cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teaching the adult beginning instrumentalist: ideas from practitioners:

The purpose of this study was to describe the current practices (band setup, musical instruction, member interactions, and challenges) of adult beginning instruction in ensemble settings. Subjects in the current study were 35 adult band/orchestra directors from 19 US states and one province. The responding directors were 24 men and 11 women directors with from between one and 12 years of adult ensemble directing experience (median = 5). Respondents answered 27 possible questions addressing the current band practices in their setting. Results of the study showed that many of the musical concepts were introduced to the adults with the same types of activities that would be seen in a school ensemble setting, but the way in which information was presented to the adult learners did appear to vary in many ways from the standard ‘school model’. Applications to adult ensemble settings were addressed.
THE USE OF SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS IN LOGISTICS RESEARCH

This paper introduces and provides an overview of social network theory and social network analysis (SNA) and its potential applications to logistics and supply chain management research. It then provides an example of the use of SNA via the introduction of hypotheses related to informal and formal structure and influence within a social network. These hypotheses are tested within the context of the development and implementation of a complex reporting system that evolved as the result of warehousing safety and environmental concerns within an organization.
Partitioning interannual variability in net ecosystem exchange between climatic variability and functional change.

Interannual variability (IAV) in net ecosystem exchange of carbon (NEE) is a critical factor in projections of future ecosystem changes. However, our understanding of IAV is limited because of the difficulty in isolating its numerous causes. We proposed that IAV in NEE is primarily caused by climatic variability, through its direct effects on photosynthesis and respiration and through its indirect effects on carbon fluxes (i.e., the parameters that govern photosynthesis and respiration), hereafter called functional change. We employed a homogeneity-of-slopes model to identify the functional change contributing to IAV in NEE and nighttime ecosystem respiration (R E ). The model uses multiple regression analysis to relate NEE and R E with climatic variables for individual years and for all years. If the use of different slopes for each year significantly improves the model fitting compared to the use of one slope for all years, we consider that functional change exists, at least on annual time scales. With the functional change detected, we then partition the observed variation in NEE or R E to four components, namely, the functional change, the direct effect of interannual climatic variability, the direct effect of seasonal climatic variation, and random error. Application of this approach to a data set collected at the Duke Forest AmeriFlux site from August 1997 to December 2001 indicated that functional change, interannual climatic variability, seasonal climatic variation and random error explained 9.9, 8.9, 59.9 and 21.3%, respectively, of the observed variation in NEE and 13.1, 5.0, 38.1 and 43.8%, respectively, of the observed variation in R E .
Cognitive engineering of rule-based supervisory control systems: observations concerning users' task performance

A rule-based supervisory control (RBSC) system is one in which a decision maker's supervisory commands to the system are in the form of explicit condition-action (if-then) rules. The authors report observations of subjects performing a simulated tactical problem with an RBSC system and relate those observations to current cognitive models of decision-making performance. The performance of several subjects was observed and analyzed to obtain a sense of the qualitative nature and range of performance variation among subjects for this tactical problem. The observations focus on how decision makers go about specifying and using supervisory rules to control the RBSC system. >
Automatically countering imbalance and its empirical relationship to cost

Learning from imbalanced data sets presents a convoluted problem both from the modeling and cost standpoints. In particular, when a class is of great interest but occurs relatively rarely such as in cases of fraud, instances of disease, and regions of interest in large-scale simulations, there is a correspondingly high cost for the misclassification of rare events. Under such circumstances, the data set is often re-sampled to generate models with high minority class accuracy. However, the sampling methods face a common, but important, criticism: how to automatically discover the proper amount and type of sampling? To address this problem, we propose a wrapper paradigm that discovers the amount of re-sampling for a data set based on optimizing evaluation functions like the f-measure, Area Under the ROC Curve (AUROC), cost, cost-curves, and the cost dependent f-measure. Our analysis of the wrapper is twofold. First, we report the interaction between different evaluation and wrapper optimization functions. Second, we present a set of results in a cost- sensitive environment, including scenarios of unknown or changing cost matrices. We also compared the performance of the wrapper approach versus cost-sensitive learning methods--MetaCost and the Cost-Sensitive Classifiers--and found the wrapper to outperform the cost-sensitive classifiers in a cost-sensitive environment. Lastly, we obtained the lowest cost per test example compared to any result we are aware of for the KDD-99 Cup intrusion detection data set.
Mechanical behavior of polymer microlayers

