cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surgical Management of Chiari Type 1 Anomalies

A minimally invasive, posterior fossa bony decompression in the management of symptomatic Chiari type 1 anomalies in children was evaluated at the Children’s Hospital, Turin, Italy.
Visualizing compiled executables for malware analysis

Reverse engineering compiled executables is a task with a steep learning curve. It is complicated by the task of translating assembly into a series of abstractions that represent the overall flow of a program. Most of the steps involve finding interesting areas of an executable and determining their overall functionality. This paper presents a method using dynamic analysis of program execution to visually represent the overall flow of a program. We use the Ether hypervisor framework to covertly monitor a program. The data is processed and presented for the reverse engineer. Using this method the amount of time needed to extract key features of an executable is greatly reduced, improving productivity. A preliminary user study indicates that the tool is useful for both new and experienced users.
A Communication Protocol for a Vehicle Collision Warning System

Advances in wireless communication technologies have enabled vehicles on a highway to communicate in order to share state information and provide drivers with potential collision warnings. This paper proposes a protocol to support such a vehicle collision warning system. By sharing vehicle state information, the protocol is able to predict potential collisions and deliver warning messages to address different emergency scenarios. The protocol is based on the concept of Shortest Safety Distance between vehicles and the Safety Invariant. The protocol provides mechanisms to evaluate potential violations of the safety invariant and propagate warning messages to avoid them in a timely manner. It ensures that warning messages are propagated to all endangered vehicles in an emergency scenario in an efficient manner by keeping the number of messages low. We have simulated the system using the SPIN model checker to show the correctness of the protocol and its effectiveness in eliminating redundant messages.
The effects of sexually explicit material use on romantic relationship dynamics

Background and aimsPornography use has become increasingly common. Studies have shown that individuals who use sexually explicit materials (SEMs) report negative effects (Schneider, 2000b). However, Bridges (2008b) found that couples who use SEM together have higher relationship satisfaction than those who use SEM independently. A further investigation into various types of SEM use in relationships may highlight how SEM is related to various areas of couple satisfaction. Thus, the purpose of the current study is to examine the impact of SEM use related to different relationship dynamics.MethodsThe current study included a college and Internet sample of 296 participants divided into groups based upon the SEM use in relationships (i.e., SEM alone, SEM use with partner, and no SEM use).ResultsThere were significant differences between groups in relationship satisfaction [F(2, 252) = 3.69, p = .026], intimacy [F(2, 252) = 7.95, p = <.001], and commitment [F(2, 252) = 5.30, p = .006]. Post-hoc analyses reveale...
Modeling of the Frozen Mode Phenomenon and its Sensitivity Using Discontinuous Galerkin Methods

Weinvestigatethebehaviorandsensitivityofthefrozenmodephenomenon in finite structures with anisotropic materials, including both magnetic materials and non-normal incidence. The studies are done by using a high-order accurate discontin- uous Galerkin method for solving Maxwells equations in the time domain. We confirm the existence of the phenomenon also in the time-domain and study carefully the im- pact of the finite crystal on the frozen mode. This sets the stage for a thorough study of the robustness of the frozen mode phenomenon, resulting in guidelines for which design parameters are most sensitive and acceptable tolerances.
Pancreatic Islet Regeneration: The Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Approach

The quest for therapies that can normalize blood glucose control and provide independence from exogenous insulin could impact the life of millions of patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and a significant subset of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with a functional deficiency in insulin production. Islet transplantation could be considered the first clinically successful cell therapy for T1D, but its widespread application is still hampered by the need for immunosuppression and the scarcity of organs available for processing and transplantation. The existence of these roadblocks has fostered the development of alternative approaches aimed at identifying high-yield sources of insulin-producing cells. Here we will discuss the state of the art in regenerative therapies for pancreatic islets, from stem cells to reprogramming. An outlook of the pancreatic development blueprint will help us in understanding key steps of stem cell differentiation, guiding us in the design of clinically translatable strategies. Major hurdles remain to be overcome for these approaches to find their way to the clinic: of these, we will specifically emphasize yield, safety, and immunological challenges.
Nonparametric Tests for Convexity/Monotonicity/Positivity of Multivariate Functions with Noisy Observations

We propose a new method of testing for a function's convexity, monotonicity, or positivity, based on some noisy observations of the function made over a finite set $\mathcal{T}$ of points in the domain, where the observations can be made multiple times at each point in $\mathcal{T}$. One of the traditional approaches to the test of a function's shape characteristic is to fit a convex, a monotone, or a positive function, depending on the shape characteristic we wish to test for, to the data set minimizing the sum of squared errors, and to compute the sum of squared differences (SSD) between the fit and the data set. While the traditional approach proceeds by observing the SSD as the number of points in $\mathcal{T}$ increases to infinity, we propose observing the SSD as $r$, the number of observations taken at each point in $\mathcal{T}$, increases to infinity. This new way of observing the asymptotic behavior of the SSD leads to a test procedure that does not require the estimation of any additional parameters, and hence, is easy to implement. The proposed test procedure is proven to achieve a prescribed power as $r \rightarrow \infty$. Numerical examples illustrate that the proposed test successfully detects the convexity/monotonicity/positivity of a function, as well as the non-convexity/non-monotonicity/non-positivity of a function.
The Human Health Implications of Oil and Natural Gas Development

