cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Language Abilities, Reading Acquisition, and Developmental Dyslexia: A Discussion of Hypothetical and Observed Relationships

Tests of a model of the expected relationships between language abilities and reading achievement measures from the beginning of kindergarten through third grade are discussed. At kindergarten, more global language abilities influenced early, wholistic measures of reading achievement, including letter and number naming. At Grade 1, these earlier accomplishments had a direct effect on word recognition, but a second direct effect was also apparent for word and phoneme segmentation measured in kindergarten. Comprehension at Grade 1 was influenced primarily by word recognition abilities at the same time. At Grade 2, comprehension influenced word recognition; at Grade 3, word recognition and comprehension were essentially independent. These findings are considered in the context of Frith's three-phase hypothesis of reading acquisition. A rationale for testing the potential of training in auditory segmentation to modulate the effects of developmental dyslexia is presented.
Low power and high speed multiplication design through mixed number representations

A low power multiplication algorithm and its VLSI architecture using a mixed number representation is proposed. The reduced switching activity and low power dissipation are achieved through the Sign-Magnitude (SM) notation for the multiplicand and through a novel design of the Redundant Binary (RB) adder and Booth decoder. The high speed operation is achieved through the Carry-Propagation-Free (CPF) accumulation of the Partial Products (PP) by using the RB notation. Analysis showed that the switching activity in the PP generation process can be reduced on average by 90%. Compared to the same type of multipliers, the proposed design dissipates much less power and is 18% faster on average.
The Dark Matter: Race and Racism in the 21st Century

Race and racism may be termed the ‘dark matter’ of the modern epoch. Race was invented along with the modern era. It was central to the liftoff of capitalism, a big bang itself. The dark matter then – the darker peoples of that time – was not complete: in fact they were not invisible as ‘matter’, as something that mattered. They were invisible as people. Empire, slavery, augmented state power, and the dialectic of enlightenment as well, can all be seen as racial dynamics in which absolutism’s grasping and violent claws tore at these ‘others’, seeking to dominate their bodies and their lands. Today the ‘dark matter’ persists in the form of disregard from above. An institutionalized forgetting of the meaning of race (‘colorblindness’) disguises this coercion and violence, these assaults, this war. Race and racism also continue from below, as matters of resistance and as frameworks for alternative identities and collectivities.
In vitro turnover of radioactive phosphorus by thyroid.

Summary1. Ability of thyroid slices to incorporate inorganic phosphate into organic phosphorus compounds is comparable to that of kidney and liver. Homogenization of the thyroid tissue before incubation prevents this synthesis. 2. A study has been made of the effect of azide, thiocyanate, iodide and thyroxine on the in vitro phosphorus metabolism of the thyroid. Except in the case of azide, where a general depression of phosphorus metabolism occurred, no positive correlation was found.
A New Pseudonectria on Pachysandra

SUMMARYThe canker-blight disease of pachysandra is caused by a new species of ascomycete, Pseudonectria pachysandricola, which is a wound parasite. The perithecia usually arise from stornata which ...
Son Preference and Gender Gaps in Child Nutrition: Does the Level of Female Autonomy Matter?

This paper examines the association between parental son preference and child anthropometric status, and the extent to which this relationship depends on the level of female autonomy. Results highlight the importance of maternal son preference and mothers' involvement in household decision making when gender gaps in child nutrition are considered. These findings have important policy implications.
Synthesis, Structure, and Photophysical Properties of Mo2(NN)4 and Mo2(NN)2(T(i)PB)2, Where NN = N,N'-Diphenylphenylpropiolamidinate and T(i)PB = 2,4,6-Triisopropylbenzoate.

Two dimolybdenum compounds featuring amidinate ligands with a C≡C bond, Mo2(NN)4 (I), where NN = N,N′-diphenylphenylpropiolamidinate, and trans-Mo2(NN)2(TiPB)2 (II), where TiPB = 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzoate, have been prepared and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Together with Mo2(DAniF)4 (III), where DAniF = N,N′-bis(p-anisyl)formamidinate, all three compounds have been studied with steady-state UV–vis, IR, and time-resolved spectroscopy methods. I and II display intense metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT). Singlet state (S1) lifetimes of I–III are determined to be 0.7, 19.1, and 2.0 ps, respectively. All three compounds have long-lived triplet state (T1) lifetimes around 100 μs. In femtosecond time-resolved infrared (fs-TRIR) experiments, one ν(C≡C) band is observed at the S1 state for I but two for II, which indicate different patterns of charge distribution. The electron would have to be localized on one NN ligand in I and partially delocalized over two NN ligands ...
Automatic estimation of mobility shift coefficients in DNA chromatograms

