cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gold Nanocluster Agglomeration Kinetic Studies: Evidence for Parallel Bimolecular Plus Autocatalytic Agglomeration Pathways as a Mechanism-Based Alternative to an Avrami-Based Analysis

The most extensive and highest quality Au0n nanocluster agglomeration size vs time TEM data set yet obtained are analyzed by a nanoparticle size vs time equation that is derived herein for parallel bimolecular (B + B → C, rate constant k3) and autocatalytic (B + C → 1.5C, rate constant k4) agglomeration steps of preformed nanoclusters, B. The results show that the size vs time data are well fit by the new size vs time equation. The fits and resultant k3 and k4 rate constants yield several interesting insights that are presented and discussed, including the finding that to date k4 > k3, that is, that the autocatalytic agglomeration rate constant is faster than the bimolecular rate constant, at least for the cases examined to date. The results of the effects of added TOABr (tetraoctylammonium bromide) on the 180 °C agglomeration k3 and k4 rate constants in unstirred diphenylmethane solvent are also presented and discussed, the TOABr being added originally to compact the nanoclusters double layer thereby hel...
Biogenesis of Erythropoietin

The concept that the kidney serves as the principal site of production or activation of erythropoietin (erythropoiesis stimulating factor, ESF) has gained credence from several lines of evidence. The experiments of Jacobson et al. (12) established that nephrectomy inhibited the erythropoietic response of rats to hemorrhage, lowered barometric pressures and cobalt administration. Nephrectomized animals also showed a markedly diminished capacity to produce ESF when exposed to these stimuli (13). The appearance of ESF in fluids circulated through isolated and in situ perfused kidneys exposed to cobalt (8) and to hypoxic conditions (16,21,24) has also lent support to the renal origin of ESF. Although it has been argued that ESF is released only from injured or disintegrating renal tissue (7), other studies (9) have shown no correlation between ability to produce ESF and degenerative cellular changes in the perfused kidney preparation.
Influence of clinical and hemodynamic variables on risk of supraventricular tachycardia after coronary artery bypass.

The influence of 45 variables on risk of postoperative supraventricular tachycardia was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis of data from 800 consecutive patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass during a 6-year interval. Postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias occurred in 186 patients (23%) but did not contribute to any of the six early deaths (30-day mortality rate, 0.8%). Mean (± standard deviation) length of hospital stay was longer (9.8 ± 5.7 versus 8.3 ± 3.5 days; p
Law, Politics, the Age of Responsibility, and the Problem of Child Soldiers:

This article considers debates about criminal responsibility for child soldiers as a lens through which we can view intersections between legal and political theory, legal and political practice, a...
Group-based educational interventions in 11–16-year-olds can be effective in supporting suboptimal diabetes control

Commentary on : Price KJ, Knowles JA, Fox M, et al. Effectiveness of the Kids in Control of Food (KICk-OFF) structured education course for 11–16 year olds with type 1 diabetes. Diabet Med 2016;33:192–203.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3] On average only 18.4% of children and young people (CYP) with diabetes are achieving HbA1c values below 58 mmol/mol1 and even less the revised target of <48 mmol/mol.2 National recommendations for CYP with diabetes emphasise the importance of intensive diabetes … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DDiabet%2BMed%26rft.volume%253D33%26rft.spage%253D192%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1111%252Fdme.12881%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F26248789%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1111/dme.12881&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=26248789&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F19%2F4%2F120.atom
Under the Watchful Eye: The Highly Intrusive Nature of Facial Recognition Technology

In lieu of an abstract, below is the first paragraph of the paper. Facial recognition technology, or FRT, has the potential to provide numerous benefits, both to individual persons and to society as a whole. Among these benefits, convenience for everyday tasks and increased safety/ security are possible. However, the likely benefits that FRT can provide are overshadowed by one major weakness of the technology: the invasion of one's privacy. FRT intrudes on the lives of all people. This can potentially lead to false accusations and/or people altering their lifestyles. Because people never know when or where they are being watched, FRT prevents people from living their lives as solely their own. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol12/iss1/3 Under the Watchful Eye: The Highly Intrusive Nature of Facial Recognition Technology
Classification of Prostate Cancer Grades and T-Stages Based on Tissue Elasticity Using Medical Image Analysis

In this paper, we study the correlation of tissue (i.e. prostate) elasticity with the spread and aggression of prostate cancers. We describe an improved, in-vivo method that estimates the individualized, relative tissue elasticity parameters directly from medical images. Although elasticity reconstruction, or elastograph, can be used to estimate tissue elasticity, it is less suited for in-vivo measurements or deeply-seated organs like prostate. We develop a non-invasive method to estimate tissue elasticity values based on pairs of medical images, using a finite-element based biomechanical model derived from an initial set of images, local displacements, and an optimization-based framework. We demonstrate the feasibility of a statistically-based multi-class learning method that classifies a clinical T-stage and Gleason score using the patient’s age and relative prostate elasticity values reconstructed from computed tomography (CT) images.
Large Sample Evidence of the Determinants of Nonprofit Monitoring Costs: A Resource Dependence Framework

ABSTRACT Despite the importance of audit and accounting services in nonprofit organizations, few studies have examined determinants of these monitoring costs in this setting. This study provides la...
Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab in Post Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders (PTLD): Pooled Analysis and Review of Literature.

