cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tools for mathematical computation

Methodology for the validation of computation of values of functions using floatingpoint arithmetic is discussed and illustrated by an example.
Battelle Developmental Inventory

In 1986, Congress passed Public Law 99–457, which provided incentives for states to develop early childhood intervention programs for qualified infants and toddlers from birth through 2 years of age and their families. The law later became known as the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),1 and, with the 1997 amendments, the early intervention program became Part C of the Act. Part C of IDEA defines the terms “evaluation” and “assessment” as they relate to early intervention programs. “Evaluation” means procedures used to determine a child's initial and continuing eligibility for services. Eligibility criteria are defined by each state, but they typically include documentation of delay in one or more areas of development listed in the federal law, including cognitive, adaptive (self-help), physical (eg, gross and fine motor), communication, and social-emotional development. “Assessment” is defined as ongoing procedures to identify a child's strengths and needs, and the services required to meet those needs. This is the process of program planning. Evaluation requires what Kirshner and Guyatt referred to as a “discriminative index,” which distinguishes “between individuals or groups on an underlying dimension when no external criterion or gold standard is available for validating these measures.”2 Measures useful for determining a child's eligibility for services are those that can be used to differentiate between children who have developmental delays and children who do not have such delays.3 Discriminative measures include test items that distinguish between children of varying ages, such as stacking blocks or jumping down from a step. Although such information is can be useful for determining whether a child has a developmental delay, knowledge that a child can or cannot perform such test items often is not useful for program planning purposes. Program planning often requires identification of goals specific to an individual, particularly when intervention …
Control of shape and size of vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro by plasma lithography

The ability to control the shape and size of cells is an important enabling technique for investigating influences of geometrical variables on cell physiology. Herein we present a micropatterning technique (“plasma lithography”) that uses photolithography and plasma thin-film polymerization for the fabrication of cell culture substrates with a cell-adhesive pattern on a cell-repellent (non-fouling) background. The micron-level pattern was designed to isolate individual vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) on areas with a projected area of between 25 and 3600 μm2 in order to later study their response to cytokine stimulation in dependence of the cell size and shape as an indication for the phenotypic state of the cells. Polyethylene terephthalate substrates were first coated with a non-fouling plasma polymer of tetraglyme (tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether). In an organic lift-off process, we then fashioned square- and rectangular-shaped islands of a thin fluorocarbon plasma polymer film of ∼12-nm thickness. Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis and secondary ion mass spectroscopy were used to optimize the deposition conditions and characterize the resulting polymers. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy imaging was used to visualize the spatial distribution of the polymer components of the micropatterned surfaces. Rat vascular SMC were seeded onto the patterned substrates in serum-free medium to show that the substrates display the desired properties, and that cell shape can indeed be controlled. For long-term maintenance of these cells, the medium was augmented with 10% calf serum after 24 h in culture, and the medium was exchanged every 3 days. After 2 weeks, the cells were still confined to the areas of the adhesive pattern, and when one or more cells spanned more than one island, they did not attach to the intervening tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (tetraglyme) background. Spreading-restricted cells formed a well-ordered actin skeleton, which was most dense along the perimeter of the cells. The shape of the nucleus was also influenced by the pattern geometry. These properties make the patterned substrates suitable for investigating if the phenotypic reversion of SMC can be influenced by controlling the shape and size of SMC in vitro. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 57: 15–24, 2001
On Selection of Paths for Multipath Routing

Multipath routing schemes distribute traffic among multiple paths instead of routing all the traffic along a single path. Two key questions that arise in multipath routing are how many paths are needed and how to select these paths. Clearly, the number and the quality of the paths selected dictate the performance of a multipath routing scheme. We address these issues in the context of the proportional routing paradigm where the traffic is proportioned among a few "good" paths instead of routing it all along the "best" path. We propose a hybrid approach that uses both globally exchanged link state metrics -- to identify a set of good paths, and locally collected path state metrics -- for proportioning traffic among the selected paths. We compare the performance of our approach with that of global optimal proportioning and show that the proposed approach yields near-optimal performance using only a few paths. We also demonstrate that the proposed scheme yields much higher throughput with much smaller overhead compared to other schemes based on link state updates.
Bayesian probabilistic damage detection of a reinforced‐concrete bridge column

