cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF 85% ACCURACY is good enough for your application?

Many people who want to build mobile applications based on sensing systems have to decide what type of sensing approaches to use, often trading off factors like accuracy, time, and battery life. If you're building an app that uses location, motion data, or inferred data about usage, there will necessarily be inaccuracy in the output of those systems -- some error that cannot be completely eliminated from the system. In the ubiquitous computing community, there is an unofficial standard that 85% accuracy is "good enough" for sensing based on machine learning. But it's not so simple to say that 85% should be your target accuracy to consider a system useful. Maybe 85% accuracy is good enough for an app that helps you identify wasteful appliances so you can conserve water in your home, but is completely unacceptable when three times out of 20 your fall detection app accidentally calls emergency services thinking your loved one has fallen down even though she hasn't.
Correction to: Expanding Antimicrobial Stewardship to Urgent Care Centers Through a Pharmacist-Led Culture Follow-up Program

In the original publication, the data labels have been inverted in Figure 1. The corrected figure is given here.
A Typology for Conducting Research in Culture, Learning and Technology

This article provides answers to two often-asked questions: 1) What is culture, learning and technology? and 2) What constitutes research in culture, learning, and technology? In doing so, it presents a typology for research in culture, learning, and technology (CLT) that can be used to organize the CLT research literature and guide future CLT research. The typology highlights the categories of frameworks used in CLT research and makes clear that one of the purposes of all CLT research is to identify methods and processes for ethical and inclusive practice.
A Medical Archaeopedagogy of the Human Body as a Trauma-Informed Teaching Strategy for Indigenous Mexican-American Students

In this article, three co-authors share their narratives and clay figurines sculpted during the Mesoamerican Figurine Project of Rio Hondo College (Garcia, in press-a). Through reflective writing exercises and the sculpting of small-scale clay figurines, Los Angeles-based Mexican-American students unearthed parts of their Mesoamerican ancestry and materialized their stories of displacement and violence to assist in meeting student learning outcomes (SLOs). After interpreting these data alongside the medical tools observed on the four Tezcatlipocas of Mesoamerica (Acosta, 2007), the supposition is that Indigenous Mesoamerican students benefit when engaged through the following topics: 1) land and cosmology, 2) trauma and medicine, 3) resiliency and self-determination, and 4) community and family. To support all students’ educational and mental health goals, and to prevent further trauma accumulation, the Mesoamerican figurine is modeled as a pedagogical tool with a wide range of therapeutic values. By employing a critical autoethnographic approach (Ohito, 2017), Instructor Garcia’s ancestral knowledge—combined with his students’ insights—enabled his conceptualization of a medical archaeopedagogy of the human body as a trauma-informed teaching strategy (Cole, Eisner, Gregory, & Ristuccia, 2013) to begin to address the mental health challenges prevalent in the Mexican-American community related to the cultural genocide of Native Americans.
Phenomenal Experience in Laboratory and Autobiographical Memory Tasks

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the role of phenomenal experience in traditional laboratory memory tasks and in studies of autobiographical memory. My motivation for taking on this difficult topic is that I think that researchers in the area of autobiographical memory have always been a bit embarrassed by the “subjective,” “phenomenal,” and “imageable,” aspects of autobiographical memory; but, when one examines the standard laboratory memory tasks, one fmds that all of the same phenomena are occurring in these tasks and therefore there is no reason for students of autobiographical memory to be defensive about their domain. The important message of this position is that investigators across the whole range of memory research have to face the problems related to phenomenal experience during memory tasks.
Novel assays and sensor platforms for the detection of aflatoxins.

The importance of the aflatoxins from food safety and economic standpoints has continued to drive the development of new analytical methods for these mycotoxins. Currently the widely used methods for measurement of aflatoxins fall into two groups, the established chromatographic methods and traditional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Recently substantial progress has been made in the application of new technologies to the monitoring of aflatoxins. In particular, several research groups have developed biosensors for detection of the toxins as well as presumptive tests for fungal infection. Biosensors have been developed in a variety of formats including surface plasmon resonance, fiber optic probes, and microbead-based assays. The sensitivity and selectivity of the biosensors and of the presumptive tests has reached the level the where the application of these techniques to the screening of foods warrants further investigation.
Microwave Aquametry: An Effective Tool for Nondestructive Moisture Sensing

Moisture content in solid, granular and pulverized materials is one of the most important material parameters during production, trading, processing and storage of those materials. Recent advances in application of microwave measuring techniques to nondestructive determination of moisture content are reviewed, with a special emphasis being put on a newly developed concept of a density-independent calibration. It is concluded that those techniques provide accurate, fast and nondestructive means for moisture content testing in such materials and satisfy requirements of automated industrial processes, scientific laboratories, material mass storage, personnel safety and long-term transport.
Predicting School Closures in an Era of Austerity: The Case of Chicago:

What factors do administrators consider when (dis)investing in public facilities? We model school closure decisions in Chicago from 2003 to 2013 with multinomial logit models that estimate the deci...
Comprehensive Evaluation of Compendial USP , BacT/Alert Dual-T, and Bactec FX for Detection of Product Sterility Testing Contaminants.

