cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Deformation Localization Mechanisms in Polymer Matrix Composites: A Digital Image Correlation Study

Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) are attractive structural materials due to their high strength to low weight ratios. However, due to their low shear strength, failure can occur due to kink bands that develop on compression via plastic microbuckling. This phenomenon has been modeled extensively; however, experimental measurements of the strain fields leading to and developing inside these bands are scarce, as the sample preparation for digital image correlation (DIC) requires a microscale speckle pattern, which is hard to obtain using inks as PMCs they absorb them. In this study, two dimensional DIC is used to measure strains inside kink bands during 3-point bending of Dyneema HB80 samples. A novel micro-scale speckle pattern along with precision optics have been used to measure strains within the kink band, which had a width of approximately 600 micrometers. The speckle pattern was created by dropping copper particles through fine mesh sifters on a thin adhesive film that was applied and cured on the side surface of beam samples. This led to speckle dots that have a minimum of 15–20 μm mean diameter along with an inter-spacing ≤10 μm through the kinkband width. Images were captured during sample loading and processedusing ARAMIS™ software. Measurements indicate a mixture of large shear and normal strains (∼30%) in Dyneema HB80 inside the kink band.
Management of Euonymus Anthracnose and Fungicide Resistance in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides by Alternating or Mixing Fungicides

Abstract Fungicidal management of anthracnose leaf spot of euonymus (Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald 'n Gold’ or ‘Emerald Gaiety’), caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, was examined. Fungicide resistance was present in the pathogen population. Weekly applications to foliage for 12 weeks to the same plants in 1997 and 1998 of: thiophanate-methyl alone; or thiophanate-methyl, chlorothalonil, ethylenebis-dithiocarbamate and copper applied sequentially; or mixtures of thiophanate-methyl plus chlorothalonil alternated weekly with thiophanate-methyl plus ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate were applied. Applications of the same treatments, azoxystrobin, or each of the above fungicides alone were applied at biweekly intervals in 1999. Unsprayed plants served as controls. Percent defoliation was lowest for fungicide mixtures (thiophanate-methyl plus chlorothalonil alternated with thiophanate-methyl plus ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate) and was highest for unsprayed controls and plants treated with thiophanate-methyl alone....
Hybrid BisQACs: Potent Biscationic Quaternary Ammonium Compounds Merging the Structures of Two Commercial Antiseptics

Benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC) are two of the most common household antiseptics, but show weaker efficacy against Gram-negative bacteria as well as against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains, relative to other S. aureus strains. We prepared 28 novel quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) that represent a hybrid of these two structures, using 1- to 2-step synthetic sequences. The biscationic (bisQAC) species prepared show uniformly potent activity against six bacterial strains tested, with nine novel antiseptics displaying single-digit micromolar activity across the board. Effects of unequal chain lengths of two installed side chains had less impact than the overall number of side chain carbon atoms present, which was optimal at 22-25 carbons. This is further indication that simple refinements to multiQAC architectures can show improvement over current household antiseptics.
Work and Power

Brightness of a light bulb or computer display, loudness of music from a loudspeaker, and time required for a pump to drain a flooded basement all depend upon rate of energy conversion. Consequently, electrical engineers usually are more interested in the rate at which work is done (power) than work itself. Exceptions are design of storage batteries, where energy stored per unit volume and per unit mass are prime concerns, and in management of electric-utility companies, which sell energy. But even in those cases, engineers are interested in the rate at which stored energy can be drawn from a battery and the rate at which energy can be delivered to a customer.
Dr. Strangelove or How I Should Stop Worrying and Love Fascism

This paper presents a Foucauldian discourse analysis of Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. The analysis examines linguistic and extralinguistic aspects of both the film and the novel. It is composed of three parts: the first is an analysis of the Manichaeism during the Cold War period and how it turned the Soviets into mortal enemies of the United States; the second is how the nuclear threat and the Cold War paranoia could destroy the democratic system in the United States; and the third analysis explain how Fascistic relations could be cultivated through the discipline of bodies. It has been concluded that the movie is presenting a concept, here referred to as Strangelove’s Hypothesis, that a Strangelovian scenario (i.e., a nuclear holocaust, usually caused by incompetence or without the will to do so) could lead to the emergence of a Fascistic-like form of government in order to restore security. The solution presented to avoid such scenario is a sociopsychological change in order to pursue more peaceful relations.
Charge breeding of radioactive isotopes at the CARIBU facility with an electron beam ion source.

