cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Replacing Corn and Wheat in Layer Diets with Hulless Oats Shows Effects on Sensory Properties and Yolk Quality of Eggs

US organic poultry producers are under pressure to find feed alternatives to corn and wheat. Hulless oats offer advantages such as wide geographic adaptation of the plant and high concentrations of protein and oil in the grain. They have shown considerable potential in experimental work as a feed grain for poultry, but more research is needed into their influence on the sensory and nutritional properties of eggs. In this study, hulless oats were substituted for corn or wheat at 200g kg-1 in diets fed to Hy-Line Brown hens, and eggs were sampled for sensory evaluation after eight weeks. Discrimination tests of blended and baked egg samples found evidence of difference between eggs from oat-based diets and those from the oat-free control (p<0.05 for eggs from an oat-corn diet, p<0.01 for eggs from an oat-wheat diet). Acceptance tests of similar samples showed that eggs from the oat-wheat diet were significantly less liked than control eggs for their texture (p<0.01) and response to cooking (p<0.01), while eggs from the oat-corn diet were somewhat less liked. Yolk weight was greater (p<0.05) in Control eggs (34.1g) than eggs from oat-corn (31.6g) or oat-wheat (31.2g) diets, leading to smaller yolk proportion in the oat-fed eggs. Fatty acid profile differences across treatments were not of nutritional significance, and no evidence was found that the feeding of hulless oats improved storage properties of eggs. In this study, modifying the carbohydrate source in layer diets was shown to change textural properties of cooked eggs in a way that was perceptible to untrained consumers, probably by reducing the yolk proportion. This finding was not commercially relevant owing to small effect size, and results overall add to existing evidence that hulless oats can be fed to poultry at a moderate proportion of the diet with no negative effect on consumer acceptability of eggs. Regardless of the small effect size, however, findings are interesting from the food chemistry perspective because they provide novel evidence of how the thermal properties of eggs can be altered by a change in hen dietary carbohydrate source.
Adverse Effects of Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Cancer Patients Visiting the Emergency Department of a Comprehensive Cancer Center

Study objective Cancer immunotherapy is evolving rapidly and is transforming cancer care. During the last decade, immune checkpoint therapies have been developed to enhance the immune response; however, specific adverse effects related to autoimmunity are increasingly apparent. This study aims to fill the knowledge gap related to the spectrum of immune-related adverse effects among cancer patients visiting emergency departments (EDs). Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients treated with immune checkpoint therapy who visited the ED of a comprehensive cancer center between March 1, 2011, and February 29, 2016. Immune-related adverse effects from the ED visits were identified and profiled. We analyzed the association of each immune-related adverse effect with overall survival from the ED visit to death. Results We identified 1,026 visits for 628 unique patients; of these, 257 visits (25.0%) were related to one or more immune-related adverse effects. Diarrhea was the most common one leading to an ED visit. The proportions of ED visits associated with diarrhea, hypophysitis, thyroiditis, pancreatitis, or hepatitis varied significantly by immune checkpoint therapy agent. Colitis was significantly associated with better prognosis, whereas pneumonitis was significantly associated with worse survival. Conclusion Cancer patients treated with ipilimumab, nivolumab, or pembrolizumab may have a spectrum of immune-related adverse effects that require emergency care. Future studies will need to update this profile as further novel immunotherapeutic agents are added.
Book Review: Boulevard of Broken Dreams: Why Public Efforts to Boost Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Have Failed and What to Do About it by Josh Lerner, Princeton University Press, p. 248, 2009

Governments worldwide spend enormous sums subsidizing and even bailing out troubled firms. These firms are almost always large, mature companies in mature industries. In this book, Josh Lerner asks whether government should instead focus on emerging companies. Perhaps government would do better to provide funds to fledgling companies as well as -- or instead of -- troubled, established companies
Science and the Single Case

I must express my gratitude for being asked to participate in this anniversary celebration. The task assigned, a review of “science and the single case,” or the continuing saga of the study of the individual, allowed me to reexperience the pleasure I derived in reading Allport’s volume (1937) as a graduate student more than 40 years ago. While my present concern is centered in the first and last chapters, I was drawn to rereading the others as well. My impression was that despite the passage of the years, it could still be read with profit by graduate students today. With regard to the scientific study of the individual, the arguments remain timely and persuasive but certainly need retelling in light of our history over the past half-century.
Development and Validation of a Short Form of the Index of Race-Related Stress (IRRS)—Brief Version

This article describes the development and validation of a short version of the Index of Race-Related Stress—Brief Version (IRRS-B). The IRRS-B is a 22-item, multidimensional measure of the race-re...
O&M Instruction for Blind Children in Rural Areas—Whose Responsibility?:

