cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Last Word: A Comparison of Younger and Older Adults’ Brain Responses to Reminders of Death

Objectives Terror management theory (TMT) suggests increased death awareness motivates various human behaviors and defenses. Recent research reveals age differences in response to increased awareness of death, and older adults' proximity to death may contribute to these differences. In the first known investigation of attention's role in these age differences, we examined brain response associated with attention allocation for death-related stimuli. Method Younger (ages 18-28) and older (ages 61-78) adults viewed emotionally neutral, death-related negative, general negative, and positive words while recording event-related potentials (ERPs). Results Younger adults exhibited greater amplitudes in the late positive potential component of the ERP in response to death-related than negative words, whereas older adults showed the opposite pattern. Discussion Findings provide neurophysiological support for the shift in older adults' responses to death-related stimuli found in other TMT research as well as studies reporting reduced explicit death anxiety in older adults. Results also highlight the importance of considering stimuli content in studies of attention and emotion.
NONINVASIVE ASSESSMENT THE HEMODYNAMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF CORONARY STENOSIS USING FUSION OF CARDIAC COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND 3D ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Abnormal coronary CT angiography (CCTA) often leads to stress testing to determine hemodynamic significance of stenosis. We hypothesized that instead this could be achieved by fusion of the coronary anatomy with 3D echocardiography (3DE) derived resting myocardial deformation. We developed fusion
Ensuring Quality During Intraoperative Blood Salvage

Intraoperative blood salvage can reduce the need for homologous red blood cell transfusions in cases in which 1,000 mL or more of blood loss is expected. A carefully trained team with adequate leadership is critical to the procedure's success. An effective program displays coordination and communication among the team, surgeons, anesthesiologists, blood bank physicians, and the hospital’s transfusion committee. Periodic monitoring of the hematocrit level, free hemoglobin level, anticoagulant level, and sterility of salvage blood is important. This is the first article in a four-part continuing update series on blood banking. Other articles focus on blood substitutes, electronic crossmatch, and transfusion triggers.
Effects of surgical approaches for acetabular fractures with associated gluteal vascular injury.

Objectives: To examine the viability of the abductor muscles following extensile exposures to the acetabulum in the presence of superior gluteal artery (SGA) or vein (SGV) injury. Design: In vivo animal study. Intervention: Twenty-two dogs underwent either an extensile or combined two-incision acetabular approach; either the SGA, the SGV, or no vessel was ligated. Main Outcome Measurements: Blood flow to the affected gluteal region was evaluated by angiography, laser Doppler flowmetry, and fluorescent microspheres, and histologic and wet weight analyses were performed on the abductor muscles. Results: Complete ischemic necrosis of the abductor muscles did not occur in any specimen; however, there were statistically significant reductions in immediate postoperative gluteal muscle perfusion (-47 percent, p < 0.01), loss of abductor muscle mass (-41 percent, p < 0.001), and histologic evidence of moderate to severe necrosis in five of seven specimens with extensile exposures and SGA ligation (p, = 0.01). Extensile exposure and SGV ligation also caused a significant loss of muscle mass (-25 percent, p < 0.02), with moderate to severe necrosis occurring in four of seven specimens (p < 0.04). Dogs with SGA ligation undergoing the two-incision approach had no significant changes in muscle mass (-3 percent) or perfusion. Moderate to severe necrosis occurred in only one of four specimens. Conclusions: This study fails to support the hypothesis that extensile approaches to complex acetabular fractures eliminate abductor collateral circulation when performed in the presence of SGA injury.
Ussing Chamber Technique to Measure Intestinal Epithelial Permeability

Epithelial cells are polarized and have tight junctions that contribute to barrier function. Assessment of barrier function typically involves measurement of electrophysiological parameters or movement of nonionic particles across an epithelium. Here, we describe measurement of transepithelial electrical conductance or resistance, determination of dilution potential, and assessment of flux of nonionic particles such as dextran or mannitol, with particular emphasis on Ussing chamber techniques.
Gastrointestinal helminths of Coyotes (Canis latrans) from Southeast Nebraska and Shenandoah area of Iowa

