cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acquiring User Models to Test Automated Assistants

A central problem in decision support tasks is operator overload, in which a human operator’s performance suffers because he or she is overwhelmed by the cognitive requirements of a task. To alleviate this problem, it would be useful to provide the human operator with an automated assistant to share some of the task’s cognitive load. However, the development cycle for building an automated assistant is hampered by the testing phase because this involves human user studies, which are costly and time-consuming to conduct. As an alternative to user studies, we propose acquiring user models, which can be used as a proxy for human users during middle iterations, thereby significantly shortening the development cycle for rapid development. The primary contribution of this paper is a method for coarsely testing automated assistants by using user models acquired from traces gathered from various individual human operators. We apply this method in a case study in which we evaluate an automated assistant for users operating in a simulation of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles.
ADAMTS1 mediates the release of antiangiogenic polypeptides from TSP1 and 2.

Matrix metalloproteases regulate both physiological and pathological events by processing matrix proteins and growth factors. ADAMTS1 in particular is required for normal ovulation and renal function and has been shown to modulate angiogenesis. Here we report that TSP1 and 2 are substrates of ADAMTS1. Using a combination of mass spectrometry and Edman degradation, we mapped the cleavage sites and characterized the biological relevance of these processing events. ADAMTS1 cleavage mediates the release of polypeptides from the trimeric structure of both TSP1 and 2 generating a pool of antiangiogenic fragments from matrix-bound thrombospondin. Using neo-epitope antibodies we confirmed that processing occurs during wound healing of wild-type mice. However, TSP1 proteolysis is decreased or absent in ADAMTS1 null mice; this is associated with delayed wound closure and increased angiogenic response. Finally, TSP1−/− endothelial cells revealed that the antiangiogenic response mediated by ADAMTS1 is greatly dependent on TSP1. These findings have unraveled a mechanistic explanation for the angiostatic functions attributed to ADAMTS1 and demonstrated in vivo processing of TSP1 under situations of tissue repair.
25th Anniversary Article: Double Emulsion Templated Solid Microcapsules: Mechanics And Controlled Release

How droplet microfluidics can be used to fabricate solid-shelled microcapsules having precisely controlled release behavior is described. Glass capillary devices enable the production of monodisperse double emulsion drops, which can then be used as templates for microcapsule formation. The exquisite control afforded by microfluidics can be used to tune the compositions and geometrical characteristics of the microcapsules with exceptional precision. The use of this approach to fabricate microcapsules that only release their contents when exposed to a specific stimulus--such as a change in temperature, exposure to light, a change in the chemical environment, or an external stress--only after a prescribed time delay, and at a prescribed rate is reviewed.
Russians in Estonia: Is Narva the next Crimea?

Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and involvement in Ukrainian border regions pose serious consequences and questions. The precedence of Russian military intervention illustrates the porosity and potential for conflicts in other post-Soviet border regions. The Estonian borderland city of Narva, populated predominantly by Russian-speakers, is one such potential site of tension. Based on preliminary findings and data collected in Narva in 2013, this article provides an overview of citizenship, identity, and geographic affiliation issues among Narva’s Russian-speaking community in an effort to generate insights as to how any Russian overtures and potential intervention might be received in Narva.
Defense Priming and Jasmonates: A Role for Free Fatty Acids in Insect Elicitor-Induced Long Distance Signaling

Green leaf volatiles (GLV) prime plants against insect herbivore attack resulting in stronger and faster signaling by jasmonic acid (JA). In maize this response is specifically linked to insect elicitor (IE)-induced signaling processes, which cause JA accumulation not only around the damage site, but also in distant tissues, presumably through the activation of electrical signals. Here, we present additional data further characterizing these distal signaling events in maize. Also, we describe how exposure to GLV increases free fatty acid (fFA) levels in maize seedlings, but also in other plants, and how increased fFA levels affect IE-induced JA accumulation. Increased fFA, in particular α-linolenic acid (LnA), caused a significant increase in JA accumulation after IE treatment, while JA induced by mechanical wounding (MW) alone was not affected. We also identified treatments that significantly decreased certain fFA level including simulated wind and rain. In such treated plants, IE-induced JA accumulation was significantly reduced when compared to un-moved control plants, while MW-induced JA accumulation was not significantly affected. Since only IE-induced JA accumulation was altered by changes in the fFA composition, we conclude that changing levels of fFA affect primarily IE-induced signaling processes rather than serving as a substrate for JA.
Multiscale Modeling of Growth and Structure of Silicon Nanoparticles in an Oxide Matrix

A first principles-based multiscale model is developed to examine mechanisms underlying Si nanocrystal formation in Si-rich SiO2. Using the multiscale approach, we have found that the embedded nanocrystal formation is mainly driven by suboxide penalty arising from incomplete O coordination, with a minor contribution of strain, and it is primarily controlled by O diffusion rather than excess Si diffusion and agglomeration. The overall behavior of Si cluster growth from our Monte Carlo simulations based on these fundamental findings agrees well with experiments.
Frictional Behavior of C60 Microparticle-Coated Steel

