serological tests for diagnosing HSV-2. Recently launched proof-of-concept, HSV-2 intervention trials in several countries will help to determine the proportion of new HIV infections that could be prevented by suppression of HSV-2, and the findings from these studies will inform those involved in setting prevention and treatment priorities and strategies in developing countries.
Studies on the Mechanism of Protein-Induced Hypercalciuria in Older Men and Women

A human metabolic study was conducted to observe the effect of level of protein intake on urinary calcium, calcium absorption and calcium balance in older adults and to further study the mechanisms of protein-induced hypercalciuria. An increase in protein intake from about 47 to 112 g while maintaining calcium, magnesium and phosphorus intakes constant caused an increase in urinary calcium and a decrease in calcium retention. Glomerular filtration rate was increased and fractional renal tubular reabsorption was decreased by the increase in protein intake; total renal acid, ammonium and sulfate excretions more than doubled, whereas urinary sodium decreased by 38%. The changes in urinary calcium were positively correlated with the increase in total renal acid and sulfate excretion as well as with the decrease in fractional renal tubular reabsorption of calcium. Thus, the data indicate that protein-induced hypercalciuria is due to an increase in glomerular filtration rate and a decrease in fractional renal tubular reabsorption of calcium, the latter of which may be caused by the increased acid load on the renal tubular cells.
New Historicism, Historical Criticism, and Reading the Pentateuch

This article surveys the development of Pentateuchal scholarship, from the emergence of historical criticism in the 19th century as a tool for understanding how the Pentateuch might be used to reconstruct the religious and social history of ancient Israel, to its abandonment in favor of literary criticism in the late 20th century by scholars concerned to establish an aesthetics of biblical literature that can help modern readers engage meaningfully with the Pentateuch. Historical criticism and literary criticism are now practiced largely in isolation, which is problematic because residue of the Pentateuch's composition history and the historical references it contains are part of the experience of reading the Pentateuch. Other disciplines have gone through the same turn from historicism to formalism that biblical studies has, and this article explores what students of the Pentateuch might gain from a critical orientation called new historicism. New historicism has been tapped in synchronic studies of biblical literature but never applied to questions of composition history. This article outlines the assumptions, strategies, and techniques that characterize new historicism and articulates its potential for providing 21st century answers to the classic questions of historical criticism.
Occurrence of False-Positive Most Probable Number Tests for Fecal Streptococci in Marine Waters

By the use of the most probable number technique with azide dextrose and ethyl violet azide broths for enterococci, the common occurrence of false-positive tests was noted when marine and estuarine waters were sampled. Organisms isolated included a marine bacterium, gram-positive and gram-negative nonmarine bacteria, and yeasts. All cultures were capable of growth in azide-dextrose, ethyl violet-azide, and KF broths. Representative isolates grew in media containing 0.08% NaN(3). The tentatively accepted most probable number method for fecal streptococci is thus of dubious value in assessment of sewage pollution levels in estuarine waters. All positive tubes must be examined microscopically for the presence of nonstreptococcal forms.
Understanding high quality research designs for speech language pathology

As innovative methods, strategies, or curriculum are introduced to assist clients with speech and language disorders, many Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) may question the effectiveness of the intervention and more specifically whether the results that they are seeing are the result of the intervention (i.e., cause/effect). Several research designs allow researchers to examine causality including the most widely known, the randomized controlled trial (RCT). While not all situations are suited to applying the RCT, other high quality designs may be used that still lend evidence of causality even when randomization is not possible. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief summary and illustrations of randomized controlled trials (RCT) and quasi-experimental design (QED) that are appropriate for the study of treatment effectiveness in speech-language pathology research, present potential barriers to quality randomization, and provide guidelines to help identify RCTs.
Challenges of Literacy Coaching in High School

Abstract This qualitative case study examined a state-run, foundation-funded initiative to introduce literacy coaching in a medium-sized urban high school district over a period of two years. Data analyses revealed the complex development and multiple understandings of the process of literacy coaching on the secondary level. The role of the coaches depended on the communication and clarity of their job description, administrative support, the expertise of coaches, and the fit with local school culture.
Comparison between the rigidity of bicortical screws and a miniplate for fixation of a mandibular setback after a simulated bilateral sagittal split osteotomy