Aim This survey was carried out on the carcasses of 29 coyotes from Southeastern Nebraska and Shenandoah area of Iowa to document the helminths present in the intestinal track of these carnivorous animals. Materials and methods A total of 29 adult coyote carcasses were generously donated in the autumn and winter (November-February) of 2014-2015 by trappers, fur buyers and hunters of Southeast Nebraska and Shenandoah area of Iowa. The intestine of individual animals were examined for the recovery of helminth parasites as per the established procedures. Results We found that as many as 93.10% of the investigated coyotes were infected with one or more helminth infections. A total of 10 different species of helminth parasites were recovered from the intestines of coyotes under investigation. Among the 10 species of helminths, 5 were identified as cestodes while the remaining 5 were nematodes. A total of 82.75% of the animals were infected with one or more species of nematodes, while 75.86% of them were colonized with one or more species of cestode parasites. The most abundant species in coyotes were Toxascaris leonina (68.95%) closely followed by Taenia hydatigena (58.62%). The prevalence of Ancylostoma caninum and Taenia pisiformis were recorded at 31.03%, followed by those of Toxocara canis and Echinococcus spp. at 24.13%, respectively. Three animals were infected with Trichuris vulpis while three other coyotes each were found to be harboring Uncinaria stenocephala, Dipylidium caninum, or Hymenolepis diminuta. The presence of H. diminuta might have been the result of the ingestion of a rodent by the respective coyotes. Conclusion From the overall analysis of the present data and comparing it with the previous reports of various scientists over several decades, we can conclude that intestinal helminths are still very much prevalent among the coyote population in the Southeast Nebraska and Iowa area. The relatively high prevalence of the zoonotic parasite species further warrants a more comprehensive investigation with larger numbers of wild predators from the region to ascertain the possible contribution of coyotes to the disease cycle as these animals are more frequently spotted in and around the densely populated urban areas.
Sugar-regulated control of α-tubulin in maize cell suspension culture

The data reported here shows that α-tubulin, the subunit of microtubulin in the cytoskeleton, is regulated by sugars. A 48-h sugar-depletion treatment in BMS maize cell suspension culture medium led to a marked reduction in the levels of α-tubulin mRNA and protein. This response was reversible; the addition of metabolizable sugars led to a rapid increase in the levels of the α-tubulin transcript. Levels of α-tubulin protein also increased, albeit gradually. Surprisingly, there was little or no effect of phosphate depletion and phosphate addition on α-tubulin expression. Furthermore, the data show that sugars modulate a co-regulation of α-tubulin and cell-wall invertase. We propose that microtubules might be a major component of a sugar-signaling pathway that is regulated by, among other factors, cellular carbon metabolism.
Integrating Paradigms for Approximate Probabilistic Planning

Humans are often able to solve extremely large probabilistic planning problems reasonably well by exploiting problem structure, heuristics, and various approximations. Each of these aspects seems indispensable for achieving high scalability and has been studied in detail by the automated planning community. However, most existing solvers use only a proper subset of them. In an initial attempt to bridge this gap we introduce RETRASE, a novel MDP solver that derives approximate policies by extracting problem structure and learning its parameters under heuristic guidance. RETRASE uses classical planning to discover basis functions for value-function approximation and applies expected-utility analysis to this compact space. Experiments demonstrate that RETRASE outperforms winners from the past three probabilistic-planning competitions on many hard problems. We outline several extensions of RETRASE and new directions for unifying paradigms in probabilistic planning prompted by RETRASE’s success.
Analysis of the Quality Factor and Response Time of Resonant Biosensor

The relationship between the overall damping and response time of resonant biosensors is investigated in this paper. The governing equation of motion is derived using a single degree-of-freedom model of the resonator considering the dynamic effect of adsorption of the measured parameter. It is shown that the adsorption leads to a damping force on the resonant sensor. If not taken into account, this damping force results in misinter-pretation of the sensor readings.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Managing and manipulating the rhizosphere microbiome for plant health: A systems approach

Plants co-evolved with microbes, and plant genotypes that supported microbiomes that increased their own health likely had a fitness advantage under natural selection. Plant domestication and crop breeding under fertilization have largely decoupled the rhizosphere microbiome from plant selection. If important interactions have been lost as a result, there is an exciting opportunity to re-engineer characteristics of beneficial rhizosphere microbiomes back into agricultural cropping systems. New tools will allow us to engineer the rhizosphere with increasing sophistication in the future, but must recognize that the rhizosphere is a highly connected and interactive system.
Designing Freemium: Strategic Balancing Growth and Monetization

Freemium (free + premium) has become the dominant business model among technology start-ups for its ability to acquire and monetize a large customer base with limited marketing resources. Freemium is a hybrid strategy where a firm offers both a perpetually free but limited version of its service, and a premium version with enhanced features that requires a fee. These firms often have a referral program where current customers get additional benefits (e.g., extra storage space for their files) for referring their friends to the firm’s products. While this strategy allows firms to acquire a large user base at low cost, it needs to be balanced against revenue generation possibilities. Firms need to know if and when customers would upgrade to premium service; how attractive should be the referral offer to current users that encourages them to bring in new customers but may dissuade them from upgrading. Since majority of freemium customers do not pay anything when they join, it is critical to know their value in the long run. Free customers have value for the firm if in the future either they or their referrals upgrade to premium service.We develop a model based on microfoundations and empirically test it to understand the dynamics of consumers’ plan choice, usage, upgrade, and referral behavior in the freemium setting using a novel panel data set from a leading cloud-based storage service. We develop and estimate a dynamic structural model that includes both discrete and continuous choices. Using counterfactual analysis, we provide guidelines to companies on how to design their freemium product and how to assess the value of their free customers to balance growth and profitability.
Higher-Order Thought, Self-Identification, and Delusions of Disownership