The emergence of cell therapy programs in large academic centers has led to an increasing demand for clinical laboratories to assist with product sterility testing. Automated blood culture systems have shown promise as alternatives to the manual USP compendial method, but current published data are limited by small organism test sets, particularly for molds. In 2015, failure of the Bactec FX system to detect mold contamination in two products prompted us to evaluate three test systems (compendial USP , Bactec FX, and BacT/Alert Dual-T) over seven different culture combinations, using 118 challenge organisms representative of the NIH current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) environment. At method significantly outperformed the Bactec FX system (84.7% versus 64.4%; P = 0.0006) but not the BacT/Alert system at 32.5°C (78.8%; P = 0.3116). Extended incubation to 360 h with terminal visual inspection improved sensitivity, without a significant difference between compendial USP and BacT/Alert testing (95.7% versus 89.0%; P = 0.0860); both systems were better than the Bactec FX system (71.2%; P method for product sterility testing.
Passive slew rate enhancement technique for Switched-Capacitor Circuits

A passive charge compensation technique is proposed for switched capacitor circuits which increases the slew rate of its amplifiers. Higher linearity can be achieved by adding a small amount of circuitry with low power consumption. The proposed technique is implemented in a single-bit discrete time second-order delta sigma modulator in 65-nm CMOS technology, where simulation results show an improvement of 12 dB SNDR. Alternatively, the same performance can be achieved with almost half of the power consumption with charge compensation circuit activated.
The effectiveness of fiscal institutions: International financial flogging or domestic constraint?

Abstract Many have argued that financial markets are crucial in ensuring that governments maintain sustainable fiscal balances - the so called ‘market discipline hypothesis’. A recent version of this theory holds that both fiscal rules and fiscal transparency are necessary to enable markets to discipline overspending governments. I argue, however, that while these fiscal institutions are effective at improving governments fiscal balances, financial markets are likely not the causal mechanism which discipline governments’ fiscal policies. Instead, I propose that fiscal rules and transparency promote better budget balances because domestic political actors use fiscal institutions to constrain executive policymaking. I test these competing hypotheses of why these fiscal institutions are effective – financial markets vs political competition – and find that country budget balances are increased not as a consequence of financial markets, but when the level of political competition and civil society engagement is sufficiently high. These results are robust to accounting for the possible selection bias of who adopts fiscal institutions.
Lipids and lipoproteins

Abstract Lipids are metabolites with poor aqueous solubility. Lipoproteins are soluble in plasma and facilitate the redistribution of lipids between tissues. Many lipoproteins play a crucial role in healthy physiology. Apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins facilitate triglyceride delivery to peripheral tissue from exogenous (dietary) and endogenous (hepatic synthesis) sources. Apolipoprotein A-containing lipoproteins transport cholesterol from peripheral tissues to the liver. Assessment of plasma lipids and lipoproteins aids in diagnosis of underlying diseases such as hypo- and hyperlipoproteinemias, liver cholestasis, inborn errors of metabolism, or nutritional imbalances. Abnormal plasma concentrations of lipoproteins may have severe consequences, including pancreatitis, neurological deficits, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. A growing number of clinical methods are available to quantify the cholesterol and triglyceride and apolipoprotein content of lipoproteins separated by size or density. Clinical laboratorians need to understand both the analytical details and clinical utility (or lack thereof) associated with these methods.
Predictive modeling of estrogen receptor agonism, antagonism, and binding activities using machine- and deep-learning approaches

As defined by the World Health Organization, an endocrine disruptor is an exogenous substance or mixture that alters function(s) of the endocrine system and consequently causes adverse health effects in an intact organism, its progeny, or (sub)populations. Traditional experimental testing regimens to identify toxicants that induce endocrine disruption can be expensive and time-consuming. Computational modeling has emerged as a promising and cost-effective alternative method for screening and prioritizing potentially endocrine-active compounds. The efficient identification of suitable chemical descriptors and machine-learning algorithms, including deep learning, is a considerable challenge for computational toxicology studies. Here, we sought to apply classic machine-learning algorithms and deep-learning approaches to a panel of over 7500 compounds tested against 18 Toxicity Forecaster assays related to nuclear estrogen receptor (ERα and ERβ) activity. Three binary fingerprints (Extended Connectivity FingerPrints, Functional Connectivity FingerPrints, and Molecular ACCess System) were used as chemical descriptors in this study. Each descriptor was combined with four machine-learning and two deep- learning (normal and multitask neural networks) approaches to construct models for all 18 ER assays. The resulting model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver- operating curve (AUC) values obtained from a fivefold cross-validation procedure. The results showed that individual models have AUC values that range from 0.56 to 0.86. External validation was conducted using two additional sets of compounds (n = 592 and n = 966) with established interactions with nuclear ER demonstrated through experimentation. An agonist, antagonist, or binding score was determined for each compound by averaging its predicted probabilities in relevant assay models as an external validation, yielding AUC values ranging from 0.63 to 0.91. The results suggest that multitask neural networks offer advantages when modeling mechanistically related endpoints. Consensus predictions based on the average values of individual models remain the best modeling strategy for computational toxicity evaluations. Computational modeling has emerged as a promising and cost-effective alternative method for screening potentially endocrine active compounds. This study applies classic machine learning algorithms and deep learning approaches to a panel of over 7500 compounds tested against 18 Toxicity Forecaster assays related to nuclear estrogen receptor (ERα and ERβ) activity.
Facile Prepolymer Formation with Ozone-Pretreated Grass Lignin by In Situ Grafting of Endogenous Aromatics

