cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding research about quality of life and other health outcomes.

Antecedents: Les communications resumant les etudes sur l'evolution de l'etat de sante, surtout d'apres la perception qu'en ont les patients, sont de plus en plus frequentes. Il importe de comprendre les proprietes des instruments utilises pour mesurer cette evolution si l'on veut bien interpreter ces etudes et en appliquer les resultats en cliniques. Objectifs: Decrire d'importants aspects de l'evaluation de l'evolution de l'etat de sante du patient tel qu'il la percoit et illustrer comment cette evaluation peut aider a utiliser les resultats des etudes a un patient particulier. Conclusion: Il est important de comprendre les principes d'evaluation pour interpreter les etudes en therapeutique dermatologique, ou les perceptions du patient sont un resultat essentiel.
Breaks in MODIS time series portend vegetation change: verification using long-term data in an arid grassland ecosystem

Frequency and severity of extreme climatic events are forecast to increase in the 21st century. Predicting how managed ecosystems may respond to climatic extremes is intensified by uncertainty associated with knowing when, where, and how long effects of extreme events will be manifest in an ecosystem. In water-limited ecosystems with high inter-annual variability in rainfall, it is important to be able to distinguish responses that result from seasonal fluctuations in rainfall from long-term directional increases or decreases in precipitation. A tool that successfully distinguishes seasonal from directional biomass responses would allow land managers to make informed decisions about prioritizing mitigation strategies, allocating human resource monitoring efforts, and mobilizing resources to withstand extreme climatic events. We leveraged long-term observations (2000–2013) of quadrat-level plant biomass at multiple locations across a semiarid landscape in southern New Mexico to verify the use of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series derived from 250-m Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data as a proxy for changes in aboveground productivity. This period encompassed years of sustained drought (2000–2003) and record-breaking high rainfall (2006 and 2008) followed by subsequent drought years (2011 through 2013) that resulted in a restructuring of plant community composition in some locations. Our objective was to decompose vegetation patterns derived from MODIS NDVI over this period into contributions from (1) the long-term trend, (2) seasonal cycle, and (3) unexplained variance using the Breaks for Additive Season and Trend (BFAST) model. BFAST breakpoints in NDVI trend and seasonal components were verified with field-estimated biomass at 15 sites that differed in species richness, vegetation cover, and soil properties. We found that 34 of 45 breaks in NDVI trend reflected large changes in mean biomass and 16 of 19 seasonal breaks accompanied changes in the contribution to biomass by perennial and/or annual grasses. The BFAST method using satellite imagery proved useful for detecting previously reported ground-based changes in vegetation in this arid ecosystem. We demonstrate that time series analysis of NDVI data holds potential for monitoring landscape condition in arid ecosystems at the large spatial scales needed to differentiate responses to a changing climate from responses to seasonal variability in rainfall.
Epigenetics in Plant–Pathogen Interactions

Epigenetics describes phenomena associated with changes in gene expression that occur without apparent modification in genomic sequence. In plants, it explains at least in part phenotypic differences between genetically identical plants under environmental stimuli. In this manuscript, we describe and discuss studies carried out by the scientific community regarding epigenetic phenomena that are likely linked to plant–pathogen interaction.
The Current Status of Extracellular Polymeric Substances Produced by Burkholderia pseudomallei

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that are produced by Burkholderia pseudomallei consist of diverse structural components that serve equally diverse protective and antigenic functions. B. pseudomallei is a sapronotic disease agent that transitions from the environment to cause severe infection in humans and animals. EPS components are proposed to play a critical role in transmission, dissemination, and protection of the bacteria in these varied environments. However, many of these components remain uncharacterized, and there is a lack of consensus regarding classification of these EPS components. Bioinformatics, mutational studies, and transcriptional profiling of biofilms have identified additional EPS components, which include exopolysaccharides, capsular polysaccharides, proteins, and extracellular DNA. The current status of B. pseudomallei EPS components is presented here. However, the nomenclature regarding extracellular polymeric substances from Burkholderia spp. is not consistent. We sought to illuminate these differences to facilitate communication between researchers working with Burkholderia spp.
Clinical Reasoning Workshop: Lumbosacral Spine and Hip Disorders.

