cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Neurotrophic Factor Receptor p75 in the Rat Dorsolateral Striatum Drives Excessive Alcohol Drinking

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) keeps alcohol intake in moderation. For example, activation of the BDNF receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) in the DLS reduces intake in rats that consume moderate amounts of alcohol. Here, we tested whether long-term excessive consumption of alcohol produces neuroadaptations in BDNF signaling in the rat DLS. We found that BDNF was no longer able to gate alcohol self-administration after a history of repeated cycles of binge alcohol drinking and withdrawal. We then elucidated the possible neuroadaptations that could block the ability of BDNF to keep consumption of alcohol in moderation. We report that intermittent access to 20% alcohol in a two-bottle choice paradigm that models excessive alcohol drinking produces a mobilization of DLS p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), whose activities oppose those of the Trk receptors, including TrkB. These neuroadaptations were not observed in the DLS of rats exposed to continuous access to 10% alcohol or in rats consuming sucrose. Furthermore, short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of the p75NTR gene in the DLS, as well as intra-DLS infusion or systemic administration of the p75NTR modulator, LM11A-31, significantly reduced binge drinking of alcohol. Together, our results suggest that excessive alcohol consumption produces a change in BDNF signaling in the DLS, which is mediated by the recruitment of p75NTR. Our data also imply that modulators of p75NTR signaling could be developed as medications for alcohol abuse disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neuroadaptations gate or drive excessive, compulsive alcohol drinking. We previously showed that brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor, TrkB, in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS), are part of an endogenous system that keeps alcohol drinking in moderation. Here, we show that a history of excessive alcohol intake produces neuroadaptations in the DLS that preclude BDNF9s ability to gate alcohol self-administration in rats by the recruitment of the low-affinity neurotrophin receptor, p75NTR, whose activities opposes those of the Trk receptors. Finally, we show that the administration of the p75NTR modulator, LM11A-31, significantly reduces excessive alcohol intake suggesting that the drug may be developed as a new treatment for alcohol abuse disorders.
Solvent-Directed Epoxide Opening with Primary Amines for the Synthesis of β-Amino Alcohols

An efficient synthesis of β-amino alcohols from a variety of epoxides and primary unbranched amines in the absence of any catalyst in high yields and regioselectivities is reported. A variety of polar mixed solvent systems allow for the selective formation of secondary amino alcohols over tertiary amino alcohols. The reaction scope extends to a wide variety of aromatic and aliphatic substituted epoxides and primary amines bearing complex functionality.
Transdermal Delivery of Cimetidine Across Microneedle-Treated Skin: Effect of Extent of Drug Ionization on the Permeation.

The objective of this work was to optimize a gel formulation of cimetidine to maximize its transdermal delivery across microporated skin. Specifically, the effect of extent of ionization in formulation on permeation of cimetidine across microporated skin was studied. Cimetidine was formulated into a gel using propylene glycol, water, and carbopol 980NF. Three strengths of gels (0.1% w/w, 0.5% w/w, and 0.8% w/w) were made and Tris base was used to adjust the pH of formulations to pH 5, pH 6.8, and pH 7.5. In vitro permeation testing was performed on vertical Franz cells with dermatomed porcine ear skin. Permeation studies suggested that pH 5 gels showed highest permeation through microchannels. This trend was more prominent with an increase in drug loading. The total amount of cimetidine delivered from 0.8% w/w gel at pH 5 at 24 h was 28.20 ± 4.63 μg, which was significantly higher than that from pH 6.8 (16.89 ± 3.56 μg) and pH 7.5 (12.03 ± 1.66 μg) gels. Cimetidine permeation across microporated skin was found to be pH dependent, with lower pH/highest ionization resulting in greatest permeation. The effect of ionization contributing to faster release was more pronounced when drug concentration was increased.
Timing of housing crises: Impacts on maternal depression

Housing problems threaten maternal mental health, but the nature of the relationship between housing and depression across time is not fully understood. Drawing upon the literatures of household shocks and depressive illness, the present study leveraged longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study to probe the relationship between a housingrelated crisis and depression among at-risk mothers (N = 2,503). Binary logistic regression tested whether a housing crisis predicted an episode of depression across up to one-, three-, and seven-year time lags. The sample was then balanced on key predictors of housing crises using greedy matching with propensity scores; regression models were replicated on the new matched samples. Results showed a housing crisis significantly elevated risk for depression within one year, but effects were attenuated across three and seven years; findings were consistent in the matched samples. Implications include the need to develop new conceptualizations of depression in the context of housing instability. Brief interventions may be most effective for addressing distress associated with housing crises and improving treatment access. Policies and programs addressing the lack of affordable housing in the United States may be effective means of reducing the burden of mental disorder on families with children.
JAUNDICE, COLURIC ORINE AND HEPATOMEGALY IN A 2 YEAR-OLD BOY

