cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Informed Refusal Toward a Justice-based Bioethics

“Informed consent” implicitly links the transmission of information to the granting of permission on the part of patients, tissue donors, and research subjects. But what of the corollary, informed refusal? Drawing together insights from three moments of refusal, this article explores the rights and obligations of biological citizenship from the vantage point of biodefectors—those who attempt to resist technoscientific conscription. Taken together, the cases expose the limits of individual autonomy as one of the bedrocks of bioethics and suggest the need for a justice-oriented approach to science, medicine, and technology that reclaims the epistemological and political value of refusal.
WEED POPULATION RESPONSES TO WEED CONTROL PRACTICES. I. SEED BANK, WEED POPULATIONS, AND CROP YIELDS

Weed control practices affected the weed seed content of the soil, weed seedling populations, and corn and soybean yields in two 4-yr field experiments. When the initial weed seed density was high, giant foxtail seed numbers in soil declined rapidly under weed-free conditions. Changes in seed densities when initial densities were low varied over years. Mechanical and chemical control treatments had variable effects on weed seed numbers over the course of the experiment. Weed seed numbers and weed densities were sometimes greater if herbicides were banded, but crop yields were similar to full-rate herbicides in both experiments in all years. When the initial density was low, giant foxtail seed numbers in soil increased over the course of the experiment regardless of the weed control treatment. Seed densities of broadleaf species decreased under the same conditions. Also, when initial weed densities were low, weed control and crop yields were less sensitive to weed control practices than at high weed densities. Weather factors that influenced treatment efficacy had a major affect on weed populations and crop yield responses to the weed control treatments over years. The interactions of weed control practices, weed populations, and crop yields were complex. Initial weed density and species composition interacted with weed control treatments and weather patterns to generate the results observed.
RNA Remodeling Activity of DEAD Box Proteins Tuned by Protein Concentration, RNA Length, and ATP

DEAD box RNA helicases play central roles in RNP biogenesis. We reported earlier that LAF-1, a DEAD box RNA helicase in C. elegans, dynamically interacts with RNA and that the interaction likely contributes to the fluidity of RNP droplets. Here we investigate the molecular basis of the interaction of RNA with LAF-1 and its human homolog, DDX3X. We show that both LAF-1 and DDX3X, at low concentrations, are monomers that induce tight compaction of single-stranded RNA. At high concentrations, the proteins are multimeric and dynamically interact with RNA in an RNA length-dependent manner. The dynamic LAF-1-RNA interaction stimulates RNA annealing activity. ATP adversely affects the RNA remodeling ability of LAF-1 by suppressing the affinity, dynamics, and annealing activity of LAF-1, suggesting that ATP may promote disassembly of the RNP complex. Based on our results, we postulate a plausible molecular mechanism underlying the dynamic equilibrium of the LAF-1 RNP complex.
A fluid–structure interaction approach to investigate the quenching characteristics of a steel tube with temperature dependent properties

Quenching is commonly used for improving material properties of steel tubes because of their numerous applications. However, quenching generates some residual stress and deformation in the material due to rapid temperature fluctuations. The properties of the steel are strong functions of these variable temperatures and therefore, the estimated stress and deformation by constant property or static quenching analysis are not very realistic. This study describes the first extensive study of the quenching process of a steel tube including temperature dependent properties by three liquid quenchants using the dynamic fluid–structure interaction quench model. The cooling characteristics of the three liquid quenchants are compared to each other along with the transient temperature distributions in the steel tube. The time-varying nodal, axial, and radial residual stress and deformation of the tube are studied. It is found that, the effectiveness of quenching does not depend only on a particular quenchant, but also on the temperature-varying properties of the steel and the uniformity of the cooling which ultimately determine the criteria for selecting a suitable quenchant for a specific purpose.
The (Dis)inclusion of Latina/o Interests from Utah’s Dual Language Education Boom

ABSTRACTUtah’s state planned model of dual language education has grown and spread rapidly. Drawing on critical race theory and LatCrit, we examined state policy documents and promotional materials...
Accumulation of Non-Target Arthropods on Sticky Tree Bands

Abstract: We monitored the accumulation of non-target arthropods and leaf litter on tree bands used for cankerworm control during a 4-week period in the autumn of 2013 prior to the beginning of cankerworm emergence. Accumulation of non-target arthropods and leaf debris may reduce the efficacy of tree bands in controlling cankerworms and harm non-target tree-dwelling arthropods. Ten oak trees were randomly selected from a set of 17 banded trees along one walkway on Davidson College in the Town of Davidson, NC, where cankerworms have recently become more abundant. Banding is known to capture high numbers of certain forest pests such as fall cankerworms (Alsophila pometaria (Harris)), although conclusive evidence that banding reduces defoliation is lacking. We found that non-target arthropods and leaves accumulated at a steady rate prior to emergence of cankerworm adults. Many predatory arthropods, including spiders, assassin bugs, praying mantids, lacewing larvae, and ladybird beetles were observed entangle...
MODIS Vegetation Index Compositing Approach: A Prototype with AVHRR Data

