bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influences of the constrained groove pressing on microstructural, mechanical, and fracture properties of brass sheets
Authors: Shahmirzaloo A , Hosseini S M , Siahsarani A , Rahmatabadi D , Hashemi R , Faraji G
Published: November 2020

Constrained groove pressing (CGP) was used for the production of fine-grained brass sheets in different conditions. The process was conducted up to two cycles on brass sheets at room temperature and then half cycle at the temperature of 200 °C. Optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), microhardness measurement, and plane stress fracture toughness was used to investigate the microstructure, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior. Microhardness measurement showed the capability of the CGP process in increasing the hardness of the refined sheets. It also showed the inhomogeneity of the hardness along the thickness of the sample after the process. The Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique was used to investigate the elastic and plastic factors of the sheets along with the major mechanical properties of samples. The results showed a slight increase and reduction in the Young modulus and Poisson’s ratios after the process, respectively. Moreover, after two CGP cycles applying half cycle at the temperature of 200 °C did not show any significant effect on these values. The strength coefficient was as like as yield and ultimate strengths increased by increasing the number of the passes. However, processing at a higher temperature of 200 °C showed lower values for the parameters, as mentioned earlier, compared to the specimens processed at room temperature. The strain hardening index experienced a major reduction after the CGP process due to the effects of strain hardening. The anisotropy coefficient, which plays a critical factor in the severe deformation of sheets, was increased after the CGP process. However, this ratio decreased in higher passes or elevated temperatures. The highest anisotropy coefficient was obtained after the first cycle of the process. Moreover, SEM observation of the fracture surface showed shearing ductile rupture mode in the processed samples rather than ductile mode due to appearing of small and elongated dimples.
Measuring transferability issues in machine-learning force fields: the example of gold–iron interactions with linearized potentials
Authors: Benoit Magali , Amodeo Jonathan , Combettes Ségolène , Khaled Ibrahim , Roux Aurélien , Lam Julien
Published: November 2020

Machine-learning force fields have been increasingly employed in order to extend the possibility of current first-principles calculations. However, the transferability of the obtained potential cannot always be guaranteed in situations that are outside the original database. To study such limitation, we examined the very difficult case of the interactions in gold–iron nanoparticles. For the machine-learning potential, we employed a linearized formulation that is parameterized using a penalizing regression scheme which allows us to control the complexity of the obtained potential. We showed that while having a more complex potential allows for a better agreement with the training database, it can also lead to overfitting issues and a lower accuracy in untrained systems.
Development of a sterile compounding training and competency program at a large academic medical center
Authors: Penzien Carrie E , Tharp Jamie C , Mulzer Kristina , Rurka Craig , Abbas Chadi , Chaffee Bruce W
Published: November 2020

Purpose

This article is one of the 5 articles describing steps taken to enhance sterile compounding compliance at a large, multisite academic medical center. This article focuses on the development of a comprehensive personnel training and assessment program for sterile compounding.

Increased regulatory oversight and the release of new United States Pharmacopeia chapters motivated the reenvisioning of the medical center’s sterile compounding personnel training and assessment program. The main challenges facing any entity undertaking sterile compounding include identification of compounding staff, development of policies and procedures, and baseline and ongoing training including observational competency assessments and record keeping. These challenges are exacerbated by high work volumes and variation in compounding practices encountered within a large multisite institution. Our organization developed a team of specialized pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to implement and enforce changes promoting the safe production and use of compounded sterile products and meet rising regulatory requirements. This team worked within various operational areas to customize purchased policies and procedures and group compounding staff based on training needs. The team performs ongoing personnel monitoring and training of new compounders in a shared training space. Challenges encountered and future considerations for program enhancement are described.

Conclusion

Implementation of standards and enforcement of staff behaviors in a large academic medical center is perhaps best completed by a team of highly trained experts working in collaboration with supervisors and using a dedicated training and testing space, as evidenced by the success of the described program in overecoming past challenges.
‘Necessity is Neither Condemned nor Praised’: Social Workers’ Meanings of Guardianship for Disabled People
Authors: Holler R , Werner S
Published: November 2020

Throughout the years, disabled people, especially those with intellectual and mental disabilities, have frequently been appointed authorised guardians. Having been criticised for restricting individual freedom and autonomy and in line with the 2006 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a 2016 reform in Israel's Legal Capacity and Guardianship Law called for restricting the use of guardianship and preferring less restrictive alternatives, specifically supported decision making (SDM). The success of this reform rests largely on social workers. This study examined the meanings social worker attach to guardianship and SDM. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-seven Israeli social workers. The findings showed that whilst they acknowledged the shortcomings of guardianship, they nevertheless perceived it to be vital. They provided three justifications for this view: guardianship as a safeguarding practice, guardianship as promoting individual well-being and guardianship in the service of third parties. These findings are discussed in terms of their meaning for guardianship as a risk-aversive practice designed to promote service users’ well-being and quality of life and in terms of the role played by third parties in bringing SDM into force. Recommended steps for moving the current reform in guardianship from paper to practice are highlighted.
Synergistic targeting of CHK1 and mTOR in MYC-driven tumors
Authors: Song Xiaoxue , Wang Liyuan , Wang Tianci , Hu Juncheng , Wang Jingchao , Tu Rongfu , Su Hexiu , Jiang Jue , Qing Guoliang , Liu Hudan
Published: November 2020

