cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image-type dependent eigen-regions-of-interest define conspicuity operators for predicting human scanpath fixation

Top-down informativeness elaboration and bottom-up conspicuity processing are intimately interconnected in visual perception. An internal cognitive model of the external world must necessarily control not only our recognition but also the scanpath sequence of eye movement/shift of attention jumps. A self-organizing process based on principal component analysis and scanpath experimental data are used in this paper to define spatial visual conspicuity from the eigen-features of the scanpath sequence image loci. Eight different classes of images are used as both training and testing set. We first demonstrate that cognitive-driven scanpath loci can be discriminated in terms of these bottom-up eigen conspicuity features. We can finally define a conspicuity processing algorithm and measure its ability to predict human scanpaths as evidenced by the positional similarity measure S"p. Some computer vision applications will also be discussed.
Oviposition Preference and Larval Performance of Liriomyza helianthi (Diptera: Agromyzidae) on Normal and Novel Host Plants

The relationship between oviposition preference and larval performance has often been regarded as central to the evolution of insect—plant interactions. Studies examining correlations between oviposition preference and larval performance have yielded results ranging from good to poor suggesting that features other than a positive correlation between the preference and per- formance may influence the evolution of host plant use. In this study, we examined oviposition behavior and larval performance of the specialist leafminer Liriomyza helianthi Spencer on normal host plants—sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., and cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium L. (Asteraceae, tribe Heliantheae), and a number of novel, but related, plants in the Asteraceae. Using choice and no-choice oviposition experiments, L. helianthi was observed to oviposit preferentially in its normal host plants and in some novel hosts in the same tribe (Heliantheae). Plants outside the normal tribe in both subfamilies of the Asteraceae were rarely used for oviposition. Larval performance, as assayed by development time, developmental rate, larval survivorship and pupal weight, was assessed by transfers of larvae between normal and novel hosts as well as by direct oviposition into those hosts. The transfer of leafminer larvae allows the decoupling of oviposition and larval performance components of host use, a traditionally difficult task when studying herbivores living inside plant tissues. Our results found no significant relationship between oviposition preference and larval performance in normal and novel hosts. Leafminer larvae have greater latitude than adults in successful use of novel hosts, including use of plants in the alternate subfamily, Cichorioideae. There are some novel plants that are not used for oviposition but are as suitable for development as the normal host. Thus, there is an asymmetry between oviposition preference and larval performance in novel hosts.
Behavioral Cost of Reproduction in a Freshwater Crustacean Eulimnadia texana

It is commonly noted that investments in reproduction, both physiological and behavioral, can trade off with other life-history traits, such as growth and survival. In males, behavioral reproductive activities (e.g., copulations) are associated with weight loss, increased predation risk, reduced future reproductive output, and decreased lifespans. It is uncommon to find species in which increased copulations actually increase survival. Herein, we examine one such species, the androdioecious (males + hermaphrodites) crustacean Eulimnadia texana, in which increased copulations have been associated with increased lifespan. We examined two potential causes of this association: (1) males not copulating actually expend significant energy by searching for mates and (2) males are experiencing shorter lifespan primarily because they are more inbred than hermaphrodites. We found that isolated males did indeed expend more energy than hermaphrodites, consistent with previous studies showing that males swim over twice as much as hermaphrodites when isolated. Additionally, although inbreeding was associated with reduced lifespan, outcrossed males still had shorter lifespans relative to outcrossed hermaphrodites. Thus, isolated males consistently show decreased lifespans relative to isolated hermaphrodites, which is not explainable only on the basis of level of inbreeding. We conclude that the costly searching behavior of these males is the likely underlying cause of this observed difference in lifespan between the sexes, as previously suggested.
Managing Perceived Stress among College Students: The Roles of Social Support and Dysfunctional Coping.

The author examined the conditions (i.e., social support and dysfunctional coping) under which perceived stress predicted psychological well-being in 459 college students. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated a significant 2-way interaction (Perceived Stress × Social Support) and a significant 3-way interaction (Perceived Stress × Social Support × Dysfunctional Coping) predicting well-being. Low social support deteriorated the association between stress and well-being. Only the frequent use of dysfunctional coping exacerbated the association between stress and well-being across high and low social support. Implications for counseling college students are discussed.
B2-4: Variations in the Cost of Ambulatory Care Episodes: An Opportunity for Improvement?

Background/Aims Policymakers are exploring bundled payments to providers, but little is known about their application in ambulatory care. As an example, this study examines the cost of acute bronchitis episodes.
Psychology and law: The last 15 years.

The modern initiative for psychologists becoming involved in research relevant to law can be more or less traced to developments approximately 15 years ago, although earlier roots are evident. The period of this review thus roughly coincides with the publication life of the Journal of Applied Social Psychology. A few major research trends were discussed from this historical perspective, and problems and projections briefly noted.
Perpetuating Oppression: Does the Current Counseling Discourse Neutralize Social Action?

