cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Broad electrical tuning of graphene-loaded plasmonic antennas.

Plasmonic antennas enable the conversion of light from free space into subwavelength volumes and vice versa, which facilitates the manipulation of light at the nanoscale. Dynamic control of the properties of antennas is desirable for many applications, including biochemical sensors, reconfigurable meta-surfaces and compact optoelectronic devices. The combination of metallic structures and graphene, which has gate-voltage dependent optical properties, is emerging as a possible platform for electrically controlled plasmonic devices. In this paper, we demonstrate in situ control of antennas using graphene as an electrically tunable load in the nanoscale antenna gap. In our experiments, we demonstrate electrical tuning of graphene-loaded antennas over a broad wavelength range of 650 nm (∼140 cm −1 , ∼10% of the resonance frequency) in the mid-infrared (MIR) region. We propose an equivalent circuit model to quantitatively analyze the tuning behavior of graphene-loaded antenna pairs and derive an analytical expression for the tuning range of resonant wavelength. In a separate experiment, we used doubly resonant antenna arrays to achieve MIR optical intensity modulation with maximum modulation depth of more than 30% and bandwidth of 600 nm (∼100 cm −1 , 8% of the resonance frequency). This study shows that combining graphene with metallic nanostructures provides a route to electrically tunable optical and optoelectronic devices.
“What Fresh Hell Is This?” Victims of Intimate Partner Violence Describe Their Experiences of Abuse, Pain, and Depression

Traditionally, professionals working with intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors view a victim through a disciplinary lens, examining health and safety in isolation. Using focus groups with survivors, this study explored the need to address IPV consequences with an integrated model and begin to understand the interconnectedness between violence, health, and safety. Focus group findings revealed that the inscription of pain on the body serves as a reminder of abuse, in turn triggering emotional and psychological pain and disrupting social relationships. In many cases, the physical abuse had stopped but the abuser was relentless by reminding and retraumatizing the victim repeatedly through shared parenting, prolonged court cases, etc. This increased participants’ exhaustion and frustration, making the act of daily living overwhelming.
Self-deployable current sources fabricated from edible materials

Flexible biodegradable electronics have the potential to serve as the centerpiece for temporary electronically active medical implants. Biodegradable electronics may exhibit many advantages over traditional chronic implants. Two important long-term goals for biodegradable electronics are (1) supplying sufficient power and (2) reducing the invasiveness of device deployment. Edible electronic devices are capable of addressing both challenges. Here, we introduce electrochemical electronic power sources that are compatible with non-invasive deployment strategies and are composed entirely of edible materials and naturally occurring precursors that are consumed in common diets. The current sources developed herein are powered by onboard sodium ion electrochemical cells. Potentials up to 0.6 V and currents in the range of 5–20 μA can be generated routinely. These devices could serve as an enabling platform technology for edible electronics used in non-invasive sensing and stimulation of tissues within the human body.
Biodiversity and biocomplexity informatics: policy and implementation science versus citizen science

Biological science is one of the top ten social trends and the twenty-first Century has been defined as "The Age of Biology" [1]. One of the central themes of this age is biodiversity. Biodiversity is the richness of life. Biodiversity includes the variety of genes within one species through the complex interconnection of all life within an environment. One of the grand challenges of the twenty-first century is to document and understand the world's natural heritage. The management of the many kinds of information associated with this endeavor is "Biodiversity Informatics." There are many efforts developing worldwide to collect and distribute this information in digital collections. Some of these efforts are complementary; some efforts are in conflict and are just independent. There is a great need to integrate this information to increate its usefulness and value. Unfortunately, this integration is extremely difficult because of the diversity of the use and users of the information and the diversity of the information itself. The panelists will discuss different perspectives on the construction of global biodiversity digital libraries from the perspective of different goals and uses.
Secondary bicoronal synostosis after metopic craniosynostosis surgical reconstruction

Re-synostosis after standard surgical procedures for nonsyndromic craniosynostosis is a rare event, which can occur at the same suture or rarely in adjacent sutures. Here, we report 2 patients with primary metopic craniosynostosis who developed bicoronal synostosis in previously opened sutures several months after surgery.
High efficiency separation of microbial aggregates using capillary electrophoresis

Recent advances in the technique of capillary electrophoresis have demonstrated fast, highly efficient separation of mixtures of intact microbes. This paper describes the application of this technique for the separation of microbial aggregates of Micrococcus luteus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or Alcaligenes faecalis. The aggregates of these microbes were resolved into several highly efficient peaks with analysis times under 10 min and efficiencies approaching 1000000 plates m(-1) in some cases. A reproducible relationship was found between the electrophoretic mobility and the aggregation number or size of the cluster under a given set of experimental conditions. Often, cellular aggregation was reversible with brief immersion in an ultrasound bath. This reversibility was confirmed by visual microscopy and electrophoretic data.
Subcritical transition to turbulence in plane channel flows

