cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prepubertal genistein treatment modulates TGF-α, EGF and EGF-receptor mRNAs and proteins in the rat mammary gland

Abstract We have previously demonstrated that exposure to genistein early in life protects against chemically-induced mammary cancer in rats. To gain insight into the mechanism of action, we have investigated the expression of the EGF-signaling pathway in the mammary glands of 21 and 50 day old rats treated on days 16, 18, and 20 postpartum with 500 μ g genistein/g body weight (B.W.) or an equivalent volume of the vehicle, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). This prepubertal genistein treatment up-regulated TGF- α and the EGF-receptor (EGFR), but not EGF, in mammary terminal ductal structures at day 21 postpartum. TGF- α , EGF and EGFR mRNA levels were similar in 21 day old control- and genistein-treated animals. At day 50 postpartum, mammary glands of genistein treated rats had more lobules and fewer terminal end buds (TEBs) and terminal ducts (TDs), i.e. they were more differentiated. TGF- α mRNA levels were down-regulated in TEB of proestrous and estrous females; EGF mRNA levels were down-regulated in TDs of proestrous, but not in estrous females; and EGFR mRNA levels were not altered in 50 day old proestrous or estrous female rats. EGFR immunostaining intensity was decreased in TEBs, but not in the total gland. EGF was increased in TEBs and TDs. TGF- α , EGF and EGFR were also observed in the stroma and fat pad, but genistein treatment did not alter the expression of these proteins in those locations. TGF- α , but not EGF and EGFR, immunostaining was observed in cell nuclei (not modulated by genistein), suggesting that this growth factor may act directly on nuclear events such as transcription and DNA replication. For comparative purposes, prepubertal diethylstilbestrol treatment was investigated and found to decrease EGFR immunostaining intensity and total IHC staining in all terminal ductal structures. We conclude that prepubertal genistein treatment directly stimulates TGF- α and EGFR to enhance mammary gland differentiation. This programs the differentiated cells for a down-regulated EGF-signaling pathway in TEBs and TDs of adult mammary glands. Reduced EGFR expression at time of carcinogen exposure may account for genistein programming against mammary cancer.
Wounded cells drive rapid epidermal repair in the early Drosophila embryo

Epithelial tissues are protective barriers that display a remarkable ability to repair wounds. Wound repair is often associated with an accumulation of actin and nonmuscle myosin II around the wound, forming a purse string. The role of actomyosin networks in generating mechanical force during wound repair is not well understood. Here we investigate the mechanisms of force generation during wound repair in the epidermis of early and late Drosophila embryos. We find that wound closure is faster in early embryos, where, in addition to a purse string around the wound, actomyosin networks at the medial cortex of the wounded cells contribute to rapid wound repair. Laser ablation demonstrates that both medial and purse-string actomyosin networks generate contractile force. Quantitative analysis of protein localization dynamics during wound closure indicates that the rapid contraction of medial actomyosin structures during wound repair in early embryos involves disassembly of the actomyosin network. By contrast, actomyosin purse strings in late embryos contract more slowly in a mechanism that involves network condensation. We propose that the combined action of two force-generating structures--a medial actomyosin network and an actomyosin purse string--contributes to the increased efficiency of wound repair in the early embryo.
Access To Care Among Displaced Mississippi Residents In FEMA Travel Trailer Parks Two Years After Katrina

The health care needs of Gulf Coast residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 who remain in travel trailer parks nearly three years later have not been evaluated. We conducted a population-based assessment of the health care access of residents of these travel trailer parks in Mississippi. Our findings indicate a worsening of chronic disease, mental illness, and barriers to health care access since displacement. Meeting both the chronic disease and the mental health needs of people displaced by the hurricanes of 2005 is essential for ensuring their full recovery and that of the region.
Thermal properties of power HBT's

Simulations of the thermal behavior of AlGaAs/GaAs HBT power transistors have been carried out to establish the quantitative tradeoff between power density, chip layout and junction temperatures. Numerical programs were used to model different aspects of HBT thermal behavior. These programs provide a dynamic solution for temperature distribution using a three-dimensional model which is very general in its ability to model composite chip cross sections. A model was developed to calculate threshold power densities for thermal instability. Standard and novel methods of controlling maximum temperatures in the devices are explored and evaluated. These methods include flip chip bonding and the use of partial vias. The prevention of thermal instability is described. The thermal time constants are found to have a fast component, on order of a few microseconds, and a slower component that depends on substrate thickness. >
An Efficient k-Means Algorithm on CUDA

