cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metacontrast masking and the cortical representation of surface color: dynamical aspects of edge integration and contrast gain control

This paper reviews recent theoretical and experimental work supporting the idea that brightness is computed in a series of neural stages involving edge integration and contrast gain control. It is proposed here that metacontrast and paracontrast masking occur as byproducts of the dynamical properties of these neural mechanisms. The brightness computation model assumes, more specifically, that early visual neurons in the retina, and cortical areas V1 and V2, encode local edge signals whose magnitudes are proportional to the logarithms of the luminance ratios at luminance edges within the retinal image. These local edge signals give rise to secondary neural lightness and darkness spatial induction signals, which are summed at a later stage of cortical processing to produce a neural representation of surface color, or achromatic color, in the case of the chromatically neutral stimuli considered here. Prior to the spatial summation of these edge-based induction signals, the weights assigned to local edge contrast are adjusted by cortical gain mechanisms involving both lateral interactions between neural edge detectors and top-down attentional control. We have previously constructed and computer-simulated a neural model of achromatic color perception based on these principles and have shown that our model gives a good quantitative account of the results of several brightness matching experiments. Adding to this model the realistic dynamical assumptions that 1) the neurons that encode local contrast exhibit transient firing rate enhancement at the onset of an edge, and 2) that the effects of contrast gain control take time to spread between edges, results in a dynamic model of brightness computation that predicts the existence Broca-Sulzer transient brightness enhancement of the target, Type B metacontrast masking, and a form of paracontrast masking in which the target brightness is enhanced when the mask precedes the target in time.
On the synthesis of multivariable systems

The general question of compensating a linear multivariable system via linear state variable feedback (lsvf) in combination with input dynamics is considered. In particular, it is shown that, since lsvf and input dynamics can both be represented by proper feedforward compensation, any design based on feedforward compensation alone can usually be realized in a more efficient manner through the combined use of "low-order" feedforward compensation (input dynamics) and lsvf. A major result of this paper is the frequency-domain synthesis algorithm outlined in Section III for "separating" any proper feedforward transfer matrix in order to achieve the more efficient compensation scheme. Specific examples which illustrate the employment of the algorithm to the questions of decoupling and exact model matching are also included.
Normative and Validation Studies of the Nine-Hole Peg Test with Children

This study evaluated norms for fine motor dexterity skills on elementary school children of ages 5 through 10 and conducted reliability and validity stud ies utilizing the Nine-hole Peg Test. The sample included 826 students in 10 elementary schools. Moderately high test-retest reliability (rs = .81 and .79) and high interrater agreement (rs > .99) were obtained. Older students had shorter completion time that measured fine motor dexterity than younger students. Significant sex differences were found in completion time, but only for the dominant hand. Correlations of -.80 and -.74 between the scores on the Nine hole Peg Test and Purdue Pegboard Test at all tested ages indicated adequate concurrent validity of the measures and a significant difference in test scores between regular and special education groups provided further evidence of construct validity. The findings supported the Nine-hole Peg Test as an effective screening tool for fine motor dexterity of school-age children.
A Comparsion of Acoustic and Psychoacoustic Measurements of Pass-Through Hearing Protection Devices

In environments where listeners need to detect low-level sounds while being protected from high-level noises, electronic pass-through hearing protectors (EPHPs) offer an appealing alternative to traditional passive earplugs or earmuffs. In this paper, we compare acoustic measurements of the Head-Related Transfer Functions associated with eight different EPHPs to localization results measured on human listeners with the same devices. The results are discussed in terms of the insights they can provide for the design of improved EPHP systems.
Critical phenomena in isoelectronic diatomic sequences—the 14‐electron sequence

A theory of isoelectronic molecules which describes stable and metastable members of a sequence has been developed. To achieve this synthesis, it has been necessary to require that the total electronic energy surface E(R,Z,Z') for the sequence contain critical points—that is, values of the nuclear charges Z and Z' at which energy minimum, maximum [at Re(min) and Re(max)], and horizontal inflection points occur. For ground state sequences a primary physical source of these extreme points is the screened, coulombic repulsion of like-charged atomic centers in the diatomics. With this realization, we can write analytical forms that have the correct scaling behavior and which properly model the screened, coulombic repulsion for E along certain straight-line trajectories in the (Z,Z') plane. This leads to the observation that Re(max) values diverge logarithmically in λ-like transitions wherever the screened coulombic repulsion becomes small as the nuclear charges vary along those trajectories. At the horizontal inflection points the E surface contains A2 folds, as required by Thom's theorem for analytical surfaces containing one control parameter. Within the isoelectronic sequence molecular subgroups have been noted and explained in terms of the underlying atomic shell structures of the molecules' constituent atoms. Using input data for seven stable molecules together with the analytical surface selected for study, we have estimated the equilibrium bond distances Re(min), dissociation energies De(min), and harmonic force constants E(2)(min) for 18 other neutral and charged species.
Collaboration in a Distributed World: Technological Support for Partially Distributed Teams