Lignin-based biopolymers are useful precursors for making epoxy resins and other adhesives. Petroleum-derived aromatics such as phenol are often grafted onto natural lignin to increase the number o...
Robotic transanal minimally invasive surgery: a case series.

This study describes the experience with robot-assisted transanal minimally invasive surgery (rTAMIS) at a single institution. TAMIS has become a popular minimally invasive technique for local excision of well-selected rectal lesions. rTAMIS has been proposed as another option as it improves the ergonomics of conventional laparoscopic techniques. Retrospective case series of patients with rectal lesions who underwent rTAMIS. Patient demographics, final pathology, surgical and admission details, and clinical outcomes were recorded. Successful procedures were defined as having negative margins on final pathology. A total of 16 patients underwent rTAMIS by a single surgeon between April 2018 and December 2019. Mean age of patients was 63 years. Final pathologies were negative for tumor (n = 4), tubulovillous adenoma (n = 4), tubulovillous adenoma with high-grade dysplasia (n = 4), and invasive rectal adenocarcinoma (n = 4). 43% were located in the middle rectum and 56% were located in the distal rectum. Mean maximum diameter was 4.1 cm (IQR 2–3.1 cm). Negative margins were seen in 100% of the excision cases, and 100% were intact. Mean operative time was 87 min (IQR 54.8–97.3 min), and median length of stay was 0 days (IQR 0–1 days). Postoperative complications included incontinence (n = 1) and abscess formation (n = 2). rTAMIS provided curative treatment for 12/16 patients, and the remaining 4 patients received the appropriate standard of care for their respective pathologies. Robot-assisted TAMIS is a safe alternative to laparoscopic TAMIS for resection of appropriate rectal polyps and early rectal cancers. rTAMIS may provide a modality for resecting larger or more proximal rectal lesions due to the wristed instruments and superior visualization with the robotic camera. Future studies should focus on comparing outcomes between robotic and laparoscopic TAMIS, and whether rTAMIS allows for the removal of larger, more complex lesions, which may save patients from a more morbid radical proctectomy.
Computerized Relational Agent to Deliver Alcohol Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment in Primary Care: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Alcohol screening and brief intervention have demonstrated efficacy but limited effectiveness and implementation in real-world primary care settings. To evaluate the effectiveness of a computerized Relational Agent programmed to provide alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment. We hypothesized that participants in the experimental condition would report greater reductions in their drinking and higher rates of brief intervention and referrals to specialty care compared to those in treatment as usual (TAU). This was a Hybrid I implementation design and stratified RCT. Participants were randomized to TAU or Relational Agent + TAU and assessed at baseline and 3-month follow-up. A total of 178 veteran participants were recruited by referral from primary care staff after a positive alcohol screen, or via letter sent do patients screening positive during recent visit. TAU involved yearly reminders to screen alcohol use and provide brief intervention and treatment referrals, as needed. The Relational Agent added an automated brief intervention, a 1-month follow-up Relational Agent visit, and referral to treatment if needed. We measured average drinks per day, drinking days per week, number of brief interventions, and number of referrals over 3 months. Participants decreased their drinking in both study conditions, with no significant between-group differences on primary alcohol measures. However, Relational Agent + TAU participants evidenced greater improvements regarding negative alcohol-related consequences over 3 months, and were significantly more likely to receive a brief intervention and referral to specialty care. The Relational Agent successfully provided brief intervention and referred many more patients to specialty care and was able to intervene with patients with less severe drinking without increasing primary care burden. clinicaltrials.gov , NCT02030288, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/home
Brand loyalty through love for a brand’s Facebook page: Roles of motivations and personal traits

This study examines how consumers’ motivations influence their love for a brand’s Facebook page and brand loyalty. The role that consumers’ opinion leadership and opinion seeking traits play in dri...
2D Perovskites for Biological Sensors

