cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glucocorticoid-induction of hypothalamic aromatase via its brain-specific promoter

In the brain, a 36-kb distal promoter (I.f) regulates the Cyp19a1 gene that encodes aromatase, the key enzyme for estrogen biosynthesis. Local estrogen production in the brain regulates critical functions such as gonadotropin secretion and sexual behavior. The mechanisms that control brain aromatase production are not well understood. Here we show that the glucocorticoid dexamethasone robustly increases aromatase mRNA and protein by up to 98-fold in mouse hypothalamic cell lines in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Using deletion mutants of the brain-specific promoter I.f and chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR, we isolated a distinct region (-500/-200 bp) which becomes enriched in bound glucocorticoid receptor upon dexamethasone stimulation. A glucocorticoid antagonist or siRNA based knockdown of glucocorticoid receptor ablated dexamethasone stimulation of aromatase expression. Our findings demonstrate how glucocorticoids alter aromatase expression in the hypothalamus and might indicate a mechanism whereby glucocorticoid action modifies gonadotropin pulses and the menstrual cycle.
Reproductive ecology and evolution in the invasive terrestrial planarian Bipalium adventitium across North America

Summary Comparisons between invasive species and their relatives can help in identifying traits that facilitate dispersal and colonization, and comparisons among populations within invasive species may highlight the roles of plasticity and evolutionary adaptation. Bipalium adventitium Hyman 1943 is an exotic, earthworm-eating soil flatworm that has become widespread and abundant in North America. As a first step in better understanding the ecology and evolution of this invasive planarian, we studied its reproductive traits in populations across its extensive geographic range and conducted an experiment on the effects of food availability. Colonization by B. adventitium is facilitated by hermaphroditism, sperm storage, and tough egg capsules containing multiple offspring, traits present in most Terricola. The egg capsules produced by B. adventitium were large (22.5 mg), hatched in 7–37 days (mean=23 days), contained 1–8 offspring (mean=3.4), and represented about 21% of a parent's predeposition mass. Many individuals produced multiple egg capsules. Although considerable intraspecific variation was detected for most reproductive parameters, significant differences among geographic populations were noted for egg capsule mass, mean offspring mass, and measures of total reproductive output. Intraspecific correlations between parent mass and the masses of egg capsules and offspring, and the results of our experiment showing that food availability affected egg capsule production, together suggest that thus far intra-population variation and plasticity have been more important than local evolutionary adaptation in the invasion of this species.
A reexamination of agency theory assumptions: extensions and extrapolations

Abstract In this paper, we discuss agency theory in the context of the individual principal and agent, and also in the context of the organization and its groups. Agency theory is examined in the context of goal orientation, obligation and reciprocity, risk, and self-interest. We offer propositions given agency theory’s assumptions. We also extend agency theory and offer alternative propositions based on a relaxing of agency theory’s assumptions. In relaxing the assumptions of agency theory, insights from outside the agency literature, specifically from behavioral theories are used. Implications of agency theory and the extension of this theory are also discussed in relation to outcomes associated with economic exchanges.
Direct measurement of intracellular pH during metabolic derepression of the sea urchin egg.

SEA URCHIN eggs are shed in a metabolically repressed state and are derepressed by fertilisation. This derepression occurs in two phases, the first of which is caused by an intracellular release of Ca2+ (refs 1,2). It has been postulated that the second phase of derepression is accomplished by an increase of intracellular pH3–5. Furthermore, attempts to measure intracellular pH by the use of cell homogenates have supported the idea that intracellular pH is increased during egg activation5,6. We report here direct measurements of intracellular pH of sea urchin eggs during fertilisation and activation by ammonia. These measurements demonstrate the postulated increase of intracellular pH resulting from fertilisation or exposure to NH4Cl, although the changes in pH differ from those reported in homogenates and seem to be regulated in a more complex manner than originally anticipated.
Study of sedimentary basins key to many disciplines

Over geologic time, depressions of the lithosphere forming crustal lows are filled with surface materials deposited by wind, rivers, and ocean currents. These filled receptacles are called sedimentary basins, and their varied sizes and shapes are determined by geodynamic processes. Basin fill is important to geoscientists for two reasons: it preserves unique information about the history of tectonic, biologic, oceanographic, cryospheric, and atmospheric events that occurred throughout Earth's history, and it contains most of the fossil fuel and groundwater supplies and many of the mineral resources on which society depends. Understanding the configuration and properties of basin fill also has implications for the growing issue of disposing of hazardous waste without harming the biosphere.
THE DIFFERENTIAL PHOSPHORYLATION OF FREE CYTOPLASMIC AND MEMBRANE-BOUND POLYSOMAL POLY(A)mRNP PARTICLES IN THE BOVINE ADRENAL CORTEX*

Free and membrane-bound polysomes were isolated and incubated under in vitro conditions that allowed the phosphorylation of contained poly(A)mRNP complexes. The three phosphoproteins of 150,000, 67,000 and 45,000 daltons were consistently present in the free poly(A)mRNP fraction and absent in the membrane-bound particles. The major phosphoprotein contained in the membrane-bound poly(A)mRNP complexes was 105,000 daltons. This protein was also present in the free cytoplasmic poly(A)mRNP fraction. It is conceivable that protein kinases differentially regulate these two classes of poly(A)mRNP particles through specific phosphorylations of their associated proteins.
How self-leadership affects the goal-setting process.