Deregulation of v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (MYC) occurs in a broad range of human cancers and often predicts poor prognosis and resistance to therapy. However, directly targeting oncogenic MYC remains unsuccessful, and indirectly inhibiting MYC emerges as a promising approach. Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) is a protein kinase that coordinates the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint and protects cancer cells from excessive replicative stress. Using c-MYC-mediated T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia) and N-MYC-driven neuroblastoma as model systems, we reveal that both c-MYC and N-MYC directly bind to the CHK1 locus and activate its transcription. CHIR-124, a selective CHK1 inhibitor, impairs cell viability and induces remarkable synergistic lethality with mTOR inhibitor rapamycin in MYC-overexpressing cells. Mechanistically, rapamycin inactivates carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 2, aspartate transcarbamoylase, and dihydroorotase (CAD), the essential enzyme for the first three steps of de novo pyrimidine synthesis, and deteriorates CHIR-124-induced replicative stress. We further demonstrate that dual treatments impede T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia and neuroblastoma progression in vivo. These results suggest simultaneous targeting of CHK1 and mTOR as a novel and powerful co-treatment modality for MYC-mediated tumors.
Intrathoracic hand-sewn esophagogastric anastomosis in prone position during totally minimally invasive two-stage esophagectomy for esophageal cancer
Authors: Charalabopoulos Alexandros , Davakis Spyridon , Syllaios Athanasios , Lorenzi Bruno
Published: November 2020

Utilization of totally minimally invasive esophagectomy for cancer is on the rise. Esophagogastric anastomosis is mechanically or robotically performed routinely; little report exists of hand-sewn esophagogastric anastomosis. This is the largest so far study with thoracoscopic hand-sewn esophagogastric anastomosis during fully minimally invasive two-stage esophagectomy for esophageal cancer in prone position. Consecutive two-stage totally minimally invasive esophagectomies for cancer were performed by one surgical team, from September 2016 to March 2019. All operations were technically identical in terms of patient positioning, surgical approach, extend of lymphadenectomy and type of anastomosis formed. Primary end points were anastomotic leak and anastomotic stricture rate, while secondary end points were 30-day and 90-day mortality rates. From the overall n = 80 patients, n = 67 were males, while n = 13 were females. Mean age was 64.6 years. Mean length of stay was n = 14 days. There were no conversions to open. Mean operating time was 420 minutes with no blood loss over 200 mL noted. Pulmonary and cardiac complication rate was 23.75% and 2.5%, respectively. Anastomotic leak rate was 2.5%. Anastomotic strictures were seen in 12.5% of cases. 30-day and 90-day mortality rate was 2.5% and 5%, respectively, with none accounted for ischemic conduit complications. Intrathoracic anastomosis in totally minimally invasive esophagectomy is challenging and accountable for most of the mortality associated with the procedure. In thoracoscopic two-stage esophagectomy, a mechanical anastomosis is usually preferred; this is believed to be due to the complexity of manual anastomosis associated with the thoracoscopic approach. We aim to present our series of completely hand-sewn intrathoracic anastomosis utilizing a totally minimally invasive approach with favorable outcomes. With this study, reproducibility of the anastomosis is shown that can potentially favor a change in the practice of esophageal surgeons worldwide.
30-year follow-up of an unoperated left atrial myxoma: a case report
Authors: Elsherif Zeinelabdien , Mahmood Naveed , Ahmed Amjad M
Published: November 2020

Background

Cardiac myxomas are the most common benign primary cardiac tumours. The natural history of left cardiac myxomas is thought to be of slowly growing tumours. Cardiac myxomas are a heterogeneous group with a variable growth rate. They present usually with stroke, valve obstruction, or non-specific symptoms. Surgical resection is the effective treatment.

Case summary

This case report describes a 56-year-old hypertensive and dyslipidaemic female, when she was admitted in January 1990, complaining of loss of appetite, aches, pains, and palpitations. Her workup included a transthoracic echocardiography and transoesophageal echocardiography, which showed a left atrial mass attached to the inter-atrial septum, highly suggestive of left atrial myxoma. She was referred for surgical removal of the left atrial mass. However, she was reluctant to undergo surgery as she felt better. The patient was followed-up for almost 30 years with the left atrial mass confirmed as left atrial myxoma by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. The left atrial mass became smaller in size and more calcified.

Discussion

Cardiac myxomas are a group of heterogeneous tumours, thought to be slowly growing. The growth rate of cardiac myxomas prior to diagnosis is not well known, as the vast majority is treated with surgical resection immediately after diagnosis. Our case showed the natural progression of an unoperated smooth-surfaced left atrial myxoma followed-up for almost 30 years, which slowly became smaller and more calcified.
Case report: Managing profound circulatory collapse post-atrial fibrillation ablation: a methodical approach
Authors: Lim Ven Gee , Dhanjal Tarv , Panikker Sandeep , Osman Faizel
Published: November 2020

Background

Circulatory collapse during/post-pulmonary vein (PV) isolation by cryo-balloon ablation is a Cardiology emergency that has multiple potential causes and requires a methodical investigative approach. Some of the complications that can arise include cardiac tamponade, bleeding/vascular injury, anaphylaxis, Addisonian crisis, acute pulmonary embolism, acute PV stenosis, oesophageal injury, and vagal reaction.