Virtual teams are increasingly common in information technology (IT)-related fields. Many of these teams are partially distributed, with sub-teams of co-located members working from different geographic locations; thus collaboration in partially distributed teams (PDTs) is an increasingly important skill in IT fields. Though educators are aware of this, innovative teaching strategies and tools to fulfill this essential educational component are hard to find. This paper reports initial experiences with student PDT projects that were supported by a collaborative system created from open-source tools. Several iterations of the online system were tested using globally distributed teams of undergraduate and graduate students from a number of cooperating universities. We discuss the elements of collaboration support that were needed, and consider how others might implement similar PDT activities for educational purposes.
Chronic Free-Choice Drinking in Crossed High Alcohol Preferring Mice Leads to Sustained Blood Ethanol Levels and Metabolic Tolerance Without Evidence of Liver Damage

Background Crossed High Alcohol Preferring (cHAP) mice were selectively bred from a cross of the HAP1xHAP2 replicate lines, and demonstrate blood ethanol concentrations (BECs) during free-choice drinking that are reminiscent of those observed in alcohol-dependent humans. Therefore, this line may provide an unprecedented opportunity to learn about the consequences of excessive voluntary ethanol consumption, including metabolic tolerance and liver pathology. Cytochrome p450 2E1 (CYP 2E1) induction plays a prominent role in driving both metabolic tolerance and ethanol-induced liver injury. In this report, we sought to characterize cHAP drinking by assessing whether pharmacologically relevant BEC levels are sustained throughout the active portion of the light-dark cycle. Given that cHAP intakes and BECs are similar to those observed in mice given an ethanol liquid diet, we assessed whether free-choice exposure results in metabolic tolerance, hepatic enzyme induction, and hepatic steatosis.
Mononucleosis in the Laboratory

Laboratory investigation of infectious mononucleosis long preceded any knowledge of the etiologic virus [1]. The characteristic mononuclear leukocytosis associated with Pfeiffer glandular fever was reported in 1920. Heterophile antibodies were recognized 12 years later [2]. A specific viral link was established only after the serendipitous observation that a technician recovering from infectious mononucleosis had seroconverted to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) [3]. A series of studies shortly thereafter confirmed the association.
Distinguishing between Mineral Paint and Carbon Paint on Ancestral Puebloan Pottery

Archaeologists have found that the elements present in the pigments used on Ancestral Puebloan black-on-white painted pottery are an important descriptive attribute. They typically describe the pigments used to produce these painted designs as either carbon-based (containing primarily organic compounds) or mineral-based (containing primarily iron compounds), although in some cases these pigments are combined or “mixed”.
Democratic citizenship: Responsible life in a free society:

The Convention on the Rights of Child charges educators not only to respect children’s rights but also to prepare children to develop as responsible citizens in a free society. The Convention enriches the perspective of school psychologists by emphasizing the need to respect children’s rights while also promoting their competencies as political agents. The Convention also opens up new possibilities for school psychologists to collaborate with teachers and administrators in providing more effective civic education. Civic education should teach children not only about democratic institutions but also how to live democratically in their everyday lives. To this end civic education should not be limited to a course within the formal curriculum of the school. Schools ought to provide children with experiences of democratic governance by giving them the opportunity to make and enforce school rules and policies. School psychologists should help teachers to involve students in deliberations that affect their lives...
Social change, cultural evolution, and human development

Social change has accelerated globally. Greenfield's interdisciplinary and multilevel theory of social change and human development provides a unified framework for exploring implications of these changes for cultural values, learning environments/socialization processes, and human development/behavior. Data from societies where social change has occurred in place (US, China, and Mexico) and a community where it has occurred through international migration (Mexican immigrants in the US) elucidate these implications. Globally dominant sociodemographic trends are: rural to urban, agriculture to commerce, isolation to interconnectedness, less to more education, less to more technology, lesser to greater wealth, and larger to smaller families/households. These trends lead to both cultural losses (e.g., interdependence/collectivism, respect, tradition, contextualized thinking) and cultural gains (e.g., independence/individualism, equality, innovation, abstraction).
Terahertz antennas and related optical components

Millimeter- and submillimeter-wave imaging systems for astronomy, planetary, and Earth science applications are increasingly moving towards large focal plane arrays. The relatively long wavelengths together with focal ratios encountered imply mm-sized pixels, and when one considers arrays with a hundred to thousands of pixels, we have to deal with optical elements of quite substantial size. In many applications, geometry makes lenses far more attractive than mirrors, and since cryogenic detectors are invariably employed, ground-based systems as well as testing of space-based systems require vacuum windows 10s of cm in diameter. Especially at shorter wavelengths, very low loss materials are required since the thickness of lenses and windows is substantial, reaching several cm. Crystal quartz can be used in some cases, but available diameters are limited to 12 cm. The anisotropy of the material can be harmful in many situations as well.
On the evolution of sport.

