cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The "Digital Natives" Debate: An Investigation of the Digital Propensities of University Students.

The purpose of this research is to determine the digital propensities of post-secondary students (N=409) in various faculties/colleges at a large state university located in southwestern Turkey. It was also examined whether gender, the program attended, socioeconomic status, education type (first and second shift education), the number of family members and the number of computers per household are contributing factors to Information and Communication Technologies use. According to the data analyzed, male students use Information and Communication Technologies more than female students. Results also suggest that faculty attended, education type, family income, the number of computers and children per household are some of the important factors in having high digital propensity index.
Easy in, Easy out Are Alternatively Certified Teachers Turning Over at Increased Rates?

Alternative certification programs are now commonplace in the credentialing of new teachers. We complement the growing evidence base for these teachers by exploring their turnover patterns in four waves of the nationally representative Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). We report on descriptive evidence of growing differences in the characteristics of alternatively and traditionally certified teachers and the schools in which they teach. Controlling for factors that predict higher turnover, we find that by the 2007–2008 school year, alternatively certified teachers were still more likely than traditionally certified teachers to leave the profession. We find some evidence that an increase in the number of organizational supports for new teachers may reduce the likelihood of turnover.
Distinct distributions of genomic features of the 5’ and 3’ partners of coding somatic cancer gene fusions: arising mechanisms and functional implications

// Yongzhong Zhao 1, 2 , Won-Min Song 1, 2 , Fan Zhang 3 , Ming-Ming Zhou 4 , Weijia Zhang 3 , Martin J. Walsh 1, 4, 5 and Bin Zhang 1, 2 1 Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY 10029, USA 2 Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY 10029, USA 3 Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY 10029, USA 4 Department of Structural and Chemical Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY 10029, USA 5 Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA Correspondence to: Bin Zhang, email: bin.zhang@mssm.edu Keywords: cancer somatic gene fusions, gene age, GC skew, DNA-RNA R-loops, somatic amplification Received: April 02, 2016 Accepted: June 06, 2016 Published: July 20, 2016 ABSTRACT The genomic features and arising mechanisms of coding cancer somatic gene fusions (CSGFs) largely remain elusive. In this study, we show the gene origin stratification pattern of CSGF partners that fusion partners in human cancers are significantly enriched for genes with the gene age of Euteleostomes and with the gene family age of Bilateria . GC skew (a measurement of G, C nucleotide content bias, (G-C)/(G+C)) is a useful measurement to indicate the DNA leading strand, lagging strand, replication origin, and replication terminal and DNA-RNA R-loop formation. We find that GC skew bias at the 5 prime (5′) but not the 3 prime (3’) partners of CSGFs, coincident with the polarity feature of gene expression breadth that the 5’ partners are more ubiquitous while the 3’ fusion partners are more tissue specific in general. We reveal distinct length and composition distributions of 5’ and 3’ of CSGFs, including sequence features corresponded to the 5’ untranslated regions (UTRs), 3’ UTRs, and the N-terminal sequences of the encoded proteins. Oncogenic somatic gene fusions are most enriched for the 5’ and 3’ genes’ somatic amplification alongside a substantial proportion of other types of combinations. At the function level, 5’ partners of CSGFs appear more likely to be tumour suppressor genes while many 3’ partners appear to be proto-oncogene. Such distinct polarities of CSGFs at the evolutionary, structural, genomic and functional levels indicate the heterogeneous arsing mechanisms of CSGFs including R-loops and suggest potential novel targeted therapeutics specific to CSGF functional categories.
A neural mechanism of cognitive control for resolving conflict between abstract task rules

Conflict between multiple sensory stimuli or potential motor responses is thought to be resolved via bias signals from prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, population codes in the PFC also represent abstract information, such as task rules. How is conflict between active abstract representations resolved? We used functional neuroimaging to investigate the mechanism responsible for resolving conflict between abstract representations of task rules. Participants performed two different tasks based on a cue. We manipulated the degree of conflict at the task-rule level by training participants to associate the color and shape dimensions of the cue with either the same task rule (congruent cues) or different ones (incongruent cues). Phonological and semantic tasks were used in which performance depended on learned, abstract representations of information, rather than sensory features of the target stimulus or on any habituated stimulus-response associations. In addition, these tasks activate distinct regions that allowed us to measure magnitude of conflict between tasks. We found that incongruent cues were associated with increased activity in several cognitive control areas, including the inferior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, insula, and subcortical regions. Conflict between abstract representations appears to be resolved by rule-specific activity in the inferior frontal gyrus that is correlated with enhanced activity related to the relevant information. Furthermore, multi-voxel pattern analysis of the activity in the inferior frontal gyrus was shown to carry information about both the currently relevant rule (semantic/phonological) and the currently relevant cue context (color/shape). Similar to models of attentional selection of conflicting sensory or motor representations, the current findings indicate part of the frontal cortex provides a bias signal, representing task rules, that enhances task-relevant information. However, the frontal cortex can also be the target of these bias signals in order to enhance abstract representations that are independent of particular stimuli or motor responses.
Symmetric K-user Gaussian interference channels: Approximate sum-capacity via deterministic modeling

