cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gaps identified in tourism-environment policy in Kenya: a content analysis to assess sustainable tourism policy in the country

Tourism is one of Kenya's key industries, contributing about one fifth of the country's gross domestic product. Tourism and natural environment are closely linked, with successful tourism hinging on considerations for biophysical environment. Carefully planned tourism may prevent problems of air and water pollution, habitat destruction and other ecological damages. This research emphasises need for environment-based sustainability considerations when developing a tourism policy. The aim of the research was to assess the extent to which environmental sustainability is mainstreamed in tourism policy in Kenya, a leading Safari tourist destinations in the world. Content analysis was conducted on electronic government planning documents and other key terms and concepts connecting tourism and environmental sustainability. Meaning and context of terms and phrases were identified. Analysis shows limited understanding and application of environmental sustainability lexicon. Challenges facing tourism-environment policy development are considered and recommendations made toward achieving sustainable tourism in Kenya.
Information retrieval, fusion, completion, and clustering for employee expertise estimation

Estimating the skills, talents, and expertise of employees is essential for human capital management in knowledge-based organizations across industries and sectors. In this paper, we describe an approach to infer the expertise of employees from their enterprise data and digital footprints. Using a novel big data workflow with components of information retrieval and search, data fusion, matrix completion, and ordinal regression clustering, we are able to automatically find evidence of expertise and determine appropriate evidence weights for different queries and data sources that we merge and present in a manner consumable by businesspeople. We illustrate the system on sample data from the IBM Corporation where it has been deployed.
Emergence delirium: The past, the present, and maybe the future

There is nothing more disturbing to parents than to observe their child in the recovery room completely out of control and, although staring at their parents, not actually recognizing them! They are irritable, uncooperative, thrashing around, trying to rip off their monitors or pull out their intravenous access, and may even attempt to remove wound dressings or casts. This situation is upsetting for everyone, but especially the parents. After “abandoning” their child to strangers during the surgery or procedure, they just want to hold their child and provide comfort, but nothing seems to work and they feel utterly helpless. This “strange behaviour” was first described by James Eckenhoff et al. in 1961. 1 His group reviewed the records of 12 294 paediatric and adult patients at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and found an overall incidence of 5.5% (654 patients). The study included 1 397 children under the age of 19 years: 233 children in the age group 3–9 years, and 1 094 children aged 10–19 years.
Applying standard independent verification and validation (IV&V) techniques within an Agile framework: Is there a compatibility issue?

Agile methods have gained wide acceptance over the past several years, to the point that they are now a standard management and execution approach for small-scale software development projects. While conventional Agile methods are not generally applicable to large multi-year and mission-critical systems, Agile hybrids are now being developed (such as SAFe) to exploit the productivity improvements of Agile while retaining the necessary process rigor and coordination needs of these projects. From the perspective of Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V), however, the adoption of these hybrid Agile frameworks is becoming problematic. Hence, we find it prudent to question the compatibility of conventional IV&V techniques with (hybrid) Agile practices. This paper documents our investigation of (a) relevant literature, (b) the modification and adoption of Agile frameworks to accommodate the development of large scale, mission critical systems, and (c) the compatibility of standard IV&V techniques within hybrid Agile development frameworks. Specific to the latter, we found that the IV&V methods employed within a hybrid Agile process can be divided into three groups: (1) early lifecycle IV&V techniques that are fully compatible with the hybrid lifecycles, (2) IV&V techniques that focus on tracing requirements, test objectives, etc. are somewhat incompatible, but can be tailored with a modest effort, and (3) IV&V techniques involving an assessment requiring artifact completeness that are simply not compatible with hybrid Agile processes, e.g., those that assume complete requirement specification early in the development lifecycle.
Bio-inspired consensus under suggested convergence direction

A new class of cooperative bat-inspired consensus protocols are proposed and analyzed in this paper. Motivated by the bat searching algorithm in swarm intelligence, the proposed bat consensus protocols have the outstanding feature of achieving convergent agreement of bat states toward a suggested direction, a feature also which happens to be solving a separate optimization problem. Hence, such protocols paved the way for the development of new distributed parallel algorithms for simultaneously solving a large-scale numerical computation problem and a complex optimization problem. Detailed convergence analysis of the proposed bat consensus protocols was conducted through recently developed matrix paracontraction techniques and nonnegative matrix tools.
Community Engagement in Health Care: An Approach to Improve Health Care Access for People with Disabilities

People with disabilities (PWD) experience significant health disparities, at least partly due to difficulties accessing health care. These difficulties are multi-focal, including difficulties with transportation, effective communication, physical accessibility, and provider attitudes. Community engagement offers one method for working with local communities around health care access for PWD. By engaging PWD and the local infrastructure (e.g., providers, government, transportation, advocates), unique solutions are generated and awareness in the community is increased. We describe the use of our approach "Community Engagement in Health Care" with one such Oregon community.
Characterization of Particle Backscattering of Global Highly Turbid Waters From VIIRS Ocean Color Observations