Abstract In this manuscript, individual participative goal setting (PGS) is placed within the theoretical foundation of social cognitive theory (SCT). Based on this foundation, a cognitive-based self-leadership approach is suggested as a mechanism to enhance the PGS process and to achieve effective participation behavior. Propositions are described to serve as catalysts for empirically testing the applicability of self-leadership to goal-setting process.
Ion microscopic imaging of calcium transport in the intestinal tissue of vitamin D-deficient and vitamin D-replete chickens: a 44Ca stable isotope study

The intestinal absorption of calcium includes at least three definable steps; transfer across the microvillar membrane, movement through the cytosolic compartment, and energy-dependent extrusion into the lamina propria, Tracing the movement of calcium through the epithelium has been hampered by lack of suitable techniques and, in this study, advantage was taken of ion microscopy in conjunction with cryosectioning and use of the stable isotope 44Ca to visualize calcium in transit during the absorptive process. The effect of vitamin D, required for optimal calcium absorption, was investigated. Twenty millimolar 44Ca was injected into the duodenal lumen in situ of vitamin D-deficient and vitamin D-replete chickens. At 2.5, 5.0, and 20.0 min after injection, duodenal tissue was obtained and processed for ion microscopic imaging. At 2.5 min. 44Ca was seen to be concentrated in the region subjacent to the microvillar membrane in tissue from both groups. At 5.0 and 20.0 min, a similar pattern of localization was evident in D-deficient tissues. In D-replete tissues, the distribution of 44Ca became more homogenous, indicating that vitamin D increased the rate of transfer of Ca2+ from the apical to the basolateral membrane, a function previously ascribed to the vitamin D-induced calcium-binding protein (28-kDa calbindin-D). Quantitative aspects of the calcium absorptive process were determined in parallel experiments with the radionuclide 47Ca. Complementary information on the localization of the naturally occurring isotopes of calcium (40Ca) and potassium (39K) is also described.
Native-Directed Social Change in Canada and the United States:

Before 1968, there was more diversity and more frequency of Native-directed social change in institutions, social movements, and religious movements in the United States than in Canada. When Canadian and U.S. nation-states exert direct administrative controls over Native communities and impose change, there are few options for self-directed change. Since 1968, Native nations in both countries enjoy greater possibilities for self-directed change, although the patterns are uneven and moving in somewhat different directions.
Aortic morphologic findings after thoracic endovascular aortic repair for type B aortic dissection.

Importance Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is used in the treatment of type B aortic dissections. Information related to aortic morphologic findings and the condition of the abdominal aorta after TEVAR is limited. Objective To analyze aortic morphologic findings after TEVAR for type B aortic dissections. Design, Setting, and Participants After a retrospective database review, the data for 30 patients who underwent TEVAR from January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2013, for type B aortic dissection were analyzed. Imaging software was used to calculate aortic diameters and volumes of the aorta on computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Mean follow-up was 14.4 months. Interventions We performed TEVAR to cover proximal thoracic aorta tears in patients who underwent acute or chronic type B aortic dissections. Main Outcomes and Measures Aortic morphologic findings of pre-TEVAR CT or MRI were compared with the most recent findings of post-TEVAR CT or MRI. Frequency of thoracic false lumen thrombosis (FLT) and false lumen patency (FLP) was determined and the effect on post-TEVAR aortic morphologic findings analyzed. Results Mean (SD) TEVAR increased true lumen diameter (19.50 [6.92] mm to 31.19 [5.36] mm, P P P = .001) on post-TEVAR CT or MRI when compared with pre-TEVAR scans. Seventy percent of patients experienced thoracic FLT; 30% had FLP. True lumen volume expansion and false lumen volume regression occurred in patients with FLT (82.07 [46.95] mm to 180.55 [77.99] mm, P P = .002, respectively) and FLP (68.23 [21.43] mm to 128.22 [21.46] mm, P P = .04, respectively). Patients with FLT had increased true lumen diameter (15.67 [6.43] mm to 26.13 [7.62] mm, P P = .001) in the abdominal aorta after TEVAR, with no change in total abdominal aortic volume (161.94 [70.12] mL vs 160.36 [82.11] mL, P = .90). Total abdominal aortic volume significantly increased in patients with thoracic FLP (187.24 [89.88] mL to 221.41 [82.64] mL, P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance Favorable aortic remodeling of the thoracic aorta occurs after TEVAR for type B aortic dissections in patients with thoracic FLT and FLP. However, failure to achieve thrombosis of the thoracic false lumen negatively influences aortic morphologic findings of the contiguous abdominal aorta.
Reaction rate oscillations during co oxidation over Pt/γ-Al2O3; The issue of propagating waves

