cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proliferation and International Crisis Behavior

The literature on international conflict is divided on the impact of nuclear proliferation on state conflict. The optimists’ argument contends that nuclear weapons raise the stakes so high that states are unlikely to go to war when nuclear weapons enter the equation. The pessimists rebut this argument, contending that new proliferators are not necessarily rational and that having nuclear weapons does not discourage war but rather makes war more dangerous. Focusing on one observable implication from this debate, this article examines the relationship between the severity of violence in crises and the number of involved states with nuclear weapons. The study contends that actors will show more restraint in crises involving more participants with nuclear weapons. Using data from the International Crisis Behavior (ICB) project, the results demonstrate that crises involving nuclear actors are more likely to end without violence and, as the number of nuclear actors involved increases, the likelihood of war continues to fall. The results are robust even when controlling for a number of factors including non-nuclear capability. In confirming that nuclear weapons tend to increase restraint in crises, the effect of nuclear weapons on strategic behavior is clarified. But the findings do not suggest that increasing the number of nuclear actors in a crisis can prevent war, and they cannot speak to other proliferation risks.
Experience of Adult Facilitators in a Virtual-Reality-Based Social Interaction Program for Children With Autism:

This phenomenological study explored and described the experiences and perceptions of adult facilitators who facilitated virtual-reality-based social interaction for children with autism. Extensive data were collected from iterative, in-depth interviews; online activities observation; and video analysis. Four salient themes emerged through the process of data generation, analysis, and comparison of participants: heterogeneity in group-based facilitation, coexistence of virtual and physical interaction spaces, sparkle and out-of-track moments, and pretraining for individualized facilitation. The findings should enrich the research area of technology-enhanced special education by delineating the dynamic processes and patterns of facilitating Internet-based social interactions for children with special needs.
Chess Gaming and Graphics Using Open-Source Tools

This paper explores the use of open-source resources to create a high-quality chess game with 2-D and 3-D graphical features. In our project, the popular open-source computer chess engine, Beowulf, is used as our chess engine.Beowulf is simple and straightforward to use but it is single threaded;we make use of the platform-independent SDL (Simple Direct Media Layer ) libraries to make the engine multi-threaded so that it becomes more robust, and interactive and can handle multimedia features. Some recent developments in graphics including OpenGL Shading Language( GLSL ), shadow casting, and texture mapping are used to enhance the graphical features of the game. In some cases, Blender, a 3D content creation suite is used to create some graphical objects in 3D Max format that saves an object as a composite of many meshes along with relevant information like lighting, camera position and UV mapping.A 3D Max object can then be easily parsed and processed by a C/C++ program by making use of the 3dslib library.Graphical objects are also created by the technique of Surface of Revolution, which makes the program more flexible and faster to run; display list is employed to improve the execution speed of the program.
Community Colleges as Gateways and Gatekeepers: Moving beyond the Access "Saga" toward Outcome Equity

Community colleges are essential – though often overlooked – institutions of higher education. In this essay, Alicia C. Dowd draws attention to the challenges facing community colleges as they seek to balance their roles as both gateways and gatekeepers with their multiple missions, which include meeting the diverse needs of students at the postsecondary level and responding to the changing educational and economic needs of U.S. society. Using research from the California Benchmarking Project, Enhancing Institutional Effectiveness and Equity, Dowd offers insights about the ways community college leaders, staff, and partners might navigate these dual and often divergent roles. Her essay raises important questions about the nature of higher education accountability in the context of community colleges and the way these institutions are used, managed, and evaluated.
Independent and combined effects of carbohydrate and caffeine ingestion on aerobic cycling performance in the fed state.

The purpose of this study was to examine the independent and combined effects of carbohydrate and caffeine ingestion on performance and various physiological parameters during aerobic cycling (∼1 h...
An angle independent pattern recognition algorithm for ultrasound image blood flow estimation

The authors present a new algorithm for determining the blood flow in arteries based upon consecutive speckle pattern images from an ultrasound array device. The algorithm is composed of two parts: (i) an object recognition phase in which the speckle patterns of platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells are identified as contiguous objects: and (ii) a tracking phase in which the maximum likelihood direction is chosen as the best candidate for the velocity vector. The algorithm is able to detect 2-D motion from B-mode images taken at 2 MHz. When 3-D array techniques become available, the algorithm can be easily adapted to detecting 3-D motion. The advantages of this algorithm over existing ones are discussed, with emphasis on accuracy, robustness to background noise, and low computational needs. Both simulated and real data tests and results are presented. Using real data, the algorithm was able to measure the blood flow velocity to 1-pixel/frame accuracy. >
A study of frequency prediction for power systems