The mechanical behavior of polycarbonate (PC) coextruded as microlayers with a brittle polymer, either poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN) or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), was examined. Adhesion between layers was measured with the T-peel method. The much higher interfacial toughness of PC/PMMA microlayers compared to PC/SAN was attributed to partial miscibility. Comparison of the microdeformation behavior of 32-layer PC/SAN and PC/PMMA microlayers revealed that very good adhesion between PC and PMMA constrained yielding of the PC. This was seen in the tensile stress-strain curves as a broader stress drop at the yield point and a lower fracture strain. Decreasing the layer thickness by increasing the number of layers enhanced the ductility of both PC/SAN and PC/PMMA microlayers. A PC/PMMA microlayer with 4096 layers and a composition of 80 % PC achieved the ballistic performance of polycarbonate.
New developments in the characterization of heparin and its impurities

This special issue highlights many aspects of heparin characterization. Heparin, a glycosaminoglycan, is both an important pharmaceutical in it is own right and a pharmaceutical target for drug discovery as it mediates a wide range of biological processes. A potent anticoagulant isolated from porcine intestinal mucosa, approximately one billion pigs a year are required to constitute the heparin supply. In early 2008, a contaminant was apparently intentionally introduced into the supply of heparin coming from China. This contaminant, oversulfated chondroitin sulfate (OSCS), had many of the same chemical properties as heparin, allowing contaminated lots to pass the quality assurance screens in place at the time. Although it mimicked the anticoagulant properties of heparin, unfortunately, OSCS also produced acute allergic-type reactions in dialysis patients, leading to more than 200 deaths worldwide. The US Food and Drug Administration has recommended the further development of additional methods for the analysis of heparin purity, and the analytical chemistry community rapidly responded to this challenge. Along with critical reviews discussing the characterization of heparin impurities and hyphenated methods for heparin analysis, this special issue highlights many innovative approaches for the detection and characterization of heparin impurities, including NMR, strong anion exchange HPLC, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism, PCR, and electrochemical sensing.
Shape shifting tries for faster IP route lookup

Some of the fastest practical algorithms for IP route lookup are based on space-efficient encodings of multi-bit tries (M. Degermark, et al., 1997, W. Eatherton, 1999). Unfortunately, the time required by these algorithms grows in proportion to the address length, making them less attractive for IPv6. This paper describes and evaluates a new data structure called a shape-shifting trie, in which the data structure nodes correspond to arbitrarily shaped subtrees of the underlying binary trie for a given set of address prefixes. The ability to adapt the node shape to the trie reduces the number of nodes that must be accessed to perform a lookup, especially for tries with large sparse regions. We give a fast algorithm for optimally dividing a trie into nodes so as to minimize the maximum lookup depth. We show that seven data structure accesses are sufficient for route tables with more than 150,000 IPv6 prefixes. This makes it possible to achieve wire-speed processing for OC192 link using a single QDRII SRAM chip
Emotional priming of autobiographical memory in post-traumatic stress disorder.

Abstract Vietnam combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with other psychiatric disorders, or with no disorder participated in an autobiographical memory experiment. Half of the subjects in each group viewed a combat-relevant videotape, whereas the others viewed a neutral videotape. Immediately after this emotional priming manipulation, subjects were asked to retrieve specific autobiographical memories in response to a series of neutral, positive, and negative cue words. The results revealed that PTSD patients experienced difficulty retrieving specific autobiographical memories, especially after having viewed the combat videotape. Overgeneral memory appears to characterise PTSD as much as it does depression, and a relative inability to retrieve specific autobiographical memories, especially of positive valence, may contribute to the maintenance of PTSD.
Implementation of real time spatial mapping in robotic systems through self-organizing neural networks

Presents a methodology which allows an autonomous agent i.e., a mobile robot, to learn and build maps of its operating environment by relying only on its range sensors. The maps, described with respect to the robot's inertial frame, are developed in real time by correlating robot position and sensory data. This latter feature characterizes part of the uniqueness of the authors' approach. These maps are topologically isomorphic to the maps created for the same room(s) by humans. The methodology exploits the principle of self-organization, implemented as an artificial neural network module which processes incoming sensor range data. The generation of environmental maps can be visualized as an elastic string of neurons whereby every neuron represents a finite portion of the physical world. This elastic string stretches dynamically so as to take on the shape of the environment, a unique characteristic of the authors' methodology. In this respect, the neural net provides a discretized representation of the "continuous" physical environment as the latter is seen through the robot's own sensors. Experiments, focused on indoor applications, have successfully demonstrated the ability of a robot to build maps of geometrically complex environments. The results presented in this paper, compared with the authors' earlier efforts, show significant improvement in that every single sensor data point contributes equally to the location of the neurons of the spatial map at the end of the learning process. This is important because the authors wish to minimize the effect of the order in which data points are processed.
Test Method for Measuring Bit Error Rate of Pulsed Transceivers in Presence of Narrowband Interferers

The popularity of pulse-based transceivers can be attributed to the high information rates that can be achieved in such systems compared to traditional narrowband systems. However, such systems are usually low-power and transmission efficiency is severely affected by the interference signals from other moderate to high-power narrowband transmitters. Hence, during manufacturing, pulse-based systems must be characterized and tested for bit error rate (BER) performance in the presence of narrowband interferers. Usually, at large interference levels, the BER is moderate (10-4) to high (10-2). However, at low interference levels when very few bits are in error, the BER is low (10-6 - 10-10 ) and testing for the BER becomes time consuming. We propose a new measurement technique employing sinusoidal pulses such that the BER value obtained is significantly large (10-3 - 10-4 ) even at low interference levels. BER values obtained using sinusoidal pulses are highly correlated to the actual BER values. Hence, the actual BER can be accurately estimated in a much smaller time without actually performing the standard test. This method was implemented in hardware using an Altera field-programmable gate-array development board. From the measurements, BER estimation error was less than 3%. In addition, significant reduction (up to 100 x) in test time was obtained using the proposed method.
THERAPEUTIC IRRADIATION FOR PATIENTS WITH AN ELEVATED POST-PROSTATECTOMY PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN LEVEL

ABSTRACTPurpose: This study was initiated to determine the efficacy of post-prostatectomy therapeutic radiation for patients with elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA).Materials and Methods: A total of 47 patients received 66 Gy. therapeutic irradiation to the prostate bed for a PSA level greater than 0 ng./ml. postoperatively. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses were performed to identify prognostic variables.Results: At a median followup of 36 months (range 18 to 48) 83 and 33% of the patients with PSA 2 ng./ml. or less and 2 ng./ml. or greater, respectively, had no evidence of disease (p = 0.001). Pathological stage and a complete biochemical response (PSA less than 0.05 ng./ml.) were also significant prognostic variables.Conclusions: Therapeutic irradiation for patients with elevated PSA postoperatively is highly effective. At a median followup of 36 months 64% of the patients remain disease-free.
Supramolecular complexes in photosynthetic bacteria

The pioneering experiments of Emerson and Arnold (1) gave rise to the concept of a photosynthetic unit in which many antenna pigments could efficiently pass excited state energy on to a reaction center (RC) where the first photochemistry occurred. The experimental data indicated that the antenna must contain a large set of chlorophyll molecules relative to the reaction center and implied a close geometric relationship between the antenna molecules and the RC that would allow for efficient delivery of excited state energy resulting from a quantum of light absorbed anywhere in the antenna chlorophyll. With the development of membrane biochemistry came the realization that all chlorophyll and bacteriochlorophyll molecules were specifically bound to proteins that held them in a fixed relationship to each other (2–4). In photosynthetic bacteria, the antenna pigments were found to be specifically bound in protein complexes referred to as light-harvesting (LH) complexes whereas the RC cofactors were bound to a separate protein. The isolation and crystallization of these complexes has led to the determination of the structure of the bacterial RC at high resolution (5–7), of a bacterial light-harvesting complex (LH2) at high resolution (8, 9), and of Photosystem I of Synechococcus elongatus (which contains the RC and core LH) at intermediate resolution (10). In addition, electron cryomicroscopy has provided lower resolution structures for a major light-harvesting complex (LHCII) of oxygenic organisms (11), the core light-harvesting complex of Rhodospirillum rubrum (12), and Photosystem II RC of spinach, which also contained part of the core LH (13). As a result of these studies, the early concept of a photosynthetic unit consisting of a kind of “funnel” of antenna pigments that could pass excitation energy to an RC has been transformed into the framework of specific integral membrane protein complexes that form a two-dimensional mosaic in which the RC is at the center and is surrounded by LH complexes. A “core” complex contains the RC and a set of light-harvesting pigments (LH1) that are intimately and specifically associated with each other and the RC. Among the challenges now being addressed in photosynthetic bacteria research is to describe the structure of this supramolecular photosynthetic core complex and its relationship to the bc1 complex, and to determine the structure-function relationships that are critical for the capture of light energy.
Electron and hole trapping in the buried oxide of Unibond wafers

Electron and hole traps have been studied in the buried oxide of Unibond wafers and are compared with thermal oxide samples of the same thickness that were covered by polysilicon. The thermal oxide samples with and without a subsequent 1100/spl deg/C anneal have been examined. The electron and hole traps were filled by room temperature and cryogenic temperature (50 or 60 K) X-ray irradiation. The characteristics of the trapped carriers were studied by thermal excitation up to 350 K and field-induced tunneling up to 6 MV/cm. X-ray induced current through the oxides during and after irradiation was measured. Hole trapping in the Unibond and annealed thermal oxide is very similar and significantly higher than the thermal oxide that was not annealed. The hole-traps are concentrated near the Si/SiO/sub 2/ interfaces. The concentration of hole traps is less than in SIMOX. The effects of electron traps are also very similar in Unibond and the annealed oxide. Under negative bias, 1 MV/cm, at cryogenic temperatures and for doses above 1 Mrad(SiO/sub 2/) there is a net negative charge near the bottom Si/SiO/sub 2/ interface. The trapped electrons are released by warming to room temperature. The combination of electron and hole traps present near both Si/SiO/sub 2/ interfaces are also responsible for electron tunneling at the cathode interface during and after irradiation that is observed at all temperatures. The negative charge buildup and electron tunneling are not observed in the unannealed thermal oxide.
Cellular proteins bind to the 3' end of Sindbis virus minus-strand RNA

Forty-four nucleotides at the 5' terminus of the genomic RNA of Sindbis virus can form a stable stem-loop structure and have been shown previously to be important for viral replication. The structure formed by the complement of this sequence at the 3' end of the minus-strand RNA has been proposed to be a promoter for RNA replication and as such might be bound in a specific fashion by proteins of either cellular or viral origin. Short oligonucleotide probes (either 62 or 132 nucleotides) representing the 3'-terminal sequence of the minus strand were prepared. When added to extracts from infected or uninfected cells, these probes were bound by cellular proteins, as evidenced by a shift in the electrophoretic mobility of the (labeled) oligonucleotide. Competition experiments confirmed the specificity of the interaction. Proteins of apparent molecular sizes 42 and 44 kDa, and to a lesser extent 52 kDa, could be cross-linked to the minus-sense probes by UV irradiation. A mutant minus-strand probe identical to the longer probe except for a single-nucleotide deletion corresponding to nucleotide 5 in the genomic RNA, which is lethal for the virus, was also found to bind the same proteins as the wild-type probe. The half-life of the mutant probe-cellular protein complex was threefold longer than that of the wild-type complex, however, indicating that the mutant probe was bound more tightly than the wild-type probe. We hypothesize that the binding of cellular factors may be transiently required for initiation of transcription of plus-strand RNA from the minus-strand template and that overly tight binding of such factors is deleterious for RNA replication.
Design and energetic characterization of a proportional-injector monopropellant-powered actuator

This paper describes the design and energetic characterization of an actuator designed to provide enhanced system energy and power density for self-powered robots. The proposed actuator is similar to a typical compressible gas fluid-powered actuator, but pressurizes the respective cylinder chambers via a pair of proportional injector valves, which control the flow of a liquid monopropellant through a pair of catalyst packs and into the respective sides of the double-acting cylinder. This paper describes the design of the proportional injection valves and describes the structure of a force controller for the actuator. Finally, an energetic characterization of the actuator shows improvement relative to prior configurations and marked improvement relative to state-of-the-art batteries and motors.
Combined Method for Analysing Gas Explosions in Piping Considering the Material Response

A one dimensional method of calculating reaction pressures and velocities of gas explosions in pipes is combined with a pressure surge program to consider the interaction of the pressure waves in the fluid and the combustion process. By this method transition from deflagration to detonation can be determined. The dynamic behavior like acceleration and plastic deformation of the pipe material is included in the calculation, to consider its effect on the resulting pressures of the explosive combustion process. Thus, realistic results of plastic deformation of the pipe are obtained or in case of pipe break the maximum pressures and material velocities are calculated. The method was validated by calculating several cases of gas explosions in piping under different initial conditions. The observed behavior could be reasonably simulated: the pipe reaction was explained and the assumptions for the combustible gas mixture were confirmed.© 2004 ASME
Paulo Freire in Chile, 1964–1969: Pedagogy of the Oppressed in Its Sociopolitical Economic Context

In this article, John Holst presents findings of his historical research on Paulo Freire's educational work in Chile from 1964 to 1969. Freire's Education as the Practice of Freedom, which was written in 1965 from notes he brought from Brazil, was informed by a liberal developmentalist outlook. In contrast, his Pedagogy of the Oppressed, written toward the end of his stay in Chile from 1967 to 1968, was influenced by Marxist humanist ideology. Considering this relatively rapid change in Freire's educational philosophy, Holst explores the manner in which Freire's time and work in Chile affected his ideological evolution. Holst contributes to Freirean studies by demonstrating that Freire's work in the Chilean political context proved to be decisive in his ideological and pedagogical growth. Freire's ideological evolution inspired his writing of Pedagogy of the Oppressed, widely considered one of the most important books on education in the twentieth century. Ultimately, Holst argues that Freire's pedagogy, ...
Distribution and Foraging Activities of Honeybees During Almond Pollination

SummaryA magnetic capture-recapture system was used to study the distribution and foraging activities of 1513 honeybees from 60 apiaries in 5 almond orchards (area 9 km2) in California, USA. Bees tended to forage near the apiary from which they flew. Where there was intense competition, owing to high hive densities, foragers dispersed to orchards containing fewer hives. There were significantly more foragers in populous than in small colonies, but the distance at which they foraged was not affected by colony size. The mean nectar load was 5·9 μl, and its mean sugar concentration 43·9%. Pollen collection and foraging distance were similar for Hy-Queen and for common Italian stocks.
Crystal Structures of Au2 Complex and Au25 Nanocluster and Mechanistic Insight into the Conversion of Polydisperse Nanoparticles into Monodisperse Au25 Nanoclusters

We previously reported a size-focusing conversion of polydisperse gold nanoparticles capped by phosphine into monodisperse [Au25(PPh3)10(SC2H4Ph)5Cl2]2+ nanoclusters in the presence of phenylethylthiol. Herein, we have determined the crystal structure of [Au25(PPh3)10(SC2H4Ph)5Cl2]2+ nanoclusters and also identified an important side-product—a Au(I) complex formed in the size focusing process. The [Au25(PPh3)10(SC2H4Ph)5Cl2]2+ cluster features a vertex-sharing bi-icosahedral core, resembling a rod. The formula of the Au(I) complex is determined to be [Au2(PPh3)2(SC2H4Ph)]+ by electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry, and its crystal structure (with SbF6– counterion) reveals Au–Au bridged by −SC2H4Ph and with terminal bonds to two PPh3 ligands. Unlike previously reported [Au2(PR3)2(SC2H4Ph)]+ complexes in the solid state, which exist as tetranuclear complexes (i.e., dimers of [Au2(PR3)2(SC2H4Ph)]+ units) through a Au···Au aurophilic interaction, in our case we found that the [Au2(PPh3)2(SC2H4Ph)]+ c...
The impact of coexisting genetic mutations on murine optic glioma biology

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is one of the most common genetic etiologies for pediatric brain tumors.1,2 As such, 15%–20% of children with NF1 develop low-grade glial neoplasms (pilocytic astrocytomas [PAs]) arising along the optic pathway (optic nerve, chiasm, and postchiasmal tracts; optic pathway glioma [OPG]).3,4 In some children with these NF1-OPGs, there may also be associated visual impairment5,6 or hypothalamic dysfunction.7 Since surgery and radiation therapy are not used due to the risk of permanent nerve damage and secondary malignancy,8 respectively, the treatment of NF1-OPG has largely employed agents (vincristine and carboplatin) in routine use for sporadic low-grade glioma.9,10 Because NF1-OPGs are rarely biopsied for pathological diagnosis, there have been few analyses of the molecular changes that drive tumorigenesis in this condition. Immunohistochemical and whole genome (NexGen) sequencing studies have demonstrated biallelic inactivation of both NF1 genes,11 resulting in loss of NF1 protein (neurofibromin) expression in these NF1-associated brain tumors.12,13 To model the human condition in which children with NF1 are born with one functional and one nonfunctional (germline NF1 gene mutation) copy of the NF1 gene, Nf1+/− mice with biallelic astroglial progenitor Nf1 gene loss were generated.14,15 These mice develop low-grade gliomas of the prechiasmatic optic nerves and chiasm with many similarities to their human counterparts.14,16,17 As observed in human NF1-OPGs, these murine optic gliomas have low proliferative indices, increased microglia infiltration, and bipolar neoplastic glial cells with nuclear pleiomorphism and cellular atypia.14,16,17 While complete NF1 gene inactivation is the rule for NF1-PA tumors, recent studies have revealed the presence of additional molecular changes in NF1-OPGs.18,19 In some of these NF1-OPGs, heterozygous PTEN deletion (1/4 tumors) and KIAA1549:BRAF duplication (1/4 tumors) were detected, raising the intriguing possibility that genetic cooperativity between these molecular alterations and neurofibromin loss might lead to more biologically aggressive tumors. To address this clinically relevant issue, we generated Nf1 genetically engineered mouse (GEM) strains that harbor Pten reduction or KIAA1549:BRAF expression in addition to Nf1 gene loss in neuroglial progenitors in vivo. Using these novel strains, we demonstrated that heterozygous Pten loss, but not KIAA1549:BRAF expression, cooperates with Nf1 gene inactivation to increase murine optic glioma growth and retinal nerve defects.
Spontaneous Insertion, Helix Formation, and Hydration of Polyethylene Oxide in Carbon Nanotubes

Hydration strongly affects macromolecular conformation in solution and under nanoconfinement as encountered in nature and nanomaterials. Using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations we demonstrate that polyethylene oxide spontaneously enters single wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from aqueous solutions and forms rodlike, helix, and wrapped chain conformations depending on the CNT diameter. We show that water organization and the stability of the polyethylene oxide hydration shell under confinement is responsible for the helix formation, which can have significant implications for nanomaterial design.
Jumping on the Bond ETF Wagon

The debut of fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2002–2003 was anxiously anticipated by investors, who regard bonds as an essential part of a diversified portfolio. After a slow start that lasted a few years, bond ETFs suddenly started being issued in droves. Even the deep 2008–2009 financial crisis, which had quite an impact on their equity counterparts, didn’t slow down their relentless growth.
Probable glucometer interference caused by topical iodine solution test site preparation.

