cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Ecology of Volunteerism Among College Women: Identifying Campus Environments that Inform Volunteering Behaviors

This study explores the relationship between campus environments, female college student peer culture, and the tendency to volunteer while in college. The authors used Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of human development (1977, 2005) as a framework to (a) identify one multi-faceted campus environment that is linked to volunteerism among college women and (b) investigate the experiences of both those who do and do not volunteer in college. Findings suggest that females who participate in student clubs/groups, leadership training, and racial/cultural awareness workshops are over 10 times more likely to volunteer compared to students who do not engage in these three specific campus environments. The authors also show that the relationships between some academic and co-curricular experiences are vastly different between women who volunteer and women who do not volunteer. The results of this study not only shed light on the importance of using a more nuanced approach toward examining patterns of volunteerism...
Authors' Response: Reply to: Chocolate Milk in Schools.

The nutrition community offers 2 different approaches to better health through dietary change: first, eliminate “bad nutrients”; and second, build a strong dietary pattern. These approaches seem complementary but in practice are often adversarial. The comments by Drs Dooley, Patel, and Schmidt illustrate the problem.1 Children consume excess “empty” calories from added sugars that must be curtailed. More than 70% of these calories come from candy, soft drinks, fruit drinks, and grain deserts, which are all excellent targets. But when we urge total prohibition, regardless of the consequences on a child’s total diet, we then do harm. What are we trying to accomplish by removing flavored milk from schools? A reduction in obesity? Shouldn’t we show … E-mail: murraymd{at}live.com
Yoga as the “Next Wave” of Therapeutic Modalities For Treatment of Insomnia

Insomnia rates continue to rise, especially among specific populations. Current nonpharmacological treatments rely primarily upon cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which was introduced in the 1970s. Newer treatments have incorporated CBT "third wave" techniques, including mindfulness and acceptance techniques. Yoga practice is well suited to complement existing therapies and to address sleep problems in a more holistic way. Current theoretical and empirical approaches to treating insomnia are discussed, with an emphasis on the role of yoga in addressing precipitating and perpetuating factors in insomnia that have previously been largely overlooked.An estimated one-third of U.S. adults suffer from insomnia (Chen, Gelaye, & Williams, 2013; Mellinger, Balter, & Uhlenhuth, 1985; Ohayon, 2002), and the problem appears to be growing. While treatment for insomnia has helped to alleviate the problem for some (Irwin, Cole, & Nicassio, 2006; Morin et al., 2009), prevalence of insomnia is on the rise, especially among certain groups, including elderly and military populations (Morin, 2009; Mysliwiec et al., 2013). Rising rates of insomnia have been attributed to changes in lifestyle and environmental factors, including increased reliance on technology and decreased synchrony with natural wake-sleep rhythms (Brahinsky, 2013; Wallace-Guy et al., 2002; Yun, Bazar, Gerber, Lee, & Daniel, 2005).
Relationship between Oxygen Tension and Oxygen Uptake in the Perfused Rat Liver

Recently, a method was developed to measure rates of oxygen uptake in periportal and pericentral areas of the hepatic lobule in perfused rat livers (1). This was accomplished by monitoring O2 uptake with miniature O2 electrodes placed on light (periportal) and dark (pericentral) spots on the liver surface. Changes in O2 concentration were measured when the flow was stopped allowing rates of O2 uptake to be calculated (1). Previous studies have demonstrated that rates of O2 uptake were 2- to 3-fold higher in periportal than in pericentral regions of the liver lobule (1,2,3). Hepatocytes in periportal and pericentral zones of the liver lobule differ in their enzyme contents and subcellular structure (4,5,6). Periportal cells contain fewer, larger mitochondria with larger cristae areas, whereas pericentral areas have more, smaller mitochondria (7). The purpose of these studies was to explore mechanisms responsible for different rates of O2 uptake in periportal and pericentral regions of the liver lobule. The results indicate that regional rates of oxygen uptake correlate with local oxygen concentrations.
Mice perceive synergistic umami mixtures as tasting sweet

Previous electrophysiological investigation shows that combinations of compounds classified by humans as umami-tasting, such as glutamate salts and 5'-ribonucleotides, elicit synergistic responses in neurons throughout the rodent taste system and produce a pattern that resembles responses to sweet compounds. The current study tested the hypothesis that a synergistic mixture of monopotassium glutamate (MPG) and inositol monophosphate (IMP) possesses perceptual similarity to sucrose in mice. We estimated behavioral similarity among these tastants and the individual umami compounds using a series of conditioned taste aversion (CTA) tests, a procedure that measures whether a CTA formed to one stimulus generalizes to another. Our primary finding was that a CTA to a synergistic mixture of MPG + IMP generalizes to sucrose, and vice-versa. This indicates umami synergistic mixtures are perceived as having a sweet, or at least sucrose-like, taste to mice. Considering other recent studies, our data argue strongly in favor of multiple receptor mechanisms for umami detection, and complexity in taste perception models for rodents.
Hemodynamics Following Experimental Coronary Occlusion in Dogs.

