cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing a Learning Community Through an Online University’s Community Engagement Platform: An Analysis of the Experiences of Students and Faculty

Online education provides educational resources in various forms of media, supporting both real-time and asynchronous communication between learners and instructors and between diverse learners. Together with the plethora of endorsement of distance education, however, comes the concern that something of educational value might be missing in the virtual environment that employs technology as a way of linking learners with peers and instructors. Research shows that the creation of an online community is key to developing a conducive learning environment, and interactive technologies, used wisely, can serve to foster interactivity and social connectedness. In 2014 Northcentral University instituted The Commons, a community engagement platform that provides students, faculty, and staff with the opportunity to connect and support each other “outside the classroom virtually”. The Commons was designed to enhance students’ educational experience by creating a vibrant and dynamic learning community. In 2017 the University community was invited to participate in a survey, the findings of which uncovered community engagement preferences of students and faculty, enabling a better understanding of the experience of using the Commons as a means to receive support and resources. These findings helped identify ways in which to make improvements and changes to continue to foster community and engagement.
Foreignness in public–private partnerships: The case of project finance investments

The literature on public–private partnerships (PPPs) has begun to identify critical success factors associated with PPP performance. However, despite the international nature of PPPs, the literature has not considered the performance implications of the foreignness of the private sector firm that manages the PPP and its associated infrastructure project. This is a particularly intriguing issue for PPPs, given that the private sector firm is chosen through a bidding process by the host government to lead the project – making the relationship between foreignness and performance potentially endogenous. Our findings suggest that foreignness may have a detrimental effect on project completion time, but not the probability of project completion. Furthermore, the scale and scope of the project moderate the effect of foreignness on project performance. Our findings suggest that governments and policy makers should be mindful that the participation of foreign private sector firms has nuanced implications for local economies and stakeholders impacted by PPPs.
The higher educational trajectories of undocumented youth in New York City

Despite growth in the number of Latino students enrolled in U.S. colleges, foreign-born Latinos are less likely than both native-born Latinos and other immigrant groups to graduate. However, it is ...
Jewish Theocracy at the Biblical Barbeque: The Role of Third Temple Activism and Sacrificial Reenactments in Shaping Self and State

The Passover sacrifice event, conducted since 2000, is one of the Third Temple Movement’s annual tirgulim (exercises), where activists “practice” offering animal sacrifices in preparation for the rebuilding of the Third Temple and advent of the messianic era. During these events, Jewish indigeneity is choreographed and embodied by the kohanim, Third Temple priests in training, who perform the sacrificial ritual onstage for hundreds of spectators. How should we place the Third Temple Movement, and the renewed desire for animal sacrifice, into the history of “socializing natives” in Israel? What kind of indigeneity is this? This paper aims to expand research on the Third Temple Movement, which has largely focused on the messianic Zionist ideologies of leading activists, by focusing on what the Passover sacrifice event has come to mean for participants, as they engage in these socialization exercises aimed at preparing them for a post-Zionist theocratic future.
Ear-AR: indoor acoustic augmented reality on earphones

This paper aims to use modern earphones as a platform for acoustic augmented reality (AAR). We intend to play 3D audio-annotations in the user's ears as she moves and looks at AAR objects in the environment. While companies like Bose and Microsoft are beginning to release such capabilities, they are intended for outdoor environments. Our system aims to explore the challenges indoors, without requiring any infrastructure deployment. Our core idea is two-fold. (1) We jointly use the inertial sensors (IMUs) in earphones and smartphones to estimate a user's indoor location and gazing orientation. (2) We play 3D sounds in the earphones and exploit the human's responses to (re)calibrate errors in location and orientation. We believe this fusion of IMU and acoustics is novel, and could be an important step towards indoor AAR. Our system, Ear-AR, is tested on 7 volunteers invited to an AAR exhibition - like a museum - that we set up in our building's lobby and lab. Across 60 different test sessions, the volunteers browsed different subsets of 24 annotated objects as they walked around. Results show that Ear-AR plays the correct audio-annotations with good accuracy. The user-feedback is encouraging and points to further areas of research and applications.
Using cluster analysis to explore students' interactions with automated feedback in an online Earth science task

Digitally delivered tasks can provide students opportunities to interact with disciplinary content while their interactions with the tasks can be recorded as time-stamped log events in the system server. Through post-hoc analysis of log data, we can re-enact and discover patterns in students' activities. This study addresses the online Earth science module where students engaged in writing and revising scientific arguments in a structured format. We adopted natural language processing (NLP) techniques to analyse students' responses, which enabled us to provide immediate feedback to students on their responses and revisions. Cluster analyses were conducted on the action sequences in four argumentation tasks embedded in the module. For each task, the cluster analyses identified two clusters of students who showed different revision patterns with allocation of time on different items. In addition, students in those two clusters also differed in their initial item scores and item score changes after revision.
Assembly and Function of Nitrogenase