David Rosenthal’s higher-order thought (HOT) theory says that for a mental state to be conscious, it must be accompanied by a higher-order thought about that state. One objection to Rosenthal’s account is that HOTs do not secure what Sydney Shoemaker has called ‘immunity to error through misidentification’ (IEM). I will argue that Rosenthal’s discussion of dissociative identity order fails to salvage his account from this objection and that his thin immunity principle is in tension with cases of somatoparaphrenia. Rather than showing that self-awareness consists in identification, an examination of the delusions of disownership found in dissociative identity disorder and somatoparaphrenia lends support to IEM and highlights an important distinction between perspectival ownership and personal ownership.
Neighbourhood characteristics and urban gardens in the Toledo metropolitan area: staffing and voluntarism, food production, infrastructure, and sustainability practices.

Urban gardens are important sources of sustenance for communities with limited access to food. Hence, this study focuses on food production in gardens in the Toledo metropolitan area in Northwest O...
Tunable plasmonic toroidal terahertz metamodulator

Optical modulators are essential and strategic parts of micro- and nanophotonic circuits to encode electro-optical signals in the optical domain. Here, by using arrays of multipixel toroidal plasmonic terahertz (THz) metamolecules, we developed a functional plasmonic metamodulator with high efficiency and tunability. Technically, the dynamic toroidal dipole induces nonradiating charge-current arrangements leading to have an exquisite role in defining the inherent spectral features of various materials. By categorizing in a different family of multipoles far from the traditional electromagnetic multipoles, the toroidal dipole corresponds to poloidal currents flowing on the surface of a closed-loop torus. Utilizing the sensitivity of the optically driven toroidal momentum to the incident THz beam power and by employing both numerical tools and experimental analysis, we systematically studied the spectral response of the proposed THz plasmonic metadevice. In this Rapid Communication, we uncover a correlation between the existence and the excitation of the toroidal response and the incident beam power. This mechanism is employed to develop THz toroidal metamodulators with a strong potential to be employed for practical advanced and next-generation communication, filtering, and routing applications.
The Arithmetic Operations as Mathematical Models

Mathematical modelling begins in the early primary grades even though the language and ideas of mathematical modelling are not employed. The common arithmetic operations are mathematical models for various counting and measure situations found in the real world. These models parallel the theoretical properties of the operations and provide the basis for more sophisticated mathematical models found in algebra, geometry, analysis, and statistics. The advantages of drawing attention early in instruction to modelling acts involving arithmetic operations are outlined.
Water quality variation with storm runoff and evaporation in playa wetlands

Abstract Playas are the often most noticeable surface water feature in the Southern High Plains. The purpose of our study is to provide local and timely reference data on playa water quality and quantity in drier and wetter weather conditions. Water quality parameters of three playas in Texas, in the summer of 2016, were monitored via weekly environmental sampling. Annual water volume-depth dynamics within the study playas were also estimated by water balance informed by climate and geospatial data. The results showed that both direct rainfall and runoff affect the volume of water within the playa where the volume of runoff entering into a playa is contingent upon the surrounding drainage area. In addition, water quality does vary substantially from playa to playa (conductivity 180–850 μS/cm, TOC 13–81 mg/L) and between playa and non-playa surface water. Differences were related to local soils, drainage area size/slope, and land use. It was also found from the water quality analysis that playas are capable of containing a quality of water that would make them an attractive habitat for wildlife. The greatest economic value of playas may be their ability to contain high quantities of biodiversity though the future of their capacity to do so is uncertain.
A high-resolution coupled ice-ocean model of winter circulation on the bering sea shelf. Part I: Ice model refinements and skill assessments

Abstract The Bering Sea Shelf transitions from ice-free to mostly ice-covered and back again over each winter. Sea ice coverage and the timing of ice melt play a critical role in determining shelf structure and consequently ecosystem response during the spring transition and summer. In this study, a 2-km resolution ocean model, which is based on the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and was initially run and verified against a variety of observational data sources for summer 2009, is augmented with an ice model to study the coupled ice/ocean dynamics of the Bering Sea shelf from fall 2009 to summer 2010. Here we demonstrate that a single-category ice model is appropriate to describe seasonal evolution of the ice. Enhancements are made to the ice thermodynamic module and air/ice stress formulations to improve the match between the model and satellite microwave estimates of ice distribution and extent. The refined model accurately represents the timing and spatial extent of the spread of sea ice over the winter season as well as the ice retreat as it melts in spring and summer. Comparison with satellite products also suggests that the model captures the sea ice response on shorter temporal (∼O(days)) and spatial scales (∼O(20 km)). The modification to the drag formulation for example, can improve the modeled sea ice distribution in response to wind events overall and in particular in polynya regions along the coastlines of the Seward and Chukotka peninsulas and St. Lawrence Island.
Self-reported sexually-transmitted infections and criminal justice involvement among women who use drugs.