ConclusionFollowing left anterior descending coronary branch ligation in the open or closed chest there is an immediate appreciable fall in average (cardiac output and also a delay in cyanide circulation time. Control experiments indicate that these (changes are directly attributable to the ligation of the coronary branch. Following these procedures there are no other appreciable changes in the hemodynamics studied.
Abstract PR15: Haptotaxis and direct remodeling of the extracellular matrix by tumor cells is important for metastasis

The tissue microenvironment, composed of stromal cells and extracellular matrix (ECM), is known to contribute to tumor progression, by providing both the structure and signals that promote tumor cell proliferation, survival and invasion. Fibronectin and collagen are major components of the tumor microenvironment, however, how tumor cells gain the ability to respond to these substrate-bound cues and how ECM sensing contributes to promoting metastasis remain poorly understood. Here, using a combination of in vitro and in vivo imaging, we show that gradients of FN can promote directional cell motility of breast cancer cells, a process dependent upon the actin regulatory Mena. Expression of the pro-metastatic isoform Mena INV allows cells to haptotax towards very high concentrations of FN, found near blood vessels and tumor periphery. Haptotaxis requires the direct interaction between α5β1 integrin and Mena/ Mena INV and is driven by outside-in signaling at focal complexes, crosstalk between α5β1 and EGFR, and inside-out tumor cell dependent ECM remodeling. These findings are clinically relevant as patients with high levels of Mena INV protein and FN have increased recurrence and decreased survival in two breast cancer cohorts. Our results identify a novel tumor cell-intrinsic mechanism that promotes ECM remodeling and directed migration, ultimately affecting metastasis. Citation Format: Madeleine J. Oudin, Oliver Jonas, Tatiana Kosciuk, Liliane Broye, Jeff Wyckoff, Joelle Klazen, John Lamar, Sreeja Asokan, Charlie Whittaker, Robert Langer, Michael Cima, Kari Wisinski, Richard Hynes, Douglas Lauffenburger, Patricia Keely, James Bear, Frank Gertler. Haptotaxis and direct remodeling of the extracellular matrix by tumor cells is important for metastasis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr PR15.
Sweet and sticky: diabetic platelets, enhanced reactivity, and cardiovascular risk.

Platelets play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes and in the thrombotic complications after percutaneous coronary intervention. Oral antiplatelet agents are the cornerstone of pharmacological therapy for preventing major adverse cardiovascular events. Aspirin and
Die Interferenz zwischen dem Polyoma-Virus und dem Stomatitis-vesicularis-Virus in der Maus

Es wurde der Mechanismus der Interferenz nach Verabreichung von Polyoma-Virus sowie Thymus- oder LDH-Agens an neugeborene Mause gegenuber dem Stomatitis-vesicularis-Virus untersucht. Die Teste wurden in den Kombinationen 1. Erstvirus i. p. — Zweitvirus i. p. 2. Erstvirus i, p. — Zweitvirus i. c. 3. Erstvirus i. c. — Zweitvirus i. p. durchgefuhrt.
The treatment of oral lichen planus.

Lichen planus is a common oral dermatosis and it is one frequently encountered by oral surgeons. Lichen planus can be very difficult to treat, particularly when symptomatic in its erosive and ulcerated forms. This article describes several treatment modalities in the control of oral lichen planus including steroids, griseofulvin, vitamin A, cyclosporine, surgical excision, et al. Other features included consist of proper biopsy site selection, the need for annual re-examination, lichen planus's malignant potential, and when "not to treat."
A Revision of Coptonotus Chapuis, 1869 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Coptonotinae) with Notes on Its Biology

Abstract Collection of specimens of the Neotropical weevil genus Coptonotus Chapuis in Ecuador led to the discovery that Coptonotus cyclopus Chapuis, 1869 was comprised of multiple species. Parsimony analysis of morphological and molecular characters produced a well-supported phylogeny of seven Coptonotus specimens, which contained morphologically diagnosable monophyletic groups. Two new superficially similar species are described: Coptonotus doppelganger Smith and Cognato, new species from Peru and Brazil, and Coptontous uteq Smith and Cognato, new species from Ecuador. Coptonotus uteq was collected from a host tree, providing the first report of the natural history of the genus. Larvae are described for the first time. A key to the species is presented, and the relationship of Coptonotinae to other weevil subfamilies is discussed.
The Impact of Innovativeness and Development Time on New Product Performance for Small Firms

Timing is becoming a new source of competitive advantage. The business press extols the benefits of faster product development. This paper examines whether competitive advantage can be gained by reducing development time across all types of new products or whether this advantage is restricted to certain types of new products. It proposes that product innovativeness moderates the relationship between development time and initial market performance. A survey of 110 small manufacturing firms in computer related industries supports the hypothesis. The survey findings indicate that a firm must guard against over- or under-development of the new product since product innovativeness was found to influence the impact of development time on market performance. The implications for managers are: beware of bringing a new product that is “too much, too early” or “too little, too late.”
Substituent Effects on the Coordination Chemistry of Metal-Binding Pharmacophores

