cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Emerging Faculty as Team

The Computer Science Department at Oregon State University is re-examining faculty roles and the relationships between individual faculty members and the department and university. The result is a system for deciding upon faculty activities that makes more effective use of individual faculty members' talents and interests. The scheme aims to help faculty members enhance their own performance and progress in their careers while the overall performance of the department is increased. The primary features of the system are a revision and re-allocation of long-term individual responsibilities and a task-oriented approach to schedule short-term faculty activities. While the plan was implemented only recently, preliminary results are encouraging.
Region of interest (ROI) computed tomography

High-resolution computed tomography (CT) reconstructions currently require either full field of view (FOV) exposure, resulting in high dose, or region of interest (ROI) exposure, resulting in artifacts. To obtain high-resolution 3D reconstruction of an ROI with minimal artifacts, we have developed a method involving a non-uniform ROI beam filter to reduce dose outside the ROI while acquiring the ROI at a higher dose. High-resolution, high-dose full-field projections of a phantom were obtained. ROIs in the images were selected and the low-dose data outside the ROI were simulated by adding various levels of noise to the projection data corresponding to a dose of 1/16 and 1/256 of the original dose. For an ROI of 30% FOV, artifacts in the reconstructed ROI were minimal for both dose reduction levels. For an ROI of 10% FOV, artifacts remained minimal only for the 1/16(th) dose case. The effect of the presence of a high contrast object outside the ROI was also studied. We found that the intensity of the artifacts increases with the contrast of the object, its size, and its distance from the axis of rotation. CT using an ROI filter provides a way to reconstruct an ROI with reduced integral dose and yet with minimal artifacts and improved spatial resolution.
Bonding of amalgam to tooth structure: Tensile adhesion and microleakage tests

Amalgam can be bonded to etched enamel by a thin coat of Panavia resin cement with a resulting mean bond strength of 1404 psi to enamel and 469 psi to dentin as tested in tension. Less microleakage was observed in resin-bonded amalgam restorations than in Copal varnish-lined or unlined restorations. The technique could be used clinically with possible implications for cavity design, fracture resistance of restored teeth, and recurrent caries. These properties as well as the variables affecting bond strength need further exploration.
New synthetic membranes for dialysis. IV. A copolyether–urethane membrane system

New dialysis membranes, prepared from linear block copolymers, have shown unique separation properties which appear to be based on definite solute–membrane interaction. The synthesis and characterization of block copolyetherurethanes based on poly (oxyethylene glycol) is described.
Identifying bully victims: definitional versus behavioral approaches

Schools frequently assess bullying and the Olweus Bully/Victimization Questionnaire (BVQ; Olweus, 1996) is the most widely adopted tool for this purpose. The BVQ is a self-report survey that uses a definitional measurement method--describing "bullying" as involving repeated, intentional aggression in a relationship where there is an imbalance of power and then asking respondents to indicate how frequently they experienced this type of victimization. Few studies have examined BVQ validity and whether this definitional method truly identifies the repetition and power differential that distinguish bullying from other forms of peer victimization. This study examined the concurrent validity of the BVQ definitional question among 435 students reporting peer victimization. BVQ definitional responses were compared with responses to a behavioral measure that did not use the term "bullying" but, instead, included items that asked about its defining characteristics (repetition, intentionality, power imbalance). Concordance between the two approaches was moderate, with an area under the receiver operating curve of .72. BVQ responses were more strongly associated with students indicating repeated victimization and multiple forms of victimization, than with power imbalance in their relationship with the bully. Findings indicate that the BVQ is a valid measure of repeated victimization and a broad range of victimization experiences but may not detect the more subtle and complex power imbalances that distinguish bullying from other forms of peer victimization.
Interleukin-17-dependent autoimmunity to collagen type v in atherosclerosis

Rationale: Considerable evidence shows atherosclerosis to be a chronic inflammatory disease in which immunity to self-antigens contributes to disease progression. We recently identified the collagen type V [col(V)] α1(V) chain as a key autoantigen driving the Th17-dependent cellular immunity underlying another chronic inflammatory disease, obliterative bronchiolitis. Because specific induction of α1(V) chains has previously been reported in human atheromas, we postulated involvement of col(V) autoimmunity in atherosclerosis. Objective: To determine whether col(V) autoimmunity may be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: Here, we demonstrate Th17-dependent anti-col(V) immunity to be characteristic of atherosclerosis in human coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and in apolipoprotein E–null (ApoE −/− ) atherosclerotic mice. Responses were α1(V)-specific in CAD with variable Th1 pathway involvement. In early atherosclerosis in ApoE −/− mice, anti-col(V) immunity was tempered by an interleukin (IL)-10–dependent mechanism. In support of a causal role for col(V) autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, col(V) sensitization of ApoE −/− mice on a regular chow diet overcame IL-10–mediated inhibition of col(V) autoimmunity, leading to increased atherosclerotic burden in these mice and local accumulation of IL-17–producing cells, particularly in the col(V)-rich adventitia subjacent to the atheromas. Conclusions: These findings establish col(V) as an autoantigen in human CAD and show col(V) autoimmunity to be a consistent feature in atherosclerosis in humans and mice. Furthermore, data are consistent with a causative role for col(V) in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Unified approach to partition functions of RNA secondary structures

