cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crowdsourcing Participatory Evaluation of Medical Pictograms Using Amazon Mechanical Turk

Background: Consumer and patient participation proved to be an effective approach for medical pictogram design, but it can be costly and time-consuming. We proposed and evaluated an inexpensive approach that crowdsourced the pictogram evaluation task to Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) workers, who are usually referred to as the “turkers”. Objective: To answer two research questions: (1) Is the turkers’ collective effort effective for identifying design problems in medical pictograms? and (2) Do the turkers’ demographic characteristics affect their performance in medical pictogram comprehension? Methods: We designed a Web-based survey (open-ended tests) to ask 100 US turkers to type in their guesses of the meaning of 20 US pharmacopeial pictograms. Two judges independently coded the turkers’ guesses into four categories: correct, partially correct, wrong, and completely wrong. The comprehensibility of a pictogram was measured by the percentage of correct guesses, with each partially correct guess counted as 0.5 correct. We then conducted a content analysis on the turkers’ interpretations to identify misunderstandings and assess whether the misunderstandings were common. We also conducted a statistical analysis to examine the relationship between turkers’ demographic characteristics and their pictogram comprehension performance. Results: The survey was completed within 3 days of our posting the task to the MTurk, and the collected data are publicly available in the multimedia appendix for download. The comprehensibility for the 20 tested pictograms ranged from 45% to 98%, with an average of 72.5%. The comprehensibility scores of 10 pictograms were strongly correlated to the scores of the same pictograms reported in another study that used oral response–based open-ended testing with local people. The turkers’ misinterpretations shared common errors that exposed design problems in the pictograms. Participant performance was positively correlated with their educational level. Conclusions: The results confirmed that crowdsourcing can be used as an effective and inexpensive approach for participatory evaluation of medical pictograms. Through Web-based open-ended testing, the crowd can effectively identify problems in pictogram designs. The results also confirmed that education has a significant effect on the comprehension of medical pictograms. Since low-literate people are underrepresented in the turker population, further investigation is needed to examine to what extent turkers’ misunderstandings overlap with those elicited from low-literate people.
On the high frequency excess noise and equivalent circuit representation of the MOS-FET with n-type channel

Abstract The noise in MOS-FET's is here represented by four parameters: the equivalent noise resistance Rn (measuring the drain noise), the equivalent noise conductance gn (measuring the uncorrelated part of the gate noise) and the correlation admittance Yz = gzj ωCz (measuring the correlated part of the gate noise). For some large geometry units we compared the experimental values of these parameters with the ones calculated under the assumption that the noise in the channel was thermal noise. Serious discrepancies between the theoretical and the experimental values were noted, indicating that white noise of non-thermal origin must be present in the channel. The observed data are explained with the help of local “mobility fluctuations” in the channel. By making reasonable assumptions about this noise source, the observed data can be explained in a qualitative manner.
Discovering Matrix Attachment Regions (MARs) in genomic databases

Lately, there has been considerable interest in applying Data Mining techniques to scientific and data analysis problems in bioinformatics. Data mining research is being fueled by novel application areas that are helping the development of newer applied algorithms in the field of bioinformatics, an emerging discipline representing the integration of biological and information sciences. This is a shift in paradigm from the earlier and the continuing data mining efforts in marketing research and support for business intelligence. The problem described in this paper is along a new dimension in DNA sequence analysis research and supplements the previously studied stochastic models for evolution and variability. The discovery of novel patterns from genetic databases as described is quite significant because biological pattern play an important role in a large variety of cellular processes and constitute the basis for gene therapy. Biological databases containing the genetic codes from a wide variety of organisms, including humans, have continued their exponential growth over the last decade. At the time of this writing, the GenBank database contains over 300 million sequences and over 2.5 billion characters of sequenced nucleotides. The focus of this paper is on developing a general data mining algorithm for discovering regions of locus control, i.e. those regions that are instrumental for activating genes. One type of such elements of locus control are the MARs or the Matrix Association Regions. Our limited knowledge about MARs has hampered their detection using classical pattern recognition techniques. Consequently, their detection is formulated by utilizing a statistical interestingness measure derived from a set of empirical features that are known to be associated with MARs. This paper presents a systematic approach for finding associations between such empirical features in genomic sequences, and for utilizing this knowledge in detecting biologically interesting control signals, such as MARs. This computational MAR discovery tool is implemented as a web-based software called MAR-Wiz and is available for public access. As our knowledge about the living system continues to evolve, and as the biological databases continue to grow, a pattern learning methodology similar to that described in this paper will be significant for the detection of regulatory signals embedded in genomic sequences.
Compact abelian groups of automorphisms of von Neumann algebras

