cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spring suspended corrugated membranes

A spring suspended membrane (SSM) is essential for many devices based on micro-electro-mechanics (MEM). The difficulty in fabricating SSMs has been the stress and the stress gradient created in the film during its formation. SSMs are different from membranes stretched over a cavity, where a small tensile stress in the film is sufficient to hold the membrane flat over the cavity. Since the membranes in SSMs are free, the relaxation of the stress causes membrane bending and distortion. It is possible to minimize the net stress created in the film by optimizing the film deposition conditions. Unfortunately it is hard to control the gradient in the stress through the thickness of the film. We have developed a general concept for stiffening the membranes in an SSM configuration by film corrugation. In this concept the film is sputtered onto a corrugated sacrificial layer. The film surface follows the corrugation of the sacrificial layer. After the SSM structure is shaped the sacrificial layer is removed to yield a corrugated stiff membrane. To demonstrate the corrugated film concept we have characterized and fabricated 0.3 mu m to 1 mu m thick TiW SSMs, in fixed-fixed and fixed-free configurations.
A global time treatment for inverse heat conduction problems

A new global time treatment is proposed and demonstrated for inverse heat conduction problems. This exposition illustrates the methodology by carefully and meticulously investigating the classic Beck's problem. It is shown that accurate and stable numerical results occur without resorting to any stabilizing scheme beyond the implementation of a global basis representation for the temperature distribution. As a global time method the entire space-time domain is resolved in a simultaneous fashion. The approach is also extendable to multidimensional and multiprobe situations without difficulty. In direct problems the method has been successively applied to initial value problems, Volterra integral equations, and parabolic and hyperbolic partial and integro-partial differential equations
A REPOSITORY FOR COMPONENT-BASED EMBEDDED SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

The rapid growth in the demand for embedded systems and the increased complexity of embedded software pose an urgent need for advanced embedded software development techniques. Software technology is shifting toward semi-automated code generation and integration of systems from components. Component-based development (CBD) techniques can significantly reduce the time and cost for developing software systems. Furthermore, effective component retrieval is a fundamental issue in CBD. In this paper, we address the issues in designing software repositories for embedded software components. We develop an On-line Repository for Embedded Software (ORES) to facilitate component management and retrieval. ORES uses an ontology-based approach to facilitate repository browsing and effective search. To allow easy browsing of ORES, we analyze the typical ontology relations for software components and develop a Merging and Echoing technique to convert the ontology into a hierarchy suitable for browsing, but without the loss of any critical semantic information contained in the ontology. We also develop an algorithm for grouping search results based on the ontology. Thus, we can display search result groups to avoid having to display a large number of search results or having to prune the results and risk reducing the recall factor. Another important aspect in embedded software is the set of nonfunctional requirements and properties. In ORES, we develop an XML-based specification method to capture nonfunctional properties as well as functional characteristics of components and enable retrieval of relevant components based on these specifications.
Persuasive uses of imaginative literature in certain satires of Jonathan Swift

This essay identifies in the satires of Jonathan Swift certain invented discourses which combine fable with a fictional persona to disguise the author. The persuasive use of the satires is discussed.
Peptide probe study of the role of interaction between the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains of the ryanodine receptor in the channel regulation mechanism.

Ryanodine receptor (RyR) mutations linked with some congenital skeletal and cardiac diseases are localized to three easily definable regions: region 1 (N-terminal domain), region 2 (central domain), and a rather broad region 3 containing the channel pore. As shown in our recent studies, the interdomain interaction between regions 1 and 2 plays a critical role in channel regulation and pathogenesis. Here we present evidence that within region 3 there is a similar channel regulation mechanism mediated by an interdomain interaction. DP15, a peptide corresponding to RyR1 residues 4820-4841, produced significant activation of [ 3 H]ryanodine binding above threshold Ca 2+ concentrations (≥0.3 μM), but MH mutations (L4823P or L4837V) made in DP15 almost completely abolished its channel activating function. To identify the DP15 binding site(s) within RyR 1 , DP15 (labeled with a fluorescent probe Alexa Fluor 680 and a photoaffinity cross-linker APG) was cross-linked to RyR 1 , and the site of cross-linking was identified by gel analysis of fluorescently labeled proteolytic fragments with the aid of Western blotting with site-specific antibodies. The shortest fluorescently labeled band was a 96 kDa fragment which was stained with an antibody directed to the region of residues 4114-4142 of RyR 1 , indicating that the interaction between the region of residues 4820-4841 adjacent to the channel pore and the 96 kDa segment containing the region of residues 4114-4142 is involved in the mechanism of Ca 2+ -dependent channel regulation. In further support of this concept, anti-DP15 antibody and cardiac counterpart of DP15 produced channel activation similar to that of DP15.
Effect of oral administration of methadone on hepatic microsomal mixed function oxidase activity in mice

Abstract Daily oral administration of methadone (50 mg/kg) brought about a 2-fold increase in the activity of liver N-demethylase in mice within a few days and maintained this high level of activity for the 30-day duration of the experiment. An increase in hepatic microsomal protein and a decrease in pentobarbital sleeping times were noted in the methadone-treated animals. Subcutaneous administration of methadone (20 mg/kg) for 6 days resulted in a much smaller increase in the activity of N-demethylase.
Vanadium uptake and translocation in dominant plant species on an urban coastal brownfield site.

