cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Virtual Legality': Authoritarian Legacies and the Reform of Military Justice in Brazil, the Southern Cone, and Mexico

Authoritarian regimes in Latin America frequently expanded military court jurisdiction to prosecute political opponents and protect members of the armed forces and police engaged in repression. What happened to the military courts after the recent transitions to democracy in the region? Why did some democratic transitions produce broad reform of military justice while most did not? This article first reviews contending theoretical explanations that offer answers to these questions, comparing those answers with actual outcomes in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. It then argues that the “mode of transition” perspective, which attributes variation in the extent of military justice reform to the autonomy and strength of the military in the democratic transition, best explains the outcomes in these cases. However, the military's autonomy and strength should be specified. In the area of military justice, the relevant factors are the military's propagation of an accepted legal justification for past uses of...
Environmental overhead of labor (EOL) embodied in Trade: The case of 2002 China-U.S. trade

Previous studies on environmental impacts embodied in trade have paid little attention on the impacts of labor, or environmental overhead of labor (EOL). In particular, EOL can occur in both the household consumption of fuels and electricity by workers and in the delivery of products and services consumed by workers. This research defines EOL and quantifies energy and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) EOL embodied in the 2002 China-U.S. trade using an integrated environmental input-output model. The results find that the eastbound trade from China to the U.S. uses 28.80 million worker-years in China. This trade corresponds to, an EOL of 466.98 petajouless (PJ) of energy use and 42.50 million metric tons (MMt) of CO 2 emissions. The westbound trade from the U.S. to China on the other hand requires 0.28 million worker-years, associated with an EOL of 87.48 PJ energy and 5.71 MMt of total CO 2 emissions. Further analysis shows China's EOL is dominated by manufacturing while EOL on the U.S. side is primarily from household consumption.
Standardization and experimentation: Ex ante vs. ex post standardization

Abstract This paper develops a framework to investigate the optimal timing of standardization in which the tradeoff between standardization and experiment is explicitly analyzed. Ex ante standardization ensures early benefits of compatibility while the standard chosen could be a ‘wrong’ one since the decision is made without precise information about the actual values of potential technologies. Ex post standardization relies on the market mechanism to achieve de facto standardization after experimentation. The advantage of this approach is that the standardization decision can be based on better information about qualities. The cost is the transient loss of compatibility benefit in the experimentation stage. The market outcome is shown to generate too little ex post standardization after experimentation compared with the social optimum. Alternatively, users adopt ex ante standardization too frequently compared with the social optimum.
Decline of arctic-alpine plants at the southern margin of their range following a decade of climatic warming

Question: Have recent increases in temperature caused a decline in arctic-alpine plants at the southern margin of their range? Location: Above tree line; Glacier National Park, Montana, western USA. Methods: We monitored the abundance of seven arctic-alpine vascular plants at or near the southern limits of their ranges at three sites in Glacier National Park, Montana from 1989 through 2002. In addition we recorded canopy cover of all plant species in sample plots once at the beginning and again at the end of the study. Results: Mean summer temperature during this period averaged 0.6 °C higher than the previous four decades. Results of ordinations with non-metric multidimensional scaling suggested that vegetation moved toward the dry end of a moisture gradient at two sites during the course of the study. At the same time four of the peripheral arctic-alpine indicator species demonstrated 31-65% declines in abundance, while none increased. Conclusions: We cannot rigorously infer causality from our descriptive study; however, changes in both indicator species and the vegetation matrix were consistent with predictions of climate-induced extirpation of high-elevation species and the northern migration of floras. Our results also suggest that species responded to the decade of warming individualistically with little relationship to growth form.
The Format in Which Uncertainty Information Is Presented Affects Decision Biases

We examined how the format in which uncertainty information is presented affects two biases in humans∗ choice behavior. In a computer task, participants were given four common-ratio effect and four common-consequence effect problems in each of four different formats. In these problems, uncertainty information was described, as percentages (e.g., 80%) or as frequencies (e.g., 16/20), or was experienced, either serially (20 outcomes shown one at a time) or simultaneously (20 outcomes all shown at once). Presenting information as percentages attenuated the common-ratio effect and augmented the common-consequence effect, which suggests that these biases have different underlying mechanisms. Participants∗ percentage estimates of outcome likelihoods did not differ according to the format in which the information was presented; however, participants∗ nonverbal estimates of outcome likelihoods differed across formats. The results suggest that uncertainty information presented as percentages is processed different...
Boundaries Make a Difference: The Effects of Spatial and Temporal Parameters on Conservation Planning*

