cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modem design using vector quantization

The use of vector quantization (VQ) as a modem technique for low signal to noise ratio (SNR) environment is presented. The advantages of using VQ are higher transmission rates for a fixed SNR or lower SNRs for a fixed transmission rate as compared to traditional modem schemes. Development of VQ signal sets for modem design, analog channel modelling computer simulation, and system performance simulation are discussed. Computer simulation results show transmission rates that come close to the Shannon limit for the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel. Other simulation results showing the advantages of this coding technique for digital transmission applications are presented. >
Examination of local atmospheric transport of radioxenon in the Ottawa River Valley

Concentrations of the radioxenon isotopes 133Xe and 135Xe were measured as they were released from the stack at the Chalk River medical isotope production facility and were then measured at various sites in the Ottawa River Valley. Dispersion modeling was then used to model the local transport of these radioxenon isotopes between the production facility and the sampling locations. The ratio of 135Xe/133Xe was also examined using an ORIGEN-ARP model was used to understand what factors played a role in the 135Xe/133Xe ratio at the time of release by considering irradiation time, flux, and decay time prior to fractionation.
Are Homo Economicus and Homo Politicus Kin

In the ten years that have passed since Schumpeter published these words ridiculing James Mill’s Essay on Government, an extensive literature has appeared that attempts to do the very thing that Schumpeter said could not be done.2 This literature, the work of economists for the most part, applies an “economic approach” to the study of politics and government and aims to bring both “economic” and “political” phenomena within the compass of a “general equilibrium theory.”3
The Serial Self

Research on the effects of war on human adaptation in the post-war period among veterans shows that it is the direct experience with the trauma of war which is decisive for subsequent psychosocial development over the lifeline (Archibald & Tuddenham, 1965; Brett & Mungine, 1985; Brill & Beebe, 1955; Card, 1983; Elder & Clipp, Chapter 6 this volume; Foy, Sipprelle, Rueger, & Carroll, 1984; Frey-Wouters & Laufer, 1986; Futterman & Pumpian-Midlin, 1951; Green & Lindy, 1985; Laufer, 1985; Laufer, in press; Laufer, Yager, Frey-Wouters, & Doneallan, 1981; Laufer, Gallops, & Frey-Wouters, 1984; Laufer, Brett, & Gallops, 1985; Laufer, Gallops, & Joyce, 1985; Lindy, Grace, & Green, 1984; Wilson & Krauss, 1985; Yager, Laufer, & Gallops, 1984). These studies of World War II and Vietnam veterans show that the life trajectories of individuals were fundamentally altered as a result of direct exposure to the various traumata of war. The evidence of enduring pathogenesis as well as the alterations of the life course requires that we examine the process through which the traumata of war impact on personality functioning and the vicissitudes of the life course development.
Life’s Fundamentals

Now that we’ve talked about the source of solar systems, the nature of life, the relevance of chemistry, and the importance of energy, we need to think about how life can arise in an otherwise non-living world, then give rise to the interdependent web of organisms that constitute ecosystems. And we need to do so in a fairly general way, so our assumptions can apply throughout the great range of habitats that are likely to be host to living organisms, wherever they are found in the universe.
Onset Timing of Electromyographic Activity in the Vastus Medialis Oblique and Vastus Lateralis Muscles in Subjects With and Without Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Background and Purpose. Inappropriate neural control of the quadriceps femoris muscle group has been implicated in patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). This study investigated the timing of initial electromyographic (EMG) activity of the vastus medialis oblique muscle (VMO) and the vastus lateralis muscle (VL) in asymptomatic subjects and subjects with PFPS during reflex and voluntary muscle activity. Subjects. Fifteen symptomatic subjects (SYMP group) (9 with bilateral symptoms) and 12 asymptomatic subjects (ASYMP group) participated. Both knees were tested in the ASYMP group and only the symptomatic knees were tested in the SYMP group, resulting in a total of 24 data sets from each group. Methods. Electromyographic data were recorded from the VMO and VL under three conditions: reflex knee extension (RFLX) elicited by a patellar tendon tap, and active knee extension in non–weight-bearing (NWB) and weight-bearing (WB) situations. For each condition, EMG activity onset times for the VMO and VL were determined from ensemble averages of four trials. Results. There were no differences between the SYMP and ASYMP groups with respect to the relative timing of initial VMO and VL activity under any of the three conditions tested. Mean timing differences for both groups were less than 0.25 milliseconds under reflex conditions and less than 4 milliseconds for active knee extension under both WB and NWB conditions. Conclusion and Discussion. These findings contradict a previous report of differences in reflex timing related to PFPS. Differences in the relative timing of onset of EMG activity of the VMO and VL during voluntary knee extension were not significant between SYMP and ASYMP groups, and were not related to the relative timing differences observed during reflex testing.
Do adolescents want to hear preventive counseling messages in outpatient settings

