cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Examining Teachers' Behavioral Management Charts: A Comparison of Class Dojo and Paper-Pencil Methods.

Many teachers report using behavioral management charts in their classrooms as a means of managing student behaviors, but little is known about exactly what behaviors teachers are charting, or specifically how. Misunderstanding over how real-world teachers maintain behavioral charts may cause miscommunication between the teacher and the school psychologist. This study sought to determine how teachers collect and track behavioral data. Researchers examined behavioral charts used by teachers in a Title I elementary school that reported using Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports (PBIS). Researchers evaluated charts for ten classrooms (~150 students) and compared the type of data collected by each teacher for each child. Findings indicated that teachers either used no system, their own systems, or a computer-based system (Class Dojo) for charting behavior. An analysis of each of these systems found that Class Dojo provided significantly more data (positive and negative notations) in general, as well as more reliable data than any other system reviewed. Discussions of these findings within a PBIS framework, as well as general concerns about the computer-based system, are provided.
Advances in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Imaging Biomarkers

Imaging diagnosis and prognostication of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) remains elusive. The goal of this review is to highlight recent advancements in MR imaging biomarkers of mTBI. Susceptibility-weighted imaging and quantitative susceptibility mapping are more sensitive for microhemorrhages than conventional T2* sequences and may allow semi-automated detection of these lesions. Alterations in fractional anisotropy in mTBI have been well described; however, recent data suggest a time-dependent directionality to these changes. Functional MRI studies have recently reported abnormal connectivity following mTBI. Recent advances in whole-brain MR spectroscopy have allowed the characterization of global changes in TBI. However, variability in acquisition and analysis has limited inferences and generalizability of results. While use of these techniques has advanced our understanding of mTBI, standardization in study design is needed. A large, multi-center, standardized study using these techniques could allow the translation of the methods from the research group level to the clinical individual level.
Amplitude Reduction of Surface Waves by Trenches

The effect of trenches and barriers in reducing the disturbances created by a time-harmonic line load acting on the surface of a linearly elastic, layered slab is investigated. In this approach, boundary conditions are applied which take into account the stresses due to disturbances propagating in the adjacent, regular, semi-infinite regions. The dimensions and the location of the barrier are systematically varied for several frequencies of excitation, and the results are found to be in agreement with experimental observation. It is shown that the trench effectiveness is primarily a function of the ratio of its depth to the wavelength of the propagating disturbances, h/λ. For a value of h/λ greater than 0.6 the disturbances are significantly reduced. The results indicate that the location of the trench and the shape of its cross section, however, are not important parameters. The influence of backfilled trenches is also investigated and these are found to be less effective in reducing the vibration amplitudes than open trenches.
POEM Contraindications and Pitfalls

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), as the first Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) procedure to gain widespread clinical success, represents a novel type of minimally invasive surgery outside the safe confines of the gastrointestinal lumen, and outside the comfort zone of most endoscopists, particularly gastroenterologists, who are unfamiliar with the hazards of surgery in their day-to-day practice. As such, it carries a much higher risk of severe or life-threatening complications than traditional therapeutic endoscopy. Furthermore, it requires a high level of skill as it attempts to replicate the results of a time-honored laparoscopic operation, the Heller myotomy, with much more basic tools than are available to the laparoscopic surgeon. It follows that in order to maximize efficacy and safety in this technically complex and risky undertaking, the operator needs to be acutely aware of potential pitfalls along with preventive and corrective strategies to address such pitfalls. These strategies consist of “tips and tricks” painstakingly acquired by pioneers and early adopters at high-volume centers, often via an arduous trial-and-error process. Unfortunately, this type of experiential practical information is hard to come by in the peer-reviewed literature which focuses heavily on evidence-based aggregate data to the point of near exclusion of empirical data. We hope that this chapter will help address this knowledge gap particularly for POEM operators early in their learning curve. We review the scant information regarding POEM pitfalls and contraindications gleaned from the literature and augment it with pitfalls, practical tips, and advice from our own extensive experience derived from the largest Western single-operator series at well over 300 POEMs spanning a period of 7 years.
Why Do College Graduates Behave More Healthfully than Those Who Are Less Educated

College graduates live much healthier lives than those with less education, but research has yet to document with certainty the sources of this disparity. This study examines why U.S. young adults who earn college degrees exhibit healthier behavior than those with less education. I use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), which offers information on education and health behaviors across adolescence and young adulthood (N=14,265). Accounting for selection into college degree attainment substantially reduces the associations between college degree attainment and health behavior, but college degree attainment demonstrates a strong causal effect on young adult health. Financial, occupational, social, cognitive, and psychological resources explain less than half of the association between college degree attainment and health behavior. The healthier behaviors of college graduates are the result of sorting into educational attainment, embedding of human capital, and mechanisms other than socioeconomic and psychosocial resources.
Outcome of Myelodysplastic Syndromes over Time in the US: A National Cancer Data Base Study from 2004-2013

