cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Student Development of Information Literacy Skills during Problem-Based Organic Chemistry Laboratory Experiments

Problem-based learning methods support student learning of content as well as scientific skills. In the course of problem-based learning, students seek outside information related to the problem, and therefore, information literacy skills are practiced when problem-based learning is used. This work describes a mixed-methods approach to investigate the information seeking behavior of students in a problem-based organic chemistry laboratory course, when information literacy is not explicitly taught. Discourse analysis was used to analyze student audio recordings taped during problem solving sessions in order to explore the process by which students’ find and use outside sources of information during a set of problem-based learning activities. Student generated artifacts produced during problem solving were quantitatively transformed and used to evaluate the product of students’ searching processes. Evidence from both aspects of the study suggests that students do not demonstrate development of information l...
Pregnancy-associated serum antigens in the rat and mouse.

SummaryRabbits were hyperimmunized with late rat and mouse pregnancy serum. After thorough absorption of the antisera with nonpregnancy plasma of the same strains of animal, up to 4 pregnancy-associated serum antigens were revealed in both rat and mouse pregnancy sera by immunodiffusion methods. They were mostly species-specific, no cross-reactions being seen with human pregnancy-associated plasma proteins. Only a partial cross-reaction was found between one of the rat and mouse pregnancy antigens. The rat pregnancy-associated serum antigens were not detected 10 days after parturition, nor were they found in the serum of newborn rats.
Influence of Crystallite Size on Cation Conductivity in Faujasitic Zeolites

The influence of particle size on the ionic conductivity of ceramic materials is an active area of research, and novel effects are observed as particles approach the nanoscale in size. Zeolites are crystalline aluminosilicates with ion-exchangeable cations that are responsible for ionic conductivity at high temperatures. In this paper, we present systematic results for the first time of ionic conductivity in alkali metal ion-exchanged faujasitic zeolites with morphologies ranging from a zeolite membrane, micrometer-sized, submicrometer, and nanoparticles of zeolite. Using impedance spectroscopy in the range of 10 MHz to 0.1 Hz, we have obtained the activation energy (Eact) of cation motion with these various morphologies in the temperature range of 525–625 °C. Overall, the Eact decreases with Si/Al ratio. Surface modification of the zeolite particles was carried out with a silylating agent, which upon high temperature calcination should lead to the formation of a monolayer Si–O–Si film on the particle sur...
Temporality, sovereignty, and imperialism: When is imperialism?:

Scholars of modern imperialism have conventionally defined it in clear contrast against the ostensibly legitimate rule of the sovereign territorial state. From this conventional perspective, the th...
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in the United States: Updated Estimates of Women and Girls at Risk, 2012.

Objectives.In 1996, the U.S. Congress passed legislation making female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) illegal in the United States. CDC published the first estimates of the number of women and ...
Reproductive Responses to Economic Uncertainty: Fertility Decline in Post-Soviet Ust’-Avam, Siberia

In the face of economic and political changes following the end of the Soviet Union, total fertility rates fell significantly across the post-Soviet world. In this study we examine the dramatic fertility transition in one community in which the total fertility rate fell from approximately five children per woman before 1993 to just over one child per woman a decade later. We apply hypotheses derived from evolutionary ecology and demography to the question of fertility transition in the post-Soviet period, focusing on an indigenous community (Ust’-Avam) in the Taimyr Region, northern Russia. We employ a mixed parametric accelerated failure-time model that allows comparison of age at first birth, interbirth interval, and reproductive postponement or cessation prior to and following 1993. We find that short-term reproductive delay alone does not explain the dramatic drop in fertility in Ust’-Avam. Age at first birth remains constant. Interbirth intervals increase moderately. The estimated fraction of women who have ceased or indefinitely postponed reproducing doubles (for parities 2 through 4) or triples (for nulliparous women). We caution against assuming that environmental harshness necessarily leads to earlier and more rapid reproduction. An evolutionary theory of fertility responses to acute environmental shocks remains relatively undeveloped. In such contexts it is possible that selection favors a conservative reproductive strategy while more information is learned about the new environment. When investigating fertility responses to environmental stressors we suggest researchers examine postponement and stopping behavior in addition to changes in age at first birth and interbirth interval.
Plasma Deflection Test Setup for E-Sail Propulsion Concept

The Electronic Sail or E-Sail is a novel propulsion concept based on momentum exchange between fast solar wind protons and the plasma sheath of long positively charged conductors comprising the E-Sail. The effective sail area increases with decreasing plasma density allowing an E-Sail craft to continue to accelerate at predicted ranges well beyond the capabilities of existing electronic or chemical propulsion spacecraft. While negatively charged conductors in plasmas have been extensively studied and flown, the interaction between plasma and a positively charged conductor is not well studied. We present a plasma deflection test method using a differential ion flux probe (DIFP). The DIFP measures the angle and energy of incident ions. The plasma sheath around a charged body can measured by comparing the angular distribution of ions with and without a positively charged test body. These test results will be used to evaluate numerical calculations of expected thrust per unit length of conductor in the solar wind plasma. This work was supported by a NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship.
PDGFA Makes Thin Skin Thicker: Molecular Regulation of Adipose Progenitor Maintenance