A combination of XAS, UV–vis, NMR, and EPR was used to examine the binding of a series of α-hydroxythiones to CoCA. All three appear to bind preferentially in their neutral, protonated forms. Two of the three clearly bind in a monodentate fashion, through the thione sulfur alone. Thiomaltol (TM) appears to show some orientational preference, on the basis of the NMR, while it appears that thiopyromeconic acid (TPMA) retains rotational freedom. In contrast, allothiomaltol (ATM), after initially binding in its neutral form, presumably through the thione sulfur, forms a final complex that is five-coordinate via bidentate coordination of ATM. On the basis of optical titrations, we speculate that this may be due to the lower initial pKa of ATM (8.3) relative to those of TM (9.0) and TPMA (9.5). Binding through the thione is shown to reduce the hydroxyl pKa by ∼0.7 pH unit on metal binding, bringing only ATM’s pKa close to the pH of the experiment, facilitating deprotonation and subsequent coordination of the hy...
Impact of online, video-based wellness training on Girl Scout leaders’ wellness promotion self-efficacy, intention, and knowledge: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of tailored, online, video-based training on Girl Scout troop leaders' wellness promotion self-efficacy, intention, and knowledge regarding physical activity and fruit and vegetable practices during troop meetings. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty Girl Scouts leaders were randomized to control (CON; n = 16) or intervention (INT; n = 14) conditions. INT leaders received six online weekly training videos on implementation of physical activity (PA) and fruit and vegetable (FV) practices during troop meetings. Videos addressed leader-identified improvement areas and strategies to overcome barriers. Leaders set PA and FV goals for upcoming meetings and self-monitored their progress. Questionnaires were completed at baseline and post-intervention on leaders' task and barrier self-efficacy, intention, and knowledge regarding meeting-time PA and FV practices. Results: INT leaders increased PA practices barrier self-efficacy (INT = 16.5 ± 24.1%, CON = -4.8 ± 21.5%; p = 0.036), vegetable practices self-efficacy (INT = 10.3 ± 13.3%, CON = -3.5 ± 28.9%; p = 0.049), and FV practices barrier self-efficacy (INT = 12.4 ± 4.6%, CON = 1.6 ± 28.7%; p = 0.036), when compared to CON leaders. There were no changes (p > 0.05) in PA or FV knowledge. Conclusions and implications: Results suggest the potential for using online video-based training for improvements in wellness-promoting practices of Girl Scout troop leaders.
Characterization of human exocrine pancreatic proteins by two-dimensional isoelectric focusing/sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis.

Abstract Exocrine proteins contained in human pancreatic juice were separated in two dimensions using isoelectric focusing and sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Nineteen discrete proteins were found. Fifteen of these were identified by actual or potential enzyme activity and include three forms of trypsinogen, two forms each of procarboxypeptidase A, procarboxypeptidase B, proelastase, and colipase, and one form each for amylase, lipase, chymotrypsinogen, and prophospholipase A 2 . Lipase and four unidentified proteins were found to contain carbohydrate by the periodic acid Schiff staining method. Each pancreatic protein was characterized by isoelectric point and molecular weight. Proteins were quantitated according to relative mass, as measured by the incorporation of a mixture of 15 3 H-amino acids into secretory proteins contained in tissue slices, and according to the distribution of Coomassie blue R stain among proteins contained in pancreatic juice, as determined by two-dimensional gel scanning and computer analysis. The second form of pancreatic procarboxypeptidase B (IEP n 6.7) was present in only 4 of 10 subjects tested. Trypsinogens 1 and 3 were covalently labeled with 35 SO 4 . Trypsin derived from trypsinogen 2 showed no inhibition with soybean trypsin inhibitor or Trasylol.
The U.S. Wholesale Market for Marine Ornamentals

The market for marine ornamentals encompasses all live marine species (fish and invertebrates) destined for the aquarium trade. In 1998, U.S. imports and exports were valued at approximately US $1.5 billion at the border (all dollar values cited in this paper are $US). In Florida, cultured freshwater and collected saltwater species accounted for $70 million and $4 million, respectively, in annual dockside revenue. To help explain Florida's marine landings and provide suggestions for future resource management and market campaigns that reflect the perceptions of the industry, a survey of wholesalers was initiated in 1999. Preliminary results indicate that there are several intermediate wholesale markets. Florida firms are closer to the supply as many also collect. Wholesalers in other states handle more freshwater product, are larger, and tend to import a larger share of their inventory. Consolidation is expected to continue, but niche markets for eco-friendly firms are expected to grow. In Florida, marketing strategies should focus on the observed higher survival rates and increasing supply of the popular invertebrate species. Many wholesalers are concerned about additional regulations that could reduce the number of collectors and thereby increase supply variability, a noted weakness of the Florida industry.
IF INITIAL LENGTH OF SPACE-TIME GOES TO A NON PATHOLOGICAL BIG BANG SINGULARITY INITIALLY, WHAT HAPPENS TO VACCUUM ENERGY EVOLUTION?

