cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Making powerful presentations: how to get a "10" from your audience.

"... And What About You?" is a regular column in Advanced Practice Nursing Quarterly featuring multiple facets of personal and career development. This column will provide tools and strategies to support the continual learning that is vital for self-management of one's personal growth and career development.
A Nation Divided: Science, Religion, and Public Opinion in the United States

Elites often mobilize science and religion to support opposing positions on issues ranging from abortion to families to criminal justice. However, there is little research on the extent to which pu...
Ascertainment of mortality in the U.S. veteran population: World War II veteran twins.

Veterans now make up nearly two-thirds of U.S. males aged 65 and older, and thus medical research in the male geriatric population is largely concerned with veterans, whose mortality experience assumes greater importance as they age. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) records provide an effective and efficient means of gathering information on mortality of veterans, but are useful only if they provide relatively complete ascertainment. We investigated the completeness of VA death reporting (via the Beneficiary Identification and Records Locator Subsystem [BIRLS]) in a large cohort of nearly 32,000 World War II veteran twins followed from 1946 through 1990, comparing VA and Social Security Administration (SSA) mortality ascertainment. The small number of additional deaths found using SSA records--roughly 3% of total deaths--provides evidence that VA death reporting was nearly complete. A further capture-recapture analysis, assuming independence of BIRLS and SSA mortality ascertainment, indicated that BIRLS ascertainment was 95.4% complete.
Instability, area quantization and area gaps in cavity­ accelerated superradiant atom-cavity systems

We study the interaction of pulsed excitation fields with optically thin atomic ensembles subject to strong cavity-accelerated superradiance. Excitation of superradiant instabilities in homogeneously broadened atom-field systems is seen to lead to a quantization of the allowed intracavity pulse area. In inhomogeneously broadened atom-cavity systems superradiant instability causes area quasi-discretization and gaps (i.e. excluded regions) between allowed intracavity areas. The resulting area discontinuities are demonstrated in cryogenically coherence-stabilized Tm3+ ions.
Describing the Structure of Documents

This chapter discusses the process of defining document structure and identifying individual textual units down to any level of detail. It looks at two methods for doing this, developed over the last ten years through the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). The aim of any standard for machine-readable documents must be to achieve: Portability: documents created in one organisation can be sent to another (over a network or on disc), and be interpreted by a range of different software. Reusability: the same source document can be printed in different layouts, or reliably converted for storage in a database. Let us make the above points more concrete by recalling some of the requirements and problems discussed earlier on in the book.
Examining engineering students' major selection: Developing baseline quantitative results to investigate major selection and change

Improving recruitment and retention are goals of many engineering programs. One factor that is tied strongly to recruitment and retention is a student's desire to study engineering in a specific engineering discipline. Some students switch between engineering majors during their undergraduate careers, which could increase their time to degree. Also, depending on the reasons students have for switching, the changes could also impact their motivation and personal commitment to engineering. Not all major changes are due to changes in student preference. Some changes may also result from external influences such as enrollment management. The research presented in this Work in Progress paper will be an initial step towards answering the question: Why and how do students change engineering majors throughout their college career? Through this research, we hope to gain added insights into how engineering students switch between majors so in the future we can seek a better understanding of why they switch.
Cisplatin chemotherapy for disseminated endometrial cancer.

Twenty-six women with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer were treated with cisplatin at a dose of 50, 70, or 100 mg/m2 every 4 weeks. An objective response was obtained in 11 of 26 patients (42%), with 10 partial responses and 1 complete response. The median duration of remission was 5 months, with a range of 2 to 11 months. The complete response lasted 8 months. Five patients had stable disease lasting an average of 5 months. One of 6 patients (16.6%) responded to cisplatin at a dose of 50 mg/m2, 4 of 7 (57%) responded to the dose of 70 mg/m2, and 6 of 13 (46%) responded to the dose of 100 mg/m2, but the differences were not statistically significant (P = .2). In 8 of 26 cases (31%) cisplatin was discontinued because of toxicity. Three patients developed a peripheral neuropathy, 1 patient refused further therapy because of vomiting, 2 patients had nephrotoxicity, and 2 others had both nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity. The average total cumulative dose of cisplatin administered when renal deterioration and neuropathy occurred was approximately 500 mg/m2. Cisplatin is definitely active against endometrial cancer, but toxicity precludes its prolonged administration in high doses on an outpatient basis. By maintaining a forced diuresis, toxicity can probably be decreased, thereby permitting continued administration of cisplatin. The drug may also be more useful when used at a lower dose in combination with other active agents against endometrial cancer.
Improving AACSB Assurance of Learning with Importance-Performance and Learning Growth: A Case Study

Two fallacious assumptions can mislead assurance of learning (AoL) loop closing. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business guidance states that learning goals should reflect the outcomes most valued by the program, but evidence shows that schools assign equal priorities to the skills selected. The second false assumption is that students’ prior skill development begins at zero upon entry into programs and courses, leaving the true impact on outcomes open to speculation. Using course coverage in a Principles of Marketing course, we challenge these two assumptions by demonstrating the impact of adding outcome importance and prior learning on AoL.
PROLACTIN LEVELS DO NOT RISE AMONG TRANSGENDER WOMEN TREATED WITH ESTRADIOL AND SPIRONOLACTONE.

