cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The birth of a word

A hallmark of a child's first two years of life is their entry into language, from first productive word use around 12 months of age to the emergence of combinatorial speech in their second year. What is the nature of early language development and how is it shaped by everyday experience? This work builds from the ground up to study early word learning, characterizing vocabulary growth and its relation to the child's environment. Our study is guided" by the idea that the natural activities and social structures of daily life provide helpful learning constraints. We study this through analysis of the largest-ever corpus of one child's everyday experience at home. Through the Human Speechome Project, the home of a family with a young child was outfitted with a custom audio-video recording system, capturing more than 200,000 hours of audio and video of daily life from birth to age three. The annotated subset of this data spans the child's 9-24 month age range and contains more than 8 million words of transcribed speech, constituting a detailed record of both the child's input and linguistic development. Such a comprehensive, naturalistic dataset presents new research opportunities but also requires new analysis approaches—questions must be operationalized to leverage the full scale of the data. We begin with the task of speech 'transcription, then identify "word births"—the child's first use of each word in his vocabulary. Vocabulary growth accelerates and then shows a surprising deceleration that coincides with an increase in combinatorial speech. The vocabulary growth timeline provides a means to 888eB8 the environmental contributions to word learning, beginning with aspects of caregiver input speech. But language is tied to everyday activity, and we investigate how spatial and activity contexts relate to word learning. Activity contexts, such as "mealtime", are identified manually and with probabilistic methods that can scale to large datasets. These new nonlinguistic variables are predictive of when words are learned and are complementary to more traditionally studied linguistic measures. Characterizing word learning and assessing natural input variables can lead to new insights on fundamental learning mechanisms. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, libraries.mit.edu/docs - [email protected])
Concurrent use of parallel communication to enable remote visualization

Visualization of scientific data is the subject of much recent research. The computational power needed to produce animated sequences in near real time is great and, while not locally available to many research facilities, can be provided remotely. Significant bandwidth is required to deliver animated images in real time, and is normally not available without dedicated network lines. This paper investigates the requirements needed to deliver remotely computed data via multiple, existing networks, used in parallel. The authors present a first order estimation of the protocol processing required to reliably transmit the images, and simulation results showing expected throughput available under several communication and network management policies. >
Road lane marker extraction by motion-detector CNNs

This paper describes an application of motion-detector CNN (cellular nonlinear/neural networks) to road lane-marker extraction for automobile position assessment. We assume that an automated vehicle drives down a freeway by tracking lane markers. A vehicle vision system, while taking road snapshots, needs to extract lane marker information from sequential road images. This feature-extraction task requires fast image processing to timely adjust vehicle heading under changing road conditions. Since the CNN has been employed for a variety of image processing, we have tested a motion-detector CNN for the lane-marker extraction. We shall demonstrate the power of the motion-detector CNN and present its current limitations, as well as its promising possibilities. We believe this application example may help pave the way for future autonomous vehicle control.
Multimodality Imaging of an Unusual Case of Right Ventricular Lipoma

A 57-year-old man presented with mild dyspnea and fatigue on exertion. He had a history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The results of the physical examination were normal, with the exception of a grade II ejection systolic murmur over the aortic area. ECG showed normal sinus rhythm. An echocardiogram was performed for evaluation of cardiac murmur. Transthoracic echocardiogram showed a bicuspid aortic valve, with mild aortic stenosis (peak gradient, 16 mm Hg), but no regurgitation. Cardiac function was normal. Incidentally, an echogenic mass measuring 4.0×2.5 cm was seen adherent to the right ventricular (RV) free wall and RV outflow tract (Figure 1 and Movie I in the online-only Data Supplement). Figure 1. Parasternal long-axis view of the echocardiogram shows an echogenic mass (straight arrow) adherent to the RV free wall and RV …
Totalitarianism: Last Years of a Resister in the Diocese of Berlin: Bernhard Lichtenberg's Conflict with Karl Adam and his Fateful Imprisonment

Among the priests of the diocese of Berlin who lived and served as parish ministers during the Third Reich, one individual stands out for his courage and willingness to risk his life and speak the Christian truth in a world often devoid of any gospel values. Monsignor Bernhard Lichtenberg (1875–1943) surpassed the other clergy of his diocese in his conscious efforts to challenge the perverse policies of the state in a consistent, profound manner. To defend the faith against encroachment by the state, Lichtenberg not only exhibited Resistenz by creating defensive barriers through his own ministry, but also publicly protested, in a rigorous manner, state actions that he deemed immoral and contradictory to Catholic values.
Accurate and efficient unions of balls

Given a sample of points from the boundary of an object in IR 3, we construct a representation of the object as a union of balls. We use many fewer balls than previous constructions, but our shape representation is better. We bound the distance from the surface of the union to the original object surface, and show that when the sampling is sufficiently dense the two are homeomorphic. This implies a topological relationship between the true medial axis of the object and both the medial axis, and the a-shape, of the union of balls. We show that the set of ball centers in our construction converges to the true medial axis as the sampling density increases.
Benchmark calculations of reaction energies, barrier heights, and transition-state geometries for hydrogen abstraction from methanol by a hydrogen atom.