Abstract Background Women involved in the criminal justice system in the United States have high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI). It is unknown whether criminal justice involvement is a marker for other risk behavior, such as sex exchange or drug use, or criminal justice involvement itself increases risk directly. Methods This study examines the relationship between STI and the frequency and duration of arrest, probation, and incarceration in a sample of women who use drugs (n = 394) in Oakland, California who reported having been tested for STI in the past six months. Logistic regression models of STI using criminal justice measures as independent variables were used, and subsequent estimates were adjusted for demographics, sex exchange, specific drugs used, and number of sexual partners. Results Any time spent in jail in the past year was associated with higher odds of recent STI (UOR = 2.28, 95%CI [1.41–3.51]), and short incarcerations (2–3 weeks) in jail most substantially increased the odds of an STI diagnosis (UOR = 7.65, 95%CI [1.03, 56.68]). Arrest and probation were not significantly associated with STI. After adjusting for the covariates, particularly sex exchange and opioid use, none of the criminal justice-related variables were significantly associated with STI. Conclusions A substantial portion of the increased risk of STI that is associated with criminal justice involvement for women who use drugs is likely due to sex exchange. Longitudinal studies are needed to temporally separate criminal justice exposures, drug use, sex exchange, and STI outcomes.
Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma presenting with altered mental status: A case report.

Background Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare and aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with a varied presentation and no pathognomonic findings. Early diagnosis is critical to altering the disease course as early treatment with chemoimmunotherapy is required to prevent a rapidly fatal outcome. Strategies including improved awareness of this clinical entity through publication of cases with unique presentations are essential to prompt consideration of IVLBCL early in the disease workup. Here, we present a case of IVLBCL presenting with altered mental status and systemic organ dysfunction. Case summary A 61-year-old male patient presented with flu-like symptoms and a high fever. He experienced rapid clinical deterioration with liver, kidney failure, and shock despite rapid antibiotic administration and supportive care. A broad infectious workup was negative. Intracranial imaging revealed nonspecific changes to the corpus callosum suspicious for vasculitis. Renal biopsy was non-diagnostic. After further progression of his symptoms, the family elected to withdraw care and the patient died shortly thereafter. Post-mortem analysis revealed clear multi-organ involvement by IVLBCL, prompting re-examination of the ante-mortem renal biopsy that also identified IVLBCL involvement. Conclusion IVLBCL is a rare disease. Communication with specialties and early biopsy is critical to establishing the diagnosis and initiating therapy.
Atomic Radiationless Transition Probabilities to the 1 s State and Theoretical K -Shell Fluorescence Yields

Radiationless transition probabilities to the atomic $1s$ shell are calculated for all transitions that contribute measurably to the Auger effect. Screened nonrelativistic hydrogenic wave functions are used. The effective charge for the continuum-electron Coulomb wave function is taken to be the geometric mean of the effective charges appropriate for the state from which the electron originates and the next-higher state. The results are combined with Scofield's radiative transition probabilities to derive theoretical $K$-shell fluorescence yields. Agreement with a selected set of most reliable ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{K}$ measurements is very good in the range from $Z=10 \mathrm{to} 55$, and total $K$-level widths agree very well with measured values.
Effects of an advanced driver training program on young traffic offenders’ subsequent crash experience

Abstract Introduction: Advanced driver training programs (ADTPs) are a popular approach to improve young driver safety in the U.S. These programs provide behind-the-wheel experiences in controlled settings that are thought by parents, teens, and others to be highly valuable. However, none of these programs have been carefully evaluated. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate one such program. Methods: We randomly assigned 599 young drivers who had received a traffic citation to an ADTP, or a control condition involving traditional classroom traffic safety education. Results: Time-to-event (survival) analyses of participants’ subsequent crash experience over the course of 550 days revealed no meaningful difference in the number of days to the first crash for those who participated in the experimental or control programs, or those who left the study. Conclusions: The advanced driver training program evaluated in this study produced no more crash reduction benefits for participants than traditional classroom-based programs. A strength of the study was the relatively large sample size and the random assignment of participants to conditions, which ruled out self-selection bias. However, this group, recruited as a result of traffic violation, may have already developed a higher risk driving demeanor than was the case in the broader population of young drivers. Additional research with other ADTPs and with a population of drivers who are earlier in their driving careers, using a similarly strong experimental design, is urgently needed to inform traffic safety practitioners and parents about the potential value of such hands-on programs.
Microsensors in Icy Environments to Detect Microbial Activities

