cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The neurochemical and stimulatory effects of putative metabolites of 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine in rats.

Abstract Rats were injected SC with a dose of 10 mg/kg (as base) of 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine, α-methyldopamine and α-methylnorepinephrine, metabolites of MDA, and α-methylepinephrine, a putative metabolite of MDMA, twice daily for either 5 or 7 consecutive doses. The rats were killed 24 h after the last injection and monoamines in discrete brain regions were assayed. MDA, MDMA, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine and α-methyldopamine, but not α-methylepinephrine, decreased the concentration of serotonin (5-HT) in the frontal cortex. MDA and MDMA, but not 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine, α-methyldopamine and α-methylepinephrine, also decreased the concentration of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the frontal cortexes. In stimulatory studies, MDA and MDMA, but not their metabolites except α-methylepinephrine, which increased activity at 15 and 30 min, increased locomotor activity from 15 to 180 min following the drug administration.
Changepoint Analysis of Binary and Ordinal Probit Models: An Application to Bank Rate Policy Under the Interwar Gold Standard

In this paper, I introduce changepoint models for binary and ordered time series data based on Chib's hidden Markov model. The extension of the changepoint model to a binary probit model is straightforward in a Bayesian setting. However, detecting parameter breaks from ordered regression models is difficult because ordered time series data often have clustering along the break points. To address this issue, I propose an estimation method that uses the linear regression likelihood function for the sampling of hidden states of the ordinal probit changepoint model. The marginal likelihood method is used to detect the number of hidden regimes. I evaluate the performance of the introduced methods using simulated data and apply the ordinal probit changepoint model to the study of Eichengreen, Watson, and Grossman on violations of the “rules of the game” of the gold standard by the Bank of England during the interwar period.
Clinical practice. Idiopathic scoliosis in adolescents.

Idiopathic scoliosis affects 2% of adolescents. In adolescents with an immature skeleton, bracing is commonly recommended if there is curve progression to 25 to 45 degrees. A randomized trial comparing bracing with watchful waiting is under way.
Establishment and early succession of bacterial communities in monochloramine-treated drinking water biofilms.

Monochloramine is an increasingly used drinking water disinfectant and has been shown to increase nitrifying bacteria and mycobacteria in drinking waters. The potential successions and development of these bacteria were examined by 16S rRNA gene clone libraries generated from various biofilms within a water distribution system simulator. Biofilms were obtained from in-line and off-line devices using borosilicate glass beads, along with polycarbonate coupons from annular reactors incubated for up to 8 months in monochloramine-treated drinking water. No significant difference in community structures was observed between biofilm devices and coupon material; however, all biofilm communities that developed on different devices underwent similar successions over time. Early stages of biofilm formation were dominated by Serratia (29%), Cloacibacterium (23%), Diaphorobacter (16%), and Pseudomonas (7%), while Mycobacterium-like phylotypes were the most predominant populations (> 27%) in subsequent months. The development of members of the nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) after 3 months may impact individuals with predisposing conditions, while nitrifiers (related to Nitrospira moscoviensis and Nitrosospira multiformis) could impact water quality. Overall, 90% of the diversity in all the clone library samples was associated with the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. These results provide an ecological insight into biofilm bacterial successions in monochloramine-treated drinking water.
The Effects of Rational‐Emotive Education Groups on Self‐Concept and Locus of Control Among Learning Disabled Children

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of Rational‐Emotive Education (REE) counselling group sessions on learning disabled (LD) children's self‐concept and locus of control orientation. Sixty LD children were randomly assigned to experimental and control conditions; the experimental group leader was trained in REE. Sessions, each lasting approximately one hour, were held twice weekly for 12 consecutive weeks. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed no significant differences on pretest self‐concept and locus of control measures; on post‐test measures MANOVA indicated significant differences between experimental and control groups. Post hoc univariate F and discriminant analysis revealed several dimensions of self‐concept and the locus of control measure to be valid discriminators. The REE intervention, appears to be beneficial in both enhancing certain aspects of self‐concept and encouraging a more internal locus of control orientation in LD students.
Linda Flower and social cognition: constructing a view of the writing process

For three decades, Linda Flower has been one of the leading proponents of cognitive research in the area of writing. This paper reviews her contributions by first looking at her original cognitive process model and then by examining important aspects of her social cognitive theory of writing. Specifically the paper summarizes Flower's view of writing as an active constructive process, as a social and rhetorical act, as negotiated meaning, and as literate practice. Finally, the paper suggests theoretical implications and practical applications of Flower's work for documentation professionals.
Uniform and bootstrap resampling of empirical distributions