In this paper we discuss the issue of temporal and spatio-temporal oscillations observed during catalytic oxidation of CO. It has recently been reported in the literature that the oscillations observed with this catalytic reaction, for both single crystal (Pt(100)) and supported catalysts (Pt, Pd/SiO2), are exclusively of spatio-temporal nature, that is a temperature and concentration wave is propagating on the catalyst surface. This observation has also been reported as direct evidence that the same mechanism is responsible for the oscillations observed with supported and unsupported catalysts, i.e., a hex ↔ (1x1) phase transition. We report here isothermal oscillations for the CO oxidation reaction system over Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalysts under intermediate pressure conditions (1–10 Torr). These oscillations are only of temporal nature, that is the temperature and concentration of the catalyst are spatially uniform, and there was no evidence of waves propagating on the catalytic surface. With this catalytic system we have been unable to observe any spatio-temporal oscillations (propagating waves) under all conditions we have investigated. This would seem to indicate that the claim that the same mechanism, i.e. a hex ↔ (1x1) transition, is responsible for the oscillatory behavior of both single crystal and supported catalysts is somewhat premature.
Development and validation of an HPLC method for the simultaneous quantification of indole-3-carbinol acetate, indole-3-carbinol, and 3,3'-diindolylmethane in mouse plasma, liver, and kidney tissues.

A novel Indole-3-carbinol derivative (I3C) prodrug, indole-3-carbinol acetate (I3CA), was synthesized and a rapid high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the quantification of I3CA, I3C, and the major metabolite of I3C, diindolylmethane (DIM), in mouse plasma, liver and kidney tissues was developed and validated. 4-Methoxy-1-methylindole was used as the internal standard. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Symmetry(®) C18 column (75mm×4.6mm, 3.5μm) and the detection was made at 280nm. A gradient elution was programmed with the mobile phases of water (A) and acetonitrile (B) and a flow rate of 1ml/min. The total run time was 15min. The calibration curves were linear over the range of 0.06-1.6μg/ml for both I3C and DIM with a correlation coefficient (r(2)) higher than 0.997 and the lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of 0.06μg/ml. The calibration curve of I3CA was linear over the range of 0.15-4.0μg/ml, with a r(2)>0.995 and LLOQ of 0.15μg/ml. I3CA, I3C, and DIM intra-day accuracy values of plasma, liver and kidney samples ranged from 90.0 to 101.3%, while the inter-day ones were between 93.3 and 101.9%. Precision evaluated by the relative standard deviation was ranged from 2.0 to 14.8% for intra-day and 1.9 to 14.4% for inter-day variability. I3CA, I3C, and DIM were stable in mouse plasma, liver and kidney samples containing an esterase inhibitor dichlorvos. This method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study in mice following oral and intravenous administration of I3C and I3CA.
Picryl derivatives of 5-nitro-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one

Treatment of 5-nitro-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one (1) with picryl fluoride (PkF) in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) gave a mixture of a monopicryl and a dipicryl derivative of 1 in a ratio of 2:1, respectively, regardless of the initial concentrations of 1 and PkF. The products were identified as 5-nitro-2-picryl-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one (2) by X-ray crystallography and 5-nitro-2,4-dipicryl-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one (4) by 15N labeling experiments.
Salivary anti-Streptococcus mutans changes over a six-month period in children ages two-five years.

Fourteen children, from two to five years of age, were surveyed at two periods: the first on day zero before carious lesions were filled; and the second at six mo after filling carious lesions. The variables surveyed were salivary IgA specific for S. mutans, oral hygiene, caries experience (deft), age, and saliva flow rate. The findings indicate a three-fold increase in salivary IgA specific for S. mutans during the six-month period.
The effect of deformation and thermoset cure on heat conduction in a chopped-fiber reinforced polyester during compression molding

Abstract This paper concerns heat conduction in a chopped-fiber reinforced polyester resin during compression molding of thin sheet-like parts. Since the resin generates heat as it cures, the general boundary value problem involves a deforming heat conductor which reacts chemically. The randomly woven fiber structure in the sheet molding compound (SMC) motivates a kinematical assumption on the material deformation in the mold cavity. The resulting description of the deformation field is then used to formulate a boundary value problem for the temperature distribution in the deforming SMC in terms of coordinates that move with the material. From the solution to this problem we derive a general expression in closed form for the nonuniform distribution of heat energy absorbed from the mold surface as each part is molded. The exothermic cure reaction in the polyester resin, which begins after the mold closes, is characterized in terms of heat generated in the SMC. Numerical analysis of the transient distribution of temperature and cure shows how the degree of coupling between heat conduction and cure depends on the thickness of the molded sheet. The results of the analysis also determine the effect of sheet thickness and mold temperature on cure time, subject to limitations of thermal degradation.
Serological Memory and Long-term Protection to Novel H1N1 Influenza Virus After Skin Vaccination