Background: Over 10,000 new cases of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) are diagnosed in the US annually (MA X, Cancer 2007). Hypomethylating agents (azacitidine and decitabine), immunomodulating drugs (lenalidomide) and erythropoietin stimulating agents (epoetin α and darbepoetin) have been approved for more than a decade for the treatment of MDS. However, changes in overall outcome after the approval of these treatments are unknown. We used the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a nationwide oncology registry covering 70% of the US cancer population to answer these questions. Methods: We identified patients with MDS diagnosed from 2004-2013 using ICD-O-3 codes 9980-9983 and 9985-99912. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. We compared OS using the log-rank test according to demographic subgroups (sex, age [ Results: i) Characteristics: There were 54,953 MDS patients in our study. The median age at diagnosis was 76 years (78.7% older than 65) and 44% were females. White race (88.9%) was the most common, followed by black (7%). Four percent were Hispanics. A third (30.8%) of all patients were treated in academic centers. Three quarters (75.8%) had either Medicaid or Medicare insurance. ii) MDS Subtypes: 5q Syndrome was seen in 2008 cases (3.7%) while the most common subtype was MDS-Unclassifiable (U) (55.6%). Therapy related MDS (t-MDS) was seen in 1125 cases (2%), however coding for t-MDS was discontinued in 2009. Refractory anemia (RA), refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts (RARS), refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD), and refractory anemia with excess blasts were seen in 9%, 7.6%, 6%, and15.6%, respectively. iii) OS: Compared to their counterparts, patients who were male, older, had a diagnosis of RAEB, covered by Medicare insurance, and treated at non-academic centers had the worse OS (all P Conclusions: In the past decade, the overall outcome of MDS did not improve despite the advent of new therapies. More than half of the cases were classified as MDS-U reflecting the difficulty of subtyping MDS based on World Health Organization classification. We found disparity in outcomes by demographics and type of treatment facility. This is the largest study of MDS outcome to-date and should help in understanding the gaps and areas that need future research. Disclosures Al-Kali:Onconova Therapeutics, Inc.: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding.
Cannabinoids and the brain: The effects of endogenous and exogenous cannabinoids on brain systems and function.

Multiple systems are involved that could theoretically be disrupted by cannabinoids to drive psychotic processes. We will present a working model of theoretical effects of cannabis on the development of psychotic illness and review the data on developmental effects.
Memory Accuracy and Errors: the Effects of Collaborative Encoding on Long-Term Retention

We examined the effects of collaboration during the occurrence of an event on subsequent memory for that event, giving special attention to the impact of social relation on the duration of these effects. Ninety-six participants were assigned to one of three encoding conditions (working alone, collaborating with a friend or collaborating with an unfamiliar peer) to generate descriptions for visualization using thematic list items as cues. Participants next completed a memory test for the list items immediately and following a 48-h retention interval. Results showed that the cohesiveness of participants’ descriptions was negatively correlated with false recognition errors when collaborating with a friend. Importantly, this relationship was maintained over the 48-h retention interval. Results also showed that collaborating pairs remember the source of explicit lure activations (i.e., the source of related items not presented by the experimenter) over the 48-h retention interval. Thus, social interaction during the occurrence of an event has an influence on subsequent memory reports and the nature of the relationship between collaborating pairs has a sustaining influence as well. The implications of these findings for accounts of memory reconstruction processes are discussed while offering new directions for autobiographical memory research.
Left bundle branch block.

Left bundle-branch block is ventricular excitation that is prolonged 0.12 second or more. It creates a specific pattern on vectorcardiogram and electrocardiogram, but changes in standardization are often needed to bring out detail.
Tutorial review of seismic surface waves’ phenomenology

In recent years, surface wave seismology has become one of the leading directions in seismological investigations of the Earth’s structure and seismic sources. Various applications cover a wide spectrum of goals, dealing with differences in sources of seismic excitation, penetration depths, frequency ranges, and interpretation techniques. Observed seismic data demonstrates the great variability of phenomenology which can produce difficulties in interpretation for beginners. This tutorial review is based on the many years’ experience of authors in processing and interpretation of seismic surface wave observations and the lectures of one of the authors (ALL) at Workshops on Seismic Wave Excitation, Propagation and Interpretation held at the Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics (Trieste, Italy) in 1990–2012. We present some typical examples of wave patterns which could be encountered in different applications and which can serve as a guide to analysis of observed seismograms.
Backus-gilbert optimal interpoaltion applied to enhance SMAP data: Implementation and assessment