BACKGROUND: In response to the high prevalence of health-risk behaviors among adolescents, policy agencies have urged primary care clinicians to discuss these behaviors with all adolescents. Yet such discussions frequently do not take place. A commonly mentioned barrier is the clinician perception that patients are not interested in, or are embarrassed by, such discussions. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of this perception by conducting a survey of adolescents. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 305 adolescents, ages 11 to 16 years, waiting to be seen in three community health centers and three private practices. The questionnaire queried adolescents' willingness to talk about eight preventive counseling topics with health care practitioners, and information was collected on variables that might influence willingness. Descriptive frequencies were generated. Chisquare analysis and stratification assessed differences between groups. RESULTS: A majority of adolescents felt that it is a clinician's job to discuss health risk behaviors. On the current visit, however, fewer than 20% wanted to talk about drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or depression; fewer than 40% about sex; and fewer than 55% about diet or exercise. Adolescents reporting previous conversations on a topic were more likely to want to talk about that issue at the current visit. Willingness to talk did not vary by visit type (well care vs acute care). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that adolescents are hesitant to discuss health risk behaviors with clinicians, but the findings also suggest that receptivity increases if clinicians address these topics on repeat occasions. Language: en
A new view into prokaryotic cell biology from electron cryotomography

In this Review, Oikonomou and Jensen discuss how electron cryotomography has provided structural and mechanistic insights into the physiology of bacteria and archaea, from morphogenesis to subcellular compartmentalization and from metabolism to complex interspecies interactions.
Two Tests for Clostridium difficile Toxin Detection vs a Cytotoxin Assay

We used a cytotoxin neutralization assay, a latex agglutination test, and an automated enzyme immunoassay to test fresh stool specimens from 122 patients with diarrhea. Twentyeight (23%) of the specimens were shown to be toxin positive on the cytotoxin neutralization assay. The automated enzyme immunoassay detected 20 of the 28 specimens, and the latex agglutination test detected 14. The automated enzyme immunoassay and latex agglutination tests give specific results compared with the cytotoxin neutralization assay. These two tests are less sensitive and more costly, however, and should be reserved for cases in which physicians require rapid results.
LDPE Flows in a Laboratory-Scale Twin-Screw Extruder

With the rising concerns of environmental impacts from fossil fuels new alternative energy technologies, such as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, are being developed. The development in the hydrogen storage material, ammonia borane (NH3BH3), has established the need for an on-board solid material transportation system. By using a laboratory-scale co-rotating twin-screw extruder, this work investigated the transportation of low-density polyethylene (LDPE, a surrogate of ammonia borane) between the hydrogen extraction component and the fuel storage tank. The non-Newtonian gas-solid two-phase flow in the twin-screw extruder was studied experimentally under three operating conditions (assisted, unassisted, and filling) at varied driven power. The twin-screw extruder was assessed with two pairs of rounded thread screws made of aluminum and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, respectively. The aluminum screws were 4 mm larger in diameter than the ABS plastic screws. Under each operating condition, driven powers, torques, and volumetric flow rates were measured. The measured volumetric flow rate by using the ABS plastic screws was 46% greater than that by using the aluminum screws at the same driven power. The aluminum screws also produced larger torque than the ABS plastic screws at the same driven power. The assisted flow condition resulted in an average increase of 3.5% in volumetric flow rate over the unassisted flow condition. The study of the present solid flow may enable the use of ammonia borane as a hydrogen storage material for fuel cell driven vehicles.© 2013 ASME
Sensation seeking, peer deviance, and genetic influences on adolescent delinquency: Evidence for person-environment correlation and interaction

Both sensation seeking and affiliation with deviant peer groups are risk factors for delinquency in adolescence. In this study, we use a sample of adolescent twins (n = 549), 13 to 20 years old (M age = 15.8 years), in order to test the interactive effects of peer deviance and sensation seeking on delinquency in a genetically informative design. Consistent with a socialization effect, affiliation with deviant peers was associated with higher delinquency even after controlling for selection effects using a co-twin-control comparison. At the same time, there was evidence for person-environment correlation; adolescents with genetic dispositions toward higher sensation seeking were more likely to report having deviant peer groups. Genetic influences on sensation seeking substantially overlapped with genetic influences on adolescent delinquency. Finally, the environmentally mediated effect of peer deviance on adolescent delinquency was moderated by individual differences in sensation seeking. Adolescents reporting high levels of sensation seeking were more susceptible to deviant peers, a Person × Environment interaction. These results are consistent with both selection and socialization processes in adolescent peer relationships, and they highlight the role of sensation seeking as an intermediary phenotype for genetic risk for delinquency. (PsycINFO Database Record
Analysis on the genetic characteristics of influenza A(H3N2)virus hemmagglutinin(HA)in Zhongshan City in 2010-2013