RNA secondary structure formation is a field of considerable biological interest as well as a model system for understanding generic properties of heteropolymer folding. This system is particularly attractive because the partition function and thus all thermodynamic properties of RNA secondary structure ensembles can be calculated numerically in polynomial time for arbitrary sequences and homopolymer models admit analytical solutions. Such solutions for many different aspects of the combinatorics of RNA secondary structure formation share the property that the final solution depends on differences of statistical weights rather than on the weights alone. Here, we present a unified approach to a large class of problems in the field of RNA secondary structure formation. We prove a generic theorem for the calculation of RNA folding partition functions. Then, we show that this approach can be applied to the study of the molten-native transition, denaturation of RNA molecules, as well as to studies of the glass phase of random RNA sequences.
Constrained gradient descent algorithm for residual vector quantizer design

Residual vector quantizers have been proposed to overcome the search complexity of regular single stage vector quantizers. We present a design algorithm for residual vector quantizer codebooks. An attempt is made to make full use of the sequential search nature of the encoding process. An error energy is formulated based on the distortion criterion with a constraint imposed to optimize for the sequential search. The codebook design is formulated as multidimensional minimization problem, where the error energy is minimized to obtain the required codebooks. The proposed algorithm is based on the gradient descent algorithm. >
Discotic Liquid Crystalline Porphyrins: Photophysical and Photoelectrical Properties of Large-Area Crystalline Films

Porphyrins exhibiting discotic liquid crystalline phases have been developed in order to prepare thin, large-area, crystalline films of molecular conductors. A series of octaalkylporphyrins bearing different side chains have been synthesized including some with electron-withdrawing substituents at the meso positions. The photophysical properties of thin films of these compounds are a strong function of the film order (crystallinity). A substantial and persistent photovoltaic effect was achieved (e.g., V oc = 0.3 V, j sc = 0.4 mA/cm 2 under white light, 150 mW/cm 2 ) in capillary-filled symmetrical cells with indium-tin oxide electrodes. A model based on kinetically-controlled asymmetric exciton dissociation leading to photoinjection at the illuminated interface is presented to explain these results. This appears to be the first unambiguous example of a photovoltaic cell controlled entirely by interfacial kinetics. The predominance of the photoinjection process in these cells is attributed to the single-crystal-like character of the porphyrin films.
Iterative Assembly of Helical Proteins by Optimal Hydrophobic Packing

Summary We present a method for the computer-based iterative assembly of native-like tertiary structures of helical proteins from α-helical fragments. For any pair of helices, our method, called MATCHSTIX, first generates an ensemble of possible relative orientations of the helices with various ways to form hydrophobic contacts between them. Those conformations having steric clashes, or a large radius of gyration of hydrophobic residues, or with helices too far separated to be connected by the intervening linking region, are discarded. Then, we attempt to connect the two helical fragments by using a robotics-based loop-closure algorithm. When loop closure is feasible, the algorithm generates an ensemble of viable interconnecting loops. After energy minimization and clustering, we use a representative set of conformations for further assembly with the remaining helices, adding one helix at a time. To efficiently sample the conformational space, the order of assembly generally proceeds from the pair of helices connected by the shortest loop, followed by joining one of its adjacent helices, always proceeding with the shorter connecting loop. We tested MATCHSTIX on 28 helical proteins each containing up to 5 helices and found it to heavily sample native-like conformations. The average rmsd of the best conformations for the 17 helix-bundle proteins that have 2 or 3 helices is less than 2 A; errors increase somewhat for proteins containing more helices. Native-like states are even more densely sampled when disulfide bonds are known and imposed as restraints. We conclude that, at least for helical proteins, if the secondary structures are known, this rapid rigid-body maximization of hydrophobic interactions can lead to small ensembles of highly native-like structures. It may be useful for protein structure prediction.
Post-fire seeding on Wyoming big sagebrush ecological sites: regression analyses of seeded nonnative and native species densities.

