cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emerging subspecialties in neurology: neuro-oncology: a developing subspecialty with many opportunities.

Neuro-oncology is a unique, developing neurologic subspecialty that combines many aspects of neurology with those of cancer biology. The neuro-oncologist is expert in both the diagnosis and management of primary brain tumors and neurologic complications of cancer. A career in neuro-oncology presents opportunities to utilize a multidisciplinary team approach and the application of cutting-edge technology toward patient treatment while providing compassionate patient care. Neuro-oncology can trace its modern origins to the 1970s, when the first therapeutic trials were begun. The treatment and management of primary brain tumors is now a rapidly evolving field. The World Health Organization recognizes approximately 100 different types of primary and secondary brain tumors.1,2 Glioblastoma, which is the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumor, has an incidence of 4 to 5 cases per 100,000. For patients with glioblastoma, life expectancies are measured in months rather than years, with median survival after diagnosis of only 12 to 14 months. In the past, surgical resection and radiation therapy were the main treatment options offered to these patients. In the last several years, studies have shown that chemotherapy provides a significant clinical benefit for patients with malignant brain tumors.3 More recently, molecular markers that predict response to treatment are beginning to be identified in glioblastoma.4 Clinical trials that incorporate biologic endpoints and correlative studies are improving our understanding of the mechanisms of disease and tumor response to treatment. This greater knowledge will lead to the development of more effective agents and individualized treatments based on specific tumor profiles. In addition to glioblastoma, the neuro-oncologist manages less common tumors, including other types of glioma, germ cell tumors, meningiomas, medulloblastomas, and primary CNS lymphomas, and becomes familiar with the cancers' different biologic and molecular profiles, and treatment approaches. Despite the often poor prognosis of patients …
Ground‐Water Pollution and Sanitary Landfills—A Critical Reviewa

The principal studies concerned with the ground-water pollution potential from sanitary landfills and dump grounds have been conducted in California, South Dakota, Illinois and England. These studies have all demonstrated that leachates are highly pollutional in characteristics, but once they pass into the surrounding soil regime, the attenuation mechanisms of dilution, adsorption and microbial degradation tend to reduce the impact of this loading on the underground-water supply. A survey of practice in twenty-one States in the United States regarding ground-water pollution from landfill operation showed that not much new research was underway; there was much variation in the code and laws dealing with ground-water pollution; and suggested distances from landfill to water wells varied from 50 to 1000 feet. Finally, based on the literature findings plus the result of the State survey, a set of recommendations are offered to minimize ground-water pollution problems stemming from landfill operations.
Preparation of Energetic Metastable Nano-Composite Materials by Arrested Reactive Milling

Highly metastable, nano-scale energetic materials were prepared by Arrested Reactive Milling (ARM). When reactive milling is carried out with materials systems suitable for Self-Propagating High Temperature Synthesis (SHS), reaction between the components occurs spontaneously and violently after a certain period of milling. In this research, metastable nanocom-posites with high energy density, were prepared by arresting the milling process prior to the spontaneous reaction. Products thus obtained are powders with particle sizes in the 10–50 μm range. Individual particles are intimate mixtures of reactive components, comparable to Metast-able Intermolecular Composites (MIC), with near theoretical maximum density. The time of arrest determines the degree of grain refinement and therefore the sensitivity to mechanical, electrical, or thermal initiation. Particle sizes of the product powders can be adjusted by appropriate choice of milling parameters. This paper describes the application of ARM to the material systems Al-Fe2O3 and Al-MoO3. After empirical determination of optimum milling parameters, the reactive composites are structurally characterized by electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. First results of combustion tests are presented.
Expression and Localization of Predicted Inclusion Membrane Proteins in Chlamydia trachomatis

Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular pathogen that replicates in a membrane-bound vacuole termed the inclusion. Early in the infection cycle, the pathogen extensively modifies the inclusion membrane through incorporation of numerous type III secreted effector proteins, called inclusion membrane proteins (Incs). These proteins are characterized by a bilobed hydrophobic domain of 40 amino acids. The presence of this domain has been used to predict up to 59 putative Incs for C. trachomatis; however, localization to the inclusion membrane with specific antibodies has been demonstrated for only about half of them. Here, we employed recently developed genetic tools to verify the localization of predicted Incs that had not been previously localized to the inclusion membrane. Expression of epitope-tagged putative Incs identified 10 that were previously unverified as inclusion membrane localized and thus authentic Incs. One novel Inc and 3 previously described Incs were localized to inclusion membrane microdomains, as evidenced by colocalization with phosphorylated Src (p-Src). Several predicted Incs did not localize to the inclusion membrane but instead remained associated with the bacteria. Using Yersinia as a surrogate host, we demonstrated that many of these are not secreted via type III secretion, further suggesting they may not be true Incs. Collectively, our results highlight the utility of genetic tools for demonstrating secretion from chlamydia. Further mechanistic studies aimed at elucidating effector function will advance our understanding of how the pathogen maintains its unique intracellular niche and mediates interactions with the host.
Association of perceived partner non-monogamy with prevalent and incident sexual concurrency

