cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Global estimates of biomass burning emissions based on satellite imagery for the year 2000

5613 Tg DM yr � 1 , of which 2814 Tg DM yr � 1 is associated with open burning and the remainder with biofuels. The total emissions are 2290 Tg C yr � 1 (as CO2), 496 Tg CO yr � 1 , 32.2 Tg CH4 yr � 1 , 38.0 Tg NHMC yr � 1 , 11.5 Tg HCHO yr � 1 , 9.2 Tg CH3OH yr � 1 , 21.7 Tg CH3COOH yr � 1 , and 38.3 Tg PM2.5 yr � 1 . Our estimates for CO2, CO, and CH4 emissions from open biomass burning combined with estimates of those from biofuel burning are in the range of the estimates constrained by chemical transport models and measurements. Our use of spatially and temporally explicit data and these comparisons to global models support the conclusion that our source map offers improvements in the emission data sets for estimating the global effects of biomass burning. INDEXTERMS:0322 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Constituent sources and sinks; 1610 Global Change: Atmosphere (0315, 0325); 0315 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions; 0325 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Evolution of the atmosphere; 4805 Oceanography: Biological and Chemical: Biogeochemical cycles (1615); KEYWORDS: biomass burning, burned area, fuel load Citation: Ito, A., and J. E. Penner (2004), Global estimates of biomass burning emissions based on satellite imagery for the year 2000, J. Geophys. Res., 109, D14S05, doi:10.1029/2003JD004423.
Thermal Performance of Sprayed Polyurethane Foam Insulation with Alternative Blowing Agents

A test methodology that uses thermal resistance-time curves deter mined on thin shces of the foam and the scaling technique to relate aging time to the specimen thickness, was applied to evaluate long-term thermal performance of six polyurethane foams manufactured with the same polymer but different blowing agents. The blowing agents employed were: CFC-11 with 0, 0 5, 1 0 or 1.5% water and HCFC-123 or HCFC-141b.
Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding interleukin 11, a stromal cell-derived lymphopoietic and hematopoietic cytokine.

Abstract Hematopoiesis occurs in close association with a complex network of cells loosely termed the hematopoietic microenvironment. Analysis of the mechanisms of microenvironmental regulation of hematopoiesis has been hindered by the complexity of the microenvironment as well as the heterogeneity of hematopoietic stem cells and early progenitor cells. We have established immortalized primate bone marrow-derived stromal cell lines to facilitate analysis of the interactions of hematopoietic cells with the microenvironment in a large animal species. One such line, PU-34, was found to produce a variety of growth factors, including an activity that stimulates the proliferation of an interleukin 6-dependent murine plasmacytoma cell line. A cDNA encoding the plasmacytoma stimulatory activity was isolated through functional expression cloning in mammalian cells. The nucleotide sequence contained a single long reading frame of 597 nucleotides encoding a predicted 199-amino acid polypeptide. The amino acid sequence of this cytokine, designated interleukin 11 (IL-11), did not display significant similarity with any other sequence in the GenBank data base. Preliminary biological characterization indicates that in addition to stimulating plasmacytoma proliferation, IL-11 stimulates the T-cell-dependent development of immunoglobulin-producing B cells and synergizes with IL-3 in supporting murine megakaryocyte colony formation. These properties implicate IL-11 as an additional multifunctional regulator in the hematopoietic microenvironment.
Spread: improving network security by multipath routing

This paper considers the delivery of secret information across insecure networks. A novel end-to-end multipath secure data delivery scheme, secure protocol for reliable data delivery (SPREAD), is proposed as a complementary mechanism for the data confidentiality service in the public networks. The idea behind SPREAD is to improve the confidentiality by enforcing the secret sharing principle in the network via multipath routing. With a (T,N) secret sharing scheme, the message to be protected can be divided into N shares such that from any T or more shares, it can easily recover the message, while from any T-1 or less shares, it should be impossible to recover the message. Then using multipath routing, the shares are delivered across the network via multiple independent paths. The destination node reconstructs the original message upon receiving T or more shares. This paper presents the system architecture of the SPREAD scheme, including how to divide the secret message into multiple shares using the secret sharing scheme, how to find the desired multiple secure paths, as well as how to allocate the message shares onto each selected path such that maximum security can be achieved. The discussion on the optimal share allocations reveals that redundant SPREAD scheme is not only more secure but also more error-tolerant and fault-tolerant. The simulation results show that significantly reduced message interception ratio can be achieved by SPREAD.
A Sensitivity Study of the Thermodynamic Environment on GFDL Model Hurricane Intensity: Implications for Global Warming

