cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diversity differs among three variations of the stress gradients hypothesis in two representations of niche space

How does the stress-gradient hypothesis affect coexistence in relation to established theory? For two orthogonal stress gradients, a spatially explicit agent based simulation is used to project diversity for simple competitive and facilitative interactions and for three variations of the stress-gradient hypothesis: intraspecific and interspecific competitive and facilitative interactions are a function of the abiotic environment; interactions are relative to species-specific fitness along gradients; or interaction is fixed by species regardless of the abiotic environment. Simulations are run with two orthogonal environmental gradients for two representations of niche. Facilitation can increase diversity by maintaining larger source populations and thus higher establishment rates and sink populations. With species hierarchically related in niche space, the simulations show that positive interactions and changing interactions along a stress gradient maintain greater diversity through intraspecific competition that is effective where dominance would occur and through facilitation where stress is high. A changing environment that favors some species and harms others decreases diversity in the hierarchical cases, where poor competitors most likely subject to interspecific interaction respond most strongly. Diversity outcomes differ among the three stress gradient variations because the intensity of interactions differs across the environmental gradients, not because of change in the environment.
Grating-based Fiber-to-chip Coupling Efficiency for Small Mode Field Diameter Fibers

We compute the fiber-to-chip coupling efficiency of grating couplers for fiber mode diameters <10μm. Modeling shows that high efficiency (-1.5dB loss) can be achieved with smaller footprint for fibers with half the mode diameter of single-mode-fiber.
Ways Forward towards a Socially Just and Humane World: The Reggio Movement*

The article begins with a brief chronicle of the development of the internationally acclaimed preschools and infant toddler centres of Reggio Emilia, Italy. This school system and Reggio Children (an international organization, that conducts and disseminates research, offers travelling exhibits and organises conferences for thousands of international visitors each year), have propelled an international dialogue and exchange that highlights what its founder, Loris Malaguzzi, wished to promote: the rights of young children, their families and communities to high quality schools that are places of education, culture, relationship, citizenship and participatory democracy.The fundamental principles of this educational approach are identified, elaborated and illustrated through examples from the Reggio Emilia schools and a public school in the United States that has been inspired by this approach. The Reggio movement across the world continuously searches for ways forward toward a socially just and humane world.
Study on oil and water relative permeability and water flooding efficiency in heavy oil reservoirs

Nanpu 35-2 Oil field is an offshore heavy oil reservoir featured by high crude oil viscosity,high permeability,loose cementation and serious heterogeneity.Because of the occurrence of obvious fingering phenomenon during water flooding,high recovery rate could hardly be achieved.In order to better understand the development features of heavy oil reservoirs and to provide reference for recovery rate enhancement,geologic features and fluid properties of heavy oil reservoir are analyzed theoretically and experimentally,including oil and water relative permeability and water flooding efficiency as well as dynamic water flooding performances.Analysis results indicate that with the increment of crude oil viscosity,the core irreducible water saturation,oil phase relative permeability and water flooding efficiency would decrease whereas residual oil saturation and water phase relative permeability would increase.If under the same crude oil viscosity,fingering phenomenon could be reduced through promoting displacement velocity to enlarge production pressure differentials,in order to reach the goal of enhancing water free recovery rate and final recovery rate.
Infant feeding practices: associated iatrogenic and commerciogenic diseases.

The widespread acceptance of both formula feeding and the early introduction of semisolids as a convenient and desirable method of choice for all infants is being more critically reviewed by pediatricians and nutritionists.
The relationship of deoxyribonucleic acid content to conventional prognostic factors in Wilms tumor.

AbstractDeoxyribonucleic acid ploidy as determined by flow cytometric analysis was compared to histological findings and tumor stage for accuracy of prediction of patient survival in a series of Wilms tumors. While anaplastic tumors were more likely aneuploid or tetraploid than diploid, no statistically significant relationship was found between deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy and patient survival in our series. Tumor histology and stage as defined by the National Wilms Tumor Study were more accurate predictors of patient survival than deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy.
Recognition of periodontal disease in children.