Normalized water-leaving radiance spectra nLw(λ) at the near-infrared (NIR) from five years of observations (2012–2016) with the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) are used to derive the particle backscattering coefficients bbp(λ) for global highly turbid coastal and inland waters. Based on the fact that the absorption coefficient of sea water aw(λ) is generally much larger than those of the other constituents aiop(λ) at the NIR wavelengths in coastal and inland waters, a NIR-based bbp(λ) algorithm for turbid coastal and inland waters has been developed and used in this study. This algorithm can be safely used for highly turbid waters with nLw(745) and nLw(862) less than ∼6 and ∼4 mW cm−2 μm−1 sr−1, respectively. Seasonal and inter-annual variations of bbp(λ) in China's east coastal region, the Amazon River Estuary, the La Plata River Estuary, the Meghna River Estuary, the Atchafalaya River Estuary, and Lake Taihu are characterized and quantified. The coefficient bbp(λ) can reach over ∼3–4 m−1 in the Amazon River Estuary and China's east coastal region. The Amazon River Estuary is identified as the most turbid region in the global ocean in terms of bbp(λ) magnitude. bbp(λ) spectra in these five highly turbid regions are also seasonal- and regional-dependent. In the highly turbid waters of China's east coastal region and the Amazon River Estuary, bbp(λ) generally increases in wavelength from 410 to 862 nm, while it decreases in the La Plata River Estuary and Atchafalaya River Estuary. This is attributed to the different particle size distributions in these waters. The geophysical implication of the bbp(λ) spectral curvatures for different waters is discussed. To improve global bbp(λ) for both open oceans and coastal turbid waters, a new combined NIR- and Quasi-Analytical Algorithm (QAA)-based bbp(λ) algorithm is proposed and demonstrated.
An intersectional approach to designing in the margins

This is a forum for perspectives on designing for communities marginalized by economics, social status, infrastructure, or policies. It will discuss design methods, theoretical and conceptual contributions, and methodological engagements for underserved communities. --- Nithya Sambasivan, Editor
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Sweeping Jet Film Cooling

A companion experimental and numerical study was conducted of the performance of a row of 5 sweeping jet (SJ) film cooling holes consisting of conventional curved fluidic oscillators with an aspect ratio (AR) of unity and a hole spacing of P/D = 8.5. Adiabatic film effectiveness (η), thermal field (θ), convective heat transfer coefficient (h) and discharge coefficient (CD) were measured at two different freestream turbulence levels (Tu = 0.4% and 10.1%) and four blowing ratios (M = 0.98, 1.97, 2.94 and 3.96) at a density ratio (DR) of 1.04 and hole Reynolds number of ReD = 2800. Adiabatic film effectiveness and thermal field data were also acquired for a baseline 777-shaped hole. The sweeping jet film cooling hole showed significant improvement in cooling effectiveness in the lateral direction due to the sweeping action of the fluidic oscillator. An unsteady RANS simulation was performed to evaluate the flow field at the exit of the hole. Time resolved flow fields revealed two alternating streamwise vortices at all blowing ratios. The sense of rotation of these alternating vortices is opposite to the traditional counter rotating vortex pair (CRVP) found in a ‘jet in crossflow’ and serves to spread the film coolant laterally.Copyright © 2017 by ASME
Endoscopic and open stone surgery in morbidly obese patients.

AbstractManagement of urinary stone disease in the morbidly obese patient can be troublesome and problematic. We present 4 recent female patients with an average weight of 442 pounds and an average height of 5 feet 2 inches. The patients underwent a total of 8 open surgical or endoscopic procedures for partial or complete staghorn calculi. Complications encountered included inability to reach the stones with rigid or flexible ureteroscopes, inadvertent incision above the 10th rib for pyelolithotomy, intraoperative rhabdomyolysis during a flank incision, consecutive temporary renal failure and wound infection. We discuss the limitations of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, retrograde endoscopic manipulation, percutaneous antegrade surgery and open surgical approaches. Such patients continue to represent diagnostic challenges and high risk therapeutic options.
Effect of thermal cycling on whisker-reinforced dental resin composites

The mechanical properties of dental resin composites need to be improved in order to extend their use to high stress-bearing applications such as crown and bridge restorations. Recent studies used single crystal ceramic whiskers to reinforce dental composites. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of thermal cycling on whisker-reinforced composites. It was hypothesized that the whisker composites would not show a reduction in mechanical properties or the breakdown of whisker–resin interface after thermal cycling. Silicon carbide whiskers were mixed with silica particles, thermally fused, then silanized and incorporated into resin to make flexural specimens. The filler mass fraction ranged from 0% to 70%. The specimens were thermal cycled in 5 °C and 60 °C water baths, and then fractured in three-point bending to measure strength. Nano-indentation was used to measure modulus and hardness. No significant loss in composite strength, modulus and hardness was found after 105 thermal cycles (family confidence coefficient=0.95; Tukey's multiple comparison test). The strength of whisker composite increased with filler level up to 60%, then plateaued when filler level was further increased to 70%; the modulus and hardness increased monotonically with filler level. The strength and modulus of whisker composite at 70% filler level were significantly higher than the non-whisker controls both before and after thermal cycling. SEM revealed no separation at the whisker–matrix interfaces, and observed resin remnants on the pulled-out whiskers, indicating strong whisker–resin bonding even after 105 thermal cycles. In conclusion, novel dental resin composites containing silica-fused whiskers possessed superior strength and modulus compared to non-whisker composites both before and after thermal cycling. The whisker–resin bonding appeared to be resistant to thermal cycling in water, so that no loss in composite strength or stiffness occurred after prolonged thermal cycling.
Green biomass and rainfall in semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa

Data from the AVHRR sensor of polar-orbiting meteorological satellites were used to estimate biomass production on the southern border of the Sahara from 1981–1986. Average integrated normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) threshold values were compared with several climatic zone, bioclimatic, agroclimatic, agroecological, and vegetation maps. Threshold index isolines agreed closely with major zone boundaries in several instances but also differed in some cases. Meteorological satellite measurements can usefully complement scattered ground observations and can provide daily surveillance of vegetation changes.
Understanding Links among Opioid Use, Overdose, and Suicide

Opioid Use, Overdose, and Suicide This review describes what is known about the links between suicide and overdoses, focusing on pathways involved in opioid use, issues of intent, risk factors, prevention strategies, and unresolved issues.
Teaching and Learning in Kenya: Examining the Shifts in Cultural Learning of Experienced Educators

AbstractThis qualitative case study examined the cultural learning insights of four educators during and after an immersion experience in Kenya. During this experience the participants delivered professional development sessions to teachers in two rural Kenyan schools, and stayed with Kenyan families. Mezirow’s transformational learning theory, self-reflection, and cultural humility were utilized as a framework to examine the educators’ learning experiences. Data were collected through pre-trip planning sessions, journals, debriefing sessions, field notes, and a 6-month follow-up interview. Results of the data produced five main themes: (1) general observations; (2) recognizing biases and assumptions; (3) cultural insights; (4) cultural humility; and (5) spiritual insights. Even though these participants had prior interactions with different cultures, this trip expanded their experiences and provided them with further understanding of how to interact with different cultures abroad, and within their profes...
Molecular Simulation of Enhanced Oil Recovery in Shale

Abstract Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques (miscible/near miscible gas injection, chemical flooding and thermal) aim at increasing oil recovery factor, over which that would be achieved from natural depletion and pressure maintenance methods. As we embark on more complex EOR processes (e.g. miscible hydrocarbon/non-hydrocarbon, surfactant/polymer, smart water and combination of the three), complex phase equilibria, complicated rock/fluid interaction, and sophisticated transport through porous media will create a number of key technical challenges that must be addressed. The issue is significantly increased in unconventional resources as the physics behind the process is not very well understood. For these resources, effective enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques are required to displace oil from nanoscale shale matrix. Due to small permeability, it is difficult to conduct water and chemical flooding in these resources. Maintaining a stable flood front in immiscible gas flooding due to the severe fingering phenomenon in fractured shale formations. Gas huff-n-puff becomes the most suitable EOR method in shale reservoir development. For decades, CO2 (EOR) techniques that have been successfully applied in conventional reservoirs to improve oil production. In this work, we will investigate the physics behind CO2 injection into organic nanopores of shale using molecular dynamics simulations. A 3D kerogen structure is used with dodecane to study the huff-n-puff process at a molecular level. Results show that there is an optimal soaking time after which the recovery factor is not affected by soaking time anymore. Furthermore, carbon dioxide has high affinity to be adsorbed to kerogen walls and therefore desorbing the hydrocarbon molecules.
In Fleeting Visions: Deep Neural Music Fickle Play

We describe a series of short music pieces that is generated in a semi-improvised manner by a computer, using deep representations and temporal memory model constructed from learning a corpus of piano works by Sergei Prokofiev. Inspired by Prokofiev's piece of a similar name, this work explores imaginative capabilities of generative music machine through a series of passing-by sonic visions triggered by fleeting activations of the underlying musical network from a musician performer input. Unlike most other common machine learning and neural music compositions that explore stylistic imitation, the impetus here is to provide a rainbow of unimagined possibilities enabling creative human intervention and interaction with a complex system, realized in a series of improvisations, each with a different form, texture and character.
Collective turning & modern-day persons unknown: An ideological critique of white supremacy in public

Through a Critical Whiteness Studies framework, this essay engages in an ideological critique of white supremacy that conceptualizes sites of 20 th century spectacle lynching as public pedagogy. After establishing historical sites of terror as teaching/learning moments, the author focuses on contemporary sites of violence—the modern classroom—and links educational structures, policies, and practices to violent legacies. Theorizing ideology within Althusserian and Žižekian frames, spectacle lynching is argued as a situation which crystallized understandings of racial dominance/violence that lay the foundation for modern educational contexts where racial violence is persistently mishandled. Theorized as a “collective turning,” legacies of violence are examined within contemporary educative situations, and readers are asked to recognize white supremacy and avoidance as active forces our contemporary realities.
A model for the prediction of rubber friction with Schallamach waves