Introduction Helping physicians-in-training develop effective clinical reasoning skills may facilitate progression to expertise, reduce diagnostic errors, and improve patient safety. Using our previous experience, we developed a workshop that reviews musculoskeletal lumbar spine and hip conditions. This workshop also uses deductive and inductive modes of clinical reasoning and provides opportunities for learners to practice toggling from one to another while reviewing. Methods Using exemplar musculoskeletal vignettes, this workshop allows residents to practice engaging and toggling between both modes of information processing. This workshop also includes pre- and posttests, small-group learning, and a small-group competition. Results The workshop was implemented with a group of 26 physical medicine and rehabilitation residents. Although residents did well on the pretest, the workshop improved their test performance. Residents liked the workshop and thought it improved their diagnostic ability. Discussion A workshop that included team- and case-based learning, key features assessment, script theory, and gamification was effective in engaging residents and resulted in high resident satisfaction and the perception of increased ability to tackle clinical problems. Learning from our experience with the previous workshop resulted in significant reduction in faculty time required, and increased the number of residents who were able to complete both pre- and posttests.
An Analysis of Educators Sanctioned for Misconduct.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the uncharted territory of disciplinary actions taken against educators for their misconducts. The study examines demographics of the educators who ha...
Generalized Continuum Phenomenological Model of Viscous Fluid: Analysis of Local Mass Displacements

The concept of local mass displacements (as a measure of nonlocality of the state of a physically small element of a body) is used to formulate a complete system of relations of the gradient-type mathematical model of viscous compressible fluid. In this model, the relationship between the thermomechanical processes and the process of local mass displacements, its irreversibility, and the inertia properties are taken into account. It is shown that, in the stationary approximation, the obtained system of relations enables us to justify the appearance of wedging pressure in thin interlayers of fluid.
Colonization and usage of eight milkweed ( Asclepias ) species by monarch butterflies and bees in urban garden settings

Planting milkweeds on public and private lands has emerged as a central conservation strategy for restoring declining North American migratory populations of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). Nearly all actionable science on this issue has focused on restoring common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) in rural land types. The aim of this study was to develop recommendations for the best milkweeds for managed gardens intended to support both monarch butterflies and bees. Eight milkweed (Asclepias) species varying in height, form, and leaf shape were grown in a common-garden experiment at a public arboretum. We measured milkweed growth, tillering, and bloom periods, conducted bi-weekly counts of eggs and larvae to assess colonization by wild monarchs, and evaluated suitability for growth of monarch larvae. We also quantified bee visitation and compared the bee assemblages associated with six of the eight species, augmented with additional collections from other sites. Monarchs rapidly colonized the gardens, but did not equally use all of the milkweed species. More eggs and larvae were found on taller, broad-leaved milkweeds, but there was relatively little difference in larval performance, suggesting ovipositional preference for more apparent plants. Asclepias tuberosa and A. fascicularis attracted the greatest number of bees, whereas bee genus diversity was greatest on A. verticillata, A. fascicularis, and A. tuberosa. Milkweeds that do not spread extensively by tillering may be best suited for managed gardens. Combining milkweeds that are preferred by ovipositing monarchs with ones that are particularly attractive to bees may enhance conservation value of small urban gardens.
A Performing Arts Intervention Improves Cognitive Dysfunction in 50 Hospitalized Older Adults.

Background and objectives Arts in medicine programs have emerged as a patient-centered approach that aims to improve health-related quality of life for patients in U.S. hospitals. Storytelling and poetry/monologue recitation are forms of arts-based experiences designed to enhance healing and are delivered by an artist-in-residence. We evaluated the effect of a storytelling/poetry experience on delirium screening scores and patient satisfaction in hospitalized older adults. Research design and methods We conducted an observational pre-post study with a control group in the Acute Care for the Elders (ACE) unit at an academic medical center. A convenience sample of 50 participants was recruited to participate and complete two questionnaires measuring pain, anxiety, general well-being, and distress at hospital admission and at hospital discharge. Multivariable regression models were used to compare delirium screening score (primary outcome) between the control and intervention groups and to adjust for the differences in baseline characteristics between groups. Results At baseline participants in the intervention group were younger and had significantly lower cognitive impairment compared with those in the control group. Participants exposed to the storytelling/poetry intervention had a lower delirium screening score at hospital discharge compared with those in the control group. The result remained significant after adjusting for age, baseline cognitive impairment, and general well-being. Participants in the intervention group reported a high level of satisfaction with the interaction with the artist delivering the intervention. Discussion and implications An artist in residence-delivered storytelling/poetry experience was associated with a lower delirium score at discharge in this pilot study. Further larger studies in diverse inpatient settings are needed to examine whether storytelling/poetry interventions or other types of arts in medicine programs can prevent or reduce delirium in hospitalized older adults.
Nerve Growth Factor and the Immune System

Evidence from both in vitro and in vivo studies would support the hypothesis that there is a bidirectional flow of information between the immune system and the nervous system. The efferent limb of this neuro-immunoregulatory circuit involves signals from both the central (CNS) and peripheral (PNS) nervous systems (Besedovsky et al, 1977; Besedovsky et al, 1983; Besedovsky et al, 1985). These signals, soluble neurochemical messengers, are released into the microenvironment of lymphoid tissues by nerve fibers or taken up from the circulation (Besedovsky et al, 1985; Bulloch, 1985; Livent et al, 1985; Roszman et al, 1985). These messengers, neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, influence the integrity of neuronal function and the functional regulation of the immune system. These neurosubstances have also been shown to modify diverse immunologic parameters by receptor mediated mechanisms (Goetzl et al, 1985; Roszman et al, 1985; Coffey & Djeu, 1986). Specific receptors for neuropeptides and neurotransmitters have been demonstrated on immune cells of diverse origin including lymphocytes, macrophages, NK cells, neutrophils and mast cells (Arrenbrecht, 1974; Hazum et al, 1979; Richman et al, 1979; Johnson & Gordon, 1980; Maslinski et al, 1980; Danek et al, 1983; Mehrishi & Miles, 1983; Abrass et al, 1985; Koff & Dunegan, 1985; Ruff et al, 1985; Shanahan et al, 1985; Coffey & Djeu, 1986;).
Biological Functions and Biosynthesis of Glycolipid-Anchored Membrane Proteins