Abstract In this study, the 16-day MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) vegetation index (VI) compositing algorithm and product were described, evaluated, and compared with the current AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Spectroradiometer) maximum value composite (MVC) approach. The MVC method selects the highest NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) over a certain time interval. The MODIS VI compositing algorithm emphasizes a global and operational view angle standardization approach: a reflectance-based BRDF (Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function) model, succeeded by a back-up MVC algorithm that includes a view angle constraint. A year's worth of daily global AVHRR data was used to prototype the MODIS vegetation index compositing algorithm. The composite scenarios were evaluated with respect to: 1) temporal evolution of the VI for different continents and vegetation types, 2) spatial continuity of the VI, 3) quality flags related to data integrity, cloud cover, and composite method, and 4) view angle distribution of the composited data. On a continental scale, the composited NDVI values from the MODIS algorithm were as much as 30% lower than the mostly, off-nadir NDVI results based on the MVC criterion. The temporal evolution of the NDVI values derived with the MODIS algorithm were similar to the NDVI values derived from the MVC algorithm. A simple BRDF model was adequate to produce nadir equivalent reflectance values from which the NDVI could be computed. Application of the BRDF and “back-up” components in the MODIS algorithm were dependent on geographic location and season, for example, the BRDF interpolation was most frequently applied in arid and semiarid regions, and during the dry season over humid climate vegetation types. Examples of a MODIS-like global NDVI map and associated quality flags were displayed using a pseudo color bit mapping scheme.
Contextual Effects of Neighborhoods and Schools on Adolescent and Young Adult Marijuana Use in the United States

Little is known about the unique contribution of schools vs neighborhoods in driving adolescent marijuana use. This study examined the relative contribution of each setting and the influence of school and neighborhood socioeconomic status on use. We performed a series of cross-classified multilevel logistic models predicting past 30-day adolescent (N = 18 329) and young adult (N = 13 908) marijuana use using data from Add Health. Marijuana use differed by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and public assistance in adjusted models. Variance parameters indicated a high degree of clustering by school (σ2 = 0.30) and less pronounced clustering by neighborhood (σ2 = 0.06) in adolescence when accounting for both levels simultaneously in a cross-classified multilevel model. Clustering by school persisted into young adulthood (σ2 = 0.08). Parental receipt of public assistance increased the likelihood of use during adolescence (odds ratio = 1.39; 95% confidence interval: 1.19-1.59), and higher parental education was associated with increased likelihood of use in young adulthood. These findings indicate that both contexts may be promising locations for intervention.
Availability and Placement of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems at the Point-of-Sale

Introduction Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are widely available and come in a variety of forms, including disposable cigalikes and refillable tank systems. However, little is known about their placement at the point-of-sale. We explored the placement of various ENDS types among tobacco retailers. Methods Systematic assessments at the point-of-sale were completed by trained data collectors in 90 tobacco retailers, including grocery stores, convenience stores, and pharmacies in North Carolina, United States. Availability and placement of various ENDS types including cigalikes, e-hookahs, tank systems, and e-liquids was recorded. Results Almost all retailers (97.8%) sold cigalikes; 41.4% sold devices labeled as e-hookahs; 54.4% sold tank systems; and 56.2% sold e-liquids. Fewer than half of stores placed ENDS exclusively behind the counter; significant differences in ENDS placement were found by store type. Grocery stores carried cigalikes, tank systems, and e-liquids and placed them exclusively behind the counter. Pharmacies only sold cigalikes; most placed them exclusively behind the counter (91.7%) with cessation aids and other tobacco products. Convenience stores carried all ENDS types and placed them with other tobacco products (55.1%) and candy (17.4%). Only about one-third of convenience stores placed ENDS exclusively behind the counter. Conclusions This exploratory study shows ENDS availability and placement at the point-of-sale varies by retailer type. Pharmacies placed cigalikes with cessation aids behind the counter suggesting their ability to aid in smoking cessation. Most convenience stores placed ENDS in self-service locations, making them easily accessible to youth. Findings highlight the need for ENDS regulation at the point-of-sale. Implications Our study highlights the need for regulatory efforts aimed at ENDS placement at the point-of-sale. While pharmacies and grocery stores offered fewer ENDS types and typically placed them in clerk-assisted locations, all ENDS types were found at convenience stores, some of which were placed in youth-friendly locations. Regulatory efforts to control ENDS placement and limit youth exposure should be examined, such as requiring products be placed in clerk-assisted locations and banning ENDS placement next to candy.
A UNIQUE CONSTELLATION OF ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL FINDINGS ASSOCIATED WITH A HCN4 GENE MUTATION: A NEW CLINICAL SYNDROME?

