cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The implementation of the ICF among Israeli rehabilitation centers – The case of physical therapy

The extent of the implementation of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), developed by the WHO, in rehabilitation units and in physical therapy (PT) departments is unknown. The study aims to describe the extent to which the ICF has been implemented in PT services within rehabilitation units in Israel. To update data on ICF implementation since its inception. An online semi-structured survey was administered to 25 physiotherapists in charge of PT departments in all rehabilitation units throughout Israel. Rehabilitation units were grouped into three categories: general, geriatric and pediatric. The questionnaire included items regarding the ICF implementation, its strengths, and weaknesses. Twenty two physiotherapists (88%) completed the questionnaire. The majority was familiar with the ICF and nearly two thirds reported partial implementation in their units. Implementation focused mostly on adopting the biopsychosocial concepts and using ICF terms. The ICF was not used either for evaluating patients, or for reporting or encoding patient information. Physiotherapists, directors of most Israeli PT departments in rehabilitation units are familiar with the ICF; however, its clinical implementation is very limited. There is need for further research into the processes of knowledge transfer and implementation of the ICF, in order to better understand the factors that facilitate and those that impede ICF implementation.
Breast muscle development in commercial broiler chickens

Genetic and gender-related variations in breast muscle yield of broiler chickens may be attributed to differences in number and size of muscle cells (myofibers). In this study, male and female broilers from eight commercial strain crosses (SC) were compared for body and breast muscle weight with adjustment of the Gompertz function. Additionally, breast fillet dimensions (length, width, and depth) and myofiber density (myofiber number/area; MFD) were assessed. Live weight and breast muscle development was determined to 56 d of age at weekly intervals. MFD was assessed at 8 d of age. As expected, SC differed in BW, breast weight and yield, and breast fillet dimensions and had variations in growth curves. Maximal growth rate for breast weight was reached approximately 4 d after that of BW. Males and females showed different growth curves, with males having slower growth rate maturity parameter and reaching the maximal growth rate later than females for BW and breast weight. Breast depth was the breast measure with highest positive correlation to breast yield. SC differences could not be explained by MFD, but males had higher MFD density than females. The possible relationship of the MFD observations to total myofiber number is discussed.
The Case against World Theatre History

Few people would suggest that theatre historians should categorically avoid studying the theatre of lands that are conventionally spoken of as “non-Western,” but it is apparent that world theatre history is frequently taken to be problematic in one or more ways. This chapter examines why that might be so, presenting eight arguments against world theatre history. Anyone interested in the global perspective needs to understand these arguments, if only to be able to contest them. The first four arguments are practical in nature and concern the difficulties of studying theatre history on a global scale. The following four arguments are ideological, attacking the very idea of world theatre history from a variety of perspectives. While discussing and rebutting these eight arguments, the chapter offers further clarification on what world theatre history entails, and why the academic disinclination toward it is self-defeating for theatre studies.
Synergism between Calcium and Cyclic GMP in Cyclic AMP Response Element-Dependent Transcriptional Regulation Requires Cooperation between CREB and C/EBP-β

Calcium induces transcriptional activation of the fos promoter by activation of the cyclic AMP response element (CRE)-binding protein (CREB), and in some cells its effect is enhanced synergistically by cyclic GMP (cGMP) through an unknown mechanism. We observed calcium-cGMP synergism in neuronal and osteogenic cells which express type II cGMP-dependent protein kinase (G-kinase); the effect on the fos promoter was mediated by the CRE and proportional to G-kinase activity. Dominant negative transcription factors showed involvement of CREB- and C/EBP-related proteins but not of AP-1. Expression of C/EBP-β but not C/EBP-α or -δ enhanced the effects of calcium and cGMP on a CRE-dependent reporter gene. The transactivation potential of full-length CREB fused to the DNA-binding domain of Gal4 was increased synergistically by calcium and cGMP, and overexpression of C/EBP-β enhanced the effect, while a dominant negative C/EBP inhibited it. With a mammalian two-hybrid system, coimmunoprecipitation experiments, and in vitro binding studies, we demonstrated that C/EBP-β and CREB interacted directly; this interaction involved the C terminus of C/EBP-β but occurred independently of CREB's leucine zipper domain. CREB Ser133 phosphorylation was stimulated by calcium but not by cGMP; in cGMP-treated cells, 32PO4 incorporation into C/EBP-β was decreased and C/EBP-β/CRE complexes were increased, suggesting regulation of C/EBP-β functions by G-kinase-dependent dephosphorylation. C/EBP-β and CREB associated with the fos promoter in intact cells, and the amount of promoter-associated C/EBP-β was increased by calcium and cGMP. We conclude that calcium and cGMP transcriptional synergism requires cooperation of CREB and C/EBP-β, with calcium and cGMP modulating the phosphorylation states of CREB and C/EBP-β, respectively.
Industry collaboration, scientific sharing, and the dissemination of knowledge:

Robert Merton famously characterized modern science as distinct from other social spheres by the importance of sharing. In contrast, secrecy is often claimed the most frequent method companies empl...
Priming Effects in Complex Information Environments: Reassessing the Impact of News Discourse on Presidential Approval

This paper revisits the original psychological literature on priming in order to assess new possibilities for research on priming effects stimulated by news discourse. We detail some important theoretical limitations of existing priming research; propose a method for studying the dynamics of priming effects in real-world, complex information environments; and illustrate the usefulness of this approach with a case study of opinion change during the 1990–91 Persian Gulf Crisis. This case study documents for the first time the daily dynamics of priming effects in a complex information environment and confirms that priming effects are not merely a function of changes in the volume of news coverage about a given topic. Our findings suggest that news priming effects can be produced by changes in the applicability of relevant knowledge constructs, rather than merely by their temporary accessibility in long-term memory, and by cumulative as well as recent exposure to news coverage.
Neonatal gene transfer with a retroviral vector results in tolerance to human factor IX in mice and dogs.

The effect of neonatal gene transfer on antibody formation was determined using a retroviral vector (RV) expressing human factor IX (hFIX). Normal mice from different strains injected intravenously with RV as newborns achieved therapeutic levels of hFIX without antibody production and were tolerant as adults to challenge with hFIX. Neonatal hemophilia B mice that received different amounts of RV achieved stable and dose-related expression of hFIX without anti-hFIX antibody formation. After protein challenge, antibody formation was markedly reduced for animals that expressed hFIX at levels higher than 14 ng/mL (0.3% of normal). However, antibodies developed for animals that received the lowest dose of RV and expressed hFIX at approximately 2 ng/mL before protein challenge. In dogs, neonatal injection of a high dose of RV resulted in 500 ng/mL hFIX in plasma without antibody formation. We conclude that neonatal gene transfer with RV does not induce antibody responses to hFIX in mice or dogs and that mice achieving levels greater than 3 1010 M hFIX are usually tolerant to protein injection as adults. Low-dose gene therapy or frequent protein injections in the neonatal period might induce tolerance to subsequent injections of protein with a low risk for adverse effects. (Blood. 2004;103: 143-151)
Human Immunodeficiency Virus And Mycobacterium avium Complex Coinfection Of Monocytoid Cells Results In Reciprocal Enhancement Of Multiplication

Disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection is an important opportunistic infection in AIDS patients. Because cells of macrophage lineage are targets for both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and MAC, the monocytoid cell line U937 was coinfected with both pathogens. Coinfected cultures had increased HIV replication (more than threefold at day 6) and an increased percentage of HIV-infected cells compared with cultures infected only with HIV. The kinetics of HIV replication were significantly increased in this coinfection system as measured by flow cytometry. When cells were infected concurrently, the rate of intracellular growth of MAC was not significantly affected. However, cells preinfected with HIV before infection with MAC showed significant enhancement of MAC growth compared with control cells. The kinetics of cell death were also increased in the coinfection system compared with singly infected controls. Thus, coinfection of monocytoid cells with HIV and MAC in vitro results in reciprocal enhancement of multiplication.
Electrocardiographic abnormalities and reclassification of cardiovascular risk: Insights from NHANES-III

Abstract Background We aimed to assess the additive value of electrocardiogram (ECG) findings to risk prediction models for cardiovascular disease. Methods Our dataset consisted of 6025 individuals with ECG data available from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-III. This is a self-weighting sample with a follow-up of 79,046.84 person-years. The primary outcomes were cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality. We compared 2 models: Framingham Risk Score (FRS) covariates (Model A) and ECG abnormalities added to Model A (Model B), and calculated the net reclassification improvement index (NRI). Results Mean age of our study population was 58.7 years; 45.6% were male and 91.7% were white. At baseline, 54.6% of individuals had ECG abnormalities, of which 545 (9%) died secondary to a cardiovascular event, compared with 194 individuals (3.2%) ( P P P Conclusion Electrocardiographic abnormalities are independent predictors of cardiovascular mortality, and their addition to the FRS improves model discrimination and calibration. Further studies are needed to assess the prospective application of ECG abnormalities in cardiovascular risk prediction in individual subjects.
Microbial community structure and functionality under peanut-based cropping systems in a sandy soil

