cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cost-efficient routing in ad hoc mobile wireless networks

Because of the various constraints imposed on ad hoc mobile wireless networks, a cost efficient routing protocol is crucial to the success of an ad hoc mobile wireless network, especially in a dynamic environment such as battlefields. In this paper, we present a cost efficient routing scheme for ad hoc mobile networks by taking advantages of the benefits of traffic aggregation. The central idea of our proposed routing scheme is motivated by the observation that traffic aggregation can reduce the effects of traffic variations. Based on similar studies in the fixed networks, we device a more realistic cost model in ad hoc mobile wireless networks, and propose a routing scheme based on this cost model that effectively promotes the traffic sharing in ad hoc mobile wireless networks. A much higher traffic variation factor than in fixed networks is used to account for the higher traffic fluctuations in an ad hoc mobile wireless network environment.
Animal art: Variation in bower decorating style among male bowerbirds Amblyornis inornatus.

Abstract Courtship bowers of the bowerbird Amblyornis inornatus, the most elaborately decorated structures erected by an animal other than humans, vary geographically and individually. Bowers in the south Kumawa Mountains are tall towers of sticks glued together, resting on a circular mat of dead moss painted black, and decorated with dull objects such as snail shells, acorns, and stones. Bowers in the Wandamen Mountains are low woven towers covered by a stick hut with an entrance, resting on a green moss mat and decorated with colorful objects such as fruits, flowers, and butterfly wings. Young males build simpler bowers, and adult males differ among themselves. Experiments with poker chips of seven colors offered as decorations showed that individual birds prefer some colors over others, individuals and populations differ in these preferences, certain objects are placed in specific parts of the bower, and birds steal chips from neighbors. Bower style may be partly learned. Hence, geographically varying bower styles may be a culturally transmitted trait, like human art styles.
Seasonal changes in territoriality and frequency of agonistic behavior in two densities of juvenile brown bullhead, Ictalurus nebulosus

Incidence of territoriality and frequency of six agonistic action patterns of juvenile brown bullhead, Ictalurus nebulosus, were observed in the laboratory over a two year period at two fish densities under conditions of constant light and temperature. High density fish showed little territoriality or agonistic behavior while low density fish displayed an annual cycle of agonistic behavior and territoriality. Agonistic behavior frequency and incidence of territoriality peaked in February and March and were higher the second year when compared with the first.
Society for Pediatric Research presidential address 1991. Research by the socially conscious pediatrician.

Society for Pediatric Research Presidential Address 1991: Research by the Socially Conscious Pediatrician
Smoking, obesity, and their co-occurrence in the United States: cross sectional analysis

Objectives To describe the prevalence of obesity, smoking, and both health risk factors together among adults in the United States. Design Cross sectional analysis of a national health interview survey. Setting United States. Participants 29 305 adults (aged ≥ 18) in 2002. Main outcome measures Prevalence of adults who are obese (body mass index ≥ 30), who smoke, and who are obese and smoke. Prevalence was stratified by age, sex, ethnic group, education, and income. Results 23.5% of adults were obese, 22.7% smoked, and 4.7% smoked and were obese. Conclusions Although the proportion of adults who smoke and are obese is relatively low, this subgroup is concentrated among lower socioeconomic groups.
Bioassays using detached tobacco leaves to determine the sensitivity of Peronospora tabacina to fungicides

Two bioassay methods are described which use detached tobacco leaves to measure the sensitivity of Peronospora tabacina to systemic fungicides. Tobacco leaves (13–15 cm2), treated with fungicides before or after detachment from the plant, were inoculated with sporangia in water drops and, after incubation in beakers and Petri plates, the disease severity and/or production of sporangia was determined 4–7 days after treatment with the fungicides. Of 15 systemic fungicides applied to detached leaves, eight N-phenylamides at 0.066−1.0 μg ml−1 controlled blue mould; metalaxyl was the most effective fungicide. Isolates of P. tabacina, collected in the field from tobacco plants grown in soil treated with metalaxyl, were not resistant to the fungicide applied to detached leaves prior to inoculation. The fungicide, applied to leaves before detachment, was used to measure the efficacy of five systemic N-phenylamide fungicides sprayed on the basal and unsprayed distal portions of the leaves. Blue mould was controlled on the basal portion of the leaf by all the fungicides at 0.66−1.0 μg ml−1, but it required the application of 3–30 times more chemical on the basal portion to achieve comparable blue mould control on the distal part of the leaf.
Self-Organization of Nanoscopic Building Blocks into Ordered Assemblies

We studied the self-assembly of nanoscopic building blocks comprised of polymer-tethered nanoparticles using computer simulation and predict that these building blocks can assemble into mono- and multi-layer sheets and shells. The simulations further demonstrate that for some nanoparticle geometries and tethered nanoparticle topologies, ideas from block copolymers, surfactants and liquid crystals can be used to predict the ordered morphologies attained via self- assembly and that for specific cases the morphologies are consistent with Israelachvili packing rules.
Darfur and the Politicization of International Law: Genocide or Crimes against Humanity?

