cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Study of Volunteer Community Health Workers Promoting Maternal Health Services in Rural Kenya: A Christian Viewpoint

Introduction: Despite the call for community-based health care interventions in the developing world, there is little research examining the effectiveness of paid versus volunteer community health worker (CHW) programs to increase women’s use of maternal health services. From a Christian perspective, the CHW model is, at its root, discipleship: a credible person leads a neighbor to a source of help and health. This effective model can be expanded to address the health of the whole person, both spiritual and physical. This study of a government health center program in rural Kenya addresses these issues.Methods: The current study analyzed the change in maternal health services after a government program, starting with 30 volunteer CHWs, had been in place for nine months. The intervention was designed and carried out by the authors in collaboration with Sigoti District Health Center in the western Kenyan province of Nyanza.Results: The proportion of facility-based deliveries (FBDs) showed a statistically significant increase (p=0.003), from an average of 38 deliveries before the intervention to 60 afterwards. The proportion of health center deliveries of HIV-positive women also significantly increased (p=0.04) from an average of 6.5 to 14 FBDs. Compared to another program in rural Lesotho with paid CHWs, the Sigoti intervention led to a similar increase in FBDs. Despite their successes, the community-based strategies were time-intensive for both programs, with one CHW adding between 1.12 and 1.7 FBDs per year.Discussion: This study demonstrates that a CHW program can be successful, even when using volunteers. Using solely a metric of time and/or money, the CHW model produces value at a high cost. However, the concerns of cost-effectiveness and CHW attrition, as well as the success of the CHW model, can be meaningfully addressed from a Christian perspective. Using the outcome measure of changed lives, volunteer CHWs could be motivated by a Christian call to discipleship. CHWs may be trained and supported to contribute to the health of the whole person. Future research will test these assumptions with a CHW program operating from a Christian health center to be built soon in the study area.
The Effect of Dyad Machiavellianism and Visual Access on Integrative Bargaining Outcomes

Visual access was manipulated to assess its effect on the ability of high, low, and mixed Machiavellian bargaining pairs to discover mutually advantageous solutions on a bargaining task. Thirty-six dyads, twelve of each type, bargained either face to face or with a visual barrier between them. Visual contact interfered with the discovery of jointly profitable solutions in the high-low Mach pairs, but had no effect on other dyad combinations. It was argued that the personality dynamics of high-low Mach dyads made them particularly vulnerable to low joint bargaining outcomes in face to face negotiation.
Mechanisms of Baroreceptor Activation

The determinants of the nerve activity generated at the baroreceptor endings have been examined. 1) In the isolated carotid sinus, the placement of activated bovine aortic endothelial cells decreased baroreceptor activity (BRA) in a reversible manner. Both endothelin and nitric oxide (NO) suppress BRA, whereas prostacyclin (PGI2) increases activity. 2) The BRA in single units declines and often ceases during non-pulsatile increases in carotid sinus pressure sustained over several minutes. This "adaptation" is attenuated by the transient potassium channel (IA) blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) and not by inhibition of the Na+/K+ pump. 3) In preliminary studies, mechano-electrical transduction was examined in isolated and cultured nodose ganglion neurons. Opening of stretch-activated (SA) channels by suction on the cell-attached patch was seen infrequently; however, probing the neurons consistently increased their intracellular calcium [Ca++]i measured with fura-2. This increase in [Ca++]i is blocked by gadolinium (Gd3+), a trivalent lanthanide reported to block SA channels. Gd3+ also blocks the BRA in the carotid sinus. We conclude that paracrine factors significantly modulate BR sensitivity, that selective ionic mechanisms (the 4-AP sensitive K+ channels) determine the degree of "adaptation" of BR to elevated pressure, and that SA channels sensitive to Gd3+ may be the mechano-electrical transducers in BR neurons.
Genomics analysis of potassium channel genes in songbirds reveals molecular specializations of brain circuits for the maintenance and production of learned vocalizations

A fundamental question in molecular neurobiology is how genes that determine basic neuronal properties shape the functional organization of brain circuits underlying complex learned behaviors. Given the growing availability of complete vertebrate genomes, comparative genomics represents a promising approach to address this question. Here we used genomics and molecular approaches to study how ion channel genes influence the properties of the brain circuitry that regulates birdsong, a learned vocal behavior with important similarities to human speech acquisition. We focused on potassium (K-)Channels, which are major determinants of neuronal cell excitability. Starting with the human gene set of K-Channels, we used cross-species mRNA/protein alignments, and syntenic analysis to define the full complement of orthologs, paralogs, allelic variants, as well as novel loci not previously predicted in the genome of zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). We also compared protein coding domains in chicken and zebra finch orthologs to identify genes under positive selective pressure, and those that contained lineage-specific insertions/deletions in functional domains. Finally, we conducted comprehensive in situ hybridizations to determine the extent of brain expression, and identify K-Channel gene enrichments in nuclei of the avian song system. We identified 107 K-Channel finch genes, including 6 novel genes common to non-mammalian vertebrate lineages. Twenty human genes are absent in songbirds, birds, or sauropsids, or unique to mammals, suggesting K-Channel properties may be lineage-specific. We also identified specific family members with insertions/deletions and/or high dN/dS ratios compared to chicken, a non-vocal learner. In situ hybridization revealed that while most K-Channel genes are broadly expressed in the brain, a subset is selectively expressed in song nuclei, representing molecular specializations of the vocal circuitry. Together, these findings shed new light on genes that may regulate biophysical and excitable properties of the song circuitry, identify potential targets for the manipulation of the song system, and reveal genomic specializations that may relate to the emergence of vocal learning and associated brain areas in birds.
Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Recurrence in Patients With Rising Serum CA-125 Levels Within the Normal Range