PTLD are heterogeneous monoclonal or polyclonal neoplasm usually of B-cell origin with a variable incidence in allogenic bone marrow and solid organ transplant recipients. Due to immunosuppresion in transplant patients, PTLD follows an aggressive course with enhanced treatment-associated toxicity, leading to a overall poor clinical outcome and mortality. Rituximab is a chimeric monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody with known activity in B-cell PTLD and minimal toxicity. A few anecdotal uncontrolled studies and case reports have evaluated the use of rituximab-based therapy for PTLD. In order to define the efficacy and safety of rituximab single agent in the treatment of patients with PTLD we conducted a review of the current available literature and performed a pooled-analysis. We conducted a MEDLINE literature search using Pub med, Ovid software for the key words rituximab, anti-CD20 antibody, PTLD, hematopoetic stem cell transplant (HSCT), solid organ transplant (SOT) and lymphoproliferative disorders on all available published literature analyzed to date (January 1998 to June 30, 2007). Studies involving children ( 1 year) in most patients (∼70%). Rituximab was used as first line therapy after failure of immunosuppression withdrawal, and patients were initially treated with four weekly doses of rituximab at 375mg/m 2 . Rituximab was continued as maintenance therapy in responding patients in few studies. The complete response rate (International Workshop Criteria) was 58% (29%–78%), among SOT patients and 70% (66%–83%) among HSCT patients. Side effects were minimal and no treatment related deaths were attributed to rituximab. Long term follow up from 2 prospective studies demonstrate a durable remission in 30%–37% SOT patients at 5 years. Limited evidence exists for optimal treatment approach in PTLD. Clinical heterogeneity among small number of patients diagnosed makes it difficult to conduct randomized prospective studies in this disorder. Our study is the first pooled analysis evaluating the role of rituximab in PTLD. Minimal toxicity with good efficacy favors rituximab’s use among patients with less aggressive PTLD who fail or unable to tolerate withdrawal of immunosuppression.
Outcomes of elderly patients treated for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

6076 Background: Implementing standard treatment recommendations for oral cavity cancer in the elderly population can be challenging due to the comorbidities seen in this population. We sought to c...
SOX2 immunity and tissue resident memory in children and young adults with glioma

Therapies targeting immune checkpoints are effective in tumors with a high mutation burden that express multiple neo-antigens. However, glial tumors including those seen in children carry fewer mutations and there is an unmet need to identify new antigenic targets of anti-tumor immunity. SOX2 is an embryonal stem cell antigen implicated in the biology of glioma initiating cells. Expression of SOX2 by pediatric glial tumors and the capacity of the immune system in these patients to recognize SOX2 has not been previously studied. We examined the expression of SOX2 on archived paraffin-embedded tissue from pediatric glial tumors. The presence of T-cell immunity to SOX2 was examined in both blood and tumor-infiltrating T-cells in children and young adults with glioma. The nature of tumor-infiltrating immune cells was analyzed with a 37-marker panel using single-cell mass cytometry. SOX2 is expressed by tumor cells but not surrounding normal tissue in pediatric gliomas of all grades. T-cells against this antigen can be detected in blood and tumor tissue in glioma patients. Glial tumors are enriched for CD8/CD4 T-cells with tissue resident memory (TRM; CD45RO+, CD69+, CCR7-) phenotype, which co-express multiple inhibitory checkpoints including PD-1, PD-L1 and TIGIT. Tumors also contain natural killer cells with reduced expression of lytic granzyme. Our data demonstrate immunogenicity of SOX2, which is specifically overexpressed on pediatric glial tumor cells. Harnessing tumor immunity in glioma will likely require the combined targeting of multiple inhibitory checkpoints.
Advantages of phylogenetic distance based constrained ordination analyses for the examination of microbial communities

Recently developed high throughput molecular techniques such as massively parallel sequencing and phylogenetic microarrays generate vast datasets providing insights into microbial community structure and function. Because of the high dimensionality of these datasets, multivariate ordination analyses are often employed to examine such data. Here, we show how the use of phylogenetic distance based redundancy analysis provides ecological interpretation of microbial community differences. We also extend the previously developed method of principal response curves to incorporate phylogenetic distance measure, and we demonstrate the improved ability of this approach to provide ecologically relevant insights into temporal alterations of microbial communities.
A Call for Open-Source Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Some observers claim that many published research findings in the biomedical literature are false. Simulation models seem to be especially vulnerable to this claim, because they require so many ass...
SPECT/CT Adds Distinct Lymph Node Basins and Influences Radiologic Findings and Surgical Approach for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Head and Neck Melanoma