Abstract This study, conducted at a brownfield site in New Jersey, USA, investigated factors controlling V uptake and translocation in naturally assembled plant species. Six dominant species were collected from 22 stations in the study area. We found that V concentration in the plants decreased in a sequence of root > leaf > stem. No significant differences were found among the six dominant plant species in terms of root V uptake efficiency (V BCF) and V root to shoot translocation (V TF). Although soil pH and TOC did not show significant impact on V accumulation in the roots, soil labile V content showed significant positive linear correlation (p
Introduction of laparoscopic sacral colpopexy to a fellowship training program

Introduction and hypothesis Minimally invasive sacral colpopexy has increased over the past decade, with many senior physicians adopting this new skill set. However, skill acquisition at an academic institution in the presence of postgraduate learners is not well described. This manuscript outlines the introduction of laparoscopic sacral colpopexy to an academic urogynecology service that was not performing minimally invasive sacral colpopexies, and it also defines a surgical learning curve.
Assessing the quality of pharmacoeconomic studies in India: a systematic review.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of pharmacoeconomic studies based in India. Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, EconLit, PsycInfo and Google Scholar to identify published work on pharmacoeconomics studies based in India. Articles were included if they were original studies that evaluated pharmaceuticals, were based in India and were conducted between 1990 and 2010. Two reviewers independently reviewed the articles using a subjective 10-point quality scale in addition to the 100-point Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) questionnaire. Results: Twenty-nine articles published between 1998 and May 2010 were included in the review. The included articles were published in 23 different journals. Each article was written by an average of five authors. The mean subjective quality score of the 29 articles was 7.8 (standard deviation [SD]= 1.3) and the mean QHES scores for the complete pharmacoeconomic studies (n = 24) was 86 (SD = 6). The majority of authors resided in India (62%) at the time of publication and had a medical background (90%). The quality score was significantly (p≤0.05) related to the country of residence of the primary author (non-India = higher) and the study design (randomized controlled trials = higher). Conclusion: Although the overall quality scores were comparable to (e.g. Nigeria) or higher than (e.g. Zimbabwe) similar studies in other developing countries, key features such as an explicit study perspective and the use of sensitivity analyses were missing in about 40% of the articles. The need for economic evaluation of pharmaceuticals is imperative, especially in developing countries such as India as this helps decision makers allocate scarce resources in a justifiable manner.
Expression and functional significance of adhesion molecules on cultured endothelial cells in response to ionizing radiation.

Objective:Upregulation of adhesion molecules on endothelial cells following irradiation has been shown, but the functional significance of this upregulation in various endothelial cell lines is not clear. We have developed an in vitroflow model to study the functional consequences of the radiation-induced upregulation of E-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1). Methods:Human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC), human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), or transformed human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) were grown in 35-mm dishes and irradiated with a single dose of 10 Gy. HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia) cells were perfused over the irradiated endothelial cells in a parallel plate flow chamber at shear stress ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 dynes/cm2. Flow cytometry was used to quantify the expression of E-selectin and ICAM-1 on the various endothelial cells. Results:Flow cytomeric analysis revealed an upregulation of ICAM-1 expression on all three cell types postir...
Characteristics of Bilateral Hand Function in Individuals With Unilateral Dystonia Due to Perinatal Stroke Sensory and Motor Aspects

The authors assessed bilateral motor and sensory function in individuals with upper limb dystonia due to unilateral perinatal stroke and explored interrelationships of motor function and sensory ability. Reach kinematics and tactile sensation were measured in 7 participants with dystonia and 9 healthy volunteers. The dystonia group had poorer motor (hold time, reach time, shoulder/elbow correlation) and sensory (spatial discrimination, stereognosis) outcomes than the control group on the nondominant side. On the dominant side, only sensation (spatial discrimination, stereognosis) was poorer in the dystonia group compared with the control group. In the dystonia group, although sensory and motor outcomes were uncorrelated, dystonia severity was related to poorer stereognosis, longer hold and reach times, and decreased shoulder/elbow coordination. Findings of bilateral sensory deficits in dystonia can be explained by neural reorganization. Visual compensation for somatosensory changes in the nonstroke hemisphere may explain the lack of bilateral impairments in reaching.
Collett–Wolf equivalence theorem and propagation of a pulse in a single-mode optical fiber

