cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring the Activity Patterns of Adults with Severe Disabilities Using the Resident Lifestyle Inventory

Outcome measures that document activity patterns provide an empirical basis for improving the lifestyles of adults with severe disabilities. This report provides a psychometric assessment of an instrument, the Resident Lifestyle Inventory (RLI), that can be used to measure the activities performed by such persons. In a series of three assessments the congruent validity (Assessment 1), test-retest reliability (Assessment 2), and social validity (Assessment 3) of the RLI were analyzed to determine its acceptability as a measurement instrument for documenting activity patterns. Results from the three assessments demonstrated that the RLI is a psychometrically acceptable measure that is used accurately by residential programs. It is perceived by support staff to be a useful strategy for improving lifestyle quality. Implications of this report are provided for the role of outcome measures in community-based residential support, the individualized plan development process, and future research.
Comments on method and theory in drug discrimination: A potpourri of problems, perplexities, and possibilities

This paper focuses on how selected training variables may affect the nature of drug discrimination (DD) during generalization tests, specifically addressing the following issues: (1) the production and interpretation of intermediate drug-lever responding in drug-saline tasks, (2) how the complexity of the interoceptive stimulus and the nature of the reinforcing event may interact to influence generalization functions, and (3) the ways in which DD history can influence the pattern of generalization results. The analysis of these issues suggests that knowledge of the behavioral factors that are operative in DD tasks may be as critical as knowledge of the pharmacological action of the drugs themselves. First, the issue of quantal vs. continuous response distribution in DD experiments may be partially resolved by attending to how the response class alternates are defined and to whether the reinforcement schedule biases the animal toward an “all-or-none”, or maximization, strategy or toward a response mixing or matching strategy. Both strategies appear equivalently to map the drug stimulus dimension. Second, the baseline motivational state defined by the nature of the reinforcing event (e.g., appetitive or aversive) may influence the pattern or profile of drug-stimuli generalization tests by altering the saliency of one set of effects produced by a given drug over other effects produced by that same drug. In essence, basal conditions can exert selective influence over which stimulus features acquire stimulus control. Finally, the applicability of the paradigms of latent inhibition, overshadowing, and blocking to DD may provide some useful insights into how drug stimuli provide information to the organism.
Growth and Fiscal Policy: A Positive Theory

We present a political economy theory of growth in which the government affects the growth rate both directly through public investments in infrastructure, and indirectly through the effect of taxation on learning by doing. Policy choices are made by a legislature consisting of representatives elected by geographically defined districts. The legislature can raise revenues via a discretionary income tax and by issuing public debt. We study the equilibrium relationship between the dynamics of debt and the growth rate of the economy. We use the model to study the impact of an "austerity program" in which a country is forced to reduce the debt/GDP ratio. To quantify these effects, the model is calibrated to the U.S. economy.
Multi-sensor targeting and tracking

The development and the evaluation of an algorithm for a multisensor fusion simulation system is discussed. This VAX-based system is easily adapted to handle a wide spectrum of tactical applications such as those found in ground-to-air and air-to-air scenarios. Simulation results presented focus on a multisensor three-dimensional tracking solution in an air defense scenario. Simulation of sensor integration for both helicopter and fixed-wing targets is reported to result in improved performance in tracking accuracy. >
HINT: A new way to measure computer performance

The computing community has long faced the problem of scientifically comparing different computers and different algorithms. When architectures, methods, precision, or storage capacity are very different it is difficult or misleading to compare speeds using the ratio of execution times. We present a practical and fair approach that provides mathematically sound comparison of computational performance even when the algorithm, computer, and precision are changed. HINT (Hierarchical INTegration) removes the need for pseudo-work measures such as MFLOPS or MIPS, producing a work measure we call QUIPS (quality improvements per second). It reveals memory bandwidth and memory regimes, and runs on any memory size. The scalability of HINT allows it to compare computing as slow as hand calculation to computing as fast as the largest supercomputers. It ports to every sequential and parallel programming environment with very little effort, permitting fair but low-cost comparison of any architecture capable of digital arithmetic. >
Predictors of the change in self-stigma following a single session of group counseling.

