cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systems Delivery Innovation for Alzheimer Disease.

Objective The authors describe a comprehensive care model for Alzheimer disease (AD) that improves value within 1–3 years after implementation by leveraging targeted outpatient chronic care management, cognitively protective acute care, and timely caregiver support. Methods Using current best evidence, expert opinion, and macroeconomic modeling, the authors designed a comprehensive care model for AD that improves the quality of care while reducing total per capita healthcare spending by more than 15%. Cost savings were measured as reduced spending by payers. Cost estimates were derived from medical literature and national databases, including both public and private U.S. payers. All estimates reflect the value in 2015 dollars using a consumer price index inflation calculator. Outcome estimates were determined at year 2, accounting for implementation and steady-state intervention costs. Results After accounting for implementation and recurring operating costs of approximately $9.5 billion, estimated net cost savings of between $13 and $41 billion can be accomplished concurrently with improvements in quality and experience of coordinated chronic care ($0.01–$6.8 billion), cognitively protective acute care ($8.7–$26.6 billion), timely caregiver support ($4.3–$7.5 billion), and caregiver efficiency ($4.1–$7.2 billion). Conclusion A high-value care model for AD may improve the experience of patients with AD while significantly lowering costs.
Not So Safe a Space: Women Activists of Color’s Responses to Racial Microaggressions by White Women Allies

The present study explored the experiences of women of color to understand how they encounter, respond to, and communicatively navigate racial microaggressions in online support groups designated a...
Measurement of self-regulation in early childhood: Relations between laboratory and performance-based measures of effortful control and executive functioning.

Abstract Effortful control (EC) and executive functioning (EF) are two focal constructs in the study of self-regulation in early childhood. Given a number of conceptual and empirical overlaps between EC and EF, this study examined the associations between commonly used laboratory and performance-based measures of EC and EF in early childhood. Children (N = 244; age 4–6 years) completed the Shape Stroop, Snack Delay and Toy Delay tasks, as well as the Conner’s Kiddie-Continuous Performance Task (KCPT). Partial correlations and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to assess the relations between performance on the EC and EF tasks and the factor structure of self-regulation. Convergent and divergent validity were found amongst the performance-based measures. In addition, results from CFA support a one-factor model of self-regulation with “hot” EC and “cool” EF loading onto a general self-regulation factor. Study results highlight the similarities that exist between EC and EF during early childhood and the need for integrative, whole-child approaches in order to understand the neurophysiological and behavioral underpinnings of self-regulation and its development.
Funds of Knowledge and Cultural Capital: Working toward Diversity and Equity of Knowledges.

In this Forum article, we discuss issues emerging from utilizing two significant theoretical constructs, Funds of Knowledge and Cultural Capital, in the field of second/multilingual language studies. Some similar underlying characteristics yet opposite perspectives surrounding the concepts and theoretical applications have confused researchers and practitioners. Hence, we address three major issues related to social class-based knowledge distinction, little consideration of diversity and agency, and lack of empirical evidence on the convertibility and transferability of knowledges. Through the discussions, we pose important questions to seek diversity and equity of knowledges and urge applied linguists to raise their critical awareness of recognition and use/exchange value of second/multilingual learners’ resources and knowledges.
Block copolymer–based porous carbon fibers

Carbon fibers have high surface areas and rich functionalities for interacting with ions, molecules, and particles. However, the control over their porosity remains challenging. Conventional syntheses rely on blending polyacrylonitrile with sacrificial additives, which macrophase-separate and result in poorly controlled pores after pyrolysis. Here, we use block copolymer microphase separation, a fundamentally disparate approach to synthesizing porous carbon fibers (PCFs) with well-controlled mesopores (~10 nm) and micropores (~0.5 nm). Without infiltrating any carbon precursors or dopants, poly(acrylonitrile-block-methyl methacrylate) is directly converted to nitrogen and oxygen dual-doped PCFs. Owing to the interconnected network and the highly optimal bimodal pores, PCFs exhibit substantially reduced ion transport resistance and an ultrahigh capacitance of 66 μF cm−2 (6.6 times that of activated carbon). The approach of using block copolymer precursors revolutionizes the synthesis of PCFs. The advanced electrochemical properties signify that PCFs represent a new platform material for electrochemical energy storage.
Histomorphology: Deciphering the Metabolic Record

Abstract Bone adjusts the amount and distribution of its mass to withstand its typical mechanical loading environment. Modeling alters the external size and cross-sectional shape of the bone. Remodeling modifies the distribution, size, and shape of the microscopic structures that compose bone tissue. Toughening mechanisms, which allow bone to dissipate energy before breaking, are major determinants of this histomorphology. Dysregulation of the remodeling process due to aging or pathological conditions can significantly alter bone microstructure. This impedes microstructural contributions to bone strength, increasing bone fragility and fracture risk. This chapter demonstrates calculation of remodeling parameters. It also discusses how specific microstructural features are associated with mechanical loading in healthy individuals, and how their histological presentation is changed by aging and pathology. Microdamage, lacunar-canaliculi architecture, vascular porosity, lamellar organization, and whole bone cross-sectional shape are individually considered. Bone histomorphology is essential for understanding how pathological conditions alter bone strength.
Brain Bypass Surgery for Complex Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms: Evolving Techniques, Results, and Lessons Learned.

