cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
2012 election results

On 4 October 2012, AGU members completed voting for the 2013–2014 leadership term. Union officers, Board members, section and focus group officers, and student and early career representatives to the Council were elected. All members who joined or renewed their membership by 1 July 2012 were eligible to vote in this year's leadership election. The vote was held electronically, and access to voting was provided to all eligible voters for a period of 31 days. The voting was conducted by Survey and Ballot Systems, Inc. (SBS). SBS, which offers election planning and management services, provided unique login credentials and other support services for eligible voters throughout the election. Voting results were certified by SBS on 8 October and by the AGU Tellers Committee on 9 October. The overall participation rate was 21.9%, an increase over previous AGU elections.
A coupled fluid–solid model for problems in geomechanics: Application to sand production

Some of the most challenging problems in geomechanics involve the coupling between fluid flow and solid deformation. In this paper we briefly present an overview of existing coupling methods to problems involving fluid flow and deformation and describe testing of a new discrete-based coupling method for problems in porous media. Modeled permeability and porosity distributions are compared to idealized packed assemblies and results are presented for simulations of steady flow through porous media. Previously published results for the coupled model focused on few or multiple particles in a fluid, whereas our results show good agreement to packed assemblies of particles (i.e. porous media). Finally, the two-dimensional model is applied to sand production, a common problem in geomechanics. Sand production is defined as the co-production of both a fluid and solid phase in oil and gas wells. In our models, we capture initial sand production associated with early-time drawdown. Later-time results show episodic sanding rates associated with formation stability and instabilities. Both observations are qualitatively consistent with laboratory and field observations. We find that high confining pressure inhibits the production of sand, through elevated interparticle contact forces. It is argued that these physically based models have a use in testing and evaluating competing hypotheses of sand production but their applicability is currently limited to small spatial and temporal scales. We believe these models bridge an important gap between the underlying physics of micro-mechanical interactions of fluid and solid grains and the continuum descriptions of those systems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predicting Pressure–Viscosity Behavior from Ambient Viscosity and Compressibility: Challenges and Opportunities

The potential for using an empirical expression to predict the piezoviscous response of a fluid from its pressure–volume behavior is explored. This approach is particularly promising since the variation of volume with pressure can be obtained relatively easily using atomistic simulations that are based on the molecular structure of the fluid. The accuracy of predictions made using the proposed method is evaluated, and its limitations are discussed in terms of sources of error and potential means of minimizing that error going forward.
Comparison of mitotic cell death by chromosome fragmentation to premature chromosome condensation

Mitotic cell death is an important form of cell death, particularly in cancer. Chromosome fragmentation is a major form of mitotic cell death which is identifiable during common cytogenetic analysis by its unique phenotype of progressively degraded chromosomes. This morphology however, can appear similar to the morphology of premature chromosome condensation (PCC) and thus, PCC has been at times confused with chromosome fragmentation. In this analysis the phenomena of chromosome fragmentation and PCC are reviewed and their similarities and differences are discussed in order to facilitate differentiation of the similar morphologies. Furthermore, chromosome pulverization, which has been used almost synonymously with PCC, is re-examined. Interestingly, many past reports of chromosome pulverization are identified here as chromosome fragmentation and not PCC. These reports describe broad ranging mechanisms of pulverization induction and agree with recent evidence showing chromosome fragmentation is a cellular response to stress. Finally, biological aspects of chromosome fragmentation are discussed, including its application as one form of non-clonal chromosome aberration (NCCA), the driving force of cancer evolution.
Higher Levels of Leflunomide Are Associated with Hemolysis and Are not Superior to Lower Levels for BK Virus Clearance in Renal Transplant Patients

Background and objectives: Leflunomide use in renal transplantation has been increasing. Outcome correlation and safety data are still to be refined. The goals of this study were to report one center's experience with leflunomide, specifically the correlation of leflunomide levels with the outcomes of BK nephropathy and the observed toxic effects during the treatment with leflunomide. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: Leflunomide was used in 21 patients with BK nephropathy. These patients were divided into two groups on the basis of the leflunomide levels achieved: Low-level group ( 40 μg/ml). Results: During 13 mo of follow-up, there was no difference in the rate of serum BK viral clearance between the groups. There were three graft losses in the low-level group and one in the high-level group; however, creatinine levels were higher at the time of starting leflunomide in the low-level group. Leflunomide was also used in six patients with chronic allograft injury. No graft loss was observed during the follow-up period of 16 mo. Treatment with leflunomide seemed to be associated with a new toxicity, hemolysis, seen in four of the 27 patients so treated. Patients with hemolysis had high leflunomide levels (81.4 ± 14 μg/ml) and worsening allograft function. Two patients had histologic evidence of thrombotic microangiopathy, which led to graft loss in one patient. Conclusions: The clinical correlation between leflunomide levels and outcomes needs to be further refined. This study described a possible association of leflunomide with thrombotic microangiopathy, especially at higher levels.
Ten facet scales for the Big Five Inventory: Convergence with NEO PI-R facets, self-peer agreement, and discriminant validity