In this study, the effect of thermodynamic environmental changes on hurricane intensity is extensively investigated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory hurricane model for a suite of experiments with different initial upper-tropospheric temperature anomalies up to 648C and sea surface temperatures ranging from 268 to 318C given the same relative humidity profile. The results indicate that stabilization in the environmental atmosphere and sea surface temperature (SST) increase cause opposing effects on hurricane intensity. The offsetting relationship between the effects of atmospheric stability increase (decrease) and SST increase (decrease) is monotonic and systematic in the parameter space. This implies that hurricane intensity increase due to a possible global warming associated with increased CO2 is considerably smaller than that expected from warming of the oceanic waters alone. The results also indicate that the intensity of stronger (weaker) hurricanes is more (less) sensitive to atmospheric stability and SST changes. The model-attained hurricane intensity is found to be well correlated with the maximum surface evaporation and the large-scale environmental convective available potential energy. The model-attained hurricane intensity is highly correlated with the energy available from wet-adiabatic ascent near the eyewall relative to a reference sounding in the undisturbed environment for all the experiments. Coupled hurricane‐ocean experiments show that hurricane intensity becomes less sensitive to atmospheric stability and SST changes since the ocean coupling causes larger (smaller) intensity reduction for stronger (weaker) hurricanes. This implies less increase of hurricane intensity related to a possible global warming due to increased CO 2.
Textbook of Atopic Dermatitis

Sakari Reitamo, Thomas A. Luger, Martin Steinhoff (editors)Informa Healthcare, London, 2008, 304 pages, hardback Price: US$ 190ISBN: 9781841842462Although textbooks are increasingly being supplante...
Refinement-based synthesis of continuous-time analog filters through successive domain pruning, plateau search, and adaptive sampling

This paper presents a novel algorithm for synthesis of continuous-time analog filters. The goal is to find as many "very good" design points as possible without requiring feasible designs as starting points or any other additional designer knowledge as input. This problem is challenging for present exploration-based analog-synthesis methods, including existing commercial tools, which have difficulties in locating diverse constraint-satisfying designs. The proposed algorithm conducts a three-step refinement process, in which poor-quality solution-space regions are eliminated through different strategies. It starts with the step of parameter-domain pruning, which identifies parameter subdomains that are more likely to produce many feasible solution points. Domains are found using interval arithmetic and the proposed simplified affine transformation operators. In the second step, selected variable subdomains are searched using plateau search, a novel exploration technique described in this paper. The algorithm addresses the three main types of solution-space regions: 1) convex, quasi-convex, and /spl delta/-convex regions; 2) rifts; and 3) plateau. The technique expands descendant-gradient-based search with a systematic way of sampling plateau. Finally, promising regions that remained after step 2 are further refined during the step of search with adaptive-sampling step length. Using four filter examples, experiments observed the quality of results and convergence of synthesis. Plateau search was also experimented for synthesis of two /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ modulators.
Kalman filtering for power estimation in mobile communications

In wireless cellular communications, accurate local mean (shadow) power estimation performed at a mobile station is important for use in power control, handoff, and adaptive transmission. Window-based weighted sample average shadow power estimators are commonly used due to their simplicity. In practice, the performance of these estimators degrades severely when the window size deviates beyond a certain range. The optimal window size for window-based estimators is hard to determine and track in practice due to the continuously changing fading environment. Based on a first-order autoregressive model of the shadow process, we propose a scalar Kalman-filter-based approach for improved local mean power estimation, with only slightly increased computational complexity. Our analysis and experiments show promising results.
The Bartonella vinsonii subsp. arupensis Immunodominant Surface Antigen BrpA Gene, Encoding a 382-Kilodalton Protein Composed of Repetitive Sequences, Is a Member of a Multigene Family Conserved among Bartonella Species

Bartonella proteins that elicit an antibody response during an infection are poorly defined; therefore, to characterize antigens recognized by the host, a Bartonella genomic expression library was screened with serum from an infected mouse. This process led to the discovery of a Bartonella vinsonii subsp. arupensis gene encoding a 382-kDa protein, part of a gene family encoding large proteins, each containing multiple regions of repetitive segments. The genes were termed brpA to -C (bartonella repeat protein) and bore significant similarity to genes encoding the BadA adhesin protein and members of the variably expressed outer membrane protein family of proteins from Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana, respectively.
A multi-layer router utilizing over-cell areas

A new methodology is presented for the solution of the multilayer routing problem that has the potential to outperform channel based multi-layer routing algorithms by expanding the routing regions to include areas over the cells. It is assumed that four routing layers are available. Routing is completed in two steps; a selected group of nets is routed in the between-cell areas using existing channel routing algorithms and the first two routing layers. Then the remaining nets are routed over the entire layout area, between-cell and over-cell areas, using a new two-dimensional router and the next two routing layers. The router used for over-cell routing recognizes arbitrarily sized obstacles, for example, due to power and ground routing or sensitive circuits in the underlying cells. The proposed router was tested on a number of macro-cell layout examples. Advantages of dedicating two routing layers for over-cell routing is illustrated. Results show a significant reduction in total layout area, wire length and number of via when compared to results obtained using two-layer or multi-layer channel routing methods.
Fault identification using a finite state machine model with unreliable partially observed data sequences