Conservation planning and resulting ecological target identification require selection of both a planning area boundary and temporal baseline or reference condition. We examined the effects that these selections can have on resulting amount and location of identified conservation targets. A gap analysis for California was conducted using five different sets of ecoregion boundaries to identify and compare existing conservation shortfalls in major land cover type representation in protected areas using a threshold of 30 percent per ecoregion per type as the minimum required for future ecological viability. Another gap analysis was run for a single ecoregion using two temporal baselines (current and pre-1900) for the land cover followed by a comparison of identified conservation needs. We found that the boundaries of different ecoregional schemes affected both the total area needed to meet the per ecoregion land cover conservation goals and the spatial location of underprotected land cover types. Choice of t...
Postoperative radiotherapy for diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis of the temporomandibular joint

Abstract Background Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a rare/benign condition of the synovial joint lining. It most commonly presents in the knee but has also been reported to occur in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Although there are several series reporting the use of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for extremity PVNS, there is scant literature on the use of PORT for PVNS of the TMJ. Methods We conducted a literature review for case reports related to PVNS of the TMJ and discuss two additional cases treated with surgery and PORT. Results 71 cases were found in the literature. 89% were the diffuse subtype. 92% had primary surgery and 7% had PORT. 68% were locally controlled. Both patients treated at our institution are locally controlled. Conclusions PVNS of the TMJ is a rare entity. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment but PORT may be useful for local control of extensive tumors or positive margins.
Collection of wood quality data by X-ray densitometry: a case study with three southern pines

X-ray densitometry is a technique often used in tree growth and wood quality studies to incrementally measure density (specific gravity) along a radial strip of wood. Protocols for this technique vary between laboratories because of differences in species, equipment, tree age, and other factors. Here, the application of X-ray densitometry is discussed in terms of a case study specific to the southern pines, whereby loblolly (Pinus taeda L), longleaf (Pinus palustris Mill.), and slash (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) pine wood cores were analyzed using an automated system. Objectives of this study included an assessment of the potential impacts on whole-core wood quality data from wood core extraction and use of two different demarcation methods (threshold and inflection point) for the earlywood–latewood transition. Wood core extraction before X-ray densitometry showed minimal impact on the shapes of individual ring profiles, and whole-core wood quality data were essentially unchanged. An assessment of the inflection point method employed for determining the earlywood–latewood transition point in the X-ray densitometry data demonstrated that the growth ring profiles for the southern pines are not amenable to polynomial fitting. Indeed, in the southern pines, the earlywood–latewood transitions are as equally abrupt as the latewood–earlywood transitions. Accordingly, a threshold density deemed appropriate to define the onset of a growth ring would be equally appropriate to define the onset of latewood formation.
Before the Last Domino: Refining Rivalry

In this essay, I outline the concept of rivalry as it currently stands, its foundational elements and evolution, and I propose a broader conceptualization of rivalry that promises to explain armed conflict between states that previous models fail to recognize as resulting from rivalry. I evaluate the current working definitions and conceptualizations of interstate rivalry, and I outline the utility of the concept of rivalry for explaining conflict, asserting that, in seeking to explain conflict, rivalry cannot be defined only by conflict, as current authors continue to do.
Automated scheduling and mission visualization for mine countermeasure operations

We present a novel schedule optimization framework to plan tasks for multiple unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) performing a mine countermeasure (MCM) mission. The framework employs mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) to determine efficient schedules. In the framework, the USVs are capable of transporting the UUVs, processing contact information, and neutralizing targets. The UUVs perform survey as well as reacquire and identify (RI) operations. Additionally, we present a novel MCM mission visualizer. The goal of the visualizer is to display in 3D an entire planned MCM scenario for use in scenario evaluation as well as provide a detailed multi-vehicle testing platform for MCM-related vehicle and autonomy research and development.
On the DNS Deployment of Modern Web Services

Accessing Internet services relies on the Domain Name System (DNS) for translating human-readable names to routable network addresses. At the bottom level of the DNS hierarchy, the authoritative DNS (ADNS) servers maintain the actual mapping records and answer the DNS queries. Today, the increasing use of upstream ADNS services (i.e., third-party ADNS-hosting services) and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) clouds facilitates the establishment of web services, and has been fostering the evolution of the deployment of ADNS servers. To shed light on this trend, in this paper we present a large-scale measurement to study the ADNS deployment patterns of modern web services and examine the characteristics of different deployment styles, such as performance, life-cycle of servers, and availability. Furthermore, we focus specifically on the DNS deployment for subdomains hosted in IaaS clouds.
Pharmacokinetics of Once-Dally Dosing of Gentamicin in Surgical Intensive Care Unitpatients with Openfractures

