cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Majoring in Computer Science Improve General Problem-solving Skills?

Teaching students to become skillful problem solvers is a goal of university education, but it has been difficult to measure such skill or demonstrate the benefits of particular educational experiences. This paper presents a study of college students solving a problem unrelated to their academic majors. The analysis suggests that the educational experiences of Computer Science (CS) students may better train them in problem-solving than the experiences of other majors. In this study, students from a variety of undergraduate majors and grade levels were given a 15-minute problem-solving task embedded in an interactive science simulation. The complex task calls upon many problem-solving practices needed by scientists and engineers in their professions. Although this task has little resemblance to the problems encountered in a computer science course, CS students performed significantly better than students in any other major. In addition, only for CS students was there an indication of improvement in problem-solving from lower to upper grade levels. We propose that general problem-solving and computational thinking share some common practices, such as problem decomposition and comprehensive data collection. Furthermore, we present preliminary evidence that training in computational thinking is transferable to problem-solving tasks across domains and discuss how the unique features of CS programming assignments could be generalized to other science and engineering courses to foster students' general problem-solving skills.
Concentric Split-Ring Resonator Microwave Microplasma Generation at Off-Resonant Frequencies

The driving frequency of a microstrip concentric split-ring resonator (CSRR) was varied to determine how the generated microplasma changes as a function of frequency, specifically at off-resonant frequencies. The microplasmas were generated in argon at 1 torr, using a forward microwave power level of approximately 10 W. The resonant frequency was experimentally found to be 796 MHz, and measurements were obtained at this frequency and ±10 MHz from resonance. Double Langmuir probe measurements were performed on a 2-D grid, parallel to the surface of the device, to obtain plasma density and electron temperature maps. The results show multiple peaks in plasma properties due to electromagnetic coupling with the nested ring. The electron temperature above the primary discharge gap is 8.5 eV at 786 MHz, 9.5 eV at 796 MHz, and 7.6 eV at 806 MHz. A secondary discharge is also observed above the secondary nested ring gap, and the plasma in this region is generally of lower temperature. The off-resonant operation resulted in lower temperatures and densities, with larger decreases in the 806 MHz case. The electromagnetic response of the device was modeled to understand the electric field in the discharge gap. The modeling revealed that the electric field vectors at the bounds of the discharge gap point in the opposite directions for the 786 and 796 MHz cases, increasing the electric field in the gap, but these vectors point in the same direction for the 806 MHz case, decreasing the electric field.
Survival in Adversity: Trends in Mortality Among Blacks in the United States, 1900–2010:

The goal of this study was to analyze trends in black age-adjusted mortality rates (AADR) from 1900 through 2010 and to propose explanations. Analyses included a descriptive study of trends in AADR from major causes for blacks and age-specific all-cause mortality at each decade. In 1900, all-cause AADRs were higher for blacks than whites. Over the century, differences decreased substantially. Reductions mortality were greatest among young people, lowest among older adults. Deaths from infectious diseases showed the greatest decrease. Heart disease mortality among blacks increased from 1920 to 1950, then decreased by 2010. For men and women, AADRs for cancer rose to a peak in 1990, then declined. Stroke mortality decreased steadily for males and females. AADRs from unintentional injuries (not including motor vehicle injury) decreased gradually. Despite widespread societal resistance, blacks have made substantial gains in a wide range of social determinants of health, such as civil rights, education, employment, income, and housing. Substantial gains remain to be made.
Mutational analysis of radiation-induced subsequent thyroid cancers in pediatric patients.

e22531Background: The genetic landscape of radiation induced pediatric thyroid cancers is unclear. Radiation (RT) induced thyroid cancers frequently demonstrate tumorigenesis driven by fusion oncog...
Vitamin E: Tocopherols and tocotrienol and their role in health and disease

Abstract Vitamin E has been discovered to be an essential compound to maintain pregnancy in rats. It has eight different structurally related compounds: alpha, beta, gamma, and delta tocopherol and tocotrienol. Vitamin E has been reported to be neuroprotective and is effective against cancer. Additionally, it plays a significant role in folliculogenesis, wound healing, NAFLD, and NASH. The FDA has only assigned vitamin E activity to α-tocopherol. However, several studies have demonstrated that tocotrienols possess neuroprotective, antioxidant, anticancer, and cholesterol-lowering properties; thus, tocotrienols have been approved as a food additive in Japan and fortified food with palm-based tocotrienols in France. Moreover, the Malaysian Health Ministry has approved palm-based tocotrienols as a dietary supplement. This chapter summarizes the effect of both forms of vitamin E in different health conditions and emphasizes the need for additional studies with mechanistic approaches to persuade the US FDA to broaden assignment of vitamin E activity to tocotrienols.
Structure–property–performance linkages for heterogenous energetic materials through multi-scale modeling

