cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental transmission of a herpesvirus in Greek tortoises (Testudo graeca).

An experimental transmission study aimed at fulfilling Koch's postulates for a herpesvirus-as- sociated stomatitis-rhinitis in Mediterranean tortoises is presented. Clinical, pathologic, serologic, and molecular studies were performed linking tortoise herpesvirus with the pathogenesis of stomatitis-rhinitis. Four adult Greek tortoises received either intranasally or intramuscularly two tortoise herpesvirus isolates by primary experimental infection and secondary challenge 11 months later. After the primary experimental infection and the secondary challenge, clinical signs of illness developed, which included conjunctivitis, diphtheritic oral plaques, and oral discharge. At 4 weeks after the secondary challenge, all tortoises were humanely euthanatized and evaluated. Although neutralizing antibodies developed after the primary experimental infection, they apparently did not prevent the later development of recurrent clinical signs. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse tran- scription-PCR analyses allowed sensitive characterization of the systemic distribution of the herpesvirus DNA sequences and their presence in the cranial nerves and brains of the infected tortoises. Despite the failure to recover the herpesviruses used in the transmission study, the findings support the premise that tortoise herpes- virus is a primary pathogen of Greek tortoises. A disease characterized by necrotizing stomatitis and rhinitis has been reported in several species of recently imported and captive tortoises worldwide. This disease is particularly problematic in Greek (Tes- tudo graeca) and Hermann's (T. hermanni) tortoises. Clinical signs range from mild conjunctivitis and clear nasal discharge to severe stomatitis and mucopurulent rhinitis. Signs of lower-respiratory tract and central nervous system (CNS) disease also have been seen. 7,22
Elementary catastrophes, phase transitions and singularities

Abstract The paper discusses the agreement between observed qualitative behavior of phase transitions in liquid mixtures and the results of catastrophe-theoretic modeling. Some mechanisms to explain the agreement are advanced.
Reasoning about realities: Children's evaluations of television and books

A cognitive-developmental model is presented of how children distinguish reality and fantasy.
Motion segmentation using interest points

In this paper, we present a novel approach to motion segmentation by using interest points. Distinctive image features, so called interest points, were extracted in each image of the sequences and tracked using a Kalman filter. The interest points are then organized in a undirected graph. This connected structure can be used to describe the spatial relationship of interest points. An edge scoring algorithm is introduced that favors edges connecting interest points lying on the same object and punishing bridging edges, e.q. edges connecting different objects. To do so, we will introduce our so called ldquohomogeneous scale assumptionrdquo that is used to calculate scores for each edge in the graph. The resulting connected sub-structures in the graph are mathematically described by a radial map and then again tracked using a Kalman filter to further increase robustness. The presented algorithm is capable of working at 30 Hz and is thus feasible in a wide variety of applications.
A Novel Method for Determining the R-Card Sheet Impedance Using the Transmission Coefficient Measured in Free-Space or Waveguide Systems

Free-space and rectangular waveguide techniques for determining the effective complex permittivity and, ultimately, the effective sheet impedance of an R-card using the forward transmission coefficient are presented. The advantage of using a transmission coefficient method instead of a more traditional reflection-based technique is discussed. The exact transcendental expressions relating the transmission coefficient and effective complex permittivity are derived and approximated using the Maclaurin series for sine and cosine. It is shown that the Maclaurin series expansion leads to simple closed-form solutions to the effective complex permittivity and avoids the use of sensitive and often unstable root search algorithms, which are necessary to solve transcendental equations. The accuracy of the approximations is directly related to the R-card's thickness and wavenumber. Free-space (4-16 GHz) and waveguide (8.2-12.4 GHz) measurements are made using two R-cards of differing thicknesses and impedances to demonstrate the method and regimes of validity. An uncertainty analysis is also performed to demonstrate the robustness of the technique.
Targeted parallel sequencing of large genetically- defined genomic regions for identifying mutations in Arabidopsis

Large-scale genetic screens in Arabidopsis are a powerful approach for molecular dissection of complex signaling networks. However, map-based cloning can be time-consuming or even hampered due to low chromosomal recombination. Current strategies using next generation sequencing for molecular identification of mutations require whole genome sequencing and advanced computational devises and skills, which are not readily accessible or affordable to every laboratory. We have developed a streamlined method using parallel massive sequencing for mutant identification in which only targeted regions are sequenced. This targeted parallel sequencing (TPSeq) method is more cost-effective, straightforward enough to be easily done without specialized bioinformatics expertise, and reliable for identifying multiple mutations simultaneously. Here, we demonstrate its use by identifying three novel nitrate-signaling mutants in Arabidopsis.
Absence of the Uracil DNA Glycosylase of Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 Impairs Replication and Delays the Establishment of Latency In Vivo

