cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Same-Sex Friendships on the Weil-Being of Women

Abstract This paper serves to examine the importance of friendships in the lives of women by (1) analyzing existent literature pertaining to theoretical and historical perspectives, and (2) reviewing the literature addressing the impact of friendship on the well-being of women. Examination of the literature indicates that women who maintain friendships with other women can be positively impacted by these relationships. In taking a holistic view, it appears that friendship relationships often lead to heightened mental, physiological, and sociological well-being, whereas absence of friendships has been linked to loneliness, depression, and psychosomatic illness. The findings, implications for therapists, and limitations of research are addressed.
Funding Financial Inclusion: Institutional Logics and the Contextual Contingency of Funding for Microfinance Organizations

Microfinance is a promising tool for addressing the grand challenge of global poverty. Yet, while many studies have examined how microfinance loans affect poor borrowers, we know little about how m...
Epidemiological analysis of food-borne pathogens in Mianyang in 2011-2012

Objective To better understand the contamination status of food-borne pathogens in various food sold in Mianyang market and to find out the high-risk food,so as to provide the scientific basis for effective prevention of food-borne diseases. Methods Pursuant to the method of national standard and the food-borne pathogen detection manual,seven categories of foodborne pathogens were separated and identified. Results Out of 540food samples tested,45 were positive for pathogenic bacteria with the overall positive rate of 8.33%.45stains of bacteria were isolated,including 22of Bacillus cereus,10of Staphylococcus aureus,7of Listeria monocytogenes,5of Salmonella and 1of Enterobacter sakazakii. Conclusions The positive rate of pathogen is high in cooked rice products and infant food,and Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus are major pathogenic bacteria in food sold in Mianyang market.
MR imaging techniques for soft-tissue lesions.

SUMMARY MR imaging is the technique of choice for detection, characterization, and staging of soft-tissue neoplasms. MR examinations need to be tailored to each patient based upon the patient's size and anatomic region of interest so that optimal information is obtained. Technique is critical. Proper positioning to allow patient comfort and reduce motion artifacts is essential. Selection of the appropriate coils, image planes, and optimal pulse sequences to identify and determine the extent of lesions is critical for therapy planning.
Health information technology adoption: Understanding research protocols and outcome measurements for IT interventions in health care.

Abstract Objective To classify and characterize the variables commonly used to measure the impact of Information Technology (IT) adoption in health care, as well as settings and IT interventions tested, and to guide future research. Materials and methods We conducted a descriptive study screening a sample of 236 studies from a previous systematic review to identify outcome measures used and the availability of data to calculate these measures. We also developed a taxonomy of commonly used measures and explored setting characteristics and IT interventions. Results Clinical decision support is the most common intervention tested, primarily in non-hospital-based clinics and large academic hospitals. We identified 15 taxa representing the 79 most commonly used measures. Quality of care was the most common category of these measurements with 62 instances, followed by productivity (11 instances) and patient safety (6 instances). Measures used varied according to type of setting, IT intervention and targeted population. Discussion This study provides an inventory and a taxonomy of commonly used measures that will help researchers select measures in future studies as well as identify gaps in their measurement approaches. The classification of the other protocol components such as settings and interventions will also help researchers identify underexplored areas of research on the impact of IT interventions in health care. Conclusion A more robust and standardized measurement system and more detailed descriptions of interventions and settings are necessary to enable comparison between studies and a better understanding of the impact of IT adoption in health care settings.
Fructooligosaccharide Utilization by Salmonellae and Potential Direct-Fed-Microbial Bacteria for Poultry

Experiments were done to characterize potential direct-fed-microbial (DFM) bacteria for poultry and Salmonella spp. with respect to their abilities to metabolize fructooligosaccharide substrates (FOS-50® or pure FOS). Oxygen uptake (QO2) by these bacteria in media containing either glucose, FOS-50®, or FOS was determined with a Warburg respirometer. QO2 values for Salmonella spp. In media containing glucose or FOS-50® were similar(P >0.05); however, QO2 values in medium with FOS were significantly lower (P <0.05).The QO2 values for Enterococcus faecium, Lactococcus lactis, and Pediococcus sp. were considerably lower, reflecting the inability of these bacteria to oxidatively utilize these carbohydrates. The ability of E. faecium, L. lactis, and Pediococcus sp. to ferment glucose, FOS-50®, or FOS was determined by measuring pH changes of the media. All carbohydrate sources were fermented by these bacteria, but at different rates. The lowest pH values (<4.6) were obtained in inoculated media supplemented wit...
Spectral Projector-Based Graph Fourier Transforms