2D perovskite’s quantum confinement and superlattices enhance electron and hole recombination which maximizes the photoluminescence quantum efficiency for optical devices. However, only a few works have been reported for biological applications, especially, DNA associated. Contemporary gene-editing science through CRISPR technology is advantageous as all types of nucleic acid chains such as RNA, single-stranded DNA, and double-stranded DNA can be modified. There are numerous reports that base pairs of nucleic acids are nonpolar and 2D perovskites that are capped with aliphatic chains possibly can operate as an optical sensor for detecting a specific sequence of DNA. Here, we demonstrate organic-inorganic halide 2D perovskite’s – capped with eight carbon long aliphatic chains – optical and structural properties. Self-assembly of tin-based perovskites showed near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield but had poor stability in water or ambient condition due to hydrolysis whereas lead-based perovskites showed less PL but were stable in water at high concentration. 2D perovskites’ unique multiple emission peaks at different wavelengths, water stability, and intensity discrepancy when conjugated in nucleoside dispersed solution were studied. However, complex multiple directionalities of PL emission, water stability by concentration, minor PL intensity or wavelength discrepancy, and toxicity followed by the lead source for the perovskites are conflicting with robust and convenient detection technique for the DNA.
Stress and the Military

The military organization represents a microcosm of its host society with its own set of stressors and resources with which to manage those stresses. Military stressors include an array of life demands such as risk of injury or death, geographic mobility, separations, residence in foreign countries, among other things. Outcomes of these demands can include PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and other disorders. Families help service members cope with the stresses of military life but they too may exhibit mental health problems associated with the stress of military life. In addition, military families may also be a source of worry among service members, exacerbating life problems. Many military organizations provide access to services like counseling or recreational facilities for service members and their families to help them cope with military life. Keywords: mental health; stress; war
Orchardgrass and perennial ryegrass with applied nitrogen and in mixtures with legumes

Botanical composition of swards can markedly affect their productivity, forage quality, and acceptance by animals. The objective of this research was to determine the amounts of dry matter (DM) and N harvested in the different botanical components of swards where perennial ryegrass and orchardgrass were sown alone and fertilized with N, or sown in mixture with legumes. Broadcast sowings were made on conventionally prepared seedbeds in August 1979 and May 1980 on a Hagerstown silt loam soil (fine, mixed mesic Typic Hapludalf). When seeded alone, orchardgrass cv. Pennlate and perennial ryegrass cv. Reveille received rates of N ranging from 0 to 448 kg ha−1 a−1. The grasses were also grown in mixtures with alfalfa cv. Arc, red clover cv. Arlington, or birdsfoot trefoil cv. Viking. The same legumes were sown alone. Four legume seed rates were used in both the pure legume and mixed stands. Legume DM harvests were greater in mixtures with perennial ryegrass than in legume-orchard-grass swards. An exception occurred in the first year as birdsfoot trefoil harvested DM was lower in trefoil-ryegrass swards than in trefoil orchardgrass mixtures, probably owing to vigorous competition from ryegrass in the seedling stage. As legume seed rates were increased, both the legume and grass components of mixed swards produced more DM and N. Grass DM and N harvested in orchardgrass mixtures exceeded those of ryegrass mixtures for the 3-year period. Sward weediness, most prevalent in pure legume stands planted at low seed rates, was sharply reduced by including either grass with the legumes. Volunteer legumes contributed to DM harvested only when the grasses were sown alone and not fertilized with N. Species differences in crude protein (CP) concentration were significant. Birdsfoot trefoil had the highest CP of the legumes, averaging 241 g (kg DM)−1. Alfalfa and red clover averaged 219 and 208 g CP (kg DM)−1 respectively. Perennial ryegrass herbage had a higher CP concentration than that of orchardgrass in both pure and mixed swards. Grass CP increased significantly in response to fertilizer N and to higher legume seed rates.
Innovating without Information Constraints: Organization, Communities, and Innovation when Information Costs Approach Zero

Innovation traditionally takes place within an organization's boundaries and with selected partners. This Chandlerian approach is rooted in transaction costs, organizational boundaries, and information challenges. Information processing, storage, and communication costs have been an important constraint on innovation and a reason why innovation takes place inside the organization. However, exponential technological progress is dramatically decreasing information constraints, and in many contexts, information costs are approaching zero. We discuss how reduced information costs enable organizations to engage communities of developers, professionals, and users for core innovative activities, frequently through platforms, ecosystems, and incorporating user innovation. We suggest that when information constraints drop dramatically, and the locus of innovation shifts to the larger community, there are profound challenges to the received theory of the firm and to theories of organization and innovation. Specifically, we consider how shifts in information costs affect organizational boundaries, business models, interdependence, leadership, identity, search, and intellectual property.
Binocular Cross-Orientation Suppression in the Cat's Striate Cortex

Walker, Gary A., Izumi Ohzawa, and Ralph D. Freeman. Binocular cross-orientation suppression in the cat's striate cortex. J. Neurophysiol. 79: 227–239, 1998. When a cortical cell is activated by an...
Electronic structure of phosphorene nanoribbons