Introduction Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 or MDR3 deficiency is a chronic autosomal recessive liver disease. It typically presents in the first months of life and progresses to cirrhosis and liver failure before adulthood. Case report We report on a 2 year old boy with jaundice, coluric urine and clay coloured stools since he was 12 months old. He was the sixth son of non-consanguineous parents. There were no problems during the controlled pregnancy. He was a healthy term infant with a birth weight of 3000 g and a neonatal period without incidences. In the initial physical exploration he had good appearance, good nutritive status, cutaneous-mucous jaundice, 3–4 cm. hepatomegaly and 6–7 cm. splenomegaly, with prominent collateral blood vessels. He had a normal phenotype with normal cardiopulmonary auscultation. Serum analysis revealed hypertransaminasemia (AST 211 U/L, ALT 156 U/L, GGT 789 U/L), high levels of bile acids (450 μmol/L, normal (0–6)) and hyperbilirrubinemia with a direct bilirubin of 9’2 mg/dl. Abdominal ultrasound revealed portal hypertension and 10.5 cm. splenomegaly. The liver histology showed extensive bile duct proliferation, portal and periportal fibrosis. Complete absence of canalicular staining was also observed. He received treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid and nutritional support. Conclusions MDR3 deficiency should be clinically suspected in those children who present with cholestasis and cirrhosis with high GGT. Pharmacological treatment with UDCA is successful in approximately 30% of the cases. Patients who do not respond should be considered for liver transplantation, as in our case.
Attitudes toward and the Adoption of Adjustments

Following the framework and orientation developed by White and his associates (e.g., White et al., 1975; Burton, Kates, and White, 1978), I find it useful to approach disaster research within an “adjustment” orientation. Thus, mitigation—as I defined it in Chapter 1—not only includes a perceptual dimension, but specific actions as well. White and Haas stated this quite well: “The nation and its component parts respond to extreme natural events either through adaptation in the organization and processes of the social system, or in specific and conscious adjustment intended to reduce the costs or increase the net benefits of the hazards. By adaptation is meant long-term arrangement of activity to take account of the threat of natural extremes. It is illustrated by farming systems in arid regions which endure a persistently dry climate… By adjustment is meant all those intentional actions which are taken to cope with the risk and uncertainty of natural events. These fall into three major classes: 1. Modifying the causes of the hazard, as in the case of reducing the velocity of a hurricane by cloud seeding, relieving the seismic stresses in an earthquake zone to prevent high-intensity movements, or heating an orchard to prevent freezing from cold air; 2. Modifying vulnerability to the natural event, as through constructing flood control dams, warning systems, building earthquake-resistant houses, or prohibiting construction in the path of a snow avalanche; and 3. Distributing the losses, as in the case of insurance, relief and rehabilitation operations, or individual loss-bearing” (White and Haas, 1975:57).
Video on Demand Using the Vesta Parallel File System

Video on Demand (VoD) servers are expected to serve hundreds of customers with as many, or more, movie videos. Such an environment requires large storage capacity and real-time, high-bandwidth transmission capabilities. Massive striping of videos across disk arrays is a viable means to store large amounts of video data and, through parallelism of file access, achieve the needed bandwidth. The Vesta Parallel File System facilitates parallel access from an application to files distributed across a set of I/O processors, each with a set of attached disks. Given Vesta’s parallel file access capabilities, this paper examines a number of issues pertaining to the implementation of VoD services on top of Vesta. We develop a prototype VoD experimentation environment on an IBM SP-1 and analyze Vesta’s performance in video data retrieval for realtime playback. Specifically, we explore the impact of concurrent video streams competing for I/O node resources, cache effects, and video striping across multiple I/O nodes.
Urbanism as Computation

Successful urban configurations are the result of a complex sequence of implicit computations that transform unorganized input into organized output. Although that is exactly what they do, few urbanists discuss their work in these terms. I propose a fundamental distinction between the principal methods of urban computation. One algorithmic process for urbanism leads to formal planning, which lacks the complex organizational structures that support essential adaptability. This closed computational method uses a set of fixed, or formal, rules to compute a configuration that does not adapt interactively during execution. Such algorithms perform each computation based upon predetermined rules, and those rules cannot be changed via any interaction. The other method of urban generation is achieved by means of interactive computing, which is the basis of human intelligence. An interactive computational method generates adaptive organic urban fabric, as seen in both traditional cities and squatter settlements. Adaptive computational systems necessarily rely upon interaction with their situational environment. In this interactive approach, the result of each step in the sequence of computations is fed back into the algorithm so as to influence the subsequent step. The algorithm itself changes by interacting with whatever it is computing. Interactive or intelligent computing, therefore, is not equivalent to computations that rely exclusively upon a fixed algorithm. These two diverse computational methods design two morphologically distinct types of urban fabric. Also included in this discussion are urban morphologies that have no computational basis, as well as those that are deliberately random.
Erosion on Grazing Lands