It is shown that the propagation of a temporal pulse in a single-mode optical fiber is mathematically equivalent to Fresnel diffraction of a spatial beam. A time-domain Collett–Wolf equivalence theorem applies to pulse propagation in fibers.
The Functionality of Gray Area Ethics in Organizations

All organizations have gray areas where the border between right and wrong behavior is blurred, but where a major part of organizational decision-making takes place. While gray areas can be sources of problems for organizations, they also have benefits. The author proposes that gray areas are functional in organizations. Gray areas become problematic when the process for dealing with them is flawed, when gatekeeper managers see themselves as more ethical than their peers, and when leaders, by their own inattention, inaction, and poor modeling, minimize the importance of building a moral community by delegating gray area issues to second-tier administrators. Gray areas provide wiggle room in coping with ethical dilemmas in organizations.
Managing the President's Program: Presidential Leadership and Legislative Policy Formulation

Managing the President's Program: Presidential Leadership and Legislative Policy Formulation. By Andrew Rudalevige. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2002. 292p. $65.00. This book responds effectively to a theoretical challenge with an empirical analysis. The author addresses the proposition that successive presidents have increasingly centralized policy development in the White House to the detriment of the departments. The linear trend is said to be in response to the political demands on presidents to control their own programs. Andrew Rudalevige qualifies the theory out of existence by so broadening it that it disappears. He supplies a rich, empirical model in which presidents employ centralized, balanced, and decentralized approaches for developing policy as deliberate strategies as they perceive the different kinds of political capital and expertise involved in given cases. He finds no linear trend at all. All presidents since Harry Truman have used the White House to develop policies, but not to an increasing degree. Centralization is contingent.
Hyperstimulation of leukocytes by plasma from cardiopulmonary bypass patients is diminished by α-MSH pretreatment

Abstract Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) results in a diffuse inflammatory response characterized in part by hyperstimulation of leukocytes. We have previously shown that this hyperstimulation appears to be due, in part, to an increase in the release of biological response modifiers (BRMs) such as cytokines. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of a naturally occurring immunocyte inhibitory substance, α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), to prevent the hyperstimulation caused by CPB. Monocytes and granulocytes were pretreated with α-MSH (10 −6 M) before exposing the cells to plasma obtained from patients who had undergone CPB, as CPB plasma would stimulate naive monocytes and granulocytes in a manner similar to that observed in CPB patients. Pretreatment of these cells with α-MSH significantly diminished the hyperstimulation induced by CPB plasma in a concentration-dependent manner. In contrast, when the cells were first or simultaneously exposed to CPB plasma and then to α-MSH, α-MSH had no effect. Furthermore, use of the specific neutral endopeptidase inhibitor, phosphoramidon, significantly increased the efficacy of α-MSH in inhibiting CPB-induced immunocyte activation. The data demonstrate that pretreatment of monocyte/macrophages and granulocytes with α-MSH effectively inhibits the immune hyperstimulation induced by CPB-plasma exposure. In addition, the data strongly suggest that pre-exposure to other naturally occurring immune inhibitory substances may diminish the hyperstimulation associated with CPB. The study also further confirms that this hyperstimulation may, in part, be due to BRMs released from immunocytes.
Increasing U.S. streamflow linked to greenhouse forcing

Although considerable effort has gone into assessing and projecting climatic change, continental-scale analyses of trends in only one component of the hydrologic cycle—precipitation—have been described. With few exceptions [see Zektser and Loaiciga, 1993], assessments of temporal variations in runoff, evaporation, and soil water storage have been neglected, to some degree because of a lack of adequate observational data. On a regional basis, have there been any changes in seasonal patterns of streamflow in the United States? If so, are these changes consistent with documented variations in other hydroclimatic variables? To answer these questions, we examined a set of climate-sensitive streamflow data recently collected by the U.S. Geological Survey. This data set covers the years 1941–1988 and presents data from 559 gaging stations across the conterminous United States.
Enumeration of Virtual Libraries of Combinatorial Modular Macrocyclic (Bracelet, Necklace) Architectures and Their Linear Counterparts

A wide variety of cyclic molecular architectures are built of modular subunits and can be formed combinatorially. The mathematics for enumeration of such objects is well-developed yet lacks key features of importance in chemistry, such as specifying (i) the structures of individual members among a set of isomers, (ii) the distribution (i.e., relative amounts) of products, and (iii) the effect of nonequal ratios of reacting monomers on the product distribution. Here, a software program (Cyclaplex) has been developed to determine the number, identity (including isomers), and relative amounts of linear and cyclic architectures from a given number and ratio of reacting monomers. The program includes both mathematical formulas and generative algorithms for enumeration; the latter go beyond the former to provide desired molecular-relevant information and data-mining features. The program is equipped to enumerate four types of architectures: (i) linear architectures with directionality (macroscopic equivalent = ...
The Broader Autism Phenotype and Its Implications on the Etiology and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders

The presence of autism-related traits has been well documented in undiagnosed family members of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The most common finding is mild impairments in social and communication skills that are similar to those shown by individuals with autism, but exhibited to a lesser degree. Termed the broader autism phenotype (BAP), these traits suggest a genetic liability for autism-related traits in families. Genetic influence in autism is strong, with identical twins showing high concordance for the diagnosis and related traits and approximately 20% of all ASD cases having an identified genetic mechanism. This paper highlights the studies conducted to date regarding the BAP and considers the implications of these findings for the etiology and treatment of ASD.
Duration of Microdissection Testicular Sperm Extraction Procedures: Relationship to Sperm Retrieval Success

Purpose: We evaluated the operative time of microdissection testicular sperm extraction in successful and failed procedures to identify the chance of sperm retrieval during longer microsurgical procedures.Materials and Methods: A total of 793 men with nonobstructive azoospermia underwent a first attempt at microdissection testicular sperm extraction from January 2000 to September 2009. Clinical factors were analyzed, including age, testicular volume, endocrinological data and histology. Operative time was calculated from incision until the procedure was terminated.Results: Testicular sperm were successfully retrieved in 57% of the men. Sperm were found within 2, 2 to 4 and 4 to 7 hours in 89%, 30% and 37% of the men, respectively. There were no differences in preoperative clinical characteristics, age, follicle-stimulating hormone, testicular volume, incidence of a Klinefelter's syndrome diagnosis and distribution of most advanced histopathology in patients in the 3 operative time groups. In men in whom s...
Gallium-68-labeled DOTA-rhenium-cyclized α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analog for imaging of malignant melanoma

Abstract Introduction Diagnosis of malignant melanoma is critical, since a patient's prognosis is poor. Previous studies have shown that 64 Cu- and 86 Y-DOTA-ReCCMSH(Arg 11 ) have the potential for early detection of malignant melanoma by exploiting the sensitivity and high resolution of positron emission tomography (PET). This encouraged us to investigate DOTA-ReCCMSH(Arg 11 ) labeled with another β + -emitting radionuclide, 68 Ga. Methods DOTA-ReCCMSH(Arg 11 ) was successfully labeled with 68 Ga at pH 3.8–4 at 85°C. Acute biodistribution and small-animal PET imaging studies were performed in mice bearing B16/F1 melanoma tumor. Results Biodistribution studies showed moderate receptor-mediated tumor uptake, fast nontarget organ clearance and high tumor to nontarget tissue ratios. Preadministration of d-lysine significantly reduced kidney uptake without affecting the uptake of the agent in the tumor. Small-animal PET images showed that the tumor could be clearly visualized at all time points examined (0.5–2 h) with the standardized uptake value analysis following a similar trend as the biodistribution data. Conclusions The preliminary data obtained suggest that 68 Ga-DOTA-ReCCMSH(Arg 11 ) is a promising PET imaging agent for early detection of malignant melanoma.
Liquid-fuel burning with nonunitary Lewis number

An analysis is presented for liquid-fuel vaporization and burning with nonunitary Lewis number (i.e., nonsimilar heat and mass diffusion) in a general geometrical situation, e.g., a dense spray. Variable transport properties are considered and only Stefan flow is allowed. The analysis builds on the approach of Imaoka and Sirignano for unitary Lewis number. Fickian diffusion with differing diffusivities for each species is considered. It is shown that the problem can conveniently be separated, using a mass-flux potential function, into a one-dimensional problem for the quasi-steady, gas-phase scalar properties and a three-dimensional problem for the mass-flux potential, which satisfies Laplace's equation. This allows some previous calculations of the potential function for unitary Lewis number to be used for the potential-function solution. The scalar properties are shown to be functions of the mass-flux potential only. It is demonstrated that a mass-flux-weighted sensible specific enthalpy is more natural and convenient than the traditional mass-weighted value. This modification results in a new definition of the Lewis number. A generalization of the classical Spalding heat transfer number is presented. The theory predicts scalar gas-phase profiles, flame position, and vaporization rates. Quantitative results are presented for special cases where the Lewis number is piecewise constant. The thin-flame temperature and the effective latent heat of vaporization can be determined as functions of the liquid-surface temperature via solution of nonlinear algebraic equations; these values do not depend on the specific configuration and therefore have some universality.
Quidditch: impacting and benefiting participants in a non-fictional manner.

