cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Write Your Ticket to College: A Genre‐Based College Admission Essay Workshop for Ethnically Diverse, Underserved Students

This article describes a writing workshop that took place with 41 low-income, multi-ethnic 12th-grade students who received instruction on specific genre features for writing college admission essays. As a result, students improved the quality of their college admission essays and demonstrated greater confidence with this writing task. This workshop suggests the need to expand the language arts writing curriculum to include more real-world and authentic writing tasks and to demystify gatekeeping genres, such as the college admission essay, so ethnically diverse, underserved students can develop necessary writing skills to gain admission to colleges and universities.
Oxygen Electroreduction Catalyzed by Gold Nanoclusters: Strong Core Size Effects

Bigger isn't better: Gold nanoclusters exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activity in oxygen reduction when the core size decreased from Au(140) to Au(11), as reflected by the onset potential E(onset) and peak current density J(K) (see picture). The increasing fraction of surface atoms with low coordination numbers and the shift of the d-band center to the Fermi level facilitate oxygen adsorption.
Towards quantifying cascading blackout risk

Blackouts become widespread by initial failures propagating in a diverse and intricate cascade of rare events. We describe this complicated cascade using a bulk probabilistic model in which the initial failures propagate randomly according to a branching process. The branching process parameters can be statistically estimated from observed data or simulations and then used to efficiently predict the probability distribution of blackout size. We review the current testing of these methods on simulations and observed data and discuss the next steps towards achieving verified and practical methods for quantifying cascading failure of electric power systems. The ability to efficiently quantify cascading blackout risk from observed data and simulations could offer new ways to monitor power transmission system reliability and quantify the reliability benefit of proposed improvements.
Enhancing Computer Science Education with a Wireless Intelligent Simulation Environment

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT is to develop a unique simulation environment that can be used to increase students’ interest and expertise in Computer Science curricula. Hands-on experience with physical or simulated equipment is an essential ingredient for learning, but many approaches to training develop a separate piece of equipment or software for each topic area. We describe the development of a simulation environment that provides a foundation for cross-disciplinary exercises. The Wireless Intelligent agent Simulation Environment (WISE), which combines activities from virtual and physical versions of the Wumpus World game, provides a dynamic learning environment that can enhance a number of Computer Science courses. In this paper, we describe the WISE environment design. We also describe steps for integrating WISE into Computer Science curricula. As a demonstration of the effectiveness of the tool, we describe its use in the artificial intelligence, multimedia, and wireless networks courses at the University of Texas at Arlington. ( Keywords: Simulation, intelligent agents, distributed environment, multimedia computing, wireless networks, interactive games)
Neural Implementation of Motivated Behavior: Feeding in an Artificial Insect

Most complex behaviors appear to be governed by internal motivational states or drives that modify an animal's responses to its environment. It is therefore of considerable interest to understand the neural basis of these motivational states. Drawing upon work on the neural basis of feeding in the marine mollusc Aplysia, we have developed a heterogeneous artificial neural network for controlling the feeding behavior of a simulated insect. We demonstrate that feeding in this artificial insect shares many characteristics with the motivated behavior of natural animals.
Do Financial Conflicts of Interest Bias Research? An Inquiry into the “Funding Effect” Hypothesis

In the mid-1980s, social scientists compared outcome measures of related drug studies, some funded by private companies and others by nonprofit organizations or government agencies. The concept of a “funding effect” was coined when it was discovered that study outcomes could be statistically correlated with funding sources, largely in drug safety and efficacy studies. Also identified in tobacco research and chemical toxicity studies, the “funding effect” is often attributed, implicitly or explicitly, to research bias. This article discusses the meaning of scientific bias in research, examines the strongest evidence for the “funding effect,” and explores the question of whether the “funding effect” is an indicator of biased research that is driven by the financial interests of the for-profit sponsor. This article argues that the “funding effect” is merely a symptom of the factors that could be responsible for outcome disparities in product assessment. Social scientists should not suspend their skepticism a...
Crime as Pollution

T he point of departure of this provocative article by John and Emily Eck (2012, this issue) is a striking empirical regularity uncovered by Sherman, Gartin, and Buerger (1989). Sherman et al. found that only 3% of addresses and intersections (“places,” as they were called) in Minneapolis produced 50% of all calls to the police. Weisburd and Green (1995) found that 20% of all disorder crime and 14% of crimes against persons in Jersey City, NJ, originated from 56 drug crime hot spots. Twenty five years later in a study of Seattle, WA, Weisburd, Bushway, Lum, and Yang (2004) reported that between 4% and 5% of street segments in the city accounted for 50% of crime incidents for each year over a 14-year period. Other more recent studies finding comparable crime concentrations include Brantingham and Brantingham (1999), Eck, Gersh, and Taylor (2000), and Roncek (2000). The observation that crime is concentrated at a discrete location gave rise to what has come to be called “place-based” policing in which police are deployed and managed to prevent crime at specific locations. The quintessential example of placed-based policing is greatly increasing police presence at crime hot spots. Braga’s (2008) informative review of hot spots policing summarizes the findings from nine experimental or quasi-experimental evaluations. The studies were conducted in five large U.S. cities and one suburb of Australia. Crime-incident reports and citizen calls for service were used to evaluate impacts in and around the geographic area of the crime hot spot. The targets of the police actions varied. Some hot spots were generally high-crime locations, whereas others were characterized by specific crime problems like drug trafficking. All but two studies found evidence of significant reductions in crime. Furthermore, no evidence was found of material crime
Efficiency of Equivalence Algorithms