Linear deterministic interference channel models approximate Gaussian channels when the signal-to-noise ratio is high. Exact analysis of the former has in some cases yielded approximate capacity results in the latter, like the 2-user interference channel or the relay channel. Here, we follow a similar program for K-user symmetric interference channels. Specifically, we translate achievable strategies for the deterministic case derived in an earlier paper to the Gaussian case using nested lattice codes. In this case, the approximation gap depends on the channel parameters and becomes unbounded in certain regimes.
Enhancing Dynamical Seasonal Predictions through Objective Regionalization

AbstractImproving seasonal forecasts in East Africa has great implications for food security and water resources planning in the region. Dynamically based seasonal forecast systems have much to contribute to this effort, as they have demonstrated ability to represent and, to some extent, predict large-scale atmospheric dynamics that drive interannual rainfall variability in East Africa. However, these global models often exhibit spatial biases in their placement of rainfall and rainfall anomalies within the region, which limits their direct applicability to forecast-based decision-making. This paper introduces a method that uses objective climate regionalization to improve the utility of dynamically based forecast-system predictions for East Africa. By breaking up the study area into regions that are homogenous in interannual precipitation variability, it is shown that models sometimes capture drivers of variability but misplace precipitation anomalies. These errors are evident in the pattern of homogenou...
Prognosis and therapy of myelodysplastic syndromes.

This chapter will deal primarily with issues faced by physicians in the management of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs). Accordingly, emphasis will be placed on assessing these patients’ prognoses and the therapeutic options available in light of these prognoses.
Radionuclide Bone Marrow Imaging in Cancer Patients

In this chapter, we shall discuss the role of radionuclide imaging modalities in investigating bone marrow pathophysiology in patients with cancer. Detecting the disease sites at the “bone marrow” (BM) level is of great importance for the early and accurate assessment of disease activity in various diseases and particularly in cancer. Hence, theoretically, the modalities, which investigate bone marrow abnormalities directly, are preferable to those that rely on the indirect evidence of osteoblastic reaction secondary to cortical invasion. The present communication elaborates on the anatomy of BM, existing radiotracers employed to investigate bone marrow abnormalities, and clinical applications of conventional bone marrow scintigraphy (BMS) and FDG-PET imaging in various malignant and associated disorders. Further discussion is based upon the current understanding of the role and reliability of these modalities as well as other anatomical imaging in investigating skeletal involvement by cancer.
A study of secondary injection of gases into a supersonic flow

The flow field around the injection port for secondary injection of a gas normal to a supersonic stream has been studied in a series of wind tunnel experiments. The experiments were conducted at free-stream Mach numbers of 1.38 to 4.54. Gaseous nitrogen, argon, and helium were injected through a circular hole or a transverse slot with sonic flow at the injection orifice. Data are presented which include static pressure distributions on the wall in the region of the injector, shock shapes, and injectant mass fraction, total pressure, and velocity profiles downstream of the injector. A scale parameter has been calculated, based on a simple, inviscid model of the flow field. This scale parameter gives a good general correlation of the data. Use of this scale parameter allows the prediction of a simple scaling law for the normal forces on a wall produced by secondary injection. For the case of injection through a slot, this scaling law has been compared with experimental results reported by other workers. This comparison indicates that further work will be necessary to clarify the effect of free-stream Mach number on the flow field. For the case of injection through a hole, the force scaling law is in approximate agreement with existing rocket motor test results.
Correlates of childhood trauma in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder spectrum: A preliminary study

Abstract Objective Histories of childhood trauma (CT) are risk factors for affect dysregulation and poor clinical outcomes in women with bipolar disorder (BD). While much is known about the link between BD and CT in adult patients, there is limited data on this research topic in pediatric BD (PBD). The present study aims to investigate the impact of CT on irritability, aggressive and suicidal behaviors in PBD patients across gender types. Methods From 2013 to 2015, 59 PBD patients Aged 6–17 (30 female) were administered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) along with scales assessing irritability (Affective Reactivity Index), aggression (Modified Overt Aggression Scale) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale). We examined the severity of these behaviors across types of CT and gender using univariate regression analyses. Findings were adjusted for age, number of traumas, and CTQ denial score. Results In PBD patients, analyses showed that the effect of physical abuse depended on gender, whereby females were more likely than males to engage in suicidal thoughts and behaviors (p Conclusion These preliminary findings highlight the significant impact of CT in PBD and suggest that gender may predict the risk for dysfunctional behaviors in PBD patients with CT. Future large scale, longitudinal, investigations focusing on fear processing and extinction may provide a deeper understanding of these gender differences, and their role in the course of BD.
(268) Blood Pressure as a Prospective Predictor of Chronic Pain Development: Results from Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk (OK-SNAP)

