cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing barotrauma in neutrally and negatively buoyant juvenile salmonids exposed to simulated hydro-turbine passage using a mobile aquatic barotrauma laboratory.

Barotrauma-injuries sustained following rapid decompression occur in many different fisheries applications. Previous attempts to quantify barotrauma in fish have been limited by the functionality of hypo/hyperbaric systems. Further, field studies often are confounded by covariates. The mobile aquatic barotrauma laboratory (MABL) was designed to address these limitations. Specifically, this testing facility allows the user to evaluate similar complex pressure scenarios to which migrating juvenile salmonids are exposed following turbine or spillway passage. In this paper, we describe the MABL and present a case study in which negative and neutrally buoyant juvenile Chinook salmon were exposed to simulated hydro-turbine passage (STP). The severity of the decompression profile and the fish's ability to gain neutral buoyancy were used as predictor variables. We determined that following STP, fish that achieved neutral buoyancy during a 16-h acclimation period had a greater risk of mortality and injury (gill emboli, swim bladder rupture, and internal hemorrhaging) than negatively buoyant conspecifics. This research solidifies the need to allow fish to become neutrally buoyant when assessing barotrauma and mortality in field and laboratory applications. Future research examining injury and mortality of turbine-passed fish needs to consider the fish's buoyancy to more appropriately evaluate these endpoints.
Second-order quantum corrections for the frustrated spatially anisotropic spin- 1 2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice

The effects of quantum fluctuations due to directional anisotropy and frustration between nearest neighbors and next-nearest neighbors of the quantum spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice are investigated using spin-wave expansion. We have calculated the spin-wave-energy dispersion in the entire Brillouin zone, renormalized spin-wave velocities, and the magnetization up to second order in $1/S$ expansion for the antiferromagnetic Ne\'el and collinear antiferromagnetic stripe phases. It is shown that the second-order corrections become significant with increase in frustration. With these corrections magnetizations and spin-wave velocities for both the phases become zero at the quantum critical points as expected from other numerical and analytical methods. We have shown that the transition between the two ordered phases are always separated by the disordered paramagnetic phase.
A new estimator for efficient dimension reduction in regression

In this paper we propose a new estimator for efficient dimension reduction in regression, based on the work in Luo et?al. (2014). Previous efficient estimators have been proposed by multiple authors, however under additional restrictive assumptions on the conditional variance of the response variable given the predictor vector. These assumptions also complicate the implementation. In contrast, the new estimator employs no such assumptions, and thus is far more applicable and more convenient to use. By an extended double-robustness property, it reaches asymptotic efficiency under fairly general conditions. Its finite-sample effectiveness is further illustrated by simulation studies and a real data example.
Neuronal Representation of Ultraviolet Visual Stimuli in Mouse Primary Visual Cortex

The mouse has become an important model for understanding the neural basis of visual perception. Although it has long been known that mouse lens transmits ultraviolet (UV) light and mouse opsins have absorption in the UV band, little is known about how UV visual information is processed in the mouse brain. Using a custom UV stimulation system and in vivo calcium imaging, we characterized the feature selectivity of layer 2/3 neurons in mouse primary visual cortex (V1). In adult mice, a comparable percentage of the neuronal population responds to UV and visible stimuli, with similar pattern selectivity and receptive field properties. In young mice, the orientation selectivity for UV stimuli increased steadily during development, but not direction selectivity. Our results suggest that, by expanding the spectral window through which the mouse can acquire visual information, UV sensitivity provides an important component for mouse vision.
Responsiveness to Change in PROMIS(®) Measures among Children with Asthma: A Report from the PROMIS(®) Pediatric Asthma Study.

Abstract Objective To compare the responsiveness to change of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS ® ) asthma impact, pain interference, fatigue, depressive symptoms, mobility, and peer relationship scales to a legacy scale, the Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ). Methods Two hundred and twenty-nine child-parent dyads from public insurance programs were enrolled. PROMIS pediatric short forms (SFs) and the PAQLQ were used to measure health-related quality of life across four time points (T1–T4) over 2 years. The Asthma Control and Communication Instrument was used to measure the change in asthma control, and the Global Rating of Change (GRC) Index for breathing problems and overall health was used to measure the change in health status. Responsiveness was tested by comparing the changes in health-related quality of life with the changes in asthma control and health status over time using t tests, generalized estimating equations, and relative validity approaches. Magnitudes of the responsiveness between the Pediatric PROMIS and PAQLQ were assessed through statistical significance, Cohen's d effect size (ES), and standardized response mean (SRM). Results The PROMIS asthma impact scale and all PAQLQ scales exhibited significant responsiveness (p's Conclusions The PROMIS asthma impact SF indicated similar responsiveness to the PAQLQ scales. Due to its brevity and responsiveness, the PROMIS asthma impact SF is useful for clinical practice or research.
Rapid Determination of Tissue Hemoglobin Concentration and Oxygen Saturation of Head and Neck Cancers for Global Health Applications