We report benchmark calculations of reaction energies, barrier heights, and transition state geometries for the reaction of CH 3 OH with H to produce CH 2 OH and H 2 . Highly accurate composite methods, such as CBS, G2, G3, G3X, G3SX, and multi-coefficient correlation methods (MCCMs) are used to calibrate lower-cost methods. We also performed single-level CCSD(T) calculations extrapolated to the infinite-basis limit based on aug-cc-pVXZ (X = 3, 4) correlation consistent basis sets. The benchmark highlevel calculations give consensus values of the forward reaction barrier height and the reaction energy of 9.7 kcal/mol and – 6.4 kcal/mol, respectively. To evaluate the accuracy of cost-efficient methods that are potentially useful for dynamics studies of the title reaction, we further include the results obtained by hybrid density-functional-theory methods and hybrid meta-density-functional-theory methods that have recently been designed for chemical kinetics. Results obtained by popular semiempirical methods are also given for comparison. Based on the benchmark gas-phase results, we suggest MCQCISD/3, MC3BB, and BB1K as reasonably accurate and affordable electronic structure methods for calculating dynamics for the title reaction.
On the construction of odd cycle systems

Three obvious necessary conditions for the existence of a k-cycle system of order n are that if n > 1 then n ⩾ k, n is odd, and 2k divides n(n − 1). We show that if these necessary conditions are sufficient for all n satisfying k ⩽ n < 3k then they are sufficient for all n. In particular, there exists a 15-cycle system of order n if and only if n ≡ 1, 15, 21, or 25 (mod 30), and there exists a 21-cycle system of order n if and only if n ≡ 1, 7, 15, or 21 (mod 42), n ≠ 7. 15.
Enhancing database correctness: a statistical approach

In this paper, we introduce a new type of integrity constraint, which we call a statistical constraint, and discuss its applicability to enhancing database correctness. Statistical constraints manifest embedded relationships among current attribute values in the database and are characterized by their probabilistic nature. They can be used to detect potential errors not easily detected by the conventional constraints. Methods for extracting statistical constraints from a relation and enforcement of such constraints are described. Preliminary performance evaluation of enforcing statistical constraints on a real life database is also presented.
Entrainment and synchrony of relaxation oscillations

We study relaxation oscillators which consist of a relay with negative integral feedback. For such a system analytic expressions can be derived for the range of period and amplitude of a driving signal for which entrainment is attained. Feedback interconnection of two such relay oscillators and the possibility of their mutual entrainment is considered. We note the possibility of synchrony in lattices of such oscillators.
Accounting Capstone Course Design: Using The Internet To Modernize A Graduate Accounting Capstone Course

This second paper describes how the Internet was used to modernize a graduate accounting capstone course to enhance student interest and learning, and is an extension of an earlier paper that examined a similar approach with an undergraduate accounting capstone course. Course content was developed from contemporary issues and cases obtained from the Internet. Benefits, drawbacks, and feedback from students who completed the updated course are presented as a basis for future study. The concepts and techniques presented in this analysis can easily be applied to capstone courses in other disciplines.
Host-Feeding Patterns of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Relation to Availability of Human and Domestic Animals in Suburban Landscapes of Central North Carolina

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) is a major nuisance mosquito and a potential arbovirus vector. The host-feeding patterns of Ae. albopictus were investigated during the 2002 and 2003 mosquito seasons in suburban neighborhoods in Wake County, Raleigh, NC. Hosts of blood-fed Ae. albopictus (n = 1,094) were identified with an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, by using antisera made in New Zealand White rabbits to the sera of animals that would commonly occur in peridomestic habitats. Ae. albopictus fed predominantly on mammalian hosts (83%). Common mammalian hosts included humans (24%), cats (21%), and dogs (14%). However, a notable proportion (7%) of bloodmeals also was taken from avian hosts. Some bloodmeals taken from birds were identified to species by a polymerase chain reaction-heteroduplex assay (PCR-HDA). Ae. albopictus fed predominantly on chickens and a northern cardinal. PCR-HDA failed to produce detectable products for 29 (58%) of 50 bloodmeals for which DNA had been amplified, indicating that these mosquitoes took mixed bloodmeals from avian and nonavian hosts. Ae. albopictus preference for humans, dogs, and cats was determined by calculating host-feeding indices for the three host pairs based on the proportion of host specific blood-fed mosquitoes collected in relation to the number of specific hosts per residence as established by a door-to-door survey conducted in 2003. Estimates of the average amount of time that residents and their pets (cats and dogs) spent out of doors were obtained. Host-feeding indices based only on host abundance indicated that Ae. albopictus was more likely to feed on domestic animals. However, when feeding indices were time-weighted, Ae. albopictus fed preferentially upon humans. Ae. albopictus blood feeding on humans was investigated using a STR/PCR-DNA profiling technique that involved amplification of three short tandem repeats loci. Of 40 human bloodmeals, 32 (80%) were from a single human, whereas eight (20%) were multiple bloodmeals taken from more than one human host. We conclude that the blood-feeding preference of Ae. albopictus for mammals will limit acquisition of arboviruses by this species from infected avian amplification hosts. This feeding preference likely limits the vector potential of Ae. albopictus for North American arboviruses.
Diastolic dysfunction: Pathogenesis, therapy and the importance of Doppler echocardiography

