cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-tracking in the Digital Era: Biopower, Patriarchy, and the New Biometric Body Projects

This article employs Foucauldian and feminist analytics to advance a critical approach to wearable digital health- and activity-tracking devices. Following Foucault’s insight that the growth of individual capabilities coincides with the intensification of power relations, I argue that digital self-tracking devices (DSTDs) expand individuals’ capacity for self-knowledge and self-care at the same time that they facilitate unprecedented levels of biometric surveillance, extend the regulatory mechanisms of both public health and fashion/beauty authorities, and enable increasingly rigorous body projects devoted to the attainment of normative femininity. These technologies of surveillance, normalization, and discipline thus function to augment, and facilitate the cooperation of, neoliberal-era biopower and post-feminist patriarchal power. My analysis of digital self-tracking devices’ instrumentality to biopower and patriarchy contributes to the emergent field of critical digital health studies and builds new co...
Ground Motion Intensity Measures to Evaluate I: The Liquefaction Hazard in the Vicinity of Shallow-Founded Structures:

When evaluating the liquefaction hazard within a performance-based framework, whether using simplified procedures or advanced numerical tools, the hazard and its effects on structures need to be ev...
Challenges Determining the Correct Deposition Order of Different Intersecting Black Inks by Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

The distinction of different inks and determination of their deposition order are important forensic tasks when evaluating questioned documents. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) has received attention for these tasks due to the technique’s nondestructive nature, rich mass spectral information, ability to provide chemical images, and excellent surface sensitivity. Prior literature results demonstrate the ability of ToF-SIMS to differentiate between many varieties of blue ballpoint pens and to determine the correct deposition order for selected ink intersections. The current work therefore sought to further study the intersections of different black inks. Three black pens were initially tested and were successfully distinguished. However, interesting phenomena were observed where certain inks dominated over others, causing distinctly incorrect conclusions to be made regarding ink deposition order. To explore whether these incorrect results could be corrected, different primary ions ...
Churn and change along commercial strips: Spatial analysis of patterns in remodelling activity and landscapes of local business:

Commercial strips are common within metropolitan regions throughout the world and particularly within Canada and the USA. Planners have identified these linear clusters of commercial land use as a ...
A task-invariant cognitive reserve network

The concept of cognitive reserve (CR) can explain individual differences in susceptibility to cognitive or functional impairment in the presence of age or disease-related brain changes. Epidemiologic evidence indicates that CR helps maintain performance in the face of pathology across multiple cognitive domains. We therefore tried to identify a single, "task-invariant" CR network that is active during the performance of many disparate tasks. In imaging data acquired from 255 individuals age 20-80 while performing 12 different cognitive tasks, we used an iterative approach to derive a multivariate network that was expressed during the performance of all tasks, and whose degree of expression correlated with IQ, a proxy for CR. When applied to held out data or forward applied to fMRI data from an entirely different activation task, network expression correlated with IQ. Expression of the CR pattern accounted for additional variance in fluid reasoning performance over and above the influence of cortical thickness, and also moderated between cortical thickness and reasoning performance, consistent with the behavior of a CR network. The identification of a task-invariant CR network supports the idea that life experiences may result in brain processing differences that might provide reserve against age- or disease-related changes across multiple tasks.
LOCAL ENHANCED TOPICAL DELIVERY (LETD) OF DRUGS: DOES IT TRULY EXIST

There is considerable uncertainty over whether and to what extent topically applied drugs can be delivered directly to anatomical sites beneath the skin, without prior entry into the systemic blood circulation. The in vivo studies reported in this work were designed to assess whether local enhanced topical delivery (LETD) can be achieved with piroxicam, a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug. Equivalent doses of tritium-labeled drug were administered by the i.v. or topical routes to male rats. The topical plasma profile reveals a maximum concentration (Cpmax) at 12 hr, compared to a typical, multiexponential decline in plasma concentration after i.v. dosing. All four muscles from the topically dosed shoulder exhibit two distinct peaks, the first at 4 hr and a later one at 12 hr (which coincides with the topical Cpmax). The contralateral muscles from the non-dosed shoulder, in contrast, produce only a single peak at 12 hr after topical dosing. After the i.v. administration of piroxicam, the concentration-time profiles for each muscle closely parallel that seen for the i.v. plasma. Tissue-to-plasma ratios (T/P) show that the topical nondosed and the i.v. muscles are nearly constant over the entire time course of this study, indicating a pseudo-equilibrium between the plasma and those muscles. However, the early T/P ratios for the topically dosed muscles are markedly elevated and gradually decline to a constant value only after 12 hr, indicating that a similar pseudo-equilibrium is not established in this case. Thus, these results strongly imply that the topical administration of a drug can lead to LETD for tissues subjacent to the skin. Further, based on the elevated T/P ratios, these local enhanced drug levels cannot be solely attributed to entry from the systemic blood and suggest summarily that the cutaneous microvasculature is simply not an “infinite sink” for removal of all topically applied drugs.
Effects of a Brief Behavioral Treatment for Late-Life Insomnia: Preliminary Findings