Little information is available on soil microbial and biochemical properties, important for understanding nutrient cycling and organic matter dynamics, as affected by different peanut cropping systems and how they relate to soil functioning. Thus, we studied a Tifton loamy sand (fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Plinthic Kandiudults) in Georgia, which is first in peanut production in USA, after 5 and 8 years under continuous cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, L) (CtCtCt), cotton–cotton–peanut (CtCtPt), corn (Zea mays L.)–peanut–cotton (CrPtCt), peanut–peanut–cotton (PtPtCt), and continuous peanut (PtPtPt). Soil organic carbon (OC) at 0–20 cm was already higher under PtPtPt (average, 8.7 g C kg−1 soil), PtPtCt (average, 7.7 g C kg−1 soil), and CrPtCt (average, 7.8 g C kg−1 soil) compared with CtCtPt (average, 4.7 g C kg−1 soil) and CtCtCt (average, 3.3 g C kg−1 soil). Similarly, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, and phosphodiesterase as a group showed higher activities under PtPtPt, PtPtCt, and CrPtCt than under CtCtPt and CtCtCt. The activities of glycosidases (α-galactosidase, β-glucosidase, and β-glucosaminidase) as a group were more sensitive to the cropping systems than phosphastases and showed a distinctive cropping system separation as follows: PtPtPt = CrPtCt > PtPtCt > CtCtPt > CtCtCt. Similar to OC and microbial biomass C trends, distinctive differences were found in the microbial community structure of this sandy soil after 8 years between peanut-based cropping systems (CrPtCt, PtPtCt, and PtPtPt) and cotton-based cropping systems (CtCtCt and CtCtPt) as indicated by the fatty acid methyl esters profiles.
Reversal of brain dysfunction with UV-A1 irradiation in a patient with systemic lupus.

Low-dose ultraviolet A-1 (UV-A1; 340-400nm) bodily irradiation significantly reduces clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). As neuropsychiatric-likesymptoms respond prominently, a single patient was selected to undergo positron emission tomography (PET) before and after therapy to determine the effects of the therapy on the brain. The functional changes in 18F-deoxyglucose uptake as determined by PET imaging in this SLE patient indicated that improvement in brain function paralleled the reversal of cognitive deficits noted after the administration 160kJ of bodily UV-A1 irradiationadministeredthree times a week. Also of interest is that the UV-A1 irradiation, for the first time, ameliorated discoid lupus rashes, presumably due to a systemic action, as the lesions were for the first time covered during therapy.
The Drosophila Gene hid Is a Direct Molecular Target of Ras-Dependent Survival Signaling

Extracellular growth factors are required for the survival of most animal cells. They often signal through the activation of the Ras pathway. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Ras signaling inhibits the intrinsic cell death machinery are not well understood. Here, we present evidence that in Drosophila, activation of the Ras pathway specifically inhibits the proapoptotic activity of the gene head involution defective (hid). By using transgenic animals and cultured cells, we show that MAPK phosphorylation sites in Hid are critical for this response. These findings define a novel mechanism by which growth factor signaling directly inactivates a critical component of the intrinsic cell death machinery. These studies provide further insights into the function of ras as an oncogene.
Comparison of NCAR Community Climate Model (CCM) climates

The simulated mean January and July climates of four versions of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate Model (CCM) are compared. The models include standard configurations of CCM1 and CCM2, as well as two widely-cited research versions, the Global Environmental and Ecological Simulation of Interactive Systems (GENESIS) model and the Climate Sensitivity and Carbon Dioxide (CSC02) model. Each CCM version was integrated for 10 years with a horizontal spectral resolution of rhomboidal 15 (R15). Additionally, the standard T42 version of CCM2 was integrated for 20 years. Monthly mean, annually repeating climatological sea surface temperatures provided a lower boundary condition for each of the model simulations. The CCM troposphere is generally too cold, especially in the polar upper troposphere in the summer hemisphere. This is least severe in CCM2 and most pronounced in CCM1. CSC02 is an exception with a substantial warm bias, especially in the tropical upper troposphere. Corresponding biases are evident in atmospheric moisture. The overall superior CCM2 thermodynamic behavior is principally compromised by a large warm and moist bias over the Northern Hemisphere middle and high latitudes during summer. Differences between the simulated and observed stationary wave patterns reveal sizeable amplitude errors and phase shifts in all CCM versions. A common problem evident in the upper troposphere is an erroneous cyclone pair that straddles the equatorial central Pacific in January. The overall January stationary wave error pattern in CCM2 and CSCO2 is suggestive of a reverse Pacific-North American teleconnection pattern originating from the tropical central Pacific. During July, common regional biases include simulated North Pacific troughs that are stronger and shifted to the west of observations, and each model overestimates the strength of the anticyclone pair associated with the summer monsoon circulation over India. The simulated major convergence and divergence centers tend to be very localized in all CCM versions, with a tendency in each model for the maximum divergent centers to be unrelistically concentrated in monsoon regions and tied to regions of steep orography. Maxima in CCM-simulated precipitation correspond to the simulated outflow maxima and are generally larger than observational estimates, and the associated atmospheric latent heating appears to contribute to the stationary wave errors. Comparisons of simulated radiative quantities to satellite measurements reveal that the overall CCM2 radiative balance is better than in the other CCM versions. An error common to all models is that too much solar radiation is absorbed in the middle latitudes during summer.
Alcohol withdrawal convulsions in genetically different populations of mice.