In this paper we summarize the effort to enhance the SMAP radiometer data. The applied technique is based on the Backus-Gilbert theory which is the classical estimation method in microwave radiometry. We show details of our implementation and summarize the assessment of the SMAP L1C_TB_E product.
Does Music Matter? A Look at the Issues and the Evidence

Does music matter? Judging from the ever-diminishing support for music education in public funding, the message is that it is just a frill to be cast aside for more pressing needs. The pleasure of listening to music is worthy in itself and reason enough for support, but what happens when people are more deeply engaged, such as when they learn to read music and play an instrument? Can more material rewards follow for cognition, language, and emotion, and for social and physical well-being? This essay presents an overview of issues and evidence from a broad range of disciplines and age groups.
Origins, Growth, and Geographies of the Global Internet

To appreciate the complexity, implications, and geography of the internet, it is vital to understand where it came from and how it came to be. Toward this end, this chapter sketches the broad outlines of the world’s internet in several stages. It opens with an overview of the seminal technologies that make the internet possible, fiber optics and satellites, which together comprise the infrastructure of cyberspace. Second it traces some of the highlights of the internet’s history, from its origins with the U.S. military to its explosive growth and commercialization today. In the process, it charts the uneven geographies of growth over time and space. The third section addresses the digital divide, or sociospatial inequalities in internet usage, which are found to one extent or another across the planet. Finally, the chapter concludes with a brief regional survey of internet usage in various world regions to highly the spatially uneven character of its deployment and implications.
Effects of Staphylococcal Cell Wall Products on Immunity

A number of bacterial products from a variety of bacteria can affect a host’s immunity by modulating its specific immune response and/or nonspecific resistance mechanisms. Staphylococcus aureus is a particularly good model for such studies, as it is a very ubiquitous microorganism present as normal flora on the mucous membranes and skin of man and animals, yet it is capable of causing serious infections in almost every part of the body. Staphylococcal cell wall is one of the important virulence factors of this microorganism, facilitating establishment and persistence of an infection (26, 36, 41–44, 70, 77, 78, 120, 121, 123, 167, 174, 176). Furthermore, even if the host’s bactericidal mechanisms are efficient, staphylococcal cells or cell wall fragments can persist undegraded in the host’s tissues for a long period of time (36, 48). It is conceivable that at both of these stages staphylococcal cell wall products can modulate the immunity of the host.
Curricula and methods for physician compassion training: protocol for a systematic review

Introduction Compassionate patient care has been associated with improved clinical outcomes for patients. However, current evidence suggests that healthcare is experiencing a compassion crisis, with physicians frequently overlooking opportunities to treat patients with compassion. Although there is evidence that compassionate care can be enhanced through training interventions, it is currently unclear what specific skills and behaviours ought to be taught and how best to transfer this information to the learner. The objectives of this systematic review are to collate the world’s literature on compassion training to determine (1) the specific skills and behaviours that should be taught (curriculum), and (2) the methods of training that are most effective at improving compassionate patient care. Methods and analysis We will perform a qualitative systematic review of studies aimed at improving compassionate patient care among physicians and physicians in training. We will comprehensively search CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL. Additional recommended techniques for systematic reviews of complex evidence will be performed including pursuing selected ‘references of references’, electronic citation tracking and consulting experts in the field. Two investigators will independently review all search results. After identification and inclusion of papers, we will use a standardised form for data extraction. We will use tables to describe the study populations, interventions tested (including specific skill/behaviours taught and training methods used), outcome measures and effects of interventions on outcome measures compared with control groups. Where appropriate, meta-analysis will be used for quantitative analysis of the data. Ethics and dissemination The proposed systematic review does not require ethical approval since no individual patient-level data will be collected. Results of this study will contribute to the understanding of compassion training and help inform the development of compassion training curricula. PROSPERO registration number CRD42018095040.
144 Sex ratio of in vitro-produced goat embryos