This study examines the sport of quidditch, based on the Harry Potter franchise, an alternative sport growing in popularity. The purpose of this research was to examine the impact and benefits part...
Immune Responses and Disease Enhancement during Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the commonest and most troublesome viruses of infancy. It causes most cases of bronchiolitis, which is associated with wheezing in later childhood. In primary infection, the peak of disease typically coincides with the development of specific T- and B-cell responses, which seem, in large part, to be responsible for disease. Animal models clearly show that a range of immune responses can enhance disease severity, particularly after vaccination with formalin-inactivated RSV. Prior immune sensitization leads to exuberant chemokine production, an excessive cellular influx, and an overabundance of cytokines during RSV challenge. Under different circumstances, specific mediators and T-cell subsets and antibody-antigen immune complex deposition are incriminated as major factors in disease. Animal models of immune enhancement permit a deep understanding of the role of specific immune responses in RSV disease, assist in vaccine design, and indicate which immunomodulatory therapy might be beneficial to children with bronchiolitis.
Reciprocal regulation of the differentiation of Myxococcus xanthus by Pkn5 and Pkn6, eukaryotic‐like Ser/Thr protein kinases

Myxococcus xanthus contains a large family of genes encoding eukaryotic-like serine/threonine kinases. Among them, two genes, pkn5 and pkn6, are divergently located on the chromosome and share a 46 bp promoter region between their transcription initiation sites, as determined by RNA protection. Pkn5, consisting of 380 amino acid residues, is a soluble protein in the cytoplasm, while Pkn6, consisting of 710 amino acid residues, is a transmembrane protein. Its membrane topology was determined using the Pkn6-PhoA fusion protein in Escherichia coli, which has a single transmembrane domain with the N-terminal domain in the cytoplasm and the C-terminal domain outside the cytoplasmic membrane. Both proteins, when expressed in E. coli, were autophosphorylated: Pkn5 only at Ser, and Pkn6 at both Ser and Thr. In M. xanthus, both genes are expressed constitutively throughout the life cycle, with slight increases at an early stage of development. Most strikingly, a pkn5-deletion strain forms fruiting bodies much faster than the wild-type strain, while a pkn6-deletion strain develops slower than the wild-type strain. These results, together with the fact that the pkn5-deletion strain is able to form fruiting bodies on semi-rich media, suggest that Pkn5 and Pkn6 have reciprocal roles in M. xanthus growth and development. Furthermore, Pkn6 may be a transmembrane sensor of external signals for development, while Pkn5 is a kinase that negatively regulates M. xanthus development.
The Poincare-Bendixson theorem for monotone cyclic feedback systems

We prove the Poincare-Bendixson theorem for monotone cyclic feedback systems; that is, systems inR n of the form $$x_i = f_i (x_i , x_{i - 1} ), i = 1, 2, ..., n (\bmod n).$$ We apply our results to a variety of models of biological systems.
Optimizing Research Methods Used for the Evaluation of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are an increasingly common intervention for optimizing antimicrobial therapy in healthcare settings. These programs aim to improve patient care and limit the emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant organisms by supporting prudent antimicrobial use. However, pressure from the current reimbursement climate necessitates that ASPs operate as cost-cutting programs rather than focus on patient outcomes. This has forced the research that is evaluating ASP interventions to concentrate heavily on economic outcomes. As the science of antimicrobial stewardship advances, it is essential that well-conducted evaluations, focused on patient and microbial outcomes, serve as the evidence base that directs optimal ASP intervention design and implementation. In this review, we provide guidance and recommendations for the design of studies to evaluate the impact of ASP interventions on patient and microbial outcomes.
Removable cast walker boots yield greater forefoot off-loading than total contact casts

Background Elevated plantar loading has been implicated in the etiology of plantar ulceration in individuals with diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy. Total contact casts and cast walker boots are common off-loading strategies to facilitate ulcer healing and prevent re-ulceration. The purpose of this study was to compare off-loading capabilities of these strategies with respect to plantar loading during barefoot walking.
Seismic ground motion simulations from a class of spatial variability models

An improved version of the spectral representation method (References 12-14) for the generation of simulations of random processes and random fields by means of the Fast Fourier Transform algorithm is developed. The new formulation produces simulations that are ergodic in the mean without any restricting assumptions at the origin of the spectra and leads to a faster convergence rate of the stochastic characteristics of the simulations to those of the random fields. As an example of the methodology, simulations in space and time based on a spatial variability model for the seismic ground motions are generated.
Focusing on the Earth: Using Photography and Photo Elicitation as Instruments to Engage Children as Coresearchers in a Community Garden

