cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Language of Science.

Science is what scientists do and, especially, what they say about what they do. Science is a way of talking about the world that enables the listener to behave more effectively in that world. Understanding science, then, is a matter of understanding the language of science. Scientific verbal practices are codified and recorded so that they can affect the behavior of all scientists, including those without access to the original controlling variables. What we know about the world is simply the way we have learned to talk about the world. We know best what is most useful about the world, in the sense that what we know enables us to behave effectively in the world. Scientists are unique in that they, more so than non-scientists, have the experience of behaving as effectively as possible—they can predict and control. This is what makes all the difference, in the sense that it makes science different from other ways of knowing about the world. Science is not simply one way of knowing about the world, it is arguably the most effective way of knowing about it. Scientific talk leads to effective action.
Nuevos desarrollos en la psicoterapia centrada en la transferencia

Este trabajo resume los desarrollos clinicos recientes en el tratamiento de pacientes con trastornos limite de la personalidad que se realizaron en el Personality Disorders Institute de Cornell. Las experiencias analizadas incluyen el seguimiento cuidadoso y permanente de acontecimientos en la vida de los pacientes que tienen lugar fuera del consultorio, y su estudio para el diagnostico de dominancia afectiva durante las sesiones. Otros temas abarcan a) el analisis del uso de la estrategia de la “segunda oportunidad” para las violaciones de contrato, b) la evaluacion y consideracion de la asuncion de responsabilidad por parte de los pacientes, c) las contradicciones entre pautas reales de conducta y metas vitales y entre potenciales de la personalidad y funcionamiento actual, d) las implicancias tecnicas de constelaciones particulares de rasgos narcisistas regresivos, e) la droga-dependencia y el comportamiento antisocial y f) las metas de vida y terapeuticas.
Automated quantification of white blood cells in light microscopic images of injured skeletal muscle

White blood cells (WBCs) are the most diverse cell types observed in the healing process of injured skeletal muscles. In the course of healing, WBCs exhibit dynamic cellular response and undergo multiple protein expression changes. The progress of healing can be analyzed by quantifying the number of WBCs or the amount of specific proteins in light microscopic images obtained at different time points after injury. In this paper, we propose an automated quantifying and analysis framework to analyze WBCs using light microscopic images of uninjured and injured muscles. The proposed framework is based on the Localized Iterative Otsu's threshold method with muscle edge detection and region of interest extraction. Compared with the threshold methods used in ImageJ, the LI Otsu's threshold method has high resistance to no-object area and achieves better accuracy. The CD68-positive cell results are presented for demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed work.
Racial and Ethnic Variation in the Relationship Between Student Loan Debt and the Transition to First Birth

The present study employs discrete-time hazard regression models to investigate the relationship between student loan debt and the probability of transitioning to either marital or nonmarital first childbirth using the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY97). Accounting for nonrandom selection into student loans using propensity scores, our study reveals that the effect of student loan debt on the transition to motherhood differs among white, black, and Hispanic women. Hispanic women holding student loans experience significant declines in the probability of transitioning to both marital and nonmarital motherhood, whereas black women with student loans are significantly more likely to transition to any first childbirth. Indebted white women experience only a decrease in the probability of a marital first birth. The results from this study suggest that student loans will likely play a key role in shaping future demographic patterns and behaviors.
Assessment of the Prosthetic Replacement of Ocular Surface Ecosystem (PROSE) scleral lens on visual acuity for corneal irregularity and ocular surface disease

Abstract Purpose To describe changes in visual acuity in patients fit with the Prosthetic Replacement of Ocular Surface Ecosystem (PROSE) with irregular corneas compared to those with ocular surface disease, as well as describe patient demographics and fitting indications for PROSE at an academic medical center. Methods A retrospective chart review from 2010 to 2016 on a total of 825 eyes from 493 patients fitted with a PROSE lens, and grouped by etiology, either irregular cornea/dystrophy or ocular surface disease and associated sub-etiologies. We compared best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and after PROSE fitting. Results The irregular cornea group (n = 262 eyes) included corneal scar (n = 57), dystrophy (n = 17), post-operative corneal irregularity (n = 70), and primary ectasia (n = 118). The OSD group included 563 eyes. For all etiologies combined, mean BCVA prior to PROSE fitting compared to after improved by 0.28 logMAR (p Conclusions PROSE treatment had a positive impact on visual acuity for a wide range of corneal irregularities and ocular surface disease, suggesting that PROSE lenses may offer improvements in visual acuity without risks inherent to surgery.
Finger and Hand

Ultrasound and MRI are important tools for diagnosing sports related injuries of the ligaments and tendons of the hand. Important injuries may involve the flexor and extensor tendons, collateral ligaments, annular pulleys, volar plate, and dorsal hood.
Mesoporous MXene powders synthesized by acid induced crumpling and their use as Na-ion battery anodes

