cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eigengroup analyses of linear ecosystem models

Abstract Eigenvalue analysis has been widely used for characterization of model ecosystems, and utilization of the total eigensystem information has been demonstrated for ecosystem models. Solution of the unique eigenvectors, termed eigengroups, associated with specified perturbation initial conditions allows proper assignment of the ecosystem model content to each exponential decay function. Such eigengroup solutions of Monte Carlo assigned perturbations are reported here for a nine-compartment tropical moist forest phosphorus model and for a set of seven six-compartment general nutrient cycling models. Confirmed by CSMP III STIFF numerical integration, results indicate that the dynamics of these multi-compartment models, each having many internal closed cycles, are adequately described by only one or two exponential decay functions, even at massive perturbation levels. For these models, conjugate complex noncritical eigenvalues were found to be common, but the decay rates of the envelopes of oscillation are consistently so rapid that system-intrinsic oscillations are undetectable. The techniques used here are presented as efficient means of identifying the transient response space of linear ecosystem models.
Some physiological alterations accompanying infectivity to mammals by four genera of trypanosomatidae

Abstract 1. 1. In the trypanosomatid species examined, the component elements of excreted factors (EF) production differs in relation to infectivity for mammal hosts. 2. 2. Adaptation to mice of four genera of insect trypanosomatid parasites was attempted. 3. 3. Three species. Crithidia harmosa, Herpetomonas samuelpessoai , and H. megaseliae demonstrated increased survival time in mice after six passages through mice. 4. 4. Alteration of component elements of EF produced by the three adapted species occurred. 5. 5. EF components of Leishmania donovani isolates differ with decreasing infectivity for hamsters.
The Development of Tools for the Automatic Extraction of Desired Information from Large Amounts of Engineering Data

Product development processes generate large quantities of experimental and analytical data. The data evaluation process is usually quite lengthy since the data needs to be extracted from a large number of individual output files and arranged in suitable formats before they can be compared. When the data quantity grows extremely large, manual extraction cannot be done in a limited timeframe. This paper describes a set of tools developed by MTS engineers to automatically extract the desired information from a large number of files and perform data post-processing. The tools greatly improved both speed and accuracy of the evaluation process during the development of a sound quality-based end-of-line inspection system for seat tracks [1]. It allowed engineers to quickly gather a comprehensive understanding of the relative importance of individual design parameters and of their correlation to the subjective perception of the sound quality of the seat track.
2-dilated flattened butterfly: A nonblocking switching network

The flattened butterfly is known to be a cost efficient topology for high-radix networks. Because of its inherent path diversity, it is able to provide comparable cost/performance with the Clos network in adversarial traffic conditions. However, the flattened butterfly is a blocking network and this blocking behavior can degrade the performance of the network when all the I/O devices are transmitting and receiving data with full bandwidth. In this paper, we show that a 2-dilated flattened butterfly shows the nonblocking behavior which is a critical factor in deciding the quality of any high performance computing system network. We demonstrate the procedure to find static decentralized conflict-free routing schedule for this structure. We also compare the performance of a 2-dilated flattened butterfly with other switching networks. We also show that the 2-dilated flattened butterfly topology can be used to build high speed switching systems with reduced cost.
Graph-based synopses for relational selectivity estimation

This paper introduces the Tuple Graph (TUG) synopses, a new class of data summaries that enable accurate selectivity estimates for complex relational queries. The proposed summarization framework adopts a "semi-structured" view of the relational database, modeling a relational data set as a graph of tuples and join queries as graph traversals respectively. The key idea is to approximate the structure of the induced data graph in a concise synopsis, and to estimate the selectivity of a query by performing the corresponding traversal over the summarized graph. We detail the TUG synopsis model that is based on this novel approach, and we describe an efficient and scalable construction algorithm for building accurate TUGs within a specific storage budget. We validate the performance of TUGs with an extensive experimental study on real-life and synthetic data sets. Our results verify the effectiveness of TUGs in generating accurate selectivity estimates for complex join queries, and demonstrate their benefits over existing summarization techniques.
The Neurospora Transposon Tad Is Sensitive to Repeat-Induced Point Mutation (Rip)

RIP (repeat-induced point mutation) efficiently mutates repeated sequences in the sexual phase of the Neurospora crassa life cycle. Nevertheless, an active LINE-like retrotransposon, Tad, was found in a N. crassa strain from Adiopodoume. The possibility was tested that Tad might be resistant to RIP, or that the Adiopodoume strain might be incompetent for RIP. Tad elements derived from the Adiopodoume strain were found to be susceptible to RIP. In addition, strains lacking active Tad elements, including common laboratory strains and strains representing seven species of Neurospora, were found to have sequences closely related to Tad but with numerous mutations of the type resulting from RIP (G:C to A:T). Even the Adiopodoume strain showed Tad-like elements with mutations characteristic of RIP. Results of crossing of an Adiopodoume transformant with progeny of Adiopodoume suggest that the Adiopodoume strain is proficient at RIP. We conclude that Tad is an old transposable element that has been inactivated by RIP in most strains. Finding relics of RIP in both heterothallic and homothallic species of Neurospora implicates RIP across the genus.
Prioritizing prevention opportunities in the Washington State construction industry, 2003-2007

