cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic colectomy significantly decreases length of stay compared with open operation.

Current literature tends not to adjust for biases in patient selection attributable to comorbidities that could provide alternate explanations for length of stay differences in laparoscopic versus open colectomy. We hypothesized that utilizing the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) dataset and acuity adjustment methods would demonstrate an independent improvement in length of stay for laparoscopic colectomy. We used CPT coding to select all colectomies in NSQIP public use files from 2005–2009. Outlier status for surgical length of stay (SLOS) was defined as >75th percentile. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict this outlier status and linear regression to directly predict SLOS. Acuity adjustment was performed by using the most prevalent variables from multiple NSQIP annual reports. This work was done under the approval of our institutional review board and the data use agreement of the American College of Surgeons. Data were analyzed by using SPSS®. A total of 45,645 colectomies were reviewed, of which 12,455 (27.3%) were laparoscopic. The 75th percentile for SLOS was 11 days. This implied that 9,249 (27.9%) of the open colectomies were outliers, whereas only 1,152 (9.2%) of laparoscopic colectomies were outliers (p < 0.001). When optimizing a simple linear regression to predict SLOS, using common acuity adjustors (i.e., age, functional status, wound category, etc.), the variable marking open procedures consistently had a coefficient of 1.8, implying that open procedures increased SLOS by 1.8 days (p < 0.001). Utilizing logistic regression to predict outlier status, open colectomies were associated with an odds ratio of 3.79 for outlier status (p < 0.001), thus implying an independent effect on SLOS. These results indicate that laparoscopic colectomy independently decreases SLOS compared with open colectomy. This study is unique in using statistical methods to control for selection bias of patients who might be more “surgically fit.”
Solid surface tension measured by a liquid drop under a solid film

We show that a drop of liquid a few hundred microns in diameter placed under a solid, elastic, thin film (∼10 μm thick) causes it to bulge by tens of microns. The deformed shape is governed by equilibrium of tensions exerted by the various interfaces and the solid film, a form of Neumann’s triangle. Unlike Young’s equation, which specifies the contact angles at the junction of two fluids and a (rigid) solid, and is fundamentally underdetermined, both tensions in the solid film can be determined here if the liquid–vapor surface tension is known independently. Tensions in the solid film have a contribution from elastic stretch and a constant residual component. The residual component, extracted by extrapolation to films of vanishing thickness and supported by analysis of the elastic deformation, is interpreted as the solid–fluid surface tension, demonstrating that compliant thin-film structures can be used to measure solid surface tensions.
Usefulness of Doppler echocardiography for determining hemodynamic improvement with intravenous verapamil in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Abstract Verapamil is effective in the treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC). 1–4 Continuous-wave Doppler ultrasound is useful in the noninvasive assessment of high-velocity intracardiac blood flow. 5 We evaluated the hemodynamic response in a child with HC through intravenously administered verapamil during cardiac catheterization with simultaneous continuous-wave Doppler flow study for the noninvasive evaluation of changes in left ventricular (LV) outflow obstruction.
A Parametric Investigation of Pattern Separation Processes in the Medial Temporal Lobe

The hippocampus is thought to be involved in memory formation and consolidation, with computational models proposing the process of pattern separation as a means for encoding overlapping memories. Previous research has used semantically related targets and lures to investigate hippocampal responses to mnemonic interference. Here, we attempted to define the response function of the human hippocampus and its inputs during pattern separation by parametrically varying target-lure similarity in a continuous recognition task. We also investigated the effect of task demands (intentional vs incidental encoding) on pattern separation processes. We collected functional magnetic resonance imaging data while participants were shown a series of objects. In the intentional paradigm, participants identified objects as “new” (novel stimuli), “old” (exact repetitions), or “rotated” (previously seen objects that were subsequently rotated by varied degrees). In the incidental paradigm, participants were shown the same stimuli but identified objects as “toy” or “not toy.” Activation in the hippocampus was best fit with a power function, consistent with predictions made by computational models of pattern separation processes in the hippocampus. The degree of pattern separation was driven by the information most relevant to the task: pattern separation was seen in the left hippocampus when semantic information was more important to the task and seen in the right hippocampus when spatial information was more important. We also present data illustrating that top-down processes modulate activity in the ventral visual processing stream.
Lymphocyte studies in bullous pemphigoid.