The question whether alcoholism is inherited is a complex one. Some human populations have much higher rates of alcoholism than others. Genetic differences between populations might explain their alcoholism rates but it is equally likely that cultural habits determine the extent of drinking in a given population and thus secondarily account for the incidence of alcoholism. When the heritability of alcoholism has been examined by methods that rule out cultural differences, the results suggest that there is indeed a genetic component. Studies of twins (Kaij, 1960; Partanen et al, 1966) and of adopted sons of alcoholic biological parents (Schuckit, 1972; Goodwin et al, 1973) show a high incidence of alcoholism in relatives of alcoholics.
The Lung Is Protected from Spontaneous Inflammation by Autophagy in Myeloid Cells

The lung is constantly exposed to the outer environment; thus, it must maintain a state of immune ignorance or tolerance not to overrespond to harmless environmental stimuli. How cells in the lung control immune responses under nonpathogenic condition is not fully understood. In this study, we found that autophagy plays a critical role in the lung-specific immune regulation that prevents spontaneous inflammation. Autophagy in pulmonary myeloid cells plays a role in maintaining low burdens of environmental microbes in the lung, as well as in lowering mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production and preventing overresponse to TLR4 ligands in alveolar macrophages. Based on these mechanisms, we also found that intranasal instillation of antibiotics or an inhibitor of reactive oxygen species was efficient in preventing spontaneous pulmonary inflammation. Thus, autophagy in myeloid cells, particularly alveolar macrophages, is critical for inhibiting spontaneous pulmonary inflammation, and pulmonary inflammation caused by dysfunctional autophagy is pharmacologically prevented.
Tin disulfide segregation on CZTS films sulfurized at high pressure

Abstract CZTS thin films were synthesized by annealing of Zn, Cu, and Sn stacked layers under sulfur atmosphere. Pressure was controlled by varying the mass of the sulfur charges introduced into the closed annealing chamber. Films sulfurized at higher pressure show clear segregation of hexagonal SnS 2 , suggesting that Sn reacts with gaseous sulfur to form a solid-state phase, leading to an inhomogeneous 3D film morphology. Lower pressure synthesis yields uniform layers mainly composed of CZTS. Variations in film morphology suggest that different reaction pathways take place as the pressure is raised. Formation of gaseous SnS is favored at lower pressure, while nucleation of solid SnS 2 preferentially occurs at higher pressure. Influence of the cooling rate after annealing was also studied. We have found that this strongly affects the film stoichiometry, while the film morphology did not show relevant dependence on this parameter.
Police Comfort and Victims

Abstract Research has shown that the nature of interactions with police can impact victim recovery from trauma, satisfaction with police, and cooperation within the criminal justice system. However, evaluations of police effectiveness often view crime prevention as the “bottom line” for successful policing while overlooking the socioemotive factors that are actually important to victims. Drawing on the attributional and blaming literature for conceptual guidance, the present research examines 1,865 police-victim encounters from a large-scale observational study in an attempt to better understand the relationship between victim characteristics and police comforting behavior. The findings indicate that a number of factors affect the likelihood of whether comfort will be offered by police officers to victims. More specifically, female and middle- to upper-class victims were more likely to be comforted by police officers, as were those exhibiting signs of injury or depression. However, those encounters involv...
Zoo animal welfare

The history of zoo animal welfare legislation extends back to 1876, and is often tied to general animal welfare regulations. As knowledge and societal values have changed, so have the focus of zoos and the regulations governing them. Today, the issues involved in zoo animal welfare are complex and broad-based. Building on the basic welfare tenets of adequate feed, water, shelter, sanitation and veterinary care, current issues include the following: handling and training of captive animals, psychological well-being and environmental enrichment, enclosure design, species preservation, environmental and conservation issues, captive-breeding programmes. Complicating the matter further, government regulations try to assimilate all aspects of zoo animal welfare into the laws to provide humane care and handling for all species concerned. Zoo animal welfare will remain a challenging area, as increasing demands are placed on zoos and regulatory agencies to manage this diminishing resource.
The Effect of Chief Risk Officer and Risk Committee Expertise on Risk Management

Financial volatility and the recent financial crisis have turned the spotlight on enterprise risk management (ERM). Yet, high quality ERM is difficult to define and in many ways, poorly understood. Further, little is known about the individuals occupying key risk management positions within the firm and their effect on ERM system quality and firm-level risk. While the resource-based theory of the firm suggests that expertise in key risk management positions will be beneficial, institutional theories of corporate governance suggest that these positions might be created simply as "window dressing" in response to pressure from regulators and investors. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of the role played by the expertise of the chief risk officer (CRO) and risk committee members in (1) achieving/implementing a high quality ERM system, and (2) addressing the underlying risk objectives and outcomes of the firm. Results show that CRO expertise is related to higher quality ERM, in addition to lower levels of total risk, strategic risk and internal control risk. Risk committee expertise is related to lower levels of total risk and material weaknesses. Additional tests show that supervisory expertise of the CRO and industry expertise of the risk committee are driving results. Findings in this study should inform investors and regulators of the importance of the individuals occupying key risk management roles within the firm and help further understanding of the determinants and benefits of high quality ERM.
Stratagems and heuristics in the recruitment of children into communities of hate: The fabric of our future nightmares