A ratiometric method for quantitative estimation of tissue hemoglobin concentration and oxygen-saturation is presented. A 600X speed-up was achieved on clinical diffuse reflectance data relative to an inverse Monte Carlo with comparable accuracy.
Potential Energy Surfaces

Adiabatic representation Representation in which the electronic wave functions are calculated for fixed (i.e., nonmoving) nuclei. Avoided intersection Case in which two potential energy surfaces come together but do not intersect. Conical intersection Case in which two potential energy surfaces intersect such that their separation decreases to zero linearly in the relevant nuclear coordinates. Diabatic representation Representation in which the electronic wave function is not adiabatic. Dunham expansion Taylor series expansion of a potential energy curve in the vicinity of its minimum. Electron affinity Binding energy of an electron to a neutral atom or molecule. Equilibrium configuration Geometry of a molecule’s nuclear framework corresponding to the minimum adiabatic energy. Force field The gradient of the potential energy surface. Glancing intersection Case in which two potential energy surfaces intersect such that their separation decreases to zero quadratically in the relevant nuclear coordinates. Ionization energy Energy required to remove an electron from an atom or molecule.
CRISPR-Cas9 targeted deletion of the C9orf72 repeat expansion mutation corrects cellular phenotypes in patient-derived iPS cells

The large hexanucleotide (GGGGCC) repeat expansion in the non-coding promoter region of C9orf72 is the leading cause of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration are not clear, and both a C9orf72 loss of function and a gain of toxicity, in the form of RNA foci or dipeptide repeat deposition, are implicated. CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas9-mediated genome editing is an attractive strategy for disease modeling and therapeutic intervention. Here we show that this system can be utilized to completely remove the large repeat expansion mutation within C9orf72 in patient-derived induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. Removal of the mutation prevented RNA foci formation and promoter hypermethylation, two phenotypes of the C9orf72 mutation. Interestingly, these changes did not significantly alter C9orf72 expression at the mRNA or protein level. This work provides a proof-of-principle for the use of CRISPR-Cas9-mediated excision of the pathogenic C9orf72 repeat expansion as a therapeutic strategy in FTD/ALS.
Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR): A long-term monitoring tool

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) imaging is a growing remote-sensing technique. The term “interferometry” draws its meaning from two root words: interfere and measure.
Morphologic principles of callus distraction

There are various ways and means of performing the callus distraction procedures used more and more frequently in the clinic today. The interplay of numerous factors affects the macroscopical and microscopical morphological appearance and thus the quality of the bone regenerate. The radiological appearance during and after distraction remains relatively constant and is well-known. Tissue maturation occurs in several phases, namely, an organisational, a longitudinal polarisation, an ossification, and a consolidation phase. The characteristic morphological signs of the individual phases will be described.
Kinetics of carbonic anhydrase in whole red cells as measured by transfer of carbon dioxide and ammonia.

The activity and inhibition of carbonic anhydrase (EC 4.2.1.1.) were studied in intact red blood cells by measuring the hemolytic rates induced when the cells were suspended in a solution of NH 4 Cl and NaHCO 3 . The inward diffusion of CO 2 and its subsequent hydration to HCO 3 - within the cell are matched by the inward diffusion of NH 3 and formation of NH 4 + . The new ionic pair attracts water, leading to swelling and hemolysis of the red cells. The rate-limiting step in the over-all process is the conversion of CO 2 to HCO 3 - . In the native cell, the calculated hemolysis time is about 0.1 sec; our observed hemolysis time is 20 sec. When the enzyme is totally inhibited by 100 µM ethoxzolamide, the hemolysis time is increased to 50 min. This corresponds to the time in which the uncatalyzed hydration of CO 2 generates an increase in ionic strength of about 60% in the cell. This intact erythrocyte system differs from the usual carbonic anhydrase assay in solution, in the important point that the catalytic inydration rate greatly exceeds the noncatalytic. This reflects the very high (approximately 0.1 mM) enzyme concentration in the red cell, analogous to that in certain secretory sites. Under these conditions, we have determined the K I values of drugs at 99.99% inhibition, and have compared such values with the more conventional I 50 data obtained from dilute enzyme in solution.
Disorders of Growth

Short stature is one of the most common complaints that bring a child to a pediatric endocrinologist, either by parental choice or by referral from the family’s physician. Growth can be considered a bioassay of the state of health of the child as a normal growth rate usually is a good indicator of health. Short stature, rather than universally indicating an endocrine abnormality, can herald the onset of nonendocrine systemic disease, a state of malnutrition, or simply a variation of normal. Since the goal of this chapter is the evaluation of endocrine disorders that affect growth, other chronic conditions should be ruled out before embarking on a sophisticated endocrine evaluation. Thus initial history and physical examination should determine whether a search for endocrine conditions is warranted. It is especially important to determine whether a nutritional condition has caused decreased growth rather than starting an endocrine evaluation.
Gegenwärtiger Stand der klassischen Theorie der quantitativen Elektronenstrahl-Mikroanalyse

