cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of supersaturation on surface structure.

Using low-energy electron microscopy, we have investigated the influence of an external flux on the structure of the Si(111) surface during growth and etching at elevated temperatures. We find that varying the adatom supersaturation effectively changes the surface free energies of coexisting $7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}7$ and '$1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1$' regions of the surface. In response, the boundaries separating the phases adopt a new steady-state configuration. The measured configuration can be used to quantitatively determine the difference in free energy between the phases, $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\gamma}$. The change in $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ provides a measure of the local supersaturation at the surface, and can be interpreted as a change in the phase-transition temperature.
Correlates of sexual functioning among mid-life women.

Objective Studies have reported a decline in sexual functioning among women undergoing the menopausal transition. Few studies, however, have examined the associations between hormones and sexual dysfunction during this time period. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the associations between participant characteristics and endogenous hormones with sexual functioning in mid-life women.Methods Data were analyzed from a community-based sample of 441 women aged 45–54 years who stated that they were sexually active at the time of the study. Each participant completed a survey that included questions pertaining to sexual functioning and provided a blood sample that was used to measure estrogen and androgen concentrations.Results Among women who reported being sexually active, poorer self-reported health and the experiencing of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with not being satisfied with sexual relations after adjustment for other covariates. None of the hormones examined were ...
Precipitation response to regional radiative forcing

Precipitation shifts can have large impacts on hu- man society and ecosystems. Many aspects of how inho- mogeneous radiative forcings influence precipitation remain unclear, however. Here we investigate regional precipitation responses to various forcings imposed in different latitude bands in a climate model. We find that several regions show strong, significant responses to most forcings, but that the magnitude and even the sign depends upon the forcing loca- tion and type. Aerosol and ozone forcings typically induce larger responses than equivalent carbon dioxide (CO2) forc- ing, and the influence of remote forcings often outweighs that of local forcings. Consistent with this, ozone and especially aerosols contribute greatly to precipitation changes over the Sahel and South and East Asia in historical simulations, and inclusion of aerosols greatly increases the agreement with observed trends in these areas, which cannot be attributed to either greenhouse gases or natural forcings. Estimates of pre- cipitation responses derived from multiplying our Regional Precipitation Potentials (RPP; the response per unit forcing relationships) by historical forcings typically capture the ac- tual response in full transient climate simulations fairly well, suggesting that these relationships may provide useful met- rics. The strong sensitivity to aerosol and ozone forcing sug- gests that although some air quality improvements may un- mask greenhouse gas-induced warming, they have large ben- efits for reducing regional disruption of the hydrologic cycle.
Political Violence, Narrative, and Memory

Lords of the Lebanese Marclies: Violence and Narrative in an Arab Society. Michael Gilsenan. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996. 377 pp. Memories of Revolt: The 1936-1939 Rebellion and the Palestinian National Past. Ted Swedenburg. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1995. 259 pp.
Similarity Component Analysis

Measuring similarity is crucial to many learning tasks. To this end, metric learning has been the dominant paradigm. However, similarity is a richer and broader notion than what metrics entail. For example, similarity can arise from the process of aggregating the decisions of multiple latent components, where each latent component compares data in its own way by focusing on a different subset of features. In this paper, we propose Similarity Component Analysis (SCA), a probabilistic graphical model that discovers those latent components from data. In SCA, a latent component generates a local similarity value, computed with its own metric, independently of other components. The final similarity measure is then obtained by combining the local similarity values with a (noisy-)OR gate. We derive an EM-based algorithm for fitting the model parameters with similarity-annotated data from pairwise comparisons. We validate the SCA model on synthetic datasets where SCA discovers the ground-truth about the latent components. We also apply SCA to a multiway classification task and a link prediction task. For both tasks, SCA attains significantly better prediction accuracies than competing methods. Moreover, we show how SCA can be instrumental in exploratory analysis of data, where we gain insights about the data by examining patterns hidden in its latent components' local similarity values.
Veto Players and Civil War Duration

Civil wars show a remarkable variation in how long they last. Some end within days; others continue for decades. What explains the extreme intractability of some wars while others are resolved quickly? This article argues that conflicts with multiple actors who must approve a settlement (veto players) are longer because there are fewer acceptable agreements, information asymmetries are more acute, and shifting alliances and incentives to hold out make negotiation more difficult. This veto player approach to explaining variation in civil war duration is tested using a new dataset containing monthly data on all parties to each civil war begun since World War II. The statistical analysis shows a strong correlation between the number of veto players and the duration of civil war.
Isolated single-lung perfusion with TNF-α in a rat sarcoma lung metastases model