what happens to vacuum energy, if Stoica's calculations , 2012, remove necessity of avoiding analyzing BB singularity for Einstein's equations
Using a mobile application to test the impact of giving feedback onteam-level conflict

AbstractThe authors explored using a mobile application called DevelapMe for 278 business undergraduates in 54 teams to give real-time peer-based feedback during a 5-week group project. Two online ...
Blockchain Data Analytics

Over the last couple of years, Bitcoin cryptocurrency and the Blockchain technology that forms the basis of Bitcoin have witnessed an unprecedented attention. Designed to facilitate a secure distributed platform without central regulation, Blockchain is heralded as a novel paradigm that will be as powerful as Big Data, Cloud Computing, and Machine Learning. The Blockchain technology garners an ever increasing interest of researchers in various domains that benefit from scalable cooperation among trust-less parties. As Blockchain data analytics further proliferates, a need to glean successful approaches and to disseminate them among a diverse body of data scientists became a critical task. As an inter-disciplinary team of researchers, our aim is to fill this vital role. In this tutorial, we offer a holistic view on Blockchain Data Analytics. Starting with the core components of Blockchain, we will discuss the state of art in Blockchain data analytics for privacy, security, finance, and management domains. We will share tutorial notes and further reading pointers on the tutorial website blockchaintutorial.github.io.
Implementation of a centralized mail-order pharmacy service.

Purpose The development and implementation of centralized mail-order pharmacy services in an academic healthcare system are described. Summary The use of mail-order pharmacy services continues to increase, as mail-order services offer patient benefits such as reduced copayments and improved clinical outcomes. Prior to undertaking an initiative to improve its mail-order pharmacy services, the University of Utah Health system's pharmacy department offered decentralized mail-order pharmacy services at all of its retail pharmacies, but there was no standardized process for processing mail-order prescriptions or providing phone support to mail-order patients. Centralized mail-order pharmacy services were developed and implemented by creating (1) a standard process for mail-order pharmacy services, (2) a centralized mail-order prescription filling center, and (3) a call center to support mail-order pharmacy services. Implementation of centralized mail-order pharmacy services resulted in an almost 50% reduction in time spent by pharmacy team members on mail-order prescription filling and packaging tasks. Use of a central call center resulted in a decreased call abandonment rate and contributed to a decreased pharmacy workload resulting from an overall reduction in call volume due to an increased rate of first-call issue resolution. Conclusion Establishment of a centralized mail-order pharmacy service along with operational and infrastructure improvements resulted in improved quality and regulatory compliance and enhanced labor efficiency and patient communication.
Integrating Solid State Protection with a RF-MEMS Switch for Achieving ESD Robustness

The RF-MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical System) switch brings together the benefit of 0 Hz/DC precision and wideband RF performance in a small, surface-mountable form factor. The ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) sensitivity of this device can be a barrier for the adoption of RF-MEMS switches in certain applications, as sensitivity of this type of device to damage during assembly and end-application handling can be pervasive. This paper addresses this limitation in RF-MEMS applications, while preserving the benefits of the RF-MEMS performance, by integrating in a SIP (system-in-a-package) optimized RF solid-state ESD protection elements along with the RF switch. This is demonstrated with a device achieving insertion loss of -0.5 dB at 6 GHz with a -3 dB bandwidth of up to 13 GHz. Isolation performance of -20 dB is also demonstrated at 6 GHz. The integrated RF-MEMS SIP achieves industry leading ESD compliance levels of 3,000V HBM (Human Body Model) and 1,250V FICDM (Field-Induced Charged Device Model).
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulations of Spray Drying: Linking Drying Parameters with Experimental Aerosolization Performance

The purpose of this study was to develop a new computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based model of the complex transport and droplet drying kinetics within a laboratory-scale spray dryer, and relate CFD-predicted drying parameters to powder aerosolization metrics from a reference dry powder inhaler (DPI). A CFD model of the Buchi Nano Spray Dryer B-90 was developed that captured spray dryer conditions from a previous experimental study producing excipient enhanced growth powders with L-leucine as a dispersion enhancer. The CFD model accounted for two-way heat and mass transfer coupling between the phases and turbulent flow created by acoustic streaming from the mesh nebulizer. CFD-based drying parameters were averaged across all droplets in each spray dryer case and included droplet time-averaged drying rate (κavg), maximum instantaneous drying rate (κmax) and precipitation window. CFD results highlighted a chaotic drying environment in which time-averaged droplet drying rates (κavg) for each spray dryer case had high variability with coefficients of variation in the range of 60–70%. Maximum instantaneous droplet drying rates (κmax) were discovered that were two orders of magnitude above time-averaged drying rates. Comparing CFD-predicted drying parameters with experimentally determined mass median aerodynamic diameters (MMAD) and emitted doses (ED) from a reference DPI produced strong linear correlations with coefficients of determination as high as R2 = 0.98. For the spray dryer system and conditions considered, reducing the CFD-predicted maximum drying rate experienced by droplets improved the aerosolization performance (both MMAD and ED) when the powders were aerosolized with a reference DPI.
It's a Whole New Ballgame: How Social Media Is Changing Sports

