cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human-related ignitions concurrent with high winds promote large wildfires across the USA

Large wildfires (>40 ha) account for the majority of burned area across the contiguous United States (US) and appropriate substantial suppression resources. A variety of environmental and social factors influence wildfire growth and whether a fire overcomes initial attack efforts and becomes a large wildfire. However, little is known about how these factors differ between lightning-caused and human-caused wildfires. This study examines differences in temperature, vapour pressure deficit, fuel moisture and wind speed for large and small lightning- and human-caused wildfires during the initial days of fire activity at ecoregion scales across the US. Large fires of both human and lightning origin occurred coincident with above-normal temperature and vapour pressure deficit and below-normal 100-hour dead fuel moisture compared with small fires. Large human-caused wildfires occurred, on average, coincident with higher wind speeds than small human-caused wildfires and large lightning-caused wildfires. These results suggest the importance of winds in driving rapid fire growth that can allow fires to overcome many of the factors that typically inhibit large human-caused fires. Additionally, such findings highlight the interplay between human activity and meteorological conditions and the importance of incorporating winds in modelling large-fire risk in human-dominated landscapes.
Changing Management Guidelines in Thyrotoxic Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis.

Abstract Background Periodic paralysis is a rare complication of hyperthyroidism. Patients of East Asian descent are most commonly affected. Presentation is characterized by recurrent episodes of painless, abrupt-onset weakness, with laboratory evaluation characterized by profound hypokalemia. Underlying hyperthyroidism may not be clinically evident, but differentiation from the familial variant is critical due to differing treatment pathways. Case Report We describe the presentation of a 22-year-old man with recurrent relapsing-remitting weakness with undiagnosed hyperthyroidism. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? In patients with acute-onset paralysis with significant hypokalemia, or relapsing-remitting symptoms, hyperthyroidism should be suspected. Obese patients are at an especially increased risk due to underlying insulin resistance, which enhances basal sodium-potassium ATPase function. Hypokalemia is functional in nature. Nonselective β-blockers (such as propranolol) should be considered first line, as they simultaneously decrease ATPase activity, limit insulin secretion, and address the underlying disorder. Administration of > 50 mEq of exogenous potassium places patients at risk of dysrhythmias from rebound hyperkalemia.
Allograft Transplant cancer Registry

Advances in our understanding of cancer derive from the recent discovery that immune deficiency is associated with an increased frequency of malignancies, particularly lymphomas. This increase has been observed both in naturally occurring diseases (23,47) and in conditions produced by iatrogenic depression of immunity (76–86). A prime example is the immunosuppressed state induced in organ transplant recipients. In 1968, we first drew attention to an increased incidence of neoplasms in this group of patients (76). Since then, we have maintained an informal allograft transplant cancer registry. Physicians from many countries have generously contributed their data. The cases reported up to September 1982 are summarized here.
Communicative Rationality and the Justification of Normative Validity Claims

To take the face value of the words, we may be tempted to understand “communicative rationality” as follows. It is the kind of rationality that makes possible an effective process of communication in a community designated thereby a communication community. Since communication is carried out by the community members through certain kinds of action, we have the concept of communicative action. Obviously, verbal expression is the most important form of communication; but when we speak in the process of communication, we not only convey the meaning carried by our words but also create a communicative situation wherein interlocutors interact with one another. If we call our acts in a communicative situation speech acts, then we can understand a communicative performance as the totality of our speech acts and the meaning conveyed in these speech acts. So far, none of this is out of the ordinary or contrary to common experience — We do communicate effectively every day in our actual social life, do we not?
Liberation Theology: I Am My Brother’s Keeper

Everywhere you go, the name Martin Luther is familiar; beginning from the dirt roads of Montgomery, Alabama, to the famous March on Washington, D.C. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s word are ever present in our minds. The name Martin Luther was first given to Martin Luther the Protestant reformer who saw a much needed compassion for the poor and needy. Modern day Martin Luther, began in middle class beginnings and traveled from the dirt roads of Montgomery, Alabama, to the famous March on Washington, D.C. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., like his namesake saw a need for a paradigm shift of change to help the needy and the poor receive peace, equality, and justice in a kingdom divided. In the most well-known and important speeches of his life, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a consciousness towards God and was led by the holy spirit when he said his "I Have a Dream" and "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speeches. For they were two of the most powerful speeches since God delivered the Jews. He did not embrace the hate, he did not retaliate with violence, but he was led by God’s spirit and vision to heal a nation with forgiveness and a sense of community that lives on today and like yesterday, cannot be ignored. (King et al, 1993).
Diversification, Faunal Change, and Community Replacement during the Ordovician Radiations