Let G be a compact abelian group, acting σ-weakly continuously as a group of ∗-automorphisms α on a von Neumann algebra R. We give necessary and sufficient conditions for α to be inner, based on the structure of the lattice of projections in the center of the fixed-point algebra. As an application, we show that if α satisfies a spectrum condition with respect to a suitably chosen positive semigroup in the dual of G, then α is inner, and the implementing unitary representation can be chosen with positive spectrum.
Has Anyone Seen the U.S. Surgeon General? And Does it Matter? A Proposal to Resurrect the U.S. Public Health Service

OK—Let's start with a little quiz. Who is the current Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service? And as a corollary, what is the U.S. Public Health Service? Further, what does the Surgeon G...
The composition of the Lake McDonald Forest, Glacier National Park

The area surveyed in this study is in the southwest part of Glacier National Park and lies only 5-7 mi. west of the Continental Divide. McDonald Valley is one of the larger and better known valleys on the west slope of the Park. Lake McDonald, the largest body of water in the Park, is approximately 10 mi. long and between 1.5 and 2 mi. wide. It owes its existence to a Pleistocene valley glacier which deposited sediments at the lower end of the valley to form a moraine which dammed up the basis and produced the lake. The glacier is calculated to have been at least 1400 ft thick, for the lake attains a depth in some places of 400 ft and there are evidences of moving ice oln the ridges paralleling the lake 1000 ft or more above the present water level. The term, Lake McDonald Forest, is the author's own coinage and refers to that part of McDonald Valley near the lake and below 4200 ft elevation (Fig. 1). It is felt that this constitutes a rather natural area since the slopes above 4200 ft or 4300 ft typically become more precipitous and the aspect of the forest exhibits gradual but marked changes. To the south and west of Lake McDonald lies the extensive Flathead Valley with an average elevation of approximately 3000 ft.
Healthcare barriers of refugees post-resettlement

The majority of refugees spend the greater part of their lives in refugee camps before repatriation or resettlement to a host country. Limited resources and stress during residence in refugee camps can lead to a variety of acute and chronic diseases which often persist upon resettlement. However, for most resettled refugees little is known about their health needs beyond a health assessment completed upon entry. We conducted a qualitative pilot-study in San Diego County, the third largest area in California, USA for resettling refugees, to explore health care access issues of refugees after governmental assistance has ended. A total of 40 guided in-depth interviews were conducted with a targeted sample of informants (health care practitioners, employees of refugee serving organizations, and recent refugee arrivals) familiar with the health needs of refugees. Interviews revealed that the majority of refugees do not regularly access health services. Beyond individual issues, emerging themes indicated that language and communication affect all stages of health care access—from making an appointment to filling out a prescription. Acculturation presented increased stress, isolation, and new responsibilities. Additionally, cultural beliefs about health care directly affected refugees’ expectation of care. These barriers contribute to delayed care and may directly influence refugee short- and long-term health. Our findings suggest the need for additional research into contextual factors surrounding health care access barriers, and the best avenues to reduce such barriers and facilitate access to existing services.
Reflecting on a Conversation with Coase

Abstract: ThisisapersonalreflectionfrommyexperiencemeetingRonaldH.Coasein October 2012 for a 2-day interview together with Ning Wang. Our interview wasone of the world’s last glimpses of Coase ’s life and contributions, and one thatconveys Coase’s contributions as both a true scholar and a gentleman. In additionto the published interview (S. Terjesen & N. Wang, 2013. Coase on entrepreneur-ship. Small Business Economics, 40(2), 173–184), I kept personal journal notesreflecting on eight life lessons which Coase embodied: being kind, honest, andhumble,cherishingfriendships,learningcontinuously,findinghumor,servingandteaching others, and accepting chance circumstances. I was initially inspired torecord these reflections for my three young children, but have often shared themwith my colleagues and students. I am delighted to share Coase’slifelessonsmorebroadly with the world of readers through Coase’s journal.Keywords: Coase, entrepreneurship, transaction cost economic theory, Coasianeconomics, interview
Distribution of binding sites for 125I-labeled alpha-bungarotoxin in normal and deafferented antennal lobes of Manduca sexta.

Abstract 125I-Labeled alpha-bungarotoxin has been used to determine the distribution of putative acetylcholine receptors in normal and chronically deafferented antennal lobes in the brain of the moth Manduca sexta. Toxin-binding sites are confined to synaptic regions in deafferented lobes. These findings suggest that receptors can develop in the insect central nervous system independently of normal synaptic influences.
A nanophotonic interconnect for high-performance many-core computation

We describe the results of a design study of DWDM on-chip and off-chip nanophotonic interconnects and device technologies that could improve computing performance by a factor of 20 above industry projections over the next decade.
Spectrochemical Determinations in Garnets Using a Laser Microprobe

Spectrochemical determinations of Fe, Mg, Mn, and Ca in garnets by use of a laser microprobe were performed in matrix. Standards were prepared by fusion of chemically analyzed mineral powders and these standard glasses were excited in the same manner as the mineral unknowns. Comparison of results with the rock standard W-1 showed good accuracy and reproducibility. The precision and accuracy of the method as a whole deems it suitable for most mineralogic investigations where analysis in matrix is desirable.
On the molecular weight of thiosulfate sulfurtransferase.