Sports have received little attention from evolutionary biologists. I argue that sport began as a way for men to develop the skills needed in primitive hunting and warfare, then developed to act primarily as a lek where athletes display and male spectators evaluate the qualities of potential allies and rivals. This hypothesis predicts that (1) the most popular modern male sports require the skills needed for success in male-male physical competition and primitive hunting and warfare; (2) champion male athletes obtain high status and thereby reproductive opportunities in ways that parallel those gained by successful primitive hunters and warriors; (3) men pay closer attention than do women to male sports so they can evaluate potential allies and rivals; and (4) male sports became culturally more important when opportunities to evaluate potential allies and rivals declined as both the survival importance of hunting and the proportion of men who experience combat decreased. The characteristics of primitive and modern sports are more consistent with these predictions than those generated by intersexual sexual selection theories of sport. Language: en
What Is Global in Global Security Studies

The mission of the Journal of Global Security Studies is to solicit and publish a variety of methodological, epistemological, theoretical, normative, and empirical studies in the field of global security studies. The emphasis on, and commitment to, diversity of voices and approaches is a welcome addition to the international relations journal landscape and, in particular, to security studies. But, it is a broad and ambitious charge—a charge made all the more ambitious and potentially ambiguous by the identifier “global.” What exactly is global security studies and how is it distinguished from security studies? In this brief comment, I provide some suggested ways to think about, and conceptualize, the term global in global security studies. Before turning to the concept of global security studies, it is worth a quick review of security studies so that we can see the distinction. Twenty-five years ago, at the end of the Cold War, Stephen Walt wrote a thorough state-of-the-field essay on the evolution of security studies up until that point (Walt 1991). Walt championed the “renaissance” that had occurred throughout the 1970s and 1980s in security studies and noted that while the field had always been an “interdisciplinary enterprise,” it was easily definable because of its focus on the “phenomenon of war,” with a particular mission of increasing our collective understanding of the role of military force in international relations (IR). In addition, the “renaissance” of which he wrote was attributable to the surge in positivist social science theorizing (principally realism) of security issues. In the twenty-five years since, security studies has grown well beyond the traditional focus on guns, bombs, and rockets and beyond the issues of conventional warfare, nuclear weapons, and grand strategy. To be sure, the field still focuses on war and conflict, but the nature of war and conflict has …
Black Females in Law Enforcement A Foundation for Future Research

Like their White counterparts, Black females were initially employed as social workers, matrons, and school crossing guards in police agencies. More recently, they have assumed positions as officers, middle managers, and chief executives. Several factors, including Black political empowerment and the quest for representative bureaucracy, have contributed to increases in the number of Black female sworn officers in urban police agencies. Yet they remain underrepresented, due in part to cultural and organizational barriers. There is a dearth of qualitative and quantitative studies that focus specifically on Black female police officers. Future research should consider the effect of social, economic, political, organizational, and demographic factors on Black female officers' representation and experiences.
Modeling the production of highly-complex molecules in star-forming regions

Molecules of increasing complexity are being observed toward star-forming regions, including the recently detected iso-propyl cyanide, the first interstellar branched carbon-chain molecule. Modeling the formation of new complex organics requires new grain-surface production mechanisms, as well as gas-phase and grain-surface destruction processes. The method for constructing networks for new molecules is discussed, as well as the results of recent models of branched carbon-chain molecule chemistry. The formation of both simple and complex organics in cold regions is also discussed. New, exact kinetics models indicate that complex molecules may be formed efficiently at very low temperatures, if CO is abundant on the grain surfaces.
Creation of bioactive glass (13–93) scaffolds for structural bone repair using a combined finite element modeling and rapid prototyping approach

