cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emerging applications of nanomedicine for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases

Nanomedicine is an emerging field that utilizes nanotechnology concepts for advanced therapy and diagnostics. This convergent discipline merges research areas such as chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics and engineering. It therefore bridges the gap between molecular and cellular interactions, and has the potential to revolutionize medicine. This review presents recent developments in nanomedicine research poised to have an important impact on the treatment of cardiovascular disease. This will occur through improvement of the diagnosis and therapy of cardiovascular disorders as atherosclerosis, restenosis and myocardial infarction. Specifically, we discuss the use of nanoparticles for molecular imaging and advanced therapeutics, specially designed drug eluting stents and in vivo/ex vivo early detection techniques.
Supernova impostors: LBV outbursts from the most massive stars

Several recent luminous events that have been identified initially as supernovae (SNe) are probably not genuine SNe at all. Instead we argue that these events are more likely the outbursts, or super-outbursts, of very massive stars in the luminous blue variable (LBV) phase. At least two of these events are analogous to the Great 1843 Eruption of η Carinae.
Broadcast Encryption Using Probabilistic Key Distribution and Applications

A family of novel broadcast encryption schemes based on probabilistic key pre-distribution are proposed, that enable multiple sources to broadcast secrets, without the use of asymmetric cryptographic primitives. A comprehensive analysis of their efficiencies and performance bounds are presented. The paper also suggests a framework for applications of broadcast encryption, depending on 1) the relationship between the size of the network (or the total number of deployed devices) and the group size, and 2) the nature of the devices (stateless or otherwise) in the deployment. The utility of the proposed broadcast encryption schemes is investigated for securing content distribution applications based on the publish-subscribe paradigm.
Seabird guano influences on desert islands: soil chemistry and herbaceous species richness and productivity

An understanding of the effects of guano deposition on arid soil chemistry and the consequences for plant communities is lacking. This study examined patterns of herbaceous species richness and productivity, soil chemistry, soil moisture and soil respiration on 11 islands in the Gulf of California, six of which receive seabird guano deposition. Species richness was significantly lower on islands with guano (‘‘Bird’’ islands) than islands without guano (‘‘Non-bird’’ islands), with very little overlap in species composition; however, productivity was significantly greater on Bird than on Non-bird islands. As expected, Bird island soils had higher concentrations of NO3 ,N H 4 and total nitrogen (N) than Non-bird island soils; and, measurements of d 15 N indicate that the higher concentrations of N were derived from guano. We also found that soil moisture and respiration were significantly higher, but pH was significantly lower, on Bird than Non-bird islands. These results suggest that guano deposition in deserts stimulates productivity—even in dry years—due to elevated N and, indirectly, soil moisture. Guano deposition also results in a decrease in species richness and a change in species composition probably due to elevated N, N toxicity, or low pH. However, we also found that pH varied more on Bird than on Non-bird islands; and that salinity—while not different between island types—was significantly patchier on Bird than on Non-Bird islands. These results suggest that guano deposition affects not only the general chemical composition of soils, but also results in greater spatial variation in soil chemical
On-time Vaccine Receipt in the First Year Does Not Adversely Affect Neuropsychological Outcomes

+OBJECTIVES: To determine whether children who received recommended vaccines on time during the first year of life had different neuropsychological outcomes at 7 to 10 years of age as compared with children with delayed receipt or nonreceipt of these vaccines. METHODS: Publicly available data, including age at vaccination, from a previous VaccineSafety Datalink study of thimerosal exposure and 42 neuropsychological outcomes were analyzed. Vaccine receipt was defined as timely when each vaccine was received within 30 days of the recommended age. Associations between timeliness and each outcome were tested in univariate analyses. Multivariable regression models were constructed for further assessment of the impact of timeliness on neuropsychological outcomes after adjustment for potential confounders. Secondary analyses were performed on a subset of children with the highest and lowest vaccine exposures during the first 7 months of life. RESULTS: Timely vaccination was associated with better performance on 12 outcomes in univariate testing and remained associated with better performance for 2 outcomes in multivariable analyses. No statistically significant differences favored delayed receipt. In secondary analyses, children with the greatest vaccine exposure during the first 7 months of life performed better than children with the least vaccine exposure on 15 outcomes in univariate testing; these differences did not persist in multivariable analyses. No statistically significant differences favored the less vaccinated children.
The Resource Utilization of Women Who Use Violence in Intimate Relationships