A physical understanding of mobility pattern differences among DNA fragments of different length drives the formulation of a complete statistical model for mobility shifts correction (MSC). Algorithms are then developed that compute mobility shifts and correct the raw trace, leaving significant peaks aligned i.e. in correct order and centered with respect to their neighbors. The fully automated MSC method we develop is shown to improve substantially base-calling performance in the first 100-200 bp of DNA sequencing reads while it does not require any dye chemistry specific calibration procedure. This is very encouraging since it is known that lack of adequate MSC is the main source of base-calling errors in the early part of a DNA sequencing read.
The Hypnotic Induction in the Broad Scheme of Hypnosis: A Sociocognitive Perspective

Researchers and clinicians typically divide hypnosis into two distinct parts: the induction and the suggestions that follow. We suggest that this distinction is arbitrary and artificial. Different definitions of hypnosis ascribe different roles to the hypnotic induction, yet none clearly specifies the mechanisms that mediate or moderate subjective and behavioral responses to hypnotic suggestions. Researchers have identified few if any differences in responding across diverse hypnotic inductions, and surprisingly little research has focused on the specific ingredients that optimize responsiveness. From a sociocognitive perspective, we consider the role of inductions in the broader scheme of hypnosis and suggest that there is no clear line of demarcation between prehypnotic information, the induction, suggestions, and other constituents of the hypnotic context. We describe research efforts to maximize responses to hypnotic suggestions, which encompass the induction and other aspects of the broader hypnotic framework, and conclude with a call for more research on inductions and suggestions to better understand their role within hypnotic interventions in research and clinical contexts.
Going to scale: exploring implementation of positive behaviour intervention and supports within and across different types of early childhood programmes

ABSTRACTDespite calls to better prepare children for school entry, children with social, emotional, or behavioural needs continue to experience limited access to care that meets their needs. Despite frameworks for Positive Behaviour Intervention and Support (PBIS) that may aid in addressing children’s needs, bringing those frameworks to scale in early childhood requires examination. This study explores the impact of a state agency-sponsored professional development system on the implementation of a PBIS framework by 132 educators representing seven different types of early childhood programmes (i.e. Head Start, child care centre, special education, etc.). Significant differences in implementation were observed by programme type in both the initial level of implementation and changes in implementation after receiving training and monthly coaching. Implications and future research are discussed relative to implementation supports that may need to vary by programme type when trying to bring a PBIS framework ...
"Employee Mobility, Firm Self-sorting, and Job Creation: Heterogeneous Effects by Firm Size"

This study examines how the enforceability of non-compete covenants influences the behaviors of firms and the local economy. To identify the causal effects, we exploit Florida's legislative change ...
Stabilization of constrained uncertain systems by an off-line approach using zonotopes

In this paper, stabilization of uncertain systems was established using zonotopic sets. The obtained state feedback control laws are computed by an off-line approach reducing computational burdens. The resolution of a robust model predictive control (MPC) allows computing a sequence of state feedback control laws corresponding to a sequence of zonotopic invariant sets. The implemented control laws are then calculated by linear interpolation between the state feedback gains corresponding to the nested pre-computed zonotopic sets. The proposed interpolation with the use of zonotopic sets achieves better control performances.
An optofluidic metasurface for lateral flow-through detection of cancer biomarker (Conference Presentation)

The rapid growth of point-of-care tests demands for biomolecule sensors with higher sensitivity and smaller size. We developed an optofluidic metasurface that combined silicon photonics and nanofluidics to achieve a lateral flow-through biosensor to fulfill the needs. The metasurface consists of a 2D array of silicon nanoposts fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator substrate. The device takes advantage of the high-Q resonant modes associated with the optical bound state and the nanofluidic delivery of analyte to overcome the problem of diffusion-limited detection that occurs in almost all conventional biosensors and offer a high refractive index sensitivity. We used rigorous coupled wave analysis and finite element analysis to design and optimize the device. We will present its photonic band diagram to identify the optical bound state and high-Q resonance modes near 1550 nm. The device was fabricated using e-beam lithography followed by a lift-off and reactive ion etching process. Reflectance of the sensor was measured using a tunable laser and a photodetector. The preliminary result shows a refractive index sensitivity of 720 nm/RIU. Furthermore, we implemented the optical metasurface as a lateral flow-through biosensor by covering the nanoposts using a PDMS cover. The nanofluidic channels are formed between the nanoposts for the flow of samples. The lateral flow-through sensor was used to detect the epidermal growth factor receptor (ErbB2), a widely used protein biomarker for breast cancer screening. The results show that the device can quantitatively measure the binding of ErBb2 antibody and ErBb2 by the continuous monitoring of the resonant wavelength shift.
Making the transnational move: deliberation, negotiation, and disjunctures among overseas Chinese returnees in China