Abstract Objective This study compares construction industry groups in Washington State by injury severity and cost, and ranks industry groups according to potential for prevention. Methods All Washington State workers' compensation compensable claims with date of injury between 2003 and 2007 were classified into North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) industry groups. Claims were then aggregated by injury type and industry groups were ranked according to a prevention index (PI). The PI is the average of the rank orders of the claim count and the claim incidence rate. A lower PI indicates a higher need for prevention activities. The severity rate was calculated as the number of days of time loss per 10,000 full-time equivalents (FTEs). Results For all injury types, construction industry groups occupy 7 of the top 15 PI ranks in Washington State. The severity rate among construction industry groups was twice that for non-construction groups for all injury types. Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors (NAICS 2381) ranked highest in prevention potential and severity among construction industry groups for most common injury types including falls from elevation, fall on same level, struck by/against, and musculo-skeletal disorders of the neck, back, and upper extremity (WMSDs). Median claim costs by injury type were generally higher among construction industry groups. Conclusions The construction industry in Washington State has a high severity rate and potential for prevention. The methods used for characterizing these industry groups can be adapted for comparison within and between other industries and states. Impact on Industry These data can be used by industry groups and employers to identify higher cost and higher severity injury types. Knowledge about the relative frequencies and costs associated with different injury types will help employers and construction industry associations make better informed decisions about where prevention efforts are most needed and may have the greatest impact. The results of this study can also be used by industry stakeholders to cooperatively focus on high cost and high severity injuries and explore best practices, interventions, and solutions as demonstrated by efforts to prevent musculoskeletal disorders in masonry ( Entzel, Albers, & Welch, 2007 ). Initiating construction industry groups to focus on high cost and high severity injuries may also help prevent other types of injuries.
Utilizing New Prescription Drugs: Disparities among Non-Hispanic Whites, Non-Hispanic Blacks, and Hispanic Whites

Race and ethnicity have been shown to be associated with medical diagnosis and treatment (Mayberry, Mili, and Ofili 2000). The contemporary medical literature uses “race” as a social construct because previous research has accumulated evidence against the biological differences between human races (Stolley 1999). Allocation to a specific racial group is associated with the level of social stress that individuals are subjected to and the medical care they receive (Krieger 2000; Laws 2001). In contrast to race, ethnicity refers to a group that people belong to due to shared languages, cultural traditions, etc. (Bhopal 1997). According to the Institute of Medicine 2003 report, “Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare,” both racial and ethnic minorities tend to receive health care of lower quality and/or quantity than majority populations (Smedley, Stith, and Nelson 2003). These disparities have significant economic and sociological implications. First, racial and ethnic disparities raise concerns about whether health care is being provided in a consistent and appropriate manner (Smedley, Stith, and Nelson 2003). Additionally, from an economic viewpoint, overall health care expenditures may increase as a result of inconsistent or inappropriate treatment (Smedley, Stith, and Nelson 2003). For example, a study using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey showed that using newer drugs reduced nondrug medical costs and overall treatment costs (Lichtenberg 2001). Disparities in the use of new prescription drugs may thus be related to increased health care costs. The aforementioned negative effects of racial and ethnic disparities on quality and health care expenditures may be exacerbated because the proportion of minorities in the United States is increasing (U.S. Census Bureau 2004). Because of the impact of racial and ethnic disparities in the United States, there has been an intensive effort to document disparities in health services utilization and identify their causes, in preparation for effective interventions. Such studies, however, have not addressed the use of prescription drugs in a comprehensive manner. Particularly, the use of new prescription drugs has not been compared across racial and ethnic groups. New drugs are usually priced higher than the older medications, but they may offer the potential benefits of fewer side effects and higher effectiveness (Lichtenberg 2001; Mullins et al. 2001). Therefore, racial and ethnic disparities in the use of new prescription drugs deserve examination. This study was undertaken to examine the question as to whether there are racial and ethnic disparities in new prescription use among non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanic whites.
The Case for Secondary Hormonal Therapies in the Chemotherapy Age