One of the major obstacles to seeking psychological help is the stigma associated with counseling and therapy. Self-stigma, the fear of losing self-respect or self-esteem as a result of seeking help, is an important factor in the help-seeking process. In the present study, college students meeting a clinical cutoff for psychological symptoms participated in 1 session of group counseling that either contained therapist self-disclosure or did not. In general, participants reported significantly less self-stigma following the session. Working alliance‐bond and session depth significantly predicted the change in self-stigma. Furthermore, self-stigma (as well as bond, depth, psychological symptoms, and being female) predicted the intention to seek help following the session. Self-stigma and session depth also predicted interest in continuing with counseling. The therapist self-disclosure condition, however, had no effect on the change in self-stigma, intentions to seek help, or interest in continuing with group
PUBLIC REACTION TO POLITICAL PROTEST: CHICAGO 1968

Despite press and television coverage largely sympathetic to antiwar demonstrators who clashed with Chicago police on August 28, 1968, public opinion remained overwhelmingly unsympathetic. Here, John P. Robinson examines two main questions: Who comprised the minority sympathetic to the demonstrators? How did attitudes toward the protesters and the police affect presidential voting behavior in November 1968, particularly among Democrats and Independents, whose voting behavior was most likely to be affected by the events in Chicago? The author is a Study Director at the Survey Research Center and Assistant Professor in the Department of Journalism at the University of Michigan. He is currently on leave as a Research Coordinator at the Surgeon General's Television and Social Behavior Program at the National Institute of Mental Health.
A deliverables oriented approach to the integration of HCI into the design and development of software products

Uptake of HCI and usability engineering by software development organisations can be terminally impeded by lack of appreciation of the benefits of HCI activities. However, descriptions of HCI offerings in terms of activities (e.g. task analysis, user mapping, allocation of function, interaction design) and methods (e.g. user profiling, prototyping, GOMS modelling) do not convey to product managers a readily comprehensible conception of the value of such offerings. Similarly, descriptions of HCI activities and methods give little indication of how these are to be associated and managed with reference to stages and deliverables in a software development life cycle. This lack of clear association between usability engineering and software engineering contributes to the marginalisation of usability related activities. Even when investment is made in usability resources its eventual pay off can be minimal, with resulting disillusionment on both sides. Specification of usability deliverables can provide a solid basis for a manageable usability perspective on the development of software products. The article identifies usability deliverables and describes their content and relation to deliverables in a software design and development process. More general implications for an approach to the specification of quality processes for the creation of interactive software products are discussed.
Four and a half control experiments and what I learned from them: a personal journey

The author describes his personal experiences and the lessons learnt in performing the following control experiments: the acoustic duct experiment; the rotating/translational actuator experiment; the rotating shaft experiment; the adaptive cancellation experiment; the actively controlled control-moment gyro; and the active control combustion.
Enhancing Cargo Container Security during Transportation: A Mesh Networking Based Approach

Cargo containers which transport 90 percent of the world's trade transit the countries of the world daily. Despite the vulnerability of cargo containers, only about 5 percent of the over 10 million cargo containers entering the U.S. each year can be inspected now. Our primary goal is to develop the smart container security system using RFID and Wireless Sensor Networks in order to enhance the cargo container security. In addition, the end-to-end visibility via this networked tracking and sensing capability can bring additional commercial benefits to supply chain and chain of custody. In this paper, we first propose a dynamic mesh container network among neighboring containers. Since a group of containers moves together, we can take advantages of interaction between them via this mesh container network instead of focusing an individual container. Second, we introduce the concept of Mobile Edge Computing Devices (MECD) which is the interface between distributed sensors and the end server in order to reduce processing and bandwidth requirements to the end servers. MECDs can give scalability, flexibility, reliability, and cost-efficiency to our cargo container security system.
Rare earth doped fluoride waveguides fabricated using molecular beam epitaxy

We have grown planar waveguides of rare earth doped single crystal fluoride films on insulating and semiconductor substrates using molecular beam epitaxy and have formed channel waveguides by ion milling. Structural and spectral analysis demonstrates that excellent crystallinity is being achieved and that the rare earth ion is incorporated into the film at sites and in charge states similar to bulk laser hosts. Lifetime measurements confirm that the local environment of the dopant ion is essentially that found for bulk materials. Single and higher order optical mode propagation has been demonstrated for the channel waveguides. By exciting individual channels with an 800 nm pump, we have generated strong upconversion fluorescence in Er and Nd doped guides. The ability to fabricate these waveguides On semiconductor substrates substantiates the potential for on chip integration of both IR downconversion lasers and IR pumped upconversion visible and UV lasers with a diode laser pump source. The use of transition metal dopants is possible and would enable tunable operation. Waveguide propagation loss in present devices must be reduced to realize a laser oscillator and we discuss how this is being addressed. >
Sinusoidal modeling and modification of unvoiced speech

Although sinusoidal models have been shown to be useful for time-scale and pitch modification of voiced speech, objectionable artifacts often arise when such models are applied to unvoiced speech. This article presents a sinusoidal model-based speech modification algorithm that preserves the natural character of unvoiced speech sounds after pitch and time-scale modification, eliminating commonly encountered artifacts. This advance is accomplished via a perceptually motivated modulation of the sinusoidal component phases that mitigates artifacts in the reconstructed signal after time-scale and pitch modification.
A Prospective Study of Proton Beam Reirradiation for Esophageal Cancer