Case summary

Here, we present a case of a 76-year-old lady who developed profound circulatory collapse during an elective pulmonary vein isolation by cryo-balloon ablation for symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Cardiac tamponade, bleeding/vascular injury, and other less common causes were excluded. She only responded transiently to fluid resuscitation and developed intermittent bradyarrhythmias and hypotension which responded to isoprenaline. She was discharged home at Day 3 post-AF ablation after remaining well and continued to do so at follow-up.

Discussion

Circulatory collapse during/post-PV cryo-balloon ablation is a Cardiology emergency that has multiple potential causes. The ganglionate plexi form part of the cardiac intrinsic autonomic nervous system (ANS) and are located close to the left atrial–PV junctions. The presence of vagal response has been observed to be a marker of ANS modulation although its significance on the long-term outcome post-ablation has yet to be elucidated. The true cause of our patient’s profound circulatory collapse is uncertain but a vital learning point in this case is the systematic exclusion of common and potentially life-threatening complications following AF ablation. A persistent vagal reaction secondary to PV cryo-balloon ablation can usually be managed with supportive medical therapy as demonstrated in our case.
Influence of neprilysin inhibition on the efficacy and safety of empagliflozin in patients with chronic heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction: the EMPEROR-Reduced trial
Authors: Packer Milton , Anker Stefan D , Butler Javed , Filippatos Gerasimos , Ferreira Joao Pedro , Pocock Stuart J , Rocca Hans-Peter Brunner-La , Janssens Stefan , Tsutsui Hiroyuki , Zhang Jian , Brueckmann Martina , Jamal Waheed , Cotton Daniel , Iwata Tomoko , Schnee Janet , Zannad Faiez ,   for the EMPEROR-Reduced Trial Committees and Investigators
Published: November 2020

Aims

We evaluated the influence of sacubitril/valsartan on the effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibition with empagliflozin in patients with heart failure and a reduced ejection fraction.

Methods and results

The EMPEROR-Reduced trial randomized 3730 patients with heart failure and an ejection fraction ≤40% to placebo or empagliflozin (10 mg/day), in addition to recommended treatment for heart failure, for a median of 16 months. A total of 727 patients (19.5%) received sacubitril/valsartan at baseline. Analysis of the effect of neprilysin inhibition was 1 of 12 pre-specified subgroups. Patients receiving a neprilysin inhibitor were particularly well-treated, as evidenced by lower systolic pressures, heart rates, N-terminal prohormone B-type natriuretic peptide, and greater use of cardiac devices (all P < 0.001) when compared with those not receiving sacubitril/valsartan. Nevertheless, when compared with placebo, empagliflozin reduced the risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure in patients receiving or not receiving sacubitril/valsartan [hazard ratio 0.64 (95% CI 0.45–0.89), P = 0.009 and hazard ratio 0.77 (95% CI 0.66–0.90), P = 0.0008, respectively, interaction P = 0.31]. Empagliflozin slowed the rate of decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate by 1.92 ± 0.80 mL/min/1.73 m2/year in patients taking a neprilysin inhibitor (P = 0.016) and by 1.71 ± 0.35 mL/min/1.73 m2/year in patients not taking a neprilysin inhibitor (P < 0.0001), interaction P = 0.81. Combined inhibition of SGLT2 and neprilysin was well-tolerated.

Conclusion

The effects on empagliflozin to reduce the risk of heart failure and renal events are not diminished in intensively treated patients who are receiving sacubitril/valsartan. Combined treatment with both SGLT2 and neprilysin inhibitors can be expected to yield substantial additional benefits.
Galaxy CLIP-Explorer: a web server for CLIP-Seq data analysis
Authors: Heyl Florian , Maticzka Daniel , Uhl Michael , Backofen Rolf
Published: November 2020

Background

Post-transcriptional regulation via RNA-binding proteins plays a fundamental role in every organism, but the regulatory mechanisms lack important understanding. Nevertheless, they can be elucidated by cross-linking immunoprecipitation in combination with high-throughput sequencing (CLIP-Seq). CLIP-Seq answers questions about the functional role of an RNA-binding protein and its targets by determining binding sites on a nucleotide level and associated sequence and structural binding patterns. In recent years the amount of CLIP-Seq data skyrocketed, urging the need for an automatic data analysis that can deal with different experimental set-ups. However, noncanonical data, new protocols, and a huge variety of tools, especially for peak calling, made it difficult to define a standard.

Findings

CLIP-Explorer is a flexible and reproducible data analysis pipeline for iCLIP data that supports for the first time eCLIP, FLASH, and uvCLAP data. Individual steps like peak calling can be changed to adapt to different experimental settings. We validate CLIP-Explorer on eCLIP data, finding similar or nearly identical motifs for various proteins in comparison with other databases. In addition, we detect new sequence motifs for PTBP1 and U2AF2. Finally, we optimize the peak calling with 3 different peak callers on RBFOX2 data, discuss the difficulty of the peak-calling step, and give advice for different experimental set-ups.