Abstract Since the mid-1980s, sagebrush rangelands in the Great Basin of the United States have experienced more frequent and larger wildfires. These fires affect livestock forage, the sagebrush/grasses/forbs mosaic that is important for many wildlife species (e.g., the greater sage grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus )), post-fire flammability and fire frequency. When a sagebrush, especially a Wyoming big sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis (Beetle & A. Young)), dominated area largely devoid of herbaceous perennials burns, it often transitions to an annual dominated and highly flammable plant community that thereafter excludes sagebrush and native perennials. Considerable effort is devoted to revegetating rangeland following fire, but to date there has been very little analysis of the factors that lead to the success of this revegetation. This paper utilizes a revegetation monitoring dataset to examine the densities of three key types of vegetation, specifically nonnative seeded grasses, nonnative seeded forbs, and native Wyoming big sagebrush, at several points in time following seeding. We find that unlike forbs, increasing the seeding rates for grasses does not appear to increase their density (at least for the sites and seeding rates we examined). Also, seeding Wyoming big sagebrush increases its density with time since fire. Seeding of grasses and forbs is less successful at locations that were dominated primarily by annual grasses (cheatgrass ( Bromus tectorum L.)), and devoid of shrubs, prior to wildfire. This supports the hypothesis of a “closing window of opportunity” for seeding at locations that burned sagebrush for the first time in recent history.
SOS and Mayday: multiple inducible mutagenic pathways in Escherichia coli

Environmental and physiological stress conditions can transiently alter the fidelity of DNA replication. The DNA damage-mediated SOS response in Escherichia coli is the best-known example of such an 'inducible mutagenesis' or 'transient mutator' pathway. Emerging evidence suggests the existence of a number of other stress-inducible pathways that also affect the fidelity of replication. Among the more provocative recent findings are UVM, an SOS-independent damage-inducible mutagenic pathway, and a new recA-dependent but umuD/C-independent pathway that appears to be provoked by translational stress. These findings alter our view of inducible mutagenesis, and anticipate the existence of previously unrecognized links between protein synthesis and DNA replication.
Developing Consumer-Driven Services in University-Based Family Business Programs:

This paper presents the results of a study that assessed the demand of university-based family business centers' student market. The study examines and discusses students' demand for family business courses as a way to plan, implement, and control the internal and external programming component of a family business center effectively. College students were surveyed about whether their families own a business, their related career goals, and their needs and wants in a university-based family business center. Of the 260 students, over 36% came from a family business. The paper examines relationships between students from a family business and either their likelihood of pursuing a family business career or enrolling in family business courses or pursuing a minor in family business through a college of business. The paper also presents the implications of these findings for university-based family business centers.
Developing Students' Awareness of Plagiarism: Crisis and Opportunities

Plagiarism is an important issue for higher education. Research shows that college students do not always understand the the process of research and writing. This misapprehension of the research and writing process can lead students to plagiarize without intending to do so. The library can be a leader in raising students' awareness, and can partner with teaching departments in developing ways to educate students about plagiarism. This study examines students' understanding of plagiarism as it relates to their ability to write research papers. Freshmen were given a pre-test, followed by instruction on plagiarism and how to avoid it, and then given a post-test. The results demonstrated that students benefited significantly from their instruction. The article also offers practical teaching strategies for plagiarism awareness.
Physiological and focal cerebellar substrates of abnormal postural sway and tremor in alcoholic women

Background Posturography analysis of static balance reveals marked sway and tremor in sober alcoholic men related to anterior vermis volume but can be attenuated by simple visual or tactile cues or alterations in stance. Whether alcoholic women, whose ataxia can persist with prolonged sobriety, exhibit the same physiological signature of balance instability and relation to cerebellar vermian volume as alcoholic men or can benefit from stabilizing factors is unknown. Methods Groups comprised 15 alcohol-dependent women, alcohol-free (median 3 months) and 29 control women. Groups were matched in age, demographic features, and finger movement speed and underwent balance platform testing and magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Results Alcoholic women exhibited excessive sway path length (.6 SD), more dramatic in the anterior-posterior than medial-lateral direction. Truncal tremor, measured as peak sway velocity frequency, was disproportionately great in the 5 Hz to 7 Hz band of alcoholics. Control subjects and alcoholics exhibited sway and tremor reduction with visual, tactile, or stance-stabilizing conditions, which aided both groups equally well; thus, alcoholic women never achieved normal stability. Smaller anterior vermian volumes selectively correlated with longer sway path and higher 5 Hz to 7 Hz peak sway velocity. Conclusions Sway and tremor abnormalities and the selective relations between greater sway and 5 Hz to 7 Hz tremor and smaller volumes of the anterior vermis had not heretofore been described in abstinent alcoholic women. Reduction in sway and tremor with stabilizing factors indicate that adaptive mechanisms involving sensorimotor integration can be invoked to compensate for vermian-related dysfunction.
Model-based parameter estimation for defect characterization in ultrasonic NDE applications

In this study, a model-based parameter estimation algorithm is applied to characterize defects for ultrasonic NDE applications. Chirplet, a signal model representing a broad range of ultrasound echoes, is utilized for signal decomposition and parameter estimation. The model-based parameter estimation algorithm and its results are discussed in the context of system modeling. Through simulation and benchmark data analysis, the effectiveness of model-based signal processing has been successfully demonstrated. This method can be used as a quantitative method for applications in flaw detection, defect estimation, pattern recognition and material characterization.
Social Control Theory and School Misbehavior: Examining the Role of Race and Ethnicity