A linear three dimensional mechanism for the transition of plane Poiseuille flows to turbulence is presented which provides good agreement with experimental observations. The mechanism is based on the evolution of states within a band of quasi-equilibria which slowly approach the stable upper branch solutions for the evolution of flow energy but which are strongly unstable to infinitesimal three-dimensional disturbances. Numerical simulation has shown that if two-dimensional flow persists long enough for the three-dimensional perturbations to attain finite amplitude, the resulting three dimensional flow quickly develops a turbulent character with nonperiodic behavior, and thus transition can be predicted from knowledge of the initial two- and three-dimensional energies and time scales. The mechanism predicts transition to turbulence at Reynolds numbers greater than 1000, as observed in experiments, and implies higher threshold three-dimensional energies in plane Couette flow.
THE EFFECT OF LOW FARE AIR CARRIERS ON AIRFARES IN THE US

Abstract This paper examines the role that low fare air carriers play in determining air fares in the US. Regression modeling is used to test variables focusing on geographic and competition issues effecting airfare pricing. Variables tested in the modeling include the presence of low fare carriers in a market, hub domination, market share, and type of destination served. The final results show that low fare carriers play a statistically significant role in airfare determination in the US.
Jet-printed fabrication of a-Si:H thin-film transistors and arrays

Abstract Phase-change wax-based printed masks, in place of conventional photoresist masks, were used to fabricate a-Si:H thin-film transistors (TFTs). Printed wax-mask features with a minimum feature size of ∼20 μm were achieved using an acoustic-ink-printing process. Both discrete and matrix addressing structured bottom-gate TFTs with source-drain contacts overlapping the channel were created using a four-mask process. The TFTs had I–V characteristics comparable to photolithographically patterned devices, with mobility of 0.6–1 cm2/V s, threshold voltage of 2–3 V, and on/off ratios exceeding 107 for devices with channel lengths below 50 μm . The wax-mask process was also used to fabricate self-aligned TFT devices, eliminating the source-drain contact overlap constraint.
Failure of Bronchopulmonary Lavage in Cystic Fibrosis

In an attempt to retard deterioration of pulmonary function, a young man with cystic fibrosis underwent bronchopulmonary lavage of an entire lung. In spite of theoretical advantages, the lavage produced an acute deterioration in the patient's clinical and physiologic status, from which he had not recovered one month later. We conclude that bronchopulmonary lavage in cystic fibrosis may be hazardous and should be reserved for those cases in which conventional methods of improving tracheobronchial clearance have failed.
Drag on individual cubic assemblies of spheres in non‐newtonian tube flow

An obstacle in modeling aseptic processing of particulate foods is the lack of a reliable estimator for the drag force of the non-Newtonian liquid phase on the suspended particles as they flow through the holding tubes of such systems. The objective was to develop an expression for the drag force on cubic assemblies of spherical particles suspended in a pseudoplastic fluid flowing in a tube. An apparatus was assembled for direct measurement of the drag force exerted by solutions of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) on the assemblies inside a tube. An empirical drag correction factor, as a function of particle volume fraction (applicable to Stokes' law), was developed. Un des obstacles du traitement aseptique par modelisation d'aliments particulaires est l'absence d'un facteur d'estimation fiable pour la force de traǐnee de la phase liquide non newtonienne sur les particules suspendues s'ecoulant dans les tubes de retention de tels systemes. L'objectif est d'etablir une expression pour la force de traǐnee sur les assemblages cubiques des particules spetriques suspendues dans un fluide pseudoplastique qui s'ecoule dans un tube. On a monte un appareil pour la mesure directe de la force de traǐnee exercee par des solutions de carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) de sodium sur les assemblages a l'interieur d'un tube. Un facteur empirique de correction de la force de traǐnee a ete etabli en fonction de la fraction du volume des particules (applicable e la loi de Stoke).
Search for the S meson

Total and annihilation cross sections for p-barp and p-bard have been measured over the momentum range 355--1066 MeV/c at closely spaced momenta and with good energy resolution. No evidence is seen for the narrow structure reported by other experiments in the vicinity of 500 MeV/c. The present measurements indicate a broader enhancement in this region, which, if interpreted as a resonance, would have a height of approx. 3 mb and a width of approx. 20 MeV. This structure appears only in the p-barp data.
Phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity in gaucher disease: Implications for genetic counseling