Nitrogenase is the complex metalloenzyme responsible for the crucial process of biological nitrogen fixation, in which atmospheric dinitrogen (N2) is converted into bioavailable ammonia (NH3). This involves the breaking of the inert N≡N triple bond, a remarkable feat that is made possible by the unique metal clusters—the [Fe8S7] P-cluster and the [MoFe7S9C-R-homocitrate] M-cluster. Recent studies on molybdenum-dependent nitrogenase have greatly extended our understanding of how both of these fascinating metal clusters are assembled from common [Fe4S4] building blocks, as well as on the series of intriguing interplay between the proteins that are involved. In parallel, independent biochemical, spectroscopic, and structural investigations combine to provide unprecedented insights into the enigmatic mechanism of N2 reduction. In this chapter, evidence that led up to these findings will be outlined and discussed in their respective contexts, followed by a brief perspective on the outlook of the nitrogenase field.
Serrated Epithelial Change Is Associated With High Rates of Neoplasia in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Case-controlled Study and Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Patients with long-standing ulcerative colitis (UC) are at an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Risk stratification is important to identify patients who require more frequent endoscopic surveillance. Serrated epithelial change (SEC) found in patients with long-standing colitis may be associated with neoplasia and serve as a marker to stratify patients at higher risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS A case-control study was performed to compare the rates of neoplasia between UC patients with SEC and UC patients without SEC who were matched for age, disease duration, and disease extent. Paired tests, conditional logistic regression, and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to compare groups. A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed, combining our local data with previously published data. RESULTS This study included 196 UC patients without prior neoplasia, 98 with SEC and 98 without SEC. Ulcerative colitis patients with SEC had a significantly higher rate of synchronous or metachronous neoplasia than UC patients without SEC (26.5% vs 3.1%; P < 0.001). Synchronous or metachronous high-grade dysplasia and CRC were found more frequently in UC patients with SEC than UC patients without SEC (11.2% vs 2.0%; P = 0.02). A meta-analysis was consistent with these findings, showing a higher rate of neoplasia in patients with SEC compared with those without SEC (16.4% vs 3.9%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Serrated epithelial change is associated with a significantly increased risk of synchronous and metachronous neoplasia including high-grade dysplasia and CRC in patients with UC. Histopathological findings of SEC should warrant closer endoscopic surveillance for CRC.
Predictors of change in cardiovascular disease risk and events following gastric bypass: a 7-year prospective multicenter study.

Abstract Background Change in short-term (i.e., 10-year) and lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) has significant heterogeneity. Objective To identify predictors of change in CVD risk and cardiovascular events following RYGB. Methods Between 2006–2009, 1625 adults without a history of CVD enrolled in a prospective cohort study and underwent RYGB at 1 of 10 U.S. hospitals. Participants were followed annually for a maximum of 7 years. Associations between presurgery characteristics (anthropometric, sociodemographic, physical and mental health, alcohol/drug use, eating behaviors) and 1) pre to postsurgery change in 10 year and lifetime atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) risk scores, respectively, and 2) having a CVD event (nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, angina, percutaneous coronary intervention, coronary artery bypass grafting, or CVD-attributed death) as repeated measures (yr 1–7) were evaluated. Setting Observational cohort study at ten hospitals throughout the United States. Results Presurgery factors independently associated with decreases in both 10-year and lifetime risk scores 1–7 years post-RYGB were higher CVD risk score, female sex, higher household income, and normal kidney function. Additionally, Black race and having diabetes were independently associated with decreases in 10-year risk, while not having diabetes and a higher (better) composite mental health score were independently related to decreases in lifetime risk. A lower (worse) presurgery composite physical health score was associated with a higher CVD event risk (RR = 1.68, per 10 points). Conclusion This study identified multiple presurgery factors that characterize patients who may have more cardiovascular benefit from RYGB, and patients who might require additional support to improve their cardiovascular health.
Deep learning restoration of signals with additive and convolution noise

Localization, tracking, and classification requires precise recovery of the target signal amidst a sea of environmental noise and reflections from terrain and buildings. In this work, we use machine learning (ML), specifically generative-adversarial networks (GANs), to remove a range of synthetic additive noise and convolutional reverberations from a well-defined subset of sounds, namely English speech. Unlike simple denoising autoencoders, GANs attempt to generate realistic solutions, suppressing the production of unresolved (i.e., blurry) mixed inferences. We demonstrate that our models can dynamically resolve varying amounts of noise and convolution, which will be important in the field, where the amount and type of signal degradation will generally be unknown. While we focus only on speech here, ML-based deconvolution can also be applied to the restoration of images, radar, radio, and acoustic and seismic sensing distorted by weather, interference, and reflections.
All over the Map: A Systematic Literature Review and State Policy Scan of Medicaid Buy-In Programs for Working Individuals with Disabilities