Study Objectives: Insomnia is a chronic and prevalent sleep disorder in adults older than 65 years. Hypnotics raise safety concerns in this group, and standard behavioral treatments are time consuming. This preliminary report addresses the effects of a brief behavioral treatment for insomnia in older adults who present with the typical psychiatric and medical comorbidities of aging. Methods: Thirty-five older adults (10 men, 25 women, mean age = 70.2 ± 6.4 years old) were randomly assigned to a brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBTI; n = 17) or to an information-only control (IC; n = 18) condition. All subjects completed clinician-administered and self-report measures of sleep quality, as well as a sleep diary, at baseline. Interventions were delivered in a single individual session with a booster session administered 2 weeks later. Postintervention assessments were completed after 4 weeks. Results: Significant improvements in self-report and sleep diary measures and mild-to-moderate improvement in anxiety and depression were observed after treatment in participants randomly assigned to BBTI, as compared with participants randomly assigned to IC. At posttreatment assessment, 12 BBTI participants (71%) and 7 IC participants (39%) met criteria for response. Nine BBTI participants (53%) met criteria for remission, whereas, in the IC group, 3 participants (17%) met the criteria. Conclusion: BBTI was associated with significant improvements in sleep measures and in daytime symptoms of anxiety and depression. BBTI appears to be a promising intervention for older adults with insomnia.
Nutrition of 96 naval recruits during a shelter habitability study.

The survival ration utilized for a two-week shelter habitability study proved nutritionally adequate for a group of healthy, young male subjects. The major source of nutrients was a commercial survival ratl on cracker prepared by the National Biscuit Company. The crackers were supplemented with a variety of jams, condensed soups, peanut butter, sugar, and Pream. Data are presented on the composition of the survival cracker, acceptability of the crackers, daily caloric intake, water balance in the subjects during the two-week shelter trial, and clinical findings on the subjects at the beginning and end of the two-week shelter trial. (C.H.)
REPLACEMENT OF CINEFILM WITH A DIGITAL ARCHIVE AND REVIEW NETWORK : INITIAL EXPERIENCE OF A LARGE CATHETERIZATION LABORATORY

The replacement of cinefilm with digital cardiac angiography has accelerated significantly in recent years with the development and widespread adoption of the DICOM standard for interchange of procedure image data. While the acceptance of the Compact Disk-Recordable (CD-R) media has provided the opportunity for numerous laboratories to eliminate cinefilm in all its functions, the task is more complex for larger catheterization laboratories which require the use of high speed networks and automated libraries. The Cardiac Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic has implemented the final stages of a large-scale network and archive which meets a large institution's demanding requirements for access, speed, and storage for high volumes of digital cardiac angiographic images. Initial experience with the system demonstrates that this approach will be a successful one for the elimination of cinefilm and the employment of digital imaging and networking technology. In addition, direct access to digital image records will also facilitate the integration of image data with other clinical information acquired and stored in a digital format.
Grain Boundary Migration in LiF

Grain boundary migration rates measured in doped and undoped LiF depend significantly on one or more impurities. The mobilities for alkali halides are interpreted in terms of solute drag theory. The variability and driving force dependence of the mobility are attributed to transitions between mobility regimes controlled by intrinsic drag or drag due to one or more solutes.
Fe(II)-Catalyzed Transformation of Organic Matter-Ferrihydrite Coprecipitates: A Closer Look Using Fe Isotopes

Ferrihydrite is a common Fe mineral in soils and sediments that rapidly transforms to secondary minerals in the presence of Fe(II). Both the rate and products of Fe(II)-catalyzed ferrihydrite transformation have been shown to be significantly influenced by natural organic matter (NOM). Here, we used enriched Fe isotope experiments and 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy to track the formation of secondary minerals, as well as electron transfer and Fe mixing between aqueous Fe(II) and ferrihydrite coprecipitated with several types of NOM. Ferrihydrite coprecipitated with humic acids transformed primarily to goethite after reaction with Fe(II). In contrast, ferrihydrite coprecipitated with fulvic acids and Suwannee River NOM (SRNOM) resulted in no measurable formation of secondary minerals. Despite no secondary mineral transformation, Mossbauer spectra indicated electron transfer still occurred between Fe(II) and ferrihydrite coprecipitated with fulvic acid and SRNOM. In addition, isotope tracer experiments revealed that a significant fraction of structural Fe in the ferrihydrite mixed with the aqueous phase Fe(II) (∼85%). After reaction with Fe(II), Mossbauer spectroscopy indicated some subtle changes in the crystallinity, particle size, or particle interactions in the coprecipitate. Our observations suggest that ferrihydrite coprecipitated with fulvic acid and SRNOM remains a highly dynamic phase even without ferrihydrite transformation.
Harm reduction when it's for our own kids: comment on Hagit Bonny-Noach, "The evolution of Israeli public policy for drug-using backpackers.

