cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soluble Fiber Use in Pediatric Short Bowel Syndrome: A Survey on Prevailing Practices.

Background In pediatric short bowel syndrome (SBS), adding fiber to enteral feedings is 1 treatment method to manage increased stool output. However, there are no standardized recommendations on the use of fiber in this setting, including type, dosage, titration strategies, etc. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to determine current prevailing practices on the use of fiber in the treatment of chronic high stool output in the pediatric SBS population. Methods An anonymous electronic survey with 13 questions was sent through health professional electronic mailing lists. The survey was completed by healthcare professionals including physicians (primary care, subspecialists, and surgeons), nurse practitioners, and registered dietitians. Results A total of 94 responses were received. The most common supplemental fiber used was pectin (62.8%). The 2 major factors considered when initiating fiber therapy were consistency of stool (74.5%) and volume of stool output (85.1%). The major factor that determined discontinuation of fiber was abdominal distention (67%). A majority of providers waited 2 weeks or less to see improvement following fiber initiation before discontinuing it. Conclusions The goal of the survey was to gather more information with regard to fiber use in the management of SBS patients. The data collected can be used to provide future direction on determining best practices for fiber use in SBS patients.
Social Media and Civic Engagement: History, Theory, and Practice

Abstract Social media platforms are the latest manifestation in a series of sociotechnical innovations designed to enhance civic engagement, political participation, and global activism. While many...
Methods and Algorithms Toward 3-D Volume Image Reconstruction with Projections

Since the introduction of computerized tomography (1), many reconstruction algorithms (2–4) have been suggested using various mathematical techniques. Especially, in 3-dimensional volume imaging, the Fourier transform approach (5) is usually preferred. This Fourier technique can be categorized into conventional 2-D slice by slice technique (6–8) or direct true 3-D image reconstruction (9–11) and also depending on the mode of data collection, i.e., parallel (6,7,9,10) or fan (cone for 3-D) beam (8, 12–16). Reconstruction procedure can also be classified depending on the mode of processing; namely filtered backprojection (FB) (7, 10), backprojection filtering (BF) (17, 51), or direct Fourier transform reconstruction (DFR) (18–20). Each method has its own characteristics and preference depends on the kind of tomographic system being employed and computational hardware involved.
Map equation with metadata: Varying the role of attributes in community detection.

Much of the community detection literature studies structural communities, communities defined solely by the connectivity patterns of the network. Often networks contain additional metadata which can inform community detection such as the grade and gender of students in a high school social network. In this work, we introduce a tuning parameter to the content map equation that allows users of the Infomap community detection algorithm to control the metadata's relative importance for identifying network structure. On synthetic networks, we show that our algorithm can overcome the structural detectability limit when the metadata are well aligned with community structure. On real-world networks, we show how our algorithm can achieve greater mutual information with the metadata at a cost in the traditional map equation. Our tuning parameter, like the focusing knob of a microscope, allows users to ``zoom in'' and ``zoom out'' on communities with varying levels of focus on the metadata.
Where in the world do bacteria experience oxidative stress

Reactive oxygen species - superoxide, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals - have long been suspected of constraining bacterial growth in important microbial habitats and indeed of shaping microbial communities. Over recent decades, studies of paradigmatic organisms such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae have pinpointed the biomolecules that oxidants can damage and the strategies by which microbes minimize their injuries. What is lacking is a good sense of the circumstances under which oxidative stress actually occurs. In this MiniReview several potential natural sources of oxidative stress are considered: endogenous ROS formation, chemical oxidation of reduced species at oxic-anoxic interfaces, H2 O2 production by lactic acid bacteria, the oxidative burst of phagocytes and the redox-cycling of secreted small molecules. While all of these phenomena can be reproduced and verified in the lab, the actual quantification of stress in natural habitats remains lacking - and, therefore, we have a fundamental hole in our understanding of the role that oxidative stress actually plays in the biosphere.
Examining Second Graders' Healthy Food Choices: Through Literacy and Active Learning.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation of a nutrition module and activities (Go, Slow, Whoa) in a literacy environment through an active learning approach. Second graders (N = 85) from diverse socioeconomic status (SES) areas completed the 12-week program. The participants' perceptions of healthy food choices were measured both pre- and post-intervention. Students met for 30 minutes twice a week, to complete 5-lessons from a Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) nutrition module and activities (Go, Slow, Whoa). Measures were taken both pre- and post-intervention (Food Fury Quiz) to distinguishing between healthy and unhealthy foods (images). There was a statistically significant improvement (t = 12.16, df =84, P = .000) from pretest (M = 19.06, SD = 3.13) and posttest (M = 23.34, SD = 0.48) scores. Administering a healthy food choice curriculum through literacy and active learning provides an alternative approach to improving health knowledge among second grade students.
Low-Qualified Labors’ Job Mobility, Boundary Crossing, and Career Success: A Cross-Industry HRM Perspective