The counseling profession, by virtue of research, dialogue, and the evolution of professional ideology, continues to uphold the viewpoint that psychological distress and disorders emanate from innate or biologically based factors. Consequently, the social reality that counseling partially defines through this discourse may inadvertently constrain the very movement that can most affect change through social action and engagement. Counseling professionals may unwittingly undercut attempts by oppressed individuals, groups, and their allies to create a more equitable and just society through civil disobedience and concerted social action. This article discusses how the current discourse on social justice may neutralize social action by reviewing discourse theory and presentation of a case study that offers strategies to operational discourse theory and support social action and engagement.
P-glycoprotein expression in human retinal pigment epithelium.

Purpose: The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a transporting epithelial monolayer that controls hydration and composition of the subretinal space. P-glycoprotein is an ATP-binding cassette transport protein known to transport a wide range of hydrophobic compounds. The expression of P-glycoprotein in barrier epithelial cells suggests that it could serve a normal protective function, possibly clearing potentially harmful substances from sensitive compartments, like the subretinal space. The present study is designed to determine the expression and activity of P-glycoprotein in normal human RPE. Methods: RT-PCR and direct sequencing were employed to examine the presence of mdr1 mRNA in cultured human RPE. P-glycoprotein-specific antibodies were employed in Western blotting to identify P-glycoprotein in cultured human RPE and in an established RPE cell line (D407). Anti-P-glycoprotein antibodies were also used to localize the protein in frozen, formaldehyde-fixed sections of native human RPE/choroid by immunohistochemistry. Finally, rhodamine uptake was performed in cultured human RPE monolayers to assess P-glycoprotein activity. The inhibitory antibody 4E3 and reversins 121 and 205 were used to block transport activity. Results: P-glycoprotein is expressed, and is active, in human RPE tissue not exposed to any known inducers of P-glycoprotein. RT-PCR yielded a 546 bp product that was 100% identical in sequence to published data for the mdr1 isoform of human P-glycoprotein. Western blotting demonstrated expression at the protein level, with specific bands observed at about 220 and 165 kD. In native tissue, P-glycoprotein immunoreactivity was predominantly membrane associated, with localization to both apical and basolateral cell membranes. Finally, P-glycoprotein expressed in human RPE is active. Steady-state rhodamine accumulation was increased in the presence of compounds reported to block P-glycoprotein mediated rhodamine efflux. Conclusions: Human RPE, not exposed to inducer treatment, expresses P-glycoprotein with localization to both apical and basal cell surfaces. Basolateral P-glycoprotein could serve a protective function for the neural retina helping to clear unwanted substances from subretinal space. The finding that P-glycoprotein is also on the apical surface suggests possible additional roles for P-glycoprotein in the RPE.
Semantics, Pragmatics, and Text Collection

In this final chapter, we discuss the importance of semantics and pragmatics to descriptive linguistic fieldwork. We also provide a guide to text collection, which we feel should be a central part of the corpus used for language analysis, and which is intimately linked to issues of semantics and pragmatics.
Strengths-based group supervision with social work students

This paper integrates the theoretical models of the strengths perspective with narrative theory and reflective practice, while incorporating the concepts of parallel process and the Socratic method into the group supervision of social work students. With the strengths perspective as a unifying model in social work today, it is suggested that this model also can reflect the supervisory parallel process. Thus, just as we strive to work with clients in a cooperative partnership that emphasizes their strengths and abilities, empowerment, resilience, and diversity, so, too, we need to bring these concepts into the supervisee-supervisor relationship.
DAB: interactive haptic painting with 3D virtual brushes

We present a novel painting system with an intuitive haptic interface, which serves as an expressive vehicle for interactively creating painterly works. We introduce a deformable, 3D brush model, which gives the user natural control of complex brush strokes. The force feedback enhances the sense of realism and provides tactile cues that enable the user to better manipulate the paint brush. We have also developed a bidirectional, two-layer paint model that, combined with a palette interface, enables easy loading of complex blends onto our 3D virtual brushes to generate interesting paint effects on the canvas. The resulting system, DAB, provides the user with an artistic setting, which is conceptually equivalent to a real-world painting environment. Several users have tested DAB and were able to start creating original art work within minutes.
A military path planning algorithm using visualization and dynamic GIS

A Military Path Planning Algorithm (MPPA) is developed for a robot or an Unmanned Autonomous Agent (UAA) in combat situations to plan a safe and efficient path from a specified origin to destination. In a combat military environment, the only information the UAA has is the digital terrain on which it moves. The digital terrain is a set of points and Delaunay's triangles. The UAA moves on a terrain that has enemies located at certain strategic places. The UAA has sensing capability which is a function of distance, i.e., it will not know where the enemies are located unless it is at a certain distance from them. The objective is to reach the destination point from the origin in a safe (by maintaining a certain distance from enemies) and efficient manner. The MPPA is tested with two enemies located at two random positions on the terrain and the results are presented.
Constitutionalizing the Collateral Bar Rule