Social control theory has been successfully utilized to investigate and explain school misbehavior; however, only a few studies have focused on the complex role of race and ethnicity. With a diverse and growing racial and ethnic minority population, exploring whether race and ethnicity moderate the relationship between social control theory and school misbehavior is warranted. This study utilizes data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, a nationally representative sample of 10th-grade students, to examine whether the relationship between social control theory and school misbehavior varies by race and ethnicity. The findings suggest that the relationship between elements of the social bond and school misbehavior varies across racial and ethnic groups. This study discusses the importance of focusing on race and ethnicity in criminological research as the United States becomes increasingly diverse.
Las fases formativas de Chiapa de Corzo: nueva evidencia e interpretaciones

New discoveries at Chiapa de Corzo are refining our understanding of the site’s Formative period development. This essay compares the latest evidence with past archaeological interpretations and ongoing work in neighboring regions. A more detailed understanding of Chiapa de Corzo is emerging, and with it comes a clearer view of the origin of one of Mesoamerica’s more ancient cultures, the Zoque. The following contribution is more descriptive than theoretical. It gives priority to matters of chronology and the culture-historical entailments of that chronology. Clarified or presented for the first time are: (1) the beginnings of the Central Depression censer tradition, (2) the nature of the critical Chiapa II-B phase at Chiapa de Corzo, (3) new insights concerning the extraordinary axe deposits that were contemporaneous with Mound 11’s Tomb 1, (4) critical observations on the origin and dispersal of Nicapa Orange-resist pottery, (5) contexts associated with a newly identified Chiapa III-B phase, and (6) the re-dating of the Chiapa IV Francesa phase cemetery.
A Role for G1/S Cyclin-dependent Protein Kinases in the Apoptotic Response to Ionizing Radiation

In Xenopus development the mid-blastula transition (MBT) marks a dramatic change in response of the embryo to ionizing radiation. Whereas inhibition of cyclin D1-Cdk4 and cyclin A2-Cdk2 by p27Xic1 has been linked to cell cycle arrest and prevention of apoptosis in embryos irradiated post-MBT, distinct roles for these complexes during apoptosis are evident in embryos irradiated pre-MBT. Cyclin A2 is cleaved by caspases to generate a truncated complex termed ΔN-cyclin A2-Cdk2, which is kinase active, not inhibited by p27Xic1, and not sensitive to degradation by the ubiquitin-mediated proteasome pathway. Moreover, ΔN-cyclin A2-Cdk2 has an expanded substrate specificity and can phosphorylate histone H2B at Ser-32, which may facilitate DNA cleavage. Consistent with a role for cyclin A2 in apoptosis, the addition of ΔN-cyclin A2-Cdk2, but not full-length cyclin A2-Cdk2, toXenopus egg extracts triggers apoptotic DNA fragmentation even when caspases are not activated. Similarly, cyclin D1 is targeted by caspases, and the generated product exhibits higher affinity for p27Xic1, leading to reduced phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein (pRB) during apoptosis. These data suggest that caspase cleavage of both cyclin D1-Cdk4 and cyclin A2-Cdk2 promotes specific apoptotic events in embryos undergoing apoptosis in response to ionizing radiation.
Direct Differentiation of the Particle Finite-Element Method for Fluid–Structure Interaction

AbstractSensitivity analysis of fluid–structure interaction (FSI) provides an important tool for assessing the reliability and performance of coastal infrastructure subjected to storm and tsunami hazards. As a preliminary step for gradient-based applications in reliability, optimization, system identification, and performance-based engineering of coastal infrastructure, the direct differentiation method (DDM) is applied to FSI simulations using the particle finite-element method (PFEM). The DDM computes derivatives of FSI response with respect to uncertain design and modeling parameters of the structural and fluid domains that are solved in a monolithic system via the PFEM. Geometric nonlinearity of the free surface fluid flow is considered in the governing equations of the DDM along with sensitivity of material and geometric nonlinear response in the structural domain. The analytical derivatives of elemental matrices and vectors with respect to element properties are evaluated and implemented in an open ...
An Information Theoretic Framework for Comparing the Bit Energy of Signal Representations at the Circuit Level

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction A Communication Theory Model for VLSI Information and Communication Theory Primer Four Signal Representations: Physical Encodings Results Discussion This chapter contains sections titled: Appendix A References ]]>
Chemical cues from fish heighten visual sensitivity in larval crabs through changes in photoreceptor structure and function.

