cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Securing our energy future: three international perspectives on microgrids and distributed renewables as a path toward resilient communities

ABSTRACTThis paper will examine three diverse microgrid cases in the US, Canada, and the European Union. The paper will explore how microgrids can help build resilient communities, facilitate distributed renewable energy, and ultimately lead to a secure energy future. The cases will include both urban and remote settings and compare the social, legal, and policy lessons learned from these cases to advance microgrid policy for long-term community resilience.
Modeling technological change and its impact on energy savings in the U.S. iron and steel sector

Market penetration of energy-efficient technologies can be estimated using energy optimization models that minimize cost; however, such models typically estimate the minimum cost of optimal pathways under a certain set of non-dynamic assumptions, so technology penetrations determined for the long-term do not fully respond to changing circumstances or costs. In this study, investment costs of energy-efficient technologies are modeled dynamically in the Industrial Sector Energy-Efficiency Model (ISEEM) using a technological learning formula. Results from 24 energy-efficient technologies – 14 existing, 10 emerging – selected from the United States (U.S.) iron and steel sector show that when technological learning is incorporated into the model, total energy consumption of this sector is expected to decrease by 13% (180 PJ) in 2050 compared to energy consumption in a non-learning scenario. Average energy intensity of the steel production improves from 12.3 GJ/t in the non-learning scenario to 10.7 GJ/t in the learning scenario in 2050. This decrease represents a cost savings of US$1.6 billion and a carbon dioxide emissions reduction potential of 14.9 billion tonnes. Results discussed in this paper focus on the U.S. iron and steel sector, but the proposed framework can be applied to study new technology development in any other industrial processes and regions.
Increasing Precision of Clinical Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease Using a Combined Algorithm Incorporating Clinical and Novel Biomarker Data

Establishing the in vivo diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or other dementias relies on clinical criteria; however, the accuracy of these criteria can be limited. The diagnostic accuracy is 77% for a clinical diagnosis of AD, even among experts. We performed a review through PubMed of articles related to specific diagnostic modalities, including APOE genotyping, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing, fludeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography (PET), amyloid PET, tau PET, computed tomography (CT), single-photon emission CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and B12 and thyroid-stimulating hormone screening, to determine the specificity and sensitivity of each test used in the clinical diagnosis of AD. We added a novel immunomagnetic reduction assay that provides ultrasensitivity for analyzing the levels of plasma tau and beta amyloid 42 (Aβ42). The sensitivity and specificity of the current diagnostic approach (structural CT or MRI with screening labs) remain low for clinical detection of AD and are primarily used to exclude other conditions. Because of limited diagnostic capabilities, physicians do not feel comfortable or skilled in rendering a clinical diagnosis of AD. Compounding this problem is the fact that inexpensive, minimally invasive diagnostic tests do not yet exist. Biomarkers (obtained through CSF testing or PET imaging), which are not routinely incorporated in clinical practice, correlate well with pathologic changes. While PET is particularly costly and difficult to assess, CSF measures of tau and beta amyloid are not costly, and these tests may be worthwhile when the tiered approach proposed here warrants further testing. There is a need for developing bloodborne biomarkers that can aid in the clinical diagnosis of AD. Here we present a streamlined questionnaire-enriched, biomarker-enriched approach that is more cost-effective than the current diagnosis of exclusion and is designed to increase clinical confidence for a diagnosis of dementia due to AD.
The Impact of Faith-Based Schools on Lives and on Society: Policy Implications

A large-scale study of the effects of different types of schooling upon the subsequent attitudes and behaviors of adults, holding constant background factors, found that those who had attended Catholic and Evangelical schools differed in significant ways, not only from those who attended public schools, but also from each other. This chapter offers a possible historical explanation of these differences, and some very preliminary suggestions about what we might expect to find as the effects of attendance at Islamic schools in the American context. The second part of the chapter explores implications for public policy in North America and Western Europe, where policy-makers are struggling with the role of educational systems in turning the children of Muslim immigrants into citizens of the host societies. One conclusion is that there is no reason for panic about the desire of many Muslim parents to provide a distinctive schooling for their children; another is that wise public policy responses can increase the beneficent effect of such schooling.
Calcium carbonate with nanogranular microstructure yields enhanced toughness

The presence of nanogranular microstructures is a widely reported feature of biominerals that form by classical and non-classical mineralization pathways. Inspired by nature, we have synthesized amorphous calcium carbonate nanoparticles with nanogranular microstructures, whose grain size is tuned by varying the polymer concentration. The response to indentation of single calcium carbonate nanoparticles proceeds via an intermittent stick-slip that reflects the characteristics of the nanogranular microstructure. A two-fold mechanism is thus proposed to enhance the toughness of the nanoparticles, namely nanogranular rearrangement and intergranular bridging by an organic phase and/or hydration. This work not only provides a synthesis route to design biologically inspired mineral nanoparticles with nanogranular structure, but also helps in understanding toughening mechanisms of biominerals arising from their nanoscale heterogeneity.
Perceptions of the Impact of Noncontact Boxing on Social and Community Engagement for Individuals With Parkinson’s Disease (PD)