Although large schools in metropolitan areas are generally able to provide blind children with orientation and mobility instruction from certified mobility specialists, small schools in rural areas...
Experimental investigation of heat transfer in liquid piston compressor

Abstract The use of liquid pistons is a promising approach for attaining efficient near-isothermal compression. One of the key factors affecting the efficiency of a liquid piston compressor is heat transfer. Understanding the heat transfer mechanism during compression is crucial for the design and development of an efficient liquid piston compressor. In this paper, heat transfer in the liquid piston compressor is studied experimentally for air compression. An analytical model is presented based on a thermal resistance circuit. Experiments are performed using compression chambers of different materials for a compression ratio of 2.05–2.35 with various stroke times of compression. It is observed that the rate of heat transfer increases with faster stroke time of compression. However, a faster compression process requires a higher compression work and results in a higher air temperature. The convective heat transfer coefficient of air decreases rapidly as compression proceeds and approaches a steady value towards the end of compression. Thermal resistance analysis for compression with different chamber materials indicates that convective thermal resistance of air has a significant contribution in the total thermal resistance. During the initial phase of compression, the high conductivity of the chamber material helps improve the overall heat transfer coefficient; however, it has a marginal effect during the later phase of compression. An isothermal compression efficiency of 84–86% is observed with the liquid piston.
Time-Resolved Absorptance and Melt Pool Dynamics during Intense Laser Irradiation of a Metal

High-irradiance lasers incident on metal surfaces create a complex, dynamic process through which the metal can rapidly change from highly reflective to strongly absorbing. Absolute knowledge of this process underpins important industrial laser processes such as laser welding, cutting, and metal additive manufacturing. Determining the time-dependent absorptance of the laser light by a material is important, not only for gaining a fundamental understanding of the light-matter interaction but also for improving process design in manufacturing. Measurements of the dynamic optical absorptance are notoriously difficult due to the rapidly changing nature of the absorbing medium. These data are also of vital importance to process modelers, whose complex simulations need reliable, accurate input data; yet, there are very few available. In this work, we measure the time-dependent, reflected light during a 10-ms laser spot weld using an integrating-sphere apparatus. From this, we calculate the dynamic absorptance for 1070-nm-wavelength light incident on 316L stainless steel. The time resolution of our experiment (less than 1 μs) allows the determination of the precise conditions under which several important physical phenomena occur, such as melt and keyhole formation. The average absorptances determined optically are compared with calorimetrically determined values, and it is found that the calorimeter severely underestimates the absorbed energy due to mass lost during the spot weld. Weld-nugget cross sections are also presented to verify our interpretation of the optical results, as well as to provide experimental data for weld-model validation.
The complex relationship between urinary and defecatory disorders in young and adolescent girls.

Purpose of review Scientific advancements have led to enhanced clarity about the interrelationship between urinary tract pathology and functional bowel disturbances. The present article will review the current literature regarding the cause, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunction and abnormal bowel habits in young and adolescent girls. Recent findings Complex neurological, physiological mechanisms and functional behaviors exist that contribute to the development of coexisting urinary symptoms and defecatory disorders in young and adolescent girls. Bladder bowel dysfunction (BBD) in childhood and adolescence is carried into adulthood creating a lifetime health burden. Summary Practitioners should be aware and actively screen for conditions mimicking BBD with time-efficient and effective history-taking and physical exams that reduce anxiety and fear. The present review provides guide to comprehensive treatment strategies for managing complex pelvic floor disorders including urinary incontinence, defecatory disorders, pelvic and perineal pain, and constipation. More research is needed to elucidate pathophysiology and optimal treatment strategies of the BBD.
Evans, C. Lawrence. The Whips: Building Party Coalitions in Congress: Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 2018. 345 pages. $85 (hardcover); $39.95 (softcover)

In recent decades, scholars have advanced a fairly deterministic view of party influence and partisanship in Congress. As the story goes, Congress has polarized along ideological lines, with member...
Dark-Net Ecosystem Cyber-Threat Intelligence (CTI) Tool

The frequency and costs of cyber-attacks are increasing each year. By the end of 2019, the total cost of data breaches is expected to reach $2.1 trillion through the ever-growing online presence of enterprises and their consumers. The tools to perform these attacks and the breached data can often be purchased within the Dark-net. Many of the threat actors within this realm use its various platforms to broker, discuss, and strategize these cyber-threat assets. To combat these attacks, researchers are developing Cyber-Threat Intelligence (CTI) tools to proactively monitor the ever-growing online hacker community. This paper will detail the creation and use of a CTI tool that leverages a social network to identify cyber-threats across major Dark-net data sources. Through this network, emerging threats can be quickly identified so proactive or reactive security measures can be implemented.
Economic performance, income inequality and political trust: new evidence from a cross-national study of 14 Asian countries

