cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distance learning, virtual classrooms, and teaching pedagogy in the Internet environment

The Internet and distance learning have created a new business and a new teaching pedagogy. The purpose of this paper is to show how data communication technologies have affected distance learning and pedagogy,and help teachers and students in virtual classrooms. In particular,the paper addresses the history of distance learning,current issues,the federal government’s role,and four specific areas of improvement: curricula change,new patterns of interaction,changes in organizational structures,and the roles and activities of participants in both business and academic distance-learning environments. # 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Low Complexity Image Quality Measures for Dietary Assessment Using Mobile Devices

Many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, can be related to diet. Hence, the need to accurately measure diet becomes imperative. We are developing image analysis tools for the identification and quantification of foods consumed at a meal. Our system relies on a single meal image from the user for doing food identification and quantity estimation. Therefore, it is very important to assist the user in acquiring a good quality image by providing immediate feedback about the image quality. This paper presents low complexity image quality measures which are deployed on handheld mobile devices.
Synthesis of CdSe quantum dots with luminescence in the violet region of the solar spectrum

We have designed a simple, one-step synthesis of CdSe quantum dots with photoluminescence frequencies ranging from the red through to the violet region of the solar spectrum. The photoluminescence peaks have FWHM of 30 nm indicating absorption over a narrow range of wavelengths. The effect of solvent type and solvent boiling point on the physical and photoluminescence properties of the quantum dots has been studied. High boiling point, non-polar solvents shift the photoluminescence peak to longer wavelengths and low boiling point, polar solvents shift the photoluminescence peak to shorter wavelengths. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chemical composition of Apollo 14 soils 14163 and 14259

Apollo 14 lunar soils chemical element concentrations by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and isotope dilution
Neutrino masses and family replication

The issue of whether or not there is any link between the smallness of the neutrino mass (if present) and the odd or even nature of the number of families is investigated. It is found that, by assuming the existence of right-handed neutrinos (which would imply that neutrinos will have a mass) and a new chiral SU(2) gauge theory, a constraint on the nature of the number of families can be obtained. In addition, a model, based on that extra SU(2), is constructed where it is plausible to have one {open_quotes}very heavy{close_quotes} fourth neutrino and three almost degenerate light neutrinos whose masses are all of the Dirac type. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Null result for enhanced neutrino scattering in crystals.

Weber (Phys. Rev. C 31, 1468 (1985); Phys. Rev. D 38, 32 (1988)) has reported the results of several experiments that suggest a total neutrino scattering rate proportional to the square of the number of atoms in a perfect crystal. A solar neutrino experiment with improved sensitivity has given a null result for scattering of that kind.
Lower bound for sparse Euclidean spanners

Given a one-dimensional graph G such that any two consecutive nodes are unit distance away, and such that the minimum number of links between any two nodes (the diameter of G) is O(log n), we prove an Ω(n log n/log log n) lower bound on the sum of lengths of all the edges (i.e., the weight of G). The problem is a variant of the widely studied partial sum problem. This in turn provides a lower bound on Euclidean spanner graphs with small diameter and low weight, showing that the upper bound from [1] is almost tight.
cDNA-derived amino acid sequences of choriocarcinoma α- and β-subunits of human choriogonadotropin

Abstract Although amino acid sequences of the α- and β-subunits of human choriogonadotropin (hCG) are known, only limited information is available on the disease state hCG. We have examined the amino acid sequences of the α- and β-subunits of hCG from choriocarcinoma BeWo cells. The amino acid sequences were derived from the nucleotide sequences of BeWo cDNA clones of hCGα- and β-subunits and were found to be identical with those of the normal subunits. It appears that the differences between the normal and the choriocarcinoma α- and β-subunits of hCG reside primarily in the carbohydrates rather than the amino acid sequences. It may be pointed out that although coding and non-coding regions of BeWo cDNA clones of CGα and CGβ had several base changes from the hCGα and hCGβ cDNAs, these changes did not result in the alteration of their amino acid sequences. The longest BeWo α and β cDNAs were 719 and 878 base pairs (bp) in length and lacked only 16 and 7 bp from the transcription start sites respectively. BeWo CGα cDNA had two base changes in the non-coding regions, one insertion of C at position 39 and another substitution of T for A at position 651, the latter change deleted one Hin dIII polymorphous site. The BeWo CGβ cDNA also had two base substitutions, A for G at 131 in the non-coding region and T for C at 807 position in the coding region.
FOOLING YOURSELF WITH CROSS‐VALIDATION: SINGLE SAMPLE DESIGNS

The most commonly used cross-validation design involves drawing a single sample and partitioning that sample into derivation and holdout subsamples. This type of design allows one to adjust for random sampling error, but like formula estimates of cross-validity, is insensitive to violations of sampling assumptions. As is shown in a small Monte Carlo study, results obtained in non-representative samples, which are known to be invalid in the population, will nonetheless hold up well under cross-validation when single-sample designs are employed. It is suggested that single-sample cross-validation estimates possess no clear-cut advantages over formula estimates, and thus are not worth the effort or the loss of degrees of freedom.
On the frozen flux velocity field at the surface of earth's core necessary to account for the poloidal main magnetic field and its secular variation