Abstract Shale energy extraction activities in residential areas have the potential to adversely affect human health. The oil and gas sector is the largest industrial source of volatile organic compounds, which are dangerous because they include hazardous air pollutants, such as the carcinogen benzene; and because they are precursors to ozone, which is also hazardous to health. Leaks from a small number of high-emitting sources account for a large percentage of these emissions. Furthermore, recent studies from several shale basins suggest that benzene emissions from oil and natural gas activities are significantly greater than accounted for in state inventories. Benzene may reach dangerous levels within legal residential distances in very close proximity to individual facilities, and sometimes at the regional level as well. Recent studies of ozone indicate that oil and natural gas activities are responsible for a significant percentage of regional ozone levels in densely drilled shale basins, with potential health impacts on millions of people. A study of well blowouts revealed that the average evacuation radius due to a major blowout is 0.8 miles and displaces 49 families. Additionally, six epidemiologic public health studies demonstrated that people who live in close proximity to multiple oil and gas wells in densely developed shale basins have experienced an increased incidence of childhood leukemia, asthma attacks, congenital heart defects, low birth weight, and preterm birth compared to people who live with no production wells nearby. Collectively, these data indicate that dense shale development, as currently practiced, may pose a risk to human health.
The Prevalence of Macrosomia in Neonates of Gestational Diabetic Mothers

Abstract Diabetes affects 154,000 pregnancies each year in the US Of these, 88% involve gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). One of the possible complications of a GDM pregnancy is the delivery of a macrosomic neonate (full-term birth weight ≥ 4000g) with potential related complications of shoulder dystocia, clavicle fractures or asphyxia for the neonate, and labor abnormalities or a cesarean section delivery for the mother. Previous studies have identified ethnicity, age, pre-pregnancy BMI. and glucose control as risk factors associated with macrosomia. During the time period 2/96–4/98, a total of 88 women with GDM delivered infants at a hospital in a southeastern university town (population ∼ 85,000). A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify factors associated with macrosomic neonates. Information about maternal age, history of previous GDM pregnancy, history of previous macrosomic neonate, pre-pregnancy weight/body mass index, weight gain during gestation, use of insulin therapy, birth delivery method, and birth weight of the neonate was obtained. Records from singleton, full-term deliveries (n=80) were further analyzed. The average age of the subjects was 30 ± 5.2 years (mean ± SD), average pre-pregnancy BMI was 29.4 ± 8.0 (mean ± SD), and average weight gain during pregnancy was 18.1 ± 14.8 pounds (mean ± SD). Six of the subjects (7.5%) were on insulin therapy and 11 (13.8%) had a prior history of GDM. The overall prevalence of macrosomia in this study was nearly 24% (n=19). Macrosomia was associated with a history of prior GDM pregnancy and pre-pregnancy BMI ≥ 25.0 (p
Toxoplasma gondii Inactivates Human Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells by Functional Mimicry of IL-10.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are the major producers of IFN-α, an antiviral cytokine involved in immunomodulation and control of HIV type 1 replication, whereas Toxoplasma gondii is a life-threatening opportunistic infection in AIDS patients. During infection with HIV type 1, human pDCs decrease in circulation and remaining pDC produce lower amounts of IFN-α in response to viral stimulation. In this study, we investigated the impact of coinfection with T. gondii on the innate virus-directed responses of human pDCs. Using intracellular flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, we determined that T. gondii invaded but did not induce IFN-α or TNF-α in human pDC. However, T. gondii inhibited IFN-α and TNF-α produced in response to HSV and HIV, thus functionally inactivating pDC. IFN-α production was inhibited only in cells infected by T. gondii , which inhibited neither uptake of GFP-HSV nor localization of TLR9 in CD71 + endosomes, directing us to investigate downstream events. Using imaging flow cytometry, we found that both T. gondii and IL-10 inhibited virus-induced nuclear translocation, but not phosphorylation, of IFN response factor 7. Blockade of IFN response factor 7 nuclear translocation and inhibition of the IFN-α response was partially reversed by a deficiency in the T. gondii –derived ROP16 kinase, known to directly phosphorylate STAT3, a critical mediator of IL-10’s anti-inflammatory effects. Taken together, our results indicate that T. gondii suppresses pDC activation by mimicking IL-10’s regulatory effects through an ROP16 kinase-dependent mechanism. Our findings further imply a convergent mechanism of inhibition of TLR signaling by T. gondii and IL-10 and suggest potential negative consequences of HIV/ T. gondii coinfection.
Measuring Investor Overreaction