Because mild periodontal disease may progress into severe disease over time, it is imperative to properly diagnose and treat these problems in young patients. This article will help physicians to identify the normal and diseased periodontium and will acquaint them with the etiology of periodontal diseases and their treatment.
Cyber victimization, cyber aggression, and adolescent alcohol use: Short-term prospective and reciprocal associations

Abstract Introduction Cyber victimization is a significant public health concern. We examined prospective and reciprocal associations between cyber victimization, cyber aggression, and adolescents’ drinking and binge drinking. Gender, Hispanic ethnicity, and age were examined as moderators. Methods Adolescents (N = 1140; 58% girls; 13–19 years; 80% Hispanic) from two US high schools completed the Cyber Peer Experiences Questionnaire and alcohol use items from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey at two time points, three months apart. Perceived social support was assessed at Time 1 and controlled for. Cross-lagged panel analyses using structural equation modeling were conducted, using zero-inflated negative binomial regressions for alcohol use outcomes. Results Adolescents who experienced more cyber victimization were more likely to abstain from drinking over time; however, they reported more frequent drinking if they were a drinker, a relationship that was stronger for older adolescents. Cyber victimization was unrelated to binge drinking, and alcohol use was unrelated to cyber victimization over time. Adolescents who engaged in more cyber aggression were more likely to use alcohol over time; conversely, adolescents who used alcohol more frequently engaged in more cyber aggression over time. Gender and ethnicity did not moderate these associations. Conclusions A complex relationship between cyber victimization and alcohol use emerged; findings support the self-medication hypothesis among drinkers only and especially older adolescents. Reciprocal associations between cyber aggression and alcohol use fit with problem behavior theory Adolescent alcohol use prevention programs might play an important role in addressing cyber aggression. Drinking behaviors may be important to target in anti-cyberbullying interventions.
Spatially-offset double-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy: A novel technique for analysis of thin deposited layers

Abstract A novel technique, spatially-offset double-pulse laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (SODP-LIBS), is invented for analysis of thin layers. In this technique, two laser spots are spatially offset by a few mm, while there is no spatial gap for the standard collinear DP-LIBS. It is demonstrated from analysis of thin W layers (∼30–250 nm thickness) deposited on Mo substrates at a reduced ambient pressure of ∼ 5 × 10 −3 Torr that (1) the W I signal intensity is enhanced with SODP-LIBS and (2) a clearer transition between W and Mo is obtained with SODP-LIBS, compared to the standard DP-LIBS.
Distributed intelligent sensor system: partial immersion into a virtualized reality environment

This work discusses the partial immersion of real-time, real-world robotic intelligent sensor agents into a virtualized reality environment. The work also discusses the current solutions for the wireless communication amongst the robots and the network access points, the local intelligence built into the individual agents and the human-computer interaction that allows the human operator to partially immerse himself/herself into the robotic environment.
Hitching a ride to renal repair.

in the united states, it has been estimated that more than 30 million people have chronic kidney disease (CKD), with the figure projected to rise significantly over the next 10 yr ([4][1]). CKD imposes substantial economic burden, accounting for an important proportion of the Medicare budget.
Laboring Under the Cross An Analysis of Discursive Tension and Identity in the Context of a Chinese House Church

This study used Bakhtinean dialogism and contrapuntal analysis to examine how organizational identity in a Christian house church in China emerged through the interplay of competing discourses. I i...
Re-Membering through Oath: Installation of African Kings and Queens

Scholars writing about African diasporic religions in the New World often focus on Candomble Nago of Brazil (Omari, 1984); Santeria in Cuba, Florida, and New York (Murphy, 1988); voodoo (Hood, 1990; Brown, 1991); and recently, immigrant independent or pentecostal churches in Boston, New York, Washington D.C., and so on. The above religious systems tend to have specialists such as priestesses and priests, mediums and pastors, and identifiable institutions and places of worship for the devotees. There is, however, another form of recent diasporic African religion that is unlike the others, which is experienced and expressed during the installation of Ghanaian community leaders. The installation ceremonies in New England that occur every 4 years have become the locus of an African religion in which ancestral veneration, the display of the sacred authority of chieftaincy, and the religio-political underpinnings of royal stools are articulated. During the installation, the Great Oath (the Ntam Kese) of Asante, which makes an oblique reference to a national tragedy and has religious implications, is also evoked to ratify the commitments people make and to renew relationships among Ghanaian immigrants.
Public Policies toward Public Accountability

The concept of public accountability can be traced to at least President Woodrow Wilson’s reforms, and in particular to the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921. This Act of June 10, 1921, not only required the President to transmit to Congress a detailed budget on the first day of each regular session, but also it established the General Accounting Office (GAO) to settle and adjust all accounts of the government. We note this fiscal accountability origin because the GAO has had a significant role in the evolution of accountability-related legislation during the past decade.
Increasing students’ ability to identify fake news through information literacy education and content management systems

The rampant spread of misinformation has made it more difficult for many people, especially college students, to ascertain what is a viable and reliable piece of information and vice versa. This tr...
INERI-2006-003-F FY07 Annual Report