Hagit Bonny-Noach notes the challenging history of illicit substance use among Israeli backpackers. Few Israeli practices are more normative than the backpacking-trip as a rite of passage. Unsurprisingly, backpacking in far-off locales provides occasion to experiment with the various intoxicating experiences young adult life has to offer. Some such experimentation is expected, and often developmentally appropriate. It also carries real risks and causes real harms. Israeli policymakers’ efforts to address this issue underscore both the necessity and the difficulty of harm reduction. Bonny-Noach usefully notes the importance of social class as both a facilitator and a barrier to effective public health policies to protect young adults from drug-related harms.
Desert, Free Will, and Our Moral Responsibility Practices

In this paper, I assess a challenging argument made by McKenna (J Ethical Theory, 2019) that free will might be important in justifying our moral responsibility practices even if free will is not important insofar as it is required for desert of blame and praise. I offer an alternative picture, according to which while we can justify our practices of moral responsibility in terms that appeal to free will without using terms that explicitly appeal to desert, desert is necessarily implicated nevertheless by the very practices we seek to justify. In the process, I set out my understanding of the nature of blame and address the question of whether blame should always be understood as deserved in a sense distinct from fitting.
Lattice doping regulated interfacial reactions in cathode for enhanced cycling stability

Interfacial reactions between electrode and electrolyte are critical, either beneficial or detrimental, for the performance of rechargeable batteries. The general approaches of controlling interfacial reactions are either applying a coating layer on cathode or modifying the electrolyte chemistry. Here we demonstrate an approach of modification of interfacial reactions through dilute lattice doping for enhanced battery properties. Using atomic level imaging, spectroscopic analysis and density functional theory calculation, we reveal aluminum dopants in lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide are partially dissolved in the bulk lattice with a tendency of enrichment near the primary particle surface and partially exist as aluminum oxide nano-islands that are epitaxially dressed on the primary particle surface. The aluminum concentrated surface lowers transition metal redox energy level and consequently promotes the formation of a stable cathode-electrolyte interphase. The present observations demonstrate a general principle as how the trace dopants modify the solid-liquid interfacial reactions for enhanced performance. The electrode/electrolyte interface plays a critical role in a Li-ion battery. Here the authors report that Al doping can tailor the interfacial reactions to lead to enhanced structural stability and cyclability of cathode. Al dopants form not only lattice solid solution but also Al2O3 islands on the surface.
The Sly Oncogene: FOXA1 Mutations in Prostate Cancer

FOXA1 mutations occur frequently in prostate cancer and are associated with a worse clinical outcome. However, the mechanism by which these mutations act was until now largely unknown. Two recent publications clearly demonstrate that FOXA1 acts as an oncogene in prostate cancer and delineate the phenotypic effects of distinct classes of FOXA1 alterations.
Perceived Satisfaction and Inequity: A Survey of Potential Romantic Partners of People with a Disability

People with disabilities (PWD) may be stigmatized when dating. As suggested by previous research, people may avoid forming romantic relationships with PWD because they fear being stigmatized by association. We tested this explanation and proposed alternative reasons for the potential stigmatization of PWD. Specifically, we predicted that people may be less willing to date PWD because they stereotypically infer that such relationships may not be satisfying and may be inequitable, favoring the PWD more than themselves. To test these hypotheses, we surveyed 390 single people regarding their willingness to date a potential romantic partner with a physical, sensory, cognitive, psychological, or health disability. People were first presented with partners who had a general type of disability and later with partners who had a specific physical, sensory, cognitive, psychological, or health impairment. For each partner, we also measured the extent to which people (1) feared stigma by association, (2) perceived the relationship would not satisfy their physical and emotional needs, and (3) be inequitable. Fitting with our hypotheses, perceived relationship satisfaction positively predicted, and perceived inequity negatively predicted, willingness to date PWD. Stigma by association was unrelated to willingness to date PWD. Implications for stigma-reduction interventions and online dating programs are discussed.
An Oscillator Based Energy Efficient Computing Architecture for Smart Sensors

In the past decade, there is a fast-growing need for sensing technology applications. However, the implementation of sensing and proceeding creates a large burden on data processing. The idea for designing stable cluster state for coupled phase oscillator in pattern recognition is receiving significant attention. This paper gives an overview of an oscillator neural network (ONN) based hierarchical associative memory (AM) architecture using oscillator synchronization and stable cluster state for pattern recognition and how such architecture can be efficiently used in local processing units. The ONN based AM architecture can be easily achieved using CMOS technology on local hardware units. Unlike cloud computing system, our architecture provides an approach when it is under an offline mode which couldn’t get responses from the web server. The proposed architecture can help perform sensing and data processing efficiently on the local device without connecting to the Internet.
Annualized Solar Diffuse Radiance Energy Distribution Simulation for Concentrator Design