Abstract We conducted a trial of isolated lung perfusion using tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in an experimental sarcoma lung metastasis model. In an in vitro experiment, methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma cells were incubated for 48 hours with 42 μg/mL of either human or murine TNF. Controls were incubated with Hank's balanced salt solution. In an in vivo experiment, 23 F344 rats were injected with 10 7 methylcholanthrene-induced sarcoma cells. On day 7, 4 animals were perfused with 210 μg of murine TNF, 5 animals were perfused with 420 μg of murine TNF, 10 animals underwent isolated lung perfusion with 420 μg of human TNF, and 4 animals were injected systemically with 420 μg of human TNF. Animals were sacrificed on day 14 and the lung nodules counted. The cells incubated with murine TNF exhibited a 21% decrease in growth ( p = 0.07); cells incubated with human TNF showed a 37% decrease in growth ( p P = 0.07). Animals perfused with 420 μg/mL of human TNF had 21.7 ± 18.3 nodules on the left lung and 91.7 ± 66.2 nodules on the right lung ( p
Learning Repetitive Patterns for Classifying Non-Rigidly Deforming Texture Surfaces

In this paper, we address the relatively unexplored problem of classifying texture surfaces undergoing significant levels of non-rigid deformation. State-of-the-art texture classification methods have demonstrated to be very effective for classifying fronto-parallel texture fields. Recently, affine-invariant descriptors have been proposed as an effective way to model local perspective distortion in textures. However, if the effects of local surface curvature distortion are large, affine-invariant descriptors become unreliable. Our contribution in this paper is twofold. First, we propose a method for learning representative basic elements of non-fronto-parallel texture fields undergoing non-rigid deformations. Secondly, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our texture learning method for the classification of non-rigid deforming texture surfaces. We test our method on a set of images obtained from man-made texture surfaces.
Scattering by two-dimensional lossy, inhomogeneous dielectric and magnetic cylinders using linear pyramid basis functions and point matching

A volume integral equation approach is used to calculate the scattering characteristics of lossy, inhomogeneous, arbitrarily shaped, two-dimensional dielectric and magnetic bodies. The scatterer is divided into triangular patches, which simulate curved and piecewise linear boundaries more closely than circular cylinder cells. Linear pyramid basis functions are employed to expand the unknown total electric field at the triangle nodes. The enforcement of the boundary conditions by point matching at the nodes converts the electric field integral equation to a matrix equation. Example cases are run and compared to previous moment methods and exact solutions, and this method shows good agreement. This method requires only one unknown per node in dielectric and magnetic material, which is a significant reduction in unknowns and matrix storage compared to traditional methods. By duality, this method can be used at either transverse electric or transverse magnetic polarization. >
J. B. Moussier and the Property Banks of Louisiana

The property bank, an ingenious new institution that provided badly needed capital for southern mercantile and agricultural operations, appears to have been the creation of one man's imagination. It is ironical that he died in financial embarrassment, leaving behind few clues for the curious historian.
Proteotoxic stress and inducible chaperone networks in neurodegenerative disease and aging

The long-term health of the cell is inextricably linked to protein quality control. Under optimal conditions this is accomplished by protein homeostasis, a highly complex network of molecular interactions that balances protein biosynthesis, folding, translocation, assembly/disassembly, and clearance. This review will examine the consequences of an imbalance in homeostasis on the flux of misfolded proteins that, if unattended, can result in severe molecular damage to the cell. Adaptation and survival requires the ability to sense damaged proteins and to coordinate the activities of protective stress response pathways and chaperone networks. Yet, despite the abundance and apparent capacity of chaperones and other components of homeostasis to restore folding equilibrium, the cell appears poorly adapted for chronic proteotoxic stress when conformationally challenged aggregation-prone proteins are expressed in cancer, metabolic disease, and neurodegenerative disease. The decline in biosynthetic and repair activities that compromises the integrity of the proteome is influenced strongly by genes that control aging, thus linking stress and protein homeostasis with the health and life span of the organism.
Longitudinal Changes in Nursing Home Resident–Reported Quality of Life: The Role of Facility Characteristics

Improving quality of nursing homes (NHs) is a major social priority, yet few studies examine the role of facility characteristics for residents' quality of life (QOL). This study goes beyond cross-sectional analyses by examining the predictors of NH residents' QOL on the facility level over time. We used three data sources, namely resident interviews using a multidimensional measure of QOL collected in all Medicaid-certified NHs in Minnesota (N = 369), resident clinical data from the minimum data set, and facility-level characteristics. We examined change in six QOL domains from 2007 to 2010, using random coefficient models. Eighty-one facilities improved across most domains and 85 facilities declined. Size, staffing levels (especially activities staff), and resident case mix are some of the most salient predictors of QOL over time, but predictors differ by facility performance status. Understanding the predictors of facility QOL over time can help identify facility characteristics most appropriate for targeting with policy and programmatic interventions.
Outlined elements, regular elements and coincidences in illusory-figure patterns.