Purpose Reirradiation to the esophagus carries a significant risk of complications. Proton therapy may offer an advantage in the reirradiation setting due to the lack of exit dose and potential sparing of previously radiated normal tissues. Methods and Materials Between June 2010 and February 2014, 14 patients with a history of thoracic radiation and newly diagnosed or locally recurrent esophageal cancer began proton beam reirradiation on a prospective trial. Primary endpoints were feasibility and acute toxicity. Toxicity was graded according Common Toxicity Criteria version 4.0. Results The median follow-up was 10 months (2-25 months) from the start of reirradiation. Eleven patients received concurrent chemotherapy. The median interval between radiation courses was 32 months (10-307 months). The median reirradiation prescription dose was 54.0 Gy (relative biological effectiveness [RBE]) (50.4-61.2 Gy[RBE]), and the median cumulative prescription dose was 109.8 Gy (76-129.4 Gy). Of the 10 patients who presented with symptomatic disease, 4 patients had complete resolution of symptoms, and 4 had diminished or stable symptoms. Two patients had progressive symptoms. The median time to symptom recurrence was 10 months. Maximum acute nonhematologic toxicity attributable to radiation was grade 2 (64%, N=9), 3 (29%, N=4), 4 (0%), and 5 (7%, N=1). The acute grade 5 toxicity was an esophagopleural fistula more likely related to tumor progression than radiation. Grade 3 nonhematologic acute toxicities included dysphagia, dehydration, and pneumonia. There was 1 late grade 5 esophageal ulcer more likely related to tumor progression than radiation. There were 4 late grade 3 toxicities: heart failure, esophageal stenosis requiring dilation, esophageal ulceration from tumor, and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube dependence. The median time to local failure was 10 months, and the median overall survival was 14 months. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that proton reirradiation is feasible, with an encouraging symptom control rate, modest radiation-related toxicity, and favorable survival in this high-risk population.
Waves, rings, and trails: The scenic landscape of axonal actin

The goal of this article is to provide the reader a snapshot of recent studies on axonal actin—largely emerging from superresolution and live-imaging experiments—and place this new information in context with earlier studies.
Latino practice outcome research: A review of the literature

Abstract Mental health professionals must critically examine appropriate ways to serve the increasingly significant and sizable Latino population in the United States. To this end, this article reviews the available literature on Latino practice outcome studies to advance the level of discourse about what constitutes meaningful and effective psychotherapeutic treatment with Latinos, and to make available a more systematic knowledge base for practitioners to draw from. A call for increased and more rigorous research on practice outcomes with the Latino population is made.
Alienation and Justice in the Market

This article elucidates and critically evaluates the Marxian ideas of justice and alienation by distinguishing between the class structure of capitalism and the use of the market as a mode of allocation. The argument is that the social relations of production, not the market mechanism, are primarily responsible for exploitation and alienated labor under capitalism. It follows from this that both the labor theory of value and the marginal theory of productivity, as theories of the market, are consistent with the Marxian theory of exploitation. An additional implication is that market socialism, the use of market arrangements against the background of socialist productive relations, is not only compatible with, but required by, the values that define a socialist society.
THE QUANTITATIVE GENETICS OF SEXUAL DIMORPHISM IN SILENE LATIFOLIA (CARYOPHYLLACEAE). II. RESPONSE TO SEX-SPECIFIC SELECTION.

A well-established theoretical relationship exists between genetic correlations between the sexes and the dynamics of response to sex-specific selection. The present study investigates the response to sex-specific selection for two sexually dimorphic traits that have been documented to be genetically variable, calyx diameter and flower number, in Silene latifolia. Following the establishment of a base generation with a known genetic background, selection lines were established and two generations of sex-specific selection were imposed. Calyx diameter responded directly to sex-specific selection, and the positive genetic correlation between the sexes was reflected in correlated responses in the sex that was not the basis for selection within a particular line. Flower number showed a more erratic response to sex-specific selection in that selection in some lines was initially in the wrong direction, that is, selection for a decrease in flower number resulted in an increase. These erratic responses were attributable to genotype-environment interaction as reflected in significant heteroscedasticity in variance among families. Correlated responses to selection in the sex that was not the immediate basis for selection indicated the possible existence of a negative genetic correlation between the sexes for this trait. These results test for the first time the impact of genetic correlations between the sexes on the evolutionary dynamics of sexually dimorphic traits in a plant species.
Simultaneous First-Order Valence and Oxygen Vacancy Order/Disorder Transitions in (Pr0.85Y0.15)0.7Ca0.3CoO3-δ via Analytical Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Perovskite cobaltites have been studied for years as some of the few solids to exhibit thermally driven spin-state crossovers. The unanticipated first-order spin and electronic transitions recently discovered in Pr-based cobaltites are notably different from these conventional crossovers, and are understood in terms of a unique valence transition. In essence, the Pr valence is thought to spontaneously shift from 3+ toward 4+ on cooling, driving subsequent transitions in Co valence and electronic/magnetic properties. Here, we apply temperature-dependent transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopy to study this phenomenon, for the first time with atomic spatial resolution, in the prototypical (Pr0.85Y0.15)0.70 Ca0.30CoO3-δ. In addition to the direct spectroscopic observation of charge transfer between Pr and Co at the 165 K transition (on both the Pr and O edges), we also find a simultaneous order/disorder transition associated with O vacancies. Remarkably, the first-order valence change drives a tran...
Evaluation on the Status of the Measle Surveillance System in Qingpu District from 2004 to 2010,Shanghai

