cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mediating secure information flow policies

In this paper, we study secure information flow policies in the sense of Meadows [C. Meadows, Extending the Brewer-Nash model to a multi-level context. IEEE Computer Society Symposium on Research in Security and Privacy (1990) 95-102.] and others for aggregated datasets, collectively. We first present a method for combining different sensitivity levels over a common dataset and investigate its ramifications on information flow policies. Next, safe-flow policies are formulated in full generality using domain-theoretic tools, and systematically derived as closure operators from Scott continuous functions. Maximum safe-flow policies correspond to the top element of the lattice of the derived closure-operator collection. We then introduce a categorical framework for information flow, in which amalgamation is used to formulate and characterize information-flow policy merging. Our methods for mediating information flow policies should be of practical interest for information sharing among multiple agencies. Our formulation of safe-flow policies as closure operators from Scott continuous functions and the associated categorical formulation of safe-flow policy merging provide a sound and general theoretical foundation for the first time for this topic, setting a stage for further development in this area.
Measuring Teamwork and Conflict among Emergency Medical Technician Personnel

AbstractObjective. We sought to develop a reliable and valid tool for measuring teamwork among emergency medical technician (EMT) partnerships. Methods. We adapted existing scales and developed new items to measure components of teamwork. After recruiting a convenience sample of 39 agencies, we tested a 122-item draft survey tool (EMT-TEAMWORK). We performed a series of exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test reliability and construct validity, describing variation in domain and global scores using descriptive statistics. Results. We received 687 completed surveys. The EFAs identified a nine-factor solution. We labeled these factors 1) Team Orientation, 2) Team Structure & Leadership, 3) Partner Communication, Team Support, & Monitoring, 4) Partner Trust and Shared Mental Models, 5) Partner Adaptability & Back-Up Behavior, 6) Process Conflict, 7) Strong Task Conflict, 8) Mild Task Conflict, and 9) Interpersonal Conflict. We tested a short-form (30-item SF) and lon...
Extensions of the Nemytsky operator: Distributional solutions of nonlinear problems

The aim of this article is to develop a methodology for working with solutions of nonlinear differential problems that are signed measures.
Development of the Top Hat Electric Propulsion Plume Analyzer (TOPAZ)

*† ‡ The design, development, and testing of the Top Hat Electric Propulsion Plume Analyzer (TOPAZ) is presented for high-powered Hall thruster far-field plume diagnostics. The trend towards high-power Hall thruster development will require plume diagnostic techniques capable of measuring high energy particles as well as low energy ions produced from chargeexchange collisions due to elevated facility background pressures. TOPAZ incorporates a ‘top hat’ design with an analyzer constant of 100 resulting in a wide energy range and a high energy resolution. SIMION, an ion trajectory analysis program, is used to predict characteristics of the analyzer. An ion beam accelerator system confirms the computational results. TOPAZ will provide an energy resolution of 2%, field of view of 107ox26o (azimuthal by elevation) with an angular resolution in each direction of 2o, and a demonstrated energyper-charge acceptance range of 5 eV – 15 keV.
Trunk strength during asymmetric trunk motion

It is important to understand how trunk strength varies as a function of workplace factors so that the work environment can be designed to minimize the risk of low back injury. In this study maxima...
Bayesian analysis of deterministic and stochastic prisoner's dilemma games

This paper compares the behavior of individuals playing a classic two-person deterministic prisoner’s dilemma (PD) game with choice data obtained from repeated interdependent security prisoner’s dilemma games with varying probabilities of loss and the ability to learn (or not learn) about the actions of one’s counterpart, an area of recent interest in experimental economics. This novel data set, from a series of controlled laboratory experiments, is analyzed using Bayesian hierarchical methods, the first application of such methods in this research domain. We find that individuals are much more likely to be cooperative when payoffs are deterministic than when the outcomes are probabilistic. A key factor explaining this difference is that subjects in a stochastic PD game respond not just to what their counterparts did but also to whether or not they suffered a loss. These findings are interpreted in the context of behavioral theories of commitment, altruism and reciprocity. The work provides a linkage between Bayesian statistics, experimental economics, and consumer psychology.
Idealized truth data for system modeling and testing

Modeling and testing Air Traffic Control (ATC) surveillance systems rely heavily on stimulus data. Currently, stimulus data sets are generated either from recoded sensor measurements or artificially generated scenarios. Both may contain hidden errors, contributing to the total error of the system. These hidden errors appear as jumpy, non-continuous positions, velocities, or accelerations. It is important to address the discontinuities in the higher order terms, not just position and velocity. This paper will discuss a technique used to generate idealized truth data. Idealized truth data uses the original data as a guide to generate an achievable scenario that does not contain discontinuities in position, velocity, and acceleration. Idealized truth data is not the original stimulus data filtered to perfect accuracy. The approach presented uses common mathematical techniques to eliminate discontinuities in velocity and acceleration from the original stimulus data, resulting in a scenario that could have happened with effectively no error. Though these techniques may be applicable to many systems, a case study applying these techniques to an aircraft surveillance tracker under test is provided.
Morphology changes during radiation-thermal degradation of polyethylene and an EPDM copolymer by 13C NMR spectroscopy

