cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The path to lowest-low fertility in Ukraine.

The phenomenon of lowest-low fertility, defined as total fertility below 1.3, is now emerging throughout Europe and is attributed by many to postponement of the initiation of childbearing. Here an investigation of the case of Ukraine, where total fertility—1.1 in 2001—is one of the world's lowest, shows that there is more than one pathway to lowest-low fertility. Although Ukraine has undergone immense political and economic transformations in the past decade, it has maintained a young age at first birth and nearly universal childbearing. Analyses of official national statistics and the Ukrainian Reproductive Health Survey show that fertility declined to very low levels without a transition to a later pattern of childbearing. Findings from focus-group interviews are used to suggest explanations of the early fertility pattern. These include the persistence of traditional norms for childbearing and the roles of men and women, concerns about medical complications and infertility at a later age, and the link b...
Teaching with trash: archaeological insights on university waste management

The archaeological study of modern trash on an American university campus can yield valuable insight into how both human and environmental processes contribute to the accumulation and distribution of litter. The Campus Trash Project, run by the University of Idaho, utilizes archaeological methodologies to evaluate the effectiveness of university waste management policies designed to curtail litter on campus. As this case study illustrates, the discipline of archaeology can make significant contributions to the reduction of campus trash while providing students with the necessary practical skills required to become professional archaeologists upon graduation.
Effects of temperature and equivalence ratio on the ignition of n-heptane fuel spray in turbulent flow

Abstract Direct numerical simulations were performed to study the autoignition process of n-heptane fuel spray in a turbulent field. For the solution of the carrier gas fluid, the Eulerian method is employed, while for the fuel droplets, the Lagrangian method is used. Droplets are initialized at random locations in a two-dimensional isotropic turbulent field. A chemistry mechanism for n-heptane with 44 species and 112 reactions was adopted to describe the chemical reactions. Three cases with the same initial global equivalence ratio (0.5) and different initial gas phase temperatures (1100, 1200, and 1300 K) were simulated. In addition, two cases with initial global equivalence ratios of 1.0 and 1.5 and initial temperature 1300 K were simulated to examine the effect of equivalence ratio. Evolution of temperature, species mass fraction, reaction rate, and the joint PDF of temperature and equivalence ratio are presented. Effects of the initial gas temperature and equivalence ratio on vaporization and ignition are discussed. A correlation was derived relating ignition delay times to temperature and equivalence ratio. It was confirmed that with the increase of initial temperature, the autoignition occurs earlier. With the increase of the initial equivalence ratio, however, autoignition occurs later due to a larger decrease in gas phase temperature caused by fuel droplet evaporation. The results obtained in this study are expected to be constructive in understanding fuel spray combustion, such as that in homogeneous charge compression ignition systems.
Error analysis in unnormalized floating point arithmetic

The need to construct architectures in VLSI has focused attention on unnormalized floating point arithmetic. Certain unnormalized arithmetics allow one to 'pipe on digits,' thus producing significant speed up in computation and making the input problems of special purpose devices such as systolic arrays easier to solve. We consider the error analysis implications of using unnormalized arithmetic in numerical algorithms. We also give specifications for its implementation. Our discussion centers on the example of Gaussian elimination. We show that the use of unnormalized arithmetic requires change in the analysis of this algorithm. We will show that only for certain classes of matrices that include diagonally dominant matrices (either row or column), Gaussian elimination is as stable in unnormalized arithmetic as in normalized arithmetic. However, if the diagonal elements of the upper triangular matrix are post normalized, then Gaussian elimination is as stable in unnormalized arithmetic as in normalized arithmetic for all matrices.
A multiagent approach to managing air traffic flow

Intelligent air traffic flow management is one of the fundamental challenges facing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today. FAA estimates put weather, routing decisions and airport condition induced delays at 1,682,700 h in 2007 (FAA OPSNET Data, US Department of Transportation website, http://www.faa.gov/data_statistics/ ), resulting in a staggering economic loss of over $41 billion (Joint Economic Commission Majority Staff, Your flight has been delayed again, 2008). New solutions to the flow management are needed to accommodate the threefold increase in air traffic anticipated over the next two decades. Indeed, this is a complex problem where the interactions of changing conditions (e.g., weather), conflicting priorities (e.g., different airlines), limited resources (e.g., air traffic controllers) and heavy volume (e.g., over 40,000 flights over the US airspace) demand an adaptive and robust solution. In this paper we explore a multiagent algorithm where agents use reinforcement learning (RL) to reduce congestion through local actions. Each agent is associated with a fix (a specific location in 2D space) and has one of three actions: setting separation between airplanes, ordering ground delays or performing reroutes. We simulate air traffic using FACET which is an air traffic flow simulator developed at NASA and used extensively by the FAA and industry. Our FACET simulations on both artificial and real historical data from the Chicago and New York airspaces show that agents receiving personalized rewards reduce congestion by up to 80% over agents receiving a global reward and by up to 90% over a current industry approach (Monte Carlo estimation).
Effects of age on contextually mediated associations in paired associate learning.