Electrochemical techniques such as impedance spectroscopy offer a non-invasive approach to monitor microorganisms in natural and engineered environments. Here, we present data on the use of microfabricated impedance spectroscopy sensors for the detection of microbes in icy environments. Under controlled laboratory settings, the effects of different cell concentrations of the Antarctic isolate Flavobacterium sp. ANT 11 on impedance spectroscopy was investigated at ambient temperature (22°C) and -10°C. Results show that varying cell concentrations of the bacterial isolate generate unique spectral responses that vary with temperature. Subsequent tests on the performance of microfabricated impedance sensors on natural microbial communities in icy environments in the Beartooth Mountains, WY, USA, confirmed laboratory findings. Different environmental samples at varying microbial concentrations in liquid, semi-frozen (slushy), or frozen states generated discrete impedance spectra. While caution is advised to generalize these results due to the potential contribution of unknown environmental variables, our data provide fertile territory for research in cryo-microbiology, as information on the applicability of impedance spectroscopy under frozen conditions is limited. [2020-0150]
Structurally Modified Norbornenes: A Key Factor to Modulate Reaction Selectivity in the Palladium/Norbornene Cooperative Catalysis

Palladium/norbornene (Pd/NBE) cooperative catalysis has received enormous attention and found numerous synthetic applications in the past two decades. Considering the critical roles that NBE plays ...
Device outcomes in pediatric sacral neuromodulation: A single center series of 187 patients.

Summary Introduction Pediatric sacral neuromodulation (SNM) device duration before revision or removal is not well known. Furthermore, secondary surgeries serve as surrogates for key outcomes including complications and symptom improvement. Objective We sought to study the rate and causes of secondary surgeries in pediatric SNM patients. Study design We assessed our cohort of pediatric SNM patients for secondary surgeries (revision or removal). Baseline patient characteristics associated with secondary surgery were analyzed with Fisher's exact test. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to describe secondary-surgery-free device survival. Results 187 pediatric patients underwent sacral neuromodulation at our institution between 2002 and 2019. 7 (4%) patients did not have a permanent device placed due to poor response during an externalized lead trial period, leaving 180 patients with permanent implanted devices. Over a median follow-up of 3.9 years (IQR 2.0 to 6.3), there were 154 total secondary surgeries. There were 83 device revisions, with 89% of revisions for a non-functioning device, 8% for pain, and 2% for infection. Of the non-functioning devices, 11% were due to battery depletion and the rest were due to lead fracture or dislodgement. Permanent device removal was performed in 71 (39%) patients, with 38% of these for unfavorable reasons (6% infection, 8% pain, 24% no longer effective) and 62% for favorable reasons (symptom improvement or resolution). Of patient baseline characteristics, only device duration was associated with favorable removal (p Discussion Describing the likelihood of subsequent surgery is an important aspect of patient and guardian counseling concerning pediatric SNM. Our cohort had a 68% 5 year all-cause reoperation rate. However, in a theoretical perfect world, pediatric SNM reoperation rate would be 100% after adequate follow-up (either for battery replacement, or device explantation for improvement). Conclusions While sacral neuromodulation in our cohort of children carried a high (68% 5-year) reoperation rate (whether for complication or symptom improvement), the majority (74%) of these patients with previously refractory symptoms either continue to use their device or have had significant symptom improvement to permit device removal at moderate-term (median 3.9 year) follow-up. Download : Download high-res image (93KB) Download : Download full-size image Summary Figure . All-cause device secondary-surgery-free survival, includes surgeries for complications (unfavorable) and device removal for symptom improvement (favorable).
Estimation of differential occupational risk of COVID-19 by comparing risk factors with case data by occupational group.

Background The disease burden of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not uniform across occupations. Although healthcare workers are well-known to be at increased risk, data for other occupations are lacking. In lieu of this, models have been used to forecast occupational risk using various predictors, but no model heretofore has used data from actual case numbers. This study assesses the differential risk of COVID-19 by occupation using predictors from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database and correlating them with case counts published by the Washington State Department of Health to identify workers in individual occupations at highest risk of COVID-19 infection. Methods The O*NET database was screened for potential predictors of differential COVID-19 risk by occupation. Case counts delineated by occupational group were obtained from public sources. Prevalence by occupation was estimated and correlated with O*NET data to build a regression model to predict individual occupations at greatest risk. Results Two variables correlate with case prevalence: disease exposure (r = 0.66; p = 0.001) and physical proximity (r = 0.64; p = 0.002), and predict 47.5% of prevalence variance (p = 0.003) on multiple linear regression analysis. The highest risk occupations are in healthcare, particularly dental, but many nonhealthcare occupations are also vulnerable. Conclusions Models can be used to identify workers vulnerable to COVID-19, but predictions are tempered by methodological limitations. Comprehensive data across many states must be collected to adequately guide implementation of occupation-specific interventions in the battle against COVID-19.
Taxation and Public Spending in Autocracies