The problem of minimum cost identification of a finite state machine (FSM) using a trace of its event history is addressed. The motivation is fault identification in communication systems, although other applications are possible as well. The event history used for the identification is partially observed, i.e., it is known to be a member of a regular language. Any string which belongs in this regular language is a possible trace of the FSM's event history. Furthermore, the event history is assumed to be corrupted with deletions, additions, and changes of symbols. The FSM to be estimated is related to a known FSM by performing an unknown number of additions and changes of arcs. An identification algorithm based on a fast algorithm that can correct corrupted data strings generated by a known finite state machine is developed. Examples of the method are provided, including one based on the IEEE 802.2 logical link control protocol. >
Moore’s Conception of Analysis

When, in his paper on ‘Moore’s Technique’, John Wisdom represented Moore as subscribing to the view that it is analysis which is ‘the proper business of philosophy’ Moore was quick to reject what Wisdom termed ‘Moore’s account of philosophy as analysis’.1 While Moore was right in his rejoinder, there is yet an important element of truth in Wisdom’s interpretation. In part, this is for the reason that, as we saw earlier, the substantive question ‘as to the nature of material things’ in the external world remains open in the wake of Moore’s commonsensically based proof of the fact that such a world is known to exist. And it is to analysis that this open question falls for answer. Retaining a previously used metaphor, it is common sense which provides the skeleton of an ontology in Moore’s philosophy, but it is analysis which puts meat on the bones. While this does not make true Wisdom’s suggestion, it does indicate that only with and through analysis comes the detailed working out of the content of Moore’s metaphysical positions as set forth in outline form in the basic propositions of commonsense realism.
Compact and non-compact gauged supergravity theories in five dimensions

Abstract We give a detailed construction of gauged N = 8 supergravity theories in five dimensions with Yang-Mills gauge groups SO(p, 6−p)(p=0, 1, 2, 3), physical global symmetry SU(1, 1), and local composite symmetry USp(8). The scalar potentials are studied and several critical points are found for the SO(6) and SO(3,3) theories. Those of the SO(6) theory are related to compactifications of the chiral N = 2 theory in ten dimensions. We discuss truncations of the SO(6) theory and give an independent discussion of the relevant N = 2,4,6 and 8 anti-de Sitter supermultiplets.
European Commission - DG Enterprise and Industry - Public Consultation on Patents and Standards - Responses submitted by Prof. Jorge L. Contreras

This paper is a response to the Public Consultation on Patents and Standards issued by the European Commission Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry.
Analysis of spirituality content in nursing textbooks.

Abstract Although most nurses believe spiritual care is an integral component of quality, holistic nursing care, they rarely address spiritual issues and typically feel unprepared to do so. One reason for nurses' lack of preparedness to provide spiritual interventions is that their basic education only minimally discusses spirituality and related issues. This is compounded by the problem that only sporadic reference to spiritual care is found in most nursing textbooks. This study was conducted to analyze the content related to spirituality in nursing textbooks in order to determine where spiritual care is addressed and evaluate its adequacy. A total of 50 textbooks from a wide variety of nursing specialty areas were selected from the most recent Brandon Hill list. These books were examined to assess the percentage of pages discussing spiritual issues and analyze inclusion of core content essential for nursing practice. Although there was considerable variation among the books from all specialty areas, overall, hospice/terminal care, fundamentals of nursing, health assessment/health promotion, and transcultural nursing textbooks provided the most information about spirituality and spiritual care. Textbooks focusing on professional issues, medical-surgical nursing, maternal-child health nursing, critical care nursing, and community health nursing contained the least spiritual content. Suggestions are made regarding how to integrate spiritual issues and spiritual care in all nursing textbooks that pertain directly to patient care.
Peridynamics analysis of the nanoscale friction and wear properties of amorphous carbon thin films

Peridynamics theory was used to study the nanoscale friction and wear processes of thin films of amorphous carbon used as protective overcoats in hard-disk drives. The length scale parameter (horizon) used in state-based peridynamics theory was used to account for the multiscale physical processes examined in this study. Analytical results of the coefficient of friction and wear depth are shown to be in good agreement with published experimental results. Although long-range forces are not considered in the analysis, the results indicate that the present approach yields fairly accurate estimates of the coefficient of friction and wear depth for a _lm thickness greater than 10 nm and a grid size of 1:78 nm. The results of this study demonstrate that peridynamics theory can be used to analyze various nanoscale friction and wear phenomena without being limited by the excessive computational time and convergence problems encountered with traditional numerical methods.
Deep ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy: A resonance-absorption trade-off illustrated by diluted liquid benzene

