cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Petrarch's War : Florence and the Black Death in Context

This revisionist account of the economic, literary and social history of Florence in the immediate aftermath of the Black Death connects warfare with the plague narrative. Organised around Petrarch's 'war' against the Ubaldini clan of 1349–1350, which formed the prelude to his meeting and friendship with Boccaccio, William Caferro's work examines the institutional and economic effects of the war, alongside literary and historical patterns. Caferro pays close attention to the meaning of wages in context, including those of soldiers, thereby revising our understanding of wage data in the distant past and highlighting the consequences of a constricted workforce that resulted in the use of cooks and servants on important embassies. Drawing on rigorous archival research, this book will stimulate discussion among academics and offers a new contribution to our understanding of Renaissance Florence. It stresses the importance of short-termism and contradiction as subjects of historical inquiry.
The Public Affairs Scale: Measuring the Public Good Mission of Higher Education

This article describes the development and construction of the Public Affairs Scale, specifically designed to assess student development in the three areas of the public affairs mission at Missouri...
Recent Issues in the Developmental Approach to Mental Retardation

A two-group approach to the range of intellect was explained to account for irregularities in the “normal” IQ curve. Organically retarded persons would be represented by one curve at the lowest end of the distribution. Familial retarded persons would be grouped with the rest of the population—their lower IQs considered a part of the normal variation dictated by the diversity of human genetic inheritance. The extreme environmental approach to mental retardation was summarized, as were the difference and general-developmental positions. Behavioral differences between mildly retarded and nonretarded persons of the same MA were explained in terms of environmentally-based motivational differences, including such factors as social deprivation, expectancy of success, optimal reinforcers, outerdirectedness, and institutionalization.
Invisible Users: Youth in the Internet Cafés of Urban Ghana by Jenna Burrell (review)

MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Jenna Burrell. Invisible Users: Youth in the Internet Cafes of Urban Ghana.0 Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 2012. ix + 236 pp. Photographs. Notes. Bibliography. Index. $30.00. Cloth.With every rollout of a new communications technology comes handwringing. How do we use it? Should we? What can it do for us? How might it change others and us? In the United Sates, popular discourses about the Internet are often myopic and determinist, boiled down to unhelpful binaries: The Internet makes us smarter and more productive or, as one wag said, "stoopid" and lazy. The Internet makes us passive or aggressive, sociable or alienated. In Africa, popular discourses about the Internet acclaim it as an engine of development and democracy or a portent of cultural imperialism and local disconnection. Thankfully, Jenna Burrell's smart and engaging Invisible Users: Youth in the Internet Cafes of Urban Ghana sidesteps these numbing binaries. Instead, she asks us to consider what happens when digital or networked communications technology travels the world, in this case to Ghana, to new users, to otherwise marginalized young people for whom the technology was not initially designed or intended. How are the experiences that young, urban Ghanaians have with computers and the Internet shaped by the historical, political, and economic inequities that have shaped so much else in their lives?A first glance at the book's table of contents might lead the reader to think that Invisible Users is a series of interesting, discrete case studies of various aspects of computers and the Internet in Ghana. In fact, it is a rich ethnography of the interface and interaction of Ghanaian youth with networked technology told at three levels: first, in Internet cafes and in the online encounters negotiated there; second, in the understandings, interpretations, and meanings that youth in Ghana attach to the Internet and what they do with these understandings; and third, in the shifting economic and political landscape of globally networked Ghana.Burrell has a strongly stated theoretical purpose, which is woven through her book but does not mar her narrative flow or spoil its empirical value for readers whose interests may not necessarily extend far into theory. This theoretical purpose, as I understand it, is to reconcile studies of new technology use that privilege the social contexts and agency of technology's users with approaches that privilege the socially transformative properties of technologies themselves. She admires both approaches, and she calls the first (e.g., making this or that new technology "uniquely African" or "uniquely Ghanaian," or "uniquely boys of the Mamobi neighborhood in 2007") "weak materiality," while she calls the second (e. …
Dynamic user task scheduling for mobile robots

We present our efforts to deploy mobile robots in office environments, focusing in particular on the challenge of planning a schedule for a robot to accomplish user-requested actions. We concretely aim to make our CoBot mobile robots available to execute navigational tasks requested by users, such as telepresence, and picking up and delivering messages or objects at different locations. We contribute an efficient web-based approach in which users can request and schedule the execution of specific tasks. The scheduling problem is converted to a mixed integer programming problem. The robot executes the scheduled tasks using a synthetic speech and touch-screen interface to interact with users, while allowing users to follow the task execution online. Our robot uses a robust Kinect-based safe navigation algorithm, moves fully autonomously without the need to be chaperoned by anyone, and is robust to the presence of moving humans, as well as non-trivial obstacles, such as legged chairs and tables. Our robots have already performed 15km of autonomous service tasks.
Vulnerability to Alcoholism in Women

