cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stretching Food and Being Creative: Caregiver Responses to Child Food Insecurity

Abstract Objective To examine the strategies and behaviors caregivers use to manage the household food supply when their children experience food insecurity as measured by the US Department of Agriculture's Household Food Security Survey Module. Design Cross-sectional survey with open-ended questions collected in person. Setting Urban and nonurban areas, South Carolina, US. Participants Caregivers who reported food insecurity among their children (n = 746). Phenomenon of Interest Strategies and behaviors used to manage the household food supply. Analysis Emergent and thematic qualitative coding of open-ended responses. Results The top 3 strategies and behaviors to change meals were (1) changes in foods purchased or obtained for the household, (2) monetary and shopping strategies, and (3) adaptations in home preparation. The most frequently mentioned foods that were decreased were protein foods (eg, meat, eggs, beans), fruits, and vegetables. The most frequently mentioned foods that were increased were grains and starches (eg, noodles), protein foods (eg, beans, hot dogs), and mixed foods (eg, sandwiches). Conclusions and Implications Caregivers use a wide variety of strategies and behaviors to manage the household food supply when their children are food insecure. Future work should examine how these strategies might affect dietary quality and well-being of food-insecure children.
Observations of phase velocity for Rayleigh waves in the period range 100 to 400 seconds

ABSTRACT Phase velocity as a function of period has been determined for Rayleigh waves in the period range 100 to 400 seconds. The results were derived from a study of seismograms from the southeastern Alaska earthquake of July 10, 1958, and from published data on the Assam earthquake of August 15, 1950. The method depends on measurement of the travel time of wave crests along an arc of known length, with proper correction for change of period with distance. For observations of a single Rayleigh wave train at a single pair of observing stations, crest identification is uncertain, and so too is the resulting curve of phase velocity versus period. A set of phase velocity curves may be computed, each one corresponding to a different choice of crest identification. Only one of these is consistent with the data from several earthquakes and several pairs of observing stations. In the present work, high precision in phase velocity measurement is achieved by using the observations of the Rayleigh waves R 3 and R 5 at Pasadena of the Assam earthquake. Data from the southeastern Alaska earthquake are used to resolve the ambiguity resulting from uncertainty in crest identification. The final phase velocity curve is estimated to be accurate to better than one per cent in the range of periods 100 to 400 seconds.
Structure of the Cyanuric Acid Hydrolase TrzD Reveals Product Exit Channel.

Cyanuric acid hydrolases are of industrial importance because of their use in aquatic recreational facilities to remove cyanuric acid, a stabilizer for the chlorine. Degradation of excess cyanuric acid is necessary to maintain chlorine disinfection in the waters. Cyanuric acid hydrolase opens the cyanuric acid ring hydrolytically and subsequent decarboxylation produces carbon dioxide and biuret. In the present study, we report the X-ray structure of TrzD, a cyanuric acid hydrolase from Acidovorax citrulli. The crystal structure at 2.19 A resolution shows a large displacement of the catalytic lysine (Lys163) in domain 2 away from the active site core, whereas the two other active site lysines from the two other domains are not able to move. The lysine displacement is proposed here to open up a channel for product release. Consistent with that, the structure also showed two molecules of the co-product, carbon dioxide, one in the active site and another trapped in the proposed exit channel. Previous data indicated that the domain 2 lysine residue plays a role in activating an adjacent serine residue carrying out nucleophilic attack, opening the cyanuric acid ring, and the mobile lysine guides products through the exit channel.
Promotora assisted depression and self-care management among predominantly Latinos with concurrent chronic illness: Safety net care system clinical trial results.

Abstract The study evaluated depression and self-care management among patients with diabetes and/or heart disease in a 12-month randomized trial conducted in Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LAC-DHS) community clinics. We compared LAC-DHS clinic usual care (UC) versus A-Helping-Hand (AHH) intervention in which bilingual promotoras, hired and supervised by the research project, provided 6 weekly psychoeducational sessions followed by boosters. Of 1957 screened, 348 depressed patients (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) were enrolled, randomized to AHH ( n = 178) or UC ( n = 170) after baseline interview assessing mental health, treatment receipt, co-morbid illness, self-care management, and environmental stressors. Comprehensive assessments were repeated at 6 and 12 months by an independent interviewer blind to the study group. Patients (85% diabetes, 4% heart disease, 11% both) were predominantly female (85%), Latino (99%), born outside of the US (91%). Study attrition at 12 months was 30% (AHH 31%, UC 28%, P = 0.51). No baseline characteristics were associated with attrition. Half of AHH patients received 4 or more sessions. Intend-to-treat analysis found study groups did not vary significantly at 6 and 12 months. Before-after paired t -tests showed significant improvements in most measures in each group. During the trial, LAC-DHS activated healthcare improvements including depression screening, referral to clinic staff including community health workers (with the same role as the promotoras) to improve patient care management. Both patient groups performed equally well which may be a function of the enhanced healthcare model. Future research should replicate the promotora-integrated care model with other groups and care settings with similar comorbid conditions.
Improvement of Objective Strength Tests of Muscle Groups by Cable-Tension Methods