The glycosylinositol phospholipid (GPI) anchors of proteins such as Thy-1 of neurons and lymphocytes and the variant surface glycoprotein of African trypanosomes are posttranslationally linked to the C-terminus of the corresponding proteins (Figure 1) (Cross, 1990; Ferguson et al., 1988; Low and Saltiel, 1988; Tartakoff et al., 1990). The in vivo sensitivity of many anchor units to microbial phosphatidylinositol (PI)-specific phospholipases implies that they do not traverse the lipid bilayer. Such proteins cannot be subject to many cytoplasmic events, such as direct linkage to the cytoskeleton and phosphorylation, which impact on transmembrane proteins (Figure 2). It was therefore anticipated both that the lateral diffusion of GPI-anchored proteins would be high and that these proteins might be released by physiologically important phospholipases. The evidence in support of such conjectures with regard to function is, however, difficult to generalize. For example, GPI-anchored class I histocompatibility antigens do appear to gain access to much of the cell surface (Edidin and Stroynowski, 1991), although their lateral diffusion is not uniformly higher than for transmembrane proteins (Bulow et al., 1988; Phelps et al., 1988). Furthermore, although there are a few experimental reports describing release of GPI-anchored proteins (Chan et al., 1988; He et al., 1987; Huizinga et al., 1988) and although soluble forms of several GPI-anchored proteins are found in extracellular fluids (Almqvist and Carlsson, 1988; Epstein et al., 1986; Overath et al., 1983; Quentmeier et al., 1987), release appears to be the exception rather than the rule.
Imports and Exports

• The meeting was ‘‘In commemoration of Professor P.-Y. Chou’s 100th Anniversary.’’ Professor Chou was educated in the West. In 1929, he returned to China, where he became an important scientific leader, eventually becoming the president of Peking University. For this meeting and other occasions his picture and his life is used to publicize a movement in which the nation is encouraging scientists trained abroad to return for parttime or full-time work in the universities, institutes, and corporations of modern China.
Using Imperfectly Elicited Fractiles for the Estimation of Probability Distribution Parameters

We develop direct and indirect analytical approaches to determine the parameters of a distribution using elicited fractile values in the presence of elicitation errors. Both approaches seek to minimize the variance on the errors in the estimation of the parameters of the distribution. In the indirect approach we obtainweights for the elicited fractile values to estimate the moments of the distribution; estimates for the probability distribution parameters can then be obtained indirectly from the moment estimates. The direct approach provides weights to estimate the parameters directly from the elicited fractile values. For both approaches, we show that the weights are independent of the actual parameter values and depend only on the fractile probabilities being elicited when the distribution is a location-scale distribution. We show numerically that both these approaches should be preferred over approaches that ignore elicitation error or elicit only a specific set of fractiles. The parameter invariant weights for an arbitrary set of fractile probabilities provide for a flexible elicitation of probability distributions. Subsequently, we extend the results to other non location-scale distributions including the Johnson family of distributions.
Agroforestry education for high school agriculture science: an evaluation of novel content adoption following educator professional development programs

High school agriculture science programs are recognized as meaningful arenas to reach young agriculture professionals as they gain a foundational understanding of their field. Agroforestry content is largely lacking in high school agriculture science classrooms, despite its relevance to modern advancements in agricultural sustainability for economic, environmental, and social resilience. Due to the contextual nature of content adoption by agricultural educators, the curriculum implementation process for novel content is dependent on an understanding of teacher learning, teacher self-efficacy, professional development, and curriculum modification. This collective case study of agroforestry professional development for and content adoption among participating Missouri high school agricultural educators provides insight into the potential for the integration of agroforestry content in high school agriculture programs using a mixed methods approach. While substantial growth in expected classroom hours dedicated to agroforestry resulted from these professional development events, identified complexities of the teacher and student learning context necessitate alternative approaches to engage teachers and students in previously unfamiliar agroforestry content. The importance of teacher-learning support networks and experiential learning in curriculum and professional development emerged as major themes for effective agroforestry content implementation.
Buffering chronic kidney disease with sodium bicarbonate

The roles of the kidney are well defined, if there is a progressive loss in renal function, the kidney is no longer able to perform the listed tasks and chronic kidney disease (CKD) persists. In both clinical and experimental studies, NaHCO3 supplementation has been shown to improve glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as well as halt the progression toward end-stage renal disease (ESRD). In an article recently published in Clinical Science (vol 132 (11) 1179-1197), Ray et al. presented an intriguing and timely study, which investigates the mechanisms involved in the protection that follows oral NaHCO3 ingestion. Here we comment on their research findings.
How Long Does a 15-Year Drought Last? On the Correlation of Rare Events

AbstractCommunities reliant upon the Colorado River system are at risk of water shortages because of fluctuations of the river’s streamflows. The solution to the water supply problem for the Colora...
Atypical frontoamygdala functional connectivity in youth with autism.

Abstract Functional connectivity (FC) between the amygdala and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex underlies socioemotional functioning, a core domain of impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although frontoamygdala circuitry undergoes dynamic changes throughout development, little is known about age-related changes in frontoamygdala networks in ASD. Here we characterize frontoamygdala resting-state FC in a cross-sectional sample (ages 7–25) of 58 typically developing (TD) individuals and 53 individuals with ASD. Contrary to hypotheses, individuals with ASD did not show different age-related patterns of frontoamygdala FC compared with TD individuals. However, overall group differences in frontoamygdala FC were observed. Specifically, relative to TD individuals, individuals with ASD showed weaker frontoamygdala FC between the right basolateral (BL) amygdala and the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). These findings extend prior work to a broader developmental range in ASD, and indicate ASD-related differences in frontoamygdala FC that may underlie core socioemotional impairments in children and adolescents with ASD.
Use of a scaffold peptide in the biosynthesis of amino acid–derived natural products

Genome sequencing of environmental bacteria allows identification of biosynthetic gene clusters encoding unusual combinations of enzymes that produce unknown natural products. We identified a pathway in which a ribosomally synthesized small peptide serves as a scaffold for nonribosomal peptide extension and chemical modification. Amino acids are transferred to the carboxyl terminus of the peptide through adenosine triphosphate and amino acyl-tRNA-dependent chemistry that is independent of the ribosome. Oxidative rearrangement, carboxymethylation, and proteolysis of a terminal cysteine yields an amino acid-derived small molecule. Microcrystal electron diffraction demonstrates that the resulting product is isosteric to glutamate. We show that a similar peptide extension is used during the biosynthesis of the ammosamides, which are cytotoxic pyrroloquinoline alkaloids. These results suggest an alternative paradigm for biosynthesis of amino acid-derived natural products.
Does Epitope Spreading Influence Responsiveness to Rituximab in PLA2R-Associated Membranous Nephropathy?

The paper by Seitz-Polski et al . ([1][1]) in this issue of CJASN addresses the influence of epitope spreading and drug dose on the efficacy of rituximab in patients with primary membranous nephropathy associated with antiphospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R) antibodies. Epitope spreading is an
The Good, the Bot, and the Ugly: Problematic Information and Critical Media Literacy in the Postdigital Era

This paper explores Wikipedia bots and problematic information in order to consider implications for cultivating students’ critical media literacy. While we recognize the key role of Wikipedia bots in addressing and reducing problematic information (misinformation and disinformation) on the encyclopedia, it is ultimately reductive to construe bots as merely having benign impacts. In order to understand bots and other algorithms as more than just tools, we turn towards a postdigital theorization of these as ‘agents’ that co-produce knowledge in conjunction with human editors and actors. This paper presents case studies of three specific bots on Wikipedia, including ClueBot NG, AAlertbot, and COIBot, each of which engages in some type of information validation in the encyclopedia. The activities involving these bots, illustrated in these case studies, ultimately support our argument that information validation processes in Wikipedia are complicated by their distribution across multiple human-computer relations and agencies. Despite the programming of these bots for combating problematic information, their efficacy is challenged by social, cultural, and technical issues related to misogyny, systemic bias, and conflict of interest. Studying the function of Wikipedia bots makes space for extending educational models for critical media literacy. In the postdigital era of problematic information, students should be on the alert for how the human and the nonhuman, the digital and the nondigital, interfere and exert agency in Wikipedia’s complex and highly volatile processes of information validation.
TREK-1 Null Impairs Neuronal Excitability, Synaptic Plasticity, and Cognitive Function.

