cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Electrode Material on the Pulsed Breakdown Strength of Water

In the experiments presented here, various electrode materials were tested in an effort to determine the impact each has on increasing the dielectric strength of water. Prior investigations have tested materials such as stainless steel, copper, nickel, gold, silver, and cuprous oxide [1-4]. In our experiments, thin film coatings of various metallic alloys and oxides were applied to Bruce profiled stainless steel electrodes with an effective area of 5 cm2. An ion beam sputtering process was used to apply the coatings with thicknesses of several hundred nm. The electrodes were then tested across a water gap, with pulse lengths in both the microsecond and nanosecond time regimes. Electric fields in excess of 8 MV/cm were applied. Conclusions are made as to the impact electrode material has on the pulsed breakdown strength of water.
The impact of multimedia cases on preservice teachers' learning about literacy teaching: A follow‐up study

Abstract Using surveys and interviews as a data set, this study explored the influence of multimedia cases in preservice literacy methods courses by following a set of preservice teachers into their first years of teaching. Analysis of the survey and interview data yielded three salient themes. First, respondents reported that their methods courses had positively influenced their teaching. Second, respondents reported several factors (e.g., active involvement during class time, the enthusiasm of the instructor) as influential in their recall of course content. Third, respondents reported that the use of the multimedia cases influenced their learning, both during their teacher education program and in their current teaching. This follow‐up study offers insight into the connections teachers make between their teacher education programs and their later teaching and serves as an impetus for future research into the potential benefits of using multimedia cases as a way to situate preservice teacher learning in...
Breast imaging technology: Probing physiology and molecular function using optical imaging - applications to breast cancer

The present review addresses the capacity of optical imaging to resolve functional and molecular characteristics of breast cancer. We focus on recent developments in optical imaging that allow three-dimensional reconstruction of optical signatures in the human breast using diffuse optical tomography (DOT). These technologic advances allow the noninvasive, in vivo imaging and quantification of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin and of contrast agents that target the physiologic and molecular functions of tumors. Hence, malignancy differentiation can be based on a novel set of functional features that are complementary to current radiologic imaging methods. These features could enhance diagnostic accuracy, lower the current state-of-the-art detection limits, and play a vital role in therapeutic strategy and monitoring.
la problEmática dE los NuEvos dErEcHos HumaNos Comprender su surgimiento conflictivo

resumen: ?Por que ciertos problemas son vistos como temas de derechos humanos, y otros no? Este articulo se enfoca en las estrategias politicas por medio de las cuales grupos marginalizados transforman antiguos reclamos domesticos en reclamos por derechos humanos con reconocimiento internacional. Remarcando los papeles de interaccion de los grupos locales vulnerados, guardianes poderosos en las organizaciones internacionales de derechos humanos, y oponentes estatales y de la sociedad civil, el articulo desarrolla un modelo de cuatro etapas para el desarrollo de nuevos derechos humanos. El articulo tambien desafia teorias constructivistas sobre la formacion del desarrollo de reglamentos internacionales. Palabras clave: ONG, derechos humanos, redes transnacionales de defensa, constructivismo, teoria de relaciones internacionales. abstract Why are certain problems recognized as human rights issues, while others are not? This article focuses on the political strategies through which marginalized groups transform long standing domestic grievances into internationally-recognized human rights claims. Highlighting the interacting roles of aggrieved local groups, powerful gatekeepers in international human rights organizations, and state and civil society opponents, the article develops a four-stage model for the development of new human rights. The article also challenges constructivist theories about the formation of international norms development.
A functional paradigm for evaluating culture: An example with cetaceans

Nonhuman culture was first considered in nonhuman primates because they are genetically similar to humans. How- ever, evolution is not progressive and therefore many species may occupy niches that favor socially transmitted, group specific behavior. Not surprisingly, evidence for culture has accrued in several taxonomic groups, including cetaceans. If culture is an ada- ptation, it is imperative we understand the factors that favor its formation. Understanding the evolutionary origin of culture will allow for a wider range of species to be studied, including those that are difficult to test in the laboratory. I propose a broad-based functional paradigm for evaluating nonhuman culture; based on the idea that while not all cultural behaviors may garner fitness benefits to the individual, the ecological and social environments in which cultural behaviors evolved must have favored the physical attributes and social learning capabilities that allow for cultural formation. Specifically this framework emphasizes the relationships between social learning, ecology, social systems, and biology in relation to culture. I illustrate the utility of the func- tional paradigm with evidence from the ceteacean group, while setting the stage for a stringent species by species analysis. By means of contextualizing culture, the Functional Paradigm can evaluate a species' potential to exhibit culture and can investigate potentially cultural behaviors (Current Zoology 58 (2): 271286, 2012).
The Ecological Design and Planning Reader, edited by Forster O. Ndubisi

Forster Ndubisi has assembled for the first time in one volume the seminal historical works on ecological planning and design. The editor provides a refreshing new look at these collected and edite...
Nutrient restriction and realimentation in beef cows during early and mid-gestation and maternal and fetal hepatic and small intestinal in vitro oxygen consumption