Lymphocyte studies were performed on 19 untreated patients with active bullous pemphigoid and 35 controls. Peripheral blood T cells, Fc receptor-bearing cells, B cells and phytohemag-glutinin (PHA) stimulation were studied. Patients with bullous pemphigoid did not have statistically significant levels of circulating T cells, B cells, or Fc receptor-bearing cells, compared to normals (P≥0.05). PHA stimulation was significantly lower in bullous pemphigoid patients, P values being 0.006, 0.007 and 0.008 at PHA concentration of 1/2,500, 1/1,000, and 1/100 respectively. This study demonstrates that one of the functions of T cells in the peripheral blood leukocytes from patients with bullous pemphigoid is decreased.
An expert system for the production of phoneme strings from unmarked English text using machine-induced rules

The speech synthesis group at the Computer-Based Education Research Laboratory (CERL) of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is developing a diphone speech synthesis system based on pitch-adaptive short-time Fourier transforms. This system accepts the phonemic specification of an utterance along with pitch, time, and amplitude warping functions in order to produce high quality speech output from stored diphone templates.This paper describes the operation of a program which operates as a front end for the diphone speech synthesis system. The UTTER (for "Unmarked Text Transcription by Expert Rule") system maps English text onto a phoneme string, which is then used as an input to the diphone speech synthesis system. The program is a two-tiered Expert System which operates first on the word level and then on the (vowel or consonant) cluster level. The system's knowledge about pronunciation is organized in two decision trees automatically generated by an induction algorithm on a dynamically specified "training set" of examples.
D‐Serine inhibits serine palmitoyltransferase, the enzyme catalyzing the initial step of sphingolipid biosynthesis

Abstract Serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), responsible for the initial step of sphingolipid biosynthesis, catalyzes condensation of palmitoyl coenzyme A and L -serine to produce 3-ketodihydrosphingosine (KDS). For determination of the stereochemical specificity of the amino acid substrate, a competition analysis of the production of [ 3 H]KDS from L -[ 3 H]serine was performed using purified SPT. D -Serine inhibited [ 3 H]KDS production as effectively as non-radioactive L -serine, whereas neither D -alanine nor D -threonine showed any significant effect. Incubation of purified SPT with [palmitoyl 1- 14 C]palmitoyl coenzyme A and D -serine did not produce [ 14 C]KDS, while the control incubation with L -serine did. These results suggest that D -serine competes with L -serine for the amino acid recognition site of SPT, but that D -serine is not utilized by this enzyme to produce KDS.
Conflict in Alzheimer's Caregiving Families: Its Dimensions and Consequences.

This paper views conflict in Alzheimer's caregiving families as a multidimensional construct. Three conceptually distinct dimensions of family conflict are described and examined in relation to depression and anger. Regression analyses indicate that conflicts involving family members' attitudes and actions toward the caregiver are associated with increased risk for depression among caregivers, whereas conflicts stemming from family members' attitudes and behaviors toward the patient are most likely to result in anger. Self-concepts and normative expectations are implicated as key explanatory variables.
New ArF resist introduction for process through-put enhancement

In this study, the four ArF resists having methacrylate structure have been evaluated to check the reliability of process through-put enhancement in track by applying the different baking time. The dense L/S and isolated patterns of T80nm and T66nm node device are investigated for these models. The chemical properties of applied resists are slightly different for each other in the respect of protecting ratio and molecular weight. The applied resist thickness are 2,000A and 1,700A for the patterning of T80nm and T66nm node device, respectively. The process margins of evaluated patterns for T80nm node device show the almost similar results for DOF and E/L for 90s, 60s and 45s baking time conditions. And the LER of these patterns also is not much changed by the different baking time conditions. Form the experimental results, it is confirmed that the less baking time below 60s for T80nm node pattern is available to apply for enhancing the through-put in litho process. The process margins and LER of evaluated patterns for T66nm node device are slightly affected by their chemical properties like molecular weight and protecting ratio of resin for the different baking time conditions. However, the more improved pattern profile and process margin can be obtained by optimizing the chemical properties in the certain experimental range. And also, it is found that the less baking time below 45s can be applied for the reliable patterning process of T80nm and T66nm node device through the crosssectional SEM views with the more optimizing the material compositions.
Comments on: «the heat capacity of poly(oxymethylene) as a function of crystallinity

It is shown that the heat capacities of semicrystalline poly(oxymethylene)s (POM) measured recently by Illers and published in this journal support, rather than refute, the existence of a “rigid, amorphous fraction”. The former was suggested by Illers, the latter was our proposal (Suzuki et al.).
The Lesser of Two Evils? A Qualitative Study of Offenders' Preferences for Prison Compared to Alternatives

ABSTRACT Recent work has demonstrated that many offenders will choose to serve prison rather than any amount of a community-based sanction. This primarily quantitative research has found that offender-generated exchange rates are influenced by a wide variety of experiences and characteristics. Missing from this literature is a qualitative evaluation of why offenders might make this choice. We present qualitative data from 618 probationers and parolees to explain why those who have experienced imprisonment are less willing to serve community sanctions than their counterparts, and more willing to serve prison. Results hold implications for deterrence, recidivism, rehabilitation, and correctional policy issues.
Internal control system, earnings quality, and the dynamics of financial reporting