The humanitarian crisis in Darfur has slowly captivated international public, governmental, and media attention. With at least two million persons displaced and an estimated 400,000 killed, 1 it is one of the many grave crises of failed states currently occurring within Africa. The people of the region have faced murder, displacement, rape, and banditry at the hands of the Sudanese government, the state-supported Janjaweed, and other militia groups, most notably the Sudan Liberation Army. Yet the United Nations concluded after a fact-finding mission to the region that these widespread atrocities did not constitute genocide but rather were defined as crimes against humanity. This article provides a brief overview of the background and contemporary state of the situation as well as a legal examination of the nature of genocide in international law and the United Nation Security Council's rationale for applying the label of crimes against humanity. The chief purpose of the article is to clearly differentiate the two concepts of genocide and crimes against humanity and to thoroughly examine the practical difference a definition makes.
Teaching system-level design using SpecC and SystemC

System-level design of embedded computer systems is essential to manage complexity and enhance designer productivity. Viewing designs at different abstraction levels allows developers to evaluate the system performance early in the design cycle. System-level design languages (SLDLs) allow the representation of a system at multiple levels of abstraction. Two leading SLDLs, SpecC and SystemC, are taught in Iowa State University's graduate-level embedded systems course, CPRE 588. SpecC includes a handful of explicit language constructs that directly address characteristics of embedded applications, which gives students a quick start into understanding the concepts of system-level design. Moreover, a clear refinement methodology is defined for SpecC. However, SystemC has widespread industry support in many commercial tools, which gives students experience with actual practices. In this paper, we describe our strategy of teaching both SpecC and SystemC so as to leverage the strengths of both languages and provide a balance of theory and practice.
Distributed compression of binary sources using conventional parallel and serial concatenated convolutional codes

It is shown how conventional parallel (turbo) and serial concatenated convolutional codes can be used to compress close to the Slepian-Wolf limit for the correlated binary sources. Conventional refers to codes already used in channel coding. Focusing on the asymmetric case of compression of an equipolarable memoryless binary source with side information at the decoder, the approach is based on modeling the correlation as a channel and using syndromes. The encoding and decoding procedures are explained in detail. The performance achieved is seen to be better than the recently published results using nonconventional turbo codes and close to the Slepian-Wolf limit.
Calcium Channel Blockers Act through Nuclear Factor Y to Control Transcription of Key Cardiac Genes

First-generation calcium channel blockers such as verapamil are a widely used class of antihypertensive drugs that block L-type calcium channels. We recently discovered that they also reduce cardiac expression of proapoptotic thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), suggesting that they may have unappreciated transcriptional effects. By use of TXNIP promoter deletion and mutation studies, we found that a CCAAT element was mediating verapamil-induced transcriptional repression and identified nuclear factor Y (NFY) to be the responsible transcription factor as assessed by overexpression/knockdown and luciferase and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays in cardiomyocytes and in vivo in diabetic mice receiving oral verapamil. We further discovered that increased NFY-DNA binding was associated with histone H4 deacetylation and transcriptional repression and mediated by inhibition of calcineurin signaling. It is noteworthy that the transcriptional control conferred by this newly identified verapamil-calcineurin-NFY signaling cascade was not limited to TXNIP, suggesting that it may modulate the expression of other NFY targets. Thus, verapamil induces a calcineurin-NFY signaling pathway that controls cardiac gene transcription and apoptosis and thereby may affect cardiac biology in previously unrecognized ways.
Scanning Electron Microscopy of Intraocular Lenses

AT the meeting of the American Intra-Ocular Implant Society last year we presented our first results of the examination of intraocular lenses by scanning electron microscopy. Biodegradation of a Supramid loop tip surface was found in a lens removed because of ocular inflammation two years after surgery (Fig 1). Although superficial and certainly not unexpected, this demonstration was so dramatic that accounts of it were often exaggerated and some manufacturers added this to their reason for switching to the production of lenses with polypropylene loops. In a letter sent to the manufacturers, the superficiality and lack of clinical significance was emphasized. No eyes are known to have been damaged by the breaking of an irisclip lens loop and the only known case of loop tip failure was subsequently reported to us by Galin. The well-established record of safety of Supramid for iris-clip loops was noted and orderly caution was urged in the switch-over to polypropylene.
Early experience of coronary artery bypass grafting with a new self-closing clip device.

