cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Childhood victimization, attachment, psychological distress, and substance use among women on probation and parole.

The present analysis was guided by a gendered pathways-based theoretical model and examined relationships between childhood victimization and current attachment, psychological distress and substance use among 406 women with histories of victimization who were on probation and parole in an urban Kentucky county. Structural equation modeling examined relationships among childhood victimization, attachment, psychological distress, and substance use. Additionally, we examined the mediational role that attachment plays in relationships between childhood victimization and both psychological distress and substance use. The data fit the models properly. Psychological distress was significantly predicted by childhood victimization, and adult attachment partially mediated this relationship. Childhood victimization did not significantly predict substance use; however, attachment did. The findings suggest that attachment may be an important factor to further understand and address in relation to psychological distress and substance use among women with histories of victimization who are involved in the criminal justice system.
Adenine nucleotide diphosphates : emerging second messengers acting via intracellular Ca2+ release

Release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores is a widespread mechanism in regulation of cell function. Two hitherto unknown adenine diphosphonucleotides were recently identified, which trigger Ca2+ release from intracellular stores via channels that are distinct from the well-known receptor/channel controlled by inositol 1,4,5,-trisphosphate (IP3): cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP). Here we review synthesis of cADPR from beta-NAD, its hydrolysis to adenosine diphosphoribose (noncyclic) by cADPR glycohydrolase, as well as our knowledge about the metabolism of NAADP. The Ca2+ release triggered by cADPR, NAADP, or IP3 can be distinguished by the action of inhibitors and by desensitization studies. Evidence now emerges that cADPR synthesis from beta-NAD can be stimulated, at least in some cell types by all-trans-retinoic acid as a first messenger. We then review the properties of cADPR and NAADP as potential second messengers in the intracrine regulation of cell functions. Although their exact role in signaling sequences is not yet known, cADPR and NAADP are likely to play important intracellular regulatory functions, as extensively documented for the process of egg fertilization.
Sanitary Status of Supplies and Utensils in Public Places in Chaoyang District of Bejing during 2007—2009

[Objectives]To understand the sanitary status of supplies and utensils in public places in Chaoyang distrist of Beijing.[Methods]The supplies and utensils in public places were sampled and examined according to Rules of Health Monitoring for Public Places (GB/T 17220-1998) and Standard Examination Methods for Public Places (GB/T 18204-2000), and the test results judged according to Hygienic Standard for Public Place.[Results]Among 116 016 samples of supplies and utensils collected and examined from 2007 to 2009, 115 329 were qualified with the qualified rate of 99.41%. In 2009, the qualified rate of public supplies and utensils in hotel industry (99.37%) was the highest, and that in entertainment places (98.13%) was the lowest. In hotel industry, the qualified rate of sanitary ware (100%) was the highest, and the qualified rate of cups in 2009 was slightly higher than that in 2007. From 2007 to 2009, the qualified rate of supplies and utensils in public bathroom and hairdressing industry was higher than 99% for three consecutive years.[Conclusion]The supervision and management of supplies and utensils in public places should be strengthened.
Who walks into vape shops in Southern California?: a naturalistic observation of customers

The rising popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has been accompanied by the proliferation of vape shops in the United States. Vape shops are devoted to the sale of e-cigarettes and e-juices. This study aimed to describe the age, gender, and ethnicity of customers who frequent these shops, determine whether conversations transpire between retailers and customers, as well as identify the types of activities taking place while customers are inside the store. A naturalistic observation study of 186 customers in 59 vape shops in Southern California was completed in locations that were relatively high in Korean, Non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, or African American ethnicity. Across all shops, the average estimated age of customers was 30.29 years old (SD = 9.70), 53 % were estimated to be non-Hispanic white, and 79 % were males; few minors entered the shops. Conversations about vaping related topics were prevalent (e.g., sampling e-juices, receiving help on hardware, and talking about vaping). Purchases were commonly observed as well as customers lounging in the shop. Vape shops provide consumers a place to purchase and discuss e-cigarettes and offer an environment that serves as a place of recreation with customers lounging once inside. Findings should inform local tobacco control efforts and regulatory policies in the future.
Type I Interferons in Newborns-Neurotoxicity versus Antiviral Defense.