SUMMARY A Bayesian probabilistic approach for damage detection has been proposed for the continuous monitoring of civil structures (Sohn H, Law KH. Bayesian probabilistic approach for structure damage detection. Earthquake Engineering and Structural Dynamics 1997; 26: 1259}1281). This paper describes the application of the Bayesian approach to predict the location of plastic hinge deformation using the experimental data obtained from the vibration tests of a reinforced-concrete bridge column. The column was statically pushed incrementally with lateral displacements until a plastic hinge is fully formed at the bottom portion of the column. Vibration tests were performed at di!erent damage stages. The proposed damage detection method was able to locate the damaged region using a simpli"ed analytical model and the modal parameters estimated from the vibration tests, although (1) only the "rst bending and "rst torsional modes were estimated from the experimental test data, (2) the locations where the accelerations were measured did not coincide with the degrees of freedom of the analytical model, and (3) there existed discrepancies between the undamaged test structure and the analytical model. The Bayesian framework was able to systematically update the damage probabilities when new test data became available. Better diagnosis was obtained by employing multiple data sets than just by using each test data set separately. Copyright ( 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PKC translocation without changes in Gαq and PLC-β protein abundance in cardiac hypertrophy and failure

Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) has been implicated as playing a key role in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy. This study investigates the response of several signal transduction proteins responsible for PKC activation during the transition from compensated pressure-overload hypertrophy (POH) to congestive heart failure (CHF). Pressure overload was produced on male, adult, Hartley strain guinea pigs using a ligature around the descending thoracic aorta. Sham-operated controls, POH, and CHF groups were identified based on left ventricular hypertrophy, pulmonary congestion, and isolated heart Langendorff mechanics. Quantitative immunoblotting revealed phospholipase C (PLC)-betaI and Galphaq were unchanged during POH and CHF, as were RGS2, RGS3, and RGS4 (regulators of G protein signaling, which are activators of intrinsic GTPase activity). Translocation of PKC-alpha, -epsilon, and -gamma from cytosolic to membranous fractions were significantly increased during POH and CHF. Cytosolic PKC activity was also elevated during POH. We conclude that differential PKC activation may be mediated by increases in Galphaq and PLC-betaI activity rather than upregulation of expression.
Operation and Maintenance Methods in Solar Power Plants

As in any power plant, a solar power plant in operation requires maintenance. Also, as the solar power plant becomes older, operation and maintenance (O&M) becomes more and more important for improving or keeping the performance of the plant. Another aspect to be taken into account is that usually the solar power plants are in remote locations with unreliable communication infrastructure [1]. Most of the remote monitoring systems need an Internet connection, and in the absence of a reliable connection, there could be problems of lack of data logging for long periods of time [6]. This makes it very difficult to diagnose and rectify problems in a timely manner. System O&M is a broad area and is the continuing focus of several industry/government/national laboratory working groups. These groups will better define the issues and develop consensus O&M approaches over the next few years. This chapter reviews the main principles of solar generation from a perspective of O&M of these plants.
Topological polaritons from photonic Dirac cones coupled to excitons in a magnetic field

We introduce an alternative scheme for creating topological polaritons (topolaritons) by exploiting the presence of photonic Dirac cones in photonic crystals with triangular lattice symmetry. As recently proposed, topolariton states can emerge from a coupling between photons and excitons combined with a periodic exciton potential and a magnetic field to open up a topological gap. We show that in photonic crystals the opening of the gap can be substantially simplified close to photonic Dirac points. Coupling to Zeeman-split excitons breaks time reversal symmetry and allows to gap out the Dirac cones in a nontrival way, leading to a topological gap similar to the strength of the periodic exciton potential. Compared to the original topolariton proposal [T. Karzig et al., Phys. Rev. X 5, 031001 (2015)], this scheme significantly increases the size of the topological gap over a wide range of parameters. Moreover, the gap opening mechanism highlights an interesting connection between topolaritons and the scheme of [F. D. M. Haldane and S. Raghu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 013904 (2008)] to create topological photons in magneto-optically active materials.
Organic acid and free proline accumulation and nitrate reductase activity in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) genotypes differing in aluminium tolerance

Possible mechanisms for Al toxicity tolerance in plants involve complexation of Al by organic acids and other compounds and with activities of some enzymes. Al-tolerant (SC283) and Al-sensitive (ICA- Nataima) sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] genotypes were grown with 0, 300, 450, and 600 μM Al to determine differences between genotypes for organic acids, free proline, and nitrate reductase activity (NRA). Organic acid concentrations in SC283 increased and remained relatively constant in ICA-Nataima, and roots showed greater changes than leaves when plants were grown with Al. Increases in oxalic, citric, and total acids in leaves of SC283 and t-aconitic and succinic acids in leaves of ICA-Nataima were noted with increased Al in solution. Increases in oxalic, citric and total acids in roots of SC283 and glycolic acid in roots of ICA-Nataima were noted as Al in solution increased. Contents of free proline in leaves and roots of both genotypes were not affected as Al in solution increased, but higher root proline concentrations in ICA-Nataima was believed to be an indirect or secondary effect of Al level. SC283 had higher leaf NRA than ICA-Nataima when plants were grown with Al. Enhanced organic acids and NRA might have been associated with Al toxicity tolerance in the sorghum genotypes, but proline accumulation did not appear to be.
Race, Sex and Genes at Work: Uncovering the Lessons of Norman-Bloodsaw