The Ordovician evolutionary radiations represent a major pivotal point in the history of life on earth. During the few tens of million years between the ends of the Cambrian and Ordovician Periods, the nature of marine faunas was almost completely changed. The trilobite-dominated communities of the Cambrian were replaced by complex suspension-feeding communities dominated by brachiopods, bryozoans, and pelmatozoans, and taxonomic diversity, as seen at both local (i.e., community-wide) and global (i.e., worldwide) levels, was increased two- to threefold. These new faunal patterns then persisted with only minor change for the next 200 m.y. of the Paleozoic. Only two other events in the history of marine faunas had comparable importance: the Vendian to Early Cambrian radiations, which emplaced the first marine fauna, and the Late Permian extinctions, which destroyed the Paleozoic fauna established during the Ordovician and led to the subsequent dominance of the modern marine fauna.
Biorecognizable Biomedical Polymers

The design of biorecognizable biomedical polymers has to be based on a sound biological rationale. Using this rationale, the principles of the design, synthesis, and characterization of biorecognizable polymers are demonstrated on several examples including: targetable water-soluble carriers of bioactive compounds, the relationship between the supramolecular structure of polymer conjugates and their biorecognition, poly(ethylene glycol) conjugates, bioadhesive polymers for colon-specific drug delivery, and biodegradable hydrogels.
A Perspective on Incentive Design: Challenges and Opportunities

The increasingly tight coupling between humans and system operations in domains ranging from intelligent infrastructure to e-commerce has led to a challenging new class of problems founded on a wel...
3D Printed Hybrid Rigid-Flex Coaxial-Like Transmission Line Structures

In this paper a new rigid-flex hybrid technology is introduced which combines flexible Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP)film with 3D printed metal coated plastic rigid shells to form novel microwave and millimeter wave components. Hollow membrane like structures can be formed which leads to low-loss designs. A simple coax-like transmission line and a novel low-loss bandpass filter are demonstrated.
One-class support vector machines with a bias constraint and its application in system reliability prediction

Support vector machine (SVM) methods are widely used for classification and regression analysis. In many engineering applications, only one class of data is available, and then one-class SVM methods are employed. In reliability applications, the one-class data may be failure data since the data are recorded during reliability experiments when only failures occur. Different from the problems handled by existing one-class SVM methods, there is a bias constraint in the SVM model in this work and the constraint comes from the probability of failure estimated from the failure data. In this study, a new one-class SVM regression method is proposed to accommodate the bias constraint. The one class of failure data is maximally separated from a hypersphere whose radius is determined by the known probability of failure. The proposed SVM method generates regression models that directly link the states of failure modes with design variables, and this makes it possible to obtain the joint probability density of all the component states of an engineering system, resulting in a more accurate prediction of system reliability during the design stage. Three examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new one-class SVM method.
One Hundred Million Years of Predation on Ostracods: The Fossil Record in Texas

Cretaceous, Paleogene, and Holocene ostracod assemblages of Texas were systematically surveyed for evidences of predation. Twenty kinds of predation scars include drillholes of naticid and other gastropods, digestive-solution holes, and holes made by unknown animals. Ostracods may provide an important food source for juvenile naticids. Abundance, large size, and smooth carapace favour predation. The earliest naticid drillholes occur in the Cenomanian, although other gastropod holes occur earlier (Albian). Dramatic increases in naticid predation occurred in the Late Campanian and at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, producing high adult mortality rates during the early Cenozoic. Holocene assemblages show somewhat lower predation rates, for which taphonomic, environmental, or evolutionary factors may be responsible. These recorded fluctuations in predation intensity have potential paleoecological, biostratigraphical, and evolutionary applications. Naticid and other gastropod drillholes are most abundant in shallow marine environments, while abundance of solution features characterises upper and midbay facies in coastal estuaries and lagoons. Some evolutionary trends in Cenozoic ostracods may have resulted from increased predation.
Estimation of 6 Degrees-of-Freedom Accelerations from Head Impact Telemetry System Outputs for Computational Modeling

To understand the biomechanical basis of head impacts, finite element (FE) modeling is used to estimate the response throughout the brain in various impact conditions. FE simulation of head motion requires a complete description of kinematics, such as six degrees of freedom (6DOF) linear and rotational acceleration curves defining the boundary conditions. These are not available from many common head impact sensors such as the Head Impact Telemetry (HIT) System. At the same time, there are hundreds of thousands of impacts, likely millions of impacts, collected by HITS which represent an underutilized resource for computational modeling. The goal of this study was to develop an algorithm to determine 6DOF acceleration curves based on the corresponding HITS output data for use in FE modeling. The transformation algorithm was developed from a dataset of 14,767 head impacts collected with the HIT System and the corresponding 6DOF information provided by a published algorithm for this study. The impacts were sorted into impact regions and classified by the polarity of peak accelerations, and characteristic curves for each polarity combination were calculated. The algorithm was validated against 50 random impacts by comparing predicted and true acceleration curves using an objective curve comparison metric, CORA, to quantify error. These results demonstrate the algorithm accurately estimates 6DOF motion characteristics from 5DOF inputs sufficient for the purpose of performing basic biomechanical analyses of the impacts through FE modeling.
Character Assassination as Strategic Communication in EU-Russia Relations

This chapter examines character assassination as a set of strategies used by conflicting parties in international affairs. Specifically, it views character assassination as strategic communication embedded in the context of political standoff. Mass media manufacture political conflicts by incorporating character assassination into their framing strategies and tactics. The chapter highlights differences between the European Union (EU) and Russia in their strategic application of character assassination, which inevitably contributes to the current geopolitical tensions between the parties. The authors advocate for future research into character assassination as strategic communication in the areas of international affairs, public diplomacy, and crisis communication.
Effect of medication adherence on clinical outcomes in type 2 diabetes: analysis of the SIMPLE study.

