cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infrared Detection of the Nerve Agent Sarin (Isopropyl Methylphosphonofluoridate) in Water Using Magnesium Oxide for Preconcentration

Detection of the nerve agent Sarin is investigated by using diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy with magnesium oxide (MgO) as a preconcentrating medium. Magnesium hydroxide, produced from magnesium oxide and water, initially hydrolyzes the Sarin to isopropyl methylphosphonic acid (IMPA). The IMPA then reacts with magnesium hydroxide (a slightly soluble product of the addition of MgO to water) to form an insoluble salt. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the Sarin/water solution indicates hydrolysis of the Sarin after 5 min of addition of the Nantek MgO and within 15 min after addition of the Aldrich MgO. Capillary electrophoresis analysis of the same Sarin/water solution shows that approximately 30% of the IMPA produced by the Nantek MgO hydrolysis of Sarin is not detected in solution, while most of the IMPA produced by the Aldrich MgO is detected. The diffuse reflectance infrared (IR) spectrum of the IMPA/MgO sample clearly indicates the presence of IMPA for both the Nantek MgO and Aldrich MgO samples. Well-resolved bands for methylphosphonic acid (MPA) are also evident for the Nantek MgO/Sarin sample, while less resolved, weaker bands due to MPA are seen for the Aldrich MgO/Sarin sample. These data suggest that a significant percentage of the Sarin is hydrolyzed to MPA by using the Nantek MgO. A detection limit of 98 ppb (Aldrich MgO) and 170 ppb (Nantek MgO) Sarin in water is calculated on the basis of the band heights and signal-to-noise ratio.
Agreement between administrative files and written medical records: a case of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Objectives.This study examined the reliability of Department of Veterans Affairs'health information databases concerning patient demographics, use of care, and diagnoses.Methods.The Department of Veterans Affairs' Patient Treatment files for Main, Bedsection (PTF) and Outpatient Care (OCF) were comp
Rabbit accommodation suitable for long-term experiments in the field.

The design, construction and performance of an integral hutch-run unit suitable for accommodating rabbits under field conditions throughout the year are described.
Background Noise Levels and Reverberation Times in Unoccupied Classrooms: Predictions and Measurements

Classrooms are often filled with deterrents that hamper a child’s ability to listen and learn. It is evident that the acoustical environment in classrooms can be one such deterrent. Excessive backg...
Optical performance monitoring by use of artificial neural networks trained with parameters derived from delay-tap asynchronous sampling

We demonstrate a technique for optical performance monitoring by simultaneously identifying optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR), chromatic dispersion (CD), and polarizationmode dispersion (PMD) using artificial neural networks trained with parameters derived from delay-tap asynchronous sampling.
Mercury Concentrations in Fish Jerky Snack Food: Marlin, Ahi, and Salmon

Background Dried meat and fish have served as an important durable nutrition source for humans for centuries. Because omega 3 fatty acids in fish are recognized as having antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties found to be beneficial for good health, many consumers are looking to fish as their main source of protein. Unfortunately, contaminants such as methylmercury can accumulate in some species of fish. The purpose of this research is to test commercially available fish jerky snack foods for mercury contamination.
Associations Between Internalizing Symptoms and Trajectories of Medication Adherence Among Pediatric Renal and Liver Transplant Recipients

Objectives To examine medication adherence trajectories posttransplantation and the association between adherence trajectories and self-reported internalizing symptoms in a pediatric population. Methods Multilevel modeling was used to examine internalizing symptoms and longitudinal medication adherence, as assessed by electronic monitoring, among 55 children and adolescents who received liver or kidney transplantation. Results Medication adherence generally declined over the study assessment window, and higher levels of anxiety were associated with higher and more stable patterns of medication adherence. Conclusions Anxiety may be an important factor to consider when assessing and intervening with posttransplantation medication adherence. Future research should consider the potential reactivity effects of adherence monitoring, as well as individual and family behaviors associated with anxiety that may influence adherence.
CERTAIN CONDITIONS DETERMINING ENHANCED INFECTION WITH THE RABBIT PAPILLOMA VIRUS.

The infection of normal or hyperplastic rabbit skin with the papilloma virus can be greatly enhanced by protecting the scarified and inoculated area with a layer of paraffined gauze until healing occurs. In this way the necrosis which follows upon scarification and also the scabbing are almost entirely prevented and in consequence epithelial regeneration is usually complete within 24 hours. Not only are many susceptible cells provided to the virus far earlier than would otherwise be the case,—and collateral tests have shown that it becomes associated with them within a few hours instead of after many,—but the inoculum is itself conserved, instead of becoming largely lost amidst necrotic tissue and scab, as under ordinary circumstances. The effective titer of the virus is increased by the procedure from 10 to 100 times over that attained when hyperplastic skin is allowed to dry after inoculation. Since the results under the latter circumstances are 10 to 100 times better than those when normal skin is treated in the same way it follows that a 100- to 10,000-fold increase in the effectiveness of the virus has now been obtained.
Matching Program for Appointment to Residency Training in Neurological Surgery in United States