An Electron Beam Ion Source Charge Breeder (EBIS-CB) has been developed at Argonne National Laboratory as part of the californium rare ion breeder upgrade. For the past year, the EBIS-CB has been undergoing commissioning as part of the ATLAS accelerator complex. It has delivered both stable and radioactive beams with A/Q 18% into a single charge state. The operation of this device, challenges during the commissioning phase, and future improvements will be discussed.
Recombinant DNA methods applied to the production of protein-based fibers as biomaterials

Abstract: The protein compositions of selected high-performance biological materials such as silks, collagen and mussel byssus threads are reviewed. The possible roles of key amino structural motifs present in these fibrous proteins are outlined. Experimental investigation of structure/function relationships in fibrous proteins is discussed. More specifically, the structural characterization of artificial silk proteins, produced through the expression of native silk cDNAs, synthetic silk gene analogs or designer silk genes in different expression systems, is reviewed in detail. Finally, the most popular and most successful unicellular or multicellular expression systems available for the production of such fibrous proteins are described.
TNF/TNF Receptor 1-Mediated Apoptosis in Hepatocytes

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha has been implicated in the induction of hepatocyte apoptosis in a variety of liver diseases including viral hepatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, ischemia/reperfusion injury, fulminant hepatic failure, cholestatic liver injury, and cancer. The binding of TNF to TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) induces two simultaneous pathways, one leading to cell survival through NF-κB activation and the other cell death via apoptosis. How these pathways are regulated is poorly understood in hepatocytes. Emerging data suggest that there are often aspects of TNFR1-initiate signaling that are unique to hepatocyte. Here we summarize the past and present knowledge of the TNF/TNFR1 system in the liver.
Evolution of Neuroprosthetic Approaches to Restoration of Upper Extremity Function in Spinal Cord Injury

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) occurring at the cervical levels can result in significantly impaired arm and hand function. People with cervical-level SCI desire improved use of their arms and hands, anticipating that regained function will result in improved independence and ultimately improved quality of life. Neuroprostheses provide the most promising method for significant gain in hand and arm function for persons with cervical-level SCI. Neuroprostheses utilize small electrical currents to activate peripheral motor nerves, resulting in controlled contraction of paralyzed muscles. Methods: A myoelectrically-controlled neuroprosthesis was evaluated in 15 arms in 13 individuals with cervical-level SCI. All individuals had motor level C5 or C6 tetraplegia. Results: This study demonstrates that an implanted neuroprosthesis utilizing myoelectric signal (MES)-controlled stimulation allows considerable flexibility in the control algorithms that can be utilized for a variety of arm and hand functions. Improved active range of motion, grip strength, and the ability to pick up and release objects were improved in all arms tested. Adverse events were few and were consistent with the experience with similar active implantable devices. Conclusion: For individuals with cervical SCI who are highly motivated, implanted neuroprostheses provide the opportunity to gain arm and hand function that cannot be gained through the use of orthotics or surgical intervention alone. Upper extremity neuroprostheses have been shown to provide increased function and independence for persons with cervical-level SCI.
A Novel T-Stage Classification System for Adrenocortical Carcinoma: Proposal from the U.S. Adrenocortical Carcinoma Study Group

Abstract Background: The 7th AJCC T-stage system for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), based on size and extra-adrenal invasion, does not adequately stratify patients by survival. Lymphovascular inva...
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict / Strategies for Conflict Resolution and Mediation

In this paper, we will describe the Intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict and address the following: What is the source of the conflict? Identify the cultural aspects of the conflict, and propose. Evaluate the ethical implications of intervening in this conflict, and propose methods for dealing with any potential ethical pitfalls. Identify the most effective pathways to Peace, and explain why. Furthermore, describe what conflict theories, dynamics, or frameworks apply to this conflict. Finally create procedures for dealing with future conflicts, concerning the same or a similar issue/subject matter.
The Advocacy Campaign to Ban Chlorpyrifos: Pesticide Reform Under the Trump Administration

Abstract The success of environmental justice (EJ) struggles is dependent on community-based action. However, grassroots environmentalism is most successful when groups act during periods of increa...
Vermont is a Constitutional Problem

Whether measured by population or by the size of its economy, Vermont is small. It is the second least populous state, with fewer residents than 28 cities and 107 counties. It has the smallest economy of any state. And there is no reason to believe this will change. It has one of the oldest populations, the lowest fertility rate, and it draws few migrants, domestic or foreign. There are a number of individual Americans who could buy all of the residential property in Vermont by themselves. If Amazon located its full “HQ2” in Vermont, it would have employed about 8% of the state’s population and be responsible for about 17% of Vermont’s annual Gross State Product. Vermont is just very, very small. This Essay argues that neither the structural aspects of the Constitution nor our subconstitutional institutional design choices are well-suited for an ever-growing country with states as small as Vermont. Very small states make Congress less democratic, more likely to engage in pork-barrel spending, and more susceptible to the influence of single firms or interest groups. Very small states make “cooperative federalism” less effective, as small state governments are not ideal partners for the federal government in administering federal programs. Small and shrinking states are less likely to fulfill their legislatively assigned role of making necessary investments in physical and human capital and are more likely to need federal bailouts due to budget shocks. In short, very small states make both the national government and our federalism less effective. In order to understand how the Constitution and American democracy work more broadly — and how to make them work better — we need to reckon with the big problems created by small states. Constitutional law rarely considers the differences between the size of states outside of a few narrow contexts, but small states like Vermont are so unlike big states like California or Texas that thinking of them in similar terms makes little sense. This Essay suggests ways to reframe debates about federalism and the Constitution more broadly to focus on the actual traits of states and not merely their legal status.
Novel Hedonic Games and Lottery Systems