Abstract Objective: We are in the midst of development of several new anastomotic devices for use in coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. This study was designed to examine one of these devices (a new self-closing clip) for left internal thoracic artery-left anterior descending coronary artery anastomosis. Its feasibility and the quality of anastomosis were evaluated. Methods: Fourteen patients who underwent first-time elective coronary artery bypass surgery were enrolled between July and December 2000. The left internal thoracic artery was anastomosed to the left anterior descending coronary artery in an interrupted manner with Coalescent U-clips (Coalescent Surgical, Inc, Sunnyvale, Calif). Immediate patency was checked with a transit-time flowmeter. Selective angiography was performed 6 months after surgical intervention. Results: Five patients underwent on-pump coronary bypass grafting, 9 on the beating heart. One patient was excluded from the study intraoperatively because of a poor target site necessitating a 2-cm-long anastomosis. Left internal thoracic artery-left anterior descending artery anastomoses were created with an average of 11.8 clips in 15.9 minutes. Mean graft flow was 45.6 mL/min. Neither conversion to standard suture technique nor revision of anastomosis was necessary. There tended to be a learning curve in the anastomosis on the beating heart. Postoperative lengths of stay in the intensive care unit and the hospital were 20.7 hours and 3.9 days, respectively. Neither death nor major complication was seen, except for temporary atrial fibrillation in 2 patients. Graft patency at 6 months was 100% (FitzGibbon grade A). Conclusion: Left internal thoracic artery—left anterior descending artery anastomoses can be created safely and effectively with new self-closing clips on the beating, as well as the arrested, heart. Midterm patency was shown to be perfect by means of angiography. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2002;123:783-7
Growth responses of selected freshwater algae to trace elements and scrubber ash slurry generated by coal-fired power plants

Abstract In laboratory studies, the freshwater algae Ankistrodesmus falcatus, Scenedesmus obliquus, Selenastrum capricornutum , and Microcoleus vaginatus were exposed to potential pollutants from coal-fired power plants, and their growth responses were evaluated. Using a modification of the EPA Algal Assay Procedure Bottle Test, algae were incubated in media containing As(V) as Na 2 HAsO 4 · 7 H 2 O , Cd(II) as CdSO 4 , Hg(II) as HgSO 4 , Se(VI) as Na 2 SeO 4 , in solution, and scrubber ash slurry generated at a western U.S. coal-fired power plant complex. First significant inhibition levels as well as algistatic-algicidal levels are reported. The median effective concentration (EC50) values for the potential pollutants ranged from 0.048–30.761 mg l −1 (0.00064–0.41058 M) As(V), 0.005–0.019 mg l −1 (0.00004–0.00017 M) Cd(II), 0.033–0.253 mg l −1 (0.00016–0.00126 M) Hg(II), 0.033–8.511 mg l −1 (0.00042–0.10779 M) Se(VI), and 3.048–15.417% scrubber ash slurry extract (SASE).
Ubik: replicated servers made easy

While replication of administrative databases is important, quite often lazy propagation of updates does not suffice. This argument is couched in terms of experience with the Andrew file system (AFS) but the author believes that it generalizes to many environments. He discusses in some detail a replication library his group built, on top of which they built all of the AFS administrative servers. This library, named Ubik, is interesting for three reasons. First, it has a very simple programming interface, making it relatively easy to understand. Second, the library is quite easy to implement, while still being useful for a large class of server applications. Finally, the library uses an interesting nonblocking (in the database sense) commit protocol, providing good write as well as read availability. The author outlines Ubik's goals, gives an overview of it, and describes its quorum completion algorithm in some detail. >
Impatience for Weakly Paretian Orders: Existence and Genericity

We study order theoretic and topological implications for impatience of weakly Paretian, representable orders on infinite utility streams. As a departure from the traditional literature, we do not make any continuity assumptions in proving the existence of impatient points. Impatience is robust in the sense that there are uncountably many impatient points. A general statement about genericity of impatience cannot be made for representable, weakly Paretian orders. This is shown by means of an example. If we assume a stronger sensitivity condition, then genericity obtains.
Glyphosate—a New Broad-Spectrum Herbicide

(1973). Glyphosate—a New Broad-Spectrum Herbicide. PANS Pest Articles & News Summaries: Vol. 19, No. 4, pp. 607-612.
Introduction to Session on the Pathophysiology of Breathing Control and Breathing: Awake and Asleep

From a modelling perspective the respiratory system is often considered to function as two interactive parts. First, there is a controller made up of chemoreceptors and the respiratory neurones in the pons and the medulla which acts on the second part, the respiratory plant which consists of the lung, the respiratory muscles, and the body tissues connected to the lung by the circulation. The assumption is made that ventilation is regulated so as to keep arterial levels of PCO2 and PO2 constant. Over the years this basic concept has been amplified with more elements included in the model.
Return to Play in Elite Contact Athletes After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Meta-Analysis:

Study Design:Systematic literature review and meta-analysis of studies published in English language.Objective:Return to play after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in contact athlete...
Extrusion of Polymer Melts and Melt Flow Instabilities. II. Site of Initiation and Mechanism of Melt Flow Instability

Abstract In the second part of this paper we will make a critical survey of experimental studies on the site of initiation, the structure of the unstable flow regime, criteria for the inception of the instability and mechanisms for initiation of the unstable flow regime. Some new experimental data will be cited in the discussion of criteria.
Hackers, Heavies and Heros: Dissent and Control in Cyberworld