Abstract A mathematical model is developed for predicting adhesive sliding friction of rubber on a hard surface in the presence of propagating detachments or buckles known as Schallamach waves. The rubber is assumed to be elastic apart from a small zone at the leading edge of each detachment where viscoelasticity is significant. We assume the rubber is in a state of plane strain, and both contact surfaces are flat. Linear elasticity is used, together with the Fast Fourier Transform, for the wave analysis. Nonlinear elasticity is used with the finite element method to illustrate the detachment initiation. The model is shown to agree quite well with experimental data from three sources, despite the use of hemispherical sliders.
Variations in Parent and Teacher Ratings of Internalizing, Externalizing, Adaptive Skills, and Behavioral Symptoms in Children with Selective Mutism.

Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder that impacts communication. Children with SM present concerns to parents and teachers as they consistently do not speak in situations where there is an expectation to speak, such as at school, but speak in other settings where they feel more comfortable, such as at home. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of children with SM on behavioral rating scales and language measures. Forty-two children (22 boys and 20 girls, ranging from 2.4 to 13.8 years, with a mean age of 7.1 years) took part in this study. Parents and teachers completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-3) measuring internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, adaptive skills, and behavioral symptoms. Frequency of speaking and language abilities were also measured. Parents and teachers both identified withdrawal as the most prominent feature of SM but parents saw children as significantly more withdrawn than did their teachers. Both rated children similarly at-risk on scales of functional communication and social skills. Higher adaptive skills (including functional communication and social skills) were positively correlated with vocabulary, narrative language, and auditory serial memory according to teachers. Parent and teacher rating scales provide valuable information for diagnosis and progress monitoring. Children with SM can benefit from mental health practitioners who can identify and enhance their emotional well-being.
EvMedEd: A Teaching Resource for Integrating Medical Examples into Evolution Education

Teaching evolution using medical examples can be a particularly effective strategy for motivating students to learn evolutionary principles, especially students interested in pursuing medical and allied health careers. Research in the area of evolutionary medicine has expanded the number of ways in which evolution informs health and disease, providing many new and less widely known contexts that can be adopted for classroom use. However, many instructors do not have time to locate or create classroom materials about evolutionary medicine. To address this need, we have created EvMedEd, a resource repository to help instructors who want to integrate more medical examples into their evolution instruction or instructors who are teaching a course on evolutionary medicine. Some resources are designed to be more appropriate for a high school or introductory biology audience, whereas others are more advanced. We encourage instructors to access this curated website and to share their own teaching materials with this community.
Water runoff and economic activity: The impact of water supply shocks on growth

Abstract This paper attempts to fill a gap in a growing literature examining the global economic implications of weather shocks. Past research has found significant, robust impacts of hotter temperatures on reducing economic growth. While rainfall is important for agriculture, impacts on aggregate economic activity remain elusive. In this paper, I argue that rainfall is a poor indicator of water availability, particularly in urban contexts. Instead, I find that changes in water runoff significantly impact economic growth. Results show that years in which runoff is significantly lower than average, local economic activity growth is depressed. This impact is strongest in middle-income regions, where runoff 1 or 2 standard deviation below normal levels reduces GDP growth by 0.4–0.6% and 1.3–2.5%. I examine two mechanisms, agricultural production and hydropower dependence. Globally, agricultural production is depressed by below average runoff shocks, although the resulting impact on GDP is likely low. Regions which are more urban and rely more on hydropower production in their energy mix are significantly more sensitive to these runoff shocks. With climate change expected to increase the variability of water runoff, these shocks are expected to become more frequent in the future and in some regions may significantly hamper growth.
The impact of replacing peripheral intravenous catheters when clinically indicated on infection rate, nurse satisfaction, and costs in CCU, Step-Down, and Oncology units.

Background A practice change of replacing peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheters when clinically indicated was implemented concurrent with a new PIV chlorhexidine securement dressing and existing IV care bundle to prevent the risk of infection. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of replacing PIV catheters when clinically indicated on infection rates, nurse satisfaction, and costs in 3 high-risk, vulnerable hospital populations (Critical Care, Step Down, and Oncology units). Methods A retrospective review of 473 medical records, 737 peripheral IV sites, and 2 nursing surveys were completed after the practice change. Data were gathered related to PIV 1) catheter dwell times, 2) phlebitis rates, 3) catheter-related bloodstream infection rates, 4) skin tears related to the new PIV dressing, 5) costs, and 6) a nurse satisfaction survey. Results The average PIV dwell time was 7 days with a 3% phlebitis rate. Findings showed no catheter-related bloodstream infections and 2 (0.27%) skin tears. Cost savings of $17,100.00 in PIV supplies occurred one year after the practice change. Nurse satisfaction with the new dressing was 94.2%, with a 17-month sustainment of satisfaction. Conclusions The impact of the practice change and new dressing had positive quality outcomes on infection rate, nurse satisfaction, and costs in 3 vulnerable hospital populations.
A Critical Review of High Burnup Fuel Fragmentation, Relocation, and Dispersal under Loss-Of-Coolant Accident Conditions