Raymond Castaing legte in seiner These 1949 1 die Grundlagen fur eine Theorie der quantitativen Elektronenstrahl-Mikroanalyse nieder. Er zeigte, das die Intensitat der primaren charakteristischen Strahlung, die in einer Antikathode angeregt wird, annaherungsweise dem Massenbruchteil des strahlenden Elements proportional ist. Infolgedessen schlug er vor, das die folgenden Korrekturen notig sind, um von den gemessenen Intensitatsverhaltnissen auf die Massenverhaltnisse zu schliesen: 1. eine Absorptionskorrektur fur die Schwachung der austretenden Rontgenstrahlung, 2. eine Fluoreszenzkorrektur fur sekundar angeregte Rontgenstrahlung und 3. die sogenannte Atomnummerkorrektur, die den Einflus der Probenzusammensetzung auf die Ergiebigkeit der Primaranregung berucksichtigt. Diese Korrektur ist notwendig, da die von Castaing vorgeschlagene Proportionalitat der Anregung zur Konzentration nur annahernd gultig ist.
Testing for additivity in non‐parametric regression

This article discusses a novel approach for testing for additivity in non-parametric regression. We represent the model using a linear mixed model framework and equivalently rewrite the original testing problem as testing for a subset of zero variance components. We propose two testing procedures: the restricted likelihood ratio test and the generalized F test. We develop the finite sample null distribution of the restricted likelihood ratio test and generalized F test using the spectral decomposition of the restricted likelihood ratio and the residual sum of squares, respectively. The null distribution is non-standard and we provide a fast algorithm to simulate from the null distribution of the tests. We show, through numerical investigation, that the proposed testing procedures outperform the available alternatives and apply the methods to a diabetes data set. The Canadian Journal of Statistics xx: 1–18; 2016 © 2016 Statistical Society of Canada
Police killings in South Africa: Criminal trials 1986–1992∗

The South African Police have an international reputation as a repressive, highly politicized force, lacking accountability to outside bodies. This article examines the role of one such body, the criminal courts, with a focus on cases of police officers accused of unlawful killings. Virtually no research has been done on trials of police officers in South Africa or elsewhere in the world. We analyze a sample of trials, focusing on both judges’ evaluations and trial outcomes. The findings show that the police are not entirely unaccountable: the courts have convicted police defendants in certain circumstances and meted out severe punishments. However, they have been rather lenient on defendants in other types of circumstances.
Introduction to Curriculum Development and Medical Education Scholarship for Resident Trainees: A Webinar Series.

Abstract Introduction A common career aspiration among residents is to become a clinician-educator, though standard postgraduate training may not prepare trainees for the academic and scholarly req...
Parental Psychological Control and Adolescent Problem Behaviors: The Role of Depressive Symptoms

Parental psychological control has consistently been linked to greater engagement in problem behaviors among adolescents, including over-eating behaviors, under-eating behaviors, risky cyber behaviors, and substance use. Previous research has suggested that child characteristics, such as temperament, may moderate this association. However, little research has examined characteristics of the adolescent that may place them at greater risk for experiencing such problem behaviors as a result of psychologically controlling parenting. Therefore, the current study examined the role of adolescents’ depressive symptoms as a risk factor (moderator) for the association between parental psychological control and adolescent problem behaviors. Participants included 161 adolescents (Mage = 14.42, SD = 1.73; 80.7% Caucasian; 59.6% female) living in a University city in a Mid-Atlantic state. Participants completed survey questionnaires about parental psychological control, problematic eating behaviors, risky cyber behaviors, substance use, and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that psychological control was significantly and positively associated with under-eating behaviors. Psychological control was also found to be associated positively with risky cyber behaviors and substance use, but only for adolescents who reported greater depressive symptoms. The findings provide support for the role of depressive symptoms as a risk factor for the associations between psychological control and problem behaviors among adolescents.
Flow Cytometric Assessment of STAT Molecules in Th9 Cells

IL-9-producing Th9 cells are a novel subset of T helper cells that develop independently of other T helper subsets. Th9 cells have been implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma and autoimmunity, while also serving as critical effector T cells in mediating antitumor immune responses. Concomitant presence of TGF-β and IL-4 lead to the differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells towards the Th9 phenotype. In addition, several cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-2, IL-25, and IL-33, further amplify Th9 responses. Negative regulators of Th9 cells include other cytokines such as IFN-γ, IL-23, and IL-27. Here, we describe a detailed protocol for the analysis of STAT molecules involved in the differentiation of Th9 cells and Th9 inhibition by IL-27.
Coupling Policymaking with Evaluation — The Case of the Opioid Crisis