Using an earnings management model in which managers manipulate information when the firm’s control system fails, I introduce a measure of earnings quality, based on the notion of integral precision, that has solid theoretical foundations. A trade-off between the frequency and the magnitude of overstatements is shown: overstatements are larger when misreporting is less likely. Overall, the model generates a distribution of earnings announcements similar to its empirical analogue and provides a structural method to identify the likelihood and magnitude of misreporting by exploiting information from the moments of the distribution of reported earnings.
CRT-122 Elevated Left Ventricular End Diastolic Pressure is an Independent Predictor of Contrast Induced Nephropathy in Patients with ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) has been reported in up to 19% of patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). A recent study showed that a hydration strategy based on left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP)
From nonspecific DNA-protein encounter complexes to the prediction of DNA-protein interactions.

DNA–protein interactions are involved in many essential biological activities. Because there is no simple mapping code between DNA base pairs and protein amino acids, the prediction of DNA–protein interactions is a challenging problem. Here, we present a novel computational approach for predicting DNA-binding protein residues and DNA–protein interaction modes without knowing its specific DNA target sequence. Given the structure of a DNA-binding protein, the method first generates an ensemble of complex structures obtained by rigid-body docking with a nonspecific canonical B-DNA. Representative models are subsequently selected through clustering and ranking by their DNA–protein interfacial energy. Analysis of these encounter complex models suggests that the recognition sites for specific DNA binding are usually favorable interaction sites for the nonspecific DNA probe and that nonspecific DNA–protein interaction modes exhibit some similarity to specific DNA–protein binding modes. Although the method requires as input the knowledge that the protein binds DNA, in benchmark tests, it achieves better performance in identifying DNA-binding sites than three previously established methods, which are based on sophisticated machine-learning techniques. We further apply our method to protein structures predicted through modeling and demonstrate that our method performs satisfactorily on protein models whose root-mean-square Cα deviation from native is up to 5 A from their native structures. This study provides valuable structural insights into how a specific DNA-binding protein interacts with a nonspecific DNA sequence. The similarity between the specific DNA–protein interaction mode and nonspecific interaction modes may reflect an important sampling step in search of its specific DNA targets by a DNA-binding protein.
Quantum Monte Carlo calculations of electron dynamics in dissipative solid-state systems using real-time path integrals.

A nonperturbative technique is developed to solve for the quantum dynamics of an electron interacting strongly with its environment. Real-time path-integral methods are used to solve numerically a quantum dissipation problem that simulates nonequilibrium electron transport in solids. A linearly coupled electron-phonon interaction is used to model the dissipation. This method is nonperturbative in both the electron-phonon coupling and the external electric field, making it useful for electron-transport calculations in cases of both high fields and large phonon-scattering rates. Monte Carlo sampling over the electron paths is done using the Feynman-Vernon influence functional as a weight. Importance-sampling methods are developed for the numerical solution of the quantum propagation. Results of the calculations are shown which include the motion of the electron, the wave-packet spread, and temperature effects.
Resistive wall wakefields in the extreme anomalous skin effect regime

Usual treatments of resistive wall effects in accelerators are limited to the normal skin effect regime of electrical conductivity in metals. Therefore they do not generally apply to the situations when beam-exposed metallic surfaces of the vacuum chamber are held at cryogenic temperatures, where simple metals exhibit anomalous skin effect behavior. These situations occasionally occur in accelerators with cold-bore devices, such as small-gap superconducting undulators. The amount of anomalous resistivity material can be substantial to significantly influence beam dynamics. To accurately estimate these effects, we expand the conventional treatment of resistive wall in accelerators into the extreme anomalous skin effect region. Starting with the surface impedance expressions, we derive resistive wall related quantities commonly used in accelerator physics, such as wake functions, wake potentials, loss factor, etc. in the extreme anomalous skin effect region. We follow with examples for resistive wall generated heat and transverse mode-coupling instability.
Neurally constrained cognitive modeling clarifies how action plans are changed.