ABSTRACT Objective: Existing transgender treatment guidelines suggest that there is a need to monitor prolactin levels in patients receiving transfeminine hormone treatment. Also, recent studies su...
Wilfrid Sellars’ philosophy of mind

Nowhere within philosophy is it more difficult to draw lines of demarcation than in an attempt to isolate the philosophy of mind as a coherent subregion of the total philosophical terrain. The philosophy of mind grades off smoothly into questions of epistemology (the structure of sensory awareness and perceptual cognition), of ontology (the nature and multiplicity of substances), of the theory of action, of the philosophy of language and representation, of moral and social and political philosophy, and nowadays even into questions centered in the philosophy of science, in the theory of theories. In the case of Wilfrid Sellars, these difficulties are especially acute, for Sellars’ philosophy of mind is intricately and inextricably woven into the fabric of a systematic philosophical vision of classical scope.
Risk factors for shoulder dystocia: an engineering study of clinician-applied forces.

We report on engineering risk factors associated with clinician-applied forces during vaginal delivery of newborns. Specifically, we present and interpret data from a series of experiments using force-sensing devices on 29 randomly selected vaginal births, including two shoulder dystocia deliveries and one birth injury. The results indicate that clinician-applied peak forces are typically about 47 N for routine deliveries, 69 N for difficult deliveries, and 100 N for a shoulder dystocia delivery (P less than .01). The time required to deliver fetal shoulders doubles for nonroutine deliveries (P less than .01). In addition, impulse and rate of application of force distinguish between routine and nonroutine deliveries (P less than .03). We conclude that, if properly perceived, force, force rate, and the duration of force are objective parameters that can be used in recognizing and managing shoulder dystocia and in predicting thresholds for birth injury.
Microtubule assembly is altered following covalent modification by the n-hexane metabolite 2,5-hexanedione.

2,5-Hexanedione (2,5-HD)1 is the ultimate toxic metabolite of aliphatic hexacarbon precursors such as n-hexane and methyl n-butyl ketone (Krasavage et al., 1980). 2,5-HD reacts with protein lysyl e-amines to form pyrroles (DeCaprio et al., 1982; Graham et al., 1982; Anthony et al., 1983a,b; Genter et al., 1987). Pyrroles are unstable intermediates and undergo crosslinking reactions; the formation of protein crosslinks appears necessary for the development of testicular and nervous system toxicity (Boekelheide et al., 1988; St. Clair et al., 1988).
Accuracy, Safety, and Reliability of Novel Phase I Designs—Response

We appreciate that Drs. Wages and Braun agree with us on the importance of studying the within-trial behavior of phase I methods, which is one of the primary objectives of our article and the reason why we proposed and investigated the rationality of dose assignments in various phase I methods ([1][
Adaptive Embedded LES of the NASA Hump

A scheme for adaptive embedded LES is proposed which automatically determines boundaries for LES regions in a hybrid LES-RANS computation, with the goal of minimizing the LES part of the computation for maximum accuracy with minimum cost. The model-invariant hybrid formulation enables this scheme through greater flexibility in the placement of RANS-LES transitions. An adaptive embedded large-eddy simulation is carried out for the NASA hump test case and adaptive meshing is added to show how additional adaptive features may be controlled by the adaptive hybrid scheme.
The Impact of the Homicide Decline on Life Expectancy of African American Males

Homicide is a leading cause of death for young people in the United States aged 15–34, but it has a disproportionate impact on one subset of the population: African American males. The national decline in homicide mortality that occurred from 1991 to 2014 thus provides an opportunity to generate evidence on a unique question—How do population health and health inequality change when the prevalence of one of the leading causes of death is cut in half? In this article, we estimate the impact of the decline in homicide mortality on life expectancy at birth as well as years of potential life lost for African American and white males and females, respectively. Estimates are generated using national mortality data by age, gender, race, and education level. Counterfactual estimates are constructed under the assumption of no change in mortality due to homicide from 1991 (the year when the national homicide rate reached its latest peak) to 2014 (the year when the homicide rate reached its trough). We estimate that the decline in homicides led to a 0.80-year increase in life expectancy at birth for African American males, and reduced years of potential life lost by 1,156 years for every 100,000 African American males. Results suggest that the drop in homicide represents a public health breakthrough for African American males, accounting for 17 % of the reduction in the life expectancy gap between white and African American males.
Harm reduction measures employed by people using opioids with suspected fentanyl exposure in Boston, Baltimore, and Providence