There is a clinical need for synthetic bioactive materials that can reliably repair intercalary skeletal tissue loss in load-bearing bones. Bioactive glasses have been investigated as one such material but their mechanical response has been a concern. Previously, we created bioactive silicate glass (13-93) scaffolds with a uniform grid-like microstructure which showed a compressive strength comparable to human cortical bone but a much lower flexural strength. In the present study, finite element modeling (FEM) was used to re-design the scaffold microstructure to improve its flexural strength without significantly lowering its compressive strength and ability to support bone infiltration in vivo. Then scaffolds with the requisite microstructures were created by a robotic deposition method and tested in four-point bending and compression to validate the FEM simulations. In general, the data validated the predictions of the FEM simulations. Scaffolds with a porosity gradient, composed of a less porous outer region and a more porous inner region, showed a flexural strength (34±5MPa) that was more than twice the value for the uniform grid-like microstructure (15±5MPa) and a higher compressive strength (88±20MPa) than the grid-like microstructure (72±10MPa). Upon implantation of the scaffolds for 12weeks in rat calvarial defects in vivo, the amount of new bone that infiltrated the pore space of the scaffolds with the porosity gradient (37±16%) was similar to that for the grid-like scaffolds (35±6%). These scaffolds with a porosity gradient that better mimics the microstructure of human long bone could provide more reliable implants for structural bone repair.
Transcriptome comparison of resistant and susceptible sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) varieties inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. sesami

Sesame Fusarium wilt (FW) is a worldwide and hardly controlled fungus disease in sesame. Till now, the molecular resistance mechanism of sesame to FW remains unknown. The two resistant and susceptible sesame varieties, that is ‘Yuzhi 11’ and Rongxian black sesame (RXBS), were inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. sesami (Fos) pathogens for 0, 6, 24 or 24 and 48h, respectively. Then, transcriptome samples were sequenced and surveyed systematically using RNA-seq technology. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that ‘phenylpropanoid biosynthesis’ pathway may play more important role in sesame resistance after Fos inoculation. Furthermore, qRT-PCR results demonstrated that the phenylpropanoid pathway with an emphasis on the synthesis of lignin contributes to the sesame disease resistance. Moreover, activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and peroxidase (POD) proved the differences of gene expression patterns in the two sesame phenotypes. Overall, we speculated that the difference of FW symptoms between the resistant and susceptible plants might depend on whether the plants could activate the pathway timely and efficiently or not. The findings would help to clarify the molecular mechanism of sesame resistance to FW.
Comprehensive Staging of Uterine Carcinosarcoma Using a Multiquadrant Robotic Platform.

Abstract Study Objective To demonstrate the feasibility of multiquadrant staging of a uterine carcinosarcoma using the latest-generation robotic platform. Design Step-by-step explanation of the technique using videos and pictures (educative video). Setting Although laparoscopic and robotic-assisted laparoscopic staging of high-risk uterine cancer is well incorporated into many gynecologic oncology practices, extensive para-aortic lymphadenectomies above the inferior mesenteric artery are less commonly performed. Additionally, infracolic omentectomies are frequently performed in lieu of infragastric omentectomies. Patient A 67-year-old woman with a newly diagnosed uterine carcinosarcoma. Intervention Multiquadrant comprehensive staging of uterine carcinosarcoma using the latest-generation robotic platform. Measurements and Main Results We demonstrate in this video a facile approach for robotic surgeons to perform an extensive para-aortic lymphadenectomy up to the renal vessels, as well an infragastric omentectomy, using the latest-generation multiquadrant robotic platform. This platform allows for facile rotation from an upper abdominal view to perform the para-aortic lymphadenectomy and omentectomy, to a pelvic view to complete the pelvic lymphadenectomies, hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. We demonstrate this technique in a 67-year-old woman with a newly diagnosed uterine carcinosarcoma who underwent a robotic-assisted laparoscopic total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, bilateral pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy, and infragastric omentectomy via the Xi Da Vinci Robot (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA). Total operative time was 280 minutes (50 minutes for the omentectomy, 86 minutes for the para-aortic lymphadenectomy). Estimated blood loss was 50 mL. Final pathology revealed a stage IA uterine carcinosarcoma; a total of 27 para-aortic lymph nodes and 20 pelvic lymph nodes were removed, and the size of the excised omentum was 68 × 10 × 1.2 cm. Conclusion The technique of using alternating dual perspectives (upper abdominal or pelvic views) through a multiquadrant robotic platform enables the robotic surgeon to perform extensive para-aortic lymphadenectomies and omentectomies without resorting to laparoscopic surgery to complete these procedures.
Influence of aldose reductase on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition signaling in lens epithelial cells