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (“GINA”) is the first federal, uniform protection against the use of genetic information in both the workplace and health insurance. Signed into law on May 21, 2008, GINA prohibits an employer or health insurer from acquiring or using an individual’s genetic information, with some exceptions. One of the goals of GINA is to eradicate actual, or perceived, discrimination based on genetic information in the workplace and in health insurance. Although the threat of genetic discrimination is often discussed in universal terms - as something that could happen to any of us - the use of genetic information implicates other types of discrimination as well. Congress recognized this problem in GINA’s legislative findings. Literature discussing issues of race, gender, and genetic information in connection with medical research and health insurance continues to grow. Less attention has been given to claims of genetic discrimination in the workplace. Now is the time to address that gap in the literature. In its legislative findings, Congress identified the facts of the 1998 case Norman-Bloodsaw v. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory as a key example of genetic discrimination in the workplace. Norman-Bloodsaw was the first class action suit raising privacy and discrimination claims related to medical and genetic testing in the workplace. In this piece, I focus on the story behind the Norman-Bloodsaw case to contextualize some thoughts about the use of genetic information in the workplace after GINA and draw out the troubling connections between genetic information and classifications based on race and sex. Part I provides an overview of GINA, including the significant exceptions to the prohibition against employer acquisition of genetic information. In Part II, I uncover the story behind Norman-Bloodsaw, drawing upon the published opinions and briefs, as well as contemporary reports in the national and local media, and a variety of professional publications. In Part III, I highlight two important points that arise from the rich context of Norman-Bloodsaw that can guide the interpretation of GINA in the future: genetic testing of workers occurs and is likely to continue even after GINA, and the gathering and use of genetic information in the workplace is not neutral and often exacerbates long-standing patterns of discrimination based on race and sex.
A FLAME PHOTOMETER WITH SIMULTANEOUS DIGITAL READOUT FOR SODIUM AND POTASSIUM.

Abstract Seligson has utilized servo-operated voltage dividers to effect digital readout for a null-point internal standard flame photometer. We designed and constructed an instrument of this type which has the following characteristics: rapid, one-point calibration; wide range without recalibration on a single dilution (0 to 200 mEq. per liter for both Na and K); digital readout over this wide range directly in concentration for Na and K simultaneously; small sample requirement (2 μl); reproducibility (0.3 per cent coefficient of variation); scale expansion; and high productivity (5 to 10 samples per minute). In practice the instrument virtually eliminates the time spent in both sample reading and calculation in flame photometry for sodium and potassium, while retaining accuracy which is satisfactory by rigorous standards. Simple modifications would make possible the use of 0.01 μl samples, while retaining digital readout for sodium and potassium simultaneously.
And the beat goes on: from clock to behavior

Master circadian clocks in discrete neurons trigger profound daily changes in brain states, such as sleep and wake states. A study now finds a circuit through which these pacemakers act to control daily behavioral rhythms in Drosophila.
NMR and X-ray Studies of Hydrogen Bonding for Amide-Containing Silanediols

The synthesis, isolation, and hydrogen-bonding properties of a series of amide-containing silanediols are described, including an enantioenriched silanediol. By incorporation of a 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl (mesityl) group, these functionalized silanediols are isolable by column chromatography and stable in the presence of standard acids (e.g., AcOH) and bases (e.g., NH4OH). NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography provide evidence for the conformational rigidity and binding properties of amido-silanediols based on the parameters (e.g., sterics, hybridization, and ring size of hydrogen bonding) that affect intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Pyridine binding studies demonstrate that these conformational effects have implications for the existence of single versus multiple modes of hydrogen bonding.
Management Discipline in a School of Administration: A Reappraisal in the Public Service Perspective

The circumferences of an academic discipline as artificial constructions must be treated as tentative and provisional. A survey of relevant literature suggests that management in the public service...
Structural analysis of yeast HSF by site-specific crosslinking.

We have introduced cysteine substitutions into the yeast HSF1 gene at a variety of locations. Most have no phenotypic effect, and therefore provide site-specific probes for thiol-specific reagents. Crosslinking of single mutants identifies locations where equivalent regions of individual monomers can approach each other in the HSF trimer. Crosslinking of double mutants indicates regions that can approach closely within a single subunit. Results for the DNA binding domain and trimerization domain are consistent with known structural information, and provide essential controls on the validity of the technique. In contrast to these two domains, the N-terminal and C-terminal domains, wherein lie the transcriptional activators, are highly flexible, and do not appear to be in stable contact with any other portions of the protein. None of these patterns are affected by the conformational change that is induced by superoxide or heat shock. We suggest a new model for the mechanism of HSF regulation that accomodates the structural information provided by these studies.
Broken Windows Policing and Constructions of Space and Crime: Flatbush, Brooklyn