In the late 1920’s, the American Medical Association evolved a process of identifying and approving postgraduate medical education in the United States. The first record of formal residency training in neurological surgery appeared in the AMA Directory in September, 1933, offering one position at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. Over the subsequent years and particularly after World War II, residency training programs were developed throughout the country, with a peak number of 194 by 1965, 55 of which were not affiliated with a medical school and provided little more than a personal preceptorship with the director. At this time, a Residency Review Committee was established to review training pro-grams and to set minimum standards for accreditation. By 1983, the number of programs was reduced to 94, offering about 130 first year positions each year for a term of five or more years of tightly structured residency training. Appointments were made individually by each program director, sometimes years in advance for outstanding candidates, but each year some positions would be unfilled and directors would complain about the scarcity of qualified applicants.
BURN WOUNDS: SELECTION AND PRESERVATION OF SKIN, NATURAL PRODUCTS, BLOOD, AND BLOOD PRODUCTS FOR BURN THERAPY

Skin allografts and xenografts are routinely used as dressings to control infection, pain and fluid loss from the burn wound. The procedure for preparing and storing grafts will be reviewed and suggested indications for use will be considered. A method for preparing porcine xenograft will be discussed in some detail. Skin banking by low temperature preservation including conditions and processing necessary for obtaining viable grafts will be discussed. The use of tissue typing matching procedures for obtaining prolonged survival will be considered. Possible harmful effects of grafts will be reviewed. The use of blood and blood products for resuscitation of burn patients is of primary importance in burn patients. The literature will be reviewed concerning a variety of blood and blood products including a consideration of washed cells, single donoplasma, serum albumin and purified blood components for treatment of burned patients. The use and indications for hyper-immune serum and gammu-globulin will be considered. Coagulopathy syndromes, burn wound sepsis, and support of immunologically deficient patients will be discussed on the basis of current literature.
Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone-induced regulation of gonadotropin and prolactin receptors in the rat testis.

Regulation of LH receptors in the testis is highly sensitive to the circulating LH concentration, and marked loss of receptor sites has been demonstrated after treatment with exogenous gonadotropins such as hCG and ovine LH. Treatment with potent LHRH analogs has also been shown to cause loss of testicular LH receptors in rats, presumably due to elevation of endogenous gonadotropin secretion. To analyze the relationship between the changes in plasma gonadotropins and the receptor content of the testis, the effects of single doses (0.1, 1, and 10 μg) of the natural LHRH decapeptide on LH secretion and testicular receptors were examined in 55-day-old rats. After sc administration of LHRH, serum LH and testosterone values peaked at 15 and 60 min, respectively, and declined to normal values over the subsequent 4 h. In contrast with these rapid and transient plasma hormone responses, the gonadotropin (LH and FSH) and PRL receptor content of the testis exhibited delayed and protracted changes after single doses...
A comparison of Mamdani and Sugeno methods for modeling visual perception lab data

A laboratory test procedure is described by the authors in which a baseline light armored vehicle (LAV) is compared to a treated LAV in the TARDEC Visual Perception Laboratory (VPL). The test imagery was collected from the field and then adjusted for display in the laboratory. The experimental visual detection values obtained in the lab were modeled using the Mamdani and Sugeno/ANFIS fuzzy reasoning techniques. The results of each modeling approach are compared to the experimental detection values obtained in the laboratory.
Rapamycin-Resistant mTORC1 Kinase Activity Is Required for Herpesvirus Replication

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection has been shown to activate the mTORC1 signaling pathway. However, the phosphorylation of mTORC1 targets is differentially sensitive to the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin, and the drug inhibits HCMV replication to a modest extent. Using Torin1, a newly developed inhibitor that targets the catalytic site of mTOR kinase, we show that HCMV replication requires both rapamycin-sensitive and rapamycin-resistant mTOR activity. The treatment of infected cells with Torin1 inhibits the phosphorylation of rapamycin-sensitive and rapamycin-resistant mTOR targets and markedly blocks the production of virus progeny. The blockade of mTOR signaling with Torin1, but not rapamycin, disrupts the assembly of the eIF4F complex and increases the association of the translational repressor 4EBP1 to the 7-methylguanosine cap-binding complex. Torin1 does not affect HCMV entry and only modestly reduces the accumulation of the immediate-early and early viral proteins that were tested despite the disruption of the eIF4F complex. In contrast, Torin1 significantly decreases the accumulation of viral DNA and the pUL99 viral late protein. Similar mTOR signaling events were observed during murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection, and we utilized murine fibroblasts containing several different mutations to dissect the mechanism by which Torin1 inhibits MCMV replication. This approach demonstrated that mTORC2 and the Akt1 and Akt2 kinases are not required for the Torin1-mediated inhibition of cytomegalovirus replication. The inhibition of MCMV replication by Torin1 was rescued in cells lacking 4EBP1, demonstrating that the inactivation of 4EBP1 by mTORC1 is critical for cytomegalovirus replication. Finally, we show that Torin1 inhibits the replication of representative members of the alpha-, beta-, and gammaherpesvirus families, demonstrating the potential of mTOR kinase inhibitors as broad-spectrum antiviral agents.
Preserving The History of Television at UCLA The Collection of Television Technology and Design

