cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neighborhood Priority or Desegregation Plans? A Spatial Analysis of Voting on San Francisco’s Student Assignment System

In 2011, San Francisco held an unprecedented citywide vote on its public schools’ student assignment policy. Proposition H provides a unique opportunity to learn more about the public’s desire for “neighborhood schools,” as compared to their interest in maintaining districtwide desegregation efforts. This paper takes the approach of applying geographic information system tools and regression analysis to understand the relationships between neighborhood, race, income, and attitudes toward student assignment systems. By comparing the election results with demographics and school quality data, we identify patterns of support for the narrowly defeated proposition. Support for a shift toward neighborhood-based schools was higher in census tracts with high-performing schools, more school age children, high median income, or a large fraction of foreign-born residents, and lower in tracts with a high percentage of Latinos. The shifting race- and class-based politics of the city foreshadow expected demographic shifts in the US.
Investigating Social Presence and Communication with Embodied Avatars in Room-Scale Virtual Reality

Room-scale virtual reality (VR) holds great potential as a medium for communication and collaboration in remote and same-time, same-place settings. Related work has established that movement realism can create a strong sense of social presence, even in the absence of photorealism. Here, we explore the noteworthy attributes of communicative interaction using embodied minimal avatars in room-scale VR in the same-time, same-place setting. Our system is the first in the research community to enable this kind of interaction, as far as we are aware. We carried out an experiment in which pairs of users performed two activities in contrasting variants: VR vs. face-to-face (F2F), and 2D vs. 3D. Objective and subjective measures were used to compare these, including motion analysis, electrodermal activity, questionnaires, retrospective think-aloud protocol, and interviews. On the whole, participants communicated effectively in VR to complete their tasks, and reported a strong sense of social presence. The system’s high fidelity capture and display of movement seems to have been a key factor in supporting this. Our results confirm some expected shortcomings of VR compared to F2F, but also some non-obvious advantages. The limited anthropomorphic properties of the avatars presented some difficulties, but the impact of these varied widely between the activities. In the 2D vs. 3D comparison, the basic affordance of freehand drawing in 3D was new to most participants, resulting in novel observations and open questions. We also present methodological observations across all conditions concerning the measures that did and did not reveal differences between conditions, including unanticipated properties of the think-aloud protocol applied to VR.
Predicting No-Shows in Radiology Using Regression Modeling of Data Available in the Electronic Medical Record

Abstract Purpose To test whether data elements available in the electronic medical record (EMR) can be effectively leveraged to predict failure to attend a scheduled radiology examination. Materials and Methods Using data from a large academic medical center, we identified all patients with a diagnostic imaging examination scheduled from January 1, 2016, to April 1, 2016, and determined whether the patient successfully attended the examination. Demographic, clinical, and health services utilization variables available in the EMR potentially relevant to examination attendance were recorded for each patient. We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression models to test whether these data elements could predict failure to attend a scheduled radiology examination. The predictive accuracy of the regression models were determined by calculating the area under the receiver operator curve. Results Among the 54,652 patient appointments with radiology examinations scheduled during the study period, 6.5% were no-shows. No-show rates were highest for the modalities of mammography and CT and lowest for PET and MRI. Logistic regression indicated that 16 of the 27 demographic, clinical, and health services utilization factors were significantly associated with failure to attend a scheduled radiology examination ( P ≤ .05). Stepwise logistic regression analysis demonstrated that previous no-shows, days between scheduling and appointments, modality type, and insurance type were most strongly predictive of no-show. A model considering all 16 data elements had good ability to predict radiology no-shows (area under the receiver operator curve = 0.753). The predictive ability was similar or improved when these models were analyzed by modality. Conclusion Patient and examination information readily available in the EMR can be successfully used to predict radiology no-shows. Moving forward, this information can be proactively leveraged to identify patients who might benefit from additional patient engagement through appointment reminders or other targeted interventions to avoid no-shows.
Pitch Counts in Youth Baseball and Softball: A Historical Review.

Objective:Pitching injuries are getting increased attention in the mass media. Many references are made to pitch counts and the role they play in injury prevention. The original purpose of regulating the pitch count in youth baseball was to reduce injury and fatigue to pitchers. This article reviews
The mental workout: Implementing phase 1 of the Ten-Minute Toughness mental training program

ABSTRACTThe current project describes the implementation of an established mental training program to a collegiate softball team (N = 17). Jason Selk, director of mental training for the St. Louis Cardinals, developed the Ten-Minute Toughness program. The mental training included Centering Breaths, Performance Statement, Personal Highlight Reel, and Identity Statement. The weekly sessions (N = 5) were delivered in a group format prior to practice. A post mental training evaluation revealed that a vast majority of the athletes reported that the workshop was helpful and that their ability to use the mental skills improved.
Case 60: Robot-Assisted Surgery: A Word of Caution