The magnitude of resonance Raman intensity, in terms of the real signal level measured on-resonance compared to the signal level measured off-resonance for the same sample, is investigated using a tunable laser source. Resonance Raman enhancements, occurring as the excitation energy is tuned through ultraviolet absorption lines, are used to examine the 1332 cm−1 vibrational mode of diamond and the 992 cm−1 ring-breathing mode of benzene. Competition between the wavelength dependent optical absorption and the magnitude of the resonance enhancement is studied using measured signal levels as a function of wavelength. Two system applications are identified where the resonance Raman significantly increases the real signal levels despite the presence of strong absorption: characterization of trace species in laser remote sensing and spectroscopy of the few molecules in the tiny working volumes of near-field optical microscopy.
Hepatic, Pancreatic and Biliary Cancers

Hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) cancers, which are among the most lethal of malignancies, often show alterations in the expression of components of the translation machinery and the regulation of their function. Changes in translation initiation factors, elongation factors and ribosomal proteins and RNA have been demonstrated across the range of HPB cancers. Viruses that are causative for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been shown to directly interact with the translation apparatus. All forms of HPB cancer, including not only HCC but also cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), have been associated with altered signal transduction pathways involved in the control of translation. Understanding the mechanisms accounting for the dysregulation of translation in HPB cancers has led to the identification of novel biomarkers, prognostic indicators, and preventive and chemotherapeutic treatment strategies. Further developments in this area have the potential to improve the outcome for these devastating disorders.
Laws, Habits of Obedience and Obligation

H. L. A. Hart's The Concept of Law is, perhaps, the most widely read, and influential, work on the philosophy of law published in the Englishspeaking world since World War H. It seems to me that it is certainly the most influential contemporary work on this subject among philosophers. I believe that it is an excellent book, and that Hart contributes much that is of value in his discussions of the nature of legal systems, the concept of sovereignty, the relationship of morality to law, and others of the many topics that he touches upon. Despite this, I have objections to certain central features of Hart's work, though perhaps the objections apply only to what seems to me to be the most natural interpretation of what he is saying. There are two main issues upon which I wish to comment, and I believe that they are related. First, I would like to examine some of Hart's objections to the legal theory which he christens "laws as coercive orders " (hereinafter L.C.O.). The major portion of the first third of the book is concerned with elaborating a version of this theory whose chief exponent was John Austin, and criticizing the elaborated form of the theory. I shall not be concerned with the question of the historical accuracy of Hart's attribution of various views to Austin, but instead I shall simply consider L.C.O. as he states it. Secondly, I want to look at Hart's own account of the nature of obligation. According to him one of the chief deficiencies of L.C.O. is that it cannot account for obligation. In support of this Hart has a number of things to say about obligation. This topic is so important that it seems to me that investigating what he proposes will be well worthwhile.
Amortization: An Application of Calculus

(1999). Amortization: An Application of Calculus. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 30, No. 5, pp. 388-391.
BMI-DEPENDENT EFFECTS OF ADIPOSE TISSUE EXOSOMES ON HUMAN MACROPHAGE CHOLESTEROL TRANSPORT GENE EXPRESSION

Obesity, a major risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, has quadrupled in adolescents in the last 30 years. How adipose tissue influences the pathological process of atherosclerosis is not well understood. This study compares cholesterol efflux gene expression in human macrophages exposed
Endothelial L-arginine pathway and relaxations to vasopressin in canine basilar artery.

Experiments were designed to determine the role of the L-arginine pathway in endothelium-dependent relaxations to vasopressin. The effects of L-arginine analogues NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), NG-ni...
Great significance of accelerating publishing medical equipment supervision and management regulations (amendment)

Since medical equipment supervision and management regulations (Amendment) started modification in 2005, 7 years have passed. A few days ago, the Legal Affairs Office of the State Council issued Amendment Third Draft. After studied the draft, we feel it suits the medical device regulatory practice, has a new look, and introduces many new regulatory concepts, with innovative administrative license and regulatory design, of course, the new regulatory regime will inevitably initiate many new problems, explore some new system design. Therefore, based on preliminary interpretation, we publish some experiences, throw away a brick in order to get a gem.
Teaching and the Imagination

AbstractThis article is the text version of a plenary address given on November 6, 2015 before the Religious Education Association at its annual meeting, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Ratiometric quantitation of redox status with a molecular Fe2 magnetic resonance probe

