cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clustering and hybrid routing in mobile ad hoc networks

This dissertation focuses on clustering and hybrid routing in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANET). Specifically, we study two different network-layer virtual infrastructures proposed for MANET: the explicit cluster infrastructure and the implicit zone infrastructure. In the first part of the dissertation, we propose a novel clustering scheme based on a number of properties of diameter-2 graphs to provide a general-purpose virtual infrastructure for MANET. Compared to virtual infrastructures with central nodes, our virtual infrastructure is more symmetric and stable, but still light-weight. In our clustering scheme, cluster initialization naturally blends into cluster maintenance, showing the unity between these two operations. We call our algorithm tree-based since cluster merge and split operations are performed based on a spanning tree maintained at some specific nodes. Extensive simulation results have shown the effectiveness of our clustering scheme when compared to other schemes proposed in the literature. In the second part of the dissertation, we propose TZRP (Two-Zone Routing Protocol) as a hybrid routing framework that can balance the tradeoffs between pure proactive, fuzzy proactive, and reactive routing approaches more effectively in a wide range of network conditions. In TZRP, each node maintains two zones: a Crisp Zone for proactive routing and efficient bordercasting, and a Fuzzy Zone for heuristic routing using imprecise locality information. The perimeter of the Crisp Zone is the boundary between pure proactive routing and fuzzy proactive routing, and the perimeter of the Fuzzy Zone is the boundary between proactive routing and reactive routing. By adjusting the sizes of these two zones, a reduced total routing control overhead can be achieved.
Introduction to Learning

This chapter presents the basic definitions and notation related to the problem of learning from data samples. It shows how a learner (e.g., classifier) is built, and its performance is evaluated using multiple real and academic examples.
Office Building Safety and Health

Office building safety and health , Office building safety and health , کتابخانه دیجیتالی دانشگاه علوم پزشکی و خدمات درمانی شهید بهشتی
A Postcolonial Perspective: Law and the Literary World:

This commentary shows the advantages of a postcolonial approach to law and literature, using Nuruddin Farah’s novel Maps as a suggestive case study to examine Somalia’s laws and literature and the ...
Resveratrol regulates neuro-inflammation and induces adaptive immunity in Alzheimer's disease.

Treatment of mild-moderate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) subjects (N = 119) for 52 weeks with the SIRT1 activator resveratrol (up to 1 g by mouth twice daily) attenuates progressive declines in CSF Aβ40 levels and activities of daily living (ADL) scores. For this retrospective study, we examined banked CSF and plasma samples from a subset of AD subjects with CSF Aβ42 <600 ng/ml (biomarker-confirmed AD) at baseline (N = 19 resveratrol-treated and N = 19 placebo-treated). We utilized multiplex Xmap technology to measure markers of neurodegenerative disease and metalloproteinases (MMPs) in parallel in CSF and plasma samples. Compared to the placebo-treated group, at 52 weeks, resveratrol markedly reduced CSF MMP9 and increased macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), interleukin (IL)-4, and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2. Compared to baseline, resveratrol increased plasma MMP10 and decreased IL-12P40, IL12P70, and RANTES. In this subset analysis, resveratrol treatment attenuated declines in mini-mental status examination (MMSE) scores, change in ADL (ADCS-ADL) scores, and CSF Aβ42 levels during the 52-week trial, but did not alter tau levels. Collectively, these data suggest that resveratrol decreases CSF MMP9, modulates neuro-inflammation, and induces adaptive immunity. SIRT1 activation may be a viable target for treatment or prevention of neurodegenerative disorders. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01504854
Learned Helplessness and Sexual Risk Taking in Adolescent and Young Adult African American Females.

Abstract Research involving adolescent and young African American (AA) females has demonstrated that they face uncontrollable obstacles which can interfere with the negotiation of safer sexual behaviors. If these obstacles are perceived as uncontrollable, then these females may be at risk for the development of Learned Helplessness (LH). As the LH model predicts, if these obstacles are believed not to be in their control, it may lead to deficits in motivational or cognitive decision-making, deficits that could certainly influence their sexual risk taking behaviors. Therefore, the primary objective for this pilot study was to trial the Learned Helplessness Scale (LHS) to examine the perceptions of LH in this population. A convenience sample of 50 adolescent and young AA females between the ages of 16 and 21 were recruited from two clinics in Southeast Michigan. Scores on the LHS ranged from 20 to 57, with a mean score of 39.1 (standard deviation = 10.49). The higher range of scores in the sample demonstrat...
Screening for Recurrence and Secondary Cancers

The population of adult cancer survivors is increasing over time and they are at risk of developing recurrent and secondary cancers, even years after completion of treatment. Post-treatment care of survivors is increasingly the responsibility of primary care providers. Surveillance for recurrence and screening for secondary malignancies related to treatment depend largely on the primary malignancy, treatment regimen, and presence of a hereditary cancer syndrome, such as a BRCA mutation. This article presents surveillance strategies for the most common malignancies.
Image denosing and deblurring using framelet decomposition