While supports for people with disabilities have increased, significant healthcare and financial barriers persist. State-administered Medicaid Buy-In programs for working people with disabilities, distinct from broader buy-in discussions that have emerged as some states consider expanding access to health insurance, are intended to incentivize employment and protect against a loss of Long-Term Services and Supports. Loss of these services would be detrimental to a person’s ability to access daily living and workforce participation supporting services. This paper explores identified drivers of and barriers to participation, outcomes, and the current state of programs that are currently in place. Authors conducted a systematic literature search to identify evidence published in peer-review journals. Additionally, a policy scan using information from government sources for the 45 state-administered buy-in programs was completed. The results indicate that state Medicaid Buy-In programs vary dramatically in their construction and presentation, with eligibility and administration information or lack thereof having the potential to significantly affect a person’s decision making around benefit enrollment and employment. Findings are discussed in the context of additional recent state and federal policy efforts to improve outcomes around employment, income, and asset generation for people with disabilities.
Alcohol Use Disorder: TheRole of Medication in Recovery.

The misuse of alcohol in the United States continues to take a large toll on society, resulting in the deaths of about 88,000 Americans per year. Moreover, it is estimated that nearly 14.6 million Americans currently meet diagnostic criteria for current alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, very few individuals receive treatment, with an even smaller portion receiving medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of AUD, despite scientifically rigorous evidence showing the benefits of combining medication approved for treating AUD with evidence-based behavioral therapy. These benefits include higher rates of abstinence and less risk of relapse to heavy drinking, with associated improvements in medical and mental health and in quality of life. This review provides an overview of FDA-approved medications and "off-label" drugs for the treatment of AUD. The article emphasizes that AUD medical advice and prescription recommendations should come from professionals with training in the treatment of AUD and that treatment plans should consider medication in conjunction with evidence-based behavioral therapy. Finally, this review notes the limited number of medications available and the continued need for the development of new pharmacotherapies to optimize AUD recovery goals.
Pristine leaf based electrochemical resistive switching device

Abstract There has been increasing interest in two-terminal resistive switching devices due to their potential applications in memory devices. On the other hand, there is also growing interest in using biological materials for developing biodegradable electronics to help minimize the environmental footprint of electronics and also to explore ways to integrate electronics and living systems. Here, we present our study on resistive switching behavior observed on pristine unprocessed leaves. The resistance can reliably be switched between high and low resistance states for at least 375 cycles with ON/OFF ratio of ~ 73, demonstrating a high level of endurance and their potential for resistive random-access memory devices. We attribute this phenomenon to ionic transport within the leaf cells, the buildup of the electric double layer at the cell wall interfaces, and electron transfer assisted by redox reactions. The results presented here highlight the potential of constructing two-state resistive switching devices in living systems and using biological materials for the construction of biodegradable and biocompatible memory devices while also possibly serving as an inspiration for biomimetic resistive switching devices.
Horticultural Therapy in Residential Long-Term Care: Applications from Research on Health, Aging, and Institutional Life

A sociocultural conceptual framework for the work of horticultural therapists provides a foundation for more effective and compassionate gardening programs for long-term care residents. Contemporary American health care emphasizes technical, biomedical approaches to most problems related to aging, chronic illness and frailty. However, evidence from qualitative research, personal narratives about life in a nursing home and observations from the author's work in a resident-centered nursing home gardening program illustrate the benefits of a sociocultural conceptual framework in therapeutic practice.
The drinker and the nurturer: College students' perceptions of men and fathers

This three-part study examined 421 mid-Atlantic university students' perceptions of the content of social stereotypes related to fathers- and men-in-general. College students viewed men-in-general as having far fewer positive parenting and personal qualities, but generally did not differ in breadwinning characteristics when compared to fathers-in-general. The results empirically supported the notion that younger adults generally do not view men-in-general as having the qualities associated with active fathering (e.g., being physically, financially, or emotionally involved with children), although they are seen as comparable providers. Men-in-general also are viewed much more negatively than fathers-in-general. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Screening for Reactive Metabolites Using Genotoxicity Arrays and Enzyme/DNA Biocolloids