SummaryWhat is known and objective Use of disinfectants, such as alcohol prep pads, for test site preparation have demonstrated alterations in glucose readings. One case report details an overestimation of blood glucose (BG) readings when using Chemstrip bG and Visidex reagent test strips after cleaning test site with povidone-iodine swabs Case Summary We present a case of a clinically relevant probable drug-device interaction between topical iodine and a point-of-care glucometer in a 28 year old pregnant woman of Chinese descent. In this case, the use of 10% povidone-iodine solution on the testing site before lancing likely resulted in variable and inaccurate BG readings, which was not reproduced when the patient used hand washing instead of iodine. What is new and Conclusion Our report expands on this prior knowledge by demonstrating that such an alteration associated with iodine can occur with modern electrochemical glucometers. In patients that have aberrant or variable BG readings, providers should investigate for improper testing technique.
University-Based Teacher Preparation and Middle Grades Teacher Effectiveness

For over two decades, there have been calls to assess the relationship of the features of teacher preparation programs to teacher effectiveness, to provide guidance for program improvement. At the middle grades level, theory suggests that coursework in educational psychology is particularly important for teacher effectiveness. Using 4 years of data from 15 middle grades teacher preparation programs, this study estimates the relationship of their structural features, that is required elements of coursework and fieldwork, to student achievement gains in math and English/Language Arts. Findings suggest that few requirements are positively associated with achievement gains.
Collective violence and the Agrarian origins of South African apartheid, 1900–1948

One of the most interesting developments in South African historiography during the last decade has been a renewed focus on legal and political economy, but one that includes questions of state pow...
Effects of the Consumption Behavior of Adult Pomacea maculata and Pomacea paludosa on Vallisneria americana

Abstract Understanding differences in behavioral characteristics between invasive non-native species and native species is an important step in preventing, managing, and mitigating environmental impacts. This study examined the differences between adult life-stage native Pomacea paludosa (Florida Applesnail) and adult non-native Pomacea maculata (Giant Applesnail) grazing behavior and rates on Vallisneria americana (Tapegrass), a plant of restoration importance, to assess the potential ecological impact. We used an experimental design with entire intact specimens of Tapegrass placed in 8 tanks of each of 3 treatment groups: (1) grazed by Giant Applesnail, (2) grazed by Florida Applesnail, and (3) control with no snails. Rates of herbivory on, and physical and total biomass damage to, Tapegrass by Giant Applesnail were 1.8 cm/hr, 2.5cm/hr, and 4.2 cm/hr, respectively. Rates of herbivory on, and physical and total biomass damage to, Tapegrass by Florida Applesnail were 0.2 cm/hr, 1.2 cm/hr, and 1.4 cm/hr, r...
Rural and Austere Environments

Great strides have been made in the management of traumatic injury in the United States over the last 50 years. The establishment of regional trauma centers and expanding technological advances has significantly reduced morbidity and mortality. There remains, however, a population of trauma victims who are geographically isolated from these major centers and the care of these individuals is borne by the practitioners in these rural and remote communities. This chapter discusses the challenges faced by both these rural providers as well as the tertiary consultants as they attempt to provide state of the art treatment under austere conditions. Strategies to assist in assuring the competency of the staffs in rural facilities are discussed along with the use of telemedicine and various other modalities in the management of the polytraumatized patient.
Part-time Employment and Health Insurance Reform: What Can Massachusetts Tell Us about the Affordable Care Act?

Experience with health insurance reform in Massachusetts may provide a good forecast of the impact of the Affordable Care Act [ACA] on the growth of part-time employment. Concerns have been expressed that the ACA will lead to growing part-time employment, but it will take several years to observe this effect and whether it is labor demand (firm) or labor supply (worker) initiated. Using state-level data from 1999 to 2012, I treat the 2007 implementation of the new Massachusetts health insurance system as an “experiment” to examine whether it had any differential effect on the growth in part-time employment in the state. A panel estimation including fixed cross-section and period effects reveals that voluntary part-time employment increased in Massachusetts relative to the other states, but reform measures did not have an effect on involuntary part-time employment. The impact of the reform on voluntary part-time employment suggests that some Massachusetts workers found the pre-reform system to be an obstacle to their choice of optimal work hours. The implementation of the ACA, by providing avenues for obtaining health insurance that are not directly tied to employment, may remove this obstacle for workers in other states and make part-time employment a more attractive choice for workers across the U.S.
Role of fine-needle aspiration in post liver transplant patients: A clinical/cytological review.