Abstract Bovine liver thiosulfate sulfurtransferase (rhodanese) (EC 2.8.1.1) has been reported to exist in solution in a rapid, pH-dependent equilibrium between monomeric and dimeric forms of molecular weights 18 500 and 37 000 (Volini, M., DeToma, F. and Westley, J. (1967), J. Biol. Chem. 242, 5220). We have reinvestigated the proposed dissociation using sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The smallest rhodanese species observed has a molecular weight around 35 000, which is not reduced by severe denaturing conditions, including alkylation in 8 M guanidine · HCl or dialysis against 2% sodium dodecylsulfate and 5% mercaptoethanol. After limited CNBr cleavage, intermediate products of >18 500 molecular weight are formed. The apparent molecular weight of these intermediate fragments is not changed by addition of mercaptoethanol. The total apparent molecular weights of the CNBr fragments after exhaustive cleavage is approx. 45 000 ± 15 000. These results are not consistent with a monomer molecular weight of approx. 18 500 for thiosulfate sulfurtransferase.
Epitaxial ferroelectric oxides for electro-optic and non-linear optical applications

Ferroelectric oxide epitaxial thin films are potentially important for a variety of guided-wave electro-optic and non-linear optical applications. Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition has been used to synthesize epitaxial thin films of a number of ferroelectric oxides. The films now have sufficient optical quality to enable the fabrication of waveguide devices including electro-optic modulators and optical amplifiers for 1.54 microns.
Universal compression of memoryless sources over unknown alphabets

It has long been known that the compression redundancy of independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) strings increases to infinity as the alphabet size grows. It is also apparent that any string can be described by separately conveying its symbols, and its pattern-the order in which the symbols appear. Concentrating on the latter, we show that the patterns of i.i.d. strings over all, including infinite and even unknown, alphabets, can be compressed with diminishing redundancy, both in block and sequentially, and that the compression can be performed in linear time. To establish these results, we show that the number of patterns is the Bell number, that the number of patterns with a given number of symbols is the Stirling number of the second kind, and that the redundancy of patterns can be bounded using results of Hardy and Ramanujan on the number of integer partitions. The results also imply an asymptotically optimal solution for the Good-Turing probability-estimation problem.
Collagen and mucopolysaccharide biosynthesis in the developing chick cornea.

Abstract The syntheses of collagen and mucopolysaccharides in the differentiating chick cornea have been studied in vivo and in whole corneas in shaker flasks. Biosynthesis was monitored with histochemical staining, spectrophotometric analyses, and radioisotope incorporation experiments. During embryonic development collagen fibers appeared in the presumptive cornea on day 3 (stage 17 1 2 ); the intensity of stromal sulfate staining increased sharply on day 14 (stage 40). Hydroxyproline and amino sugar accumulated at logarithmic rates in the cornea from day 4 and showed in their rates of accumulation changes that correlate with events during corneal morphogenesis. Embryos of different ages incubated in vivo with radioactive sulfate and glucosamine incorporated the precursors into corneal polysaccharides as early as day 5. Injection of Duazomycin A totally inhibited sulfate incorporation at all ages. Corneas of different ages incubated in shaker flasks incorporated labeled sulfate and glucosamine in amounts commensurate with the measured rate of accumulation of amino sugar at the same ages in vivo. Ratios of incorporated sulfate to glucosamine increased during development as did the proportion of high-sulfated chondroitin sulfate, suggesting that polysaccharide staining appeared in the corneal stroma on day 14 because of the sharply increased degree of sulfation of chondroitin sulfate.
Allies Not Adversaries: Teaching Collaboration to the Next Generation of Doctors and Lawyers to Address Social Inequality

Recent reports from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, as well as from other medical and legal educators, stress that professional training of doctors and lawyers focuses too narrowly on knowledge-based learning, and not enough on context-based problem-solving, professionalism, and ethics. Tracing recent calls from both legal and medical educators to increase the teaching of ethics, social responsibility, the lawyer-client and doctor-patient relationship, and holistic problem-solving, this article offers a model of interdisciplinary medical-legal education focused on developing practitioners sensitive to the needs of diverse and disenfranchised clients and patients. It highlights a burgeoning medical-legal partnership model, now in nearly eighty sites across the country, which partners lawyers and doctors to address the underlying social determinants of health for poor children and their families. The medical-legal partnership model, which increasingly includes medical school and law school partners, provides a unique opportunity to engage law and medical students in interdisciplinary problem-solving and ethical reflection, while also expanding their understanding of complex issues of social justice and inequality in our legal and health care systems. An interdisciplinary course offered by Brown Medical School and Roger Williams University School of Law is offered as a model.
International plant molecular biology: a bright future for green science