Project Title: Comparison of Characterization Methods for Anisotropy and Microstructure of TRISO Particle Layers This INERI was created to support a comparative study between the newly developed two modulator generalized ellipsometry microscope (2-MGEM) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the more traditional optical polarimeter (RAPAX) at the Commissariat l' nergie Atomique (CEA). These two systems are used to measure the anisotropy of the pyrocarbon layers in tri-isotropic (TRISO) coated particle fuel, which is an important parameter related to fuel performance. Although this project was only just started in June 2007, good progress has already been made. A kickoff meeting was held at ORNL on July 30-31, 2007 to present early progress and discuss details of the proposed work plan. This meeting was of great benefit to the participants, offering an opportunity to overcome the language barrier and more thoroughly communicate project relevant information. Each technical lead gave a presentation explaining the analysis techniques used in his task and presented data on early measurements of the German reference fuels. Plans were finalized regarding what work needed to be done and how to proceed with the comparative study. Possibilities for the inclusion of other coated particle samples, in addition tomore » the two German reference fuels originally proposed, were also discussed. A list of these additional sample has now been generated and approved. Coating fragments from this series of different TRISO particle fuels have been sent from ORNL to the CEA and TEM analysis is in progress. Comparisons have already been made between the microstructure of the two German reference fuels which are the primary samples for this project. Specimens have also been prepared from the German reference fuels for comparative analysis between the 2-MGEM and RAPAX devices and initial measurements performed. Plans are to exchange specimens of the various fuel types in early FY08 for comparative analysis.« less
THE STIMULATION OF AUTOTROPHIC PRODUCTION BY URBAN STORMWATER-BORNE NUTRIENTS

SUMMARY Composite samples of stormwater runoff were collected from thirteen urban catchments representing six homogeneous land uses in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D. C., USA. Phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations and availability in the stormwater samples were found to be sufficient to support moderate to high levels of production of the test alga, S. capricornutum . Lead and zinc concentrations in stormwater from certain urban land uses were found to be inhibitory to algal production. The annual average biomass to be supported by urban stormwater was found to bear a generally positive relationship to density of development.
Primary Repair Versus No Repair for Transected Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve

This chapter will examine the data regarding this rare but serious complication of thyroid surgery. We evaluated the available literature for recommendations regarding immediate primary repair versus no repair in patients with an identified transected RLN during thyroid surgery.
Raising the BAR: Challenges, Opportunities, and Hidden Gems in Radiology Education.

Rationale and Objectives Medical student education in radiology has long been underrepresented in the curriculum despite the increased use of imaging in clinical medicine. Materials and Methods The Beginning to Advanced Radiology Lab, was created with the dedicated purpose of integrating digital technology and interactive teaching methods into the UME curriculum in radiology. Results Results: Development of a novel educational space at the University of Colorado allowed us to identify unforeseen challenges in medical student education while exploring new opportunities Conclusions Conclusion: Curriculum revision in UME radiology education creates both challenges and opportunities and this paper explores these issues in the context of the current paradigm change in medical education.
Bringing Book Club to Class: Engaging College Students in Reading Content-specific Books Written for Popular Audiences

Engaging students in completing assigned reading material, particularly textbooks, is a challenge faced by many college professors. Further, research has demonstrated student compliance is typicall...
Improving Daytime Functioning, Work Performance, and Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women With Insomnia: Comparing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, Sleep Restriction Therapy, and Sleep Hygiene Education.

Study Objectives:Insomnia is a chief complaint among postmenopausal women, and insomnia impairs daytime functioning and reduces quality of life. Recent evidence supports the efficacy of cognitive b...
The Way of the Majority’s World: Language as a Bildung Lesson in Tomás Rivera’s … y no se lo tragó la tierra and Azouz Begag’s Le Gone du Chaâba

This article examines how the Bildungsroman has evolved to portray modernity in contemporary multicultural France and the United States through a comparative study of Tomas Rivera’s 1971 novel … y ...
The Implementation of a National Multifaceted Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Curriculum Is Not Associated With Changes in Burnout.

Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Common Program Requirements effective 2017 state that programs and sponsoring institutions have the same responsibility to address well-being as they do other aspects of resident competence. Objectives The authors sought to determine if the implementation of a multifaceted wellness curriculum improved resident burnout as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Methods We performed a multicenter educational interventional trial at 10 emergency medicine (EM) residencies. In February 2017, we administered the MBI at all sites. A year-long wellness curriculum was then introduced at five intervention sites while five control sites agreed not to introduce new wellness initiatives during the study period. The MBI was readministered in August 2017 and February 2018. Results Of 523 potential respondents, 437 (83.5%) completed at least one MBI assessment. When burnout was assessed as a continuous variable, there was a statistically significant difference in the depersonalization component favoring the control sites at the baseline and final survey administrations. There was also a higher mean personal accomplishment score at the control sites at the second survey administration. However, when assessed as a dichotomous variable, there were no differences in global burnout between the groups at any survey administration and burnout scores did not change over time for either control or intervention sites. Conclusions In this national study of EM residents, MBI scores remained stable over time and the introduction of a multifaceted wellness curriculum was not associated with changes in global burnout scores.
A Truce in the Criminal Law Distributive Principle Wars

