cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cultivation Theory: Idea, Topical Fields, and Methodology

Cultivation is the research field that investigates relationships between media exposure (usually television) and beliefs about the world. Heavy viewers of television often hold beliefs that are congruent with what they experience on television. Cultivation has investigated media effects in relation to violence, sex role perceptions, political attitudes, and many other domains. The idea of mainstreaming suggests that heavy viewers, in subgroups that would otherwise differ, are more likely to hold similar conceptions about the world than light viewers. Despite the emergence of many new technologies and dramatic transformations in the TV industry, the theory and practice of cultivation analysis remain relevant in the changing media world. Keywords: cultivation; cultural indicators; mass communication theory; mass media; television
High School CS Teacher Certification: Standards, Assessments, and Professional Development (Abstract Only)

CS Education in primary and secondary schools has experienced a renaissance in the last few years as the CS for All initiative has gained traction across the nation. CS curricula abound and a new AP course, CS Principles, has been deployed that aims to broaden participation. Lack of consensus exists however in what constitutes a qualified CS teacher. A widely accepted and adopted modern certification/licensure process (CSTA 2013) must be developed. Professional development that can be rapidly scaled to build CS teacher capacity is required to realize the vision of CS for All across the nation. In this session we will engage state and national CS thought leaders to discuss the CS certification process, educator standards, and certification tests across various states to determine opportunities for future collaboration. What are the content standards that all beginning CS teachers must meet? What if any specific CS pedagogical topics need to be assessed? Applications today are built in teams and often deployed and distributed in the cloud. Are these topics too advanced for high school CS or should they be integral? How can professional development be designed to help teachers across multiple states meet certification standards? The existing standards from the ETS CS Certification test (Texas Education Agency, 2010) currently used in multiple states will serve as the baseline for group discussion and feedback.
Life Course Events and Network Composition

This chapter suggests that life course events create opportunities for contact with some new types of persons while reducing the accessibility of others, and thereby shape social networks. Examination of General Social Survey data on social networks and informal socializing activity offers considerable support for the perspective set forth. Family-related life course states, particularly marital status, shape contacts with relatives; entering the paid workforce raises the likelihood that confiding networks include workplace colleagues. Some competition across foci of activity is evident, as employed people appear somewhat less apt to draw their confidants from the family or the residential neighborhood, and likewise to have fewer social contacts with neighbors. Suggestive findings indicate that marriage and the presence of children may hold different implications for the social lives of wives/mothers and husbands/fathers.
3D Building Synthesis Based on Images and Affine Invariant Salient Features

In this paper, we introduce a method to synthesize and recognize buildings using a set of at least two 2D images taken from different views. Based on a coarse set of affine invariant salient feature points (corner points) on the images, a 3D high resolution building model is obtained in accordance with the observed images. Corresponding salient points are found using the ratio of triangle areas formed from a set of four consecutive ordered salient corresponding points that form two triangles. The order is obtained by finding the vertices of the convex hull of the salient points. The salient points are tessellated to form a high resolution triangular mesh with the appearance of a triangular patch in the image imported onto the personalized 3D model. With multiple images, all coordinates and appearance are reconstructed in accordance with the observed images. The 3D model reconstruction method allows for a 3D classification of a test building to one of many possible buildings stored in the database. The classification is based on a geometric 3D point cloud error. For buildings with very close 3D cloud errors, a further classification is achieved based on the mean squared error (MSE) on the appearance of corresponding points on the test and base models. Our method can also be used in localization when preloaded location information of each model in the database is stored, hence helping an observer navigate without a GPS system.
Introduction: What Counts as Math and Science?

Each of the four chapters in this section addresses, in different ways, the question of what counts as math or science. Three of the chapters are about math and one is about science. At first glance, this “what counts” question may seem a strange one because what counts as math or science would seem to be a fairly straightforward question to answer. The answer one might give is that math and science are things you learn in school and if you stay in school long enough, you may eventually do these things as a professional mathematician or scientist. This suggests a pretty straight line through school into professional life. It might seem to settle the question of what counts as math or science.
Flat Space: Fourier Analysis on {\mathbb{R}}^{m}

There was no time to waste. It’s possible to grasp alef-null-sized collections once you’re in your aethereal body…but you need some to look at. My job right now was to generate infinities.
Delivering Energy Conservation Education by Teleconference to People with Multiple Sclerosis

Fatigue is one of the most common and disabling symptoms reported by people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Teaching people with MS how to manage their fatigue using energy conservation strategies is an important role for occupational therapists (OTs). Typically, these strategies are taught face to face, either in groups or on a one-to-one basis. For some people with MS, traveling to a location for this education is difficult. Therefore, teleconference delivery can be a viable option.
Chikungunya-vesicular stomatitis chimeric virus targets and eliminates brain tumors