Date Presented 04/05/19 The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) perceived noncontact boxing to influence their social and community engagement. This study found that those with PD who perceived noncontact boxing positively were positively influenced by it in both their social engagement and their physical and cognitive abilities. This study supports the feasibility of clinicians to utilize community-based, movement-focused activities to assist in the management of PD symptomology. Primary Author and Speaker: Casey Humphrey Additional Authors and Speakers: Dana Howell Contributing Authors: Melba Custer
Detoxification or Wean Treatment of Opioids and Sedatives in Headache and Pain Disorders

The wean of patients from opioids and sedative medication is critically important in the treatment of refractory daily headaches such as medication overuse headache (MOH). This chapter is a “how to” of procedures for this detoxification.
Comparison of T1 Mapping by Cardiac MRI to Non-cardiac MRI Methods to Evaluate Cardiac Fibrosis

The detection of possible underlying myocardial fibrosis is a common indication for cardiac MRI. In recent years the development of late gadolinium enhancement cardiac MRI (LGE-CMR) and T1 and T2 mapping techniques have revolutionized detection methods, previously predominantly performed by obtaining pathological specimens. Both focal fibrosis (scar) and diffuse fibrosis can be detected noninvasively by other cardiovascular imaging techniques, including nuclear cardiology techniques, echocardiography, and cardiac CT. In this chapter, these techniques are discussed in detail to explore how MRI compares to non-CMR methods of detecting cardiac fibrosis.
Nematic superconductivity stabilized by density wave fluctuations: Possible application to twisted bilayer graphene

Nematic superconductors possess unconventional superconducting order parameters that spontaneously break rotational symmetry of the underlying crystal. In this work we propose a mechanism for nematic superconductivity stabilized by strong density wave fluctuations in two dimensions. While the weak-coupling theory finds the fully gapped chiral state to be energetically stable, we show that strong density wave fluctuations result in an additional contribution to the free energy of a superconductor with multicomponent order parameters, which generally favors nematic superconductivity. Our theory sheds light on the recent observation of rotational symmetry breaking in the superconducting state of twisted bilayer graphene.
Changes in primary care access at community health centers between 2012/2013 and 2016

OBJECTIVE To compare access at community health centers (CHCs) vs private offices (non-CHCs) under the Affordable Care Act. DATA SOURCE Ten state primary care audit conducted in 2012/2013 and 2016. STUDY DESIGN CHCs and non-CHCs were called. We calculated difference in differences comparing CHCs vs non-CHCs by caller insurance type. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In both rounds, Medicaid and uninsured callers had higher appointment rates at CHC than non-CHCs. CHC appointment rates significantly increased between 2012/2013 and 2016 for both employer-sponsored and Medicaid callers, with no significant wait time changes. Appointment rates increased (13.5% points, P < 0.001) and wait times decreased (-5.7 days, P = 0.017) at CHCs relative to non-CHCs for employer-sponsored insurance. CONCLUSION Appointment availability at CHCs improved after ACA implementation, without increased wait times.
It's Not Enough to Move Your Hands Beautifully': Teaching and Learning at a School for Deaf Students in Mexico.

Little is known about the educational experiences of deaf children in Mexico. Schools for the deaf exist, but no research has examined instructional practices for children in these contexts. In this study, we adopt a sociocultural framework for language acquisition to document and understand how teachers at a bilingual (Mexican Sign Language and Spanish) school for the deaf in central Mexico support the learning of their students. Our findings indicate that teachers at this school prioritized deafness and how to leverage the visual modality to support student growth. They used a number of instructional practices familiar to English-speaking audiences, such as scaffolding, explicit instruction, and individualization, perhaps as a result of the close ties between the school and US-based collaborators. Finally, both teachers and students felt that collaboration, between the administration and teachers, among teachers, and among students, was essential. Findings indicate a need to explore these complex issues and expand burgeoning collaborations between bilingual and deaf education researchers.
The sleep-wake cycle regulates brain interstitial fluid tau in mice and CSF tau in humans

The sleep-wake cycle regulates interstitial fluid (ISF) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of β-amyloid (Aβ) that accumulates in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Furthermore, chronic sleep deprivation (SD) increases Aβ plaques. However, tau, not Aβ, accumulation appears to drive AD neurodegeneration. We tested whether ISF/CSF tau and tau seeding and spreading were influenced by the sleep-wake cycle and SD. Mouse ISF tau was increased ~90% during normal wakefulness versus sleep and ~100% during SD. Human CSF tau also increased more than 50% during SD. In a tau seeding-and-spreading model, chronic SD increased tau pathology spreading. Chemogenetically driven wakefulness in mice also significantly increased both ISF Aβ and tau. Thus, the sleep-wake cycle regulates ISF tau, and SD increases ISF and CSF tau as well as tau pathology spreading.
Applications of Molecular Markers and DNA Sequences in Identifying Fungal Pathogens of Cool Season Grain Legumes

