cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colloid Osmotic Pressure of Parenteral Nutrition Components and Intravenous Fluids

Objective:Parenteral nutrition is an important part of therapy for critically ill animals that cannot tolerate enteral feedings. It has been hypothesized that parenteral nutrition might also play a role in increasing colloid osmotic pressure (COP). The purpose of this study was to measure COP of various parenteral nutrition components and compare them to the COP of commonly used intravenous solutions. Design:Membrane colloid osmometry was used to measure the COP of parenteral nutrition components (lipids, Abstractamino acids, dextrose solutions) and of synthetic colloids, crystalloids, and blood products. Main Results:Parenteral nutrition components and all crystalloid solutions had COP measurements < 1 mm Hg. Great variation in COP was found in the different artificial colloids and blood products. The COP of the artificial colloids tested ranged from 32.7 ± 0.2 mm Hg for hetastarch to 61.7 ± 0.5 mm Hg for dextran 70. Conclusions:The results of this in vitro study suggest that parenteral nutrition does not directly contribute to an increase in oncotic pressure. Further studies are needed to determine whether parenteral nutrition may indirectly influence COP in vivo. Knowing the COP of a fluid, along with its other properties, is useful in making appropriate therapeutic decisions.
On the convergence and roots of order-statistics filters

We propose a comprehensive theory of the convergence and characterization of roots of order-statistics filters. Conditions for the convergence of iterations of order-statistics filters are proposed. Criteria for the morphological characterization of roots of order-statistics filters are also proposed. >
Suspect Mental Disorder and Police Use of Force

It has been suggested that the police tend to respond to the unusual behaviors of mentally disordered individuals with coercive tactics that should be reserved for criminal offenders, such as arrest. Although recent research tested, and rejected, this perspective regarding arrest decisions, the present study investigated the most coercive form of police authority, the use of force. Using officer self-report data from two municipal law enforcement agencies, the present study investigated whether mentally disordered suspects were more likely than nondisordered suspects to receive physical force from the police. The findings revealed that mentally disordered suspects were significantly more likely to act violently, resist the police, and possess a weapon. After these characteristics were controlled, mentally disordered suspects were not more likely than nondisordered suspects to receive physical force.
A transaction-based approach to vertical partitioning for relational database systems

An approach to vertical partitioning in relational databases in which the attributes of a relation are partitioned according to a set of transactions is proposed. The objective of vertical partitioning is to minimize the number of disk accesses in the system. Since transactions have more semantic meanings than attributes, this approach allows the optimization of the partitioning based on a selected set of important transactions. An optimal binary partitioning (OBP) algorithm based on the branch and bound method is presented, with the worst case complexity of O(2/sup n/), where n is the number of transactions. To handle systems with a large number of transactions, an algorithm BPi with complexity varying from O(n) to O(2/sup n/) is also developed. The experimental results reveal that the performance of vertical partitioning is sensitive to the skewness of transaction accesses. Further, BPi converges rather rapidly to OBP. Both OBP and BPi yield results comparable with that of global optimum obtained from an exhaustive search. >
The Bargmann-Segal transform, SU(3) symmetry, and nuclear cluster norms☆

By combining the use of the Bargmann-Segal integral transform with SU(3) recoupling techniques a new method is developed for the calculation of matrix elements in a basis of cluster model wave functions. An analytic expression is derived for the norm of an ~ + heavy fragment "cluster" function. Norms in p and sd shell nuclei can be calculated by a simple formula involving a few tabulated coefficients and readily available SU(3) Racah coefficients. Specific tabulations are given for nuclei with 12 < A < 24.
VEGF increases permeability of the blood-brain barrier via a nitric oxide synthase/cGMP-dependent pathway

It appears that the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is increased during brain injury and thus may contribute to disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) during cerebrovas...
Integrating genomic homology into gene structure prediction

TWINSCAN is a new gene-structure prediction system that directly extends the probability model of GENSCAN, allowing it to exploit homology between two related genomes. Separate probability models are used for conservation in exons, introns, splice sites, and UTRs, reflecting the differences among their patterns of evolutionary conservation. TWINSCAN is specifically designed for the analysis of high-throughput genomic sequences containing an unknown number of genes. In experiments on high-throughput mouse sequences, using homologous sequences from the human genome, TWINSCAN shows notable improvement over GENSCAN in exon sensitivity and specificity and dramatic improvement in exact gene sensitivity and specificity. This improvement can be attributed entirely to modeling the patterns of evolutionary conservation in genomic sequence.
A unified approach to manipulator modeling

It is recognized that three different types of mechanisms are required to model a manipulator in most applications. Those are the serial-link, tree structured, and graph structured mechanisms. The model for each type of mechanism is presented in both the recursive and nonrecursive formulations utilizing the same notation throughout. The result is a modeling methodology which clearly shows the relationships between the models of the different types of mechanisms and formulations.
Fruit and vegetable intakes, C-reactive protein, and the metabolic syndrome