Objective To study the genetic characteristics and variations of influenza A(H3N2)virus hemmagglutinin(HA)in Zhongshan City in 2010-2013. Methods The influenza A(H3N2)virus were isolated with MDCK cells from6 throat swab samples in Zhongshan City in 2010-2013.The virus RNA was extracted,and the hemagglutinin gene was amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced.The genetic evolutionary variations of H3N2 virus HA among different years and in contrast with the vaccine strains were analyzed by similarity retrieval using BLASTn. Results Six strains of influenza A(H3N2)virus were isolated,with 2strains for each year.The strains circulating in Zhongshan City were on the same branch with most of the epidemic strains in other countries or regions in the same year.The longer the evolutionary time,the farther the evolutionary distance.Compared with the strains from 2010,12 amino acid loci changed in the HA1 of the strains from 2012,three of which occurred in region B and C.Compared with the strains from 2012,4amino acid loci mutated in the HA1 of the strains from 2013,and two mutations were in region A.Compared with the vaccine strains,there were respectively 6and 8amino acid locus mutations in the HA1 of the strains from 2012 and 2013,and 2and 4mutations were in region A,B and C.The receptor binding sites didn't changed. Conclusions There are variations in the epidemic strains of influenza A(H3N2)virus among different years in 2010-2013 in Zhongshan City.The evolutionary distance gets farther as the evolutionary time gets longer.The epidemic strains still vary from the vaccine strains.
ACCURACY OF A SMART MECHANICAL NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR CUP ALIGNMENT AS MEASURED BY POST-OPERATIVE CT

Introduction Navigation of acetabular component orientation is still not commonly performed despite repeated studies that show that more than ½ of acetabular components placed during hip arthroplasty are significantly malpositioned1. The current study uses postoperative CT to assess the accuracy of a smart mechanical navigation instrument system for cup alignment. Patients and Methods Twenty nine hip replacements performed using the HipXpert Navigation System had post-operative CT studies available for analysis. These post-operative CT studies were performed for pre-operative planning of the contralateral side, one to three years following the prior surgery. The patients included 17 men and 11 women. An application specific software module was developed to measure cup orientation using CT (HXR Application 1.3 Surgical Planning Associates Inc., Boston, Massachusetts). The method involves creation of a 3D surface model from the CT data and then determination of an Anterior Pelvic Plane coordinate system. A multiplaner image viewer module is then used to create an image through the CT dataset that is coincident with the opening plane of the acetabular component. Points on this plane are input and then the orientation of the cup is calculated relative to the AP Plane coordinate space according to Murray9s definitions of operative anteversion and operative inclination. The actual cup orientation was then compared to the goal of cup orientation recorded when the surgery was performed using the HipXpert navigation system for acetabular component alignment. Results Mean operative anteversion error was 1.7 degrees (SD 3.4, range −6.5 to 8.5). Mean operative inclination error was −2.3 degrees (SD 3.1, range −8.9 to 3.9). There were no outliers in either anteversion or inclination. Conclusion The current study demonstrates that the mechanical navigation system produces accurate cup alignment results as measured by post-operative CT and confirms the prior accuracy study performed using 2D/3D matching. This accuracy, compared to traditional navigation and robotic systems, may be due to the wide-based nature of the docking mechanism and the elimination of the cumulative errors of registration and tracking inherent to more complex systems.
Perioperative hemodynamics study of small left ventricle patients comparing with large left ventricle patients after mitral replacement

Objective:To investigate the perioperative hemodynamic features of mitral replacement of patients with small left ventricles and large left ventricles.Method:Patients received same size On-X mitral replacement were divided into three groups according to their LVEDD less than 40 mm,between 40 mm and 60 mm and larger than 60 mm.The perioperative echo results were analysised with SPSS software.Result:The three groups of patients with different LVEDD have no significant difference in the aortic blood velocity,mitral blood velocity and pulmonary pressure.Conclusion:With the causious perioperative treatment and myocardial protection,the patients with small left ventricle received the big mitral prosthesis got similar hemodynamics results as the patients with large left ventricles.
Modeling of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Generation Unit Based on Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm

Based on state space average method a single-stage grid-connected photovoltaic(PV) generation unit mode, which is mainly composed of three main parts: PV array, inverter and controller, equivalent impedances of LC filter at grid-connected side and line, is established. Taking particle swarm optimization(PSO) as the method for optimization, the model parameters of the inner loop and the outer loop are identified step by step. Firstly, the step disturbance is applied to the reference current of the inner loop controller on the d-axis to identify the parameters of inner loop control model; secondly, the equivalent inner loop controller model is simplified to a first-order inertia element to identify its model parameters; finally, the step disturbance is applied to the DC voltage at the output side of the maximum power point in the PV array and based on the equivalent inner loop controller the parameters of outer loop controller model are identified. Using Matlab, the detailed model of grid-connected PV generation unit and the transfer function model proposed in this paper are established respectively, and simulation results show that the proposed models are reasonable.
"1+1" Oil Field Models for English Talents' Cultivation Design

