cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Electoral Benefits of Distributive Spending

Prior studies search for evidence that distributive spending influences Congress members’ vote shares but find limited evidence. The authors argue that Democratic and Republican members each benefit from different types of distributive projects. Democrats benefit from delivering spending projects (what most people think of as “pork”) to their constituents, while many Republican members benefit from delivering contingent liabilities (in which the federal treasury underwrites a private entity’s financial risk). Empirical tests using data from U.S. House elections between 1984 and 2002 generally confirm these hypotheses, with one exception: only Republicans in relatively conservative districts gain from contingent liabilities. This result is further explored in the text.
Current-Mode LDO with Active Dropout Optimization

Power supplies for portable end equipment need to be optimized for highest efficiency and low output voltage ripple e.g. for TFT display applications. In general, the output voltage ripple of switched mode power supplies can be further reduced by means of an additional linear regulator (LDO) which is used as post-regulator/filter for the output voltage. Since the LDO is not coupled to the DC/DC converter there is either a too high dropout voltage which results in a reduced over-all efficiency or the dropout voltage is not high enough so the ripple rejection of the post regulator is not sufficient since the pass element of the LDO is operated in the linear region. To overcome this problem, a current mode LDO in combination with a load current dependent dropout tracking circuit where the output current information comes from a replica of the pass transistor in the LDO is used. The dropout tracking circuit compares the voltages on the LDO terminals and sends a load current dependent control signal to the DC/DC converter. The goal of this configuration is a high power supply rejection ratio and therefore a low output voltage ripple at optimized efficiency. Depending on the type of the converter (hysteretic or linear regulated PWM) the dropout tracking circuit has to be realized as a hysteretic type with a comparator or linear type with an OP-AMP. A current mode LDO means that the PMOS passelement works like a voltage controlled current source. This concept is possible for all converter topologies like buck-, boost-converters, charge-pumps etc. The converter can be regulated in an energy saving PFM mode without sacrificing the ripple performance. Since the current mode LDO limits the load current, the system is inherently short circuit protected
Anterior spinal artery infarction causing man-in-the-barrel syndrome

A 54-year-old man with history of hypertension, smoking, and prior myocardial infarctions developed quadriplegia over 90 minutes. Leg strength normalized within hours. Neurologic examination months later revealed man-in-the-barrel syndrome characterized by bilateral arm weakness and atrophy but preserved leg strength (video at [Neurology.org/cp][1]). Cervical magnetic resonance T2-weighted sequences showed “pencil-like” lesions on sagittal (figure, A) and “snake-eye pattern” lesions on axial images (figure, B, arrow), characteristic of spinal cord infarction.1 Incidentally detected absence of left vertebral artery flow void (figure, B, arrowheads) led to magnetic resonance angiography, which confirmed occlusion (figure, C). β2-glycoprotein-1 antibodies and lupus anticoagulant were detected and persisted (for >12 weeks), confirming antiphospholipid syndrome. The patient was counseled to cease smoking and was treated with warfarin. Man-in-the-barrel syndrome typical of watershed infarcts between anterior/middle cerebral artery territories has also been reported with other bilateral cerebral pathology (metastases, hemorrhagic contusions, or multiple sclerosis), pontine damage (central pontine myelinolysis, odontoid fracture, or ischemia), cervical cord injury (anterior spinal artery infarction or degenerative spine disease including Klippel-Feil deformity), anterior horn cell disease (bi-brachial variant of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and bilateral brachial plexopathies (postoperative or infections, e.g., Lyme disease).2 In our patient, vertebral artery occlusion likely caused anterior spinal artery hypoperfusion resulting in selective injury to anterior horn cells, which are highly vulnerable to ischemia, sparing corticospinal and spinothalamic tracts.1 [1]: http://Neurology.org/cp
A Novel Martingale Approach to QoS-Aware Wireless Sensor Networks

With the consideration of network scalability, complexity, and resource limitations, cooperative nodal decision-making in wireless sensor networks (WSN) becomes increasingly important. In this paper, a novel Martingale approach to dynamically monitoring overall network health, based upon the exploitation of a Quality of Service (QoS) requirement, is proposed. Incorporating a Martingale framework for nodal response as an integral calculation of current network statistics allows local nodal decisions to become progressively more accurate as the network life increases and the rigid constraints to power become inescapable. Hence, nodes become increasingly aware of the network conditions, based upon the current environment as well as a priori statistics, and have the ability to react with more foresight. Simulations and analysis show that this framework for sensor nodal decisions has several advantages compared with an existing learning automation approach in different fading channel environments.
Nonsustained Ventricular Tachycardia in the Setting of Acute Myocardial Infarction Tachycardia Characteristics and Their Prognostic Implications

Background—Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) has significant prognostic implications in the setting of healing and healed myocardial infarction (MI), but only limited information is avail...
A fault tolerant VoIP implementation based on open standards