The WikiLeaks controversy of 2010-2011 is emblematic of a renegotiating of societal norms about control of and access to information in the digital age, as traditional notions of information sovereignty confront ideals of radical transparency promoted by the hacker ethic.
Mechanism of autoprocessing of a mini-precursor of the aspartic protease of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

During the expression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) genome to make new virions, the 99-residue protease monomer is synthesized as part of the Pr160 gag-pol precursor. After the virions are budded-out from the cell surface, the Pr160 gag-pol polyprotein is autoprocessed at eight different sites to produce mature gag proteins (p17, p24, p7, and p6) and 3 HIV enzymes (protease, reverse transcriptase, and integrase). The autoprocessing is essential for the assembly of the interior of HIV virion and is essential for the infectiousness of the virus.
Presbycusis: A Brain Disorder? “The Ears Listen, the Brain Hears”

Age-related hearing loss (presbycusis) is the most common cause of hearing loss. The audiometric profile of peripheral presbycusis is well known, but little attention has been paid to the role of central auditory dysfunction in both the diagnosis and management of presbycusis. Central presbycusis is typified by difficulty understanding speech in noise. Central presbycusis appears to involve or arise from decrements in executive functioning, which may be age-related or dementia-related. Tests employing speech in noise are appropriate measures for identifying patients who understand speech relatively normally in quiet but have undue difficulty understanding in background noise. The message of this discussion is that such testing should be done routinely for patients complaining of this problem. Identification of central presbycusis with such testing is important for proper auditory rehabilitation.
Review of Monopole Detection by Ionization/Excitation Techniques

The application of conventional particle detection techniques to searches for GUT monopoles has achieved a remarkable degree of respectability considering the pessimistic attitudes in this regard just two years ago. During this two year period a great deal of progress has been achieved in theoretical work regarding the interaction of monopoles with matter and with the use of this work in interpreting results from cosmic ray telescopes which have been set up to look for monopoles. In this review I will briefly summarize the results of the theoretical work, of the implications this has on detection techniques and on results from experiments searching for monopoles.
Performing Exile: John Foxe's Christus Triumphans at Magdalen College, Oxford

When Laurence Humphrey became President of Magdalen College, Oxford in 1561, one of his earliest endeavours was to commission a production of John Foxe's Christus Triumphans. Although it remains uncertain whether the play was actually performed, this article explores the implications of Humphrey's request, taking his interest in staging the play as a starting point for understanding the value Christus Triumphans held for a generation of returned Protestant exiles. I begin by placing Foxe's apocalyptic comedy alongside the writings of Marian Protestants, situating the play within the concerns of exile and demonstrating the particular importance of conversion to the Protestant cause. I then consider the circumstances of Humphrey's production at Magdalen, using key archival documents to illuminate what that performance might have looked like. Humphrey's proposed staging of Christus Triumphans not only elucidates the salient concerns of the play itself, but also reveals how drama became a potent religious tool at this crucial post-Marian moment. By realigning the play's engagement with the conditions of religious persecution, Humphrey sought to imbue the play with a retrospective significance, carefully shifting its message for an audience of collegiate spectators. At the same time, his staging of the play reflected – and perhaps heralded – a new interest in the visual capacities of university performance, ultimately demonstrating the vitality and influence of neo-Latin religious drama in the academic setting.
Review: DNA methylation and alcohol use disorders: Progress and challenges.

Background and Objectives Risk for alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is influenced by gene–environment interactions. Environmental factors can affect gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation. This review outlines the findings regarding the association of DNA methylation and AUDs. Methods We searched PubMed (by April 2016) and identified 29 studies that examined the association of DNA methylation and AUDs. We also evaluated the methods used in these studies. Results Two studies demonstrated elevated global (repetitive element) DNA methylation levels in AUD subjects. Fifteen candidate gene studies showed hypermethylation of promoter regions of six genes (AVP, DNMT3B, HERP, HTR3A, OPRM1, and SNCA) or hypomethylation of the GDAP1 promoter region in AUD subjects. Five genome-wide DNA methylation studies demonstrated widespread DNA methylation changes across the genome in AUD subjects. Six studies showed significant correlations of DNA methylation with gene expression in AUD subjects. Three studies revealed interactive effects of genetic variation and DNA methylation on susceptibility to AUDs. Most studies analyzed AUD-associated DNA methylation changes in the peripheral blood; a few studies examined DNA methylation changes in postmortem brains of AUD subjects. Discussion and Conclusions Chronic alcohol consumption may result in DNA methylation changes, leading to neuroadaptations that may underlie some of the mechanisms of AUD risk and persistence. Future studies are needed to confirm the few existing results, and then to elucidate whether DNA methylation changes are the cause or consequence of AUDs. Scientific Significance DNA methylation profiles may be used to assess AUD status or monitor AUD treatment response. (Am J Addict 2016;XX:1–14)
Within‐field spatial distribution patterns of corn planthopper, Peregrinus maidis, and severity of hopperburn and Maize mosaic virus symptoms as influenced by sunn hemp intercropping