Political trust is a fundamental bedrock for a political system to work. The “trust-as-evaluation” approach has identified an individual’s perceived evaluation of economic performance and income in...
RESOLVING TIME AMONG NON-STRATIFIED SHORT-DURATION CONTEXTS ON A RADIOCARBON PLATEAU: POSSIBILITIES AND CHALLENGES FROM THE AD 1480–1630 EXAMPLE AND NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA

Reversals and plateaus in the radiocarbon (14C) calibration curve lead to similar 14C ages applying to a wide range of calendar dates, creating imprecision, ambiguity, and challenges for archaeological dating. Even with Bayesian chronological modeling, such periods remain a problem when no known order—e.g., a stratigraphic sequence—exists, and especially if site durations are relatively short. Using the reversal/plateau AD 1480–1630 and the archaeology of northeastern North America as our example, we consider possible strategies to improve chronological resolution across such reversal/plateau periods in the absence of stratigraphic sequences, including uses of wood-charcoal TPQs from even very short wiggle-matches, and site phase duration constraints based on ethnohistoric and archaeological evidence.
Evaluation of First-Dose, Intravenous Push Penicillins and Carbapenems in the Emergency Department.

Background:Early appropriate antibiotic administration is associated with improved outcomes in infectious illnesses. During drug shortages in 2017, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists...
Whither WIR (Redux)

The year 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of the _World Investment Report_ (_WIR_), an UNCTAD publication that examines national, regional, and worldwide trends in foreign direct investment and foreign investment policies. I look back briefly at the first 30 *WIR*s and then look forward, asking: _What next? Whither WIR?_ I argue that upcoming *WIR*s should address a mix of Big Questions and Grand Challenges and provide a baker’s dozen list of 13 possible themes.
A crisis of authority in scientific discourse

Scientific training often begins with learning content knowledge and techniques. As a student progresses, they are required to communicate the results of their experiments with their instructors in a manner that other scientists would understand. This style of communication is stressed throughout their entire training. But what happens when the need arises to communicate with interested nonscientific audiences? Scientific discourse has typically been considered what philosopher of language Mikhail Bakhtin termed an "authoritative discourse,"-a discourse that "binds us, quite independent of any power it might have to persuade us internally," whose hegemony is traditionally a priori, unquestioned. However, within the public realm, that authority is in crisis. There is an unsettling rise of anti-scientific counter-discourses such as the anti-vaccine movement, the growing Flat Earth movement, climate change denialism, and a host of other "movements" grounded in either pseudo-science or an outright dismissal of scientific authority. In response to this crisis, scientists and educators have called for more attention to improving scientific literacy among the general public. By examining the generic conventions of scientific discourse using the theories of Mikhail Bakhtin, we hope to point out some of the barriers causing the current crisis in scientific authority.
Multifactorial Contributions to Central Incisor Tooth Morphology and the Presence of Black Triangles: A Case Study

Abstract: Dentists are often faced with patient concerns of smile esthetics in addition to oral health and should be equipped to help patients manage both. Black triangle disease, or a lack of interdental papilla, is esthetically displeasing particularly in the central incisor region and has a hoard of etiologies ranging from gum disease to inherited tooth morphologic features. Addressing patients’ esthetic concerns must first be met with understanding the causation of the black triangles before treatment can be rendered. Genetic contributions are multifactorial, and this case report provides evidence for a case of a central incisor black triangles without other affected family members. Background: Black triangles are a prominent feature for those experiencing a lack of interdental papilla between central incisors and may dramatically affect the presentation of a person’s smile. The aim of this case report is to convey the importance of managing patients’ esthetic chief complaints while addressing the etiology of the esthetic concern. Case Description: A 24-year-old man presented to his dental colleague with concern of his black triangle spaces. The patient does not have gingival recession in the area of interest, and his biological mother and brother do not have black triangle spaces. Pathology is not an issue, but instead inadequate length of the central incisor mesial contact area prevents the interdental papilla from reaching the contact. Esthetics are a concern, but the patient is not interested in irreversible treatment for his healthy tissue. Practical Implications: Dentists should be aware of the multifactorial contributions to patients’ esthetic concerns. Dentists should also be aware that meeting a patient’s expectations may require a more complex treatment plan than the patient expected.
“He just teaches whatever he thinks is important”: Analysis of comments in student evaluations of teaching

Student evaluations of teaching are ubiquitous in higher education; however, most prior research has focused on the numeric ratings, with little systematic attention given to the qualitative comments. In this study, written comments were collected as part of the regular evaluation of a community health nursing course over four semesters. Taken as a whole, student comments were strikingly consistent and mostly negative. Students emphasized the authority of the textbook and framed the course as preparation for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Instructor efforts to focus on critical analysis of social issues were met with confusion, suspicion, and resistance. Student comments were further analyzed in relation to 3 levels of discourse: the student/teacher level, the nursing-education level, and the social-historical level. For each level, the comments reveal problems, but not the ones suggested by a conventional reading of student evaluations. If students and teachers have conflicting expectations about goals and methods for learning, formal student evaluations may be less useful as a measure of teaching effectiveness. This study also raises troubling concerns about current practices in nursing pedagogy, particularly the emphasis on standardized testing and highly structured didactics, and the overlap between student evaluation systems and the technologies of neoliberalism.
Lung transplantation for acute exacerbation of interstitial lung disease.