ABSTRACT In most children and adults, primary infection with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is asymptomatic. However, very rarely (incidence of 1 in 1,000,000), it can cause herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). HSE also occurs in infants but with a much starker incidence of one in three. This age difference in susceptibility to HSV-1-caused HSE is not well understood. In a recent article in mBio , authors have identified the choroid plexus as the anatomical site of robust HSV-1 replication in the brain. They point to low levels of type I interferon (IFN) receptor as causal of the lack of HSV-1 replication control in neonates, in contrast to adults. Here, I discuss these findings in the context of human genetic evidence. I point to the balancing act of type I IFN acting as a neurotoxin and an antiviral agent, an evolutionary choice of a lesser evil.
Intracellular free Ca2+ is elevated in hypertrophic aortic muscle from hypertensive rats

Vessels from hypertensive animals have been shown to have increased medial thickness and also to exhibit increased sensitivity to agonists. We tested the hypothesis that changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration [( Ca2+]i) may be associated with the growth response and the altered contractility of the aortic smooth muscle of modified coarctation-hypertensive rats. Freshly isolated single cells, loaded with fura-2, showed significantly higher [Ca2+]i both at rest and after depolarization compared with normal rat aortic cells. These cells also exhibited at rest a significant nuclear-cytoplasmic [Ca2+] gradient. Furthermore, the increased [Ca2+]i was associated with increased nuclear volumes, suggesting the presence of polyploid nuclei, as determined by ethidium dimer fluorescence imaging. Intact vascular rings from hypertrophic rat aortas, loaded with aequorin, also showed significantly higher [Ca2+]i at rest and after depolarization compared with normal rat aortas. In addition, the maximal force per cross-sectional area generated by the hypertrophic muscle was less than normal, consistent with a change in the contractile phenotype of the growing smooth muscle cells. This is the first report to directly indicate an increase in [Ca2+]i in hypertrophic vascular smooth muscle in hypertensive animals.
Immunotherapy of cancer using cytokine gene-modified tumor vaccines.

Distant metastasis is the major cause for therapeutic failures in clinical oncology. Active immunotherapy of patients with low tumor burden would not only contribute to further reduction of the remaining tumor burden to subclinical levels, but it would also establish a constant state of immunity, i.e. immunological memory, that could protect the patient from recurrence of disease. Studies employing rodent tumor models with little or no intrinsic immunogenicity have shown that genitically modified tumor cell preparations consisting of irradiated tumor cells transduced with and expressing cytokines such as IL-2, IL-6, IFN-gamma or GM-CSF were capable of inducing the regression of a preexisting tumor burden and cure animals from their disease. Moreover, in some instances the cured animals have retained immunological memory, as indicated by the fact that such animals have resisted a second challenge with the parental tumor cells. Induction of potent immune responses in tumor bearing animals against non-immunogenic tumors supports the view that active immunization of cancer patients deserves consideration despite lack of demonstrable immunogenicity in many human tumors.
Image-based creep-fatigue damage mechanism investigation of Alloy 617 at 950 °C

Abstract Alloy 617 is a primary candidate material to be used in the next generation of nuclear power plants. Structural materials for these plants are expected to undergo creep and fatigue at temperatures as high as 950 °C. This study uses a hybrid-control creep-fatigue loading profile, as opposed to the traditional strain-controlled loading, to generate creep dominated failure. Qualitative and quantitative image analysis through SEM, EDS, and EBSD, is used to show that hybrid control testing is capable of producing creep dominated failure and that time fraction approach is not a valid indicator of creep or fatigue dominated damage. The focus of image analysis is on surface fatigue cracks and internal creep voids. A creep-fatigue damage interaction diagram based on these micro-scale features is plotted. It is shown that the classical time fraction approach suggested by the ASME code does not agree with the experimental findings and has a poor correlation with observed microscale damage features. A new definition of creep damage fraction based on an effective hold time is found to correlate well with the micro-scale image analysis.
When functions change their names: automatic detection of origin relationships

It is a common understanding that identifying the same entity such as module, file, and function between revisions is important for software evolution related analysis. Most software evolution researchers use entity names, such as file names and function names, as entity identifiers based on the assumption that each entity is uniquely identifiable by its name. Unfortunately names change over time. In this paper, we propose an automated algorithm that identifies entity mapping at the function level across revisions even when an entity's name changes in the new revision. This algorithm is based on computing function similarities. We introduce eight similarity factors to determine if a function is renamed from a function. To find out which similarity factors are dominant, a significance analysis is performed on each factor. To validate our algorithm and for factor significance analysis, ten human judges manually identified renamed entities across revisions for two open source projects: Subversion and Apache2. Using the manually identified result set we trained weights for each similarity factor and measured the accuracy of our algorithm. We computed the accuracies among human judges. We found our algorithm's accuracy is better than the average accuracy among human judges. We also show that trained weights for similarity factors from one period in one project are reusable for other periods and/or other projects. Finally we combined all possible factor combinations and computed the accuracy of each combination. We found that adding more factors does not necessarily improve the accuracy of origin detection.
Clinical, surgical, and electrical factors impacting residual hearing in cochlear implant surgery.

Conclusions: This study recommends using soft surgical principal and round window insertion to protect residual hearing with favorable anatomical exposure. Further studies are needed to evaluate th...
Biomarkers of amenorrhea and ovarian function in breast cancer survivors.