This work implements the Igawa anisotropic diffuse radiance model with TMY3 dataset to generate annualized diffuse radiance energy distribution map that covers the whole United States region. This first-order simulation accounts for different geographic locations and weather conditions and aims to provide high accuracy reference for efficient energy-production-oriented concentrator designs. Preliminary diffuse concentration simulations are conducted based on the modeled diffuse radiance energy distribution map.
Whiteness and Race in the Engineering Workplace

This Work in Progress Research paper examines the role of race in the engineering workplace. Despite many efforts, participation in engineering by women and People of Color remains well below their proportion of the population. There is a need to move beyond creating programs to support underrepresented groups, and instead examine the structural issues that limit their participation. In this paper we examine the ways in which White engineers discuss the role of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We interviewed nine White engineers, five men and four women. Interviews were semi-structured and asked about their workplace culture and experiences. Both the men and women talked about racial minorities in a way that minimized the importance of race. At the same time, the women recognized their own status as minorities in engineering. Our findings show that the way White engineers frame the role of race in the workplace can serve to limit the opportunities for People of Color.
A Fast Implementation of the Rijndael Substitution Box for Cryptographic AES

Today’s current standard in Cryptography is the symmetric Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) as selected by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It is also known as Rijndael Encryption Algorithm. With the emergence of high-performance cloud computing, it is important for the security encryption schemes to perform at higher speeds to provide fast, efficient, and secure data transmissions. The Rijndael S-box (substitution box) is the only non-linear component of the cryptosystem and significantly affects the overall performance of the AES encryption scheme. In this paper, we investigate various implementations for improving the hardware performance of the Rijndael S-box component of the AES algorithm in terms of delay and number of logic elements on the Altera Cyclone IV FPGA (Field programmable gate arrays) using the Intel Quartus II software and Verilog Hardware Description Language (Verilog HDL).
Complications and Morbidity Associated with Trigeminal Nerve Repairs

SUMMARY The most significant morbidity of sural nerve harvest was pain (dysesthesia). In this study eight (66%) patients experienced some pain in the area of the sural nerve harvest, with two patients refractory to nonsurgical therapies to manage the pain. Presumably the pain is due to stump neuroma. We recommend that the proximal stump of the sural nerve be ligated and buried beneath the fascia if possible. Patients must be informed of the possibility of dysesthesia from the sural nerve harvest as well as scars that will result and the unpleasantness of loss of sensation over the ankle. Nerve block of the sural nerve prior to harvest may help the patient appreciate the unpleasantness of anesthesia expected from sural nerve harvest. If the pain and unpleasantness the patient is experiencing in the orofacial region exceeds the pain and unpleasantness experienced on sural nerve harvest (approximately 50%), then patients are more likely to accept the discomfort of the sural nerve harvest. Although the patient population was small (N = 12), in our early experience we did not adequately prepare patients for the possibility of pain. With better informed consent, patients may be more accepting of the morbidity of sural nerve harvest and the tradeoff necessary to correct an inferior alveolar or lingual nerve injury.
Prevalence and impact of comorbid chronic pain and cigarette smoking among people living with HIV.

Rates of chronic pain and cigarette smoking are each substantially higher among people living with HIV (PLWH) than in the general population. The goal of these analyses was to examine the prevalenc...
Bordered Writers: Latinx Identities and Literacy Practices at Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Isabel Baca, Yndalecio Isaac Hinojosa, and Susan Wolff Murphy, eds. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2019. 266 pages. $74.94 hardcover.

As a Latinx writer who has attended and taught at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in South Texas, I have been disappointed to find that much existing scholarship assumes sameness among us, oft...
Silent Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is frequently associated with a variety of problematic symptoms, including abdominal pain and bowel habit changes, which are associated with poor patient quality of life and significant healthcare expenditure. Interestingly, silent IBD, a condition where patients demonstrate reduced perception and/or reporting of symptoms in the setting of active inflammation, may be as clinically consequential. This condition has been associated with serious complications leading to more costly interventions. It is by its nature an under-recognized phenomenon that affects substantial portions of patients with either Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. At the present time, although there are a variety of theories relating to the underlying causes and contributors, little is known about why this phenomenon occurs. As a result, there is a lack of cost-effective, reliable diagnostic methods to identify and manage “at-risk” patients. However, it is significantly likely that further study and an improved understanding of this condition will lead to improved approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with silent IBD as well as other gastrointestinal disorders associated with alterations in symptomatic perception. In this article, we critically review studies that have investigated silent IBD. Specifically, we discuss the following: (1) the methods for defining silent IBD, (2) the known epidemiology of silent IBD, (3) potential causes of and contributors to this clinical entity, (4) current diagnostic modalities available to identify it, and (5) gaps in our understanding as well as potential novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications that could be developed with further study of this condition.
Examining the Impact of Gym Closures Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Combat Sport Athletes’ Mental Health