Abstract Density Functional Theory employing periodic boundary conditions at the VSXC/6-31G level is used to calculated the dependence of the energy levels of phosphorene nanoribbons on the wave vector. The ribbons are shown to be small band gap semiconductors having band gaps at K=0 less than 0.81 eV. The electronic structure is shown to be dependent on the direction in the unit cell in which the ribbons are formed. The unit cell is predicted to be a ground state triplet suggesting that ribbons formed from it could be ferromagnetic semiconductors. The effect of hole (Si) doping and electron (S) doping on the electronic structure of the ribbons is investigated.
Opportunities to assess factors contributing to the development of the intestinal microbiota in infants living in developing countries.

No abstract available. (Published: 29 May 2015) Citation: Microbial Ecology in Health & Disease 2015, 26 : 28316 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/mehd.v26.28316
Parental modeling and parenting behavior effects on offspring alcohol and cigarette use. A growth curve analysis.

Purpose: This paper examined the effects of parental drinking and smoking, parental warmth and hostility, and their interactions on offsprings' drinking and smoking over time. Methods: We used four waves of prospective longitudinal data collected from 218 males and 214 females who were age 15 at Time 1 and age 28 by Time 4. Growth mixture modeling was used to develop offspring trajectory groups of cigarette smokers and alcohol drinkers. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether parent behaviors could predict offspring heavy drinking and smoking trajectories. Results: Four drinking and three smoking trajectory groups were identified for females and males. Parent drinking rather than parenting behavior predicted heavy drinking by offsprings and mothers' drinking was a slightly better predictor than fathers' drinking for both daughters and sons. Fathers' warmth and hostility was the best predictor of heavy smoking by sons. Neither modeling nor parenting significantly predicted female heavy smoking. For the most part, parent modeling did not interact with parenting behavior to predict smoking or drinking in offspring. Implications: Parents affected their offspring's use of alcohol and cigarettes both through modeling and parenting behavior. However, the importance of modeling relative to parenting behavior differed by the type of substance. Prevention programs that focus on both the modeling of parental behaviors, as well as enhancing parenting skills, should be effective in influencing trajectories of substance use throughout adolescence and young adulthood.
Longitudinal study of bone loss in the second metacarpal.

This longitudinal study was undertaken to ascertain the rate of bone loss and to identify aging, cohort and/or time effects on bone loss in male participants of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Hand-wrist radiographs were obtained from 1958–1981 and were evaluated for total width, medullary width, and length of the second metacarpal. Data were analyzed using an age-time matrix with 8-year intervals for three epochs and nine age groups. The bone measurements were analyzed in three perspectives (cross-sectional, longitudinal and time-series). The results demonstrate that there is both a cross-sectional and longitudinal loss of cortical bone with age in the second metacarpal. Furthermore, the results show that males lose approximately 14% of their cortical bone, at a rate of about 2% per decade, over the adult lifespan. The majority of this loss occurs between the ages of 45 and 69 and is due primarily to aging and is not an artifact of cohort differences or secular change.
Rb 87 nuclear-magnetic-resonance study of the cubic to tetragonal phase transition in RbCa F 3

The static and dynamical phenomena occurring around the structural phase transition at ${T}_{c}\ensuremath{\simeq}195.90\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.15$ K in RbCa${\mathrm{F}}_{3}$ have been investigated by means of $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ Fourier-transform NMR measurements. The second-order shift of the central line due to the static quadrupole perturbation has been related to the electric field gradient arising at the Rb site below ${T}_{c}$ and the temperature dependence of the angle of rotation $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ of the Ca${\mathrm{F}}_{6}$ octahedra has been obtained. The $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ spin-lattice relaxation rate above ${T}_{c}$ has been related to the rotational fluctuations of the octahedra induced by the critical-soft-mode branches, from which information on the symmetry and the anisotropy of the fluctuations are derived. The analysis of the results shows: (i) below $T\ensuremath{\simeq}170$ K the temperature dependence of $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ is well described by the classical mean-field approximation, with critical exponent $\ensuremath{\beta}=\frac{1}{2}$ and extrapolated transition temperature ${T}_{0}=220$ K; (ii) above about 170 K a nonclassical critical behavior is evidenced, the apparent critical exponent being not equal to $\frac{1}{3}$, suggesting a possible changeover in the dimensionality of the correlations of the rotations; (iii) the rotational fluctuations appear to be predominantly of ${R}_{25}$ symmetry but strongly anisotropic, i.e., only slightly correlated in adjacent (100) planes as is consistent with the hypothesis of softening of a large portion of the $R\ensuremath{-}M$ branch. Order-of-magnitude estimates for the static angle of rotation as well as for the degree of anisotropy of the fluctuations are also obtained and discussed.
Holy ABCs! The Impact of Religion on Attitudes about Education Policies