Older and younger participants learned single-function lists of paired associates with no contextual overlap (e.g., J-K, L-M) and double-function lists of paired associates consisting of chains of pairs (e.g., A-B, B-C). Although younger adults out-performed older adults on both pair types, there was a robust pair-type by age interaction. Evidence from intrusion analyses argues that older adults performed better than would be expected on the contextually overlapping double-function pairs because they were less subject to response competition for the double-function pairs. Younger adults made a larger proportion of backward and remote intrusions to double-function probes than did older adults. Thus, group differences in both correct recall probabilities and intrusion analysis suggest that backward and transitive associations are sensitive to aging. The results are discussed within the theoretical framework of the temporal context model and the hypothesis that older adults are impaired at forming new item-context associations.
Some adaptive strategies for inadequate sample acquisition in veterans administration cooperative clinical trials.

Abstract A major concern of any clinical trial is being able to recruit sufficient patients of the proper type so that reliable answers can be obtained for the hypotheses being tested. This article considers patient recruitment in seven VA cooperative studies and the adaptive strategies used for inadequate sample acquisition. These strategies are: (1) the re-evaluation of the required sample size; (2) the addition of new hospitals; (3) the replacement of poor recruiting hospitals; (4) the extension of the patient intake period; and (5) the modification of the patient exclusion-inclusion criteria. When there is no expectation of achieving the required sample size in a reasonable time, the study is terminated. Although each of the five strategies will increase the likelihood of successfully completing a study should a recruitment problem occur, preventing these problems from occuriing should be a major concern during the planning of a study.
Generator overvoltage when dropping load

TOTAL or partial loss of load on waterwheel-driven generators or hydroelectric stations frequently results in undesirable voltage rise, and in such cases it is desirable to limit this voltage rise in order to avoid overstressing the insulation of generators and connected apparatus.
Improving the CS1 experience with pair programming

Pair programming is a practice in which two programmers work collaboratively at one computer, on the same design, algorithm, or code. Prior research indicates that pair programmers produce higher quality code in essentially half the time taken by solo programmers. An experiment was run to assess the efficacy of pair programming in an introductory Computer Science course. Student pair programmers were more self-sufficient, generally perform better on projects and exams, and were more likely to complete the class with a grade of C or better than their solo counterparts. Results indicate that pair programming creates a laboratory environment conducive to more advanced, active learning than traditional labs; students and lab instructors report labs to be more productive and less frustrating.
Combination immunotherapy with a CpG oligonucleotide (1018 ISS) and rituximab in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma: increased interferon-α/β–inducible gene expression, without significant toxicity

CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG-ODNs) affect innate and adaptive immune responses, including antigen presentation, costimulatory molecule expression, dendritic cell maturation, and induction of cytokines enhancing antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). We conducted a phase 1 study evaluating 4 dose levels of a CpG-ODN (1018 ISS) with rituximab in 20 patients with relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Patients received CpG once a week for 4 weeks beginning after the second of 4 rituximab infusions. Adverse events were minimal. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) measurements of a panel of genes inducible by CpG-ODN and interferons were performed on blood samples collected before and 24 hours after CpG. A dose-related increase was measured in the expression of several interferon-inducible genes after CpG and correlated with serum levels of 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS), a validated interferon response marker. Genes induced selectively by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were not significantly induced by CpG. In conclusion, we have defined a set of gene expression markers that provide a sensitive measure of biologic responses of patients to CpG therapy in a dose-related manner. Moreover, all the genes significantly induced by this CpG are regulated by type 1 interferons, providing insight into the dominant immune mechanisms in humans. CpG treatment resulted in no significant toxicity, providing rationale for further testing of this exciting combination immunotherapy approach to NHL.
Community structure and the spread of infectious disease in primate social networks