Changes in exercise behavior and negative emotional states (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) in combat sport (e.g., boxing, wrestling, martial arts) athletes were examined the month prior to gym closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic (February 2020), and approximately 1 month following gym closures (May 2020). A total of 312 combat sport athletes from 33 different countries responded to the study solicitation. Results indicated a significant decrease in combat sport training following gym closures;however, participation in other exercise activities did not significantly change. Significant mean increases in depression, anxiety, and stress were found following combat gym closures. Regression analyses revealed that number of hours of participants participated in combat sport training added significant incremental variance explained in depressive and stress symptoms above and beyond that accounted for by sex differences, preexisting conditions, and training level. Practical implications regarding losses to preferred exercise activities are discussed.
Effect of GnRH administered at the time of artificial insemination for cows detected in estrus by conventional estrus detection or an automated activity-monitoring system.

ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of GnRH at the time of artificial insemination (AI) on ovulation, progesterone 7 d post-AI, and pregnancy in cows detected in estrus using traditional methods (tail chalk removal and mount acceptance visualization) or an automated activity-monitoring (AAM) system. We hypothesized that administration of GnRH at the time of AI would increase ovulation rate, plasma progesterone post-AI, and pregnancy per AI (P/AI) in cows detected in estrus. In experiment 1, Holstein cows (n = 398) were blocked by parity and randomly assigned to receive an injection of GnRH at the time of estrus detection/AI (GnRH, n = 197) or to remain untreated (control, n = 201) on 4 farms. The GnRH was administered as 100 µg of gonadorelin acetate. Ovarian structures and plasma progesterone were assessed in a subset of cows (GnRH, n = 52; control, n = 55) in experiment 1 at the time of AI and 7 d later. In experiment 2, a group of 409 cows in an AAM farm were enrolled as described for experiment 1 (GnRH, n = 207; control, n = 202). Data were categorized for parity (primiparous vs. multiparous), season (cool vs. warm), number of services (first vs. > first), DIM (>150 DIM vs. ≤150 DIM), and for AAM cows in experiment 2 for activity level (high: 90–100 index vs. low: 35–89 index). Pregnancy diagnosis was performed between 32 and 45 d post-AI (P1) and 60 to 115 d post-AI (P2). In experiment 1, there was no difference in plasma progesterone at day of estrus detection (control = 0.09 ng/mL vs. GnRH = 0.16 ng/mL), 7 d later (control = 2.03 ng/mL vs. GnRH = 2.18 ng/mL), and ovulation rate (GnRH = 83.2% vs. control = 77.9%) between treatments. There were no effects of GnRH in experiment 1 for P/AI at P1 (control = 43.3% vs. GnRH = 38.6%), P2 (control = 38.4% vs. GnRH = 34.5%), and for pregnancy loss (control = 9.8% vs. GnRH = 8.2%). In experiment 2, there were no effects of GnRH for P/AI at P1 (control = 39.6% vs. GnRH = 40.1%), P2 (control = 35.0% vs. GnRH = 37.4%), and for pregnancy loss (control = 9.5% vs. GnRH = 6.2%). There was a tendency for a parity effect on P/AI for P1, but not P2 or for pregnancy loss. High-activity cows had greater P/AI in P1 (low activity = 27.9% vs. high activity = 44.1%), P2 (low activity = 21.8% vs. high activity = 41.2%), and lower pregnancy loss (low activity = 20.7% vs. high activity = 5.1%), but there were no interactions between treatment and activity level. The current study did not support the use of GnRH at estrus detection to improve ovulatory response, progesterone 1 wk post-AI, and P/AI. More research is needed to investigate the relationship between GnRH at the time of AI and activity level in herds using AAM systems.
PERSON-TO-PERSON LENDING: THE PURSUIT OF (MORE) COMPETITIVE CREDIT MARKETS

Person-to-person lending (P2PL) on the Internet is a relatively new credit market. The success of these markets hinges on their ability to provide both borrowers and lenders the chance to improve on the opportunities available in traditional intermediated credit markets. In essence, P2PL must create a more competitive market. Empirical observations provide evidence that frictions exist in these markets, which generally move markets away from competitive outcomes. Currently, auctions are the most popular mechanism for P2PL. This paper develops and analyzes an equilibrium competing auction model of P2PL. Coordination frictions and the presence of noncreditworthy borrowers create an environment where many potentially productive transactions are not made and interest rate dispersion is observed. Additionally, if the market naturally segments into groups of similar borrowers then increased frictions in a segment may lead some portion of lenders to migrate to a different segment.
A resource management model for dynamic, scalable, dependable, real-time systems