(1950). Improvement of Objective Strength Tests of Muscle Groups by Cable-Tension Methods. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 21, No. 4, pp. 399-419.
Avoiding erroneous analysis of MIM diode current-voltage characteristics through exponential fitting

Abstract Accurate fitting of measured current-voltage [ I ( V ) ] data is crucial to the correct analysis and understanding of metal-insulator–metal (MIM) diodes, especially for optical rectennas. With the commonly used polynomial fitting of the I ( V ) data, the order of the fit can drastically affect the diode performance metrics such as resistance, responsivity, and asymmetry. Additionally, the resulting fitting coefficients provide no useful parameters. An exponential-based equation can fit the I ( V ) data well, can avoid artifacts from the choice of order of the polynomial, and allows for the accurate calculation of diode performance metrics directly from the fitting coefficients. Connecting the performance metrics to fitting coefficients shows a correspondence between zero-bias responsivity and asymmetry at any given voltage.
Application of the 226 Ra– 230 Th– 234 U and 227 Ac– 231 Pa– 235 U radiochronometers to UF 6 cylinders

Uranium-series radiometric dating was performed on two well-pedigreed UF6 cylinder samples containing highly enriched uranium that were in use at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s. Daughter–parent (i.e. 231Pa–235U, 230Th–234U) radiometric ages determined on solid heel materials (e.g. UO2F2, UF4) recovered from the emptied cylinders are unrealistically old due to the preferential sequestration of progeny isotopes relative to uranium within the solid heels. However, limited elemental fractionation amongst the progeny isotopes themselves in the heel material allowed for realistic age constraints on the fill dates of the UF6 cylinders to be extracted from the granddaughter–daughter systems (i.e. 226Ra–230Th, 227Ac–231Pa).
The Ensemble Hypothesis of Human Cognitive Evolution

The Darwinian view is that human cognition is continuous with non-human cognition. Comparative mental abilities differ quantitatively but not qualitatively. A predominant alternative hypothesis is that language qualitatively separates human beings and other primates. The ensemble hypothesis examined here suggests that language is but one of five human capacities that produce a qualitatively unique form of cognition because of their interactions with each other. Each one taken separately has a likely precursor in non-human cognition, but taken together, their effects on cognition are not additive but interactive. The human mental ensemble proposed here includes an advanced executive attention component of working memory, a theory of mind augmenting social cognition, language, the ability to interpret information using inner speech and causal inference, and an episodic memory capable of mental time travel. Only in the evolution of Homo sapiens did these five components come together to enable non-linear changes in cognition on multiple fronts, resulting in the emergent form of cognition we experientially know and scientifically study today. Empirical evidence from behavioral studies, lesion studies, and studies involving neuroatypical populations provide tentative support for the hypothesis.
Mouse Control: A Card Game Agnes

The other low-level events generated by mouse are adopted for controlling a card game Agnes. In general, mouse is the best device for navigating a two-dimensional space, and mouse event listeners provide a rich set of event handlers. The Agnes is a card game played by a single player. Under the mouse controls, the cards on the GUI are not only for echoing the dynamic behaviors of the game but also play the role of input mechanism.
Dietary supplementation with strawberry induces marked changes in the composition and functional potential of the gut microbiome in diabetic mice.

Gut microbiota contributes to the biological activities of berry anthocyanins by transforming them into bioactive metabolites, and anthocyanins support the growth of specific bacteria, indicating a two-way relationship between anthocyanins and microbiota. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that strawberry supplementation alters gut microbial ecology in diabetic db/db mice. Control (db/+) and diabetic (db/db) mice (7 weeks old) consumed standard diet or diet supplemented with 2.35% freeze-dried strawberry (db/db?+?SB) for 10 weeks. Colon contents were used to isolate bacterial DNA. V4 variable region of 16S rRNA gene was amplified. Data analyses were performed using standardized pipelines (QIIME 1.9 and R packages). Differences in predictive metagenomics function were identified by PICRUSt. Principal coordinate analyses confirmed that the microbial composition was significantly influenced by both host genotype and strawberry consumption. Further, a-diversity indices and s-diversity were different at the phylum and genus levels, and genus and operational taxonomical units levels, respectively (P<.05). At the phylum level, strawberry supplementation decreased the abundance of Verrucomicrobia in db/db?+?SB vs. db/db mice (P<.05). At the genus level, db/db mice exhibited a decrease in the abundance of Bifidobacterium, and strawberry supplementation increased Bifidobacterium in db/db?+?SB vs. db/db mice (P<.05). PICRUSt revealed significant differences in 45 predicted metabolic functions among the 3 groups. Our study provides evidence for marked changes in the composition and functional potential of the gut microbiome with strawberry supplementation in diabetic mice. Importantly, strawberry supplementation increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria Bifidobacterium which play a pivotal role in the metabolism of anthocyanins.
Grasshopper Coloration Influences Juvenile Collared Lizard Prey Preference