Objective. To examine the impact of religion on attitudes about three controversial education policies: creationism, school prayer, and vouchers. Methods. Using a unique, national survey of school board candidates that I undertook in 1998, I use regression analysis to examine which factors, especially religion, explain support for these three policies. Results. This study finds that conservative Christians are more likely to support such policies than mainline Protestants. Additionally, church attendance appears to have an amplifying effect on evangelicals with respect to support for these issues. By contract, those candidates with non-Judeo-Christian religious identifications have much lower levels of support for creationism and school prayer. However, conservative political ideology remains the strongest predictor of support for creationism, prayer in school, and vouchers. Conclusion. Religious beliefs, sometimes enhanced by church attendance, can have a powerful, direct effect on attitudes about creationism, school prayer, and vouchers among school board candidates. Demonstrating such a link becomes important when considering that school board members play a large role in shaping local education policy.
Immunochemical characterization of synthetic hexa-, octa- and decasaccharide conjugate vaccines for Vibrio cholerae O:1 Serotype Ogawa with emphasis on antigenic density and chain length

Cholera remains to be a global health problem without suitable vaccines for endemic control or outbreak relief. Here we describe a new parenteral vaccine based on neoglyco-conjugate of synthetic fragments of O-specific polysaccharide (O-SP) of Vibrio cholerae O1, serotype Ogawa. Hexa-, octa- and decasaccharides of the O-SP with carboxylic acid at the reducing end were chemically synthesized and conjugated to tetanus toxoid (TT). The conjugates prepared by a novel linking scheme consisted of 17-atom linker of hydrazide and alkyl bonds elicited robust serum IgG anti-LPS responses with vibriocidal activities in mice. There is a length dependence in immune response with decasaccharide conjugates elicited the highest anti-LPS IgG. There seems to be an indication that regardless of the carbohydrate chain length, a molar ratio of 230 ± 10 monosaccharide units per TT induced high antibody response. The conjugates also elicited cross-reactive antibodies to serotype Inaba. The formulation of the proposed cholera conjugate vaccine, similar to other licensed polysaccharide vaccine, is suitable for children immunization. A parenteral cholera vaccine could overcome the diminishing immunogenicity in most of oral vaccines due to the gastrointestinal complexity and environmental enteropathy in children living in impoverished environment and could be considered for global cholera immunization.
The Boundary Control Approach to the Titchmarsh-Weyl m–Function. I. The Response Operator and the A–Amplitude

We link the Boundary Control Theory and the Titchmarsh-Weyl Theory. This provides a natural interpretation of the A−amplitude due to Simon and yields a new efficient method to evaluate the Titchmarsh-Weyl m−function associated with the Schrodinger operator H = −∂x2 + q(x) on L2(0, ∞) with Dirichlet boundary condition at x = 0.
Magnesium Sulphate Infusion for the Treatment of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn

Magnesium Sulphate Infusion for the Treatment of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn
Application of Thin-Plate Splines in Two Dimensions to Oceanographic Tracer Data

AbstractThis study explores the utility of the thin-plate spline (TPS) as a mapping procedure for oceanographic sections of bottle data in comparison with objective mapping (OM), sometimes referred to as objective interpolation. Standard OM techniques in oceanography require a priori assumptions about the structure of the errors associated with mapping when interpolating irregularly spaced data. Alternatively, the TPS can be used to approximate mapping errors by fitting a nonparametric model using multiple covariates with a less rigid, physically consistent, spatial correlation structure. The case is made that these errors reflect the sparsity of the data coverage and quantify mapping error better than the estimates using OM. It is demonstrated that the maps from the TPS recreate the essential large-scale features of chlorofluorocarbon- or freon-11 (CFC-11) concentrations and inferred “ages,” but smooth over smaller-scale features, such as eddies. The TPS can outperform OM when either the distance between...
Challenging the Politics of the “Model Minority” Stereotype: A Case for Educational Equality

This article examines the political rationale of the “model minority” stereotype about Asian Americans and its ramifications on education. Created by white elites in the 1960s as a device of political control, the model minority stereotype continues to serve the larger conservative restoration in American society today. By over-emphasizing Asian American success and misrepresenting it as proof of the perceived equal opportunity in American society, proponents of the stereotype downplay racism and other structural problems Asians and other minority groups continue to suffer. The theory that Asians succeed by merit (strong family, hard work, and high regard for education) is used by power elites to silence the protesting voices of racial minorities and even disadvantaged Whites and to maintain the status quo in race and power relations. In education, the model minority thesis has always supported conservative agendas in school reform. Now it goes hand in hand with the meritocracy myth and promotes education...
Managers' voting rights and corporate control

Abstract We document managers' vote holdings in a large random sample of industrial firms, and test whether the degree of managerial control of shares affects how often a firm is the target of control events. The likelihood of successful acquisitions of firms is unrelated to managers' holdings. But this insignificant relation reflects two opposing effects. Lower managerial control is associated with a higher probability that a firm will receive a takeover offer, but a lower probability that a takeover attempt will lead to a change in control.
Synthesis and spectroscopic properties of the elusive 3a,9a-diazaperylenium dication.

