cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drug Trafficking and Drug Policies in the Americas: Change, Continuity, and Challenges

Bruce M. Bagley and Jonathan D. Rosen, eds., Drug Trafficking, Organized Crime, and Violence in the Americas Today. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2015. Figures, tables, index, 464 pp.; hardcover $84.95, paperback $35. Julie Marie Bunck and Michael Ross Fowler, Bribes, Bullets, and Intimidation: Drug Trafficking and the Law in Central America. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2012. Figures, maps, tables, abbreviations, bibliography, index, 448 pp.; hardcover $93.95, paperback $34.95. Winifred Tate, Drugs, Thugs, and Diplomats: U.S. Policymaking in Colombia. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2015. Illustrations, bibliography, index, 304 pp.; hardcover $90, paperback $25.95, ebook $24.65. Roberto Zepeda and Jonathan D. Rosen, eds., Cooperation and Drug Policies in the Americas: Trends in the Twenty-First Century. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2014. Bibliography, index, 288 pp; hardcover $100, paperback $39.99, ebook $39.99.
Discrimination Laundering: The Rise of Organizational Innocence and the Crisis of Equal Opportunity Law

While discrimination in the workplace is often perceived to be undertaken at the hands of individual or 'rogue' employees acting against the better interest of their employers, the truth is often the opposite: organizations are inciting discrimination through the work environments that they create. Worse, the law increasingly ignores this reality and exacerbates the problem. In this groundbreaking book, Tristin K. Green describes the process of discrimination laundering, showing how judges are changing the law to protect employers, and why. By bringing organizations back into the discussion of discrimination, with real-world stories and extensive social-science research, Green shows how organizational and legal efforts to minimize discrimination - usually by policing individuals over broader organizational change - are taking us in the wrong direction, and how the law could do better, by creating incentives for organizational efforts that are likely to minimize discrimination, instead of inciting it.
Alternatives to Trajectories and Pathways to Describe Development in Modeling and Problem Solving

Much past research based on model eliciting activities (MEAs) has shown that it is possible to directly observe processes that enable students to develop progressively more productive ways of thinking about problem situations. In this paper, we introduce a class of MEAs that are designed to explicitly focus on the parallel and interacting development of systems of interpretation that occurs in realistic solutions to complex modeling tasks. When engaging with this class of activities, the model development that occurs is more like the interactions among evolving partial interpretations and primitive ways of thinking than the progression along a trajectory or pathway that refines a single model of the situation.
The Effect of Shareholder Litigation Risk on the Information Environment: The Case of Cross-Listed Firms

I examine the effects of shareholder litigation risk on cross-listed firms’ information environment, as captured by information asymmetry. In order to disentangle the effects of shareholder litigation risk from those of confounding factors, I exploit a quasi-natural experiment in the form of a reduction in shareholder litigation risk resulting from the 2010 Supreme Court ruling in Morrison v. National Australia Bank. After the ruling, I document higher information asymmetry for cross-listed firms, especially for the firms with low US share activity. I also find higher information asymmetry in bad news firm-quarters and for firms from countries with weak legal institutions. I interpret my findings as evidence that shareholder litigation risk is an important factor in shaping the information environment. By implication, these findings suggest that improvements in foreign firms’ information environment upon listing in the US, as documented in prior literature, stem in part from the greater litigation risk associated with the US listing.
Multiperspective reuse prediction

The disparity between last-level cache and memory latencies motivates the search for efficient cache management policies. Recent work in predicting reuse of cache blocks enables optimizations that significantly improve cache performance and e ciency. However, the accuracy of the prediction mechanisms limits the scope of optimization. This paper introduces multiperspective reuse prediction, a technique that predicts the future reuse of cache blocks using several different types of features. The accuracy of the multiperspective technique is superior to previous work. We demonstrate the technique using a placement, promotion, and bypass optimization that outperforms state-of-the-art policies using a low overhead. On a set of single-thread benchmarks, the technique yields a geometric mean 9.0% speedup over LRU, compared with 5.1% for Hawkeye and 6.3% for Perceptron. On multi-programmed workloads, the technique gives a geometric mean weighted speedup of 8.3% over LRU, compared with 5.2% for Hawkeye and 5.8% for Perceptron. CCS CONCEPTS • Computer systems organization $\rightarrow$ Multicore architectures; • Hardware $\rightarrow$ Static memory;
Finite-time behavior of switching networks

This paper addresses the analysis of networked systems with switching topologies modeled by Positive Markov Jump Linear Systems, focusing on finite-time stability criteria. Main results are sufficient conditions to assess finite-time stability, and establish probabilistic bounds on state amplification. In addition, connections between notions of asymptotic and finite-time stability are explored. Numerical examples illustrate how the proposed criteria can help to gain insight on air traffic delay propagation, one of many real world networked systems that are amenable to the analysis herein.
Molecular Characterization and Identification of Stubby Root Nematode Species From Multiple States in the United States