Habitat management (e.g., intercropping) may alter within-field spatial distribution patterns of herbivores, from a typical pattern as observed in a monoculture, and may influence patterns of crop injury. Field trials were conducted to study the effect of intercropping maize, Zea mays L. (Poaceae), with sunn hemp, Crotalaria juncea L. (Fabaceae) strips on within-field spatial distribution patterns of corn planthopper, Peregrinus maidis (Ashmead) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), and combined severity of hopperburn and Maize mosaic virus (MMV) (Rhabdoviridae: Nucleorhabdovirus) symptoms. In each field trial, spatially explicit data on P. maidis counts and ratings of severity of symptoms were obtained by sampling maize plants at weekly intervals. These data were used to examine the spatial patterns of P. maidis and severity of symptoms in maize-intercropped and monoculture plots with Spatial Analysis for Distance IndicEs (SADIE) methodology. Spatial aggregation patterns of P. maidis in each treatment plot were not consistent among the field trials and tended to be mediated by their population densities. Interpolation of local cluster indices showed that P. maidis were more often aggregated at the field edges, irrespective of treatment. At times of MMV incidence in field trials (fall 2010 and spring 2011), the patch clusters of P. maidis and symptomatic plants were located at the field edges, but were spatially unassociated in both treatment plots. The results provided an approximation of the unpredictability of P. maidis spatial patterns at different population densities and their association with severity of symptoms in two maize-cropping systems. However, the gap clusters of symptomatic plants were primarily located at the field interiors and were larger in intercropped than in monoculture plots. Such spatial pattern of symptomatic plants resulted in the reduced incidence of MMV in the intercropped plot compared with the monoculture plot, suggesting intercropping sunn hemp can be a useful tool in the management of MMV in maize fields.
Mesoscale Simulation and Machine Learning of Asphaltene Aggregation Phase Behavior and Molecular Assembly Landscapes

Asphaltenes constitute the heaviest fraction of the aromatic group in crude oil. Aggregation and precipitation of asphaltenes during petroleum processing costs the petroleum industry billions of dollars each year due to downtime and production inefficiencies. Asphaltene aggregation proceeds via a hierarchical self-assembly process that is well-described by the Yen–Mullins model. Nevertheless, the microscopic details of the emergent cluster morphologies and their relative stability under different processing conditions remain poorly understood. We perform coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of a prototypical asphaltene molecule to establish a phase diagram mapping the self-assembled morphologies as a function of temperature, pressure, and n-heptane:toluene solvent ratio informing how to control asphaltene aggregation by regulating external processing conditions. We then combine our simulations with graph matching and nonlinear manifold learning to determine low-dimensional free energy surfaces go...
Multi-Arm Junctions for Dynamic DNA Nanotechnology

Nonenzymatic catalytic substrates have been engineered using toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement, and their programmable applications range from medical diagnosis to molecular computation. However, the complexity, stability, scalability, and sensitivity of those systems are plagued by network leakage. A novel way to suppress leakage is to increase its energy barrier through four-way branch migration. Presented here, we designed multi-arm junction substrates that simultaneously exploit four-way branch migration, with a high-energy barrier to minimize leakage, and three-way branch migration, with a low-energy barrier to maximize catalysis. Original feed forward, autocatalytic, and cross-catalytic systems have been designed with polynomial and exponential amplification that exhibit the modularity of linear substrates and the stability of hairpin substrates, creating a new phase space for synthetic biologist, biotechnologist, and DNA nanotechnologists to explore. A key insight is that high-performing cir...
The effect of variable speed wind turbines on a 21 bus power system

The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of variable speed wind turbines (VSWTs) on a power system. The power system model used for this study is the IEEE 21 Bus System. Each system, one powered solely by the diesel powered synchronous generators (DPSGs), and the other powered by both VSWTs and a DPSG, were tested under different conditions including a three phase fault, line outage/break, and load changes. To be able to analyze and simulate these conditions the Power System Analysis Toolbox (PSAT) was used along with Matlab. This paper will begin by giving a brief introduction about variable speed wind turbines. Also, the advantages and disadvantages using wind turbines in the power grid will be discussed. The introduction will conclude by comparing VSWTs to their counterpart, constant speed wind turbines. Many conclusions could be drawn from the tested conditions stated above. When the system with VSWTs was faulted, it resembled the behavior of the diesel generator system. However, when a line outage was applied to the system with VSWTs, it did not behave as expected like the diesel generator system did. Also, when a load is dropped, the generator bus voltage tends to rise.
Status of Elementary Teacher Development: Preparing Elementary Teachers to Deliver Technology and Engineering Experiences.