We demonstrate the ability of a molecular Fe2 complex to enable magnetic resonance (MR)-based ratiometric quantitation of redox status, namely through redox-dependent paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (PARACEST). Metalation of a tetra(carboxamide) ligand with FeII and/or FeIII in the presence of etidronate ion affords analogous FeII2, FeIIFeIII, and FeIII2 complexes. Both FeII2 and FeIIFeIII complexes give highly-shifted, sharp, and non-overlapping NMR spectra, with multiple resonances for each complex corresponding to exchangeable carboxamide protons. These protons can be selectively irradiated to give CEST peaks at 74 and 83 ppm vs. H2O for the FeIIFeIII complex and at 29, 40 and 68 ppm for the FeII2 complex. The CEST spectra obtained from a series of samples containing mixtures of FeII2 and FeIIFeIII are correlated with independently-determined open-circuit potentials to construct a Nernstian calibration curve of potential vs. CEST peak intensity ratio. In addition, averaged intensities of phantom images collected on a 9.4 T MRI scanner show analogous Nernstian behavior. Finally, both the FeII2 and FeIIFeIII forms of the complex are stable to millimolar concentrations of H2PO4−/HPO42−, CO32−, SO42−, CH3COO−, and Ca2+ ions, and the FeIII2 form is air-stable in aqueous buffer and shows >80% viability in melanoma cells at millimolar concentration. The stability suggests the possible application of this or related complexes for in vivo studies. To our knowledge, this concentration-independent method based on a single Fe2 probe provides the first example of MR-based ratiometric quantitation of redox environment.
Aroma Perception and Chemistry of Bitters in Whiskey Matrices: Modeling the Old-Fashioned

Aim The complex aromas of cocktails provide a unique and interesting model system to evaluate the effects of alcohol matrix and aroma-aroma interactions on human aroma perception and partitioning and release of aroma compounds. Here, we study the interactions that occur in an Old-Fashioned cocktail when different types of whiskeys are mixed with different styles of bitters.
The December 22, 1983, earthquake in Guinea, West Africa

The magnitude (M S )-6.2 earthquake that struck northwestern Guinea in late 1983 (Figure 1) killed nearly 300 people,sinjured about 1,500, destroyed more than 5,000 houses, and left some 18,000 people homeless. It serves as a recent example of the infrequent but oftentimes destructive nature of moderate to large earthquakes that occur in apparently aseismic to low-seismicity intraplate regions such as West Africa. These examples remind us of our vulnerability to natural hazards and particularly to uncommon events of this type.
Parallel droplet microfluidics for high throughput cell encapsulation and synthetic microgel generation

Cells can be microencapsulated in synthetic hydrogel microspheres (microgels) using droplet microfluidics, but microfluidic devices with a single droplet generating geometry have limited throughput, especially as microgel diameter decreases. Here we demonstrate microencapsulation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in small ( 90% of encapsulated cells were viable.
Private Equity Meets Antitrust....Complications Ensue

Private Equity is simply a way in which an investment company is structured. What the term usually means, however, is an entity that seeks to make an investment, quickly make changes in the company, and then sell out. Antitrust gets involved to determine whether the acquisition of stock or assets leads to a lessening of competition in any market. As part of that process, potential acquirers must give notice to the antitrust agencies and observe a waiting period. The private equity business model seeks to minimize, or avoid, such waiting. The approaches taken by private equity investors, and the agencies’ responses, have created an interesting legal landscape.
Neocortical Organization in Monotremes

In this review we describe the organizaton of somatosensory, auditory, visual, and motor cortex in two species of monotremes, the duck-billed platypus and the echidna. A comparison of cortex of monotremes and other mammals allows us to deduce the organization of the neocortex of the common ancestor of all mammals, and to appreciate the types of changes that have been made to the brains of different mammals during evolution.
C-reactive protein, inflammation, and cardiovascular disease: clinical update.

Two-and-a-half years ago, we presented C-reactive protein (CRP) data from the Women's Health Study, a large prospective study of 30,000 healthy middle-aged women followed over 10 years for the occurrence of first-ever cardiovascular events (the final results of the Women's Health Study regarding the effects of aspirin and of vitamin E randomization have just been published [N Engl J Med 2005;352:1293–304 and JAMA 2005;294:56–65]). We showed that high-sensitivity CRP is a very good predictor of vascular events in this population. Moreover, CRP provides prognostic information beyond low-density lipids (LDL). We identified a unique population—low-LDL, high-CRP individuals —that otherwise might have been missed. This was the impetus for the JUPITER trial, which I'll mention later.
Stewards of the Earth's Resources: A Christian Response to Ecology

This paper argues that Christian beliefs do not necessarily contribute to the environmental crisis by reducing the earth to a possession to be exploited and populated by people. It examines the nature of the earth as an independent creation of God that is entrusted to human beings as trustees of a creation that possesses a deep worth reflecting God's glory and creation impulse. The paper discusses the 2000 year old tradition of stewardship as an ethic to develop and defend environmental stewardship.
Generic dispensing and substitution in mail and retail pharmacies.