OBJECTIVE The indicators of the measle surveillance system in Qingpu District was understood in order to evaluate the Evaluation on the status of the Measle Surveillance System in Qingpu District from 2004 to 2010,Shanghai.METHODS Collected the measles epidemic data,information on measles cases and demographic data from 2004 to 2010 in Qingpu District.Descriptive epidemiological method was used to evaluate the indicators of sensitivity,timeliness and specificity of the Measles Surveillance System.RESULTS During the period from 2004 to 2010,the rate of investigation on the suspected presumptive measles cases reported by the system and the investigation within 48 hours were 100.00%.The rate of blood sample collection on suspected presumptive measles case was 98.40%.The lad reporting rate of the serum screening test results within 7 days was 98.82%,the rate of a serologically confirmed case measles outbreaks and the percentage of measles outbreaks which collected etiology samples were 100.00%.The sensitivity of the system fluctuated to a certain degree.During the period from 2004 to 2010,there were three years that the discard rate of the case reports was less than 1 100 000.CONCLUSION The measles surveillance system worked well,the timeliness and specificity were stable in a high level,but the sensitivity of the system fluctuated to a certain degree,especially,the sensitivity need to be further strengthened in the case with very low rate overall station of the situation system.
S16.2 Potential for uptake of diagnostic testing services along the continuum of care: landscape assessment of community and providers

Introduction Maternal infections continue to be a major contributor to maternal, perinatal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The use of diagnostic technologies for maternal infections in the developing world is poorly researched. The current study aimed to elucidate the provider- and patient-level factors that may act to inhibit or encourage timely and effective provision of diagnostic technologies during the pregnancy, intrapartum, and early postpartum periods for infections linked with poor outcomes for mothers and infants in the developing world. Methodology This was an exploratory study that employed a socio-ecological framework. Using qualitative data collection methods, including focus group discussions (FGDs) with pregnant women, new mothers and their families, and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with lower-level providers, we examined health-seeking behaviours and perceptions of diagnostic testing during pregnancy with the aim of obtaining an in-depth understanding of factors related to the potential for uptake of new diagnostic technologies in two developing country settings (Bangladesh and Uganda). Results Diagnostic testing during ANC was generally viewed positively. Findings suggest that women and their families would prefer any proposed diagnostic tests be administered by skilled and trained providers. Communities expressed reservations in providing biological specimens during labour and the immediate postpartum period with discomfort and pain during labour and postpartum confinement cited as reasons for these preferences. Blood and urine were deemed the most acceptable specimens, and vaginal swabs were generally not viewed favourably. While providers were familiar with the concept of diagnostic testing, there is limited use of diagnostics in maternal health care, with HIV testing in Uganda being a notable exception. While providers saw definite advantages of diagnostic testing in terms of patient management, they also expressed reservations about the additional work load this would necessitate. Conclusions There are high levels of receptivity for diagnostic testing among providers and communities with certain caveats regarding specimens and timing.
Management of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are rare tumors that have a better prognosis than their exocrine counterpart, but frequently present with advanced disease. Management of pNETs has evolved considerably over the past decade. Surgical resection remains the only potentially curative option for patients with pNETs. Patients who have locoregionally advanced and/or metastatic pNETs require additional treatments. These include liver-directed (transarterial (chemo)-embolization, selective intraarterial radio therapy) and systemic therapies (somatostatin analogs, targeted therapy such as tyrosine-kinase inhibitors and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor, peptide receptor radionuclide therapy and cytotoxic chemotherapy). The aim of this article is to review the current treatment options as well as potential future therapeutic perspectives for patients with pNETs.
Search for γ production from\overline K ^0 p interactionsinteractions

We use a secondary\(\overline K ^0 \) beam from associated production from 1030 and 1170 MeV/c π− in the Alvarez 72-inch hydrogen bubble chamber to observe three-body production\(\overline K ^0 p \to Y\pi ^ + x^0 \). All events are unambiguously identified; one final state is Λπ+γ. This event and five others satisfying Λπ+π0 in the final state are consistent with Y1*(1385) production. If this hypothesis is accepted, the branching ratio Γ[Y1*(1385)→Λγ]/Γ[Y1*(1385)→all]=0.17±0.17.
Maximizing Coulombic recovery and solids reduction from primary sludge by controlling retention time and pH in a flat-plate microbial electrolysis cell