The equivalence problem is to determine the finest partition on a set that is consistent with a sequence of assertions of the form “x ≡ y”. A strategy for doing this on a computer processes the assertions serially, maintaining always in storage a representation of the partition defined by the assertions so far encountered. To process the command “x ≡ y”, the equivalence classes of x and y are determined. If they are the same, nothing further is done; otherwise the two classes are merged together.
Global Discourses and Local Responses: A Dialogic Perspective on Educational Reforms in the Russian Federation.

In the past twenty years, Russian education has undergone transformations under the influence of global discourses. In this ethnographic study, I draw on Bakhtin’s (1981) theory of dialogue to examine how actors respond to these transformations. The purpose of my study is threefold: to document the emic perspectives on the changes, to reconstruct the implicit knowledge embedded in teacher education institutions, and to use that knowledge to challenge assumptions carried by global discourses. This study offers a new perspective on contradictions that global reforms evoke and calls for ground-up research that will use local categories to challenge global neoliberalism.
Extrusion of Polymer Melts and Melt Flow Instabilities. III. Theoretical Analysis of Extrusion through a Slit Die

Abstract In the previous sections of this paper we have discussed our own and other experimental studies of flow instabilities in the extrusion of polymer melts as well as various theories of the mechanism of initiation of the instability. It is our belief that one of the keys to a deeper understanding of this phenomenon is a fuller analytical understanding of the stress and velocity fields in the composite reservoir, capillary, and extrudate system. It is to this problem that we turn our attention here. The velocity, stress-field problem in the entrance region of a conduit being fed from a reservoir has received considerable attention for Newtonian fluids. Most authors have followed Schlichting and Goldstein in using boundary-layer theory to analyze this problem. While there are a number of such solutions for viscous non-Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids, they are of little interest for polymer melts. This is not only because they represent a high Reynolds number, inertia-dominated asymptote but because ...
Phase Retrieval Using Optimized Conjugated Illumination

We present a method for imaging phase objects by optimizing the illumination to conjugate the object. The optimization minimizes the difference between the detected intensity and a reference intensity measured without the object.
Monocyte MicroRNA Expression in Active Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Implicates MicroRNA-125a-5p in Polarized Monocyte Phenotypes.

Objective Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is an inflammatory disease of childhood in which cells of the monomyelocytoid lineage are thought to be key effector cells. Monocytes from patients with systemic JIA have a distinct phenotype, with features of both M1 and M2 alternative activation. MicroRNAs are critical regulators of monocyte polarization and function, but cellular microRNAs in systemic JIA have not been examined systematically. Methods MicroRNA TaqMan arrays were used to determine the expression profiles of monocytes from children with systemic JIA. Expression of microRNA-125a-5p (miR-125a-5p) and its contribution to monocyte polarization were examined using in vitro-polarized THP-1 cells and primary human monocytes. Results A total of 110 microRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in monocytes from patients with active systemic JIA, including molecules implicated in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis, cytokine production, and monocyte polarization. MicroRNA-125a-5p was identified as being highly up-regulated in monocytes from children with active systemic JIA, as compared to those from children with clinically inactive JIA or those with active polyarticular JIA, and correlated with systemic features of the disease. In vitro, monocyte miR125a-5p expression was increased after polarization under M2b or M2c conditions. Inhibition of miR-125a-5p showed that this microRNA contributed to full polarization of M2b regulatory macrophages. In contrast, miR-125a-5p overexpression enhanced M2b polarization and altered other polarized populations, including increasing the production of M2 markers. Indeed, in vitro overexpression of this microRNA altered the macrophage phenotype toward that observed in systemic JIA. Conclusion Children with active systemic JIA have profound alterations in the expression of microRNAs that are implicated in monocyte function and polarization. One of these microRNAs, miR-125a-5p, is also a regulator of immunoregulatory M2b macrophages.
Optimal Sunlight Harvesting in Photovoltaics and Photosynthesis

