cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dancing in the Streets The Arts in Postwar U.S. Cities—Introduction

This collection of essays on the arts in postwar U.S. cities offers a historical perspective on the contemporary embrace of the arts as a tool for urban placemaking, neighborhood revitalization, ec...
Mobility and Affordability in US Housing

In the US, affordability is changed by some housing policies that are set nationally and by others set locally. Since interventions tend to change rents and prices from market equilibrium levels, they usually lower the volume of transactions, hence mobility. Upon close examination, however, data from the 25 largest US cities do not support the (negative) association of mobility with intervention as strongly as do data comparing different countries with one another. National intervention affects cities uniformly; and local intervention, while important, is usually outweighed by other factors in the US. What matter most are the economic fortunes of particular industries that spur the growth of some cities and hold back others. The more households proliferate or migrate in, the more will a city develop new neighbourhoods and generate chains of moves or turnover of the entire housing stock. Variations in growth rates thus dominate differences in the degree of intervention as spurs or blocks to mobility.
Evaluating Attitudes toward Clergy Restoration: The Psychometric Properties of Two Scales

Restoring clergy to leadership following a transgression is a pastoral psychology topic of international concern. Few empirical studies have examined factors weighed by offended congregants challenged with considerations of forgiveness and restoration. The purpose of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of two attitudinal measures of restoration used in previous research (Sutton, McLeland, Weaks, Cogswell and Miphouvieng. Pastoral Psychology, 55, 643–663, 2007; Sutton and Thomas 2004; Sutton and Thomas. Pastoral Psychology, 53, 583–599, 2005a). Analysis (sample n = 210) of the Clergy Situational Restoration Inventory (CSRI) suggested two levels of offense severity account for most of the variance. Reliability and concurrent validity values for the CSRI and the two Leadership Restoration Scales (LRS) were adequate. We included the scales for future research and reference.
Detection of prostate cancer by integration of line-scan diffusion, T2-mapping and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging; a multichannel statistical classifier

A multichannel statistical classifier for detecting prostate cancer was developed and validated by combining information from three different magnetic resonance (MR) methodologies: T2-weighted, T2-mapping, and line scan diffusion imaging (LSDI). From these MR sequences, four different sets of image intensities were obtained: T2-weighted (T2W) from T2-weighted imaging, Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) from LSDI, and proton density (PD) and T2 (T2 Map) from T2-mapping imaging. Manually segmented tumor labels from a radiologist, which were validated by biopsy results, served as tumor "ground truth." Textural features were extracted from the images using co-occurrence matrix (CM) and discrete cosine transform (DCT). Anatomical location of voxels was described by a cylindrical coordinate system. A statistical jack-knife approach was used to evaluate our classifiers. Single-channel maximum likelihood (ML) classifiers were based on 1 of the 4 basic image intensities. Our multichannel classifiers: support vector machine (SVM) and Fisher linear discriminant (FLD), utilized five different sets of derived features. Each classifier generated a summary statistical map that indicated tumor likelihood in the peripheral zone (PZ) of the prostate gland. To assess classifier accuracy, the average areas under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves over all subjects were compared. Our best FLD classifier achieved an average ROC area of 0.839(+/-0.064), and our best SVM classifier achieved an average ROC area of 0.761(+/-0.043). The T2W ML classifier, our best single-channel classifier, only achieved an average ROC area of 0.599(+/-0.146). Compared to the best single-channel ML classifier, our best multichannel FLD and SVM classifiers have statistically superior ROC performance (P=0.0003 and 0.0017, respectively) from pairwise two-sided t-test. By integrating the information from multiple images and capturing the textural and anatomical features in tumor areas, summary statistical maps can potentially aid in image-guided prostate biopsy and assist in guiding and controlling delivery of localized therapy under image guidance.
Conductive anodic filament enhancement in the presence of a polyglycol-containing flux [PWBs]