Objective To analyze a consecutive series of patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms who needed an adjunctive cerebral revascularization procedure to achieve aneurysm occlusion with preservation of flow through all MCA branches. Methods A total of 42 patients with 43 MCA aneurysms underwent 52 bypass procedures over 13 years. The location of the aneurysm were M1 trunk, M1 bifurcation, M2 and beyond. The bypasses performed included intracranial bypasses (resection with end to end anastomosis, end to side implantation, side to side anastomosis, and short interposition graft), extraintracranial bypasses (superficial temporal to middle cerebral artery anastomosis, and radial artery bypass graft, or saphenous vein graft), double bypasses, Y-grafts, and combined techniques. Results Forty-two of 43 aneurysms (98%) had patent bypasses at long-term follow-up. All 43 aneurysms were completely occluded at last follow-up. Six patients (14%) developed strokes related to the surgical treatment. At last follow-up, 36 patients had a modified Rankin score of 0–2, 5 patients had modified Rankin score 3–5, and 1 died. In this series, 31 (73.8%) patients improved, 8 (19%) patients had same functional status, and 3 (7.2%) patients deteriorated, including 1 patient who expired due to sepsis. The mean clinical follow-up duration was 39.3 months (0.4–124 months) and the mean radiological follow-up was 37 months (0.4–134 months). Conclusions Cerebral revascularization is an important adjunct for treating MCA aneurysms and can be done safely. The article provides the insights we gained by rising through the learning curve.
The Integrals of Lebesgue, Denjoy, Perron, and Henstock

Lebesgue measure Measurable functions The Lebesgue integral Bounded variation and absolute continuity Darboux and Baire class one functions Functions of generalized bounded variation The Denjoy integral The Perron integral The Henstock integral The McShane integral Equivalence of integrals Integration by parts Convergence theorems Approximate derivatives The Khintchine integral The approximately continuous Henstock integral The approximately continuous Perron integral Solutions to exercises References Notation index Subject index.
Evidence for Psychodynamic Play Therapy With Parent Consultation as a Treatment for Somatic Complaints in Childhood

This study explored the effectiveness of psychodynamic play therapy with parent consultation to treat somatic complaints. Evie was treated with 50 sessions of psychodynamic play therapy which incor...
Neurochemical and Neuroendocrine Considerations of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders in Childhood

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common condition in children and adolescents, affecting, at a minimum, 1 in 200 teenagers.1 The affected individuals are plagued by intrusive obsessive thoughts, and their lives are disrupted by irresistible compulsions. The clinical presentation of childhood-onset OCD is similar to that of adult-onset OCD, and more than one third of adults suffering from OCD report onset of their symptoms during childhood or adolescence.2 The pre- and post-treatment biochemical profiles and response to pharmacotherapy, particularly treatment with clomipramine, are also similar between adults and children,3 suggesting that information gained from adult studies can be extrapolated to apply to childhood-onset OCD. This is of particular importance because of the limitations on research investigations in patients under 18 years of age. This chapter presents relevant information from both patient groups, adults and children, in order to examine the neuropathology of childhood OCD more fully.
Chapter 2 – Electronic Devices: How They Operate and Are Fabricated

Books on reliability ideally focus on issues related to component and device failure within the context of how they are intended to function. Because it is often not necessary to know about the latter to address the former, these two bodies of knowledge and expertise often remain separate concerns. This is especially so because most failures involve materials other than the semiconductors, e.g., metallizations, insulation, and packaging materials. Nevertheless, it is fair to say that malfunction, failure, and reliability can be more intelligently confronted through some knowledge of device behavior and fabrication methods employed. For example, awareness of device current–voltage characteristics is certainly helpful in diagnosing failure modes in some instances. Similarly, an appreciation of the processing steps involved in device manufacture may suggest ways to avoid future failures. In this spirit, the chapter is primarily devoted to elevating the consciousness and sensitivity of readers to electronic devices and their uses, characteristics, and instabilities. Many aspects of the degradation and reliability of specific devices will be introduced here in a qualitative way. We shall return to these same issues in later chapters, where degradation and the physics of failure will be analytically modeled at a deeper level.
Modification to Checkerboard Metasurfaces for Reducing the RCS of Complex Structures

Additional conditions which are necessary for reducing the RCS of complex objects using checkerboard metasurfaces are presented. It is demonstrated that the arbitrary application of checkerboard metasurfaces is not sufficient to reduce the RCS of complex structures like dihedral corners where fields undergo multiple reflections. All the conditions are validated using simulation results.
Philtral Ridge Projection in Repaired Unilateral Cleft Lip: Three-Dimensional Anthropometry.