We tested the influence of grasshopper coloration on the foraging preferences of juvenile collared lizards (Crotaphytus collaris) that prey on grasshoppers. The study site harbored three grasshopper species with coloration that varied considerably: Melanoplus differentialis (yellow), Syrbula admirabilis (green), and Ageneotettix deorum (brown). The yellow M. differentialis were also heavier per unit body length than the other two species, which may decrease their net profitability if the additional mass indicates a thicker exoskeleton. We conducted prey-choice trials in the field that involved the simultaneous presentation of three tethered S. admirabilis (green) grasshoppers matched for total length, but we painted each grasshopper differently to mimic the green, brown, or yellow coloration of each prey species. Coloration influenced foraging choice by lizards, with fewer attacks on prey painted yellow to mimic M. differentialis, despite their relatively larger biomass. Results suggest that foraging choices based upon prey color, which may influence net profitability, merit further experimentation in collared lizards.
Severe and protracted cholestasis in 44 young men taking bodybuilding supplements: assessment of genetic, clinical and chemical risk factors.

Background Bodybuilding supplements can cause a profound cholestatic syndrome. Aim To describe the drug-Induced liver injury network's experience with liver injury due to bodybuilding supplements. Methods Liver injury pattern, severity and outcomes, potential genetic associations, and exposure to anabolic steroids by product analysis were analysed in prospectively enrolled subjects with bodybuilding supplement-induced liver injury with causality scores of probable or higher. Results Forty-four males (mean age 33 years) developed liver injury with a median latency of 73 days. Forty-one per cent presented with hepatocellular pattern of liver injury as defined by the R > 5 ([Fold elevation of ALT] ÷ [Fold elevation of Alk Phos] (mean, range = 6.4, 0.5-31.4, n = 42) despite all presenting with clinical features of cholestatic liver injury (100% with jaundice and 84% with pruritus). Liver biopsy (59% of subjects) demonstrated a mild hepatitis and profound cholestasis in most without bile duct injury, loss or fibrosis. Seventy-one per cent were hospitalised, and none died or required liver transplantation. In some, chemical analysis revealed anabolic steroid controlled substances not listed on the label. No enrichment of genetic variants associated with cholestatic syndromes was found, although mutations in ABCB11 (present in up to 20%) were significantly different than in ethnically matched controls. Conclusions Patients with bodybuilding supplements liver injury uniformly presented with cholestatic injury, which slowly resolved. The ingested products often contained anabolic steroids not identified on the label, and no enrichment in genetic variants was found, indicating a need for additional studies.
DBS for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-V), Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by persistent obsessions with intrusive thoughts leading to severe generalized anxiety and/or compulsions in the form of repetitive tasks to relieve this distress. OCD is often associated with depression and other co-morbidities. There is also an increase in the incidence of suicidal ideation and suicide among patients with OCD. OCD is a chronic and severe disabling heterogeneous disorder that has a significant impact on the life of patients and their families with public health consequences. It affects approximately 2–3 % of population in the United States and worldwide and is the 10th leading cause of disability worldwide. OCD affects both genders equally. Pharmacological [Selective Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)] and non-pharmacological therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) are the first line treatment options in patients with medical refractory OCD. These modalities are effective in approximately 50 % of patients with 40–60 % reduction in OCD symptoms. However, 10–25 % of these refractory patients have persistent OCD symptoms despite aggressive pharmacotherapy and behavior therapy.
The initiation of brittle faults in crystalline rock

Abstract Faults in the upper crust initiate from pre-existing (inherited) or precursory (early-formed) structures and typically grow by the mechanical interaction and linkage of these structures. In crystalline rock, rock architecture, composition, cooling, and exhumation influence the initiation of faults, with contrasting styles observed in plutonic rocks, extrusive igneous rocks, and foliated metamorphic rocks. Brittle fault growth in granitic rock is commonly controlled by the architecture of inherited joints or preexisting dikes. In basalt, abundant joints control the surface expression of faulting, and enhanced compliance due to abundant joints leads to folding and deformation asymmetry in the fault zone. Highly reactive mafic minerals likely become rapidly evolving fault rocks. In foliated metamorphic rocks, fault initiation style is strongly influenced by strength anisotropy relative to the principal stress directions, with fracturing favored when the foliation is aligned with the directions of principal stress. The continuity of micas within the foliation also influences the micromechanics of fault initiation. Brittle kink bands are an example of a strain-hardening precursory structure unique to foliated rock. Each of these fault initiation processes produces different initial fault geometry and spatial heterogeneity that influence such properties as fault permeability and seismogenesis.
On the Interdependencies between Voice Quality, Glottal Gaps, and Voice-Source related Acoustic Measures

