cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A wonderful life: experiential consumption and the pursuit of happiness

Abstract To live in the developed world is to live in a consumerist society. Although the broader forces that created this society have led to unprecedented material abundance, scholars have maintained that these benefits have come at a significant psychological cost. An important question, then, is how these psychological costs can be minimized. With that in mind, we review research showing that people derive more satisfaction from experiential purchases than material purchases. We then summarize the findings of an extensive program of research on the psychological mechanisms that underlie this difference. This research indicates that experiential purchases provide greater satisfaction and happiness because: (1) Experiential purchases enhance social relations more readily and effectively than material goods; (2) Experiential purchases form a bigger part of a person’s identity; and (3) Experiential purchases are evaluated more on their own terms and evoke fewer social comparisons than material purchases. We conclude by discussing how social policy might be altered to take advantage of the greater hedonic return offered by experiential investments, thus advancing societal well-being.
CSF thyrotropin-releasing hormone concentrations differ in patients with schizoaffective disorder from patients with schizophrenia or mood disorders

Objective: To determine if there were differences in CSF-TRH concentrations among several acute major psychiatric disorders and to investigate the effects of antipsychotic treatment on CSF-TRH levels. Method: CSF-TRH concentrations were measured in 62 psychiatric inpatients during an acute phase of illness after a drug-free period. CSF-TRH measurements were repeated in 14 of these patients after 4 weeks of antipsychotic treatment. Results: Post-hoc tests (Tukey HSD) revealed significant differences among patients with schizoaffective disorder and both schizophrenia (P<0.03) and major depression (P<0.01). There were no significant differences between pre and posttreatment levels of CSF-TRH in the 14 patients treated with conventional agents for 4 weeks (1.54 pg/ml vs. 1.47 pg/ml). However, patients with a reduction in CSF-TRH concentration had a significantly better symptom response measured by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) positive factor (61% in six subjects) vs. those who had an increase in posttreatment CSF-TRH (29% in eight subjects; t=2.2; d.f.=12; P<0.04). Conclusions: These results provide further evidence for a neuromodulatory role for TRH and suggest a re-examination of its behavioral effects and interactions with brain neurotransmitter systems relevant to major psychotic and mood disorders.
A Comparison of Corn and Barley for the Developing Turkey and the Effect of Antibiotic and Enzyme Supplementation

Abstract REDUCED growth and feed efficiency of chicks and poults fed diets with western barley during the first 4 weeks of life have been observed by many investigators. Arscott (1963) and Arscott and Ross (1960) observed growth depressions of broilers raised to 8 weeks of age. Berg (1961) found that supplementation of barley-containing rations for Leghorn pullets with crude fermentation products containing enzymes increased growth rate from 0 to 8 weeks of age; however, during the period 8–21 weeks these products did not improve rate of gain but did reduce litter moisture. Likewise, enzyme supplementation did not affect rate of lay, feed efficiency or egg quality but did reduce litter moisture for the laying hen (Berg, 1959). Malik (1962) reported that growth of chicks after 4 weeks of age was not depressed by using barley in the diets. The addition of an antibiotic or an enzyme concentrate to poult diets …
A Blueprint for an AIS Consulting Course

Although a myriad of commissions, committees, and reports has called for a change in accounting education, accounting educators have been relatively slow to respond. The recent monograph, Accounting Education: Charting the Course through a Perilous Future (Albrecht and Sack 2000), submits that while some positive changes have been made, far more dramatic changes are needed in accounting education. Skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, team building, and communication—while highly valued by the accounting profession—are not emphasized in most accounting curricula. One way to help bridge this gap is to include a course in consulting that provides an opportunity for students to develop many of these essential skills. This article provides practical guidance to educators on how to design and administer a consulting course in the accounting information systems (AIS) program. This blueprint is based on actual experiences with an AIS consulting course taught at James Madison University. The consulti...
Requirement for active glycogen synthase kinase-3β in TGF-β1 upregulation of connective tissue growth factor (CCN2/CTGF) levels in human gingival fibroblasts

