cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
equate: Observed-Score Linking and Equating in R.

Linking and equating are statistical procedures used to convert scores from one measurement scale to another. These procedures are most often used in testing programs that involve multiple test forms, where adjustments are made for form difficulty differences when creating a measurement scale that is common across forms. Linking and equating methods are traditionally distinguished by the type of scores they are applied to, whether observed scores or scores from an item response theory model. Methods are also distinguished by the study design under which measurements are taken. The R package equate (Albano, 2014) is free, open-source software for conducting observed-score linking and equating under single-group, equivalentgroups, and nonequivalent-groups designs with one or more anchor tests. The equate package estimates identity, mean, linear, and equipercentile equating functions (Kolen & Brennan, 2014); general linear functions (Albano, 2015); circle-arc functions (Livingston & Kim, 2009); and composites of these. Equating methods include nominal-weights (Babcock, Albano, & Raymond, 2012), Tucker, Levine observed-score, Levine truescore, Braun/Holland, frequency estimation, and chained equating. Plotting and summary methods are also provided, along with methods for multivariate loglinear presmoothing and for (parametric) bootstrap error estimation. The equate package is available for Linux, Mac, and Windows within the statistical environment R (R Core Team, 2015). Source and binary versions of the package and user manual are distributed free via the comprehensive R archival network, online at https://cran.r-project.org/. The latest development version of the package can be obtained online at https://github.com/
Predictors of Lymphatic Spread in Prostatic Adenocarcinoma: Uro-Oncology Research Group Study

AbstractThere were 122 patients with biopsy-proved adenocarcinoma of the prostate and negative radioisotopic bone scan who were subjected to lymphangiography, determination of serum prostatic acid phosphatase, measurement of the size of the lesion, recent pathologic grading of the needle biopsy of the primary tumor and staging pelvic node dissection. The purpose of this study was to determine which of these variables would be most accurate in predicting the presence or absence of positive nodes. Patients with a Gleason scale of less than 5 had only a 13 per cent chance of having positive nodes, whereas patients with a high Gleason scale of 9 or 10 had a 100 per cent chance of having positive nodes. Lymphangiography, size of the prostatic lesion and serum acid phosphatase were not sufficiently accurate to act as predictors of lymphatic extension and precluded the necessity for staging pelvic node dissection.
Improved tolerance to ischemia in hypertrophied myocardium by preischemic enhancement of adenosine triphosphate.

In prior studies from this laboratory to determine the mechanisms whereby hypertrophied myocardium is more sensitive to ischemic injury than normal myocardium, it was demonstrated that hypertrophied rat hearts have lower basal high-energy phosphate levels and develop ischemic contracture sooner than normal myocardium. The purposes of this study were (1) to determine if the decrease in myocardial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was associated with the increased rate of ischemic contracture and (2) to determine if arrest and perfusion of hypertrophied myocardium prior to the ischemic interval would allow recovery of high-energy phosphate stores and improve tolerance to ischemia. ATP levels were measured in isolated normal and hypertrophied rat hearts during (1) control nonworking Langendorff perfusion, (2) 2 minutes of potassium chloride-arrested perfusion (30 mEq/L), or (3) 15 minutes of potassium chloride-arrested perfusion (30 mEq/L). Both groups were then made globally ischemic (37° C) and the time to ischemic contracture recorded. Hypertrophied hearts were produced by permanent banding of the ascending aorta and confirmed by left ventricular (mg)/body weight (gm) ratios (normal, 1.95 wet; hypertrophy, 3.25 wet, p
Integrating Real-Time Drawing and Writing Diagnostic Models: An Evidence-Centered Design Framework for Multimodal Science Assessment

Interactively modeling science phenomena enables students to develop rich conceptual understanding of science. While this understanding is often assessed through summative, multiple-choice instruments, science notebooks have been used extensively in elementary and secondary grades as a mechanism to promote and reveal reflection through both drawing and writing. Although each modality has been studied individually, obtaining a comprehensive view of a student's conceptual understanding requires analyses of knowledge represented across both modalities. Evidence-centered design ECD provides a framework for diagnostic measurement of data collected from student interactions with complex learning environments. This work utilizes ECD to analyze a corpus of elementary student writings and drawings collected with a digital science notebook. First, a competency model representing the core concepts of each exercise, as well as the curricular unit as a whole, was constructed. Then, evidence models were created to map between student written and drawn artifacts and the shared competency model. Finally, the scores obtained using the evidence models were used to train a deep-learning based model for automated writing assessment, as well as to develop an automated drawing assessment model using topological abstraction. The findings reveal that ECD provides an expressive unified framework for multimodal assessment of science learning with accurate predictions of student learning.
Why Tensor Calculus

“Mathematics is a language.” Thus was the response of the great American scientist J. Willard Gibbs when asked at a Yale faculty meeting whether mathematics should really be as important a part of the undergraduate curriculum as classical languages.
Control of clustering behavior in anionic cerium(III) corrole complexes: from oligomers to monomers