Materials employed to harvest sunlight are commonly recognized to be at a premium when their optical absorption peaks in the visible, extends to the infrared, is panchromatic, and is matched to the solar spectrum. By contrast, natural photosynthetic absorbers such as chlorophylls and carotenoids display absorption spectra with narrow peaks for yet-unknown evolutionary reasons. Beyond such general observations, a rigorous treatment of sunlight harvesting optimization is still lacking. In this work, we provide a quantitative analysis of optimal solar energy harvesting in materials. We derive optimal absorption spectra as a function of absorber thickness, elucidate the concept of solar-matched absorption and its applicability limits, and define a procedure to rank photovoltaic materials for sunlight harvesting. In addition, we suggest a possible explanation for why absorption in plant photosynthetic pigments occurs in narrow energy windows.
Biology of Morphs of Brachycolus asparagi Mordvilko (Homoptera: Aphididae)

A generalized life cycle and biology of the morphs are described for Brachycolus asparagi Mordvilko. Oviparae laid overwintering eggs on the asparagus ferns, Asparagus officinalis L., beginning in September. The eggs hatched in late March and developed into fundatrices that established themselves on the emerging asparagus spears. A fundatrix gives birth to about 18 nymphs, as compared with 54 nymphs for an apterous virginopara. In summer, the apterous morph had a 33.5% higher intrinsic rate of increase than the alate morph. Crowding of nymphal asparagus aphids increased wing production. The fecundity curve for the apterous virginoparae peaked once, early in their reproductive phase, whereas the curve for the alate virginoparae peaked a number of times and showed that their reproductive phase spanned most of their adult life. A single sexupara could give birth to oviparae, as well as to male and virginoparous morphs. The oviparae produced an average of 10.5 eggs. Males were capable of multiple matings.
Terror, Violence, Coercion: States and the Use of (Il)legitimate Force

Latest since the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center in 2001, academic as well as public discourses in the West and elsewhere have shifted towards a perception that deems violent non-state actors, frequently associate with the term global terrorism, as the main threat to freedom and security. Thus, acts of violence that are not committed by non-state actors and have been labeled acts of (global) terrorism seldom make it into the news and do not necessarily receive the public and scholarly attention they deserve.
Open aortic surgery after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

In the last decade, thoracic endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (TEVAR) has emerged as an appealing alternative to the traditional open aortic aneurysm repair. This is largely due to generally improved early outcomes associated with TEVAR, including lower perioperative mortality and morbidity. However, it is relatively common for patients who undergo TEVAR to need a secondary intervention. In select circumstances, these secondary interventions are performed as an open procedure. Although it is difficult to assess the rate of open repairs after TEVAR, the rates in large series of TEVAR cases (>300) have ranged from 0.4 to 7.9 %. Major complications of TEVAR that typically necessitates open distal aortic repair (i.e., repair of the descending thoracic or thoracoabdominal aorta) include endoleak (especially type I), aortic fistula, endograft infection, device collapse or migration, and continued expansion of the aneurysm sac. Conversion to open repair of the distal aorta may be either elective (as for many endoleaks) or emergent (as for rupture, retrograde complicated dissection, malperfusion, and endograft infection). In addition, in select patients (e.g., those with a chronic aortic dissection), unrepaired sections of the aorta may progressively dilate, resulting in the need for multiple distal aortic repairs. Open repairs after TEVAR can be broadly classified as full extraction, partial extraction, or full salvage of the stent-graft. Although full and partial stent-graft extraction imply failure of TEVAR, such failure is generally absent in cases where the stent-graft can be fully salvaged. We review the literature regarding open repair after TEVAR and highlight operative strategies.
Optimization of Conditions for Ex Vivo Expansion of CD34' Cells From Patients With Stage IV Breast Cancer

Multiple cycles of high-dose chemotherapy can be hematologically supported by repeated administration of peripheral blood progenitors obtained after mobilization using cytokine alone or in combination with chemotherapy. We have explored the quality of such cells and their potential to undergo ex vivo expansion. Twenty-five leukapheresis samples from 19 patients who had received extensive prior chemotherapy for stage IV breast cancer were subjected to CD34+ cell selection using immunoaffinity columns of immunomagnetic bead separation. Cells were cultured in suspension in the presence of c-kit ligand, interleukin-3, interleukin-6, erythropoietin, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Ten experiments were performed using weekly exchange of media and cytokines (Delta assay). Median myeloid and erythroid progenitors expanded 15-fold at 7 days (range, 7 to 43), 40-fold at 14 days (range, 18 to 470), 46-fold at 21 days (range, 0 to 118), and 21-fold at 28 days (range, 0 to 61). In a system using gas-permeable bags without exchange of media or cytokine, median progenitors expanded 13-fold at 7 days (range, 7 to 36), 14-fold at 10 days (range, 4 to 61), 14-fold at 12 days (range, 3 to 46), and 10-fold at 14 days (range, 1 to 35). Progenitor expansion less than 10-fold occurred in 8% of experiments at day 7, in 17% at day 10, in 43% at day 12, and in 50% at day 14. When autologous plasma, autologous plasma processed (removal of cryoprecipitate, centrifugation, then filtration), or human serum were substituted for 20% fetal calf serum, the ratio of progenitor expansion at 7 days relative to 20% fetal calf serum for 10% human serum, 20% human serum, and 1% autologous plasma processed was 1.01 (range, 0.62 to 1.33), 0.88 (range, 0.61 to 1.20), and 0.96 (range, 0.55 to 1.64), respectively. These findings support the feasibility of ex vivo expansion in a system free of nonhuman proteins of CD34(+)-derived progenitors obtained from the peripheral blood of patients who have received prior chemotherapy.
TCT-151 Cross-sectional Psoas Muscle Area Detected by Computed Tomography as a Measure of Frailty and Mortality in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Frailty is known to correlate with mortality in cardiovascular diseases. Gait speed, a commonly accepted frailty metric, has not been well validated in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Recently, psoas muscle area (PMA), measured by computed tomography, has been
End-Stopping Predicts Curvature Tuning along the Ventral Stream.

