cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TinkRBook: shared reading interfaces for storytelling

Today, the way children learn to read is very different from the way they learn from playing with toys. Books present static images and text on the page, whereas toys allow for manipulation and interactive exploration of cause-effect relations. What if books were "tinkerable"? What if children could actively explore and modify a story, through voice and touch, to dynamically explore meaning as conveyed by the relationship of text to illustrated concept? How might this change how books are experienced, explored, and shared between parent and child? How might interactivity support and enhance existing shared reading practices?We report the development of interaction design techniques for encouraging storytelling behavior during shared book reading. The design of our storytelling platform, the TinkRBook, encourages active exploration when parents read to very young children (ages 2--5 years old). Our approach uses findings from in-situ parent-child ethnographies and advice from 24 participatory design interviews with researchers, designers and professionals from relevant domains. We believe that our approach addresses the environmental conditions in which interactive storytelling with preschoolers is most likely to be adopted, and is compatible with current shared reading practices.
The Voyage of the St. Louis Revisited

The story of the St. Louis , as that narrative has evolved over the decades, often includes as much myth as it does history. Focusing on American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee negotiator Lawrence Berenson, the author brings to light the often overlooked influence of key actors’ attitudes and demeanor on the episode’s outcome. He then traces the diplomatic exchange that followed the failure of negotiations to land the St. Louis passengers in Cuba. In conclusion, he calls for the St. Louis crisis to be read in a way that takes into account the United States’ domestic and international political context at the time.
The role of fluid on wave propagation across a non-perfect interface

Summary On a non-perfect coupling interface, the reflection coefficient doesn’t obey the Snell’s Law and Zoeppritz’s equation, which is based on the impedance contrast and displacement continuity. The fluid saturation status in the interface plays an essential role in P-wave propagation across the interface. Two laboratory experiments were carried out to study the effect of interface fluid saturation rate on P-wave transmission and reflection. The results show that a partial saturated interface may cause drastic energy loss for P-wave transmission, along with frequency shift to low end.
National survey on the effect of oncology drug shortages on cancer care.

Purpose The results of a survey to characterize oncology drug shortages across the United States and the impact of shortages on clinical practice, patient safety, clinical trials, and health care costs are presented. Methods A 34-item online survey was distributed to 1672 members of the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association and other organizations to gather information on shortages of oncology drugs (i.e., all drugs essential in the care of cancer patients, including supportive care agents). Results Two hundred forty-three completed responses, almost all from pharmacists (97%), were analyzed. Delays in chemotherapy administration or changes in treatment regimens due to drug shortages were reported by 93% of survey participants; 85% of respondents reported increased costs, and 10% reported reimbursement challenges related to drug shortages. At 34% of represented institutions, at least 1000 hours of additional labor annually was needed to manage shortages. Changes in therapy leading to near-miss errors were reported by 16% of participants, with 6% reporting one or more actual medication errors attributable to a drug shortage. The oncology medications most frequently reported to be in short supply during the preceding 12 months were fluorouracil, leucovorin, liposomal doxorubicin, and paclitaxel. The conduct of clinical trials was affected by drug shortages at 44% of represented institutions. Conclusion A survey of U.S. oncology pharmacists indicated that oncology drug shortages occurred frequently in the first half of 2011. Shortages led to delays in chemotherapy and changes in therapy, complicated the conduct of clinical research, increased the risks of medication errors and adverse outcomes, and increased medication costs.
CO2 enrichment and warming of the atmosphere enhance both productivity and mortality of maple tree fine roots

Summary • Fine roots are the key link for plant water and nutrient uptake, soil carbon (C) input and soil microbial activity in forest ecosystems, and play a critical role in regulating ecosystem C balance and its response to global change. • Red maple ( Acer rubrum ) and sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ) seedlings were grown for four growing seasons in open-top chambers and exposed to ambient or elevated carbon dioxide concentration [CO 2 ] in combination with ambient or elevated temperature. Fine-root production and mortality were monitored using minirhizotrons, and root biomass was determined from soil cores. • Both elevated [CO 2 ] and temperature significantly enhanced production and mortality of fine roots during spring and summer of 1996. At the end of the experiment in September 1997, fine root biomass was significantly lower in elevated temperature chambers, but there were no effects of elevated [CO 2 ] or the interactions between elevated [CO 2 ] and temperature. • Deciduous trees have dynamic root systems, and their activity can be enhanced by CO 2 enrichment and climatic warming. Static measures of root response, such as soil core data, obscure the dynamic nature, which is critical for understanding the response of forest C cycling to global change.
Mindfulness Training Improves Working Memory Capacity and GRE Performance While Reducing Mind Wandering

Given that the ability to attend to a task without distraction underlies performance in a wide variety of contexts, training one's ability to stay on task should result in a similarly broad enhancement of performance. In a randomized controlled investigation, we examined whether a 2-week mindfulness-training course would decrease mind wandering and improve cognitive performance. Mindfulness training improved both GRE reading-comprehension scores and working memory capacity while simultaneously reducing the occurrence of distracting thoughts during completion of the GRE and the measure of working memory. Improvements in performance following mindfulness training were mediated by reduced mind wandering among participants who were prone to distraction at pretesting. Our results suggest that cultivating mindfulness is an effective and efficient technique for improving cognitive function, with wide- reaching consequences.
Risk of recurrent coronary events in relation to use and recent initiation of postmenopausal hormone therapy.

