cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subliminal Perception and Cognitive Style in a Concept Learning Task Taught via Television

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of supplemental subliminal captions and field dependence on the recall of cognitive information. Groups of subjects (N = 199) viewed one of four television presentations: subliminal captions only, conventional (visible) captions only, subliminal and visible combined for reinforcement, and subliminal and visible mismatched for interference. Data was analysed using ANCOVA and Tukey multiple comparison tests with a 0.05 significance level. There was a significant difference in recall between field dependents and field independents in each treatment except combined subliminal and conventional captions. Based on this evidence the authors suggest repetitive subliminal television captions which supplement visible captions may be an effective device for reducing differences in achievement attributable to cognitive style in learning from television programmes.
The effects of CpG DNA on HMGB1 release by murine macrophage cell lines

DNA containing cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) motifs (CpG DNA) has potent immunostimulatory activities that resemble those of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in its effects on the innate immune system. Among its activities, LPS can induce the release of high mobility group protein (HMGB1) by macrophages, a dual function molecule that can mediate the late effects of LPS. To determine whether CpG DNA can also induce HMGB1 release, the effects of a synthetic CpG oligonucleotide (ODN) on HMGB1 release from RAW 264.7 and J774A.1 cells were assessed by Western blotting of culture supernatants. Under conditions in which the CpG ODN activated the cell lines, as assessed by stimulation of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-12, it failed to cause HMGB1 release into the media. Although unable to induce HMGB1 release by itself, the CpG ODN nevertheless potentiated the action of LPS. With RAW 264.7 cells, lipoteichoic acid and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, like LPS, stimulated HMGB1 release as well as cytokine production. These results indicate that the effects of CpG DNA on macrophages differ from other ligands of Toll-like receptors and may lead to a distinct pattern of immune cell activation in the context of infection or its use as an immunomodulatory agent.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Clonidine in Varying States of Renal Function

Previous studies have reported a therapeutic window of 0.8 to 2.0 ng/ml within which clonidine exerts its antihypertensive effect. This study was designed to investigate whether there was any loss of blood pressure control when plasma clonidine concentrations exceeded this window owing to its accumulation in renal insufficiency. The results indicate that clonidine concentrations of up to 30 ng/ml in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) can be associated with a maintenance of blood pressure control. It remains to be learned whether this phenomenon of high concentrations and control of blood pressure in our ESRD patient population may be related to altered (decreased) peripheral α-receptor sensitivity and inability to develop vasoconstriction. There is precedence for autonomic imbalance and altered tissue sensitivity in ESRD.
A pretreatment process for enhanced diamond nucleation on smooth silicon substrates coated with hard carbon films

Diamond nucleation on unscratched silicon substrates coated with thin films of hard carbon was investigated experimentally with a microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition system. A new pretreatment process was used to enhance the nucleation of diamond. Relatively high diamond nucleation densities of [similar to]10[sup 8] cm[sup [minus]2] were achieved by pretreating the carbon-coated silicon substrates with a methane-rich hydrogen plasma at a relatively low temperature for an hour. Scanning electron microscopy and laser Raman spectroscopy studies revealed that diamond nucleation occurred from nanometer-sized spherical particles of amorphous carbon produced during the pretreatment. The nanoparticles possessed a structure different from that of the original hard carbon film, with a broad non-diamond Raman peak centered at [similar to]1500 cm[sup [minus]1], and a high etching resistance in pure hydrogen plasma. The high diamond nucleation density is attributed to the significant percentage of tetrahedrally bonded ([ital sp][sup 3]) atomic carbon configurations in the nanoparticles and the presence of sufficient high-surface free-energy sites on the pretreated surfaces.
Singlet vector models on lens spaces

We present exact computations of partition functions of singlet vector models (infinite level Chern-Simons-matter theories) on lens spaces L(p, 1). We identify light topological configurations and their spectra, and we comment on the relevance of our results in studying both the UV completions of Vasiliev’s higher-spin theories and the dS/CFT correspondence in the large N limit.
Polymer fluctuation lubrication in hydrogel gemini interfaces

Interfacial sliding speed and contact pressure between the sub-units of particulate soft matter assemblies can vary dramatically across systems and with dynamic conditions. By extension, frictional interactions between particles may play a key role in their assembly, global configuration, collective motion, and bulk material properties. For example, in tightly packed assemblies of microgels – colloidal microspheres made of hydrogel – particle stiffness controls the fragility of the glassy state formed by the particles. The interplay between particle stiffness and shear stress is likely mediated by particle–particle normal forces, highlighting the potential role of hydrogel–hydrogel friction. Here we study friction at a twinned “Gemini” interface between hydrogels. We construct a lubrication curve that spans four orders of magnitude in sliding speed, and find qualitatively different behaviour from traditional lubrication of engineering material surfaces; fundamentally different types of lubrication occur at the hydrogel Gemini interface. We also explore the role played by polymer solubility and hydrogel–hydrogel adhesion in hydrogel friction. We find that polymer network elasticity, mesh size, and single-chain relaxation times can describe friction at the gel–gel interface, including a transition between lubrication regimes with varying sliding speed.
Acupuncture Qi Flow and Points Measurement