Crime-control utilitarians and retributivist philosophers have long been at war over the appropriate distributive principle for criminal liability and punishment, with little apparent possibility of reconciliation between the two. In the utilitarians’ view, the imposition of punishment can be justified only by the practical benefit that it provides: avoiding future crime. In the retributivists’ view, doing justice for past wrongs is a value in itself that requires no further justification. The competing approaches simply use different currencies: fighting future crime versus doing justice for past wrongs. It is argued here that the two are in fact reconcilable, in a fashion. We cannot declare a winner in the distributive principle wars but something more like a truce. Specifically, good utilitarians ought to support a distributive principle based upon desert because the empirical evidence suggests that doing justice for past wrongdoing is likely the most effective and efficient means of controlling future crime. But “doing justice” here is not justice in the deontological desert sense of what moral philosophers think is deserved but rather justice in the “empirical desert” sense that reflects the community’s shared judgments of justice. On the other hand, the two conceptions of desert have an enormous overlap, and it seems likely that empirical desert may be the best practical approximation of deontological desert. Indeed, some philosophers would argue that the two are necessarily the same. By tracking the community’s principles of justice, the system can build “moral credibility” with the community, which allows it to harness the powerful forces of social influence, community support, and internalization of the law’s norms. Empirical research confirms that a criminal justice system perceived by the community as conflicting with their principles of justice is one that provokes resistance and subversion, while a criminal justice system that earns a reputation for reliably doing justice – by tracking shared community principles of justice – is one whose moral credibility inspires greater deference, assistance, and acquiescence, and is more likely to have citizens internalize its norms of what constitutes truly condemnable conduct.
137 A meta-analysis assessing the outcome of occupational injury by minority employee race

Statement of Purpose Literature suggests that racial disparities in the prevalence of occupational injury exist, but the magnitude of these disparities has not been summarized or well-described. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine differences of experienced workplace injury between White and Black employees. Methods Our study population of interest was employees, teens to adults, who identified as non-Hispanic Black or non-Hispanic white, and who experienced an unintentional injury in the workplace. PubMed and Embase were searched, which resulted in a total of 488 published articles. Articles were identified and reviewed using search terms related to workplace injuries and racial ethnic disparities. Standard meta-analysis tools were used to rate the quality of the studies and data combined using generic inverse variance pooling. Random effects models were used to account for the heterogeneity between the studies. Results A total of 5 articles met eligibility criteria and included workplace injury information from both national databases and smaller assessments. Publication dates ranged from 2003 to 2017 with cross sectional and cohort studies present. When assessing the outcome of injury for those who are a racial/ethnic minority, individuals who were African American were almost 2 times more likely to experience occupational injury than the White comparison group (pooled RR: 1.79, 95% CI 1.65 to 1.93). Conclusions Differences in race increase the risk of experiencing workplace injuries. The causes of these discrepancies could vary greatly by occupation type. Future studies should summarize injury rates by occupation to allow for understanding of risks minority employees face. Significance and Contributions to Injury and Violence Prevention Science It is important to understand the risks associated with injuries within the workplace that are making occupational environments less safe for minority workers. Understanding these risks allow for the development of innovative preventative methods to ensure all workers safe working environments.
Is Machiavellianism Dead or Dormant? The Perils of Researching a Secretive Construct

Machiavellianism is a popular construct in research on ethics and organizational behavior. This research has demonstrated that Machiavellianism predicts a host of counterproductive, deviant, and unethical behaviors. However, individuals high in Machiavellianism also adapt to their organizational surroundings, engaging in unethical behavior only in certain situations. Nevertheless, the utility of Machiavellianism has been questioned. Meta-analyses have demonstrated that psychopathy out-predicts Machiavellianism for most antisocial outcomes. Thus, many researchers assume Machiavellianism is a derivative and redundant construct. However, researchers examining the utility of Machiavellianism may be asking the wrong question about how Machiavellianism is unique. In our review, we find it less informative to ask about what antisocial behaviors Machiavellianism predicts. Instead, we find it more informative to ask when Machiavellianism predicts antisocial behaviors. Drawing on Field Theory and Trait Activation Theory, we argue that Machiavellianism is a trait that is associated with person × environment interactions. Their adaptive nature is made possible through the presence of impulse control and environmental sensitivity to punishment, two characteristics that individuals high in psychopathy lack. Consequently, individuals high in Machiavellianism constrain their antisocial behavior to environments when the benefits outweigh the costs. Thus, environmental context, especially the risk of external punishment, moderates Machiavellian misbehavior more than it does for those high in psychopathy. These behavioral constraints align with Lewin’s argument that behavior is a function of the person, environment, and interaction between the two. From this discussion, we arrive at recommendations pertaining to the future of Machiavellianism research in organizational and other applied settings.
Complexity in balancing conservation and tourism in protected areas: Contemporary issues and beyond

This study highlights ongoing issues in protected area (PA) tourism and presents management suggestions for PAs, given the growing popularity of PA tourism. This study takes a conceptual approach t...
COVID-19, health care, and abortion exceptionalism in the United States.