This paper highlights the design and implementation aspects for making Voice over IP Softswitches more dependable on commercial of-theshelf telecommunication platforms. As a proof-ofconcept, the open source Asterisk Private Branch Exchange application was made fault tolerant by using high availability middleware based on the Service Availability Forum?s Application Interface Specifications (AIS). The prototype was implemented on Intel x86 architecture blade servers running Carrier Grade Linux in an active/hot-standby configuration. Primarily, the Asterisk application was re-engineered and adapted to use AIS defined interfaces and model. In case of application, component or node failures, the middleware detects and triggers the application failover to the Hot- Standby node. The Asterisk application on the Hot- Standby node detects it is now the active instance, so it retrieves the checkpoint data and immediately continues to service both existing and new callsessions thus improving overall availability.
Reduction of sulfur dioxide by carbon monoxide to elemental sulfur over composite oxide catalysts

Abstract The catalyst activity of fluorite-type oxide, such as ceria and zirconia, for the reduction of sulfur dioxide by carbon monoxide to elemental sulfur can be significantly promoted by active transition metals, such as copper. More than 95% elemental sulfur yield, corresponding to almost complete sulfur dioxide conversion, was obtained over a Cu-Ce-O oxide catalyst with a feed gas of stoichiometric composition ([CO]/[SO 2 ]=2) at temperatures above 450°C. This type of mixed metal oxide catalyst has stable activity and is resistant to water and carbon dioxide poisoning. XPS analysis found copper in the Cu-Ce-O oxide in a reduced oxidation state (Cu 1+ , Cu 0 ). The stable fluorite-type structure, regarded as the backbone structure of the catalyst, existed in both the fresh and the spent catalyst. The high activity resulted from the strong interaction of transition metal and fluorite oxide.
An in vitro model for the analysis of intestinal brush border assembly II. Changes in expression and localization of brush border proteins during cell contact- induced brush border assembly in Caco-2BBe cells

In the companion paper (M. D. Peterson and M. S. Mooseker (1993). J. Cell Sci. 105, 445–460) we describe a method for modeling brush border assembly in the Caco-2BBe clones. In this study we have examined the molecular changes accompanying cell contact-induced brush border assembly. A subset of brush border proteins was tracked throughout brush border assembly by immunoblotting and by immunofluorescent localization using laser scanning confocal microscopy. Actin, fodrin, villin and presumptive unconventional myosin immunogens were distributed at the periphery of depolarized cells. All proteins partitioned primarily with the membrane fraction upon differential sedimentation of depolarized cell lysates; the fractionation patterns were comparable to those of confluent cells. After a monolayer had formed, each protein showed a redistribution to the apical domain in a discrete sequence. Actin and villin began to shift apically at 2 d, while fodrin and the unconventional myosin immunogens did not redistribute until 3 d. Enterocyte-like localization was observed by 5 d for all proteins. Sucrase-isomaltase was not reliably detectable until 9 d by immunofluorescence, after brush border assembly was complete. Quantitative immunoblot analysis of total cell extracts demonstrated an average 10-fold increase in villin levels, while fodrin levels appeared to remain unchanged. Three putative unconventional myosin immunogens of 140 kDa, 130 kDa, and 110 kDa have been detected previously in the C2BBe cells with a head-specific monoclonal antibody to avian brush border myosin I (M. D. Peterson and M. S. Mooseker (1992) J. Cell Sci. 102, 581–600). Each of these immunogens displayed distinct expression patterns during brush border assembly. The 140 kDa species decreased by half, while the 130 kDa immunogen(s) did not change in any consistent fashion. The 110 kDa protein, presumed to be human brush border myosin I, rose on average 8-fold. A ribonuclease protection assay was also performed using a probe for human brush border myosin I. Equal amounts of total RNA from depolarized and confluent cells were assayed; the level of protected product was approximately 9-fold greater in the confluent cells. The expression patterns of the brush border proteins, coupled with the correlation to the ultrastructural features during brush border assembly in C2BBe cells, show that differentiation of the C2BBe cells closely resembles the changes that occur during human fetal intestinal differentiation.
Privatization as a means to societal transformation : an empirical analysis of privatization in Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union

There have been numerous empirical studies of privatization programs, which have found efficiency gains to firms, industries, and financial markets in a multitude of developed and developing economies. Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union are conspicuously and consistently absent from these studies. Some reasons for this include the lack of reliable and consistent firm data both before and after privatization, the absence of vital business mechanisms and institutions to distribute reliable business information, and misconceptions about what privatization actually is. Given these problems, Stiglitz (1998) offers an interesting solution for measuring the "success" privatization in CEE and FSU. Stiglitz (1998) provides six factors to be considered when assessing the impact of any type of economic reform: economic growth, health, education, infrastructure, knowledge, and capacity-building. Through correlation analysis, financial, economic and social variables representing these six dimensions are reduced to fourteen key variables that describe privatization/economic reform success. A series of mean analyses are performed, taking into consideration privatization program characteristics and control variables to account for other economic reforms that have occurred simultaneously with privatization. General findings suggest that overall there is positive economic, financial, and social growth after privatization. However, it is difficult to discern the effects of privatization, from the effects of other economic reforms. In addition, countries that have manager/employee privatization do not have sale privatization as part of their programs experience negative growth in market capitalization, value of stocks traded, and official development assistanc
The New Joint Capabilities Integration Development System (JCIDS) and Its Potential Impacts Upon Defense Program Managers