This cross-industry study explored human resource professionals’ experiences with low-qualified labors’ job mobility within and across organizations. Ten organizations from various industries were represented including manufacturing, higher education, medical, retail, warehouse and transportation, and information technology. Findings suggest major influencers’ impacts on job mobility were distinctly different across industries and dependent on organizations’ job composition by educational attainment. Findings extend current literature delineating negative outcomes from low-qualified labor employing misinformed protean and boundaryless behaviors and suggest a unique phenomenon may exist for lowqualified labor related to job mobility, job mobility plateaus, and boundary crossing. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
Polygenic adaptation after a sudden change in environment

Abstract Polygenic adaptation in response to selection on quantitative traits is thought to be ubiquitous in humans and other species, yet this mode of adaptation remains poorly understood. We investigate the dynamics of this process, assuming that a sudden change in environment shifts the optimal value of a highly polygenic quantitative trait. We find that when the shift is not too large relative to the genetic variance in the trait and this variance arises from segregating loci with small to moderate effect sizes (defined in terms of the selection acting on them before the shift), the mean phenotype’s approach to the new optimum is well approximated by a rapid exponential process first described by Lande (1976). In contrast, when the shift is larger or large effect loci contribute substantially to genetic variance, the initially rapid approach is succeeded by a much slower one. In either case, the underlying changes to allele frequencies exhibit different behaviors short and long-term. Over the short term, strong directional selection on the trait introduces small differences between the frequencies of minor alleles whose effects are aligned with the shift in optimum versus those with effects in the opposite direction. The phenotypic effects of these differences are dominated by contributions from alleles with moderate and large effects, and cumulatively, these effects push the mean phenotype close to the new optimum. Over the longer term, weak directional selection on the trait can amplify the expected frequency differences between opposite alleles; however, since the mean phenotype is close to the new optimum, alleles are mainly affected by stabilizing selection on the trait. Consequently, the frequency differences between opposite alleles translate into small differences in their probabilities of fixation, and the short-term phenotypic contributions of large effect alleles are largely supplanted by contributions of fixed, moderate ones. This process takes on the order of ~4Ne generations (where Ne is the effective population size), after which the steady state architecture of genetic variation around the new optimum is restored.
Brain microenvironment-induced reduction in microRNAs to promote metastatic tumor growth, drug resistance, and survival.

e22030 Background: Brain metastases remain a serious obstacle that negatively impacts cancer patient survival. Most deaths due to cancer result from the progressive growth of metastatic, drug-resis...
Gli ammonitori di Giovanni Cena: un romanzo sociale:

L’analisi del romanzo Gli ammonitori mette in evidenza come l’opera sia il frutto della rappresentazione della societa torinese a cavallo dei due secoli, Ottocento e Novecento, e come l’autore abbi...
Chapter 6 – Shigella

The four Shigella serogroups are formidable etiological agents of diarrheal illness globally; each year a significant number of deaths are associated with Shigella infection in resource-limited areas around the world. Much is known regarding genetic factors related to Shigella virulence, the utilization of the Type Three Secretion System in infected hosts, and host–pathogen interactions. As a foodborne pathogen, Shigella has been isolated from a variety of food commodities and is usually transmitted via the fecal–oral route, most likely because of poor personal hygienic practices of food preparers. As with other bacterial pathogens, the emergence of multiple drug-resistant strains has complicated treatment of Shigella, and some antibiotics are no longer advised for therapy. At the present time, there are no vaccines directed against all Shigella species, although efforts are currently under way to target the major serogroups that cause the majority of cases.
Adherence to Subspecialty Guidelines in the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery has published clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to guide management of common otolaryngologic (ENT) conditions. While these CPGs have been disseminated within specialty journals, many patients' first presentation of certain ENT complaints is to primary and acute care settings, including the emergency department (ED). It is less clear whether practice in these settings is concordant with specialty CPGs. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. METHODS A retrospective review of medical records was performed at an academic tertiary care center with ED diagnoses of 1) Bell's palsy/facial weakness (BP) or 2) acute otitis externa (AOE) from May 2014-June 2018. Individual chart abstraction was performed for all encounters with these diagnoses for the purpose of assessing providers' adherence to CPGs. RESULTS During the study period, 224 patients were diagnosed with BP and 465 patients were diagnosed with AOE. Of the patients diagnosed with BP, 94% (n = 211/224) were prescribed oral steroids, concordant with guidelines, while 36% of these patients received head computed tomography (CT) scans and 43% received laboratory tests, counter to the guidelines. For those with a diagnosis of AOE, 28.6% received topical antibiotics only as primary treatment (n = 133/465) in accordance with guidelines while systemic antibiotics were prescribed in 42.2% (n = 196/465) discordant with the guidelines and 29.2% received both topical and systemic antibiotics (n = 136/465). CONCLUSIONS CPGs developed by subspecialty societies provide evidence-based recommendations for the care of patients with particular conditions, but may not be disseminated broadly outside of the specialty. Further research is required to understand the reasons behind divergent management of such conditions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 Laryngoscope, 131:1266-1270, 2021.
Assessing cooling energy reduction potentials by retrofitting traditional cavity walls into passively ventilated cavity walls