Identification of those at risk for chronic pain development may help prevent its onset. The relationship between blood pressure (BP) and pain processing has been studied extensively, but it is unknown whether BP is related to future pain onset. The current study examined whether resting BP predicts the development of chronic pain in participants from the OK-SNAP study who were healthy and pain-free at the time of enrollment. BP was recorded 3 times and averaged at the time of enrollment. Following the OK-SNAP main study, participants were contacted every 6 months to assess for chronic pain. Of the 139 Native American (NA) and 147 non-Hispanic white (NHW) participants enrolled, 208 (73%) responded to at least 1 follow-up. Participants were deemed to have chronic pain if they experienced pain for >3 months that did not remit at subsequent follow-ups (N=35; 17%). These persons were compared to those that reported no persistent pain at any follow-up (N=133; 64%). First, zero-order correlations were conducted between chronic pain onset, BP, and control variables. Systolic BP, diastolic BP, race, general health perception, and age were significantly related to chronic pain onset (ps
Intrapleural Administration of Local Anesthetics for Pain Relief in Patients with Multiple Rib Fractures: Preliminary Report

The intrapleural administration of bupivacaine for pain relief was evaluated in patients with multiple rib fractures. In six patients an intermittent dosage technique was used. An intrapleural catheter was inserted and 20 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine was administered every 8 hours for 2-3 days and every 12 hours for an additional 3-4 days. Adequate pain relief was achieved in all patients in this group. In addition, the mean Paco2 decreased significantly from 59.5 ± 1.5 mm, Hg before local anesthetic therapy to 37.4 ± 2.0 mm Hg after intrapleural administration of bupivacaine. In a second group of three patients, an initial intrapleural injection of 20 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine was followed by continuous infusion of 0.25 or 0.5% bupivacaine at a rate of 5-10 ml/hour. Infusion was continued for 5-10 days and provided excellent pain relief. Peak mean venous blood levels of bupivacaine varied from 1.1-2.38 μg/ml in these patients. The continuous infusion of 0.5% bupivacaine produced unilateral anesthesia to pinprick from T2-T10, whereas the 0.25% bupivacaine solution produced pain relief without a discernible level to pinprick. Intercostal or abdominal muscle paresis was not noted in any of the nine patients. Intrapleural administration of bupivacaine appears to be an effective means of providing pain relief for patients with multiple rib iractures. Further studies appear warranted to determine the optimal use of this new technique in such patients.
The Patentability of Chiral Drugs Post-KSR: The More Things Change, the Most They Stay the Same

Perhaps more than most, the pharmaceutical industry is dependent on patent protection. The commercialization of discoveries and inventions related to new drugs and therapeutics must necessarily operate within the regulatory frameworks governing health and safety. This inherently public disclosure precludes protection of valuable intellectual property by alternative means such as trade secret. Consequently, there is a rich history of jurisprudence related to patentability in the chemical arts, as the issues surrounding novelty and obviousness often serve as central points of contention in patent infringement litigation. This Note examines the Federal Circuit’s approach to the patentability of an important class of pharmaceutical products known as chiral drugs— drugs based on enantiomers—particularly in view of the standard for determining nonobviousness expressed by the Supreme Court in KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc. I Part introduces the basic concept of chirality and its significance to the pharmaceutical industry. Part II addresses the doctrines of novelty and nonobviousness related to enantiomers, focusing on the touchstone of structural similarity and the requirements related to motivation established in pre-KSR case law. The cases show that an enantiomer is patentable over its previously disclosed racemate with respect to novelty, but that there is no easy conclusion with respect to nonobviousness. Part III considers the lessons stemming from a number of recent postKSR decisions on the obviousness of chiral drugs. First, the difficulties associated with resolving racemic mixtures and unexpected properties are critical to preserving the nonobviousness of enantiomers. Second, the mere desirability and knowledge of the potential therapeutic advantages that single-enantiomer drugs may hold have not been held as adequate motivation to employ known separation techniques on disclosed racemic mix-
Long reads reveal the diversification and dynamics of CRISPR reservoir in microbiomes.