Abstract : The June 2003 release of the radically-revised CJCSI 3170.01C and CJCSM 3170.01 promulgating the new Joint Capabilities Integration Development System (JCIDS) literally turned the legacy Service-initiated Requirements Generation System (RGS) upside down. The decades-old threat-driven," bottom-up" development process of warfare-materiel requirements was summarily replaced by a "revolutionary," capabilities-driven," top-down" process. The author provides an analysis, from a Program Manager's (PM) perspective, of the potential impacts of these changes upon the acquisition community in four distinct areas: Continuity with Service legacy requirements generation expertise, PM management challenges when other PMs are responsible for supplying critical subsystems and components that will enable satisfaction of Key Performance Parameters, Total Ownership Cost implications of deploying multiple, low-density materiel configurations, and potential disconnections between Presidential Budget Requests and Congressional enactment.
Premature Closure of the Foramen Ovale Secondary to Congenital Aortic Valvular Stenosis in a Stillborn

Premature closure of the foramen ovale is a rare and deleterious condition that can occur as an isolated defect or in association with other congenital and cardiovascular anomalies. We report on the pathologic findings in a 22-week stillborn male fetus with premature closure of the foramen ovale, severe aortic valve stenosis, cardiomegaly, intact atrial and ventricular septa, hypoplasia of the ascending aorta, and hypoplastic aortic arch with a preductal coarctation ridge. To the best of our knowledge, this is only the second report on this rare constellation of complex congenital cardiac defects.
Petrogenesis of high-silica rhyolite on the Alaska Peninsula

The chemical and isotopic compositions of sills at West Mageik Lake are contrasted with high-silica rhyolite erupted in 1912 at the nearby Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes to gain insight into the petrogenesis of evolved magmas in the Aleutian arc. A high-silica rhyolitic sill has an eNd value (+8.8) similar to an adjacent dacite porphyry stock, but the elevated Al, Sr, and 87Sr/86Sr of the rhyolite suggest that fractionation of a parental dacite magma was accompanied by significant contamination by Sr-rich sediments, probably of Paleozoic age. The chemical and isotopic character of the West Mageik Lake rhyolite suggest that the system was of small volume, making it easily affected by crustal contamination. The fact that the 8 km³ of high-silica rhyolite erupted at the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes shows only a slight Sr isotopic shift from associated dacite and andesite suggests it was part of a larger system that could assimilate small masses of crust without having its composition significantly affected.
Linear polymers of acrylic monomers containing an acetylenic moiety

1-Acryloxy-2-butyne and 1-methacryloxy-2-butyne were synthesized and polymerized by means of anionic initiators to soluble linear polymers containing acetylenic bonds in the pendant side chains. In contrast, insoluble, crosslinked polymers were formed when cationic and radical initiators were used. The unpolymerized acetylenic bonds in the resulting linear polymers were shown to be present by infrared spectroscopic methods and by the following post-reactions of these bonds: (1) the thermal- and radical-initiated crosslinking of the linear polymers through the acetylenic bonds; (2) the post-bromination of the acetylenic bonds; and (3) the reaction of decaborane with the acetylenic bonds. The anionic copolymerization of both monomers with a number of selected monomers was performed and the copolymer reactivity ratios for several of the comonomer pairs were determined. Dibromination of the linear polymers affords self-extinguishing polymers with apparently good hydrolytic stability. Decarbonation of the linear polymers yields soluble polymers which do not soften up to 300°C. The linear polymers and copolymers, as well as their partially brominated and partially decaboronated products, may be classified as “self-reactive” polymers which yield thermosetting polymers.
Kappa-affected paramecia develop immunity.

SYNOPSIS. Over 2000 paramecia affected by kappa were isolated; 93 of the animals survived, and the clones derived from these cells were analyzed. Sine affected cells produced killer clones, two produced clones immune to kappa toxin, and the remaining cells gave rise to sensitive clones. The immune (nonkiller) lines contained altered kappa particles. The immune paramecia, when deprived of particles by growth a t 33.8°C, transformed into sensitives. I t is concluded that immunity was due to the presence of particles in the cytoplasm, rather than to some modification of the cytoplasm.
An Exact Solution of modified KdV (mKdV) Equation as a reduction of Self-Dual Yang-Mills theory