While broken windows policing has triggered explosive debates about law enforcement and racism across US cities, it has maintained considerable support by racialized urbanites. Focusing on Flatbush, Brooklyn, this paper seeks to understand the striking resilience of broken windows in inner-city contexts. It uses Laclau and Mouffe's discourse theory to analyze dialogue at Precinct Community Council meetings and interviews with attendees. The paper makes the case that the New York Police Department normalizes broken windows through discursive constructions of social space and crime that naturalize the precinct scale, produce spatial meanings, and cast social difference in the mold of broken windows theory. The article illustrates beyond the politics of racialized fearmongering, the normalization of broken windows also occurs through this meticulous production of geographic knowledge. It also emphasizes that deconstructing the way the police portray space and crime provides signposts for substantive reform to broken windows.
Synthesis and Antitumor Activity of LY288601, the 5,6-Dihydro Analog of LY231514

The series of deaza analogs of folic acid has been a rich source of compounds of interest as potential antitumor drugs.1 The mode of action of these compounds is, however, related to structure in ways not yet fully understood. For example, DDATHF2 is a specific inhibitor of glycinamide ribonucleotide formyl transferase (GARFT)3 while the related pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based analog, LY231514, has been found to inhibit thymidylate synthase (TS) 4 Both (6R)-DDATHF (lometrexol)5 and LY2315146 have shown promising in vivo antitumor activity against a variety of murine and human tumor cell lines and are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. LY288601 may be viewed as a hybrid structure which possesses both the ring saturation of DDATHF and the 6,5-heterocyclic ring system of the pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based LY231514. LY288601 was first described by Akimoto and coworkers7 (as Takeda T-41440) but only limited cytotoxicity data has been reported.8 We report here a convenient alternate synthesis of LY288601, the results of cell culture cytotoxicity and reversal experiments, and in vivo antitumor evaluation of this compound in comparison with DDATHF and LY231514.
Diabetes Mellitus felina : un reto diagnóstico y terapéutico

En el presente articulo se discuten en profundidad los principales criterios para el diagnostico y tratamiento de la diabetes mellitus en el gato.
Chapter 4 – Rock Discontinuities

This chapter first describes the different types of rock discontinuities and then discusses how to characterize their geometrical properties, including orientation, intensity, persistence, trace length, shape, size, roughness, aperture, and fillings. Both traditional characterization methods and recent developments are presented and discussed.
Trajectory-based combustion control for renewable fuels in free piston engines

Abstract Previously, the authors have developed an advanced combustion control, namely the trajectory-based combustion control, to further leverage the flexibility of free piston engine (FPE). With the assistance of this control method, the FPE enables optimization of both engine efficiency and emissions by implementing optimal piston trajectories. Extensive simulations have been conducted to prove the effectiveness of this combustion control on fossil fuels. In this paper, the investigation is extended to renewable fuels. Seven renewable fuels are considered herein including hydrogen, biogas, syngas, ethanol, dimethyl ether (DME), biodiesel, and Fischer-Tropsch fuel. The influences of both compression ratio (CR) and piston motion pattern between the two dead centers on the combustion process are considered in the study, which demonstrates the ultimate fuel flexibility and large tolerance of fuel impurity possessed by the FPE. In addition, the simulation results show that at a fixed CR, the thermal efficiency of the FPE can still be enhanced (5% in DME case) by varying the piston motion patterns alone. Furthermore, specific asymmetric piston trajectories are synthesized to further improve the engine thermal efficiency (8% in hydrogen case) and reduce the NOx emission simultaneously (around 70% reduction in hydrogen case). In other words, due to its ultimate fuel flexibility, large tolerance of fuel impurity, and controllable piston trajectory, the FPE, with the trajectory-based combustion control, enables a co-optimization of renewable fuels and engine operation.
Incidence and Growth of Bacillus cereus in Retail Pumpkin Pies1

Pumpkin pies were sampled and screened for presence of Bacillus cereus . Pies were obtained from a cross-section of distribution outlets including: two major chain supermarkets, an independently owned supermarket with in-store bakery and a major chain supermarket that distributes products baked at a central distribution center. Water activity (aw) and pH were determined on each sample. B. cereus was isolated on KG agar incubated at 30 C for 24 h. Intraperitoneal injections in mice were used to determine pathogenicity of the isolates. Pumpkin pies inoculated with B. cereus were incubated at 4, 25 or 35 C. B. cereus grew well at 25 C. D-values in minutes for B. cereus in pumpkin pie were 40 at 100 C, 10.5 at 108 C, and 7 at 124 C. Under normal baking conditions, the internal temperature of the pie reaches 108 C for approximately 1 min. Therefore it appears that the spores would survive baking. Potassium sorbate (0.25%) or refrigeration temperature inhibited growth of B. cereus .
Relationships with families: Have educators overlooked a critical piece of the puzzle?:

While the importance of a professional teacher’s collaboration with diverse families is clearly highlighted in the US Department of Education’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and in US teaching ...
Experimental Determination and Theoretical Calculation of the Eutectic Composition of Cefuroxime Axetil Diastereomers