In this article, the use of photographs and photo elicitation are used as models for engaging elementary children in collaborative research. Based on ethnographic research conducted in a community garden, the author illustrates how digital cameras act as a symbolic device that allow children to “pivot” (Vygotsky, 1978) into the world of researcher within the boundaries of a natured setting. Using photonarratives constructed by three children which document their outside, social experiences in the garden, the author suggests that their still images and accompanying narratives expose complex interrelationships between empathy, exploration and the natural environment.
Who Benefits And Who Loses From The Regionalization Of World Trade

As regional blocs evolve, developing countries within blocs are prime beneficiaries. Trade between developed countries in different blocs falls relative to theoretical predictions. Many developing countries outside major blocs are the losers. The primary factor driving evolving trade patterns is the lowering of barriers to trade (however defined). As economic integration progresses, a trade zone may evolve into a common market, economic union, or monetary union, facilitating the lowering of trade and growth-inhibiting frictions. Furthermore, barriers to trade will continue to decline within a trade zone faster than between trade zones, but the benefits of economic integration will not be equally shared across all nations in a zone. Policy implications and directions for future research are then discussed.
The Influence of M. H. Stone on the Origins of Category Theory

This talk is a small piece of historical investigation, intended to be an example of history in the retrospective sense: Starting with some currently active ideas in category theory, it will examine their origins in particular in certain work of Marshall Stone. Hence this talk will not even mention many of Stone’s contributions (his theorem on one-parameter unitary groups, the Stone-Weierstrass theorem, or his results on spectra, on integration, or on convexity); instead we will examine the connection of just a few of his ideas with the subsequent development of category theory.
A Practical and Sustainable Model for Learning and Teaching Data Science

This paper details our experiences with design and implementation of data science curriculum at University at Buffalo (UB). We discuss (i) briefly the history of project, (ii) a certificate program that we created, (iii) a data-intensive computing course that forms the core of the curriculum and (iv) some of the challenges we faced and how we addressed them. Major goal of the project was to improve the preparedness of our workforce for the emerging data-intensive computing area. We measured this through assessment of student learning on various concepts and topics related to data-intensive computing. We also discuss the best practices in building a data science program. We highlight the importance of external funding support and multi-disciplinary collaborations in the success of the project. The pedagogical resources created for the project are freely available to help educators and other learners navigate the path to learning data science. We expect this paper about our experience will provide a road map for educators who desire to introduce data science in their curriculum.
Getting your socks wet: augmented reality environmental science

As simulations go from the desktop to portable devices, we hope to harness the unique affordances of handhelds including: (1) portability - can take the computer to different sites and move around within a site; (2) social interactivity -- can exchange data and collaborate with other people face to face; (3) context sensitivity-- can gather data unique to the current location, environment, and time; (4) connectivity -- can connect handhelds to data collection devices, other handhelds, and to a common network; (5) individuality - can provide unique scaffolding that is customized to the individual's path of investigation. A handheld learning environment might capitalize on this ability to bridge real and virtual worlds resulting in augmented reality simulations, simulations that layer virtual context on top of the real world.
Genetic/Environmental Influences in Fragile X Disease

The genetic and environmental factors influencing cognitive outcomes in 120 children (80 boys and 40 girls) with the fragile X full mutation and their unaffected siblings were determined by in-home evaluations and reported from the Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Stanford University, CA.
Path Planning of a Circular Parachute Using Descent Rate Control

This paper presents a time-varying control methodology for a variable-sized circular parachute to reach a target landing location. A trajectory is calculated for the immediate control horizon using wind forecast data. In order to create a parachute–payload trajectory, a 3–DOF kinematic model is developed. Using this, the performance envelope is determined, revealing the potential target range of the system throughout a descent. Next, this model is extended to develop a control methodology to determine the descent rate, via parachute size manipulation, needed to reach the desired landing target. Finally, simulation results are presented to validate the control scheme. Various release locations were simulated with paired uncontrolled/controlled parachute descents from within the performance envelope. Results demonstrate the feasibility of the system, with controlled parachute descents navigating towards the target. With accurate wind data the vehicle can overcome release location errors as well as vehicle uncertainties and perform significantly better than an uncontrolled parachute.
"Free thyroxine index". A reliable substitute for "free" thyroxine concentration.