We present here work on two types of matching problems, namely Hedonic Games, also known as Coalition Formation Games, and on quota-based lottery systems such as the one used in Singapore to allocate public housing. We introduce two Hedonic Games, and investigate the computational complexity of finding optimal partitions of agents into coalitions, or finding --- or determining the existence of --- stable coalition structures. We propose a new stability notion for hedonic games and prove its distinctness from existing notions of stability. We present results from investigations into the fairness of lotteries with diversity quotas inspired by the public housing allocation system in Singapore.
Use of Genome Editing Tools in Environmental Health Research.

Abstract The nature and type of genome editing tools are rapidly expanding and becoming increasingly incorporated into research efforts aimed at understanding human disease. The majority of research involving genome editing has been driven by medical research, with a limited but increasing number of studies currently published in the field of environmental health and toxicology. The aim of the review is to address this research gap by providing a high-level summary of current genome editing techniques and presenting examples of how some of these techniques have been used toxicologically to evaluate environmental exposure–induced disease. Specific strategies surrounding the evaluation of hazardous chemicals, chemical mechanism of action/adverse outcome pathways, and interindividual response variability are also discussed to aid in the translation of genome editing methods toward toxicological and environmental health research.
Epilepsy and arousal

Abstract Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent seizures. Certain seizure types cause dysregulation of arousal and conscious awareness, whereas others relatively spare those impairments. Prior studies suggest that whether impaired consciousness is present or not during seizures largely depends on whether affected areas include cortical and subcortical regions that regulate consciousness. In absence epilepsy and temporal lobe epilepsy, consciousness impairments have been relatively well studied. Accordingly, we will discuss cellular and circuit mechanisms underlying dysregulation of consciousness in those types of epilepsies. Mechanistically, normal coordinated network activity (e.g., gamma oscillations) plays a key role in maintaining consciousness, whereas abnormal network activity in epilepsy (e.g., 3- to 4-Hz spike-and-wave discharges in absence seizures) is thought to be closely associated with dysregulation of consciousness. Thus, we will stress coordinated network activity in conjunction with its critical role in normal consciousness and dysregulation of consciousness in epilepsy. Finally, we will consider treatment strategies for dysregulation of consciousness in epilepsy and future directions.
Predictive Modeling of Threshold Life Tables

Accurate modeling of mortality at advanced ages is crucial to the valuation of pension plans and life annuities, especially longevity annuities for which annuity payments start very late in life, s...
Surface code dislocations have code distance L+O(1)

In [Hastings et al 2014] it is stated that the code distance of a logical qubit stored using dislocations is 2L + O(1), where L is the separation between the dislocation twists. This code distance assumed only physical X and Z errors are permitted. This short note shows that, when Y errors are allowed, the code distance reduces to L + O(1). See Figure 1.
Equity in Teaching Academic Language--An Interdisciplinary Approach.

ABSTRACTSome argue that supporting minoritized students’ “academic language” (AL) development fosters equity in education. Others contend that AL is hegemonic, and that attempts to teach it perpetu...
BrailleBlocks: Braille Toys for Cross-Ability Collaboration

Less than 10% of blind people in the United States are Braille readers, yet Braille literacy remains crucial for education and employment [2,3]. BrailleBlocks is a system to help blind or visually impaired children learn Braille with a sighted parent. BrailleBlocks comprises a set of wooden blocks and pegs, each block representing a Braille cell, and an interface with games for parents. We conducted user studies with five sighted parents and six blind or visually impaired children. Children preferred games with sound effects, specifically Hangman and the Animal Name Game. Parents commended the system as a spelling tool and found the screen display of Braille letters to be a helpful reference. Children created new ways to use the system beyond the games we provided, like story-telling and stacking blocks into structures. We identified concrete ways to improve the system, including generating progress reports for parents and creating a portable version.
Insulin Enhances the In Vitro Osteogenic Capacity of Flexor Tendon-Derived Progenitor Cells.