For over a century, teacher preparation programs (TPPs) have experienced peaks and valleys in preparing preservice teachers to deliver technology and engineering (TE) experiences in elementary classrooms. Calls to integrate engineering concepts into elementary education (Katehi, Pearson, & Feder, 2009; Kimmel, Carpinelli, Curr-Alexander, & Rockland, 2006)—especially as it relates to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS; NGSS Lead States, 2013) and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education—compels TE teacher educators to evaluate their curricular programs relative to elementary education. To assist teacher educators in this selfassessment, the Teacher Preparation Committee of the Council on Technology and Engineering Teacher Education undertook a mixed methods study, the purpose of which was to identify and characterize the models of teacher preparation programs that prepared preservice elementary teachers to deliver TE experiences in elementary classrooms.
Reproducibility of gastric emptying assessed with scintigraphy in patients with upper GI symptoms

Background The reproducibility of gastric emptying (GE) measured with scintigraphy in patients is poorly understood. Our aims were to assess the intra and inter-individual reproducibility of these parameters in patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Methods Sixty patients (21 diabetics, 39 non-diabetics) with upper gastrointestinal symptoms underwent scintigraphic-assessment of GE of a solid meal (296 kcal, 30% fat) over 4 hours on two occasions at an average interval of 15 days. The concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), intra and inter-individual coefficients of variation (COV) of GE endpoints were analyzed. Results The GE t1/2 was 134 ± 8 minutes (mean ± SEM) for the first and 128 ± 6 minutes for the second study. The mean (95% CI) CCC between the two studies was 0.79 (0.67, 0.87) for GE at 1 hour, 0.83 (0.75, 0.9) for GE at 2 hours, 0.54 (0.34, 0.7) for GE at 4 hours, and 0.79 (0.68, 0.86) for GE t1/2 . However, in 18 of 60 patients (30%), the characterization of GE as normal, delayed, or rapid differed between the first and second studies. For gastric empting t1/2 , the inter-individual coefficients of variation was 40%; the intra-individual COV was 20%, comparable in diabetics and non-diabetics, and greater in patients with rapid (28%) than delayed (18%) or normal GE (12%). Conclusions & inferences Among patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms, GE measured with scintigraphy is relatively reproducible. In 30% of cases, the interpretation was different between the two assessments. Hence, a diagnosis of gastroparesis based on a single study may occasionally be inaccurate.
Major Signaling Pathways Involved in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. Significant advancement has been made recently in delineating the cellular processes and signaling pathways involved in breast cancer. Cross-communication between different pathways allows cells to identify and respond appropriately to the extracellular environment. Cancer development is a gradual and complex process resulting from any disruption in these pathways that ultimately generates signals defining the required biological response. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family of receptor tyrosine kinases represents both key regulators of normal cellular development as well as critical players in the development of a variety of cancers including breast cancer. The aim of this book chapter is to give a broad overview of signal transduction networks such as Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK and the PI3K/AKT pathways that are controlled by the EGFR superfamily of receptors. The elucidation of these signaling pathways will further provide new insights in understanding the pathogenesis of breast cancer and targeting these pathways to combat against breast cancer development, progression, and metastasis.
Dismissal of RNA Polymerase II Underlies a Large Ligand-Induced Enhancer Decommissioning Program.

Nuclear receptors induce both transcriptional activation and repression programs responsible for development, homeostasis, and disease. Here, we report a previously overlooked enhancer decommissioning strategy underlying a large estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-dependent transcriptional repression program. The unexpected signature for this E2-induced program resides in indirect recruitment of ERα to a large cohort of pioneer factor basally active FOXA1-bound enhancers that lack cognate ERα DNA-binding elements. Surprisingly, these basally active estrogen-repressed (BAER) enhancers are decommissioned by ERα-dependent recruitment of the histone demethylase KDM2A, functioning independently of its demethylase activity. Rather, KDM2A tethers the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase NEDD4 to ubiquitylate/dismiss Pol II to abrogate eRNA transcription, with consequent target gene downregulation. Thus, our data reveal that Pol II ubiquitylation/dismissal may serve as a potentially broad strategy utilized by indirectly bound nuclear receptors to abrogate large programs of pioneer factor-mediated, eRNA-producing enhancers.
Reliability Assessment of Repairable Load-Sharing k-out-of-n: G System with Flowgraph Model

In this paper, for the load-sharing k-out-of-n:G systems, the repair time distribution of each component is arbitrary distributed due to repair mechanisms. This assumption is more valuable than constant repair time assumption in realistic applications. On the other hand, for the repairable load-sharing k-out-of-n: G configuration, Markov chain where the states represent the number failed components in the system is proposed with strictest assumption. Comparing with Markovian models, the flowgraph model provides a new computational way to the reliability evaluation of load-sharing k-out-of-n: G system based on moment generating functions (MGFs). By linking covariates into branch transition, MGF of the system failure are evaluated under different combination of covariates levels so that presence of external events can be described in a quantitative way. Additionally, in the proposed model, during repair process of failed components, the surviving components can fail. As shown in the challenging example, the number of path and loops increases exponentially with the number of components in the system. Advanced methodologies need to be exploited in the future work.
Using Facebook for Large-Scale Online Randomized Clinical Trial Recruitment: Effective Advertising Strategies