When elements in a pattern which would otherwise produce an illusory figure are modified by outlining or by increasing their regularity (in accordance with a proposed measure of the latter quality), the illusory effect is much reduced. Both results reflect the principle that ‘coincidences’ in a display play little or no role in the process of segmentation when other circumstances tend to force critical edges to ‘belong’ to individual elements of the display.
Should the gas outlet port on membrane oxygenators be routinely scavenged during cardiopulmonary bypass

Elimination of a volatile anesthetic agent administered prior to the start of bypass through the oxygenator has not been previously described. The purpose of this study was to determine the contamination risk from enflurane used before but not during cardiopulmonary bypass. Enflurane concentration was measured from the gas outlet port of a membrane oxygenator using infrared gas analysis in 11 cardiac surgical patients. The mean peak concentration at the gas outlet port in patients who had a final end-tidal concentration of 50.3% was 0.08 f 0.04%. compared to 0.18 f 0.05% in patients with a final end-tidal concentration of more than 0.3%, P < 0.001. The elapsed time to reach peak concentration was 8.3 f 8.4 minutes, whereas the elapsed time from the peak concentration to 50% of the peak level was 83.1 f 25.1 minutes. At the E LIMINATION of respiratory gases and volatile agents is one of the integral functions of the oxygenator during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The release of volatile agent into room air presents a contamination hazard to operating room personnel, depending on the quantity and concentration released. Oxygenators may be connected to the operating room (OR) exhaust system by means of the gas outlet port.1-3 However, the connection between the scavenging system and the oxygenator may be subjected to occlusion, back pressure, or accidental application of shear forces. Furthermore, the efficacy of scavenging membrane oxygenators may be questioned because most of these devices have various types of openings through which gas could escape under appropriate conditions. For these reasons, waste gas is not routinely scavenged unless a volatile anesthetic is used during extracorporeal circulation. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk of OR contamination through a membrane oxygenator when an inhalation anesthetic, enflurane, was used prior to, but not during, CPB. Due to the frequent use of volatile agents during cardiac surgery, discovery of significant levels of room air enflurane would indicate a necessity for either routine scavenging of the oxygenator or an alternate method for reducing exposure.
Urinary Cholesterol. I. Isolation and Characterization of “Free” Cholesterol in Normal and Pregnant Subjects

ABSTRACT Non-esterified (“free”) cholesterol has been isolated and characterized in urines from pregnant and puerperal women. This steroid was also found in normal human urine. Criteria of identification were: thin-layer chromatography of the free and acetylated forms and gas-liquid chromatography of the free, acetate and trimethylsilyl ether derivatives, followed by infrared and X-ray diffraction analysis. The excretion of non-esterified cholesterol in normals was determined by a gas-liquid chromatographic procedure developed by us. The normal range in children was 0.21–0.68 mg/24 hr; in males, 0.44–1.24; and in females, 0.41–1.57. Elevated amounts were found in pregnancy. The urinary levels of this steroid can rise to quantities as high as 70 mg/24 hr during puerperium. Analyses performed in some selected pathologic conditions, as well as the estimation of esterified forms, indicate that the “free” form, possibly conjugated to a protein, is the main excretion product. The findings also suggest the possi...
Characteristics of microRNAs enriched in specific cell types and primary tissue types in solid organs

Knowledge of miRNA expression and function in specific cell types in solid organs is limited because of difficulty in obtaining appropriate specimens. We used laser capture microdissection to obtain nine tissue regions from rats, including the nucleus of the solitary tract, hypoglossal motor nucleus, ventral respiratory column/pre-Botzinger complex, and midline raphe nucleus from the brain stem, myocardium and coronary artery from the heart, and glomerulus, proximal convoluted tubule, and medullary thick ascending limb from the kidney. Each tissue region consists of or is enriched for a specific cell type. Differential patterns of miRNA expression obtained by deep sequencing of minute amounts of laser-captured cells were highly consistent with data obtained from real-time PCR analysis. miRNA expression patterns correctly clustered the specimens by tissue regions and then by primary tissue types (neural, muscular, or epithelial). The aggregate difference in miRNA profiles between tissue regions that contained the same primary tissue type was as large as one-half of the aggregate difference between primary tissue types. miRNAs differentially expressed between primary tissue types are more likely to be abundant miRNAs, while miRNAs differentially expressed between tissue regions containing the same primary tissue type were distributed evenly across the abundance spectrum. The tissue type-enriched miRNAs were more likely to target genes enriched for specific functional categories compared with either cell type-enriched miRNAs or randomly selected miRNAs. These data indicate that the role of miRNAs in determining characteristics of primary tissue types may be different than their role in regulating cell type-specific functions in solid organs.
A Model Treatment Refusal Procedure for Defendants Found Incompetent to Stand Trial in the Ninth Circuit

