cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SYNONYMS FOR ENGAGEMENT: FORGING AN ENGAGED ANTHROPOLOGY IN NORTH TEXAS

This article examines the path toward engagement at the university level, college level, and departmental level at the University of North Texas (UNT). We explore the history of concepts such as public service, applied research, service learning, outreach, and community engagement at UNT by examining the university's strategic goals and the expansion of new programs. We highlight the tensions that emerge from inconsistencies in strategic goals at varying levels within the university. We feature the anthropology department's place within those developments and highlight our unique position within our college and university through examples of engaged scholarship from faculty and students in our department. The national trend toward an engaged university will undoubtedly benefit the field of applied anthropology. The field has been doing community engagement for decades, ahead of the national trend. However, a lack of clarity or uniformity in the concept of engagement is systematic in the academy—across universities and within universities. The field of applied anthropology has an opportunity to position itself in the discussion of how and why our way of doing community engagement is not only relevant, but necessary.
Genetic Evidence for Interaction between Nonhomologous Proteins in Yeast and a Case of Suppression at the HIS1 Locus.

ABSTRACT The HIS1 and THR4 loci are the structural genes for phosphoribosyl-ATP pyrophosphorylase and threonine synthetase, respectively. The allele his1-IS has no enzyme activity at 30", but does have activity at 15" provided the cell contains the wild-type THR4 allele or a suppressing allele at another locus, designated SUP(his1-1S). Under these conditions, cells with the hisl-IS mutation are capable of growth on minimal medium at 15". Three kinds of reversions of a hisl-IS thr4 sup(his1-IS) strain to histidine prototrophy have been obtained: (1) his1-IS locus reversions to HIS1 that restore growth without added histidine at 30", (2) thr4 reversions to THR4 that simultaneously eliminate the requirement for threonine and restore the low-temperature effect on the his1-IS allele, and (3)mutations from sup to SUP. The SUP allele is not an ochre suppressor, and it is not linked to either HISI, THR4 or a centromere. It may represent a missense suppressor. I t is proposed that the effect of THR4 is caused by aggregation of the wild-type threonine synthetase with defective his1-IS monomers, causing a favorable conformational change in the histidine protein that restores limited enzymatic activity. This can be regarded as a case of complementation between nonhomologous proteins.
Interaction of Heat Shock Protein 90 and the Co-chaperone Cpr6 with Ura2, a Bifunctional Enzyme Required for Pyrimidine Biosynthesis

Abstract The molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is an essential protein required for the activity and stability of multiple proteins termed clients. Hsp90 cooperates with a set of co-chaperone proteins that modulate Hsp90 activity and/or target clients to Hsp90 for folding. Many of the Hsp90 co-chaperones, including Cpr6 and Cpr7, contain tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domains that bind a common acceptor site at the carboxyl terminus of Hsp90. We found that Cpr6 and Hsp90 interacted with Ura2, a protein critical for pyrimidine biosynthesis. Mutation or inhibition of Hsp90 resulted in decreased accumulation of Ura2, indicating it is an Hsp90 client. Cpr6 interacted with Ura2 in the absence of stable Cpr6-Hsp90 interaction, suggesting a direct interaction. However, loss of Cpr6 did not alter the Ura2-Hsp90 interaction or Ura2 accumulation. The TPR domain of Cpr6 was required for Ura2 interaction, but other TPR containing co-chaperones, including Cpr7, failed to interact with Ura2 or rescue CPR6-dependent growth defects. Further analysis suggests that the carboxyl-terminal 100 amino acids of Cpr6 and Cpr7 are critical for specifying their unique functions, providing new information about this important class of Hsp90 co-chaperones.
Asymptotic stability of digital filters with combinations of overflow and quantization nonlinearities

Using the BIBO (bounded-input, bounded-output) properties of nonlinear discrete systems, the problem of global asymptotic stability of nonlinear difference equations is investigated. The results have been applied to digital filters with a combination of quantization and overflow nonlinearities. Furthermore, the stability of two's complement arithmetic (quantization and overflow) has been treated. The strength of this approach lies in its ability to treat any combination of overflow and quantization nonlinearities. Thus it can guarantee global asymptotic stability of the digital filter by excluding any limit cycles due to these nonlinearities. This method can be applied to general-order direct form digital filters by using previously reported exact stability regions for quantization nonlinearities only. >
Fabrication of a flexible prosthesis for the edentulous scleroderma patient with microstomia

The exercise prosthesis serves as an interim device to achieve an increased opening of the jaws. Once the patient is able to insert the existing denture or when an impression tray can be placed in the patient's mouth without extreme discomfort, its purpose will have been achieved; the dentures should be relined or remade. Some patients need only achieve slight increases in the maximal vertical oral opening to make prosthetic treatment possible (Fig. 6). While this technique is useful for the edentulous scleroderma patient, it may have application for individuals with limited mouth opening secondary to facial burns or other scarring. It is suggested as an alternative to surgical correction through bilateral commissurotomies.
Biophysical characterization of G-quadruplex forming FMR1 mRNA and of its interactions with different fragile X mental retardation protein isoforms