Purpose To evaluate the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) recurrence in patients with rising serum cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) levels that remain below the upper limit of normal (< 35 U/mL). Patients and Methods All patients treated for EOC between September 1997 and March 2003 were identified and screened retrospectively for the following: (1) elevated serum CA-125 at time of diagnosis, (2) complete clinical and radiographic response (CR) to initial treatment with normalization of serum CA-125, (3) at least three serial serum CA-125 determinations that remained within the normal range, and (4) clinical and/or radiographic determination of disease status at the time of last follow-up or recurrence. For statistical analyses, univariate regression models were used to compare absolute and relative changes in CA-125 levels among patients with recurrent disease and those without EOC recurrence. Results A total of 39 patients satisfied study inclusion criteria; 22 patients manifested EOC recurrence at a m...
Thinking about the sexes: The relation between cognitions and gender stereotypes

Abstract Gender stereotypes continue to impose restrictions and limitations on both women and men. Social learning and social cognition theory provide vehicles for better understanding how gender stereotypes develop and, consequently, how they can be changed. Gender stereotypes are examined within a framework that includes perceptions, attributions, expectancies, assumptions, and standards. Implications for therapy with couples are discussed.
Psychopathology and Function (4th ed.), by B. R. Bonder

As the title implies, Psychopathology and Function is written as a textbook for the study of psychopathology. The author has designed the book as a learning foundation for occupational therapists i...
Durbin Sticks to Guns, Chooses Slurpees Over Consumers: An Overview of the Durbin Amendment and Its Potential Adverse Impact on Consumers

When the chairmen of the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Acting Comptroller of the Currency express doubts about a regulation designed to eliminate seventy percent of a market, and when the queen and spokeswoman of consumer financial protection, Elizabeth Warren, refuses to comment on a financial rule supposedly enacted to protect consumers, one would expect a rational legislator to, at a minimum, delay such a measure until they could properly understand its ramifications. Dick Durbin, the number two democrat in the Senate, refuses to fit that mold. Instead, Durbin, the author of the self-titled “Durbin Amendment” to the Dodd-Frank Act, refuses to reconsider the legislation directing the Federal Reserve to limit debit card interchange fees and threatens to filibuster any bill brought before the Senate that seeks to delay its implementation.
Mercury remediation in wetland sediment using zero-valent iron and granular activated carbon

Wetlands are hotspots for production of toxic methylmercury (MeHg) that can bioaccumulate in the food web. The objective of this study was to determine whether the application of zero-valent iron (ZVI) or granular activated carbon (GAC) to wetland sediment could reduce MeHg production and bioavailability to benthic organisms. Field mesocosms were installed in a wetland fringing Hodgdon Pond (Maine, USA), and ZVI and GAC were applied. Pore-water MeHg concentrations were lower in treated compared with untreated mesocosms; however, sediment MeHg, as well as total Hg (THg), concentrations were not significantly different between treated and untreated mesocosms, suggesting that smaller pore-water MeHg concentrations in treated sediment were likely due to adsorption to ZVI and GAC, rather than inhibition of MeHg production. In laboratory experiments with intact vegetated sediment clumps, amendments did not significantly change sediment THg and MeHg concentrations; however, the mean pore-water MeHg and MeHg:THg ratios were lower in the amended sediment than the control. In the laboratory microcosms, snails (Lymnaea stagnalis) accumulated less MeHg in sediment treated with ZVI or GAC. The study results suggest that both GAC and ZVI have potential for reducing MeHg bioaccumulation in wetland sediment.
The relationship between competencies learned in Manufacturing Engineering programs and competencies represented in the CASA/SME Enterprise Wheel Model

This paper presents a comparison of what manufacturing engineering programs are teaching and what industry expects manufacturing engineers to know, as presented by the CASA/SME Manufacturing Enterprise Wheel. This comparison suggests that manufacturing engineering programs should encompass a broader scope of engineering, technology, and management, and work to integrate content and projects across the curriculum.
Zika virus: A rapidly emerging infectious disease.