Grazing land is defined as a land unit consisting mostly of grass and herbage where animals graze (Fig. 13.1). In this Chapter, pasturelands, grasslands, meadows, and rangelands are all considered an integral component of grazing lands. These ecosystems differ in their management, plant species composition, and distribution, and are of vital importance to soil and water conservation. Depending on their life cycle duration, plant species used for grazing can be annuals if they complete their life cycle in ≤1 yr, biannuals if they complete in two years, and perennials if they live ≥2 yr. Annuals often reproduce from seeds and can grow at different times during the year (Guretzky et al., 2005). For example, summer annuals emerge in spring and die before winter, whereas winter annuals sprout in fall and complete their life cycle in summer of the next year. Biannuals are not as common as annuals or perennials. They develop their root system in the first year, and produce seeds in the second.
GeoGAN: A Conditional GAN with Reconstruction and Style Loss to Generate Standard Layer of Maps from Satellite Images.

Automatically generating maps from satellite images is an important task. There is a body of literature which tries to address this challenge. We created a more expansive survey of the task by experimenting with different models and adding new loss functions to improve results. We created a database of pairs of satellite images and the corresponding map of the area. Our model translates the satellite image to the corresponding standard layer map image using three main model architectures: (i) a conditional Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) which compresses the images down to a learned embedding, (ii) a generator which is trained as a normalizing flow (RealNVP) model, and (iii) a conditional GAN where the generator translates via a series of convolutions to the standard layer of a map and the discriminator input is the concatenation of the real/generated map and the satellite image. Model (iii) was by far the most promising of three models. To improve the results we also added a reconstruction loss and style transfer loss in addition to the GAN losses. The third model architecture produced the best quality of sampled images. In contrast to the other generative model where evaluation of the model is a challenging problem. since we have access to the real map for a given satellite image, we are able to assign a quantitative metric to the quality of the generated images in addition to inspecting them visually. While we are continuing to work on increasing the accuracy of the model, one challenge has been the coarse resolution of the data which upper-bounds the quality of the results of our model. Nevertheless, as will be seen in the results, the generated map is more accurate in the features it produces since the generator architecture demands a pixel-wise image translation/pixel-wise coloring. A video presentation summarizing this paper is available at: this https URL
Public positions, private giving: Dark money and political donors in the Digital Age:

Dark money—campaign funds raised by 501(c)(4) designated non-profit corporations whose donors are exempt from disclosure—has become an increasingly large fraction of outside spending in American el...
Prevalence and predictors of contraceptive use among women of reproductive age in 17 sub-Saharan African countries: A large population-based study

Abstract Objective To measure the prevalence of contraceptive use among women of reproductive age in 17 sub-Saharan Africa countries and identify factors associated with contraceptive use in these countries. Study design We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study using data on contraceptive use from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for 17 sub-Saharan Africa countries (Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, and Uganda). We restricted our sample to women aged 15–49 years and used generalized estimating equations to identify factors associated with contraceptive use while controlling for other covariates. Results The overall prevalence of current contraceptive use among women of reproductive age was only 17%, with rates ranging from 7% in Gambia to 29% in Uganda. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that women were more likely to use a method of contraception if they were sexually active (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 2.17 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.11, 2.24]); had 5–7 living children (aPR 2.19 [95% CI 1.89, 2.55] compared to no children); had secondary or higher education (aPR 1.71 [95% CI 1.63, 1.78] compared to no education); and were wealthy (aPR 1.34 [95% CI 1.29, 1.40] compared to poor). Conclusion The use of contraceptives is low in sub-Saharan Africa, but varies substantially across countries. Use of contraception is associated with both personal and socioeconomic factors.
Urinary Retention Following Non-urologic Surgery

To evaluate the literature assessing postoperative urinary retention (POUR) after non-urologic surgeries, including risk factors, as well as short- and long-term consequences. POUR is multifactorial; however, several risk factors, such as male sex, advanced age, and preexisting lower urinary tract symptoms are well established. Procedures that do not involve damage to the urinary or nervous system are rarely associated with long-term consequences, as opposed to colorectal surgery in which long-term voiding dysfunction may be experienced. Improved surgical technique may improve results in these cases. Various preventive methods have been studied. While medical prevention has been efficacious in some cases, physical, noninvasive interventions failed to show a benefit. While general risk factors for POUR are known, the literature assessing these factors varies widely and, in many cases, with conflicting results. With the expansion of ambulatory surgery, it is expected that the POUR will become more frequent. Prospective, well-designed studies are needed to guide the management in these cases.
DNA-MEMBRANE ASSOCIATION AND INITIATION OF DNA REPLICATION OF bacillus subtilis