As Chinese cities compete aggressively for foreign-educated Chinese labour from afar and offer enticing recruitment packages, little is known about how targeted foreign-educated Chinese navigate th...
A Web-based diabetes care management support system.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Because of the often asymptomatic nature of diabetes and the long period between sustained hyperglycemia and observable complications, appropriate diabetes care relies on a long-term program of secondary prevention. Yet routine monitoring and screening among patients with diabetes is less than optimal. To support the provision of routine care to patients with diabetes, the Center for Health Services Research, Henry Ford Health System (Detroit), developed a Web-based Diabetes Care Management Support System (DCMSS). A nonrandomized, longitudinal study was conducted (January 1, 1998–October 31, 1999) with 13,325 health maintenance organization patients with diabetes who were aligned to 190 primary care providers practicing in 31 primary care clinics. Results Three DCMSS features—clinical practice guidelines, patient registries, and performance reports—were made available via a corporate intranet within an existing electronic medical record. The effect of DCMSS usage frequency was evaluated on the likelihood of a patient's receipt of glycated hemoglobin testing, lipid profile testing, and retinal examinations. Logistic regression models controlling for patient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and the testing history of the patient, the primary care physician, and the primary care clinic, were fit using generalized estimating equation methods. The more often a physician used DCMSS, the more likely his or her patients were to receive lipid profile testing (OR [odds ratio] = 1.01, 95% CI [confidence interval] = 1.01–1.02). Compared with patients of physicians who never used the system, patients of physicians who initiated 12 sessions were an estimated 19% more likely (95% CI=7%–33%) to receive lipid profile testing. The analyses also suggested that the likelihood of a patient receiving a retinal exam was associated with system usage (OR = 1.01, 95% CI=1.01–1.01). No relationship was found between system use and glycated hemoglobin testing. Conclusions Computerized systems of clinical practice guidelines, patient registries, and performance feedback may help improve the rate of routine testing among patients with diabetes.
The MTurkification of Social and Personality Psychology

The potential role of brief online studies in changing the types of research and theories likely to evolve is examined in the context of earlier changes in theory and methods in social and personality psychology, changes that favored low-difficulty, high-volume studies. An evolutionary metaphor suggests that the current publication environment of social and personality psychology is a highly competitive one, and that academic survival and reproduction processes (getting a job, tenure/promotion, grants, awards, good graduate students) can result in the extinction of important research domains. Tracking the prevalence of brief online studies, exemplified by studies using Amazon Mechanical Turk, in three top journals ( Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology) reveals a dramatic increase in their frequency and proportion. Implications, suggestions, and questions concerning this trend for the field and questions for its practitioners are discussed.
Literary Cosmology: Plato, Tobin, Major, Turner

As we have seen throughout this book, one way that mathematics enters directly into poetry is through cosmology, which tracks the origin, creation and development, and sometime the future or fate of the whole world. The heavens seem to be a dome, half a sphere, sometimes blue brushed with clouds or the rose of dawn or the gold of sunset, and sometime black spangled with stars. Across the sky, the sun and moon and planets (and the odd comet) trace the great circle of the ecliptic, which then collects and orders the constellations of the Zodiac. By the sea or on the sea, the horizon, the visible boundary of earth, exhibits another great circle; and the sun and moon are spheres. Divine geometry! Days and months and years depend on the circuits of heavenly bodies, and the cycles are expressed as seasons: birth, maturity, withering, rebirth. Rivers seem to be great circles on earth, replenishing and sometimes threatening; mountains (and birds) seem to be middle terms between ourselves and the heavens, and caves (and snakes) middle terms between the living and the dead. A cave with a river running through it is a double portent, like a sky with a rainbow. Forests are habitations and labyrinths, where we may dwell or lose ourselves. The aim of cosmology is to provide explanations and reveal the meaningfulness of the world: mathematical order, periodicity, symmetry, number and figure, generally play an important role in these accounts.
Youth With Chronic Pain and a History of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the Context of Multidisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation.

Objectives:Previous research has shown that youth with chronic pain who presented for a multidisciplinary evaluation report a history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) (eg, abuse, neglect, parent/guardian separation or divorce) at a high rate (over 80%) and that those with pain and ACEs experi
Femtosecond laser fabricated Fabry-Perot sensors on optical fiber tip for acoustic sensor