Objective:To compare the first-dose pharmacokinetic parameters of gentamicin 6 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg in stable, nonobese surgical intensive care unit patients with open extremity fractures receiving gentamicin prophylactically.Methods:Serial blood samples were obtained over 8 or 24 hours following the first dose of gentamicin. Serum concentrations of gentamicin were measured using fluorescence polarization immunoassay and analyzed by noncompartmental means.Results:Eleven patients were enrolled, 7 in the 6 mg/kg group and 4 in the 2 mg/kg group. The median (6 vs. 2 mg/kg) age was 29 versus 28 years; serum creatinine 80 versus 88 μmol/L; and APACHE H score 13 versus 10. The mean ± SD (μg/mL) of concentration at the end of the 30-minute infusion (Cmax), concentration 30 minutes after the end of the infusion (Cpk), and concentration at the end of the dosing interval for 6 versus 2 mg/kg were: 35.0 ± 19.0 versus 10.1 ± 1.77; 17.0 ± 2.7 versus 5.4 ± 0.4, and 0.45 ± 0.31 versus 0.69 ± 0.11, respectively. Area under ...
New Solid Electrolytes

A solid electrolyte should consist of a rigid, three-dimensional network, stabilized by electrons donated by mobile ions which partially occupy a two or three-dimensionally linked interstitial space. Such networks may be classified into three groups, depending on whether the three-dimensional., rigid skeleton is built from tetrahedra, octahedra, or a combination of the two. Each group is then divided into subgroups, depending on whether the anions are bonded to two, three, or four network cations. The system K1+2xM9l-xSi1+xO4 represents the first group, where MgO4 and SiO4 tetranedra are shared by corners in such a way that each oxygen is bonded by two skeleton cations to form a three-dimensional network. Systems Na1+2xTa2O5FOx and NaSbO3·l/6 NaF represent the second group, where the three- dimensional networks are formed by sharing corners and/or edges of TaO5F and SbO6 octahedra. The system Na1+xZr2Six P3-XO12 represents the third group, where the three- dimensional skeleton is made from corner-shared Si4 (or PO4) tetrahedra and ZrO6 octahedra. Relations between activation energy, bottleneck size and chemical bonding will be discussed. The ionic conductivity of Na3Zr2Si2PO12 is 0.3 Ω−1 cm−1 at 300°C, which is competitive with the best β″-alumina. The chemical stability, ceramic processing and physical properties of Na 3 Zr 2 Si 2 PO 12 will also be reported.
Systemic treatment and management approaches for medullary thyroid cancer

Although rare, medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) exemplifies the value that ever-expanding knowledge of molecular pathways and mechanisms brings to managing challenging cancers. Although surgery can be curative for MTC in many patients, a substantial proportion of patients present with locoregional or distant metastatic disease. Once distant disease occurs, treatment options are limited, and conventional cancer treatments such as cytotoxic chemotherapy are of minimal benefit. Biomarkers such as calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen are important correlates of disease burden as well as predictors of disease progress, including recurrence and survival. MTC is either sporadic (∼75%) or inherited (∼25%) as an autosomal dominant disease. Regardless, germline and somatic mutations, particularly in the rearranged during transfection (RET) proto-oncogene, are key factors in the neoplastic process. Gain-of-function RET mutations result in overactive proteins that lead to abnormal activation of downstream signal transduction pathways, resulting in ligand-independent growth and resistance to apoptotic stimuli. Specific RET mutation variants have been found to correlate with phenotype and natural history of MTC with some defects portending a more aggressive clinical course. Greater understanding of the consequence of the aberrant signaling pathway has fostered the development of targeted therapies. Two small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors, vandetanib and cabozantinib, are currently available as approved agents for the treatment of advanced or progressive MTC and provide significant increases in progression-free survival. Since there have been no head-to-head comparisons, clinicians often select between these agents on the basis of familiarity, patient characteristics, comorbidities, and toxicity profile.
Horizontal Transmission of Retroviruses Among Animals

The common view holds that class 1, endogenous, type-C RNA viruses are transmitted as virogenes, vertically through the germline and are thus eonfined to interbreeding members of a group of animals (usually a species), while class 2 viruses can be transmitted horizontally among animals. Until recently, it was thought that horizontal transmission was also eonfined to members of the same species. There is ample evidence to show that horizontal and vertical transmission of RNA tumor viruses oeeurs among members of a species, but new evidence suggests that interspecies horizontal transmission also occurs.
Ultrafast Ionization Dynamics in Laser-Driven Clusters

We have modeled the ionization dynamics of rare gas clusters induced by ultrashort laser pulses (15fs). High ionization levels are reached within femtoseconds, producing pulses of energetic electrons. Inner shell electron impact ionization probabilities are estimated.
Sandra Bem: Naming the Impact of Gendered Categories and Identities

As revealed through the papers in the current issue, the impact of Sandra Bem’s interrogation and analysis of the process and impact of gender categorization is discussed. An important consequence of Bem’s work has been to bring invisible but pervasive processes of gender categorization into focus, and then to use that new visibility to drive social change. Themes that emerge in these papers building on Bem’s work include more nuanced approaches to identity, investigation of the role of immediate social context in the performance of gender, attention to gender development, and exploration of measurement issues. The papers raise a number of new questions for future research on gender categories and gendered identities. It is noted that the widespread use of the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) over more than 40 years provides a window on changing attitudes with respect to femininity, masculinity, and androgyny.
From the Junkyard to the Power Grid: Ambient Processing of Scrap Metals into Nanostructured Electrodes for Ultrafast Rechargeable Batteries

