cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mood Management in the Context of Selective Exposure Theory

In this chapter, the hedonistic premise of mood-management theory is examined and expanded to account for seemingly nonhedonistic choices of media content. Counterhedonistic message selection is considered in the context of selective-exposure theory. Informational utility is invoked as a choice-driving force that complements content selection. The confounded operation of hedonistic and informational choice determinants is detailed for various domains of communication. In particular, it is proposed that hedonistic motivation, as articulated in mood-management theory, dominates spontaneous entertainment choices, with nonhedonistic considerations being complementary to choice determination. The choice of educational and informational media content, in contrast, is thought to be dominated by considerations of informational utility, but also to entail noninformational anticipations. The integration of these and related choice determinants is emphasized for the development of comprehensive theories of selective...
Plant Succession and Hydrologic Recovery on a Deforested and Herbicided Watershed

Etude de l'accumulation de biomasse, de la succession de la vegetation et des effets de la restauration hydrologique au cours de la reponse de la vegetation dans un bassin versant dont le couvert vegetal fut detruit a la suite de traitements herbicides et de coupes a blanc, ce bassin versant est situe dans les monts Allegheny en Virginie occidentale
Effects of klotho deletion from bone during chronic kidney disease

Klotho is a type I transmembrane protein that acts as a permissive co-receptor for FGF23 and helps to maintain proper mineral metabolism. Mice carrying a loss-of-function mutation in either the Klotho or Fgf23 gene develop many similar phenotypes including osteoporosis. Based on these observations it was hypothesized that the bone phenotypes in Klotho- and Fgf23-null mice may be mediated through a common signaling pathway. Recent improvements in antibody specificity have shown that osteoblasts and osteocytes, which produce FGF23, also express low amount of membrane Klotho. But, the role of Klotho in bone is still largely unclear. In this review we summarize the literature and show that Klotho has an FGF23 dependent and independent effect in bone.
Increasing the accuracy of loop detector counts using adaptive neural fuzzy inference system and genetic programming

ABSTRACTLoop detectors are devices that are most commonly used for obtaining data at intersections. Multiple detectors are usually required to monitor a location, and this reduces the accuracy of detectors for collecting traffic volumes. The purpose of this paper is to increase the accuracy of loop detector counts using Adaptive Neural Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and Genetic Programming (GP) based on detector volume and occupancy. These methods do not need microscopic analysis and are easy to employ. Four approaches for one intersection are used in a case study. Results show that the models can improve intersection detector counts significantly. Results also show that ANFIS produces more accurate counts compared to regression and GP.
EPR image based oxygen movies for transient hypoxia.

Chronic hypoxia strongly affects the malignant state and resistance to therapy for tumors. Transient hypoxia has been hypothesized, but not proven to be more deleterious. Electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) provides non-invasive, quantitative imaging of static pO2 in vivo. Dynamic EPRI produces pO2 movies, enabling non-invasive assessment of in vivo pO2 changes, such as transient hypoxia. Recent developments have been made to enable Dynamic EPRI. Maximally spaced projection sequencing has been implemented to allow for more accurate and versatile acquisition of EPRI data when studying dynamic systems. Principal component analysis filtering has been employed to enhance SNR. Dynamic EPRI studies will provide temporally resolved oxygen movies necessary to perform in vivo studies of physiologically relevant pO2 changes in tumors. These oxygen movies will allow for the localization/quantification of transient hypoxia and will therefore help to disentangle the relationship between chronic and transient hypoxia, in order to better understand their roles in therapeutic optimization and outcome.
The Case for a Data Bank: an Institution to Govern Healthcare and Education

There are numerous initiatives undertaken by the community of nations to promote social inclusion by making healthcare and education accessible. With increasing human population and diminishing civil resources, there is an acute need for an entity that can deliver substantial improvement in both the scope and quality of these services. For such an entity to make informed decisions, it is vital to accumulate and assess data that is continuous and complete. However, the prevalent system of data curation is atomistic resulting in policy decisions often based on point-in-time data. Additionally, most of this data resides with the industrial complex and governmental entities, and rarely with the individual citizen and civil society. Hence, it is essential to institutionalize a holistic approach to data management, which conjointly meets the requirements of all stakeholders. In this paper, we present a brief of our ongoing research to design such an institution in the form of a data bank using blockchain technology to govern healthcare and education.
Development of the ability to combine visual and acoustic information in working memory