Stochastic simulation models are used to predict the behavior of real systems whose components have random variation. The simulation model generates artificial random quantities based on the nature of the random variation in the real system. Very often, the probability distributions occurring in the real system are unknown, and must be estimated using finite samples. This paper presents two ways to estimate simulation model output errors due to the errors in the empirical distributions used to drive the simulation. These approaches are applied to simulations of the M/M/1 queue with an empirically sampled interarrival time. They capture components of variance in the estimate of mean time in the system that are ignored when the empirical distribution is treated as the true distribution.
Multiplicity in Regulatory Statistical Review

In planning trials, good practice requires prespecification of analyses to control the probability of false positives and to enable a coherent interpretation of the result. In reviewing trials, analyses are usually not preplanned. Although the goals of reviewers are neither the same as nor opposite to those of planners, reviews are also subject to concerns about multiple, post hoc analyses. The probability of false negatives is not controlled, and the multiple analyses can be difficult or impossible to interpret together coherently. We consider several types of multiplicity that arise in reviews rather than in submissions and offer advice for coping with them.
Solution of equations describing fluid–soil reactions in packed columns

A semianalytical technique is presented frr solving the equations describing an isothermal, irreversible reaction of a trace component in a packed bed of a solid reactant or adsorbent The reaction-rate expression is assumed to have an arbitrary dependence on the solid reactant concentration, but a first-order dependence on the trace gas component. The technique relies on an integral transformation that reduces the set of partial differential equations to a set of two coupled ordinary differential equations in the spatial variables. Solving these two equations is simpler than solving the original equations by finite differences or finite elements, especially in the presence of steep concentration gradients. Two examples presented illustrate the technique: a progressive conversion model with reaction occurring at dispersed sites within the adsorbent pellet and a reaction proceeding in the shrinking core mode.
Apparent respiratory discrimination is correlated with growth rate in the shoot apex of sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

The literature offers no consensus as to whether the delta(13)C of respired CO(2) is identical to that of the respiratory substrate, perhaps because of differences in measurement technique and growth conditions. To address this issue, the delta(13)C of respired CO(2) from growing sunflower shoot apices was measured and compared with that of soluble carbohydrates extracted from the respiring tissues. Shoot apices were studied because any influence of growth and biosynthesis was expected to be maximally expressed in these rapidly growing tissues. The two most probable substrates, starch and soluble sugars, were similar in delta(13)C (P=0.46). The delta(13)C of respired CO(2) was enriched in (13)C compared with these putative substrates (P<0.0001). This apparent enrichment ranged from 2.2 per thousand-5.7 per thousand, and decreased with relative growth rate (P<0.0001). The respiratory enrichment was counterbalanced by a depletion in the tissue constructed from the residual carbohydrates. The depletion varied from 2.2 per thousand to 3.0 per thousand relative to soluble carbohydrates (P<0.05), as predicted from mass-balance arguments. These results support the idea that respired CO(2) is enriched relative to its substrates. Variation in growth rates may help to explain the variable amounts of respiratory discrimination described in the literature.
Tectonic and geologic implications of the Zodiac fan, Aleutian Abyssal Plain, northeast Pacific

The Zodiac fan, a large body of upper Eocene through at least lower Oligocene turbidities, underlies the Aleutian Abyssal Plain and lies just south of the Aleutian Trench and the Alaskan Peninsula in the northeastern north Pacific. The fan deposits cover an area of more than 1 × 10 6 km 2 and contain at least 280,000 km 3 of terrigenous sediment. The most striking feature of the fan is its well-developed channel distributary system, which persists nearly to the plain limits. Levee overbank deposits associated with the channels are the dominant sedimentary style, a process believed to predominate on fans receiving primarily fine-grained detritus. Four major channels have been identified on the fan with the following relative age relation (> = older than): Sagittarius > Aquarius > Taurus, and Sagittarius >Seamap. Recently obtained seismic information implies that Seamap Channel may be older than Aquarius Channel. If Seamap is the youngest channel, a depositional interval of 8 m.y. (40−32 m.y. B.P.) is indicated for the fan as a whole. If Taurus is the youngest, as we believe, the interval of deposition is greater than 8 m.y. but is probably less than 16 m.y. (40−24 m.y. B.P.). Nanno-flora, pollen, and spores obtained from Deep Sea Drilling Site 183, near the northern margin of the fan, indicate that the fan formed in a nontropical (northern) environment, and that the source terrane had a climate similar to or slightly cooler than that recorded from coeval onshore deposits in the eastern Gulf of Alaska. On the basis of the interval of deposition, the volume of the fan, and sediment yield from climatically similar modern drainages, a minimum drainage of 500,000 km 2 is believed necessary to have supplied the sediment to form the fan, assuming no sediment was deposited before it reached the fan. Tertiary plate-motion models requiring large amounts of relative convergence along the Aleutian Trench are judged unworkable, as such reconstructions require the Zodiac fan to have formed 1,500 to 3,000 km from the nearest continental landmass and separated from it by topographic barriers, requiring that the drainage be inflated in size manyfold to overcome anticipated sediment losses during such a lengthy transport. As the minimum drainage (500,000 km 2 ) is already equal to one-half of the State of Alaska, any major expansion is judged unreasonable. This requires that relative convergence at the Aleutian Trench be limited to less than ∼500 km from 40 m.y. B.P. to present. A possible method by which this limitation can be satisfied is to allow a significant portion of southern Alaska to move in concert with the Pacific plate since the upper Eocene.
A Morphing Approach for Synthesizing Multichannel Recordings