The proposal of new efficient noise removal and deblurring methods are significant challenge in image processing. Wavelet algorithms are commonly used for denoising. Although wavelet algorithm is very efficient for denoising and deblurring, it suffers from shift variance. In order to overcome shift variance, a proposed algorithm known as Framelet algorithm is used to eliminate noise and blur using thresholding. Results considering images corrupted by Gaussian noise and motion blur are reported. The performance of denoising and deblurring are estimated by Peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) and Structural similarity index measure (SSIM).
The effect of self-control on drinking outcomes is mediated by automatic appetitive responses to alcohol

Abstract While trait self-control has typically been conceptualized as the ability to successfully inhibit responses to temptation, recent research has suggested that those who report higher levels of self-control may also experience less responsivity to tempting cues. To explore the question of whether the association between trait self-control and alcohol use among drinkers may be a function of weakened appetitive responses to alcohol cues, we utilized an alcohol-specific Implicit Association Task. One hundred twenty-two undergraduate drinkers completed the Brief Self-Control Scale, the alcohol-approach Implicit Association Test, and the Daily Drinking Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the direct and indirect effects (through automatic appetitive responses to alcohol) of self-control on drinking outcomes, controlling for gender. Consistent with the hypothesis, automatic alcohol associations were found to partially mediate the relationship between trait self-control and both per-occasion alcohol use and the frequency of heavy drinking episodes. These results support the idea that those who exhibit high levels of trait self-control may drink less, in part, because they experience weaker automatic alcohol-approach associations in response to alcohol-related cues.
School resource officers, safety, and discipline: Perceptions and experiences across racial/ethnic groups in Minnesota secondary schools

Abstract School resource officers (SROs) are commonplace in schools, but little research has examined students' views of these officers. This study used a large school-based sample (N = 126,868) to test associations between the awareness of presence and perceptions of SROs, school safety and disciplinary experiences, and differences by race/ethnicity. 71% of students reported awareness of an SRO and perceptions were fairly neutral. Four of six racial/ethnic groups had no statistical difference in feeling safe associated with SRO presence, and perceptions of SROs were associated with feeling safe (OR = 1.08) and small decreases in discipline experiences (OR = 0.87). Interaction terms indicated that students of Color had smaller benefits related to SROs than White students. SRO programs may deserve critical review and further training to improve well-being among students of all backgrounds.
Drug Dosing in Acute Kidney Injury

It is clear that alterations in renal function will alter medication excretion. However, the type of renal dysfunction may affect other parameters of drug handling. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) influences drug disposition through changes in several pharmacokinetic characteristics. Common pharmacokinetic abnormalities seen in patients with CKD include reduced oral absorption and glomerular filtration, altered tubular secretion and reabsorption, and changes in intestinal and hepatic clearance. Conversely, patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) without preexisting renal dysfunction may handle drugs differently than those patients with CKD or end-stage renal disease. Thus, dosing stratagems extrapolated from patients with CKD may result in subtherapeutic drug concentrations and ineffective treatment. Achieving a balance between under- and overdosing requires rigorous monitoring and individualized dosing. Several published reviews have discussed in great detail drug dosing strategies in CKD and/or patients with AKI receiving renal replacement therapies. This review will focus on key concepts surrounding the dosing of medications in patients with AKI not receiving renal replacement therapies.
Cognitive Effects of Aromatase and Possible Role in Memory Disorders

Diverse cognitive functions in many vertebrate species are influenced by local conversion of androgens to 17β-estradiol (E2) by aromatase. This enzyme is highly expressed in various brain regions across species, with some inter-species variation in terms of regional brain expression. Since women with breast cancer and men and women with other disorders are often treated with aromatase inhibitors (AI), these populations might be especially vulnerable to cognitive deficits due to low neuroE2 synthesis, i.e., synthesis of E2 directly within the brain. Animal models have been useful in deciphering aromatase effects on cognitive functions. Consequences of AI administration at various life cycle stages have been assessed on auditory, song processing, and spatial memory in birds and various aspects of cognition in rodent models. Additionally, cognitive deficits have been described in aromatase knockout (ArKO) mice that systemically lack this gene throughout their lifespan. This review will consider evidence to date that AI treatment in male and female rodent models, birds, and humans results in cognitive impairments. How brain aromatase regulates cognitive function throughout the lifespan, and gaps in current knowledge will be considered, along with future directions to better define how aromatase might guide learning and memory from early development through the geriatric period. Better understanding the importance of E2 synthesis on neurobehavioral responses at various ages will likely aid in the discovery of therapeutic strategies to prevent potential cognitive deficits, including Alzheimer's Disease, in individuals treated with AI or those possessing CYP19 gene polymorphisms, as well as cognitive effects of normal aging that may be related to changes in brain aromatase activity.
The influence of built environment features on crowdsourced physiological responses of pedestrians in neighborhoods