Here we present the first full cell battery device that is developed entirely from scrap metals of brass and steel—two of the most commonly used and discarded metals. A room-temperature chemical process is developed to convert brass and steel into functional electrodes for rechargeable energy storage that transforms these multicomponent alloys into redox-active iron oxide and copper oxide materials. The resulting steel–brass battery exhibits cell voltages up to 1.8 V, energy density up to 20 Wh/kg, power density up to 20 kW/kg, and stable cycling over 5000 cycles in alkaline electrolytes. Further, we show the versatility of this technique to enable processing of steel and brass materials of different shapes, sizes, and purity, such as screws and shavings, to produce functional battery components. The simplicity of this approach, building from chemicals commonly available in a household, enables a simple pathway to the local recovery, processing, and assembly of storage systems based on materials that woul...
Seeing the Forest for the Trees.

Although tens, or even hundreds, of molecular or pharmacological interventions have been shown to affect the course of heart failure in animal models, few have translated to clinical therapies. This likely stems from the fact that biological robustness and flexibility are conferred by the evolution of redundant or adaptive signaling and gene expression pathways, which lead to not one, but multiple “master” control nodes in the network, making it difficult to pinpoint the most effective single target intervention. Systems biology tools and approaches are helping to define how the heart is remodeled during stress and to define important control points, even as they further highlight the scope of our ignorance. Applying these analyses to time-dependent changes in heart failure is essential to understand critical thresholds for aberrant nonlinear cellular responses that lead to emergent events, such as sudden cardiac death. Trying to understand the mechanisms behind heart failure often brings to mind the analogy of science as “a hungry furnace that must be fed logs from the forests of ignorance that surrounds us. In the process, the clearing we call knowledge expands, but the more it expands, the longer its perimeter and the more ignorance comes into view.”1 Extending this further, we scientists often act as independent woodcutters in our own little clearings, either focusing our reductionist minds on taking the tree down like a leafcutter ant rather than by chainsaw, or attempting to frame our favorite target as the master key that unlocks the secret to curing the disease (a must to enchant those study section reviewers). From the literature, it seems that there are many such master keys that prevent or reverse cardiac dysfunction related to heart failure (HF) in animal models—fixing various defects in SR Ca2+ uptake, ryanodine receptor leak, repolarization reserve, oxidative stress, nitric …
Failure analysis of beryllium tile assemblies following high heat flux testing for the ITER program

The following document describes the processing, testing and post-test analysis of two Be-Cu assemblies that have successfully met the heat load requirements for the first wall and dome sections for the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) fusion reactor. Several different joint assemblies were evaluated in support of a manufacturing technology investigation aimed at diffusion bonding or brazing a beryllium armor tile to a copper alloy heat sink for fusion reactor applications. Judicious selection of materials and coatings for these assemblies was essential to eliminate or minimize interactions with the highly reactive beryllium armor material. A thin titanium layer was used as a diffusion barrier to isolate the copper heat sink from the beryllium armor. To reduce residual stresses produced by differences in the expansion coefficients between the beryllium and copper, a compliant layer of aluminum or aluminum-beryllium (AlBeMet-150) was used. Aluminum was chosen because it does not chemically react with, and exhibits limited volubility in, beryllium. Two bonding processes were used to produce the assemblies. The primary process was a diffusion bonding technique. In this case, undesirable metallurgical reactions were minimized by keeping the materials in a solid state throughout the fabrication cycle. The other process employed an aluminum-silicon layermore » as a brazing filler material. In both cases, a hot isostatic press (HIP) furnace was used in conjunction with vacuum-canned assemblies in order to minimize oxidation and provide sufficient pressure on the assemblies for full metal-to-metal contact and subsequent bonding. The two final assemblies were subjected to a suite of tests including: tensile tests and electron and optical metallography. Finally, high heat flux testing was conducted at the electron beam testing system (EBTS) at Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico. Here, test mockups were fabricated and subjected to normal heat loads to 10 MW/m{sup 2} (3 Hz) and abnormal heat loads to 250 MJ/m{sup 2} (0.5s) to determine their performance under simulated fusion reactor conditions for first wall components. Both assemblies survived the normal heat loads with no visual damage. Optical and electron microscopy were used to evaluate the extent of the damage at the interfaces following the VDE simulations.« less
Performance Analysis of CyberManufacturing Systems: A Simulation Study

