cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dialogic Allocution: Deliberative Democracy in Sentencing Law

This Article argues in favor of increasing the scope of the national sentencing dialogue in order to remedy the current sentencing defects. The increase in scope hinges on expanding the role of allocution within criminal sentencing. By treating allocution as seriously as the Federal Rules do, new discussants will contribute specific solutions for the defects, while at the same time enhancing institutional and ontological legitimacy. To achieve that end, the Article proposes a modified view of allocution. This dialogic allocution unifies the judge and defendant as co-discussants in the national debate, rather than pitting them against each other. The Article provides a method for incorporating dialogic allocution into current practice and then seeks to answer unresolved questions.
Housing Markets on Cocaine: Explaining the Relationship between Cocaine Exports and Local Housing Markets in the Andes

This paper explores the effect of illegal good exports on urban housing markets. It argues that while exports of illegal goods affect housing markets through an employment multiplier effect just as legal exports do, they additionally tend to have an impact on housing markets through violence-generated labor displacement and money laundering. Empirical estimates using time series data from Bolivia and Colombia, two of the world's largest exporters of cocaine, demonstrate that cocaine exports in these countries tend to have a significant impact on urban home prices and construction permits that differ considerably from those of other legal exports. Further, the estimates indicate that only a small fraction of the total effects of illegal exports on housing markets is accounted for by employment effects, suggesting that illegal export effects on housing markets in Bolivia and Colombian during the time studied occurred mainly through money laundering.
16 – Surface and interfacial studies of plant biopolymers

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a means of assessing the rational design of crop protection schemes. One promising avenue is through genetic engineering of the cuticle to provide enhanced pathogen resistance and potentially eliminate the need for chemical sprays to be used to protect plant tissues and could enhance the cuticles resistance to fracture due to environmental conditions, such as heat waves and frost. When one considers the worldwide needs for a stable food supply to feed the ever-increasing population, such advances in nanoagriculture would be required. Chemical composition and surface morphology are thought to influence the efficacy of the cuticular barrier. The effective adsorption of foliar-applied agrochemicals should also be highly dependent on surface chemical composition of plant cuticles, as the cuticular surface composition and structure control the wettability and interaction of the plant with agriculturally important chemicals. The chapter also describes the approaches for the physical characterization of plant biopolymer surfaces and interfaces, ranging from determination of chemical composition to investigation of the surface structure and mechanical response of such materials.
A New Era of Arbitrator Ethics for the United States: The 2004 Revision to the AAA/ABA Code of Ethics for Arbitrators in Commercial Disputes

THE PLACE: London. The time: the recent past. We join several distinguished lawyers who have gathered for drinks at their favourite pub following another gruelling day of arbitration at the LCIA's former headquarters on Chancery Lane. The subject has turned to quaint and bizarre customs in other parts of the world. We listen in: > And can you believe those primitive savages in the former colonies in America – they still have capital punishment and partisan arbitrators! > > Incredible. Perhaps they should apply one vice to cure another – hang them all! (General laughter and another round of drinks.) I regret to report that capital punishment proceeds apace with murderous efficiency in many parts of the United States. However, by virtue of the approval by the American Arbitration Association and the American Bar Association of the 2004 Revision to the AAA/ABA Code of Ethics for Arbitrators in Commercial Disputes, effective 1 March 2004 (the ‘2004 Revision’),1 the device need not be brought to bear to redress the historic partisanship of party-appointed arbitrators. The 2004 Revision replaces the 1977 Code of Ethics for Arbitrators in Commercial Disputes (the ‘1977 Code’). This is a watershed event. By applying a presumption of neutrality, with concomitant guidelines on disclosure and communications, the 2004 Revision brings the American system of arbitrator ethics substantially into line with international norms. In the age of globalization, the 2004 Revision has important international implications. Many international arbitrations are conducted in the United States. Many others involve American arbitrators or American counsel. Any change in the prevailing ethical standards will alter the perspectives and conduct of both. By harmonizing the domestic American practice with international standards, particularly those bearing on arbitrator neutrality, the 2004 Revision should support the enforcement of American awards in foreign jurisdictions. The 2004 Revision addresses three principal …
Political psychology or politicized psychology: Is the road to scientific hell paved with good moral intentions?