Smart sensors based on optical fibers are popular in recent years, and one of them is optical fiber-based acoustic/ultrasonic sensors, which plays a vital role in areas from scientific research to nondestructive testing. However, as the sensitivity of traditional fiber optic sensors is limited, it is necessary to develop highly sensitive optical fiber-based sensors for ultrasound detection. Here, we present a 3D printed polymer-based Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) directly on a single mode fiber tip. The fabrication is based on femtosecond laser writing through two-photon polymerization. The resolution can reach up to ~100 nm, which is less than 1/10 wavelength within the C-band. The spectral characteristics of the sensors are presented. Due to the properties of polymer materials, the devices have a higher sensitivity to acoustic waves that can modify the length of the cavity, which can be utilized for designing ultrasonic sensors. However, the optical quality of the fabricated FP sensor is lower, which is not suitable for high-frequency ultrasound detection. In this research, we propose a tunable erbium-doped fiber ring laser with the 3D printed FPI, which acts a wavelength filter and a reflector of the fiber ring laser. The stability and thermal variations around the modal interferometers are investigated. The spectra are symmetric with a maximal power difference about 35 dB between the lasing modes and the average of the side mode suppression ratio, which is tuned into the C-band with a resolution of 0.02 nm. An unbalanced interferometer-based demodulator using a PID controller is presented to demodulate the ultrasonic signal, which is applied directly on the fabricated FPI. The results show that this sensing scheme offers low wavelength drift, good signal to noise ratio and high-power stability, and can therefore be used for acoustic sensing applications.
An assessment of Canada thistle in northern U.S. forests

This publication is part of a series that provides an overview of the presence of invasive plant species monitored on an extensive systematic network of plots measured by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station (NRS). Each research note features one of the invasive plants monitored on forested plots by NRS FIA in the 24 states of the Midwestern and Northeastern United States. Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) is an herbaceous perennial in the Aster family. Since its arrival to North America from Europe in the early 1600s via contaminated crop seed, it has caused considerable impact by displacing native plants and reducing crop and pasture productivity (Czarapata 2005, Kaufman and Kaufman 2007).
Task behavior and interaction planning for a mobile service robot that occasionally requires help

In our work, a robot can proactively ask for help when necessary, based on its awareness of its sensing and actuation limitations. Approaches in which humans provide help to robots do not necessarily reason about the human availability and accuracy. Instead, we model the availability of humans in the robot's environment and present a planning approach that uses such model to generate the robot navigational plans. In particular, we contribute two separate planners that allow a robot to distinguish actions that it cannot complete autonomously from ones that it can. In the first planner, the robot plans autonomous actions when possible and requests help to complete actions that it could not otherwise complete. Then for actions that it can perform autonomously, we use a POMDP policy that incorporates the human availability model to plan actions that reduce uncertainty or that increase the likelihood of the robot finding an available human to help it reduce its uncertainty. We have shown in prior work that asking people in the environment for help during tasks can reduce task completion time and increase the robot's ability to perform tasks.
Geographic disparities in care: The Maryland gynecologic oncology experience.

e16546 Background: Women with gynecologic malignancies require highly specialized care that is often unavailable at local centers. Prior reports have suggested that distance from residence to treat...
Corrigendum to “On a hypothesis for ℵ0-bounded groups” [Topology and its Applications 258 (2019) 229–238]

Abstract In the abstract of the paper [2] the author claimed a proof for a statement different from what is actually proved in the paper. In this “Corrigenda” the author would like to correct the abstract of [2] .
Reimagining information literacy instruction in an evidence-based practice nursing course for undergraduate students

This case report describes the redesign process for an undergraduate evidence-based practice (EBP) nursing course in which the librarian serves as both co-instructor and co-instructional designer. As part of the undergraduate outcomes-based core curriculum, this required course teaches the principles of the research process; teaches students to identify the strengths and limitations of research articles in relation to EBP; and builds student confidence in their abilities to execute information literacy, data management, and scholarly communication competencies. The course redesign built on an existing student-centered course design, with the specific goal of transitioning the course from a senior-level course to a sophomore-level course, while achieving the same learning objectives. This goal was accomplished by integrating a combination of distributed practice and interleaved practice learning experiences into the course curriculum.
Development of High-Temperature-Resistant Seed Layer for Electrodeposition of Copper for Microelectronic Applications

Copper is the most commonly used material for interconnects within microelectronics. However, electromigration and high resistance within the material limit the use of copper in nanoscale applications. New, two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMDs) are being developed for the next generation of interconnects. A composite consisting of a forest of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes within a matrix of copper is a proposed solution to the issues which present themselves in nanoscale copper interconnects. The fabrication of CNTs and graphene often requires high temperatures that exceed the material limitations of copper in microelectronic processing. If these 2D materials are used in conjunction with copper, it is desirable to delay copper deposition to late stages of microfabrication in order to avoid exposing copper to high temperatures. It is proposed that a seed layer be deposited before deposition/growth of CNTs/graphene or other TMD materials, such that later deposition of copper via electroplating is feasible. A conductive seed layer must be introduced underneath the forest of CNTs in order to allow for electroplating to take place. Copper itself may not be used as a seed layer since it migrates at elevated temperatures, which prevents growth of carbon nanotubes. Thus, the seed layer must be able to withstand high temperatures, must not migrate or diffuse into silicon or barrier layers, and must also be a suitable seed layer for copper electroplating. This research focuses on evaluating different metals as potential seed layers for copper electroplating for nanoscale applications. Layers of various metals of 100 A, 275 A, and 1000 A thickness were deposited onto silicon wafers via physical vapor deposition. They were then electroplated with copper and examined visually for quality and consistency. A digital microscope was used for microscopic examination, then a scanning electron microscope was used to examine the development of copper over the seed layers and for elemental mapping to verify copper deposition. Seeds consisting of 1000 A platinum, 1000 A nichrome, and 100 A silver showed strong promise for use as seed layers for nanoscale applications. Platinum and nichrome were found to develop uniform copper coatings and strongly adhere to the silicon wafer. To protect platinum and nichrome from diffusion into silicon during chemical vapor deposition (CVD) CNT growth, a barrier layer may be required. Copper developed uniformly over the 100-A silver seed. Silver is unlikely to diffuse into silicon at the temperatures required during CVD CNT growth. Due to poor adhesion between the silver seed and silicon wafer, an adhesion layer may be used to improve reliability.
Spectacle and Parody: Burlesque Subjectivity in the American Picturebook