Uracil DNA glycosylases (UNG) are highly conserved proteins that preserve DNA fidelity by catalyzing the removal of mutagenic uracils. All herpesviruses encode a viral UNG (vUNG), and yet the role of the vUNG in a pathogenic course of gammaherpesvirus infection is not known. First, we demonstrated that the vUNG of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) retains the enzymatic function of host UNG in an in vitro class switch recombination assay. Next, we generated a recombinant MHV68 with a stop codon in ORF46/UNG (ΔUNG) that led to loss of UNG activity in infected cells and a replication defect in primary fibroblasts. Acute replication of MHV68ΔUNG in the lungs of infected mice was reduced 100-fold and was accompanied by a substantial delay in the establishment of splenic latency. Latency was largely, yet not fully, restored by an increase in virus inoculum or by altering the route of infection. MHV68 reactivation from latent splenocytes was not altered in the absence of the vUNG. A survey of host UNG activity in cells and tissues targeted by MHV68 indicated that the lung tissue has a lower level of enzymatic UNG activity than the spleen. Taken together, these results indicate that the vUNG plays a critical role in the replication of MHV68 in tissues with limited host UNG activity and this vUNG-dependent expansion, in turn, influences the kinetics of latency establishment in distal reservoirs. IMPORTANCE Herpesviruses establish chronic lifelong infections using a strategy of replicative expansion, dissemination to latent reservoirs, and subsequent reactivation for transmission and spread. We examined the role of the viral uracil DNA glycosylase, a protein conserved among all herpesviruses, in replication and latency of murine gammaherpesvirus 68. We report that the viral UNG of this murine pathogen retains catalytic activity and influences replication in culture. The viral UNG was impaired for productive replication in the lung. This defect in expansion at the initial site of acute replication was associated with a substantial delay of latency establishment in the spleen. The levels of host UNG were substantially lower in the lung compared to the spleen, suggesting that herpesviruses encode a viral UNG to compensate for reduced host enzyme levels in some cell types and tissues. These data suggest that intervention at the site of initial replicative expansion can delay the establishment of latency, a hallmark of chronic herpesvirus infection.
Fraction Instruction for Students with Mathematics Disabilities: Comparing Two Teaching Sequences

Abstract. This study investigated the effects of teaching middle school students with mathematics disabilities equivalent fraction concepts and procedures using the concrete-representational-abstract (CRA) instructional sequence or the representational-abstract (RA) instructional sequence. Twenty-six students formed the CRA group, and 24 students formed the RA group. The two treatment groups received carefully sequenced instruction over 10 lessons. The only difference between the two treatment groups was that the CRA group used concrete manipulative devices for the first three lessons while the RA group used representational drawings. Analyses of the data indicated that students in both treatment groups improved overall in their understanding of fraction equivalency from pretest to posttest. On all achievement measures, students in the CRA group had overall higher mean scores than did students in the RA group. Implications for classroom instruction and suggestions for further research are discussed.
Significance of Antinuclear Antibody Testing in Unexplained Second and Third Trimester Fetal Deaths

The purpose of this study was to determine if a group of patients with unexplained second or third trimester fetal demise have an increased prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) when compared to controls. During a 5-year period from January 1989 through December 1993, the records of all fetal deaths > or = 500 g or > or = 20 weeks of gestation that occurred at our institution were reviewed. In these women the ANA titers were checked at the discretion of the physician. The proportion of positive ANA tests in the group of women with explained fetal deaths was compared to that in women with unexplained fetal deaths. These results were then compared to a control group of healthy gravidas presenting to labor and delivery in the third trimester. During this time period, 848 fetal deaths were recorded. Our study population consisted of 286 patients who had an unexplained second or third trimester fetal demise with a record of having an ANA drawn. Of the 376 explained fetal deaths, 190 had an ANA assayed. The control group included 299 healthy third trimester gravidas. In the group of patients with unexplained fetal death, 11.5% (33/286) had a positive ANA, whereas 16% (31/190) of ANA tests were positive in cases of explained fetal death (P = 0.17). In the control group, 14% (43/299) had a positive ANA. There were three distinct immunofluorescence patterns: nucleolar, speckled, and homogeneous. The first two were seen more often in the control group, whereas the latter was seen more frequently in those patients with fetal death (P = 0.10). The incidence of a significant circulating ANA titer was similar in patients and controls. Moreover, there was no significant association between circulating antinuclear antibody titers and fetal outcome. More patients with a fetal death had a homogeneous nuclear fluorescence pattern when compared to controls; however, this finding was not statistically significant. Therefore, we do not recommend routine testing for ANA in women with unexplained second or third trimester fetal death.
The house-building sector of London's economy, 1550–1650