Stubby root nematodes (SRN) are important plant parasites infecting many crops and widely distributed in many regions of the United States. SRN transmit Tobacco rattle virus, which causes potato corky ringspot disease, thereby having a significant economic impact on the potato industry. In 2015 to 2017, 184 soil samples and 16 nematode suspensions from North Dakota, Minnesota, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida were assayed for the presence of SRN. SRN were found in 106 soil samples with population densities of 10 to 320 SRN per 200 g of soil and in eight of the nematode suspensions. Sequencing of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) or species-specific polymerase chain reaction assays revealed the presence of four SRN species, including Paratrichodorus allius, P. minor, P. porosus, and Trichodorus obtusus. Accordingly, their rDNA sequences were characterized by analyzing D2-D3 of 28S rDNA, 18S rDNA, and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA obtained in this study and retrieved from GenBank. Both intra- and interspecies variations were higher in ITS rDNA than 18S rDNA and D2-D3 of 28S rDNA. Based on phylogenetic analysis, the four SRN species formed a monophyletic group, with P. allius more closely related to P. porosus than P. minor and T. obtusus. Indel variation of ITS2 rDNA was present in P. allius populations from the same geographic regions. This study documented the occurrence of SRN species across multiple states. The intra- and interspecies genetic diversity of rDNA in this study will provide more information for understanding the evolutionary relationships of SRN and will be valuable for future studies of SRN species identification and management.
Drug abuse treatment as AIDS prevention.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: As the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic among drug users enters its third decade in the United States, it is important to consider the role playing by substance abuse treatment in the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. METHODS: The authors review the research literature, examining findings from studies with behavioral and serologic measures on the association among treatment participation, HIV risk reduction, and HIV infection. RESULTS: Numerous studies have now documented that significantly lower rates of drug use and related risk behaviors are practiced by injecting drug users (IDUs) who are in treatment. Importantly, these behavioral differences, based primarily on self-report, are consistent with studies that have examined HIV seroprevalence and seroincidence among drug users. CONCLUSION: The underlying mechanism of action suggested by the collective findings of the available literature is rather simple-- individuals who enter and remain in treatment reduce their drug use, when leads to fewer instances of drug-related risk behavior. This lower rate of exposure results in fewer infections with HIV. The protective effects of treatment, however, can only be achieved when programs are accessible and responsive to the changing needs of drug users. Future research needs to be directed at developing a better understanding of the factors that enhance treatment entry and retention.
Examining Hypotheses for Expansion

An examination of the spatial patterning of settlement in colonial South Carolina has revealed that the region was characterized by a dendritic settlement distribution centered on the coastal entrepot of Charleston. One implication of this patterning is that settlement occurred first on the coast in the vicinity of the entrepot and then spread inland along a series of overland routes. Expansion is the dynamic aspect of insular frontier colonization and through it the evolution of settlement systems may be observed. The hypotheses to be addressed for expansion deal with colonial expansion and the changes it is likely to have brought about in settlement patterns and the organization of transport. The anticipated changes are integral to the insular frontier process and material evidence of their occurrence should be discernible. The recognition of change will document South Carolina's development as a spatial entity and provide a framework in which the organization of frontier activities may subsequently be examined.
Calculation of 3-D Shock Wave-Turbulent Boundary Layer Interactions Generated by Sharp Fins

A collaborative theoretical (computational) and experimental effort has focused on the understanding of the three-dimensional shock wave-turbulent boundary layer interactions generated by single and double fins. Previous results for the single fin configuration at Mach 3 are briefly reviewed, and recent results at Mach 4 are discussed. The inability of the turbulence models employed to predict the peak skin friction at Mach 4 are described. The computed flowfield for the single fin at Mach 4 is compared with the flowfield model of Settles. Recent results for the double fin configuration at Mach 3 are described, and the computations compared with experimental data. Preliminary results for the flowfield streamline structure of the double fin interaction at Mach 3 are presented, and the implications on the formation of substantial regions of low total pressure are discussed.
Teaching agile methodology in a software engineering capstone course

Agile methodology as a relatively new approach to software engineering is becoming more popular in both industry and academia. Learning agile software development methodologies will unquestionably increase the marketability of our students as entry-level software engineers. But how agile methods should be taught at the undergraduate level in addition to traditional approaches is still being debated. The authors taught agile methods in their software engineering/senior project course for the first time in the fall of 2010. Students seemed stimulated by fresh perspectives and the lightweight processes offered by agile, but implementing agile methodology in an academic environment posed unique challenges. In this paper, the authors document their increased understanding of agile methodology through literature reviews, the challenges learned by teaching agile methods, and some potential areas for improvement.
Evaluating the Stability of Single-Atom Catalysts with High Chemical Activity

Single-atom catalysts represent the most efficient use of precious metals while at the same time offering the potential for high catalytic activity. Yet it has proven challenging to identify suppor...
The ARMS2 A69S Polymorphism Is Associated with Delayed Rod-Mediated Dark Adaptation in Eyes at Risk for Incident Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose To examine the association between sequence variants in genetic risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and delayed rod-mediated dark adaptation (RMDA), the first functional biomarker for incident AMD, in older adults with normal macular health and early AMD. Design Cross-sectional. Participants Adults 60 years of age or older showing normal macular health (defined as both eyes at step 1 on the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 9-step AMD classification system) and those with AMD in one or both eyes (defined as steps 2–9). Methods Single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in the complement factor H (CFH) and ARMS2 genes using a Taqman assay. Rod-mediated dark adaptation was assessed in 1 eye after photobleach with targets centered at 5° on the inferior vertical meridian. Rate of dark adaptation was defined by rod intercept time (RIT), duration (in minutes) required for sensitivity to reach a criterion sensitivity level in the latter half of the second component of rod recovery. Associations between CFH and ARMS2 polymorphisms and RMDA were adjusted for age and smoking. Main Outcome Measure Rod intercept time. Results The sample consisted of 543 participants having both genotype and RIT determination; 408 showed normal macular health and 135 demonstrated AMD, most having early AMD (124 of 135). For the combined sample, higher RIT (slower RMDA) was observed for both the A69S variant in ARMS2 and the Y402H variant in CFH (adjusted P = 0.0001 and P = 0.0023, respectively). For healthy participants, the A69S variant in ARMS2 was associated with higher RIT (adjusted P = 0.0011), whereas the Y402H variant in CFH was not (adjusted P = 0.2175). For AMD patients, the A69S variant of ARMS2 and the Y402H variant of CFH were associated with higher RIT (adjusted P = 0.0182 and P = 0.0222, respectively). Those with a larger number of high-risk ARMS2 and CFH alleles showed higher RIT, in both healthy and AMD groups (adjusted P = 0.0002 and P Conclusions We report a novel association wherein older adults with high-risk ARMS2 and CFH genotypes are more likely to demonstrate delayed RMDA, the first functional biomarker for incident early AMD. Before the AMD clinical phenotype is present, those showing normal macular health with the ARMS2 A69S allele demonstrate delayed RMDA. Understanding ARMS2 function is a research priority.
Customer Purchase Intentions and Choice in Food Retail Environments: A Scoping Review.

Food purchasing and consumption behaviors have implications for nutrition and obesity. Food retail environments, in particular, shape customer food choices and energy intake. The marketing literature offers insights about how public health practitioners can work within food retail environments to encourage healthy food choices. We reviewed experimental studies in the marketing literature to examine factors influencing customer purchase intentions and choice for food products in retail stores. Database searches were conducted in February 2016 for original, empirical articles published in English from 2000–2015 in marketing journals. Each research article included at least one experimental design study conducted in a real or simulated retail environment with purchase intentions or choice of food products as an outcome variable. Backward and forward reference searches were conducted for articles meeting inclusion criteria. Narrative synthesis methods were used to thematically group and summarize the findings of forty-one articles that met inclusion criteria into three categories: shelf display and product factors, pricing and price promotion factors, and in-store and customer decision-making factors. This research contributes to the literature by providing specific and actionable approaches that can increase/decrease customer purchase intentions and choice for food products in retail environments. Translating marketing strategies into public health applications can provide recommendations for future intervention research and policy related to customer food purchasing behavior.
Introduction to the Symposium: Causal Inference and Public Health.

Assessing the extent to which public health research findings can be causally interpreted continues to be a critical endeavor. In this symposium, we invited several researchers to review issues rel...
Isomorphisms and Planarity of Zero-Divisor Graphs

Let R be a commutative ring with nonzero identity and I a proper ideal of R. The zero-divisor graph of R, denoted by \(\varGamma (R)\), is the graph on vertices \(R^*=R\setminus \{0\}\) where distinct vertices x and y are adjacent if and only if \(xy=0\). The ideal-based zero-divisor graph of R with respect to the ideal I, denoted by \(\varGamma _I(R)\), is the graph on vertices \(\{x \in R\setminus I \mid xy\in I\) for some \(y\in R\setminus I \}\), where distinct vertices x and y are adjacent if and only if \(xy\in I\). In this paper, we cover two main topics: isomorphisms and planarity of zero-divisor graphs. For each topic, we begin with a brief overview on past research on zero-divisor graphs. Whereafter, we provide extensions of that material to ideal-based zero-divisor graphs.
Yield Data from the Uniform Southern Soft Red Winter Wheat Nursery Emphasize Importance of Selection Location and Environment for Cultivar Development

Yield and agronomic data from a regional soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) nursery—consisting of 604 advanced breeding lines (ABLs) and 36 testing locations over a 21-yr period—were evaluated to understand recent genetic gains in wheat and determine the impact of selection location and environment on cultivar performance and adaptation. Relative mean yield improvement of ABLs with respect to historical cultivar AGS 2000 was 106 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (1.58 bu acre⁻¹ yr⁻¹), equating to an annual genetic gain of 1.6%. Yield gains for wheat during this timespan were attributed to an increase in both yield potential and stability across environments. However, a strong tradeoff (r = −0.36, p < 2.2 × 10⁻¹⁶) was observed between yield potential and stability. Additionally, distance between selection and evaluation environments was significantly correlated with yield, with yield decreasing as distance between locations increased. Advanced breeding lines had a +221, +126, and −29.6 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (+3.29, +1.88, and −0.44 bu acre⁻¹) yield difference over the location mean when the selection location was within, adjacent, and nonadjacent to the trial location zone, respectively. Advanced breeding lines in general performed poorly in production environments west of their selection site. Based on data analyzed, elevation and latitude are significant geographic parameters to consider when determining optimal selection location for a production environment. Meanwhile, change in growing degree days between selection and evaluation location had a stronger influence on yield than precipitation. Findings demonstrate the importance and benefits of breeder collaborations and multienvironment testing on crop improvement, which will be needed to maximize yield gains in the 21st century.
Construction and characterization of a continuous atom beam interferometer

In this article, we investigate both theoretically and experimentally the method of Ramsey interference applied to cold atoms being emitted from a 2-dimensional magneto-optical trap (2D-MOT) crossi...
Integral Norm Inequalities for Various Operators on Differential Forms

We obtain integral norm estimates for the homotopy operator, the potential operator, and their composition applied to differential forms. Initial results are established for all differential forms, while stronger results are shown to hold for solutions to the A-harmonic equation.
Heterochronic parabiosis regulates the extent of cellular senescence in multiple tissues

An increase in the burden of senescent cells in tissues with age contributes to driving aging and the onset of age-related diseases. Genetic and pharmacologic elimination of senescent cells extends both health span and life span in mouse models. Heterochronic parabiosis in mice has been used to identify bloodborne, circulating pro- and anti-geronic factors able to drive or slow aging, respectively. However, whether factors in the circulation also regulate senescence is unknown. Here, we measured the expression of senescence and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) markers in multiple tissues from 4- to 18-month-old male mice that were either isochronically or heterochronically paired for 2 months. In heterochronic parabionts, the age-dependent increase in senescence and SASP marker expression was reduced in old mice exposed to a young environment, while senescence markers were concurrently increased in young heterochronic parabionts. These findings were supported by geropathology analysis using the Geropathology Grading Platform that showed a trend toward reduced hepatic lesions in old heterochronic parabionts. In summary, these results demonstrate that senescence is regulated in part by circulating geronic factors and suggest that one of the possible mediators of the rejuvenating effects with heterochronic parabiosis is through the reduction of the senescent cell burden.
Developing Regional Mental Health Priorities: Mixed-Methods Needs Assessment of Eight States in the Southeastern United States

State mental health agencies (SMHAs), which provide a variety of services to meet their residents' mental health needs, typically work within their own state, with little opportunity for cross-state collaboration and information exchange. This column describes a mixed-methods needs assessment conducted by the Southeast Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) to identify regional mental health priorities in eight states of the southeastern United States. The six priority areas identified were mental health workforce, school-based mental health, suicide prevention, peer workforce, criminal justice and mental health, and supported housing. These regional priorities inform the Southeast MHTTC's activities and can be used to promote collaborative exchange and problem solving among SMHAs.
Deer-Vehicle Collisions Prevention using Deep Learning Techniques

Animal-vehicle Collison is a serious problem in the modern world. Approximately 1.5 million deer-related car accidents, over 1 billion dollars in vehicle damage, and around 175–200 fatalities and 10, 000 injuries reported annually by Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology. The current anti-collision technology does not work well in preventing deer-vehicle collisions. The progress in cloud computing makes it possible to apply machine learning algorithm on vehicles that prevent this type of collisions. This research aims to reduce the Animal-vehicle Collison. In specific, the researchers propose algorithm can effectively prevent the collision between vehicles and deer. A dataset containing 4, 209 images of deer and vehicle in roadway to develop a Machine Learning algorithm based on Deep Neural Network. This algorithm can distinguish deer from different kinds of vehicles and other objects. In this paper, both traditional Machine Learning models like Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest, and Deep Learning networks like Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) were used. The best model, a 16-layer CNN returns accuracy of 95.42% on testing data and 97.90% on validation data.
Capitalization in the St Petersburg Game: Why Statistitcal Distributions Matter

In spite of its infinite expectation value, the St. Petersburg game is not only a gamble without supply in the real world, but also one without demand at apparently very reasonable asking prices. We offer a rationalizing explanation of why the St. Petersburg bargain is unattractive on both sides (to both house and player) in the mid-range of prices (finite but upwards of about $4). Our analysis – featuring (1) the already-established fact that the average of finite ensembles of the St. Petersburg game grows with ensemble size but is unbounded, and (2) our own simulation data showing that the debt-to-entry fee ratio rises exponentially – explains why both house and player are quite rational in abstaining from the St. Petersburg game. The house will be unavoidably (and intentionally) exposed to very large ensembles (with very high averages, and so very costly to them), while contrariwise even the well-heeled player is not sufficiently capitalized (as our simulation data reveals) to be able to capture the potential gains from large ensemble play. (Smaller ensembles, meanwhile, enjoy low means, as others have shown, and so are not worth paying more than $4 to play, even if a merchant were to offer them at such low prices per trial.) Both sides are consequently rational in abstaining from entry into the St. Petersburg market in the mid-range of asking prices.We utilize the concept of capitalization vis-a`-vis a gamble to make this case. Classical analyses of this question have paid insufficient attention to the question of the propriety of using expected values to assess the St. Petersburg gamble. And extant analyses have not noted the average maximum-debt-before-breaking-even figures, and so are incomplete.
Tina's ParTy line: Polysubstance use patterns in sexual minority men living with HIV who use methamphetamine

Introduction This cross-sectional study examined the associations of demographic, structural and psychological factors with distinct typologies of polysubstance use in sexual minority men (SMM) living with HIV who use methamphetamine. Methods In total, 161 SMM living with HIV who reported methamphetamine use in the past 3 months were recruited in San Francisco from 2013 to 2017 for a randomised controlled trial. A latent class analysis was conducted by leveraging baseline measures of self-reported use of 15 substances in the past 3 months as well as validated screening measures of hazardous alcohol and cannabis use. Correlates of latent class membership were examined using a three-step categorical latent variable logistic regression. Results Four typologies of substance use were identified: (i) methamphetamine use only (43%); (ii) methamphetamine and crack-cocaine use (22%); (iii) party and play use-methamphetamine, gamma-hydroxybutyrate and amyl nitrites (i.e. poppers) with erectile dysfunction drugs (31%); and (iv) high polysubstance use (4%). SMM of colour and those with a history of incarceration were more commonly classified as engaging in methamphetamine and crack-cocaine use compared to party and play use. Men with higher sexual compulsivity scores were more commonly classified as engaging in party and play use and polysubstance use. Discussion and conclusions There is substantial heterogeneity in polysubstance use patterns among SMM living with HIV who use methamphetamine. This will inform the development of tailored substance use interventions addressing the unique needs of SMM of colour and targeting sexual compulsivity as a prominent comorbidity for some men.
Differential Rearing Alters Forced Swim Test Behavior, Fluoxetine Efficacy, and Post-Test Weight Gain in Male Rats

Environmental factors play a key role in the etiology of depression. The rodent forced swim test (FST) is commonly used as a preclinical model of depression, with increases in escape-directed behavior reflecting antidepressant effects, and increases in immobility reflecting behavioral despair. Environmental enrichment leads to serotonergic alterations in rats, but it is unknown whether these alterations may influence the efficacy of common antidepressants. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were reared in enriched (EC), standard (SC), or isolated (IC) conditions. Following the rearing period, fluoxetine (10 or 20 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered 23.5 hrs, 5 hrs, and 1 hr before locomotor and FST measures. Following locomotor testing and FST exposure, rats were weighed to assess fluoxetine-, FST-, and environmental condition-induced moderations in weight gain. Results revealed an antidepressant effect of environmental enrichment and a depressant effect of isolation. Regardless of significant fluoxetine effects on locomotor activity, fluoxetine generally decreased swimming and increased immobility in all three environmental conditions, with IC-fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) rats and EC-fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) rats swimming less than vehicle counterparts. Subchronic 20 mg/kg fluoxetine also induced significant weight loss, and differential rearing appeared to moderate weight gain following FST stress. These results suggest that differential rearing has the ability to alter FST behaviors, fluoxetine efficacy, and post-stressor well-being. Moreover, 20 mg/kg fluoxetine, administered subchronically, may lead to atypical effects of those commonly observed in the FST, highlighting the importance and impact of both environmental condition and dosing regimen in common animal models of depression.
Evolution, Science, and Society

This will be a transitional chapter. In this section I shift from a primary focus on the market and economics to the concerns of sociology and politics. There is, of course, no real separating of the subject matter. Our academic disciplines, our departmented university systems, force artificial divides upon the indivisible texture of society.
Some Basic Information About the Light Response of Frog Rods

The frog eye has been a standard preparation for vision research for more than a century. It has provided fundamental information about receptor photochemistry, the origin of the ERG and the properties of ganglion cells. In light of its history, it is surprising there is so little information about the cellular electrophysiology of the frog retina. This is particularly true of frog photoreceptors, which, to my knowledge, have been studied with intracellular electrodes on only one occasion (Toyoda, et al., 1970). As a result, there are several gaps in our understanding of their fundamental physiology. The aim of the present work was twofold: first to assess the practicality of using intracellular electrodes to study the frog retina and second, to answer some basic questions about the light response and spatial properties of frog rods.
Abstract 3595: Chloride Intracellular Channel-4 Determines Native Collateral Density

The density of native (pre-existing) collaterals in healthy tissue and their capacity to enlarge in occlusive disease (arteriogenesis) are major determinants of tissue injury in ischemia. Mechanisms regulating arteriogenesis remain unclear. Moreover, nothing is known about what specifies formation of native collaterals, except our report that VEGF contributes to native collateral formation (Clayton et al FASEB J 21:LB352, 2007). Recently, chloride intracellular channel proteins (CLICs) have been implicated in cellular processes including cell hollowing. CLIC1 and CLIC4 are expressed by endothelial cells, and VEGF-induced cell hollowing is critical for vascular formation in the embryo and angiogenesis in ischemia. Therefore, we examined CLIC1−/− and CLIC4−/− (null) mice for effects on native collateral density in healthy tissues and on arteriogenesis and angiogenesis in a hindlimb model of ischemia. Responses of CLIC1−/−mice did not differ from wild-type in any experiment. In contrast, CLIC4−/− showed a greater reduction in perfusion immediately after femoral ligation (p
Amyloid-beta immunization in Alzheimer's disease transgenic mouse models and wildtype mice.

Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent form of dementia worldwide. Therapies are desperately needed to prevent and cure the disease. Mouse models of amyloid-β deposition [APP and PSAPP transgenic (tg) mice] have been useful in determining the role of amyloid-β (Aβ) in both the pathogenesis and cognitive changes in AD. In addition, they have allowed scientists to investigate potential AD therapies in living animals. Active and passive Aβ immunizations have been employed successfully in APP and PSAPP tg mice to lower cerebral Aβ levels and improve cognition. Optimization of immunization protocols and characterization of immune responses in wildtype mice have been reported. Based on the promising results of Aβ immunization studies in mice, a clinical trial was initiated for Aβ vaccination in humans with AD. Although no adverse effects were reported in the Phase I safety trials, about 5% of AD patients in the phase II clinical trial developed meningoencephalitis, ending the trial prematurely in March 2002. Studies in AD mouse models and wildtype mice may help elucidate the mechanism for these unwanted side effects and will be useful for testing newer, safer vaccines for future use in human clinical trials.
An Analysis of Research on Constructivist Teacher Education

This review of research (1990 to 2009) on constructivist teacher education synthesizes a growing but fragmented body of research and links it to practice in teacher education; it provides a guide for future research, program development, and policy and practice development which is consistent with empirical evidence. It includes a selection of 27 studies on preservice efforts; efforts which include programs, courses, and field experiences. First, an analysis of the research suggests a variety of effects from both short- and long-term experiences. Effects are identified in two categories: (a) conceptual understandings (with three subcategories: understanding of content, pedagogy, and the self as learner) and (b) classroom practice. Then, based on the findings, six mediatory experiences are suggested that facilitate preservice teachers’ growth. Finally, the studies are assessed using a framework (Darling Hammond, 2006) to determine gaps in the research. Keywords: constructivism; Teacher Education; preservice teachers
Paleolimnology of the Peten Lake district, Guatemala

Long-term changes of sedimentary particle-size distribution in two tropical lowland lakes were compared with changes of human population sizes, estimated archaeologically, in the drainage basins. Mean particle size of silt and clay fractions (<64 µm) varied between 3 and 15 µm. High positive skewness and kurtosis of the distributions were associated with smaller particle sizes; hence small mean size resulted from greater influx of small particles while influx of larger particles was probably constant. An inverse correlation between mean particle size and human population size is interpreted to mean that disturbance-induced erosion results in delivery of very fine inorganic particles at higher rates. Within any one basin, particle-size stratigraphy is more precisely related to archaeological time periods than is pollen stratigraphy. An absolute chronology still eludes us, owing to the failure of 14C dating of calcareous, colluvial sediments, but our relative chronology is now more precise than before. If certain assumptions about past hydrologic relations can be met, particle-size analysis is a way of comparing the histories of geographically very different lakes, including lakes from tropical, temperate, and arctic regions.
Chile identification for metrics in the chile industry

This paper presents a novel approach to identify chile pods in two dimensional images of chile harvests in order to quantitatively evaluate harvesting and cleaning systems. Chilies vary greatly in shape, color, and texture throughout the season and within varieties and thus pose a unique challenge compared to the identification of other more uniform objects. Since chilies do not have distinct point features typically exploited in object recognition algorithms, a normalized shape distribution function was used to describe each object's general shape. 486 harvest object images were collected throughout the season and then placed in categories. Representative shape functions were derived from chilies in a given category and the other chilies, stems, and leaves were compared to each class. Sample shape distributions were found to provide a robust signature to discriminate among chile pods and harvest trash objects.
Modeling resource contention among distributed periodic processes

A framework for analyzing resource usage of distributed periodic processes specified in RT-Chart is provided. Functions for reasoning about the quality of an assignment of processes to computation nodes are developed, and a novel model of resource use costs and communication costs is shown. The model allows reasoning about the rates of progress each action makes when using its resources, thus modeling contention among periodic processes sharing a resource. The computed rates of progress are accurate since impossible sources of resource contention are removed. These are useful techniques for assignment algorithms (such as simulated annealing) that repeatedly reassign actions until a close-to-optimal solution is obtained. >
Implicit hybrid schemes for the flux-difference split, three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations

Two hybrid upwind models are defined for solving the Euler equations. The algorithms both employ approximate factorization (AF) in crossplane and symmetric block Gauss-Seidel relaxation in the third direction. One approach adds an additional factorization step to lower the number of required grid point operations for inversion of the block tridiagonal matrices; however, the move permits only one third of the operations to be vectorized. Finite difference solutions are calculated on a C-H-type grid, in this case enveloping a slender, sharp-edged delta wing. Sample data are provided for the calculated vortex flow for Re of 10,000, at a 20.5 deg angle of attack, represented in a crossflow velocity vector plot and in a spanwise pressure coefficient distribution. The AF scheme, without additional factorization, when used with a grid covering 51 x 51 x 72 points provides a convergent solution with no time step lasting longer than 0.00001 sec.
Inference of permeability distribution from injection-induced discrete microseismic events with kernel density estimation and ensemble Kalman filter

[1] Hydraulic stimulation of subsurface rocks is performed in developing geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs to create permeable zones and enhance flow and transport in low-permeability formations. Borehole fluid injection often induces measurable microearthquakes (MEQs). While the nature and source of the processes that lead to triggering of these events is yet to be fully understood, a major hypothesis has linked these events to an increase in pore pressure that decreases the effective compressional stress and causes sliding along preexisting cracks. Based on this hypothesis, the distribution of the resulting microseismicity clouds can be viewed as monitoring data that carry important information about the spatial distribution of hydraulic rock properties. However, integration of fluid-induced microseismicity events into prior rock permeability distributions is complicated by the discrete nature of the MEQ events, which is not amenable to well-established inversion methods. We use kernel density estimation to first interpret the MEQ data events as continuous seismicity density measurements and, subsequently, assimilate them to estimate rock permeability distribution. We apply the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) for microseimic data integration where we update a prior ensemble of permeability distributions to obtain a new set of calibrated models for prediction. The EnKF offers several advantages for this application, including the ensemble formulation for uncertainty assessment, convenient gradient-free implementation, and the flexibility to incorporate various failure mechanisms and additional data types. Using several numerical experiments, we illustrate the suitability of the proposed approach for characterization of reservoir hydraulic properties from discrete MEQ monitoring measurements.
Tiered fault tolerance for long-term integrity

Fault-tolerant services typically make assumptions about the type and maximum number of faults that they can tolerate while providing their correctness guarantees; when such a fault threshold is violated, correctness is lost. We revisit the notion of fault thresholds in the context of long-term archival storage. We observe that fault thresholds are inevitably violated in long-term services, making traditional fault tolerance inapplicable to the long-term. In this work, we undertake a "reallocation of the fault-tolerance budget" of a long-term service. We split the service into service pieces, each of which can tolerate a different number of faults without failing (and without causing the whole service to fail): each piece can be either in a critical trusted fault tier, which must never fail, or an untrusted fault tier, which can fail massively and often, or other fault tiers in between. By carefully engineering the split of a long-term service into pieces that must obey distinct fault thresholds, we can prolong its inevitable demise. We demonstrate this approach with Bonafide, a long-term key-value store that, unlike all similar systems proposed in the literature, maintains integrity in the face of Byzantine faults without requiring self-certified data. We describe the notion of tiered fault tolerance, the design, implementation, and experimental evaluation of Bonafide, and argue that our approach is a practical yet significant improvement over the state of the art for long-term services.
Regionalization of the developing forebrain: a comparison of FORSE-1, Dlx-2, and BF-1