ABSTRACTZika virus is a flavivirus transmitted to humans via the bite of infected mosquitoes. A recent outbreak in Brazil has spread to several surrounding countries, and the virus also has been reported in the United States. The virus is associated with microcephaly among newborns whose mothers wer
THE AVIFAUNA OF NIIHAU ISLAND, HAWAIIAN ARCHIPELAGO

Niihau Island lies about 150 miles northwest of Honolulu and is about 25 miles west by south of the island of Kauai. It is approximately 17 miles long, and its greatest width is five miles. The highest elevation is 1281 feet, at Paniau, on the northeast coast. The southern and northern ends and the western side of this volcanic island (fig. 1) are low, with sand and lava beds sloping gently to the sea. The east-central part of the island, from Halalii Lake on the south to Puu Alala on the north, is made up of rugged lava mountains rising toward the east where 1000-foot cliffs drop to the water's edge. In this mountainous portion is a rolling plateau (800 to 1100 feet) between Mount Kaeo and Pueo Point which extends north to Paniau; this plateau is formed of the heads of the numerous canyons that cut eastward through the cliffs to the sea and by the basins of the Kaumuhonu, Puniopo and Kahunalii valleys extending westward. In the lowlands are intermittent lakes. Halutu and Halalii lakes to the south were nearly dry when we visited the island. Apana Reservoir was broken and dry. The only surface water present was in Halutu Lake, in the small ponds north of Kiekie and southwest of Puuwai, and in the numerous sumps dug in tidal waters to supply brackish water for the livestock. Only cistern water is available for household use. At times, this supply must be augmented by using coconut milk and cactus pears (panini). The large acreages of cactus (Opuntia) established on the island by the Robinson family also are a major source of water for cattle. The above statements indicate that the island is extremely dry; it probably has an annual rainfall of less than 15 inches. Although the
A reinvestigation of smectite illitization in experimental hydrothermal conditions: Results from X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy—Discussion

We were pleased to read that our multiphase illitization model (Yates and Rosenberg 1996, 1997, 1998) has been confirmed by further experimental studies (Ferrage et al. 2011). We agree that illitization is a dissolution-precipitation process following the Ostwald step rule in which metastable intermediate phases are transformed into end-member illite. Unfortunately, several misstatements and misconceptions about our previous studies are incorporated into the paper by Ferrage et al. (2011) and their experimental design is open to criticism. (1) The multiphase model of Yates and Rosenberg (1996) is not based on the fundamental particle concept as claimed by Ferrage et al. (2011), but it is consistent with it and has been used to elucidate the model. However, in a previous paper we state that “it is not possible to rule out the Markovian model (Altaner and Bethke 1988; Altaner and Ylagan 1997) based on solution equilibration studies alone inasmuch as MacEwan crystallites of different ordering types may behave as thermodynamic phases” (Rosenberg et al. 1990). (2) According to Ferrage et al. (2011), in our model smectite illitization occurs through the step-wise formation of thermodynamically stable mica-like phases. …
Extracorporeal Respiratory Support With a Miniature Integrated Pediatric Pump‐Lung Device in an Acute Ovine Respiratory Failure Model

Respiratory failure is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity all over the world. Therapeutic options to treat respiratory failure remain limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gas transfer performance of a newly developed miniature portable integrated pediatric pump-lung device (PediPL) with small membrane surface for respiratory support in an acute ovine respiratory failure model. The respiratory failure was created in six adult sheep using intravenous anesthesia and reduced mechanical ventilation at 2 breaths/min. The PediPL device was surgically implanted and evaluated for respiratory support in a venovenous configuration between the right atrium and pulmonary artery. The hemodynamics and respiratory status of the animals during support with the device gas transfer performance of the PediPL were studied for 4 h. The animals exhibited respiratory failure 30 min after mechanical ventilation was reduced to 2 breaths/min, indicated by low oxygen partial pressure, low oxygen saturation, and elevated carbon dioxide in arterial blood. The failure was reversed by establishing respiratory support with the PediPL after 30 min. The rates of O2 transfer and CO2 removal of the PediPL were 86.8 and 139.1 mL/min, respectively. The results demonstrated that the PediPL (miniature integrated pump-oxygenator) has the potential to provide respiratory support as a novel treatment for both hypoxia and hypercarbia. The compact size of the PediPL could allow portability and potentially be used in many emergency settings to rescue patients suffering acute lung injury.
A Curious Case of Inhalation Fever Caused by Synthetic Cannabinoid

Patient: Male, 29 Final Diagnosis: Inhalation fever induced by synthetic cannabinoid Symptoms: Agitation • smoked synthetic cannabinoid Medication: Ringer’s lactate solution • Ceftriaxone • Azithromycin• Magnesium sulfate • Potassium Phosphate • Levofloxacin • Risperidone Clinical Procedure: Chest radiograph • CBC • urine toxicology Specialty: Pulmonology Objective: Unusual clinical course
Stimulating Reflection and Self-correcting Reasoning Through Argument Mapping: Three Approaches