Pretrial detainees have a constitutionally protected right to refuse medical treatment in most circumstances; however, individuals found incompetent to stand trial (IST) due to a mental disorder can be treated involuntarily by clinicians who adhere to careful medical and legal procedures. The process of involuntary treatment of IST pretrial detainees begins with categorization into particular legal and medical groups. These different categories affect the individual's access to treatment. In this article, we review the relevant case law for the jurisdiction of the Ninth Circuit and place the medical-legal debate regarding these procedures in the context of recent cases. To address the medical-legal disjunction, we propose and discuss a model for managing treatment refusal in pretrial detainees found IST.
Stand Up to Cancer Phase Ib Study of Pan-Phosphoinositide-3-Kinase Inhibitor Buparlisib With Letrozole in Estrogen Receptor-Positive/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer

Purpose Buparlisib, an oral reversible inhibitor of all class I phosphoinositide-3-kinases, has shown antitumoral activity against estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer cell lines and xenografts, alone and with endocrine therapy. This phase Ib study evaluated buparlisib plus letrozole's safety, tolerability, and preliminary activity in patients with metastatic ER-positive breast cancer refractory to endocrine therapy. Patients and Methods Patients received letrozole and buparlisib in two different administration schedules. Outcomes were assessed by standard solid-tumor phase I methods. [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F]FDG-PET/CT) scans were done at baseline and 2 weeks after treatment initiation. Tumor blocks were collected for phosphoinositide-3-kinase pathway mutation analysis. Results Fifty-one patients were allocated sequentially to continuous or intermittent (five on/two off days) buparlisib administration on an every-4-week schedule. Buparlisib's...
TERRORISM: NIGERIA'S NEWEST FACELESS SOCIAL PROBLEM AND RETARDATION TO SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

The paper discussed the term terrorism, its origin, definition and characteristics. It showed some of the social and developmental problems Nigeria has had to face over the years emphasizing terrorism as an addition to her social problems. It tried to highlight some of the cases of terrorist manifestations in Nigeria over the years and how terrorism affects social development.
Supervisory control of discrete event systems: A survey and some new results

We present an overview of the modeling of discrete event systems using formal languages. Some new results on the controllability of sequential behaviors are presented and a standard coordination problem for a product system is shown to be of polynomial complexity.
SEARCHES FOR $K_L^0\rightarrow\pi^0\nu\bar{\nu}$

The physics potential of the $K_L^0\rightarrow\pi^0\nu\bar{\nu}$ search is summarized. Past experiments and the challenges discovered in them are reviewed. The innovative methods employed by the current experiment are discussed. Future experimental prospects are given.
The Cultural Characteristics of Fomes Connatus

In a study of the cultural characteristics of the species of Fomes,2 the writer tried without success to secure Fomes connatus (Weinm.) Gill. in pure culture. As Baxter (2) has noted, sporophore tissue isolations are difficult to obtain because the soft, watery sporophores, even when very young, are contaminated by other fungi and bacteria. It is also difficult to isolate from the soft rot produced by F. connatus due to the rather constant association of discoloring organisms with its incipient stages. Many attempts were made over a period of two years to isolate the fungus from fresh sporophores and decayed wood and to germinate the basidiospores. These were unsuccessful because of the presence of contaminating fungi or the failure of the spores to germinate. Finally a sporophore was collected which produced viable spores free from contaminants. The fungus, so obtained, was believed to be F. connatus, but because of the number of conflicting organisms previously secured, additional spore cultures were deemed essential before any cultural study of the species could be made.
Interrelated hormonal factors in cardiac hypertrophy; experiments in nonhypertensive hypophysectomized rats.

Evidence is presented that cardiac hypertrophy may ultimately be due to metabolic influences of hormones among which the pituitary growth hormone (somatotrophic hormone, STH) is the most important. In hypophysectomized rats, marked cardiac hypertrophy was elicited by administration of STH in the presence of subnormal blood pressure levels. Other hormones, especially the thyroid hormone and the adrenal mineralocorticoids--the latter through their action on myocardial electrolyte balance--seem to play subsidiary roles. Cortisone inhibited the cardiotrophic effect of STH and by itself decreased cardiac mass.
Acidification of reverse micellar nanodroplets by atmospheric pressure CO2.