Abstract An expression for the inviscid horizontal velocity field at the surface of the Earth's core necessary to account for the poloidal main magnetic field and its secular variation seen at the Earth's surface is derived for an insulating mantle in the limit of infinite core conductivity. The starting point of derivation is Ohm's law rather than the magnetohydrodynamic induction equation. Maps of the resulting motion for epoch 1965.0 at different truncation levels are presented and discussed.
Orientational specificity of Raman scattering from molecules adsorbed on silver electrodes

Abstract Surface enhanced Raman (SER) spectra of 2-, 3-, and 4-cyanopyridine (2-, 3-, and 4-CP) adsorbed on silver electrodes suggest that the surface enhancement cross section of the CN stretching vibration is strongly dependent upon the orientation of the CN group with respect to the electrode surface.
Effect of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors on the binding of nicotinic α4β2 receptor PET radiotracer, 18F‐nifene: A measure of acetylcholine competition

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEI's) are used to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the putative mode of action is to increase acetylcholine (ACh) levels. Our goal is to evaluate competition of ACh with nicotinic α4β2 receptor PET agonist radiotracer, 2-[18F]fluoro-3-[2-((S)-3-pyrrolinyl)methoxy]pyridine (18F-nifene). This ability to measure ACh-18F-nifene competition may have potential to assess efficacy of AChEI's in vivo. In vitro studies in rat brain slices used two AChEI's, physostigmine (PHY) and galanthamine (GAL). Brain slices were incubated with 18F-nifene and various concentrations of PHY (0.2–20 μM) or GAL (0.4–4 μM) prior to 18F-nifene treatment. For ACh competition, slices were also incubated with PHY + 100 nM ACh or GAL + 100 nM ACh or 100 nM ACh alone. Nonspecific binding of 18F-nifene was determined using 300 μM nicotine. In the in vitro rat brain homogenate binding assay, ACh inhibited 3H-cytisine binding to α4β2 receptors with Ki values of 19.2 nM (with PHY) and 34.7 μM (no PHY) indicating ∼1.8 × 103 weaker binding of ACh in the absence of AChEI. Binding of 18F-nifene was not affected by PHY (0.2–20 μM) or ACh 100 nM alone but decreased substantially by PHY + ACh 100 nM in all brain regions (down by >40% of control in thalamus). Similarly, for GAL (4 μM) no effect on 18F-nifene binding occurred but GAL (0.4–4 μM) + ACh 100 nM showed a reduction of 18F-nifene binding in all brain regions (down by ∼15%). The reduction in both cases is a result of ACh competition with 18F-nifene in the presence of AChEI. These preliminary in vitro results suggest that ACh is able to compete with 18F-nifene at the α4β2 receptors in the presence of PHY or GAL. The effect is AChEI-concentration dependent and is greater for PHY than GAL. Thus 18F-nifene has promise for assessing ACh levels and AChEI effects in vivo. Synapse 61:29–36, 2007. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Growth of The Endocrine Society Journals

The Endocrine Society was organized in 1917 by a pioneering band of 300 charter members for “the advancement, promulgation, and exchange of knowledge regarding the internal secretions.” This was to be accomplished via annual meetings and publication of a journal (1). The enterprise has been highly successful. The Endocrine Society, its annual meetings, and its journal publication activities have expanded exponentially since 1917. Society membership in 1990 reached 6333 active members, and annual meeting attendance in 1990 was 4200 persons. The first journal, Endocrinology, contained 568 pages in its 1917 inaugural year and has grown progressively in yearly pages published to 6472 pages in 1990. In 1952 the Society began publication of a second journal, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM). The JCEM included 1020 pages in 1952 and has grown in yearly published pages to 3494 pages in 1990. Correcting these 1990 page values for a 20% increase in page size (to 8½ by 11 inches in 1979) t...
Action of plasmin on oxidized bovine growth hormone

Abstract Fragmentation of performic acid-oxidized bovine pituitary growth hormone with plasmin has been investigated. It was found that not all tryptic-sensitive bonds were cleaved by plasmin, and that most of the peptide fragments from plasmin digest were derived from the carboxyl terminal portion of the bovine growth hormone molecule.
Self-esteem among Jamaican children: Exploring the impact of skin color and rural/urban residence

Abstract This study investigates the extent to which two different models predict the relation of self-esteem to skin color and rural/urban residence among Jamaican children. To explain this relation, Crocker and Major's Self-protective hypothesis and Harter's Additive model were examined among 200 African–Caribbean children from rural ( n = 85) and urban ( n = 115) elementary schools in eastern Jamaica. Support was found for both of these models. Specifically, the Self-protective hypothesis predicted higher self-esteem among rural children and the Additive model predicted higher self-esteem among older children for whom self-identification and ideal self skin color were both White. Implications for Jamaican children are discussed followed by potential application to other children of African descent.
Flexible Functional Form Estimation of Willingness to Pay Using Dichotomous Choice Data