Previous studies have found high rates of help-seeking among women who are abused by intimate partners. However, little research has investigated the help-seeking patterns of women who are aggressive in their relationships. Understanding the help-seeking of violent women may aid in designing interventions that will reduce the women’s violent behavior, as well as reducing the victimization they may be experiencing from their partners. This study examines the resource utilization of a sample of 108 women who had used violence against a male intimate partner in the previous six months. Ninety-four percent of the women also experienced physical violence from their partners. The study found that almost all of the women utilized community resources in an attempt to manage the violence in their relationships. In addition, a path model revealed that greater resource utilization predicted a decrease in women’s violence against their partners. The path model also revealed that women’s victimization did not directly predict greater resource utilization; rather, women who experienced higher levels of victimization were more likely to have a self-defensive motive for using violence, which increased the likelihood of seeking resources. Women who use violence to defend themselves may realize that they cannot handle their partner’s violence on their own, and so seek help. Women with more symptoms of posttraumatic stress symptoms also reported using more resources. Social support networks were the most widely used resource, and social support coping also contributed to increased resource utilization.
Nothing to Hide: The False Tradeoff Between Privacy and Security

"If you've got nothing to hide," many people say, "you shouldn't worry about government surveillance." Others argue that we must sacrifice privacy for security. But as Daniel J. Solove argues in this book, these arguments and many others are flawed. They are based on mistaken views about what it means to protect privacy and the costs and benefits of doing so. In addition to attacking the "Nothing-to Hide Argument," Solove exposes the fallacies of pro-security arguments that have often been used to justify government surveillance and data mining. These arguments - such as the "Luddite Argument,"the "War-Powers Argument," the "All-or-Nothing Argument," the "Suspicionless-Searches Argument," the "Deference Argument," and the "Pendulum Argument" - have skewed law and policy to favor security at the expense of privacy.The debate between privacy and security has been framed incorrectly as a zero-sum game in which we are forced to choose between one value and the other. But protecting privacy isn't fatal to security measures; it merely involves adequate oversight and regulation. The primary focus of the book is on common pro-security arguments, but Solove also discusses concrete issues of law and technology, such as the Fourth Amendment Third Party Doctrine, the First Amendment, electronic surveillance statutes, the USA-Patriot Act, the NSA surveillance program, and government data mining.
Synthesis of the macrolide core of migrastatin

A concise and efficient synthesis of the macrolactone core of migrastatin, a new natural product with potent anticancer properties, has been achieved. The key features of our synthetic strategy encompass a Lewis acid catalyzed diene aldehyde condensation (LACDAC) to install the three contiguous stereocenters and the trisubstituted (Z)-double bond of migrastatin, and a (E)-selective ring-closing metathesis (RCM) to construct the macrocycle.
Meson bootstraps andG2

The negative result of theChan, De Celles andPatonG2 vector meson bootstrap, based on their generation in two pseudoscalar mesons scattering, and a similar result in two vector meson scattering, are shown to derive from the fact that this model cannot assign the existing mesons to its adjoint representation.
Acute Thoracic and Lumbar Injuries

Most injuries to the thoracic and lumbar spine represent muscle strain or contusion and are self-limited. However, it is important to identify more serious conditions that may require treatment. Sports that demonstrate increased risk for back injuries include gymnastics and football; however, back injuries occur in many sports. Risk factors for lumbar injury and back pain include prior back injury, decreased range of motion, improper technique, abrupt increases in training, and poor conditioning. The evaluation of a patient with an acute lumbar or thoracic spinal injury starts with a thorough history and exam. Plain radiographs are commonly used and can detect the majority of significant injuries, but other imaging modalities are variably used depending on the mechanism of injury, exam findings, and suspected injury. Muscle strains are the most common injury, but a variety fractures and disc herniations may also occur. This chapter discusses the most commonly encountered thoracic and lumbar injuries affecting athletes, focusing on the presentation, relevant examination and radiographic assessment, and guidelines for treatment and return to play.
Differentiation of Campylobacter Species Using Phenotypic Characterization

Two hundred five strains comprising 16 Campylobacter species, subspecies, or proposed groups were examined for phenotypic characteristics useful in identification. All strains tested were oxidase-positive, gram-negative rods that failed to oxidize or ferment glucose. The tests most valuable for identification at the species or subspecies level were catalase, hippurate hydrolysis, reduction of nitrate and nitrite, production of H2S in triple sugar iron agar slants, growth at 25°C, sensitivity to nalidixic acid and cephaiothin, urea hydrolysis, and growth in semisolid medium containing 1% glycine or 3.5% NaCI. Some deviation from previously published results
“A Series of Unfortunate Events”: The Repercussions of Print-Literacy as the Only Literacy for Talented Boys

In this article, the author takes a critical look at what counts as literacy for preadolescent and adolescent talented boys. Arguably, there exists a population of boys who demonstrate strong verba...
Cross-well Seismic Monitoring of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) Production: A Case Study From the Powder River Basin of Wyoming