This Comment proposes constitutionalizing the collateral bar rule under the First Amendment by recognizing the rule’s operation as part of a system of prior restraint. Recognizing this fact would lead to the application of the First Amendment presumption against prior restraints to the collateral bar rule. In practical terms, this means that in a contempt proceeding where the order at issue operated as a prior restraint on an individual’s speech, the proponent of the order must bear the burden of proving that the collateral bar rule should apply under a two-part test. This shift properly places the burden on the order’s proponent — often the government — to prove that the injunction should be shielded from review in a collateral attack. Otherwise, courts will presume that the order can be challenged, allowing the contemnor to attack the violated order on its merits and attempt to reverse the contempt conviction. This new approach changes the collateral bar rule from an inflexible and frequently unjust part of a system of judicially imposed prior restraints, resolves the tension that arises from a doctrinal backdrop that strongly disfavors any support of prior restraints, and still retains much of what has recommended the rule to courts in the first place.
Daisy Turner’s Kin: An African American Family Saga. By Jane C. Beck.

If you are interested in learning how oral history can lead to discovery and help chronicle a family legacy, then you will find Daisy Turner’s Kin: An African American Family Saga a necessary guide...
Dynamics of 6-methoxybenzoxazolinone in winter wheat : Effects of photoperiod and temperature.

6-Methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA), a compound derivable from some freshly growing plants, is known to stimulate reproduction in some mammals and birds. Winter wheat was studied under controlled laboratory conditions to determine the effects of photoperiod and temperature on derivable 6-MBOA content. Longer photoperiods decrease the amount of derivable 6-MBOA per gram of fresh material in 4-day-old wheat seedlings. Higher temperatures also decrease the amount of derivable 6-MBOA in 4-day-old wheat. 6-MBOA content decreases as the plant ages. Comparisons of only the first centimeter above the seed produced the same age-related result. 6-MBOA is concentrated in the meristematic region with decreasing amounts found in higher portions of the plant. Roots from 9-day-old plants contain 6-MBOA. Unsprouted wheat seeds contain negligible amounts of 6-MBOA. These results demonstrate that environmental variables have a significant effect on derivable 6-MBOA levels, but that under all the regimes studied, 6-MBOA is present in freshly sprouted wheat.
How Much Evidence is Necessary for Pharmacogenomic Testing Implementation

Copyright: © 2012 Francis Lam YW. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The levels and strength of evidence expected for demonstration of clinical utility (defined as ability to predict clinical outcome and the added value over standard care) of pharmacogenomics-guided drug therapy continue to be a significant barrier for implementation of pharmacogenomic testing in clinical practice. Given the scope of the current healthcare expenditure and evidence-based driven clinical environment, any clinical trial to validate clinical utility is expected to not only be hypothesis-driven but also extensive in terms of time and sample size. As an example, the ongoing multi-site, randomized controlled Pharmacogenomics of Anti-platelet Intervention-2 (clinicaltrials.gov NCT01452152) trial compares pharmacogenomicguided antiplatelet therapy versus standard care on cardiovascular events in 7,200 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, but the results likely will not be available until 2015. In the meantime, clinicians continue to debate and disagree on the quantity and quality of data that are scientifically appropriate but at the same time realistically achievable, [1,2] and based on the lack of consensus, payers continue to decline reimbursement for pharmacogenomic biomarker tests, [3] even though at times the tests are much less expensive than the drugs that are paid for.
The reaction of blinded goldfish to rotation in a centrifuge.

1. Blinded goldfish behave in a centrifuge as if they were orienting to absolute rotation by means of a Foucault pendulum. That is, they swim so as to compensate the rate of imposed rotation about the apparent vertical. 2. Blinded goldfish swim in the centrifuge in a plane essentially orthogonal to the apparent vertical at low accelerations and low rates of rotation. With higher rates of rotation the axis about which the fish swims leans away from the apparent vertical and towards the axis of rotation of the centrifuge. 3. Analysis of the physics of the centrifuge shows that if the fish rotates about any axis relative to the cab of the moving centrifuge with a rate of rotation within the physiological range of its semicircular canals it will receive signals from its otocysts and its semicircular canals which would reflect contradictory information in a nonrotating environment. This fact, together with the fish9s response to absolute rotation, affords a method for quantitatively assessing the relative roles of the otocysts and the semicircular canals in orienting the free-swimming fish.
47 CAUSES OF DEATH IN ADULT SICKLE CELL DISEASE PATIENTS AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY

Purpose of Study To analyze causes of death among adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) at a single institution over a 25 year period. Methods A single physician (OC) recorded causes of death among 141 adult SCD patients he treated and knew well from 1976 to 2001. Causes of death were determined by autopsy report and/or clinical assessment. Results One hundred fourteen (80.9%) of the patients had SS phenotype and 66 (46.8%) were female. The mean ± SD age at death was 36 ± 11 years with a range of 18 to 80 years. The leading causes of death were pulmonary hypertension (PHT) (n = 37; 26.2%), sudden death (n = 33; 23.4%), renal failure (n = 32; 22.7%), sepsis (n = 26; 18.4%), thrombo-embolism (n = 21; 14.9%) and cirrhosis (n = 16; 11.4%). Most patients had more than one diagnosis contributing to death. When causes of death that occurred after 1990 (n = 80) were compared to those that occurred in 1990 or earlier (n = 61), fat embolism was significantly lower (2.5% vs 13.1%; p = 0.02) while the categories of sepsis (25.0% vs 9.8%; p = 0.028) and PHT (38.8% vs 9.8%; p Conclusions Life expectancy in SCD remains low. The increased diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension as a cause of death since 1990 may be due to increased awareness of this condition and also to SCD individuals with severe disease living long enough to develop this complication. The decreased diagnosis of fat embolism as a cause of death in recent years may be explained by early and aggressive management of acute chest syndrome (ACS) with transfusions, for fat embolism often complicates ACS. The associations of renal disease as a cause of death with increasing age and the finding of a high convergence of iron overload and cirrhosis as causes of death are consistent with current clinical understanding of these conditions. Whether some of the sudden unexplained deaths are due to unrecognized pulmonary hypertension should be investigated in future studies.
Study the Clinical Application of Anti-CCP Antibody in Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective:To investigate the clinical application value of anti-cyclic levels in diagnosis of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.Method:Selected 80 patients with rheumatoid arthritis,80 patients with other kinds of connective tissue disease,and 80 cases of healthy people accepted medical examination at the same period for the study.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent method of three groups of serum anti CCP antibody were tested,and tested the IgM-RF positive expression rate of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other category connective disease patients and healthy people,and calculated the CCP antibody specificity in the process of rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis.Result:Compared to patients with other kinds of connective tissue disease and cases of healthy people,the CCP antibody positive expression rate of rheumatoid arthritis patients was significantly higher(P0.05);In 80 cases of healthy people,78 cases of anti CCP antibody testing was true negative,2 cases of false positives,anti-CCP antibodies specificity of 97.5%;The rate of false positives of healthy people was 2.5%,significantly lower than the IgM-RF false positive rate for 21.3%,the differences were statistically significant(P0.05).Conclusion:In the process of diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, anti-CCP antibody specificity is extremely high,the titer in patients with other connective tissue diseases as well as a significantly higher compared to healthy subjects,with a high clinical value.
New Directions in Law and Narrative

This commentary assesses the state of scholarship on law and narrative and argues for a more holistic approach to the topic. Narrative and law do not encounter each other accidentally but are ineluctably intertwined. Law is a dominant narrative form in the modern world; narrative suffuses not just testimony but all legal practice. We urge scholarship that recognizes law and narrative as part of the same socio-cultural project of making the world.
Auditory and Auditory-Visual Recognition of Clear and Conversational Speech by Older Adults

Research has shown that speech articulated in a clear manner is easier to understand than conversationally spoken speech in both the auditory-only (A-only) and auditory-visual (AV) domains. Because this research has been conducted using younger adults, it is unknown whether age-related changes in auditory and/or visual processing affect older adults' ability to benefit when a talker speaks clearly. The present study examined how speaking mode (clear vs conversational) and presentation mode (A-only vs AV) influenced nonsense sentence recognition by older listeners. Results showed that neither age nor hearing loss limited the amount of benefit that older adults obtained from a talker speaking clearly. However, age was inversely correlated with identification of AV (but not A-only) conversational speech, even when pure-tone thresholds were controlled statistically.
Results of strabismus therapy in cerebral palsied children.

(1975). Results of Strabismus Therapy in Cerebral Palsied Children. American Orthoptic Journal: Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 46-53.
1975–81: Military Ascendancy in Bangladesh

Between 1975 and 1981 Bangladesh’s foreign policy was given a new identity. This was partly the contribution of the leader at that time, Ziaur Rahman, who came to power on 7 November 1975. As noted in Chapter 1, both internal and external influences on a state’s foreign policy need to be taken into consideration, so the identification and evaluation of the significance of both the domestic and external forces at work is required. The purpose of this chapter is to illustrate the ways in which long-term domestic political, cultural and economic pressures in Bangladesh, themselves inextricably interwoven, have combined with specific domestic political events, such as Ziaur Rahman’s rise to power, and have influenced the relationship between Bangladesh and India.
Forum: Insiders, Outsiders, and Disclosure in the Undergraduate Classroom