ABSTRACT: Mail-order pharmacies have lower aggregate generic-dispensing rates than their retail counterparts. This fact has been used as evidence of self-dealing that could arise when a pharmacy be...
Los entornos de aprendizaje conectado como oportunidad emergente mediante el Cosplay

El aprendizaje conectado explica como las personas pueden construir rutas de aprendizaje conectadas a sus intereses, sus relaciones y al aprendizaje formal que lleven a oportunidades de futuro en una carrera profesional. Sin embargo, la mayoria de los sistemas de aprendizaje no estan disenados para una experiencia de aprendizaje conectado. Por ejemplo, casi todas las escuelas siguen ensenando asignaturas como unidades cerradas que no conectan con los intereses de los alumnos fuera de la escuela. Todavia no sabemos lo suficiente sobre la estructura de los ambientes naturales de aprendizaje conectado que si activan la experiencia de aprendizaje con diferentes contextos y llevan a los alumnos hacia un camino de crecimiento. Aprender mas sobre lo que funciona en estas rutas de aprendizaje nos permitira disenar entornos de aprendizaje conectado para ayudar a mas jovenes a obtener los resultados deseados. El presente trabajo analiza dos casos practicos de «cosplayers» –aficionados que crean sus propios disfraces de personajes ficticios y los llevan a convenciones y eventos– que se beneficiaron de entornos de aprendizaje conectado correctamente desarrollados. Aspectos importantes que surgieron en el estudio incluyen las relaciones con el apoyo y cuidado de y hacia los otros: dos caminos unicos que comienzan con un dificil desafio: las oportunidades economicas derivadas del cosplay y las comparaciones con otras experiencias escolares formales. Todo ello afecta la manera de disenar entornos de aprendizaje conectado que apoyen a todos los alumnos en sus caminos unicos hacia el futuro.
Transcriptomic analysis of reduced sensitivity to praziquantel in Schistosoma mansoni.

Abstract Schistosomiasis is an intravascular parasitic infection estimated to affect over 206 million people, the majority of whom live in Africa where the trematode worms Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium are the major causative agents. While a number of drugs have been used to treat schistosomiasis, praziquantel (PZQ) is the only one that is widely available, relatively cheap, and easy to use. The reliance on a single drug for the treatment of such a prevalent disease is a cause for concern due to the potential for resistance to render PZQ ineffective. In this study, we examine the transcriptome of three generations of a laboratory strain of S. mansoni (PR1) whose susceptibility to PZQ has been diminished across 9 passages through exposure to increasing sub-lethal doses of the drug. Miracidial susceptibility was significantly reduced after exposure to 2 × 50 mg/Kg PZQ during the first passage. Susceptibility of worms in vivo was first assessed during passage 5 when mice infected with PZQ-selected schistosomes were dosed with a lethal dose of 3 × 300 mg/kg PZQ resulting in only a 10% reduction in worm number compared to control treatment. The emergence of reduced sensitivity was marked by a shift in sex ratio from a predominantly male to a female population, a reduction in the length of females and ultimately the loss of the PZQ-selected line after passage 9. Analysis of differentially regulated transcripts did not suggest that any particular gene product or pathway was associated with drug resistance suggesting either a loss of function mutation to a single gene or an epistatic interaction of multiple gene products as the underlying cause of reduced susceptibility.
Venous Thromboembolism After Degenerative Spine Surgery: A Nationwide Readmissions Database Analysis

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an appreciable burden on health care. The protracted recumbency experienced by many spinal patients juxtaposed with concerns for postoperative hemorrhage from early anticoagulation results in conflicting stances regarding chemoprophylaxis. Identifying risk factors associated with VTE is therefore instrumental in guiding management. Objective To identify VTE risk factors in patients undergoing degenerative spine surgery. Methods The Nationwide Readmissions Database was searched for adults undergoing spine surgery for degenerative diseases between 2010 and 2014. The 30-day and 90-day VTE incidence was estimated from readmissions with new VTE diagnoses. A multivariate survey-adjusted logistic regression model was used to identify variables associated with VTE diagnoses on readmission. Results Of 838,507 degenerative spine cases queried, 3499 patients (0.42%) were readmitted with a VTE diagnosis within 30 days and 4321 patients (0.62%) were readmitted within 90 days. In multivariate analysis, steroids were independently associated with a higher likelihood of readmission with VTE at both 30 days (odds ratio, 1.58; P Conclusions The incidence of readmission with VTE diagnoses in spine surgery is low. However, their devastating consequences underscore the need to identify those patients deemed high risk. These patients include those having thoracolumbar surgery, of advanced age, with prolonged length of stay, using corticosteroids, and with a disposition to institutional care (e.g., skilled nursing facility or long-term acute care). Given the association between steroids and VTE, clinicians should be judicious about perioperative administration despite their obvious antiinflammatory benefits.
Improved durability and activity of Pt/C catalysts through atomic layer deposition of tungsten nitride and subsequent thermal treatment