A frequency predictor is identified from simulated measurements of power and frequency on a power system. An on-line Ieast-squares algorithm is used along with a new system structure test for model order identification. A comparison of this system structure test with other model order identification tests is also included. The performance of the resultant predictor is then determined as a function of both the prediction interval and the sampling rate and measurement noise levels on the power and frequency measurements used for the predictor. The results indicate an increase in prediction error with the length of the prediction interval because the predictor loses its principal dependence of "P-f" (power-frequency) dynamics in the power system and depends more strongly on the random load fluctuations over the prediction interval. The modeling error was shown to be unaffected by sampling rate and by measurement noise levels below that of the present power-frequency recorder [2], but was affected by measurement noise levels above the values on the present recorder. This accuracy of the model for small prediction intervals justifies the future use of frequency measurements in power system identification and justifies the use of least-squares algorithms using these measurements. The results on sampling rate and measurement noise imply that the present recorder [2] is an "optimal" design and that the RTDAS [5] will be an even better tool for use in power system model identification.
In the Line of Flight : Changing Practices in Digital Art

This chapter continues to explore digital art’s ability to localise globalisation, though focussing upon the micro, affective and personal experiences of participants. Key artworks from the exhibition In the Line of Flight are used as examples. With a focus upon ‘changing practices in digital art, this chapter will examine a global exhibition held in synchrony with an international symposium in Beijing. This exhibition also showcases contemporary practices in the curation of digital artworks. It will explore curators’ understandings of digital art, and how it might offer critical perspectives on globalisation. The inclusion of this chapter and its sequencing in the book is designed to enable direct comparisons to be made to the Metropolis exhibition discussed in the previous chapter. It also points to some of the diverse practices characteristic of digital art, foregrounded in Chap. 2.
Effect of estradiol and progesterone on the secretory immune system in the female genital tract.

The presence of a local secretory immune system which both synthesizes and releases Immunoglobulin A (IgA) has been identified at mucosal surfaces of the body1–3. A number of investigators have found that while IgA is a minor fraction of total immunoglobulins in the blood, it is the predominant class of antibody in external secretions4,5. In secretory fluids, IgA exists as a dimer in combination with two polypeptides, the J (or joining) chain and secretory component6. Recent information suggests that secretory component, which is present in epithelial cells acts as a receptor for IgA and mediates dimeric IgA transport7–10. The female genital tract appears to be a part of the local immune system because (a) IgA is the principal immunoglobulin in genital tract secretions11,12; (b) IgA-positive cells are present in uterine and cervical tissues13,14; and (c) the presence of antigens on luminal surfaces leads to the appearance of IgA antibodies in the secretions and IgA-positive plasma cells in the tissues of the genital tract15,16.
Commodity Chains and Social Ecological Changes: A Theoretical Inquiry on Human-Environment Interactions

Sustainability science is an emerging field in the study of human-environment interactions. At the core of the analytical challenges this field faces is deconstructing, analyzing, and understanding the dynamic linkages between societal changes and environmental changes at multiple scales and domains. Drawing upon a seminal work of Mancur Olson on the nature of groups and the nature of goods, and the work of Vincent Ostrom and colleagues at the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis at Indiana University on policycentricity, this paper develops an inquiry into polycentric theory of human-environment interactions. In so doing, the paper traces global commodity chains of FIJI water bottles. Three processes: (1) material and historical processes; (2) economic processes; and (3) political and legal processes associated with the commodity chains of FIJI water bottle are investigated to illustrate linkages between commodity chains and social ecological changes. The paper argues that the value-in-use sought by individual consumers in a commodity along the commodity chain is the central gravity of the dynamic relationship between human and environment.
Fertilization in the Guinea Pig

Since the study of guinea pig fertilization and early development began over 137 years ago (see references cited by Hunter et al., 1969), the guinea pig has been an important experimental animal for investigators trying to understand mechanisms of sperm—egg interaction that lead to fertilization. The purpose of this review is not to provide an exhaustive treatise on the subject. Rather, advantages and disadvantages of the guinea pig system are discussed with particular reference to specific areas of research that have received considerable attention. In addition, prospective areas for future investigations are highlighted.
Facility management and coaching

The article deals with the problems of facility management and with the questions of coaching in the area of business activities, of management and of teaching. Facility Management is the method of perfect harmonisation of workers, of working environment and of processes of organisations. This method brings the saving of time, sites, of costs etc. Coaching means the method of optimisation of utilisation of human potential universally, of managers, of co-operators, students, of whole organisation. Connection of methods of facility management and of coaching creates synergic effect. The analysis of working time of managers of schools is the component of the article. This paper was realised in the frame of the research project of National Programme of Research No. II of Ministry of Education, Young and Sports „Managerial audit as a support tool for sustainable development of small and medium enterprises “.
Do not assume. Information flow and the electronic medical record.