9071 Background: Ovarian function after treatment of early breast cancer may affect fertility, menopausal symptoms, endocrine therapy decision-making, and subsequent health and psychosocial concerns among young survivors. We aim to improve understanding of ovarian reserve in women with a history of breast cancer by comparing anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), estradiol (E2), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in survivors with and without amenorrhea, a surrogate for ovarian dysfunction and menopause. Methods: As part of an ongoing prospective multi-center cohort study, women diagnosed with breast cancer at age 6 months between blood draw and last menstrual period. AMH, E2, and FSH levels were compared between those with and without amenorrhea using a Wilcoxon ra...
Impact of strong easterly trade winds on carbonate petroleum exploration - Relationships developed from Caicos Platform, southeastern Bahamas

Abstract Brisk, persistent easterly trade wind influences define Holocene patterns of carbonate sedimentation across the Caicos Platform (southeastern Bahamas). Resultant predictive sedimentary facies models based on trade wind influences are more widely applicable to the exploration for subsurface carbonate plays than are existing models based on the northern Bahamas facies patterns, which are characterized by gentle trade winds and strong platform-margin-related oceanic processes (swells and tidal currents). The Caicos Platform relationships may be more applicable because many ancient shallow carbonate depositional environments were within the trade wind belts and commonly within broad intracratonic seas that were little influenced by oceanic processes. The grainstone-dominated Caicos Platform exhibits reservoir potential over much of its surface, in contrast to northern Bahamian platforms, where oceanic tidal currents or swells and gentle easterly trade winds confine higher energy environments with reservoir potential to platform margins. Strong easterly trade winds across Caicos Platform promote widespread Holocene platform-interior oolitic, skeletal and grapestone grainstone bodies on this platform. Orientations of ooid sand bodies vary depending on preexisting topography, water depth and bottom energy. Shallow subtidal ooid sand shoals orient parallel to these winds. Ooid sands developed along older shorelines orient parallel to the shorelines but prograde perpendicular into these winds. Deeper platform-interior oolitic sands exist as widespread, sheet-like deposits. These trade winds allow reefs and ooids to coexist in many settings, permit isolated linear reefs to flourish on certain leeward platform margins, and promote effective off-bank transport of carbonate sands that create onlapping grainstone wedges. These relationships are very applicable to the rock record. Strong trade wind influences, such as seen on Caicos Platform, better explain the occurrence of Cretaceous reef and/or oolitic grainstone reservoirs developed well in from platform margins (Fairway Field in East Texas; Black Lake Field in Louisiana) than do existing northern Bahamian models. Depositional models based on conditions in the northern Bahamian models would predict low-energy facies in these platform-interior settings. A trade-wind-driven depositional model, characterized by strong persistent easterlies, also better explains the origin of the onlapping wedge of skeletal grainstones at Poza Rica oilfield in Mexico. The Caicos Platform easterly trade-wind-driven depositional model should generally apply to any ancient shallow carbonate environment that developed 5–22° north or south of the paleoequator, whether or not a platform margin was near by. Future carbonate exploration or exploitation should always factor in not only geological age, but also physiographic, latitudinal and climatic setting at a global and local scale.
Novel Applications of Hyperlens

By exploiting strongly anisotropic optical properties of engineered nanostructures, we proposed and demonstrated several hyperlens-based devices that integrate super resolution properties into the practical applications.
Parenting in Childhood Life-Threatening Illness: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Abstract Background: Parenting children with life-threatening illness (LTI) and their healthy siblings requires parents to consider their various needs. Objective and Methods: We conducted a concurrent, cross-sectional mixed-methods study to describe challenges parents face prioritizing tasks and goals for each child with qualitative data, compare parents' tasks and goals for children with LTI and healthy siblings with quantitative data, and describe parenting in terms of the process of prioritizing tasks and goals for all children in the family. Results: Participants included 31 parents of children with LTI who have healthy siblings and were admitted to a children's hospital. Qualitative interviews revealed how parents managed children's needs and their perceptions of the toll it takes. Quantitative data revealed that parents prioritized “making sure my child feels loved” highest for ill and healthy children. Other goals for healthy siblings focused on maintaining emotional connection and regularity with...
Passing the “Torches of Freedom”: Smoking Behaviors of Women in Nepal