Policymakers have focused substantial energy on curbing opioid-prescribing rates. The challenge is designing effective opioid-prescription policies to stem the flood of overdoses without having to wait several years to accumulate additional evidence.
Sensitivity and cost of monitoring geologic sequestration using geophysics

Publisher Summary Monitoring of geologic sequestration projects will be needed to manage the process of filling the reservoir, verify the amount of CO2 sequestered in a particular volume, and detect leaks. It is natural to consider geophysical techniques because of the large body of experience in their application in the petroleum industry. The scale of sequestration projects will be similar to or greater than that of petroleum reservoirs. With current technology, the only practical approach to achieving the required spatial coverage at reservoir scale is the use of surface techniques. High-resolution wellbore and inter-well (crosswell) geophysics will be part of a monitoring program, but these methods are either limited to sampling near the wellbore or currently too expensive to consider for monitoring of the entire reservoir volume. Surface reflection seismic is the most highly developed surface geophysical technique. It is used more often in the petroleum industry, primarily because of its high spatial resolution compared to other surface techniques. The sensitivity of geophysical methods depends, first of all, on the contrast in geophysical properties produced by introduction of CO2. Models of rock physics were used to calculate anticipated contrasts in seismic velocity and impedance in brine saturated rock when CO2 is introduced. The phase behavior of CO2 has large effects on property contrasts over the depth and temperature range of interest in geologic sequestration projects. Detectability depends critically on the spatial resolution of the method. Numerical simulations were performed to evaluate how small a volume of CO2 could be detected in the subsurface by seismic methods.
Allocated Cost Structures to Control Equipment Usage “Bottlenecks”

Equipment resource “bottlenecks” arise where demand exceeds a-resource’s ability to provide service. Cost allocation systems which control bottlenecks must reconciles three, often incompatible, objectives — Pareto efficiency, incentive compatibility and information efficiency. This research developes such a cost allocation system where there exists a positive cost of waiting for a resource such as a critical piece of equipment, and a positive benefit to using that resource. This costing approach should be useful in determining internal transfer prices for factory machines or departments whose services must be shared by different operations, and which in the absence of discouragement from a significantly high allocated cost, would tend to be overloaded. This research shows that commonly used cost allocation mechanisms cause resource consumers to underconsume resources, and thus lower efficiency. These problems can compound themselves by misleading management into suboptimal use of equipment in the short run, as well as incorrect acquisition of equipment in the long run.
A Multi-Parameter Reduced Deformation of U(sl(r))

A multi-parameter reduced deformation of U(sl(m+n)) is constructed. This deformation has both the usual reduced q-analogue of U(sl(m+n)) and the reduced q-analogue of U(sl(m,n)) as its special quotients.
Velocimetry based on dye visualization for a pulsatile tubing flow measurement.

A dye visualization experiment was designed and operated as an analogy of x-ray angiographic imaging. The velocimetry technique based on dye visualization for a pulsatile tubing flow measurement is introduced. The optical flow method was utilized to recover the velocity field from the visualization images. For the same flow condition, a digital particle image velocimetry (PIV) system was also employed to measure the same flow field in the middle plane. The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of the velocity field estimation from the transmittance-based two-dimensional projection image of the three-dimensional volumetric flow field by dye visualization in comparison with the PIV measurement results. Compared to the PIV results in the middle plane, the averaged velocity magnitude from the dye visualization measurement was underestimated by about 16%–24% in the central region and by about 29%–43% in the outer region across the tube at two time instants of the cyclic pulsatile flow.
Post-meniscectomy Syndrome

Proper patient selection and pre-surgical planning are key to a successful meniscal allograft transplantation. The patient’s examination and history often are consistent post-meniscectomy syndrome. When rehabilitation efforts fail and arthroscopy reveals deficient medial meniscus, meniscal allograft transplantation is a reasonable and effective option for therapy. There is still debate on the proper treatment of post-meniscectomy syndrome, and the role of prophylactic meniscal allograft transplantation is still controversial. Understanding mechanical complications and comorbidities will assist in proper surgical planning. The case below discusses techniques and management of patients with post-meniscectomy syndrome.
Optimization of tow-steered composite wind turbine blades for static aeroelastic performance