This paper considers the definition of the graph Fourier transform (GFT) and of the spectral decomposition of graph signals. Current literature does not address the lack of unicity of the GFT. The GFT is the mapping from the signal set into its representation by a direct sum of irreducible shift invariant subspaces: 1) this decomposition may not be unique; and 2) there is freedom in the choice of basis for each component subspace. These issues are particularly relevant when the graph shift has repeated eigenvalues as is the case in many real-world applications; by ignoring them, there is no way of knowing if different researchers are using the same definition of the GFT and whether their results are comparable or not. The paper presents how to resolve the above degrees of freedom. We develop a quasi -coordinate free definition of the GFT and graph spectral decomposition of graph signals that we implement through oblique spectral projectors. We present properties of the GFT and of the spectral projectors and discuss a generalized Parseval's inequality. An illustrative example for a large real-world urban traffic dataset is provided.
Surveillance analysis of drinking water borne fluorosis in Tibet autonomous region in 2009

Objective To find out the dynamics of drinking water borne endemic fluorosis in Tibet's, to evaluate the effect of control measures, and to provide a scientific basis for the timely adjustment of control strategies. Methods During september to october 2009, according to the "2008 Central Government Special Funds to Subsidize Local Public Health in Drinking Water Borne Fluorosis in Tibet", Xigaze Xietongmen and Nyingchi Zayu were selected as project counties, three project villages were selected with simple random sampling method in each county, the functioning of water improvement projects, drinking water fluoride content, children's dental fluorosis and adult skeletal fluorosis were investigated. Water fluoride was detected by the "standard examination methods for drinking water the non-metallic targets"(GB/T 5750.6-2006) determination of fluoride; urinary fluoride was tested by ion selective electrode (WS/T 89-1996); dental fluorosis was diagnosed using Deans method; adult skeletal fluorosis was diagnosed by "endemic skeletal fluorosis clinical diagnostic criteria" (WS 192-2008). Results Mean water fluoride was 0.18 - 0.34 mg/L in drinking water changed areas, and 0.70 - 2.13 mg/L in not changed areas; prevalence of dental fluorosis of children 8 - 10 was 50.78% (65/128), dental fluorosis index was 1.04,mean urinary fluoride was 1.64 mg/L in drinking water changed areas; prevalence of dental fluorosis of children 8 -10 years old was 80.65%(25/31 ) in not changed areas, dental fluorosis index was 1.50, mean urinary fluoride of children was 2.08; adult clinical skeletal fluorosis was 38.7%(104/269) in drinking water changed areas, the mean urinary fluoride was 1.61 mg/L, prevalence of skeletal fluorosis was 15.4% (18/117) in not changed areas, mean urinary fluoride was 3.54 mg/L. Conclusions The method of change the water to reduce fluoride decreases dental fluorosis to control levels, and severity is also reduced, urinary fluoride is decreased. However, the prevalence of skeletal fluorosis is higher than that of drinking water not changed areas. Key words: Fluoride poisoning; Change the water; Data collection
Computer networking in engineering and technology

The Purdue University School of Engineering and Technology at Indianapolis has installed a variety of systems to meet the many diverse computer needs of the school. The integration of these systems plays an important role in maximising the benefits gained in their applications, and in future plans for additional equipment and upgrades.
Confocal Scanning Light Microscopy

Confocal scanning light microscopy, a new type of microscopy, has generated considerable excitement. It gives higher resolution and thinner noninvasive optical sections, or planar views, than those obtained by classical bright-field or dark-field microscopy, and increased contrast is another major advantage. Fluorescence microscopy(1) is also greatly improved by using confocal scanning light microscopy, since three-dimensional views can be generated, which lend themselves well to digital image processing and possibly holography. In an image-processing system, a hundred or more very thin optical sections can be stored and combined into a composite, three-dimensional image. Then a display of the total three-dimensional view, or selected parts, can be generated. The composite three-dimensional views can resemble those from scanning electron microscopy, but the specimen does not have to be in a vacuum, as with normal scanning electron microscopy. Currently the technique is used only for reflected light, bright-field and fluorescent microscopies, but additional techniques are under development. Transmission and polarized light microscopes should be available in the future. The confocal microscopical concept was patented in 1957, but the technique has only recently become more common. Delay in its development is probably due to the only recent common application of lasers and scanning techniques. Currently there are some complications with all varieties of these instruments, and efforts are continuing to decrease these.
Proceedings of the thirty-seventh annual ACM symposium on Theory of computing