Our understanding of inherited arrhythmia syndromes is still evolving. We present a clinical syndrome associated with a novel HCN4 gene mutation. A 29 year old male of Norwegian origin presented with frequent episodes of syncope occurring at rest without a prodrome. Electrocardiogram (ECG) at
Keynote Talk: Communication Without Repudiation: The Unanswered Question

A non-repudiation protocol is to be executed by two parties, say \(S\) and \(R\), in order to (1) enable \(S\) to send some text to \(R\) then receive some non-repudiated evidence that \(R\) has indeed received the text, and (2) enable \(R\) to receive both the sent text from \(S\) and some non-repudiated evidence that this text was indeed sent from \(S\) to \(R\). Since 1995, tens of non-repudiation protocols have been proposed, but every one of these protocols seems to suffer from one or more well-known problems. For example, most protocols assume the existence of a third party that is trusted by both \(S\) and \(R\). This observation reminds us that the following core question has never been answered. Can there be a non-repudiation protocol that does not suffer from any of these problems?
Total and Differential Cross Sections for the Reaction \( \overline p \)p → \( \overline \Lambda \)Λ

One of the methods to explore the dynamics of proton-antiproton annihilations is to study reactions in which associated strangeness production occurs. The PS185 collaboration at LEAR has been involved in a systematic study of the process pp → Ȳ Y where Y is a Λ or a Σ hyperon. A rather complete data set is beginning to emerge from experimental runs performed over the last four years. Data on the total and differential cross sections for the reaction pp → ΛΛ will be presented below.
On Scaling the Oregonator Equations

The Oregonator is a system of three ordinary differential equations suggested by FIELD & NOYES [1] as a model of the FIELD, KOROS & NOYES [2] mechanism of the BELOUSOV-ZHABOTINSKII reaction. The equations are $$\dot X = {k_1}AY - {k_2}XY + {k_3}AX - 2{k_4}{X^2}$$ (1a) $$\dot Y = {k_1}\user2{AY} - {k_2}XY + f{k_5}Z$$ (1b) $$\dot Z = {k_3}AX - {k_5}Z$$ (1c) where the dot-nation indicates a time derivative, A = [BrO3 −], X = [HBrO2], Y = [Br−], Z = 2[Ce4+], f is a stoichiometric parameter and k1, ..., k5 are rate constants. FIELD & NOYES [1] cast this system of equations into dimensionless form by defining $$x = \left( {{k_2}/{k_1}A} \right)X,\;y = \left( {{k_2}/{k_3}A} \right)Y$$ (2a) $$z = \left( {{k_2}{k_5}/{k_1}{k_3}{A^2}} \right)Z,\;t = {\left( {{k_1}{k_3}} \right)^{1/2}}A\;\left( {time} \right)$$ (2b) $$s = {\left( {{k_3}/{k_1}} \right)^{1/2}},\;w = {k_5}/A{\left( {{k_1}{k_3}} \right)^{1/2}}$$ (2c) $$ q = 2{k_1}{k_4}/{k_2}{k_3}.$$ (2d)
Epidemiology and What it Can Tell Us

The purpose of this presentation is to describe the role of epidemiology in assessing human health risk and offer you a framework for evaluating epidemiologic research. Throughout the presentation, examples will be drawn from studies of electric and magnetic fields (EMF) and cancer.
General Remarks Regarding the Interacting Boson Model and Approximation

The object of many of the reports presented at this Workshop has been the understanding of the structure underlying the observed properties of nuclei in various states characterized by their excitation energy, their angular momentum, parity and electromagnetic moments. Adding to these importantly are the interlevel transitions, particularly those proceeding via the electromagnetic interaction. These studies have formed a primary research area of nuclear physics.
Multi-scale mechanical modeling of Al-steel resistance spot welds

Abstract A multi-scale finite element modeling approach was developed to study the deformation and fracture behavior of Al-steel resistance spot welds. First, a micro-scale model was applied to simulate the mechanical responses of the intermetallic compound (IMC) layer having various morphologies and thicknesses under tensile and shear loading conditions. Second, the predicted tensile and shear strength of the IMC layer, that varied along the joint interface per the IMC layer morphology and thickness variation, was then introduced into 3D macro-scale models to predict the overall mechanical performance of weld coupons under coach peel, lap shear and cross-tension testing conditions. The numerical predictions agreed reasonably well with the experimental data.
THU0369 Creation of a weighted slicc sle classification criteria and comparison with proposed eular/acr sle classification criteria

Background In previous validation work, the SLICC 2012 SLE classification criteria were more sensitive than the revised ACR-11 criteria, while both criteria had similar agreement with physician diagnoses. Both of these classification rules count each SLE manifestation equally. Objectives Our objective was to derive and test a classification rule which differentially weights the variable used in the SLICC classification rule. We also compared this rule to a recently proposed EULAR/ACR classification rule that also uses a weighted approach. Methods The physician-rated patient scenarios used to develop the 2012 SLICC classification criteria were re-employed to devise a weighted classification rule. A multiple linear regression model was constructed with the 2012 SLICC criteria variables as predictors and the binary outcome (physician classification of SLE) as the outcome. To generate the weights for each criteria, we then multiplied each criteria’s coefficient by 100 and rounded to the nearest integer. The ‘Direct Coombs’ criteria (coefficient Results Table 1 shows the performance of the four classification rules. There was no statistically significant difference (at the 0.05-level) between any pair of rules with respect to overall agreement with the physician diagnosis. Conclusions The two newly derived weighted classification rules did not perform better than the existing list-based rules in terms of over-all agreement. Given that the list-based rules are easy to calculate, they may be preferred in most clinical settings. Disclosure of Interest None declared
A kinetic study of the initial oxidation of the Ni(110) surface by RHEED and X-ray emission