Objective Medication adherence is impacted by regimen complexity. The SIMPLE (Simple basal Insulin titration, Metformin Plus Liraglutide for type 2 diabetes with very Elevated HbA1c) study compared GLP1RA plus basal insulin (GLP1RA+BI) to basal-bolus insulin (BBI) regimen in participants with very uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This analysis aimed to evaluate medication adherence to GLP1RA+BI compared with BBI, the effect of adherence on clinical and patient-reported outcomes, and baseline predictors of adherence. Research design and methods This was an analysis of the SIMPLE study based on prespecified outcome. The study took place in pragmatic, real-world setting. A total of 120 adults with T2DM and HgbA1c≥10% were randomized to detemir plus liraglutide, or detemir plus aspart before each meal; 6-month follow-up. The main outcomes evaluated were: adherence, HgbA1c, weight, quality of life, and hypoglycemia. Adherence rate was calculated for each study medication at each follow-up visit; participants were classified as ≥80% or Result A higher percentage of participants in the GLP1RA+BI compared with the BBI group had ≥80% adherence to detemir (59.3% vs 35.7%, p=0.02) as well as liraglutide versus aspart (57.4% vs 30.4%, p=0.007). Higher age was predictive of ≥80% adherence (OR per 5-year increment=1.48, 95% CI 1.09 to 2.0, p=0.01). Higher adherence led to greater improvement in HbA1c and weight in both groups. Treatment with GLP1RA+BI compared with BBI led to greater improvement in HbA1c, weight, and quality of life and lower risk of hypoglycemia even after adjusting for the difference in adherence between groups. Conclusions Adherence was higher with the simplified regimen of GLP1RA+BI compared with BBI. Greater adherence to the simpler regimen amplified the treatment effect on HbA1c, weight, quality of life, and risk of hypoglycemia, yet statistically significant greater benefits were noted even when adjusted for adherence. Trial registration number NCT01966978
Human Gut Microbiome Transplantation in Ileitis Prone Mice: A Tool for the Functional Characterization of the Microbiota in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a lifelong digestive disease characterized by periods of severe inflammation and remission. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing a variable effect on ileitis severity from human gut microbiota isolated from IBD donors in remission and that of healthy controls in a mouse model of IBD. Methods We conducted a series of single-donor intensive and nonintensive fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments using feces from IBD patients in remission and healthy non-IBD controls (N = 9 donors) in a mouse model of Crohn's disease (CD)-like ileitis that develops ileitis in germ-free (GF) conditions (SAMP1/YitFC; N = 96 mice). Results Engraftment studies demonstrated that the microbiome of IBD in remission could have variable effects on the ileum of CD-prone mice (pro-inflammatory, nonmodulatory, or anti-inflammatory), depending on the human donor. Fecal microbiota transplantation achieved a 95% ± 0.03 genus-level engraftment of human gut taxa in mice, as confirmed at the operational taxonomic unit level. In most donors, microbiome colonization abundance patterns remained consistent over 60 days. Microbiome-based metabolic predictions of GF mice with Crohn's or ileitic-mouse donor microbiota indicate that chronic amino/fatty acid (valine, leucine, isoleucine, histidine; linoleic; P 0.37) precede severe ileitis in mice, supporting their potential use as predictors/biomarkers in human CD. Conclusion The gut microbiome of IBD remission patients is not necessarily innocuous. Characterizing the inflammatory potential of each microbiota in IBD patients using mice may help identify the patients' best anti-inflammatory fecal sample for future use as an anti-inflammatory microbial autograft during disease flare-ups.
Workers of the world, unite! Communist foreign fighters 1917–91

While foreign fighters are jihadis in the contemporary public imagination, over the last 100 years many more individuals volunteered to be foreign fighters for Marx than for Mohammed. During the 75...
Metalloproteinases and Their Inhibitors: Potential for the Development of New Therapeutics

The metalloproteinase (MP) family of zinc-dependent proteases, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a disintegrin and metalloproteases (ADAMs), and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTSs) plays a crucial role in the extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and degradation activities. A wide range of substrates of the MP family includes ECM components, chemokines, cell receptors, and growth factors. Metalloproteinases activities are tightly regulated by proteolytic activation and inhibition via their natural inhibitors, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), and the imbalance of the activation and inhibition is responsible in progression or inhibition of several diseases, e.g., cancer, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. We provide an overview of the structure, function, and the multifaceted role of MMPs, ADAMs, and TIMPs in several diseases via their cellular functions such as proteolysis of other cell signaling factors, degradation and remodeling of the ECM, and other essential protease-independent interactions in the ECM. The significance of MP inhibitors targeting specific MMP or ADAMs with high selectivity is also discussed. Recent advances and techniques used in developing novel MP inhibitors and MP responsive drug delivery tools are also reviewed.
Corticospinal Pathways and Interactions Underpinning Dexterous Forelimb Movement of the Rodent.