Background Acute exacerbations of interstitial lung diseases (AE-ILD) have a high mortality rate with no effective medical therapies. Lung transplantation is a potentially life-saving option for patients with AE-ILD, but its role is not well established. The aim of this study is to determine if this therapy during AE-ILD significantly affects post-transplant outcomes in comparison to those transplanted with stable disease. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients with AE-ILD admitted to our institution from 2015 to 2018. The comparison group included patients with stable ILD listed for lung transplant during the same period. The primary end-points were in-hospital mortality for patients admitted with AE-ILD and 1-year survival for the transplanted patients. Results Of 53 patients admitted for AE-ILD, 28 were treated with medical therapy alone and 25 underwent transplantation. All patients with AE-ILD who underwent transplantation survived to hospital discharge, whereas only 43% of the AE-ILD medically treated did. During the same period, 67 patients with stable ILD underwent transplantation. Survival at 1 year for the transplanted patients was not different for the AE-ILD group versus stable ILD group (96% vs 92.5%). The rates of primary graft dysfunction, post-transplant hospital length-of-stay and acute cellular rejection were similar between the groups. Conclusion Patients with ILD transplanted during AE-ILD had no meaningful difference in overall survival, rate of primary graft dysfunction or acute rejection compared with those transplanted with stable disease. Our results suggest that lung transplantation can be considered as a therapeutic option for selected patients with AE-ILD.
Windowed space–time least-squares Petrov–Galerkin model order reduction for nonlinear dynamical systems

Abstract Projection-based reduced-order models (PROMs) restrict the full-order model (FOM) to a low-dimensional subspace . Space–time PROMs in particular restrict the FOM to a temporally space–time trial subspace, and compute approximate solutions through a residual orthogonalization or minimization process. One such technique of interest is the space–time least-squares Petrov–Galerkin method (ST-LSPG), which reduces both the spatial and temporal dimensions. However, ST-LSPG is computationally expensive, because it requires solving a dense space–time system with a space–time basis that is calculated over the entire global time domain, which can be unfeasible for large-scale applications. To address these challenges, this paper presents the windowed space–time least-squares Petrov–Galerkin method (WST-LSPG) for model reduction of nonlinear parameterized dynamical systems . The proposed WST-LSPG approach addresses the aforementioned challenges by (1) dividing the time simulation into windows, (2) devising a unique low-dimensional high-fidelity space–time trial subspace for each window, and (3) minimizing the discrete-in-time space–time residual of the dynamical system over each window. In this formulation, the problem confines coupling within each window, but solves space–time residual minimization problems sequentially across the windows. WST-LSPG is equipped with hyper-reduction techniques to further reduce the computational cost. Numerical experiments for the one-dimensional Burgers’ equation and the two-dimensional compressible Navier–Stokes equations for flow over a NACA 0012 airfoil demonstrate that WST-LSPG is superior to ST-LSPG in terms of accuracy and computational gain by as much as 99%.
Strain rate-dependent tensile response of glassy silicon nanowires studied by accelerated atomistic simulations

Mechanical properties of glassy nanowires have been intensively investigated recently by both nanomechanical experiments and atomic-level simulations. Unfortunately, there exists a huge gap in the strain rate of the nanomechanical tests between experiments and simulations, which makes it difficult to compare results even for the same material system. Using accelerated atomistic simulations based on a self-learning metabasin escape algorithm, here, we report the tensile mechanical properties of amorphous Stillinger–Weber silicon nanowires with different intrinsic ductility under strain rates ranging from 1010 to 10−1 s−1. It is found that both brittle and ductile glassy silicon nanowires display weakened strength with a decreasing strain rate, in agreement with the cooperative shear model. Moreover, as the strain rate decreases, the amount of plasticity remains unchanged for the brittle nanowires, yet it decreases for the ductile ones. Such deteriorated plasticity in ductile glassy nanowires is caused by enhanced strain localization at low strain rates. Lastly, we show that via the distance matrix of nonaffine displacement, a more hierarchical potential energy landscape is responsible for the higher strain localization propensity in ductile silicon glassy nanowires.
Anencephalic Infants as a Source of Transportable Organs