Manipulating the shapes of, otherwise flat, two-dimensional, 2D, flakes is important in many applications. Herein by simply decreasing the pH of a Ti3C2Tx MXene colloidal suspension, the 2D nanolay...
FRIEND or FOE: A prospective evaluation of risk factors for reintubation in surgical and trauma patients

Abstract Background A Form for Re-Intubation Evaluation by Nurses and Doctors (FRIEND) was used to prospectively collect pre-extubation data, to determine failure of extubation (FOE) risk. Methods FRIENDs, including airway, breathing, and neurologic variables, were completed before extubation on trauma & surgical patients in one ICU from 1/1/16 to 5/31/17. Those with failed vs. successful extubation were compared. We excluded those with tracheostomy, comfort measures, or death before extubation. Results There were 464 eligible extubations in 436 patients. Thirty five reintubations (7.9% FOE rate) occurred in 32 patients within 96 h of extubation. FOE patients had higher ICU days (6 d vs. 2 d), ventilator days (6 d vs. 2 d), and mortality (15.6% vs. 2.7%) [all p Conclusions Several characteristics present at the time of extubation were risk factors for FOE in trauma and surgical patients. Patients with FOE had higher mortality.
Marriage, Parenthood, and Life in Community: A Phenomenological View

Et s’il est vrai qu’il y a un lien entre l’amour et la mort qui fait que l’amour est aussi angoisse, s’il est vrai que ce lien se laisse deceler jusque dans certains actes de l’union amoureuse, cela ne nous permet pas de dire qu’en se livrant absolument l’un a l’autre, les amants sont portes par une force qui n’apparaitrait jamais dans la realite de leurs relations et qui serait la meme que celle reglant les combinaisons des cellules. En verite, on peut trouver a ce lien de l’amour et de la mort un sens qui y est immediatement vecu. L’amour est le total abandon d’un etre a un autre etre, le rejet de la derniere dimension de solitude. Cette fin ne peut etre atteinte que si chacun s’identifie absolument a ce qu’il est pour-autrui; c’est pourquoi le corps — et le corps tout entier — prend a l’amour une part essentielle. Mais si aimer, au sens humain et charnel du mot, consiste a abandonner le pour-soi au pour-autrui, en les confondant, il y a dans tout desir d’amour un desir de mort.
Intercultural communication: critical approaches and future challenges

Giuliana Ferri’s (2018) Intercultural Communication: Critical Approaches and Future Challenges provides a deeply philosophical approach to intercultural communication that is a refreshing and much ...
CONGENITAL FIBER TYPE DISPROPORTION MYOPATHY IN CHILDREN (P1.133)

Objective: To describe children with congenital fiber type disproportion (CFTD) myopathy. Background: CFTD is one of the distinct histologic types of congenital myopathy, the principal histological abnormality on muscle biopsy is type 1 fiber abundance and hypotrophy. Design/Methods: Retrospective review of children with CTFD diagnosed in a pediatric neuromuscular clinic over 10 years. Diagnosis was established by clinical presentation, muscle biopsy and genetic testing when available Results: Twenty one patients were identified (12 male, 9 female), genetic mutations were found in 10 out of the 21 patients (4 had TPM3, 3 had RYR1, 2 had TMP2 and one had MYH7 gene mutation). 90 % of the patients presented with congenital hypotonia, one presented at 13 months with waddling gait and one at 15 years with exertional hypoxia and found to have neck flexion weakness. Creatinine kinase was normal or borderline high in the majority of the patients. Thirteen patents had an electromyography; 6 were found to have myopathic changes (one had myotonic discharges), 6 patients reported to have normal EMG and one had polyneuropathy. Eleven required gastrostomy and nine patients required invasive and non-invasive respiratory support at some point in their life. Only one patient (MYH7 +) had evidence of cardiomyopathy (dilated left ventricle). Ptosis was present in 43%, one third had scoliosis and two patients had hip dislocation Conclusions: CFTD is one of the rare congenital myopathies, usually presenting with congenital hypotonia and weakness but may also present in later in life. Identification of this histologic finding on muscle biopsy is important as this group of disorders is genetically diverse. Disclosure: Dr. ALGHAMDI has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ghosh has nothing to disclose.
Substance Abusing Mothers with a History of Childhood Abuse and Their Children's Depressive Symptoms: The Efficacy of Family Therapy.

This study examined the associations among maternal history of childhood abuse, substance use, and depressive symptoms and the change in children's depressive symptoms in therapy. Mothers (N = 183) were randomly assigned into either a family or an individual treatment condition. Mothers were assessed for their childhood abuse retrospectively, baseline depressive symptoms, and substance use, whereas their children's depressive symptoms were measured five times during 1.5 years. Maternal childhood abuse was associated with a slower decline in child depressive symptoms through elevated maternal depressive symptoms, only in individual treatment. Maternal substance use further moderated this mediation pathway. This study supports the efficacy of family therapy in protecting children of mothers with a substance use disorder and a history of childhood abuse.
Facial and Extrafacial Lesions in an Ethnically Diverse Series of 91 Patients with Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Followed at a Single Center.