Qi is energy equivalent that runs through the acupuncture points of the body. These acupuncture points are used for gathering, exporting, and converting the Qi flow. Stimulation of the points can facilitate Qi circulation, balance the yin and yang, and promote health in the body. This chapter will discuss these points in relation to one another (meridians) and the methods of measurement employed to locate them on the body.
The effect of fetuin and of spleen extract on hematopoietic precursors and on differentiated hematopoietic cells in irradiated mice.

Injection of extracts from normal mouse spleen tissue into irradiated mice enhance the rate of regeneration of colony forming units (CFU-S) in the femoral marrow. This effect was most pronounced when spleen extract was injected between 24 hr before and 24 hr after the time of irradiation, and was observed only during the first week after a single injection of extract. Another result of injecting spleen extract was an immediate and transient decrease in the marrow cellularity and particularly in the number of mature myeloid cells in the marrow. Fetuin produced comparable effects on the rate of regeneration of CFU-S and on the numbers of mature myeloid cells in the marrow. On the basis of these results it is tempting to speculate that injection of spleen extracts and of fetuin primarily cause a rapid depletion of the marrow's granulocyte reserve. This in turn releases the precursor cell compartment from the inhibitory effects of cell–cell interaction and results in an acceleration of the rate of CFU-S regeneration. It is equally plausible that factors present in spleen extract and in fetuin cause a depletion of the marrow granulocyte reserve and, by an unrelated mechanism, directly accelerate the rate of regeneration of CFU-S.
Does Size Matter? Clinical Applications of Scaling Cardiac Size and Function for Body Size

Extensive evidence is available that cardiovascular structure and function, along with other biological properties that span the range of organism size and speciation, scale with body size. Although appreciation of such factors is commonplace in pediatrics, cardiovascular measurements in the adult population, with similarly wide variation in body size, are rarely corrected for body size. In this review, we describe the critical role of body size measurements in cardiovascular medicine. Using examples, we illustrate the confounding effects of body size. Current cardiovascular scaling practices are reviewed, as are limitations and alternative relationships between body and cardiovascular dimensions. The experimental evidence, theoretical basis, and clinical application of scaling of various functional parameters are presented. Appropriately scaled parameters aid diagnostic and therapeutic decision making in specific disease states such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. Large-scale studies in clinical populations are needed to define normative relationships for this purpose. Lack of appropriate consideration of body size in the evaluation of cardiovascular structure and function may adversely affect recognition and treatment of cardiovascular disease states in the adult patient.
Self‐care and Subjectivity among Mexican Diabetes Patients in the United States

Type 2 diabetes is considered a public health crisis, particularly among people of Mexican descent in the United States. Clinical approaches to diabetes management increasingly emphasize self-care, which places responsibility for illness on individuals and mandates self-regulation. Using narrative and free-list data from a two-phase study of low-income first- and second-generation Mexican immigrants living with diabetes, we present evidence that self-care among our participants involves emotion regulation as well as maintenance of and care for family. These findings suggest, in turn, that the ideology of selfhood on which these practices are based does not correspond with the ideology of selfhood cultivated in the U.S. clinical sphere. Divergence between these ideologies may lead to self-conflict for patients and the experience of moral blame. We argue that our participants use their explanations of diabetes causality and control as a form of self-making, which both resists such blame and asserts an alternative form of selfhood that may align more closely with the values held by our Mexican-American participants.
Transradial for Complex Coronary Interventions: Breaking the Glass Ceiling in Coronary Interventions