Abstract High burnup fuel in excess of ~6268 GWd/MTU has been observed to severely fragment when subjected to temperature transient conditions as in a loss-of-coolant accident. In the event of cladding failure, the severely fragmented fuel can relocate into the balloon region and potentially disperse through the burst opening into the reactorâ€™s primary system. This observation has led to implementation of several independent test programs designed to focus on various aspects of fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal. The purpose of this review is to perform a critical, holistic assessment of fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal under loss-of-coolant conditions to identify data gaps in the experimental data base. Phenomena have been identified and well defined through the various testing programs, and general agreement regarding the governing parameters (temperature, burnup, heating rate, cladding deformation, etc.) has been established. However, there is a significant data gap connecting research to commercial application. Furthermore, previous research attempted to evaluate the problem holistically, but has yet to provide a comprehensive understanding of the problem. Major identified data gaps consist of (1) a comprehensive understanding of pretransient fuel rod conditions (fuel temperature, fuel stress, rod internal pressures, microstructure, etc.), (2) definition of prototypic loss-of-coolant accident conditions (heating rate, fuel temperatures, fuel stress), (3) identification of the differences between nuclear and electrical integral loss-of-coolant accident tests, and connection of fuel rod performance (cladding ballooning, burst opening, potential relocation, fragmentation susceptibility, etc.) to fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal severity. The content of this manuscript provides a clear path for connecting testing and data acquisition to commercial application by providing concrete means for filling data gaps and prioritized testing regimes.
Reconstruction of Perioral Defects After Mohs Micrographic Surgery or Excision: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND Although many repair methods for postsurgical lip defects have been described, the literature lacks a comprehensive review of these methods. OBJECTIVE To perform a systematic review of lip defect repair methods after Mohs surgery or excisions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Terms related to perioral anatomy, Mohs surgery and excision, and reconstruction were used to search 8 databases. Articles were included if they reported postsurgical lip repair data for 4 or more patients, were in English, and were published from 2004 onward. Two reviewers screened all titles and abstracts, followed by the full texts of the remaining articles. Data were then extracted including author specialties, study design, demographic, tumor, and defect information, surgical procedures, outcomes, and complications. RESULTS Forty-two studies were eligible, including a randomized trial, 25 case series, and 16 cohort studies. Most were written by dermatologic or plastic surgeons, and most studies were small, with an average subject number of 61. Very few studies used structured outcome measures. Many repair methods were described, the most common of which were linear closures and various flaps. CONCLUSION Many repair methods for lip defects have been published, but overall, the quality of the available evidence is low.
Introduction: Neighbors, Neighborhoods, Neighboring

This special issue, “Neighbors, Neighborhoods, Neighboring,” engages some of the ways the ethical concept of the neighbor — in both its early articulations and contemporary theorizations — is curre...
On the role of meniscus geometry in capillary wave generation

Capillary waves, surface waves whose restoring force is dominated by surface tension, have been an important part of experimental fluid mechanics for many years. Capillary waves are typically generated by a vibrating wave generator which may be the walls of the tank containing the liquid or a separate object. In both cases, a meniscus exists at the interface between the liquid and the wave generator. Though this meniscus is due to the same surface tension that controls capillary waves, its effect on capillary wave formation has not been studied. Herein we present experimental results showing that such a meniscus is needed to form capillary waves, that the lack of a meniscus (a flat interface at the wall) prevents the formation of these waves, and that a meniscus of either positive or negative curvature serves equally well in enabling capillary wave formation.
Intermittent fasting implementation and association with eating disorder symptomatology

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an emerging dietary trend that remains understudied. This study aimed to describe the implementation and eating disorder (ED) symptomatology, relevant to engagement in IF among both men and women. Intermittent fasters (N = 44 women, N = 20 men) recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk, Reddit, and a Midwestern University were administered a demographic questionnaire, an assessment of ED symptomatology (Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire; EDE-Q), and asked about their IF use. To assess the level of ED symptomatology among individuals using IF community and clinical norms were used for comparison. We hypothesized a) men and women engaging IF would score higher on the EDE-Q and b) more individuals engaging in IF would endorse ED behaviors (e.g., self-induced vomiting) than community norms. Intermittent fasters reported fasting for approximately 16 hours daily and for weight loss purposes. Men and women engaging in IF scored significantly higher than community norms on all subscales of the EDE-Q, with 31.25% of participants' EDE-Q scores being at or above the clinical EDE-Q cut-off. Men and women engaging in IF reported engaging in ED behaviors. Results suggest that IF is associated with ED symptomatology. Further research on psychological characteristics and temporal order of the association between IF and ED symptomatology is warranted.
LncRNA DUXAP10 Upregulation and the Hedgehog Pathway Activation Are Critically Involved in Chronic Cadmium Exposure-Induced Cancer Stem Cell-Like Property.