Under certain environmental conditions, printed wiring boards (PWB) respond to applied voltages by developing subsurface deposits of copper salts extending from anode to cathode along separated fiber/epoxy interfaces. These deposits are termed conductive anodic filaments (CAF). In this work, the dimensions and growth patterns of a CAF has been determined by serial sectioning. The CAF growth pathway is characterized and the spatial distribution of the copper salts is quantified with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chemical composition of the CAF is determined using energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The failure phenomena known as CAF poses serious long term reliability risks in electronic applications where the PWB is exposed to adverse and hostile environments or those with closely spaced conductors. Recent ion chromatography results indicate a correlation between the polyglycol and halide content of the soldering flux, and a substrate's susceptibility to CAF formation.
Navigator-gated MR angiography of the renal arteries: a potential screening tool for renal artery stenosis.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to determine how well unenhanced navigatorgated steady-state free precession (Nav SSFP) MR angiography (MRA) performs as a screening test for the detection of renal artery stenosis.SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Forty patients referred to rule out renal artery stenosis were imaged using an optimized Nav SSFP MRA sequence before conventional contrast-enhanced MRA (CE-MRA). Two radiologists evaluated Nav SSFP for maximum stenosis measurement, and comparison was made with CE-MRA results.RESULTS. Fifteen of the 40 patients had greater than 50% renal artery stenosis as determined on CE-MRA. Sensitivity for detecting renal artery stenosis with Nav SSFP was 100%; specificity, 84%; negative predictive value, 100%; and positive predictive value, 79%. The average mean stenosis difference between Nav SSFP and CE-MRA was 10% ± 9%.CONCLUSION. Sensitivity and negative predictive value for the detection of renal artery stenosis using Nav SSFP were perfect, with an acceptable specificity of...
Do narcissists make better decisions? An investigation of narcissism and dynamic decision-making performance

Abstract We investigated whether narcissism affected dynamic decision-making performance in the presence and absence of misleading information. Performance was examined in a two-choice dynamic decision-making task where the optimal strategy was to forego an option providing larger immediate rewards in favor of an option that led to larger delayed rewards. Information regarding foregone rewards from the alternate option was presented or withheld to bias participants toward the sub-optimal choice. The results demonstrated that individuals high in narcissistic traits performed comparably to low narcissism individuals when foregone reward information was absent, but high narcissism individuals outperformed individuals low in narcissistic traits when misleading information was presented. The advantage for participants high in narcissistic traits was strongest within males, and, overall, males outperformed females when foregone rewards were present. While prior research emphasizes narcissists’ decision-making deficits, our findings provide evidence that individuals high in narcissistic traits excel at decision-making tasks that involve disregarding ambiguous information and focusing on the long-term utility of each option. Their superior ability at filtering out misleading information may reflect an effort to maintain their self-view or avoid ego threat.
Impacts of low and high input agriculture on landscape structure and function

The conversion from high to low input agricultural systems has been studied at the field and farm scale but analysis of the effects of conversion at the landscape or regional scale has not previously been attempted. In this paper, we apply existing historical data bases on changing inputs and changing land uses to project possible effects of conversion on productivity and environmental quality on the landscape scale. We chose two areas for the analysis of changing input effects on landscape structure and function. One area is a region defined as the southern half of the lower peninsula of Michigan (Southern Lower Michigan or SLM). The second area is a small watershed, Watershed K of the Little River Watershed, in the Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Plain of Georgia. In SLM, land use data suggest that lower input use will lower per hectare productivity, and that regional production can only be maintained by bringing marginal lands into production. The prime lands not already in crop production in SLM are mostly poorly drained or sandy soils which will require either drainage modifications or supplemental irrigation for crop production. Intensification of input use in SLM during the last 20 years has led to increases in aggregate production, but may have contributed to declining water quality in the Grand River, the major drainage of that region. On Watershed K, corn grain yield was linearly related to N fertilizer application. A hypothetical yield response curve with a yield of 1500 kg/ha of corn grain without nitrogen fertilizer was selected for use in the analysis of changing inputs. Land use data on Watershed K showed that even with no nitrogen input to corn, the aggregate production of corn could be maintained without encroachment on riparian areas which are critical to maintenance of water quality. Our analyses, which are limited to historical data on the relationships among input, yield, and environmental quality, raise many questions about the landscape scale effects of conversion from high to low input systems. Relationships between inputs and yields are poorly understood at the field scale and relationships among inputs, productivity, and environmental quality have not been established at the landscape scale. Our analyses also raise questions about the need to maintain aggregate landscape production in the light of crop surpluses and declining environmental quality.
Developing the musical brain to boost early pre-verbal, communication and listening skills: The implications for musicality development pre- and post-cochlear implantation. It is not just about Nursery Rhymes!

AbstractObjectivesA growing body of evidence suggests that musical activities can enhance the listening brain and develop higher cognitive functions, including linguistic abilities. The BabyBeats™ early intervention resource, a musical habilitation resource, was designed to improve early parent interaction, early listening behaviour, early communication skills, and social and emotional development, pre- and post-implantation.MethodsA feasibility study was conducted on families from the UK. There were two groups: seven babies 12 months old. Audit data were collected based on a simple parental and professional feedback questionnaire, completed at the end of an 8-month trial.ResultsParental feedback was positive and ideas from the resource were carried over into the family's everyday routines. Parents and professionals observed increased vocalisation, attenti...
Multiplexed Holography for Single-Shot Three-Dimensional Shape and Displacement Measurements