This article proceeds from the premise that a completely value-neutral political psychology is impossible. Testing hypotheses about the efficacy of deterrence or the pervasiveness of racism or the quality of decision making inevitably requires value-charged trade-offs between Type I errors (rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true) and Type II errors (failing to reject the null hypothesis when it is false). The article goes on, however, to argue that our collective credibility as a science depends on self-critical efforts to monitor and minimize the influence of scientifically irrelevant values on inquiry. I identify two examples of research programs-White's work on deterrence and the Sears and Kinder work on symbolic racism-in which the moral-political values of the investigators appear to have profoundly shaped standards of evidence and proof in testing competing hypotheses. I also identify logical and empirical strategies that investigators can use to check the influence of extraneous values. These strategies include rigorous skepticism toward counterfactuals that underlie causal claims in historical analyses, embedding of experimental manipulations in representative sample surveys to isolate determinants of public opinion, developing methods to translate case studies into standardized data languages so that we can more readily identify potential sources of bias, and continual open-mindedness to the possibility that patterns of thinking that scholarly observers laud as cognitively or morally superior in one set of political settings may look quite maladaptive or immoral in other political settings. The article closes with a transparently valueladen appeal to preserve the autonomy of political psychology as a science by distinguishing sharply between when we speak for a scientific discipline and when we speak as concerned citizens.
Spatial and Temporal Variation in Wing Dimorphism of California Populations of the Waterstrider Aquarius remigis (Heteroptera: Gerridae)

Unlike those in northeastern North America, wing-dimorphic populations of California Aquarius remigis (Say) may contain relatively high frequencies of the macropterous morph. Winged individuals breed in seasonal streams, and apterous individuals are frequent in permanent streams and pools. The latter also harbor macropterous individuals during the summer dry season and support some breeding by them. Macropterous waterstriders are also common in permanent high-altitude streams of the Sierra Nevada. In California, winged individuals also fly readily before the breeding period, but they histolyze flight muscles at the beginning of the reproductive period suggesting that selection for migratory behavior in A. remigis affects only flights before reproduction. Temporary streams lack many waterstrider predators and other waterstrider species. These streams, however, run the risk of drying during development of nymphs. Only individuals with flight ability can colonize these habitats effectively and also escape when streams dry out.
‘A Good Walk Spoiled’? Golfers and the Experience of Landscape during the Late Nineteenth Century

During the later nineteenth century golf encouraged a peculiarly ‘modern’ experience of walking. Mark Twain reportedly described golf as ‘a good walk spoiled’, but others justified the hobby because of the opportunities it offered for healthful exercise, socializing and business. Golfers followed routes which made sense only in the context of the game: paths that were not journeys from A to B, or designed as a way to enjoy the scenery. Moreover, golf courses invited golfers to follow their circuits across terrain that was often far removed from ideas of the picturesque or the pleasing prospect. Griffiths shows how the experience of walking a golf course, for women as well as men, helped to establish new patterns of leisure, land use and sociability.
Observations on Social Theory

Towards the end of the 19th and in the beginning of the 20th century, there raged a bitter epistemological struggle about the distinction between the exact and the social sciences. This conflict has somewhat subsided and the opinion has become prevalent that the difference is one of degree rather than one of an absolute quality. Although this has led to a more unified epistemological approach, certain differences remain which receive perhaps less attention than they deserve.
Comparative analysis of the Parent Attitudes about Childhood Vaccines (PACV) short scale and the five categories of vaccine acceptance identified by Gust et al.

Abstract Background There is a need to develop a standardized tool to aid in identifying, measuring and classifying the unique needs of vaccine-hesitant parents (VHPs). This will also assist in designing tailored interventions to address these needs. The Parental Attitude about Childhood Vaccines (PACV) short scale developed by Opel et al., and the Gust et al. vaccine acceptance categories have been acknowledged as potentially useful tools to measure parental vaccine hesitancy. The PACV short scale requires further validation. In our study, we evaluated how the Gust et al. vaccine acceptance categories correspond with the PACV short scale. Methods As part of a larger study on vaccine attitudes, using the PACV short scale and Gust et al. vaccine acceptance categories, we assessed the correlation between the two measures using Spearman correlation coefficient, and the association between the two measures using the Cochran-Mantel-Haentszel test of association. We used logistic regression modelling to compare the association between a child’s up-to-date immunization status and (a) PACV short scale and (b) Gust et al. vaccine acceptance categories. Results The PACV short scale and Gust et al. vaccine acceptance categories were positively correlated (r = 0.6, df = 198, p Conclusion The ability of the PACV short scale to identify and classify parental vaccine hesitancy is similar to classification using Gust et al. vaccine acceptance categories, and both measure linear entities. The PACV short scale is recommended for screening parents at their first pediatric visit because it is easier to administer. A clearer understanding of how to classify parental vaccine hesitancy can be used to design tailored interventions based on these classifications, to address their specific needs.
Discussion on ‘an investigation into the effects of damping and nonlinear geometry models in earthquake analysis’ by Andrew Hardyniec and Finley Charney

The discussed paper explores how various assumptions for damping and geometric nonlinearity affect the seismic collapse behavior of steel-frame buildings. The recommended damping scheme is questioned, and an alternative is suggested. Additional explanation is sought to justify the differences observed between the P-delta and co-rotational models for geometric nonlinearity.
Social movement communications in the Year of the Monkey