Diastolic dysfunction is characterized by increased resistance to ventricular filling, inappropriate upward shift of the diastolic pressure-volume relationship and exercise intolerance. Inappropriate tachycardia, decreased diastolic compliance and impaired systolic relaxation lead to diastolic dysfunction. Optimal therapy will depend on the type and pathophysiologic phase of disease. Doppler echocardiography is a valuable tool to diagnose diastolic dysfunction and therapeutic effects of drugs on diastolic function in different groups of patients. Recently a lot of studies have been going on this subject.
Substitution of peanut skins for soybean hulls in steer finishing diets containing recommended and elevated crude protein levels.

A steer finishing trial was conducted to study the substitution of peanut skins (PS) for soybean hulls ( S H ) when included at three levels (0, 7.5, or 15%) in diets containing recommended (10.5% = RP) or elevated (15.5% = HP) levels of CP. Average daily gain, DMI, and gain:feed ratios decreased linearly (P < .01) when steers were fed RP and increasing levels of PS. Average daily gain and DMI increased linearly (P < .05) when steers were fed HP and increasing levels of PS. Carcass quality grades were greater (P < .05) for steers fed the HP-15% PS diet than for steers fed either the RP-15% SH or HP- 15% SH diets. Ruminal fluid ammonia concentrations were greater (P c .05) for HP diets and decreased linearly ( P < .05) with increasing levels of PS at both RP and HP. Nutrient fractions of the HP diets were more ( P < .05) digestible for CF, NDF, and ADF than for the RP diets. In general, the HP-7.5% SHiPS diet was more digestible than the other diets in the comparison. When SH are fed as 15% of the diet, PS can be substituted for SH up to 7.5% of the diet at RP levels and can be used to completely replace SH at HP levels.
Abstract T P81: Long-Term Activity Levels Vary by Rat Strain Following Stroke: A Disruption of the Circadian Rhythm?

Background: Assessment of long-term behavioral outcome after experimental cerebral ischemia is important for evaluating potential therapeutic interventions. In this study, we explored strain related differences in baseline behavior and in response to stroke. Methods: Spontaneous cage activity was monitored (cm moved per hr) and analyzed before and after 2 hour middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in male Lewis, Wistar, and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats using the Noldus PhenoTyper® cages and EthoVision® Software system. Stroke severity was assessed using the neuroscore, foot fault errors, and performance on the rotarod. Infarct volume at 24 hours was determined in a second cohort of animals. Animals were sacrificed 56 days after MCAO. Data are analyzed using non-parametric statistics. Results: Prior to stroke, the median distance moved per hour during the dark was similar among the 3 strains, but Lewis rats were more active during the light cycle (P=0.001). Neuroscores did not differ between strains at 3 hrs after MCAO nor did infarct volumes at 24 hours after MCAO. Lewis rats, however, performed worse on the rotarod in the month following MCAO (P<0.05 at each time point). Foot fault errors were similar throughout the study period. After stroke, Lewis rats became more active during the dark cycle while Wistar and SD rats became more active during the light cycle (Figure). Summary: The 3 strains of rats evaluated in this study had different patterns in the change in activity after MCAO. Lewis rats showed an increase in activity during the dark cycle while Wistar and SD rats showed an increase in activity during the light cycle. This observation suggests that there are genetic differences in the response to stroke that may alter the circadian rhythm after stroke. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Rare time series motif discovery from unbounded streams

The detection of time series motifs, which are approximately repeated subsequences in time series streams, has been shown to have great utility as a subroutine in many higher-level data mining algorithms. However, this detection becomes much harder in cases where the motifs of interest are vanishingly rare or when faced with a never-ending stream of data. In this work we investigate algorithms to find such rare motifs. We demonstrate that under reasonable assumptions we must abandon any hope of an exact solution to the motif problem as it is normally defined; however, we introduce algorithms that allow us to solve the underlying problem with high probability.
Seasonal Changes in Interior Egg Quality of Single Comb White Leghorn Hens

Abstract CONSIDERABLE effort has been expended in recent years to discover just what quality is in reference to the contents of an egg, to set up and to standardize ways of improving and maintaining it at a high level. But there has been little work to show differences in the initial quality of eggs, as determined by present day measures, that occur with season. Parker, Grossman and Lippincott (1926) concluded that there is no seasonal effect on the color of the yolks of eggs. Almquist (1933) states that, “eggs are not all ‘created equal’ or, if they are, they do not long remain so. Initial quality and keeping quality may vary greatly from egg to egg, but are found to vary to a relatively small extent in eggs from the same hen.” This paper considers the seasonal changes in the interior quality of eggs laid by a flock of S.C. White . . .
Enhanced learning of natural visual sequences in newborn chicks.