A large body of research in cognitive science differentiates human reasoning into two types: fast, intuitive, and emotional “System 1” thinking, and slower, more reflective “System 2” reasoning. According to this research, human reasoning is by default fast and intuitive, but that means that it is prone to error and biases that cloud our judgments and decision making. To improve the quality of reasoning, critical thinking education should develop strategies to slow it down and to become more reflective. The goal of such education should be to enable and motivate students to identify weaknesses, gaps, biases, and limiting perspectives in their own reasoning and to correct them. This contribution discusses how this goal could be achieved with regard to reasoning that involves the construction of arguments; or more precisely: how computer-supported argument visualization (CSAV) tools could be designed that support reflection on the quality of arguments and their improvement. Three types of CSAV approaches are distinguished that focus on reflection and self-correcting reasoning. The first one is to trigger reflection by confronting the user with specific questions that direct attention to critical points. The second approach uses templates that, on the one hand, provide a particular structure to reason about an issue by means of arguments and, on the other, include prompts to enter specific items. And a third approach is realized in specifically designed user guidance (“scripts”) that attempts to trigger reflection and self-correction. These types of approaches are currently realized only in very few CSAV tools. In order to inform the future development of what I call reflection tools, this article discusses the potential and limitations of these types and tools with regard to five explanations of the observation that students hardly ever engage in substantial revisions of what they wrote: a lack of strategies how to do it; cognitive overload; certain epistemic beliefs; myside bias; and over-confidence in the quality of one’s own reasoning. The question is: To what degree can each of the CSAV approaches and tools address these five potential obstacles to reflection and self-correction?
A pair inseparable: chopsticks as gift, metaphor and symbol

The joy of eating is given great importance in China; and cooking, through the decades, has been dreamed and fussed over, in times of want as well as in times of plenty, until it has ceased to be plain cooking, but has grown and developed into an art. Food has been represented through other mediums of art, especially poetry, literature and folklore; and these tales and food beliefs have been handed down, from generation to generation, with ever-increasing glamour. Doreen Yen Hung Feng, The Joy of Chinese Cooking Green when young and yellow old They have shared their minds forever. Whether bitter or sweet, They always taste them together. Zhuo Wenjun, a woman who lived in Han dynasty China, allegedly wrote this poem to her lover Sima Xiangru (179–127 bce ), when she gave him a pair of chopsticks. In his legendary work, Sima Qian records some details about their love story, making it proverbial throughout Chinese history. Sima Xiangru was an illustrious writer, known for his mastery of rhapsody ( fu ), a prevalent literary genre during the period. (Shu Xi, for instance, wrote a rhapsody on doughy food in the third century, as mentioned in Chapter 3.) As Sima Xiangru’s fame grew, he also received several marriage proposals. On one occasion, Zhuo Wangsun, the richest man in the country, invited Sima to a banquet. Sima went reluctantly. At the party, he chanted a rhapsody, receiving many accolades. Attracted by Sima’s talent, Zhuo Wenjun, Zhuo Wangsun’s newly widowed daughter, fell in love with him. But her father disapproved of it because Sima Xiangru was poor. However, the two managed to elope to Chengdu, Sichuan, eventually forcing the father to give in and accept their marriage.
The hazards of bad sleep—Sleep duration and quality as predictors of adolescent alcohol and cannabis use

Abstract Background Although an association between adolescent sleep and substance use is supported by the literature, few studies have characterized the longitudinal relationship between early adolescent sleep and subsequent substance use. The current study examined the prospective association between the duration and quality of sleep at age 11 and alcohol and cannabis use throughout adolescence. Methods The present study, drawn from a cohort of 310 boys taking part in a longitudinal study in Western Pennsylvania, includes 186 boys whose mothers completed the Child Sleep Questionnaire; sleep duration and quality at age 11 were calculated based on these reports. At ages 20 and 22, participants were interviewed regarding lifetime alcohol and cannabis use. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to determine the association between sleep and substance use. Results After accounting for race, socioeconomic status, neighborhood danger, active distraction, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems, both the duration and quality of sleep at age 11 were associated with multiple earlier substance use outcomes. Specifically, less sleep was associated with earlier use, intoxication, and repeated use of both alcohol and cannabis. Lower sleep quality was associated with earlier alcohol use, intoxication, and repeated use. Additionally, lower sleep quality was associated with earlier cannabis intoxication and repeated use, but not first use. Conclusions Both sleep duration and sleep quality in early adolescence may have implications for the development of alcohol and cannabis use throughout adolescence. Further studies to understand the mechanisms linking sleep and substance use are warranted.
Synthesis of cyclic organic carbonates via catalytic oxidative carboxylation of olefins in flow reactors

Methodology for direct catalytic conversion of olefins into cyclic carbonates using peroxide and carbon dioxide under relatively mild conditions is demonstrated. The protocol utilizes packed bed flow reactors in series to couple rhenium catalyzed olefin epoxidation and aluminum catalyzed epoxide carboxylation in a single sequence.
Characteristics and Circumstances of U.S. Women Who Obtain Very Early and Second-Trimester Abortions.