Exposure to potent synthetic opioids such as illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) has fueled the escalating overdose crisis in the USA, particularly in the east coast. Drug checking services, which allow people who use drugs (PWUD) to learn about the contents of their drugs, remain limited and even criminalized in many states. Further, there is a persistent belief that PWUD are not willing or able to change their behaviors despite being aware of their potential exposure to fentanyl through drug use. We conducted a multi-site cross-sectional study among PWUD to assess what behaviors, if any, were employed in the case of suspected fentanyl exposure, and the correlates of engaging in harm reduction behaviors (HRB). PWUD (N = 334) were recruited in Boston (n = 80), Providence (n = 79), and in Baltimore (n = 175). At the time of the survey, no legal drug checking services were available in these cities. The majority of PWUD (84%) expressed concern about fentanyl. Among those who suspected fentanyl exposure prior to using their drugs (n = 196), 39% reported employing HRB including using less of the drug (12%) or abstaining altogether (10%), using more slowly (5%), and doing a tester shot (5%). In adjusted logistic regression models, the odds (aOR) of practicing HRB after suspecting fentanyl exposure were increased among PWUD who were non-White (aOR 2.1; p = 0.004) and older (aOR 1.52 per decade of age; p < 0.001). Daily injection (aOR 0.50; p < 0.001), using drugs in public (aOR 0.58; p = 0.001), using drugs alone (aOR 0.68; p < 0.001), and experiencing multiple recent overdoses (aOR 0.55; p < 0.001) were associated with decreased odds of practicing HRB. These data illustrate that PWUD employ a number of practices to reduce overdose risk in a context of unknown drug purity and content. Results may also guide efforts to identify early adopters of drug checking services and engage them in peer-outreach to target the most socially and structurally vulnerable PWUD, who are not reporting behavior change, with harm reduction messaging.
Regulating Coal Ash Waste In the Trump Era

On February 16, 2017, President Trump signed legislation repealing the Stream Protection Rule and touted this move as clearing the way for job growth. By utilizing a rarely-used federal statute called the Congressional Review Act, Congress voted to kill this new and arguably complex rule meant to address 33-year old regulations governing the dumping of coal waste in or near stream beds. As the Stream Protection Rule dies, so does the scientific support for updated requirements that were meant to protect waterways that Appalachian communities depend on. This repeal follows the effectuation of the “solid waste classification” given to coal ash waste under Subtitle D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act in October 2015. The new classification returned power back to each state to regulate coal ash disposal, which disappointed many environmentalists who argue that these states are failing to protect communities from the dangers associated with coal ash impoundments. In the new era of alternative facts and scientific spin, one must ask: are we living in La La Land? Will new regulatory rollbacks of environmental regulations truly bring back promised and meaningful job growth in the coal sector? And, what still exists of environmental policies that once balanced the protection of environmental and human health with what was economically feasible? This article examines the diminishing power of federal administrative agencies in protecting the environment. This article also argues that the superficial comparison of job growth with environmental protection is flawed and explains the ever-increasing importance of science in policy-making and the regulatory process. Finally, the article argues how state primacy is largely set up to fail in this scenario because states are either ill-equipped or unmotivated when it comes to enforcing regulations involving coal waste.
Atrial Fibrillation, Brain Volumes, and Subclinical Cerebrovascular Disease (from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study [ARIC-NCS]).

Abstract The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and total and regional brain volumes among participants in the community-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive study (ARIC-NCS). A total of 1,930 participants (130 with AF) with a mean age of 76.3 ± 5.2, who underwent 3T brain MRI scans in 2011–2013 were included. Prevalent AF was ascertained from study ECGs and hospital discharge codes. Brain volumes were measured using FreeSurfer image analysis software. Markers of subclinical cerebrovascular disease included lobar microhemorrhages, subcortical microhemorrhages, cortical infarcts, subcortical infarcts, lacunar infarcts, and volume of white matter hyper-intensities. Linear regression models were used to assess the associations between AF status and brain volumes. In adjusted analyses, AF was not associated with markers of subclinical cerebrovascular disease. However, AF was associated with smaller regional brain volumes (including temporal, occipital, and parietal lobes; deep gray matter; Alzheimer disease signature region; and hippocampus [all P
Late-life consequences of short-term exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and diisononyl phthalate during adulthood in female mice

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a known endocrine disruptor and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP) is a common DEHP replacement chemical. However, little is known about late-life consequences due to DEHP or DiNP exposure during adulthood. Thus, this study tested the hypothesis that adult exposure to DEHP or DiNP affects female reproductive parameters during late-life in female mice. Female CD-1 mice (age 39-40 days) were dosed with either vehicle control, DEHP (20 μg/kg/day-200 mg/kg/day), or DiNP (20 μg/kg/day-200 mg/kg/day) for 10 days and breeding trials were conducted at 12 and 15 months post-dosing. Further, ovaries and sera were collected at 12, 15, and 18 months post-dosing. DEHP and DiNP disrupted estrous cyclicity, increased pregnancy loss, decreased fertility, altered the sex ratio of pups, altered ovarian follicle populations, and disrupted hormone levels. Collectively, these data show that short-term exposure to DEHP or DiNP during adulthood has long-term consequences in late-life.
Hunger in the household: Food insecurity and associations with maternal eating and toddler feeding.