Holographic interferometric methods for measuring 3D displacement fields require at least three individual sensitivity vectors. Methods based on multiple directions of illumination have limited application when studying transient phenomena, including, but not limited to, measurements of biological tissues that have temporally-varying responses, such as the eardrum or Tympanic Membrane (TM). Therefore, to measure 3D displacements in such applications, all the measurements have to be done concomitantly. In this paper, we propose a new multiple illumination direction approach to measure 3D displacements from a single-shot hologram that contains displacement information from three sensitivity vectors. In our approach, the hologram of an object of interest is recorded with three simultaneous incoherently-superimposed pairs of reference and object beams, such that the modulation image corresponding to each illumination direction is reconstructed at a particular position on the image. Incoherent superposition of the beams is implemented by using three different laser diodes. Because of the differences in the position of each reference beam and wavelength of each pair of beams, the reconstruction distance and magnification of each sensitivity vector are different. We, therefore, developed and implemented a registration algorithm to accurately translate individual views into a single global coordinate system. Representative results will include measurements of shape and sound-induced 3D displacements of the TM.
Movement patterns of gray triggerfish, Balistes capriscus, around artificial reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Little is known about the movement patterns of gray triggerfish, Balistes capriscus Gmelin, in the northern Gulf of Mexico. To examine fine-scale movements, gray triggerfish (n = 17) were tagged with transmitters and tracked with the VR2W Positioning System from 17 October 2012 to 9 December 2013. Most (76%) tagged fish survived and were tracked for 1–57 weeks. Tagged fish showed significantly larger home ranges and core areas in autumn than winter–spring and during day than night. Seasonal movement patterns were positively correlated with water temperature. Gray triggerfish stayed close to the reef (mean ± SD distance = 35.9 ± 28.4 m) and showed high site fidelity (64%) and high residency (>57 weeks). These patterns emphasise the importance of structured habitat for this species and suggest that artificial reef building in the northern Gulf of Mexico has enhanced this population.
Small Islands' Quest for Economic Development

Using time series data, the paper analyses the economic structure of island countries. The results are illustrated using five case studies. It is demonstrated that countries pursuing strategies based on service industries or exports of light manufactures have been more successful in attaining development objectives. This success has been translated into improved welfare for the populations of these countries. In contrast, a promotion of agriculture and remittances has tended to have a negative effect on development and on levels of welfare of the relevant island countries.
Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism heritability of nicotine dependence as a multidimensional phenotype.

Background Heritability estimates from twin studies of the multi-faceted phenotype of nicotine dependence (ND) range from moderate to high (31–60%), but vary substantially based on the specific ND-related construct examined. The current study estimated the aggregate role of common genetic variants on key ND constructs. Method Genomic-relationship-matrix restricted maximum likelihood (GREML) was used to decompose phenotypic variance across multiple ND indices using 796 125 polymorphisms from 2346 unrelated ‘lifetime ever smokers’ of European ancestry. Measures included DSM-IV ND and Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) summary measures and constituent constructs (e.g. withdrawal severity, tolerance, heaviness of smoking and time spent smoking). Exploratory and confirmatory factor models were used to describe the covariance structure across ND measures; resulting factor(s) were the subject(s) of GREML analyses. Results Factor models indicated highly correlated DSM-IV and FTND factors for ND (0.545, 95% confidence interval 0.50–0.60) that could be represented as a higher-order factor (NIC DEP). Additive genetic influence on NIC DEP was 33% (s.e. = 0.14, p = 0.009). Post-hoc analyses indicated moderate genetic effects on the DSM-IV (34%, s.e. = 0.14, p = 0.008) and FTND (26%, s.e. = 0.14, p = 0.032) factors, both of which were influenced by the same genetic effects (r G-SNP = 1.00, s.e. = 0.09, p < 0.00001). Conclusions Overall, common single nucleotide polymorphisms accounted for a large proportion of the genetic influences on ND-related phenotypes that have been observed in twin studies. Genetic contributions across distinct ND scales were largely influenced by shared genetic factors.
Single Center Experience with Successful Left Ventricular Assist Device Explantation Following Myocardial Recovery

s S333 active endocarditis (p= 0.013; OR 1.5), CABG operation (p= 0.004; OR 1.3), aortic valve replacement operation (p= 0.008; OR 1.3), mitral valve replacement (p= 0.005; OR 1.4), replacement of the ascendens aorta (p= 0.002; OR 1.5), postoperative cardiac arrhythmia (p= 0.005; OR 5.6), symptomatic postoperative transitory psychotic syndrome (p< 0.001; OR 2.4), gastrointestinal complication (p= 0.031; OR 8.9). Conclusion: ECMO support is an acceptable option for patients with postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock who otherwise would die and is justified by good long-term outcome of hospital survivors. By high morbidity and mortality and also high resource management ECMO support must be definite by individual risk profile.
Convective PCR Thermocycling with Smartphone-Based Detection: A Versatile Platform for Rapid, Inexpensive, and Robust Mobile Diagnostics