In porous solid energetic materials, the mechanical processing technique (e.g. casting, pressing) creates defects such as voids, cracks, interfaces, and inclusions; these defects in the microstructure strongly influence the sensitivity of the material to imposed loading. Energy localization at defects causes hotspots; the ignition and growth of hotspots in the microstructure (i.e. the meso-scale) play a crucial role in the macroscale initiation of the material. Predictive models of shock response of energetic materials must connect the meso-scale heterogeneities (structure) and hotspot physics (properties) to macro-scale response (performance and safety). To achieve this structure–property–performance (S–P–P) linkage, SEM-imaged samples of neat pressed HMX are obtained, and morphometry is performed to quantify the microstructure. Since the microstructure is stochastic, the aleatory uncertainties in the morphological parameters are quantified. The link between the microstructure and the key meso-scale quantity of interest—the hotspot ignition and growth rates—is established using reactive meso-scale computations to construct meso-informed surrogate models for energy localization. The surrogate models are used to close homogenized macro-scale governing equations. The performance of the HE at the macro-scale, i.e. its sensitivity to shock loading, is measured via run-to-detonation distances (in Pop plots) and the critical energy required for initiation (in James plots). The predicted critical energy for the material is compared with experimental data. The methods established in this paper can be useful not only for establishing structure–property–performance (S–P–P) linkages for pressed energetic materials, but also for other heterogenous reactive composites such as propellants and plastic-bonded explosives.
The 100 Most Influential Publications on Medulloblastoma: Areas of Past, Current, and Future Focus.

Background This article is the first to identify the most influential articles on medulloblastoma using the citation analysis methodology. Objective To perform a bibliometric analysis of the 100 most-cited articles on medulloblastoma. Methods Using the Web of Science database, search criteria included the title-specific keyword “medulloblastoma” OR “cerebellar primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)” OR “cerebellar PNET.” Publications from 1900 to 2020 labeled “article,” “review,” “data set,” or “clinical trial” were chosen and ranked based on total number of citations in descending order. Each article was evaluated based on the following variables: total citations, average citations per year, first author, institution of first author, title, publication year, country of origin, SCImago Journal Rank, and Scopus SNIP (Source Normalized Impact per Paper). Results Our search yielded 4928 articles on medulloblastoma. The 100 most-cited articles ranged from 192 to 2017 across 42 unique journals; Journal of Clinical Oncology accounted for the most publications (16%). Paul A. Northcott was first author of the most articles on the list (n = 7.7%), and the most widely cited article was “Altered neural cell fates and medulloblastoma in mouse patched mutants” by Goodrich et al., published in Science (1997). Conclusions Because medulloblastoma represents the most common form of pediatric cancerous brain tumor, it is important to identify works that have significantly contributed to the body of knowledge regarding this disease. The 100 most-cited medulloblastoma articles comprise a significant collection of data regarding the histopathologic and molecular classification of medulloblastoma as well as clinical outcomes of therapeutics used to treat this disease.
First Seizure and Epilepsy

A first seizure that is provoked by an acute brain insult is unlikely to recur (3–10%), whereas a first unprovoked seizure has a recurrence risk of 21–45% over the next 2 years. Clinical risk factors that may increase the likelihood of recurrent seizures include a prior brain insult or evidence of neurological injury, an epileptiform EEG or significant abnormality on neuroimaging, and a nocturnal seizure. Patients with any of these features have a >60% likelihood of experiencing seizure recurrence and therefore a working diagnosis of epilepsy. Deciding whether to treat patients who have experienced a first seizure can be challenging. The potential benefit of therapy needs to be contrasted with potential adverse effects of antiseizure medication. The occurrence of a second seizure will usually prompt recommendations to initiate antiseizure medication and subsequent careful monitoring of the patient for ongoing seizures or emerging side-effects of treatment.
The Impact of Internal Audit Function Quality and Contribution on Audit Delay

SUMMARY: The number of days required to complete financial statement audits (i.e., audit delay) increased significantly with the implementation of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX, U.S. H...
Trajectory Optimization for Falsification:A Case Study of Vehicle Rollover Test Generation Based on Black-box Models

Abstract In this paper, we consider optimization of trajectories for automotive vehicle rollover testing. In particular, worst-case trajectories that are most likely to cause rollover accidents are determined through trajectory optimization. Our approach combines online local-model identification and gradient-based input update, and can be applied to black-box type models, e.g., a high-fidelity vehicle dynamics model given as a simulation code and not as an explicit set of equations. With our approach, a library of worst-case trajectories corresponding to different operating conditions (e.g., vehicle mass, road surface conditions, etc.) can be constructed and subsequently used in hardware tests.
Quality and Safety in Healthcare, Part LXXXVIII: Introduction to the Toyota Production System.