Genetic counseling for Gaucher disease is complicated by the vast degree of clinical heterogeneity encountered in the disorder. Recent advances in our understanding of the molecular genetics of Gaucher disease are particularly relevant to genetic counseling. Although the identification of mutations in the glucocerebrosidase gene has enabled genotypic screening of Gaucher patients, the ability to reliably predict patient outcome on the basis of DNA studies is often limited. An appreciation of both the spectrum of clinical manifestations in Gaucher patients and the limitations of the available genotypic information is necessary when counseling patients, families and at-risk individuals.
Study of Impact Properties of a Fluid-Filled Honeycomb Structure

The work presented in this paper is a continuation of the study conducted on exploring impact properties of a functionally graded bio cellular structure found in a banana peel. The graded cellular structure with unfilled cells reacts intelligently to impact loading and crushes in a manner that results in a higher amount of energy absorption as compared to an equivalent regular honeycomb structure. In this paper, a non-Newtonian fluid is introduced into the cells of a regular honeycomb structure, and its effect on energy absorption properties are studied using an experimental approach. The results are compared with impact mitigation properties of an unfilled regular honeycomb structure. The introduction of non-Newtonian fluid significantly enhances the energy absorption capacity of regular honeycomb structure, and therefore, suggests that fluid inside a banana peel structure is playing a critical role in energy and impact absorption. A rudimentary relationship between the numbers of fluid filled layers and total energy absorption capacity of the structure is presented through a regression analysis.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Gallium-67-citrate imaging in nuclear oncology

Gallium-67-citrate is one of the most useful radiopharmaceuticals to detect tumors, stage extent of the disease, monitor response to treatment and distinguish recurrent disease from post-treatment changes. Gallium is likewise very sensitive to detect and locate infections and inflammatory foci. This application is extremely important in the management of immunocompromised cancer patients. Image interpretation should be tempered with full knowledge of the patients clinical condition, anatomic alterations due to prior surgery and correct timing of image acquisition. Early imaging at 4-6 h is useful to detect gastrointestinal infections, whereas 24 h imaging is used to evaluate chest infections. Although gallium-67 is a non-specific agent, the identification of the etiology of the inflammation may be improved by adequate clinical and laboratory information as well as correlation with other imaging modalities such as sonography and computerized x-ray tomography (CT). High dose (10 mCi) gallium-67 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging with image co-registration is important for accurate uptake localization.
A New Tomograph for Quantitative Positron Emission Computed Tomography of the Brain

A new system (NEUROECAT) has been designed and built for quantitative positron emission computed tomography (PCT) of the brain. It consists of three octagonal arrays of bismuth germanate detectors (BGO) providing 5 simultaneous image planes. The design utilizes unique shielding and detector geometries which optimize uniformity in image and axial resolution and also minimize scatter and accidental coincidence rates. The basic system image resolution is 11.0±.4 mm FWHM with a total system sensitivity of 270,000 counts/sec/microcurie/cc uniformly dispersed in a 20 cm diameter cylinder.
Portals: a strategic new direction to improve access to information resources

This article describes the vision of the Association of Research Libraries for a Scholars Portal, a single point of access to quality and library‐vetted information. The current status of the project to trial the system is described, with comments on important issues that have arisen, such as the degree of potential overlap in resources required between participating libraries.
Distinct roles for F-BAR proteins Cdc15p and Bzz1p in actin polymerization at sites of endocytosis in fission yeast

Summary Background Genetic analyses of budding and fission yeast identified >50 proteins that assemble at sites of clathrin-mediated endocytosis in structures called actin patches. These proteins include clathrin, clathrin-interacting proteins, actin binding proteins, and peripheral membrane proteins such as F-BAR proteins. Many questions remain regarding the interactions of these proteins, particularly the participation of F-BAR proteins in the assembly of actin filaments. Results Our microscopic and genetic interaction experiments on fission yeast show that F-BAR proteins Cdc15p and Bzz1p accumulate in two distinct zones on invaginating membrane tubules and interact with Myo1p and Wsp1p, nucleation-promoting factors for Arp2/3 complex. The two F-BAR proteins peak prior to movement of the actin patch and their accumulation in actin patches depends on the nucleation-promoting factors. At their peak local concentrations, we estimated the stoichiometries of the proteins in actin patches to be one Bzz1p per two Wsp1p and one Cdc15p per Myo1p. Purified Bzz1p has two SH3 domains that interact with Wsp1p and stimulate actin polymerization by Arp2/3 complex. Cells lacking either Cdc15p or Bzz1p assemble 3- to 5-fold less actin in patches (in spite of normal levels of Wsp1p, Myo1p, and Arp2/3 complex), and patches move shorter distances from the plasma membrane. Conclusion We propose that during clathrin-mediated endocytosis, F-BAR proteins interact with nucleation-promoting factors to stimulate Arp2/3 complex in two different zones along the invaginating tubule. We further propose that polymerization of actin filaments in these two zones contributes to membrane scission.
Photochemical transformations of some β-substituted enones