Background Various facial and extrafacial lesions have been reported in frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA). Facial papules have been associated with worse prognosis. Objectives We sought to detect the prevalence of facial and extrafacial lesions and to analyze their relation to demographic and clinical variables in a large and ethnically diverse series of patients with FFA. Methods Charts of patients diagnosed with FFA between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2017, at the Department of Dermatology, University of Miami, were reviewed retrospectively. Results 91 patients (87 women and 4 men) met inclusion criteria: 45% (n = 41) were of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and 34% (n = 30) were premenopausal. Facial papules were most commonly detected (41% among Hispanic/Latino patients). Significant associations were found between: (1) Hispanic/Latino ethnicity and any FFA-associated facial lesions, facial papules alone, or lichen planus pigmentosus alone, as well as premenopausal status; (2) any FFA-associated facial lesions or facial papules alone and premenopausal status; and (3) Hispanic/Latino ethnicity and simultaneous presence of facial and extrafacial lesions. Conclusions There is a significant association among Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, facial papules, and premenopausal status, which may portend a susceptibility to severer disease and prompt early and aggressive treatment in this group.
The Black Messiah: Writing Equiano:

In this essay, Nigerian author Chika Unigwe discusses the challenges involved in writing the biographical novel The Black Messiah (currently published only in Dutch translation as De zwarte messias...
Acquisition, Processing and Analysis of Electrocardiogram in Awake Zebrafish

Long-term monitoring of intrinsic electrocardiogram (ECG) in zebrafish plays a crucial role in heart disease studies and drug screening. In this paper, we developed a polymer-based apparatus with embedded flexible thin-film electrodes to acquire ECG signals of awake zebrafish. The apparatus was made of polydimethylsiloxane using the molding technique with molds formed by 3D printing. A graphical user interface was built in National Instruments LabView platform for real-time recording, processing, and analysis. The program provided important features, such as signal de-noising, characteristic wave detection, and anomaly detection. Further, it could operate on both real-time coming signals and previously-saved data, facilitating analysis and interpretation. We demonstrated the use of our system to investigate the effects of the anesthetic drug, namely Tricaine (MS-222), on cardiac electrophysiology of zebrafish, revealing promising findings. We speculate that our novel system may contribute to a host of studies in various disciplines using the zebrafish model.
Taxonomy of Expressive Performance

Performance structure describes a semiotic fact: expression of meaning by shaping of score data. These expressive semantics are classified according to the three layers of reality captured by the topographic cube: Psychic, physical, and mental (see section 2.4). The first one means that performance expresses emotions, the second one deals with expression of gestural contents, and the third one—the musicologically most interesting one aims at giving one’s understanding of the musical text a rhetoric expression. In a realistic performance, all three expressive semantics will participate, however, a theory of expressive semantics must first of all deal with the “pure” types which are, each in its own way, difficult subjects of ongoing research. We will not deal with the psychological, cognitive or neurophysiological esthesic aspect of performance since this is part of music psychology and would exceed our subject.
Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip in Young Children

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in the newborn describes a wide spectrum of pathologic disorders of the hip, ranging from subtle dysplasia of the acetabulum to irreducible hip dislocation. At all ages of treatment, the primary goal is to obtain a concentric reduction of the femoral head within the acetabulum while minimizing the risk for avascular necrosis or other complications. When recognized in the first 6 months of life, DDH is typically successfully treated with simple outpatient based harness therapy (Pavlik) and routinely results in excellent outcomes. After 6 months of age, closed reduction, open reduction, and femoral and pelvic osteotomies are more often required as treatment modalities. Each treatment decision should be considered thoughtfully in each unique patient encounter, with the overriding goal of obtaining a concentrically reduced hip joint while minimizing complications always at the forefront.
Neurocritical Care Quality Improvement Practices: A Survey of Members of the Neurocritical Care Society

To describe current state of quality improvement (QI) processes implemented in neurocritical care units (NCCU). A 27-question-survey was sent to 2000 members (physicians, nurses, and pharmacists) of the Neurocritical Care Society. We describe the prevalence of QI, satisfaction with existing QI processes, barriers to NCCU QI, awareness of stroke (STK, CSTK), stroke get with the guidelines (GWTG), trauma quality improvement program (TQIP) and American Academy of Neurology (AAN) performance measures. The response rate was 22.5%; 73.7% of respondents were from US teaching hospitals, 87.9% practiced in dedicated neurocritical care units, and 43.4% in a program with a NCC fellowship. 44.6 % reported a dedicated NCCU QI program. Overall, 42% of the respondents reported satisfaction with existing NCCU QI processes. External ventricular drain infection was the most commonly tracked NCC QI metric (69.6%). Respondents indicated the highest level of awareness for CSTK (87.5%), STK (81.8%), and GWTG (81.8%), but indicated a relative lack of awareness for TQIP (42.7%), and AAN (46.2%) performance measures. Insufficient hospital (57.7%) and departmental support (36.5%) were reported common barriers to the successful implementation of an NCCU QI program. A dedicated staffed NCCU QI program occurs in a minority of NCC units, and the lack of such programs may lead to clinician dissatisfaction. Institutional and departmental support may be critical elements of a successful and satisfactory implementation of NCCU QI.
System Usage Profiling Metrics for Notifications on Abnormal User Behavior