Cognitive neuroscience aims to explain how cognitive functions arise from brain processes using computational models to describe the mapping between behavioral and neural data. This approach has previously been used to understand the neural mechanisms of stopping an action. A paper recently
New Goods and the Relative Demand for Skilled Labor

This paper provides data on the output and factor payments of new goods for every four-digit industry in the U.S. manufacturing sector in the late 1970s and 1980s. For the entire manufacturing sector, the new goods' average skilled-labor intensity exceeds the old goods' by over 40%, and new goods can account for approximately 30% of the increase in the relative demand for skilled labor. Because new goods provide a direct measure of technology, this paper offers new evidence that technology has shifted demand in favor of skilled labor, consistent with the technology skill-complementarity hypothesis.
Uncertainty measurement: A cognitive taxonomy

Abstract A variety of different operations has been used in the measurement of subjective probability or uncertainty. The position developed here is that there are also various cognitive options for processing this information, including reliance on prior generator knowledge, use of stored event frequency records, simplification rules or heuristics, and systematic bases (mainly related to attribution of event causality). The extent to which the various options form the basis for uncertainty judgment is seen to depend largely upon the combination of response requirements (frequency estimation vs. probability estimation vs. prediction vs. choice) and type of uncertainty event (frequentistic vs. nonfrequentistic, internally vs. externally generated, known vs. unknown generator) comprising the task. In addition, ease of event encoding and span of events over which judgments apply may exert a moderating influence. These ideas are incorporated into a taxonomy of measurement tasks together with their implications for judgment data.
Late progression in dermatomyositis in childhood.

Fourteen patients with childhood dermatomyositis have been followed at Stanford for five or more years after onset. This report reviews the current status of these patients. One child has died. In contrast to current expectations, 4 of the 13 living children have had progression of their disease. Autopsies of the dead child and of one additional child who died 4 ⅓ years after onset have shown active myositis. Even in the absence of clinical progression, 11 of the 13 living children have residual physical damage interfering with function to some degree. Although mortality and morbidity rates were reduced among patients receiving high doses of adrenocorticosteroids in the acute stages of the disease, late progression appeared to be independent of initial therapy.
The shape of the apparent visual world in darkness

When deprived of light, a phenomenal field continues to endure in darkness. The vertical and horizontal extent of that field was measured monocularly and binocularly. In both instances, the field was found to be elliptical, i.e., greater horizontally than vertically. It was contended that these findings reflected the presence of a perceptual field in total darkness, because a control group, responding on a purely cognitive basis, indicated that the monocular field was circular and the binocular field was severely elliptical.
Contemporary results of open repair of ruptured descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of open repair for ruptured descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (RDTAA). Methods A retrospective review identified 41 consecutive cases of open surgical repair in 40 patients presenting with nontraumatic, atherosclerotic RDTAA from 1996 to 2006. Patients with traumatic injuries or complicated dissections were excluded. Patient characteristics and preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were collected from the medical record. Univariate and logistic regression were used to identify factors contributing to mortality and morbidity in these patients. Results The operative mortality rate was 26.8% (11/41). All but two deaths occurred within 24 hours of operation; seven were intraoperative. Overall actuarial survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 53.7% and 47.1%, respectively. For those who survived to hospital discharge, the respective numbers were 73.3% and 64.4%. Intraoperative hypotension and blood transfusion requirements were independent predictors of perioperative death. Octogenarians had a mortality rate equivalent to that of the younger population (25% vs 27.6%; not significant). There was a strong trend toward an improved outcome in the latter part (2003-2006) compared with the first part (1995-2002; 13.6% vs 42.1%, respectively; P = .075). Conclusions Direct open repair for RDTAA can be achieved with acceptable mortality and morbidity rates even in elderly patients. Improved outcome can be expected with increased volume and experience. This series should help establish a reference against which the results of endovascular endeavors and hybrid procedures could be compared.
Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation: Considerations in Aging With Lifelong Disabilities

Persons with lifelong disabilities are newcomers to later life. Many are relatively high functioning, engaged, and happy members of their communities. Some are, and have been, victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. This article reviews factors that contribute to the current incomplete picture of the victimization of these older adults, reports the state of existing data on prevalence and treatments, and suggests initiatives to strengthen continued community living and improve both prevention and identification strategies.
Continuous-wave ultrasound reflectometry for surface roughness imaging applications.

Background Measurement of surface roughness irregularities that result from various sources such as manufacturing processes, surface damage, and corrosion, is an important indicator of product quality for many nondestructive testing (NDT) industries. Many techniques exist, however because of their qualitative, time-consuming and direct-contact modes, it is of some importance to work out new experimental methods and efficient tools for quantitative estimation of surface roughness.
The Effects of Platinum on Propane/Air Stagnation Flow Flames

Platinum and quartz stagnation surfaces were used to quantify the effects of heterogeneous reaction on premixed atmospheric pressure propane/air flames. The flame extinction limits were determined for a range of flame stretch conditions (30–90 cm−1) and exhaust gas composition (CO2, CO, O2, and NO) was determined for a range of equivalence ratios between the fuel lean and fuel rich extinction limits and dilution levels (N2 to O2 ratios from 3.76 to 5). The stagnation surface was maintained at high temperature, isothermal conditions of 900°C for all experiments. The results show that the extinction limits and the products of combustion are insensitive to the presence of the platinum catalyst under the high surface temperature conditions considered in this work. The results are discussed in the context of the physical and chemical mechanisms important during extinction.
Xenobiotic metabolism relevance to cancer.