Presentation of two kinds of materials in working memory (visual and acoustic), with the requirement to attend to one or both modalities, poses an interesting case for working memory development because competing predictions can be formulated. In two experiments, we assessed such predictions with children 7–13 years old and adults. With development, the ability to hold more information in the focus of attention could lead to an increase in the size of the trade-off between modalities; if attention can hold A items during unimodal-attention trials, then on average attention should hold A/2 of those same items during bimodal-attention trials. If A increases with age, so would the dual-task cost, A/2. The results clearly ruled out that possibility. It was the modality- or code-specific components of working memory that improved with age and not the central component. We discuss various mechanisms that could have produced these results, including alternative attention-based mechanisms. The findings point to a rich field for continued research.
Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Despite appropriate trials of at least two antiepileptic drugs, about a third of patients with epilepsy remain drug resistant (intractable; refractory). Epilepsy surgery offers a potential cure or significant improvement to those with focal onset drug-resistant seizures. Unfortunately, epilepsy surgery is still underutilized which might be in part because of the complexity of presurgical evaluation. This process includes classifying the seizure type, lateralizing and localizing the seizure onset focus (epileptogenic zone), confirming the safety of the prospective brain surgery in terms of potential neurocognitive deficits (language and memory functions), before devising a surgical plan. Each one of the above steps requires special tests. In this paper, we have reviewed the process of presurgical evaluation in patients with drug-resistant focal onset epilepsy.
Interview with Alexey Werner

The following interview with Alexey Werner was conducted in August 2012. Alexey Werner, a distinguished Russian geometer, belongs to the school of Alexander Alexandrov.1 He received a degree of Doctor of Science2 from St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) University; he served as a chair of the Division of Geometry at Herzen Pedagogical University in St. Petersburg and the Dean of the Department of Mathematics. Professor Werner is the author or co-author of numerous textbooks formiddle and high schools widely-used throughout Russia. These textbooks have been very influential for the teaching of geometry in schools.
Abstract 9812: Dietary Supplementation of Nitrite Reduces Chronic Cardiotoxicity of Doxorubicin: Role of Activation of Protein Kinase G and Down-Regulation of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase in Heart

Background: Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most effective and commonly used chemotherapeutic agents for cancer. Clinical use of DOX is limited because of its serious dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. We recently demonstrated that oral intake of inorganic nitrate (NaNO3) protects against acute cardiotoxicity of DOX. The present study was designed to further elucidate if dietary supplementation of nitrite (NaNO2) also limits the cardiotoxic effects following chronic, multiple low-dose treatment of DOX. Methods & Results: Adult male CF-1 mice were divided into 4 groups (n=6/group): 1) Saline [0.2 ml, IP]; 2) DOX [3 x weekly IP injection of 5 mg/kg DOX; cumulative dose = 15 mg/kg]; 3) Nitrite - NaNO2 was added into drinking water at concentration of 50 mg/L for entire duration of 32 days; 4) Nitrite+DOX - mice received nitrite-enriched water 7 days before the first DOX injection and throughout the 32-day period. Five days after the last DOX injection, echocardiography and pressure-volume Millar microtip catheterization were performed to assess left ventricular (LV) contractile function and other hemodynamic indices. As shown in the Table below, LV systolic and diastolic function was significantly improved in Nitrite+DOX group as compared with DOX group. Oral nitrite intake augmented plasma level of nitrite, but not nitrate or sum of nitrate+nitrite (NOx). Further molecular studies revealed that nitrite intake enhanced cardiac activity of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) and reduced expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) as compared with Saline or DOX (n=3/group). Conclusion: We have provided novel evidence showing that dietary nitrite supplementation reduces cardiotoxicity following chronic DOX treatment. The cardioprotective effect of nitrite may be mediated by the enhanced PKG signaling and the decreased expression of likely uncoupled eNOS in the heart. Nitrite could be a promising therapeutic agent in combating chronic DOX cardiotoxicity.
Characteristics of methane oxidation in a flooded rice soil profile.

Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the variation of CH4 oxidation patterns in flooded rice soil profiles. The results indicated that surface soil presented the strongest CH4 oxidation activities as shown by the highest values of the two kinetic parameters of CH4 oxidation, Vmax and Km in the ecosystem without rice plants. Vmax and Km decreased significantly from top to bottom in the paddy rice soil profile, ranging from 12.5 to 1.2 µg h-1 g-1 and 165 to 4.1 µg g-1, respectively. In addition, we studied the effect of headspace N2, O2 and their ratio on CH4 emission and oxidation to provide information on the sensitivity of methanogens and methanotrophs to soil redox change resulted from gas transportation through arenchyma. Methane emission rate increased, however, CH4 oxidation rate decreased with a decrease of O2 concentration in the headspace. Headspace H2 increased CH4 emission rate substantially. In addition to H2 being a substrate for CH4 formation, the change of soil redox potential to a considerably low level H2 should also contribute to the increase in CH4 emission.
Nested Intervals and Sets: Concepts, Relations to Fuzzy Sets, and Applications

In data processing, we often encounter the following problem: Suppose that we have processed the measurement results \({\tilde x_1},...,{\tilde x_n}\), and, from this processing, have obtained an estimate \(\tilde y = f({\tilde x_1},...,{\tilde x_n})\) for a quantity y = f(xi,…,xn); we know the intervals xi of possible values of x i, and we want to find the interval y of possible values of y. Interval computations are one of the main techniques for solving this problem.
Is There a Role for Medical Management in Acute Appendicitis