Not only does the oil field models for English talents cultivation need specialty,but also need to cultivate students' language usage.Some successful models in foreign countries provide scientific basis for us for reference.On basis of the requirements which oil-filed needs,it is necessary to designs the oil features of "1+1 models" according to cultivating target,standard,process and evaluation.
“My Voice Counts, Too”: Voting Participation Among Individuals With Intellectual Disability

Despite a strong societal commitment to ensuring that individuals with intellectual disability (ID) fully participate in their communities, few people with ID vote. Little is known about voting experiences from the perspective of people with ID. In-person, semistructured interviews were conducted with 28 adults with ID (Mage = 37 years) to obtain their input on voting. Constant comparison and content analysis methods were used to characterize themes. Results indicated that people with ID are interested in voting and desire to be included in the voting process yet receive little education on political issues or on how to make voting-related decisions. Support from family or service providers and self-advocacy facilitated their ability to vote. Implications of these findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Altering Mitochondrial Fusion and Fission Protein Levels Rescues Parkin and PINK1 Loss-of-Function Phenotypes

Loss-of-function mutations in the PARK2 and PINK1 gene, encoding Parkin and PINK1 proteins, respectively, are the leading cause of autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism. While the mechanisms by which loss of function of these proteins causes selective death of nigral dopaminergic neurons continues to elude researchers, evidence overwhelmingly points to deficits in mitochondrial respiration, enhanced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and apoptosis induction. Alterations in mitochondrial morphology reflect changes in cellular respiration, and changes in mitochondrial network connectivity are consistently observed in Parkin or PINK1 loss-of-function models; however, both increases and decreases in network connectivity have been reported. These seemingly conflicting observations may not be contradictory if the degree of deficit caused by Parkin or PINK1 loss depends on the cell’s energy demands and/or morphology, both of which vary dramatically and can change when cells move from in vivo to in vitro. Additionally, the mechanism by which immortalized cells produce ATP is shifted from the respiratory chain to glycolysis. Efforts to improve phenotypes and/or mitochondrial function and morphology in various PARK2 or PINK1 loss-of-function models by pushing the balance of fusion/fission events in both directions have been among the most encouraging. This chapter will review the processes of mitochondrial fusion and fission, the relationship between mitochondrial respiration and morphology, and some of the literature describing how Parkin and PINK1 loss of function cause mitochondrial deficits. A speculative proposal on how altering mitochondrial morphology may improve these deficits follows.
Hidden Morbidity of Ventral Hernia Repair with Mesh: As Concerning as Common Bile Duct Injury?

Background Ventral hernia repair with mesh is increasingly common, but the incidence of long-term complications that necessitate mesh explantation is unknown. We aimed to determine the epidemiology of mesh explantation after ventral hernia repair and to compare this with common bile duct injury, a dreaded complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Study Design We evaluated a retrospective cohort of patients undergoing ventral hernia repair by linking the all-payers State Inpatient Databases and State Ambulatory Surgery Databases for New York, California, and Florida. We followed patients longitudinally from 2005 to 2011 for the primary end point of mesh explantation, designated by concurrent procedure codes for ventral hernia repair and foreign body removal. We determined time to mesh explantation and calculated cumulative costs for surgical care, comparing these with historical data for common bile duct injury. Results During the study period, 619,751 patients underwent at least one ventral hernia repair (91% open, 9% laparoscopic). In a mean follow-up of 3 years, 438 patients (0.07%) had mesh removed at a median of 346 days after repair. Median cumulative cost for patients requiring mesh explantation was $21,889 vs $6,983 without (p Conclusions By this conservative estimate, complications of ventral hernia repair with implantable mesh are comparably as frequent as for common bile duct injury, but occur later in a patient's experience. Long-term follow-up is critically necessary to fully understand the ramifications of implanted devices.
Barriers to the use of a federal travel grant by living kidney donors

Living organ donation involves significant out of pocket costs, which burden donor candidates and may be an obstacle to donation. There is a single US grant (the National Living Donor Assistance Center- NLDAC) to cover live donor travel costs. Though there may be center-specific variability in grant utilization, prospective donors – and their intended recipients– must also meet eligibility criteria. In fact, the NLDAC grant is used by 300% of the federal poverty level) (n=51; 82%). The remaining exclusions (n=11; 18%) included being a nondirected donor, not meeting residency requirements, and “other.” Expanding NLDAC eligibility criteria – by broadening the recipient means test or by taking steps to eliminate it from the NLDAC charter– would reduce financial burdens associated with live donation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Probing Interactions between the Curli Accessory Protein CsgE and Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide

Curli fibers are known to be involved in bacterial adhesion to surfaces, cell aggregation, and biofilm formation. Curli belong to a class of fibers known as amyloids. Curli assembly requires 5 proteins: CsgA, CsgB, CsgE, CsgF, and CsgG. CsgA and CsgB are the major structural components of curli. CsgG is an outer membrane protein responsible for the secretion of CsgA and CsgB to the extracellular surface. CsgE and CsgF are thought to be chaperon proteins which are responsible for the transport of CsgA and CsgB in the periplasm. It has been shown that CsgE inhibits the aggregation of CsgA, the main component of curli fibers. However, not much is known about the specific interactions between these two proteins. We employed a series of single cysteine mutants of CsgE and fluorescence quenching to investigate the interaction of CsgE with CsgA and with human islet amyloid polypeptide another amyloidogenic protein unrelated to curli formation.
The Data Cleansing and Analysis Pipeline

Our lives depend on infrastructure at every turn; we take roads and bridges for granted (not to mention indoor plumbing). Similarly, transforming raw data into cleansed data that are ready to analyze involves a large number of unglamorous decisions and tasks. These should not be overlooked or taken lightly. One has to visualize the data and decide which experimental runs and datapoints to include and which to discard or to flag for special attention. The outcome values may need to be transformed, normalized, or binned. Missing values need to be reconstituted or dealt with in some way. Each of these steps requires thought and judgment, and the stakes are high, since the overall conclusion of the study may be altered or even reversed depending on how these steps are handled.
Antianthropocentrism and Science Fiction Part I: From Antiquity to World War II

Early science fiction (sf) is noted for, among other things, its conservatism and lack of interest in ecology. This chapter shows that, in fact, many sf works written between the Enlightenment and World War II employ ecological themes and question or revoke anthropocentrism. These works suggest that humans are but one species among many, that we are not the end of nature/history, that the natural world may be better off without us, and, in some cases, that humanity is fated to go extinct, the result of its own hubris. Such views are undoubtedly pessimistic, yet these works may also be read as warnings for humans to seek a humbler view of ourselves as members of what Aldo Leopold calls “the land community.” I discuss the work of many writers in this chapter, beginning with Lucian, but those of H.G. Wells are central.
Lateral Corticospinal Tract Damage Correlates With Motor Output in Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury.

Abstract Objective To investigate the relationship between spinal cord damage and specific motor function in participants with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). Design Single-blinded, cross-sectional study design. Setting University setting research laboratory. Participants Individuals with chronic cervical iSCI (N=14; 1 woman, 13 men; average age ± SD, 43±12y). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Axial T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of spinal cord damage was performed in 14 participants with iSCI. Each participant's damage was processed for total damage quantification, lateral corticospinal tract (LCST) and gracile fasciculus (GF) analysis. Plantarflexion and knee extension were quantified using an isokinetic dynamometer. Walking ability was assessed using a 6-minute walk test. Results Total damage was correlated with plantarflexion, knee extension, and distance walked in 6 minutes. Right LCST damage was correlated with right plantarflexion and right knee extension, while left LCST damage was correlated with left-sided measures. Right and left GF damage was not correlated with the motor output measures. Conclusions MRI measures of spinal cord damage were correlated to motor function, and this measure appears to have spatial specificity to descending tracts, which may offer prognostic value after SCI.
Topological features of oily streak defects and parabolic focal conics in dilute lamellar lyotropic liquid crystalline phases

Conventional polarizing microscopy and Hoffman modulation contrast optics were used to investigate the defect structures of lamellar liquid crystalline phases in dilute anionic surfactant systems, i. e., those containing at least 85% water. Based on the results obtained an improved model of the so-called oily streak defects is proposed. It features two rows of edge dislocations which have wavy configurations due to buckling. Some defects in parabolic focal conic arrays are described.
Diagnosis-specific serum 17β-estradiol (E2) upper limits for treatment with menotropins using a 125I direct E2 assay

Statistical evaluation of 133 cycles of induction of ovulation using generalized linear models demonstrated that the occurrence and severity of ovarian hyperstimulation was influenced by the serum 17β-estradiol (E2) concentration (P
Banach and Hilbert Spaces

Banach and Hilbert spaces play a key role in functional analysis. This chapter provides the reader with a detailed account of properties of Banach and Hilbert spaces. Various examples of Banach and Hilbert spaces are also discussed, among them are quotient spaces, \(L^p(\mathcal{O})\) spaces, \(BC(\mathbb{R}, \mathcal{B})\) spaces, Holder spaces \(C^{\alpha}(J, \mathcal{B})\), and Sobolev spaces \(W^{k, p}(\mathcal{O})\).
The Atomic-Scale Motion of Thiophene on Cu(111)