BACKGROUND Cleft surgeons try to construct a philtral ridge during primary repair of a cleft lip, but rarely document the results. The authors used three-dimensional photogrammetry to measure projection of philtral ridges after closure of the common forms of unilateral labial cleft. METHODS This is a retrospective study of patients with unilateral complete, incomplete (moderate and severe), and microform cleft lip repaired by one surgeon from 2000 to 2013. Cleft type determined the technique for building a philtral ridge. The relative elevation of the ridge on the cleft versus noncleft side was measured on three-dimensional childhood photographs at two locations along the philtrum: just above the Cupid's bow and at the midlabial level. RESULTS Thirty-four patients were evaluated at a mean age of 9.25 years. All cleft types exhibited greater projection at the philtral midlabial level compared with the Cupid's bow level. The authors found a trend toward a more prominent cleft side philtral ridge in microforms. In incomplete cleft lips, there was slightly greater philtral ridge projection in severe forms repaired after a preliminary nasolabial adhesion compared with those repaired in a single stage. There was similar projection of the cleft side ridge in two-stage complete and single-stage repaired incomplete lips. CONCLUSIONS It is possible to construct a philtral ridge that is as prominent as the noncleft side in all types of unilateral cleft lip. Increased muscle thickness may explain the slightly increased philtral ridge projection in patients with an incomplete cleft repaired in two stages compared to one-stage closure. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, IV.
Using diagnostic ratios to characterize sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Great Lakes atmosphere

The present study characterized source profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) for the Great Lakes atmosphere using nine PAH diagnostic ratios (DRs). The samples were collected from six sites in the Great Lakes basin during 1996-2018 within the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network (IADN). In general, pyrogenic sources, including coal combustion and vehicular emissions, were the most important contributors to atmospheric profiles, in particular at the urban sites. Diesel emissions accounted for a larger portion of the traffic-originated PAHs than gasoline emissions at all sites, but this compositional pattern was less obvious at the urban sites. Temporal analyses for DRs revealed that the relative contribution of petrogenic sources and volatilization from surfaces has been increasing gradually, and that the gaps in PAH emissions between diesel- and gasoline-engines appeared to be further amplified in recent years. Coal combustion and non-pyrogenic emissions were the main PAH sources for winter and summer air, respectively, but none of the DRs responded to these changes. DRs were generally different between vapor and particle phases. Our findings shed light on spatial and temporal trends of PAH DRs and PAH source characterization in the Great Lakes basin. Additionally, this study confirmed the usefulness of DRs, especially when combined with the PMF analysis, while also highlighting the limitation of multiple DRs.
Pedigree-Based Gene Mapping Supports Previous Loci and Reveals Novel Suggestive Loci in Specific Language Impairment

Purpose Specific language impairment (SLI) is characterized by a delay in language acquisition despite a lack of other developmental delays or hearing loss. Genetics of SLI is poorly understood. Th...
Institutional investment and corporate social performance: aggregated time-Series evidence from an emerging economy

In this study, we examined the hypothesis that higher corporate social performance results in higher institutional investment for firms in emerging economies like Bangladesh. Aggregated data of eig...
The financial burden of PARP inhibitors on patients, payors, and financial assistance programs: Who bears the cost?

Abstract Objectives Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors are expensive and their use is expanding. We aimed to evaluate cost sharing patterns between patients, payors, and financial assistance programs. Methods We identified ovarian cancer patients prescribed a PARP inhibitor from 5/2015–9/2019 using our pharmacy database. Cost information was collected for patients who filled their prescription at our specialty pharmacy. We calculated descriptive statistics for monthly PARP inhibitor costs for patients, payors, and financial assistance programs. We used Wilcoxon rank sum tests to evaluate monthly costs based on insurance characteristics. Results Seventy-six patients filled 94 different PARP inhibitor prescriptions with 42 (45%) prescriptions obtained using any type of financial assistance program. We analyzed 232 prescription months for the 41 prescriptions with available cost data. This included 18 (44%) prescriptions for rucaparib, 18 (44%) for niraparib, and 5 (12%) for olaparib. The total monthly drug cost was average $12,422 and median $13,700. The monthly out-of-pocket (OOP) cost for patients was average $46 and median $0 (IQR $0–4). Payors had the highest monthly costs with average $12,019 and median $13,662 (IQR $9914-14,709). Financial assistance programs contributed average $358 and median $0 per month (IQR $0–150). Patients with public (p Conclusions OOP costs were generally low with 75% of patients paying
Error Estimation of the Measured Time Delay using Wideband Autocorrelation Radiometry