Dynamic real-time systems function in unpredictable environments and have requirements that span many domains such as time, survivability, and scalability. The system requirements are typically determined as a function of the environment, further exacerbating the unpredictability of the problem. Existing solutions, for the most part, have focussed on problems for which the attributes are static, and there exists a rich set of solutions for such problems. Our problem domain has attributes that are inherently dynamic rather than static, requiring a new approach.
The Local Ecology of New Social Movements

Recent scholarship from political science, urban studies, and sociology conceptualizes the city as a space of decentralized democracy - a view emphasizing localization, participation, difference, and anti-hierarchical organizational form. Instead of conceiving the city as a place of atomized individuals and a locale for market exchange, this alternative framework recognizes the city’s role as 'civitas' - a 'space of active democratic citizenship' and 'full human realization' based on open and free encounter and exchange with difference. The current research emerges from and fills a need within this perspective by examining how local urban contexts undergird and bolster contemporary anti-systemic movements (CASMs). Theory elaborates how urban density, land-use mix, and connectivity generate and enable interaction with the social diversity fundamental to decentralized and anti-hierarchical movements. In addition, theory also examines how urban walking mediates the relationships between these urban contextual traits and CASMs. Empirical analysis will investigate the direct effects of density, connectivity, land-use mix, and urban walking on contemporary anti-systemic movement activity (measured as human rights, environmental, and social advocacy groups), as well as employing the Sobel and Freedman-Schatzkin tests to assess mediation. Preliminary analysis suggests positive relationships between urban contextual traits and social movement variables.
Wenckebach periodicity in single atrioventricular nodal cells from the rabbit heart.

Previous studies have suggested that Wenckebach periodicity in cardiac tissues may occur because of discontinuous propagation across junctional areas in which there is high intercellular resistivity or different cell types. Under these conditions, the impulse may stop altogether at a given junction, or may renew its propagation but only after a step delay imposed by the diastolic time-dependent recovery in the excitability of cells distal to that junction. Accordingly, Wenckebach periodicity in the atrioventricular node may be explained in terms of electrotonically mediated delay in the activation of the nodal cells. To test this hypothesis, we have studied recovery of excitability, and susceptibility to rate-dependent activation failure in single myocytes isolated from the adult rabbit atrioventricular node. Recordings were obtained by using the patch technique in the whole-cell, current clamp configuration. Repetitive stimulation of single atrioventricular nodal myocytes with depolarizing current pulses of critical amplitude yielded frequency-dependent stimulus response patterns that ranged from 1:1, through various Wenckebachlike periodicities (e.g., 5:4 and 4:3) to 2:1 and 3:1. Both typical and atypical Wenckebach structures were demonstrated, as well as "complex" patterns (e.g., reverse Wenckebach or alternating Wenckebach) previously ascribed to multiple levels of block. The diastolic recovery of excitability curve, determined by application of repetitive stimuli at cycle lengths that were longer than the action potential duration, showed a monotonic function with a refractory period outlasting the action potential duration (i.e., postrepolarization refractoriness). Abbreviation of the stimulation cycle length to values below those of the action potential duration revealed the existence of a period of supernormal excitability during the repolarizing phase of the action potential. In either case, the stimulus response patterns obtained were a direct consequence of the shape of the recovery of excitability curve. The monotonic portion of the recovery curve was fitted to an empirical equation that when iterated reproduced the stimulus response patterns observed in the atrioventricular nodal cell. Our data demonstrate that recovery of excitability after an action potential is indeed a function of the diastolic interval, and that this slow process sets the conditions for the development of Wenckebach periodicity in the atrioventricular node.
Temperature-Shift Analysis of Bacteriophage φ29 Gene Expression in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

Abstract Temperature shift-up experiments with conditional lethal mutants of Bacillus phage 29 have allowed placement of early, middle, and late functions on the linear 29 genetic map Most of the 29 cistrons are late and are found at the ends of the map.
High-performance routing for field-programmable gate arrays

The advantages of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are sometimes eclipsed by a substantial performance penalty due to signal delay through the programmable routing resources. We propose a new FPGA routing construction that directly minimizes source-sink signal propagation delay based on a graph generalization of rectilinear Steiner arborescences (i.e. shortest-paths trees with minimum wirelength). Experimental results indicate that our new heuristic significantly reduces maximum source-to-sink pathlengths while using wirelength competitive with that of Steiner routing. >
Synthesis of potassium 3,6-dioxa-Δ7-4-trifluoromethyl perfluorooctyl sulfonate from hydrolysis of 3,6-dioxa-Δ7-4-trifluoromethyl perfluorooctyl sulfonyl fluoride. A simple high yield conversion catalyzed by KF

Abstract A simple conversion of a perfluoroalkylvinyl ether sulfonyl fluorides, CF2CFOCF2CF(CF3)OCF2CF2SO2F, to the corresponding sulfonate salts without nucleophilic attack on the vinylether function has been developed. The reaction involves KF, water, and acetonitrile resulting in high conversion to the sulfonate salt.
Relating a Measurement Variable to Another Measurement Variable