Abstract Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of tungsten nitride (WN) enhanced the durability and activity of a carbon-supported Pt nanoparticle oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst by adding protective WN nanostructures to the surface. A post-synthesis thermal treatment sequence of low-temperature oxidation followed by high-temperature reduction was carried out on the ALD-modified catalyst. The effects of the ALD process and thermal treatment on the structure and electrochemical properties of the catalyst were examined. Characterization through ICP-MS, STEM and EDS mapping, and X-ray diffraction showed that the ALD process deposited WN homogenously across the surface. Thermal treatment resulted in a reduced amount of nitride on the surface and produced separate Pt and W domains. The electrochemical performance of the catalysts is measured through rotating disk electrode voltammetry. The thermally-treated ALD catalyst was observed to have a high mass activity towards the ORR (465 mA/mg), surpassing benchmark Pt/C (277 mA/mg), and demonstrated superior retention of electrochemical properties after an accelerated durability test. Analysis of particle size distributions before and after durability testing also indicated that the mechanical stability of the Pt nanoparticles is enhanced in the thermally-treated ALD catalyst compared to the uncoated materials.
Lowering the Voting Age from the Ground Up: The United States’ Experience in Allowing 16-Year Olds to Vote

Since a constitutional amendment in 1971, the voting age in America has been 18 for virtually all elections nationwide. In 2013, Takoma Park, Maryland lowered the voting age to 16 for its local elections. Several other cities in Maryland followed suit. Then, in 2016, Berkeley, California voters approved a ballot measure to lower the voting age for school board elections, and San Francisco voters narrowly rejected a similar measure for all local elections. The debate has now spread to other places, with additional cities, states, and even Congress considering the issue. This chapter tells the recent stories of these debates, with insights about the continued effort. A key takeaway is that youths themselves have been the primary advocates for this reform. Successful implementation has required a youth-driven campaign as well as a sustained push for enhanced democratic engagement among the entire electorate, along with dedication to improved civics education. Furthermore, the idea to lower the voting age to 16 has now entered the national conversation, with over 100 members of Congress supporting a measure to lower the voting age for federal elections. Yet political considerations remain a barrier in many places.
The limits of lead (Pb) phytoextraction and possibilities of phytostabilization in contaminated soil: a critical review.

This review article focuses on lead (Pb), one of the most ubiquitous and harmful toxicants found in soil. Our objective is to address misconceptions regarding the ability of plants to uptake Pb thr...
Conformality of PVD shell layers on GLAD-nanorods investigated by Monte Carlo simulations

The quality of the shell coating around nanorods is critical in device applications. Conventional physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques can be utilized for highly conformal shell coating formation in core-shell structure devices. To identify scalable fabrication techniques for conformal shell coatings, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of PVD growth were performed under different atomic flux distributions and angles on arrays of glancing angle deposition (GLAD) nanorods, which were also generated by MC simulations. We investigated the conformality of PVD films (shell) around GLAD rod arrays (core) and analyzed the thickness uniformity of the shell layer across the sidewalls of rods. Our results show that Angular Flux-Normal Angle (A-NAD), which might correspond to high-pressure sputter deposition at normal incidence (HIPS at θ = 0o) can generate better conformal shell coating compared to others. In Uniform Flux-Normal Angle technique (U-NAD), which corresponds to a thermal evaporation deposition, the growth suffers from poor sidewall coverage. In addition, introducing a small angle to the flux also improves the shell conformality. Therefore, high-pressure sputter deposition technique is expected to provide superior conformality for a catalyst or semiconductor coating around base nanorods, for example for fuel cell and solar cell applications, with the help of obliquely incident atoms of the HIPS flux.
Human factors affecting visual inspection of fatigue cracking in steel bridges

In this study, the performance data from 30 inspectors evaluating 147 specimens with fatigue cracks in representative in-situ conditions were analysed to identify the role of human factors in bridg...
Changing the Conversation on the Science–Practice Gap: An Adherence-Based Approach:

The science–practice gap has been recognized as a grand challenge for management scholars in the 21st century. Despite the generation of a considerable amount of knowledge, which is clearly relevan...
Point process models for COVID-19 cases and deaths

The study of events distributed over time which can be quantified as point processes has attracted much interest over the years due to its wide range of applications. It has recently gained new rel...
Crisis Leadership: A Case Study of New York’s 2020 COVID-19 Nursing Home Executive Policy Action

Successful crisis leadership hinges upon the expression of moral values and demonstration of leadership competencies. This case study explores New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s COVID-19 nursing home...
River Longitudinal Profiles and Bedrock Incision Models: Stream Power and the Influence of Sediment Supply