In this paper we propose a morphing approach that can synthesize microphone signals with the acoustical characteristics of specific instrument. The proposed method is composed of three stages. In the first step, the short-time Fourier transform is used to represent signals as a 3-D structure. The cosine similarity measure is then applied to this pre-processed time-frequency information for locating the most similar spectrogram in the matching database. Finally, the input spectrogram is adjusted according to the trend extracted from the pair-wise reference spectrograms by morphing algorithms. As an example of our method we present results on synthesis of microphone signals that capture a percussive instrument such as an orchestra tympani
Disorders of peroxisome biogenesis

The peroxisome is a ubiquitous, subcellular organelle containing more than 50 matrix enzymes that participate in a diverse array of metabolic pathways. Failure to assemble normal peroxisomes is the cellular hallmark of Zellweger syndrome and other human disorders of peroxisome biogenesis. Identification of the genes required for peroxisome biogenesis is proceeding at a rapid pace helped immeasurably by work in other species, particularly various yeasts. The ultimate goals of this effort are to identify all of these genes and to understand how their protein products interact to produce normal appearing and functioning peroxisomes. Attainment of these goals will lead to a better understanding of the peroxisome biogenesis disorders, their pathophysiology and treatment.
Identifying the Regions of Texas Under Sampled for Myrmecofauna

O'Keefe et al. (2000) listed 291 ant species in Texas. We visually summarized the distribution of known myrmecofauna across Texas to identify counties and ecoregions that are under-surveyed. The mean number of documented species of ants per county was 16.7 ± 15.9. Counties in the Trans-Pecos ecoregion had the greatest known myrmecofaunal diversity. Most counties in the Piney Woods and the Oak Woods and Prairies ecoregions are probably under-surveyed, and are recommended for sampling priority. This study serves as a guide for future myrmecofaunal surveying efforts and introduces a collaborative project known as the Ants of Texas (AoT).
Cytokine message and protein expression during lung granuloma formation and resolution induced by the mycobacterial cord factor trehalose-6,6'-dimycolate.

Trehalose-6,6'-dimycolate (TDM), or cord factor, is a mycobacterial cell wall component that induces granuloma formation and proinflammatory cytokine production in vivo and in vitro. The purpose of this work was to better understand the mechanisms by which TDM promotes lung granuloma formation. This was accomplished by characterizing cytokine mRNA expression during TDM-induced alveolitis culminating in cohesive granuloma development. A single intravenous injection of TDM given to C57BL/6 mice produced lung granulomas that peaked in number 5 days after challenge and were nearly resolved by 14 days. mRNA in whole lung preparations was quantitated by bioluminescent RT-PCR. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 were significantly elevated during granuloma development and decreased during granuloma resolution. There were no detectable changes in mRNA for interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL10, and IL-12(p40). The level of TNF-α protein extracted from lung minces highly correlat...
A Comprehensive Student-Based Analysis Of Hybrid Courses: Student Preferences And Design Criteria For Success

Online leaning in all forms has become the largest segment of growth in the education model over the last 10 years. Our paper focuses on the general area of computer-assisted learning, a method that uses interactive software as an aid to learning, and more specifically on blended courses - courses that are taught congruently online and in a traditional setting. Our paper examines the methodology of such innovation and details the steps necessary to institute such a program in main-stream teaching. Our paper will also help make more clear the learning intentions and show how students can achieve success while instructors take advantage of new-age methods to help them become more versed in the art of teaching. We will identify the necessary steps that students must take prior to enrolling in these courses, examine the requirements, and commitments that institutions must make to implement such a curriculum and show how the instructors must prepare themselves for the rigors that lie ahead in making this course both enjoyable and educational. A comprehensive survey and statistical analysis was conducted and the results presented in this paper to support any conclusions and recommendations. E-learning is offered in many forms throughout the world. Today, you can secure a bachelors, masters or even doctoral degree totally online. Students will continue to supplement a very busy work/life balance with online education, therefore we feel our paper addresses these concerns now and in the future and show not only the importance of this methodology, but how a simple seamless integration of this process is possible for institutions of higher learning.
An efficient and complete approach for cooperative path-finding

Cooperative path-finding can be abstracted as computing non-colliding paths for multiple agents between their start and goal locations on a graph. This work proposes a fast algorithm that can provide completeness guarantees for a general class of problems without any assumptions about the graph's topology. Specifically, the approach can address any solvable instance where there are at most n-2 agents in a graph of size n. The algorithm employs two primitives: a "push" operation where agents move towards their goals up to the point that no progress can be made, and a "swap" operation that allows two agents to swap positions without altering the configuration of other agents. Simulated experiments are provided on hard instances of cooperative path-finding, including comparisons against alternative methods. The results are favorable for the proposed algorithm and show that the technique scales to problems that require high levels of coordination, involving hundreds of agents.
MOVILIDAD DE METALES TOXICOS LIGADOS A OXIDO USANDO AGENTES ORGANICOS REDUCTORES Y ACOMPLEJANTES

Within oxid soils and aquifer sediments, manganese(III,IV) oxides and iron(III) oxides are important sorptive phases of toxic metals such as Co(II,III) , Ni (II) , Cu(II) , and Pb(II, IV) . Changes in ambient chemistry can, however, bring about the solubilization and mobilization of these toxic metals.
Dynamic spike threshold and nonlinear dendritic computation for coincidence detection in neuromorphic circuits

We present an electronic cortical neuron incorporating dynamic spike threshold and active dendritic properties. The circuit is simulated using a carbon nanotube field-effect transistor SPICE model. We demonstrate that our neuron has lower spike threshold for coincident synaptic inputs; however when the synaptic inputs are not in synchrony, it requires larger depolarization to evoke the neuron to fire. We also demonstrate that a dendritic spike is key to precisely-timed input-output transformation, produces reliable firing and results in more resilience to input jitter within an individual neuron.
Interpreting Corporate Interlocks from Broken Ties

Two different theoretical frameworks, the interorganizational and the intraclass, guide empirical research on the origin and function of corporate interlocks. Conclusions from this research often have been used as the basis for more general claims about the structure of power in the American economy. To a great extent, these claims are based on the implicit assumption that a majority of interlocks facilitate one type of interfirm relationship—formal coordination. This article presents evidence about the continuity of interlocks which have been disrupted accidentally by such events as death and retirement. What happens after an interlock is broken reveals something of the extent and manner in which different types of interlock ties facilitate formal coordination. This in turn provides the basis for assessing the applicability of the interorganizational and intraclass approaches to the phenomenon of interlocking.
HCG in ectopic pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancies remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality in women of reproductive age. Management of these pregnancies has changed dramatically over the years. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone composed of 2 dissimilar subunits, alpha and beta, joined non-covalently. The free beta-subunit is the principal immuno-reactive agent in pregnancy serum samples. Improved diagnostic methods using hCG levels in combination with transvaginal ultrasound have lead to earlier detection rates, subsequent treatment and a reduction in mortality resulting from ectopic pregnancies. This chapter will describe current trends in ectopic pregnancy diagnosis based on hCG levels.
On the Finite Difference Analogue of Rodrigues' Formula

(1952). On the Finite Difference Analogue of Rodrigues' Formula. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 59, No. 3, pp. 163-168.
Therapeutic Modulation of Calcium Dynamics Using Ultrasound and Other Energy-Based Techniques

Ultrasound, along with other types of energy-based methods, has been widely investigated for use in various therapeutic applications because of its ability to stimulate specific biological processes. Many of these processes are mediated by calcium (Ca2+) signaling, thus making modulation of Ca2+ dynamics an evident therapeutic target for energy-based techniques. Various diseases have been associated with abnormal Ca 2+ signaling and could, therefore, benefit from therapeutic approaches trying to regulate the transport of Ca2+ across cell membranes. Here, we review published literature on the use of mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and electromagnetic energy in modulating Ca2+ transients with particular emphasis on therapeutic ultrasound. We further provide brief discussions on the role of Ca2+ in living cells and the use of different experimental techniques to determine and measure its contribution to different biological processes. Finally, we explore the benefits, limitations, and potential clinical applications of different energy-based modalities that can be utilized in modulation of Ca2+ signaling.
Comparing the Patterns: The Working Class and Democratization

The struggle for a democratic regime has been one of the most important processes of political change across two centuries of Western history. It has constituted a major political drama of the opening and closing years of the twentieth century, with substantial institutional continuity across the two periods: after evolving more slowly during the nineteenth century, the democratic institutions being adopted at the end of the twentieth century are remarkably similar to those that were the center of political struggle nearly a century earlier. European countries and their eighteenth- and nineteenth-century colonial offshoots have witnessed an extended experience with the struggle to adopt democratic institutions. Yet the processes through which such regime change takes place remain poorly understood, and they continue to be debated. The goal of the present analysis has been to examine the role of the working class in the process of democratization and to do so in a way that integrates a literature that has been rooted alternatively in either class or strategic frameworks and has asserted (or implied) that the working class was alternatively the major, even decisive force in democratization or at most a rather marginal player in a process dominated by elite strategies. Democratization is a complex, multifaceted process involving a large variety of groups, actors, and interests, and following different trajectories. Several patterns can be distinguished, involving different combinations of class actors engaging in different arenas of action.
EXTENSIONS OF RELATIONAL STRUCTURES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses extensions of relational structures. Model theory has abundantly demonstrated that such investigations are worthwhile and can lead to interesting results. It is only natural that one should there be primarily concerned with elementary classes, or at least with L-classes for some language L, and that the axioms should be in some sense of a model-theoretic character. However, certain properties of a different nature. It is frequently necessary to exclude from the discussion certain trivial classes of structures. It is known that the amalgamation property holds for each of the following classes : groups, groups with a given operator domain, abelian groups, fields, differential fields of characteristic 0, partially ordered sets, lattices, Boolean algebras, locally finite-dimensional cylindric algebras of a given infinite dimension. On the other hand, the property is known to fail for the class of all semi-groups and for the class of all rings. A critical point in any attempt at such a generalization is, of course, the choice of definitions of the basic concepts, particularly of the notion of an algebraic extension.
The effect of lithium carbonate administration in patients with advanced small cell bronchogenic carcinoma receiving combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Undifferentiated small cell bronchogenic carcinoma accounts for 15–20% of all forms of lung cancer. It is characterized by sudden onset of symptoms, evidence of widespread disease at presentation and a rapidly progressive clinical course (Broder et al., 1977). The short tumor doubling time and the large growth fraction found in this histologic type may account for both its characteristic clinical features and its sensitivity to cytotoxic treatments (Muggia et al., 1974).
A Korean, a Chinese, and an Indian walk into an American bar: Tapping the Asian-American goldmine

Abstract Historically, globalization has been synonymous with mega brands’ expansion into international markets. However, changes in the marketing landscape—namely, growth of immigrant consumers, new and emerging branding strategies, and advancements in technology—have created a shift in the globalization paradigm, opening opportunities for small brands. Focusing on the growing number of Asian-American consumers, the authors develop a two-stage global market entry strategy for small brands entering the U.S. market. Specifically, the authors show how Asian brands can penetrate the U.S. market by serving Asian-American consumers or using them as a launchpad to reach mainstream American consumers. The growth of small global brands signifies an important and exciting change in the branded marketplace currently dominated by Western brands.
The Virtual Office Visit for Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

The ability to replicate a prenatal office visit in a more convenient location for the patient (home, office, etc.) has potential advantages, including reducing the need for transportation, childcare, and taking time off from work. After collecting data using anonymous surveys and qualitative interviews to evaluate acceptability (1), we conducted a proof-of-concept study of health care delivery combining patient-operated technologies with telephone encounters, which we called “virtual office visits.” Ten women with newly diagnosed gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were recruited. Inclusion criteria were ages between 18 and 45 years, a singleton pregnancy, gestational age less than 32 weeks upon entry into the study, and having a smartphone. At the study enrollment visit, each participant was given a set of devices consisting of a Bluetooth-enabled portable memory-based glucose meter (FORA GD40 or FORA MD), weight …
Ética: Normas e Princípios para uma Sociedade mais Empática

Etica e filosofia guardam profunda correlacao. A visao do homem como um ser social e historico e uma concepcao filosofica que representa o fundamento da etica. Os conceitos de liberdade, necessidade, valor, consciencia, sao objeto de estudo da etica e sao antecedidos de uma explicacao filosofica. As relacoes humanas em sociedade tambem dizem respeito a etica, cuja insercao nesse contexto se da atraves da sociabilidade. Sao os parâmetros sociais adotados por determinada sociedade que irao nortear a vida do individuo e lhe permitir conviver com outras pessoas.
LIMIT THEOREMS ON HIGH DIMENSIONAL SPHERES AND STIEFEL MANIFOLDS

Publisher Summary This chapter describes limit theorems on high dimensional spheres and Stiefel manifolds. Generalizations to Grassmann manifolds arise in any problem where an m-dimensional subspace of IRq is estimated. The basic results for developing statistical methods to handle observations on Ωq are derived in Watson. The problem of obtaining any large q results for the Bingham distribution depends upon the choice of a sequence of q × q matrices K.
An Experiential Learning Exercise in Food-Borne Illness Outbreak Investigations: Bridging Education and Experience

Conducting engaging experiential learning exercises is an exceptional strategy for teaching multidisciplinary teams of public health students. The objective of this article is to present an experie...
Readability Assessment of Online Patient Education Material on Congestive Heart Failure.

Background. Online health information is being used more ubiquitously by the general population. However, this information typically favors only a small percentage of readers, which can result in suboptimal medical outcomes for patients. Objective. The readability of online patient education materials regarding the topic of congestive heart failure was assessed through six readability assessment tools. Methods. The search phrase “congestive heart failure” was employed into the search engine Google. Out of the first 100 websites, only 70 were included attending to compliance with selection and exclusion criteria. These were then assessed through six readability assessment tools. Results. Only 5 out of 70 websites were within the limits of the recommended sixth-grade readability level. The mean readability scores were as follows: the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (9.79), Gunning-Fog Score (11.95), Coleman-Liau Index (15.17), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) index (11.39), and the Flesch Reading Ease (48.87). Conclusion. Most of the analyzed websites were found to be above the sixth-grade readability level recommendations. Efforts need to be made to better tailor online patient education materials to the general population.
Search lookaside buffer: efficient caching for index data structures

With the ever increasing DRAM capacity in commodity computers, applications tend to store large amount of data in main memory for fast access. Accordingly, efficient traversal of index structures to locate requested data becomes crucial to their performance. The index data structures grow so large that only a fraction of them can be cached in the CPU cache. The CPU cache can leverage access locality to keep the most frequently used part of an index in it for fast access. However, the traversal on the index to a target data during a search for a data item can result in significant false temporal and spatial localities, which make CPU cache space substantially underutilized. In this paper we show that even for highly skewed accesses the index traversal incurs excessive cache misses leading to suboptimal data access performance. To address the issue, we introduce Search Lookaside Buffer (SLB) to selectively cache only the search results, instead of the index itself. SLB can be easily integrated with any index data structure to increase utilization of the limited CPU cache resource and improve throughput of search requests on a large data set. We integrate SLB with various index data structures and applications. Experiments show that SLB can improve throughput of the index data structures by up to an order of magnitude. Experiments with real-world key-value traces also show up to 73% throughput improvement on a hash table.
A Systematic Review of Single-Case Research Studies on Using Video Modeling Interventions to Improve Social Communication Skills for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Video modeling (VM) interventions have increasingly been examined as a means of teaching social communication skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the research, which...
Association between mindfulness and interoceptive accuracy in patients with diabetes: Preliminary evidence from blood glucose estimates.

Abstract Objective Mindfulness-based interventions, which increase dispositional mindfulness, may be useful adjunctive therapies for patients with chronic diseases, including diabetes. One way that mindfulness may benefit patients with diabetes is by fostering more accurate interoception, particularly in the form of blood glucose estimate accuracy. Many people with diabetes regulate their behavior based on estimates of their blood glucose levels from interoception, but they vary in estimate accuracy. Therefore, our objective was to conduct a preliminary test of the hypothesis that, in a sample of patients with diabetes, more mindful individuals would demonstrate greater blood glucose estimate accuracy. Methods In a cross-sectional study, patients (N = 28) with type 2 diabetes estimated their blood glucose levels immediately before their actual levels were assessed. Participants also completed two measures of mindfulness: one assessing general dispositional mindfulness and another assessing mindfulness specifically in the face of difficulty. Results Although general dispositional mindfulness was unrelated to blood glucose estimate accuracy, individuals who reported more mindfulness during difficulties were approximately four times more likely to meet established accuracy criteria. Conclusions Mindfulness specifically during difficulties might play a role in disease-relevant interoception for patients with diabetes. Future research should aim to replicate this finding in larger and different samples, and to examine the potential role of mindfulness during difficulties in mindfulness-based interventions for patients with diabetes.
Engaging a rural agricultural community in sustainability indicators and future scenario identification: case of San Luis Valley

This paper describes a process of engagement with representative community stakeholders in a rural agricultural region—San Luis Valley (SLV) in southern Colorado—that helped identify locally relevant future sustainability scenarios to model and analyze using sustainability indicators. Over the course of two years, researchers and the community advisory board identified, deliberated, and, based on their input, conceptually framed future scenarios for modeling and analysis. The suggested scenarios (for modeling) that emerged through this engagement process were future solar energy development in the region, and changes to the cropping regime in the valley. SLV is a unique, geographically isolated agricultural region that has been looked at both by EPA and the state of Colorado as an ideal location for implementing sustainability measures. As a result of the present research, SLV now has the capacity to use local data to update region-specific greenhouse gas emissions and consumptive water use models. We find the community engagement process was successful both in terms of its usefulness in steering the research direction as well as its impact on community stakeholders involved in this project. Based on our experience, we recommend this community engagement approach to researchers seeking to improve the relevance and impact of region-specific sustainability analyses.
An Evaluation of the Minimal-MUMCUT Logic Criterion and Prime Path Coverage.

This paper presents comparisons of the MinimalMUMCUT logic criterion and prime path coverage. A theoretical comparison of the two criteria is performed in terms of (1) how well tests satisfying one criterion satisfy the other and (2) fault detection. We then compare the criteria experimentally. For 22 programs, we develop tests to satisfy Minimal-MUMCUT and prime path coverage. We use these tests in two separate experiments. First we measure the effectiveness of the tests developed for one criterion in terms of the other. Next we investigate the ability of the test sets to find actual faults. Faults are seeded via a mutation tool and then supplemented with mutants created by DNF logic mutation operators. We then measure the number of non-equivalent mutants killed by each test set. Results indicate that while prime path-adequate test sets are closer to satisfying Minimal-MUMCUT than vice versa, the criteria had similar fault detection and MinimalMUMCUT required fewer tests.
The Visual System in Teleost Fishes: Morphological Patterns and Trends

Information on the organization of the nervous system in vertebrates has increased tremendously during the past twenty years, primarily spurred by new experimental techniques for tracing pathways (Nauta and Ebbesson 1970; Cowan and Cuenod 1975; Heimer and RoBards 1981). One focus of this experimental flurry has been the visual system of teleost fishes (Table 21.1). However, most of these studies have focused on cypriniform teleosts, specifically the common goldfish, Carassius auratus, whose visual system has been adopted as a model in the analysis of general problems of development and plasticity. Alternatively, one or another species has been the focus of an opportunistic analysis, in which some particularly well-developed visual character facilitates recognition of its biological role. Phyletic analyses, representing a third approach, have been infrequent and usually lack rigor. Such analyses should include the following steps: (1) an examination of the characters in a number of taxa; (2) recognition of the patterns of character distribution; (3) determination of the polarity of character transformations (i.e., recognizing homologous characters and determining which are primitive—plesiomorphic—and which are derived—apomorphic); (4) formulation and testing of hypotheses regarding these transformations and their underlying mechanisms. The theory and practice of phylogenetic systematics (Hennig 1966; Eldredge and Cracraft 1980; Wiley 1981; Northcutt 1984a, 1985) appear to provide the most rigorous criteria for such analyses.
Exploring the Feasibility of Converting the Mardi Gras Hotel and Casino into a Casino Boutique Hotel

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 PART I 4 Problem Statement 4 Purpose of the Study 4 Limitation 4 Definitions of Terms 5 PART II 7 Boutique Hotel 7 Feasibility Study 11 Conclusion 13 PART III Feasibility Study 14 Executive Summary 15 Marketing 17 SWOT 23 Historic Analysis 23 Organizational Structure 24 Hotel Operations 24 Financial Plan 26 Risk Management 28 Conclusion 29 WORKS CITED 30
TOWARDS EMPLOYMENT OF THE SEVERELY PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED

ABSTRACT This paper reports efforts to place a severely physically handicapped person into a gainful employment situation. The underlying philosophy is that an inexpensive microprocessor based computer can be used as an effective interface between the worker and the workspace. The task consisted of client screening by a VR counselor, physical capabilities testing, mockup workspace, and final specification of the workspace. It was concluded for one client that mouth stick input is as fast as single finger input from an able-bodied population. More importantly the results suggest that a smaller keyboard positioned just below the CRT would require less head and neck movement. A multitasking computer operating system was designed and implemented on a 6502-based microcomputer.
Biology of echinostomes except Echinostoma.

This review examines the significant literature on the biology of echinostomes, except Echinostoma, for the following species rich genera: Echinoparyphium, Echinochasmus, Himasthla, and Hypoderaeum. Coverage of these genera includes descriptive studies, life cycle studies, experimental and manipulative studies, and biochemical and molecular studies. Coverage of other echinostome genera, i.e., Petasiger, Euparyphium, Stephanoprora, Isthmiophora, Acanthoparyphium, and Patagifer was mainly concerned with descriptive and life cycle studies. Some groups that are considered echinostome-like were covered because species in these genera have medical, economic, or biological significance (particularly Parorchis, Philophthalmus, and Ribeiroia). A dominant theme of the review is the availability of key species of echinostomes for use in biological research; coverage also includes methods for obtaining and maintaining these organisms in the laboratory. Some species with significant medical, veterinary, and biological importance that have been covered extensively include the Echinoparyphium recurvatum species complex, Echinochasmus liliputanus, Himasthla quissetensis, Himasthla rhigadana, and Hypoderaeum conoideum.
A specific, promoter-independent activity of T7 RNA polymerase suggests a general model for DNA/RNA editing in single subunit RNA Polymerases.