Cadmium (Cd) is a well-known lung carcinogen. However, the mechanism of Cd carcinogenesis remains to be clearly defined. Cd has been shown to act as a weak mutagen, suggesting that it may exert tumorigenic effect through non-genotoxic ways, such as epigenetic mechanisms. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) refer to RNA molecules that are longer than 200 nucleotides in length but lack protein-coding capacities. Regulation of gene expressions by lncRNAs is considered as one of important epigenetic mechanisms. The goal of this study is to investigate the mechanism of cadmium carcinogenesis focusing on the role of lncRNA dysregulations. Cadmium-induced malignant transformation of human bronchial epithelia BEAS-2B cells was accomplished by a 9-month low dose Cd (CdCl2, 2.5 µM) exposure. The Cd-exposed cells formed significantly more colonies in soft agar, displayed cancer stem cell (CSC)-like property and formed tumors in nude mice. Mechanistically, chronic low dose Cd exposure did not cause significant genotoxic effects but dysregulated lncRNA expressions. Further Q-PCR analysis confirmed the significant up-regulation of the oncogenic lncRNA DUXAP10 in Cd-transformed cells. DUXAP10 knockdown in Cd-transformed cells significantly reduced their CSC-like property. Further mechanistic studies showed that the Hedgehog pathway is activated in Cd-transformed cells and inhibition of this pathway reduces Cd-induced CSC-like property. DUXAP10 knockdown caused the Hedgehog pathway inactivation in Cd-transformed cells. Furthermore, Pax6 expression was upregulated in Cd-transformed cells and Pax6 knockdown significantly reduced their DUXAP10 levels and CSC-like property. In summary, these findings suggest that the lncRNA DUXAP10 up-regulation may play an important role in Cd carcinogenesis.
Glioma Groups Based on 1p/19q, IDH, and TERT Promoter Mutations in Tumors

BACKGROUND The prediction of clinical behavior, response to therapy, and outcome of infiltrative glioma is challenging. On the basis of previous studies of tumor biology, we defined five glioma molecular groups with the use of three alterations: mutations in the TERT promoter, mutations in IDH, and codeletion of chromosome arms 1p and 19q (1p/19q codeletion). We tested the hypothesis that within groups based on these features, tumors would have similar clinical variables, acquired somatic alterations, and germline variants. METHODS We scored tumors as negative or positive for each of these markers in 1087 gliomas and compared acquired alterations and patient characteristics among the five primary molecular groups. Using 11,590 controls, we assessed associations between these groups and known glioma germline variants.
Effects of Escitalopram Administration on Face Processing in Intermittent Explosive Disorder: An fMRI Study.

The neurobiological underpinnings of intermittent explosive disorder (IED) are traditionally linked to deficiencies in the serotonergic system. In this study, we investigated the effects of escitalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), on brain activation during face processing. We expected that escitalopram would reduce amygdala activity in IED and in addition, we explored the effect in other social–emotional-related brain regions. A total of 17 subjects with current IED and 14 healthy controls participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced fMRI face processing study. The analysis focused on the faces compared to a fixation baseline contrast, and a factorial model with Group as between-subject and Drug as within-subject factor was tested. Group × Drug interaction effects were found in the amygdala (small volume corrected) and the left temporal parietal junction (TPJ; whole-brain corrected). Escitalopram increased amygdala activation in controls, but surprisingly not in IED. However, the TPJ showed increased activity in IED on escitalopram compared with placebo. The TPJ is associated with social–cognitive processes, such as perspective taking and empathy. The TPJ findings suggest that SSRI administration may reduce aggressive tendencies towards other people by enhancing these social–cognitive processes. Future research should further elucidate the long-term effects of SSRIs on various social–emotional tasks in IED.
Continental Margin Mapping Project and Cartographic Management Information System for the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone

The U.S. Geological Survey has established the Continental Margin Mapping (CONMAP) Project as part of its overall research program focused on the nation1s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The project was commenced in response to the need for a systematic means to reference and disseminate geographically oriented data and information. The primary goal of this project is preparation of a map series that provides continuous coverage of the EEZ at a scale of 1:1,000,000. The series consists of 21 map panels prepared by computer using an Albers conic equal-area projection. All data presented on the maps are stored in digital data bases which can be easily updated with new information and subsequently replotted.
Electric fatigue initiated by surface contamination in high polarization ceramics