The $k$-means algorithm is widely used for unsupervised clustering. This paper describes an efficient CUDA-based $k$-means algorithm. Different from existing GPU-based k-means algorithms, our algorithm achieves better efficiency by utilizing the triangle inequality. Our algorithm explores the trade-off between load balance and memory access coalescing through data layout management. Because the effectiveness of the triangle inequity depends on the input data, we further propose a hybrid algorithm that adaptively determines whether to apply the triangle inequality. The efficiency of our algorithm is validated through extensive experiments, which demonstrate improved performance over existing CPU-based and CUDA-based k-means algorithms, in terms of both speed and scalability.
To Discover or to Create: Metaphors and the True Self

Three studies examined how endorsement of self-discovery and self-creation metaphors influences belief in the true self and its use as meaning source. It was hypothesized that discovery metaphors contribute to belief in the true self and bolster the relationship between true self-knowledge and meaning. Study 1 supported the hypothesis that discovery is positively associated with belief in the true self among a sample of college students (N = 311). Studies 2 and 3 extended the analysis by showing that the discovery metaphor also facilitates perceptions of meaning and the use of the true self specifically as a source of meaning in a second sample of college students (N = 75) as well as an adult sample of university employees (N = 173). Implications for understanding what enables the true self to infuse life with meaning, as well as an individual differences approach to metaphoric cognition, are discussed.
Globally optimal power cycle synthesis via the Infinite-DimEnsionAl State-space (IDEAS) approach featuring minimum area with fixed utility

This paper demonstrates the use of the In%nite DimEnsionAl State space (IDEAS) approach in synthesizing optimal power cycles featuring minimum heat exchange area. IDEAS is used to synthesize power cycle networks which include splitters, mixers, pumps, turbines, and heat exchangers and feature a single or multiple working 8uid(s). The overall synthesis goal is to minimize heat exchange area requirements, while delivering a %xed percentage of the maximum net power obtainable from a given set of hot and cold utilities. The global optimality of the obtained power cycle network con%guration is guaranteed, since IDEAS gives rise to convex (linear) programs. The power of the proposed approach is demonstrated on a case study involving the generation of electricity by a bottoming cycle with a pure ammonia working 8uid. Real thermodynamic data for pure ammonia and rigorous equipment models are employed in carrying out the proposed optimization. ? 2002 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Qualitative Theory of Nonlinear Resonance by Averaging and Dynamical Systems Methods

This paper is a self-contained exposition of the theory of averaging for periodic and quasiperiodic systems, with the emphasis being on the author’s research (part of it joint work with Clark Robinson) on qualitative aspects of nonlinear resonance. Many topics in averaging theory are not covered, among them: averaging for systems more general than quasiperiodic; relations between averaging and multiple time-scale methods; Eckhaus’s approach to averaging; combinations of averaging with matching of asymptotic expansions. The principal question which is addressed is: when does averaging (to first or higher order) lead to an accurate qualitative description of the solutions of the original (unaveraged) equation? By qualitative description we mean both locally (existence and stability of certain invariant sets such as periodic orbits, or almost invariant ‘lingering’ and globally (connecting orbits between invariant sets, or claims that in certain large regions all orbits drift in a certain direction).
Test Score Stability and the Relationship of Adult Manifest Anxiety Scale-College Version Scores to External Variables among Graduate Students.

A sample of 79 individuals participated in the present study to evaluate the test score stability (8-week test-retest interval) and construct validity of the scores of the Adult Manifest Anxiety Sc...
Aging and partial body weight support affects gait variability

Background: Aging leads to increases in gait variability which may explain the large incidence of falls in the elderly. Body weight support training may be utilized to improve gait in the elderly and minimize falls. However, before initiating rehabilitation protocols, baseline studies are needed to identify the effect of body weight support on elderly gait variability. Our purpose was to determine the kinematic variability of the lower extremities in young and elderly healthy females at changing levels of body weight support during walking. Methods: Ten young and ten elderly females walked on a treadmill for two minutes with a body weight support (BWS) system under four different conditions: 1 g, 0.9 g, 0.8 g, and 0.7 g. Threedimensional kinematics was captured at 60 Hz with a Peak Performance high speed video system. Magnitude and structure of variability of the sagittal plane angular kinematics of the right lower extremity was analyzed using both linear (magnitude; standard deviations and coefficient of variations) and nonlinear (structure; Lyapunov exponents) measures. A two way mixed ANOVA was used to evaluate the effect of age and BWS on variability. Results: Linear analysis showed that the elderly presented significantly more variability at the hip and knee joint than the young females. Moreover, higher levels of BWS presented increased variability at all joints as found in both the linear and nonlinear measures utilized. Conclusion: Increased levels of BWS increased lower extremity kinematic variability. If the intent of BWS training is to decrease variability in gait patterns, this did not occur based on our results. However, we did not perform a training study. Thus, it is possible that after several weeks of training and increased habituation, these initial increased variability values will decrease. This assumption needs to be addressed in future investigation with both "healthy" elderly and elderly fallers. In addition, it is possible that BWS training can have a positive transfer effect by bringing overground kinematic variability to healthy normative levels, which also needs to be explored in future studies.
Post-traumatic contracture of the elbow: operative treatment, including distraction arthroplasty