Development of portable PCR-based diagnostic instruments has potential to greatly expand availability of advanced health care technologies. But issues associated with cost, complexity, electrical power requirements, and product detection continue to make PCR challenging to deploy outside of conventional laboratory environments. Here we review exciting recent progress toward development of convective thermocycling approaches that promise to overcome these limitations, laying a foundation for a new generation of inexpensive and greatly simplified diagnostic tools that can be readily deployed in a host of field-based settings.
Implementing the Patient Portal of the PEHR in the Metropolitan Region Rhine-Neckar - Experiences with Liferay.

A patient portal with access to a personal cross-enterprise electronic health record (PEHR) had to be developed for the project "INFormation technology for PATient-oriented healthcare in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region" (INFOPAT). Liferay was chosen as the platform technology in previous researches. Multiple portlets for patients, study members, security officers and administrators had been developed in Java. In this paper all portlets are presented. For three portlets the communication between them, Liferay and the PEHR are described in detail. To communicate with the PEHR a facade called IHE Connector had been implemented too. Despite the broad functionality of the Liferay Core some workarounds had to be implemented. The lack of information in the provided documentation of Liferay lead to delays in development. The Liferay IDE and Liferay itself showed an unstable state.
Memories of Menahem Schiffer

Although Menahem (Max) Schiffer was the person who formally appointed me at Stanford and who was “Executive Head” of the Mathematics Department when I arrived there in 1959, I had little direct professional contact with him during his lifetime. But his mathematical stature, inner dignity, and personal nobility were unmistakable, and I profited in profound ways from them during my tenure at Stanford. The occasional general lectures he gave were major events not to be missed. He saw each topic in active context with the whole of science and had an amazing talent for developing the material in all its ramifications, displaying insights and interconnections with a clarity that left me with a sense of awe and revelation. He did this invariably without use of lecture notes; it simply flowed from within him, providing the listener a clear awareness of the majestic achievements that arise in great science.
Perceived low-quality communication is not associated with greater frequency of requests for ethics consultation: Null findings from an empirical study

ABSTRACTBackground: Prior research has explored reasons why health care providers may or may not choose to seek an ethics consultation. Although low-quality communication is evident in many ethics consultations, it is unknown whether poor communication in clinical settings is related to health care providers' requests for ethics involvement. Objective: To assess the relationship between self-reported ratings of health care providers' inter- and intraprofessional communication and ethics consultation requests. Method: This cross-sectional survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire of physicians and nurses in six intensive care units at one academic medical center in the United States. The questionnaire assessed perceptions about requesting ethics consultations and how health care providers perceive communication. Results: Two hundred sixty-two participants (228 nurses and 34 physicians) responded to the survey (response rate 55%; 59% for nurses and 41% for physicians). Requests for an eth...
In Defense of Sophisticated Theories of Welfare

“Sophisticated” theories of welfare face two potentially devastating criticisms. They are based upon two claims: that theories of welfare should be tested for what they imply about newborn infants and that even if a theory of welfare is intended to apply only to adults, we might still have sufficient reason to reject it because it implies an implausible divergence between adult and neonatal welfare. It has been argued we ought reject sophisticated theories of welfare because they have significantly counterintuitive implications about neonatal welfare and because they imply an implausible divergence between the welfare of adults and that of newborns. I argue against both claims.
Quantification of Oligonucleotide Association with miRNA–Argonaute Complexes In Vitro

A major challenge in the development of oligonucleotide-based microRNA (miRNA) inhibitors for therapeutic applications is the identification of candidate designs with strong affinity for the target miRNA in the context of the Argonaute complex. To this effect, distinct chemical modifications are employed along the length of the oligonucleotide aimed at strengthening the interactions with the target miRNA. However, the modification chemistry and placement can inadvertently affect the intrinsic ability of the oligonucleotide to pair with its target in the context of Argonaute. To facilitate the design of potent oligonucleotides, we developed a sensitive high-throughput methodology to compare anti-miR compounds for their ability to associate with the miRNA/Argonaute complex.
Results of Arthroplasty for Avascular Necrosis of the Humeral Head in Sickle Cell Patients.