Cataract is the most frequent cause of blindness worldwide and is treated by surgical removal of the opaque lens to restore the light path to the retina. While cataract surgery is a safe procedure, some patients develop a complication of the surgery involving opacification and wrinkling of the posterior lens capsule. This process, called posterior capsule opacification (PCO), requires a second clinical treatment that can in turn lead to additional complications. Prevention of PCO is a current unmet need in the vision care enterprise. The pathogenesis of PCO involves the transition of lens epithelial cells to a mesenchymal phenotype, designated epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our previous studies showed that transgenic mice designed for overexpression of human aldose reductase developed lens defects reminiscent of PCO. In the current study, we evaluated the impact of aldose reductase (AR) on expression of expression of EMT markers in the lens. Primary lens epithelial cells from AR-transgenic mice showed downregulated expression of Foxe3 and Pax6 and increased expression of α-SMA, fibronectin and snail, a pattern of gene expression typical of cells undergoing EMT. A role for AR in these changes was further confirmed when we observed that they could be normalized by treatment of cells with Sorbinil, an AR inhibitor. Smad-dependent and Smad-independent pathways are known to contribute to EMT. Interestingly, AR overexpression induced ERK but not Smad-2 activation. These results suggest that elevation of AR may lead to activation of ERK signaling and thus play a role in TGF-β/Smad independent induction of EMT in lens epithelial cells.
Testing the early Late Ordovician cool-water hypothesis with oxygen isotopes from conodont apatite

Latest Sandbian to early Katian sequences across Laurentia's epicontinental sea exhibit a transition from lithologies characterized as ‘warm-water’ carbonates to those characterized as ‘cool-water'carbonates. This shift occurs across the regionally recognized M4/M5 sequence stratigraphic boundary and has been attributed to climatic cooling and glaciation, basin reorganization and upwelling of open ocean water, and/or increased water turbidity and terrigenous input associated with the Taconic tectophase. Documentation of oxygen isotopic trends across the M4/M5 and through bracketing strata provides a potential means of distinguishing among these alternative scenarios; however, oxygen isotopic records generated to date have failed to settle the debate. This lack of resolution is because δ18O records are open to multiple interpretations and potentially confounding factors related to local environmental conditions have not been tested by examining the critical interval in multiple areas and different depositional settings. To begin to address this shortcoming, we present new species-specific and mixed assemblage conodont δ18O values in samples spanning the M4/M5 boundary from the Upper Mississippi Valley, Alabama, and Virginia. The new results are combined with previous studies, providing a record of δ18O variability across SE Laurentia. The combined dataset allows us to test for regional trends at a resolution not previously available. Our results document a ~1.5‰ decrease in values across Laurentia instead of increasing δ18O values across the M4/M5 as predicted in various ‘cool-water’ scenarios. In short, these results do not support a shift to ‘cool-water’ conditions as an explanation for changes in early Katian carbonates across the M4/M5.
Microbial diversity in an intensively managed landscape is structured by landscape connectivity.

Intensively managed land increases the rate of nutrient and particle transport within a basin, but the impact of these changes on microbial community assembly patterns at the basin scale is not yet understood. The objective of this study was to investigate how landscape connectivity and dispersal impacts microbial diversity in an agricultural-dominated watershed. We characterized soil, sediment and water microbial communities along the Upper Sangamon River basin in Illinois-a 3600 km2 watershed strongly influenced by human activity, especially landscape modification and extensive fertilization for agriculture. We employed statistical and network analyses to reveal the microbial community structure and interactions in the critical zone (water, soil and sediment media). Using a Bayesian source tracking approach, we predicted microbial community connectivity within and between the environments. We identified strong connectivity within environments (up to 85.4 ± 13.3% of sequences in downstream water samples sourced from upstream samples, and 44.7 ± 26.6% in soil and sediment samples), but negligible connectivity across environments, which indicates that microbial dispersal was successful within but not between environments. Species sorting based on sample media type and environmental parameters was the dominant driver of community dissimilarity. Finally, we constructed operational taxonomic unit association networks for each environment and identified a number of co-occurrence relationships that were shared between habitats, suggesting that these are likely to be ecologically significant.
Neuronal Fat and Dendrite Morphogenesis: The Goldilocks Effect

Two recent studies by Meltzer et al. and Ziegler et al. use Drosophila larvae to demonstrate that cell-autonomous regulation of lipid biosynthesis defines the complexity and function of highly branched nociceptive neurons. Their findings show that lipid biosynthesis in the neuron is fine-tuned for optimal dendrite morphology and sensitivity.
Environmental exposure mixtures: questions and methods to address them.