Cefuroxime axetil (CFA), an ester prodrug of cefuroxime exists as a pair of diastereoemers, namely isomer A and isomer B. To enable phase diagram construction, crystallization of the diastereomers of CFA from the commercially available amorphous drug substance was carried out. Isomer A was separated with a purity approaching 100% whereas the maximum purity of isomer B was 85% as confirmed by solution state proton NMR spectroscopy. The crystalline forms of isomer A and isomer B were confirmed as forms AI and BI, respectively, based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis and powder X-ray diffraction. DSC analysis was used to observe the melting behavior of different diastereomer mixture compositions. The binary solid-liquid phase diagram for mixture compositions ranging from 0 to 85% w/w isomer B indicated the formation of a eutectic mixture having a melting temperature of 124.7 ± 0.4°C and a composition of 75% w/w (+/−5% wt.) isomer B. The eutectic composition was calculated using an index based on the van’t Hoff equation for melting point depression and was found to be 75% isomer B and 25% isomer A. As CFA is present in commercial preparations as a mixture of diastereomers, the formation of a eutectic mixture between the diastereomers may impact the solubility and stability of the commercial product. Eutectic formation can be explained on the basis of the chemical similarity of diastereomers that favor miscibility in the liquid state.
Early-Onset Obesity Caused by Monogenic Disorders

Obesity is a common problem encountered daily by pediatricians. Although most obesity results from an “obesogenic” environment, single gene mutations in the hypothalamic leptin-melanocortin pathway may cause severe hyperphagia and early-onset obesity. This review discusses features of monogenic obesity to help pediatricians identify affected patients and offers insights into diagnosis and treatment by pediatric endocrinologists, geneticists, and other subspecialists. In addition to leptin, the leptin receptor, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), and the melanocortin receptors, genes mutated in children with monogenic obesity include single-minded 1, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and tropomyosin receptor kinase B. Improved understanding of signaling pathways has stimulated the development of novel therapies, including recombinant leptin (metreleptin) for leptin deficiency and a melanocortin-4 receptor agonist (RM-493) for POMC deficiency, leptin receptor deficiency, and potentially prohormone convertase 1/3 deficiency. The recognition of monogenic obesity disorders is vital for genetic counseling and appropriate follow-up and treatment.
Adiponectin receptor agonists inhibit leptin induced pSTAT3 and in vivo pancreatic tumor growth.

// Fanuel Messaggio 1 , Alisha M. Mendonsa 2 , Jason Castellanos 3 , Nagaraj S. Nagathihalli 1 , Lee Gorden 3 , Nipun B. Merchant 1 and Michael N. VanSaun 1 1 Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA 2 Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA 3 Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA Correspondence to: Michael N. VanSaun, email: mvansaun@med.miami.edu Keywords: adiponectin, AdipoRon, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, adipokine, STAT3 Received: February 17, 2017 Accepted: July 18, 2017 Published: August 03, 2017 ABSTRACT Obesity is a significant risk factor for pancreatic cancer, harboring a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by dysregulation of the adipokines, leptin and adiponectin, that in turn alter oncogenic signaling pathways. We and others have shown that leptin promotes the proliferation and an invasive potential of pancreatic cancer cells through STAT3 mediated signaling. However, the role of adiponectin on the tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer has not been elucidated. Adiponectin represents an important negative regulator of cytokines, which acts through two receptors, ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2, to elicit pro-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic responses. We show that the level and expression of both adiponectin receptors are decreased in pancreatic tumors relative to normal pancreatic tissue. In vitro stimulation with adiponectin or a small molecule adiponectin receptor agonist, AdipoRon, increases apoptosis while inhibiting pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, and anchorage independent growth. In addition, adiponectin receptor agonism inhibits leptin mediated STAT3 activation. In vivo , treatment of mice with AdipoRon inhibits orthotopic pancreatic tumor growth. These results demonstrate that adiponectin receptor activation is a key regulator of pancreatic cancer growth and AdipoRon provides a rational agent for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer.
The Hegemony of Representation: Democracy and Indigenous Self-government in Bolivia