Connective tissue growth factor (CCN2/CTGF) mediates transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced fibrosis. Drug-induced gingival overgrowth is tissue specific. Here the role of the phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway in mediating TGF-β1-stimulated CCN2/CTGF expression in primary human adult gingival fibroblasts and human adult lung fibroblasts was compared. Data indicate that PI3K inhibitors attenuate upregulation of TGF-β1-induced CCN2/CTGF expression in human gingival fibroblasts independent of reducing JNK MAP kinase activation. Pharmacologic inhibitors and small interfering (si)RNA-mediated knockdown studies indicate that calcium-dependent isoforms and an atypical isoform of protein kinase C (PKC-δ) do not mediate TGF-β1-stimulated CCN2/CTGF expression in gingival fibroblasts. As glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) can undergo phosphorylation by the PI3K/pathway, the effects of GSK-3β inhibitor kenpaullone and siRNA knockdown were investigated. Data in gingival fibroblasts indicate that kenpaullone attenuates TGF-β1-mediated CCN2/CTGF expression. Activation of the Wnt canonical pathways with Wnt3a, which inhibits GSK-3β, similarly inhibits TGF-β1-stimulated CCN2/CTGF expression. In contrast, inhibition of GSK-3β by Wnt3a does not inhibit, but modestly stimulates, CCN2/CTGF levels in primary human adult lung fibroblasts and is β-catenin dependent, consistent with previous studies performed in other cell models. These data identify a novel pathway in gingival fibroblasts in which inhibition of GSK-3β attenuates CCN2/CTGF expression. In adult lung fibroblasts inhibition of GSK-3β modestly stimulates TGF-β1-regulated CCN2/CTGF expression. These studies have potential clinical relevance to the tissue specificity of drug-induced gingival overgrowth.
Upgrade of DIII-D toroidal magnetic field power supply controls

The toroidal magnetic field power supply for the DIII-D tokamak is of the 12 pulse line commutated variety. It consists of four individual modules and a main system control cabinet which are combined to deliver 127,000 A and 1000 V to the toroidal field (TF) coil. The modules are connected in a series-parallel configuration but can be run alone or two at a time as well. Normally on DIII-D experiments, the series-parallel configuration is required. The original design provided each individual module with its own voltage (E) and current (I) control loop and a main control loop. A problem with this design was that the individual control loops would cause a current sharing imbalance in the parallel modules if the calibrated loops drifted by the slightest amount. It was determined that individual control loops were not needed and a single phase lock firing circuit was employed in the system cabinet with fiber optic links to the modules for gate drive signals. Since all four modules have to be on line for DIII-D to operate, a problem in any of the five E&I control loops resulted in the supply, and, therefore, the tokamak, being idled. By reducing the number of control loops to one, the sharing problem was eliminated, as well as 4 out of 5 potential control failures. The original supply employed relay logic for sequence control and fault monitoring. There were over 130 relays in each module plus an additional 100 in the system cabinet. The combination of the number of relays with the required interconnecting wiring, the age of the supply, the vibrations of the cabinets and the harsh environment, resulted in a continuously escalating number of "phantom," and often intermittent, faults. In some cases, a day of testing and searching was required to isolate the problem. The fault and sequence logic relays were replaced by a new programmable logic controller (PLC). All existing interconnect wire was removed and replaced with multiconductor cables that connect directly from fault sensors and input devices to the PLC. It is anticipated that an average of 12 h per year in control loop downtime will be eliminated. In addition, 100 man-hours of annual calibration time will he eliminated. New capabilities introduced by the PLC should provide for at least one additional plasma shot per day.
Social Information Guides Infants' Selection of Foods

Two experiments investigated the influence of socially conveyed emotions and speech on infants' choices among food. After watching films in which two unfamiliar actresses each spoke while eating a different kind of food, 12-month-old infants were allowed to choose between the two foods. In Experiment 1, infants selected a food endorsed by a speaker of their native language who displayed positive affect over a food endorsed by a foreign-language speaker who displayed negative affect. In Experiment 2, both actresses displayed positive affect, but they spoke in different languages, and infants again selected the food associated with the speaker of their native language. The findings contrast with previous research in which infants and toddlers have shown little selectivity when presented with foods that differ in their intrinsic properties such as color, texture, and familiarity. Although infants may lack capacities for evaluating foods on their own, they do look to other people for guidance in food selection.
Isocyanate–catalyst and hydroxyl–catalyst complex formation

As part of an investigation for evidence of isocyanate–catalyst and alcohol–catalyst complex formations, determinations of molecular weights were made by means of the freezing point depression of benzene solutions. Mixtures of 1-methoxy-2-propanol and dibutyltin dilaurate and mixtures of 1-methoxy-2-propanol and triethylamine both gave strong evidence of the formation of complexes. Complex formations were also detected when the alcohol was replaced by phenyl isocyanate. Significantly larger concentrations of the catalyst were involved in isocyanate complexes than were shown to be the case with the alcohol complexes. These results appear to be experimental evidence for the previously proposed ternary complex as an intermediate in the metal-catalyzed formation of urethanes.
Occupancy Rates of Primary Burrowing Crayfish in Natural and Disturbed Large River Bottomlands

ABSTRACT Among crayfish, primary burrowing species are the least understood ecologically. Many primary burrowing crayfish inhabit floodplains where forested landscapes have been fragmented by agricultural, industrial, or residential uses. In this study, site occupancy rates (ψ) were modeled for two primary burrowing crayfish, Fallicambarus fodiens (Cottle, 1863) and Cambarus thomai Jezerinac, 1993, from Ohio and Kanawha river floodplains in West Virginia, U.S.A. Fallicambarus fodiens is one of West Virginia's rarest crayfish, while C. thomai is prevalent in most wetlands along both river floodplains. Occupancy rate modeling incorporated four environmental covariates (forest age, soil type, tree frequency, and land use). Based on presence/absence data, forests with tree ages > 100 years (ΔQAICc = 0) and sites with loam soils (ΔQAICc = 1.80) were most likely to harbor F. fodiens populations. For C. thomai, several models were supported owing to model selection uncertainty, but those with the land use covari...
Raman modes of metallic carbon nanotubes