Acute appendicitis is a common cause of acute abdomen in the emergency department, with appendectomy being the gold standard treatment. A growing body of research explores the safety and efficacy of treatment of acute appendicitis with antibiotics rather than surgery. Data from these studies show that there are many patients that can benefit from an antibiotics-only approach to appendicitis, but these benefits must be considered in the face of higher recurrence rates for patients managed non-operatively. Further research must be completed to allow clinicians to identify patients who will attain the greatest benefit from this treatment approach.
Elementary Particle Physics

In this final chapter, the theory of inertia from general relativity that has been developed will be applied to special outstanding problems in the area of elementary particle physics. It is not intended here to claim conclusive derivations for qualitative and quantitative features of pions, kaons and neutrons, that will be explored. The purpose here is only to show that the presented theory of matter, based fundamentally on the approach of general relativity, does yield results regarding the empirical evidences of some interesting (yet unsolved) problems in elementary particle physics that are qualitatively correct and, quantitatively, yield correct orders of magnitude.
A rapid and label-free platform for virus capture and identification from clinical samples

Emerging and reemerging viruses are responsible for a number of recent epidemic outbreaks. A crucial step in predicting and controlling outbreaks is the timely and accurate characterization of emerging virus strains. We present a portable microfluidic platform containing carbon nanotube arrays with differential filtration porosity for the rapid enrichment and optical identification of viruses. Different emerging strains (or unknown viruses) can be enriched and identified in real time through a multivirus capture component in conjunction with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. More importantly, after viral capture and detection on a chip, viruses remain viable and get purified in a microdevice that permits subsequent in-depth characterizations by various conventional methods. We validated this platform using different subtypes of avian influenza A viruses and human samples with respiratory infections. This technology successfully enriched rhinovirus, influenza virus, and parainfluenza viruses, and maintained the stoichiometric viral proportions when the samples contained more than one type of virus, thus emulating coinfection. Viral capture and detection took only a few minutes with a 70-fold enrichment enhancement; detection could be achieved with as little as 102 EID50/mL (50% egg infective dose per microliter), with a virus specificity of 90%. After enrichment using the device, we demonstrated by sequencing that the abundance of viral-specific reads significantly increased from 4.1 to 31.8% for parainfluenza and from 0.08 to 0.44% for influenza virus. This enrichment method coupled to Raman virus identification constitutes an innovative system that could be used to quickly track and monitor viral outbreaks in real time.
Active Pilot Contamination Attack Detection in Sub-6 GHz Massive MIMO NOMA Systems

Active pilot attack detection in time division duplexing based sub-6GHz massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) non-orthogonal multiple-access (NOMA) systems is investigated. A practically realizable generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) is formulated when the eavesdropper's signal parameters are unknown to the massive MIMO base-station. The performance of this detector is analyzed by deriving the probability of false alarm, probability of detection and receiver operating characteristics. The underlying performance is compared with respect to an optimal Neyman-Pearson (NP) based Clairvoyant detector, which is designed by assuming the perfect knowledge of eavesdropper's signal parameters. Thereby, we conclude that the limited knowledge of the eavesdropper's signal parameters must be taken into account in designing practically viable active pilot detectors because the Clairvoyant detector overestimates the detection performance. Nevertheless, we show that the proposed GLRT based detector asymptotically becomes optimal in NP sense when the number of antennas at the base-station grows without bound. Moreover, we reveal that there is a fundamental trade-off between the number of NOMA users that can be served simultaneously in the same time-frequency resource element and the detection performance of active pilot attacks.
Steps in the Implementation of Universal Screening for Behavioral and Emotional Risk to Support Multi-Tiered Systems of Support: Two Case Studies

Behavioral and social-emotional challenges experienced in childhood are risk factors for negative educational and health outcomes. Universal social-emotional screening in schools has been identifie...
The Natural Hair Bias in Job Recruitment

Across four studies, we demonstrate a bias against Black women with natural hairstyles in job recruitment. In Study 1, participants evaluated profiles of Black and White female job applicants acros...
Boundaries: A Serious Game on Relationships for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

Studies show that adults with developmental disabilities are often at risk of being targets of abuse. With little supporting resources available for both adults and their caretakers on identifying relationship boundaries, victimization rates are consistently and alarmingly high. This study aims to explore the gamification of behavioral learning to identify personal boundaries and at-risk behaviors with real-time feedback for adults with disabilities. A Unity game, titled “Boundaries”, was developed to provide randomized situational cases in identifying personal relationship boundaries. Ten users with developmental disabilities evaluated the game to provide run-time game responses and qualitative survey feedback. The results suggest that the game was a successful medium for engaging users on the topic of personal boundaries. Significant differences in both gameplay activity were found between users eliciting low, medium, and high-risk behaviors. This paper concludes with discussion and considerations on interactive behavioral serious games for adults with disabilities.
Analyzing Third Party Service Dependencies in Modern Web Services: Have We Learned from the Mirai-Dyn Incident?