Sixty-six years ago, in a founding document of the computer age, the American engineer Claude Shannon1 charted information flow in his mathematical theory of communication. Figure 1 translates Shannon’s schematic diagram of a general communication system into the terms of surgical pathology’s information stream. Figure 1 Information flow in surgical pathology. An article in this issue of the Journal calls attention to the final step in the sequence. In this step, the surgical pathologist, decoder of signal, sends the diagnosis, the decoded signal, to its final destination, the pathology report. It is this message that a clinician integrates into a patient’s medical care.2 As Shannon1 demonstrated, all messages necessarily have a probability of error. Moreover, the greater a message’s information content, the more vulnerable is its communication to error.3 When decoders of the signal realize these errors, they usually resend a corrected version. Clinicians then have two reported signals between which to choose. This is the step in the information flow, between the re-decoded signal and its report, that Parkash and her colleagues2 studied. When they monitored amended report delivery, they found that 7 (12%) of 60 re-sent messages were sent to a person who turned out to have been the wrong destination. Parkash et al ascertained that the ordering provider, the recipient to which the re-sent, revised, message …
Hydrogen-Catalyzed, Pilot-Scale Production of Small-Diameter Boron Nitride Nanotubes and Their Macroscopic Assemblies

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) exhibit a range of properties that are as compelling as those of carbon nanotubes (CNTs); however, very low production volumes have prevented the science and technology of BNNTs from evolving at even a fraction of the pace of CNTs. Here we report the high-yield production of small-diameter BNNTs from pure hexagonal boron nitride powder in an induction thermal plasma process. Few-walled, highly crystalline small-diameter BNNTs (∼5 nm) are produced exclusively and at an unprecedentedly high rate approaching 20 g/h, without the need for metal catalysts. An exceptionally high cooling rate (∼10(5) K/s) in the induction plasma provides a strong driving force for the abundant nucleation of small-sized B droplets, which are known as effective precursors for small-diameter BNNTs. It is also found that the addition of hydrogen to the reactant gases is crucial for achieving such high-quality, high-yield growth of BNNTs. In the plasma process, hydrogen inhibits the formation of N2 from N radicals and promotes the creation of B-N-H intermediate species, which provide faster chemical pathways to the re-formation of a h-BN-like phase in comparison to nitridation from N2. We also demonstrate the fabrication of macroscopic BNNT assemblies such as yarns, sheets, buckypapers, and transparent thin films at large scales. These findings represent a seminal milestone toward the exploitation of BNNTs in real-world applications.
Intra-Executive Policy Laundering: A New Look at an Old Problem

This paper argues for the existence of a distinct sub-species of policy laundering, referred to here as “intra-executive policy laundering.” It argues that international regulatory coordination may be a vehicle through which one executive agency engages in bureaucratic infighting with another agency in order to push through its own substantive agenda, and to expand its own domestic regulatory autonomy. Consequently, executive agencies will compete to coordinate with counterpart agencies in other States, exacerbating the incidence of policy laundering by the executive as a whole. Intra-executive policy laundering also creates greater difficulties for legislatures and civil society in detecting and opposing policy laundering, as they face a multitude of opponents rather than a monolithic executive. Despite potential benefits in breaking regulatory deadlock and increasing international coordination, this paper argues that the lack of transparency and accountability that accompanies intra-executive policy laundering is more pernicious than that associated with policy laundering by a monolithic executive. Ultimately, however, the language of “policy laundering” is misplaced insofar as it emphasizes a substantive policy pursued by an executive entity, rather than the expansion of that entity’s sphere of autonomy.
Results of Acute Toxicity Test of Nine Pesticides

[Objective] To test the acute toxicity of nine kinds of pesticides, including 40% methidathion emulsion, 100 /L bifenthrin emulsion, 400g/L chlorpyrifos emulsion, 18g/L avermectin emulsion, 25g/L lambda-cyhalothrin emulsion, imidacloprid 70% WG, 45% malathion emulsion, polyoxin 3% WP and imidacloprid 200 g/L SL.[Methods]According to the Toxicological test methods of pesticides for registration (GB 15670-1995), the acuteoral toxicity test, acute percutaneous toxicity test, acute dermal irritation test in the rabbits, Draize eye irritation test and guinea pig skin allergy test were conducted in nine kinds of pesticides.[Results]The acute oral toxicity test showed that 40% methidathion emulsion was classified as the high toxicity level, 100 g/L bifenthrin emulsion was classified as the medium toxicity level, and others was classified as the low toxicity level. The acute percutaneous toxicity test showed that all of pesticides was classified as the low toxicity level. Nine of pesticides had the slight skin and eye irritation.The skin allergy test showed that all of nine pesticides were classⅠweak sensitizer.[Conclusion]A majority of the nine pesticides were low toxicity pesticide, but a few of them were identified as the high and medium toxicity pesticide, and all of nine pesticides had the skin and eye irritation. The producers and users should pay attention to the individual safety protection.
Seasonal distribution of the invasive snail, Bithynia tentaculata, within infested waterbodies in Minnesota, USA, including waterfowl migration