Twenty-six consecutive patients who had post-traumatic contracture of the elbow were treated by operative release alone or by release and distraction arthroplasty, with or without fascial interposition. The type of operative procedure was determined by whether the factors limiting motion were purely extra-articular (extrinsic) or whether they included intra-articular (intrinsic) elements as well. The mean preoperative arc of total motion was 30 degrees (from 63 to 93 degrees of flexion). At follow-up examination, twenty-two to ninety-four months post-operatively, of twenty-five patients, the mean arc of total motion was 96 degrees (from 30 to 126 degrees). There were eight complications in seven (27 per cent) of the patients. Of these, four (avulsion of the triceps tendon, deep infection, and two ulnar-nerve paresthesias) were managed by subsequent operative treatment. The other four complications included drainage from a pin site, which resolved after removal of the pin: a three by two-centimeter skin slough, which spontaneously epithelialized; aseptic resorption of the distal end of the humerus and proximal end of the ulna, which stopped after immobilization and subsequent bracing of the elbow but resulted in moderate instability; and ulnar-nerve paresthesia, which was not operatively treated and persisted. Twenty-four (96 per cent) of the twenty-five patients who were followed for twenty-two months or more were satisfied with the results of the procedure because of the improved facility in carrying out activities of daily living. No patient had increased pain, but two had moderate instability. It was concluded that the results of distraction arthroplasty can be gratifying, but the technique is demanding and the rate of complications is high.
Backpressure Variable Transducer Two Stage EGR Control System

Systeme de commande a deux etages pour recirculation des gaz d'echappement utilisant un capteur pour la pression des gaz d'echappement et pouvant faire varier le taux de recirculation
EVENTS OF REPRODUCTIVE LIFE AND THE INCIDENCE OF EPITHELIAL OVARIAN CANCER

Women resident in six counties of Washington and Utah for whom diagnoses of epithelial ovarian cancer were made during 1975-1979 were interviewed concerning their menstrual, reproductive and medical histories. For comparison, interviews were also obtained from a random sample of women living in the same countries. Logistic regression methods were used, and histories of childbearing, miscarriages, lactation, and (in Washington) usage of oral contraceptives were found to be associated with decreased risk of ovarian cancer; the estimated relative risks were, respectively, 0.88 per pregnancy (i.e., 0.88(2) for two pregnancies, etc.) (p = 0.016), 0.82 per miscarriage (p = 0.049), 0.79 per year of lactation (p = 0.034), and 0.89 per year of oral contraception (p = 0.009). In addition, it was observed that the magnitudes of the diminished risks from these exposures substantially exceeded those which would have been expected solely on the basis of their inhibition of ovulation (X2(5) = 21.5, p = 0.0006). On the other hand, the lack of association found between the occurrence of ovarian cancer and either total dose or total time of exposure to noncontraceptive estrogens, or with a history of usage of thyroid medications, suggests that periods of reduced pituitary gonadotrophin secretion fail to reduce risk of ovarian cancer. Thus, although pregnancy, lactation and oral contraception appear to offer some protection against the development of epithelial ovarian cancer, the reasons remain obscure.
Prescription for the new Pharmaceutical Marketing: Value Relationships

The pharmaceutical industry is undergoing dramatic change. The old ways of doing business by sending waves of detailers into doctors’ offices is giving way to establish value added relationships with powerful buyers and third party payors of healthcare services. Outcomes assessment, cost benefit analyses and risk sharing are being demanded by pharmaceutical firms’ customers in the new channel system for healthcare delivery. Those entities that position themselves as channel systems partners offering systemic solutions will likely dominate the new age of pharmaceutical marketing.
Is magnetic circular dichroism surface sensitive in the manganese perovskites

We compare the magnetization versus temperature, determined by magnetic circular dichroism, with bulk magnetization determined by SQUID magnetometry. The results for two different manganese perovskites, La 0.65 A 0.35 MnO 3 systems (A=Pb, Sr), epitaxially grown on LaAlO 3 substrates compared. The results suggest that the magnetic circular dichroism results may not be representative of the bulk magnetization. Similar materials, but with a different secondary electron mean free path lengths or different surface compositions, may thus be expected to have different behavior in MCD or MXLD that depends on a photoyield for detection.
Effects of surface-passivating ligands and ultrasmall CdSe nanocrystal size on the delocalization of exciton confinement.