Planar lymphoscintigraphy (PL) has a lower detection rate of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in head and neck melanoma compared with other sites. We assessed situations when single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) identified nodes not seen by PL. We also evaluated the impact of SPECT/CT on surgical approach and oncologic outcomes. Patients who underwent SLN biopsy (SLNB) for head and neck melanoma with PL and SPECT/CT between November 2011 and December 2016 were included. Surgeons and radiologists completed a real-time survey inquiring about the utility of SPECT/CT. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with nodal basins identified by both PL and SPECT/CT (‘PL + SPECT/CT’), and patients in whom SPECT/CT identified additional nodal basins not seen on PL (‘SPECT/CT only’). Patient demographics and long-term outcomes including follow-up duration, recurrence, and survival are described. In the PL + SPECT/CT group, 73 (61.9%) patients were included and 45 (38.1%) patients were included in the SPECT/CT-only group. SPECT/CT added 51 basins to those seen on PL, primarily in the supraclavicular region (43.1%). Eighteen patients had positive node(s) in the PL + SPECT/CT group compared with two patients in the SPECT/CT-only group. Surgeons reported that 81% of the time, SPECT/CT influenced the location of incision for SLNB. SPECT/CT influences the location of incision and contributes most to identification of nodes in the supraclavicular region. It also detects additional SLN basins when compared with PL. Further studies are necessary to determine when these additional basins require sampling.
An evaluation of gout visits in the United States for the years 2007 to 2011.

This study analyzed visits for and factors associated with gout and gout medication treatment trends for the years 2007–2011 in the United States given the introduction of febuxostat, the first new treatment option for gout in over 40 years, which was introduced to the market in 2009. This study was a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study of patients age 20 and older seen by providers who participated in the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey Outpatient Department (NHAMCS-OPD) or Emergency Department (NHAMCS-ED) in the United States. The outcome of interest was visits for gout diagnosis and visits where a gout medication was prescribed. Approximately 1.2% of visits had a diagnosis of gout. There was a significant increase in the percentage of visits with a diagnosis of gout in years 2009–2011 compared to 2007–2008, which remained after adjusting for covariates of interest. Groups more likely to have a visit with gout included those ≥65 and 45–64 (both as compared to those 20–44), the African-American and ‘Other’ race groups (as compared to Caucasians) and those on a diuretic. Groups less likely to have a visit with gout included females, Hispanic/Latinos, those with insurance type of ‘Other’ and Medicaid (both as compared to private insurance) and visits to a hospital emergency setting (as compared to physician’s office visits). Although there was a significant increase in visits where gout is diagnosed across study years, the overall percentage of visits with a gout diagnosis is low in the US population. Treatment trends over the study years has remained consistent, with the introduction of febuxostat appearing to have little impact for the study years through 2011.
HELICITY NONCONSERVATION IN THE REACTION dp $Yields$ dp$pi$$sup +$$pi$$sup - $ AT 25 GeV/c.

We observe the reaction $\mathrm{dp}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}d(p{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}})$ which allows no exchange of isospin between beam and target particles and therefore may approximate pure diffractive dissociation at this energy. The decay of the $p{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ system is not azimuthally isotropic around its direction in the overall c.m. frame, vitiating its interpretation as a fireball. Both $s$- and $t$-channel helicity conservation fail for the process.
Defining Gate Level Primitives

Verilog provides a set of 26 gate level primitives for modeling the actual logic implementation of a digital system. From these primitives, presented in Chapter 4, larger structural models may be hierarchically described. This chapter presents an advanced method for extending the set of gate level primitives to include user-defined combinational, and level- and edge-sensitive sequential circuits.
Combining Safety Climate and Behavior-Based Safety to Achieve Compliance: A Sociotechnical Systems Model:

Research in the areas of safety climate and behavior-based safety has demonstrated that both concepts can have a positive effect in reducing injuries and losses. Safety climate draws attention to t...
Bayesian estimation of defect patterns in composite materials using through-thickness dielectric measurements

Composite materials play important roles in multifunctional applications, and thus, the diagnosis of damage patterns in composite materials becomes crucial to avoid critical events" such as structural or functional failures. The impact of an individual damage in composite materials has been extensively studied, however, the interaction of defects/cracks, which leads to critical fracture paths, has not been understood well. In this paper, we develop a Bayesian estimation based statistical analysis technique that estimates the damage pattern of a composite material, in particular, the relative positions of defects in the material, by measuring its through-thickness dielectric properties. We first explain the fundamental dielectric principle that leads to the detection of defect patterns. A capacitance model is then built to measure the material permittivity, and the relationship between the dielectric permittivity and relative positions are found using COMSOL Multiphysics. The interaction effects between defects observed in the simulation are interpreted using the fundamental dielectric principle. A Bayesian estimation based statistical analysis model is then developed to estimate the relative positions of defects in composite materials from the measured global dielectric properties.
Using Administrative Data for Social Science and Policy

Several years ago, the director of social services in Durham, North Carolina, came to our Durham Connects Program research team with a request for collaboration. He administered several dozen “pockets” of dollars allocated for families with young children for programs such as childcare subsidies
Characterizing stable isotope relationships between green turtle (Chelonia mydas) skin and unhatched eggs.