The γ radiation induced degradation of an EPDM copolymer was compared to that of a 13C enriched polyethylene at exposure temperatures of 22 and 80°C. Morphological changes were measured by MAS 13C NMR spectroscopy and DSC. By first examining the high quality and less complex spectra of 13C enriched polyethylene, a protocol for the interpretation and deconvolution of the more complex EPDM spectra was developed. The morphological changes during ambient temperature γ irradiation were similar for the two materials while the morphological changes during γ irradiation at 80°C were notably different. The polyethylene exhibited a substantial increase in crystallinity as a function of aging time at both temperatures. The EPDM copolymer exhibited a substantial increase in crystallinity at 22°C but only a minor increase in crystallinity at 80°C. The reduction in the growth of the crystalline phase was attributed to the melting of a significant fraction of the smaller crystallites at the 80°C irradiation temperature. When the sample was returned to ambient temperature these crystallites were unable to reform due to the crosslinks introduced during the radiation-thermal exposure.
Therapeutic depletion of monocyte-derived cells protects from long-term axonal loss in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Studies in multiple sclerosis and its animal model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) suggest that peripheral monocyte-derived cells (MDCs) are instrumental for disease initiation. MDCs, however, are plastic, and may exert various functions once in the central nervous system (CNS) for prolonged periods. Furthermore, the long-term effect of MDC depletion on continuing axon loss is not known. We show that long-lasting depletion of MDCs, after onset of EAE clinical deficits, is accompanied by decreased CNS infiltration by pathogenic T lymphocytes. Although this treatment does not reverse clinical disease, it prevents worsening of neurological deficits and long-term axonal loss.
Evaluating dissection in the gross anatomy course: Correlation between quality of laboratory dissection and students outcomes

Anatomy learned by active exploration through dissection has many proven benefits including improvement of anatomic knowledge. Decreased laboratory time may affect the quality of dissection and ultimately lower student performance in anatomy translating to lower knowledge acquisition. The aim of this study was to determine whether the quality of students' dissection in teams correlates with their performance in the gross anatomy course. Quality of dissections for each team enrolled in a gross anatomy course at Mayo Medical School was evaluated biweekly using a five-point rubric based on course learning objectives. Assessment of anatomic knowledge was based on sequential laboratory practice practical examination scores, achievements on daily audience response system (ARS) quizzes, and final practical, written, and National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®) Gross Anatomy and Embryology Subject Examinations. Twelve teams comprising 48 students were included in the study. There was a positive correlation between dissection quality and practice practical examination score (R = 0.83) and a negative correlation between dissection quality and ARS quizzes (R = −0.985). Dissection teams with a passing score on their dissection evaluations (>70%) performed better on their final examinations. Based on an end of course survey, students agreed that dissection evaluations should continue to be a part of the course. This study showed that better quality of dissection was associated with higher scores on practice practical examinations, final practical, written, and NBME examinations. The study demonstrated a positive correlation between dissection evaluations, accompanied by formative feedback during the course, and higher scores on final course assessments. Anat Sci Educ 8: 45–52. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.
Solutions to Periodic Sensor Scheduling Problems for Formation Flying Missions in Deep Space

A relaxation of the general infinite horizon sensor scheduling problem for state estimation in linear time-invariant systems is presented. The optimal schedule is assumed to be periodic, and the relaxation allows the full problem, a nonlinear combinatorial optimization problem, to be converted to a mixed integer quadratic programming problem which can be easily solved. The relaxation is based on the system being driven by low-intensity process noise. To find the solution the integer constraint is first relaxed to find an initial unconstrained solution using a standard quadratic programming solver. The integer constraint is then satisfied by using established integer- constrained quadratic least-squares techniques and the Hessian of the cost function. Examples illustrate the performance of the algorithm versus the truth solution found by an exhaustive search.
Families, well-being, and inclusion: Rethinking priorities for children with cognitive disabilities in Ladakh, India:

Current policies aimed at children with disabilities in Ladakh, India, focus on the delivery of educational services to the individual child. Ethnographic research conducted with children with cogn...
Does Child Maltreatment Predict Adult Crime? Reexamining the Question in a Prospective Study of Gender Differences, Education, and Marital Status

Bivariate analyses of adult crime and child maltreatment showed that individuals who had been maltreated as children, according to child welfare reports, subsequently committed more crime than others who had not been maltreated. Analyses of crimes by category—property, person, and society—provided further evidence of a link between child maltreatment and crime at the bivariate level. Tests of gender differences showed that crime generally is more prevalent among males, although females with a history of maltreatment were more likely than those in a no-maltreatment (comparison) group to report having had some prior involvement in crime. Surprisingly, multivariate analyses controlling for childhood socioeconomic status, gender, minority racial status, marital status, and education level showed that, with one exception (crimes against society), the significant association between child maltreatment and crime observed in bivariate tests was not maintained. Implications for future research are discussed.
Dissociation between emotion and personality judgments: convergent evidence from functional neuroimaging.