ABSTRACT The Toyota Production System (TPS) revolutionized automotive manufacturing and then spread more widely to other manufacturing and service industries, including healthcare. Many of the concepts in the TPS originated from ideas from the quality and production pioneers in the United States. Japanese experts built on these concepts and added many of their own to fashion them together into a comprehensive system. One of the key concepts in the TPS is to reduce waste without sacrificing quality.
Gunshot-Related Upper Extremity Nerve Injuries at a Level 1 Trauma Center.

Purpose Gunshot wounds can result in a spectrum of injuries to nerves, with little data to guide definitive treatment. We performed a retrospective evaluation of gunshot-related upper extremity injuries in an urban trauma center to analyze epidemiology , associated injuries, and short-term outcomes. We hypothesized that gunshot-related injuries would involve soft tissue cavitation, inducing axonotmesis and neuropraxia rather than neurotmesis injuries. Methods All patients over the age of 16 with upper extremity gunshot trauma from May 2018 to May 2019 were identified through the University of Chicago orthopaedic and general surgery trauma databases. Initial nerve injuries were identified by physical examination. Patient demographic data, soft tissue and skeletal injury , treatment modality, and return of function were collected. Results Ballistic injuries in 1302 patients were treated over 12 months. We identified 126 upper extremity gunshot injuries in 117 patients. Thirty-eight upper extremities (38 patients) had a documented nerve deficit (38/126, 30%) with a follow-up rate of 94% (34/36) at a mean of 351 days after injury (median, 202 days; range, 13-929 days). One patient had a subacute transradial amputation, and 1 patient was deceased at final follow-up. The presence of vascular injury and fracture increased the rate of neurologic injury after gunshot injuries. At the most recent follow-up, 68% (23/34) of patients with upper extremity injury had improvement in nerve function as measured by objective clinical assessment, with 24% (8/34) experiencing full recovery at an average of 368 days (median, 261 days; range, 41–929 days). Conclusions Nerve injury after ballistic trauma to the upper extremity is common. Vascular injury and fractures were associated with a higher risk of nerve injury. Short-term improvement in nerve function was seen in over half the cohort, suggesting a predominance of neuropraxic effects. Type of Study/Level of Evidence Prognostic IV.
Designing additively manufactured lattice structures based on deformation mechanisms

Abstract The post-yield mechanical behavior of additively manufactured lattice structures (AMLS) is governed by the interplay between intrinsic (microstructural) and extrinsic (structural topology) properties at different length scales. Herein, we introduce a novel design optimization approach that accounts for scale separation and size effects, which control deformation mechanisms, to achieve a certain targeted macroscopic mechanical response. The new topological designs are guided by finding a direct correlation between the distribution of local stresses within struts and the underlying microstructures. The local stresses are computed using a strut-level yield criterion that has been calibrated to strut-level tensile, compressive, and shear loading experiments. Therefore, the local response of the struts, including tension-compression asymmetry, build direction dependence, and size effects, are accounted for in the yield surface, enabling a more accurate representation of the local stress state. Accurate calculation of the stress state for a given microstructure and topology combination allows for optimizing the topology for the given strut-level microstructure. The interplay between the topology and microstructure is assessed by investigating the unit cell-level deformation mechanisms and quantifying their influence on the global stress-strain relationship via finite element simulations. Using these relationships, a new set of topologies is designed, built, and validated with experiments. On average, the new topologies demonstrate 40% and 72% improvement in energy absorption capacity and flow stress, respectively, compared to topologies that had been previously optimized using constitutive models, which are homogeneous throughout the unit cell. The goal of the presented article is to demonstrate that simultaneously considering the effects of topology and microstructure on the mechanical behavior of AMLS has the potential to substantially improve key performance metrics, including ultimate strength and energy dissipation. The distinguishing and novel feature of our approach is that the topological optimization is performed while accounting for the heterogeneous distribution of strut-level microstructural features and concomitant mechanical behavior, which leads to new insights relative to peak AMLS structural performance.
Deep Learning-Based Ultrasound Imaging Diagnosis for Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonists Treatment of Central Precocious Puberty

To explore the adoption of ultrasound imaging diagnosis based on deep learning of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in the treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP) by gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa), ultrasound imaging based on CNN was utilized to treat CPP. The bone age, uterine and ovarian volume, and breast development of incomplete precocious puberty (IPP) group and CPP group were observed and recorded. The peak values of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured. The uterine and ovarian volume before and after GnRHa treatment of CPP were compared. The results showed that the bone age (9.03 ± 1.07), uterine volume (2.37 ± 1.52), ovarian volume (2.36 ± 0.82 mL), and breast development of the CPP group were considerably higher in contrast to the IPP group and control group ( ). The LH peak (11.97 ± 5.63) and FSH peak (12.89 ± 3.15) of the CPP group were substantially higher relative to the IPP group ( ). The uterine volume (1.06 ± 0.42) and ovarian volume (1.12 ± 0.49) after treatment were inferior to those before treatment ( ). In short, ultrasound images based on deep learning could diagnose precocious puberty, which could also provide a certain basis for GnRHa treatment of CPP, as well as an important basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment of precocious puberty.
Molecular Properties of Cellulose and Cellulose Derivatives