Rationale Stable isotope analysis is used to understand the foraging habits and movements of a diverse set of organisms. Variability in stable isotope ratios among tissues derived from the same animal makes it difficult to compare data among study results in which different tissue types are evaluated. Isotopic relationships between two green turtle (Chelonia mydas) tissue types, skin and unhatched egg contents are unknown. Similarly, few data exist to evaluate the influence of time elapsed after oviposition (as a proxy for decomposition) on isotopic variability among unhatched eggs within the same nest. Methods Skin and unhatched egg contents were collected from 69 adult female green turtles and associated nests at the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, USA. Values of δ13 C, δ15 N, and δ34 S were measured for both tissue types using a continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Standardized major-axis (SMA) regression was used to generate conversion equations of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope ratios between the two tissue types. Model selection frameworks consisting of single-factor linear models were employed per isotope ratio to assess how egg time-in-nest affected intraclutch isotopic variability. Results Conversion equations for all three isotope ratios indicated significant relationships between skin and unhatched egg values, although model fits were lower than found in some studies examining similar patterns in other marine turtle species. The probability of increased intraclutch variability was significantly higher among eggs collected at longer intervals after deposition. Conclusions This study reports the first-ever δ13 C and δ15 N conversion equations between skin and unhatched eggs for green turtles, and the first δ34 S conversion equation for any marine turtle species. SMA regression was used to directly convert tissue values bidirectionally, unlike equations generated using ordinary least-squares regression. Issues with increased intraclutch variability at later excavation dates highlight the importance of collecting unhatched eggs as soon as possible after hatchling emergence.
A call for standardization of training and certification of thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer.

Since its advent in 1865, thoracoscopy has come a long way, as it is now been widely adopted for a number intrathoracic surgical procedures on the heart, lungs, thymus, pleura, and sympathetic trunk in both adult and pediatric patients (1). Increasingly complex, extensive, and otherwise challenging operations, particularly in the realm of thoracic oncology, are being successfully completed with relative dexterity through a minimally invasive approach.
The Unconscious and the Primary Processes

This chapter explains why our mental freedom from reality should be seen as both a positive and negative thing. On a positive side, imagination helps us to consider alternative ways of thinking and living, but this freedom from material reality can also lead us to escape from seeing the truth of our world and our own actions. Freud called this alternative to reality the primary processes, and he stressed how the human mind is often shaped by irrational fantasies. Moreover, Freud insisted that infants naturally hallucinate the satisfaction of their wishes, and so they have to be taught to differentiate between their internal fantasies and external reality. I claim in this chapter that the primary way that people escape reality and satisfy the demands of the pleasure principle is through wish fulfillment in the unconscious.
Automated spectrographic seizure detection using convolutional neural networks.

Abstract Purpose Non-convulsive seizures are common in critically ill patients, and delays in diagnosis contribute to increased morbidity and mortality. Many intensive care units employ continuous EEG (cEEG) for seizure monitoring. Although cEEG is continuously recorded, it is often reviewed intermittently, which may delay seizure diagnosis and treatment. This may be mitigated with automated seizure detection. In this study, we develop and evaluate convolutional neural networks (CNN) to automate seizure detection on EEG spectrograms. Methods Adult EEGs (12 patients, 12 EEGs, 33 seizures) from New-York Presbyterian Hospital (NYP) and pediatric EEGs (22 patients, 130 EEGs, 177 seizures) from Children’s Hospital Boston (CHB) were converted into spectrograms. To simulate a telemetry display, seizure and non-seizure events on spectrograms were sequentially sampled as images across a detection window (26,380 total images). Four CNN models of increasing complexity (number of layers) were trained, cross-validated, and tested on CHB and NYP spectrographic images. All CNNs were based on the VGG-net architecture, with adjustments to alleviate overfitting. Results For spectrographically visible seizures, two CNN models (containing 4 and 7 convolution layers) achieved >90% seizure detection sensitivity and specificity on the CHB test set and >90% sensitivity and 75–80% specificity on the NYP test set. The one CNN model (10 convolution layers) did not converge during training; while another CNN (2 convolution layers) performed poorly (60% sensitivity and 32% specificity) on the NYP test set. Conclusions Seizure detection on EEG spectrograms with CNN models is feasible with sensitivity and specificity potentially suitable for clinical use.
Complexity of possibly gapped histogram and analysis of histogram.