This article compares the use of turning points in market portfolio prices with closing prices to infer times when investor sentiment has reached extreme levels. To proxy for the market portfolio, the author downloaded daily high–low closing prices for the S&P 500 Index from Yahoo Finance over the period from 1962–2012. Two artificially constructed stochastic time series serve as benchmarks that represent random behavior. The author presents evidence indicating that using turning points rather than closing prices more effectively measures times when investor sentiment reaches extreme levels.
Automated Microaneurysm Detection in Fundus Images through Region Growing

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness if not detected and treated in time and is a serious complication of diabetes. Since DR is a progressive eye disease, the early detection and diagnosis of DR is important to prevent patients from blindness. One of the most characteristic symptoms of DR is the presence of microaneurysm (MA) – the early sign of DR, which is hard to detect manually due to its small size. In this paper, we propose an automatic MA detection method based on region growing and region classification. We solve two problems: 1) given a fundus image, how to automatically partition the image into regions that may or may not contain MAs through a region growing approach, and 2) given a region in a fundus image, how to automatically evaluate whether this region contains MA by feeding the features of the region into an artificial neural network (ANN) for classification. The proposed approach involves image preprocessing, region growing, feature selection and classification steps. In the experiment, the public dataset DIAbetic RETinopathy DataBase 1 (DIARETDB1) is used to provide training/testing data and ground truth. The proposed method can achieve the performance with sensitivity 86.6%, specificity 96.3%, and accuracy 93.9%, for automatic MA detection.
Literalizing Value: Poetry, Evaluation, and the Market in Marvell’s ‘The Last Instructions’

Andrew Marvell’s poetic choices, especially his tendency to literalize metaphors, reveal a dissatisfaction with the growing prevalence of market exchanges in seventeenth-century England. Although his verse satire ‘The Last Instructions to a Painter’ defends trade against the encroachments of the excise tax, as would be characteristic of a member of Parliament, it also demonstrates a striking aversion to comparative evaluation. ‘The Last Instructions’ also provides an important supplement to readings of Marvell’s literalizing propensities in other poems, like ‘The Garden’. Marvell’s portrait of trade and value in Restoration England, during the growth of a liberal market regime and the development of finance capital, also has important implications for modern assumptions about productivity and value. This early modern poet anticipates and presciently critiques the ubiquity of consumerist evaluation in our modern world. However, Marvell’s verse does not outline an alternative system of social relations: in that respect, even his verse satire does not have much faith in the political power of irony. Instead, these poems turn to literalization so as to advocate withdrawal from a world that asks little more of us than acquiescence to a totalizing web of assessment and evaluation.
Macrocyclic Receptor for Precious Gold, Platinum, or Palladium Coordination Complexes.

Two macrocyclic tetralactam receptors are shown to selectively encapsulate anionic, square-planar chloride and bromide coordination complexes of gold(III), platinum(II), and palladium(II). Both receptors have a preorganized structure that is complementary to its precious metal guest. The receptors do not directly ligate the guest metal center but instead provide an array of arene π-electron donors that interact with the electropositive metal and hydrogen-bond donors that interact with the outer electronegative ligands. This unique mode of supramolecular recognition is illustrated by six X-ray crystal structures showing receptor encapsulation of AuCl4–, AuBr4–, PtCl4–2, or Pd2Cl6–2. In organic solution, the 1:1 association constants correlate with specific supramolecular features identified in the solid state. Technical applications using these receptors are envisioned in a wide range of fields that involve precious metals, including mining, recycling, catalysis, nanoscience, and medicine.
What Every Behavior Analyst Should Know About the "MMR Causes Autism" Hypothesis.

In 1998, the English physician Andrew Wakefield suggested that the MMR vaccine insults the guts of children who then regress developmentally and become autistic. Although his research did not provide firm evidence for this hypothesis, many believe that (a) the MMR vaccine can cause autism; (b) children with autism typically have gastrointestinal problems; and, (c) a necessary component of treating autism is “treating the gut” through dietary restrictions. Research has subsequently shown that Wakefield’s hypothesis is unquestionably false, children with autism are not more likely to have gastrointestinal problems, and there is no sound evidence that diets are a valid treatment for autism. This paper will critically review these topics.
Vitamin D Deficiency, Rickets, and Osteomalacia