A report on the 10th International Congress of Plant Molecular Biology, Jeju, South Korea, October 21-26, 2012.
A High-Perfiwmance Surface-Micromachined Pirani Gauge in SUMMIT FM

This paper presents a new type of surface micromachined polysilicon Pirani gauge that is designed to monitor pressure in micro packages. This gauge can measure absolute pressure from greater than 74OTorr to less than l0mTorr. The gauge utilizes a double heat sink design to maximize dynamic range while maintaining adequate pressure sensitivity (-lx103(ylw)/r0rr). A special feature of this gauge is that it achieves high performance using a widely available foundry process. This sensor can be integrated with other devices on the same substrate and packaged to measure leak rates several orders of magnitude smaller than traditional He leak testing.
Incidence and mechanism of neonatal jaundice related to glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

Extract: In three population surveys in Greece, the incidence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency and neonatal jaundice was examined in randomly selected male newborns. The incidence rate of G-6-PD deficiency was 2.92% in the Alexandra survey (population of Athens and southern Greece), 4.93% in the Lesbos survey and 12.5% in the Rhodes survey. In all surveys, severe jaundice without blood group incompatibility or low birth weight appeared much more frequently in G-6-PD-deficient than in normal newborns, but there were striking differences. In Lesbos, severe jaundice was found much more frequently in both G-6-PD-deficient and normal groups than in comparable groups in the other two surveys. Similarly, at 4 days of age, values for serum bilirubin in control groups were 9.43±4.39 mg/100 ml in Lesbos and 7.88±4.8 mg/100 ml in Rhodes (p <0.05). These differences indicate that in Lesbos, an unknown icterogenic factor alone increases the incidence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and, in conjunction with G-6-PD deficiency, causes severe neonatal jaundice (serum bilirubin values higher than 16 mg/100 ml) in 43% of G-6-PD deficient infants. In the Rhodes survey, values for hemoglobin and serum bilirubin and reticulocyte count in the G-6-PD-deficient group were compared with values in the cord blood and in samples of blood drawn on the 4th day of life from the control group. The G-6-PD-deficient group had lower hemoglobin values and higher serum bilirubin values than the control group. The mean values (g/100 ml) for hemoglobin in cord blood were 14.42±1.24 and 15.36±1.36 in the G-6-PD-deficient and control groups, respectively. In samples obtained at 4 days of age, the values were 15.6±1.34 and 16.65±1.37, respectively, in the two groups. The mean values (mg/100 ml) for serum bilirubin in cord blood were 1.98±0.64 and 1.68±0.42, respectively, in the two groups. At 4 days of age, the values were 9.86±6.6 and 7.88±4.8, respectively. These results indicate a diminished life span of G-6-PD-deficient erythrocytes in the fetal and neonatal period. Speculation: This study demonstrates the existence in some newborn populations of an icterogenic factor unrelated to blood group incompatibility or G-6-PD deficiency. Further studies are needed to determine the hemolytic or hepatic nature of this factor and whether this factor interacts with ABO incompatibility or prematurity. In this work, the relation of this factor to G-6-PD deficiency has been studied.
Indices to Measure Gingival Bleeding

Gingival bleeding is an objective, easily assessed sign of inflammation that is associated with several periodontal diseases. Many bleeding indices have been devised; some assess bleeding as simply present or absent, whereas others use grading in an attempt to assess severity of bleeding. The choice of which index to use depends on whether the purpose is an epidemiological survey, a clinical study, diagnosis and treatment, or patient motivation. Bleeding may be elicited manually with toothpicks, dental floss or a periodontal probe, but a controlled-force probe, although more expensive, causes less trauma and less false-positive bleeding from healthy tissues. As a predictor of periodontal disease progression, bleeding on probing has low sensitivity owing to a high frequency of false-positive responses, but has high specificity in that failure to bleed indicates health. There is evidence that smokers have less, or delayed, gingival bleeding when compared with non-smokers; therefore smoking needs to be controlled for in studies of gingival bleeding. Measurement of gingival bleeding tendency should be an integral part of a comprehensive oral examination. In clinical practice, the use of a graded bleeding index is more likely to identify sites that are at risk of further destructive activity. For monitoring individual patients, both for response to initial therapy and during maintenance, a modified Sulcus Bleeding Index (mSBI) with three bleeding scores is recommended in preference to dichotomous scoring of bleeding.
The use of droperidol before and after the Food and Drug Administration black box warning: a survey of the members of the Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia

Abstract Study Objective To determine the practice of members of the Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA) in the management of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) before and after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) black box warning on droperidol. Design Survey questionnaire. Setting The Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia. Measurements After institutional review board approval, a survey was posted on the SAMBA Web site from June 1, 2005, until October 30, 2005. Visitors of the Web site were invited to participate in the survey. The survey was designed to elicit information about the management of PONV, particularly the use of droperidol, before and after the FDA black box warning. Participants were also asked about reasons for not using droperidol in their current practice and whether they believed that the black box warning was justified. Main Results Two hundred ninety-five physicians of 1,179 eligible SAMBA members completed the survey for a 25% response rate. For PONV prophylaxis, the choice of droperidol as a first-line agent decreased from 47% to 5% after the black box warning appeared ( P P Conclusions Although most surveyed practitioners believed that the FDA black box warning on droperidol is not justified, the use of this cost-effective agent has significantly declined.
Age-associated decline in T cell repertoire diversity leads to holes in the repertoire and impaired immunity to influenza virus

A diverse T cell repertoire is essential for a vigorous immune response to new infections, and decreasing repertoire diversity has been implicated in the age-associated decline in CD8 T cell immunity. In this study, using the well-characterized mouse influenza virus model, we show that although comparable numbers of CD8 T cells are elicited in the lung and lung airways of young and aged mice after de novo infection, a majority of aged mice exhibit profound shifts in epitope immunodominance and restricted diversity in the TCR repertoire of responding cells. A preferential decline in reactivity to viral epitopes with a low naive precursor frequency was observed, in some cases leading to “holes” in the T cell repertoire. These effects were also seen in young thymectomized mice, consistent with the role of the thymus in maintaining naive repertoire diversity. Furthermore, a decline in repertoire diversity generally correlated with impaired responses to heterosubtypic challenge. This study formally demonstrates in a mouse infection model that naturally occurring contraction of the naive T cell repertoire can result in impaired CD8 T cell responses to known immunodominant epitopes and decline in heterosubtypic immunity. These observations have important implications for the design of vaccine strategies for the elderly.
Internal Dynamics Determine the Cortical Response to Thalamic Stimulation

Although spontaneous activity occurs throughout the neocortex, its relation to the activity produced by external or sensory inputs remains unclear. To address this, we used calcium imaging of mouse thalamocortical slices to reconstruct, with single-cell resolution, the spatiotemporal dynamics of activity of layer 4 in the presence or absence of thalamic stimulation. We found spontaneous neuronal coactivations corresponded to intracellular UP states. Thalamic stimulation of sufficient frequency (>10 Hz) triggered cortical activity, and UP states, indistinguishable from those arising spontaneously. Moreover, neurons were activated in identical and precise spatiotemporal patterns in thalamically triggered and spontaneous events. The similarities between cortical activations indicate that intracortical connectivity plays the dominant role in the cortical response to thalamic inputs. Our data demonstrate that precise spatiotemporal activity patterns can be triggered by thalamic inputs and indicate that the thalamus serves to release intrinsic cortical dynamics.
Peer Cluster Theory: Drugs and the Adolescent.

The authors review several theories advanced to explain adolescent drug use to provide background for describing peer cluster theory. Peer clusters, small subsets of peer groups, including pairs, dictate the shared beliefs, values, and behaviors that determine where, when, and with whom drugs are used and the role that drugs play in defining cluster membership. Peer cluster theory incorporates those psychosocial factors that promote or inoculate against drug use in youth.
Connectedness in Action

An insightful ability to connect distinguishes Professor Stohl’s remarkable work. Her scholarship has played a pivotal role in moving the organizational communication discipline into the global are...
The Obstacles to Foreign Aid Harmonization: Lessons from the Decentralization Sector in Indonesia

Relying on a new institutional economics analysis of transaction costs, the 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness emphasizes donor harmonization as an intermediate objective for increasing the effectiveness of foreign assistance in bringing about development outcomes. Surveys on adherence to the Paris Declaration commitments so far suggest that foreign aid donors are lagging behind targets. This paper explores the political and bureaucratic obstacles faced by bilateral and multilateral aid organizations trying to harmonize aid at the country level. Looking at foreign support for the decentralization and local governance sector in Indonesia – where a “bold experiment” in harmonization failed to bring about improved donor coordination – I find evidence that the lack of harmonization can be linked to some of the characteristic pathologies of foreign aid: the dominance of the strategic interests of some donors and the structure of bureaucratic incentives within aid agencies. These traditional problems work through a pathway that is underexplored in the literature: by enabling a lack of coordination among agencies within the recipient government, donors create barriers to harmonization of their own programming. However, I conclude by noting that government coordination failure may not be as much of a problem as donors make it out to be. Decisions about governance and decentralization are necessarily contentious and political. In the case where donors succeed in bringing about government coordination in the interest of their own harmonization, they risk exercising harmful leverage that leads to premature resolution of domestic policy disputes, thereby undermining the Paris Declaration principle of country ownership.
Arabidopsis thaliana as a model organism in systems biology.