The frictional behaviors of 304 stainless steel disks coated with C60 microparticles, both containing benzene and free of benzene, have been studied under different loads and sliding speeds with a pin-on-disk configuration in ambient air atmosphere at room temperature. The results indicated that the coating containing benzene, benzene-solvated C60 microparticles (C60·4C6H6), reduced friction as well as wear. The coated samples showed a 50–70% reduction in friction coefficient in comparison to uncoated samples. Neither the coated nor the uncoated sample showed significant change in friction coefficient for different sliding speeds. Under different loads, the uncoated sample had almost the same friction coefficient. However, with the increase of load, the friction coefficient of C60·4C6H6-coated disk showed a minimum value of 0.25 at 25 g load and then reached the uncoated values beyond 50 g load. The coefficient of friction of the disk coated with benzene-free C60 showed a slight increase with load, reaching the value of uncoated 304 stainless steel disk at about 40 g. The reduced friction of the solvated-C60 coated 304 stainless steel is probably due to the lowered shear strength of the hcp structure of C60·4C6H6 molecular crystal in which the benzene molecules are intercalated. The results of this study suggest the importance of the presence of second component, in addition to C60, in the coating materials in order for them to form a preferred crystal structure with low shear strength as far as using C60 as a solid lubricant is concerned.
Short-term Effects of Permethrin and Fenvalerate on Oviposition by Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Adult Chrysoperla camea (Stephens) were exposed for 72 h in glass petri dishes to a range of concentrations of either of two pyrethroids, permethrin or fenvalerate. Each pesticide caused a significant reduction in the number of eggs deposited per live female during exposure, and the effect increased with increasing concentration. Adult females deposited fewer eggs on the upper, most heavily pyrethroid-treated surfaces. Females exposed for only 1 h to a field dose of permethrin or fenvalerate deposited similar numbers of eggs as the controls. Females exposed for 24 or 72 h to a field dose of permethrin or fenvalerate deposited significantly fewer eggs during the exposure period, but resumed oviposition at normal rates after transfer to untreated cages. Adults did not exhibit knockdown or mortality and oviposited normally when placed in mesh cages next to, but not in direct contact with, permethrin- or fenvalerate-treated plants. Adults released into cages containing permethrin- or fenvalerate-treated plants did not avoid landing on the plants, and 66.7 and 16.7%, respectively, of those that contacted the treated plants exhibited knockdown during the 6-h observation period. After recovery from the knockdown effects, females resumed oviposition at normal rates.
Unexplained spikes in lamotrigine serum concentration: nonlinear elimination?

Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate possible nonlinear lamotrigine (LTG) pharmacokinetics at elevated concentration. LTG is reported to have linear kinetics, so that elimination rate is linearly proportional to blood concentration and a change in dose is accompanied by a proportionate change in serum concentration. We encountered patients in whom LTG serum concentration increased dramatically in response to minor or no change in LTG dose. We studied this phenomenon in patients with LTG toxicity in one clinic. Materials and methods Using electronic medical records from 1997 to 2014, we identified patients who developed clinical LTG toxicity with LTG serum concentrations >20 mg/l, after tolerating lamotrigine at lower serum concentrations. We reviewed LTG dose change and other changes that preceded the episode of toxicity. Results Twenty-two patients had at least one episode of LTG toxicity with levels higher than 20 mg/l (of 922 patients with available levels). The peak serum concentration varied from 21.1 to 40.3 mg/l (mean 28.7). The increase in level was explained in three patients (post-delivery in one, addition of valproate in two). In the 18 others, the increase was not explained or it was disproportionate to an increase in LTG dose. Conclusions Spikes in LTG levels and associated clinical toxicity may occur unexpectedly, suggesting that elimination kinetics may be nonlinear in some individuals at serum concentrations in the upper range. Measurement and close monitoring of LTG levels is warranted for new symptoms that could be consistent with lamotrigine toxicity, particularly when the baseline serum concentration has been >10 mg/l.
Spillover of Marital Interactions and Parenting Stress in Families of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Few disorders appear to be more challenging for parents than autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Little is known about the extent to which parenting stress experienced by parents of children with ASD affects or is affected by marital quality. We examined daily spillover between level of parenting stress and marital interactions in a sample of 176 married couples (89.4% Caucasian, non-Hispanic) who have a child with ASD (5–12 years of age, 85% male) via a 14-day daily diary approach. On each day of the daily diary, parents individually reported on 8 positive and 8 negative marital interactions and their level of parenting stress. Dyadic multilevel modeling analyses using hierarchical linear modeling were conducted to examine same-day and lagged-effect associations between number of positive and negative marital interactions and level of parenting stress. Having a day with a higher number of negative marital interactions was associated with a higher level of parenting stress for both mothers and fathers of chil...
TENTATIVE SUBUNIT COMPOSITION OF ENKEPHALIN-MACROMOLECULE COMPLEXES

The myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle preparation of guinea-pig ileum was shown to contain at least one peptide, in the molecular weight range of 10,000 to 20,000 daltons, which on tryptic digestion yielded heterogeneous material causing a naloxone- reversible depression of the contractions of the mouse vas deferens. While the enkephalin content of the preparations was reduced after electrical stimulation (10 Hz, 2 h) in the presence of cycloheximide, the content of the larger peptide(s) was less markedly affected. This evidence may be consistent with the view that the material of high molecular weight does not consist entirely of precursors of enkephalin.
Disease and economic burdens of dengue

Summary The burden of dengue is large and growing. More than half of the global population lives in areas with risk of dengue transmission. Uncertainty in burden estimates, however, challenges policy makers' ability to set priorities, allocate resources, and plan for interventions. In this report, the first in a Series on dengue, we explore the estimations of disease and economic burdens of dengue, and the major estimation challenges, limitations, and sources of uncertainty. We also reflect on opportunities to remedy these deficiencies. Point estimates of apparent dengue infections vary widely, although the confidence intervals of these estimates overlap. Cost estimates include different items, are mostly based on a single year of data, use different monetary references, are calculated from different perspectives, and are difficult to compare. Comprehensive estimates that decompose the cost by different stakeholders (as proposed in our framework), that consider the cost of epidemic years, and that account for productivity and tourism losses, are scarce. On the basis of these estimates, we propose the most comprehensive framework for estimating the economic burden of dengue in any region, differentiated by four very different domains of cost items and by three potential stakeholders who bear the costs. This framework can inform future estimations of the economic burden of dengue and generate demand for additional routine administrative data collection, or for systematic incorporation of additional questions in nationally representative surveys in dengue-endemic countries. Furthermore, scholars could use the framework to guide scenario simulations that consider ranges of possible values for cost items for which data are not yet available. Results would be valuable to policy makers and would also raise awareness among communities, potentially improving dengue control efforts.
Contrasting Grading Approaches in Introductory Physics and Quantum Mechanics: The Case of Graduate Teaching Assistants.

Teaching assistants graded differently in introductory physics and mechanics courses because they think that the latter is more complex than introductory physics and that grading should focus on concepts, while grading in introductory physics should focus on steps and procedures.
Investigation of the Integration of Supports for Youth Thriving Into a Community-Based Mentoring Program.

A randomized control trial involving 806 youth (ages 10–16; 85.4% low-income households) served in U.S. Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates investigated effects of incorporating activities to promote youth thriving into mentoring relationships over a 15-month period. Outcomes included support for thriving in youths’ relationships with adults, youths’ personal resources for thriving, and levels of problem behavior. Intent-to-treat analyses revealed no differences in outcomes based on assignment to thriving promotion or standard services. There was substantial variability in youth exposure to thriving promotion activities, primarily in association with premature endings of mentoring relationships. In path analyses, positive engagement with the activities predicted enhanced support for thriving from adults and, via this support, increased personal resources for thriving and reduced problem behavior.
On the Use of Beats-Per-Minute and Interbeat Interval in the Analysis of Cardiac Responses to Mediated Messages

The measurement of an individual’s heart rate has many relevant theoretical implications for communication research. However, there are reasons to believe that the most common way of reporting cardiac response—beats per minute (BPM)—might not be appropriate for all methodological situations. This article presents an overview of the historical use of cardiac activity within communication research, and provides a summary of the current conceptualizations of attention and resource allocation. To fully understand the difference between BPM and interbeat interval (IBI)—an alternate method for reporting cardiac response—a comparative analysis was performed on a data set from a previously published study. This article concludes with a set of suggestions that researchers may want to consider when utilizing BPM or IBI within communication research.
Does screening for tuberculosis in children decrease morbidity or mortality

Routine screening of low-risk children for tuberculosis infection before entering kindergarten is not necessary.
Hillslope coupled stream morphology, flow conditions, and their effects on detrital sedimentology in Garnet Canyon, Teton Range, Wyoming