Insertional RNA editing has been observed and characterized in mitochondria of myxomycetes. The single subunit mitochondrial RNA polymerase adds nontemplated nucleotides co-transcriptionally to produce functional tRNA, rRNA and mRNAs with full genetic information. Addition of nontemplated nucleotides to the 3′ ends of RNAs have been observed in polymerases related to the mitochondrial RNA polymerase. This activity has been observed with T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP), the well characterized prototype of the single subunit polymerases, as a nonspecific addition of nucleotides to the 3′ end of T7 RNAP transcripts in vitro. Here we show that this novel activity is an editing activity that can add specific ribonucleotides to 3′ ends of RNA or DNA when oligonucleotides, able to form intramolecular or intermolecular hairpin loops with recessed 3′ ends, are added to T7 RNA polymerase in the presence of at least one ribonucleotide triphosphate. Specific ribonucleotides are added to the recessed 3′ ends through Watson-Crick base pairing with the non-base paired nucleotide adjacent to the 3′ end. Optimization of this activity is obtained through alteration of the lengths of the 5′-extension, hairpin loop, and hairpin duplex. These properties define a T7 RNAP activity different from either transcriptional elongation or initiation.
Africans in the Palace: The Testimony of Taj al-Saltana Qajar from the Royal Harem in Iran

Historians of African history estimate that between one and two million enslaved Africans were exported from the East Coast of Africa into the Indian Ocean slave trade during the nineteenth century to Arabia, Iran, India, and further east. But, the history of Africans in the Indian Ocean Diaspora is almost unknown. This chapter attempts to begin an historical exploration of a particular population of African women, those enslaved in the court of Nasir al-Din Shah Qajar (1831–1896) in Iran.
The Death Penalty on the Ballot: American Democracy and the Fate of Capital Punishment

Investigating the attitudes about capital punishment in contemporary America, this book poses the question: can ending the death penalty be done democratically? How is it that a liberal democracy like the United States shares the distinction of being a leading proponent of the death penalty with some of the world's most repressive regimes? Reporting on the first study of initiative and referendum processes used to decide the fate of the death penalty in the United States, this book explains how these processes have played an important, but generally neglected, role in the recent history of America's death penalty. While numerous scholars have argued that the death penalty is incompatible with democracy and that it cannot be reconciled with democracy's underlying commitment to respect the equal dignity of all, Professor Austin Sarat offers the first study of what happens when the public gets to decide on the fate of capital punishment.
Methodological Approaches and Recommendations for Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Applications in HF/E Research.

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to systematically document current methods and protocols employed when using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) techniques in human factors and e...
Online Primal-Dual Methods With Measurement Feedback for Time-Varying Convex Optimization

This paper addresses the design and analysis of feedback-based online algorithms to control systems or networked systems based on performance objectives and engineering constraints that may evolve over time. The emerging time-varying convex optimization formalism is leveraged to model optimal operational trajectories of the systems, as well as explicit local and network-level operational constraints. Departing from existing batch and feed-forward optimization approaches, the design of the algorithms capitalizes on an online implementation of primal-dual projected-gradient methods; the gradient steps are, however, suitably modified to accommodate feedback from the system in the form of measurements, hence, the term “online optimization with feedback.” By virtue of this approach, the resultant algorithms can cope with model mismatches in the algebraic representation of the system states and outputs, they avoid pervasive measurements of exogenous inputs, and they naturally lend themselves to a distributed implementation. Under suitable assumptions, analytical convergence claims are established in terms of dynamic regret. Furthermore, when the synthesis of the feedback-based online algorithms is based on a regularized Lagrangian function, $\boldsymbol{Q}$ -linear convergence to solutions of the time-varying optimization problem is shown.
Cultivating a way of being and doing: Individual strategies for physician well-being and resilience

The practice of medicine is rewarding on many levels, but demands of the work can result in mental and emotional exhaustion, self-isolation, burnout, depression, suicidal ideation and tragically, completed suicide. It is critical to have effective strategies to address the unique stressors of a medical career, mitigate burnout, and buffer the physiologic toll of chronic stress. Using Zwack and Schweitzer's widely published description of approaches to maintaining resilience and approaches to wellness, we have organized these strategies into three broad domains relevant to medical practice: (1) gratification (connection and communication, meaning and purpose); (2) resilience building practices (self-reflection, time for oneself, self-compassion, spirituality); and (3) useful attitudes (acceptance, flexibility, self-awareness). Several techniques are described including mindfulness-based stress reduction, narrative medicine, skillful communication, and practices in self-compassion, gratitude, and spirituality. The focus of the work is to introduce a spectrum of resilience strategies for individual consideration that can be tailored and combined to meet a physician's changing needs over the course of medical training and practice.
Highly Diastereoselective Functionalization of Piperidines by Photoredox-Catalyzed α-Amino C-H Arylation and Epimerization.

We report a photoredox-catalyzed α-amino C–H arylation reaction of highly substituted piperidine derivatives with electron-deficient cyano(hetero)arenes. The scope and limitations of the reaction w...