The emergence of interactive social media has changed both the way in which sports organizations communicate with customers and the way in which sports organizations manage their athletes. Today, a...
The human chd8 gene is transcribed from two distant upstream promoters

Chromodomain-Helicase-DNA-binding protein 8 (CHD8) is a chromatin remodeler that is central to regulation of gene expression pathways during brain development. Many loss-of-function mutations in transcribed regions of the chd8 gene have been identified in autism spectrum disorder patients. Nothing is known about transcription of the human chd8 gene. Defects in expression of this gene could represent another mechanism leading to reduced amount of CHD8. We identify two major promoters for the human chd8 gene, both of which are located many thousand base pairs upstream of the coding region. Each proximal promoter directs a similar transcriptional efficiency in transfected cells. At least two elements within 200bp of the 5'flanking regions of these promoters are important to drive highest transcriptional levels in transient transfection experiments. RNA polymerase II occupancy levels at each promoter are roughly equivalent. Lastly, each promoter directs a dispersed set of start sites in a cultured cell line. This work could provide the framework for future studies to investigate the importance of chd8 gene expression for diseases associated with brain and neuronal development.
Using Evidence Based Practices and Learning to Enhance Critical Thinking Skills in Students Through Data Visualization

This research-to-practice work in progress paper outlines the use of evidence-based practices and learning to enhance critical thinking skills in students through data visualization. Data visualization is a multi-stage process that enables the transformation of complex data into visual representations that inform without overwhelming its audience. The purpose of this study is to investigate how data visualization learning experiences enhances students’ critical thinking skills. In this paper we identify the conceptualization of critical thinking in the data visualization process. A design-based research approach is used to empirically investigate the main research question: after participating in data visualization learning experiences, in what ways do students engage in design practices that enhance development of critical thinking skills? The working hypothesis is students experience greater learning gains when instructions include design challenges integrated with the data visualization process and mapped to critical thinking that requires them to exhibit higher-order-thinking skills. The first aim of the study is to identify critical thinking skills that are evident in the data visualization process. The second aim is to identify habits of the mind competencies that are evident in the data visualization process. The implications of this work will inform the implementation of the Paul-Elder critical thinking framework into the data visualization process with the goal of building essential intellectual traits in undergraduates. In this work, the data visualization process facilitates the logical structure of connected elements of higher-order thinking that relate to one another within the theoretical frameworks of critical thinking and habits of the mind. This research is significant because it informs the practice of engineering through a problem-solving activity and computing education by introducing data visualization as method for improving critical thinking skills; a requirement for STEM students, a desired skill for all students.
Acute trichomoniasis and sub-optimal bull fertility in a cow/calf herd:

A beef cow/calf ranch contacted the veterinary teaching hospital concerning low pregnancy rates. The 600-cow herd consisted of three breeding groups of females, with each group being exposed to multiple-sire bull batteries for 90 days (April-June). Each breeding group was palpated for pregnancy approximately 60 days following bull removal from the cows. Pregnancy rates in the groups were 60, 25 and 41%. No abortions had been observed by management during or following the breeding season. Initial work-up found that each group of cows was in adequate body condition for reproduction. A high percentage of the ranch's bull population was positive for culture and polymerase chain reaction for Tritrichomonas foetus. In addition, a high percentage of the bull population failed to pass a breeding soundness examination. Treatment recommendations included culling the entire bull population and replacing it solely with virgin bulls that had passed a breeding soundness examination. Simultaneously, we recommended administration of a T. foetus vaccine to all females, followed by a vaccine booster dose 30 days later. All non-pregnant females were to be placed in separate breeding groups and exposed to the new bull population for 60 days (Dec-Jan). Palpation of non-pregnant females was to be performed 60 days following bull removal. The ranch followed these treatment recommendations. Following bull removal 60-day pregnancy rates were 95%. All replacement bulls passed a breeding soundness examination and were negative for T. foetus by polymerase chain reaction following exposure to the non-pregnant females. Ninety-eight percent of pregnant cows from the original bull exposure (April-June) delivered term calves.
Testing the impact of online training in areas of reading instruction on educator knowledge