Background: Limited data on the relation between the risk of the metabolic syndrome and fruit and vegetable intakes and inflammatory marker concentrations are available. Objective: We evaluated the relation between fruit and vegetable intakes and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations and the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome. Design: Fruit and vegetable intakes were assessed with the use of a validated semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire in a cross-sectional study of 486 Tehrani female teachers aged 40-60 y. Anthropometric measurements were made and blood pressure was assessed according to standard methods. Fasting blood samples were taken for biochemical measurements. The metabolic syndrome was defined on the basis of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines. Results: The reported mean daily fruit and vegetable intakes were 228 ± 79 and 186 ± 88 g/d, respectively. Both fruit and vegetable intakes were inversely associated with plasma CRP concentrations. After statistical control for age, body mass index, and waist circumference, mean plasma CRP concentrations across increasing quintile categories of fruit intakes were 1.94, 1.79, 1.65, 1.61, and 1.56 mg/L and of vegetable intakes were 2.03, 1.82, 1.58, 1.52, and 1.47 mg/L (P for trend < 0.01 for both). These inverse associations remained significant after additional control for other potential confounding variables and dietary factors. After control for potential confounders, persons in the highest quintile of fruit intake had a 34% (95% CI: 20%, 46%) lower and those in the highest quintile of vegetables intake had a 30% (95% CI: 16%, 39%) lower chance of having the metabolic syndrome than did those in the lowest quintiles. Conclusions: Higher intakes of fruit and vegetables are associated with a lower risk of the metabolic syndrome; the lower risk may be the result of lower CRP concentrations. These findings support current dietary recommendations to increase daily intakes of fruit and vegetables as a primary preventive measure against cardiovascular disease.
Using Computer-Mediated Simulation To Improve Institutional Decision-Making

Abstract One of the core courses often found in a doctoral program in higher education is administration and organization. Traditional courses generally include weekly chalk-and-talk lectures in a classroom setting with the instructors enriching the course by sharing their administrative experience in higher education. A new approach was sought to provide students the opportunity to build upon their foundation in the areas of teamwork, conflict resolution, problem solving, decision-making, and critical thinking through group lectures, case studies, group projects, and expert lecture series. This article will examine the use of a computer-mediated simulation for the purpose of teaching higher education administration and organization. Virtual University (VU), a computer interactive software program, simulates the management of four different types of institutions of higher education. The simulator provides students with the opportunity to better understand colleges and universities as complex organizations, the interplay that occurs among variables, and the difficulties that institutional presidents and other administrators face. Today, technology has an impact on the decision-making process of higher education as well as the entire educational system. Students in all programs need an environment in which to manage multidimensional circumstances that require alternative solutions.
What Attracts Men Who Batter to Their Partners? An Exploratory Study

Men who batter, because of particular personality traits and sense of entitlement, may select partners whom they perceive will be dependent on them, meet their emotional needs, or be “objects” of physical attractiveness. During treatment intake, 181 offenders responded to the question, “What attracted you to her (your partner)?” We explored whether men who mentioned their own needs or her physical traits would engage in more frequent and severe violence and would have specific forms of personality disorder dimensions or personality traits. Six categories of attraction, including “her physical traits” and “his needs,” were derived from the men’s responses. The results showed that men who focused on their partners’ physical attractiveness were more likely to be violent after treatment. Men who cited their own needs for their attraction had higher scores on borderline personality, alcohol abuse, and psychotic thinking and lower scores on compulsive-conforming.
Bi-2212 Structured Cable for High-Field Solenoid Inserts

A structured cable has been developed and tested for use in insert windings for high-field solenoids. The cable utilizes a design developed earlier, in which six strands of multi-filament Bi-2212/Ag round wire are cabled around a thin-wall spring tube and jacketed in a high-strength Inconel sheath. The cable provides stress management within each winding so that coil stress cannot degrade the fragile superconducting filaments. The cable-based coil accommodates inward pre-load, giving the potential for twice the achievable field increment per shell. Prototype lengths of cable have been prepared and a heat treatment schedule has been optimized. Test results are presented for the performance of small test windings.
The kinematics of falling maple seeds and the initial transition to a helical motion