A major roadblock in achieving substantial building energy reduction is the low performance of old buildings that account for a significant portion of the building energy consumption. Finding low-cost energy retrofit solutions that do not disrupt occupants’ daily life during the retrofitting is the key to successful building energy retrofit initiatives. In this paper, a novel and low-cost exterior wall retrofitting solution is introduced, and its performance in reducing space cooling load was quantitatively evaluated to demonstrate its feasibility and effectiveness. The primary goal of this paper is to provide a quantitative assessment of the cooling-energy savings potential by using the proposed new wall system. The intended retrofitting targets are the large amount of existing cavity-wall buildings located in hot climate regions. The quantification of the before-after heat-flux reduction was conducted through a 3-dimensional steady-state low turbulence computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, which is validated by benchmarking its prediction against the published experimental case results. The outcomes of the investigation suggest that this simple low-cost solution has great potentials in reducing buildings’ summer cooling load in hot climate regions. The applicability of this solution is not limited to retrofitting existing buildings. New energy-efficient building designs can also adopt this solution in their envelope systems.
Explaining the Gamma-Ray Burst Epeak Distribution

The characteristic photon energy for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), Epeak, has a remarkably narrow distribution for bursts of similar peak flux, with values between 150 and 600 keV for most faint bursts. This result is surprising within the framework of internal shock models, since spectral shifts associated with the jet's blueshift (by a Lorentz factor of Γ) and the cosmological redshift (by a factor of 1 + z) should cause substantial smearing in the distribution of the spectral peak in the jet's comoving frame, Erest. For the general case where the luminosity (L) varies as ΓN and Erest varies as ΓM, the observed Epeak will vary as L(M+1)/N(1 + z)-1. For two independent sets of 20 and 84 bursts, Epeak(1 + z) varies as a power law of the luminosity with an index of (M + 1)/N = 0.36 ± 0.03. With this measured value, the above functional dependence of Epeak on L and z results in Epeak being roughly constant for bursts of similar peak flux, P256. Thus, the kinematic smearing will be small, hence allowing the Epeak distribution to be narrow. This model also predicts that bright bursts will have high Epeak-values because they all have some combination of high luminosity (and hence a large blueshift Γ) and a nearby distance (and hence a small cosmological redshift). Quantitatively, Epeak should vary roughly as P, and this model prediction is strikingly confirmed with BATSE data by Mallozzi et al. A prediction of this model is that GRBs at very high redshift (z ~ 10) should all appear with Epeak at ≈200 keV. A further prediction of this model is that normal bursts with P256 below the BATSE trigger threshold will appear as X-ray flashes with Epeak ≈ 70 keV, just as is reported by Kippen et al. and Heise et al.
Use of seven types of medical jargon by male and female primary care providers at a university health center.

Abstract Objectives The purposes of this study were to investigate extent and type of jargon use among primary care providers at a university health center, to evaluate the association of jargon use with patient outcomes, and to identify differences in jargon use between male and female providers. Method The study employed a causal comparative design. Audio recordings of 87 primary care interviews were transcribed and coded using Pitt and Hendrickson's seven-category medical jargon classification framework. Results Nearly 80% of appointments included at least one instance of unexplained jargon, with an average of more than four uses of jargon per visit. The most frequently used types of jargon were technical terminology and medical vernacular. Acronyms and abbreviations, medicalized English, and unnecessary synonyms were also regularly used. Just under half of distinct jargon terms were explained. Male providers used nearly 50% more jargon per minute than female providers, and they used more technical jargon than did their female colleagues. However, they explained that jargon just as frequently as female providers. Conclusions Whereas previous studies have frequently limited the operational definition of jargon to two or three types, the comprehensive typology proposed by Pitt and Hendrickson provides a useful tool for identifying a wide range of jargon usage. Future research should examine the outcomes of this range of jargon types in more varied, less educated patient populations, and across different types of healthcare providers. Practice implications With jargon used on average more than once every four minutes in our sample, and only half of jargon terms explained, medical jargon may be more of a problem even in primary care contexts than providers themselves realize. Male providers especially may want to make efforts to become more conscious of their jargon use and take care to explain terms, in an effort to facilitate more effective patient-provider communication and improved patient outcomes.
Robust Stabilization in the Gap Metric