Fragile X syndrome, the most common form of inherited mental impairment in humans, is caused by the absence of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) due to a CGG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the 5′-untranslated region (UTR) and subsequent translational silencing of the fragile x mental retardation-1 (FMR1) gene. FMRP, which is proposed to be involved in the translational regulation of specific neuronal messenger RNA (mRNA) targets, contains an arginine-glycine-glycine (RGG) box RNA binding domain that has been shown to bind with high affinity to G-quadruplex forming mRNA structures. FMRP undergoes alternative splicing, and the binding of FMRP to a proposed G-quadruplex structure in the coding region of its mRNA (named FBS) has been proposed to affect the mRNA splicing events at exon 15. In this study, we used biophysical methods to directly demonstrate the folding of FMR1 FBS into a secondary structure that contains two specific G-quadruplexes and analyze its interactions with several FMRP isoforms. Our results show that minor splice isoforms, ISO2 and ISO3, created by the usage of the second and third acceptor sites at exon 15, bind with higher affinity to FBS than FMRP ISO1, which is created by the usage of the first acceptor site. FMRP ISO2 and ISO3 cannot undergo phosphorylation, an FMRP post-translational modification shown to modulate the protein translation regulation. Thus, their expression has to be tightly regulated, and this might be accomplished by a feedback mechanism involving the FMRP interactions with the G-quadruplex structures formed within FMR1 mRNA.
A comparison of three measures of elder abuse.

PURPOSE: To present a comparison of three measures for assessing elder abuse. DESIGN AND METHODS: Three measures for assessing elder abuse were identified through a literature review. The characteristics and uses of each measure were reviewed and evaluated. FINDINGS: The Indicators of Abuse (IOA) is a 22-item tool for discriminating abuse and nonabuse cases; it is completed by a health care professional after a home assessment is conducted. The Elder Abuse and Neglect Assessment (EAI) is a 44-item scale comprised of seven sections to review signs, symptoms, and subjective complaints of elder abuse, neglect, exploitation, and abandonment; it can be used by health care providers in all clinical settings. The Elder Abuse Screening Test (EAST) is a 15-item tool to be completed by a health care provider based on the patient's responses. This screening tool is limited because of the small unrepresentative samples used to test it, the low internal consistency, and a relatively high false-negative rate. CONCLUSIONS: An instrument to accurately assess elder abuse in long-term care is needed. Proper identification of elder abuse is the first step in assisting victims in dealing with abusive situations. Language: en
Family caregivers, patients, and physicians.

To the Editors:—The position paper “Family Caregivers, Patients, and Physicians: Ethical Guidance to Optimize Relationships” that was published in a recent issue of the Journal raises an important topic. We read the paper with great interest and agree with its stated objective to “heighten physician awareness of the importance and complexity of the patient–physician–family caregiver relationship, to maximize the benefits of those relationships, and to minimize the burdens on family caregivers”. To this end, we were surprised to note the omission of more than a few studies of central relevance (e.g. Petronio, S., J. Sargent, L. Andea, P. Reganis, and D. Cichocki. 2004. Family and friends as healthcare advocates: Dilemmas of confidentiality and privacy. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 21: 33-52.). We recently completed a meta-analysis of empirical studies reporting on family presence during routine adult medical visits in which we identified nine observational studies that directly examined audiotaped or videotaped patient–provider–family communication within the context of routine medical visits, and an additional six studies that surveyed patients, families, and/or physicians regarding their experiences and preferences for family involvement in routine adult medical visits; only one of which was cited in the position paper. These studies collectively provide important information regarding the frequency of patient accompaniment, the behaviors assumed by family companions, as well as patient, family, and physician preferences, expectations, and experiences during triadic physician visits. The recommendations set forth in this paper would be strengthened if they acknowledged what has already been learned and reported in the published literature. We would also like to note that the term “family caregiver” used throughout the paper, which the authors define as “relatives, partners, friends, and neighbors who assist with activities of daily living and complex health care needs that were once the domain of trained health hospital personnel” may not accurately describe all individuals who accompany patients during health care encounters. Although some family members who accompany patients to health care encounters also engage in the provision of personal and health care assistance to the patients they accompany, there is reason to believe this is not always the case. The extent to which the family members who accompany patients during health care encounters also assist with health care and personal tasks in the community is an important question that to our knowledge has been unstudied to date.
Spatial Patterns in a Population of Nine-banded Armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus)

Abstract Spatial data were collected in a population of individually marked nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) at a site in Florida from 1992–1995. Approximately ⅓ of the animals (118/313) were sighted more than once. Data on distances moved between successive sightings showed that armadillos moved <200 m both within and between years. However, animals moved significantly farther between than within years. The average distance between sightings was significantly longer for adults than for juveniles within, but not between, years. There were no sex differences in distances moved within or between years for either adults or juveniles. Analyses of distances to nearest neighbors showed that adults were closer to one another than to juveniles and that juveniles of the same sex were closer to one another than to juveniles of the opposite sex. This latter result probably reflects maintenance of proximity among littermates.
Thermal characteristics of temperature-controlled electrochemical microdevices