Abstract Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the humeral head is a debilitating complication of sickle cell disease (SCD) estimated to occur in ~5% of patients for which the optimal therapy is not well defined. Although shoulder replacement is often used for AVN in other settings, little information is available about the outcome of shoulder arthroplasty in this population. In this study, medical records, radiographs, and pre-operative assessment scores of eight adult patients with sickle cell disease were reviewed. Post-operative assessment scores and radiographs were prospectively collected by an independent observer at follow-up appointments. All eight patients had >2 years of follow up. The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 37 years old and there were 4 males and 4 females. Six of the patients had Hgb SS, one had Hgb SC and one had Hgb Sβ+ thalassemia. The average duration of symptoms prior to surgery was 26 months. Based on pre-operative shoulder radiographs, 5 of 7 evaluable patients had grade 3 or greater disease. Seven of eight patients had a hemiarthroplasty and one patient had a total arthroplasty. The mean follow up was 51 months. Complications included two episodes of sickle cell crises in the immediate post-operative period, and one intraoperative rotator cuff tear. One patient developed stiffness that required arthroscopic capsular release 22 months after his initial surgery. No infections were seen in the operated shoulder and no shoulder revisions were performed. At the most recent follow-up, the average American Shoulder and Elbow Society (ASES) score improved 31 points, indicating substantial functional improvement (J Shoulder Elbow Surg . 3(6):347–352, 1994). However, only 25% of the patients reported improvement in pain as assessed by a visual analog scale. While two patients had dramatic improvements in all aspects of our outcome measures, two other patients had decreased functional capacity with no improvement in pain. Radiographs at the most recent follow up revealed slight loosening of the prosthetic stem in one patient but no other radiographic complications. In conclusion, shoulder arthroplasty provides improvements in range of motion and joint function in the majority of patients. However, pain relief is less predictable, suggesting that other causes of sickle cell related pain are occuring. Nevertheless, given the limited options available for the treatment of AVN in sickle cell patients who have failed conservative approaches, shoulder arthroplasty is a reasonable treatment option.
Mechanical fault diagnosis system based on acoustic feature analysis in gas insulated switchgear

Gas Insulated Switchgear has been widely used because of its high reliability. But in the long run discharge faults and mechanical faults often happen to GIS, early GIS fault detection are mainly for GIS partial discharge fault detection, but this paper focuses on the study of mechanical vibration fault. Based on acoustic signal, the paper introduces the common mechanical fault types and fault mechanism; and use the whole sound acquisition method to extract different mechanical fault data in the field; Then analysis the signal in the time domain, frequency domain and inverse frequency domain and summarize the rules of acoustic characteristics of different faults; Finally, the general and software of the system are designed and the system structure diagram and software flow chart and human computer interaction interface are given.
Haptoglobin Polymorphism and Iron Homeostasis

Background: There is a marked difference in the degree of expression of the homozygous C282Y HFE genotype that is associated with hereditary hemochromatosis. It has been reported that individuals with the haptoglobin 2-2 type manifest increased iron concentrations, including serum iron, transferrin saturation, and ferritin. Methods: We studied 232 patients, 115 homozygous for the c.845G→A (C282Y) mutation and 117 matched controls with the wild-type HFE genotype, for haptoglobin phenotypes. Haptoglobin types were determined by electrophoresis of the denatured protein. The HFE genotype was determined by allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization. Ferritin and transferrin saturation were measured by standard methods. Results: There was no relationship between haptoglobin type and ferritin concentration or transferrin saturation. Conclusions: The effect of haptoglobin type on iron homeostasis cannot account for the marked phenotypic variation that is seen in patients homozygous for the HFE C282Y mutation.
Critical Care in Pregnancy

Pregnancy causes expansion of blood volume which, while adaptive, can also cause a delay in the recognition of significant hemorrhage. The critically ill pregnant patient requires thorough knowledge of physiologic changes that are normal during pregnancy. Logistics of their care may require a multidisciplinary approach [1].
NKG2D in innate and adaptive immunity.

The term “NK receptors” has been applied to a growing number of cell surface receptors that were initially identified by their expression on NK cells. However, it is becoming increasingly obvious that few or none of the known “NK receptors” are completely restricted in expression to NK cells. For example, many of the inhibitory mouse Ly49 receptors were in fact originally cloned from T cell lines [1],[2], the NKR-PI [3],[4] and CD94/NKG2A receptors are found on subsets of both human and mouse T cells [5]–[7], and KIR have been identified on human T cells [8],[9]. Typically, these “NK receptors” are present on effector or memory T cells, most frequently on γδ-TcR+ T cells or CD8+ T cells, and are rarely observed on naive resting T cells. Thus, the expression of “NK receptors” on T cells implies a role in adaptive, as well as innate, immunity.
Remembering Chet Bowers