Abstract Cognitive neuroscientists widely agree on the importance of providing convergent evidence from neuroimaging and lesion studies to establish structure–function relationships. However, such convergent evidence is, in practice, rarely provided. A previous lesion study found a striking double dissociation between two superficially similar social judgment processes, emotion recognition and personality attribution, based on the same body movement stimuli (point-light walkers). Damage to left frontal opercular (LFO) cortices was associated with impairments in personality trait attribution, whereas damage to right postcentral/supramarginal cortices was associated with impairments in emotional state attribution. Here, we present convergent evidence from fMRI in support of this double dissociation, with regions of interest (ROIs) defined by the regions of maximal lesion overlap from the previous study. Subjects learned four emotion words and four trait words, then watched a series of short point-light walker body movement stimuli. After each stimulus, subjects saw either an emotion word or a trait word and rated how well the word described the stimulus. The LFO ROI exhibited greater activity during personality judgments than during emotion judgments. In contrast, the right postcentral/supramarginal ROI exhibited greater activity during emotion judgments than during personality judgments. Follow-up experiments ruled out the possibility that the LFO activation difference was due to word frequency differences. Additionally, we found greater activity in a region of the medial prefrontal cortex previously associated with “theory of mind” tasks when subjects made personality, as compared to emotion judgments.
The western boundary current in the Bransfield Strait, Antarctica

The Bransfield Strait west of the Antarctic Peninsula has been considered as a highly productive region for all trophic levels from primary production, to zooplankton aggregations, especially krill, to birds and mammals. The western boundary current, referred to as the Bransfield Current, plays an important role in determining the transport and retention of biota in the Bransfield Strait. Following the study of surface current characteristics in the strait using 39 tracks of mixedlayer drifters deployed between 1988 and 1990, a high-resolution transect of temperature, salinity and current measurements crossing the Bransfield Current was conducted between 13 and 14 March 2004, for understanding its horizontal and vertical structure and dynamics. The results from current, temperature and salinity measurements using a vessel mounted narrow band acoustic doppler current profiler and conductivity–temperature–depth (CTD) sensors revealed the magnitude of this current of approximately 50 cm/s within a horizontal distance of 15 km associated with a narrow and deep density front 4–6 km wide and 500 m deep. The comparison between the direct current measurements and the geostrophic current estimates from the density field implies that the Bransfield Current is geostrophically balanced. The mechanism forming this current is explored with Sverdrup dynamics. Results indicate that the negative wind stress curl and b-effect lead to a southwestward transport in the Bransfield Strait. When this transport is restricted by land and shelves, a narrow western boundary current is formed. r 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Adhesion of Streptococcus uberis to monolayers of cultured epithelial cells derived from the bovine mammary gland

Monolayers of epithelial cells obtained by culture of isolated secretory alveoli from the bovine mammary gland were used as target cells in bacterial adhesion assays. The ability of two strains of Streptococcus uberis (EF20 and 0140J) to adhere to these cells was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cultured monolayers consisted of two types of epithelial cell one of which possessed many microvilli and another which exhibited only sparse or no microvilli. Strain EF20 adhered more readily and in greater numbers to the cells without microvilli (MV−) than to cells possessing microvilli (MV+). Strain 0140J also interacted with a greater proportion of MV− cells but adhered to both MV− and MV+ cell types in similar numbers.
Episodic heavy drinking and 20-year total mortality among late-life moderate drinkers.

Background Analyses of moderate drinking have focused overwhelmingly on average consumption, which masks diverse underlying drinking patterns. This study examined the association between episodic heavy drinking and total mortality among moderate-drinking older adults. Methods At baseline, the sample was comprised of 446 adults aged 55 to 65; 74 moderate drinkers who engaged in episodic heavy drinking and 372 regular moderate drinkers. The database at baseline also included a broad set of sociodemographic, behavioral, and health status covariates. Death across a 20-year follow-up period was confirmed primarily by death certificate. Results In multiple logistic regression analyses, after adjusting for all covariates, as well as overall alcohol consumption, moderate drinkers who engaged in episodic heavy drinking had more than 2 times higher odds of 20-year mortality in comparison with regular moderate drinkers. Conclusions Among older moderate drinkers, those who engage in episodic heavy drinking show significantly increased total mortality risk compared to regular moderate drinkers. Episodic heavy drinking—even when average consumption remains moderate—is a significant public health concern.
Kalman filtering and systolic processors