The vast majority of societies in the history of the world have been ruled by authoritarians. Only since 1991 has democracy been the most prevalent political system in the world – and even in 2007, 46 percent of the world population was living in non-democratic regimes. While there has been much research on politics in advanced industrial countries and democracies, we are only beginning to understand how autocracies work. More often than not, political scientists assume that autocracies and democracies are fundamentally different and pursue contrasting policies. Dominant models suggest that democracies will tax, redistribute and provide public goods at higher levels than autocracies. Yet, in contrast to these simplistic predictions, often autocracies out-spend and out-tax democracies. Current political economic models do not offer sufficient explanatory power in autocracies. This paper is concerned with the question of when autocracies have incentives to invest in fiscal capacity. Specifically, when do investments in public services generate a high enough pay off to the autocratic elite to warrant an efficient system of taxation? I argue that when a high level of public service provision is profitable and a private provision of these goods by elite members is unlikely, efficient taxation and government spending becomes rational for autocratic elites. The propensity for authoritarian elites to engage in government spending towards public services depends on the economic characteristics they are engaged in. I contend that depending on the economic characteristics of the country, elites can directly benefit from government spending. If they do so, and conditional on the level of inequality, efficient taxation to finance public goods becomes more likely. In this paper, I test this theoretical argument on a cross-section sample of authoritarian regimes. I utilize data on taxation in autocracies around the world and apply imputation techniques to alleviate bias due to missing data. I further explore the argument using four suggestive cases.
Food Security Concerns and Sustainable Agricultural Production in Egypt

Agriculture is one of Egypt’s most important sectors and a principal economic and social concern. The challenge to Egypt’s agriculture is to sustainably expand agricultural production to meet escalating domestic demand for food and serve as a pathway out of poverty. However, the agricultural sector faces many difficulties and challenges that have characterized the sector in recent decades. This paper outlines the key characteristics of Egypt’s agriculture and the significant threats to agricultural production and productivity. Besides, it summarizes current trends in productivity growth rates of the major grain crops. The overall objective of the article is to analyze the impact of food security concerns on agriculture sustainability in Egypt and the consequences of unsustainable agriculture systems on food security. The nexus of food security concerns – the growing number of poor people, increasing demand for food, escalating food prices, resource constraints to increase food production, struggling economy, and the burden of food imports- has stimulated agricultural intensification. On the other hand, unsustainable cropping systems could lead to the exhaustion of scarce water resources, deterioration of soil fertility, and pollution of water and land resources. Such consequences caused by agricultural intensification jeopardize Egypt’s ability of food production into the future.
Sublinear Algorithms for Edit Distance (Invited Talk)

The edit distance is a way of quantifying how similar two strings are to one another by counting the minimum number of character insertions, deletions, and substitutions required to transform one string into the other. A simple dynamic programming computes the edit distance between two strings of length n in O(n²) time, and a more sophisticated algorithm runs in time O(n+t²) where t is the distance (Landau, Myers and Schmidt, SICOMP 1998). In pursuit of obtaining faster running time, the last couple of decades have seen a flurry of research on approximating edit distance, including polylogarithmic approximation in near-linear time (Andoni, Krauthgamer and Onak, FOCS 2010), and a constant-factor approximation in subquadratic time (Chakrabarty, Das, Goldenberg, Koucký and Saks, FOCS 2018). In this talk, we will discuss recent progress that goes beyond linear time, and studies sublinear time algorithms for edit distance. We will also discuss the role preprocessing might play in designing fast algorithms. This is a joint work with Elazar Goldenberg, Tomasz Kociumaka, Robert Krauthgamer, and Aviad Rubinstein.
Theologizing in Black: On Africana Theological Ethics and Anthropology

Celucien L. Joseph's, Theologizing in Black is an ambitious work which seeks to synthesize more than a half-century of theological work across the Black diaspora under the banner of Africana theolo...
Mobility handover and power control in GSM

A cellular system relies on mobility management to provide for the roaming capability, a key requirement. As cellular systems advance and new standards are created, mobility management has witnessed and will continue to witness significant improvements. GSM is the latest successful digital system and owes its success in part to a sophisticated mobility management philosophy, which embraces radio mobility, network mobility and personal mobility. These three aspects have been described in length in this chapter and their sophistication explained.
Interactive Image Segmentation Applied to CT and MR Images