Water absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide lowers the solution pH due to carbonic acid formation. Bulk water acidification by CO2 is well documented, but significantly less is known about its effect on water in confined spaces. Considering its prominence as a greenhouse gas, the importance of aerosols in acid rain, and CO2-buffering in cellular systems, surprisingly little information exists about the absorption of CO2 by nanosized water droplets. The fundamental interactions of CO2 with water, particularly in nanosized structures, may influence a wide range of processes in our technological society. Here results from experiments investigating the uptake of gaseous CO2 by water pools in reverse micelles are presented. Despite the small number of water molecules in each droplet, changes in vanadium probes within the water pools, measured using vanadium-51 NMR spectroscopy, indicate a significant drop in pH after CO2 introduction. Collectively, the pH-dependent vanadium probes show CO2 dissolves in the ...
Numerical Investigation of Inlet Injection in a Rotating Detonation Engine

A numerical study is performed to characterize the mixing mechanisms and flowfield within a rotating detonation engine system. An axisymmetric baseline domain is created as a surrogate for the Shank 2012 RDE system. The original design produces poor species mixing in the immediate injection zone due to low fuel penetration into the thick, crossflowing air stream. As the air stream enters the annulus, it turns a sharp corner, forming a small recirculation region. While peak turbulent species diffusion occurs in the injection zone due to the high shear produced by the two injection jets, a large portion lies downstream of the recirculation region. Large flowfield velocities reduce local equivalence ratio by decreasing residence time within the combustion annulus. Injection parameters varied include air mass flux, fuel mass flux, and fuel injection placement. Increasing air mass flux through decreased air injection area creates a large recirculation region when compared to the baseline. However, turbulent species diffusion develops within the recirculation region for small air injection area cases, allowing for increased local equivalence ratio. Increased fuel mass flux through decreased injection area allows for greater fuel penetration into the air stream. When fuel injection is moved upstream of the annulus into the air injection slot, the length between fuel injection and the recirculation region increases, allowing for larger species mixing prior to entering the combustion annulus. Increasing back pressure in the annulus, emulating nozzle integration, shows increased local equivalence ratio.
Serological evaluation of five Echinococcus granulosus antigens for detecting cystic echinococcosis by ELISA

In the present study,the diagnosis potential of the recombinant gene products(rAgB8/1,rAgB8/2 and rAgB8/3) from Xinjiang(China) isolate of Echinococcus granulosus in comparison with native AgB(nAgB) and purified hydatid cyst fluid(HCF) were evaluated by anti-IgG ELISA test.Total RNA was prepared from E.granulosus protoscoleces collected from a sheep hydatid cyst from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous.Three AgB subunits were obtained by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).PCR products were then sequenced and cloned into pGEX-3X vector,and the expressed recombinant proteins were induced by isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside(IPTG).HCF was prepared from fertile sheep-liver cysts fluid through the dialysis and precipitation,and was boiled and centrifuged to isolate nAgB.Five prepared antigens were applied for detecting antibodies of the sera from patients with different parasitosis and control subjects using ELISA.The native antigens presented higher sensitivity(HCF,90.8%,and nAgB,87.4%) than recombinant antigens(rAgB8/1,67.8%,rAgB8/2,78.2%,and rAgB8/3,59.8%).Additionally,rAgB8/2 was more sensitivity than rAgB8/1 and rAgB8/3(P0.05).The specificity presented by these antigens with 96.0%,96.0%,96.0%,98.0% and 97.0%,respectively,did not showed significant differences statistically(P0.05).Diagnostic efficiency of the above antigens was 93.5%,91.9%,82.8%,88.7% and 79.6%,respectively.Results suggest that the diagnosis potential of the native antigens (HCF and nAgB) are superior to the recombinant antigens(rAgB8/1,rAgB8/2,and rAgB8/3) for detecting cystic echinococcosis in anti-IgG ELISA test.
The Difference Safe Spaces Make: The Obstacles and Rewards of Fostering Support for the LGBT Community at HBCUs

In the last decade, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students have become very visible at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), but this visibility is not reflected in...
Differential Gene Expression Associated with Meningeal Injury in Acute Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Injury to the meninges is not uncommon after traumatic brain injury (TBI), yet minimal research has been directed toward understanding the relevant biology. After a concussive event, the meninges are observed to abnormally enhance on post-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in some patients, but not all. The aim of this work is to identify genes differentially expressed in patients with meningeal injury. Patients presenting to the emergency room with suspected TBI received a standard research MRI and blood draw within 48 h of injury. Two groups of patients were included: those with and without abnormal enhancement of the meninges on post-contrast MRI, both without other imaging findings. Groups were compared on microarray gene expression in peripheral blood samples using Affymetrix (Santa Clara, CA) and Partek Genomics Suite (Partek, Inc., St. Louis, MO) software (false discovery rate, <0.05). Forty patients were enrolled with a time from injury to MRI/blood draw of 16.8 h (interquartile ra...
On the design of universal schemes for massive uncoordinated multiple access

Future wireless access points may have to support sporadic transmissions from a massive number of unattended machines. Recently, there has been a lot of interest in the design of massive uncoordinated multiple access schemes for such systems based on clever enhancements to slotted ALOHA. A close connection has been established between the design of the multiple access scheme and the design of low density generator matrix codes. Based on this connection, optimal multiple access schemes have been designed based on slotted ALOHA and successive interference cancellation, assuming that the number of users in the network is known at the transmitters. In this paper, we extend this work and consider the design of universal uncoordinated multiple access schemes that are agnostic to the number of users in the network. We design Markov chain based transmission policies and numerical results show that substantial improvement to slotted ALOHA is possible.
IWRM and Water Governance