Considerable effort has been exerted to identify effective instructional methods to teach reading in the early grades. Ideally, these practices would be provided to students by knowledgeable educators. However, many educators lack linguistic knowledge of the English language and essential concepts about early literacy acquisition that predict student reading outcomes. Furthermore, the in-service training needed to fill gaps in educator knowledge is costly and challenging to deliver at scale. Online educator training has the potential to provide a cost-effective, more readily scalable option. However, limited research has explored the efficacy of online training to increase educator knowledge of early grade reading. The current study was conducted to test the effectiveness of online training to improve educators’ knowledge of early grade reading concepts. Educators (N = 86 in the analytic sample) who primarily supported students in grades K-5 were assigned randomly to one of three training conditions: waitlist control, in-person, or online. They all completed a test before and after receiving training that assessed their knowledge of early-grade reading concepts. An ANCOVA that controlled for baseline knowledge revealed that educators who received training either in-person or online had increased knowledge of early grade reading after the training relative to the waitlist control group. Furthermore, educators who received in-person training outperformed educators who received online training. This study suggests that online training provides a viable alternative to in-person in-service training and highlights a need to consider ways of enhancing the impact of online training on educator knowledge.
Facilitating research on racial and ethnic disparities and inequities in transportation: Application and evaluation of the Bayesian Improved Surname Geocoding (BISG) algorithm.

Racial and ethnic disparities and/or inequities have been documented in traffic safety research. However, race/ethnicity data are often not captured in population-level traffic safety databases, li...
Sexual and Reproductive Issues I: Education; Reproductive Choices

It is not necessary to invoke concepts such as reproductive rights or reproductive justice to address the needs of reproductive health. A modus vivendi based on personal and public health needs and sufficiencies will protect the needs of all in a more parsimonious way, while probably generating less conflict than do controversial assertions of reproductive right and justice. Some controversy is inevitable, as traditional pronatal views clash with an apparent need for more antinatal mores generated by adverse Anthropocene changes resulting from rapid population growth and resource consumption over several centuries. The chapter proposes a body of information that all children need to know to protect their safety. It also suggests that, for public health reasons alone (as suggested by Douglas Diekema), reproductively capable minors should be entitled to private and confidential access to prevention of conception and childbirth on the same basis as adults. The chapter discusses, but does not resolve, whether a parent should be permitted to compel the abortion of a fetus carried by a minor who is incompetent to make decisions. It also discusses the prerogative of a minor to place her child for adoption.
A Gentle Introduction to Game Theory

Introduction The formal definitions Optimal responses to specific strategies The maximin strategy The minimax strategy Solutions of zero-sum games $2 \times n$ and $m \times 2$ games Dominance Symmetric games Poker-like games Pure maximin and minimax strategies Pure nonzero-sum games Mixed strategies for nonzero-sum games Finding mixed Nash equilibria for $2 \times 2$ nonzero-sum games Bibliography Solutions to selected exercises Index.
Interaction of Ultrasound and Contrast Agents

There has been an increasing interest in recent years in the development of ultrasonic contrast agents, primarily because of the advent of technology that allows the production of contrast agents capable of traversing pulmonary circulation and persisting in the bloodstream for more than a few seconds, and the many clinical applications that these agents possess (Ophir and Parker 1989; Goldberg et al. 1994; de Jong 1996). The most important function that an ultrasound contrast agent performs is to enhance the backscattered signal of a certain anatomical structure that contains the agent, turning what is obscure in an ultrasonic image into a more recognizable structure. Contrast agents that contain gas are most effective due to the mismatch in acoustic impedance between the gas and soft tissues.
Automatic Data Layout with Read-Only Replication and Memory Constraints

The memory requirement characteristics of a data layout are particularly important for applications that are executed on a parallel machine mainly because of the amount of main memory that the machine provides, rather than its computation power. It may not be feasible to execute such a memory intensive program on a conventional uniprocessor due to the lack of the necessary memory resources.
The Solar Isotope Spectrometer for the Advanced Composition Explorer

The Solar Isotope Spectrometer (SIS), one of nine instruments on the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), is designed to provide high-resolution measurements of the isotopic composition of energetic nuclei from He to Zn (Z = 2 to 30) over the energy range from ∼ 10 to ∼ 100 MeV nucl-1. During large solar events SIS will measure the isotopic abundances of solar energetic particles to determine directly the composition of the solar corona and to study particle acceleration processes. During solar quiet times SIS will measure the isotopes of low-energy cosmic rays from the Galaxy and isotopes of the anomalous cosmic-ray component, which originates in the nearby interstellar medium. SIS has two telescopes composed of silicon solid-state detectors that provide measurements of the nuclear charge, mass, and kinetic energy of incident nuclei. Within each telescope, particle trajectories are measured with a pair of two-dimensional silicon-strip detectors instrumented with custom, very large-scale integrated (VLSI) electronics to provide both position and energy-loss measurements. SIS was especially designed to achieve excellent mass resolution under the extreme, high flux conditions encountered in large solar particle events. It provides a geometry factor of ∼ 40 cm2 sr, significantly greater than earlier solar particle isotope spectrometers. A microprocessor controls the instrument operation, sorts events into prioritized buffers on the basis of their charge, range, angle of incidence, and quality of trajectory determination, and formats data for readout by the spacecraft. This paper describes the design and operation of SIS and the scientific objectives that the instrument will address.
Electron-phonon interactions in MoS2 probed with ultrafast two-dimensional visible/far-infrared spectroscopy