Wideband autocorrelation radiometry (WiBAR) is a newly developed microwave radiometric technique to remotely and directly measure the microwave propagation time difference of multipath microwave emission from low-loss layered surfaces, such as a dry snowpack and a freshwater lake icepack. The microwave propagation time difference through the pack yields a measure of its vertical extent. A major source of error in the measured thickness of the pack is due to the error in the measured time delay by WiBAR using the inverse Fourier Transform (IFFT) approach, which is an unbiased estimator of frequency. Using the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) on the variance of the estimator, it is shown that the variance of the estimated time delay would reach this minimum variance for signal to noise ratios (SNRs) higher than a threshold value, which depends on the detection scenario (lake icepack or snowpack), the window function, and the incident angle. It is also shown that the variance of the measured thickness is very high near the Brewster angle, as expected.
Content Moderation as Surveillance

Technology platforms are the new governments, and content moderation is the new law, or so goes a common refrain. And as platforms increasingly turn toward new, automated mechanisms of enforcing their rules, the apparent power of the private sector seems only to grow. Yet beneath the surface lies a web of complex relationships between public and private authorities that call into question whether platforms truly possess such unilateral power. Law enforcement and police are exerting influence over platform content rules, giving governments a louder voice in supposedly “private” decisions. At the same time, law enforcement avails itself of the affordances of social media in detecting, investigating, and preventing crime. This Article, prepared for a symposium dedicated to Joel Reidenberg’s germinal article Lex Informatica, untangles the relationship between content moderation and surveillance. Building on Reidenberg’s fundamental insights regarding the relationships between rules imposed by legal regimes and those imposed by technological design, the Article first traces how content moderation rules intersect with law enforcement, including through formal demands for information, informal relationships between platforms and law enforcement agencies, and the impact of end-to-end encryption. Second, it critically assesses the degree to which government involvement in content moderation actually tempers platform power. Rather than effective oversight and checking of private power, it contends, the emergent arrangements between platforms and law enforcement institutions foster mutual embeddedness and the entrenchment of private authority within public governance.
Methane pyrolysis in low-cost, alkali-halide molten salts at high temperatures

Molten salts have received renewed attention as potential reaction media for methane pyrolysis, in which CO2-free hydrogen gas can be produced and the solid carbon can be continuously removed and then stored or utilized. Compared to solid catalysts, there is a lack of fundamental understanding of the methane transformation processes in liquid environments which could inhibit progress to industrializing a low-cost commercial process. In this work, we have investigated methane pyrolysis in alkali-halide molten salts (i.e., NaCl, NaBr, KCl, and KBr) that are industrially attractive due to their low cost, high temperature stability, and non-toxicity. We measured first-order effective activation energies in differential bubble column reactors of ∼300 kJ mol−1 for methane pyrolysis in all molten salts, which is lower than the reported value for the homogeneous uncatalyzed reaction of ∼420 kJ mol−1. We also measured an effective activation energy of ∼230 kJ mol−1 for single CH4-D2 exchange, which is consistent with some solid metal oxide catalysts. Calculations using combined molecular dynamics and density functional theory support the experimental findings with a calculated energy barrier of ∼3.29 eV (or ∼317 kJ mol−1) on a molten KCl surface. The initial reaction rates may be sufficient for an industrial reactor; however, at high conversion, the hydrogen dependent reverse reaction limits single-pass conversion. We also find that the accumulated solid carbon is ‘wetted’ into the liquid salt medium and does not have significant contact with the gas phase or affect methane decomposition rates. The solid phase products are composed of both amorphous and graphitic carbon domains with no long-range ordering. We find that significant salt residue is retained on the carbon removed from the reactor which is inadequately removed by water washing. Only high temperature heat treatments were effective at cleaning the residual salt from the carbon, presumably due to selective evaporation of the salt.
Stranger Danger: A meta-analysis of the dear enemy hypothesis.

The dear enemy hypothesis predicts that territorial individuals will be less aggressive toward known neighbors than to strangers. This hypothesis has been well studied and there is a wealth of data demonstrating its prevalence in some taxa. However, a quantitative synthesis is needed to test the generality of the phenomenon, identify key mechanisms driving the behavior, and guide future research. In this study, we conduct a meta-analysis and, we test the importance of the location of intrusion, the type of experiment conducted (field, laboratory, or neutral arenas), and the sex and breeding status of territory holders, on the occurrence of dear enemy behavior. We also test how various ecological and life history traits, such as territory type, stimulus of intrusion, and taxonomic group, affect the magnitude of dear enemy behavior. We find that this phenomenon is common and that taxonomic class and breeding status are correlated with the expression of dear enemy behaviors. Further, we found that the way authors measure aggression influences the likelihood of identifying dear enemy responses, and thus we discuss potential pitfalls of dear enemy studies. Overall, our results strongly suggest that the cost-benefit ratio of territorial defense is a large driver of dear enemy behaviors. Considering this conclusion, we discuss future lines of inquiry that could more directly examine the mechanisms of the dear enemy phenomenon.
Effects of squats accompanied by hip joint adduction on the selective activity of the vastus medialis oblique.