Abstract Characterizing stream erosion in any steep mountain landscape is arduous, but the challenge level increases when the stream flows through a glaciated catchment frequently modified by hillslope debris. Glacial landforms and stochastic mass wasting in alpine systems may interfere with sediment delivery to downstream sites where detrital sediments are often collected to represent upstream bedrock sources. To use detrital sediments as indicators of erosion, we need to understand potential sediment accumulation in flat glaciated reaches or behind rockfall barriers. This study investigates the stream channel in Garnet Canyon, a glaciated catchment located in the central Teton Range, to describe hillslope coupled channel morphology and the subsequent effects on sediment transport throughout the catchment. Stream cross-section surveys and sediment size measurements of the surface bedload were collected in the field within a glacially flattened segment of Garnet Canyon. Calculations of shear stress conditions allowed evaluation of the importance of mineral densities on potential grain entrainment. The length of the Garnet Canyon stream observed in this study was coupled with hillslope deposits. Critical shear stresses were sufficient to move gravel-sized sediments through all sections when calculated with quartz mineral density and through most sections when applying apatite mineral density. These results verify the application of detrital sediments to evaluate erosion rates or spatial bedrock sources because snowmelt stream flow efficiently moves entrained sediment past glacially reduced slopes and potential talus barriers.
Ovarian Aging in Women With BRCA Germline Mutations

Context Recent clinical and laboratory studies suggested that women with BRCA mutations have lower ovarian reserve and their primordial follicle oocytes may be more prone to DNA damage; however, direct proof is lacking. Objective To determine whether women with germline BRCA mutations have reduced primordial follicle reserve and increased oocyte DNA damage. Design A comparative laboratory study of ovarian tissue obtained from unaffected BRCA mutation carriers (BMCs) vs age-matched organ donor cadavers. Setting Two academic centers. Patients or Other Participants Of the 230 ovarian specimens from BMCs, 18 met the study inclusion criteria. Healthy ovaries from 12 organ donor cadavers served as controls. Intervention Histology and immunohistochemical analysis on paraffin-embedded ovarian sections. Main Outcome Measure(s) Primordial follicle density and the percentage of DNA double-strand break (DSB)-positive primordial follicle oocytes. Results Ovaries from BMCs had significantly lower primordial follicle densities than those of controls (11.2 ± 2.0 vs 44.2 ± 6.2 follicles/mm3; P = 0.0002). BRCA mutations were associated with increased DNA DSBs in primordial follicle oocytes (62% ± 5.2% vs 36% ± 3.4%; P = 0.0005). In subgroup analyses, both BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were associated with lower primordial follicle density (P = 0.0001 and 0.0030, respectively), and BRCA1 mutations were associated with higher DNA DSBs (P = 0.0003) than controls. The rates of follicle decline (R2 = 0.74; P = 0.0001) and DNA DSB accumulation (R2 = 0.70; P = 0.0001) appeared to be accelerated, particularly in primordial follicle oocytes of BMCs over age 30 years. Conclusions We provide direct evidence of diminished ovarian reserve as well as accelerated primordial follicle loss and oocyte DNA damage in women with BRCA mutations. These findings may further our understanding of ovarian aging, and be useful when counseling BMCs.
Small-scale genetic structure in an endangered wetland specialist: possible effects of landscape change and population recovery

The effects of anthropogenic landscape change on genetic population structure are well studied, but the temporal and spatial scales at which genetic structure can develop, especially in taxa with high dispersal capabilities like birds, are less well understood. We investigated population structure in the Hawaiian gallinule (Gallinula galeata sandvicensis), an endangered wetland specialist bird on the island of O`ahu (Hawai`i, USA). Hawaiian gallinules have experienced a gradual population recovery from near extinction in the 1950s, and have recolonized wetlands on O`ahu in the context of a rapidly urbanizing landscape. We genotyped 152 Hawaiian gallinules at 12 microsatellite loci and sequenced a 520 base-pair fragment of the ND2 region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from individuals captured at 13 wetland locations on O`ahu in 2014–2016. We observed moderate to high genetic structuring (overall microsatellite FST = 0.098, mtDNA FST = 0.248) among populations of Hawaiian gallinules occupying wetlands at very close geographic proximity (e.g., 1.5–55 km). Asymmetry in gene flow estimates suggests that Hawaiian gallinules may have persisted in 2–3 strongholds which served as source populations that recolonized more recently restored habitats currently supporting large numbers of birds. Our results highlight that genetic structure can develop in taxa that are expanding their range after severe population decline, and that biologically significant structuring can occur over small geographic distances, even in avian taxa.
Doing It for the Money: The Relationship Between Gambling and Money Attitudes Among College Students.