Molecular techniques have now been widely applied in many disciplines of biological sciences including fungal identification in microbial ecology and in plant pathology. In plant pathology, it is now common to use molecular techniques to identify and study plant pathogens of many agronomical and horticultural crops including cool season grain legume crops. In this chapter, we present two examples in which molecular techniques have been applied in order to identify and investigate multiple fungal pathogens causing two important diseases of chickpea and lentil. In each case, molecular techniques improved over traditional morphological identification and allowed timely and unambiguous identification of fungal pathogens. The first example involves identification of two Sclerotinia species (S. sclerotiorum and S. trifoliorum) causing stem rot of chickpea. Traditional method requires induction of carpogenic germination and observation of dimorphic ascospores in S. trifoliorum, which takes up to eight weeks. Taking advantage of the group I introns present in the nuclear small subunit rDNA of S. trifoliorum but absent in the same DNA region of S. sclerotiorum, a simple PCR amplification of the targeted DNA region allowed timely and reliable differentiation and identification of the species. The second example is of powdery mildew of lentil. Identification of powdery mildew fungi requires observing the teleomorphic (sexual) state of the pathogens, but this is not always available. In studying lentil powdery mildew in the US Pacific Northwest, we found that the powdery mildew on lentil does not fit previously reported species (Erysiphe pisi and E. diffusa). Further investigation confirmed that the lentil powdery mildew in the US is E. trifolii, a new pathogen of lentil. This discovery was mainly based on the rDNA ITS sequences and further confirmed by morphological and pathogenicity studies. These two examples demonstrate the important role of modern molecular techniques in solving practical agricultural problems. The ITS and adjacent rDNA could be ideal target regions for developing DNA barcodes for identifying these and related fungal species.
Coloniality of the U-S///Mexico border: power, violence and the decolonial imperative

Coloniality of the U-S///Mexico Border offers an interdisciplinary approach to violences produced by the creation and perpetuation of geospatial borders. It includes brief mentions of other spaces ...
CO2-dependent carbon isotope fractionation in Archaea, Part I: Modeling the 3HP/4HB pathway

The 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate (3HP/4HB) pathway of carbon fixation is found in thermophilic Crenarchaeota of the order Sulfolobales and in aerobic, ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota. Unlike all other known autotrophic carbon metabolisms, this pathway exclusively uses HCO_3- rather than CO_2 as the substrate for carbon fixation. Biomass produced by the 3HB/4HP pathway is relatively ^(13)C-enriched compared to biomass fixed by other autotrophic pathways, with total biosynthetic isotope effects (e_(Ar)) of ca. 3‰ in the Sulfolobales and ca. 20‰ in the Thaumarchaeota. Explanations for the difference between these values usually invoke the dual effects of thermophily and growth at low pH (low [HCO_3-]) for the former group vs. mesophily and growth at pH > 7 (high [HCO_3-]) for the latter group. Here we examine the model taxa Metallosphaera sedula and Nitrosopumilus maritimususing an isotope flux-balance model to argue that the primary cause of different e_(Ar) values more likely is the presence of carbonic anhydrase in M. sedula and its corresponding absence in N. maritimus. The results suggest that the pool of HCO_3-inside N. maritimus is out of isotopic equilibrium with CO_2 and that the organism imports < 10% HCO_3- from the extracellular environment. If correct and generalizable, the aerobic, ammonia-oxidizing marine Thaumarchaeota are dependent on passive CO_2 uptake and a slow rate of intracellular conversion to HCO_3-. Values of e_(Ar) should therefore vary in response to growth rate (μ) and CO_2 availability, analogous to eukaryotic algae, but in the opposite direction: e_(Ar) becomes smaller as [CO_(2(aq))] increases and/or μ decreases. Such an idea represents a testable hypothesis, both in the laboratory and in natural systems. Sensitivity to μ and CO_2 implies that measurements of e_(Ar) may hold promise as a pCO_2 paleobarometer.
Optimizing genetics online resources for diverse readers