The Collection of Television Technology and Design is maintained by the UCLA Film, Television, and Radio Archives to ensure the preservation of historically significant television equipment and related documentation. The goal of the University of California Collection is to illustrate the evolution of both home receivers and broadcasting hardware. The effort was initiated when it was realized that no major institution was actively identifying, locating, acquiring, and exhibiting the major milestones of the development of television technology. A brief investigation uncovered that many significant items had been lost or destroyed, and tragically, a number of collections and exhibitions previously supported by major corporations had been disbanded.
THE ROLE OF TRANSITORY AND PERSISTENT SHOCKS IN THE CONSUMPTION CORRELATION AND INTERNATIONAL COMOVEMENT PUZZLES

We study a two-country model with changes in the technological growth rate. Such changes are attributed to transitory and persistent shocks in the growth rate of technology. Cases are considered in which agents in two countries do not have enough information to distinguish between the two types of shocks; gradually, however, the persistence of the shock is recognized through the learning process. Utilizing a set of parameters obtained from U.S. and European productivity growth rates, it is then shown that (i) when persistent shocks affect the two countries identically, there is no consumption-correlation puzzle, and the international comovement puzzle becomes imperceptible; and (ii) even when persistent shocks affect the two countries differently, imperfect information plays an important role in explaining both the consumption-correlation puzzle and the international comovement puzzle (provided transitory shocks are strongly internationally correlated and are relatively larger than persistent shocks).
Towards adjustable autonomy for the real world

Adjustable autonomy refers to entities dynamically varying their own autonomy, transferring decision-making control to other entities (typically agents transferring control to human users) in key situations. Determining whether and when such transfers-of-control should occur is arguably the fundamental research problem in adjustable autonomy. Previous work has investigated various approaches to addressing this problem but has often focused on individual agent-human interactions. Unfortunately, domains requiring collaboration between teams of agents and humans reveal two key shortcomings of these previous approaches. First, these approaches use rigid one-shot transfers of control that can result in unacceptable coordination failures in multiagent settings. Second, they ignore costs (e.g., in terms of time delays or effects on actions) to an agent's team due to such transfers-of-control. To remedy these problems, this article presents a novel approach to adjustable autonomy, based on the notion of a transfer-of-control strategy. A transfer-of-control strategy consists of a conditional sequence of two types of actions: (i) actions to transfer decision-making control (e.g., from an agent to a user or vice versa) and (ii) actions to change an agent's pre-specified coordination constraints with team members, aimed at minimizing miscoordination costs. The goal is for high-quality individual decisions to be made with minimal disruption to the coordination of the team. We present a mathematical model of transfer-of-control strategies. The model guides and informs the operationalization of the strategies using Markov Decision Processes, which select an optimal strategy, given an uncertain environment and costs to the individuals and teams. The approach has been carefully evaluated, including via its use in a real-world, deployed multi-agent system that assists a research group in its daily activities.
Diffusion and seasonal dynamics of O2 in woody debris from the Pacific Northwest, USA

O2 is an important regulator of physiological processes involved in the decomposition of woody debris, yet O2 levels and diffusion rates within decomposing logs are largely unknown. We examined how O2 diffusion rates in decayed and sound wood varied with moisture and density, and we compared predicted with observed seasonal changes in oxygen concentration in logs in a Pacific Northwest old-growth Pseudotsuga menziesii forest. In the laboratory, the oxygen diffusion coefficient (DO2) was determined in the longitudinal and radial (or tangential) directions on wood cores of varying moisture content and density. In the field, O2 was measured in tubes inserted to three radial depths (2, 6 and 15 cm) within logs of two species (Pseudotsuga menziesii and Tsuga heterophylla) and five decay classes (where class 5 = most decayed). In both the radial and longitudinal directions, DO2 increased exponentially as the air filled pore space (AFPS) increased and as density decreased. In the field, mean O2 concentrations in logs were not significantly different between species. Mean O2 concentrations were significantly lower in the least decayed logs as compared to the most decayed logs. Mean O2 concentrations decreased with radial depth only in decay class two logs. Seasonal O2 levels did not consistently vary with log moisture, respiration, or air temperature. The comparison of the results from a model that assumes oxygen diffuses only in the radial direction to field data indicates that laboratory measurements of oxygen diffusion may underestimate field oxygen concentrations. Cracks, insect galleries and other passages in decayed logs, and longitudinal oxygen diffusion may account for this discrepancy. In the field, log oxygen concentrations were rarely as low as 2%, indicating anaerobic conditions may not be as common in logs as we previously thought. Oxygen limitations on decomposition may occur in relatively sound and/or water soaked wood, but probably not in decayed logs in a terrestrial setting.
Chamber bioaerosol study: human emissions of size-resolved fluorescent biological aerosol particles