Abstract With the growth of interest in walkable neighborhoods, various efforts have been made to investigate to determine what kinds of built environment features induce physical and physiological discomfort in pedestrians in a neighborhood. Traditional evaluation approaches primarily rely on opinion surveys and field observation (e.g., neighborhood surveys and visual inspection) completed by pedestrians and trained auditors respectively, both of which require considerable time and funding. Additionally, visual audit and opinion survey methods are not free from subjectivity concerns. In this paper, we propose and test a novel approach to assess conditions of walkable environment by using body responses. The paper utilizes crowdsourced physiological data from pedestrians (e.g., gait stability, gait acceleration, and relative heart rate) to examine the interaction between built environment features and pedestrians' physical activities in a neighborhood. In an experiment conducted in Havelock neighborhood of Lincoln, Nebraska, subjects were asked to walk a pre-defined path of 1.26 km while bearing a wearable inertial measurement units (IMU) sensor, a wristband-type wearable device, and a smartphone. Additionally, subjects were asked to provide a subjective assessment of subsegments on a scale of 0 to 10. With these data, we investigate the relationship between physiological responses and the existing built environment features encountered by subjects. Our findings indicate that physiological response has a statistically significant relationship with built environment features and subjective ratings. The outcomes of the research will help improve the evaluation methods of built environment features and will promote neighborhood walkability.
Generalizing to generalize: when (and when not) to be compositional in task structure learning

Abstract Humans routinely face novel environments in which they have to generalize in order toact adaptively. However, doing so involves the non-trivial challenge of deciding which aspects of a task domain to generalize. While it is sometimes appropriate to simply re-use a learned behavior, often adaptive generalization entails recombining distinct components of knowledge acquired across multiple contexts. Theoretical work has suggested a computational trade-off in which it can be more or less useful to learn and generalize aspects of task structure jointly or compositionally, depending on previous task statistics, but empirical studies are lacking. Here we develop a series of navigation tasks which manipulate the statistics of goal values (“what to do”) and state transitions (“how to do it”) across contexts, and assess whether human subjects generalize these task components separately or conjunctively. We find that human generalization is sensitive to the statistics of the previously experienced task domain, favoring compositional or conjunctive generalization when the task statistics are indicative of such structures, and a mixture of the two when they are more ambiguous. These results support the predictions of a normative “meta-generalization learning” agent that does not only generalize previous knowledge but also generalizes the statistical structure most likely to support generalization. Author Note This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation Proposal 1460604 “How Prefrontal Cortex Augments Reinforcement Learning” to MJF. We thank Mark Ho for providing code used in the behavioral task. We thank Matt Nassar for helpful discussions. Correspondence should be addressed to Nicholas T. Franklin (nfranklin@fas.harvard.edu) or Michael J. Frank (michael_frank@brown.edu).
Creating a Context for Girl of Color Ways of Knowing through Feminist of Color Playwriting.

This article investigates how playwriting served three middle school Black girls within a larger practitioner research study seeking to better understand the literate practices of girls of color. It delves into the ways that playwriting provided the girls in an afterschool writing club opportunities to explore both their knowledge and ways of knowing, rooted in their cultural, gendered, and racialized experiences, and, in turn, share these with others, within an academic setting. It points to the necessity for creating writing pedagogies that celebrate experiential, cultural, emotional, and relational knowledge, using playwriting as an example.
Cross-Modal Peer Polyvictimization and Teen Dating Violence

ABSTRACTResearch suggests that polyvictimization, or exposure to multiple types of victimization, has significant negative consequences for adolescents. Given emphasis on peer and dating relationsh...
Energy barriers for Pb adatom diffusion on stepped ultrathin Pb(111) quantum nanofilms: First-principles calculations

Various properties of Pb(111) nanofilms, prototypical quantum films, have been studied extensively. However, key ab initio-level energy barriers for Pb adatom diffusion on stepped Pb(111) nanofilm surfaces are still not available. Using first-principles density functional theory, we calculate these barriers for films with thicknesses of few monolayers (ML). We find that two-atom exchange is always much more favorable than direct hopping to cross A- or B-type steps. Ehrlich-Schwoebel (ES) barriers for downward transport to a higher-coordination step-edge site depend strongly on the film thickness. For such transport from 2- to 1-ML terraces, or from 4- to 3-ML terraces, there is no an ES barrier, but large ES barriers of more than 100 meV are found from 3- to 2-ML terraces. We also obtain the barriers for diffusion along the step edges and find that these step-edge barriers are significantly larger than terrace diffusion barriers. In addition, we analyze energetics for diffusion on the top flat surface of a nanofilm supported on a vicinal surface, and thus having underlying buried or ghost steps. We quantify the tilted potential energy surface in both ghost A- and B-step regions separating 2- and 3-ML (as well as 3- and 4-ML) terraces. Consequences are discussed for the growth kinetics of supported Pb nanofilms, where the support does not strongly affect electronic states within the film.
Optically computed optical coherence tomography for volumetric imaging