High percentage of drug development failures are linked to toxicity issues, and unfortunately some of these do not come to light until clinical trials or even after the drug is introduced to the market. A wide variety of strategies have been proposed for early toxicity prediction, including in silico methods along with a range of in vitro and in vivo biological approaches. This article describes new array-based methodology utilizing enzyme/DNA films to screen for reactive drug metabolites based on a DNA-damage end point measured by electrochemiluminescence (ECL). Keywords: drug development failures; reactive drug metabolites; drug toxicity; electrochemiluminescence (ECL); in silico methods; in vitro and in vivo biological approaches; DNA-damage
Employee Relation Programs and Hotel Performance: Impact on Turnover, Labor Productivity, and RevPAR

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of employee relations programs (ERP) on organizational performance in the lodging industry. ERP provides employees with opportunities to participate in planning and improving work-related tasks. Four items were used to measure employee relations: formal complaint-resolution programs, participation programs, attitude surveys, and suggestion systems. Further, three types of organizational performance measures, namely employee turnover, labor productivity, and revenue per available room (RevPAR) were used. Findings indicated that ERP led to higher labor productivity and RevPAR.
Scheuermann's kyphosis following cervical spinal cord injury.

AbstractBackground: Scheuermann’s kyphosis is an uncommon autosomal dominant disease that manifests as a progressive thoracic skeletal deformity. It can lead to severe restrictive lung disease or predispose to spinal cord injury (SCI). Neurologic sequelae are rarely reported in the literature.Method: Case PresentationSummary: A 47-year-old man sustained a cervical SCI requiring surgical anterior fusion and reoperation for fracture of the affected vertebra. One year after SCI, he presented with further kyphotic progression and cervical spine instability. Clinical presentation and family history led to a diagnosis of Scheuermann’s kyphosis. To prevent further progression, he underwent extensive multilevel anterior and posterior surgical stabilization.Conclusion: This case illustrates the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of progressive spinal deformities. With proper surgical correction, this patient made substantial gains in mobility, self-care, and respiratory status.J Spinal Cord Med. 2003;26:92-94
A Cu4S model for the nitrous oxide reductase active sites supported only by nitrogen ligands

To model the (His)7Cu4Sn (n = 1 or 2) active sites of nitrous oxide reductase, the first Cu4(μ4-S) cluster supported only by nitrogen donors has been prepared using amidinate supporting ligands. Structural, magnetic, spectroscopic, and computational characterization is reported. Electrochemical data indicates that the 2-hole model complex can be reduced reversibly to the 1-hole state and irreversibly to the fully reduced state.
Low power polysilicon sources for IR applications

We have designed and fabricated polysilicon thin film infrared (IR) sources by micromachining technology. These sources are made with a lightly doped middle region for light emission and heavy doping of the supporting legs. The sources are fabricated on a 10 /spl mu/m thick, low temperature silicon dioxide layer. Different doping levels were used to achieve various source resistances. From the power requirement to reach the required light emission versus source resistance curve it is seen that there exists a resistance value which minimizes the necessary input power.
High-pressure liquid chromatography quantitation of cytochrome c using 393 nm detection.

The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondrial intermembrane space can induce apoptotic cell death. Previous methods to detect cytochrome c release from mitochondria have relied upon immunoblotting, a procedure that can be limited by nonlinearity of signal, epitope masking, and impracticality for large numbers of samples. In order to circumvent these limitations, we have developed a reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography method for cytochrome c detection and quantitation by taking advantage of a novel acid-induced absorbance maximum at 393 nm for cytochrome c in buffer containing 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid. Using a C4 reverse-phase analytical column, this assay had a quantitation limit of 10 ng (0.8 pmol) of cytochrome c. We demonstrated the detection and quantitation of cytochrome c from isolated mitochondria. This method of cytochrome c analysis may be useful for the study of agents that cause mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptotic cell death.
A comparison of ratio behavior in the gerbil and white rat

Gerbils were examined in an operant situation on ratio schedules of reinforcement. The operant reinforced was the barpress and reinforcement was either water or Noyes pellets. Previous studies had suggested the gerbil might be difficult to condition for food due to high activity levels; however, gerbils were shown to barpress as satisfactorily as rats for both food and water on FR and VR schedules. Terminal response rates of one to three per second were obtained on FR > 50 in the gerbil.
Predictions for particle deposition to vegetative canopies

Abstract A theoretical framework is presented for the analysis of particle dry deposition to vegetation. This framework is similar to the one used for the analysis of momentum in a vegetative canopy. In both cases, numerical integrations could be performed, but here approximate analytical solutions are sought. First, the case of momentum is re-examined, and it is suggested that the momentum source ( − δp δx ) can be important in some cases. An approximate solution to the equation describing the air concentration of particles is then found, using similar approximations found to be reasonable for momentum. The result is illustrated for different collection efficiencies, c d E , and then a specific, particle-size-dependent E is proposed based on windtunnel data obtained by Chamberlain. The results suggest that dry deposition velocities for 0.1–1.0 μm particles are typically about an order-of-magnitude smaller than values currently used in many air-quality models.
Differential diagnosis of dementia syndromes.