Conclusion

CLIP-Explorer finally fills the demand for a flexible CLIP-Seq data analysis pipeline that is applicable to the up-to-date CLIP protocols. The article further shows the limitations of current peak-calling algorithms and the importance of a robust peak detection.
Use of dopamine agonists to target angiogenesis in women with endometriosis
Authors: Pellicer Nuria , Galliano Daniela , Herraiz Sonia , Bagger Yu Z , Arce Joan-Carles , Pellicer Antonio
Published: November 2020

Endometriosis requires medical management during a woman’s reproductive years. Most treatments aim to create a hypoestrogenic milieu, but for patients wishing to conceive, drugs that allow normal ovarian function are needed. Targeting angiogenesis, a hallmark of the disease, using dopamine agonists (DAs) is a promising strategy for endometriosis treatment. Herein, we review experimental and clinical data that investigate this concept. In experimental models of endometriosis, DAs (bromocriptine, cabergoline, quinagolide) downregulate proangiogenic and upregulate antiangiogenic pathways in inflammatory, endothelial and endometrial cells, blocking cellular proliferation and reducing lesion size. Impaired secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and inactivation of its receptor type-2 are key events. VEGF inhibition also reduces nerve fiber density in lesions. In humans, quinagolide shows similar effects on lesions, and DAs reduce pain and endometrioma size. Moreover, a 20-fold downregulation of Serpin-1, the gene that encodes for plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), has been observed after DAs treatment. Pentoxifylline, a PAI-1, increases pregnancy rates in women with endometriosis. Thus, the data support the use of DAs in the medical management of endometriosis to reduce lesion size and pain while maintaining ovulation. A combined approach of DAs and pentoxifylline is perhaps a smart way of targeting the disease from a completely different angle than current medical treatments.
Trends of Cancer-Related Suicide in the United States: 1999-2018
Authors: Han Xuesong , Hu Xin , Zhao Jingxuan , Ma Jiemin , Jemal Ahmedin , Yabroff K Robin
Published: November 2020

The suicide rate has steadily increased in the United States during the past 2 decades. Cancer patients have elevated suicide risk because of prevalent psychological distress, treatment side effects, and potentially uncontrolled pain. Efforts to promote psychosocial and palliative care may reduce this risk. Using the 1999-2018 Multiple Cause of Death database, we found a decreasing trend of cancer-related suicide during the past 2 decades with an average annual percentage change (AAPC) of age-adjusted suicide rates of -2.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = -3.5% to -2.1%) in contrast to an increasing trend of overall suicide rate (AAPC = 1.7%, 95% CI = 1.5% to 1.8%). We also observed the largest declines in cancer-related suicide rates among high-risk populations including male, older age, and certain cancer types, suggesting an evolving role of psycho-oncology and palliative and hospice care during this period.
Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor in an Army Reservist With Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Authors: Kou Chung-Ting J , Rendo Matthew , Broadwater Devin R , Beeler Bradley
Published: November 2020

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant condition affecting 1 in 3,500 people resulting from an NF1 gene mutation that encodes the nonfunctional protein neurofibromin mutant. Neurofibromin is a negative regulator of RAS signaling involved in cell survival and proliferation. NF1 typically presents at birth or in early childhood with multiple light brown (café au lait) spots and axillary freckling. With age, patients may develop scattered neurofibromas as well as additional neurological and malignant abnormalities. Additionally, the nonfunctional protein neurofibromin mutant may be involved in the pathogenesis of peripheral malignant nerve sheath tumors, which is a rare and life-threatening complication of NF1. While a disqualifying condition for military duty, it may not initially be clinically apparent until complications develop. Here, we present a case of malignant peripheral sheath in an U.S. Army African American reservist with NF1 in whom cutaneous manifestations of NF1 such as café au lait spots and axillary freckling were not identified on the initial military entrance processing examination.
Full compressible 3D MHD simulation of solar wind
Authors: Matsumoto Takuma
Published: November 2020

Identifying the heating mechanisms of the solar corona and the driving mechanisms of solar wind are key challenges in understanding solar physics. A full three-dimensional compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation was conducted to distinguish between the heating mechanisms in the fast solar wind above the open field region. Our simulation describes the evolution of the Alfvénic waves, which includes the compressible effects from the photosphere to the heliospheric distance s of 27 solar radii (R⊙). The hot corona and fast solar wind were reproduced simultaneously due to the dissipation of the Alfvén waves. The inclusion of the transition region and lower atmosphere enabled us to derive the solar mass-loss rate for the first time by performing a full three-dimensional compressible MHD simulation. The Alfvén turbulence was determined to be the dominant heating mechanism in the solar wind acceleration region (s > 1.3 R⊙), as suggested by previous solar wind models. In addition, shock formation and phase mixing are important below the lower transition region (s < 1.03 R⊙) as well.
Data-driven image restoration with option-driven learning for big and small astronomical image data sets
Authors: Jia Peng , Ning Runyu , Sun Ruiqi , Yang Xiaoshan , Cai Dongmei
Published: November 2020