Objectives Concurrency is suggested as an important factor in sexually transmitted infection transmission and acquisition, though little is known regarding factors that may predict concurrency initiation. We examined the association between perception of a partner9s non-monogamy (PPNM) and simultaneous or subsequent concurrency among at-risk heterosexual young adults in the Los Angeles area. Methods We used Poisson regression models to estimate the relationship between PPNM and incident concurrency among 536 participants participating in a cohort study, interviewed at 4-month periods during 1 year. Concurrency was defined as an overlap in reported sexual partnership dates; PPNM was defined as believing a partner was also having sex with someone else. Results Participants (51% female; 30% non-Hispanic white, 28% non-Hispanic black, 27% Hispanic/Latino) had a mean age of 23 years and lifetime median of nine sex partners. At each interview (baseline, 4-month, 8-month and 12-month), 4-month concurrency prevalence was, respectively, 38.8%, 27.4%, 23.1% and 24.5%. Four-month concurrency incidence at 4, 8 and 12 months was 8.5%, 10.6% and 17.8%, respectively. Participants with recent PPNM were more likely to initiate concurrency (crude 4-month RR=4.6; 95% CI 3.0, 7.0; adjusted 4-month RR=4.0, 95% CI 2.6 to 6.1). Conclusions Recent PPNM was associated with incident concurrency. Among young adults, onset of concurrency may be stimulated, relatively quickly, by the PPNM. Programmes which promote relationship communication skills and explicit monogamy expectations may help reduce concurrency.
Case-Control Studies of Environmental Influences in Diseases with Genetic Determinants, with an Application to Alzheimer's Disease

Many diseases have both genetic and environmental determinants. Some require both, and the disease phenotype then appears only when a vulnerable genotype is expressed after interaction with environmental factors. The detection of such environmental factors has received little prior consideration in diseases with genetic causes. In particular, case-control studies of such diseases may compare exposures among cases, who have the susceptible genotype, and controls who mostly lack it. The authors explored the likely results of such studies, using the example of Alzheimer's disease as an illness where environmental factors may interact with a necessary susceptible genotype to accelerate disease expression. They found that case-control studies of environmental factors in complex genetic diseases will usually produce an odds ratio that differs little from the relative risk among susceptible individuals. In rare situations, however, the discrepancy may be gross. The statistical power of such studies also agrees well with familiar published estimates, suggesting that little power is lost even though the controls are mostly not susceptible. Power may be increased, however, in studies of common illnesses with genetic determinants when the case-control method is applied among discordant monozygotic twins.
Write Effective Letters to Opposing Counsel

In your correspondence with opposing counsel, strive for a tone that is assertive without being offensive, firm without being mean, and precise without being insulting. This article discusses how.
Radiation dose reduction using noise reduction technology during uterine artery embolization: a pilot study

article i nfo Objective: To assess the radiation dose reduction during uterine artery embolization utilizing dose reduction technology. Methods: A total of 58 women underwent uterine artery embolization. A total of 26 procedures were performed inastandard fluoroscopysuite;32procedureswereperformedutilizinganovelimagingplatform.Radiationdose data and acquisition parameters were compared. Results: The new platform provided significant reduction in the median radiation dose (Pb.001): from 389 Gy cm 2 to 145 Gy cm 2 . There were no differences between the groups with regard to acquisition parameters. Conclusion: The new imaging platform provided a 61% dose reduction during uterine artery embolization without a significant change in acquisition parameters.
Short-Term Soil Responses to Late-Seeded Cover Crops in a Semi-Arid Environment

Cover crops can expand ecosystem services, though sound management recommendations for their use within semiarid cropping systems is currently constrained by a lack of information. This study was conducted to determine agroecosystem responses to late-summer seeded cover crops under no-till management, with particular emphasis on soil attributes. Short-term effects of late-summer seeded cover crops on soil water, available N, near-surface soil quality, and residue cover were investigated during three consecutive years on the Area IV Soil Conservation Districts Research Farm near Mandan, ND. Mean aboveground cover crop biomass was highly variable across years (1430, 96, and 937 kg ha–¹ in 2008, 2009, and 2010, respectively), and was strongly affected by precipitation received within 14 d following cover crop seeding. During years with appreciable biomass production (2008 and 2010), cover crops significantly reduced available N in the 0.9-m depth the following spring (P = 0.0291 and 0.0464, respectively). Cover crop effects on soil water were subtle, and no differences in soil water were found between cover crop treatments and a no cover crop control before seeding cash crops the following spring. Late-summer seeded cover crops did not affect near-surface soil properties or soil coverage by residue. Soil responses to late-summer seeded cover crops did not differ between cover crop mixtures and monocultures. Late-summer seeded cover crops may enhance ecosystem services provided by semiarid cropping systems through biomass production and N conservation, though achieving these benefits in a consistent manner appears dependent on timely precipitation following cover crop seeding.
Violence in Pre-Modern Societies: Rural Colombia*