The anomalous resonant behavior of the tangential Raman modes of carbon nanotubes has been studied in the critical region of laser energies 1.7‐2.2 eV. The special enhancement of the Raman modes is explained by a model that takes into account the transition between the singularities in the one-dimensional density of electronic states for the metallic nanotubes and the distribution of diameters in the sample. The results agree with direct measurements of the electronic density of states for the metallic nanotubes and establish their association with the specially enhanced high frequency, first-order Raman modes. @S0163-1829~98!50848-X# Resonant Raman spectroscopy is a very useful tool for the characterization of the one-dimensional ~1D! properties of carbon nanotubes. It has been used to study multiwall nanotubes ~MWNT!, 1 single-wall nanotubes ~SWNT!, 2‐5 and was recently examined theoretically. 6 We show here evidence that special tangential phonon modes of metallic carbon nanotubes are enhanced in a narrow range of laser energies between 1.7 and 2.2 eV by electronic transitions between the first singularities in the 1D electronic density of states ~DOS! in the valence and conduction bands v 1!c 1 . This result establishes the association of the specially enhanced highfrequency, tangential modes with the metallic carbon nanotubes.
Living‐Wage Campaigns and Laws

This article examines the origins and development of living-wage ordinances that have been passed in more than eighty cities and counties, and the nature of the local campaigns promoting their passage. Ordinance characteristics and a number of specific campaigns are described, and factors contributing to the success of local efforts are considered. Coalitions including labor movement, community, and religious organizations have been central to these efforts, and the potential political and organizing impact of this collaboration is discussed.
Deep and lifelong learning: When theory and SoTL intersect

In this reflective essay, a teacher educator describes her own transformation that occurred as a result of studying adult learning theory along with a group of doctoral students. In examining her habits of course design, she realized that her practices had departed from her ideals and that her course planning was guided as much by pragmatic schedule demands as by the conceptual development of her students. As a result, she redesigned her course in language and literacy for preservice teachers. After describing the existing course, the author relates how her thinking—and the course—were transformed by the intersection of three influences: her encounter with Ramsden's (2003) androgogical theory of teaching and learning, her familiarity with a discipline- specific pedagogical theory, and her SoTL research on students' needs as learners. Guided by these influences, she reconceptualized the language and literacy course with a renewed focus on the social constructivist goals of facilitating conceptual change through meaning-oriented approaches. The author attempts to make visible to the reader exactly how she made this transition to address both the theoretical and the practical dimensions of the course, rediscovering in the process the transformation that is possible when teacher education focuses as on the why as well as the how of teaching.
Interleukin-6 −174G/C Polymorphism and Ischemic Stroke A Systematic Review

Background and Purpose— Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is associated with atherosclerotic disease and is also a key mediator in the inflammatory response to cerebral ischemia. Although the IL-6 −174G/C promoter polymorphism has been associated with carotid artery atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease, its relation to ischemic stroke is unclear. This review summarizes the current literature and discusses methodological considerations for future studies. Methods— Electronic searches were conducted in the PubMed MEDLINE, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases. Two investigators independently reviewed all abstracts to identify studies examining the association between the IL-6 −174G/C polymorphism and ischemic cerebrovascular events. Results— Twelve relevant publications were identified. Three reported on a subset of patients from a later publication, leaving 9 independent studies. Two studies found an association between ischemic stroke and the G allele or GG genotype, whereas 4 found an association with the C ...
Interleukin 15 Controls both Proliferation and Survival of a Subset of Memory-Phenotype CD8+ T Cells

Previous work has shown that memory-phenotype CD44hi CD8+ cells are controlled by a cytokine, interleukin (IL)-15. However, the dependency of CD44hi CD8+ cells on IL-15 is partial rather than complete. Here, evidence is presented that CD44hi CD8+ cells comprise a mixed population of IL-15–dependent and IL-15–independent cells. The major subset of CD122hi CD44hi CD8+ cells is heavily dependent on IL-15 by three different parameters, namely (1) “bystander” proliferation induced via IFN-induced stimulation of the innate immune system, (2) normal “background” proliferation, and (3) T cell survival; IL-15 dependency is most extreme for the Ly49+ subset of CD122hi CD44hi CD8+ cells. In contrast to CD122hi cells, the CD122lo subset of CD44hi CD8+ cells is IL-15 independent; likewise, being CD122lo, CD44hi CD4+ cells are IL-15 independent. Thus, subsets of memory-phenotype T cells differ radically in their sensitivity to IL-15.
Understanding the Subjective Experience of Medication Adherence for Older Urban African Americans With Type 2 Diabetes and a History of Illicit Drug Addiction.