The purpose of this work is to examine the techniques used by the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan to recruit children to their organization through their “Just for Kids” Web site. For reasons described in the present work, this site is significant and highly accessible to children. The theoretical lens developed for this research was derived from Whillock's (1995) analysis of the hate stratagem (a technique used to influence through trickery) and the literature on persuasive heuristics (persuasive cues that enhance the likelihood children will process the persuasive message uncritically). It is concluded that reliance on trickery and the encouragement of superficial message processing provide an ideal climate for the operation of hate appeals. The article discusses the implications this work has for our understanding of the hate stratagem, antiracist discourse, communicative interventions, and critical analyses of racist discourse.
What Influences the Location of Nonprofit Organizations? A Spatial Analysis in Brazil

What are the local characteristics influencing where new nonprofits will be established? How important are community needs, available resources, or the existence of similar organizations for nonprofits’ location? This paper analyzes how the characteristics of 5562 Brazilian municipalities in the year 2000 help explain the location of nonprofits formed between 2001 and 2010. Based on geographically weighted regressions, results indicate that neither access to resources nor poor socioeconomic indicators are powerful influences on nonprofit location in Brazilian municipalities. The main predictor of nonprofit entry is a high pre-existing density of nonprofits in that area. These findings, however, vary across regions and nonprofit fields of activity. By mapping the effect of key explanatory variables, this paper helps understand nonprofit location. The methodology and findings on nonprofit location presented here are novel and may contribute to research in other countries.
Evaluation and Management of Women and Newborns with a Maternal Diagnosis of Chorioamnionitis: Summary of a Workshop

In January 2015, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development invited an expert panel to a workshop to address numerous knowledge gaps and to provide evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and management of pregnant women with what had been commonly called chorioamnionitis and the neonates born to these women. The panel noted that the term chorioamnionitis has been used to label a heterogeneous array of conditions characterized by infection and inflammation or both with a consequent great variation in clinical practice for mothers and their newborns. Therefore, the panel proposed to replace the term chorioamnionitis with a more general, descriptive term: "intrauterine inflammation or infection or both," abbreviated as "Triple I." The panel proposed a classification for Triple I and recommended approaches to evaluation and management of pregnant women and their newborns with a diagnosis of Triple I. It is particularly important to recognize that an isolated maternal fever is not synonymous with chorioamnionitis. A research agenda was proposed to further refine the definition and management of this complex group of conditions. This article provides a summary of the workshop presentations and discussions.
Another Such Victory? Term Limits, Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Right to the Representation

If proponents of state-imposed term limits score a victory in the term limit debate, the victory will likely come with extraordinary costs. Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment provides that if a state denies or abridges the right to vote, the state may be required to forfeit Congressional representatives and electoral votes. Opponents of state-imposed term limits claim the only qualifications to run for public office are those listed in the Qualifications Clause of Article 1. However, term limits can be viewed more as requirements for the "manner" in which a candidate is elected, rather than a qualification. Proponents of term-limits are hopeful Section 2 will give them license to implement term limits under the auspices of a state’s authority to manage elections; although, imposing term limits may come with a high cost. While the authors of Section 2 might have been primarily concerned with disenfranchisement on the basis of race or color, the provisions of Section 2 could have other applications. Term limits do not bar a citizen’s access to the polls, but they do restrict the citizen’s choice of candidates. The Supreme Court has characterized limits on the choice of candidates as impairments on voters’ ability to express political preferences. If such limitations are viewed as abridgements, states may be penalized. Therefore, enacting state-imposed term limits may lead to a Pyrrhic victory of sorts. Regardless, it will be for states to decide whether to heed Section 2’s warning as they did at time of the Fourteenth Amendment’s adoption.
Comparison of Pallidal and Subthalamic Stimulation on Force Control in Patient's with Parkinson's Disease

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of unilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) on the control and coordination of grasping forces produced by Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Ten advanced PD patients with unilateral DBS in the globus pallidus (GPi) or the subthalamic nucleus (STN) (5 patients in each group) performed a functional bimanual dexterous manipulation task. Experiments were performed in the "Off" medication state with DBS "On" and "Off. " DBS resulted in (a) significant clinical improvements, (b) greater maximum grip force for both limbs, (c) reduced movement time, and (d) bilateral coupling of grasping forces. There were no significant differences between the GPi and STN groups for any clinical or kinematic measures. DBS of the GPi and STN leads to an improvement in the motor functioning of advanced PD patients. Improvement in force-timing specification during DBS might allow PD patients to employ a feedforward method of force control.
Agenda setting and active audiences in online coverage of human trafficking