To what extent are newborn brains designed to operate over natural visual input? To address this question, we used a high-throughput controlled-rearing method to examine whether newborn chicks (Gallus gallus) show enhanced learning of natural visual sequences at the onset of vision. We took the same set of images and grouped them into either natural sequences (i.e., sequences showing different viewpoints of the same real-world object) or unnatural sequences (i.e., sequences showing different images of different real-world objects). When raised in virtual worlds containing natural sequences, newborn chicks developed the ability to recognize familiar images of objects. Conversely, when raised in virtual worlds containing unnatural sequences, newborn chicks' object recognition abilities were severely impaired. In fact, the majority of the chicks raised with the unnatural sequences failed to recognize familiar images of objects despite acquiring over 100 h of visual experience with those images. Thus, newborn chicks show enhanced learning of natural visual sequences at the onset of vision. These results indicate that newborn brains are designed to operate over natural visual input.
Analysis of Shigella strains isolated from Wuhan(2010)

Objective To understand the biochemical serology typing,drug sensitivity and distribution of the virulence genes of Shigella,which was the pathogenic bacterium of bacillary dysentery of Wuhan in 2010.Methods According to the national surveillance program of bacillary dysentery,separation and identification of pathogenic and bacterium drug sensitive test were performed.Polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was used to detect 7 related virulence genes of Shigella.Results During the surveillance period in 2010,15 shigella strains were isolated,among them,12 were Flenner,3 were Sonne.Drug sensitivity test showed that Shigella-sensitive drugs were: amoxicillin(66.7%),norfloxacin(73.3%),ciprofloxacin(60%).All are resistant to rifampin(100%),ampicillin(100%),nalidixic acid(100%).The positive rates of ipaH,ial,virA and sen genes were 100%,73.3%,73.3%and 73.3% respectively.The setlA and setlB were only detected in S.flexneri strains.Conclusions Most of the pathogenic bacterium in bacillary dysentery was S.sonnei in Wuhan in 2010.Drug resistance has become increasingly serious in these years.The mode of virulence genes carried by Shigella was rather simple.
Smoking, weight change, and age: a longitudinal analysis.

This study examined a cohort of healthy white veterans during a five-year period in order to determine the effects of age and of change in smoking status on change in body weight. In general, regardless of age cohort, a greater number of excigarette smokers gained weight, more weight than did other men. However, excigarette smokers between the ages of 40 and 54 years old showed a substantial weight gain when, according to National Health Survey statistics, men in that age span normally gain little weight. While both chronological age and cigarette smoking change were significantly related to weight change, together they accounted for only 7.5% of the variance in weight change, suggesting the importance of other factors in explaining the weight change over a five-year period.
Bioenergy and Breast Cancer: A Report on Tumor Growth and Metastasis

As many as 80% of the 296,000 women and 2,240 men diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States will seek out complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments. One such therapy is Healing Touch (HT), recognized by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) as a treatment modality. Using a multiple experimental groups design, fifty-six six- to eight-week-old Balb/c mice were injected with 4T1 breast cancer tumor cells and randomly divided into intervention and positive control groups. Five days after tumor cell injection, mice in the intervention groups received HT either daily or every other day for 10 minutes by one HT practitioner. At 15 days after tumor cell injection, tumor size was measured, and metastasis was evaluated by a medical pathologist after necropsy. Tumor size did not differ significantly among the groups (F(3,52) = 0.75, p value = 0.53). The presence of metastasis did not differ across groups (chi-square(3) = 3.902, p = 0.272) or when compared within an organ (liver: chi-square(3) = 2.507, p = 0.474; lungs: chi-square(3) = 3.804, p = 0.283; spleen: chi-square(3) = 0.595, p = 0.898). However, these results did indicate a moderate, though insignificant, positive impact of HT and highlight the need for continued research into dose, length of treatment, and measurable outcomes (tumor size, metastasis) to provide evidence to suggest application for nursing care.
Sorption-Enhanced Variable-Volume Batch–Membrane Steam Methane Reforming at Low Temperature: Experimental Demonstration and Kinetic Modeling

To meet the stringent requirements of distributed hydrogen production, combined reaction–separation approaches to the endothermic steam methane reforming process have been investigated widely as a potential means to reduce the required reaction temperature, ratio of steam to methane in the fuel (or steam to carbon ratio), and number of sequential unit operation steps. CHAMP-SORB (CO2/H2 active membrane piston reactor in combination with in situ CO2 adsorption) is a new reactor technology for distributed hydrogen production from methane that incorporates both a hydrogen-selective membrane and CO2 adsorption into a variable volume batch operation using a four-stroke cycle. Active control of the reactor volume, and hence pressure, in combination with continuous removal of both reaction products allows CHAMP-SORB to circumvent the equilibrium limitations of the steam methane reforming (SMR) reaction, which otherwise limit fuel conversion, especially at temperatures below 500 °C with a stoichiometric fuel mixt...
Cyclooxygenase-2 Mediated Oxidation of 2-Arachidonoyl-Lysophospholipids Identifies Unknown Lipid Signaling Pathways