London historians marvel at London's population growth during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, but never at how those hundreds of thousands of people got housed. It did not just ‘happen’; building tens of thousands of houses required marshalling land, money, materials and labour, and directing them at specific building sites. The task was performed by a myriad of small-scale builders from most walks of life, projectors who used contracts to have work done they could not perform themselves. All this was done in an environment of considerable risk in building new houses because of royal prohibitions against doing so, and facing large fines, sometimes imprisonment, and their new houses pulled down.
Changing Violent Minds: Discursive Correction and Resistance in the Cognitive Treatment of Violent Offenders in Prison

Based upon observation in “Cognitive Self-Change” (CSC) treatment groups in a Vermont prison, this paper examines the dynamics of coercion and resistance in the cognitive social control of violent offenders. The program is mandated for violent offenders to correct the “cognitive distortions” that incite their violence. CSC relies upon particular constructions of criminal minds, responsibility, victimization, and choice that become the heart of rhetorical struggles between program facilitators and the inmates who resist the process of self-examination and change. CSC demonstrates Foucault's (1983) idea that dominant discourses (such as notions rooted in psychology) enact governmental power by encouraging self-reflection and self-regulation among citizens. Psychological paradigms about criminal personalities are imposed on inmates; their resistance to these concepts represents an opposing rhetoric and also demonstrates the subtly coercive context in which CSC takes place. Inmate objections are absorbed into and help sustain the dominant discourse about criminality. Examining the implications of coercion and resistance highlights the repressive potential in language.
FREQUENCY-DOMAIN OPTICAL IMAGING OF ABSORPTION AND SCATTERING DISTRIBUTIONS BY A BORN ITERATIVE METHOD

We present a Born iterative method for reconstructing optical properties of turbid media by means of frequency-domain data. The approach is based on iterative solutions of a linear perturbation equation, which is derived from the integral form of the Helmholtz wave equation for photon-density waves. In each iteration the total field and the associated weight matrix are recalculated based on the previous reconstructed image. We then obtain a new estimate by solving the updated perturbation equation. The forward solution, also based on a Helmholtz equation, is obtained by a multigrid finite difference method. The inversion is carried out through a Tikhonov regularized optimization process by the conjugate gradient descent method. Using this method, we first reconstruct the distribution of the complex wave numbers in a test medium, from which the absorption and the scattering distributions are then derived. Simulation results with two-dimensional test media have shown that this method can yield quantitatively (in terms of coefficient values) as well as qualitatively (in terms of object location and shape) accurate reconstructions of absorption and scattering distributions in cases in which the first-order Born approximation cannot work well. Both full-angle and limited-angle measurement schemes have been simulated to examine the effect of the location of detectors and sources. The robustness of the algorithm to noise has also been evaluated.
Viscoelastic properties of ultrathin polycarbonate films by liquid dewetting

A liquid dewetting method for the determination of the viscoelastic properties of ultrathin polymer films has been extended to study thickness effects on the properties of ultrathin polycarbonate (PC) films. PC films with film thicknesses ranging from 4 to 299 nm were placed on glycerol at temperatures from below the macroscopic glass transition temperature (Tg) to above it with the dewetting responses being monitored. It is found that the isothermal creep results for films of the same thickness, but dewetted at different temperatures can be superposed into one master curve, which is consistent with the fact of PC being a thermorheologically simple material. Furthermore, the results show that the Tg of PC thin films is thickness dependent, but the dependence is weaker than the results for freely standing films and similar to literature data for PC films supported on rigid substrates. It was also found that the rubbery plateau region for the PC films stiffens dramatically, but still less than what has been observed for freely standing polycarbonate films. The rubbery stiffening is discussed in terms of a recently reported model that relates macroscopic segmental dynamics with the stiffening. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015, 53, 1559–1566
Effects of Moist Convection on Mesoscale Predictability

In a previous study by the authors, it was shown that the problematic numerical prediction of the 24‐25 January 2000 snowstorm along the east coast of the United States was in some measure due to rapid error growth at scales below 500 km. In particular they found that moist processes were responsible for this strong initial-condition sensitivity of the 1‐2-day prediction of mesoscale forecast aspects. In the present study they take a more systematic look at the processes by which small initial differences (‘‘errors’’) grow in those numerical forecasts. For initial errors restricted to scales below 100 km, results show that errors first grow as small-scale differences associated with moist convection, then spread upscale as their growth begins to slow. In the context of mesoscale numerical predictions with 30-km resolution, the initial growth is associated with nonlinearities in the convective parameterization (or in the explicit microphysical parameterizations, if no convective parameterization is used) and proceeds at a rate that increases as the initial error amplitude decreases. In higherresolution (3.3 km) simulations, errors first grow as differences in the timing and position of individual convective cells. Amplification at that stage occurs on a timescale on the order of 1 h, comparable to that of moist convection. The errors in the convective-scale motions subsequently influence the development of meso- and larger-scale forecast aspects such as the position of the surface low and the distribution of precipitation, thus providing evidence that growth of initial errors from convective scales places an intrinsic limit on the predictability of larger scales.
Adolescent Sibling Bereavement Symptomatology in a Large Community Sample