Objectives were to determine the effects of advancing gestation, maternal nutrient restriction during early and mid-gestation, and realimentation on fetal liver and jejunal mass and energy use in both dams and fetuses. On day 30 of pregnancy, multiparous, non-lactating beef cows (initial BW=621±11.3 kg and body condition score=5.1±0.1) were assigned to one of the two dietary treatments: control (CON; 100% requirements; n=18) and restricted (R; 60% requirements; n=28). On day 85, cows were slaughtered (CON, n=6; R, n=6), and remaining cows continued on control (CC; n=12) and restricted (RR; n=12) diets, or were realimented to the control diet (RC; n=11). On day 140, cows were slaughtered (CC, n=6; RR, n=6; RC, n=5), remaining cows continued on the control diet (CCC, n=6; RCC, n=5), or were realimented to the control diet (RRC, n=6). On day 254, all remaining cows were slaughtered. Maternal liver O2 consumption linearly increased (P⩽0.04) and jejunal weight (g/kg) linearly decreased (P=0.04) as gestation advanced in CON groups. Fetal BW, and hepatic and small intestinal absolute mass, protein content and O2 consumption linearly increased (P⩽0.04) as pregnancy advanced in CON groups. However, mass and O2 consumption relative to BW linearly decreased (P⩽0.001) in the fetal liver in CON groups. When analyzing the effects of dietary treatment, at day 85, fetal jejunal O2 consumption (mol/min per kg BW) was lower (P=0.02) in the R group when compared with the CON group. At day 140, maternal hepatic weight (g) was lower (P=0.02) in RC and RR cows when compared with CC, and fetal jejunual O2 consumption (mmol/min per mg tissue and mmol/min per g protein) was greater (P⩽0.02) in RC when compared with RR. At day 254, maternal hepatic O2 consumption (absolute and relative to BW) was lower (P⩽0.04) in the RCC cows when compared with RRC. Fetal hepatic weight was lower (P=0.05) in the CCC group when compared with RCC and RRC. The changes in response to nutrient restriction and realimentation in both the dam and fetus may indicate an adaptation to a lower amount of available nutrients by altering tissue mass and metabolism.
Lawson Criteria

The Lawson criterion is a minimum condition on the product of ion density, ni, and mean residence (confinement) time, ?, of the energetic ions within a reacting plasma if it is to be useful as a source of thermonuclear power. This criterion is a function of temperature, T, and energy recovery efficiency, ? . The curve originally presented by Lawson, for a single efficiency of 1/3, is actually the lower side of a closed contour in the ni , T plane. This is readily generalizable to a cup-like surface in ni , T, ? space. There is a forbidden region within which a steady state reactor cannot operate. The Lawson efficiency, ? , should not be confused with the thermal efficiency of the associated energy conversion device, which may have a lower value. Examples for selected fuel cycles will be given.
Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium utilizes the ClpPX and Lon proteases for optimal fitness in the ceca of chickens

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) is a leading cause of salmonellosis. Poultry and poultry products are implicated in transmission of Salmonella to humans. In 2013, an outbreak of S Typhimurium occurred that comprised 39 states within the United States and was associated with backyard flocks of chickens. Colonization of the avian host by S Typhimurium requires numerous genetic factors encoded within the bacterium. Of particular interest are genetic factors induced by alternative sigma factors within S Typhimurium since these genetic elements are important for adaptation to different environmental stresses. The heat shock response is a dedicated change in gene regulation within bacteria in response to several stresses, specifically growth at 42°C. Because chickens have a higher body temperature than other animals (42°C) the hypothesis was tested that components of the heat shock response are important for optimal fitness within the chicken. To this end, deletion of the heat shock proteases clpPX (BTNC0022) or lon (BTNC0021) was accomplished and the bacterial fitness in vivo was compared to the "wild-type" strain (NC1040) using a competition assay. One-day-old chicks were orally gavaged with an equal mixture of NC1040 and either BTNC0022 or BTNC0021. Quantification of viable bacteria over time by using plate counts indicated that deletion of either heat shock protease resulted in significantly reduced colonization of the chicken ceca compared to the wild-type strain. To satisfy the molecular Koch's postulates, clpPX and lon mutants were complemented in trans using a low-copy number plasmid for additional in vivo experiments. Complementation studies confirmed the importance of either heat shock protease to colonization of the chicken ceca. This report demonstrated that both ClpPX and Lon were important for optimal fitness within chickens. Moreover, these results suggested that components of the heat shock may be critical factors used by S. Typhimurium for colonization of poultry. The use of feed additives or other treatments that inactivate or inhibit ClpPX or Lon may reduce the bacterial burden of S. Typhimurium in poultry.
Large Intestinal Carcinogenesis. I. Promotional Effect of Dietary Fatty Acid Isomers in the Rat Model