The introduction of the invasive faucet snail (Bithynia tentaculata) and its associated trematodes, Cyathocotyle bushiensis, Sphaeridiotrema spp., and Leyogonimus polyoon, has resulted in recurring waterfowl die-offs during spring and fall migration in the Great Lakes Region, especially of Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) and American coots (Fulica americana). Here we evaluated faucet snail habitat use and abundance in infested waterbodies in northcentral Minnesota (USA) during spring, summer, and fall of 2011–2013. We collected snail samples, along with data on abiotic and biotic variables, at 12 snail-infested waterbodies. We used Generalized Estimating Equations to develop models that explain variability in the distribution and abundance of snails within waterbodies. Models containing water depth consistently received considerable support in waterbodies where depth varied substantially; however the specific shape of these relationships varied among waterbodies. Snails used a wide range of depths, but were more likely to be present in deep portions (~6 m) of large lakes in all seasons. We found seasonal differences in the location of rafts of migrating scaup, with use of areas closer to shore in the spring, and use of areas shallower than those used most by faucet snails. Patterns in snail distribution likely influenced the availability of snails for consumption by migrating waterfowl; differences in portions of large lakes used by migratory waterfowl as stopover sites and by faucet snails may reduce exposure of migrating waterfowl to trematodes in infested lakes. However, some spatio-temporal overlap between snails and scaup occurs and explains the continuing loss of waterfowl to trematodiasis.
IgA Nephropathy from the VALIGA European Study: Differences in Treatment Approaches Within Europe

The VALIGA – Validation Study of the Oxford Classification of IgA Nephropathy (IgAN) – was aimed at investigating in a large cohort of European patients with various clinical presentations the prognostic value of the pathology features indicated by the Oxford classification (MEST score). In the 1,147 patients enrolled, the value of MEST to predict the renal function decline was validated, except for the endocapillary lesions, which showed prognostic value only in early stages of IgAN with mild proteinuria. In the VALIGA cohort, most of the patients (86 %) received renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockade, and half of them had also immunosuppressive regimens (mostly oral or pulse corticosteroids (CSs), seldom associated with other immunosuppressants including azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, and mycophenolate mofetil). The benefit on renal function decline of CS regimen in 523 patients was observed to be significant in comparison to the 624 cases who did not receive it.
The Algerian War in the Settler Colony

In 1957, after three years of brutal military onslaught in Algeria, the Fourth Republic’s socialist government led by Guy Mollet collapsed. Mollet’s government had failed to make good on its promise to eradicate the FLN and settle the “Algerian crisis.” The settler community in Algeria had grown impatient with the government and now placed greater trust in the military leadership, namely in general Raoul Salan. In the Metropole, opponents in the Radical party, the communists, and right wing Pouj adists all pointed to the futility of Mollet’s military strategies and the unsustainable strains on the government’s fiscal resources. Between June 1957 and May 14, 1958, two prime ministers from the powerful Radical party, Maurice Bourges-Maunoury and Felix Gaillard took office one after the other, but neither was able to stabilize a majority leadership. Finally, Christian Democrat Pierre Pflimlin was approved in parliament as prime minister on May 13, 1958. Pflimlin’s nomination, however, sounded the death-knell for the Fourth Republic in Algeria, and the news of his premiership would incite a political sedition in Algiers. Supporters of general Charles de Gaulle and former members of the Resistance had been entrenched in Algeria readying for action to topple the sitting government and bring the general back to power.
Financially Overextended: College Attendance as a Contributor to Foreclosures During the Great Recession