The first synthesis of anion capped cerium corrole complexes is reported. Unusual clustering of the lanthanide corrole units has been found and the degree of aggregation can be controlled by the choice of the capping ligand. A polymeric structure 1a, with the general formula [Cor–Ce(THF)–Cp–Na]n (Cor = 5,15-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-10-(4 methoxyphenyl)-corrole, THF = tetrahydrofuran), is formed using sodium cyclopentadienide (NaCp) and a dimeric structure 2a, with the general formula [Cor–Ce–Tp]2, is formed when potassium tris(pyrazolyl)borate (KTp) is used. Encapsulation of the counter-cation leads to the isolation of the monomeric structures 1b and 2b, with the general formulas [AM(2.2.2-cryptand)][Cor–Cp–X] (AM = Na or K, X = Cp or Tp). The structural and spectroscopic properties of the complexes have been investigated.
Herbert’s pepper corn: Responsibility and reciprocity in The Temple:

In common with medieval piety and the theology of Richard Baxter, George Herbert’s lyrics express a responsive amor Dei or desire for God, required of humans if faith is to be maintained. In Herber...
Measures of coherence-generating power for quantum unital operations

Given an orthonormal basis $B$ in a $d$-dimensional Hilbert space and a unital quantum operation $\mathcal{E}$ acting on it, one can define a nonlinear mapping that associates with $\mathcal{E}$ a $d\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}d$ real-valued matrix that we call the coherence matrix of $\mathcal{E}$ with respect to $B$. This is the Gram matrix of the coherent part of the basis projections of $B$ under $\mathcal{E}$. We show that one can use this coherence matrix to define vast families of measures of the coherence-generating power (CGP) of the operation. These measures have a natural geometrical interpretation as separation of $\mathcal{E}$ from the set of incoherent unital operations. The probabilistic approach to CGP discussed in P. Zanardi et al. [Phys. Rev. A 95, 052306 (2017).] can be reformulated and generalized, introducing, alongside the coherence matrix, another $d\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}d$ real-valued matrix, the simplex correlation matrix. This matrix describes the relevant statistical correlations in the input ensemble of incoherent states. Contracting these two matrices, one finds CGP measures associated with the process of preparing the given incoherent ensemble and processing it with the chosen unital operation. Finally, in the unitary case, we discuss how these concepts can be made compatible with an underlying tensor product structure by defining families of CGP measures that are additive.
Evaluating Interactive Graphical Encodings for Data Visualization

User interfaces for data visualization often consist of two main components: control panels for user interaction and visual representation. A recent trend in visualization is directly embedding user interaction into the visual representations. For example, instead of using control panels to adjust visualization parameters, users can directly adjust basic graphical encodings ( e.g. , changing distances between points in a scatterplot) to perform similar parameterizations. However, enabling embedded interactions for data visualization requires a strong understanding of how user interactions influence the ability to accurately control and perceive graphical encodings. In this paper, we study the effectiveness of these graphical encodings when serving as the method for interaction. Our user study includes 12 interactive graphical encodings . We discuss the results in terms of task performance and interaction effectiveness metrics.
Monitoring of Patients on Second-Generation Antipsychotics: A National Survey of Child Psychiatrists

Objective:The survey assessed self-reported monitoring by child psychiatrists of children prescribed second-generation antipsychotics, facilitators and barriers to monitoring, and steps taken to adhere to monitoring.Methods:The authors anonymously surveyed 4,144 U.S. child psychiatrists. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regressions were utilized to describe results and identify correlates of monitoring.Results:Among responders (N=1,314, 32%), over 95% were aware of all guidelines, over 80% agreed with most guidelines, but less than 20% had adopted and adhered to most guidelines. Awareness of guidelines, working within an academic practice, and fewer years in practice predicted adherence.Conclusions:Child psychiatrists have generally not adopted the guidelines for monitoring children on second-generation antipsychotics. Interventions to improve monitoring should target child psychiatrists in nonacademic practices and those who have been out of training for longer periods. Future research should a...
Users’ Trust in Automation: A Cultural Perspective

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technologies, people have more opportunities to interact and/or collaborate with smart automatic agents than ever before. To establish a successful relationship between humans and automation, trust plays a critical role. Therefore, our understandings of why and how people place and calibrate their trust toward intelligent automation become important but challenging issues. This present paper investigates people’s trust in automation from a culture perspective. We conducted an online survey to measure people’s general trust in automation and multiple dimensions of cultural tendencies. Our results indicate significant correlations between certain cultural tendencies and trust in automation. For instance, we found that people with more beliefs in horizontal collectivism and individualism also incline to have higher trust in automation. The multiple regression analysis also discovered predictable effects of cultural tendencies on people’s trust in automation. These findings are further discussed in this presentation.
Have community health workers increased the delivery of maternal and child healthcare in India