ABSTRACTOnline news platforms and social media increasingly influence the public agenda on social issues such as human trafficking. Yet despite the popularity of online news and the availability of sophisticated tools for analyzing digital texts, little is known about the relations between news coverage of human trafficking and audiences’ reactions to and interpretations of such coverage. In this paper, we examine journalists’ and commenters’ topic choices in coverage and discussion of human trafficking in the British newspaper The Guardian from 2009 to 2014. We use latent semantic analysis to identify 11 topics discussed by both journalists and readers, and analyze each topic in terms of the degree to which journalists and readers agree or disagree in their topic preferences. We find that four topics were preferred equally by journalists and commenters, four were preferred by journalists, and three were preferred by commenters. Our findings suggest that theories of ‘agenda setting’ and of the ‘active aud...
Continuous cultivation of West African soils: Organic matter diminution and effects of applied lime and phosphorus

Five years of sustained cropping of cleared ferallitic and alluvial soils in Sierra Leone reduced the organic matter originally under bush of both soils by 50 per cent and the cation exchange capacities by 30 per cent. The rate of organic matter loss was sharply reduced after the 3rd year and organic matter cycling was stabilized by the 5th year. It was predicted that this equilibrium could be sustained after the 5th year provided that other factors of soil fertility have not become degraded.
Resources on the Presidency: An ERIC/ChESS Sample

The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) system encompasses the world's largest and most frequendy used educational database. This database con tains over 900,000 records with approxi mately 13,000 new documents added each year. These include journal articles, re search papers, books, conference proceed ings, government documents, and many others. One of the greatest strengths of the database is the interdisciplinary nature of its inclusion. The selected documents below represent a fraction of those related to the presidency in the ERIC system. They in clude coverage from fields as diverse as science, rhetoric, and journalism, as well as the more traditional social studies. The EJ designation at the beginning of the record identifies the source as an educa tional journal. These are easily located in most academic libraries or are available through interlibrary loan. Those items pre ceded by an ED designation are also avail able in many libraries; copies may be ordered from the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). For additional informa tion, contact EDRS, 7420 Fullerton Road, Suite 110, Springfield, Virg. 22153-2852; call (800) 443-3742; or e-mail edrs@ineted.gov. The ERIC Clearinghouse on Social Stud ies/Social Science Education (ChESS) wel comes requests for searches regarding any aspect of social studies from lesson plans/ instructional materials to research articles and/or general information. Please contact: Matthew Paris, Information Specialist, ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/ Social Science Education, (800) 266-3815; email: mjparis@indiana.edu EJ 514 627. "Competing Foreign Policy Visions: Rhetorical Hybrids after the Cold War," by Mary E. Stuckey. Western Journal of Communication 59 (Sum mer 1995): 214-27. Examines ways in which two very differ ent political actors, George Bush and Bill Clinton, attempted to construct a new for eign policy consensus by blending the rhe torical forms of the Cold War with other foreign policy metaphors. Argues that these hybrids have not proven persuasive as justi fications for American actions in foreign policy.
Real-Time Infrared–Mechano-Optical Behavior and Structural Evolution of Polypropylene and Hydroxyl-Functionalized Polypropylene during Uniaxial Deformation

This paper focuses on the real-time mechano-optical behavior of hydroxyl-functionalized polypropylene (PPOH) copolymer containing 0.4 mol % comonomer of 10-hydroxy-1-undecene and its comparison with unmodified polypropylene (PP). The mechano-optical behavior of the two polymers was studied in the partially molten state during four different processing steps—heating, stretching, annealing, and cooling—with an integrated system that combined uniaxial stretching with real-time spectral birefringence and real-time ultrarapid-scan polarized FTIR measurements. While the material response was dominated by the crystalline network in both polymers, the presence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl groups was found to affect the structural evolution of the PPOH copolymer more significantly compared to the PP homopolymer. The PPOH copolymer exhibited not only lower crystallinity and smaller crystals but also a lower extent of lamella thickening at similar deformation conditions due to steric hindr...
Transcriptional Regulation of Cytosolic Sulfotransferase 1C2 by Vitamin D Receptor in LS180 Human Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Cells

The factors that regulate expression of genes in the 1C family of human cytosolic sulfotransferases (SULT1C) are not well understood. In a recent study evaluating the effects of a panel of transcription factor activators on SULT1C family member expression in LS180 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, we found that SULT1C2 expression was significantly increased by 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VitD3) treatment. The objective of our current study was to identify the mechanism responsible for VitD3-mediated activation of SULT1C2 transcription. VitD3 treatment of LS180 cells activated transcription of a transfected luciferase reporter plasmid that contained ∼5 kilobase pairs (kbp) of the SULT1C2 gene, which included 402 nucleotides (nt) of the noncoding exon 1, all of intron 1, and 21 nt of exon 2. Although computational analysis of the VitD3-responsive region of the SULT1C2 gene identified a pregnane X receptor (PXR)-binding site within exon 1, the transfected 5 kbp SULT1C2 reporter was not activated by treatment with rifampicin, a prototypical PXR agonist. However, deletion or mutation of the predicted PXR-binding site abolished VitD3-mediated SULT1C2 transcriptional activation, identifying the site as a functional vitamin D response element (VDRE). We further demonstrated that vitamin D receptor (VDR) can interact directly with the SULT1C2 VDRE sequence using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based transcription factor binding assay. In conclusion, VitD3-inducible SULT1C2 transcription is mediated through a VDRE in exon 1. These results suggest a role for SULT1C2 in VitD3-regulated physiologic processes in human intestine.
Research on the Distribution of the Magnaporthe grisea Physiological race and in Sanjiang Plain Resistance Performance of the Mainl Rice Varieties