Moebius examines the representation of male superiority through the spectacular, read against the political setting in America from the 1930s to the 1970s and the picturebook’s rise in status. Fueled by the immigration of artists and by the aspirations of the American Library Association with its annual Caldecott Medal, and acclaimed in Barbara Bader’s classic The American Picturebook: From Noah’s Ark to the Beast Within, the illustrated children’s book becomes during this era a cultural icon and instrument of critique. Discussing work by Edy Legrand, Virginia Lee Burton, Bill Peet, Syd Hoff, and Dr. Seuss, the chapter explores how the American picturebook delivers the spectacular, and parody and caricature make the ambitious male figure a dubious, if not pathetic, model for a new age.
Staying the Course – Making Age Matter

I have always looked at behavior through a broad lens, which drew me to the contemporary field of aging. When I began my doctoral work in the 1980’s, the lifespan developmental approach was reshapi...
Hyperviscosity Retinopathy Due to Waldenström Macroglobulinemia: A Case Report and Literature Review:

Purpose:This case report describes a case of hyperviscosity retinopathy secondary to the rare systemic hematologic malignant neoplasm Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.Methods:Fundus photography, fluor...
Nutritional value, technological and sensory evaluation of gluten-free bread enriched with soybean flour and coconut oil

Celiac Disease (CD) is considered an autoimmune pathology, which causes the carriers of the same to have to exclude gluten from the diet. However, there is a deficit of gluten-free products that present improved technological properties and high nutritional value. In this study, gluten-free breads were prepared substituting different concentrations of rice flour for soybean flour and fully soybean oil for coconut oil. It was evaluated the technological, structural and sensorial characteristics of these products. Results indicated that the replacement up to 8% of rice flour in breads, had a significant increase in protein content of 85.0% in relation of control bread, producing a slight decrease in the technological characteristics. The greater firmness obtained with the addition of soybean flour is a positive point for gluten-free breads, since the same ones that are available in the market are very brittle. Although the developed breads presented smaller specific volume, sensorial parameters showed good acceptability, with greater purchase intent for those with 6 and 8% of soybean flour that were the chosen and evaluated products. Therefore, soybean flour and coconut oil proved to be a new alternative for increasing the nutritional value of gluten-free breads, preserving the sensorial quality attributes and making them healthier foods.
Visualizing Partisan Identification Switching in the General Social Survey Panel, 2016–2020:

This visualization captures shifts in partisan identification in the 2016–2020 General Social Survey Panel. Although most partisans remained stable in their identifications, a significant proportio...
Vegetation–microclimate feedbacks in woodland–grassland ecotones

Aim Climatic conditions exert a strong control on the geographic distribution of many woodland-to-grassland transition zones (or ‘tree lines’). Because woody plants have, in general, a weaker cold tolerance than herbaceous vegetation, their altitudinal or latitudinal limits are strongly controlled by cold sensitivity. While temperature controls on the dynamics of woodland–grassland ecotones are relatively well established, the ability of woody plants to modify their microclimate and to create habitat for seedling establishment and growth may involve a variety of processes that are still not completely understood. Here we investigate feedbacks between vegetation and microclimatic conditions in the proximity to woodland–grassland ecotones. Location We concentrate on arctic and alpine tree lines, the transition between mangrove forests and salt marshes in coastal ecosystems, and the shift from shrubland to grassland along temperature gradients in arid landscapes. Methods We review the major abiotic and biotic mechanisms underlying the ability of woody plants to alter the nocturnal microclimate by increasing the temperatures they are exposed to. Results We find that in many arctic, alpine, desert and coastal landscapes the presence of trees or shrubs causes nocturnal warming thereby favouring the establishment and survival of woody plants. Main conclusion Because of this feedback, trees and shrubs may establish in areas that would be otherwise unsuitable for their survival. Thus, in grassland–woodland transition zones both vegetation covers may be (alternative) stable states of the landscape, thereby affecting the way tree lines may migrate in response to regional and global climate change.
Requirements analysis and modelling