Purpose: Virtually all patients with high risk localized and metastatic prostate cancer who are treated with androgen deprivation therapy eventually have progressive clinical or biochemical disease despite this therapy. Despite this fact numerous therapies are available that target the interaction of androgen and androgen receptor in the castrate testosterone milieu and many clinical investigations are under way in this area.Materials and Methods: This literature review focuses on the current clinical literature in support of secondary hormonal therapy.Results: Despite low androgen levels the androgen receptor remains active through the amplification, mutation or alteration of coactivator function. These observations suggest that secondary hormonal therapies remain a reasonable clinical approach. Such approaches can be receptor or ligand directed. Receptor directed approaches to secondary hormonal therapy are antiandrogen withdrawal, sequential use of antiandrogens and estrogenic compounds. Ligand directe...
Recall and Recall-Organization Behaviors of Field-Dependent and Field-Independent Children:

In a sort-recall task 20 field-independent children at two age levels (Grades 1 and 4) recalled a greater number of items and achieved greater degrees of organization in their recall output when co...
Chronic Disease Self-Management A Model for Tertiary Prevention

The prevalence of chronic disease continues to increase as our population ages. Today, many older people have more than one chronic condition. Thus comorbidity is a problem for both the individual ...
Channel Access Statistics of Parallel Multiuser Scheduling

Generalized selection multiuser diversity (GSMuD) is a new scheduling scheme which provides a near-optimal low-complexity solution to parallel access multiuser scheduling. In this scheme, a total of L users awaiting transmissions are ranked by their signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and the Nc (1 les Nc les L) users with the largest absolute (or normalized) SNRs are selected for parallel channel access. In this paper, we analyze the second order statistics (including the level crossing rate and average fade duration) and channel access performance (including the average channel access rate, the average access time, and the average waiting time) of the proposed GSMuD scheme, taking into account different types of generalized fading channels. Simulation results verify the derived analytical formulas. Numerical results show that compared to the selective multiuser diversity (SMuD), the GSMuD significantly improves the channel access rate and access time, and reduces the access waiting time. The presented results will be useful for the cross-layer design of multiuser parallel scheduling systems.
${\hbox{YBa}}_{2}{\hbox{Cu}}_{3}{\hbox{O}}_{7{\hbox{-}}\delta}$ Formation by Processing of Laser-Ablated, Fluorine-Free Precursor Films

Epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7-delta was formed by processing of laser-ablated, fluorine-free precursor films. The depositions were conducted at room temperature in low oxygen pressure on LaAlO3(LAO) single crystal substrates. Processing was done in the same deposition chamber by heating the precursor film to reaction temperatures of 750-850degC in a reducing gas ambient, and then raising the oxygen pressure to the conversion point. Typical processing times are a few minutes, corresponding to minimum YBCO growth rates of 1 nm/s. XRD analysis shows epitaxial growth and high crystallinity, although measured Tc values are somewhat suppressed at 88 K, with resulting critical current density, Jc of about 1 MA/cm2 at 77 K, as determined by magnetic hysteresis. Properties indicate that the materials lack appropriate level of defects needed both for rapid oxygenation and flux pinning.
Enhancing Robustness Under Dual-Link Failures

In this paper, we show that minimizing the product of path lengths results in minimizing the probability of connection failure between a source and destination given two links have failed in the network. We, therefore, analyze the problem of finding disjoint paths between two nodes with the minimum path length product. We formulate the problem as a mixed integer quadratic programming (MIQP) problem. We develop an iterative heuristic based on k-shortest path approach. We demonstrate through extensive simulations that only a few iterations are sufficient to obtain paths whose path length product is comparable to that of optimal obtained by solving the MIQP.
An analysis of multiple factors affecting retention in Web-based community college courses

Abstract The current study examined four factors affecting retention in Web-based community college courses. Analyses were conducted on student demographics, student learning styles, course communication and external factors. The results suggest that Web-based courses are more attractive to busy students who are also more likely to fail or drop the course. The combined results from the four factors provided evidence that time management and procrastination are the primary reasons that community college students fail or drop a Web-based course. The study also found evidence that inability to get feedback from instructors may contribute to student dropout and failure in Web-based community college courses.
SBEToolbox: A Matlab Toolbox for Biological Network Analysis:

We present SBEToolbox (Systems Biology and Evolution Toolbox), an open-source Matlab toolbox for biological network analysis. It takes a network file as input, calculates a variety of centralities and topological metrics, clusters nodes into modules, and displays the network using different graph layout algorithms. Straightforward implementation and the inclusion of high-level functions allow the functionality to be easily extended or tailored through developing custom plugins. SBEGUI, a menu-driven graphical user interface (GUI) of SBEToolbox, enables easy access to various network and graph algorithms for programmers and non-programmers alike. All source code and sample data are freely available at https://github.com/biocoder/SBEToolbox/releases.
Hardy–Landau–Littlewood Inequalities for Fractional Derivatives in Weighted Lp Spaces