Background Research is needed to identify how food insecurity affects maternal eating behavior and child feeding practices, factors that may pose intergenerational risks for obesity. Objectives This longitudinal study investigated whether maternal restrained eating mediated the association between household food insecurity and feeding practices. Methods Participants included 277 WIC-eligible mothers (69% below the poverty line, 70% African American) and their toddlers (Mage = 20.11 months, SD = 5.50) participating in a childhood obesity prevention trial. Maternal reports of household food insecurity, restrained eating, and child feeding practices (restrictive and responsive) were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months and analyzed using multilevel mediation. Results Forty percent of mothers reported some degree of household food insecurity over 12 months. Within-person analyses showed that relative increases in household food insecurity were indirectly related to increases in restrictive and decreases in responsive child feeding practices, mediated through increases in mothers' own restrained eating. Conclusions Relative change in household food insecurity (rather than overall severity) appears to have indirect effects on toddler feeding practices, through mothers' own eating. Stable household food security without transient food insecurity may improve health and wellbeing for both mothers and children.
Semi-Racist Curricula

I think it’s important to recognize that the African-American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that—that doesn’t go away,” Mr. Obama said in the briefing room. There are very few African-American men in this country who haven’t had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me.
Massive ibuprofen ingestion in an adolescent treated with plasma exchange

Abstract A 17-year-old female presented to a tertiary hospital pediatric intensive care unit with coma, a severe anion gap metabolic acidosis, cardiac arrhythmia, shock, and renal failure after an intentional massive ibuprofen ingestion. Early therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) was performed for ibuprofen clearance and run in tandem with continuous renal replacement therapy. Her condition significantly improved within 24 hours, and she survived to hospital discharge. This is the first reported pediatric case of TPE for ibuprofen overdose.
Turn your PBL into an engineering-PBL!

Problem-based learning (PBL) instruction tasks students with solving a real-world, relevant problem and provides a motivating context for learning science content. It also affords a natural opportu...
New Perspectives on Turbulence

Recent work on the dissipation theorem of turbulent flow is reviewed, with examples in rotating cylinders, pipe flow, and flow past a flat plate at zero incidence. The dependence of the eddy viscosity and eddy diffusivity on distance from a solid wall is reviewed and is supported by treatment of fluctuations. The role of the viscous sublayer in fluid friction is discussed.
Education and training guidelines for psychological assessment in health service psychology

While recent survey findings suggest graduate programs in health service psychology (HSP) are allocating the same or increased time to education and training in psychological assessment over the last two decades, there is a lack of clear guidance for programs to implement practices associated with quality education and training. These Guidelines (found in full at https://www.apa.org/about/policy/guidelines-assessment-health-service.pdf) were developed to address this critical need. Developed by a task force of the American Psychological Association Board of Educational Affairs in 2018 and 2019, the Guidelines serve to inform faculty/supervisors, students, and the public as to quality practices associated with graduate education and training in psychological assessment. They are organized around seven domains: theory; psychological assessment process; psychometrics; tests and methods; ethics, legal issues, and professionalism; diversity; and supervision. These domains are drawn from a review of the scholarly literature on psychological assessment, as well as graduate psychology education and training. The domains and their associated Guidelines are interdependent, and, while some overlap exists among them, they should be considered in their entirety. While a summary of each section is provided in the present article, the full explanation of each domain is presented in the actual Guidelines document. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Barriers and facilitators to colorectal cancer screening among older Korean Americans: A focus group study

A qualitative study was undertaken to explore the barriers and facilitators to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening among older Korean Americans (KAs). Four focus groups with 25 male and female KA participants and one focus group comprising five KA health professionals were conducted in the Atlanta Metropolitan area. Interpretive analyses of the interview data revealed barriers regarding CRC screening for KAs included a lack of CRC knowledge, embarrassment during the screening tests, CRC-related fatalism, and modesty, no perceived need for the screening, poor English proficiency, and mistrust of the American healthcare system. The results also indicated that doctors' screening recommendations and access to Korean doctors positively influence KAs' decision to participate in CRC screening. Public health social workers should consider integrating age- and gender-specific cultural contexts when developing interventions and programs for CRC screening targeted to older KAs.
Arresting COVID-19: Perspectives from a Sino-US Joint Venture University