Clear and accurate genetic information should be available to health-care consumers at an individualized level of comprehension. The objective of this study is to evaluate the complexity of common online resources and to simplify text content using automated text processing tools. We extracted all text from Genetics Home Reference and MedlinePlus in bulk and analyzed content using natural language processing. We applied custom tools to improve the readability and compared readability before and after text optimization. Commonly used educational materials were more complex than the recommended reading level for the general public. Genetic health information entries from Genetics Home Reference (n = 1279) were written at a median 13.0 grade level. MedlinePlus entries, which are not exclusively genetic (n = 1030), had a median grade level of 7.7. When we optimized text for the 59 actionable conditions by prioritizing medical details using a standard structure, the average reading grade level improved. Factors that increase complexity are long sentences and difficult words. Future strategies to reduce complexity include prioritizing relevant details and using more illustrations. Simplifying and providing standardized online health resources would benefit diverse consumers and promote inclusivity.
Capybara: A computational tool to measure cell identity and fate transitions

Transitions in cell identity are fundamental to development, reprogramming, and disease. Single-cell technologies enable the dissection of tissue composition on a cell-by-cell basis in complex biological systems. However, highly-sparse single-cell RNA-seq data poses challenges for cell-type identification algorithms based on bulk RNA-seq. Single-cell analytical tools are also limited, where they require prior biological knowledge and typically classify cells in a discrete, categorical manner. Here, we present a computational tool, 9Capybara,9 designed to measure cell identity as a continuum, at single-cell resolution. This approach enables the classification of discrete cell entities but also identifies cells harboring multiple identities, supporting a metric to quantify cell fate transition dynamics. We benchmark the performance of Capybara against other existing classifiers and demonstrate its efficacy to annotate cells and identify critical transitions within a well-characterized differentiation hierarchy, hematopoiesis. Our application of Capybara to a range of reprogramming strategies reveals previously uncharacterized regional patterning and identifies a putative in vivo correlate for an engineered cell type that has, to date, remained undefined. These findings prioritize interventions to increase the efficiency and fidelity of cell engineering strategies, showcasing the utility of Capybara to dissect cell identity and fate transitions. Capybara code and documentation are available at https://github.com/morris-lab/Capybara.
Chronic copper toxicosis in a crossbred heifer calf.

An 8-mo-old, crossbred, heifer calf was presented to the Heeke Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory with a history of ataxia and altered mentation. Grossly, the liver was diffusely yellow-orange, t...
Host genotype and exercise exhibit species-level selection for members of the gut bacterial communities in the mouse digestive system.

The mammalian gut microbiome can potentially impact host health and disease state. It is known that the mouse-genome, eating-behavior, and exercise-status promotes higher taxonomic rank-level alterations (e.g. family to phyla-level) of the gut microbiota. Here, host genotype or activity status was investigated to determine if selection of individual bacterial species or strains could be discerned within the murine digestive system. For this study, the fecal bacterial community of adenylyl cyclase 5 knock-out (AC5KO, n = 7) mice or their wild-type (WT, n = 10) littermates under exercise or sedentary conditions were profiled by sequencing rRNA operons. AC5KO mice were chosen since this genotype displays enhanced longevity/exercise capacity and protects against cardiovascular/metabolic disease. Profiling of rRNA operons using the Oxford MinION yielded 65,706 2-D sequences (after size selection of 3.7–5.7 kb) which were screened against an NCBI 16S rRNA gene database. These sequences were binned into 1,566 different best BLAST hits (BBHs) and counted for each mouse sample. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) of the gut microbial community demonstrated clustering by physical activity (p = 0.001) but not by host genotype. Additionally, sequence similarity and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that different bacterial species (closely related to Muribaculum intestinale and Parasutterella excrementihominis) inhabit AC5KO or WT mice depending on activity status. Other bacterial species of the gut microbiota did not follow such patterning (e.g. Turicibacter sanguinis and Turicimonas muris). Our results support the need of improved taxonomic resolution for better characterization of bacterial communities to deepen our understanding of the role of the gut microbiome on host health.
A People’s Future of Leisure Studies: Leisure with the Enemy Under COVID-19

To those of us who have been consistently critical of leisure, we have mapped our critique of leisure onto discussions of leisure as a concept, as a tool, or as a social construct in society that h...
THE EFFICIENCY OF ISLAMIC AND CONVENTIONAL BANKS IN PAKISTAN

In Pakistan, the conventional banks start their functions after the independence of Pakistan and followed by the introduction of the Islamic banking’s. In this study, four Conventional and four Islamic banks were selected. The different types of ratios will be used to check the performance of banking sector these ratios are profitability, liquidity, investment and solvency ratios. The different types of ratios were used to check the performance of banking sector and to evaluate the trends of Islamic and commercial banks. The objectives of our study were to evaluate the trend of performance of conventional and Islamic banks and analyses the key performance indicators of the banking systems. The SPSS version 20 was used and the t-test was applied to the data. The findings revealed that the conventional banks were more efficient than the Islamic banks.
Maximizing five-cycles in Kr-free graphs