Due to greater media attention on security vulnerabilities more companies are investing in technical security. Even though technical measures do prevent technical attacks, these digital strongholds do nothing when considering social engineering vulnerabilities. Although security advancements can help prevent intrusion and illicit communications, they are powerless in stopping an already-authorized entity. In the cases of account-sharing, willful account turn-over (“fake technical support”), or remote desktop control, there are no measures in place with existing security solutions. Our proposed system addresses this weakness, through a user action profiler. As a user interacts with a system, a log of their usage is stored. This profile can then be used to detect action discrepancies. Our research focused on building an early profiler system and analyzed profile data evolution over time. This data will be eventually integrated into an anomaly detection system, which will be able to analyze incoming usage data and make a comparison to historical patterns. The intent is to effectively prevent any forms of account sharing or remote account owning, by requiring an alternate form of verification if a significant anomaly is detected.
Thermodynamics of Metal Carbonates and Bicarbonates and Their Hydrates for Mg, Ca, Fe, and Cd Relevant to Mineral Energetics.

The heats of formation of the carbonate, bicarbonate, and bicarbonate/hydroxide metal complexes, including hydrates of Mg2+, Ca2+, Fe2+, and Cd2+, and the oxides, dichlorides, and dihydroxides are predicted from atomization energies using correlated molecular orbital theory at the CCSD(T) level extrapolated to the complete basis set limit following the Feller–Peterson–Dixon (FPD) approach. Using the calculated gas phase values and the available experimental solid-state values, we predicted the cohesive energies of selective minerals. The gas phase decomposition energies of MO, CO2, and H2O follow the order Mg ≈ Ca > Cd ≈ Fe and correlate with the hardness of the metal +2 ions. Gas phase hydration energies show that the order is Mg > Fe > Ca ≈ Cd. There are a number of bulk hydrated Mg and Ca complexes that occur as minerals but there are few if any for Fe and Cd, suggesting that a number of factors are important in determining the stability of the bulk mineral hydrates. The FPD heats of formation were use...
Association of cancer history and medical financial hardship with mortality in the United States.

86Background: Cancer survivors frequently experience medical financial hardship in the United States. Little is known, however, about its long-term health consequences. In this study, we examine th...
Loss of FOXF1 expression promotes human lung-resident mesenchymal stromal cell migration via ATX/LPA/LPA1 signaling axis

Forkhead box F1 (FOXF1) is a lung embryonic mesenchyme-associated transcription factor that demonstrates persistent expression into adulthood in mesenchymal stromal cells. However, its biologic function in human adult lung-resident mesenchymal stromal cells (LR-MSCs) remain to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that FOXF1 expression acts as a restraint on the migratory function of LR-MSCs via its role as a novel transcriptional repressor of autocrine motility-stimulating factor Autotaxin (ATX). Fibrotic human LR-MSCs demonstrated lower expression of FOXF1 mRNA and protein, compared to non-fibrotic controls. RNAi-mediated FOXF1 silencing in LR-MSCs was associated with upregulation of key genes regulating proliferation, migration, and inflammatory responses and significantly higher migration were confirmed in FOXF1-silenced LR-MSCs by Boyden chamber. ATX is a secreted lysophospholipase D largely responsible for extracellular lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) production, and was among the top ten upregulated genes upon Affymetrix analysis. FOXF1-silenced LR-MSCs demonstrated increased ATX activity, while mFoxf1 overexpression diminished ATX expression and activity. The FOXF1 silencing-induced increase in LR-MSC migration was abrogated by genetic and pharmacologic targeting of ATX and LPA1 receptor. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses identified three putative FOXF1 binding sites in the 1.5 kb ATX promoter which demonstrated transcriptional repression of ATX expression. Together these findings identify FOXF1 as a novel transcriptional repressor of ATX and demonstrate that loss of FOXF1 promotes LR-MSC migration via the ATX/LPA/LPA1 signaling axis.
Generation of a Single-Cell RNAseq Atlas of Murine Salivary Gland Development

Understanding the dynamic transcriptional landscape throughout organ development will provide a template for regenerative therapies. Here, we generated a single-cell RNA sequencing atlas of murine submandibular glands identifying transcriptional profiles that revealed cellular heterogeneity during landmark developmental events: end bud formation, branching morphogenesis, cytodifferentiation, maturation, and homeostasis. Trajectory inference analysis suggests plasticity among acinar and duct populations. We identify transcription factors correlated with acinar differentiation including Spdef, Etv1, and Xbp1, and loss of Ybx1, Eno1, Sox11, and Atf4. Furthermore, we characterize two intercalated duct populations defined by either Gfra3 and Kit, or Gstt1. This atlas can be used to investigate specific cell functions and comparative studies predicting common mechanisms involved in development of branching organs.
Genetic analysis reveals an east-west divide within North American Vitis species that mirrors their resistance to Pierce's disease.