Image restoration methods are commonly used to improve the quality of astronomical images. In recent years, developments of deep neural networks and increments of the number of astronomical images have evoked a lot of data-driven image restoration methods. However, most of these methods belong to supervised learning algorithms, which require paired images either from real observations or simulated data as training set. For some applications, it is hard to get enough paired images from real observations and simulated images are quite different from real observed ones. In this paper, we propose a new data-driven image restoration method based on generative adversarial networks with option-driven learning. Our method uses several high-resolution images as references and applies different learning strategies when the number of reference images is different. For sky surveys with variable observation conditions, our method can obtain very stable image restoration results, regardless of the number of reference images.
Developing a unified pipeline for large-scale structure data analysis with angular power spectra – III. Implementing the multitracer technique to constrain neutrino masses
Authors: Tanidis Konstantinos , Camera Stefano
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we apply the multitracer technique to harmonic-space (i.e. angular) power spectra with a likelihood-based approach. This goes beyond the usual Fisher matrix formalism hitherto implemented in forecasts with angular statistics, opening up a window for future developments and direct application to available data sets. We also release a fully operational modified version of the publicly available code CosmoSIS, where we consistently include all the add-ons presented in the previous papers of this series. The result is a modular cosmological parameter estimation suite for angular power spectra of galaxy number counts, allowing for single and multiple tracers, and including density fluctuations, redshift-space distortions, and weak-lensing magnification. We demonstrate the improvement on parameter constraints enabled by the use of multiple tracers on a multitracing analysis of luminous red galaxies and emission-line galaxies. We obtain an enhancement of $44{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ on the 2σ upper bound on the sum of neutrino masses.
The evolution of the low-frequency radio AGN population to z ≃ 1.5 in the ELAIS N1 field
Authors: Ocran E F , Taylor A R , Vaccari M , Ishwara-Chandra C H , Prandoni I , Prescott M , Mancuso C
Published: November 2020

We study the cosmic evolution of radio sources out to z ≃ 1.5 using a GMRT 610 MHz survey covering ∼1.86 deg2 of the ELAIS N1 field with a minimum/median rms noise 7.1/19.5 μJy beam−1 and an angular resolution of 6 arcsec. We classify sources as star forming galaxies (SFGs), radio-quiet (RQ) and radio-loud (RL) Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) using a combination of multiwavelength diagnostics and find evidence in support of the radio emission in SFGs and RQ AGN arising from star formation, rather than AGN-related processes. At high luminosities, however, both SFGs and RQ AGN display a radio excess when comparing radio and infrared star formation rates. The vast majority of our sample lie along the $\rm {SFR - \mathit{ M}_{\star }}$ ‘main sequence’ at all redshifts when using infrared star formation rates. We derive the 610 MHz radio luminosity function for the total AGN population, constraining its evolution via continuous models of pure density and pure luminosity evolution with $\rm {\Phi ^{\star }\, \propto \, (\, 1+\, \mathit{ z})^{(2.25\pm 0.38)-(0.63\pm 0.35)z}}$ and $\rm {\mathit{ L}_{610\, MHz}\, \propto \, (\, 1+\, \mathit{ z})^{(3.45\pm 0.53)-(0.55\pm 0.29)\mathit{ z}}}$, respectively. For our RQ and RL AGN, we find a fairly mild evolution with redshift best fitted by pure luminosity evolution with $\rm {\mathit{ L}_{610\, MHz}\, \propto \, (\, 1+\, \mathit{ z})^{(2.81\pm 0.43)-(0.57\pm 0.30)\mathit{ z}}}$ for RQ AGN and $\rm {\mathit{ L}_{610\, MHz}\, \propto \, (\, 1+\, \mathit{ z})^{(3.58\pm 0.54)-(0.56\pm 0.29)\mathit{ z}}}$ for RL AGN. The 610 MHz radio AGN population thus comprises two differently evolving populations whose radio emission is mostly SF-driven or AGN-driven, respectively.
What Is Birth Control?
Authors: Sundstrom Beth , Delay Cara
Published: November 2020

How does birth control work?

Most people who can become pregnant and give birth menstruate and ovulate. Menstruation is more commonly known as a “period” and refers to monthly vaginal bleeding that is a normal part of the menstrual cycle for most women. In...
Beyond the Pill
Authors: Sundstrom Beth , Delay Cara
Published: November 2020

Almost 65% of U.S. women of reproductive age currently use a method of contraception, whether it’s “the pill,” patch, injection, vaginal ring, implant, intrauterine device (IUD), and/or condoms. Although research demonstrates that many women are dissatisfied with the pill, they remain uncertain about other...
Manufacture and Marketing of Guns
Authors: Cook Philip J. , Goss Kristin A.
Published: November 2020

How Large Is the Gun Industry in America?

The gun industry itself is rather small by traditional measures. Only a handful of companies produce a significant number of firearms in the United States, and at most 150,000 people are employed in the industry—about 1...
From Not Alive to Almost Alive
Authors: Deamer David W.
Published: November 2020

If you are reading this book hoping to learn how life began, I’m sorry to say that no one knows the answer yet. We do know something about what the Earth was like four billion years ago before life began, which was described in the...
Overview
Authors: Tarrant Shira
Published: November 2020

What Is the Definition of Pornography?