Publisher Summary The molecular properties of cellulose and cellulose derivatives are determined by various methods, such as sample preparation, fractionation, membrane osmometry, vapor pressure osmometry, light scattering, viscometry, sedimentation velocity, and adiabatic compressibility. The cellulose derivatives are basically derived by the nuclear magnetic resonance study of thermodynamic interaction, small angle X-ray scattering, Mark-Houwink-Sakurada equations, the molecular weight dependence of radius gyration, and the molecular weight dependence of sedimentation and diffusion coefficients. The Flory's viscosity parameter and partial draining effect, unperturbed chain dimensions, and solvation are also helpful in the determination of a number of the solvated molecules per repeated unit. The effect of solvent nature and total degree of substitution is established to determine the correlation between the molecular properties and the degree of solvation by measuring the chemical shifts and adiabatic compressibility using an ultrasonic interferometer. Moreover, the persistence length, the temperature dependence of limiting viscosity number and the radius of gyration, phase separation, and cellulose liquid crystal methods are also used for the determination of derivatives. Therefore, the characteristic feature of the dilute solutions of cellulose and its derivatives can be reasonably and consistently explained by solvation.
GILSON AND PASCAL

I loved Pascal and I knew whole pages of his Pensees by heart. True enough, Pascal was known to me as an author in literature, and it was as such that I had learned to admire him. But Pascal was also a philosopher, though I always found him writing, not about notions or “ideas” like Descartes, but about real objects, things, actually existing beings. No one was less inclined “to think about thinking.” It was in this direction, as I believed, that one should look to avoid despairing of philosophy. So I gave up the dream of a life devoted to the study and teaching of the humanities . . . and I went to study philosophy at the Faculty of Letters in the University of Paris.
Stabilization of nanocrystalline alloys via grain boundary segregation: A diffuse interface model

Abstract Recent experimental and theoretical findings suggest that nanocrystalline binary alloys can be stabilized against interface-driven homogenization processes via grain boundary (GB) solute segregation mechanism. However, a detailed understanding of this process requires detangling the thermodynamic aspect, GB energy, from the kinetic one, GB mobility. In this work, we present a diffuse-interface model of GB segregation in binary metallic alloys that is capable of accounting for bulk thermodynamics, interfacial energies, and the interaction of alloying elements with GBs. In addition, the model presented herein extends current treatments by independently treating solute–solute interactions within both the bulk grain and GB regions, allowing for deviations from dilute and ideal systems and the ability to account for phase separation processes occurring in conjunction with grain growth. Starting with the analytical treatment of one-dimensional (1D) systems, we investigate the dependence of the GB energy, and subsequently the driving force for grain growth, on the segregation model parameters. More specifically, classic GB segregation isotherms are recovered in the limit of 1D infinite grains. Simulation results of two-dimensional systems reveal regimes of increased thermal stability, and highlight the importance of the thermodynamic model parameters of both bulk grain and GBs on grain growth processes. In broader terms, our modeling approach provides further avenues to explore GB solute segregation and its role in stabilizing polycrystalline aggregates.
Metabolic regulation by salt inducible kinases

In fasting mammals, the liver is the primary source of glucose production for maintenance of normoglycemia. In this setting, circulating peptide hormones and catecholamines cause hepatic glucose output by stimulating glycogen breakdown as well as de novo glucose production through gluconeogenesis. Fasting gluconeogenesis is regulated by a complex transcriptional cascade culminating in elevated expression of hepatic enzymes that promote gluconeogenesis and glucose export to the blood. The cAMP response element binding protein CREB and its co-activator CRTC2 play crucial roles in signal-dependent transcriptional regulation of gluconeogenesis. Recent work has identified a family of serine/threonine kinases, the salt inducible kinases (SIKs), which are subject to hormonal control and constrain gluconeogenic and lipogenic gene expression in liver. As normal regulation of gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis is disrupted in diabetic states, SIK kinases are poised to serve as therapeutic targets to modulate metabolic disturbances in diabetic patients. The purpose of this review is to 1) describe the identification of CRTCs CREB co-activators and their regulation by SIKs, 2) discuss recent progress toward understanding regulation and function of SIKs in metabolism and 3) examine the potential clinical impact of therapeutics that target SIK kinase function.
Characterization of a Conformationally Sensitive Murine Monoclonal Antibody Directed to the Metal Ion-Dependent Adhesion Site Face of Integrin CD11b