In order to the regularities of distribution of Magnaporthe grisea physiological race in Sanjiang Plain,adopted 7uniformed of identification to monitor the physiological race in 2011,in which 7groups,19China strains were detected,they were:ZA1,ZA49,ZA53,ZA57,ZA61,ZB1,ZB5,ZB17,ZB21,ZC1,ZC2,ZC5,ZD1,ZD5,ZD7,ZE1,ZF1,ZF2,ZG1.Group ZD had the highest flora frequency,followed by group ZB,group ZA,whose frequency of occurrence were respectively 39.9%,19.3%,15.6% and they were the main flora in Sanjiang plain currently.The frequency of occurrence of strain ZD5,ZB1,ZD1were reaching 28.2%,11.6%,10.7%,respectively,all of them which had advantages in production.Part of the physiological race were strong pathogenicity to the major varieties in Heilongjiang,including Kongyu 131,Kendao 12,Longjing 25,Longjing 26,Longjing 24,Longjing 27,Kenjiandao 6.Especially Kongyu 131,Kendao 12,Longjing 26,Longjing 27,all of which had race identification susceptibility.While physiological races were weak pothogenicity to Longjing 21,Suijing 12,Suijing 7,Songjing 9,Songjing 8,Songjing 6.Longjing 20,Longjing 29,Suijing 9,Songjing 12,Beidao 3were the varieties of high disease resistance,which disease resisted to most of the physiological races.
In vitro photoacoustic sensing of calcium dynamics with Arsenazo III.

Imaging of cellular electric potential via calcium-ion sensitive contrast agents is a useful tool, but current techniques lack sufficient depth penetration. We explore contrast-enhanced photoacoustic (PA) imaging, using Arsenazo III dye, to visualize cardiac myocyte depolarization in vitro. Phantom results show strong linearity of PA signal with dye concentration (R 2 > 0.95), and agree spectrally with extinction measurements with varying calcium concentration. Cell studies indicate a significant (>100-fold) increase in PA signal for dye-treated cells, as well as a 10-fold increase in peak-to-peak variation during a 30 s window. This suggests contrast-enhanced PA imaging may have sufficient sensitivity and specificity for depth-resolved visualization of tissue depolarization in real-time.
Instructional Design: Skills to Benefit the Library Profession

Librarians in many types of libraries frequently find themselves positioned as instructors in formal and informal educational settings. Librarians can help ensure that learner needs are better defined and addressed by gaining basic competency in instructional design (ID), an intentional process used to create effective, efficient educational and training programs. Additionally, instructional design skills have the potential to benefit librarians in nonteaching roles. This paper examines existing library literature to determine how librarians can benefit from ID skills and to identify core ID competencies for the profession, and suggests opportunities to investigate how librarians might best acquire these skills.
The Problematic State

Students of American politics rarely, if ever, encounter the concept of the “state.” The separation of power that characterizes the American political system invites the use of a different terminology than the one associated with political systems that emerged in the Old World and the other regions of the world colonized by these powers. The state, therefore, is a concept that is more prominent in the fields of comparative politics and international relations. Occasional efforts to avoid the use of the concept in comparative politics, for example, by the comparativists in the 1960s using a structural-functionalist approach, have never succeeded. It has always rebounded and continues to be prominent in the study of politics in all regions outside the United States. A state emerges in response to needs that groups in society have. These needs may emanate from problems with security, welfare, or resolving conflicting demands on scarce resources. Those who occupy positions in the state do so in ways that make them different from the public because their positions carry an element of authority whether that authority was delegated to them or grabbed in the course of dealing with the problem. States historically differ in complexity. Early historical states were quite rudimentary, often the mere extension of the household of a king. More recent examples, notably the welfare state in developed societies, are intricate creations in which citizens as a collectivity have delegated responsibility for much of their daily lives to officials whom they trust will act in their common interests.
Succession Planning for Libraries