Abstract The concept of passive aeroelastic tailoring is explored to maximize power extraction from an NREL 5-MW wind turbine blade rotating in a uniform flow, where a single blade with periodic boundary conditions simulates a three-bladed wind turbine rotor. Variable-angle tow composite materials model the spanwise-variable wind turbine blade design and enable coupled bend-twist deformations under aerodynamic loading. A constrained optimization algorithm varies only the composite fiber angles along the blade span to determine their optimal distribution at four uniform inflow conditions ranging from cut-in to rated wind speeds. The computational fluid dynamics solver CRUNCH CFD ® and commercial finite element analysis solver Abaqus compute the static aerodynamic loads and structural deformations of the blade, respectively, until aeroelastic convergence is achieved. The resulting computational aeroelastic formulation predicts an increase in turbine power extraction by up to 14% when the blade is optimized near the cut-in wind speed, and by 7% when optimized at the rated wind speed. Using the results from optimizations at discrete wind speeds, two blade design strategies are evaluated to determine a single composite layup for the blade that maximizes power output over the range of operational wind speeds.
Numerical determination of monopole scaling dimension in parity-invariant three-dimensional noncompact QED

We present a direct Monte Carlo determination of the scaling dimension of a topological defect operator in the infrared fixed point of a three-dimensional interacting quantum field theory. For this, we compute the free energy to introduce the background gauge field of the $Q=1$ monopole-antimonopole pair in three-dimensional noncompact QED with $N=2$, 4 and 12 flavors of massless two-component fermions, and study its asymptotic logarithmic dependence on the monopole-antimonopole separation. We estimate the scaling dimension in the $N=12$ case to be consistent with the large-$N$ (free fermion) value. We find the deviations from this large-$N$ value for $N=2$ and 4 are positive but small, implying that the higher-order corrections in the large-$N$ expansion become mildly important for $N=2$, 4.
A Novel Protocol for Reducing Intensive Care Utilization After Craniotomy.

Background There is a growing body of evidence suggesting not all craniotomy patients require postoperative intensive care. Objective To devise and implement a standardized protocol for craniotomy patients eligible to transition directly from the operating room to the ward-the Non-Intensive CarE (NICE) protocol. Methods We preoperatively identified patients undergoing elective craniotomy for simple neurosurgical procedures with age Results From February 2018 to 2019, 63 patients were included in the NICE protocol with a median age of 46 yr and 65% female predominance. Of the operations performed, 38.1% were microvascular decompressions, 31.7% were craniotomy for tumor, 15.9% were cavernous malformation resections, and 14.3% were Chiari decompressions. No patients required transfer to the intensive care unit (ICU). Median length of stay was 2 d. There was an 11.1% overall readmission rate within the median follow-up period of 48 d. Three patients (4.8%) required reoperation at time of readmission within the follow-up period (1 postoperative subdural hematoma, 2 cerebrospinal fluid leak repair). None of these complications could have been identified with a postoperative ICU stay. Conclusion In our pilot trial of the NICE protocol, no patients required postoperative transfer to the ICU.
Using a restricted subset of Java in the first part of CS1

Despite the elegance and relative simplicity of Java, using it as a first programming language is still a daunting task. In a typical CS1 text, a large number of features of Java are covered in detail in a breadth-first fashion while the author struggles with whether to introduce objects early or late. An alternative is to use a well-defined, simpler initial subset of Java for the first part of the course, allowing for coverage of the core concepts of both object-oriented and procedural programming, and then to fill in further details later. One possible implementation of this idea is the Reduced Initial Subset of Java (RisoJava) language. RisoJava has the additional benefit that it can be directly translated into the JBoxes system, allowing students to see a concrete semantic model of RisoJava programs, both their own and examples provided by the instructor. Instead of using a large number of predefined Java classes, RisoJava provides a small collection of classes that are nonetheless powerful enough to allow for interesting programming examples and exercises in the first part of the CS1 course. Anecdotal experience suggests that this approach is feasible, and is perhaps especially valuable for non-CS majors in the CS1 course.
Achieving Equal Opportunity and Justice

Contending with structural inequality and injustices that have accumulated over the life course of older adults from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups is challenging. Sexual minorities are often invisible and face stigma, which creates a reluctance to self-identify. In addition, there is the intersection of ethnicity, race, gender, and class and its impact on inequality. These disadvantages make it difficult for older adults to achieve their maximum potential in life. This chapter addresses these issues through the lens of cultural humility, an intentional awareness of suspending presuppositions about a group. Cumulative inequality theory is also discussed as it offers a comprehensive examination of factors that shape older adult lives, especially an older adult who also identifies as a sexual minority. Specific strategies for practitioners, organizations, and policymakers are offered. By considering these strategies, achieving equal opportunities for a growing cohort is possible.
Historical and Contemporary Perspectives