A new parallel computing structure of the systolic array type for implementing the Kalman filter for state-space estimation is presented. This corresponds to the adjustment of Kalman filter algorithms to the type of the Faddeev algorithm. The Faddeev algorithm provides a wide range of matrix computational capabilities and it maps easily into a concurrent systolic array architecture. The special arrangement for the data flow mapping from Kalman filter to Faddeev algorithm, and from Faddeev algorithm to architecture are presented.
Alzheimer's disease: Clinical implications of the apolipoprotein E genotype

Article abstract-Inheritance of the apolipoprotein E (APOE = gene; apoE = protein) epsilon 4 gene is associated with a higher risk for development of Alzheimer9s disease (AD) and for occurrence of this illness at a younger age. APOE gene dose and genotype interact with gender, ethnicity, and age to influence the probability of developing AD, as well as the rate of disease progression. The sensitivity and specificity of APOE genotyping, however, and the longer-term implications of the epsilon 4 allele as a susceptibility factor for AD, are not yet adequately understood to recommend the use of APOE genotyping in genetic counseling of asymptomatic family members of AD patients. Insufficient evidence also exists at this time to recommend APOE genotyping as an adjuvant for the differential diagnosis of dementia or as a possible predictor for response to drug therapy. These potential future clinical indications for apoE genotyping are under active investigation. NEUROLOGY 1997;48(Suppl 6): S30-S34
Development of Metallic Magnetic Calorimeters for Nuclear Safeguards Applications

Many nuclear safeguards applications could benefit from high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy achievable with metallic magnetic calorimeters. This dissertation covers the development of a system for these applications based on gamma-ray detectors developed at the University of Heidelberg. It demonstrates new calorimeters of this type, which achieved an energy resolution of 45.5 eV full-width at half-maximum at 59.54 keV, roughly ten times better than current state of the art high purity germanium detectors. This is the best energy resolution achieved with a gamma-ray metallic magnetic calorimeter at this energy to date. In addition to demonstrating a new benchmark in energy resolution, an experimental system for measuring samples with metallic magnetic calorimeters was constructed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. This system achieved an energy resolution of 91.3 eV full-width at half-maximum at 59.54 keV under optimal conditions. Using this system it was possible to characterize the linearity of the response, the count-rate limitations, and the energy resolution as a function of temperature of the new calorimeter. With this characterization it was determined that it would be feasible to measure Pu-242 in a mixed isotope plutonium sample. A measurement of a mixed isotope plutonium sample was performed over the course of 12 days with a single two-pixel metallic magnetic calorimeter. The relative concentration of Pu-242 in comparison to other plutonium isotopes was determined by direct measurement to less than half a percent accuracy. This is comparable with the accuracy of the best-case scenario using traditional indirect methods. The ability to directly measure the relative concentration of Pu-242 in a sample could enable more accurate accounting and detection of indications of undeclared activities in nuclear safeguards, a better constraint on source material in forensic samples containing plutonium, and improvements in verification in a future plutonium disposition treaty.
When States Misbehave: Why International Organizations Suspend Member States

Over the past two decades, international organizations have increasingly used membership suspension as a tool of influence on member state behavior. This article addresses the puzzle of why this has happened despite a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of suspensions. We evaluate evidence from five leading regional organizations to examine potential explanations. Findings indicate that those organizations with more cost-sensitive member states are most likely to suspend an offending member state and those organizations with higher levels of economic integration are less likely to suspend such a state. The study contributes to our understanding of how organizations address non-compliance and move beyond their institutional design. This study also offers policymakers specific conditions under which to expect membership suspension to become reality.
CdS/CdSe Quantum Dot Co-sensitized Solar Cells

CdS/CdSe quantum dots co-sensitized solar cells were prepared by combining the successive ion layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method and chemical bath deposition (CBD) method for the fabrication of CdS and CdSe quantum dots, respectively.
Investigation of Apatite Mineralization on Antioxidant Polyphosphazenes for Bone Tissue Engineering

Synthetic bone grafts that promote the natural mineralization process would be excellent candidates for the repair or replacement of bone defects. In this study, a series of antioxidant-containing polyphosphazenes were evaluated for their ability to mineralize apatite during exposure to a solution of simulated body fluid (SBF). All polymers contained ferulic acid (antioxidant), cosubstituted with different amino acid esters linked to the polyphosphazene backbone. Differences in the side groups determined the hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity of the resulting polymers. All of the polymers mineralized monocalcium phosphate monohydrate, a type of biological apatite. However, the mineralization process (the amount of deposition and length of time) was dependent on the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity of the polymers. The polymer–apatite composites were examined by electron scanning microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravametric a...
Development of a Novel Canine Model for Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis of the Knee.