Sequencing of microbiomes has accelerated the characterization of the diversity of CRISPR-Cas immune systems. However, the utilization of next generation short read sequences for the characterization of CRISPR-Cas dynamics remains limited due to the repetitive nature of CRISPR arrays. CRISPR arrays are comprised of short spacer segments (derived from invaders’ genomes) interspaced between flanking repeat sequences. The repetitive structure of CRISPR arrays poses a computational challenge for the accurate assembly of CRISPR arrays from short reads. In this paper we evaluate the use of long read sequences for the analysis of CRISPR-Cas system dynamics in microbiomes. We analyzed a dataset of Illumina’s TruSeq Synthetic Long-Reads (SLR) derived from a gut microbiome. We showed that long reads captured CRISPR spacers at a high degree of redundancy, which highlights the spacer conservation of spacer sharing CRISPR variants, enabling the study of CRISPR array dynamics in ways difficult to achieve though short read sequences. We introduce compressed spacer graphs, a visual abstraction of spacer sharing CRISPR arrays, to provide a simplified view of complex organizational structures present within CRISPR array dynamics. Utilizing compressed spacer graphs, several key defining characteristics of CRISPR-Cas system dynamics were observed including spacer acquisition and loss events, conservation of the trailer end spacers, and CRISPR arrays’ directionality (transcription orientation). Other result highlights include the observation of intense array contraction and expansion events, and reconstruction of a full-length genome for a potential invader (Faecalibacterium phage) based on identified spacers. We demonstrate in an in silico system that long reads provide the necessary context for characterizing the organization of CRISPR arrays in a microbiome, and reveal dynamic and evolutionary features of CRISPR-Cas systems in a microbial population.
Links of communal coping to relationship and psychological health in type 2 diabetes: actor–partner interdependence models involving role, sex, and race

Background Communal coping is one person's appraisal of a stressor as shared and collaboration with a partner to manage the problem. There is a burgeoning literature demonstrating the link of communal coping to good relationships and health among persons with chronic disease. Purpose We examined links of communal coping to relationship and psychological functioning among couples in which one person was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. We distinguished effects of own communal coping from partner communal coping on both patient and spouse relationship and psychological functioning, as well as whether communal coping effects were moderated by role (patient, spouse), sex (male, female), and race (White, Black). Methods Participants were 200 couples in which one person had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (46% Black, 45% female) within the last 5 years. Couples completed an in-person interview, participated in a discussion to address diabetes-related problems, and completed a postdiscussion questionnaire. Results Own communal coping and partner communal coping were related to good relationship and psychological functioning. Interactions with role, sex, and race suggested: (i) partner communal coping is more beneficial for patients than spouses; (ii) own communal coping is more beneficial for men, whereas partner communal coping is more beneficial for women; and (iii) White patients and Black spouses benefit more from own communal coping than Black patients and White spouses. Conclusion These findings demonstrate the benefits of communal coping across an array of self-report and observed indices, but suggest there are differential benefits across role, sex, and race.
Mask, the Drosophila Ankyrin Repeat and KH domain-containing protein, regulates microtubule dynamics

Abstract Proper regulation of microtubule (MT) dynamics is vital for essential cellular processes and many neuronal activities, including axonal transport and synaptic growth and remodeling. Here we demonstrate that Mask negatively regulates MT stability and maintains a balanced MT length and architecture in both fly larval muscles and motor neurons. In larval muscles, loss of mask increases MT length, and altering mask genetically modifies the Tau-induced MT fragmentation. In motor neurons, loss of mask function reduces the number of End-Binding Protein 1 (EB1)-positive MT plus-ends in the axons and results in overexpansion of the presynaptic terminal at larval neuromuscular junctions (NMJ). mask shows strong genetic interaction with stathmin (stai), a neuronal modulator of MT dynamics, in regulation of axon transportation and synaptic terminal stability. The structure/function analysis on Mask suggests that Mask’s action in regulating MT stability does not depend on the nucleotide-binding function of its KH domain. Furthermore, through a proteomic approach, we found that Mask physically interacts with Jupiter, an MT stabilizing factor. The MT localization of Jupiter in the axons inversely correlates with Mask levels, suggesting that Mask may modulate MT stability by inhibiting the association of Jupiter to MTs. Author Summary Microtubules (MT) are part of the cytoskeleton of the cells that provides essential structural basis for critical processes and functions of the cells. A complex factors are required to orchestrate the assembly and disassembly of MT. Here we identified Mask as a novel regulator for MT dynamics in fruit flies. Mask negatively regulates MT stability. It shows prominent interplay with two important modulators of MT, Tau and Stathmin (Stai), both genes are linked to human neurodegenerative disorders. These findings not only support the role of Mask as a novel microtubule regulator, but also provide foundation to explore future therapeutic strategies in mitigating deficit related to dysfunction of Tau and Stathmin. Our further analysis on Mask protein demonstrate that Mask can physically interacts with another MT stabilizing factor named Jupiter. Jupiter can bind to MT, but its localization to the MTs in the axons is negatively affected by Mask, implying a possible underlying mechanism that Mask may modulate MT stability by inhibiting the association of Jupiter to MTs.
Kinetic Modeling of West Nile Virus Fusion Indicates an Off-pathway State

West Nile virus (WNV) is a prominent mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes febrile illness in humans. To infect host cells, WNV virions first bind to plasma membrane receptors, then initiate membrane fusion following endocytosis. The viral transmembrane E protein, triggered by endosomal pH, catalyzes fusion while undergoing a dimer-to-trimer transition. Previously, single-particle WNV fusion data was interrogated with a stochastic cellular automaton simulation, which modeled the E proteins during the fusion process. The results supported a linear fusion mechanism, with E protein trimerization being rate-limiting. Here, we present corrections to the previous simulation, and apply them to the WNV fusion data. We observe that a linear mechanism is no longer sufficient to fit the data. Instead, an off-pathway state is necessary; these results are corroborated by chemical kinetics modeling. When compared with a similar Zika virus fusion model, this suggests that off-pathway fusion mechanisms may characterize flaviviruses more broadly.
Correction to: Brain-derived exosomes from dementia with Lewy bodies propagate α-synuclein pathology.