Background Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) are community health workers in rural India. This study estimates the proportion of villages with an ASHA and examines the impact of increased ASHA placement on changes in healthcare. Methods Information about ASHA placement and maternal and child healthcare was obtained from the District-Level Household Surveys from 2007 to 2008 and 2012 to 2013. In this ecological analysis, the difference in district-level proportions of maternal and child healthcare outcomes between 2012-13 and 2007-08 was regressed onto the difference in ASHA placement between those years. Results Within 218 districts from 21 states, the average proportion of villages with an ASHA increased from 39.1 to 76.2%, unmet need for family planning increased from 14.7 to 22.4%, institutional delivery increased from 61.6 to 82.5%, and full immunization coverage decreased from 71.2 to 65.1%. A 1% increase in ASHA placement resulted in 0.05% less unmet need for family planning and 0.22% more full immunization, but no changes in institutional delivery. Conclusions ASHAs provide essential services to their community by acting as a conduit to healthcare services, but they may require more training about certain services like promoting institutional delivery to be effective in increasing access to these health services.
An Analysis of Diabetes Mobile Applications Features Compared to AADE7™: Addressing Self-Management Behaviors in People With Diabetes.

Background:Diabetes self-management (DSM) applications (apps) have been designed to improve knowledge of diabetes and self-management behaviors. However, few studies have systematically examined if diabetes apps followed the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) Self-Care Behaviors™ guidelines. The purpose of this study was to compare the features of current DSM apps to the AADE7™ guidelines.Methods:In two major app stores (iTunes and Google Play), we used three search terms “diabetes,” “blood sugar,” and “glucose” to capture a wide range of diabetes apps. Apps were excluded based on five exclusion criteria. A multidisciplinary team analyzed and classified the features of each app based on the AADE7™. We conducted interviews with six diabetes physicians and educators for their opinions on the distribution of the features of DSM apps.Results:Out of 1050 apps retrieved, 173 apps were identified as eligible during November 2015 and 137 apps during December 2017. We found an unbalanced DSM app dev...
PULSATING MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC FLOW IN AN ANNULAR CHANNEL

Pulsating laminar flow of a viscous incompressible electrically conducting fluid in an annular channel between two infinitely long circular cylinders under a radial impressed magnetic field is considered. The solutions of magnetohydrodynamic equations have been obtained on the assumption that the space between two cylinders is small compared to their mean radius. The solutions were also obtained on the assumption of small magnetic Reynolds number with special consideration of those for low and high frequencies.
Comparison of Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Performed in the Catheterization Laboratory (Minimalist Approach) Versus Hybrid Operating Room (Standard Approach): Outcomes and Cost Analysis

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to compare transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TF TAVR) performed in a catheterization laboratory (minimalist approach [MA]) with TF TAVR performed in a hybrid operating room (standard approach [SA]). Background A MA-TF TAVR can be performed without general anesthesia, transesophageal echocardiography, or a surgical hybrid room. The outcomes and cost of MA-TF TAVR compared with those of the SA have not been described. Methods Patients who underwent elective, percutaneous TF TAVR using the Edwards Sapien valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) were studied. Baseline characteristics, outcomes, and hospital costs of MA-TF TAVR and SA-TF TAVR were compared. Results A total of 142 patients were studied (MA-TF TAVR, n = 70 and SA-TF TAVR, n = 72). There were no differences in baseline comorbidities (Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, 10.6 ± 4.3 vs. 11.4 ± 5.8; p = 0.35). All procedures in the MA-TF TAVR group were successful; 1 patient was intubated. Three patients in the SA-TF TAVR group had procedure-related death. Procedure room time (150 ± 48 min vs. 218 ± 56 min, p Conclusions MA-TF TAVR can be performed with minimal morbidity and mortality and equivalent effectiveness compared with SA-TF TAVR. The shorter length of stay and lower resource use with MA-TF TAVR significantly lowers hospital costs.
Plasma insulin-like growth factor-I, CA-125, estrogen, and progesterone in women with leiomyomas

Objective To determine plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), CA-125, estrone (E 1 ), E 2 , and P in women with uterine leiomyomas compared with normal women. Design Women with leiomyomas were compared with normal women (control). Setting University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Patients Fifty-one premenopausal women with uterine myomas>14weeks gestation and 30 normal fertile women (controls) were studied. Peripheral blood samples were obtained before myomectomy or hysterectomy and during the nonmenstruating phase in the controls. Main Outcome Measures Plasma levels of E 1 , E 2 , P, CA-125, and IGF-I were determined by specific and sensitive RIAs and immunoradiometric assays. Results Plasma IGF-I levels were 2,006±185mU/mL (mean±SEM, n=35) and 2,335±287mU/mL (n=16) in women with leiomyomas during the follicular and luteal phases, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for normal women were 1,702±120 (n=30) and 1,774±239mU/mL (n=30). Similarly, plasma CA-125 levels were unchanged in women with leiomyomas (myomas: 18.8±2.4, 21.5±3.7 U/mL; normal: 15.9±1.5, 15.8±1.3 U/mL during follicular and luteal phases, respectively). Women with leiomyomas had plasma E l , E 2 , and P levels during the follicular phase (91.9±11.5pg/mL; conversion factor to SI unit, 3.699; 94.6±19.0pg/mL; conversion factor to SI unit, 3.671; and 1.5±0.4ng/mL; conversion factor to SI unit, 3.180, respectively) and the luteal phase (105.8±11.2pg/mL; conversion factor to SI unit, 3.699; 128.7±24.8pg/mL; conversion factor to SI unit, 3.671; and 9.6±1.6ng/mL; conversion factor to SI unit, 3.180) similar to normal women. Conclusion Plasma levels of IGF-I, CA-125, E 1 , E 2 , and P are normal in women with leiomyomas.
A virtual filesystem approach to storage, analysis and delivery of volumetric image data for connectomics