Living in a large social group is thought to increase disease risk in wild animal populations, but comparative studies have provided mixed support for this prediction. Here, we take a social network perspective to investigate whether patterns of social contact within groups influence parasite risk. Specifically, increased modularity (i.e. sub-grouping) in larger groups could offset the increased disease risk associated with living in a large group. We simulated the spread of a contagious pathogen in random social networks to generate theoretically grounded predictions concerning the relationship between social network connectivity and the success of socially transmitted pathogens. Simulations yielded the prediction that community modularity (Q) negatively impacts parasite success. No clear predictions emerged for a second network metric we considered, the eigenvector centralization index (C), as the relationship between this measure and parasite success depended on the transmission probability of parasites. We then tested the prediction that Q reduces parasite success in a phylogenetic comparative analysis of social network modularity and parasite richness across 19 primate species. Using a Bayesian implementation of phylogenetic generalized least squares and controlling for sampling effort, we found that primates living in larger groups exhibited higher Q, and as predicted by our simulations, higher Q was associated with lower richness of socially transmitted parasites. This suggests that increased modularity mediates the elevated risk of parasitism associated with living in larger groups, which could contribute to the inconsistent findings of empirical studies on the association between group size and parasite risk. Our results indicate that social networks may play a role in mediating pressure from socially transmitted parasites, particularly in large groups where opportunities for transmitting communicable diseases are abundant. We propose that parasite pressure in gregarious primates may have favored the evolution of behaviors that increase social network modularity, especially in large social groups.
Line shape parameters for HCl and HF in a CO2 atmosphere

Results of high-resolution (0.1 cm/cm) on several CO2-broadened lines in the fundamentals of HCl35 and HCl37. Line intensities, half-widths, and shapes were determined at room temperature. Half-widths in HCl-CO2 collisions were computed for several temperatures, employing Anderson's (1949) theory. The measured shapes of HCl lines broadened by CO2 are described by a semiempirical super-Lorentzian shape. The curve-of-growth for this line shape is derived in terms of a function similar to the Ladenburgh-Reiche function. Absorption between R(0) and P(1) is affected by the appearance of several pressure-induced Q-branch lines, at the pressures from 1 to 10 atm used in the present study.
Glycosylation patterns are sexually dimorphic throughout development of the olfactory system in Manduca sexta.

In the moth Manduca sexta, development of the adult olfactory system depends on complex interactions between olfactory receptor neurons in the antenna, antennal-lobe neurons in the brain, and several classes of glial cells. As one approach to characterizing molecules that may play roles in these interactions, we used lectins to screen antennae and antennal lobes at different stages of adult development. We find that each of the major neural cell types has a distinct pattern of labeling by lectins. Effects of enzymatic and other treatments on lectin labeling lead us to conclude that the predominant lectin ligands are: glycosphingolipids and an O-linked, fucose-containing glycoprotein on axons of olfactory receptor neurons, O-linked glycoproteins on antennal-lobe neurons, and N-linked glycoproteins on all classes of glial cells in the primary olfactory pathway. Wheat germ agglutinin labels all olfactory axons uniformly during much of development, but labeling becomes restricted to the pheromone-responsive olfactory receptor neurons in the adult male. Succinylated WGA reveals differences in these axon classes earlier, as glomerului develop from protoglomeruli. The adult female displays a less pronounced difference in labeling of axons targeting ordinary and sexually dimorphic glomeruli. Differences in labeling of receptor axons targeted to ordinary and sexually dimorphic glomeruli may be correlated with differences in function or connectivity in different regions of the antennal lobe. J. Comp. Neurol. 476:1–18, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
SHIM: a scalable hierarchical inter-domain multicast approach for disruption tolerant networks

Disruption Tolerant Network (DTN) technologies are emerging solutions to networks that experience frequent partitions. In this paper, we propose the scalable hierarchical inter-domain multicast (SHIM) approach for DTNs. SHIM has the following characteristics: i) it is capable of delivering multicast messages to receivers distributed in different domains; ii) the size of the membership information maintained by the source leader is determined by its out-degree in the leader layer, no matter how large the number of the real receivers is; and iii) it at least doubles the message delivery efficiency than that of directly extending the existing intra-domain DTN multicast methods to perform the inter-domain multicast operations. Our results also show that the message delivery ratio of SHIM can be improved to be almost 100% when the custodian transfer functionality is enabled in the overall networks.
Bilateral Functioning Vineberg Grafts: A 25-Year Follow-up

This report describes a 25-year follow-up of angiographically proven bilateral functioning Vineberg grafts. This represents the longest angiographic follow-up found in the literature. The relevance of these grafts in present-day revascularization procedures is discussed.
Interfacial Energy Reduction Analysis in Fibrous Structures

The morphology of directionally solidified CuAl-Pb monotectic alloys has been studied. The structure consisted of a hexagonal array of Pb rods in a Cu-based matrix. In addition, elongated grain boundaries in the Cu-based matrix with lens-shaped Pb fibers on the boundary and a “denuded zone”, depleted of Pb rods, were observed. Existence of these boundaries is shown to reduce the overall surface energy of the system leading to the formation of the elongated grain boundaries.
Reasoning with cases and hypotheticals in HYPO