Today you are anesthetizing a 3-month-old 6.1 kg infant with biliary atresia. The operation is scheduled for laparoscopic Kasai using a robot-assisted surgical system. The system consists of a remote-operating console and a wide-base surgical cart. Inhaled anesthesia with sevoflurane, peripheral IV access, securing the airway with an endotracheal tube and a radial line inserted is performed in the OR. The endotracheal tube position is confirmed by auscultation, and a precordial stethoscope is placed over the patient’s left chest. An orogastric tube is used to decompress the stomach. The patient is elevated about 4 inches off the OR table on blankets and egg crate to allow the greatest range of motion for the robotic arms. The OR table is positioned in a 30° reverse Trendelenburg to facilitate surgical exposure. The operation proceeds with placement of the robotic cart and arms.
Magnesium sulfate differentially modulates fetal membrane inflammation in a time-dependent manner.

PROBLEM Chorioamnionitis and infection-associated inflammation are major causes of preterm birth. Magnesium sulfate (MgSO4 ) is widely used in obstetrics as a tocolytic; however, its mechanism of action is unclear. This study sought to investigate how MgSO4 modulates infection-associated inflammation in fetal membranes (FMs), and whether the response was time dependent. METHOD OF STUDY Human FM explants were treated with or without bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS); with or without MgSO4 added either: 1 hour before LPS; at the same time as LPS; 1 hour post-LPS; or 2 hours post-LPS. Explants were also treated with or without viral dsRNA and LPS, alone or in combination; and MgSO4 added 1 hour post-LPS After 24 hours, supernatants were measured for cytokines/chemokines; and tissue lysates measured for caspase-1 activity. RESULTS Lipopolysaccharide-induced FM inflammation by upregulating the secretion of a number of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines. Magnesium sulfate administered 1-hour post-LPS inhibited FM secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, G-CSF, RANTES, and TNFα. Magnesium sulfate administered 2 hours post-LPS augmented FM secretion of these factors as well as IL-8, IFNγ, VEGF, GROα and IP-10. Magnesium sulfate delivered 1- hour post-LPS inhibited LPS-induced caspase-1 activity, and inhibited the augmented IL-1β response triggered by combination viral dsRNA and LPS. CONCLUSION Magnesium sulfate differentially modulates LPS-induced FM inflammation in a time-dependent manner, in part through its modulation of caspase-1 activity. Thus, the timing of MgSO4 administration may be critical in optimizing its anti-inflammatory effects in the clinical setting. MgSO4 might also be useful at preventing FM inflammation triggered by a polymicrobial viral-bacterial infection.
Stability of curcumin in oil-in-water emulsions: Impact of emulsifier type and concentration on chemical degradation.

Abstract Oral ingestion of curcumin is claimed to be effective against several diseases, including inflammation and cancer. However, its utilization in food, supplement, and pharmaceutical products is often challenging due to its poor water solubility, high chemical instability, and limited oral bioavailability. Emulsion-based delivery systems can be designed to overcome these challenges, but their composition and structure must be optimized to ensure they function appropriately. This study examined the impact of emulsifier type on the formation and stability of curcumin-loaded oil-in-water emulsions: sodium caseinate; Tween 80; quillaja saponin; gum arabic. The effectiveness of these food-grade emulsifiers at forming emulsions by microfluidization was characterized in terms of their surface load, i.e., the mass of emulsifier per unit surface area. The surface loads decreased in the following order: gum arabic (55.3 mg/m2) > > saponins (2.0 mg/m2) > Tween 80 (1.6 mg/m2) > caseinate (1.5 mg/m2), which indicated that much more gum arabic was required to form emulsions than the other emulsifiers. Curcumin-loaded emulsions were then prepared under conditions where there was just enough emulsifier to cover the droplet surfaces (“critical”), and under conditions where there was an excess of emulsifier in the aqueous phase (“excess”). Initially, both critical and excess emulsions were physically stable and had similar appearances. In all emulsions, curcumin degradation during storage occurred more rapidly at pH 7 than at pH 3, and was faster at 55 °C than at 37 °C. The physical and chemical stability of the curcumin-loaded emulsions also depended on emulsifier type. After storage at 55 °C for 15 days, the extent of curcumin degradation decreased in the following order: saponins > > gum arabic ≈ casinate ≈ Tween 80. Moreover, droplet creaming was observed in the critical Tween 80 and saponin emulsions, but not in the other emulsions. These results suggest that saponin accelerated curcumin degradation, possibly due to its ability to promote peroxidation reactions. Emulsifier concentration did not significantly affect curcumin degradation. These results suggest that the physical and chemical stability of curcumin-loaded emulsions is influenced by emulsifier type and level. This information may be useful for formulating emulsion-based delivery systems for curcumin with improved physicochemical and functional properties.
Estimating Program Impacts on Human Resources