We describe an innovative optically computed optical coherence tomography (OC-OCT) technology. The OC-OCT system performs depth resolved imaging by computing the Fourier transform of the interferometric spectra optically. The OC-OCT system modulates the interferometric spectra with Fourier basis function projected to a spatial light modulator and detects the modulated signal without spectral discrimination. The novel, to the best of our knowledge, optical computation strategy enables volumetric OCT imaging without performing mechanical scanning and without the need for Fourier transform in a computer.
New Classification Schemata of Hypersensitivity Adverse Effects After Hyaluronic Acid Injections: Pathophysiology, Treatment Algorithm, and Prevention.

Background Side effects during hyaluronic acid (HA) injection are considered mild and reversible; however, an alarming trend of increased hypersensitivity reactions has recently been reported. Objective The goal of this article is to review the hypersensitivity reactions reported in the literature and, in combination with the authors' experience, to create a classification system to sort the timing and clinical manifestations of these reactions, as well as a treatment schema to manage their clinical course. Methods A literature search using PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Embase databases was performed with no date restrictions. Search terms included "hyaluronic acid and hypersensitivity" and "hyaluronic acid and nodules." Data analyzed included study type, number of subjects, HA filler type, injection location, adverse reaction, timing, treatment, and outcomes. Results Thirty-six studies were identified, documenting hypersensitivity reactions to HA treatment. Twelve cases described events occurring within a week, 6 within a month, and 31 after a month of treatment. Combined with the authors' experience, a new classification system and management of hypersensitivity reactions to HA fillers is proposed of early (up to a week), intermediate (a week to a month), and late (over a month) hypersensitivity reactions. Conclusion The classification system proposed provides objective measurements and management options that can be helpful for physicians to navigate these hypersensitivity reactions and design treatment protocols that provide the best clinical outcomes for their patients.
Galton, Terman, Cox: The Distinctive Volume II in Genetic Studies of Genius:

With just one exception, all of the volumes in Terman’s Genetic Studies of Genius report the results of a longitudinal study of more than a thousand intellectually gifted children. That single exce...
Adopting tipping-point theory to patient transcriptomes unravels gene regulatory network dynamics

Summary Abrupt and irreversible changes (or tipping points) are decisive in disease and normal phenotypic progress. Often, however, computational approaches detect critical-transition signals (CTSs) indicating tipping points from longitudinal data – which often are not available for patient transcriptomes. Here we adopt historical tipping-point approaches to cross-sectional data by modeling high probability spaces of phenotypes. We formulate this task as a generalized CTS-searching problem and derive a robust algorithm to solve it. We construct a comprehensive scoring scheme and successfully apply the scheme to lymphoma, lung-injury, heart-development, and neuroblastoma systems. Thus, we identify a spatial gene-expression feature for systematic dynamics at phenotypic tipping points, which can be exploited to infer functional genetic variations and transcription factors. Our framework (‘BioTIP’) can analyze not only time-course but also cross-sectional transcriptomes and is compatible with noncoding RNA profiles. Additional knowledge discovery that explores the critical transition of a system can be tested using our approach. Highlights Adopting tipping-point theory to transcriptomes Robust framework for the identification of critical-transition signal at tipping points Statistics on a high probability space enables the tipping-point analysis of cross-sectional data Application to gene expression of neuroblastoma reveals a gene regulatory network transition and underlying mechanisms
Caribbean Womanism: decolonial theorizing of Caribbean women’s oppression, survival, and resistance

We propose Caribbean womanism as an integrated decolonial, Caribbeanist, and womanist framework that re-imagines the intellectual and community engagement of the Caribbean diaspora toward region-fa...
Epstein-Barr virus reactivation induced myeloperoxidase-specific antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO-ANCA)-associated vasculitis

We present a patient with systemic symptoms including 4 months of dyspnoea worsened with exertion, fatigue, rhinorrhoea, intermittent facial swelling, generalised lymphadenopathy and weight loss. Laboratory studies demonstrated proteinuria and eosinophilia. His serology was consistent with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) reactivation. A lymph node biopsy was consistent with EBV-associated reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. He was told to continue symptomatic treatment for EBV infection. After several admissions, vasculitis workup and myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA) studies were positive. Evolution of clinical symptoms, laboratory parameters and our literature review suggested the diagnosis of EBV-associated ANCA vasculitis. Steroids were started after the patient continued to deteriorate; the viral load started increasing, so we added valganciclovir with favourable clinical response and no relapse during the follow-up for 6 months. This suggests that with evidence of viraemia (primary or reactivation), antiviral treatment likely has clinical benefit while immunosuppression is being considered.
Probing the Hydrogen Bonding of the Ferrous-NO Heme Center of nNOS by Pulsed Electron Paramagnetic Resonance.

Oxidation of l-arginine (l-Arg) to nitric oxide (NO) by NO synthase (NOS) takes place at the heme active site. It is of current interest to study structures of the heme species that activates O2 and transforms the substrate. The NOS ferrous–NO complex is a close mimic of the obligatory ferric (hydro)peroxo intermediate in NOS catalysis. In this work, pulsed electron–nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy was used to probe the hydrogen bonding of the NO ligand in the ferrous–NO heme center of neuronal NOS (nNOS) without a substrate and with l-Arg or N-hydroxy-l-arginine (NOHA) substrates. Unexpectedly, no H-bonding interaction connecting the NO ligand to the active site water molecule or the Arg substrate was detected, in contrast to the results obtained by X-ray crystallography for the Arg-bound nNOS heme domain [Li et al. J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 2006, 11, 753−768]. The nearby exchangeable proton in both the no-substrate and Arg-containing nNOS samples is located outside the H-bonding range and, on t...
Sitosterolemia and Other Rare Sterol Disorders

Rare monogenic disorders that disrupt sterol metabolism are now increasingly recognized as causing human disease and, more importantly, specific therapies that can prevent or ameliorate the complications are increasingly available. Thus, genetic defects that were thought previously to be exoteric or where no treatments could be offered are now beginning to populate the treatable spectrum of disease. These diseases, by definition of being rare, affect less than 1000 people in the USA. The key to diagnosing these conditions is the knowledge of these conditions. Sterol (as opposed to steroid) disorders include those that are caused by defects involving sterol synthesis genes, typically involving the postsqualene intermediates, or sterol breakdown genes (typically the bile acid pathway) or pathways that regulate sterol absorption and excretion. This chapter highlights one example in each of these pathways to illustrate the current state of the art, elucidate diagnostic procedures, and highlight specific therapies, where available.
Methodology to estimate the economic, emissions, and energy benefits from combined heat and power systems based on system component efficiencies

SUMMARY This paper presents a methodology to estimate the economic, emissions, and energy benefits that could be obtained from a base loaded CHP system using screening parameters and system component efficiencies. On the basis of the location of the system and the facility power to heat ratio, the power that must be supplied by a base loaded CHP system in order to potentially achieve cost, emissions, or primary energy savings can be estimated. A base loaded CHP system is analyzed in nine US cities in different climate zones, which differ in both the local electricity generation fuel mix and local electricity prices. Its potential to produce economic, emissions, and energy savings is quantified on the basis of the minimum fraction of the useful heat to the heat recovered by the CHP system (φmin). The values for φmin are determined for each location in terms of cost, emissions, and energy. Results indicate that in terms of cost, four of the nine evaluated cities (Houston, San Francisco, Boulder, and Duluth) do not need to use any of the heat recovered by the CHP system to potentially generate cost savings. On the other hand, in cities such as Seattle, around 86% of the recovered heat needs to be used to potentially provide cost savings. In terms of emissions, only Chicago, Boulder, and Duluth are able to reduce emissions without using any of the recovered heat. In terms of primary energy consumption, only Chicago and Duluth do not require the use of any of the recovered heat to yield primary energy savings. For the rest of the evaluated cities, some of the recovered heat must be used in order to reduce the primary energy consumption with respect to the reference case. In addition, the effect of the efficiency of the power generation unit and the facility power to heat ratio on the potential of the CHP system to reduce cost, emissions, and primary energy is investigated, and a graphical method is presented for examining the trade-offs between power to heat ratio, base loading fraction, percentage of recovered heat used, and minimum ratios for cost, emissions, and primary energy. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electromagnetic modeling of the TPX coils and the cold structure

The poloidal field and the vertical stability control coil systems for the Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX) have time varying currents which breakdown and initiate the plasma current, provide the volt seconds necessary to ramp the plasma current to 2 MA, and maintain the plasma shape and position. The effects of the 3-D eddy currents induced in the cold structure of the machine on the Joule heating of the TF cell support structure, as well as on the quality of the field during the plasma breakdown and initiation phase are analysed in this paper.
A current-fed resonant inverter for high-frequency high-power applications

A current-fed series resonant inverter suitable for high-frequency, high-power applications is introduced and analyzed. Steady-state characteristics of the inverter are obtained using a normalized state-space model. The switches' stresses and the resonant components' ratings are obtained for various controlling parameters, such as the switching-to-resonant frequency ratio and the Q-factor of the resonant tank circuit. These curves are used in designing the inverter for different values of input current, output voltage, power, and frequency. >
Flag-Shipping ‘Indicators’ for Green-Campus Transitions and Sustainability: A Case-Study of Learner-Centered Projects at Loyola, Secunderabad

The present study seeks a participatory ‘eclectic’ approach towards indexing green campus initiatives at Loyola Academy, Secunderabad, in about two decades. The undergraduate learner-centered projects, reviewed ‘a priori’ and by backcasting, are apparently flagship indicators for green campus transitions and sustainability. Participatory action research and applied human ecology ‘tools and techniques’ are the real keys on the pathways to transitions. A participatory tool-box is a component of the learning curve and research experience.
A review of prenatal home-visiting effectiveness for improving birth outcomes.