There is increased incidence of tendon disorders and decreased tendon healing capacity in people with diabetes mellitus (DM). Recent studies have also suggested pathological ossification in repair tendon of people with DM. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the effects of insulin supplementation, an important pathophysiologic stimulus of DM, on tendon progenitor cell (TPC) proliferation and in vitro osteogenic capacity. Passage 3 TPCs were isolated from collagenase-digested, equine superficial digital flexor tendons. TPC proliferation was measured via MTT assay after 3 days of monolayer culture in medium supplemented with 0, 0.007, 0.07, and 0.7 nM insulin. In vitro osteogenic capacity of TPCs (Alizarin Red staining, osteogenic mRNA expression, and alkaline phosphatase bioactivity) was assessed with 0, 0.07, and 0.7 nM insulin-supplemented osteogenic induction medium. Insulin (0.7 nM) significantly increased TPC proliferation after 3 days of monolayer culture. Alizarin Red staining of insulin-treated TPC osteogenic cultures demonstrated robust cell aggregation and mineralized matrix secretion, in a dose-dependent manner. Runx2, alkaline phosphatase, and Osteonectin mRNA and alkaline phosphatase bioactivity of insulin-treated TPC cultures were significantly higher at day 14 of osteogenesis compared to untreated controls. Addition of picropodophyllin (PPP), a selective IGF-I receptor inhibitor, mitigated the increased osteogenic capacity of TPCs, indicating that IGF-I signaling plays an important role. Our findings indicate that hyperinsulinemia may alter TPC phenotype and subsequently impact the quality of repair tendon tissue.
What Do VAD Coordinators Do

Purpose While every program following patients on durable left ventricular assist devices (VADs) has VAD coordinators, their responsibilities are not unified. Although all of them take care of patients and provide education to patients, family, medical professionals, and public, their daily functions differ. The purpose of this descriptive study was to characterize daily functions of VAD coordinators in the USA-based programs. Methods We surveyed representatives (heart failure cardiologists or cardiothoracic surgeons) of the programs implanting VADs and following VAD patients. Each representative answered a standardized block of questions. Programs which opened within one year of the study, programs following less than 20 patients, and programs where VAD coordinators also function as transplant coordinators were excluded. Results A total of 20 heart failure cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons representing VAD programs from various regions of the country, answered the questions of the survey.The number of patients with LVAD followed by individual programs ranged 50-200, median 100, and the number of coordinators in the program ranged 2-7, median 4. Number of patient per coordinator was 25 (median), ranging 10-65.They performed following functions:1. INR management 75% 2. Daily notes on in-patient service in patients with VADs 55%3. Notes on out-patients with VADs during clinic visits 73,7%4. Coming to the emergency room by default when patient with VAD is admitted 45%5. Home inspection in the process of evaluation for VAD 20%6. Weekend rounds on LVAD patient 25% Conclusion There is wide variability in daily functions of VAD coordinators across the country, The median ratio is 25 patients with VADs per coordinator, with a very wide range 10-65. Programs with best workflow and outcomes should be studied in order to determine the optimal set of responsibilities for VAD coordinators.
Natural Monopolies in Digital Platform Markets

Competition policy debates on digital platform markets are often premised on the idea that market fragmentation and the standard forces of competition and entry may provide a potential solution to excessive concentration and market power. In this work, Francesco Ducci provides readers with a different perspective based on the theoretical lens of natural monopoly. Ducci explores this framework through the development of three case studies on horizontal search, e-commerce marketplaces, and ride-hailing platforms, investigating the strength and limit of potential (and often heterogeneous) sources of natural monopoly at play in each industry. Building on these case studies, the book then derives from the application of the natural monopoly framework general policy implications for digital industries by identifying the respective institutional flaws and shortcomings of ex ante and ex post approaches to market power as one of the central challenges in digital platform markets.
Collaborating to Enhance Faculty Development through Structured Funding.

Problem Faculty development is critical to individual career growth and success in academic medicine and it enhances the overall academic climate of an institution. Despite these well-recognized benefits, time and financial constraints often limit participation of faculty members. To address this issue, the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine (SSOM) developed a novel policy and process to support participation in faculty development programs. Approach In 2014, the SSOM Office of Continuing Professional Development (OCPD) implemented a process for funding faculty members' participation in external career and educational development programs. A subcommittee of the Faculty Development Committee reviewed and selected applications based on the benefit to the applicant's career and the SSOM as whole. Selected applicants were required to disseminate new knowledge from the external programs to other SSOM faculty, staff, and trainees. Outcomes With the implementation of this program, 17 faculty members received funding. The race/ethnicities of the selected applicants reflected the overall demographics of the larger SSOM community. The majority of the selected applicants were female (n=12, 70 percent), assistant professors (n=9, 53 percent), and members of clinical departments (n=12, 70 percent). Upon completion of the program, five participants achieved academic promotion. This novel funding mechanism greatly increased faculty participation in external programs and participants reported enhanced networking opportunities, leadership experience, and career opportunities. Next steps Challenges observed with implementation of the program have led to revision of the application process, tracking of participant demographic data, and confirmation of knowledge dissemination.
High-Frequency Androgenic Green Plant Regeneration in Indica Rice for Accelerated Breeding