This paper presents a brief overview of certain recent results on the application of the gap metric to robust stabilization of feedback systems. A detailed exposition of this work is reported in [8] – [11]. Here we present an explicit formula for the radius of gap ball uncertainty that a feedback system can tolerate, and we give a solution to the problem of robustness optimization in the gap metric. We also address the problem of robust stabilization under simultaneous plant and controller uncertainty. Finally we discuss an example of an infinite dimensional (delay) system and we give an explicit closed form expression for the optimally robust controller with respect to gap ball uncertainty.
Occupational ATV-related injuries in Washington State's agricultural industry, 2004–2008

Background All-terrain vehicles (ATV) are used in many work applications and are associated with work-related injury and deaths. Objective To describe injuries and WC costs among agriculture workers hurt using ATVs at work. Methods Washington (WA) State Workers’ Compensation (WC) State Fund data (2004–2008) were used to identify suspected ATV injury claims; medical records were reviewed for work-related ATV injury. Emphasis was on Crop Production-CP, Animal Production-AP, and Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry-SA workers. Results 251 claims were identified with 55% from workers in CP (109), AP (18) or SA (13). Total indemnity ($675 782) and medical ($651 496) costs represented 70% of total compensable costs incurred. Fractures were the most common (49%) injury (median medical cost ∼$5700). Nearly 37% (18) of claims identified overturn/rollover, followed by caught in/struck by ATV at 27% (13). Highest median indemnity costs were for workers who slipped/fell ($11 217) from the ATV. Highest median medical costs were to workers caught in/struck by the ATV ($10 081); this injury had the highest median number of loss days (217). The 5-year injury rate among CP/ AP workers was 57/ 100 000 FTEs. Conclusions This study is the first to describe injuries to agriculture workers using ATVs at work. Types of injuries events were similar to patterns for ATV recreational use.
The Impact of Teen Courts on Youth Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Processing juvenile offenders in the traditional justice system can lead to a range of negative consequences. As an alternative to formal criminal processing, many jurisdictions have begun to implement diversion programs for first-time or low-level offenders. This systematic review sought to summarize evidence of the effectiveness of one commonly used diversion model, Teen Courts, on outcomes for juvenile offenders. Teen Courts were defined as any intervention for youth (ages 10–17) in which the participating offenders’ peers were involved in verdict or sentencing. Final analysis included 22 studies. Among the 15 studies that assessed statistical significance of recidivism, 4 found statistically significant results favoring Teen Courts, 1 found statistically significant results favoring the traditional justice system, and 10 found null results. Most studies provided little detail regarding the structure or approach of Teen Courts under study and varied widely in research design, comparison group, and operationalization of recidivism, making it difficult to compare results. In order to inform decision-making about the use of Teen Courts, additional studies are needed that maximize internal and external validity, consider pathways of intervention effects, and examine potentially differential impacts of the program on participating youth.
UNIFYING TWO FRAMEWORKS FOR ANALYZING QUALITY AND QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR FOOD PRODUCTS

It is clear that quality and quality assurance have become more central features of international and domestic markets for food products. It is also clear that quality and quality assurance are nebulous terms and that a unified approach to analyzing them has not yet emerged. On the one hand, economic models emphasize the role of consumers’ ability to perceive quality in influencing how markets for quality work. On the other hand, marketing models emphasize a broader range of information and communication available to consumers in making quality judgments and purchase decisions. Here we propose to outline these two frameworks and then unify them in a model of quality and quality assurance that reaches from farm to table.
Excision of the Candystripe1 transposon from a hyper-mutable Y1-cs allele shows that the sorghumY1 gene controls the biosynthesis of both 3-deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins and phlobaphene pigments☆