The primary mechanism for Coal Bed Methane (CBM) recovery in a typical biogenic, low-rank, shallow and subbituminous coal like that of the Powder River Basin (PRB) of Wyoming is by dewatering or depressurization of the coal beds. In this case history, cross-well seismic experiments were designed to image changes in seismic signatures emanating from the dewatering process. Quantitative estimation of these changes is vital to the technical viability of the CBM reservoir process optimization and monitoring. The preand post-CBM production cross-well seismic surveys were executed in July, 2002 and August, 2003 respectively at the PRB’s Big George coal beds, Wyoming.
Introduction and Spread of the Fungal Pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga (Zygomycetes: Entomophthorales) Along the Leading Edge of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Spread

The gypsy moth fungal pathogen Entomophaga maimaiga Humber, Shimazu, & Soper was first reported in North America in 1989 but did not occur in areas more recently colonized by gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.). To establish this pathogen along the leading edge of spreading gypsy moth populations, 6 x 10 5 E. maimaiga resting spores were released around the bases of oaks in 0.01-ha plots in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. E. maimaiga was released in 34 plots in 1991 and 7 plots in 1992, with 15 control sites in 1991 and 3 control sites in 1992. During 1991, E. maimaiga infections were found in 28 plots, with infection levels >40% in 6 plots (17.6%). Infection levels were greater in plots where E. maimaiga resting spores were watered weekly. Low levels of infection were found in 4 of the 15 control plots. In 1992, E. maimaiga infections were detected in 40 of the 41 release plots as well as in the majority of control plots. Infection levels in 1992 E. maimaiga release plots averaged 72.4 ± 10.7% (mean ± SE) and were associated with declining egg mass densities. In 1991 fungal release plots resampled in 1992, disease prevalence in 1992 was greater in plots with higher levels of infection during 1991. During 1992, epizootics (>70% infection) occurred in 24 of the 28 1991 release plots. Throughout this study, levels of E. maimaiga infection were never associated with gypsy moth egg mass density at the beginning of the season. May rainfall was positively associated with infection for each year, and optimal average temperatures for infection were 13-19°c during May and June. During 1991, E. maimaiga spread up to 350 m from centers of release plots, and in 1992, E. maimaiga was abundant 1,000 m from release plots. Because of the abundance of E. maimaiga in 1992 control plots and at 1,000 m from 1992 release plots, 228 sites were surveyed to reevaluate the distribution of this fungus. E. maimaiga was found at all sites sampled in Virginia and Maryland and in the majority of West Virginia sites, demonstrating spectacular spread by this pathogen to the south and west; E. maimaiga now occurred at the southern limit of the gypsy moth distribution in the northeastern United States. Such rapid spread was completely unexpected and has never before been documented for an entomopathogenic fungus. We hypothesize that both our E. maimaiga release sites and preexisting E. maimaiga populations to the north and east may have been sources for the fungal inoculum that spread.
User Experience and Feedback on the RPI Homework Submission Server (Abstract Only)

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Homework Submission Server is an ongoing open source project used to collect, compile, and automatically grade programming homeworks for students in our introductory and sophomore computer science classes. It allows viewing of homework, lab, test, and overall grades and late submissions and excused absences on homework. Our first hypothesis is that an electronic submission server is the preferred way for students to submit their coding homeworks because it provides immediate feedback about the correctness of their code and ensures fair, consistent grading since their code is compiled and run with the same test cases, on the same computer. Our second hypothesis is that students appreciate courses with a flexible policy for late submission of homeworks, allowing them to use a specific number of "late days" throughout the semester without penalty. We recently conducted a survey to test these hypotheses and will incorporate specific feedback from the students as we continue development and expand the server to more courses at RPI and other universities.
Hemolytic Effect of Tyrothricin.

ConclusionsTyrothricin is markedly hemolytic for human and rabbit's erythrocytes. The hemolytic activity seems to reside primarily in the tyrocidine fraction, although gramicidin also exhibits a definite hemolytic effect. The addition of glucose to saline solution causes only slight inhibition of the hemolytic action.
Prospects for the Hydraulic Pressure Technology

Hydraulic pressure is one of the key technologies in modern transmmision and control field,which plays a important part in the construction of national economy.This paper expounds the prospects for hydraulic pressure technology.
A Vehicle Wheel Screw Tightening Reconfigurable Tool Controlling System

In order to improve the reconfiguration of the vehicle wheel screw tightening tool,and reduce production costs,a vehicle wheel screw tightening reconfigurable tool controlling system based on PLC(programmable logic controller) and IPC(industrial personal computer) is proposed by analyzing some tightening strategy.The hardware components and software components of the controlling system are analyzed and the hardware components,software functional block diagram,flow charts,etc are introduced.The controlling system achieves hardware and software modular,flexibly configures according to production need and improves efficiency of vehicle wheel screw tightening,which has a great economic and practical significance.
The Experience of the Social Innovation Laboratory of AGESIC

This paper describes the experience of the first Public Social Innovation Laboratory in Uruguay.
Automated Nucleated RBC Measurement Using the Sysmex XE-5000 Hematology Analyzer: Frequency and Clinical Significance of the Nucleated RBCs.