Although subprime mortgage lending and unemployment were largely responsible for the wave of foreclosures during the Great Recession, additional sources of financial risk may have exacerbated the crisis. We hypothesize that many parents sending children to college were financially overextended and vulnerable to foreclosure as the economy contracted. With commuting zone panel data from 2006 to 2011, we show that increasing rates of college attendance across the income distribution in one year predict a foreclosure rate increase in subsequent years, net of fixed characteristics and changes in employment, refinance debt, house prices, and 19-year-old population size. We find similar evidence of college-related foreclosure risk using longitudinal household data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Our findings uncover a previously overlooked dimension of the foreclosure crisis, and highlight mortgage insecurity as an inadvertent consequence of parental investment in higher education.
Minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer in USA: current status and future perspectives.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared gastric carcinoma a global health concern and gastric cancer remains the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. With the rising incidence of gastric cancer, a body of both retrospective and randomized data has emerged since the early 1990’s evaluating the role of minimally invasive platforms in the management of gastric cancer. While Eastern studies have shown that the laparoscopic approach is safe and feasible for advanced gastric cancer in Eastern patients, it is not clear whether this is true for patients in the West. Differences in tumor biology, stage at presentation, institutional volume, and surgeon experience all may impact the efficacy and widespread utilization of minimally invasive approaches in regions where gastric cancer is less prevalent. The majority of studies have pointed to a number of improvements associated with minimally invasive approaches including decreased blood loss, shorter length of hospital stay, lower analgesic requirements, decreased minor complications, and faster recovery without any significant difference in overall or disease specific survival (DSS). The benefits associated with minimally invasive approaches and evidence supporting similar oncologic outcomes compared to the traditional open approach will hopefully expand the indications for minimally invasive surgery in the management of gastric cancer. In the United States, results following initial experiences with minimally invasive techniques, including robotic platforms, have revealed promising results. Well-established laparoscopic and robotic techniques are emerging, particularly from high volume United States institutions, which will hopefully pave the way for increased utilization of minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer in the West.
Affinity-Based Assembly of Peptides on Plasmonic Nanoparticles Delivered Intracellularly with Light Activated Control.

We report a universal strategy for functionalizing near-infrared light-responsive nanocarriers with both a peptide “cargo” and an orthogonal cell-penetrating peptide. Modularity of both the cargo and the internalization peptide attachment is an important feature of these materials relying on the robust affinity of polyhistidine tags to nitrilotriacetic acid in the presence of nickel as well as the affinity of biotin labeled peptides to streptavidin. Attachment to the gold surface uses thiol-labeled scaffolds terminated with the affinity partner. These materials allow for unprecedented spatiotemporal control over the release of the toxic α-helical amphipathic peptide (KLAKLAK)2 which disrupts mitochondrial membranes and initiates apoptotic cell death. Laser treatment at benign near-infrared wavelengths releases peptide from the gold surface as well as breaches the endosome barrier for cytosolic activity (with 105-fold improved response to peptide activity over the free peptide) and can be monitored in real...
The Decline of the Work Process in a Business Profession

The accounting work is experiencing a general decline as a result of the situations of proletarianization, alienation, and deskilling.
Optimizing aesthetic outcomes for breast reconstruction in patients with significant macromastia or ptosis

Abstract Background Achieving excellent aesthetic outcomes in reconstruction of large or ptotic breasts is especially challenging. Incorporating a Wise pattern into the mastectomy design is effective in reducing the excess breast skin, however it increases the risk of mastectomy skin necrosis. The aim of this study is to describe surgical maneuvers which optimize aesthetic outcomes, anticipate flap volume requirements, and limit mastectomy skin necrosis in autologous reconstruction in patients with macromastia and grade III ptosis. Methods This is a retrospective review of operative and clinical records of patients who underwent unilateral or bilateral breast reconstruction with autologous tissue between August 2015 and May 2017. Patients were divided into macromastia and ptosis groups. Key surgical maneuvers for safely achieving aesthetically optimal results were identified. Results A total of 29 breasts were successfully reconstructed in 19 patients with a Wise pattern mastectomy skin reduction. Free flap weights were similar in both groups, mastectomy weights were greater in the macromastia group, p Conclusions A Wise pattern can safely and effectively be incorporated into a mastectomy incision design in patients who are not candidates for a nipple sparing mastectomy. Optimal aesthetics are achieved with similar volume flaps for both macromastia and ptosis patients. In cases of unilateral breast reconstruction a contralateral breast reduction or mastopexy should be performed at the time of the immediate breast reconstruction.
Overgrowth Versus Galvanic Replacement: Mechanistic Roles of Pd Seeds during the Deposition of Pd–Pt

Here, a systematic study of the roles played by Pd seeds during seed-mediated coreduction of Pd–Pt is presented. Either nanoparticles with porous, hollow architectures or concave nanocubes were achieved, depending on whether the synthesis conditions favored galvanic replacement or overgrowth. Prior works have shown that the galvanic replacement reaction between seeds and a precursor can be suppressed by introducing a faster, parallel reaction that removes one of the reagents (e.g., adatom generation in solution rather than surface-catalyzed precursor reduction). Here, we show that the galvanic replacement reaction depends on the size and concentration of the Pd seeds; the former of which can be manipulated during the course of the reaction through the use of a secondary reducing agent. This insight will guide future syntheses of multimetallic nanostructures by seeded methods, allowing for a range of nanocrystals to be precisely engineered for a variety of applications.
Tracing the pathway from mental health screening to services for children and youth in foster care