Humans are a prominent source of airborne biological particles in occupied indoor spaces, but few studies have quantified human bioaerosol emissions. The chamber investigation reported here employs a fluorescence-based technique to evaluate bioaerosols with high temporal and particle size resolution. In a 75-m3 chamber, occupant emission rates of coarse (2.5–10 μm) fluorescent biological aerosol particles (FBAPs) under seated, simulated office-work conditions averaged 0.9 ± 0.3 million particles per person-h. Walking was associated with a 5–6× increase in the emission rate. During both walking and sitting, 60–70% or more of emissions originated from the floor. The increase in emissions during walking (vs. while sitting) was mainly attributable to release of particles from the floor; the associated increased vigor of upper body movements also contributed. Clothing, or its frictional interaction with human skin, was demonstrated to be a source of coarse particles, and especially of the highly fluorescent fraction. Emission rates of FBAPs previously reported for lecture classes were well bounded by the experimental results obtained in this chamber study. In both settings, the size distribution of occupant FBAP emissions had a dominant mode in the 3–5 μm diameter range.
Patent Citations as a Measure of Knowledge Flows: The Influence of Examiner Citations

Abstract Analysis of patent citations is a core methodology in the study of knowledge diffusion. However, citations made by patent examiners have not been separately reported, adding unknown noise to the data. We leverage a recent change in the reporting of patent data showing citations added by examiners. The magnitude is high: two-thirds of citations on the average patent are inserted by examiners. Furthermore, 40% of all patents have all citations added by examiners. We analyze the distribution of examiner and inventor citations with respect to self-citation, distance, technology overlap, and vintage. Results indicate that inferences about inventor knowledge using pooled citations may suffer from bias or overinflated significance levels.
Modernizing Informed Consent: Expanding the Boundaries of Materiality

Informed consent law’s emphasis on the disclosure of purely medical information – such as diagnosis, prognosis, and the risks and benefits of various treatment alternatives – does not accurately reflect modern understandings of how patients make medical decisions. Existing common law disclosure duties fail to capture a variety of non-medical factors relevant to patients, including information about the physician’s personal characteristics; the cost of treatment; the social implications of various health care interventions; and the legal consequences associated with diagnosis and treatment. Although there is a wealth of literature analyzing the merits of such disclosures in a few narrow contexts, there is little broader discussion and no consensus about whether there the doctrine of informed consent should be expanded to include information that may be relevant to patients but falls outside the traditional scope of medical materiality. This article seeks to fill that gap. I offer a normative argument for expanding the scope of informed consent disclosure to include non-medical information that is within the physician’s knowledge and expertise, where the information would be material to the reasonable patient and its disclosure does not violate public policy. This proposal would result in a set of disclosure requirements quite different from the ones set by modern common law and legislation. In many ways, the range of required disclosures may become broader, particularly with respect to physician-specific information about qualifications, health status, and financial conflicts of interests. However, some disclosures that are currently required by statute (or have been proposed by commentators) would fall outside the scope of informed consent – most notably, information about support resources available in the abortion context; about the social, ethical, and legal implications of treatment; and about health care costs.
Growth rate and thermal tolerance of two endangered Snake River snails

Abstract We investigated the temperature tolerance and growth of 2 federally protected freshwater gastropods from southern Idaho: Valvata utahensis and Pyrgulopsis idahoensis. Snails were collected in the Snake River and transported to the laboratory where they were kept under highly controlled conditions. In varying-temperature, short-duration experiments, the temperatures tolerated by both species were between 7°C and 34°C. In constant-temperature, long-duration experiments, growth rates were between 0.004 mm · d−1 and 0.016 mm · d−1, and we created growth curves for both species that were previously lacking. Our results are among the first to report temperature tolerances and growth rates of native Snake River snails, and we discuss implications for the biology and management of both species.
Simultaneous Combustion Instability and Emissions Control Using Air and Fuel Modulation