Targeted Facebook advertising can be an effective strategy to recruit participants for a large-scale online study. Facebook advertising is useful for reaching people in a wide geographic area, matching a specific demographic profile. It can also target people who would be unlikely to search for the information and would thus not be accessible via Google AdWords. It is especially useful when it is desirable not to raise awareness of the study in a demographic group that would be ineligible for the study. This paper describes the use of Facebook advertising to recruit and enroll 1145 women over a 15-month period for a randomized clinical trial to teach support skills to female partners of male smokeless tobacco users. This tutorial shares our study team’s experiences, lessons learned, and recommendations to help researchers design Facebook advertising campaigns. Topics covered include designing the study infrastructure to optimize recruitment and enrollment tracking, creating a Facebook presence via a fan page, designing ads that attract potential participants while meeting Facebook’s strict requirements, and planning and managing an advertising campaign that accommodates the rapid rate of diminishing returns for each ad.
An Exploration of Arts Advocates’ Use of Experimentally Designed Arts Program Research

AbstractIn the current political climate, there is an understandable pressure on arts advocates to demonstrate irrefutable proof of the arts’ impact. How, then, can arts advocates use evidence-base...
CASH: Collaborative Activity on the Sash of the Hood

An activity called Collaborative Activity on the Sash of the Hood (CASH) keeps students engaged with lecture-course content during laboratory downtime. In the absence of dedicated recitation times, new opportunities for active learning needed to be found. Students use permanent markers (e.g., Sharpies) to complete their work on the sash of the fume hood. As they monitor laboratory processes safely, learners also work together to complete focused and deliberate problem-solving exercises. Instructors provide just-in-time instruction and formative assessment to help students employ higher-level-thinking skills. This activity has been successfully implemented in courses that have medium to large lecture enrollments with smaller corresponding laboratory sections without a formal recitation component. One example of utilizing CASH to help students engage with electron-pushing formalism is described in detail.
(R)-4-[2-(Methyl­sulfanyl)pyrimidin-4-yl]-1-(tetra­hydro­furan-3-yl)-1H-pyrazol-5-amine

The title compound, C12H15N5OS, was obtained by reaction of 2-(2-(methyl­thio)pyrimidin-4-yl)-3-oxopropane­nitrile with (tetra­hydro­furan-3-yl)hydrazine dihydro­chloride, and the racemic product was subsequently separated by chiral chromatography (first peak; [α]D20 = +51.3°). The chiral center at the substituted atom of the tetra­hydro­furanyl group has an R-configuration. The pyrimidine and pyrazolyl rings are almost coplanar, their mean planes forming a dihedral angle of 6.4 (1)°. One of the H atoms of the amino group participates in an intra­molecular hydrogen bond with the pyrimidine N atom in position 3. The second H atom is involved in an inter­molecular hydrogen bond, which links the mol­ecules into an infinite chain.
Forecasting with high frequency data: M4 competition and beyond

Abstract The M4 competition included 100,000 time series, with the frequencies ranging from yearly to hourly. The team rankings differ notably across frequencies for both point and probabilistic forecasting. I discuss the performances of these methods, with an emphasis on the hourly series of the M4 competition. I also discuss forecasting with high-frequency data in general.
Physical, cognitive, and psychosocial conditions in relation to anticoagulation satisfaction among elderly adults with atrial fibrillation: The SAGE‐AF study

Background Successful anticoagulation is critical for stroke prevention in adults with atrial fibrillation (AF). Anticoagulation satisfaction is a key indicator of treatment success. While physical, cognitive, and psychosocial limitations are common in elderly AF patients, their associations with anticoagulation satisfaction are unknown. Objective Examine whether anticoagulation satisfaction differs among AF patients with and without physical, cognitive, and psychosocial conditions. Methods The study comprised AF patients greater than or equal to 65 years old who were prescribed an oral anticoagulant (warfarin 57%; direct oral anticoagulant [DOAC] 43%). Frailty, cognitive function, social support, depressive symptoms, vision, hearing, and anxiety were assessed using validated measures. Anticoagulation satisfaction was measured using the anticlot treatment scale. Results Participants (n = 1037, 50% female) were on average 76 years old. The following conditions were prevalent: frailty (14%), cognitive impairment (42%), social isolation (13%), vision impairment (35%), hearing impairment (36%), depression (29%), and anxiety (24%). Average anticlot treatment burden scale was 55 out of 60 (lower burden scales indicating higher perceived burden). Patients with high perceived burden were older, more likely to be female, and receive warfarin. After adjusting for confounders, visual impairment (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.7 [1.2-2.4]), depressive symptoms (2.4 [1.6-3.7]), and anxiety (1.8 [1.2-2.7]) were significantly associated with high perceived burden. Different conditions were associated with high perceived burden in warfarin vs DOAC users. Conclusion Physical, cognitive, and psychosocial limitations are prevalent and associated with high perceived anticoagulation burden among elderly AF adults. These conditions merit consideration in anticoagulation prescribing.
Overview of Adult Sexual Offender Typologies