Adipocyte progenitor proliferation and self-renewal contribute to adipose tissue maintenance; however, the regulatory circuits of these processes are less understood. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Rivera-Gonzalez et al. (2016) show that PDGFA, which acts through PI3K-Akt pathways, plays a vital role in the proliferation and maintenance of adipocyte progenitors in dermal adipose tissues.
Conductive transport through a mixed-matrix membrane

Conductive transport through an infinite homogeneous medium across a layer of finite thickness, a planar array of infinite cylinders, or a planar array of three-dimensional particles with arbitrary conductivity is considered as a model of mixed-matrix membrane separation. The boundary distribution of the transported scalar field on the interior side of the layer, cylinders, or particles is proportional to that on the exterior side according to a linear sorption/desorption kinetics law, while the conductive flux is continuous across the interface. In the case of cylinders and particles, the solution of Laplace’s equation for the transported field is represented by an interfacial distribution of point sources expressed in terms of the periodic Green’s function of Laplace’s equation in two dimensions or the doubly periodic Green’s function of Laplace’s equation in three dimensions. Analytical solutions for small circular cylinders and small spherical particles are derived based on the integral representation, and numerical solution of integral equations arising from the interfacial conditions are computed by boundary-element methods. The results document the displacement of the linear profile of the transported field far from the interfacial layer or array with respect to that prevailing in the absence of membrane. Expressions for the effective diffusivity of the mixed-matrix membrane are derived.
Experimental and Computational Studies of the Reactions of N and O Atoms with Small Heterocyclic Anions.

The existence of heterocyclic aromatic anions in extraterrestrial environments, such as the upper atmosphere of Titan, has been recently confirmed by data from the Cassini spacecraft. Nitrogen and oxygen atoms are also common species in the ionospheres of planets and moons and in the interstellar medium. In the current work, we extend previous studies to explore the reactivity of five-membered ring aromatic anions that contain nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur (deprotonated pyrrole, furan, and thiophene) with N and O atoms both experimentally and computationally. Furanide and thiophenide anions react with the N atom by associative electron detachment (AED). All three anions react with the O atom both by AED and by processes that form ionic products. The reaction of pyrrolide anion with the O atom generates only one ionic product C4H3NO–, corresponding to an O addition and H loss process. The corresponding process is observed as the major channel for the reaction of furanide anion with the O atom while other ion...
Toucan — A Translator for Communication Tolerant MPI Applications

We discuss early results with Toucan, a source-to-source translatorthat automatically restructures C/C++ MPI applications tooverlap communication with computation. We co-designed thetranslator and runtime system to enable dynamic, dependence-drivenexecution of MPI applications, and require only a modest amount ofprogrammer annotation. Co-design was essential to realizingoverlap through dynamic code block reordering and avoiding the limitations of static code relocation and inlining. We demonstrate that Toucan hides significantcommunication in four representative applications running on up to 24Kcores of NERSC's Edison platform. Using Toucan, we have hidden from 33% to 85% of the communication overhead, with performance meeting or exceeding that of painstakingly hand-written overlap variants.
Notes on Narrative as Medium and a Media Ecology Approach to the Study of Storytelling

Storytelling, as a distinctively human characteristic, is a product of our capacity for language and symbolic communication. Just as language is considered a medium within the field of media ecology, so too can narrative be understood as a medium of communication, as well as a kind of language, and as a fundamentally social phenomenon. As a medium, narrative interacts with and is modified by other media, undergoing significant change as it is expressed through oral tradition, dramatic performance, written documents, and audiovisual media. In particular, major changes in the nature of character and plot accompany the shift from orality to literacy, and writing and especially printing make possible new forms of tragedy as opposed to comedy, prose as opposed to poetry, and fiction as opposed to nonfiction. Storytelling continues to mutate through the introduction of new media, with increasingly greater emphasis on narrative as an environment, especially one associated with social interaction and gaming.
Towards First Rate - Ideas

Recently, my 21 year old son and I returned to California to visit my father, sister and extended Shinagawa clan during the winter holiday season. Three months earlier, my mother had passed away after several years of illness fighting off the twin demons of tuberculosis and pneumonia. My father was recovering slowly from the loss of my mother and my sister was doing her best to keep up his spirits. During the illness and after my mother9s passage, a reverend of the local Japanese American Buddhist church helped enormously with the pain, sense of loss, and the need to let go. My father and sister were so impressed with the compassion and dedication of this reverend that they resolved to attend the Buddhist church services from there on out.
Examining Students’ Algebraic Thinking in a Curricular Context: A Longitudinal Study