[Purpose] This study evaluated the effective selective activation method of the vastus medialis oblique for knee joint stabilization in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. [Subjects and Methods] Fifteen healthy college students (9 males, 6 females); mean age, height, and weight: 22.2 years, 167.8 cm, and 61.4 kg, respectively) participated. The knee angle was held at 60°. Muscle activities were measured once each during an ordinary squat and a squat accompanied by hip joint adduction. The muscle activities of the vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis were measured by electromyography for five seconds while maintaining 60° knee flexion. Electromyography signals were obtained at a sampling rate of 1,000 Hz and band pass filtering at 20–50 Hz. The obtained raw root mean square was divided by the maximal voluntary isometric contraction and expressed as a percentage. The selective activity of the vastus medialis oblique was assessed according to the muscle activity ratio of the vastus medialis oblique to the vastus lateralis. [Results] The activity ratio of the vastus medialis oblique was higher during a squat with hip joint adduction than without. [Conclusion] A squat accompanied by hip joint adduction is effective for the selective activation of the vastus medialis oblique.
Stereotypes of U.S. Immigrants from Four Global Regions

Objective. ThisstudyexploresvariationinstereotypesofU.S.immigrantsfromLatin America, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Method. We exploit a split-ballot design in two waves of the Ohio Poll to test hypotheses about effects of contextual and respondent-levelcharacteristicsonimmigrantstereotypes. Results. Respondentsgenerally rated Asian immigrants most positively and Latin American immigrants most negatively,withEuropeanandMiddleEasternimmigrantsoccupyinganintermediate position. Findings from regression analyses indicate little direct effect of county-level percent foreign born or media consumption. The strongest effects observed were income on stereotypes of Middle Eastern and Asian immigrants and concerns about the problem of unauthorized immigration on stereotypes of Latin American and Middle Eastern immigrants. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that views about the characteristics of certain groups of immigrants are strongly linked to national-level debates about unauthorized immigration. —
Adaptive Optimizing Compilers for the 21st Century

Historically, compilers have operated by applying a fixed set of optimizations in a predetermined order. We call such an ordered list of optimizations a compilation sequence. This paper describes a prototype system that uses biased random search to discover a program-specific compilation sequence that minimizes an explicit, external objective function. The result is a compiler framework that adapts its behavior to the application being compiled, to the pool of available transformations, to the objective function, and to the target machine. This paper describes experiments that attempt to characterize the space that the adaptive compiler must search. The preliminary results suggest that optimal solutions are rare and that local minima are frequent. If this holds true, biased random searches, such as a genetic algorithm, should find good solutions more quickly than simpler strategies, such as hill climbing.
Human Hypoxanthine-Guanine Phosphoribosyltransferase PURIFICATION AND SUBUNIT STRUCTURE

Abstract Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.8) has been purified to homogeneity from human erythrocytes obtained from one male donor. The normal human enzyme has a Stokes radius of 36 A with a molecular weight of 68,000 and is composed of two subunits which have identical molecular weight and net charge. Three isoenzymes were reproducibly distinguished by preparative isoelectric focusing. This electrophoretic heterogeneity appears to result from a nongenetic, post-transcriptional alteration of one or both subunits.
5.7 Epiphytic Growth and Survival

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses epiphytic growth and survival. Epiphytes are those cells that can be washed from plants in a given time period (Hirano and Upper, 1983). Therefore, most studies of epiphytic bacteria quantify those cells that can be dislodged from leaves suspended in buffer by either washing (agitation) or sonication. Sonication is often employed as an alternative to washing of cells from leaves since it is quicker and potentially less variable. Leaves are immersed in buffer as in washing procedures but the tubes or flasks are then placed in a standard ultrasonic cleaning bath for 5–7min. Further, the chapter discusses measuring growth and survival. A common objective when measuring bacterial growth and survival on leaves, is to compare the behavior of two or more strains. Although differences in the population size after growth or survival under various conditions can be used to compare their fitness, measurement of changes in the ratios of strains applied as a mixture to plants is a much more powerful method of distinguishing behavioral differences.
An Experimental Model for Closed Head Impact Injury