Pierce’s disease (PD) caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is a deadly disease of grapevines. This study used 20 SSR markers to genotype 326 accessions of grape species collected from the southeastern and southwestern United States, Mexico and Costa Rica. Two hundred sixty-six of these accessions, and an additional 12 PD resistant hybrid cultivars developed from southeastern US grape species, were evaluated for PD resistance. Disease resistance was evaluated by quantifying the level of bacteria in stems and measuring PD symptoms on the canes and leaves. Both Bayesian clustering and principal coordinate analyses identified two groups with an east-west divide: group 1 consisted of grape species from the southeastern US and Mexico, and group 2 consisted of accessions collected from the southwestern US and Mexico. The Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range appeared to be a phylogeographic barrier. The state of Texas was identified as a potential hybridization zone. The hierarchal STRUCTURE analysis on each group showed clustering of unique grape species. An east-west divide was also observed for PD resistance. With the exception of Vitis candicans and V. cinerea accessions collected from Mexico, all other grape species as well as the resistant southeastern hybrid cultivars were susceptible to the disease. Southwestern US grape accessions from drier desert regions showed stronger resistance to the disease. Strong PD resistance was observed within three distinct genetic clusters of V. arizonica which is adapted to drier environments and hybridizes freely with other species across its wide range.
Punishing environmental offenders: criminal environmental sentencing in Louisiana, 2004-2014

Despite growing interest in environmental/green crimes, little remains known about these offenses and how environmental offenders are punished in criminal cases. Much of what is known about the pun...
Genetic Moderation of the Association Between Early Family Instability and Trajectories of Aggressive Behaviors from Middle Childhood to Adolescence

The present study tested models of polygenic by environment interaction between early childhood family instability and polygenic risk for aggression predicting developmental trajectories of aggression from middle childhood to adolescence. With a longitudinal sample of 515 racially and ethnically diverse children from low-income families, primary caregivers reported on multiple components of family instability annually from child ages 2–5 years. A conservative polygenic risk score (p = 0.05) was generated based on a prior meta-genome wide association study. Trajectories of aggression were identified using a curve of factors model based on a composite of primary caregiver, alternate caregiver, and teacher reports at five ages from 7.5 to 14 years. The family instability by polygenic interaction predicted growth in children’s aggression such that children with lower levels of family instability and lower polygenic risk exhibited a steeper decline in aggression from 7.5 to 14. Findings support the need to model gene-environment interplay to elucidate the role of genetics in the development of aggressive behaviors.
Phenology-based classification of invasive annual grasses to the species level

Abstract The ability to detect and map invasive plants to the species level, both at high resolution and over large extents, is essential for their targeted management. Yet development of such remote sensing methodology is challenged by the spectral and structural similarities among many invasive and native plant species. We developed a multi-temporal classification approach that uses unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAV) imagery to map two invasive annual grasses to the species level, and to distinguish these from key functional types of native vegetation, based upon differences in plant phenology. For a case study area in the western Great Basin, USA, we intentionally over-sampled with frequent (n = 8) UAV flights over the growing season. Using this information we compared the importance of spectral variation at a given point in time (i.e., with and without near-infrared wavelengths), with spectral variation across multiple time periods. We found that differences in species phenology allowed for accurate classification of nine cover types, including the two annual grass species of interest, using just three dates of imagery that captured species-specific differences in the timing of active growth, seed head production, and senescence. Availability of near-infrared imagery proved less important than true-color RGB imagery collected at appropriate time periods. Thus, multi-temporal information provides a substitute for more extensive spectral information obtained from a single point in time. The substitution of temporal for spectral information is particularly well suited to UAV remote sensing, where the timing of image collection can be flexible. The datasets arising from our multi-temporal classification approach provide high-resolution information for modeling patterns of invasive plant spread, for quantifying plant invasion risk, and for early detection of novel plant invasions when patch sizes are still small. Widespread application and up-scaling of our approach requires advances in our ability to model the variability in phenology that occurs across years and over fine spatial scales, even within a single species.
A Comparison of Weighted Stochastic Simulation Methods

1 ABSTRACT Rare events are of particular interest in biology because rare biochemical events may be catastrophic to a biological system. To estimate the probability of rare events, several weighted stochastic simulation methods have been developed. Unfortunately, the robustness of these methods is questionable. Here, an analysis of weighted stochastic simulation methods is presented. The methods considered here fail to accomplish the task of rare event simulation, in general, suggesting that new methods are necessary to adequately study rare biological events.
Investigating the Effect of Direction of Grass Roots on Shear Strength of Soil and Stability of Embankment Slope