Biology and medicine are increasingly driven by analyses of 3D and time series imagery for studies that are not possible with 2D images. Structural data required for building spatially realistic cell and connectomics models are particularly demanding of both resolution and spatial extent. Image capture methods for optical and electron microscopy at gigapixel per second rates are now routine. In combination these factors can currently produce hundreds of terabytes per specimen at data densities up to 1 PB per cubic mm of tissue. New techniques are needed to economically handle these speeds and data scales and to distribute results for on-demand analyses by researchers and students nationwide. A virtual volume file system (VVFS) approach to these problems is suggested by trends in the economics of computation and data storage along with typical data access patterns. In recent years improvements in the speed and cost of computation have dramatically outpaced gains in storage cost and performance. This is particularly true in GPGPU computation where data bandwidth is often the limiting factor for overall throughput. The essence of this VVFS mechanism is to apply on-the-fly computation to replace redundant data storage in critical operations such as registration, rendering and automated recognition. This is accomplished using the Linux Filesystem in UserSpace (FUSE) mechanism to provide file compatible interfaces to programs that operate from data files. This interface produces the appropriate content on-demand as applications such as TensorFlow or other analysis systems access the virtual files. The VVFS provides a flexible framework for connecting multiple program units into large scale applications while also reducing redundant data storage. By moving computation directly into the access path it minimizes data traffic while processing only those parts of the virtual data which end user applications consume.
Controlled Under-Sampling with Majority Voting Ensemble Learning for Class Imbalance Problem

Class imbalance problem has been a widely studied problem in data mining. In this paper, we present a new filter approach to the class imbalance problem that uses repeated under-sampling to create balanced data sets and then uses majority voting ensemble type learning to create a meta-classifier. We test our method on five imbalanced data sets and compare its performance with that of three other techniques. We show that our method significantly improves the prediction accuracy of the under-represented class while also reducing the gap in prediction accuracy between the two classes.
Combining Instructional Activities for Sense-Making Processes and Perceptual-Induction Processes Involved in Connection-Making Among Multiple Visual Representations

Connection-making among multiple representations is a crucial but difficult competence in STEM learning. Prior research has focused on one type of learning process involved in connection-making: se...
Supporting the Geriatric Critical Care Patient: Decision Making, Understanding Outcomes, and the Role of Palliative Care

Geriatric admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU) are common and require unique considerations for ICU clinicians. Admission to the ICU should be considered on an individual-patient basis. It is reasonable to consider a "trial of critical care" for many patients, even those who have uncertain chances of meaningful recovery. Quality of life and functional independence are especially important to older adults, and these outcomes should be considered when weighing the risks and benefits of admission or continuing ICU care.
Utilization Management and Pricing of Parking Facilities Under Uncertain Demand and User Decisions

Excessive search for parking spots in congested areas contributes to additional travel delays and negative socio-economic impacts. While managing parking utilization to address the agency’s objectives, it is often very beneficial to reflect the diversity of users’ behaviors and their travel choices. This paper develops a stochastic dynamic parking management model, under competitive user-agency perceptions and uncertain user demand and parking occupancy, to simultaneously minimize the total travelers’ costs and maximize the parking agency’s revenue. The problem is formulated into a dynamic programming model and solved using a stochastic look-ahead technique based on the Monte Carlo tree search algorithm to determine optimal actions on parking price assignment and spot utilization over time. The numerical experiments on a hypothetical and empirical case study are conducted to show the performance of the proposed algorithm and to draw managerial insights. The results are compared with those of benchmark algorithms, which indicate that the proposed methodology can determine near-optimal solutions efficiently.
Stop the Bleed Training: Rescuer Skills, Knowledge, and Attitudes of Hemorrhage Control Techniques

Abstract Background Bystanders play a significant role in the immediate management of life-threatening hemorrhage. The Stop the Bleed (STB) program was designed to train lay rescuers (LRs) to identify and control life-threatening bleeding. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of STB training for rescuers from different backgrounds. We hypothesized that STB training would be appropriate to increase skills and knowledge of bleeding control techniques for all providers, regardless of level of medical training. Study design Course participants anonymously self-reported confidence in six major areas. A five-point Likert scale was used to quantitate participant's self-reported performance. Results were stratified into medical rescuers (MR) and LRs. Students' ability to perform STB skills were objectively assessed using an internally validated 15-point objective assessment tool. Data were pooled and analyzed using Student's t-test and chi-Squared test with P Results A total of 1974 participants were included in the study. Precourse confidence was lowest for both groups in management of active severe bleeding and ability to pack a bleeding wound. Postcourse confidence improved significantly for both groups in all 6 core areas measured (P Conclusions This study provides quantitative evidence that Stop the Bleed training is effective, with both LRs and MRs demonstrating improved confidence and skill proficiency after a 1-h course. Future program development should focus on building a pool of instructors, continued training of LRs, and determining how often skills should be recertified.
What Racism Has to Do with It: Understanding and Reducing Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Youth of Color