The papers in this volume were presented at the Thirty-Seventh Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC 2005), held in Baltimore, Maryland, May 22-24, 2005. The Symposium was sponsored by the ACM Special Interest Group on Algorithms and Computation Theory (SIGACT).On May 21, the day before STOC, there was a commemoration of Larry Stockmeyer, who died on July 31, 2004. For this tribute, which was organized by Tutorials Chair Cynthia Dwork, there was a tutorial by Nicholas Pippenger on some of Stockmeyer's fundamental results in complexity theory, followed by lectures by Miklos Ajtai, Anne Condon, Cynthia Dwork, Richard Karp, Albert Meyer, and Christopher Umans. On the following day, Lance Fortnow continued the tribute with an invited talk and paper, which appears in these proceedings, on the work and legacy of Larry Stockmeyer.In response to a Call for Papers, 290 submissions were received by the submission deadline of November 4, 2004, 5:59pm EST. All were submitted electronically on the ACM SIGACT server website. One paper was a duplicate, and four papers were eventually withdrawn.The Program Committee began its deliberations electronically on January 4, and continued in that medium until its meeting at the IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, California, on January 21-22, where all final decisions were made. Of the 21 Program Committee members, 19 attended the Program Committee meeting in San Jose, and the other two participated through a full-time conference call.The Program Committee selected 84 papers for presentation. The paper "Undirected ST-Connectivity in Log-Space", by Omer Reingold, was selected for the STOC Best Paper Award. The paper "A O(log n log log n) Space Algorithm for Undirected Connectivity", by Vladimir Trifonov, was selected for the Danny Lewin Best Student Paper Award.The submissions were not refereed, and many of these papers represent reports of continuing research. It is expected that most of them will appear in a more polished and complete form in scientific journals.
Micro-fabricated Shunt to Mimic Arachnoid Granulations for the Treatment of Communicating Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is the abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the confines of the skull that if left untreated results in significant morbidity and mortality. The treatment for hydrocephalus has remained essentially unchanged for over 50 years. It was a technological advance in materials that allowed John Holter, in conjunction with neurosurgeons Spitzer and Nulsen, to devise a valve and shunt system that diverted excess CSF from the ventricular space to the peritoneum. This ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt is far from ideal, with problems associated with under/over shunting, mechanical mismatch, infection, high failure rates, disconnection and erosion. With the advances in the field of micro-fabrication and micro-machines we propose an innovative shunt system that would mimic the function of arachnoid granulations. This micro-fabricated shunting device, or micro-mechanical arachnoid granulation (MAG), consists of a multiplicity of micro-valves each 210 μm in diameter that each adhere to individual micro-needles. This work demonstrates the design and initial test results of the micro-valve with parameters for low cracking pressure, optimal flow rate, and reflux that would mimic the function of the native arachnoid granulations.
Energy Dependence of Vτ in the (p,n) Reaction 10–30 MeV

The (p,n) reaction on spin-zero nuclei leading to the target isobaric analog state is the most promising way to extract the VST = VO1 = Vτ part of the effective nucleon-nucleon interaction.1, 2 In order to do this a microscopic calculation is required. However many authors3–9 have analyzed this reaction in terms of the macroscopic Lane model10 in order to determine V1, the isovector part of the optical model potential. Madsen11 has shown that in the absence of exchange forces, Vτ and V1 are related by the expression $$ {V_1}(r) = \frac{{{U_1}(r)\vec T\bullet \vec t}}{A} = {V_\tau }\sum\limits_j {\left\langle {{N_j} - {Z_j}} \right\rangle } R_j^2(r)/2\pi \sqrt {N - Z} $$ (1) where Rj is the radial wave function for the bound particle and and are the expectation values of neutron and proton numbers in the j-shell. In principle, then, one may determine Vτ from such a macroscopic calculation.
Exocellular proteases of Malbranchea gypsea and their role in keratin deterioration

Malbranchea gypsea IMI 338,168 isolated from the soils of Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur was studied for its ability to produce exocellular proteases on glucose-gelatin medium at pH 7; 28 degrees C. The fungus was observed to be a potent producer of such enzymes. Protease production was optimal at 15 days of incubation. Asparagine was repressive to protease expression. No relationship existed between the amount of enzyme production and increase in biomass. Exogenous sugars suppressed enzyme production in descending order as follows: glucose > mannose > maltose > arabinose > fructose. The enzymes expressed showed the ability to degrade three keratinous substrates tested. Buffalo skin was the most actively degraded substrate when exogenous glucose was present, and was also the most resistant to degradation in the absence of glucose. The rate of keratin deterioration was independent of enzyme activity. Production of protease enzymes especially keratinases is ecologically important in a place like a National Park because such enzymes degrade keratinous detritus derived from mammals and birds. Accumulation of such materials can be a cause of pollution and can provide a breeding spot for various types of pathogens.
MINT: mutual information based transductive feature selection for genetic trait prediction

Whole genome prediction of complex phenotypic traits using high-density genotyping arrays has attracted a lot of attention, as it is relevant to the fields of plant and animal breeding and genetic epidemiology. Since the number of genotypes is generally much bigger than the number of samples, predictive models suffer from the curse of dimensionality . The curse of dimensionality problem not only affects the computational efficiency of a particular genomic selection method, but can also lead to a poor performance, mainly due to possible overfitting, or un-informative features. In this work, we propose a novel transductive feature selection method, called MINT, which is based on the MRMR (Max-Relevance and Min-Redundancy) criterion. We apply MINT on genetic trait prediction problems and show that, in general, MINT is a better feature selection method than the state-of-the-art inductive method MRMR.
Matrix geometric solutions in M/G/1 type Markov chains with multiple boundaries: A generalized state-space approach