Integrin binding to physiologic ligands requires divalent cations and an inside-out-driven switch of the integrin to a high-affinity state. Divalent cations at the metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS) face of the alpha subunit-derived A domain provide a direct bridge between ligands and the integrin, and it has been proposed that activation dependency is caused by reorientation of the surrounding residues relative to the metal ion, forming an optimal binding interface. To gain more insight into the functional significance of the protein movements on the MIDAS face, we raised and characterized a murine mAb 107 directed against the MIDAS face of the A domain from integrin CD11b. We find that mAb 107 behaves as a ligand mimic. It binds in a divalent-cation-dependent manner to solvent-exposed residues on the MIDAS face of CD11b, blocks interaction of 11bA or the holoreceptor with ligands, and inhibits spreading and phagocytosis by human neutrophils. However, in contrast to physiologic ligands, mAb 107 preferentially binds to the inactive low-affinity form of the integrin, suggesting that its antagonistic effects are exerted in part by stabilizing the receptor in the low-affinity state. These data support a functional relevance of the protein movements on the MIDAS face and suggest that stabilizing the A domain in the low-affinity state may have therapeutic benefit.
Did Tax Policies Mitigate US Business Cycles

I study whether US Tax Policies affected economic volatility during the post World War II period. I employ a Real Business Cycle model with distorting taxation on household income and tax rules, and assume that taxes respond to the cyclical conditions of the economy. I estimate the deep parameters of the model using Bayesian techniques. My findings are; (a) fiscal policies display a strong countercyclical behavior, (b) help to reduce the cyclical and raw volatility of GDP, consumption, investment when the government can issue debt, and (c) unexpected changes in tax policies do not affect the volatility of the macroeconomic variables.
The impact of beaver dams on the morphology of a river in the eastern United States with implications for river restoration

Restoration projects in the United States typically have among the stated goals those of increasing channel stability and sediment storage within the reach. Increased interest in ecologically based restoration techniques has led to the consideration of introducing beavers to degraded channels with the hope that the construction of beaver dams will aggrade the channel. Most research on beaver dam modification to channels has focused on the long-term effects of beavers on the landscape with data primarily from rivers in the western United States. This study illustrated that a role exists for beavers in the restoration of fine-grained, low gradient channels. A channel on the Atlantic Coastal Plain was analyzed before, during, and after beaver dams were constructed to evaluate the lasting impact of the beaver on channel morphology. The channel was actively evolving in a former reservoir area upstream of a dam break. Colonization by the beaver focused the flow into the channel, allowed for deposition along the channel banks, and reduced the channel width such that when the beaver dams were destroyed in a flood, there was no channel migration and net sediment storage in the reach had increased. However, the majority of the deposition occurred at the channel banks, narrowing the channel width, while the channel incised between sequential beaver dams. The study indicated that where channels are unstable laterally and bank erosion is a concern, the introduction of beavers can be a useful restoration tool. However, because of the likelihood of increased channel bed erosion in a reach with multiple beaver dams, they may not be the best solution where aggradation of an incised channel bed is the desired result. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Advanced Single Particle Model for C3S and Alite Hydration

The hydration behavior of portland cement phases continues to be debated with new insights fueling the controversy. What causes the induction period? What initiates acceleration? What causes the onset and rapid decrease in reaction rate post peak? Does diffusion play a role and what causes low, but sustained reaction rates for long periods of time? Recent modeling efforts suggest that boundary nucleation and growth can explain at least some of the observations and that such occurs in a “limited reaction volume” accounting for about 30% of the initial cement mass. Yet, other efforts offer an alternative theory that would suggest that densification occurs in two steps. In an effort to resolve these and other questions, a single particle model for alite/Ca3SiO5 hydration has been developed using a mass continuity-based continuum approach as an alternative to the Avramian basis used in most recent studies. Such single particle models are relevant starting points for fast model-based experimentation, more elaborate single particle models, and simulation platforms that act on ensembles of particles. The present model includes transport effects, solution phase chemistry, and incorporates intraparticle nucleation.
Wandering through the laboratory.

Abstract In 2005, Herb Tabor called me to ask what I thought should be done to highlight the 100th anniversary of the JBC. I said I really liked the "Reflections" of the old greats of biochemistry. Herb agreed and said, "Someday, when you are older, I will ask you to write one." I thought: "I hope I last that long!" After writing my "Reflections," I feel that my two most significant contributions were delineating the mechanism by which aspirin affects platelet function and defining the scope of inositol signaling reactions. Aspirin acetylates platelet cyclooxygenase for the life of a platelet and acts as an antithrombotic agent at low doses. The laboratory has identified and cloned more than a dozen phosphatases and kinases that modify inositol phosphates and lipids. Mutations in a number of these enzymes cause neurodegenerative diseases in man and animals.
Therapist Issues in Working with Sex Offenders