Abstract Nickel (110) surfaces, prepared by a combination of high temperature oxidation, argon ion bombardment and hydrogen reduction, were oxidized in pure O2. The structural aspects of this interaction were studied by reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and the corresponding kinetics determined by electron excited X-ray emission spectroscopy. On exposure to oxygen the surface was observed to go through three ordered two-dimensional structures. These were a (2 × 1), a (3 × 1) and finally a (9 × 4) structure containing 0.015 microg/cm2 of oxygen. From this surface NiO was produced in a (001) epitaxy which was compressed 4.5% in the plane of the surface. With oxidation beyond 0.060 microg/cm2 the oxide strain was relieved and a complex oxide epitaxy developed which has been tentatively identified as a (117) oxide parallel to the nickel (110) surface. The kinetics have been explained on the basis of three distinct processes. (i) An initial chemisorption stage (0 to 0.015 microg/cm2) associated with the two-dimensional structures, (ii) Oxide nucleation and spreading to cover the surface, associated with the (001)-NiO epitaxy (0.015 to 0.06 microg/cm2), (iii) Logarithmic film thickening above 0.060 0.06 microg/cm2 associated with the development of (117) epitaxy.
Use of virtual patient software to assess student confidence and ability in communication skills and virtual patient impression: A mixed-methods approach.

Abstract Background and purpose Knowledge related to the use of virtual patients (VP) in pharmacy education is limited in relation to student satisfaction with this learning technique. This project aimed to assess students' confidence and impressions in using their communication skills with a VP and to evaluate their skills using this technology. Educational activity and setting This explanatory mixed-methods study was conducted with first-year doctor of pharmacy students. Fourteen survey items that addressed confidence in student abilities and VP impressions were analyzed. Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to compare pre- and post- scores. Student reflections were reviewed to obtain primary themes and concerns. Descriptive statistics were used for student grades. Findings Out of 205 students, 203 completed the pre-survey and 163 completed the post-survey. Responses regarding pre-post confidence indicated statistically significant improvement (p Summary This VP program improved student confidence in their verbal and written communication skills despite low subjective data scores.
Energy Production in Irrigated, Intensively Cultured Plantations of Populus 'Tristis #1' and Jack Pine

Energy budgets were prepared for irrigated, intensively cultured plantations of Populus Tristis number 1 and jack pine in northern Wisconsin. Energy inputs into biomass production (site preparation, fertilization, weed control, irrigation, and harvesting) and into material processing (chipping and drying) amounted to about 20 percent of the total energy at age 10. The available energy (after deducting energy inputs) in 10-year old plantations of P. Tristis number 1 and jack pine was 2353 and 1863 MBtu/ha, respectively, which is equivalent to the energy in 430 and 340 barrels of oil. This was 43 and 13 percent more energy than that reported for highly productive, nonirrigated, intensively cultured plantations and a naturally regenerated forest. This indicates that energy invested in irrigation brings commensurate energy returns. The available energy from forest biomass, which is negligible when compared with the total energy consumption in the United States, could be increased by a widespread application of existing agronomic technology.
Ice Resistance Without Ice: Simulation of Ship Resistance in Ice Fields

This paper deals with a series of six ice-breaking ship models with commercial hull forms, which have been systematically tested with the intention of gathering more information about resistance in ice. In contrast to conventional ice resistance tests, performed in real ice towing tanks and followed by complicated data regression, the tests discussed in this paper were performed in a regular towing tank using an artificial ice substitute.
Charting the Attack Surface of Trigger-Action IoT Platforms

Internet of Things (IoT) deployments are becoming increasingly automated and vastly more complex. Facilitated by programming abstractions such as trigger-action rules, end-users can now easily create new functionalities by interconnecting their devices and other online services. However, when multiple rules are simultaneously enabled, complex system behaviors arise that are difficult to understand or diagnose. While history tells us that such conditions are ripe for exploitation, at present the security states of trigger-action IoT deployments are largely unknown. In this work, we conduct a comprehensive analysis of the interactions between trigger-action rules in order to identify their security risks. Using IFTTT as an exemplar platform, we first enumerate the space of inter-rule vulnerabilities that exist within trigger-action platforms. To aid users in the identification of these dangers, we go on to present iRuler, a system that performs Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) solving and model checking to discover inter-rule vulnerabilities within IoT deployments. iRuler operates over an abstracted information flow model that represents the attack surface of an IoT deployment, but we discover in practice that such models are difficult to obtain given the closed nature of IoT platforms. To address this, we develop methods that assist in inferring trigger-action information flows based on Natural Language Processing. We develop a novel evaluative methodology for approximating plausible real-world IoT deployments based on the installation counts of 315,393 IFTTT applets, determining that 66% of the synthetic deployments in the IFTTT ecosystem exhibit the potential for inter-rule vulnerabilities. Combined, these efforts provide the insight into the real-world dangers of IoT deployment misconfigurations.
Alterations in Plasma microRNA and Protein Levels in War Veterans with Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is considered the “signature” injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Identifying biomarkers that could aid in diagnosis and assessment of chron...
Formation and characterization of lipid droplets of the bovine corpus luteum