Violence is a common phenomenon in developing polities which has received little attention. Clearly a Peronist riot in Buenos Aires, a land invasion in Lima, and a massacre in rural Colombia are all different. Yet we have no typology which relates types of violence to stages or patterns of economic or social development. We know little of the causes, incidence or functions of different forms of violence. This article is an effort to understand one type of violence which can occur in societies in transition.Violence in Colombia has traditionally accompanied transfers of power at the national level. This can account for its outbreak in 1946, when the Conservative Party replaced the Liberals. It cannot account for the intensity or duration of rural violence for two decades. This article focuses primarily on the violence from 1946 to 1953, and explains its intensification and duration as the defense of a traditional sacred order against secular modernizing tendencies undermining that order. We shall discuss violence since 1953 in the concluding section.
Inhibition of Glutamic Acid Carboxy-Lyase by Alanosine

SummaryAlanosine is an inhibitor of glutamic acid carboxy-lyase (C-L) of bacterial origin, but not of those from squash and rat brain. Its action is competitive in respect to glutamic acid, but noncompetitive in respect to pyridoxal phosphate. Other bacterial amino acid C-L's tested, while sensitive to hydroxylamine, are not inhibited by alanosine.
Tuning infrared emission from microstrip arrays

Earlier work has shown that a narrow-frequency-band, wide-angle emission is produced by an array of metal patches supported on a thin dielectric layer covering a ground plane. The modes responsible for this emission are local plasmons trapped under the metal patches. As the dielectric layer thickness, ${h}_{d}$, is increased, the resonant emission fades in strength because the plasmon modes can no longer be trapped under a single patch. Further increases in ${h}_{d}$, making it comparable to the light wavelength in the dielectric layer, lead to a collection of new emission peaks. These are narrower than the one peak found for small ${h}_{d}$ but they are not well separated. We have found that some of these peaks can be suppressed over a narrow range of ${h}_{d}$. This leaves one with well-separated, narrow-band emission peaks. We have identified the physical mechanism for this selective suppression of emission peaks.
Growth and Metamorphosis of Anuran Larvae on Thymus Extracts.

Since the early experiments of Gudernatsch,1 who produced an acceleration of growth and a delay of metamorphosis of tadpoles fed upon fresh thymus tissue, several investigators have obtained diverse results by feeding thymus glands, either fresh or dried, to amphibian larvae. Uhlenhuth2, 3 found that when only thymus tissue was given to newly hatched urodeles, their growth was retarded. This was attributed to the particular food value of the thymus since the animals grew at a normal rate when other food was added to the diet. Contrary to the above observations, Kahn4 and Romeis5 found that thymus accelerated the growth of amphibian larvae. Swingle,6 however, fed fresh and powdered thymus to Rana larvae and observed no retardation or acceleration of growth or metamorphosis. The rather extensive literature has been covered in a brief review by Gudernatsch.7Asher and Ratti8 prepared a thymus extract, thymocrescin, which in their hands has produced marked acceleration of growth as well as a gonadotropic effect...
Foundations for integrating the democratic and territorial peace arguments

The democratic and territorial peace arguments explain interstate peace via distinct mechanisms. Yet they can be integrated. I theoretically derive both the unique domains in which each argument mi...
Pesticide Use and Associated Morbidity and Mortality in Veterinary Medicine

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the use of pesticides in domestic food and pet species. Pesticides are frequently topically applied or orally administered to animals to control harmful insects and parasites or used in their environment to control a variety of pests. The rural setting of food-producing and livestock-rearing operations results in exposure of domestic animals to the wide array of agricultural chemicals currently in use. In addition, wildlife species are often exposed accidentally or maliciously to pesticides, especially those used in animal and plant agriculture. Pesticide exposures can be minimal or can be sufficiently great to produce clinical signs and result in acute poisoning, delayed toxicity, or residues that affect public safety through contamination of the food chain. The likelihood of intoxication depends on a variety of physiological, behavioral, and environmental factors. Fortunately, the emergence of less toxic pesticides for veterinary use has resulted in less frequent acute animal intoxications. Chronic exposure to pesticides applied to lawns has been hypothesized as a cause of bladder cancer in certain dog breeds, although this remains controversial. The diagnosis of pesticide intoxication requires careful antemortem and postmortem investigation. Treatment of intoxicated animals involves early decontamination, symptomatic and supportive care, and, in some cases, antidote administration.
Scheduling maintenance for reliable transmission systems