Objectives: We validated the automatic nucleated RBC (nRBC) count on a Sysmex XE-5000 hematology analyzer (Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Japan) and then evaluated the frequency of nRBCs in our patient population. Methods: We correlated automated nRBC enumeration by the Sysmex XE-5000 hematology analyzer on 463 peripheral blood (PB) samples with the manual nRBC count. Results from 360,504 consecutive blood samples were reviewed to determine the frequency of nRBCs in various patient populations in our hospital. Results: There was a strong correlation between the automated and manual nRBC count (Pearson’s r = 0.97). Frequency of nRBCs varied in different patient populations and was significantly higher in the presence of other morphology flags or abnormal CBC parameters. Low-level nRBCs (0.2%-1.3%) were detected in 0.5% of samples with otherwise normal parameters. Conclusions: The automated method offers many advantages for high-throughput laboratories, including faster turnaround time, labor savings, and high reliability. Automated nRBC measurement allowed us to recognize a group of individuals who have low-level circulating nRBCs with otherwise normal CBC parameters. Nucleated RBC levels below 1.5% as detected by the automated count may be present in patients without increased erythropoiesis or a pathologic bone marrow process.
The impending financial healthcare burden and ethical dilemma of systemic therapy in metastatic cancer

Metastatic cancer remains a devastating disease that threatens to disrupt entire family structures creating economic and psychosocial stress. Fortunately, great strides have resulted in improved therapies over the years but at a huge social-economic cost. The economic burden has risen greatly and carries with it new ethical concerns when deciding treatment. Here, we discuss the financial and ethical challenges that oncologists and their patients face in the era of novel treatment strategies. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:323-328. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Numerical Modelling of Ice‐Wedge Polygon Geomorphic Transition

A numerical model is presented to test whether a hillslope diffusion approach can simulate the topographic evolution of some recently developed high-centred ice-wedge polygons south of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The polygons are adjacent to a highway whose construction appears to have triggered their geomorphic transition. The model is calibrated using a light detection and ranging data-set that captures both the high-centred polygons and some neighbouring low-centred polygons that appear to be unaffected by thermokarst. The latter are used to represent initial conditions. Model simulations are analysed to estimate potential fluxes of soil from polygon edges into troughs and the loss of depressional water storage during development of the high-centred polygons. Overall, a match between the topography of simulated and observed high-centred polygons suggests that diffusive hillslope processes represent a feasible mechanism driving polygon transition. Rates of soil displacement inferred from optimised simulations, moreover, are within the range previously observed in permafrost terrain with a similar climate. Direct observations of the soil velocity profile in actively transitioning polygons would help resolve whether and to what extent hillslope processes, as opposed to pure thaw-related subsidence at the polygon edges, drive the development of high-centred forms in natural systems. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sleep problems and temperament in young children with Down syndrome and typically developing controls.

Background Although group differences have been found between children with Down syndrome (DS) and typically developing (TD) children when considering sleep problems and temperament independently, none of the research conducted to date has examined sleep-temperament associations in children with DS. The present research was conducted to determine (1) whether the sleep problems experienced by children with DS are associated with temperament or (2) if the demonstrated relations between sleep and temperament differ from those that are observed in TD children. Method The present study included examination of relations between parent-reported sleep problems and temperament in 19 children with DS and 20 TD controls matched on developmental age. Results The results revealed group differences in temperament and sleep problems. Mediation models indicated that temperament (effortful control and inhibitory control) mediated the association between group and sleep problems; sleep problems also mediated the association between group and temperament (effortful and inhibitory control). Conclusion Findings indicated that sleep problems may serve as both cause and consequence of variability in effortful and inhibitory control and provide insight as to future experimental studies that should be conducted to better elucidate these relations.
An Experimental-Numerical Procedure for High-Temperature Dynamic Fracture Analysis

An experimental-numerical procedure, which utilizes the measured impact load and transient crack opening displacement (COD) together with a dynamic finite element code, was developed for high temperature dynamic fracture anaylsis. The crack extension history was determined by the transient COD which was monitored by a laser interferometric strain gage (LISG). The procedure was verified through room temperature dynamic fracture toughness testing of alumina single edge notched bend bars. Dynamic fracture toughnesses of these bend bars impacted at room temperature were determined.
Effects of Human Activity on the Processing of Nitrogen in Riparian Wetlands: Implications for Watershed Water Quality