Purpose: This investigation compared the biomechanical stability of three bicortical screws with that of a single four-hole miniplate after 5-mm mandibular setback after a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO) in cadaver mandibles. Materials and Methods: Thirty human cadaver hemimandibles underwent BSSO followed by two different rigid fixation techniques. All specimens had no third molar, bony pathology, or evidence of mandibular fracture, and there was no history of renal disease or hyperparathyroidism. The specimens were randomly divided into two groups. In group I, three bicortical screws were placed at the superior border, and in group II, one four-hole miniplate was secured on the external oblique ridge with four monocortical screws. The bony height of the mandible was recorded. Maximum resistance load (MRL), the greatest load recorded just before a sudden decrease in load level (bone or fixation failure), was recorded when the mandibles were tested in a compression machine. Multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the differences in bone height and the MRL between groups I and II. Results: The mean bone height in groups I and II were 28.64 ± 2.50 mm and 28.72 ± 4.08 mm, respectively. The mean MRL in group I (20.49 ± 7.22 kg) was greater than in group II (17.41 ± 7.81 kg). The multiple regression analysis showed no significant difference in the bone height and the MRL between group I and group II (beta = 2.3492, P = .4114). Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference in stability provided the two techniques.
Structural analysis of progressive deformation within complex transcurrent shear zone systems: southern Narragansett Basin, Rhode Island

Abstract Complex progressive ductile deformation on Dutch Island, Narragansett Basin, Rhode Island, is localized along a system of non-parallel, intersecting shear zones with opposite senses of strike- and oblique-slip motion. The structural intensity and complexity of this area can be attributed in part to the proximity of NNE-, NE- and ENE-trending, pre-existing basement faults bounding early horsts and grabens. Reactivation of these faults caused the formation of shear zones within the overlying metasediments. Structural superposition of non-coaxial mesoscopic folds and crenulation cleavages, formed as a result of progressive movement along these shear zones, provide unusual and accurate kinematic indicators that track movement along individual zones through time. Sinistral motion on NNE-trending zones preceded dextral motion on NE-trending zones. Dextral oblique-slip motion on ENE-trending zones followed. Deformation became increasingly brittle with time. The deformation is the result of two transcurrent shear systems with opposite senses of motion that formed adjacent to the North American and African plate boundary after plate collision.
Characterization of in vitro proteolytic processing of β-endorphin by reversed-phase HPLC

Abstract In vitro , central and peripheral proteolytic processing of β-endorphin by membrane-bound enzymes results in the formation of specific active fragments that have been recently shown to function in behavior, intestinal motility and in the central control of urinary bladder activity. A high resolution, reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography system capable of separating 28 β-endorphin related fragments simultaneously was used to study the time-course processing of β-endorphin by membrane associated peptidases in the brain and regions of the small intestine. The hypothesis we tested was that a homeostatic balance between α- and γ-type endorphins exists in these tissues. The results of the study show that the rate and quantity of fragments produced between the mucosa and nerve-muscle regions of the small intestine are significantly different. Metabolic rates, pattern, and the ratio of α/γ-type endorphins in the brain were very similar to the nerve-muscle region of the small intestine. This suggests that β-endorphin processing to active fragments is occurring at the nerves of the small intestine and that a specific and similar balance of α/γ-type endorphin exists in the brain and gastrointestinal system at neutral pH.
Wives and Ex-Wives: A New Test for Homogamy Bias in the Widowhood Effect

Increased mortality following the death of a spouse (the “widowhood effect”) may be due to (1) causation, (2) bias from spousal similarity (homogamy), or (3) bias from shared environmental exposures. This article proposes new tests for bias in the widowhood effect by examining husbands, wives, and ex-wives in a longitudinal sample of over 1 million elderly Americans. If the death of an ex-wife has no causal effect on the mortality of her husband, then an observed association between the mortality of an ex-wife and her husband may indicate bias, while the absence of an effect of an ex-wife’s death on her husband’s mortality would discount the possibility of homogamy bias (and also of one type of shared-exposure bias). Results from three empirical tests provide strong evidence for an effect of a current wife’s death on her husband’s mortality yet no statistically signifi cant evidence for an effect of an ex-wife’s death on her husband’s mortality. These results strengthen the causal interpretation of the widowhood effect by suggesting that the widowhood effect is not due to homogamy bias to any substantial degree.
Hospitals in rural America