Abstract This paper introduces fully flexible (semi-nonparametric) methods for calculating willingness to pay (WTP) bounded between zero and the respondent's income for dichotomous choice contingent valuation. A method to estimate median WTP using fully flexible functional forms is also presented. Finally, the numerical illustration demonstrates the importance of considering Jensen's Inequality in calculating WTP with nonlinear models.
Self calibrating wavelength multiplexed heterodyne interferometer for angstrom precision measurements

Measurement of refractive index, surface quality and temperature of the process materials in defense, petrochemical, power systems, glass, and metal industries is a fundamental need for precision systems performance. However, making these measurements in a super noisy defense or industrial environment is a big challenge faced by sensor technologies. Reported in this paper is the first ever demonstration of a wavelength multiplexed heterodyne interferometer using a single acousto-optic device (AOD). Heterodyne interferometry is pivotal in realizing a highly stable low noise interferometer. Inspite of the physical separation of the two arms of the interferometer, the sensor demonstrates Angstrom level optical path length sensitivity. The proposed sensor can be used in optical path length measurement-based sensing of parameters such as surface profile, refractive index, temperature, and pressure. Proof-of-concept experiment features a high resolution, low-loss, ultra compact, free space scanning interferometer implementation. Results include measurement of surface quality of a test mirror.
Effects of smoked marijuana in healthy and HIV + marijuana smokers.

This article presents data from two avenues of marijuana research. First, the author shows that daily marijuana smoking in healthy individuals produces dependence, as demonstrated by withdrawal symptoms such as increased irritability and depression and decreased food intake. In addition, two antidepressant medications were evaluated to assess their potential effectiveness in the treatment of marijuana withdrawal symptoms: (1) sustained-release bupropion (0, 300 mg/day) and (2) nefazodone (0, 450 mg/day). Research participants were regular marijuana smokers who lived in a residential laboratory in groups of two to four. While in patients, participants smoked active marijuana (2.8%-3,1% THC) repeatedly for 4 days, followed by 8 to 12 days of placebo marijuana (0.0% THC). Results show that during marijuana abstinence, (1) bupropion increased ratings of irritabilits, depression, and stomach pain and decreased food intake and sleep quality compared to placebo maintenance, and (2) nefazodone decreased anxiety during marijuana withdrawal but did not alter ratings of irritability and misery. Thus, neither medication showed promise as potential treatments for symptoms of marijuana withdrawal. The second avenue of research focused on the effect of cannabinoids in individuals with muscle mass loss, an indicator of wasting in HIV illness. Given that there are little scientific data contributing to the debates concerning medical marijuana, this study directly compared the effects of oral Δ 9 -THC (0, 10, 20, 30 mg PO) to smoked marijuana (0.0%, 1.8%, 2.8%, 3.9% THC) in HIV+ marijuana smokers with muscle mass loss (< 90% body cell mass/height). Multiple dimensions of human behavior were measured, including food intake, mood, and cognitive performance. Drugs were administered using a within-subject, double-blind, staggered, double-dummy design. Participants were free to self-select from a variety of foods throughout most of the session. Preliminary data (n = 9) suggest that oral THC was more effective at increasing food intake, but the volunteers liked the effects of smoked marijuana more than the effects of oral THC.
The toxigenic element of Clostridium difficile strain VPI 10463

The toxigenic element of Clostridium difficile strain VPI 10463 is identified by establishing boundaries between toxigenic sequences and those sequences shared by nontoxigenic and toxigenic strains. The toxigenic element is chromosomal, 19.6 kb in length, and comprised of five open reading frames which include the toxin A and B genes. Four of the open reading frames are contiguous and are transcribed in the same direction. The fifth is downstream from the others and oriented in the opposite direction. One of the open reading frames, located 5′ to the toxin B gene, is previously unknown. Both upstream (5′) and downstream (3′) boundaries for the toxigenic element were examined in six toxigenic strains which vary considerably in toxigenicity to determine if there were variations among their respective toxigenic elements. The toxigenic element is highly conserved in these six strains. In the three nontoxigenic strains examined, a short fragment (127 bp) occupies the same chromosomal location as the large 19.6 kb toxigenic element.
Oncogenic RAS Induces Accelerated Transition through G2/M and Promotes Defects in the G2 DNA Damage and Mitotic Spindle Checkpoints