Goats are important livestock species because they produce meat, milk, and fibre and are also easily maintainable on small farms. Although goats provide many products and consumption of goat meat is increasing in the United States, the industry lags compared with many species with regard to IVF techniques to enhance goat production. It has been demonstrated in other species that male IVF embryos tend to develop faster than those of females. This may be due to increased tolerance of male embryos to inadequate conditions, particularly, glucose concentrations in culture media. However, the sex ratio of goat embryos produced utilising IVF remains unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the sex ratio of goat embryos utilising a commercially available media suite (IVF Biosciences, Falmouth, UK). Oocytes were harvested from ovaries obtained from 2 local abattoirs and matured in vitro. Frozen sperm from 1 of 2 billy goats were randomly assigned for each round of IVF. Embryos were evaluated daily from Days (D) 6 through 9 of in vitro culture. On the day an embryo reached the expanded blastocyst stage, it was removed from culture and placed into DNA extraction buffer (PicoPureTM DNA Extraction Kit, Applied Biosystems, Waltham, MA, USA) and stored at −20 for PCR analysis, typically within one month of collection. In all unknown samples, positive male (sperm) and female (uterus) controls, the amelogenin gene was amplified and products were evaluated on a 1.5% agarose gel with ethidium bromide. Embryos with 2 bands (202 and 262 bp) were classified as male, and those with 1 band (262 bp) were classified as female. Embryos with no bands were not included in analysis. Embryos reached the expanded blastocyst stage on D6 (n = 29), D7 (n = 39), and D8/9 (n = 35, combined for evaluation). A chi-squared analysis comparing the percentage of male and female embryos to the expected 50% was completed for each time point (D6, D7, D8/9), as well as overall ratios (D6-9). In total, 350 oocytes were utilised in 6 rounds of IVF resulting in a mean blastocyst rate of 32% (range 17-47%). There was no significant difference in the number of embryos that were male on D6 (55%) and D7 (46%). However, on D8/9 significantly fewer embryos were male (29% male; P = 0.01). Overall, there was no significant difference (P = 0.14) in the sex ratio, with 41% male and 59% female embryos. Our findings are somewhat consistent with other species, in that male goat embryos produced via IVF develop more quickly in culture conditions; however, female embryos were still able to tolerate culture conditions. Delayed blastocyst development may not necessarily be an indication of a reduced quality embryo but one that is slower to develop based on its sex. This could be due to expression of X-linked genes being unbalanced during pre-implantation embryo development stages and warrants further study. One influencer of sex ratio we are currently investigating is the impact of glucose during culture, to further understand metabolism in IVF embryos.
What are the appropriate reference limits for the diagnosis of hypophosphataemia in paediatric patients

Clinical indications for the measurement of serum or plasma concentrations of inorganic phosphate (hereafter referred to as phosphate) in paediatric patients include metabolic bone disorders, parathyroid abnormalities, malnutrition, renal failure and so on. To a certain extent, the interpretation of serum or plasma phosphate concentrations depends on the age-specific and gender-specific reference intervals used in conjunction with other clinical and laboratory findings. In our clinical practice, we have encountered some marked differences between serum phosphate reference intervals directly established using a priori methods and consensus serum phosphate reference intervals from professional groups including the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB)1 and the Pathology Harmony Group (UK).2 In this correspondence, we highlight the clinical implications of the differences in reference limits for serum phosphate concentrations in the diagnosis of hypophosphataemia in paediatric patients. Most clinical laboratories do not have enough resources to recruit sufficient numbers of healthy children to establish their own reference intervals. In the past, methods that employ laboratory data mining, also known as indirect methods, were widely used to generate paediatric reference intervals. Those indirect methods usually use statistical techniques, such as the methods proposed by Hoffmann3 or Bhattacharya4, to separate overlapping distributions of healthy and diseased populations within existing laboratory data. More recently, large-scale prospective studies have established paediatric reference intervals for many analytes by recruiting healthy young subjects from their populations (direct method). The Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference Intervals Project has addressed major gaps in this field and provides a clinically useful database of directly …
QPS-r: A Cost-Effective Crossbar Scheduling Algorithm and Its Stability and Delay Analysis.

In an input-queued switch, a crossbar schedule, or a matching between the input ports and the output ports needs to be computed in each switching cycle, or time slot. Designing switching algorithms with very low computational complexity, that lead to high throughput and small delay is a challenging problem. There appears to be a fundamental tradeoff between the computational complexity of the switching algorithm and the resultants throughput and delay. Parallel maximal matching algorithms (adapted for switching) appear to have stricken a sweet spot in this tradeoff, and prior work has shown the following performance guarantees. Using maximal matchings in every time slot results in at least 50% switch throughput and order-optimal (i.e., independent of the switch size N) average delay bounds for various traffic arrival processes. On the other hand, their computational complexity can be as low as $O(log^2N)$ per port/processor, which is much lower than those of the algorithms such as maximum weighted matching which ensures better throughput performance. In this work, we propose QPS-r, a parallel iterative switching algorithm that has the lowest possible computational complexity: O(1) per port. Using Lyapunov stability analysis, we show that the throughput and delay performance is identical to that of maximal matching algorithm. Although QPS-r builds upon an existing technique called Queue-Proportional Sampling (QPS), in this paper, we provide analytical guarantees on its throughput and delay under i.i.d. traffic as well as a Markovian traffic model which can model many realistic traffic patterns. We also demonstrate that QPS-3 (running 3 iterations) has comparable empirical throughput and delay performances as iSLIP (running $log_2 N$ iterations), a refined and optimized representative maximal matching algorithm adapted for switching.
A Sensorimotor Rhythm-Based Brain–Computer Interface Controlled Functional Electrical Stimulation for Handgrasp Rehabilitation