Today’s college students have grown up with legalized gambling and access to a variety of gambling venues. Compared to the general adult population, rates of disordered gambling among college students are nearly double. Previous research suggests that the desire to win money is a strong motivator to gamble (Neighbors et al. in J Gambl Stud 18:361–370, 2002a); however, there is a dearth of literature on attitudes towards money in relation to gambling behavior. The current study evaluated the association between the four subscales of the Money Attitude Scale (Yamauchi and Templer in J Pers Assess 46:522–528, 1982) and four gambling outcomes (frequency, quantity, consequences and problem severity) in a sample of college students (ages 18–25; N = 2534) using hurdle negative binomial regression model analyses. Results suggest that college students who hold high Power–Prestige or Anxiety attitudes toward money were more likely to gamble and experience greater consequences related to their gambling. Distrust attitudes were negatively associated with gambling behaviors. Retention-Time attitudes were not significantly associated with gambling behaviors and may not be directly relevant to college students, given their often limited fiscal circumstances. These findings suggest that money attitudes may be potential targets for prevention programs in this population.
Animal Models of Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in the United States. The current standard treatments for early stage confined disease include surgery and radiation therapy. However, advanced diseases or tumors that relapse are treated with hormone deprivation therapy. Unfortunately, most men relapse with advanced metastatic and aggressive hormone refractory disease for which there is no cure. Although prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and digital rectal examinations have improved detection of early stage disease, prognosis for advanced metastatic disease is still poor. Therefore, there is a need to understand the biology and genetics of the normal prostate gland and the molecular and biochemical pathways that are deregulated in prostate malignancy. Animal models of prostate cancer have been developed to delineate the key factors that contribute to the initiation, progression, and metastasis of prostate cancer. Such models are also used for preclinical screening of therapeutic regimens for the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer. Animal models of prostate cancer such as rat, canine and mouse models will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on autochthonous genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models of prostate cancer.
Effects of intravenous AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboximide riboside) administration on insulin signaling and resistance in premature baboons, Papio sp

Premature baboons exhibit peripheral insulin resistance and impaired insulin signaling. 5’ AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation improves insulin sensitivity by enhancing glucose uptake (via increased glucose transporter type 4 [GLUT4] translocation and activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase [ERK]/ atypical protein kinase C [aPKC] pathway), and increasing fatty acid oxidation (via inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 [ACC]), while downregulating gluconeogenesis (via induction of small heterodimer partner [SHP] and subsequent downregulation of the gluconeogenic enzymes: phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase [PEPCK], glucose 6-phosphatase [G6PASE], fructose- 1,6-bisphosphatase 1 [FBP1], and forkhead box protein 1 [FOXO1]). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether pharmacologic activation of AMPK with AICAR (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboximide riboside) administration improves peripheral insulin sensitivity in preterm baboons. 11 baboons were delivered prematurely at 125±2 days (67%) gestation. 5 animals were randomized to receive 5 days of continuous AICAR infusion at a dose of 0.5 mg·g-1·day-1. 6 animals were in the placebo group. Euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamps were performed at 5±2 and 14±2 days of life. Key molecules potentially altered by AICAR (AMPK, GLUT4, ACC, PEPCK, G6PASE, FBP1, and FOXO1), and the insulin signaling molecules: insulin receptor (INSR), insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), protein kinase B (AKT), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1α) were measured using RT-PCR and western blotting. AICAR infusion did not improve whole body insulin-stimulated glucose disposal in preterm baboons (12.8±2.4 vs 12.4±2.0 mg/(kg·min), p = 0.8, placebo vs AICAR). One animal developed complications during treatment. In skeletal muscle, AICAR infusion did not increase phosphorylation of ACC, AKT, or AMPK whereas it increased mRNA expression of ACACA (ACC), AKT, and PPARGC1A (PGC1α). In the liver, INSR, IRS1, G6PC3, AKT, PCK1, FOXO1, and FBP1 were unchanged, whereas PPARGC1A mRNA expression increased after AICAR infusion. This study provides evidence that AICAR does not improve insulin sensitivity in premature euglycemic baboons, and may have adverse effects.
National occupational research agenda for Hearing Loss Prevention

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a mandate to conduct research on occupational safety and health. The research portfolio is organized by industrial sectors and cross-sectors for illnesses and injuries that are found in all sectors. The Hearing Loss Prevention research cross-sector council comprises representatives from government, labor organizations, academia, and industry representatives. The HLP council held several meetings throughout 2018 to determine research needs for occupational hearing loss prevention in the United States. Five topic areas were determined. (1) Provide input for policies and guidelines that will inform best practices for hearing loss-prevention efforts. (2) Develop effective, evidence-based education designed to improve hearing conservation program outcomes for exposed workers and management. (3) Develop, commercialize, and widely implement noise control solutions on jobsites in key industries. (4) Develop audiological tests for hearing loss prevention. (5) Improve occupational hearing loss surveillance. These topic areas will be discussed in detail to help motivate other researchers to join further our knowledge to prevent occupational hearing loss.
Expanding the Castle: Explaining Stand Your Ground Legislation in American States, 2005–2012:

Although studies have analyzed the effects of “stand your ground” (SYG) laws on violent crime, the question of why states are more likely to take measures to allow gun violence (albeit in self-defe...
Stomatogastric Ganglion Models

The two central pattern generators (CPGs) in the 30-cell crustacean stomatogastric ganglion are the best-described neural circuits known in terms of cell identity and synaptic topology. Each CPG produces a distinct spatiotemporal rhythmic motor pattern that controls striated stomach muscles. Modeling is essential to help understand the basis for the rhythmogenesis and the formation of the pattern. Modeling can also help explain the structural stability of each pattern as well as it’s robustness and flexibility. In this article, models of single cells and reduced networks of stomatogastric neurons are discussed.
A Generalized Web Component for Domain-Independent Smart Assistants