In radiation treatment planning, it is necessary to mark out selected parts of CT or MR images which are clinically relevant, before designing the treatment plan. This process is usually done manually with a mouse, and for a typical data set of some 40 slices it can be a time consuming and tedious process. Automatic image segmentation techniques have been investigated, but are of little use in this field since it is difficult to incorporate the relevant clinical knowledge. We describe here two methods: Interactive Volume Growing and Hierarchical Probabilistic Segmentation, which assist the clinical user in outlining relevant volumes whilst allowing him full control of the process. Both methods have been integrated into one of the pilot systems developed as part of the COVIRA project.
Gert J.J. Biesta, Beyond Learning: Democratic Education for a Human Future : Paradigm Publishers, Boulder, CO, 2006 ()

Philosophy of education is characterized by a set of central and abiding questions. Gert J.J. Biesta appreciates that these questions require immediate action and yet, in Beyond Learning: Democratic Education for a Human Future (2006), he disparages formulaic answers ready-to-hand. He urges us to consider ‘‘what these questions actually mean and what they ask from us’’ (Biesta 2006, p. 97). He understands that we must allow these questions to interrupt established norms and practices in order to solicit the emergence of something genuinely new—for then, and only then, will we arrive at the answers so urgently sought. To this end, Biesta’s ‘‘plea for a pedagogy of interruption’’ enacts the very approach he calls for (Biesta 2006, p. 11). One such question addresses the relationship of the individual to society and the role of education in the formation, renewal, and re-formation of this relationship. Although learning is typically associated with the acquisition of knowledge, skills and values that make social renewal possible, in Beyond Learning Biesta reminds us that there is a much more educationally significant learning that involves our ‘‘‘coming into the world’ as unique singular beings’’ (Biesta 2006, p. 27). He acknowledges that this learning cannot be brought about by deliberate or technical means; instead, educators must create occasions for it by transforming schools and classrooms into intersubjective ‘spaces’ characterized by pluralism and difference. Biesta identifies three constituents of the educational relationship that accords with this more educationally significant learning: trust without ground, transcendental violence, and responsibility without knowledge. Trust without ground is self-explanatory: since education profoundly changes the learner in ways that are incalculable, learners must trust themselves, the educational process, and their educators. Biesta takes the term ‘‘transcendental violence’’ from Jacques Derrida to refer to the violation of subjective sovereignty necessary for subjective becoming. Educators, he argues, should disrupt and destabilize an individual’s subjective confidence by asking difficult questions, the most
Soft Drugs 18. Oral and Rectal Delivery of Loteprednol Etabonate, a Novel Soft Corticosteroid, in Rats—for Safer Treatment of Gastrointestinal Inflammation

Purpose. As a safe anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, the utility of loteprednol etabonate (LE) for the treatment of gastrointestinal inflammation, via oral and rectal administration, was investigated in rats.
A method of evaluating the cooling performance of electronic equipment via a porous media approach

A method of applying the porous media approach to evaluate the cooling performance of electronic equipment is proposed. A theoretical account is provided to show the simplifying aspects of adopting such an approach. Ways to plan experiments in order to evaluate the effective properties related to a particular electronic component are also demonstrate. The latter is an essential component in the application of the porous media approach.
Low frequency interstellar scattering and pulsar observations

Radio astronomy at frequencies from 2 to 30 MHz challenges time tested methods for extracting usable information from observations. One fundamental reason for this is that propagation effects due to the magnetoionic ionosphere, interplanetary medium, and interstellar matter (ISM) increase strongly with wavelength. The problems associated with interstellar scattering off of small scale irregularities in the electron density are addressed. What is known about interstellar scattering is summarized on the basis of high frequency observations, including scintillation and temporal broadening of pulsars and angular broadening of various galactic and extragalactic radio sources. Then those high frequency phenomena are addressed that are important or detectable at low frequencies. The radio sky becomes much simpler at low frequencies, most pulsars will not be seen as time varying sources, intensity variations will be quenched or will occur on time scales much longer than a human lifetime, and many sources will be angularly broadened and/or absorbed into the noise. Angular broadening measurements will help delineate the galactic distribution and power spectrum of small scale electron density irregularities.
Decomposition of surface EMG signals into single fiber action potentials by means of neural networks

A neural network approach to decomposing surface EMG signals into a multitude of single muscle-fiber action potentials (SFAP) is described. This decomposition yields the signal forms of the SFAPs and allows the particular SFAPs to be localized relative to the recording (surface) electrodes. The goal is to allow the physician and the medical researcher to observe the waveforms and localize SFAPs below the surface of the skin in a noninvasive manner and without discomforting the patient. The approach utilizes a Hopfield neural network. >
Judicial Balancing in Times of Stress: Comparing Diverse Approaches to the War on Terror

This article explores the proper role of judicial balancing in cases arising out of the war on terror. The relevant cases have all relied on judicial balancing in spite of criticism suggesting that in relation to the war on terror the judicial role should be minimized or confined to application of preestablished categorical standards. The article advances the thesis that judicial balancing is appropriate and indispensable in this context, but that it has thus far not been used properly. This is because existing cases fail to distinguish between states of emergency and conditions of stress and seem caught between a criminal law paradigm, a law of war paradigm and a police powers law paradigm. After comparing recent decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.K. Law Lords and the Israeli Supreme Court, the article suggests that judicial balancing combined with a process-based institutional approach could be optimal, provided it is circumscribed by a conception of the war on terror as creating conditions of stress and a new hybrid legal paradigm, the war on terror law paradigm.
The control of a microsporidian, Nosema sp., in an anopheline colony by an egg-rinsing technique.