A maple seed falls in a characteristic helical motion. A crude analogy with autorotation of a wind turbine suggests that the torque due to the aerodynamic force would initiate the gyration of the seed. We were therefore surprised that a seed with a torn wing gyrates in a similar manner as a full-winged seed. In fact, a seed with only a sliver of leading edge can still gyrate. Thus the gyrating motion appears not to fully depend on the aerodynamic force. If, on the other hand, the aerodynamic force is completely absent, a seed would fall from rest like a rock in a vacuum. To investigate how the seed reaches its steady helical motion, we use a high-speed digital camera to film the intact and cut seeds at 1000 Hz. With a mirror, the camera records two views simultaneously so that we can extract the 3D kinematics of the wing. We tracked the centre of mass and quantified the descending speed, the azimuthal rotation, and the cone angle for seeds with wings of different shapes. We found that the initial transition from rest to a steady gyration occurs in three steps: a tumble about the span-wise direction, followed by a tilt towards the vertical axis, leading to the gyration about the vertical axis and an opening of the cone angle before settling into a steady state. We offer a new explanation for the cause of the auto-gyration that accounts for these three stages.
Present-day concepts in the management of sarcomas in children.

AbstractPrimary malignant solid tumors outside the central nervous system occur in fewer than 2/100,000 cases annually in children and young adults under the age of 21 years (1). Despite a steady improvement in survival of children with cancer over the past two decades, most significantly in Wilms' tumor, Hodgkin's disease, and leukemia, only modest improvement has been achieved in children with sarcomas.
In The Wake of Ake: The Ethics of Expert Testimony in an Advocate's World

The decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Ake v. Oklahoma redefined the role of psychiatrists as experts in criminal cases. In addition to the expert's serving as evaluator and witness, the Court stressed the importance of the defense having a psychiatrist available to act as a consultant in the preparation and presentation of its case. This broader conception of the expert's role has raised ethical questions among psychiatrists, many of whom are concerned that their impartiality may be compromised. A careful analysis of Ake , however, demonstrates that substantial differences remain between the roles of consultant and advocate. Subtle pressures on impartial functioning will be increased, but they will not differ in kind from those operative before the decision. Several ethical issues related to the consultative role are considered and possible means of dealing with them addressed.
Auxiliary asymmetric dual-user shared control method for teleoperation

Inspired by dual-user shared control method, a kind of auxiliary asymmetric shared control method for teleoperation is proposed in this paper. Firstly, we model the architecture for asymmetric shared control method, which contains three dominance factors with more flexibility and better transparency. In addition, we conclude some properties for asymmetric shared control architecture by defining some kinesthetic performance functions and present system stability conditions. Then we found a special dual-user operation scene—master 1 controls the slave robot alone and master 2 provides protection for master 1's operation. An auxiliary asymmetric shared control method is build considering the distance and velocity difference limits of the masters and adaptive dominance factors. In the end, two simulations are taken to certify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The simulation results show that though the force generated by protection actions influence the system transparency when the slave works in warning operation area, the auxiliary method has little influence to system kinesthetic performance.
Observations and modeling of the ionospheric gravity and diamagnetic current systems from CHAMP and Swarm measurements

The CHAMP and Swarm satellites, which provide high-quality magnetic field measurements in low-altitude polar orbits, are ideally suited for investigating ionospheric current systems. In this study, we focus on the F region low-latitude gravity and diamagnetic currents which are prominent in the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) region in the North and South Hemisphere. During its 10 year mission, CHAMP has sampled nearly the entire altitude range of the EIA, offering the opportunity to study these currents from above, inside, and below their source region. The Swarm constellation offers the unique opportunity to study near-simultaneous measurements of the current systems at different longitudinal separations. In this study, we present new observations of these current systems, investigate their seasonal and local time dependence, investigate the use of in situ electron density measurements as a proxy for the magnetic perturbations, and compute the longitudinal self correlation of these currents. We find that these currents are strongest during spring and fall, produce nighttime magnetic fields at satellite altitude of up to 5–7 nT during solar maximum, 2–3 nT during solar minimum, and are highly correlated with in situ electron density measurements. We also find these currents are self-correlated above 70% up to 15° longitude in both hemispheres during the evening.
Regulation of energy expenditure by estradiol in premenopausal women