Here we report an unprecedentedly large and controllable decrease in the optical band gap (up to 107 nm, 610 meV) of molecule-like ultrasmall CdSe nanocrystals (diameters ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 nm) by passivating their surfaces with conjugated ligands (phenyldithiocarbamates, PDTCs) containing a series of electron-donating and -withdrawing functional groups through a ligand-exchange reaction on dodecylamine (DDA)-coated nanocrystals. This band-edge absorption shift is due to the delocalization of the strongly confined excitonic hole from nanocrystals to the ligand molecular orbitals and not from nanocrystal growth or dielectric constant effects. 1H NMR analysis confirmed that the nanocrystal surface contained a mixed ligation of DDA and PDTC. The effects of the nanocrystal size on the extent of exciton delocalization were also studied and found to be smaller for larger nanocrystals. Modulating the energy level of ligand-passivated ultrasmall nanocrystals and controlling the electronic interaction at the ...
Noise Scaling for Unheated Low Aspect Ratio Rectangular Jets

A unique set of acoustic and fluid dynamic data was obtained for three converging rectangular jets of aspect ratios 1.5, 4.0, and 8.0 and a round nozzle. All four nozzles had the same exit area and were tested in the same facility for static and unheated conditions for a range of subsonic and slightly supersonic Mach numbers. Farfield noise measurements were made for polar angles ranging from 40° to 110° with respect to the jet axis and for azimuthal angles that corresponded to both a flyover and a sideline condition. On a spectral basis, it was found that the rectangular jets were typically louder in the high frequency range and quieter in the low frequency range. Attempts were made to collapse the acoustic data for all of the jets on a non-dimensional basis and thus determine the functional dependency of the noise upon the nozzle geometry. The process of collapsing the acoustic data mirrored a previously performed collapse for round jets. Upon discovering that existing methods for scaling round jet noise would not be sufficient to collapse the rectangular jet noise, additional scaling laws were adopted. Physical justification for the these scaling laws are provided.
Temporal and spatial factors affecting germination of macroconidia of Sporidesmium sclerotivorum

20703-2350 Abstract: Macroconidia of Sporidesmium sclerotivo? rum are stimulated to germinate by sclerotia of Scler? otinia minor. Substantial differences in germination rate were demonstrated among ten isolates of Spori? desmium sclerotivorum. The rate of germination was usually related to the maximum percent germina? tion, i.e. competence, of the strain; strains with a greater proportion of competent macroconidia ger? minated more rapidly. Parameters for stimulating ma? croconidia of a rapidly germinating strain of Spori? desmium sclerotivorum were investigated in vitro and in soil. A single sclerotium stimulated maximum ger? mination of macroconidia in less than one week. Treatment with additional sclerotia increased the de? centimeter in soil. At that distance in soil, but not at 2 centimeters, the expanding germ tube of the my- coparasite was able to reach a sclerotium and infect it. These studies suggest that the mechanism of ger? mination plays a role in the survival of this fastidious mycoparasite, which is useful for biological control of Sclerotinia species.
Existence of MLE for Weibull Distribution with Grouped and Censored Data

In this paper we consider the estimation problem in the situation where the lifetime of some products follows a Weibull distribution, and the observed data are grouped and right-censored. All possible cases are discussed, and a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of the maximum likelihood estimate of the unknown parameters is given. The paper is concluded with a short discussion about one failure situation and about the calculation of the maximum likelihood estimate with a true data set.
Resonance Raman Studies of CH3I Sub-Picosecond Mode-Specific Photodissociation and Radiation-Induced Pure Dephasing Effects

The polarization characteristics of spontaneous resonance Raman (RR) scattering of free rotors are sensitively dependent on the dephasing time of the resonant optical transition. [1] When this time falls in the time regime between a vibrational and rotational period this frequency domain based polarization technique can determine, with considerable precision, vibronically mode specific lifetimes due to ultrafast dynamical processes in excited electronic states. [2] The Raman scattering of methyl iodide vapor excited by radiation resonant with the predissociated Rydberg B-state (201 nm-190 nm) provides an excellent example of this method and reveals rather unexpected quantum specific predissociation effects. [3] Due to the rapid photochemistry all B-state vibronic absorption bands are rotationally diffuse. However, the methyl iodide bond breaking is not so fast as to obscure most vibrational resolution. The goal of these studies is to uncover, on this rapid time scale corresponding to a few vibrational periods, how the photodissociation rate of this isolated molecule depends on excess total vibrational energy above the electronic origin, vibrational symmetry and type of initial nuclear motion excited on the multidimensional electronic surface. It may be anticipated that when statistical descriptions of energy randomization do not apply, unimolecular reaction rates may be enhanced or appear mode selective if the initial excitation can be localized in the apparent reaction coordinate. Such expectations are tested by these studies.
Follower distribution algorithms for leader-follower networks