The tumult produced by the onset and spread of the COVID-19 virus has had a demonstrably chilling effect on the nature of Sino-US relations. American and Chinese leaders have hurled multiple accusations about the origins of the virus across the Pacific; US officials have been particularly dismayed by the lack of transparency by their counterparts in China during the initial advances of the coronavirus in Wuhan and Hubei province. Remarkably, however, in contrast to the initial mishandling of the COVID-19 virus by PRC officials at the national level, the situation within the Sino-US joint venture universities, e.g. Duke Kunshan University, was quite the opposite, with both sides cooperating and moving in tandem to protect the safety and well-being of the students, staff and faculty. This win-win experience highlights the potential mutual benefits of a more collegial, highly collaborative US-China partnership if and when both sides choose to work together with a set of shared goal and objectives.
Swipe Up for More: How Our Students Taught Us to Use Social Media in an Academic Health Promotion Department:

Social media is an important tool for academic departments. Yet, with limited resources, many health promotion departments may not have the ability to conduct extensive planning or development of s...
Protocol for rapid ammonia detection via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

As a key industrial nitrogenous product and a critical environmental pollutant, ammonia broadly affects our daily lives. Rapid and sensitive detection of ammonia is essential to both environmental monitoring and process control for industrial manufacturing. Here, we present a protocol for rapid detection of low amounts of ammonia in the aqueous phase, via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. We believe the mechanism and speed of the approach demonstrate its potential toward applications in operando electrochemical catalysis and in situ ammonia detection. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Liu et al. (2020).
CT angiography of abdomen and pelvis in critically ill COVID-19 patients: imaging findings and correlation with the CT chest score.

To assess the spectrum of computed tomography angiogram (CTA) abdominal and pelvic findings in critically ill COVID-19 patients and investigate correlation with CT chest scores. An IRB approved retrospective study of CTA of the chest, abdomen and pelvis between dates March 1st to September 15th, 2020 was performed in the hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients. CTA studies of solely the chest were excluded. Medical record review was performed to note patient demographics, CTA scan details and coagulation profile. CTA findings were reviewed to record vascular and non-vascular findings. CT chest was reviewed to calculate CT chest score. Logistic regression analyses were performed to correlate CT chest scores with odds of vascular and other abdomen–pelvis findings. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 45 consecutive hospitalized COVID-19 positive patients with 61 years mean age and M:F (2:1) gender ratio were evaluated, out of which majority 68.9% (n = 31) had CTA chest, abdomen and pelvis. The most common vascular findings were hematoma 46.7% (n = 21), active extravasation 24.4% (n = 11) and vascular occlusion 17.8% (n = 8). Higher CT chest scores were significantly associated with hematoma/extravasation (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.07–1.34, p < 0.01). The most common non-vascular abdomen–pelvis findings were seen in organs gallbladder 20% (n = 9), liver 20% (n = 9) followed by kidney 15.6% (n = 7). Higher CT chest scores were significantly associated with bowel findings (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.01–1.63, p < 0.05) and cholestasis (OR 13.3, 95% CI 1.28–138.9, p < 0.05). Patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 pneumonia have significantly higher rate of vascular complications in the abdomen and pelvis.
Arbitrator Acceptability: Does Justice Matter? Arbitrator Acceptability

There is virtually no theory-based research that examines if arbitrator behaviors influence whether they will be chosen for future cases. This longitudinal field study uses organizational justice theory to predict the acceptability of arbitrators in dispute-resolution processes involving labor and management representatives in actual cases. The data indicate that procedural justice is more important in predicting arbitrator acceptability in interest than in rights arbitration cases. Arbitrator distributive justice, procedural justice, and interactional justice are all related to acceptability of arbitrators. Procedural justice and interactional justice are differentially related to evaluation of arbitrators, suggesting that they are distinct constructs.
Bone Structural, Biomechanical and Histomorphometric Characteristics of the Postcranial Skeleton of the Marsh Rice Rat (Oryzomys palustris)

Abstract INTRODUCTION The rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) is a non-conventional laboratory rodent species used to model some human bone disorders. However, no studies have been conducted to characterize the postcranial skeleton. Therefore, we aimed to investigate age- and gender-related features of the appendicular skeleton of this species. METHODS We used femurs and tibiae from 94 rats of both genders aged 4-28 wks. Bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), and biomechanical properties were determined in femurs. In addition, bone histomorphometry of tibiae was conducted to assess bone cells activities and bone turnover over time. RESULTS Bodyweight, bone length, total metaphysis BMC/BMD, cortical BMC/BMD, cortical thickness, and cortical area progressively augmented with age. Whereas the increase in these parameters plateaued at age 16-22 wks in female rats, they continued to rise to age 28 wks in male rats. Furthermore, bone strength parameters increased with age, with few differences between genders. We also observed a rapid decrease in longitudinal growth between ages 4-16 wks. Whereas young rats had a greater bone formation rate and bone turnover, older rice rats had greater bone volume and trabecular thickness, with no differences between genders. CONCLUSIONS 1) Sexual dimorphism in the rice rat becomes grossly evident at age 16 wks; 2) the age-related increases in bone mass, structural cortical parameters, and in some biomechanical property parameters plateau at an older age in male than in female rats; and 3) bone growth and remodeling significantly decreased with age indistinctive of the gender.
Impact of secondary particle size and two-layer architectures on the high-rate performance of thick electrodes in lithium-ion battery pouch cells