Neurons in primate inferotemporal cortex (IT) are clustered into patches of shared image preferences. Functional imaging has shown that these patches are activated by natural categories (e.g., faces, body parts, and places), artificial categories (numerals, words) and geometric features (curvature and real-world size). These domains develop in the same cortical locations across monkeys and humans, which raises the possibility of common innate mechanisms. Although these commonalities could be high-level template-based categories, it is alternatively possible that the domain locations are constrained by low-level properties such as end-stopping, eccentricity, and the shape of the preferred images. To explore this, we looked for correlations among curvature preference, receptive field (RF) end-stopping, and RF eccentricity in the ventral stream. We recorded from sites in V1, V4, and posterior IT (PIT) from six monkeys using microelectrode arrays. Across all visual areas, we found a tendency for end-stopped sites to prefer curved over straight contours. Further, we found a progression in population curvature preferences along the visual hierarchy, where, on average, V1 sites preferred straight Gabors, V4 sites preferred curved stimuli, and many PIT sites showed a preference for curvature that was concave relative to fixation. Our results provide evidence that high-level functional domains may be mapped according to early rudimentary properties of the visual system. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The macaque occipitotemporal cortex contains clusters of neurons with preferences for categories such as faces, body parts, and places. One common question is how these clusters (or “domains”) acquire their cortical position along the ventral stream. We and other investigators previously established an fMRI-level correlation among these category domains, retinotopy, and curvature preferences: for example, in inferotemporal cortex, face- and curvature-preferring domains show a central visual field bias whereas place- and rectilinear-preferring domains show a more peripheral visual field bias. Here, we have found an electrophysiological-level explanation for the correlation among domain preference, curvature, and retinotopy based on neuronal preference for short over long contours, also called end-stopping.
Safety and Tolerability of Transitioning from Cangrelor to Ticagrelor in Patients Who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

The 3 phase 3 CHAMPION (Cangrelor vs Standard Therapy to Achieve Optimal Management of Platelet Inhibition) trials collectively demonstrated the safety of transitioning from cangrelor, a potent, parenteral rapidly-acting P2Y 12 inhibitor, to clopidogrel in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, variation in timing of therapy, site-specific binding, and drug half-lives may theoretically complicate switching to other oral P2Y 12 inhibitors. Since regulatory approval, limited data are available regarding the “real-world” safety and tolerability of transitioning to these more potent oral P2Y 12 antagonists. From November 2015 to January 2017, we evaluated the clinical profiles and efficacy and safety outcomes in cangrelor-treated patients who underwent PCI transitioned to clopidogrel (n = 42) or ticagrelor (n = 82) at a large, tertiary care center. Most patients receiving cangrelor underwent PCI with a drug-eluting stent for acute coronary syndrome via a radial approach in the background of unfractionated heparin. Stent thrombosis within 48 hours was rare and occurred in 1 patient treated with ticagrelor. Global Use of Strategies to Open Occluded Coronary Arteries–defined bleeding occurred in 20% of patients switched to ticagrelor and 29% of patients switched to clopidogrel, but none were severe or life-threatening. In conclusion, rates of stent thrombosis and severe/life-threatening bleeding were low and comparable with those identified in the CHAMPION program, despite use of more potent oral P2Y 12 inhibition.
Examining the Benefits and Barriers of Instructional Gardening Programs to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Intake among Preschool-Age Children

Research exists on using instructional gardening programs with school age children as a means of improving dietary quality and for obesity prevention. This article examines the potential use of instructional gardens in childcare settings to improving fruit and vegetable intake in young children. A qualitative study was conducted with childcare providers. Participants (n = 20) were recruited via e-mails, letters, and follow-up phone calls. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify themes within two areas (1) childcare providers perceptions of children's fruit and vegetable consumption and (2) components necessary to initiate or improve instructional gardening programs. Themes associated with provider's perceptions of child fruit and vegetable consumption included benefits of consumption, willingness to try fruits and vegetables, meeting recommendations, and influence of the home and childcare environments on child eating. Benefits, barriers, and resources needed were identified as themes related to starting or improving instructional gardening programs. Benefits to gardening with preschoolers are consistent with those found in school-age populations. While several barriers exist, resources are available to childcare providers to address these barriers. Increased knowledge and awareness of resources are necessary to improve the success of gardening programs in the childcare setting with the goal of improving child diet quality.
Gender disparity in fistula use at initiation of hemodialysis varies markedly across ESRD networks-Analysis of USRDS data.