�� � † ‡ We study experimentally the impact of static and modulated transverse jet injected near the flame anchoring zone on the stability and emissions in a premixed backward facing step combustor. The combustor shows strong pressure oscillations at 38 Hz. Parametric studies using multiple sensors indicate that flame -vortex interactions are responsible for the heat release dynamics under unstable conditions. We demonstrate that with sufficient momentum, a static air jet injected perpendicular to the incoming flow near the step favorably modifies the flame -vortex interactions and reduces the pressure oscillations by up to 14 dB (OASPL), and the NOx emission by an order of magnitude. Adding small amount of hydrogen to the primary fuel further reduces the pressu re oscillations. We also investigate the impact of the transverse jet modulation. Result shows that one can reduce the amount of air necessary for stabilization by 50% from the static case by using closed -loop control and jet modulation.
Thyroparathyroidectomy in the rabbit

In reviewing the literature on the parathyroids, one is struck by the lack of agreement in the results obtained by different experimenters following complete removal of the glands, in animals of the same species. For example, Gley, in 1892, when he rediscovered the parathyroids, in his first series of experiments on rabbits, removed the thyroid and parathyroids from sixteen animals. In fourteen of these acute symptoms developed very rapidly and death followed within a day or two. In the same year Moussu repeated Gley's experiment on rabbits and of the eleven individuals on which he performed the complete operation not one showed the acute tetany described by Gley.In late August and early September 1920, the writer thyroparathyroidectomized seventeen half-grown rabbits, keeping six of the same litters as controls. Of the seventeen, one died within twenty-four hours in acute tetany, another succumbed in two days and the remaining fifteen lived for months. Some were killed for want of space, and several that...
On the Use of Mechanical Filters to Attenuate the Transmission of Tilt Motion to Inertial Sensors

Inertial sensors such as seismometers, geophones, and accelerometers cannot distinguish horizontal motion from tilt motion. Rotation measurements can be used to subtract the tilt component from horizontal measurements, but the noise in the tilt sensor is often a limiting factor. No mechanism can change the dual sensitivity of inertial sensors to tilt and translation, but the transmission of ground motion can be mechanically filtered in a frequency-dependent way. This article discusses the use of mechanical filters to reduce the transmission of tilt motion from the ground to inertial instruments, which can be applied to existing sensors, or considered for integration in the design of new horizontal sensors. The limitations of this approach are related to (1) geometrical couplings due to the separation between the reference point and the input point of the mechanical filter, (2) residual tilt transmission through the joints stiffness, (3) effects of the mechanical filtering on the signal-to-noise ratio of the horizontal motion measurement, and (4) practical difficulties with the implementation of such concepts, including thermal noise in the flexures. This study analyzes and quantifies the benefits and limitations of the mechanical filtering approach for seismic studies and for seismic isolation applications.
Correlation Analyses between Shear Wave Velocity and Ground Properties of Kunming Basin

According to large amounts of in situ P-S logging data, the relationship between shear wave velocity and other physical properties of the clayey and sandy soils in the quaternary formation of Kunming Basin are summarized. With the aid of linear and non-linear correlation analyses, the regression equation of shear wave velocity and the standard penetration test N value (SPT-N value) are given here. The influence of ground depth to the shear wave velocity is discussed and the trend of shear wave velocity with the depth is also clarified.
Detecting exon 7 deletion of SMNt gene in spinal muscular atrophy patients by using High resolution melting assay

Objective To detect exon 7 deletion in SMNt gene in spinal muscular atrophy patients.High resolution melting assay is used in this manuscript.Methods The cases with exon 7 deletion in SMNt gene,the cases with exon 7 deletion in SMNc gene and the cases without complete SMNt and SMNc gene deletion in SMA were all analyzed.Results The cases with exon 7 deletion in SMNt gene,the cases with exon 7 deletion in SMNc gene and the cases without complete SMNt and SMNc gene deletion in spinal muscular atrophy syndrome can all be discriminated by using high resolution melting assay.Conclusion High resolution melting assay is a good method for detecting exon 7 deletion of SMNt gene in spinal muscular atrophy syndrome patients characterized with rapidness,accurateness and dependability.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Sonography in the Diagnosis of Placental Invasion.

OBJECTIVES To compare older and newer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) criteria for placental invasion and to compare the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MRI and sonography in determining the depth of placental invasion. METHODS Forty pregnant patients at high risk for morbidly adherent placenta based on prenatal sonography underwent MRI evaluations. Two reviewers, who were blinded to the original MRI and sonographic interpretations, clinical history, and obstetric/pathologic findings, reviewed the MRI examinations. The MRI and sonographic scans were analyzed for the presence and depth of invasion. The MRI scans were tabulated for the presence of dark intraplacental T2 bands, bulging of the myometrium, increased vascularity, and indistinct myometrium, loss of the dark T2 myometrial/placental interface, and a thin myometrium. The obstetric/pathologic results served as the reference standards. RESULTS Eighteen of 40 patients had a morbidly invasive placenta. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of MRI and sonography were not significantly different. The accuracy rates for determining the depth of placental invasion by readers 1 and 2 were 0.65 and 0.55, respectively (P > .05). According to the Cohen κ statistic, there was a good inter-reader agreement between the MRI readers in assessing the depth of placental invasion (κ = 0.45). The features most commonly seen were dark T2 bands, bulging of the uterus, and loss of the dark T2 interface, which were all associated with the presence of placental invasion. CONCLUSIONS The diagnosis of placental invasion remains challenging on sonography and MRI, which perform similarly. The presence of 2 or more criteria adds specificity to the diagnosis of placental invasion on MRI.
Figures of Exchange: A Poststructuralist Semiotics of Reading