Utilization of the transradial approach (TRA) for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) continues to expand to more complex subsets of patients, owing largely to more favorable bleeding outcomes, which may translate into mortality benefits. However, considering the route of catheters via the radial approach as well as limitations on the size of catheters, TRA had not been applied widely in patients requiring multivessel PCI or PCI of bifurcation lesions requiring a 2‐stent strategy. In this symposium issue on the China Interventional Therapeutics (CIT) in Partnership with the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT), 2 retrospective propensity‐matched analyses would help break the taboo! In the first article, Gao et al. demonstrated that TRA is not only feasible in a 2‐stent strategy for bifurcation lesions, but accompanied by less bleeding, shorter length of stay, and similar long‐term outcomes when compared to the transfemoral approach (TFA). Another article in this symposium issue compared TRA with TFA for simultaneous PCI for 3‐vessel coronary artery disease (CAD), which showed that PCI performed using TRA is associated with similar ischemic outcomes such as cardiovascular mortality and myocardial infarction, when compared with TFA, albeit with less bleeding complications. In both studies, the prevalence of heavily calcified lesions was low in both groups. Most of the lesions were in relatively larger diameter vessels (3.00mm). The reduced incidence of bleeding complications in procedures performed through the TRA has been previously demonstrated. Regarding the use of anticoagulants and their potential impact on bleeding outcomes in the first article, we notice that the starting dose of heparin (100U/kg) is somewhat higher than ACC/AHA guideline‐recommended use with (50– 70U/kg) or without (70–100U/kg) planned glycoprotein 2b3a inhibitors. Bivalirudin use was not reported, which has been shown to reduce bleeding complications. This anticoagulant strategy could have increased bleeding complications in patients undergoing procedures via TFA. Moreover, the majority of bleeding complications were minor (BARC type 2), which did not require blood transfusions. Besides demonstrating expansion of utilization of TRA to complex coronary interventions, these articles also demonstrate that some PCI practices in China are different from those used in the United States. For instance, the duration of hospital stay post‐PCI is considerably longer in China. Additionally, it appears that the majority of these procedures were performed in a staged fashion, where the PCI procedure was performed a few days after diagnostic coronary Disclosure statement: The authors report no financial relationships or conflicts of interest regarding the content herein. Address for reprints: Faisal Latif, M.D., F.S.C.A.I., Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Section, VA Medical Center and University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Fax: þ1‐405‐456‐1576; e‐mail: faisal-latif@ouhsc.edu © 2014, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. DOI: 10.1111/joic.12114
Neural tube-ectoderm interactions are required for trigeminal placode formation

Cranial sensory ganglia in vertebrates develop from the ectodermal placodes, the neural crest, or both. Although much is known about the neural crest contribution to cranial ganglia, relatively little is known about how placode cells form, invaginate and migrate to their targets. Here, we identify Pax-3 as a molecular marker for placode cells that contribute to the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal ganglion and use it, in conjunction with DiI labeling of the surface ectoderm, to analyze some of the mechanisms underlying placode development. Pax-3 expression in the ophthalmic placode is observed as early as the 4-somite stage in a narrow band of ectoderm contiguous to the midbrain neural folds. Its expression broadens to a patch of ectoderm adjacent to the midbrain and the rostral hindbrain at the 8- to 10-somite stage. Invagination of the first Pax-3-positive cells begins at the 13-somite stage. Placodal invagination continues through the 35-somite stage, by which time condensation of the trigeminal ganglion has begun. To challenge the normal tissue interactions leading to placode formation, we ablated the cranial neural crest cells or implanted barriers between the neural tube and the ectoderm. Our results demonstrate that, although the presence of neural crest cells is not mandatory for Pax-3 expression in the forming placode, a diffusible signal from the neuroectoderm is required for induction and/or maintenance of the ophthalmic placode.
New genus, Lepidozonates Park, gen. nov. (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae) with description of three new species

Lepidozonates gen. nov. is described, with description of three new species: L. viciniolus Park, sp. nov. from Thailand, L. tenebrosellus Park, sp. nov. from Taiwan and L. prominens Park, sp. nov. from Cambodia and Thailand. The new genus is characterized by having the specialized plumose corematal scales developed on the pleural membrane of the abdominal segments IV–VI in the male, and the venation of both wings also differs from those of the allied genera, e.g., Deltoplastis Meyrick, Torodora Meyrick or Thubana Walker of the subfamily Torodorinae.
Side-channel attack mitigation using dual-spacer Dual-rail Delay-insensitive Logic (D 3 L)

Side-channel attacks have become a threat to secure electronic circuits, due to the strong correlation between data pattern and leaking power/timing information. By monitoring the power/timing behavior of a synchronous circuit, an attacker can easily obtain the secret data stored in the device. Although dual-rail asynchronous circuits have more stable power traces, they still show power fluctuation because of the imbalanced load between two rails. Moreover, asynchronous circuits are the most prone to timing attacks since delay is data dependent. Dual-spacer Dual-rail Delay-insensitive Logic (D3L), presented in this paper, is able to mitigate power and timing based side-channel attacks. Power fluctuation is decoupled from data pattern by the use of a dual-spacer protocol, while timing-data correlation is broken by insertion of random delays.
The difficulties of identifying flying squirrels (Sciuridae: Pteromyini) in the fossil record

ABSTRACT Two problems are examined in this paper: (1) the identification of flying squirrels in the fossil record by means of their teeth; and (2) the identification of features of the limbs that indicate that the animals were gliders. Dental features vary widely among flying squirrels and among other squirrels, and a thorough survey demonstrates that most features that have been used to distinguish fossil flying squirrels are also found in some tree squirrels. A review of the descriptions of fossil flying squirrels reveals few convincing arguments that these animals actually belong to the Pteromyini and none to support the hypothesis that they were gliding animals. Recent flying squirrels exhibit a number of distinguishing morphological features in their carpal and tarsal bones and at the proximal and distal ends of their long bones. Some of these morphological structures are obligatory features required for gliding locomotion in squirrels and hence are diagnostic of flying squirrels.
Life Course: Sociological Aspects