The 3a,9a-diazaperylenium dication (1) was synthesized for the first time in two steps from p-phenylene diamine. Ab initio calculations show a twisted ground state with a 6.4° tilt between the two quinolizinium building blocks. Dication 1 is photoluminescent in fluid solutions of H2O, CH3CN, and CH3NO2, but not in rigid matrices of the same solvents. This phenomenon has been attributed to a geometric relaxation of the tilted ground state into an emitting planar lowest singlet excited state.
EXTREME-ULTRAVIOLET POLARIZATION AND FILTERING WITH GOLD TRANSMISSION GRATINGS

The polarization and transmission characteristics of freestanding gold transmission gratings, with 200-nm periods, for extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) radiation (l < 200 nm) have been measured. We find that EUV transmission through the gratings is dominated by the waveguide characteristics of the gratings and that polarization efficiencies of 90% for wavelengths of 121.6 nm are achievable. Both the EUV polarization and transmission properties are in good agreement with a complete vector, numerical solution of Maxwell’s equations. The fraction of open area to total area of the grating has been measured using a 10-keV proton beam and was found to be in good agreement with the microscopic slit and wire dimensions that were obtained by scanning electron microscopy. The use of these gratings for particle measurements in the presence of intense EUV radiation is briefly discussed.
Enhancement of DNA vaccine potency using conventional aluminum adjuvants

The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of DNA vaccines have been amply demonstrated in numerous animal models of infectious disease. However, the feasibility of DNA vaccines for human use is not yet known. In order to investigate potential means of increasing the potency of DNA vaccines, conventional adjuvants such as aluminum salts were tested. Coadministration of these adjuvants with DNA vaccines substantially enhanced the ability of these vaccines to induce antibody responses up to 100-fold in mice and guinea pigs, and 5-10-fold in non-human primates. Effective formulations had no demonstrable effect on the levels of antigen expression in situ and consisted of adjuvants that did not form complexes with the plasmid DNA; rather they exerted their effects on antigen after expression in situ. Therefore, the potency of DNA vaccines both in laboratory rodents and in non-human primates can be substantially increased by simple formulation with conventional aluminum adjuvants.
Finite-Difference Errors in Estimation of Gradients in the Atmospheric Surface Layer

Abstract Errors associated with the linear and the logarithmic finite-difference approximations of gradients in the surface layer are computed using the well-known Monin-Obukhov flux-profile relations. It is shown that while the logarithmic approximation is much superior to the linear one in near-neutral and unstable conditions, the latter is equally good or better for stable conditions. The computed ratios of the estimated to the “exact” gradients are given as functions of stability and the ratio between the two heights used for finite-difference approximation. The results can be used for correcting the estimated gradients using either linear or logarithmic approximation over wide ranges of stability and height ratio.
Reconciling the electron counterstreaming and dropout occurrence rates with the heliospheric flux budget

[1] Counterstreaming electrons (CSEs) are treated as signatures of closed magnetic flux, i.e., loops connected to the Sun at both ends. However, CSEs at 1 AU likely fade as the apex of a closed loop passes beyond some distance R, owing to scattering of the sunward beam along its continually increasing path length. The remaining antisunward beam at 1 AU would then give a false signature of open flux. Subsequent opening of a loop at the Sun by interchange reconnection with an open field line would produce an electron dropout (ED) at 1 AU, as if two open field lines were reconnecting to completely disconnect from the Sun. Thus EDs can be signatures of interchange reconnection as well as the commonly attributed disconnection. We incorporate CSE fadeout into a model that matches time-varying closed flux from interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) to the solar cycle variation in heliospheric flux. Using the observed occurrence rate of CSEs at solar maximum, the model estimates R ∼ 8–10 AU. Hence we demonstrate that EDs should be much rarer than CSEs at 1 AU, as EDs can only be detected when the juncture points of reconnected field lines lie sunward of the detector, whereas CSEs continue to be detected in the legs of all loops that have expanded beyond the detector, out to R. We also demonstrate that if closed flux added to the heliosphere by ICMEs is instead balanced by disconnection elsewhere, then ED occurrence at 1 AU would still be rare, contrary to earlier expectations.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE TIDEPOOL ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF PERIDINIUM GREGARIUM1,2