First, congratulations to the editorial team on this inaugural issue. As I write, in early February, it is the lunar New Year in San Francisco, California, an auspicious time to launch an international journal. The Year of the Monkey is expected to bring offspring with intelligence, curiosity and playfulness; I have just witnessed those qualities in some complex media power plays that intersected residual, dominant and emerging alternative, community, commercial and social movement media. [...]
Constructing Journalistic Life History Narratives to Explore the Role Framework

This chapter describes a unique methodology used to explore the utility of the role framework in conceptualizing how people benefit from mental health consumer-run organizations (CROs). The methodology is innovative in that it combines traditional ethnographic methods with the traditions of journalism to create compelling life history narratives. The narratives have strong didactic potential because they are accessible to lay audiences. Data collection consisted of participant observation, in-depth interviews, and documentary photography. The narratives provide an ethnographic look at the lived experience of having mental health problems, participating in a CRO, and making recovery progress. The chapter details the study setting, study sample, participant observation process, in-depth interviews, construction of life history narratives, and analysis of narratives.
Using Clinical Guidelines: Impact on Public Policy, Clinical Policy, and Individual Care Decisions

Consortium-at-a-Glance Background A group of health services researchers and health care providers gathered for the second invitational National Quality of Care Forum, April 15-16, 1993, in Leesburg, Virginia, in a series on “Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice.” Sponsored by The Hospital Research and Educational Trust of the American Hospital Association and The Parke-Davis Division of the Warner-Lambert Company, this year’s forum focused on clinical practice guidelines and the challenges of implementing them. Questions Presenters, reactors, and participants were asked to consider four questions, basing their discussion on four papers provided in advance of the forum: ■ Why are we developing guidelines? ■ Are expectations for guidelines realistic? ■ What are the characteristics of guidelines as effective tools? ■ What is needed for successful implementation of guidelines? Presenters and Projects John M. Eisenberg, MD, of Georgetown University, Washington, DC, outlined a framework for enhancing the incorporation of guideline information at the level of the individual clinician and patient-making decisions about health care. Catherine Borbas, PhD, MPH, of the Healthcare Education and Research Foundation in St Paul, offered the experience of the comprehensive Minnesota Clinical Comparison and Assessment Program for other states and systems to emulate or adapt. Stephen A. Myers, DO, of Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center in Chicago, evaluated the role of “diagnostic criteria,” a guideline precursor, in comparison with data collection and peer review in the hospital’s Cesarean Section Reduction Program. David B. Nash, MD, MBA, of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, detailed the use of clinical practice guidelines as tools for hospital accountability as one “leg” in the new tripod of quality along with continuous quality improvement and outcomes management, and offered action plans for purchasers, clinicians, and administrators. Conclusions Participants agreed that guidelines can be a useful tool in linking information on outcomes of care with care management. Dissemination of guidelines and education alone are not sufficient for changing behavior and affecting the quality of care. Regardless of where or by whom guidelines are developed, they must be applied at the local level. Successful implementation requires leadership support, integration into the continuous quality improvement process, and an integrated delivery system.
The challenging economics of US residential grid defection

Abstract Declining costs for solar photovoltaics (PV) and excitement about new technologies have led to speculation that self-sufficient PV/battery storage systems will soon become competitive with traditional electricity service. We compare a grid-tied residential solar system with an off-grid solar-plus-battery system at 1020 US locations, and calculate three effects of “grid defection” for each: the private net costs to the homeowner, the change in system generation costs, and change in system emissions. For the average US location, an off-grid solar system is almost double the price of grid-connected solar, is associated with higher system generation costs, and has no emissions benefit.
The Robust Decentralized Stabilization of Complex Feedback Systems

Abstract In this paper, we study the stability and performance robustness of composite feedback systems under decentralized control. It is shown that if the perturbed system transfer matrix is a composite H-matrix for every s on the Nyquist contour, then stabilization of the diagonal blocks of the composite system implies stabilization of the overall system provided the number of unstable poles of the composite system coincide with those of the diagonal blocks. This is then used to define decentralized controllers for robust stability. When restricted to regular multivariable systems, the new criterion leads to an interesting and simple condition on the peak magnification factor M p of the closed loop system.
Differentiating mouse embryonic stem cells express markers of human endometrium.