Xenobiotic metabolism—the double-edged sword It has been two decades since Wattenberg’s seminal review on the chemoprevention of cancer, cited over 900 times according to the ISI Web of Knowledge, subdivided cancer inhibitory agents into 3 broad categories (1). The classification scheme included 1) inhibitors of carcinogen formation from precursors, 2) agents that alter xenobiotic metabolism and protect against DNA damage, so-called ‘‘blocking’’ agents, and 3) ‘‘suppressing’’ agents that act postinitiation to prevent initiated cells from progressing to neoplasia. The review was important and timely and gave impetus to many subsequent studies on natural and synthetic chemopreventive agents. For example, .150 such agents have been tested against 1 chemical class alone, the cooked meat heterocyclic amines (2). From the outset, however, there were aspects of Wattenberg’s scheme that were viewed as a possible double-edged sword. Blocking agents that acted on a specific class of cytochrome P450 could, in principle, protect against certain carcinogens but enhance the metabolic activation of others. Phase 2 conjugations that were broadly viewed as ‘‘detoxification’’ reactions were known, in certain cases, to augment the activation and DNA reactivity of some chemical carcinogens. ‘‘Anticarcinogens’’ such as indole-3-carbinol also could act as promoters or tumorenhancing agents, depending on the testing protocols used in vivo (3). Ito et al. (4) referred to ‘‘stage dependent paradoxical effects’’ of agents that inhibited during the initiation phase but promoted postinitiation. Wattenberg believed that the most promising cancer chemopreventive agents were likely to be those in the suppressing agent category, because presumably most of us harbor initiated cells from an early age. However, he was quick to acknowledge that we lacked insight into the specific mechanisms that operated postinitiation, and as a result, few such agents had been identified, although the review article cited, among other compounds, retinoids and isothiocyanates as having some merit as later-stage preventive agents (1). This is noteworthy because of the knowledge that has accrued during the intervening 20 y, indicating that both classes of compounds affect gene expression, at least in part, via chromatin remodeling.
The Subject-Predicate Theory of There

The “associate” NP in the English existential there-construction is a predicative NP, and there is its subject.
Trichomycetes from Lentic and Lotic Aquatic Habitats in Ontario, Canada

Fungi and protists make up an ecological group, trichomycetes, that inhabit the guts of invertebrates, mostly aquatic insects. Trichomycetes are reported herein from arthropods collected in lotic habitats (fast flowing streams) and lentic environments (ponds, ditches, seeps, and lakes) from 11 sites in Algonquin Park and 6 other sites in Ontario, Canada. Thirty-two trichomycete species were recovered, including 7 new species: Legeriomyces algonquinensis, Legeriosimilis leptocerci, Legeriosimilis whitneyi, and Paramoebidium umbonatum are described from mayfly nymphs (Ephemeroptera); Pennella digitata and Glotzia incilis from black fly and midge larvae (Diptera), respectively; and Arundinula opeongoensis from a crayfish (Crustacea). Legeriomyces rarus Lichtw. & M.C. Williams and Stachylina penetralis Lichtw. are new North American records, and seven species are documented for the first time in Canada. More common and widely distributed trichomycete species such as Harpella melusinae Leger & Duboscq and Smit...
Counselor Agency and Action in Developing Safe Schools: Six Directions for Systemic Change

In this conclusion to the special issue on safe schools for queer and trans youth, the authors provide six directions for professional counselors to utilize in creating and maintaining safe schools for queer and trans students. Each of the six directions is drawn from themes found across the articles in this special issue and includes important considerations and strategies for professional counselors to utilize in their work. The authors review the importance of employing intersectionality and inclusivity; using assessment, research, and program evaluation in serving queer and trans youth; connections through consultation, collaboration, and stakeholders; utilizing a systemic lens; finding tools and resources; and the importance of relationships and trans and queer narratives.
IP Easy-pass: a light-weight network-edge resource access control