In this paper, three follower distribution algorithms, (1) shortest-path follower distribution, (2) even follower distribution, and (3) hybrid follower distribution algorithms, are described for arbitrary leader-follower networks with pre-selected leaders. The shortest-path follower distribution algorithm is designed to minimize the path length that connects a leader to its followers while distributing followers among each leader as evenly as possible. It is shown that employing the shortest-path follower distribution algorithm with sorted greedy-based matching provides follower distributions with the smallest variance. The even follower distribution algorithm is designed to prioritize even distribution of followers among leaders over minimization of the length of path between each leader and its followers. The hybrid follower distribution algorithm is designed to prioritize goals according to a user-defined percentage, where increment of the user-defined percentage corresponds to increment in the priority of the minimization of the length of path that connects a leader to its followers over even distribution of followers. The resulting follower distributions that correspond to different user-defined percentages are illustrated on an arbitrary leader-follower network.
Modeling Fuel Consumption of Hybrid Electric Buses: Model Development and Comparison with Conventional Buses

Electric hybridization technologies appear to be one of the most promising approaches to improving the energy efficiency of buses; however, this improvement has not been systematically quantified. A fuel consumption model is essential for capturing fuel consumption behavior accurately and quantifying the fuel benefits of hybrid buses. Consequently, the objective of this study was to develop a fuel consumption model for hybrid buses on the basis of the framework of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s comprehensive power-based fuel consumption model and then to quantify the benefits associated with hybridization technologies relative to conventional diesel bus operations. The model estimates were demonstrated to be consistent with in-field measurements, and the optimum fuel economy cruise speed was demonstrated to be approximately 50 km/h. The results demonstrate that hybrid buses consumed less fuel overall, while heavier buses and higher passenger loads may have reduced the fuel savings. The resul...
Resolution of Intractable Ventricular Tachycardia After Surgical Repositioning of a HeartMate II Inflow Cannula.

Ventricular arrhythmias are common after left ventricular assist device implantation. Malposition of the inflow cannula is one of the few etiologies with a mechanically correctable defect. We prese...
Impact of moving target on measurement accuracy in 3D and 4D PET imaging-a phantom study.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of tumor motion on maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and metabolic tumor volume (MTV) measurements in both 3-dimensional and respiratory-correlated, 4-dimensional positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. We also evaluated the effect of implementing different attenuation correction methods in 4-dimensional PET image reconstruction on SUVmax and MTV. Methods and materials An anthropomorphic thorax phantom with a spherical ball as a surrogate for a tumor was used. Different types of motion were imposed on the ball to mimic a patient's breathing motion. Three-dimensional PET imaging of the phantom without tumor motion was performed and used as the reference. The ball was then set in motion with different breathing motion traces and imaged with both 3- and 4-dimensional PET methods. The clinical 4-dimensional PET imaging protocol was modified so that 3 different types of attenuation correction images were used for reconstructions: the same free-breathing computed tomography (CT) for all PET phases, the same average intensity projection CT for all PET phases, and 4-dimensional CT for phase-matched attenuation correction. Tumor SUVmax and MTV values that were measured from the moving phantom were compared with the reference values. Results SUVmax that was measured in 3-dimensional PET imaging was different from the reference value by 20.4% on average for the motions that were investigated; this difference decreased to 2.6% with 4-dimensional PET imaging. The measurement of MTV in 4-dimensional PET also showed a similar magnitude of reduction of deviation compared with 3-dimensional PET. Four-dimensional PET with use of phase-matched 4-dimensional CT for attenuation correction showed less variation in SUVmax and MTV among phases compared with 4-dimensional PET with free-breathing CT or average intensity projection CT for attenuation correction. Conclusions Four-dimensional PET imaging reduces the impact of motion on measured SUVmax and MTV when compared with 3-dimensional PET imaging. Clinical 4-dimensional PET imaging protocols should consider phase-matched 4-dimensional CT imaging for attenuation correction to achieve more accurate measurements.
THE COMPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSTICS OF HODGKIN LYMPHOMA

In the article are presented the questions of classification, pathogenesis and clinical diagnostics of Hodgkin Lymphoma with soft-tissue paravetebral component. The difficulties of early diagnostics, expressed at the expanse by oncological process localization, not typical for this disease, are shown on clinical case. The symptoms, conditioned by the compression of organs by tumor masses depend on pathological process localization: intrahepatic and extrahepatic obstruction of bile duct is manifested by jaundice; obstruction of lymphatic ducts in groin zone or in zone of small pelvic – by legs edema; at tracheobronchial compression is observed the pant and hoarse breathing; pulmonary abscesses or caverns can take place as a result of infiltration of pulmonary parenchyma that can stimulate lobar consolidation or bronchopneumonia; paraplegia can be observed because of epidural invasion with spine cord compression; compression of sympathetic cervical recurrent guttural nerve by increased lymph nodes can cause Horner’s syndrome and laryngoparalysis; neuralgias can be the result of nerve-root incarceration. Differential diagnostics can take a long time that lowers the effectiveness of therapy and decreases chances for recovery because of special treatment delay. The setting of correct diagnosis and choice of adequate therapy raises the chances for recovery, even at spead stage of tumor process that is attained at Hodgkin lymphoma in most cases.
Maintained Physical Activity Induced Changes in Delay Discounting