Abstract The development of novel, miniaturized sensing systems is driven by the demand for better and faster chemical measurements with lower power consumption and smaller sample sizes. Emerging miniature sensors, or microsensors, also offer rapid thermal and diffusive transport characteristics. For instance, temperature changes, during both heating and cooling, can be achieved on micrometer-scale surfaces much more rapidly than on bulk, macro-scale surfaces. While these rapid thermal characteristics have been most successfully exploited to date in gas-phase sensing devices, the prospect of developing analogous microfabricated, temperature-controlled microsensors for use in aqueous, or solution-phase, environments has been less explored. In this work, electrodes with underlying microheaters were designed and fabricated, and thermal characterization was performed using temperature imaging, transient temperature measurements, and theoretical modeling to determine temperature distributions and thermal response times in both gas- and solution-phase environments. These results will guide the development of solution-phase electrochemical sensors. Temperature-controlled electrochemical characterization was performed using cyclic voltammetry of a model analyte, hexaamineruthenium(III) chloride, to demonstrate the use of the multilayer, microfabricated devices, which consisted of a gold disk electrode and an underlying microheater. Electrochemical signals were enhanced by up to a factor of three at elevated temperatures (up to 81 °C) compared to those measured at room temperature (21 °C). This improved signal at elevated temperatures was explained by finite element method calculations that accounted for both temperature-dependent diffusion and thermal convection near the heated electrode surface.
38 GHz bandwidth 1.3 [micro sign]m MQW electroabsorption modulators for RF photonic links

High-speed 1.3 µm MQW electroabsorption waveguide modulators have been developed for high-fidelity transmission of microwaves via fibre optic links. Their high-frequency performance was characterised for a test link without any form of amplification. An RF-to-RF link efficiency of –32 dB, noise figure of 33 dB, and suboctave spurious-free dynamic range of 105 dB·Hz2/3 have been achieved.
Acute neurotoxicity in children with B-precursor acute lymphoid leukemia: An association with intermediate-dose intravenous methotrexate and intrathecal triple therapy - A Pediatric Oncology Group study

PURPOSETo describe the incidence of acute neurotoxicity (NT) in children with lower risk B-precursor acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) treated with intermediate-dose methotrexate (MTX) or divided dose oral MTX with or without intravenous (i.v.) mercaptopurine (MP) and extended intrathecal triple therapy.PATIENTS AND METHODSThirteen hundred four patients were entered onto Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) 9005, a randomized phase III trial, between January 11, 1991 and September 1, 1994. After remission induction, patients were randomized to one of three 24-week intensification schedules: regimen A, MTX 1,000 mg/m2 i.v. infused over 24 hours and MP 1,000 mg/m2 i.v. infused over 6 hours; regimen B, low-dose repetitive MTX 30 mg/m2 orally every 6 hours for six doses and i.v. MP; or regimen C, i.v. MTX alone. Intensification was given every 2 weeks for 12 courses. CNS prophylaxis was age-adjusted intrathecal MTX (ITM). In August 1992, the CNS prophylaxis was changed to age-adjusted triple intrathecal therapy (TIT). ...
High-pressure resistance variation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains and Salmonella serovars in tryptic soy broth, distilled water, and fruit juice.

The effect of high pressure on the log reduction of six strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and five serovars of Salmonella enterica was investigated in tryptic soy broth, sterile distilled water, and commercially sterile orange juice (for Salmonella) and apple cider (for E. coli). Samples were subjected to high-pressure processing treatment at 300 and 550 MPa for 2 min at 6°C. Samples were plated onto tryptic soy agar directly after pressurization and after being held for 24 h at 4°C. At 300 MPa, little effect was seen on E. coli O157:H7 strains, while Salmonella serovars varied in resistance, showing reductions between 0.26 and 3.95 log CFU/ml. At 550 MPa, E. coli O157:H7 strains exhibited a range of reductions (0.28 to 4.39 log CFU/ml), while most Salmonella populations decreased beyond the detection limit (>5-log CFU/ml reduction). The most resistant strains tested were E. coli E009 and Salmonella Agona. Generally, bacterial populations in fruit juices showed larger decreases than did populations in t...
Identification and characterization of a novel enhancer for the rat neu promoter.