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for a human resources impact statement to fill a gap in the existing consideration given to human resources. At the macro-level, government considers human resource effects in attempting to integrate full employment goals with major economic policies. At the organization level, human resource effects are considered in developing manpower plans to meet specific operating requirements. The human resource impact statement (HRIS) would provide organization decision makers with organizationally relevant information to structure and direct consideration of human resource effects when choosing among alternative methods for implementing programs and policies.
Copper Metabolism and Wilson’s Disease

Wilson’s disease, or hepatolenticular degeneration, is an inherited disorder of copper metabolism, characterized by decreased biliary copper excretion. Copper accumulation and deposition in a variety of organ systems results in progressive tissue injury and leads inexorably to death unless appropriate therapy is initiated. Kinnear Wilson first defined the familial syndrome of progressive lenticular degeneration associated with cirrhosis of the liver in 1912. Many of his original clinical observations remain valid, although considerable advances have since been made with respect to an understanding of the pathogenetic basis, the natural history, and the treatment of the disorder. This article will attempt to review the current knowledge of Wilson’s disease, highlighting some of the recent advances and controversies.
E 2 → T 2 2 Absorption Spectrum of Ruby

Four of the six possible components in the sharp-line absorption spectrum $^{2}E({{t}_{2}}^{3})\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{2}T_{2}({{t}_{2}}^{3})$ have been observed in a sample of 0.05% ruby cooled to 95\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The measured wavelengths and linewidths of the transitions are identical, within experimental error, to those calculated on the basis of observed absorptions to each of the excited levels from the $^{4}A_{2}$ ground state. The polarizations and relative strengths of the transitions are in good agreement with the existing crystal-field-theory predictions of Tanabe and Sugano.
Ozone-induced loss of neuronal M2 muscarinic receptor function is prevented by cyclophosphamide

We tested the hypothesis that inflammatory cells mediate the loss of neuronal M2 muscarinic receptors in the lung after ozone exposure. Pathogen-free guinea pigs treated with cyclophosphamide (30 m...
From equality to asymmetry: honorific statues, imperial power, and senatorial identity in late-antique Rome

Late-antique Rome was not only home to human inhabitants.* It also housed, according to the 6th-c. senator Cassiodorus, another population, made of stone: ‘a large populace of statues and many herds of equestrian monuments’.1 The ecclesiastical historian Zacharias of Mytilene, a younger contemporary of Cassiodorus, counted 3,845 honorific monuments for high-ranking office-holders and emperors in late-antique Rome.2 Such punctilious accuracy was no doubt spurious, but the public spaces and aristocratic residences of lateantique Rome were crammed with statuary. Unfortunately, precious few traces have survived from Cassiodorus’ ‘other population of Rome’. Of all the statues for aristocrats and emperors put up in late-antique Rome, only a handful has survived completely.3 Otherwise, all that remains is hundreds of fragments of the bases on which the statues were displayed. Sometimes the fragments are so small that we are lucky if it is even possible to reconstruct the name of the honorands.
Prospective Postimplementation Study of Solana Group A Streptococcal Nucleic Acid Amplification Test vs Conventional Throat Culture.

Objectives We evaluated the Solana Group A Streptococcus Assay (Quidel, San Diego, CA), a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), as a substitute for backup culture on throat specimens with a negative rapid group A Streptococcus (GAS) antigen assay. Methods During October 2016, all throat swabs from patients with a negative GAS antigen assay from local urgent care centers were processed by NAAT and conventional culture in real time. Results The overall agreement of the 2,090 tested throat swab specimens of the NAAT with the culture was 2,050 (98%) of 2,090. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 91.4%, 98.5%, 78.0%, and 99.5%, respectively. Conclusions In summary, this postimplementation study supported high sensitivity and specificity of the GAS NAAT as a backup test for negative rapid GAS antigen tests.
Learnings from a pragmatic study to evaluate benefit of performing reflex clinical trial matching and providing clinical decision support to physicians.

e18006Background: Clinical trial enrollment is an assiduous process and requires active initiation and maintenance efforts by providers, patients, trial investigators, or other clinical staff. Sett...
VAST Challenge 2018: Suspense at the Wildlife Preserve

The 2018 VAST Challenge returns to the (fictional) city of Mistford and the Boonsong Lekagul Wildlife Preserve to pose three MiniChallenges surrounding the nefarious Kasios Furniture Company and the fate of the Rose-Crested Blue Pipit. For Mini-Challenge 1, participants performed classification on a collection of bird song recordings to help experts understand the changing population dynamics within the preserve. Mini-Challenge 2 introduced new hydrology evidence in a spatiotemporal challenge, asking participants to trace the transmission of various chemicals through the preserve’s waterways. In Mini-Challenge 3, participants took their analysis global, examining suspicious connections in Kasios’ international business dealings in a massive graph challenge
An Experience Report for Running an REU Program in an iSchool