The 3-deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins produced in sorghum leaves in response to Colletotrichum sublineolum have chemical structure similarities to the 3-deoxy flavonoids that are precursors of phlobaphene pigments. Phlobaphenes are commonly observed in the pericarp of mature sorghum grains, while synthesis of 3-deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins is a site-specific response to infection with C. sublineolum. We have taken a genetic approach to investigate the possible overlap between the two sub-branches of flavonoid biosynthesis in sorghum that lead to phlobaphenes and 3-deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins. A sorghum line with a functional y1 gene synthesizes 3-deoxyanthocyanidins as well as phlobaphenes. However, a progenitor line with the mutable Y1-candystripe (Y1-cs) allele shows variable levels of biosynthesis of these compounds. The Y1-cs allele carries a copy of the Candystripe1 (Cs1) transposable element in the y1 gene. We demonstrate here that the variability in the expression of 3-deoxyanthocyanidins produced in individual mesocotyls of hyper-mutable Y1-cs plants is a function of the activity of the y1 gene. TheCs1 insertion in the Y1-cs allele blocks y1 function, while excision of Cs1 out of they1 locus restores the gene to a functional state. The combined molecular and biochemical characterization of sibling plants confirms that the allelic state of the y1 gene is completely correlated with the production of phytoalexins in response to fungal infection. These results provide support for the idea that the y1 gene regulates the biosynthesis of both 3-deoxyanthocyanidin phytoalexins and phlobaphene pigments in sorghum.
The emerging neuroprotective role of mitochondrial uncoupling protein-2 in traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a multifaceted disease with intrinsically complex heterogeneity and remains a significant clinical challenge to manage. TBI model systems have demonstrated many mechanisms that contribute to brain parenchymal cell death, including glutamate and calcium toxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria are critically regulated by uncoupling proteins (UCP), which allow protons to leak back into the matrix and thus reduce the mitochondrial membrane potential by dissipating the proton motive force. This uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis is potentially critical for protection against cellular injury as a result of TBI and stroke. A greater understanding of the underlying mechanism or mechanisms by which uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) functions to maintain or optimize mitochondrial function, and the conditions which precipitate the failure of these mechanisms, would inform future research and treatment strategies. We posit that UCP2-mediated function underlies the physiological response to neuronal stress associated with traumatic and ischemic injury and that clinical development of UCP2-targeted treatment would significantly impact these patient populations. With a focus on clinical relevance in TBI, we synthesize current knowledge concerning UCP2 and its potential neuroprotective role and apply this body of knowledge to current and potential treatment modalities.
Bathophenanthrolene disulfonic acid and sodium dithionite effectively remove surface-bound iron from Caco-2 cell monolayers.

Iron uptake by Caco-2 cell monolayers is commonly assessed by incubating the cells under radiolabeled iron solutions, removing the radiolabeled solution, rinsing to stop uptake and measuring the radioactivity retained by the cells. It is therefore essential to differentiate between iron that is nonspecifically bound to the cell surface from that which has been taken up by the cell. We report here on a method for removal of surface-bound iron from Caco-2 cell monolayers. We used a 140 mmol/L NaCl, 10 mmol/L PIPES, pH 6.7 solution containing 5.0 mmol/L sodium dithionite (Na 2 S 2 O 4 ) and 5.0 mmol/L bathophenanthroline disulfonic acid to reduce, remove and chelate iron bound to the cell surface. We validated our method by demonstrating the removal of 97% of an insoluble iron complex from the apical surface of Caco-2 cell monolayers. Our data indicate that the removal solution does not damage the apical membrane and thereby does not have access to intracellular iron ; thus only surface bound iron is removed. The remaining cell-associated iron represents that which has been transported into the cell. We present data on the uptake and nonspecific binding of iron from iron complexes of both ferrous and ferric forms, and show that iron removal treatment resulted in uptake measurements that agree more closely with accepted principles of iron uptake by intestinal epithelium. The iron removal method used in this study should provide investigators with a valuable tool for accurately determining iron uptake by epithelial cells in culture
IDENTITY IN A SECOND‐PRICE SEALED BID AUCTION: AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION

Identity is a person's sense of self, derived from her membership in a group. Previous experimental studies have shown that people take more favorable actions toward the members of their own group (in-group favoritism). This paper proposes a simple model of identity to capture this in-group favoritism in a private-value second-price sealed bid auction and reports the result of an experiment designed to test the predictions of the model. Consistent with the predictions, the data reveal that bids and seller revenue are higher when the seller belongs to the same group as the buyers compared with when the seller belong to a different group.
Can the gist of a natural scene be extracted in crowding