This study presents data on a recently developed instrument assessing symptomatology in a 13-to 18-year-old community sample of bereaved adolescents. Adolescents assessed within 18 months of their sibling's death showed consistently high levels of grief symptomatology. A second sample assessed more than 18 months after their sibling's death reported lower levels of grief symptomatology. However, a significant group of adolescents in this second sample continued to have high levels of grief reactions. Groups high and low on reported grief symptoms, when the death had occurred more than 18 months earlier, were compared on the Offer Self-Image Questionnaire. The data revealed dysfunctionalpatterns of self-concept in adolescents with high grief symptom levels. This pattern was not evident in the adolescents who were able to normalize their lives despite the traumatic experience of having a brother or sister die.
Laughing in the Face of Fear (of Disease Detection): Using Humor to Promote Cancer Self-Examination Behavior

This research examines the possible benefit of using humor to reduce anxiety associated with performing cancer self-examination behaviors. In Study 1, 187 undergraduates read a humorous public service announcement (PSA) script promoting either breast or testicular self-exams. Results suggest that perception of humor reduced anxiety about self-exams, which, in turn, related to more positive self-exam attitudes. Simultaneously, humor perception associated with greater message processing motivation, which, in turn, associated with more supportive self-exam attitudes. Self-exam attitudes also positively associated with self-exam intentions. These results were largely replicated in Study 2. Further, self-exam intentions predicted self-exam behavior 1 week later. However, consistent with past research, the humorous and serious messages did not generate differences in subsequent self-exam behavior, though the intention-behavior relationship was stronger and significant for those exposed to the humorous versus the serious messages. In light of these findings, and given that humor has the advantage of attracting and holding attention in real message environments, the use of carefully constructed humor appeals may be a viable message strategy to promote health detection behaviors.
Poly(methyl methacrylate) end-functionalized with hexabenzocoronene as an effective dispersant for multi-walled carbon nanotubes

We demonstrate that MWCNTs can be dispersed in common organic solvents as single tubes using a single hexabenzocoronene (HBC) unit at the end of a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) chain. The concentration of the HBC-based additive needed to disperse MWCNTs is substantially lower than the concentration needed for existing additives.
Taking the Good with the Bad: Recognizing the Negative Externalities Created by Charities and Their Implications for the Charitable Deduction

The tax code allows taxpayers to deduct amounts donated to an extremely broad variety of organizations deemed to create societal benefits — that is, positive externalities. But many organizations that may receive tax-deductible contributions also cause harms. Both the tax code and subsidy theory, one of the most utilized scholarly theories developed to analyze the deduction from an economic and morally neutral perspective, fail to properly account for these negative externalities. In order to do so, one needs to look beyond the economic models utilized by subsidy theorists. For instance, there should be some limit to the types of harms organizations can cause while retaining their subsidy (that is, their ability to receive deductible contributions), something not adequately provided by the tax laws or the Kaldor–Hicks model used by subsidy theorists. As a starting point, this Article suggests the government should not subsidize organizations that impinge on an individual’s ability to live a full and meaningful life as a fair and equal member of society. If this (or some version of this) principle is accepted, taxpayers should not be able to deduct amounts donated to organizations that do so. Additionally, the government should not subsidize the efforts of organizations to promote their views of societal issues upon which there is reasonable disagreement. If one accepts this principle, donors should not be able to deduct amounts given to organizations advancing any particular conception of “the good,” since allowance of the deduction would result in disparate subsidization of certain competing viewpoints over others, often favoring the majority view. If one applies these suggested principles, it seems clear that the current law’s disallowance of deductions made to lobbying organizations and to certain organizations which have race-based exclusion policies is appropriate. However, an application of these same principles would question whether the deduction is appropriate in other situations in which it is currently allowed. For instance, current law allows donors to deduct amounts contributed to certain tax-exempt organizations that engage in limited lobbying; to organizations that are sibling organizations of lobbying groups, which seek to change public opinion through educational efforts; and to groups that have exclusion policies based on criteria other than race. An application of the suggested principles creates questions as to whether this is appropriate. This Article aims to act as a starting point to stimulate further discussion about whether and to what extent donors should be able to deduct amounts donated to charities that not only provide societal benefits but also cause harm.
The Use of Marketing Data in Courts of Law

The increasing use of marketing data as legal evidence seems certain. And recent court decisions mean that everyone interested in marketing, advertising, and survey research should be familiar with...
A First Look at Starfire Optical Range Atmospheric Monitor Data for Photonic Orbital Angular Momentum

A first look for photonic orbital angular momentum in five years of atmospheric profiling data from the Starfire Optical Range Atmospheric Monitor is presented.
Exploring Microscale Phenomena With the µPIVOT (µPIV and Optical Tweezers)