Vitamin D is a precursor molecule that can be obtained from the diet or synthesized in the skin by a process that requires ultraviolet radiation from sunlight. Vitamin D is subsequently activated within the body by two hydroxylations in the liver and kidney to yield the hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D or calcitriol. Calcitriol acts via the classical steroid hormone pathway through nuclear receptors to regulate the level of target gene expression. Calcitriol has many actions in the body but most prominently it controls calcium and phosphate absorption in the intestine. This action determines the level of circulating mineral ions and their delivery to bone-forming sites to mineralize bone. If vitamin D is deficient or its synthesis or action is defective, adequate mineral is not delivered to bone-forming sites and thus abnormal undermineralized bone is formed. This leads to the metabolic bone disease of rickets in childhood or osteomalacia in adults.
Simulating a LEGO Mindstorms RCX Robot in the Robotran Environment

LEGO Mindstorms robots are very popular with colleges and universities for teaching computer concepts and programming. These robots elicit excitement in students and provide a nontrivial, real-world platform for exploring algorithmic concepts. We created a simple algorithmic language, called Robolang, and wrote a translator that turns it into Lejos code, a variant of Java that can be run on the RCX version of the LEGO Mindstorms robots. Seeing that students were eager to explore programming with the RCX robots at home, we wrote a graphical simulator to visualize actions of our penbot, a configuration of the RCX robot that we used in most assignments. Using an emulator approach, we intercept the ROM calls to the RCX's hardware made by the TinyVM, the stripped-down Java Virtual Machine that runs compiled Java bytecodes. Our system then forwards these calls to a software model that represents the actual robot hardware. The software model creates the graphics to mimic the penbot using Java2D. This approach greatly simplified coding by capitalizing on existing software, namely the Java compiler and the JVM. Students can program either in Robolang or in actual Lejos and use the simulator to visualize the actions of the robot acting as a sort of visual debugger.
Designing Patient-Oriented Healthcare Services as a System of Systems

Chronic diseases are on the rise, increasing in number and complexity. Consequently, the needs of patients with chronic diseases are increasing and becoming more complex and multi-faceted; they require addressing not only the physical body, but also behavioral, emotional, and spiritual health. The current healthcare delivery system organically developed to address acute conditions, primarily injury and infection during the mid-19th century, a time when the body was viewed as a machine. This led to the organization of the healthcare delivery system by organ systems into specialties and departments. However, the healthcare delivery system today needs to provide healthcare services that span multiple systems to provide the care patients need. Such care requires services from multiple specialties (e.g., podiatry and endocrinology for diabetes, primary care and psychiatry for behavioral health, and palliative care MDs and chaplains & social workers for end-of-life care) that each effectively functions as its own system. There are currently several limitations and difficulties in designing patient-oriented healthcare services utilizing a system of systems framework. First, clinical models describe the service with a focus on resources. Second, the description tends to be at a high-level of abstraction, leaving the details to the implementer. Finally, the patient is generally modeled as an operand non-participatory agent, being pushed and pulled through the system. This paper describes the use of engineering and systems principles to design patient-oriented healthcare services that provide detail and quantification that classic services do not model. In doing so, these designed system of system models incorporate the detail, data quantification and implementation level information to allow for the success of the clinical aspect of the model to be achieved. This paper presents a medical based description of a system of systems and the engineered system based description of an integrated patient-oriented service.
Examining the influence of PTH(1-34) on tissue strength and composition.

Abstract The lacunar-canaliculi system is a network of channels that is created and maintained by osteocytes as they are embedded throughout cortical bone. As osteocytes modify their lacuna space, the local tissue composition and tissue strength are subject to change. Although continual exposure to parathyroid hormone (PTH) can induce adaptation at the lacunar wall, the impact of intermittent PTH treatment on perilacunar adaptation remains unclear. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to establish how intermittent PTH(1-34) treatment influences perilacunar adaptation with respect to changes in tissue composition. We hypothesized that local changes in tissue composition following PTH(1-34) are associated with corresponding gains in tissue strength and resistance to microdamage at the whole bone level. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were treated daily with PTH(1-34) or vehicle for 3 weeks. In response to PTH(1-34), Raman spectroscopy revealed a significant decrease in the carbonate-to-phosphate ratio and crystallinity across the entire tissue, while the mineral-to-matrix ratio demonstrated a significant decrease in just the perilacunar region. The shift in perilacunar composition largely explained the corresponding increase in tissue strength, while the degree of new tissue added at the endosteum and periosteum did not produce any significant changes in cortical area or moment of inertia that would explain the increase in tissue strength. Furthermore, fatigue testing revealed a greater resistance to crack formation within the existing tissue following PTH(1-34) treatment. As a result, the shift in perilacunar composition presents a unique mechanism by which PTH(1-34) produces localized differences in tissue quality that allow more energy to be dissipated under loading, thereby increasing tissue strength and resistance to microdamage. In addition, our findings demonstrate the potential for PTH(1-34) to amplify osteocytes' mechanotransduction by producing a more compliant tissue. Overall, the present study demonstrates that changes in tissue composition localized at the lacuna wall contribute to the strength and fatigue resistance of cortical bone gained in response to intermittent PTH(1-34) treatment.
Simultaneous Targeted Methylation Sequencing (sTM-Seq)