This article presents the life course as a theoretical orientation for the study of human lives, development, and aging. In concept, the life course refers to age-graded events and social roles in life trajectories that are subject to historical change. Social transitions make up life trajectories, and they derive meaning from them. Change in the life course alters the trajectory of individual development and aging. Building on cross-disciplinary advances since the 1960s, life course theory has uniquely forged a conceptual bridge among developmental and aging processes, the life course, and ongoing changes in society; one based on the premise that age places people in the social structure and in particular birth cohorts. To clarify the meaning of the life course, this article will first take up its primary conceptual elements, such as trajectory, transition, and turning point, and review concepts that have been used interchangeably; specifically, life cycle, life history, life stage and life span. Then it will turn to the emergence of life course theory from the 1960s, with roots in the literature of social relations, age and its temporal meanings, and life-span concepts of development. It concludes with paradigmatic principles that are central to the theory; the principles of lifelong development, timing, linked lives, historical time and place, and human agency.
Absorption Spectra of Diatomic Molecules in Liquid and Crystalline Rare Gases

Examination of absorption spectra of molecules in liquid and crystalline matrices gives information on two fundamental kinds of problems perturbations of molecules by surrounding fields, and effects of impurities on crystals and crystal growth. Rare-gas solid and liquid matrices are ideally suited to such problems since the forces between rare-gas atoms are especially weak, symmetric, short-range, and well known. Experimental studies of growth and observation of pure rare-gas crystals, transparent in a broad range from the infrared to the vacuum ultraviolet, and of low concentrations of diatomic molecules in solid solution with rare gases are described. As an example, the system NO in liquid and crystalline Kr was studied in die range from 2000–5000 A. Even at the smallest concentrations of NO no trace of discrete spectra of the NO γ, system was found. However, a cutoff at short wavelength was observed in the liquid, increasing with increasing NO concentration. This absorption cutoff may be due to the transition from the ground state X 2π to the theoretically predicted 4π state. Both spectroscopic and solid state conclusions are drawn from these experiments and experiments on other systems of the same kind.
Management of an elderly patient with respiratory failure due to double aortic arch

Vascular rings are congenital malformations of the aortic arch. A double aortic arch (DAA), the most common type of vascular ring, results from the failure of the fourth embryonic branchial arch to regress, leading to an ascending aorta that divides into a left and right arch that fuse together to completely encircle the trachea and esophagus. The subsequent DAA causes compressive effects on the trachea and esophagus that typically manifests in infancy or early childhood. Adult presentations, particularly in the elderly, are exceedingly rare. Historically such patients have a long-standing history of dyspnea on exertion and dysphagia, with many assumed to have obstructive lung or intrinsic cardiac disease. We describe a case of an elderly woman who presented with respiratory failure due to DAA. In her case, surgery was not feasible and we describe our experience with airway stenting.
Plasma characteristics of the ferroelectric plasma thruster

The ferroelectric plasma thruster (FEPT) uses ion acceleration from plasma to produce thrust [1]. The FEPT consists of a ferroelectric disk driven through its thickness with an RF signal. Utilizing the piezoelectric resonance of the ferroelectric crystal, a high voltage is induced in an aperture of the ground plane. The plasma is formed in the aperture of the ground plane. The FEPT is capable of generating plasma over a wide range of pressures from 10⌃−6 torr to atmospheric pressure. Presented is a study of the generated plasma. Diagnostics include gated images on an ICCD camera, optical emission spectroscopy and charged particle energy measurements.
Language and Gender: Working the market: use of varieties

In earlier chapters our focus has been on how gender interacts with what people do with the resources provided by the linguistic system (or systems), and with norms for deploying those resources. We have noted that the resources themselves may be transformed in the course of social practice. A form like Ms. is introduced and adopted and responded to, and over time the repertoire of English address options and their significance shift in structured yet unpredictable ways. And norms for speech get challenged and reshaped: a young woman who begins to say shit in situations that would draw shucks from her mother is helping change the gendered significance of tabooed expletives. But changes like these are against the backdrop of a speaker's overall dialect. Speakers can decide to interrupt, avoid apologies, stop swearing, and start talking about women as active sexual agents without really changing their basic dialect, the system whose resources they are using to further their various projects. Speakers can do very different things in talking with one another, can pursue quite different communicative goals, while using essentially the same linguistic variety. As we will see, linguistic varieties are linked to people in a unique way – they are seen very much as reflecting who people are, where they come from. They carry a good deal of baggage as a result, and they figure in the construction of gender in a myriad of ways.
Implementation and Outcomes of a Three-Pronged Approach to Professional Development for CS Principles