In the foregoing chapters I have reviewed recent practices of reading based on subjective and sociocultural negotiation (reader-response), rhetorical subversion (deconstruction), and a non-oedipal, anti-phallogocentric model of literary exchange (femin-ism). Loosely allied under a common critique of text-centered hermeneutics, these poststructuralist and reader-oriented approaches allow interpretive subjects to intervene more actively in the process of narrative exchange. Critical reading in this perspective is no longer an ancillary activity, passively receiving ‘the imprint of the poem’, but ‘an active, self-ordering and self-corrective process’2 which leads to a reformulation of textual and readerly grids. But while these models of recreative reading allow us to engage more meaningfully with the texts of our culture, freeing us from the immediate pressures of the conformity-to-thetext ideology, their interpretive effectiveness is conditioned by our awareness of the epistemological assumptions and articulatory strategies that we bring to bear on texts. In what follows, I intend to pursue this line of thought further, seeking ways in which the critical philosophies of poststructuralism can be used more rigorously to highlight the articulatory models on which narratives and our interpretations rely. What I am in effect proposing is a synthesis, however provisional, between the revisionistic, anti-systematic disposition of poststructuralism and the investigative rigour of cultural semiotics. Each perspective would act as a facilitator and corrective for the other; together they could provide us with finer critical tools and a more nuanced understanding of the acts of appropriation, reformulation, and self-recreation involved in reading.
Connecting People for Nudges: Optimal Design of Networks to Motivate Consumer Behavior

An increasing number of start-ups create online and offline shared goal communities for individuals with similar goals to work towards them in the company of others. Such platforms allow individuals to connect and share effort information under the premise that it is more likely for consumers to reach their goals if they can gauge their activity in line with others’ activities. We study the problem of designing such social communities. We find that co-action communities can motivate individuals to exert higher effort than they would have on their own, if they are appropriately located in a social network with sufficient social influence. Moreover, such communities can help consumers at a greater extent if they are of larger scale and if consumers in the community maintain sufficient levels of heterogeneity in how much they care about their goal progress individually. Our study also offers a method to determine a locally optimal network to design such communities and develops a model to study the conditions under which consumers can be motivated to exert effort towards a goal.
Course of Treatment During a Cohort-Based Inpatient Program for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

This study examined one group of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) over the course of a four month inpatient treatment program. The aim of the study was to examine treatment process factors that may contribute to the generally poor outcome reported in previous studies. Group members made weekly ratings in the domains of PTSD symptoms, morale, interpersonal relationships, and physical problems. Results contrasted with clinical assumptions usually made regarding the treatment process in these programs. Despite an appearance of cohesion among group members, variation of scores on functional domains was explained largely by individual differences. Progress through the program showed a strongly linear pattern, with no phase effects. Somatic complaints did not increase during the phase when traumatic material was explored. Degree of improvement or worsening was best predicted by level of PTSD symptoms at admission, indicating that more symptomatic veterans did worse in the program. Additional factors of race, combat exposure, childhood abuse, and application for disability had no effect on the process variables measured.
Personality Assessment Inventory Scores as Predictors of Evaluation Referrals, Evaluator Opinions, and Commitment Decisions in Sexually Violent Predator Cases.

ABSTRACTWe used data from more than 1,500 offenders to examine the association between Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) scores and progress through the sexually violent predator (SVP) screening, evaluation, and commitment process. There was no clear association between PAI scores and referrals for full evaluations, but PAI scores were small to moderate predictors of evaluator opinions and diagnoses among offenders who underwent full evaluations. Higher Antisocial Features (ANT) scores were associated with diagnoses of antisocial personality disorder, but this association was moderated by offender response style. ANT scores were more strongly associated with antisocial personality disorder diagnoses among those responding defensively (d = .71) than among those responding openly (d = .48). The mean ANT score among defensive responders diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder was about 55T, suggesting that even moderate ANT scale elevations could indicate a clinically significant lev...
Fostering and Sustaining Diverse Literacy Practices in the Early Childhood Classroom: Reviewing the Literature in Three Areas

In this article, I synthesize extant research that documents how teachers foster and sustain children’s diverse literacy practices within the early childhood classroom. Framing this review with Bak...
Putting new hires in the orbit of stars: Effects of inventor human capital on innovation

Research has examined human capital as the micro-foundation of firm heterogeneity and competitive advantage. Building on prior research on high- performing individuals, we explore the multi-faceted...
The Role of Diabetes Care and Its Contributions to the Field of Diabetes: A Profile in Progress.