TREK-1, a two-pore-domain K+ channel, is highly expressed in the central nervous system. Although aberrant expression of TREK-1 is implicated in cognitive impairment, the cellular and functional mechanism underlying this channelopathy is poorly understood. Here we examined TREK-1 contribution to neuronal morphology, excitability, synaptic plasticity, and cognitive function in mice deficient in TREK-1 expression. TREK-1 immunostaining signal mainly appeared in hippocampal pyramidal neurons, but not in astrocytes. TREK-1 gene knockout (TREK-1 KO) increases dendritic sprouting and the number of immature spines in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Functionally, TREK-1 KO increases neuronal excitability and enhances excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs and IPSCs). The increased EPSCs appear to be attributed to an increased release probability of presynaptic glutamate and functional expression of postsynaptic AMPA receptors. TREK-1 KO decreased the paired-pulse ratio and severely occluded the long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 region. These altered synaptic transmission and plasticity are associated with recognition memory deficit in TREK-1 KO mice. Although astrocytic expression of TREK-1 has been reported in previous studies, TREK-1 KO does not alter astrocyte membrane K+ conductance or the syncytial network function in terms of syncytial isopotentiality. Altogether, TREK-1 KO profoundly affects the cellular structure and function of hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Thus, the impaired cognitive function in diseases associated with aberrant expression of TREK-1 should be attributed to the failure of this K+ channel in regulating neuronal morphology, excitability, synaptic transmission, and plasticity.
Self-Calibrated Super Resolution

Super-resolution source localization is a fundamental problem in many sensing and imaging applications, where the goal is to identify the location of point sources from its convolution with a low-pass point spread function. Most super resolution algorithms assume perfect knowledge or stringent assumptions on the point spread function, and deliver highly inaccurate localizations when the point spread function is unknown or ill-calibrated. In this paper, we consider the problem of blind super resolution, with the goal of making almost no assumptions on the structures of the point spread function, by leveraging the availability of multi-channel observations. Specifically, we propose a novel algorithm based on atomic norm minimization, a recent convex optimization framework for super resolution, and demonstrate its success through extensive numerical experiments. Moreover, the optimality condition of the proposed estimator is studied.
Section 2. Poisons, Poisoning, Syndromes, and Their Clinical Management

This section includes detailed scientific and clinical toxicological information. For nonphysicians, this scientific and medical information should be utilized for informational purposes only; certain medical terms utilized in this section terms are not defined. For physicians, clinical care should not simply focus on the potential plant exposure, although this information is obviously helpful in many situations. Rather, clinical care should take into account the patient’s current and prior medical history, physical examination, appropriate diagnostic testing, response to therapy, and all other factors normally utilized in the provision of clinical care. That is, the patient should be managed based on his or her clinical condition rather than just on the knowledge of an exposure or suspicion of a toxin.
Cryptococcal Anterior Glottic Web from Disseminated Infection Presenting as Confusion: A Case Report.

Objectives:To educate healthcare providers on Cryptococcus neoformans as a novel cause of glottic webs especially in an immunocompromised patient and discuss recurrence of the glottic web. This cas...
Clinical Reasoning: A 12-month-old child with hypotonia and developmental delays

A 12-month-old girl was referred to the pediatric neuromuscular clinic for evaluation of hypotonia and weakness based on concerns from her pediatrician. The patient was born at term following an uncomplicated pregnancy, but developed failure to thrive and gross motor delays (unable to lift head in prone position) around 4 months of age. By 7 months of age, she began having episodes of bradypnea, tiring during feeds, acrocyanosis, and perioral cyanosis during periods of agitation.
Miliary tuberculosis in a patient with end-stage liver disease.

Chest radiography showed patchy left basilar consolidation with subtle, diffuse interstitial opacities.
Evaluation of low noise transverse rumble strips in proximity to a stop controlled intersection

Abstract Transverse rumble strips (TRS) can generate noise and vibration to alert drivers when they approach an intersection. The feasibility of using shallower epoxy filled TRS to substitute for traditional TRS to address noise concerns was evaluated. Twenty-four prove vehicle strikes with TRS were recorded and exterior sound generated by TRS strikes were compared to baseline and epoxy filled sound. Experimental framework was based on the AASHTO SIP Method. Humans can detect differences in noise levels at 3 dB(A), with 5 dB(A) being easily noticed. Compared to traditional TRS, the shallower epoxy filled TRS average sound level measurements dropped from 93 dB(A) to 88 dB(A), a noticeable 5 dB(A) difference. When the peek (max value) of both measurements are compared, the difference in sound was 6 dB(A), or a clearly noticeable change. Additionally, the sound generated from the epoxy TRS is higher than the paved condition, where the TRS was completely paved with asphalt, at 95% CI [-1 dB(A), 9 dB(A)]. This CI range indicates that the epoxy filled TRS strike was indiscernible at least, and clearly noticeable at most compared to a baseline, meaning that the epoxy TRS is noticeable compared to background traffic. Comparing the before condition TRS to the after paved TRS, the average sound level measurement dropped from 94 dB(A) to 83 dB(A), a clearly noticeable 11 dB(A) difference. However, the peak difference in sound measurement is approximately 18 dB(A). This indicates the original TRS is nearly four times louder than the same baseline passing vehicle.
Similar Functional Gains Using Radial Versus Combined Shockwave Therapy in Management of Plantar Fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is a common condition that causes foot pain. While shockwave therapy has been shown to provide successful results, comparative outcomes from different forms of shockwave therapy have yet to be described for this condition. In this retrospective cohort study, we describe findings from a quality improvement initiative assessing safety and functional outcomes for patients with plantar fasciitis treated with radial shockwave therapy (n = 20) or radial and focused shockwave therapy (combined shockwave, n = 18). Most were runners (n = 31, 81.6%), mean age was 43.3 ± 12.9 years, and average symptom duration 12.1 ± 11.1 months. All patients were prescribed an exercise program focusing on foot intrinsic strengthening. We hypothesized both groups would have improvement in function using the foot and Ankle Ability Measure, with a similar safety profile. Both radial and combined groups received similar number of total treatments (4.9 ± 2.5 and 4.1 ± 2.4, respectively; p = .33). Within group score changes for the Activities of Daily Living and Sports subscales were observed for both the radial (16.5 ± 16.3, p < .001; 31.7 ± 23.1, p < .001) and combined groups (19.8 ± 10.8, p = .001; 26.0 ± 21.5, p = .003). There was no difference in proportion of patients meeting the minimal clinically important difference between radial and combined groups regarding the Activities of Daily Living (14 (70%) vs 14 (77.8%), p = .58) and Sports subscales (17 (85%) vs 12 (75%), p = .45). Collectively, these findings suggest that a majority of patients with chronic plantar fasciitis may achieve functional gains using either form of shockwave therapy.
Packaging Property: The Effect of Paradigmatic Framing of Property Rights