Objective: African Americans experience high rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Self-management strategies, such as medication adherence, are key to mitigating negative T2D outcomes. This art...
Co‐production of acetone and ethanol with molar ratio control enables production of improved gasoline or jet fuel blends

The fermentation of simple sugars to ethanol has been the most successful biofuel process to displace fossil fuel consumption worldwide thus far. However, the physical properties of ethanol and automotive components limit its application in most cases to 10-15 vol% blends with conventional gasoline. Fermentative co-production of ethanol and acetone coupled with a catalytic alkylation reaction could enable the production of gasoline blendstocks enriched in higher-chain oxygenates. Here we demonstrate a synthetic pathway for the production of acetone through the mevalonate precursor hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA. Expression of this pathway in various strains of Escherichia coli resulted in the co-production of acetone and ethanol. Metabolic engineering and control of the environmental conditions for microbial growth resulted in controllable acetone and ethanol production with ethanol:acetone molar ratios ranging from 0.7:1 to 10.0:1. Specifically, use of gluconic acid as a substrate increased production of acetone and balanced the redox state of the system, predictively reducing the molar ethanol:acetone ratio. Increases in ethanol production and the molar ethanol:acetone ratio were achieved by co-expression of the aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase (AdhE) from E. coli MG1655 and by co-expression of pyruvate decarboxylase (Pdc) and alcohol dehydrogenase (AdhB) from Z. mobilis. Controlling the fermentation aeration rate and pH in a bioreactor raised the acetone titer to 5.1 g L(-1) , similar to that obtained with wild-type Clostridium acetobutylicum. Optimizing the metabolic pathway, the selection of host strain, and the physiological conditions employed for host growth together improved acetone titers over 35-fold (0.14-5.1 g/L). Finally, chemical catalysis was used to upgrade the co-produced ethanol and acetone at both low and high molar ratios to higher-chain oxygenates for gasoline and jet fuel applications. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 2079-2087. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
TURBIDITY AND SUSPENDED SEDIMENT ASSOCIATED WITH BEACH NOURISHMENT DREDGING

A field observation program was carried out to measure natural and maninduced fluctuations in suspended sediment and turbidity in connections with a beach nourishment project. The project was carried out at Longboat Key, on the west coast of Florida. The analysis of the manual turbidity, sedimentation, and wave data revealed several significant facts concerning the differences between the hard bottom sites and control sites and the interactive dynamics between these three phenomena. The sedimentation measurements indicate that the sand sedimentation rates are highly variable, particularly with time. In contrast, the fines sedimentation rates are relatively less variable with respect to both location and time. It is evident from the examination of the sedimentation data that the sand sedimentation rates at the hard bottom sites were approximately 2.5 times higher than those of the control sites. The statistical analysis indicated that there is less than a 10% probability that this difference is due to chance. In contrast, there were no significant differences in fines sedimentation rates between the hard bottom and control sites. The manual turbidity measurements indicate high variability in space and time. Based on approximately 15 measurement dates, following nourishment the hard bottom sites experienced approximately 50% less turbidity than the control sites. The variations in sand sedimentation rates are believed to be directly related to the hydrodynamic forces resulting primarily from waves. The wave height was approximately 33 % greater at the hard bottom sites.
Time-Dependent Nucleation in Partitioning Systems

Nucleation in multi-component systems is poorly understood, particularly when the rates of long-range diffusion are comparable with the rates of attachment at the cluster interface. For illustration, measurements of the time-dependent nucleation rates in silicate and metallic glasses are discussed. A new model for nucleation in partitioning systems, which explains many of devitrification microstructural features in bulk metallic glasses, is presented.
Physiological and nutritional responses of steers infested with varying densities of Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae).

The effects of varying densities of lone star tick, Amblyomma americanurn (L.), on measured physiological parameters of beef cattle in a controlled environment was determined. Steers were infested with either 0, 20, 60, or 120 pairs of adult ticks. Heart rate, respiration, rectal temperature, fecal and urine excretions, and water and feed consumption were monitored daily. Blood samples were taken every 3rd d to measure cortisol, total proteins, urea nitrogen, and glucose levels. Hematocrits were also taken at each blood sampling. Results showed that A. americanum evoked elevated heart rates. The other measured physiological and nutritional responses of parasitized steers were similar to the control steers. These results suggest that tick densities were too low to cause physiological stress under the conditions used in this study. The methodology precluded detection of the parameters measured, A. americanum does not affect the parameters measured, or that fluctuating environmental parameters and varying host nutritional states may play major roles in modulating the effect of A. americanum infestations on cattle in nature.
PDE Boundary Control for Flexible Articulated Aircraft Wings