Abstract HYPO is a case-based reasoning system that evaluates problems by comparing and contrasting them with cases from its Case Knowledge Base (CKB). It generates legal arguments citing the past cases as justifications for legal conclusions about who should win in problem disputes involving trade secret law. HYPO's arguments present competing adversarial views of the problem and it poses hypotheticals to alter the balance of the evaluation. HYPO uses Dimensions as a generalization scheme for accessing and evaluating cases. HYPO's reasoning process and various computational definitions are described and illustrated, including its definitions for computing relevant similarities and differences, the most on point and best cases to cite, four kinds of counter-examples, targets for hypotheticals and the aspects of a case that are salient in various argument roles. These definitions enable HYPO to make contextually sensitive assessments of relevance and salience without relying on either a strong domain theory or a priori weighting schemes.
QTL × genetic background interaction: predicting inbred progeny value

Failures of the additive infinitesimal model continue to provide incentive to study other modes of gene action, in particular, epistasis. Epistasis can be modeled as a QTL by genetic background interaction. Association mapping models lend themselves to fitting such an interaction because they often include both main marker and genetic background factors. In this study, I review a model that fits the QTL by background interaction as an added random effect in the now standard mixed model framework of association analyses. The model is applied to four-generation pedigrees where the objective is to predict the genotypic values of fourth-generation individuals that have not been phenotyped. In particular, I look at how well epistatic effects are estimated under two levels of inbreeding. Interaction detection power was 8% and 65% for pedigrees of 240 randomly mated individuals when the interaction generated 6% and 20% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. Power increased to 21% and 94% for these conditions when evaluated individuals were inbred by selfing four times. The interaction variance was estimated in an unbiased way under both levels of inbreeding, but its mean squared error was reduced by 40% to 70% when estimated in inbred relative to randomly mated individuals. The performance of the epistatic model was also enhanced relative to the additive model by inbreeding. These results are promising for the application of the model to typically self-pollinating crops such as wheat and soybean.
Dynamical Symmetry Breaking, Axion Dynamics and Instanton-Induced Second-Class τ-DECAYS

Small color instantons, which have been proposed as a mechanism to raise the axion mass, may also produce a large rate for the second-class τ-decay mode τ → πηντ. The growth of the QCD coupling and large anomalous dimension scaling properties needed are natural consequences of dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking by color sextet quarks.
Influence of intraoperative femoral fractures and cerclage wiring on bone ingrowth into canine porous-coated femoral components

Intraoperative femoral fractures occur more frequently with cementless than with cemented components. In this study, the influence of controlled femoral fractures fixed with cerclage wires on rotational stability and bone ingrowth into porous-coated canine femoral components was evaluated. These data were compared with results of previous studies on unrecognized femoral fractures (not stabilized) and on the intact canine femur. Micromotion analysis revealed a significant increase in rotational instability in fractures not stabilized with cerclage wires (P < .05) compared with the intact femur. Experimentally created femoral fractures had a significantly deleterious effect on bone ingrowth even after cerclage wiring. This appears to be caused by a lack of bone ingrowth deep to the fracture and an increase in femoral component micromotion. In clinical practice, femoral fractures occurring during cementless total hip arthroplasty are a serious problem, and use of a cemented prosthesis is recommended if rotational stability of the stem cannot be ensured.
Distribution coefficients at high dilution for organic solutes between water and isobutane or isobutylene

To facilitate design of an extraction process for removal of organic solutes from petroleum and petrochemical waste streams distribution-coefficient date were obtained for typical organic pollutants at high dilution. Volatile solvents were chosen because of their low solubility in water and because they are recovered easily. Samples form both the aqueous and the organic phase were analyzed chromatographically. To remove a sample from an equilibrium cell operating at ressures well above atmospheric, a special technique was developed using low-melting Indalloy for micro-encapsulation. Distribution coefficients at ambient temperature are given for a variety of solutes, including esters, phenolics, ketones, and aldehydes. The results are correlated by a simple relation based on perturbed-hard-sphere theory for dilute solutions. Isobutane or isobutylene may be particularly useful in a dual-solvent extraction process wherein a polar organic solvent is used in a secondary extraction tod remove the polar solvent from water.
Criminalizing Big Tobacco: Legal Mobilization and the Politics of Responsibility for Health Risks in the United States

This article reinterprets the discursive terms and cultural meanings that redefined the legal campaign against Big Tobacco during recent decades. We underline the palpable shift from a conventional tort-based logic of products liability claims, which most analysts emphasize, to a logic incorporating key features identified with criminal law or “crimtorts.” The study builds on legal mobilization theory and combines narrative history of events with systematic analysis of media coverage across a twenty-year period to demonstrate how Big Tobacco was criminalized over two decades.
Role of Silicone Surfactant in Flexible Polyurethane Foam.