Activating mutations of RAS are prevalent in thyroid follicular neoplasms, which commonly have chromosomal losses and gains. In thyroid cells, acute expression of HRAS(V12) increases the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities within one or two cell cycles, suggesting that RAS oncoproteins may interfere with cell cycle checkpoints required for maintenance of a stable genome. To explore this, PCCL3 thyroid cells with conditional expression of HRAS(V12) or HRAS(V12) effector mutants were presynchronized at the G(1)/S boundary, followed by activation of expression of RAS mutants and release from the cell cycle block. Expression of HRAS(V12) accelerated the G(2)/M phase by approximately 4 h and promoted bypass of the G(2) DNA damage and mitotic spindle checkpoints. Accelerated passage through G(2)/M and bypass of the G(2) DNA damage checkpoint, but not bypass of the mitotic spindle checkpoint, required activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). However, selective activation of the MAPK pathway was not sufficient to disrupt the G(2) DNA damage checkpoint, because cells arrested appropriately in G(2) despite conditional expression of HRAS(V12,S35) or BRAF(V600E). By contrast to the MAPK requirement for radiation-induced G(2) arrest, RAS-induced bypass of the mitotic spindle checkpoint was not prevented by pretreatment with MEK inhibitors. These data support a direct role for the MAPK pathway in control of G(2) progression and regulation of the G(2) DNA damage checkpoint. We propose that oncogenic RAS activation may predispose cells to genomic instability through both MAPK-dependent and independent pathways that affect critical checkpoints in G(2)/M.
Tree-based identification of subgroups for time-varying covariate survival data

Classification and regression tree analyses identify subsets of a sample that differ on an outcome. Discrimination of subsets is performed using recursive binary splitting on a set of covariates, allowing for interactions of variable subgroups not easily captured in standard model building techniques. Using classification and regression tree with epidemiological data can be problematic as there is often a need to adjust for potential confounders and to account for time-varying covariates in the context of right-censored survival data. While classification and regression tree variations exist individually for survival analysis, time-varying covariates and incorporating possible confounders, examples of classification and regression tree using all three together are lacking. We propose a method to identify subsets of time-varying covariate risk factors that affect survival while adjusting for possible confounders. The technique is demonstrated on data from the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes clinical trial to find combinations of modifiable time-varying cardiac risk factors (e.g. smoking status, blood pressure, lipid levels and HbA1c level) that are associated with time-to-event clinical outcomes.
YqhC regulates transcription of the adjacent Escherichia coli genes yqhD and dkgA that are involved in furfural tolerance

Previous results have demonstrated that the silencing of adjacent genes encoding NADPH-dependent furfural oxidoreductases (yqhD dkgA) is responsible for increased furfural tolerance in an E. coli strain EMFR9 [Miller et al., Appl Environ Microbiol 75:4315–4323, 2009]. This gene silencing is now reported to result from the spontaneous insertion of an IS10 into the coding region of yqhC, an upstream gene. YqhC shares homology with transcriptional regulators belonging to the AraC/XylS family and was shown to act as a positive regulator of the adjacent operon encoding YqhD and DkgA. Regulation was demonstrated by constructing a chromosomal deletion of yqhC, a firefly luciferase reporter plasmid for yqhC, and by a direct comparison of furfural resistance and NADPH-dependent furfural reductase activity. Closely related bacteria contain yqhC, yqhD, and dkgA orthologs in the same arrangement as in E. coli LY180. Orthologs of yqhC are also present in more distantly related Gram-negative bacteria. Disruption of yqhC offers a useful approach to increase furfural tolerance in bacteria.
Developing and Improving After-School Programs to Enhance Youth's Personal Growth and Adjustment: A Special Issue of AJCP

Participating in after-school programs (ASPs) has become a common experience for children. This special issue provides a perspective on the current status of research on ASPs. This introductory article overviews the historical and current context of ASPs and then describes a developmental ecological model to guide research in this area. The model offers a framework from which to organize and synthesize the research presented in this issue. Key principles include a holistic view of development that recognizes interrelations between multiple domains of youth adjustment, attention to multiple, relevant factors within and outside of youth that affect development, examining the dynamic interplay between persons, program features, and other contexts over time, and understanding the active role of youth in affecting their own development. These principles are examined in relation to five main areas: youth characteristics, social ecologies, program features, participation, and short- and long-term outcomes. Recommendations for future research are discussed.
Soluble expression and complex formation of proteins required for HCMV DNA replication using the SFV expression system.

Abstract Several of the viral proteins required for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA replication have been difficult to study due to their low abundance in infected cells and low solubility in bacterial or insect-cell expression systems. Therefore we used the Semliki Forest virus expression system to express these proteins in mammalian cells. All of the recombinant proteins were soluble, on the basis of ultracentrifugation properties and their ability to be immunoprecipitated from solution with specific antibodies. Pulse-chase analysis of the 86-kDa major immediate-early protein (IE86) revealed two expressed forms—a precursor and a product—indicating that this recombinant protein, like the native HCMV protein, is posttranslationally processed. The recombinant proteins (polymerase core and accessory as well as the IE86 and pUL84) formed stable complexes similar to those known to form in HCMV-infected cells. The recombinant DNA polymerase holoenzyme also exhibited enzyme activity that was phosphonoformic acid sensitive, as is the infected-cell DNA polymerase activity. This expression system offers many advantages for the expression and study of the HCMV replication proteins, including the expression of soluble, active proteins that are able to interact to form complexes. Additionally, the relative ease with which SFV recombinants can be made lends itself to the construction and evaluation of mutants.
Promoting access to the general curriculum by teaching self-determination skills