The paper considers a boundary control formulation for PDEs with a system output given by a spatial integral of weighted functions of the state. This formulation is directly applicable to the control of an aircraft with articulated exible wings, in which case the output of interest is a net aerodynamic force or moment. Flexible wings can be controlled via actuation at the root or the tip. The problem of beam twist is analysed in detail to illustrate the formulation, and it shown that the control law ensures that the error between the desired output signal and the actual output signal decreases exponentially to an uniform ultimate bound. Stability of the closed loop system is proved by Lyapunov techniques. The formulation is demonstrated by simulations.
Genetics of Type 1 Diabetes

By the American Diabetes Association Classification, Type 1A Diabetes is the immune-mediated form of diabetes, while Type 1B represents nonimmune-mediated forms of diabetes with beta-cell destruction leading to absolute insulin deficiency (1 ). There are additional forms of insulin-dependent diabetes with defined etiologies (“Other Specific Types of Diabetes:” genetic, hormonal, and environmental). Finally, type 2 diabetes is, overall, the most common form of diabetes and is characterized by insulin resistance and less beta-cell loss. Even in children, it is important to identify individuals who do not have type 1A diabetes with estimates that approximately 1.5% of children presenting with diabetes have monogenic forms of diabetes. Several monogenetic forms of diabetes are reported to be better treated with sulfonylurea therapy than insulin (e.g., mutations of the ATP-sensitive beta cell selective potassium channels and HNF-1alpha mutations) (2 ), and diabetes due to glucokinase mutations require no therapy at all. Approximately, one half of permanent neonatal diabetes is due to either mutations of the proinsulin gene that leads to beta-cell loss (similar to the Akita mouse (3 )) or Kir6.2/SUR1 mutations (4 ).
Situations and Raising Dead Lions

The Panchantantra relates the story of four Brāhmins who, seeking fame and wealth, set out together on a journey. Three were great scholars, the fourth was a man of common sense. One day, chancing upon a carcass in a forest, the three scholars decide to demonstrate their erudition and skill by restoring it to life. The man of common sense protests that the remains look like those of a lion and to revive them would be a serious mistake. He is ridiculed by his colleagues who begin the resurrection process while the man of common sense climbs a tree to watch. The scholar who was a specialist in bones restores the skeleton, the scholar who understood skin and flesh restores the body, and the third who is a biologist and specializes in the study of life itself brings it to life, whereupon the lion devours all three. The man of common sense waits in the tree until the lion is done with lunch and leaves.1 The moral of the story is that possessing knowledge is no guarantee that one has wisdom or understanding.
Recent Advances in Structural Analysis of Gangliosides: Primary and Secondary Structures

The growing interest in the biological function of cell surface glycosphingolipids (GSLs) has stimulated the constant search for new methods for analyzing their primary and secondary structures. To determine the primary structure of the oligosaccharide moiety of a GSL, it is necessary to establish the composition and configuration of its sugar residues, and the sequence and linkage sites of the oligosaccharide chain. This information has traditionally been obtained by application of a combination of such procedures as compositional analysis by gas-liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, permethylation studies, Smith degradation, partial acid or enzyme hydrolysis, optical rotation measurements, etc. However, these techniques are relatively time-consuming, frequently require elaborate derivatization of the intact molecules, and access to many different instruments. Furthermore, these procedures do not afford secondary structural information (conformation) which is important in determining the biological activities of these compounds. Although x-ray crystallography has been used to provide accurate information about the conformation of a carbohydrate by measurement of bond lengths, bond angles, and interatomic distances, it is not certain whether the conformation that exists in a crystalline state is the one that is preferred in solution.
Interorganizational Network Dynamics in the Wenchuan Earthquake Recovery

Abstract In this study, I investigate the role of social agency among civil society organizations after a catastrophic natural disaster. The study intends to generate a network perspective in understanding social responses and analyzes the sources of enduring agency actions in building resistant and responsive institutional structures. The stochastic actor-oriented longitudinal network modeling approach is adopted to examine the interorganizational communication networks during the recovery period of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. I focus on the characteristics of network evolution among social groups and nongovernmental organizations. Findings demonstrate the formation of a type of proactive coping style through which newly emerged group and organizational actors took the primary role in overcoming their differences in institutional status and in reconstructing a social structural environment that nurtured the long-term social capacity in dealing with extreme distress or uncertainty.
Automatic near-real-time flood detection using Suomi-NPP/VIIRS data