The hydrodynamic interaction between particles contributes significantly to the rheological properties of many suspensions [1] regardless if the suspending fluid is Newtonian or non-Newtonian. While the theoretical framework for particle-particle interactions in Newtonian fluids is well established, theoretical analysis of particle-fluid and particle-particle interactions in non-Newtonian fluids is limited due to difficulties in establishing a proper constitutive equation for non-Newtonian fluids. The direct study of particle-particle interactions will resolve the hydrodynamic forces between suspended particles, aid the development of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid suspension models, and provide experimental validation of existing models.© 2008 ASME
Relationship of Openning Government Affairs and Keeping Secret in Information Age

The openness and secret of e-government information is a contradictory unified entity of "ebb and flow". There exist,however,various problems now because of the unsatisfactory results in handling the relationship between them,so it is very important to study how to properly handle this relation. In addition to adhering to the certain principles and paying attention to the problems in four aspects,some measures and methods are also required,such as full use of and adherence to the idea of keeping the pace with times,ensuring of development and security,people-oriented government openness and secret,strengthening of education and propaganda,perfection of examination system for government openness and security management system.
Analysis of Trinitrophenylated Adenosine and Inosine by Capillary Electrophoresis and γ-Cyclodextrin-Enhanced Fluorescence Detection.

Monitoring molecules such as adenosine (Ado) and inosine (Ino) in the central nervous system has enabled the field of neuroscience to correlate molecular concentrations dynamics to neurological function, behavior, and disease. In vivo sampling techniques are commonly used to monitor these dynamics; however, many techniques are limited by the sensitivity and sample volume requirements of currently available detection methods. Here, we present a novel capillary electrophoresis-laser-induced fluorescence detection (CE-LIF) method that analyzes Ado and Ino by derivatization with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid to form fluorescent trinitrophenylated complexes of Ado (TNP-Ado) and Ino (TNP-Ino). These complexes exhibit ∼25-fold fluorescence enhancement upon the formation of inclusion complexes with γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD). Association constants were determined as 4600 M–1 for Ado and 1000 M–1 for Ino by CE-LIF. The structure of the TNP-Ado:γ-CD complex was determined by 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spec...
Contrasting genetic effects of red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle L.) range expansion along West and East Florida

Aim We evaluated underlying mechanisms and genetic effects of climate-driven range expansion of Rhizophora mangle L., a coastal foundation species, along both West (WFL) and East (EFL) Florida, USA. Location Eight sites encompassing the entire Florida R. mangle range at a regional scale. Methods We characterized R. mangle population genetic structure with a combination of genetic analyses using seven microsatellite loci and model-based propagule transport. We tested hypotheses on the genetic effects of range expansion along both WFL and EFL. Finally, we compared WFL and EFL range edges and assessed potential factors shaping observed differences. Results Regional-scale Florida R. mangle genetic structure is shaped in part by the non-independent effects of geographical distance and ocean currents that drive asymmetric propagule transport from WFL to EFL. WFL conformed to theoretical expectations of range expansion, with pronounced divergence at the range edge, whereas EFL deviated from expectations. Significant differences in diversity and differentiation at the WFL and EFL range edges were attributed to differences in migration rates, population size and founder effects. Main conclusions Contrasting genetic landscapes at the WFL and EFL range edges are in part the product of variation in ocean circulation and demographic history. These underlying mechanisms may have potential ecological and evolutionary consequences that need to be addressed with further empirical research.
Malignant ureteroenteric anastomotic stricture following radical cystectomy with urinary diversion: Patterns, risk factors, and outcomes

Abstract Objective The development of a ureteroenteric anastomotic (UEA) stricture has been reported in up to 15% of patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) with urinary diversion. Although benign strictures are thought to be the result of ischemia, the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of patients with malignant UEA strictures have not been well described. Material and methods We reviewed 2,523 patients treated with RC for bladder cancer from 1980 to 2012 at Mayo Clinic. Patients diagnosed with a UEA stricture following the surgery were identified, and a subset with malignant UEA was then analyzed. Cox proportional hazard regression models were performed to evaluate factors associated with the diagnosis of malignant UEA. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results At a median of 10.5 years of follow-up, 232 (9.2%) patients were diagnosed with UEA stricture, of which 38 (16.4%) had malignant strictures (MS). Median time from RC to the diagnosis of a malignant vs. benign UEA stricture was 32.4 months and 7.2 months, respectively ( P = 0.004). Pathologic non–muscle-invasive disease stage at RC was more common among patients diagnosed with a MS compared with patients who did not develop a MS (71.1% vs. 45.9%; P = 0.002). The presence of carcinoma in situ on initial ureteral margin at RC was associated with a significantly increased risk of subsequent diagnosis (hazard ratio = 4.1; P Conclusions MS are uncommon after RC, and present later than benign strictures. Ureteral margin involvement with carcinoma in situ was associated with a significantly increased risk of MS diagnosis.
Lunar Labor Relations