Self-assembled monolayers of sulfur-containing heterocycles and linear oligomers-containing thiophene groups are widely employed in organic electronic applications. Here, the surface dynamics of thiophene on Cu(111) are investigated by helium-3 spin-echo spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Thiophene adsorbs on top sites and forms a covalent S-Cu bond. Two competing activated processes are observed, manifest in a kink in the Arrhenius plot: jump diffusion between adjacent top sites over a barrier of 59–62 meV and rotation around the S-Cu anchor point over a barrier of 17 \(\pm \) 2 meV. In addition, flapping between different tilt angles is observed. MD simulations of the diffusive motion reveal an exceptionally high friction coefficient of 5 \(\pm \) 2 \(\mathrm{ps}^{-1}\).
The Future of Environmental Communication and Journalism in Latin America and the Caribbean

The concluding chapter of this volume summarizes the common themes in the reporting of environmental affairs across the seven case studies presented. These themes include rationales for shifts in attention to environmental issues, and interfaces of media, public, and official agendas, including ontological perspectives on just what environmental journalism is. In many cases, the reporting only surfaces when an environmental issue has become a real crisis. Another trend was the importance of individual impetus in becoming a newsroom entrepreneur who can push environmental issues past gatekeepers. By highlighting the shortcomings and successes of media in Latin America, the authors conclude by making a call to practitioners and scholars to address the identified limitations and advance environmental journalism in the region.
Modeling and Stability Analysis of Voltage Sensing based Differential Mode Active EMI Filters for AC-DC Power Converters

Passive EMI filters occupy significant volume in a power converter. Active EMI Filters (AEF) are a means to reduce the volume of passive filter components. It is essential to identify the boundaries within which the AEF could be designed and the possible volume reduction that is achievable. This work involves the modeling and stability analysis of Feedback Voltage Sense Current Cancellation (VSCC) Active EMI Filters. Type of applications that benefit from using voltage sensing over current sensing for is identified. An example of a non-PFC AC-DC converter is considered. Noise sensing networks comprising high voltage capacitors and high pass filter networks are designed for sensing noise. The overall filter implementation is modeled, and stability analysis is carried out. Suitable compensation networks are designed to make the filter viable. Major bottlenecks that limit the maximum attenuation are identified and general guidelines for the application of Feedback VSCC topology are proposed.
Teaching Societal Risk and Resilience Through Systems Analysis of Major Storms

Community resilience increasingly depends on adapting to uncertain levels of risk from weather extremes interacting with complex Earth surface processes. Preparation for extreme events, with risk assessment, management, mitigation, and resilience, requires community knowledge of natural hazards, many of which involve the geosphere, while geoscientists need to be aware of the social, political, and economic contexts into which they share data and risk communications. This three-unit, three-week teaching module introduces students to various natural hazards associated with weather and climate extremes, risk assessment for those hazards, and community-based risk mitigation strategies. At the same time, students acquire familiarity and hands-on practice with the vocabulary, data, data visualization, and communication of storm risk that they can carry forward not just in career applications but for practical use as community citizens. Pilot tests of the module at three university settings reveal that students acquire proficiency in many key components but underemphasize communications of the evidence base for their outcomes and proposed resilience strategies. The module is adaptive to many different regions and event types, with multiple activities that involve the use of local events.
Interpersonal Problems of Young Adults With and Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder:

Objective:Interpersonal functioning is a core area of impairment for young adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), yet the assessment of their interpersonal problems has not be...
Examining the Pathway to Motor Skill Competence in a Mastery Motivational Climate: An Appreciative Inquiry

ABSTRACTPurpose: This study followed a strengths-based approach to identify the pathway children follow as they develop from novice to skillful learners during a mastery-motivational physical educa...
The Bateman–Horn conjecture: Heuristic, history, and applications

Abstract The Bateman–Horn conjecture is a far-reaching statement about the distribution of the prime numbers. It implies many known results, such as the prime number theorem and the Green–Tao theorem, along with many famous conjectures, such the twin prime conjecture and Landau’s conjecture. We discuss the Bateman–Horn conjecture, its applications, and its origins.
Contrasting attitudes and perceptions of California sea lions by recreational anglers and the media

Abstract The recovery of California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) populations is an environmental success story, but it has created new challenges given their interactions with sport fisherman. Economic losses to the Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel (CPFV) stems both from the loss of fish, as well as the costs of fuel and time spent traveling to new fishing areas to avoid pinnipeds. Management solutions require a firm understanding of the public's perceptions of an issue. To address this shortcoming, we surveyed recreational anglers' perceptions of California sea lions and conducted a content analysis of media coverage of California sea lions in Southern Californian newspapers. We found that as anglers' knowledge of California sea lions increased, their subjective knowledge of the Marine Mammal Protection Act increased as well and they were less likely to advocate the use of lethal removal to manage sea lion issues. Avid fishers were more likely to consider shooting all sea lions as acceptable, and less likely to view controls to restrict human activity from sea lion areas as favorable. Anglers that expressed negative sentiments after an interaction with sea lions while fishing were more likely to view punishing the sea lion favorably, but less likely to view exposing the sea lions to pain as favorable. Our content analysis showed that most articles were about tourism and entertainment and the majority of articles focused on negative effects to sea lions. The media's framing might obscure the successful recovery of California sea lions and flame growing management concerns with stakeholders like anglers, dock workers, and marina occupants. Our survey showed that among stakeholders, increased understanding of the animals increased understanding of the regulatory context of their recovery and repellents as a socially acceptable means of managing the conflict. Thus, we have shown that knowledge among the public and stakeholders will enhance management efforts. Conservation management professionals can influence public attitudes by interacting with the media as well as using communications strategies that highlight the ecological mechanisms behind the conflict as well as the management actions.
Gravitational Wu-Yang monopoles