Grafted copolymers which consist of a polydimethylsiloxane backbone and polyethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide pendant groups are used as surfactants to stabilize the foam cells in the flexible polyurethane foaming process. The mechanical properties of the cured polyurethane foam such as air permeability and foam cell size are affected significantly by the structure of the silicone surfactant used in the formulation. It is shown that silicone surfactant has an important impact on both the bubble generation and the cell window stabilization stage. A series of silicone surfactants with different structures was tested. Surfactants with higher silicone content will provide lower surface tension and thus help increase the number of air bubbles introduced during mixing. These air bubbles serve as the starting point for foam cell growth. As a result, the cured polyurethane foam made with higher silicone content surfactant has a smaller bubble size. It is also shown that silicone surfactant can reduce the cell window drainage rate due to the surface tension gradient along the cell window. The Gibbs film elasticity, the dynamic film elasticity, and the film drainage rate were measured for the first time versus surfactant composition. Surfactants with longer siloxane backbones are shown to give higher film elasticity. Using the vertical film drainage and foam column tests, it is shown that surfactants with higher film elasticity will yield slower drainage rate and better foam cell stability.
Regulation of intestine-specific spatiotemporal expression by the rat lactase promoter.

Lactase gene transcription is spatially restricted to the proximal and middle small intestine of the developing mouse. To identify regions of the lactase gene involved in mediating the spatiotemporal expression pattern, transgenic mice harboring 0.8-, 1.3-, and 2.0-kb fragments of the 5′-flanking region cloned upstream of a firefly-luciferase reporter were generated. Transgene expression was assessed noninvasively in living mice using a sensitive low light imaging system. Two independent, 1.3- and 2.0-kb, lactase promoter-reporter transgenic lines expressed appropriate high levels of luciferase activity in the small intestine (300–3,000 relative light units/μg) with maximal expression in the middle segments. Post-weaned 30-day transgenic offspring also demonstrated an appropriate 4-fold maturational decline in luciferase expression in the small intestine. The pattern of the 2.0-kb promoter transgene mRNA abundance most closely mimicked that of the endogenous lactase gene with respect to spatiotemporal restriction. In contrast, a 0.8-kb promoter-reporter construct expressed low level luciferase activity (
Mass Communication and Sustainable Political Development in Africa: A Review of the Literature

With the globalization of economies over the past two decades, there has been an increasing surge in Africa for strategic political and economic relationships. Unfortunately, the political systems in the continent present serious challenges to the rest of the world as they view the countries in Africa as politically unstable and economically unsustainable. In recent years, Africa’s political process, especially the electoral system, has been discredited as incapable of supporting a viable democracy and political governance. Current trends in Africa’s political development efforts in the twenty-first century clearly indicate that to achieve and sustain democratic transformation in the entire continent, the role of the mass media, especially the new media, is critical in the production and dissemination of news and political reforms. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of mass communication in the political development in contemporary Africa. It specifically examines the relationship between political systems and the media in Africa, probes the strategic role of new media in the quest for sustainability of the political process, and discusses media’s contributions in encouraging citizens’ participation in political governance. The paper concludes with recommendations for integrating the role of the mass media in achieving political development and stability in the continent of Africa.
Biosynthesis of digitoxose and glucose in the purpurea glycosides of Digitalis purpurea

A study of the biosynthesis of digitoxose and D-glucose in the purpurea glycosides A and B of Digitalis purpurea leaves by feeding 14C-labeled D-glucose, D-fructose, D-mannose and D-galactose demonstrated that D-glucose was the most effective precursor of digitoxose in these glycosides. Degradation of the labeled digitoxose and D-glucose indicated that D-glucose was directly transformed to this 2,6-dideoxy sugar and to the bound D-glucose of the glycosides without essential rearrangement to its carbon skeleton.
High-albedo asteroid 434 Hungaria: Spectrum, composition and genetic connections

New data in the wavelength region of approximately 0.4-2.5 μm have been obtained for asteroid 434 Hungaria. This is the most complete visible to near-infrared spectrum to date for this object. The near-infrared portion of the spectrum (about 0.8-2.5 μm) is smooth, featureless, and agrees well in the overlap region with new visible region data. However, visible region (about 0.45-0.9 μm) data appear to exhibit weak, broad spectral absorption features near 0.5, 0.6-0.7, and 1 μm. If real, the presence of such features would strongly constrain the compositional determination of Hungaria since it has a relatively high albedo of 46%. Most minerals that exhibit similar absorption features, and are commonly found in meteorites, have a much lower albedo. Asteroid 434 Hungaria has been observed more than six times in these overlapping spectral regions, and it is now possible to assess its mineral composition with some confidence. The dominant phase on this asteroid is an iron-free mineral, probably enstatite. Hungaria may contain secondary phases causing subtle, visible-region absorption features. Alternatively, the surface layer(s) of the asteroid may be contaminated by an absorbing species from an external source.
Douglas McGregor. Revisited: Managing the Human Side of the Enterprise