On etablit l'inegalite de Hardy-Landau-Littlewood dans les espaces L p ponderes pour des poids satisfaisant a la condition (Ap) de Muckenhoupt. On montre que l'integrale indefinie possede un groupe fortement continu de puissances imaginaires dans L w p (0,∞)
Multiple classifier systems for multisensor data fusion

We have previously introduced Learn ++ , an en- semble of classifiers based algorithm capable of incre- mental learning from additional data, and pointed to its fea- sibility in data fusion applications. In this contribution, we provide additional details, updated results and insight on how such a system can be used in integrating complemen- tary knowledge provided by different data sources obtained from different sensors. Essentially, the algorithm generates an ensemble of classifiers using data from each source, and combines these classifiers using a weighted voting proce- dure. The weights are determined based on the individual classifier's training performance as well as the observed or predicted reliability of each data source.
A Comprehensive Technique for Determining the Intrinsic Light Yield of Scintillators

Precise knowledge of the intrinsic light yield of scintillating materials is important for characterizing, optimizing, and simulating scintillating detectors for radiation detection applications. We present here a comprehensive method for determining the intrinsic light yield of scintillating materials. By maintaining complete control over all aspects of photodetector response measurement, and through the use of a novel method for direct measurement of the light collection efficiency of the scintillator, we have successfully demonstrated that our technique allows for new levels of precision and understanding in the measurement of the intrinsic light yield of scintillating materials.
Making Time for Nature: Visual Exposure to Natural Environments Lengthens Subjective Time Perception and Reduces Impulsivity

Impulsivity in delay discounting is associated with maladaptive behaviors such as overeating and drug and alcohol abuse. Researchers have recently noted that delay discounting, even when measured by a brief laboratory task, may be the best predictor of human health related behaviors (e.g., exercise) currently available. Identifying techniques to decrease impulsivity in delay discounting, therefore, could help improve decision-making on a global scale. Visual exposure to natural environments is one recent approach shown to decrease impulsive decision-making in a delay discounting task, although the mechanism driving this result is currently unknown. The present experiment was thus designed to evaluate not only whether visual exposure to natural (mountains, lakes) relative to built (buildings, cities) environments resulted in less impulsivity, but also whether this exposure influenced time perception. Participants were randomly assigned to either a natural environment condition or a built environment condition. Participants viewed photographs of either natural scenes or built scenes before and during a delay discounting task in which they made choices about receiving immediate or delayed hypothetical monetary outcomes. Participants also completed an interval bisection task in which natural or built stimuli were judged as relatively longer or shorter presentation durations. Following the delay discounting and interval bisection tasks, additional measures of time perception were administered, including how many minutes participants thought had passed during the session and a scale measurement of whether time "flew" or "dragged" during the session. Participants exposed to natural as opposed to built scenes were less impulsive and also reported longer subjective session times, although no differences across groups were revealed with the interval bisection task. These results are the first to suggest that decreased impulsivity from exposure to natural as opposed to built environments may be related to lengthened time perception.
Consumer Voice and Representation in Managed Healthcare

The author examines the potential role for the public and, more specifically, for plan participants, in making managed care organizations (MCOs) respond to their wishes by means other than market exit. Market exit, or simply choosing an alternative means of procuring healthcare, is not an option for most plan participants -- and even when available, sends a message that is muted at best. Moreover, the author reasons that MCOs are imbued with a variety of quasigovernmental qualities; thus, it is appropriate that they should be more responsive to the requirements of their customers than, say, a retailer. Professor Rodwin describes and analyzes various ways that public policy and law could enhance the ability of consumers to help shape the policies of MCOs and discusses the pros and cons of differing means by which Consumer Voice can be represented.
The Influence of Contextual Factors on the Sustainability of Professional Development Outcomes.

This study investigated how contextual factors influenced the sustainability of outcomes from a 3-year, state-funded professional development program that provided science assistance for K-2 teachers in small, rural school districts. The research used a case-study approach with a purposive sample of five elementary schools that varied in instructional time in science several years after the funding period. The primary data sources were teacher surveys and interviews conducted 2 and 3 years after the end of the professional development program. The findings highlight variations across schools and the influence of principal support, resources, collegial support, personal commitment, and external factors. The research holds practical implications for enhancing long-term sustainability of professional development outcomes in science education.
A Computational Study of Optically Concentrating, Solar-Fuels Generators from Annual Thermal- and Fuel-Production Efficiency Perspectives