“Free thyroxine index,” determined as the product of thyroxine-I (T4-I) by competitive protein-binding and T3 uptake of 125I-triiodothyronine by surface adsorption on inorganic silicate particles, is compared with “free” thyroxine concentration. The normal range of index resulting from use of the Tri-Tab T3 uptake method is 0.9-2.9, and coincides very well with that for “free” thyroxine (1.0-2.3 ng. per dl.). Eighty-nine of 102 specimens (87.2%) showed agreement between the two. The coefficient of correlation (r) is 0.929, and the linear regression equation is y = 1.01x + 0.15. Of the 13 specimens that did not show agreement, three missed by only 0.1 unit of index.
Speech Technology and its Potential for Special Education

Speech technology typically refers to technology that enables machines to receive and accept human oral language as input and respond with human or human-like oral language as output. Speech technology has recently become increasingly mature and available to the general public. At the same time, there has been an increase in the interest in using speech technology to support learning for students with disabilities. This article surveys the current capacities of speech technology, reviews its existing and potential uses in education in general and special education in particular, and recommends research and development actions and strategies for realizing the potential of speech technology for learners with disabilities.
Running away from child welfare placements: Justice system entry risk

Abstract A growing body of research indicates that running away from foster care increases the probability of subsequent involvement in the juvenile and/or adult justice system, especially for males. Using administrative data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, this study examined the characteristics and behavior of a sample of 371 child welfare youth in Wayne County who ran away from foster care with a propensity scored matched sample of youth who did not run away. Youth were followed in administrative records of the MDHHS and justice system for eight years. The correlates of involvement in the juvenile and/or the adult justice systems included age at first child welfare placement, years in placement, number of placements, total length of time in residential care, running away from placement, as well as gender and legal status. Overall, 42% had at least one juvenile and/or adult conviction. Running away from foster care had the largest effect on subsequent justice system contact.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Unmet Need for Pediatric Therapy Services: The Role of Family-Centered Care.

Abstract Objective To examine whether individual elements of family-centered care (FCC) mediate racial/ethnic disparities in parent-reported unmet therapy need. Methods We conducted a secondary data analysis using the 2009–2010 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs. A total of 6478 black, Hispanic, and white children ages 0 to 5 years had complete data on parent-reported unmet need and FCC. Five measured indicators of FCC included whether the child's health care provider spent enough time with the child (time), listened carefully to the child's parents (listening), was sensitive to family culture and values (sensitivity), delivered information specific to the child's health (information), and helped parents feel like partners (partnership). We performed staged multivariate logistic regression to test the association between race/ethnicity and parent-reported unmet therapy need, and to explore whether this association was mediated by elements of FCC using the Baron-Kenny mediation framework. Results Eighteen percent of children with special health care needs 0 to 5 years old with reported therapy need experienced unmet need. Black and Hispanic children were more likely than white children to have parent-reported unmet therapy need (adjusted odds ratio 1.59, 95% confidence interval 1.08–2.36). This disparity was no longer significant after adjustment for the FCC elements of time, sensitivity, or partnership. Conclusions The provision of FCC is likely an important factor in meeting the therapy needs of children with developmental delay and in reducing racial/ethnic disparities in parent-reported unmet therapy need. Interventions aimed at fostering parent–provider relationships through improved cultural sensitivity and engagement of parents as partners are necessary to ensure equitable utilization of these services.
4.12 – Solvent-Based Extraction Techniques for the Determination of Pesticides in Food

This chapter is a review on solvent-based extraction techniques for the determination of pesticides in different food matrices. Extraction can be categorized as conventional solvent extraction with acetonitrile, acetone, and ethyl acetate as primary solvents or energy-assisted extraction techniques such as pressurized liquid extraction, microwave assisted- and ultrasound-assisted liquid extraction. Discussion is based on these techniques as well as their applications on different food matrices, with an emphasis on multi-residue pesticide analysis.
On microscale heterogeneity in granular media and its impact on elastic property estimation

ABSTRACTWe emphasize the existence of stress-dependent microscopic heterogeneities in granular media and their influence on macroscopic property estimation using numerical simulations. Although numerical simulations based on contact mechanics successfully reproduce experimental stress-dependent acoustic response of granular media, most contact-mechanics-based effective medium theories (EMTs) fail. We have determined that the main reason for this discrepancy is an inadequate theoretical treatment of micro-heterogeneities in structure, force, and stress. Under infinitesimal perturbations used for estimating elastic moduli, microheterogeneities lead to displacements or relaxations — typically ignored in EMT. These infinitesimal granular relaxations are necessary to comply with detailed force balance, but do not involve grain slip and hence do not depend on friction. Furthermore, we have found that these relaxations primarily depend on the “amount” of heterogeneity, which to a first order are dependent on str...
SOME THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF BIOLOGICAL TRANSPORT

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the answers to two problems: (1) selective permeability and accumulation of ions and nonelectrolytes, and (2) electrical potentials of membranes, which remain to be found. Recent studies by Leaf on the transepithelial transport of sodium across the mucosal and serosal surfaces clearly point out the inadequacy of widely accepted current concepts. There is enough evidence that electrolyte concentrations in various regions of the system play a crucial role. The answer to second problem, namely, active extrusion of sodium against a concentration and electrical potential gradients across the serosal part of the membrane, is not too difficult to comprehend. The magnitude and direction of flux of a specified component inside a membrane is not entirely determined by electropotential gradient. The chapter presents a few equations that show that the flux is determined inside the membrane phase by the electropotential gradient.
Challenges for Research Ethics and Moral Knowledge Construction in the Applied Social Sciences

Certain critical accounts of conventional research practices in business and the social sciences are explored in this essay. These accounts derive from alternative social paradigms and their underlying assumptions about appropriate social inquiry and knowledge construction. Among these alternative social paradigms, metatheories, mindscapes, or worldviews are social constructionist, critical, feminist, and postmodern or poststructural thinking. Individuals with these assumptions and values for knowledge construction are increasingly challenging conventional scholarship in what has been referred to as paradigm debates or wars. Issues of incommensurability or cross-paradigmatic communication potentials, as well as reflexivity, are raised in terms of moral education and development potentials for applied social science fields. Barriers and suggestions for increased moral development in academic and professional communities are discussed. In particular, moral forums in which participants have enhanced intrapersonal and interpersonal communication skills appear to be needed to surface and share often taken-for-granted assumptions concerning moral knowledge construction.
Properties and shape-memory behavior of compounds of a poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) ionomer and zinc stearate

Abstract The mechanical properties and shape memory behavior of compounds formed from a commercial poly (ethylene- co -methacrylic acid) ionomer and zinc stearate (ZnSt) are described. For compounds containing less than 10 wt% ZnSt, the components were miscible. Although the components were only partially miscible above 10 wt% ZnSt, the compounds were compatible, as judged by their macroscopic homogeneity and the improvements of the mechanical properties. The addition of 30 wt% ZnSt produced ductile materials and improved the room temperature tensile modulus by ∼50% and the stress at yield by ∼30%. The strain at yield, however, decreased by ∼45%. Compounds with 40 or 50 wt% ZnSt improved the modulus of the ionomer by nearly 100%, but the compounds were relatively brittle and broke before yielding. Shape memory behavior was demonstrated with a compound containing 50 wt% ZnSt where nanophase-separated ionic aggregates acted as a permanent network and a phase-separated ZnSt crystalline phase was a reversible, temporary network. The shape memory behavior was repeatable over five consecutive shape memory cycles with shape fixity and shape recovery values of ∼92% and ∼97%, respectively.
An Involutory Transformation

This chapter focuses on an involutory transformation applicable to nonlinear partial differential equations of a certain form. An involutory transformation yields a reformation of the partial differential equation; it involves inverting the dependent and independent variables that might lead to a more tractable equation. The chapter considers a partial differential equation of the form Φ( u ; ∂/∂ x ; ∂/∂ t ): = Φ( u , u x , u xx ,….; u t , u tt ,….) =0 for u = u ( x , t ). An inverse transformation T is then introduced because applying T twice is equivalent to not applying T , the transformation is involutory. This transformation may be used to change classes of nonlinear equations with Dirichlet boundary conditions to linear form. The chapter also highlights that Hodograph transformation is a different way in which the dependent and independent variables are interchanged.
Citizen Scholars’ Conceptions of Social Justice

In this chapter, students’ conceptualizations of social justice during their tenure in the Citizen Scholars Program are explored through sharing the definitions and visions that comprise the program participants’ thoughts. Examining when, during the program, these conceptualizations emerge and how these understandings relate to traditional theorizing of social justice, the chapter also highlights elements of the service-learning curriculum that influence these patterns of thinking.
The Scope and Future Direction of Child Life

Child life specialists work in a variety of healthcare settings and help children and families to cope with stress through play, preparation, and education. The purpose of this study was to examine the current scope of child life practice. Child life specialists (N = 147), recruited through the listserv of the Association of Child Life Professionals (formerly the Child Life Council), responded to an online survey that examined demographics, work environments and settings, the range of services provided, and perceived levels of competence in providing these services. Results indicate that the typical child life professional is a Caucasian female age 34 years, has a bachelor’s degree in child life or human development and family studies, is employed full-time in a children’s hospital as a certified child life specialist, and has 9 years of experience in the child life field. Respondents indicated that they perform a wide range of activities and feel competent in performing the majority of these activities. However, gaps in academic preparation such as more knowledge about death and dying and increased skills in working with diverse families were identified. Additionally, respondents felt supported, yet, a lack of awareness of child life persists.
A numerical model for sediment transport and bed change with river ice

Sediment transport and river morphology in cold regions can be significantly influenced by the presence of ice in winter. This paper presents a two-dimensional numerical model on sediment transport...
Rapid bacterial identification based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering and machine learning (Conference Presentation) (Withdrawal Notice)

Publisher’s Note: This conference presentation, originally published on 14 March 2018, was withdrawn per author request on 10 April 2018.