Many websites rely on third parties for services (e.g., DNS, CDN, etc.). However, it also exposes them to shared risks from attacks (e.g., Mirai DDoS attack [24]) or cascading failures (e.g., GlobalSign revocation error [21]). Motivated by such incidents, we analyze the prevalence and impact of third-party dependencies, focusing on three critical infrastructure services: DNS, CDN, and certificate revocation checking by CA. We analyze both direct (e.g., Twitter uses Dyn) and indirect (e.g., Netflix uses Symantec as CA which uses Verisign for DNS) dependencies. We also take two snapshots in 2016 and 2020 to understand how the dependencies evolved. Our key findings are: (1) 89% of the Alexa top-100K websites critically depend on third-party DNS, CDN, or CA providers i.e., if these providers go down, these websites could suffer service disruption; (2) the use of third-party services is concentrated, and the top-3 providers of CDN, DNS, or CA services can affect 50%-70% of the top-100K websites; (3) indirect dependencies amplify the impact of popular CDN and DNS providers by up to 25X; and (4) some third-party dependencies and concentration increased marginally between 2016 to 2020. Based on our findings, we derive key implications for different stakeholders in the web ecosystem.
Our Obsolete Marketing Mentality: George Fisk, Meet Karl Polanyi:

Marketing in general can have greater influence if a new, yet old, perspective on marketing is adopted—something akin to the original orientation of marketing. Adopting George Fisk’s definition of ...
Differential compartmentalization of BMP4/NOGGIN requires NOGGIN trans-epithelial transport

Using self-organizing human models of gastrulation, we previously showed that (i) BMP4 initiates the cascade of events leading to gastrulation; (ii) BMP4 signal-reception is restricted to the basolateral domain; and (iii) in a human-specific manner, BMP4 directly induces the expression of NOGGIN. Here, we report the surprising discovery that in human epiblasts, NOGGIN and BMP4 were secreted into opposite extracellular spaces. Interestingly, apically-presented NOGGIN could inhibit basally-delivered BMP4. Apically-imposed microfluidic flow demonstrated that NOGGIN traveled in the apical extracellular space. Our co-localization analysis detailed the endocytotic route that trafficked NOGGIN from the apical space to the basolateral intercellular space where BMP4 receptors were located. This apical-to-basal transcytosis was indispensable for NOGGIN inhibition. Taken together, the segregation of activator/inhibitor into distinct extracellular spaces challenges classical views of morphogen movement. We propose that the transport of morphogen inhibitors regulates the spatial availability of morphogens during embryogenesis.
Food Art Does Not Reflect Reality

Can the frequency with which a food is depicted in paintings give historical insight into family meals over the years and across countries? To initially explore this question, 750 food-related pain...
Why a Great Lakes Fishery Commission? The seven-decade pursuit of a Canada-U.S. fishery treaty

Abstract Canada and the United States share the Great Lakes and, for most of the region’s history, cross-border collaboration over the fishery was nonexistent, resulting in serious economic and ecological harm. This paper, which covers the time span of the late 1800s to 1955, traces the efforts during that period to establish a binational treaty to govern the Great Lakes fishery. We explore the circumstances Great Lakes fishers found themselves in at the dawn of the last century, the chaos caused when multiple jurisdictions would not cooperate (called the “divided governance” problem), the political pressures stakeholders exerted to kill unacceptable agreements and promote agreements they liked, and the scientists who made biological cases to act. The road to establish a body to ensure collaboration was long and tortuous and included two failed attempts at a treaty, one in 1908 and one in 1946. The third attempt, the 1954 Convention on Great Lakes Fisheries, succeeded, and it created the Great Lakes Fishery Commission as a permanent mechanism for bilateral cooperation. As part of the Sea Lamprey International Symposium III (SLIS) volume, here we ask, “Why a Great Lakes Fishery Commission?” We argue that, by 1954, influential persons could no longer tolerate the governments’ unwillingness to address severe declines in fish stocks and concomitant economic losses, inconsistent science, and the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) invasion. The paper draws from hearings and debates in Parliament and Congress, boards of inquiry, previously classified documents containing the strategies of those engaged in bilateral negotiations, and the published literature.
Effect of the HDAC Inhibitor on Histone Acetylation and Methyltransferases in A2780 Ovarian Cancer Cells