ABSTRACT At the non-permissive temperature, the percent of a genetic marker, purAi6 , near the Bacillus subtilis chromosomal origin that is membrane-associated decreases in dna-1 TS cells in vivo . The vast majority of the Plasmid pSL103 are membrane-associated in B. subtilis in vivo , and the number of pSL103 molecules that are membrane-bound also decreases at the non-permissive temperature in dna-i cells. Concomitantly both initiation of the chromosome and pSL103 are inhibited in dna-1 cells at the non-permissive temperature. In dnaB19 cells only the percent of purA16 that is membrane asso-ciated decreases at the non-permissive temperature, and only chromosomal initiation is inhibited. These results corroborate our previous findings in which the relative enrichment of purA16 and pSL103 in the membrane fraction was calculated (Winston and Sueoka, 1980) rather than the absolute percentage of marker that was membrane-bound. The membrane-associations of purA16 and pSL103 and the replication of pSL103 have been further charac-terized. Inhibition of elongation by either the anti-biotic 6-(p-hydroxyphenylazo uracil) or thymine starvation does not result in a decrease in the membrane association of purA16 or pSL103. Toluene treatment only affects the association of purA16 and not of pSL103. de novo protein synthesis is not required for reassociation of the purA16 marker to the membrane following return of dna-1 cells to permissive temperature. Repli-cation of pSLl03 molecules is random in exponentially growing cells, and the plasmid is also replicated in toluene treated cells in vitro .
Revisiting Sensitivity to Horizontal Grid Spacing in Convection-Allowing Models over the Central and Eastern United States

AbstractHourly accumulated precipitation forecasts from deterministic convection-allowing numerical weather prediction models with 3- and 1-km horizontal grid spacing were evaluated over 497 foreca...
Short-Term Forecasting Across a Network for the Autonomous Wind Farm

In an autonomous wind farm, turbines will use information from nearby turbines to achieve wind farm-level objectives such as optimizing the overall performance of a wind farm, ensuring resiliency when other sensors fail, and adapting to changing local conditions. In this paper, the wind farm can be modeled as a network within which turbines (nodes) share information across designated communication channels, with a focus on turbines at the outside of the wind farm capturing local effects and sharing that information with downstream turbines. Understanding of varied inflow conditions can be especially important in complex terrain. This information can be used to monitor turbines, self-organize turbines into groups, and predict the power performance of a wind farm. In particular, this paper describes an autonomous wind farm that incorporates information from local sensors in real time to predict wind speed and wind direction at each turbine over a short-term horizon. Results indicate that the estimate of wind direction can be used to improve the knowledge of the wind speed and direction over the persistence method on a 10-15-minute time horizon. These short-term forecasts can also be used to facilitate advanced control methods such as feedforward control within a wind farm.
Band offset modulation in Si-EuO heterostructures via controlled interface formation

Combining first-principles calculations and experiment, we investigate the atomic and electronic structure of the Si/EuO interface. We consider the thermodynamic stability of interface structures with different levels of oxidation to identify the most probable configuration. By comparing the calculated band alignment and core-level shifts with measured values, we validate the theoretically constructed interface model. We find that the band offset can be tuned by altering the relative energy positions of the Si and EuO conduction bands via interface oxidation, which can be used to tune this materials system for specific applications in spintronics.
The influence of lateral stabilization on walking performance and balance control in neurologically-intact and post-stroke individuals.

Abstract Background Individuals post-stroke have an increased risk of falling, which can lead to injuries and reduced quality of life. This increased fall risk can be partially attributed to poorer balance control, which has been linked to altered post-stroke gait kinematics (e.g. an increased step width). The application of lateral stabilization to the pelvis reduces step width among neurologically-intact young and older adults, suggesting that lateral stabilization reduces the need for active frontal plane balance control. This study sought to determine if lateral stabilization is effective at improving common measures of gait performance and dynamic balance in neurologically-intact and post-stoke individuals who responded to the stabilization by reducing their step width. Methods Gait performance was assessed by foot placement and propulsion symmetry while dynamic balance was assessed by peak-to-peak range of frontal plane whole body angular momentum (HR) and pelvis and trunk sway. Findings Controls and post-stroke Responders who reduced their step width in response to stabilization also reduced their mediolateral pelvis sway, but did not exhibit changes in gait performance. Contrary to expectations, both groups exhibited an increased HR, possibly indicative of decreased balance control. This increase was the result of increased relative velocity between the pelvis and head, arms and trunk segment. Interpretation These results suggest that a reduction in pelvis motion alone, as opposed to relative motion between the pelvis and upper body, may increase HR, decrease balance control and diminish gait performance. This finding has important implications for locomotor therapies that may seek to reduce pelvis motion.
The Effects of Loaded Plyometric Exercise during Warm-Up on Subsequent Sprint Performance in Collegiate Track Athletes: A Randomized Trial