Background: The finding from the Heart and Estrogen/ Progestin Replacement Study (HERS) of increased coronary risk restricted to the first year after starting postmenopausal hormone therapy raises new questions about the role of hormone therapy in women with coronary heart disease. We assessed the risk of recurrent myocardial infarction or coronary heart disease death associated with the use and recent initiation of hormone therapy in women who survived a first myocardial infarction. Methods: The setting for this population-based inception cohort study was Group Health Cooperative, a health maintenanceorganization.Westudied981postmenopausal women who survived to hospital discharge after their first myocardial infarction between July 1, 1986, and December 31, 1996. We obtained information on hormone use from the Group Health Cooperative computerized pharmacy database and identified recurrent coronary events by medical record review. Results: During median follow-up of 3.5 years, there were 186 recurrent coronary events. There was no difference in the risk of recurrent coronary events between current users of hormone therapy and other women (adjusted relative hazard [RH], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-1.50). Relative to the risk in women not currently using hormones, there was a suggestion of increased risk during the first 60 days after starting hormone therapy (RH, 2.16; 95% CI, 0.94-4.95) and reduced risk with current hormone use for longer than 1 year (RH, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.42-1.36). Conclusion: These results are consistent with the findings from the HERS, suggesting a transitory increase in coronary risk after starting hormone therapy in women with established coronary heart disease and a decreased risk thereafter.
Objective measures for the effectiveness of augmented reality

Augmented reality (AR) systems present a mixture of virtual and real objects. The challenge for AR system evaluators is how to tell whether the virtual world is effective at conveying the sense of reality. It may never be possible or even necessary to determine whether the user is truly fooled in all situations or is merely "suspending disbelief," but one can objectively measure the effectiveness of an AR environment with a task-based approach. We present the results of our first such experiment, involving low-level perceptual tasks of recognition and depth matching.
Effects of Ultrasonic Frequencies on Schooling Behavior of American Shad (Alosa sapidissima)

The behavioral responses of the American shad (Alosa sapidissima) to ultrasonic frequencies are of interest to the scientific community and the natural resource agencies that manage diadromous fish stocks. American shad have been reported to respond with changes in schooling behavior to different frequencies of sound. Their two regions of auditory sensitivity are from 200-800Hz and 25-150 kHz. These are relatively high frequencies for hearing in most fishes. Frequencies within this range are also used in fish population assessments. Researchers and resource managers have used 120 kHz and 200 kHz echo-sounders to visualize the number, position, and timing of fish in aquatic and marine environments. Changes in behavior, e.g. avoidance, due to these acoustic beams could bias counts used in fisheries management. In spring 2010, schooling A. sapidissima were subjected to different frequencies and power levels of acoustics while their behavior was recorded using a Dual Frequency Identification Sonar (DIDSON), operating at 1.8MHz, outside the hearing range of American shad. The number of fish within a school decreased when exposed to 120 kHz. The median number of fish per school during the control periods before and after treatment, was 23(13.5-61.5) and 36(21-64), respectively, and 9(6.25-15.25) during treatment period 5. The time schools were present in the DIDSON image was also affected by this treatment. The average time schools were present during time period 5 was 9.83s ± 1.02s, and after treatment rose to 24.6s ± 5.16s. No fish were detected while a treatment of 120 kHz was present during treatment period 8. These data are preliminary but indicate an affect of 120 kHz on American shad behavior.
Bargaining Failures and Civil War

This article explores the many bargaining failures that may occur at every stage in intrastate disputes: before fighting breaks out, as a war is being fought, and once a war ends. It argues that disputes that occur within states are particularly susceptible to information and commitment problems. It also reveals why certain countries have more difficulty overcoming these problems than others do. This represents the most comprehensive overview to date of bargaining failures associated with civil wars.
15-Hydroxyprostaglandin Dehydrogenase is a Target of Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 3β and a Tumor Suppressor in Lung Cancer