We show that in an asymptotically flat space where an S-matrix can be defined, dual supertranslations leave all its matrix elements invariant and the Hilbert space of asymptotic states factorizes into distinct superselection sectors, labeled by their dual supertranslation charges. These results suggest that dual supertranslation may be interpreted as a redundant gauge symmetry of asymptotically flat spacetimes. This would allow to recast general relativity as a theory of diffeomorphisms possessing an additional asymptotic gauge symmetry. We then use the conjectured dual supertranslation gauge symmetry to construct a gravitational equivalent of the Wu-Yang monopole solution. The metric describing the solution is defined using two overlapping patches on the celestial sphere. The solution is regular on each one of the patches separately and differentiable in the overlap region, where the two descriptions are identical by virtue of a dual supertranslation gauge transformation. Our construction provides an alternative to Misner's interpretation of the Taub-NUT metric. In particular, we find that using our approach, the Taub-NUT metric can be made regular everywhere on the celestial sphere and at the same time it is devoid of closed timelike curves, provided that the bound $\frac{m}{\ensuremath{\ell}}\ensuremath{\le}\sqrt{\frac{5}{27}}$ on the ratio of mass to NUT charge is obeyed.
Three types of psychotic-like experiences in youth at clinical high risk for psychosis

Background: A fully dimensional model of psychosis implies that psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) connect the entire psychosis spectrum. Three types of self-reported PLEs—persecutory ideation, bizarre experiences, and perceptual abnormalities—are commonly found in the general population. This study assessed the construct, predictive, and incremental validity of self-reported PLEs in youth at clinical high risk for psychotic disorders (CHR). Methods: Self-report data on PLEs (community assessment of psychic experiences; CAPE) were collected from 105 CHR youth (mage = 19.3). Interview measures of attenuated psychotic symptoms and self-report measures of psychosis proneness, depression, and anxiety were collected at baseline and 12-month follow-up (n = 70 at follow-up). Factor, cross-sectional, and longitudinal analyses examined relationships between study variables. Results: Self-reported PLEs were best represented by the same three factors found in the general population: persecutory ideation, bizarre experiences, and perceptual abnormalities. Cross-sectionally, PLEs—particularly persecutory ideation—correlated with interview-rated attenuated psychotic symptoms and self-reported psychosis proneness, depression, and anxiety. Longitudinally, baseline PLEs trended toward predicting 12-month change in positive attenuated psychotic symptoms (r = .29, pFDR = .058). Incrementally, baseline PLEs predicted 12-month change in positive and disorganized symptoms, when accounting for the effect of baseline positive symptoms and demographics. Conclusions: Three types of PLEs were valid in this CHR sample. Self-reported PLEs may be used not only to screen individuals for inclusion in the CHR classification, but also to characterize individuals within this population. Self-reported PLEs may help to forecast which CHR individuals will progress toward psychotic illness.
Caught in-between: intermediality in contemporary Eastern European and Russian cinema: edited by Ágnes Pethő, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, 2020, xii + 254 pp., illustrations, index, £80.00 (hardback, ebook), ISBN 978-1474435499

The theoretical exploration of the notion of ‘intermediality’ has been ongoing in media studies and film studies over the past two decades. However, this new edited volume by Agnes Pethő offers its...
Measuring "Language Access Profiles" in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children With the DHH Language Exposure Assessment Tool