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are high in populations of color compared to Whites. High-risk sexual behaviors are widely viewed as the key contributors to the levels of STDs, especially in adolescents and young adults. This article situates the sexual risk behaviors of Black, Indigenous, and other young people of color within the framework of racism. It begins with an overview of racial inequities in common STDs and shows how racism gives rise to several risk factors for high-risk sexual behaviors. These risk factors for STDs identified in prior research are best understood as adaptations to the challenges and constraints faced by youth in socially disadvantaged environments. Both social adversity and the mental health problems that it triggers can lead to risky sexual behaviors. Drawing on findings from prior research with youth of color, this paper describes the needed interventions that can markedly reduce STDs and their risk factors. It also describes needed research on interventions that could contribute to the knowledge and understanding of the adverse conditions fueled by racism that affect youth of color, their health, and their communities.
Using the Thomson Jumping Ring to Study the Effect of Eddy Currents and Skin Depth on Ring Jump Height

Since its debut in Elihu Thomson’s 1886 article “Novel Phenomena of Alternating Currents,” the Thomson jumping ring apparatus has been a popular and captivating demonstration of magnetic induction. The components are quite simple. There is a solenoid, an iron core, and a ring. The demonstration usually begins with the professor saying something along the lines of, “An alternating current introduced to the solenoid will create a changing magnetic field, which induces a current in the ring in such a way to oppose the changing flux of the magnetic field responsible for the creation of the ring current. This will make the ring jump!” The professor then turns a switch, the ring is instantaneously launched into the air, and a classroom of students is amazed. The behavior of the demonstration is then attributed Lenz’s law and the lecture moves on.
Non-crisis related pain occurs in adult patients with sickle cell disease despite chronic red blood cell exchange transfusion therapy.

BACKGROUND Chronic red blood cell transfusions reduce acute care utilization for sickle cell disease (SCD) pain. However, little is known about whether chronic transfusions treat or prevent the development of non-crisis pain. We investigated patient-report of pain in adults with SCD receiving chronic exchange transfusions (CET) compared to adults not on CET with similar disease characteristics. STUDY METHOD AND DESIGN Eleven participants receiving chronic exchange transfusion (CET) for at least one year were compared to 33 participants not receiving CET. Participants completed validated patient-reported outcomes regarding pain impact and quality of life at regularly scheduled visits or before CET. One year of health care utilization and opioid prescriptions were examined. RESULTS After 1:1 propensity matching was performed for age, genotype, WBC and neutrophil counts, patients on CET had lower Pain Impact scores (-5.1, p = 0.03) and higher Neuropathic (7.4, p < 0.001) and Nociceptive Pain Quality (3.7, p < 0.001) scores, all indicating worse pain. However, CET was associated with a reduction in annual all cause admissions (-3.1, p < 0.001), length of stay (-2.1 days, p < 0.001) and ED visits (-2.7, p < 0.001). CET was not associated with differences in opioids dispensed. CONCLUSIONS After adjusting for disease characteristics, CET was associated with worse pain impact and neuropathic and nociceptive pain quality, lower health care utilization and with similar levels of opioids dispensed. This data suggest that CET may reduce hospitalizations for acute pain but may not adequately treat nociceptive or neuropathic pain in SCD.
ANESTHETIC RELEASE OF SEED DORMANCY—AN OVERVIEW

ABSTRACT Anesthetic-type compounds enhance the germination of dormant seeds of several plant species. The most effective compounds are ethanol, ethyl ether, and chloroform, which are used either in aqueous solutions or as vapors. They interact strongly with phytochrome in promotion of seed germination by light. The activities of the compounds are considered to arise from influences on the seed membranes.
Kangaroo rat burrows structure the spatial organization of ground-dwelling animals in a semiarid grassland

Burrow systems constructed by banner-tailed kangaroo rats provide important refuges for ground-dwelling animals to escape from harsh surface conditions. Animal abundance was quantified by pitfall trapping. Two species of lizards and several groups of invertebrates were significantly more abundant at burrow systems than in the intervening grassland. Many other animals used the burrow systems, but did not exhibit differential abundance. The kangaroo rat creates habitat patches that are abiotically moderate and contain high concentrations of food resources. These patches become focal points of animal activity and may be important in maintaining species diversity in this habitat.
Best Paper Award winners [ITC 2013 Paper Awards & ITC 2003 Most Significant Paper Award]

For the 2012 ITC Ned Kornfield Best Paper Award, the awards committee has chosen: "Algorithm for Dramatically Improved Efficiency in ADC Linearity Test" by Z. Yu, and D. Chen of lowa State University. For the Best Student Paper Award the committee has selected: "Design Validation of RTL Circuits Using Evolutionary Swarm Intelligence" M.Li, K. Gent, and M. Hsiao of Virginia Tech. For the 2003 ITC Most Significant Paper Award, the award committee has selected the following paper published at ITC 2003: "A Case Study of IR-Drop in Structured At-Speed Testing" by J. Saxena, K. Butler, V. Jayaram, S. Kundu, N. Arvind, P. Sreeprakash, Texas Instruments; and M. Hachinger, Siemens.
Thrombin receptor activation. Confirmation of the intramolecular tethered liganding hypothesis and discovery of an alternative intermolecular liganding mode.