Author(s): Stevens, JC; Weber, AZ | Abstract: The commercial deployment of wireless photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) may provide a viable means to close the anthropogenic carbon cycle associated with the global transportation sector. The growing body of research on PECs has largely focused on developing and integrating the materials necessary for robust, efficient solar-fuel production on the laboratory benchtop. While these efforts are a prerequisite for the commercialization of PECs, deployed PECs will have to contend with extreme heat, cold, and insolation variations in the outdoor environment. They will also have to operate efficiently throughout their lifetime and in multiple locations. This paper reports a computational framework for estimating the hourly profiles of time-varying temperature and solar-to-hydrogen efficiency that optically concentrating, wireless PECs will attain over the course of a typical year. It is found that annual weighted average solar-to-hydrogen efficiencies in excess of 9 to 11% can be achieved in extremely cloudy and sunny locations, respectively. Additionally, typical PECs will likely incur damage due to overheating or freezing; measures to protect PECs from extreme heat and cold are outlined. The findings also help to bring into focus issues regarding real-world deployment of energy-generation technologies and methodologies towards tackling them.
Health Literacy Status Affects Outcomes for Patients Referred for Transplant

Background It is hypothesized that limited health literacy affects outcomes for patients referred for transplant; however, research has not examined this for all types of end-stage organ disease. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether health literacy and cognitive impairment were related to listing for transplant and posttransplant outcomes. Methods Chart reviews were conducted on 398 patients who completed a required psychiatric evaluation before transplant listing. Information gathered from these evaluations included reading ability, math ability, and cognitive functioning. Variables before transplant and 6 months after transplantation were also collected. Results Patients with limited reading ability were less likely to be listed for transplant ( p = .018) and were more likely to be removed from listing ( p = .042), to miss appointments prelisting ( p = .021), and to experience graft failure ( p = .015). Patients with limited math ability were less likely to be listed ( p = .010) and receive a transplant ( p = 0.031), and more likely to be readmitted posttransplant ( p = .029). Patients with cognitive impairment were less likely to be listed ( p = .043) and to receive a transplant ( p = .010). Conclusions To achieve superior transplant access and outcomes, transplant providers should regularly screen patients for limited health literacy and cognitive impairment. Future studies should evaluate whether interventions result in better outcomes for these patients.
Clinic Study of Pressure Drop during Pulsatile Perfusion in Pediatric Patients undergoing Cardiac Surgery

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of modified roller pump pulsatile perfusion during conventional extracorporeal circulation(ECC) heart surgery and observe pressure drop caused by different devices in ECC circuit.METHODS 20 pediatric patients diagnosed as tetralogy of Fallot(male 8,female 12) were involved in this clinical pulsatile perfusion study.Mean age was 13.5 months and mean weight was 10.2 kg.Two kinds of oxygenators were used(separate number was 10) in present trial.Jostra HL-20 heart lung machine provided modified roller pump pulsatile perfusion according the inner computer controller.Every patient applied pulsatile perfusion during aorta artery cross-clamping period and roller flat perfusion during cross-clamp off.Three circuit sites(oxygenator inlet,oxygenator outlet and artery cannula connecter site) were arranged pressure detector to measure the pressure during ECC,renal or femoral artery invasive pressure was measured through patient's central monitor system.RESULTS Pulse pressure(ΔP) of renal/femoral artery pressure can be maintained between 15 to 35 mmHg during pulsatile perfusion of ECC.The maximum pressure drop happened at artery cannula site in ECC circuit(pressure drop rate was 72%-73%) while minimum pressure drop occurred at oxygenators(pressure drop rate was 22%-24%).The oxygenator pressure drop(OPP) caused by Capiox RX05 oxygenator was less than that caused by Lilliput 902(P0.05) in different pulsatile perfusion blood flow.CONCLUSION Jostra HL-20 heart lung machine can provide effective pulsatile perfusion during conventional ECC.Artery cannula makes the maximum pressure drop during pulsatile perfusion and the less oxygenator pressure drop will be benefit to the maintenance of pulsatile perfusion energy during ECC.
Cognitive penetration and the cognition–perception interface

I argue that discussions of cognitive penetration have been insufficiently clear about (i) what distinguishes perception and cognition, and (ii) what kind of relationship between the two is supposed to be at stake in the debate. A strong reading, which is compatible with many characterizations of penetration, posits a highly specific and directed influence on perception. According to this view, which I call the “internal effect view” (IEV) a cognitive state penetrates a perceptual process if the presence of the cognitive state causes a change to the computation performed by the process, with the result being a distinct output. I produce a novel argument that this strong reading is false. On one well-motivated way of drawing the distinction between perceptual states and cognitive states, cognitive representations cannot play the computational role posited for them by IEV, vis-a-vis perception. This does not mean, however, that there are not important causal relationships between cognitive and perceptual states. I introduce an alternative view of these relationships, the “external effect view” (EEV). EEV posits that each cognitive state is associated with a broad range of possible perceptual outcomes, and biases perception towards any of those perceptual outcomes without determining specific perceptual contents. I argue that EEV captures the kinds of cases philosophers have thought to be evidence for IEV, and a wide range of other cases as well.
Effect of Concrete Release Strength on the Development Length and Flexural Capacity of Members Made With Different Prestressing Strands