A series of blunt head impacts has been performed on stationary unembalmed human cadavers. The specimens were prepared to simulate realistic fluid pressures within the cerebrospinal fluid space and cerebral blood vessels. Translational acceleration-time histories of the head were recorded by biaxial accelerometers attached to the skull. Peak resultant head accelerations in excess of 3,000 m/s**2 and pulse durations of 5 ms. or less were observed in a series of 10 experiments. The cerebral vascular system, careful gross and microscopic pathologic studies of the cranial soft tissues were performed to assess vascular hemorrhage as represented by extravasation of tracer solution into the brain tissue. Data is presented describing the input forcing function, resultant head acceleration, and detailed necropsy findings.
The Organization and Implementation of Relationship Management

The relationship management approach to public relations has much to offer practitioners in the health field. Public relations practitioners operate in an increasingly complex environment, and a relational approach provides professionals with a method of managing organization-public relationships in a coordinated manner to help health organizations achieve their goals. In addition, the adoption of a relational approach will allow public relations practitioners to work more closely with their marketing counterparts, who are increasingly using relational approaches in their jobs.
Nonlinear Dynamics of Instabilities in Line-Driven Stellar Winds

We have been developing a numerical radiation- hydrodynamics program in order to study the nonlinear evolution of instabilities in line-driven winds from luminous, early- type stars. The present, preliminary version of this program assumes a l-D, spherically symmetric, isothermal stellar wind that is driven radially outward through absorption of a point source of continuum radiation by a fixed ensemble of isolated, pure-absorption lines. Initial tests of the code indicate that the velocity structure of nonlinear pulses in such a wind may be quite different than assumed in previous analyses. For example, the numerically computed structures show much steeper rarefaction and much more gradual compression than the sawtooth periodic shock structures previously assumed by Lucy. If these preliminary results are confirmed by further computations and analysis, they would have important implications for interpreting radio, ultraviolet, and x-ray observations that are thought to be associated with instabilities in hot star winds.
The Übercruncher: concept formation by analogy discovery

Concept formation allows for knowledge transfer, generalization, and compact representation. Concepts are useful for the creation of a generally intelligent autonomous agent. If an autonomous agent is experiencing a changing world, then nearly every experience it has will be unique in that it will have at least slight differences from other experiences. Concepts allow an agent to generalize experiences and other data. In some applications, the concepts that an agent uses are explicitly provided by a human programmer. A problem with this approach is that the agent encounters difficulties when it faces situations that the programmer had not anticipated. For this reason, it would be useful for the agent to automatically form concepts in an unsupervised setting. The agent should be able to depend as little as possible on representations tailored by humans, and therefore it should develop its own representations from raw uninterpreted data. I propose to develop an algorithm which will use unsupervised analogy discovery to create a conceptual structure (also known as an ontology) that’s useful for concisely characterizing data. One purpose of concept formation (and abstraction in general) is to concisely characterize a set of data (Wolff 2003). With this view, one can use minimum description length as a guiding principle for concept formation. I propose to use this principle to form an ontology of concepts from a collection of data. The data is a set or a stream of statements, where each statement is an ordered set of symbols. These symbols have no meaning for the program other than they’re considered to be ground statements. For example, these symbols can be raw sensor data, or raw descriptions of chess games. My hypothesis is that this algorithm will serve as a general unsupervised learning system that requires no domain knowledge or human programmed representations aside from encoding the data as a set of ordered sets of symbols. This means that this algorithm should produce useful concepts whether the data is from robot sensors, a description of a board game, or a simulation of automobile traffic. However, since the algorithm will be “bootstrapping” its representations from data, the data should be cheap and plentiful. In particular, there should be sufficient data for any useful patterns to be manifested. Since my method uses the same representation framework for raw data as it does for higher
Abstract 15723: Vagus Nerve Stimulation Reduces Mean Arterial Pressure Through Structural and Electrical Remodeling of the Heart in Dahl Salt-Sensitive Rat Hypertension Model

Hypertension (HTN) is one of the strongest risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, which leads to ventricular hypertrophy, systolic and diastolic dysfunctions. There is a clear need for novel and effective techniques to treat HTN and HTN-induced heart diseases, which are closely linked to autonomic nervous system imbalance. Here, we aimed to evaluate the use of intermittent vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) as a novel therapy for the treatment of HTN. HTN was induced in 6 Dahl salt-sensitive rats after 6 weeks of high salt diet (8% NaCl). Rats were implanted with the pressure monitoring transmitters and either active (VNS, n=3) or non-functional (Sham, n=3) VNS stimulators. Intermittent VNS was activated at week 7, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) was monitored for 4 more weeks. Optical mapping was performed in isolated rat hearts, and action potential durations (APD), intra-ventricular heterogeneity of APD (μ) and conduction velocity (CV) were measured at different pacing cycle lengths (CL) both in right (RV) and left ventricles (LV) (data are shown for CL = 200 ms). HTN was successfully induced in rats as the MAP was significantly increased from week 1 to week 6 (107 ± 0.8 vs 171 ± 9.2 mmHg, p The tibial length normalized to heart weight ratio was reduced in VNS (0.33 ± 0.02 g/cm) in comparison to Sham rats (0.40 ± 0.01 g/cm, p Optical mapping showed that, in VNS rats, APD was larger in LV (75 ± 1.1 ms) in comparison to RV (66 ± 2.5 ms, p Our data indicate that VNS reduces MAP in hypertensive rats and results in beneficial structural and electrical remodeling effects of the heart.
Quality of Life in the Elderly: Comparisons Between Nursing Home and Community Residents:

Quality of life of older persons is important as a consideration in medical decisions and as a clinical outcome measure. To compare quality of life between elderly nursing home and community residents, we interviewed 47 pairs of age- and sex-matched, nondemented nursing home and community persons. Global quality of life ratings were similar among nursing home and community residents, with ratings suggesting a self-perceived acceptable quality of life. Housing (the nursing home), finances, health, and interpersonal relationships were associated with global quality of life for nursing home residents; for community participants, health, disability, finances, anxiety, and interpersonal relationships were associated with quality of life. Results suggest that health care providers cannot assume that their older nursing home residents perceive their quality of life to be worse than other elderly persons and that some people report that nursing homes improve their quality of life.
Implementing Large-Scale Mobile Device Initiatives in Schools and Institutions

This chapter discusses factors to drive the explosive growth of mobile devices in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). Drawing upon these factors, the chapter examines the innovations of mobile devices adopted in the STEAM classroom and barriers experienced by educators in the process of mobile technology integration. Built on the innovations and barriers of the use of mobile devices, the chapter continues to discuss what essential conditions are needed to ensure successful implementation of large-scale mobile device initiatives in STEAM. These factors, innovations, barriers, and conditions also position academic leaders and educators to rethink domain-related curriculum in STEAM and harness increasingly ubiquitous mobile technology in order to meet the needs of the 21st century.
Importance of housekeeping gene selection for accurate reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction in a wound healing model

Studies in the field of wound healing have utilized a variety of different housekeeping genes for reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis. However, nearly all of these studies assume that the selected normalization gene is stably expressed throughout the course of the repair process. The purpose of our current investigation was to identify the most stable housekeeping genes for studying gene expression in mouse wound healing using RT-qPCR. To identify which housekeeping genes are optimal for studying gene expression in wound healing, we examined all articles published in Wound Repair and Regeneration that cited RT-qPCR during the period of January/February 2008 until July/August 2009. We determined that ACTβ, GAPDH, 18S, and β2M were the most frequently used housekeeping genes in human, mouse, and pig studies. We also investigated nine commonly used housekeeping genes that are not generally used in wound healing models: GUS, TBP, RPLP2, ATP5B, SDHA, UBC, CANX, CYC1, and YWHAZ. We observed that wounded and unwounded tissues have contrasting housekeeping gene expression stability. The results demonstrate that commonly used housekeeping genes must be validated as accurate normalizing genes for each individual experimental condition.
Biases of CO2 storage in eddy flux measurements in a forest pertinent to vertical configurations of a profile system and CO2 density averaging

CO2 storage in a 30-minute period in a tall forest canopy often makes significant contributions to net ecosystem exchange (NEE) in the early morning and at night. When CO2 storage is properly measured and taken into account, underestimations of NEE on calm nights can be greatly reduced. Using CO2 data from a 12-level profile, we demonstrate that the lower canopy layer (below the thermal inversion) is a disproportional contributor to the total CO2 storage. This is because time derivative of CO2 density ( c/ t) generally shows increasing magnitude of mean and standard deviation with decreasing heights at night and from sunrise to 1000 hr in both growing and dormant seasons. Effects of resolution and configuration in a profiling system on the accuracy of CO2 storage estimation are evaluated by comparing subset profiles to the 12-level benchmark profile. It is demonstrated that the effectiveness of a profiling system in estimating CO2 storage is not only determined by its number of sampling levels but, more importantly, by its vertical configuration. To optimize a profile, one needs to balance the influence of two factors, c/ t and layer thickness, among all vertical sections within a forest. As a key contributor to themore » total CO2 storage, the lower canopy (with relatively large means and standard deviations of c/ t) requires a higher resolution in a profile system than the layers above. However, if the upper canopy is over-sparsely sampled relative to the lower canopy, the performance of a profile system might be degraded since, in such a situation, the influence of layer thickness dominates over that of c/ t. We also find that, because of different level of complexity in canopy structure, more sampling levels are necessary at our site in order to achieve the same level of accuracy as at a boreal aspen site. These results suggest that, in order to achieve an adequate accuracy in CO2 storage measurements, the number of sampling levels in a profile and its design should be subject to the site properties, e.g., canopy architecture and the resulted thermodynamic and flow structures. If CO2 density from a single profile is averaged in time and then used in assessing CO2 storage to make this measurement more spatially representative, biases associated with this averaging procedure become inevitable. Generally, larger window sizes used in averaging CO2 density generate poorer estimates of CO2 storage. If absolute errors are concerned, it appears that the more significant the CO2 storage is during a period (nighttime and early morning hours versus late morning and afternoon, peak growing season versus early growing season), the larger effects the averaging procedure has.« less
Teacher Candidates' Conceptualization of Guided Inquiry and Lesson Planning in Social Studies Following Web-Assisted Instruction