Various biotechnological tools have emerged over conventional breeding strategies, which are essential to meet the demand for food safety of the ever-growing population. In addition, the enhancement of the quantity and quality of rice, along with climate resilience and disease resistance of rice, is the most essential need of the hour. To mitigate these problems, there is a need to reorient rice-breeding programmes in order to shorten its breeding cycle. Androgenesis is well proven and is a promising technique for fixing agronomic characters in homozygous state and for enhancing the selection efficiency of useful recessive traits in a very short period of time as compared to the long inbreeding method, which may take several years. A well-established androgenic protocol for japonica rice has been developed. However, indica rice is found to be recalcitrant to androgenesis, though it is quite popular in Asian countries, mostly in south-eastern countries. Therefore, indica rice improvement needs to be done by developing androgenic methods for the production of doubled haploids. A successful androgenesis method is only achieved by a conglomeration of associated factors like microspore stage, media composition etc. Out of two methods of androgenesis, two-step method is usually preferred as against one-step approach, which involves callus induction, followed by organogenesis. This chapter focuses on the various factors associated with green shoot regeneration by reducing albinism.
Characterization of the crystallographic properties of bamboo plants, natural and viscose fibers by X-ray diffraction method

A comprehensive crystallographic investigation was performed by using X-ray (from cobalt source) diffraction (XRD) technique on different bamboo species, natural bamboo fibers (NBFs), commercial ba...
183 GHz H2O MASER EMISSION AROUND THE LOW-MASS PROTOSTAR SERPENS SMM1

We report the first interferometric detection of 183 GHz water emission in the low-mass protostar Serpens SMM1 using the Submillimeter Array with a resolution of 3'' and rms of ~7 Jy in a 3 km s–1 bin. Due to the small size and high brightness of more than 240 Jy beam–1, it appears to be maser emission. In total, three maser spots were detected out to ~700 AU from the central protostar, lying along the redshifted outflow axis, outside the circumstellar disk but within the envelope region as evidenced by the continuum measurements. Two of the maser spots appear to be blueshifted by about 1-2 km s–1. No extended or compact thermal emission from a passively heated protostellar envelope was detected with a limit of 7 Jy (16 K), in agreement with recent modeling efforts. We propose that the maser spots originate within the cavity walls due to the interaction of the outflow jet with the surrounding protostellar envelope. Hydrodynamical models predict that such regions can be dense and warm enough to invert the 183 GHz water transition.
Feelin’ Real/Unbroken: Imagining Blackqueer Education Through Autopoetic Inquiry:

This autopoetic inquiry offers insights into and critiques of public education. The author specifically interrogates the absence of curricula, which focuses on the fullness of Black LGBTQ+ represen...
Medical Drones in the United States and a Survey of Technical and Policy Challenges

Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), will likely play an important role in the future of healthcare. Technologists envision a world in which drones transport blood, medical supplies, drugs and vaccines, defibrillators, and telemedicine kits. The United States could benefit from this technology, transporting medical goods over vast rural areas, over urban traffic jams, and during weather conditions that make conventional transport hazardous or impossible. Across rural America there are areas short on physicians, hospitals, and other medical resources, and drones offer one tool for stretching resources. While the number of possible drone applications is significant, making full use of this technology will require technological advances on the industry side and deft innovation on the regulatory side to mitigate the risks involved in adding large-scale drone traffic to America’s heavily used airspace.
Real Time Machinability Analysis of Free Form Surfaces on the GPU

In this paper a new hardware accelerated method is presented to evaluate the machinability of free-form surfaces. This method works on tessellated models that are commonly used by CAD systems to render three-dimensional shaded images of solid models. Modern Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) can be programmed in hardware to accelerate specialized rendering techniques. In this research, we have developed new algorithms that utilize the programmability of GPUs to evaluate machinability of free-form surfaces. The method runs in real time on fairly inexpensive hardware (<$600), and performs well regardless of the surface type. The complexity of the method is dictated by the size of the projected view of the model. The proposed method can be used as a plug-in in a CAD system to evaluate manufacturability of a part at early design stages. The efficiency and the speed of the proposed method are demonstrated on some complex objects.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Developing Drugs for Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Draft Guidance from the FDA.

The administration of preventative therapy for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is an essential component of the treatment plan for many patients with cancer. In May 2021, the FDA issued a draft guidance for industry to facilitate the clinical development of drugs for the prevention of CINV in adults. FDA guidance has a vital role in the regulatory dialogue between the Agency and external stakeholders. Sharing the FDA9s current recommended approach can expedite drug development and ultimately the availability of safe and effective therapies to patients in need. In addition, guidance documents may be leveraged to facilitate communication between regulatory agencies, the academic community, patient advocacy groups, and the pharmaceutical industry. The draft guidance for industry Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Developing Drugs for Prevention (May 2021) outlines the FDA9s current recommendations regarding clinical development programs for drugs for the prevention of CINV and the required attributes of patients for enrollment, aspects of trial design, and efficacy assessments. This article provides an overview of the recommendations contained in the draft guidance.
How Cultural Capital Shapes Mental Health Care Seeking in College

First-generation and working-class undergraduates not only experience mental health problems at higher rates than their more affluent peers, but are also less likely to seek treatment. We administe...
Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Olfactory System in Older Adults With and Without Hyposmia.