Author(s): Ngolab, Jennifer; Trinh, Ivy; Rockenstein, Edward; Mante, Michael; Florio, Jazmin; Trejo, Margarita; Masliah, Deborah; Adame, Anthony; Masliah, Eliezer; Rissman, Robert A | Abstract: An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
Cirrhotomimetic hepatocellular carcinoma: experience of a single institution and review of the literature.

Cirrhotomimetic hepatocellular carcinoma is a recognized pattern exhibiting cirrhosis-like growth and a reputation for evading pretransplant detection. Five cases encountered from our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Clinicopathologic and literature reviews were performed. All five patients were male, aged 50-66. Diffuse, innumerable nodules were seen grossly, exhibiting predominantly well-to-moderate differentiation with pseudoglandular and trabecular patterns microscopically. By immunohistochemistry, the tumor was diffusely positive for Glypican-3, showed sinusoidal capillarization by CD34 and slightly increased MIB-1 proliferation index. At up to 3.25 years of follow-up, our cohort of cirrhotomimetic hepatocellular carcinoma had no recurrence in 60% (3/5), solitary recurrence in 20% (1/5) and one patient had died of disease in 20% (1/5). Literature review suggests that these tumors recurred at a frequency of 50% (19 of 38 patients).
Sexual Dimorphisms in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

This review focuses on how sex differences play a role in the development and progression of NAFLD, describe inconsistencies in current findings, and propose goals for future studies. NAFLD prevalence and severity is higher in men than in premenopausal women. After menopause, prevalence of NAFLD increases, suggesting a protective effect of estrogen. Androgen excess may also increase the risk of steatosis in women. Furthermore, there is a strong interplay between hormonal changes and development of visceral adiposity and metabolic syndrome, both closely related to NAFLD progression. Despite advancements in research, our understanding of sexual dimorphism in NAFLD remains incomplete. While results are varied, it is apparent that sex differences with regard to endogenous hormones, reproductive stage, metabolic risk factors, and body fat distribution all play a significant role in the development of NAFLD. Future studies should aim to develop sex-specific therapies to mitigate the rising prevalence of NAFLD.
An Experimental Study on the Mobility Characteristics of Corona Ions Produced by a HVDC Test Line

This paper reports experimental results of the continuous mobility spectrum and mean mobility of corona ions by using a Gerdien tube and the integral equation method. The effects of voltage polarity, nominal electric field on the conductor surface, temperature, humidity and airborne suspended particles on the mobility spectrum and mean mobility are studied. The results show that the positive and negative mean ion mobilities are 1.06 -1.20 cm2V−1s−1 and 1.74-2.04 cm2V−1s−1, respectively, when the temperature is 25 °C and the relative humidity (RH) is 20%. The electric field on conductor surface has little impact on the mean ion mobility in the range of +23.1-+28.2 kV/cm and -20.5–25.6 kV/cm, while increasing temperature and humidity leads to a decrease of the negative mean ion mobility. The results also show that airborne suspended particles have impacts on the mean ion mobility and mobility spectrum, and the impacts are density reliant, which are ascribable to the capture of ions by particles, leading to the variation of the weights of all ion species in the spectrum.
Investigations on energy harvesting systems incorporating mechanical and electrical nonlinearities to charge reusable batteries

Abstract This report analyzes the electromechanical coupling evident in vibration energy harvesting systems that charge reusable batteries. A model of a vibration energy harvesting system with far-from-equilibrium nonlinearities is considered for sake of capitalizing on high-energy forced vibrations. The piezoelectric structure is coupled with nonlinear interface circuits that leverage rectification and control stages to enhance power delivery to the battery. Three circuits, namely standard energy harvesting (SEH) circuit, parallel synchronized switching harvesting on inductor (P-SSHI) circuit, and synchronized charge extraction (SCE) are considered as interfaces between the nonlinear energy harvester and a battery. A simplified power calculation is numerically verified to accurately estimate the harvested power respectively delivered from three interface circuits to the battery. The investigations reveal that increasing required battery voltage may inhibit means to achieve high-energy vibrations and thus prevent battery charging. By a conservation of energy, it is shown that the phase lag between beam velocity and the base acceleration is the primary indicator of interference between dynamic energy flows in the electromechanical sub-systems. This research sheds light on the influences of energy storage components on the functioning of nonlinear vibration energy harvesting systems. Moreover, the principles uncovered for the inhibition of high-energy oscillation may guide future nonlinear energy harvesting system design to extract the best power out from the ambient vibration environments.
An Empirical Study of the Relationship Between Personal Values and Innovative Purchasing Behavior