Abstract In this column, two therapists share their experiences and perceptions of working with sex offenders. The therapists use both group and individual treatment modalities and have a combined experience of over twenty years in sex offender treatment and group therapy. Both therapists reflect on what they believe are important elements in working with this population, how their professional and personal lives have been impacted by their work with adult and juvenile sex offenders, and how they continue their work without “burn out.”
Native American Youth Discourses on Language Shift and Retention: Ideological Cross- currents and Their Implications for Language Planning

This paper examines preliminary findings from an ongoing federally funded study of Native language shift and retention in the US Southwest, focusing on in-depth ethnographic interviews with Navajo youth. We begin with an overview of Native American linguistic ecologies, noting the dynamic, variegated and complex nature of language proficiencies and practices across a continuum of sociocultural settings. We then examine two pairs of youth discourses that illuminate social–psychological and macro-structural influences on language practices. These discourses juxtapose language identity with language endangerment, and language pride with language shame. As such, they expose the ways in which language allegiance is tied to the distribution of power and privilege in the larger society. Youth discourses, we argue, represent a powerful call to action for communities and schools serving Native American students. We conclude with the implications for future research and for language education planning in Indigenous...
Smoke-free policies in drinking venues predict transitions in alcohol use disorders in a longitudinal U.S. sample

Background Smoke-free legislation prohibiting smoking in indoor public venues, including bars and restaurants, is an effective means of reducing tobacco use and tobacco-related disease. Given the high comorbidity between heavy drinking and smoking, it is possible that the public health benefits of smoke-free policies extend to drinking behaviors. However, no prior study has examined whether tobacco legislation impacts the likelihood of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) over time. The current study addresses this gap in the literature using a large, prospective U.S. sample.
Mechanisms of the aromatic polyetherification reactions

The mechanisms of aromatic nucleophilic substitutions are briefly reviewed with emphasis on those which have been used for the synthesis of aromatic polyethers and aromatic polythioethers, i.e. the SNAr, the SRN1, and a variant of SRN1 (the SRN1′) mechanisms. The synthesis of poly(ether ketone)s by the SNAr mechanism is discussed in terms of polar versus the single electron transfer (SET) pathways. The synthesis of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) (PPE) by the phase transfer catalyzed (PTC) anion-radical mechanism (i.e. the SRN1′ mechanism) is discussed in comparison with the synthesis of PPE by the conventional radical-radical mechanism. Various examples of the PTC copolymerization of 4-bromo-2,6-dimethylphenol with a phenol comonomer are provided. These PTC copolymerization experiments led to the synthesis of PPE with well-defined chain end functionalities and controlled molecular weights. The PTC depolymerization of high molecular weight PPE terminated with a 2,6-dimethylphenol chain end in the presence of a phenol is discussed. The depolymerization proceeds by an anion-radical mechanism.
The Kurds in post‐revolutionary Iran and Iraq

(1984). The Kurds in post‐revolutionary Iran and Iraq. Third World Quarterly: Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 911-933.
Statistical Characterization of the Paths in Multipath PLC Channels

Multipath phenomenon lies in the heart of power-line communication and leads to the reception of multiple replicas of the transmit signal at the receiver through various paths. Statistical knowledge of arriving paths is essential in order to evaluate performance of communication systems. First arriving path is distinguishable from the other paths in the sense that it experiences less reflection and less attenuation along its propagation path, giving it a favorable position regarding detectability. In this study, statistics of the first arriving path are initially investigated. It is shown that the first arriving path can be defined with log-Normal probability density function. It is seen that the mean of the approximating log-Normal variable decreases with an increasing number of branches between transmitter and receiver while its variance increases. The same finding is also observed when the maximum number of branches that extend out a branching node is increased. Although statistics of the first arriving path are emphasized more, statistical characterization of the other paths is discussed as well. Infinite bandwidth assumption in which all paths arriving at the receiver can be resolved is considered in the analysis. However, a brief discussion on the impact of finite bandwidth is given.
Software development as mediated activity: applying three analytical frameworks for studying compound mediation

