cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human action recognition using a dynamic Bayesian action network with 2D part models

This paper presents an approach to simultaneously track the pose and recognize human actions in a video. This is achieved by combining Dynamic Bayesian Action Network (DBAN) with 2D body part models. Existing DBAN implementation relies on fairly weak observation features which affects recognition accuracy. In this work, we propose to use an occlusion sensitive 2D body part model for accurate pose alignment, which in turn improves both pose estimate and action recognition accuracy. To compensate for the additional time required for alignment, we use an action entropy based scheme to determine the minimum number of states to be maintained in each frame while avoiding sample impoverishment. We demonstrate our approach on a hand gesture dataset with 500 action sequences, and show that compared to DBAN, our algorithm achieves 6% improvement in accuracy.
The Role of Attachment Style in Coping with Job Loss and the Empty Nest in Adulthood

The current study employed a life events perspective to examine the relationship between attachment style and both adjustment and coping processes in adults during two specific life events involving both the loss of and a renegotiation of an attachment relationship: the launching of children from the family of origin and job loss, which represent both normative and non-normative transitions, respectively. Using median splits for each attachment dimension (closeness, dependency, and anxiety) to define secure, anxious, and avoidant styles, based on the work of Collins and Read, analyses failed to yield a significant multivariate life event by style interaction. However, a statistically significant multivariate main effect for life event and for attachment style was obtained. Additionally, findings suggested that to a certain extent, the impact of attachment style and life events is moderated by gender, wherein a supplemental analysis yielded a significant life event by gender by level of closeness interaction. The data support the notion that securely attached individuals may be more equipped to meet developmental life challenges in adulthood, and extend previous work that is limited to women and to the empty nest.
On MATLAB demonstrations of narrowband Gaussian noise

A demo program for teaching characteristics of narrowband Gaussian noise (NBGN) by using MATLAB environment is presented in this article. Programs are developed in MATLAB tool makeshow, and users are led step by step through the statistical characteristics of the NBGN including probability density and distribution functions, and the corresponding probability. The evaluation of the software by users is also included. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 19: 598–603, 2011
Tumor Suppressor Genes in Ophthalmology

Tumor suppressor genes have a diversity of functions, but they have in common the property of inhibiting neoplastic transformation. When they become inactivated, a constraint is removed that allows cells to grow inappropriately. Mutations in these genes are now thought to be the initiating events in most cancers. The first tumor suppressor gene was discovered through its role in retinoblastoma, and many other tumor suppressor genes also have important ophthalmic manifestations. The first group of tumor suppressor genes to be discussed are those involved in retinoblastoma and uveal melanoma. These are among the most frequently mutated genes in human cancer and are key regulators of growth and homeostasis. The second group of genes is associated with specific hereditary tumor syndromes with ophthalmic manifestations. These genes function in a variety of molecular pathways and are associated with neoplastic and non-neoplastic abnormalities in restricted tissue distributions. Research on tumor suppressor genes continues to shed light on the molecular pathophysiology of ophthalmic tumors and will increasingly yield diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
The Metallicity of the Redshift 4.16 Quasar BR 2248-1242

We estimate the metallicity in the broad emission line region of the redshift z \ 4.16 quasar BR 2248[1242 by comparing line ratios involving nitrogen to theoretical predictions. BR 2248[1242 has unusually narrow emission lines with large equivalent widths, thus providing a rare opportunity to measure several line-ratio abundance diagnostics. The combined diagnostics indicate a metallicity of D2 times solar. This result suggests that an episode of vigorous star formation occurred near BR 2248[1242 prior to the observed z \ 4.16 epoch. The time available for this enrichment episode is only D1.5 Gyr at z \ 4.16 (for km s~1 Mpc~1, and This evidence for high metalH 0 \ 65 ) m \ 0.3, ) " [ 1). licities and rapid star formation is consistent with the expected early-epoch evolution of dense galactic nuclei.
STAT4 Deficiency Fails To Induce Lung Th2 or Th17 Immunity following Primary or Secondary Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Challenge but Enhances the Lung RSV-Specific CD8+ T Cell Immune Response to Secondary Challenge

Immune-mediated lung injury is a hallmark of lower respiratory tract illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). STAT4 plays a critical role in CD4+ Th1 lineage differentiation and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) protein expression by CD4+ T cells. As CD4+ Th1 differentiation is associated with negative regulation of CD4+ Th2 and Th17 differentiation, we hypothesized that RSV infection of STAT4−/− mice would result in enhanced lung Th2 and Th17 inflammation and impaired lung Th1 inflammation compared to wild-type (WT) mice. We performed primary and secondary RSV challenges in WT and STAT4−/− mice and used STAT1−/− mice as a positive control for the development of RSV-specific lung Th2 and Th17 inflammation during primary challenge. Primary RSV challenge of STAT4−/− mice resulted in decreased T-bet and IFN-γ expression levels in CD4+ T cells compared to those of WT mice. Lung Th2 and Th17 inflammation did not develop in primary RSV-challenged STAT4−/− mice. Decreased IFN-γ expression by NK cells, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells was associated with attenuated weight loss and enhanced viral clearance with primary challenge in STAT4−/− mice compared to WT mice. Following secondary challenge, WT and STAT4−/− mice also did not develop lung Th2 or Th17 inflammation. In contrast to primary challenge, secondary RSV challenge of STAT4−/− mice resulted in enhanced weight loss, an increased lung IFN-γ expression level, and an increased lung RSV-specific CD8+ T cell response compared to those of WT mice. These data demonstrate that STAT4 regulates the RSV-specific CD8+ T cell response to secondary infection but does not independently regulate lung Th2 or Th17 immune responses to RSV challenge. IMPORTANCE STAT4 is a protein critical for both innate and adaptive immune responses to viral infection. Our results show that STAT4 regulates the immune response to primary and secondary challenge with RSV but does not restrain RSV-induced lung Th2 or Th17 immune responses. These findings suggest that STAT4 expression may influence lung immunity and severity of illness following primary and secondary RSV infections.
Measures of perceived linear size, sagittal motion, and visual angle from optical expansions and contractions