This chapter highlights findings from the LieCal Project, a longitudinal project in which we investigated the effects of a Standards-based middle school mathematics curriculum (CMP) on students’ algebraic development and compared them to the effects of other middle school mathematics curricula (non-CMP). We found that the CMP curriculum takes a functional approach to the teaching of algebra while non-CMP curricula take a structural approach. The teachers who used the CMP curriculum emphasized conceptual understanding more than did those who used the non-CMP curricula. On the other hand, the teachers who used non-CMP curricula emphasized procedural knowledge more than did those who used the CMP curriculum. When we examined the development of students’ algebraic thinking related to representing situations, equation solving, and making generalizations, we found that CMP students had a significantly higher growth rate on representing-situations tasks than did non-CMP students, but both CMP and non-CMP students had an almost identical growth in their ability to solve equations. We also found that CMP students demonstrated greater generalization abilities than did non-CMP students over the three middle school years.
Mehrdimensionale Suche ohne Nebenbedingungen

Wir wollen nun eine mehrdimensionale Suche organisieren, ohne auf Ableitungen zuruckgreifen zu mussen.
Improving maternal-infant bonding after prenatal diagnosis of CHD.

BACKGROUND Infants with prenatally diagnosed CHD are at high risk for adverse outcomes owing to multiple physiologic and psychosocial factors. Lack of immediate physical postnatal contact because of rapid initiation of medical therapy impairs maternal-infant bonding. On the basis of expected physiology, maternal-infant bonding may be safe for select cardiac diagnoses. METHODS This is a single-centre study to assess safety of maternal-infant bonding in prenatal CHD. RESULTS In total, 157 fetuses with prenatally diagnosed CHD were reviewed. On the basis of cardiac diagnosis, 91 fetuses (58%) were prenatally approved for bonding and successfully bonded, 38 fetuses (24%) were prenatally approved but deemed not suitable for bonding at delivery, and 28 (18%) were not prenatally approved to bond. There were no complications attributable to bonding. Those who successfully bonded were larger in weight (3.26 versus 2.6 kg, p<0.001) and at later gestation (39 versus 38 weeks, p<0.001). Those unsuccessful at bonding were more likely to have been delivered via Caesarean section (74 versus 49%, p=0.011) and have additional non-cardiac diagnoses (53 versus 29%, p=0.014). There was no significant difference regarding the need for cardiac intervention before hospital discharge. Infants who bonded had shorter hospital (7 versus 26 days, p=0.02) and ICU lengths of stay (5 versus 23 days, p=0.002) and higher survival (98 versus 76%, p<0.001). CONCLUSION Fetal echocardiography combined with a structured bonding programme can permit mothers and infants with select types of CHD to successfully bond before ICU admission and intervention.
Towards Fully Mobile 3D Face, Body, and Environment Capture Using Only Head-worn Cameras

We propose a new approach for 3D reconstruction of dynamic indoor and outdoor scenes in everyday environments, leveraging only cameras worn by a user. This approach allows 3D reconstruction of experiences at any location and virtual tours from anywhere. The key innovation of the proposed ego-centric reconstruction system is to capture the wearer's body pose and facial expression from near-body views, e.g. cameras on the user's glasses, and to capture the surrounding environment using outward-facing views. The main challenge of the ego-centric reconstruction, however, is the poor coverage of the near-body views – that is, the user's body and face are observed from vantage points that are convenient for wear but inconvenient for capture. To overcome these challenges, we propose a parametric-model-based approach to user motion estimation. This approach utilizes convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for near-view body pose estimation, and we introduce a CNN-based approach for facial expression estimation that combines audio and video. For each time-point during capture, the intermediate model-based reconstructions from these systems are used to re-target a high-fidelity pre-scanned model of the user. We demonstrate that the proposed self-sufficient, head-worn capture system is capable of reconstructing the wearer's movements and their surrounding environment in both indoor and outdoor situations without any additional views. As a proof of concept, we show how the resulting 3D-plus-time reconstruction can be immersively experienced within a virtual reality system (e.g., the HTC Vive). We expect that the size of the proposed egocentric capture-and-reconstruction system will eventually be reduced to fit within future AR glasses, and will be widely useful for immersive 3D telepresence, virtual tours, and general use-anywhere 3D content creation.
Abstract 116: Independent Prognostic Value of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy, Radial Access, and Door-to-Balloon Time in Predicting STEMI In-Hospital Mortality

Background: Systems-based strategies to improve STEMI care have traditionally focused on improving door to balloon time (D2BT) performance. However, prompt guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT)...
NIMG-06. KINETICS-BASED RESPONSE METRIC DISCRIMINATE IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS RECEIVING BEVACIZUMAB-BASED THERAPIES

INTRODUCTION Evaluating treatment response in glioblastoma is a difficult task for clinicians, particularly in recurrent disease. Current response metrics focus on changes in imageable tumor burden which can be ambiguously affected by anti-angiogenic therapy. In previous work, we reported the ability of the Days Gained (DG) response metric to discriminate patients receiving bevacizumab into long and short-term survival groups. In this work, we investigate how the DG metric performs for patients who received bevacizumab with a concurrent cytotoxic agent (e.g. CCNU) compared to patients who received bevacizumab alone.
Security and Privacy Issues in Contemporary Consumer Electronics [Energy and Security]

The advancements in consumer electronics (CE) in a variety of domains offer consumers new systems aimed at providing assistance, efficiency, comfort, connectivity, entertainment, and safety. Although CE provides new capabilities, services, and conveniences to consumers, it also brings new challenges. In particular, security and privacy issues emerging from these systems-including collecting sensitive patient data through medical equipment to location privacy concerns in personal devices-are critical.
A Longitudinal Underserved Community Curriculum for Family Medicine Residents.