In Chapters 12 and 13 we investigated the relationship between a measurement variable and a categorical variable. We took two approaches to this task. The first was to estimate population means for the measurement variable in each of the categories of the categorical variable and attach error ranges to those estimates. The second approach was to use either a two-sample t test (if only two categories were involved) or an analysis of variance (if more than two categories were involved). In Chapter 14 we investigated the relationship between two categorical variables. Once again we took two approaches. The first was to estimate population proportions for one of the variables in each of the categories of the other variable and attach error ranges to those estimates. The second approach was to use a chi-square test to evaluate significance and Cramer’s V to evaluate strength of association. There remains only to investigate the relationship between two measurement variables to complete all the possible combinations, and that is the subject of this chapter. We will see that one approach here is so powerful that we will not really consider alternative approaches.
The relative effects of alternating delayed reinforcement and alternating nonreinforcement on response speeds of children

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to evaluate kindergarten children's ability to anticipate reward conditions. In the first experiment delayed reward was alternated with immediate reward and one of two different stimuli was associated with each of the reward conditions. The performance of three groups, under different lengths of delay, was compared to a fourth, control group in which reward was immediate on all trials. The S s failed to anticipate reward conditions. Instead, they responded consistently slower on trials following delay even though these were immediately rewarded trials. Length of delay had no differential effect. In the second experiment, alternating partial reward was compared with continuous reward. The S s were able to anticipate nonreward and responses on those trials were slower.
A case for SysML in robotics

As robotics continues to integrate into society, systems and interactions become increasingly complex. To be able to accurately model such systems, a method is needed that can scale with this complexity, but that can also be standardized. This paper proposes the use of the Systems Modeling Language, or SysML, as such a modeling approach. Based on the popular UML standard, and designed for systems engineering, SysML can scale up for complex systems and is already an industry standard for modeling systems. In this paper we introduce SysML, compare SysML to other formal modeling languages, and discuss its benefits and drawbacks as a modeling language for robotic systems. We also provide an example of how SysML can be used to model robot manipulation tasks.
Interleukin-1 receptor type I signaling critically regulates infarct healing and cardiac remodeling.

The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1 signals exclusively through the type I IL-1 receptor (IL-1RI). IL-1 expression is markedly induced in the infarcted heart; however, its role in cardiac injury and repair remains controversial. We examined the effects of disrupted IL-1 signaling on infarct healing and cardiac remodeling using IL-1RI−/− mice. After reperfused infarction IL-1RI-null mice exhibited decreased infiltration of the infarcted myocardium with neutrophils and macrophages and reduced chemokine and cytokine expression. In the absence of IL-1 signaling, suppressed inflammation was followed by an attenuated fibrotic response. Infarcted IL-1RI−/− mice had decreased myofibroblast infiltration and reduced collagen deposition in the infarcted and remodeling myocardium. IL-1RI deficiency protected against the development of adverse remodeling; however, infarct size was comparable between groups suggesting that the beneficial effects of IL-1RI gene disruption were not attributable to decreased cardiomyocyte injury. Reduced chamber dilation in IL-1RI-null animals was associated with decreased collagen deposition and attenuated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-3 expression in the peri-infarct area, suggesting decreased fibrotic remodeling of the noninfarcted heart. IL-1β stimulated MMP mRNA synthesis in wild-type, but not in IL-1RI-null cardiac fibroblasts. In conclusion, IL-1 signaling is essential for activation of inflammatory and fibrogenic pathways in the healing infarct, playing an important role in the pathogenesis of remodeling after infarction. Thus, interventional therapeutics targeting the IL-1 system may have great benefits in myocardial infarction.
Copepod grazing during spring blooms: Can Pseudocalanus newmani induce trophic cascades?

Abstract During late winter and spring of 2002 and 2003, 24 two- to three-day cruises were conducted to Dabob Bay, Washington State, USA, to examine the grazing, egg production, and hatching success rates of adult female Calanus pacificus and Pseudocalanus newmani . Here, we discuss the results of our grazing experiments for P. newmani . Each week, we conducted traditional microzooplankton dilution experiments and “copepod dilution” experiments, each from two different layers. Grazing was measured by changes in chlorophyll concentration and direct cell counts. Clearance rates on individual prey species, as calculated by cell counts, showed that Pseudocalanus are highly selective in their feeding, and may have much higher grazing rates on individual taxa than calculated from bulk chlorophyll disappearance. The grazing rates of the copepods, however, are typically an order of magnitude lower than the grazing rates of the microzooplankton community, or the growth rates of the phytoplankton. P. newmani ingested diatoms, but, at certain times fed preferentially on microzooplankton, such as ciliates, tintinnids, and larger dinoflagellates. Removal of the microzooplankton may have released the other phytoplankton species from grazing pressure, allowing those species’ abundance to increase, which was measured as an apparent “negative” grazing on those phytoplankton species. The net result of grazing on some phytoplankton species, while simultaneously releasing others from grazing pressure resulted in bulk chlorophyll-derived estimates of grazing which were essentially zero or slightly negative; thus bulk chlorophyll disappearance is a poor indicator of copepod grazing. Whether copepods can significantly release phytoplankton from the grazing pressure by microzooplankton in situ, thus causing a trophic cascade, remains to be verified, but is suggested by our study.
Application of a high-throughput fluorescent acetyltransferase assay to identify inhibitors of homocitrate synthase.