Modeling early endometrial differentiation is a crucial step towards understanding the divergent pathways between normal and ectopic endometrial development as seen in endometriosis. To investigate these pathways, mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) and embryoid bodies (EBs) were differentiated in standard EB medium (EBM). Immunofluorescence (IF) staining and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect expression of human endometrial cell markers on differentiating cells, which were sorted into distinct populations using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). A subpopulation (50%) of early differentiating mESCs expressed both glandular (CD9) and stromal (CD13) markers of human endometrium, suggestive of a novel endometrial precursor cell population. We further isolated a small population of endometrial mesenchymal stem cells, CD45−/CD146+/PDGFR-β+, from differentiating EBs, representing 0.7% of total cells. Finally, quantitative PCR demonstrated significantly amplified expression of transcription factors Hoxa10 and Foxa2 in CD13+ EBs isolated by FACS (p = 0.03). These findings demonstrate that mESCs have the capacity to express human endometrial cell markers and demonstrate potential differentiation pathways of endometrial precursor and mesenchymal stem cells, providing an in vitro system to model early endometrial tissue development. This model represents a key step in elucidating the mechanisms of ectopic endometrial tissue growth. Such a system could enable the development of strategies to prevent endometriosis and identify approaches for non-invasive monitoring of disease progression.
Examining the design features of a communication-rich, problem-centred mathematics professional development

ABSTRACTWhile there is considerable scholarship describing principles for effective professional development, there have been few attempts to examine these principles in practice. In this paper, we identify and examine the particular design features of a mathematics professional development experience provided for middle grades teachers over 14 weeks. The professional development was grounded in a set of mathematical tasks that each had one right answer, but multiple solution paths. The facilitator engaged participants in problem solving and encouraged participants to work collaboratively to explore different solution paths. Through analysis of this collaborative learning environment, we identified five design features for supporting teacher learning of important mathematics and pedagogy in a problem-solving setting. We discuss these design features in depth and illustrate them by presenting an elaborated example from the professional development. This study extends the existing guidance for the design of...
A Probabilistic Topological Approach to Feature Identification Using a Stochastic Robotic Swarm

This paper presents a novel automated approach to quantifying the topological features of an unknown environment using a swarm of robots with local sensing and limited or no access to global position information. The robots randomly explore the environment and record a time series of their estimated position and the covariance matrix associated with this estimate. After the robots’ deployment, a point cloud indicating the free space of the environment is extracted from their aggregated data. Tools from topological data analysis, in particular the concept of persistent homology, are applied to a subset of the point cloud to construct barcode diagrams, which are used to determine the numbers of different types of features in the domain. We demonstrate that our approach can correctly identify the number of topological features in simulations with zero to four features and in multi-robot experiments with one to three features.
Rho Kinase-Mediated Vasoconstriction in Pulmonary Hypertension

Rho kinase-mediated vasoconstriction rather than fixed arterial wall thickening is responsible for increased pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary hypertension in chronically hypoxic and monocrotaline-injected rats. In the absence of vascular tone, the medial and adventitial thickening in these models has only minimal impact on the cross-sectional area of the pulmonary arterial bed. In contrast, increased pulmonary vascular resistance in left-pneumonectomized plus monocrotaline-injected rats and VEGF receptor blocker-injected plus chronic hypoxia rats is attributable to both Rho kinase-mediated vasoconstriction and formation of lumen obliterating lesions in small pulmonary arteries. The upstream signals responsible for activation of RhoA/Rho kinase signaling in hypertensive pulmonary arteries and whether or not they differ in different forms of pulmonary hypertension are unclear. The RhoA/Rho kinase pathway is a convergence point of several different vasoconstrictor signals, including those mediated by G protein-coupled receptors, receptor tyrosine kinases, and integrin clustering. Both isoforms of Rho kinase can also be constitutively activated by cleavage, and cleaved Rho kinase 1 has been detected in the hypertensive lungs of left-pneumonectomized plus monocrotaline-injected rats. That such diverse stimuli can lead to activation of Rho kinase, which may cause hypercontraction of smooth muscle by promoting both actomyosin interaction and remodeling of the cytoskeleton, may explain why in various rat models of pulmonary hypertension Rho kinase inhibitors are more effective pulmonary vasodilators than conventional agents such as nitric oxide, prostacyclin, and nifedipine. We suspect the same will be true in at least some forms of human pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Mössbauer Spectroscopy of Inorganic Antimony Compounds

In recent years Mossbauer effect spectroscopy (MES) has been applied to the study of antimony compounds by groups at Argonne National Laboratory [1, 2] and Moscow State University [3]. This investigation extends the measured compounds to include all the simple oxides, sulfides, and halides of antimony. The use of MES for determination of oxidation state, bond character, and structural features is discussed. The shapes of the spectra have been studied in order to obtain additional parameters. The parameters which affect shape include the ratio of the quadrupole moment of the excited state to the ground state of Sb121, R; the quadrupole splitting, QS; and the asymmetry factor, η.
Optimal Resource Allocation for SWIPT with Full-Duplex Operation and Secrecy