Abstract Increasing lithium-ion battery gravimetric energy density to > 300 Wh/kg, while simultaneously meeting a cost target of $80/kWh, is of paramount importance to increasing the driving range and affordability of electric vehicles. One way to address this goal is to reduce inactive components by increasing electrode areal capacities, but conventional thick electrode designs typically perform poorly at high discharge rates due to Li+ mass transport limitations. Here we compare the rate capability and cycle life of NMC 532/graphite pouch cells made with five different thick cathode and anode designs paired together in 25 combinations. We find that using different particle sizes to structure both the cathode and anode architectures in two-layer configurations results in a 2X capacity improvement over the worst-performing combination at high discharge rates (97 vs. 46 mAh/g at 2C). These different cathode/anode designs also translate to different cycle life performance, with many cells cycled at C/2 achieving ∼80% capacity retention after 1000 cycles, and cells cycled at 2C showing different degrees of capacity fade. Overall, these results demonstrate that simple, scalable changes in electrode design can significantly improve the performance of thick electrodes for high energy density batteries.
Perfecting Parliament: Constitutional Reform, Liberalism, and the Rise of Western Democracy

1. On the origins of Western democracy 2. Team production, organization, and governance 3. Organizational governance in the long run 4. The origins of territorial governance 5. Constitutional exchange and divided governance 6. The power of the purse and constitutional reform 7. Suffrage without democracy 8. Ideology, interest groups, and adult suffrage 9. Setting the stage: philosophical, economic and political developments prior to the nineteenth century 10. Liberalism and reform in the transformative century 11. Fine-grained constitutional bargaining 12. An overview of British constitutional history: the English king and the medieval parliament 13. Constitutional exchange in England: from the Glorious Revolution to universal suffrage 14. The Swedish transition to democracy 15. Constitutional reform in the Netherlands: from republic to kingdom, to parliamentary democracy 16. Germany: constitutional exchange in an emerging state during the nineteenth century 17. The Japanese transition to democracy and back 18. The United States, an exception or further illustration? 19. Quantitative evidence of gradual reform 20. Ideas, interests, and constitutional reform Appendix: methodological approach, limits, and extensions.
Children, Families, and Disparities: Pediatric Provisions in the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act has caused and continues to cause sweeping changes throughout the health system in the United States. Poorly explained, complex, controversial, confusing, and subject to continuous legal and regulatory definition, the law stands as a hallmark piece of legislation that will change the health sector in America forever. This article summarizes the Affordable Care Act with a focus on children, families, and disparities. Also provided is the context of the current system of health care coverage in the United States.
Is DES a Pure Cipher? (Results of More Cycling Experiments on DES) (Preliminary Abstract)

During summer 1985, we performed eight cycling experiments on the Data Encryption Standard (DES) to see if DES has certain algebraic weaknesses. Using special-purpose hardware, we applied the cycling closure test described in our Eurocrypt 85 paper to determine whether DES is a pure cipher. We also carried out a stronger version of this test. (A cipher is pure if, for any keys i, j, k, there exists some key l such that T i T j −1 T k = T l, where T w denotes encryption under key w.) In addition, we followed the orbit of a randomly chosen DES transformation for 236 steps, as well as the orbit of the composition of two of the “weak key” transformations. Except for the weak key experiment, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that DES acts like a set of randomly chosen permutations. In particular, our results show with overwhelming confidence that DES is not pure. The weak key experiment produced a short cycle of about 233 steps, the consequence of hitting a fixed point for each weak key.
The NFIII/OCT-1 binding site stimulates adenovirus DNA replication in vivo and is functionally redundant with adjacent sequences