Background: Gender disparities had been noted in the care of women with end stage renal disease (ESRD) in the early 2000's, including less frequent initiation of hemodialysis utilizing a fistula but more recent data have not been examined and underlying factors have not been extensively studied. Study design: Data from the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) were examined, including 202,999 hemodialysis patients. Only those who had received prior nephrology care were included. Multiple logistic regression was used, adjusted for possible confounders, including age, race, cause of ESRD, BMI, height, history of alcohol or drug abuse, medical comorbidities, ability to ambulate, time of nephrology care, type of insurance, and ESRD network. Results: The odds of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) use at initiation of hemodialysis were significantly lower in women compared to men (OR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.67-0.71, P < 0.0001). The gender gap in AVF use at initiation was highest in New York and the upper Midwest (networks 2 and12) and smallest for Southern California and the Pacific Northwest and Alaska (18 and 16). Gender disparity was more pronounced for black women, with odds ratios for AVF use at initiation of dialysis (OR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.62-0.69), P < 0.0001 as compared to non-black (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.68-0.73), P ≤ 0.0001. Limitations: Limitations include use of USRDS data. Data misclassification or errors in data reporting may exist and certain comorbid conditions may be underreported. Data regarding rate of primary fistula non-function are also not available. Conclusion: Adjusted odds ratio for AVF use was significantly lower in women compared to men, independent of time of nephrology care and other predictors. The gender disparity was most pronounced for black women and also varied from 20% to 46% lower odds for AVF use in women for different ESRD networks, after controlling for possible confounding variables, suggesting that practice based factors may be of importance in explaining this important finding.
Key Document: Extracts from “Ajakalachya Marathi vangmayavar ‘ksha’ kiran” [An X-ray of today’s Marathi literature] by Ashok Shahane *

AbstractThis is a translated extract from a Marathi essay that is commonly seen as one of the foundational documents of the sathottari Marathi modernism in Bombay. Ashok Shahane’s piece began as “Literature and Commitment”, a seminar presentation in English presented at a symposium organized by the Indian Congress for Cultural Freedom (ICCF) in 1963. It was translated and published as an essay in the Marathi journal Manohar in the same year, and was widely debated and discussed in Marathi literary circles. It was later included in Shahane’s 2008 collection of essays, Napeksha. The importance of the essay as a whole lies in its definition of a “generation” of young rebels, the way it redefines the nature and purpose of literary writing, and its characterization of the philosophy of a cohort of 1960s Bombay writers who rejected the status quo in literature and society.
Political Identity, Type of Victim, and Hate Crime-Related Beliefs as Predictors of Views Concerning Hate Crime Penalty Enhancement Laws

Little empirical work exists examining predictors of support or opposition of hate crime penalty enhancement laws despite such laws remaining a socially and politically contentious issue. Grounded in legal and philosophical arguments concerning hate crime laws, we tested political identity, victim minority status, and hate crime-related beliefs as predictors of perceptions concerning penalty enhancement laws for bias-motivated crime. Jury-eligible Texas community members (n = 382) participating in a community survey of social and legal attitudes took part in the present study. Participants read a vignette of a hate-motivated homicide that varied victim type (African American, gay, transgender) and answered questions regarding demographics, political identity, and hate crime penalty enhancement support. Qualitatively coded hate crime-related beliefs yielded the following categories: legal arguments, moral statements, victim-related beliefs, offender-related beliefs, and an “other” category. Political identity, legal arguments, victim-related and offender-related beliefs all predicted views of penalty enhancement laws in logistic regression analyses. Exploratory mediation tests identified two pathways: (1) political conservatism–legal arguments–penalty enhancement opposition, and (2) political liberalism–offender beliefs–penalty enhancement support. Implications concerning social justice, public policy, trial consultation practice, and future research are discussed.
Design and Evaluation of a Moisture/Suction TDR Probe

Soil moisture content and suction are two key geotechnical properties that are commonly measured by separate moisture and suction sensors, which require double installation efforts and often result in questionable correlation between the measured moisture content and suction. In this study, attempts were made to combine time domain reflectometry (TDR) technique and porous gypsum block functioning as a tensiometer for simultaneous measurements of soil moisture content and suction. A new moisture/suction TDR probe was designed and evaluated in the laboratory. The TDR probe had two parts with one half portion embedded in a gypsum block whose suction is equilibrated with surrounding soils for soil suction measurement. The other half portion of the TDR probe was also inserted into soils to measure moisture content. The probe was calibrated by the pressure plate and filter paper tests to establish a relationship between suction (ψ) and dielectric constant (Ka) of the gypsum block for suction measurement. Three laboratory tests (i.e., staged-drying tests, absorption tests, and desorption tests) were then performed on a silty sand to evaluate the probe performance. It is demonstrated that the probe can measure the soil moisture content and suction satisfactorily in the range 50 kPa < ψ < 10,000 kPa with a response time less than 5 h. Additionally, the probe is fabricated easily and fast, without any additional maintenance, and has a great potential for field measurements of soil moisture content and suction.
Anti-inflammatory and Anti-microbial Properties of Achillea millefolium in Acne Treatment