Abstract In 2013, Thomas Jessell published a paper with Andrew Miri and Eiman Azim that took on the task of examining corticospinal neuron function during movement ( Miri et al., 2013 ). They took the view that a combination of approaches would be able to shed light on corticospinal function, and that this function must be considered in the context of corticospinal connectivity with spinal circuits. In this review, we will highlight recent developments in this area, along with new information regarding inputs and cross-connectivity of the corticospinal circuit with other circuits across the rodent central nervous system. The genetic and viral manipulations available in these animals have led to new insights into descending circuit interaction and function. As species differences exist in the circuitry profile that contributes to dexterous forelimb movements ( Lemon, 2008 , Yoshida and Isa, 2018 ), highlighting important advances in one model could help to compare and contrast with what is known about other models. We will focus on the circuitry underpinning dexterous forelimb movements, including some recent developments from systems besides the corticospinal tract, to build a more holistic understanding of sensorimotor circuits and their control of voluntary movement. The rodent corticospinal system is thus a central point of reference in this review, but not the only focus.
Mechanical Properties of Electrospun, Blended Fibrinogen: PCL Nanofibers.

Electrospun nanofibers manufactured from biocompatible materials are used in numerous bioengineering applications, such as tissue engineering, creating organoids or dressings, and drug delivery. In many of these applications, the morphological and mechanical properties of the single fiber affect their function. We used a combined atomic force microscope (AFM)/optical microscope technique to determine the mechanical properties of nanofibers that were electrospun from a 50:50 fibrinogen:PCL (poly-e-caprolactone) blend. Both of these materials are widely available and biocompatible. Fibers were spun onto a striated substrate with 6 μm wide grooves, anchored with epoxy on the ridges and pulled with the AFM probe. The fibers showed significant strain softening, as the modulus decreased from an initial value of 1700 MPa (5–10% strain) to 110 MPa (>40% strain). Despite this extreme strain softening, these fibers were very extensible, with a breaking strain of 100%. The fibers exhibited high energy loss (up to 70%) and strains larger than 5% permanently deformed the fibers. These fibers displayed the stress–strain curves of a ductile material. We provide a comparison of the mechanical properties of these blended fibers with other electrospun and natural nanofibers. This work expands a growing library of mechanically characterized, electrospun materials for biomedical applications.
Systematic in vitro specificity profiling reveals nicking defects in natural and engineered CRISPR-Cas9 variants.

Cas9 is an RNA-guided endonuclease in the bacterial CRISPR-Cas immune system and a popular tool for genome editing. The commonly used Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) is relatively non-specific and prone to off-target genome editing. Other Cas9 orthologs and engineered variants of SpCas9 have been reported to be more specific. However, previous studies have focused on specificity of double-strand break (DSB) or indel formation, potentially overlooking alternative cleavage activities of these Cas9 variants. In this study, we employed in vitro cleavage assays of target libraries coupled with high-throughput sequencing to systematically compare cleavage activities and specificities of two natural Cas9 variants (SpCas9 and Staphylococcus aureus Cas9) and three engineered SpCas9 variants (SpCas9 HF1, HypaCas9 and HiFi Cas9). We observed that all Cas9s tested could cleave target sequences with up to five mismatches. However, the rate of cleavage of both on-target and off-target sequences varied based on target sequence and Cas9 variant. In addition, SaCas9 and engineered SpCas9 variants nick targets with multiple mismatches but have a defect in generating a DSB, while SpCas9 creates DSBs at these targets. Overall, these differences in cleavage rates and DSB formation may contribute to varied specificities observed in genome editing studies.
Radiocarbon data may support a Malthus-Boserup model of hunter-gatherer population expansion

Abstract Describing and explaining the population growth trajectories of prehistoric hunter-gatherers is an important research problem. Large radiocarbon data sets provide one empirical starting point for describing these trajectories; however, explaining trajectories of growth must always take place within the context of theory. In this paper, we formalize a ratchet model of long-term, mean population growth among hunter-gatherers and evaluate the plausibility of that model using two extensive radiocarbon data sets from Central Texas and the Texas Coastal Plain. Our analysis suggests that hunter-gatherer populations in these regions displayed waves of population growth separated by periods of population saturation and competition for resources. Our model and results suggest that hunter-gatherer populations in Texas may have experienced multiple demographic transitions to successively higher levels of population saturation (carrying capacity). Our results derive from a general model, a set of methods applicable across archaeological regions, and provide a basis for hypotheses that may explain changes in the socioecology of hunter-gatherers.
Some Select Proposed Affiliation Switches