Context Few qualitative findings have been published that explore and identify the challenges experienced by independent abortion providers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States (US). In this paper, we explore these themes while expanding the concept of "abortion exceptionalism" beyond its original legal meaning to address the impact of abortion stigma. Methods Twenty abortion providers from independent abortion clinics throughout the US South and Midwest participated in semi-structured interviews in June and July 2020. Interviews explored the challenges of providing abortion care in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and sought to identify how clinics strategized and amended their clinical practices to continue providing abortion care during this time. Results All providers we spoke to noted significant challenges to providing abortion care in the early days of COVID-19. In addition to experiencing the same concerns as other health care institutions, abortion clinics also faced additional, unique burdens that can only be attributed to the politics of abortion exceptionalism. Examples of this abortion exceptionalism include abrupt orders to close clinics, the need to rely on traveling physicians, legislature-imposed limits on telemedicine, heightened activities of protesters, and non-evidence-based regulation of medication abortion. Conclusion Despite major challenges and differential treatment, independent abortion clinics in the US persevered to continue to provide abortion care throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Flavor isospin waves in one-dimensional axisymmetric neutrino gases

Flavor oscillations can occur on very short spatial and temporal scales in the dense neutrino media in a core-collapse supernova (CCSN) or binary neutron star merger (BNSM) event. Although the dispersion relations (DRs) of the fast neutrino oscillations can be obtained by linearizing the equations of motion (EoM) before the emergence of any significant flavor conversion, one largely depends on numerical calculations to understand this interesting phenomenon in the nonlinear regime. In this work we demonstrate that there exist nontrivial solutions to the flavor EoM that govern the fast oscillations in one-dimensional axisymmetric neutrino gases. These solutions represent a coherent flavor isospin wave similar to the magnetic spin wave in a lattice of magnetic dipoles. We also compute the DRs of such waves in some example cases which are closely related to the DRs of the fast neutrino oscillations obtained in the linear regime. This result sheds new light on the long-term behavior of fast neutrino oscillations which can have various implications for the CCSN and BNSM events.
All Those AS Gradients

Aortic stenosis (AS) is frequently encountered in echocardiography laboratories. Accurate evaluation of AS severity is essential for proper decisions regarding optimal treatment and timing of interventions. The severity of aortic stenosis is determined by the aortic valve area (at normal flow state), however, multiple criteria are utilized to grade AS severity: calculated aortic valve area, velocity/gradients across the valve, valvuloarterial impedance, valve calcifications, etc. The importance of accurately assessing AS severity and defining the subtype of AS cannot be overstated. It is essential to use meticulous techniques, including imaging from all views and utilizing the non-imaging transduced in order to measure maximal trans-aortic velocities. When discussing trans-aortic gradients it is necessary to specify exactly which gradient is reported—both for understanding the hemodynamic significance of the finding, as well as accurate communication when different techniques are utilized.
The causes and unintended consequences of a paradigm shift in corn production practices

Abstract Independent but simultaneously occurring changes in U.S. agricultural and energy policies in conjunction with advances in biotechnology converged to create an economic and regulatory environment that incentivized corn acreage expansion. Advancements in Bt seed and ethanol production technologies contributed to scale efficiency gains in corn and biofuel production. These advancements were accompanied by changes in market forces that altered the balance between corn and other agricultural crop production. The causal linkages among Bt adoption, ethanol production, and corn production are explored along with a discussion of how this shift toward corn production generated unexpected economic and environmental consequences. Alternative policy solutions to mitigate the negative consequences and enhance the resiliency of U.S. agriculture are discussed.
Cryosols of Antarctica