Abstract The photochemical addition reaction of 3-cyano-, 3-chloro-, 3-methoxy-cyclohexanone, and some 3-aminocyclohexenones have been investigated. 3-Cyanocyclohexenone adds efficiently to olefins to give 2 + 2 cycloadducts. 3-Chlorocyclohexenone does not add readily and gives complex mixtures of products. The 3-aminocyclohexenones were photochemically completely unreactive. In contrast, a 3-amidocyclohexenone did cycloadd normally. 3-Methoxycyclohexenone ( 3 ) undergoes cycloaddition slowly (Φ ∼ ·01). The cycloadducts or 3 are accompanied by products from reaction of 3 with radicals derived by hydrogen abstraction from solvent and olefin. The orientation of the cycloadducts was in all cases that predicted by consideration of the most stable π-complex. The results are discussed in terms of current theories of the mechanism of cycloaddition.
Ethics and Economics: An Exploration of Christian Beliefs in Economic Relationships

This article is a review of an issue of Interchange containing six papers presented by members of the Sydney Christian Economists Group (SCEG). The SCEG describes itself as, “a fellowship of evangelical Christians concerned with understanding economic matters in the light of biblical theology and ethics.” The SCEG views its approach as “non‐technical, but at the same time soundly professional”. According to its convener, Kim Hawtrey, the Sydney group has been mainly composed of bank economists and postgraduate students. This is reflected in the applied nature of the progamme. These papers were all presented at a conference that the SCEG sponsored entitled “Ethics and Economics: An Exploration of Christian Belief in Economic Relationships”, conducted in March 1985.
Clinical Implications of Hypomagnesemia

Hypomagnesemia can produce a broad range of symptoms including anxiety, depression, nausea, confusion, fatigue, psychoses, paresthesias, weakness, tremors, and cardiac arrhythmias. Hypomagnesemia i...
Explaining Girls’ Advantage in Kindergarten Literacy Learning: Do Classroom Behaviors Make a Difference?

Abstract This study investigated gender differences in kindergarteners’ literacy skills, specifically, whether differences in children’s classroom behaviors explained females’ early learning advantage. Data included information on 16,883 kindergartners (8,701 boys and 8,182 girls) from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Cohort of 1998–1999 (ECLS‐K). The ECLS‐K directly assessed children’s cognitive skills and collected extensive data on children’s sociodemographic and behavioral backgrounds through structured telephone interviews with parents and written surveys with children’s teachers. Findings suggested that not only did girls enter kindergarten with somewhat stronger literacy skills but they also learned slightly more than boys over the kindergarten year. Taking into account teachers’ reports of girls’ more positive learning approaches (e.g., attentiveness, task persistence) explained almost two‐thirds of the female advantage in literacy learning. Accounting for boys’ more prevalent ...
Ground truth estimation by maximizing topological agreements in electron microscopy data

Manual editing can correct segmentation errors produced by automated segmentation algorithms, but it also introduces a practical challenge: the combination of multiple users' annotations of an image to obtain an estimation of the true, unknown labeling. Current estimation methods are not suited for electron microscopy (EM) images because they typically do not take into account topological correctness of a segmentation that can be critical in EM analysis. This paper presents a ground truth estimation method for EM images. Taking a collection of alternative segmentations, the algorithm seeks an estimated segmentation that is topologically equivalent and geometrically similar to the true, unknown segmentation. To this end, utilizing warping error as the evaluation metric, which measures topological disagreements between segmentations, the algorithm iteratively modifies the topology of an estimated segmentation to minimize the topological disagreements between this estimated segmentation and the given segmentations. Our experimental results obtained using EM images with densely packed cells demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to majority voting and STAPLE commonly used for combining multiple segmentation results.
An electromigration failure model for interconnects under pulsed and bidirectional current stressing

An electromigration failure model which can be used to project the electromigration lifetime under pulsed DC and AC current stressing has been reported. The experimental results indicate that different metallization systems (Al-2%Si, Al4%Cu/TiW, and Cu) show similar failure behaviors, which can be explained and predicted by this model. The pulsed DC lifetime is found to be longer than DC lifetime, and the AC lifetime is found to be very much longer. This recognition can provide significant relief to circuit designs involving metals carrying pulsed DC and AC currents, and allow a more aggressive design to improve circuit density and speed. >
Finding Images and Line-Drawings in Document-Scanning Systems