Under current medical practices, lifesaving organs are being lost by allowing anencephalic infants (those born without an upper brain) to die slowly through natural processes. This article examines the controversy surrounding the argument made by some that greater efforts should be made to salvage these organs, either by placing these infants on life support or by removing their organs before the cessation of brain stem or bodily functions. The article rejects proposed amendments to the Uniform Definition of Death Act and to the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act because such a course portends a number of undesirable implications in other situations. It concludes that it is not proper to alter the normal course of medical treatment unless it can be determined that doing so is in the best interests of the dying infant.
Application of ultrasonics and neural network techniques to the evaluation of stator bar insulation

The combination of non-invasive acoustic techniques and neural network backpropagation methods is a promising tool to assess the aging condition of electrical insulation of hydrogenerator busbars. The efficacy of the method has been confirmed for laboratory aged samples. The networks showed quite reasonable generalization by the low percentage of misclassifications verified during the test phase. Mathematical preprocessing of the acoustic data plays an important role in the neural networks' performance. Global normalization is indicated for a reduced number of measurements, while local normalization following combined Fourier and Wavelet transforms can result in more robust systems for a sufficiently large amount of data.
Self Organization and Coordination

In this paper, I analyze the organization of tasks or activities by a collection of agents. I begin by formally defining organized collections and robustly organized collections of agents in the context of a simple model. Within this framework, I demonstrate that organized collections and robustly organized collections exist and equilibria need not be organized. I then test whether adaptive agents can self-organize in this environment. I find that simple behavioral rules can lead to nearly organized, fairly robust collections of agents.
Soil water flux density measurements near 1 cm d 1 using an improved heat pulse probe design

[1] The heat pulse probe (HPP) technique has been successfully applied for estimating water flux density (WFD). Estimates of WFD have been limited to values greater than 10 cm d−1, except for two recent studies with lower detection limits of 2.4 and 5.6 cm d−1. Although satisfactory for saturated soils, it is recognized that current HPP capabilities are limited for applications in the vadose zone, where WFD values are generally below 1 cm d−1. Since numerical sensitivity analysis has shown that large heater needle diameters may increase HPP capabilities in the lower flux density range, a HPP with a 4-mm-diameter heater needle was developed and tested. WFD values were obtained by fitting temperature data to the analytical solution for a pulsed cylindrical heat source of infinite length. Effective heater-thermistor distance and soil thermal diffusivity values were determined for specific heat input scenarios with zero WFD, prior to imposing water flow across the HPP needles. We showed excellent results in the range of 1–10 cm d−1 and satisfactory results in the range of 10–1000 cm d−1.
Preliminary evaluation of local drug delivery of amphotericin B and in vivo degradation of chitosan and polyethylene glycol blended sponges

This research investigated the combination of polyethylene glycol with chitosan in point-of-care loaded sponges made by one or two lyophilizations for adjunctive local antifungal delivery in musculoskeletal wounds. Blended and control chitosan sponges were evaluated in vitro for antifungal release and activity, degradation, cytocompatibility, and characterized for spectroscopic, crystallinity, thermal, and morphologic material properties. In vivo biocompatibility and degradation of sponges were also evaluated in a rat intramuscular pouch model 4 and 10 days after implantation. Blended sponges released amphotericin B active against Candida albicans (>0.25 µg/mL) over 72 h and did not elicit cytotoxicity response of fibroblasts. Blended sponges exhibited decreases in surface roughness, decreased thermal decomposition temperatures, as well as small Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and crystallinity differences, compared with chitosan-only sponges. Three of the four blended sponge formulations exhibited 31%–94% increases in in vitro degradation from the chitosan sponges after 10 days, but did not demonstrate the same increase in in vivo degradation. Low inflammatory in vivo tissue response to blended and chitosan-only sponges was similar over 10 days. These results demonstrated that adding polyethylene glycol to chitosan sponges does improve local antifungal release, cytocompatibility, and in vitro degradation, but does not increase in vivo degradation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2015.
The Development of Intercultural Competency in School Psychology Graduate Students

School psychologists often have the opportunity to work with students and families from varied backgrounds and cultures. While this can be an exciting and enriching part of the job, it can also be daunting for some practitioners, particularly those who are inadequately prepared. A number of strategies have been implemented in school psychology training programs to improve students’ intercultural competency. This exploratory study investigated the results of one university’s short-term study abroad program for school psychology graduate students. Pre- and post- intercultural development assessments were given to school psychology graduate students who completed a course abroad; results were compared to students who took the same course on campus in the United States. Findings indicated that there was no measurable growth in intercultural competence in either group. Implications for school psychology training programs, suggestions for future research, and ways to improve intercultural competency among schoo...
On the dimension of the space of theta functions