Background and objectives Postgraduate education in cultural competence and community health is a key strategy for eliminating health disparities in underserved populations. Evidence suggests that an experiential, rather than knowledge-based approach equips physicians with practical and effective communication tools that generalize to a greater diversity of patients and cultures. However, there is limited data about the efficacy of a longitudinal, experiential residency curriculum. This study details the results of a longitudinal underserved community curriculum for family medicine residents training in a federally qualified health center. Methods All residents in the first 5 years of a new residency participated in a longitudinal curriculum of workshops and seminars focused on social determinants of health and cultural competency for underserved patients. Pre- and postcurriculum surveys assessed knowledge gain. Self-reported Likert scale ratings assessed attitudes and confidence related to underserved care. Results Pre/post learning evaluations after each seminar documented average knowledge increase of 31.0% and 28.8%, respectively. At the end of the 3-year curriculum, 81.8% of residents reported confidence in their ability to incorporate culturally relevant information into a treatment plan and 57.1% of residents reported feeling very aware of obstacles faced by underserved populations seeking health care and of the relationship between sociocultural background, health, and medicine. Conclusions A longitudinal, experiential curriculum in underserved community health and cultural competence can improve resident knowledge and attitudes with respect to health disparities and delivering health care to diverse patient populations.
“I Question America…. Is This America?” Learning to View the Civil Rights Movement through an Intersectional Lens

This qualitative case study investigates how two preservice elementary teachers crafted narratives of Black women in the Civil Rights Movement using an intersectional lens. Using Black feminism and...
Blood Pressure Variability and Age-related Blood Pressure Patterns in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective Despite the high prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) disease among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the relationship between age, blood pressure (BP), and BP variability (BPV) is not well understood. We studied visit-to-visit BPV, its relationship to age, clinical, and demographic characteristics, and its potential role as a CV risk factor in patients with SLE. Methods We analyzed systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) measures in our cohort using mixed-effects regression models. From these models, we then obtained estimates of the mean BP, the visit-to-visit SD, and the between-person SD. The estimated means were compared to the general population using data from the National Health Statistics Reports from 2001 to 2008. In addition, we examined the relationship between BP (means, variances), patient demographic and clinical characteristics, and subsequent CV events. Results The mean SBP in SLE increased with age and was significantly higher in younger patients compared to the general population. BPV in SLE was elevated across all ages. BPV was significantly higher in African Americans, in patients with traditional CV risk factors, those with high disease activity, and in patients taking prednisone. Hydroxychloroquine was associated with significantly lower BPV. Within-person variability in DBP of ≥ 9 mmHg was highly associated with CV events in a multivariate analysis. Conclusion Age-related BP patterns in SLE differ from the general population. Increased visit-to-visit BPV is affected by many disease-specific and traditional CV factors. Increased DBP variability is highly associated with CV events in SLE.
What the HEC-C? An Analysis of the Healthcare Ethics Consultant-Certified Program: One Year in

Efforts to professionalize the field of bioethics have led to the development of the Healthcare Ethics Consultant-Certified (HEC-C) Program intended to credential practicing healthcare ethics consultants (HCECs). Our team of professional ethicists participated in the inaugural process to support the professionalization efforts and inform our views on the value of this credential from the perspective of ethics consultants. In this paper, we explore the history that has led to this certification process, and evaluate the ability of the HEC-C Program to meet the goals it has set forth for HCECs. We describe the benefits and weaknesses of the program and offer constructive feedback on how the process might be strengthened, as well as share our team's experience in preparing for the exam.
Assessing the risk of seizures with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine therapy for COVID-19 in persons with epilepsy.