Each year, 795,000 stroke patients suffer a new or recurrent stroke and 235,000 severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) occur in the US. These patients are susceptible to a combination of significant motor, sensory, and cognitive deficits, and it becomes difficult or impossible for them to perform activities of daily living due to residual functional impairments. Recently, sensorimotor rhythm (SMR)-based brain–computer interface (BCI)-controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES) has been studied for restoration and rehabilitation of motor deficits. To provide future neuroergonomists with the limitations of current BCI-controlled FES research, this chapter presents the state-of-the-art SMR-based BCI-controlled FES technologies, such as current motor imagery (MI) training procedures and guidelines, an EEG-channel montage used to decode MI features, and brain features evoked by MI.
Criminal law in an age of mass incarceration

After reviewing a great deal of ground opened up by Vincent Chiao’s version of the public law approach to criminal law, I will explore my biggest reservation, which is that, even with Chiao’s signi...
Extended lumped formulation for laminar forced convection in tubes exposed to forced convection normal flows: Application to aerial and submerged pipelines

Abstract The present study addresses forced convection heat transfer of an internal viscous fluid entering a tube with fully developed laminar velocity and uniform entrance temperature. The internal viscous fluid exchanges heat with an external viscous fluid flowing with constant velocity normal to the tube. Both fluids are assumed to have constant or nearly constant thermophysical properties. The description corresponds to a generalized Graetz problem with heat convection boundary condition. Contrary to the tradition in vogue, the differential formulation of the two-dimensional energy equation combined with the method of separation of variables and the ensuing Sturm–Liouville theory is not employed to solve analytically the dual convection problem. Rather, the objective of the study is to derive, develop and appraise a novel approximate, analytical method entitled extended lumped formulation, which involves a first order differential equation. The primary input in the formulation is the length averaged, mean Nusselt number distribution for a diminished problem consisting in a viscous fluid with fully developed velocity and uniform temperature with constant tube wall temperature, namely the classical Graetz problem. The approximate, analytical solution of the extended lumped equation is expressed by a single exponential function that contains the generalized Stanton number, which is easily evaluated by hand on the back-of-the-envelope with an inexpensive calculator. This step brings forth the developing mean bulk temperature of the internal viscous fluid for the entire spectrum of the modified Biot numbers (0
Disulfonated Poly(arylene ether sulfone) Random Copolymers Containing Hierarchical Iptycene Units for Proton Exchange Membranes

Two series of disulfonated iptycene-based poly(arylene ether sulfone) random copolymers, i.e., TRP-BP (triptycene-based) and PENT-BP (pentiptycene-based), were synthesized via condensation polymerization from disulfonated monomer and comonomers to prepare proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for potential applications in electrochemical devices such as fuel cell. To investigate the effect of iptycene units on membrane performance, these copolymers were systematically varied in composition (i.e., iptycene content) and the degree of sulfonation (i.e., 30-50%), which were characterized comprehensively in terms of water uptake, swelling ratio, oxidative stability, thermal and mechanical properties, and proton conductivity at various temperatures. Comparing to copolymers without iptycene units, TRP-BP and PENT-BP ionomers showed greatly enhanced thermal and oxidative stabilities due to strong intra- and inter-molecular supramolecular interactions induced by hierarchical iptycene units. In addition, the introduction of iptycene units in general provides PEMs with exceptional dimensional stability of low volume swelling ratio at high water uptakes, which is ascribed to the supramolecularly interlocked structure as well as high fractional free volume of iptycene-based polymers. It is demonstrated that the combination of high proton conductivity and good membrane dimension stability is the result of the synergistic effects of multiple factors including free volume (iptycene content), sulfonation degree, hydrophobicity, and swelling behavior (supramolecular interactions).
Non-catalytic gas phase NO oxidation in the presence of decane

Abstract Experiments without a catalyst revealed that NO was oxidized in a diesel exhaust gas phase mixture due to the presence of n-C10H22 (decane). This reaction was observed to occur following the low temperature oxidation catalyst test protocol (LTC-D) defined by U.S. DRIVE. The purpose of LTC-D conditions is to simulate an aftertreatment diesel combustion gas mixture in order to test candidate catalyst materials. 100% NO conversion was observed, without a catalyst, after beginning to react at 330 °C accompanied by consumption of decane. After experiments that isolated hydrocarbons, ethylene was also observed to facilitate NO oxidation to a lesser degree (>470 °C). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to investigate thermodynamically-possible initiating elementary steps during n-C10H22 consumption and NO oxidation. Two feasible intermediate radicals to oxidize NO to NO2 are ·C10H21O2 and ·HO2.
Who is vulnerable and who is resilient to coastal flooding? Lessons from Hurricane Sandy in New York City