Translational models of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) that accurately represent clinical pathology need to be developed. This study assessed a novel canine model for PTOA using impact injury. Impacts were delivered to the medial femoral condyle of dogs using a custom-designed impactor at 20, 40, or 60 MPa. Functional assessments and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed at 2 and 12 weeks, and arthroscopic and histologic assessments were performed at 12 weeks after injury. At 2 and 12 weeks, dogs had observable lameness, knee pain, effusion, loss in range of motion (ROM) and dysfunction in both hindlimbs with severity correlated strongly (r > 0.77) to impact level. At 12 weeks, function, pain, effusion, and ROM were significantly (p
Glucagon binding to receptors on the surface of chicken adipocytes.

Adipocytes isolated from abdominal fat of chickens were used 1) to demonstrate that [125I]-tyr10-glucagon binds with all the characteristics of a hormone-receptor interaction and 2) to determine whether glucagon binds to one or more receptor sites. Binding of [125I]-tyr10-glucagon was characterized at 12 degrees C, a temperature found to completely inhibit internalization of the radioligand. Culturing adipocytes increased radioligand binding by 60 to 100% and, therefore, fat cells were incubated for 72 h before characterizing binding. Binding of [125I]-tyr10-glucagon to chicken adipocytes reached steady-state, was reversible, was specific for glucagon, was saturable, and increased linearly as a function of fat cell concentration. Both kinetic and steady-state experiments indicated that [125I]-tyr10-glucagon bound to two sites on chicken adipocytes. Equilibrium dissociation constants (Kd) of 54 +/- 16 pM and 3.3 +/- 1.3 nM were obtained for [125I]-tyr10-glucagon, whereas Kd of .49 and 81 nM were calculated for mammalian glucagon. There were 4,831 +/- 1,057 high-affinity receptors and 200,780 +/- 63,404 low-affinity receptors per adipocyte. Thus, only 2.3% of the glucagon binding sites were of high affinity. In addition to higher binding affinity, [125I]-tyr10-glucagon stimulated glycerol release from chicken adipocytes with greater potency than porcine glucagon. Therefore, it was concluded that [125I]-tyr10-glucagon was a supra-agonist that bound to high- and low-affinity receptors on the surface of chicken adipocytes with all the characteristics of a hormone-receptor interaction.
Significance in Archaeology

ABSTRACTSignificance of archaeological materials should be gauged by multiple criteria, especially when the management of the resources requires decisions. Legal, scientific, ethnic, public, monetary, and managerial aspects of significance are all usable standards by which archaeological phenomena should be measured.
Botanical composition of peat and degree of peat decomposition in three temperate peatlands

Models of peat accumulation assume that peat decomposition occurs mostly above the water table, with little or no decomposition once peat enters the deeper, saturated, anoxic zone. However, few suc...
Determining the Need for Social Work Practice in a Public Library

ABSTRACTLittle is known about social work practice via public libraries. Faced with patron needs, libraries seek creative ways to provide social services. One suburban library carried out community engagement using a community-university partnership. Students reviewed literature, surveyed 32 library patrons, and conducted interviews with five staff members. Patrons identified need for services related to children’s success in school as well as resources needed for health care, food resources, and employment services. They also identified concerns with homelessness, mental illness, and unemployment. Implications support the provision of social work practice at this library to address opportunities to maximize quality of life.
Ocean's Dilemma

The case is intended for a class relatively early in a decision analysis or a risk analysis class module. The case can be used as the very first case in the course if students are familiar with the concepts of NPV. Alternatively, students can be given a short technical note on calculating NPV for cash flows as pedagogy for the case. The analysis requires use of NPV calculations to determine the outcomes of different options in the case and to choose one of the given options. Using the choices that students make, the instructor can lead a rich discussion on effects of risk-seeking and risk-averse behavior in situations that managers face in real life. Excerpt UVA-QA-0798 Rev. Sept. 11, 2015 OCEAN'S DILEMMA On the morning of January 12, 2012, Ross Bean, president and CEO of Ocean Technologies (OT), was reading his e-mails. After its strong financial performance in 2011, with revenue of $ 200 million and net income of $ 52 million, the company had plans to expand aggressively in 2012. Bean was excited about the expansion but worried that it could be delayed if four critical product issues were not handled immediately. Bean looked carefully at the four issues and drafted a memo on each issue to its respective product manager. He hoped for a resolution during the product managers' meeting the following week. Cloud Computing OT was a technology company headquartered in Menlo Park, California. Founded in 2008, the company was one of the fastest-growing in cloud computing, the use of shared, on-demand storage capacity by computers and other electronic systems such as smartphones and tablets. Because of the cost effectiveness of its infrastructure, the reliability of its data storage, and the ease with which it allowed data to be shared, cloud computing was in high demand among IT services. . . .
Finding an Odd K3,3