The etiology of alcoholism in women is no longer a question of nature or nurture. Most observers would agree that alcoholism, both male and female, is mediated by genetic factors. The question is how much of the variance is explained by genetic factors and to what degree is this genetically mediated disorder moderated by personal characteristics of the woman. Among the most salient personal characteristics moderating the genetic vulnerability may be factors such as age, ethnicity, and presence of psychiatric comorbidity. Cultural factors and familial environmental factors are most likely predictors as well. Therefore, the chapter will discuss the genetic epidemiology of alcoholism in women.
Nuclear Reaction Rates in EBR-II Irradiated Stainless Steel

Production rates (atoms/gram megawatt day) of 58Co, 54Mn, 55Fe, 63Ni, and 60Co in the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) irradiated stainless steel are reported. These rates can be used as pr...
Network Analysis of the American Geophysical Union’s Fall Meetings

Abstract. The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is an Earth and space science professional society based in the United States. AGU publishes scientific journals, sponsors meetings, and supports education and outreach efforts to promote public understanding of science. Research conducted by AGU members ranges from the Earth's deep interior to the outer planets of our solar system. Little research exists on the AGU meeting itself. In this work, we apply network analysis and scientometrics to seventeen years of AGU Fall Meetings. We are interested in what the structure of the AGU network and its properties can tell us about how the procedures of the AGU Fall meeting could be enhanced to facilitate better scientific communication and collaboration.
Longitudinal assessment of anchored transponder migration following lung stereotactic body radiation therapy

Purpose To assess the long-term stability of the anchored radiofrequency transponders and compare displacement rates with other commercially available lung fiducial markers. We also sought to describe late toxicity attributable to fiducial implantation or migration. Materials and methods The transponder cohort was comprised of 17 patients at our institution who enrolled in a multisite prospective clinical trial and underwent bronchoscopic implantation of three anchored transponders into small (2-2.5 mm) airways. We generated a comparison cohort of 34 patients by selecting patients from our institutional lung SBRT database and matching 2:1 based on the lobe containing tumor and proximity to the bronchial tree. Assessment of migration was performed by rigidly registering the most recent follow-up CT scan to the simulation scan, and assessing whether the relative geometry of the fiducial markers had changed by more than 5 mm. Toxicity outcomes of interest were hemoptysis and pneumothorax. Results The median follow-up of patients in the transponder cohort was 25.3 months and the median follow-up in the comparison cohort was 21.7 months. When assessing the most recent CT, all fiducial markers were within 5 mm of their position at CT simulation in 11 (65%) patients in the transponder group as compared to 23 (68%) in the comparison group (P = 0.28). One case of hemoptysis was identified in the transponder cohort, and bronchoscopy confirmed bleeding from recurrent tumor; no cases of hemoptysis were noted in the comparison cohort. No case of pneumothorax was noted in either group. Conclusion No significant difference in the rates of fiducial marker retention and migration were noted when comparing patients who had anchored transponders placed into small airways and a 2:1 matched cohort of patients who had other commercially available lung fiducial markers placed. In both groups, no late or chronic toxicity appeared to be related to the implanted fiducial markers.
CdSe/CdS–poly(cyclohexylethylene) thin film luminescent solar concentrators

Thin film luminescent solar concentrators are promising components of distributed power generation systems for building integrated photovoltaic applications. However, thin film geometries require high luminophore loading fractions to achieve sufficient absorption of sunlight, which, in the case of nanocrystal luminophores, can lead to aggregation and light scattering. In this work, we integrate CdSe/CdS nanocrystals into thin films of poly(cyclohexylethylene) at a range of loading fractions and characterize the composites with a combination of spectroscopic and simulation tools. We find that increased incident sunlight scattering is observed for the increasing luminophore loading fraction, but that the scattering is mostly limited to higher energy sunlight such that visible transmittance and haze of the samples are all greater than 89.7% and less than 8.3%, respectively. We then analyze the refractive index of the composite and show that the increase in loading fraction also affects the propagation of photoluminescence in the film, especially if the refractive index of the film is greater than that of the substrate. These studies show the importance of understanding the optical transport within thin films and provide design criteria to fabricate thin films for future implementation into building integrated photovoltaic applications.
Dynamic Watermarking-based Defense of Transportation Cyber-physical Systems