Visual crowding is a deterioration of object recognition in periphery vision due to the presence of neighbored objects. Instead of being fully suppressed, recent studies have shown that crowded high-level information such as words meaning, number and facial expression gets through to conscious level in crowding (Fischer, Whitney, 2011; Huckauf, Knops, Nuerk, Willmes, 2008; Kouider, Berthet, Faivre, 2011; Peng, Zhang, Chen, Zhang, 2013; Yeh, He, Cavanagh, 2012). While it is well documented that the gist of a natural scene can be extracted rapidly (e.g., Greene & Oliva, 2009) and even without focal attention (Li, VanRullen, Koch, Perona, 2002), no study so far, to our knowledge, has investigated whether gist can be extracted in crowding. To test this, a scene categorization task was conducted. The target scene, either surrounded by four other scenes (0, 2 or 4 shared category with the target) or presented alone, appeared at three eccentricities (9°, 11°, 13°) to the left or right of the fixation for 100ms. Participants categorized whether or not the target scene belonged to a basic-level category (building, highway, forest, mountain) specified at the beginning of each block. Preliminary data showed that both hit rate and false alarm became higher as the number of category-share flankers increased, indicating a confusion of target and flankers. More importantly, crowding significantly impaired scene categorization, but even so, accuracies at all three eccentricities were higher than.71, which was significantly higher than chance level (.50). Furthermore, reaction times were not affected by the presence of nearby scenes. Taken together, the study indicates that scene gist can largely get through crowding even though its extraction is significantly impaired. Further study will examine the effects at superordinate-level (e.g., naturalness, indoor/outdoor) and with scrambled flankers. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2015. Language: en
Gaming literacies: A game design study in action

Educators and education advocates have recently acknowledged that the ability to think systemically is one of the necessary skills for success in the 21st century. Game-making is especially well-suited to encouraging meta-level refl ection on the skills and processes that designer-players use in building such systems. Membership in a community of game producers means sharing thoughts and experiences with fellow players. This ability to gain fl uency in specialist language and to translate thinking and talking about games into making and critiquing them (and vice versa) suggests that games not only teach literacy skills but support their ongoing use. Rather than imagining that education can be transformed by bringing games into the classroom, researchers should consider not only the effects of the thinking engendered by those who play, but also by those who design the play. This article offers an overview of the pedagogy and development process of Gamestar Mechanic, an RPG (Role Playing Game) style online game designed to teach players the fundamentals of game design. It will discuss some of the early results of the project, with an emphasis on the conceptual framework guiding the work, as well as the kinds of literacies and knowledge structures it is intended to support. [abstract ends]
Development and first-phase experimental prototype validation of a single-chip hybrid and reconfigurable multiprocessor signal processor system

A previously proposed parallel and scalable hybrid data/command driven architecture (HDCA) was dynamic/reconfigurable at defined "application" and "node" levels only and was to be implemented with multiple chips. The HDCA is now being developed and experimentally verified as a versatile high performance fault tolerant single-chip multiprocessor computer system-on-chip (SoC) that can execute a wide range of real-time and/or non-real-time signal processing and other applications. It is now being developed to be dynamic/reconfigurable at three levels: the "application", "node", and "processor architecture" levels. A three-phase final prototype development process is being utilized for a complete HDCA SoC. Each phase includes addition and validation of functionality to allow the architecture to be fully dynamic/reconfigurable, in sequence, at the application, node, and processor architecture levels. Experimental hardware prototype testing results are shown for a first-phase prototype of the HDCA. Experimental hardware prototype testing results illustrate that the single-chip first-phase HDCA prototype is able to achieve its functional goal of being able to correctly execute, in a parallel manner, applications described by process flow graphs of different topologies using a heterogeneous mix of processors.
Composing analysis patterns to build complex models: flight reservation

In previous work we developed the concept of Semantic Analysis Patterns (SAPs). SAPs are mini-applications realizing a few use cases selected so as to make them as generic as possible. One of the objectives of this approach is to make SAPs convenient for inexperienced modelers to build complex object-oriented concept models. In this paper we show the use of SAPs to build complex analysis patterns from the combination of simpler patterns. We also claim that this approach provides models that are also extensible and reusable. We present here a case study (a flight reservation system) that illustrates how SAPs can be composed to build complex models in a convenient way. In developing our set of patterns we created one pattern and specialized some existing patterns in the context of flight reservations. These patterns provide a common structure that has to be present in any flight reservation system, but they can also be of independent value.
Real-time simulation for active and reactive power control of doubly fed induction generator

In this paper real-time modeling and simulation of complete closed loop control of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) for wind generation system is presented. Decoupled active power and reactive power control of DFIG is realized using the flux oriented vector control. Inner and outer loop controller at rotor side and the grid side converter is presented for the closed loop control of the DFIG using real-time digital simulator. The simulation is carried on OPAL-RT digital simulator which is based on RT-LAB platform with the models build in Simulink. Further full closed loop models are evaluated in an experimental test bed for the step response of active and reactive power (P and Q) change. The real-time modeling and evaluation shows the capability of fully closed loop control and has greater impact on real-world applications.
Effect of anesthetic doses of γ-hydroxybutyrate on the acetylcholine content of rat brain