Cleavage of the thrombin receptor's amino-terminal exodomain at the Arg41/Ser42 peptide bond within the sequence ... LDPR41/S42FLLRN ... is necessary and sufficient for receptor activation by proteases. The synthetic peptide SFLLRN activates the receptor independent of proteolysis. We proposed that the SFLLRN sequence is a tethered peptide ligand; receptor cleavage unmasks this agonist which then binds intramolecularly to effect receptor activation. The alternative hypothesis that receptor cleavage or exogenous SFLLRN effect receptor activation by disrupting tonic inhibitory interactions exerted by the receptor's amino-terminal exodomain has not been excluded. We report that delta AMINO, a mutant thrombin receptor lacking the amino-terminal exodomain, was not constitutively active and responded to SFLLRN but not thrombin when expressed in Xenopus oocytes or mammalian cells. Thrombin signaling was restored when delta AMINO was co-expressed with ATE-CD8 which encoded the receptor's amino-terminal exodomain fused to the transmembrane domain of CD8. Co-expression of a thrombin receptor lacking a functional tethered ligand domain ("F43A") with a non-signaling receptor mutant bearing an intact tethered ligand domain ("YYY") also reconstituted thrombin signaling. However, the EC50 for thrombin activation of cells co-expressing F43A and YYY was > 1000-fold that for cells expressing comparable levels of wild type receptor, while EC50s for activation by SFLLRN were similar. These and other data refute the release from inhibition hypothesis and suggest that while intermolecular liganding between two thrombin receptor molecules can occur, the intramolecular tethered liganding mechanism is the predominant mode of thrombin receptor activation.
Toward an understanding of meaning creation via the collective co‐production process

Co-production has been traditionally studied in the context of industrial and service markets. This study investigates the consumer's search for meaning and fulfillment via one type of co-production, collective co-production. The case study method was utilized to examine knife making from kits. The findings unpack a three-part co-production process (design, production, and consumption) that results in significant identity ramifications for consumers. During the design stage of knife making, the informants shaped their self-concept through social inspiration, creative self-expression, and identification with the primal sense of self. The production stage provided internal validation of the self-concept through a pseudochallenge that was achieved through learning activities. The consumption stage provided external validation of the self-concept as the informants shared their co-production experience with others. Theoretical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Frances Yates and the Hermetic Tradition – By Marjorie G. Jones

British historian Frances Yates [1899–1981] was an extraordinary intellectual. Yet too few young scholars know her work today. Her two great works, Giordino Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition[1964] a...
Quantification of Impacts and Ecosystem Services Loss in New Jersey Coastal Wetlands Due to Hurricane Sandy Storm Surge

The effects of Hurricane Sandy storm surge on wetland degradation and consequent loss of ecosystem services were estimated for coastal wetlands in New Jersey. Research in this field has qualitatively determined the effects of hurricanes on wetlands; however, there has been little quantification of wetland degradation and absolutely no assessment of impact to ecosystem services following a hurricane. Wetland degradation was mapped and quantified by comparing pre- and post-Sandy aerial photography from 2012. Loss of ecosystem services was estimated based on degree of wetland degradation. Our wetland degradation analysis found that the main mechanisms behind degradation were erosion, deposition and marsh salinization. Moderate flooding and marsh dieback were the most prevalent types of damage, and saline marshes and herbaceous wetlands were the most degraded wetland types. Severe degradation was most prevalent, occurring in 41.38 % of the wetlands. In addition, we found that 51.05 % of the degradation was long-term damage. In our ecosystem service loss analysis, we created a range of monetary values to show the distribution of damage. Monetary loss within New Jersey ranged up to $4.4 billion of the total $9.4 billion provided by wetlands (47 %). Our wetland degradation quantification and ecosystem service loss analysis provide insight into the impacts from storm surge damage and offers a novel methodology for remediation and restoration efforts.
Developmental changes in the distribution of rat liver ribosomes in response to dietary manipulations.