In this article, we report on our experiences and lessons learned from training undergraduate students in data science research in an iSchool, comparing this program to the experience of running a similar program in a computer science department. The undergraduate research training programs described were supported by the National Science Foundation (United States) through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Through investigating the research tasks, reading materials, lectures, tutorials, research reports, publications, and project evaluation results, we summarize the differences in research focus of the same program running in an iSchool and in a Computer Science department. We develop a group of research activities that can be adopted for effectively training undergraduate researchers in an iSchool. Furthermore, we propose an enhancement of the undergraduate data science curriculum based on the experiences and lessons we learned from running the REU programs.
Burnout, distress, and depressive symptoms in adults with type 1 diabetes

Abstract Introduction We identified established scales and subscales related to the hypostatized dimensions of diabetes burnout (exhaustion, detachment, powerlessness) emerging from our preliminary qualitative studies, and examined the relationship of diabetes burnout with diabetes distress, depressive symptoms, and diabetes outcomes. Methods In this cross-sectional study, adults with type 1 diabetes (n = 111) completed an online survey including measures of diabetes distress, depressive symptoms, and proposed measures of diabetes burnout. Participants also answered questions related to diabetes outcomes (i.e., last reported HbA1c, missed appointments) as well as other clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. Items related to diabetes burnout were identified and analyzed in an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The items retained through the EFA were then used in a series of regression analyses to estimate the relationships of the diabetes burnout measure with participants' background characteristics, diabetes distress, depressive symptoms, and diabetes outcomes. Results The EFA provided mixed results. The proposed measures of powerlessness were consistent with the original hypothesis. However, the identified measures of exhaustion and detachment did not load onto the anticipated factors. After revising the subscales based on the results of the factor analysis, the measures of diabetes burnout demonstrated strong internal consistency with Cronbach alphas (all subscales and total scale ≥0.85). Diabetes burnout was significantly associated with both depression (es = 0.70; p Conclusion The results of the study provide a first step toward identifying a reliable, valid measure of diabetes burnout. Further research is needed to identify additional items to supplement/replace existing measures and to further differentiate diabetes burnout from diabetes distress and depressive symptoms.
Seeing Like a Neighbor: Rethinking Neighborhoods as Service-oriented Communities:

Neighborhoods remain primary units of measurement and empowerment among city planners, and governments ask neighborhood groups to take on more of the work of the “state.” Missing from these discuss...
Why the Outcome of Anti-Tumor Immune Responses is Heterogeneous: A Novel Idea in the Context of Immunological Heterogeneity in Cancers

The question as to why some hosts can eradicate their tumors while others succumb to tumor-progression remains unanswered. Here, a provocative concept is proposed that intrinsic differences in the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of individuals may influence the outcome of anti-tumor immunity by affecting the frequency and/or variety of tumor-reactive CD8 and/or CD4 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. This idea implicates that the TCR repertoire in a given patient might not provide sufficiently different TCR clones that can recognize tumor antigens, namely, "a hole in the TCR repertoire" might exist. This idea may provide a novel perspective to further dissect the mechanisms underlying heterogeneous anti-tumor immune responses in different hosts. Besides tumor-intrinsic heterogeneity and host microbiome, the various factors that may constantly shape the dynamic TCR repertoire are also discussed. Elucidating mechanistic differences in different individuals' immune systems will allow to better harness immune system to design new personalized cancer immunotherapy.
Reduction of PtCl62- and PtCl42- in polyaniline: Catalytic oxidation of methanol at morphologically different composites

Abstract The synthesis of polyaniline/platinum composites (PANI/Pt) has been achieved using the controlled electrochemical reduction of PtCl 6 2 - and PtCl 4 2 - . The formation of the PANI/Pt composite is initiated by the uptake and reduction of either PtCl 6 2 - or PtCl 4 2 - into a priori electrochemically deposited PANI film. The electrochemical reduction of PtCl 6 2 - and PtCl 4 2 - produces morphologically different composite materials. In the case of PtCl 6 2 - , a uniform dispersion of spherical Pt particles with diameters ranging between 200 nm and 1 μm occurs. A more coalesced Pt deposition encapsulates PANI filaments when PtCl 4 2 - is reduced using identical electrochemical parameters. Reduction of either platinum species results in an electron deficient polymer with reduced proton doping. The catalytic oxidation of methanol is enhanced after Pt reduction in comparison to pure PANI for both composites. However, the highest degree of methanol oxidation is obtained using PANI/Pt electrodes produced electrochemically using PtCl 4 2 - . The morphology of the Pt deposit and higher intrinsic electron density of the polymer result in an enhanced response relative to the composite produced with PtCl 6 2 - .
Visual, navigation and communication aid for visually impaired person