The simplicity and apparent mechanistic basis of the stream power river incision law have led to its wide use in empirical and theoretical studies. Here we identify constraints on its calibration and application, and present a mechanistic theory for the effects of sediment supply on incision rates which spotlights additional limitations on the applicability of the stream power law. On channels steeper than about 20%, incision is probably dominated by episodic debris flows, and on sufficiently gentle slopes, sediment may bury the bedrock and prevent erosion. These two limits bound the application of the stream power law and strongly constrain the possible combination of parameters in the law. In order to avoid infinite slopes at the drainage divide in numerical models of river profiles using the stream power law it is commonly assumed that the first grid cell is unchanneled. We show, however, that the size of the grid may strongly influence the calculated equilibrium relief. Analysis of slope-drainage area relationships for a river network in a Northern California watershed using digital elevation data and review of data previously reported by Hack reveal that non-equilibrium profiles may produce well defined slope-area relationships (as expected in equilibrium channels), but large differences between tributaries may point to disequilibrium conditions. To explore the role of variations in sediment supply and transport capacity in bedrock incision we introduce a mechanistic model for abrasion of bedrock by saltating bedload. The model predicts that incision rates reach a maximum at intermediate levels of sediment supply and transport capacity. Incision rates decline away from the maximum with either decreasing supply (due to a shortage of tools) or increasing supply (due to gradual bed alluviation), and with either decreasing transport capacity (due to less energetic particle movement) or increasing transport capacity (due less frequent particle impacts per unit bed area). We use this model to predict longitudinal profiles under varying boundary conditions and sediment supply rates and find that even in actively downcutting rivers, the river slope needed to maintain incision may be only slightly greater than the slope required to transport the imposed load. Hence, the channel slope-drainage area relationships of rivers actively cutting through bedrock may predominately reflect the grain size and supply rate of sediment and only secondarily the influence of bedrock resistance to erosion.
Analysis of the RPE sheet in the rd10 retinal degeneration model

The normal RPE sheet in the C57BL/6J mouse is subclassified into two major tiling patterns: a regular generally hexagonal array covering most of the surface and a “soft network” near the ciliary body made of irregularly shaped cells. Physics models predict these two patterns based on contractility and elasticity of the RPE cell, and strength of cellular adhesion between cells. We hypothesized and identified major changes in RPE regular hexagonal tiling pattern in rd10 compared to C57BL/6J mice. In rd10 mice, RPE sheet damage was extensive but occurred later than expected, after most retinal degeneration was complete. RPE sheet changes occur in zones with a bullseye pattern. In the posterior zone, around the optic nerve, RPE cells take on larger irregular and varied shapes to maintain an intact monolayer. In mid periphery, RPE cells have a compressed or convoluted morphology that progress into ingrown layers of RPE under the retina. Cells in the periphery maintain their shape and size until the late stages of the RPE reorganization. The number of neighboring cells varies widely depending on zone and progression. RPE morphology continues to deteriorate after the photoreceptors have degenerated. The RPE cells are bystanders to photoreceptor degeneration in the rd10 model, and the collateral damage to the RPE results in changes in morphology as early as 30 days old. Quantitative measures of the tiling patterns and histopathology detected here were scripted in a pipeline written in Perl and Cell Profiler (an open source MatLab plugin) and are directly applicable to RPE sheet images from noninvasive fundus autofluorescence (FAF), adaptive optics confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AO-cSLO), and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) of patients with early stage AMD or RP.
The Jewish graphic novel: critical approaches, edited by Samantha Baskind and Ranen Omer-Sherman

The Jewish connection to sequential art and comics has been documented recently in a number of fine books, including Paul Buhle's Jews and American Comics, Danny Fingeroth's Disguised as Clark Kent...
Effect of antineoplastic drugs on human leukocyte‐mediated cytotoxicity against herpes simplex virus infected cells

We evaluated the effect of five antineoplastic drugs on the ability of human leukocytes to destroy herpes simplex virus (HSV) infected target cells in the presence of antibody (antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity) and in its absence (natural killer cytotoxicity). Leukocytes from healthy volunteers were separated into macrophages, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and lymphocytes. Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, prednisone, procarbazine, and vincristine, at various concentrations and incubation periods, were tested for their effects on the natural killer and antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity of macrophages, lymphocytes, and polymorphonuclear lymphocytes in a 51Cr release microcytotoxicity assay against HSV-infected cells. All drugs at therapeutic concentrations inhibited natural killer and antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity; an exception was cyclophosphamide, which did not inhibit the natural killer cytoxicity of lymphocytes. The antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity of macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes appeared to be more than that of lymphocytes. The results of short incubation (2 hours) of the drug with either effector cells or target cells, followed by drug removal, suggests that the drug effect occurred early and predominantly at the effector cell level. Antineoplastic drugs had an inhibitory effect on natural killer and antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity against HSV-infected cells. This inhibitory action may partially explain the increased susceptibility of patients receiving chemotherapy to developing viral infections.
A research approach to training: a case study of mystery guest methodology

Tests and analyzes a total quality management (TQM) methodology known as the mystery guest approach. The method involved the development of a research‐based approach to employee training by involving employees in the problem‐solving and strategic planning process. In this case study university student subjects were asked to participate in a focus group format which utilized the critical incidents, importance/performance analysis and planning effectiveness evaluation technique. Participants were organized to take a trip from Bowling Green, Ohio to Quebec City, Quebec with the itinerary including four major points of interest along the way and five on the return. Each point of interest was evaluated as a tourism experience for families. Findings revealed that participants developed their problem‐solving skills and improved their decision‐making abilities. It became apparent to the researchers that a research approach in training has the potential to be used in organizations to build employee loyalty, understanding and confidence.