Abstract We used chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assays to identify and characterize cis-acting elements responsible for rat neu promoter function. Deletion of a region of the neu promoter (-504 to -312) resulted in a marked decrease in CAT activity, indicating that this promoter region corresponds to a positive cis-acting element. Using band shift assays and methylation interference analyses, we further identified a specific protein-binding sequence, AAGATAAAACC (-466 to -456), that binds a specific trans-acting factor termed RVF (for EcoRV factor on the neu promoter). The RVF-binding site is required for maximum transcriptional activity of the rat neu promoter. This same sequence is also found in the corresponding regions of both human and mouse neu promoters. Furthermore, this sequence can enhance the CAT activity driven by a minimum promoter of the thymidine kinase gene in an orientation-independent manner, and thus it behaves as an enhancer. Our results demonstrate that RVF is the major DNA-binding protein contributing to enhancer activity. In addition, Southwestern (DNA-protein) blot analysis using the RVF-binding site as a probe points to a 60-kDa polypeptide as a potential candidate for RVF.
Three-Dimensional Open Channel Flow

An open channel flow is usually three-dimensional consisting of the primary and secondary flows. The primary flow is defined herein as the flow component in the longitudinal direction of the channel, while the secondary flow includes the remaining flow components in the vertical and transverse directions of the channel. In an alluvial channel the channel cross sections and, thus, the three-dimensional flow structure vary irregularly or randomly along the flow. A technique has been developed and presented herein that can be used to compute secondary currents and, thus, the irregular three-dimensional structure of open channel flow. The technique uses analytical, hydrodynamic equations along with measured data of channel geometry and primary flow velocity distribution. Illustrative examples are presented with results of practical applications of the technique, describing the variability of the direction and magnitude of secondary currents with time, space, and discharge rate.
Duverger’s disciplinary and field-defining research on political parties

Duverger was an innovator who shaped the discipline of political science to a degree that few others have. His Political Parties, published originally in 1951 in French, and then in English in 1954, was well ahead of its time, bearing the seeds of modern political science. Duverger saw political parties as existing at the nexus of mass politics and institutionalized political routines backed by legal force. For his study, he focused especially on the relationship of individuals within parties to the organizational routines and rules of the parties themselves. Always moving between levels of analysis, Duverger with great care made fine distinctions among types of phenomena. It was crucial to his analysis that he describe in detail, first, the various types of people within parties, and second, the types of parties as organizations. He was one of the few at mid-twentieth century to move beyond institutional description and formulate predictive scientific hypotheses. Using his considerable skills at categorization, his finding commonalities and pinpointing differences among institutions in the analysis of party systems are perhaps his greatest legacies to political science.
Prey Capture by the Brown Pelican

METHODS of prey capture are of considerable interest to biologists. Fish-eating birds have been studied extensively (cf. Ashmole 1971) and, among seabirds, the order Pelecaniformes provides a diverse assemblage of capture methods. Owre (1967) describes in detail the structural adaptations for swimming underwater and impaling and seizing fish by the Anhingidae and Phalacrocoracidae respectively. The Fregatidae grasp their prey from very near the surface without entering the water (Wetmore 1965). The Sulidae and Phaethontidae plunge into the water and pursue fish and squid, probably to some depth. The white pelicans of the subgenera Pelecanus and Cyrtopelicanus seize their prey while swimming on the water surface, often fishing communally. The Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) however surface plunge for fish. The long bill and exaggerated gular pouch of pelicans have elicited speculation from biologists and laymen alike as to their actual movement underwater (Allen 1923, Coues 1927, Peterson 1963, Abbott 1966, Gardiner 1973). For the first time we are able to describe the use of the bill and pouch during prey capture by diving Brown Pelicans. Fig. 1 is a composite made from 35-mm color slides of pelicans diving in various situations in Florida. Figs. 2 and 3 are selected composites of slides obtained with a motorized Nikon held approximately 2 feet underwater while baiting the nearby pelicans with frozen fish in front of the camera. While these photographs were obtained under somewhat unnatural conditions at a marina in the Florida keys, we believe they accurately represent the technique Brown Pelicans use when diving to catch live fish. Considerable variation exists in the aerial diving process, probably accountable through interactions of several factors: individual experience of the birds; the species, size, depth, speed of movement, and schooling
Optimization Models for Scheduling of Jobs

This work is motivated by a particular scheduling problem that is faced by logistics centers that perform aircraft maintenance and modification. Here we concentrate on a single facility (hangar) which is equipped with several work stations (bays). Specifically, a number of jobs have already been scheduled for processing at the facility; the starting times, durations, and work station assignments for these jobs are assumed to be known. We are interested in how best to schedule a number of new jobs that the facility will be processing in the near future. We first develop a mixed integer quadratic programming model (MIQP) for this problem. Since the exact solution of this MIQP formulation is time consuming, we develop a heuristic procedure, based on existing bin packing techniques. This heuristic is further enhanced by application of certain local optimality conditions.
Postpyloric Gastrointestinal Peptides