The inverted terminal repeat (ITR) of adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) is 103 bp in length and contains the origin of DNA replication. Cellular transcription factors NFI/CTF and NFIII/OCT-1 bind to sites within the ITR and participate in the initiation of viral DNA replication in vitro. The ITR also contains multiple copies of two conserved sequence motifs that bind the cellular transcription factors SP1 and ATF. We have analyzed a series of viruses that carry deletions at the left terminus of Ad5. A virus carrying a deletion of the NFIII/OCT-1, SP1, and ATF sites within the ITR (mutant dl309-44/107) was wild type for virus growth. However, the deletion of these elements in addition to sequences immediately flanking the ITR (mutant dl309-44/195) resulted in a virus that grew poorly. The analysis of growth parameters of these and other mutants demonstrate that the NFIII/OCT-1 and adjacent SP1 sites augment the accumulation of viral DNA following infection. The function of these elements was most evident in coinfections with a wild-type virus, suggesting that these sites enhance the ability of a limiting trans-acting factor(s), that stimulates viral DNA replication, to interact with the ITR. The results of these analyses indicate functional redundancy between different transcription elements at the left terminus of the Ad5 genome and demonstrate that the NFIII/OCT-1 site and adjacent SP1 site, previously thought to be nonessential for adenovirus growth, play a role in viral DNA replication in vivo.
Spatial electric load forecasting

Spatial Electric Load Forecasting Consumer Demand for Power and Reliability Coincidence and Load Behavior Load Curve and End-Use Modeling Weather and Electric Load Weather Design Criteria and Forecast Normalization Spatial Load Growth Behavior Spatial Forecast Accuracy and Error Measures Trending Methods Simulation Method: Basic Concepts A Detailed Look at the Simulation Method Basics of Computerized Simulation Analytical Building Blocks for Spatial Simulation Advanced Elements of Computerized Simulation Hybrid Trending-Simulation Methods Advanced Demand Methods: Multi-Fuel and Reliability Models Comparison and Selection of Spatial Forecast Methods Development Dimensionality: Urban, Rural and Agrarian Areas Metropolitan Growth and Urban Redevelopment Spatial Load Forecasting in Developing Economies Using Spatial Forecasting Methods Well Recommendations and Guidelines Index
Priority medicines for Europe and the World: setting a public-health-based medicines development agenda

Methods Using a global public health perspective for Europe and the world and based on the principle of equity and efficiency the report identifies gaps in the development and research of pharmaceutical technologies which are needed to meet the priority health care needs of the population but which have not yet been developed. Four criteria were used to determine the gaps: the burden of disease in Europe, its trend, common risk factors amenable to pharmacological intervention and the principle of “social solidarity”. The gaps are divided into three groups depending whether treatment exist, how effective it is and whether the delivery mechanisms or formulation are appropriate of the target population.
Analytical mindsets in turnover research

We propose that there is a dominant analytical mindset (DAM) influencing employee turnover scholarship. We broaden the conceptualization of analytical mindsets to incorporate elements of research design, data collection, and measurement in addition to analytical strategies, and we argue that analytical mindsets are manifested in the methodological choices scholars make as shown in the research published in influential management journals. We content analyze the methods and theory of 447 empirical turnover studies over the past 52 years to uncover these mindsets and find evidence supporting the existence of a DAM. We further argue that, analogous to a physical dam, this DAM may be slowing theoretical progress in at least two ways: by constraining the conceptualization of research questions, variables, and relationships and by encouraging research practices that constrain explanatory power. We provide specific recommendations for shifting analytical mindsets to facilitate the flow of new perspectives in employee turnover research. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Social(ist) Pedagogies of the MST: Towards New Relations of Production in the Brazilian Countryside

This article explores the social( ist ) pedagogies of the Brazilian Landless Workers Movement (MST), a large agrarian social movement that fights for socialism in the Brazilian countryside, meaning that workers own their own means of production and collectively produce the food and other products necessary for their communities’ survival. Over the past three decades, activists in the movement have developed an alternative educational proposal for rural schooling that supports these new social relations of production. Drawing on major theories of reproduction, cultural production, and resistance in the field of education, I argue that three theorists—Paul Willis, Paulo Freire, and Antonio Gramsci—are critical in assessing the role of schools in processes of social reproduction. I examine four components of the MST’s social( ist ) pedagogy: the incorporation of manual labor into public schools; the promotion of collective learning; counter-cultural production; and linking schools to concrete political struggles. Drawing on Willis, Freire, and Gramsci, I argue that the MST’s educational proposal is a limited but real attempt to interrupt dominant social relations of production in the Brazilian countryside, thus representing a unique example of social pedagogy in the 21 century.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid Polymerase of Rous Sarcoma Virus: Studies on the Mechanism of Double-Stranded Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis

Abstract The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus synthesizes both single- and double-stranded DNA, utilizing the ribonucleic acid (RNA) of the viral genome as the initial template. Results of pulse-chase experiments indicate that the single-stranded DNA serves as unconserved template and precursor for the synthesis of double-stranded DNA. The latter reaction is apparently initiated in association with the viral RNA and may involve a partially double-stranded intermediate form.
The Value in Friendship

Why do we value friendship? No explanation that appeals to values external to friendship will be a satisfactory answer to this question.
Urethral Extension for Correction of Urovagina in Cattle A Review of 14 Cases

Urethral extension was performed in 14 cows with clinical urovagina and infertility. Urovagina was corrected in nine cows (64%) and was reduced in the others. Formation of fistulas at the cranial end of the extension site was the most frequent complication (4 cows). In one cow, the urethral extension was not extended far enough caudally. Eleven cows (79%) returned to fertility after surgery. Severity of urine pooling, cranial displacement of the urethral orifice, and severe preoperative vaginitis may explain the failure of the urethral extension in some cows.
Health services in Cuba. An initial appraisal.