In their 1999 paper, “Permanents, Pfaffian orientations, and even directed curcuits”, Neil Robertson, Paul Seymour, and Robin Thomas provided a good characterization for whether or not a bipartite graph has a Pfafflan orientation. Robin Thomas and Peter Whalen recently provided a shorter proof of the central result using elementary methods. The first step in this new proof is the finding of a subgraph of a brace isomorphic to a subdivision of K 3,3 in which each edge has been subdivided an even number of times. Here, we extend this result to prove that any internally 4-connected non-planar bipartite graph contains a subgraph isomorphic to a subdivision of K 3,3 in which each edge has been subdivided an even number of times.
Ultrafast hydration dynamics in protein conformational transitions

Biological water in the hydration layer plays a critical role in structural stability, flexibility, and integrity of proteins. Water motion in the immediate vicinity of proteins directly affects protein conformational changes such as from the denatured to native state or from the misfolded structure to the eventual protein aggregate. Thus, elucidation of water dynamics with spatial and temporal resolution is essential to understanding the underlying molecular mechanism of protein conformational transitions, leading to a potentially better control over early protein misfolding and aggregation that is responsible for most neurodegenerative diseases. This chapter reports the hydration dynamics of melittin in conformational transitions with femtosecond temporal and single-residue spatial resolution. The observed time scale of ∼ 100 ps represents a type of necessarily dynamical ordering of water molecules to mediate high-order structure formation of melittin in the α-helix and self-assembled tetramer.
Electrical stimulation for incontinence: Technique, selection, and results

Incontinence due to hyperreflexic bladder and/or pelvic floor weakness can be corrected by chronic functional electrical stimulation (FES). Cystometry, electromyography of pelvic floor muscles, and anal sphincter pressure measurements with and without electrical stimulation determines if chronic FES will be successful. Post-acute stimulation improvement occurred in patients with incontinence due to hyperreflexic bladder and/or pelvic floor weakness. A success rate of 92 per cent was achieved with chronic FES in incontinent patients with this method of selection.
Respiratory Function of the Molluscan Hemocyanins

Hemocyanins (Hcs) are known in four of the eight (according to the scheme presented in a recent monograph; Table 1) classes of living mollusks: (Poly) Placophora, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, and Cephalopoda. Since the Solenogastres contain red blood cells (RBCs), it seems highly unlikely that they contain Hcs as well. The contents of the bloods of the Caudofoveata (chaetodermatids) and Monoplacophora are unknown. Information on this subject would be of considerable interest in understanding the evolution of the molluscan Hcs. N.B. Terwilliger (pers. comm.) carefully examined the blood of a scaphopod and found no spectrophotometric or electrophoretic evidence of a Hc.
Thermal Properties and Thermal Stresses in Delaminated Ceramic Matrix Composites

Using a simple model it is shown that, analogous to crack formation in single phase ceramics, delaminations can significantly decrease the effective transverse thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion, and, depending on the external constraints, the magnitude of maximum thermal stress and/or thermal deformation in laminated fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites subjected to transverse heat flow.
Chemoprevention of Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide (Parkin et al, 1999). It represents an important and costly problem in the developed world, and a devastating problem in the developing world, where resources and infrastructure are inadequate. Nevertheless, cervical cancer has long been thought to be one of the most preventable of cancers because it has a predictable preclinical phase, the affected organ is accessible to examination and biopsy, there is a reasonably good screening test, and vaccines are being developed against infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), which plays a central role in the etiology of the disease (see Chapters 7, 12 and 13). Furthermore, there is emerging evidence that risk of development of cervical cancer might be reduced through the use of chemopreventive agents.
Aerobic training status does not attenuate prolonged sitting-induced lower limb vascular dysfunction

This study examined if the degree of aerobic training protects against the lower limb vascular dysfunction associated with a prolonged sitting bout. Ten young, aerobically trained (AT) and 10 young...
Making Puppet Circuits

The Prototyping Puppets project presents a craft-based prototyping project for STEM education of early middle school level students in informal learning. The project combines crafting and performing of hybrid puppets. It was pilot tested in two expert workshops (n = 6 and n = 10), which focused on crafting practices and materials and two student workshops (n = 8 and n = 9), which included performance elements. The resulting data back the main design concept to combine craft and performance in a STEM-focused maker project. They suggest particular focus on key elements of our educational scaffolding that focus on material performance in combination with crafting. We close with an outlook toward emerging changes as references for related work.
Soft chemical routes to electrochemically active iron phosphates.