Wetlands are critical ecosystems that make substantial contributions to ecosystem services. In this study, we asked how the delivery of an ecosystem service of interest (N processing such as denitrification and mineralization) is impacted by anthropogenic activity (as evidenced by land cover change). We identify relevant factors (hydrology, nitrogen, and carbon variables), select headwater wetland sites in Ohio and Pennsylvania USA to represent a gradient of anthropogenic disturbance as indicated by land cover characteristics (represented by the Land Development Index, or LDI), and determine if there are differences in the selected variables as a function of this gradient by categorizing sites into two groups representing high and low disturbance. We utilized Classification and Regression Trees (CART) to determine which variables best separated high from low disturbance sites, for each spatial scale at which land cover patterns were determined (100 m, 200 m, 1 km radius circles surrounding a site), and within each category of water quality variable (hydrology, nitrogen and carbon). Thresholds of LDI were determined via the CART analyses that separated sites into two general classes of high and low disturbance wetlands, with associated differences in Total Nitrogen, NH4+, Soil Accretion, C:N, Maximum Water Level, Minimum Water Level, and %Time in Upper 30 cm. Low Disturbance Sites represented forested settings, and exhibit relatively higher TN, lower NH4+, lower Soil Accretion, higher C:N, higher Maximum Water Level, shallower Minimum Water Level, and higher %Time in Upper 30 cm than the remaining sites. LDIs at 100 m and 200 m were best separated into groups of high and low disturbance sites by factors expected to be proximal or local in nature, while LDIs at 1000 m predicted factors that could be related to larger scale land cover patterns that are more distal in nature. We would expect a water quality process such as denitrification to be relatively lower in forested settings, due to the low available nitrogen (associated with high C:N) and constant and saturated conditions; conditions for maximum denitrification may be found in agricultural settings, where high nitrate groundwater can interact with surface soils through a wetting and drying pattern. The use of land cover patterns, as expressed by LDI, provided useful proxies for nitrogen, carbon, and hydrology characteristics related to provision of water quality services, and should be taken into account when creating, restoring, or managing these systems on a watershed scale.
Comparison tests of cellular glass insulation for the development of cryogenic insulation standards

Standards for thermal insulation used in applications between ambient and low temperatures, below 100 K, require test data under relevant conditions and by different laboratories to develop data sets for the proper comparisons of materials. This critically important technology is needed to provide reliable data and methodologies for industrial energy efficiency and energy conservation. Under ASTM International's Committee C16 on Thermal Insulation, two standards have been issued on cryogenic thermal insulation systems. Thermal conductivity data sets have been taken using identical flat-plate boiloff calorimeter instruments independently operated at the Cryogenics Test Laboratory of NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the Thermal Energy Laboratory of LeTourneau University (LETU). Precision specimens of cellular glass insulation were produced for both laboratories to provide the necessary comparisons to validate the thermal measurements and test methodologies. Additional specimens of commercial cellular glass pipe insulation were tested at LETU to compare with the flat plate results. The test data are discussed in relation to the experimental approach, test methods, and manner of reporting the thermal performance data. This initial Inter-Laboratory Study (ILS) of insulation materials for sub-ambient temperature applications provides a foundation for further ILS work to produce standard data sets for several key commercial materials.
Dynamic data driven application systems for smart cities and urban infrastructures

The smart cities vision relies on the use of information and communication technologies to efficiently manage and maximize the utility of urban infrastructures and municipal services in order to improve the quality of life of its inhabitants. Many aspects of smart cities are dynamic data driven application systems (DDDAS) where data from sensors monitoring the system are used to drive computations that in turn can dynamically adapt and improve the monitoring process as the city evolves. Several leading DDDAS researchers offer their views concerning the DDDAS paradigm applied to realizing smart cities and outline research challenges that lie ahead.
Do Corporate Managers Know When Their Shares Are Undervalued? New Evidence Based on Actual (and Not Just Announced) Stock Buybacks

This article summarizes the findings of the authors' recent study, published in the Journal of Financial Economics, of whether public companies are able to repurchase their own shares at a discount to the market, thereby earning more than a market return on such “investments.” To the extent the answer is yes, it would suggest that management has an advantage in assessing the intrinsic value of the companies they manage. Using as their sample all 2,237 publicly traded U.S. companies that repurchased their own stock between 2004 and 2011, the authors compared the average price paid during the month to the average price at which the firm's shares traded during that month as well as three and six months after the repurchase. (All earlier studies had measured stock performance from the date of the repurchase announcements rather than from the date of the actual repurchases.) The authors' conclusion, which may come as more of a surprise to financial economists than practicing corporate executives, was that the majority of companies repurchasing their shares have in fact earned a positive return on their investment in their own stock. Perhaps the most important finding of the study, however, was that infrequent repurchasers—defined as companies that bought back their own stock four or fewer times a year—have been much more successful in buying undervalued shares than regular repurchasers. For example, when evaluated over a six-month holding period, the annual “alpha” of infrequent repurchasers was 2.4% greater than that of frequent repurchasers—those that bought back their shares at least nine times a year. And this advantage was even more significant for companies that repurchased just once during the year—a group that recorded an alpha of 5.9%, as compared to 1.5% for monthly repurchasers. Moreover, the results were essentially the same when extended over considerably longer holding periods. For the entire sample of companies that repurchased their shares, the authors reported finding positive and significant alphas of 0.3% per month over windows ranging from three months to three years after the repurchase. But, as reported above, the infrequent repurchasers significantly outperformed frequent repurchasers over all time horizons, with differences in alpha that ranged from a low of 0.3% and to as high as 0.6% per month.
Impact of clinical parameters on surgical outcomes in patients with hematological disorders undergoing splenectomy.