One of the greatest challenges in broadening participation in computer science is teacher preparation, as few middle and high school teachers have a formal background in computing. Further, without a credentialing program, there are limited ways to learn content and pedagogical strategies for effective computer science instruction. As a result, professional development is key to successful reform in the teaching of computer science. In this paper, we describe our three-pronged approach to the design of a professional development model for middle and high school teachers interested in implementing the Computer Science Principles (CSP) curriculum in their classrooms or infusing CSP modules into STEM curricula. We describe our model focusing on content, pedagogical strategies and follow-up classroom support during the academic year. We subsequently report on participating teacher outcomes, in terms of self-rated understandings, attitudes and implementation practices. We share lessons learned and offer recommendations for professional development designers.
Baseline Substance Use Interferes with Maintenance of HIV Medication Adherence Skills

Cognitive behavioral therapy for adherence and depression (CBT-AD) in HIV improves both adherence and depression outcomes relative to enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU). However, in persons with injection drug use (PWIDU) histories, adherence gains seen during treatment have not been maintained postintervention. Therefore, we examined whether heroin or cocaine use at study entry moderated acquisition or maintenance of adherence gains after CBT-AD. HIV-positive adults in treatment for opioid dependence (n = 89) were randomly assigned to CBT-AD or ETAU and completed 3-, 6-, and 12-month assessments. Participants were majority male (61%), white (48%), and heterosexual (79%). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to evaluate whether heroin or cocaine use at baseline interacted with intervention assignment to predict change in adherence during active treatment and follow-up. CBT-AD-related improvement in adherence during the active intervention period did not vary by baseline substance use. However, cocaine use (but not heroin use) at baseline interacted with intervention assignment to predict a significant decline in follow-up adherence (cocaine use × group condition coefficient = -0.77, t = -2.44, p = 0.02) such that by 12 months, adherence among CBT participants was significantly lower among those who used cocaine (45.0%) compared to those who did not (72.3%; t = 2.50, p = 0.018). HIV-positive PWIDU who use heroin or cocaine at baseline can benefit from the CBT-AD intervention to improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy; therefore, providers should not withhold an active psychosocial treatment for HIV-positive PWIDU who are using. Cocaine use at baseline may limit the degree to which gains are maintained postintervention, and therefore, booster sessions may be needed.
CHAPTER 38 – Pesticide Residues in Food and Cancer Risk: A Critical Analysis

Public policy with respect to pesticides has relied on the results of high-dose, rodent cancer tests as the major source of information for assessing potential cancer risks to humans. This chapter critically examines the assumptions, methodology, results, and implications of cancer risk assessments of pesticide residues in the diet. The analyses presented in the chapter are based on results in the Carcinogenic Potency Database (CPDB), which provide the necessary data to examine the published literature of chronic animal cancer tests; the CPDB includes results of 5620 experiments on 1372 chemicals. A comparison of human exposure to synthetic pesticide residues in the diet to the broader and greater exposure to natural chemicals in the diet indicates an imbalance in both data and perception about possible carcinogenic hazards to humans from chemical exposures. The chapter examines the cancer risk assessment methodology, including the use of animal data from high-dose bioassays, in which half the chemicals tested are carcinogenic. Rankings of pesticides on the human exposure/rodent potency (HERP) index provides a broad perspective on possible cancer hazards from a variety of exposures to rodent carcinogens, including pesticide residues. An analysis of possible reasons for the wide disparities in published risk estimates for pesticide residues in the diet is presented in the chapter.
Influence Opportunities and the Development of Argumentation Competencies in Childhood

Whether argumentation competencies are associated with the kind of influence opportunities children have in their lives is the focus of this study. The hypothesis is that when children have the opportunity to initiate and evaluate arguments, hear others make and examine arguments, and participate equally in resolving disputes, children are able to develop their argument skills. Four argumentation competencies associated with critical discussions of proposals are identified: creating consensus about problematic situations, advocating proposals, facilitating behavioral commitment, and integrating identities. Second, fourth, and sixth grade children completed tasks that assessed their influence opportunities and argument competencies. Children who perceived themselves to have many collaborative influence opportunities, that is, opportunities in which they could engage in mutual influence, had more highly developed argument competencies than children who did not have such opportunities. As predicted, this relationship occurred with the argument competencies of problem conception, proposal advocacy and facilitating commitment. Measures of non-collaborative influence opportunities were not associated with argument competencies. Together, the results suggest that discussions in which children are given the opportunity to influence and be influenced with arguments may provide the best context for children to develop their argument skills.
Increased Emergency Department Use in Illinois After Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Study objective We examine emergency department (ED) use and hospitalizations through the ED after Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) health insurance expansion in Illinois, a Medicaid expansion state. Methods Using statewide hospital administrative data from 2011 through 2015 from 201 nonfederal Illinois hospitals for patients aged 18 to 64 years, mean monthly ED visits were compared before and after ACA implementation by disposition from the ED and primary payer. Visit data were combined with 2010 to 2014 census insurance estimates to compute payer-specific ED visit rates. Interrupted time-series analyses tested changes in ED visit rates and ED hospitalization rates by insurance type after ACA implementation. Results Average monthly ED visit volume increased by 14,080 visits (95% confidence interval [CI] 4,670 to 23,489), a 5.7% increase, after ACA implementation. Changes by payer were as follows: uninsured decreased by 24,158 (95% CI −27,037 to −21,279), Medicaid increased by 28,746 (95% CI 23,945 to 33,546), and private insurance increased by 9,966 (95% 6,241 to 13,690). The total monthly ED visit rate increased by 1.8 visits per 1,000 residents (95% CI 0.6 to 3.0). The monthly ED visit rate decreased by 8.7 visit per 1,000 uninsured residents (95% CI −11.1 to −6.3) and increased by 10.2 visit per 1,000 Medicaid beneficiaries (95% CI 4.4 to 16.1) and 1.3 visits per 1,000 privately insured residents (95% CI 0.6 to 1.9). After adjusting for baseline trends and season, these changes remained statistically significant. The total number of hospitalizations through the ED was unchanged. Conclusion ED visits by adults aged 18 to 64 years in Illinois increased after ACA health insurance expansion. The increase in total ED visits was driven by an increase in visits resulting in discharge from the ED. A large post-ACA increase in Medicaid visits and a modest increase in privately insured visits outpaced a large reduction in ED visits by uninsured patients. These changes are larger than can be explained by population changes alone and are significantly different from trends in ED use before ACA implementation.
Fault Tolerant Support Vector Machines