In this paper, we study optimal resource allocation strategies for SWIPT focusing on the throughput and energy efficiency of a hybrid system that consists of an energy harvesting unit (EHU) and non-energy harvesting nodes. In addition, we consider an access point (AP) that operates in full duplex mode, i.e., it broadcasts radio frequency signal to power EHU over downlink channel while decoding the information transmitted uplink by the non-harvesting nodes. These nodes send the information-bearing signal to the AP and EHU with non-zero mean. We formulate throughput maximizing optimization problems considering two scenarios for the operation protocol of EHU. In the first scenario, EHU harvests energy but does not decode the information in the received signal. In the second case, EHU is untrusted and it could attempt to eavesdrop the information transmitted by other nodes. In both cases, we derive explicit expressions for the optimal power control policies, and we provide iterative algorithms to obtain the globally optimal solutions. Besides, we formulate an optimization problem that maximizes the system energy efﬁciency by taking the harvested energy constraint at the EHU into account. For the ease of analysis, we first characterize energy-efficient strategies considering a two-user model, and then generalize to multiple users settings. We also characterize the impact of harvested energy constraint on the optimal system energy efficiency and the significance of introducing non-zero mean input signal on the overall performance. To justify this theoretical framework, we provide simulation results.
Developments in atomization equipment for aerial applications.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the developments in atomization equipment for aerial applications. In the method described in the chapter, a series of tests were designed to measure the pesticide fallout and aerial transport produced by various atomization systems. Atomization was controlled by the type of nozzle, nozzle orientation relative to the aircraft, and type of spray adjuvant. The D6-46 and D6-45 are conventional hollow-cone nozzles, the Fan Foam system, WilscoTM, Service Technology Corp, foam nozzle with 1% FoamsprayTM, Jet Foam system, an 842 nozzle, and the Nalco–Trol adjuvant was a polyvinyl polymer introduced to increase the viscoelastic properties and alter the atomization process. The D6-45 nozzle is commonly used for aerial applications ranging from 20 to 50 liters/ha. The stability was similar to the conditions for the lower drift levels of the D6-46 back tests. Two types of foam or air emulsion systems were evaluated. Both produced quick breaking foams with an expansion from 1 liter of water to 2.5 liters of foam. Moreover, the pulsed microjet systems appear to have great potential for producing uniform size drops.
The Impact of Volatility on Returns Models: The Case of Crude Oil

This article demonstrates that a static model of crude oil price movements, in which the various predictive variables always have the same weights, is not the ideal approach to model crude oil prices. Rather, investors looking to invest in crude oil need to understand how volatility affects the extent to which the various predictive variables matter for crude oil prices during their forecast horizon. Specifically, the relationships between crude oil returns and crude oil production and between crude oil returns and crude oil price momentum are a function of oil price volatility; the higher crude oil price volatility, the more negative the relationships between crude oil returns and production and between crude oil returns and price momentum. In addition, the higher crude oil prices, the more negatively crude oil returns are related to changes in crude oil volatility. One conclusion is that, although production, price momentum, and volatility all matter for crude oil prices, they matter differently at different times. A second conclusion is that, because there is a greater ability to forecast large moves in crude oil prices when volatility is higher, it is sensible for investors to be more active in crude oil markets when volatility is higher. Extrapolating from the results reported for crude oil, one would expect fundamental and technical data to have greater absolute effects on returns for industrial metals, agricultural products, and other commodity markets when volatility is high. It follows that traders should be more active in these markets when volatility is higher.
Glucose metabolism mediates disease tolerance in cerebral malaria

Sickness behaviors are a conserved set of stereotypic responses to inflammatory diseases. We recently demonstrated that interfering with inflammation-induced anorexia led to metabolic changes that had profound effects on survival of acute inflammatory conditions. We found that different inflammatory states needed to be coordinated with corresponding metabolic programs to actuate tissue-protective mechanisms. Survival of viral inflammation required intact glucose utilization pathways, whereas survival of bacterial inflammation required alternative fuel substrates and ketogenic programs. We thus hypothesized that organismal metabolism would be important in other classes of infectious inflammation and sought to understand its role in the prototypic parasitic disease malaria. Utilizing the cerebral malaria model, Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA) infection in C57BL/6J male mice, we unexpectedly found that inhibition of glycolysis using 2-deoxy glucose (2DG) conferred protection from cerebral malaria. Unlike vehicle-treated animals, 2DG-treated animals did not develop cerebral malaria and survived until ultimately succumbing to fatal anemia. We did not find any differences in parasitemia or pathogen load in affected tissues. There were no differences in the kinetics of anemia. We also did not detect differences in immune infiltration in the brain or in blood–brain barrier permeability. Rather, on pathological analyses performed on the entire brain, we found that 2DG prevented the formation of thrombi and thrombotic complications. Using thromboelastography (TEG), we found that 2DG-treated animals formed clots that were significantly less strong and stable. Together, these data suggest that glucose metabolism is involved in inflammation-induced hemostasis and provide a potential therapeutic target in treatment of cerebral malaria.
Embedded Atom Model of Surface Stress and Early Film Growth in Electrodeposition: Ag/Au(111)