It is known for quite a long time that Self-Dual Yang Mills (SDYM) theory reduce to KortewegDeVries equation, but recently Shehata and Alzaidy have proved that SDYM reduces to modified KdV equation. Therefore, this paper discusses an exact solution of modified KortewegDeVries equation with Mathematica. An implication of the proposed solution is that it is possible to consider hadrons as (a set of) KdV soliton.
Stability analysis of discrete fault tolerant control systems with parameter uncertainties

The stochastic behavior of DTFTCS with norm bounded parameter uncertainties in noisy environments is studied. The uncertainties are assumed to be unknown but bounded. Second moment stability for the uncertain DTFTCS driven by a state feedback control law is to be investigated. Sufficient conditions that guarantee the second moment stability and achieve a minimum of delta-level of disturbance rejection are to be derived. Conditions are to be formulated as a feasibility solution for a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) which allow the utilization of linear optimization tools. The results are verified by means of a numerical example.
Non-invasive cardiac output monitoring during catheter interventions in patients with cavopulmonary circulations.

Introduction: Functionally univentricular hearts palliated with superior or total cavopulmonary connection result in circulations in series. The absence of a pre-pulmonary pump means that cardiac output is more difficult to adjust and control. Continuous monitoring of cardiac output is crucial during cardiac catheter interventions and can provide new insights into the complex physiology of these lesions. Materials and methods: The Icon® cardiac output monitor was used to study the changes in cardiac output during catheter interventions in 15 patients (median age: 6.1 years, range: 4.8–15.3 years; median weight: 18.5 kg, range: 15–63 kg) with cavopulmonary circulations. A total of 19 interventions were undertaken in these patients and the observed changes in cardiac output were recorded and analysed. Results: Cardiac output was increased with creation of stent fenestrations after total cavopulmonary connection (median increase of 22.2, range: 6.7%–28.6%) and also with drainage of significant pleural effusions (16.7% increase). Cardiac output was decreased with complete or partial occlusion of fenestrations (median decrease of 10.6, range: 7.1%–13.4%). There was a consistent increase in cardiac output with stenting of obstructive left pulmonary artery lesions (median increase of 7.7, range: 5%–14.3%, p = 0.007). Conclusions: Icon® provides a novel technique for the continuous, non-invasive monitoring of cardiac output. It provides a further adjunct for monitoring of physiologically complex patients during catheter interventions. These results are consistent with previously reported series involving manipulation of fenestrations. This is the first report identifying an increase in cardiac output with stenting of obstructive pulmonary arterial lesions.
An interactive multimedia system for Parkinson's patient rehabilitation

This paper describes a novel real-time Multimedia Rehabilitation Environment for the rehabilitation of patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD). The system integrates two well known physical therapy techniques, multimodal sensory cueing and BIG protocol, with visual and auditory feedback to created an engaging mediated environment. The environment has been designed to fulfill the both the needs of the physical therapist and the patient.
Spatio-Temporal Ecology and Management of Cabbage Maggot

This study analyzes the spatio-temporal dispersion patterns of the cabbage maggot (Delia radicum L.) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) infestation in rutabagas and turnips in Oregon and suggests ways to exploit the spatial and temporal ecology of the cabbage maggot to improve management of the pest. The patchy distribution of cabbage maggots arises from a combination of first-order effects driven by spatial heterogeneity and second-order effects driven by spatial autocorrelation. The intensity of cabbage maggot infestations varied from year to year. Within a given year, damage rates tended to be higher in rutabagas than turnips, in crops planted earlier in the season, and in fields near nurseries and houses. Nonsignificant first-order effects included soil texture, distance from river, proximity to maggot sources (other than cultivated fields), type of vegetation on field borders, field manager, field area, and perimeter. Second-order effects were processes intrinsic to the population and would give rise to patchiness even in a homogeneous environment. For example, adults may be attracted to others of their species or eggs may be deposited in batches. The locations of patches arising from second-order effects cannot be predicted from knowledge of environmental covariates. However, cabbage maggot does not tend to disperse far, and existing patches tend to give rise to other patches nearby at a later time. We found elevated damage rates in spring fields planted near fields that were heavily damaged the previous fall and in fields planted late in the season near fields that had heavy damage early in the season.
Science and Philosophy

The scientific method has evolved over the years. Sir Francis Bacon, the first experimentalist may also have been the first food scientist. He used snow to freeze a chicken (Bolles 1997). Initial research was verification. Investigators developed a hypothesis and then conducted an experiment to “prove” their hypothesis. If the experiment didn’t work out, they needed to change their hypothesis and retest it.
Case Study: The Veiled Women in the Visual Imagination of the West

To contextualize the western creation of representations of difference in service of colonial power, in Chapter 7 the author analyzes a specific example of western colonial representation of the veiled Muslim woman and details the postcolonial response and resistance. Western media has collapsed complex histories and identities in order to equate Muslim women with the practice of veiling that is seen as innately oppressive by many in the west. The author engages with feminist readings of the history of veiling and with the effect of European colonial administrations on women’s lives. Colonial constructions of the veil as oppressive and the subsequent policies banning or limiting the use of the veil led to grassroots forms of resistance. The history of western visual representation of Muslim women created by and for western audiences created codes that still carry meaning in contemporary media images. What have those in the west been taught about Islam and women in the official curriculum of schooling and in the unofficial curriculum of the media?
Comparison of Designs for Safety/Mission Critical Systems