In human speech production, the voice source contains important non-lexical information, especially relating to a speaker’s voice quality. In this study, direct measurements of the glottal area waveforms were used to examine the effects of voice quality and glottal gaps on voice source model parameters and various acoustic measures. Results showed that the open quotient parameter, cepstral peak prominence (CPP) and most spectral tilt measures were affected by both voice quality and glottal gaps, while the asymmetry parameter was predominantly affected by voice quality, especially of the breathy type. This was also the case with the harmonic-to-noise ratio measures, indicating the presence of more spectral noise for breathy phonations. Analysis showed that the acoustic measure H1 − H2 was correlated with both the open quotient and asymmetry source parameters, which agrees with existing theoretical studies. Index Terms: voice source, voice quality, acoustic measures
African Elections as a Testing Ground: Comparing Coverage of Cambridge Analytica in Nigerian and Kenyan Newspapers

In March 2018, British and American news outlets published extensive reporting on Cambridge Analytica’s (CA) ethically and legally questionable activities in political campaigns around the world. T...
Electrospun hyaluronic acid-carbon nanotube nanofibers for neural engineering

Abstract Electroactive biomaterials enable the delivery of an electrical stimulus to modulate neuronal activity in neural engineering treatments spanning neurological disorders, pain management, and regenerative medicine. Our research focused on developing a biocompatible conductive material composite consisting of an ultra-low concentration of carbon nanotubes (CNT) within hyaluronic acid (HA) nanofibers. We hypothesized that electrical stimulation through composite nanofibers would improve neurite outgrowth by providing a substrate that is both permissive to neuron growth and to electronic to ionic conduction that could activate voltage sensitive regenerative pathways. We evaluated the electrical properties of the composite material through impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Mechanics and surface characteristics were evaluated through atomic force microscopy using quantitative nanomechanical mapping. A custom stimulation chamber was fabricated and electrical stimulus parameters, using a charge-balanced biphasic square wave, required to elicit increased neurite outgrowth were determined. Neurons cultured on stimulated substrates of HA-CNT nanofibers exhibited significantly longer growth than unstimulated HA-CNT and HA control substrates. The HA-CNT material could be translated to other regenerative medicine applications including skin and cardiac tissue. Statement of significance This article describes a unique conductive biomaterial consisting of hyaluronic acid, combined with multi-walled carbon nanotubes, electrospun into a nanofiber composite. We have shown that the biomaterial's electrical properties can be improved (decreased impedance and increased charge capacity) by adding less than 0.01% carbon nanotubes. By using this ultra-low concentration, our material is biocompatible and mechanically appropriate for nerve regeneration. While electrical stimulation has been previously shown to increase neurite outgrowth, electrically conductive materials are typically non-degradable, brittle and/or mechanically stiff. We have optimized stimulation voltage and duration to activate voltage sensitive ion channels and increase nerve growth and provided robust mechanical characterization to show the synergistic effect of material properties and electrical stimulation on neuron behavior.
Pre-production and Set-up

Pre-production or production meetings are an integral part of the production process. Usually run by the producer, these meetings should include representatives from each area including:
Early epidemiological analysis of the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak based on crowdsourced data: a population-level observational study

Summary Background As the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) progresses, epidemiological data are needed to guide situational awareness and intervention strategies. Here we describe efforts to compile and disseminate epidemiological information on COVID-19 from news media and social networks. Methods In this population-level observational study, we searched DXY.cn, a health-care-oriented social network that is currently streaming news reports on COVID-19 from local and national Chinese health agencies. We compiled a list of individual patients with COVID-19 and daily province-level case counts between Jan 13 and Jan 31, 2020, in China. We also compiled a list of internationally exported cases of COVID-19 from global news media sources (Kyodo News, The Straits Times, and CNN), national governments, and health authorities. We assessed trends in the epidemiology of COVID-19 and studied the outbreak progression across China, assessing delays between symptom onset, seeking care at a hospital or clinic, and reporting, before and after Jan 18, 2020, as awareness of the outbreak increased. All data were made publicly available in real time. Findings We collected data for 507 patients with COVID-19 reported between Jan 13 and Jan 31, 2020, including 364 from mainland China and 143 from outside of China. 281 (55%) patients were male and the median age was 46 years (IQR 35–60). Few patients (13 [3%]) were younger than 15 years and the age profile of Chinese patients adjusted for baseline demographics confirmed a deficit of infections among children. Across the analysed period, delays between symptom onset and seeking care at a hospital or clinic were longer in Hubei province than in other provinces in mainland China and internationally. In mainland China, these delays decreased from 5 days before Jan 18, 2020, to 2 days thereafter until Jan 31, 2020 (p=0·0009). Although our sample captures only 507 (5·2%) of 9826 patients with COVID-19 reported by official sources during the analysed period, our data align with an official report published by Chinese authorities on Jan 28, 2020. Interpretation News reports and social media can help reconstruct the progression of an outbreak and provide detailed patient-level data in the context of a health emergency. The availability of a central physician-oriented social network facilitated the compilation of publicly available COVID-19 data in China. As the outbreak progresses, social media and news reports will probably capture a diminishing fraction of COVID-19 cases globally due to reporting fatigue and overwhelmed health-care systems. In the early stages of an outbreak, availability of public datasets is important to encourage analytical efforts by independent teams and provide robust evidence to guide interventions. Funding Fogarty International Center, US National Institutes of Health.
Is Resource Misallocation Leading To Productivity Gaps In Malaysia'S Manufacturing Sector?