The loss of vision restrained the visually impaired people from performing their daily task. This issue has impeded their free-movement and turned them into dependent a person. People in this sector did not face technologies revamping their situations. With the advent of computer vision, artificial intelligence, the situation improved to a great extent. The propounded design is an implementation of a wearable device which is capable of performing a lot of features. It is employed to provide visual instinct by recognizing objects, identifying the face of choices. The device runs a pre-trained model to classify common objects from household items to automobiles items. Optical character recognition and Google translate were executed to read any text from image and convert speech of the user to text respectively. Besides, the user can search for an interesting topic by the command in the form of speech. Additionally, ultrasonic sensors were kept fixed at three positions to sense the obstacle during navigation. The display attached help in communication with deaf person and GPS and GSM module aid in tracing the user. All these features run by voice commands which are passed through the microphone of any earphone. The visual input is received through the camera and the computation task is processed in the raspberry pi board. However, the device seemed to be effective during the test and validation.
Technique of robotic coronary artery bypass grafting

Abstract We present our technique to safely and reproducibly perform totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting. Patient setup, port management, internal thoracic artery harvesting, anastomosis, and systemic perfusion management are discussed in detail.
Slavery's Reach: Southern Slaveholders in the North Star State

Review of: Slavery's Reach: Southern Slaveholders in the North Star State, by Christopher P. Lehman
Crystal structures of diverse inhibitors bound to c-Met kinase reveal multiple protein conformations

3183 During the course of a protein structure-based design program to discover small-molecule inhibitors active against c-Met receptor kinase multiple x-ray cocrystal structures were determined of the c-Met kinase domain complexed with diverse inhibitors, including PF-02341066. Comparison of these structures reveals that c-Met is an unusually flexible kinase. Significant differences in the positions of the activation loop, alpha helix C, and the nucleotide binding loop (P-loop) were observed showing that different inhibitor series affected the protein conformation in different ways. The distinct protein conformations resulted in distinct crystal forms. To allow the protein and inhibitors to adopt their preferred complex conformation the structures were all solved by first combining the protein and inhibitor in solution before setting up crystallization trials. The relative utility of these different c-Met conformations as drug targets can be inferred from their respective inhibitor series correlation between in vitro enzymatic and cell-based c-Met inhibition.
The Proportion of SARS-CoV-2 Infections That Are Asymptomatic : A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic infection seems to be a notable feature of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the pathogen that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the prevalence is uncertain. PURPOSE: To estimate the proportion of persons infected with SARS-CoV-2 who never develop symptoms. DATA SOURCES: Searches of Google News, Google Scholar, medRxiv, and PubMed using the keywords antibodies, asymptomatic, coronavirus, COVID-19, PCR, seroprevalence, and SARS-CoV-2. STUDY SELECTION: Observational, descriptive studies and reports of mass screening for SARS-CoV-2 that were either cross-sectional or longitudinal in design; were published through 17 November 2020; and involved SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid or antibody testing of a target population, regardless of current symptomatic status, over a defined period. DATA EXTRACTION: The authors collaboratively extracted data on the study design, type of testing performed, number of participants, criteria for determining symptomatic status, testing results, and setting. DATA SYNTHESIS: Sixty-one eligible studies and reports were identified, of which 43 used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing of nasopharyngeal swabs to detect current SARS-CoV-2 infection and 18 used antibody testing to detect current or prior infection. In the 14 studies with longitudinal data that reported information on the evolution of symptomatic status, nearly three quarters of persons who tested positive but had no symptoms at the time of testing remained asymptomatic. The highest-quality evidence comes from nationwide, representative serosurveys of England (n = 365 104) and Spain (n = 61 075), which suggest that at least one third of SARS-CoV-2 infections are asymptomatic. LIMITATION: For PCR-based studies, data are limited to distinguish presymptomatic from asymptomatic infection. Heterogeneity precluded formal quantitative syntheses. CONCLUSION: Available data suggest that at least one third of SARS-CoV-2 infections are asymptomatic. Longitudinal studies suggest that nearly three quarters of persons who receive a positive PCR test result but have no symptoms at the time of testing will remain asymptomatic. Control strategies for COVID-19 should be altered, taking into account the prevalence and transmission risk of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institutes of Health.
Remote Design of Spare Parts for Local Manufacturing in Rural Kenya

This paper examines a solution for recording the dimensions of broken parts of hospital machinery to allow for 3D printable spares to be remotely designed but locally manufactured. This process is being implemented to combat the problem of the ineffective supply chains that many parts of the world struggle with. In cities such as Kisumu Kenya, high importation costs and long wait times are a serious problem for organizations such as hospitals that rely heavily on imported products, and localized manufacturing has been shown to be an effective strategy for addressing this problem. Currently most 3D printable replica parts are created through the use of scanning. However, since this is an expensive and often unreliable technology, the goal of this research was to develop a lower tech solution. This was done using an electronic form that could be used on a smartphone or tablet that would guide the user through the process of recording all the necessary information to redesign a part for 3D printing. This process included sections for recording material and part use as well as a process meant to collect the dimensions of each feature on the part. Unfortunately, the conclusion of this study was that a feature based approach to dimensioning parts is unreliable and ineffective for complex parts, and though it works for simple geometries is not a more efficient approach than dimensioning from a sketch. This result has led to the examination of other options, and indicates that future work should either experiment with a different more localized design process or revisit the possibility of applying scanning in areas like Kisumu.
Living Lean: Zeke's Tree