We investigate and analyze the concept of "missed detection" and its application to the design of architectures that integrate multiple safety/mission critical functions. The analysis is based on considering different design alternatives with varying levels of missed fault detection of the components constituting the functions or subsystems. The overall system reliability and availability in a fault tolerant architecture relies as heavily on the ability to detect a fault as it does on being able to prevent a fault as one would attempt by having multiple levels of redundancy and/or improved reliability of the components in such an architecture. In short, the safety of a particular architecture depends not only on component reliability, and fault tolerance, expressed as redundancy, but also on fault detectability.
Neighborhoods and Health: What Do We Know? What Should We Do?

The author reflects on the relationships between various neighborhood factors and public health as of 2016, and it mentions research regarding the interrelatedness of neighborhood socioeconomics, racial/ethnic compositions, and social environment issues such as access to healthy foods and outdoor recreational resources. Tobacco availability and advertising are examined, as well as walking behavior, diet, and obesity. Public health policies and interventions are also assessed.
The Blue Flower and the Account Book

This essay, a revised version of the August 2015 talk, examines the story of two mixed-blood women, indigenous and Anglo American, who lived in the fur trade North American West. The essay examines a racial category, mixed blood or “half-breed” and considers the challenges for people who lived in and used that category in the nineteenth century. The essay illuminates the challenges of using different kinds of personal records to understand how these nineteenth-century women might have thought about identity, a word they never would have used.
In-Situ High-Pressure Synchrotron X-Ray Diffraction of Natural Epidote

In situ angle dispersive X-ray diffraction measurements for a natural epidote were performed with diamond anvil cell instrument and synchrotron radiation at NSLS(National Synchrotron Light Source).The maximal pressure in the experiment was 9.16 GPa.At experimental pressures,no evidence of phase transition of the epidote was observed.A fit to the third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state yielded an isothermal bulk modulus of 116(7)GPa and its pressure derivative of 7.8(8).The isothermal bulk modulus of epidote is determined to be 132(4)GPa,assuming that its first pressure derivative is 4.Furthermore,we confirm that the linear compressibilities along a,b,and c directions of epidote are elastically anisotropic.Consequently,it can be concluded that the compressibility of epidote under high pressures has been accurately constrained.
Subpopulations of bone marrow fibroblasts support VLA-4-mediated migration of B-cell precursors

Proliferation of normal human lymphoid progenitors in culture is dependent on interaction with bone marrow-derived fibroblast-like cells (BM-FB). To investigate possible heterogeneity in this lymphoid-supportive microenvironment, we studied the interaction of a human B-precursor cell line (NALM-6) with BM-FB. NALM-6 cells associate with BM-FB by either adhesion or migration underneath the fibroblast. Individual fibroblasts in the BM-FB layer showed significant variation in the number of migrating NALM-6 cells. Migration of NALM-6 cells was primarily VLA-4-dependent, although residual migration observable after blocking with anti-VLA-alpha 4 antibody was inhibited by anti-VLA-alpha 5 antibody. Migration was not inhibited by blocking either of the known VLA-4 counterreceptors (VCAM-1 or fibronectin), although slight inhibition was observed using a combination of blocking antibodies to VCAM-1 and fibronectin. In contrast, NALM-6 adhesion without migration was significantly inhibitable by anti-VCAM-1 antibody. VCAM-1 or fibronectin expression on individual BM-FB did not correlate with NALM-6 migration. These results indicate that the adhesion and migration of human B-lymphoid precursors in the bone marrow microenvironment are mechanistically separable events and suggest the possibility of novel VLA-4 ligand(s), which may be important in human lymphopoiesis. Subpopulations of cells in the bone marrow microenvironment may preferentially support important aspects of lymphoid progenitor development.
Employing Chemical Processes as Grid-Level Energy Storage Devices

The contribution of power generation from renewable sources to the U.S. energy markets has witnessed an explosive growth, leading to increased variability and uncertainty in grid operations. Demand response (DR) operation of chemical processes, based on overproducing and storing product(s) during off-peak times, when grid demand is low, and reducing production rates and (partially) meeting product demand using the stored products during peak price times, can be used to create a virtual grid-scale “battery” and help alleviate power generation variability. In this chapter, we discuss the interplay between process-centric and utility-centric optimization of the operating schedule of DR chemical processes. Given the frequent production rate changes required in such circumstances, the scheduling calculations are carried out under a set of dynamic constraints that represent the scheduling-relevant closed-loop behavior of the processes. We propose a reconciliation mechanism, based on two-way communication of a limited set of information between the utility and process operators. Utility operators use a simplified, battery-like representation of the energy storage capabilities of each DR process to compute the utility-optimal process energy consumption profile. Then, process operators determine the energy price profile that would allow them to implement this consumption profile without incurring economic losses, and communicate it to the utility company. This scheme reduces the dimension of the optimization problem that must be solved at the utility level and provides an equitable and transparent means for chemical process operators to engage in DR schemes.
Leveraging critical literacies for social change: questioning the culture of compliance at an ‘F’ school