The transportation sector is on the threshold of a revolution as advances in real-time communication, real-time computing, and sensing technologies have brought to fruition the capability to build Transportation Cyber-Physical Systems (TCPS) such as self-driving cars, unmanned aerial vehicles, adaptive cruise control systems, truck platoons, and so on. While there are many benefits that TCPSs have to offer, a major challenge that needs to be addressed to enable their proliferation is their vulnerability to cyber attacks. In this article, we demonstrate, using laboratory prototypes of TCPSs, how the approach of Dynamic Watermarking can secure them from arbitrary sensor attacks. Specifically, we consider two TCPSs of topical interest: (i) an adaptive cruise control system and (ii) a system of self-driving vehicles tracking given trajectories. In each of these systems, we first show how cyber attacks on sensors can compromise safety and cause collisions between vehicles in spite of the presence of a collision avoidance module in the system. We then apply the approach of Dynamic Watermarking and demonstrate that it detects attacks with “low” delay. Once an attack is detected, the controller can take appropriate control actions to prevent collisions, thereby guaranteeing safety in the sense of collision freedom.
Light extraction from LEDs: a long battle (Conference Presentation)

Light extraction of internally generated light in LEDs into air has always been a major issue from the early days. The reabsorption of emitted light, long a stumbling block, is now almost always solved by the use of heterostructures. The majority of the internal light undergoes total internal reflection at the materials/air interface due to the large index mismatch. This is mitigated by redirecting light rays by light diffusing/scattering structures situated at interfaces. Powerful simulation techniques exist taking into account the various physical mechanisms into play. The frontier is reaching 95%+ extraction efficiencies which would allow 100%+ LED wall-plug efficiencies
Deaths among pancreatic cancer in-hospital, and the utilization of palliative care.

e16803Background: Pancreatic cancer has a dismal 5 year survival of 5-10%. Deaths commonly occur in-hospital as they present with acute complications. The purpose of this study is characterize this...
Parental sensitivity mediates the sustained effect of Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up on cortisol in middle childhood: A randomized clinical trial.

Abstract Importance Parenting interventions have been found to normalize cortisol regulation among high-risk children early in development; it is important to investigate the sustainability of these effects and their mechanisms, given the maladaptive outcomes associated with cortisol dysregulation. Objective To determine whether the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) intervention, implemented in infancy, predicts cortisol regulation in middle childhood via changes in early parental sensitivity. Design Double blind randomized clinical trial design; started January 2006, the follow-up for this project concluded March 2016. Setting Parents of children under age 2 referred from child protective services agencies in a large, mid-Atlantic city. Participants 103 parent-child dyads (45.6% female children) with histories of child protective services involvement, randomly assigned to receive ABC (n = 45) or a control intervention (n = 58); in infancy, the children’s ages ranged from 1.60 to 25.30 months (M = 9.87 months); at the middle childhood follow-up, they ranged from 8.0 to 11.0 years old (M = 8.52 years). Interventions Both conditions included 10-week, in-home, manualized interventions. The experimental condition, ABC, has 3 primary targets for parents: increasing nurturance to child distress, increasing following the child’s lead, and decreasing frightening behavior. The control intervention, Developmental Education for Families (DEF), is an adaptation of a program focused on enhancing cognitive and language development. Main outcomes and measures Parental sensitivity was coded from a semi-structured interaction task between the parent and child in early childhood. Middle childhood diurnal cortisol slopes were modeled by collecting salivary cortisol samples from children at wake-up and bedtime over the course of 3 consecutive days. Results ABC participation in infancy was associated with increased parental sensitivity post-intervention, β = 0.28, p = .004, and this increased sensitivity predicted steeper decline across the day in children’s cortisol concentration in middle childhood, β = −.53, p = .002. The indirect effect of ABC on cortisol regulation via sensitivity was significant, β = −0.15, p = .038. Conclusions and relevance ABC has an indirect effect on middle childhood diurnal cortisol regulation via parental sensitivity; future research should seek to determine how this enhanced neurobiological regulation relates to children’s behavioral, socioemotional, and psychological outcomes. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02093052.
A retrospective analysis on the impacts of an immersive digital environment on chemical engineering students’ moral reasoning

Abstract Process safety decision making in chemical engineering practice has a strong ethical and moral component. While effective process safety decision making can be taught, it is not solely a technical topic, and includes complex behavioral elements that classroom-based instruction finds difficult to capture. To capture the complexity of this decision making, we have developed a digital immersive environment, Contents Under Pressure (CUP), that includes both technical and behavioral elements. This immersion allows participants to explore realistic process safety decision points in a safe environment. To determine the effect of CUP on moral reasoning, a retrospective study of two cohorts was conducted. The first cohort (n = 109) received traditional process safety instruction, and the second cohort (n = 181) had CUP included as part of their instruction. Pre- and post-assessment of participant process safety reasoning was achieved via the Engineering Process Safety Reasoning Instrument (EPSRI), also developed by the authors. Analysis of the data suggests that exposure to CUP has a distinct and statistically significant impact on process safety reasoning as compared to the comparison cohort.
Distinct Responses of Vitis aestivalis ‘Norton’ and Vitis vinifera ‘Kishmish Vatkana’ to Seven Viruses Revealed by Small RNA Sequencing

Grapevines are frequently infected by multiple viruses. Our previous study showed that Norton grapevine (Vitis aestivalis) is resistant to grapevine vein clearing virus (GVCV), a DNA virus in the f...
Combination Therapy of Mithramycin A and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer in an Orthotopic Murine Model

The axis of Programmed cell death-1 receptor (PD-1) with its ligand (PD-L1) plays a critical role in colorectal cancer (CRC) in escaping immune surveillance, and blocking this axis has been found to be effective in a subset of patients. Although blocking PD-L1 has been shown to be effective in 5-10% of patients, the majority of the cohorts show resistance to this checkpoint blockade (CB) therapy. Multiple factors assist in the growth of resistance to CB, among which T cell exhaustion and immunosuppressive effects of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) play a critical role along with other tumor intrinsic factors. We have previously shown the polyketide antibiotic, Mithramycin-A (Mit-A), an effective agent in killing cancer stem cells (CSCs) in vitro and in vivo in a subcutaneous murine model. Since TME plays a pivotal role in CB therapy, we tested the immunomodulatory efficacy of Mit-A with anti-PD-L1 mAb (αPD-L1) combination therapy in an immunocompetent MC38 syngeneic orthotopic CRC mouse model. Tumors and spleens were analyzed by flow cytometry for the distinct immune cell populations affected by the treatment, in addition to RT-PCR for tumor samples. We demonstrated the combination treatment decreases tumor growth, thus increasing the effectiveness of the CB. Mit-A in the presence of αPD-L1 significantly increased CD8+ T cell infiltration and decreased immunosuppressive granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells and anti-inflammatory macrophages in the TME. Our results revealed Mit-A in combination with αPD-L1 has the potential for augmented CB therapy by turning an immunologically "cold" into "hot" TME in CRC.
Unifying Domain Adaptation and Domain Generalization for Robust Prediction Across Minority Racial Groups.

In clinical deployment, the performance of a model trained from one or more medical systems often deteriorates on another system and such deterioration is especially evident among minority patients who often have limited data. In this work, we present a multi-source adversarial domain separation (MS-ADS) framework which unifies domain adaptation and domain generalization. MS-ADS is designed to address two types of discrepancies: covariate shift stemming from differences in patient populations, and systematic bias on account of differences in data collection procedures across medical systems. We evaluate MS-ADS for early prediction of septic shock on three tasks. On a task of domain adaptation across three medical systems, we show that by leveraging data from multiple systems while accounting for both types of discrepancies, MS-ADS improves the prediction performance across all three systems; on a task of domain generalization to an unseen medical system, we show that MS-ADS can perform better than or close to the gold standard supervised models built for the system; last but not least, on a task that involves both domain adaptation and domain generalization: generalization to unseen racial groups across medical systems, MS-ADS shows robust out-performance by addressing covariate shift across different racial groups and systematic bias across medical systems simultaneously.
Executives’ Blaming External Factors and Market Reactions: Evidence from Earnings Conference Calls

Abstract We investigate how market participants react when corporate executives strategically blame the economy or industries for poor firm performance. In the quarters subsequent to earnings conference calls, we find that the “blame sentences,” which capture executives’ blaming tactics, predict negative and non-reverting abnormal returns, negative earnings surprises, and analyst recommendation downgrades. These blaming tactics also reduce the sensitivity of executives’ turnover to their performance. Our findings imply that executives strategically inject the negative information about future cash flows into blame sentences. Market participants need to combine distinct categories of information (firm-specific vs. economy-wide) to understand the implications of blame sentences, which consumes more cognitive resources and delays their reactions to the blame sentences.
The oldest odonyms of Lviv

Street names were not often the subject of thorough research. The authors mostly record the first mention of a street in the sources but never notice the process (in some cases quite long) of the name formation. This research focuses on the names that were used for a short time or disappeared together with the object around which they signified the space. The sources of this work were the four oldest city books of Lviv: the book of the council and the bench court, two books of income and expenditure, and the book of a bench, covering the period 1382–1448, although with certain intervals. Such sources are heterogeneous, but they record the names in different areas of use, which statistically only emphasizes the constant use of such names. The goals of this study are to collect all the oldest odonyms of Lviv from preserved sources and publish their translation into Ukrainian; to present the chains of their formation; and to analyze the names of streets that no longer exist. The methodological framework of the research is based on the ontological approach to space, which means the study of relations, connections, and interactions between the actual names and denotatum-objects, i.e. the terrain that describes the name. Also we used the genetic method, which consists in the sequential disclosure of the origin and development of a historical phenomenon and aims to study the dynamics of the object’s evolution through time. After compiling the database, the sufficient availability of factual material allowed to use a typological method through which, based on common features, it was possible to distinguish two types of street names: proper names and descriptive names. The first type includes established names that have the denotatum “street”. The second includes the names without denotatum; they often have a preposition (however, they invariably perform an informative function). In the list where the found odonyms are sorted according to the chronology of use, we can trace their stages of formation. Some of the names are conditionally localized. The summary asserts that almost all found odonyms in the city centre were formed by the middle of the 15th century and were almost invariably used in the following years. In the suburbs, there are only a few names. Since the suburbs were developed rather slowly until the 16th century, there was practically no need for new odonyms.
A Pt-modified Ni-base superalloy with high temperature precipitate stability

Abstract Nickel-base alloys display exceptional mechanical properties to high fractions of their melting point due to the presence of L1 2 γ′ precipitates. However, above 1000 °C, the precipitates typically coarsen or rapidly undergo shape changes along with dissolution into the matrix, thereby degrading the mechanical performance of the alloy at higher temperatures. In this research, a Pt-modified Ni-base alloy with exceptional high temperature stability has been identified. Coarsening studies conducted in the temperature range from 1050–1200 °C reveal unusually high volume fractions of morphologically stable γ´ precipitates up to 1200 °C. Electron-probe micro-analysis demonstrates strong partitioning of Pt to the γ´ phase. The presence of a high volume fraction of slowly coarsening precipitates at 1200 °C suggests that the alloy would have excellent performance as a bond coat and/or single crystal blade.
Transient Three-Dimensional Circulation of Lakes

A mixed analytical and numerical model to study the wind-driven, transient, three-dimensional circulation in lakes is presented. Emphasis is placed on the formulation and development of the model, which consists of a formal analytical solution together with a system of depth-averaged conservation equations. After solving the depth-averaged system numerically by the finite element technique, the three-dimensional velocity profiles are calculated from the formal solution. Simulation of an idealized lake shows good agreement on the general circulation pattern and wave characteristics with the works of others. The limitation of this model is examined, and a solution is proposed to accommodate it.
HACKING THE GLOBAL

This paper explores software's pivotal role in the power dynamics of contemporary capitalism. The author theorizes Free Software as a new form of property that is infecting capitalism like a virus, challenging the system of private property central to its dominant logic. Free Software can be produced by developers working for free in peer communities or in profit-oriented firms. The author explores the conditions under which Free Software is produced through peer versus market-based production, emphasizing the implications for constructing the Free Software market and the digital commons. The author identifies actors' motivations, the organizational structure of production, and financial resources as three factors shaping these conditions. The author focuses on the case of Ubuntu, a Free Software operating system that is available free of charge on the Internet. Ubuntu is produced by Canonical, a Free Software, market-based firm, through an intriguing combination of market-based and peer production that b...
Residential emissions reductions through variable timing of electricity consumption

Abstract A real-time electricity emissions estimating tool, the Locational Marginal Price Emissions Estimation Method (LEEM), is assessed for its ability to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), global warming potential measured as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) on a residential scale. Through LEEM, residential electricity use can be shifted to low emissions times of day. In the study area of Michigan, USA emissions from five types of appliances (hot water heater, refrigerator defrost, dishwasher, clothes washer, and clothes dryer) were calculated to be theoretically reduced by 21–35% annually through a “best-case” application of LEEM. Annual emissions of the five pollutants, SO 2 , NO x , CO 2 e, Hg, and Pb, can be reduced across the state by 429,000, 110,000, 87,240,000, 2.21, and 4.53 pounds, respectively – all without a reduction in the electricity used in the period of study. Despite different fuel mixes, similar emissions reductions were calculated for other regions of the country, as well.
Factors motivating and affecting health information exchange usage.

Objective Health information exchange (HIE) is the process of electronically sharing patient-level information between providers. However, where implemented, reports indicate HIE system usage is low. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with different types of HIE usage. Design Cross-sectional analysis of clinical data from emergency room encounters included in an operational HIE effort linked to system user logs using crossed random-intercept logistic regression. Measurements Independent variables included factors indicative of information needs. System usage was measured as none, basic usage, or a novel pattern of usage. Results The system was accessed for 2.3% of all encounters (6142 out of 271 305). Novel usage patterns were more likely for more complex patients. The odds of HIE usage were lower in the face of time constraints. In contrast to expectations, system usage was lower when the patient was unfamiliar to the facility. Limitations Because of differences between HIE efforts and the fact that not all types of HIE usage (ie, public health) could be included in the analysis, results are limited in terms of generalizablity. Conclusions This study of actual HIE system usage identifies patients and circumstances in which HIE is more likely to be used and factors that are likely to discourage usage. The paper explores the implications of the findings for system redesign, information integration across exchange partners, and for meaningful usage criteria emerging from provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health Act.
Solution of the time-dependent incompressible Navier-Stokes and Boussinesq equations using the Galerkin finite element method

This research was directed toward the generation of a time-dependent, three-dimensional model of the atmospheric boundary layer using the Galerkin finite element method (GFEM). Along the way, capabilities were developed for solving the two-dimensional Navier-Stokes and Boussinesq equations, both steady and time-dependent. These innovative techniques for time-dependent flows are described and illustrated. The GFEM is applied to the primitive variable (u,P,T) equations, thus generating, in the conventional manner, a coupled system of ordinary differential equations in time. A time integration method which gives very accurate, and reasonably efficient solutions to these time-dependent problems is discussed. It is stable for any grid spacing and Reynolds number, is non-dissipative, and incorporates an automatic time stem selection strategy. The techniques are then demonstrated by means of two numerical examples - both starting with a motionless sytem: (1) a thermally driven square cavity which goes to a steady-state and (2) isothermal flow around a circular cylinder which leads to periodic vortex shedding.
A novel approach for direct estimation of fresh groundwater discharge to an estuary

[1] Coastal groundwater discharge is an important source of freshwater and nutrients to coastal and estuarine systems. Directly quantifying the spatially integrated discharge of fresh groundwater over a coastline is difficult due to spatial variability and limited observational methods. In this study, I applied a novel approach to estimate net freshwater discharge from a groundwater-fed tidal creek over a spring-neap cycle, with high temporal resolution. Acoustic velocity instruments measured tidal water fluxes while other sensors measured vertical and lateral salinity to estimate cross-sectionally averaged salinity. These measurements were used in a time-dependent version of Knudsen's salt balance calculation to estimate the fresh groundwater contribution to the tidal creek. The time-series of fresh groundwater discharge shows the dependence of fresh groundwater discharge on tidal pumping, and the large difference between monthly mean discharge and instantaneous discharge over shorter timescales. The approach developed here can be implemented over timescales from days to years, in any size estuary with dominant groundwater inputs and well-defined cross-sections. The approach also directly links delivery of groundwater from the watershed with fluxes to the coastal environment.
Business process change: a study of methodologies, techniques, and tools

Growth in Business Process Reengineering (BPR) consulting services has led to a proliferation of methods for conducting BPR. Sifting through vendor promotional hype and identifying a set of techniques and tools that best meets a particular project's needs can be a daunting task. This article investigates BPR Methods, Techniques, and Tools (MTTs) and places them within an empirically derived reference framework. A comprehensive picture of BPR emerges that includes MTTs that help in reengineering strategy, people, management, structure, and technology dimensions of business processes. A BPR planning approach for customizing this framework based on unique project characteristics is then offered to assist in selecting those BPR project activities and techniques to be emphasized. This flexible framework and comprehensive survey of commonly used BPR techniques and tools forms a knowledge base to improve business process change practice and provides a basis for future BPR research.
Experiences with the triple-lumen single-balloon tube in massive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

Summary 1. Experiences with the use of a triple-lumen single-balloon tube in thediagnosis and treatment of patients bleeding massively from their upper gastrointestinal tract have been described. 2. The source of the hemorrhage in 20 patients as determined by the tubeobservations was confirmed by either roentgenologic, operative, or post-mortem findings in 18 instances. In 2 patients, the tube findings could not be substantiated by the other clinical measures employed, but the course of these patients was in agreement with the impressions gained from the use of the tube. 3. Tamponade of the bleeding site was partially or completely successful in10 of the 13 patients in which this was attempted. 4. Although we have had limited experience with many lesions producingupper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, the triple-lumen single-balloon tube has been found to be safe and to yield significant information regarding both the site of the hemorrhage in relation to the diaphragm and the amount of bleeding that was occurring, thus permitting early surgical intervention when indicated.
(3‐Methoxy‐3‐methyl‐1‐butynyl)copper(I)

[66769-63-9] C6H9CuO (MW 160.70) InChI = 1S/C6H9O.Cu/c1-5-6(2,3)7-4;/h2-4H3; InChIKey = ILPUPLQXUIGQGL-UHFFFAOYSA-N (nontransferable ligand used in cuprate preparation for selective ligand transfer to electrophiles2) Physical Data: red solid. Solubility: sol THF; moderately sol ether (0.1 M at 0 °C); insol hexane, H2O. Preparative Methods: lithiation of 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butyne followed by addition of Copper(I) Iodide. Usually prepared and used in situ. Copper(I) acetylides can be stored under water, then dried in the air. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: copper(I) acetylides are reported to be explosive when dry. Prepared reagent should be used within a few days for best results. Use in a fume hood.
Both CFTR and outwardly rectifying chloride channels contribute to cAMP-stimulated whole cell chloride currents.