The reallocation of resources from low- to high-productivity firms can generate large aggregate productivity gains. The paper uses data from the Malaysian manufacturing censuses of 2005 and 2010 to...
Vipo: Spatial-Visual Programming with Functions for Robot-IoT Workflows

Mobile robots and IoT (Internet of Things) devices can increase productivity, but only if they can be programmed by workers who understand the domain. This is especially true in manufacturing. Visual programming in the spatial context of the operating environment can enable mental models at a familiar level of abstraction. However, spatial-visual programming is still in its infancy; existing systems lack IoT integration and fundamental constructs, such as functions, that are essential for code reuse, encapsulation, or recursive algorithms. We present Vipo, a spatial-visual programming system for robot-IoT workflows. Vipo was designed with input from managers at six factories using mobile robots. Our user study (n=22) evaluated efficiency, correctness, comprehensibility of spatial-visual programming with functions.
Alternative views of biological species: reproductively isolated units or genotypic clusters?

Wang et al. in this journal argue that it may be time to abandon a classic idea about species, the biological species concept (BSC), given recent findings with genomic data on closely related taxa. Furthermore, they propose a set of tests on genetic or genomic data that might lead to acceptance or rejection of the biological species concept. Wang et al. are not the first to critique the biological species concept (BSC), which has survived an onslaught of attacks from many fronts. What is the biological species concept? And what is the new critique about? In this commentary, I briefly cover the history of ideas about biological species, then discuss current work that depends on rich, genome-scale sequence data, before attempting to resolve issues.
Surprisingly big linker-dependence of activity and selectivity in CO2 reduction by an iridium(I) pincer complex

Here, we report the quantitative electroreduction of CO2 to CO by a PNP-pincer iridium(i) complex bearing amino linkers in DMF/water. The electrocatalytic properties greatly depend on the choice of linker within the ligand. The complex 3-N is far superior to the analogues with methylene and oxygen linkers, showing higher activity and better selectivity for CO2 over proton reduction.
Acute Reactions to Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents in a Pediatric Cohort: A Retrospective Study of 16,237 Injections.

BACKGROUND. Incidences and risk factors for acute reactions to gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are not fully understood, particularly in pediatric patients. OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this ...
A Hairy End to a Chilling Event.

In the skin, sympathetic nerves, arrector pili muscles, and hair follicles form a tri-lineage unit to cause piloerection or goosebumps. In this issue of Cell, Schwartz et al. report that, beyond goosebumps, muscle-anchored nerves form “synapse-like” connections with hair follicle stem cells to promote hair regeneration in response to cold.
Asian American Women in the Academy: Multiple Success Case Study of their Leadership Labyrinths and Practices

This paper sheds light on academic leadership pathways and practices of Asian American women (AAW) in higher education in the United States (U.S.) under intersectionality of social and institutional identities/elements. The preliminary intersection model of these identities/elements is the ultimate outcome of the paper. The paper is crystalized from an empirical study founded on intersectionality concept and leadership theories in general, and on established knowledge base of AAW and leadership in particular. The multiple case study method (MCSM) and success case method (SCM) were employed in combination to examine four AAW cases, which were purposively selected from four 4-year-universities in California and Pennsylvania. The data source primarily came from in-depth semi-structured interviews. The data analysis on NVivo 12 revealed that AAW’s leadership pathways and practices were influenced and shaped by social identities of individuals (gender, race/ethnicity, class, and culture), and institutional cultures (tangible and intangible). Religion and female role models in family, graduate study, and workplace were found as additive elements impacting AAW’s leadership experiences. These multiple identities and elements intersected with each other in different ways to feature lived experiences of AAW in academic leadership. The study responded to recent calls for applying incorporation approach of leadership and diversity in research on leadership. It also supported the existing literature on leadership pipelines and experiences of AAW in the academy. The research was among few qualitative studies in the AAW leadership scholarship using the NVivo program in data management, analysis, and presentation. The preliminary intersection model of social and institutional identities/elements influencing and shaping AAW’s leadership in the academy could imply direction for further study on AAW and leadership not only in academe but also in other areas.
Meta-analysis to study the impact of learning engagement strategies in introductory computer programming courses: a multi-institutional study