The violent and disturbing nature of most sex crimes has led to lasting public concern and fear of sexual offenders; resulting in harsh sanctions for convicted sexual offenders. A considerable amount of clinical speculation and empirically based typological research has been conducted to explain and measure the characteristics and motivations of those who perpetrate acts of sexual violence. Typologies of sexual offenders first emerged in the 1970s and continue to be developed and refined today. While the general public and legislators typically view sexual offenders as one homogenous group, research has demonstrated that sexual offenders often vary in their offending behavior, motivations, and risk for recidivism. The current body of research suggests that some sex offenders do not fit precisely into one typology, but share characteristics with multiple typologies, or none at all. Understanding the characteristics and offense patterns common to sexual offenders and classifying them correctly through adequate typological systems can aid researchers and practitioners in developing more effective treatment, supervision, management, and prevention policies. This chapter provides a review of the typologies for adult rapists, child abusers, female offenders, and cyber sexual offenders, discusses the limitations of traditional typologies, and offers suggestions for future research.
Internet Survey Methods: A Review of Strengths, Weaknesses, and Innovations

This chapter examines where Internet surveys have come from and how they have developed to their state. It discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Internet surveys, organized by the sources of survey error: sampling and coverage error, measurement error and nonresponse error. Coverage and sampling limitations have always been and continue to be the primary factors limiting the usefulness of the Internet as a survey mode, especially for general population surveys. Despite its coverage and sampling limitations and some of the challenges of minimizing measurement and nonresponse error, the Internet as a survey mode has grown immensely and continues to expand. A final measurement innovation is the use of Internet survey experiments to better understand various aspects of measurement. An additional feature of the Internet that has helped provide new understanding of the effects of visual design as well as other Internet survey design features is the availability of paradata.
Association of admission clinical predictors and functional outcome in patients with Cerebral Venous and Dural Sinus Thrombosis.

Abstract Objectives Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare subtype of stroke that most commonly affects younger women. While most patients treated with anticoagulation therapy have good outcomes, a significant number go on to experience disability. The primary aim of this study was to identify objective, easily reproducible, clinical admission predictors of poor outcome at discharge in patients with CVST. Patients and methods This was a retrospective cohort study of adult CVST patients admitted at our comprehensive stroke center between April 2004 and December 2017. The medical records of patients with a CVST discharge diagnosis code were reviewed for diagnosis confirmation and extraction of clinical and demographic admission data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to build predictive models of objective, standardized examination signs and adjusted for confounders. The primary endpoint was modified Rankin Scale score at discharge defined as good outcome (0–2) and poor outcome (3–6). Mortality was the secondary endpoint. Results A total of 176 CVST patients were identified. Most patients were white (91 %) and female (65 %). The median age was 40 years old. Headache was the most commonly reported symptom (74 %). Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) was present in 27 % of patients, venous infarct occurred in 22 % of the patients, and 12 % had both. Age (OR = 1.03, 95 % CI 1.01–1.05), abnormal level of consciousness (OR = 4.38, 95 % CI 1.86–8.88), and focal motor deficits (OR = 3.49, 95 % CI 1.49–8.15) were found to be predictive of poor functional outcome. Pre-hospitalization infections (OR = 5.22, 95 % CI 1.51–18.07) and abnormal level of consciousness (OR = 9.22, 95 % CI 2.34–36.40) were significant predictors of mortality. The predictive effect remained significant after adjusting by median PTT level, presence of intracranial hemorrhage, and venous infarct. Conclusions Age, abnormal level of consciousness, and focal motor deficits identified at admission are independently associated with poor outcome in CVST patients. These frequently prevalent, easily reproducible examination signs represent the first step to develop a clinical prediction tool toward stratifying CVST patients with poor prognosis at admission.
Implementation of research on potential drug target cloning and characterization in a biochemistry laboratory

An approach for incorporating preliminary drug discovery research into a biochemistry laboratory is described. During a total of 42 hr (one 3-hr laboratory section a week for 14 weeks), students were exposed to bioinformatics; molecular cloning; protein expression, purification, and characterization; and enzymatic kinetic assays. This research-oriented laboratory not only includes the standard elements of common undergraduate biochemistry laboratory manuals but also emphasizes the logical connections among biochemistry laboratory techniques. Moreover, this approach exposed students to laboratory research and the concept of drug discovery.
Hyperfine structures and isotopic shifts of uranium transitions using tunable laser spectroscopy of laser ablation plumes

Abstract We report isotopic shifts and hyperfine structures of selected U transitions employing tunable spectroscopy viz: laser-induced fluorescence and laser absorption spectroscopy of laser ablation plumes. The plasmas were produced during ns laser ablation on a natural U metal target which contains 0.73% 235U. Our results show that isotopic shifts between 238U and 235U are entangled with hyperfine structures of 235U. Measurements obtained using laser-induced fluorescence are affected by the high absorbance of 238U. Time-resolved laser absorption spectroscopy is carried out for evaluating the optical absorption and estimating the hyperfine constants.