ABSTRACT Several predator avoidance strategies in zooplankton rely on the use of light to control vertical position in the water column. Although light is the primary cue for such photobehavior, predator chemical cues or kairomones increase swimming responses to light. We currently lack a mechanistic understanding for how zooplankton integrate visual and chemical cues to mediate phenotypic plasticity in defensive photobehavior. In marine systems, kairomones are thought to be amino sugar degradation products of fish body mucus. Here, we demonstrate that increasing concentrations of fish kairomones heightened sensitivity of light-mediated swimming behavior for two larval crab species ( Rhithropanopeus harrisii and Hemigrapsus sanguineus ). Consistent with these behavioral results, we report increased visual sensitivity at the retinal level in larval crab eyes directly following acute (1–3 h) kairomone exposure, as evidenced electrophysiologically from V –log I curves and morphologically from wider, shorter rhabdoms. The observed increases in visual sensitivity do not correspond with a decline in temporal resolution, because latency in electrophysiological responses actually increased after kairomone exposure. Collectively, these data suggest that phenotypic plasticity in larval crab photobehavior is achieved, at least in part, through rapid changes in photoreceptor structure and function.
Estrogen Receptor Alpha (ESR1)-Dependent Regulation of the Mouse Oviductal Transcriptome.

Estrogen receptor-α (ESR1) is an important transcriptional regulator in the mammalian oviduct, however ESR1-dependent regulation of the transcriptome of this organ is not well defined, especially at the genomic level. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate estradiol- and ESR1-dependent regulation of the transcriptome of the oviduct using transgenic mice, both with (ESR1KO) and without (wild-type, WT) a global deletion of ESR1. Oviducts were collected from ESR1KO and WT littermates at 23 days of age, or ESR1KO and WT mice were treated with 5 IU PMSG to stimulate follicular development and the production of ovarian estradiol, and the oviducts collected 48 h later. RNA extracted from whole oviducts was hybridized to Affymetrix Genechip Mouse Genome 430–2.0 arrays (n = 3 arrays per genotype and treatment) or reverse transcribed to cDNA for analysis of the expression of selected mRNAs by real-time PCR. Following microarray analysis, a statistical two-way ANOVA and pairwise comparison (LSD test) revealed 2428 differentially expressed transcripts (DEG’s, P < 0.01). Genotype affected the expression of 2215 genes, treatment (PMSG) affected the expression of 465 genes, and genotype x treatment affected the expression of 438 genes. With the goal of determining estradiol/ESR1-regulated function, gene ontology (GO) and bioinformatic pathway analyses were performed on DEG’s in the oviducts of PMSG-treated ESR1KO versus PMSG-treated WT mice. Significantly enriched GO molecular function categories included binding and catalytic activity. Significantly enriched GO cellular component categories indicated the extracellular region. Significantly enriched GO biological process categories involved a single organism, modulation of a measurable attribute and developmental processes. Bioinformatic analysis revealed ESR1-regulation of the immune response within the oviduct as the primary canonical pathway. In summary, a transcriptomal profile of estradiol- and ESR1-regulated gene expression and related bioinformatic analysis is presented to increase our understanding of how estradiol/ESR1 affects function of the oviduct, and to identify genes that may be proven as important regulators of fertility in the future.
In vivo marking of rhesus monkey lymphocytes by adeno-associated viral vectors: direct comparison with retroviral vectors.

We have compared adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based and retrovirus-based vectors for their ability to transduce primary T lymphocytes in vitro and then tracked the persistence of these genetically marked lymphocytes in vivo, using the rhesus monkey model. To avoid the complication of immune rejection of lymphocytes transduced with xenogeneic genes in tracking studies primarily designed to investigate transduction efficiency and in vivo kinetics, the vectors were designed without expressed genes. All vectors contained identically mutated β-galactosidase gene (β-gal) and neomycin resistance gene (neo) DNA sequences separated by different length polylinkers, allowing simple differentiation by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Each of 2 aliquots of peripheral blood lymphocytes from 4 rhesus monkeys were transduced with either AAV or retroviral vectors. The in vitro transduction efficiency (mean vector copy number/cell) after the ex vivo culture was estimated by PCR at 0.015 to 3.0 for AAV, varying depending on the multiplicity of infection (MOI) used for transduction, and 0.13 to 0.19 for the retroviral transductions. Seven days after transduction, Southern blot analysis of AAV-transduced lymphocytes showed double-stranded and head-to-tail concatemer forms but failed to show integration of the AAV vector. AAV and retroviral aliquots were reinfused concurrently into each animal. Although the retrovirally marked lymphocytes could be detected for much longer after infusion, AAV transduction resulted in higher short-term in vivo marking efficiency compared with retroviral vectors, suggesting possible clinical applications of AAV vectors in lymphocyte gene therapy when long-term vector persistence is not required or desired.
Risk Factors for Driving After and During Marijuana Use