The system presented in this paper finds images and line-drawings in scanned pages; it is a crucial processing step in the creation of a large-scale system to detect and index images found in books and historic documents. Within the scanned pages that contain both text and images, the images are found through the use of SIFT-based local-features applied to the complete scanned-page. This is followed by a novel learning system to categorize the found SIFT features into either text or image. The discrimination is based on using multiple classifiers trained via AdaBoost. Through the use of this system, we improve image detection by finding more line-drawings, graphics, and photographs, as well as by reducing the number of spurious detections due to misclassified text, discolorations, and scanning artifacts.
Sex chromosome aneuploidy and Bardet-Biedl syndrome

The inheritance of Bardet-Biedl syndrome is thought to be autosomal recessive. Of the approximately 500 case reports in the literature, three patients were found to have sex chromosome aneuploidy. The authors describe two siblings with Bardet-Biedl syndrome, one of whom has a unique sex chromosome aneuploidy with mosaicism, including deletion of the short arm of the X chromosome (45,X/46,X,del(X)(p21)). The possible significance of sex chromosome aneuploidy and the Bardet-Biedl syndrome is discussed.
Benign Fibro-Osseous Lesions of the Craniofacial Complex A Review

Benign fibro-osseous lesions of the craniofacial complex are represented by a variety of disease processes that are characterized by pathologic ossifications and calcifications in association with a hypercellular fibroblastic marrow element. The current classification includes neoplasms, developmental dysplastic lesions and inflammatory/reactive processes. The definitive diagnosis can rarely be rendered on the basis of histopathologic features alone; rather, procurement of a final diagnosis is usually dependent upon assessment of microscopic, clinical and imaging features together. Fibrous dysplasia and osteitis deformans constitute two dysplastic lesions in which mutations have been uncovered. Other dysplastic bone diseases of the craniofacial complex include florid osseous dysplasia, focal cemento-osseous dysplasia and periapical cemental dysplasia, all showing a predilection for African descent individuals; although no specific genetic alterations in DNA coding have yet to be uncovered and most studies have been derived from predominant high African descent populations. Ossifying fibromas are neoplastic lesions with four subtypes varying with regard to behavior and propensity for recurrence after surgical excision. The clinicopathologic and molecular features of this unique yet heterogeneous group of diseases are reviewed.
A 20-year analysis of previous and emerging allergens that elicit photoallergic contact dermatitis

Background Retrospective chart reviews are periodically needed to update allergen series to detect changes in photoallergic contact dermatitis (PACD) over time. Objective We sought to evaluate photopatch test results during a 13-year period and extend the observations to 20 years. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted in patients who were photopatch tested. Results In all, 76 patients were evaluated. A total of 69 positive photopatch and 45 positive patch test reactions were detected in 30 and 23 patients, respectively. The frequencies of the positive photopatch test reactions were sunscreens 23.2%, antimicrobial agents 23.2%, medications 20.3%, fragrances 13%, plants and plant derivatives 11.6%, and pesticides 8.7%. Of the positive photopatch reactions to antimicrobial agents, 60% were caused by Fentichlor. Limitations This study was a retrospective chart analysis, and the number of patients was small. Conclusions Sunscreens and antimicrobial agents were the most frequent allergens eliciting PACD, and there was a decrease in PACD caused by fragrances. The number of reactions to medications increased. This study also demonstrated that pesticides can be a cause of PACD. The detection of reactions to Fentichlor was unexpected and, although they have been attributed in some studies to cross-reactions to sulfanilamides and bithionol, such a robust association was not observed in this study. This study extends our experience of the changes in the allergens that elicit PACD to 20 years.
Approximating block accesses in database organizations

When data records are grouped into blocks in secondary storage, it is frequently necessary to estimate the number of blocks XD accessed for a given query. In a recent paper [1], Cardenas gave the expression XD = m(1 - (1 - 1/m)k), (1) assuming that there are n records divided into m blocks and that the k records satisfying the query are distributed uniformly among the m blocks. The derivation of the expression was left to the reader as an exercise.
Amphetamine pretreatment accelerates the subsequent escalation of cocaine self-administration behavior

It has been proposed that some neuroadaptations that underlie behavioral sensitization may play a role in the development and persistence of addiction. However, whether or not sensitization facilitates the development of symptoms specific to addiction, such as the escalation of drug intake, is not known. We examined, therefore, the effect of pretreatment with a sensitizing regimen of amphetamine on the escalation of subsequent drug intake in rats given the opportunity to self-administer cocaine. Amphetamine pretreatment produced psychomotor sensitization and also accelerated the subsequent escalation of cocaine intake. This suggests that the neural circuits that are altered as a consequence of repeated amphetamine treatment, and the induction of sensitization, may overlap with those responsible for the development of some addiction-like behaviors.
A wideband radar depth sounder for measuring the thickness of glacial ice