Some affiliation switches are suggested for each of the four full-season classification levels of minor league baseball that will result in closer affiliate proximity for a Major League Baseball team while not leading to a greater distance to affiliate for another. Each one of these switches would be expected to lead to benefits for the Major League teams. These benefits include, but are not limited to, an improved player development process, lower player and staff travel costs, and greater regional brand awareness. This approach provides a realistic set of proposed affiliate switches that Major League Baseball executives could feasibly pursue.
Adipokine Signaling: Implications for Obesity

Publisher Summary Adipose tissue has gained recognition not only as the main energy storage organ, but also as a source of secreted peptides. This review highlights the roles of leptin, adiponectin, and proinflammatory cytokines in obesity, diabetes, and related disorders. The current epidemic of obesity and related diseases is attributed mainly to increased intake of energy-dense foods rich in fat and sugar, and sedentary lifestyle. The roles of leptin signaling molecules are studied in mice. Although leptin deficiency offers important lessons on LRb signaling, obesity is often associated with elevated levels of leptin. Reduced adiponectin levels in obesity and insulin resistant states contribute to the excess cardiovascular risk observed in these conditions. The knowledge of adipokine signaling has benefited immensely from animal models, but there are potential pitfalls, e.g., differences in the sources of adipokines and target tissues. Moreover, important differences exist between rodent and human circadian rhythms, thermoregulation, immune function, and glucose and lipid metabolism. Current research areas include the origin of adipose tissue, and specific functions of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue, and how they relate to normal physiology and disease.
Acetyl group transfer in lipogenesis: II. Fatty acid synthesis from intra- and extramitochondrial acetyl CoA

Abstract In order to evaluate the role of citrate as an acetyl carrier from the mitochondria to the cytosol, we compared pathways of fatty acid synthesis from acetyl CoA, doubly labeled with 14 C and T in the acetyl moiety, generated in the mitochondria (by pyruvate decarboxylation) and in the cytosol (by the citrate cleavage enzyme). Epididymal fat pad segments were incubated with glucose-6- 14 C-6-T, a precursor of mitochondrial acetyl CoA, and glutamate-5- 14 C-4-T, a precursor of extramitochondrial acetyl CoA. The use of glutamate-5- 14 C-4-T in conjunction with glutamate-5- 14 C-3-T permits the calculation of the tritium loss in the conversion of extramitochondrial acetyl CoA to fatty acids. Acetate produced by the degradation of lactate from glucose-6- 14 C-6-T permits the calculation of the tritium loss in the conversion of intramitochondrial acetyl CoA to fatty acids. It was found that the loss of tritium in the conversion of extramitochondrial acetyl CoA to fatty acids was about 20% less than the loss of tritium in the conversion of intramitochondrial acetyl CoA to fatty acids. The additional loss of tritium in the latter pathway corresponds closely to the loss of tritium in the conversion of T-acetyl CoA to T-citrate in the citrate synthase reaction, suggesting that citrate is involved in the transfer of the acetyl group of acetyl CoA.
Experience teaching hands-on parallel computing at a small college

Parallel computing can be taught at a small college given a well-planned approach and utilizing easily obtained tools. Parallel computing is defined as a combination of parallel architecture and parallel programming and is one of the few hardware/software continuums. The course hardware is a cluster of workstations that can be adapted for use from most CS labs. Most of the software used in the course is based in cooperative learning, group activities which lend themselves to the experimental nature of the topic.
A Brief Comment on Trust Protectors

In Trust Protectors, Agency Costs, and Fiduciary Duty, Professor Stewart Sterk has provided a valuable and insightful exposition of many of the issues arising from the recent importation of trust protectors from offshore asset protection trusts into domestic trusts.1 Naturally, there are many other questions that he could not address. This Comment adds one point to Professor Sterk’s extensive discussion. Much of his analysis applies the agency cost approach suggested by Professor Robert Sitkoff in his seminal article, An Agency Costs Theory of Trust Law,2 and in so doing focuses on many considerations that should be important to settlors of domestic trusts. There is another level of consideration that also deserves attention, that of the common good. What are the social welfare costs and benefits of adding trust protectors to the toolkit available to settlors or testators?3 This Comment divides the analysis into two strands, with the criterion of division being the purpose of the trust protector. A trust protector can be employed for the benefit of beneficiaries or solely for the purpose of protecting the wishes and designs of the settlor. The first part of this Comment addresses those situations in which the trust protector is employed, at least in substantial part, for the benefit of the trust beneficiaries. The second part discusses some of the consequences that flow when the protector is employed to further the intention of the settlor separate and apart from the interests of the beneficiaries. This Comment ends with a tentative recommendation for law reform.
Effects of walking environments on the objective and subjective gait measures during dynamic task performance