Objectives: To compare gray matter microstructural characteristics of higher-order olfactory regions among older adults with and without hyposmia. Methods: Data from the Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT) were obtained in 1998-99 for 265 dementia-free adults from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study (age at BSIT: 74.9 ± 2.7; 62% White; 43% male) who received 3T diffusion tensor imaging in 2006-08 [Interval of time: mean (SD): 8.01 years (0.50)], Apolipoprotein (ApoEe4) genotypes, and repeated 3MS assessments until 2011-12. Cognitive status (mild cognitive impairment, dementia, normal cognition) was adjudicated in 2011-12. Hyposmia was defined as BSIT ≤ 8. Microstructural integrity was quantified by mean diffusivity (MD) in regions of the primary olfactory cortex amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex (including olfactory cortex, gyrus rectus, the orbital parts of the superior, middle, and inferior frontal gyri, medial orbital part of the superior frontal gyrus), and hippocampus. Multivariable regression models were adjusted for total brain atrophy, demographics, cognitive status, and ApoEe4 genotype. Results: Hyposmia in 1998-99 (n = 57, 21.59%) was significantly associated with greater MD in 2006-08, specifically in the orbital part of the middle frontal gyrus, and amygdala, on the right [adjusted beta (p value): 0.414 (0.01); 0.527 (0.01); respectively]. Conclusion: Older adults with higher mean diffusivity in regions important for olfaction are more likely to have hyposmia up to ten years prior. Future studies should address whether hyposmia can serve as an early biomarker of brain microstructural abnormalities for older adults with a range of cognitive functions, including those with normal cognition.
Informal Tools for Designing Anywhere, Anytime, Anydevice User Interfaces

We are now entering the era of pervasive computing, an era where people will access information and services anywhere, anytime, and from a wide variety of devices. The challenge for researchers and practitioners is how to support the design of user interfaces that will empower people to engage in these interactions easily and efficiently. Our work has been in creating design tools that support the best practices of user-centered design. Such practices include the informal techniques used during the early stages of design, such as sketching and "faking" interactions using Wizard of Oz techniques to test early designs. In this talk we will argue that tools with informal user interfaces best support these practices. Informal user interfaces support natural human input, such as speech and writing, while minimizing recognition and transformation of the in put. These interfaces that document, rather than transform, better support a designer's flow state. Unrecognized input embraces nuanced expression and suggests a malleability of form that is critical for activities such as early-stage design. We will illustrate this by examining informal tools we have created for designing information architectures and web sites, speech-based user interfaces, and eventually anytime, anywhere user interfaces that take advantage of a variety of modes of input and output on a range of devices.
John H. Parmelee and Shannon L. Bichard. Politics and the Twitter Revolution: How Tweets Influence the Relationship Between Political Leaders and the Public

Published in a book series that promotes focused examination of the role communication plays in the realm of politics, John Parmelee and Shannon Bichard's multimethod study of how political leaders...
Therapeutic angiogenesis for heart failure.

A new study answers one set of questions, but raises many more, about the potential use of specific VEGF isoforms to promote re-vascularization for ischemic cardiomyopathy ( pages 495-502 ).
AMPK: energy sensor and survival mechanism in the ischemic heart

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a critical regulator of cellular metabolism and plays an important role in diabetes, cancer, and vascular disease. In the heart, AMPK activation is an essential component of the adaptive response to cardiomyocyte stress that occurs during myocardial ischemia. During ischemia-reperfusion, AMPK activation modulates glucose and fatty acid metabolism, mitochondrial function, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, autophagy, and apoptosis. Pharmacological activation of AMPK prevents myocardial necrosis and contractile dysfunction during ischemia-reperfusion and potentially represents a cardioprotective strategy for the treatment of myocardial infarction. This review discusses novel mechanisms of AMPK activation in the ischemic heart, the role of endogenous AMPK activation during ischemia, and the potential therapeutic applications for AMPK-directed therapy.
CABINS : Case-Based Interactive Scheduler

In this paper we discuss the need for interactive factory schedule repair and improvement, and we identify case-based reasoning (CBR) as an appropriate methodology. Case-based reasoning is the problem solving paradigm that relies on a memory for past problem solving experiences (cases) to guide current problem solving. Cases similar to the current case are retrieved from the case memory, and similarities and differences of the current case to past cases are identified. Then a best case is selected, and its repair plan is adapted to fit the current problem description. If a repair solution fails, an explanation for the failure is stored along with the case in memory, so that the user can avoid repeating similar failures in the future. So far we have identified a number of repair strategies and tactics for factory scheduling and have implemented a part of our approach in a prototype system, called CABINS. As a future work, we are going to scale up CABINS to evaluate its usefulness in a real manufacturing environment.
Femtosecond study of exciton dynamics in 9,9-di-n-hexylfluorene/anthracene random copolymers