In 1964, the Supreme Court of the United States faced a controversy over whether Louis Malle’s French film The Lovers violated the First Amendment prohibition against obscene speech. In determining what exactly distinguishes pornography from obscenity,...
Historical Questions
Authors: Tarrant Shira
Published: November 2020

When Did Pornography Begin?

Since ancient civilizations, people have created explicit depictions of sex and nudity. This erotica was often intertwined with religious or supernatural ideas about sexuality and included artwork, artifacts, music, murals, and poetry. Paleolithic cave paintings included nudes and human genitalia...
Legal Issues
Authors: Tarrant Shira
Published: November 2020

Why Does the First Amendment Protect Pornography as Free Speech?

The right to free speech is fundamental to a truly democratic society. Free speech, guaranteed by law, enables people to express themselves, debate ideas, and to search for truth. Without these rights, democratic self-governance...
Strategy and Tactics
Authors: Byman Daniel
Published: November 2020

What Are Al Qaeda’s Goals Today?

Beginning in the mid-1990s, and becoming firm in February 1998 with the release of a fatwa from the Al Qaeda-backed umbrella group, the World Islamic Front for Combat Against Jews and Crusaders, Al Qaeda coalesced around...
The Arab Uprisings
Authors: Gelvin James
Published: November 2020

Beginning in December 2010 popular revolt swept through the Middle East, shocking the world and ushering in a period of unprecedented unrest. Protestors took to the streets to demand greater freedom, democracy, human rights, social justice, and regime change. What caused these uprisings? What is their significance? And what are their likely consequences? In an engaging question-and-answer format, this updated edition of The Arab Uprisings: What Everyone Needs to Know® explores all aspects of the revolutionary protests that have rocked the Middle East. Historian James Gelvin begins with an overview, asking questions such as: What sparked the Arab uprisings? Where did the demands for democracy and human rights come from? How appropriate is the phrase “Arab Spring”?--before turning to specific countries around the region. Shifting the emphasis from the initial upheaval itself to the spinning out of the revolutionary process, Gelvin looks at such topics as the role of youth, laor, and religious groups in Tunisia and Egypt and discusses why the military turned against rulers in both countries. Exploring the uprisings in Libya and Yemen, Gelvin explains why these two states are considered “weak,” why that status is important for understanding the upheavals there, and why outside powers intervened in Libya but not in Yemen. This second edition looks more closely at the situation of individual countries affected by the uprisings. Gelvin compares two cases that defied expectations: Algeria, which experts assumed would experience a major upheaval after Egypt’s, and Syria, which experts failed to foresee. He then looks at the monarchies of Morocco, Jordan, and the Gulf, exploring the commonalities and differences of protest movements in each. Reconsidering the possible historical significance of the uprisings Gelvin explores what this means for the United States and Iran. Has al-Qaeda been strengthened or weakened? What effects have the uprisings had on the Israel-Palestine conflict? What conclusions might we draw from the uprisings so far? What Everyone Needs to Know® is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press.
How Do You Know If You Have It?
Authors: Hinshaw Stephen P. , Ellison Katherine
Published: November 2020

Under What Circumstances Should Your Child, Your Partner—Or You Yourself—Be Evaluated for ADHD?

Many core ADHD symptoms, particularly hyperactivity and impulsivity, first appear during the preschool years. Yet except in extreme cases, when the child is at risk of being expelled or is physically...
Failed Transition?
Authors: Roett Riordan
Published: November 2020

The military regime was ending but what would come next for what was termed the “New Republic?” Tancredo Neves was viewed as a great unifier. As he prepared for his inauguration on March 15, 1985, a long-standing illness worsened and he fell ill on the...
The Iran-Iraq War (1980–1988), Rafsanjani, Khatami, Reconstruction, and Reform
Authors: Axworthy Michael
Published: November 2020

What or who was primarily responsible for the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq war?

Various causes have been presented to explain the origin of the Iran-Iraq war, including deep-seated antagonism between Iranians and Arabs, and the efforts of the Iranian revolutionary government to export the Islamic...
Ahmadinejad, Rouhani and Iran now
Authors: Axworthy Michael
Published: November 2020

How did Ahmadinejad become president in 2005?

Among the presidents Iran has had since the revolution, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was the joker in the pack. He was not part of the charmed circle of regime insiders who had held positions of power and influence since 1979....
Inequality: Should We Care?
Authors: Galbraith James K.
Published: November 2020

What Is Economic Inequality?

Equality—”we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”; “equal justice under law”; liberté, egalité, fraternité—is an ideal. Inequality, on the other hand, is our everyday reality, especially in the economic sphere. We sometimes deplore...
Introduction
Authors: Foreman Judy
Published: November 2020

In the United States alone, 100 million Americans—40 percent of adults—live in chronic pain, according to the Institute of Medicine. This is clearly an underestimate because the report does not count children, people in the military, or people in nursing homes or prisons. In fact,...
Marijuana
Authors: Foreman Judy
Published: November 2020

What is marijuana?