The rapid change in the software engineering field, in particular the emerging of software development methodologies has relaxed the need for well definedness of the requirements. A primary characteristic of the process in developing a system with ill defined requirements is the iteration through one or more development phases before the requirements are clarified. By exposing end users to the problem of revising and iterating on a larger scale system design through several levels of the software life cycle, we are able to be more responsive to their evolving requirements as they gain experience in formulating critical system requirements. Iterative requirements elicitation and requirements elicitation have been tied closely to two techniques: object oriented modeling (analysis) and rapid prototyping. In the context of these observations the discussion focuses on the following two questions: Should object oriented modeling and design be the focus or should greater emphasis be placed on traditional structured analysis techniques that are more widely used in practice? How should prototyping be treated?. >
Evolution of Nuclear Receptor Pseudogenes

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are transcription factors with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-binding and ligand-receptor domains. When activated by ligands, they bind to the regulatory regions of target genes to regulate transcription. NR genes comprise relatively large gene families derived from a single metazoan parent gene through evolutionary duplication and divergence, which often produces duplication (unprocessed) pseudogenes. However, no NR duplication pseudogenes have been found in genomes examined to date. A small number of NR retropseudogenes (processed pseudogenes), and a single unitary pseudogene have been identified in the annotated human, chimpanzee, mouse and rat genomes. The unitary pseudogene (ψFXRβ) is exclusive to catarrhines and arose via mutational inactivation of the FXRβ gene, which is an active gene in murids. The human-specific ψERRα+ pseudogene arose through duplication of a DNA segment containing the ψERRα–retropseudogene and is an example of a duplication retropseudogene. The murid ψRev-erbβ and ψLRH1 pseudogenes are examples semiprocessed retropseudogenes. Key concepts There are relatively few nuclear receptor pseudogenes in vertebrate genomes. Identified nuclear receptor genes consist of retropseudogenes and a single unitary pseudogene. Keywords: nuclear receptor genes; pseudogenes; unitary pseudogenes; retropseudogenes
OH Megamasers: Circumnuclear Gas in Starbursts

OH megamaser emission is known to be associated with the most central 100 parsecs of ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs). The masers are probing dense concentrations of gas, which presumably have accumulated during the merger event forming the ULIRG. Here we summarize the results from primarily high resolution observations of the 18 cm OH lines in a few OH megamaser galaxies. The maser emission is commonly distributed in disks or tori, but there is also some evidence for other components such as outflows. The appearance of the observed emission strongly depends on the observing resolution, and new theoretical modeling has made important steps toward understanding the observed emission. The radio continuum in OH megamaser galaxies is generally starburst related, and detailed studies of the continuum could perhaps be used to date the merger.
Legal Order, Legal Pluralism, Fundamental Principles. Europe and Its Law in Three Concepts

The essay analyses the way in which the concepts of legal order, legal pluralism and fundamental rights have been used to describe (and decide) what European integration is (and what it ought to be) from the perspective of the law. The essay does not provide a legal theory but limits itself to investigating how certain concepts have been employed to justify legal decisions and to construct legal theories. The juridical discourse on Europe is examined to identify some trends in contemporary legal culture: the decline of a tradition of legal thought, ‘legal dogmatics,’ the vanishing of the distinction between internal and external law (between domestic law and international law, and between positive law and morality), the growing importance of fundamental rights discourse, the centrality of balancing test, the widespread criticism of legal science's claim to neutrality and the consequent normative turn affecting legal scholarship.
Task Complexity and Linguistic Complexity: An Exploratory Study

Central to any task-based syllabus is the notion of complexity. Proponents of task-based language teaching have argued that tasks be sequenced according to their inherent cognitive complexity, partially because learner performance changes according to the complexity of the task. This exploratory study examines the effect of task complexity on the linguistic complexity of task performance. The participants in the study were a group of ten advanced-level second language English speakers, and two groups of native English speakers. Task complexity was operationalized by manipulating two independent variables – reasoning demand and contextual support – in a series of picture narration tasks. The study thus had a 2 x 2 factorial design, with participants completing the tasks under four sets of conditions. Each set provided the participants with different reasoning demands and/or contextual support. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to analyze the initial data. Subsequently, separate ANOVAs were calculated to distinguish between the types of reasoning that may have contributed to differences in task performance. It was found that contextual support had little influence on the complexity of task performance, but that reasoning demands, specifically causal and spatial reasoning, may have contributed to differences in the linguistic complexity of participants' task performance.
The Malonic Acid Reagent (“Sodium Geometrate”)

A new chemical reaction with either excitable or periodic dynamics appears every month in the theoretical journals (in 1978). But only one has been widely studied experimentally in ways that reveal wave-like organization in space. There are already two entire books about it: Zhabotinsky (1974, in Russian) and Tyson (1976).
Generating Vector Boson Masses