Load tests were conducted on pretensioned members made with five different strands (three 7-wire strands and two 3-wire strands) to determine the effect of concrete release strength on the development length and flexural capacity of members. Strands named generically SA, SC, SD, SE and SF and they were all indented except SA (no surface indentation). All strands had diameter of 3/8″ (9.52 mm) except SC which had diameter of 5/16″ (7.94 mm). Among all types of strands used in manufacturing of test prisms, SC and SF were 3-wire strands, while SA, SD and SE were 7-wire strands. A consistent concrete mixture was used for the manufacture of all test specimens, and the different release strengths were obtained by allowing the specimens to cure for different amounts of time prior to de-tensioning. For SA, SD, SE and SF strands, each prismatic specimen (prism) had a 5.5″ (139.7 mm) × 5.5″ (139.7 mm) square cross section with four strands arranged symmetrically. However, prisms made with SC strand had 4.5″ (114.3 mm) × 4.5″ (114.3 mm) square cross section with four strands arranged symmetrically. The prisms were identical except for the strand type and the compressive strength at the time of de-tensioning. All four strands were pulled and de-tensioned gradually when the concrete compressive strength reached 3500 (24.13 MPa), 4500 (31.03 MPa) and 6000 (41.37 MPa) psi. Precise de-tensioning strengths were ensured by testing 4-in.-diameter (101.6 mm) × 8-in.-long (203.2 mm) compression strength cylinders that were temperature match-cured.The prisms were loaded in 3-point-bending to determine the ultimate bond characteristics of each reinforcement type for the different concrete release strengths. A loading rate of 900 lb/min (4003 N/min) for 5.5″ (139.7 mm) × 5.5″ (139.7 mm) prisms was applied at mid-span and the maximum sustained moment was calculated for each. Same procedure with loading rate of 500 lb/min (2224 N/min) was applied to 4.5″ (114.3 mm) × 4.5″ (114.3 mm) prisms. Three 69-in.-long (175.26 cm) prisms, each having different concrete release strength, were tested with each of the 5 strand types. Two out of three testing prisms were tested at only one end and one was tested at its both ends. Thus, for each strand type and concrete release strength evaluated, a total of 4 tests were conducted for a total of 60 tests (5 strand types × 3 release strengths × 4 tested embedment lengths). Test results indicate that the concrete compressive strength at de-tensioning can have a direct impact on the ultimate flexural capacity of the members, and this has significant design implications for pretensioned concrete railroad ties. Results are discussed and recommendations made.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Use of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Among Eligible Patients Receiving an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator: Insights From the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Registry

Importance Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduces the risk for mortality and heart failure–related events in select patients. Little is known about the use of CRT in combination with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in patients who are eligible for this therapy in clinical practice. Objective To (1) identify patient, clinician, and hospital characteristics associated with CRT defibrillator (CRT-D) use and (2) determine the extent of hospital-level variation in the use of CRT-D among guideline-eligible patients undergoing ICD placement. Design, Setting, and Participants Multicenter retrospective cohort from 1428 hospitals participating in the National Cardiovascular Data Registry ICD Registry between April 1, 2010, and June 30, 2014. Adult patients meeting class I or IIa guideline recommendations for CRT at the time of device implantation were included in this study. Main Outcomes and Measures Implantation of an ICD with or without CRT. Results A total of 63 506 eligible patients (88.6%) received CRT-D at the time of device implantation. The mean (SD) ages of those in the ICD and CRT-D groups were 67.9 (12.2) years and 68.4 (11.5) years, respectively. In hierarchical multivariable models, black race was independently associated with lower use of CRT-D (odds ratio [OR], 0.77; 95% CI, 0.71-0.83) as was nonprivate insurance (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.85-0.95 for Medicare and OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.65-0.82 for Medicaid). Clinician factors associated with greater CRT-D use included clinician implantation volume (OR, 1.01 per 10 additional devices implanted; 95% CI, 1.01-1.01) and electrophysiology training (OR, 3.13 as compared with surgery-boarded clinicians; 95% CI, 2.50-3.85). At the hospital level, the overall median risk-standardized rate of CRT-D use was 79.9% (range, 26.7%-100%; median OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.99-2.18). Conclusions and Relevance In a national cohort of patients eligible for CRT-D at the time of device implantation, nearly 90% received a CRT-D device. However, use of CRT-D differed by race and implanting operator characteristics. After accounting for these factors, the use of CRT-D continued to vary widely by hospital. Addressing disparities and variation in CRT-D use among guideline-eligible patients may improve patient outcomes.
Ethical and Procedural Professionalization in the Peace Corps