Abstract The Pentagon Problem of Erdős problem asks to find an n -vertex triangle-free graph that is maximizing the number of 5-cycles. The problem was solved using flag algebras by Grzesik and independently by Hatami, Hladký, Kral’, Norin, and Razborov. Recently, Palmer suggested a more general problem of maximizing the number of 5-cycles in K k + 1 -free graphs. Using flag algebras, we show that every K k + 1 -free graph of order n contains at most 1 10 k 4 ( k 4 − 5 k 3 + 10 k 2 − 10 k + 4 ) n 5 + o ( n 5 ) copies of C 5 for any k ≥ 3 , with the Turan graph being the extremal graph for large enough n .
The Role of Guilt, Shame, and Social Distance in Bystander-Focused Prevention of Campus Sexual Violence

Guided by the appraisal-tendency framework and construal level theory, this study investigates how emotional appeals (guilt vs. shame) and social distance frames (distant vs. proximal) influence co...
Household Finances and Fiscal Stimulus in 2008

Using detailed household-level data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, the ratio of credit card debt to income is found to be the most important balance sheet item in determining household usage of stimulus funds in 2008, adding to existing evidence that borrowing constraints are functions of debt-to-income ratios. Borrowing constrained households, often predicted to be the group with the largest propensity to consume out of stimulus funds, were the most likely to use stimulus payments to repay debt instead of increase consumption. This behavior is consistent with the fact that household credit supply was tightening at the same time that stimulus payments were being distributed, forcing households, especially those near their borrowing constraints, to deleverage.
Corporate Policy and Market Value: A q-Theory Approach

In this paper, we show that Tobin's q has a significant predictive power in explaining valuation consequences of major corporate policy variables. Our empirical results reveal that, depending upon whether a firm is overinvesting or underinvesting, financial markets respond quite differently to its capital structure, dividend payout, financial slack, and R & D decisions. Overall, the empirical results suggest that both high debt ratios and greater payouts are favorably viewed by the market when firms are overinvesting. For firms with growth opportunities, however, large debt is unfavorably viewed by the market. In addition, financial slack and R & D expenditures are favorably received by the market for growth firms but not for overinvesting firms.
Studies on avian erythrocyte metabolism--II. Relationship between the major phosphorylated metabolic intermediates and oxygen affinity of whole blood in chick embryos and chicks.

Abstract 1. The changes in organic phosphates of chicken erythrocytes (RBC) have been determined in relation to the changes in oxygen affinity of whole blood during growth of the embryo and chick. 2. 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid is the major organic phosphate (42–47%) in the RBC from 15-days of incubation until hatch. The amount of 2,3-DPG during this period is ∼4–6 μmoles/cm3 RBC, decreases abruptly at hatching, and disappears from the RBC within 8 days after hatching. 3. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the major organic phosphate (45–50%) during the first 5 days post-hatching. 4. The P50 of the whole blood during the last week of incubation and the first 5 days post-hatching correlates best with the amount of ATP in the cells. 5. The effect of inositol pentaphosphate on increasing P50 of the whole blood is more gradual and appears to become of major influence in the chick after 4–5 days post-hatching.
Tampering in nuclear power plant control rooms: human factors issues

The problem of possible tampering and sabotage in nuclear plant control rooms is explored. It is concluded that a solution to this problem may be a self-defensive system: i.e., a system which will be able to recognize and deal with, if not all appropriate actions, at least that subset of actions which could lead to catastrophic consequences. >
Flight tests using data link for air traffic control and weather information exchange

Message exchange for air traffic control (ATC) purposes via data link offers the potential benefits of increasing the airspace system safety and efficiency. This is accomplished by reducing communication errors and relieving the overloaded ATC radio frequencies, which hamper efficient message exchanges during peak traffic periods in many busy terminal areas. However, the many uses and advantages of data link create additional questions concerning the interface among the human-users and the cockpit and ground systems. A flight test was conducted in the NASA Langley B-737 airplane to contrast flight operations using current voice communications with the use of data link for transmitting both strategic and tactical ATC clearances during a typical commercial airline flight from takeoff to landing. Commercial airplane pilots were used as test subjects.
Considerations on impedance cardiography.

Impedance cardiography is an electronic plethysmographic technique which provides information on cardiac stroke index, myocardial performance, thoracic fluid content and peripheral circulation. The method has gained popularity in recent years because it is not invasive. While less precise in absolute terms than invasive methods the results are reproducible, and the technique accurately assesses variations in measurements. It may be used in most anaesthetized patients without the possibility of any of the complications which sometime accompany the use of more precise invasive methods.
Out-of-Sample Forecast Performance as a Test for Nonlinearity in Time Series