Effective water governance is required for success in IWRM, but in many countries, it is not working well. Governance depends on institutional arrangements to include the rule of law and on organized government to provide structure for management processes and elements of culture, such as values, attitudes, relationships, and incentives. A model of institutional analysis includes these questions: how management and control work, what are the key issues in each category of processes, and which practices should lead to improvement? Water governance is under scrutiny around the world and many topics are being investigated, such as policies, legislation, and institutions, as well as those affecting human rights. Water managers can promote good water governance, especially by implementing effective management practices and promoting productive relationships among stakeholders.
Guillain Barré Syndrome is induced in Non-Obese Diabetic (NOD) mice following Campylobacter jejuni infection and is exacerbated by antibiotics

Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis linked to several serious autoimmune sequelae such as the peripheral neuropathies Guillain Barre syndrome (GBS) and Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS). We hypothesized that GBS and MFS can result in NOD wild type (WT) mice or their congenic interleukin (IL)-10 or B7-2 knockouts secondary to C. jejuni infection. Mice were gavaged orally with C. jejuni strains HB93-13 and 260.94 from patients with GBS or CF93-6 from a patient with MFS and assessed for clinical neurological signs and phenotypes, anti-ganglioside antibodies, and cellular infiltrates and lesions in gut and peripheral nerve tissues. Significant increases in autoantibodies against single gangliosides (GM1, GQ1b, GD1a) occurred in infected NOD mice of all genotypes, although the isotypes varied (NOD WT had IgG1, IgG3; NOD B7-2-/- had IgG3; NOD IL-10-/- had IgG1, IgG3, IgG2a). Infected NOD WT and NOD IL-10-/- mice also produced anti-ganglioside antibodies of the IgG1 isotype directed against a mixture of GM1/GQ1b gangliosides. Phenotypic tests showed significant differences between treatment groups of all mouse genotypes. Peripheral nerve lesions with macrophage infiltrates were significantly increased in infected mice of NOD WT and IL-10-/- genotypes compared to sham-inoculated controls, while lesions with T cell infiltrates were significantly increased in infected mice of the NOD B7-2-/- genotype compared to sham-inoculated controls. In both infected and sham inoculated NOD IL-10-/- mice, antibiotic treatment exacerbated neurological signs, lesions and the amount and number of different isotypes of antiganglioside autoantibodies produced. Thus, inducible mouse models of post-C. jejuni GBS are feasible and can be characterized based on evaluation of three factors-onset of GBS clinical signs/phenotypes, anti-ganglioside autoantibodies and nerve lesions. Based on these factors we characterized 1) NOD B-7-/- mice as an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP)-like model, 2) NOD IL-10-/- mice as an acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN)-like model best employed over a limited time frame, and 3) NOD WT mice as an AMAN model with mild clinical signs and lesions. Taken together these data demonstrate that C. jejuni strain genotype, host genotype and antibiotic treatment affect GBS disease outcomes in mice and that many disease phenotypes are possible.
Cognitive functioning at the age of 10 years among children born extremely preterm: a latent profile approach.

BackgroundSchool-age children born extremely preterm (EP) are more likely than their term peers to have multiple neurocognitive limitations. We identify subgroups of EP children who share similar profiles on measures of intelligence quotient (IQ) and executive function (EF), and describe the nature and prevalence of cognitive impairment in EP children.MethodsOn the basis of measures of IQ and EF, subgroups of EP children with common neurocognitive function are identified using latent profile analysis (LPA). On the basis of these subgroups, we describe the nature and prevalence of impairment in EP children, and examine associations between cognitive function, gestational age, and academic achievement. Classification of neurocognitive function using IQ and EF is compared with a standard classification based on IQ Z-scores.ResultsLPA identified four neurocognitive profiles in EP children, with 34% of EP children classified as normal, 41% low-normal, 17% moderately impaired, and 8% severely impaired. Impaired children exhibited global impairment across cognitive domains, whereas children in the low-normal group tended to have impaired inhibition relative to their reasoning and working memory skills.ConclusionWithin categories of EP children defined in terms of IQ, there is substantial variation in EF; thus, both IQ and EF assessments are needed when describing school-age outcome of EP children.
The Effects of Deadline Pressure on Attitudinal Ambivalence

This article examines how attitudinal ambivalence, derived from the positive and negative evaluations associated with an attitude toward a behavior, that has an explicit deadline, fluctuates as a deadline becomes imminent. Using a longitudinal design, it was shown that as a deadline for performing a behavior becomes imminent, the level of ambivalence associated with the behavior increased significantly. Such an increase was not realized for a control group that was assessed longitudinally but without the presence of an imminent deadline. In addition, we provide evidence that the increase in ambivalence as a deadline approaches is driven primarily by the increased salience of negative factors associated with the behavior.
The Practice Turn in Learning Theory and Science Education