Background. A major goal in influenza vaccine development is induction of serological memory and cellular responses to confer long-term protection and limit virus spread after infection. Here, we investigate induction of long-lived immunity against the 2009 H1N1 virus after skin vaccination. Methods. BALB/c mice received a single dose of 5 lg inactivated A/California/04/09 virus via coated metal microneedles (MN) applied to skin or via subcutaneous injection. Results. MN or subcutaneous vaccination elicited similar serum IgG and hemagglutination inhibition titers and 100% protection against lethal viral challenge 6 weeks after vaccination. Six months after vaccination, the subcutaneous group exhibited a 60% decrease in functional antibody titers and extensive lung inflammation after challenge with 10 3 LD50 of homologous virus. In contrast, the MN group maintained high functional antibody titers and IFN-c levels, inhibition of viral replication, and no signs of lung inflammation after challenge. MN vaccination conferred complete protection against lethal challenge, whereas subcutaneous vaccination induced only partial protection. These findings were further supported by high numbers of bone marrow plasma cells and spleen antibody-secreting cells detected in the MN group. Conclusions. A single skin vaccination with MN induced potent long-lived immunity and improved protection against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, compared with subcutaneous injection.
Integrating Behavioral Choice into Epidemiological Models of AIDS

Increased HIV risk creates incentives for people with low sexual activity to reduce their activity but may make high-activity people fatalistic leading them to reduce their activity only slightly or actually increase it. If high-activity people reduce their activity by a smaller proportion than low-activity people the composition of the pool of available partners will worsen creating positive feedbacks and possibly multiple steady states. Early public health efforts may allow societies to reach more favorable steady states. (EXCERPT)
A modular audio response system for computer output

We describe a flexible, modular system for representation of a text-to-speech system which provides for ease of understanding, facile development, a variety of end-use systems, exportability, and ready implementation into novel technology to meet real-time needs. This system thus serves as a research base, a framework for experimentation, and the seat of structural formalisms which can imply special hardware processors. Since the relation of the surface speech waveform to the underlying linguistic description is becoming increasingly complex, we expect that the virtues of this approach will become necessities rather than conveniences.
An estimation of radiological hazards of current tokamak reactor concepts

The radiological hazards of an Advanced Reactor Innovation and Evaluation Study (ARIES)-type tokamak reactor design is studied by utilizing the computer codes TART, ORLIB FORIG, and FUSEDOSE. In an accident scenario, including the maximum plausible release fraction gives a realistic estimation of the doses. The ARIES-type reactor design produces a critical dose below the 200 rem threshold. However, the chronic dose exceeds the threshold of 25 rem. Most of the radioactivities and doses come from the neutron multiplier blanket module. Remote maintenance is required to handle the reactor components due to their high-contact dose rates. All the reactor components are qualified for shallow burial under the 10CFR61 guidelines. In comparison with the ESECOM (Senior Committee on Environmental, Safety, and Economic Aspects of Magnetic Fusion Energy) studies, the ARIES-type tokamak design is compatible with the better deuterium-tritium D-T-burning fusion reactor designs, and is superior to fission reactors in environmental and safety aspects. >
Tasking and Policy for Distributed Microgrid Management

This paper describes an automated, distributed approach to controlling, operating, and managing electric power within a microgrid. Operation in the context of an external primary power grid is considered. We wish to construct a system that will allow us to state and enforce an energy policy that captures what we want the system to do under various conditions, including light and full duty cycles with and without grid connection, power failure, communication blackout, and other unexpected circumstances. We outline the duties required of a set of distributed decision-making entities given the task of managing the system, in particular as the system transitions from connected to local operation, and discuss several algorithms useful in this context. We also discuss the nature of the information structure needed to record operational policy.
Higher-order response surface methods for nanomanufacturing process optimisation

Within the last 20 years, the opportunities for manufacturing at the nano-level have risen substantially. Despite this growth, the industry continues to face the challenge of obtaining a significant experimental yield that is worthy of the cost to produce at the atomic level. Today, most researchers utilise response surface methodology to evaluate and improve existing techniques in nanoparticle production. While these methods are appropriate for identifying optimal factor settings in the traditional manufacturing process, they require some refinement under significantly elevated degrees of quality. This paper investigates the use of higher-order response surface designs in the improvement of nanomanufacturing processes.
Culture and Popular Culture: A Case for Sociology