CyberManufacturing System (CMS) is an advanced vision for future manufacturing where physical components are fully integrated and seamlessly networked with computational processes, forming an on-demand, intelligent and communicative manufacturing resource and capability repository with optimal, sustainability-oriented manufacturing solutions. CMS utilizes recent developments in Internet of Things, Cloud Computing, Fog Computing, Service-Oriented Technologies, etc. Manufacturing resources and capabilities can be encapsulated, registered and connected to each other directly or through the Internet, thus enabling intelligent behaviors of manufacturing components and systems such as self-awareness, self-prediction, self-optimization, and self-configuration among others. This research presents a definition of CMS, an architecture and unique functions of CMS, and performance analysis of CMS using simulation models. Five examples have been developed and used for illustration and validation of CMS. The results show significant improvement in enhanced functionality and cooperative performance.
Trigeminocardiac Reflex as the Presentation of Maxillary Sinus Adenocarcinoma

The trigeminocardiac reflex is a brainstem reflex that manifests as sudden hemodynamic dysfunction including bradycardia, hypotension, hypopnea, and gastric hypermotility due to mechanical stimulation of the trigeminal nerve. Here, the trigeminocardiac reflex was part of the initial patient presentation that led to the diagnosis of maxillary adenocarcinoma. A 54-year-old male presented to the emergency department with a two-month history of right upper jaw pain. Vital signs included blood pressure of 68/48 mmHg, heart rate of 55, and oxygen saturation of 85%. Physical examination showed a swelling on the right side of the hard palate and a right-sided abducens nerve palsy. MRI revealed a 2.8 x 2 x 3 cm enhancing right maxillary mass with retrograde extension along the right trigeminal nerve up to of the midbrain. Transoral biopsy of the mass revealed adenocarcinoma. The bradycardia resolved after successful surgical resection followed by radiotherapy. This case emphasizes the importance of considering brainstem reflexes such as trigeminocardiac reflex in the differential diagnosis of hemodynamic derangements in patients presenting with recurrent sinus symptoms and neurologic deficits.
Workload Manageability Among Novice Special and General Educators: Relationships With Emotional Exhaustion and Career Intentions:

Novice special educators (those in their first 3 years) consistently report their workloads are unmanageable. Yet, it is not clear whether their perceptions of workload manageability contribute to ...
Out Where the West Begins: Profiles, Visions, and Strategies of Early Western Business Leaders

Review of: "Out Where the West Begins: Profiles, Visions, and Strategies of Early Western Business Leaders," by Philip F. Anschutz
Reading Now and Again: Hyperarchivalism and Democracy in Ranjan Ghosh and J. Hillis Miller's Thinking Literature across Continents

This review essay approaches Ranjan Ghosh and J. Hillis Miller's Thinking Literature across Continents (2016) from a set of questions about what it means to read in the age of hyperarchival accumul...
An Asymptotic, Padé Approximant Method for Legendre Series

We introduce a generalized, Pade approximant. The distinctive feature of the method is its incorporation of a known asymptotic behavior of the series coefficients as a function of their order. For several examples drawn from potential scattering theory, this method of acceleration of convergence is compared with two others and is found to be the most efficient, but not dramatically so.
Stepping stones and pathways: improving retrieval by chains of relationships between documents

The information retrieval (IR) field has been successful in developing techniques to address many types of information needs. However, there are cases in which traditional approaches to IR are not able to produce adequate results. Examples include: when a small set of (2--3) documents is needed as an answer rather than a single document, or when "query splitting" is required to satisfactorily explore the document space. We explore an alternative model of building and presenting retrieval results for such cases. In particular, we research effective methods for handling information needs that may: (1) Include multiple topics: A typical query is interpreted by current IR systems as a request to retrieve documents that each discusses all topics included in that query. We propose an alternative interpretation based on query splitting. It allows queries to be interpreted as requests to retrieve sets of documents rather than individual documents, with meaningful relationships among the members of each such set. (2) Be interpreted as parts in a chain of relationships: Suppose a query concerns topics tl and tm. Is there a relation between topics t l and tm that involves t2 and possibly other topics as in {t1, t2, ··· tm}? Thus, we propose an alternative interpretation of user queries and presentation of the results. Our interpretation has the potential to improve retrieval results whenever there is a mismatch between the user's understanding of the collection and the actual collection content. We define and refine a retrieval scheme that enhances retrieval through a framework that combines multiple sources of evidence. Query results in our interpretation are networks of document groups representing topics, each group relating to and connecting to other groups in the network that partially answer the user's information need. We devise new and more effective representations and techniques to visualize results, and incorporate the user as part of the retrieval process. We also evaluate the improvement of the query results based on multiple measures. In particular, we verify the validity of our approach through a study involving a collection of Operating Systems research papers that was specially built for this dissertation.
Military and Civilian Developmental Medicine