The present study investigated empirical associations between the self-reported importance of personal values and self-reports of innovative purchasing behavior for clothing at different levels of specificity. The thirty-six Terminal and Instrumental values from the Rokeach Value Survey operationallzed the personal values. Measures of "Fashion Consciousness," "Fashion Innovativeness," and "Spending for New Fashions" served as dependent variables. Correlations were computed between importance ratings of the values and the three dependent variables with the effects of social desirability response set controlled. As hypothesized, the value ratings were correlated more frequently with the most general level of self-reported consumer behavior among this sample of 314 middle class consumers.
Chapter 4 Diffusion approximations

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an overview of the basic applications of the theory of diffusion approximations to operations research. A diffusion approximation is a technique in which a complicated and analytically intractable stochastic process is replaced by an appropriate diffusion process. A diffusion process is a Markov process having continuous sample paths. Diffusion processes have a great deal of analytical structure and are, therefore, more mathematically tractable than the original process with which the user starts. The approach underlying the application of diffusion approximations is, therefore, comparable to that underlying normal approximation for sums of random variables. In the latter setting, the central limit theorem permits to replace the analytically intractable sum of random variables by an appropriately chosen normal random variable. The chapter also describes the basic theory of weak convergence that underlies the method of diffusion approximation. It highlights various applications of this methodology to the approximation of complex queueing systems. Because the focus is on developing approximations for the distribution of a process, the basic elements of the theory of weak convergence in a function space are described in the chapter.
Reforming public management in Ukraine: Toward a university‐based public service delivery model

Ascertains the viability of adapting the American university‐based public service concept to countries of the former Soviet Union. Toward this end, a heuristic model is presented. The model for university‐based public service and outreach shows initial viability in the Ukrainian examples. While the range of administrative and societal problems facing the Ukraine and other countries of the former Soviet Union is formidable, it appears that university‐based public service activities can play a part in reform activities aimed at their amelioration.
Anemia of pregnancy treated with molybdenum-iron complex.

Abstract The hematocrit determination is an easy, rapid, and accurate method of determining which patients have anemia. It is more accurate than the hemoglobin concentration as it is usually determined. Pregnant patients should have a hematocrit determination every three months, one at or near term, and one also at six weeks post partum. A hemoglobin which is less than 12 Gm. (hematocrit 37 per cent) in the first twelve weeks or which is not 12 Gm. or more six weeks post partum is indicative of anemia. From the twelfth to the thirty-sixth week the lower limit of the hemoglobin in pregnancy is 10 Gm. (hematocrit 30 per cent) per 100 ml. The lower limit from 36 weeks to term is 10.5 Gm. (hematocrit 32 per cent) per cent. A molybdenum-iron complex has been found to be very effective in causing significant increases in the hemoglobin concentration of most patients with anemia of pregnancy within a three-week period. If the hemoglobin does not show a significant increase in this period of time, further hematologic studies are indicated.
Base-resolution maps of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in Dahl salt-sensitive rats (1120.8)

Analysis of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) at single-base resolution has been largely limited to studies of stem cells or developmental stages. Given the potential importance of epigenetic events i...
La búsqueda de la paz en centroamérica: fortalecer Contadora

El esfuerzo de contadora por lograr un acuerdo de paz en Centroamerica ha llegado a un punto critico, debido a que los conflictos en la region se han intensificado y esta situacion complica el esfuerzo que ha hecho Contadora por alcanzar la paz de Centroamerica. Por lo que se mencionara las serias consecuencias que tendra la region si Contadora se da por vencida en esta lucha.
Concepts and Theories of Human Development

Contents: Preface to the Third Edition. Preface to the Second Edition. Preface to the First Edition. Human Development: Facts or Theory? Historical Roots of Human Development Concepts and Theories. Philosophical Models of Development. The Nature-Nurture Controversy: Implications of the Question How? The Continuity-Discontinuity Issue. Resolving the Nature-Nurture Controversy: T.C. Schneirla and the Concept of Levels of Integration. Developmental Systems Theories. Developmental Systems Theories: The Sample Case of Developmental Contextualism. Life-Span, Action Theory, Life-Course, and Bioecological Perspectives. Nature Approaches to Human Development: Behavioral Genetics. Nature Approaches to Development: The Sample Case of Intelligence and the Work of Sir Cyril Burt and Arthur Jensen. Nature Approaches to Development: Konrad Lorenz and the Concept of "Instinct." Nature Approaches to Development: Sociobiology. Cognition and Development: From Neo-Nativism to Developmental Systems. Stage Theories of Development. The Differential Approach. The Ipsative Approach to Development. Methodological Issues in the Study of Human Development. Applied Developmental Science.
Developmental Performance as a Predictor of Academic Success in Entry-Level College Mathematics.