The forkhead transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor 3β (HNF3β) is essential in foregut development and the regulation of lung-specific genes. HNF3β expression leads to growth arrest and apoptosis in lung cancer cells and HNF3β is a candidate tumor suppressor in lung cancer. In a transcriptional profiling study using a conditional cell line system, we now identify 15-PGDH as one of the major genes induced by HNF3β expression. 15-PGDH is a critical metabolic enzyme of proliferative prostaglandins, an antagonist to cyclooxygenase-2 and a tumor suppressor in colon cancer. We confirmed the regulation of 15-PGDH expression by HNF3β in a number of systems and showed direct binding of HNF3β to 15-PGDH promoter elements. Western blotting of lung cancer cell lines and immunohistochemical examination of human lung cancer tissues found loss of 15-PGDH expression in ∼65% of lung cancers. Further studies using in vitro cell-based assays and in vivo xenograft tumorigenesis assays showed a lack of in vitro but significant in vivo tumor suppressor activity of 15-PGDH via an antiangiogenic mechanism analogous to its role in colon cancer. In summary, we identify 15-PGDH as a direct downstream effector of HNF3β and show that 15-PGDH acts as a tumor suppressor in lung cancer. [Cancer Res 2008;68(13):5040–8]
Constraint conflict in cluster reduction.

When children reduce onset clusters to singletons, a common pattern is for the least sonorous member of the adult cluster to be produced. Within OPTIMALITY THEORY (Prince & Smolensky, 1993), this pattern has been accounted for in terms of a fixed ranking of onset constraints that evaluate a segment’s degree of sonority, whereby onset glides violate the highest ranked constraint, and onset stops the lowest. Not all children follow the sonority pattern, however. In this paper, we apply two fundamental principles of optimality theory to yield predictions about other children’s cluster reduction patterns. The first principle is that of FACTORIAL TYPOLOGY, according to which all rankings of constraints should yield possible languages. To produce the sonority pattern, all conflicting constraints must rank beneath the onset sonority constraints. If they rank above the onset sonority constraints, these other constraints will force deviations from the sonority pattern. In this paper, we show how divergences from the sonority pattern are caused by three
Caring for cancer survivors: more than just checking the blood pressure and measuring the ejection fraction.

The generation that has come of age since President Richard Nixon signed the National Cancer Act of 1971 (the historical beginning of the ‘war on cancer’), has realized a progressive change in the approach to this disease, which for many has evolved into a chronic illness. While some diagnostic groups have lagged behind, the focused research and supportive care efforts placed on cancer have significantly advanced 5-year survival rates. Overall survival rates have increased from <50 to nearly 70%, with the most impressive gains being realized among those diagnosed in childhood. The majority of children treated for cancer are now expected to become long-term survivors, contributing many life-years saved to society. An unforeseen circumstance, at least at the beginning of this ‘war,’ has been the impact of cancer therapy upon the long-term health and social well being of survivors. Understanding the late effects of cancer therapy has become a focus of research for academic cancer centers, with most also offering clinical programs to advance the care and quality of life of this growing population. The cardiovascular effects of cancer therapy can be varied and most often related to anthracyclines and/or radiation exposures; however, multiple other agents have also been implicated [1]. Early, on-therapy, anthracycline cardiotoxicity is rare (<1%), while chronic toxicity is more common, dose dependent and progressive. Exposure to increasing doses of anthracyclines has been shown to be a risk factor in both adult and pediatric patients. In a retrospective analysis of three treatment studies using high doses of anthracyclines, Swain et al. identified a 5% prevalence of congestive heart failure (CHF) at a cumulative dose of 400 mg/m 2 rising to 48% at doses of 700 mg/m 2 [2]. Similar findings have been reported among those treated for childhood cancer [3,4]; however, at much lower doses. Among participants in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, those exposed to anthracyline doses greater than 250 mg/m 2 were five-times more likely to report CHF than those not exposed [5]. The introduction of newer agents such as monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors has further improved cancer care
Study design considerations for phase II trials of anaplastic gliomas and its impact on phase III survival studies

1501 Background: Phase 2 trials for anaplastic gliomas (AG; WHO 3) such as anaplastic astrocytoma, oligoastrocytoma, and oligodendroglioma remain the most productive path for the development of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of patients with these tumors. To better understand methodology for their conduct and impact of phase 2 trials on survival-based phase 3 studies, we reviewed a large patient database of patients treated by faculty from the UTMDACC. Methods: Combined data from contemporary (1999–2004) clinical trials and a UT MDACC patient database of AG patients treated on phase 2 studies were analyzed to determine progression-free survival (PFS) at 6, 9, and 12 months. Variables of age, KPS, number of prior chemotherapies, and response to treatment were also evaluated in an effort to define PFS with respect to treatment activity (durability). Results: A total of 547 patients in 17 phase 2 studies were analyzed. The major effecter of PFS outcome at 6, 9, and 12 months was the specific ch...
A GROSS LONGSHORE TRANSPORT RATE FORMULA

Gross longshore transport rates for 11 long-term field measurements are predicted reasonably well by the empirical relation, Q=2H2, where Q is longshore transport rate in 100,000 yd3/yr, and H is a mean breaker height in feet. A physical explanation of this empirical relation assumes: (1) most littoral drift is transported in suspension; (2) longshore current velocity is predicted by V-gmTsin28j,; (3) the empirical relation is an equation for conservation of suspended sediment in the longshore current.
The death of Black males: The unmasking of cultural competence and oppressive practices in a micro-aggressive environment