For evaluation of the promotional effects of dietary trans-fatty acids on large intestinal carcinogenesis, 120 inbred female F344 rats were divided into 6 groups and fed a 25% elaidic acid diet, a 25% oleic acid diet, or a regular (4.5% fat) chow diet. Ninety animals, 30 per dietary group, received weekly im injections of azoxymethane (2 mg/kg; CAS: 25843-45-2). None of the 30 saline-injected control animals, 10 per dietary group, fed any of the three diets developed tumors. There were twice as many animals with adenocarcinoma of the large intestine from the trans-fatty acid diet group as compared with either the cis-fatty acid diet group or regular diet groups. Chi-square analysis showed that the difference between the incidence of large intestinal carcinomas was not significant between the cis- and trans-fatty acid diets. The difference between the regular diet and trans-fatty acid diet groups was not significant at the 5% level (P = .08). A higher, but nonstatistically significant, incidence of nephroblastomas and squamous ear duct neoplasms was also observed in carcinogen-treated animals maintained on each of the high-fat diets as compared with the incidence of both in treated animals fed the regular chow diet.
Resistin content of umbilical artery blood in infants with diabetic mothers and its relationships with adiponectin and leptin

Objective To detect the levels of resistin,adiponectin and leptin in the umbilical artery plasma of infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes,and preliminarily to study the factors of affecting fetal growth and development. Methods Thirty-three babies born to diabetic mothers were clinically selected as study group,another 30 normal full-term newborn as control group.Resistin,adiponectin and leptin levels in cord serum were measured for all of the subjects by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The indicators of growth and development in study group were accurately measured.The results were analyzed by using SPSS16.0software. Results Resistin and adiponectin content of cord serum in study group was lower than in the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P0.001).Leptin level was higher than the control goup(P0.001).Resistin content was negatively correlated with wegiht,ponderal Index and leptin(r=-0.673,-0.563,-0.412,P0.05),and positively correlated with adiponectin content(r=0.397,P=0.003). Conclusions There might be some relationship between resistin with adiponectin,leptin in umbilical artery plasma of infants with diabetic mothers,and resistin may be related to the regulation of fetal growth and development.
Comparison of Two Infrared Cloud-Cleared Approaches and Their Respective Sounding Retrieval Products

It is comparied between two infrared cloud-cleared radiance retrieval approaches,i.e.collocated infrared and microwave measurement and collocated infrared imaging and sounding measurement.It is found that AIRS/MODIS cloud-cleared radiance approach perform better than AIRS/AMSU cloud-cleared radiance approach relative to the collocated MODIS clear averaged radiances.The temperature and total precipitable water retrieved by AIRS/MODIS cloud-cleared radiance approach fit well with that objectively analyzed by ECMWF(European Center of Medium-range Weather Forecasts).Preliminary results show that the two approaches,though essentially different,are both effective and complementary.When the microwave measurements are unavailable,the synergistic imaging/sounding approach is the only reliable one,which can indirectly use the cloud-contaminated infrared measurements.
The use of diffusion multiples to examine the compositional dependence of phase stability and hardness of the Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni high entropy alloy system

Abstract High entropy alloys (HEAs) or Multi-principal element alloys (MEAs) are a relatively new class of alloys. These alloys are defined as having at least five major alloying elements in atomic percent from 5% to 35%. There are hundreds of thousands of equiatomic compositions possible and only a fraction have been explored. This project examines diffusion multiples as a method to accelerate alloy development in these systems. Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni quinary diffusion multiples were successfully created. Using these multiples, a quinary region of disordered of FCC was formed and examined using EDS and nanoindentation methods. From these techniques, maps of common HEA parameters (Ω, δ, ΔS mix , ΔH mix and Δχ) proposed in literature could be calculated and directly compared to observed phase stability. Similarly, hardness was examined as function of compositional complexity and atomic mismatch in the quinary disordered region in order to directly test the severe lattice distortion hypothesis. It was found that proposed HEA parameters were ineffective at single phase stability limits in the Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni system. It was also observed that hardness did not correlate well to the maximum compositional complexity or to the maximum in atomic mismatch. This indicates the severe lattice distortion hypothesis is not the primary contributor to strengthening in the Co-Cr-Fe-Mn-Ni HEA system.
Celiac Plexus Neurolysis and Block

This section provides a comprehensive procedural report for celiac plexus neurolysis and block procedure with up-to-date explanatory notes, synopsis of the indications, and contraindications and potential complications in an organized and practical format.
Effect of Water Salinity on Coal Wettability During CO2 Sequestration in Coal Seams

One of the most effective ways to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is sequestration in geological reservoirs. CO2 sequestration in coal formations enhances the methane production from coalbeds (ECBM) in addition to storing CO2. CO2 can be stored in coalbeds in three ways: free gas phase in the pore space or the cleat network system, adsorbed molecules onto the organic surface of the coal, and dissolved in the groundwater within the coal. The performance of this process is dependent on the wettability behavior of the coal–water–CO2 system. This paper presents an investigation of the effect of the formation water salinity on the wettability behavior of highly volatile bitumen coal. The captive bubble method was used to measure the contact angle in coal–water–CO2 systems at pressures up to 2000 psi. The contact angle (CA) was measured at different NaCl concentrations (0–20 g/L). The CO2 adsorption isotherm on the coal surface was examined at different water salinities (0–20 g/L NaCl). Zeta-potential mea...
Examining the Current Legal Environment Facing the Public Accounting Profession: Recommendations for a Consistent U.S. Policy:

We examine the recent history and trends of U.S. auditor liability to third parties to help regulators and legislators develop policies to protect and maintain audit quality while limiting auditor ...
Robust Almost Global Splay State Stabilization of Pulse Coupled Oscillators

This paper deals with the problem of asymptotically stabilizing the splay state configuration of a network of identical pulse coupled oscillators through the design of the their phase response function. The network of pulse coupled oscillators is modeled as a hybrid system. The design of the phase response function is performed to achieve almost global asymptotic stability of a set, wherein oscillators’ phases are evenly distributed on the unit circle. To establish such a result, a novel Lyapunov function is proposed. Robustness with respect to frequency perturbation is assessed. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed methodology is shown in an example.
Setting an evolutionary trap: could the hider strategy be maladaptive for white-tailed deer?

An evolutionary trap occurs when an organism makes a formerly adaptive decision that now results in a maladaptive outcome. Such traps can be induced by anthropogenic environmental changes, with nonnative species introductions being a leading cause. The recent establishment of coyotes (Canis latrans) into the southeastern USA has the potential to change white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population dynamics through direct predation and behavioral adaptation. We used movement rate and bedsite characteristics of radiocollared neonates to evaluate their antipredator strategies in the context of novel predation risk in a structurally homogeneous, fire-maintained ecosystem. Neonate bedsites had greater plant cover values compared with random sites (t = 30.136; p < 0.001), indicating bedsite selection was consistent with the hider strategy used to avoid predation. We determined selection gradients of coyote predation on neonate movement rate and plant cover and diversity at bedsites during the first 10 days of life. Interestingly, neonates that moved less and bedded in denser cover were more likely to be depredated by coyotes, meaning that greater neonate movement rate and bedsites located in less dense cover were favored by natural selection. These results are counter to expected antipredator strategies in white-tailed deer and exemplify how an adaptive response could be maladaptive in novel contexts.
Arrestin-Dependent ERK Activation and Its Disruption

Regulation of the ERK1/2 cascade is one of the most studied functions of arrestins and illustrates many of the features that enable them to function as GPCR-regulated scaffolds. While all four arrestins can bind the component kinases of the ERK cascade; c-Raf1, MEK1/2 and ERK1/2, their binding is dependent on arrestin conformation, such that inactive ERK1/2 can be sequestered by a microtubule-bound pool of arrestin, while activated ERK1/2 binds with high affinity only to the GPCR-bound arrestin conformation. The result is both a dampening of basal pathway activity, and the arrestin-dependent activation of a spatially and temporally constrained pool of ERK1/2 that differs in function from ERK1/2 activated by G protein-dependent mechanisms or classical receptor tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors. Arrestin-bound ERK1/2 performs numerous functions in cells, among them contributing to the regulation of GPCR internalization and trafficking, control of cell proliferation and non-proliferative cell growth, and regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics involved in cell migration and chemotaxis. The finding that arrestin binding of c-Raf1 and MEK1/2 can be disrupted by point mutations that eliminate its ability to activate ERK1/2 without disrupting its other functions indicates that the two major functions of arrestins, GPCR desensitization and signaling, are dissociable, and offers tools to probe arrestin’s diverse cellular functions.
The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit

The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is an annual preventive health benefit, which was created in 2011 as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The visit provides an opportunity for clinicians to review preventive health recommendations and screen for geriatric syndromes. In this article, the authors review the requirements of the Annual Wellness Visit, discuss ways to use the Annual Wellness Visit to improve the care of geriatric patients, and provide suggestions for how to incorporate this benefit into a busy clinic.
Am I Expected to Be Ethical? A Role-Definition Perspective of Ethical Leadership and Behavior

Prior studies have demonstrated that leaders’ ethical behaviors have an impact on followers’ unethical behaviors and yet the explanatory mechanisms in this relationship have not been fully explored...
Abstract 041: New Evidence for G Protein-coupled Estrogen Receptor as a Natriuretic Factor

Premenopausal women have a lower risk of cardiovascular and renal diseases compared to age-matched men. This protection includes fewer salt-dependent complications. We have shown that female rats have a more robust natriuretic capacity compared to males in response to increased dietary salt. The novel estrogen receptor, G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), is a membrane-bound receptor linked to acute signaling pathways. GPER activation elicits protective effects throughout the cardiovascular system. However, its role in sodium handling is not defined. We hypothesized that activation of GPER in the renal medulla stimulates sodium excretion. In female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, isosmotic saline was infused into the renal medullary interstitium (500 μl/h) during a 60-80 min equilibration period and 20 min baseline urine collection period. This was followed by infusion of the GPER agonist G1 (50 pmol/kg/min) or vehicle into the renal medulla for two further 20 min periods. Compared with vehicle, G1 significantly increased urinary sodium excretion and urine flow (from 0.5 ± 0.1 to 0.9 ± 0.2 μmol/min and from 5.3±1.1 to 8.3±1.6 μl/min, respectively, n=6, p Funded by AHA 15POST25090329 to EYG and P01 HL136267 to DMP
Seeking Justice through Social Action Projects: Preparing Teachers to Be Social Actors in Local and Global Problems.