In this paper, we present a computationally efficient algorithm for obtaining the steady-state probability vector of M/G/1 type Markov chains with multiple boundary levels which are used in performance evaluation of computer and communication systems. Our approach involves finding a particular generalized state-space realization of the associated probability generating function of the steady-state vector which is assumed to be rational. We show that the solution vector for level k, χk, k ≥ N, has the simple matrix geometric form χkN = gFkH, k ≥ 0, where the vector g and the matrix parameters F and H in the above representation can be obtained by finding bases for certain generalized invariant subspaces of a regular pencil λE − A and N is the number of boundary levels. Such bases can efficiently be found using several generalized invariant subspace solvers of numerical linear algebra, in particular the matrix sign function iterations with quadratic convergence rates.
Endoscopic management of weight regain following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Introduction With the cumulative increase in the number of patients undergoing bariatric surgery, postoperative weight regain has become a considerable challenge. Mechanisms for weight regain are not fully understood and the process is likely multifactorial in many cases. Endoluminal revisions that reduce gastric pouch size and diameter of the gastrojejunal anastomosis may offer an effective and less invasive management strategy for this population. Areas covered We critically review data from case series, retrospective and prospective studies, and meta-analyses pertaining to weight regain after gastric bypass. A variety of endoscopic revision approaches are reviewed, including technique details, procedural safety and efficacy, and post-procedure care. Expert commentary Given the proliferation of endoluminal therapies with evidence showing safety and efficacy in the treatment of weight regain, it is likely that endoscopic revision will be the gold standard to treat weight regain in patients with gastric bypass.
Vaccination with an inactivated canine influenza H3N2 virus vaccine is safe and elicits an immune response in cats.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate safety and seroconversion when an inactivated H3N2 canine influenza virus (CIV) vaccine was administered to cats.MethodsTwenty 7–8-week-old seronegat...
Step 1 of EBP: Assessment in Clinical Social Work and Identifying Practice Information Needs

This chapter examines models of assessment as the foundation of doing EBP in clinical practice. It details Step 1 of the EBP process: identifying practice information needs related to the client’s strengths, situation, and needs. Several assessment models are introduced and examined critically: the social work person-in-environment (PIE) model, the risk and resiliency model, the family systems model, the psychodynamic model, and the medical model. These models help identify a client’s strengths, situation, and needs to begin the EBP process. Many resources for assessment and diagnosis are discussed. A detailed case example of assessment related to Step 1 of the EBP is provided.
Between careful and crazy: the emotion work of feeding the family in an industrialized food system

Mothers are under tremendous pressure to feed children wholesome meals – a job that requires careful attention to every ingredient on a child’s plate. They are also urged to restrain how much they ...
Internationalizing firm innovations: The influence of multimarket overlap in knowledge activities

Building on insights from the multimarket competition and knowledge management literatures, this paper explores how multimarket overlap in knowledge activities influences firm decisions to internationalize their home-country generated innovations. I argue that higher multimarket overlap in knowledge activities with industry rivals pushes firms to internationalize and protect their innovations. At the same time, I argue that this strategic response will be attenuated for higher value firm innovations and in industries with higher global knowledge concentration across countries. Empirical results from a comprehensive panel of US MNCs and their worldwide family patents provide support for these arguments. While a higher overlap in knowledge activities with home and foreign rivals pushes firms to internationalize their innovations, this main strategic response is attenuated for higher value firm innovations and when industry knowledge is concentrated in fewer countries. Taken together, this paper extends the knowledge management literature by exploring how knowledge threats from home and foreign rivals impact the decisions of firms to transfer their innovations to foreign countries, while at the same time expanding the multimarket competition literature by offering new ways of identifying credible knowledge threats by rivals.
Representing polymer molecular structure using molecular simulations for the study of liquid sorption and diffusion

Membrane-based separations enable technology for reducing energy usage. Molecular simulations of polymers have the potential to describe sorption and diffusion mechanisms of moderate-size molecules in membranes and to inform new materials development for separating liquids. Advances in simulation methods have improved equilibration of chain configurations so they provide more reliable environments for simulating permeation. In situ ‘polymerization’ can generate large equilibrated cells in reasonable computation times. Reverse mapping between coarse-grained and atomistic scales can equilibrate complex polymers. Simulations of diffusion in polymers now target materials that include polyimides and PIMs. This paper reviews the current status and illustrates recent successes in equilibrating chains and simulating relevant engineering polymers, with a motivation toward applications in the fields of sorption and diffusion.
Heat Illness in Football