Abstract Near real-time satellite-derived flood maps are invaluable to river forecasters and decision-makers for disaster monitoring and relief efforts. With support from the JPSS (Joint Polar Satellite System) Proving Ground and Risk Reduction (PGRR) Program, flood detection software has been developed using Suomi-NPP/VIIRS (Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership/Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) imagery to automatically generate near real-time flood maps for National Weather Service (NWS) River Forecast Centers (RFC) in the USA. The software, which is called VIIRS NOAA GMU Flood Version 1.0 (hereafter referred to as VNG Flood V1.0), consists of a series of algorithms that include water detection, cloud shadow removal, terrain shadow removal, minor flood detection, water fraction retrieval, and floodwater determination. The software is designed for flood detection in any land region between 80°S and 80°N, and it has been running routinely with direct broadcast SNPP/VIIRS data at the Space Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW/SSEC) and the Geographic Information Network of Alaska at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks (UAF/GINA) since 2014. Near real-time flood maps are distributed via the Unidata Local Data Manager (LDM), reviewed by river forecasters in AWIPS-II (the second generation of the Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System) and applied in flood operations. Initial feedback from operational forecasters on the product accuracy and performance has been largely positive. The software capability has also been extended to areas outside of the USA via a case-driven mode to detect major floods all over the world. Offline evaluation efforts include the visual inspection of over 10,000 VIIRS false-color composite images, an inter-comparison with MODIS automatic flood products and a quantitative validation using Landsat imagery. The steady performance from the 3-year routine process and the promising evaluation results indicate that VNG Flood V1.0 has a high feasibility for flood detection at the product level.
Investment model predictions of workplace ostracism on K–12 teachers’ commitment to their schools and the profession of teaching

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to determine how the ostracism of K-12 teachers influences their commitment to their schools and commitment to the teaching profession. The investment model was used to situate ostracism as a predictor of teacher commitment. Participants were 200 full-time K-12 teachers who completed a survey assessing their experiences with ostracism at work and investment model variables (i.e., investments, quality of alternatives, satisfaction, and commitment). Results confirmed investment model predictions with teachers’ investments, quality of alternatives, and satisfaction predicting their commitment to their schools and profession. Results of mediation models also demonstrated that controlling for teachers’ investments and quality of alternatives, ostracism predicted commitment indirectly through its effect on satisfaction. This study revealed that teacher commitment is explained by investment model predictions, but after controlling for those predictions, is further explained ...
A finite-strain homogenization model for viscoplastic porous single crystals: I – Theory

Abstract This paper presents a homogenization-based constitutive model for the finite-strain, macroscopic response of porous viscoplastic single crystals. The model accounts explicitly for the evolution of the average lattice orientation, as well as the porosity, average shape and orientation of the voids (and their distribution), by means of appropriate microstructural variables playing the role of internal variables and serving to characterize the evolution of both the “crystallographic” and “morphological” anisotropy of the porous single crystals. The model makes use of the fully optimized second-order variational method of Ponte Castaneda (2015), together with the iterated homogenization approach of Agoras and Ponte Castaneda (2013), to characterize the instantaneous effective response of the porous single crystals with fixed values of the microstructural variables. Consistent homogenization estimates for the average strain rate and vorticity fields in the phases are then used to derive evolution equations for the associated microstructural variables. The model is 100% predictive, requiring no fitting parameters, and applies for porous viscoplastic single crystals with general crystal anisotropy and average void shape and orientation, which are subjected to general loading conditions. In Part II of this work (Song and Ponte Castaneda, 2017a), results for both the instantaneous response and the evolution of the microstructure will be presented for porous FCC and HCP single crystals under a wide range of loading conditions, and good agreement with available FEM results will be shown.
Low-Dose Naltrexone Treatment of Familial Benign Pemphigus (Hailey-Hailey Disease).

Importance Familial benign pemphigus, or Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD), is a rare and debilitating genetic dermatosis characterized by chronic, recurrent vesicles, erosions, and maceration in flexural areas. Despite the reported therapeutic modalities, such as topical and systemic corticosteroids, systemic immunomodulators, topical and systemic retinoids, and laser, HHD can still be markedly difficult to control. Objective To assess low-dose naltrexone hydrochloride in the treatment of recalcitrant HHD. Design, Setting, and Participants In this case series, 3 patients with biopsy-proven recalcitrant HHD were evaluated in the outpatient dermatology clinic at the Cleveland Clinic. Each patient was treated with low-dose naltrexone hydrochloride at a dosage of 1.5 to 3.0 mg per day. No laboratory monitoring was necessary. Clinical response (healing of erosions, improvement in erythema, and alleviation of pain), adverse effects, and subjective quality of life were monitored throughout the treatment. The study dates were January 2016 to January 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures Objective clinical response as assessed by the treating dermatologist, subjective quality of life as reported by the patient, and recorded adverse effects were monitored throughout the treatment at intervals of 2 to 3 months. Results The 3 patients included a woman in her 40s and 2 men in their 60s. Each patient exhibited at least an 80% improvement in extent of disease, with one patient demonstrating 90% clearance. All 3 patients had substantial improvement in quality of life, with one patient reporting improvement in his depression. No adverse effects were recorded. Conclusions and Relevance Low-dose naltrexone may represent a low-cost and low-risk alternative or adjunct in the treatment of HHD.
Defending Distributed Systems Against Adversarial Attacks: Consensus, Consensusbased Learning, and Statistical Learning