Scales were developed to assess 10 specific facet traits within the broad Big Five personality domains from the item pool of the Big Five Inventory (BFI). In two independent samples, the BFI facet scales demonstrated substantial (a) reliability, (b) convergence with self-reports on the Revised NEO Personality Inventory and peer-reports on the BFI, and (c) discriminant validity. These brief scales offer new opportunities for researchers who wish to assess specific personality characteristics within an overarching Big Five framework.
Subunit arrangement and phenylethanolamine binding in GluN1/GluN2B NMDA receptors

Since it was discovered that the anti-hypertensive agent ifenprodil has neuroprotective activity through its effects on NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors, a determined effort has been made to understand the mechanism of action and to develop improved therapeutic compounds on the basis of this knowledge. Neurotransmission mediated by NMDA receptors is essential for basic brain development and function. These receptors form heteromeric ion channels and become activated after concurrent binding of glycine and glutamate to the GluN1 and GluN2 subunits, respectively. A functional hallmark of NMDA receptors is that their ion-channel activity is allosterically regulated by binding of small compounds to the amino-terminal domain (ATD) in a subtype-specific manner. Ifenprodil and related phenylethanolamine compounds, which specifically inhibit GluN1 and GluN2B NMDA receptors, have been intensely studied for their potential use in the treatment of various neurological disorders and diseases, including depression, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Despite considerable enthusiasm, mechanisms underlying the recognition of phenylethanolamines and ATD-mediated allosteric inhibition remain limited owing to a lack of structural information. Here we report that the GluN1 and GluN2B ATDs form a heterodimer and that phenylethanolamine binds at the interface between GluN1 and GluN2B, rather than within the GluN2B cleft. The crystal structure of the heterodimer formed between the GluN1b ATD from Xenopus laevis and the GluN2B ATD from Rattus norvegicus shows a highly distinct pattern of subunit arrangement that is different from the arrangements observed in homodimeric non-NMDA receptors and reveals the molecular determinants for phenylethanolamine binding. Restriction of domain movement in the bi-lobed structure of the GluN2B ATD, by engineering of an inter-subunit disulphide bond, markedly decreases sensitivity to ifenprodil, indicating that conformational freedom in the GluN2B ATD is essential for ifenprodil-mediated allosteric inhibition of NMDA receptors. These findings pave the way for improving the design of subtype-specific compounds with therapeutic value for neurological disorders and diseases.
A new upper bound for error-correcting codes

By refining Hamming's geometric sphere-packing model a new upper bound for nonsystematic binary error-correcting codes is found. Only combinatorial arguments are used. Whereas Hamming's upper bound estimate for e -error-correcting codes involved a count of all points \leq e Hamming distance from the set of code points, the model is extended here to include consideration of points which are >e distance away from the code set. The percentage improvement from Hamming's bounds is sometimes quite sizable for cases of two or more errors to be corrected. The new bound improves on Wax's bounds in all but four of the cases he lists.
Aesthetic and predictable correction of the inverted nipple.

Abstract Background Multiple surgical techniques have been developed to correct the inverted nipple. No single technique is universally applicable for correction of all types of inverted nipple because different types have differing levels of fibrosis. Objective We describe a simple technique for providing long-term correction for the grade III severely inverted nipple without the use of dermal flaps. Methods An inferior periareolar incision extending from 5 o'clock to 7 o' clock was made, and a periareolar flap was raised to the nipple. A 3-0 nylon suture was placed through the nipple, after which the nipple was everted through complete release of all fibrous bands and tethering attachments. We accomplished long-term eversion of the nipple by suturing the internal sidewalls of the nipple together. Results This technique has been performed in 17 patients with no recurrence 1 year after surgery. Conclusions Our technique for treatment of the inverted nipple is simple to perform and provides reliable, long-term correction. Patients must be advised before surgery that the procedure permanently disrupts the lacteriferous ducts and is likely to prevent breast-feeding.
Public School Administration and Brown v. Board of Education

This article reviews educational initiatives of state and federal government that were designed to remedy the effects of racial segregation on Black public school students in the United States after the famous Brown v. Board of Education decisions. Several policy and legal initiatives are reviewed, including school desegregation, compensatory education, decentralization, school reform and restructuring, school finance litigation, state accountability models, school district takeovers, vouchers, charter schools, No Child Left Behind, and privatization.
Possible reinforcement enhancing effects of bupropion during initial smoking abstinence.