Suppressing sex hormones in women for 1 wk reduces resting energy expenditure (REE). The effects of more chronic suppression on REE and other components of total energy expenditure (TEE), and whether the reduction in REE is specifically due to loss of estradiol (E2), are not known. We compared the effects of 5 mo of sex hormone suppression (gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist therapy, GnRHAG) with placebo (PL) or E2 add-back therapy on REE and the components of TEE. Premenopausal women received GnRHAG (leuprolide acetate 3.75 mg/mo) and were randomized to receive transdermal therapy that was either E2 (0.075 mg/d; n = 24; means ± SD, aged = 37 ± 8 yr, BMI = 27.3 ± 6.2 kg/m(2)) or placebo (n = 21; aged = 34 ± 9 yr, BMI = 26.8 ± 6.2 kg/m(2)). REE was measured by using a metabolic cart, and TEE, sleep EE (SEE), exercise EE (ExEE, 2 × 30 min bench stepping), non-Ex EE (NExEE), and the thermic effect of feeding (TEF) were measured by using whole room indirect calorimetry. REE decreased in GnRHAG+PL [mean (95% CI), -54 (-98, -15) kcal/d], but not GnRHAG+E2 [+6 (-33, +45) kcal/d] (difference in between-group changes, P < 0.05). TEE decreased in GnRHAG+PL [-128 (-214, -41) kcal/d] and GnRHAG+E2 [-96 (-159, -32) kcal/d], with no significant difference in between-group changes (P = 0.55). SEE decreased similarly in both GnRHAG+PL [-0.07 (-0.12, -0.03) kcal/min] and GnRHAG+E2 [-0.07 (-0.12, -0.02) kcal/min]. ExEE decreased in GnRHAG+PL [-0.46 (-0.79, -0.13) kcal/min], but not GnRHAG+E2 [-0.30 (-0.65, +0.06) kcal/min]. There were no changes in TEF or NExEE in either group. In summary, chronic pharmacologic suppression of sex hormones reduced REE and this was prevented by E2 therapy.
Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (IERQ): Scale Development and Psychometric Characteristics.

Despite the popularity of emotion regulation in the contemporary literature, research has almost exclusively focused on intrapersonal processes, whereas much less attention has been placed on interpersonal emotion regulation processes. In order to encourage research on interpersonal emotion regulation, we present a series of four studies to develop the Interpersonal Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (IERQ). The final scale consists of 20 items with 4 factors containing five items each. The four factors are: Enhancing Positive Affect; Perspective Taking; Soothing; and Social Modeling. The scale shows excellent psychometric characteristics. Implications for future research are discussed.
Design and implementation of oracle-bone-script input system based on directed stroke

This paper proposed a new method to describe oracle-bone-script based on the combination of directed stroke and strokes,which aimed at solving the difficulties in input,quantification and jell of oracle-bone-script.Firstly,the oracle-bone-script strokes were classified and analyzed,then the composition of the directed stroke was determined according to the stroke,and an algorithm of the system to describe oracle-bone-script by directed stroke was formed.The input platform for oracle-bone-script was constructured.Users could input oracle-bone-script especially in variant forms or didnot identify oracle-bone-script through designing human-computer instruction.The experimental results prove that this input method can standardize the font,increase and decrease oracle-bone-script library,and freely modify glyphs.
Influence of source and level of ruminal-escape lipid in supplements on forage intake, digestibility, digesta flow, and fermentation characteristics in beef cattle.

Six ruminally fistulated steers (550 kg) and 24 heifers (315 kg) were used to determine the effect of source and amount of ruminal-escape lipid in a supplement on forage intake and digestion. Steers were used in a 6 x 6 Latin square digestion study to evaluate six supplementation treatments: 1) negative control (NC), no supplement; 2) positive control (PC), soybean meal:grain sorghum supplement; 3) low-Megalac (calcium salts of fatty acids; LM) supplement; 4) high-Megalac (HM) supplement; 5) low-Alifet (crystallized natural animal fat, LA) supplement; and 6) high-Alifet (HA) supplement. Supplements were fed at .30% of BW on a DM basis and were isoenergetic within fat levels (high vs low). Steers were fed mature brome hay (7.2% CP) at 1.5% of BW on a DM basis. In the forage intake trial, heifers were assigned randomly to the same supplement treatments. Prairie hay (4.4% CP) was offered at 130% of ad libitum intake. Dry matter and NDF digestibility, ruminal DM fill, indigestible ADF passage rate, and fluid dilution and flow rates were not different (P greater than .10) among treatments. Total VFA concentrations were greater (P less than .01) and acetate-to-propionate ratio (Ac:Pr) was less (P less than .01) in supplemented groups; however, neither source nor level of escape lipid influenced either total VFA or Ac:Pr. Forage intake was greater (P less than .01) for supplemented groups than for the NC. At the high level of fat inclusion, heifers supplemented with Alifet ate slightly more (P less than .05) forage than those supplemented with Megalac.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
High-Technology Industrial Capitalism as a New Mode of Production

We are theorizing that industrial capitalism has evolved to a new level of productive capacity, and that the structure of the forces of production are so different from the old-fashioned smoke-stack factory system as to have engendered a whole new set of social relations. In Marxian terms, a new mode of production has evolved (but not the one that Marx had envisioned, of course).
Aging of Intestinal Stem Cells in Drosophila Melanogaster