Various Learning Engagement Strategies (LESs) have been used in CS education to motivate students and facilitate learning. More recently, LESs are being used to support programming pedagogy. Therefore, investigating the influence that the multiple attributes of LESs used as instruction interventions have on students' academic performance is a fertile educational research area. For the past few years, a group of CSEd researchers across three different U.S. institutions have been using a cyberlearning environment (incorporating LESs) to promote student learning and engagement in introductory programming courses. While there have been researches on independent studies on particular LES, the current paper is a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of various combinations of Learning Engagement Strategies (LESs) across different student groups using a series of studies conducted across these three separate institutions over a period of time. Specifically, we investigate the impact of different combinations of LESs such as collaborative learning (CL), gamification (G), and social interaction (SI) embedded in a cyberlearning environment on student understanding of programming concepts in an introductory programming course. In terms of findings that can be generalized across institutions and students, we found that using LESs had a positive impact on student engagement and learning especially when using SI and G in combination.
Reduced Hippocampal GABA+ Is Associated With Poorer Episodic Memory in Healthy Older Women: A Pilot Study.

Background: The current pilot study was designed to examine the association between hippocampal γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration and episodic memory in older individuals, as well as the impact of two major risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD)-female sex and Apolipoprotein e4 (ApoE e4) genotype-on this relationship. Methods: Twenty healthy, community-dwelling individuals aged 50-71 (11 women) took part in the study. Episodic memory was evaluated using a Directed Forgetting task, and GABA+ was measured in the right hippocampus using a Mescher-Garwood point-resolved magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) sequence. Multiple linear regression models were used to quantify the relationship between episodic memory, GABA+, ApoE ɛ4, and sex, controlling for age and education. Results: While GABA+ did not interact with ApoE ɛ4 carrier status to influence episodic memory (p = 0.757), the relationship between GABA+ and episodic memory was moderated by sex: lower GABA+ predicted worse memory in women such that, for each standard deviation decrease in GABA+ concentration, memory scores were reduced by 11% (p = 0.001). Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that sex, but not ApoE ɛ4 genotype, moderates the relationship between hippocampal GABA+ and episodic memory, such that women with lower GABA+ concentration show worse memory performance. These findings, which must be interpreted with caution given the small sample size, may serve as a starting point for larger studies using multimodal neuroimaging to understand the contributions of GABA metabolism to age-related memory decline.
Trends in Photonic Analog-to-Digital Conversion

High-speed and high-resolution photonic-based A/D conversion is currently an extremely active research area and as such, many researchers are attempting to improve individual component performance as well as develop new and novel architectures. High-speed optical sampling providing jitter-free sampling, high-speed linear modulators as well as a number of different architectural approaches are also being investigated. This chapter provides some insight into current directions and future promising trends in photonic A/D conversion.
The role of the pediatrician in the mental health of children; summary of round table discussion.

THE DISCUSSION of the role of the pediatrician in promoting good mental health was introduced by Dr. Wolf with these questions: In the prevention of mental illness, where are we as pediatricians? What is our goal? To highlight the magnitude of the questions he pointed out that, according to statistics, of every 12 babies born today 1 will spend a portion of his life in a mental hospital. One-third of the nation9s health bills are spent for mental illness. With the better training centers working at full capacity, there will not be enough psychiatrists to catch up with the case-load of mentally sick persons now existing. In the area of mental health we must do more than pay lip service to the prevention of mental illness. In medicine the sequence has always been: First, find out what is wrong (diagnosis), then correct this (treatment), and finally, prevent the malady (prophylaxis). The cardinal point is surely prevention. We must find ways of preventing mental breakdown and obviously the pediatrician having contact with children while personalities are forming must be a leader in promoting mental health. There was active discussion of the pediatrician9s role in mental health; of the ingredients of mental health; of the considerations in evaluating health and illness; and of the education of parents by pediatricians alert to developmental needs of children. The pediatrician must recognize that he has a key role to play in observing the manifestations of physical, psychological and emotional health. Each physician will play his role in accordance with his special interests, be they in practice alone, in nursery school affiliations, in recreational, educational on treatment facilities. He can be expected to be asked for advice as someone well-qualified to survey these areas.
Liver-specific Expression of the Gene Coding for Human Factor X, a Blood Coagulation Factor*