Recent developments in learning theory, referred to as the “practice turn” have suggested incorporation of disciplinary practices into classroom instruction. Instead of relying on a set of disembodied laboratory procedures and teacher-centered didactic instruction, advocates of this pedagogy propose that teachers and students create a new activity system that supports an epistemic culture for authentic scientific inquiry. It introduces students to the creative aspects of scientific practices through engagement in activities that involve representing, explaining, persuading, testing models, and making sense of scientific inquiry. Research in learning theory, science studies, and science education that has been used to articulate the practice turn in science education is reviewed and critiqued in this chapter.
Gel Electrophoresis, Southern Blot, and Colorimetric Microwell Plate-Based System

Infectious disease-related illnesses are a significant threat to human health resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality, worldwide. Timely and accurate diagnostic tools are critical for patient treatment decisions and disease outcomes. Molecular diagnostics are revolutionizing the clinical practice of infectious disease. The various formats of nucleic acid amplification are the most frequently used molecular tests in the diagnosis of infectious diseases due to its exquisite sensitivity and specificity. Gel electrophoresis and Southern hybridization are two basic technologies that are used to display the specific amplification of targeted gene and are still used in the laboratories for diagnosis because it is such a powerful technique, and yet reasonably easy and inexpensive.
H ∞ gain schedule synthesis of supervisory hybrid control systems

Hybrid control systems (HCS) arise when the plant, a continuous state system (CSS), is controlled by a discrete event system (DES) controller. As with any complex engineering system, the synthesis of a supervisory HCS is done as part of an iterative process. Here, we consider a synthesis procedure where an initial hybrid system is formulated and then refined until a set of symbolic and nonsymbolic specifications is satisfied. The refinements take the form of logically stable extensions of a previously given symbolic specification on the plant behaviour. This paper shows how such an extension can be constructed using multiple H∞ control agents exhibiting robust stability. The problem formulation leads to a design problem which can be solved using existing H∞ control techniques.
Policies to Restrict Secondhand Smoke Exposure: American College of Preventive Medicine Position Statement

Abstract Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure poses serious health risks for all nonsmokers, especially children and pregnant women. SHS is estimated to contribute to heart attacks in nonsmokers and nearly 53,800 deaths in the U.S. annually. A literature review of English-language articles was performed using PubMed, organizational websites, and pertinent review articles. Over the past 25 years, smokefree policies have protected nearly half the U.S. population from the adverse health effects of SHS. Smokefree policies have been shown to improve health outcomes with no consequences to local businesses. As of April 2013, a total of 24 states and 561 municipalities and territories, including the District of Columbia, New York City, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, have established laws that require nonhospitality workplaces, restaurants, and bars to be 100% smokefree. Four other states—Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, and Nevada—have smokefree laws that cover restaurants but provide an exemption for stand-alone bars. At least 14 states have no smokefree laws. This paper describes the benefits of policies that reduce SHS and concludes with recommendations for future directions. The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) recommends expanded clean indoor air policies for workplaces, stand-alone bars, restaurants, and multi-use family housing such as apartment buildings. ACPM recommends clean air policies for all university campuses, secondary school campuses, primary schools, child care centers, and city landmarks to further shift social norms and protect the health of children, adolescents, and adults. ACPM recommends closing existing gaps in clean indoor air policies.
Evaluation of Models

Model evaluation helps to determine how models can be used to improve the effectiveness of mineral and energy policy analysis. The need for evaluation and better communication can be illustrated by the study of Greenberger and his associates (1983) who have surveyed the views of energy experts and others regarding the quality, the attention received, and the influence of energy studies during the late 1970s. Their study suggested that while attention received and influence were positively correlated, quality tended to be negatively correlated with both attention received and influence. The study offers no explanation for the latter, but throughout emphasizes the importance of the evaluation and the effective communication of the modeling results.
Through synapses to spatial memory maps via a topological model.