From whole cell patch-clamp recordings at 35 degrees C utilizing either nystatin perforation or conventional methods with 5 mM MgATP in the pipette solution, it was demonstrated that both cystic fi...
Fluid availability of sports drinks differing in carbohydrate type and concentration

Plasma D2O-accumulation profiles (qualitative indices of fluid-absorption rates) were determined in eight subjects after ingestion of 275 mL of five D2O-labeled beverages: a water placebo (W), 6% maltodextrin (6% M), and three solutions containing a 6%, 8%, and 10% glucose-fructose mix (6% GF, 8% GF, and 10% GF). Except for W all beverages contained 20 mmol sodium/L and 3 mmol potassium/L. No differences in plasma D2O accumulation were found. Plasma glucose increased at 20 and 30 min after ingestion of the carbohydrate drinks and returned to baseline (6% GF and 6% M) or below (8% GF and 10% GF) by 60 min. Insulin responded similarly and, except for a slightly lower value at 30 min for 6% GF, no differences were detected. It appears that fluids in drinks containing less than or equal to 8-10% carbohydrate (simple sugars or maltodextrins) are made available for dilution in body fluids at similar rates and should be similar in replenishing body fluids lost in sweat during exercise.
Varicella-Zoster Virus Infections of the Nervous System

Abstract Background.—Diseases that present with protean manifestations are the diseases most likely to pose diagnostic challenges for both clinicians and pathologists. Among the most diverse disorders caused by a single known toxic, metabolic, neoplastic, or infectious agent are the central and peripheral nervous system complications of varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Methods.—The pathologic correlates of the neurologic complications of VZV infection, as well as current methods for detecting viral infections, are discussed and presented in pictorial format for the practicing pathologist. Results.—Varicella-zoster virus causes chickenpox (varicella), usually in childhood; most children manifest only mild neurologic sequelae. After chickenpox resolves, the virus becomes latent in neurons of cranial and spinal ganglia of nearly all individuals. In elderly and immunocompromised individuals, the virus may reactivate to produce shingles (zoster). After zoster resolves, many elderly patients experience postherpeti...
Direct Strain Tensor Approximation for Full-Field Strain Measurement Methods

SUMMARY Full-field strain measurement techniques are based on computing the spatial derivatives of numerical or functional approximations of the underlying displacement fields extracted from digital imaging methods. These methods implicitly assume that the medium satisfies the strain compatibility conditions, which are only true in the case of a continuum body that remains continuum throughout its deformation history. In the present work, we introduce a method that can be used to calculate the strain components directly from typical digital imaging data, without the need of the continuum hypothesis and the need for displacement field differentiation. Thus, it enables the measurement of strain fields from imaged surfaces that may or may not contain discontinuities. Numerical comparisons are performed on the basis synthetic data produced from an analytical solution for an elastically orthotropic open-hole domain in tension. For performance comparison purposes, the mean absolute error distributions are calculated for the cases of both the traditional meshless random grid method, and the direct strain method introduced herein. It is established that the more refined representation of strain provided by our present approach is more accurate everywhere in the domain, but most importantly, near its boundaries. Published 2013. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Improving the Targeting of Treatment: Evidence from College Remediation

At an annual cost of roughly $7 billion nationally, remedial coursework is one of the single largest interventions intended to improve outcomes for underprepared college students. But like a costly medical treatment with non-trivial side effects, the value of remediation overall depends upon whether those most likely to benefit can be identified in advance. Our analysis uses administrative data and a rich predictive model to examine the accuracy of remedial screening tests, either instead of or in addition to using high school transcript data to determine remedial assignment. We find that roughly one in four test-takers in math and one in three test-takers in English are severely mis-assigned under current test-based policies, with mis-assignments to remediation much more common than mis-assignments to college-level coursework. We find that using high school transcript information--either instead of or in addition to test scores--could significantly reduce the prevalence of assignment errors. Further, we find that the choice of screening device has significant implications for the racial and gender composition of both remedial and college-level courses. Finally, we find that if institutions took account of students' high school performance, they could remediate substantially fewer students without lowering success rates in college-level courses.
Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptors α and γ Require Zinc for Their Anti-inflammatory Properties in Porcine Vascular Endothelial Cells

Zinc is an essential structural component of various proteins and is crucial for the integrity of the vascular endothelium. The present study focused on the effect of zinc deficiency on the anti-inflammatory properties of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) alpha and gamma agonists. Porcine pulmonary-arterial endothelial cells were deprived from zinc by chelator N,N,N',N'-tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl)ethylene diamine. Cells were exposed to TNF-alpha for 2 h following pretreament with the PPARalpha agonists fenofibrate or ciprofibrate or the PPARgamma agonists thiazolidinedione or troglitazone. The inflammatory response was tested by measuring nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) binding activities as well as by measuring mRNA expression levels of inflammatory genes, such as vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and IL-6. All PPAR agonists tested lost their potency to downregulate the TNF-alpha-induced inflammatory response in zinc-deficient cells. However, if zinc was added back, all PPAR agonists significantly downregulated the TNF-alpha-mediated induction of inflammatory transcription factors NF-kappaB and AP-1 and significantly reduced the expression of their target genes, VCAM-1 and IL-6. We therefore hypothesize that zinc is required for the PPARalpha and -gamma DNA binding activity. Indeed, zinc deficiency significantly reduced the agonist-induced binding activity of PPARalpha and -gamma to the PPAR response element. Our data demonstrate the importance of zinc in PPAR signaling and the requirement of zinc for the anti-inflammatory properties of PPARalpha and -gamma agonists.
The maturase encoded by a group I intron from Aspergillus nidulans stabilizes RNA tertiary structure and promotes rapid splicing