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a mature anaerobic biotechnology that plays a significant role in wastewater treatment in terms of solids reduction and energy recovery as methane. An alternative anaerobic platform, the microbial electrochemical cell (MXC), has shown similar results to AD in terms of solids reduction, but electron recovery as electrical current has been poor, in large part because of undesired production of methane. The aim of this study was to maximize Coulombic recovery (CR) and minimize methanogenesis by controlling the anode hydraulic retention time (HRT) and pH in a flat-plate microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) fed semi-continuously with primary sludge (PS). Although the PS-fed MEC had ∼60% solids reduction for all HRTs tested (6 to 15 days), the HRT had a strong impact on current density and CR. The maximum current density was >2 A m−2 for 6 and 9 day HRTs, while CR was the highest (34%) for a 9 day HRT. A relatively high pH (∼8.1) in the anode chamber also led to an increase in CR by suppressing methanogenesis. Being the first report of long-term MEC operation with PS, this study demonstrates that CR and sludge treatment can be improved by increasing pH and decreasing HRT in a flat-plate MEC.
Phosphorus Utilization in Animal Agriculture

Phosphorus (P) is an essential mineral for livestock production; however, its efficiency of utilization by animals can be well below 40 %. Similarly, P is considered to be a macromineral for crop production, but only 15–30 % of applied P fertilizer is taken up by crops. Monogastric animals including humans have much lower efficiency of P utilization because a large quantity of P in feed is in the form of phytate which is unavailable for digestion. Therefore, feed is supplemented with inorganic P sources, resulting in high P excretion to the environment. There are various options that improve utilization of P by livestock. For example, feeding animals to their nutritional requirement and reducing overfeeding can improve P utilization with economic and environmental benefits. Addition of exogenous phytase would also increase P availability and reduce supplementation with inorganic P thereby improving efficiency of utilization and reducing P excretion in manure. Phosphorus in manure varies in its composition depending on species and diet. In low input and organic cropping systems, “green” manure, i.e., crop residues or crops that are not harvested are used as fertilizers. They enhance P availability through generation of acidic conditions which can dissolve soil mineral P. Similar to livestock, P utilization by crops can be enhanced by fertilizing to crops’ requirement. This can be done by using manure or in P limited systems with slow P release fertilizers. In conclusion, P is an essential nutrient for livestock and crop production and the current practice of oversupplying inorganic P will need to change because inorganic P comes from finite nonrenewable sources with geopolitical implications.
A psychometric analysis of the Ottawa self-injury inventory-f

ABSTRACTObjective: This study seeks to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory-Functions (OSI-F) for assessing nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), a condition for further study in the DSM-5. Participants: Participants included 345 students who indicated a history of self-injury in a university counseling center over six semesters from August 2009 to May 2012. Method: Participants completed the OSI-F as a measure on the psychological intake for the university counseling center. Results: Factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficients, independent sample t tests, and correlations were examined and demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. Conclusions: A three-factor solution emerged from the restructured OSI-F relating to Affect Regulation, Exhilaration, and Release. Affect regulation dimensions were predictive of continuing to self-injure and related to depression, anxiety, and overall mental health. Additionally, women were more likely to attribute self-injuring to affect...
Communication Complexity of Multi-robot Systems

We examine the scalability of multi-robot algorithms. In particular, we attempt to capture the idea that the less coordination a multi-robot system requires, the better it should scale to large numbers of robots. To that end, we introduce a notion of communication complexity of multi-robot (or more generally, distributed control) systems as a surrogate for coordination. We describe a formalism, called CCL, for specifying multi-robot systems and algorithms for which the definition of communication complexity arises naturally. We then analyze the communication complexity of several, in some cases novel, multi-robot communication schemes each representative of one of several natural complexity classes.
Cohousing For Whom? Survey Evidence to Support the Diffusion of Socially and Spatially Integrated Housing in the United States

Cohousing is a resident-led neighborhood development model that clusters private dwelling units around collectively owned and managed spaces, with potential to address long-term social and environm...
Multi-Scale Stereolithography Using Shaped Beams

Current Stereolithography (SL) can fabricate three-dimensional (3D) objects in a single scale level, e.g. printing macro-scale or micro-scale objects. However, it is difficult for the SL printers to fabricate a 3D macro-scale object with micro-scale features. In the paper a novel SL-based multi-scale fabrication method is presented to address such a problem. The developed SL process can fabricate multi-scale features by dynamically changing the shape and size of a laser beam. Different shaped beams are realized by switching apertures with different micro-patterns. The laser beam without using any micro-patterns is used to fabricate the macro-scale features, while the shaped laser beams with smaller sizes are used to fabricate micro-patterned features. Accordingly, the tool path planning method for the multi-scale fabrication process are developed so that macro-scale and micro-scale features can be built by using different layer thicknesses, laser exposure time, and scanning paths. Compared with the conventional SL process based on a fixed laser beam size, our process can fabricate multi-scale features in a 3D object. It also has fast fabrication speed and good surface quality.Copyright © 2017 by ASME
Thermodynamic analysis of simple and regenerative Brayton cycles for the concentrated solar power applications