Exertional heat illnesses (EHIs) are common among athletes, with the most severe form, exertional heat stroke (EHS), being one of the top three causes of death in athletes. Many risk factors for EHI are known and prevention strategies are available to decrease the risk of EHI. While EHS can be deadly, it is 100% survivable if recognized early and treated appropriately in a prompt manner. Cold water immersion (CWI) is considered the gold standard method of cooling with tarp-assisted cooling with oscillation (TaCO) being the only other accepted method of cooling appropriately. While little scientific evidence exists to guide return to play following EHS, consensus recommendations are available and are recommended when guiding athletes back to activities after EHS.
Identifying Cases of Shoulder Injury Related to Vaccine Administration (SIRVA) Using Natural Language Processing

Background Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA) accounts for more than half of all claims received by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. However, there is a lack of population-based studies due to the challenge of identifying SIRVA cases in large health care databases. Objective To develop a natural language processing (NLP) method to identify SIRVA cases from clinical notes. Methods We conducted the study among members of a large integrated health care organization who were vaccinated between 04/1/2016 and 12/31/2017 and had subsequent diagnosis codes indicative of shoulder injury. Based on a training dataset with a chart review reference standard of 164 individuals, we developed an NLP algorithm to extract shoulder disorder information, including prior vaccination, anatomic location, temporality and causality. The algorithm identified three groups of positive SIRVA cases (definite, probable and possible) based on the strength of evidence. We compared NLP results to a chart review reference standard of 100 vaccinated individuals. We then applied the final automated NLP algorithm to a broader cohort of vaccinated individuals with a shoulder injury diagnosis code and performed manual chart confirmation on a random sample of NLP-identified definite cases and all NLP-identified probable and possible cases. Results In the validation sample, the NLP algorithm had 100% accuracy for identifying 4 SIRVA cases and 96 individuals without SIRVA. In the broader cohort of 53,585 individuals, the NLP algorithm identified 291 definite, 124 probable, and 52 possible SIRVA cases. The chart-confirmation rates for these groups were 95.3%, 67.7% and 18.9%, respectively. Conclusions The algorithm performed with high sensitivity and reasonable specificity in identifying positive SIRVA cases. The NLP algorithm can potentially be used in future population-based studies to identify this rare adverse event, avoiding labor-intensive chart review validation.
An algorithm for hierarchical classification of genes of prokaryotic genomes

We present in this paper our hierarchical classification of genes for prokaryotic genomes from a methodological point of view. Our classification scheme is unique in that (1) the functional equivalence relationships among genes are assessed by using both sequence similarity and genomic context information, (2) genes are grouped into clusters of multiple resolution levels based on their equivalence relationships among each other, and (3) gene clusters, which are either parallel-to or inside-of one another, naturally form a hierarchical structure. This classification scheme has been applied for the genes of 224 complete prokaryotic genomes (release as of March, 2005). The classification results are available at http://csbl.bmb.uga.edu/HCG, and are validated through comparisons with the taxonomy of these 224 genomes, and with two existing gene classification schemes, Clusters of Orthologous Groups of proteins (COG) and Pfam, respectively.
ADDRESSING THE LIMIT OF DETECTABILITY OF RESIDUAL OXIDE DISCONTINUITIES IN FRICTION STIR BUTT WELDS OF ALUMINUM USING PHASED ARRAY ULTRASOUND

This activity seeks to estimate a theoretical upper bound of detectability for a layer of oxide embedded in a friction stir weld in aluminum. The oxide is theoretically modeled as an ideal planar layer of aluminum oxide, oriented normal to an interrogating ultrasound beam. Experimentally‐measured grain scattering level is used to represent the practical noise floor. Echoes from naturally‐occurring oxides will necessarily fall below this theoretical limit, and must be above the measurement noise to be potentially detectable.
Randomization, Replication, and Sampling

Some typical instances of randomization are described in this chapter. Repeating experiments with the same or purposely varied independent variables, the other means known as “replication,” are also indicated in the chapter. A statistically justifiable method of sample collection is yet another means to the same end called “reproducibility.” A collection of elements known as a “set” calls for an outline description of the set theory. That is followed by a review of some of the more common methods of sample collection. What distinguishes scientific investigations is that they are meant to be objective, meaning that an individual's findings as a result of scientist's investigation, biases, and wishful thinking that are subjective elements. Another circumstance that gives credence to randomization is the fact that nature is filled with variety, with possibly no two “similar” things or events being “exactly similar.” Add to this the fact that an experimenter is limited in time and place, whereas the inference or conclusion drawn from his experiments is meant to be beyond the limitation of time and place.
Transgenic models of hepatic growth regulation and hepatocarcinogenesis