A study of the fatigue behavior of hot-pressed PLZT (La-doped lead zirconate titanate) with composition 7/68/32 under different surface conditions is reported. It is found that the fatigue occurring at a few thousand of cycles is mainly caused by the contaminated surface instead of by intrinsic structure deterioration. For the same gold electrodes, samples with a conventionally cleaned surface showed significant fatigue within 10/sup 5/ switching cycles while samples with surfaces cleaned by an improved procedure did not show fatigue even after 10/sup 8/ switching cycles. The mechanism of fatigue introduced by surface contamination is explained by interface degradation between ceramic and electrode. >
Products Evaluated for Corn Rootworm Management

Commercially available corn rootworm products are evaluated yearly for their ability to protect corn-root systems from corn rootworm feeding injury. This report presents results from 2005 plus a three-year summary from locations throughout Iowa.
A Family of Tetraspans Organizes Cargo for Sorting into Multivesicular Bodies

The abundance of cell-surface membrane proteins is regulated by internalization and delivery into intralumenal vesicles (ILVs) of multivesicular bodies (MVBs). Many cargoes are ubiquitinated, allowing access to an ESCRT-dependent pathway into MVBs. Yet how nonubiquitinated proteins, such as glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins, enter MVBs is unclear, supporting the possibility of mechanistically distinct ILV biogenesis pathways. Here we show that a family of highly ubiquitinated tetraspan Cos proteins provides a Ub signal in trans, allowing sorting of nonubiquitinated MVB cargo into the canonical ESCRT- and Ub-dependent pathway. Cos proteins create discrete endosomal subdomains that concentrate Ub cargo prior to their envelopment into ILVs, and the activity of Cos proteins is required not only for efficient sorting of canonical Ub cargo but also for sorting nonubiquitinated cargo into MVBs. Expression of these proteins increases during nutrient stress through an NAD(+)/Sir2-dependent mechanism that in turn accelerates the downregulation of a broad range of cell-surface proteins.
Tests of Cold Helium Compressors at Fermilab

Fermilab has tested two cold helium compressors for possible installation in the satellite refrigerator buildings of the Tevatron cryogenic system. Operating conditions required to obtain an overall Tevatron energy upgrade from 900 to 1000 GeV are (for each of 24 machines): 52 g/s mass flow rate, 0.7 atm inlet pressure, 1.4 atm exhaust pressure. Acceptable efficiency is in the 60% range. Both Creare, Inc. and Cryogenic Consultants, Inc. (CCI) have supplied units for evaluation. The Creare machine is a high speed centrifugal pump/compressor which yielded 60% adiabatic efficiency (including an approximately 20 watt heat leak) with a 1.0 atm inlet pressure and 55 g/s flow rate. Certain mechanical difficulties were present, chiefly the device’s inability to withstand two-phase flow. CCI supplied a reciprocating unit which, after initial testing and modification, achieved 59% efficiency with an approximate 35 watt heat leak at a 0.7 atm inlet pressure and 48 g/s flow rate. Although the device lacks the smooth, quiet operating characteristics of a turbomachine, it has endured mechanically throughout testing and is entirely insensitive to two-phase flow.
CONTROLLING ENGINE LOAD BY MEANS OF LATE INTAKE-VALVE CLOSING

Varying the timing of intake-valve closing was examined on a single-cylinder engine as a means for controlling the load of a homogeneous-charge spark-ignition engine. The engine was operated unthrottled, with load control obtained by holding the intake valve open during a portion of the compression stroke. This allowed the piston to push part of the cylinder charge back into the intake manifold. Comparisons to a conventional engine showed the late intake-valve-closing engine to have (1) lower pumping losses, (2) lower specific fuel consumption, (3) lower nitric oxide emissions, and (4) similar HC emissions. However, the fuel-economy benefit offered by this load-control concept would be reduced by the frictional losses of a control mechanism. The current trend toward lower vehicular power/weight ratios also would diminish the impetus for this approach.
"We Don't Have Capitalism...We Have Kinship": The State, the Family, and the Expression of Armenian Identity

Approaches to kinship and the extended family in the former Soviet Union sometimes have been functional, emphasizing the utility of private connections in an otherwise harsh and bureaucratic environment. The family and the home have been sometimes considered a locus of "resistance" against the Soviet state, particularly with respect to ethnic minorities; where structural, binary oppositions have characterized the relationship between the home and the state, such as public/private; formal/informal; official/unofficial; traditional/modern; national/soviet; etc. However, in the course of fieldwork in the newly independent Republic of Armenia, I observed that the relationship between the extended family and the state in the articulation of ethnic identity is dynamic, multidirectional, and often, ambivalent. Armenian kinship is authoritative not only in shaping individual identities, but also in domestic affairs and the interpretation of events. Kinship may be invoked as a symbol of national survival, or as an impediment to personal achievement, economic development, and independent statehood. Used as a symbol of national character, the extended family is polyvalent in discourse on Armenianness; sometimes being seen in opposition to, or as constitutive of the nation-state itself.
Spatial distribution of two-agent clusters for efficient navigation

Coordinated navigation by two cooperating sensor-equipped agents in a partially known static environment is investigated. Each agent observes a local part of the otherwise unknown environment and shares the gathered data with the other agents. In general, dynamic programming techniques suitably model the navigation problem, but are computationally hard to solve. We propose a combined dynamic and linear programming framework to circumvent the curse of dimensionality and establish in the process a firm upper bound on the spatial separation of a two-agent cluster navigating on a structured arbitrarily large graph.
Postoperative pain management in children.