Prior evidence demonstrates the efficacy by which plyometric activities during warm-up conditions augment the subsequent performance in power-centric exercise. We investigated the acute effects of loaded jump squats incorporated into a standard sprinters' warm-up protocol on subsequent sprint performance in collegiate track athletes. Sprint times of 22 male and female collegiate track athletes were measured in 10-m intervals during a 30-m sprint trial following a standard sprinters' warm-up routine with or without plyometric exercise. Subjects were tested on two separate occasions, once with loaded jump squats as the experimental treatment (two sets of eight jumps, load = 13% bodyweight) (PLYO) and once with time-equated rest as the control treatment (CON). Treatments were implemented following a standard sprinters' warm-up routine familiar to the subjects. A dependent T-test was used for comparison of sprint interval times between conditions with a significant effect indicated by a p-value < 0.05. Sprint time did not differ between CON vs. PLYO at the 10 m (PLYO = 1.90 ± 0.12 s vs. CON = 1.90 ± 0.11 s, p = 0.66), 20 m (PLYO = 3.16 ± 0.21 s vs. CON = 3.15 ± 0.19 s, p = 0.53), and 30 m (PLYO = 4.32 ± 0.32 s vs. CON = 4.31 ± 0.28 s, p = 0.61) intervals. There was no interaction between treatment and sex, sex-specific ranking (above vs. below sex-specific mean), or sprint event (short vs. short-long vs. long) for 10 m, 20 m, or 30-m interval sprint times. At least within the limits of the current investigation, no evidence was provided to suggest that jump squats loaded at 13% bodyweight are an effective means to acutely potentiate sprint performance in collegiate track athletes. However, a further examination of responders indicates that the present loaded jump squat protocol may preferentially potentiate sprint performance in faster male athletes.
Behavioural repeatability in larval Limnephilus lunatus Curtis, 1834 (Trichoptera) in an open-field test

This article investigates inter-individual repeatability in distance moved in an open-field test for larval Limnephilus lunatus Curtis, 1834. Repeatability across four trials (two-day trial interva...
Pharmacology of Autism Spectrum Disorder

ASD is a complex and common neurobehavioral disorder with no identified single specific biologic etiology. Instead there appear to be diverse abnormalities of brain networks with cellular, biochemical, and genetic factors. Though behavioral therapy is a major component to management of individuals with ASD, psychopharmacology has emerged as an important therapeutic tool. Pharmacology is targeted at associated disorders such as sleep disorders, aggression, anxiety, depression, repetitive behaviors, and hyperactivity. This chapter reviews current agents noted by research trials to be of benefit. Additional medications under current research are also briefly noted.
Specificity of Termination Fields Formed in the Developing Hippocampus by Fibers from Transplants

One of the major unsolved problems in neurobiology is understanding the mechanisms specifying the development of specific synapses and their plasticity after injury. A variety of mechanisms have been postulated to account for the development and plasticity of specific connections between central neurons, i. e., mechanical or contact guidance, chemotaxis, afferent competition, temporal matching, chemospecificity, etc. Transplantation provides a means for evaluating the potential role of at least some of these mechanisms. It is relatively simple, for example, to vary the position of the afferent source and alter the temporal sequence of events during the development of a specific afferent projection. Experiments varying such parameters have proven instrumental in analyzing the mechanism of synapse formation in nonmammalian species such as the retinotectal field in amphibians.
Management Software for Interlibrary Loans: Pathways to Becoming a High Performing Interlibrary Loan Department

ABSTRACT Management software for Interlibrary Loan (ILL) departments helps to streamline ILL processes and assists in efficient, paperless record keeping. The Countway Library of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (Countway) seeks a management software package that will be able to manage diverse requests from OCLC and DOC-LINE, and be equally efficient on the lending side as it is on the borrowing side. This article describes a selection of features, which would achieve this goal. The article includes features of a select number of products that have been reviewed thus far. The article gives advice on how to assess management software, and what features to look for when considering ILL management software.
Bounds on achievable rates for general multi-terminal networks with practical constraints

We consider the problem of communication in a general multi-terminal network where each node of the network is a potential sender or receiver (or both) but it cannot do both functions together. The motivation for this assumption comes from the fact that current radios in sensor nodes operate in TDD mode when the transmitting and receiving frequencies are the same. We label such a radio as a cheap radio and the corresponding node of the network as a cheap node. We derive bounds on the achievable rates in a general multi-terminal network with finite number of states. The derived bounds coincide with the known cut-set bound [11] of network information theory if the network has just one state. Also, the bounds trivially hold in the network with cheap nodes because such a network operates in a finite number of states when the number of nodes is finite. As an example, application of these bounds in the multi-hop network and the relay channel with cheap nodes is presented. In both of these cases, the bounds are tight enough to provide converses for the coding theorems [16], and thus their respective capacities are derived.
Replicating Peer-Led Team Learning in cyberspace: Research, opportunities, and challenges