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) shows potential for targeting and killing cancer cells, but can be dangerous in the brain due to its neurotropic glycoprotein. Here we test a chimeric virus in which the VSV glycoprotein is replaced with the Chikungunya polyprotein E3-E2-6K-E1 (VSVΔG-CHIKV). Control mice with brain tumors survived a mean of 40 days after tumor implant. VSVΔG-CHIKV selectively infected and eliminated the tumor, and extended survival substantially in all tumor-bearing mice to over 100 days. VSVΔG-CHIKV also targeted intracranial primary patient derived melanoma xenografts. Virus injected into one melanoma spread to other melanomas within the same brain with little detectable infection of normal cells. Intravenous VSVΔG-CHIKV infected tumor cells but not normal tissue. In immunocompetent mice, VSVΔG-CHIKV selectively infected mouse melanoma cells within the brain. These data suggest VSVΔG-CHIKV can target and destroy brain tumors in multiple animal models without the neurotropism associated with the wild type VSV glycoprotein.
A phase I trial of pembrolizumab with hypofractionated radiotherapy in patients with metastatic solid tumours.

We conducted a phase I trial evaluating pembrolizumab+hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFRT) for patients with metastatic cancers. There were two strata (12 patients each): (i) NSCLC/melanoma progressing on prior anti-PD-1 therapy, (ii) other cancer types; anti-PD-1-naive. Patients received 6 cycles of pembrolizumab, starting 1 week before HFRT. Patients had ≥2 lesions; only one was irradiated (8 Gy × 3 for first half; 17 Gy × 1 for second half in each stratum) and the other(s) followed for response. Of the 24 patients, 20 (83%) had treatment-related adverse events (AEs) (all grade 1 or 2). There were eight grade 3 AEs, none treatment related. There were no dose-limiting toxicities or grade 4/5 AEs. Stratum 1: two patients (of 12) with progression on prior PD-1 blockade experienced prolonged responses (9.2 and 28.1 months). Stratum 2: one patient experienced a complete response and two had prolonged stable disease (7.4 and 7.0 months). Immune profiling demonstrated that anti-PD-1 therapy and radiation induced a consistent increase in the proliferation marker Ki67 in PD-1-expressing CD8 T cells. HFRT was well tolerated with pembrolizumab, and in some patients with metastatic NSCLC or melanoma, it reinvigorated a systemic response despite previous progression on anti-PD-1 therapy. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02303990 ( www.clinicaltrials.gov ).
Hopfions in a lattice dimer model

In this paper, we study the topological properties of a 3D lattice dimer model. We demonstrate that the dimer model on a bipartite lattice possesses topological defects, which are exactly characterized by the Hopf invariant. We derive its explicit algebraic expression in terms of the effective magnetic field of a dimer configuration. Thus we solve the problem of topological classification of possible states in a 3D lattice dimer model. Furthermore, since the lattice dimer model is known to be dual to spin ice, our work can be viewed as a proposal to search for hopfions in classical, as well as artificial spin ice and related materials.
The Urge to Purge: Forecasting Erdogan’s Political Survival Following the Failed Coup:

Drawing upon earlier research on the post failed coup survival of political leaders, we offer an ex ante in sample estimate of the likely political survival of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoga...
"I Avenge; Others Aggress": A Victim-Perpetrator Asymmetry in Judging Whether a Transgression Was Motivated by Revenge.

In two studies, victims differed from perpetrators as to whether they viewed a transgression as motivated by a desire for revenge. When participants wrote about autobiographical episodes in which t...
Modeling treatment events in disease progression

Ability to quantify and predict progression of a disease is fundamental for selecting an appropriate treatment. Many clinical metrics cannot be acquired frequently either because of their cost (e.g. MRI, gait analysis) or because they are inconvenient or harmful to a patient (e.g. biopsy, x-ray). In such scenarios, in order to estimate individual trajectories of disease progression, it is advantageous to leverage similarities between patients, i.e. the covariance of trajectories, and find a latent representation of progression. Most of existing methods for estimating trajectories do not account for events in-between observations, what dramatically decreases their adequacy for clinical practice. In this study, we develop a machine learning framework named Coordinatewise-Soft-Impute (CSI) for analyzing disease progression from sparse observations in the presence of confounding events. CSI is guaranteed to converge to the global minimum of the corresponding optimization problem. Experimental results also demonstrates the effectiveness of CSI using both simulated and real dataset.
The body as machine and the lived body in nursing

Abstract Background The Cartesian legacy is manifest in many modern-day nursing practices. Mind-body dualism dictates nursing practices and shapes our views of what constitutes appropriate patient care. However, the philosophy of Maurice Merleau-Ponty provides a method for a holistic understanding of human beings as integrated minds and bodies (lived bodies). Aim The aim of this manuscript is to inform nurses about the rich view of the body provided by Merleau-Ponty. Methods In this publication, the philosophies of Descartes and Merleau-Ponty are presented and methods by which nurses can practically apply Merleau-Ponty’s ideas about the lived body to their everyday practices are discussed. Findings When nurses consider the body as lived, priorities for nursing care change. Nurses are provided with many opportunities to treat patients as lived. Discussion While there are many ways that Cartesian dualism has a continued impact on patient care, nurses, armed with an understanding of the lived body, can reprioritise their goals for patient care and treat the whole patient instead of merely the illness itself. Conclusion Nurses caring for the entire being engage in ways to know their patients, help patients continue living life in spite of illness, and promote true healing.
CrowdLIM: Crowdsourcing to enable lifecycle infrastructure management