Abstract Purpose Children and youth in out-of-home care have high rates of behavioral health need, and states are increasingly adopting screening protocols to identify and intervene with these youth. This study presents longitudinal analyses of the case flow of youth aged 3–17 in Washington State's foster care system, tracking rates of screening, scoring above or below clinical criteria cutoff scores, and service receipt. This study describes what variables are associated with these three decision points. Results Eighty-nine percent of eligible youth were screened for behavioral health need soon after entry in to out-of-home care; most of those who were not screened were already receiving behavioral health services. Sixty-one percent scored above criteria on at least one screening measure by at least one respondent. Sixty percent of those who scored above criteria and 33% of those who scored below criteria received at least one behavioral health service within 4 months of entry to care. After controlling for all variables, screening above criteria was related to age, race/ethnicity, county rurality, abuse type, reason for out-of-home placement, past behavioral health service receipt, and type of past diagnosis. Service receipt for those scoring above criteria was related to age, race/ethnicity, county rurality, abuse type, and type of prior behavioral health diagnosis. Conclusions The role of screening in child welfare is dynamic and influenced by multiple factors. In the current study, youth screening above criteria was related to increased rates of service receipt. However, many children with behavioral health service needs did not receive services. The relatively high rates of youth scoring below criteria but receiving services may indicate a need for ongoing systematic screening in order to identify emergent needs, or additional screening measures at intake. States considering or employing the use of screening tools should weigh a variety of approaches to screening, assessment, and referral to services in order to ensure maximal benefit.
Retinal Injury and Repair: Neovascularization

Abstract The posterior segment of the eye is a complex assembly of specialized structures derived from neuroectoderm and mesenchyme. A dual-layered blood-retina barrier serves to protect this vital cellular circuitry that integrates visual data while the underlying retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroid provide the hypermetabolic photoreceptor segments with one of the richest nutrient exchange networks in the human body. When injured, these tissues undergo unique molecular and cellular transformations, which nature may have chosen to ultimately protect and repair vision, but which paradoxically lead to blindness. This chapter addresses the fundamental concepts of neovascular responses after acute and chronic retinal injury.
A∞-algebra structures associated to K2 algebras

The notion of a K2-algebra was recently introduced by Cassidy and Shelton as a generalization of the notion of a Koszul algebra. The Yoneda algebra of any connected graded algebra admits a canonical A∞-algebra structure. This structure is trivial if the algebra is Koszul. We study the A∞-structure on the Yoneda algebra of a K2-algebra. For each non-negative integer n we prove the existence of a K2-algebra B and a canonical A∞-algebra structure on the Yoneda algebra of B such that the higher multiplications mi are nonzero for all 3⩽i⩽n+3. We also provide examples which show that the K2 property is not detected by any obvious vanishing patterns among higher multiplications.
Fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites for dentistry

Clinical implementation of fibre-reinforced composites (FRCs) for treatment of misaligned teeth requires a stability of the material under stress in a moist environment. The performance of the material is strongly dependent on its resistance to hydrolytic deterioration of the components. Of particular concern are the quality and durability of the interfaces between the fibres and the matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to evaluate qualitatively the effect of water immersion on the interfaces between constituents in a variety of E-glass fibre-reinforced thermoplastics. A particular series of organosilane-coated fibres embedded in polycarbonate (PC) were chosen for further quantitative study of the residual shear strength of the interfaces using an embedded-single-fibre test. Annealed PC and maleated polypropylene (MPP) reinforced with bare E-glass fibres have an appropriate combination of mechanical properties and environmental stability for potential orthodontic applications. The usual sizing agents used for commercial E-glass fibres interfere with the bonding of the fibres to the matrix and the usual silane treatments used to promote bonding could lead to problems of hydrolytic stability under extreme conditions of stress and moisture.
Neutron Scattering and Lattice Dynamics of Materials with Layered Structures

There are numerous textbooks and review articles [1–3] on lattice dynamics, and, in particular, the microscopic approach to the theory of lattice dynamics has been a subject of considerable activity in recent years [4–6]. Here a brief summary of fundamental equations for the more conventional Born-von Karman formalism is presented in order to define notations that will be used later.
Characterizing a Murine Model for Astrovirus Using Viral Isolates from Persistently Infected Immunocompromised Mice.