In this set of essays, three authors provide different perspectives on whether personal religious sensibilities and identities affect the ways we teach religion. Elliott Bazzano discusses how, as a white Muslim convert teaching at a Catholic college, he incorporates selective autobiographical anecdotes into his classes as a way to problematize the meaning of “insider” and “outsider,” and pushes his students to recognize the many layers of identity that any given person embodies at a given time. In the second essay, Audrey Truschke explains why she makes no reference to her own religious beliefs or affiliations in class as part of her strategy to demonstrate how students can study any religion regardless of personal convictions. In the third essay, Jayme Yeo explores the benefits of discussing personal religious identity as a means to resist the categories of “inside” and “outside,” which she sees as heterogeneous concepts that do not always offer explanatory power upon close examination.
What’s at stake? An analysis of employee social media engagement and the influence of power and social stake

Abstract Engagement has become the new buzzword for public relations, in both research and practice. And yet, despite its centrality and import for public relations, the concept still remains severely under-developed. Discussions have centered on engagement’s connection to the organization-public relationship and its role in facilitating and mediating relationship outcomes. Yet, two considerations of engagement have gone practically unconsidered: the sense of power and sense of stake of a public or stakeholder group in social media activities regarding an organization. This study examines social media engagement among employees and argues for a need to consider stake and relational connection as critical components.
Beyond Ethnicity: Toward a Critique of the Hegemonic Discipline E. San Juan, Jr.

With the current vogue of multiculturalism and cultural diversity requirements as panacea for systemic problems, scholars and teachers of Ethnic Studies need to reassess the principles and goals of their discipline. Los Angeles 1992, among other developments, has exposed the serious inadequacies of old paradigms. A review of the racialized history of Asians in U.S. society, a narrative of oppression and opposition now mystified by the model minority myth, allows us to grasp the flaws of the liberal pluralist focus on culture divorced from the political and economic contexts of unequal power relations. Ultimately, for whom is Ethnic Studies designed? By historicizing identity politics and validating the genealogy of resistance, we in the field of Ethnic Studies can refuse to be mere apologists for the status quo and revitalize the critical and emancipatory thrust of Ethnic Studies, a thrust inseparable from the struggle of people of color against white supremacy.
Fifty Years of Chicano Theatre: Mapping the Face(s) of the New American Theatre

One of the most produced and anthologized actos (brief commedia-like political sketches) collectively created by the Teatro Campesino (Farmworkers Theatre) under Luis Valdez’s direction, is titled Los vendidos (The Sellouts).
A compositional approach to conjunct agreement in Turkish

This article presents novel empirical evidence on verbal agreement patterns observed in conjunction phrases (CPs) in Turkish. To account for the discrepancies observed in native speaker preferences in agreement paradigms in CPs, two experimental tasks were carried out: namely an acceptability judgment task and a forced choice task. Based on the results, it is proposed that there is compositional conjunct agreement in Turkish that takes place in two stages. The agreement relationship is first established between the Agreement head and the coordinated phrase in the syntax. Then, the PF spells out the features of either the coordinated phrase, or the features of the linearly closest conjunct inside the coordinated phrase. I argue that Full Agreement (FA) results from the Spec-head agreement with the CP, whereby the features of both conjuncts are resolved and inherited to the CP (Johannessen 1996). In Closest Conjunct Agreement (CCA), on the other hand, the agreeing head has asymmetric access to one of the prominent conjuncts or its features (Boskovic 2009; Johannessen 1998; Munn 1993, 1999; Benmamoun 1992). Thus, in CCA in Turkish, the agreement is with the linearly closest conjunct and the features of that conjunct appear on the verb.
Assessing the Impact of a National Cybersecurity Competition on Students' Career Interests

It is well documented that there is a sizable shortage of workers in cybersecurity and related careers. Exacerbating this problem are severe imbalances with respect to gender and other underrepresented categories, with one recent study finding only 11% of cybersecurity professionals are women. One approach to addressing these shortages is to attempt to increase interest in cybersecurity careers through extracurricular cybersecurity competitions. CyberPatriot is the largest cybersecurity competition for middle and high school students in North America, with over 14,000 young people participating during the 2016-2017 school year. This paper assesses the impact of this competition on participants' interest in cybersecurity careers. Survey data previously collected by the competition organizers is analyzed with rigorous statistical methods. Results show that participants' interest in cybersecurity increased meaningfully in several dimensions relevant to career selection. Further analysis also finds that despite lower initial interest in cybersecurity careers among female participants, this interest increased by an even greater amount than it did for male participants.
Incidence and significance of hepatitis B and A virus serologic markers in Greek cirrhotic patients.