Intoxicant use and related social and health pathologies are among the defining features of human civilization. It is virtually impossible to find an historical epoch, geographical area, or sociodemographic subgroup that has escaped the ravages of substance abuse. Despite the widespread use of intoxicants’ religious and medical purposes, psychoactive substance use for social and recreational reasons has been associated with significant problems in contemporary and historical cultures. The focus of this chapter is on institutional, regulatory, organizational, research, social, and treatment-related developments since the 1960s that have profoundly shaped contemporary social work practice in the addictions. Contemporary and historical conceptualizations of the substance abuser are also reviewed, with particular emphasis on the continuing influence of these perspectives on public and professional responses to persons with problems related to drug and alcohol abuse and dependence.
Field-accelerated Monte Carlo simulations in the canonical and isothermal–isobaric ensembles

We propose and develop a mesoscale particle-in-field simulation scheme, the Field-Accelerated Monte Carlo (FAMC) method, for speeding up particle-based continuum Monte Carlo (CMC) simulations based on soft interacting models. A key difference from the previously reported single-chain-in-mean-field method [K. C. Daoulas and M. Muller, J. Chem. Phys. 125, 184904 (2006)] is that the auxiliary fields in FAMC are constructed based on lattice-independent interacting potentials. As a result, FMAC simulations asymptotically approach CMC simulations with an increase in the lattice resolution of the auxiliary fields and are able to reproduce structural properties at morphology, conformation, and segment levels. A suite of schemes for computing and updating the auxiliary fields in FAMC simulations are developed in tandem to further enhance the computational efficiency of the method. The capacity of the FAMC method is demonstrated and tested against CMC simulations in simulating polymer solutions with explicit solvent under the canonical (nVT) ensemble and stress-free mircophase formation under the isothermal-isobaric (nPT) ensemble. In both cases, FAMC simulations reproduce structure properties with quantitative accuracy at a fraction of the computational cost.
Equal Pay: A Floor Not a Ceiling

There is no good economic or moral rationale for the idea of “equal pay for all.” Economically, equal pay would destroy the incentive-producing and information-conveying role of prices in the labor market, leading to catastrophic misallocations of labor and dire consequences for human welfare. And morally, equal pay would severely restrict human liberty without advancing any worthwhile egalitarian goal. A more sensible policy is an equal minimum income. Such a “basic income” scheme would provide a safety net below which no one would be allowed to fall, but above which they would be permitted (and incentivized) to climb through their own efforts. It would guarantee sufficiency without guaranteeing equality, and would avoid the distorting effects on the labor market entailed by equal pay.
Athermal artificial muscles with drastically improved work capacity from pH-Responsive coiled polymer fibers

Abstract Polymeric artificial muscles are great candidates to replace traditional rigid actuators due to their lightweight nature and high actuation stroke. However, the actuation mechanism of many polymer artificial muscles relies on large temperature changes which may cause polymer degradation. Besides, having remotely detectable thermal IR signals is not suitable for some applications. Chemical stimulants, on the other hand, can operate polymer artificial muscles and address these limitations. In this paper, we evaluated the actuation response of athermal pH-responsive artificial muscles made of aligned and coiled fibers. We demonstrated that a coiled architecture can be utilized to simultaneously amplify actuation stroke and work capacity by benefitting from the anisotropic length and diameter changes of individual fibers in response to pH changes. Our coiled pH-responsive fibers can deliver up to 43 % contractive actuation stroke. The maximum obtained work capacity of 393 J/kg is 5 times higher than that of the aligned fiber counterpart. At an actuation stroke of 22 %, the polymer muscle lifts weights over 2000 times heavier relative to its own weight. A mechanistic model of coiled fibers revealed that the amplification of stroke and work capacity are owed to significant changes in the bending and torsional stiffness stemming from changes in elastic modulus and fiber diameter.
Deathly storytelling in the ecological city: how pigeons became falcon food in Baltimore, Maryland

Cities are important sites of accumulation within capitalism, but also home for many humans and non-humans. Rock pigeons (Columba livia) are ubiquitous, but not always welcome, and are thus subject...
Nano-pharmacokinetics and cancer theranostics