We developed a wideband coherent radar depth sounder (WCORDS) system developed to measure glacial ice thickness and map internal layers with high resolution. The radar operates over a frequency range of 50-200 MHz, providing a resolution of about 1 m in ice. A high-speed arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) is used to generate a chirp from 50-200 MHz over a very small pulse width to obtain high sensitivity needed to sound 5-km thick cold ice and map internal layers high resolution. It also consists of a two-channel receiver to obtain very high dynamic range. The low-gain channel is used to map the shallow internal layers and the high-gain channel provides ice sheet thickness and bedrock properties up to a depth of 5000 m. The gain in both the channels can be adjusted to obtain optimum performance. A high-speed data acquisition system is used to digitize and perform necessary real time processing on the data before transferring it to the storage device. The radar and data-acquisition systems have been significantly miniaturized using the latest RF and fabrication technologies. The entire system is designed to fit into multiple compact-PCI cards. Laboratory tests show that the radar system has the required sensitivity to map 5000-m-thick ice. Considerable improvement in sidelobe performance was achieved. The radar system will be tested during the summer 2004 field experiment at the Summit Camp, Greenland.
Challenges of hepatitis C treatment in Native Americans in two North Dakota medical facilities

Introduction: The prevalence of chronic liver disease (CLD) in the Aboriginal North American population is disproportionately higher than that of the non-indigenous population. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the second leading cause of CLD in American Indians or Alaska Natives (AIANs). This study described the experience of two teaching community medical centers in North Dakota in treating HCV infection among AIANs and compared treatment outcomes to a cohort of Caucasian patients. Methods: The retrospective study described the characteristics and proportion of AIAN patients with HCV who received treatment. Documented reasons for not receiving treatment were analyzed. For those AIAN patients treated for HCV infection, responses to treatment, including rapid, early and sustained virological responses (SVRs), were compared with those of Caucasians. Results: Only 22 (18%) of 124 AIANs with HCV infection received treatment. Common reasons for not receiving treatment include lack of access to specialists, concomitant or decompensated liver disease, alcohol and drug abuse and cost. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics and key predictors of SVR in AIANs compared to Caucasian controls. Conclusions: Most AIAN patients with HCV infection do not receive treatment despite comparable treatment response rates to Caucasians. Further population-based studies, addressing access to specialized hepatitis C treatment and public health concerns are warranted, as it is crucial to treat chronic HCV infection to decrease the burden of disease in the AIAN community.
The case of the conditional and the imperfect in variable mood-choice contexts in second-language and native-speaker Spanish

The current study builds on research on mood distinction in Spanish, which has focused on the subjunctive mood, by examining the full inventory of verb forms that second-language learners and native speakers (NSs) of Spanish use in mood-choice contexts. Twenty NSs and 130 learners corresponding to five proficiency levels completed three oral-elicitation tasks. The results show that participants use a wide repertoire of tense/mood/aspect forms in mood-choice contexts and that NSs and learners use largely the same forms. An analysis of the conditional and imperfect suggests that learners tend to restructure and strengthen their form-function connections between these verb forms and a range of functions.
Recent Temporal Trends in Parent-Reported Physical Activity in Children in the United States, 2009 to 2014

The objective of this study was to provide recent temporal trends in parent-reported physical activity in children (6-11 years) between 2009 and 2014. Data from the 2009 to 2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. The analytic sample included 3946 children. Parent proxy of child physical activity at each of the 3 2-year cycles was assessed. For the entire sample, there was a quadratic trend, with the number of days children engaged in at least 60 min/d of physical activity increasing in the period 2011 to 2012 (6.12 days) when compared with the period 2009 to 2010 (5.96 days) and then decreasing in the period 2013 to 2014 (5.83 days). A similar quadratic trend was evident for boys, those above the poverty level, non-Hispanic whites (particularly boys), and those with less than the 85th body mass index-for-age percentile based on sex. A negative linear trend was observed for those above the poverty level and non-Hispanic whites (particularly girls). In conclusion, these findings provide suggestive evidence that over the past 6 years (1999-2014), parents report that children's physical activity has slightly decreased in the latest years, with this observation being most pronounced in boys, those above the poverty level, non-Hispanic whites, and those with less than the 85th body mass index-for-age and sex percentile. Encouragingly, however, across all evaluated subpopulations, most children (55%-82%), as determined by their parents, engaged in 60 min/d of physical activity (consistent with government recommendations).
ALTERNATIVE MODELS OF CHARACTER DISPLACEMENT AND NICHE SHIFT. I. ADAPTIVE SHIFTS IN RESOURCE USE WHEN THERE IS COMPETITION FOR NUTRITIONALLY NONSUBSTITUTABLE RESOURCES.