Abstract A systematic multi-step method was developed for selection of the best working fluid(s) for the simple and regenerative Brayton cycles. The first step of the method involves development of the thermodynamic model of a cycle and development of theoretical expressions for its thermodynamic performance (thermal efficiency and net specific work output). In the second step, parametric calculations were performed for nine working fluids over a range of cycle operating conditions corresponding to the concentrated solar power plants (CSPs) to determine the effect of cycle operating conditions and thermo-physical properties of the working fluids on cycle performance. The statistical regression analysis is used in the third step to develop correlations for the cycle efficiency and net specific work of the same form as theoretical expressions developed in Step 1. The last step in the process involves construction of performance maps, where performance parameters, such as thermal efficiency and net specific work output are presented as functions of the cycle operating conditions. The performance map for thermal efficiency shows that, depending on the operating conditions, either N2 or CO2 are the best choices of the working fluids. However, considering the net specific work output, He is the best working fluid over the entire analyzed range of the cycle operating conditions.
Toward an Integrative Diathesis-Stress Model of Chronic Pain

The devastating problem of chronic pain exemplifies the need for innovation in conceptualizing health problems and the importance of developing alternative health-care delivery systems. First, there is probably no greater source of stress and human suffering than the experience of pain. Researchers have estimated that one third of Americans suffer from persistent and recurrent pain (Bonica, 1981) with 35 million people suffering from low back pain alone (Bonica, 1980). In a survey of subscribers to a large community health maintenance organization, Von Korff, Dworkin, LeResche, and Kruger (1988) reported that 41% had suffered low back pain in the last 6 months. In the same sample, 26% had recurrent headaches, 18% reported abdominal pain, 12% had chest pain, and 12% had facial pain. The economic costs of chronic pain are equally staggering due to both direct health-care costs, including the purchase of prescribed and over-the-counter medications, and the indirect financial burden of underemployment, lost productivity, and disability compensation. As one example, Stone (1984) estimated the lifetime economic costs of rheumatoid arthritis to exceed $20,000 per patient in 1977 dollars!
Competition of unsaturated compounds with ethylene for binding and action in plants

The compounds 2,5-norbornadiene, cyclopentadiene, furan, pyrrole, thiophene, 1-methylpyrrole, dicyclopentadiene, methylcyclopentadiene (dimer), and cycloheptatriene have been tested for competition with ethylene for binding and for biological activity using banana fruit. In addition, acetylene, allene, and 1,3-butadiene were tested. All of these compounds competed with ethylene for binding in vitro in a Triton X-100 extract of mung bean sprouts and in vivo in tobacco leaves. Only acetylene, allene, and furan are active in giving an ethylene response in banana. the others all suppress the ethylene response. Only acetylene and allene stimulate ethylene synthesis. Most of the compounds diffuse away from the binding site upon exposure to air.
Ionizing radiation sensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 49594 and Listeria innocua ATCC 51742 inoculated on endive (Cichorium endiva).

Ionizing radiation inactivates the pathogenic bacteria that can contaminate leafy green vegetables. Leaf pieces and leaf homogenate of endive (Cichorium endiva) were inoculated with the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 49594) or Listeria innocua (ATCC 51742), a nonpathogenic surrogate bacterium. The radiation sensitivity of the two strains was similar, although L. innocua was more sensitive to the type of suspending leaf preparation. During refrigerated storage after irradiation, the population of L. monocytogenes on inoculated endive was briefly suppressed by 0.42 kilogray (kGy), a dose calibrated to achieve a 99% reduction. However, the pathogen regrew after 5 days until it exceeded the bacterial levels on the control after 19 days in storage. Treatment with 0.84 kGy, equivalent to a 99.99% reduction, suppressed L. monocytogenes throughout refrigerated storage. Doses up to 1.0 kGy had no significant effect on the color of endive leaf material, regardless of whether taken from the leaf edge or the l...
Clinical Ethics Expertise & the Antidote to Provider Values-Imposition