AbstractThis article traces the experiences of two veteran elementary school teachers in the urban Southwest, who are positioned by district and state policy ‘texts’ as insubordinate and failing, and who employ critical literacy practices to reconstruct and redesign these texts as they seek to create more equitable and humane conditions in schools. Stemming from a larger phenomenological study, this article explores how teachers in a ‘failing’ elementary school in the Southwestern US understand and negotiate district, state, and federal policies and examines how these policies shape and inform their identities as professionals. This research has important implications concerning the potential of critical literacy as a mode of resistance, the promise inherent in school/university partnerships for promoting change, and the ways in which the practice of deconstructing/reconstructing dehumanizing texts can foster a re-professionalization of teaching.
Ten Tweaks That Can Improve Your Teaching

Many recommendations for improving teaching are valid and important but may be prohibitively challenging for instructors. I describe 10 teaching techniques – “tweaks” – that are more easily implemented, and evidence of their value for increasing student engagement and learning: (1) Have a class outline visible at all times. (2) Use hand-written PowerPoint slides. (3) Help your students encode and review more complete notes. (4) Use in-class exercises that require commitment. (5) Incorporate “transfer” questions. (6) Focus on misconceptions. (7) Include photos that inspire and provoke. (8) Create the right test and teach to it. (9) Incorporate self-disclosure. (10) Reinforce the “take-home messages.”
Aripiprazole Suppression of Drinking in a Clinical Laboratory Paradigm: Influence of Impulsivity and Self-Control.

Background Aspects of impulsivity have been implicated in the development, or maintenance, of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). The brain dopamine system is implicated in both reward processing/memory (typically subcortical) and in brain inhibitory control mechanisms (typically cortical). Using a validated clinical lab paradigm, the dopamine/serotonin “stabilizing” drug, aripiprazole was evaluated in non-treatment-seeking AUD individuals based on their level of impulsivity/ self-control. Methods Ninety-nine individuals (77% male; mean age 27; 7.5 drinks per day; 83% heavy drinking days) meeting DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence were randomized to aripiprazole (N=47 evaluable) or placebo (N=48 evaluable) based on their Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) score (above or below 68). Aripiprazole, or similar placebo, was titrated to 15mg over 8 days. Drinking was recorded over 6 days under natural conditions. On day 8, after one day of required abstinence, individuals participated in a bar-lab paradigm that included a priming drink (BAC target 0.02-0.03 g/dL) and free-choice consumption of up to 8 drinks (max BAC 0.1 g/dL) in exchange for a “bar-credit” of $2 per drink (max $16). Endpoints were drinks per day under natural conditions and drinks consumed in the bar-lab after the priming drink. Results There was no significant main effect of aripiprazole or interaction with BIS-11 score during the natural drinking period. However, there was a main effect of aripiprazole on bar-lab drinking (p=0.04) and aripiprazole reduced the total number of drinks consumed more among individuals with low self-control (p=0.034) and increased latency to consume those drinks (p=0.045) more among those with high impulsivity. Relative to placebo, aripiprazole caused more side effects and increased alcohol-induced sedation, but neither significantly influenced its interaction with impulsivity/self-control scores on drinking. Conclusions This paradigm forced a choice between immediate drinking reward and delayed monetary reward. In those with high impulsivity and/or low self-control, aripiprazole shifts the balance away from immediate drinking towards a later reward. Medications targeting cortical dopamine/serotonin balance might show clinical benefit of reduced drinking, among individuals with impulsivity/low self-control. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
What you see is not what you get!: Detecting Simpson's Paradoxes during Data Exploration

Visual data exploration tools, such as Vizdom or Tableau, significantly simplify data exploration for domain experts and, more importantly, novice users. These tools allow to discover complex correlations and to test hypotheses and differences between various populations in an entirely visual manner with just a few clicks, unfortunately, often ignoring even the most basic statistical rules. For example, there are many statistical pitfalls that a user can "tap" into when exploring data sets.As a result of this experience, we started to build QUDE [1], the first system to Quantifying the Uncertainty in Data Exploration, which is part of Brown's Interactive Data Exploration Stack (called IDES). The goal of QUDE is to automatically warn and, if possible, protect users from common mistakes during the data exploration process. In this paper, we focus on a different type of error, the Simpson's Paradox, which is a special type of error in which a high-level aggregate/visualization leads to the wrong conclusion since a trend reverts when splitting the visualized data set into multiple subgroups (i.e., when executing a drill-down)..
Technical Note: System for evaluating local hypothermia as a radioprotector of the rectum in a small animal model.