This paper analyzes the influence of the nutritional status of resources on the adaptive response to interspecific competition in a consumer of those resources. The two cases compared are that in which the resources are nutritionally perfectly substitutable (in the sense of Leon and Tumpson [1975]) and that in which the resources are nonsubstitutable. Each nonsubstitutable resource must be consumed at a certain rate for population growth to occur. Evolutionarily stable strategies of resource utilization are found using models of competition for two resources. If competition occurs solely via the consumer species's effects on resource density, the adaptive response in a consumer's resource-acquisition traits is: a) divergence away from its competitor's resource-acquisition traits if resources are perfectly substitutable and b) convergence towards the competitor's resource-acquisition traits if resources are nonsubstitutable. Exceptions to both of these generalizations may occur if competitor population density affects a consumer species's per capita growth rate independently of effects on resource density. Plants and herbivores often use nonsubstitutable resources. The lack of studies of adaptive responses to competition in these organisms may be responsible for the lack of documented examples of competitive convergence.
Optimization of Stochastic Mechanical Systems using Polynomial Chaos Expansion

This paper discusses stochastic optimization using polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) with Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS). PCE provides a means to quantify the uncertainty of highly non-linear structural models involving inherent randomness of geometric, material and loading properties. PCE, specifically the non-intrusive formulation, is used to construct surrogates of stochastic responses for optimization procedures. Then a standard optimization algorithm is used. In particular , the material properties of structural systems are assumed to be uncertain and treated as uncorrelated random variables. Implementation of the method is demonstrated for a three -bar structure and a complex engineering structure of an uninhabited joined-wing aircraft.
A Study on Site Coverage Spatial Distribution Pattern of Beijing City Based on Gis

The development of a city was to a large extent reflected in its construction distribution.Study of characteristics of the city construction distribution provided guidance for urban planning and land intensive use.In this paper,with the help of MapinfoV7.0 and Arcview3.3,grids of 2.0km were made as statistical units to calculate the building density of Beijing beyond the build-up areas to keep spatial continuity.Contours of building density were created to analyze its spatial distribution pattern.We obtained 8 sections of different directions which taken the flagpole of Tian'anmen Square as center and ten sections between satellite towns and we also overlaid the building density contours with main roads in order to more accurately analyze the spatial change characters of building density.The results indicated that spatial grade distribution map of building density can visually reflected the construction of Beijing which had been transformed from "one center" to "multiple nuclei" and the developing regions mainly located in the plain areas as the building density of west and north mountainous regions were much lower.
Calculation Method of Evaluators' Dynamic Influence on Bargaining Evaluation

For the limitations of the lack of considering evaluators' influence on existing bargaining evaluation,a calculation method of evaluators' dynamic influence in bargaining evaluation is proposed. First,evaluation context is set and research hypothesis is proposed. In addition,related concepts and definitions of evaluators' dynamicinfluence are given,and then calculation methods of initial value of evaluators' dynamic influence,bargaining weight and value-added of evaluators' dynamic influence are proposed. What's more,the parameter sensitivity is analyzed. Finally,a numerical example is given to illustrate the practicability and maneuverability of the proposed method.
Development of the gut microbiota and mucosal IgA responses in twins and gnotobiotic mice

Immunoglobulin A (IgA), the major class of antibody secreted by the gut mucosa, is an important contributor to gut barrier function. The repertoire of IgA bound to gut bacteria reflects both T-cell-dependent and -independent pathways, plus glycans present on the antibody's secretory component. Human gut bacterial taxa targeted by IgA in the setting of barrier dysfunction are capable of producing intestinal pathology when isolated and transferred to gnotobiotic mice. A complex reorientation of gut immunity occurs as infants transition from passively acquired IgA present in breast milk to host-derived IgA. How IgA responses co-develop with assembly of the microbiota during this period remains poorly understood. Here, we (1) identify a set of age-discriminatory bacterial taxa whose representations define a program of microbiota assembly and maturation during the first 2 postnatal years that is shared across 40 healthy twin pairs in the USA; (2) describe a pattern of progression of gut mucosal IgA responses to bacterial members of the microbiota that is highly distinctive for family members (twin pairs) during the first several postnatal months then generalizes across pairs in the second year; and (3) assess the effects of zygosity, birth mode, and breast feeding. Age-associated differences in these IgA responses can be recapitulated in young germ-free mice, colonized with faecal microbiota obtained from two twin pairs at 6 and 18 months of age, and fed a sequence of human diets that simulate the transition from milk feeding to complementary foods. Most of these responses were robust to diet, suggesting that 'intrinsic' properties of community members play a dominant role in dictating IgA responses. The approach described can be used to define gut mucosal immune development in health and disease states and to help discover ways of repairing or preventing perturbations in this facet of host immunity.
Using Dicationic Ion-Pairing Compounds To Enhance the Single Cell Mass Spectrometry Analysis Using the Single-Probe: A Microscale Sampling and Ionization Device