Factor X is a vitamin K-dependent glycoprotein that plays an essential role in both the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of blood coagulation. Studies on a recombinant lambda phage containing the 5'-flanking region of the human factor X gene showed that the factor X gene was linked to and was located at the 3' end of the factor VII gene: the initiation codon of the factor X gene was 2823 base pairs (bp) downstream from the polyadenylation site of the factor VII gene. This 2.8-kilobase intergenic region, and progressively deleted fragments of it, was fused to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene, and transient expressions in HepG2 cells, human fibroblasts, and Chinese hamster ovary cells were measured. A liver-specific promoter element, FXP1-binding site, essential for hepatocyte-specific transcription was identified. This promoter sequence, further localized to -63 to -42 bp in DNase I footprint studies, was homologous to LF-A1 or hepatic nuclear factor-4 recognition sequence and was equally functional in the normal and inverse orientations. FXP1 site bound to nuclear protein(s) from HepG2 cells and complex formation was partially abolished by the presence of duplex oligonucleotides containing liver factor-A1 or hepatic nuclear factor-4-binding sequences. Two additional positive elements located upstream of the promoter region, spanning from -215 to -149 bp (FXP2 site), and -457 to -351 bp (FXP3 site), were also established by reporter gene assays.
A Clock with a Flip Switch

The heart of circadian timekeeping in cyanobacteria is a toggle switch that controls the periodic phosphorylation of a key circuit protein.
The Costs of Cooperation

Public goods production is not necessarily desirable and involves higher costs than is often recognized. Specifically, public goods production may require that a small minority of individuals can collude at the expense of others or impose strategic sanctions on non-contributors. These facilities may have negative as well as positive effects. The same conditions that support public goods production also support business cartels and racial discrimination, for instance. We examine the implications of this perspective for modern debates on economic policy, civic virtue, communitarianism, and libertarianism.
Relation of intracellular pH and pronuclear development in the sea urchin, Arbacia punctulata. A fine structural analysis.

Abstract Zygotes, treated with sodium-free artificial seawater (Na-free ASW) in order to inhibit the elevation of intracellular pH at fertilization, were examined by light and electron microscopy. Although such specimens elevated fertilization membranes, male pronuclear development and sperm aster formation were suppressed. Inhibition of these events was reversed when zygotes were resuspended in seawater or in Na-free ASW containing ammonia. These results indicate that alkalinization following insemination or processes accompanying this alteration induce a pervasive change within the zygote which supports events of fertilization.
Chapter 40 Food security and food assistance programs

Abstract Widespread hunger and malnutrition persist today despite considerable growth in per capita food availability. This has prompted an evolving conceptualization of food security and of mechanisms to attain and maintain food security. This chapter discusses both food security and food assistance programs designed to respond to the threat of food insecurity.
Stress and Social Support

Although there are differences in how stress is conceptualized, there is agreement that challenge and threat, key features of community cataclysms, are among its most active ingredients. A major task for stress researchers is identifying pertinent individual difference variables regarding how people respond to particular types of challenge and threat. Another major task for stress researchers concerns the development of intervention programs that increase the likelihood of personal effectiveness under challenging circumstances. One intriguing finding of stress research is that, whereas some people seem to deteriorate rapidly under stress, others show only minimal or moderate deterioration; still others seem unaffected. Stress can be a catastrophe, but it can also be an opportunity for personal growth. It brings forth coping efforts that vary in effectiveness.
Recent progress in solid polymer electrolyte technologies

The use of plasticizers in polyether-based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) has become a viable approach to increasing room-temperature ionic conductivity. A review of SPE technologies indicates that the selection of an appropriate plasticizer can yield major performance improvements otherwise unlikely to be achieved. However, some of the plasticizers proposed may have detrimental effects on the interfacial impedance and cycle life of SPE-based rechargeable lithium batteries. Recent results obtained from a new group of compounds suitable for use as plasticizers for low- and high-temperature applications are reported. These compounds have been selected and designed for their compatibility with polyether, their low mobility, and their good solvating properties of lithium salts. The plasticizers have low vapor pressure and are thermally stable up to >150 degrees C. Electrolyte solutions made of the plasticizer and lithium salt showed high ionic conductivity at room temperature. >
Romanticism and Speculative Realism

My essay surveys two recent philosophical strains of thoughts, Speculative Realism and Object-Oriented Ontology, in order to show their relevance to Romantic literature and culture, and the humanities more widely. I explain how Quentin Meillassoux, in his book After Finitude: An Essay on the Necessity of Contingency, targets “correlationism,” the notion that there is no access to the world except by the human mind, as the defining problem of modern thought. Romanticist Timothy Morton, springboarding from Graham Harman's Meillassoux-inspired Object-Oriented Ontology, theorizes what he calls a “hyperobject,” a non-localized object like climate change that disturbs and disrupts the supposed connection between human being and worldly phenomenon. These theories, I show, intersect with Romantic apocalyptic traditions that foresee a future paradise brought on by human action. As I read it, though, Meillassoux's Speculative Realism and Morton's hyperobjects shine a light on the largely ignored, post-apocalyptic aspects of Romantic literature in works like Shelley's “Mont Blanc.” I argue that Romantic post-apocalypticism relies on Romantic irony to root us in a temporality of the present rather than a deferred vision of a utopian future.
TRANSGENIC ANIMAL STUDIES OF HUMAN RETINAL DISEASE CAUSED BY MUTATIONS IN PERIPHERIN/RDS