Although participation and progress in the general curriculum is mandated for all students, models to achieve such access often neglect students with more severe disabilities. Promoting self-determination linked to standards is an entry point to ensuring access to the general curriculum for all students, including students with severe disabilities. In this study, middle school students with intellectual disabilities alternately learned problem-solving and study planning skills linked to language arts, science, and social studies standards. Students in both intervention groups showed significantly more capacity on the targeted skill as compared to the alternating control group, and all students achieved goals at better than average levels. Promoting self-determination provides students with disabilities with additional strategies to access the general curriculum.
The Field of Culture: The Standards as a Model for Teaching Culture

The article discusses reconceiving language learning within a more consistent educational framework which teaches language and culture in tandem. Language study in postsecondary education is talked about. The article details and promotes the use of the national project of the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Language known as "Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century." The author explains that the standards place individual communication within the media, pragmatic, and sociocultural norms of a culture.
Orthopedic pitfalls in the ED: Lunate and perilunate injuries

Occult dislocations at and around the lunate can accompany wrist trauma. When left unrecognized and untreated, these injuries lead to a high incidence of long-term functional disability and chronic pain. Emergency medicine practitioners need to be vigilant for both lunate and perilunate dislocations. This review article examines the clinical presentation, diagnostic techniques, and management options applicable to the emergency practitioner.
Real‐time computed tomography‐based augmented reality for natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery navigation

Background: Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is technically challenging owing to endoscopic short-sighted visualization, excessive scope flexibility and lack of adequate instrumentation. Augmented reality may overcome these difficulties. This study tested whether an image registration system for NOTES procedures (IR-NOTES) can facilitate navigation. Methods: In three human cadavers 15 intra-abdominal organs were targeted endoscopically with and without IR-NOTES via both transgastric and transcolonic routes, by three endoscopists with different levels of expertise. Ease of navigation was evaluated objectively by kinematic analysis, and navigation complexity was determined by creating an organ access complexity score based on the same data. Results: Without IR-NOTES, 21 (11·7 per cent) of 180 targets were not reached (expert endoscopist 3, advanced 7, intermediate 11), compared with one (1 per cent) of 90 with IR-NOTES (intermediate endoscopist) (P = 0·002). Endoscope movements were significantly less complex in eight of the 15 listed organs when using IR-NOTES. The most complex areas to access were the pelvis and left upper quadrant, independently of the access route. The most difficult organs to access were the spleen (5 failed attempts; 3 of 7 kinematic variables significantly improved) and rectum (4 failed attempts; 5 of 7 kinematic variables significantly improved). The time needed to access the rectum through a transgastric approach was 206·3 s without and 54·9 s with IR-NOTES (P = 0·027). Conclusion: The IR-NOTES system enhanced both navigation efficacy and ease of intra-abdominal NOTES exploration for operators of all levels. The system rendered some organs accessible to non-expert operators, thereby reducing one impediment to NOTES procedures. Copyright © 2012 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What should blog search look like

Blog search has not yet reached its full potential. In this position paper, we suggest that more could be done to accommodate the task of finding good blogs to read, especially with respect to matching a desired taste or style of writing. We propose a faceted navigation interface as a good starting point for blog and author search, and that search oriented around people and their writings will lend itself well to advanced interfaces. We also argue that blog search is probably best integrated with search on other forms of timely social media for the task of determining what is currently being thought about a particular topic.
Experimental program analysis: a new program analysis paradigm

Program analysis techniques are used by software engineers to deduce and infer characteristics of software systems. Recent research has suggested that a new form of program analysis technique can be created by incorporating characteristics of experimentation into analyses. This paper reports the results of research exploring this suggestion. Building on principles and methodologies underlying the use of experimentation in other fields, we provide descriptive and operational definitions of experimental program analysis, illustrate them by example, and describe several differences between experimental program analysis and experimentation in other fields. We show how the use of an experimental program analysis paradigm can help researchers identify limitations of analysis techniques, improve existing experimental program analysis techniques, and create new experimental program analysis techniques.
La voz gringa: Latino stylization of linguistic (in)authenticity as social critique:

Through discourse analysis of a transcribed conversation in a southern California Mexican restaurant, I identify a discursive practice in which Latina/os mock a white woman’s pronunciation of Spanish. Specifically, I examine how participants call attention to linguistic features associated with whiteness in her pronunciation of puto, a pejorative Spanish slang term used to refer to gay men, similar to the use of ‘faggot’ in American English. By using Valley-Girl-esque phonology (Eckert, 2000; Fought, 2006; Goodwin and Alim, 2010), higher pitch, and politeness formulas, participants draw on linguistic correlates intricately tied to ideologies of whiteness. I call this practice la voz gringa, and show how its use simultaneously calls into question multiple social identities, disrupts the dominant sociolinguistic ordering of white Mainstream English with respect to Latina/o language, and challenges racial/ethnic power dynamics between whites and Latina/os.
Analysis of slot loaded microstrip antenna using moment method

The moment-method solution to the problem of a microstrip antenna loaded with a thin, inclined slot is presented. The generalized Thevenin and Norton theorems are used to represent the loaded patch by a two-port hybrid network. The exact electric and magnetic dyadic Green's functions are used to determine the parameters of the equivalent network of the loaded patch. Numerical results are presented. >
Impacts of woodchip biochar additions on greenhouse gas production and sorption/degradation of two herbicides in a Minnesota soil.

A potential abatement to increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is the use of pyrolysis to convert vegetative biomass into a more stable form of carbon (biochar) that could then be applied to the soil. However, the impacts of pyrolysis biochar on the soil system need to be assessed before initiating large scale biochar applications to agricultural fields. We compared CO2 respiration, nitrous oxide (N2O) production, methane (CH4) oxidation and herbicide retention and transformation through laboratory incubations at field capacity in a Minnesota soil (Waukegan silt loam) with and without added biochar. CO2 originating from the biochar needs to be subtracted from the soil–biochar combination in order to elucidate the impact of biochar on soil respiration. After this correction, biochar amendments reduced CO2 production for all amendment levels tested (2, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 60% w/w; corresponding to 24–720 t ha � 1 field application rates). In addition, biochar additions suppressed N2O production at all levels. However, these reductions were only significant at biochar amendment levels >20% w/w. Biochar additions also significantly suppressed ambient CH4 oxidation at all levels compared to unamended soil. The addition of biochar (5% w/w) to soil increased the sorption of atrazine and acetochlor compared to non-amended soils, resulting in decreased dissipation rates of these herbicides. The recalcitrance of the biochar suggests that it could be a viable carbon sequestration strategy, and might provide substantial
Design of a uniactuated bimanual haptic interface

This paper describes design considerations for adding nondominant hand interaction to a one-handed haptic interface. One implementation is described and contrasted to existing systems. We revisit the concept of indexing to move the virtual world relative to the real one and present several means of indexing that can be applied to a two-handed system. Two new hybrid modes of indexing are described and tested by novice users. Preliminary results suggest that users prefer one of the two hybrid modes over traditional modes.
Exploiting Transport-Level Characteristics of Spam

We present a spam detection technique that relies on neither content nor reputation analysis. Instead, this work investigates the discriminatory power of the email TCP packet stream. From a corpus of packet flows and their corresponding messages, we extract per-email transport-layer features. While legitimate mail traffic is well-behaved, we observe small congestion windows, retransmissions, loss and large latencies in spam flows. To identify the most selective flow properties, thereby adapting to different networks and users, we build “SpamFlow.” On our data, SpamFlow achieves greater than 90% classification accuracy while correctly identifying 78% of the false negatives from a popular content filter. By capitalizing on spam’s fundamental requirement to source large quantities of mail, often from resource constrained hosts and networks, SpamFlow promises a unique and difficult-to-subvert complement to existing spam defenses.
On-line ACLS preparation, ED case studies, and interactive patient simulations

Abstract Editor's note: This is the second in a periodic review of Internet sites researched by Robin Walsh. Look for future columns by Robin and share them with friends and co-workers. We invite readers to share sites they have found helpful with other readers.
Comparison of Standing Balance Parameters Between Rolling Walker Users and Potential Rolling Walker Users: A Pilot Study

To identify differences in balance parameters between older actual rolling walker (RW) users and potential RW users, 26 mentally intact older individuals (13 RW users and 13 potential RW users) par...
Diffusion-Tensor MRI Based Skeletal Muscle Fiber Tracking

A skeletal muscle’s function is strongly influenced by the internal organization and geometric properties of its fibers, a property known as muscle architecture. Diffusion-tensor MRI-based fiber tracking provides a powerful tool for noninvasive muscle architecture studies, has 3D sensitivity and uses a fixed frame of reference. Significant advances have been made in muscle fiber tracking technology, including defining seed points for fiber tracking, quantitatively characterizing muscle architecture, implementing denoising procedures, and testing validity and repeatability. Some examples exist of how these data can be integrated with those from other advanced MRI and computational methods to provide novel insights into muscle function. Perspectives are offered regarding future directions in muscle diffusion-tensor imaging, including needs to develop an improved understanding for the microstructural basis for reduced and anisotropic diffusion, establish the best practices for data acquisition and analysis, ...
Lithium-Drifted Germanium for Charged Particle Spectroscopy