We compute the dimension of the space of theta functions of a given type using a variant of the Selberg trace formula.
Economic and Political Conditions of World Stability

The opportunity to talk to The Economic History Association is asflattering to an international lawyer as it is unexpected. I have never been entirely clear on how economic historians select their materials in order to distinguish their product from political history, a subject with which I am supposed to be more familiar. The future historian of the period in which we live will, I am sure, encounter unusual difficulty in making this distinction. America's foreign policy seems to center around economic aid to allies and economic boycott of potential enemies. The New Deal made economic welfare of the people a domestic policy until the outbreak of war compelled the national economy to become an instrument for achieving unconditional surrender of foreign enemies. It cannot be said that the present administration, with proposals for more social security, continued foreign aid, and continued agreements for reducing trade barriers, is moving very fast in unscrambling economics and politics.
Organizational Communication in Emergencies: Using Multiple Channels and Sources to Combat Noise and Capture Attention

This study relies on information theory, social presence, and source credibility to uncover what best helps people grasp the urgency of an emergency. We surveyed a random sample of 1,318 organizational members who received multiple notifications about a large-scale emergency. We found that people who received 3 redundant messages coming through at least 1 synchronous communication source—for example, phone or face-to-face communication—perceived the urgency of the situation the most quickly, whereas those receiving official messages through asynchronous channels—most often text message—had the lowest sense of urgency. Our findings suggest that by understanding people's reactions to various kinds of redundant communication, organizations can design more strategic emergency messages that capture attention.
Combination Trimodality Therapy Using Vismodegib for Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Face.

Background. For large basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) of the head and neck, definitive surgery often requires extensive resection and reconstruction that may result in prolonged recovery and limited cosmesis. Vismodegib, a small-molecule inhibitor of the hedgehog pathway, is approved for advanced and metastatic BCCs. We present a case of advanced BCC treated with combination of vismodegib, radiotherapy, and local excision resulting in excellent response and cosmesis. Case Presentation. A 64-year-old gentleman presented with a 5-year history of a 7 cm enlarging right cheek mass, with extensive vascularization, central ulceration, and skin, soft tissue, and buccal mucosa involvement. Biopsy revealed BCC, nodular type. Up-front surgical option involved a large resection and reconstruction. After multidisciplinary discussion, we recommended and he opted for combined modality of vismodegib, radiotherapy, and local excision. The patient tolerated vismodegib well and his right cheek lesion decreased significantly in size. He was then treated with radiotherapy followed by local excision that revealed only focal residual BCC. Currently, he is without evidence of disease and has excellent cosmesis. Conclusions. We report a case of locally advanced BCC treated with trimodality therapy with vismodegib, radiotherapy, and local excision, resulting in excellent outcome and facial cosmesis, without requiring extensive resection or reconstructive surgery.
Modification of Cements Containing Vanillate or Syringate Esters

Abstract Addition of small concentrations of acid, metals or fluorides to vanillate or syringate dental cements was studied in order to improve their physical properties and anticariogenic behavior. Incorporation of acids into cement formulations lowers their setting time. Coating a portion of the zinc oxide powder ingredient with propionic acid offers a convenient way of adjusting the cure to a rate most suitable for clinical applications. The resulting cements are non-brittle, have high strength, low solubility and bond strongly to non-precious metals, porcelain or composites. Cements with zinc undecylate are flexible and may be useful as soft tissue packs. Metallic powders do not act as reinforcing agents for these cements. Hexyl vanillate or ethylhexyl syringate cements can be prepared by adding 0.1% to 1% fluoride salts such as NaF, ZrF 4 , ZnF 2 or dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate hydrofluoride to the powder ingredient. Rate of fluoride released is dependent on the solubility of the fluoride in water and decreases rapidly within the first few days after exposure to the liquid. Initial fluoride release from the cement may increase resistance to decalcification of tissues adjacent to the restoration.
Reflections of a Senior Scholar on the Profession of International Studies

This article discusses the paucity of representation of African Americans in the discipline and the relative absence of research on racial politics.
Designing a gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) structured telephone-administered survey instrument.