This case is part of the "Living Lean" series, which presents accessible, everyday scenarios for a Lean process-improvement journey. In this episode on decision analysis, a father helps his son weigh possible responses to a forgotten vocabulary list. Excerpt UVA-OM-1433 Rev. Nov. 26, 2013 Living Lean: Zeke's Tree Zeke walked home from the bus and negotiated his backpack through the front door. His father, Elliott, a business school professor, put aside some papers he was grading and made sure the fifth-grader did the three things he always did when he got home: take his shoes off and leave them by the door, empty out his lunchbox at the sink, and lay his school books on his desk. Elliott encouraged Zeke to complete his homework right away; it made the remainder of the day easier for everyone, and Zeke had an easier time finishing everything up when it was still fresh in his mind. Illustrations by Michael Twery. Elliott: Hi Zeke! How was your day? . . .
V. Subfamily Bambusoideae Luerss. (1893)

This treatment of Bambusoideae includes extensive and detailed contributions from Lynn G. Clark (Iowa State University). All remaining errors and misinterpretations are mine.
Simulation of satellite motion for intra-satellite pointing, acquisition, and tracking

A simulation in inertial coordinates of the motions of two satellites in low Earth orbit is presented. This simulation is used in a satellite cross-link pointing, accuracy, and tracking study. The simulation allows for arbitrary selection of inclination angles, altitudes, and other initial conditions. The simultaneous simulation of two satellites in different orbits produces data on the relative distances between the satellites in inertial coordinates, the rates of change of these distances, the angles swept out by the satellites' motion, and the rates of change of these angles. Visibility regions and times are also calculated. Cross-angle, the angle between the satellite's last antenna direction and the present vector to the other satellite, is also calculated. The cross-angle rate indicates the required speed of the satellite's pointing system for an undisturbed cross-link. >
Correcting susceptibility-induced distortion in diffusion-weighted MRI using constrained nonrigid registration

Echo Planar Imaging (EPI) is the standard pulse sequence used in fast diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but is sensitive to susceptibility-induced inhomogeneities in the main B0 magnetic field. In diffusion MRI of the human head, this leads to geometric distortion of the brain in reconstructed diffusion images and a resulting lack of correspondence with the high-resolution MRI scans that are used to define the subject anatomy. In this study, we propose and test an approach to estimate and correct this distortion using a non-linear registration framework based on mutual-information. We use an anatomical image as the registration-template and constrain the registration using spatial regularization and physics-based information about the characteristics of the distortion, without requiring any additional data collection. Results are shown for simulated and experimental data. The proposed method aligns diffusion images to the anatomical image with an error of 1–3 mm in most brain regions.
Trade, growth and income redistribution: A case study of India

Abstract The concern of this exercise is with the effectiveness of trade policies and their assessment in achieving economic growth and income equality. A link between growth and equality is provided through employment. If there is substantial increase in employment, the inequality of income distribution is likely to be reduced. Thus, trade by bringing about higher levels of production and employment may reduce income inequality. We have applied a closed input-output model to the Indian data to estimate the interrelationships between trade, growth and income redistribution. It has been found that employment opportunities could be raised substantially through redistribution as well as through export promotion in developing countries such as India, if capital and foreign exchange constraints are not binding. Import substitution, however, does not turn out to be as effective a strategy to achieve these goals.
Online Course Accessibility: A Call for Responsibility and Necessity

There is becoming an increasing population of online learners with disabilities worldwide; a large percentage of the online learners reside within the United States. In addition to revised legal mandates stipulating equal access to education and the surge of assistive technologies available to individuals with disabilities, distance education institutions are facing the call for action to provide accessible online content. This article discusses the essential components of a web-based course, the learning advantages that arise from equal access web formatting, and design strategies that leads to creating accessible, online materials.
Glucose transporter proteins and insulin sensitivity in humans

1. Pretranslational suppression of glucose transport protein, isozyme 4 (GLUT 4), is a major mechanism of insulin resistance in adipocytes in obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). 2. Patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are heterogeneous; adipocyte GLUT 4 levels are either normal or markedly reduced but all patients exhibit abnormalities in GLUT 4 subcellular distribution and insulin-mediated translocation. 3. Skeletal muscle GLUT 4 expression is normal in obesity, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), GDM, and NIDDM, indicating that functional activity or translocation of GLUT 4 may be impaired. 4. Adipocyte defects in GDM consistent with abnormalities in GLUT 4-vesicle traffic have implications with respect to potential mechanisms of insulin resistance in human muscle. Given the central role of insulin resistance in NIDDM and Syndrome 'X', elucidating the underlying mechanism in muscle is critical for developing more effective treatment and disease prevention.
Faculty development for community practitioners.