Establishment and maintenance of pregnancy depends on progesterone synthesized by luteal tissue in the ovary. Our objective was to identify the characteristics of lipid droplets (LDs) in ovarian steroidogenic cells. We hypothesized that LDs are a major feature of steroidogenic luteal cells and store cholesteryl esters. Whole bovine tissues, isolated ovarian steroidogenic cells (granulosa, theca, small luteal, and large luteal), and isolated luteal LDs were assessed for LD content, LD-associated proteins and lipid analyses. Bovine luteal tissue contained abundant lipid droplets, LD-associated perilipins 2/3/5, hormone-sensitive lipase, and 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase ABHD5. Luteal tissue was enriched in triglycerides (TGs) compared to other tissues, except for adipose tissue. Luteal cells were distinguishable from follicular cells by the presence of LDs, LD-associated proteins, and increased TGs. Furthermore, LDs from large luteal cells were numerous and small; whereas, LDs from small luteal cells were large and less numerous. Isolated LDs contained nearly all of the TGs and cholesteryl esters present in luteal tissue. Isolated luteal LDs were composed primarily of TG, with lesser amounts of cholesteryl esters, diglyceride and other phospholipids. Bovine luteal LDs are distinct from LDs in other bovine tissues, including follicular steroidogenic cells.
Introduction of a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Non-Pharmacologic Interventions Bundle to Improve Care of At-Risk Newborns

The United States opioid crisis takes root in the 1990s and has amplified over the last 20 years. It continues to involve increasing opiate use and growing prevalence of opiate use disorder both in and out of pregnancy(1). From 1999 to 2014, the frequency of opioid use disorder among women admitted to the hospital for delivery more than quadrupled(2). As a result, more babies are exposed to opiates prenatally and at risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). In 2014, approximately 32,000 babies had NAS. As this number increases, so do …
Van Hove Exciton-Cageons and High-T$_c$ Superconductivity, XA: Role of Spin-Orbit Coupling in Generating a Diabolical Point

Spin-orbit coupling plays a large role in stabilizing the low-temperature orthorhombic phase of La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$. It splits the degeneracy of the van Hove singularities (thereby stabilizing the distorted phase) and completely changes the shape of the Fermi surfaces, potentially introducing diabolical points into the band structure. The present paper gives a detailed account of the resulting electronic structure. A slave boson calculation shows how these results are modified in the presence of strong correlation effects. A scaling regime, found very close to the metal-insulator transition, allows an analytical determination of the crossover, in the limit of zero oxygen-oxygen hopping, $t_{OO}\rightarrow 0$. Extreme care must exercised in chosing the parameters of the three-band model. In particular, $t_{OO}$ is renormalized from its LDA value. Furthermore, it is suggested that the slave boson model be spin-corrected, in which case the system is close to a metal-insulator transition at half filling.
The Impact of the Paycheck Protection Program on Small Businesses: Evidence from Administrative Payroll Data

This paper uses administrative data from a private payroll processor whose clients are primarily very small businesses (median 5 employees) to measure both which firms apply for financial relief through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the effects of this financial relief. Conditional on industry, larger firms with higher average wages were more likely to apply, indicating that the PPP funds disproportionately flowed towards larger firms with higher paid employees. Firms that applied for PPP funds increased their average employment by 6.25% one month following the program's launch relative to those that did not apply, but the effect declines to zero within three months of applying. There is no measurable impact of the PPP on the firms' wage bills in aggregate. Moreover, the positive effects on employment occur entirely in industries in which firms are not affected by government shut-downs or higher levels of COVID-19, namely industries with more employees that are able to work remotely and fewer hourly workers, or essential businesses. My estimates imply a cost of approximately $300,000 per job preserved as of September 2020, suggesting that less than 10% of the PPP funds went directly to preserved employee wages.
Ophthalmic conditions associated with dementia risk: The Cardiovascular Health Study.