The photoreceptor disk membrane protein peripherin/rds is essential for the outer segment morphogenesis and integrity. Peripherin/rds associates with itself and with its homologue Rom-1 to form homo- and hetero-complexes, which are necessary for its structural role (Goldberg et al., 1995; Molday, 1998). More than seventy different pathogenic mutations in the peripherin/rds gene have been identified. These mutations are divided primarily into two categories: those associated with classic retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and those associated with various forms of macular dystrophy (MD). In fact, mutations in peripherin/rds account for 5–10% of RP causes, and is a major cause for MD (Kohl et al., 1998; Molday, 1998; http://www.sph.uth.tmc.edu/RetNet; http://www.retina-international.org/scinews/rdsmut.htm). Insights into the functional significance, structural role, and pathogenic effects of this protein have been accumulating considerably since its initial description; this is largely accomplished by the use of laboratory animal models. Use of transgenic or knock-out animals holds great potential for the investigation of retinal disease pathogenesis and the exploration of therapeutic interventions. Table 21.1 summarizes the animal models used to investigate the disease-causing mutations in peripherin/rds. In addition to the pathogenesis study, transgenic mouse and Xenopus laevis expressing the wild type peripherin/rds or the C-terminus have also been used to explore the structural and functional significance of the protein (Loewen et al., 2003; Ritter et al., 2004).
The Connection Between Competitiveness and International Taxation

The term “competitiveness” is a highly elastic concept that has been used in a myriad of different ways. However, in discussions of the connection between international taxation and competitiveness, there are two conceptions of competitiveness that are frequently used, but are not always clearly distinguished from one another. One conception emphasizes the competition between firms to be profitable and grow by acquiring productive assets. The other conception focuses on the competition between states to attract investment capital and people by varying their regulations.Those two conceptions of competitiveness each imply a distinct definition of a domestic industry and a different mechanism whereby taxation affects competitiveness. Those two views also track popular positions in long standing policy debates. For example, each view is associated with a different tax neutrality benchmark. The first view is closely associated with capital export neutrality, whereas the second view is closely associated with capital ownership neutrality. Those two views also track opposing positions in the “Who Is Us?” debate from the 1990s.
Transmission of damage signals from irradiated to nonirradiated cells

Abstract Confluent monolayer cultures of human and rodent cells were exposed to very low fluences of alpha particles, fluences whereby as few as 1% of the cell nuclei were traversed by an alpha track and received any radiation exposure. An elevated frequency of micronuclei, a surrogate measure of DNA damage, and of HPRT mutations were observed in the nonirradiated “bystander” cells. This was associated with an ATM-dependent upregulation of the p53 damage-response pathway. Damage signals were transmitted from irradiated to nonirradiated cells in the population by gap junction mediated intercellular communication. The biological effects in bystander cells appeared to be associated with oxidative stress, consistent with the observation that most of the mutants induced by very low fluences of alpha particles were a result of point mutations rather than deletions. Preliminary evidence suggests that activation of oxidative stress-responsive signal pathways may also occur in bystander cells. These findings, particularly the evidence for the induction of mutations in nonirradiated bystander cells after irradiation with very low fluences of alpha particles, could be of significance in estimations of the risk of residential radon exposure in human populations.
First principles calculations for polarized crystals

Abstract First principles calculations based on local density approximations to density functional theory have been applied to a wide variety of materials with overall great success. However, relatively few calculations have been carried out for systems with macroscopic polarization, such as ferroelectrics. Here we summarize some recent results of ongoing work at NRL in which LDA is applied, at different levels of sophistication, to polarized crystals.
VCSELs with a novel integrated quantum-well absorber

The high reflectivity of VCSEL mirrors renders the device very sensitive to small changes int he reflectivity or absorption within the laser cavity. Therefore, the integration of a quantum-well absorber within the VCSEL enables compact, monolithic devices with multiple functions. As a result, the VCSEL exhibits a variety of useful characteristics under different configurations. In this work, we demonstrate the use of a quantum-well absorber within one of the VCSEL mirror stacks. With strategic design and simple biasing circuitry, we have shown experimentally (1) a VCSEL with an integrated quantum-well photodetector, (2) a self-pulsating VCSEL with a controllable quantum-well saturable absorber, and (3) a novel technique for VCSEL modulation where the quantum-well absorption is modulated, thereby modulating the laser light output. The theory, design criteria, experimental results, and potential applications for these devices are discussed.