This quasi-experimental, mixed methods study examined the transfer of a well-established pedagogical strategy, Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL), to an online workshop environment (cPLTL) in a general chemistry course at a research university in the Midwest. The null hypothesis guiding the study was that no substantive differences would emerge between the two workshop settings. Students in the PLTL (n = 220) condition were more satisfied with their workshop and earned statistically significantly higher course grades, yet earned comparable standardized final exam scores. They also had lower incidence of students’ earning D or F course grades or withdrawing from the course (DFW rates) than students in the cPLTL setting (n = 175). Interviews with 10 peer leaders and 2 faculty members, as well as discourse analysis of workshop sessions, revealed more similarities than differences in the two conditions. The final exam scores and discourse analysis support the null hypothesis and use of both face-to-face and synchronous online peer-led workshops in early science courses. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 51: 714–740, 2014
Effects of geographic and demographic dispersion on the performance of systems engineering teams

Globalization and the increasing complexity of systems require collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. Systems Engineering SE teams are often geographically and demographically dispersed; such dispersion might affect the ability of the teams to produce their desired outcomes.The main objective of this research study was to determine how geographic and demographic dispersion affect the performance of a SE team, and which phases of the SE life cycle are more susceptible to positive or negative effects caused by team dispersion.This research study started with an exhaustive review of the literature related to team dispersion and team performance. The next step was building a conceptual model grounded in theory, which allowed the measurement of geographic and demographic dispersion through the use of well-established indices recognized by the scientific community. The data collection process successfully gathered information about projects geographically distributed throughout 57 cities in 38 countries.Finally, multiple linear regression MLR and structural equation modeling SEM were selected as data analysis techniques for this study. The results of MLR show that geographic and demographic dispersion factors independent variables statistically significantly predicted team performance along each phase dependent variables of the SE life cycle. The results of SEM show a moderate positive relationship between dispersion and team performance. It was also found that the SE life cycle phases of Development and Production are the higher predictors of team performance.
The future of computer ethics: You ain't seen nothin' yet!

The computer revolution can be usefully divided into three stages, two of which have already occurred: the introduction stage and the permeation stage. We have only recently entered the third and most important stage – the power stage – in which many of the most serious social, political, legal, and ethical questions involving information technology will present themselves on a large scale. The present article discusses several reasons to believe that future developments in information technology will make computer ethics more vibrant and more important than ever. Computer ethics is here to stay!
SEVIS and the Culture of Pedagogy

TESOL Quarterly invites commentary on current trends or practices in the TESOL profession. It also welcomes responses or rebuttals to any articles or remarks published here in the Forum or elsewhere in the Quarterly.
The Kadison-Singer problem and the uncertainty principle

We compare and contrast the Kadison-Singer problem to the Uncertainty Principle via exponential frames. Our results suggest that the Kadison-Singer problem, if true, is in a sense a stronger version of the Uncertainty Principle.
Environmental justice and toxic exposure: Toward a spatial model of physical health and psychological well-being ☆

Abstract The relationship often assumed by environmental justice researchers is that proximity to a hazardous waste site is a measure of exposure to harmful chemicals. Few researchers, however, explicitly address the methodological challenge of measuring the causal relationship between toxic chemical exposure and health problems. To better understand the methodological task of moving beyond the proximity-exposure assumption, the three most commonly used quantitative methodological approaches in environmental justice research are briefly outlined. Using geographic information system techniques, we operationalize toxic exposure as an interval-level variable and integrate this data with geocoded health and social survey information. We develop a methodological design that enables researchers to assess what factors cause mental and physical health problems for individuals living in contaminated areas. The results of the hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicate that sociodemographic, perceived exposure, objective exposure, and food consumption variables are significant predictors of physical health and psychological well-being. We also found a significant relationship between physical health and psychological well-being. The data used in this paper were collected in a low-income, African-American community in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This community is contiguous to a Superfund site (EPA) called the Wingate Road Municipal Incinerator and Landfill.
Multimedia Compact Disc: Play Therapy Counseling Skills

Multimedia compact discs have become an important part of counseling education. Many educators recognize the value of compact discs in training and methods of instruction. The purpose of this study was to develop an instructional compact disc and to survey counseling students' perceptions of the compact disc. Participants included 71 counseling graduate students from two universities in the southern part of the United States. Students viewed the compact disc and completed a survey to assess their perceptions of the compact disc. Overall students' perceptions were positive and they believed that the compact disc was a helpful tool in learning counseling skills.
The wisdom and justice of not paying for "preventable complications".