This article introduces an open-source web component, Instant Expert, which allows robust and efficient integration of a natural language question answering system to web-based platforms in any domain. Web Components are a set of web technologies to allow the creation of reusable, customizable, and encapsulated HTML elements. The Instant Expert web component consists of the user input (i.e. text, voice, multi-selection), question processing, and user interface modules. Two use cases are developed to demonstrate the component's features, benefits, and usage. The goal of this project is to pave the way for next-generation information systems by mitigating the challenges of developing voice-enabled and domain-informed smart assistants for communicating knowledge in any domain.
Open Mic: reciprocity, parallel process, and mutual aid in a discussion group for faculty working with adult students

This article describes Open Mic on Mentoring Practices, a mostly online and occasionally in-person discussion group for faculty and professionals at a geographically dispersed public college servin...
Merger Performance: The Marriage between SAIL and MEL

The purpose of the study is to analyze the financial performance of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) after merger deal with MEL. The financial statements are analyzed for pre and post-merger five years (2000-2010) by using seven financial ratios. The accounting approach uses accounting measures and productivity measures of financial statements to evaluate the M&A success. In spite of creation limitations, accounting ratios are considered as reliable and convenient for making analysis since financial statements are audited. Ratio analysis is employed as is considered as a convenient technique to make a quantitative analysis of companies’ performance. The results show that the financial performance of SAIL in terms of profitability, liquidity, and solvency has improved after the merger. It indicates that merger deals improve the financial performance of companies. The limitation of the study is that it only focused on the financial aspect of the merger but ignores which factor have impacted the deal’s success and failure. A study can be made by controlling factors affecting steel industries. It would enable the organizations to have a choice between organic and inorganic growth strategy. Case-based research on pre and post-merger on steel companies is made which is few as far as knowledge is concerned. This paper is an attempt to look into a specific deal by which it would make deep understanding of merger performance in India.
A Method for Quantifying Trunk Motor Control During Reaching in Individuals Post Hemiparetic Stroke

After a hemiparetic stroke, the contralesional upper limb is left with significant motor impairments including: weakness, spasticity, and abnormal joint torque patterns resulting in the flexion synergy (i.e. abnormal coupling between shoulder abduction and elbow/wrist and finger flexion). These impairments, and in particular the flexion synergy, limit ability to reach to the full extent of their limb workspace. Motor control of the trunk is also altered post stroke, with compromised ability to stabilize the trunk and excessive trunk movement during reaching, abnormal isometric torque coupling patterns in the transverse and sagittal planes and weakness. These motor impairments in both trunk and arm limit their ability to perform activities of daily living. While the effect of stroke on reaching has been studied extensively, less is known about the impact of deficits in trunk motor control on reaching ability and the impact of the flexion synergy on trunk postural control. Methods for investigating altered trunk control, specifically during a reach when concurrent loads that elicit the flexion synergy are imposed on the limb and trunk, are limited. Specifically, trunk deficits have yet to be studied in the context of the flexion synergy whereby loads imposed on the arm to elicit shoulder abduction have a negative impact on reaching and potentially on trunk posture. In order to address this gap, we developed a system that integrates a robotic device to simulate varied reaching environments, surface electromyography to measure primary trunk and arm muscle activity, and a two-camera motion capture system that uses reflective markers to measure trunk and arm movement. Feasibility and usability of the system was established during evaluation of reaching ability with varying levels of shoulder abduction loads while the trunk is either restrained or unrestrained in two participants with stroke and a healthy control.Clinical Relevance— The system presented here is capable of monitoring changes in trunk postural control after a hemiparetic stroke during a reaching task as a first step in furthering our understanding of changes in trunk motor control during reaching with the goal of developing more targeted and effective interventions for stroke rehabilitation.
Youth in Foster Care and the Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standard

Children in foster care face disproportionate rates of biopsychosocial challenges but social and extracurricular activities (SEAs) may support their healthy development. The Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standard (RPPS), a 2014 federal policy, aims to increase access to these opportunities for children in foster care. Analyses of statutes from 50 US states and the District of Columbia (n = 51) revealed similarities and differences in state-level RPPS policy implementation. Building on these findings, researchers conducted semi-structured retrospective telephone interviews with foster parents across one southeastern state (n = 20) to identify local retrospective perspectives on RPPS implementation. Using thematic inductive coding two unique themes emerged about SEAs prior to RPPS: 1) negative social impacts and 2) complicated activity approval processes. Three unique themes emerged after RPPS: 1) empowerment, 2) implementation disparities and 3) resource recommendations. Policy implications include the need to support foster parents by increasing resources (funding, transportation, access), clarifying liability and clarifying motivation expectations.
Conducting Participatory Design to Improve Algorithms in Public Services: Lessons and Challenges

Government agencies are increasingly looking towards algorithmic decision-making systems as a means to reduce costs and optimize processes. However, these algorithms are being constructed in an opaque and isolated manner with calls to adopt a more participatory approach such that stakeholders become co-designers in the process. We share our experiences from conducting participatory design to improve algorithms in the Child-Welfare System. We discuss a policy-mandated algorithm and an agency-level theory-driven algorithm to show how tensions arise when the values of workers are not embedded in the design of an algorithm.
Community Trace: Rapid Establishment of a Volunteer Contact Tracing Program for COVID-19.