We demonstrate that gaps and distributional patterns embedded within real-valued measurements are inseparable biological and mechanistic information contents of the system. Such patterns are discov...
A PROGRESS REPORT ON MARXIAN ECONOMIC THEORY: ON THE CONTROVERSIES IN EXPLOITATION THEORY SINCE OKISHIO (1963): A PROGRESS REPORT ON MARXIAN ECONOMIC THEORY

This report explores the development of exploitation theory in mathematical Marxian economics by reviewing the main controversies surrounding the proper definition of exploitation since the contribution of Okishio. The report first examines the debates on the Fundamental Marxian Theorem and Class‐Exploitation Correspondence Principle, developed mainly in the 1970s and 1980s, followed by the property relation theory of exploitation by Roemer. Then, the more recent exploitation theory proposed by Vrousalis and Wright is introduced. Finally, the report introduces and comments on recent axiomatic studies of exploitation by focusing on the work of Veneziani and Yoshihara.
Fostering environmental behaviors through observational learning

This study applied and operationalized Bandura’s (1977, 1986) four-step observational learning process (i.e., attention, retention, production, and motivation) to investigate how tour-guides, peer ...
Resolution of hypercalcemia in primary hyperparathyroidism with vitamin D replacement

Vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. We present a case of primary hyperparathyroidism with a positive parathyroid scan and history of nephrolithiasis. The patient had normal albumin and renal function but was vitamin D deficient. After treatment with vitamin D for 13 months, her parathyroid hormone values declined in parallel with the elevation in vitamin D. Although her total calcium normalized, her ionized calcium remained elevated throughout treatment. We believe vitamin D deficiency should be carefully monitored in primary hyperparathyroidism.
Rapid gut microbiome changes in a world-class ultramarathon runner

The human gut microbiome is a dynamic ecosystem with prolific health connotations. Physical activity is emerging as a potent regulator of human microbiome composition. This study examined changes in the gut microbiome of a world-class ultramarathon runner before and after competing in the Western States Endurance Run (WSER), a 163 km mountain footrace. Anthropometrics and body composition were assessed and the ultramarathoner's submaximal and maximal performance profiles were evaluated. Gut microbiome analyses were performed at four time-points: 21 weeks and 2 weeks before and 2 hours and 10 days after WSER. Aerobic power (VO2 max) was 4.24 L/min (66.7 ml kg-1 min-1 ), and running economy (51.1 ml kg-1 min-1 at 268 m/min) and lactate threshold (~83% VO2 max) values were comparable to that of highly trained distance runners. Two hours post-race, considerable changes in the ultrarunners' gut microbiome were observed. Alpha diversity (Shannon Diversity Index) increased from 2.73 to 2.80 and phylum-level bacterial composition (Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio) rose from 4.4 to 14.2. Underlying these macro-level microbial alterations were demonstrable increases in select bacterial genera such as Veillonella (+14,229%) and Streptococcus (+438%) concomitant with reductions in Alloprevotella (-79%) and Subdolingranulum (-50%). To our knowledge, this case study shows the most rapid and pronounced shifts in human gut microbiome composition after acute exercise in the human literature. These findings provide yet another example of how exercise can be a powerful modulator of human health.
Academic Skills, Community Engaged, Leadership, and Global Themed First-Year Seminars: Comparisons in Student Success:

In this study, retention and academic performance of students enrolled in four different versions of a first-year seminar at a large, public 4-year university were compared for a 2-year period. The...
HARQ Strategies for Relay Systems with Limited Feedback

Hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) techniques based on rate compatible error correction codes (ECC) have been extensively studied to maximize the achievable data rate while maintaining error correction performance. However, previous works have focused on single-hop transmissions of a single codeword, whereas in practical situations, a direct link between source and destination is not always available and codewords are often bundled into packets. This research will propose HARQ techniques suitable for multi-hop relay systems with codeword bundling and limited feedback capabilities. It will analyze the trade-offs when choosing the type and amount of incremental redundancy (IR) as well as different relay strategies.
Enumeration of stereo, position and chiral isomers of polysubstituted giant fullerenes: applications to C180 and C240

We have developed combinatorial generation function methods that combine Mȍbius inversion and character cycle indices for the enumeration of stereo, position and chiral isomers of icosahedral giant...
Cooperative learning in design studios: a pedagogy for net-positive performance