Background andObjective: Epigenetic modifications are believed to play a significant role in the development of cancer progression, growth, differentiation, and cell death. One of the most popular histone deacetylases inhibitors (HDACIs), suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), also known as Vorinostat, can directly activate p21WAF1/CIP1 gene transcription through hyperacetylation of histones by a p53 independent mechanism. In the present investigation, we evaluated the correlation between histone modifications and DNA methyltransferase enzyme levels following SAHA treatments in A2780 ovarian cancer cells. Materials and Methods: Acetylation of histones and methyltransferases levels were analyzed using RT2 profiler PCR array, immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence methods in 2D and 3D cell culture systems. Results: The inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDAC) activities by SAHA can reduce DNA methyl transferases / histone methyl transferases (DNMTs/HMTs) levels through induction of hyperacetylation of histones. Immunofluorescence analysis of cells growing in monolayers and spheroids revealed significant up-regulation of histone acetylation preceding the above-described changes. Conclusions: Our results depict an interesting interplay between histone hyperacetylation and a decrease in methyltransferase levels in ovarian cancer cells, which may have a positive impact on the overall outcomes of cancer treatment.
Introduction to the SAS Language

SAS programming is introduced via a simple program. The basic structure of a SAS program is examined accompanied with a summary of rules and syntax for writing elementary SAS statements. Details of the data step are covered including the creation of a SAS data set using external data and examples of important data step programming statements. The INPUT statement and the operation of the SAS data step are presented in detail. The SAS procedure step is introduced using an example using the PRINT procedure. The use of proc statement options and procedure information statements are also illustrated in this example.
Supply and Demand: Propagation and Absorption of News

The importance of the media for individual and market behavior cannot be overstated. For example, a front-page article in the New York Times that mostly reprints information from six months prior can cause a company's stock price to jump by over 300%. To better understand the channels through which the media affects markets and the resulting implications for news production, we study how individuals process information in news. Do readers display a preference for news with a positive slant? Are consumers of news segregated based on the media outlets they favor? Do individuals recognize which news is novel, and which simply reprints old information? While these questions are grounded in fundamental human psychology, they are also inextricably linked to the rapidly changing technology of news production. With over a million stories a day passing through the Bloomberg terminal alone, the volume of data -- both on the content of news and the behavior of readers -- has skyrocketed. As a result, analysis of media production and consumption requires ever more sophisticated techniques for identifying the informational value of news and the behavioral patterns of its modern readers.
Events, narratives and memory

Whether non-human animals can have episodic memories remains the subject of extensive debate. A number of prominent memory researchers defend the view that animals do not have the same kind of episodic memory as humans do, whereas others argue that some animals have episodic-like memory—i.e., they can remember what, where and when an event happened. Defining what constitutes episodic memory has proven to be difficult. In this paper, I propose a dual systems account and provide evidence for a distinction between event memory and episodic memory. Event memory is a perceptual system that evolved to support adaptive short-term goal processing, whereas episodic memory is based on narratives, which bind event memories into a retrievable whole that is temporally and causally organized around subject’s goals. I argue that carefully distinguishing event memory from episodic memory can help resolve the debate.
Adaptive Robust Control (ARC) for an altitude control of a quadrotor type UAV carrying an unknown payloads

This research deals with an altitude controller of a quadrotor type UAV with an unknown total mass of the structure. We assume that the uncertainty results from the flight mission in which the UAV carries unknown payloads. Since the quadrotor type UAV involves both translational and rotational motions due to its inherent dynamics, it is of importance to know accurate information on the vehicles the moment of inertia and the total mass in order to guarantee the UAVs attitude and position controls. An Adaptive Robust Control (ARC) is utilized to compensate for the parametric uncertainty. Then, Lyapunov based stability analysis shows that the proposed control design guarantees asymptotic tracking error for the UAVs altitude control. Numerical simulation results which are time-based are presented to illustrate the good tracking performance of the designed control law.
A Toolkit to Support Scalable Persistent Object Base Infrastructures

Supporting a wide range of persistent applications imposes challenging requirements on the implementation of Persistent Object Bases (POBs). This explains the recent proliferation of POBs, each of them focusing on particular application domains. To fulfill the needs of a variety of persistent applications while leveraging off existing POBs, we are using an extensible interoperability toolkit. Our toolkit supports integration mechanisms for enriching and evolving combinations of pre-existing POBs. In this paper, we explain our approach, describe our toolkit, and illustrate how it is used to support scalable POBs.
Effect of source of dietary energy and energy restriction during lactation on sow and litter performance.