Abstract Changes occur gradually in a structure over its lifecycle. Periodic inspection of each structure is needed to prevent sudden failures and determine repair priorities. Human observation, the predominant mechanism for such assessments, is time-consuming and expensive, and often lacks consistency. Crowdsourcing provides a new opportunity to gather numerous photos of certain structures from various viewpoints and at frequent intervals, potentially enabling remote visual assessment. In this study, we exploit state-of-art computer vision techniques to streamline structural inspection and support lifecycle assessment by using visual data collected from ordinary citizens. One major inherent challenge in the use of such data is that they include a significant amount of irrelevant information because they are not captured intended for inspection purposes. To address this challenge, we develop an automated method to filter out unnecessary portions of the images and extract highly relevant regions-of-interest for reliable inspection. The technical approach is demonstrated using a regional landmark structure, the Bell Tower in the Purdue University in the United States. A large volume of images is collected in a crowdsourcing manner in six periods over two years. Then, the method successfully localizes the crowdsourcing images and extracts the image areas corresponding to three target inspection regions in the structure.
Siroheme synthase orients substrates for dehydrogenase and chelatase activities in a common active site.

Siroheme is the central cofactor in a conserved class of sulfite and nitrite reductases that catalyze the six-electron reduction of sulfite to sulfide and nitrite to ammonia. In Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, siroheme is produced by a trifunctional enzyme, siroheme synthase (CysG). A bifunctional active site that is distinct from its methyltransferase activity catalyzes the final two steps, NAD+-dependent dehydrogenation and iron chelation. How this active site performs such different chemistries is unknown. Here, we report the structures of CysG bound to precorrin-2, the initial substrate; sirohydrochlorin, the dehydrogenation product/chelation substrate; and a cobalt-sirohydrochlorin product. We identified binding poses for all three tetrapyrroles and tested the roles of specific amino acids in both activities to give insights into how a bifunctional active site catalyzes two different chemistries and acts as an iron-specific chelatase in the final step of siroheme synthesis. Siroheme is an essential bacterial iron tetrapyrrole used by siroheme-dependent sulfite and nitrite reductases. Here the authors shed light on the catalytic mechanisms of siroheme synthase through the structures of the bifunctional dehydrogenase/chelatase CysG module bound to its substrate, precorrin-2, the product/substrate sirohydrochlorin, and cobalt-sirohydrochlorin.
Chapter 2 – Animal-Assisted Interventions in Historical Perspective

This chapter provides a brief historical account of the various ways in which animals in general, and companion animals in particular, have been perceived as contributing to human mental and physical health.
Pediatric dermatology eConsults: Reduced wait times and dermatology office visits.

Background/objectives Store-and-forward teledermatology provides pediatricians with specialist guidance in managing skin disease. This study evaluates wait times and face-to-face (FTF) dermatology visit avoidance associated with a pediatric dermatology eConsult program at an urban academic medical center. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, electronic medical records were reviewed for patients under age 18 for whom a dermatology eConsult was completed between November 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017. Wait times for eConsult completion and initial FTF dermatology appointments were calculated and compared to average wait times for new patient dermatology office appointments from 2016 to 2017. Recommendations for FTF dermatology visits were assessed, along with FTF visit attendance and potential cost savings. Results One hundred eighty pediatric patients with 188 unrelated skin conditions ("cases") were referred to the program. Of 188 cases, FTF dermatology visits were recommended for 60 (31.9%). Actual FTF dermatology visit avoidance was 53.7% of total cases (n = 101 for whom FTF visit was not recommended and no dermatology visit occurred within 90 days after eConsult submission). The program generated potential savings of $24 059 ($9840 out-of-pocket) in 2016 dollars. Average turnaround for eConsult completion was 1.8 calendar days (median: 1 calendar day, target: 2 business days). Average wait time to initial FTF dermatology evaluation was 37.3 calendar days (versus 54.1 days for pediatric patients referred directly to dermatology clinic between 2016 and 2017). Conclusion Pediatric dermatology eConsults reduce wait times for specialist care, triage cases for in-office evaluation, reduce need for FTF dermatology visits, and offer potential cost savings for payers and patients.
Optical and structural properties of thin film amorphous oxides for photonic structures

Metal oxides, Ta 2 O 5 , HfO 2 and SiO 2 nanoceramics are used in photonic structures as they are transparent at wavelength between 0.3-5 µm. Extremely high optical quality thin films by ion beam sputtering are demonstrated for applications in multilayer interference coating structures.
Introduction to Bioinformatics