Mapping patterns of DNA methylation throughout the epigenome are critical to our understanding of several important biological and regulatory functions, such as transcriptional regulation, genomic imprinting, and embryonic development. The development and rapid advancement of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have provided clinicians and researchers with accurate and reliable read-outs of genomic and epigenomic information at the nucleotide level. Such improvements have significantly lowered the cost required for genome-wide sequencing, facilitating the vast acquisition of data that has led to many improvements in patient care. However, the torrid rate of NGS data generation has left targeted validation approaches behind, including the confirmation of epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation. To overcome these shortcomings, we present a rapid and robust protocol for the parallel examination of multiple methylated sequences that we have termed simultaneous targeted methylation sequencing (sTM-Seq). Key features of this technique include the elimination of the need for large amounts of high-molecular weight DNA and the nucleotide specific distinction of both 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). Moreover, sTM-Seq is scalable and can be used to investigate multiple loci in dozens of samples within a single sequencing run. By utilizing freely available web-based software and universal primers for multipurpose barcoding, library preparation, and customized sequencing, sTM-Seq is affordable, efficient, and widely applicable. Together, these features enable sTM-Seq to have wide-reaching clinical applications that will greatly improve turnaround rates for same-day procedures and allow clinicians to collect high-resolution data that can be used in a variety of patient settings. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Loss of Reg proteins' protection of islet β cells in chronic pancreatitis: A potential mechanism for the pathogenesis of type 3c diabetes

Abstract Type 3c diabetes mellitus (T3cDM) is a type of pancreatogenic diabetes. This form of diabetes has been significantly underappreciated, but is now receiving increased attention because of the recent recognition of its high incidence in chronic pancreatitis (CP) and other pancreatic diseases with irreparable loss of acinar cells. CP-associated T3cDM is characterized by insulin insufficiency resulting from pancreatic exocrine damage. However, how loss of acinar cells leads to insulin insufficiency in CP is practically unknown. Based on our review of the relevant literature and studies in our laboratory, we propose that lost protection from acinar cell–secreted regenerating proteins results in injury of the islet β cells in CP. Validation of this model may help in better understanding of the pathophysiology of T3cDM.
Adherence of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes to endothelial monolayers: effects of temperature, divalent cations, and chemotactic factors on the strength of adherence measured with a new centrifugation assay

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) adhere to endothelial cells at sites of acute inflammation. To examine this phenomenon in vitro, we have developed a new assay to measure adherence of PMNs to cultured endothelial cells. Human PMNs were labeled with 111indium-oxine and incubated in microtiter wells with monolayers of either human umbilical vein or bovine aortic endothelial cells. Following incubation, the wells were sealed, inverted, and centrifuged at varying speeds. Results are expressed as the percentage of PMNs added initially that remained attached to the monolayers after being subjected to dislodgment forces (ie, relative centrifugal forces) ranging from 1 to 1,200 g. Adherence of PMNs to endothelial monolayers was temperature dependent, dependent on the concentration of extracellular Mg2+ (but not Ca2+), and enhanced significantly by the chemotactic peptides, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl- phenylalanine (fMLP) and human C5a. It was found that fMLP and C5a not only increased the number of PMNs that adhered to endothelial cells, but also increased the strength of adherence.
Phase 1 study of the Aurora kinase A inhibitor alisertib (MLN8237) combined with the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat in lymphoid malignancies.

Alisertib, an Aurora kinase A inhibitor, was evaluated in a Phase 1 study in combination with the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat, in patients with relapsed/refractory lymphoid malignancie...
To TRIM or not to TRIM: the balance of host-virus interactions mediated by the ubiquitin system

The innate immune system responds rapidly to protect against viral infections, but an overactive response can cause harmful damage. To avoid this, the response is tightly regulated by post-translational modifications (PTMs). The ubiquitin system represents a powerful PTM machinery that allows for the reversible linkage of ubiquitin to activate and deactivate a target’s function. A precise enzymatic cascade of ubiquitin-activating, conjugating and ligating enzymes facilitates ubiquitination. Viruses have evolved to take advantage of the ubiquitin pathway either by targeting factors to dampen the antiviral response or by hijacking the system to enhance their replication. The tripartite motif (TRIM) family of E3 ubiquitin ligases has garnered attention as a major contributor to innate immunity. Many TRIM family members limit viruses either indirectly as components in innate immune signalling, or directly by targeting viral proteins for degradation. In spite of this, TRIMs and other ubiquitin ligases can be appropriated by viruses and repurposed as valuable tools in viral replication. This duality of function suggests a new frontier of research for TRIMs and raises new challenges for discerning the subtleties of these pro-viral mechanisms. Here, we review current findings regarding the involvement of TRIMs in host–virus interactions. We examine ongoing developments in the field, including novel roles for unanchored ubiquitin in innate immunity, the direct involvement of ubiquitin ligases in promoting viral replication, recent controversies on the role of ubiquitin and TRIM25 in activation of the pattern recognition receptor RIG-I, and we discuss the implications these studies have on future research directions.
Timing of migration shifts en masse