e17689 Background: Safety of splenectomy is of concern in hematological disorders (HD) due to compromised blood indices and platelet dysfunction. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of cli...
Land Grant College Curricula

This paper is based largely upon the experience of the writer who, with his colleagues, constructed the course in Agricultural Administration in the A. and M. College of Texas. Many of the principles embodied in the suggested curriculum which appears later in this paper have been quite thoroughly tested in the five years during which this course has been in operation. It is fully recognized, however, that fundamental modifications must yet be made before the curriculum shall have attained its maximum possibilities and some of these changes are incorporated in the suggested curriculum to be taken up in another place. A curriculum dealing with the agricultural or any other industry, as the writer conceives it, should be a device for bringing together in an organized way and in rational sequence the materials of such fields of thought and of such academic tools as will contribute most to the student's vision of the industry and his ability to meet its problems. This implies that the construction of a curriculum must be preceded by a clear picture of the problems to be met and also that the subject matter composing each unit of the curriculum must contribute its appropriate share to the general objective. This view of the significance and purpose of a curriculum holds especially true for Land Grant Colleges which are avowedly functional in spirit and purpose. There are various angles to the agricultural problem under modern conditions, each of which calls for a special kind of preparation for the men who are to cope with it. This fact has been recognized and the situation has in part been met by the establishment of various curricula. For example, there are the short courses in most Land Grant Colleges which are designed to furnish non-collegiate men useful but non-technical information relative to crops and soils, and the feeding, breeding and care of animals. Again we have the four-year college curriculum, composed in the
Three-dimensional texture analysis of aligned carbon nanotube structures

Abstract The alignment of different carbon nanotube (CNT) structures has been studied extensively using varying techniques. Most of these techniques however do not present a true three-dimensional (3D) representation of the orientation of the material. In this work, the orientation distribution functions obtained from X-ray pole figures for different CNT structures (vertically aligned CNT arrays, randomly orientated buckypaper and horizontally aligned CNT sheets) are presented. This technique is also used to examine the effects of solvent densification and stretching on the alignment of CNT sheets. It has been demonstrated that depending on the solvent used for densification, the alignment achieved varies as the elongation is increased. The physical properties of CNT sheets are shown to depend on the alignment and solvent used for densification. The most aligned CNT sheets densified with acetone and ethanol reveal an increase in tensile strength of 140% and 58% respectively over unaligned sheets.
The Effect of Superstars on Game Attendance: Evidence From the NBA:

Economic models predict that “superstar” players generate externalities that increase attendance and other revenue sources beyond their individual contributions to team success. We investigate the ...
Digital Technologies and New Evidence in Architectural History

Architectural historians, rejoice! We have entered an age in which our discipline can be immeasurably assisted, enriched, and sometimes transformed by the advent of accessible, low-cost, and increasingly user-friendly technologies. These tools enable us to identify evidence that was not previously visible or accessible, synthesize and map geographically and chronologically referenced data points with precision, fuse databases to combine information from secondary sources that in turn generate new types of data, and test hypotheses through 3-D models and animations. We can stimulate new questions about buildings, places, and spaces with mapping and measuring tools. In this short summary, I will mention some examples of digital projects in which new evidence has been discovered or combined in new ways to illuminate questions in architectural history. The potential tools include the following:
An Evaluation of Project STAR

The diverse skills and resources of affiliates of three national agencies effect a three-pronged attack on the problems of mental retardation and poverty
Using Quality Improvement to Tackle Unwarranted Practice Variation.