This paper introduces an application of transmission switching in centralized transmission line maintenance scheduling while minimizing total operation cost of the system. The proposed model includes power balance equalities, power generation limits, voltage magnitude limits, ramp-up and down limits, unit minimum up and downtime limits, and power flow limits, and it benefits transmission companies and central dispatcher in terms of lower operation cost. An optimization process is formulated in terms of Mixed Integer Linear Programming. The effectiveness of central outage scheduling is tested with an IEEE model system, and significant cost savings are observed with the proposed model in comparison to a Business-As-Usual model.
Oax-i-fornia: Generative Intersections and the Design of Craft

ABSTRACTOax-i-fornia is an interdisciplinary academic project that, since 2005, has brought design and art students together with artisans in Oaxaca, Mexico. The project's goal has been to create a transnational collaborative space fuelled by the notion of play as a generative force, allowing the collaborators to produce meaningful cross-cultural connections not commonly associated with brief encounters between visitors and locals. The project has been based upon the concept that craft, and tradition itself, are in constant evolution through historical interventions called “generative intersections”, and that tourism also functions as an important experience within studio-abroad programs. The outcomes of the project have been measured by the quality of the shared experience, and the ways in which that experience has changed notions of difference among the participants, rather than solely through the objects resulting from the collaborations. Today, Oax-i-fornia proposes a model for transnational design ed...
W.O. Kermack and A.G. McKendrick: A seminal contribution to the mathematical theory of epidemics (1927)

Kermack and McKendrick's 1927 paper is considered one of the most influential papers of mathematical epidemiology, but the famous “Kermack–McKendrick model” is just a simplified special case of the more general model. They first introduce a general discrete-time difference equation model for a homogeneous population. They then modify this model to be adapted to continuous time. They comment on the unsolvability of this kind of model, but derive expressions for the proportion infected. The well-known special case of the model according to which all parameters are constant is discussed at the end of the paper and clearly, despite its fame, represents only a small fraction of the paper's achievements. The reader is guided through all relevant derivations and calculations.
High transmittance cadmium oxysulfide Cd(S,O) buffer layer grown by triton X-100 mediated chemical bath deposition for thin-film heterojunction solar cells

Polycrystalline 100–190 nm Cd(S,O) n-type semiconductor thin films of high transparency in the visible range are deposited by a surfactant Triton X-100 mediated chemical bath deposition process. The crystalline structure of the films revealed by X-ray diffraction data shows a cubic-CdO phase signified by (111) and (200) planes alongside the (002), (220), and (110) planes from hexagonal-CdS. The invariance of the 2θ position of the (002) CdS diffraction is interpreted in terms of the growth of the composite film essentially by the formation of a dilute interstitial alloy of CdO and CdS. This is confirmed by Raman spectra which, besides the CdS 1LO and 2LO modes at 300 and 600 cm−1, also show Raman lines from CdO at 1098 cm−1 and 952 cm−1 assigned as overtone of 2LO phonon modes and 556 cm−1 due to band crossing between LO and TO modes of CdO. Optical spectra of Cd(S,O) films show a median transmittance of >85% compared to ∼70% for CdS films in the 550–1000 nm wavelength range. The Cd(S,O) films show optica...
Deep Structures of Collaboration: Physiological Correlates of Collective Intelligence and Group Satisfaction

Collective intelligence (CI), a group's capacity to perform a wide variety of tasks, is a key factor in successful collaboration. Group composition, particularly diversity and member social perceptiveness, are consistent predictors of CI, but we have limited knowledge about the mechanisms underlying their effects. To address this gap, we examine how physiological synchrony, as an indicator of coordination and rapport, relates to CI in computer-mediated teams, and if synchrony might serve as a mechanism explaining the effect of group composition on CI. We present results from a laboratory experiment where 60 dyads completed the Test of Collective Intelligence (TCI) together online and rated their group satisfaction, while wearing physiological sensors. We find that synchrony in facial expressions (indicative of shared experience) was associated with CI and synchrony in electrodermal activity (indicative of shared arousal) with group satisfaction. Furthermore, various forms of synchrony mediated the effect of member diversity and social perceptiveness on CI and group satisfaction. Our results have important implications for online collaborations and distributed teams.
Places in the Brain: Bridging Layout and Object Geometry in Scene-Selective Cortex

Diverse animal species primarily rely on sense (left-right) and egocentric distance (proximal-distal) when navigating the environment. Recent neuroimaging studies with human adults show that this information is represented in 2 scene-selective cortical regions-the occipital place area (OPA) and retrosplenial complex (RSC)-but not in a third scene-selective region-the parahippocampal place area (PPA). What geometric properties, then, does the PPA represent, and what is its role in scene processing? Here we hypothesize that the PPA represents relative length and angle, the geometric properties classically associated with object recognition, but only in the context of large extended surfaces that compose the layout of a scene. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging adaptation, we found that the PPA is indeed sensitive to relative length and angle changes in pictures of scenes, but not pictures of objects that reliably elicited responses to the same geometric changes in object-selective cortical regions. Moreover, we found that the OPA is also sensitive to such changes, while the RSC is tolerant to such changes. Thus, the geometric information typically associated with object recognition is also used during some aspects of scene processing. These findings provide evidence that scene-selective cortex differentially represents the geometric properties guiding navigation versus scene categorization.
High-Level Synthesis for side-channel defense

The Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing rely on strong confidence in security of confidential or highly privacy sensitive data. Therefore, side-channel leakage is an important threat, but countermeasures require expert-level security knowledge for efficient application, limiting adoption. This work addresses this need by presenting the first High-Level Synthesis (HLS) flow with primary focus on side-channel leakage reduction. Minimal security annotation to the high-level C-code is sufficient to perform automatic analysis of security critical operations with corresponding insertion of countermeasures. Additionally, imbalanced branches are detected and corrected. For practicality, the flow can meet both resource and information leakage constraints. The presented flow is extensively evaluated on established HLS benchmarks and a general IoT benchmark. Under identical resource constraints, leakage is reduced between 32% and 72% compared to the reference. Under leakage target, the constraints are achieved with 31% to 81% less resource overhead.
Effects of Aphid (Homoptera) Abundance and Surrounding Vegetation on the Encounter Rate of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Chrysopidae (Neuroptera) and Nabidae (Hemiptera) in Alfalfa.

Predaceous insect encounter rate was measured in 21 southeast Nebraska alfalfa fields through weekly sweep net sampling during 2002–03. The most frequently encountered predaceous insect families we...
Parent-Implemented Language and Communication Interventions for Children with Developmental Delays and Disabilities: a Scoping Review

The purpose of this article was to review and examine the empirical literature on parent implemented naturalistic language interventions aimed at supporting language development of young children with disabilities. A scoping review of 21 parent-implemented naturalistic language intervention studies published between 2000 and 2016 was conducted to (a) identify and report the types of naturalistic strategies used in research studies, (b) identify the characteristics of study participants, and (c) collate and summarize the effects of parent implemented intervention studies. All 21 studies reported positive outcomes for parents and children and indicated that parents could implement naturalistic strategies with their young children. Results of parent-implemented language interventions are discussed. Limitations of the present review as well as the current literature are identified. Implications for research and practice are addressed following the literature review.
A Paradoxical Response to Changes in Sodium Intake in Patients with Accelerated Hypertension

Many investigators have reported a decrease in plasma renin activity or concentration with sodium loading and a rise following sodium deprivation (1). The present report describes a paradoxical response of plasma renin activity to changes in dietary sodium intake in 4 patients with severe hypertension.
Captopril ameliorates the decreased Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in the retina of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

PURPOSE To examine the effect of captopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, on the activity of retinal sodium-potassium ATPase (Na,K-ATPase) and the activity of ACE in the serum and retina of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. METHODS Experimental diabetes was induced in male Long-Evans rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (55 mg/kg body weight). Some groups of normal and diabetic animals were treated with captopril (10 mg/kg per day) added to the drinking water for either a week or a month. After 2 and 4 months of diabetes, the specific activity of retinal total Na,K-ATPase was determined. The components of the activity of Na,K-ATPase caused by the alpha 1 and alpha 3 isoforms were pharmacologically separated by their different sensitivity to ouabain. The activity of ACE in the serum and retina was measured by radioassay using benzoyl-gly-gly-gly as substrate (10(5) cpm, 5 mM). RESULTS The total Na,K-ATPase activity was decreased significantly after 2 (16%, P < 0.02) and 4 months (15%, P < 0.02) of diabetes. At both time points examined, the activities of the alpha 1-low-ouabain-affinity isoform and the alpha 3-high-ouabain-affinity isoform of retinal Na,K-ATPase were significantly reduced compared to those of age-matched controls (alpha 1, 9% to 14%, P < 0.05; alpha 3, 14% to 19%, P < 0.05 and P < 0.02 respectively). After 1 month of captopril administration, the activities of both Na,K-ATPase isoforms were at control level in 2-month diabetic rats, whereas they were restored only partially in 4-month diabetic rats. In age-matched normal animals, 1 month of captopril treatment did not alter the specific activities of either Na,K-ATPase isoform. One week or 1 month of captopril administration to diabetic rats did not change the activities of retinal Na,K-ATPase isoforms. Serum ACE activity was elevated significantly in both groups of untreated STZ rats (55% and 40%, respectively). One month of captopril administration further increased the ACE levels in 2- and 4-month diabetic rats (101% and 94%, respectively) and also enhanced significantly the serum ACE activity in normal animals (131%) versus the basal values. In contrast, retinal ACE activity was decreased significantly in both groups of untreated STZ rats (approximately 37%). Captopril exerted a significant inhibitory effect on the retinal ACE activity in 2- and 4-month diabetic rats (37% and 31%, respectively) compared to untreated diabetic animals as well as in normal rats (29%). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that stimulation of retinal Na,K-ATPase activity in diabetes is most likely one of the mechanisms through which captopril can improve retinal complications. The effect of captopril seems to be related to local effects in the retina. Whether the inhibition of retinal ACE is part of the mechanism of action of captopril requires further study.
Understanding interactions between corrosion inhibitors and iron carbonate films using molecular modeling