The use of grass to protect the slopes from erosion of road embankments is a common practice. However, quantifying the changes in shear strength of such bio-structured (with grass roots) soil is a complex procedure. One of the important factors affecting the shearing resistance of such soils is the direction of grass roots with respect to the slope angle. An experimental investigation was taken up to quantify the changes in shear strength of soil due to the direction of grass roots. Direct shear tests were conducted on field samples from a slope with grass roots and compared with remolded samples without roots. The field samples were obtained by pushing the samplers in a sloping ground in vertical, horizontal, and in 45 ° inclination. Direct shear tests were conducted on these samples by keeping the direction of the roots in perpendicular, parallel, and inclined to the failure plane during the direct shear test. Thirty-five samples were tested with in-situ moisture content, and fifteen samples were tested in saturated conditions. For the samples tested with in-situ moisture conditions, the test results indicate that the soil with the vertical and inclined root direction experienced a similar overall increase in cohesion and a near negligible change in friction angle. However, the samples with roots parallel to the failure plane experienced the least increase in cohesion in comparison with the other two root directions. A similar trend was observed for the samples tested in saturated conditions. Additionally, slope stability analysis was performed using software SLIDE (version 7) to determine the effects of the root direction on the factor of safety.
Pollen analysis and urban land use: The environs of Scottow’s Dock in 17th, 18th, and early 19th century Boston

Pollen analysis cannot be used to reconstruct the natural environment during the historical period in New England because Euroamerican land clearance and soil disturbance have biased the record. Land use is recorded among arboreal pollen counts, but the size of the affected pollen source area is difficult to ascertain. Close agreement among documentary, archaeological, and non-arboreal pollen records of land use within specific 17th through 19th century urban matrices and the contrasts between the pollen data from the contemporaneous, adjacent but functionally different Wilkinson Backlot and Bostonian Hotel Sites in Boston, Massachusetts, indicate that non-arboreal pollen spectra sensitively record vegetative response to different kinds of human activities across small horizontal and stratigraphic intervals. The minor pollen types are the most important; hence large sums must be tabulated if patterns of change are to be recognized. Pollen corrosion and concentration measures and arboreal/ non-arboreal pollen ratios contribute to the understanding of matrix deposition processes.
The Importance of a Navigational Perspective in the Study of Contemporary American Jews: Response to the Sklare Lecture

One fissure in the social scientific study of contemporary American Jews involves how scholars understand the relationship between the individual and the shared or social realm. In this essay I contrast a more normative, tradition-oriented approach to studying American Jews and their Jewishness exemplified by Sylvia Barack Fishman to the person-centered, meaning-oriented, navigational approach I employ. Our contrasting approaches reflect different views about what it means to “transmit Jewish culture to the next generation.” The nature of the interface between individuals and the social context has changed in some profound ways. Most notably Jewish individuals are less tethered by the kinds of external constraints regarding Jewishness that functioned in the past, leaving them with more latitude. Furthermore, in these new circumstances, the social terrain itself has changed, resulting in an array of options and possibilities that is wider, and also less successfully characterized by nomenclature like “Jewish” and “American” that many employ. So what does it mean to speak about “Jewish cultural transmission” when the “Jewishness” that is to be conveyed has changed, not to speak of the processes and possibilities of social learning? Here I describe a navigational perspective that is able to encompass both the moves of individuals and the changing terrain and array of opportunities that have emerged.
Initialization of iterative refinement clustering algorithms

Iterative refinement clustering algorithms (e.g. K-Means, EM) converge to one of numerous local minima. It is known that they are especially sensitive to initial conditions. We present a procedure for computing a refined starting condition from a given initial one that is based on an efficient technique for estimating the modes of a distribution. The refined initial starting condition leads to convergence to "better" local minima. The procedure is applicable to a wide class of clustering algorithms for both discrete and continuous data. We demonstrate the application of this method to the Expectation Maximization (EM) clustering algorithm and show that refined initial points indeed lead to improved solutions. Refinement run time is considerably lower than the time required to cluster the full database. The method is scalable and can be coupled with a scalable clustering algorithm to address the large-scale clustering in data mining.
Evaluating uncertainty in predicting spatially variable representative elementary scales in fractured aquifers, with application to Turkey Creek Basin, Colorado