Only 0.35 % of Antarctica is ice-free, amounting to an area of 49,500 km2. There are three distinct climatic zones in Antarctica. The western Antarctic Peninsula and the offshore islands (South Shetland and South Orkney Islands) have a subantarctic maritime climate with comparatively mild temperatures and abundant precipitation, including rainfall. Coastal East Antarctica has cooler temperatures and less precipitation, all of which falls as snow. The inland mountains feature hyperarid and hypergelic conditions. These climate differences are reflected in active-layer thickness and mean annual ground temperatures, which are greatest in maritime Antarctica and least in the mountains. Birds, especially large penguin colonies, play an important role in soil formation and in the ability of sites to become colonized by vegetation. Whereas soils in maritime and East Antarctica tend to be of Last Glacial Maximum or Holocene in age, soils of inland mountains commonly range from mid-Pleistocene to Miocene in age.
Architecture and Undecidability: Explorations in there being no right answer—Some intersections between epistemology, ethics and designing architecture, understood in terms of second‐order cybernetics and radical constructivism

In this thesis I have explored some of the ways in which the contexts of epistemology, ethics and designing architecture are each concerned with undecidable questions (that is, with those questions that have no right answers). Drawing on design research, second‐order cybernetics and radical constructivism, I have understood this undecidability to follow in each case from our being part of the situation in which we are acting. This idea is primarily epistemological (being part of the world we observe, we cannot verify the relationship between our understanding and the world beyond our experience as it is impossible to observe the latter) but can also be interpreted spatially and ethically. From this starting point I have developed connections between questions in architecture, epistemology and ethics in two parallel investigations. In the first, I have proposed a connection between design and ethics where design is understood as an activity in which ethical questioning is implicit. Rather than the usual application of ethical theory to practice, I have instead proposed that design can inform ethical thinking, both in the context of designing architecture and also more generally, through (1) the ways designers approach what Rittel (1972) called “wicked problems” (which, I argue, have the same structure as ethical dilemmas) and (2) the implicit consideration of others in design’s core methodology. In parallel to this I have explored the spatial sense of the idea that we are part of the world through a series of design investigations comprising projects set in everyday situations and other speculative drawings. Through these I have proposed reformulating the architectural theme of place, which is usually associated with phenomenology, in constructivist terms as the spatiality of observing our own observing and so as where the self‐reference of epistemology (that we cannot experience the world beyond our experience) becomes manifest.
Initial nonresponse and survey response mode biases in survey research.

Objective We evaluated survey response factors (particularly initial nonresponse and survey mode) that may be associated with bias in survey research. Methods We examined prevention-related beliefs and outcomes for initial mail survey responders (n = 209), follow-up mail survey responders (n = 78), and follow-up telephone survey responders (n = 74). The Pearson chi-square test and analysis of variance identified beliefs and behavioral outcomes associated with survey response mode. Results Follow-up options to the initial mail survey improved response rates (22.0–38.0 percent). Initial mail survey responders more strongly believed topical fluoride protects teeth from cavities than others (P = 0.04). A significantly larger proportion of parents completing a follow-up telephone survey (30.8 percent) refused topical fluoride for their child than those completing mail surveys (10.3–10.4 percent) (P < 0.0001). Conclusion Multiple mode surveys with follow-up improve response rates. Initial nonresponse and survey response mode may be associated with biases in survey research.
Morality in a Natural World: Moral Naturalism and Three Grades of Normativity

Is moral naturalism ruled out by the fact that morality is normative? I want to consider this question in a systematic way, explaining the central thesis of moral naturalism as I understand it, and then clarifying the idea of normativity. The chief point that I want to make is that the issue raised by this question is much more complex than it might seem to be, mainly because of complexity in what philosophers have in mind when they speak of morality as “normative.” There are several dimensions to the complexity, but the dimension I will stress is that philosophers disagree about what we might call the ‘stringency’ of moral normativity. I will distinguish three ‘grades of normativity.’ I will investigate, for each of these grades, the plausibility of the idea that morality has that grade of normativity, and the viability of naturalistic accounts of it. My conclusion will be tentative, but it will be optimistic for moral naturalism. Moral naturalism holds that in thinking of things as morally right or wrong, good or bad, we ascribe moral properties to these things – properties such as moral rightness and wrongness, goodness and evil. It holds that there are such properties, and it adds that these properties are ordinary garden-variety natural properties – properties that have the same basic metaphysical and epistemological status as the properties a tree can have of being deciduous, and the property a piece of paper can have of being an Australian twenty-dollar bill.
Intangibles of payment system stripping: Why article 9 should not leave you baring your assets (applying a common law remedy to creature of statute)

This article explores the current uncertainty regarding hidden priority interests in Article 9 following the Commercial Money Center decision, and how a literal interpretation of Article 9 could reward holders of hidden priority interests at the expense of subsequent good faith purchasers. In addition to potential statutory amendments, the article proposes two immediately available alternative approaches to provide clarity in the secured transaction marketplace while also giving respect to the current language of the code. This article’s argument regarding the importation of the common law “merger doctrine” to Article 9 in this context, as one of the two potential solutions mentioned above, offers a fundamentally new approach to the secured interest marketplace. By importing the merger doctrine, the Article 9 reporter or a subsequent court could obtain a remedy that would provide for a subsequent good faith purchaser to prevail over a competing hidden priority interest. Such a result would coincide with both the purpose and the other competing priority sections of Article 9.
Two Separate Defects Affecting True Naive or Virtual Memory T Cell Precursors Combine To Reduce Naive T Cell Responses with Aging