Molecular modeling techniques have been used to study the adsorption and film formation of N-containing corrosion inhibitors on hematite (Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) surfaces. In oilfield applications as temperature and carbon dioxide partial pressure vary, different corrosion products are formed on mild steel. FeCO{sub 3} is the predominant corrosion product at conditions of high partial pressures of carbon dioxide. In this work, molecular modeling techniques will be used to study the adsorption and film formation of N-containing corrosion inhibitors onto iron carbonate.
Ethical issues in HIV remission trials

Author(s): Eyal, Nir; Holtzman, Lisa G; Deeks, Steven G | Abstract: Purpose of reviewSeveral promising experimental pathways exist for long-term control of HIV in the absence of antiretroviral therapy (HIV 'remission') and are now being tested in early clinical studies. These studies can be invasive and pose a host of distinctive risks to participants, as well as to nonparticipants, especially to participants' fetuses, and sexual partners.Recent findingsEthical analyses of these studies have mainly focused on the risks to study participants. They recommend, and some investigators implement, procedures to mitigate risks for participants or to offset them with direct, indirect, and nonmedical benefits. They also suggest ways to keep participants' consent highly voluntary and informed. Rarely do ethicists propose keeping the social value of studies high. Of these recommended responses, only the latter, rarer proposals help address the risk to nonparticipants, as would some novel ways to address that risk.SummaryHIV remission studies pose a number of ethical dilemmas. Many current investigative approaches put the participant at significant risk, but well established guidelines exist for mitigating this risk. Ethical issues that are not being fully addressed include risk to nonparticipants and the need to consider the societal value of studies, for example, their prospective impact on the global HIV burden. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
Intrinsically passivated polypyrrole/polyol-borate soft electroactuators

Abstract Electroactive conducting polymer films have attracted widespread interests as artificial muscles in soft robots and biomedical devices. The predominant bi- and multi-layered conducting polymer actuators often include an inert base to prevent strain offset between two opposite sides of an electroactive film, but the rigidity of the base adds an extra load to the actuator thus compromising its performance. This study introduces an intrinsically single-side-passivated polypyrrole/polyol-borate composite film capable of generating large and endurable deformations in saline. We utilize a mechanism of insufficient polymerization to achieve a monolithic structure comprising an electroactive side and an intrinsically passivated opposite side. With minimum strain offset, the resulting actuator demonstrates larger bending strain and higher electrochemical stability than unpassivated samples and conventional polypyrrole/dodecylbenzenesulfonate bilayers. This type of biocompatible and mechanically robust electroactuator may serve as a promising functional material for biomedical devices targeting for long-term in-vivo operation.
Molecular, Morphological, and Functional Characterization of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor 1-Expressing Neurons in the Central Nucleus of the Amygdala

The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is a brain region implicated in anxiety, stress-related disorders and the reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF, Crh) acting at cognate type 1 receptors (CRF1, Crhr1) modulates inhibitory and excitatory synaptic transmission in the CeA. Here, we used CRF1:GFP reporter mice to characterize the morphological, neurochemical and electrophysiological properties of CRF1-expressing (CRF1+) and CRF1-non-expressing (CRF1-) neurons in the CeA. We assessed these two neuronal populations for distinctions in the expression of GABAergic subpopulation markers and neuropeptides, dendritic spine density and morphology, and excitatory transmission. We observed that CeA CRF1+ neurons are GABAergic but do not segregate with calbindin (CB), calretinin (CR), parvalbumin (PV), or protein kinase C-δ (PKCδ). Among the neuropeptides analyzed, Penk and Sst had the highest percentage of co-expression with Crhr1 in both the medial and lateral CeA subdivisions. Additionally, CeA CRF1+ neurons had a lower density of dendritic spines, which was offset by a higher proportion of mature spines compared to neighboring CRF1- neurons. Accordingly, there was no difference in basal spontaneous glutamatergic transmission between the two populations. Application of CRF increased overall vesicular glutamate release onto both CRF1+ and CRF1- neurons and does not affect amplitude or kinetics of EPSCs in either population. These novel data highlight important differences in the neurochemical make-up and morphology of CRF1+ compared to CRF1- neurons, which may have important implications for the transduction of CRF signaling in the CeA.
Customer Service Evaluations of Employees With Disabilities: The Roles of Perceived Competence and Service Failure:

Although employees with disabilities represent a significant percentage of the American hospitality labor force, they often face workplace discrimination. Despite this reality, no research has exam...
One Nation, One Brand? Nation Branding and Identity Reconstruction in Post-Communist Hungary

Twenty years have passed since the onset of the post-communist transition, yet many former Eastern Bloc countries are still struggling with their emerging complex identities. In the aftermath of state socialism and its homogenizing political and cultural pressures, countries in Eastern Europe have had to redefi ne their national identities. This process has been infl uenced by two major forces. On the one hand, these countries rediscovered or reconstructed national and cultural traditions that, in turn, infl uenced societal discourses on national identity. In many cases, this resulted in efforts to construct national narratives around ideas of unity and uniformity, where most of the discourse was focused on who is (or can be) part of the nation. National identity was rearticulated against the perceived identities of internal and external “Others,” such as minorities and historical adversaries. On the other hand, the forces of globalization, Westernization, and Europeanization also infl uenced the redefi nition of national identities in Eastern Europe. These macro processes introduced such new concepts as diversity and multiculturalism into the discourses on national identity, resulting in additional conceptual complexity that was unfamiliar to many citizens in the region.
Adaptive Signal Detection in Subspace Interference with Uncertain Prior Knowledge

We present a new Bayesian learning algorithm, referred to as the mSKL-GAMP, for signal detection in subspace interference with uncertain/partial prior knowledge of the subspace. It is an extension of the recently introduced SKL algorithm [1] that employs a fixed dictionary for subspace recovery, which causes the grid-mismatch problem. mSKL-GAMP overcomes the problem via a subspace refining procedure. In addition, it integrates the generalized approximate message passing (GAMP) for posterior approximation, which bypasses iterative matrix inversions required by SKL, and thus is computationally much simpler. Numerical results show mSKL-GAMP yields improved detection performance over SKL and other benchmark schemes.
Protease Inhibition Mechanism of Camelid-like Synthetic Human Antibodies

Macromolecular protease inhibitors and camelid single-domain antibodies achieve their enzymic inhibition functions often through protruded structures that directly interact with catalytic centers of targeted proteases. Inspired by this phenomenon, we constructed synthetic human antibody libraries encoding long CDR-H3s, from which highly selective monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that inhibit multiple proteases were discovered. To elucidate their molecular mechanisms, we performed in-depth biochemical characterizations on a panel of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-14 inhibitory mAbs. Assays included affinity and potency measurements, enzymatic kinetics, a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, proteolytic stability, and epitope mapping followed by quantitative analysis of binding energy changes. The results collectively indicated that these mAbs of convex paratopes were competitive inhibitors recognizing the vicinity of the active cleft, with their significant epitopes scattered across the north and south rims of the cleft. Remarkably, identified epitopes were the surface loops that were highly diverse among MMPs and predominately located at the prime side of the proteolytic site, shedding light on the mechanisms of target selectivity and proteolytic resistance. Substrate sequence profiling and paratope mutagenesis further suggested that mAb 3A2 bound to the active-site cleft in a canonical (substrate-like) manner, by direct interactions between 100hNLVATP100m of its CDR-H3 and subsites S1-S5' of MMP-14. Overall, synthetic mAbs carrying convex paratopes can achieve efficient inhibition and thus hold great therapeutic promise for effectively and safely targeting biomedically important proteases.
Interplay of Non-linear Elasticity and Dislocation-Induced Superfluidity in Solid 4 He

The mechanism of the roughening induced partial depinning of gliding dislocations from 3He impurities is proposed as an alternative to the standard “boiling off”. We give a strong argument that 3He remains bound to dislocations even at large temperatures due to very long equilibration times. A scenario leading to the similarity between elastic and superfluid responses of solid 4He is also discussed. Its main ingredient is a strong suppression of the superfluidity along dislocation cores by dislocation kinks (D. Aleinikava, et. al., arXiv:0812.0983 , 2008). These kinks, on one hand, determine the temperature and 3He dependencies of the generalized shear modulus and, on the other, control the superfluid response. Several proposals for theoretical and experimental studies of solid 4He are suggested.
Review and Revision of Structural Models for the Transmembrane Portion of the Acetylcholine Receptor Channel

Structural models of the transmembrane portion are reviewed in light of recent data. A previously proposed model of the quaternary structure is modified so that the closed conformation binds calcium in the channel and opening of the channel involves small movements between adjacent a helices.
Female Athletes in Retirement: A Test of a Psychosocial Model of Bulimic Symptomatology