FAR TOO MANY PATIENTS EXPERIENCE PREVENTABLE HARM from medical care in US hospitals. To promote quality and safety, many employers and insurers are linking financial incentives to clinical performance. These programs, often called pay for performance, use a carrot (pay more for better quality) or a stick (pay less for lower quality). To date, most pay-for-performance programs have encouraged physicians to use evidence-based interventions or improve patient satisfaction. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken the lead, with many insurers following, in linking pay for performance to reducing harm. In October 2008, hospitals will no longer derive additional payments they sometimes receive when Medicare patients develop 1 of the following 8 preventable complications: objects (such as surgical instruments or sponges) left in patients after surgery, hospital-acquired urinary tract infections, central line–associated bloodstream infections, administration of incompatible blood products, air embolism, patient falls, mediastinitis after cardiac surgery, and pressure ulcers. In addition, CMS has published that conditions being considered for 2009 expansion of the list include ventilator-associated pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus septicemia, and deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. The tacit assumption to the “not paid for preventable complications” approach is that an error occurred in a patient’s care that, if avoided, would have prevented the harm and ensuing costs. For one complication on the CMS list, foreign objects inadvertently left in patients after surgery, this is undeniably true. Linking errors to harm for the remaining complications is more complex. For strategies built around the “not paid for preventable complications” concept to be clinically and morally acceptable and to achieve the policy goal of improving quality of care, it must be certain that preventable complications are important and measurable and truly are preventable. In this Commentary, we discuss the CMS initiative in the context of these metrics. Complications Should Be Important and Measurable
Recent Developments In Mental Health Courts: What Have We Learned?

Mental health courts (MHCs) are problem-solving courts that attempt to redirect individuals with mental illness into treatment rather than incarceration (Wolff, 2003). The primary purpose of this article is to provide a narrative review of recent evidence on the empirical status of MHCs and suggest directions for future social work research. Such a review is critical given the existence of 300 MHCs in the United States (Council of State Governments Justice Center, 2011) with more in development. Four major questions guided our review: (a) How do they work? (b) Does a theoretical basis exist to explain how they work? (c) What is the nature of the evidence? and (d) What are the characteristics of the mentally ill who choose not to participate in MHC programs and of those who are negatively terminated? Though studies have shown reductions in assessed outcomes, a lack of methodologically strong evaluations significantly limits the strength of those results. There exists a need for additional, methodologically...
Culture change and the personality of Ojibwa children.

INTEREST in the relationship between culture and personality has led to a number of studies of personality structures in groups undergoing acculturation. One of the earliest of these was carried on among the Ojibwa. Hallowell (1942, 1950, reprinted 1955) presented evidence that an "introverted" type of personality structure persisted among Ojibwa from early historic times through several levels of increasing acculturation. Barnouw described in addition a psychological dependence upon "power figures," which he attributed to a persisting "modal personality structure" (1950:74-6). These findings pose the question, which so far remains unanswered: what maintains these personality characteristics? It puzzled the author that subsistence activities, kinship, and religious orientation could change drastically without altering the basic adaptive mechanisms of most individuals. It was possible that "covert" aspects of culture were transmitted, despite changes in major institutions, but how? If theories about the formative influence of parental care were correct, then Ojibwa personality might continue to manifest a similar structure because parents continued to treat their children in a certain way. To explore this hypothesis, the investigator and his wife undertook a field study in two Ojibwa groups which had acculturated differently. These were the two more-acculturated of the three groups studied by Hallowell, located near the northern and southern limits of the territory occupied by Ojibwa during historic times. One is in Manitoba, where the people are known as Saulteaux, and the other is in Wisconsin, where the people are known as Chippewa. Field work occupied thirteen months in 1951-52; interaction of parents and children was observed in nine households for approximately 390 hours, and a score of other households were observed for brief periods. Personality formation is analyzed from narrative descriptions of interaction between parent and child. This approach, which follows in broad outline that of most social psychologists since Cooley, was chosen because it seemed least likely to ignore subtle and cumulative aspects of child care. Parents and children were observed together in the same situations. Each child's personality functioning was characterized by focusing upon his overt behavior in a given situation, classifying it in terms of its influence upon the parent and response to the parent, and then estimating the relative frequency of different behavior patterns in a number of varied situations. Estimates of personality functioning for 32 children of the nine families have been reported (Boggs 1956). It was found that children in more acculturated families were less frequently responsive to parental proposals or interference, and that they showed greater passivity by failing to influence the parent when dissatisfied. These findings imply that acculturation has affected the process of personality formation in childhood.
Monitoring Proteolysis During Ripening of Full-fat and Low-fat Cheddar Cheeses by Reverse-Phase HPLC