Social vulnerability and resilience indices identify populations who are at risk from hazards in order to guide policy to build resilience. This study investigates which of the indicators that commonly comprise the indices reflect vulnerability and resilience to coastal flooding in urban areas based on primary data that document the impacts of and recovery from Hurricane Sandy in New York City. The study constructs measures of vulnerability and resilience that are independent of proposed indicators and uses regression analysis to investigate which indicators influence these measures. The analysis finds that (1) middle- and low-income homeowners are less financially resilient than are poorer renters. The recovery cost middle- to low-income homeowners 2.4 times their annual per capita incomes, while renters paid out about half of their per capita incomes. Resilience increases with income but conditional on ownership of assets that are at risk. (2) Disabled and/or chronically ill residents are more vulnerable and less resilient by many outcome measures. (3) Non-white households experience longer disruptions of access to food. (4) Information, hazard-specific capacities of community groups, and pre-hazard access to services such as food and health care are important indicators of vulnerability and resilience. (5) The evidence that other commonly proposed indicators are correlated with independent measures of vulnerability and resilience to flooding is weak. The study yields hypotheses for further research on how relevant indicators differ across hazards and contexts.
Defending Exclusive Representation: Tyranny of the Minority in the Workplace for Educators Poses Special Risks to Charter School Teachers

The notion of exclusive representation by bargaining agents in the public sector has been fundamentally tied to the First Amendment’s protection of free association since Abood v. Detroit Board of Education. However, some theorize Janus v. AFSCME as signaling that the Court may be interested in disconnecting associational rights in the workplace from exclusive representation. This paper explores several recent rulings, namely Knox v. SEIU, Harris v. Quinn, Janus, and how those rulings are focused into the discussion surrounding exclusive representation for workers’ associational rights within charter schools. Next it analyzes the ongoing academic debate after 2012 regarding collective bargaining agreements within charter schools by utilizing recent legal journals. Last, this paper argues that dismantling exclusive representation within the context of associational rights in the public sector would create a major barrier to equitable parity for educators within charter schools as compared to their public-school counterparts. Or, put more simply, a heckler’s veto within a bargaining unit should not carry more weight after certification of an exclusive representative.
Correlation of Oral Health Education by Community Health Workers with Changes in Oral Health Practices in Migrant Populations in Washington State.

IntroductionAn important question for oral health education is whether knowledge gained during lay-led workshops is retained and applied in daily practice. This study assessed the knowledge retenti...
Palifermin as primary mucositis prophylaxis in patients with B-cell Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a case series.

To the editor:Progress continues to be made regarding the treatment of children and adolescents with aggressive B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). Recent data demonstrated patients with mature B-ce...
Toolkit for young professionals: how to get involved in the society of abdominal radiology-workshops, disease focus panels, emerging technology committees, and more.

The Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) has grown rapidly in the last decade and with growth comes opportunity. The purpose of this article is to highlight the many potential ways in which early career radiologists (those within the first 7 years of their career) can become involved with the SAR, both at the annual meeting and throughout the year. At the annual meeting, there are opportunities for presentation of scientific sessions as well as submission of clinically oriented workshops. Workshops are a great way to develop presentation skills and highlight subspecialty clinical expertise. Disease focus panels (DFPs) and Emerging Technology Committees (ETCs) meet at the annual meeting but continue their work throughout the year, targeting improvements in clinical care and research. Finally, a variety of volunteer staffed committees are essential to the fulfillment of the mission of the SAR, and several of these are targeted at involving early career members, providing opportunities for leadership and exposure to other members of the society.
The Kantian Sublime and the Revelation of Freedom: Moral feeling and the sublime

Morality and sublimity have a complex relationship that can easily be misunderstood. On the one hand, Kant grounds sublimity on moral or rational ideas. The experience of the sublime thus presupposes these ideas; it reveals that the judging subject has practical freedom and a moral vocation, a calling to be moral. On the other hand, Kant also clearly wishes to preserve the distinctness of and difference between aesthetic and moral judging. Indeed, most interpreters of the Kantian sublime fall somewhere between two ends of a spectrum, both of which contain some element of truth. One side emphasizes the affinities between aesthetic and moral judging, while the other side focuses on their distinctness. Understanding the affinities and differences between Kantian morality and sublimity is necessary if we are to understand properly how and to what extent the sublime can reveal freedom and indirectly contribute to the realization of morality in the natural order. This chapter reviews the well-known phenomenology of the moral feeling of respect and discusses how the moral feeling differs from sublimity (section 3.1.1). Respect has a positive–negative structure similar to that of the sublime, although there are important differences between the two feelings. Next, in examining how the (dynamical and the moral) sublime presuppose a capacity to be moral, I refer to Kant's deduction of the sublime in §30 as well as to the role of a moral predisposition as a presupposition of having an experience of the sublime (section 3.2).
Anti‐Equality Marriage Amendments and Sexual Stigma