Developing the academic skills of the individuals who will serve as educators and role models in the community is critical to pediatric resident education in community settings. The main focus of any faculty development program must be on teaching, although for a subset of individuals, the development of research skills should also be a consideration. The three key elements that must be considered for an effective faculty development program include : (1) creating a culture of mutual respect between full-time and community faculty; (2) basing the program on sound principles of education theory, especially adult learning theory, using appropriately trained faculty ; and (3) establishing ongoing institutional financial and philosophical support. Effectively addressing these elements should create a faculty development program that will help the community practitioner become an effective role model and practitioner-preceptor-educator.
High Wind Speed Regime

Under high wind speed conditions breaking waves disrupt the air-sea interface producing a two-phase zone—air bubbles in water and sea spray in air. This mixed-phase environment changes the regime of air-sea interaction. In this chapter, after reviewing dynamics of air-bubbles and sea spray droplets in detail, the reader is exposed to the idea that under strong winds Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is the likely mechanism for the intense production of spume and formation of a two-phase transition layer. The resulting two-phase environment eliminates short wind-waves, including some responsible for a substantial part of the surface wind stress. Amazingly, this concept provides an explanation for the rapid intensification of some storms to major tropical cyclones and observed bi-modal distribution of tropical cyclone maximum intensity. A long overdue implementation of sea surface micro-physics into operational models is expected to improve predictions of tropical cyclone intensity and the associated wave field.
A simulation study of packet forwarding methods for ATM data services

It is crucial for ATM to efficiently support existing data applications. One of the promising methods of supporting data over ATM uses connectionless servers providing a packet switching service in the ATM network. There are two primary methods for forwarding cell based datagrams in a connectionless server: reassembly mode, where the datagrams are reconstructed before forwarding, and streaming mode, where each cell is forwarded as it arrives. The two modes impact the packet loss probability at a connectionless server, the packet delay, the interleaving method used, the AAL used, and the buffer space required. The paper investigates the performance of two forwarding modes. Extensive simulations show that forwarding connectionless packets in streaming mode is shown to result in lower packet loss and end-to-end delay than reassembly mode.
Cocaine regulates protein kinase B and glycogen synthase kinase‐3 activity in selective regions of rat brain

Protein kinase B (also known as Akt) signaling regulates dopamine-mediated locomotor behaviors. Here the ability of cocaine to regulate Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) was studied. Rats were injected with cocaine or saline in a binge-pattern, which consisted of three daily injections of 15 mg/kg cocaine or 1 mL/kg saline spaced 1 h apart for 1, 3, or 14 days. Amygdala, nucleus accumbens, caudate putamen, and hippocampus tissues were dissected 30 min following the last injection and analyzed for phosphorylated and total Akt and GSK3(α and β) protein levels using western blot analysis. Phosphorylation of Akt on the threonine-308 (Thr308) residue was significantly reduced in the nucleus accumbens and increased in the amygdala after 1 day of cocaine treatment; however, these effects were not accompanied by a significant decrease in GSK3 phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3 was significantly reduced after 14 days of cocaine administration, an effect that was only observed in the amygdala. Cocaine did not alter Akt or GSK3 phosphorylation in the caudate putamen or hippocampus. The findings in nucleus accumbens may reflect dopaminergic motor-stimulant activity caused by acute cocaine, whereas the effects in amygdala may be associated with changes in emotional state that occur after acute and chronic cocaine exposure.
Middle Class Meltdown in America: Causes, Consequences, and Remedies

1. The Illusion of Middle Class Prosperity in the United States / 2. The Struggling Middle Class / 3. Macroeconomics and the Income/Credit Squeeze / 4. Robbing the Productivity Train / 5. Where Did All That Credit Come From? / 6. From Washington to Wall Street: Marketing the Illusion / 7. The Great Recession of 2008-2009: The Illusion Exposed / 8. The Consequences of Middle Class Meltdown / 9. What Can We Do? A Manifesto for the Middle Class / Appendix: Exhibits
Coronal plasmas on the sun and nearby stars

The current understanding of the quiescent, or non-flaring, microwave emission from solar active regions is summarized. The thermal radiation mechanisms that account for most of the quiescent emission is reviewed, while it is also pointed out that current-amplified magnetic fields or non-thermal radiation may be required in some instances. The 20 cm radiation of coronal loops and the thermal cyclotron lines that accurately specify their magnetic field strength are discussed. The 20 cm and X ray emission of the coronal plasma are then compared. The coronae of nearby stars is next discussed, where coherent radiation processes seem to prevail. Some thoughts toward directions for future exploration are given.
Applications of the Theory of Cavity Growth to Dual-Ion Swelling Experiments