Abstract An as yet unnamed species of Nosema may be controlled at infection rates of less than 16% in colonies of the mosquito Anopheles stephensi by simply rinsing the eggs with water. The same colony will be destroyed if the eggs are not rinsed. Neither H2O, 1% HCl, nor 1% NaOH killed the spores, whereas overnight exposure to 0.1% formalin, a 20-min exposure to 95% ethanol, or drying for 5 days did kill the spores.
PREDATORY PRICING: THE CASE OF THE RETAIL GASOLINE MARKET

Allegations of predatory pricing by large refiners have been made repeatedly by dealers' representatives, who have advocated retail divorcement as a solution. The states of Maryland and Connecticut and the District of Columbia have passed strong divorcement laws, while a host of other state legislatures have considered such laws. Using a special set of price data on refiner-operated stations, and on their competitors in Maryland, this paper tests the hypothesis that refiners have preyed on dealers. The findings, which do not support the hypothesis, deny the validity of the predatory-pricing allegations.
Sunlight creates oxygenated species in water-soluble fractions of Deepwater Horizon oil.

In order to assess the impact of sunlight on oil fate, Macondo well oil from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) rig was mixed with pure water and irradiated with simulated sunlight. After irradiation, the water-soluble organics (WSO) from the dark and irradiated samples were extracted and characterized by ultrahigh resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). Liquid–liquid extraction yielded two fractions from dark and irradiated water/oil mixtures: acidic WSOs (negative-ion electrospray (ESI)), and base/neutral WSOs (positive-ion ESI) coupled to FT-ICR MS to catalog molecular-level transformations that occur to Macondo-derived WSOs after solar irradiation. Such direct measure of oil phototransformation has not been previously reported. The most abundant heteroatom class detected in the irradiated WSO acid fractions correspond to molecules that contain five oxygens (O5), while the most abundant acids in the dark samples contain two oxygen atoms per molecule (O2). Higher-order oxygen classes (O5–O9) were abundant in the irradiated samples, but <1.5% relative abundance in the dark sample. The increased abundance of higher-order oxygen classes in the irradiated samples relative to the dark samples indicates that photooxidized components of the Macondo crude oil become water-soluble after irradiation. The base/neutral fraction showed decreased abundance of pyridinic nitrogen (N1) concurrent with an increased abundance of N1Ox classes after irradiation. The predominance of higher-order oxygen classes indicates that multiple photochemical pathways exist that result in oxidation of petroleum compounds.
A Physical Model of the Vocal Folds

Voice production is a result of the nonlinear, coupled interaction between laryngeal airflow and vocal fold tissue dynamics. Studying these fluid-structure interactions can contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of speech production, leading to improved surgical, clinical, and pedagogical care. Aside from experiments using excised larynges (e.g., Berry et al., 2001) and a model of the superficial vocal fold layer (e.g., Chan et al., 1997), no studies appear to have been reported in which self-oscillating physical models were used that were similar to the human vocal folds in the following aspects: length scale, geometry, and dynamic and mechanical behavior. This paper describes a self-oscillating physical model designed to more closely represent the human vocal folds in terms of the above key parameters. The model was constructed using a flexible polymer casting and exhibited regular, self-sustained, large-amplitude oscillations at frequencies and operating conditions close to those found in human phonation. The model demonstrated potential for further studies involving laryngeal fluid-structure interactions.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Cardiac risks and management of complications in pregnant women with congenital heart disease.

There are a growing number of women with congenital heart disease reaching adulthood and contemplating and/or undergoing pregnancy. However, pregnancy imposes hemodynamic stress on the heart and this can result in maternal, fetal and neonatal complications. Most women with congenital heart disease do well during pregnancy, but some women with high-risk cardiac lesions will not tolerate the hemodynamic changes of pregnancy. Physicians must be aware of the potential risks for the mother both during and after pregnancy, the risks to the fetus and neonate, and the risks and benefits of medications and procedures used during pregnancy. For women with complex cardiac conditions, management during pregnancy benefits from multidisciplinary care involving cardiologists with expertise in pregnancy, obstetricians with expertise in maternal fetal medicine, neonatologists and obstetric anesthetists, among others. This review will focus on the cardiac risks faced by women with congenital heart disease; particularly tho...