Globally, men constitute a larger percentage of smokers than women, but the rate of women smokers is growing. Smoking is a feminist issue: there are unique consequences for women's health, well-being, and agency. Recently passed anti-smoking legislation in Nepal, which has the highest rate of women smokers in South Asia, omits gender-conscious recommendations, potentially diminishing the impact of the legislation on women's lives. Relying on the 2001, 2006, and 2011 waves of the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, this paper expands the dialogue around women's smoking and places it at the forefront of research on women's health issues. The results indicate that for women in Nepal, formal education and visiting a health facility mitigate smoking behaviors, whereas being employed and living in certain regions promotes smoking behaviors. The aim is for this and the ensuing inquiries to change government anti-smoking legislation in order to improve women's health.
Highly mobile charge-transfer excitons in two-dimensional WS2/tetracene heterostructures

Charge-transfer (CT) excitons at heterointerfaces play a critical role in light to electricity conversion using organic and nanostructured materials. However, how CT excitons migrate at these interfaces is poorly understood. We investigate the formation and transport of CT excitons in two-dimensional WS2/tetracene van der Waals heterostructures. Electron and hole transfer occurs on the time scale of a few picoseconds, and emission of interlayer CT excitons with a binding energy of ~0.3 eV has been observed. Transport of the CT excitons is directly measured by transient absorption microscopy, revealing coexistence of delocalized and localized states. Trapping-detrapping dynamics between the delocalized and localized states leads to stretched-exponential photoluminescence decay with an average lifetime of ~2 ns. The delocalized CT excitons are remarkably mobile with a diffusion constant of ~1 cm2 s−1. These highly mobile CT excitons could have important implications in achieving efficient charge separation.
Computational Design of Reaction-Diffusion Patterns Using DNA-Based Chemical Reaction Networks

DNA self-assembly is a powerful technology for controlling matter at the nanometre to micron scale, with potential applications in high-precision organisation and positioning of molecular components. However, the ability to program DNA-only self-organisation beyond the microscopic scale is currently lacking. In this paper we propose a computational method for programming spatial organisation of DNA at the centimetre scale, by means of DNA strand displacement reaction diffusion systems. We use this method to analyse the spatiotemporal dynamics of an autocatalytic system, a predator-prey oscillator and a two-species consensus network. We find that both autocatalytic and oscillating systems can support travelling waves across centimetre distances, and that consensus in a spatial context results in the spontaneous formation of distinct spatial domains, in which one species is completely eliminated. Together, our results suggest that programmed spatial self-organisation of DNA, through a reaction diffusion mechanism, is achievable with current DNA strand displacement technology.
Feasibility and safety of percutaneous epicardial access for mapping and ablation for ventricular arrhythmias in patients on oral anticoagulants.

This study aimed to assess the risk of procedure-related complications of percutaneous epicardial access (EpiAcc) for radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in patients chronically treated oral anticoagulants (OACs) with warfarin compared to those not on OACs. We analyzed 205 patients (53 ± 16 years, 155 males) undergoing percutaneous EpiAcc as part of an RFA for VAs, and compared the outcome between patients chronically on OACs with warfarin (OAC group) and those without (non-OAC group). Forty-seven patients (23%) were chronically treated on OACs before their procedure. EpiAcc in patients on OAC (OAC group) was not associated with an increased risk of cardiac tamponade (11% vs. 6%, p = 0.238) compared to non-OAC group, but a higher risk of need for blood transfusion (17% vs. 6%; p = 0.013). With respect to the OAC group, the international normalized ratio (INR) on the day of the RFA was ≥ 2.0 in 9 patients (19%) and 2.0 is reasonable in experienced hands when clinical indications are strong.
Utilizing Federally Qualified Health Centers in Milwaukee to decrease colorectal cancer disparities.

e18611Background: In 2014, the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable established a goal to screen 80% of adults, aged 50-75 for colorectal cancer (CRC) by 2018. In that year, 74% of Wisconsin adult...
Bridging the Gap Between African Refugee Parents and K-12 Teachers: Expanding the Meaning of School Diversity

This chapter explores ways to bridge the gap between African refugee parents and US American teachers and expands the meaning of family diversity in K-12 school contexts in the United States (U.S.). Using phenomenology as the research methodology, the chapter is framed by the notion of cultural capital as coined by Bordeaux and applied by Lareau. Participants comprised 16 African refugee parents resettled in the mid-West and teachers from public schools attended by newly arrived African refugee children. The study aimed at understanding how African refugees families experience public schools in the U.S. so that families and schools might work together in bridging the gap between them. Findings indicate African refugee families complicate the notion of diversity, which goes beyond race, ethnicity, class, and gender to include differences in perceptions of family structures, interactions and processes as well. Differences in expectations in the role families play in their children’s education, the role that teachers play in assisting children with school work, and the role of schools in resettling parents and children into school culture add to the gap between African families and public schools. This chapter contends that with increasing diversity in public schools that now include refugees from various parts of the world, there is a critical need for the teaching community to develop nuanced dispositions and understandings of family which goes a long way in providing equitable educational opportunities for all students.
Jurors and Social Loafing: Factors the Reduce Participation During Jury Deliberations