This chapter defends the claim that at least some essential service strikes will be morally permissible in lunar societies. I argue by analogy with essential service strikes in medicine. The duty to provide medical care is not borne exclusively by nurses and physicians but rather is borne by a wider healthcare community, which includes hospital administrators, insurance companies, etc. If it is permissible for hospital administrators and insurance companies to compete for their interests by making decisions which might negatively affect patient care, then nurses and physicians should have at least a limited right to bargain for their interests (and the interests of their patients), which should include, in extreme circumstances, a right to withhold their labor. Similarly, lunar essential service workers, such as low-level employees in the air production industry, ought to retain the right to strike . The duty to provide breathable air is borne by a large “air production” community that includes air production staff, administrators, and corporations, as well as regulators and the voting public. If other members of this community were to make decisions which resulted in especially egregious working conditions for air production staff, then these employees would have the right to strike to improve their working conditions.
Fewer Americans Doubt Global Warming is Occurring

Since its inception in 2008, the National Surveys on Energy and Environment (NSEE) has tracked whether Americans believe there is solid evidence that global warming is occurring. The Spring 2016 NSEE finds that Americans’ views on climate change — and the confidence with which they hold those views — has set new benchmarks, and suggests that climate change continues to be a highly polarized issue, even as the number of those who doubt its existence is decreasing. These findings come as NASA and NOAA report that the first six months of 2016 are the hottest on record.
Neer Award 2015: Analysis of cytokine profiles in the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infections of the shoulder

Background Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) after shoulder arthroplasty can present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. This study evaluated the diagnostic utility of broader synovial fluid cytokine analysis for identifying PJI in patients undergoing revision shoulder arthroplasty. Methods Synovial fluid levels of 9 cytokines (interleukin [IL] 6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, IL-1β, IL-12, IL-2, IL-8, interferon-γ, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-α) were measured in 75 cases of revision shoulder arthroplasty with a multiplex immunoassay. Cases were classified into infection categories and groups based on objective perioperative findings. Differences in cytokine levels among infection groups were evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess the diagnostic utility of the individual synovial fluid cytokines and combinations of cytokines in determining infection status. Results Synovial IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interferon-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-8, and IL-10 were significantly elevated in cases of revision shoulder arthroplasty classified as infected. Individually, IL-6, IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-10 showed the best combination of sensitivity and specificity for predicting infection, and a combined cytokine model consisting of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-2 showed better diagnostic test characteristics than any cytokine alone, with sensitivity of 0.80, specificity of 0.93,, positive and negative predictive values of 0.87 and 0.89, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of 12.0 and 0.21. Conclusions Individual and combined synovial fluid cytokine analysis were both more effective than routine perioperative testing, such as serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, in the diagnosis of PJI of the shoulder. Once validated, combined synovial fluid cytokine analysis could be used as a predictive tool to determine the probability of PJI in patients undergoing revision shoulder arthroplasty and better guide treatment.
Demisting using an ultrasonic standing wave field

Removing drops from an air flow can be challenging, particularly, for small drops. Herein a method for demisting is presented that employs ultrasonics to force small drops to combine. Specifically, a cylindrical ultrasonic standing wave field is established in a tube, forming pressure nodes that take the form of cylinders located within the tube and having the same axis as the tube. Droplets are driven toward these pressure nodes by the acoustic radiation force, forcing smaller drops to combine to form larger drops, which eventually fall due to gravity, thereby demisting the flow. Experiments presented herein show that, for the setup employed, this method can remove a fraction of drops that approaches 0.8 and that the improvement due to ultrasonics, compared to the case without ultrasonics, is as large as 2.8. The effect of air flow rate and power is investigated.
3000 Years of Human Subsistence and Estuarine Resource Exploitation on the Rhode River Estuary, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland

Abstract Chesapeake Bay is home to highly productive marine ecosystems that were a key part of Native American subsistence for millennia. Despite a number of archaeological projects focused on Chesapeake Bay prehistory, key questions remain about the nature of human use of the estuary through time and across space. Recent work at 7 shell middens on the Rhode River Estuary, MD, provides insight into human subsistence and estuarine res ource exploitation from ∼3200 years ago through the mid-19th century. This is an important diachronic sequence of coastal land use and subsistence for the Chesapeake and helps fill a gap in our understanding of coastal adaptations along North America's Atlantic Coast. Despite climate change, fluctuating sea levels, and the likely appearance of maize agriculture in the area ∼1000 years ago, Native American exploitation of oysters and estuarine resources remained fairly consistent across the Early to Late Woodland. These data stand in contrast to the mid-1800s assemblage, which...
A genome Tree of Life for the Fungi kingdom.