Students of architecture are often inadequately prepared to address the consequences of climate change. Among the factors contributing to this, traditional design studio pedagogies tend to privilege individual ownership of projects instead of promoting cooperation and collaboration. This traditional focus on individual projects has the effect of minimizing the cognitive diversity that can be brought to bear within the development of projects, and that new knowledge is created through interactive processes based on the sharing and integration of previously unshared knowledge. A new studio pedagogy is presented in which cognitive diversity is foregrounded by means of shifting away from individual ownership of work and towards groupings of works and students. Periodic discussions focus on works grouped by thematic commonalities and re-assigned ownership based on interest, self-identified strengths (skills they can contribute or teach), or deficits (skills they need to learn), rather than authorship. Evidence from implementation reveals this process supports the creation of new knowledge in a short period of time (a 6.5-week studio) and students learn skills related to quantification of performance measures and develop capabilities to transform existing buildings to be net-positive contributors to their communities. Practice relevance The presented pedagogical method, entitled ‘Shifting Allegiances,’ is easy to replicate and flexible for customization. It does not require larger curricular or program changes and is not bound to specific content. It can be implemented by an individual instructor in a single studio section. An emphasis on shared student authorship, cooperative structures, and collaboration led to a learning process based on productive comparisons of student work. Comparisons in students’ energy modeling results due to in-depth knowledge of, and participation in, their colleagues’ work became second nature to the students. This led to the acquisition of new capabilities enabling students to use a variety of strategies to achieve a 70% reduction in energy demand over the current baseline; this was augmented further with the use of photovoltaics. Other aspects (water, waste, resources), selected by the students are also actively reduced to meet net-zero goals.
Caring for Dying Infants: A Systematic Review of Healthcare Providers' Perspectives of Neonatal Palliative Care.

Objectives:The palliative and hospice care movement has expanded significantly in the United States since the 1960s. Neonatal end of life care, in particular, is a developing area of practice requi...
The influence of a 16-week exercise program, APOE status, and age on executive function task performance: A randomized trial.

Abstract Previous research has shown beneficial cognitive changes following exercise training in older adults. However, the work on the potential moderating effects of Apoliprotein E (APOE) e4 carrier status has been mixed, and the role of exercise intensity remains largely unexplored. The present study sought to examine the influence of APOE e4 status and exercise intensity on measures of cognitive performance in a group of older adults. Cross-sectional comparisons between a group of younger inactive adults (n = 44, age = 28.86 ± 0.473 SD, 60.5% female) and a group of older inactive adults (n = 142, age = 67.8 ± 5.4, 62.7% female) were made on baseline measurements of APOE e4 status, VO2peak, and cognitive performance in the domain of executive functioning. The older adults also participated in a randomized controlled exercise trial, exercising three times per week for 16-weeks in either a low-intensity continuous training (LICT) group or a moderate-intensity continuous training plus interval training (MICT+IT) group at the Center for Health and Neuroscience, Genes, and Environment (CUChange) Exercise Laboratory. Follow-up measurements of VO2peak and cognitive performance were collected on the older adults after the exercise intervention. Cross-sectional comparisons between the older and younger adults demonstrated significant impairments among older adults in Stroop effect on error and time, Category Switch mixing effects, and Keep Track task. This impairment was not moderated by APOE e4 carrier status. Improvements from pre- to post-exercise intervention were observed in both exercise groups in Stroop effect on error ([F (1, 256) = 9.381, p
Environment-dependent Emission Tuning in the Multicolor Nitrogen-doped Carbon Quantum Dots

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are fascinating luminous materials from the carbonaceous family and are increasingly being investigated in many optoelectronic applications due to their unique photoluminescence (PL) characteristics. Herein, we report the synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (NCQDs) from citric acid and m-phenylenediamine using a one-pot hydrothermal approach. The environment-dependent emission changes of NCQDs were extensively investigated in various solvents, in solid-state, and in physically assembled PMMA-PnBA-PMMA copolymer gels in 2-ethyl hexanol. The NCQDs display bright emission in various solvents as well as in solid-state and a temperature-dependent enhanced emission in gels. In detail, these NCQDs exhibit multicolor PL emission across the visible region and its enhancement upon changing the environment (solutions and polymer matrices). The NCQDs also exhibit excitation-dependent PL and solvatochromism, which are rarely observed in CQDs. Most CQDs are non-emissive in the aggregated or solid-state due to the aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect, limiting their solid-state applications. However, these NCQDs display a strong solid-state emission centered at 568 nm ascribed to the presence of abundant surface functional groups, which helps to prevent the - interaction between the NCQDs and to overcome the ACQ effect in the solid-state. Interestingly, the NCQD containing gels display a significant fluorescence enhancement than the NCQDs in 2-ethyl hexanol solution because of the interaction between the polar PMMA blocks and NCQDs. This research opens up the development of large-scale, low-cost multicolor phosphor for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices, sensing, and bioimaging applications.
Data Leak Detection as a Service

We describe a network-based data-leak detection (DLD) technique, the main feature of which is that the detection does not reveal the content of the sensitive data. Instead, only a small amount of specialized digests are needed. Our technique – referred to as the fuzzy fingerprint detection – can be used to detect accidental data leaks due to human errors or application flaws. The privacy-preserving feature of our algorithms minimizes the exposure of sensitive data and enables the data owner to safely delegate the detection to others (e.g., network or cloud providers). We describe how cloud providers can offer their customers data-leak detection as an add-on service with strong privacy guarantees. We perform extensive experimental evaluation on our techniques with large datasets. Our evaluation results under various data-leak scenarios and setups show that our method can support accurate detection with very small number of false alarms, even when the presentation of the data has been transformed.
You Drink, You Drive, You Lose: Or Do You?