Significant progress has been made in identification of genes and gene networks involved in key biological processes. Yet, how these genes and networks are coordinated over increasing levels of biological complexity, from cells to tissues to organs, remains unclear. To address complex biological questions, biologists are increasingly using high-throughput tools and systems biology approaches to examine complex biological systems at a global scale. A system is a network of interacting and interdependent components that shape the system’s unique properties. Systems biology studies the organization of system components and their interactions, with the idea that unique properties of that system can be observed only through study of the system as a whole. The application of systems biology approaches to questions in plant biology has been informative. In this review, we give examples of how systems biology is currently being used in Arabidopsis to investigate the transcriptional networks regulating root development, the metabolic response to stress, and the genetic regulation of metabolic variability. From these studies, we are beginning obtain sufficient data to generate more accurate models for system function. Further investigation of plant systems will require data gathering from specific cells and tissues, continued improvement in metabolic technologies, and novel computational methods for data visualization and modeling.
The Role of Boron in the Diet of the Rat.

SummaryA synthetic diet is described which has a boron content of 163 μg per kg. This diet supports good growth and development in the rat. Food consumption compares well with that of animals on good purified diets used in this laboratory. The reproductive processes are normal. The young born to mothers on this boron-low diet appear normal and are successfully raised. Pathological studies showed the tissues of these rats to be normal. No evidence is obtained under the experimental conditions that boron is essential in the nutrition of the rat.
An Evaluation of California's Inmate Classification System Using a Generalized Regression Discontinuity Design

Published studies using the regression discontinuity design have been limited to cases in which linear regression is applied to a categorical treatment indicator and an equal interval outcome. This is unnecessarily narrow. We show here how a generalization the usual regression discontinuity design can be applied in a wider range of situations. We focus on the use of categorical treatment and response variables, but we also consider the more general case of any regression relationship. We also show how a resampling sensitivity analysis may be used to address the credibility of the assumed assignment process. The broader formulation is applied to an evaluation of California's inmate classification system, which is used to allocate prisoners to different kinds of confinement.
Phase-locked loops: a control centric tutorial

Presents a tutorial on phase-locked loops from a control systems perspective. It starts with an introduction of the loop as a feedback control problem, with both the similarities and differences to traditional control problems. Chief among the differences is the necessary inclusion of two nonlinearities in the loop that are not parasitic, but essential to the loop's operation. Analysis methods, both linear and nonlinear are discussed. Then digital loops are discussed, followed by loop components and a cursory look at noise. Finally, the paper ends with a discussion of different applications of PLLs and their relatives.
Gluten-free food - possible market potential

Food intolerance touches no small part of people. These people have one more care when buying food. They have to find appropriate food product and it is sometimes quite difficult. This group of consumers could be potentially an interesting segment to target. This article shows basic needs of consumers with gluten intolerance and explores potential solution on the part of producers and services providers.
Evaluation of intersection confirmation lights with targeted enforcement to reduce red light running violations at freeway ramp intersections

Red light running (RLR) is an event where a vehicle enters an intersection when the red signal is indicated. These events are known to cause hundreds of fatalities, thousands of injuries, and tens of thousands of property damage crashes annually. The objective of this research study was to evaluate the changes in RLR events at freeway on-ramp intersections in the presence of targeted enforcement stationed on the adjacent on-ramp. The enforcement officers were aided by confirmation lights that could only be seen by the officers stationed on the on-ramps. The primary performance metric used was the change in RLR rates between the before period and 1 month and 3 months after installation. It was found that the treatment sites experienced statistically significant reductions of 60% and 56% in violation rates during the respective study periods. The control sites also experienced 39% and 60% reductions in violation rates during the respective study periods. Additional analysis of the number of officers deployed and citations written was conducted to determine a possible reason for the reduction in violation rates at the control sites, but the results indicated no change in the enforcement structure between the before-and-after periods. It is possible that the effects at the study sites changed driver behavior over a wider area, which may have unexpectedly been observed at the control sites. This study showed that confirmation lights, when used in combination with targeted enforcement, can have a beneficial impact in reducing RLR violations at on-ramp signalized intersections, possibly over a wider area than expected.
Science, scientific institutions, and economic progress

The premise of this paper is that economic progress is made possible through discoveries, learning, and creation of skills or knowledge, rather than by accumulation of capital. It is argued that science is a systematic inquiry that is categorically different from pre-scientific stage of useful knowledge or technical know-how. Useful knowledge, which we will call skills in this paper, acquired in the pre-scientific stage was meager and lacked cumulative progress. Progress in knowledge became possible only after the process of skill transmission became institutionalized as science. Science as a social institution allows specialists who interact regularly and could benefit from cumulative process. This observation will be examined in the context of Adam Smith’s theory of economics progress; that specialization and the division of labor is limited by the extent of the market. The implications of the interaction between technology and preferences/behavior are examined.
Teflon Epidural Catheter Placement for Intermittent Celiac Plexus Blockade and Celiac Plexus Neurolytic Blockade