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews pertinent studies employing genetically modified animals that address liver growth regulation and neoplasia. The most common method of producing genetically altered animals is to introduce DNA into fertilized mouse eggs. This process gives rise to transgenic mice that have incorporated the foreign DNA into their genome. To accomplish this, fertilized one-cell mouse eggs in egg culture medium are fixed in place on the stage of a microscope and pierced by a sharp-tipped microinjection needle containing a DNA solution. The solution is expelled into one of the two egg pronuclei, and surviving eggs are surgically transferred into the oviducts of pseudopregnant foster mothers. Offspring resulting from this procedure are screened to identify those in which the foreign DNA (transgene) has become integrated into the genome; these mice should carry a copy of the transgene in every cell of the body. With this methodology, experimental design is critically dependent on the nature of the transgene DNA. Transgene constructs generally contain two functional elements: the DNA sequence encoding the protein whose activity is being studied and the DNA regulatory elements (enhancer/promoters) that target gene expression specifically to one or more cell types. Thus, chimeric genes contain a novel combination of regulatory and coding elements and can target gene expression to novel tissues. To date, transgenic mice have provided the principal models of genetically altered animals employed in the studies of liver growth regulation and carcinogenesis.
Publishing Your Research

Publication of research is an essential part of science. Indeed, a key characteristic of science is the accumulation of knowledge. This accumulation depends not only on the completion of research but also on preparation of reports that disseminate the results. Publication can serve other goals as well. Preparing a manuscript for publication helps the investigator to consider the current study in a broader context and chart a course for a series of studies. There are of course many professional and career goals served by publishing one’s research. Publication of one’s research signals a level of competence and mastery that includes developing an idea, designing, executing and completing the study, analyzing the results, preparing a written report, submitting it for publication, and traversing the peer-review process. This chapter focuses on publishing one’s research. The topics include preparing a manuscript, selecting a publication outlet, submitting the manuscript for review, and revising the manuscript as needed for publication.
Accurate market price formation model with both supply-demand and trend-following for global food prices providing policy recommendations.

Recent increases in basic food prices are severely affecting vulnerable populations worldwide. Proposed causes such as shortages of grain due to adverse weather, increasing meat consumption in China and India, conversion of corn to ethanol in the United States, and investor speculation on commodity markets lead to widely differing implications for policy. A lack of clarity about which factors are responsible reinforces policy inaction. Here, for the first time to our knowledge, we construct a dynamic model that quantitatively agrees with food prices. The results show that the dominant causes of price increases are investor speculation and ethanol conversion. Models that just treat supply and demand are not consistent with the actual price dynamics. The two sharp peaks in 2007/2008 and 2010/2011 are specifically due to investor speculation, whereas an underlying upward trend is due to increasing demand from ethanol conversion. The model includes investor trend following as well as shifting between commodities, equities, and bonds to take advantage of increased expected returns. Claims that speculators cannot influence grain prices are shown to be invalid by direct analysis of price-setting practices of granaries. Both causes of price increase, speculative investment and ethanol conversion, are promoted by recent regulatory changes—deregulation of the commodity markets, and policies promoting the conversion of corn to ethanol. Rapid action is needed to reduce the impacts of the price increases on global hunger.
Effects of iron overload on the immune system

Iron and its binding proteins have immunoregulatory properties, and shifting of immunoregulatory balances by iron excess or deficiency may produce severe, deleterious physiological effects. Effects of iron overload include decreased antibody-mediated and mitogen-stimulated phagocytosis by monocytes and macrophages, alterations in T-lymphocyte subsets, and modification of lymphocyte distribution in different compartments of the immune system. The importance of iron in regulating the expression of T-lymphocyte cell surface markers, influencing the expansion of different T-cell subsets, and affecting immune cell functions can be demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. The poor ability of lymphocytes to sequester excess iron in ferritin may help to explain the immune system abnormalities in iron-overloaded patients. Iron overload as seen in hereditary hemochromatosis patients enhances suppressor T-cell (CD8) numbers and activity, decreases the proliferative capacity, numbers, and activity of helper T cells (CD4) with increases in CD8/CD4 ratios, impairs the generation of cytotoxic T cells, and alters immunoglobulin secretion when compared to treated hereditary hemochromatosis patients or controls. A correlation has recently been found between low CD8+ lymphocyte numbers, liver damage associated with HCV positivity, and severity of iron overload in beta-thalassemia major patients. Iron overload, with its associated increases of serum iron levels and transferrin saturation, may cause a poor response to interferon therapy. Iron overload with hyperferremia is associated with suppressed functions of the complement system (classic or alternative types). High plasma ferritin content in patients with chronic, diffuse diseases of the liver (cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis), beta-thalassemia major, dyserythropoiesis, and hereditary hemochromatosis may induce the development of anti-ferritin antibodies with the production of circulating immune complexes. Increased body stores of iron in various clinical situations may tip the immunoregulatory balance unfavorably to allow increased growth rates of cancer cells and infectious organisms, and complicate the clinical management of preexisting acute and chronic diseases.
Nuclear physics and quark/gluon QCD

Abstract In looking toward the future of Nuclear Physics I briefly discuss the questions of quark distributions in nuclei, weak interactions in nuclei, the applicability of QCD, and the question of seeing glue in nuclear matter.
Lattice design and optimization for the PEP-X ultra low emittance storage ring at SLAC