Inflammatory events occur very early in the development of acne lesions. Inflammation also plays a role in the late stages of acne vulgaris infection. Hence drugs used in the treatment of acne should also have anti-inflammatory properties as inflammation exists throughout the life cycle of acne lesions. This chapter gives an account of the current knowledge on the phytochemistry and pharmacological aspects of anti-acne compounds in yarrow ( Achillea millefolium ), which were also tested to be anti-inflammatory. Different parts of this plant have been in used in traditional medicine as astringent, stimulant and mild aromatic, for treating cold and influenza and as antiphlogistic. Alkaloids such as azulene extracted from flowers and leaves of yarrow have been reported to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity. A research study in our laboratory has established a novel alkamide isolated from the leaves and stems of Achillea “ Moonshine ” that are anti-microbial to acne causing bacteria Propionibacterium acnes . This compound was isolated from petroleum ether extracts of A . “ Moonshine ” leaves and stems, using high performance chromatography and bioactivity guided thin layer chromatography. The potent anti-acne alkamide demonstrated the ability to reduce inflammation, scavenge free radicals and reduce tyrosinase activity to remove residual pigmentation caused after acne treatment.
Mental illness in the eyes of the law: examining perceptions of stigma among judges and attorneys

ABSTRACTIn response to the increasing numbers of mentally ill persons placed under the care of correctional institutions, community-based diversion programs have been established to address the uni...
NCAA drug testing policies and penalties: the role of team performance.

Under National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules, all Division I and II student-athletes are subject to year-round drug testing. In addition to these NCAA-mandated tests, the NCAA encour...
Bilateral ureteric obstruction of a partially duplicated collecting system improves after surgical correction of procidentia: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Although the association between pelvic organ prolapse and upper urinary tract dilation has been documented, the causal relationship between the two has not been established. We report an improvement in severe hydronephrosis and hydroureter of a partially duplicated urinary collecting system after surgical correction of procidentia. CASE: A 52-year-old woman presented with radiologic evidence of a partially duplicated right collecting system with right-sided hydronephrosis and bilateral hydroureter in the setting of stage IV uterovaginal prolapse. A therapeutic trial of pessary placement failed to resolve the upper urinary tract dilation. The patient underwent abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, sacrocolpopexy, midurethral sling placement and posterior colporrhaphy. Repeat intravenous urography 4 weeks after surgery demonstrated interval resolution of the hydronephrosis. CONCLUSION: An improvement in hydronephrosis after surgical correction supports a cause-and-effect relationship between pelvic organ prolapse and obstructive uropathy.
Fecal leukocytes in enteric infections.

Ninety adult and 200 pediatric patients had feces examined for the presence of fecal leukocytes and enteric pathogens during episodes of acute diarrhea. Fecal leukocytes were demonstrated in specimens from 24 of 35 patients (69%) with diarrheal stools from which a shigella strain was isolated, and in 4 of 11 (36%) specimens from patients with stools from which salmonella was isolated. A significantly ( P < 0.001) greater number of patients with shigella isolated from their stools had fecal leukocytes when compared with 27 of 158 patients (17%) from whose stools no pathogen was isolated or to 8 of 56 patients (14%) from whose stools other bacterial and protozoal pathogens were isolated ( P < 0.05). Eighteen patients had an invasive bacterial strain isolated from stool as determined by guinea pig eye testing. Eleven of 13 invasive shigella isolates (85%) were associated with numerous leukocytes in the feces, while none of five other invasive bacteria were related to leukocyte-positive stools. Leukocytes were rarely found in stools of patients with diarrhea felt to be due to viruses (2/36), Giardia lamblia (0/6), Entamoeba histolytica (0/4), or toxigenic E. coli (4/35). The lack of total correlation between the presence of leukocytes and recovery of an invasive pathogen reflects the complex interaction of enteric pathogens and host.
Auditory Visual Speech Processing

This paper provides an overview of the developments in Auditory Visual Speech Processing, a Special Interest Group within ISCA. I hope that this discussion will be informative and useful to readers in a variety of fields, including psychology, speech science, animation, psycholinguistics, human-machine interaction, hearing-impaired communication, and numerous other fields which also share in this fruitful intersection.
Q 2 Q ¯ 2 resonances in the baryon-antibaryon system