This review provides a summary of statistical approaches that researchers can use to study environmental exposure mixtures. Two primary considerations are the form of the research question and the statistical tools best suited to address that question. Because the choice of statistical tools is not rigid, we make recommendations about when each tool may be most useful. When dimensionality is relatively low, some statistical tools yield easily interpretable estimates of effect (e.g., risk ratio, odds ratio) or intervention impacts. When dimensionality increases, it is often necessary to compromise this interpretablity in favor of identifying interesting statistical signals from noise; this requires applying statistical tools that are oriented more heavily towards dimension reduction via shrinkage and/or variable selection. The study of complex exposure mixtures has prompted development of novel statistical methods. We suggest that further validation work would aid practicing researchers in choosing among existing and emerging statistical tools for studying exposure mixtures.
Experimental evidence of crack tip shielding mechanisms in quasi-brittle materials

To gain insight into the shielding processes in quasi-brittle materials, in situ crack propagation and crack profile measurements were performed inside the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Crack tip shielding phenomena were studied in monolithic alumina and in SiC fibre-reinforced alumina matrix composites as a function of fibre coatings. The crack in the fibre-reinforced composite samples is bridged by a row of fibres which contains a fibre area fraction of 10%. The applied stress intensity factor necessary to extend the crack in the composite materials increased 25% for the gold coated fibre-reinforced alumina matrix composites and 13% for the polymer-coated fibre-reinforced composites, compared to the monolithic samples. Crack extension in the monolithic samples and in the fibre-reinforced composites occurred after the crack opening displacements close to the crack tip approached the critical crack tip profile corresponding to the intrinsic toughness of alumina. A hypothesis on the effect of closure stresses on crack profile shape and net toughness has been developed. Furthermore, crack profiles revealed that grain bridging in the vicinity of the fibres was operative in the fibre-reinforced composites at stress intensity factors far exceeding the critical stress intensity factor of the monolithic matrix material. The additional grain bridging in the vicinity of the fibres has never been reported and can only be revealed through crack profile measurements.
A Comparison of Two Case Studies Using the Roy Adaptation Model: Parents of Opioid-Dependent Adults and Bariatric Surgery:

The authors in this paper demonstrate the utility and versatility of the Roy Adaptation Model (RAM) as applied to two contemporary case studies. The first case uses the RAM model to gain understanding and guide nursing practice to assist the parents of a young adult with an opioid use disorder and depression, and the second case involves using the RAM model to help a woman who recently had bariatric surgery cope and adapt postoperatively in a way that helps her maximize the benefits of having had that procedure. The authors discuss how the RAM provides a holistic approach that can be used to provide high-quality, comprehensive nursing.
Relative Efficacy of Teacher Rankings and Curriculum-Based Measures as Predictors of Performance on High-Stakes Tests.

Data from 403 third graders were analyzed to determine relative and combined efficacy of group-administered Curriculum-Based Measures (CBMs) and Teacher Rankings of student reading and math perform...
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Diagnosis and Management of Glaucoma

The goal of this review is to highlight the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma. Numerous AI strategies have been reported that could potentially help interpret clinical data and imaging studies relevant to glaucoma. Groups around the world have developed and evaluated AI programs that gather data from diagnostic modalities—including optical coherence tomography, fundus photography, visual fields, and other clinical ophthalmological features—that assist in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma with a high accuracy. AI has the potential to play a significant role in the diagnosis and management of glaucoma.
Quantitative Material Characterization and Imaging at Nanoscale Using a New AFM Probe

The structure of an Atomic force microscope (AFM) probe that integrates fast electrostatic actuation and highly sensitive optical interferometric detection of tip motion is described. The use of this so-called FIRAT probe for quantitative material characterization with high spatial resolution is demonstrated through contact and adhesion modeling. Time resolved interaction forces between the AFM tip and the sample surface is used to map material properties of several samples including silicon, polymer and carbon nanotubes. Non-resonant tapping mode operation of the FIRAT probe has also been demonstrated for use with existing commercial AFM systems.
A detailed study of attached and separated compression corner flowfields in high Reynolds number supersonic flow

An experimental study has been carried out to detail the interaction of a compressible turbulent boundary layer with shock waves of varying strengths. The interaction was produced by two-dimensional compression corners of 8, 16, 20, and 24 deg angles. The incoming boundary layer had an edge Mach number of 2.85 and a Reynolds number of 1.7 million based on overall thickness. Detailed mean-flow and surface measurements are presented for the four corner angles. The 8 deg corner flow was found to be fully attached, while the 16 deg case was near incipient separation. Both the 20 deg and 24 deg corners produced significant flow separation regions. In the discussion of these results, emphasis is placed on the development of flowfield properties from attached to separated conditions. Comparisons made with a computational solution of the Navier-Stokes equations show good agreement when the corner flow is not separated.
The Gender Gap in Political Clientelism: Problem-Solving Networks and the Division of Political Work in Argentina:

The literature on clientelism has recognized the importance of problem-solving networks, but ignored their gendered nature. Contrary to what is often assumed, I argue that female brokers have fewer...
Complex regional pain syndrome: An updated comprehensive review