SLAC is developing a long-range plan to transfer the evolving scientific programs at SSRL from the SPEAR3 light source to a much higher performing photon source. One of the possibilities is a new PEP-X 4.5 GeV storage ring that would be housed in the 2.2 km PEP-II tunnel. The PEP-X is designed to produce photon beams having brightness near 10{sup 22} (ph/s/mm{sup 2}/mrad{sup 2}/0.1% BW) at 10 keV with 3.5 m undulator at beam current of 1.5 A. This report presents an overview of the PEP-X baseline lattice design and describes the lattice optimization procedures in order to maximize the beam dynamic aperture. The complete report of PEP-X baseline design is published in SLAC report.
Osteoblast response to zirconia-hybridized pyrophosphate-stabilized amorphous calcium phosphate

Calcium phosphate bioceramics, such as hydroxyapatite, have long been used as bone substitutes because of their proven biocompatibility and bone binding properties in vivo. Recently, a zirconia-hybridized pyrophosphate-stabilized amorphous calcium phosphate (Zr-ACP) has been synthesized, which is more soluble than hydroxyapatite and allows for controlled release of calcium and phosphate ions. These ions have been postulated to increase osteoblast differentiation and mineralization in vitro. The focus of this work is to elucidate the physicochemical properties of Zr-ACP and to measure cell response to Zr-ACP in vitro using a MC3T3-E1 mouse calvarial-derived osteoprogenitor cell line. Cells were cultured in osteogenic medium and mineral was added to culture at different stages in cell maturation. Culture in the presence of Zr-ACP showed significant increases in cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP), and osteopontin (OPN) synthesis, whereas collagen synthesis was unaffected. In addition, calcium and phosphate ion concentrations and medium pH were found to transiently increase with the addition of Zr-ACP, and are hypothesized to be responsible for the osteogenic effect of Zr-ACP.
Plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition processes and their semiconductor applications

Abstract When plasmas are used to assist chemical vapor deposition processes little thought is given to the nature of the electrical discharge that creates the plasma or the interaction between the plasma and the chamber. In this paper, some of the phenomena essential to the understanding of plasma behavior are reviewed. At the same time, some new reactor concepts that may offer improvements over traditional production reactors will be discussed.
Mantle helium in hydrothermal plumes in the Galapagos Rift

THE 3He/4He ratio in deep Pacific water is 20–30% higher than in atmospheric helium because of injection of primordial helium from the mantle1,2. The largest 3He enrichments in the Pacific have been found in water on the crest of the East Pacific Rise where the isotopic ratios indicate2 that the excess helium component has a 3He/4He ratio about ten times the atmospheric ratio, in agreement with the ratios measured in trapped helium in the glassy rims of oceanic tholeiites3,4. Recent measurements in this laboratory5 have shown that the hot brines in the axial rift of the Red Sea are very highly enriched in mantle helium. 3He and 4He are respectively 3300 and 380 times supersaturated relative to atmospheric solubility equilibrium in seawater, with a 3He/4He ratio of 1.2×10−5, or 8.6 times the ratio in atmospheric helium. Comparison of the enrichments of various elements in the Red Sea brines and in brines associated with salt domes6 shows that helium is the only component in the Red Sea brines which unequivocally requires derivation from hydrothermal circulation of seawater in basalts. The helium isotopes are thus an extremely powerful and sensitive tracer for the detection and mapping of hydrothermal systems in oceanic spreading centres.
Current status of clinical electrocardiography with suggestions for the improvement of the interpretive process

O thers have written about the sad state of interpreting nonarrhythmic electrocardiograms.1–3 I have placed my pen to paper to offer support for their concern and to express my own views about the current failure to teach and learn the skill. In addition, I wish to offer a remedy for the current state of affairs. The purpose of this communication, which deals exclusively with nonarrhythmic electrocardiographic abnormalities is: to discuss why the quality of the interpretation of electrocardiograms has declined; to reemphasize the clinical goal of the interpretive process; to offer a listing of time-tested concepts; to discuss, briefly, a few of the recent advances in the interpretive process; to discuss the implementation of the recent American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/American College of Physicians/ American Society of Internal Medicine guidelines for training modern house officers in electrocardiography; and to discuss postgraduate education in electrocardiography for practicing physicians.
Studies of inactivation of encephalomyocarditis virus, M13 bacteriophage, and Salmonella typhimurium by using a visible femtosecond laser: insight into the possible inactivation mechanisms

We report experimental results on the inactivation of encephalomyocarditis virus, M13 bacteriophage, and Salmonella typhimurium by a visible femtosecond laser. Our results suggest that inactivation of virus and bacterium by a visible femtosecond laser involves completely different mechanisms. Inactivation of viruses by a visible femtosecond laser involves the breaking of hydrogen/hydrophobic bonds or the separation of the weak protein links in the protein shell of a viral particle. In contrast, inactivation of bacteria is related to the damage of their DNAs due to irradiation of a visible femtosecond laser. Possible mechanisms for the inactivation of viruses and bacteria are discussed.
Integrating Geometry in a Meaningful Way (A Point of View)

Some known examples from the literature are used to offer a point of view that could integrate different geometries and blend several topics, which have important applications both in higher mathematics and other disciplines, appropriately with those that are often discussed in a standard High School Curriculum. The aim is to make these topics, more attractive and understandable to students in grades 9‐12 in a way that reinforces logical thinking with visual understanding obtained through computer usage. In this process, students not only learn the materials better, but also gain the ability of making conjectures while exploring the computer screen This could add some spice to teaching and make it more enjoyable for students.
The Cost of Incarceration in Texas: Estimating the Benefits of Reducing the Prison Population

In the wake of the recent economic crisis state policymakers have begun to consider redirecting expenditures on corrections as a way to trim state budgets. Recent attention has focused on reducing prison populations as a solution. However, this is a politically charged issue that has to balance the needs of the government and criminal justice system in the milieu of resource scarcity, with the needs of the offenders, and the safety of the community. This paper assesses how reducing inmates’ time served in prison, eliminating the use of prison for parole or probation technical violators, and decriminalizing ‘victimless’ crimes could impact the financial costs of incarceration in the state of Texas. Implications for policy and evidence-based alternatives to incarceration are discussed.
Thermomagnetic characteristics in late orogenic granites and gneisses of the southern Appalachian Piedmont

Abstract Thermomagnetic curves have been obtained for samples from 25 granites and gneisses in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. This data set can be divided into two distinct curve types: Type I includes rocks which exhibit no distinct Curie points and a linear decrease in magnetization with increasing temperature; Type II curves exhibit a distinct Curie point over a range of temperatures expected for magnetite (500–580°C). Synthetic samples constructed from magnetite and hematite powder exhibit Type I behavior when the hematite to magnetite ratio is high (e.g. 15 : 1). Examination of polished sections shows relatively coarse-grained magnetite only in Type II rocks. We interpret our data to indicate that Type I thermomagnetic curves are dominated by relatively large hematite/magnetite ratios while Type II granites are characterized by relatively coarse-grained magnetite. Type I granite samples have low magnetic susceptibility values (less than 4 × 10−4 cgs) while most Type II granite samples have higher values. The Type I granites are invariably18O-enriched whereas Type II granites typically exhibit low18O/16O ratios. These relationships are consistent with previously reported correlations of susceptibility (generally indicative of magnetite content) and oxygen isotopic trends in the southern Appalachian Piedmont.
Food Safety Education Using Music Parodies

Musical parodies of contemporary songs withtheir lyrics altered to address current food safety issues wereincorporated into a variety offood safety educational programs and the effectiveness of the music was evaluated by semiquantitative and qualitative measures. Audiences receivingthe music-enriched curriculaincluded schoolfoodservice supervisors,schoolfoodservice managers, culinary arts instructors,culinary arts students, Family and Consumer Sciences teachers, and youthaged 8to 12 y and studies wereconducted inSouthCarolina,NorthCarolina,andDelaware. Among school foodservicesupervisors,school foodservicemanagers, and culinary arts students,most participants were able to recall themainpointsofeachsongthatwasintroduced inthe curriculum. The culinary arts students wereless likely to recallthe main points ofeach songthan werethe other 2 groups, possibly becauseof the lack of prior knowledge of food safety practices as wellas alack of preference forthestyleofsongsused.FamilyandConsumer Sciences teachers were enthusiastic about the useof the music but alsoidentified potential barriers to the successfuluse ofthe music,due tothe potential lackof appropriate audiovisual equipment, a lack ofskills inusing such equipment, and time constraints for the useof music incurricula due to the strongemphasis on end ofyear testing. Participants in the summer youthgroups demonstrated significant increases between pre- and posttest examinations of safe food handling behaviors and most were able to quote lines orphrases from the songs.
23rd Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning

Purpose – To report on the 23rd Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning held August 8‐10, 2007 in Madison, WI.Design/methodology/approach – Provides an overview of the conference and reviews of specific events.Findings – Outlines the pre‐conference events and four limited presentations.Originality/value – A conference report of interest to librarians, information professionals, trainers and instructional designers about issues related to distance learning, teaching and technologies.
STIMULUS OVERSELECTIVITY IN AUTISTIC AND MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN–A RESEARCH NOTE

Groups of autistic and mentally retarded children were compared for the degree of stimulus overselectivity manifested during test probes after discrimination learning. Results demonstrated that stimulus overselectivity was a function of diagnostic category when groups were equated for performance IQ and mental age. Procedures used to obtain IQ as well as discrimination learning rate were also shown to be equivalent. Pulse rate response suggested that the test probes may be assessing performance during the early trials of a transfer problem for both groups of children. Implications for 'one-look' models of discrimination learning were discussed.