This article summarizes a stigma-based analysis of anti-equality marriage laws and campaigns. Three major themes are discussed. First, being denied the legal right to marry because of one’s sexual orientation is an instance of stigma. Second, being the target of stigma is stressful, and the political campaigns surrounding anti-equality marriage amendments are a source of heightened stress for lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals. Third, structural and individual manifestations of sexual stigma are interrelated; the initial enactment and continuing existence of anti-equality marriage laws depend on the opinions and actions of the voting public. Social psychological knowledge can be useful for understanding heterosexuals’ attitudes toward those laws. Building on findings from studies of prejudice and intergroup contact, suggestions are offered for future research on how individuals influence the opinions of their family and friends about marriage equality.
Os objetivos dos partidos sob regimes autoritários eleitorais ou democracias frágeis : jogo em duas frentes

This article offers new theoretical analysis about party objectives and strategy in contexts of authoritarianism with elections and of fragile democracies. It provides a theoretical framework for understanding party behavior under authoritarian regimes that have competitive elections and under fragile democracies. Contexts of authoritarianism with competitive elections and fragile democracy alter party behavior and strategy. In these contexts, parties play two games: an electoral game in which their objective is to win votes or seats, and a regime game in which their objective is to influence the outcome of conflicts over political regimes. It is impossible to understand many Latin American parties without taking into account both objectives (winning elections and winning regime conflicts) and both games (the electoral game and the regime game). Key words: Politics party; party objectives; competitive elections; authoritarianism; democracy; special model; Anthony Downs; elections; christian democracy; Latin American.
Robotically assisted small intestinal strictureplasty in dogs: a survival study involving 16 Heineke-Mikulicz strictureplasties

Robotically assisted surgery offers the advantages of improved dexterity and elimination of tremor over conventional laparoscopic surgery. There have been few studies to date, however, examining the role of robotics in intestinal surgery. This study was undertaken to determine the feasibility and safety of using a robotic surgical system in the performance of intracorporeal small bowel strictureplasties in dogs. Using a robotic surgical system, a total of 16 strictureplasties were performed in the small bowel of eight dogs (two strictureplasties per dog). Using only intracorporeal robotic surgery, a 2.5 cm enterotomy was made longitudinally in the small bowel, and then closed in a Heineke-Mikulicz configuration with a one-layer running 3–0 braided absorbable suture (strictureplasty). All animals were allowed to survive for 7 days with prospective monitoring of bowel movements, level of activity, oral intake, and abdominal examination. After 7 days, necropsy was performed, examining all strictureplasty sites for signs of sepsis. The endpoints of the study were recovery of normal intestinal function (bowel movements), intraoperative and postoperative complications, and the appearance of the anastomoses at necropsy. There was no intraoperative morbidity or mortality. All eight dogs survived 7 days and recovered well. All dogs had a bowel movement on the first postoperative day, and appeared healthy throughout the study period. Necropsy revealed that all 16 strictureplasty sites were healing without signs of sepsis. The median time per strictureplasty was 65 min (range, 45–110 min). One dog developed a superficial wound infection at a trocar site. A robotic surgical system can successfully be employed in the performance of intestinal strictureplasties in dogs. This study supports further investigation into the role of robotics in intestinal surgery in humans.
Sorting n/sup 2/ numbers on n/spl times/n meshes

We show that by folding data from an n/spl times/n mesh onto an n/spl times/(n/k) submesh, sorting on the submesh, and finally unfolding back onto the entire n/spl times/n mesh it is possible to sort on bidirectional and strict unidirectional meshes using a number of routing steps that is very close to the distance lower bound for these architectures.
Innate NK Cells and Macrophages Recognize and Reject Allogeneic Nonself In Vivo via Different Mechanisms

Both innate and adaptive immune cells are involved in the allograft response. But how the innate immune cells respond to allotransplants remains poorly defined. In the current study, we examined the roles of NK cells and macrophages in recognizing and rejecting allogeneic cells in vivo. We found that in naive mice NK cells are the primary effector cells in the killing of allogeneic cells via "missing self" recognition. However, in alloantigen-presensitized mice, NK cells are dispensable. Instead, macrophages become alloreactive and readily recognize and reject allogeneic nonself. This effect requires help from activated CD4(+) T cells and involves CD40/CD40L engagement, because blocking CD40/CD40L interactions prevents macrophage-mediated rejection of allogeneic cells. Conversely, actively stimulating CD40 triggers macrophage-mediated rejection in the absence of CD4(+) T cells. Importantly, alloantigen-primed and CD4(+) T cell-helped macrophages (licensed macrophages) exhibit potent regulatory function in vivo in an acute graft-versus-host disease model. Together, our data uncover an important role for macrophages in the alloimmune response and may have important clinical implications.
The spread of the childhood obesity epidemic

There is an old Chinese proverb that states “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” It is time for physicians and health care professionals to embark on the journey to reduce levels of obesity in children and adolescents. In this issue (page 1429) Mark Tremblay and Douglas Willms
The Relationships between Support System Failures and College Students' Ratings of Self and Family: Do They Vary across Family Configuration?.