Objective:Use of marijuana before or while driving significantly contributes to driving impairment and elevated risk of motor vehicle accidents; however, this risk behavior is common among users. Little is known about the etiology of driving while under the influence of marijuana.Method:Guided by social learning theory, this study examined marijuana outcome expectancies and other driving-related cognitions as predictors of the frequency of driving after smoking marijuana (DASM) and smoking marijuana while driving (SMWD). A community sample of 151 (64% male) non–treatment-seeking frequent marijuana users completed questionnaires on variables of interest.Results:Perceived driving-related peer norms (i.e., perception that fewer friends disapprove of DASM and SMWD and of riding with a driver under the influence of marijuana) were associated with lower frequency of both DASM and SMWD. Perceived dangerousness of DASM was also associated with decreased frequency of DASM.Conclusions:Our findings suggest a range o...
Time-dependent density-matrix functional theory for trion excitations: Application to monolayer MoS 2 and other transition-metal dichalcogenides

To examine optically excited bound states, excitons and trions, in monolayer ${\mathrm{MoS}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{MoSe}}_{2}$, and ${\mathrm{WSe}}_{2}$, we have formulated and applied a generalized time-dependent density-matrix functional theory approach. Three different types of exchange-correlation (XC) kernels were used and their validity was evaluated through comparison with available experimental data. For excitons, we find that the local kernels, from the local density approximation and its gradient-corrected form, lead to much smaller binding energy than that extracted from experimental data, while those based on long-range (LR) interactions fare much better. The same is the case for the trion binding energy once screening effects are taken into account. Our results suggest that for both excitons and trions, the LR form of the XC kernel is necessary to describe bound states. These results confirm information from experimental data on single-layer dichalcogenides that their exciton and trion binding energies are of the order of hundreds (excitons) and tens (trions) of milli-electron volts, a result that may suggest technological application of these materials at room temperature. The proposed methodology can be straightforwardly extended to bound states with a larger number of electrons and holes than considered here.
Solvation of actinide salts in water using a polarizable continuum model.

In order to determine how actinide atoms are dressed when solvated in water, density functional theory calculations have been carried out to study the equilibrium structure of uranium plutonium and thorium salts (UO22+, PuO22+, Pu4+, and Th4+) both in vacuum as well as in solution represented by a conductor-like polarizable continuum model. This information is of paramount importance for the development of sensitive nanosensors. Both UO22+ and PuO22+ ions show coordination number of 4–5 with counterions replacing one or two water molecules from the first coordination shell. On the other hand, Pu4+, has a coordination number of 8 both when completely solvated and also in the presence of chloride and nitrate ions with counterions replacing water molecules in the first shell. Nitrates were found to bind more strongly to Pu(IV) than chloride anions. In the case of the Th(IV) ion, the coordination number was found to be 9 or 10 in the presence of chlorides. Moreover, the Pu(IV) ion shows greater affinity for c...
Desmoid Tumors: A Review of the Literature and Pharmacologic Management

Desmoid tumors represent a nonmalignant proliferation of fibroblast-related cells. These rare tumors are difficult to treat and often persist as indolent, lifelong conditions. There are a number of treatments available for both anatomic and symptom regression. Some of these treatments, unfortunately, may not provide long-lasting results and may result in further complications. Pain is a distressing symptom that may be due to the tumor itself or the result of utilized treatments. Pharmacologic therapies represent a noninvasive alternative to surgical resection. Pain symptoms require therapeutic regimens that must be modified as the tumor evolves in expression. The individualized pain treatment program utilized may often reflect principles used in both nonmalignant and malignant pain management models. This review seeks to increase awareness of desmoid tumors through a review of the literature and discussion of its pharmacotherapeutic management.
Regression Model for Transmission Lines Icing Based on Support Vector Machine

For effectively monitoring and forecasting icing on transmission lines,we proposed a regression model of transmission line icing based on support vector machine(SVM)for short-term forecasts,and performed the simulations using the LIBSVM software package in MATLAB.In these simulations,according to the measured micro weather-icing data,which are multi-dimensional and have large degree of freedom,we selected three parameters,i.e.temperature,relative air humidity,and reference icing data,as the input variables,and icing weight as the output variable.Moreover,we proposed three models based on SVM,namely,the super short-term forecast model,the short-term hysteresis forecast model,and the rolling forecast model,and then assessed the efficiency of simulations using practical data.The results show that the super short-term forecast model has prediction accuracy higher than 90%in 15minutes duration,which is quite short and makes the model far from being applicable.Accuracy of the short-term hysteresis prediction model and the rolling forecast model are both higher than 80% in 2hours,so these two could be applied to short-term prediction of transmission line icing.Moreover,using the rolling forecast model can theoretically predict long-time icing,but the assumption of constant micro meteorological parameters may limit its prediction accuracy,and a better prediction can be achieved by combining with micro weather forecasts.At present,only a few complete data suit modeling and simulation,so the correctness and stability of the proposed regression model need further verification.
Chapter 6 – HgCdTe Long-Wave Infrared Detectors