Introduction Ophthalmic conditions and dementia appear to overlap and may share common pathways, but research has not differentiated dementia subtypes. Methods Diagnoses of cataracts, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and glaucoma were based on medical histories and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes for 3375 participants from the Cardiovascular Health Study. Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD), was classified using standardized research criteria. Results Cataracts were associated with AD (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-1.80) and VaD/mixed dementia (HR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.02-1.95). AMD was associated with AD only (HR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.13-3.09), whereas DR was associated with VaD/mixed dementia only (HR = 2.63; 95% CI = 1.10-6.27). Discussion Differential associations between specific ophthalmic conditions and dementia subtypes may elucidate pathophysiologic pathways. Lack of association between glaucoma and dementia was most surprising from these analyses.
The Statute of Anne: Yesterday and Today

This essay serves as the prologue to the University of Houston’s Institute for Intellectual Property & Information Law’s 2010 National Conference, “The ©©© Conference: Celebrating Copyright’s tri-Centennial,” in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The conference focused on the Statute of Anne, the first copyright statute ever, anywhere, enacted by the British Parliament in 1710. The essay contains a concise, 5-page history of the Statute of Anne, which instructors may find useful as a stand-alone handout in their copyright or intellectual property courses.
Overcoming Data Availability Attacks in Blockchain Systems: LDPC Code Design for Coded Merkle Tree

In blockchain systems, full nodes store the entire blockchain ledger and validate all transactions in the system by operating on the entire ledger. However, for better scalability and decentralization of the system, blockchains also run light nodes that only store a small portion of the ledger. In blockchain systems having a majority of malicious full nodes, light nodes are vulnerable to a data availability (DA) attack. In this attack, a malicious node makes the light nodes accept an invalid block by hiding the invalid portion of the block from the nodes in the system. Recently, a technique based on LDPC codes called Coded Merkle Tree (CMT) was proposed by Yu et al. that enables light nodes to detect a DA attack by randomly requesting/sampling portions of the block from the malicious node. However, light nodes fail to detect a DA attack with high probability if a malicious node hides a small stopping set of the LDPC code. To mitigate this problem, Yu et al. used well-studied techniques to design random LDPC codes with high minimum stopping set size. Although effective, these codes are not necessarily optimal for this application. In this paper, we demonstrate that a suitable co-design of specialized LDPC codes and the light node sampling strategy can improve the probability of detection of DA attacks. We consider different adversary models based on their computational capabilities of finding stopping sets in LDPC codes. For a weak adversary model, we devise a new LDPC code construction termed as the entropy-constrained PEG (EC-PEG) algorithm which concentrates stopping sets to a small group of variable nodes. We demonstrate that the EC-PEG algorithm coupled with a greedy sampling strategy improves the probability of detection of DA attacks. For stronger adversary models, we provide a co-design of a sampling strategy called linear-programming-sampling (LP-sampling) and an LDPC code construction called linear-programming-constrained PEG (LC-PEG) algorithm. The new co-design demonstrates a higher probability of detection of DA attacks compared to approaches proposed in earlier literature.
Suspending High School Students Comes at a Steep Price: A Texas, Statewide Investigation

In this study, the financial costs of out-of-school suspensions assigned to Hispanic and black students in Grades 9, 10, and 11 were calculated. Descriptive statistics, calculated on Texas statewide archival data, revealed that public schools lost millions of dollars because of the number of days they assigned Hispanic and black students to an out-of-school suspension. With two different dollar amounts being estimated (i.e., a low-cost amount at $40/day and a high cost at $50/day), the low-cost estimates for Hispanic students were 3.9 million dollars, whereas the low-cost estimates for black were totaled 2.4 million dollars. The high-cost estimates for Hispanic students were 4.9 million dollars lost, whereas the high-cost estimates for black students were 3 million dollars lost for school districts. Implications of these findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.
An Association Between Montessori Education in Childhood and Adult Wellbeing

Wellbeing, or how people think and feel about their lives, predicts important life outcomes from happiness to health to longevity. Montessori pedagogy has features that enhance wellbeing contemporaneously and predictively, including self-determination, meaningful activities, and social stability. Here, 1905 adults, ages 18 to 81 (M = 36), filled out a large set of wellbeing scales followed by demographic information including type of school attended each year from 2 to 17. About half the sample had only attended conventional schools and the rest had attended Montessori for between 2 and 16 years (M = 8 years). To reduce the variable set, we first developed a measurement model of wellbeing using the survey data with exploratory then confirmatory factor analyses, arriving at four factors: general wellbeing, engagement, social trust, and self-confidence. A structural equation model that accounted for age, gender, race, childhood SES, and years in private school revealed that attending Montessori for at least two childhood years was associated with significantly higher adult wellbeing on all four factors. A second analysis found that the difference in wellbeing between Montessori and conventional schools was existed even among the subsample that had exclusively attended private schools. A third analysis found that the more years one attended Montessori, the higher one’s wellbeing as an adult. Unmeasured selection effects could explain the results, in which case research should determine what third variable associated with Montessori schooling causes adult wellbeing. Several other limitations to the study are also discussed. Although some of these limitations need to be addressed, coupled with other research, including studies in which children were randomly assigned to Montessori schools, this study suggests that attending Montessori as a child might plausibly cause higher adult wellbeing.
Socio-scientific Issue-based Instruction