We develop an embedded-atom-model (EAM) for simulations of metallic film growth under electrodeposition. The surface charge induced by the electric field is handled as an addition to the electron density to be used in the EAM. Parameters relating the shift in electron density to the electrolytic potential are calibrated to measurements of the capacitance and of surface stress versus potential for Au. For Ag the calibration is to capacitance and local density approximation calculations of surface energy. The resulting parameters are physically realistic for the experiments performed. The model is then applied to calculating migration and step edge barriers for Ag electrodeposited on Au (111) as an explanation of the observed Stranski-Krastanov growth.
Abstract WP297: Impact of the Extended Thrombectomy Window on a Large, Comprehensive Stroke Center Run Telestroke Network

Background: The Wake Forest (WF) Telestroke Network, founded in 2009, is the largest in North Carolina serving 20 hospitals. WF Baptist Medical Center is a Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC) and ref...
Pulse shortening in two coupled rings under amplitude modulations with parity-time symmetry

We show pulse shortening in two coupled rings under amplitude modulations, where the modulation phases have a π phase difference. The system exhibits parity-time symmetry, and its importance is highlighted in pulsed laser systems. © 2019 The Author(s)
Constructing an Argument

This article details important considerations in the construction of a brief, such as local rules, the facts of the case, how to delegate work, and to set the client’s expectations when embarking on a brief.
Microbiome Composition in Pediatric Populations from Birth to Adolescence: Impact of Diet and Prebiotic and Probiotic Interventions

Diet is a key regulator of microbiome structure and function across the lifespan. Microbial colonization in the first year of life has been actively researched; however, studies during childhood are sparse. Herein, the impact of dietary intake and pre- and probiotic interventions on microbiome composition of healthy infants and children from birth to adolescence is discussed. The microbiome of breastfed infants has lower microbial diversity and richness, higher Proteobacteria, and lower Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes than those formula-fed. As children consume more complex diets, associations between dietary patterns and the microbiota emerge. Like adults, the microbiota of children consuming a Western-style diet is associated with greater Bacteroidaceae and Ruminococcaceae and lower Prevotellaceae. Dietary fibers and pre- or/and probiotics have been tested to modulate the gut microbiota in early life. Human milk oligosaccharides and prebiotics added to infant formula are bifidogenic and decrease pathogens. In children, prebiotics, such as inulin, increase Bifidobacterium abundance and dietary fibers reduce fecal pH and increase alpha diversity and calcium absorption. Probiotics have been administered to the mother during pregnancy and breastfeeding or directly to the infant/child. Findings on maternal probiotic administration on bacterial taxa are inconsistent. When given directly to the infant/child, some changes in individual taxa are observed, but rarely is overall alpha or beta diversity affected. Cesarean-delivered infants appear to benefit to a greater degree than those born vaginally. Infancy and childhood represent an opportunity to beneficially manipulate the microbiome through dietary or prebiotic interventions, which has the potential to affect both short- and long-term health outcomes.
Spiritual Diversity in Social Work Practice: The Heart of Helping

Spiritual Diversity in Social Work Practice: The Heart of Helping (3rd ed.) opens with a preface detailing important features included in this third edition text. This edition includes 40 case exam...
Peer-to-Peer Operation Strategy of PV Equipped Office Buildings and Charging Stations Considering Electric Vehicle Energy Pricing

In this article, an operational framework is proposed for peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading between a group of electric vehicles (EVs) within a charging station and a business entity equipped with solar generation that will significantly improve the benefit of all parties compared to having sole agreements with the utility. A dynamic pricing mechanism for the EVs is developed based on the price of the stored energy that not only increases owners’ profit but also promotes the contribution of charging stations in P2P energy markets. To evaluate the proposed framework, the performance of the system under P2P energy sharing is compared with peer-to-grid (P2G) energy trading. The results show a 23.24% reduction in total cost of prosumers and an improvement of 10% in self-consumption of Photovoltaics (PV) generation as well as 100% participation willingness of prosumers. The results also suggest that considering the availability of solar energy during daylight hours and the possibility to trade the stored energy in EVs outside of home, P2P energy transactions under the proposed control framework will bring significant economic benefits for EV owners.
25-Hydroxyvitamin D, Vitamin D Binding Protein, Bioavailable 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, and Body Composition in a Diverse Sample of Women Collegiate Indoor Athletes.