In the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the 2009 Constitution articulates a multidimensional conception of democracy, reflecting a legacy of social movement mobilizations that demanded political inclusion and propelled to power a president who self-identifies as Indigenous. Many anticipated that Bolivia could present a propitious environment for an invigorated and post-liberal democracy. This article evaluates the three dimensions of democracy enshrined in the Constitution – representative, participatory, and communitarian – with the aim of understanding the relationship among them. I focus on two important sites of democratic practice: the process of drafting and approving the Constitution, and the construction of “Indigenous autonomies”; that is, institutions of Indigenous self-government based on communitarian democracy. While Bolivian democracy is more stable and inclusive under the current government than under previous ones, this study finds that the expansion of sanctioned participatory and communitarian democratic processes has been limited vis-a-vis the hegemonic system of representation.
Demo abstract: Clock syntonization using CFO information in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) require accurate and energy-efficient clock synchronization for data fusion and other tasks. Clock frequency synchronization, also known as clock syntonization, aims to eliminate the frequency differences among nodes resulted from inherent inaccuracy of clocks. A protocol for syntonization of wireless sensor nodes is introduced in this demo. It is demonstrated that carrier frequency offset (CFO) can be utilized in CFO assisted syntonization (CFOSynt) to improve clock skew estimation, which benefits the energy efficiency and accuracy of clock syntonization. We use a commercial off-the-shelf platform to demonstrate the effectiveness of CFOSynt on common sensor nodes. The protocol exploits CFO from radio chip, estimates the hardware system clock skew and subsequently corrects the clock skew of the logical system clock.
The impact of informed self-assessment on the development of medical students’ learning goals

Purpose: This study investigates the contributions of self-assessment (SA) and external feedback on the development of learning goals (LG) and the influence on LG recall and implementation in medic...
The JMC Innovation Project: A Pivotal Moment for Journalism, Media and Communication Education: Assessing the State of Innovation:

The JMC Innovation Project recently released its first report, “The New JMC: Creating Cultures of Innovation in Schools of Journalism, Media and Communication,” which assessed the scope and status ...
Application of gel permeation chromatography and nonaqueous reverse phase chromatography to high pressure liquid chromatographic determination of retinyl palmitate and beta-carotene in oil and margarine.

A high pressure liquid chromatographic method was developed using high pressure gel permeation chromatography (HP-GPC) and high pressure reverse phase chromatography (RP-HPLC) for quantitation of retinyl palmitate and beta-carotene. HP-GPC was used for fractionation of vitamin A active compounds from oil preliminary to quantitation on nonaqueous RP-HPLC. HP-GPC fractionation was completed on oil and margarine dissolved in methylene chloride by 2 elution passes through 2 muStyragel (100 angstrom) columns connected in series with methylene chloride as the mobile phase. RP-HPLC separation of retinyl palmitate and beta-carotene was achieved on muBondapak C18 (10 micrometers), using methylene chloride-acetonitrile (30+70). Based on 10 repetitive analyses, recoveries of added beta-carotene and retinyl palmitate from vegetable oils were 98.6+/-2.9 and 95.2+/-2.6%, respectively. The coefficients of variation were 2.9% for beta-carotene and 2.7% for retinyl palmitate. The determination of vitamin A activity in 7 margarine brands with label claims of 10% U.S.RDA/serving revealed that all but one of the margarines contained at least 94% of the label claim. Vitamin A activity in the margarines ranged from 90.6 to 110.8% of the label declaration.
Supervision of Basic and Advanced Skills in Play Therapy

Effective play therapy supervision requires teaching, modeling, and encouragement of basic and advanced responsive skills. This article presents a detailed description of non-verbal and verbal basic skills, as well as advanced skills, in play therapy. In addition, the author provides information to supervisors on how to help supervisees implement these skills in play therapy. The article offers the Play Therapy Skills Checklist (PTSC) as a tool for supervisors to use when working with play therapists in training.
Instantáneas urbanas: espacio e inmigrantes en “Una postal movida” de Enrique Ferrer-Corredor

Este articulo examina en el relato “Una postal movida”, de Enrique Ferrer-Corredor, la representacion literaria contemporanea de Madrid, Espana, a partir de varios momentos que toman lugar en un contexto urbano plenamente identificable, en los que se advierten la ocupacion del espacio publico y la incursion de nuevos ciudadanos. A su vez, el relato opera tambien como una alegoria que actualiza varios tipos de socializacion en la capital espanola, al plantear la confluencia disimil en un mismo entorno de ciudadanos locales e inmigrantes de diversos origenes y condiciones economicas. Aunque el acercamiento al estudio del cuento es plenamente literario, se emplean tambien perspectivas interdisciplinarias (estudios culturales) que se concentran en la evolucion de la ciudad misma y el fenomeno migrante.
Molecular mechanisms of CRISPR–Cas spacer acquisition

Many bacteria and archaea have the unique ability to heritably alter their genomes by incorporating small fragments of foreign DNA, called spacers, into CRISPR loci. Once transcribed and processed into individual CRISPR RNAs, spacer sequences guide Cas effector nucleases to destroy complementary, invading nucleic acids. Collectively, these two processes are known as the CRISPR–Cas immune response. In this Progress article, we review recent studies that have advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying spacer acquisition and that have revealed a fundamental link between the two phases of CRISPR immunity that ensures optimal immunity from newly acquired spacers. Finally, we highlight important open questions and discuss the potential basic and applied impact of spacer acquisition research. In this Progress article, McGinn and Marraffini review recent studies that have advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of spacer integration, protospacer capture and primed spacer acquisition, and discuss the future of the field.
Changes in clinical trial participation among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients from 2006 to 2013 in the United States.