Recent advancements in technologies have led to the accumulation of a vast number of biological sequences and structures. However, storing and analyzing them are a grand challenge to biologists. Recently developed bioinformatic approaches serve as a key solution to solve these problems. Today, bioinformatics is used in various applications ranging from biofuel production to the drug discovery process. However, as most of the biological data and databases have distinct information and file formats, analyzing them requires knowledge from diverse fields, like molecular biology, mathematics, and computer sciences. Hence, the majority of the biologists end up using only basic bioinformatic tools. For solving complex biological problems, they continuously have to depend on expertise. Thus, there is an urgent requirement to teach biologists the necessary computer and mathematics skills during undergraduate and graduate studies. Even extensive initiatives also need to start to standardize the format of biological databases and ontology, which, in the near future, will help biologists to work independently and will make bioinformatics a more coherent discipline of biology.
Bureaucratic Effectiveness and Civil Rights Enforcement

This article compares federal, state, and local civil rights agencies’ effectiveness in enforcing the Fair Housing Act. Two factors primarily define effective enforcement: whether agencies’ conciliation efforts are more likely to lead to agreements between the parties involved in complaints and whether agencies are more likely to provide remedies to complainants in cases in which there is cause to believe discrimination occurred. The analysis shows that state and local agencies are generally more effective than the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) both at conciliating complaints and at providing remedies. HUD does appear to be more effective than state and local agencies in terms of the dollar amount of monetary relief awarded when successful conciliations occur, but HUD’s remedial effectiveness disappears after controlling for the likelihood of successful conciliations.
Are Women’S Apparel Retail Store Image Spaces Alike Across Life Cycle Lines: A Schonemann-Carroll-Lingoes Matrix Fit Application

This research is concerned with comparisons of women's apparel retail store image spaces. The basic question being asked is whether or not women from five different life cycle groups construct comparable image spaces as representations of the marketplace. A space fitting methodology using the basic work of Schonemann and Carroll (1970) with modifications by Lingoes (1973) is employed.
Nitric oxide regulation of superoxide and peroxynitrite-dependent lipid peroxidation. Formation of novel nitrogen-containing oxidized lipid derivatives.

Superoxide (O2-.), nitric oxide (.NO), and their reaction product peroxynitrite (ONOO-) have all been shown to independently exert toxic target molecule reactions. Because these reactive species are often generated in excess during diverse inflammatory and other pathologic circumstances, we assessed the influence of .NO on membrane lipid peroxidation induced by O2-., H2O2, and .OH derived from xanthine oxidase (XO) and by ONOO-. Experimental conditions in lipid oxidation systems were adjusted to yield different rates of delivery of .NO, relative to rates of O2-. and H2O2 generation, by infusion of either .NO or via .NO released from S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine or S-nitrosoglutathione. Peroxidation of phosphatidylcholine liposomes was assessed by formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive products and by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Liposomes exposed to XO-derived reactive species in the presence of .NO exhibited both stimulation and inhibition of lipid peroxidation, depending on the ratio of the rates of reactive oxygen species production and .NO introduction into reaction systems. Nitric oxide alone did not induce lipid peroxidation. Linolenic acid emulsions peroxidized by XO-derived reactive species showed similar dose-dependent regulation of lipid peroxidation by .NO. Mass spectral analysis of oxidation products showed formation of nitrito-, nitro-, nitrosoperoxo-, and/or nitrated lipid oxidation adducts, demonstrating that .NO serves as a potent terminator of radical chain propagation reactions. Electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis of incubation mixtures provided no evidence for formation of paramagnetic iron-lipid-nitric oxide complexes in reaction systems. Peroxynitrite-dependent lipid peroxidation, which predominantly occurs by metal-independent mechanisms, was also inhibited by .NO. Peroxynitrite-mediated benzoate hydroxylation was partially inhibited by .NO, inferring reaction between .NO and ONOOH. It is concluded that .NO can both stimulate O2-./H2O2/.OH-induced lipid oxidation and mediate oxidant-protective reactions in membranes at higher rates of .NO production, with the prooxidant versus antioxidant outcome critically dependent on relative concentrations of individual reactive species. Prooxidant reactions of .NO will occur after O2-. reaction with .NO to yield potent secondary oxidants such as ONOO- and the antioxidant effects of .NO a consequence of direct reaction with alkoxyl and peroxyl radical intermediates during lipid peroxidation, thus terminating lipid radical chain propagation reactions.
Statistical evaluations of results of testing methods to evaluate performance of chemical dispersants for oil spills

Crude and/or refined oil products accidentally released into coastal or oceanic waters will result in the formation of surface slicks that create hazards to sea life. Such releases can be mitigated by the use of chemical dispersants under appropriate conditions. However, the potential performance of these agents for dispersing oil in marine situations must be known prior to their use at spill sites. Therefore, reliable methods for evaluating and quantifying performance measurements for dispersants are necessary so that dispersant performance can be better estimated. An important component in any testing method of candidate dispersants (as well as other spill treating chemicals) is the precision associated with repeated measurements made with the method. This paper presents a statistical evaluation of results from tests that were conducted to evaluate the performance of different dispersants with a number of laboratory test methods. The overall test design for the study included three test methods, two to five test oils (depending on the method evaluated), three commercially available dispersants, and analytical measurements at three spectrophotometric wavelengths. The evaluation was conducted in support of the research program of EPA`s Releases Control Branch, Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory to support the EPA work group concerned with Subpart Jmore » (Dispersant Effectiveness and Toxicity) of the National Contingency Plan (NCP). A major goal of the parent study on which this work is based has been to estimate the variability or precision for repeated measurements with test methods and provide the best estimate of this precision for the proposed revision of Subpart J of the NCP for dispersant performance testing.« less
Organic anion-transporting ATPase of rat liver. I. Purification, photoaffinity labeling, and regulation by phosphorylation.