The American jury system rests on the fundamental assumption that jurors will engage in a thorough analysis of facts and robust debate to ensure that verdicts are reliable. Research demonstrates, however, that this expectation is rarely met. All jurors do not participate equally in deliberations. This may be explained in part by social loafing, or the withdrawal of effort that may occur when an individual works in a group relative to when the individual works alone. Despite evidence that jurors do not participate equally during jury deliberations, an analysis of factors contributing to participation, or the lack thereof, has not been conducted in this context. Thus, in this review the author examines the social loafing literature in the context of jury deliberations and discusses implications and suggestions for preventing jurors from losing motivation to participate.
Killer Robots and Human Dignity

Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) have become the center of an internationally relevant ethical debate. Deontological arguments based on putative legal compliance failures and the creation of accountability gaps along with wide consequentialist arguments based on factors like the ease of engaging in wars have been leveraged by a number of different states and organizations to try and reach global consensus on a ban of LAWS. This paper will focus on one strand of deontological arguments-ones based on human dignity. Merely asserting that LAWS pose a threat to human dignity would be question begging. Independent evidence based on a morally relevant distinction between humans and LAWS is needed. There are at least four reasons to think that the capacity for emotion cannot be a morally relevant distinction. First, if the concept of human dignity is given a subjective definition, whether or not lethal force is administered by humans or LAWS seems to be irrelevant. Second, it is far from clear that human combatants either have the relevant capacity for emotion or that the capacity is exercised in the relevant circumstances. Third, the capacity for emotion can actually be an impediment to the exercising of a combatant's ability to treat an enemy respectfully. Fourth, there is strong inductive evidence to believe that any capacity, when sufficiently well described, can be carried out by artificially intelligent programs.
MICU1 regulates mitochondrial cristae structure and function independent of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter channel

Abstract MICU1 is an EF-hand-containing mitochondrial protein that is essential for gating of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter channel (mtCU) and is reported to interact directly with the pore-forming subunit, MCU and scaffold EMRE. However, using size-exclusion proteomics, we found that MICU1 exists in mitochondrial complexes lacking MCU. This suggests that MICU1 may have additional cellular functions independent of regulating mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake. To discern mtCU-independent MICU1 functions, we employed a proteomic discovery approach using BioID2-mediated proximity-based (
Wintertime Arctic Sea Spray Aerosol Composition Controlled by Sea Ice Lead Microbiology.

The Arctic is experiencing the greatest warming on Earth, as most evident by rapid sea ice loss. Delayed sea ice freeze-up in the Alaskan Arctic is decreasing wintertime sea ice extent and changing marine biological activity. However, the impacts of newly open water on wintertime sea spray aerosol (SSA) production and atmospheric composition are unknown. Herein, we identify SSA, produced locally from open sea ice fractures (leads), as the dominant aerosol source in the coastal Alaskan Arctic during winter, highlighting the year-round nature of Arctic SSA emissions. Nearly all of the individual SSA featured thick organic coatings, consisting of marine saccharides, amino acids, fatty acids, and divalent cations, consistent with exopolymeric secretions produced as cryoprotectants by sea ice algae and bacteria. In contrast, local summertime SSA lacked these organic carbon coatings, or featured thin coatings, with only open water nearby. The individual SSA composition was not consistent with frost flowers or s...
Ensemble method-based extraction of medication and related information from clinical texts.

Objective Accurate and complete information about medications and related information is crucial for effective clinical decision support and precise health care. Recognition and reduction of adverse drug events is also central to effective patient care. The goal of this research is the development of a natural language processing (NLP) system to automatically extract medication and adverse drug event information from electronic health records. This effort was part of the 2018 n2c2 shared task on adverse drug events and medication extraction. Materials and methods The new NLP system implements a stacked generalization based on a search-based structured prediction algorithm for concept extraction. We trained 4 sequential classifiers using a variety of structured learning algorithms. To enhance accuracy, we created a stacked ensemble consisting of these concept extraction models trained on the shared task training data. We implemented a support vector machine model to identify related concepts. Results Experiments with the official test set showed that our stacked ensemble achieved an F1 score of 92.66%. The relation extraction model with given concepts reached a 93.59% F1 score. Our end-to-end system yielded overall micro-averaged recall, precision, and F1 score of 92.52%, 81.88% and 86.88%, respectively. Our NLP system for adverse drug events and medication extraction ranked within the top 5 of teams participating in the challenge. Conclusion This study demonstrated that a stacked ensemble with a search-based structured prediction algorithm achieved good performance by effectively integrating the output of individual classifiers and could provide a valid solution for other clinical concept extraction tasks.
Reverse pseudohyperkalemia and pseudohyponatremia in a patient with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Abstract Objectives Investigate concomitant and spurious high potassium and low sodium results in heparinized plasma. Methods Potassium and sodium values were measured from heparinized plasma and serum in a patient with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma using both an automated chemistry analyzer (indirect ion selective electrode) and blood gas analyzer (direct ion selective electrode). Results Potassium levels were significantly increased while sodium levels were significantly decreased in heparinized plasma compared to serum on several occasions. Conclusions To our knowledge, concomitant reverse pseudohyperkalemia and pseudohyponatremia has not been reported previously. We postulate the discrepancy between plasma and serum sodium (pseudohyponatremia in plasma) may be unique to cases of reverse pseudohyperkalemia with extreme potassium elevations.
Identification and genetic characteristics of a Brucella canis strain isolated in Hebei Province