In the present study, 130 college students voluntarily described the support system failures they encountered during their childhood and/or adolescence through their responses on the Personal History Inventory and their ratings of self and family on the Personal Attribute Inventory. Significant direct relationships were found between the level of support system failures and the negativeness expressed in their ratings of both self and family. Notably, however, these significant relationships applied only to individuals from intact families, and not those from families divided either by parental divorce or death of a parent. Possible explanations are offered to account for these findings.
Is income security possible in a capitalist economy

Abstract This paper is an assessment of the economic effects of the replacement of means-tested or employment-status-related state redistributive programs by a basic income grant paid unconditionally to all adults without regard to their employment status or pretransfer incomes. A microeconomic model is developed to identify the effects of such a grant on the institutional mechanisms governing the supply of work by those employed and the implied effects on the level of wages, profitability an investment. Two questions are posed. First, taking account of the implied effects on wages, labor discipline and taxes, is it possible to introduce a basic income grant without reducing the level of economy with maintainance of the level of profitability and so, what is the largest grant consistent with maintainance of the level of profitability and investment? The answer to the first question is affirmative. The answer to the second is that for an economy such as the United States, the profitability and investment maintaining grant is small but hardly insignificant; its implementation would effect a major redistribution of income from the employed and the unemployed to the non-employed.
Reversal of Resistance to Methotrexate in L1210 Murine Leukemia by Uracil

BDF1 mice bearing L1210 leukemia, when treated with a regimen of uracil and methotrexate, show an increase in survival time greater than when treated with methotrexate alone. The uracil and methotrexate regimen also delays the development of methotrexate resistance as L1210 leukemia is transferred with therapy through multiple generations of mice. When uracil is applied to multiple generations of mice bearing tumor resistant to methotrexate, there is a return to sensitivity to methotrexate. It is also noted that uracil blocks the responsive ness of L1210 leukemia to 6-mercaptopurine. The responsiveness of these tumor lines to the addition of uracil in their regimens was monitored by in vitro tritiated thymidine incorporation into DNA and by dihydrofolate reductase activities. These data, when integrated with survival time data, suggest that in part, the reported results are mediated by a uracil-induced reduction in the avail- ability of dihydrofolate reductase and phosphoribosylpyrophosphate.
Investigation of Some Problems In Developing Standards for Precracked Charpy Slow Bend Tests

The reported investigation was undertaken in connection with an attempt to develop procedures which would be useful in standardizing a test method for the precracked Charpy slow bend specimen. A number of alloys was studied for which valid plane-strain fracture toughness values have been established. The investigation shows that useful relations between precracked Charpy slow bend results and crack size factors can be obtained under some circumstances. However, it is not yet known what factors control these circumstances.
Mass Transport Limitations Through Porous Hydrophobic Membranes

Understanding the behavior of commercially available hydrophobic polymer membranes is important for applications where separating a gas (or vapor) from a two-phase mixture with liquid is beneficial. For example, in-situ vapor extraction can be used in microscale heat sinks to improve heat transfer and flow stability. In this paper, two working fluids (air and water, the latter in both superheated vapor and saturated liquid-vapor states) were experimentally studied flowing through membranes having an interconnected web of polytetra-fluoroethylene (PTFE) nanofibers. These membranes have a manufacturer specified average pore diameter of 0.45 μm and are supplied with an integrated mesh backing. Flow rate was acquired as a function of driving pressure differentials across the membrane. A linear variation in mass transport as a function of the applied pressure difference across a porous membrane is expected for Darcy flow conditions. However, for superheated vapor and air at the flow conditions studied here, mass transport does not vary linearly with pressure differential. Rather, transport of both air and superheated vapor is influenced by structural changes to the membrane. The structural changes are known as compaction and result from the applied pressure differential. Two models are considered to account for reduced transport resulting from membrane compaction. For saturated liquid-vapor studies, the departure from a linear relation between vapor extraction and applied pressure difference is more drastic than that compared to the single-phase studies, suggesting influences in addition to compaction. These influences are believed to be two-phase hydrodynamics as well as possible condensation within the membrane.Copyright © 2013 by ASME