Abstract Background The goal of this systematic review is to assess the published literature for seizure risk with chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine therapy in persons with and without epilepsy. With the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a desperate need for treatment against the SARS CoV-2 virus. Chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine is one proposed medication that has received substantial public attention. However, the package insert states that these medications may provoke seizures in patients with epilepsy, and this has resulted in increased questions and anxiety in the epilepsy community. Methods PubMed (1970 to March 27, 2020) and the Embase (1970 to March 27, 2020) were searched with the terms chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine and seizure or epilepsy, convulsions, or status epilepticus. Selected studies were reviewed, and the adverse drug reaction was classified. Results Only eleven out of 31 studies were deemed eligible for systematic analysis. For chloroquine, eligible studies were- one prospective study(n = 109), two case series(n = 6), and six case reports. The dose of chloroquine ranged between 100−500 mg/day, except in one patient with a seizure, who was after taking 1000 mg. For hydroxychloroquine, there was one prospective observational study(n = 631) and one case report. The clinical trials failed to find any significant relation between seizures and chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine. Conclusion Although the package insert describes an increased risk of seizure, the systematic review highlights that such a statement is not supported by class I evidence. Clinicians, therefore, need to understand that data regarding this specific topic is limited to case series and case reports. There is no substantial evidence to suggest that these medications can increase seizure risk.
Repurposing apparel: A guided process for sustainable design education

The goal of this study was to explore educational strategies to teach repurposing, in the apparel design classroom guided by the gold standard project-based learning (GSPBL) model. The researchers ...
Factors to consider when designing effective learning: Infusing computational thinking in mathematics to support thinking-doing

This study examined what factors might have a positive impact on students’ learning outcomes in mathematical understanding and computational thinking skills. Specifically, whether the proposed inst...
From ESPN to Instagram LIVE: The Evolution of Fan-Athlete Interaction Amid the Coronavirus

With sporting events canceled and Safer at Home orders in place, both athletes and sports fans have a void to fill Consequently, social media use by both parties has increased Athletes have become more active and interactive online, which may serve to strengthen parasocial relationships between them and their fans These connections could develop to the extent that the line between parasocial relationship and friendship is blurred Will stronger ties between athletes and fans be a by-product of COVID-19? In this editorial, the author builds an argument for the plausibility of this result by linking published studies regarding sports fandom and parasocial relationships to current trends in athletes' use of social media The author then raises questions regarding the future of sports fandom, which can be assessed once athletics resume To conclude, the author offers practical recommendations to sports organizations coming out of COVID-19-related suspensions
Statistical Recognition of Laser-Structured Linear Features

Surface structuring by laser processing is a key technology enabler for a wide range of surface functionalization applications. Statistical recognition of linear geometrical features produced on initially rough surfaces is developed and applied demonstrating reliable analysis of microstructures.
The Impact of an Accountability Intervention with Diagnostic Feedback: Evidence from Mexico

In 2009, the Mexican state of Colima implemented a low-stakes accountability intervention with diagnostic feedback among 108 public primary schools with the lowest test scores in the national student assessment. A difference-in-difference and a regression discontinuity design are used to identify the effects of the intervention on learning outcomes. The two alternative strategies consistently show that the intervention increased test scores by 0.12 standard deviations only a few months after the program was launched. When students, teachers, and parents in a school know that their scores are low, and this triggers a process of self-evaluation and analysis, the process itself may lead to an improvement in learning outcomes. Information on quality, without punitive measures but within a supportive and collaborative environment, appears to be sufficient to improve learning outcomes.
External fixation increases complications following surgical treatment of multiple ligament knee injuries.

The purpose of this study was to review post-operative complications after surgical intervention of MLKIs within the first 6 months to be better able to counsel patients before surgical intervention. All patients who underwent surgical reconstruction for a MLKI at one institution from 2009 to 2018 were included in this study. A retrospective review was performed of all patients and post-operative complications were recorded, including motion loss (which included > 10 degree flexion loss or > 3 degree extension loss), hematoma formation, infection, iatrogenic vascular or nerve injury, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), skin lesions, symptomatic hardware, recurrent ligamentous laxity, and need for additional surgery. Knee ligament injuries were classified based on the Schenck Knee Dislocation (KD) Classification. A total of 136 patients were included in this study, 83 with KD I injuries, 40 with KD III injuries, 9 with KD IV injuries, and 4 with KD V injuries. Of these total patients, 48 (35.5%) sustained a post-operative complication: 11 out of 133 (8.3%) from 0 to 1 week, 46 out of 132 (34.8%) from 1 week to 1 month, 28 out of 124 (22.6%) from 1 to 3 months, and 26 out of 121 (21.5%) from 3 to 6 months. Out of the total complications, 99 (78.5%) occurred at 1 week–3 months post-operation. Patients who had an external fixator placed at initial injury were more likely to sustain a post-operative complication. The most common complication was motion loss in 39 (28.6%) patients. There was a significant difference in mean number of complications between the KD I and KD III groups, as well as the KD III and KD IV–V groups. There was no significant difference in the overall prevalence of post-operative complications or occurrence of motion loss with KD grade. The main finding of this study was 48 (35.5%) patients sustained a complication after surgical treatment of MLKIs, with 99 (78.5% of all complications) complications occurring at 1 week–3 months post-operation. Patients who had an external fixator placed at initial injury were more likely to sustain a post-operative complication. The most common post-operative complication was motion loss in 39 (28.6%) patients. The KD grade was not associated with post-operative development of motion loss, but KD III had a significantly greater mean number of complications than KD I or KD IV–V grades. IV.
Colorectal cancer adjuvant chemotherapy trends among a nonelderly veteran cohort at a southern veterans health administration.