The effects of source of energy and energy restriction during lactation on sow and litter performance were investigated in an experiment with 90 primiparous sows. At parturition, the sows were randomly assigned to diets containing either tallow or cornstarch as a major energy source. Energy intake was restricted to 8 Mcal of metabolizable energy X sow-1 X d-1 during a 28-d lactation. All sows received equal amounts of crude protein, vitamins and minerals daily, which met or exceeded standard recommendations. Sows fed the diet with tallow lost more weight (P less than .05) during lactation than those fed the diet with cornstarch. Litter size at d 28 was greater (P less than .07) for sows fed cornstarch than for sows fed tallow. However, pig and litter weights on d 14 and 28 of lactation were similar between dietary treatments. Sows were bled on d 110 of gestation and d 14 and 28 of lactation and blood plasma was analyzed for urea. A significant treatment X time interaction was found for plasma urea. Sows fed the diet with tallow appeared to catabolize more protein than those fed the diet with cornstarch. Energy digestibility was lower (P less than .01) in the diet containing tallow, but protein digestibility was not affected by source of energy. Percentages of sows in estrus by 7, 14 and 70 d post-weaning were not different between treatments.
Sowing strategic alliances in the Americas

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of increasing trade and investment relations between China and Latin American economies. The paper focuses on the threats and opportunities that permeate this relationship.Design/methodology/approach – The paper surveys existing literature and secondary data in Spanish, Portuguese, and in English to investigate the different ramifications of this dynamic relationship between China and Latin American economies.Findings – After analyzing trade and investment trends and data, it is clear that Latin American economies must make changes to increase their participation in the Chinese market. Direct involvement with China is inherently risky, however, the opportunities obviously make the alliance necessary. Latin American economies are under increasing pressure to revamp their business environments and to implement long‐term strategies in order to compete more efficiently with China, domestically and in third‐markets. China has showed Latin America...
Endocrine analysis in evolutionary-developmental studies of insect polymorphism: hormone manipulation versus direct measurement of hormonal regulators

SUMMARY “Hormone manipulation” is being used increasingly in evo-devo studies as the sole or primary technique to investigate the regulation of insect polymorphism by hormones, most notably juvenile hormone (JH). This manuscript critically evaluates the limitations and strengths of this indirect method for inferring aspects of endocrine regulation, and conclusions derived from recent endocrine studies of evolution and development in which data have been obtained primarily or exclusively by this method. The main conclusions of this critique are as follows: first, when used alone, or as the primary empirical technique, hormone manipulation is a superficial method that is fraught with problems with respect to identifying a hormone that regulates developmental–morphological variation, let alone identifying its mode of action. Second, conclusions reported in studies using this technique as the exclusive, or nearly exclusive experimental approach, most notably recent studies of JH regulation of horn polymorphism in dung beetles, and some studies of wing polymorphism should be considered, at best, weakly supported until substantiated by well-validated, direct methods. Finally, there are many reliable and well-validated techniques that can be used to directly and accurately quantify JH levels, and activities of JH regulators, in many insects, even in small, nonmodel species. Some of the most important of these assays will be briefly described and their strengths and weaknesses will be discussed.
A method for determining excess distance in terminal airspace

□ Typical efficiency measures include metrics such as delay, capacity and throughput, and on-time arrivals, but this analysis considers a track-based measure of efficiency □ This analysis first defines and then presents a simple data-driven method for calculating excess distance flown inside of terminal airspace using surveillance data □ This method can be leveraged to examine how arrivals and departures are performing in terms of lateral efficiency at any given time — It could be monitored in the future to assess the impact of future Air Traffic Management (ATM) initiatives.
Attenuation of radio signals by the ionosphere of Mars: Theoretical development and application to MARSIS observations

[1] We investigate the ionospheric conditions required to explain Mars Express Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding topside radar sounder observations of ionospheric attenuation in excess of 13 dB at 5 MHz during solar energetic particle events. We develop theoretical expressions for the attenuation caused by a layer of ionospheric plasma in cases of high, intermediate, and low radio frequency relative to the electron-neutral collision frequency at the ionospheric layer. We apply these relationships to four layers: the M2 layer produced at 120 km by solar extreme ultraviolet photons, the M1 layer produced at 100 km by solar X-ray photons and associated electron impact ionization, the meteoric layer produced at 85 km by meteoroid ablation, and a putative plasma layer produced at 35 km by cosmic rays. Attenuation is weaker in the M2 layer than in the M1 layer. Attenuation in the M1 and meteoric layers are comparable, although their properties are quite variable. The greatest attenuation for radio frequencies above 50 MHz occurs in the predicted plasma layer at 35 km, but its effects are relatively small at lower frequencies. If optimally located with a peak altitude of 50 km, a layer with a peak plasma density of 109 m−3 is sufficient to explain the observed 13 dB attenuation. Although the electron densities produced by solar energetic particle events at Mars have not been directly simulated, the required electron densities are plausible. However, the altitude at which solar energetic particles produce plasma is uncertain.
ICP-AES Radioactive Sample Analyses at Pacific Northwest Laboratory