Support Vector Machines (SVM) is a popular Machine Learning algorithm, which is used for building classifiers and models. Parallel implementations of SVM, which can run on large scale supercomputers, are becoming commonplace. However, these supercomputers -- designed under constraints of data movement -- frequently observe faults in compute devices. Many device faults manifest as permanent process/node failures. In this paper, we present several approaches for designing fault tolerant SVM algorithms. First, we present an in-depth analysis to identify the critical data structures, and build baseline algorithms that simply periodically checkpoint these data structures. Next, we propose a novel algorithm, which requires no inter-node data movement for checkpointing, and only O(n2/p2) recovery time -- a small fraction of the expected O(n3/p) time-complexity of SVM. We implement these algorithms and evaluate them on a large scale cluster. Our evaluation indicates that the overall data movement for checkpointing in the baseline algorithm can be up to 100x the dataset size!, while the proposed novel algorithm is completely communication-free of checkpointing. In addition, it saves up to 20x space, while providing better (by an average of 5.5x speedup on 256 cores) recovery time than the baseline algorithm with different number of checkpoints. The experiments also show that our communication avoiding algorithm outperforms Spark MLLib SVM implementation by an average of 6.4x with 256 cores in the case of failure.
International Organization for Migration and the UN System: A Missed Opportunity

The decision to make IOM a “related agency” at the September high-level meeting on refugees and migrants merely delays institutional reform in the hopes of building consensus later for a global compact for migration. The UN needs a lead agency for migration.
What Do We Learn About Technical Communication in Hungary Through My Students and My Hungarian Colleagues: An Initial Investigation

Very few articles exist that document technical communication in Hungary. My Fulbright research reveals two general points: First, technical communication pedagogy stresses correct use of professional terms and phrases in technical translations or technical articles for fictional audiences. Second, it does not emphasize the importance of specifying target audiences in students’ work; similarly, Hungarian companies, perhaps driven by oral culture in communication, do not target at any specific audiences in written communication. In this respect, education and practice seems to shape each other. More research is needed to provide more elements to help us understand technical communication in Hungary.
Developing climate resilient wheat

T meet the food security demands of growing human population, yield of majority of the crop plants needs to be doubled by 2050 while dealing with the climate change. With the increasing temperature trends and unusual climatic changes, crops in future climates will experience frequent temperature extremes causing significant yield losses. Heat stress is a serious challenge to wheat production as every 1 °C increase above the optimal temperature results in 4-5% yield loss. Rainfed areas of the US are projected to decrease wheat production by 20-40% due to climate change. Thus, developing climate resilient wheat is crucial in today’s context. As a public-private partnership, Feed the Future Innovation lab-Climate Resilient Wheat is developing heat tolerant varieties by exploiting natural variation. A short period of heat stress during germination had serious and long-term effect on plant development and yield. A ten-day heat stress at germination reduced germination percentage, coleoptile length and yield. Sugars availability maybe a reason for the effect on germination as external application of sucrose showed significant recovery in germination percentage and coleoptile length. Heat stress during vegetative phase significantly affected tiller number, flowering time, pollen fertility, plant height and yield. During the reproductive stage, heat stress adversely affected photosynthesis and increased membrane disintegration due to decreased chlorophyll index and increased ROS and lipid peroxidase activity. The identified heat tolerant lines will be used to transfer the trait into wheat cultivars by simultaneous detection and utilization of QTLs. Various molecular and physiological studies for the trait are underway and update will be presented.
Controlled rapid delivery and on-chip trapping of nanoparticles by a hybrid electrothermoplasmonic nanotweezer