In this article, we share a social action process useful in teacher education and derived from a decade of practical experience with social action projects. Influences, theoretical underpinnings, a...
Telemetric recording of sleep and home cage activity in mice.

Study objectives This study assessed differences in spontaneous sleep and locomotor activity in inbred and hybrid mouse strains and evaluated telemetry for recording sleep in mice. Design Uninterrupted recordings of sleep and home cage activity were obtained in four mouse strains. Pre-operative and post-operative home cage activity was obtained in two strains. Settings N/A PARTICIPANTS: The subjects were mice of three inbred (C57BL/6J (B6), n=25; BALB/cJ (C), n=24; DBA/2J (D2), n=30) strains and one hybrid (CB6F1/J (CB6: C x B6), n=19) strain. Interventions Electroencephalogram (EEG) and activity were recorded by telemetry, and behavioral states were visually scored based on EEG and activity records. Home cage activity was determined utilizing photobeam interruptions. Measurements and results 1) Among the three inbred strains: C mice had the least sleep and the greatest amount of activity; D2 mice exhibited the least non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep, the longest average NREM-bout length, and the greatest diurnal ratio of sleep and were the most inactive; B6 mice had the most sleep and an intermediate activity level; no differences among inbred strains were observed in total REM. The CB6 mice exhibited intermediate levels of total sleep and activity and had greater amounts of REM compared to its parental strains. 2) Total operative mortality was 9.3%, with all deaths occurring within 3 to 9 days after the operation; significant reductions in activity were observed after the operation. Conclusion Differences in spontaneous sleep and activity exist among inbred and hybrid mouse strains. Accurate determination of sleep states in mice can be achieved with telemetrically recorded EEG and activity.
Heritability estimates of pregnancy rate in beef cows under natural mating.

Observations of 3,029 matings over 17 yr on an Ozark upland range were used to estimate heritability of pregnancy rate in Angus, Hereford and Polled Hereford cows. Pregnancy rate, the percentage of cows exposed that produced a live calf in the spring, was transformed using the empirical logit transformation and then analyzed for each breed separately by weighted least squares using a mixed model procedure. A numerator relationship matrix for sires of cows was incorporated into the sire model to account for relationships among sires. Variation among years significantly affected pregnancy rate in all three breeds. Age of dam significantly affected pregnancy rate in the Angus and Hereford groups. Paternal half-sib estimates of heritability from the observed binary data (h2b) for pregnancy rate were calculated on first-calf heifers and mature cows for each breed. Respective h2b estimates for heifers and mature cows were .17 and .09 in the Angus group, .04 and .01 in the Hereford group and .05 and .05 in the Polled Hereford group. The heritability estimates when binary records were transformed to the probit scale (h2) were .04 +/- .003 and .02 +/- .001 for Angus, .01 +/- .002 and 0 for Hereford and .01 +/- .001 and .02 +/- .001 for Polled Hereford for heifers and mature cows, respectively. Heritability estimates in this study are in agreement with the literature, indicating little opportunity for improvement in pregnancy rate by selection within a breed.
Child Abuse and Neglect: Breaking the Intergenerational Link.

The author discusses research on intergenerational continuity of violence and adversity and the likelihood that individuals who experience abuse, neglect and other forms of childhood adversity are more likely to have children with similar adverse childhood experiences.
After Steubenville: incapacitated bodies, rape, and a theory of sexual subjectivity beyond consent

ABSTRACTThe Steubenville Ohio rape case of 2012 involved the repeated sexual assault of an incapacitated 16-year-old girl by two high school football players, sparking a considerable amount of publ...
An unsupervised augmentation framework for deep learning based geospatial object detection: a summary of results

Given remote sensing datasets in a spatial domain, we aim to detect geospatial objects with minimum bounding rectangles (i.e., angle-aware) leveraging deep learning frameworks. Geospatial objects (e.g., buildings, vehicles, farms) provide meaningful information for a variety of societal applications, including urban planning, census, sustainable development, security surveillance, agricultural management, etc. The detection of these objects are challenging because their directions are often heavily mixed and not parallel to the orthogonal directions of an image frame due to topography, planning, etc. In addition, there is very limited training data with angle information for most types of objects. In related work, state-of-the-art deep learning frameworks detect objects using orthogonal bounding rectangles (i.e., sides are parallel to the sides of an input image), so they cannot identify the directions of objects and generate loose rectangular bounds on objects. We propose an Unsupervised Augmentation (UA) framework to detect geospatial objects with general minimum bounding rectangles (i.e., with angles). The UA framework contains two schemes, namely a ROtation-Vector (ROV) based scheme and a context-based scheme. The schemes completely avoid the need for: (1) additional ground-truth data with annotated angles; (2) restructuring of existing network architectures; and (3) re-training. Experimental results show that the UA framework can well approximate the angles of objects and generate much tighter bounding boxes on objects.
Artificial Lumbered Flight for Autonomous Soaring