Although community colleges are faced with increasing state and local pressure to document the value and outcomes of developmental education, little is known about the factors affecting or the effi...
Molecular-dynamics study of second sound

Using a molecular-dynamics technique simulating a canonical ensemble with nearly conserved energy, we studied the occurrence and some properties of second sound in terms of the calculated spectral densities. We considered two models: model I exhibiting a ferrodistortive phase, where displacement and energy fluctuations are coupled and third-order anharmonicity is dominant at low temperatures, and model II, where there is no ordered phase, and quartic anharmonicity is present only. Both models exhibit an optical-phonon branch only. Our molecular-dynamics technique makes it possible to study second sound and its damping in terms of a resonance in the appropriate spectral densities. The results confirm the existence of a temperature window, where well-defined second sound occurs. They also suggest that second sound might be a rather usual low-temperature phenomenon, provided the crystal is sufficiently clean.
Helicopter Synthetic Vision Based DVE Processing For All Phases of Flight

Helicopters experience nearly 10 times the accident rate of fixed wing platforms, due largely to the nature of their mission, frequently requiring operations in close proximity to terrain and obstacles. Degraded visual environments (DVE), including brownout or whiteout conditions generated by rotor downwash, result in loss of situational awareness during the most critical phase of flight, and contribute significantly to this accident rate. Considerable research into sensor and system solutions to address DVE has been conducted in recent years; however, the promise of a Synthetic Vision Avionics Backbone (SVAB) extends far beyond DVE, enabling improved situational awareness and mission effectiveness during all phases of flight and in all visibility conditions. The SVAB fuses sensor information with high resolution terrain databases and renders it in synthetic vision format for display to the crew. Honeywell was awarded the DARPA MFRF Technical Area 2 contract in 2011 to develop an SVAB1. This work includes creation of a common sensor interface, development of SVAB hardware and software, and flight demonstration on a Black Hawk helicopter. A “sensor agnostic” SVAB allows platform and mission diversity with efficient upgrade path, even while research continues into new and improved sensors for use in DVE conditions. Through careful integration of multiple sources of information such as sensors, terrain and obstacle databases, mission planning information, and aircraft state information, operations in all conditions and phases of flight can be enhanced. This paper describes the SVAB and its functionality resulting from the DARPA contract as well as Honeywell RD investment.
Infrared spectra of liquid H2O and D2O

Abstract Infrared spectra are reported for liquid H 2 O and D 2 O using a differential technique. This technique gives sharper bands whose positions are determined with greater certainty than those reported earlier in the literature. Frequency shifts upon liquefaction give evidence for greater association in H 2 O than in D 2 O.
A programming language for ad-hoc networks of mobile devices

Networks of mobile devices and embedded systems represent a new computing platform. Typical network nodes range from sensors, cell phones, PDA's, to laptop computers. Wireless ad-hoc networks are used to connect these heterogeneous nodes, each of which has different capabilities and resources and may provide different services. Most applications targeting such networks will exploit the physical locations of the network nodes. SpatialViews is a language for applications executing on volatile networks of mobile devices and embedded systems. SpatialViews provides high-level abstractions for dynamic service discovery, location-awareness, and in-network aggregation. The compiler translates a SpatialViews program into low-level representations that use light-weight execution migration and property based routing.This paper investigates the impact of parallelization and replication on program performance metrics such as response time, energy consumption, and quality of result (QoR). For a simple application program running over networks with a range of different node failure rates, analytical modeling, simulation, and physical measurement revealed different energy/response time/QoR tradeoffs among different parallelization strategies and replication degrees.
Novel surgical system for reducing lung tissue and preventing air leaks

Abstract Purpose This study assessed the feasibility of using the VALR surgical system (Spiration Inc, Redmond, WA), limited by federal law to investigational use, for capturing and reducing a selected portion of affected lobes in patients undergoing lobectomy. Description The tested system consists of a hand-held vacuum-regulated introducer loaded with a flexible, silicone sleeve. Targeted tissue is drawn into the introducer and the silicone sleeve is deployed and sutured in place. The end of the proximal sleeve includes a compression band for applying uniform radial pressure, suture ports, and silicone lugs lining the inner lumen for reinforcing sleeve position. Evaluation The system was effective in capturing 25% to 30% tissue of each lobe tested. Mean intraoperative test time was 8.5 minutes. The compression sleeve did not slip or dislodge after suturing, and no tissue damage or leaks were observed. Conclusions It was feasible using vacuum to draw and isolate a portion of pulmonary tissue within a silicone sleeve. The system was intuitive to apply, easy to use, and produced effective reduction and sealing of tissue.
Dispersoids in Intermetallic Alloys: a Review