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a complex disorder that can have a significant impact on the quality of life of a person with this syndrome. The diagnosis and treatment of CRPS are often difficult as there is no one confirmatory test and no one definitive treatment. Currently, the most widely accepted clinical diagnostic criteria are the Budapest criteria, which were developed by expert consensus. Though no one single treatment has been found to be universally effective, early detection and an interdisciplinary approach to treatment appear to be key in treating CRPS. This review aims to present up-to-date clinical information regarding the diagnosis and management of CRPS and highlight the potential issues with diagnosis in the neurological population. Ultimately, more research is needed to identify the exact etiology of CRPS in order to help target appropriate therapies. In addition, more randomized controlled trials need to be performed in order to test new therapies or combinations of therapies, including pharmacological, interventional, and behavioral therapies, to determine the best treatment options for this potentially debilitating disorder.
Staffing of small nonprofit organizations: A model for retaining employees

Abstract Small nonprofit organizations (SNPOs) are a large part of the growing nonprofit sector. These nonprofit organizations (NPOs) generally receive $100,000–$250,000 in annual revenue. These entities operate similarly to for-profit businesses, with a mission, values, and dependable employees. One factor that sets SNPOs apart from for-profit organizations is the ability that for-profit entities have to provide higher, more competitive wages and better benefit packages for employees. NPOs often lack this ability, which can result in staffing challenges and high turnover rates. This study explores the different ways these NPOs attract employees, the types of incentives or benefits offered, and what can help retain employees once they are hired. The concept of employee commitment is also explored in the context of SNPOs. This information can provide SNPOs with a better understanding of talent acquisition and retention strategies that can lead to improved operational and strategic planning.
“I address race because race addresses me”: women of color show receipts through digital storytelling

In Black colloquial culture, the practice of documenting and calling out injustices is known as “showing receipts.” The ongoing labor of collecting, communicating, and showing receipts is one way t...
Deployment, Calibration, and Cross-Validation of Low-Cost Electrochemical Sensors for Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Oxides, and Ozone for an Epidemiological Study

We designed and built a network of monitors for ambient air pollution equipped with low-cost gas sensors to be used to supplement regulatory agency monitoring for exposure assessment within a large epidemiological study. This paper describes the development of a series of hourly and daily field calibration models for Alphasense sensors for carbon monoxide (CO; CO-B4), nitric oxide (NO; NO-B4), nitrogen dioxide (NO2; NO2-B43F), and oxidizing gases (OX-B431)-which refers to ozone (O3) and NO2. The monitor network was deployed in the Puget Sound region of Washington, USA, from May 2017 to March 2019. Monitors were rotated throughout the region, including at two Puget Sound Clean Air Agency monitoring sites for calibration purposes, and over 100 residences, including the homes of epidemiological study participants, with the goal of improving long-term pollutant exposure predictions at participant locations. Calibration models improved when accounting for individual sensor performance, ambient temperature and humidity, and concentrations of co-pollutants as measured by other low-cost sensors in the monitors. Predictions from the final daily models for CO and NO performed the best considering agreement with regulatory monitors in cross-validated root-mean-square error (RMSE) and R2 measures (CO: RMSE = 18 ppb, R2 = 0.97; NO: RMSE = 2 ppb, R2 = 0.97). Performance measures for NO2 and O3 were somewhat lower (NO2: RMSE = 3 ppb, R2 = 0.79; O3: RMSE = 4 ppb, R2 = 0.81). These high levels of calibration performance add confidence that low-cost sensor measurements collected at the homes of epidemiological study participants can be integrated into spatiotemporal models of pollutant concentrations, improving exposure assessment for epidemiological inference.
Debt Stress, College Stress: Implications for Black and Latinx Students’ Mental Health

Educational debt is an economic stressor that is harmful to mental health and disproportionately experienced by African American and Latinx youth. In this paper, we use a daily diary design to explore the link between mental health, context specific factors like “college stress” and time use, and educational debt stress, or stress incurred from thinking about educational debt and college affordability. This paper utilizes data from a sample of predominately African American and Latinx college students who provided over 1000 unique time observations. Results show that debt-induced stress is predictive of greater self-reported hostility, guilt, sadness, fatigue, and general negative emotion. Moreover, the relationship may be partly mediated by “college stress” reflecting course loads and post-graduation job expectations. For enrolled students then, educational debt may influence mental health directly through concerns over affordability, or indirectly by shaping facets of college life. The window that our granular data provides into college experiences suggest that the consequences of student debt are manifest and immediate. Further, the documented day-to-day mental health burden for minority students may contribute to downstream processes such as matriculation.
One-step dynamic analysis of growth kinetics of Bacillus cereus from spores in simulated fried rice – Model development, validation, and Marko Chain Monte Carlo simulation