Those who discount the subjective value of delayed rewards less steeply are more likely to engage in physical activity. There is limited research, however, showing whether physical activity can change rates of delay discounting. In a two-experiment series, treatment and maintenance effects of a novel, effort-paced physical activity intervention on delay discounting were evaluated with multiple baseline designs. Using a lap-based method, participants were instructed to exercise at individualized high and low effort levels and to track their own perceived effort. The results suggest that treatment-induced changes in discounting were maintained at follow-up for 13 of 16 participants. In Experiment 2, there were statistically significant group-level improvements in physical activity and delay discounting when comparing baseline with both treatment and maintenance phases. Percentage change in delay discounting was significantly correlated with session attendance and relative pace (min/mile) improvement over the course of the 7-week treatment. Implications for future research are discussed.
Causal/Informational Theories of Mental Content

This entry looks at information-based causal theories of mental content. Causal theories appeal to causal conditions that exist between a representation (such as a thought or belief) and the part of the world represented (the content of the thought or belief). According to informational theories, mental states acquire their content by standing in appropriate informational and causal relations to objects (and properties) in the world. Very crudely, thoughts of dogs are about dogs (and mean dog) because information about dogs causes the thoughts that our minds use to keep track of dogs. This article explains some of the leading informational and causal theories of mental content—their twists, turns, refinements, and some of their leading criticisms (This article is a very focused history starting with Grice, Stampe, Dretske, and Fodor. There are many other important thinkers not discussed only for lack of space, not import. However, this is the history that started for me with my first graduate course at Wisconsin with Dennis Stampe just prior to his landmark paper. I later worked closely with Fred Dretske during the writing of his 1981 book and even later met and studied briefly with Jerry Fodor. I am grateful to Dretske, Fodor, and Stampe for their help over the years. I also thank Alfons Schuster for his patience, and an unidentified referee for quite useful advice.).
Guiding students to understand CS concepts and develop process skills with POGIL: conference tutorial

This workshop introduces Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) to CS instructors. In a POGIL classroom, teams of 3--5 learners work on activities with a particular structure based on learning cycles. Through scripted inquiry and investigation, learners discover concepts and construct their own knowledge. Using assigned team roles and other scaffolding, learners develop process skills and individual responsibility. The teacher is not a lecturer, but an active facilitator who helps all students to be engaged and achieve the learning objectives. POGIL is an evidence-based approach, and has been shown to significantly improve student performance. Workshop participants will work through POGIL activities as students, and work through POGIL meta-activities that are designed to help teachers learn core POGIL concepts, practices, and benefits. We will share POGIL materials for a variety of CS courses and concepts. We will also invite interested attendees to participate in IntroCS POGIL, a recently funded NSF project working to make it easier for CS faculty to adopt POGIL by disseminating high quality instructional resources and enhancing professional development practices. For more information, see http://cspogil.org and http://pogil.org, including activities for CS1, CS2, and other courses.
The Administrative History of San Miguel Island: the National Park Service on San Miguel from 1963 to 2016

In 2013, retired Park Ranger Mike Hill proposed writing the administrative history of the National Park Service (NPS) on San Miguel Island. An administrative history is the agency history of the NPS at a particular park, or in this case, on a particular island. Toward that end, 5 of the park rangers who have served as San Miguel Island Ranger gathered on that island in November 2013, along with former Superintendent Bill Ehorn and Chief of Cultural Resources Ann Huston. They reflected on years spent on San Miguel and recorded oral history interviews about those times. This paper traces the history of the National Park Service on San Miguel Island. A written agreement with the Navy in 1963 initiated NPS involvement in research and management on the island. That agreement opened the way for a further agreement in 1976 which placed park rangers on the island and opened the island to public visitation. Park facilities, visitor services, and resource management activities expanded over the following years. Visitor use came to an abrupt halt in 2014 when the U.S. Navy closed the island due to concerns over unexploded ordnance from practice bombing and missile tests. In 2016 the island was reopened. This paper draws upon 40 years of ranger station logbooks, oral history interviews from the 2013 San Miguel Ranger Reunion, and other NPS records.
Effects of Teacher-Delivered Book Reading and Play on Vocabulary Learning and Self-Regulation among Low-Income Preschool Children

There is a need for empirically based educational practices shown to support learning, yet validation tends to require a high degree of experimental control that can limit ecological validity and t...
The eXtensible Tutor Architecture: A New Foundation for ITS

The eXtensible Tutor Architecture (XTA) was designed as a platform for creating and deploying many types of Intelligent Tutoring Systems across many different platforms. The XTA presently has support for state graph pseudo-tutors and JESS model-tracing cognitive tutors, in both a client and server context. The XTA was designed with future development in mind, allowing easy specification of new tutor types, tutoring strategies, and interface layers. It has been used as the foundation of the Assistments Project, a wide scale web based ITS deployment. The Assistments Project is on track to provide ITS content to 100,000 students in the state of Massachusetts.
Feedback-informed treatment and autonomy supportiveness: Effects on children s psychological outcomes.