Objective To determine which characteristics and circumstances were associated with very early and second-trimester abortion. Methods Paper and pencil surveys were collected from a national sample of 8,380 non-hospital U.S. abortion patients in 2014 and 2015. We used self-reported LMP to calculate weeks gestation; when LMP was not provided we used self-reported weeks pregnant. We constructed two dependent variables: obtaining a very early abortion, defined as six weeks gestation or earlier, and obtaining second-trimester abortion, defined as occurring at 13 weeks gestation or later. We examined associations between the two measures of gestation and a range of characteristics and circumstances, including type of abortion waiting period in the patients’ state of residence. Results Among first-trimester abortion patients, characteristics that decreased the likelihood of obtaining a very early abortion include being under the age of 20, relying on financial assistance to pay for the procedure, recent exposure to two or more disruptive events and living in a state that requires in-person counseling 24–72 hours prior to the procedure. Having a college degree and early recognition of pregnancy increased the likelihood of obtaining a very early abortion. Characteristics that increased the likelihood of obtaining a second-trimester abortion include being Black, having less than a high school degree, relying on financial assistance to pay for the procedure, living 25 or more miles from the facility and late recognition of pregnancy. Conclusions While the availability of financial assistance may allow women to obtain abortions they would otherwise be unable to have, it may also result in delays in accessing care. If poor women had health insurance that covered abortion services, these delays could be alleviated. Since the study period, four additional states have started requiring that women obtain in-person counseling prior to obtaining an abortion, and the increase in these laws could slow down the trend in very early abortion.
A higher-order theory of emotional consciousness

Emotional states of consciousness, or what are typically called emotional feelings, are traditionally viewed as being innately programmed in subcortical areas of the brain, and are often treated as different from cognitive states of consciousness, such as those related to the perception of external stimuli. We argue that conscious experiences, regardless of their content, arise from one system in the brain. In this view, what differs in emotional and nonemotional states are the kinds of inputs that are processed by a general cortical network of cognition, a network essential for conscious experiences. Although subcortical circuits are not directly responsible for conscious feelings, they provide nonconscious inputs that coalesce with other kinds of neural signals in the cognitive assembly of conscious emotional experiences. In building the case for this proposal, we defend a modified version of what is known as the higher-order theory of consciousness.
Layout study of contactless magnetoresistor current sensor for high frequency converters

In this paper, we present a new technique to unify and intensify the magnetic fields that results in higher performance of Anisotropic Magneto-Resistive (AMR) current sensors and consequently develop a closed loop controller for 100W synchronous GaN buck converter at 1MHz. The closed loop operation of high switching frequency converters at high power has always been a big challenge due to lack of access to current information. The proposed method that also intensifies the magnetic fields through the sensor, significantly improves the bandwidth limits, and reduces electromagnetic interference (EMI) on AMR sensors, making them applicable for high switching frequency and high current power electronics converters. After verifying uniform distribution concept through simulation, we also implemented a prototype of AMR current sensors onto Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for verification of the concept at high frequency converter. We then present the design procedure and associated challenges of an integrated analogue peak current controller for creating the closed loop operation of a GaN buck converter at high switching frequency.
Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability

Authors of this chapter describe the Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability (WNV; Wechsler and Naglieri in Wechsler nonverbal scale of ability. Pearson, San Antonio, 2006). It is an individual nonverbal assessment of general cognitive ability for ages 4 years and 0 months to 21 years and 11 months (4:0–21:11). The WNV was adapted from earlier versions of the Wechsler scales to minimize or eliminate nonverbal instructions and demands, while keeping the format of subtest and composite scores. In particular, authors describe the theory underlying the WNV, administration and scoring, and strengths and limitations of the test. The test assesses Nonverbal IQ in a robust, yet relatively quick and easy-to-administer format. The inclusion of pictorial directions is unique and makes the test an option if English proficiency of the examinee is a concern. The test materials are well put together, colorful, and engaging. The WNV Administration and Scoring Manual and Technical and Interpretative Manual include ample information about the technical properties of the test, test development, step-by-step administration, and interpretation strategies. Although the literature contains reviews that mention both strengths and weaknesses, the test is generally characterized as psychometrically strong; it appears to offer advantages over highly verbally laden measures for assessing students who may be disadvantaged by language loaded instruments.
Giant Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Vinylene-Linked Hybrid Heterocyclic Polymer