Drosophila m. has a long history of major contributions to basic biology and biomedical research. Not surprisingly, the recent identification of several multipotent stem cell populations in the Drosophila fly digestive tract has generated an immense enthusiasm in the research community. This experimental model provides a unique opportunity to study adult somatic stem cells, using the power of fly genetics. Over the past few years, research in this field has focused on the characterization of the signaling pathways and mechanisms that control stem cell function and tissue repair in the intestine. Importantly, the rapid aging and short lifespan of Drosophila make this model ideal to investigate the impact of aging on stem cell populations and test the contribution of somatic stem cells to normal healthspan and lifespan. This chapter presents recent findings that elucidate the mechanisms causing age-related loss of tissue homeostasis in the fly intestine, as well as strategies of stem cell-specific genetic manipulation that significantly impact physiology in aging animals and can extend lifespan.
An effective strategy for initializing the EM algorithm in finite mixture models

Finite mixture models represent one of the most popular tools for modeling heterogeneous data. The traditional approach for parameter estimation is based on maximizing the likelihood function. Direct optimization is often troublesome due to the complex likelihood structure. The expectation---maximization algorithm proves to be an effective remedy that alleviates this issue. The solution obtained by this procedure is entirely driven by the choice of starting parameter values. This highlights the importance of an effective initialization strategy. Despite efforts undertaken in this area, there is no uniform winner found and practitioners tend to ignore the issue, often finding misleading or erroneous results. In this paper, we propose a simple yet effective tool for initializing the expectation---maximization algorithm in the mixture modeling setting. The idea is based on model averaging and proves to be efficient in detecting correct solutions even in those cases when competitors perform poorly. The utility of the proposed methodology is shown through comprehensive simulation study and applied to a well-known classification dataset with good results.
Scope of the Pain Problem

This chapter presents an overview on the significance of chronic pain within the population and presents the basic rationale for using opioid medications as treatment. During the course of the discussion, definitions of chronic pain and associated phenomena are explained and reinforced, as well as exploring the various risk factors, prevalence, and economic burden resulting from chronic pain states. The basic anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the pain pathways are introduced to lay the foundation for understanding the analgesic effects of opioid medications. Concepts including opioid tolerance and addiction are defined and outlined. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the current trends and pitfalls in utilizing opioids, while trying to optimize their role in the treatment for chronic pain states.
Space, Place, Time, and (Re)Invasion of Tsetse in Kenya

African Trypanosomiasis (AT), more commonly known as sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in livestock, is a zoonotic, parasitic infection whose causative agents (parasites of the Trypanosoma brucei species complex) are transmitted by bite of the tsetse fly. Approximately 8.5 million km 2 in 36 Sub-Saharan Africa countries are infested with tsetse, resulting in approximately 70 million people with exposure risk. The disease is also considered one of the most important economically debilitating diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, with African Animal Trypanosomiasis reducing livestock productivity by 20–40% in tsetse areas. If not treated, African Trypanosomiasis is fatal. In this article, we explore a specific tsetse reinvasion scenario building a story of the spatio-temporal dynamics of a G . swynnertoni invasion into Kenya from neighboring Tanzania as mediated by ecology and climate change. Using the ATcast modeling framework and a time series of remotely sensed data, we demonstrate the inevitability of reinvasion into areas that border existing unmanaged tsetse zones.
Using proxies to describe the metropolitan freight landscape

Metropolitan areas around the world are seeking to better manage freight flows and reduce negative impacts on local populations. A major challenge to better urban freight management is the lack of ...
Career Cartography: From Stories to Science and Scholarship

Purpose To present four case scenarios reflecting the process of research career development using career cartography. Organizing constructs Career cartography is a novel approach that enables nurses, from all clinical and academic settings, to actively engage in a process that maximizes their clinical, teaching, research, and policy contributions that can improve patient outcomes and the health of the public. Methods Four early-career nurse researchers applied the career cartography framework to describe their iterative process of research career development. They report the development process of each of the components of career cartography, including destination statement, career map, and policy statement. Conclusions Despite diverse research interests and career mapping approaches, common experiences emerged from the four nurse researchers. Common lessons learned throughout the career cartography process include: (a) have a supportive mentorship team, (b) start early and reflect regularly, (c) be brief and to the point, (d) keep it simple and avoid jargon, (e) be open to change, (f) make time, and (g) focus on the overall career destination. Clinical relevance These four case scenarios support the need for nurse researchers to develop their individual career cartography. Regardless of their background, career cartography can help nurse researchers articulate their meaningful contributions to science, policy, and health of the public.
Simple and fast novel diversification approach for the UBQP based on sequential improvement local search