This article presents a review of the book “Douglas McGregor, Revisited: Managing the Human Side of the Enterprise,” by Gary Heil, Warren Bennis and Deborah C. Stephens.
Evaluation of the Quality of Life in Adult Cancer Survivors (QLACS) scale for long-term cancer survivors in a sample of breast cancer survivors

This paper evaluates psychometric properties of a recently developed measure focusing on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of long-term cancer survivors, the Quality of Life in Adult Survivors scale (QLACS), in a sample of breast cancer survivors. This represents an important area of study, given the large number of breast cancer patients surviving many years post diagnosis. Analyses are based on an 8-year follow-up of a sample of breast cancer survivors who participated in an earlier study conducted in 1995. Participants were re-contacted in 2003 and those who were reachable and agreed to participate (n = 94) were surveyed using a variety of measures including the QLACS. Additional follow-up surveys were conducted 2 weeks and one year later. Psychometric tests of the QLACS included test-retest reliability, concurrent and retrospective validity, and responsiveness. The QLACS domain and summary scores showed good test-retest reliability (all test-retest correlations were above .7) and high internal consistency. The Generic Summary Score showed convergent validity with other measures designed to assess generic HRQL. The Cancer-Specific Summary score exhibited divergent validity with generic HRQL measures, but not a cancer-related specific measure. The QLACS Cancer-Specific Summary Score demonstrated satisfactory predictive validity for factors that were previously shown to be correlated with HRQL. The QLACS generally demonstrated a high level of responsiveness to life changes. The QLACS may serve as a useful measure for assessing HRQL among long-term breast cancer survivors that are not otherwise captured by generic measures or those specifically designed for newly diagnosed patients.
Writing across the Business Curriculum: An Alternative Means of Developing and Assessing Written Communication Skills

For three years, the School of Business explored writing across the curriculum (WAC) approaches for developing written communication skills of undergraduate business majors. In selected classes, instructors stressed links between understanding concepts and being able to write clearly about them, improved design of assignments, and improved feedback to students. Instructors participating in this study concluded that a WAC approach improved the quality of student writing and the applications of course concepts. They also concluded that these improvements carried over to subsequent courses. Students reported using more care in revising drafts and more attention overall, to writing in certain settings. Their attention peaked when the instructor emphasized writing. A minority of students maintained, however, that writing should be evaluated only in writing classes taught by English faculty and that evaluation of writing should not be used to determine the grades they receive on assignments or for the course it...
Electrophysiological Manifestation of Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Pulse Generator Activity in the Rhesus Monkey: Influence of α-Adrenergic and Dopaminergic Blocking Agents*

Characteristic increases in neuronal electrical activity associated with the initiation of each LH pulse were recorded from ovariectomized rhesus monkeys bearing multiple chronic electrodes in the medial basal hypothalamus. These electrophysiological manifestations of hypothalamic LHRH pulse generator activity were inhibited by the α-adrenergic blocker phentolamine or the α-adrenoceptor blockers phenoxybenzamine and prazosin. At the dosages used, the effects of single injections of these drugs ranged from a reduction in the frequency of LHRH pulse generator activity to its complete arrest. This was faithfully reflected in the pattern of pulsatile LH discharges. The dopaminergic blocking agent metaclopramide similarly reduced the frequency of the pulse generator or arrested its activity altogether. The α2-adrenoceptor blocker yohimbine had no demonstrable effect on hypothalamic electrical activity at the doses studied. These findings support the view of a central action of α-adrenergic and dopaminergic blo...
Examining Conformity to Masculinity Norms as a Function of RIASEC Vocational Interests

The authors examined how college men’s conformity to an array of masculinity norms varied as a function of their vocational interests to better understand the gendered context of men’s vocational d...
The impact of multiple types of child maltreatment on subsequent risk behaviors among women during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood

The purpose of this study was to investigate how different types of child maltreatment, independently and collectively, impact a wide range of risk behaviors that fall into three domains: sexual risk behaviors, delinquency, and suicidality. Cumulative classification and Expanded Hierarchical Type (EHT) classification approaches were used to categorize various types of maltreatment. Data were derived from Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Our sample consisted of White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian females ages 18 to 27 (n = 7,576). Experiencing different kinds of maltreatment during childhood led to an extensive range of risk behaviors within the three identified domains. Women experiencing sexual abuse plus other maltreatment types had the poorest outcomes in all three domains. These findings illustrate that it may no longer be appropriate to assume that all types of maltreatment are equivalent in their potential contribution to negative developmental sequelae.
Application of running Hartley transform in adaptive digital filtering

A transform-domain adaptive digital filtering technique based on the concept of the running discrete Hartley transform (RDHT) is presented, with an application. This Hartley implementation is shown to have a speed advantage over the running FFT approach proposed and implemented recently. Possible implementation of the RDHT in various applications is outlined. Particular attention is given to implementation of the RDHT in the adaptive nonrecursive LMS algorithm. >
Theory of Convex Optimization for Machine Learning.