Fungi belong to one of the largest and most diverse kingdoms of living organisms. The evolutionary kinship within a fungal population has so far been inferred mostly from the gene-information–based trees (“gene trees”), constructed commonly based on the degree of differences of proteins or DNA sequences of a small number of highly conserved genes common among the population by a multiple sequence alignment (MSA) method. Since each gene evolves under different evolutionary pressure and time scale, it has been known that one gene tree for a population may differ from other gene trees for the same population depending on the subjective selection of the genes. Within the last decade, a large number of whole-genome sequences of fungi have become publicly available, which represent, at present, the most fundamental and complete information about each fungal organism. This presents an opportunity to infer kinship among fungi using a whole-genome information-based tree (“genome tree”). The method we used allows comparison of whole-genome information without MSA, and is a variation of a computational algorithm developed to find semantic similarities or plagiarism in two books, where we represent whole-genomic information of an organism as a book of words without spaces. The genome tree reveals several significant and notable differences from the gene trees, and these differences invoke new discussions about alternative narratives for the evolution of some of the currently accepted fungal groups.
Current-use flame retardants: Maternal exposure and neurodevelopment in children of the CHAMACOS cohort.

Flame retardants are commonly used in consumer products found in U.S. households. Restrictions on the use of polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants have resulted in increased use of replacement chemicals, including Firemaster 550® (FM 550®) and organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs): tris(1,3- dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP); tris(chloropropyl) phosphate (TCIPP); tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP); and triphenyl phosphate (TPHP). Animal research suggests that PFRs may affect neurodevelopment through noncholinergic mechanisms similar to some organophosphate (OP) pesticides. Despite the widespread presence of these compounds in home environments, and their structural similarity to neurotoxic OP pesticides, understanding of human exposure and health effects of PFRs is limited. We measured four urinary PFR metabolites from pregnant women in the CHAMACOS birth cohort study (n = 310) and assessed neurodevelopment of their children at age 7. Metabolites of TDCIPP (BDCIPP: bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate) and TPHP (DPHP: diphenyl phosphate) were detected in >75% of urine samples, and isopropylphenyl phenyl phosphate (ip-PPP), a metabolite of one component of FM 550®, was detected in 72% of urine samples. We observed decreases of 2.9 points (95% Confidence Interval (CI): -6.3, 0.5) and 3.9 points (95% CI: -7.3,-0.5) in Full-Scale intelligence quotient and Working Memory, respectively, for each ten-fold increase in DPHP in adjusted regression models (n = 248). Decreases in Full-Scale IQ and Working Memory were greater in models of the molar sum of the PFR metabolites compared to the DPHP models. This is the first study to examine PFR and FM 550® exposures and potential neurodevelopmental outcomes in pregnant women and children. Additional research is warranted.
The digital humanities: Implications for librarians, libraries, and librarianship

From small colleges to large universities, academic librarians continue to meet the challenges of digital humanities in a variety of ways. The diversity of skills, knowledge, and experience exhibit...
Maternal high fructose diet and neonatal immune challenge alter offspring anxiety-like behavior and inflammation across the lifespan.

Abstract Aims This study examined the interaction between maternal high fructose diet and neonatal inflammation in neonates (P7), juveniles (P26–34) and adults on measures of anxiety-like behavior and cognition. The study aimed to assess the potential synergistic effects of these two forms of early-life inflammation. Main methods We fed Sprague-Dawley dams with high fructose (60%) diet or normal chow. Each litter was treated with either saline or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on postnatal day (P)3 and P5 and two pups were tested for USVs after maternal separation on P7. Post-weaning, juveniles were tested on the elevated zero maze (EZM) and in a context-object discrimination (COD) task prior to tissue harvest. Adults were tested on the EZM and the COD task as well. Immunohistochemistry and ELISA were used to assess molecular and cellular changes in the offspring. Key findings This study demonstrates that maternal diet and neonatal inflammation altered peripheral inflammation in neonates, altered anxiety-like behavior in juveniles, and altered anxiety-like behavior in adulthood. Maternal diet and sex increased juvenile peripheral inflammation and altered memory on the context-discrimination task. Significance Maternal diet has a profound impact on fetal and neonatal development, especially as obesity rates are on the rise worldwide. Together, these findings reveal enduring effects of maternal diet on offspring, support the findings on the effects of neonatal inflammation on anxiety-like behaviors in later-life periods, and add to the complex relationship between gestational and neonatal inflammation and anxiety.
Engaging in Indigenous CBPR Within Academia: A Critical Narrative

Historical accounts of research conducted in American Indian (AI) communities have shown that research activities have not always been in the best interest of tribes. In some instances, research co...
Pseudo-Tree Construction Heuristics for DCOPs and Evaluations on the ns-2 Network Simulator