A combinatorial optimization that includes many linear and quadratic 01 problems is addressed.A new diversification based on sequencing problems adapted for 01 optimization is presented.The diversification combined with multi-start strategy is implemented within a simple tabu search.The above approach creates 4 heuristic strategies.Extensive computational experience on benchmark problems for the 4 strategies are presented. The unconstrained binary quadratic program (UBQP) is a challenging NP-hard problem. Due to its vast applicability and the theoretical interests it has grown in importance in the recent years. Various heuristics have been proposed as solution procedures. Most of the heuristics are based on local improvement procedures. To be able to reach optimal or near optimal solutions, researchers have implemented multistart and diversification strategies to explore a larger solution space. Diversification strategies in the literature concentrate on some manipulation of solutions (variables). In this paper, relationship between starting solution, the sequence of implementing local search, and the locally optimal solution x is explored. A novel diversification approach based on the sequence to implement the local improvement is proposed. We implemented four versions of our diversification procedures within a simple tabu search and tested on several benchmark problems available on the Internet. Our extensive computational results show that the procedures can reach the best known solutions with high frequencies within very short CPU time. For 123 out of 125 of these problems the procedures reached the best known solutions quickly. For 44 of the 84 Max-Cut benchmark problems the procedures improved upon the available solutions in reasonably short CPU time.
Border crossing: the impact of cross-cultural, experiences on teacher candidates’. View of multiculturalism in the classroom

This paper will explore short-term cross cultural experiences in which undergraduate teacher candidates attending a Southwest Florida higher education institution are challenged to reflect on educational and social justice issues impacting culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) populations. One experience occurs during the initial semester of the program and one, as a culminating experience, during their last semester. Initially, teacher candidates engage in research to explore the socio-cultural and the educational environment of a CLD student and family. In the final culminating experience, teacher candidates have the opportunity to travel, live and teach in another country incorporating their learned pedagogical practices into the curriculum of another culture. Using data and voices of teacher candidates, this paper will report on the impact of these experiences on both candidates and their professors. Results chronicle the power of cross-cultural xperiences to challenge long-held beliefs about “the other”, help teacher candidates recognize the cognitive and affective changes involved in the cross-cultural experience, and to support candidates’ development of intercultural knowledge. Keywords: Cross-cultural experiences, teacher candidates, sociocultural relationships. RESUMEN Este articulo explorara las experiencias interculturales a corto plazo en las que los candidatos de maestros de pregrado que asisten a una institucion de educacion superior de Southwest Florida tienen el desafio de reflexionar sobre temas educativos y de justicia social que afectan a poblaciones culturalmente y linguisticamente diversas (CLD). Una experiencia ocurre durante el semestre inicial del programa y una, como una experiencia culminante, durante su ultimo semestre. Inicialmente, los candidatos a docentes se dedican a la investigacion para explorar el ambiente sociocultural y educativo de un estudiante y familia de CLD. En la ultima experiencia culminante, los profesores candidatos tienen la oportunidad de viajar, vivir y ensenar en otro pais incorporando sus practicas pedagogicas aprendidas en el curriculo de otra cultura. Utilizando los datos y las voces de los candidatos a los profesores, este documento informara sobre el impacto de estas experiencias en los candidatos y sus profesores. Los resultados ponen de relieve el poder de las experiencias interculturales para desafiar las creencias de largo plazo sobre “el otro”, ayudar a los candidatos a docentes a reconocer los cambios cognitivos y afectivos involucrados en la experiencia intercultural y apoyar el desarrollo de los candidatos de conocimiento intercultural. Palabras clave: Experiencias interculturales, candidatos a docentes, relaciones socioculturales.
DNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASES FROM HIGHER PLANTS

ABSTRACT Higher plants are characterized by three classes of RNA polymerase similar to nuclear RNA polymerases I, II, and III described in animals and lower eukaryotes. While RNA polymerase I in plants is refractory to 2mg/ml of α-amani-tin, RNA polymerase II is 50% inhibited at 0.05 ug/ml, and RNA polymerase III is 50% inhibited at 1 to 2 mg/ml of the fungal toxin. The class III enzyme in plants appears to be 10 to 100X less sensitive to α-amaritin than the class III enzyme described in higher animals. The subunit structures of several plant RNA polymerases have been analyzed. During normal and auxin-induced growth transitions, RNA polymerase I activity is subject to rapid modulation.
Review of checkpoint immunotherapy for the management of non-small cell lung cancer

Checkpoint immunotherapy uses highly selective humanized monoclonal antibodies against checkpoint signals such as programmed cell death receptor (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand (PD-L1). By blocking these receptors and signals, the immune system can be reactivated to fight the tumor. Immunotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has resulted in a new paradigm of treatment options resulting in improved survival and response rates and has a less severe yet unique toxicity profile when compared to chemotherapy. PD-1 inhibitors, nivolumab and pembrolizumab, and PD-L1 inhibitor, atezolizumab, are currently approved by regulatory authorities for the treatment of advanced NSCLC. This article provides a detailed review of these newer agents, their mechanism of action, side-effect profile, therapeutic indications and current evidence supporting their use in the management of NSCLC.
Radon: A Leading Environmental Cause of Lung Cancer.