The study of popular culture has a long and intimate relationship to the field of cultural sociology, being both a subcategory of the field and a separate arena of inquiry taken up by other disciplines. This article examines the intellectual traditions that have shaped the sociology of popular culture, traces the points of connection and difference between sociologists and other scholars studying popular culture, and argues for the continued relevance of cultural sociology for addressing key issues and concerns within the realm of “the popular,” broadly conceived. These developments include the rise of new media/communication technologies and the increasing interdependence between popular culture and other arenas of social life.
Prognostic value of the pulmonary dead-space fraction during the first 6 days of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The ratio of pulmonary dead space to tidal volume (VD/VT) in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is reported to be between 0.35 and 0.55. However, VD/VT has seldom been measured with consideration to the evolving pathophysiology of ARDS. METHODS: We made serial VD/VT measurements with 59 patients who required mechanical ventilation for ≥ 6 days. We measured VD/VT within 24 h of the point at which the patient met the American-European Consensus Conference criteria for ARDS, and we repeated the VD/VT measurement on ARDS days 2, 3, and 6 with a bedside metabolic monitor during volume-regulated ventilation. We analyzed the changes in VD/VT over the 6-day period to determine whether VD/VT has a significant association with mortality. RESULTS: VD/VT was significantly higher in nonsurvivors on day 1 (0.61 ± 0.09 vs 0.54 ± 0.08, p < 0.05), day 2 (0.63 ± 0.09 vs 0.53 ± 0.09, p < 0.001), day 3 (0.64 ± 0.09 vs 0.53 ± 0.09, p < 0.001), and day 6 (0.66 ± 0.09 vs 0.51 ± 0.08, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In ARDS a sustained VD/VT elevation is characteristic of nonsurvivors, so dead-space measurements made beyond the first 24 hours may have prognostic value.
Management of Thyrotoxicosis in Patients with Ophthalmopathy: Antithyroid Regimen Determined Primarily by Ocular Manifestations

The thyrotoxicosis of 129 patients who had opthalmopathy prior to treatment was controlled with antithyroid drugs according to a regimen in which eye findings played a determining role. When the ophthalmopathic process appeared to be active or advancing, thyrotoxicosis was diminished only to the degree demanded by the patient's general condition; when the eye disorder was stable or became inactive, euthyroidism was quickly attained. None of the 129 patients required any ocular surgery and in none did the ophthalmopathy become significantly worse. This regimen appears less likely to be accompanied by a worsening of the ophthalmopathy than do others hitherto reported.
Psychometric Properties of the MMPI-2-RF Somatic Complaints (RC1) Scale.

The MMPI-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF; Tellegen & Ben-Porath, 2008) was designed to be psychometrically superior to its MMPI-2 counterpart. However, the test has yet to be extensively evaluated in diverse clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the MMPI-2-RF Somatic Complaints (RC1) scale in a clinically relevant population. Participants were 399 patients diagnosed with either epilepsy or psychogenic nonepileptic seizures on the basis of video-electroencephalograph monitoring. The internal structure of the MMPI-2-RF was evaluated using taxometric, confirmatory factor analysis, and item response theory procedures. Data from 4 content-specific scales directly related to RC1 (Malaise, Gastrointestinal Complaints, Head Pain Complaints, and Neurological Complaints) indicated that the latent construct of somatization is a dimensional variable with a bifactor structure. However, consistent with the scale's construction, a unidimensional model also provided adequate fit. A 2-parameter logistic item response theory model better accounted for observed item responses than did 1- or 3-parameter models. Results suggest that the RC1 scale is most precise for T score estimates between 55 and 90. Overall, the scale appears to be well suited for the assessment of somatization.
Axillary Dissection for Tubular Carcinoma of the Breast

: Tubular carcinoma of the breast is a well-differentiated form of invasive breast cancer that has less metastatic potential than other forms. We reviewed our experience with both pure and mixed tubular carcinoma to determine the appropriateness of axillary dissection in the treatment of tubular carcinoma of the breast. Thirty patients with a diagnosis of tubular carcinoma or mixed tubular carcinoma of the breast were studied, 22 of whom had axillary node dissections. We assessed the presence of histologically proven axillary node metastases in patients treated with elective axillary dissection. Of the patients with pure tubular carcinomas, 0/14 had axillary lymph node metastases and only 1/8 (13%) patients with mixed tubular carcinomas had axillary metastases. The single patient with axillary node metastases had a lesion over 1.2 cm in diameter. Axillary dissection would therefore not appear to be indicated for pure tubular carcinomas less than 1 cm in diameter.?
Prelude to Scandal: Liberia and Fernando Po, 1880–1930

In 1923–30 the League of Nations investigated the shipment of migrant labour between Liberia and the Spanish island colony of Fernando Po. Although the League concentrated its attention on Liberia, a closer examination reveals labour abuse as very much the product of conditions on Fernando Po itself. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, black planters on the island shifted from palm oil trading to cocoa cultivation. Dependence on migrant labour and increasing competition from Europeans resulted in economic crisis in the first years of the twentieth century, with detention of labour and the nonpayment of contracts as the outcome. The eventual investigation of the trade was the product of a desire to conserve Liberian labour for use on the African mainland, rather than an attempt to relieve its abuse.
Unanswered Questions About the Giant Squid Architeuthis (Architeuthidae) Illustrate Our Incomplete Knowledge of Coleoid Cephalopods