Exciton dynamics of 9,9-di-n-hexylfluorene/anthracene (DHF/ANT) statistical copolymers have been measured using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. An investigation of the excitation intensity dependence over the range of 0.1-1.0 mJ/(pulse cm2) for solutions and 1.0-17 {mu}J/(pulse cm2) for thin films has been conducted to explore exciton relaxation mechanisms below excitation densities where exciton-exciton interaction is important. Intrachain relaxation of photoexcited singlet excitons is observed in dilute solutions. In contrast, interchain relaxation mechanisms become predominant in thin films. Decay dynamics are independent of excitation intensity for dilute solutions and thin films of DHF/ANT when probed at 790 and 750 nm. In addition, time-resolved measurements for a DHF homopolymer and two copolymer thin films have been carried out as a function of probe wavelength. A stimulated emission (SE) feature and a photoinduced absorption (PA) feature are observed in the visible region. The SE and PA dynamics are similar for the copolymers, suggesting that the same excited state species, the singlet exciton, is responsible for both the SE and PA. There is a significant difference between the SE and PA dynamics for DHF thin films on the 0-3-ps timescale. The SE dynamics show a pulse-width limited rise and a subsequent decay. In contrast, both themore » 600 and 750 nm PA dynamics show a ''double'' rise that represents contributions from two separate photophysical processes. These results, in combination with the steady-state photoluminescence spectrum, which indicates excimer emission, lead to the conclusion that interchain species, such as excimers, are formed in <1 ps in DHF homopolymer films following photoexcitation. That the copolymer dynamics show no evidence of excited state species other than the singlet, emissive exciton, is consistent with the interpretation that anthracene substituents in the polymer backbone prevent interchain interactions in films. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.« less
A comparison of geographical information systems-based algorithms for computing the TOPMODEL topographic index

[1] The performance of six geographical information systems (GIS)-based topographic index algorithms is evaluated by computing root-mean-square errors of the computed and the theoretical topographic indices of three idealized hillslopes: planar, convergent, and divergent. In addition to these three idealized cases, two divergent hillslopes with varying slopes, i.e., concave (slopes decrease from top to bottom) and convex (slopes increase from top to bottom) are also tested. The six GIS-based topographic index algorithms are combinations of flow direction and slope algorithms: i.e., single flow direction (SFD), biflow direction (BFD), and multiple flow direction (MFD) plus methods that determine slope values in flat areas, e.g., W-M method [Wolock and McCabe, 1995] and tracking flow direction (TFD) method. Two combinations of horizontal resolution and vertical resolution of the idealized terrain data are used to evaluate those methods. Among those algorithms the MFD algorithm is the most accurate followed by the BFD algorithm and the SFD algorithm. As the vertical resolution increases, the errors in the computed topographic index for all algorithms decrease. We found that the orientation of the contour lines of planar hillslopes significantly influences the SFD’s computed topographic index. If the contour lines are not parallel to one of eight possible flow directions, the errors in the SFD’s computed topographic index are significant. If mean slope is small, TFD becomes more accurate because slope values in flat areas are better estimated. INDEX TERMS: 1899 Hydrology: General or miscellaneous; 1824 Hydrology: Geomorphology (1625); 1832 Hydrology: Groundwater transport; KEYWORDS: GIS, TOPMODEL, topographic index, single flow direction algorithm, biflow direction algorithm, multiple flow direction algorithm
Greiter replies to Demler, Zhang, Meixner, and Hanke

In a comment on my recent manuscript on the pi-particle [cond-mat/9705049], Demler et al. [cond-mat/9705191] argued that there is a correction to the chemical potential which enters the expression for the energy of the pi-particle given in [Demler and Zhang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 4126 (1995)]. This is shown to be incorrect. I further offer an interpretation for the low-energy resonances observed by Meixner et al. [cond-mat/9701217] in the pi-pi correlation function in a finite-size Hubbard cluster at low electron densities.
The History and Evolution of Intra-Corporate Forum Selection Clauses: An Empirical Analysis