Abstract The development of the Cuban health services during the last decade reflects a commitment to minimize the striking inequalities in the availability and consumption of health resources that previously existed between social classes, between cities and rural areas, and between regions. This process of equalization has been characterized by a centralization of inpatient services, a decentralization of ambulatory services, and an increase in the use and production of paramedical and auxiliary personnel within the health-services system. The health services today are structured according to regional models aimed at providing integrated care to the whole population, with integration of preventive with curative services, social with medical services, and environmental with personal health services. The universal coverage of the population has been achieved by redistribution of old and new resources and a heavy investment in the health sector, with great priority given to the rural and poor areas and reg...
Optically detected magnetic resonan ce on a benzil X-trap

Abstract The orientation of the principal fine structure axes of the major X-trap in benzil neat crystals has been determined relative to the crystalline axes. The best fit of these data was obtained assuming near planarity of the dicarbonyl fragment in the triple state.
Mullite whisker felt and its application in composites

Abstract The Naval Surface Warfare Center has developed a process for the in situ preparation of 80% porous mullite whisker felt which consists of randomly oriented whiskers mutually intergrown, forming a rigid structure. The felt can be used as pre-forms for the preparation of metal and ceramic matrix composites. The patented process involves mixing and shaping the powdered precursors followed by firing to form in situ the mullite whisker felt. The powders can be shaped by any conventional process. An advantage of the process is the elimination of health hazards associated with loose respirable whiskers. The low dimensional changes of the final felt compared with the green shapes are a valuable feature for the preparation of near-net shape composite preforms. Methods for infiltration of the felt with cast aluminum alloy A356 and properties of the composites will be discussed.
Questioning Our Questions: Assessing Question Asking Practices to Evaluate a yPAR Program

The purpose of this research was to examine question asking practices in a youth participatory action research (yPAR) after school program housed at an elementary school. The research question was: In which ways did the adult question asking practices in a yPAR setting challenge and/or reproduce conventional models of power in educational settings? We aligned Fink’s taxonomy (Creating significant learning experiences: an integrated approach to designing college courses. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 2003) to Freire’s (The pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum, New York, 1970/2000) banking concept and problem-posing educational models. All adult questions were categorized from twelve randomly selected yPAR sessions over 2 years. The program served 4th and 5th grade students. Of the 500+ questions adults asked, 17 % were foundational (aligned with Freire’s banking concept). All other questions were aligned with Freire’s problem-posing model. Specifically, 34 % were application, 3 % were integration, 15 % were caring, 11 % were human dimension, and 8 % were learning how to learn questions. By studying question asking patterns and practices, we gained a better understanding of how students and adults navigated this particular after school space, which, at its core, sought to disrupt conventional notions of power and status.
Quantitative assessment of myocardial tissue velocities in normal children with Doppler tissue imaging.

Abstract Assessment of myocardial tissue velocities in children is feasible with DTI. We have described normal velocity values for left ventricular motion in children during systole and diastole, at the mitral annulus, and at the posterior wall. The pattern of mitral annular motion in diastole mimics that of mitral blood inflow, whereas the pattern of posterior wall motion differs and may provide for a new form of assessment of diastolic function. Further investigation of myocardial velocities in states of volume and pressure overload, as seen in various forms of congenital heart disease, is warranted.
Flames in Type Ia Supernova: Deflagration-Detonation Transition in the Oxygen Burning Flame.

The flame in a Type Ia supernova is a conglomerate structure that, depending on density, may involve separate regions of carbon, oxygen, and silicon burning, all propagating in a self-similar, subsonic front. The separation between these three burning regions increases as the density declines until eventually, below about 2 × 107 g cm–3, only carbon burning remains active, the other two burning phases having "frozen out" on stellar scales. Between 2 and 3 × 107 g cm–3, however, there remains an energetic oxygen-burning region that trails the carbon burning by an amount that is sensitive to the turbulence intensity. As the carbon flame makes a transition to the distributed regime (Karlovitz number 10), the characteristic separation between the carbon- and oxygen-burning regions increases dramatically, from a fraction of a meter to many kilometers. The oxygen-rich mixture between the two flames is created at a nearly constant temperature, and turbulence helps to maintain islands of well-mixed isothermal fuel as the temperature increases. The delayed burning of these regions can be supersonic and could initiate a detonation.