Many clinical ethics services issue recommendations about ethical controversies that arise in patient care. Their role is configured to be arbiters of moral permissibility, rendering verdicts on which option of those available constitute the morally superior course of action. They produce moral judgements on questions, such as: Should dialysis be started or foregone? Should life-sustaining care be withdrawn or continued? Is it permissible for the clinician to refuse a course of treatment desired by a particular patient or family? But decisions in such cases presume a type of expertise that ethics consultants do not plausibly possess: i.e., the insight to know whose values – which ethical priorities – should trump in situations that are morally ambiguous and normatively contested. This is especially worrisome against the backdrop of the values-pluralism that exists in diverse, heterogeneous societies. This kind of authoritative response to moral uncertainty teeters on hubris, and can have a profoundly negative impact on the lives touched by these decisions. This chapter will argue that the moral arrogance that stems from a conviction of expertise is one of the gravest dangers of contemporary clinical ethics consultation.
Ownership, punishment, and norms in a real-effort bargaining experiment

Abstract This paper examines the importance of prior ownership and punishment in bargaining over a jointly produced surplus. Using a laboratory experiment, participants jointly produce a surplus using a real effort task with the entire surplus given to the person who put in higher effort. Participants then bargain over the surplus in a series of ultimatum games. Treatments varied whether the proposer or responder received the surplus prior to bargaining and the threat point of the responder. The results suggest that proposers respect prior ownership when the responder has a strong ability to punish, but not when punishment is weak. Responders respect prior ownership when their ability to punish is weak, but reject at high rates when they have strong punishment. An independent measure of individual sensitivity to rule following can explain some of the results, adding support to the theory that individual behavior in bargaining is driven in part by adherence to social norms.
Local Application of Autologous Platelet-Rich Fibrin Patch (PRF-P) Suppresses Regulatory T Cell Recruitment in a Murine Glioma Model

The immunosuppressive microenvironment is one of the major factors promoting the growth of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Infiltration of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) into the tumor microenvironment plays a significant role in the suppression of the anti-tumor immunity and portends a dismal prognosis for patients. Glioma-mediated secretion of chemo-attractant C-C motif ligand 2 and 22 (CCL2/22) has previously been shown by our group to promote Treg migration in vitro. In this study, we show that a local implantation of platelet-rich fibrin patch (PRF-P) into the brain of GL261 glioma-bearing mice prolonged the survival of affected animals by 42.85% (p = 0.0011). Analysis performed on brain tumor tissue harvested from PRF-P-treated mice revealed a specific decrease in intra-tumoral lymphocytes with a preferential depletion of immunosuppressive Tregs. Importantly, co-culture of GL261 or chemo-attractants (CCL2/22) with PRF-P abrogated Treg migration. Pharmacological blockade of the CCL2/22 interaction with their receptors potentiated the inhibitory effect of PRF-P on Tregs recruitment in culture. Moreover, our findings revealed the soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) as a major Treg inhibitory player produced by activated platelets entrapped within the fibrin matrix of the PRF-P. Blockade of sCD40L restored the migratory capacity of Tregs, emphasizing the role of PRF-P in preventing the Treg migration to glioma tissue. Our findings highlight autologous PRF-P as a personalized, Treg-selective suppression platform that can potentially supplement and enhance the efficacy of glioma therapies.
Neurotransmitter identity is acquired in a lineage-restricted manner in the Drosophila CNS

The vast majority of the adult fly ventral nerve cord is composed of 34 hemilineages, which are clusters of lineally related neurons. Neurons in these hemilineages use one of the three fast-acting neurotransmitters (acetylcholine, GABA, or glutamate) for communication. We generated a comprehensive neurotransmitter usage map for the entire ventral nerve cord. We did not find any cases of neurons using more than one neurotransmitter, but found that the acetylcholine specific gene ChAT is transcribed in many glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons, but these transcripts typically do not leave the nucleus and are not translated. Importantly, our work uncovered a simple rule: All neurons within a hemilineage use the same neurotransmitter. Thus, neurotransmitter identity is acquired at the stem cell level. Our detailed transmitter- usage/lineage identity map will be a great resource for studying the developmental basis of behavior and deciphering how neuronal circuits function to regulate behavior.
Structural Changes in Polymeric Gel Scaffolds Around the Overlap Concentration.