Field research in software documentation has a tradition of investigating how artifacts (from documentation to online help to interfaces to mundane equipment such as Post-It? notes) mediate or enable workers to perform complex tasks (see for instance [29]). Understanding artifacts and mediation can be key to understanding how well documentation supports work, and consequently, how we might design information to fit work patterns. Yet the field of technical communication has developed or adapted relatively few analytical frameworks for examining compound mediation, the ways that sets of artifacts work together to help workers get their jobs done. Such frameworks are important to understand because they provide us with guidance for investigating the mediatory relationships among artifacts - guidance which has important ramifications for intelligently designing information systems and inserting designed artifacts (such as documentation) into existing systems.In this paper, I use three analytical frameworks - contextual design's work models [4, 5, 23], distributed cognition's functional systems [1, 2, 13, 24], and genre ecologies [25, 26, 27, 28, 30] - to examine observational and interview data from a 1997 study of software developers. The observational study is a 10-week investigation of 22 software developers at work, focusing on how artifacts (such as manuals, code comments, and the code itself) collectively mediated the developers? production and comprehension of code at three units of the same global corporation. The study provides a good case for basing a comparison of the three frameworks because it (a) involves comparing multiple artifacts and complex use of artifacts across the different sites, and (b) uses ethnographic methods similar to those often used by proponents of the three frameworks.By applying the three frameworks to the same study, I illustrate which aspects of compound mediation are illuminated and unexplored by each analytical framework. Based on the comparison, I discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each framework for exploring compound mediation, and I suggest ways in which the frameworks might be coordinated to produce different pictures of work.
"Management Bias" in Social Science Study of Medical Treatment

Why do patients leave the hospital against medical advice?is a question often asked by tuberculosis hospital staff members and by social workers and social scientists interested in the TB hospital. But we might also ask (and should first ask):Why do patients stay in the hospital?
The differential effects of fatigue on reflex response timing and amplitude in males and females

We examined the effects of fatigue on patellar tendon reflex responses in males and females. A spring-loaded reflex hammer elicited a standardized tendon tap with the knee positioned in an isokinetic dynamometer and flexed to 85°. We recorded vastus lateralis activity (SEMG) and knee extension force production at the distal tibia (force transducer). Reflex trials were performed before and after (immediate, 2, 4, and 6 min) an isokinetic fatigue protocol to 50% MVC (90°/s). For each event, pre-motor time (PMT), electromechanical delay (EMD), and total motor time (TMT) were obtained, as well as EMG amplitude (EMGamp), time to peak EMG (EMGtpk), peak force amplitude (Famp), time to peak force (Ftpk), EMG:force ratio (E:F), and rate of force production (Frate=N/ms). TMT increased significantly in females following fatigue, while males showed no change. The increased TMT was due to an increased EMD with fatigue, while PMT was unaffected. EMGamp and Famp were somewhat diminished in females yet significantly augmented in males following fatigue, likely accounting for the differential changes in EMD noted. Results suggest males and females may respond differently to isokinetic fatigue, with males having a greater capacity to compensate for contraction force failure when responding to mechanical perturbations.
Metabolic inhibitors increase prolactin binding to cultured mammary tumor cells.

Abstract We determined the effects of metabolic inhibitors on 125 I-labeled prolactin binding in monolayers of cultured rat mammary tumors. Chemical agents that blocked energy production increased binding by 8–20 fold, as did lowering the temperature from 37°C to 4°C. This difference was not due to blocking degradation of the hormone and inhibitors of degradation (lysosomotropic amines, bacitracin) did not increase binding. In the presence of a metabolic inhibitor at 37°C, binding reached a steady state within 3 h and had an apparent dissociation constant of ∼6 × 10 −10 M. Studies with fresh tumor slices produced comparable results. The findings indicate that the level of metabolic energy in mammary tumor cells can regulate prolactin binding.
Extinction Coefficient and Imaginary Part of the Dielectric Constant for Sodium and Potassium above the Plasma Energy

The extinction coefficients, k, of sodium and potassium have been found by measuring the transmittance of vacuum-evaporated films 400–900 nm thick deposited on quartz or lithium fluoride substrates. Corrections were made for losses due to surface reflections, substrate absorption, and contamination of the exposed surface of the metal. Previously determined values of the refractive indices, n, of Na and K were used to compute the imaginary part, ∊2 = 2nk, of the dielectric constant. Above the interband energies, at 2–3 eV, ∊2 for both Na and K decreases rapidly with increasing photon energy up to the plasma energy. Beyond the plasma energy, ∊2 remains nearly constant within the limits of our measurements. The values of ∊2 for K are more than twice those for Na in the region above the plasma energy.
Configurational stability in some 3-coordinate phosphorus compounds☆

Abstract PMR spectra of a variety of 4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholanes, bearing different substituents at phosphorus, have been determined at different temperatures. There is no inversion at phosphorus detectable. The P-chloro compound undergoes a chemical exchange process the rate of which is concentration dependent.
Chemical analyses with notes on one mesosiderite and seven chondrites

Chemical composition analysis of one mesosiderite and seven chondrites, with notes on mineralogy and chemical procedures
Ischemia of ciliary arterial circulation from ocular compression.