Chet Bowers (1935–2017), an environmentalist and educational scholar, died this past July. Outlived by his wife, their two daughters, and three grandchildren, Chet spoke often and fondly of family ...
Special Section Guest Editorial: Quantum and Interband Cascade Lasers with Applications

This guest editorial introduces the Special Section on Quantum and Interband Cascade Lasers with Applications.
Structural and Genetic Basis of the Major Cross-Reactive Idiotype of the A Strain Mouse

Structural features peculiar to the variable regions of antibodies are widely believed to interact with regulatory forces which help to control and fine-tune the specific immune responses in which these antibodies participate.(1) The serologically recognized features of antibody variable regions known as idiotypes(2,3) constitute structurally definable analogs of the sites which interact with regulatory forces in this way, and they may in some cases be identical to such sites. Over the last decade, a number of laboratories have devoted considerable effort to the detailed chemical characterization of idiotypic determinants on antibody molecules. Most of this research has centered on structural comparisons of antibodies or myeloma proteins which belong to families of related molecules sharing a common specificity for antigen but differing in their expression of a cross-reactive idiotype. Antibodies elicited in the mouse in response to the hapten P-azophenylarsonate (Ars) have been particularly well studied in this regard and illustrate many of the problems involved in the structural characterization of idiotypes in general.
Climate Change Governance and Local Democracy: Synergy or Dissonance

This chapter focuses on governance arrangements in the reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, plus the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+) initiative. The United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (UN-REDD Programme) supports developing countries adopting REDD+, and commits to strengthen local democracy as a safeguard such that REDD+ benefits to local people are not captured by elites. The chapter questions whether the UN-REDD funded Nigeria-REDD program meets this safeguard requirement. Research methods included literature review, semi-structured interviews, focus group meetings and participant observation. The study finds that the design of Nigeria-REDD was not inclusive of democratically elected local government authority. The UN-REDD approved the Nigeria-REDD proposal, trusting that NGOs who were involved in designing Nigeria-REDD, will push for democratic governance. However, NGOs do not have a mandate to democratically respond to the needs of local people. The chapter recommends that UN-REDD should not only engage with NGOs, but also with elected local government authority, if it is to strengthen local democracy as a safeguard against elite capture of REDD+ benefits.
Seizure Predictability in an Experimental Model of Epilepsy

We have previously reported preictal spatiotemporal transitions in human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) using short term Lyapunov exponent (STL max ) and average angular frequency (\( \Omega \) ). These results have prompted us to apply the quantitative nonlinear methods to a limbic epilepsy rat (CLE), as this model has several important features of human MTLE. The present study tests the hypothesis that preictal dynamical changes similar to those seen in human MTLE exist in the CLE model. Forty-two, 2-hr epoch data sets from 4 CLE rats (mean seizure duration 74±20 sec) are analyzed, each containing a focal onset seizure and intracranial data beginning 1 hr before the seizure onset. Three nonlinear measures, correlation integral, short-term largest Lyapunov exponent and average angular frequency are used in the current study. Data analyses show multiple transient drops in STL max values during the preictal period followed by a significant drop during the ictal period. Average angular frequency values demonstrate transient peaks during the preictal period followed by a significant peak during the ictal period. Convergence among electrode sites is also observed in both STL max and \( \Omega \) values before seizure onset. Results suggest that dynamical changes precede and accompany seizures in rat CLE. Thus, it may be possible to use the rat CLE model as a tool to refine and test real-time seizure prediction, and closed-loop intervention techniques.
Cognitive-Emotional-Vestibular Triad in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract While mTBI symptoms fully resolve in most individuals, a significant minority follow a different trajectory, exhibiting a more variable course, which can range from subclinical intermittent symptoms to frank cognitive and behavioral impairments. For this latter group, these symptoms can be debilitating, distressing, and persistent, and have a significant impact on quality of life. This chapter will review the constellation of acute and post-acute cognitive and emotional changes associated with mTBI, as well as effects on vestibular functioning. In particular, it will emphasize the unique relationships between cognition, emotion, and the vestibular system, an observation that was first reported nearly three decades ago,28 and one that continues to be the subject of significant scientific interest. A greater understanding of the intersection between cognition and neurosensory function will provide a valuable framework to study the complex array of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes following a mild traumatic head injury.
Mobilizing Communities to Confront Global Challenges: A Phronetic Inquiry