In the past three decades, the gastrointestinal tract has emerged as a rich source of biological signals including numerous peptides that regulate gastrointestinal tract activity. The principal goal of this chapter is to give a thorough overview of the post-pyloric gastrointestinal peptides such as secretin, somatostatin (SRIF), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and VIP-related peptides, motilin, neurotensin, neuropeptide Y (NPY), and peptide YY (PYY). For each peptide, its structure, localization in the intestine, receptor, regulation of secretion, and activities are described. In some cases, the pathophysiology is reviewed. Highlights of this chapter include the discovery of an endogenous somatostatin-like peptide called cortistatin; evidence for secretin’s regulation of water homeostasis in mammals; role of the ileocolonic hormone, PYY, in regulation of food intake and metabolism; and the influence of obesity surgery on PYY secretion. A better appreciation of intestinal peptides is expected to drive discovery of drugs that address motility disorders, gastrointestinal cancers, obesity, and associated metabolic disorders.
Abstract LB-254: A universal remedy for CAR T cell limitations

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells show significant potential for treating cancer due to their tumor-specific activation and ability to focus their killing activity on cells that express a tumor antigen. Unfortunately, this promising therapeutic technology is still limited by: (1) an inability to control the rate of cytokine release and tumor lysis; (2) the absence of an “off switch” that can terminate cytotoxic activity when tumor eradication is complete; (3) a failure to eliminate tumor cells that do not express the targeted antigen; and (4) a requirement to generate a different CAR T cell for each unique tumor antigen In order to address these limitations, we have exploited a low molecular weight bi-specific adaptor molecule that must bridge between the CAR T cell and its targeted tumor cell by simultaneously binding to the chimeric antigen receptor on the CAR T cell and the unique antigen on the tumor. Using this bispecific adaptor, one can control CAR T cell cytotoxicity by adjusting the concentration and rate of administration of the adaptor. Because the half life of the adapter is To experimentally demonstrate the aforementioned benefits of using low molecular weight bispecific adaptors, CAR T cells were constructed by fusing an anti- fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) scFv to a CD3 zeta chain containing the intracellular domain of CD137 (i.e. CAR4-1BBZ T cells). Then, to enable their tumor-specific cytotoxicity, a bispecific adaptor molecule comprised of fluorescein linked to a small organic ligand with high affinity and specificity for a tumor-specific antigen (FITC-SMC) was synthesized. For these studies, the tumor-specific ligands were: i) folate for recognition of the folate receptor that is over-expressed on ∼1/3 of human cancers, ii) DUPA for binding to prostate specific membrane antigen that is over-expressed on prostate cancers, and iii) NK-1R ligand that is over-expressed on neuroendocrine tumors. The ability of the same clone of CAR4-1BBZ T cells to eliminate tumors expressing each of the above antigens was then demonstrated by administration of the desired FITC-SMC to mice injected with the CAR4-1BBZ T cells. Our data show that anti-tumor activity: i) is only induced when both CAR4-1BBZ T cells and the correct antigen-specific FITC-SMC are present, ii) anti-tumor activity and toxicity can be sensitively controlled by adjusting the dosing of FITC-SMC, and iii) treatment of antigenically heterogeneous tumors can be achieved by administration of a mixture of the desired FITC-SMCs. Taken together, these data show that many of the limitations of CAR T cell technology can be addressed by use of a bispecific adaptor molecule to mediate tumor cell recognition and killing. Citation Format: Yong Gu Lee, Haiyan Chu, Srinivasarao Tenneti, Ananda Kumar Kanduluru, Philip S. Low. A universal remedy for CAR T cell limitations. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-254.
Gender Role and Gender as Predictors of Behavior Problems in Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence

Children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) are likely to develop behavior problems, but findings are mixed regarding whether girls and boys are differentially affected. Bem (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31, 634–643, 1975) argued that gender role is an important predictor of mental health, and this relationship may differ for males and females due to societal gender norms. Given the gendered nature of IPV, we examined whether gender role interacted with gender to predict behavior problems in IPV-exposed children (n = 176). Among four-year-old children, gender-typed gender roles were a risk factor for girls but not boys, and androgynous gender roles were protective for both boys and girls on average. However, post hoc analyses indicated the amount of IPV exposure mattered; androgynous girls exposed to chronic IPV had more behavior problems. Results illustrate the importance of societal and family gender norms in determining children’s risk for behavior problems following exposure to IPV.
Lipid Metabolism, Lipid Signalling and Longevity

Ageing research gains more attention as the aged population increases worldwide and ageing-related diseases become more prevalent. Model organism research in the last three decades has shown that ageing is regulated via several genetic pathways and environmental interventions, most of which are evolutionarily conserved. C. elegans has been the powerhouse of ageing research since the discovery of mutant strains with doubled lifespan. Interestingly, the pathways that regulate C. elegans ageing often affect lipid biology as well. This chapter will focus on the interaction between lipid biology and ageing by introducing well-known pathways that regulate ageing and how lipid levels, composition or distribution change when these pathways are defective. Last but not least, the signalling role for lipids in ageing will be discussed.
Hierarchical Decomposition and Kinematic Abstraction with Virtual Articulations