The two fundamental paradigms of property rights are the “bundle of sticks” approach and the “discrete asset” approach. Over the last century, scholars abandoned the previously dominant “discrete asset” approach. While some scholars recently have suggested reintegrating the “discrete asset” approach into property theory, the legal community - both academic and professional - remains substantially wedded to the “bundle” approach. At the same time, there is a sense that the public-at-large generally adheres to the “discrete asset” approach. Although commentary acknowledges this dichotomy in terms of which paradigm better describes the legal understanding and treatment of property rights, it often pays little heed to the distinction between property paradigms in the important context of whether the governing paradigm might affect people’s behavior in respect of property rights. This Article describes the results of an experiment designed to test the hypothesis that the paradigm according to which property rights are framed has an effect upon whether and how much people accept interference with and regulation of those rights. The results provide statistically significant support for the proposition that that those who view the rights under the “discrete asset” paradigm would be less likely to part with their rights than those who view the rights under the “bundle” paradigm. The study also confirms that the paradigmatic frame through which property rights are presented has an effect upon people’s perceptions of those rights.
Computing for Control and Control for Computing

Computing can be thought of as a service provided to a system to yield actionable tasks enacted by physical hardware. But rarely is control thought to be in the service of enhancing computation. Consideration of that perspective is what motivates co-regulation, our framework for holistic cyber-physical control of autonomous vehicles. In this paper we elaborate on how co-regulation will enable the next generation of autonomous vehicles precisely because it considers computation as an enabler and consumer of autonomous behavior. We report on the latest advances in this space showing how co-regulation exceeds results in event-triggered, self-triggered, and fixed-rate control strategies yielding more robustness and adaptivity to changing and uncertain conditions - a requirement for next-gen autonomous vehicles. We then describe a co-regulated decision making algorithm based on Markov Decision Processes showing how full consideration of computational resource allocation can increase decision-making capabilities in uncertain environments.
Cognitive Assessment: An Introduction to the Rule Space Method

1. Dimensionality of Test Data and Aberrant Response Patterns. 2. Parametric Person-fit Statistics, Zeta z and Generalized Zetas z1,... zm. 3. Cognitive Modeling by Developing an Incidence Matrix Q. 4. Knowledge Space Generated from a Q-matrix. 5. A Classification Space: Rule Space as a Cartesian Product of the Person Parameter q in Item Response Theory, z and Generalized Zetas. 6. Classification Rules. 7. Rule Space Decision Rules and Attribute Mastery Probabilities. 8. Posterior Probabilities with Different Prior Probabilities and Their Effect on the Attribute Mastery Probabilities. 9. Reliability of Items, Persons, and Their Relationship to the Classical Test Theory. 10. Validation of Attributes, a Q-Matrix Coded by the Involvement of Attributes to Items and a Test. 11. References.
Studies on several cholinergic drugs as possible etiologic agents in ulcerative colitis.