BACKGROUND For patients with high-risk stage II or stage III colorectal cancer (CRC), adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) improves survival, yet use varies substantially across medical oncology settings. AIM Utilization of guideline concordant CRC AC was assessed at a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facility to determine quality improvement initiatives. METHODS AND RESULTS The study was a retrospective review of CRC surgeries from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2015 at a South Regional VHA. Inclusion criteria consisted of pathologic high-risk stage II or stage III CRC, with exclusion for age ≥80, age ≥75 hospitalized with major co-morbidity in the prior year, and death or discharge to hospice within 30 days of the index surgery. The primary predictor was year-group; partitioned 2000-2005, 2006-2010, 2011-2015 to account for changes in NCCN high risk stage II definitions. Primary outcome was AC receipt. Secondary outcome was reason for chemotherapy omission. Among 180 eligible surgeries (121 colon and 59 rectal cancers), patients were mostly male (96%), white (79%) and with median age 64 years. Overall, 117 (65%) received AC. Compared to 2000-2005, patients undergoing surgery between 2011 and 2015 were less likely to receive AC (odds ratio 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.14-0.82), due to more patients declining AC (27% vs. 6%, p < .01) in the NCCN eligible cohort (N = 180), and (32% vs. 8%, p < .01) in an analysis of patients who completed appointments and had AC recommended by providers (N = 146). CONCLUSIONS Survival benefitting AC decreased over time among a nonelderly Veteran cohort eligible for AC. Evaluating care decisions and trends within other VHA facilities and outside the VHA are warranted.
Return Commonality in Cross Listings: Evidence from Hong Kong ADRs

In a return commonality framework, the authors estimate portfolio betas associated with changes in returns of 15 Chinese ADRs and their underlying H-shares, where the portfolios denote hosts (NYSE and SHSE) and home (Hang Seng) markets, and their returns are common determinants of ADRs and H-shares returns. In addition, the authors test whether returns on ADRs and H-shares portfolios determine their component ADRs and H-shares returns. Using a quantile regression methodology, the authors estimate those betas for four sample quartiles. The authors’ results indicate an asymmetric impact of changes in portfolio returns on changes in ADR and H-share returns; further, the asymmetries are enhanced across return quartiles. The authors interpret the market impact on ADR and H-share returns as denoting investor sentiments.
Reduction of Neuroinflammation by δ-Opioids Via STAT3-Dependent Pathway in Chronic Glaucoma Model.

The main objective of this study was to determine the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and their associated signaling molecules by δ-opioid receptor activation by a selective ligand, SNC-121 in chronic rat glaucoma model. Intraocular pressure was raised in rat eyes by injecting 2M hypertonic saline into the limbal veins. SNC-121 (1 mg/kg; i.p) or Stattic (5 mg/kg; i.p) was administered in Brown Norway rats daily for 7 days. Retinas were collected at day 7, post injury. The changes in the cytokines mRNA and protein and posttranslational modifications (e.g., phosphorylation and acetylation of STAT3) were measured by quantitative RT-PCR, Western blotting, and Immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, Fas, IL-6, LIF, and IFN-γ was increased significantly in the retina of ocular hypertensive animals at day 7, post injury. Administration of SNC-121 (1 mg/kg; i.p. injection) for 7 days (once a day) completely inhibited the increase in the mRNA and protein expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Mechanistically, we provide data showing a significant increase in the phosphorylation of STAT3 at tyrosine 705 whereas a moderate but significant increase in the total STAT3 protein expression was also seen in the retina of ocular hypertensive animals. Data illustrated that SNC-121 administration completely abrogated ocular hypertension-induced increase in STAT3Y705 phosphorylation. Interestingly, acetylation of STAT3 at lysine 685 (AcK685) was also increased significantly by SNC-121 treatment in ocular hypertensive animals. Stattic, a selective STAT3 inhibitor, administration resulted in a complete attenuation in the production of IL-1β and IL-6 in ocular hypertensive animals whereas it had a marginal inhibitory effects on TNF-α and IFN-γ production. In conclusion, δ-opioid receptor activation suppressed the phosphorylation of STAT3 at tyrosine 705 and increased acetylation at lysine 686 and these posttranslational modifications can regulate the production of some but not all pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to glaucomatous injury.
Las reglas “democráticas” y las implicaciones antidemocráticas. Selección de candidatos presidenciales en el pan y el prd para las elecciones de 2006

Mexico’s Partido Accion Nacional (pan) and Partido de la Revolucion Democra­tica (prd), like most parties, have opened most of their selection processes to broader participation —what some scholars term the “democratization” of candidate selection. After outlining the contours of their evolving rules, this article elucidates the internal politics surrounding presidential candidate selection in the pan and prd for the 2006 election. In addition to situating those selection processes in a broader trajectory of party development, it offers an explanation for the surprising performance of Felipe Calderon Hinojosa in the pan’s primary as well as the complicated politics through which Andres anuel Lopez Obrador arrived as the prd’s “candidate of unity.”
Einstein on Race and Racism Fred Jerome and Rodger Taylor