We introduce a novel hierarchical model to partition a kinematic system into a set of nested subsystems. This is framed in a mixed real/virtual context, where some joints and links may exist in simulation only. We then use this capability to build a precise form of kinematic abstraction, where a potentially complex subsystem can be virtually replaced by a simpler “interface.” Hierarchy and abstraction are interesting because they can help manage complexity in large (100+ DoF) mixed real/virtual mechanisms. We prove that checking if an abstraction is proper is PSPACE-hard, but show that even improper abstractions can be useful. Topological algorithms are presented for decomposing a hierarchical or abstracted kinematic system into subsystems that can be treated in isolation, thus speeding up kinematic computations. We demonstrate on a simulation of a hybrid serial/parallel modular tower with over 100 revolute joints.
Not Doomed to Repeat: Enhanced Medial Prefrontal Cortex Tracking of Errors Promotes Adaptive Behavior during Adolescence.

Feedback information is one of the most powerful forces that promotes learning, providing guidance for changes to ongoing behavioral patterns. Previous examinations of feedback learning have largel...
Thermochronometry across the Austroalpine-Pennine boundary, Central Alps, Switzerland: Orogen-perpendicular normal fault slip on a major ‘overthrust’ and its implications for orogenesis

Fifty-one new and 309 published thermochronometric ages (nine systems with closure temperatures ranging from ~450 to 70°C) from the Graubunden region of the Central Alps demonstrate that a pronounced thermal mismatch between the Austroalpine allochthon (Alpine “orogenic lid”) and the Pennine zone persisted until at least 29 Ma and, allowably, until circa 18 Ma. The observed mismatch supports previous suggestions that the famous “overthrust” between the Austroalpine allochthon and the Pennine zone, historically regarded as primarily an Eocene top-north thrust fault, is in fact primarily an Oligocene-Miocene normal fault that has a minimum of 60 km of displacement with top-south or top-southeast sense of shear. Two hallmarks of Alpine geology, deposition of the foredeep Molasse and emplacement of the Helvetic nappes, appear to be coeval, peripheral manifestations of crustal thickening via the interposition of the Pennine zone as a northward intruding wedge between the Austroalpine “lid” and the European cratonic margin, with the Helvetic system (European margin) acting as the “floor” of the wedge. We presume the Penninic wedge is driven by the buoyant rise of subducted crust no longer able to remain attached to the descending slab. If so, emplacement of the Pennine wedge could have occurred mainly after Adria was juxtaposed against cratonic Europe.
Evaluating the Risk of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Using Different Noise Measurement Criteria.

Objectives This article examines whether the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) average noise level (LAVG) or the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) equivalent continuous average (LEQ) noise measurement criteria better predict hearing loss. Methods A cohort of construction workers was followed for 10 years (2000-2010), during which time their noise exposures and hearing threshold levels (HTLs) were repeatedly assessed. Linear mixed models were constructed with HTLs as the outcome, either the OSHA (LAVG) or NIOSH (LEQ) measurement criteria as the measure of exposure, and controlling for age, gender, duration of participation, and baseline HTLs (as both a covariate or an additional repeated measure). Model fit was compared between models for HTLs at 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 kHz using the Akaike information criterion (AIC). The 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles of hearing outcomes predicted by these models were then compared with the hearing outcomes predicted using the ISO 1999:2013 model. Results The mixed models using the LEQ were found to have smaller AIC values than the corresponding LAVG models. However, only the 0.5, 3, and 4 kHz models were found to have an AIC difference greater than 2. When comparing the distribution of predicted hearing outcomes between the mixed models and their corresponding ISO outcomes, it was found that LEQ generally produced the smallest difference in predicted hearing outcomes. Conclusions Despite the small difference and high correlation between the LEQ and LAVG, the LEQ was consistently found to better predict hearing levels in this cohort and, based on this finding, is recommended for the assessment of noise exposure in populations with similar exposure characteristics.
Low-Intensity Shockwave Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction.

Abstract Background Vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the leading causes of male sexual dysfunction. In the past decade, multiple studies have examined the use of low-intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (Li-ESWT) for the treatment of ED. Aim Investigate the efficacy of Li-ESWT for the treatment of ED. Methods We reviewed the published literature, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs), meta-analyses, and select single-arm studies on the use of Li-ESWT for the treatment of ED. Outcomes Changes in International Index of Erectile Function scores were evaluated in patients undergoing Li-ESWT. Results There is no consensus from RCTs on the efficacy of Li-ESWT for the treatment of ED. Published meta-analyses have shown significant improvement in International Index of Erectile Function—erectile function domain scores in men undergoing Li-ESWT, especially when compared to men receiving sham treatment. However, differences in treatment protocols limit the generalizability of these findings. Li-ESWT may be more beneficial in cases of mild ED or when combined with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors in men with moderate to severe ED. The role of Li-ESWT in the treatment of non-vasculogenic ED remains poorly defined. Conclusions Li-ESWT could be beneficial in specific sub-sets of men with vasculogenic ED. However, future RCTs should attempt to optimize treatment protocols and have more stringent inclusion criteria to confirm these findings. Rizk PJ, Krieger JR, Kohn TP, et al. Low-Intensity Shockwave Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction. Sex Med Rev 2018;6:624–630.
Vitamin D and Osteoarthritis: What is the Consensus?