The incidence of serological markers of hepatitis B and A virus infection was studied by radioimmunoassay in 89 Greek cirrhotic patients. Controls consisted of 90 patients without liver disease. HB,Ag was detected in 62 (69.5%) patients, anti-HB3 in 35 (39.3%), anti-HBc in 60 (67.4%), HBcAg in 13 (14.6%), anti-HBe in 58 (65.1%), and the anti-HAV in 86 (96.6%). The corresponding figures for the control group were: HB3Ag 4 (4.5%), anti-HB5 34 (37.7%), anti-HBc 41 (45.5%), HBeAg 3 (3.3%), antiHBe 21 (23.3%), and anti-HAV 86 (95.5%). This high incidence of positive reactions in cirrhotic patients strongly suggests the possibility that HBV infection may be an important causative factor in the development of cirrhosis in Greece. No association could be established between hepatitis A virus infection and cirrhosis.
Cosmic Microwave Background Cosmology

We review the CMB spectrum and the upper limits on the effects which would distort the Planck black-body distribution, such as Compton scattering, reionisation, plasma effects. The experimental analysis of the angular anisotropies is discussed, as well as the physics pertinent to the different angular momentum regions. The connection between cosmology and the observed inhomogeneities and the determination of the cosmological parameters are summarised, as well as the underlying assumptions. The physical origin of the polarisation of the CMB is explained, and the first experimental results are recalled.
Rational Convex Programs, Their Feasibility, and the Arrow-Debreu Nash Bargaining Game

Over the last decade, combinatorial algorithms have been obtained for exactly solving several nonlinear convex programs. We first provide a formal context to this activity by introducing the notion of {\em rational convex programs} -- this also enables us to identify a number of questions for further study. So far, such algorithms were obtained for total problems only. Our main contribution is developing the methodology for handling non-total problems, i.e., their associated convex programs may be infeasible for certain settings of the parameters. The specific problem we study pertains to a Nash bargaining game, called ADNB, which is derived from the linear case of the Arrow-Debreu market model. We reduce this game to computing an equilibrium in a new market model called {\em flexible budget market}, and we obtain primal-dual algorithms for determining feasibility, as well as giving a proof of infeasibility and finding an equilibrium. We give an application of our combinatorial algorithm for ADNB to an important "fair" throughput allocation problem on a wireless channel.
Electrolyte transport in polymer barrier coatings: perspectives from other disciplines

Abstract Large infrastructure for transportation, energy transmission, water supply etc., must survive for many decades with their carbon steel components protected against corrosion by organic polymer coatings. Modern, environmentally responsible coatings are replaced more frequently than was necessary for some older coating technologies. In order to find useful, additional insights, this review is based on ideas and information from other topics rather than from conventional coatings sources. There is considerable research done on desalination membranes, batteries, and the nervous system that seems useful in understanding better how the composition of polymers affects their barrier properties. Typical crosslinked coatings have characteristics and defects that limit their performance. Very few molecules of water are required to enable corrosion, so improvement of barrier properties requires considerable control over the composition of a coating. There is no common mechanism of how barrier coatings deteriorate, but behavior seems to fall between two patterns. More successful coatings seem to fail slowly due to degradation of the coating upon exposure but less successful coatings fail faster and progressively by mechanisms that have yet to be clarified. Some information and ideas, from non-coating disciplines, are presented delete comma that may be worthy of investigation.
Sterically demanding methoxy and methyl groups in ruthenium complexes lead to enhanced quantum yields for blue light triggered photodissociation

Ruthenium complexes containing a sterically congested metal center can serve as light activated prodrugs through photo-activated chemotherapy (PACT). In this work, we modified PACT agents containing 6,6′-dihydroxybipyridine (6,6′-dhbp) (Papish et al., Inorg. Chem., 2017, 56, 7519) by replacing it with a sterically bulky isoelectronic ligand, 6,6′-dimethoxybipyridine (6,6′-dmbp). The resulting complexes, [(phen)2Ru(6,6′-dmbp)]Cl2 (2OMe, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) and [(dop)2Ru(6,6′-dmbp)]Cl2 (3OMe, dop = 2,3-dihydro-[1,4]dioxino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline), have been fully characterized and display enhanced quantum yields for blue light triggered photodissociation of 0.024(6) and 0.0030(2), respectively. We have also synthesized 4OH = [(dmphen)2Ru(4,4′-dhbp)]Cl2 wherein dmphen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline and 4,4′-dhbp = 4,4′-dihydroxybipyridine. These ligands enhance steric bulk near the metal center and move the hydroxy groups further from the metal center, respectively. Complex 4OH displays a relatively low quantum yield of 0.0014(2). All of the new complexes (2OMe, 3OMe, 4OH) were tested in breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and were non-toxic (IC50 > 100 μM). This has been interpreted in terms of unfavorable log(Do/w) values and furthermore photodissociation alone is insufficient for cytotoxicity. We also report the crystal structures of 4OH and 2OMe, the thermodynamic acidity of complex 4OH, and the redox potentials for all new complexes.
Predictive Model for Affordable Greenhouse Operations