Women athletes are at higher risk for bone diseases; yet, information on vitamin D status ((25(OH)D), vitamin D binding protein (VDBP), and bioavailable 25(OH)D is limited. Collegiate athletes (n = 36) from volleyball (WVB), basketball (WBB), and track and field (WTF) were measured for (25(OH)D), VDBP, and bioavailable 25(OH)D; body composition and bone mineral density (BMD); and skin pigmentation. Participants self-reported daily vitamin D intake and sun exposure. One-way analysis of variance analyzed mean differences in measures across sports. Linear regression examined relationships between 25(OH)D; VDBP; bioavailable 25(OH)D; and whole body, hip, and spine BMD. Participants’ (mean ± SD, 19.4 ± 1.4 years, 172.75 ± 8.21 cm, 70.9 ± 13.2 kg, and 22.9 ± 4.1% body fat) overall mean 25(OH)D was 70.5 ± 32.25 nmol/L, and 28% of participants were deemed inadequate and 61% below thresholds identified as sufficient for athletes. Although WBB athletes consumed higher (p = 0.007) dietary vitamin D (760.9 ± 484.2 IU/d) than WVB (342.6 ± 257.8) and WTF (402.3 ± 376.4) athletes did, there were no differences across sport in serum 25(OH)D. WVB and WTF had higher bioavailable 25(OH)D than WBB. No relationships existed between vitamin D status and body composition. Vitamin D inadequacy was identified among 1/3 of women indoor sport athletes. Consistent monitoring of vitamin D status and diet are recommended to sustain athlete health and sport performance.
The Narrative Rhetoric of Speech and Silence in the Acts of the Apostles

Approaches to ancient texts that focus exclusively on speech are inherently imbalanced. Far from simply an innocuous absence of language, silence can carry thundering significances. Yet, these meanings are not always obvious, and they can be especially difficult to interpret in texts, without attendant non-verbal cues such as facial expressions or gestures. How can New Testament interpreters best discern and describe the interwoven words, whispers, silences and subtexts of ancient narratives? In this article, I seek to build on my earlier narratological study of speech and silence, Silent Statements: Narrative Representations of Speech and Silence in the Gospel of Luke. There, I demonstrate how focusing on silences as well as speech enriches our understanding of the narratological dimensions of Luke's Gospel, including Lukan plot, characterisation, theme(s) and readerly experience(s). The obvious next step is to extend this work to the Lukan sequel. The guiding question of this article is therefore: how do speech and silence contribute to the narrative rhetoric of the Acts of the Apostles?
106 Self-Reported Sleep and Resilience

Introduction: Psychological resilience is the ability to withstand setbacks, adapt positively to challenges, and bounce back from the adversities of life. While the construct of resilience is broadly understood, the specific individual factors that contribute to the ability to be resilient and persevere in the face of difficulties remain poorly understood. We recently showed that psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a number of factors, including fewer complaints of insomnia, and others have suggested that sleep is an important contributor. We therefore tested the hypothesis that sleep quality and acute sleep quantity would combine to predict measures of psychological resilience and perseverance (i.e. 'grit'). Methods: We asked 447 adults (18-40 yrs;72% female) to report the number of hours of sleep obtained the night before their assessment session (SLEEP), and complete several questionnaires, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Connor- Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), Bartone Dispositional Resilience Scale (Hardiness), and the Grit Scale. Sleep metrics were used to predict resilience, hardiness, and grit using multiple linear regression. Results: For resilience, PSQI (β=-.201, p<.00003) and SLEEP (β=.155, p<.001) each contributed uniquely to prediction of CD-RISC (R2=.08, p<.00001). Hardiness was also predicted (R2=.08, p<.00001) by a combination of PSQI (β=-.218, p<.00001) and SLEEP (β=.128, p=.007). Interestingly, worse sleep quality over the past month on the PSQI (β=.13, p=.008) in combination with more SLEEP the night before the assessment (β=.137, p=.005) each contributed uniquely to higher Grit (i.e., perseverance;R2=.03, p=.003). Conclusion: Self-reported sleep quality and quantity were both independently associated with greater self-reported resilience, hardiness, and grit. While better sleep quality and more sleep the night before testing each uniquely predicted greater resilience and hardiness, a different pattern emerged for Grit. The combination of lower quality sleep over the past month followed by greater recent sleep duration was associated with increased perseverance. Whereas sleep quality appears to be more important for general resilience/hardiness, recent sleep time appears more important for the subjective perception of perseverance. Because these data are purely self-report and cross sectional, future work will need to determine the longitudinal effects on behavior.
Safety of Cranberry: Evaluation of Evidence of Kidney Stone Formation and Botanical Drug-Interactions.