The giant squid, Architeuthis Steenstrup, 1857, serves as a model for what we know and do not know about the broad biological aspects of the coleoid cephalopods. Gaps in our knowledge of taxonomy and systematics, distribution, population size, habitat use, age and growth, predation and feeding, reproduction and life cycles, and functional morphology all are examined by our review of Architeuthis natural history. Continued Architeuthis research improves our understanding of all coleoid cephalopods, and provides an avenue to engage the public in the process of science.
An adaptive two-phase approach to WiFi location sensing

Environmental variations cause significant fluctuations in WiFi signals in the same location over time, rendering traditional RF-to-location pre-trained maps quickly obsolete. To solve this problem, we use a two-phase approach to determining the user's location. The first phase utilizes traditional pattern-matching to identify the general location, and a second phase applies logistic regression to distinguish between finer-grained locations. An adaptive calibration system allows the user to re-train and dynamically update the signal strength maps to account for the fluctuated signals. We show that our two-phase approach is able to achieve generally high accuracy (-95%) and over in areas of high signal fluctuations due to heavy access point and human density.
Professional development schools: Cataylsts for teacher and school change

Abstract Drawing on data from questionnaires and 49 interviews with teachers and principals, the impact of involvement in Professional Development Schools on teacher professional growth and school change at seven Professional Development School sites is explored through a cross-case analysis. Each of the seven sites, four elementary and three secondary, served five or more years as a PDS site. Program results were mixed, underscoring the importance of a range of context variables to program success, including school district support, principal, staff and University faculty stability, student body composition, school and faculty size, as well as the nature of teachers' program involvement. Implications for PDS program development and research are discussed and a range of policy issues explored, including those associated with tensions between university faculty roles and PDS responsibilities.
Visible light emitting diode technology: high performance, more colors, and moving into incandescent lamp applications

Summary form only given. In recent years visible LEDs have experienced a revolutionary increase in performance. Improvements of about 10X in the red and green spectral regions and about 50X in the amber and blue regions have been demonstrated and are becoming available commercially in high volume. This is enabling visible LEDs, which had been a pervasive technology in low performance "indicator" applications, to move into applications previously dominated by incandescent lamps and other lighting technologies, and to enable new applications. External quantum efficiencies in excess of 20% at 673 nm and luminous performance as high as 50 lumens/watt at 607 nm have been achieved using AlInGaP epitaxial structures grown by MOCVD and utilizing wafer bonding. Incandescent lamps typically have a performance of 15 lumens/watt for white light, and substantially lower performance when filtered to give colors. AlInGaN LEDs with about 18 lumens/watt and 6% quantum efficiency in the green at 525 nn and 2 lumens/watt and 9% quantum efficiency have been demonstrated in the blue at 450 nm. A pulsed nitride laser at 410 nm has also been reported. This talk focuses on the status and trends in high-performance visible LED technology. Issues discussed will include: How much additional performance is plausible? What applications are emerging and might be expected to emerge in the future? How effectively might LEDs ultimately compete with other types of white light sources? and, what role might solid-state lasers have in the emerging visible markets?.
Student-teacher education programme (STEP) by step: transforming medical students into competent, confident teachers.

AbstractBackground: While most medical schools have students teach other students, few offer formal education in teaching skills, and fewer provide teaching theory together with experiential teaching practice. Furthermore, curriculum evaluation of teaching education is lacking.Aim: This study aimed to examine effects of a novel didactic teaching curriculum for students embedded in a practical teaching experience.Methods: A longitudinal 12-week curriculum with complementary didactic and practical components for final-year students learning how to teach was developed, implemented and evaluated using a multi-level evaluation based on the Kirkpatrick approach with qualitative and quantitative methods.Results: Thirteen student–teachers acquired measureable knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for teaching excellence. Confidence in teaching increased (p < 0.001), particularly in four key areas: oral feedback, written feedback, mentoring, and the difficult learner. Student–teachers demonstrated teaching com...
Ownership of Urban Transport Utilities in the United States

The ownership status of urban transportation utilities was determined by questionnaire for 334 of the U.S. cities that had 1970 populations in excess of 50,000. (Of the 395 cities in this size category, 61 did not respond.) Of the 334 cities which reported, 85 had no public transportation. Seventy-seven utilities were owned by the city, 69 by other governmental units, and 103 by private investors. /GMRL/
A new method for the detection of Raman scattering from atmospheric pollutants

The Fabry-Perot interferometer can be used as a periodic filter for the sorting of spectra using the rotational Raman effect. Thus it is possible to detect low concentrations of impurities in the presence of the major atmospheric constituents. The parameters of importance in making these measurements and the expected results from this technique are discussed from theoretical computations.
Introducing the Social Presence Model to Explore Online and Blended Learning Experiences

This study explores the level of social presence or connectedness, in two iterations of a 13-month, graduate-level certificate program designed to help K-12 school leaders integrate technology in their districts. Vygotsky’s Social Development Theory serves as the theoretical lens for this programmatic research. The methods include a case study approach for coding discussions for 16 online courses using the pre-established Social Presence coding scheme as well as conducting instructor and student interviews and collecting observation notes on over a dozen face-to-face courses. The results of this study suggest the need for further research and development on the Social Presence coding scheme. Additionally, this study unveiled the Social Presence Model, a working model that suggests social presence consists of the following five integrated elements: Affective Association, Community Cohesion, Instructor Involvement, Interaction Intensity, and Knowledge and Experience. Finally, this study also highlighted the importance of multiple data sources for researchers, the need for researchers to request access to participant data outside the formal learning environment, and the inherently unique challenges instructors face with multimodal literacy and social presence in blended learning programs.
Core competencies of nurse educators: inspiring excellence in nurse educator practice.