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the use of the center-of-gravity-based and center-of-pressure-based gait measures associated with loss of balance as well as the use of perceived sense of postural sway and instability (PSPSI) for the prediction of slip occurrence during dynamic task performance. The objective gait measures were determined by a multi-camera body motion analysis system and a strain gauge force platform. Twenty six trials performed by 21 subjects were collected for two walking environments in a laboratory-based experimental set-up. Two environments included the best (walking straight on a dry surface in good lighting) and the worst (walking straight on a slippery surface with a 2.3 Kg weight in the hand in poor lighting). Among the gait measures used in the study, it was found that the maximum distance between the center of pressure and the center of the base of support (OPmax) and the slide distance were the significant predictors of slip occurrence. An increase in the OPmax or slide distance indicates an increased likelihood of slip occurrence. The walking environment was found to have a significant effect on the PSPSI scale. It appears that the subjects were able to distinguish the difference in the walking environment but unable to perceive the potential hazards related to slips/falls during dynamic task performance. A comparison between the OPmax and slide distance (objective measures) and the PSPSI scale (subjective measure) can be used to predict a mismatch between the subjective perception of slip potential and the actual risk of slipping during task performance on a slippery surface.
Differential vulnerability of lambs to coyote predation

Abstract Coyote-lamb interactions in 65-ha pastures were observed during a study of Komondor dogs guarding sheep. Vulnerability of lambs to coyote predation was related to total time lambs were exposed to coyotes in the enclosures and total time present in the flock. Lambs were most vulnerable during the first two weeks of exposure ( P X 2 = 49.3), and were somewhat less vulnerable in the next 4 weeks of exposure. If the lambs survived 6 weeks of exposure, their chances of succumbing to predation were small. Lambs were most vulnerable if they were added to an established flock. Orphan lambs were more vulnerable than ewe-reared lambs. Even though the coyotes in this study were persistent in attacking lambs, their success was limited for at least 3 reasons. First, the lambs sometimes refused to run from the coyotes. In addition, they occasionally actively defended themselves by foot-stomping, butting and approaching the coyote. Finally, no lambs were killed while in close proximity to a guardian dog. Based on this study, predation might best be reduced by minimizing introductions of new lambs, and especially orphan lambs, to established flocks, and by using a guardian dog, if possible.
Adenoid squamous-cell carcinoma of vermilion mucosa of lower lip.

Abstract A case of adenoid squamous-cell carcinoma associated with dysplasia (solar keratosis) with acantholysis of the squamous mucosa of the vermilion border of the lower lip in a 67-year-old man is presented, with a review of the seventeen previously reported cases: sixteen men and two women, 41 to 75 years of age (mean, 56). The lesion of the vermilion mucosa was on the lower lip in 14, the upper lip in three, and not specified in the other. It was nonspecific, hyperkeratotic, ulcerated or nodular, and varied from 0.2 to 1.8 cm. in diameter. No regional lymph node metastases or deaths from tumor have been known to occur in the fifteen patients followed 7 to 72 months. Adequate local excision is the treatment of choice. As in its cutaneous counterpart, it is postulated that solar keratosis (dysplasia) with acantholysis is the precursor of adenoid squamous-cell carcinoma of the vermilion mucosa of the lower lip.
Cardiac Amyloidosis: Evolving Approach to Diagnosis and Management

The systemic amyloidoses are a group of heterogeneous disorders characterized by extracellular deposition of misfolded fibrillar protein that results in organ dysfunction. Involvement of the heart (cardiac amyloidosis) is manifest by increased cardiac wall thickness and impairment of myocardial diastolic and systolic properties, changes that result in heart failure, dysrhythmia, and death. Amyloidosis is classified by precursor protein, with light-chain (AL) and transthyretin (TTR) disease being most common in the United States. TTR amyloid can result from misfolding of variant TTR, a genetically inherited disease, or wild-type TTR, an acquired form of disease (termed senile systemic amyloidosis). In recent years, advances in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac amyloidosis include identification and validation of disease biomarkers, new imaging techniques, and consensus treatment guidelines. Elevations of B-type natriuretic peptide and cardiac troponins can identify cardiac amyloidosis with a high degree of precision and confer important prognostic information. Non-invasive cardiac imaging techniques, such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography with strain quantification, afford the ability to diagnose cardiac amyloidosis most often without the need for a confirmatory heart biopsy. Treatment of heart failure resulting from cardiac amyloidosis differs in many respects from most other etiologies of cardiomyopathy. The mainstay of treatment involves volume control with diuretics, low dose β-adrenergic antagonists or amiodarone for dysrhythmia, and warfarin to prevent thromboembolism. Although widely held to have a dismal prognosis, modern treatments such as high-dose melphalan with stem cell transplantation (HDM/SCT) for AL disease achieve a complete hematologic response in nearly half of eligible patients and yield long-term survival. For patients with advanced AL cardiac amyloidosis, cardiac transplantation followed by HDM/SCT is also an option that has proven highly effective. For familial amyloid derived from variant TTR, liver transplantation is the one validated treatment; however, small molecule therapeutic agents now in clinical trials appear capable of slowing or halting TTR amyloid deposition.
From the Blackhand Side: Twitter as a Cultural Conversation