“Marijuana” refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from Cannabis sativa, a psychoactive plant with significant healing properties that has been around for millennia. It contains more than 400 different chemical compounds, including more than 100 cannabinoids, some...
What Did They Deliver? The Promise of Affordable Care
Authors: Jacobs Lawrence R. , Skocpol Theda
Published: November 2020

Americans have reacted to the passage of the Affordable Care Act with sustained ambivalence, with those disapproving of “ObamaCare” exceeding those who applaud it overall. People were put off by months of partisan battles, judicial challenges, and the rocky start in 2013 for the...
What Happens When Marijuana Laws Clash?
Authors: Caulkins Jonathan P. , Kilmer Beau , Kleiman Mark A.R.
Published: November 2020

Can a state legalize something that the federal government prohibits?

The states retain a degree of sovereignty; the Constitution does not allow the federal government to order state governments to create any particular laws or to require state and local police to enforce federal...
What Do the Authors Think Ought to Be Done About Marijuana?
Authors: Caulkins Jonathan P. , Kilmer Beau , Kleiman Mark A.R.
Published: November 2020

We don’t necessarily agree, and none of us is sure.

Mark thinks that marijuana prohibition is so broken that even a relatively badly managed legalization is likely to turn out better, especially in terms of arrests and the illicit market, as well as the...
What can be done to Reduce Corruption?
Authors: Fisman Ray , Golden Miriam A.
Published: November 2020

Much as we might like to think otherwise, unless humans turn into angels, corruption won’t be eradicated any time soon, and even incremental improvements are hard to come by. That shouldn’t discourage us from attacking the problem—reducing corruption holds the potential to improve the lives...
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Human Labor
Authors: Kaplan Jerry
Published: November 2020

Are robots going to take away our jobs?

While it’s tempting to think of AI systems in general, and robots in particular, as mechanical laborers competing for employment, this isn’t a helpful perspective from which to explore their impact on labor markets. The image...
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Social Equity
Authors: Kaplan Jerry
Published: November 2020

Who’s going to benefit from this technological revolution?

Unfortunately, AI is accelerating the substitution of capital for labor, and so those with capital will benefit at the expense of those whose primary asset is their ability to work. Income inequality is already a pressing...
Possible Future Impacts of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Kaplan Jerry
Published: November 2020

Is progress in AI accelerating?

Not all subfields of AI proceed at the same pace, in part because they build on progress in other fields. For example, improvements in the physical capabilities of robots have been relatively slow, since they are dependent on advances...
Privacy and Democracy
Authors: Francis Leslie P. , Francis John G.
Published: November 2020

Introduction

How privacy is understood and valued varies among democracies and non-democratic states. Some of the sharper variations may be attributed to whether privacy is viewed from the perspective of the individual participating in politics or from the perspective of a state’s policymakers about how...
Conclusion
Authors: Francis Leslie P. , Francis John G.
Published: November 2020

Our approach in this book has been to offer responses to the ever-expanding range of questions about what privacy means in our lives. We have explored the value, or the absence of value, of privacy in the conduct of our daily lives, as well as...
Antiquities
Authors: Anderson Maxwell L.
Published: November 2020

The destruction of ancient monuments and artworks by the Taliban in Afghanistan and the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has shocked observers worldwide. Yet iconoclastic erasures of the past date back at least to the mid-1300s BCE, during the Amarna Period of ancient Egypt’s 18th dynasty. Far more damage to the past has been inflicted by natural disasters, looters, and public works. Art historian Maxwell Anderson’s Antiquities: What Everyone Needs to Know® analyzes continuing threats to our heritage, and offers a balanced account of treaties and laws governing the circulation of objects; the history of collecting antiquities; how forgeries are made and detected; how authentic works are documented, stored, dispersed, and displayed; the politics of sending antiquities back to their countries of origin; and the outlook for an expanded legal market. Anderson provides a summary of challenges ahead, including the future of underwater archaeology, the use of drones, remote sensing, and how invisible markings on antiquities will allow them to be traced. Written in question-and-answer format, the book equips readers with a nuanced understanding of the legal, practical, and moral choices that face us all when confronting antiquities in a museum gallery, shop window, or for sale on the Internet.
Defining Antiquities
Authors: Anderson Maxwell L.
Published: November 2020

What are the differences among antiquities, archaeological materials, and ancient art?

“Antiquities” are defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as the “remains or monuments of antiquity; ancient relics”; the first cited use is from the early sixteenth century.1 This chapter will spell out...
Cultural Ownership
Authors: Anderson Maxwell L.
Published: November 2020

Did people collect in antiquity?

In 2014, new scientific findings revealed that the world’s earliest evidence of human creativity was not, as previously thought, in Europe, but on the wall of a cave in Sulawesi, Indonesia, dating back 40,000 years ago.1 This discovery...
Introduction
Authors: Zimmerman Jonathan
Published: November 2020

In November 2015, America’s college campuses witnessed one of the sharpest bursts of student protest since the 1960s. An email about racially offensive Halloween costumes at Yale sparked an angry confrontation between African American students and a white house master, which was viewed over...
The Question of “Political Correctness”
Authors: Zimmerman Jonathan
Published: November 2020

What is political correctness?

Once upon a time, in the mid-1980s, a left-leaning cabal of social engineers captured the American university. And not just the classrooms and faculty lounges, mind you; they took over minds, by reshaping the words that we use...
Student Bodies
Authors: Zimmerman Jonathan
Published: November 2020

What is in loco parentis?