New iron phosphates with related structures have been synthesized using hydrothermal and ion-exchange routes, and their electrochemical properties were investigated. First, NaFe(HPO4)2 was synthesized employing a hydrothermal route and its structure was determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. Subsequent Na+ and partial proton ion exchange with Li+ ion produced a known phase, Li2Fe(H0.5PO4)2, and complete deprotonation of Li2Fe(H0.5PO4)2 with Li+ by employing a solid-state ion-exchange route produced the new phase Li3Fe(PO4)2. The structure of the latter was solved from synchrotron powder X-ray data by employing ab initio methods. All of these phases are highly crystalline, built up of similar connectivities between FeO6 octahedra and PO4 tetrahedral units. Magnetic susceptibility measurements and room-temperature 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopic studies confirm the 3+ oxidation state of the compounds and their antiferromagnetic ordering with Li2Fe(H0.5PO4)2 showing some interesting metamagnetic behavior. The compounds are stable up to 400 °C and undergo facile electrochemical lithium/sodium insertion through the reduction of Fe3+ to Fe2+. Galvanostatic charge-discharge studies indicate that up to 0.6 lithium ion and 0.5 sodium ion per formula unit can be inserted at average voltages of 3.0 and 2.75 V for lithium and sodium ion batteries, respectively, for NaFe(HPO4)2. The partially Li ion exchanged compound Li2Fe(H0.5PO4)2 showed better cycle life and experimentally achievable capacities up to 0.9 Li insertion with strong dependence on particle size. The electrochemical Li insertion in Li3Fe(PO4)2 was also investigated. The electrochemistry of these three related phases were compared with each other, and their mechanism of Li insertion was investigated by ex situ PXRD.
Linking Theories of Motivation, Game Mechanics, and Public Deliberation to Design an Online System for Participatory Budgeting:

Existing systems for online civic engagement and public consultation need a better architecture if they are to realize the aspirations of deliberative democracy. To improve the design of such syste...
Comparison of Three Diagnostic Frameworks for Pyoderma Gangrenosum.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an inflammatory condition characterized by chronic cutaneous ulcerations. There are three proposed PG diagnostic frameworks (Su, PARACELSUS, Delphi); however, they lack consensus, and their performance has not yet been validated in a well-defined cohort of patients with PG. In this cross-sectional retrospective cohort study, we sought to evaluate and compare the concordance of these diagnostic frameworks within a single-institution cohort of patients with PG. There were 47 patients from an initial 76 identified by International Classification of Diseases-9 and/or International Classification of Diseases-10 codes, where two PG experts agreed in their diagnosis of PG on the basis of clinical descriptions, photographs, and pathology. This group was the PG cohort by which we evaluated the performance and concordance of the diagnostic frameworks. The PARACELSUS score identified the highest proportion of patients with PG (89% [42 of 47 patients]), followed by Delphi and Su criteria, each at 74% (35 of 47 patients). Assessment of multirater agreement found that the three criteria agreed in their diagnoses for 72% of the patients (95% confidence interval = 60–85%); chance-adjusted agreement was determined to be 0.44 (95% confidence = 0.16–0.68, Fleiss’ kappa). Future research should seek to refine these diagnostic frameworks and identify targeted methods of testing to reduce rates of PG misdiagnosis and patient misclassification in clinical trials.
Nanomechanical measurements shed light on solid-state battery degradation

Lithium-ion batteries have enabled the widespread use of portable electronic devices and are propelling the growing electric vehicle market, but new battery technologies with improved performance are necessary for emerging applications such as electric aircraft. The solid-state battery is one such technology that could exhibit enhanced safety and higher energy density compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. The use of a pure lithium metal anode within solid-state batteries is key for higher energy density (Figure 1a), and it is thought that using solid-state electrolytes instead of conventional liquids could increase the chemical and structural stability of lithium metal.1 Despite continued progress in the development of new inorganic solid-state electrolyte materials; however, a persistent problem has emerged: lithium metal tends to grow as filaments during charging instead of as a flat film, and these filaments can penetrate and fracture the stiff solid-state electrolyte to short circuit the cell (Figure 1b).2–4 To prevent this chemo-mechanical degradation process and enable filament-free charging, it is critical to understand the mechanical properties of lithium metal, which have been elusive because of the highly reactive nature of lithium.
Time is the Wisest Counselor of All: The Value of Provider-Patient Engagement Length in Home Health Care

Home health care is a rapidly growing area of the health sector in the United States. We study its role in the shift towards value-based care, as it is viewed as an avenue for achieving reductions in the cost and utilization of expensive downstream health care services. Using a novel dataset on home health care visits, we examine whether and how the amount of time that a provider spends during a home health visit with a recently-discharged patient impacts the patient’s likelihood of being readmitted to the hospital. Since unobserved patient health status may influence both the length of a home health visit and the likelihood of hospital readmission, we use the within-provider average visit length of all other episodes’ visits conducted by each provider in the 30-day period before and after the focal visit as an instrument for visit length. Using this instrumental variable approach and controlling for operational, demographic, and patient condition-related characteristics, we find the following: on average, an extra minute during a focal home health visit is associated with a 1.39% decrease in the likelihood of readmission to the hospital following that visit. Our finding suggests that a 10% increase in visit length would decrease the likelihood of readmission following a home health visit by 6%. We document heterogeneity in this effect across different patient types and visit types. We conduct a cost-benefit analysis that suggests that the cost of investing in additional home health capacity is outweighed by the cost savings arising from fewer hospitalizations.
The association of opioid use duration and new depression episode among patients with and without insomnia.