The rate theory of cavity growth is applied to study the effects of helium gas on cavity swelling. The variation of swelling with temperature is emphasized. (1) Expressions are derived showing that the primary effect of the helium is in pressurizing cavities and that a secondary effect is in altering the microstructural sink strengths. (2) Recent experimental data on swelling of a pure stainless steel-type alloy under dual-nickel and helium-ion bombardment are interpreted. Helium-free, helium-coimplanted, and helium-preimplanted swelling results can be explained by the theory. It is necessary to account for the partitioning of the helium to dislocations as well as to cavities in order to explain the experimental results for helium coimplantation. (3) Model studies for physically reasonable parameters reveal the importance of the helium/displacements per atom ratio.
Pulsed Galvanostatic Deposition of Pt Particles on Microcrystalline and Nanocrystalline Diamond Thin-Film Electrodes I. Characterization of As-Deposited Metal/Diamond Surfaces

The pulsed galvanostatic deposition of nanometer-sized Pt particles on electrically conducting microcrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond thin-film electrodes is reported. The deposition was studied as a function of pulse number (10-50) and current density (0.50-1.50 mA cm - 2 ) at the two morphologically different forms of diamond. The deposition of catalyst particles using ten I s pulses (duty cycle 50%) at a current density of 1.25 mA cm - 2 (geometric area) produced the smallest nominal particle size and the highest particle coverage on both diamond surfaces. Secondary electron micrographs revealed metal particle deposition over much of the diamond surface, a nominal particle size of 43 + 27 nm [relative standard deviation (RSD) = 63%] for microcrystalline and 25 + 25 nm (RSD = 100%) for nanocrystalline diamond, and a nominal particle coverage of 7.5 (′0.9) X 10 9 cm - 2 for microcrystalline and 1.9 (′ 1.0) X 10 1 0 cm - 2 for nanocrystalline diamond. Deposition under these conditions resulted in the most efficient utilization of the metal catalyst for H + adsorption, based on the electrochemically active Pt area normalized to the estimated metal loading. Typical specific surface areas of 10-50 m 2 /g Pt were calculated, which compare favorably to values obtained at sp 2 electrodes, like carbon and graphite. The influence of the diamond electrode microstructural and electronic properties on the formation of dimensionally uniform metal adlayers is discussed.
Recursive autocorrelation computation for LPC analysis

A method for recursively calculating the autocorrelation functions for LPC analysis in a vocoder environment is developed theoretically and studied experimentally. The method has three specific advantages: (1) it requires very little memory for its implementation; (2) it is realized by a structure consisting of several identical modules; and (3) the effective window length may be changed without varying the structure. Experimental results showed the speech quality to be comparable to (but slightly superior to) that produced by an autocorrelation LPC using a Hanning window.
High temperature reaction calorimetry applied to metastable and nanophase materials

Materials with high surface areas and small particle size (nanophases), metastable polymorphs, and hydrated oxides are increasingly important in both materials and environmental science. Using modifications of oxide melt solution calorimetry, we have developed techniques to study the energetics of such oxides and oxyhydroxides, and to separate the effects of polymorphism, chemical variation, high surface area, and hydration. Several generalizations begin to emerge from these studies. The energy differences among different polymorphs (e.g., various zeolite frameworks, the α- and γ-alumina polymorphs, manganese and iron oxides and oxyhydroxides) tend to be small, often barely more than thermal energy under conditions of synthesis. Much larger contributions to the energetics come from oxidation-reduction reactions and charge-coupled substitutions involving the ions of basic oxides (e.g., K and Ba). The thermodynamics of hydration involve closely balanced negative enthalpies and negative entropies and are very dependent on the particular framework and cage or tunnel geometry.
The microglial NADPH oxidase complex as a source of oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly, and manifests as progressive cognitive decline and profound neuronal loss. The principal neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease are the senile plaques and the neurofibrillary tangles. The senile plaques are surrounded by activated microglia, which are largely responsible for the proinflammatory environment within the diseased brain. Microglia are the resident innate immune cells in the brain. In response to contact with fibrillar beta-amyloid, microglia secrete a diverse array of proinflammatory molecules. Evidence suggests that oxidative stress emanating from activated microglia contribute to the neuronal loss characteristic of this disease. The source of fibrillar beta-amyloid induced reactive oxygen species is primarily the microglial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. The NADPH oxidase is a multicomponent enzyme complex that, upon activation, produces the highly reactive free radical superoxide. The cascade of intracellular signaling events leading to NADPH oxidase assembly and the subsequent release of superoxide in fibrillar beta-amyloid stimulated microglia has recently been elucidated. The induction of reactive oxygen species, as well as nitric oxide, from activated microglia can enhance the production of more potent free radicals such as peroxynitrite. The formation of peroxynitrite causes protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage, which ultimately lead to neuronal cell death. The elimination of beta-amyloid-induced oxidative damage through the inhibition of the NADPH oxidase represents an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.