Homocitrate synthase (HCS) catalyzes the first step of L-lysine biosynthesis in fungi by condensing acetyl-Coenzyme A and 2-oxoglutarate to form 3R-homocitrate and Coenzyme A. Due to its conservation in pathogenic fungi, HCS has been proposed as a candidate for antifungal drug design. Here we report the development and validation of a robust, fluorescent assay for HCS that is amenable to high-throughput screening for inhibitors in vitro. Using this assay, Schizosaccharomyces pombe HCS was screened against a diverse library of ~41,000 small molecules. Following confirmation, counter screens, and dose-response analysis, we prioritized over 100 compounds for further in vitro and in vivo analysis. This assay can be readily adapted to screen for small molecule modulators of other acyl-CoA-dependent acyltransferases or enzymes that generate a product with a free sulfhydryl group, including histone acetyltransferases, aminoglycoside N-acetyltransferases, thioesterases and enzymes involved in lipid metabolism.
Congenital Coronary Artery Anomalies

Congenital coronary artery anomalies are rare but can carry a significant risk of myocardial ischemia, myocardial dysfunction, congestive heart failure, and sudden death. This risk seems to be highest during childhood and adolescence; therefore, an understanding of these anomalies is important for the pediatrician and pediatric cardiologist. This article focuses on the anatomic features, mode of presentation, diagnostic findings, and surgical treatments that are available for the two most common types of isolated congenital coronary anomalies that are associated with myocardial ischemia during childhood: (1) anomalous origin of a coronary artery from the opposite sinus of Valsalva with an interarterial course between the great arteries and (2) anomalous origin of a coronary artery from the pulmonary artery. A brief discussion of coronary artery fistulous connections completes the article.
Effect of site-directed mutagenesis of His373 of yeast enolase on some of its physical and enzymatic properties.

Abstract The X-ray structure of yeast enolase shows His373 interacting with a water molecule also held by residues Glu168 and Glu211. The water molecule is suggested to participate in the catalytic mechanism (Lebioda, L. and Stec, B. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 2817–2822). Replacement of His373 with asparagine (H373N enolase) or phenylalanine (H373F enolase) reduces enzymatic activity to ca. 10% and 0.0003% of the native enzyme activity, respectively. H373N enolase exhibits a reduced Km for the substrate, 2-phosphoglycerate, and produces the same absorbance changes in the chromophoric substrate analogues TSP1 and AEP1, relative to native enolase. H373F enolase binds AEP less strongly, producing a smaller absorbance change than native enolase, and reacts very little with TSP. H373F enolase dissociates to monomers in the absence of substrate; H373N enolase subunit dissociation is less than H373F enolase but more than native enolase. Substrate and Mg2+ increase subunit association in both mutants. Differential scanning calorimetric experiments indicate that the interaction with substrate that stabilizes enolase to thermal denaturation involves His373. We suggest that the function of His373 in the enolase reaction may involve hydrogen bonding rather than acid/base catalysis, through interaction with the Glu168/Glu211/H2O system, which produces removal or addition of hydroxyl at carbon-3 of the substrate.
The Impact of September 11th on Immigrants in the United States

ABSTRACT Based upon a review of current literature, a comprehensive overview of the economic and social impacts on immigrants as a result of September 11th, 2001 and the erosion of legal, civil and social rights stemming from policies instituted in its aftermath are presented. Restrictionist and exclusionary social policies initiated in the United States prior to the events of September 11th are also discussed. These will be analyzed in the context of globalization and the increased migration that has been taking place since the 1990s, considering how all of these factors intersect and threaten the human rights of large numbers of immigrants. Finally current immigration policy alternatives and their implications for human rights and social inclusion are presented.
The Charnockite Geotherm

Charnockite, a hypersthene-bearing granite, and other associated rocks of the charnockite series have a global distribution. These rocks, according to evidence from mineral-chemical and experimental phase equilibrium relations, formed or recrystallized at temperatures between 800° and 900°C and at relatively shallow depths of 6 to 12 kilometers. This evidence indicates the existence of geothermal gradients of 70° to 100°C per kilometer probably at various times, the latest being around 1300 x 106 years ago.