An ultrafast two-dimensional visible/far-IR spectroscopy based on the IR/THz air biased coherent detection method and scanning the excitation frequencies is developed. The method allows the responses in the far-IR region caused by various electronic excitations in molecular or material systems to be observed in real time. Using the technique, the relaxation dynamics of the photo-excited carriers and electron/phonon coupling in bulk MoS2 are investigated. It is found that the photo-generation of excited carriers occurs within two hundred fs and the relaxation of the carriers is tens of ps. The electron-phonon coupling between the excitations of electrons and the phonon mode E1u of MoS2 is also directly observed. The electron excitation shifts the frequency of the phonon mode 9 cm(-1) higher, resulting in an absorption peak at 391 cm(-1) and a bleaching peak at 382 cm(-1). The frequency shift diminishes with the relaxation of the carriers.
Heterogeneity in the Crust and Upper Mantle: Nature, Scaling, and Seismic Properties

Plate tectonic models succeed at predicting observations at scales of 100–1000 km, but tend to fail for observations at outcrop scales. Such predictions become nebulous when considering small-scale heterogeneous structure originally generated in the lower crust or upper mantle, whether the observations are made from outcrop, from boreholes, or remotely by seismic methods. Earth scientists have classically dealt with the problem of small-scale heterogeneity by treating it as “noise” from both an observational and modeling standpoint; however, the increased comprehension of the scale invariance of many geologic processes has spurred investigators to attempt to characterize observations at all available scales. Modelers have responded by adopting more of a statistical characterization approach for spatial variability.
Determinants of a protein-induced RNA switch in the large domain of signal recognition particle identified by systematic-site directed mutagenesis

Signal recognition particle (SRP) is a ribonucleoprotein complex that associates with ribosomes to promote the co-translational translocation of proteins across biological membranes. Human SRP RNA molecules exist in two distinct conformations, SR-A and SR-B, which may exchange during the assembly of the particle or could play a functional role in the SRP cycle. We have used systematic site-directed mutagenesis of the SRP RNA to determine the electrophoretic mobilities of altered RNA molecules, and we have identified the nucleotides that avert the formation of the two conformers. The conformer behavior of the various RNAs was addressed quantitatively by calculating a value zeta as an indicator of conformational variability. Single loose A-like forms were induced by changes in helix 5 [nucleotides (nt) at positions 111-128 or 222-231], helix 6 (nt at positions 141-150) and helix 7 (nt at position 169 and 170), whereas other mutations in helix 6 and helix 8 preserved the conformational variability of the mutant RNA molecules. The more compact B-like form was induced only when a small region (129-CAAUAU-134), located in the 5'-proximal portion of helix 6, was altered. Since this region is part of the binding site for SRP19, we suggest that protein SRP19 uses nucleotides at 129-134 to trigger the formation of the favored SR-B-form, and thus directs an early step in the hierarchical assembly of the large SRP domain.
Fully automatic software correction of fourier transform NMR spectra

Abstract A simple computational procedure is discussed by which it is possible to correct fourier NMR spectra automatically for all amplitude and phase distortions resulting from signal-conditioning circuits and from anomalies in quadrature phase detection.
Taxonomies are for talking: Reanalyzing a Sacks classic

Abstract Conversational exchanges establish a field of meaning, which may be analyzable in terms of taxonomical relationships among concepts. These semantic fields are created on the spot for current conversational purposes and may or may not have conventional counterparts “in the language.” This paper proposes a technique, drawing on ethnosemantic, conversation analytic, and membership categorization analytic sources, for studying participant formulations. The technique is illustrated by reconsidering an exchange analyzed by Sacks and, subsequently, by Edwards.
An immunofluorescence study of mitosis in a mite-pathogen,Neozygites sp. (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales)

Mitosis in a mite-pathogenic species ofNeozygites (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) was investigated by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy using an antibody against α-tubulin for visualization of microtubules (MTs). DAPI and rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin were used to stain chromatin and actin, respectively. Salient features of mitosis inNeozygites sp. are (1) a strong tendency for mitotic synchrony in any given cell, (2) conical protrusions at the poles of metaphase and anaphase nuclei revealed by actin staining, (3) absence of astral and other cytoplasmic MTs, (4) a spindle that occupies most of the nuclear volume at metaphase, (5) a spindle that remains symmetrical throughout most of mitosis, (6) kinetochore MTs that shorten during anaphase A, (7) a central spindle that elongates during anaphase B, pushing the daughter nuclei into the cell apices, and (8) interpolar MTs that continue to elongate even after separation of the daughter nuclei. Cortical cytoplasmic MTs are present in a few interphasic and post-cytokinetic cells. The data presented show thatNeozygites possesses features unique to this genus and support the erection of theNeozygitaceae as a separate family in theEntomophthorales.
Quinazolines. XI. Synthesis of 2,4-diamino-5, 10-diliydrobenzo[g] quinazolines†‡