Dementia includes a spectrum of clinical features centered on cognitive and behavioral disturbances. The pathophysiologic cascade of events that leads to most forms of dementia is relatively poorly understood. Therefore, criterion-based approaches are used to identify the presence of dementia and to differentiate causes of dementia in the clinical setting. Relatively few cases of reversible dementia exist, but the effort to identify these and treat them appropriately can result in important benefits to patients. Clinical differentiation helps to inform prognosis of permanent forms of dementia and eases communication with patients and their families. Recent research in neurodegenerative disease suggests that improved disease-modifying treatments for the irreversible forms of dementia may become available in the next several years. Because these treatments are likely to be disease-specific, clinical differential diagnosis of dementia will be even more important in the future.
Verification of horse maternal lineage based on derived mitochondrial DNA sequence

Summary Extensive pedigree records in stud books characterize many horse breeds and are a resource for scientific studies, for example testing the conservation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) nucleotide sequence through extended generations. This study showed that even without access to biological material from the horses in question, analysis of mtDNA sequence in tail-female relatives can be used to derive haplotypes and test alternative dam possibilities. DNA sequence of the D-loop hypervariable region was obtained from fragments generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of mtDNA from peripheral blood samples. PCR primers for the hyperviable region of the D-loop between tRNAPro and the large central conserved sequence block were designed based on published horse sequence. Horses tracing to the same tail-female lines had identical DNA sequences, despite separation from common maternal ancestors by more than 80 years and by pedigree loops of up to 17 generations. Zusammenfassung Bestatigung von Mutterstutenlinien durch mitochondriale DNS Sequenzen Die umfangreichen Abstammungsaufzeichnungen von Stutbuchern erlauben die Prufung der Konservierung mitochondrialer DNA (mtDNA) Nukleotidsequenzen durch viele Generationen. Die Untersuchung zeigt, das ohne Prufung des biologischen Materials der fraglichen Stuten ihre Haplotypen durch Analyse der mtDNA Sequenzen entfernter Nachkommen abgeleitet und alternative Moglichkeitne gepruft werden konnen. Die DNA Sequenzen der D-Schleifen der hypervariablen Region wurde von Fragmenten nach PCR Amplifikation aus peripheren Blutproben ermittelt. Die PCR primer zwischen tRNAPro und der grosen zentralen konservierten Sequenz wurden aus publizierten Pferde Sequenzen konstruiert. Pferde derselben Stutenlinien hatten identische Sequenzen, trotz eines Abstandes von bis zu 17 Generation und 80 Jahren.
Expanding U.S. Log Export Restrictions: Impacts on State Revenue and Policy Implications

Abstract Recently, federal regulations restricting the export of softwood logs harvested from federal lands were extended to state-owned timber lands in the West. Using data on individual sales from state of Washington timber lands and a hedonic regression to control for quality differences and output market factors, we find that a partial ban on Washington log exports, in effect in 1991 and 1992, did not reduce Washington′s timber revenues. This finding suggests that the state of Washington has substantial power in the export market for high quality timber. Policy implications based on these findings are discussed.
Laser-induced low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy

Abstract The absorption and fluorescence spectra of molecules are often very sharp under cryogenic sampling conditions. When a tunable laser is used to excite fluorescence, selective determinations of individual constituents of very complex samples are possible, and the highly resolved fluorescence spectra can serve as 'molecular fingerprints'
Use of catecholamines in pediatrics.

OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS we have seen a revolution in the care of the critically ill neonate and child. Improved methods of cardiovascular support, including the use of exogenously administered catecholamines, have played a significant role in thi s progress. We present guidelines for the use of catecholamines in the pediatric patient based on the current understanding of adrenergic physiology, with review of adrenergic receptor physiology, relevant pediatric cardiovascular physiology, and the endogenous catecholamine response, and discuss the use of specific agents in the pediatric population.
Crosstalk between ROR1 and the Pre-B Cell Receptor Promotes Survival of t(1;19) Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Summary We report that t(1;19) ALL cells universally exhibit expression of and dependence on the cell surface receptor ROR1. We further identify t(1;19) ALL cell sensitivity to the kinase inhibitor dasatinib due to its inhibition of the pre-B cell receptor (pre-BCR) signaling complex. These phenotypes are a consequence of developmental arrest at an intermediate/late stage of B-lineage maturation. Additionally, inhibition of pre-BCR signaling induces further ROR1 upregulation, and we identify distinct ROR1 and pre-BCR downstream signaling pathways that are modulated in a counterbalancing manner—both leading to AKT phosphorylation. Consistent with this, AKT phosphorylation is transiently eliminated after dasatinib treatment, but is partially restored following dasatinib potentiation of ROR1 expression. Consequently, ROR1 silencing accentuates dasatinib killing of t(1;19) ALL cells.
Rovibrational bound states of SO2 isotopologues. I: Total angular momentum J = 0–10