The bulk photovoltaic effect refers to the generation of a steady photocurrent from a homogeneous noncentrosymmetric material. It offers an alternative to the traditional p–n junction-based photovoltaic mechanism to directly convert sunlight to electricity. In this work, we investigate the bulk photovoltaic effect in low-dimensional polar organic materials with first-principles density functional theory calculations and shift current theory. With a strategy designed to break the inversion symmetry along the polymer chain, we demonstrate that conjugated vinylene-linked hybrid heterocyclic polymers can produce a strong bulk photovoltaic response to light, outperforming benchmark inorganic materials. The high current density results from the delocalized wave functions, composed mainly of carbon p orbitals. The great structural and electronic flexibility of polymers offers a robust paradigm to enhance the shift current response through chemical and physical modifications. The development of polymer blends wit...
Impact of Giving Students a Choice of Homework Assignments in an Introductory Computer Science Class

Student assignments have long been an integral part of many university level computer science courses to reinforce material covered in class with practical exercises. For years, researchers have studied ways to improve such student assignments by making them more interesting, applicable, and valuable to the student with a goal of improving learning outcomes by increasing student appeal. One often studied way to improve the learning outcome is by allowing students a choice in assignments. To ensure fairness for all students in providing such a choice, care must be taken to ensure assignment "equality" by ensuring an equal learning experience for all students regardless of their choice of homework assignments. Our introductory computer science class is a survey class which covers multiple topics including programming concepts, word processing, presentation software, computer security, spreadsheet usage and databases design and implementation. Students perform several programming exercises throughout the course to demonstrate their knowledge and improve their skill in programming. For a number of years, we've offered students a choice on their final assignment. Worth 10% of the course grade, the assignment provides students with either an analytical programming project or a software applications- based project. The purpose of this paper is to look at the motivations that drove students to make the choice they did and the impact of their choice on their assignment grade and overall performance on the course final. Our findings indicate that care must be taken when offering options to the student as the choice the student makes may unintentionally and adversely affect both their learning experience and course performance.
Public health systems research in emergency preparedness: a review of the literature.

Background Despite the acknowledged promise of developing a public health systems research (PHSR) agenda for emergency preparedness, there has been no systematic review of the literature in this area. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic literature review in order to identify and characterize the PHSR literature produced in the U.S. in the past 11 years in the field of public health emergency preparedness. Evidence acquisition Articles were searched in MEDLINE and EMBASE, as well as in the gray literature. Two independent reviewers classified the articles according to study design and IOM public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) research goal areas. Evidence synthesis From January 1, 1997, through December 31, 2008, there were 547 articles that met the inclusion criteria that were published. It was possible to classify 314 (57%) articles into at least one of the four IOM PHEP research goal areas. Of these, 61 (11%) addressed Research Area 1 (usefulness of training); 39 (7%) addressed Research Area 2 (communications in preparedness and response); 193 (35%) addressed Research Area 3 (sustainable preparedness and response systems); and 39 (7%) addressed Research Area 4 (criteria and metrics to measure effectiveness and efficiency). Twenty-one studies (4%) could be classified into more than one category. The majority of the articles (81%), including commentaries/reviews and case studies, were based on qualitative analysis. Commentaries/review articles were the most common study types (62%). Conclusions Since 2001, the PHSR literature on PHEP issues has grown at about 33% per year. However, most studies lack a rigorous design, raising questions about the validity of the results.
Stochastic computing implementation of trigonometric and hyperbolic functions

High performance implementations of trigonometric and hyperbolic functions are important in many application areas. This paper presents an FPGA implementation of these functions using the stochastic computing methodology. The results are compared to the well-known CORDIC approach. All of the designs are synthesized and implemented on a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA. The results are compared in terms of delay and area for various input data widths. The results show that the proposed design method has advantages in the delay-area product and in soft error tolerance compared to CORDIC designs.
Contribution of left ventricular residual stress by myocytes and collagen: existence of inter-constituent mechanical interaction

We quantify the contribution of myocytes, collagen fibers and their interactions to the residual stress field found in the left ventricle (LV) using both experimental and theoretical methods. Ring tissue samples extracted from normal rat, male and female, LV were treated with collagenase and decellularization to isolate myocytes and collagen fibers, respectively. Opening angle tests were then performed on these samples as well as intact tissue samples containing both constituents that served as control. Our results show that the collagen fibers are the main contributor to the residual stress fields found in the LV. Specifically, opening angle measured in collagen-only samples (106.45 $$^\circ $$ ± 23.02 $$^\circ $$ ) and myocytes-only samples (21.00 $$^\circ $$ ± 4.37 $$^\circ $$ ) was significantly higher and lower than that of the control (57.88 $$^\circ $$ ± 12.29 $$^\circ $$ ), respectively. A constrained mixture (CM) modeling framework was then used to infer these experimental results. We show that the framework cannot reproduce the opening angle found in the intact tissue with measurements made on the collagen-only and myocytes-only samples. Given that the CM framework assumes that each constituent contributes to the overall mechanics simply by their mere presence, this result suggests the existence of some myocyte–collagen mechanical interaction that cannot be ignored in the LV. We then propose an extended CM formulation that takes into account of the inter-constituent mechanical interaction in which constituents are deformed additionally when they are physically combined into a mixture. We show that the intact tissue opening angle can be recovered in this framework.
Data Management in Tourism: Chaotic and Quixotic