BACKGROUND : Osteoarthritis, a painful irreversible disabling joint disease, and one that predominantly affects the cartilage tissue lining freely moving joints is rapidly increasing in prevalence among older populations. QUESTIONS: This work aimed to critically explore and document all published data in the English language pertaining to the questions of: 1) Whether vitamin D is an important correlate to consider in the context of future attempts to ameliorate or prevent osteoarthritis; and 2) Whether applying vitamin D as a supplement can potentially ameliorate the many functional problems and pain associated with osteoarthritis in some way, where deficiencies of the product are evident. METHODS: A comprehensive overview of all relevant English language research reports published over the last 50 years and located in the major data bases of PUBMED, Scopus, and Web of Science, was undertaken. Relevant data sought were those addressing the questions above and included basic as well as clinical studies, regardless of research design. A narrative depiction of the key points that emerged from this diverse body of literature was then undertaken, rather than any systematic review. RESULTS: Findings showed that regardless of study type, no clear conclusion can currently be forged with respect to question one. However, sufficient data, coupled with prevailing study flaws, imply more research in this realm is warranted. CONCLUSION : While no consensus prevails concerning any area of the research on this topic, more research to delineate the possible protective, reparative or aversive role of vitamin D in mediating articular cartilage and overall joint status appears highly desirable and will likely prove of immense clinical utility in the future.
De Branges’s Proof of the Bieberbach Conjecture

In this chapter we will see a proof of the famous Bieberbach conjecture. Bieberbach formulated his conjecture in 1916 and in 1984 Louis de Branges announced his proof of the conjecture. In March of 1985 a symposium on the Bieberbach conjecture was held at Purdue University and the proceedings were published in Baernstein et al. [1986]. This reference contains a number of research papers as well as some personal accounts of the history surrounding the conjecture and its proof. The history will not be recounted here.
Non-properly embedded $H$-planes in $\mathbb{H}^3$

For any $H \in [0, 1)$, we construct complete, non-proper, stable, simply-connected surfaces with constant mean curvature $H$ embedded in hyperbolic three-space.
Indigenous rights at a crossroads: Territorial struggles, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and legal geographies of liminality

Abstract Despite recent advances to create a robust body of international and domestic indigenous rights law, indigenous peoples' rights are increasingly under threat across the Americas. Amidst these challenges, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) has become an important legal avenue to support indigenous territorial claims that communities use to seek redress for human rights violations. This article examines the implementation politics regarding two Enxet-Sur indigenous communities that received favorable rulings from the IACtHR. The judgments state that Paraguay must restitute land for the Enxet-Sur as reparations for the socioenvironmental injustices and human rights violations both communities have endured. However, land restitution is complicated by histories of indigenous dispossession and contemporary politics shaped by racist and classist logics that frame private property as a productive resource and indigenous peoples outside of production. Thus, I untangle the shifting forms of power, representation, and land control that accompany struggles over the IACtHR judgments and their implementation in Paraguay. I weave interdisciplinary and post-disciplinary legal geography scholarship together with theories of legal abandonment and an ethnography of Enxet-Sur resistance to argue that the politics of implementing IACtHR judgments in Paraguay produces spatial and temporal liminality that positions Enxet-Sur peoples as rights-bearing subjects who are subject to the abandonment of their rights. Employing the symbolic notion of the crossroads alongside an analysis of Enxet-Sur struggles for rights at a material crossroads, the article shows that legal abandonment is not always the end of political struggle and can be a site of political possibility where indigenous self-determination is changing the practice of human rights.
α -decay energies of superheavy nuclei: Systematic trends

Background: New superheavy nuclei are often identified through their characteristic $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-decay energies, which requires accurate calculations of ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ values. While many ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ predictions are available, little is known about their uncertainties, and this makes it difficult to carry out extrapolations to as-yet-unknown systems.Purpose: This work aims to analyze several models, compare their predictions to available experimental data, and study their performance for the unobserved $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-decay chains of $^{296}120$ and $^{298}120$, which are of current experimental interest. Our quantified results will also serve as a benchmark for future, more sophisticated statistical studies.Methods: We use nuclear superfluid density functional theory (DFT) with several Skyrme energy density functionals (EDFs). To estimate systematic model uncertainties, we employ uniform model averaging.Results: We evaluated the ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ values for even-even nuclei from Fm to $Z=120$. For well-deformed nuclei between Fm and Ds, we find excellent consistency between different model predictions, and a good agreement with experimental results. For transitional nuclei beyond Ds, intermodel differences grow, resulting in an appreciable systematic error. In particular, our models underestimate ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ for the heaviest nucleus $^{294}\mathrm{Og}$.Conclusions The robustness of DFT predictions for well-deformed superheavy nuclei supports the idea of using experimental ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ values, together with theoretical predictions, as reasonable $(Z,A)$ indicators. Unfortunately, this identification method is not expected to work well in the region of deformed-to-spherical shape transition as one approaches $N=184$. The use of ${Q}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ values in the identification of new superheavy nuclei will benefit greatly from progress in developing both new spectroscopic-quality EDFs and more sophisticated statistical techniques of uncertainty quantification.
A micromechanics model to predict extensional viscosity of aligned long discontinuous fiber suspensions