Human astroviruses are single-stranded RNA enteric viruses that cause a spectrum of disease ranging from asymptomatic infection to systemic extragastrointestinal spread; however, they are among the least-characterized enteric viruses, and there is a lack of a well-characterized small animal model. Finding that immunocompromised mice were resistant to human astrovirus infection via multiple routes of inoculation, our studies aimed to determine whether murine astrovirus (MuAstV) could be used to model human astrovirus disease. We experimentally infected wild-type mice with MuAstV isolated from immunocompromised mice and found that the virus was detected throughout the gastrointestinal tract, including the stomach, but was not associated with diarrhea. The virus was also detected in the lung. Although virus levels were higher in recently weaned mice, the levels were similar in male and female adult mice. Using two distinct viruses isolated from different immunocompromised mouse strains, we observed virus strain-specific differences in the duration of infection (3 versus 10 weeks) in wild-type mice, indicating that the within-host immune pressure from donor mice shaped the virus kinetics in immunocompetent recipient hosts. Both virus strains elicited minimal pathology and a lack of sustained immunity. In summary, MuAstV represents a useful model for studying asymptomatic human infection and gaining insight into the astrovirus pathogenesis and immunity. IMPORTANCE Astroviruses are widespread in both birds and mammals; however, little is known about the pathogenesis and the immune response to the virus due to the lack of a well-characterized small-animal model. Here we describe two distinct strains of murine astrovirus that cause infections in immunocompetent mice that mirror aspects of asymptomatic human infections, including minimal pathology and short-lived immunity. However, we noted that the duration of infection differed greatly between the strains, highlighting an important facet of these viruses that was not previously appreciated. The ubiquitous nature and diversity of murine astroviruses coupled with the continuous likelihood of reinfection raise the possibility of viral interference with other mouse models of disease.
How Do Generational Differences Drive Response to Social-Issue Ads?: The Effect of Value Orientations Across Generations in the U.S.

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of consumers9 underlying value orientations to determine whether consumers respond differently to corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives depending on age. The findings suggest that younger consumers more likely had favorable responses to CSR advertising than older consumers. Floodlight analysis—derived from an earlier method (Johnson and Neyman, 1936)—suggests that although millennials did not support CSR initiatives motivated by a vertical collectivistic orientation, such as fulfilling duties, consumers from Generation X and baby boomers did. Baby boomers did not use a horizontal individualism value (e.g., freedom and uniqueness) in evaluating advertisers9 motives in supporting social causes, whereas millennials and Generation X consumers did.
Profile of crizanlizumab and its potential in the prevention of pain crises in sickle cell disease: evidence to date

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common inherited blood disorders globally. It is a grouping of autosomal recessive genetic disorders identified by a genetic mutation that replaces glutamic acid with valine at the sixth amino acid on the hemoglobin β-globin chain. Millions of people around the world live with a severe genotype of SCD that is often associated with occlusion of the microvasculature resulting in episodes of severe pain and multiple organ system dysfunction. These episodes, commonly categorized as vaso-occlusive crises (VOC), are a distinctive clinical presentation of SCD which represents the majority of SCD morbidity and associated hospitalizations. Though the complete process by which these crises occur is complex and not fully outlined, evidence reveals this process to be multifactorial and heterocellular. For nearly two decades, hydroxyurea was the only FDA-approved therapy for SCD. Evidence to date shows that hydroxyurea treatment significantly reduces the rate of VOC, hospitalizations, and mortality. Despite these benefits, adherence remains problematic due to a variety of adverse effects and interpatient variability connected with hydroxyurea therapy. Crizanlizumab, an adhesion inhibitor of sickled red blood cells, was recently granted breakthrough therapy designation. Results of a phase 2 study have reported a successful reduction in annual rates of vaso-occlusive crisis with a favorable safety profile. This paper reviews the available literature concerning crizanlizumab use in patients with SCD.
Erratum for Lu et al., "Mapping the Neutralizing Epitopes of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 (F4) Fimbrial Adhesin and Major Subunit FaeG".

Volume 85, no. 11, e00329-19, [https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00329-19][1]. Page 6, Materials and Methods, paragraph 1, line 6: “3030-2 (K88ac/LT/STb/STa)” should be “3030-2 (K88ac/LT/STb/EAST1).” Page 7, Table 4: In the “Relevant properties” column for strain 3030-2, “K88ac/STa/STb/LT
A phase II trial of durvalumab (MEDI4736) and tremelimumab in metastatic, nontransitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract.

514Background: Non-transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract (non-TCC) includes several distinct histologies and is associated with a poor prognosis. Prospective data regarding management...
Baboon placental heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor.