Two-quark-two-antiquark mesons which couple strongly to baryon-antibaryon channels are classified. The quantum numbers and masses of prominent states are predicted from the MIT bag model. The couplings of ${Q}^{2}{\overline{Q}}^{2}$ states to $B\overline{B}$ are estimated using the $^{3}P_{0}$ model and peripherality. Though most ${Q}^{2}{\overline{Q}}^{2}$ states do not couple strongly to $B\overline{B}$, many prominent resonances remain. Important ${Q}^{2}{\overline{Q}}^{2}$ resonances in the following processes are enumerated and discussed: elastic $N\overline{N}$ scattering, $N\overline{N}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, $N\overline{N}$ resonances at or below threshold, and exotic isotensor baryon-antibaryon resonances.
Advanced Magneto-Gas-Kinetic Scheme for MHD: Analysis and Comparison to Existing Models

The one- and two-fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations represent simplified plasma models wherein the plasma is assumed to be a fluid. These models are applicable in regimes where collisionality is high enough for a fluid representation to be valid. The distinction between using one- and two-fluid models lies mostly in the characteristic spatial and temporal scales of interest for a given problem.
Primary Progressive Aphasia

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a form of frontotemporal dementia that is characterized by progressive language decline. Language impairment is the primary feature in the initial stages and the main cause of impairment in activities of daily living. In recent years, three main behaviorally defined variants of PPA have been identified: (1) semantic, (2) logopenic, and (3) nonfluent/agrammatic. While the neuropathological features are heterogeneous, biomarkers and patterns of brain atrophy have been identified in association with the various subtypes. This chapter describes the clinical features of PPA, the most recent classification system, and the clinical pathologic correlates. In addition, a suggested language battery with specific tests for different aspects of language is provided to aid the clinician in differential diagnosis. A case study is included that demonstrates a classic presentation of PPA and how the test battery is used for diagnostic differentiation.
Stage 1 Palliation of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: What the Pediatric Anesthesiologist Needs to Know

The purpose of this review is to discuss the features of stage 1 palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Comparison will be made between traditional surgical approaches and hybrid approaches. Anesthetic considerations for infants with these types of palliations will be discussed. While historically surgical palliation in the neonatal period or neonatal heart transplant has been the primary means of survival for neonates with HLHS, in the last two decades, more centers have been performing hybrid palliation of this defect. This palliation can be performed with the expectation that a comprehensive second-stage palliation will be done in the next several months, or it can be used as a bridge to transplant. Other uses are also being explored as research continues. Advances in the care of neonates with HLHS have led to increased survival. As surgical technique and non-surgical care of these infants continue to improve, the pediatric anesthesiologist will need to be familiar with the anatomic and physiologic implications of the various types of palliation.
Pentacoordinate spirosilicate anion, bis(2,2′-biphenyldiyl)methylsilicate, synthesized by the lithium cleavage of dimethoxyethane

The reaction of spirobisilafluorene (1) with lithium in dimethoxyethane produces lithium 1-methyl-spirobisilafluorenide (2), a stable pentacoordinate silicon compound with five carbon ligands, and lithium 2-methoxyethoxide, which was identified by trapping with Ph3SiCl to give Ph3Si-OCH2CH2OCH3 (4). The X-ray crystal structure of 2 shows that the geometry at silicon is an idealized trigonal bipyramid, slightly distorted toward a square pyramid. Methanolysis of 2 cleaves a Si-aryl bond producing a methyl biphenylsilafluorene, 3. Crystal structures are reported for 3 and 4.
Critical Civic Education for Young Children

Conventional civic educational efforts in the lower grades often frame young children as “future” citizens who need to learn nationalistic patriotism, obedience to rules and laws, and trust in civi...
Current state of the roles of alcohol septal ablation and surgical myectomy in the treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetically determined disorder resulting in left ventricular hypertrophy. In a majority of the estimated 20 million people affected worldwide, left ventricular outflow obstruction is present at rest or with provocation. The presence and degree of obstruction influence the symptomatic presentation, treatment strategies and prognosis of affected individuals. Pharmacologic therapy with beta-adrenergic blocking drugs and calcium channel blockers is the principal treatment strategy in symptomatic patients with left ventricular outflow obstruction but is ineffective in many patients. When symptoms of exertional shortness of breath, chest pain and/or syncope prove refractory to medical therapy and there is persisting left ventricular outflow obstruction, or when there is drug intolerance, septal reduction strategies (surgical myectomy and alcohol septal ablation) are quite effective. Selection of the optimal septal reduction strategy for a given patient has become controversial and is determined largely by the medical system providing treatment strategies for the patient. Regretably, there are no randomized trials comparing myectomy and ablation and none are anticipated. The comprehensive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Guideline Statements published in 2011 and 2014 differ significantly with the earlier statement favoring surgical myectomy and the more recent statement giving equal class I status to the two septal reduction strategies in adult patients with drug-refractory symptoms. Recently published studies of long-term follow-up of patients after alcohol septal ablation in Europe, where surgical myectomy is rarely performed, confirm long-term safety and effectiveness with survival free of cardiac events exceeding 96% at 15 years. The lesser degree of discomfort and more rapid recovery associated with the minimally invasive catheter-based alcohol ablation procedure coupled with the recently published long-term safety data favor an increased use of this strategy in symptomatic adult patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM).
Africa Speaks?: Black Monsters and Revisionary History in Horror Films