Summary Eicosanoid lipids play important roles in cellular signaling as second messengers in inflammation, immune response, vascular tone, and the CNS. Biosynthesis of eicosanoid lipids proceeds via hydrolysis of esterified arachidonic acid from phospholipids followed by oxidation of the released arachidonic acid by a variety of enzymes including cyclooxygenases (COX). Herein, we demonstrate the remarkable ability of COX-2, but not COX-1, to directly oxidize 2-arachidonoyl-lysolipids, resulting in the generation of previously unknown classes of eicosanoid-lysolipids, and provide evidence that intracellular lipases can release eicosanoids from their eicosanoid-lysolipid precursors. Importantly, genetic ablation of a phospholipase, iPLA 2 γ, significantly reduced the amounts of these eicosanoid-lysolipids in murine hepatic tissue and fibroblasts. Furthermore, calcium stimulation of wild-type murine lung fibroblasts produced robust increases in these eicosanoid-lysolipids, which were markedly attenuated in iPLA 2 γ −/− fibroblasts. Collectively, these results identify an iPLA 2 γ-initiated pathway generating new classes of lipid metabolites with potential signaling functions resulting from the direct COX-2 catalyzed oxidation of 2-arachidonoyl-lysolipids.
Perception of symmetry and asymmetry in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Abstract Background Changes in the quantity, quality and integration of sensory information are thought to persist long after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and completion of physical therapy. Our purpose was to investigate the ability of individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction to perceive imposed asymmetry and symmetry while walking. Methods Twenty participants with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and 20 controls walked on a split-belt treadmill while we assessed the ability to detect symmetry and asymmetry at fast and slow speeds. Detection scores and spatiotemporal data during asymmetric and symmetric tasks in which the belts were coupled or decoupled over time were recorded. Findings The ability to detect symmetry and asymmetry was not altered in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction compared to healthy young adults. The belt-speed ratio at detection also correlated to asymmetry for step length, stride length, double support time, and stance time. However, the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction group appeared to utilize unique information to determine detection. When asked to detect symmetry at a fast speed, no asymmetry scores significantly correlated with belt-speed ratio in the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction group. Conversely, asymmetry in stride length, step length, and stance time all significantly correlated with belt-speed ratio at detection in the control group. Interpretation S pecific sensory cues arising from the speed of the leg may also augment perception of symmetry. This strategy may be necessary in order to successfully execute the motor task, and could develop due to altered sensory information from the reconstructed knee at faster walking speeds.
Sexy vs. Sporty: The Effects of Viewing Media Images of Athletes on Self-Objectification in College Students

The goal of the current study was to replicate and extend prior research on the impact of media images of athletes on women and men. We used an experimental design to investigate the effects of viewing sexualized or performance images of athletes on viewers’ self-objectification and physicality, as well as to explore moderators of these relationships. Participants (227 women, 193 men U.S. undergraduates) viewed either performance images or sexualized images of the same athletes, and then they completed measures of self-objectification, engagement with professional athletes, and self-reported participation in conversations with peers focused on appearance. For both men and women, viewing sexualized images increased self-objectification, whereas viewing performance images increased physicality self-descriptors. For women only, reporting peer appearance conversations increased their self-objectification but only after viewing sexualized images. These results highlight the potentially negative effects of sexualized media on both men and women, and they suggest that the prevalence of these images in popular media are problematic.
Viscosity and Conductivity Tunable Diode-like Behavior for Meso- and Micropores

Rectifying pores, which transport ions mainly in one direction blocking the ionic flow in the other, were shown to be important in the preparation of chemical sensors, components of ionic circuits, and mimics of biological channels. Ionic rectification has been shown with various engineered systems, but pores with similar opening diameters often rectify to a various uncontrolled extent. In this Letter we present a system of single meso-pores, whose current–voltage curves and rectification can be tuned with great precision via viscosity and conductivity gradients of solutions placed on both sides of the membrane. The mechanism of rectification is based on electroosmotically induced flow, which fills the entire volume of the pore with a single solution from either side of the membrane. The highly predictable rectifying system can find various applications, including measuring viscosity of unknown media and tuning electrokinetic passage of particles.
Recovery high schools: Effect of schools supporting recovery from substance use disorders