Protracted exposure to radon is the leading environmental cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Family physicians play a key role in informing patients about the health risks.
A test for the presence of stochastic ordering under censoring: the k-sample case

In this paper, we develop an empirical likelihood-based test for the presence of stochastic ordering under censoring in the k-sample case. The proposed test statistic is formed by taking the supremum of localized empirical likelihood ratio test statistics. Its asymptotic null distribution has a simple representation in terms of a standard Brownian motion process. Through simulations, we show that it outperforms in terms of power existing methods for the same problem at all the distributions that we consider. A real-life example is used to illustrate the applicability of this new test.
EGF receptor and PKCδ kinase activate DNA damage–induced pro-survival and pro-apoptotic signaling via biphasic activation of ERK and MSK1 kinases

DNA damage–mediated activation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) can regulate both cell survival and cell death. We show here that ERK activation in this context is biphasic and that early and late activation events are mediated by distinct upstream signals that drive cell survival and apoptosis, respectively. We identified the nuclear kinase mitogen-sensitive kinase 1 (MSK1) as a downstream target of both early and late ERK activation. We also observed that activation of ERK→MSK1 up to 4 h after DNA damage depends on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), as EGFR or mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK)/ERK inhibitors or short hairpin RNA–mediated MSK1 depletion enhanced cell death. This prosurvival response was partially mediated through enhanced DNA repair, as EGFR or MEK/ERK inhibitors delayed DNA damage resolution. In contrast, the second phase of ERK→MSK1 activation drove apoptosis and required protein kinase Cδ (PKCδ) but not EGFR. Genetic disruption of PKCδ reduced ERK activation in an in vivo irradiation model, as did short hairpin RNA–mediated depletion of PKCδ in vitro. In both models, PKCδ inhibition preferentially suppressed late activation of ERK. We have shown previously that nuclear localization of PKCδ is necessary and sufficient for apoptosis. Here we identified a nuclear PKCδ→ERK→MSK1 signaling module that regulates apoptosis. We also show that expression of nuclear PKCδ activates ERK and MSK1, that ERK activation is required for MSK1 activation, and that both ERK and MSK1 activation are required for apoptosis. Our findings suggest that location-specific activation by distinct upstream regulators may enable distinct functional outputs from common signaling pathways.
Rewriting UNITY

In this paper we describe the implementation of the UNITY formalism as an extension of general-purpose languages and show its translation to C abstract syntax using PHOBOS, our generic front-end in the Mojave compiler. PHOBOS uses term rewriting to define the syntax and semantics of programming languages, and automates their translation to an internal compiler representation. Furthermore, it provides access to formal reasoning capabilities using the integrated MetaPRL theorem prover, through which advanced optimizations and transformations can be implemented or formal proofs derived.
Comprehensive reuse of pyrolysis chars from coals for fabrication of highly insulating building materials

Abstract A comprehensive concept for coal conversion is proposed in this work, from which a series of products generated including light volatiles, liquid oils, and pyrolysis chars. The result indicates the optimal temperature for the pyrolysis from organic solvent extraction residue is between 700 °C to 900 °C, producing largest amount of liquid oils and giving rise to a chemically stable pyrolysis char sample with considerable BET specific surface area. The pyrolysis chars are then utilized as an alternative material for the fabrication of heat-insulating building material (char clay plaster-CCP, char brick-CB and foam glass-FA). Due to the inherent large specific surface area and ample pore channels, the water could be absorbed and stored in these pores, resulting in the effects of regulating indoor humidity and also low thermal conductivity. The char-based building material makes the exterior walls good breathing properties, able to maintain a proper humidity level. The building energy saving will be benefited from the excellent insulation property of these building products.
A Convex Relaxation for Model Predictive Control of a Class of Hammerstein Systems

This letter provides conditions under which a structured optimization problem has a convex relaxation. In this optimization problem, the objective function and constraints can be expressed as a function of an optimization variable and a nonlinear function of this variable. A natural application of this optimization problem is model predictive control of a system that has linear dynamics, but for which the input is a non-invertible nonlinear function of an input signal. An example of such a problem is provided in the application of advanced battery management.
Mobility and affect in the #deleteuber mo(ve)ment:

This study examines the material, spatial, and temporal implications of mobility discourses in the viral #deleteuber hashtag and the affective public that emerged in response to the Trump administr...
A RARE CASE OF SPONTANEOUS MITRAL VALVE PERFORATION

Mitral valve perforation is a rare and potentially fatal heart condition that causes mitral regurgitation. The most common cause for mitral valve perforation is infective endocarditis, but connective tissue disease, trauma to the chest, cardiac surgery, and eccentric aortic regurgitation are other
Perceived discrimination and alcohol-related problems among Hispanic college students: The protective role of serious harm reduction behaviors.