Communities across the globe face myriad and interacting socio-economic and environmental challenges. This chapter evaluates a citizen-led, community-scale response to these challenges offered by the Transition Movement. Phronetic inquiry is used as an analytic framework to answer four value-rational questions posed: Where are we going? Is this desirable? What should be done? Who gains and who loses? The analysis points to the strengths and potential of the Transition Movement for mobilizing a community-scale response to global hazards, but it also highlights possible shortcomings, especially for who gains and loses because anecdotal evidence suggest that Transitioning communities are predominately White, educated, upper-middle class. The chapter empirically tests these anecdotes and finds that Transition host communities in the United States are indeed generally better educated and less racially and ethnically diverse than American communities on average. There is less evidence for an upper-middle-class nature of the Movement in the United States.
Evaluation of the Texas Feed Yard Workforce: Survey of Stockperson Attitudes and Perceptions towards Euthanasia, Animal Care and Employee Value

A survey was administered to Texas cattle feedyard employees (n =111) from 31 different operations measuring stockperson perception, job satisfaction and socioeconomic status using Likert statements and multiple-choice questions. Differences among employment roles (manager, pen rider, processor (those who vaccinate and implant incoming calves), doctor (non-veterinarians)) were evaluated using a Kruskal-Wallis test followed by a Multiple Comparison procedure. Managers strongly agreed with the statement “beef cattle are not dirty” more than doctors (P = 0.03) and that “cattle behavior is affected by the way we treat them” than pen riders (P = 0.002) or processors (P = 0.01). Managers were less likely than doctors, pen riders and processors to believe they have too many cattle to look after (P = 0.05, P = 0.006 and P = 0.01, respectively). Pen riders reported less confidence in performing euthanasia than doctors (P = 0.02) and managers (P = 0.02) and, along with processors, agreed that cattle were not always euthanized in a timely manner (P = 0.02 and P = 0.02, respectively). While all roles viewed Holstein cattle unfavorably (P < 0.001), processors viewed them more positively than pen riders (P = 0.05) and managers (P = 0.001). Socioeconomic results showed that Texas feedyards have a dedicated, passionate work force, with 43% of participants having worked in the industry for 9+ years and 49% of participants working at cattle feedyards because they enjoy working with animals. Unfortunately, it was evident that stock people are underpaid (57% of participants making between $10-15/hr) and overworked (76% of participants working 50+ hrs/week). Survey responses identified critical role-dependent knowledge gaps and biases. A disconnect was observed among compensation, workload and the duration of time stock people spend interacting with cattle. Increasing industry investment in feedyard employees and providing breed-specific and employee role-specific education may promote an encouraging workplace that ensures feedlot cattle experience good welfare.
Abstract 5273: Multi-omics approaches reveal potential role for corticosterone in prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American men. In 2018, 164,690 new cancer cases and 29,430 cancer deaths are projected to occur in the United States. Currently, there is no efficient diagnostic and safe treatment option for the management of PCa. Using Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS), we globally profiled more than 1400 metabolites across 79 urine samples related to PCa (19 control, 23 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), 11 prostatitis, and 26 PCa samples). Among all, corticosterone was identified as a top differential metabolite. Corticosterone levels were markedly elevated in PCa urine samples and modest but significant elevation of the corticosterone in BPH and prostatitis urine samples compared to controls, with an excellent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.95, 0.94, and 0.93, respectively. In addition, the expression of corticosterone biosynthetic gene, Steroid 11-beta-hydroxylase (CYP11B1), was elevated in PCa tissues, cell lines, and urine samples, while Corticosteroid 11-beta-dehydrogenase isozyme 2 (HSD11B2), which metabolize corticosterone, were markedly reduced in prostate tumors. With the understanding that androgen signaling is the key factor for prostate cancer, we investigated the role of androgen in regulating CYP11B1 and HSD11B2. We analyzed several androgen treated PCa cell lines derived global gene expression datasets and revealed that treatment with androgen increase in CYP11B1 expression and a concomitant decrease in HSD11B2 expression levels. Interestingly, we uncover that genetic knockdown of Androgen Receptor (AR) diminished CYP11B1 expression and alternatively, increased HSD11B2. Moreover, AR based chromatin occupancy (ChIP-seq) data also suggest direct binding of AR to the promoter of CYP11B1 in multiple PCa cells. The role of corticosterone in PCa is previously unknown. Our multi-omics approaches thus indicate that corticosterone might be potential prognostic marker for PCa. The tumor biology and mechanism through which corticosterone associates with PCa is being investigated in our laboratory. Citation Format: Iqbal Mahmud, Bongyong Lee, Ranjan Perera, Timothy J. Garrett. Multi-omics approaches reveal potential role for corticosterone in prostate cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5273.
Using pressure pulse decay experiments and a novel multi-physics shale transport model to study the role of Klinkenberg effect and effective stress on the apparent permeability of shales