ABSTRACTBackground: Recovery high schools (RHSs) provide post-treatment education and recovery support for young people with substance use disorders (SUDs). This is the first quasi-experimental outcome study to determine RHS effectiveness relative to students in non-RHSs. Objectives: To examine effects of RHS attendance on academic and substance use outcomes among adolescents treated for SUDs 6 months after recruitment to the study. Methods: A quasi-experimental design comparing outcomes for adolescents with treated SUDs who attended RHSs for at least 28 days versus a propensity-score balanced sample of students with treated SUDs who did not attend RHSs. The sample included 194 adolescents (134 in RHSs, 60 in non-RHSs) enrolled in Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Texas schools (M age = 16; 86% White; 49% female). Multilevel linear regression models were used to examine the effect of RHS attendance on students’ outcomes, after adjusting for a range of potential confounders. Results: Adolescents attending RHSs were...
Feasibility of an anticipatory noncontact precrash restraint actuation system

The problem of providing an electronic warning of an impending crash to a precrash restraint system a fraction of a second before physical contact differs from more widely explored problems, such as providing several seconds of crash warning to a driver. One approach to precrash restraint sensing is to apply anticipatory system theory. This consists of nested simplified models of the system to be controlled and of the system`s environment. It requires sensory information to describe the ``current state`` of the system and the environment. The models use the sensory data to make a faster-than-real-time prediction about the near future. Anticipation theory is well founded but rarely used. A major problem is to extract real-time current-state information from inexpensive sensors. Providing current-state information to the nested models is the weakest element of the system. Therefore, sensors and real-time processing of sensor signals command the most attention in an assessment of system feasibility. This paper describes problem definition, potential ``showstoppers,`` and ways to overcome them. It includes experiments showing that inexpensive radar is a practical sensing element. It considers fast and inexpensive algorithms to extract information from sensor data.
Autotrophic Carbon Dioxide Fixation

Carbon dioxide fixation is overwhelmingly carried out by reactions of the Calvin-Benson cycle of plants, green algae, and cyanobacteria. Three other carbon dioxide reduction pathways are known to allow autotrophic growth, but these are mainly limited to anaerobic organisms. In this chapter the anaerobic autotrophic carbon reduction pathways are briefly described followed by a more detailed look at the Calvin-Benson cycle and its regulation. The Calvin-Benson cycle reaction sequence is similar to the non-oxidative branch of the pentose phosphate pathway although the enzyme transaldolase of the pentose phosphate pathway is not used and a novel enzymatic activity, sedoheptulose 1,7-bisphosphatase is substituted. The carbon fixation enzyme of the Calvin-Benson cycle, Rubisco, varies in its properties and is currently the subject of much research aimed at improving the efficiency of photosynthesis. Rubisco exists in three different conformations and there is also a gene coding for a related protein that does not have Rubisco activity but could be the evolutionary progenitor. The Calvin-Benson cycle is often referred to as the dark reactions of photosynthesis but it does not proceed in darkness for several reasons. In addition to providing reducing power and ATP, photosynthetic electron transport causes increased pH and magnesium in the stroma plus reducing power for thioredoxin to activate Calvin-Benson cycle enzymes and inactivate enzymes that would lead to futile cycles when Calvin-Benson cycle enzymes are active. There is a surprising regulation of phosphoglucose isomerase that can shift the regulation of the rate of starch synthesis from ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase to phosphoglucose isomerase. This may control the amount of carbon that leaves the Calvin-Benson cycle, since excessive loss of carbon from the Calvin-Benson cycle intermediates can lead to a collapse of the cycle. Finally, a recently discovered regulation mechanism based on a small protein called CP12 is discussed.
Preparation of Thin Films YBaCu(F)O with High Tc and Jc

Thin films of YBaCu(F)O were deposited on (100) SrTiO3 substrates by a three e-gun, multisubstrate, computer-controlled evaporator. Several substrate materials, including MgO, ZrO, and SrTiO3, were studied. Annealed films deposited on SrTiO3 substrates were found to be epitaxial and had the best superconducting properties. Transport measurements on the best films show a sharp resistive transition at a temperature TC(R=0) of 90 K and have critical current densities of 2.9×106 A/cm2 at 4.2 K and 5×104 A/cm2 at 77 K. X-ray diffraction studies reveal that the resulting structure has the a-axis perpendicular to the substrate. SEM micrographs show a morphology consisting of an array of orthogonal, interconnecting bars with well developed junctions. The preparation process, the effects of the substrate, and the correlation between the microstructure and the superconducting properties are discussed.
Ethics and Market Economic System: A General Review and a Survey

Recent global recession has motivated this predominantly historical and exploratory research of thoughts and perceptions. A continuous planning of governmental correction of any market failure, such as various types of externalities and information asymmetry, has been strongly recommended by the pioneers of free enterprise systems. Capitalism—in which private ownership of means of production, physical capital, human capital, financial capital, brand-name capital, social capital, land, and mineral deposits are all protected by law without implementation of a series of certain evolving ethical standards and principles—may not continue to be the same efficient system as implied to be by the cost-benefit balancing forces of free markets. Two survey instruments on perceptions of ethics (with 110 participants) and religion (with 117 different participants), influenced by observations of various events of the recent years, were given to Business and Economics students at the PhD, Master’s, and undergraduate levels to assess the perceptions of some educated and/or being-educated people about the market economic system, ethics, and religion. Ethical foundations and values are of highest concern to participants of the conducted survey.
Medical Imaging Modalities and Digital Images