Placental extravillous trophoblast remodeling of the uterine spiral arteries is important for promoting blood flow to the placenta and fetal development. Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), an EGF family member, stimulates differentiation and invasive capacity of extravillous trophoblasts in vitro. Trophoblast expression and maternal levels of HB-EGF are reduced at term in women with preeclampsia, but it is uncertain whether HB-EGF is downregulated earlier when it may contribute to placental insufficiency. A nonhuman primate model has been established in which trophoblast remodeling of the uterine spiral arteries is suppressed by shifting the rise in estrogen from the second to the first trimester of baboon pregnancy. In the present study, we used this model to determine if placental HB-EGF is altered by prematurely elevating estrogen early in baboon gestation. Uterine spiral artery remodeling and placental expression of HB-EGF and other EGF family members were assessed on day 60 of gestation in baboons treated with estradiol (E2) daily between days 25 and 59 of gestation (term = 184 days). The percentages of spiral artery remodeling were 90, 84 and 70% lower (P 100 µm diameter in E2-treated compared with untreated baboons. HB-EGF protein quantified by immunocytochemical staining/image analysis was decreased three-fold (P < 0.01) in the placenta of E2-treated versus untreated baboons, while amphiregulin (AREG) and EGF expression was unaltered. Therefore, we propose that HB-EGF modulates the estrogen-sensitive remodeling of the uterine spiral arteries by the extravillous trophoblast in early baboon pregnancy.
Catastrophe In Radiology: Considerations Beyond Common Emergencies.

Disasters often occur without warning and have the potential to affect large numbers of people. Those in the radiology environment experience unique effects on them, their equipment, and their ability to provide quality patient care. Lessons can be learned by reviewing events and their impact on imaging departments around the world. Radiology departments need to be actively involved in the disaster planning and the management of disasters when they occur. Common themes emerge regardless of the type of disaster, and these themes should be included in all planning.
Radiation Source Localization Using Surrogate Models Constructed from 3-D Monte Carlo Transport Physics Simulations

Recent research has focused on the development of surrogate models for radiation source localization in a simulated urban domain. We employ the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code to provide high-fi...
Innovation in Ambulatory Care of Heart Failure in the Era of Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Despite steady progress over the past 3 decades in advancing drug and device therapies to reduce morbidity and mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, large registries of usual care demonstrate incomplete use of these evidence-based therapies in clinical practice. Potential strategies to improve guideline-directed medical therapy include leveraging non-physician clinicians, solidifying transitions of care, incorporating telehealth solutions, and engaging in comprehensive comorbid disease management via multidisciplinary team structures. These approaches may be particularly relevant in an era of Coronavirus Disease 2019 and associated need for social distancing, further limiting contact with traditional ambulatory clinic settings.
Analysis on the natural pollution characteristics of metal-oxide surge arrester with different external insulation material

In order to study the surface pollution distribution characteristics of the metal-oxide surge arrester (MOA) with different external insulation material, the polymer-housed MOA and the porcelain-housed MOA with room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber (RTV) were selected as research objects. After a one-year natural pollution accumulation, the equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD) and non-soluble deposit density (NSDD) of the MOA surface were measured, and then the surface pollution unevenness and the ratio of NSDD to ESDD at different positions of MOA were analyzed. The results show that the pollution of the high-voltage side and low-voltage side of MOA is more serious than that of the middle part. For the polymer-housed MOA, the average unevenness of ESDD and that of NSDD is about 1 and 2 respectively, and the average ratio of NSDD to ESDD of the top surface is about 9, while that of the bottom surface is about 4. For the Porcelain-housed MOA with RTV, both the average unevenness of ESDD and that of NSDD are about 1, and the average ratio of NSDD to ESDD of both the top and bottom surfaces is about 6. The research results can provide a reference for making the artificial pollution tests and improving the design level of the MOA.
Womb of Worlds or Silent Space? Imagination and Leadership

Imagination is not simply the ability to conceive the future, but also to conceive the past. It is also an ability to conceive and see the present properly. Imagination analyzes and synthesizes. Too much imagination and leaders may be paralyzed for fear or complexity, but with too little imagination leaders may not conceive reality well or act properly. Lewis’ own ability to analyze, synthesize, and present reality in creative ways is a benefit for our reflections. For Lewis, the imagination is a sense-making organ. As such, it is not neutral. Imagination is in pursuit of images and allows proper understanding of images. Images are not simply mental pictures, but wider sensations, including emotions. Imagination is a point of connection between leader and follower. Improperly formed, the imagination will be misused and will mislead others. Properly formed, the imagination connects with reality and facilitates the connection of other imaginations with reality.
Thoughts on the Launching of a New Journal: A Complex Dynamic Systems Perspective

The launching of The Journal for the Psychology of Language Learning is a signal achievement. I begin this commentary by speculating on why it is that the Psychology of Language Learning (PLL) has enjoyed such vigor of late. I expect that one reason is the coming together of a critical mass of researchers and strong leaders over their shared interests. A second reason may be that a new way of looking at familiar phenomena was introduced in the form of complex dynamic systems theory (CDST). Building on this supposition, I proceed to recommend extending CDST thinking in some new ways in PLL. These ways are phenomenological, relational, processual, and transdisciplinary. I conclude by urging the PLL community to remain connected with other areas of applied linguistics so that it may continue to contribute to a knowledge-building community.