Large quantities of data continue to be collected describing many facets of travel and tourism. These new data are layered on top of extensive collection efforts of the past causing claims of data overload and information and knowledge underload. Using travel demand data and examples from throughout the world, this paper discusses issues and problems encountered at various levels in utilizing data. Further, it points out alternative ways in which these data might be managed to create a knowledge management framework.
Pulmonary Endothelial Cells and the Metabolism of Adenine. Nucleotides, Kinins and Angiotensin I

As indicated in previous publications (1–9) and as revealed in the preceding paper (10), it is likely that circulating adenine nucleotides, kinins and angiotensin I are metabolized by enzymes of the luminal surface of the pulmonary endothelium. One of the nucleotides, namely adenosine-5’-monophosphate (AMP), is metabolized by enzymes of caveolae intracellulares open to the vascular lumen (7–9). This enzymic activity is not peculiar to those caveolae open to the vascular lumen, as one can show by reactions performed on fixed blocks of tissue (5,6) that other caveolae and intracellular vesicles are capable of degrading nucleotides. However, in the case of metabolism of circulating nucleotides it appears that only those caveolae open to the lumen have access to the substrate.
The Organization of Sequential Behavior

For decades, beginning with Lashley’s (1951) celebrated paper or even earlier with the work of Ebbinghaus and others (Hunter, 1920; Skinner, 1934), sequential learning has repeatedly aroused debate over the fundamental nature of learning, memory, and representation in humans and animals. In recent years, debate has centered on whether nonhuman animals can use nonassociative symbolic processes such as rule-induction to learn about the structure of patterned sequences (“serial patterns”) of events. The work by Hulse and colleagues on rats’ serial-pattern learning (SPL) of food reward magnitude in runways, in particular, supported a Rule-Learning (RL) theory (e.g., Hulse & Campbell, 1975; Hulse & Dorsky, 1977; Hulse, 1978; Hulse & Dorsky, 1979; Fountain & Hulse, 1981; Fountain, Evensen, & Hulse, 1983). The RL theory proposed that rats learned some representation of the abstract rules that described organized sequences (Fountain, 1986; Roitblat, Pologe, & Scopatz, 1983; Wathen & Roberts, 1994). The implication was that rats did not have to rely on chaining or remote associations alone to master sequences. Later work in our laboratory involved a somewhat different SPL paradigm employing patterns of stimuli drawn from another stimulus dimension (viz., a spatial dimension rather than food reward magnitude). This work also supported the RL view of serial-pattern learning in both rats and mice (e.g., Fountain, 1990; Fountain & Rowan, 1995b; Fountain & Rowan, 1995a).
Optical coherence tomography imaging of presumed Cryptococcus neoformans infection localized to the retina

Abstract Purpose To report spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings of presumed Cryptococcus neoformans infection limited to the retina. Methods We report a 39-year-old male with decreased vision for 3 months. Clinical examination revealed multiple cream-colored retinal lesions in the posterior pole of both eyes. SD-OCT demonstrated multiple areas of discrete, hyperreflective deposits in the inner retina, outer retina, and subretinal space without evidence of choroidal involvement. Fundus autofluorescence demonstrated areas of hyperautofluorescence of lesions with variable areas of hypoautofluorescence. Results Subsequent laboratory workup revealed systemic Cryptococcus neoformans infection. After 3 months of systemic antifungal treatment and follow-up, there was clinical improvement in the size of the lesions. Conclusions This is the first report of SD-OCT demonstrating presumed localized Cryptococcus infection confined to the retina. Our findings support the assertion that Cryptococcus can cause a focal retinitis involving all layers of the retina without demonstrable evidence of choroidal involvement.
Characteristics of Peri-Transplant Palliative Supportive Care Consultation Among Older Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients

Background Recent studies have shown that provision of palliative care (PC) simultaneously with hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) is feasible and effective in improving symptom burden and improving mood during and in the first 6 months after transplant. However, given the scarce PC resource, it is important to explore the population of HCT patients who will benefit the most from subspecialty PC and its optimal timing. Methods We retrospectively examined all peri-transplant palliative supportive care consultations for patients aged 60 years and older who underwent first allo-HCT at our institution from 2001 to 2017 through chart review. We included all PC consultations from 6 months prior to and 6 months following HCT and systemically characterized each individual consultation. Predictors and potential impact of PC consultations were analyzed. Results 70 patients (11%) among a total of 610 patients, received a PC consultation during the period and were included. Table 1 depicts the baseline clinical and transplant characteristics. The median time of PC consultation from HCT was 14.5 days and there were 9 consultations prior to HCT. The majority of PC consultation, 86%, were conducted as inpatient; and 91% were initiated by the transplant team. The primary consult reason was overwhelmingly pain management, 77%, followed by the management other symptoms, goals of care discussion, and end-of-life care. In 17 patients, 24%, additional palliative care needs were identified by the consult team. The median number of visits was 5 (range 1-23). Only three patients had outpatient follow-up after initial inpatient consultation. By June 30, 2018, 48 patients, 69%, had died. The median time from PC consultation to death was 37.5 days, with 5 patients, 10%, enrolled in hospice prior to death. We are examining independent association of pre-transplant variables with PC consultations and their impact on HCT outcomes. Conclusions While limited by its retrospective nature, this study provides an overview of PC consult utilization in an older cohort of allogeneic HCT patients, which is likely the most symptomatic population with the highest risk for adverse outcomes. These results suggest that the transplant team may not have utilized the subspecialty PC consult to its complete potential. Future studies will attempt to prospectively assess patient reported outcomes and the impact of interdisciplinary PC consult team.
Treating chronic migraine in CADASIL with calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonism.

CGRP receptor monoclonal antibodies may be safe for preventing migraine therapy in those with CADASIL; systematic study of safety and efficacy are needed before this approach to migraine prevention can be recommended.
Nutrient restriction causes reversible G2 arrest in Xenopus neural progenitors

Nutrient status affects brain development; however, the effects of nutrient availability on neural progenitor cell proliferation in vivo are poorly understood. Without food, Xenopus laevis tadpoles enter a period of stasis during which neural progenitor proliferation is drastically reduced, but resumes when food becomes available. Here, we investigate how neural progenitors halt cell division in response to nutrient restriction and subsequently re-enter the cell cycle upon feeding. We demonstrate that nutrient restriction causes neural progenitors to arrest in G2 of the cell cycle with increased DNA content, and that nutrient availability triggers progenitors to re-enter the cell cycle at M phase. Initiation of the nutrient restriction-induced G2 arrest is rapamycin insensitive, but cell cycle re-entry requires mTOR. Finally, we show that activation of insulin receptor signaling is sufficient to increase neural progenitor cell proliferation in the absence of food. A G2 arrest mechanism provides an adaptive strategy to control brain development in response to nutrient availability by triggering a synchronous burst of cell proliferation when nutrients become available. This may be a general cellular mechanism that allows developmental flexibility during times of limited resources.
Not His Kind of Town

John Komlos took his Ph.D. in economics at the University of Chicago, but his approach to and perspectives on economics are hardly those commonly associated with that institution. Although “Chicago...
Constitutive modeling for time- and temperature-dependent behavior of composites

Abstract Structural integrity, durability, and thermal stability represent critical areas for adequately modeling the behavior of composite materials. Polymeric matrices are prone to have time-dependent behavior very sensitive to changes in temperature that influence the effective properties of the composite. This study extends mechanics of structure genome (MSG) to construct a linear thermoviscoelastic model that allows to homogenize three-dimensional heterogeneous materials made of constituents with time- and temperature-dependent behavior. The formulation models the transient strain energy based on integral formulation for thermorheologically simple materials and treats thermal expansion creep as inherent material behavior. An analytical three-dimensional thermoviscoelastic homogenization solution has been derived for laminates modeled as an equivalent, homogeneous, anisotropic solid. Three-dimensional representative volume element (RVE) analyses and direct numerical simulations using a commercial finite element software have been conducted to verify the accuracy of the MSG homogenization. Unlike MSG, the RVE method exhibits limitations to properly capture the long-term behavior of effective coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) when time-dependent constituent CTEs are considered. The analyses of the homogenized properties also reveal that the shift factor of the polymeric matrix drives the temperature dependencies of the effective CTEs and engineering constants of the heterogeneous composite material regardless of the structural scale.
Can we end the feminist ‘sex wars’ now? Comments on Linda Martín Alcoff, Rape and resistance: Understanding the complexities of sexual violation

Feminist and queer theorists influenced by Michel Foucault have given analyses of sexual violence and of sexually violent pornography that are generally taken to be in striking opposition to those defended by radical feminists such as Catharine MacKinnon. In this commentary on Linda Martin Alcoff’s Rape and resistance: Understanding the complexities of sexual violation, I suggest that these seemingly divergent analyses of sexual violence are more similar than they have appeared to be and I ask: Might this book help to bring an end to the so-called ‘sex wars’ between the Foucauldians and the MacKinnonites that have been raging since the mid-1980s?