As health care in the United States moves from quantity to quality, unwarranted practice variation has become a natural target for those wishing to improve care. Variation in provider practice should arise from personalizing care decisions on the basis of each patient’s condition and personal preferences. ‘‘Unwarranted’’ variation refers to variation beyond what would be expected based on patient or population differences1; it is due to non–evidence-based, inappropriate, and/or inefficient health care. Unwarranted variation in pediatrics has been demonstrated since the early 1900s, when Sir Allison Glover2 compared pediatric tonsillectomy rates in geographically and demographically similar areas of England. He showed a >10-fold variation in rates and concluded, “A study of the geographical distribution [of tonsillectomy] in children discloses no correlation between any other factor, such as over-crowding, poverty, bad housing, or climate. In fact it defies any explanation, save that of variation of medical opinion on the indications.”2 Despite broad dissemination of evidence-based guidelines for asthma management,3 unwarranted variation persists in care and outcomes for children treated in emergency departments and/or hospitalized for asthma. Studies have demonstrated wide variation in rates of diagnostic testing (eg, complete blood counts), interventions (eg, intravenous [IV] magnesium sulfate), transfer to ICUs, hospital readmissions, length of stay, and costs, even after correction for patient characteristics.4–7 This variation is largely due to the challenges of integrating guidelines into care, which may take up to 17 …
On the Mechanical Relationships between the Bifixation and the Cyclorotary Position of the Eyes

Previously the rectus muscles have been assigned the function of giving the eye the necessary direction while the obliques have been given the supplementary assignment of mediating the cyclorotation of the eye to that position which is necessary for the present direction of the line of sight in the interest of vision. A similar analysis has recently been espoused (although implicitly) by Helmholtz, who is of the opinion that the child when it learns to see voluntarily chooses the cyclorotary orientations of the retinas, and finally becomes accustomed to those which are the best according to a principle of orientation proposed by Helmholtz. The fact that the obliques significantly influence the orientation of the eye is the reason for the assumption, sometimes not clearly explicit, that the eye position derived for the purpose of focusing the line of sight receives a necessary correction by the special innervation of an oblique. Ordinarily an accustomed association between focusing and cyclorotating innervation must then be learned for every single fixation position. As already mentioned, Helmholtz also assumes an original independence of the motility of one eye from that of the other.
LA CONSTRUCCIÓN DE LA IDENTIDAD CULTURAL EN MÉXICO: NACIONALISMO, COSMOPOLITISMO E INFRAESTRUCTURA INTELECTUAL, 1945-1968

Se ofrece un analisis de las posiciones tomadas por los intelectuales mexicanos en cuanto a los modelos culturales a seguir por el pais entre 1945 y 1968. El articulo se centra en la relacion entre las dos principales corrientes representadas en el debate sobre la cultura mexicana: la nacionalista y la cosmopolita. Los principales temas tratados son: 1) la relacion entre la controversia sobre la identidad mexicana y los cambios que se dieron al nivel de la infraestructura intelectual ; 2) la promocion de la vision universalista de la cultura por parte de intelectuales como Fernando Benitez, Emmanuel Carballo, Carlos Fuentes, y Jaime Garcia Terres; 3) los vinculos de los intelectuales internacionalistas con el Estado.
One Stack to Run Them All

We present a reduction from a concurrent real-time program with priority preemptive scheduling to a sequential program that has the same set of behaviors. Whereas many static analyses of concurrent programs are undecidable, our reduction enables the application of any sequential program analysis to be applied to a concurrent real-time program with priority preemptive scheduling.
Heritable Disorders of Connective Tissue: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

The heritable disorders of connective tissue are over-whelmingly pediatric diseases, usually presenting either at birth or during childhood. The role of the pediatrician is therefore paramount in recognition and accurate diagnosis.
Who Was James M. Buchanan and Why Is He Significant

This essay introduces a collection of 49 essays that exemplify the breadth and the depth of James M. Buchanan’s (1919–2013) contributions to economics in the post-war period. Buchanan started his career in 1948 as someone who wanted to provide a different scholarly framework for a theory of public finance and managed to do so. What resulted was a scholarly output that was published in 20 volumes in 2002, to which he continued to add until his death. The essays in this volume reflect the breadth and depth of Buchanan’s contributions to political economy and social philosophy. While these essays are written by people who admired and learned from Buchanan’s work, these are not essays in hagiography. They explore various questions and topics that interested Buchanan. A good number of these explorations have critical overtones, but most significantly they build upon lines of inquiry that animated Buchanan’s scholarly curiosity.
Patient-specific 3D printed and augmented reality kidney and prostate cancer models: impact on patient education