Purpose Examine the importance of feedback, specifically the perception of parental autonomy support, to reduce youths' premature treatment dropout. Design and methods A retrospective chart review was conducted, utilizing the convenience-purposive sample of 60 patient charts. Individuals were seen between October 2014 and July 2015 in a community clinic utilizing a treatment approach known as feedback-informed treatment (FIT). Findings Clients found to have high paternal involvement reported better overall well-being and lower levels of distress. Conclusions The construct of parental autonomy support, when combined with a FIT treatment model, is a promising approach to lower the rate of early treatment termination.
Deceleration of the Earth's rotation from old solar tables

The solar tables of ibn Yunis and of King Alfonso, those of Kepler, of G. D. and J.-J. Cassini, and of Lalande are compared with Newcomb's theory of the Sun to determine the deceleration of the Earth's rotation. Comparisons of mean motion and of longitude lead to separate determinations. A value for the deceleration, $${{\dot P} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{\dot P} P}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} P} = (5.0 \pm 2.7) \times 10^{ - 10} yr^{ - 1} $$ , assumed to be independent of time is obtained for the period — 146 through 1892. This result is based on the assumption that Newcomb's theory converts the Earth's orbital motion into a perfect clock, and the result is independent of lunar and tidal theory. The deceleration seems greater than that obtained from the literature for the tidal deceleration caused by the Moon.
Outcomes Assessment Methods

An introduction to the process of developing an outcomes assessment plan is presented. An assessment plan contains a set of goals, measures of these goals, and feedback to the educational process. The issues associated with goals development are discussed in the context of ABET Criteria 2000. Seven established outcomes assessment measures are presented, their advantages and disadvantages are discussed, and suggestions are made regarding their implementation. The difficulties associated with feedback in a typical academic environment are discussed.
History of I.V. Infusions

In the riches which come to all who undertake the care of their fellow man is the heritage which forms the basis of medical care today. Each branch of the medical profession can boast of heroes and heroines who made an indelible imprint by the enunciation of a new principle or the pronouncement of a discovery having unique and signal character. Names such as Hippocrates, Semmelweis, Osler, and Curie recall the glory of the past; a recounting of their achievements should kindle a special enthusiasm among those who come as neophytes to the profession.
A mean-variance approach to transmission network planning

Abstract We propose a two-attribute procedure for selecting the most cost-effective transmission expansion alternative under risk. The procedure randomly generates sets of realization of random parameters of the problem and for each set an optimization model that considers potential expansion options is solved. The mean and variance of the objective function associated with each optimal solution are the selection attributes. The optimal solution that has the smallest mean and variance is deemed the best expansion alternative. The procedure guarantees the selected best alternative is indeed the best by a probability that satisfies or exceeds a user’s specified probability of correct selection. For numerical examples of this paper, the levels of load and generation, and availability of generators and lines are considered random variables. Numerical examples are used to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed selection criterion over using the traditional expected value selection criterion.
No Clinically Relevant Pharmacokinetic Interactions of a Red Clover Dietary Supplement with Cytochrome P450 Enzymes in Women

Extracts of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), containing estrogenic isoflavones like genistein and daidzein and the proestrogenic isoflavones formononetin and biochanin A, are used by women as dietary supplements for the management of menopausal symptoms. Although marketed as a safer alternative to hormone therapy, red clover isoflavones have been reported to inhibit some cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes involved in drug metabolism. To evaluate the potential for clinically relevant drug-red clover interactions, we tested a standardized red clover dietary supplement (120 mg isoflavones per day) for interactions with the pharmacokinetics of four FDA-approved drugs (caffeine, tolbutamide, dextromethorphan, and alprazolam) as probe substrates for the enzymes CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4/5, respectively. Fifteen peri- and postmenopausal women completed pharmacokinetic studies at baseline and 2 weeks after consuming red clover. The averaged pharmacokinetic profiles of probe substrates in serum showed no significant alterations and no changes in the areas under the curve (AUC) over 96 h. Subgroup analysis based on the demographic characteristics (BMI, menopausal status, race, and age) also showed no differences in AUC for each probe substrate. Analysis of red clover isoflavones in serum showed primarily conjugated metabolites that explain, at least in part, the red clover pharmacokinetic safety profile.
On the Pressure Generated by Thermite Reactions Using Stress‐Altered Aluminum Particles