Providing real-time communication services to multimedia applications and subscription-based Internet access often requires that sufficient network resources be reserved for real-time traffic. However, the reserved network resource is susceptible to resource theft and abuse. Without a resource access control mechanism that can efficiently differentiate legitimate real-time traffic from attacking packets, the traffic conditioning and policing enforced at Internet Service Provider (ISP) edge routers cannot protect the reserved network resource from embezzlement. On the contrary to the usual expectation, the traffic policing at edge routers aggravates their vulnerability to flooding attacks by blindly dropping packets. In this paper, we propose a fast and lightweight IP network-edge resource access control mechanism, called IP Easy-pass, to prevent unauthorized access to reserved network resources at edge devices. We attach a unique pass to each legitimate real-time packet so that an ISP edge router can validate the legitimacy of the incoming IP packet very quickly and simply by checking its pass. We present the generation of Easy-pass, its embedding, and verification procedures. We implement the IP Easy-pass mechanism in the Linux kernel, and measure its overhead on our testbed. Finally, we demonstrate its effectiveness against packet forgery and resource embezzlement attempts by conducting a series of experiments.
Measuring instructional practice in science using classroom artifacts: lessons learned from two validation studies

With growing interest in the role of teachers as the key mediators between educational policies and outcomes, the importance of developing good measures of classroom processes has become increasingly apparent. Yet, collecting reliable and valid information about a construct as complex as instruction poses important conceptual and technical challenges. This article summarizes the results of two studies that investigated the properties of measures of instruction based on a teacher-generated instrument (the Scoop Notebook) that combines features of portfolios and self-report. Classroom arti- facts and teacher reflections were collected from samples of middle school science classrooms and rated along 10 dimensions of science instruction derived from the National Science Education Standards; ratings based on direct classroom observations were used as comparison. The results suggest that instru- ments that combine artifacts and self-reports hold promise for measuring science instruction with reli- ability similar to, and sizeable correlations with, measures based on classroom observation. We discuss the implications and lessons learned from this work for the conceptualization, design, and use of arti- fact-based instruments for measuring instructional practice in different contexts and for different pur- poses. Artifact-based instruments may illuminate features of instruction not apparent even through direct classroom observation; moreover, the process of structured collection and reflection on artifacts may have value for professional development. However, their potential value and applicability on a larger scale depends on careful consideration of the match between the instrument and the model of instruc- tion, the intended uses of the measures, and the aspects of classroom practice most amenable to reliable scoring through artifacts. We outline a research agenda for addressing unresolved questions and advanc- ing theoretical and practical knowledge around the measurement of instructional practice. 2011
Tinkering Toward a National Identification System: An Experiment on Policy Attitudes

The REAL ID Act was passed in 2005 by Congress in part to address preoccupations with breaches to homeland security after the 9/11 attacks. The Act requires states to introduce more standardized state driver's licenses by 2008. The goal of this paper is to understand citizens' opinions in the area of personal identification and how these opinions may be shaped by alternative framings of the issue. Using survey responses from Michigan residents provides evidence of the following: (i) a majority of the Michigan public supports the current reforms in identification; however, a majority is not willing to incur larger costs or delays; (ii) framing the issue around immigration can generate as much support as framing the issue around terrorism; however, a more balanced discourse can dampen support; and (iii) partisan and ideological leanings moderately structure support for identification reforms. Overall the findings suggest a comfortable margin for reforms around personal identification if public safeguarding interpretations can predominate.
Involvement and Progress in the General Curriculum for Students With Extensive Support Needs: K–12 Inclusive-Education Research and Implications for the Future

Abstract Since the passage of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, educational services for students with extensive support needs (e.g., intellectual disability, autism, multiple ...
Structural bases for the chemical regulation of Connexin43 channels

Connexins proteins associate with a variety of catalytic and non-catalytic molecules. Also, different domains of connexin can bind to each other, providing a mechanism for channel regulation. Here, we review some of these associations, placing particular emphasis on the intramolecular interactions that regulate Connexin43 (Cx43). We also describe some novel methods that allow for the characterization of protein-protein interactions such as those observed in the cardiac gap junction protein Connexin43. Overall, intra- and inter-molecular interactions may regulate gap junctions to filter the passage of molecular messages between cells at the appropriate time and between the appropriate cells. As a potential area for future investigations, we also speculate as to whether some of the inter-molecular interactions involving connexins lead to modifications in the function of the associated protein, rather than on the function of connexin itself.
GABA-ergic drugs block the locomotor stimulant effects of 1,3-dimethyl-5-aminoadamantane (D-145).