INTRODUCTION Due to a drop in nicotine, smoking cessation may attenuate reinforcement from sensory stimuli unrelated to nicotine intake. Recent rodent research suggests that bupropion may reverse this attenuation, perhaps helping explain its efficacy in aiding cessation. METHODS In a within-subjects, crossover study, smokers responded on a simple computer task for brief music reward available on a progressive ratio 50% schedule. Testing was done on three separate occasions: after ad lib smoking during prequit baseline and on the first day of two brief quit attempts while taking bupropion or placebo, in counter-balanced order. Number of operant responses was the measure of reinforcement. To more clearly assess abstinence and medication effects, those meeting 24-hr abstinence criteria (CO 10 ppm; n = 5) during both medication conditions were compared. RESULTS Among abstainers, repeated measures ANOVA showed that reinforced responding decreased by nearly 50% from baseline after quitting on placebo (p = .03), while responding after quitting on bupropion was similar to that during baseline (-17%; p = .20). In contrast, those unable to abstain showed virtually identical reinforced responding due to either medication or baseline. CONCLUSIONS These exploratory findings confirm that responding for a reward unrelated to smoking decreases after abstinence and are consistent with animal research showing bupropion effects on enhancing reinforced responding.
Aggressive encounter of a group of blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) toward a group of scissor-tailed flycatchers (Tyrannus forficatus)

Abstract I describe an occurrence of interference competition between a group of five male scissor-tailed flycatchers (Tyrannus forficatus) and 11 blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata). The interaction was initiated by a subset of two blue jays and concluded after nine additional blue jays arrived at a perch on a sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), causing the scissor-tailed flycatchers to leave the perch and area. Both species exhibited intraspecific cooperation during the encounter.
Correlating Geometry and Shielding Effects on Accelerated Soft Errors in 90nm SRAM Using Spallation Neutron Beams

Accelerated soft error data in embedded SRAM in an advanced CMOS DSP are used to determine the impact of geometry and shielding effects on the accuracy of extrapolated product failure rates due to terrestrial neutrons.
THE PERFORMANCE OF MULTI-MAN MONITORING TEAMS.

This study examined the performance of multi-man teams in a visual monitoring task. There were four groups: one, two, and three-man teams, and another three-man team in which the members monitored in isolation but had their responses combined as if they were switches in a parallel circuit. The length of the vigil was 48 min, in which 32 signals appeared.Results showed that: (a) As team size increased from one to two men, there was a significant increase in probability of detection, but the increase from two to three men was not statistically significant; (b) The combined performance of the three monitors in isolation was superior to the three monitors working together; and (c) The performance of the two and three-man groups fell short of the level predicted by a probability model for independent events.
Cognitive Substrates of Thought Disorder, I: The Semantic System

Objective:Few studies have explored in detail the relation of cognitive deficits in attention, working memory, and semantics to thought disorder. The authors sought to determine whether thought disorder resides in the semantic system or elsewhere. Method:Twenty-three normal comparison subjects and 23 patients with schizophrenia participated in the study. All subjects received tests of executive function and working memory, including the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and the Letter-Number Span test; a test of deployment of attentional resources; and tests of semantic processing and language comprehension, including the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the Speed and Capacity of Language-Processing Test, the Boston Naming Test, and tests of semantic verbal fluency and phonologic verbal fluency, from which was derived a difference score. All patients were also administered the Scale for the Assessment of Thought, Language, and Communication to assess thought disorder. Results:The normal subjects were compared w...
Behavioral consequences of NMDA antagonist-induced neuroapoptosis in the infant mouse brain.

Background: Exposure to NMDA glutamate antagonists during the brain growth spurt period causes widespread neuroapoptosis in the rodent brain. This period in rodents occurs during the first two weeks after birth, and corresponds to the third trimester of pregnancy and several years after birth in humans. The developing human brain may be exposed to NMDA antagonists through drug-abusing mothers or through anesthesia. Methodology/Principal Findings: We evaluated the long-term neurobehavioral effects of mice exposed to a single dose of the NMDA antagonist, phencyclidine (PCP), or saline, on postnatal day 2 (P2) or P7, or on both P2 and P7. PCP treatment on P2 + P7 caused more severe cognitive impairments than either single treatment. Histological examination of acute neuroapoptosis resulting from exposure to PCP indicated that the regional pattern of degeneration induced by PCP in P2 pups was different from that in P7 pups. The extent of damage when evaluated quantitatively on P7 was greater for pups previously treated on P2 compared to pups treated only on P7. Conclusions: These findings signify that PCP induces different patterns of neuroapoptosis depending on the developmental age at the time of exposure, and that exposure at two separate developmental ages causes more severe neuropathological and neurobehavioral consequences than a single treatment.
The Clumsiness of Measurement