Objective A suspected strain of Brucella canis isolated in Hebei Province in 2015 was identified and its genetic characteristics were analyzed. Methods After conventional identification of the bacteria strain, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (M-PCR) and multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) were conducted to determine its species and genetic characteristics. Results The strain was identified as Brucella canis by conventional subtyping and M-PCR. Using Panel 1, the strain was genotype 3, using Panel 2A, the strain was genotype 28. It was closely clustered with Brucella canis, and differences of repeated numbers at variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) loci Bruce04, Bruce07, Bruce09 and Bruce16 were also displayed. Conclusions The conventional subtyping and molecular methods can improve the stability and accuracy of the identification. Genetic characteristics of the strain is closely related to that of Brucella canis. Key words: Brucella canis; Multiplex polymerase chain reaction; Multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis; Genetic characteristics
Forecasting paleoclimatic data with time series models

Abstract Until recently, one obstacle to forecasting paleoclimatic data with time series models was gaps in the record. In 2020, highly resolved data sets became available. Time series models make it possible to determine how accurately climate can be predicted using techniques such as regressions and artificial intelligence. This paper runs forecasting tests for δ18O and δ13C using data spanning 34 Ma. The data exhibit several features: long-memory, irregular trending, and nonlinear variability. The probability distribution has heavy tails, and there are intermittent outliers. Because of the repeated changes in state, a simple train-validate-forecast method is inappropriate for these data sets. Instead, the testing methodology is iterative forecasting over moving windows: only recent observations are used to predict the future. There are several findings. First, at horizons of 2–4 kyr, all the methods perform well. Regressions and neural networks including the orbital parameters achieve the most accurate predictions for δ18O. In the tests for δ13C, the contest between the models is much closer. Second, as the horizon extends, accuracy deteriorates. At 10 kyr, the models track the central tendency of the data but miss the fluctuations. Third, forecast accuracy is found to vary substantially over time. There is a marked deterioration in accuracy starting around 2.58 Ma, coinciding with a period of steeper trending and greater amplitude in the cyclical fluctuations. The main limitation of time series models is that they do not incorporate the underlying physics. A more effective approach may be to combine statistical and physics-based models.
Breast Cancer Microenvironment Cross Talk through Extracellular Vesicle RNAs

Exploration of extracellular communication has been at the forefront of research efforts in recent years. However, the mechanisms of cell-to-cell communication in complex tissues are poorly understood. What is clear is that cells do not exist in isolation, that they are constantly interacting and communicating with cells in the immediate vicinity and with cells at a distance. Intercellular communication by the release of small extracellular vesicles, called exosomes, loaded with RNAs is one mechanism by which cells communicate. In recent years, research has shown that exosomes, a class of extracellular vesicles, can play a major role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. Specifically, exosomes have been demonstrated to play a role in promoting primary cancer development, invasion, metastasis, and chemotherapeutic resistance. This review summarizes what is known about the mechanisms of exosome-mediated transfer of RNAs among cells in the breast microenvironment and discusses outstanding questions and the potential for new therapeutic intervention targeted at these interactions.
The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer Survey of OVI Emission in the Milky Way

We present a survey of OVI 1032 emission in the Milky Way using data from the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite. The observations span the period from launch in 1999 to July 2003. Our survey contains 112 sight lines, 23 of which show measurable OVI 1032 emission. The OVI 1032 emission feature was detected at all latitudes and exhibits intensities of 1900-8600 photons/s/cm^2/sr. Combined with values from the literature, these emission measurements are consistent with the picture derived from recent OVI absorption surveys: high-latitude sight lines probe OVI-emitting gas in a clumpy, thick disk or halo, while low-latitude sight lines sample mixing layers and interfaces in the thin disk of the Galaxy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Postamputation Chronic Pain: A Case Report