Contact tracing was one of the core public health strategies implemented during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this essay, we describe the rapid establishment of a volunteer contact tracing program in New Haven, Connecticut. We describe successes of the program and challenges that were faced. Going forward, contact tracing efforts can best be supported by increased funding to state and local health departments for a stable workforce and use of evidence-based technological innovations. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print November 19, 2020: e1-e4. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305959).
Collateral equilibrium, I: a basic framework

Much of the lending in modern economies is secured by some form of collateral: residential and commercial mortgages and corporate bonds are familiar examples. This paper builds an extension of general equilibrium theory that incorporates durable goods, collateralized securities, and the possibility of default to argue that the reliance on collateral to secure loans and the particular collateral requirements chosen by the social planner or by the market have a profound impact on prices, allocations, market structure, and the efficiency of market outcomes. These findings provide insights into housing and mortgage markets, including the subprime mortgage market.
Protective Factors for Military Veteran Fathers’ Parenting Functioning and Satisfaction:

Employing a strengths-based perspective, this study examined protective factors related to fathers’ positive parenting behaviors and parenting satisfaction. The sample included 3,810 active duty ve...
Reexamining the Outcome Effect: Do Performance Evaluations Discourage Auditors’ Professional Skepticism?

Prior research has documented an outcome effect such that appropriately skeptical auditors receive higher performance evaluations when they identify a misstatement than when they do not. In Experiment 1, we find differences in performance evaluations (as identified in prior research and that we empirically confirm) are driven by a positive reaction to auditors who identify a misstatement rather than a negative reaction to auditors who do not. In Experiment 2, we use the evaluation fact pattern from Experiment 1 and find outcome effects do not differentially impact auditors’ subsequent professional skepticism, so long as the auditor is aware of their initial task performance evaluation. Taken together, results from our experiments contradict the consensus inference in prior research that the audit evaluation system inadvertently disincentivizes profession skepticism. Rather, our results suggest the evaluation system not only does not deter professional skepticism, but also is critical in facilitating auditors’ professional skepticism.
A Solo-Checkpointing Co-Recovery Mechanism for Reliability Improvement of Cyber-Physical Systems

The application of cyber-physical systems (CPSs) in health and health-care industry demands a high level of reliability in the design and manufacturing of these systems. This paper addresses the reliability of local and remote surgical systems as the real-world examples of networked cyber-physical systems. We introduce a solo-checkpointing co-recovery mechanism to minimize checkpointing overheads while keeping the system’s reliability as high as possible. We have developed a method to find consistent checkpoints among components of the CPS in a timely and efficient manner. We have evaluated this mechanism on a prototypical surgery training and assistive system developed in our research laboratory. We have injected a total of 560 faults into the system while working in the operational mode. Results show that our mechanism can mask almost all injected faults with a negligible fault detection latency.
Standardized terminology and visual atlas of the external morphology and terminalia for the genus Scaptomyza (Diptera: Drosophilidae).

The genus Scaptomyza is one of the two Drosophilidae genera with Hawaiian endemic species. This genus is an excellent model for biogeographic studies since it is distributed throughout the majority...
Numerical Solution of a Direct 3D Electrostatic Resistivity Test of Green-State Metal Powder Compacts

Current research efforts have concentrated on developing an instrumentation approach to test green-state powder metal (P/M) compacts by exploiting the conductivity or resistivity variations in the samples under test [1]. A novel multi-pin sensor is used to inject current in various directions through an array of outer contacts, and a matrix of 7 by 7 pointed needles record the voltage response of the P/M sample. Initial tests with production samples as well as a few controlled samples have shown good sensitivity and the ability to detect flaws of various sizes [6].
Translocation 4; 11 in acute lymphoblastic leukemia: clinical characteristics and prognostic significance