Author(s): Williams, A; Shancita, I; Altman, I; Tamura, N; Pantoya, ML | Abstract: This study examines pressure build-up and decay in thermites upon impact ignition and interprets reactivity based on the holistic pressure history. The thermite is a mixture of aluminum (Al) combined with bismuth trioxide (Bi2O3) powder. Four different Al particles sizes were examined that ranged from 100 nm to 18.5 μm mean diameter and for each size, two different Al powder treatments were examined: stress-altered compared to untreated, as-received Al powder. Stress-altered Al powders have been shown to be more reactive, such that the stress-altered Al powder thermites offer a metric for analyzing thermite reactivity in terms of pressure development compared to untreated Al powder. In a binary thermite system, multiple phase changes and interface chemistry influence the transient pressure response during reaction. Results reveal three key pressure metrics that need consideration specifically for thermite combustion: (1) delay time to peak pressure, (2) peak pressure, and (3) decay after peak pressure. Our experiments show that a lower peak pressure corresponds with higher thermite reactivity because aluminum consumption of oxygen generated by decomposing solid oxidizer reduces the peak pressure. Faster rates of reaction consume oxygen at higher rates such that pressure development becomes more limited than less reactive thermites and the result is a lower peak pressure. This conclusion is opposite of traditional studies using metal fuels with a gaseous environment that typically show higher peak pressures correspond with greater reactivity.
Role of Ischemic Heart Disease in Major Adverse Renal and Cardiac Events Among Individuals With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (from the TOPCAT Trial).

Despite improvements in the prognosis of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), established therapy for heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is lacking. Additionally, ischemic heart disease adversely impacts the clinical course of HFrEF patients; however, its role in HFpEF is not fully understood. We conducted a post hoc analysis of propensity score matched patients from the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist trial to compare HFpEF patients with versus without myocardial ischemia in terms of major adverse renal and/or cardiac events (MARCE). Of 3,445 participants, the prevalence of ischemia was 59%. For this analysis, we included 1,747 ischemic patients and 1,207 propensity matched nonischemic patients. Ischemia was associated with a 20% increased risk (HR = 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.042 to 1.382, p value = 0.0112) of major adverse renal and/or cardiac events (MARCE) in adjusted analyses. Other important predictors of MARCE were diabetes (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.38 to 1.87, p
Using TOPSIS for Enhancing Service Provisioning Across Fog Environments

Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming a ubiquitous technology owing to the proliferation of inexpensive smart devices that can provide a wide range of services. As these devices are generally small in size and have limited computational and storage capabilities, it is common that complex or advanced operations shift to the cloud. This makes service provisioning within fog environments challenging particularly as the number of services offering similar functionalities increases at the network edge. Allocating fog resources more efficiently and intelligently becomes essential. In this paper, we present a Fog Service Manager (FSM) framework that provides an optimization technique for allocating fog resources using TOPSIS, a multiple criteria decision-making technique, to enhance the service provisioning across fog environments. Through FSM, it is then possible to optimize the allocation of services based on customized user or device requests. Results from our experiments show that TOPSIS can be used as a reliable and efficient optimization technique for provisioning services across distributed fog environments.
“Spontaneous” Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Report of 2 Cases

"Spontaneous" heparin-induced thrombocytopenia is a rare and virulent form of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia that occurs in the absence of exposure to any drug of the heparin class of anticoagulants. Most reported cases have occurred after knee replacement surgery. Herein we report 2 additional cases following total knee replacement. Clinical suspicion and immediate initiation of appropriate nonheparin anticoagulation are essential to avoid potentially devastating thrombotic complications.
Performance-aware Malware Epidemic Confinement in Large-Scale IoT Networks

As millions of IoT devices are interconnected together for better communication and computation, compromising even a single device opens a gateway for the adversary to access the network leading to an epidemic. It is pivotal to detect any malicious activity on a device and mitigate the threat. Among multiple feasible security threats, malware (malicious applications) poses a serious risk to modern IoT networks. A wide range of malware can replicate itself and propagate through the network via the underlying connectivity in the IoT networks making the malware epidemic inevitable. There exist several techniques ranging from heuristics to game-theory based technique to model the malware propagation and minimize the impact on the overall network. The state-of-the-art game-theory based approaches solely focus either on the network performance or the malware confinement but does not optimize both simultaneously. In this paper, we propose a throughput-aware game theory-based end-to-end IoT network security framework to confine the malware epidemic while preserving the overall network performance. We propose a two-player game with one player being the attacker and other being the defender. Each player has three different strategies and each strategy leads to a certain gain to that player with an associated cost. A tailored min-max algorithm was introduced to solve the game. We have evaluated our strategy on a 500 node network for different classes of malware and compare with existing state-of-the-art heuristic and game theory-based solutions.
A Practical Guide to the Criminology and Criminal Justice Job Market for Doctoral Candidates: Pre-Market Preparation through Offers and Negotiations

Upon exiting a doctoral program, many graduate students in criminology and criminal justice hope to enter the academic workforce. The academic job market is a stressful and exciting time in a docto...