Abstract Isotopic variation of the rovibrational bound states of SO2 for the four stable sulfur isotopes 32–34,36S is investigated in comprehensive detail. In a two-part series, we compute the low-lying energy levels for all values of total angular momentum in the range J = 0–20. All rovibrational levels are computed, to an extremely high level of numerical convergence. The calculations have been carried out using the ScalIT suite of parallel codes. The present study (Paper I) examines the J = 0–10 rovibrational levels, providing unambiguous symmetry and rovibrational label assignments for each computed state. The calculated vibrational energy levels exhibit very good agreement with previously reported experimental and theoretical data. Rovibrational energy levels, calculated without any Coriolis approximations, are reported here for the first time. Among other potential ramifications, this data will facilitate understanding of the origin of mass-independent fractionation of sulfur isotopes in the Archean rock record—of great relevance for understanding the “oxygen revolution”.
Blogs: spinning a web of virality

The aim of this study is to understand the role of bloggers in driving viral information. More specifically, we develop a new methodology that creates a map of the 'life cycle' of blogs posting links to viral information. Our dataset focuses blogs linking to the most significant viral videos of the 2008 US presidential election. To do so, we gathered data on all blogs (n=9,765) and their posts (n=13,173) linking to 65 of the top US presidential election videos that went viral on the Internet during the period between March 2007 and June 2009. Among other things, our findings illuminate the importance of different types of blogs: elite, top-political, top-general and tail blogs. We also found that while elite and top-general blogs create political information, they drive and sustain the viral process, whereas top-political and tail blogs act as followers in the process.
Alt.support: modeling social support online

While there is mounting evidence that people use the Internet to expand their social networks and receive social support, little is known about how they do so and with what effect the Internet has on overall levels of social support. Based on a survey of 213 online support seekers, this study explored social cognitive mechanism such as self-efficacy and outcome expectations as predictors of support activity, online support reliance and support network size. From these relationships, we offer preliminary evidence suggesting that those who actively seek social support online are indeed finding it through a complex support system beginning with self-regulation.
Adenomatous polyposis coli regulates Drosophila intestinal stem cell proliferation.

Adult stem cells define a cellular reserve with the unique capacity to replenish differentiated cells of a tissue throughout an organism9s lifetime. Previous analysis has demonstrated that the adult Drosophila midgut is maintained by a population of multipotent intestinal stem cells (ISCs) that resides in epithelial niches. Adenomatous polyposis coli ( Apc ), a tumor suppressor gene conserved in both invertebrates and vertebrates, is known to play a role in multiple developmental processes in Drosophila . Here, we examine the consequences of eliminating Apc function on adult midgut homeostasis. Our analysis shows that loss of Apc results in the disruption of midgut homeostasis and is associated with hyperplasia and multilayering of the midgut epithelium. A mosaic analysis of marked ISC cell lineages demonstrates that Apc is required specifically in ISCs to regulate proliferation, but is not required for ISC self-renewal or the specification of cell fate within the lineage. Cell autonomous activation of Wnt signaling in the ISC lineage phenocopied Apc loss and Apc mutants were suppressed in an allele-specific manner by abrogating Wnt signaling, suggesting that the effects of Apc are mediated in part by the Wnt pathway. Together, these data underscore the essential requirement of Apc in exerting regulatory control over stem cell activity, as well as the consequences that disrupting this regulation can have on tissue homeostasis.
INDUCTION CHEMOTHERAPY IN HEAD AND NECK CANCER

Induction chemotherapy can produce response rates of 60% to 90%, which are complete in 20% to 50% of previously untreated patients with squamous cell head and neck cancer. It was hoped that this dramatic chemotherapy-induced tumor shrinkage would result in more successful locoregional treatment and prove useful in disease management. Despite many promising phase II studies of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, a large number of well-controlled phase III trials have shown no survival benefit. Distant metastases may be reduced, however, and organ preservation seems more likely with this method of treatment. An understanding of the benefits of chemotherapy in this disease must recognize the multiple reasons why these patients die, and the need for greater sophistication in our endpoint analysis.
An extended addressing mode for low power