Food insecurity is an increasing problem worldwide due to the effects of climate change and lack of access to water. Lower agricultural outputs lead to higher food prices, which only exacerbates food insecurity. Technology innovations that can help mitigate some of these issues, such as affordable greenhouses, are increasingly being used across Sub-Saharan Africa. Greenhouses help reduce water consumption and often produce higher crop yields. This article describes a predictive model that assesses the probability of success for different use cases for greenhouses. By utilizing inputs (water accessibility, level of agricultural expertise, soil quality, etc.) and by taking into account the modes of greenhouse operation (whether crops are grown to maturity and harvest, seedlings are transplanted to open-air fields, etc.), the model forecasts outputs (mainly net yield) to better predict the success of a given greenhouse. Each input is identified and discussed in terms of how it affects the greenhouse and the four modes of operation are outlined, including how they each affect outputs. The outputs are then described followed by several scenarios that can be used to better understand the model. This article is of interest to innovators and entrepreneurs engaged in greenhouse farming as well as nonprofits and agricultural ministries trying to support them. The real value of this article is not in predicting yields as much as understanding the relationships between the inputs, outputs, and environmental parameters for different modes of operation and use cases.
Toward More Rigor in Focus Group Research: A New Framework for Collecting and Analyzing Focus Group Data

Despite the abundance of published material on conducting focus groups, scant specific information exists on how to analyze focus group data in social science research. Thus, the authors provide a new qualitative framework for collecting and analyzing focus group data. First, they identify types of data that can be collected during focus groups. Second, they identify the qualitative data analysis techniques best suited for analyzing these data. Third, they introduce what they term as a micro-interlocutor analysis, wherein meticulous information about which participant responds to each question, the order in which each participant responds, response characteristics, the nonverbal communication used, and the like is collected, analyzed, and interpreted. They conceptualize how conversation analysis offers great potential for analyzing focus group data. They believe that their framework goes far beyond analyzing only the verbal communication of focus group participants, thereby increasing the rigor of focus group analyses in social science research.
Round Valve in an Oval Hole: Right-Sizing Prosthetic Aortic Valves With Preoperative Computed Tomography.

Progressive narrowing of the aortic valve orifice eventually leads to limitations in cardiac output and myocardial blood flow, particularly during exercise or other physiological stress. The pressure gradient across the stenotic aortic valve is a useful and reproducible measure of the severity of the stenosis in most patients. The mainstay of therapy for aortic stenosis is relief of the fixed obstruction that has traditionally been accomplished with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). However, during the past decade, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has rapidly evolved as an alternative therapy. Despite improvements in valve design and delivery, all prostheses are hemodynamically inferior to healthy native valves and, therefore, valve replacement results in the exchange of de novo valve disease for prosthetic valve disease. Because the gradient across most prosthetic valves is directly related to their size, a paradigm of aortic valve surgery is to implant the largest valve possible to minimize the transvalvular pressure gradient and maximize the ability to generate increased cardiac output in times of increased demand. See Article by George et al The potential placement of a prosthetic valve that is relatively too small for a patient is a significant concern (Figure A and B). This condition, which has been referred to as patient–prosthesis mismatch (PPM), results in persistent imbalance between the hemodynamic abilities of the aortic prosthesis and the required cardiac output of the patient. Resting cardiac output and transvalvular flow increase proportionally with body surface area; therefore, the recommended parameter for diagnosis of PPM is the indexed effective orifice area (effective orifice area divided by body surface area). Traditionally, the presence of PPM is defined as an indexed effective orifice area of <0.85 cm2/m2 and severe PPM is <0.65 cm2/m2.1 PPM is the most common cause of elevated …
How to prove hybrid systems

Hybrid systems combine discrete dynamics with continuous dynamics along differential equations. They arise frequently in many safety-critical application domains, including aviation, automotive, railway, and robotics. But how can we ensure that these systems are guaranteed to meet their design goals, e.g., that an aircraft will not crash into another one? This talk describes how hybrid systems can be proved using differential dynamic logic. Differential dynamic logic (dL) provides compositional logics, programming languages, and reasoning principles for hybrid systems. As implemented in the theorem prover KeYmaera X, dL has been instrumental in verifying many applications, including the Airborne Collision Avoidance System ACAS X, the European Train Control System ETCS, automotive systems, mobile robot navigation, and a surgical robot system for skull-base surgery.
Examining the concept of engagement in physical education

The concept of engagement is a multidimensional construct that has long been used by researchers as a means of explaining student behaviour in classrooms and schools. However, the research using th...
Suicidal self‐directed violence among gender minority individuals: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE Gender minority individuals represent a population at increased risk for suicidal self-directed violence (SDV). However, traditional models of suicidal SDV fail to consider gender minority population-specific factors that may buffer or exacerbate risk; further, while sexual and gender minority (SGM) health disparity frameworks may be extended suicidal SDV outcomes among gender minority individuals, little research exists bridging the gap between suicidal SDV research and SGM health disparity research. Thus, the current study sought to identify factors from SGM health disparity models related to suicidal SDV among gender minority individuals. METHOD The current study presents a synthesis of peer-reviewed publications (n = 11) that were informed by an SGM health framework and specifically examined suicidal SDV among adult gender minority individuals within the United States. RESULTS Factors from SGM health disparity models related to suicidal SDV outcomes included the following: 1) gender minority identity-related factors; 2) gender minority-related rejection, discrimination, harassment, and victimization; 3) structural stigma; and 4) resilience factors. CONCLUSIONS Findings support the applicability of SGM health disparity concepts to suicidal SDV outcomes among gender minority individuals. Future longitudinal research with more diverse participants examining the impact of intersectionality of identity and predictive model fit is warranted.
Single-cell sequencing reveals suppressive transcriptional programs regulated by MIS/AMH in neonatal ovaries