Ribosomal profiles were prepared from liver postmitochondrial supernatant preparations of 2- to 21-day old and 60-day-old rats. Rats fed or starved for 3 or 15 to 16 hours were compared. Relative ribosomal distribution, calculated from planimetric analysis of the hepatic ribosomal profiles, was found to be approximately constant at all ages when fed animals were compared. In contrast, starvation for 15 hours resulted in profound changes in ribosomal distribution, i.e., a relative accumulation of oligosomes as compared with polysomes. This change in ribosomal distribution was most extensive in animals younger than 2 weeks of age, 60-day-old rats showing no effect. Refeeding of 6-day-old starved rats with diets containing 10% protein resulted in a prompt decrease in the planimetric yield of monsomes and disomes. Similarly, dietary protein was shown to be required to prevent accumulation of these two species. It is suggested that it is the response of the ribosomal cycle to starvation that changes with age rather than the maximum capacity for protein synthesis.
Practical autonomous path planner for turn-of-the-century planetary microrovers

With the success of Mars Pathfinder's Sojourner rover, a new era of planetary exploration has opened, with demand for highly capable mobile robots. These robots must be able to traverse long distances over rough, unknown terrain autonomously, under severe resource constraints. Based on the authors' firsthand experience with the Mars Pathfinder mission, this paper reviews issues which are critical for successful autonomous navigation of planetary rovers. No currently proposed methodology addresses all of these issues. We next report on the Wedgebug algorithm, which is applicable to planetary rover navigation in SE(2). The Wedgebug algorithm is complete, correct, requires minimal memory for storage of its world model, and uses only on-board sensors, which are guided by the algorithm to efficiently sense only the data needed for motion planning. The implementation of a version of Wedgebug on the Rocky7 Mars Rover prototype at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is described, and experimental results from operation in simulated martian terrain are presented.
Computation of structural error for nonlinear band mechanisms

Abstract This paper presents an algorithm for computing the structural error imposed on the design of band mechanisms by contour imperfections. These mechanisms are very accurate theoretically over their entire range of operation; however, in practice, innate imperfections will appear during their manufacture. Formulae are derived and the effect of the imperfections on the angular output displacement of two nonlinear band mechanisms are presented graphically in terms of percent error. The angular error is subsequently related to bandlength error.
Living with diabetes.

Abstract Diabetes has no cure. Approximately 15.7 million people have diabetes, and an estimated 798,000 new clients are diagnosed each year. In 1995 diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death. More than 10 million clients are known to have diabetes, whereas 5.4 million clients with the disease remain undiagnosed. Table 1 breaks down the prevalence of diabetes by age, gender, and ethnicity.
Essential self-adjointness of operators in ordered hilbert space

LetH0≧0 be a self-adjoint operator acting in a spaceL2(M, μ). It is assumed thatH0e=0, wheree is strictly positive, and that exp(−tH0) is positivity preserving fort≧0. LetV be a real function onM such that its positive part is inL2(M,e2μ) and its negative part is relatively small with respect toH0. ThenH=H0+V is essentially self-adjoint on the intersection of the domains ofH0 andV. This result is applied to Schrodinger operators and to quantum field Hamiltonians.
Unique Topographical Distribution of M Cells Underlies Reentrant Mechanism of Torsade de Pointes in the Long-QT Syndrome

Background— Specific ion channel mutations underlie the congenital long-QT syndrome (LQTS). However, the mechanisms by which dysfunction at the molecular level translates into functional electrical instability leading to torsade de pointes (TdP) in LQTS are poorly understood. Methods and Results— The cellular basis of TdP was investigated using a novel approach of transmural optical imaging in the canine wedge preparation (n=14). The spatial organization of repolarization and arrhythmogenesis were determined in a surrogate model of LQT2. Action potentials were recorded simultaneously from 128 sites spanning the transmural wall of the left ventricle. In LQT2, QT interval prolongation was paralleled by an abrupt rise in transmural dispersion of repolarization (DOR) from 2.7±0.9 ms/mm (controls) to 12.2±2.1 ms/mm (LQT2). Islands of midmyocardial (M) cells formed zones of increased refractoriness in LQT2, producing steep spatial gradients of repolarization that were directly responsible for conduction block a...
False Negative Urea Breath Tests with H2-Receptor Antagonists: Interactions Between Helicobacter pylori Density and pH

Background. We studied the effects of famotidine, sodium bicarbonate, and citric acid on the 13C-urea breath test (UBT). Methods. Helicobacter pylori-infected volunteers received a UBT, 40 mg of famotidine at bedtime, and a second UBT (pudding test meal, 648 mg NaHCO 3 tablet then 125 mg of urea in 200 ml of water containing 650 mg of NaHCO 3 ). Experiment 2 consisted of four UBTs. Two were standard citric acid UBTs with 75 mg of urea and 2 g citric acid and two were sequential bicarbonate-citric acid UBTs. Sequential UBTs consisted of administration of a 648 mg bicarbonate tablet with 50 g of Polycose in 200 ml of water. Five minutes later, 125 mg of 13C-urea was given in 75 ml of water containing 650 mg of NaHCO 3 . Breath samples were collected after 15 minutes. Then, to acutely acidify the stomach, 4 g of citric acid was given in 200 ml of water. A second breath sample was collected 15 minutes after the citric acid. The standard UBTs were done before and after 6 days of famotidine (40 mg b.i.d.). Sequential UBTs were done after 1 and 6 days of famotidine therapy. Gastric biopsies for histology, culture, and mucosal cytokines were assessed before and after 6 days of famotidine. Results. Eighteen subjects participated, 10 in each experiment; seven had endoscopy with biopsy. Famotidine/ bicarbonate resulted an ∼50% fall in UBT values ( p = .021) with 10% becoming negative. The gastric pH increased from 5.1 ± 0.5 to 6.7 ± 0.2 ( p = .03) although no pH value predicted the occurrence of false negative results. Under famotidine acid suppression, NaHCO 3 reduced the delta over baseline (DOB) by 63% (p = .021). This was reversed with citric acid. Histology showed a H 2 -receptor antagonist-associated increase in the depth of gastric corpus inflammation. Conclusions. H 2 -receptor antagonists differ from proton pump inhibitors as high intragastric pH may cause a reduction in urease activity, unrelated to a reduced bacterial load and reversed by citric acid.
The Role of Mentoring in Early Career Development of Forest Service Fisheries Biologists