The frequent moves associated with military life require families with handicapped children to interact with numerous civilian health care professionals around the country and worldwide. Discussions with representatives of these health care services indicate that there is not a thorough understanding of (1) the management of developmental disabilities by the military and (2) the various services that are available through government programs. This gap in knowledge is particularly important, since several major changes have taken place in this area over the past five years, especially in the U.S. Army medical services.
Image-Guided Liver Surgery

Liver cancer is the number two killer cancer worldwide. In the USA, metastatic liver disease often arises from colorectal primary sites. Surgical approaches have been proven as being the most effective treatment for liver tumors; yet only a small fraction of surgical candidates get surgery. The advent of image-guidance techniques for the liver is enabling more surgeries and thus brings the best outcomes to these patients. This chapter outlines the history and approaches to image guidance in liver surgery and other therapeutic processes.
Tumorigenicity of five cyclic nitrosamines in MRC rats

Five cyclic nitrosamines have been fed to groups of 30 MRC rats at a concentration of 100 mg/liter in drinking water. Nitroso-3-pyrroline produced only tumors of the liver, and was the weakest carcinogen of the five. Nitrosopiperidine induced tumors of liver, esophagus and respiratory tract. Nitrosomorpholine induced tumors of liver and the nasal cavity. Nitrosoheptamethyleneimine induced squamous tumors of lung, and tumors of the esophagus and trachea and was the most potent carcinogen of the five. Dinitrosopiperazine induced tumors of the nasal cavity. The reasons for the pronounced organ specificities of these nitrosamines are discussed.
The Effects of Chronic Taurine Supplementation on Motor Learning

Taurine is one of the most abundant nonprotein amino acids shown to be essential for the development, survival, and growth of vertebrate neurons. We previously demonstrated that chronic taurine supplementation during neonatal development results in changes in the GABAergic system (El Idrissi, Neurosci Lett 436:19–22, 2008). The brains of mice chronically treated with taurine have decreased levels of GABAAβ subunits and increased expression of GAD and GABA, which contributes to hyperexcitability. This down regulation of GABAAreceptor subunit expression and function may be due to a sustained interaction of taurine with GABAAreceptors. This desensitization decreases the efficacy of the inhibitory synapses at the postsynaptic membrane. If changes occur in the GABAergic system as a possible compensatory mechanism due to taurine administration, then it is important to study all aspects by which taurine induces hyperexcitability and affects motor behavior. We therefore hypothesized that modification of the GABAergic system in response to taurine supplementation influences motor learning capacity in mice. To test this hypothesis, the rotarod task was employed after chronic taurine supplementation in drinking water (0.05% for 4 weeks). Control animals receiving no taurine supplementation were also tested in order to determine the difference in motor learning ability between groups. Each animal was trained on the rotarod apparatus for 7 days at an intermediate speed of 24 rpm in order to establish baseline performance. On the testing day, each animal was subjected to eight different predefined speeds (5, 8, 15, 20, 24, 31, 33, and 44 rpm). From our observations, the animals that underwent chronic taurine supplementation appeared to have a diminished motor learning capacity in comparison to control animals. The taurine-fed mice displayed minor improvements after repeated training when compared to controls. During the testing session the taurine-fed mice also exhibited a shorter latency to fall, as the task requirements became more demanding.
Robust Distributed and Decentralized Control of Large-Scale Nonlinear Systems with Input Constraints based on SOS Optimization

This paper studies the robust stabilization problem for large-scale nonlinear systems subject to input constraints and bounded uncertainties. The technical results are developed by using synergies between vector Lyapunov functions and Sum-of-Squares optimization, ultimately enabling the characterization of a subset of the state space from where robust stabilization is guaranteed with the application of subsystem-level, input constrained feedback control laws, designed with Lyapunov techniques. Computationally efficient implementations of such control laws based on lightweight Quadratic Programs are proposed, providing the possibility for either distributed or decentralized system operation, depending on whether information is shared between subsystems or not. Numerical simulations of a complex system illustrate the efficacy of the methods.
Pathogenic alpha-synuclein aggregates preferentially bind to mitochondria and affect cellular respiration

Misfolded alpha-synuclein (αSyn) is a major constituent of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, which are pathological hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The contribution of αSyn to PD is well established, but the detailed mechanism remains obscure. Using a model in which αSyn aggregation in primary neurons was seeded by exogenously added, preformed αSyn amyloid fibrils (PFF), we found that a majority of pathogenic αSyn (indicated by serine 129 phosphorylated αSyn, ps-αSyn) was membrane-bound and associated with mitochondria. In contrast, only a minuscule amount of physiological αSyn was mitochondrial bound. In vitro, αSyn PFF displayed a stronger binding to purified mitochondria than did αSyn monomer, revealing a preferential mitochondria binding by aggregated αSyn. This selective mitochondrial ps-αSyn accumulation was confirmed in other neuronal and animal αSyn aggregation models that do not require exogenously added PFF and, more importantly, in postmortem brain tissues of patients suffering from PD and other neurodegenerative diseases with αSyn aggregation (α-synucleinopathies). We also showed that the mitochondrial ps-αSyn accumulation was accompanied by defects in cellular respiration in primary neurons, suggesting a link to mitochondrial dysfunction. Together, our results show that, contrary to physiological αSyn, pathogenic αSyn aggregates preferentially bind to mitochondria, indicating mitochondrial dysfunction as the common downstream mechanism for α-synucleinopathies. Our findings suggest a plausible model explaining the formation and the peculiar morphology of Lewy body and reveal that disrupting the interaction between ps-αSyn and the mitochondria is a therapeutic target for α-synucleinopathies.
Planning for Food Access During Emergencies: Missed Meals in Philadelphia.