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate administered in anesthetic doses produces a time dependent increase in the levels of rat brain acetylcholine. A maximal increase in whole brain and subcortical levels of acetylcholine is observed about 15 min after administration of the lactone form of the drug. A similar GHB-induced increase in acetylcholine is observed in the striatum and a 75% increase in the hippocampus 15 min after administration of the drug. A good temporal correlation was not obtained between the increase in acetylcholine and the depth of anesthesia produced by the drug. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate did not cause a significant change in the striatal or hippocampal levels of choline. Possible mechanisms involved in the production of this increase in acetylcholine are discussed.
Hyperactive Children and Peer Interaction: Knowledge and Performance of Social Skills

This study investigated hyperactive children's peer relations using the framework of social skills theory. Subjects' (15 hyperactive and 15 control boys aged 7 through 11) knowledge of socially appropriate behavior was assessed using the Social Knowledge Interview (Geraci & Asher, 1980). Additionally, performance of social skills with peers was rated by independent judges during free play, a cooperative puzzle task, and a persuasion task. Peers also rated subjects' desirability as partners for work, play, and friendship. Analyses showed that hyperactive subjects had deficits in knowledge of how to maintain relationships and handle interpersonal conflict, and demonstrated more negative behavior in the cooperative puzzle task than did controls. Hyperactive subjects also were rated by judges as less likely to achieve academic success than controls and were rated by peers as less desirable potential work partners in school. Significant correlations between social knowledge and performance with peers were found. It was concluded that hyperactive boys exhibit deficits both in their social knowledge and in their performance of socially skilled behavior.
Problems of Cost-Recovery in Development Projects: Experience of The Lusaka Squatter Upgrading and Site/Service Project

This paper analyzes the problem of cost-recovery from participants in a major squatter upgrading and site/service project in Lusaka, Zambia. It evaluates the project with respect to five requirements, the fulfillment of which is suggested as necessary for achieving a satisfactory rate of re-payment: (i) the project must be affordable; (ii) the participants must understand the nature of their financial obligation; (iii) the system of collection of payment must be efficient; (iv) incentives and sanctions must be adequate and appropriate; and (v) there must be consistent political support for cost-recovery. The evaluation indicates that though the Lusaka project was affordable by most of the participants, it did not fulfill the four other requirements. The paper concludes with additional guidelines for the design of future projects.
Enhancing public participation through visualization technologies: Mountaintop removal as a case study

This paper identities the potential value that geospatial technologies such as Google Maps and Google Earth may offer for public advocacy groups. Using mountaintop removal as a case study, this paper outlines the means by which geospatial technologies can be used to contest official and industry claims of sustainability while also offering alternative understandings of sustainability. This paper also advances a call to recognize the significance of the “spatial turn” to communication studies and to develop a line of inquiry that responds to the growing use of interactive geospatial and visualization technologies.
Outpatient Follow-Up Visits and Readmission in Medically Complex Children Enrolled in Medicaid

Objective To examine the association between postdischarge outpatient follow-up and 30-day readmissions in Medicaid enrolled children with complex, chronic conditions. Study design This was a retrospective cohort analysis of Colorado Medicaid recipients with complex, chronic conditions who were discharged from the hospital between 2006 and 2008. The primary outcome was readmission between 4 and 30 days after index hospital discharge. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the association between early postdischarge outpatient visits (≤3 days postdischarge) and readmission. We secondarily analyzed the relationship between any outpatient visit from 4 to 29 days of index discharge and readmission. Results For the 2415 patients with complex, chronic conditions included in the analysis, the 4- to 30-day readmission rate was 6.3%. The odds of readmission was significantly greater for patients with ≥1 outpatient visit ≤3 days after discharge compared with patients without a visit ≤3 days after discharge (aOR 1.7 [1.1-2.4]). The odds of readmission were significantly lower for patients with ≥1 outpatient visit from 4 to 29 days after discharge compared with patients without such visits (aOR 0.5 [0.3-0.7]). Other factors associated with readmission included index hospital length of stay and number of complex, chronic conditions. Conclusions In medically complex children, there is a positive association between early postdischarge outpatient follow-up and readmission. There is an inverse association between later postdischarge outpatient follow-up and readmission. Outpatient follow-up occurring within 4-29 days after discharge may help to prevent 30-day readmissions. Additional research is needed to inform guidelines regarding longer term postdischarge outpatient follow-up in these children.
Approximate Derivation of Critical Buckling Load