A 58-year-old with acute/chronic pancreatitis was treated with celiac plexus blockade. A percutaneous teflon catheter was placed for intermittent blockade and used for definitive neurolysis. There were no complications using this approach to celiac plexus blockade.
Management of Intraoperative Right Ventricular Failure With Pulmonary Artery Balloon Counterpulsation

There are many etiologic factors that contribute to the development of right ventricular failure. However, the clinical manifestations and treatment modalities parallel whether the causative factor is from intraoperative complications or cardiovascular pathology. When adequate preload and pharmacologic support fail to enhance right ventricular function, the placement of a pulmonary artery balloon catheter for counterpulsation may be required. Currently, the pulmonary artery balloon catheter requires intraoperative placement. However, further research and refinements may allow peripheral placement of the catheter, using a smaller sized balloon. A case study is presented of a patient requiring intraaortic and pulmonary artery balloon counterpulsation for intraoperative right ventricular failure, after a mitral valve replacement.
Opposing Regulation of Interleukin-8 and NF-kB Responses by Lipoxin A4 and Serum Amyloid a via the Common Lipoxin a Receptor:

Abstract Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) is a potent eicosanoid that inhibits IL-1beta-induced activation of human fibroblast like synoviocytes (FLS) via the ALX4 receptor. Serum amyloid A (SAA) is an acute phase reactant with cytokine-like properties. SAA has been shown to bind the same seven transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor ligated by LXA4. Here we compared the inflammatory responses of lipid (LXA4) and peptide (SAA) ligands in human FLS via the shared ALX, and characterized their downstream signaling. LXA4 induced stimulation of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-2, whereas SAA induced interleukin-8 and matrix metalloproteinase-3 production. SAA up-regulated NF-kappaB and AP-1 DNA binding activity, while LXA4 markedly inhibited these responses after IL-1beta stimulation. A human IL-8 promoter luciferase construct was transfected into CHO cells stably expressing ALXR in order to determine the role of NF-kappaB and/or AP-1 in the regulation of IL-8 gene expression. The NF-kappaB pathway proved to be the preeminent for the biological responses elicited by both ligands. These findings suggest that two endogenous molecules, targeting a common receptor, could participate in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis by differentially regulating inflammatory responses in tissues expressing the ALXR.
AIDS and Stroke

This chapter describes the relation between acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and stroke. Cardiac disease is common in AIDS, in some series identified at over 50% of autopsies. Reported pathologies include lymphocytic myocarditis, infectious myocarditis, bacterial endocarditis, and nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis. Human immunodeficiency virus-infected infants and children often demonstrate progressive calcification of large and small blood vessels in the basal ganglia and cerebral white matter; such lesions become almost universal above the age of 5. Associated with this arteriopathy is brain atrophy and radiolucency of cerebral white matter. Children with mitochondrial cardiomyopathy demonstrates central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities suggestive of Leigh's subacute necrotizing encephalopathy, with microvascular hyperplasia and ectasia, leading to hemorrhage and infarction in cerebral and brainstem gray matter. Stroke in an HIV-infected patient mandates careful search for an underlying cause. Investigation includes blood culture, cardiac echo, cerebrospinal fluid examination, brain, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, coagulation studies, and consideration of cerebral angiography.
Stretched Thin: Stress, In-Role, and Extra-Role Behavior of Educators

Ample anecdotal and empirical evidence attests to the considerable stress that teachers at all educational levels experience at work. While this stress, and the burnout that often follows, has typically been considered through the lens of the school environment or the teaching task itself, we suggest that educators' engagement in extra-role behaviors (that is, “above and beyond” their job duties) contributes substantially to feelings of stress and overload on the job. This chapter examines possible explanations for engaging in extra-role behavior in educational settings and suggests preliminary strategies for managing such behavior in order to reduce the overall stress experienced by educators in a wide variety of settings.
An online method for time-varying spatial spectrum estimation using a towed acoustic array

This paper addresses the problem of time-varying field directionality mapping (FDM) or spatial spectrum estimation in dynamic environments with a maneuverable towed acoustic array. Array processing algorithms for towed arrays are typically designed assuming the array is straight, and are thus degraded during tow ship maneuvers. In this paper, maneuvering the array is treated as a feature allowing for left and right disambiguation as well as improved resolution towards endfire. A new method for online spatial spectrum estimation is presented. The maximum likelihood of the time-varying field is solved for using a single expectation maximization step after each received data snapshot. A multi-source simulation is used to illustrate the proposed algorithm's ability to suppress ambiguous towed-array backlobes and resolve closely spaced interferers near endfire which pose challenges for conventional beamforming approaches, especially during array maneuvers.
Measuring Costs to Community-Based Agencies for Implementation of an Evidence-Based Practice