Medical imaging technologies enable views of the internal structure and function of the human body. Information obtained from the various modalities can be used to diagnose abnormalities, guide therapeutic procedures, and monitor disease treatment.
Asymptomatic early acute appendicitis initiated and diagnosed during colonoscopy: A case report

Colonoscopic diagnosis of asymptomatic early acute appendicitis is exceedingly rare. Although obstruction of the lumen due to various causes is believed to be the most common physiologic mechanism of acute appendicitis, all of the previously documented cases in the literature have only shown a patent appendiceal lumen with pus flowing into the cecum. We present the case of a patient undergoing colonoscopy for colorectal cancer evaluation with no abdominal symptoms. An obstructed, swollen appendix was seen. The process was probably initiated during the colonoscopy, documenting perhaps the earliest stage of acute appendicitis for the first time. Endoscopic, CT and microscopic documentation of the case is also presented.
A 36V 48MHz JFET-Input Bipolar Operational Amplifier with 150µV Maximum Offset and Overload Supply Current Control

This paper presents a 36V JFET -input bipolar operational amplifier with an unprecedented combination of DC precision (150µV offset, 1.5 µV/°C drift) and high speed (48MHz GBW, 160V/µs slew-rate). The high slew-rate is obtained using the well-known slew-boosting method. However, conventional slew-boost circuits can cause excessive power consumption when the amplifier inputs are overloaded and the output hits the rail. Therefore, a dedicated protection circuit was added that detects such an overload condition, and limits power consumption in this condition.
Efficacy of Voice Therapy in Improving Vocal Function in Adults Irradiated for Laryngeal Cancers: A Pilot Study.

Summary Background Radiation therapy (XRT) for laryngeal cancers causes acute and chronic vocal dysfunction. Although these deleterious effects of XRT are well-established, there is a dearth of research with respect to effective voice rehabilitation following XRT for laryngeal cancers. Objective To obtain preliminary data on the efficacy of voice rehabilitation, using vocal function exercises (VFEs) in improving vocal function in adults irradiated for laryngeal cancer. The comparison treatment group (VH) received vocal hygiene counseling. Study design Randomized clinical trial. Methods Participants were randomized to the VFE + VH or VH group. Both interventions lasted 6 weeks. The primary outcome measure was improvement in VHI scores. Secondary outcome measures included auditory-perceptual assessments, acoustic and aerodynamic measures, and laryngeal imaging. Results Ten participants were recruited for the study. The VFE + VH (n = 6) group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the primary outcome measure (P = 0.03), as well as select parameters of all secondary outcome measures. The VH (n = 4) group did not demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in primary or secondary outcome measures. Conclusions This study offers preliminary data for the utility of VFEs in the irradiated laryngeal cancer population. However, findings in the VFE + VH group lack generalizability, secondary to sample heterogeneity, and limited sample size.
Swords into plowshares: some propositions on the prospects of peace dividend

This essay offers a number of propositions about the size, pace, and distribution of defense cutbacks and about the conversion of military resources to civilian purposes. We argue that the prospects for a peace dividend in the aftermath of the cold war are clouded by substantial political incentives and economic interests that may oppose or retard military retrenchment. We also contend that the resource savings from any military retrenchment may not neces-sarily be reallocated fully and efficiently to produce gains in civilian production and productivity. Such gains are apt to take some time to materialize whereas the political costs and socio-economic disruption caused by lower military expenditures are likely to be felt more immediately. Indeed, given their different social institutions, political cultures, and economic structures, different coun-tries may be expected to pursue alternative policy offsets that accompany any defense cutback, and they may be expected to encounter different conversion problems and derive different costs and benefits from efforts to convert swords into plowshares. We conclude with an agenda for future research.
Vitamin D3, L-Arginine, L-Citrulline, and antioxidant supplementation enhances nitric oxide bioavailability and reduces oxidative stress in the vascular endothelium – Clinical implications for cardiovascular system