This monograph presents the main mathematical ideas in convex optimization. Starting from the fundamental theory of black-box optimization, the material progresses towards recent advances in structural optimization and stochastic optimization. Our presentation of black-box optimization, strongly influenced by the seminal book of Nesterov, includes the analysis of the Ellipsoid Method, as well as (accelerated) gradient descent schemes. We also pay special attention to non-Euclidean settings (relevant algorithms include Frank-Wolfe, Mirror Descent, and Dual Averaging) and discuss their relevance in machine learning. We provide a gentle introduction to structural optimization with FISTA (to optimize a sum of a smooth and a simple non-smooth term), Saddle-Point Mirror Prox (Nemirovski's alternative to Nesterov's smoothing), and a concise description of Interior Point Methods. In stochastic optimization we discuss Stochastic Gradient Descent, mini-batches, Random Coordinate Descent, and sublinear algorithms. We also briefly touch upon convex relaxation of combinatorial problems and the use of randomness to round solutions, as well as random walks based methods.
Augmented rod bipolar cell function in partial receptor loss: an ERG study in P23H rhodopsin transgenic and aging normal rats.

Physiological consequences of early stages of photoreceptor degeneration were examined in heterozygous P23H rhodopsin transgenic (Tg) and in aging normal Sprague–Dawley rats. Rod photoreceptor and rod bipolar (RB) cell function were estimated with maximum value and sensitivity parameters of P3 and P2 components of the electroretinogram. In both Tg and aging normal rats, the age-related rate of decline of P3 amplitude was steeper than that of the P2 amplitude. Tg rats showed greater than normal sensitivity of the rods. A new model of distal RB pathway connectivity suggested photoreceptor loss could not be the sole cause of physiological abnormalities; there was an additional increase of post-receptoral sensitivity. We propose that changes at rod-RB synapses compensate for the partial loss of rod photoreceptors in senescence and in early stages of retinal degeneration. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
How to Cite a Sacred Text

Allusions to holy scriptures and quotes from sacred texts appear in hundreds of political science articles. Yet while we treat other ancient texts with reverence and diligence, we have not extended a similar care to the holy scriptures of the world's religions. Political scientists often refer to biblical events, statements, and turns of phrase but rarely cite them, chapter and verse. They are careless about referencing the precise translation of the holy texts used, tend to cite religious passages out of context, and disregard the role of religious tradition, interpretation, and practice in shaping and reshaping the meaning of holy texts. I offer examples for these trends, provide evidence for their harmful implications and offer guidelines for the appropriate treatment of sacred texts as formal scholarly sources.
Lipid bilayer dynamics and rhodopsin-lipid interactions: New approach using high-resolution solid-state 13C NMR

High-resolution, solid-state 13C NMR spectra have been obtained for unsonicated multilamellar dispersions of 1,2-dilauryl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DLPC), recombinant membranes containing DLPC and rhodopsin, and native retinal rod disk membranes. The roles of 1H dipolar decoupling, 1H-13C cross-polarization, and magic-angle sample spinning have been investigated. Rotating-frame 13C relaxation times have been measured and are discussed in terms of lipid bilayer dynamics and rhodopsin-lipid interactions.
The Experimental Appraisal Instrument: A brief overview

Background Recently, there has been a great influx in experimental research to assess the health effects of nanoparticles-materials-fibers. Currently, there is no structured methodology to assess the methodological quality of the reported studies. Objective This article reports an experimental appraisal instrument with the goal to critically assess experimental studies. Methods A search of electronic databases was conducted to examine prior work on the subject and to extract the components of such an instrument. Results The electronic search revealed no major instrument designed to evaluate experimental strategies on health effects of nanoparticles-materials-fibers. An experimental appraisal instrument was developed and was patterned after the Epidemiological Appraisal Instrument reported by Genaidy and LeMasters (2006). Conclusions The validity and reliability of such an instrument will be reported in future work. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of InGaAsSb capping layer on the structural properties of InAs/InGaAsSb quantum dots

The structural properties of the InAs QDs embedded in the InGaAsSb layers with varying In content of 3, 7, and 9 % have been investigated by x-ray diffraction. The In incorporation increases the in-plane and out-of-plane strain of the InGaAsSb in the structures. The density of crystalline defects is increased when the In content of 3 % is incorporated. However, the further increase of In content to 7 and 9 % leads to the decrease of the defect density as a result of the reduced lattice mismatch between the InAs QDs and InGaAsSb layers.
Controlled fusion of synthetic lipid membrane vesicles.