e18037Background: Stagnant outcomes for AYAs (15 to 39 years) with cancer are partly attributed to poor enrollment onto clinical trials. Initiatives have focused on increasing accrual, but changes ...
Flat Plate Film Cooling with Linear and Curved Round-to-Diffusion Shaped Slots Using PSP Measurement Technique

Abstract This paper experimentally examines the effect of hole shape and coolant trajectory on film cooling effectiveness by using PSP measurement technique. Three different density ratios DR = 1, DR = 1.5, and DR = 2 were tested with five blowing ratios ranging from M = 0.5–1.5 with an increment of 0.25. Three different hole geometries (round to slot, round to annulus, and round to annulus2) were used with linear and projectile trajectories. Results obtained agreed with the general trend of shaped holes. In terms of hole shape, the slot-shaped hole resulted in better performance as compared to annulus shaped holes. Particularly, the slot-shaped hole with projectile trajectory results in 30–35% increase in effectiveness as compared to its linear trajectory slot-shaped counterpart. This design is found to have lowest discharge coefficient, but it works best at DR = 2. A correlation was also developed for single row different exit shaped holes helping the designers to calculate the spanwise effectiveness at different conditions.
The social/political potential of illusions: enthusiasm and feminist porn

ABSTRACTWhat are the social/political possibilities of ‘feminist porn?’ How might feminists broach these films within the context of their wider communities? Given the uncertainty that surrounds the future of this genre, many feminists have embraced a posture of ‘ambivalence’ about feminist porn. In what follows, I argue against the necessity of such an approach. More specifically, I suggest that Sigmund Freud offers a compelling example of what it might look like to lead with ‘enthusiasm’ when faced with the unknown. I conclude by exploring how Freud’s insights might be used to expand the impact of feminist porn within the social/political sphere.
Informed Citizens: Donald E. Klingner

Most Americans consider themselves well informed. A 2016 study concluded that, compared to five years ago, 81% believe it is easier to find useful information today, particularly those who use at l...
1277 Trends and Factors Associated with Antibiotic Use by Gynecologic Surgeons during Myomectomy

Study Objective There are limited guidelines regarding antibiotic use for myomectomies. The objective of this study was to determine perioperative factors that influence antibiotic use by gynecologic surgeons for myomectomies, and to assess adverse postoperative outcomes with and without perioperative antibiotics. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Tertiary care academic center. Patients or Participants Patients that underwent abdominal (ABD), laparoscopic or robotic (LSC/RA), and hysteroscopic (HSC) myomectomies, from April 2018 and earlier. Interventions ABD, LSC/RA, or HSC myomectomies. Measurements and Main Results One hundred patients were included in each of the myomectomy categories. In the ABD group, 85% of patients received perioperative antibiotics. There were no identifiable factors between those that received antibiotics and those that did not. In the LSC/RA group, 65% of patients received perioperative antibiotics. Minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons were more likely to give antibiotics (72.7% vs 27.3%, p=0.0002), whereas gynecologic oncologists were not (0% vs 100%, p=0.001). Those who had preoperative MRI, uterine cavity distortion on imaging, abnormal uterine bleeding, intramural fibroids, higher number of fibroids removed, higher fibroid weight and longer operative times were more likely to receive antibiotics. In the HSC group, 5% patients received perioperative antibiotics. Those with abnormal uterine bleeding or infertility, higher fibroid weight, uterine perforation and unanticipated laparoscopy were more likely to receive antibiotics. In both the ABD and LSC/RA groups, there were no differences in postoperative complications or use of postoperative antibiotics with or without perioperative antibiotics. In the HSC group, there was also no difference in postoperative complications, but those that received antibiotics perioperatively were more likely to receive postoperative antibiotics (100% vs. 22.1%, p=0.001). Conclusion Majority of surgeons adhered to the recommendations against prophylactic antibiotics for hysteroscopic procedures. Though there are no clear recommendations for antibiotic prophylaxis for open, laparoscopic, and robotic myomectomies, perioperative antibiotics were frequently used without demonstrating a decrease in adverse postoperative complications.
Agile and Active: Sustaining Pedagogical Change in a Large-Enrollment Calculus Course

It is well documented that the use of active learning strategies increases student learning (Freeman et al., 2014; Prince, 2004; Springer, Stanne, & Donovan, 1999). A key difficulty in innovating college mathematics is identifying and sustaining what works for both students and the faculty. This study discusses efforts to innovate and sustain curricular change in introductory calculus at a private, elite institution. To examine if incorporating active learning strategies made a difference in student performance, student grades in the redesigned course and performance in subsequent courses were analyzed. Using Austin’s 2011 framework to understand the context in which the course redesign took place, individual faculty and contextual barriers and “levers” to sustain change are discussed. Findings are applicable to other STEM disciplines and to colleges and universities in general. Next steps in this research include identifying how to scale change, including, perhaps, networks of faculty to implement and spread the reform on campus.
Modeling charging infrastructure impact on the electric vehicle market in China