Progress in the field of diabetes comes from many sources, including novel ideas, research breakthroughs, expanding therapeutic options, technological advances, charismatic personalities, and enhanced communication between the scientific and clinical communities. It is in the latter realm that the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA’s) journal Diabetes Care has played an increasingly important role since its founding in 1978. Through the years, the journal has grown to become both a locus for and stimulus of all the other sources of progress in diabetes clinical research and care. From its inaugural year, during which there were concerns about how to fill six issues and an acceptance rate just under 50% (1), to its present 41st volume year, with monthly issues ∼3,000 submissions annually, and an acceptance rate for original articles of under 10%, Diabetes Care has emerged as the premier journal in its field. The 1970s were a busy time in diabetes research that ushered in numerous transformative advances, supported by a marked increase in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (2). The role and influence of the ADA were also broadening to include a greater focus on patient care, nursing practice, health care delivery, and professional education (3). Against this backdrop, ADA professional members began to wonder whether the association’s journal Diabetes (established in 1952) adequately addressed the needs of clinical investigators and clinicians treating patients with the disease. A committee appointed to study the question commissioned a physician survey that confirmed strong interest in a clinically oriented diabetes journal. Soon thereafter, Diabetes Care was launched. The second word of its title was an acronym for its focus on C linical and A pplied R esearch and E ducation (2). In the 40 years since, annual submissions have increased more than 17-fold, the number of published articles has …
Consequences of aerial respiration for amphibian larvae

Aerial respiration is a common feature of many amphibian larvae, especially anuran larvae. The widespread occurrence of air breathing in amphibian larvae raises the question of what selective advantages should have led to its evolution in so many diverse forms. Laboratory measurements suggest that aerial respiration is an important response to aquatic hypoxia. Aquatic respiration is primarily cutaneous, larvae lose O2 to hypoxic water, and air breathing replaces lost O2. Moreover, air breathing larvae undergo little anaerobiosis in aquatic hypoxia and tolerate low \({P_{{O_2}}}\) , well. However, resistance to hypoxia is not a sufficient explanation of aerial respiration in larvae for several reasons: larvae breathe air in normoxic water even though aquatic gas exchange is adequate to meet O2 needs and some lungless larvae tolerate hypoxia well. Facilitation of locomotor activity is also not a sufficient explanation. Although air breathing improves locomotor stamina in some species, its effects on buoyancy interfere with swimming in others. Also, larvae may seldom sustain locomotion for long enough for air breathing to be of benefit. Aerial respiration may allow high ingestion rates by compensating for decreases in buccopharyngeal respiration necessitated by suspension feeding. Alternatively, aerial respiration in larvae may simply reflect precocious development of the lungs.
Jointly Optimizing Drone-Mounted Base Station Placement and User Association in Heterogeneous Networks

Applying Drone-mounted Base Station (DBS) to assist Macro Base Station (MBS) can potentially increase the throughput of the mobile access network. In this paper, we first derive the spectral efficiency of delivering traffic from the MBS to a Ground User (GU) via the DBS, which is operated in the half-duplex in-band mode, upon which we formulate the problem by jointly optimizing the DBS placement (i.e., the altitude of the DBS) and user association in order to maximize the spectral efficiency of the hotspot area. We design the Spectral efficienT Aware DBS pLacement and usEr association (STABLE) algorithm to solve the proposed problem and demonstrate the performance of STABLE via simulations.
In vitro oxidations of low-density lipoprotein and RAW 264.7 cells with lipophilic O(3P)-precursors

A beneficial property of photogenerated reactive oxygen species (ROS) is the capability of oxidant generation within a specific location or organelle inside a cell. Dibenzothiophene S-oxide (DBTO), which is known to undergo a photodeoxygenation reaction to generate ground state atomic oxygen [O(3P)] upon irradiation, was functionalized to afford localization within the plasma membrane of cells. The photochemistry, as it relates to oxidant generation, was studied and demonstrated that the functionalized DBTO derivatives generated O(3P). Irradiation of these lipophilic O(3P)-precursors in the presence of LDL and within RAW 264.7 cells afforded several oxidized lipid products (oxLP) in the form of aldehydes. The generation of a 2-hexadecenal (2-HDEA) was markedly increased in irradiations where O(3P) was putatively produced. The substantial generation of 2-HDEA is not known to accompany the production of other ROS. These cellular irradiation experiments demonstrate the potential of inducing oxidation with O(3P) in cells.
Modelling and Impact of 3D Print Inaccuracies on the Performance of Circular Waveguide Hybrid Coupler