ABSTRACTThis conceptual article critically examines the relationship between cultural competence, oppressive practices, and micro-aggression within the field of social work and the larger community. The Council on Social Work Education requires that topics of race, power, privilege, and cultural competence be included in the graduate schools of social work it endorses. However, the impact of race, culture, class, and privilege in society and the work environment in the form of micro-aggression remains ignored within the human service field. African American males are most often the beneficiaries of services that social workers offer. In addition, they are often the recipient of these embedded messages, which are often witnessed in the form of police brutality, aggressive policing practices, and disproportionate arrest rates. This article presents some of the barriers social workers must be familiar with when addressing micro-aggression, cultural competence, and the impact of micro-aggression on oppression...
A comparative study on fixed and mobile monitoring for Aedes albopictus(Diptera: Culicidae)

Objective To compare the results of fixed and mobile monitoring for optimizing the surveillance program forAedes albopictus.MethodsFrom May to October 2012, 5 fixed sites were selected for the larval population monitoring of Ae. albopictus; meanwhile, at least 7 villages were selected as mobile monitoring sites in each month. Fifty households were monitored in each village. The data at each monitoring site were collected, and the breteau index(BI), container index(CI), and house index(HI) were calculated. The monitoring data obtained by the two methods were subject to analysis of variance and correlation analysis.ResultsThe average BI, CI, and HI at fixed monitoring sites were 5.20, 15.55%, and 4.53%, respectively. BI varied slightly in different months, but the value in October was significantly lower than those in other months. The average BIs in Jiulian of Jiangdong, Qingsu of Yiting, Jiangwan of Choujiang, Siqian of Houzhai, and Dongqianwang of Choucheng were 4.67, 2.33, 4.67, 8.00, and 6.33, respectively. The analysis of variance showed that the average BI at different fixed monitoring sites varied insignificantly from May to October. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed no significant correlation between the BIs in different months at each monitoring site. The average BIs at mobile monitoring sites from May to October were 5.43, 8.60, 2.00, 5.00, 1.60 and 1.64, respectively. In each month, the average BI at fixed monitoring sites was not significantly correlated with that at mobile monitoring sites.ConclusionFixed monitoring can reflect the temporal change in the density ofAe. albopictus, and mobile monitoring can expand the monitored area and improve the representativeness of monitoring data. The two methods can be combined to improve the monitoring ofAe. albopictus.
Absorption and transportation of flavonoids in Herb Epimedii across Caco-2 monolayer model

Objective To study the absorption and transportation of flavonoids in Herb Epimedii by using Caco-2 monolayer model. Methods Caco-2 cell monolayer model was used to study the bi-direction transport of icariin, epimedin A, epimedin B, epimedin C, and baohuoside Ⅰ. The concentration of the five flavonoids in cell culture medium was measured by UPLC and the apparent permeability coefficients (Papp) were calculated. Results The absorptive permeability coefficients (PAB) of icariin, epimedin A, epimedin B, epimedin C, and baohuoside Ⅰ were 5.91×10-7, 3.22×10-7, 2.76×10-7, 4.23×10-7, and 1.46×10-6 cm/s, respectively. Except baohuoside Ⅰ, the other four flavonodes had lower permeabilities, and the secretive permeabilities (PBA) of all the flavonoids were larger than their absorptive permeabilities. Among them, the PBA of baohuoside Ⅰ was 9.8 times as much as the PAB. Conclusion The results suggest that the intestinal absorption of the five flavonoids is lower, which might have efflux mechanism by transporters, and the absorption of monloglycoside (e.g. baohuoside Ⅰ) is better than that of diglycoside (e.g. icariin) and triglycoside (e.g. epimedin A, epimedin B, and epimedin C).
Consumer Assessment of Safety and Date Labeling Statements on Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products Designed To Minimize Risk of Listeriosis

Point-of-purchase safety-based labeling guidance on the proper storage and handling of refrigerated ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products could help reduce the risk of listeriosis. Seniors and pregnant women are two population groups at increased risk of listeriosis due to suppressed or compromised immune systems. We conducted 11 focus groups with senior-aged women and women of childbearing age in Colorado and Ohio to assess consumer awareness of Listeria, storage practices of RTE meat products, perceptions regarding the acceptability and usefulness of common date and potential food safety labeling statements on RTE meat and poultry products, and food safety information needs. Storage times for opened and unopened RTE products varied widely, with opened products often being stored longer than recommended. Women in both age groups paid attention to date labels on packages but varied highly in their interpretation of the statements. "Use by" statements were considered clearer and more helpful than "Sell by" or "Best if used by" labels. Proposed food safety-based labeling statements listing "antilisterial" agents used in RTE products were not well received. However, labels giving consumers instructions on how long they could keep RTE products and when to discard them after opening were considered helpful and well received. Participants indicated the need for further information about Listeria and its control. Educational information at point-of-purchase and where seniors and pregnant women congregate are suggested. Manufacturers are encouraged to provide more complete information on the safe storage and use of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products on package labels.
Discovering Causal Chains by Integrating Plan Recognition and Sequential Pattern Mining.