SUMMARY Dense populations of a new species of dinoflagellate, Peridinium gregarium, have been found in a limited number of small rock tidepools on the coast of southern California. The organism is present throughout the year, but during periods of low temperatures and heavy tides it remains on the bottom of the pools in small aggregations. At other seasons P. gregarium leaves the aggregations during the morning hours and collects around the upper surface of small rocks in masses held together by a mucous matrix. Oxygen bubbles accumulated in the matrix eventually float the mass to the surface of the tidepool. During the afternoon or evening, the individuals return to the bottom aggregations leaving the matrix behind. Field and laboratory studies have attempted to define the nature of this organism's tidepool habitat and factors involved in the regulation of its diurnal movements.
Associations Between Modest Weight Changes and Onset and Progression of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Two Population-based Cohorts

Objectives To conduct a study to determine whether weight changes were associated with the risk of developing lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Obesity has been associated with LUTS in aging men. Methods The study population consisted of men participating in the Olmsted County Study of Urinary Symptoms and Health Status among Men and the Flint Men's Health Study. Weight loss and weight gain were defined as a change of ≥5% of the baseline weight. LUTS progression was measured by calculating the American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUASI) score slopes for 4 years of follow-up in both cohorts. Additional Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to determine whether the weight changes were associated with the later development of moderate-to-severe symptoms or with a ≥4-point increase in the AUASI score (Olmsted County Study of Urinary Symptoms and Health Status among Men cohort only). Results Weight changes were not associated with LUTS progression (all P > .05). Additionally, the rate at which the AUASI scores changed did not vary by the weight change. Finally, in the Olmsted County Study of Urinary Symptoms and Health Status among Men cohort, the weight changes were not associated with risk of having a moderate-to-severe AUASI score or a ≥4-point increase in the AUASI score. Conclusions Modest weight loss might not prevent the onset or progression of LUTS. However, modest weight gain also might not contribute to changes in LUTS.
α3β1-Integrin as a critical mediator of the hepatic differentiation response to the extracellular matrix

The extracellular matrix (ECM) promotes the differentiation of many cell types, and ECM remodeling in the liver has been implicated in embryonic development, tissue injury, and oncogenesis. Integrins are heterodimeric ECM receptors that play critical roles in transducing the composition of the ECM in the cell environment. We previously showed that mouse H2.35 cells, a conditionally transformed, liver-derived cell line, assume a more differentiated hepatocyte morphology and enhanced liver-specific gene expression when the cells are cultured on gelatinous ECM substrata. Here we show that H2. 35 cells express relatively high levels of alpha3beta1-integrins, similar to that previously shown for immature hepatocytes, transformed hepatocytes, and biliary cells. However, the cell morphological responses that depend on alpha3beta1-integrin have not been defined. We found that transfecting H2.35 cells with antisense RNA construct directed to alpha3-subunit messenger RNA perturbs the initial cell attachment to laminin and collagen, and strongly inhibits cell morphological, proliferative, and gene expression responses to a collagen gel substratum. In situ hybridization to mouse embryo tissues demonstrates the presence of alpha3-subunit messenger RNAs in newly formed hepatocytes. We suggest that alpha3beta1-integrins are important for immature and transformed hepatocytes to respond morphologically to the extracellular matrix.
A comparison of word lexicality in the treatment of speech sound disorders.

The goal of this research programme was to evaluate the role of word lexicality in effecting phonological change in children's sound systems. Four children with functional speech sound disorders (SSDs) were enrolled in an across-subjects multiple baseline single-subject design; two were treated using high-frequency real words (RWs) and two were treated using (low-frequency) non-words (NWs). Dependent variables were learning during treatment, generalization of treated and untreated sounds post-treatment and error consistency indices. The oldest child in the NW group demonstrated slightly greater increases in learning during treatment, and both children demonstrated increases in generalization as well as large decreases in sound error variability. In comparison, one child in the RW group demonstrated untreated sound generalization, as well as decreases in sound error variability. These results suggest that NWs may be useful in helping children learn the sound structure of words containing treated sounds. Th...
Rethinking connectivity restoration in WSNs using feedback from a low-cost mobile sensor network testbed

In recent years, a lot of studies proposed to introduce mobility capability to sensor nodes in order to exploit the advantages of mobility in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) applications. In particular, the idea has been exploited heavily to restore connectivity in disjoint WSNs. While the studies demonstrated various capabilities of the proposed connectivity algorithms via simulation, real node and testbed implementations were mostly lacking due to unavailability of proper hardware and/or high robot costs. Since this may hinder the direct applicability of the algorithms in realistic settings, testbeds which can be constructed with low-cost and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware are required for realistic evaluations of the connectivity restoration algorithms. To this end, in this paper, we first design a low-cost mobile sensor network (MSN) testbed using iRobot-based mobile nodes. We integrate commercially available iRobot Create platform with IRIS sensor motes to design a new mobile sensor node called iRobotSense. Using a network of iRobotSense nodes, we then implement one of the widely used connectivity restoration algorithms, namely PADRA, on this testbed. The evaluations revealed several factors that need to be taken into consideration in the design and development of connectivity restoration algorithms which were not considered in simulation-based evaluations. We revise several components of PADRA based on the feedback received from the testbed experiments.