Mullerian inhibiting substance (MIS/AMH), produced by granulosa cells of growing follicles, is an important regulator of folliculogenesis and follicle development. Treatment with exogenous MIS in mice suppresses follicle development and prevents ovulation. To investigate the mechanisms by which MIS inhibits follicle development, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of whole neonatal ovaries treated with MIS at birth and analyzed at postnatal day 6, coinciding with the first wave of follicle growth. We identified distinct transcriptional signatures associated with MIS responses in the ovarian cell types. MIS treatment inhibited proliferation in granulosa, surface epithelial, and stromal cell types of the ovary and elicited a unique signature of quiescence in granulosa cells. In addition to decreasing the number of growing preantral follicles, we found that MIS treatment uncoupled the maturation of germ cells and granulosa cells. In conclusion, MIS suppressed neonatal follicle development by inhibiting proliferation, imposing a quiescent cell state, and preventing granulosa cell differentiation.
Sex Roles and the Erasure of Women from Conversations About Gender Oppression: The Case of #BoysDanceToo:

In 2019, the #BoysDanceToo movement reacted in anger to controversial, misogynistic remarks made on Good Morning America. These reactions highlighted the challenges faced by men and boys in dance. ...
Regulation of Adenosine 3',5'-Monophosphate-dependent Protein Kinase I. PRELIMINARY CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ADIPOSE TISSUE ENZYME IN CRUDE EXTRACTS

Abstract In order to investigate the effects of hormones on the adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase of adipose tissue, it was necessary to study the characteristics of the enzyme in crude tissue extracts. There was an apparent activation of the enzyme by NaF, but this effect was probably due to inhibition of adenosine triphosphatase activity. The activity of phosphodiesterase in the extracts was low under the conditions of the experiments. Two procedures to determine the state of activation of the protein kinase in crude extracts are described. Both procedures are based on the amounts of inactive protein kinase (holoenzyme) and active catalytic subunit present. In the first procedure the activity ratio of the protein kinase is measured, i.e. the ratio of activity in the absence to activity in the presence of cAMP. At 0° in the presence of 0.5 m NaCl the protein kinase activity ratio was not affected by dilution of the extracts. Under these conditions, when cAMP was removed by gel filtration, the activity ratio decreased only very slowly but decreased rapidly in the absence of NaCl. The salt probably inhibits association of the regulatory and catalytic subunits of the protein kinase. In the second procedure for determining the activation state of the protein kinase, crude adipose tissue extracts were chromatographed on Sephadex G-100 columns and the areas under the curves of the two peaks of enzyme activity corresponding to holoenzyme and catalytic subunit were estimated. Sodium chloride (0.5 m) at 0° inhibited the association of the protein kinase subunits during this procedure. Sephadex G-100 profiles of the protein kinase in crude extracts of heart, brain, and liver were also determined. Sodium chloride (0.5 m) was also found to increase the activity ratio of the protein kinase in the presence of cAMP. At 0° this increase occurred relatively slowly and was accompanied by an increase in cAMP binding and a decrease in the cAMP requirement for enzyme activity.
Molecular mechanisms of endothelial to mesenchymal cell transition (EndoMT) in experimentally induced fibrotic diseases

Several recent studies have demonstrated that endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndoMT), a newly recognized type of cellular transdifferentiation may be an important source of myofibroblasts during the development of experimentally induced pulmonary, cardiac and kidney fibrosis. EndoMT is a complex biological process induced by members of the transforming growth factor (TGF-β) family of regulatory polypeptides in which endothelial cells adopt a mesenchymal or myofibroblastic phenotype acquiring motile and contractile properties and initiating expression of mesenchymal cell products such as α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and type I collagen. Although these experimental studies provide compelling evidence for the participation of EndoMT in the development of experimentally-induced fibrotic processes the precise role of EndoMT in the pathogenesis of human fibrotic disorders requires confirmation and validation from studies of human clinical pathologic conditions. Such confirmation should lead to a change in the paradigm of the origin of profibrogenic myofibroblasts involved in human fibrotic diseases. Further understanding of the molecular mechanisms and the regulatory pathways involved in EndoMT may lead to the development of novel therapeutic approaches for the incurable and often devastating fibrotic disorders.