Healthcare reform has led to an increase in dissemination of evidence-based practices. Cost is frequently cited as a significant yet rarely studied barrier to dissemination of evidence-based practices and the associated improvements in quality of care. This study describes an approach to measuring the incremental, unreimbursed costs in staff time and direct costs to community-based clinics implementing an evidence-based practice through participating in a learning collaborative. Initial implementation costs exceeding those for providing "treatment as usual" were collected for ten clinics implementing trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy through participation in 10-month learning collaboratives. Incremental implementation costs of these ten community-based clinic teams averaged the equivalent of US$89,575 (US$ 2012). The most costly activities were training, supervision, preparation time, and implementation team meetings. Recommendations are made for further research on implementation costs, dissemination of evidence-based practices, and implications for researchers and policy makers.
Arthur P. Bochner, Coming to Narrative: A Personal History of Paradigm Change in the Human Sciences

In Coming to Narrative: A Personal History of Paradigm Change in the Human Sciences, Arthur P. Bochner skillfully accomplishes his goal to “touch and reveal some of the deep parts of my experience ...
Macrophage Elastase Induces TRAIL-mediated Tumor Cell Death through Its Carboxy-Terminal Domain

Rationale: Macrophage elastase (matrix metalloproteinase [MMP]-12) is a potent protease that contributes to the lung destruction that accompanies cigarette smoking; it simultaneously inhibits lung tumor angiogenesis and metastasis by catalyzing the formation of antiangiogenic peptides. Recent studies have revealed novel nonproteolytic functions of MMP12, including antimicrobial activity through a peptide within its C-terminal domain (CTD).Objectives: To determine whether the MMP12 CTD contributes to its antitumor activity in lung cancer.Methods: We used recombinant MMP12 peptide fragments, including its catalytic domain, CTD, and a 20 amino acid peptide within the CTD (SR20), in an in vitro system to delineate their effects on non–small cell lung cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. We translated our findings to two murine models of lung cancer, including orthotopic human xenograft and KrasLSL/G12D mouse models of lung cancer.Measurements and Main Results: We show that SR20 triggers tumor apoptosis by...
Flow-mediated self-organization of ventilation in honeybee nests

European honey bees (Apis mellifera) live in large congested nest cavities with a single opening that limits passive ventilation. These nests are actively ventilated by individual bees which fan their wings at the nest entrance when the local air temperature exceeds a threshold. Here we show that colonies with relatively large nest entrances use an emergent ventilation strategy where fanning bees self-organize to form fanning groups, separating regions of continuous inflow and outflow. The observed spatio-temporal patterns correlate the air velocity and air temperature along the entrances to the distribution of fanning bees. A mathematical model that couples these variables to known fanning behavior of individuals recapitulates their collective dynamics. Additionally, the model makes predictions about the temporal stability of the fanning group as a function of the temperature difference between the environment and the nest. Consistent with these predictions, we observe that the fanning groups drift, cling to the entrance boundaries, break-up and reform as the ambient temperature varies over a period of days. Overall, our study shows how honeybees use flow-mediated communication to self-organize into a steady-state in fluctuating environments.
Energy Payback Time (EPBT) and Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROI) of Perovskite Tandem Photovoltaic Solar Cells

Two-terminal tandem perovskite (PK) cells are considered a promising option for future photovoltaic (PV) market due to the rapid improvements in their power conversion efficiencies. However, their large-scale adoption requires a better understanding on the energy performance of these PVs. In this paper, the life-cycle energy consumptions of two-terminal tandem solar cells consisting of lead-based PK top cells prepared on bottom cells of copper indium gallium selenide, copper zinc tin selenide, and monocrystalline silicon are evaluated. The energy payback time (EPBT) and the energy return on invested (EROI) are the two useful metrics for examining the energy generation performance of PV systems. EPBTs of the current state-of-the-art devices range from 7 months to 12 months, while the EROI of the cells is in the reverse order as the EPBT and ranged between 5.2 and 9.2. These two energy indicators of tandem devices are expected to improve as the tandem PV technologies mature, with an EBPT as low as ∼27 day (0.9 month) and the EROI as high as 105 for high-efficiency long-lifetime devices.
Understanding curvatures of the equipotential surface in gravity gradiometry

ABSTRACTThe concept of curvatures of equipotential surfaces is of theoretical and practical importance in gravity gradiometry because curvatures describe the shape of equipotential surfaces, which ...
Extension-based divorce education: A quasi-experimental design study of the Parents Forever program.

The field of divorce education is calling for greater rigor in evaluating program effectiveness and University Extension programs are no exception. Parents Forever, a University of Minnesota Extens...