Typically, science content is taught with few references to the impact that the content may have on society. Science, Technology, and Society was designed to change this situation by embedding instruction in a situation that puts science content in a practical frame.
The Trauma Response Team: a Community Intervention for Gang Violence

While violent crime has decreased in many cities in the USA, gang-related violence remains a serious problem in impoverished inner city neighborhoods. In Syracuse, New York, gang-related murders and gun shots have topped other New York state cities. Residents of the high-murder neighborhoods suffer trauma similar to those living in civil conflict zones. The Trauma Response Team was established in 2010, in collaboration with the Police Department, health care institutions, and emergency response teams and with the research support of Syracuse University faculty. Since its inception, gang-related homicides and gun shots have decreased in the most severely affected census tracts.
Microwave dielectric properties of BaO-TiO/sub 2/-WO/sub 3/ ceramics sintered with glasses

The microwave dielectric properties and the sintering behavior of commercial BaO-TiO/sub 2/-WO/sub 3/ dielectrics, N-35, with addition of various glasses; (1) simple glass formers, (2) ZnO-B/sub 2/O/sub 3/ based, (3) B/sub 2/O/sub 3/-SiO/sub 2/ based and (4) Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-SiO/sub 2/ based glasses were studied. The Q of N-35 sintered with a ZnO-B/sub 2/O/sub 3/ glass system showed a sudden drop in the sintering temperature to around 1000/spl deg/C. Results of XRD, thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy suggest that the chemical reaction between N-35 and the glass had a larger effect on Q than density. A 5wt% addition of B/sub 2/O/sub 3/ to N-35, when sintered at 1200/spl deg/C, had the best dielectric properties, Q=8300 and K=34.1 at 8.5 GHz, among the glasses Q, K and density increased with sintering temperature from 1000 to 1200/spl deg/C. The effects of the amount of glass added and the mixing method on the density and the dielectric properties will be discussed.
Cracked Teeth: A Review of the Literature

Although cracked teeth are a common problem for patients and dentists, there is a dearth of evidence-based guidelines on how to prevent, diagnose, and treat cracks in teeth. The purpose of this article is to review the literature to establish what evidence exists regarding the risk factors for cracked teeth and their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Skills, Partnerships and Tenancy in Sri Lankan Rice Farms

This paper examines whether sharecroppers and fixed-rent tenants in the rice farms of South Asia are distinguished by their farming skills. The idea that fixed-rent contracts are typically given to relatively skilled tenants dates back to the agricultural (tenancy) ladder hypothesis of Spillman [1919]. The screening models [e.g. Hallagan 1978] that have attempted to formalize this idea assume that landlords do not observe the tenants' skill levels. This assumption is restrictive, and has found little support in empirical studies. The principal-agent model proposed in this paper focuses on the differences between time-intensive and skill- intensive labor tasks. I show that tenancy contracts are designed to match the provision of these tasks with the owners of time and skill inputs. Sharecropping, in this model, provides an incentive scheme that allows for the specialization between a time-abundant tenant and a skill-abundant landlord. The second part of the paper empirically explores this result with household-level data from Sri Lanka. A two-stage model that distinguishes the choice of contract from the extent of land leased is used. The results clearly show that relatively skilled farmers are more likely to become fixed-rent tenants. I also find that, conditional on contract choice, farming skills do not affect the extent of land leased. A substantial part of the empirical analysis is devoted to the measurement of farming skills. I interpret farming skills as the contribution of observed farmer characteristics to the technical efficiency of the farm. This measure recognizes that many dimensions of skills are observed, and the use of weights computed from a production function to construct the skill index is theoretically more appealing than the ad hoc selection of proxy variables.
Effects of a sequential oral contraceptive on endometrial enzyme and carbohydrate histochemistry

Abstract Histochemical studies were carried out to determine endometrial response to a sequential preparation (mestranol 100 mcg., 14 tablets, and mestranol 100 mcg. plus 1.5 mg. chlormadinone acetate, 7 tablets). A control group of patients and patients on short- and long-term sequential therapy had endometrial biopsies taken according to a prepared schedule, and these were studied by a variety of histochemical techniques, as well as usual histologic studies. The effect of the sequential contraceptive on alkaline and acid phosphatase activity in the endometrium was evaluated. There was essentially no difference in the control and study groups and acid phosphatase activity was noted throughout the menstrual cycle. Mucosubstances in the endometrial gland were evaluated by histochemical staining procedures and comparison made between the control group and patients on short- and long-term sequential therapy. There was no significant difference between the control and study groups. Acid mucins were present throughout the cycles in both groups. Sulfomucins predominated during the proliferative phase and carboxymucins predominated during the secretory phase.
Execution-Based Scheduling for VLIW Architectures

We describe a new dynamic software scheduling technique for VLIW architectures, which compiles into VLIW code the program paths that are actually executed. Unlike trace processors, or DIF, the technique executes operations speculatively on multiple paths through the code, is resilient to branch mispredictions, and can achieve very large dynamic window sizes necessary for high ILP. Aggressive optimizations are applied to frequently executed portions of the code. Encouraging performance results were obtained on SPECint95 and TPC-C. The technique can be used for binary translation for achieving architectural compatibility with an existing processor, or as a VLIW scheduling technique in its own right.
Lamé polynomials, hyperelliptic reductions and Lamé band structure.