In loco parentis means, literally, “in place of a parent.” And for most of our history, universities acted as one. They made all of the the rules governing student life, in the dormitory and classroom and everywhere else....
Conclusion
Authors: Zimmerman Jonathan
Published: November 2020

On May 31, 1969, Wellesley College’s first-ever elected class speaker delivered a short set of remarks at its 91st commencement exercises. She had been preceded at the podium by Massachusetts Senator Edward Brooke, who denounced “coercive protest” on college campuses; he also chided student...
Who Are the Scholars and Why Do They Communicate?
Authors: Anderson Rick
Published: November 2020

Who contributes to the scholarly communication ecosystem?

First of all, it is important to note that scholarly communication does, in fact, take place within an ecosystem, a complex one that includes many different players. Some of the most important of these are as follows.

Scholars...
Metrics and Altmetrics
Authors: Anderson Rick
Published: November 2020

How is quality defined and measured in the world of scholarly publishing?

The concept of scholarly quality is a complicated one because it has multiple dimensions that apply in different ways depending on the type of publication in question and the context in which it...
Building a New Regime
Authors: Rutherford Bruce K. , Sowers Jeannie L.
Published: November 2020

What Caused the Military Coup in 1952? What Were Its Goals?

The political order created after Egypt’s independence in 1922 was a disappointment to many Egyptians. The struggle for power among the Wafd Party, other political parties, the king, and the British produced a chaotic...
Economic Development and Human Welfare
Authors: Rutherford Bruce K. , Sowers Jeannie L.
Published: November 2020

What Is Egypt’s Level of Human Development?

For many decades, national development was measured in terms of simplistic economic indicators such as gross national product (GNP). Several scholars challenged these measures in the 1970s. Amartya Sen, Mahbub al-Haq, Martha Nussbaum, and others argued that human...
Imperial Rivalry
Authors: Day David
Published: November 2020

How did nations justify their claim to territories they were not occupying?

As the windiest, coldest, and driest continent on the planet, Antarctica poses great challenges for nations that aspire to own part or all of it. Most of the continent is covered by an...
Science and Discovery
Authors: Day David
Published: November 2020

What role has science played in the discovery and fate of the Antarctic?

Science was a motivating factor in the dispatch of the earliest expeditions to Antarctica. In the eighteenth century, explorers and their sponsors wanted to fill in the empty spaces on the globe...
Puerto Rico as a us Commonwealth Since 1952
Authors: Duany Jorge
Published: November 2020

How did Puerto Rico become a US Commonwealth?

In 1950, the US Congress passed, and President Harry S. Truman signed, Public Law 600, authorizing a convention to draft a constitution and establish a republican form of government in Puerto Rico. In a referendum held on...
The Puerto Rican Diaspora to the United States
Authors: Duany Jorge
Published: November 2020

What is the Puerto Rican Day Parade?

The Puerto Rican Day Parade (Desfile Puertorriqueño) in New York City is the most visible display of Puerto Rican identity in the United States. The parade was first held in 1959 as an offshoot of the...
Introduction
Authors: Plotkin Mark J.
Published: November 2020

What is a tropical rainforest?

Rainforests occupy a special place in the imagination. Literary, historical, and cinematic depictions range from a ghastly green hell to an idyllic Garden of Eden. In terms of fiction, they fired the already fervent imaginations of storytellers as diverse as...
Amazonia’s Uncertain Future
Authors: Plotkin Mark J.
Published: November 2020

I have already outlined a number of threats to Amazonia like cattle ranching, mining, and climate change, but what follows are some of the most urgent—​and ominous—​risks and challenges that lie ahead.

Is cattle ranching a major cause of Amazonian deforestation?

Brazil possesses one of the...
Words and Power
Authors: Stavans Ilan
Published: November 2020

Are Latinos contemporaries of the rest of America?

Power is always about the control of resources. In the 21st century, an essential resource is information. Information isn’t knowledge. Knowledge is the capacity to digest—to personalize—information. That capacity, first and foremost, is the result of...
A Primer on Terrorism
Authors: Sandler Todd
Published: November 2020

What Is Terrorism?

Terrorism is the premeditated use or threat to use violence by individuals or subnational groups against noncombatants to obtain a political objective through the intimidation of a large audience beyond that of the immediate victims.1 Two key ingredients in...
Small and Mighty
Authors: Newby P.K.
Published: November 2020

What are vitamins?

Vitamins are organic compounds (i.e., contain carbon) essential for life that must be obtained in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body. They are generally classified as water- or fat-soluble and often appear on ingredient lists with either...
The Foundation of Nutrition
Authors: Newby P.K.
Published: November 2020

What are the different kinds of carbohydrates we eat?

Carbohydrates are so named because of their chemical composition, which includes carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Globally, the main dietary carbohydrates are cereals, root and sugar crops, pulses (legumes), vegetables, fruit, and dairy. Each gram of...
The Future of Food and Nutrition
Authors: Newby P.K.
Published: November 2020

How will we sustainably feed 10 billion people in 2050—and beyond?

Current estimates suggest that about 50% more food, feed, and biofuel is required to nourish about one-third more mouths—almost 10 billion people—in 2050. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)...