Patient-specific 3D models are being used increasingly in medicine for many applications including surgical planning, procedure rehearsal, trainee education, and patient education. To date, experiences on the use of 3D models to facilitate patient understanding of their disease and surgical plan are limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate in the context of renal and prostate cancer the impact of using 3D printed and augmented reality models for patient education. Patients with MRI-visible prostate cancer undergoing either robotic assisted radical prostatectomy or focal ablative therapy or patients with renal masses undergoing partial nephrectomy were prospectively enrolled in this IRB approved study (n = 200). Patients underwent routine clinical imaging protocols and were randomized to receive pre-operative planning with imaging alone or imaging plus a patient-specific 3D model which was either 3D printed, visualized in AR, or viewed in 3D on a 2D computer monitor. 3D uro-oncologic models were created from the medical imaging data. A 5-point Likert scale survey was administered to patients prior to the surgical procedure to determine understanding of the cancer and treatment plan. If randomized to receive a pre-operative 3D model, the survey was completed twice, before and after viewing the 3D model. In addition, the cohort that received 3D models completed additional questions to compare usefulness of the different forms of visualization of the 3D models. Survey responses for each of the 3D model groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxan rank-sum tests. All 200 patients completed the survey after reviewing their cases with their surgeons using imaging only. 127 patients completed the 5-point Likert scale survey regarding understanding of disease and surgical procedure twice, once with imaging and again after reviewing imaging plus a 3D model. Patients had a greater understanding using 3D printed models versus imaging for all measures including comprehension of disease, cancer size, cancer location, treatment plan, and the comfort level regarding the treatment plan (range 4.60–4.78/5 vs. 4.06–4.49/5, p < 0.05). All types of patient-specific 3D models were reported to be valuable for patient education. Out of the three advanced imaging methods, the 3D printed models helped patients to have the greatest understanding of their anatomy, disease, tumor characteristics, and surgical procedure.
Evaluation of a Portable Aerosol Collector and Spectrometer to measure particle concentration by composition and size

We evaluated a newly developed Portable Aerosol Collector and Spectrometer (PACS) in the laboratory. We developed an algorithm to estimate mass concentration by size and composition with a PACS. In...
DigitalPIM: Digital-based Processing In-Memory for Big Data Acceleration

In this work, we design, DigitalPIM, a Digital-based Processing In-Memory platform capable of accelerating fundamental big data algorithms in real time with orders of magnitude more energy efficient operation. Unlike the existing near-data processing approach such as HMC 2.0, which utilizes additional low-power processing cores next to memory blocks, the proposed platform implements the entire algorithm directly in memory blocks without using extra processing units. In our platform, each memory block supports the essential operations including: bitwise operation, addition/multiplication, and search operation internally in memory without reading any values out of the block. This significantly mitigates the processing costs of the new architecture, while providing high scalability and parallelism for performing the extensive computations. We exploit these essential operations to accelerate popular big data applications entirely in memory such as machine learning algorithms, query processing, and graph processing. Our evaluations show that for all tested applications, the performance can be accelerated significantly by eliminating the memory access bottleneck
Methods of Determining Apoptosis in Neuro-Oncology

Tumor growth depends not only on the rate of cell proliferation but also on the rate of programmed cell death (apoptosis). Thus, treatments focusing either on the restoration of apoptosis or on triggering the apoptotic pathways may provide new treatment targets. Therefore, the ability to detect apoptosis in experimental studies is vital in our assessment of treatment success. Apoptosis detection is important in assessing treatment outcomes in both the experimental and clinical settings. Furthermore, the analysis of surgically removed specimens for apoptosis provides patient-specific data, allowing for tailored treatment plans. Many techniques are currently used to detect apoptosis, including identifying those cells exhibiting the pathognomonic morphological characteristics of apoptosis, identifying DNA breaks by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling assay, labeling externalized phosphatidylserine, flow cytometry techniques, laser scanning cytometry, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, detection of caspase activation, membrane permeability changes, mitochondrial failure, identifying denatured DNA, as well as a recent noninvasive technique for measuring apoptosis with a novel fluorescence reporter. This chapter provides an overview of these various apoptosis detection methods used in experimental studies with an emphasis on glioma research.
Elastic Abdominal Binders Reduce Cesarean Pain Postoperatively: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Introduction. A potential non-pharmacologic way to reduce postoperativepain and bleeding is using an abdominal binder duringpostoperative recovery. This study aims to determine the effect anelastic abdominal binder has on postoperative pain and hemorrhageafter cesarean delivery. Methods. A randomized, single-site, pilot trial was conducted at twoprenatal care clinics and an academic hospital in Kansas. Beginningin April 2013, 60 patients were enrolled if delivering via cesarean.Participants were randomized to receive an abdominal binder or to acontrol group (did not use binder). Pain levels were reported by questionnaireone day after surgery using a 0 to 10 scale, with 10 being theworst pain. Patient characteristics and blood loss were assessed bymedical record review. Results. Of the 56 patients completing the study, 29 (51.8%) wererandomized to the binder group and 27 (48.2%) were randomizedto the control group. The binder group reported significantly lowerpain score (p = 0.019) and average pain score (p = 0.024). There wasno difference in body mass index, age, previous surgery, infant birthweight, estimated blood loss, and average dose of pain medicationduring the first 24 hours after the cesarean delivery between the twogroups. There was no difference in pre- and post-operative hemoglobinlevels by treatment group (p = 0.406). Conclusions. Abdominal binders may be associated with improvedpostoperative pain scores but did not affect postoperative hemorrhage.Kans J Med 2018;11(2):48-53.