Objectives. To illustrate the effects that minor social or environmental disruptions could have on the food access of low-income households in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and provide suggestions fo...
Trustees in Turbulent Times: External Affiliations and Stratification among U.S. Research Universities, 1975–2015

ABSTRACTTrustees span the boundaries between universities and their environments, and therefore may connect universities to other organizations. We use social networks and latent profile analyses t...
Plant regeneration from barley callus: Effects of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and phenylacetic acid

The use of the synthetic auxin 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-d) has played an important role in the production and maintenance of totipotent cereal callus. However, 2,4-d has been implicated in the loss of totipotency from barley callus. To examine the effect of 2,4-d on barley callus, regenerability and karyotype were examined over time as influenced by cultivar differences and 2,4-d levels, during a period in which initially vigorous plant regeneration typically declines dramatically. Higher (20.4–27.1 μM) versus lower (6.8–13.6 μM) concentrations of 2,4-d were positively associated with the number of green plantlets recovered from calli maintained for 10 and 16 weeks before transfer to regeneration media, and with the longevity of regenerability. There was a positive relationship between 2,4-d concentration and normal karyotype. We also investigated the use of phenylacetic acid for the initiation of regenerable barley callus. Very poor callus growth and plant regeneration was supported by phenylacetic acid.
A case report of T-box 1 mutation causing phenotypic features of chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

The heterozygous microdeletion of chromosome 22q11.2 results in a spectrum of disorders, including DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) and velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS), with phenotypic features that can include the classic triad of congenital heart disease (CHD), thymic aplasia and hypoparathyroidism. Such microdeletions are usually detectable by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We report a case of a twenty-three year-old female who presented with clinical features of chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome including cardiac anomalies, hypoparathyroidism and dysmorphic facial features. FISH did not reveal a 22q11.2 microdeletion. Further genetic analysis showed T box-1 (TBX1) heterozygous mutation. The TBX1 gene plays a significant role in the development of fourth pharyngeal arch structures. Mutations of TBX1, which is found at chromosome 22q11.21 can be responsible for the development of syndromes classically associated with chromosome 22q11.2 deletions. This case emphasizes that the TBX1 gene, among other genes, can be responsible for the developmental anomalies seen in these syndromes.
Investigating Technology-Enhanced Item Formats Using Cognitive and Item Response Theory Approaches

The current study examined the relationship between test-taker cognition and psychometric item properties in multiple-selection multiple-choice and grid items. In a study with content-equivalent ma...
A Case of Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma Involving the Uterine Cervix Presenting As Vaginal Spotting.

Classic Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) is a clonal lymphoid neoplasm derived from B cells. CHL usually involves the lymph nodes. Although cases with extranodal involvement by CHL have been reported, the involvement of the uterine cervix by CHL is an extremely uncommon phenomenon. Herein, we report an unusual case of a 51-year-old female with nodular sclerosis CHL, diagnosed initially via right inguinal lymph node biopsy. After two cycles of chemotherapy, she presented with vaginal spotting and CT scan demonstrated a uterine cervical lesion with hypermetabolic activity. Tissue biopsy sections of the uterine cervix showed cellular infiltrate consisting of large atypical cells including many lacunar cells and occasional Reed-Sternberg cells in the background of mixed reactive cells including small- to medium-sized lymphocytes, histiocytes, plasma cells, eosinophils, and neutrophils. Immunohistochemical stains show that the large atypical cells are positive for CD30, CD15, MUM-1, and weakly positive for PAX-5. In situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA (EBER) is negative. The morphological and immunohistochemical findings were consistent with involvement by nodular sclerosis CHL. This case demonstrates a rare presentation of CHL that may pose a diagnostic problem if its existence is not considered in the differential diagnosis. Furthermore, we reviewed the literature and only found two previous publications described uterine cervix involvement by CHL. Although it is very rare, CHL involvement should be included in the differential diagnosis and an appropriate work-up should be performed to evaluate CHL involvement of cervix when patients with CHL present with signs or symptoms suggesting a cervical lesion.
A Physical Model for Factoring Quadratic Polynomials.