Postoperative pain management in children has been neglected until recently. The standard form of postoperative pain therapy is, unfortunately in most institutions, still 0.05–0.1 mg/kg of morphine intramuscularly every four hours, and in many situations even this inadequate form of therapy is not administered as frequently as ordered, or as necessary. Several investigators have evaluated the effectiveness of postoperative pain therapy in children and found it wanting (1–3). It appears from these data that 30% to 40% of children receive inadequate pain therapy in the postoperative period.
Metabolic Responses During Postprandial Exercise

To examine metabolic interaction between meal and exercise, 10 men and 10 women completed three trials: (1) exercise (E), (2) consumption of a meal (M), and (3) consumption of a meal followed by exercise (M+E). All trials commenced after an overnight fast and were preceded by a rest period in which resting metabolic rate (RMR) was determined. The meal contained 721 kilocalories composed of 41%, 36%, and 23% of carbohydrate, lipids, and protein, respectively. Exercise protocol consisted of three continuous 10-minute cycling at 50%, 60%, and 70% VO2peak. Measurement began 60 min after the start of the meal and included VO2 that was used to determine meal-induced thermogenesis (MIT). VO2 was greater (p < .05) in M+E than in E at 50% and 60% VO2peak. MIT was higher (p < .05) during exercise at 50% VO2peak than at rest. It appears that postprandial exercise of mild intensities can potentiate MIT, thereby provoking a greater increase in energy expenditure.
Cholinergic and adrenergic neuroreceptors in urinary tract of female dogs. Evaluation of function with pharmacodynamics.

Abstract Our preliminary pharmacodynamic studies on the lower urinary tract of adult female dogs indicate that cholinergic and adrenergic (alpha and beta) neuroreceptors in the urethra appear to coordinate the detrusor and urethral function during micturition. Urethral resistance measured as urethral pressure was easily altered with various pharmacologic agents. However, only bethanechol elicited detrusor response measured as intravesical pressure. The possible clinical usefulness of various drugs is outlined. Our results indicate the therapeutic value of ephedrine sulfate and propranolol in stress urinary incontinence; phenoxybenzamine in neurogenic vesical dysfunction and functional outlet obstruction; phenoxybenzamine plus bethanechol in atomic neurogenic bladder; and imipramine in enuresis.
1,4-Di-O-Alkyl Threitols from Tartaric Acid: 1,4-Di-O-Benzyl-L-Threitol

1,4-Di-O-alkyl threitols from tartaric acid: 1,4-di-O-benzyl-l-threitol intermediate: Dimethyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-l-tartrate. reactant: l-tartaric acid (101 g, 0.673 mol) intermediate: 2,3-Di-O-isopropylidene-l-threitol. intermediate: 1,4-di-O-benzyl-2,3-O-isopropylidene-l-threitol product: 1,4-Di-O-benzyl-l-threitol Keywords: acetal (and thioacetal) formation; alkylation, O-alkylation; hydrolysis, acetals and ketals; reduction, CO2R CH2OH; replacement reactions, amino by halogen; ring opening reactions; diethyl ether; hexane; tetrahydrofuran; lithium aluminum hydride, disposal
CLONING OF THE RAINBOW TROUT (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS) MX2 AND MX3 CDNAS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TROUT MX PROTEIN EXPRESSION IN SALMON CELLS

Two rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Mx cDNAs were cloned by using RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) PCR and were designated RBTMx2 and RBTMx3. The deduced RBTMx2 and RBTMx3 proteins were 636 and 623 amino acids in length with molecular masses of 72 and 70.8 kDa, respectively. These proteins, along with the previously described RBTMx1 protein (G. D. Trobridge and J. A. Leong, J. Interferon Cytokine Res. 15:691-702, 1995), have between 88.7 and 96.6% identity at the amino acid level. All three proteins contain the tripartite GTP binding domain and leucine zipper motif common to Mx proteins. A monospecific polyclonal antiserum to an Escherichia coli-expressed fragment of RBTMx3 was generated, and that reagent was found to react with all three rainbow trout Mx proteins. Subsequently, endogenous Mx production in RTG-2 cells induced with poly(IC) double-stranded RNA was detected by immunoblot analysis. The cellular localization of the rainbow trout proteins was determined by transient expression of the RBTMx cDNAs in CHSE-214 (chinook salmon embryo) cells. A single-cell transient-transfection assay was used to examine the ability of each Mx cDNA clone to inhibit replication of the fish rhabdovirus infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV). No significant inhibition in the accumulation of the IHNV nucleoprotein was observed in cells expressing either trout Mx1, Mx2, or Mx3 in transiently transfected cells.