Abstract The AnCOB group I intron from Aspergillus nidulans self-splices, providing the Mg2+ concentration is ⩾15 mM. The splicing reaction is greatly stimulated by a maturase protein encoded within the intron itself. An initial structural and biochemical analysis of the splicing reaction has now been performed. The maturase bound rapidly to the precursor RNA (kon ≃ 3 × 109 M−1 min−1) and remained tightly bound (koff ⩽ 0.04 min −1). The catalytic step of 5′ splice-site cleavage occurred at a rate of up to 11 min−1 under single turnover conditions. The maturase- assisted reaction of heat-denatured RNA proceeded at a rate of about 1 min−1, arguing that there are early steps of folding that cannot be readily facilitated by the protein. pH analysis revealed a biphasic profile with a pKa of 7.0. The rate of the maturase-assisted reaction was independent of the Mg2+ concentration down to 3 mM. Self-splicing in optimal Mg2+ (⩾150 mM) was tenfold slower, in part because of the existence of an equilibrium between folded and partially folded RNA. In contrast, the maturase very effectively stabilized tertiary structure in 5 mM Mg2+, a noticeable example being an interaction between the P8 helix and a GNRA sequence that constitutes the L2 terminal loop of the P2 helix. Formation of the 5′ splice-site recognition helix was assisted by either the maturase or high concentrations of Mg2+. The maturase was required during splicing so it is not a true chaperone. However, RNase protection assays and kinetic studies suggest that the maturase recognizes and facilitates folding of an intron with limited tertiary structure and even incomplete secondary structure.
A new multi-gram synthetic route to labeling precursors for the D2/3 PET agent 18F-fallypride

This Letter describes a new multi-gram synthetic protocol for the preparation of the classic tosylate labeling precursor for the D 2/3 PET agent [ 18 F]fallypride. In the course of our studies, we also discovered two novel labeling precusors, the previously undescribed mesylate and chloro congeners of fallypride.
Predictors of cessation of marijuana use: an event history analysis

Abstract Event history analysis was applied to monthly life and drug histories of a representative community sample of 706 marijuana users, followed from ages 15–16 to 34–35, to investigate factors associated with cessation of marijuana use from adolescence to adulthood. In addition to age and gender, the most important determinants of cessation are the phenomenology of marijuana use, social role participation, depressive symptoms and deviance. Frequent users, those who started using early and those who use illicit drugs other than marijuana are more likely to continue their marijuana use. Using marijuana for social reasons accelerates cessation, using to change one's mood reduces cessation. Becoming pregnant and a parent is the most important social role leading to marijuana cessation for women. There is also a very important experimental effect of the interview itself on the reported timing of a cessation. The effect of a social context favorable to marijuana use appears to reflect selection rather than social influence.
GREEN WITH RED: ENVIRONMENT AND JIANGXI'S TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Abstract Since the late 1990's, as China's development-induced environmental problems increased, there has been concomitant rise of environmental concern in policy and public discourse. This rising concern for the environment has influenced tourism development in two ways. On one hand, new attention has been directed at finding more sustainable ways of developing existing tourist resources. On the other hand, environmental protection is being used by local governments, tourism agencies and other institutions as a marketing strategy in their efforts to promote tourist sites and attract capital investment. This essay examines these two forms of “greening” in Jiangxi's tourism development and explores persistent tension between the environment and the economy that undermines efforts to create more sustainable forms of tourism. The analysis locates the greening process in the specific conditions of Jiangxi's tourism development strategy, most notably its dependence on Red Tourism to draw in large number of do...
Analysis of Chromatin in Male and Female Mealy Bugs

THE chromosome system of the mealy bug, Planococcus citri (= Pseudococcus), is unique for the study of differences between heterochromatin and euchromatin. In the male, the paternal chromosomes are heterochromatic; that is, they remain condensed throughout interphase. In the female, both maternal and paternal sets are euchromatic. The paternal set behaves like heterochromatic sex chromosomes of other organisms; it reproduces asynchronously from the maternal or euchromatic set and is genetically inert1. Marker genes in the mealy bug are expressed in the male only if received from the mother (personal communication from S. W. Brown). X-ray damage to the heterochromatic set is not expressed2 and the heterochromatic set is not labelled with tritiated uridine3.