“My trip to this institution was on behalf of a worthwhile cause. There is separation of colored people from white people in the United States. That separation is not a disease of colored people. I...
Networked Robotic Cameras for Collaborative Observation of Natural Environments

Scientific study of animals in situ requires vigilant observation of detailed animal behavior over weeks or months. When animals live in remote and/or inhospitable locations, observation can be an arduous, expensive, dangerous, and lonely experience for scientists. Emerging advances in robot cameras, long-range wireless networking, and distributed sensors make feasible a new class of portable robotic “observatories” that can allow groups of scientists, via the internet, to remotely observe, record, and index detailed animal activity. As a shorthand for such an instrument, we propose the acronym CONE: Collaborative Observatory for Natural Environments.
Hydrodynamic characterization of vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors extracted from rat lung membranes in Triton X-100 and n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside.

Rat lung membrane vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors were covalently labeled with 125I-VIP, extracted in Triton X-100 and n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside, and analyzed by gel filtration and sucrose density gradient sedimentation. The fractions were characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography, and the identity of the 125I-VIP.receptor complex was demonstrated by its co-migration with the covalently labeled 55-kDa receptor unit identified previously. Furthermore, the radioactivity in the peak corresponding to the 125I-VIP.receptor complex was displaced in the presence of unlabeled VIP in a dose-dependent manner. The following hydrodynamic properties were determined for VIP receptors in each detergent solution: in Triton X-100, Stokes radius of 6.1 +/- 0.4 nm, sedimentation coefficient (S20,w) of 7.35 +/- 0.45 S, and partial specific volume (v) of 0.809 +/- 0.015 ml/g; in n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside, Stokes radius of 5.6 +/- 0.00 nm, S20,w of 10.87 +/- 0.22 S, and partial specific volume of 0.783 +/- 0.020 ml/g. The apparent molecular weight of the 125I-VIP.receptor.detergent complex was calculated as 270,000 +/- 36,000 in Triton X-100 and 320,000 +/- 32,000 in n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside. The amount of detergent bound to the receptor was estimated by using the two sets of hydrodynamic data and the significantly different partial specific volumes of the two detergents. Thus, the molecular weight of the receptor alone was calculated as 54,600 daltons, indicating that approximately 3.9 g of Triton X-100 and 4.9 g of n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside were bound per g of receptor. This species contained the 55-kDa binding unit and appeared to be glycosylated as evidenced by its specific binding to wheat germ agglutinin-Sepharose. These results indicate that the rat lung VIP receptor is a glycoprotein with a single polypeptide chain of 55 kDa. The large amount of detergent bound suggests that the receptor is extensively embedded in the membrane.
Acquisition of Pronominal Clitics in Romanian

En aquest article presentem evidencia nova a partir d’experiments de produccio elicitada per establir que en romanes els nens no ometen ni clitics d’objecte directe ni d’objecte indirecte en quantitats significatives. Els resultats aportats per als objectes indirectes son especialment significatius perque, per primera vegada, es possible de demostrar la similaritat entre l’adquisicio de clitics d’objecte directe i d’objecte indirecte en romanes i, podriem argumentar, en altres llengues que son semblants al romanes en els aspectes rellevants. A mes, els nostres resultats poden rebre una explicacio natural si suposem que hi ha dues condicions que han de donar-se perque els nens produeixin clitics. Primer, les gramatiques infantils no han d’estar constrenyides per cap restriccio gramatical pertinent, com ara la Restriccio de Verificacio Unica (Wexler 1998, 2003). Segon, els nens han de ser capacos de produir sequencies de l’allargada requerida per les construccions amb clitic.
Shear modulus of TaS3.

We have measured the effective shear modulus of orthorhombic Ta${\mathrm{S}}_{3}$ by incorporating the sample in a torsional pendulum. In the charge-density-wave (CDW) state, the shear modulus gradually decreases by \ensuremath{\sim}20% with voltage as the CDW becomes depinned, and the internal friction increases to \ensuremath{\sim}0.01. These results suggest that interchange coupling is severely affected by CDW motion.
A diagnostic approach to the pruritic horse

Summary Pruritus is a common complaint in equine medicine. While pruritus in most horses is due to ectoparasites (midges, flies, mites) or environmental allergens (pollens, barn dust, moulds, etc.), other causes such as staphylococcal or fungal infections, vasculitis, and internal organ dysfunction should not be overlooked. In a rational approach to the pruritic horse, history and physical examination become very important as a guide to choosing diagnostic tests.
Two-Dimensional Exponential Infiltration Equations