The existing work on structure and mechanical behavior of intermetallic alloys containing dispersed second phases — dispersoids — is reviewed. The dispersoids considered in the review are those given the conventional definition as inert, stable, insoluble phases in the matrix, such as oxides. The only detailed mechanistic studies of dispersoids in intermetallics have been carried out on the model material Cu 3 Au, and these did not include elevated temperature, eg. creep, mechanical behavior. A number of investigations on dispersoids in the potentially important elevated temperature materials — the aluminides — are reviewed. The materials discussed include FeAI, Fe 3 AI, NiAI, Ni 3 AI, and Ti 3 Al. Many of these studies are preliminary in nature and much more research anddevelopment is needed to allow for the design of intermetallic-dispersoid materials with improved fabricability and elevated temperature performance.
Abstract 2731: Cetuximab resistance is associated with increased dependence on lipogenesis

Sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) are key transcriptional regulators of cellular lipid homeostasis. By regulating the maturation of SREBPs through the PI3K/Akt and MEK/Erk signaling pathways, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) regulates de novo lipogenesis, which is essential for the structural needs of proliferation of cancer cells. The objective of current study is to determine the role of inhibition of lipogenesis by cetuximab, an FDA-approved EGFR-blocking antibody, in cetuximab-induced antiproliferative/antisurvival effects in cancer cells and to identify new combinations of cetuximab with approaches interfering with lipid metabolism for improved therapy. We found that addition of cetuximab into culture medium inhibited the activation of SREBP-1 (appearance of a nuclear form through cleavage of SREBP-1 precursor) in HN5 head and neck cancer cells but not in a cetuximab-resistant subline of HN5 cells (HN5R). Compared with parental HN5 cells, HN5R cells exhibit remarkably increased sensitivity to treatment with two pharmacological lipogenesis inhibitors, C75 (a fatty acid synthase inhibitor) and TOFA (an acetyl-CoA carboxylase inhibitor), suggesting that the cetuximab-resistant cells are more dependent on de novo fatty acid synthesis for survival, and combination of cetuximab with lipogenesis inhibitors may be a novel combination therapy. On the other hand, the increased dependence of cancer cells on lipogenesis suggests that cetuximab-resistant cells might also be sensitive to agents that promote fatty acid α-oxidation. We found treatment of HN5R cells with fenofibrate, an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha that transcriptionally activates the genes for inducing fatty acid α-oxidation, disrupted the redox balance in the cetuximab-resistant cells, leading to increased production of ROS and depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential that resulted in apoptosis. In summary, our data indicate that the antiproliferative/antisurvival effects of cetuximab in cancer cells depend on effective inhibition of lipogenesis. Pharmacological approaches that forcibly switch cancer cell metabolism from aerobic glycolysis to fatty acid α-oxidation may overcome cetuximab resistance. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2731. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2731
Dual-pulse pulse position modulation (DPPM) for deep-space optical communications: Performance and practicality analysis

Due to its simplicity and robustness against wave-front distortion, pulse position modulation (PPM) with photon counting detector has been seriously considered for long-haul optical wireless systems. This paper evaluates the dual-pulse case and compares it with the conventional single-pulse case. Analytical expressions for symbol error rate and bit error rate are first derived and numerically evaluated, for the strong, negative-exponential turbulent atmosphere. The capacity of the turbulent FSO channel modeled as a Z-channel is evaluated, and throughput, bandwidth efficiency and energy efficiency of Dual-pulse and single-pulse PPM are subsequently assessed. It is shown that, under a set of practical constraints including pulse width and pulse repetition frequency (PRF), dual-pulse PPM enables a better channel utilization and hence a higher throughput than its single-pulse counterpart. This result is new and different from the previous idealistic studies that showed multi-pulse PPM provided no essential information-theoretic gains over single-pulse PPM.
Learning to Make More Effective Decisions: Changing Beliefs as a Prelude to Action.

Decision‐makers in organizations often make what appear as being intuitively obviously and reasonable decisions, which often turn out to yield unintended outcomes. The cause of such ineffective decisions can be a combination of cognitive biases, poor mental models of complex systems, and errors in thinking provoked by anxiety, all of which tend to reinforce the currently held belief structures that reinforce even further resistance to change in people. While Senge has advocated for the use of simulations, called, “microworlds” to overcome such resistance, there are times when such simulations are not available for use or are otherwise infeasible. At these times, alternative methods need to be considered for improving the capacity of managers to learn from experience and improve the quality of their decision‐making. Among the alternatives that can be used to improve decision‐making are role‐play, neuro‐linguistic programming, the use of corrective methods related to groupthink, critical thinking skills and failure analysis. A review of the causes of poor decision‐making, methods of changing one's beliefs, guiding principles for making better decisions, and a process for improving the quality of lessons learned from experience is presented in this article.