• Two patients developed unilateral central retinal artery and posterior ciliary artery occlusions related to ocular compression during general anesthesia. One patient had evidence of extensive choroidal ischemia with diffuse hypopigmentation, pigmentary mottling of the posterior pole, and disc edema. Electroretinography showed diminution of the A and B waves. The other patient showed patchy choroidal ischemia with subsequent development of wedge-shaped areas of pigmentary atrophy and mottling in the midperiphery. Iridocyclitis and prolonged hypotony were also present. Retinal and posterior ciliary artery occlusion (perhaps at the level of the ophthalmic artery) can occur as a result of ocular compression by a face mask or an improperly positioned headrest. Systemic hypotension is a factor in many cases. Proper positioning of the head on an adequate headrest and avoidance of ocular compression will prevent the occurrence of retinal and choroidal occlusion during general anesthesia.
Timing of mitochondrial DNA synthesis during meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) synthesis was examined during meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using an aneuploid strain disomic (n + 1) for chromosome III. The aneuploid has the advantage over true diploid strains in that it completes early meiotic events, including premeiotic chromosome replication, but does not form mature ascospores. Thus, differential extraction problems, resulting from the simultaneous presence of both unsporulated cells and spores in the population, are eliminated. The kinetic of mtDNA synthesis was monitored by determining the actual mtDNA content of cells following analytical CsCl centrifugation of cell extracts. MtDNA synthesis started soon after the cells were placed in sporulation medium and continued at an approximately constant rate until 24 h, resulting in slightly more than a doubling of the mitochondrial DNA content per cell. [14C]uracil was incorporated into mtDNA during the entire developmental period. Extensive preferential labeling of mtDNA occurred between 24 and 50 h, when no net DNA synthesis was observed.
Determinants of dental care use in dentate adults: six-monthly use during a 24-month period in the Florida Dental Care Study

The objective of this study is to describe for a diverse sample of dentate adults the incidence of dental care use and predisposing, enabling, and need correlates of that use. The Florida Dental Care Study (FDCS) is a prospective longitudinal cohort study of persons who at baseline had at least one natural tooth, were 45 years or older, and who resided in north Florida, U.S.A. An in-person interview and clinical dental examination were conducted at baseline and 24 months after baseline, with 6-monthly telephone interviews between those times. Seventy-seven percent of subjects reported one or more dental visits during the 24 months of follow-up. Six-monthly use ranged from 46% to 55%. Incident perceived need for care and certain incident self-reported oral signs and symptoms were strongly predictive of incident dental care use. Decrements in oral functional limitation, oral disadvantage, and self-rated oral health were predictive of less care bivariately, but were not salient in a multivariate model, with two notable exceptions: two measures related to esthetics. The conclusions are that certain measures of need (perceived need and specific self-reported signs and symptoms) were important predictors of incident dental care. However, persons with need as determined by direct clinical examination and persons with need as determined by self-reported decrements in the more distal measures of oral health (oral functional limitation, oral disadvantage, and self-rated oral health) were actually less likely to seek dental care. The salience of esthetics in predicting use is consistent with cross-sectional findings that dental esthetic cues are important to oral "health". Typical approach to care, dental attitudes, ability to pay for care, race, and sex were also important for understanding incident dental care use.
Propagation characteristics of a circular waveguide coated inside with a metamaterial

The problem of guided wave propagation of a circular waveguide that is coated on the inside with a metamaterial coating is studied by a boundary value approach and the propagation features cylindrical waveguide are studied by solving the resultant characteristic equation numerically. The results are compared to those with an inside dielectric coating. The variation of the normalized phase constant is studied as a function of the parameters of the coating including the permittivity and permeability, the coating thickness expressed as a ratio of b/a, and frequency. The behavior of the cylindrical waveguide is shown to be significantly different from that with a dielectric coating.
Sub-crosspoint RRAM decoding for improved area efficiency

Two sub-crosspoint physical topologies are proposed that places the decode circuitry beneath the metal-oxide RRAM crosspoint array. The first topology integrates only the row decode circuitry, while the second integrates both the row and column decoder. The topology for sub-crosspoint row decoding reduces area by up to 38.6% over the standard peripheral approach, with an improvement in area efficiency of 21.6% for small arrays. Sub-crosspoint row and column decoding reduces the RRAM crosspoint area by 27.1% and improves area efficiency to nearly 100%.
A molecular dynamics study of alkaline earth metal-chloride complexation in aqueous solution.

The relative stability of alkaline earth metals (M2+ = Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+) and their chloride complexes in aqueous solution is examined through molecular dynamics simulations using a flexible SPC water model with an internally consistent set of metal ion force field parameters. For each metal−chloride ion pair in aqueous solution, the free energy profile was calculated via potential of mean force simulations. The simulations provide detailed thermodynamic information regarding the relative stability of the different types of metal−chloride pairs. The free energy profiles indicate that the preference for contact ion pair formation increases with ionic radius and is closely related to the metal hydration free energies. The water residence times within the first hydration shells are in agreement with residence times reported in other computational studies. Calculated association constants suggest an increase in metal−chloride complexation with increasing cation radii that is inconsistent with experim...