Physical two-dimensional infiltration equations expressed in exponential form were developed based upon the four time intervals derived in an earlier study for one-dimensional infiltration. Assumptions that the loci of the wetting pattern for the two-dimensional infiltration are half-ellipses, and that their vertical and horizontal flow components can be described as one-dimensional infiltration. The developed equations were checked by laboratory experiments using the soil-box method at two (“dry” and “wetter”) soil-moisture levels. These experiments were conducted at the two controlled soil-moisture levels using aa clay-loam as a soil medium. For the dry soil moisture level, the computed and the measured infiltration rates were considered in good agreement (-1% - 11%). However, in the wetter soil-moisture level, the computed infiltration rates were smaller, by as much as -56%, than the measured infiltration rates until 150 minutes of the infiltration time. The former were as much as 14% larger than the latter, ranging from 150 min. - 330 min. of the infiltration time. The results, in general, show good agreement in both soil samples considering only the arithmetic differences between the measured infiltration rates and the computed ones. The assumptions made in the derivation of the two-dimensional infiltration equations were found to be responsible to some extent. However, the discrepancy warrants further investigations and a table of experimental data is provided for such further work.
Case studies of vision-based motion planning for robot interception tasks

This paper describes two case studies of motion planning that uses a space called Perceptual Control Surface (PCS) introduced previously as a basis for visually controlling a robot manipulator. The motion planning problems discussed here are limited to dynamic robot hand positioning for interception tasks. Using this approach, a motion planning problem can be regarded as finding a path in robot's PCS which satisfies certain criteria. Qualitatively different tasks correspond to different type of paths in the PCS. These correspondences are discussed and techniques to find these different paths are outlined. >
Evaluation of Trinder's Glucose Oxidase Method for Measuring Glucose in Serum and Urine

Trinder's method for glucose has nearly all the attributes of an ideal automated colorimetric glucose oxidase procedure. The chemicals used in the color reaction with peroxidase are readily available, the solutions are stable and can be prepared by the user, the method is highly specific and largely free of interferences, the sensitivity can be adjusted by the user to cover a wide range of glucose concentrations, and the reagents are not hazardous. We found very good agreement between results by this method and by the hexokinase and Beckman Glucose Analyzer methods. The method has been modified and adapted to the AutoAnalyzer I and SMA 6/60 (Technicon) with manifolds that give very little interaction between specimens. A study of the method by the simplex technique revealed that the glucose oxidase activity in the reagent is the most critical variable.
Self-selective formation of organic masks for methane/hydrogen reactive ion etching of InP

It is demonstrated that the polymer byproduct of methane/hydrogen RIE (reactive ion etching) can be used advantageously in forming thin, yet durable etch masks. The thin masking layers are consistent with high-resolution pattern transfer, and are made possible by the etch chemistry itself. A 1000 AA mask can be used to delineate features microns deep in InP. They are particularly useful in in situ processes, such as the metal protection process, where the films are not subjected to the atmosphere until the etch is complete. Although the surface cleaning was sufficient to obtain a patterned etch, the polymer film eventually peeled. In any case, these polymer masks can easily be removed in an oxygen plasma without adversely affecting device materials or structures. >
Immunodominant-Peptide Recognition: Beta Testing TCRαβ

Summary In this issue, Ishizuka et al. (2008) define human T cell-receptor recognition of an immunodominant influenza A matrix peptide bound to human leukocyte antigen HLA-A ∗ 0201 in atomic detail, raising provocative questions about β chain function.
The role of culture and community in frontier prairie farming

Abstract Frederick Jackson Turner described the American frontier as the great democratizer, a place where people from diverse backgrounds came together, shook off the shackles of their former cultures and blended into the American nation. Detailed study of nineteenth-century rural settlement in the Upper Middle West reveals a more complex picture. A marked spatial clustering of groups from the same country, province and even parish is readily observed. Often these groups were bound together in a close-knit community through the agency of a common church. This paper traces through four decades the farming behaviour and economic fortunes of several such groups who settled on the prairie of Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. The findings indicate that the ethnic community, especially where it consisted of people from a relatively restricted district in the old country, did help to make the frontier experience of its people rather different from that of their neighbours.
Effect of Precipitation Temperature, pH and Agitation on the Acid Reactivity of Aluminum Hydroxycarbonate Gel

AbstractA completely randomized 23-factorial design study of the precipitation of aluminum hydroxycarbonate gel by the reaction of aluminum chloride with sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate showed that the precipitation temperature and end-point pH were significant in terms of the rate of acid neutralization at the 0.01 level and that stirring speed was significant at the 0.05 level. No significant interactions occurred between the parameters. The most reactive gels were precipitated at 25°, pH 6.5 and either 15 or 500 rpm. After aging for 105 days at 25° these gels exhibited a twelvefold greater rate of acid neutralization than the least reactive gel which was precipitated at 4°, pH 5.8 and 15 rpm. The results are analyzed in terms of the effect of each parameter on the particle size and structure of aluminum hydroxycarbonate gel