Background: Nitric oxide (NO) is a crucial signaling molecule which regulates the blood flow and prevents the adhesion of blood components to the vascular wall. A deficiency in bioavailable NO concentration is associated with the dysfunction of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and/or an increase in oxidative stress. The deficiency of bioavailable NO is a common denominator of several cardiovascular diseases, including diabetes, atherosclerosis, and hypertension. Materials and Methods: We used a nanomedical technology to elucidate the balance between bioavailable NO and oxidative stress (peroxynitrite ONOO−) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with a supplement containing L-arginine, L-citrulline, Vitamin D3, and antioxidants. Nanosensors, with a diameter of 200–300 nm, are capable of measuring in situ NO and peroxynitrite (ONOO−) concentrations produced by single endothelial cells. Results: The ratio of the concentration of cytoprotective NO [NO] to the concentration of cytotoxic peroxynitrite [ONOO−] was used to estimate the efficiency of eNOS. HUVECs incubated with L-citrulline, L-arginine, and Vitamin D3increased the [NO]/[ONOO−] ratio by 25%, while in the presence of antioxidants, the increase was 15%. The synergistic effect between the mix of L-arginine, L-citrulline, Vitamin D3, and antioxidants was a favorable increase of the overall [NO]/[ONOO−] ratio by 50%. Conclusion: The findings of the study presented here clearly indicate that L-arginine, L-citrulline, and Vitamin D3can significantly alter the function of the endothelium and NO production, in a favorable manner, while pointedly reducing ONOO− – the main component of oxidative stress. This effect can be significantly potentiated in the presence of antioxidants.
Vulnerability of Hardware Neural Networks to Dynamic Operation Point Variations

Editor’s notes: This article studies the impacts of physical variations on neural networks. The proposed studies reveal an important observation that both multiple layer perceptron (MLP) and convolutional neural network (CNN) may fail to operate appropriately even with small variations (e.g., voltage droops as small as 20 mV). Robust neural network architectures, including the binarized neural network (BNN) and the local binary pattern network (LBPNet), are explored to address this variability issue that has become a major bottleneck for practical applications. — Xin Li, Duke University
Developing a hybrid drought index: Precipitation Evapotranspiration Difference Condition Index

Abstract Drought indices are widely used for drought quantification. The objective of this study is to introduce a hybrid drought index, the Precipitation Evapotranspiration Difference Condition Index (PEDCI), and to compare its performance in Oklahoma to existing drought indices. The PEDCI is based on a simple water balance model, which accounts for the difference between water supply (precipitation) and water demand (potential evapotranspiration). While it is similar in this respect to the Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and the Palmer Drought Severity Index, it uses a different method to normalize the index in time and space which was inspired by Vegetation Condition Index. The performance of the PEDCI is evaluated quantitatively using SPEI, soil moisture data, and crop yield data. The performance of the PEDCI is also evaluated qualitatively using six criteria. Results show that the PEDCI is highly correlated with SPEI and that it can represent drought conditions in Oklahoma as effectively as the SPEI. Correlations between the PEDCI and soil moisture/crop yield also demonstrate good correspondence. The qualitative evaluation of PEDCI shows that there are two key strengths in comparison to the SPEI. First, it is simple to calculate and interpret. Second, the normalization method does not require any empirical parameters or fitting a probability distribution function. The PEDCI can be used to characterize drought conditions on a variety of timescales and it has utility for monitoring agricultural and meteorological drought, especially in a changing climate.
Modeling dynamic construction work template from existing scheduling records via sequential machine learning

Abstract Today, construction planning and scheduling is almost always performed manually, by experienced practitioners. The knowledge of those individuals is materialized, maintained, and propagated through master schedules and look-ahead plans. While historical project schedules are available, manually mining their embedded knowledge to create generic work templates for future projects or revising look-ahead schedules is very difficult, time-consuming and error-prone. The rigid work templates from prior research are also not scalable to cover the inter and intra-class variability in historical schedule activities. This paper aims at fulfilling these needs via a new method to automatically learn construction knowledge from historical project planning and scheduling records and digitize such knowledge in a flexible and generalizable data schema. Specifically, we present Dynamic Process Templates (DPTs) based on a novel vector representation for construction activities where the sequencing knowledge is modeled with generative Long Short-Term Memory Recurrent Neural Networks (LSTM-RNNs). Our machine learning models are exhaustively tested and validated on a diverse dataset of 32 schedules obtained from real-world projects. The experimental results show our method is capable of learning planning and sequencing knowledge at high accuracy across different projects. The benefits for automated project planning and scheduling, schedule quality control, and automated generation of project look-aheads are discussed in detail.
A Tale of Two Parties: Living Amongst Democrats and Republicans Since 1952

Since 1952, the social bases of the Democratic and Republican parties have undergone radical reshuffling. At the start of this period southern Blacks favored Lincoln’s Republican Party over suspect Democrats, and women favored Democrats more than Republicans. In 2020 these facts have been completely reversed. A Tale of Two Parties: Living Amongst Democrats and Republicans Since 1952 traces through this transformation by showing: How the United States society has changed over the last seven decades in terms of regional growth, income, urbanization, education, religion, ethnicity, and ideology; How differently the two parties have appealed to groups in these social cleavages; How groups in these social cleavages have become concentrated within the bases of the Democratic and Republican parties; How party identification becomes intertwined with social identity to generate polarization akin to that of rapid sports fans or primitive tribes. A Tale of Two Parties: Living Amongst Democrats and Republicans Since 1952 will have a wide and enthusiastic readership among political scientists and researchers of American politics, campaigns and elections, and voting and elections.