If the Higgs particle is never found, one will need an alternative theory for vector boson masses. I propose such a theory involving an antisymmetric tensor potential coupled to a gauge field.
A Quick Distribution-Free Test for Trend That Contributes Evidence of Construct Validity

A quick distribution-free test that contributes evidence of construct validity from D. T. Campbell and D. W. Fisk's (1959) Multitrait—Multimethod Matrix is presented. The procedure is carried by re...
Competition in the Private Enforcement of Regulatory Law

This short essay was prepared for a conference on economic law that focused in part on the development of inter-jurisdictional competition between regulatory systems. The essay addresses private enforcement of regulatory law, inquiring whether some form of competition might develop between national systems for the private damages claims of parties injured by regulatory violations. It considers some situations in which plaintiffs have a choice of legal regime in which to assert such claims, and the benefits that competition for them might bring. However, it notes that unlike the competition for corporate charters, this form of competition would necessarily remain quite limited, and concludes that its costs would therefore likely outweigh its benefits.
Oxidative stress, inflammation, and markers of cardiovascular health

Abstract Objective To investigate associations of a oxidative balance score (OBS) with blood levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein- (LDL)-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein- (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides, and biomarkers of inflammation (serum C-reactive protein [CRP], albumin and venous total white blood cell [WBC] counts) among 19,825 participants in a nationwide study. Methods Using cross-sectional data 14 dietary and lifestyle components were incorporated into the OBS and the resulting score (range 3–26) was then divided into five equal intervals. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for abnormal biomarker levels and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression models. Results The ORs (95% CIs) comparing those in the highest relative to those in the lowest OBS equal interval categories were 0.50 (0.38–0.66) for CRP, 0.50 (0.36–0.71) for the total WBC count, and 0.75 (0.58–0.98) for LDL-cholesterol; all three p-values for trend were Conclusion Our findings suggest that an OBS may be associated with some, but not all, circulating lipids/lipoproteins and biomarkers of inflammation.
Care of the Chronic Tracheostomy

A minority of patients with neuromuscular disease require placement of a tracheostomy, usually for the purpose of providing mechanical ventilation. Often the tracheostomy is performed during a hospital admission for an acute illness. The debate about the appropriate timing of tracheostomy in critically ill patients has not been resolved; however, the weight of evidence now favors performing a tracheostomy early (within 7 d of translaryngeal intubation) if the period of mechanical ventilation is likely to be prolonged beyond 3 weeks. For patients with chronic progressive weakness who develop respiratory difficulty, the consensus of opinion is that tracheostomy should be performed in patients with severe bulbar involvement, inability to effectively cough up secretions despite mechanical aids for secretion clearance, or for those who are unable to tolerate or fail noninvasive ventilation. The decision to perform tracheostomy in patients with chronic neuromuscular weakness involves consideration of several factors, including complications, resources, quality of life, ethical issues, cosmetic issues, and cost. Complications from tracheostomy and physician-perceived poor quality of life often lead to a negative bias, such that some patients may be denied this life-saving procedure. Special training is needed to provide long-term tracheostomy care, and an organized approach should be followed to decannulate patients who recover from their acute illness. Appropriate and skilled care could significantly improve the longevity and quality of life of those patients with neuromuscular disease who have a tracheostomy for long-term ventilation.
Adding to Relevant Restricted Quantification

This paper presents, in a more general setting, a simple approach to ‘relevant restricted generalizations’ advanced in previous work. After reviewing some desiderata for restricted generalizations, I present the target route towards achieving the desiderata. An objection to the approach, due to David Ripley, is presented, followed by three brief replies, one from a dialetheic perspective and the others more general.
An experimental study of Brownian coagulation in the transition regime

Abstract Brownian coagulation of aerosols was studied in the transition regime at Knudsen numbers ranging from 1.2 to 7.4. Coagulation constants were obtained from the change in total concentration in a flowing system by using nebulized NaCl aerosols of mean mobility equivalent diameters between 0.018 and 0.105 μm in air at atmospheric pressure. Size distributions and concentrations were measured with an Electrical Aerosol Analyzer (TSI). The coagulation constants account for the polydispersity of the aerosol, diffusional losses in the coagulation tube, and particle losses in the ducts leading to the EAA. The EAA's response to particle sizes was compared to data from a transmission electron microscope and an electrical mobility classifier. Deviations of 10–15% were found in the size range between 0.03 and 0.05 μm. The experimental rate of coagulation agrees very closely with that predicted by Smoluchowski's continuum theory with the slip correction and the Fuchs correction factor included. The results do not support a correction factor recently proposed by Davies.
Allosteric transitions in cytochrome P450eryF explored with pressure-perturbation spectroscopy, lifetime FRET, and a novel fluorescent substrate, Fluorol-7GA.