Proteolysis during ripening of full-fat and low-fat Cheddar cheese was investigated by applying reverse-phase HPLC to the pH 4.6 water-soluble N fraction of cheese. The separated N compounds were divided into four MW ranges. The number of separated peaks and the amount of N compounds separated in each of the MW ranges increased with ripening time. Significant within-cheese, within-variety, and between-varieties differences in the amounts and proportions of N compounds with different MW were observed as related to ripening time. Reverse-phase HPLC of the pH 4.6 water-soluble N fraction of cheese can provide detailed quantitative information on proteolytic activities during ripening.
Effect of hydrogen peroxide on guinea-pig tracheal smooth muscle in vitro: role of cyclo-oxygenase and airway epithelium

1. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (0.1 microM-3 mM) induced variable contractions of guinea-pig isolated trachea which were attenuated by catalase (100 u ml-1) and mannitol (15 mM) suggesting that contractions were induced by H2O2 and/or the hydroxyl anion. 2. Epithelial removal potentiated contractile responses of tracheal preparations to H2O2 with a leftward shift of the concentration-response curve and an increase in the maximal response. 3. Indomethacin (3 microM) inhibited contractions to H2O2 of intact preparations and preparations without epithelium suggesting that contractions may be mediated by cyclo-oxygenase products. Intact preparations (but not preparations without epithelium) contracted in response to high concentrations (greater than 0.1 mM) of H2O2 in the presence of indomethacin suggesting that other excitatory factor(s) released by the epithelium may induce contraction. 4. Preincubation of intact tracheal preparations with H2O2 (1 mM) for 1 h had no effect on responses to histamine or isoprenaline. 5. These results suggest that hydrogen peroxide generated during the inflammatory process may play a role in bronchoconstriction.
High-Robustness and Low-Capacitance Silicon-Controlled Rectifier for High-Speed I/O ESD Protection

A high-robustness and low-capacitance clamp for on-chip electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection is developed. The low capacitance is obtained by mitigating the capacitance associated with the lightly doped n-well/p-well junction. In addition to minimizing the capacitance, the high ESD robustness is achieved by optimizing independently within the same structure a silicon-controlled rectifier and a diode for the forward and reverse conduction processes, respectively. The new clamp with an area of 50 × 10 μm2 is able to handle an ESD current in excess of 1.5 A, whereas the capacitance at zero bias is kept at 94 fF.
Comprehensive analysis of earthquake source spectra and swarms in the Salton Trough, California

[1] We study earthquakes within California's Salton Trough from 1981 to 2009 from a precisely relocated catalog. We process the seismic waveforms to isolate source spectra, station spectra and travel-time dependent spectra. The results suggest an average P wave Q of 340, agreeing with previous results indicating relatively high attenuation in the Salton Trough. Stress drops estimated from the source spectra using an empirical Green's function (EGF) method reveal large scatter among individual events but a low median stress drop of 0.56 MPa for the region. The distribution of stress drop after applying a spatial-median filter indicates lower stress drops near geothermal sites. We explore the relationships between seismicity, stress drops and geothermal injection activities. Seismicity within the Salton Trough shows strong spatial clustering, with 20 distinct earthquake swarms with at least 50 events. They can be separated into early-Mmax and late-Mmax groups based on the normalized occurrence time of their largest event. These swarms generally have a low skew value of moment release history, ranging from −9 to 3.0. The major temporal difference between the two groups is the excess of seismicity and an inverse power law increase of seismicity before the largest event for the late-Mmax group. All swarms exhibit spatial migration of seismicity at a statistical significance greater than 85%. A weighted L1-norm inversion of linear migration parameters yields migration velocities from 0.008 to 0.8 km/hour. To explore the influence of fluid injection in geothermal sites, we also model the migration behavior with the diffusion equation, and obtain a hydraulic diffusion coefficient of approximately 0.25 m2/s for the Salton Sea geothermal site, which is within the range of expected values for a typical geothermal reservoir. The swarms with migration velocities over 0.1 km/hour cannot be explained by the diffusion curve, rather, their velocity is consistent with the propagation velocity of creep and slow slip events. These variations in migration behavior allow us to distinguish among different driving processes.
Ninjurin, a Novel Adhesion Molecule, Is Induced by Nerve Injury and Promotes Axonal Growth

Peripheral nerve injury results in axonal degeneration and in phenotypic changes of the surrounding Schwann cells, whose presence is critical for nerve regeneration. Using differential screening strategies, we identified a novel protein, termed ninjurin (for nerve injury-induced protein), that is up-regulated after axotomy in neurons and in Schwann cells surrounding the distal nerve segment. Ninjurin is located on the cell surface, is capable of mediating homophilic adhesion, and promotes neurite extension of dorsal root ganglion neurons in vitro. Ninjurin is also expressed in a number of other tissues, predominantly in epithelial cells. These results suggest that ninjurin plays a role in nerve regeneration and in the formation and function of other tissues.