In this paper we define the notion of causal chains. Causal chains are a particular kind of sequential patterns that reflect causality relations according to background knowledge. We also present an algorithm for mining causal chains from a collection of action traces. We run this algorithm on a realworld domain and observe that causal chains can be computed efficiently by quickly identifying inter-related actions.
Care of the patient with Alzheimer's disease living at home.

Abstract Although the majority of people with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders are cared for in the home for most of their illness, there are few resources available on a consistent basis for nursing interaction. Nurses employed in a variety of settings provide ongoing information and support for families and caregivers in order to provide well-informed care. Because of the complexity of symptom presentation and care, the use of a simple conceptual model can be a valuable aid, helping families to understand behavioral alterations. The evaluation of behaviors as stress related assists both families and caregivers in determining the cause and effect of activities and environment to assist in enhancing comfort and life quality for both.
The preparation and characterization of low-dimensional BaNbS3 − δ

The compound BaNbS3 − δ was prepared from BaCO3 and NbO2 by CS2N2 sulfurization. Stoichiometric BaNbS3 is metallic from room temperature to 30K. The sulfur deficient phase BaNbS3 − δ shows a metal-to-semiconductor and/or structural phase transition at 130K.
Simulating irradiance enhancement dependence on cloud optical depth and solar zenith angle

Abstract Enhancement of solar irradiance (IE) has been observed in many locations under partly cloudy sky conditions. Despite its notoriety, few studies have attempted to systematically examine the underlying mechanism for the event through simulation. As a result, there is no consensus regarding the causes of IE, nor an understanding of the effects of cloud optical depth and/or solar elevation on the event. Using a 2D Monte Carlo radiative transfer model (RTM), we show that IE through a homogenous square cloud is caused by the superposition of a direct irradiance beam with diffuse light scattered through the bottom and out of the edge of a cloud, through Mie and diffusion scattering. Using the RTM, we investigated the effect of optical depth up to 40 and solar zenith angles ranging from 0° to 80° on the IE magnitude and spatial extent. For the overhead zenith case the IE magnitude is maximum between optical depths of 2 and 3, with a value of 1.27 times the clear sky value. IE magnitude increases with increasing solar zenith angle, with the maximum occurring at a higher optical depth. The greatest magnitude overall occurred for a solar zenith angle 80° (our maximum) and optical depth of 20, with a value of 1.46 times the clear sky value. The simulations show that for optically thick clouds and small solar zenith angles forward scattering is the dominate contributor to large IE, but at increased zenith angles outward scattering leads to larger IE’s. Differences between simulated IE maximums and measured values in literature were resolved with a simple two cloud model to show mechanisms behind the production of IE extremes.
A stability checking procedure for finite-difference schemes with boundary conditions in acoustic media

Abstract The manner in which boundary conditions are approximated and introduced into finite-difference schemes has an important influence on the stability and accuracy of the results. The standard von Neumann stability condition applies only for points which are not in the vicinity of the boundaries. This stability condition does not take into consideration the effects caused by introducing the boundary conditions to the scheme. In this paper, we extend the von Neumann condition to include boundary conditions. The method is based on studying the time propagating matrix which governs the space-time behavior of the numerical grid. Examples of applying the procedure on schemes with different boundary conditions are given.
Surgical Considerations in the Treatment of Small Bowel Crohn’s Disease

Surgery remains a cornerstone of the management of Crohn's disease (CD). Despite the rise of biologic therapy, most CD patients require surgery for penetrating, obstructing, or malignant complications. Optimal surgical therapy requires sophisticated operative judgment and medical optimization. Intraoperatively, surgeons must balance treatment of CD complications against bowel preservation and functional outcome. This demands mastery of multiple techniques for anastomosis and strictureplasty, accurate assessment of bowel integrity for margin minimization, and a comprehensive skillset for navigating adhesions and altered anatomy, controlling thickened mesentery, and safely managing the hostile abdomen. Outside of the operating room, a multi-disciplinary team is critical for pre-operative optimization, patient support, and medical management. Postoperatively, prevention and surveillance of recurrence remain a matter of research and debate, and medical options include older drugs with limited efficacy and tolerability versus biologic agents with greater effect sizes and shorter track records. The evidence base for current management is limited by the inherent challenges of studying a chronic disease marked by heterogeneity and recurrence, but also by a lack of prospective trials incorporating both medical and surgical therapies.
What are social groups? Their metaphysics and how to classify them