ABSTRACT Objective To determine the effectiveness of prenatal home visiting for improving prenatal care utilization and preventing preterm birth and low birth weight. Data Sources Medline, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, and Social Work Abstract databases were searched for articles that examined prenatal home‐visiting and prenatal care utilization or neonatal outcomes, with additional ascendancy and descendancy searches. Listservs were also used to identify unpublished evaluations. Study Selection Quantitative studies meeting the following criteria were included in the analyses: published between 1985 and 2009, published in English, reported providing prenatal home visiting, and reported on prenatal care utilization or a neonatal outcome. Data Extraction Study characteristics and findings related to prenatal care utilization, gestational age, and birth weight were abstracted independently by at least two authors. Study quality was assessed across five domains. Data Synthesis The search yielded 28 studies comparing outcomes for women who did and did not receive prenatal home visiting, with 14 (59%) using an RCT design. Five (17%) studies reporting on prenatal care utilization found a statistically significant improvement in use of prenatal care for women with home visiting. Of 24 studies reporting an effect on birth outcomes, five (21%) found a significant positive effect on gestational age, and seven of 17 (41%) found a significant positive effect on birth weight. Conclusions More evidence suggests that prenatal home visiting may improve the use of prenatal care, whereas less evidence exists that it improves neonatal birth weight or gestational age. These findings have implications for implementing Title II of the Affordable Care Act.
Weighting for a Plausible Humean Theory of Reasons

This paper addresses the two extensional objections to the Humean Theory of Reasons—that it allows for too many reasons, and that it allows for too few. Although I won’t argue so here, many of the other objections to the Humean Theory of Reasons turn on assuming that it cannot successfully deal with these two objections.1 What I will argue, is that the force of the too many and the too few objections to the Humean Theory depend on whether we assume that Humeans are committed to a thesis about the weight of reasons—one I call Proportionalism. In particular, I’ll show how a version of the Humean Theory that rejects Proportionalism can reasonably hope to escape both the too many and the too few objections. This will constitute my defense of this version of the Humean Theory. But then, separately, I will argue that this defense of the Humean Theory is not ad hoc. I’ll argue that Humeans have no reason to accept Proportionalism in the first place. Or at least, no weighty one. There are three parts to the paper. In Part 1 we introduce the Humean Theory and the too few reasons objection. I’ll first lay out the objection, and then lay out the basis for a response on behalf of my favored version of the Humean Theory. There will be an obvious objection to my defense— but it will turn out to depend on the assumption of Proportionalism. This will constitute my argument that the susceptibility of the Humean Theory to
Locally compact abelian groups with trivial multiplier group

Abstract LCA groups with trivial multiplier group are characterized. It is found that every LCA group with nontrivial multiplier group has an “irreducible” quotient with the same property, and the irreducible groups are described.
A systems approach to planning large-scale, integrated health care facilities

This paper presents an overview of a systems approach being implemented within the Kaiser-Permanente Medical Care Program (KPMCP) for the planning of large-scale, integrated health care facilities. This approach was motivated by the increasing change and complexity of factors, both external and internal to KPMCP, that now require more systematic treatment and that before were handled by more intuitive approaches. Among others, these factors include dealing with increasing regulation from government agencies and accommodating the active participation of knowledgeable personnel to ensure the continuation of a progressive and innovative system. Described within, along with more general issues, are various computer models, based upon Kaiser concepts and data that have been developed to facilitate the effective allocation of resources.
Oxygen penetration into silicon carbide ceramics during oxidation

Abstract The penetration of oxygen into polycrystalline silicon carbide ceramics, in advance of the oxide/substrate interface, during oxidation for 1–100 hrs at 1200–1400°C was studied using SIMS and TEM techniques. Fully dense hot pressed ceramics containing aluminum additives, with and without an oxide grain boundary phase and CVD silucon carbide exhibited sharp interfaces. Sintered silicon carbides with boron and carbon additives (∼ 97% dense) and aluminum carbide additive (∼ 90% dense) exhibited a region of oxygen penetration ∼10–15 μm in depth beneath the oxides scale, the depth of which was insensitive to the time and temperature of oxidation. The amorphous oxide phase in this zone was located at three and four grain junctions but the two grain junctions were unaffected in this zone by oxidation. This oxygen affected region, which is responsible for the slow crack growth susceptibility of these ceramics after oxydation, results from gaseous oxygen penetration along interconnected or nearly interconnected pores and oxidation of impurity laden channels and SiC surfaces. The depth of penetration is presumably limited by closure of the channels by the oxidation products.
CO adsorption on clean and C-, O- and H-covered Mo(110) surfaces: an IRAS study