This paper analyzes three fils, The Night of the Sorcers (1973), Panga (1991) and Domimion: Prequel to the Exorcist (20005), within the context of postcolonial theory. I examine how the films interweave themes of possession, magic, and monsters with a legacy of colonialism, constructing terror interactions with raced bodies. This paper argues that the threat in these films is not the mere existence of blackness, but rather the possibility of contracting blackness. Morever, these narratives affect a new reality, practicing a form of revisionary history that provides the other with a form (or at least the opportunity) of agency.
What can narratives tell us about the neural bases of human memory

Narratives are increasingly used to study naturalistic human memory and its brain mechanisms. Narratives—audiovisual movies, spoken stories, and written stories—consist of multiple inter-related and temporally unfolding events which are rich in semantic and emotional content. These characteristics drive intersubject neural synchrony in the default mode network, where abstract situation models are represented and reinstated. Medial temporal lobe structures interact with the cortical subregions of the default mode network to support the encoding and recall of narrative events. Narrative memories are frequently communicated across individuals, resulting in the transmission of experiences and neural activity patterns between people. Recent advances in neuroimaging and naturalistic stimulus analysis provide valuable insights into narrative memory and the human memory system in general.
International Trade Norms in the Age of Covid-19 Nationalism on the Rise?

Simultaneous with the rise of trade protectionism in the twenty-first century has been a resurgence in nationalist politics, most notably in the USA, the UK, and parts of the EU. These developments in international and US trade policy, including Washington’s launch of a full-fledged trade war against China in March 2018, have converged disastrously with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in November 2019 and the onset of a worldwide pandemic. Given the status of the USA as the world’s hegemon since 1945, what is new here is the effort of the Trump administration to abdicate US leadership, jettison longstanding alliances, and turn back the clock on the country’s close integration with the world economy. Already, greatly reduced flows of goods, services, and people have translated into radically reduced global growth, widespread business disruptions, and high unemployment. Remarkably, the White House has refused to recognize the severity of the pandemic and has undermined the precautions of the US science community. We argue that these multiple shocks constitute a major critical juncture on par with what the world community faced in 1945. However, in the twenty-first century we have seen that high levels of economic uncertainty and political instability have superseded the long-held notion that international interdependence would pull the world community through tough times such as these. Could the triple whammy of a destructive trade war, deadly pandemic, and secular decline of US leadership trigger a new generation of policy innovation and institution building on par with the post-1945 era? In terms of the global trade regime, it would be difficult to imagine a buoyant recovery of the world economy in the absence of a serious reckoning with the pattern of norm erosion that we identify here.
Economics of osteoporosis

Abstract In the United States, more than 53 million individuals either have osteoporosis or low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for fracture. The current clinical and economic burden of osteoporosis is high due to the cost of osteoporotic fractures. This cost includes both direct medical costs, such as inpatient hospitalizations, care in skilled nursing facilities, outpatient office visits, and medications, as well as indirect societal costs related to productivity losses and informal caregiving. The burden of osteoporosis may be reduced through both the primary and secondary prevention of fractures. As the rate and costs of subsequent fracture after a new osteoporotic fracture are particularly high, preventing even a modest percentage of subsequent fractures may lead to substantial cost savings.
Unusual Role of P–P Bonds on Melt Dynamics and Topological Phases of the Equimolar GexPxSe100–2x Glass System

Equimolar GexPxSe100–2x ternary glasses have been synthesized over a wide composition range, 4% < x < 25%, and examined in Raman scattering, modulated DSC, and volumetric experiments. Modulated DSC...
Abstract P251: Monitoring the Success of Smoking Cessation Using Dna Methylation Status at Cg05575921: Implications for Incentive Based Strategies for Quantitative Reduction of Harm

Cigarette smoking accounts for about 1/5 of all deaths from heart disease in the United States. Despite this grim fact, getting patients to quit smoking is extremely difficult. Encouragingly, sever...
Social Factors Affecting Enrollment in Free School Lunch Programs in Housing Insecure Youths of San Bernardino County

Introduction: Shelter and food are two core determinants of health. Food insecurity has been linked to poor health outcomes. Since enactment of the National School Lunch Act in 1946, free and discounted school meals have been available for children and youth of low-income families. The goal of this research was to assess social factors that influence enrollment of housing insecure youths into these programs. Method: Youth Hope Foundation provides housing, food, clothing, and education to homeless, runaway, and at-risk youth9. Participants were surveyed by Youth Hope case managers between 2009 and 2019. Information obtained include demographics, social history, …