Climate change has led to changes in migration patterns for many bird species. A novel application of the US system of weather radars reveals for the first time that climate change advances the timing of bird migration comprehensively at continental scales.
Mediators of Effects of Cooperative Learning on Prosocial Behavior in Middle School

In this study, we tested the effects of cooperative learning on students’ prosocial behavior. Cooperative learning is a small-group instructional technique that establishes positive interdependence among students and, unlike most current school-based programs, does not mandate a formal curriculum. Given the emphasis in cooperative learning on peer reinforcement for positive and helpful behavior during learning activities, we hypothesized that cooperative learning would promote higher levels of prosocial behavior, and that these effects would be mediated by peer relatedness. Using a sample of 1890 students (47.1% female, 75.2% White) from a cluster randomized trial of 15 middle schools, we found that cooperative learning significantly enhanced prosocial behavior across two years. Mediation was only partial, however, suggesting that additional mechanisms were at work, such as changes to social norms or teacher behavior. Given that cooperative learning has been shown to enhance student engagement and academic achievement in prior research, we argue that cooperative learning should be a central component of teacher training and professional development.
The exact solution of multiparametric quadratically constrained quadratic programming problems

In this paper, we present a strategy for the exact solution of multiparametric quadratically constrained quadratic programs (mpQCQPs). Specifically, we focus on multiparametric optimization problems with a convex quadratic objective function, quadratic inequality and linear equality constraints, described by constant matrices. The proposed approach is founded on the expansion of the Basic Sensitivity Theorem to a second-order Taylor approximation, which enables the derivation of the exact parametric solution of mpQCQPs. We utilize an active set strategy to implicitly explore the parameter space, based on which (i) the complete map of parametric solutions for convex mpQCQPs is constructed, and (ii) the determination of the optimal parametric solution for every feasible parameter realization reduces to a nonlinear function evaluation. Based on the presented results, we utilize the second-order approximation to the Basic Sensitivity Theorem to expand to the case of nonconvex quadratic constraints, by employing the Fritz John necessary conditions. Example problems are provided to illustrate the algorithmic steps of the proposed approach.
Impedance spectroscopy of short multiwalled carbon nanotube networks deposited on a paper substrate: tracking the evolution of in-plane and thru-plane electronic properties

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) were deposited via dropcasting and dried using vacuum filtration. Because of the slightly larger pore size (5–10 µm) of the paper substrate used as compared to the length of the nanotubes (0.5–2 µm), a variety of MWNT networks were formed both on the surface and through the thickness of the paper. Using a combination of impedance spectroscopy, equivalent circuit modeling, and microscopy techniques, it was possible to describe in detail how the electrical properties change as a function of how the MWNTs are distributed on the porous substrate by varying the number of deposited layers (1–20) as well as the dispersion concentration (0.1–5 mg/mL). In the in-plane, four different electrical responses were observed and modeled: (1) a substrate dominated spectrum representing unconnected MWNTs, (2) one that included bundle and junction responses as well as some inductances representing sparsely distributed MWNT networks, (3) followed by a parallel RL circuit for partially connected MWNT networks, and (4) finally a series RL circuit for fully connected MWNT networks. In the thru-plane, only two different electrical responses were observed and modeled. The results for the in-plane and thru-plane properties were used to generate percolation curves that show that electrical conductivity can change as much as 10 orders of magnitude for the same exact MWNTs. These results indicate that not only do the characteristics of the nanotubes themselves play a role but also the structure of the underlying substrate and the details of how the films are deposited.
Just culture in healthcare: An integrative review.

BACKGROUND In spite of two decades of the patient safety movement in the United States, healthcare safety remains a significant problem. The paucity of empirical literature related to Just Culture in healthcare indicates a need for this concept to be examined and operationalized. PURPOSE The purpose was to appraise the literature regarding the use and application of Just Culture in healthcare. METHODS Using Whittemore and Knafl's framework for integrative reviews, a review of the literature was conducted using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed, PsychInfo, and Cochrane Review to identify peer-reviewed literature published between 2010 and 2020. The following search terms were used: "Just Culture" AND "healthcare system" OR "health care" OR "healthcare." RESULTS After screening for inclusion and exclusion criteria, a set of 10 articles were included in the review. Four main themes were identified: Error Management, Balance, Leadership and Staff, and Systems Leadership for Change. CONCLUSION There is a paucity of empirical research and quality improvement projects focusing on Just Culture. The themes identified in this integrative review provide the direction and focus for additional research and quality improvement efforts that will promote the adoption of Just Culture and improvement in patient safety.
Comparing problem-solving across capstone design courses in chemical engineering