A micromechanical unit cell model is formulated to investigate the deformation in a unit cell of highly concentrated suspension of long discontinuous aligned fibers. The periodic unit cell is many fiber lengths long to allow for microstructural variations due to random fiber length overlaps and end-to-end gap distances between the fibers. This feature of the unit cell makes it possible to examine the effect of such variabilities on the macroscopic material behavior (effective viscosity) during the forming process. The influence of microstructure variability on viscosity is predicted. The standard deviation of the effective extensional viscosity is significant and increases with material extensional deformation and the variation of the end to end fiber spacing. This could have ramifications on the forming process and the final physical properties of the materials of interest. The predicted dependence of the mean extensional viscosity value on the usual material parameters (fiber aspect ratio, fiber volume fraction) is found to be consistent with the relations predicted by reported models using deterministic periodic unit cells. The behavior of standard deviation of our model follows the same dependence as the mean value. On the other hand, it shows negligible variability of effective longitudinal-transverse shearing viscosity of such materials, regardless of the random perturbations of fiber length overlaps and end to end fiber spacings within the unit cell.
AVNb3Cl11 (A = K, Rb, Cs, Tl): A Series of Layered Vanadium Niobium Halides Based on Triangular Nb3 Clusters

The first quaternary vanadium niobium compounds containing triangular Nb3 clusters corresponding to the general formula, AVNb3Cl11 (A = K, Rb, Cs, Tl), have been prepared in sealed quartz tubes from stoichiometric amounts of ACl (A = K, Rb, Cs), or Tl metal, VCl3, Nb powder, and NbCl5 heated at 740 °C. The compounds crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Pnma (No. 62). The crystal structures of the Rb and Tl members were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. Crystal data: a = 12.771(3) A, b = 6.811(2) A, c = 17.183(3) A, V = 1494.6(1) A3, and Z = 4 for A = Rb; and a = 12.698(5) A, b = 6.798(3) A, c = 17.145(10) A, V = 1480.0(13) A3, and Z = 4 for A = Tl. The crystal structure of AVNb3Cl11 consists of triangular Nb3Cl13 clusters (Nb−Nb = 2.826 A) connected to each other via four outer ligands to form infinite chains along the b-axis. The chains are connected by vanadium atoms located in an octahedral environment to form puckered sheets. The A+ counterions are located between adja...
Self-Reported Screening for Rectal Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Men Who Have Sex With Men.

BACKGROUND Rectal gonorrhea and chlamydia are common and predict human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition among men who have sex with men (MSM); however, screening for rectal sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is not routine. METHODS In 2017, we recruited sexually active MSM in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area through venue-based sampling. Our outcome of interest was self-reported rectal STI screening in the prior 12 months among those who had a health care visit in the same time period. Stratified by HIV status and preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use, we assessed the prevalence and predictors of screening. RESULTS Of 403 participants, 162 (40.2%) reported rectal STI screening. Sixty (25.7%) of 233 HIV-negative men who did not report PrEP use in the prior 12 months; 61 (69.3%) of the 88 HIV-negative men who reported PrEP use in the prior 12 months; and, 41 (59.4%) of 69 men living with HIV-reported screening, respectively. Among HIV-negative men who did not report PrEP use in the prior 12 months, having a health care provider who offered HIV testing (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 2.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38-3.52) and condomless anal sex with casual partners in the prior 12 months (aPR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.01-2.65) were independently associated with rectal STI screening. The HIV-negative men on PrEP who had a syphilis diagnosis in the prior 12 months were more likely to be screened than those without syphilis (aPR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.11-1.59). Men living with HIV who reported having a provider who always or often initiates conversations about sex were more likely to report screening compared with men who did not have such a provider (aPR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.06-2.03). CONCLUSIONS Rectal STI screening is not universal in a venue-based sample of sexually active MSM. Implementing innovative, acceptable, and accessible screening practices, enhancing health literacy around STI screening and improving provider comfort with talking about sex are paramount to increasing rectal STI screening.
Secondary Market Corporate Credit Facility Supports Main Street

Fed policy appears to have assisted the corporate credit market during a period of unusually high risk and fire-sale prices.
Your Personality does not Care Whether you Believe it Can Change: Beliefs about Whether Personality can Change do not Predict Trait Change among Emerging Adults:

Theorists have suggested that beliefs about whether personality can change might operate in a self–fulfilling fashion, leading to growth in personality traits across time. In the present two studie...