This paper proposes an approximate derivation for the critical buckling load of a column, based on the application of a uniformly loaded beam's midspan moment and deflection to the buckled column's rotational equilibrium. The curvature of a pin-ended member, when it buckles under axial load, is similar to the curvature assumed by the same member when it deflects under a uniformly distributed load applied transversely along its entire length. Euler's famous equation for critical buckling load is based, of course, on the former assumption, in which the deflected column assumes the shape of a sine curve. However, dividing a uniformly loaded beam's midspan moment by its deflection provides a conservative result for the critical buckling load, within 3% of Euler's value, that can be derived solely on the basis of these commonly used beam equations.
Kinetics of unfolding of proteins on hydrophobic surfaces in reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

Abstract As a continuation of previous studies, we present in this paper measurements on the kinetics of denaturation of papain, soybean trypsin inhibitor and lysozyme on n-butyl-bonded silica gel surfaces used in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). In all cases, native and denatured peaks widely separated from one another are observed. The rate constants for denaturation or unfolding are determined by the measurement of the peak area of the native protein as a function of the incubation time that the species spends on the bonded-phase surface. The results reveal that a slow denaturation step occurs with a half-life of ca. 15 min. In addition, studies of denaturation as a function of the amount of 1-propanol in the initial mobile phase suggest an additional unfolding step when the protein comes in contact with the bonded-phase surface. The extent of this latter step decreases as the concentration of 1-propanol increases, further suggesting that 1-propanol sorption on the bonded stationary phase may play a role in this behavior. Other studies are conducted with α-chymotrypsinogen, in which injection is made after the start of the gradient. The extent of denaturation is observed to be a function of the organic modifier employed. The results of this paper provide insight into the denaturation process in RPLC and suggest approaches to minimize this behavior.
Synthetic workload performance analysis of incremental updates

Declining disk and CPU costs have kindled a renewed interest in efficient document indexing techniques. In this paper, the problem of incremental updates of inverted lists is addressed using a dual-structure index data structure that dynamically separates long and short inverted lists and optimizes the retrieval, update, and storage of each type of list. The behavior of this index is studied with the use of a synthetically-generated document collection and a simulation model of the algorithm. The index structure is shown to support rapid insertion of documents, fast queries, and to scale well to large document collections and many disks.
It's a Contradiction -- no, it's not: A Case Study using Functional Relations

Contradiction Detection (CD) in text is a difficult NLP task. We investigate CD over functions (e.g., BornIn(Person)=Place), and present a domain-independent algorithm that automatically discovers phrases denoting functions with high precision. Previous work on CD has investigated hand-chosen sentence pairs. In contrast, we automatically harvested from the Web pairs of sentences that appear contradictory, but were surprised to find that most pairs are in fact consistent. For example, "Mozart was born in Salzburg" does not contradict "Mozart was born in Austria" despite the functional nature of the phrase "was born in". We show that background knowledge about meronyms (e.g., Salzburg is in Austria), synonyms, functions, and more is essential for success in the CD task.
The development partner

Outlines a product definition process which has proved to be successful with the Queensferry Telecom Operation within Hewlett Packard. The process involves two levels of customer relationship – one classed as “development partners” – and the rest as “other” customers. The development partners directly influence a new product definition with supporting information drawn from the other customers and the market competition. The other customers′ needs are addressed after product launch as part of a follow‐on programme of incremental development.
Optimum mixing of gyroscope and star tracker data.

The problem of optimum utilization of star tracker data to monitor and correct for the drift of a gyro-stabilized orientational reference platform is addressed using minimum variance estimation theory. The system configuration is arranged to make the drift compensation problem independent of base motion isolation errors or the dynamics of the platform servo drive system. A complete analytic solution to the problem is given with star tracker errors modeled as wide-band noise and gyro drift rate modeled as a random walk. The time histories of the required system gains and the error variances are calculated and plotted for the case of no prior information regarding gyro drift rate or orientational error, and for the case of no prior information on orientational error but steady-state knowledge of gyro drift rate due to previous star tracking. These results should be useful as a guide to the design of stellaraided inertial platforms and as a reference against which to compare their performance.
Laboratory measurements of the association rate coefficients of NO+, O+2, N+, and N+2 ions with N2 and CO2 at temperatures between 100 k and 400 k

Abstract Rate coefficients for the association reactions of NO+ ions with N2 and CO2, O2+ with N2, and N+ and N2+ with N2 have been determined as a function of gas temperature in a laboratory experiment employing a variable-temperature drift-tube apparatus. The measured rate coefficients were fitted to power laws of the form k = C ( T 300 ) x where the exponents x ranged from 2.2 to 4.3. The strong temperature dependence observed in the case of the reaction of NO+ with N2 (x = 4.3) supports the thesis by Arnold et al. (1979) that the temperature variability of D-region ion densities is a result of this reaction step in the ion clustering sequence.