The role of hospitals in the American health care system is changing rapidly, and some believe that hospitals may be replaced by networks of professionals and institutions tied together to coordinate care and promote health—the socalled virtual hospital. For many rural communities, however, the hospital has been the most effective form of health care delivery in the community. In the 1980s, as the number of rural hospitals closing their doors grew every year, expert observers of the health care sector believed that rural hospitals were perhaps an anachronism and that only those institutions that were large and integrated with other parts of the health care system would survive.1,2 The leading proposals for national health care financing reform from the White House and Congress in 1993 and 1994 did not provide much comfort for rural hospitals. By 1997, the reality of market changes overtook policy proposals; vertically integrated networks were a growing phenomenon, and the costsaving potential of managed care was being realized. Rural hospitals have survived in the present system partly because Medicare payment policies that were discriminatory to rural hospitals have been blunted by legislation and partly because there was a justification for the location and mission of hospitals in rural places. The number of closings dropped dramatically in 1994, and the dominant theme of rural hospital activities in the last half of the 1990s has been adaptation and innovation to meet the challenges of a changing market. Factors such as the rapid diffusion of new management techniques and the adoption of new structures and approaches to health care delivery have enabled rural hospitals to continue in their role as the local and regional centers of health care activity. This article reviews the numbers, types and structure of rural hospitals; describes their ownership and control; considers strategies for their survival; and discusses whether the quality of care that they provide equals that provided by urban institutions. Summary points The role and structure of rural hospitals is changing, but they continue to be important local and regional centers of health care activity Rural hospitals tend to depend more on Medicare and Medicaid patients Most rural hospitals are organized on a not-for-profit basis Rural hospitals make an important contribution to rural economies; expansion and diversification of the services that they offer will be important in their survival The quality of care provided in rural hospitals is generally equal to that provided by urban institutions, with some exceptions
Chalcogenide Glasses and their Photosensitivity: Engineered Materials for Device Applications

Chalcogenide glasses are widely used in device applications which capitalize on their unique linear and nonlinear optical properties, and infrared transparency. The role of the glass’ photosensitivity in device fabrication and eventual use, is discussed.
Visual cortical mechanisms of perceptual grouping: interacting layers, networks, columns, and maps

The visual cortex has a laminar organization whose circuits form functional columns in cortical maps. How this laminar architecture supports visual percepts is not well understood. A neural model proposes how the laminar circuits of V1 and V2 generate perceptual groupings that maintain sensitivity to the contrasts and spatial organization of scenic cues. The model can decisively choose which groupings cohere and survive, even while balanced excitatory and inhibitory interactions preserve contrast-sensitive measures of local boundary likelihood or strength. In the model, excitatory inputs from lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) activate layers 4 and 6 of V1. Layer 6 activates an on-center off-surround network of inputs to layer 4. Together these layer 4 inputs preserve analog sensitivity to LGN input contrasts. Layer 4 cells excite pyramidal cells in layer 2/3, which activate monosynaptic long-range horizontal excitatory connections between layer 2/3 pyramidal cells, and short-range disynaptic inhibitory connections mediated by smooth stellate cells. These interactions support inward perceptual grouping between two or more boundary inducers, but not outward grouping from a single inducer. These boundary signals feed back to layer 4 via the layer 6-to-4 on-center off-surround network. This folded feedback joins cells in different layers into functional columns while selecting winning groupings. Layer 6 in V1 also sends top-down signals to LGN using an on-center off-surround network, which suppresses LGN cells that do not receive feedback, while selecting, enhancing, and synchronizing activity of those that do. The model is used to simulate psychophysical and neurophysiological data about perceptual grouping, including various Gestalt grouping laws.
Study of the formation of self-assembled monolayers on nitinol.

Shape memory alloys such as nitinol (NiTi) have gained interest due to their unique and unusual properties of thermal shape memory, superelasticity, and good damping properties. Nitinol is mainly used for medical purposes. In order to control the surface properties of this alloy, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were formed and characterized on the native oxide surface of nitinol for the first time. Factors which affect the formation of SAMs, such as head group functionality, chain length, and tail group functionality, were varied and analyzed. Functionalized alkyl phosphonic acid molecules (OH, COOH, and CH3) formed monolayers on the nitinol surface using a simple deposition method resulting in the molecules being ordered and strongly bound to the surface. Diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT), contact angle goniometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) were used to characterize the surfaces before an...
The effects of matrices of paired substitutions in mid-acceptor stem on Drosophila tRNA(His) structure and end-processing.