Abstract Limb amputation has a significant impact on an individual, not only physically but emotionally. Consequences of both traumatic and atraumatic amputations are vast and can result in functional disability, impaired emotional functioning, and changes in overall quality of life. These consequences may be further complicated by the development of chronic pain. Traditional management of postamputation chronic pain often involves invasive procedures and pharmacotherapy. While research notes behavioral interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) as a viable treatment alternative for chronic pain, there is no literature supporting CBT for postamputation chronic pain. In this case report, we present a 63-year-old male lower limb amputee complicated with chronic pain who experienced pain reduction and improved quality of life following manualized treatment with CBT for chronic pain. Treatment took place over 12 sessions with fidelity (93%) being measured throughout to ensure accurate utilization of the treatment manual. As part of the treatment manual, self-report measures (Pain Rating Scale, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Pain Outcomes Questionnaire, and subjective units of distress) were used throughout to track patient progress. All measures showed improvement with the biggest gains being seen in pain ratings and pain catastrophizing.
Democratic Deficit: Critical Citizens Revisited

Many fear that democracies are suffering from a legitimacy crisis. This book focuses on 'democratic deficits', reflecting how far the perceived democratic performance of any state diverges from public expectations. Pippa Norris examines the symptoms by comparing system support in more than fifty societies worldwide, challenging the pervasive claim that most established democracies have experienced a steadily rising tide of political disaffection during the third-wave era. The book diagnoses the reasons behind the democratic deficit, including demand (rising public aspirations for democracy), information (negative news about government) and supply (the performance and structure of democratic regimes). Finally, Norris examines the consequences for active citizenship, for governance and, ultimately, for democratization. This book provides fresh insights into major issues at the heart of comparative politics, public opinion, political culture, political behavior, democratic governance, political psychology, political communications, public policymaking, comparative sociology, cross-national survey analysis and the dynamics of the democratization process.
Classical Mechanics: Transformations, Flows, Integrable and Chaotic Dynamics

Introduction 1. Universal laws of nature 2. Lagrange's and Hamilton's equations 3. Flows in phase space 4. Motion in a central potential 5. Small oscillations about equilibria 6. Integrable and chaotic oscillations 7. Parameter-dependent transformations 8. Linear transformations, rotations and rotating frames 9. Rigid body dynamics 10. Lagrangian dynamics and transformations in configuration space 11. Relativity, geometry, and gravity 12. Generalized vs. nonholonomic coordinates 13. Noncanonical flows 14. Damped driven Newtonian systems 15. Hamiltonian dynamics and transformations in phase space 16. Integrable canonical flows 17. Nonintegrable canonical flows 18. Simulations, complexity, and laws of nature.
Polish Spaces and Analytic Sets

The Borel subsets of a complete separable metric space have a number of interesting and useful characteristics. For example, two uncountable Borel subsets of complete separable metric spaces are necessarily Borel isomorphic, in the sense that there is a Borel measurable bijection from one to the other whose inverse is also Borel measuable. A related result says that if we have a Borel measurable injection from one complete separable metric space to another, then the image under this map of each Borel subset of the domain is Borel. If the function involved here is Borel but not necessarily injective, then the images of Borel sets are measurable for every finite Borel measure on the range space.
Monitoring Breeding Bird Populations in Grand Teton National Park

The central aim of this project is to instigate a permanent program of monitoring landbird species composition and densities in a variety of representative habitats within Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). Habitats range from grassland and sagebrush on the valley floor of Jackson Hole (around 1900 m) through a range of scrub, woodland, and tall foothill forest vegetation types to montane sites of subalpine fir and tundra (ca. 3000 m). The monitoring program will provide data on year-to-year fluctuations in breeding bird species and densities, and eventually on any longer-term changes in the local avifauna, of both resident and migratory species; the data base will further understanding of population variability, local shifts in distribution and abundance, and potentially form a source for management and conservation decisions.
Variable amplitude load models for fatigue damage and crack growth

Load models for fatigue analysis and testing are tailored to the level of complexity required for the application. Random variable models are developed and applied to analyses in which load sequence effects can be neglected. Conventional narrow-band load peak and range distributions are applied to crack initiation and growth. Distributions of significant peaks and ranges for wide band loadings are developed empirically through simulations with racetrack filtering. An efficient ''sequential'' simulation technique is introduced for continuous generation of both narrow- and wide-band random loads. Based on a simplified crack closure model, simulations of crack growth suggest that sequence effects are most influential when any or a combination of the following are present: larger ratios of crack opening stress to maximum applied stress, lower values of applied tensile mean stress, small values of yield stress and crack growth coefficient. When sequence effects are present, the regularity of the spacing between tensile overloads can be important. In particular, assumption of regularly spaced overloads can be nonconservative.
Choice avoidance in managerial accounting decisions