Do you watch Lie to Me on FOX TV (Ryan et al., 2010)? Based somewhat on the work of Dr. Paul Ekman, Dr. Cal Lightman (played by Tim Roth) reads microexpressions, assisting the police, Federal agencies, and others studying deception to determine who is lying and why. Regardless of what Dr. Ekman thinks of the fact or fiction portraying his work, the program says much for the application of one type of qualitative inquiry. Recognizing the implications of his work for nursing during an interview with Harry Kreisler, Dr. Ekman said,
Lacrimal gland abscess presenting with preseptal cellulitis depicted on CT

Pyogenic lacrimal gland abscesses are uncommon and thus may not be immediately clinically recognized without a high index of suspicion. We present two patients with preseptal cellulitis and characteristic low-attenuation fluid collections in the lacrimal glands demonstrated on computed tomography (CT). Lacrimal gland abscesses should be considered when dacryoadenitis is refractory to medical treatment. Indeed, these cases highlight the value of prompt recognition of lacrimal abscess through ophthalmologic referral and the use of diagnostic imaging. Both patients were successfully treated via incision and drainage.
Ductile Fracture Prediction for Marine Structures

Reliable modelling of fracture on a structural scale restricts the type of the finite elements used in the analyses to shell elements with in-plane dimension larger than the thickness. Thus, we consider a comprehensive constitutive formulation embedded in the shell mechanics framework. We propose a three-invariant plasticity model that accounts for dependence of the strain at fracture on both stress triaxiality and the third invariant of the deviatoric stress, which has a significant influence for shear-dominated stress states. This is achieved through a phenomenological damage evolution equation that includes both the dilatational term and plastic deviatoric energy term. The latter is dependent on the omega parameter, which can be considered a normalization of the Lode angle. A consistent calibration procedure is also developed based on a small number of carefully selected coupon-level experimental tests.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Life expectancy in police officers: a comparison with the U.S. general population

Previous epidemiological research indicates that police officers have an elevated risk of death relative to the general population overall and for several specific causes. Despite the increased risk for mortality found in previous research, controversy still exists over the life expectancy of police officers. The goal of the present study was to compare life expectancy of male police officers from Buffalo New York with the U.S. general male population utilizing an abridged life table method. On average, the life expectancy of Buffalo police officers in our sample was significantly lower than the U.S. population (mean difference in life expectancy = 21.9 years; 95% CI: 14.5-29.3; p < 0.0001). Life expectancy of police officers was shorter and differences were more pronounced in younger age categories. Additionally, police officers had a significantly higher average probability of death than did males in the general population (mean difference = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.26-0.54; p < 0.0001). The years of potential life lost (YPLL) for police officers was 21 times larger than that of the general population (Buffalo male officers vs. U.S. males = 21.7, 95% CI: 5.8-37.7). Possible reasons for shorter life expectancy among police are discussed, including stress, shift work, obesity, and hazardous environmental work exposures.
Survey of the Administration of Physical Education in Public Schools in the United States

(1962). Survey of the Administration of Physical Education in Public Schools in the United States. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 33, No. 4, pp. 632-636.
Discrimination on Equity Refinancing and Earnings Management

It is the important foundation of academic innovation to summarize the existing literature.Earnings management in the process of equity refinancing is worth studying.This paper summarizes the literature research in recent years and tidies up the problems from research design,research technical route,research methods and future trend of the research in order to explore the present situation and the future direction of the research on equity refinancing and earnings management.
Chemoselective single-site Earth-abundant metal catalysts at metal–organic framework nodes

Earth-abundant metal catalysts are critically needed for sustainable chemical synthesis. Here we report a simple, cheap and effective strategy of producing novel earth-abundant metal catalysts at metal-organic framework (MOF) nodes for broad-scope organic transformations. The straightforward metalation of MOF secondary building units (SBUs) with cobalt and iron salts affords highly active and reusable single-site solid catalysts for a range of organic reactions, including chemoselective borylation, silylation and amination of benzylic C-H bonds, as well as hydrogenation and hydroboration of alkenes and ketones. Our structural, spectroscopic and kinetic studies suggest that chemoselective organic transformations occur on site-isolated, electron-deficient and coordinatively unsaturated metal centres at the SBUs via σ-bond metathesis pathways and as a result of the steric environment around the catalytic site. MOFs thus provide a novel platform for the development of highly active and affordable base metal catalysts for the sustainable synthesis of fine chemicals.
Incidence of venous thromboembolic events and effect on survival in patients with lung cancer

18017 Background: Venous thromboemboli (VTE) is a known complication in patients with cancer, however the true incidence and effect on survival in patients with lung cancer is not clear. Methods: W...
Complement and clot.