The adsorption of CO on clean and O-, C- and H-precovered Mo(110) surfaces has been studied using infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS). For a low CO exposure (⩽ 2 L) at a sample temperature of 90 K, CO on a Mo(110) surface shows no IR features in the 1800–2200 cm−1 frequency region, and is thus likely bound to the substrate with the C-O axis tilted with respect to the surface normal. By an exposure of ≈4 L, CO features at 2004 and 1888 cm−1 are evident, and interpreted to correspond to linear and bridging CO, respectively. Saturation CO on Mo(110) at 90 K shows a single peak at 2033 cm−1 which splits into two peaks at 2031 and 2014 cm−1 upon heating to 160 K due to the formation of ordered CO islands. Adsorption of O2; induces two CO IR peaks at 2062 and 1983 cm−1 which are believed to arise from CO molecules that have an indirect (via the Mo substrate) and a direct electronic interaction with O, respectively. CO on a C-covered Mo(110) surface displays an IR peak at 2085 cm−1. The invariant frequency of this peak at various C coverages indicates that the C forms two-dimensional islands which grow via a mechanism of expansion at the island edges. Coadsorption of H with CO on a Mod 10) surface results in a splitting of the linear CO band. The peak induced at 2008 cm−1 is attributed to CO adsorbed in the vicinity of H.
Delay differential analysis of time series

Nonlinear dynamical system analysis based on embedding theory has been used for modeling and prediction, but it also has applications to signal detection and classification of time series. An embedding creates a multidimensional geometrical object from a single time series. Traditionally either delay or derivative embeddings have been used. The delay embedding is composed of delayed versions of the signal, and the derivative embedding is composed of successive derivatives of the signal. The delay embedding has been extended to nonuniform embeddings to take multiple timescales into account. Both embeddings provide information on the underlying dynamical system without having direct access to all the system variables. Delay differential analysis is based on functional embeddings, a combination of the derivative embedding with nonuniform delay embeddings. Small delay differential equation DDE models that best represent relevant dynamic features of time series data are selected from a pool of candidate models for detection or classification. We show that the properties of DDEs support spectral analysis in the time domain where nonlinear correlation functions are used to detect frequencies, frequency and phase couplings, and bispectra. These can be efficiently computed with short time windows and are robust to noise. For frequency analysis, this framework is a multivariate extension of discrete Fourier transform DFT, and for higher-order spectra, it is a linear and multivariate alternative to multidimensional fast Fourier transform of multidimensional correlations. This method can be applied to short or sparse time series and can be extended to cross-trial and cross-channel spectra if multiple short data segments of the same experiment are available. Together, this time-domain toolbox provides higher temporal resolution, increased frequency and phase coupling information, and it allows an easy and straightforward implementation of higher-order spectra across time compared with frequency-based methods such as the DFT and cross-spectral analysis.
Crowd caption correction (CCC)

Captions can be found in a variety of media, including television programs, movies, webinars and telecollaboration meetings. Although very helpful, captions sometimes have errors, such as misinterpretations of what was said, missing words and misspellings of technical terms and proper names. Due to the labor intensive nature of captioning, caption providers may not have the time or in some cases, the background knowledge of meeting content, that would be needed to correct errors in the captions. The Crowd Caption Correction (CCC) feature (and service) addresses this issue by allowing meeting participants or third party individuals to make corrections to captions in realtime during a meeting. Additionally, the feature also uses the captions to create a transcript of all captions broadcast during the meeting, which users can save and reference both during the meeting and at a later date. The feature will be available as a part of the Open Access Tool Tray System (OATTS) suite of open source widgets developed under the University of Wisconsin-Madison Trace Center Telecommunications RERC. The OATTS suite is designed to increase access to information during telecollaboration for individuals with a variety of disabilities.
Selumetinib (AZD6244; ARRY-142886) in the treatment of metastatic melanoma

Introduction : Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in men and seventh most common in women in the USA, and prognosis for patients with advanced melanoma is poor. The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling pathway is essential for proliferation and survival of melanoma cells. Effective inhibition of MAP kinase kinase (MEK) protein has been shown to downregulate the MAP kinase pathway, resulting in melanoma cell growth arrest and apoptosis. Selumetinib is an orally available, selective non-ATP-competitive MEK1 and MEK2 inhibitor. Areas covered : In this review, the authors discuss the rationale for MEK inhibition therapy in melanoma and summarize data from the preclinical and clinical studies of selumetinib for advanced melanoma. Expert opinion : As a majority of advanced melanomas have an activated MAP kinase signal transduction pathway, there is a strong preclinical rationale for investigating selumetinib in patients with metastatic melanoma. The results of early clinical studies of selumet...
Isolation and characterization of a marine methanogenic bacterium from the biofilm of a shiphull in Los Angeles harbor