This paper demonstrates the feasibility of a register-memory addressing mode in microprocessors targeted for low power applications. Using a high level power profiling tool that performs software energy evaluation, the major sources of power dissipation in a typical RISC processor are identified. It is shown that the addition of a register-memory addressing mode can target these "hot-spots" and provide power savings. Two different implementation options are considered and the power-performance trade-offs are evaluated. The reduction in performance is cushioned by the reduced instruction count and it is anticipated that the overall impact on the total execution time of programs will be acceptable in low power application domains.
Transmission electron microscopy of subsolidus oxidation and weathering of olivine

Olivine crystals in basaltic andesites which crop out in the Abert Rim, south-central Oregon have been studied by high-resolution and analytical transmission electron microscopy. The observations reveal three distinct assemblages of alteration products that seem to correspond to three episodes of olivine oxidation. The olivine crystals contain rare, dense arrays of coherently intergrown Ti-free magnetite and inclusions of a phase inferred to be amorphous silica. We interpret this first assemblage to be the product of an early subsolidus oxidation event in the lava. The second olivine alteration assemblage contains complex ordered intergrowths on (001) of forsterite-rich olivine and laihunite (distorted olivine structure with Fe3+ charge balanced by vacancies). Based on experimental results for laihunite synthesis (Kondoh et al. 1985), these intergrowths probably formed by olivine oxidation between 400 and 800°C. The third episode of alteration involves the destruction of olivine by low-temperature hydrothermal alteration and weathering. Elongate etch-pits and channels in the margins of fresh olivine crystals contain semi-oriented bands of smectite. Olivine weathers to smectite and hematite, and subsequently to arrays of oriented hematite crystals. The textures resemble those reported by Eggleton (1984) and Smith et al. (1987). We find no evidence for a metastable phase intermediate between olivine and smectite (“M” — Eggleton 1984). The presence of laihunite exerts a strong control on the geometry of olivine weathering. Single laihunite layers and laihunite-forsteritic olivine intergrowths increase the resistance of crystals to weathering. Preferential development of channels between laihunite layers occurs where growth of laihunite produced compositional variations in olivine, rather than where coherency-strain is associated with laihunite-olivine interfaces.
Origin of spheroidal chert nodules, Drunka Formation (Lower Eocene), Egypt

Chert nodules of the Drunka Formation (Lower Eocene) are mostly spherical, have diameters from 40 to 120 cm, are quasi-uniformly spaced 2–3 m apart in the plane of bedding, have concentric internal structure and, except for rare small (<6 cm) solid chert nodules, are less than 85% chertified. Nodules formed after moderate alteration of limestone by meteoric water (δ18Ocalcite = –4 to –8‰) at shallow (<100 m) burial depths; more extensive alteration of limestone (δ18O = –10 to –16‰) by meteoric water followed nodule growth. Chertification was by low-temperature meteoric water (δ18Oquartz = +18‰ in margins to +22‰ in nuclei) at shallow burial depths. Meteoric water may have invaded the Drunka Formation in association with shelf progradation during the Early Eocene, or during the development of a Middle Eocene unconformity. Replacement of carbonate mud by microcrystalline quartz was the dominant chertification process, but fossils were replaced in part by fine-grained equant megaquartz, quartzine and chalcedony; the last of these occurs in places as beekite. Opal A-secreting marine organisms are the inferred source of silica, but none are preserved. There is no compelling evidence of an opal-CT precursor, so quartz may have formed by direct precipitation. Self-organization processes of enigmatic character established the spacing pattern of the nodules and also the Liesegang-banded internal structure of the chert nodules. Nodules grew chiefly by diffusive supply of silica, although one locality has elongate nodules that grew when there was some porewater advection. Chertification patterns and δ18O values of both calcite and quartz indicate that nodule growth was complex and variable. Some nodules probably grew from the centre outwards. Many nodules, however, initially grew simultaneously across the entire nodule, but late-stage growth was predominantly at the outer margins or at selective internal sites.
The Direct Determination of Mercury in Water: A More Accurate Method than Cold Vapor-AAS

Abstract Exposure to mercury is mostly through drinking water and food. Since mercury is considered to be toxic, the amount of mercury in drinking water is monitored to control this exposure. Reliable analytical methods are most important. The present methods are entirely suspect as described below.
Streamwise computation of duct flows

A computational method is presented to calculate momentum and energy transport in two-dimensional viscous compressible duct flows. The flow in the duct is partitioned into finite streams. The difference equations are then obtained by applying momentum and energy conservation principles directly to the individual streams. The method is applicable to laminar and turbulence flows.
Lung transplantation: A decade of experience