The Michigan State University Cyclotron Laboratory has undertaken a program of develoning lithium-drifted germanium for hiphresolution charged particle soectroscopy. The charged particle spnectroscopy has been concerned with reactions leading to protons, deuterons, and tritons in the energy range of 25 to 90 MeV. The emphasis of this program has been two-fold in that both the response of the detector and the packaging of the detector are considered. The side-entrv geometry Ge(Li) detector was shown to be capable of 60 keV (FWHM) with 40-MeV protons. The major limitation in the resolution for this geometry is attributed to a non-uniform window (3-12?) on the surface of the detector. The electrodes of a side entry detector were segmented and a single crystal ?E - E counter telescope was achieved. The best resolution was achieved with a thin-window surface barrier Ge(Li) detector and measured to be 34 keV (FWHM) for 40 MeV protons. A "thin" slit was used and shown to give cleaner spectra over a limited range in excitation energy. A peak to valley ratio of 5000:1 was obtained using this thin slit. The proton radiation damage of Ge(Li) was studied at 40 MeV and shown to be an appreciable problem bv 1010 protons/cm2.
Architecture and Communication of an Electric Vehicle Virtual Power Plant

This paper outlines an architectue of an electric vehicle (EV) based vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integrating virtual power plant (VPP). The overall system architecture, a sketch of the trip-prediction algorithm, and the associated optimization problem are provided. The communication requirements for our proposed architecture are derived, with emphasis on its reliabil- ity, responsiveness, security, and application-level behaviour. We propose extensive use of well- known, standardized, communica- tion protocols between EVs and the centralized VPP to transmit status and trip information from EVs to the VPP as well as to control the charging process.
Topic models for taxonomies

Concept taxonomies such as MeSH, the ACM Computing Classification System, and the NY Times Subject Headings are frequently used to help organize data. They typically consist of a set of concept names organized in a hierarchy. However, these names and structure are often not sufficient to fully capture the intended meaning of a taxonomy node, and particularly non-experts may have difficulty navigating and placing data into the taxonomy. This paper introduces two semi-supervised topic models that automatically augment a given taxonomy with many additional keywords by leveraging a corpus of multi-labeled documents. Our experiments show that users find the topics beneficial for taxonomy interpretation, substantially increasing their cataloging accuracy. Furthermore, the models provide a better information rate compared to Labeled LDA.
Genetic factors underlying prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in the USA. In the past decade, tremendous progress has been made in the identification and understanding of the genetic factors related to prostate cancer development. Unlike many other types of cancers, only a small fraction of prostate cancer cases are aggressive and life-threatening. The factors related to prostate cancer development and progression appear complex and diverse. This review summarises some of the important findings in the areas of genome and gene expression abnormalities in prostate cancer, and aims to provide a comprehensive view of new developments in these areas.
An Analysis of the Nonhydrostatic Dynamics in Numerically Simulated Antarctic Katabatic Flows

Abstract A series of two-dimensional numerical experiments was conducted in order to describe the role of nonhydrostatic dynamics in simple Antarctic katabatic flows. The results presented include a comparison of the thermodynamic and dynamic fields produced by hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic numerical simulations. The source of the differences in the simulations was diagnosed based on an analysis of the model equation tendencies as well as calculated components of the pressure gradient force. Over most of the terrain slope, the nonhydrostatic effects were found to be insensitive to the model horizontal resolution, for a grid spacing ranging from 5 to 100 km.
Wearables as Social Technology for Cognitive Enhancement

Understanding the quantified self is only the beginning of the potential for wearables until we have clarity on outcomes. Forbes Oste's research explores the social implications of increased awareness of self from the physiological to the psychosocial for the discreet wellness wearables user. Background Presenting oneself with full awareness and intention is far more difficult than in sounds. Engaging with others without the disruption of judgments, distraction, egos not to mention ones own body getting in the way can be equally challenging. Engagement can be fruitful for all involved with a certain degree of reciprocity, awareness of self, empathy and attention to the moment. This is referred to as social optimization (Forbes Oste, 2013); the building and maintaining of mutually effective and beneficial relationships. In a demanding world where relationships, networks and engagement are crucial to survival and success, how we show up in the moment can define our futures. Showing up in the moment, optimal presence: fully aware of and engaged with self and others, is often hindered. Technology is often used as the scapegoat for distraction. Addiction to social media and the devices themselves hinder presence (Clayton et al., 2015). Nonetheless one’s physiological challenges and general wellness cannot be ignored as potential factors. Some of the most notable disruptions to attention are sleep, fitness, chronic pain, mood, focus, stress, and posture. Understanding potential interventions to remove the physical hindrances can open new opportunity for greater social optimization.
Cucurbit Powdery Mildew in the USA