Purpose The purposes of this study were (a) to introduce "language access profiles" as a viable alternative construct to "communication mode" for describing experience with language input during early childhood for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children; (b) to describe the development of a new tool for measuring DHH children's language access profiles during infancy and toddlerhood; and (c) to evaluate the novelty, reliability, and validity of this tool. Method We adapted an existing retrospective parent report measure of early language experience (the Language Exposure Assessment Tool) to make it suitable for use with DHH populations. We administered the adapted instrument (DHH Language Exposure Assessment Tool [D-LEAT]) to the caregivers of 105 DHH children aged 12 years and younger. To measure convergent validity, we also administered another novel instrument: the Language Access Profile Tool. To measure test-retest reliability, half of the participants were interviewed again after 1 month. We identified groups of children with similar language access profiles by using hierarchical cluster analysis. Results The D-LEAT revealed DHH children's diverse experiences with access to language during infancy and toddlerhood. Cluster analysis groupings were markedly different from those derived from more traditional grouping rules (e.g., communication modes). Test-retest reliability was good, especially for the same-interviewer condition. Content, convergent, and face validity were strong. Conclusions To optimize DHH children's developmental potential, stakeholders who work at the individual and population levels would benefit from replacing communication mode with language access profiles. The D-LEAT is the first tool that aims to measure this novel construct. Despite limitations that future work aims to address, the present results demonstrate that the D-LEAT represents progress over the status quo.
Can digital innovations help reduce suffering? A crowd-based digital innovation framework of compassion venturing

Abstract The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has been a devastating crisis affecting the physical, social, and financial well-being of people the world over. Unlike business-as-usual, crises create unique context conditions in which to study digital innovation. Crises can create widespread suffering. Crises can also trigger the creation of “compassionate ventures” started by emergent entrepreneurs, who, by being themselves victims of adversity, are driven to start ventures to alleviate people's suffering. In this essay, we appropriate the literature from management and entrepreneurship on compassionate venturing to suggest a framework for helping to clarify distinctions in the ways in which digital innovation may emerge during crises.
Determinants of financial-risk preparedness for climate change: Case of Fiji

Abstract There is a growing concern among central bankers that climate change poses not only serious environmental problems but also a potential economic and financial crisis. This study first confirms a hypothesized theoretical framework with different dimensions of the overall preparedness for climate related financial risk in the Fijian context, and then utilizes this framework to assess the present risk preparedness in Fiji. We tested two Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) models in Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Framework to analyse the survey data. We evaluated these models using several fit indices. The first CFA model included four correlated latent factors defined by multiple indicators (items) reflecting four hypothesized dimensions. The four latent factors were correlated significantly. The second CFA model included a second-order multi-level constructs reflecting overall preparedness along with four constituent dimensions. The four dimensional factors showed significant and substantial loadings towards overall risk preparedness suggesting that there also exists an overall higher order construct. The model fit indices showed that this second-order CFA model has an acceptable model fit. These results confirm that the four hypothesised dimensions – political leadership (Political), administrative direction (Administration), international standards (Standards) and supervisory mechanisms (Supervision) – are identifiable and distinct aspects. In addition to the four dimensions, the results suggest that overall preparedness should also be tackled in a multi-level integrated manner. The results also reveal that political initiatives would be futile without proper administrative direction and strong supervisory mechanisms. This theoretical framework can also be used to assess financial systems in other developing countries with similar socioeconomic contexts.
Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and blood pressure progression among Blacks: the Jackson Heart Study.

OBJECTIVE There is a paucity of data on the relations of insulin resistance with incident blood pressure (BP) changes among Blacks. We investigated the associations of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (MetS) with BP progression in a community-based sample of African Americans. METHODS We analyzed 1064 participants without hypertension at baseline (2000-2004) who attended at least one follow-up visit in 2005-2008 or 2009-2013. Four insulin resistance indices [fasting insulin, insulin-to-glucose ratio (IGR), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI)] and MetS (excluding hypertension in the definition) were assessed at baseline. Robust Poisson regression was used to generate risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for BP progression and incident hypertension. RESULTS Over a median of 7 years, 69.6% progressed to a higher BP category and 62.7% developed hypertension. After multivariable adjustment, participants in the highest quartile of HOMA-IR had higher risks of BP progression [RR 1.25 (95% CI 1.09-1.43), Ptrend = 0.004] and hypertension [RR 1.35 (95% CI 1.16-1.58), Ptrend < 0.001] compared with those in the lowest quartile. A similar positive association of insulin resistance with BP outcomes was noted with insulin resistance assessed using IGR, fasting insulin, and QUICKI. MetS was associated with increased risks of BP progression [RR 1.15 (95% CI 1.02-1.30), P = 0.02] and incident hypertension [RR 1.23 [95% CI 1.08-1.41], P = 0.002]. These associations were present across baseline BP categories. CONCLUSION Our findings support the notion that higher insulin resistance levels are associated with greater risks of BP progression and incident hypertension among Blacks.
Immunological Mechanisms in the Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome

The Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is an antibody-mediated disorder of neuromuscular and autonomic synaptic transmission. It is paraneoplastic in about 50% of cases, generally being associated with small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). In non-cancer cases, it can be associated with other autoimmune diseases [1].
Optimum wire tapering for minimum power dissipation in RLC interconnects

The optimum tapered structure for RLC interconnect to minimize transient power dissipation is determined. Wire tapering can reduce the power dissipated by a circuit by up to 72% as compared to uniform wire sizing. An analytic solution to determine the optimum tapered structure exhibits an error of less than 2% as compared to SPICE.