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the development and application of HgCdTe-based sensors. Currently, HgCdTe focal plane arrays are widely used for both military and civil purposes. Many institutions continue to carry out significant efforts aimed at improving the material quality and the methods of device fabrication, as well as developing new device architectures based on HgCdTe. The chapter addresses selected aspects of HgCdTe technology pertinent to long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) applications. It includes materials having a cutoff of the sensitivity in the wavelength range of 8–14μm. The chapter discusses the material properties and several characteristics of individual diodes. It also elaborates the challenges and limitations to the technology. HgCdTe is a pseudobinary alloy between the binary compounds, HgTe and CdTe; it is called the “ultimate infrared red (IR) semiconductor.’ The advantages of HgCdTe are described in the chapter. Considering the LWIR composition range, there are some challenges to the development of detectors because of the narrow gap.
Next-Generation Sequencing in Intellectual Disability

Next-generation sequencing technologies have revolutionized gene discovery in patients with intellectual disability (ID) and led to an unprecedented expansion in the number of genes implicated in this disorder. We discuss the strategies that have been used to identify these novel genes for both syndromic and nonsyndromic ID and highlight the phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity that underpin this condition. Finally, we discuss the future of defining the genetic etiology of ID, including the role of whole-genome sequencing, mosaicism, and the importance of diagnostic testing in ID.
Hacktivism: On the Use of Botnets in Cyberattacks

This article offers a reading of internet-based activism or ‘hacktivism’ as a phenomenon that cannot be confined to the instrumental use of information technologies. It focuses on a subset of hacktivism – the distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attack for political ends – that aims at making an internet host unavailable to its intended users. Since the early 2000s these attacks have been increasingly conducted by means of botnets – networks of infected computers that send bogus requests to a target website without the consent of their users. The capacity of botnets to engender a more-than-human politics is analyzed from two distinct theoretical angles. First, drawing from Deleuze and Guattari, the hacktivist DDoS is discussed as an assemblage of signifying and a-signifying components, voluntary and involuntary actions. Second, Gilbert Simondon’s notions of transindividuation and transduction allow for a conceptualization of hacktivism as a sociotechnical assemblage with a high degree of indetermination.
A Case-Crossover Study of Heat Exposure and Injury Risk in Outdoor Agricultural Workers.

BACKGROUND: Recent research suggests that heat exposure may increase the risk of traumatic injuries. Published heat-related epidemiological studies have relied upon exposure data from individual weather stations. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between heat exposure and traumatic injuries in outdoor agricultural workers exposed to ambient heat and internal heat generated by physical activity using modeled ambient exposure data. METHODS: A case-crossover study using time-stratified referent selection among 12,213 outdoor agricultural workers with new Washington State Fund workers' compensation traumatic injury claims between 2000 and 2012 was conducted. Maximum daily Humidex exposures, derived from modeled meteorological data, were assigned to latitudes and longitudes of injury locations on injury and referent dates. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios of injury for a priori daily maximum Humidex categories. RESULTS: The mean of within-stratum (injury day and corresponding referent days) standard deviations of daily maximum Humidex was 4.8. The traumatic injury odds ratio was 1.14 (95% confidence interval 1.06, 1.22), 1.15 (95% confidence interval 1.06, 1.25), and 1.10 (95% confidence interval 1.01, 1.20) for daily maximum Humidex of 25-29, 30-33, and ≥34, respectively, compared to CONCLUSIONS: Agricultural workers laboring in warm conditions are at risk for heat-related traumatic injuries. Combined heat-related illness and injury prevention efforts should be considered in high-risk populations exposed to warm ambient conditions in the setting of physical exertion. Language: en
Mammals of the Arctic

A dramatic event in the history of scientific exploration occurred in 1741 when Steller, naturalist in Bering’s exploration for lands east of Siberia, recognized a dark blue, crested jay (now Cyanocitta stellen) from Kayak Island, in the Gulf of Alaska, to be unlike Asiatic jays but like those of North America (Stejneger, 1936). His recognition came about from his recollection of an illustration of the eastern American crested blue jay in Catesby (1731), a work that he had seen in St. Petersburg. Steller did not question that the presence of a North American land bird showed that the Russian explorers had found the American continent. Uncertain navigation with no existing chart left the navigators in much confusion, while Steller accepted identification of a continent by a single conspicuous species of bird.
Abobotulinum Toxin A in the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain

Chronic low back pain is a debilitating condition with a complex and multifactorial pathophysiology. Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) have strong analgesic effects, as shown in both animal models of pain and in human beings. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel format study to investigate the efficacy of abobotulinum toxin A (aboA) in chronic low back pain was conducted. The study cohort consisted of 18 patients who received 100 units of aboA into each of the five lumbar extensor spinae muscles unilaterally or bilaterally (total dose 500 to 1000 units), and 19 who received normal saline of the same volume. The level of pain and quality of life were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and three questionnaires including the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (OLBPDQ). Patients' perception of improvement was recorded via patient global impression of change (PGIC). The primary outcome measure, the proportion of responders with VAS of <4 at 6 weeks, was not met, but the data was significantly in favor of aboA at 4 weeks (p = 0.008). The total Oswestry score representing quality of life improved in the aboA group compared to the placebo group (p = 0.0448). Moreover, significantly more patients reported their low back pain as "much improved" in the abobotulinum toxin A group (0.0293).
The Journal of Border Educational Research