Distributed Constraint Optimization Problems (DCOPs) are commonly used to model multi-agent coordination problems. However, empirical evaluations of DCOP algorithms are typically done in simulation under the assumption that the communication times between all pairs of agents are identical, which is unrealistic in many real-world applications. In this paper, we investigate the impact of empirically evaluating a DCOP algorithm under the assumption that communication times between pairs of agents can vary and propose the use of ns-2, a de-facto simulator used by the computer networking community, to simulate the communication times. Additionally, we introduce heuristics that exploit the non- uniform communication times to speed up DCOP algorithms that operate on pseudo-trees.
International cometary explorer solar array performance during the encounter with comet Giacobini-Zinner

The International Cometary Explorer (ICE) passed through the tail of comet Giacobini-Zinner (G-Z) on September 11, 1985. During the comet encounter, the ICE solar array was exposed to an environment consisting of hypervelocity cometary dust particles. The pre-encounter calculations, which provided verification that the ICE solar array would survive the comet encounter, are presented. The potential for damage to the ICE solar array by impacts from hypervelocity particles was examined for prospective closest-approach trajectories in the range of 1000 km to 10,000 km. The actual closest-approach trajectory was 8000 km from the nucleus of the comet. The ICE solar array experienced negligible degradation in performance during the encounter with comet G-Z.
Solutions of the Hodgkin-Huxley equations modified for potassium accumulation in a periaxonal space.

Hodgkin and Huxley equations were modified to include the properties of an external diffusion barrier separated from the axolemma by a thin periaxonal space in which potassium ions accumulate as a function of membrane activity. Further modifications in the equations took into account new values for g K and new functions for α n, β n, α h, and β h derived from voltage clamp experiments on Loligo pealei giant axons. Equations were solved on a PDP-11 computer using the Gear predictor-corrector numerical method. In comparison with the original Hodgkin and Huxley equations, the modified equations for membrane potentials gave: 1) more accurate representations of the falling and undershoot phases of the membrane action potential, 2) more accurate representation of thresholds and latencies, 3) increases in the periaxonal space potassium ion concentration, Ks, of about 1 mM/impulse, 4) proper predictions of the time course and magnitude of either undershoot decline or periaxonal potassium ion accumulation during trains of membrane action potentials elicited by repetitive short duration stimuli, and 5) a somewhat more accurate representation of adaptation (finite train and nonrepetitive responses) during long duration constant current stimulation.—Adelman, W. J., Jr., and R. FitzHugh. Solutions of the Hodgkin-Huxley equations modified for potassium accumulation in a periaxonal space. Federation Proc. 34: 1322–1329, 1975.
Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The IRB application collects a lot of information specific to clinical research trials in general. There are different types of scientific design, including randomized controlled trials (or RCTs), retrospective review of data that has already been collected, and prospective registries, which is an observational only trial. Some clinical research endeavors may be exempt from IRB review, some studies able to undergo expedited review, but must will go through a full board review. There are four phases of human clinical research: phase I dose finding (20–100 subjects), phase II assessing safety and efficacy (100–300 subjects), phase III firmly establishing safety and efficacy (300–3000 subjects), and phase IV post marketing for further information. There are some high-risk procedures (such as those involving radiation therapy or viruses that require special approvals.
Prevalence of Publication Bias Tests in Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

Purpose The purpose of this research note is to systematically document the extent that researchers who publish in American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) journals search for and includ...
O PROJETO “HISTÓRIA ORAL DO SUPREMO” DA FGV DIREITO RIO

O projeto “Historia Oral do Supremo (1988-2013)” foi liderado pela Escola de Direito da Fundacao Getulio Vargas do Rio de Janeiro (FGV Direito Rio), com participacao do Centro de Pesquisa e Documentacao de Historia Contemporânea – CPDOC e da FGV Direito SP. O objetivo do projeto foi criar um registro audiovisual e escrito da historia do Supremo Tribunal Federal a partir de depoimentos de ministros aposentados e em atividade. Todas as entrevistas realizadas estao disponiveis online em formato open access no site historiaoraldosupremo.fgv.br. Neste artigo, apresento em linhas gerais as origens do projeto no contexto da recepcao da Historia Oral no Brasil, as fases de realizacao do projeto, seus desafios metodologicos e seu impacto dentro e fora da academia. Para alem de produzir conteudo biografico, o projeto fornece material rico para pesquisas sobre a historia e o funcionamento do STF. Para alem de fonte de pesquisa, o projeto e parte de um esforco de democratizacao do conhecimento sobre esta instituticao.
The marshall sklare memorial lecture

Introduction I am honored by the opportunity to present the Marshall Sklare Memorial Lecture for the Association for the Social Scientific Study of Jewry and the Association for Jewish Studies and to join a distinguished group of previous awardees. I am grateful to the selection committee and for the continuing support of colleagues and researchers in the field. I first encountered Marshall in the 1950s when I was an