Work in progress: Engineering graduates rank problem-solving as one of the most important skills they use in their careers. Despite the widely recognized importance of problem-solving, there is little evidence to suggest that we are teaching our students how to solve the complex problems they will encounter in their future careers. Part of the reason we lack such evidence is that almost no tools exist that measure meaningful dimensions of authentic problem-solving. We have developed an assessment of authentic problem-solving based on studies of how expert scientists and engineers solve problems. In the chemical engineering version of this assessment, students are asked to troubleshoot a flawed chemical process design; this requires them to make many of the same decisions that an expert engineer does when they solve real-world problems. In previous studies, we have validated the use of this assessment to measure differences between novice and more advanced students and to identify best practices for administering the assessment. In this study, we use the assessment to measure the problem-solving outcomes of two different versions of a capstone design course in chemical engineering: one that focuses on product design, and one on traditional plant design. We discuss preliminary results from two highly selected private universities in the United States. This work is providing valuable information as to the problem solving learning differences from different capstone design course experiences.
Calculation of the thermodynamic voltage limit of CdSeTe solar cells

The first step to understand the origin of losses in any photovoltaic solar cell is to determine the fundamental thermodynamic efficiency and voltage limits of such a device. In this contribution, we detail techniques to calculate the voltage limit in the case of cadmium selenium telluride (CdSeTe) solar cells, and how approaches based on bandgap alone—i.e., the Shockley-Queisser approach with step-function absorptance—can overestimate the thermodynamic open-circuit voltage limit $V_{oc,ideal}$ . This is particularly true for arsenic-doped samples, which tend to exhibit below-bandgap absorptance.
Gold-Associated Minerals from the Collector's Perspective

Figure 1. Gold with galena and quartz, 6.5 × 5 × 4 cm, St. Helena mine, Welkom, Free State Province, South Africa. Jim and Gail Spann specimen, Mark Mauthner photo(Rock Currier Trust).Reproduced wi...
Artery of Davidoff and Schechter: A Large Angiographic Case Series of Dural AV Fistulas:

The artery of Davidoff and Schechter (ADS) is the only meningeal branch of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA), supplying the medial tentorial margin and posterior portions of the falx. Given its s...
Design rules for quasi-linear nonlinear optical structures

The maximization of the intrinsic optical nonlinearities of quantum structures for ultrafast applications requires a spectrum scaling as the square of the energy eigenstate number or faster. This is a necessary condition for an intrinsic response approaching the fundamental limits. A second condition is a design generating eigenstates whose ground and lowest excited state probability densities are spatially separated to produce large differences in dipole moments while maintaining a reasonable spatial overlap to produce large off-diagonal transition moments. A structure whose design meets both conditions will necessarily have large first or second hyperpolarizabilities. These two conditions are fundamental heuristics for the design of any nonlinear optical structure.
Using folk taxonomies to understand stakeholder perceptions for species conservation

We used folk biological classification as a framework for understanding stakeholder perceptions of marine species diversity and its potential consequences for conservation in Puget Sound, Washington. Respondents (N= 99) classified 46 marine species into folk taxonomies, which diverged substantially from a scientific taxonomy. Variation in folk taxonomy structure was related to respondents’ expertise, suggesting that the ways in which people sampled or observed the marine environment led to different perceptions of species diversity within it. Differences in the degree of aggregation among taxa supported the notion that culturally important species are more identifiable. We focused on rockfishes (Sebastes spp.), long-lived species of conservation concern, to demonstrate how different views of biodiversity could lead to divergent perceptions of risk to rockfish populations. Understanding the connection between people's values, goals, and experience and their underlying views of species diversity may help to reconcile differences between stakeholder and scientific perspectives.
Consensus Clustering: A Resampling-Based Method for Class Discovery and Visualization of Gene Expression Microarray Data

In this paper we present a new methodology of class discovery and clustering validation tailored to the task of analyzing gene expression data. The method can best be thought of as an analysis approach, to guide and assist in the use of any of a wide range of available clustering algorithms. We call the new methodology consensus clustering, and in conjunction with resampling techniques, it provides for a method to represent the consensus across multiple runs of a clustering algorithm and to assess the stability of the discovered clusters. The method can also be used to represent the consensus over multiple runs of a clustering algorithm with random restart (such as K-means, model-based Bayesian clustering, SOM, etc.), so as to account for its sensitivity to the initial conditions. Finally, it provides for a visualization tool to inspect cluster number, membership, and boundaries. We present the results of our experiments on both simulated data and real gene expression data aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the methodology in discovering biologically meaningful clusters.
Obama's Second Chance to Make History