The articles presented in the Journal of Border Educational Research represent various views and perspectives on educational practices and concerns within cross-cultural settings. Included topics cover field-based experiences, action research, descriptions of successful educational practices and position papers that address issues faced by students, teachers, and other professionals in border regions and other cross-cultural situations.
Restriction and induction

In this section we introduce the restriction and induction functors, which are used extensively in group representations and cohomology. The functors are related to the tensor product operation through the Frobenius Reciprocity Theorem. One consequence of Frobenius reciprocity is the fact that the tensor product of any module with a projective module is again a projective module. This result is extremely important for the homological algebra.
Bayesian functional enrichment analysis for the Reactome database

The first step in the analysis of high-throughput experiment results is often to identify genes or proteins with certain characteristics, such as genes being differentially expressed (DE). ...
Merely Measuring the UV–Visible Spectrum of Gold Nanoparticles Can Change Their Charge State

Metallic nanostructures exhibit a strong plasmon resonance at a wavelength whose value is sensitive to the charge density in the nanostructure, its size, shape, interparticle coupling, and the dielectric properties of its surrounding medium. Here we use UV–visible transmission and reflectance spectroscopy to track the shifts of the plasmon resonance in an array of gold nanoparticles buried under metal-oxide layers of varying thickness produced using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and then coated with bulk layers of one of three metals: aluminum, silver, or gold. A significant shift in the plasmon resonance was observed and a precise value of ωp, the plasmon frequency of the gold comprising the nanoparticles, was determined by modeling the composite of gold nanoparticles and metal-oxide layer as an optically homogeneous film of core–shell particles bounded by two substrates: one of quartz and the other being one of the aforementioned metals, then using a Maxwell-Garnett effective medium expression to extrac...
‘Lighter’ Can Still Be Dark: Modeling Comparative Color Descriptions

We propose a novel paradigm of grounding comparative adjectives within the realm of color descriptions. Given a reference RGB color and a comparative term (e.g., lighter, darker), our model learns to ground the comparative as a direction in the RGB space such that the colors along the vector, rooted at the reference color, satisfy the comparison. Our model generates grounded representations of comparative adjectives with an average accuracy of 0.65 cosine similarity to the desired direction of change. These vectors approach colors with Delta-E scores of under 7 compared to the target colors, indicating the differences are very small with respect to human perception. Our approach makes use of a newly created dataset for this task derived from existing labeled color data.
Natural Disasters and Human Capital: The Case of Nepal’s Earthquake

Abstract We exploit the quasi-random spatial and temporal nature of ground tremors to evaluate the long-term impact of the 1988 earthquake on educational outcomes among affected children of rural Nepal. We employ difference-in-differences research design to show that infants born in districts severely affected by the earthquake are 13.8% less likely to complete middle school and 10% less likely to complete high school. Our findings demonstrate that children belonging to high caste groups mitigate the negative environmental shock in the long run. However, infants belonging to low caste groups are 17.6% less likely to complete middle school and 11.9% less likely to complete high school. We also find that male infants exposed to a severe earthquake perform significantly better than their female counterparts, suggesting prospects of gender bias in a patriarchal society. Together, these results provide strong evidence that earthquakes lead to deterioration of human capital in a developing country setting.
Classical diffusion theories

Diffusion is the physical process by which atoms and molecules are transported from one position of a system to another. Atoms or molecules in solids occupy definite equilibrium positions. They, however, will migrate if their concentrations are disturbed. The atoms will then diffuse from the region of higher concentration to that of lower concentration. Such a condition exists in solids containing mechanical imperfections and internal stresses. The rate of diffusion increases very rapidly as the temperature is increased. When the temperature becomes very high, thermal agitation can become violent and pull the atoms and molecules apart resulting in melting or disintegration of the solid. Concentration gradient can also be developed by nonuniform distribution of moisture. The process of moisture transfer is fundamentally equivalent to that of heat transfer and each process may or may not be treated independently depending on the physical conditions.
Fractures of the thoracic and lumbar spine

Injuries of the thoracic and lumbar spine in children are rare. The potential for continued growth, the presence of healthy disc tissue, the elasticity of the soft tissues, and well-mineralized bone distinguish these injuries from those in the adult. The immature spine has the capacity to remodel the vertebral body, but not the posterior elements. Restoration of height of a compressed vertebra is partly due to the hypervascularity of the reparative response and partly due to apophyseal stimulation. This probably accounts for the infrequent occurrence of kyphosis in children with multiple compression fractures.