[1] Computational limitations and sparse field data often mandate use of continuum representation for modeling hydrologic processes in large-scale fractured aquifers. Selecting appropriate element size is of primary importance because continuum approximation is not valid for all scales. The traditional approach is to select elements by identifying a single representative elementary scale (RES) for the region of interest. Recent advances indicate RES may be spatially variable, prompting unanswered questions regarding the ability of sparse data to spatially resolve continuum equivalents in fractured aquifers. We address this uncertainty of estimating RES using two techniques. In one technique we employ data-conditioned realizations generated by sequential Gaussian simulation. For the other we develop a new approach using conditioned random walks and nonparametric bootstrapping (CRWN). We evaluate the effectiveness of each method under three fracture densities, three data sets, and two groups of RES analysis parameters. In sum, 18 separate RES analyses are evaluated, which indicate RES magnitudes may be reasonably bounded using uncertainty analysis, even for limited data sets and complex fracture structure. In addition, we conduct a field study to estimate RES magnitudes and resulting uncertainty for Turkey Creek Basin, a crystalline fractured rock aquifer located 30 km southwest of Denver, Colorado. Analyses indicate RES does not correlate to rock type or local relief in several instances but is generally lower within incised creek valleys and higher along mountain fronts. Results of this study suggest that (1) CRWN is an effective and computationally efficient method to estimate uncertainty, (2) RES predictions are well constrained using uncertainty analysis, and (3) for aquifers such as Turkey Creek Basin, spatial variability of RES is significant and complex.
Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Urban Areas

The use of airborne hyperspectral sensors for urban analysis represents a significant advance in remote sensing. The greatest challenges to effectively using urban hyperspectral imagery include (i) managing the natural spectral complexity of urban fabrics, (ii) selecting optimal feature sets from an enormous number of candidate features, (iii) designing classifiers that are minimally affected by the curse of dimensionality, and (iv) reducing the computational burden of hyperspectral algorithms on large images. To address these challenges, there have been several promising methodological advances in urban hyperspectral analysis. Examples include multiclassifier systems, decision fusion processes, support vector machine algorithms, object oriented approaches to classification, and discrimination via morphological profiles. Unfortunately, few of these advances are leveraged in commercial software packages, thus limiting their practical utility to the practitioner.
Role of carotid bodies in glucose counterregulation in type 1 diabetes (709.2)

Carotid bodies (CB) are desensitized by hyperoxia/hyperglycemia and sensitized by hypoxia/hypoglycemia. We have reported in healthy humans that CB chemoreceptors secrete counterregulatory hormones in response to normoxia and hypoglycemia. While the role of central nervous system in glucose counterregulation is known, it is unknown whether alteration in CB response to glucose contributes to the pathogenesis of hypoglycema in T1D. We hypothesized that glucose counterregulation is impaired in T1D due to reduced sensitization of CB. 10 T1D and 12 healthy subjects (ND), matched for BMI (23 ± 3 vs 26 ± 5 kg/m2) underwent a 180 min hyperinsulinemic (2 mU/kg TBW/min), hypoglycemic clamp (~3.3mM) under normoxic conditions (SpO2 98 ± 1%). T1D subjects did not report autonomic symptoms. [3-3H] glucose was infused to measure glucose turnover. Results were compared using means of last forty minutes of clamp data. Statistical analyses were done using unpaired t-tests and p<0.05 was considered significant. In the presen...
The Uses of Money: Money in the Theory of an Exchange Economy

One of the oldest unresolved problems of monetary theory is to explain the use and holding of money. Resolution of the problem is central to an understanding of the difference between a monetary and a nonmonetary or barter economy, and there have been numerous attempts at resolution. The use of money or the existence of a positive demand has been made to depend on such diverse factors as the anticipation of price or interest rate changes, uncertainty, the embarrassment of default, legal restrictions, or some undefined set of "services"—such as "liquidity"— that money provides. Probably the dominant, current explanation posits the existence of a number of ostensibly separate "motives for holding money." This explanation coexists with vestiges of an earlier preferred explanation that made the use and/or holding of money depend on the "functions" performed by money, such as medium of exchange, store of value and unit of account.
A memory allocation and assignment method using multiway partitioning

In many data-intensive applications, an area and power efficient memory architecture is significant for the overall system in terms of area and power consumption. We present a new memory allocation and assignment method using memory partitioning to customize the memory architecture. The method consists of two main steps. The useful exploration region to trade off area with energy consumption is first extracted. Secondly, based on this exploration space, an iterative multi-way partitioning is performed to optimize area and power. Memory partitioning is an effective memory optimization strategy that seeks to customize the memory architecture for a given application. Our experimental results on several examples demonstrate that our method can find the promising memory architecture.
Human Resource Department Effectiveness

For many organizations, effectively managing a global workforce is complex, difficult, and perhaps the single most important executive accountability and responsibility. Keywords: human resource
Symmetric Chern-Simons-Higgs Vortices

We prove the existence of radially symmetric vortices of the static nonself-dual Chern-Simons-Higgs equations with and without magnetic field in dimension 2. The vortex profiles are shown to be monotonically increasing and bounded. For a given vorticity n, when there is no magnetic field we prove that the n-vortices are stable for n = 0, ±1.
Investigating the hows and whys of DNA endoreduplication