Purpose The protective effects of induced or even accidental hypothermia on the human body are widespread with several medical uses currently under active research. In vitro experiments using human cell lines have shown hypothermia provides a radioprotective effect that becomes more pronounced at large, single-fraction doses common to stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatments. This work describes the development of a system to evaluate local hypothermia for a radioprotive effect of the rat rectum during a large dose of radiation relevant to prostate SBRT. This includes the evaluation of a 3D-printed small animal rectal cooling device and the integration with a small animal irradiator. Methods A 3cm long, dual-lumen rectal temperature control apparatus (RTCA) was designed in SOLIDWORKS CAD for 3D printing. The RTCA was capable of recirculating flow in a device small enough for insertion into the rat rectum, with a metal support rod for strength as well as visibility during radiation treatment planning. The outer walls of the RTCA were comprised of thin heat shrink plastic, achieving efficient heat transfer into adjacent tissues. Following leak-proof testing, fiber optic temperature probes were used to evaluate the temperature over time when placed adjacent to the cooling device within the rat rectum. MRI thermometry characterized the relative temperature distribution in concentric ROIs surrounding the probe. Integration with an image-guided small animal irradiator and associated treatment planning system included evaluation for imaging artifacts and effect of brass tubing on dose calculation. Results The rectal temperature adjacent to the cooling device decreased from body temperature to 15°C within 10-20 minutes from device insertion and was maintained at 15±3°C during active cooling for the evaluated time of one hour. MR thermometry revealed a steep temperature gradient with increasing distance from the cooling device with the desired temperature range maintained within the surrounding few millimeters. Conclusions A 3D-printed rectal cooling device was fabricated for the purpose of inducing local hypothermia in the rat rectum. The RTCA was simply integrated with an image-guided small animal irradiator and Monte Carlo based treatment planning system to facilitate an in vivo investigation of the radioprotective effect of hypothermia for late rectal toxicity following a single large dose of radiation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Relationship between SST gradients and upwelling off Peru and Chile: model/satellite data analysis

ABSTRACTThe upwelling system off Peru/Chile is characterized by significant mesoscale to submesoscale surface variability that results from the instability of the coastal currents (due to the strong vertical and horizontal shears) and to the marked density cross-shore gradients (associated with the mean upwelling). Here we investigate to what extent upwelling intensity can be inferred from sea surface temperature (SST) derived from remote sensing. As a first step in validation, a comparison between SST observations is performed, which indicates that the 1 km gridded multi-scale ultra-high-resolution (MUR) SST data set is defining a zone of maximum SST gradients closer to shore than the low-resolution National Centers for Environmental Information 0.25° resolution data set. Two model versions, at nominal resolutions of 2 km and 4 km, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model are analysed. A high-resolution version at 2 km is examined for the period 13 September 2011–23 January ...
A review of GLP-1 receptor agonists: Evolution and advancement, through the lens of randomised controlled trials

Aims To review the evolution and advancement of GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) therapy, through the lens of randomised controlled trials, from differentiating characteristics, efficacy, safety, tolerability, and cardiovascular outcomes, to evidence gaps and next steps. Methods Clinical review of published phase 3 or later RCT data studying efficacy, safety, and outcomes of approved GLP-1 RA therapies. Results Through a wealth of studies, including both placebo-controlled and active-controlled studies, GLP-1 RAs have demonstrated high glycemic efficacy and ability to facilitate weight loss, with minimal risk of hypoglycemia, potential to restore beta cell function, and evidence for improved cardiovascular outcomes in those at risk. Conclusions Over a decade of clinical studies have established the unique contributions of GLP-1 RAs in the treatment of diabetes. Individual differences between the different GLP-1 RAs, in delivery, pharmacokinetic and clinical effects, exist, allowing for tailored approaches to clinical care. The strength of evidence generated through RCTs, both short-term and long-term studies, will continue to evolve and inform our current paradigms in diabetes care.
No Matter Where, Adolescent Sexual Health Is Everyone's Job.

The United States should be proud of its declining teenaged pregnancy rates over the past several years, with data from 2016 revealing a continued and significant decrease in birth rates in adolescents aged 15 to 19 years from 2007 to 2016.1 However, we still lag far behind other developed nations.2 Moreover, adolescents and young adults still share a disproportionate burden of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) compared with other age groups.3–5 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that individuals aged 15 to 24 years account for one-half of all new STIs in the United States and one-quarter of new HIV diagnoses but account for only one-quarter of the population that is sexually active.6,7 Despite this, one-third of adolescents have health maintenance examinations without any mention of sexual health. If sexual health is discussed at all, it is for an average of merely 36 seconds.8 The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes the significant role that pediatricians can play in preventing these avoidable health outcomes, primarily by focusing on the pediatric office setting.9 However, it is time for pediatric hospitalists to embrace sexual and reproductive health, including STI and HIV testing, as routine inpatient care regardless of the chief complaint or reason for admission. Currently, there is limited research in this area. In this issue of Hospital Pediatrics , 3 important articles related to sexual and reproductive health for adolescents are presented in which researchers look beyond the classic office scenario to the hospital setting. Studies have already revealed that adolescents are open to receiving contraceptive counseling in a variety of settings, such as school-based health centers,10 …
Catch and hold: instructional interventions and their differential impact on student interest, attention, and autonomous motivation