Lipid membrane fusion is a fundamental noncovalent transformation as well as a central process in biology. The complex and highly controlled biological machinery of fusion has been the subject of intense investigation. In contrast, fewer synthetic approaches that demonstrate selective membrane fusion have been developed. Artificial recapitulation of membrane fusion is an informative pursuit in that fundamental biophysical concepts of biomembrane merger may be generally tested in a controlled reductionist system. A key concept that has emerged from extensive studies on lipid biophysics and biological membrane fusion is that selective membrane fusion derives from the coupling of surface recognition with local membrane disruption, or strain. These observations from native systems have guided the development of de novo-designed biomimetic membrane fusion systems that have unequivocally established the generality of these concepts in noncovalent chemistry.In this Account, we discuss the function and limitation...
Characterization of Ca2+ transport in rat renal brush-border membranes and its modulation by phosphatidic acid

The Ca2+ transport process by isolated renal brush-border membranes was characterized and the influence of the acidic phospholipid phosphatidic acid (PtdA) on this transport process was assessed. Ca2+ uptake by brush-border membranes exhibited saturation kinetics. It was inhibitable by a variety of multivalent cations, as well as by Ca2+-entry inhibitors, including verapamil, Ruthenium Red and gentamicin. It was selective for Ca2+ compared with Mg2+. This process was also electrophoretic since generation of K+ and anion-diffusion potentials, negative inside the vesicle, increased Ca2+ uptake. Elevations in PtdA content of brush-border membranes by either exogenous addition or endogenous generation of PtdA by incubating brush-border membranes with MgATP2- elevated the rate of Ca2+ uptake. This ATP effect could not be attributed to (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-dependent ATPase or contaminating membrane fragments. PtdA also increased the magnitude and rate of Ca2+ efflux from brush-border membranes preloaded with Ca2+. These modulations in uptake and efflux were not observed with phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylinositol. In summary, these results are consistent with the presence of an electrophoretic uniport system for Ca2+ in renal brush-border membranes, and demonstrate that PtdA uniquely among phospholipids tested appears to facilitate transmembrane flux of Ca2+ across this membrane preparation.
Early lung cancer detection, mucosal, and alveolar imaging.

Purpose of review Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Early detection is essential for long-term survival. Screening of high-risk individuals with low-dose computed tomography screening has proven to increase survival. However, current radiological imaging techniques have poor specificity for lung cancer detection and poor sensitivity for detection of mucosal or alveolar preinvasive malignant lesions. Bronchoscopy allows imaging and sampling of early lung cancer, with the highest safety profile and high diagnostic accuracy. Recent findings Available technologies, such as autofluorescence bronchoscopy, narrow band imaging, and radial ultrasound bronchoscopy can significantly increase the yield and diagnostic accuracy of bronchoscopy for early cancer detection in the central airways. Newer technologies such as optical coherence tomography, confocal bronchoscopy, and Raman spectroscopy may significantly increase the diagnostic yield of both central and parenchymal early cancer lesions. Summary Although some of these technologies are still investigational and are not readily available in most centers, they may identify early mucosal and alveolar cancer lesions accurately in the least invasive manner to provide appropriate therapy and prolong patient survival from lung cancer.
Introduction to Latent Class Analysis for Reading Fluency Research

This chapter introduces the reader to latent class analysis (LCA), a technique that identifies whether underlying groups exist in your data. LCA can simultaneously analyze the patterns of responses across several different variables to determine whether groups exist, what patterns of responses distinguish the groups, and assign each responder to a group based on those responses. Other methods of grouping, such as fast- or slow-performance based on a median split, actually discard information about individual differences. In contrast, the resulting groups identified in an LCA often provide more information about a responder than do all of the observed variables, because it captures how those variables covary within each responder. This chapter presents the technique by providing a conceptual introduction, a discussion of how to frame research questions using LCA, and examples of how LCA has been used in reading and fluency research in the past. Finally, the chapter provides procedural instructions on how to conduct the LCA using Mplus statistical software, and demonstrates its use in an application to reading fluency research in a large sample of elementary school students.
Visualization for Hyper-Heuristics. Front-End Graphical User Interface

Modern society is faced with ever more complex problems, many of which can be formulated as generate-and-test optimization problems. General-purpose optimization algorithms are not well suited for real-world scenarios where many instances of the same problem class need to be repeatedly and efficiently solved because they are not targeted to a particular scenario. Hyper-heuristics automate the design of algorithms to create a custom algorithm for a particular scenario. While such automated design has great advantages, it can often be difficult to understand exactly how a design was derived and why it should be trusted. This project aims to address these issues of usability by creating an easy-to-use graphical user interface (GUI) for hyper-heuristics to support practitioners, as well as scientific visualization of the produced automated designs. My contributions to this project are exhibited in the user-facing portion of the developed system and the detailed scientific visualizations created from back-end data.