Abstract The confining pressure imposed on a shale formation has a significant impact on the apparent permeability of the rock. Gas flow in low-permeability shales differs significantly from liquid flow because of the Klinkenberg effect, which results from gas molecule slip at the wall surfaces inside the nanopores. This effect causes the increase of apparent permeability (i.e., the measured permeability). In this study, cores extracted from four U.S. shale formations were tested using a pulse decay permeameter (PDP) under varying combinations of confining and pore pressures. The Klinkenberg coefficient was calculated to interpret the change in the measured apparent permeability as a function of pore pressure and effective stress. Next, based on the various combinations of confining and pore pressures, the actual values of the Biot coefficient were calculated by data fitting. Moreover, the samples were cored in the directions parallel to and perpendicular to the shale bedding planes to unravel the role of bedding plane direction on the apparent permeability. Furthermore, a novel, multi-physics shale transport (MPST) model was developed to account for the coupled multi-physics processes of geomechanics, fluid dynamics, and Klinkenberg effect for gas transport in shales. In the MPST model, pore pressure and effective stress are the two independent input variables, and the measured apparent permeability is the model output. The MPST model was then used to fit the PDP experimental data, and the successful data fitting confirmed that the MPST model captures the critical multi-physics processes that regulate the apparent permeability.
Abstract MP72: Using Non-HDL-C/Triglyceride Ratio To Screen For Direct LDL-C Testing: Improving LDL-C Estimates At A Cost

Introduction: Despite more accurate low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) estimates by the Martin (mLDL-C) method, most laboratories still use the Friedewald (fLDL-C) equation. Low non-high d...
Has Googling Made Us Worse Listeners

If we’re aiming to have well-founded beliefs, then we generally think it’s a good idea to listen to a wide range of arguments. Listening to dissenting views, in particular, is important for avoidin...
Reliability-Oriented IEEE Std. 1687 Network Design and Block-Aware High-Level Synthesis for MEDA Biochips *

A digital microfluidic biochip (DMFB) enables miniaturization of immunoassays, point-of-care clinical diagnostics, DNA sequencing, and other laboratory procedures in biochemistry. A recent generation of biochips uses a microelectrode-dot-array (MEDA) architecture, which provides fine-grained control of droplets and seamlessly integrates microelectronics and microfluidics using CMOS technology. To ensure that bioassays are carried out on MEDA biochips efficiently, high-level synthesis algorithms have recently been proposed. However, as in the case of conventional DMFBs, microelectrodes are likely to fail when they are heavily utilized, and previous methods fail to consider reliability issues. In this paper, we present the design of an IEEE Std. 1687 (IJTAG) network and a block-aware high-level synthesis method that can effectively alleviate reliability problems in MEDA biochips. A comprehensive set of simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Correlation of electrochemical and mechanical responses: Differential analysis of rechargeable lithium metal cells

Abstract Recently, interest in high energy rechargeable lithium metal batteries has increased. Application of pressure has been identified as a distinct means to increase cycle life for these cells, but there is still a disconnect between the evolution of electrochemical and mechanical responses. For this study, lithium/NMC622 pouch cells are cycled under two different pressure conditions and pressure evolution is monitored. Applying pressure with an appropriate experimental setup not only improves performance, but also enables collection of additional information that compliments cell electrochemistry. By jointly comparing differential pressure (dP dV−1) and differential capacity (dQ dV−1) analysis, the combined electrochemical and mechanical cell responses are analyzed. It is found that while little change in cell capacity and dQ dV−1 are observed, changes in cell pressure can be used to provide in operando information on the lithium metal electrode for full pouch cells. The changes in pressure suggest it is possible to track the evolution of electrode structure from a flatter electrode early in life to a more porous negative electrode prior to the point where cell capacity begins to dramatically fade.
Chapter 4 – Dynamical Systems and Dimension

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the concept of a dynamical system. There are two types of dynamical systems: discrete and continuous. The chapter discusses only discrete dynamical systems, that is, only the behavior of the iterates fm of f as m → ∞. The chapter also presents the examples of continuous dynamical systems by the solutions of initial value problems for autonomous ordinary and partial differential equations. It reviews the geometric structure of dynamical systems and shows how the geometric theory of dynamical systems can be used to describe attractors of iterated function systems (IFSs). The chapter discusses the Lyapunov dimension of an attractor of a dynamical system and shows how it relates to the Hausdorff and box dimension. The presentation of the most basic aspects of the theory and a general overview of this fascinating subject are given. It also presents the results in IRn rather than on finite-dimensional Riemannian manifolds.
Deconstructing Ethical Ambiguity: Ethical Decision Making When Working With Multiple Ethical Codes of Conduct

Adherence to ethical standards is an ever-evolving topic in the counseling field. At different times throughout the educational and licensing processes, there are moments of ambiguity that can mudd...