ABSTRACTIt is imperative for libraries of all types to be responsive to the forecasted changes in the demographics of the library workforce. Succession planning is a key strategy for ensuring that libraries are prepared to meet changing and emerging organizational needs. Succession planning is broadly defined as a range of activities focused on both internal and external talent development to fill anticipated needs for library leadership and other key personnel. The aim of this article is to offer a number of recommendations relevant for LIS education to help build an awareness of succession planning for future library managers. In particular, practical ideas for course-related activities and assignments that may help to incorporate succession planning more fully into the LIS curriculum are discussed.
Model predictive on-load tap changer control for high penetrations of PV using high resolution resources assessment with sky imager

A control strategy to reduce OLTC operations resulting from high PV penetration on distribution feeders was developed and applied in this paper. The strategy uses 5-minute-ahead solar forecast to derive future voltage states on the distribution feeder. Unnecessary tap operations (TO) are identified as those that are reversed within 5 minutes, likely because of temporary cloudy or clear conditions over adjacent PV systems. Unnecessary TO are eliminated. On a feeder where TO were abundant at over 750 per day on average, the strategy resulted in the avoidance of 56% of the TO, which would result in significant savings in OLTC maintenance costs. Average extreme voltages were not affected by applying the TO reduction techniques. While daily maximum and minimum voltage excursions over the entire feeder slightly increased on several days, statistical analysis demonstrates that these deviations happened very rarely. The strategy is most effective on partly cloudy days and on voltage regulators with a large number of TO, while the fraction of avoided TO decreased substantially for less than 10 to 40 TO per day. The control algorithm was shown to be robust against forecast errors inherent in state-of-the art sky imager forecasts.
Application of Statistical Random Sampling and Bayesian Updating in Planning for Terra-Cotta Façade Inspection

AbstractIn this paper, an application of statistical random sampling and probabilistic Bayesian updating for planning building facade inspection is introduced. The application method presented is specifically for facades made up of terra-cotta blocks, for which a mode of damage is deterioration in their metal anchors as a result of corrosion. Using this method, an initial probability distribution for the proportion of blocks with damaged metal anchors is assumed; a limited number of blocks is then randomly selected, the blocks are removed, and the state of damage in their metal anchors is investigated. Based on the results of this initial investigation, a Bayesian approach is used for updating information on the proportion of blocks with damaged metal anchors to modify the damage probability distribution, and a damage index is then introduced, based on the updated results. This index can be used as a decision-making tool in determining the state of the health of the facade and planning for the next step i...
Early post-transplant conversion from tacrolimus to belatacept for prolonged delayed graft function improves renal function in kidney transplant recipients

Prolonged delayed graft function (DGF) in kidney transplant recipients imparts a risk of poor allograft function; tacrolimus may be detrimental in this setting. We conducted a retrospective single center analysis of the first 20 patients converted to belatacept for prolonged DGF as part of a clinical protocol as a novel treatment strategy to treat prolonged DGF. Prior to conversion, patients underwent an allograft biopsy to rule out rejection and confirm tubular injury. The primary outcome was the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 12 months post-transplant; secondary outcome was the change in eGFR 30 days post-belatacept conversion. At 1 year post-transplant, the mean eGFR was 54.2 (SD 19.2) mL/min/1.73 m2 . The mean eGFR on the day of belatacept conversion was 16 (SD 12.7) mL/min/1.73 m2 and rose to 43.1 (SD 15.8) mL/min/1.73 m2 30 days post-conversion (P<.0001). The acute rejection rate was 20% with 100% patient survival at 12 months post-transplant. There was one graft loss in the setting of an invasive Aspergillus infection that resulted in withdrawal of immunosuppression and transplant nephrectomy. Belatacept conversion for prolonged DGF is a novel treatment strategy that resulted in an improvement in eGFR. Additional follow-up is warranted to confirm the long-term benefits of this strategy.
Ditching the Middle Class with Financial Regulation

We analyze the effects of a recent piece of consumer protection regulation -- Dodd-Frank -- on mortgage originations. Dodd-Frank aimed at reducing mortgage fees and abuses against vulnerable borrowers, but increased the costs of originating mortgages. We find it triggered a substantial redistribution of credit from middle-class households to wealthy households. Lenders reduced credit to middle-class households by 15%, and increased it to wealthy households by 21%, after controlling for drivers of the demand for housing, local house prices, and foreclosures. Large lenders found it less costly to react to Dodd-Frank. We thus instrument households' exposure to Dodd-Frank with the pre-crisis share of mortgages originated by large lenders in each county. The redistribution of credit from the middle-class to the wealthy was higher in counties more exposed to large lenders, which are similar to other counties. Results hold at the individual-loan level and zip-code level, at the intensive margin (amount lent) and extensive margin (number of loans originated), and for accepted and rejected loans. Changes in the distribution of refinancing loans do not explain the results.
Instant messaging and course diaries

Having students keep a diary in which they are required to reflect on course material is a proven technique for increasing student mastery of a subject. I am interested in the possibility that using instant messaging as the interface for a diary might offer advantages over a hand-written, paper diary. I discuss my initial experiences using an instant messaging diary and outline future plans for this project.