Based in the neoinstitutional literature, this article asks how the institutional logic of professionalization travels through an organizational structure and becomes instantiated in observable phe...
Itinerant Curriculum Theory: Navigating the Waters of Power, Identity, and Praxis

This article critically examines Joao Paraskeva’s work (2011) in decolonizing the curriculum field with a focus on its extension into the daily theorizations and contradiction in U.S. public secondary education in the formation and oppression of identities. As language teachers, we both are confronted with the standardization of curriculum through Common Core that continues to block critical thinking and act as mechanism of colonization. Furthermore, we use our experiences in being made by the U.S. public education system in which we come from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds to see how culture and gender catalyzed how we were shaped in schools. This analysis evinced the need of Paraskeva’s (2011) concept of the Itinerant Curriculum Theory (ICT) in US public education and unveiled how the curriculum contains epistemicides (Santos, 2007; Paraskeva, 2011), linguicides (Thiong’o, 2009), commodification, anesthetization. Race to the Top (RTTT), No Child Left Behind (NCLB), and now Ever Child Succeeds Act (ECSA) perpetuate a process of colonizing the mind instead of creating a space for liberatory pedagogy and ICT in which identities, spiritualities, and knowledges would strengthen instead of facing erasure. Elizabeth Janson is a high school English teacher in the South Coast of Massachusetts and received her PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy at UMass Dartmouth. She also is active in organizing efforts to engage the community about critical education issues. Her research focuses on analyzing educational policy and practice, particularly globalization, privatization, coloniality, decolonial theory, curriculum theory, and cultural politics. She has presented her research at both national and international conferences, including AERA, WERA, CIES, TRED, and AAACS. She is a contributing author to several books. including The Curriculum. Decanonizing the Field. Carmelia Silva is the World Languages Department Chair and a Spanish teacher at Joseph Case High School. She has been teaching for sixteen years. She received her PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy with a research focus in cultural politics, identity, coloniality, language, and privatization of public education. She has presented at American Advancement for Curriculum Studies Conference, New England Educational Research Organization Conference, Center for International Educational Studies Conference, and TRED Conference.
What Does Research Tell Us About Educating Mainstream Teachers to Work With ELLs

This commentary highlights findings from two reviews of research on the preparation and continuing development of regular classroom teachers to teach English language learners. Since both reviews u...
Drive Scenario Generation Based on Metrics for Evaluating an Autonomous Vehicle Controller

An important part of automotive driving assistance systems and autonomous vehicles is speed optimization and traffic flow adaptation. Vehicle sensors and wireless communication with surrounding veh ...
Creating a Human Rights Culture in a Master’s in Social Work Program

Social workers have been grappling with social, economic, and political issues relating to human rights since the profession’s inception. It is only recently that there has been explicit recognition of human rights as core principles on which work toward social justice rests. Throughout the world, human rights are considered to be a common benchmark of basic achievement for all peoples and nations. Human rights establish a set of well-defined and accessible principles and standards for social work. They can form the basis of a comprehensive approach to social work practice and increase universality of the profession by creating a clear standard of principles to guide practice and theory. An increasing number of scholars and practitioners in the USA have articulated a convincing case regarding the fit between social work values and human rights principles and the ways in which such principles have relevance to every level of social work theory and practice.
Supplemental Oxygen Improves In Vivo Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation Flux in Sedentary Obese Adults With Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is associated with impaired exercise capacity. Alterations in both muscle perfusion and mitochondrial function can contribute to exercise impairment. We hypothesized that impaired muscle mitochondrial function in type 2 diabetes is mediated, in part, by decreased tissue oxygen delivery and would improve with oxygen supplementation. Ex vivo muscle mitochondrial content and respiration assessed from biopsy samples demonstrated expected differences in obese individuals with (n = 18) and without (n = 17) diabetes. Similarly, in vivo mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation capacity measured in the gastrocnemius muscle via 31P-MRS indicated an impairment in the rate of ADP depletion with rest (27 ± 6 s [diabetes], 21 ± 7 s [control subjects]; P = 0.008) and oxidative phosphorylation (P = 0.046) in type 2 diabetes after isometric calf exercise compared with control subjects. Importantly, the in vivo impairment in oxidative capacity resolved with oxygen supplementation in adults with diabetes (ADP depletion rate 5.0 s faster, P = 0.012; oxidative phosphorylation 0.046 ± 0.079 mmol/L/s faster, P = 0.027). Multiple in vivo mitochondrial measures related to HbA1c. These data suggest that oxygen availability is rate limiting for in vivo mitochondrial oxidative exercise recovery measured with 31P-MRS in individuals with uncomplicated diabetes. Targeting muscle oxygenation could improve exercise function in type 2 diabetes.
Calibrating and Combining Precipitation Probability Forecasts