Various neurophysiological and cognitive functions are based on transferring information between spiking neurons via a complex system of synaptic connections. In particular, the capacity of presynaptic inputs to influence the postsynaptic outputs–the efficacy of the synapses–plays a principal role in all aspects of hippocampal neurophysiology. However, a direct link between the information processed at the level of individual synapses and the animal’s ability to form memories at the organismal level has not yet been fully understood. Here, we investigate the effect of synaptic transmission probabilities on the ability of the hippocampal place cell ensembles to produce a cognitive map of the environment. Using methods from algebraic topology, we find that weakening synaptic connections increase spatial learning times, produce topological defects in the large-scale representation of the ambient space and restrict the range of parameters for which place cell ensembles are capable of producing a map with correct topological structure. On the other hand, the results indicate a possibility of compensatory phenomena, namely that spatial learning deficiencies may be mitigated through enhancement of neuronal activity.
Optimizing Sensor Deployment With Line-Of-Sight Constraints: Theory and Practice

Various non-isotropic sensors, such as acoustic, visible light, and infrared sensors, heavily rely on the line of the sight signal propagation to achieve desired sensing and monitoring quality in a complex environment. Although researchers have tested these sensing systems in many real scenarios, there is still limited theory to guide the sensor deployment with realistic sensing characteristics. In this paper, we design deployment algorithms for robust coverage under specific angle of arrival sensing requirements. We formulate the optimal deployment problem as a robust variant of the Art Gallery Problem called robust guarding, i.e., placing minimum number of transmitters such that all points of the domain are covered by two sensors from sufficiently different directions. We prove that this problem is NP-hard and provide combinatorial upper and lower bounds for the number of sensors needed. Furthermore, we show that n/2 guards are always sufficient and sometimes necessary for rectilinear polygons. In the system evaluation, we developed a testbed using low cost off-the-shelf IR sensors for indoor device-free localization. Experiments with both simulation and real system show that our solution outperforms existing algorithms on sensing accuracy and coverage significantly with almost negligible overhead.
ε-superposition and truncation dimensions in average and probabilistic settings for ∞-variate linear problems

Abstract The paper deals with linear problems defined on γ -weighted Hilbert spaces of functions with infinitely many variables. The spaces are endowed with zero-mean Gaussian measures which allows to define and study e -truncation and e -superposition dimensions in the average case and probabilistic settings. Roughly speaking, these e -dimensions quantify the smallest number k = k ( e ) of variables that allow to approximate the ∞ -variate functions by special ones that depend on at most k -variables with the average error bounded by e . In the probabilistic setting, given δ ∈ ( 0 , 1 ) , we want the error ≤ e with probability ≥ 1 − δ . We show that the e -dimensions are surprisingly small which, for anchored spaces, leads to very efficient algorithms, including the Multivariate Decomposition Methods.
Preference-Guided Planning: An Active Elicitation Approach

Planning under uncertainty has exploited human (domain) expertise in several different directions. One key research thrust in this direction is that of specifying preferences as advice to the planner in order to reduce the search over the space of plans. While successful, most of these approaches require that the advice be specified before planning. However, humans tend to give the most obvious advice and more importantly, this advice may not directly benefit the planner. We propose a framework in which the planner actively solicits preferences as needed. More specifically, our proposed planning approach computes the uncertainty in the plan explicitly and then queries the human expert for advice. This approach not only removes the burden on the human expert to provide all the advice upfront but also allows the learning algorithm to focus on the most uncertain regions of the plan space and query accordingly. Our results show that this collaborative approach allows for more efficient and effective problem solving compared to the standard planning as well as providing all the preferences in advance. Our framework treats the human input as soft preferences and allows to trade-off between potentially a sub-optimal expert and a complex plan space.
Carotid arterial input function as an inverse problem in kinetic modeling of [18F]2-fluoro-2 deoxy-D-glucose(FDG)

A two-tissue reversible compartment model is solved by Laplace transform method for kinetic modelling of [18F]2-fluoro-2deoxy-D-glucose, in order to quantify amyloid in positron emission tomography...
Enhancing Writing through Strengthened Executive Function

We explore aspects of essay writing requiring high-level organizational capacity and executive function. The literature supports the approach that specific and focused writing-skill mastery leads to reduced anxiety and increased self-efficacy which correlates with improved writing skills. Although essay writing is a complex multi-dimensional task, two particular strategies, tree-diagram and reference methods, specifically address the organizational skills characteristic of executive function. The tree and reference methods presented in this paper address the flow of information, not content, and consequently, the methods presented in this paper apply to mathematics and English as well as to K-12 and college level.
Editorial Commentary: Will Suture Tape Augmentation Prove to Be the Answer to Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft Remodeling, Ultimate Strength, and Safe Return to Play?

Abstract Anterior cruciate ligament graft augmentation may protect the graft during the early phases of graft remodeling. A concern is stress-shielding, and recent time-zero biomechanical models are promising in this regard. To get the best answer, it will require in vivo healing studies conducted in animals, and eventually human studies using non-invasive imaging techniques, and ultimately clinical outcome studies including evaluation of return to play in athletes. For now, until additional research studies are available, this type of augmentation is best reserved as an option in carefully selected patients with a small graft size at the time of harvest.
Effect of storage temperature and duration on concentrations of 27 fungal secondary metabolites spiked into floor dust from an office building.

Fungi are ubiquitous in environments and produce secondary metabolites that are usually low-molecular-weight organic compounds during growth processes. Dust samples containing these fungal secondar...