This Article explores different ways to effectively discourage the crime of alcohol impaired driving. Part I analyzes the trend of utilizing preventive educational measures to counteract societal acceptance of this crime and the shortcomings of relying exclusively on this measure. Part II discusses OUI prevention based on deterrence and the use of stricter penalties, such as mandatory jail sentences, to stop alcohol impaired drivers. This section explores whether the trend of increasing the severity of the punishment for OUI offenses is effective in stopping the crime. This section also discusses the shortcomings of OUI legislation that make deterrence of OUI difficult. Part III explores ways to combat the problem of OUI, including implementing uniform Dram Shop Laws, providing law enforcement with adequate funding to facilitate the apprehension of OUI violators, decriminalizing first offense OUI, and combining preventive societal measures with legal means aimed at increasing the likelihood of arrest and the certainty of conviction. Ultimately, to properly address this issue, the target of awareness campaigns must shift away from the general public and focus on alcohol serving institutions.
Coordination of cAMP signaling events through PKA anchoring.

Publisher Summary Mechanisms must clearly exist to organize the correct repertoire of signaling molecules into coordinated units that allow only a subset of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKA) substrates to become phosphorylated. One mechanism involves the restriction of PKA to localized sites of action where it can only phosphorylate those substrates in its immediate vicinity. This is achieved in one of the two ways; compartmentalized accumulation of the second messenger cAMP or anchoring of the kinase to subcellular structures and organelles. This chapter describes the accumulating data, suggesting that the subcellular location of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase is regulated in part, through association with a family of A-kinase anchoring proteins called AKAPs. The chapter discusses some emerging themes in AKAP research that are likely to yield valuable new information about this family of signaling proteins. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the cloning of novel AKAPs. This information should provide a more complete database of sequences and establish if the AKAPs merely represent a convergent group of proteins, sharing a common RII-binding motif or whether gene families of anchoring proteins exist. Although most of the current data support the first view, it is worth noting that sAKAP84 is expressed in several forms, because of alternative splicing, and a novel family of six related anchoring proteins called the “AKAP KL family” has been discussed. At this time, it appears as if some of the sAKAP84 splice variants are differentially targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria.
A new era for French far right politics?: Comparing the FN under two Le Pens

With 2012 elections looming on the horizon in France, much political attention has focused on the new leader of the National Front, Marine Le Pen. She is polling quite well outpacing many of her mainstream party candidate rivals for the 2012 French presidency and the public appears to have embraced her with open arms. Hailed as a promising new face of French politics, a wide swath of the French electorate indicates confidence in her ability to bring needed changes to France. Yet does she really represent a dramatic departure from former FN policies and positions? This article examines the model of the FN during the leadership of Jean-Marie Le Pen in comparison with that seen in the first eight months of Marine Le Pen’s leadership in order to address this question.
Integrative Medicine in a Preventive Medicine Residency: A Program for the Urban Underserved

The Preventive Medicine Residency Program collaborated with the Department of Family Medicine's Program for Integrative Medicine and Health Disparities at Boston Medical Center to create a new rotation for preventive medicine residents starting in autumn 2012. Residents participated in integrative medicine group visits and consults, completed an online curriculum in dietary supplements, and participated in seminars all in the context of an urban safety net hospital. This collaboration was made possible by a federal Health Resources and Services Administration grant for integrative medicine in preventive medicine residencies and helped meet a need of the program to increase residents' exposure to clinical preventive medicine and integrative health clinical skills and principles. The collaboration has resulted in a required rotation for all residents that continues after the grant period and has fostered additional collaborations related to integrative medicine across the programs.
Evaluation of endogenous species involved in brain tumors using multiphoton photoacoustic spectroscopy