Brief Biography: I am a postdoc in the Computer Sci- ence and Arti cial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at MIT, hosted by Professor Nancy Lynch. She received a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2017, supervised by Pro- fessor Nitin H. Vaidya. Her research intersects distributed systems, learning, security, and brain computing. She was the runner-up for the Best Student Paper Award at DISC 2016, and she received the 2015 Best Student Paper Award at SSS 2015. She received UIUC's Sundaram Seshu Interna- tional Student Fellowship for 2016, and was invited to par- ticipate in Rising Stars in EECS (2018). She has served on TPC for several conferences including ICDCS and ICDCN.
Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in Artificial Photosynthetic Systems

ConspectusArtificial photosynthetic constructs can in principle operate more efficiently than natural photosynthesis because they can be rationally designed to optimize solar energy conversion for meeting human demands rather than the multiple needs of an organism competing for growth and reproduction in a complex ecosystem. The artificial photosynthetic constructs described in this Account consist primarily of covalently linked synthetic chromophores, electron donors and acceptors, and proton donors and acceptors that carry out the light absorption, electron transfer, and proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes characteristic of photosynthetic cells.PCET is the movement of an electron from one site to another accompanied by proton transfer. PCET and the transport of protons over tens of angstroms are important in all living cells because they are a fundamental link between redox processes and the establishment of transmembrane gradients of proton electrochemical potential, known as proton-motiv...
The safety of pharmacologic treatment for pediatric obesity.

Introduction: Pediatric obesity is a serious public health concern. Five medications have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chronic weight management in adults with obesit...
A numerical study of surface-wave-based tunnel detection at the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, California

ABSTRACTDetecting underground voids, such as old mine workings, solution cavities in karst terrain, or unknown tunnels such as illicit cross-border tunnels, is a challenging problem for geophysics ...
Cultural Considerations in the Assessment of Survivors of Torture

The cultural and ethnic landscape of North America is becoming increasingly diverse, with many refugees fleeing torture and persecution and seeking safety in the United States and Canada. In working with this population, clinicians must implement culturally appropriate methods of assessing and treating individuals from diverse backgrounds. Culture can exert a powerful and often misunderstood influence on psychological assessment, and the critical challenge is to account for both subjective experience of the client and the objective symptoms or behaviors present. The present review explores the literature on cross-cultural issues in the assessment of survivors of torture. I summarize best practices and review the theoretical and statistical bases for establishing the equivalence of constructs across cultures. Discussion centers around the utility of a cross-culturally valid measure of distress, and it is hoped that this review will encourage collaboration between clinicians and psychometricians to develop assessments for use with this vulnerable population.
Lobular Carcinoma In Situ: Risk Factor or Cancer Precursor?

Historically, lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) has been poorly understood in terms of its biologic behavior and natural history. There is considerable debate as to whether LCIS represents a breast cancer risk factor or a precursor lesion for invasive carcinoma. LCIS has been shown to convey heightened breast cancer risk both in the breast in which it was identified and also in the contralateral breast where it is not known to be present. However, evidence including genotypically and phenotypically similar invasive carcinomas developing at prior LCIS biopsy sites suggests that LCIS may also act as a precursor lesion for invasive cancer in some cases. The primary purpose of this chapter is to detail the evidence in support of the current view, LCIS as both a risk factor, conferring increased risk of both ipsilateral and contralateral invasive carcinoma, and a non-obligate precursor lesion at or near the site of the index lesion.
Diapause-associated changes in the lipid and metabolite profiles of the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus

Diapause is an alternative life-history strategy that allows organisms to enter developmental arrest in anticipation of unfavorable conditions. Diapause is widespread among insects and plays a key role in enhancing overwinter survival as well as defining the seasonal and geographic distributions of populations. Next generation sequencing has greatly advanced our understanding of the transcriptional basis for this crucial adaptation but less is known about regulation of embryonic diapause physiology at the metabolite level. Here, we characterized the lipid and metabolite profile of embryonic diapause in the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus . We used an untargeted approach to capture the relative abundance of 250 lipids and 241 metabolites. We observed adjustments associated with increased energy storage, including an accumulation of lipids, the formation of larger lipid droplets, and increased lipogenesis, as well as metabolite shifts suggesting reduced energy utilization. We also found changes in neuroregulatory- and insulin-associated metabolites with potential roles in diapause regulation. Finally, we detected a group of unidentified, diapause-specific metabolites which have similar physical properties steroids/steroid derivatives and may be associated with the ecdysteroidal regulation of embryonic diapause in Ae. albopictus . Together, these results deepen our understanding of the metabolic regulation of embryonic diapause and identify key targets for future investigations.
Osteocytes reflect a pro-inflammatory state following spinal cord injury in a rodent model.