Fungicide resistance has been an issue with managing powdery mildew of cucurbit crops since resistance was detected to MBC fungicides. This was the first chemical class with resistance risk registered for this use and one of the first cases of resistance in the USA. The pathogen has developed resistance or reduced sensitivity to fungicide chemical classes registered subsequently following a few years of commercial use, first with DMIs, then QoIs, and next SDHIs. Resistance has been associated with failure to control powdery mildew with FRAC codes 1, 3, 7, and 11 fungicides. FRAC 1 and 11 fungicides are still labeled for this use, but are not recommended due to suspected widespread occurrence of resistance. FRAC 3 fungicides usually are effective when applied at high label dose. FRAC 7 fungicides usually are effective as well. Cross-resistance within chemical classes is the norm except that fluopyram is dissimilar from other SDHIs tested. Quinoxyfen and cyflufenamid, which were registered for this use in 2007 and 2012, respectively, are currently considered the most effective fungicides for managing cucurbit powdery mildew. They are recommended for use in alternation also including FRAC 3 and 7 fungicides. With four targeted chemistries to alternate among, farmers can implement a good program for managing powdery mildew and fungicide resistance. Pathogen sensitivity to fungicides is being determined with bioassays using seedlings for field populations and leaf disks for isolates. Challenges that resistance can impose on effectively managing a disease have been illustrated with cucurbit powdery mildew, arguably the most important pathosystem of a vegetable crop plagued by resistance.
A High-Throughput Screening Platform Targeting PDLIM5 for Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a complex disease with multiple etiologic factors. PDLIM5, a member of the Enigma subfamily of PDZ and LIM domain protein family, contains an N-terminal PDZ domain and three LIM domains at its C-terminus. We have previously shown that overexpression of PDLIM5 prevents hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH), and deletion of PDLIM5 in smooth muscle cells enhances hypoxia-induced PH in vivo. These results suggest that PDLIM5 may be a novel therapeutic target of PH. In this study, we aim to establish a high-throughput screening platform for PDLIM5-targeted drug discovery. We generated a stable mink lung epithelial cell line (MLEC) containing a transforming growth factor-β/Smad luciferase reporter with lentivirus-mediated suppression of PDLIM5 (MLEC-shPDLIM5) and measured levels of Smad2/3 and pSmad2/3. We found that in MLEC, suppression of PDLIM5 decreased Smad-dependent luciferase activity, Smad3, and pSmad3. We used MLEC-shPDLIM5 and a control cell line (MLEC-shCTL) to screen the Prestwick library (1200 compounds) and identified and validated paclitaxel as a PDLIM5 inhibitor in MLEC. Furthermore, we showed that paclitaxel inhibited Smad2 expression and Smad3 phosphorylation in A549 cells. Our study suggests that this system is robust and suitable for PDLIM5-targeted drug discovery.
The Status of the Ray-File Standard for LED Sources

Today, light source ray files are provided in different formats, making the process tedious and error prone. We report progress from an IESNA working group, which is creating a flexible, downward compatible standard file format.
Determining the Neutrality of Death-Qualified Juries Judicial Appraisal of Empirical Data*

*This article was written at the invitation of the Issue Editor. tStanford Law School, Stanford, California 94305 1391 U.S. 510 (1968). 2The studies that were presented to the court were Wilson (1964) and early, partial drafts of Zeisel (1968), and Goldberg (1970). These studies, as well as the other published research on death qualification, are reviewed elsewhere in this volume. (See Cowan, Thompson, and Ellsworth, 1984.)
The effect of age of analyst and reform of data on the results of focus groups with older persons

OF THE DISSERTATION THE EFFECT OF AGE OF ANALYST AND FORM OF DATA ON THE RESULTS OF FOCUS GROUPS WITH OLDER PERSONS by Marian Cherie Clark Florida International University, 1995 Miami, Florida Professor Mary J. Levitt, Major Professor Focus groups, a typical market research method used with young consumers, are currently being used with older consumers to identify the needs and desires of this potential market segment. Research suggests, however, that social interaction and risk taking behaviors may be different for older and younger persons. The current practice of using young persons to analyze and interpret the discussions of older focus group members may be a serious methodological error. To test this, twenty young men and women (age range 17-35), and twenty old men and women (age range 65-89) analyzed either videotapes or typed transcripts of focus group discussions held with older persons. It was hypothesized that older adults would analyze and interpret
Effect of a single free food presentation on extinction responding in a multiple schedule

The present study was designed to assess the effect of a single, response-independent food presentation on responding during extinction. Using a two-component multiple schedule, we examined differences in pigeons' extinction responding resulting from a single response-independent food presentation occurring at the beginning of the experimental session (30-s prior to the beginning of the first component). One component presented reinforcement according to a variable interval 45-s schedule and the second presented reinforcement according to a variable interval 180-s schedule. After establishing stable baseline responding we extinguished responding. We systematically manipulated the presence or absence of a single 3-s free food presentation using the food hopper that occurred 30-s prior to the presentation of the first component. We found the single free food presentation increased persistence of responding in extinction. This finding is inconsistent with behavioral momentum theory inasmuch as it assigns a response disruptive role to food presentations occurring outside of the context of the target operant.