The use of an inductively coupled argon plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) system for analysis of radioactive materials at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) began about three years ago on completion of the installation of a modified Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) Model 3560 inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometer. At that time, the system consisted of a direct reader interfaced with a lead-shielded glove box containing the source stand. Further modification a year later added a sequential spectrometer for increased analytical capabilities. An important concern in radioactive analyses is limiting the operator exposure to high-energy β and 8 rays emitted by various radioisotopes. Scientists at PNL decided that an ICP-AES interfaced with a lead-shielded glove box would provide minimum operator exposure as well as radioactive material containment. The system was selected on the basis of a number of criteria that met this mandate, including the following features: (a) a direct reader capable of analyzing up to 40 elements simultaneously to minimize the sample volume; (b) availability of a simple, compact autosampler and software that allowed remote handling; (c) electronic and gas control systems that were easily removable from the torch stand so that only the stand would be inside the glove box; (d) torch and sample aspiration systems that were easily replaced and maintained without affecting the optical alignment, and (e) availability of a sequential analyzer as a field-installed module. Most critical to the installation was the interface between the spectrometer and a lead-shielded glove box weighing over 1360 kg (1 ½ tons). A neoprene gasket around the interface plate serves to keep the optical path properly aligned. Retrofit installation of a sequential system involved the mounting of a second spectrometer directly above the first. Spectral emissions can be directed upward to the sequential spectrometer with a system of mirrors. To verify the integrity of the simultaneous system, the same solution containing 20 μg/mL of selected ion elements was analyzed before and after the installation of the sequential spectrometer. Comparison of the intensities after 20 integrations indicated little change. Operation and maintenance of the system has been fairly problem-free. Plugging of the aspiration system occurs, as well as signal drift; but both these problems are common in the operation of any ICP spectrometer. Funding for the purchase and installation of the ICP-AES was provided by the Nuclear Waste Materials Characterization Center (MCC) established at PNL by the U.S. Department of Energy in 1979. Reference glasses prepared by the MCC have been analyzed on the ICP-AES. Other samples analyzed relate to the methods of storage for nuclear waste. Radionuclide-doped glass samples leached in a brine solution simulate storage in a salt bed. Vitrification of waste slurries involves their analysis before being fed into the ceramic melter, characterization of off-gas and condensate samples taken during melting, and analysis of the glass produced.
The Exodus as Cultural Memory: Egyptian Bondage and the Song of the Sea

This essay situates the cultural memory of the Exodus in a dialectic between historical memory and ethnic self-fashioning. Memories of the Egyptian Empire in Canaan have been transformed into a memory of liberation from Egyptian bondage, with this political transition mapped onto the geographical space of Egypt and Canaan. The mnemohistory of the Exodus has roots in the LB/Iron Age transition, which has been narrativized as an ethnic myth of origins. The oldest expression of this ethnic myth, the Song of the Sea, transmutes the memory of Egyptian collapse into a song of the Divine Warrior, wherein Yahweh is the sole king and Pharaoh is chaos vanquished.
Endocyclic vs exocyclic olefin formation from 4‐piperidones via the wittig reaction

The reaction of 1-methyl-4-piperidone and 1-benzoyl-4-piperidone with triethyl phosphono-acetate in the presence of excess base yields both the endocyclic and exocyclic olefins. However, treatment of 1-methyl-4-piperidone with diethyl cyanomethylphosphonate, even in the presence of excess base, yielded only the exocyclic olefin. Factors affecting isomer distribution during the course of the reaction are presented. The isolation of an exocyclic tetrahydropyridine from the sodium borohydride reduction of the methiodide of 4-pyridylacetonitrile is reported.
Effects of water hardness and pH on efficacy of chlorine-based sanitizers for inactivating Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes

Abstract The effects of hardness and pH of water used to prepare electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water and bleach solutions on the bactericidal activity of sanitizer prepared from the water were examined. EO water and bleach solutions were prepared with hard water of 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/l as CaCO3 at pH 5, 6, 7, and 8. Increased water hardness tended to increase free chlorine and oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) and decrease pH of EO water. Chlorine levels also increased with water pH. Water hardness and pH only had minor effect on the pH of bleach solutions. Increasing hardness to 50 mg/l increased antimicrobial effect of EO water against Escherichia coli O157:H7, but reduced when water hardness further increased to 100 mg/l or higher. Water pH had no effect on EO water produced against E. coli O157:H7. Water hardness had no significant effect on bactericidal activity of EO water against Listeria monocytogenes but elevated water pH decreased bactericidal activity of EO water produced against L. monocytogenes. Bleach solution prepared using hard water at 200 mg/l or at pH 7 or higher had significant lower efficacy in inactivating E. coli O157:H7, but had no effect on the inactivation of L. monocytogenes. Results indicate that increasing the hardness or pH of water used to prepare EO water or bleach solutions will decrease the bactericidal activity of sanitizers prepared from the water.
INFORMATION COMPLEXITY AND CROSS-MODAL FUNCTIONS

Intra-modal and cross-modal presentations of a matching procedure were compared at two levels of information complexity in the same subjects. The modalities were visual and somato-sensory. Sequence of information type and sex of experimenter and subject were systematically controlled. Pattern of accuracy among the several modality combinations and the effect of sequence varied as a function of information complexity. Sex of experimenter and subject yielded significant differences with simple information but not complex. The results, involving several detailed comparisons, confirmed generalizations derived from a review of prior studies in which only one type of information had been administered to any single group of subjects. Further examination of the relations between type of information and sensory modality is discussed.
Formation of highly ordered polymers from fibrinogen and fibrin degradation products.