An ATP-dependent transport system specific for non-bile acid organic anions such as S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-glutathione is present in the canalicular plasma membrane of hepatocytes. It has been shown recently that transport of these anions by isolated hepatocytes is modulated by the activity of cellular protein kinase C (Roelofsen, H., Ottenhoff, R., Oude Elferink, R. P., and Jansen, P.L. (1991) Biochem. J. 278, 637-641, 1991). Using a series of affinity chromatography steps, we have purified to apparent homogeneity a 90-kDa glycoprotein which has S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)glutathione-dependent ATPase activity. As shown by binding to immobilized S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)glutathione and by photoaffinity labeling with 8-azido-ATP, the binding sites for organic anions and for ATP of the 90-kDa protein are interdependent, a behavior that is consistent with an ATP-dependent transport function. The ATP binding site has been further characterized using a fluorescent ATP analog. The 90-kDa protein was phosphorylated by protein kinase C, and the Vmax (but not the Km) of the S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)glutathione-dependent ATPase activity increased at least 2-fold upon phosphorylation. On the basis of its enzymatic properties, we propose that the 90-kDa protein is identical with the multispecific organic anion transporter (MOAT) of the hepatic canalicular plasma membrane. The size and oligosaccharide content of the 90-kDa protein indicate that it does not belong to the family of mammalian plasma membrane P-glycoproteins.
Autologous blood transfusion in pediatrics.

Public concern about the risk of transfusion-transmitted disease, especially acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, has resulted in unprecedented growth in autologous blood donation programs.1 In addition to eliminating transfusion-transmitted viral diseases, the use of autologous blood transfusion avoids the risk of sensitization to red blood cell antigens and subsequent antibody formation. Although there are many published studies that illustrate both the effectiveness and safety of such programs,2-4 there are comparatively few that specifically address the pediatric patient. Autologous transfusion is defined as the collection and reinfusion of a patient9s own blood. This may be accomplished by one of three modalities: (1) preoperative blood donation with subsequent blood bank storage and reinfusion during or following surgery; (2) acute normovolemic hemodilution, whereby blood is collected immediately preceding or following anesthetic induction and reinfused at the end of the surgical procedure; and (3) intraoperative and postoperative blood salvage, whereby blood shed into the operative field or enclosed space is collected, washed, and reinfused during or after surgery.
A Six Sigma program implementation

The author describes how the IBM Corporation integrated Six Sigma into its market-driven quality program and used it as a measuring tool and a yardstick for initiating and maintaining a process of continuous improvement. Problem areas, which can be technical issues or business concerns, are discussed. A Six Sigma approach requires the use of many key statistical and managerial tools in order to implement and monitor improvement plans. A brief description of some of these is given. It is pointed out that another key focus area-cycle time measurement and reduction-must be added to Six Sigma to fully implement a successful continuous improvement process. >
Pathogenesis of Borna disease in rats: evidence that intra-axonal spread is the major route for virus dissemination and the determinant for disease incubation.

Abstract Borna disease virus is an uncharacterized agent that causes sporadic but fatal neurological disease in horses and sheep in Europe. Studies of the infection in rats have shown that the agent has a strict tropism for neural tissues, in which it persists indefinitely. Inoculated rats developed encephalitis after an incubation period of 17 to 90 days. This report shows that the incubation period is the time required for transport of the agent in dendritic-axonal processes from the site of inoculation to the hippocampus. The immune responses to the agent had no effect on replication or transport of the virus. The neural conduit to the brain was proven by intranasal inoculation of virus that resulted in rapid transport of the agent via olfactory nerves to the hippocampus and in development of disease in 20 days. Virus inoculation into the feet resulted in spread along nerve fibers from neuron to neuron. There was sequential replication in neurons of the dorsal root ganglia adjacent to the lumbar spinal cord, the gracilis nucleus in the medulla, and pyramidal cells in the cerebral cortex, followed by infection of the hippocampal neurons and onset of disease. This progression required 50 to 60 days. The exclusiveness of the neural conduit was proven by failure to cause infection after injection of the virus intravenously or into the feet of neurectomized rats.
Combustion of Mechanically Alloyed Aluminum‐Magnesium Powders in Steam