In this issue of Blood, Subramaniam et al showed that complement proteins affect platelet activation and tissue factor (TF) procoagulant activity (PCA) in an inferior vena cava (IVC) ligation model of venous thrombosis in mice.
Gender in American Jewish Life

Diverse communities construct gender roles—the complex fabric of behaviors, attitudes, and expectations that societies weave around biological sexual differences—in different ways, producing widely varying ideas of normative “maleness” and “femaleness” and what constitutes a “family.” Changes in gender role construction are often precipitated by historical, economic, social, and political changes (Scott 1988). Evolving—and sometimes reversed—assumptions about maleness and femaleness have transformed many aspects of American—and American Jewish—religious life and culture in an American environment characterized by increasingly porous boundaries in general (Amato and Booth 1997). Researchers have examined these transformations in religions, relationships, families, and American society (Williams 2003, pp. 470–487) using frameworks such as gender theory, social scientific theories about marriage, families and sexuality, rational choice theory, signaling and economic theories, and even evolutionary biology. Few if any, however, have “connected the dots” and examined critical intersections between gendered changes in Jewish religious culture and gendered changes in Jewish personal and familial patterns.
Robust Disturbance Rejection for FIR Systems with Bounded Parameters

Abstract A robust MPC algorithm is formulated for systems described by a finite impulse response (FIR) model with a constant output disturbance. Uncertainty in the system is parameterized by ellipsoidal bounds on the FIR parameters. Cost function constraints are used to provide off-set free control. The steady-state properties of the algorithm are analyzed and a simulation example is provided to illustrate advantages of the proposed approach.
The Blood of a Prophet and the Conscience of a King

In 1591, James VI of Scotland intervened on behalf of a convicted English Hebraist and minister, John Udall, during his sentencing trial for writing seditious tracts against Elizabeth and her bishops. Udall had advocated for a presbyterian church structure aligned with the Genevan Discipline, and his case was complicated by his involvement with the Marprelate controversy. After the Court of High Commission – with its notorious ex officio mero oath – failed to indict Udall, the common law courts swiftly convicted him. Despite the serious legal shortcomings in the Crown's case, however, James focused his defense on the premise that they were both sincere interpreters of prophetic scripture, or prophets, in one contemporary sense of the word. This episode thus offers a new perspective on James' complicated relationship with presbyterians more than a decade before his accession to the throne of England.
Comments for the Continuation Method by A.F. Filippov for Discontinuous Systems, Part II

The conventional existence-uniqueness theorems are not applicable for differential equations with right hand sides as discontinuous state functions. This is the case for the systems with discontinuous controls and sliding modes, when state trajectories belong to discontinuity surfaces. Many authors offered their methods of deriving sliding mode equations, or solution continuations on the discontinuity surfaces. Due to uncertainties of right hand sides, the proposed methods led to different solutions. These methods are compared, the reasons of ambiguity are discussed in the paper. It is assumed that any solution is under the umbrella of the method proposed by A.F. Filippov.
Gray Failure: The Achilles' Heel of Cloud-Scale Systems

Cloud scale provides the vast resources necessary to replace failed components, but this is useful only if those failures can be detected. For this reason, the major availability breakdowns and performance anomalies we see in cloud environments tend to be caused by subtle underlying faults, i.e., gray failure rather than fail-stop failure. In this paper, we discuss our experiences with gray failure in production cloud-scale systems to show its broad scope and consequences. We also argue that a key feature of gray failure is differential observability: that the system's failure detectors may not notice problems even when applications are afflicted by them. This realization leads us to believe that, to best deal with them, we should focus on bridging the gap between different components' perceptions of what constitutes failure.
Association of MLL2 mutation positive non-small cell lung cancer with prognosis.

11598Background: Myeloid/lymphoid or mixed-lineage leukemia protein 2 (MLL2) is an epigenetic regulator expressed in many tissues. Although MLL2 mutations are associated with poor prognosis in diff...
Gut bacteria from multiple sclerosis patients modulate human T cells and exacerbate symptoms in mouse models.

The gut microbiota regulates T cell functions throughout the body. We hypothesized that intestinal bacteria impact the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disorder of the CNS and thus analyzed the microbiomes of 71 MS patients not undergoing treatment and 71 healthy controls. Although no major shifts in microbial community structure were found, we identified specific bacterial taxa that were significantly associated with MS. Akkermansia muciniphila and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, both increased in MS patients, induced proinflammatory responses in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in monocolonized mice. In contrast, Parabacteroides distasonis, which was reduced in MS patients, stimulated antiinflammatory IL-10–expressing human CD4+CD25+ T cells and IL-10+FoxP3+ Tregs in mice. Finally, microbiota transplants from MS patients into germ-free mice resulted in more severe symptoms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and reduced proportions of IL-10+ Tregs compared with mice “humanized” with microbiota from healthy controls. This study identifies specific human gut bacteria that regulate adaptive autoimmune responses, suggesting therapeutic targeting of the microbiota as a treatment for MS.
Re-enactment, reconstruction and the freedom of the imagination: Collingwood on history and art