Abstract End-maturation reactions, in which the 5′ end leader and 3′ end trailer of precursor tRNA are removed by RNase P and 3′-tRNase, respectively, are early, essential steps in eukaryotic precursor tRNA processing. End-processing enzymes may be expected to contact the acceptor stem of tRNA due to its proximity to both cleavage sites. We constructed matrices of pair-wise substitutions in mid-acceptor stem at nt 3/70 and 4/69 of Drosophila tRNAHis and analyzed their ability to be processed by Drosophila RNase P and 3′-tRNase. In accord with our earlier study of D/T loop processing matrices, we find that tRNA end processing enzymes respond to sequence changes differently. More processing defects were observed with 3′-tRNase than with RNase P, and substitutions at 4/69 reduced processing more than those at 3/70. We evaluated tRNA folding using structure probing nucleases and investigated the contribution of KM and VMax to the processing efficiency of selected variants. In one substitution (C3A), mis-folding correlates with processing defects. In another (C69A), a disruption of structure appears to be transmitted laterally to both ends of the acceptor stem. Poor processing of C69A by RNase P is due entirely to a reduction in VMax, but for 3′-tRNase, it is due to an increase in KM.
Safety of Intracoronary γ-Radiation on Uninjured Reference Segments During the First 6 Months After Treatment of In-Stent Restenosis A Serial Intravascular Ultrasound Study

Background —The effects of endovascular irradiation on uninjured reference segments during the treatment of in-stent restenosis are unknown. Methods and Results —In the Washington Radiation for In-Stent restenosis Trial (WRIST), patients with in-stent restenosis were first treated with conventional catheter-based techniques and then randomized (blinded) to receive either γ-irradiation ( 192 Ir) or a placebo (dummy seeds). We identified all patients in whom the active (n=19) or dummy seeds (n=19) extended >10 mm proximal and distal to the in-stent restenosis lesion. Serial (postirradiation and follow-up) external elastic membrane (EEM), lumen, and plaque and media (EEM−lumen) areas were measured (using intravascular ultrasound) every 1 mm over 5-mm-long reference segments that were 6 to 10 mm proximal and distal to the in-stent restenosis lesion. During follow-up, a similar small increase occurred in the plaque and media area in the proximal and distal reference segments in both 192 Ir and placebo patients. However, in the 192 Ir patients, an increase in both proximal and distal EEM area occurred; as a result, no change in lumen area occurred. Conversely, in the placebo patients, the proximal reference EEM area decreased, and no change occurred in the distal reference EEM area; this contributed to a decrease in lumen area. Conclusions —There was no evidence of a deleterious effect of γ-irradiation on angiographically normal uninjured reference segments in the first 6 months after the treatment of in-stent restenosis.
Franck Bulinge, De L'Espionnage au Renseignement: Le France à l'Âge de l'Information

The field of intelligence studies has expanded steadily in France in the last decade,1 and Franck Bulinge's contribution confirms this evolution. The author, a former practitioner turned scholar, e...
Segregation in Dental Gold Casting Alloys

The electron microprobe was used to determine concentration differences of alloys by line scanning. The coefficient of variation was used to quantitatively define the degree of segregation. Palladium was found to segregate the most; gold and platinum, the least. There was no difference in segregation between fine- and coarse-grained alloys.
Experimental investigation of a charring ablative material exposed to combined convective and radiative heating.

Charring ablative materials effectiveness in combined convective and radiative heating as reentry shield
Development of a feature-based and object-oriented concurrent engineering system

Product information modeling is critical to the integration of mechanical CAD/CAM systems and to the implementation of a concurrent engineering system. This paper presents a recent development of a feature-based and object-oriented concurrent engineering system with its focus on a product information modeling technique implemented in the system. The technique was developed to capture product definition data including form features and their spatial relationships and to store them as an object-oriented information model during the design process. The paper also describes the implementation of the information modeling technique and its application to manufacturing process planning in an object-oriented environment.