Abstract A survey of fisheries biologists employed 1–6 years with the USDA-Forest Service found that the majority (72%) had mentors. Results confirm the hypothesis that mentors play an important, positive role in career development and job satisfaction of most young biologists. The roles these entry-level professionals said they needed their mentors to fill were to: (1) help develop values/ethics, (2) encourage achievement of professional and/or career potentials, (3) be a role model, and (4) sponsor Forest Service advancement. Survey respondents felt most of their mentors adequately fulfilled these needs, and those with mentors consistently expressed high job satisfaction and optimism about future Forest Service careers.
Brain MRI in peripartum seizures: usefulness of combined T2 and diffusion weighted MR imaging

Peripartum seizure is a serious disease with significant morbidity and mortality for women and their unborn children. The underlying etiologies are varied, with eclampsia and venous stroke being the most common causes. T2 weighted MR images of the brain show hyperintense lesions in either condition. Diffusion weighted MR images (DWI) of the brain is abnormal in strokes. We report three cases of eclampsia with abnormal T2 weighted images, but normal DWI. Diffusion weighted MR images in association with T2 weighted MR images can be extremely helpful in evaluation of women with new onset peripartum seizures.
Incentive and feedback effects on target detection: A chronometric analysis of Gray's model of temperament

Abstract Chronometric (i.e. reaction time) techniques were used to investigate the response, arousal, and attentional components of Gray's (1971, 1982) model of temperament. Subjects were tested in a game context, where each trial consisted of an incentive warning signal (positive or negative), a visual detection target (left or right visual field), and a feedback signal (positive or negative). Several findings were consistent with Gray's proposal that extraverts tend to respond impulsively given signals of reward whereas introverts respond with inhibition given signals of punishment. Extraverts made more overall errors than introverts in the first experiment, and more errors following positive incentive signals in the second study. In addition, introverts responded more slowly than extraverts following negative feedback in the first study. Evidence was also found in support of Gray's proposal that introverts allocate more attention to negative cues than extraverts. Following negative feedback, introverts showed a reflexive attentional bias in favor of negative locations in the second experiment. However, no support was found for the temperamental differences in phasic arousal suggested by Gray's model. The magnitude and build up of general alerting effects following positive and negative incentives were similar for introverts and extraverts.
Chemical modifications of the major allergen of ragweed pollen, antigen E☆

Denaturation studies, amino and carboxyl group modifications of the major ragweed pollen allergen antigen E were carried out. The studies show that antigen E consists of two polypeptide chains. These two chains with mol. wt of 21,800 and 15,700 are held together in the native antigen by non-covalent forces, and they can be dissociated in the presence of urea, guanidine hydrochloride or sodium dodecylsulfate. The urea denatured antigen E was about 104-fold less allergenic than the native antigen by direct skin tests on patients. It was a poor immunogen in rabbits, and the anti-sera produced cross reacted weakly with the native antigen. The chemical reactivities of the amino and the carboxyl groups of antigen E on modification suggested that they both can be divided into two classes, the accessible and the inaccessible class. Modification of the accessible amino or carboxyl groups of antigen E did not change markedly its allergenic activity or its reaction with sheep anti-antigen E sera. Modification of both classes of amino or carboxyl groups of antigen E invariably gave aggregated derivatives which showed greatly diminished allergenic activity and lost its capacity to combine with sheep anti-antigen E sera.
Experimental canine Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Previous attempts to produce experimental Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in dogs have resulted in a histologic picture different from classic human Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, have taken an average period of 16 months, and have involved the use of complete Freund’s adjuvant witheach injection. Here, 9 beagle dogs (3 from an inbred colony with a high incidence of thyroiditis and 6 purchased noncolony controls) were injected with 2000 μg I–/day and immunized with a crude, canine thyroid extract without the use of Freund’s adjuvant after the first 2 months. Of the 6 noncolony dogs, 4 developed thyroiditis after 7–8 months, while none of the inbred colony dogs showed damage to the thyroid. Three of the 4 noncolony dogs with induced thyroiditis showed the classic histologic picture of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis including parenchymal infiltration by lymphocytes and plasma cells and striking Hiirthle cell formation. At 11 months after the first immunization, 4 of the 6 noncolony dogs haddeveloped the histologic picture of Ha...