Abstract Products of limited plasmin digestion of fibrinogen (FDP) and of fibrin (fdp) retained the ability to form highly organized polymers with protamine sulphate while products of extensive digestion lost this ability. Electron microscope studies showed that highly organized polymers were formed only in samples of FDP or fdp which contained Fragment X. Strong evidence indicated that there are two varieties of Fragment X, one with fibrinopeptides (Xfp) and one devoid of fibrinopeptides (Xo). The significance of fibrinopeptides on the behavior of the fragment was indicated by the difference in mechanisms by which polymers seem to be formed. Fragment Xfp (contained in FDP or purified) reacted with protamine sulphate but not ethanol to form rather small lancet-shaped polymers with a periodicity of 225–240 A without branching. Fragment Xo (contained in fdp) reacted with protamine sulphate and with ethanol to form an extensive net which was indistinguishable from thrombin induced fibrin in extent, branching and periodicity. This likely resulted from dissociation of complexes of Xo with other degradation products Y or D, followed by the spontaneous polymerization of Xo. Purified Fragment Xfp formed a similar net after conversion to Xo by thrombin. After pretreatment with thrombin (to remove fibrinopeptides from Xfp), FDP formed an extensive net with both protamine sulphate and ethanol, probably by a mechanism similar to that described for dissociation of complexes in fdp. Maximal protein precipitation from fibrinogen and FDP required 5–10 times as much protamine sulphate as was required for similar precipitation from fdp and FDP pretreated with thrombin. As digestion progressed, the amount of precipitable protein decreased until only a small amount remained. The formation of highly ordered fibrin-like polymers in fibrin or fibrinogen digests appeared to result from (a) the direct action of protamine sulphate on fibrinogen and Fragment Xfp; (b) the dissociation by ethanol or protamine sulphate of complexes of Fragments Xo with Y or D followed by the subsequent polymerization of Fragment Xo. The latter mechanism is probably responsible for the paracoagulation reaction.
Strategic Sensemaking within Funding Relationships: The Effects of Performance Measurement on Organizational Identity in the Social Sector:

Researchers claim that social entrepreneurship represents a new phenomenon within the social sector. Their studies often distinguish social entrepreneurs according to their emphasis on tracking and measuring their performance. By applying sense making theory to three case studies of funding relationships within the social sector, this study finds that organizations within the social sector employ performance measurement not just as a means of accountability, but also as a tool for making sense of social entrepreneurship as an organizational identity. As such, the article refocuses scholarly attention on social entrepreneurship as a socially constructed phenomenon.
The Self Psychological Approach to the Life and Theology of Lee Yong Do

Kohut’s theory of the nuclear self and of the two poles of the grandiose self and the idealizing parental imago show clearly the psychological motivations that molded Lee Yong Do’s life and mysticism. Lee’s grandiose and exhibitionistic personality was created by his disturbed family background and reflected the fragmentation in his nuclear self that he attempted to cure by depending on the archaic symbols of power and grandiosity. However, his religious experiences—in particular, his mystical experiences—functioned as a selfobject providing narcissistic balance and altering the structure of his nuclear self. This was possible because of his redefinition of the concepts of strength and power through religious experiences that made him give up a false sense of self-sufficiency.
Pore-controlled formation of 0D metal complexes in anionic 3D metal–organic frameworks

The host–guest chemistry between a series of anionic MOFs and their trapped counterions was investigated by single crystal XRD. The PCN-514 series contains crystallographically identifiable metal complexes trapped in the pores, where their formation is controlled by the size and shape of the MOF pores. A change in the structure and pore size of PCN-518 indicates that the existence of guest molecules may reciprocally affect the formation of host MOFs.
Measuring the Influence of Solution Chemistry on the Adhesion of Au Nanoparticles to Mica Using Colloid Probe Atomic Force Microscopy

Engineered nanoparticles are used increasingly in numerous commercial products, leading to concerns over their environmental fate and ecotoxicity. We report the adaptation of colloid probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) to quantitatively determine the adhesive behavior of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) with mica, chosen as a model for sand, in various water chemistries. Au NP-covered polystyrene (PS) beads were prepared by a combined swelling−heteroaggregation (CSH) technique prior to attachment to tipless AFM cantilevers. Force measurements were performed over a range of solution conditions (pH, ionic strength (IS), and natural organic matter (NOM) content). Plain PS beads with no Au NPs were used as controls. In general, adhesion of Au NP-PS beads to mica were found to increase as IS increased while a rise in pH led to a decrease in adhesion. Plain PS beads were not observed to adhere to mica in any of the experimental solution conditions, and the PS force curves were unaffected by changes in the pH and ele...