By combining intrinsic plasmonic heating and AC electric field, we demonstrate long-range transport, precise delivery and trapping of individual nanoparticles on a plasmonic nanoantenna. Our work will expand the range of applicability of plasmonic nanotweezers.
Max-Margin Heterogeneous Information Machine for RGB-D Action Recognition

We propose a novel approach, max-margin heterogeneous information machine (MMHIM), for human action recognition from RGB-D videos. MMHIM fuses heterogeneous RGB visual features and depth features, and learns effective action classifiers using the fused features. Rich heterogeneous visual and depth data are effectively compressed and projected to a learned shared space and independent private spaces, in order to reduce noise and capture useful information for recognition. Knowledge from various sources can then be shared with others in the learned space to learn cross-modal features. This guides the discovery of valuable information for recognition. To capture complex spatiotemporal structural relationships in visual and depth features, we represent both RGB and depth data in a matrix form. We formulate the recognition task as a low-rank bilinear model composed of row and column parameter matrices. The rank of the model parameter is minimized to build a low-rank classifier, which is beneficial for improving the generalization power. We also extend MMHIM to a structured prediction model that is capable of making structured outputs. Extensive experiments on a new RGB-D action dataset and two other public RGB-D action datasets show that our approaches achieve state-of-the-art results. Promising results are also shown if RGB or depth data are missing in training or testing procedure.
Participation Patterns and Impression Formation in Three Communications Media

As the use of computer-mediated communications (CMC) in organizations continues to grow, questions arise about how communication behaviors are affected by media type. Several studies have noted tha...
Ghrelin is Related to Personality Differences in Reward Sensitivity and Impulsivity.

Aims Ghrelin, a feeding-related peptide mainly produced in the stomach, has been linked to reward mechanisms for food and drugs of abuse in addition to traits of impulsivity. This study is a secondary analysis of an existing data set designed to examine the direct relationships between fasting ghrelin levels and reward sensitivity/impulsivity in healthy social drinkers. Methods Participants (n = 20) were recruited from an original study examining the subjective effects of alcohol among social drinkers. Fasting ghrelin levels were collected at baseline. Personality measures (Behavioral Inhibition, Behavioral Activation, and Affective Response to Impending Reward and Punishment and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale) were administered at baseline to evaluate sensitivity to reward and punishment, and measure traits of impulsivity, respectively. Results Fasting ghrelin levels were significantly related to reward sensitivity and impulsivity traits. Specifically, those with higher ghrelin levels were more sensitive to reward and were more impulsive (have lower self-control). Conclusions The results indicate that individuals with higher levels of ghrelin are more sensitive to reward. In addition, they are less able to exercise self-control and to an extent more likely to act without thinking. This is the first study to report on the direct relationship between fasting ghrelin levels and personality characteristics such as reward sensitivity and aspects of impulsivity among healthy social drinkers. Short summary Individuals with higher levels of fasting ghrelin are more sensitive to reward, but less sensitive to punishment. Higher ghrelin levels are also related to some aspects of impulsivity such as decreased self-control and increased likelihood of acting without thinking.
Combined sublethal irradiation and agonist anti-CD40 enhance donor T cell accumulation and control of autochthonous murine pancreatic tumors

Tumor-reactive T lymphocytes can promote the regression of established tumors. However, their efficacy is often limited by immunosuppressive mechanisms that block T cell accumulation or function. ACT provides the opportunity to ameliorate immune suppression prior to transfer of tumor-reactive T cells to improve the therapeutic benefit. We evaluated the combination of lymphodepleting whole body irradiation (WBI) and agonist anti-CD40 (αCD40) antibody on control of established autochthonous murine neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors following the transfer of naive tumor-specific CD8 T cells. Sublethal WBI had little impact on disease outcome but did promote T cell persistence in the lymphoid organs. Host conditioning with αCD40, an approach known to enhance APC function and T cell expansion, transiently increased donor T cell accumulation in the lymphoid organs and pancreas, but failed to control tumor progression. In contrast, combined WBI and αCD40 prolonged T cell proliferation and dramatically enhanced accumulation of donor T cells in both the lymphoid organs and pancreas. This dual conditioning approach also promoted high levels of inflammation in the pancreas and tumor, induced histological regression of established tumors, and extended the lifespan of treated mice. Prolonged survival was entirely dependent upon adoptive transfer, but only partially dependent upon IFNγ production by donor T cells. Our results identify the novel combination of two clinically relevant host conditioning approaches that synergize to overcome immune suppression and drive strong tumor-specific T cell accumulation within well-established tumors.
Simulating stream response to floodplain connectivity and revegetation from reach to watershed scales: Implications for stream management.