Background Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of superficial and deep-seated lesions has been used with high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions. However, literature of FNA in posttransplant patients is sparse, especially in postliver transplant. We undertook a retrospective study to evaluate the utility of FNA in the clinical management of post liver transplant patients. Methods We searched our institution's surgical/cytologic databases (November1993-February2016) to identify liver transplant cases and FNA procedures performed on allograft liver recipients. Institutional IRB approval was obtained for this study. Results 886 liver allograft recipients were reviewed, 41(5%) of which were transplanted for hepatocellular carcinoma. 62/886(7%) underwent an FNA procedure. 39males and 23females included with mean age of 58years. Mean time between transplant and FNA was 34months. 21/62(34%) were malignant neoplasms, most common malignancy was adenocarcinoma: 8cases(3lung,3pancreas,1colon,1cholangiocarcinoma)and 8cases of transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma patients had recurrence, 6 in the allograft liver and 1case each of metastasis to the iliac bone and periportal lymph node. 3cases were squamous-cell carcinoma (2lung and 1scalp). 2cases were posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders. 34/62(55%) cases were benign aspirates from various organs (8lung,6liver,5pancreas,4breast,3thyroid,3lymph-nodes and 1case each of salivary gland, bile-duct,intraabdominal,abdominal wall,and oral cavity) 0.6/62(10%) cases were inflammatory. 22cases had histologic correlation: 5true-positives,16true-negatives,1false-negative (a patient with parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma whose FNA diagnosis was sialadenitis), and no false-positive. The sensitivity was 83% and the specificity was 100%. The positive predictive value was 100% and the negative predictive value was 94%. Conclusions This review shows that 40/62(65%) of the aspirates were benign lesions, indicating that a conservative approach is recommended in the clinical management of these patients, especially since the interval between transplant and FNA was on average 34months. FNA is a safe, minimally invasive method to follow-up these patients.
Molecular mechanisms of cyclic AMP action: a genetic approach.

Publisher Summary Cells can be obtained from a metazoan source and proliferate indefinitely in tissue culture. Under these conditions, they resemble free-living microorganisms. In the studies presented in this chapter, such an approach has resulted in the isolation, from a cloned wild-type population, of mutants with alterations in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-related functions. Random spontaneous genetic variation produces similar rare subpopulations that are mutant in virtually any biological function not essential for cell viability. The low frequency of such events makes it necessary to devise a means to isolate mutants efficiently. In the experiments represented in the chapter, this task was relatively straightforward because of the lethal effect of cAMP on S49 cells. In some cases, mutation leads to alterations of protein function because of an alteration in the sequence of DNA coding for structural genes. In other instances, variants can arise from mutation of regulatory genes or even by mechanisms not generally considered genetic, for example, modulation of gene expression that occurs in embryonic development and differentiation. A single genetic event can affect the basal activity of adenylatecyclase and the stimulation of the enzyme by cholera toxin, prostaglandin El, isoproterenol, and sodium fluoride. The results conclude that a single class of molecules is involved in multiple adenylate cyclase-receptor systems in the same cell.
An Agenda for Comparing Local Governance and Institutional Collective Action in Canada and the United States

As neighboring federal systems, Canada and the United States provide an opportunity to compare institutional collective action (ICA) by proximate local governments. After explaining the importance ...
Captain Theophilus H. Turner and the Unlikely Discovery of Elasmosaurus Platyurus

Theophilus Hunt Turner (1841–1869) was the military surgeon assigned to Fort Wallace in far western Kansas during the construction of the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division. The circumstances surrounding his 1867 discovery of the type specimen of Elasmosaurus platyurus were not recorded in Cope's (1868a) original reports, and were unknown until the 1987 publication of Turner's personal letters. As described originally by Turner, the story involved the unlikely association of four men and a series of events that resulted in the collection of the largest fossil specimen of the time from the wilderness of western Kansas. Here I provide additional details regarding Turner's posting at Fort Wallace and a review of the historical accounts surrounding this exceptional discovery.
Basing for the Bayesian

There is a distinction between merely having the right belief, and further basing that belief on the right reasons. Any adequate epistemology needs to be able to accommodate the basing relation that marks this distinction. However, trouble arises for Bayesianism. I argue that when we combine Bayesianism with the standard approaches to the basing relation, we get the result that no agent forms their credences in the right way; indeed, no agent even gets close. This is a serious problem, for it prevents us from making epistemic distinctions between agents that are doing a reasonably good job at forming their credences and those that are forming them in clearly bad ways. I argue that if this result holds, then we have a problem for Bayesianism. However, I show how the Bayesian can avoid this problem by rejecting the standard approaches to the basing relation. By drawing on recent work on the basing relation, we can develop an account of the relation that allows us to avoid the result that no agent comes close to forming their credences in the right way. The Bayesian can successfully accommodate the basing relation.
Automated skeletal tissue quantification in the lower leg using peripheral quantitative computed tomography.