Introduction As part of a larger study assessing the covariates and outcomes of GHB use, we developed a telephone-survey instrument for hospitalized GHB exposed patients identified through poison control center surveillance and for self-identified GHB users recruited from the general public.
Chlorophyll meter readings in corn as affected by plant spacing

Abstract Heightened environmental consciousness has increased the perceived need to improve nitrogen (N) use efficiency by crops. Synchronizing fertilizer N availability with maximum crop N uptake has been proposed as a way to improve N‐use efficiency and protect ground water quality. Chlorophyll meters (Minolta SPAD 502) have the potential to conveniently evaluate the N status of corn (Zea mays L.) and help improve N management. A potential problem with the use of chlorophyll meters is the effect of within‐row plant spacing on meter reading variability. Chlorophyll meter readings and leaf N concentration of irrigated corn at anthesis and grain yield at harvest were measured on plants grouped into eight within‐row plant spacing categories. Leaf N concentration was not affected by plant spacings, but chlorophyll meter readings and grain yield per plant increased as plant competition decreased and N fertilizer rate increased. These data indicate that avoiding plants having extreme spacings can greatly incre...
Angle-resolved and resonant photoemission spectroscopy of rare-earth and actinide intermetallics

Abstract In this paper, some aspects of our angle-resolved and resonant photoemission work on rare-earth and actinide intermetallics will be summarized. The systems specifically mentioned are Gd(0001), UIr 3 (100), UN(100), UO 2 , α-γ- Ce 0.9 Th 0.1 , U x Th 1− x Sb, USb x Te 1− x , UPd 3 , UCu x Ni 5− x , CeCu 2 Si 2 , UBe 13 , U 2 Zn 17 , SmAl 2 , EuPd 13 , YbBe 13 , TmS, Yb x Y 1− x Al 2 , EuPd 2 Si 2 , TmSe, and UAs x Se 1− x .
Reliable System-Optimal Network Design: Convex Mean-Variance Model with Implicit Chance Constraints

It is critical to account for uncertainty in the design of transportation networks. Various models assuming both user-optimal and system-optimal behavior (as a computationally viable proxy for the more realistic useroptimal design problem) have been proposed. Most of these models do not provide any form of probabilistic guarantee for the obtained capacity expansion decisions. However, for system reliability, it is often useful to know how likely it is that the total system travel time would deviate from a certain value if the prescribed solutions from a specific model are implemented. A new mean-variance type of system-optimal network design model with probabilistic guarantees on systemwide travel time is proposed. The proposed model has several unique features. First, uncertainty in the link performance function is considered. This uncertainty is a result of capacity uncertainty as well as fundamental uncertainty about the functional form of the link performance function itself. Second, instead of imposi...
Standardized Clients in the Classroom: A Novel Instructional Technique for Social Work Educators

Objective: This study was designed to test the effectiveness and acceptability of using standardized clients (SCs) to provide social work students with opportunities to practice assessment skills prior to contact with real clients. Method: Effectiveness was examined utilizing a 3-year non-equivalent control group design in the same master of social work mental health course. In Year 1, the no-intervention control group, SCs were not included in classroom instruction. In Years 2 and 3, instruction included SCs in the classroom. For pretest and posttest, each student independently conducted a 30-minute videotaped assessment and treatment planning interview with an SC. Videotape raters were blind to pretest/posttest, experimental/control status. Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance and post hoc tests showed that the three groups were similar at entry into the program (pretest). These hypotheses were partially supported: Students exposed to SCs (Years 2 and 3) improved over the baseline usual role-...
Algebra readiness for students with learning difficulties in grades 4–8: Support through the study of number

Developing proficiency in algebra is the focus of instruction in high school mathematics courses and is a minimum expectation for high school completion for all students including those with learni...
Synthesis of large rRNAs by RNA polymerase II in mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective in RNA polymerase I.

Abstract The 35S rRNA gene of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was fused to the GAL7 promoter. This hybrid gene, when present on a multicopy plasmid and induced by galactose, suppressed the growth defects of a temperature-sensitive RNA polymerase I (pol I) mutant and those of a mutant in which the gene for the second largest subunit of pol I was deleted. Analysis of pulse-labeled RNA directly demonstrated that rRNA synthesis in this deletion mutant is from the GAL7 promoter. These experiments show that the sole essential function of pol I is the transcription of the rRNA genes, that pol I is not absolutely required for the synthesis of rRNA and ribosomes or cell growth if 35S rRNA synthesis is achieved by some other means, and that the tandemly repeated structure of the chromosomal rRNA genes is also not absolutely required for the synthesis of rRNA and ribosomes.
Reading achievement and spelling patterns of college students

Abstract Although the tendency for good readers to be good spellers has been reasonably well established, conflicting evidence exists as to whether spelling patterns of good and poor readers differ. The present study was designed to examine spelling error patterns of college students and their relationship to four reading measures: the Vocabulary, Comprehension, Reading Power and Reading Efficiency scores on the Iowa Silent Reading Test, 1972. The nine spelling error variables investigated were: (1) total words misspelled on a twenty‐five word spelling test; (2) phonetic, dysphonetic and total sound unit errors; and (3) substitutions, omissions, additions, reversals, and total letter discrepancy errors. Pearson “r” Coefficients of Correlation indicated that Vocabulary had the closest association with the spelling error variables. The three spelling variables consistently most highly associated with the reading measures were: total number of misspelled words, dysphonetic sound unit errors, and total number...
Evaluation of Death Attitude Change Resulting from a Death Education Instructional Unit.