Abstract Web-assisted social studies instruction utilizing an online module over 4 weeks with weekly face-to-face discussion of each component was used with 245 elementary teacher candidates working in 35 cooperative groups to assist them in developing an understanding of guided inquiry in social studies as represented by the learning cycle model. Significant overall positive change was found on a two-tier test evaluating the depth of the candidates' understanding of this model of inductive teaching, with mixed results on individual sections of the test. Significant positive change was also found on pre-post lesson plan ratings of the candidates' ability to incorporate guided inquiry into their teaching plans.
Cholecystokinin does not produce bait shyness in rats

Abstract Four groups of rats were injected intraperitoneally with an extract containing cholecystokinin (CCK, 40 Ivy dog units/kg), the synthetic C-terminal octapeptide of CCK (40 units/kg), apomorphine HCl (6 mg/kg), or 0.15 M NaCl, each immediately following repeated exposures to a 0.1% saccharin solution. Neither CCK nor octapeptide produced a taste aversion, while apomorphine produced a marked and sustained aversion. These results indicate that the previously reported inhibition of feeding caused by exogenous CCK is not due to illness; they support the hypothesis that CCK is a satiety signal in the rat.
Drainability Characteristics of Granular Pavement Base Material

A study was undertaken to determine the drainability characteristics of several types of unbound granular materials that are used in pavement bases. From the literature, testing concerns were identified and analyzed. Hydraulic conductivity and effective porosity were determined for aggregates from two sources of crushed stone and two sources of gravel. For each material two open gradations were tested in a rigid wall permeameter. One dense gradation of each material, at two levels of compaction, was tested in a flexible wall permeameter as well. Efforts were made to reduce possible flow along the sides of the rigid wall permeameter and to eliminate problems with air bubbles. The average hydraulic conductivities for the open and dense-graded materials were 3.6 × 10\u-¹ and 3.0 × 10\u-\u4 cm/s (1,021 and 0.85 ft/d), respectively. The effective porosities for the open and dense-graded materials were 68 and 27% of the nominal porosities, respectively. Four regression equations representing a wide range of hydraulic conductivity were developed to estimate hydraulic conductivity based on the results of this study and others reported in the literature.
When Human Immunodeficiency Virus Meets Chemokines and Microglia: Neuroprotection or Neurodegeneration?

Chemokines are chemotactic cytokines that were originally discovered as promoters of leukocyte proliferation and mobility. In recent years, however, evidence has demonstrated constitutive expression of chemokines and chemokine receptors in a variety of cells in the central and peripheral nervous system and has proposed a role for chemokines in neurodegenerative diseases characterized by inflammation and microglia proliferation. In addition, chemokine receptors, and in particular CXCR4 and CCR5, mediate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) infection of immunocompetent cells as well as microglia. Subsequently, HIV, through a variety of mechanisms, promotes synapto-dendritic alterations and neuronal loss that ultimately lead to motor and cognitive impairments. These events are accompanied by microglia activation. Nevertheless, a microglia-mediated mechanism of neuronal degeneration alone cannot fully explain some of the pathological features of HIV infected brain such as synaptic simplification. In this article, we present evidence that some of the microglia responses to HIV are beneficial and neuroprotective. These include the ability of microglia to release anti-inflammatory cytokines, to remove dying cells and to promote axonal sprouting.
Electronic spreadsheets: Powerful and flexible educational tools

Abstract Electronic spreadsheets offer many opportunities for the accounting curriculum. They become vehicles for solving class exercises and problems and valuable aids for student learning of numerous accounting topics. They provide accounting students with the power of the computer while requiring them to use the traditional thought processes in understanding and solving accounting problems.
Stimulus uncertainty does not impair stereopsis

The effect of stimulus uncertainty on the stereoscopic resolution of letters was examined for two classes of letters: (1) letters presented stereoscopically as random-element stereograms, and (2) letters presented as two-dimensional physical contours. The variables of stimulus discriminability (stereoscopic vs. physical contours) and stimulus uncertainty (number of alternative letter targets) were combined factorially. Stereoscopically presented letters were more difficult to resolve, but stimulus uncertainty had the same effect for both stereoscopic and physically defined letters. The additivity of these two variables suggests that the perception of stereoscopic forms is an automatic process not impaired by uncertainty about the form to be resolved.