Endoreduplication is a form of nuclear polyploidization that results in multiple, uniform copies of chromosomes. This process is common in plants and animals, especially in tissues with high metabolic activity, and it generally occurs in cells that are terminally differentiated. In plants, endoreduplication is well documented in the endosperm and cotyledons of developing seeds, but it also occurs in many tissues throughout the plant. It is thought that endoreduplication provides a mechanism to increase the level of gene expression, but the function of this process has not been thoroughly investigated. Numerous observations have been made of endoreduplication, or at least extra cycles of S-phase, as a consequence of mutations in genes controlling several aspects of cell cycle regulation. However, until recently there were few studies directed at the molecular mechanisms responsible for this specialized cell cycle. It is suggested that endoreduplication requires nothing more elaborate than a loss of M-phase cyclin-dependent kinase activity and oscillations in the activity of S-phase cyclin-dependent kinase.
Biochemical and quantitative analysis of Tamm Horsfall protein in rats

The involvement of Tamm Horsfall protein (THP) in nephrolithiasis is currently under investigation in several laboratories. Although rat is a commonly used species as an in vivo model for such studies, there is only limited information available about the biochemical properties and excretion profile of THP in normal rats. In order to characterize rat THP, we purified and analyzed normal male rat THP, and compared it with normal human male urinary THP by gel electrophoresis. Both THPs migrated at approximately 90 KDa, and stained similarly for protein (Coomassie blue) as well as carbohydrates (periodic acid Schiff reagent). Compositional analysis revealed that rat THP was largely similar to human THP in amino acid and carbohydrate contents but showed differences in the individual sugar components from other mammals. There was considerable variation in the day-to-day urinary excretion of THP in normal rats, with values ranging from 552.96 μg to 2865.60 μg and a mean value of 1679.54 μg per 24 h. It was concluded from this study that rat THP did not contain any unusual biochemical components and was primarily similar to human THP in composition and mean urinary concentration.
Gendered Campaign Strategies in U.S. Elections

This research examines the impact of gender on gubernatorial and senate candidates’ issue prioritization. I argue that women running for statewide office prefer to play against gender stereotypes i...
Analysis of Phenanthrene and Benzo[a]pyrene Tetraol Enantiomers in Human Urine: Relevance to the Bay Region Diol Epoxide Hypothesis of Benzo[a]pyrene Carcinogenesis and to Biomarker Studies

One widely accepted metabolic activation pathway of the prototypic carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) proceeds through the “bay region diol epoxide” BaP-(7R,8S)-diol-(9S,10R)-epoxide (2). However, few studies have addressed the analysis of human urinary metabolites of BaP, which result from this pathway. Phenanthrene (Phe) is structurally related to BaP, but human exposure to Phe is far greater, and its metabolites can be readily detected in urine. Thus, Phe metabolites have been proposed as biomarkers of PAH exposure and metabolic activation. Phe-tetraols in particular could be biomarkers of the diol epoxide pathway. While BaP-tetraols and Phe-tetraols have been previously quantified in human urine, no published studies have determined their enantiomeric composition. This is important because different enantiomers would result from the bay region diol epoxide and “reverse” diol epoxide pathways, the latter being associated with weak mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. W...
Accumulation of the flavonoids betagarin and betavulgarin in Beta vulgaris infected by the fungus Cercospora beticola

Abstract The flavanone betagarin and the isoflavone betavulgarin occur in necrotic lesions resulting from infection of sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris) leaves by Cercospora beticola. In whole infected leaves from cultivars of varied leaf spot susceptibility, there were significant differences among cultivars in content of both flavonoids, but only betavulgarin content was significantly correlated with a visual rating of disease severity. In lesions, the content of both compounds differed significantly among cultivars, but only betavulgarin content differed with time after disease initiation. At 3 weeks after plants were inoculated with a suspension of fungal spores, lesion betagarin concentrations were 300 to 1050 μg/ml, depending on cultivar, and betavulgarin contents were from 50 to 200 μg/tnl. When compared with data from in vitro bioassays, these amounts appear potentially capable of limiting fungal growth. However, the correlation coefficient between visual rating of disease severity and compound contents per lesion was non-significant for each flavonoid.
Near infrared tunable operation of chromium doped forsterite laser

Tunable, room temperature pulsed laser operation of a chromium-doped forsterite laser for 1064-nm pumping is reported. Using different sets of mirrors and a single birefringent plate as the intracavity wavelength selecting element, tunability over the 1167-1345-nm spectral range has been demonstrated.
Low temperature thermal expansion of barium ferrite

Abstract The linear thermal expansion of polycrystalline barium ferrite, BaFe 12 O 19 , was measured from 76 to 293 K both parallel and perpendicular to the magnetization direction. An anisotropy of about 15–20% was observed. The results match well with the available data above room temperature and have also been extrapolated to O K.
Time versus items in judgment of recency

In the numerical judgment of recency (JOR) task, subjects judge how many items have intervened since the test item was previously presented. Two experiments were conducted to determine whether the basis of JOR is the age of the memory (time) or the number of intervening items. Subjects went through a long list that was made up of alternating fast blocks and slow blocks, but the block structure was disguised by probabilistic selection of a short or long intertrial interval. In both experiments, JOR was found to be a simple function of time, with no added contribution from the number of items.