This article uses a local-information, near-neighbor forecasting methodology as a prediction test for evidence of a noisy, chaotic data-generating process underlying the Divisia monetary-aggregate series. Using a nonparametric method known to perform well with low-dimensional chaotic processes infected by noise, accompanied by a robust test of forecast performance evaluation, we compare out-of-sample forecasting accuracy from the local-information method to forecasting accuracy from the best fitting global linear model. Our results fail to substantiate previous claims for determinism in the Divisia monetary-aggregate series because the degree of forecast improvement obtained by the local-information method is not consistent with the hypothesis of a low-dimensional attractor underlying the Divisia data.
Effect of Moisture Content and Soluble Level on the Physical, Chemical, and Flow Properties of Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS)

ABSTRACT Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is a bulk material that has been widely used as a protein source for ruminants and nonruminants for more than two decades. DDGS is the nonfermentable processing residue (i.e., protein, fiber, fat, and ash) from fuel ethanol manufacturing. With the exponential growth of the fuel ethanol industry in the past several years, significant quantities (≈13.0 million tons in 2007) of distillers grains are now being produced. To effectively utilize these coproduct streams in the domestic market, DDGS must be transported greater distances and must be stored until final use. DDGS flow is often problematic as it can become restricted by caking and bridging that occur during shipping and storage. This flowability problem can present itself during dynamic and static flow conditions. This issue most likely results from physical or chemical interactions between particles (including particle size and shape), storage moisture, temperature, and relative humidity variation...
Measuring the Value of Refining a Web Presence

The redesign of a Web presence can be classified as both an IT investment and an e-commerce initiative. Although the empirical literature provides evidence that financial markets are sensitive to e-commerce announcements, it is still unknown what types of announcements affect the value of firms. We use the event study methodology on a sample of Web site redesigns from 1995 to 1999 to investigate the types of commercial organizations that announce changes to their Web presence, and to study whether such redesign initiatives affect the value of publicly traded firms. Our findings indicate that, on average, refining a Web presence does not produce significant firm valuation adjustments. However, cross-sectional analyses reveal that Web site redesign increases the value of service companies.
Ethical issues in growth hormone therapy

Pediatricians face clinical and ethical dilemmas about therapy to augment growth in short children who do not meet classic criteria for growth hormone (GH) deficiency. Biologic norms of health are unhelpful because of the uncertain relationship between stature, GH secretion, health, and disease. Instead, we suggest that GH therapy be evaluated from the perspective of cultural norms. We compare GH therapy for short normal children with currently accepted therapies for non-life-threatening pediatric conditions such as well-child care, cosmetic therapy, treatment of psychological problems, and invasive outpatient therapy for chronic conditions. Based on this analysis, we argue that the burdens of therapy, the uncertainty about long-term risks and benefits, the unclear therapeutic end point, and the implications for child health policy place routine GH therapy for children without documented deficiency of GH secretion outside current pediatric ethical norms. Such therapy is properly administered within a comprehensive clinical research protocol. (JAMA1989;461:1020-1024)
Perceptual learning: Visual function improved by LTP/LTD like stimulation

A new behavioral training approach has been found significantly to improve visual function; the results further attest to the high degree of plasticity in sensory systems.
Focal Superonasal Optic Nerve Hypoplasia

Of 237 patients seen in the Neuro-Ophthalmology Division of the Jules Stein Eye Institute 1986–2009, coded as “congenital optic nerve anomaly”, 13 demonstrated focal superonasal flattening of the optic disc margin and nerve fibre layer thinning, with corresponding inferotemporal arcute visual field defect. In 11 cases, an unusual finding of margination of the visual field defects along the temporal horizontal midline was detected. In only two cases was a history of maternal diabetes positive. Magnetic resonace scans showed no additional brain abnormalities. A syndrome of focal superonasal optic nerve hypoplasia is identified, distinct from the superior segmental optic nerve hypoplasia syndrome.
The Ethical Limits in Expanding Living Donor Transplantation

The past decade has witnessed the emergence of novel methods to increase the number of living donors. Although such programs are not likely to yield high volumes of organs, some transplant centers have gone to great lengths to establish one or more of them. I discuss some of the ethical and policy issues raised by five such programs: (1) living-paired and cascade exchanges; (2) unbalanced living-paired exchanges; (3) list-paired exchanges; (4) nondirected donors; and (5) nondirected donors catalyzing cascade exchanges. I argue that living-paired and cascade exchanges are ethically sound, but will lead to only a few additional transplants. Unbalanced exchanges and list-paired exchanges raise ethical issues that should limit their permissibility. Nondirected donations can be ethically sound with adherence to strict eligibility criteria and fair allocation procedures. Nondirected donors catalyzing cascade exchanges can be ethically sound provided that individuals with blood types O and B are not made worse off.
The Changing Nexus: Tertiary Education Institutions, the Marketplace and the State