ABSTRACTAn implication of Kant’s aesthetics is that the audience for art must be able to meet the free play of the imagination of the artist with free play of their own imagination in order to enjoy the work of art. Does Collingwood’s conception of the aesthetic audience’s ‘reconstruction’ of the imaginative work of the artist leave room for this thought? No, but his conception of the historian’s ‘re-enactment’ of the thought of the historical subjects suggests a model for this relation that might be added to his aesthetic theory.
Dinitromethyl-3(5)-1,2,4-oxadiazole Derivatives from Controllable Cyclization Strategies.

N-Cyanoimidate (1) with hydroxylamine hydrochloride in the presence of triethylamine gives different products (2 a or 2 b) as a function of the sequence of reactant addition. Further oxidation/nitration/decarboxylation/acidification reactions of 2 a/2 b generate dinitromethyl-3(5)-1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives, including a surprising energetic compound with high oxygen balance, 3-(dinitromethyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-one (5) as well as 5,5'-dinitromethyl-3,3'-azo-1,2,4-oxadiazole (9). Some salts of 5 and 9 as precursors were also prepared. All were fully characterized using multinuclear NMR and IR spectroscopy, and elemental analyses as well as low-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction for 4, 5, 7 and 8. In addition, their properties (thermal stability, detonation performance and sensitivity to impact and friction) were investigated. Among them, 5 and 8 show promising detonation performance as energetic materials.
Thirty Years of Territorial Restructuring in Greece (1981-2010)

This article examines the decentralisation process that took place in Greece from 1981 until 2010. Although Greece remains a highly centralised state, considerable decentralization reforms were undertaken during this period. Those reforms affected all subnational levels of government. Nevertheless, despite the considerable changes, the fundamentals of the polity have remained relatively untouched. The paper examines the causal factors of decentralisation reforms throughout this period alongside the obstructing factors that resisted them, thus contributing towards the relative inertia of the polity structures. The main argument put forward is that it was mainly domestic factors that shaped the decentralization process in the country. Party politics, the democratisation discourse and, later on, managerial concerns influenced the reform process greatly. Additionally, structural characteristics of the Greek socio-political system, such as veto points at the local and national levels, obtruded change, while the role of certain individual actors who acted as policy entrepreneurs and pushed the reforms up the political agenda should not be underestimated. Europeanisation and other international factors were of secondary importance in the whole process. Nevertheless, one should not overlook them altogether, since their interrelation with the aforementioned domestic factors produced considerable consequences.
Neonicotinoids and Other Insect Nicotinic Receptor Competitive Modulators: Progress and Prospects.

Neonicotinoids (neonics) are remarkably effective as plant systemics to control sucking insects and for flea control on dogs and cats. The nitroimines imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, and dinotefuran are the leaders among the seven commercial neonics that also include the nitromethylene nitenpyram, the nitromethylene-derived cycloxaprid, and the cyanoimines acetamiprid and thiacloprid. Honey bees are highly sensitive to the nitroimines and nitromethylenes, but the cyanoimines are less toxic. All neonics are nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists with a common mode of action, target-site cross-resistance, and much higher potency on insect than mammalian nAChRs at defined binding sites. The structurally related sulfoximine sulfoxaflor and butenolide flupyradifurone are also nAChR agonists, and the mesoionic triflumezopyrim is a nAChR competitive modulator with little or no target-site cross-resistance. Some neonics induce stress tolerance in plants via salicylate-associated systems. The ...
Perceptions of Adequate Personal Time and Wellbeing among African American Families with Adolescents

The current study examines the perception of adequate personal or leisure time, and its association with family and caregiver functioning, among a sample of low-income African American families. The investigation is grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) theory which predicts that caregivers who perceive more adequate personal time will also report higher levels of optimism and lower levels of depressive symptoms, and will have adolescents who report more household routines and less psychologically controlling parenting. A total of 115 caregiver-adolescent (age 14–18) dyads were recruited from a low-income, predominantly African American neighborhood in a major metropolitan center in the United States as part of a larger survey on African American family life. Results indicate that caregivers report perceiving inadequate amounts of time to sleep, get enough exercise, and relax. Caregivers also report comparatively less adequate personal time than time with children. Analyses reveal that caregivers who perceive having more adequate leisure or personal time, report fewer depressive symptoms and higher levels of optimism, after controlling for perceptions of adequate financial resources. Alternatively, there was no association between perceptions of free or leisure time and parenting behaviors, including maintenance of household routines and the use of psychological control. The results underscore the need to examine non-material resources, and their association with wellbeing.
Tumor Hypoxia As an Enhancer of Inflammation-Mediated Metastasis: Emerging Therapeutic Strategies