A unique mass spectrometry (MS) method has been developed to determine the negatively charged species in live single cells using the positive ionization mode. The method utilizes dicationic ion-pairing compounds through the miniaturized multifunctional device, the single-probe, for reactive MS analysis of live single cells under ambient conditions. In this study, two dicationic reagents, 1,5-pentanediyl-bis(1-butylpyrrolidinium) difluoride (C5(bpyr)2F2) and 1,3-propanediyl-bis(tripropylphosphonium) difluoride (C3(triprp)2F2), were added in the solvent and introduced into single cells to extract cellular contents for real-time MS analysis. The negatively charged (1– charged) cell metabolites, which form stable ion-pairs (1+ charged) with dicationic compounds (2+ charged), were detected in positive ionization mode with a greatly improved sensitivity. We have tentatively assigned 192 and 70 negatively charged common metabolites as adducts with (C5(bpyr)2F2) and (C3(triprp)2F2), respectively, in three separat...
Evolution of Venomous Cartilaginous and Ray-Finned Fishes

Venom and its associated delivery systems have evolved in numerous animal groups ranging from jellyfishes to spiders, lizards, shrews, and the male platypus. Building off new data and previously published anatomical and molecular studies, we explore the evolution of and variation within venomous fishes. We show the results of the first multi-locus, ordinal-level phylogenetic analysis of cartilaginous (Chondrichthyes) and ray-finned (Actinopterygii) fishes that hypothesizes 18 independent evolutions of this specialization. Ancestral-states reconstruction indicates that among the 2386-2962 extant venomous fishes, envenomed structures have evolved four times in cartilaginous fishes, once in eels (Anguilliformes), once in catfishes (Siluriformes), and 12 times in spiny-rayed fishes (Acanthomorpha). From our anatomical studies and phylogenetic reconstruction, we show that dorsal spines are the most common envenomed structures (∼95% of venomous fish species and 15 independent evolutions). In addition to envenomed spines, fishes have also evolved venomous fangs (2% of venomous fish species, two independent evolutions), cleithral spines (2% of venomous fish species, one independent evolution), and opercular or subopercular spines (1% of venomous fish species, three independent evolutions).
An Evaluation of the Legislative Response: The Prison Management Act

As crimes, arrests, convictions, and incarcerations increased throughout Texas in the 1980s, the state found it increasingly difficult to comply with the Ruiz decision and, in particular, the mandate to limit the inmate population. Under the threat of “astronomical fines” of some $800,500 per day or $24 million per month, the Seventieth Legislature responded in part by passing a revised Prison Management Act in 1987. The primary objective of the new PMA was to speed up the release of eligible parolees by awarding administrative good-conduct time to those eligible for parole or by accelerating the parole eligibility and review date of selected inmates.
Borrowing legitimacy as English learner (EL) leaders: Indiana’s 14-year history with English language proficiency standards

English language proficiency or English language development (ELP/D) standards guide how content-specific instruction and assessment is practiced by teachers and how English learners (ELs) at varying levels of English proficiency can perform grade-level-specific academic standards in K–12 US schools. With the transition from the state-developed Indiana ELP/D standards adopted in 2003 to the World Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) English language development standards adopted in 2013, this paper explores Indiana’s ELP/D standard’s 14-year history and how its district EL/Bilingual district leaders have interpreted and implemented these two sets of standards between the school years 2002–03 and 2015–16.Using critical leadership and feminism within a narrative design, EL/Bilingual leaders illuminate distinct leadership logics as they mediate and implement ELP/D standards in their districts. Academic content standards are regarded with greater privilege, complicating how EL/Bilingual leaders ca...
Appropriating Quantified Self Technologies to Support Elementary Statistical Teaching and Learning

Wearable activity tracking devices associated with the Quantified Self movement have potential benefit for educational settings because they produce authentic and granular data about activities and experiences already familiar to youth. This article explores how that potential could be realized through explicit acknowledgment of and response to tacit design assumptions about how such technologies will be used in practice and strategic design for use in a classroom. We argue that particular practical adaptations that we have identified serve to ensure that the classroom and educational use cases are appropriately considered. As an example of how those adaptations are realized in actual elementary classrooms, we describe an effort to provide fifth-grade students each with their own Fitbit activity trackers in the context of a multi-week unit exploring core ideas in elementary statistics. Observational descriptions and transcript excerpts of students and teachers discussing their own Fitbit data are presented to illustrate what opportunities exist to leverage youth familiarity with daily activities in a way that targets development of statistical thinking. Quantitative written test results showing learning gains and differences between traditional and wearable device-enhanced instruction are also presented. Improvement on several statistical thinking constructs is identified, including in the areas of data display, conceptions of statistics, modeling variability, and informal inference.