Mechanically alloyed Al⋅Mg powders with the mole fraction of Al varied from 0.47 to 0.9 were burned at atmospheric pressure in water vapor. The powders were carried by nitrogen through the center of a hydrogen-oxygen diffusion flame. The particles ignited in the steam at approximately 2500 K, generated as the hydrogen-oxygen flame product. Filtered photomultiplier tubes were used to capture the optical emission traces of individual particles as they burned. It was assumed that the measured durations of individual emission pulses are representative of individual particle burn times. Distributions of the burn times were obtained for each powder and correlated with respective particle size distributions to relate particle burn times with their sizes. Color temperatures corresponding to the particle emission signals were also obtained. It was observed that the burn times measured for alloys were more close to those of pure Al than Mg; for particles smaller than 2–3 μm, burn times for the alloys were shorter than for pure metal particles. The effect was strongest for the alloy with 50 wt-% of Mg (Al0.47Mg0.54). Approximately, burn times, τ, as a function of particle size, d, could be estimated using a τ∼dn law, where n increased from 0.72 to 1.05 as the mole fraction of Mg increased from 0.1 to 0.53. The particle flame temperatures varied between 2500 and 3100 K for all alloys except for Al0.7Mg0.3, for which the temperatures were somewhat lower. The measured flame temperatures were reasonably close to the adiabatic flame temperatures calculated for combustion of mixed elemental Al and Mg in steam.
Measurement of health-related QOL in diabetes mellitus

A number of health-related QOL (HR-QOL) measures specifically designed for people with diabetes mellitus have appeared in the literature. This article provides a selective review of 12 measures that address this important construct. For each included study, a description of the measure and its development phase is provided, followed by discussion of sampling, reliability, validity and appropriateness for selected populations. Measures designed to investigate broad and specific conceptualisations of diabetes-specific QOL are included. For research in which a broad conceptualisation of diabetes-specific QOL is appropriate, the following measures are recommended: Diabetes-39, Diabetes Care Profile (DCP), Diabetes Impact Management Scales (DIMS), Diabetes Quality of Life (DQOL) and the Diabetes-Specific Quality of Life Scale (DSQOLS). For investigation of one or more specific aspects of diabetes-specific QOL, other measures may also be appropriate: single-scale questionnaires such as the Appraisal of Diabetes Scale (ADS) [stressful impact], Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL) [life without diabetes] and the Problem Areas in Diabetes scale (PAID) [diabetes-related distress]; the Diabetes Health Profile (DHP) which focuses on diabetes-related distress, activity and eating behaviour; the Questionnaire on Stress in Patients with Diabetes-Revised (QSDR) which has a primary focus on diabetes-related distress; and the Well-Being Enquiry for Diabetics (WED) which is primarily concerned with the perceptions of patients with diabetes in relation to mental health. Researchers selecting a diabetes-specific QOL measure should also carefully consider the conceptual underpinnings of the available instruments, as there is little uniformity in the definition and conceptualisation of HR-QOL. Based upon participants involved in questionnaire development and validation studies, those questionnaires that appear to be most appropriate for use with a variety of patient populations include the Diabetes-39, DIMS, Diabetes Quality of Life Clinical Trial Questionnaire — Revised (DQLCTQ-R), PAID and the QSD-R. The DCP and DHP appear to be especially relevant measures of HR-QOL for patients with type 2 diabetes, while the DQOL, DSQOLS and WED have clear emphases on concerns of individuals with type 1 diabetes. The length of the DQLCTQ-R may raise concerns about its use among some populations (e.g. older adults). Recommendations for future research include: (i) increasing the diversity of samples used to develop and evaluate existing and new measures in terms of race/ethnicity, age and gender; (ii) examination of the causal relationship between diabetes self-management and QOL using longitudinal designs; (iii) increasing emphasis on the positive aspects of successful chronic illness self-management; and (iv) use of HR-QOL measures to inform empowering relationships between physicians and patients.
CD11b is protective in complement-mediated immune complex glomerulonephritis

In chronic serum sickness, glomerular immune complexes form, yet C57BL/6 mice do not develop glomerulonephritis unless complement factor H (CfH) is absent, indicating the relevance of complement regulation. Complement receptor 3 (CD11b) and Fcγ receptors on leukocytes, and CfH on platelets, can bind immune complexes. Here we induced immune complex–mediated glomerulonephritis in CfH−/− mice chimeric for wild-type, CfH−/−, CD11b−/−, or FcRγ−/− bone marrow stem cells. Glomerulonephritis was worse in CD11b−/− chimeras compared with all others, whereas disease in FcRγ−/− and wild-type chimeras was comparable. Disease tracked strongly with humoral immune responses, but not glomerular immune complex deposits. Interstitial inflammation with M1 macrophages strongly correlated with glomerulonephritis scores. CD11b−/− chimeras had significantly more M1 macrophages and CD4+ T cells. The renal dendritic cell populations originating from bone marrow–derived CD11c+ cells were similar in all experimental groups. CD11b+ cells bearing colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor were present in kidneys, including CD11b−/− chimeras; these cells correlated negatively with glomerulonephritis scores. Thus, experimental immune complex–mediated glomerulonephritis is associated with accumulation of M1 macrophages and CD4+ T cells in kidneys and functional renal insufficiency. Hence, CD11b on mononuclear cells is instrumental in generating an anti-inflammatory response in the inflamed kidney.
Bioinspired design of tactile sensors based on Flemion