The student is expected to apply the dis tributive law and obtain the answers. Eventually he knows that he can avoid the middle steps and fill in the general form (x ){x ) to obtain the fac tors. Later the student learns to adjust this procedure if the coefficient of x2 is larger than one. The difficulty with this approach is that it too easily becomes meaningless "symbol pushing." Students simply play with the coefficients until the proper combination is found, and the use of the algebra laws becomes a barren experience. Another difficulty is that the distributive law plays too important a role in the process. Strangely enough, the original idea of the procedure is lost?namely, to produce two factors whose product is the quadratic polynomial. Many students, after they have found the right numbers, simply put them into the form and consider the problem completed. The result is rarely stressed as .a product of factors. The following technique, which em phasizes a physical model for quadratic factoring, is suggested as an alternative approach to the introduction of factoring quadratics. It is a procedure that cap italizes on an accepted method, commonly used in elementary school, for demon strating multiplication of whole numbers. It is standard practice to define the whole-number product m ? by counting the number of elements in an ra-by-n rectangular array. Thus, we say that 3-2 = 6 because there are 6 dots in the array :
Microsatellite loci from the House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)

We cloned seven microsatellite loci from house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) using a biotin enrichment protocol. Starting with fragments generated using DOP–PCR, fragments containing microsatellite motifs AC and AAC were captured using biotinylated probes and streptavidin coated magnetic particles. Captured fragments were cloned into plasmids; prior to sequencing, the plasmids were screened for microsatellites using a simple PCR approach. Five of the loci showed variation in a sample of nine individuals.
Amsqr at SemEval-2020 Task 12: Offensive Language Detection Using Neural Networks and Anti-adversarial Features

This paper describes a method and system to solve the problem of detecting offensive language in social media using anti-adversarial features. Our submission to the SemEval-2020 task 12 challenge was generated by an stacked ensemble of neural networks fine-tuned on the OLID dataset and additional external sources. For Task-A (English), text normalisation filters were applied at both graphical and lexical level. The normalisation step effectively mitigates not only the natural presence of lexical variants but also intentional attempts to bypass moderation by introducing out of vocabulary words. Our approach provides strong F1 scores for both 2020 (0.9134) and 2019 (0.8258) challenges.
Incidence and progression of ankle osteoarthritis: The johnston county osteoarthritis project.

Abstract Objective To determine the incidence and progression of ankle osteoarthritis (OA) and associated risk factors in a community-based cohort of African Americans and whites. Methods Data were from 541 participants who had standardized lateral and mortise radiography of the ankles in weight bearing at baseline (2013–2015) and follow-up (2017–2018). Incident radiographic ankle OA (rAOA) was defined as a Kellgren-Lawrence grade (KLG) ≥ 1 at follow-up among ankles with baseline KLG Results Among ankles without rAOA at baseline, 28% developed incident rAOA, 37% had worsening FAOS symptoms, and 7% had worsening PAS. Incident rAOA and worsening ankle symptoms were associated with higher BMI and symptoms in other joints. Among ankles with baseline rAOA, 4% had progressive rAOA, 35% had worsening of FAOS symptoms, and 9% had worsening PAS. rAOA progression was associated with ankle injury and concomitant knee or foot OA; worsening of symptoms was associated with higher BMI and other symptomatic joints. Conclusions Not all ankle OA is post-traumatic. Smoking prevention/cessation, a healthy weight, and injury prevention may be methods for reducing the incidence and progression of rAOA.
A Self-Supervised Machine Learning Approach for Objective Live Cell Segmentation and Analysis

Machine learning algorithms hold the promise of greatly improving live cell image analysis by way of (1) analyzing far more imagery than can be achieved by more traditional manual approaches and (2) by eliminating the subjective nature of researchers and diagnosticians selecting the cells or cell features to be included in the analyzed data set. Currently, however, even the most sophisticated model based or machine learning algorithms require user supervision, meaning the subjectivity problem is not removed but rather incorporated into the algorithm9s initial training steps and then repeatedly applied to the imagery. To address this roadblock, we have developed a self-supervised machine learning algorithm that recursively trains itself directly from the live cell imagery data, thus providing objective segmentation and quantification. The approach incorporates an optical flow algorithm component to self-label cell and background pixels for training, followed by the extraction of additional feature vectors for the automated generation of a cell/background classification model. Because it is self-trained, the software has no user-adjustable parameters and does not require curated training imagery. The algorithm was applied to automatically segment cells from their background for a variety of cell types and five commonly used imaging modalities - fluorescence, phase contrast, differential interference contrast (DIC), transmitted light and interference reflection microscopy (IRM). The approach is broadly applicable in that it enables completely automated cell segmentation for long-term live cell phenotyping applications, regardless of the input imagery9s optical modality, magnification or cell type.