Abstract The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonists muscimol and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo (S,4-c) pyridin-3-ol hydrate (THIP) blocked the locomotor stimulation produced by 1,3-dimethyl-5-aminoadamantane (D-145) in mice, THIP being about 3 times less active than muscimol in this regard. Both these drugs were weaker antagonists of d-amphetamine-induced motor excitation. In mice pretreated with aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA), maximum blockade of the D-145-induced stimulation was observed in the 3 and 6 hr AOAA pretreatment groups. The blockade seen at 2 and 8 hr pretreatment groups, though significant, was weaker than the 3 and 6 hr groups. It seems that D-145 produces locomotor stimulation by virtue of its GABA antagonistic effect on specific brain areas, the dopamine-rich basal ganglia structures being the most likely involved.
ANALYTICAL DYNAMIC NETWORK LOADING PROBLEM: FORMULATION, SOLUTION ALGORITHMS, AND COMPUTER IMPLEMENTATIONS

The dynamic network loading problem is considered. This problem is at the heart of analytical approaches to dynamic traffic assignment models. Given path flow rate and link travel time functions, the dynamic network loading problem consists of determining time-dependent network flow conditions, such as link travel times, total number of vehicles on links, and link inflow and outflow rates. The dynamic network loading problem is formulated as a continuous-time system of nonlinear equations expressing link dynamics, flow conservation, flow propagation, and boundary constraints. A discrete-time version of the continuous-time model is developed to design solution algorithms. Two solution algorithms are developed and implemented efficiently. Techniques are described that were designed to reduce memory usage and computation times of these solution algorithms. Computational results with a real-world traffic network emanating from the Amsterdam A10 beltway, containing 300 nodes, 1,500 paths, 1,000 origin-destination pairs, and 2 h of analysis period indicate that the developed computer implementations can solve the network loading problem in 2 min when a small discretization interval of 3.5 s is used.
Impact of Substance Abuse on Children and Families: Research and Practice Implications, by Shulamith Lala Ashenberg Straussner and Christine Huff Fewell (Eds.)

Straussner and Fewell compile a series of articles that address salient drug and alcohol issues affecting children and families. A growing body of research indicates that the negative impacts assoc...
Linearization and Transformation

In this chapter we present two basic techniques that are useful for analyzing nonlinear systems. One technique consists of linearizing about the fixed points to obtain local, qualitative pictures of the phase portrait via the corresponding linear systems. Thus, our previous work on linear systems has direct bearing on nonlinear systems. The validity of this technique is contained in the Linearization Theorem, which we present later on, after first applying it in numerous examples and exercises.
Network topology optimisation for data aggregation using multiple paths

In this paper, we develop algorithms for the data aggregation problem which arises in the context of big data applications that employ the MapReduce operation. For the case when source racks can send their data to the aggregator using multiple paths, we show that an aggregation tree topology that minimises aggregation time can be constructed in a polynomial time. We also consider the problem of constructing aggregation trees that minimise total network traffic subject to the primary constraints that the aggregation time is minimised. The heuristics for this problem is presented and the experiments show that allowing multiple paths reduces aggregation time by up to 99% related to the aggregation trees constructed using the LPT rule. This reduction in aggregation time, however, comes with up to 35% increase in total network traffic when the racks have more than two optical links and up to 98% increase in total network traffic when each rack has two optical links.
Health Care's Fraternal Twins at 50: The Birth and Development of Medicare and Medicaid

This article discusses the birth and growth of Medicare and Medicaid. In this year — their 50th — health care's fraternal twins are coming more to resemble each other, with Medicaid adopting some of the characteristics of its historically more favored twin, with both facing some similar challenges, and with each flexing its financial muscle to support health system changes.
Shareholder Dissent on Say-on-Pay and CEO Compensation

The Dodd Frank Act (2010) empowered shareholders by mandating non-binding voting on executive compensation. This paper investigates the determinants of shareholder dissent on the say-on-pay proposal. Data on S&P1500 firms between 2010 and 2012 reveal various findings. First, fewer than 3% of firms failed to pass their say-on-pay proposals. Second, shareholder dissent on say-on-pay is higher in firms where CEO compensation is high or 'excessive', consistent with agency theory. Third, shareholder dissent is higher in firms with poor performance, measured by stock-market or accounting returns. Fourth, there is less dissent on say-on-pay in firms with better quality boardroom governance (e.g. the presence of a non-CEO lead director or hiring a major compensation consultant). Lastly, difference-in-difference estimates show that the growth in CEO pay is lower in firms that previously attracted high levels of dissent on say-on-pay.
Effect of Supply Air Temperature on Rack Cooling in a High Density Raised Floor Data Center Facility

In this paper we experimentally investigate the effect of supply air temperature on rack cooling in a high density raised floor data center facility. A series of experiments are performed on a 42 U (1-U = 4.45 cm) rack populated with 1-U servers. Desired rack heat loads are achieved by managing the distribution of server compute load within the rack. During the present experiments, temperatures at various locations in the hot and cold aisle corresponding to the rack air inlet and outlet are recorded. The temperatures are measured using a grid consisting of 256 thermocouples. The temperature measurements are further complimented with the flow field at the rack inlet. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique is used to capture the flow field at the rack inlet. The temperature maps in concert with the PIV flow field help in quantifying the rack cooling effectiveness. The temperature and flow measurements are measured for various cases by altering the supply air temperatures and perforated tile flow rates. The results are analyzed and compared with the ASHRARE recommended guidelines to arrive at the optimum supply air temperature. A perceptible change in the temperature and flow distribution is observed for the six cases investigated.© 2011 ASME
Amphoteric Aqueous Hafnium Cluster Chemistry