This short article provides a view of the circumstances and issues surrounding President Obama's nomination of federal circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. With President Barack Obama's nomination of federal circuit Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, his judicial appointment team has been presented with an early introduction to what has become one the most challenging areas of presidential governance over the last several decades. The nominations to the nation's highest court have generated controversies going back to Ronald Reagan's failed attempt to elevate the highly controversial federal Judge Robert Bork to the court in the late 1980s. Those hearings, which delved deeply into the political and social beliefs of Judge Bork, transformed the nomination process for all time and assured that in the future no Supreme Court nominee would go on the court without the "strict scrutiny" which the Court must sometimes apply when it decides cases. President Obama should be thanking Justice David H. Souter not only for his service on the high court but for providing a Supreme Court appointment so early in his first term. By announcing his resignation from the court at the end of its most recent term, Souter will allow the president to test the Senate waters with a Democratic majority for the first of possibly several Supreme Court appointments.
Mice fed vitamin A-modified diets develop distinct levels of tissue retinol depending on growth stage and vitamin A exposure (645.23)

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of growth stage (age) and dietary vitamin A (VA) on retinoid levels in plasma and main retinoid storage organs in a mouse model that is commonly used for immunological research. A purified VA-marginal diet was fed to Balb/C dams from pregnancy until pups were weaned. Post-weaning pups (total n=46) were randomized to 4 diet groups and fed VA-deficient, marginal, adequate, and supplement diets, which contains 0, 0.35, 4, and 100 μg retinol as retinyl palmitate/g diet, respectively. Tissues were collected from newborn (0 d), neonatal (14 d), young adult (4-wk), and adult (8-wk) mice and analyzed for total retinol (ROH) by UPLC. A dose-response relationship was observed in liver and lung, but not plasma. Surprisingly, the liver and lung ROH levels in VA-deficient and marginal groups for young adult and adult mice were higher as compared to those in rats previously studied in our laboratory. The results suggested that under VA-adequate and supplemented c...
Relationships between CCN and cloud microphysics variations in clean maritime air

[1] Flight-averaged CCN concentrations during the Rain in Cumulus over the Ocean (RICO) field project varied by a factor of four. This was sufficient to provide correlations with flight-averaged total cloud droplet concentrations (Nc) and mean diameters (MD) that showed greater influence of CCN than updraft velocity (w) on Nc and especially MD. The product of CCN and w produced even stronger correlations with Nc and MD. An earlier RICO study had shown an inverse relationship of Nc and giant nuclei (GN) with large cloud droplet concentrations (NLD). These two RICO studies now show that the aerosol with the most influence on NLD (MD) is CCN. The results of the present study are similar to earlier studies in more polluted clouds that also showed more influence of CCN than GN on MD/NLD/drizzle. The present study indicates that variations in CCN concentrations even within maritime air masses modulate precipitation.
Long-Distance High-Fidelity Teleportation Using Singlet States

A quantum communication system is proposed that uses polarization-entangled photons and trapped-atom quantum memories.This system is capable of longdistance, high-fidelity teleportation, and long-duration quantum storage.
Possible Interaction of Indomethacin and Warfarin

A case report of a possible interaction between indomethacin and warfarin is presented. The effect of warfarin on the prothrombin time (PT) was enhanced while indomethacin was given concurrently. Substitution of Ibuprofen for indomethacin resulted in the desired control of the prothrombin time.Based on the results of controlled clinical trials and on the rarity of case reports, there is probably an extremely low incidence of enhancement of warfarin-induced hypoprothrombinemia by indomethacin.
Soft Parallel Wireless Relay via Z-Forward

This paper considers soft-message forwarding in a 2-hop wireless network. Previous methods have only considered the source-relay channel quality but ignored the relay-destination channel quality, causing potential sub-optimality especially in a parallel-relay setting. This paper takes a centralized approach by accounting for all the individual channel-segments, and proposes a “Z-forward” strategy, in which the $i$ -th relay represents the forward messages in a parameterized piece-wise linear form: $\theta_i$ -truncated log-likelihood ratio (LLR) of its reception. This message representation not only is numerically stable, and soft-information-preserving, but also allows us to analytically derive the end-to-end bit error rate (with maximal ratio combining (MRC)), and to compute the optimal values of $\theta_i$ numerically. The results confirm that previous message-forward proposals, however a good performance in a single-relay setting, will considerably degrade as the the number of relays increases. Next, to further simplify the design, we propose a single threshold $\theta$ for all the relays, in lieu of one for each, and show that it strikes a balance between performance and computation. Additionally, with Z-forward, we are able to derive the exact probability density function (pdf) of the final reception at the destination, and subsequently to develop the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator. Extensive simulations are presented to verify the efficiency of the new schemes.