Circular waveguide hybrid coupler operating over a frequency range of ISM 57-64 GHz, additively printed and metal plated using electroless technique is introduced. Effects of orientation of print and thickness of intricate structures on the performance of circular waveguide hybrid coupler are presented. The structure is printed using commercially available stereolithographic (SLA) printer. Circulatory system operated by a peristaltic pump is used for selective silver deposition of the hybrid coupler.
The impact of time constraints on Internet and Web use: Research Articles

This study examines the influence of time constraints on Internet and Web search goals and search behavior. Specifically, it looks at the searching behavior of public library Internet users who, previously limited to 30 minutes per Internet session, are given an unlimited amount of time for use. Interviews and observations were conducted with 34 participants searching on their own queries. Despite an increase in the time allowed for searching, most people spent less than 30 minutes on the Internet, carrying out tasks like paying bills, shopping, browsing, and making reservations. Those who took more than 30 minutes were looking for jobs or browsing. E-mail use was universal. In this context, influences like time-dependent and time-independent tasks, use of search hubs to perform more efficient searches, and search diversity were recorded. Though there are a number of large and small studies of Internet and Web use, few of them focus on temporal influences. This study extends knowledge in this area of inquiry. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stability of hippocampal subfield volumes after trauma and relationship to development of PTSD symptoms.

Abstract Background The hippocampus plays a central role in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) pathogenesis, and the majority of neuroimaging research on PTSD has studied the hippocampus in its entirety. Although extensive literature demonstrates changes in hippocampal volume are associated with PTSD, fewer studies have probed the relationship between symptoms and the hippocampus’ functionally and structurally distinct subfields. We utilized data from a longitudinal study examining post-trauma outcomes to determine whether hippocampal subfield volumes change post-trauma and whether specific subfields are significantly associated with, or prospectively related to, PTSD symptom severity. As a secondary aim, we leveraged our unique study design sample to also investigate reliability of hippocampal subfield volumes using both cross-sectional and longitudinal pipelines available in FreeSurfer v6.0. Methods Two-hundred and fifteen traumatically injured individuals were recruited from an urban Emergency Department. Two-weeks post-injury, participants underwent two consecutive days of neuroimaging (time 1: T1, and time 2: T2) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and completed self-report assessments. Six-months later (time 3: T3), participants underwent an additional scan and were administered a structured interview assessing PTSD symptoms. First, we calculated reliability of hippocampal measurements at T1 and T2 (automatically segmented with FreeSurfer v6.0). We then examined the prospective (T1 subfields) and cross-sectional (T3 subfields) relationship between volumes and PTSD. Finally, we tested whether change in subfield volumes between T1 and T3 explained PTSD symptom variability. Results After controlling for sex, age, and total brain volume, none of the subfield volumes (T1) were prospectively related to T3 PTSD symptoms nor were subfield volumes (T3) associated with current PTSD symptoms (T3). Tl – T2 reliability of all hippocampal subfields ranged from good to excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values > 0.83), with poorer reliability in the hippocampal fissure. Conclusion Our study was a novel examination of the prospective relationship between hippocampal subfield volumes in relation to PTSD in a large trauma-exposed urban sample. There was no significant relationship between subfield volumes and PTSD symptoms, however, we confirmed FreeSurfer v6.0 hippocampal subfield segmentation is reliable when applied to a traumatically-injured sample, using both cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis pipelines. Although hippocampal subfield volumes may be an important marker of individual variability in PTSD, findings are likely conditional on the timing of the measurements (e.g. acute or chronic post-trauma periods) and analysis strategy (e.g. cross-sectional or prospective).
Achieving negative emissions through oceanic sequestration of vegetation carbon as Black Pellets

Natural processes and human activities produce vast amounts of dead vegetation which return CO2 to the atmosphere through decay and combustion. If such vegetation could be converted into biocoal and sequestered on the ocean floor, it could reduce the accumulation of atmospheric CO2 without involving sequestration in the form of CO2. Given that raw vegetation is unsuitable for large-scale energy applications, a process was developed to convert raw vegetation into a form of biocoal, termed Black Pellets, that solves the logistical and energy conversion problems of using raw vegetation for power generation. Seemingly overlooked is that properties of Black Pellets—higher density than seawater and resistance to microbial decay—may offer an environmentally safe way of sequestering vegetation carbon on the sea floor. Sequestering vegetation carbon by depositing biocoal as Black Pellets in the deep ocean (oceanic sequestration of biocoal—OSB) would be a means of achieving long-lasting negative emissions. Sacrificing the energy content of the deposited pellets would require substituting energy from other sources. If the substitute energy could be from lower-carbon natural gas or carbon-free sources, the effects would be less accumulation of atmospheric CO2 compared to using the pellets for energy and a nearly 60 to 100% reduction in the need for geologic sequestration compared to bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS). If confirmed by research, OSB would be an addition to the sparse toolbox of negative emission technologies (NETs) which would give humankind more flexibility in meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement.