cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anatomy of the 2016 drought in the Northeastern United States: Implications for agriculture and water resources in humid climates

Abstract 2016 was one of the warmest and driest summers on record throughout much of the Northeastern United States (Northeast). Additionally, historically low winter snowfall preceding the summer of 2016 exacerbated drought conditions and led to record low streamflows in some regions. Climate models suggest that short-term summer droughts could increase in frequency and continue to pose challenges to farmers and water resource managers in the Northeast. Here we focus on the impacts of the drought on farmers in New York State (NY), an economically important agricultural state in the Northeast. We found that in several regions across NY 2015-16 winter snowfall, and 2016 growing season precipitation and streamflows were near or below the 10th percentile of the previous 60 years; and 2016 air temperatures were near or above the 90th percentile of the previous 60 years. Based on survey results, more than 70% of the 275 farmers surveyed across NY reported rainfed field crop and pasture yield losses greater than 30%, with some loses over 90%. In the hardest hit Western region of NY, substantial crop losses (>30%) were reported for fruit and vegetable crops on farms with irrigation, due to limited irrigation equipment and water supplies (e.g. low streamflows, dry ponds or wells). After what they experienced in 2016, 32% of the 75 farmers in follow-up interviews invested in irrigation equipment and water sources in 2016, and 32% said they plan to do so in 2017. Thirty-two percent of farmers in follow-up interviews said they plan to take measures to improve soil health and soil organic matter to improve water holding capacity and better prepare for drought. Model estimates suggest NY state-wide crop irrigation water use could increase by 3–8 times in dry years compared to average growing seasons, increasing seasonal usage by millions of cubic meters. This highlights the potential for significant increases in water withdrawals in NY, with implications for water resources, particularly as the climate changes.
HIPs at Ten

Anniversaries are an occasion to take stock—to look back, reflect, and (if warranted) celebrate what has happened over time. 2017 is the anniversary of the introduction of what are now commonly kno...
Contract Formalism, Scientism, and the M-Word: A Short Reaction to Professor Movsesian's Under-Theorization Thesis

In two recent essays, Professor Mark L. Movsesian has suggested that a significant difference between the classical formalism of Williston and the formalism of contemporary contracts scholars is the extent to which the earlier work was under-theorized. I want to suggest an area in which there is a consistency to the under-theorization between the classical and the modern contract formalists: the extent to which theorization in anything that approaches metaphysics is, and has been, consistently anathema. Modern theorizing is overwhelmingly of a particular form: dispassionate social science inquiry into how we tick, rarely questioned but implicit norms shaped solely around the utilitarian, if not material, consequence of choices, all seasoned by the occasional post-modern expression of futility and desperation around the indeterminacy of moral issues. It does not address the way we might think about solving the problem outside of the formal models (whether classically or economically based) of the law. In a brief response to Professor Movsesian, I encourage debating over contract law not just in the context of pragmatics of instrumental reason, but as part of a broader inquiry into and struggle with the ends to which any endeavor is directed.
When BAX doesn't kill.

BAX is a well-known pro-apoptotic protein that forms a pore to release cytochrome c from mitochondria in stressed cells undergoing apoptosis. Now Brayer et al find a new function for BAX in unstres...
Spinal cord tumors

Just as with tumors in the brain, spine tumors can be either benign or malignant. The three categories that spinal cord tumors are classified in are the following: (1) intramedullary, arising from the actual spinal cord itself, (2) intradural extramedullary, arising from the dura (the layer covering the spinal cord) but outside the actual spinal cord, and (3) extradural, arising most often from the vertebral bodies. Extradural tumors comprise 90 % of spine tumors. Tumors of the spine cause symptoms because of the important and abundant nerves and nerve pathways that course in this area, and include changes in movement, sensation, balance, and pain. The treatment your doctor will choose depends on many factors, such as the location and specific type of the tumor. Sometimes, surgery can be curative. Other times, options may include a combination of surgery and radiation therapy.
T cells and cytokines in systemic sclerosis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Dysregulation of both the innate and the adaptive immune systems has been identified in systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, the mechanisms underlying aberrant immune cell function remain poorly understood. T cells represent a predominant cell type in the affected tissues of patients, particularly in the early inflammatory stage of the disease. Antigen specificity of infiltrating T cells has not been identified; however, recent studies implicate specific T-cell subsets and the cytokines they produce in SSc pathogenesis by modulating the development of autoimmunity, inflammation and fibrosis. RECENT FINDINGS The phenotype and function of distinct T-cell subsets have been identified in the affected tissues of SSc patients as well as in SSc animal models, implying their contribution to disease process. The molecular mechanisms underlying cytokine dysregulation by specific T-cell subpopulations are also becoming clear. SUMMARY A better understanding of SSc pathogenesis will allow the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting specific cell types and the pathways that are abnormally activated as well as the cytokines produced that may be directly involved with disease process. A further goal is to tailor therapy to address dysregulation specific to individual patients, leading to better efficacy and reduced toxicity.
The Effect of a Brief Mindfulness Training on Distress Tolerance and Stress Reactivity

Poor distress tolerance (DT) is considered an underlying facet of anxiety, depression, and a number of other psychological disorders. Mindfulness may help to increase DT by fostering an attitude of acceptance or nonjudgment toward distressing experiences. Accordingly, the present study examined the effects of a brief mindfulness training on tolerance of different types of distress, and tested whether trait mindfulness moderates the effect of such training. Undergraduates (n = 107) naive to mindfulness completed a measure of trait mindfulness and underwent a series of stress tasks (cold pressor, hyperventilation challenge, neutralization task) before and after completing a 15-minute mindfulness training or a no-instruction control in which participants listened to relaxing music. Participants in the mindfulness condition demonstrated greater task persistence on the hyperventilation task compared to the control group, as well as a decreased urge to neutralize the effects of writing an upsetting sentence. No effect on distress ratings during the tasks were found. Overall trait mindfulness did not significantly moderate task persistence, but those with lower scores on the act with awareness facet of mindfulness demonstrated greater relative benefit of mindfulness training on the hyperventilation challenge. Mediation analyses revealed significant indirect effects of mindfulness training on cold pressor task persistence and urges to neutralize through the use of the nonjudge and nonreact facets of mindfulness. These results suggest that a brief mindfulness training can increase DT without affecting the subjective experience of distress.
Linear-to-circular polarization transformation upon reflection by a transparent thin film on a transparent substrate: analytical determination of principal angles and principal azimuths.

The principal angles and principal azimuths at which incident linearly polarized light becomes circularly polarized upon external reflection by a transparent thin film on a transparent substrate are determined analytically. For a given principal angle, multiple solutions (two or four) are obtained for the required film thicknesses and the associated principal azimuths. Specific results are presented for the air-SiO2-Si (ambient-film-substrate) system at the near-infrared wavelength λ=1.55 μm.
Pathogenesis and treatment of electrolyte problems post transplant.

Purpose of reviewElectrolyte abnormalities posttransplant are common occurrences that can have significant short-term and long-term effects on graft outcome and patient quality of life. Understanding the pathophysiology of these electrolyte derangements can help guide management to optimize bone hea
The 2011 Nucleic Acids Research Database Issue and the online Molecular Biology Database Collection

The current 18th Database Issue of Nucleic Acids Research features descriptions of 96 new and 83 updated online databases covering various areas of molecular biology. It includes two editorials, one that discusses COMBREX, a new exciting project aimed at figuring out the functions of the ‘conserved hypothetical’ proteins, and one concerning BioDBcore, a proposed description of the ‘minimal information about a biological database’. Papers from the members of the International Nucleotide Sequence Database collaboration (INSDC) describe each of the participating databases, DDBJ, ENA and GenBank, principles of data exchange within the collaboration, and the recently established Sequence Read Archive. A testament to the longevity of databases, this issue includes updates on the RNA modification database, Definition of Secondary Structure of Proteins (DSSP) and Homology-derived Secondary Structure of Proteins (HSSP) databases, which have not been featured here in >12 years. There is also a block of papers describing recent progress in protein structure databases, such as Protein DataBank (PDB), PDB in Europe (PDBe), CATH, SUPERFAMILY and others, as well as databases on protein structure modeling, protein–protein interactions and the organization of inter-protein contact sites. Other highlights include updates of the popular gene expression databases, GEO and ArrayExpress, several cancer gene databases and a detailed description of the UK PubMed Central project. The Nucleic Acids Research online Database Collection, available at: http://www.oxfordjournals.org/nar/ database/a/, now lists 1330 carefully selected molecular biology databases. The full content of the Database Issue is freely available online at the Nucleic Acids Research web site (http://nar .oxfordjournals.org/).
The Influence of Auditor Quality and Executive Compensation Structure on Financial Reporting Executives' Restatement Decisions in a Clawback Environment

SUMMARY Based on a recent SEC proposal, publicly traded companies will be required to adopt a clawback in accordance with the Dodd-Frank Act. In response, firms have been voluntarily adopting clawb...
Access to care among Medicaid and uninsured patients in community health centers after the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid and increased federal funding for Community Health Centers (CHCs). To examine the role of Medicaid coverage on care patterns for those with available safety net care, we assessed differences in access to care for CHC patients with continuous Medicaid coverage vs. gaps in insurance coverage in the last year. We used data on adult respondents from the 2014 Health Center Patient Survey (N = 1720) with continuous Medicaid coverage vs. those with some period without insurance coverage in the last 12 months. We examined reported need for any medical care, mental health care, prescription drugs, dental care, and referrals for care outside of the CHC in the last 12 months, and reports of being delayed or unable to get needed care by insurance status. We used logistic regression to assess the association between insurance status and care access, adjusting for patient characteristics. Patients with insurance gaps and continuous Medicaid coverage reported similar levels of need for most types of care in the last 12 months, but those with insurance gaps were significantly more likely to report having difficulty obtaining medical care, prescription drugs, dental care, and completing outside referrals. Of those with incomplete referrals for care outside of the CHC, patients with insurance gaps were more likely than those with continuous Medicaid to cite cost or insurance-related reasons for not following up (70% vs. 19%, p < 0.01). Having continuous Medicaid coverage appeared to mitigate barriers to care for CHC patients compared to having intermittent or no insurance coverage over the last year. Policies that increase disruptions in Medicaid coverage could adversely impact access to care, even among those with available safety net care.
Total Synthesis of Clavosolide A via Asymmetric Alcohol‐Mediated Carbonyl Allylation: Beyond Protecting Groups or Chiral Auxiliaries in Polyketide Construction

The 20-membered marine macrodiolide clavosolide A is prepared in 7 steps (LLS) in the absence of protecting groups or chiral auxiliaries via enantioselective alcohol-mediated carbonyl addition. In 9 prior total syntheses, 11-34 steps (LLS) were required.
Towards a Smart, Internet-Scale Cache Service for Data Intensive Scientific Applications

Data and services provided by shared facilities, such as large-scale observing facilities, have become important enablers of scientific insights and discoveries across many science and engineering disciplines. Ensuring satisfactory quality of service can be challenging for facilities, due to their remote locations and to the distributed nature of the instruments, observatories, and users, as well as the rapid growth of data volumes and rates. This research explores how knowledge of the facilities usage patterns, coupled with emerging cyberinfrastructures can be leveraged to improve their performance, usability, and scientific impact. We propose a framework with a smart, internet-scale cache augmented with prefetching and data placement strategies to improve data delivery performance for scientific facilities. Our evaluations, which are based on the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative, demonstrate that our framework is able to predict user requests and reduce data movements by more than 56% across networks.
Deep Learning of Electrocardiography Dynamics for Biometric Human Identification in era of IoT

Along with the boosting internet of things (IoT) applications – smart health, smart city, etc., the security and privacy are becoming more and more challenging nowadays. The biometric is attracting more and more attentions in human identification applications, towards pervasive biometric-enhanced IoT applications. In this paper, a deep learning-enabled Electrocardiography (ECG)-based human identification framework is proposed. To avoid time-consuming feature engineering used in previous studies, a convolutional neural network is introduced to gradually and automatically learn the intrinsic features from the raw ECG data. The learned hierarchical features are then fed into a fully connected neural network to yield the user identify. The proposed deep learning framework is evaluated on the MIT-BIH Normal Sinus Rhythm Database, and the identification rate is as high as 99.0%. This research is expected to contribute to pervasive biometric-based human identification applications.
Expression of decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) in androgen receptor (AR) naïve PC3 cells: A critical new target for androgen refractory prostate cancer

4113 Over-expression of a soluble DcR3, belonging to the TNF receptor superfamily, has been reported to occur in a variety of cancer cells from malignant tumors that includes brain, breast, colon, esophagus, liver, lung, pancreas, rectum and stomach. Serum levels of DcR3 have been reported to be higher in these cancer patients and are associated with poor prognosis. DcR3 binds to TNF ligands, such as Fas ligand (FasL) and inhibits FasL induced apoptosis. DcR3 has also been shown to enhance tumor growth and metastasis. However, there are no reports to date that have shown that the expression of DcR3 occurs in prostate cancer (PCa) cells. We have therefore examined the expression of DcR3 in three different PCa cell lines that include AR responsive (LNCaP), AR independent (C4-2B), and AR naive (PC3) cells. Western blot analysis of DcR3 expression profiles in these cells indicated that DcR3 was expressed primarily in osteoclastic AR naive PC3 cells and not in other PCa cell types, suggesting that DcR3 may have a potential role in inducing osteolytic bone metastasis. RT-PCR data were consistent in that the DcR3 mRNA levels were observed only in PC3 cells and not in other PCa cell types. To assess the amount of secreted DcR3 by these cells, ELISA assays were conducted utilizing the DcR3 ELISA kit. The supernate fraction of 1x106 PC3 cell culture at 24 h showed a concentration of DcR3 at 57.3 pg/ml. Treatment of PC3 cells with DcR3 neutralizing antibody produced a concentration dependent inhibition of PC3 cell growth suggesting a direct role of DcR3 in PC3 cell growth. The IC50 value of the DcR3 antibody was 0.01 μg/mL. Utilizing algorithmic siRNA program, DNA oligonucleotide sequences were designed and two different in-house DcR3 siRNAs were synthesized. The in vitro synthesized siRNAs migrated similar to a 21-mer equal sized chemically synthesized siRNA. Targeted siRNA silencing of DcR3 in PC3 cells resulted in significant growth inhibition. Overall, these data demonstrate that expression of DcR3 in PC3 cells plays a significant role in their growth whereas targeted inhibition of this protein suppresses PC3 cell growth in vitro. These studies suggest that DcR3 may be a novel therapeutic target for inhibition of AR naive PCa cell clonal expansion in vivo.
Expression and purification of affinity-tagged variants of the photochemical reaction center from Heliobacterium modesticaldum.

The heliobacterial photochemical reaction center (HbRC) from the chlorophototrophic Firmicutes bacterium Heliobacterium modesticaldum is the only homodimeric type I RC whose structure is known. Using genetic techniques recently established in our lab, we have developed a rapid heterologous expression system for the HbRC core polypeptide PshA. Our system relies on rescue of the non-chlorophototrophic ∆pshA::cbp2p-aph3 strain of Hbt. modesticaldum by expression of a heterologous pshA gene from a replicating shuttle vector. In addition, we constructed two tagged variants of PshA, one with an N-terminal octahistidine tag and one with an internal hexahistidine tag, which facilitate rapid purification of pure, active HbRC cores in milligram quantities. We constructed a suite of shuttle vectors bearing untagged or tagged versions of pshA driven by various promoters. Surprisingly, we found that the eno and gapDH_2 promoters from Clostridium thermocellum drive better expression of pshA than fragments of DNA derived from the region upstream of the pshA locus on the Hbt. modesticaldum genome. This “pshA rescue” strategy also provided a useful window into how Hbt. modesticaldum regulates pigment synthesis and growth rate when chlorophototrophic output decreases.
De modernidades periféricas

In this work I use the essay “Misplaced Ideas: Literature and Society in Late-Nineteenth Century Brazil”, by Roberto Schwarz, to stuty the survival of feudality and favor inherited from the Iberian Colonialism, during the Chilean “Belle Epoque”. At this period, social inequalities acquired hypertrophic proportions due to the capital local elites received for their incursion in coal mining and saltpeter exploration – this last one as a result of the Pacific War (1879-1883). I examine the discrepancies showed by the Chilean peripheral modernity at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, in three works: the short story “El rey burgues” (1888), by Ruben Dario, the film Julio comienza en Julio (1979), with a script by Silvio Caiozzi and Gustavo Frias, and the short story collection Sub terra (1904), by Baldomero Lillo.
An investigation on the impact of halidization on substituted dimethoxybenzenes

Abstract Functionalized organic molecules are emerging as charge storage materials in electrochemical technologies as the breadth and diversity of the organic design space offers the possibility of purpose-built materials with property sets optimized for a particular application. First developed as overcharge protection materials in lithium-ion batteries, substituted dialkoxybenzenes represent a potentially promising molecular platform for advancing soluble charge storage materials. Here, we systematically substitute a series of halide groups at the 2- and 5-positions of the 1,4-dimethoxybenzene core, investigate the impact the halide groups have on molecular properties using electrochemical and spectroscopy methods, and compare these results to those of 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzene (25DDB), a previously reported derivative. In general, we observe that introduction of heavy halogen atoms leads to decreased gravimetric capacity as compared to 25DDB, but concomitantly improves solubility and redox potentials. As the halide functional group increases in size, the active material becomes less stable in its oxidized state as evinced by both cyclic voltammetry and bulk electrolysis cycling. None of the halogenated species are as stable as 25DDB indicating that these materials may be better suited for applications with more rapid cycling conditions (e.g., redox shuttling). More broadly, these results may serve as a useful data set for computational methods for materials discovery and optimization.
Improving Temporomandibular Range of Motion in People With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Importance: People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) develop impaired oral function because of reduced temporomandibular joint range of motion (ROM), which affects feeding and oral hygiene activities of daily living (ADLs). Objective: To assess whether the TheraBite®, an intraoral stretching device, improves ROM. Design: Case series, with intervention duration varying from 7 to 30 mo. Treatment frequency varied from weekly to consultative (several times per year). Setting: Varied depending on the ease of transportation for the participant and caregivers. Two participants were treated in an outpatient medical clinic. The other was provided consultative care during multidisciplinary medical clinics and completed a home program. Participants: Two adults with DMD and one with SMA. Intervention: Stretching protocol using the TheraBite. Outcomes and Measures: Temporomandibular active ROM (AROM) was determined using a disposable TheraBite oral goniometer. Passive ROM (PROM) was determined using the adhesive scale on the TheraBite. Measures were taken at baseline, each intervention or consultation, and the end of care. ADL participation and caregiver burden were measured at the end of intervention. Results: For participants with DMD, AROM remained unchanged, but PROM increased by 40%–65%. The participant with SMA demonstrated 33% and 47% improvements in AROM and PROM, respectively. Participants or caregivers reported improved feeding function, improved oral hygiene, or reduced fatigue. Conclusion: TheraBite may improve temporomandibular PROM in people with DMD and temporomandibular AROM and PROM in people with SMA. It may also improve ADL function and consequently reduce caregiver burden. Further investigation is warranted. What This Article Adds: Temporomandibular contracture in people with DMD and SMA contributes to reduced lifespan and loss of function. Use of the TheraBite with this population may preserve temporomandibular ROM and improve feeding, hygiene, and quality-of-life outcomes.
Optic disc edema in fibrous dysplasia/McCune-Albright syndrome: Prevalence, etiologies, and clinical implications.

Abstract Background Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a rare disorder of expansile fibro-osseous lesions that may be associated with extraskeletal features as part of McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS). Optic disc edema is a potentially serious ophthalmologic finding that has been rarely reported in patients with FD/MAS. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and potential clinical associations of optic disc edema in a large cohort. Methods Clinical records were reviewed from subjects in an ongoing FD/MAS natural history study. Computed Tomography scans were evaluated for the presence of structural craniofacial abnormalities associated with optic disc edema, including Chiari I malformation and space-occupying lesions. Craniomorphometric analyses were performed to determine optic canal diameter and intracranial volume. Statistical analyses were performed to compare clinical and radiographic features between subjects with and without optic disc edema. Results Optic disc edema was diagnosed in 7/187 subjects, for a prevalence of 3.7%. All subjects with optic disc edema were diagnosed before age 18 years and had mild, non-progressive disease. Radiographic structural abnormalities, including Chiari I malformation, aneurysmal bone cysts, and arachnoid cysts, were associated with higher odds of optic disc edema (odds ratio [OR] 24.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.2 to 121.4; p Conclusion Optic disc edema is an uncommon but potentially serious complication of craniofacial FD, which may occur more frequently in pediatric patients and those with structural craniofacial abnormalities. The potential association of leuprolide therapy with optic disc edema in this population warrants further study.
A non-perturbative analysis of symmetry breaking in two-dimensional phi^4 theory using periodic field methods

We describe the generalization of spherical field theory to other modal expansion methods. The main approach remains the same, to reduce a d-dimensional field theory into a set of coupled one-dimensional systems. The method we discuss here uses an expansion with respect to periodic-box modes. We apply the method to phi^4 theory in two dimensions and compute the critical coupling and critical exponents. We compare with lattice results and predictions via universality and the two-dimensional Ising model.
“Recouer thyne aunciente bewtie”: Mid-Tudor Empire over Mid-Tudor Crisis, 1550–1570

This chapter considers the apparent sea changes of the mid-Tudor era—from the “godly” protestant minority of Edward VI and his second regent, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, to the Catholic, half-Spanish Mary I as England’s first crowned queen regnant and wife of Philip II, to the accession of Elizabeth I and her church settlement—and uncovers how a common preoccupation with nation, identity, empire, and the Atlantic world knits these supposedly antithetical monarchs and their reigns together and to their shared past. The result was a powerful discourse and rhetoric of self, otherness, and imperialism that realigned Tudor sights and goals and set the stage for a flurry of projects in the decades that followed.
Sucrose Intakes and Incident Colorectal Cancer Risk among Women.

High sucrose intakes are hypothesized to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) risk by several mechanisms, and sucrose intakes have been consistently positively associated with CRC risk in case-control ...
Social Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Management: Negotiating Institutional Complexity

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) increasingly view social entrepreneurship as means to expand their mission scope while simultaneously diversifying revenue streams and strengthening financial foundations. However, the pursuit of social entrepreneurial ventures often incites a tug-of-war phenomenon between the deep-rooted social welfare logic of the parent NPO and a newly evolving commercial logic at the subsidiary social enterprise (SSE). The present study seeks to understand how NPOs navigate such logic conflicts as they strive to become more entrepreneurial. Based upon case studies of two NPOs, we found divergence in organizational identity, legitimacy, and mission/vision between parent nonprofits and their SSEs as they struggled with a defining question: Are we a program or are we a business? Our research indicates that organizations reconcile such cognitive dissonance through four distinct processes: connecting, variegating, separating, and augmenting social welfare and commercial logic spheres. We, thus, contribute to the social entrepreneurship and nonprofit management literatures by illustrating ways in which noncommercial organizations may address issues of logic divergence when engaging in revenue-generating commercial activities.
Does conventional energy pricing induce innovation in renewable energy? New evidence from a nonlinear approach

This article theoretically and empirically studies the association between research and development investments in renewable energy (RE) and oil prices at the country level. We find a positive and robust association between patent counts for RE and price of crude oil using a panel of 46 countries for 1991–2013 in a fixed‐effects hurdle Negative Binomial control function framework. Results suggest that net conventional energy importing countries are more likely to invest in RE when oil prices increase. Countries with more electricity production, less emissions, and greater energy utilization generate more RE patents per year. JEL CLASSIFICATION Q13; Q42; Q55
A meta-analysis of bone cement mediated antibiotic release: Overkill, but a viable approach to eradicate osteomyelitis and other infections tied to open procedures.

Abstract A number of clinical studies have highlighted the success of antibiotics formulated at concentrations between 0 and 6% w/w into bone cements to address localized infections. Separately, some commercial manufacturers have produced gentamycin-infused bone cement mixtures as a countermeasure to infection. The anecdotal evidence suggests that antibiotic infused cements can help eradicate or delay the onset of infections. Quantifying the functionality of that response is more challenging. We have surveyed the literature to identify studies in which controlled drug release or mechanical behavioral assessments have been conducted on drug-infused cements. The focus here is on vancomycin (VAN) in part due to its higher potency relative to gentamycin and its more common usage for staph infections. Takeaways from the limited pool of research studies indicate that large fractions (>99%) of the infused vancomycin remain sequestered in the cement and aren't bioavailable after solidification. Antibiotic fluence ranged from 1 to 283 μg/cm2hr. The initial strength of the various antibiotic loaded samples as produced were 52–96 MPa. Simulated exposures in a fluid environment by submersion reduced the antibiotic loaded strengths between 3 and 29%. Some strength measurements were noted below the ASTM F451 standard for acrylic bone cement although drug releasing spacers likely have different requirements. The glassy behavior of the cured cement led to both vancomycin and gentamicin having low permeability and a burst response. Smaller drug molecules and more gel-like immobilization matrices with lower glass transition temperatures offer higher potential for larger and more comprehensive drug bioavailability.
Training Public Health Students in Racial Justice and Health Equity : A Systematic Review.

In an attempt to move the field of public health from documenting health disparities to acting to rectify them, in 2001, the American Public Health Association (APHA) recognized racism as a fundame...
A review of research in illicit supply-chain networks and new directions to thwart them

Illicit trades have emerged as a significant problem to almost every government across the world. Their gradual expansion and diversification throughout the years suggests the existence of robust y...
A Low-Cost and Low-Risk Testbed for Control Design of Launch Vehicles and Landing Systems

This research seeks to bridge the gap between the sim-ulation/theory and the flight-testing phases of control algorithm design for launch vehicles (LV s) and landing systems (LSs). This paper reviews contemporary testbeds for LV and LS control system design with an emphasis on reducing costs and risks. Also, a new low-cost and low-risk testbed utilizing a quadcopter, flexible inverted pendulum, and a hanging pendulum is proposed. It is shown that the planar dynamic response of this proposed testbed can match the planar dynamic response of an LV. As mission objectives for frequent cislunar and interplanetary travel become more complex, the algorithms that control LV s and LSs need to become more advanced to ensure mission safety and success. These control systems are slow to mature because it is difficult to perform experiments in an environment relevant to the mission in a safe and cost-effective manner. A solution to this problem frequently leveraged in the aviation and satellite industries involves mimicking the dynamic response of the vehicle with a test platform that is low-cost and low-risk.
Chemical transformations of UF4 under controlled temperature and relative humidity

Abstract Uranium tetrafluoride (UF4) is a critical compound in the nuclear fuel cycle, particularly as an intermediate in uranium hexafluoride (UF6) and uranium metal production, and as a fuel for fluoride-based molten salt reactors. Changes to UF4 in humid air were investigated by aging anhydrous UF4 under various temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions for up to 9 months. Powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD) and thermogravimetric analysis revealed UF4 remained largely unchanged during the aging study for most of the conditions investigated (293 and 308 K, and ≤75% RH), consistent with the conventional consideration that UF4 is stable under ambient conditions. However, aging under high RH conditions (>90%) resulted in chemical speciation changes and formation of UF4 and UF4 hydrate mixtures. Specifically, UF4·2.5H2O was formed within 30 days for UF4 aged at 293 K and 95% RH. Uranium tetrafluoride hydrates with less than 2.5 waters of hydration were formed within 180 days for UF4 aged at 308 K and 91% RH. These findings represent the first report of UF4 hydrates forming from the reaction of UF4 with atmospheric water vapor at ambient temperatures. Investigation of the surface composition of unaged and aged UF4 samples with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed degradation of the UF4 surface, consistent with the degradation observed for the bulk UF4 from the pXRD measurements. From a nuclear forensics perspective, these short timeline aging studies suggest that the presence of UF4 hydrate in UF4 materials may indicate it was stored under high humidity conditions.
Ca2+ channel blockade reduces cocaine's vasoconstriction and neurotoxicity in the prefrontal cortex.

Cocaine profoundly affects both cerebral blood vessels and neuronal activity in the brain. The vasoconstrictive effects of cocaine, concurrently with its effects on neuronal [Ca2+]i accumulation are likely to jeopardize neuronal tissue that in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) could contribute to impaired self-regulation and compulsive cocaine consumption. Here we used optical imaging to study the cerebrovascular and neuronal effects of acute cocaine (1 mg/kg i.v.) and to examine whether selective blockade of L-type Ca2+ channels by Nifedipine (NIF) (0.5 mg/kg i.v.) would alleviate cocaine's effects on hemodynamics (measured with cerebral blood volume, HbT), oxygenation (measured with oxygenated hemoglobin, HbO2) and neuronal [Ca2+]i, which were concomitantly measured in the PFC of naive rats. Our results show that in the PFC acute cocaine significantly reduced flow delivery (HbT), increased neuronal [Ca2+]i accumulation and profoundly reduced tissue oxygenation (HbO2) and these effects were significantly attenuated by NIF pretreatment. They also show that cocaine-induced vasoconstriction is distinct from its increase of neuronal [Ca2+]i accumulation though both of them contribute to hypoxemia and both effects were attenuated by NIF. These results provide evidence that blockade of voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channels might be beneficial in preventing vasoconstriction and neurotoxic effects of cocaine and give support for further clinical investigations to determine their value in reducing cocaine's neurotoxicity in cocaine use disorders.
Drivers of Climate Change Risk Perceptions among Diverse Forest Stakeholders in Maine, USA

Climate change is impacting forest ecosystems, which support key ecosystem services and the general well-being of natural resource-dependent communities in Northeastern, USA. Understanding the dete...
Psychological Profiling and Sex Offenders: A Review of the Research and Recommendations for Police Investigations

Offender profiling has been used by law enforcement agencies around the world for decades. Following homicide, offenses involving sexual assault are the second most common type of crime examined in offender profiling. Profiling sex crimes has successfully assisted investigators to find and convict sexual offenders and to deter future crimes. In this chapter, we focus on studies that developed profiles of sexual homicide and sexual assault to identify the personality characteristics, backgrounds, and mental states among offenders for these crimes, as well as analyze the similarities among sexual homicide and assault offenders, unique characteristics of these offenders, and how law enforcement can use these profiles to catch and prevent these offenders in the future.
A Search for Sovereignty: Law and Geography in European Empires, 1400-1900

A Search for Sovereignty approaches world history by examining the relation of law and geography in European empires between 1400 and 1900. Lauren Benton argues that Europeans imagined imperial space as networks of corridors and enclaves, and that they constructed sovereignty in ways that merged ideas about geography and law. Conflicts over treason, piracy, convict transportation, martial law, and crime created irregular spaces of law, while also attaching legal meanings to familiar geographic categories such as rivers, oceans, islands, and mountains. The resulting legal and spatial anomalies influenced debates about imperial constitutions and international law both in the colonies and at home. This study changes our understanding of empire and its legacies and opens new perspectives on the global history of law.
Suitable families of boxes and kernels of staircase starshaped sets in $${\mathbb{R}^d}$$

Let S be an orthogonal polytope in \({\mathbb{R}^d}\) . There exists a suitable family \({\mathcal{C}}\) of boxes with \({S = \cup \{C : C {\rm in} \mathcal{C}\}}\) such that the following properties hold: The staircase kernel Ker S is a union of boxes in \({\mathcal{C}}\). Let \({\mathcal{V}}\) be the family of vertices of boxes in \({\mathcal{C}}\) , and let \({v_o\, \epsilon \mathcal{V}}\) . Point vo belongs to Ker S if and only if vo sees via staircase paths in S every point w in \({\mathcal{V}}\) . Moreover, these staircase paths may be selected to consist of edges of boxes in \({\mathcal{C}}\). Let B be a box in \({\mathcal{C}}\) with vertices of B in Ker S. Box B lies in Ker S if and only if, for some b in relintB and for every translate H of a coordinate hyperplane at \({b, b \epsilon}\) Ker (H ∩ S). For point p in S, p belongs to Ker S if and only if, for every x in S, there exist some p − x geodesic λ (p, x) and some corresponding \({\mathcal{C}}\) - chain D containing λ (p, x) such that D is staircase starshaped at p.
Lyapunov Iterations for Solving Coupled Algebraic Riccati Equations of Nash Differential Games and Algebraic Riccati Equations of Zero-Sum Games

In this paper we study the symmetric coupled algebraic Riccati equations corresponding to the steady state Nash strategies. Under control-oriented assumptions, imposed on the problem matrices, the Lyapunov iterations are constructed such that the proposed algorithm converges to the nonnegative (positive) definite stabilizing solution of the coupled algebraic Riccati equations. In addition, the problem order reduction is achieved since the obtained Lyapunov equations are of the reduced-order and can be solved independently. As a matter of fact a parallel synchronous algorithm is obtained. A high-order numerical example is included in order to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. In the second part of this paper we have proposed an algorithm, in terms of the Lyapunov iterations, for finding the positive semidefinite stabilizing solution of the algebraic Riccati equation of the zero-sum differential games. The similar algebraic Riccati type equations appear in the H ∞ optimal control and related problems.
PARTIAL EXCLUSION BETWEEN T-EVEN BACTERIOPHAGES; AN INCIPIENT GENETIC ISOLATION MECHANISM

Conditional lethal mutant systems developed in T-even bacteriophages T2, T4 and T6 have been used to study the partial exclusion which characterizes mixed infections of these phages. In bacteria mixedly infected with T2 and T4, the dominant phage (T4) acts against localized exclusion sensitivity determinants in the genome of the excluded phage (T2). These determinants are clustered near genes controlling early functions; the determinants themselves do not appear among the progeny, but markers located close to them appear infrequently, by recombination. The excluding action of T4 does not depend on the action of any gene so far identified by conditional lethal mutations, nor does it depend on differences in DNA glucosylation between infecting phages. Regardless of mechanism, the genetic consequence of this partial exclusion is to limit genetic exchange between T2 and T4 in the region of the genome controlling early functions, while retaining the capacity for extensive exchange in other regions; in short, partial exclusion constitutes a localized genetic isolating mechanism. Related forms of partial exclusion characterize mixed infections of other T-even phages, including those of some phages newly isolated from nature.
Educational Graffiti: Better Use of the Bathroom Wall

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) lessens mortality and morbidity following cardiac arrest and has gained widespread acceptance. However, the cognitive and psychomotor skills achieved at the initial training sessions tend to deteriorate fairly quickly. Experience or retraining can help to preserve these skills. The authors felt that repetitive exposure to the principal facts might achieve the same purpose. Furthermore they viewed the time spent in the bathroom (lavatory) as an untapped educational resource for instructing a group of individuals; a suitable poster taped on a bathroom wall would repeatedly present the key information to a captive audience. Judging by the graffiti already present, the audience is presumably accustomed to reading in this environment. This paper reports two trials: in the first, posters were displayed in an undergraduate dormitory followed by a test of theoretical knowledge; in the second, the posters were displayed in hospital bathrooms used by nurses followed by a test of theoretical and practical ability.
Biochemistry of serotonin

The biochemical origin of serotonin from tryptophan is described. Most of the serotonin produced in the body is derived from the gastrointestinal tract. Normally, only a small amount of tryptophan is metabolized to serotonin; the majority leads to the vitamin, nicotinic acid, as an end product. In carcinoid, there is a reversal of this situation such that a majority of tryptophan is converted to serotonin. In addition to producing a large excess of serotonin which is responsible for many of the symptoms of the carcinoid syndrome, there may then also occur a deficiency of nicotinic acid.
Determination of latex particle size by light scattering—III. Minima and maxima in angular dependence of intensity

From Mie theory calculations it is shown that the angular positions of the first two minima and maxima in the intensity of the vertically polarized component of the scattered light are given by the relations Dλm sin θi2 = ai − bim and Dλm sin φi2 = Ai − Bim where D is the diameter of the scattering spheres, λm the wavelength of light in the medium, m the refractive index ratio of scattering particles to medium, θi the angles at which minima occur, and φi the angles for the maxima. The subscript i = 1 or 2, depending on the order of the minimum or maximum. Finally, ai, bi, Ai, and Bi are constants dependent only on the value of i. These equations hold for m = 1.00 to 1.55, and apply to unpolarized incident light. Using these equations, particle diameters of four latices ranging in size from 3470 to 10,500 A. have been determined at several wavelengths. The results show that for monodisperse latices the D obtained is essentially the same for all orders of the minima and maxima, as well as the two wavelengths used. For polydisperse latices D is essentially the same for the various minima and maxima at a given wavelength, but it increases as λm is increased. Only at the lowest wavelength used, λm = 2711 A., does D correspond to the weight-average diameter obtained from electron microscopy. The particle sizes which are theoretically determinable under suitable conditions from the first two maxima and minima range from 0.18 to 7.7 microns in diameter. It is also demonstrated that equations of the above form apply to the first four minima and maxima in the total intensity of the scattered light at m = 1.20.
New fern stems from the Triassic of Antarctica

Abstract Five new genera of filicalean fern stems are described from Antarctic silicified permineralizations of early Middle Triassic age. Antarctipteris gen. n. stems are rhizomatous, 5–15 mm in diameter and possess an exarch protostele. Leaf traces are initially bar-shaped and become C- or V- shaped in the petiole. The stele and leaf traces are surrounded by cortical sclerenchyma strands. Fremouwa gen. n. is a creeping rhizome 1–4 mm in diameter which possesses an endarch, ectophloic siphonostele. C-shaped leaf traces are produced radially and migrate through the cortex obliquely. Schleporia gen. n. stems are 3–4 mm in diameter and possess a mesarch ectophloic siphonostele. Branching occurs by initiation of two C-shaped xylem strands that fuse adaxially and then abaxially to form a cylinder. Leaf traces are C-shaped and distantly spaced. Schopfiopteris gen. n. is a creeping rhizome 1.5–11 mm in diameter which possesses an endarch, ectophloic siphonostele. Stems produce C-shaped leaf traces on one side of the stele. Soloropteris gen. n. stems are cylindrical, 1–4 mm in diameter, and possess a mesarch amphiphloic siphonostele which produces C-shaped leaf traces. Lateral buds are axillary or adaxial to the widely spaced leaves. The stems are compared anatomically to Paleozoic filicalean ferns and an attempt is made to suggest relationships to extant families within the Filicales.
In vitro selection of Nicotiana sylvestris variants with limited resistance to TMV.

Haploid tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) plants were inoculated with a yellow strain of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-Flavum) and then exposed to 500 rads of acute gamma radiation. Leaf strips cultured on callus-inducing medium yielded two types of colonies: 1) yellow, virus-infected and 2) green, apparently healthy. Of the 3210 calli scored, approximately 5% were virus-free, and after regeneration, 0.2% were resistant at the plant stage. Later, adult plants, both TMV-resistant and TMV-susceptible, produced self-fertile, diploid flowers. Both seedling progeny and rooted cuttings from resistant stock plants showed resistance to TMV infection. This resistance was characterized by restricted virus multiplication and movement within the infected plant resulting in a 3–8 week delay in symptom expression.