A marine mesophilic, irregular coccoid methanogen, which shows close resemblance toMethanococcus sp., was isolated from the biofilm of shiphulls docked in Los Angeles harbor. Hydrogen plus carbon dioxide or formate served as substrates for methanogenesis in a mineral salt medium. The isolate did not use acetate and methanol as sole source of carbon and energy. The organism had an optimal pH range of 6.8–7.0 and a temperature optimum of 37°C. Elevated levels of sodium chloride were required for optimum growth. Optimum levels of total sulfide and magnesium chloride for growth were 1.0mm and 10mm respectively. The isolate used ammonia as nitrogen source. The concentration of 30mm ammonium chloride supported maximum growth of the isolate.
A strategic theory of effective monitoring arrangements for international institutions

States often delegate compliance monitoring to international monitors. It is commomly assumed that these monitors will report accurately on the information they gather. However, the effectiveness of compliance monitors varies widely. Monitors may fail to collect information about non-compliance or even collude with non-compliant states and deliberately fail to report the information they gather. To explain this variation, we present a formal theory of how structural conditions and institutional designs lead to different levels of monitoring efficacy. We show that international institutions can improve monitoring by avoiding ruthless sanctions, and that intrinsically motivated monitors generally achieve better outcomes than neutral bureaucrats. Our theory contributes to the broad literature on international institutional design and treaty effectiveness.
Emerging roles for chromatin as a signal integration and storage platform

Cells of a multicellular organism, all containing nearly identical genetic information, respond to differentiation cues in variable ways. In addition, cells are plastic, able to execute their specialized function while maintaining the ability to adapt to environmental changes. This is achieved through multiple mechanisms, including the direct regulation of chromatin-based processes in response to stimuli. How signal transduction pathways directly communicate with chromatin to change the epigenetic landscape is poorly understood. The preponderance of covalent modifications on histone tails coupled with a relatively small number of functional outputs raises the possibility that chromatin acts as a site of signal integration and storage.
STIMULI ELICITING DISTRESS CALLS IN ADULT PASSERINES AND RESPONSE OF PREDATORS AND BIRDS TO THEIR BROADCAST

This study examined the response of birds and captive predators to the broadcast of distress calls and the effect of different stimuli on the elicitation ofthese calls. In doing so, this study tested two hypotheses about why adult passerines should distress call when physically constrained: the calls are designed 1) to attract attention, or 2) to startle the predator into releasing the caller. Birds often responded to both interspecific and intraspecific distress calls by approaching the sound source, but they rarely mobbed or engaged in any behavior that would aid the caller in escaping. The playback of a distress call had little effect on most captive opossums (Didelphis marsupialis) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) which were attacking a caged starling (Slurnus vulgaris). However, distress calls startled one opossum and two raccoons and provoked two other raccoons into a more severe attack. Birds only distress called when physically constrained. All passerine species that were tested, except brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater), emitted distress calls, but in no species did every individual call. Distress calls usually were of short duration, interrupted by periods of silence, and paired with struggling behavior. Birds were more likely to distress call when held by the limbs rather than the body or neck, when moved, or when viewing a rapidly approaching object. These results indicate that one function of distress calls for most passerines is to startle the predator, but that other functions also are likely. My results also support the hypothesis that birds approach a distress caller to acquire information about the predator that has captured the caller.
P-11: Analysis of Light-Guide Warp in a 14.1-in. LCD Backlight for Notebook PCs

At the production line for our 14.1-inch LCD modules, arc-shaped wrinkles on the optical sheets and concentric circle patterns on the screen appeared after aging of the panels. The cause of these problems was found to be dome-shaped warp of the light guide of the backlight unit. Analysis of these phenomena led to several ideas on how to prevent these display luminance non-uniformity problems.
An Arbitrage Model for Calculating Firm Beta at Different Leverage Levels

Traditionally, the Hamada Equation is used to estimate a firm’s levered beta. However, a major drawback of the Hamada Equation is its assumption that the cost of debt is equal to the risk free rate at all levels of debt. In this paper, we develop an alternative model that could be applied by practitioners to estimate levered betas. The primary advantage of our approach is that it does not require Hamada’s assumption that the cost of debt is equal to the risk free rate. Our model is based on the concept that the target or proposed debt level for the firm being evaluated can be replicated via a stock portfolio. In an efficient market where arbitrage can occur, the beta for the firm at the target debt level may be derived from the beta of the replicated stock portfolio.