“He can read my writing but he sho can't read my mind.” —Zora Neale Hurston Twitter's combination of brevity, multi-platform access, and feedback mechanisms has enabled it to gain mindshare far out of proportion to its actual user base, including an extraordinary number of Black users. How best to understand Twitter's reception and uptake by Black Americans, who surprisingly comprise over a quarter of all U.S. Twitter users? This article approaches Twitter from two perspectives: an analysis of the interface and associated practices alongside critical discourse analyses of online discussions of Twitter's utility and audience. This dual analysis employs critical race and technocultural theory to understand how mainstream online authors (out-group) and Black online authors (in-group) articulate Twitter as a racial artifact employing technocultural practices. Initial findings indicate that Twitter's feature set and multi-platform presence play major roles in mediating cultural performances by Twitter users. T...
Developing Generic Dynamic Models for the 2030 Eastern Interconnection Grid

The Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative (EIPC) has built three major power flow cases for the 2030 Eastern Interconnection (EI) based on various levels of energy/environmental policy conditions, technology advances, and load growth. Using the power flow cases, this report documents the process of developing the generic 2030 dynamic models using typical dynamic parameters. The constructed model was validated indirectly using the synchronized phasor measurements by removing the wind generation temporarily.
A New Metric for Estimating the Influence of Evaporation on Seasonal Precipitation Rates

Abstract The objective of this paper is to introduce a diagnostic metric—termed the local-convergence ratio—that can be used to quantify the contribution of evaporation (and transpiration) to the atmospheric hydrologic cycle, and precipitation in particular, over a given region. Previous research into regional moisture (or precipitation) recycling has produced numerous methods for estimating the contributions of “local” (i.e., evaporated) moisture to climatological precipitation and its variations. In general, these metrics quantify the evaporative contribution to the mass of precipitable water within an atmospheric column by comparing the vertically integrated atmospheric fluxes of moisture across a region with the fluxes via evaporation. Here a new metric is proposed, based on the atmospheric moisture tendency equation, which quantifies the evaporative contribution to the rate of precipitation by comparing evaporative convergence into the column with large-scale moisture-flux convergence. Using self-con...
Musculoskeletal: What's different in children? Fell out of bed and now the right foot hurts

This seven-year-old boy was rough-housing with his brothers two nights prior to coming to see a physician. At that time, he fell off a bed and hurt his right foot. It did not seem to be a big problem immediately and he continued to go about life. However, he really did not want to bear weight on the foot. In addition, swelling over the foot started to appear. It started to improve by the second day but since he was not back to normal health and activity, he was brought to his family physician. At that time, he appeared to be in good health except for tenderness and swelling over the dorsal aspect of the right foot. More specifically, there seemed to be pain over the second, third, and fourth metatarsals. Because of this, radiographs of the right foot with comparative views of the left foot were obtained (Fig. 1). Do you see any fractures?
Purification and characterization of hepatic porcine gluconolactonase.

Abstract A divalent metal dependent gluconolactonase has been isolated from porcine liver and purified to apparent homogeneity. Its molecular weight is estimated at 223,000 and that of the subunits is 37,200 as determined by gel electrophoresis. A K m value of 6.2 mM was obtained at 27° in 50 mM tris HCl buffer. Gluconolactonase is specific for gluconolactone, and manganese is preferred over magnesium for maximum activity. The hepatic concentration of gluconolactonase is estimated to be 7.2 μmol of enzyme per kg of porcine liver, and a subcellular fractionation study indicates that this enzyme is located primarily within the cytosol.
THE THEOLOGICAL‐SCIENTIFIC VISION OF ARTHUR PEACOCKE

. Arthur Peacocke has made seminal contributions to the interdisciplinary field of Christian theology and natural science. First, this paper presents a summary of his work, including his argument that critical realism provides for theology and science a common philosophical basis preferable to that of reductionistic materialism, vitalistic dualism, or divine interventionism. In specific, Peacocke proposes a form of panentheism in light of cosmology and evolution: God is immanent in and transcendent to the universe, with its open-ended processes characterized by both law and chance. God suffers with the travail of evolution; and Jesus is the normative realization of God's creative involvement with nature—a form of emergence with continuity. This paper then critiques each of these philosophical and theological positions.
Computer architecture instruction at the University of Michigan

The Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department (EECS) confers BS, MS and PhD degrees in both electrical and computer engineering within the College of Engineering. In addition, the EECS department supports majors in the Computer Science degree program administered through the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. Undergraduate Computer Engineers and Computer Science majors take similar courses in computer architecture; CS majors are required to complete a three course sequence (EECS 100, EECS 270 and EECS 370), with CE majors taking an additional course (EECS 373)1.
Asymptotic distribution of the number of isolated nodes in wireless ad hoc networks with Bernoulli nodes

Nodes in wireless ad hoc networks may become inactive or unavailable due to, for example, internal breakdown or being in the sleeping state. The inactive nodes cannot take part in routing/relaying, and thus may affect the connectivity. A wireless ad hoc network containing inactive nodes is then said to be connected, if each inactive node is adjacent to at least one active node and all active nodes form a connected network. This paper is the first installment of our probabilistic study of the connectivity of wireless ad hoc networks containing inactive nodes. We assume that the wireless ad hoc network consists of n nodes which are distributed independently and uniformly in a unit-area disk, and are active (or available) independently with probability p for some constant 0<p/spl les/1. We show that if all nodes have a maximum transmission radius r/sub n/=/spl radic/(lnn+/spl xi/)//spl pi/pn for some constant /spl xi/, then the total number of isolated nodes is asymptotically Poisson with mean e/sup -/spl xi//, and the total number of isolated active nodes is also asymptotically Poisson with mean pe/sup -/spl xi//.
Negative Affect and HIV Risk in Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Abusing Adolescent Offenders.

Various depressive symptoms have been linked to elevated levels of HIV risk across diverse adult populations in multiple studies. However, this link has been examined in a much more limited manner among adolescents, despite an exceedingly heightened risk of both HIV and negative affect in this age group. To address the current lack of clinically pertinent knowledge in this area, we analyzed baseline data from 256 male and 107 female inner city, culturally diverse adolescent offenders. Relatively “high” and “low” negative affect subgroups were formed by conducting a median split on scores from the well-validated depressive affect scale of the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI). Compared to the low negative affect subgroup, the high negative affect participants reported significantly more sexual partners, unprotected sex, and increased susceptibility to HIV, as well as more marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol use (all p’s < .05). Although demonstrating better condom skills, negative affect participants reported less favorable attitudes towards using condoms, less knowledge about HIV transmission, and lower sexual self-efficacy than non-depressive participants. Symptoms of negative affect are therefore of particular concern for adolescents, who are at risk not only for generally acknowledged difficulties such as suicide, but also for multiple HIV risk factors. The theoretical and applied implications of these findings will be discussed.
Politics of demography

The 1980 Census of the United States has been criticized as extravagant incompetent unpopular and an invasion of civil rights. For the 1st time in its history the decennial census is the focus of intensive and bitter political controversy. 1 of the protests possibly the less controversial concerns the constitutional requirement that a decennial census be taken to enumerate the number of "persons" in each state and local area for purposes of determining representation in the House of Representatives. At least 5 factors have made the issue of undercounting a major political issue in 1980. There has been a great increase in various transfer payments to local areas by the state and federal government based on population. These involve large sums in multivarious programs that are too numerous and complex to describe. The federal and state allocations vary greatly in different areas and they are presumed to be greatest for the denizens of large central cities. Associated with this is the fact that central cities have experienced a large exodus of population in the 1970 decade with corresponding prospective losses in congressional representation. A growing issue is widespread concern regarding the presence and apparently growing numbers of hundreds of thousands of "undocumented aliens." The concern of invasion of privacy has risen with great force in regard to the 1980 Census. Specific proposals for change are identified.
GEL ELECTROPHORETIC DISTINCTION BETWEEN TOXIC AND NONTOXIC FORMS OF BETA-AMYLOID (1-40)

The in vitro toxicity of synthetic beta-amyloid (1-40) correlates with its binding to Congo red (CR). Potentially, therefore, CR binding to the beta-amyloid containing neuritic plaques in Alzheimer's disease could be used diagnostically. Using polyacrylamide under nondenaturing conditions, the present study shows that both CR binding and nonbinding synthetic beta-amyloid exhibits multiple charge-isomeric and size-isomeric species. The CR binding species exhibit values of free electrophoretic mobility, related to the surface charge density of the protein, which are less than those of the CR non-binding species within 95% confidence limits. Since surface net charge and solubility are correlated, the decreased solubility of the CR binding species may be responsible for the relative abundance and CR binding of beta-amyloid in the neuritic plaques of Alzheimer patients.
The challenges of emerging illness in urban environments: an overview.

The New York City West Nile outbreak is an important case study for examining several medical and public health issues raised by the specter of emerging illnesses in urban areas. Five specific issues are addressed in this issue of theJournal of Urban Health: ecosystem health, vector (e.g., mosquito) control, risk communication, public health infrastructure, and parallels between this outbreak and bioterrorism.