Summary In an attempt to produce ulcerative colitis in dogs in order to devise more suitable surgical methods of treatment, several cholinergic drugs were employed. In one set of animals Mecholyl was giveE intramuscularly with the production of edema, submucosal hemorrhages and superficial erosions. In a second group of animals observations were made directly on the mucosa by means of a prepared blind loop colostomy and lysozyme crystals were instilled directly into the loop after Mecholyl was given by injection. Acetylcholine was instilled directly into the prepared blind loop colostomies and Prostigmine given intravenously to a number of dogs, and direct observations made on the mucosa by means of an infant proctoscope.
Lewis acid-base titrations employing megacycle-frequency oscillators : Part III. Preparation, isolation and characterization of some adducts predicted from titration curves

Abstract Adducts of stannic chloride with thirteen oxygen bases, isolated as solids from benzene or heptane solution, were characterized by analysis and melting point behavior; several of these are new compounds. Diethyl ether, n-dibutyl ether and tetrahydrofuran form AB2 adducts; p-dioxane, in conformity with its being a diacid base, forms only a 1 : 1 species. Methyl, ethyl, n-propyl and n-butyl alcohols form simple AB2 adducts at room temperature which on recrystallization from boiling solvent give SnCl3(OR)ROH; iso-propyl alcohol gives only the AB2 adduct; tert.-butyl alcohol only forms SnCl3. OC4H9 (steric hindrance probably prevents formation of the AB2 adduct). Water gives a AB4 or AB5 adduct. Adducts of aluminum chloride with three nitrogen bases were similarly prepared from acetonitrile solution. Pyridine forms a 1 : 1 species. Acetonitrile itself forms a AB2 species. Piperidine forms a AB3 species. The latter two adducts support the view that AlCI3 can form other than 1 : 1 adducts with nitrogen bases.
Locating Media Ethnography

What are the qualities and distinguishing features of media ethnography? Certainly, in developing research designs and reporting findings, ethnography has a history of being guided by an identifiable range of investigative activities, such as participant observation, conversational interviews in naturalistic settings, observation and the recording of speech-in-action, and detailed field note documentation (Spradley 1979, 1980; Fetterman 1989; Sanjek 1990; Wolcott 1995; Denzin and Lincoln 1998). As this range of investigative activities attests, what ethnography has historically done best is “make direct contact with social agents in the normal courses and routine situations of their lives to try to understand something of how and why these regularities take place” (Willis 2000, p. xiii, emphasis in original). It is therefore fair to say that participation in and the witnessing of activities and events over time to form a research record lie at the qualitative heart of what ethnography does, and does well. But despite a large and growing body of scholarship from which to draw, these qualifying characteristics are not always salient in media ethnography, making it difficult to describe the contours and confines of what is meant by ethnography in media ethnography. This chapter is an attempt to explore and identify what qualities and distinguishing features are used to define and give shape to media ethnography. To pursue this charge, I want to revisit Nightingale’s (1993) question of “What’s ethnographic?” about media ethnography. Although Nightingale originally offered the question rather pithily by casting into doubt the ethnographic credentials of ethnographic research focused on media audiences, I think it is useful to return to her query, albeit this time taking it as an exploratory challenge. In fact, I want to engage this challenge by taking up a second, more recent set of questions posited by Coman and Rothenbuhler (2005), who ask, “Where is the dividing line between doing ethnography in the classic sense and doing research that is ethnographic in
Large and small polaron excitations inLa2/3(Sr/Ca)1/3MnO3films

We present detailed optical measurements of the mid-infrared (MIR) excitations in thin films of La 2 / 3 Sr 1 / 3 MnO 3 (LSMO) and La 2 / 3 Ca 1 / 2 MnO 3 (LCMO) across the magnetic transition. The shape of the excitation at about 0.2 eV in both samples is analyzed in terms of polaron models. We propose to identify the MIR resonance in LSMO as the excitation of large polarons and that in LCMO as a small polaron excitation. A scaling behavior for the low-energy side of the polaronic MIR resonance in LSMO is established.
Interactive Advertising Concentration

ABSTRACTThe University of Texas Advertising Department introduced its first Internet advertising class in 1995. That class quickly became quite popular with students, and it helped them to find jobs in the quickly expanding market for Internet-related occupations. Since that time the Advertising Department has expanded its course offerings in this area, but with little coordination or unified goal. Beginning in Fall 2000, however, the Department is instituting an Interactive Advertising “concentration.” It appears to be the first such concentration in the U.S. This article describes the process that led to this innovation, the major considerations that went into its design, and the initial make-up of that concentration.
DOES LIQUIDITY MATTER TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

Farmers have a variety of tools with which to cope with risk. These tools include shifting their purchases of producer or consumer durable goods between periods, accumulating or depleting savings or buffer stocks, borrowing or restructuring debt, purchasing insurance, and participating in futures markets. Given the variety of methods farmers have for coping with risk, we first set out to answer the fundamental question: Does risk coping affect agricultural production decisions? To answer this we must address the issue of why risk matters. That is, what are the market failures that make risk matter and how do they affect producer behavior?
Policing Crime Hot Spots