Soaring strategies are redefining the flight capabilities of small-class fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. This paper presents an autonomous soaring strategy that exploits updraft energy indepen...
A Milled Microdevice to Advance Glia-Mediated Therapies in the Adult Nervous System

Neurodegenerative disorders affect millions of adults worldwide. Neuroglia have become recent therapeutic targets due to their reparative abilities in the recycling of exogenous neurotoxins and production of endogenous growth factors for proper functioning of the adult nervous system (NS). Since neuroglia respond effectively to stimuli within in vivo environments on the micron scale, adult glial physiology has remarkable synergy with microscale systems. While clinical studies have begun to explore the reparative action of Muller glia (MG) of the visual system and Schwann Cells (ShC) of the peripheral NS after neural injury, few platforms enable the study of intrinsic neuroglia responses to changes in the local microenvironment. This project developed a low-cost, benchtop-friendly microfluidic system called the glia line system, or gLL, to advance the cellular study needed for emerging glial-based therapies. The gLL was fabricated using elastomeric kits coupled with a metal mold milled via conventional computer numerical controlled (CNC) machines. Experiments used the gLL to measure the viability, adhesion, proliferation, and migration of MG and ShC within scales similar to their respective in vivo microenvironments. Results illustrate differences in neuroglia adhesion patterns and chemotactic behavior significant to advances in regenerative medicine using implants and biomaterials, as well as cell transplantation techniques. Data showed highest survival and proliferation of MG and ShC upon laminin and illustrated a four-fold and two-fold increase of MG migration to dosage-dependent signaling from vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), respectively, as well as a 20-fold increase of ShC migration toward exogenous brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), compared to media control. The ability to quantify these biological parameters within the gLL offers an effective and reliable alternative to photolithography study neuroglia in a local environment ranging from the tens to hundreds of microns, using a low-cost and easily fabricated system.
Infrastructor: Flexible, No-Infrastructure Tools for Scaling CS

Demand for computer science education has skyrocketed in the last decade. Although challenging everywhere, scaling up CS course capacities is especially painful at small, liberal arts colleges (SLACs). SLACs tend to have few instructors, few large-capacity classrooms, and little or no dedicated IT support staff. As CS enrollment growth continues to outpace the ability to hire instructional staff, maintaining the quality of the close, nurturing learning environment that SLACs advertise-and students expect-is a major challenge. We present Infrastructor, a workflow and collection of course scaling tools that address the needs of resource-strapped CS departments. Infrastructor removes unnecessary administrative burdens so that instructors can focus on teaching and mentoring students. Unlike a traditional learning management system (LMS), which is complex, monolithic, and usually administered by a campus-wide IT staff, instructors deploy Infrastructor themselves and can trivially tailor the software to suit their own needs. Notably, Infrastructor does not require local hardware resources or platform-specific tools. Instead, Infrastructor is built on top of version control systems. This design choice lets instructors host courses on commodity, cloud-based repositories like GitHub. Since developing Infrastructor two years ago, we have successfully deployed it in ten sections of CS courses (323 students), and over the next year, we plan to more than double its use in our CS program.
COVID-19 in an Adult With Tricuspid Atresia S/P Fontan Palliation

Abstract In December 2019, a pathogenic novel human coronavirus (HCoV), termed SARS-CoV-2, was recognized in Wuhan, China, causing significant morbidity and mortality. The illness caused by SARS-CoV-2 is labelled coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization. We report the first case of COVID-19 in an adult congenital heart disease patient with single ventricle physiology S/P Fontan palliation. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.)
Transporting Blast-Injured Patients

Blast-injured patients may have occult injuries that should be fully evaluated prior to transport, as patient movement can worsen clinical status. There are multiple modes of transportation which all offer different benefits, but similarly present both logistical and clinical challenges. The best way to manage casualty evacuation to a higher level of care is to match the clinical scenario with available resources. Furthermore, having a framework for evaluation and movement will lead to more organized and safer care.
Implant Distribution Versus Implant Density in Lenke Type 1 Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Does the Position of the Screw Matter?:

Study Design:Retrospective study.Objective:Previous studies have demonstrated that increased implant density (ID) results in improved coronal deformity correction. However, low-density constructs w...
GRAVITATIONAL WAVE EMISSION AND SPIN-DOWN OF YOUNG PULSARS