This paper presents a systematic approach for analyzing and explaining the nature of social groups. I argue against prominent views that attempt to unify all social groups or to divide them into simple typologies. Instead I argue that social groups are enormously diverse, but show how we can investigate their natures nonetheless. I analyze social groups from a bottom-up perspective, constructing profiles of the metaphysical features of groups of specific kinds. We can characterize any given kind of social group with four complementary profiles: its “construction” profile, its “extra essentials” profile, its “anchor” profile, and its “accident” profile. Together these provide a framework for understanding the nature of groups, help classify and categorize groups, and shed light on group agency.
A simple risk stratification model to predict one-year postoperative mortality rate in patients with solid-organ cancer.

e17706 Background: Comprehensive preoperative assessment and accurate prediction of surgery-related risks are vital in ensuring better patient selection and improved surgical outcoms in the managem...
Evaluation of a Pediatric Early Warning Score Across Different Subspecialty Patients.

Objective:To evaluate the ability of a Pediatric Early Warning Score to predict deterioration in different subspecialty patient populations.Design:Single center, retrospective cohort study. Patients were classified into five groups: 1) cardiac; 2) hematology/oncology/bone marrow transplant; 3) surgi
Affirmation, validation, and empowerment: Influences of a composition competition on students’ self-concepts as musicians:

The purpose of this study was to determine if participation in a composition competition influenced four K–12 students’ self-concepts as musicians. Research questions explored motivations for these...
Patient, caregiver, and provider perceptions of pain and pain management in adolescents and young adults with bleeding disorders

Introduction Recurrent bleeding and associated pain are critical components in the management of bleeding disorders, yet scant data describe perceptions of pain in this patient population. Objective This study assessed perceptions of pain and pain management in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with haemophilia or von Willebrand disease (VWD) to determine agreement/disagreement between patients, caregivers and health care providers. Methods Using an online questionnaire, AYA patients (N=89), their caregivers (N=77), and providers (N=54) reported on pain perception, pain treatment and pain control. Acute and chronic pain was measured in patients via the Faces Pain Scale–Revised (FPS-R). Questionnaires queried about pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic pain management methods and how well providers and caregivers helped to manage pain. Results Poor agreement existed between patients and caregivers across all pain levels, perception of pain control and effectiveness of pain management. Specifically for chronic pain, poor agreement was noted between patients and caregivers (kappa=0.04; 29% agreement) and patients and providers (kappa=−0.07; 21.4% agreement). Among patients reporting acute or chronic pain, only 67% and 43%, respectively, utilized medication for their specific pain. Patients used more opioid medications than expected by their providers. On average, AYAs reported initial use of pain medications for chronic pain at 11.5 years. Conclusions Ongoing research is needed in haemophilia and VWD pain management, and on the differences in pain perception between patients, caregivers and providers. As chronic pain often begins at an early age, optimal pain management should include acknowledging patient complaints, exploring pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic options, and optimizing prophylaxis.
Longitudinal changes in knee gait mechanics between 2 and 8 years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

The purpose of this study was to longitudinally investigate changes in knee joint kinematics and kinetics from 2 to 8 years post-ACLR. Seventeen subjects with primary unilateral transtibial ACLR performed bilateral gait analysis approximately 2 years and 8 years post-ACLR. Seventeen matched healthy control subjects were also analyzed. Kinematic and kinetic comparisons between the ACLR and contralateral limbs over time were completed using a 2 × 2 (time, limb) repeated-measures ANOVA. Unpaired Student's t-tests were used to compare the ACLR and contralateral kinematics and kinetics to the control group. The ACLR and contralateral limbs had similar gait changes over time. Kinetic changes over time included a reduction in first (p = 0.048) and second (p < 0.001) peak extension moments, internal rotation moment (p < 0.001), adduction moment (first peak: p = 0.002, second peak: p = 0.009, impulse: p = 0.004) and an increase in peak knee flexion moment (p = 0.002). Kinematic changes over time included increases in peak knee flexion angle in the first half of stance (p = 0.026), minimum knee flexion angle in the second half of stance (p < 0.001), and average external rotation angle during stance (p = 0.007), and a reduction in average anterior femoral displacement during stance (p = 0.006). Comparison to healthy controls demonstrated improvement in some gait metrics over time. The results demonstrated longitudinal changes from 2 to 8 years after ACLR in knee joint kinetics and kinematics that have been related to clinical outcome after ACLR and the progression of knee OA, and support future larger and comprehensive investigations into long-term changes in joint mechanics in the ACLR population. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Tires and Ballasting for Agricultural Tractors