Abstract The purpose of the study was to evaluate death attitude change among university students involved in a death education instructional unit within an introductory health education course. A quasi-experimental research design was employed. Pre-and post-tests of death attitudes, utilizing the Hardt Death Attitude Scale and the Watts-Andrews Death Attitude Questionnaire, were conducted in both the death education group (N = 39) and the control group (N = 40). A one-way analysis of covariance using pretest mean scores as the covariate showed significant posttest mean differences between the groups on both death attitude measures. Thus it was concluded that death-related attitudes can be favorably influenced as a result of a death education instructional unit within an introductory health education course.
Perceptions of ganja and cocaine in urban Jamaica.

Abstract This article, based on ethnographic research, discusses the dynamic relationship between ganja (marijuana) and cocaine in five areas within Montego Bay, an urban-tourist center in Jamaica, West Indies. The focus is on the contrasting and conflicting social perceptions related to the current role of each substance in the society, as well as the interrelationship between these two substances. Of particular interest in the analysis of use and distribution patterns of each substance is the seemingly conflicting moral versus economic dilemma surrounding the drug trade; perceptions related to the effects of these two substances on the body and mind; and perceptions related to the role these substances play in local crime and physical violence. Community-level social perceptions will be compared to official discourse and actions regarding demand reduction, prevention, and enforcement of “drug” laws.
All optical asynchronous binary delta–sigma modulator

Abstract We present the first all optical delta–sigma modulator using a bistable device and a leaky integrator. In this paper, a novel tri-coupled ring geometry is utilized, resulting in resonance which is a building block for delta–sigma modulator. In each ring, the main active element is a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). The experimental result of the implemented setup is in a good agreement with our presented theory. Applying optical discrete components leads to a sampling rate of 660 kS/s. The higher frequency can be reached easily by using faster bistable devices and shorter loops.
New dual-stack piezoelectric actuation device with improved performance

A new actuator design is introduced, which utilizes a pair of matching piezoelectric stack elements within the actuator housing. The stack elements are utilized in a mechanically opposing configuration and are electrically operated out-of-phase. Conventional piezoelectric stack actuators usually incorporate a compressive preload mechanism to protect the stack from tensile stresses. A common preload method is to incorporate a mechanical spring in parallel with the stack. However, the mechanical spring reduces the free stroke capabilities of the stack actuator. To demonstrate the performance advantages of the new concept, an analytical and experimental comparison study is conducted. The dual stack actuator is compared with two conventional internally preloaded single stack actuators in a parallel configuration, thus both actuator configurations are utilizing equivalent volumes of the piezoelectric material. The analysis indicates the dual stack actuator produces greater free stroke, output energy, and energy efficiency than two parallel single stack actuators. For experimental evaluations, a dual stack actuator and an internally preloaded single stack actuator are fabricated using the same materials, similar construction techniques, and the same piezoelectric stack elements. A testing procedure is formulated to determine the free stroke and blocked force of both actuators. Comparison of the experimental data reveals a number of performance advantages of the dual stack actuator over two traditional preloaded actuators in parallel: the free stroke is 1.3-1.2 times greater; the blocked force is 1.4-1.2 times greater; the output energy is 1.8-1.5 times greater; the specific output energy is 2.4-1.9 times greater; and the energy efficiency is 1.8-1.5 times greater.
Cells Involved in the Mitogen-Induced Helper Function which Facilitates the Blastogenic Response to Actinomyces viscosus

Coculture of human peripheral blood lymphocyte suspensions, previously pulsed with either pokeweed mitogen (PWM) or an Actinomyces viscosus ultrasonicate supernatant fraction (AV), resulted in a blastogenic response that was greater than the sum of the responses of the two independently cultured lymphocyte suspensions. Selective cobalt-51 irradiation of the precultured lymphocytes prior to coculture revealed that PWM was inducing a helper activity which facilitated the blastogenic response to the poorly mitogenic AV. Subsequent experiments revealed that both B- and T-enriched lymphocyte populations were capable of providing such help, however, the B-cell help appeared to require T-cell interaction. As few as one PWM-activated helper cell per 150 AV-pulsed cells was sufficient to provide measureable help. In the presence of PWM helper cells, both B and T cells gave strong blastogenic responses to AV fractions. Results of this study suggest that lymphocytes can respond to poorly mitogenic substances from bacteria if helper cell activity is provided by a second, unrelated lymphocyte stimulant.