Abstract The plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) is deemed as a critical technological revolution, and the governments are imposing various vehicle policies to promote its development. Meanwhile, the market success of PEVs depends on many aspects. This study integrates one’s use of charging infrastructure at home, public place and workplace into the market dynamics analysis tool, New Energy and Oil Consumption Credits (NEOCC) model, to systematically assess the charging infrastructure (home parking ratio, public charging opportunity, and charging costs) impact on PEV ownership costs and analyze how the PEV market shares may be affected by the attributes of the charging infrastructure. Compared to the charging infrastructure, the impact of battery costs is incontrovertibly decisive on PEV market shares, the charging infrastructure is still non-negligible in the PEV market dynamics. The simulation results find that the public charging infrastructure has more effectiveness on promoting the PEV sales in the PEV emerging market than it does in the PEV mature market. However, the improvement of charging infrastructure does not necessarily lead to a larger PEV market if the charging infrastructure incentives do not coordinate well with other PEV policies. Besides, the increase of public charging opportunities has limited motivations on the growth of public PEV fleets, which are highly correlated to the number of public fast charging stations or outlets. It also finds that more home parking spaces can stimulate more sales of personal plug-in hybrid electric vehicles instead of personal battery electric vehicles.
Do Judicial Instructions Aid in Distinguishing Between Reliable and Unreliable Jailhouse Informants

Jailhouse informants are a leading cause of wrongful convictions. In an attempt to preempt such miscarriages of justice, several states (e.g., Connecticut and California) have mandated that judicia...
Modem Module Development for NASA's Orion Spacecraft: Achieving FSO Communications over Lunar Distances

NASA's Orion spacecraft will employ free-space optical communications over 400,000-km from the lunar vicinity to Earth, using an 80-Mb/s downlink and a 20-Mb/s uplink. This paper discusses an overview of the link and optical modem.
The Disappearing Lake: A Historical Analysis of Drought and the Salton Sea in the Context of the GeoHealth Framework

The Imperial Valley region of Southeastern California has become one of the most productive agricultural regions in the state and has the highest rates of childhood asthma in California. Lack of precipitation in the Imperial Valley has caused the water level of the Salton Sea to recede to a record low since its formation in the early 1900s. Previous studies of wind and dust deposition conducted in other regions have shown how reduced precipitation, ground heating, and the diminishing water level in an arid climate pose a risk of exposing previously sequestered toxic chemicals to open air, adversely affecting lung health. The purpose of this study is to draw historical parallels between the Aral Sea and Salton Sea in the context of geomorphology, ecology, human health, economics, and human migration, to inform an assessment of environmentally related health impacts of those living in the Imperial Valley region. Future droughts and heatwaves are expected to rise in frequency and severity, disproportionately affecting those impacted by financial and health disparities. Future research must include the implications of population health in the context of GeoHealth as a result of the most recent drought and the receding water levels of the Salton Sea.
Left Parietal Tumors Presenting with Smartphone Icon Visual Agnosia: Two Cases of a Modern Presentation of Gerstmann Syndrome.

Background Gerstmanns syndrome—a clinical constellation of left-right confusion, finger agnosia, agraphia, and acalculia—is frequently attributed to pathology in the dominant inferior parietal lobe or temporo-occipital region. However, these unique clinical findings are often accompanied by more subtle signs, including aphasias, neglect, and agnosias. Associative visual agnosia, in which a patient is able to accurately perceive and describe but not recognize an object or symbol, is a well-documented but infrequently observed clinical entity. Case Description Here we detail 2 unique cases of patients who presented with the inability to recognize and use smartphone application icons. Both were found to have left temporo-occipital tumors displacing the left temporo-parietooccipital cortex. Conclusions In the era of pervasive technology, we emphasize that smartphone icon associative visual agnosias may be recognized by discerning physicians in the clinical diagnosis of dominant parietal lobe pathology.
Alienation and fetishism in Karl Marx’s critique of political economy

Abstract: This paper explores the connection between the concepts of alienation and commodity fetishism in the work of Karl Marx and their role in his critique of political economy. It analyses the different types of alienation present in his early work, linking them to the issue of fetishism in his mature work, and shows how the notion of alienation is subsumed by his theory of fetishism. In its conclusion, the paper attempts to establish the fundamental characteristics of commodity fetishism and the manner in which this concept expresses a radical criticism of modernity. Finally, the paper demonstrates that the critique of modernity and its modes of socialization, as Marx understood it, required engagement with and criticism of political economists, given that the modern mechanisms of alienation and fetishism are fundamentally grounded upon economic practices.