In this work, we studied experimentally the sensing behavior of ionic membrane-based tactile sensors (Nafion and Flemion). We found from the experimental results that Flemion-based sensor exhibits clearer sensing signals than Nafion-based sensor and signals from Flemion-based sensor are robust under repeated loading. We also found that dome-shaped Flemion sensor can detect three-dimensional forces. We attempted to design an arrayed Flemion sensor system by bioinspiration from the tactile sensor cells on the skin of a cucumber tendril where numbers of the dome-shaped Flemion sensor units are arrayed periodically.
No, Virginia, it’s not true what they say about publicity’s “implied third-party endorsement” effect

Abstract This essay re-examines “implied third-party endorsement” as an explanation of publicity’s effectiveness. Instead of the traditional explanation that publicity’s superiority can be attributed to an implied recommendation found in media content, the author argues that any effect involves inferences by audience members who use biased processing that favors news and disfavors advertising. This article reviews relevant research, including 11 experiments, which provide only qualified support for claims about the superiority of news. Original findings from an assessment of audience perceptions provide support for the biased processing hypothesis and suggest that the presentation of information as news is not necessarily perceived by audiences as an endorsement of a topic by news workers. Kirk Hallahan, Fellow PRSA, is an assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and Technical Communication at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
Mixed methods for mixed reality: understanding users’ avatar activities in virtual worlds

This paper examines the use of mixed methods for analyzing users’ avatar-related activities in a virtual world. Server logs recorded keystroke-level activity for 595 participants over a six-month period in Whyville.net, an informal science website. Participants also completed surveys and participated in interviews regarding their experiences. Additionally, the study included online ethnographic observations of Whyville and offline observations of a subset of 88 users in classroom and after-school settings during their participation. A mixed-methods analysis identified a major user emphasis on avatar appearance and customization that was invariant across user typologies. Implications for the use of mixed methods in online environments are discussed with regard to three challenges resolved during the study: (1) appropriate reduction of the vast quantity of data, (2) integrated analysis of online and offline events, and (3) interactions between qualitative and quantitative data.
Solid-Phase Reversible Immobilization in Microfluidic Chips for the Purification of Dye-Labeled DNA Sequencing Fragments

In this manuscript, we discuss the use of photoactivated polycarbonate (PC) for purification of dye-labeled terminator sequencing fragments using solid-phase reversible immobilization (SPRI) prior to gel electrophoretic sorting of these DNAs. An immobilization bed for the DNA purification was produced by exposing a posted microchannel to UV radiation, which induced a surface photooxidation reaction, resulting in the production of carboxylate groups. The immobilization microchannel contained microposts to increase the loading level of DNAs to improve signal intensity without the need for preconcentration. By suspending the sequencing cocktail in an immobilization buffer (TEG/ethanol), the DNA fragments demonstrated a high affinity for this carboxylated surface. The loading density of DNAs to this activated surface was found to be 3.9 pmol cm-2. The captured DNA could be subsequently released from the surface by incubation with ddH2O. SPRI cleanup of dye-terminator sequencing fragments using the photoactiva...
Host‐feeding and its effects on the physiology and behaviour of the ichneumonid parasitoid, Coccygomimus turionellae

. Coccygomimus turionellae was found to possess a pre-ovipositional period of 3–6 days during which it ignored hosts. This period corresponded to the time needed for mature eggs to develop. Once oviposition began, the females exhibited host-feeding behaviour, using the nutrients for oogenesis. Host-deprived females were able to mobilize some body tissue in the production of eggs, but this resulted first in the loss of their flight ability and then in an increasing paralysis of their hind legs. Host-feeding varied from the females only sipping at the wound up to the female ramming her ovipositor around in the wound and/or chewing at the drill site. Wasps that only fed at the wound usually deposited eggs and those that had a high rate of host contact used the hosts mainly for oviposition. Wasps that had been without hosts showed a much greater tendency to feed, often destroying the hosts. The greatest preference for feeding was on hosts that were also highly preferred for oviposition. However, when less desirable beetle pupae were accepted, they were fed on to a larger degree than were the more ovipositionally desirable moth pupae. Host deprived parasitoids demonstrated an increased tendency to feed on hosts that are never naturally used for oviposition.
Modeling, testing and control of a parametrically-excited mirror with duty-cycled excitation