ABSTRACTIn this study, we investigated how various teaching behaviors influence student interest as a situational variable. Specifically, we studied how behaviors related to catch interest (i.e., ephemeral aspects of the learning environment such as instructor humor, nonverbal immediacy, intellectual stimulation) and hold interest (i.e., features of the environment that empower students to reach their personal goals including content relevance and meaningfulness) predicted students’ sustained attention and autonomous motivation. As anticipated, results of a structural regression model indicated that catch interest was linked to students’ sustained attention in class. Conversely, hold interest was related to students’ autonomous motivation. Our results suggest that if teachers want to ensure they maximize student motivation inside the classroom and beyond, they might consider diversifying their teaching behaviors to target both the catch and hold aspects of students’ situational interest.
1648a Health hazards in veterinary care

Veterinary health care workers are exposed to a highly diverse set of hazards similar to human health care workers and include exposures to biological, chemical, enviro-mechanical, psychosocial, and physical agents. This session will provide a review of veterinary health care hazards. Biological hazards include exposures to infectious and zoonotic diseases, animal allergens, and biologic pharmaceuticals. Several biologic agent exposures such as tick-borne and Lyme diseases are of concern and transmission routes for many biological agents are not completely understood. Many personnel suffer from animal allergen exposure and assessments estimates as well as disease are needed. Chemical hazards similar to those in human health care such as disinfectant agents which are continuously used and have been associated with asthma, rhinitis, and contact dermatitis in healthcare workers, and antineoplastic drug exposure, primarily used to treat cancer in dogs and cats are of particular concern. Exposure estimates, hazard knowledge among veterinary personnel related to these agents, and current prevention practices including use of PPE are limited. Enviro-mechanical hazards include sharps risks, and ergonomic risks to unsafe equipment, heavy lifting of both animals and equipment, and awkward postures. With many more women in veterinary health care, reproductive risks are significant from physically demanding work, standing for prolonged periods of time, long working long hours, and chemical exposure. Physical hazards include animal-related injuries such as bites, scratches, and crushing injuries from large animals. Animal noise is a unique hazard in veterinary health care (particularly to dogs) and can contribute to hearing loss. Psychological hazards from work-related stress dealing with the care of sick and injured animals, euthanasia, and with human grief are prevalent requiring much more exploration. Safety culture, attitudes and beliefs around personal safety and the expectation that certain hazards are to be accepted and tolerated remains and must be examined and mitigated.
El aprendizaje de las naciones. La búsqueda de un espacio para Iberoamérica en el próximo siglo

Las sociedades, como los organismos vivos, evolucionan y cambian, interactuan con su medio ambiente a traves de mecanismos de asimilacion y adaptacion, se restructuran continuamente, a veces en forma imperceptible y en ocasiones a traves de cambios cualitativos. Las sociedades buscan conservar una memoria y responder a estimulos nuevos con los recursos que han ido acumulando a lo largo de su historia. Se puede decir que aprenden.
The Paradox of the Negligence Rule

The negligence rule contains a paradox in that the more advanced safety technology becomes, the more negligence liability there is. In order to see what drives this paradox, we need to examine two key negligence ideas: “unavoidable accident” and a related concept that I will call “inevitable accident.” “Unavoidable accident” is the expected harm (per unit of time) that remains when an actor has installed all reasonable safety appliances, has made all reasonable precaution plans, and has perfectly followed through on these reasonable precaution plans. The other concept, “inevitable accident,”1 is the expected value of accidents (over the same unit of time) that an actor would create if he or she made a reasonable number of errors in following through on reasonable precaution plans. It is of course possible that an actor’s inevitable accident will be zero, but for various reasons it is instead likely to be positive. These “compliance errors” are the main source of negligence in the real world.
Colloquium: Electronic instabilities in self-assembled atom wires

Low dimensional systems have fascinated physicists for a long time due to their unusual properties such as charge fractionalization, semionic statistics, and Luttinger liquid behavior among others. In nature, however, low dimensional systems often suffer from thermal fluctuations that can make these systems structurally unstable. Human beings, however, can trick nature by producing artificial structures which are not naturally produced. This Colloquium reviews the problem of self-assembled atomic wires on solid surfaces from an experimental and theoretical point of view. These materials represent a class of one-dimensional systems with very unusual properties that can open doors to the study of exotic physics that cannot be studied otherwise.