Cross-linked polymeric gels are an important class of materials with applications that broadly range from synthetic wound healing scaffolds to materials used in enhanced oil recovery. To effectively design these materials for each unique applications a deeper understanding of the structure and rheological properties as a function of polymeric interactions is required. Increasing the concentration of polymer in each scaffold increases physical interactions between the molecules that can be reflected in the material structure. To characterize the structure and material properties, we use multiple particle tracking microrheology (MPT) to measure scaffolds during gelation. In MPT, fluorescently labeled probe particles are embedded in the material and the Brownian motion of these particles is captured using video microscopy. Particle motion is related to rheological properties using the Generalized Stokes-Einstein Relation. In this work, we characterize gelation of a photopolymerized scaffold composed of a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-acrylate backbone and a PEG-dithiol cross-linker. Scaffolds with backbone concentrations below and above the overlap concentration, concentration where polymer pervaded volume begins to overlap, are characterized. Using time-cure superposition (TCS) we determine the critical relaxation exponent, n, of each scaffold. The critical relaxation exponent is a quantitative measure of the scaffold structure and is similar to a complex modulus, G*, which is a measure of energy storage and dissipation. Our results show that below the overlap concentration the scaffold is a tightly cross-linked network, navg = 0.40 ± 0.03, which stores energy but can also dissipate energy. As polymeric interactions increase, we measure a step change in the critical relaxation exponent above the overlap concentration to navg = 0.20 ± 0.03. After the overlap concentration the scaffold has transitioned to a more tightly cross-linked network that primarily stores energy. Additionally, continuing to increase concentration results in no change in the scaffold structure. Therefore, we determined that the properties of this scaffold can be tuned above and below the overlap concentration by changing the polymer concentration but the structure will remain the same in each concentration regime. This is advantageous for a wide range of applications that require scaffolds with varying stiffness and the same scaffold architecture.
Preventing the O in OHVIRA (Obstructed Hemivagina Ipsilateral Renal Agenesis): Early Diagnosis and Management of Asymptomatic Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich Syndrome.

Abstract Introduction Herlyn–Werner–Wunderlich syndrome (HWWS) is a rare variant of Mullerian ductal anomaly associated with ipsilateral renal agenesis. Most patients are diagnosed after menarche with complications of uterovaginal obstruction, genitourinary infection and pelvic adhesions. Patients often undergo additional operations for misdiagnosis or treatment of complications. Our institution manages several HWWS patients diagnosed before symptoms by screening for antenatally-diagnosed renal agenesis. This study aims to improve the presymptomatic management of HWWS patients. Methods We carried out retrospective case review of patients diagnosed with HWWS from 2010 to 2017 on patient demographics, symptoms, clinical course and operative management and summarize the sparse literature published to date. Results There were 8 patients with HWWS but only 2 symptomatic patients presented acutely with hematocolpos requiring urgent vaginal surgery. The other six patients had early diagnosis through postnatal ultrasound screening. No patient required further operation for diagnosis or complications related to obstructed hemivagina. Conclusion Our case series and literature review show that the majority of prepubertal patients with HWWS do not require early gynecological surgery. We recommend that female babies with renal agenesis should be screened for HWWS syndrome with ultrasound. Early diagnosis and presymptomatic elective surgery may prevent urogynecological complications that cause fertility and renal impairment. Study design Case series, level IV evidence.
Capital has an Internationale and it is going fascist: time for an international of the global popular classes

ABSTRACTGlobal capitalism is approaching a general crisis of capitalist rule. It is urgent to renovate a popular revolutionary project and refound the state if we are to combat the onslaught of the...
Temperature-driven anion migration in gradient halide perovskites

Cesium lead halide perovskite films with a systematic change in the halide composition of CsPbBr3−xIx, in which iodide concentration varies from x = 0 to x = 3, provide a built-in gradient band structure. Such a gradient structure allows for the integrated capture of visible photons and directs them to the energetically low-lying iodide rich region. Annealing gradient halide perovskite films at temperatures ranging from 50 °C to 90 °C causes the films to homogenize into mixed halide perovskites. The movement of halide ions during the homogenization process was elucidated using UV-Visible absorbance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The halide ion movement in CsPbBr3−xIx gradient films was tracked via absorbance changes in the visible region of the spectrum that enabled us to measure the temperature dependent rate constant and energy of activation (74.5 kJ/mol) of halide ion homogenization. Excited state processes of both gradient and homogenized films probed through transient absorption spectroscopy showed the direct flow of charge carriers and charge recombination in both films.
Enzymatic promiscuity and the evolution of bioluminescence

Bioluminescence occurs when an enzyme, known as a luciferase, oxidizes a small-molecule substrate, known as a luciferin. Nature has evolved multiple distinct luciferases and luciferins independently, all of which accomplish the impressive feat of light emission. One of the best-known examples of bioluminescence is exhibited by fireflies, a class of beetles that use d-luciferin as their substrate. The evolution of bioluminescence in beetles is thought to have emerged from ancestral fatty acyl-CoA synthetase (ACS) enzymes present in all insects. This theory is supported by multiple lines of evidence: Beetle luciferases share high sequence identity with these enzymes, often retain ACS activity, and some ACS enzymes from nonluminous insects can catalyze bioluminescence from synthetic d-luciferin analogues. Recent sequencing of firefly genomes and transcriptomes further illuminates how the duplication of ACS enzymes and subsequent diversification drove the evolution of bioluminescence. These genetic analyses have also uncovered candidate enzymes that may participate in luciferin metabolism. With the publication of the genomes and transcriptomes of fireflies and related insects, we are now better positioned to dissect and learn from the evolution of bioluminescence in beetles.