Electrostatically-actuated MEMS mirrors are used in a variety of applications ranging from mass sensing, gyroscopes, resonators, and displays to, more recently, endoscopic imaging, as for premalignant cancer detection. The aim of this work is to analytically and experimentally characterize the dynamics and stability of a 1D torsional micro-mirror undergoing parametric resonance for use in biomedical imaging. Analysis focuses on the effects of duty cycle variations on the stability and amplitude of micro-mirror motion. Additionally, the paper explores how proportional control can be implemented with duty cycle as the input to ensure that the desired scanning angles for imaging can be obtained. The paper outlines fundamental and simplifying assumptions made for each analysis, discusses the validity of associated models, and compares analytical outcomes to respective experimental results. Analytical models agree reasonably with experimental models in stability predictions at modest voltages and can provide more limited predictions of amplitudes given sufficient prior experimentation to estimate damping coefficients.
Grand Designs: Labor, Empire and the Museum in Victorian Culture

Lara Kriegel, Grand Designs: Labor, Empire and the Museum in Victorian Culture (2008), 305 (Duke University Press, Durham, $84.95, paperback $23.95). Kriegel's Grand Designs is an important additio...
Predictors of urinary tract infection after menopause: A prospective study

PURPOSE: To describe the incidence of and risk factors for acute cystitis among nondiabetic and diabetic postmenopausal women. METHODS: We conducted a population-based, prospective cohort study of 1017 postmenopausal women, aged 55 to 75 years, who were enrolled in a health maintenance organization and followed for 2 years. A wide range of behavioral and physiologic exposures were assessed at baseline interview and follow-up clinic visits; the main outcome measure was microbiologically confirmed acute symptomatic cystitis. Follow-up was 87% at 12 months and 81% at 24 months. RESULTS: During 1773 person-years of follow-up, 138 symptomatic urinary tract infections occurred (incidence, 0.07 per person-year). Independent predictors of infection included insulin-treated diabetes (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7 to 7.0) and a lifetime history of urinary tract infection (HR for six or more infections = 6.9; 95% CI: 3.5 to 13.6). Borderline associations included a history of vaginal estrogen cream use in the last month (HR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.0 to 3.4), a history of kidney stones (HR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.0 to 3.7), and asymptomatic bacteriuria at baseline (HR = 1.8; 95% CI: 0.9 to 3.5). Sexual activity, urinary incontinence, parity, postcoital urination, vaginal dryness, use of cranberry juice, vaginal bacterial flora, and postvoid residual bladder volume were not associated with incident acute cystitis after multivariable adjustment. CONCLUSION: Insulin-treated diabetes is a potentially modifiable risk factor for incident acute cystitis among postmenopausal women, whereas a lifetime history of urinary tract infection was the strongest predictor. Use of oral or vaginal estrogen was not protective, and a wide range of behavioral and physiologic factors was not associated with acute cystitis episodes in this generally healthy sample.
A comparative study of the parallel wavelet-based clustering algorithm on three-dimensional dataset

Cluster analysis--as a technique for grouping a set of objects into similar clusters--is an integral part of data analysis and has received wide interest among data mining specialists. The parallel wavelet-based clustering algorithm using discrete wavelet transforms has been shown to extract the approximation component of the input data on which objects of the clusters are detected based on the object connectivity property. However, this algorithm suffers from inefficient I/O operations and performance degradation due to redundant data processing. We address these issues to improve the parallel algorithm's efficiency and extend the algorithm further by investigating two merging techniques (both merge-table and priority-queue based approaches), and apply them on three-dimensional data. In this study, we compare two parallel WaveCluster algorithms and a parallel K-means algorithm to evaluate the implemented algorithms' effectiveness.
Estrogen hormone physiology: reproductive findings from estrogen receptor mutant mice

Estrogen receptors (ERs) play a crucial role in reproduction and normal physiology. The two sub-types of ER (ERα and β) are expressed in various levels in different tissues and selective cell types. Gene targeting technology allowed us to produce lines of mice with disrupted ERα (αERKO) and ERβ genes (βERKO) as well as a compound αβERKO in the whole body. Male and female αERKO mice are infertile. Estrogen, EGF and IGF-1 treatments failed to induce uterine growth and DNA synthesis in αERKO uteri. αERKO females are infertile due to hypoplastic uteri and hyperemic ovaries with no corpora lutea due to persistent LH stimulation from loss of negative feedback. αERKO males are infertile, with testicular atrophy and seminiferous tubule dysmorphogenesis producing decreased spermatogenesis and inactive sperm. βERKO females show arrested folliculogenesis and subfertility. Ovarian analyses indicate differential gene expression related to ovulatory stimulation deficits including lack of LH, PR, Cyp19 and Cox2 expression. A unique ovarian phenotype is found only in αβERKO females showing transdifferentiation of granulosa cells to Sertoli cells. We describe here several novel mouse models which possess ERα gene modification. To understand ERα function in uterine endometrial epithelial cells, we generated a tissue selective ERα gene disrupted mouse model, the uterine epithelial-specific ERα knockout (UtEpiαERKO). To understand the physiological role of ERα functional domains, we generated a mouse model with a mutation in the ligand dependent transcription activation domain of ERα (AF2ERKI). Findings from the ERα mutant mice suggest that the absence of functional ERα is not lethal and results in significant endocrine effects and altered physiological processes.