Abstract Bacillus cereus is a spore-forming pathogen capable of producing an emetic toxin and several diarrheal enterotoxins that may cause outbreaks of foodborne illness often associated with rice-based and other farinaceous foods. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the growth kinetics of B. cereus from spores in simulated egg fried rice. The growth of B. cereus was observed under dynamic conditions. Three independent growth curves were analyzed simultaneously using a one-step dynamic analysis (OSDA) to determine the kinetic parameters. The results showed that the minimum, optimum, and maximum growth temperatures were 11.8, 40.8, and 50.6 °C, respectively, with an optimum specific growth rate of 2.4 per h. The root-mean-square-error (RMSE) of model development was 0.4 log CFU/g. Deterministic validation with another 3 independent dynamic temperature profiles showed a RMSE of 0.5 log CFU/g. With Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation, the RMSE of prediction was only 0.3 log CFU/g. This study proved that OSDA is an effective and efficient method for quickly developing integrated predictive models and estimating kinetic parameters. The resulting integrated model can be used to accurately predict the growth of B. cereus and for managing its risks associated with egg fried rice. The developed kinetic models also can be used to guide restaurant owners and catering establishments to properly prepare and store egg fried rice and other related products to prevent the growth of B. cereus. According to the model, the growth of mesophilic B. cereus is unlikely to occur if the food is stored below 10 °C.
A Transformative Framenwork for Social Software use in e-Learning Um 'Framework' Transformativo para uso do Software Social em e-Learning

Este artigo ira descrever as bases teoricas do uso de um quadro em 3 niveis enraizado nos principios de aprendizagem social; ilustrar como esse quardro pode ser aplicado a um conjunto basico de ferramentas de software educacional social; e fornecer um exemplo detalhado de como essa estrutura pode ser aplicada a wikis em um contextro de e-learning
Air and Water System (AWS) Design and Technology Selection for the Vision for Space Exploration

This paper considers technology selection for the crew air and water recycling systems to be used in long duration human space exploration. The specific objectives are to identify the most probable air and water technologies for the vision for space exploration and to identify the alternate technologies that might be developed. The approach is to conduct a preliminary first cut systems engineering analysis, beginning with the Air and Water System (AWS) requirements and the system mass balance, and then define the functional architecture, review the International Space Station (ISS) technologies, and discuss alternate technologies. The life support requirements for air and water are well known. The results of the mass flow and mass balance analysis help define the system architectural concept. The AWS includes five subsystems: Oxygen Supply, Condensate Purification, Urine Purification, Hygiene Water Purification, and Clothes Wash Purification. AWS technologies have been evaluated in the life support design for ISS node 3, and in earlier space station design studies, in proposals for the upgrade or evolution of the space station, and in studies of potential lunar or Mars missions. The leading candidate technologies for the vision for space exploration are those planned for Node 3 of the ISS. The ISS life support was designed to utilize Space Station Freedom (SSF) hardware to the maximum extent possible. The SSF final technology selection process, criteria, and results are discussed. Would it be cost-effective for the vision for space exploration to develop alternate technology? This paper will examine this and other questions associated with AWS design and technology selection.
Effects of Essential Amino Acid Starvation in Streptococcus faecalis: Structural Change in the 50S Ribosomal Subunit

The 50S ribosomal subunits obtained from exponential-phase and valine-limited cultures of Streptococcus faecalis 9790 differed in protein content. Approximately 35% of the valine-limited subunits showed protein losses when analyzed by CsCl density centrifugation after formaldehyde fixation. Results of density gradient analysis and of acrylamide gel electrophoresis localized the protein to a “split” subunit fraction. No differences could be detected in the protein contents of 30S subunits from exponential-phase and valine-limited cultures. Images
FaceTracer: A Search Engine for Large Collections of Images with Faces

We have created the first image search engine based entirely on faces. Using simple text queries such as "smiling men with blond hair and mustaches," users can search through over 3.1 million faces which have been automatically labeled on the basis of several facial attributes. Faces in our database have been extracted and aligned from images downloaded from the internet using a commercial face detector, and the number of images and attributes continues to grow daily. Our classification approach uses a novel combination of Support Vector Machines and Adaboost which exploits the strong structure of faces to select and train on the optimal set of features for each attribute. We show state-of-the-art classification results compared to previous works, and demonstrate the power of our architecture through a functional, large-scale face search engine. Our framework is fully automatic, easy to scale, and computes all labels off-line, leading to fast on-line search performance. In addition, we describe how our system can be used for a number of applications, including law enforcement, social networks, and personal photo management. Our search engine will soon be made publicly available.