Abstract The importance of understanding the pharmacokinetic and therapeutic efficacy of nanoparticles (NPs) in chemotherapy and reviewing their application is highlighted and explained in this chapter. Pharmacokinetics (PK) is the study of dynamic movements of foreign chemicals during their passage through the body and as such encompasses the kinetics of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). Therefore, to understand and predict the in vivo fate of NPs in the body, more insights into the correlation between particle properties and interaction with the body are needed. The use of nanocarriers as drug delivery systems enables the application of drugs in particulate form, which distinctly changes the ADME profile of the active compound. NPs are used in therapeutic treatments, such as tissue regeneration therapy and antitumor immunotherapy, because NPs are effective delivery vehicles for proteins, nucleic acids, and other bioactive compounds. It is evident through this review that application of nanotechnology in drug delivery and medicine has paved new pathways and opened many doors for providing customizable and safer treatment options. To elucidate the biological functions of NPs, and for the development of NPs-based therapeutics, the PK of NP is important. The nanopharmacokinetic profile of particles is mainly influenced by the protein adsorption pattern, which in turn is determined by the physicochemical properties of the particles. Hence nanopharmacokinetics is the key to efficiently modulate and to optimize maximum drug delivery for obtaining safe and efficient nanomedicines in the future. NPs can be made of polymers, proteins, lipids, or metals. Nonmetallic NPs are the most advanced and currently approved nanoparticulate therapies in the market. Rapid advancement in research, especially in the arena of NPs with biological applications, has led to the development of new diagnostics and treatment prospects. In this chapter, we aim to summarize current knowledge about the PK and biodistribution of NP. The PK of exogenously administered NP is discussed based on the tissue distribution, types of cells taking up NP, and key molecules in the PK of NP. In addition, recent progresses in the methods for controlling the PK of NP are reviewed.
Chapter 4: Current Oscillations and Interference Effects in Driven Charge Density Wave Condensates

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the current oscillations and interference phenomena in an attempt to give an overview of the progress, which has been made in the field, and to summarize the open questions, both from the experimental and from the theoretical point of view. The basic notions and experiments on charge density wave (CDW) dynamics are summarized, with emphasis on the frequency and field dependent response. The chapter discusses experiments on current oscillations, and attempts made to establish the origin of oscillating response in the nonlinear conductivity region. A short description of the various models is given, followed by a detailed discussion of the various interference effects that occur in the current-carrying CDW state driven by both dc and ac electric fields. The current oscillation phenomena that occur in driven charge density wave systems, in the nonlinear conductivity region, and associated interference effects in the presence of dc and ac drives are clear manifestations of a new type of collective transport phenomenon, carried by an electron-hole condensate.
Default Risk and Required Return in the Commercial Mortgage Market

This study uses published mortgage commitment and delinquency data to compare historical and prospective results of investing in well-diversified commercial mortgage portfolios with corresponding i...
Conditions for spatial empowerment : an analysis of advocacy and education participatory mapping exercises

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgetown University, 2009.; Includes bibliographical references. This thesis investigates the role of participation in the production of geographic representations for affecting outcomes, leading to what is termed in this thesis as spatial empowerment. The concept of spatial empowerment is particularly relevant in the early 21st century context, as technologies have changed in such a way that the fundamental processes in which geographic information is collected, stored, displayed, and disseminated have now opened up such that new actors are taking part in these processes. As can be seen in this thesis, this addition of new actors means that new and different actors can achieve spatial empowerment by taking part in the process of spatial representation definition.; A framework has been constructed around this concept of spatial empowerment and includes a series of variables that have been identified as playing a key role in allowing for or hindering spatial empowerment. The variables include access to technologies and institutional conditions surrounding a mapping exercise. With these independent variables as points of inquiry, this thesis employs a structured, focused comparison to explore different cases that vary with regard to the interplay of the independent variables in effecting spatial empowerment.; In the first empirical chapter, a case involving a National Geographic-led project to design a web-based GIS system for use in the classroom is investigated. The case is an example of a mapping exercise in which the independent variables aligned so that spatial empowerment was achieved. The project allowed students to develop a sense of identity with a different spatial unit--the watershed--and procure power which can come from this alternative identity.; In the second empirical chapter, two additional cases are explored that have varying success with spatial empowerment and were both hindered by limiting independent variables. In the first case, advocacy, relief and other NGO groups used satellite imaging technologies to monitor the human rights of peoples in eastern Burma whose rights were reportedly being violated with violence and oppression. The second case looks at the use of mobile phone technologies and web mapping platforms to track violence in communities following the disputed 2007 presidential election in Kenya.
SUMO wrestles the synapse

The number of synapses formed in the mammalian brain is controlled by electrical activity in neurons that drives calcium inward, regulating transcription factors, including one that causes removal of synapses.
SENSOR TECHNOLOGY AT SUBMILLIMETER WAVELENGTHS FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS

Our universe is most luminous at far-infrared and submillimeter wavelengths (100 GHz - 10 THz) after the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation. This region of the electromagnetic spectrum provides critical tracers for the study of a wide range of astrophysical and planetary phenomena. This spectral range contains information on the origin of the planets, stars, galaxies, and clusters; the geometry and matter/energy content of the Universe, atmospheric constituents and dynamics of the planets and comets and tracers for global monitoring and the ultimate health of the Earth. Sensors at far-infrared and submillimeter wavelengths provide unprecedented sensitivity for astrophysical, planetary, and earth observing instruments. Very often, for a spaced based platform where the instruments are not limited by atmospheric losses and absorption, the overall instrument sensitivity is dictated by the sensitivity of the sensors themselves. Moreover, some of the cryogenic sensors at submillimeter wavelengths provide almost quantum-limited sensitivity. This paper provides an overview of the submillimeter-wave sensors and their performance and capabilities for space applications.
Texas Through Women's Eyes: The Twentieth-Century Experience

Texans are proud of their history and happy to share it with the world. The Texas State Historical Association, founded in 1897, has a long list of publications and a scholarly journal. The Baylor ...
A comparison of tocopherol and tocotrienol for the chemoprevention of chemically induced rat mammary tumors.