The steel-wheeled tractor was replaced by vehicles fitted with pneumatic tires in the 1920s and 1930s. Harvey Firestone (1868–1938) was instrumental in developing reinforced, “low-pressure” tires that were suitable for agricultural field work. World War II resulted in shortages of natural rubber previously used for tire production. This accelerated the research and development of synthetic rubbers such as styrene and latex. The synthetic rubbers produced had better wear-resistant properties than the original rubber tires. Synthetic rubbers that are commonly used today include polyurethane, neoprene, polybutandiene, and butyl. Natural rubber may still be used for some specialized applications.
Brief Treatment and Mental Health Policy

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss brief psychotherapeutic treatment as a means for initiating a cost-effective and integrated mental health delivery system. It is the assumption of this chapter that mental health services are an integral part of the larger health care delivery system. Brief oriented psychotherapy will be used in this chapter to describe the planned and conscious use of time in problem-focused and structured therapy of not more than 20 sessions. The issues of access to services, cost, and quality of services, as well as integration of mental health services with medical services, will form the framework for proposing a mental health delivery system that features brief treatment as the focal point for delivering mental health services. Although the recommendations in this chapter can apply to a centrally financed mental health system, the issue of national health insurance will not be addressed in this chapter.
Farming the genetic frontier

FOR MORE THAN TEN THOUSAND YEARS, farmers have improved their crops by letting nature do the breeding and then choosing the tastiest, hardiest, or most productive offspring. This ancient technique was accelerated in the last century through more systematic attempts to oversee the breeding and selection process. Today, however, new scientific techniques are making it possible to design crops with far greater precision and effect than ever before. The most controversial and important of these techniques are called "transgenic": they allow scientists to engineer new crops by splicing together particular genes rather than relying solely on the uncertain crosses that are the hallmark of traditional crop breeding. For some, the transgenic revolution in biotechnology is a horror. Tinkering with nature's order, they argue, will backfire when engineered genes escape to the wild and disrupt delicately balanced ecosystems. For others, plant engineering is a Promethean step forward that will lead to more nutritious, productive, and disease-resistant crops, which will in turn help alleviate global hunger and reduce the amount of land and pesticides used in agriculture.
Description and Evaluation of the MIT Earth System Model (MESM)

Author(s): Sokolov, A; Kicklighter, D; Schlosser, A; Wang, C; Monier, E; Brown-Steiner, B; Prinn, R; Forest, C; Gao, X; Libardoni, A; Eastham, S | Abstract: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Integrated Global System Model (IGSM) is designed for analyzing the global environmental changes that may result from anthropogenic causes, quantifying the uncertainties associated with the projected changes, and assessing the costs and environmental effectiveness of proposed policies to mitigate climate risk. The IGSM consists of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Earth System Model (MESM) of intermediate complexity and the Economic Projections and Policy Analysis model. This paper documents the current version of the MESM, which includes a two-dimensional (zonally averaged) atmospheric model with interactive chemistry coupled to the zonally averaged version of Global Land System model and an anomaly-diffusing ocean model.
Stability of Linear Systems with Delays

Let X be a Banach space and A: D(A) ⊂ X → X be a linear operator which is the infinitesimal generator of a strongly continuous semigroup of linear operators {T(t), t ≥ 0}. In the first part of these lectures, our main concern will be with the relationships between the spectrum σ(T(t)) of T(t) and the set eσ(A)t where σ(A) is the spectrum of A. The class of generators A will arise from difference equations and differential difference equations (or, more generally, functional differential equations) of both retarded and neutral type. We will discuss, in particular, the asymptotic properties of T(t) as determined by σ(A), using examples to illustrate some of the difficulties involved.
Performance Evaluation of Data Communication Protocols in Intelligent Transportation

A large number of studies have focused on the performance evaluation of wireless communication in vehicular applications. C. Gorgorin research [1] was conducted to evaluate the reliability of vehicles' ad-hoc networks using a traffic/network simulation tool (SUMO) developed by the University Politehnica of Bucharest. The research results demonstrated the advantages of implementing the DSRC communication protocol known as IEEE 802.11p rather than the IEEE 802.11n communication protocol at the physical, MAC and application layers. The research limits the average number of vehicles being evaluated to 90 vehicles/minute. In our study, the number of vehicles was extended beyond 90 vehicles/minute to evaluate the performance of data communication in highly congested areas such as intersections, traffic accidents areas and downtown areas.
Isotope discrimination by form IC RubisCO from Ralstonia eutropha and Rhodobacter sphaeroides, metabolically versatile members of 'Proteobacteria' from aquatic and soil habitats.