Selective dissolution of hafnium-peroxo-sulfate films in aqueous tetramethylammonium hydroxide enables extreme UV lithographic patterning of sub-10 nm HfO2 structures. Hafnium speciation under these basic conditions (pH>10), however, is unknown, as studies of hafnium aqueous chemistry have been limited to acid. Here, we report synthesis, crystal growth, and structural characterization of the first polynuclear hydroxo hafnium cluster isolated from base, [TMA]6 [Hf6 (μ-O2 )6 (μ-OH)6 (OH)12 ]⋅38 H2 O. The solution behavior of the cluster, including supramolecular assembly via hydrogen bonding is detailed via small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The study opens a new chapter in the aqueous chemistry of hafnium, exemplifying the concept of amphoteric clusters and informing a critical process in single-digit-nm lithography.
Simultaneous Determination of 23 Kinds of Organophosphorus Pesticide Residues in Fruits and Vegetables by SPE-GC/MS

[Objective]To establish a rapid and sensitive method for the determination of 23 Kinds of organophosphorus pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables. [Methods]Gas chromatography mass spectrometry(GC-MS) was used to determine 23 Kinds of organophosphorus pesticide residues in fruits and ve1getables. [Results]Good separation was achieved in the 23 Kinds of organophosphorus pesticide in 30 minutes,the standard curve showed good linearity,r0.996.The precision and accuracy were satisfactory with recovery percentages ranging from73.7% to 107.3%,and the relative standard deviations was lower than 6%. [Conclusion]35 fruits and vegetables have been determined by the method and the positive rate was 3.7%.The method was proved to be satisfactory in selectivity,accuracy,sensitivity,with characteristics of simple and fast and meets the analysis requires.
Machine-Independent Parallel Programming Using the Divide-and-Conquer Paradigm

Parallel processing is facing a software crisis. The primary reasons for this crisis are the short life span and small installation base of parallel architectures. In this paper, we propose a solution to this problem in the form of an architecture-adaptable programming environment. Our method is different from high-level procedural programming languages in two ways:(1) our system automatically selects the appropriate parallel algorithm to solve the given problem efficiently on the specified architecture (2) by using a divide-and-conquer template as the basic mechanism for achieving parallelism, we considerably simplify the implementation of the system on a new platform. There is a trade-off, however: the loss of generality. From a pragmatic point of view, this is not a major liability since our strategy will be useful in building domain-specific problem solving environments and application-oriented compilers, which are truly machine-independent. We give preliminary results from a case study in which our method is used to adapt the parallel implementations of the conjugate gradient algorithm on a multiprocessor and a workstation network.
High Speed Frequency Hopping Using Injection Locked Front-Ends

Direct digital synthesis (DDS) systems allow for the generation of accurate and versatile analog waveforms. However, DDS's have been limited in generating very high frequency signals. In this paper, we show that a combination of a DDS and harmonic injection locking can result in a very low power and area-efficient high-frequency synthesizer. We show that injection locked oscillators (ILOs) are capable of almost instantaneous locking and we also present the related understanding related of the frequency acquisition process in ILOs. We use this understanding to develop a new architecture for DDS operation. The novel architecture presented in this paper preserves the advantages of DDS such as very high speed frequency hopping and can generate RF frequencies which is not possible with traditional DDS circuits. Simulation results for a 7 GHz oscillator with fundamental and harmonic injection locking are used to validate the instantaneous locking necessary in a high frequency DDS.
Oskar Rosenfeld, the Lodz Ghetto, and the Chronotope of Hunger

Rose analyzes the treatment of hunger in Oskar Rosenfeld’s Lodz Ghetto writings (1941–1944). Among the most ubiquitous experiences of the Nazi ghettos, hunger runs ineluctably as a motif through diverse ghetto texts. Published in German as Wozu noch Welt and in English as In the Beginning Was the Ghetto, Rosenfeld’s ghetto writings offer one of the most complex treatments of ghetto hunger. Rose focuses on how Rosenfeld’s documentation of brute reality uses literary stylization and experimentation to articulate, in real rather than recollected time, the unfolding of the Holocaust. Rose analyzes in particular Rosenfeld’s philosophical dialogue “Golem and Hunger,” a meditation on the nature of hunger in the specific space and time of the ghetto, as compared to famine in China and India.