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Recent research has implicated tumor inflammation as a promoter of metastasis. Myeloid, lymphoid, and mesenchymal cells in the tumor microenvironment promote inflammatory signaling amongst each other and together with cancer cells to modulate sustained inflammation, which may enhance cancer invasiveness. Tumor hypoxia, a state of reduced available oxygen present in the majority of solid tumors, acts as a prognostic factor for a worse outcome and is known to have a role in tumor inflammation through the regulation of inflammatory mediator signals in both cancer and neighboring cells in the microenvironment. Multiple methods to target tumor hypoxia have been developed and tested in clinical trials, and still more are emerging as the impacts of hypoxia become better understood. These strategies include mechanistic inhibition of the hypoxia inducible factor signaling pathway and hypoxia activated pro-drugs, leading to both anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects. This prompts a need for further research on the prevention of hypoxia-mediated inflammation in cancer. Hypoxia-targeting strategies seem to have the most potential for therapeutic benefit when combined with traditional chemotherapy agents. This paper will serve to summarize the role of the inflammatory response in metastasis, to discuss how hypoxia can enable or enhance inflammatory signaling, and to review established and emerging strategies to target the hypoxia-inflammation-metastasis axis.
‘Upright, Whole, and Free’: Eschatological Union with God

In the closing canto of the Purgatorio in his Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri describes the souls preparing to enter heaven as “new, remade, reborn, … perfect, pure, and ready for the Stars [i.e., heaven].” But what exactly would it mean for a human soul to be morally perfect and in perfect union with the divine will? Furthermore, if the soul fit for heaven is perfectly united with God, what sense does it make to think that individual retains their free will? In this talk, I assume a number of Christian claims about the Beatific Vision and argue that not only do the souls fit for heaven retain their freedom, but that they are in sense ‘more free’ despite their inability to do certain actions.
High resolution computed tomography of the post partum pituitary gland.

Eight volunteer post partum female patients were examined with high resolution computed tomography during the week immediately after delivery. All patients received high dose (40–70 gm) intravenous iodine contrast administration. The scans were examined for pituitary gland height, shape and homogeneity. All of the patients had enlarged glands by the traditional standards (i.e. gland height of 8 mm or greater). The diaphragma sellae in every case bulged upward with a convex domed appearance. The glands were generally inhomogeneous. One gland had a 4 mm focal well defined area of decreased attenuation. Two patients who were studied again months later had glands which had returned to “normal” size. The enlarged, upwardly convex pituitary gland appears to be typical and normal for the recently post partum period.
International graduate students in the United States: Research processes and challenges

Abstract International students enrolled in graduate programs in the United States struggle with conducting academic research and can benefit from specialized library support. This qualitative study uses critical incident technique to explore how these students complete research assignments and use library and other resources in the process. Many participants described similar research processes, beginning with selecting a research topic and ending with cutting and pasting text from sources deemed to be useful. Two-thirds described using specific library resources—usually online resources—for their research. Some described broader research difficulties, such as coming up with a good idea, and others struggled with more specific skills like data analysis. Half of the participants had received some sort of library instruction, but they did not have particularly positive responses to these sessions. The findings of this study may be of use to academic librarians who wish to better understand international students and improve research support for this user population.
Schwann cells in diabetic neuropathy

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the diabetic neuropathy, one of the most common and debilitating effects of diabetes, and reviews nerve fiber pathology in human and experimental diabetic neuropathy. The chapter discusses the different ways that exaggerated polyol pathway flux, oxidative stress, increased advanced glycosylation end product formation, and deficient neurotrophic support compromise Schwann cells and the axons they ensheath. The chapter concludes that reported nerve fiber pathology resulting from diabetes mellitus ranges from subtle Schwann cell changes and axonal atrophy to complete fiber degeneration. Sensitivity of myelinated fiber injury to aldose reductase inhibition suggests a link to exaggerated polyol pathway flux in Schwann cells, vessels, and target tissue. Current thought emphasizes the role of oxidative stress, enhanced by polyol pathway activity and advanced glycation end product formation, in the vascular dysfunction of the early metabolic phase of human and experimental diabetic neuropathy. The sensitivity of markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant defense mechanisms to aldose reductase inhibition highlights the potential contribution of oxidative stress to the Schwann cell injury characteristic of human and experimental diabetic neuropathy.
Changes in temporal processing of speech across the adult lifespan

Speech is a rapidly varying signal. Temporal processing generally slows with age and many older adults experience difficulties in understanding speech. This research involved over 250 young, middle-aged and older listeners. Temporal processing abilities were assessed in numerous vowel sequence tasks, and analyses examined several factors that might contribute to performance. Significant factors included age and cognitive function as measured by the WAIS-III, but not hearing status for the audible vowels. In addition, learning effects were assessed by retesting two tasks. All groups significantly improved vowel temporal-order identification to a similar degree, but large differences in performance between groups were still observed.
Web Exclusive. Annals On Call - The Gout Wars: When Guidelines Collide.