Imagine a decision maker who has heard from one or more information sources regarding the probability of some future event and who desires to use this information to revise his personal beliefs concerning the event. One approach to this problem involves the decision maker treating the probabilities as data in a Bayesian inferential problem, the output of which is an updated probability regarding the event in question. The thorniest part of the Bayesian combination procedure is the assessment of a likelihood function by the decision maker to represent his beliefs regarding the quality of the information and, in the case of multiple sources, the nature of the dependence among the sources.
Sample Ada Program “Small”

This lesson presents a larger example of how to use Ada, in partiCular its objeCt-oriented Capabilities. The example is program “Small,” a small text adventure game. This lesson walks through the development of the struCture of program Small and inCludes a disCussion of how it was implemented.
Fat-Induced Insulin Resistance and Atherosclerosis

Physiological elevations of plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels cause peripheral (muscle), hepatic, and vascular insulin resistance, whereas lowering of plasma FFA levels improves peripheral insulin sensitivity in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. FFA-induced insulin resistance in muscle is produced by defects in insulin-stimulated glucose transport and/or phosphorylation and in glycogen synthesis, which develop over 2–6 h. Development of these defects is temporally associated with accumulation in liver and in muscle cells of diacylglycerol (DAG) and activation of serine/threonine kinases including protein kinase C (PKC) and inhibitor of κB-kinase. In nondiabetic, obese subjects, FFA-induced insulin resistance is fully or nearly fully compensated by FFA-mediated stimulation of insulin secretion. In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), FFA-mediated stimulation of insulin secretion is impaired; hence, FFA-induced insulin resistance needs to be compensated by hype glycemia. Acute elevation of plasma FFA levels also activate the proinflammatory and proatherosclerotic inhibitor of κB/nuclear factor κB pathway in muscle and liver and this might play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic vascular disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Normalizing plasma FFA levels is, therefore, proposed as an approach to reduce insulin resistance and the risk for type 2 diabetes, atherosclerotic vascular diseases and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Abstract 3656: Detecting MSI in plasma: Implications for early detection of lynch associated tumors

Lynch Syndrome (LS) is characterized by germline mutations in mismatch repair pathway genes. The increased cancer susceptibility risk in these patients and the association of these tumors with microsatellite instability (MSI) provides a transformative opportunity for early detection of cancer in these patients. The presence of microsatellite unstable DNA fragments or zygosity changes of the MMR mutations in the plasma of LS patients is predictive of the presence of cancer. Here we describe an approach to detect MSI from plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) of LS associated cancer patients. First, to determine the background rate of MSI in cfDNA of microsatellite stable patients, we screened plasma samples collected from a large number of advanced cancer patients using MSK-IMPACT, a custom sequencing assay targeting 468 cancer genes encompassing ~1.5 megabases. MSK-IMPACT is approved by the NYS Department of Health and authorized by the FDA for clinical testing, including MSI assessment based on more than 1,000 microsatellite regions covered by the assay, and has been used to profile more than 20,000 patients at our institution. We were also able to confirm the ability to detect MSI in cfDNA in a small cohort of plasma samples collected from patients with MSI High tumors, and determine thresholds to delineate MSI from MSS cases from plasma. Using MSK-IMPACT, we detected MSI in the plasma of four patients with advanced MSI-H cancer, including one with confirmed LS. Three of these were patients with confirmed MSI signature from tumor tissue (one prostate cancer and two colorectal cancers. The fourth patient with prostate cancer had no tissue available for sequencing, though MSI was independently confirmed. To improve the sensitivity to detect MSI in patients with earlier stage disease where the fraction of tumor-derived cfDNA is lower, we have developed a novel targeted panel with optimized sequencing process and informatics, incorporating a set of highly informative microsatellite regions as well as SNPs to assess tumor-specific zygosity changes in mismatch repairs pathway genes. Through this work, we demonstrate the ability of our assay to detect MSI in plasma cfDNA with high sensitivity. Citation Format: Preethi Srinivasan, Christina Tran, Jonathan Reichel, Juber Ahamad Patel, Maysun Hasan, Fanli Meng, Xiaohong Jing, Sumit Middha, Ahmet Zehir, Rona D. Yaeger, Diane Reidy, Dana Tsui, Zsofia Stadler, Michael F. Berger. Detecting MSI in plasma: Implications for early detection of lynch associated tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3656.