The rotation frequencies of young pulsars are systematically below their theoretical Kepler limit. r-modes have been suggested as a possible explanation for this observation. With the help of semi-analytic expressions that make it possible to assess the uncertainties of the r-mode scenario due to the impact of uncertainties in underlying microphysics, we perform a quantitative analysis of the spin-down and the emitted gravitational waves of young pulsars. We find that the frequency to which r-modes spin-down a young neutron star (NS) is surprisingly insensitive to both the microscopic details and the saturation amplitude. Comparing our result to astrophysical data, we show that for a range of sufficiently large saturation amplitudes r-modes provide a viable spin-down scenario and that all observed young pulsars are very likely already outside the r-mode instability region. Therefore, the most promising sources for gravitational wave detection are unobserved NSs associated with recent supernovae, and we find that advanced LIGO should be able to see several of them. Our analysis shows that despite the coupling of the spin-down and thermal evolution, a power-law spin-down with an effective braking index n rm ≤ 7 is realized. Because of this, the gravitational wave strain amplitude is completely independent of both the r-mode saturation amplitude and the microphysics and depends on the saturation mechanism only within some tens of percent. However, the gravitational wave frequency depends on the amplitude, and we provide the required expected timing parameter ranges to look for promising sources in future searches.
Periodontitis and Risk of Diabetes in the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities (ARIC) Study: A BMI-Modified Association.

Purpose To determine whether periodontal disease is positively associated with incident diabetes across the continuum of body mass levels (BMI) and test the hypothesis that the periodontal risk for incident diabetes is modified by BMI. Methods We included 5569 diabetes-free participants from Visit 4 (1996-1998) of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study and followed them until 2018. Periodontal disease status was classified by periodontal profile class (PPC)-Stages and incident diabetes was based on participant report of physician diagnosis. We estimated the hazard ratios (HR) for diabetes using a competing risk model for each PPC-Stage. We assessed multiplicative interactions between periodontal disease and BMI (as a continuous variable) on risk of diabetes. Results During a median time of 19.4 years of follow-up, 1,348 incident diabetes cases and 1,529 deaths occurred. Compared to "healthy/incidental disease" Stage , participants with PPC-"severe periodontal disease" or "severe tooth loss" Stage and lower BMI had elevated risk for diabetes adjusting for demographic, smoking, education and biological variables when accounting for death as a competing risk with HRs 1.76 (95%CI 1.10-2.80) and 2.11 (95% CI 1.46-3.04), respectively. The interaction between PPC-stages and BMI was significant (p= 0.01). No significant associations of PPC-Stages with incident diabetes were present when BMI was above 31 kg/m 2. Conclusion Periodontal disease was associated with incident diabetes, especially in non-obese participants. Dentists should be aware that periodontal disease is associated with incident diabetes but the association may be modified for patient's at higher BMI levels.
Offensive Mark Owners Have an Enforcement Problem

. In Iancu v. Brunetti, the Supreme Court held that the Lanham Act 2(a) bars for "immoral" or "scandalous" marks are facially unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination, and thus violate a trademark owner’s First Amendment rights. Brunetti, as well as its predecessor, Matal v. Tam, focused entirely on how the government might generate viewpoint discrimination at the point of trademark registration. The Court did not consider whether enforcement of trademarks—via courts of law, Customs and Border Protection, or the International Trade Commission—is government speech, and thus exempt from First Amendment free speech scrutiny. Yet the Court’s seminal holding of Shelley v. Kraemer illustrates that once the judicial enforcement of a private right has been declared a government action, the court then determines what constitutional considerations are at issue. Analogously, enforcement of a mark should be deemed government speech, and the constitutional implications regarding the applicability of the First Amendment must be addressed from this position. . This Author argues that, even if registration triggers First Amendment protections for the mark owner against viewpoint discrimination, the same does not hold true for the enforcement of a mark against alleged infringers. The surprising upshot is that offensive, vulgar, and scandalous marks could be denied enforcement in an infringement action, a Customs seizure, or an International Trade Commission proceeding, because enforcing them through these government actions would constitute government speech and not be subject to First Amendment protections. Moreover, if these enforcement actions of a private citizen’s mark would constitute government speech, then any registration is meaningless if the mark is unenforceable. It would thus make sense for the court to hold that registration of that mark is government speech as well.
A Comparative Comment on the Banking Bailout Literature

In the past decade, the literature on banking, financial law and regulation, the most recent financial crisis, financial stability, and bank insolvency has grown substantially. However, there is still a strong need for additional legal analysis of these topics for several reasons.
An empirical examination of consumer CSR expectations: attribution, satisfaction, referral, and willingness to pay a premium

This research employs the Expectancy Confirmation/Disconfirmation (ECD) paradigm to extend the knowledge about consumer response to CSR. While several scholars have identified consumer satisfaction...
Subterranean Termite Control Examinations on Current and Former Experimental Forests and Ranges

For more than 70 years, the USDA Forest Service’s Termite Team has engaged in research to extend the life of wood in service by studying chemical (and a few nonchemical) subterranean termite control products. These efficacy data are produced in distinct field trials on experimental forests across the USA, and are used by industry cooperators to register their products with the Environmental Protection Agency. Experimental forests and ranges allow long-term undisturbed efficacy examinations of termiticides in preventing subterranean termite attack on wood. This chapter provides historical information on the development of these efficacy studies over the years and the places where these data are collected.
Salt-flux synthesis of complex oxides: Cs0.33MoO3, CsFe(MoO4)2, and the inverse salt-inclusion phase Cs2Mo0.65O0.21Cl5.44