Forum selection provisions are commonly found in the material contracts of publicly traded corporations. But they are exceedingly rare in the organic documents of the same publicly traded entities. Why?This article documents that, as of June 30, 2011, only 133, or 1.49 percent, of publicly traded entities had forum selection provisions in their charters or bylaws. The vast majority of these provisions, 117 (88.0 percent), were adopted after Delaware Chancery’s March 15, 2010, decision in Revlon observing that corporations could avoid forum disputes by adopting forum selection provisions in corporate charters. Of the forum selection provisions adopted by corporations, 58.6 percent appear in corporate charters and 41.4 percent appear in bylaws adopted without prior shareholder consent. More than 91 percent of these provisions follow the form introduced by Netsuite in conjunction with its 2006 IPO, and approximately 16.06 percent of all IPOs declared effective since Revlon are of corporations whose charters contain forum selection provisions. Corporations headquartered in California are over-represented in the population of corporations that have adopted these provisions.The historic scarcity of forum selection provisions in the organic documents of publicly traded entities is consistent with the observation that, prior to the early part of this century, intra-corporate litigation was almost always brought in the state of incorporation. In such an environment, the selection of a state of incorporation acted as a de facto forum selection clause, and these clauses could reasonably have been viewed as surplusage. But as plaintiff counsel began to litigate intra-corporate claims with vastly greater frequency in courts away from the state of incorporation, a demand emerged for a contractual provision that could restore the pre-existing jurisdictional equilibrium in which each state’s courts specialized in the interpretation of that state’s corporate law. Viewed from this perspective, the intra-corporate forum selection clause is not an innovation that seeks to disrupt traditional litigation processes: it is, instead, better viewed as an effort to restore an equilibrium that had prevailed for decades and that reflected the natural expectation of corporations and shareholders alike that courts would “stay in their lane” as they specialized in the interpretation of their own state’s corporation laws.
Death Anxiety and Education: A Comparison Among Undergraduate and Graduate Students

The present study investigated the association between level of education and self-reported levels of anxiety regarding death of self and others among undergraduate students (n = 149) and graduate students (n = 92). Participants completed the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS) and the Revised Death Anxiety Scale (RDAS). Although undergraduate and graduate students did not differ on Fear of Being Destroyed, graduate students reported lower levels of death anxiety on all remaining measures. Suggestions for future research and implications are discussed.
A role for accessibility to self-peptide-self-MHC complexes in intrathymic negative selection.

Whether intrathymic-positive and -negative selection of conventional αβ T cells occur in anatomically distinct sites is a matter of debate. By using a system composed of two distinct immune receptors, the Y-A e mAb and the 1H3.1 (Vα1/Vβ6) TCR, both directed against the 52–68 fragment of the I-Eα-chain (Eα52–68) bound to I-A b , we examined the occurrence of negative selection imposed in vivo by a self-peptide-self-MHC class II complex with differential tissue expression. 1H3.1 TCR-transgenic (Tg) mice were bred to mice having an I-Eα transgene with expression directed to all MHC class II-positive cells, restricted to thymic epithelial cells, or restricted to B cells, dendritic cells, and medullary thymic epithelial cells. All 1H3.1 TCR/I-Eα double-Tg mice revealed a severely diminished thymic cellularity. Their lymph node cells were depleted of Vβ6 + CD4 + cells and were unresponsive to Eα52–68 in vitro. The absolute number of CD4 + CD8 + thymocytes was drastically reduced in all combinations, indicating that negative selection caused by an endogenously expressed self-determinant can effectively occur in the thymic cortex in vivo. Moreover, both cortical epithelial cells and, interestingly, the few cortical dendritic cells were able to support negative selection of CD4 + CD8 + thymocytes, albeit with a distinct efficiency. Collectively, these observations support a model where, in addition to the avidity of the thymocyte/stromal cell interaction, in vivo negative selection of autoreactive TCR-Tg T cells is determined by accessibility to self-peptide-self-MHC complexes regardless of the anatomical site.
Person and Environment Predictors of Blood Alcohol Concentrations: A Multi-Level Study of College Parties

Aims: This study builds upon previous research by assessing the relationship of breath blood alcohol concentrations (BrAC) to environmental and individual characteristics. Design: We conducted a multi-level study of college parties. Our design included observational measures of party environments, a brief self-administered questionnaire, and the collection of breath samples from partygoers. Setting: Data were collected in private residences of students living in a neighborhood adjacent to a large public university located in the Southwestern United States. Participants: A total of 1,304 individuals attending 66 parties participated in the study. Measures: Observational measures of party characteristics were made by 2 trained research assistants at each party. Four to 5 trained interviewers administered a brief field survey to partygoers at each party. In addition, the trained interviewers collected breath samples using handheld breathalyzer devices. Findings: Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed significant variation at the party and individual levels. At the individual level, motivations to socialize were significantly associated with lower BrAC, while drinking games and providing the sample after 11:00 pm were associated with higher BrACs. At the party level, large parties were significantly associated with lower BrACs while reports of many intoxicated partygoers were associated with higher BrACs. Finally, we identified a significant gender by theme party interaction, indicating women had higher BrACs at theme parties relative to nontheme parties; however, BrACs for men were similar regardless of the type of party attended. Conclusions: Alcohol consumption among young adults in natural settings is a function of both person and environmental factors. Language: en