The band structure of the Lam equation, viewed as a one-dimensional Schrdinger equation with a periodic potential, is studied. At integer values of the degree parameter , the dispersion relation is...
Life, Death and the Economy: Mortality Change in an Overlapping-Generations Model

This chapter analyzes the effects of realistic demographic assumptions on the steady states of overlapping generations general equilibrium models. These models are the workhorse for much economic theorizing about ageing, but traditionally have used simplistic assumptions about mortality, in particular that human death rates are independent of age. Li and Tuljapurkar show that mortality patterns can usefully be discussed in terms of the distribution of age at death and that this distribution is approximately normal in modern humans. They then find and discuss the optimal steady states of three models: a simple model with neither education nor retirement, a model with endogenous schooling and no retirement and, finally, a model with endogenous schooling and an exogenous retirement. They show that both the average age at death, and its variance, matter to the equilibrium properties of the models and that age-independent mortality is a poor approximation. They show that the optimal years of schooling decrease as the exogenous age of retirement increases. This analysis is a fundamental first step in the development of realistic demographic-economic models.
Optimizing the use of static buffers for DMA on a CELL chip

The CELL architecture has one Power Processor Element (PPE) core, and eight Synergistic Processor Element (SPE) cores that have a distinct instruction set architecture of their own. The PPE core accesses memory via a traditional caching mechanism, but each SPE core can only access memory via a small 256K software-controlled local store. The PPE cache and SPE local stores are connected to each other and main memory via a high bandwidth bus. Software is responsible for all data transfers to and from the SPE local stores. To hide the high latency of DMA transfers, data may be prefetched into SPE local stores using loop blocking transformations and static buffers. We find that the performance of an application can vary depending on the size of the buffers used, and whether a single-, double-, or triple-buffer scheme is used. Constrained by the limited space available for data buffers in the SPE local store, we want to choose the optimal buffering scheme for a given space budget. Also, we want to be able to determine the optimal buffer size for a given scheme, such that using a larger buffer size results in negligible performance improvement. We develop a model to automatically infer these parameters for static buffering, taking into account the DMA latency and transfer rates, and the amount of computation in the application loop being targeted. We test the accuracy of our prediction model using a research prototype compiler developed on top of the IBM XL compiler infrastructure.
Thailand and behavior modification.

Abstract This is a field report on the status of behavior modification in Thailand, including some particular interests and needs.
Extended Storage of Eggs of White fringed Beetles

Temperature, relative humidity, and age of eggs at the time of storage affected storage life of eggs of white-fringed beetles. When 22- to 28-day-olel eggs were placed in desiccators and stored at 18.3 and 95% RH, 63.2% eclosed after 8 months. Survival rates of larvae from these eggs were significantly higher than those of larvae from eggs stored at 7.2 or 12.7 and 95% RH.
Cell-death mechanisms in maize

Abstract Development and differentiation in plants requires that specific cells be eliminated by cell-death mechanisms. Structural and ultrastructural observations demonstrate that cells or groups of cells in numerous maize tissues undergo cell death at predictable times. A vast collection of maize mutants exists, and many of these mutants show phenotypes that suggest aberrant cell-death mechanisms. The agent responsible for these mutations is often a characterized transposable element, making it possible to isolate the genes involved using transposon-tagging strategies. Thus, maize is developing into an excellent model system for the study of cell-death mechanisms in plants.
Glutamate and GABA in retinal circuitry

Glutamate and GABA have been identified as the major neurotransmitters in the radial and lateral synaptic pathways, respectively, of the vertebrate retina. Over the past year or so new information has appeared that has significantly increased the knowledge of how these compounds can elicit a range of responses. Key features of this new information are the identification and localization of many receptor subtypes within the retina, the recognition that glutamate can modulate membrane potential through cGMP-gated ion channels, and the finding that GABA can be released through non-vesicular pathways.
Recombinant gpl35 envelope glycoproteins of caprine arthritis-encephalitis lentivirus variants inhibit homologous and heterologous variant-specific neutralizing antibodies

The envelope (env) genes of two antigenic variants of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV), defined by serum neutralization, were expressed in vaccinia virus. Recombinant gp135 envelope glycoprotein competitively inhibited neutralizing activity of serum from CAEV-infected goats, indicating gp135 is a dominant target antigen of CAEV neutralizing antibody. In addition, type-specific neutralizing activity of goat serum directed against one variant was inhibited by both homologous and heterologous variant recombinant gp135. Hence, a CAEV variant env gene encodes type-specific neutralization epitopes of both variants. The results indicate that antigenic variation of CAEV involves env gene mutations encoding amino acid differences outside conserved neutralization epitopes affecting epitope exposure to the immune system.