Abstract Profound bone loss occurs following spinal cord injury (SCI) resulting in a high incidence of fractures. While likely caused in part by loss of weight-bearing, there is greater bone loss following SCI when compared to that observed in other disuse animal models. Patients with SCI have a protracted inflammatory response, with elevated circulating levels of pro-inflammatory markers. This chronic inflammation could compound the bone loss attributed to disuse and the loss of neural signaling. To assess this, we examined inflammatory markers and bone turnover regulators in osteocytes from rats with a moderate spinal contusion injury (SCI) and intact controls (CON). We counted osteocytes positive for cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-17 (IL-17), and interleukin-10 (IL-10)], osteoclastogenesis regulators RANKL and OPG, and the bone formation inhibitor sclerostin, 32 days after the spinal contusion. By day 9 post-injury, the majority of SCI rats had recovered significant locomotor function and were bearing weight on their hindlimbs. However, despite weight-bearing, peripheral QCT scans demonstrated lower bone mass due to SCI in the proximal tibia metaphysis compared to CON. SCI animals also had lower cancellous bone volume, lower bone formation rate (BFR), lower osteoid surface (OS), and higher osteoclast surface (Oc.S). Tibial mid-shaft periosteal BFR was also lower after SCI. Immunohistochemical staining of the distal femur bone revealed cancellous osteocytes positive for TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17, and IL-10 were elevated in SCI animals relative to intact controls. Protein expression of RANKL+, OPG+, and sclerostin+ osteocytes was also higher in SCI rats. At the cortical midshaft, osteocyte TNF-α, IL-6, and sclerostin were statistically higher in SCI vs. CON. With regression analysis, inflammatory factors were associated with changes in bone turnover. In conclusion, inflammatory factors as well as altered mechanical loading influence bone turnover following a moderate SCI. Treatments aimed at minimizing fracture risk after SCI may need to target both the chronically altered inflammatory state as well as disuse-induced bone loss.
Pediatric Endoscopy Practice Patterns in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Endoscopic procedures are important for diagnosis and management of many gastrointestinal, liver, and biliary conditions in children. Therapeutic endoscopy procedures, including endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), are performed less frequently in children relative to adults. A formal study to evaluate institutional volumes and practice patterns for advanced therapeutic pediatric endoscopy procedures has, however, not been previously undertaken. METHODS A self-administered 16-question (5-minute) online survey assessing practice patterns for performance of pediatric endoscopy procedures was distributed to all registered North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition programs. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of free-text comments. RESULTS Respondents from 82.9% of North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition centers completed this survey. Responses revealed that esophagogastroduodenoscopy/colonoscopy are performed at the vast majority of centers (>90%), with most performing >50/year. Therapeutic endoscopy procedures are performed less frequently in the pediatric population, with 18.97% reporting that ERCP is not performed at their institution. Where ERCP is performed, 91.38% reported <25/year. Endoscopic ultrasound is not performed at more than half (53.33%) of institutions. Approximately 71.67% of respondents do not believe their institution's current arrangement for performing pediatric therapeutic endoscopy procedures is adequate. CONCLUSIONS Although the range of endoscopic procedures performed in children parallels that performed in adults, there are notable differences in pediatric and adult gastroenterologists' endoscopy training and procedure volumes. Our results and respondent comments suggest that pediatric patients would benefit from a partnership between pediatric and adult gastroenterologists, with adult gastroenterologists performing more complex therapeutic endoscopic procedures.
The Emergency Manager as Risk Manager

Emergency management as an institution has grown in size and scope in recent decades, but has this emergent profession brought better public decisions about managing hazards and risks? The evidence is mixed because though emergency managers have acted wisely and heroically, they are subject to institutional constraints as well as the same decision biases and barriers that affect other experts and professionals. We propose that emergency management can be improved and hazard vulnerability lessened more readily through better decision processes than through the traditional approach of incremental improvements in the quality of information. The current fascination with “big data” focuses on more and better information, but emergency and hazards managers should ensure that they use the data they already have access to well.
Calibration of Multi-LIDAR Systems: Application to Bucket Wheel Reclaimers

This paper presents a method to calibrate the extrinsic parameters of light detection and rangings (LIDARs) mounted on a bucket-wheel reclaimer (BWR). BWR’s are widely used for stacking and reclaiming bulk materials in stockyards. Current BWR systems are either manually operated, remotely operated, or semiautomated using the real-time point cloud data generated by one or more LIDARs. The accurate calibration is of crucial importance as the accuracy of the earth frame point cloud data depends on it. The automated calibration is also a prerequisite for fully autonomous BWR control. The calibration of BWR systems is more difficult than many other LIDAR systems because of their limited pose variation capabilities and the environmental constraints of stockyards. This paper analyzes the problem, presents observability conditions, presents a method to estimate the calibration parameters, and discusses the challenges involved with BWR systems. The results demonstrate subdecimeter accuracy.