Objective: In this paper we introduce a methodology for hard and soft tissue quantification at proximal, intermediate and distal tibia sites using peripheral quantitative computed tomography scans. Quantification of bone properties is crucial for estimating bone structure resistance to mechanical stress and adaptations to loading. Soft tissue variables can be computed to investigate muscle volume and density, muscle-bone relationship, and fat infiltration. Approach: We employed implicit active contour models and clustering techniques for automated segmentation and identification of bone, muscle and fat at , , and tibia length. Next, we calculated densitometric, area and shape characteristics for each tissue type. We implemented our approach as a multi-platform tool denoted by TIDAQ (tissue identification and quantification) to be used by clinical researchers. Main results: We validated the proposed method against reference quantification measurements and tissue delineations obtained by semi-automated workflows. The average Deming regression slope between the tested and reference method was 1.126 for cross-sectional areas and 1.078 for mineral densities, indicating very good agreement. Our method produced high average coefficient of variation (R 2) estimates: 0.935 for cross-sectional areas and 0.888 for mineral densities over all tibia sites. In addition, our tissue segmentation approach achieved an average Dice coefficient of 0.91 over soft and hard tissues, indicating very good delineation accuracy. Significance: Our methodology should allow for high throughput, accurate and reproducible automatic quantification of muscle and bone characteristics of the lower leg. This information is critical to evaluate risk of future adverse outcomes and assess the effect of medications, hormones, and behavioral interventions aimed at improving bone and muscle strength.
Case Study: Culturally Competent Healthcare Organizations for Arab Muslims

This case study provides a framework for designing a culturally competent healthcare organization that is responsive to the culture care needs of Arab Muslim patients and families living in the United States. Social determiants of health provide a framework for discussion and recommendations.
Fuel Grading Study on a Low-Enriched Uranium Fuel Design for the High Flux Isotope Reactor

An engineering design study that would enable the conversion of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) from high-enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium fuel is ongoing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The computational models used to search for a low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel design that would meet the requirements for the conversion study, and the recent results obtained with these models during FY 2009, are documented and discussed in this report. Estimates of relevant reactor performance parameters for the LEU fuel core are presented and compared with the corresponding data for the currently operating high-enriched uranium fuel core. These studies indicate that the LEU fuel design would maintain the current performance of the HFIR with respect to the neutron flux to the central target region, reflector, and beam tube locations.
Theoretical perspectives to increase clinical effectiveness of lifestyle modification strategies in diabetes

Diabetes affects more than 18 million people in the United States. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased at an alarming rate in the past 20 years. Minorities are disproportionately affected, with the greatest increase in adult prevalence noted in African-American women. The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes in both children and adults is strongly associated with the increasing prevalence of obesity. Diabetes and its complications can be controlled with appropriate health care and patient self-management techniques. There is strong empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of dietary and physical activity interventions in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. The results of empirical studies have not translated well into clinical practice. Four key theoretical concepts are presented in an effort to increase the effectiveness of lifestyle intervention counseling by primary care providers. The four concepts include: perceptual congruence, mutual goal setting, readiness to change, and tailored interventions.
Bringing Kitschelt back in: a comment on “Rethinking Structure and Agency in Post-Soviet Regime Dynamics”

Now is a good time to revisit the role of structure and agency in the post-communist transformation. During the 1990s and early 2000s, scholars exploited evidence from the emergence of new regimes ...
The Thoralf plugin: for your fancy type needs

Many fancy types (e.g., generalized algebraic data types, type families) require a type checker plugin. These fancy types have a type index (e.g., type level natural numbers) with an equality relation that is difficult or impossible to represent using GHC's built-in type equality. The most practical way to represent these equality relations is through a plugin that asserts equality constraints. However, such plugins are difficult to write and reason about. In this paper, we (1) present a formal theory of reasoning about the correctness of type checker plugins for type indices, and, (2) apply this theory in creating Thoralf, a generic and extensible plugin for type indices that translates GHC constraint problems to queries to an external SMT solver. By "generic and extensible", we mean the restrictions on extending Thoralf are slight, and, if some type index could be encoded as an SMT sort, then a programmer could extend Thoralf by providing this encoding function.
Sonic Publics| Music, Copyright, and Technology: A Dialectic in Five Moments

This article traces the coevolution of musical culture, law, and technology over the arc of modern Western legal and cultural history, from the Renaissance to the present day. This historical analysis is intended to lend context and substance to contemporary conversations about the role of the Internet and digital production platforms, as well as Internet-based intellectual property laws, such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, in shaping contemporary global musical culture. I propose a 5-stage coevolutionary process, based on the dialectical relationships between (1) laws and regulations, (2) market dynamics, (3) codes and practices, (4) music technologies, and (5) concepts of authorship.