The FORSE-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was generated using a strategy designed to produce mAbs against neuronal cell surface antigens that might be regulated by regionally restricted transcription factors in the developing CNS. To determine whether FORSE-1 has a labeling pattern similar to that of known transcription factors, the expression of BF-1 and Dlx-2 was examined by in situ hybridization on sections serial to those labeled with FORSE-1. We find a striking overlap between BF-1 and FORSE-1 in the telencephalon; both are expressed in the lateral but not the medial walls of the telencephalon, and the boundaries of expression are apparently identical. FORSE-1 staining is detected prior to BF-1 expression in the neural tube, however. FORSE-1 and Dlx-2 have very different patterns of expression in the forebrain, suggesting that regulation by Dlx-2 cannot by itself explain the distribution of FORSE- 1. However, they share some sharp boundaries in the diencephalon. In addition, FORSE-1 identifies some previously unknown boundaries in the developing forebrain. These results indicate that a new cell surface marker can be used to subdivide the embryonic telencephalon and diencephalon into regions smaller than previously described, providing necessary complexity to the developmental patterning in the forebrain.
Effects of bandwidth-limiting tuning elements in synchronously pumped mode-locked lasers

A description of bandwidth‐limiting tuning filters is introduced into a semiclassical model for synchronously pumped mode‐locked dye lasers. The finite phase memory of the molecular wave functions is included as are the isotropic molecular distribution and the finite vibrational relaxation times. The new set of equations has been solved numerically using the best available values for the various parameters. The results have been compared with experimental data obtained using a rhodamine 6G dye laser, which is synchronously pumped using an acousto‐optically mode‐locked argon laser. Tuning element effects have been studied using two‐ and three‐plate birefringent filters and a tuning wedge, and the experimental results agree with the numerical solutions.
Scenes from a CFAE: Complex Fractionated Atrial Electrogram Map in a Woman with Longstanding Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Following Mechanical Mitral Valve Replacement.

Case: A 62-year-old woman was referred for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. She had longstanding per - sistent AF for 8 years since mechanical mitral valve replacement for rheumatic heart disease. EPS: A strategy of substrate-based ablation targeting areas of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE) was pursued. These sites were identified by inspection of electrograms and verified with soft - ware-based electrogram analysis, with the left atrial roof demonstrating the highest density of CFAE sites. Successful catheter ablation was performed. The patient has remained free of recurrence over 4 months of follow-up. Discussion: This case presents a successful ablation procedure using the emerging strategy of CFAE- targeted ablative lesions. Given the patient's longstanding persistent AF and mechanical mitral valve, the high density of CFAE sites on the left atrial roof was an unexpected finding. Analysis for CFAE sites guided the procedure in a direction that might otherwise not have been undertaken, leading to a success- ful ablation.
Adversarial relationship between the Leishmania lipophosphoglycan and protein kinase C of host macrophages

The dominant glycoconjugate on the cell surface of all Leishmania promastigotes is an unusual glycoconjugate named lipophosphoglycan (LPG). Its relative abundance, unique structure, and cellular location have implicated LPG as an essential virulence determinant. One feature of LPG resides in its strong inhibitory effect on the activity of protein kinase C (PKC) of host macrophages. This article summarizes the evidence that LPG is inhibitory toward PKC activation in macrophages and discusses the implication of such inhibition on intramacrophage survival of the parasite.
Structural characterization of the Brooker’s merocyanine/β-cyclodextrin complex using NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling

Abstract Brooker’s merocyanine (4-[(1-methyl-4(1H)-pyridinylidene)ethylidene]-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one) is a dye molecule that has a unique photochemical/protolytic isomerization cycle. The cis to trans isomerization of the neutral molecule occurs only in one direction with the addition of photochemical energy. When the dye molecule is complexed with β-cyclodextrin, however, the isomerization occurs spontaneously without further energy required. To understand the difference between the native dye molecule and the complex, the molecular structures of the cis and trans isomers of Brooker’s merocyanine in β-cyclodextrin were optimized using the semi-empirical PM3 method as well as the hybrid ONIOM method which models the cyclodextrin at the PM3 level and the dye molecule using B3LYP/6-31g(d). The most stable complexes were similar in binding energy, although the molecular structures were quite different. The ONIOM optimized structures resulted in an increase in the planarity of the conjugated dye molecule when compared to the PM3 model. The trans isomer in the β-cyclodextrin cavity was also characterized experimentally using 1 H-NMR complexation-induced shifts, and the results were found to be in good agreement with the proposed structure from the molecular modeling. Finally, the calculated thermodynamic properties of the trans isomer complex were compared to experimental results, and it became clear that water within the cavity must be included in the analysis to obtain accurate theoretical values.
Analysis Of The Effects Of Mtf, Scatter, And Display On Observer Perceptibility And Dose Efficiency Of Film-Screen-Grid Radiography

The effects of MTF, scatter radiation and display on the contrast-detail characteristics of medical film/screen radiography are examined. Theoretical relationships between these quantities are derived using signal-detection and effective aperture approaches. It is seen that scatter radiation significantly affects the perceptible information in the images according to the scatter degradation factor and is somewhat a function of subject contrast. It is shown that the dose efficiency of film/screen radiography can be improved by a factor of two by the elimination of scatter.