Managers typically use accounting decision tools like NPV or Real Options to help evaluate investment alternatives. These tools attempt to quantify the alternatives and make them more comparable in terms of overall cost or benefit. And yet, managers often delay making decisions even when decision tools indicate a preferred alternative. This avoidance behavior is costly. I posit this tendency to delay arises from the conflict inherent in choice and the manager's resulting negative affect. In this study I examine two dimensions of choice difficulty which cause conflict and are posited to increase negative affect and, as a result, increase the tendency of individuals to avoid action. Specifically, I investigate the influence of (1) difficult-to-compare features and (2) tradeoffs of highly valued goals on an individual's tendency to avoid choice when analysis indicates action would be appropriate. In an experiment with one hundred twenty executives, participants with either difficult-to-compare features or difficult tradeoffs report higher levels of decision difficulty, negative affect and desire to postpone making the decision than participants in a control group. In addition, I investigate the efficacy of a potential remedy. As a remedy, participants were asked to write a brief summary of each alternative. Participants who had either difficult-to-compare features or difficult tradeoffs with the remedy report similar levels of decision difficulty but lower desire to postpone making the decision than participants with either difficult-to-compare features or difficult tradeoffs without the remedy.
The Inclusion Inventory: A Tool To Assess Perceptions of the Implementation of Inclusive Educational Practices.

Abstract While several studies have investigated the effects of inclusive education on children receiving special education services, less effort has been directed toward assessing implementation of inclusive educational practices. This article describes development of the Inclusion Inventory, a 90-item tool designed to survey educators' perceptions of inclusive educational practices in their school. Administration of the Inventory to 2,763 respondents from 72 schools across a large southwestern state yielded internal consistency reliability coefficients of .72 and above for the seven subscales. Respondents with experience in inclusive educational practices and those from schools where teams implement inclusive education tended to have higher ratings on the Inclusion Inventory. Implications are considered for educators and others involved in inclusive education.
Sociocultural Perspective on Child Occupant Protection

During the past decade substantial effort has been devoted to increasing the use of child safety restraints. This has involved educational programs and, more recently, legislation mandating restraint use by children. Neither of these approaches has had major documented effects on proper restraint use. Misuse is currently high and use decreases dramatically among toddlers and older children. It is maintained that the complexity of the problems of nonuse and misuse has not been fully recognized. A more comprehensive perspective on the issue is presented, focusing on the social and cultural issues involved in attempting to change parental behavior regarding their children's use of restraints. A structured approach to programs for the promotion of safety restraint use suggested by this perspective is presented, highlighting actions that are already being taken and those that need to be taken to develop a comprehensive attack on both nonuse and misuse of safety restraints. Language: en
Special Topics in Spectral Distributions

We discuss two problems which relate to the foundations of the subject, and a third about asymptotic properties of spectral distributions. We give also a brief list of topics which should be further explored.
A measurement of the (tau lepton) polarization at the Z resonance with the DELPHI detector at LEP

The polarization of {tau} leptons produced in the reaction e{sup +}e{sup {minus}} {yields} {tau}{sup +}{tau}{sup {minus}} near the peak of the Z{degree} resonance has been measured using a sample of 24904 {tau}{sup +}{tau}{sup {minus}} events, with an estimated background of 1.5%. We have selected 4562 {tau} {yields} e{nu}{bar {nu}} 2218 {tau} {yields} {pi}{nu} and 5133 {tau} {yields} {rho}{nu} candidates. The mean value obtained is P{sub {tau}} = {minus}0.176 {plus_minus} 0.029. This corresponds to a ratio of the neutral current vector to the axial-vector coupling constants of the {tau} lepton of g{sub V}{sup {tau}}/g{sub A}{sup {tau}} = 0.088 {plus_minus} 0.014. This leads to a value of the electroweak mixing angle of sin{sup 2}{theta}{sub W} = 0.2280 {plus_minus} 0.0036. This result is in good agreement with previous measurements of the weak mixing angle from the study of the Z{degree} lineshape and the forward-backward asymmetries in the processes Z{degree} {yields} l{sup +}l{sup {minus}} and Z{degree} {yields} q{bar q}.
Classroom goal structures for educational math game application

This field study investigated the application of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic goal structures in classroom use of educational math games and its impact on students' math performance and math learning attitudes. 124 5th -grade students were recruited and randomly assigned to a Teams-Games-Tournament cooperative, interpersonal competitive, or individualistic gaming condition. A state-standards-based math exam and an inventory on attitudes toward mathematics were used in pretest and posttest. Students' gender, socio economic status, and prior math ability were examined as the moderating variables. Results indicated that gaming in cooperative goal structure was most effective in promoting positive math attitudes while classroom goal structure for gaming had no significant impact on students' math test performance. It was also found that students of different socio-economic statuses were influenced differently by the gaming conditions.