Two forms of vitamin E, tocopherol and tocotrienol, were tested for chemopreventive activity in two chemically induced rat mammary-tumor models. When mammary tumors were induced by 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA, 50 mg/kg), only the tocotrienol group had a statistically significant increase in tumor latency. There was no effect of either compound on tumor multiplicity. When tumors were induced by N-nitrosomethylurea (NMU, 30 mg/kg), neither analogue of vitamin E modified latency, whereas tocotrienol increased tumor multiplicity. In summary, neither vitamin analog had a major impact on mammary-tumor development after tumor induction with either DMBA or NMU
Uric acid excretion in larval Manduca sexta

Abstract The characteristic coating of frass of last-instar tobacco hornworms, Manduca sexta, reared on artificial diet, proved to be uric acid. Results indicated that uric acid is the major nitrogenous excretory product; during most of the larval feeding stage, 5–7% of the excreta (dry weight basis) was uric acid; only minute quantities of allantoic acid were present. The rate of uric acid excretion was linear for the periods when coated pellets were observed. Abrupt increases in uric acid resulted from delays in pellet expulsion associated with delays in feeding activity. A distinctive coating was not generated by penultimate instar larvae, but abrupt changes in uric acid content did occur, which suggests that the phenomenon of coated frass is directly related to a differential in uric acid concentration. The source of uric acid in the frass was the Malpighian tubule system. The transition period between feeding and the wandering stage was a time of rapid decrease in uric acid excretion; there were only low levels in the last fecal pellets and none in Malpighian ampullae of wandering-stage larvae. Since the first appearance of coated fecal pellets preceded the release of ecdysone by about 24 hr, the involvement of this hormone was not indicated.
Resistance of Biomphalaria glabrata 13–16-R1 snails to Schistosoma mansoni PR1 is a function of haemocyte abundance and constitutive levels of specific transcripts in haemocytes

Continuing transmission of human intestinal schistosomiasis depends on the parasite's access to susceptible snail intermediate hosts (often Biomphalaria glabrata). Transmission fails when parasite larvae enter resistant individuals in wild snail populations. The genetic basis for differences in snail susceptibility/resistance is being intensively investigated as a means to devise novel control strategies based on resistance genes. Reactive oxygen species produced by the snail's defence cells (haemocytes) are effectors of resistance. We hypothesised that genes relevant to production and consumption of reactive oxygen species would be expressed differentially in the haemocytes of snail hosts with different susceptibility/resistance phenotypes. By restricting the genetic diversity of snails, we sought to facilitate identification of resistance genes. By inbreeding, we procured from a 13-16-R1 snail population with both susceptible and resistant individuals 52 lines of B. glabrata (expected homozygosity ~87.5%), and determined the phenotype of each in regard to susceptibility/resistance to Schistosoma mansoni. The inbred lines were found to have line-specific differences in numbers of spreading haemocytes; these were enumerated in both juvenile and adult snails. Lines with high cell numbers were invariably resistant to S. mansoni, whereas lines with lower cell numbers could be resistant or susceptible. Transcript levels in haemocytes were quantified for 18 potentially defence-related genes. Among snails with low cell numbers, the different susceptibility/resistance phenotypes correlated with differences in transcript levels for two redox-relevant genes: an inferred phagocyte oxidase component and a peroxiredoxin. Allograft inflammatory factor (potentially a regulator of leucocyte activation) was expressed at higher levels in resistant snails regardless of spread cell number. Having abundant spreading haemocytes is inferred to enable a snail to kill parasite sporocysts. In contrast, snails with fewer spreading haemocytes seem to achieve resistance only if specific genes are expressed constitutively at levels that are high for the species.
Integer programming techniques for solving non-linear workforce planning models with learning

Abstract In humans, the relationship between experience and productivity, also known as learning (possibly also including forgetting), is non-linear. As a result, prescriptive planning models that seek to manage workforce development through task assignment are difficult to solve. To overcome this challenge we adapt a reformulation technique from non-convex optimization to model non-linear functions with a discrete domain with sets of binary and continuous variables and linear constraints. Further, whereas the original applications of this technique yielded approximations, we show that in our context the resulting mixed integer program is equivalent to the original non-linear problem. As a second contribution, we introduce a capacity scaling algorithm that exploits the structure of the reformulation model and reduces computation time. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the techniques on task assignment models wherein employee learning is a function of task repetition.