This article examines the evolving relationship between the marketplace, the state and tertiary education institutions. The context of these relations has evolved strikingly in recent years, which have seen three major developments: growing system differentiation, changing governance patterns and diminished direct involvement of governments in the funding and provision of tertiary education. This article first describes the key dimensions of the rise of market forces in tertiary education throughout the world and the main implications of this phenomenon. It then articulates the rationale for continuing public intervention in the sector and, in conclusion, outlines the nature of an appropriate enabling framework for the further development of tertiary education.
Renegade nuclear enzymes disrupt axonal integrity

How does axonal loss, a hallmark of multiple sclerosis, occur? A study in this issue implicates histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), better known for regulating DNA transcription, in such axon degeneration. HDAC1 is exported from the nucleus and interacts with motor proteins, blocking axonal transport and leading to axon loss.
Hormonal symphony: steroid orchestration of gene modules for sociosexual behaviors

Genes induced by estrogens in the mammalian forebrain influence a variety of neural functions. Among them, reproductive behavior mechanisms are very well understood. Their functional genomics provide a theoretical paradigm for linking genes to neural circuits to behavior. We propose that estrogen-induced genes are organized in modules: Growth of hypothalamic neurons; Amplification of the estrogen effect by progesterone; Preparative behaviors; Permissive actions on sex behavior circuitry; and Synchronization of mating behavior with ovulation. These modules may represent mechanistic routes for CNS management of successful reproduction. Moreover, new microarray results add estrogen-dependent genes, including some expressed in glia, suggesting possible hormone-dependent neuronal/glial coordination.
A statistical analysis of the power law and the logarithmic law using wind data from a 164 m tower

The wind speed distribution with height is analysed by using hourly data for a full year recorded at 6 levels of a 164 m tower at Nanjing. A statistical error analysis shows that power law and logarithmic law are best applicable when the wind is strong. For the height range from 16 to 164 m, the power law represents the actual speed distribution better than does the logarithmic law.
Food cues and peceptual distortion of the female body: implications for food avoidance in the early dynamics of anorexia nervosa

The present studies concerned a perceptual mechanism that could partially explain the anorexic's severe eating restraint despite continuing hunger. If a woman values a thin body, unrealistic perception of food's fattening effects should increase the aversiveness of ingesting food and foster restraint in eating. The first study considered the perceived thinness/fatness of women's bodies without and with food cues present. College women who (1) shared the stress-generating personality characteristics of anorexics (AP); and (2) judged models as fatter after food cues were introduced (enhancers) reported more stress than AP non-enhancers; no effect of enhancement upon stress was observed in controls. This moderator effect was replicated in a second study. Thus, women with the personality characteristics and high stress that put them at-risk for anorexia also displayed the perceptual distortion involved in the proposed mechanism. Self-ratings verified the same perceptual mechanism in the high-stress AP woman's perception of her own body.
Alendronate affects long bone length and growth plate morphology in the oim mouse model for Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

Alendronate, a bisphosphonate drug, has shown promise in reducing remodeling and bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Alendronate acts directly on the osteoclast, inhibiting its resorption capability. This inhibition of osteoclast activity has led to the use of bisphosphonates in the treatment of the osteogenesis imperfecta condition. Treatment of osteogenesis imperfecta with bisphosphonates enhances bone strength, but the consequences on linear bone growth are not well defined. Using the oim mouse model for type III osteogenesis imperfecta, two doses of alendronate, low (0.125 mg/kg/wk) and high (2.5 mg/kg/wk) were administered weekly via intraperitoneal injection starting at 4 weeks of age and ending at 12 weeks of age to assess the effects of alendronate on humerus and ulna length. The higher dose of alendronate reduced humerus and ulna length in the oim/wt and wt/wt genotypes for both sexes (P 2.5 mg/kg/wk) inhibit long bone length in mice through alteration of the growth plate and possibly reduced resorption at the chondro-osseous junction.
Nymphal Cicadas (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) as a Prey Item of Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) in the Lower Mississippi River

Abstract Stomach contents of 3 Scaphirhynchus platorynchus (Shovelnose Sturgeon) collected in the Lower Mississippi River in January 2010 yielded 44 specimens of cicada nymphs, Diceroprocta sp. The fish were collected during a sudden rise in water level. The floodplain-dwelling cicada were likely washed out of their terrestrial habitat and into the river, where opportunistic sturgeon were foraging.
Simple gamma correction for fringe projection profilometry system

Fringe projection profilometry (FPP) is one of the most commonly used non-contact methods for retrieving the three-dimensional (3D) shape information of objects. In reality, the nonlinearity mostly caused by the gamma effect of digital otpic system, includes both projector and camera, gives inevitable intensity changes, which dramatically reduce the measurement accuracy. In this poster, a robust and simple scheme to eliminate the intensity nonlinearity induced by gamma effect. Firstly, by using phase shifting techniques, the gamma value involved in the measurement system can be detected accurately. Then, a gamma encoding process is applied to the system for future actual 3D shape measurements. With the proposed technique, high accuracy of measurement can be achieved with the traditional three-step phase-shifting algorithm.
A Little Goes a Long Way: The Impact of Distal Social Support on Community Integration and Recovery of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities

Although an extensive body of literature highlights the important role of social support for individuals with psychiatric disabilities, definitions of support tend to be restricted—focusing on intimate relationships such as friend and family networks and ignoring the role of casual relationships existing naturally in the community. This mixed-methods study of 300 consumers of mental health services in the Southeastern US aims to better understand the impact of community supports, termed distal supports, on community integration and recovery from mental illness. Qualitative content analysis, tests of group mean differences, and hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed the following: (1) participants primarily reported receiving tangible support (e.g., free medication/discounted goods) from distal supports rather than emotional support (e.g., displays of warmth/affection) or informational support (e.g., provision of advice); (2) women and older participants reported more distal supports than men or younger participants; and (3) distal supports played a unique role in predicting community integration and recovery even after accounting for the influence of traditional support networks. Results highlight the importance of considering diverse types of social support in naturally occurring settings when designing treatment plans and interventions aimed at encouraging community participation and adaptive functioning for individuals with psychiatric disabilities.
CNS delivery of vectored prion-specific single-chain antibodies delays disease onset.

A unifying characteristic of prion diseases is the conversion of a normal cellular protein (PrP c ) to an abnormal pathogenic conformation, designated PrP sc . Antibodies directed against PrP c , when added to scrapie-infected cell cultures or passively administered in vivo , can result in elimination of PrP sc or prevent its replication, respectively. In our efforts to develop an approach with potential prophylactic utility we employed a recombinant adeno-associated vector type 2 (rAAV2) viral vector platform to express PrP c -specific single-chain fragment variable (scFv) antibodies within the central nervous system (CNS) of susceptible mice that were subsequently inoculated peripherally with infectious prions. Vector expressed scFvs delayed onset of prion pathogenesis as evidenced by improvements in clinical signs and rotarod performance, in extended incubation periods, and in decreased PrP sc burden in the CNS. This novel antibody delivery platform enables the in vivo translation of prion prophylactics to other species afflicted by transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) and which also has relevance to the development of therapeutics for other protein-misfolding diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease.
Measuring understanding of illness causality in healthy children and in children with chronic illness: A construct validation☆

Abstract This article extends the use of structural equation modeling to the validation of instruments that measure cognitive constructs characterized by a stagelike progression of qualitatively different levels. We examine the construct validity of children's responses to seven questions on the Illness Causality Scale (ICS). The age-heterogeneous (5–17 years) sample included 93 healthy children and 194 children with a variety of chronic illnesses. The unidimensionality (mean equavalence and internal consistency) of the seven ICS items were assessed by mean structure analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Mean structure analysis confirmed that six of the seven questions provided equivalent measurements of the underlying construct. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated the strong internal consistency of all the items. Finally, the divergent and convergent validity of the ICS were assessed simultaneously by evaluating the hypothesized network of interrelationships among the target construct and other latent traits including logical reasoning, verbal intelligence, temperament, and self-esteem. There was high convergence with measures of other cognitive-developmental constructs (conservation, interrelationship of parts, understanding of physical causality, understanding of body functioning), moderate convergence with verbal intelligence, and divergence from noncognitive personality attributes (as measured by the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale and the Middle Childhood Temperament Questionnaire). The findings identified one question on the scale that may need revision, but suggested that, in general, the ICS is an appropriate instrument for use with healthy children and children with a chronic illness, across a wide age span.
Administrators as Ethnographers: School as a Context for Inquiry and Action.

Drawing on multiyear field observations of educational administrators, I examine several parallels between the work of educational administration and school ethnography. These parallels emerge in response to structural challenges faced by administrators who work in schools and other educational programs. The parallels themselves suggest several unexamined complementarities between ethnographic and administrative orientations toward the schools. They also challenge popular and theoretical dichotomies regarding educational "research" and "practice." SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL ETHNOGRAPHY Parallels between the intellectual work of ethnographers and educational administrators have been largely neglected within the anthropology of education, and understandably so. Ethnographers and educational administrators participate in different communities of practice, they work for different institutions, they participate in different programs of professional preparation, and they attend different professional meetings. Compared only to anthropologists, sociologists, and other educational researchers, educational administrators also adopt some contrasting perspectives toward schools and schooling. Reflecting on his own ethnographic study of an elementary school principal, Wolcott described one such contrast between "being a principal" and "studying the principalship" as follows: His [the principal's] commitment was to resolve and thus to eliminate problems, and, when possible, to prevent them from ever happening; mine was to search them out and to keep them constantly in mind in an effort to describe and to understand how principals behave. [1973:317]