Naive T cell responses are eroded with aging. We and others have recently shown that unimmunized old mice lose ≥ 70% of Ag-specific CD8 T cell precursors and that many of the remaining precursors acquire a virtual (central) memory (VM; CD44(hi)CD62L(hi)) phenotype. In this study, we demonstrate that unimmunized TCR transgenic (TCRTg) mice also undergo massive VM conversion with age, exhibiting rapid effector function upon both TCR and cytokine triggering. Age-related VM conversion in TCRTg mice directly depended on replacement of the original TCRTg specificity by endogenous TCRα rearrangements, indicating that TCR signals must be critical in VM conversion. Importantly, we found that VM conversion had adverse functional effects in both old wild-type and old TCRTg mice; that is, old VM, but not old true naive, T cells exhibited blunted TCR-mediated, but not IL-15-mediated, proliferation. This selective proliferative senescence correlated with increased apoptosis in old VM cells in response to peptide, but decreased apoptosis in response to homeostatic cytokines IL-7 and IL-15. Our results identify TCR as the key factor in differential maintenance and function of Ag-specific precursors in unimmunized mice with aging, and they demonstrate that two separate age-related defects--drastic reduction in true naive T cell precursors and impaired proliferative capacity of their VM cousins--combine to reduce naive T cell responses with aging.
Chest compressions: biomechanics and injury.

Context Radiologic technologists are sometimes called on to resuscitate patients in cardiac emergencies. By understanding the dynamics of chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the related risks for rib and sternal fractures, R.T.s will be better equipped to perform CPR. Objective To review the mechanics of CPR and its associated risks, as well as propose criteria for future studies of CPR-related injuries. Methods The author reviewed the literature to explain how CPR works, how often injuries occur during CPR and how these injuries have been studied in the past. Results Past investigations into CPR-related rib and sternal fractures are not consistent in research methodology and thus are not comparable. In addition, there is only 1 recent study that collected data on compression-induced injuries in survivors of cardiac arrest. Conclusion Consistent study protocols are needed to enhance interstudy comparability and improve resuscitative health care. Recently revised guidelines regarding chest compression during CPR invite new research on compression injuries. The author supports adoption of 5 criteria for future study protocols.
Titanium-doped hydrogenated DLC coatings deposited by a novel OMCVD-PIIP technique

Abstract Using a novel organometallic CVD-plasma immersion ion processing technique, titanium-doped hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (Ti-h:DLC) coatings were deposited from a metallorganic CVD precursor, tetrakis-dimethylamino titanium. A carrier gas of acetylene was used and the flow rate through the precursor reservoir was varied so the titanium concentration in the deposited coatings could be controlled. Deposited coatings had thickness in the range of 600–1000 nm as determined by surface profilometry. Titanium concentrations in the coatings ranged from 0.4 to approximately 11 at.%. Acetylene flow through the reservoir reached a peak efficiency of titanium throughput at 20 sccm, declining in efficiency as flow was increased to 40 sccm. Hardness values of these coatings ranged from approximately 8–17 GPa, as determined by nanoindentation, decreasing with increasing titanium content. Coefficient of friction values ranged from 0.23 to 0.18, and were lowest for coatings with high titanium content. The coefficient of friction followed the model for adhesive friction. Wear resistance was best for coatings with low titanium content as determined by pin-on-disk methods.
Imaging with multiples using least-squares reverse time migration

Abstract Primaries and multiples are imaged jointly using least-squares reverse time migration. Joint least-squares reverse time migration (LSRTM) uses the multiple energy as signal while removing the cross talk in the image. A class of multiply scattered events can be imaged by using the two-way propagator in modeling and migration. Such events can scatter off sharp interfaces in the migration velocity as well as the sea surface. The concept and methodology can be demonstrated with a 2D synthetic Sigsbee2B model and the Deimos ocean-bottom field data set. By including the multiples in imaging, the image quality is improved in areas close to complex salt structures.
Spatial variation in coevolutionary dynamics

Computer simulations of coevolutionary dynamics between two hosts and two parasites show that extensive spatial variation in polymorphism can be maintained among environmentally identical patches. Spatial variation can be maintained under frequent migration when the dynamics within patches are locally unstable, and the cycles in host and parasite abundances remain out of phase among patches. Additionally, spatial variation can be maintained when host-parasite interactions cause local extinctions, and migration subsequently allows for recolonization. The temporal dynamics that cause spatial variation are difficult to study directly because of the long time scale over which they occur. The simulations suggest that sampling over space at one or a few points in time may provide much information about temporal dynamics.
Metal-induced folding of a designed metalloprotein.