Although researchers have examined eating disorders in female athletes, few such studies have been done with athletes who are retired, and even fewer have been quantitative. Thus, the authors empirically tested an established eating disorder theoretical model with 218 former NCAA Division-I female collegiate athletes who had been retired for 2-6 years. In retirement, participants completed measures of general sociocultural pressures related to body and appearance, thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint, negative affect, and bulimic symptomatology. Through structural equation modeling, the authors examined the direct and indirect relationships among the latent variables while controlling for body mass index and years since retirement. The model fit the data well, supporting the hypothesized direct and indirect relationships among the variables and explaining 54% of the variance in bulimic symptomatology. Despite no longer being exposed to sport pressures that contribute to eating disorders, female athletes experience such symptoms long into retirement.
COVID-19: A Virus for the Rich and the Poor

We investigate household income patterns of COVID-19 infections. We apply econometric methods that account for the categorical dependent variable and for the fact that the sample, from an untapped dataset by economists, might not be random. Our empirical results reveal that the likelihood to be COVID-19 infected does not depend on how rich or poor an individual is. While this prima facie finding could be reflective of the missing supply side in the “COVID-19 immunity” market, it shows limitations of policies targeting households’ incomes. Therefore, R&D leading to the production of pharmaceutical methods apt to combat the virus could sustainably address this specific type of market failure: the missing supply in the presence of an extensive demand.
Computational exploration of treadmilling and protrusion growth observed in fire ant rafts

Condensed active matter systems regularly achieve cooperative emergent functions that individual constituents could not accomplish alone. The rafts of fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) are often studied in this context for their ability to create structures comprised entirely of their own bodies, including tether-like protrusions that facilitate exploration of flooded environments. While similar protrusions are observed in cytoskeletons and cellular aggregates, they are generally dependent on morphogens or external gradients leaving the isolated role of local interactions poorly understood. Here we demonstrate through an ant-inspired, agent-based numerical model how protrusions in ant rafts may emerge spontaneously due to local interactions and how phases of exploratory protrusion growth may be induced by increased ant activity. These results provide an example in which functional morphogenesis of condensed active matter may emerge purely from locally-driven collective motion and may provide a source of inspiration for the development of autonomous active matter and swarm robotics.
A Dilemma for Reductive Compatibilism

A common compatibilist view says that we are free and morally responsible in virtue of the ability to respond aptly to reasons. Many hold a version of this view despite disagreement about whether free will requires the ability to do otherwise. The canonical version of this view is reductive. It reduces the pertinent ability to a set of modal properties that are more obviously compatible with determinism, like dispositions. I argue that this and any reductive view of abilities faces a significant challenge: it cannot adequately explain the freedom-grounding element of this ability. The problem has the form of a dilemma. This leaves reasons-responsive compatibilists with two options: abandon theories of free will grounded in abilities or abandon reductive theories of abilities.
3D Object Tracking with Transformer.

Feature fusion and similarity computation are two core problems in 3D object tracking, especially for object tracking using sparse and disordered point clouds. Feature fusion could make similarity computing more efficient by including target object information. However, most existing LiDAR-based approaches directly use the extracted point cloud feature to compute similarity while ignoring the attention changes of object regions during tracking. In this paper, we propose a feature fusion network based on transformer architecture. Benefiting from the self-attention mechanism, the transformer encoder captures the inter- and intra- relations among different regions of the point cloud. By using cross-attention, the transformer decoder fuses features and includes more target cues into the current point cloud feature to compute the region attentions, which makes the similarity computing more efficient. Based on this feature fusion network, we propose an end-to-end point cloud object tracking framework, a simple yet effective method for 3D object tracking using point clouds. Comprehensive experimental results on the KITTI dataset show that our method achieves new state-of-the-art performance. Code is available at: https://github.com/3bobo/lttr.
Grassroots for Hire: Public Affairs Consultants in American Democracy

Acknowledgements Part I. Sources: 1. Grassroots from the top down 2. Defining the field and its implications 3. The formation of a grassroots industry Part II. Structure: 4. Methods for mobilizing the public 5. Corporate grassroots 6. Outsourcing advocacy? Consulting for associations Part III. Outcomes: 7. Participatory and policy impacts 8. Conclusion Appendix Bibliography.
Positive Time: Balanced Time Perspective and Positive Orientation

The aim of the research presented in this article is to investigate the relationship between positive orientation and time perspective as outlined by Zimbardo and Boyd (J Pers Soc Psychol 77:1271–1288, 1999) and extended by an additional form of concentration on the present. The Polish version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory was used. A third type of present time perspective, namely active concentration on the present, was measured by the Carpe Diem Scale. One hundred and eighty five Polish people (non-students) participated in a survey to which a canonical-correlation analysis and a cluster analysis were applied. Positive orientation was correlated with a balanced temporal profile comprising a strong positive past orientation, moderate concentration on the future, poor fatalistic time perspective, poor concentration on the negative past and moderate active concentration on the present. Whereas a positive orientation is based on a general positive attitude towards life and self, a balanced time perspective reflects a general positive attitude towards time, in which an active concentration on the present plays an important role.