In this episode of Annals On Call, Dr. Centor discusses targeting treatment for gout with Dr. Robert McLean, a rheumatologist and a co-author of the American College of Physicians clinical guidelin...
Die Metallurgie des Kupfers

Eine knappe, klare Barstellung der Kupfergewinnung findet sich in Schnabels Handbuch der Metall-Huttenkunde, Bd. 1. Ausfuhrlicher erortert sind diese Dinge in Peters „Modern Copper Smelting“ und Peters „Principles of Copper Smelting“, in Eislers „Hydrometallurgy of Copper“ und Ulkes „Modern Elektrolytic Copper Refining“. Bei den folgenden Ausfuhrungen konnen wir uns daher mit der Aufzahlung der verschiedenen Prozesse, ihrer Grundlagen und der Methoden zur quantitativen Berechnung der vorkommenden Reaktionen begnugen.
Diffusion of GIS in Uganda: the role of change agents, opinion leaders, champions, social network links and re-invention

This paper uses the diffusion of innovations theory to analyse the role played by change agents, opinion leaders, champions, social network links and re-invention in the diffusion of GIS technology in a developing country, Uganda. Understanding the roles played by each of these elements leads to a more complete picture of the diffusion process of information systems, particularly within the context of the developing world. Mixed methods were used for data collection and analysis. Diffusion of innovations theory was employed in the analysis and a comparison made with the Universal Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. The findings indicate that change agents, opinion leaders, champions, social network links, and re-invention play a significant role in the diffusion of GIS technology in Uganda. The paper makes a contribution to the literature on GIS diffusion in developing countries.
Bridging the Precontact and Postcontact Divide in Eastern North America: Prior Conditions Set the Stage for Historic Period Outcomes

Scholars and the public alike view the European arrival in the Western Hemisphere as heralding a decisive break between millennia of continual, but typically gradual, changes in native societies and tumultuous centuries of societal and population collapse. Much is true about a characterization of the postcontact period as a time when native populations underwent calamitous declines, well-established cultural patterns were disrupted, and people were displaced from long-occupied land. But in eastern North America, such statements, baldly stated, seriously mischaracterize the dynamic nature of precontact societies and how centuries-long histories of regional population growth and decline, societal change, and intergroup relations set the stage for what took place following contact. Archaeological data show that during the last several centuries of the precontact period there was considerable variation across eastern North America in how societies were structured and, the particular focus of this chapter, both the distribution of people and the intensity of conflict among them. The identification of a marked precontact reduction in the midcontinent’s inhabitants and a band of conflict-prone societies bordering the depopulated area shows that the situation immediately prior to ca. AD 1500 had a greater influence on what took place afterwards than has been previously recognized.
Discussion II: Interpretation of IR Observations

The problem of understanding the UIR phenomenon really consists of two parts. The first is the identification of the carrier of the spectrum and the second is the elucidation of the microscopic emission mechanism. The first part of this discussion will focus on the former the second on the latter. The eventual solution of these two questions will require a two pronged attack, one focusing on very specific observations the other on laboratory experiments on relevant systems. Regarding this last point it is important to constantly bear in mind that at present we are comparing measured absorption spectra of neutral molecules often in condensed, or microcrystalline form, with emission features which may well arise from a mixture of things — many of which may be in ionized and radical form. We will also discuss what kinds of observations and experiments are needed to provide this information.
Quantifying the Interdependence of Metal‐Ligand Covalency and Bond Distance using Ligand K‐edge XAS

Bond distance is a common structural metric used to assess changes in metal-ligand bonds, but it is not clear how sensitive changes in bond distances are with respect to changes in metal-ligand covalency. Here we report ligand K-edge XAS studies on Ni and Pd complexes containing different phosphorus(III) ligands. Despite the large number of electronic and structural permutations, P K-edge pre-edge peak intensities reveal a remarkable correlation that spectroscopically quantifies the linear interdependence of covalent M-P σ bonding and bond distance. Cl K-edge studies conducted on many of the same Ni and Pd compounds revealed a poor correlation between M-Cl bond distance and covalency, but a strong correlation was established by analyzing Cl K-edge data for Ti complexes with a wider range of Ti-Cl bond distances. Together these results establish a quantitative framework to begin making more accurate assessments of metal-ligand covalency using bond distances from readily-available crystallographic data.