Abstract Natural-infrastructures (e.g., floodplains) can offer multiple ecosystem services (ES), including flood-resilience and water quality improvement. In order to maintain these ES, state and non-profit organizations consider various stream interventions, including increased floodplain connectivity and revegetation. However, the effect of these interventions is rarely quantified. We build a hydraulic model to simulate the influence of above-mentioned interventions on stream power and water depth during 5 yr and 100 yr flood return-intervals for two watersheds in Vermont, USA. Simulated revegetation of floodplains increased water depth and decreased stream power, whereas increasing connectivity resulted in decline of both responses. Combination of increased connectivity and floodplain revegetation showed greatest reduction in stream-power suggesting that interventions may influence stream response in diverse ways. Across all three interventions, 14% and 48% of altered reaches showed increase in stream power and water depth over baseline, indicating that interventions may lead to undesirable outcomes and their apparent effectiveness can vary with the measure chosen for evaluation. Interventions also influenced up to 16% of unaltered reaches (i.e., in which no interventions were implemented), indicating the consequences of interventions can spread both up and downstream. Multivariate analysis showed that up to 50% of variance in stream response to interventions is attributable to characteristics of reaches, indicating that these characteristics could mediate the effectiveness of interventions. This study offers a framework to evaluate the potential ES provided by natural infrastructure. All stream interventions involve tradeoffs among responses and between target and non-target areas, so careful evaluation is therefore needed to compare benefits and costs among interventions. Such assessments can lead to more effective management of stream-floodplain ecosystems both in Vermont and elsewhere.
Preparing Teachers for the 21st Century: A Renaissance

An overview of the need for change in higher education programs of teacher preparation is presented. The authors summarize what needs to change based on the research of educational leaders, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and leading educational organizations. They address what it means to be highly qualified, a model for teacher preparation, and needed policy changes in the context of 21st century learning. A hypothetical case study of two preservice teachers closes the chapter with a vision of hope for the future.
Some Smooth Muscles Possess Fast Sodium Channels

Most smooth muscle (SM) cells normally do not possess fast Na+ channels, and inward current for the action potential (AP) is carried primarily through slow (L- type) Ca2+ channels. However, it has been demonstrated that fast Na+ channels appear in myometrial SM cells during the latter half of pregnancy in the rat, presumably under steroid hormone control (4, 7). In addition, we have recently found functioning fast Na+ channels in rat and human intestinal (colonic) SM cells (23) and in rat portal vein cells (Xiong & Sperelakis, unpublished) under normal conditions. This review-type article provides a brief summary of (a) the changes in fast Na+ channels (and slow Ca2+ channels) in myometrial SM cells (from longitudinal layer) during pregnancy in the rat (4, 7); (b) the existence of functional fast Na+ channels in colonic SM cells (from circular layer) of the proximal (ascending) colon in both adult rat and human (13) and (c) the presence of functional fast Na+ channels in vascular SM cells from the rat protal vein (Xiong & Sperelakis unpublished).
Fibulin-1 mediates platelet adhesion via a bridge of fibrinogen

Fibulin-1 is a component of the extracellular matrix that surrounds vascular smooth muscle. This observation, along with the recent finding that fibulin-1 can bind fibrinogen (J Biol Chem 270:19458, 1995), prompted investigation into the potential role of fibulin-1 as a thrombogenic agent. In perfusion chamber assays, platelets in whole blood under flow conditions attached and spread on surfaces coated with fibulin-1. This adhesion was completely blocked by fibulin-1 antibodies. Platelets free of plasma did not attach to fibulin-1 coated surfaces; however, with the addition of fibrinogen, platelet adhesion to fibulin-1 took place. When detergent extracts of platelets were subjected to fibulin-1-Sepharose affinity chromatography, the integrin alpha IIb beta 3 was selected. Solid phase binding assays using purified components showed that integrin alpha IIb beta 3 could not bind directly to fibulin-1 but in the presence of fibrinogen the integrin bound to fibulin-1-coated surfaces. Monoclonal alpha IIb beta 3 antibodies capable of blocking its interaction with fibrinogen completely blocked platelet adhesion to fibulin-1 in both whole blood perfusion and static adhesion assays. The results show that fibulin-1 can support platelet attachment via a bridge of fibrinogen to the platelet integrin alpha IIb beta 3. When fibroblast monolayers containing extracellular matrix-incorporated fibulin-1 were used as adhesion substrates, platelet adhesion in the presence of fibrinogen could be inhibited by 30% using antibodies to fibulin-1. Following vascular injury, fibulin-1 present in the extracellular matrix of the vessel wall may therefore interact with plasma fibrinogen and promote platelet adhesion, leading to the formation of a platelet plug. Thus, fibulin-1 joins the list of matrix proteins including collagens I and IV and fibronectin that mediate platelet adhesion via a plasma protein bridge. This bridging phenomenon may represent a general mechanism by which platelets interact with exposed subendothelial matrices following vascular injury.