Abstract The National League for Nursing Core Competencies of Nurse Educators with Task Statements provide a comprehensive framework for preparing new nurse educators, implementing the nurse educator role, evaluating nurse educator practice, and advancing faculty scholarship and lifelong professional development.This article describes how one nursing department uses the core competencies with current faculty and in a graduate program that prepares nurse educators.
A Simulation Model for an Indirect Methanol Fuel Cell Vehicle

Author(s): Hauer, Karl-Heinz; Moore, Robert M; Ramaswamy, Sitaram | Abstract: Presented at the Future Transportation Technology Conference a Exposition, Costa Mesa, CASession: Alternative Fuels a Fuel CellsThis work focuses on the algorithms to simulate and analyze the characteristics of an indirect methanol fuel cell vehicle. The individual components of the electric drive train including transmission, the vehicle properties, such as drag, frontal area, wheel inertia etc., and the fuel cell system are modeled in a dynamic manner. Further the interaction between the individual components and a simple driver model is described. The algorithms are coded using the simulation tool Matlab/Simulink.The simulation tool is strictly set up in a modular form allowing modifications of individual component characteristics or control algorithms without the need to change the remainder of the model. For the benefit of a more in depth discussion of the applied algorithms and the setup of the model this paper focuses solely on the case of an Indirect Methanol Fuel Cell Vehicle (IMFCV) with steam reformer and without any additional energy storage. Other papers expanding this initial work and discussing various cases of hybridization (batteries, ultra capacitors, reformate gas storages or other fuel cell systems) are under preparation.It is important to notice that the focus of the paper is on the explanation of the algorithms and not the calculation of the fuel consumption or emissions associated with one specific vehicle design or technology. Therefore all quoted data are only illustrative but are not intended to serve as evaluations of the potential of a certain technology.
Improving Communication Throughput by Multipath Load Balancing on Blue Gene/Q

Achievable networking performance of applications in a supercomputer depends on the exact combination of the communication patterns of the applications and the routing algorithms used by the supercomputer. In order to achieve the highest networking performance for the applications, the routing algorithms need to be designed optimally for those communication patterns. However, while communication patterns usually vary from application to application and even from phase to phase in an application, routing algorithms have limited variation and usually are optimized for typical communication patterns. This results in high networking performance for some communication patterns. In this paper we present approaches for improving communication performance by using multiple paths and re-balancing load on physical links on the Blue Gene/Q supercomputer. We realize our approaches in a framework called OPTIQ and demonstrate the efficacy of our framework via a set of benchmarks. Our results show that we can achieve 43 -- 67% higher throughput on average from 91 experiments, and can achieve higher throughput than default MPI_Alltoallv used for certain communication patterns.
Computational Artistic Creativity and its Evaluation.

For artistic creativity, in comparison to design creativity, requirements may not exist, and constraints on the artifact (the artistic “product”) are usually looser or absent. Many computational creativity systems produce artistic artifacts, but such results can be judged in a variety of ways: by a variety of artistic standards or by the perceiver’s "taste", for example. There is less chance of a generated artifact being judged in a single, clear and concrete fashion, so the standards may be softer and perhaps easier to satisfy: certainly harder to make computational. With regard to taste, Boden (1994) quotes, "I don’t know anything about art, but I know what I like”. If this were true in general, then there would be as many tests of the creativity of an artifact as there are people!
Immigrant and Refugee Students across "Receiving" Nations: To What Extent Can Educators Rely on PISA for Answers?.

ABSTRACTMassive population shift is a current global reality – especially given some of the latest development on European shores; some are calling it a humanitarian crisis. Although the United States (US) receives a large number of immigrants (documented and not) and about 70,000 refugees each year, it is certainly not the only nation to do so. Industrialized nations that receive migrants through immigration policies are typically referred to as “receiving” nations. The article addresses two main questions: (1) how well immigrant students across 17 receiving industrialized nations are doing according to the Programme for International Student Assessment (otherwise known as PISA), and (2) how are educators, immigrant and refugee parents and students experiencing integration in the school context. The education of immigrant and refugee students is a complex global issue that requires better understanding, collaborative attention, and long-term investment of several stakeholders.
Rapid, Contactless Measurement of Thermal Diffusivity