Objective: Insomnia commonly co-occurs with depression, chronic pain, and opioid use. Both insomnia and chronic opioid analgesic use (OAU) are independent risk factors for a new depression episode (NDE). This study determined if the association between longer OAU duration and NDE was stronger in those with versus without insomnia. Design: Retrospective cohort. Setting: Veterans Health Administration electronic medical records (2000-2012). Participants: New opioid users in follow-up (2002-2012), free of depression for two years prior to follow-up, and aged 18-80 (n = 70,997). Methods: NDE was ≥ 2 ICD-9 codes in a 12-month period. Insomnia before OAU initiation was ≥ 1 ICD-9 code. Cox proportional hazard models stratified on insomnia assessed the relationship between initiating a 1-30, 31-90, or > 90 day period of OAU and NDE while controlling for confounders using inverse probability of treatment-weighted propensity scores (PS). Results: Compared to 1-30 day OAU, 31-90 day was associated with NDE in those without (HR = 1.20; 95 percent CI: 1.12-1.28) but not with insomnia (HR = 1.06; 95 percent CI: 0.86-1.32). Results showed a stronger effect of chronic (>90) OAU in those with insomnia (HR = 1.59; 95 percent CI: 1.27-1.98) compared to those without (HR = 1.31; 95 percent CI: 1.21-1.42). However, all stratum-specific effects were not significantly different (p = 0.136). Conclusions: Although stratum-specific risks were statistically similar, there was evidence for a trend that chronic OAU is a stronger risk factor for NDE in those with versus without insomnia. Providers are encouraged to monitor sleep impairment among patients on opioid therapy, as sleep may be associated with greater risk for NDE in patients with chronic OAU.
Adipocyte-specific deletion of zinc finger protein 407 results in lipodystrophy and insulin resistance in mice.

Abstract PPARγ deficiency in humans and model organisms impairs the transcriptional control of adipogenesis and mature adipocyte function resulting in lipodystrophy and insulin resistance. Zinc finger protein 407 (ZFP407) positively regulates PPARγ target gene expression and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in cultured adipocytes. The in vivo physiological role of ZFP407 in mature adipocytes, however, remains to be elucidated. Here we generated adipocyte-specific ZFP407 knockout (AZKO) mice and discovered a partial lipodystrophic phenotype with reduced fat mass, hypertrophic adipocytes in inguinal and brown adipose tissue, and reduced adipogenic gene expression. The lipodystrophy was further exacerbated in AZKO mice fed a high-fat diet. Glucose and insulin tolerance tests revealed decreased insulin sensitivity in AZKO mice compared to control littermates. Cell-based assays demonstrated that ZFP407 is also required for adipogenesis, which may also contribute to the lipodystrophic phenotype. These results demonstrate an essential in vivo role of ZFP407 in brown and white adipose tissue formation and organismal insulin sensitivity.
Indexing habitat opportunity for juvenile anadromous fishes in tidal-fluvial wetland systems

Abstract In intertidal wetlands, habitat access by out-migrating juvenile anadromous fishes, such as salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), is influenced by both physical and biological factors. Physical limits are set by inundation patterns and water quality parameters, while biological bounds are determined by species-specific migration timing and seasonal residency behaviors. We developed a new metric called the fish habitat opportunity index to quantify the total time (h) and volume-time (m3-h) per calendar year that salmon could access a given wetland, based on periods of inundation (volume) and seasonal migration period (time). The basic assumption of the index is that the volume of water inundating a restored wetland and the amount of time the wetland is inundated are both positively related to ecological benefits to juvenile salmon in terms of foraging success, growth, condition, and refuge from predators. We tested this index using data collected at a reconnected tidal freshwater wetland area in the lower Columbia River and estuary during 2006–2009. We found the wetland to be accessible to different salmon species for different lengths of time and periods of the year. On average, Chum Salmon (O. keta) had remarkably consistent opportunities to use wetland marsh habitat over the four years sampled, while opportunities were more variable for Chinook Salmon (O. tshawytscha), and Coho Salmon (O. kisutch). Inundation varied nonlinearly with tidal height. Fish had access to the productive marsh edge for approximately 40–50% of the time during out-migration periods. The fish habitat opportunity index is applicable to wetland systems throughout the tidal-fluvial continuum. It provides a metric for assessing fish habitat opportunity that is more realistic than simple wetted-area calculations or species presence/absence data. Most importantly, the fish habitat opportunity index affords a method for a priori comparison among potential restoration sites to help resource managers predict the likely relative effects on habitat opportunity from restoration aimed at benefiting juvenile anadromous fishes. Maximizing the fish habitat opportunity index should positively affect fish populations that use tidal-fluvial wetlands as vital habitats in their life cycle.