cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Research on the design and experiment of MSM laser range imaging radar

A summary of range imaging theory of MSM laser radar is introduced.The key system parts of the radar are designed,which include FM signal generator,AM laser transmitter,MSM self-mixing detecting circuit.The range performance and distance resolution experiments have been done based on single pixel which is chosen form 32×32 pixel array.And the results show that the distance resolution is 0.375 m with linear FM bandwidth of about 400 MHz.The work lays a good foundation for the development of practical range imaging radar.
Emotions During Writing about Socially-Charged Issues: Effects of the (Mis)Alignment of Personal Positions with Instructed Positions.

Although considerable research has investigated the role of emotions in learning and problem solving, there is a paucity of research on the emotional and social aspects of academic writing. As an initial step in this direction, we conducted a study where 42 participants wrote two essays on two opposing stances about abortion (pro-choice and pro-life). Participants’ affective states (14 emotions plus neutral) were tracked at 15-second intervals via a retrospective affect judgment protocol. The results indicated that engagement, anxiety, confusion, frustration, and curiosity were the more frequent states, while the ‘basic’ emotions (e.g., sadness, disgust) were comparatively infrequent. Participants experienced more boredom when writing essays that did not align with their positions on abortion, but were more engaged when there was alignment. Participants also reported more curiosity while writing pro-choice essays. Importantly, boredom, engagement, and curiosity were the affective states that predicted essay quality. Lastly, selfreported interest before writing differed based on the alignment of positions and was related to affect in expected directions. We discuss the implications of our findings for ITSs that support the development of writing proficiency.
Deciphering P values: Defining significance.

![Figure][1] One or two replications of a study result cannot definitively support or reject a hypothesis. IMAGES: SEKULICN/[ISTOCKPHOTO.COM][2] In his Policy Forum “Aligning statistical and scientific reasoning” (3 June, p. [1180][3]), S. N. Goodman cautions against using P values to
TGF-β and Metabolic Homeostasis

Metabolic homeostasis is achieved via a concerted and integrative action of various organ systems. The harmonious functionality of the collaborative organs maintains tight regulation of glucose levels. This intricate balance of glucose production and utilization maintains whole body glucose homeostasis and energy balance. In disease states, such as diabetes and obesity, dysfunction in one or more organ systems disturbs the metabolic homeostasis and propagates disease pathology. Understanding the avenues that dictate metabolic homeostasis and the pathways that disrupt this harmony are thus of great medical significance. We propose that the TGF-β signaling network plays an integral role in metabolic homeostasis by virtue of its actions on several organ systems that constitute the metabolic machinery. TGF-β levels are elevated in metabolic disease, which supports the utility of therapeutics aimed at targeting the TGF-β pathway to combat these diseases. Considering the complexity of the TGF-β signaling network, a rational approach is vital to designing anti-TGF-β modalities to combat metabolic diseases.
Cross-modal hashing through ranking subspace learning

Hashing has been widely used for approximate nearest neighbor search of high-dimensional multimedia data. In this paper, we propose a novel hash learning framework that maps high-dimensional multimodal data into a common Hamming space where the cross-modal similarity can be measured using Hamming distance. Unlike existing cross-modal hashing methods that learn hash functions in the form of numeric quantization of linear projections, the proposed hash learning algorithm encodes features' ranking properties and takes advantage of rank correlations which are known to be scale-invariant, numerically stable and highly nonlinear. Specifically, we learn two groups of subspaces jointly, one for each modality, so that the ranking orders in those subspaces maximally preserve the cross-modal similarity. Extensive experiments on realworld datasets demonstrate superiority of the proposed methods compared to state-of-the-arts.
Where is the centre of the Earth

The characters in Jules Vernes' science-fiction classic of 1864 A Journey to the Centre of the Earth encounter raging waters, erupting volcanoes and giant dinosaurs as they travel deep underground. In truth, even if someone managed to cross our planet's molten core, which begins halfway down from the Earth's surface, the centre of the planet is so hot – more than 3000°C – that our intrepid traveller would burn up before they reached there. Thank goodness that we do not actually need to go to the centre of the Earth to work out where it is or how fast it is moving.
Pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumor arising in the groin: A case report

Abstract Introduction Pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumors are a rare group of tumors that are currently classified as benign tumors of unknown differentiation. To our knowledge, less than 100 cases have been reported in literature. We report a case that presented in the groin – an uncommon location for this rare tumor. Case report A 75 year-old female presented with a seven-year history of painless right groin mass with rapid growth of 2 year duration. On physical examination, a firm and mobile mass was identified in the right groin. It measured 12 cm × 8 cm, with no clinically palpable lymph nodes. Microscopic and immunohistochemical features were consistent with pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumor. Discussion Pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumor is a rare soft tissue tumor usually diagnosed using microscopic and immuohistochemical analysis to allow for differentiation from other soft tissue tumors. It is treated by wide local excision.
CHECKLIST OF HETEROPTERA OF MONTENEGRO

This is the first checklist of Heteroptera of Montenegro, including 517 species. The short historical review includes names of the most important collectors and heteropterologists who have studied the Heteroptera fauna of Montenegro. The list was compiled from data published in numerous monographs and individual papers, as well as from specimens stored in museum collections. The list also includes 20 species previously unpublished for the territory of Montenegro: Corixa dentipes Thomson, Saldula c - album (Fieber), Bryocoris pteridis (Fallen), Dichrooscytus intermedius Reuter, Dionconotus neglectus neglectus (Fabricius), Phytocoris populi (Linnaeus), Halticus apterus apterus (Linnaeus), Europiella alpina (Reuter), Heterocordylus genistae (Scopoli), Heterocordylus ( Heterodactylus ) tumidicornis (Herrich-Schaeffer), Temnostethus ( Temnostethus ) pusillus (Herrich-Scheffer), Xylocoris ( Xylocoris ) cursitans (Fallen), Nysius ericae ericae (Schilling), Brachyplax tenuis (Mulsant & Rey), Dryoderes umbraculatus (Fabricius), Odontoscelis minuta Jakovlev, 1881, Eurygaster austriaca (Schrank), Eurygaster dilaticollis Dohrn, Coptosoma scutellatum (Geoffroy) and Zicrona coerulea (Linnaeus).
Infectious Risk after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Complicated by Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease

Abstract The occurrence of infections after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is nearly universal. However, the relationship between infections and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is complex and attribution of infectious-related mortality is highly inconsistent, making comparison of infectious complication rates across allogeneic HCT clinical studies difficult. We categorized infectious complications from diagnosis or 1 year before HCT (whichever occurred later) through 2 years after HCT according to timing, frequency, causative organism, severity, and contribution to mortality for 431 consecutive patients who underwent allogeneic HCT from 2008 to 2011. We then assessed the contribution of risk factors, such as the frequency of pre-HCT infections and post-HCT GVHD, on post-HCT infection frequency and severity. We found that each pre-HCT bacterial infection/year leads to an additional 2.15 post-HCT bacterial infection/year (P = .004). Pre-HCT viral and fungal infections were not predictors for post-HCT infections. Acute GVHD (aGVHD) significantly increased the risk of developing life-threatening (hazard ratio [HR], 1.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33 to 2.90) and fatal (HR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.10 to 7.08) infections. Furthermore, patients who develop aGVHD experienced ~60% more infections than patients who never develop aGVHD. Quantification of infection frequency and severity for patients with and without GVHD may facilitate comparison of infectious outcomes across allogeneic HCT trials.
Shifting Sexual Boundaries: Ethnicity and Pre-marital Sex in the Lives of South Asian American Women

Immigrants and their children engage in several forms of boundary making as a means of developing a sense of belonging in America. Second-generation Americans are at the crossroads between meeting their parents’ cultural expectations and selecting new ethnic options that may conflict with ancestral traditions. Women’s sexuality has often been a site for contesting and conforming to ethnic boundaries. This article examines a case study of second-generation South Asian American adult women’s pre-marital sexual behavior to understand how cultural expectations about sex shapes the ways in which they construct ethnic boundaries. Much of the literature on women’s sexuality in immigrant communities in America has focused on married women or constraints placed on women’s virginity. This study highlights a nuanced perspective for understanding how migration to the U.S. creates cultural shifts in ethnic communities by examining how the American born daughters of immigrants define their ethnicity through their pre-marital sexual encounters.
Serious mental illness and medical comorbidities: Findings from an integrated health care system

OBJECTIVE:To examine the odds associated with having medical comorbidities among patients with serious mental illness (SMI) in a large integrated health system. METHOD:In a secondary analysis of electronic health record data, this study identified 25,090 patients with an ICD-9 SMI diagnosis of bipolar disorder (n=20,308) or schizophrenia (n=4782) and 25,090 controls who did not have a SMI, matched on age, gender, and medical home facility. Conditional logistic regressions compared the odds associated with having nine medical comorbidity categories and fifteen chronic or serious conditions among patients with SMI versus controls. RESULTS:Results showed having a SMI was associated with significantly higher odds of each medical comorbidity examined (p's 1.5 times the odds of each condition (p's<0.001). CONCLUSIONS:In an integrated health system where patients may have fewer barriers to care, SMI patients are likely to present for treatment with a range of medical comorbidities, including chronic and severe conditions. SMI patients may need outreach strategies focused on disease prevention, screening and early diagnosis, and treatment to address medical comorbidities and associated poor health outcomes.
Evaluation of a Videodisc-Based Social Skills Training Program:

The study helped determine the effectiveness of a videodisc-based social skills training program for mildly handicapped elementary school children. The program teaches children how to use appropria...
Mortality of Tobacco Budworm Larvae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Emergence of Cotesia marginiventris (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Exposed to Bacillus thuringiensis and Thiodicarb Alone and in Combination

Mortality of Heliothis virescens (F.) larvae and emergence of Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) were evaluated on terminals collected from cotton in fields treated with Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner var. kurstaki and thiodicarb. Tests were conducted using B. thuringiensis and thiodicarb, independently and in combination. Insecticide rates were those recommended for resistance management in Arkansas. Results indicate that neither B. thuringiensis nor thiodicarb, alone or in combination, provided acceptable control of H. virescens larvae (<33%) by day 16. However, thiodicarb and thiodicarb/B. thuringiensis mixtures provided significantly greater control of H. virescens than did B. thuringiensis application alone. In addition, no significant advantage was gained with tank mixtures of B. thuringiensis and thiodicarb as compared to thiodicarb application alone. Parasitization increased early larval mortality (day 2) only in conjunction with the application of B. thuringiensis. Neither insecticide applied inde...
Relatively enriched housing conditions delay binge onset but do not attenuate binge size.

Abstract Housing and enrichment conditions are essential factors to consider when using animal models of behavior, as they can alter the behavior that is under investigation. The goal of this study was to determine the impact of the relatively enriched environment recommended by current animal care guidelines on development and maintenance of binge-type behavior in rats, using the limited access (LA) binge model. Non-food-deprived rats were divided into two groups, enriched and nonenriched, with all rats housed in shoebox cages. Bedding, nesting material, toys, and a solid floor were provided only to the enriched group to create a state of relative enrichment, or RE, compared to the nonenriched conditions historically used in the LA model. Enriched and nonenriched groups were further divided into control and experimental groups. Control rats received access to an optional source of fat (vegetable shortening) for 30 min each day (daily access) while experimental rats received 30-min optional fat access on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only (intermittent access). The four groups were designated C-E (Control-Enriched), C-NE (Control-Nonenriched), I-E (Intermittent-Enriched), and I-NE (Intermittent-Nonenriched). Bingeing in the LA model is established when a group with intermittent access (i.e., the I-E or I-NE group) consumes significantly more vegetable shortening during the limited access period than a group with daily access (i.e., the C-E or C-NE group). Access sessions continued for 8 weeks under these conditions, at which time the housing conditions of the I-E and I-NE groups were reversed for an additional 8 weeks of access sessions. Intakes of the C-E and C-NE groups were similar and data from these two groups were combined. Relative to this Combined Control Group (CCG), the I-NE group began bingeing in week 3 while the I-E group binged during weeks 6 and 8. Following the reversal at the beginning of week 9, the newly enriched I-NE group ceased bingeing in week 9 but resumed bingeing in weeks 10–16. The newly nonenriched I-E group continued bingeing through the remainder of the study. Intakes of the I-E and I-NE groups were not significantly different at any time during the study. These results indicate that RE delays binge onset; that is, RE increases the time between the first fat access session and the first occurrence of bingeing. However, RE does not significantly alter the amount of fat consumed during binge sessions. Furthermore, addition of RE to a nonenriched group of animals (I-NE) does not reverse established binge behavior. Thus it appears that regardless of enrichment condition, intermittent access to vegetable shortening induces greater consumption of fat than does daily access. However, it is clear that a certain level of austerity in housing conditions is required for rapid development of lasting binge-type eating to occur. In addition, results suggest that it is unlikely that enrichment, to the degree provided in this study, can prevent or reverse binge-type eating in rats.
Community-Owned Fiber Networks: Value Leaders in America

We collected advertised prices for residential data plans offered by 40 community-owned (typically municipally owned) Internet service providers (ISPs) that offer fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service. We then identified the least-expensive service that meets the federal definition of broadband — at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload — and compared advertised prices to those of private competitors in the same markets. We found that most community-owned FTTH networks charged less and offered prices that were clear and unchanging, whereas private ISPs typically charged initial low promotional or “teaser” rates that later sharply rose, usually after 12 months. We were able to make comparisons in 27 communities. We found that in 23 cases, the community-owned FTTH providers’ pricing was lower when averaged over four years. (Using a three year-average changed this fraction to 22 out of 27.) In the other 13 communities, comparisons were not possible, either because the private providers’ website terms of service deterred or prohibited data collection or because no competitor offered service that qualified as broadband. We also made the incidental finding that Comcast offered different prices and terms for the same service in different regions.
The Association Between the Intersection of Immigrant Status and Insurance with Adverse Birth Outcomes Among Mexican Women Residing in the San Joaquin Valley: A Mediation Analysis of Late Initiation or No Prenatal Care.

Latinos are the largest growing population and have the highest fertility rates in the US. In response, this study assessed if late initiation of or no prenatal care (PNC) mediated the relationship among adverse birth outcomes and interactions between immigrant and insurance status. This study used cross-sectional data (2002-2004) limited to 109,399 women of Mexican ethnicity who had singleton births in the San Joaquin Valley, California. We conducted hierarchical mediation analyses. US-born Mexican women who used private or public insurance for PNC were more likely to have infants born at low-birth weight and premature compared to Mexican first generation immigrant women. Nonetheless, initiation of late or no PNC positively mediated the relationship between infants born premature to Mexican first generation immigrant women who used public insurance (ab/se(ab) = 2.123, p = .034). Findings from this study support acculturation theory and the need for multilevel approaches to address PNC among women of Mexican ethnicity.
Sex differences in the associations of obstructive sleep apnoea with epidemiological factors.

Despite the well-known male predominance in the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), sex differences in the associations between OSA and a comprehensive range of epidemiological factors remain less clear. We examined the prevalence of self-reported OSA in 143 326 females (age 48–93 years) from the Nurses9 Health Study (NHS) and NHS-II and 22 896 males from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (age 65–101 years) in 2012–2013. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the sex-specific prevalence odds ratios (pOR) and 95% confidence intervals of OSA by demographic, anthropometric, lifestyle and comorbidity factors. The overall prevalence of self-reported OSA was 6.4% in females and 13.8% in males. After mutual adjustment, the associations of OSA with physical inactivity, hypertension and daytime sleepiness were stronger in females, whereas the associations with waist circumference and witnessed apnoea were stronger in males (p-heterogeneity versus other in females 0.85, 95% CI 0.81–0.89, and males 1.11, 0.99–1.25; p-heterogeneity Substantial sex differences exist in the associations with various factors, suggesting sex-specific mechanisms in OSA.
Concurrent and Overlapping Surgery: Perspectives From Parents of Adolescents Undergoing Spinal Posterior Instrumented Fusion for Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Study Design. Prospective cross-sectional survey. Objective. To determine the perspectives of parents of patients undergoing posterior instrumented fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) regarding simultaneous surgery and trainee participation. Summary of Background Data. Simultaneous (“at the same time”) surgery is under scrutiny by the public, government, payers and the medical community. The objective of this study is to determine the perspectives of parents of patients undergoing posterior instrumented fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Our goal is to inform the national conversation on this subject with real patient and family voices. Methods. A survey was prospectively administered to 31 consecutive parents of patients undergoing posterior instrumented fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis at a large academic medical center. “Overlapping” was defined as simultaneity during “noncritical” parts of an operation. “Concurrent” was defined as simultaneity that includes “critical” part(s) of an operation. Participants were asked to provide levels of agreement with overlapping and concurrent surgery and anesthesia, as well as with trainee involvement. Results. On average, respondents “strongly agree” with the need to be informed about overlapping or concurrent surgery. They “disagree” with both overlapping and concurrent scheduling, and “disagree” with trainees operating without direct supervision, even for “non-critical” parts. Informing parents about the presence of a back-up surgeon or research demonstrating safety of simultaneous surgery did not make them agreeable to simultaneous scheduling. Conclusions. Parents have a strong desire to be informed of simultaneous spinal surgery as part of consent on behalf of their children. Their disagreement with simultaneous surgery, as well as with trainees operating without direct supervision, suggests discordance with current guidelines and practice and should inform the national conversation moving forward. Conclusions. Level of Evidence: N/A
A New Framework for Inference in Distributed Bayesian Networks for Multi-Agent Sensor Interpretation.

Multi-agent systems (MAS) are groups of interacting intelligent software agents. An important application is sensor interpretation (SI) in sensor networks. SI domains are frequently modeled with Bayesian networks (BNs), and distributed versions of these problems can be modeled with distributed Bayesian networks (DBNs). The multiply sectioned Bayesian network (MSBN) framework is the most studied approach for inference in DBNs, in an MAS setting. However, we do not believe the MSBN framework is well suited for large-scale MAS-based SI. This paper describes an alternative framework for inference in DBNs that we have developed to support efficient, approximate MAS-based SI. Compared to the MSBN approach, our approach supports more autonomous and asynchronous agents, and more focused, situation-specific communication patterns. Our analyses show that this framework can be used to produce acceptable interpretations at substantially lower cost than the MSBN.
Multiple Mechanisms of Transcriptional Repression in Eukaryotes

The selective transcription of eukaryotic genes is regulated by both positive and negative inputs from sequence-specific DNA-binding factors. These proteins provide the information essential for correct temporal and spatial control of transcription. The activities of transcriptional repressors have been characterized by a variety of methods, but in many cases the physiological relevance of proposed mechanisms has not been established. This chapter reviews pathways of repression, critically evaluates criteria by which repression mechanisms can be analyzed, and discusses recent progress in identifying the functional relevance of multiple repression activities of transcriptional repressors.
Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Processes Involving Proteins

High sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been shown in recent years to be a powerful technique for studying the energetics of protein structure and function. The principles involved in DSC will be discussed, and several recent examples of its application to proteins will be described and analyzed.
HYPOTHESIS-DRIVEN ACCENT DISCRIMINATION

Native and non-native use of language differs, depending on the proficiency of the speaker, in clear and quantifiable ways. It has been shown that customizing the acoustic and language models of a natural language understanding system can significantly improve handling of non-native input; in order to make such a switch, however, the nativeness status of the user must be known. In this paper, we show how the recognition hypothesis can be used to predict with very high accuracy whether the speaker is native. Effectiveness of both word-based and phone-based classification are evaluated, and a discussion of the primary discriminative features is presented. In an LVCSR system in which users are both native and non-native, we have achieved a 15.6% relative decrease in word error rate by integrating this classification method with speech recognition.
Situf: a domain specific language and a first step towards the realization of situ framework

Situ proposes a human centered, dynamic reasoning framework for domain experts to evolve their software. It formally models the relationship between externally observed situation sequences and the rapid evolution of that software system, using real-time usage information from users and contextual capturing on the behavior of a software system relative to its runtime environment. Situf is a continuing effort under Situ framework. In this effort, a domain specific, functional programming language named Situf is presented from its design, semantics and a feasibility test through theoretical validation. The targeted users of this language mainly include domain experts and engineers who are versed in the major concepts and paradigms regarding human-centric situations. As argued there, human-centric situations are vitally important to infer a user's intention and therefore, to drive software service evolution. Situf is designed particularly to encourage domain experts and engineers to think and work with situations. An attribute grammar based approach is developed so that through Situf, relevant real-time contexts can be systematically aggregated around situations. A computational semantics is offered to precisely describe the runtime behavior of a Situf program. While the Situ f language serves as the critical centerpiece of this work, its functioning necessarily requires environmental support from Situ elements outside the language itself, such that altogether they give rise to a Situ oriented system. This environment, named Situf-based environment, is also introduced.
Research Methodologies in Science Education Assessing Students' Alternative Conceptions

Faculty often have a variety of unique expectations for student learning. At the introductory and non-major levels, goals for geosciences courses can vary widely, although they typically include several of the following: deep conceptual understanding of fundamental principles, improved understanding of the processes of science, improved attitudes toward science, and skills development (critical thinking, synthesis, and communication). Apart from attitudinal shifts, many faculty would agree that beginning geosciences courses should provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for complex decision-making about their own interactions with the Earth. For students to achieve deep conceptual understanding, they must be familiar with fundamental content knowledge and be able to apply it to complex questions. What are some barriers to achieving this level of understanding? Which instructional strategies will help students achieve conceptual understanding of fundamental geoscience concepts? How do we know if students have reached a deep conceptual understanding? This column will explore these issues.
A Supplemental Produce and eLearning Nutrition Education Program for Georgians Who Use Safety-Net Clinics for Their Health Care.

Abstract Objective To explore the experiences of safety-net clinic patients who engaged in a 12-week supplemental produce and eLearning nutrition education program. Methods This mixed-method study employed a nonrandomized comparison study design. Participants (intervention [n = 20] and comparison control [n = 6]) had diet-related chronic diseases. Data collection included pre- and post-intervention, focus group interviews, 24-hour diet recalls, and clinical and anthropometric outcome assessments. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded using the constant comparison method. Nonparametric data analyses were conducted for quantitative data. Results Three primary themes emerged: (1) program benefits, (2) challenges to achieving health benefits and optimal engagement of the program, and (3) recommendations for program improvement. Quantitative data analysis did not show significant differences in pre- and post-clinical and anthropometric measures between the intervention and comparison groups. Conclusions and Implications Findings suggest a unique Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education dissemination model that may decrease barriers to healthful eating and increase engagement in eLearning nutrition education.
A Small Number of Cholinergic Neurons Mediate Hyperaggression in Female Drosophila

In the Drosophila model of aggression, males and females fight in same-sex pairings, but a wide disparity exists in the levels of aggression displayed by the 2 sexes. A screen of Drosophila Flylight Gal4 lines by driving expression of the gene coding for the temperature sensitive dTRPA1 channel, yielded a single line (GMR26E01-Gal4) displaying greatly enhanced aggression when thermoactivated. Targeted neurons were widely distributed throughout male and female nervous systems, but the enhanced aggression was seen only in females. No effects were seen on female mating behavior, general arousal, or male aggression. We quantified the enhancement by measuring fight patterns characteristic of female and male aggression and confirmed that the effect was female-specific. To reduce the numbers of neurons involved, we used an intersectional approach with our library of enhancer trap flp-recombinase lines. Several crosses reduced the populations of labeled neurons, but only 1 cross yielded a large reduction while maintaining the phenotype. Of particular interest was a small group (2 to 4 pairs) of neurons in the approximate position of the pC1 cluster important in governing male and female social behavior. Female brains have approximately 20 doublesex (dsx)-expressing neurons within pC1 clusters. Using dsxFLP instead of 357FLP for the intersectional studies, we found that the same 2 to 4 pairs of neurons likely were identified with both. These neurons were cholinergic and showed no immunostaining for other transmitter compounds. Blocking the activation of these neurons blocked the enhancement of aggression.
Hesitancy Towards a COVID-19 Vaccine and Prospects for Herd Immunity

The scientific community has come together in an unprecedented effort to find a COVID-19 vaccine. However, the success of any vaccine depends on the share of the population that gets vaccinated. We design a survey experiment in which a nationally representative sample of 3,133 adults in the U.S. state their intentions to vaccinate themselves and their children for COVID-19. In the experiment, we account for uncertainty about the severity and infectiousness of COVID-19, as well as inconsistencies in risk communication from government authorities, by varying these factors across treatments. We find that 20% of people in the U.S. would decline the vaccine. General vaccine hesitancy (including not having had a flu shot in the last two years), distrust of vaccine safety, and vaccine novelty are among the most important deterrents to vaccination. Further, our results suggest that inconsistent risk messages from public health experts and elected officials reduce vaccine uptake. We use our survey results in an epidemiological model to explore conditions under which a vaccine could achieve herd immunity. We find that in a middle-of-the-road scenario with central estimates of model parameters, a vaccine will benefit public health by saving many lives but nevertheless may fail to achieve herd immunity.
Adjudication and the Creation of a Chino Basin Governance Structure

This chapter recounts the efforts to address groundwater management in Chino Basin after the Santa Ana River Judgment. That effort required the establishment of processes for making decisions and enforcing them. Groundwater users and others created a Chino Basin Water Association and began discussing how to assign rights and limit groundwater use. They negotiated a Chino Basin groundwater management regime, drawing upon from other southern California groundwater basins. There were innovations in the Chino Basin adjudication, but the underlying legal rationale for the suit remained the same – a doctrine known as mutual prescription. As the Chino Basin case moved to court, however, the California Supreme Court issued a decision that significantly undermined the mutual prescription approach, forcing changes to the design for groundwater management in Chino Basin. The revised agreement was approved by the court in the 1978 Chino Basin Judgment.
Toward the Detection and Imaging of Ocean Microplastics With a Spaceborne Radar

Ocean microplastic concentrations are known to vary significantly by location, with especially high levels in the North Atlantic and North Pacific gyres. Most direct measurements come from plankton net trawling made in these regions; concentrations in other regions have been estimated by microplastic transport models that depend on large-scale ocean circulation patterns. However, global measurements of microplastic distribution and its temporal variability are lacking. A new method is presented for detecting and imaging the global distribution of ocean microplastics from space. The method uses spaceborne bistatic radar measurements of ocean surface roughness and relies on an assumed reduction in responsiveness to wind-driven roughening caused by surfactants that act as tracers for microplastics near the surface. Annual mean microplastic distributions estimated by the radars are generally consistent with model predictions. The spaceborne observations are also able to detect temporal changes that are not resolved by the models. For example, seasonal dependencies are observed at mid-latitudes in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres, with lower concentrations noted in the winter months. Time lapse images at finer spatial and temporal scales reveal episodic bursts of microplastic tracers in the outflow from major river discharges into the sea. This new method will provide better monitoring of ocean microplastics and will support future model development and validation.
Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of novel trisubstituted ethylenes: 6. Methyl, halogen and oxy ring-disubstituted octyl phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, methyl, halogen, and oxy ring-disubstituted octyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2CH2(CH2)6CH3 (where R is 4-methoxy-2-methyl, 4-methoxy-3-methyl, 3-ethoxy-4-methoxy, 4-ethoxy-3-methoxy, 3-benzyloxy-4-methoxy, 4-benzyloxy-3-methoxy, 2,3-(methylenedioxy), 3-bromo-4-methoxy, 5-bromo-2-methoxy, 2-chloro-3-methoxy, 2-chloro-6-methyl, 3-chloro-4-methyl) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The ethylenes were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and octyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis.
Rice husk ash and Zr-MOF nanoparticles improve the properties and ultrafiltration performance of PVDF nanomembranes

Abstract Herein we demonstrate the effects of rice husk ash (RHA) and two Zr-metal organic frameworks (MOFs; OPA-UiO-66 and OPA-UiO-66-SO3H) nanoparticles on the properties and performance of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite membranes. The nanoparticles and PVDF dope were pre-blended and fabricated as thin-film nanomembranes via soft lithography. The new membranes had uniform pore structures and demonstrated high permeability and durability. Improved tensile strength was associated with increased β crystalline formation of the PVDF, with the greatest increase observed for PVDF/RHA due to the high silica content of the RHA. RHA increased membrane hydrophilicity whereas the MOFs increased hydrophobicity. In ultrafiltration, the new membranes exhibited superior performance compared to conventional PVDF composite membranes made with titanium oxide and nanoclay. High rejection rates and significantly improved antifouling properties were achieved in both PVDF/RHA and PVDF/MOF membranes for high concentration aqueous solutions of sulfamethoxazole, bovine serum albumin, and SARS-CoV-2. This improved performance was attributed to multiple functional groups in RHA and MOFs that promote various surface interactions between contaminants and PVDF membranes. The new high-performance nanomembranes have potential applications in separation and purification processes, biosensing, and in personal protective equipment.
The Rise of Israel: A History of a Revolutionary State

The state of Israel is one of the most controversial countries in the world. Yet, its unique creation and rise to power in 1948 has not been adequately explained either by its friends (mainstream Zionists) nor by its detractors (Arabists and post-Zionists). Using a variety of comparative methodologies; from contrasting the Jewish state to other minorities in the Ottoman Turkish Empire to the rise of the four Tigers in Asia to newly independent countries and revolutionary socialist countries in Europe and Asia, Jonathan Adelman examines how Israel has gained the strength to overcome great obstacles and become a serious regional power in the Middle East by 2007. Themes addressed include: how the creation of Israel is strikingly different from that of most new states, as undetermined by the major structural forces in the world in the twentieth century how voluntarist forces, those of individual choice, will and strategy, played a major role in its creation and success in-depth analysis of the creation of a revolutionary party, government, army and secret police as critical to the success of the socialist revolution (1881–1977) the enormity of the forces aligned against the state; from major international and religious organizations representing billions of people, international reluctance to helping Israel in crisis, and internal Israeli and Jewish issues the tremendous impact of revolutionary (socialist and semi-capitalist nationalist) factors in giving Israel the strength to survive and become a significant regional power over time. Jonathan Adelman provides a fresh perspective to view one of the most controversial states in the world and avoids the highly charged ideological descriptions that often plague such discussions. Understanding the rise of Israel, a central state in the region, helps to explain a great deal about the Middle East today.
World Religions, Ethics, and the Earth Charter for a Sustainable Future

The environmental challenges we are facing require more than science, policy, economics, and law. There is a need for broader ethical responses. The search for a sustainable future requires an integration of the Earth Charter and the world religions. This integration of the principles of the Earth Charter with the virtues for human-Earth flourishing of the world’s religions provides a unique synergy for rethinking a sustainable future. Such a synergy can contribute to the broadened understanding of sustainability as including economic, ecological, social, and spiritual well-being. This broadened understanding may be a basis for long-term policies, programs, and practices for a planetary future that is not only ethically sustainable, but also sustaining for human energies.
Production of NO2- and N2O by Nitrifying Bacteria at Reduced Concentrations of Oxygen

Pure cultures of the marine ammonium-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosomonas sp. were grown in the laboratory at oxygen partial pressures between 0.005 and 0.2 atm (0.18 to 7 mg/liter). Low oxygen conditions induced a marked decrease in the rate for production of NO2-, from 3.6 × 10−10 to 0.5 × 10−10 mmol of NO2- per cell per day. In contrast, evolution of N2O increased from 1 × 10−12 to 4.3 × 10−12 mmol of N per cell per day. The yield of N2O relative to NO2- increased from 0.3% to nearly 10% (moles of N in N2O per mole of NO2-) as the oxygen level was reduced, although bacterial growth rates changed by less than 30%. Nitrifying bacteria from the genera Nitrosomonas, Nitrosolobus, Nitrosospira, and Nitrosococcus exhibited similar yields of N2O at atmospheric oxygen levels. Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (Nitrobacter sp.) and the dinoflagellate Exuviaella sp. did not produce detectable quantities of N2O during growth. The results support the view that nitrification is an important source of N2O in the environment.
Engineering Strategies for the Formation of Embryoid Bodies from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are powerful tools for regenerative therapy and studying human developmental biology, attributing to their ability to differentiate into many functional cell types in the body. The main challenge in realizing hPSC potential is to guide their differentiation in a well-controlled manner. One way to control the cell differentiation process is to recapitulate during in vitro culture the key events in embryogenesis to obtain the three developmental germ layers from which all cell types arise. To achieve this goal, many techniques have been tested to obtain a cellular cluster, an embryoid body (EB), from both mouse and hPSCs. Generation of EBs that are homogeneous in size and shape would allow directed hPSC differentiation into desired cell types in a more synchronous manner and define the roles of cell–cell interaction and spatial organization in lineage specification in a setting similar to in vivo embryonic development. However, previous success in uniform EB formation fr...
Alloy Selection for Accident Tolerant Fuel Cladding in Commercial Light Water Reactors

As a consequence of the March 2011 events at the Fukushima site, the U.S. congress asked the Department of Energy (DOE) to concentrate efforts on the development of nuclear fuels with enhanced accident tolerance. The new fuels had to maintain or improve the performance of current UO2-zirconium alloy rods during normal operation conditions and tolerate the loss of active cooling in the core for a considerably longer time period than the current system. DOE is funding cost-shared research to investigate the behavior of advanced steels both under normal operation conditions in high-temperature water [e.g., 561 K (288 °C)] and under accident conditions for reaction with superheated steam. Current results show that, under accident conditions, the advanced ferritic steels (1) have orders of magnitude lower reactivity with steam, (2) would generate less hydrogen and heat than the current zirconium alloys, (3) are resistant to stress corrosion cracking under normal operation conditions, and (4) have low general corrosion in water at 561 K (288 °C).
Effect of substituents in OsO4 reactions of metallochlorins regioselective synthesis of isobacteriochlorins and bacteriochlorins

A first regioselective synthesis of bacteriochlorin by hydroxylation of metallated chlorin with OsO4 is discussed. This is the first example for the preparation of metallobacteriochlorin. This methodology can also be used for the preparation of unsymmetrical isobacteriochlorins by introducing electron-withdawing substituent(s) at the adjacent position(s) of the reduced ring. The Zn(II) vic-dihydroxybacteriochlorin obtained from 2-formyl-purpurin methyl ester showed long wavelength absorption at 828 nm which seems to be associated with electronic interactions of the substituents with the π-system of the macrocycle.
Analysis and quantification of organic acids in simulated Hanford tank waste and Hanford tank waste

Simulated Hanford tank waste samples were analyzed for organic acids before and after γ-irradiation. Ion chromatography (IC) was used for the analysis for low-molecular-mass (LMM) organic acids and proved to be an improvement over the previously used non-suppressed IC with ultraviolet (UV) detection method. Known quantities of sodium salts of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid, citric acid and glycolic acid were added to the tank waste simulants before exposure. The breakdown products of γ-irradiated simulated tank waste samples included formic, succinic and oxalic acids. These acids were identified and quantified using IC without any interference from nitrates, nitrites, or any other inorganic anions in the simulated waste. However, when non-suppressed IC with UV detection was used, nitrates and nitrites were found to interfere with the quantification of LMM organic acids. Ion chromatography techniques were also used on actual Hanford tank waste to quantify and analyze LMM organic acids. These efforts will assist in understanding Hanford tank waste chemistry and improving the carbon balance of tank waste samples.
Electron microscopy in paleopathology

Abstract Electron microscopy was used to examine the surface topography and ultrastructural details of a variety of samples obtained from both Egyptian and Peruvian mummies.
The Pedagogy of Assignments in Social Justice Teacher Education

This article examines the pedagogy of assignments in social justice teacher education programs. Employing a programmatic view, this study aims to understand the collective representation of social justice provided by assignments across multiple courses. Findings come from a qualitative case study of two social justice programs. Drawing on concepts from sociocultural theory and a theory of justice, this study reveals that the conceptions of justice assignments that were emphasized varied from a focus on the individual needs of students to an emphasis on the sociopolitical conditions of schooling. When assignments drew on teachers' field placement experiences, they overwhelmingly stressed an individualistic notion of justice. The diversity among students in teachers' placements substantially shaped teachers' opportunities to engage this notion. When assignments emphasized the sociopolitical conditions of schooling, they focused on general principles for teaching and were disconnected from teachers' field pl...
Contribution of High-Frequency Information to the Acceptance of Background Noise in Listeners With Normal and Impaired Hearing

Purpose To determine whether information beyond 2.0 kHz affected the acceptance of background noise in listeners with normal and/or impaired hearing. Method Speech stimuli (Arizona Travelogue) and ...
School burnout: increased sympathetic vasomotor tone and attenuated ambulatory diurnal blood pressure variability in young adult women

AbstractTwo studies examined autonomic and cardiovascular functioning that may link school burnout to cardiovascular risk factors in young healthy adult females. Study 1 (N = 136) investigated whether school burnout was related to resting values of blood pressure (BP) and blood pressure variability (BPV) through laboratory beat-to-beat BP assessment. Study 2 (N = 94) examined the link between school burnout and diurnal BPV through ambulatory BP monitoring. Controlling for anxiety and depressive symptomatology, school burnout demonstrated strong positive relationships with indices of cardiac sympathovagal tone, sympathetic vasomotor tone, inefficient myocardial oxygen consumption, increased 24-h ambulatory heart rate and BP, blunted BP diurnal variability, and increased arterial stiffness. These studies establish cardiovascular biomarkers of school burnout and suggest that even in a seemingly healthy sample school burnout may predispose females to increased cardiovascular risk. Several future lines of rese...