We report a novel method for the rapid determination of the thermal diffusivity of materials. The technique utilizes pulsed heating in a geometrical pattern on the surface of the sample, with infrared imaging of the resultant temperature field on the surface as a function of time. By fitting the observed temperature fields to theoretical models, we extract the thermal diffusivities in three orthogonal directions. Knowledge of these diffusivities is important for the design and manufacture of advanced materials for aerospace structures, because of the high temperatures reached on leading edges of airfoils, etc., in supersonic flight conditions. This technique is applicable to a variety of new space-age materials, including ceramic-matrix composites, three-dimensionally woven polymer composites, and high-temperature alloys.
Measles, the media, and MMR: Impact of the 2014–15 measles outbreak

Abstract Objective In late 2014, a measles outbreak beginning in California received significant media attention. To better understand the impact of this outbreak, we conducted a survey to assess and compare among vaccine hesitant and non-hesitant new mothers how this outbreak affected vaccine knowledge, attitudes, vaccination plans, and media use. Methods A cross-sectional email survey of English-speaking women with a child ⩽1 year old using a convenience sample of women from nine obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) practices in Colorado assessed vaccine hesitancy, knowledge and attitudes about MMR vaccines and the outbreak, MMR vaccination plans before and after the outbreak, and use of and trust for media sources related to the outbreak. Results The response rate was 50% (351/701). Knowledge about the outbreak was high and vaccination attitudes were mostly favorable. Forty-eight percent of respondents thought MMR vaccine was more important after the outbreak. Online news (76%), television news (75%), and social media (68%) were the most frequently used media sources, yet were highly trusted by only 18%, 22%, and 1% of respondents respectively. Government websites (34%) and information from a doctor’s office (34%) were infrequently used, but were highly trusted by 62% and 60% of respondents. Knowledge of the outbreak was lower among vaccine-hesitant respondents. Few mothers changed MMR vaccination plans after the outbreak. Conclusions New mothers had high levels of knowledge and favorable attitudes about vaccination after the 2014–15 measles outbreak. Media sources used the most are not the most trusted. Communication about outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases should include spread of accurate information to new media sources and strengthening of existing trust in traditional media.
The Quest for Meaning and Wholeness: Spiritual and Religious Connections in the Lives of College Faculty

AbstractThis article reviews Lindholm’s book on the spirituality of college faculty, which builds on student spirituality research gathered as part of the Spirituality in Higher Education study at UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute. Lindholm measures levels of spirituality and religiousness among the over 8,000 faculty member surveyed and examines how faculty integrate their spirituality into their work on campus.
Socioeconomic disparities in adolescent substance use: role of enjoyable alternative substance-free activities

Abstract Objective To examine whether reduced substance-free enjoyable activity (i.e., ‘alternative reinforcers’) is a mediating mechanism linking lower socioeconomic status and adolescent substance use risk. Method High school students in Los Angeles, CA (N = 2,553, 2013–2014, M age baseline = 14.1) were administered three semiannual surveys. Socioeconomic status was measured by highest parental education reported at Wave 1 (the beginning of 9th grade). Three elements of alternative reinforcement at Wave 2 (six-month follow-up) were assessed as mediators: ratings of frequency of engagement, level of enjoyment, and frequency × enjoyment product scores of substance-free typically pleasant activities (like participation in sports teams or school clubs). Study outcomes included prior six-month alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other substance use at Wave 3 (twelve-month follow-up). Logistic regression models adjusting for alternative reinforcers and substance use from the preceding wave as well as other co-factors were used to examine the association of Wave 1 parental education with Wave 3 substance use and mediation by Wave 2 alternative reinforcement. Results Lower parental education at Wave 1 was associated with a greater likelihood of reporting alcohol (β = −0.122, 95% CI = −0.234, −0.009) and marijuana (β = −0.168, 95% CI = −0.302, −0.034) use at Wave 3. The inverse association between parental education and substance use was statistically mediated by each element of diminished alternative reinforcement at Wave 2. Lower parental education at Wave 1 was associated with lower alternative reinforcement at Wave 2, which in turn was associated with greater likelihood of alcohol (range of βindirect effects : −0.007 [95% CI = −0.016, −0.001] to −0.01 [95% CI = −0.018, −0.004]) and marijuana (βs: −0.011 [95% CI = −0.022,-0.002] to −0.018 [95% CI = −0.035, −0.005]) use at Wave 3. Parental education was not associated with use of combustible tobacco products or other drugs at Wave 3 adjusting for Wave 1 combustible tobacco and other drug use, respectively (ps ≥ 0.061). Conclusion Diminished access to and engagement in substance-free enjoyable activity may in part underlie socioeconomic disparities in adolescent alcohol and marijuana use risk. Increasing substance-free enjoyable activities may be useful in substance abuse prevention in socioeconomically disadvantaged youth.
Movement, Metaphor, and Money

This article is based on the Marian Chace Foundation lecture delivered at the 51st annual conference of the American Dance Therapy Association. The author addresses the status of access to dance/movement therapy (DMT) services in the United States, and discusses various challenges to and strategies for integrating DMT further into the nation’s mainstream health reimbursement systems.