The present study investigated the use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) as moderators of the association between perceived discrimination and alcohol-related problems among Hispanic colleg...
Association between diet quality indices and arterial stiffness in youth with type 1 diabetes: SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Nutrition Ancillary Study.

Abstract Aims We studied the association of three distinct diet quality indices and two measures of arterial stiffness in youth and young adults (YYA) aged 10 to 30 with T1D. Methods Cross-sectional (n = 1421) and longitudinal (n = 520) analyses were conducted in T1D YYA participating in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study. The diet quality indices included the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) index, the Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015), and a modified Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (mKIDMED). Arterial stiffness was measured with pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx) obtained using a SphygmoCor-Vx device and tonometer. Results Average diet quality was moderate to poor, with mean scores of 41 (DASH, range 0–80), 55 (HEI-2015, range 0–100), 3.7 (mKIDMED, range − 3-12). None of the diet quality scores was associated with the central PWV or Aix, independent of demographic, clinical and lifestyle factors, body mass index and HbA1c. Longitudinal data yielded consistent findings with cross-sectional results. Conclusions This study suggests that diet quality may not function as an independent risk factor for arterial stiffening in YYA with T1D. These findings do not diminish the importance of consuming a quality diet for the management of diabetes, as demonstrated in previous work.
Data Labeling for the Artificial Intelligence Industry: Economic Impacts in Developing Countries

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications, although at a nascent stage of development, are already having considerable economic and social impacts in developing countries.1 An equally fascinating and important aspect of the development of the global AI industry is that a high proportion of jobs that require relatively low skills in this industry are being performed by the developing countries. The multibillion-dollar data labeling industry represents an interesting example to illustrate this trend.
A Survey of American Speech-Language Pathologists' Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication Assessment and Intervention Across Language Domains

Purpose The aim of the study was to collect information about American speech-language pathologists' preprofessional training, practice, self-perceived competence, adequacy of resources, and intere...
Predicting nodal metastases in papillary thyroid carcinoma using artificial intelligence

Abstract Background The presence of nodal metastases is important in the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We present our experience using a convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict the presence of nodal metastases in a series of PTC patients using visual histopathology from the primary tumor alone. Methods 174 cases of PTC were evaluated for the presence or absence of lymph metastases. The artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm was trained and tested on its ability to discern between the two groups. Results The best performing AI algorithm demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of 94% and 100%, respectively, when identifying nodal metastases. Conclusion A CNN can be used to accurately predict the likelihood of nodal metastases in PTC using visual data from the primary tumor alone.
Republicans, Not Democrats, Are More Likely to Endorse Anti-Vaccine Misinformation:

Vaccine safety skeptics are often thought to be more likely to self-identify as Democrats (vs. Independents or Republicans). Recent studies, however, suggest that childhood vaccine misinformation i...
Graph monoids

A graph semigroup refers to a monoid whose defining relations are of the form xixj=xjxi. We describe the centralizer of an arbitrary element of a graph semigroup, show that there exists a unique factorization of any element into commuting parts, and prove related results.
Cognitive Function and Sleep in Caregivers of Persons Living with Dementia

Poor sleep is prevalent among caregivers of persons living with dementia and increases their risk for cognitive impairment and decline. In this cross-sectional, correlational study, we compared the cognitive function scores of caregivers with poor sleep with the demographically adjusted normed scores of the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery. Caregivers completed a 14-day sleep diary. On average, caregivers (n = 28) were 65.14 (±10.08) years, female, and White. Their average crystallized cognitive function composite score was significantly higher and their average fluid cognitive function composite score was significantly lower than the normative scores. Caregivers performed significantly worse on the processing speed domain measure. Poor sleep may affect how caregivers, including highly educated caregivers, process and respond to information, thus can influence how they safely perform complex caregiving tasks. Health care providers should consistently assess caregivers' sleep and cognitive abilities to promptly identify changes and provide timely interventions.
Frequentist approximation of the Bayesian Posterior Inclusion Probability by stochastic subsampling

This paper uses stochastic subsampling of the dataset to provide a frequentist approximation of what is known in the Bsyesian framework as the posterior inclusion probability. The unique merit of this contribution lies in the fact that it makes it easier for typically frequentist-minded practitioners, of which there are very many, to relate to the way the Bayesian paradigm allows the computation of the nicely interpretable variable importance. Despite its computationally intensive nature due to the need to fit a very large number of models, the proposed approach is readily applicable to both classification and regression tasks and can be done in comparatively comparative computational times thanks to the availability of parallel computing facilities through cloud and cluster computing. Finally, the scheme proposed is very general and can therefore be easily adapted to all kinds of statistical prediction tasks. Application of the proposed method to some very famous benchmark datasets shows that it mimics the Bayesian counterpart quite well in the important context of variable selection.