RubisCO, the CO2 fixing enzyme of the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle, is responsible for the majority of carbon fixation on Earth. RubisCO fixes 12 CO2 faster than 13 CO2 resulting in 13 C-depleted biomass, enabling the use of δ13 C values to trace CBB activity in contemporary and ancient environments. Enzymatic fractionation is expressed as an e value, and is routinely used in modelling, for example, the global carbon cycle and climate change, and for interpreting trophic interactions. Although values for spinach RubisCO (e = ~29‰) have routinely been used in such efforts, there are five different forms of RubisCO utilized by diverse photolithoautotrophs and chemolithoautotrophs and e values, now known for four forms (IA, B, D and II), vary substantially with e = 11‰ to 27‰. Given the importance of e values in δ13 C evaluation, we measured enzymatic fractionation of the fifth form, form IC RubisCO, which is found widely in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Values were determined for two model organisms, the 'Proteobacteria' Ralstonia eutropha (e = 19.0‰) and Rhodobacter sphaeroides (e = 22.4‰). It is apparent from these measurements that all RubisCO forms measured to date discriminate less than commonly assumed based on spinach, and that enzyme e values must be considered when interpreting and modelling variability of δ13 C values in nature.
Languages in Nigeria’s Educational Sector: Issues, Challenges and Perspectives

In this chapter, I explored the use of languages in instruction and communication in Nigeria from back in the earlier days to the present. Nigeria is a country of about 150 million people and speaks about 250 different dialects (languages). The diversity in dialects is based on the fact that Nigeria is a multiethnic country with different nationalities. Even though Nigeria is a multiethnic country, the federating states employ one curriculum for students in K-12 whereby every state looks up to the federal government for directions including the language to use in teaching and learning. The paper makes an in-depth exploration of the effect of Nigeria’s language policy. Specific attention is given to the three dominant spheres of languages in Nigeria: English Language (EL), Mother Tongue (MT), and Pidgin English (PE). The challenges, issues and perspectives associated with each of these modes of languages in communication, commerce, trade, and especially in teaching K-12 students is the central focus of the paper.
Semiconductors and Devices: An Epilogue

History describes certain epochs of the human race as stone, bronze, and iron age according to the crucial material that permitted significant steps in evolution. Measured against the achievement of the past, we owe the most significant advances of this century to the material that may coin our epoch as the semiconductor age.
Water crisis through the analytic of urban transformation: an analysis of Bangalore’s hydrosocial regimes

This paper explores intensified water crisis in Bangalore (or Bengaluru) in India by using the analytic of three hydrosocial regimes: the catchment-based regime, the hydraulic regime and the specul...
Evaluation of a flag-based explosives detection algorithm based on active neutron interrogation for use in sea land cargo containers

Highly explosive materials smuggled in sea land cargo containers are a security concern. An algorithm based on neutron and photon measurements during active neutron interrogation with 14.1 MeV neutrons was developed. The detection algorithm has now been evaluated for effectiveness over a wide range of explosive sizes, positions, and cargo configurations. Various sources of uncertainty were also studied. An estimate of the false positive and false negative rates was completed for various measurement conditions. Results showed that, although minimum detectable mass depends on the surrounding cargo, explosive position, and cargo configuration, 200 kg RDX could be reliably detected.
Assessment of Specifications Grading in an Undergraduate Dietetics Course

Assessing student learning is an integral component of teaching undergraduate dietetics students. Traditional grading can be cumbersome for instructors, encouraging extrinsic motivation for students and hindering clear understanding of whether students have met course learning outcomes. Specifications grading is a reimagined assessment paradigm that empowers both students and instructors to focus on achievement of learning objectives. This report examines the deployment of specifications grading in an undergraduate dietetics course, using qualitative methods to determine the impact on students' learning and experiences. Employing specifications grading may help dietetics educators foster self-regulation and mastery learning for students, as well as increase grading transparency.
Promotion and tenure policies for team science at colleges/schools of medicine.

Introduction Advancing understanding of human health promotion and disease prevention and treatment often requires teamwork. To evaluate academic medical institutions' support for team science in the context of researchers' career development, we measured the value placed on team science and specificity of guidance provided for documenting team science contributions in the promotion and tenure (P&T) documents of Colleges/Schools of Medicine (CoMs) in the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences' Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program. Method We reviewed complete P&T documents from 57 of 63 CTSA CoMs to identify career paths defined by three dimensions: academic rank (associate versus full professor), tenure eligibility (tenure track versus not), and role (research, clinical, education, and administrative), and we rated team science value and documentation guidance for each path. Multilevel models were estimated to compare team science value and documentation guidance as a function of the three career path dimensions while accounting for the clustered data (N = 357 career paths within 57 CoMs). Results Team science value was greater for associate than full professors, non-tenure-eligible versus tenure-eligible positions, and roles prioritizing clinical, education, and administrative responsibilities versus those prioritizing research. Guidance for documenting team science achievements was more explicit for roles that prioritized research. Discussion Although P&T policies at most CTSA institutions express value for team science, inconsistent within-institutional patterns of recognition and reward across career paths may have implications for researchers' involvement in team science. We discuss the implications of our findings for research and for P&T policies that promote team science.
Effects of Fertilizer Placement on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Sun and Shade Grown Ornamental Crop1

Abstract The level to which ornamental plant production impacts rising atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations remains unknown. Research to date has focused on developing baseline estimatio...