Banded bone marrow chromosome analyses have been done on 83 unselected patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Seven patients, all with non-T, non-B ALL, had a translocation involving the long arms of chromosomes 4 and 11. Five of these patients, 4 children and 1 adult, were first studied at diagnosis, and the t(4;11) (q21;q23) was the only karyotypic abnormality. All 5 presented with a marked leukocytosis (greater than 150 X 10(9)/liter). Four of these 5 patients achieved a complete remission following the same intensive treatment regimen; however, remission duration and survival were very short (medians 2.5 and 8 mo, respectively). The fifth patient is currently receiving induction chemotherapy. The remaining 2 patients, both adults, were studied in relapse only, and had other karyotypic abnormalities in addition to the t(4;11). One of these relapse patients was a female whose clinical presentation and course were similar to those above. The last patient was a male who presented with a leukocyte count of 7 X 10(9)/liter and maintained an initial complete remission for 37 mo. Our data suggest that patients who have a t(4;11) (q21;q23) at the time of diagnosis of ALL have a poor prognosis with conventional therapy and require a new therapeutic approach.
After The Fall: Stock Price Movements and the Deterrent Effect of Antitrust Enforcement

In this paper, we utilize data on stock price movements of firms indicted on price-fixing charges to infer expectations of antitrust recidivism. Specifically, a return of the firm's (market-adjusted) asset value to its pre-indictment level in the post-indictment period is taken as evidence of stockholders' expectations of a return to collusive behavior. From these data, we are able to make direct inferences about the effectiveness of antitrust enforcement actions. Importantly, we find that the stock prices of 85 percent of the firms in our sample had regained 100 percent of their pre-indictment levels within one year of the antitrust action. Such widespread and rapid stock price appreciation casts doubt on the durability of thedeterrent effect of Section 1 enforcement.
Health conditions associated with aging and end of life of adults with Down syndrome

Expectations for the life course of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have changed, with life expectancy estimates increasing from 12 in 1949 to nearly 60 years of age today (Bittles & Glasson, 2004; Penrose, 1949). Along with this longer life expectancy comes a larger population of adults with DS who display premature age-related changes in their health. There is thus a need to provide specialized health care to this aging population of adults with DS who are at high risk for some conditions and at lower risk for others. This review focuses on the rates and contributing factors to medical conditions that are common in adults with DS or that show changes with age. The review of medical conditions includes the increased risk for skin and hair changes, early onset menopause, visual and hearing impairments, adult onset seizure disorder, thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea and musculoskeletal problems. The different pattern of conditions associated with the mortality of adults with DS is also reviewed.
Característiques psicomètriques del CDI en Català

In this work, a first study of the CDI (KOVACS 1980, 1981) psychometriccharacteristics has been made on a Catalan version. This widely acknowledged scale for children depression symptoms rating as well as screening technique has been used in a lot of research out of our linguistic environment (SAYLOR, FINCH et al., 1984-1985; CYTRYN, MCKNEW and BUNNEY, 1980; LEFKOWITZ and TESINY, 1980). We thought it was necessary to enrich the clinic assessment with an instrument that took into account the linguistic variables of Catalan children in order to work on the children's depression field, by the means of a self-reported instrument. This study has been developed in Girona with two samples of normal 4th EGB schoolchildren.
An ontology-supported and fully-automatic annotation technology for semantic portals

We employ the techniques of ontology and linguistics to develop a fully-automatic annotation technique, which, when coupled with an automatic ontology construction method, can play a key role in the development of semantic portals. Based on this technique, we also demonstrate a semanticportal prototype which defines how a semantic portal is interacting with the user by providing five different types of interaction patterns, including keyword search, synonym search, POS (Part-of-Speech)-constrained keyword search, natural language query, and semantic index search. Our primarily demonstrations show that it can indeed retrieve better semantic-directed information to meet user requests.
Reaction of arylium ions with the collision gas N2 in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Rationale The tandem mass spectra of many compounds contained peaks which could not have arisen from the precursor ion. Such peaks were found to be due to reaction of arylium ions with N2 in the collision cell. Therefore, this reaction was studied in detail with representative compounds. Methods Various classes of compounds were dissolved in acetonitrile/water/formic acid and studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to record their MS(2) and pseudo-MS(3) spectra in a QqQ mass spectrometer and their accurate m/z values in an Orbitrap Elite instrument. Arylium ions were found to react with N2 in the collision cell. The reaction was confirmed by pseudo-MS(3) studies, by comparison with authentic diazonium ions, and by the pressure dependence of the product ion survival yield. Results Reactions of arylium ions with N2 were observed with p-toluenesulfonic acid, o-toluenesulfonamide, phenylphosphonic acid, phenol, aniline, aminonaphthalenes, benzoic acid, benzophenone, and other compounds. By using a QqQ mass spectrometer, we observed that the protonated compounds produce arylium ions, which then react with N2 to form diazonium ions. The diazonium ion was produced with N2 but not with Ar in the collision cell, and its abundance increased with increasing N2 pressure. Conclusions Arylium ions generated from a wide variety of compounds in electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry may react with N2 to form diazonium ions. The abundance of the diazonium ions is affected by collision energy and N2 pressure. This reaction should be considered when annotating peaks in MS/MS libraries. Published in 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.