Cranberry is a popular ingredient in dietary supplements in the U. S. and is commonly used for preventing urinary tract infections. Because of its popularity in dietary supplements, the U. S. Pharmacopeial Convention has developed quality standards for cranberry ingredients. The purpose of this review was to determine if there are safety issues that should preclude the admission of cranberry ingredients from the development of U. S. Pharmacopeial Convention quality standards. Based on the totality of the data, the U. S. Pharmacopeial Convention concluded that cranberry ingredients are not known to be associated with serious risks to human health when consumed properly in dietary supplements and therefore were admitted for standard development. Although published clinical and animal data indicated that cranberry is not associated with serious adverse effects, interactions with warfarin and kidney stone formation were identified as potential risks. Studies have reported contradictory data regarding the role of cranberry in kidney stone formation, with some reports suggesting cranberry is associated with a reduced risk of kidney stones. Interactions with warfarin were not associated with moderate intakes of cranberry juice (240 – 480 mL). Some reports suggested that the potential for warfarin interactions requires excessive intakes of cranberry juice (1 – 2 L/day) or cranberry extracts (3000 mg/day). Cases of warfarin interactions with cranberry have mostly involved patients with serious illnesses and/or individuals taking concomitant medications. Based on these findings, the U. S. Pharmacopeial Convention concluded that the use of cautionary labeling statements regarding interactions with warfarin or kidney stone formation is not necessary in the development of quality standards for cranberry ingredients.
Computer Calculations of Dynamical Surface Properties of Crystals

This paper reviews the results of numerical studies of surface properties of crystals based on the use of realistic interatomic potentials. These studies involve detailed calculations of static, dynamical, thermodynamic and scattering properties of noble gas and ionic crystals, systems for which rather realistic interatomic (interionic) potentials are available. The results show that, although in a sense one studies model systems, a wealth of new and detailed information can be obtained, which goes significantly beyond what can be found with analytic methods. Moreover, it is precisely this detailed information that is needed for detailed comparison with experimental results. In a sense, calculations of this type might be called computer experiments: If one relies on the theory to give an adequate description of the phenomena, if the interatomic potential that is used is reasonably reliable, and if unnecessary approximations are avoided, then one can expect the calculations, in principle, to yield all the details of the phenomena. A comparison with experiment will then provide a test, both for the underlying theory and for the details of the interaction potential.
Adoption of a Healthy Lifestyle Following Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Women with gestational diabetes (GDM) have increased risk of type 2 diabetes and recurrent GDM. There are several established risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes following a pregnancy complicated by GDM. Interventions targeting these risk factors, namely a reduction in body fat, increased physical activity and a healthy diet can substantially reduce type 2 diabetes risk. Nevertheless, observational studies show that most women do not engage in these behaviors even when there is a history of GDM. This paper is a review of lifestyle interventions and a discussion of factors that contribute to adoption of a healthy lifestyle following GDM. Risk perception, psychological well-being, social support, and access to health care were important determinants of a woman’s ability to adhere to a healthy lifestyle post GDM. Future research should focus on testing novel approaches to adopting lifestyle health behaviors that address barriers relevant to women with previous GDM.
Chapter 1 Labor supply of men: A survey

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a survey on the labor supply of men. This survey of male labor supply covers the determinants of whether men work for pay in the labor market and, if so, the determinants of their hours of work. The chapter also discusses the work behavior of men prior to their retirement from the labor force. Moreover, even though there are noteworthy investigations into the labor supply of men in many different countries, this survey is restricted almost entirely to the Anglo-American literature. The chapter identifies the major time-series and cross-section empirical regularities in male labor supply behavior. It is these that any economic theory should be designed to address. The chapter presents the canonical static model of labor supply and then immediately proceeds to deal with the problems in applying this model at the aggregative level. The static model is amended to handle the situation of nonlinear budget constraints. The chapter concludes with an outline of the most popular life-cycle model of labor supply. The chapter also addresses the issues in and results from the estimation of the static model. Problems in specifying the model are first considered and then the results are presented from the U.S. nonexperimental literature, the British literature, and the U.S. experimental literature. The chapter also discusses the estimates from the applications of the life-cycle model.
Chapter 12 Incomplete Markets

Abstract In reality, markets are incomplete, meaning that some payoffs cannot be replicated by trading in marketed securities. The classic no-arbitrage theory of valuation in a complete market, based on the unique price of a self-financing replicating portfolio, is not adequate for nonreplicable payoffs in incomplete markets. We focus on pricing over-the-counter derivative securities, surveying many proposed methodologies, drawing relationships between them, and evaluating their promise.
Ilegitimidad y fantasmagoría política: una lectura del sujeto desechable en "Montacerdos" de Cronwell Jara

Published in the eighties, the nouvelle Montacerdos by Cromwell Jara (Piura, 1949) narrates –through the childish voice of its protagonist, Maruja– the failed adaptation of a migrant family that tries to settle in a peripheral neighborhood of Lima, Peru. History of poverty, story of violence and lack, Montacerdos is also an abundant text focused in a grotesque hyperbole of the testimonial voice. As we will see in this paper, the testimony of the protagonist, the representation of Yococo and the narrative of their community failure, denounces the inefficiencies of the modern project of Peruvian nation.