It has been shown that using non-resonant multiphoton photoacoustic spectroscopy (NMPPAS), excised brain tumor (grade III astrocytoma) and healthy tissue can be differentiated from each other, even in neighboring biopsy samples[1, 2]. Because of this, this powerful technique offers a great deal of potential for use as a surgical guidance technique for tumor margining with up to cellular level spatial resolution[3]. NMPPAS spectra are obtained by monitoring the non-radiative relaxation pathways via ultrasonic detection, following two-photon excitation with light in the optical diagnostic window (740nm-1100nm). Based upon significant differences in the ratiometric absorption of the tissues following 970nm and 1100nm excitation, a clear classification of the tissue can be made. These differences are the result of variations in composition and oxidation state of certain endogenous biochemical species between healthy and malignant tissues. In this work, NADH, NAD + and ATP were measured using NMPPAS in model gelatin tissue phantoms to begin to understand which species might be responsible for the observed spectral differences in the tissue. Each species was placed in specific pH environments to provide control over the ratio of oxidized to reduced forms of the species. Ratiometric analyses were then conducted to account for variability caused due to instrumental parameters. This paper will discuss the potential roles of each of the species for tumor determination and their contribution to the spectral signature.
CRYSTAL-ORIENTATION EFFECTS ON THE PIEZOELECTRIC FIELD AND ELECTRONIC PROPERTIES OF STRAINED WURTZITE SEMICONDUCTORS

Crystal orientation effects on the piezoelectric field and electronic properties of strained GaN bulk semiconductors are investigated. Analytical expressions for the band gap, wave function, and momentum matrix element of strained wurtzite GaN using a recently derived block-diagonalized Hamiltonian are shown. We find that the energy separation between the top two valence bands increases with the angle \ensuremath{\theta} between the growth ${(z}^{\ensuremath{'}})$ direction and the c axis. This results in a significant reduction of the effective mass of the top valence band along the transverse ${(k}_{x}^{\ensuremath{'}})$ direction with increasing angle for both compressively and tensilely strained GaN crystals. Similar results are observed in the valence-band dispersion relations for the quantum-well (QW) structure. The dispersion curves for the QW structure also show a lifting of the Kramers degeneracy due to the piezoelectric field, which causes an asymmetry in the potential. We find that the optical matrix element of the TE polarization between the conduction (C) and heavy hole (HH) bands of the compressively strained GaN for a growth direction with $\ensuremath{\theta}g~30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ is about twice as large as that of the (0001) orientation $(\ensuremath{\theta}=0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}).$ The piezoelectric polarizations of the compressive and tensile strains are plotted as a function of the growth direction. The crystal orientation at which a maximum polarization occurs is shown as a function of strain. In particular, the GaN crystal along the $(101\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}0)$ growth direction $(\ensuremath{\theta}=90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{})$ shows zero normal piezoelectric polarization ${(P}_{z}^{\ensuremath{'}})$ for the compressive and tensile strains. These results show that crystal orientation dependence of the piezoelectric field and strain significantly affect the electronic transport properties as well as optical interband absorption properties.
Studies on the assay and multiplication of avian myeloblastosis virus.

Abstract Avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) was found to cause a cellular resistance against infection with Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) in chick embryo cultures. This resistance-inducing ability of AMV served as the basis for an in vitro assay of the virus. The titer of an AMV sample was determined either from the highest dilution which still caused resistance to RSV or by comparing the resistance-inducing capacity of an unknown sample with that of a standard virus preparation. One-step growth curves in cultures from whole chick embryos showed the first newly synthesized virus 24 hours after infection. From this time on virus titers rose steeply until the fourth day, when they reached a plateau after an increase of approximately 10 4 -fold. During the advanced stages of infection the amount of cell-associated virus was found to exceed that of the free virus by a factor of 3 to 10. Most of the infectious cell-associated virus was located at the outer cell surface. Viral antigen, detectable with fluorescent antibody, appeared first at the cell surface on the second day, accumulated there, and finally became detached from the cell during the later course of infection. Viral material within the cytoplasm was found less frequently and no AMV antigens were demonstrable in the nucleus. A preliminary description is given of a direct assay for AMV in tissue culture, based on counting foci of antigen-producing cells stained with fluorescent antibody. A study using the interference technique for virus assay was made of the growth of AMV and production of disease in chickens. Chicks inoculated with AMV on the first day after hatching, became viremic an average of 1 week before malignant myeloblasts could be detected in the blood stream. Although all leukemic birds were viremic, not all viremic birds developed myeloblastosis. Infective center assays of intact myeloblasts suggested that a substantial proportion of the leukemic cells were engaged in active virus production.
Carrier relaxation in quantum well, quantum wire and quantum dot laser structures: consequences for gain compression and high-speed performance

In semiconductor lasers, hot carriers are injected into the active region of the device, and their thermalization is essential for the laser performance. In this work, carrier thermalization is studied for quantum well, wire and dot laser stuctures. Low threshold considerations dictate the transition from bulk to quantum well to quantum wire to quantum dot systems. However, we find that carrier thermalization times increase as the dimensionality of the structures is reduced. The equilibration times are approximately equals 1 ps in bulk, approximately equals 10 ps in quantum wells, approximately equals 30 ps in quantum wires and approximately equals 100 ps in quantum dots. The increase of the thermalization times is responsible for serious limitations of the high-speed response of the quantum-confined laser structures. The implications of the slow carrier thermalization are discussed.