An unequivocal synthesis of 2,4-diamino-5,10-dihydrobenzo[g]quinazolines is described, starting from methyl 2-tetralone-3-carboxylates. Condensation with guanidine yielded 2-amino-4-hydroxy derivatives, which were thiated with phosphorus pentasulfide and S-alkylated with dimethyl sulfate. The resultant 2-amino-4-methylthio compounds were converted into 2,4-diamino derivatives by amination at elevated temperature and pressure. Attempted synthesis from 3-cyano-1,4-dihydro-2-methoxynaphthalene and guanidine was unsuccessful.
The role of fatty acids and caveolin-1 in tumor necrosis factor α–induced endothelial cell activation

Hypertriglyceridemia and associated high circulating free fatty acids are important risk factors for atherosclerosis. In contrast to omega-3 fatty acids, linoleic acid, the major omega-6 unsaturated fatty acid in the American diet, may be atherogenic by amplifying an endothelial inflammatory response. We hypothesize that omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids can differentially modulate tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced endothelial cell activation and that functional plasma membrane microdomains called caveolae are required for endothelial cell activation. Caveolae are particularly abundant in endothelial cells and play a major role in endothelial trafficking and the regulation of signaling pathways associated with the pathology of vascular diseases. To test our hypothesis, endothelial cells were preenriched with either linoleic acid or alpha-linolenic acid before TNF-alpha-induced endothelial activation. Measurements included oxidative stress and nuclear factor kappaB-dependent induction of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) under experimental conditions with intact caveolae and with cells in which caveolin-1 was silenced by small interfering RNA. Exposure to TNF-alpha induced oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators, such as p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor kappaB, COX-2, and PGE(2), which were all amplified by preenrichment with linoleic acid but blocked or reduced by alpha-linolenic acid. The p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 blocked TNF-alpha-mediated induction of COX-2 protein expression, suggesting a regulatory mechanism through p38 MAPK signaling. Image overlay demonstrated TNF-alpha-induced colocalization of TNF receptor type 1 with caveolin-1. Caveolin-1 was significantly induced by TNF-alpha, which was further amplified by linoleic acid and blocked by alpha-linolenic acid. Furthermore, silencing of the caveolin-1 gene completely blocked TNF-alpha-induced production of COX-2 and PGE(2) and significantly reduced the amplified response of linoleic acid plus TNF-alpha. These data suggest that omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids can differentially modulate TNF-alpha-induced inflammatory stimuli and that caveolae and its fatty acid composition play a regulatory role during TNF-alpha-induced endothelial cell activation and inflammation.
Intravenous Administration of Pulsatile Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone in Hypothalamic Amenorrhea: Effects of Dosage*

Eighteen women with well characterized hypothalamic amenorrhea underwent 30cycles of pulsatile GnRH treatment in an effort to examine the role of GnRH dosage in pituitary and ovarian responses. GnRH was administered iv at 2 doses (25 and 100 ng/kg bolus) at a physiological range of frequencies (90 and 60 min) in the follicular phase of the induced cycles. After demonstration of ovulation by ultrasound and clinical parameters, the frequency of GnRH administrationwas progressively slowed from every 60 min to every 90 min and then to every 240 min to mimic theslowing of endogenous LH secretion that occurs during the luteal phase in normal women. The results of these induced cycles were compared to those of 62 ovulatory cycles from normal women. Overall clinical and biochemical results revealed the following. Patients receiving doses of 25ng/kg GnRH successfully ovulated only 80% of the time, with recruitment of a single dominant follicle. Two of 5 patients became pregnant. Peak estradiol levels were signific...
Growth and income distribution benefits of north american monetary union for Mexico

Abstract A monetary union joining highly developed and developing countries—if supported by far-reaching integration of financial systems and monetary control—can eliminate the national barriers to capital and technology transfers that are implied by “country risk.” The benefits of North American Monetary Union (NAMU) to Mexico thus may lie in faster growth and more efficient development and not only in any stability gains of the type discussed, for instance, in conjunction with European Monetary Union (EMU). Applying a series of consistent conjectures about the sources of change, by developing a long-term growth scenario for 1990 to 2025 with and without monetary union, the article finds that Mexico's economic size may rise from 4.4% of U.S. GDP in 1990 to 11.0% without and 12.2% with, monetary union by the year 2025. While this will still leave Mexico comparatively small, one-sixth of the growth of GDP over this period, in the United States and Mexico combined, will occur in Mexico.
A RE-EVALUATION OF THE DANGERS OF CLOROX INGESTION.

As the result of a study of 129 cases of Clorox ingestion, esophageal injury from corrosive action was found to be of such minimal amount and complication of stricture so unlikely, it is felt that routine esophagoscopy for evaluation is not indicated.