Abstract The metal-induced assembly of a designed peptide-based rubredoxin model is described. The C16C19-GGY peptide has the sequence Ac-K(IEALEGK)2(CEACEGK)(IEALEGK)GGY-amide in which the presence of the Cys–X–X–Cys metal binding domain of rubredoxin was used to place cysteine residues at the hydrophobic “a” and “d” positions upon formation of a homodimeric α-helical coiled-coil. Circular dichroism spectroscopy shows that the apopeptide exists as a random coil and assembles into a coiled-coil in the presence of Cd2+. Metal binding is monitored by the appearance of a new LMCT band at 238 nm. UV–Vis titrations and SDS–PAGE experiments are used to show that this designed metalloprotein exists as a metal-bridged coiled-coil dimer.
Bottoms up: transduction channels at tip link bases

A study now demonstrates that the transduction channel responsible for converting sound to neural signals in the mammalian cochlea is excluded from the tallest row of stereocilia and is instead more likely in the bottom row.
Electoral Reform in Italy: Expectations and Results

The 1993 Italian electoral reform was precipitated by a referendum that gave its sponsors no freedom to specify their preferred system, and the mixed systems ultimately chosen were enacted under great time pressure. As a result, expectations and objectives were never clearly specified, and indeed often were mutually incompatible. The major goal of creating bipolarity and alternation in office was achieved, but the achievement of other goals — including closer ties between representatives and local constituencies, a simplified party system, and ‘cleaner’ politics – is more questionable, as is the fate of the entire reform effort after the replacement of the mixed system with pure PR before the election of 2006.
Screening in treatment programs for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders that could affect therapeutic progress

Grant, T., Novick Brown, N., Graham, J., Whitney, N., Dubovsky, D. , & Nelson, L. (2013). Screening in treatment programs for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders that could affect therapeutic progress. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 2 (3), 37-49. doi:10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.116 ( http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.116 ) Aims: While structured intake interviews are the standard of care in substance abuse treatment programs, these interviews often do not screen for cognitive impairments, such as those found in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and other brain-based developmental disorders. The research reported here supports a brief interview protocol, the Life History Screen (LHS), that screens clients unobtrusively for adverse life-course outcomes typically found in FASD, so as to guide follow-up assessments and treatment planning. Design: Two-group observational study. Setting: A three-year case management intervention program in Washington State for high-risk women who abuse alcohol and/or drugs during pregnancy. Participants: Group 1: No prenatal alcohol exposure ( N = 463); Group 2: Diagnosed with FASD (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder, fetal alcohol effects, or static encephalopathy) by a qualified physician ( N = 25), or suspected of having FASD (reported prenatal alcohol exposure and displayed behaviors consistent with a clinical diagnosis of FASD) ( N = 61). Measures: The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was administered to participants at intake. We analyzed eleven ASI items that corresponded to questions on the LHS in order to assess the potential of the LHS for identifying adults with possible FASD. The Life History Screen itself was not administered. Findings: Analysis of group differences between the diagnosed FASD and suspected FASD groups supported our decision to collapse the two groups for the main analysis. The Life History Screen shows promise as an efficient pre-treatment screen, in that core items are significantly associated with FASD group membership on factors involving childhood history, maternal drinking, education, substance use, employment, and psychiatric symptomatology. Conclusions: The Life History Screen may have utility as a self-report measure that can be used at the outset of treatment to identify clients with cognitive impairments and learning disabilities due to prenatal alcohol exposure.
Drought-mediated stem and below-ground bud dynamics in restored grasslands

Question Does the below-ground bud bank mediate response to drought in restored grasslands? Location Platte River Valley region of south-central Nebraska, USA. Methods We imposed severe drought for one growing season using rainfall manipulation structures and measured the response of above- and below-ground plant communities (ramet and below-ground bud densities) with respect to non-drought controls during the drought year and a recovery year. Results Drought reduced below-ground bud bank density and above-ground stem density. However, bud bank density recovered, and bud production was higher on previously droughted subplots relative to controls in the year following drought. The response of below-ground bud and above-ground stem density to drought differed according to functional identity (C3 grass, C4 grass, and forb), with forbs least resistant to, but having the greatest recovery from, drought. Conclusions While overall density in restored grasslands was resilient, drought effects on below-ground bud banks may have longer-term impacts on plant community structure. Reduced density above- or below-ground during the growing season following drought may allow for the persistence of species relatively more reliant on recruitment from seed banks in favourable micro-sites.