In recent years, crime scholars and practitioners have pointed to the potential benefits of focusing crime prevention efforts on crime places. A number of studies suggest that crime is not spread evenly across city landscapes. Rather, there is significant clustering of a crime in small places, or ‘‘hot spots,’’ that generate half of all criminal events (Pierce et al., 1988; Sherman et al., 1989a; Weisburd et al., 1992). Even within the most crime-ridden neighborhoods, crime clusters at a few discrete locations and other areas are relatively crime free (Sherman et al., 1989a). A number of researchers have argued that many crime problems can be reduced more efficiently if police officers focused their attention to these deviant places (Sherman and Weisburd, 1995; Weisburd and Green, 1995). The appeal of focusing limited resources on a small number of high-activity crime places is straightforward. If we can prevent crime at these hot spots, then we might be able to reduce total crime. Hot spots policing has become a very popular way for police departments to prevent crime. A recent Police Foundation report found that 7 in 10 departments with more than 100 sworn officers reported using crime mapping to identify crime hot spots (Weisburd et al., 2001). A growing body of research evidence suggests that focused police interventions, such as directed patrols, proactive arrests, and problem-oriented policing, can produce significant crime prevention gains at high-crime ‘hot spots’ (see e.g. Eck, 1997; 2002). Given the growing popularity of hot spots policing, a systematic review of the empirical evidence on the effects of focused police interventions on crime hot spots is necessary to assess the value of this approach to crime prevention.
Management of Human Service Programs

Covering the most important issues facing managers and administrators in human service agencies in the 21st Century, this thoroughly updated and revised edition is the most current text on the market. The authors provide an overview of the managerial and leadership functions that a successful manager or administrator in the human services needs to understand. Practical in its approach, the book introduces students to the theory and practice of managerial and leadership functions and provides important guidelines for working within agencies. This text is useful for readers already in the workforce as managers and administrators, as well as for students who will be entering human service agencies.
Schools, jails and the dynamics of an educational underclass

Abstract The paper studies the role of state policy in creating, supporting, and controlling an underclass. The central question addressed in this paper is whether a society can use prisons to control the costs of an economically marginal underclass. The principle conclusion of this paper is that a society that provides adequate quality educational facilities for all children will be able to use prisons to contain the costs of a persistent underclass. However, failure to provide adequate educational system capacity to all children makes it difficult to use prisons to contain the economic costs of long term underclass poverty.
Health Services Research: Scope and Significance

This chapter has provided a definition and history of the field of health services research and discussed how this field is examining quality-of-care issues and seeking to improve quality of care. Comparisons of current practice to evidence-based standards with feedback to clinicians and the integration of patient-reported outcomes are two examples of how HSR tools can be used to provide quality-improvement information for health care organizations. These examples utilize multiple data sources, including medical records, patient surveys, and administrative data. The opportunities for nurse researchers to provide invaluable contributions to the growing field of health services research are innumerable.
WKB Analysis in the Semiclassical Limit of a Discrete NLS System

The linear spectral problem associated with the inverse solution of a finite discrete nonlinear Schrodinger chain is studied in the semiclassical limit. The discrete spectral problem is a recursion relation for a vector quantity, with boundary conditions, depending on initial data and a spectral parameter. WKB analysis is performed and then interpreted for the case that the quantities in the chain are less than one in modulus. In this case, the spectrum lies on the unit circle and an asymptotic density is obtained. The density is supported by known facts about the discrete spectra, numerical results, and rigorous results concerning the asymptotics of the solution of the spectral boundary-value problem. In addition, the norming constants in the spectral transform are positive in this special case, and a proposed asymptotic norming exponent is corroborated by numerical data.
Low Temperature Ultrasonic Attenuation in Rapidly Cooled Niobium Containing Oxygen and Hydrogen

Measurements of ultrasonic attenuation and velocity in dilute Nb-O-H alloys were made as a function of temperature, frequency, polarization, annealing temperature, isotope, and defect concentration. In addition to the stable 2.4 K relaxation peak found earlier by Poker, et. al., an additional peak at 6.3 K at 10 MHz was found when the specimen was rapidly cooled to He temperature. The peak correlated with the resistivity recovery found by Hanada for quenched specimens and corresponds to a complex with tetragonal symmetry.
Establishment of Cell Identity in Pathogenic Fungi

This chapter examines how cell identity influences mating-type determination, particularly in fungal pathogens. It explores cases where cell identity plays roles outside of mating type, affects cell morphology, and influences pathogenesis. The chapter begins with a description of cell type determination in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and uses this as a platform for exploring mechanisms in the human fungal pathogens Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans as well as the plant fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis. It concludes with a short description of the influence of cell identity on the behaviors of several other plant and human fungal pathogens and how cell identity in fungi is evolving to encompass a more diverse array of fungal behaviors. A fungal pathogen in which cell identity determination has come to the fore is in the basidiomycete fungus C. neoformans. There are two obvious possibilities for specifying haploid cell identity: either the pheromone and pheromone receptor alleles in each mating type have diverged from one another sufficiently to confer pheromone-receptor binding specificity, or there are other factors or mechanisms at play in determining haploid cell types. The authors will continue to discover new strategies undertaken by the pathogenic fungi to develop and integrate multiple cell identities in the effort to survive.