Recent work on the growth of complex oxides in salt fluxes is reviewed. Single crystals of Cs0.33MoO3, CsFe(MoO4)2 and the new phase, Cs2Mo0.65O0.21Cl5.44, have been grown from the reaction of metal oxides Fe2O3, MoO3 and molybdenum powder in a eutectic CsCl/NaCl flux. Cs0.33MoO3 is one of the known molybdenum bronzes, featuring mixed valent molybdenum ions. CsFe(MoO4)2 has a layered KAl(MoO4)2 structure, which consists of infinite slabs of corner-sharing MoO4 and FeO6 polyhedra separated by layers of Cs+ cations. Cs2Mo0.65O0.21Cl5.44 forms with a new structure type (orthorhombic, Cmcm, a = 7.434(1) A, b = 17.330(3) A, c = 8.074(1) A, Z = 4) which is comprised of isolated [Mo(O/Cl)Cl5] octahedra embedded in a distorted CsCl matrix. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate antiferromagnetic ordering for both CsFe(MoO4)2 (T N = 4.5 K) and Cs2Mo0.65O0.21Cl5.44 (T N = 7 K).
The Quilt: Cultural Voices. A. R. Patterson, R. Silverthorne, and M. M. Shird (Eds.)

Patterson, Silverthorne, and Shird have clearly set out in this collection of essays to create and to convey the metaphorical nature of the quilt—a patchwork bedcover stitched together by uneven sw...
Effects of P4 annealing on ordered Ga0.52In0.48P

We present results of an investigation of the details of the disordering process die to P4 annealing for Ga0.52In0.48P grown in ordered configurations with large and small macro-domain sizes. The effects of P4 annealing (710 degree(s)C) were monitored as a function of isothermal annealing time by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoreflectance (PR), and photoluminescence (PL). During the annealing process the band gap and PL emission energies characteristic of the disordered phase of the sample grow while those of the ordered phase decay, rather than undergoing a continuous energy change. The disordering, indicated by TEM photographs, is found to proceed downward from the free surface of the epilayer and to propagate into the bulk with a well-defined boundary rather than occurring simultaneously throughout the bulk of the layer. This disordering process is consistent with the combined results of PR and PL. The rate at which the disordering occurs is found to be much greater for samples initially having larger domains.
The Galactic Evolution of Beryllium

Observations of beryllium are presented and the derived Be abundances are interpreted in the context of the origin of Be and the evolution of its abundance during the evolution of the Galaxy. Recent Keck/HIRES observations in some very metal-poor stars are included.
Regulation of microvascular filtration in the myocardium by interstitial fluid pressure

We hypothesized that myocardial microvascular filtration rate (Jv) could be manipulated by varying end-diastolic myocardial interstitial hydrostatic (P(int)) pressure. Dogs under general anesthesia were instrumented with intramyocardial capsules to measure P(int) and with prenodal myocardial lymphatic trunk cannulas and superior vena caval balloon-tipped catheters to manipulate myocardial lymph flow. Because, for a given surface area, the lymph-to-plasma protein concentration ration (CL/CP) varies inversely with JV, CL/CP was utilized as an index of changes in JV. When lymphatic outflow pressure (P0) was elevated to abolish lymph flow and force myocardial interstitial fluid volume to expand, P(int) rose significantly from 15.0 +/- 0.8 to 27.6 +/- 1.0 mmHg and CL/CP increased significantly from 0.75 +/- 0.04 to 0.85 +/- 0.04, indicating a decrease in JV. When P0 was lowered and lymph flow resumed, P(int) and CL/CP decreased significantly to 15.3 +/- 0.9 mmHg and 0.75 +/- 0.04, respectively, indicating an increase in JV. We conclude that myocardial microvascular filtration rate may be modulated by changes in P(int) resulting from alterations in myocardial interstitial fluid volume secondary to variations in lymph flow from the heart.
Shifting Environmental Governance in a Neoliberal World: US AID for Conservation

: By exploring the shifting and uneven power relations among state, market and civil society organizations in US environmental foreign aid policy-making, this article forges new ground in conversations about conservation and neoliberalism. Since the 1970s, an evolving group of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has lobbied the US Congress to support environmental foreign assistance. However, the 1980s and 1990s rise of neoliberalism laid the conditions for the formation of a dynamic alliance among representatives of the US Congress, the US Agency for International Development, environmental NGOs and the private sector around biodiversity conservation. In this alliance, idealized visions of NGOs as civil society and a countering force to corporations have underpinned their influence, despite their contemporary corporate partnerships. Furthermore, by focusing on international biodiversity conservation, the group has attracted a broad spectrum of political and corporate support to shape public policy and in the process create new spaces for capital expansion.
Recent German Theories of Stratification of Personality

(1951). Recent German Theories of Stratification of Personality. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 3-19.