Abstract Background Over the past 3 decades, the field of lung transplantation has been refined. However, many barriers exist that limit long-term success. The purpose of this study was to review a single institution's long-term experience with single and double lung transplantation and to assess the effect of different immunosuppressive therapies on outcomes. Methods Lung transplant recipients, both single and double, were reviewed, retrospectively. Patients were divided into five groups: group I, all lung transplants ( n = 127); group II, single lung transplants ( n = 73); group III, double lung transplants ( n = 54); group IV, OKT3 induction therapy recipients ( n = 27); and group V, RATG induction therapy recipients ( n = 100). Rates of survival, rejection, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) and infection were analyzed at 1, 3, and 5 years. Results There were no significant differences in survival, acute rejection rate, freedom from BOS, nor infection between single and double lung transplant recipients. Induction therapy with RATG (group V) was associated with significantly improved survival and freedom from acute rejection, BOS, and infection when compared to OKT3 induction therapy (group IV). Conclusions An earlier impression that RATG is superior to OKT3 induction therapy has borne true in terms of overall survival and incidence of BOS, acute rejection and infection rates. Lung transplantation, using RATG induction therapy, remains an important modality for end-stage pulmonary disease.
Antimicrobial resistance: current status and future direction.

Background Antimicrobial resistance is initiated through mutations in bacterial genes, culminating in end products that help circumvent the action of specific antimicrobial agents. Resistant mutants can proliferate under a number of circumstances but primarily through the action of selective pressure from the overuse of antimicrobial agents. Methods The results of surveillance studies over approximately the last ten years were evaluated. Conclusion Resistance rates in the group of microorganisms associated with respiratory tract infections had been increasing rapidly over the past 10 years, but, recently, many seem to have reached a plateau. However, newer, more invasive clones of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), differing from health care-associated MRSA (HA-MRSA), and typically associated with community-acquisition (CA-MRSA), recently have begun to proliferate. Burgeoning use of fluoroquinolones has impacted the Gram-negative bacilli (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella), causing their resistance rates to approach the critical point. A better understanding of the epidemiology of resistance and responsible use of antimicrobial agents are mandatory if the continuing rates of increasing resistance are to be abrogated.
Preparation and characterization of glasses in the LiI+Li2S+GeS2+Ga2S3 system

Abstract Glass formation in the LiI+Li 2 S+GeS 2 +Ga 2 S 3 system has been investigated in order to optimize their properties for use in solid state lithium batteries. These glasses have been studied in an effort to obtain a new series of glasses that break the often observed relation that high ionic conductivity glasses are also those with the lowest T g . Here, Ga 2 S 3 was added to act as a glass intermediate where it is expected upon addition to the glass composition, to eliminate non-bridging sulfurs thereby increasing the glass-forming character, increasing the Li + ion conductivity, as well increasing the T g of the glass. The glass-forming range was determined for both ternary Li 2 S + GeS 2 + Ga 2 S 3 and quaternary (LiI doped) systems. As observed in other glasses, the addition of LiI lowered the melting temperature and T g , but slightly improved (expanded) the glass-forming range. The ionic conductivity was measured for both the ternary and quaternary glasses and the largest improvement was observed with the addition of LiI, although other compositional characteristics, such as Ga 2 S 3 content, are necessary to achieve the highest conductivity. DSC measurements showed that the highest T g s, ∼300 °C, were observed for glasses with the highest concentration of Ga 2 S 3 and this suggests that the role of Ga 2 S 3 is that of a glass intermediate eliminating non-bridging sulfur units in the glass. This role is also supported by the conductivity measurements, where the conductivity increases with Ga 2 S 3 content at constant Li 2 S concentrations. Significantly, it was also observed that the addition of LiI improved both the conductivity and the thermal stability of the glass, increasing the T c – T g values by up to ∼100 °C. Finally, the densities and molar volumes of the glasses showed a near linear decrease with the addition of Li 2 S, but were surprisingly uncorrelated with any other component, most notably LiI.
Benzodiazepine receptor mediation of behavioral effects of nitrous oxide in mice

Nitrous oxide produces behavioral effects, the underlying mechanism of which is not known. In the mouse staircase test, exposure to nitrous oxide caused a reduction in rearing activity, an effect similar to that produced by benzodiazepines in this paradigm, when its opioid action on locomotion is blocked by naloxone. In this study, we tested whether effects of nitrous oxide might be mediated by benzodiazepine receptors, using chlordiazepoxide as a control. The abilities of nitrous oxide and chlordiazepoxide to reduce rearing were significantly attenuated in mice pretreated with the benzodiazepine receptor blocker flumazenil or rendered tolerant to benzodiazepines. These findings suggest an involvement of benzodiazepine receptors in mediation of certain behavioral effects of nitrous oxide.
Potential Energy Curves for Cation−π Interactions: Off-Axis Configurations Are Also Attractive

Accurate potential energy surfaces for benzene·M complexes (M = Li+, Na+, K+, and NH4+) are obtained using coupled-cluster theory through perturbative triple excitations, CCSD(T). Our computations ...