To establish a direct method for monitoring substrate binding in cytochrome P450eryF applicable at elevated hydrostatic pressures, we introduce a laser dye Fluorol-7GA (F7GA) as a novel fluorescent ligand. The high intensity of fluorescence and the reasonable resolution of the excitation band from the absorbance bands of P450 allowed us to establish highly sensitive binding assays compatible with pressure perturbation. The interactions of F7GA with P450eryF cause an ample spin shift revealing cooperative binding (S50 = 8.2 ± 1.3 μM; n = 2.3 ± 0.1). Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments suggest the presence of at least two substrate binding sites with apparent KD values in the ranges of 0.1−0.3 and 6−9 μM. Similar to that observed earlier with CYP3A4, increasing hydrostatic pressure does not cause either a complete dissociation of the substrate complexes or a displacement of the spin equilibrium toward the low-spin state. Rather, increased pressure enhances the cooperativity of the F7GA...
Professional Advisory Boards: Fostering Communication and Collaboration between Academe and Industry

To make the technical communication program at SUNY Institute of Technol ogy at Utica/Rome successful and to give students an advantage of working with practicing professionals, the faculty thought it wise to add an advisory board composed of professionals, managers, and others associated with profes sional and technical communication. This paper describes the program, the board's contributions, and the benefits received by the students, the program, and the board members themselves.
58 OUTCOME OF INFANTS WITH BIRTHWEIGHTS <800 GRAMS

A prospective study of 14 outborn infants <800g at birth and transferred <24 hrs of age to a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit was conducted to determine neurologic and developmental outcome. Mean birthweight was 750g ± 69g and mean gestational age was 28 ± 2 wks. 8/14 were small for gestational age and 6 were male. 5/14 infants required ventilatory support for ≥ 30 days and 3/14 had moderate or severe intracranial hemorrhage. Mean age at follow-up was 39 ± 10 mos (range 18–48). Growth measurements were <5 percentile in 3/14 for weight, 1/14 for height, and 4/14 for head circumference. There were no significant differences in growth between AGA and SGA infants. The mean Bayley mental score for 3 infants <30 months was 85 and the mean motor score was 87. The mean score on the General Cognitive Index on the McCarthy scale for 8 infants was 84 ± 14.7. Subtest means were: verbal 40 ± 8, perceptual 44 ± 7.4, quantitative 40 ± 10.5, memory 40 ± 6.1, and motor 44.5 ± 6.1. Two infants with visual deficits were not tested. Neurologic sequelae were present in 2 infants, one with generalized hypotonia and one with a left hemiparesis. Visual deficits occurred in 2 patients, impaired hearing in 1, and impaired speech in 3. Neurologic outcome was not related to the duration of mechanical ventilation, severity of intracranial hemorrhage or intrauterine growth. This study indicates that outcomes of infants with birth weight <800g who are outborn is much improved.
DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERNET-DISTRIBUTED HARDWARE-IN-THE-LOOP SIMULATION PLATFORM FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATION

This paper summarizes efforts to integrate, for the first time, two geographically-dispersed hardware-in-the-loop simulation setups over the Internet in an observer-free way. The two setups are the engine-in-the-loop simulation setup at the University of Michigan (UM) in Ann Arbor, MI, USA, and the driver-in-the-loop ride motion simulator at the US Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in Warren, MI, USA. The goal of this integration is to increase the fidelity of experiments and to enable concurrent engineering. First, a model-based simulation of the setup is utilized to analyze the effects of variable delay, an intrinsic characteristic of the Internet, on the integrated system, particularly in terms of stability, robustness, and transparency. Then, experiments with the actual hardware are presented. The conclusion is that the two pieces of hardware can indeed be integrated over the Internet without relying on observers in a stable and subjectively transparent manner, even if the nominal delay is increased by four times.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Continuous infusion of 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate into either the fetoplacental or intervillous circulation of a placental cotyledon attenuates vasoconstriction of the fetoplacental arteries by thromboxane mimetic U46619

Objective The objective of the study was to determine whether pretreatment of fetal or maternal placental vasculature with 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-P) attenuates the vasoactive effect of the thromboxane mimetic U46619. Study Design Two cotyledons were obtained from each placenta studied. For the first 5 placentas, the fetal artery of 1 cotyledon from each pair was infused with 17-P. After 30 minutes, a bolus dose of U46619 was administered to both cotyledons. An identical procedure was carried out on the next 5 placentas except that 17-P was infused into the intervillous space. Results The pressure excursion caused by bolus administration of U46619 was less in the cotyledons infused with 17-P, both in the 5 cases in which the fetal vasculature was infused with 17-P ( P = .0035) and in the 5 cases in which the maternal vasculature was infused with 17-P ( P = .038). Conclusion Pretreatment of either the fetal or maternal circuits of the placenta with 17-P attenuates U46619-mediated fetoplacental vasoconstriction.