Using monocular observation, open-loop measurements were obtained of the perceptions of linear size, angular size, and sagittal motion associated with the terminal (largest or smallest) stimuli of repetitive optical expansions and contractions using 1-D or 2-D displays produced on a video monitor at a constant distance from the observer. The perceptions from these dynamic conditions were compared with those from static conditions in which the stimuli were of the same physical size and at the same physical distance as the terminal dynamic stimuli, but that were not part of the optical expansions or contractions. One result, as expected, was that the measures of perceived linear and angular size differed, but also, unexpectedly, some substantial errors were associated with the measures of perceived angular size. Another result was that the amount of size constancy was considerably less than was expected from the obtained amount of perceived motion in depth. Consistent with the latter result, it was found that the size-distance invariance hypothesis (SDIH), using the physical visual angles of the terminal stimuli, predicted only about half of the perceived motion in depth obtained with the dynamic changes. Using the obtained measures of perceived visual angles in the SDIH increased rather than decreased the error in predicting the amount of motion in depth as perceived. An additional experiment suggests that at least some of the error in the measurement of the perceived visual angle is a consequence of error in the perceived origin of the visual angles. The absence of the expected relation between size constancy and perceived motion in depth in the dynamic conditions is hypothesized to be due to cognitive processes associated with off-sized perceptions of the stimuli.
The optimum scalar data nonlinearity in LMS adaptation for arbitrary IID inputs

The authors show that the optimum nonlinear scale operation upon the elements of the observation vector in the LMS algorithm is exactly x/(1+ mu x/sup 2/) for any independent stochastic data input and any noise density. Moreover, use of such a nonlinearity can yield a significant performance improvement in fast adaptation situations. >
Rossby Waves in the Tropical North Pacific and Their Role in Decadal Thermocline Variability

Abstract A band of enhanced thermocline variability at 10°–15°N in the Pacific found in nature also occurs in an ocean general circulation model forced with observed fluxes of momentum, heat, and freshwater over the period 1958–97. The variability in the model is primarily associated with long baroclinic Rossby waves characterized by periods in the decadal range (7–10 yr). The waves are forced by westward propagating Ekman pumping anomalies east of the date line and propagate at a speed of ∼13 cm s−1, which is slower than the phase speed of the first mode unforced baroclinic waves (15–16 cm s−1). West of the date line, the correlations between thermocline displacements and local Ekman pumping are relatively small, and the ocean signals have a phase speed of ∼20 cm s−1, very similar to the phase speed of the first baroclinic mode in the western half of the basin (18–20 cm s−1). The phase speeds of the ocean model signals have been estimated using cospectral analysis, while the WKB approximation has been us...
Complete Genome Sequence of Campylobacter gracilis ATCC 33236T.

ABSTRACT The human oral pathogen Campylobacter gracilis has been isolated from periodontal and endodontal infections, and also from nonoral head, neck, or lung infections. This study describes the whole-genome sequence of the human periodontal isolate ATCC 33236T (=FDC 1084), which is the first closed genome for C. gracilis.
100 Basic Programming Solutions

Code snippets showing possible solutions to the exercises presented in Chap. 12 are presented in this chapter.
Working through paradoxes: Transnational migrants’ urban learning tactics using locative technology:

This study examines the ways in which transnational city newcomers interact with locative technology to build knowledge about their urban surroundings. We conducted semistructured interviews with 25 transnational migrants recently relocated to the greater New York City area, investigating their day-to-day smartphone use, navigation tactics, and uses of location-based services. Our analysis reflects on three themes: tensions surrounding different navigation strategies (searching vs. browsing); social monitoring practices (awareness vs. surveillance); and perceptions of online information sources (credibility/trust vs. distrust). Together, these themes highlight the contradictory outcomes of technology use both facilitating and hindering the processes of urban learning. We conclude with a discussion of paradoxical outcomes of technological use as a means of unpacking the sociotechnical tensions that emerge from locative technology use among transnational migrants in new urban environments.
Feedback Linearization based Control of Aeroelastic Systems represented in Modal Coordinates

Aeroelastic systems are known to exhibit complex response regimes due to the presence of various nonlinearities. The paper presents a nonlinear control law based on partial feedback linearization for an aeroelastic system equipped with a trailing edge control flap in the presence of polynomial type of stiffness nonlinearity. A modal transformation is utilized to linearly decouple the system, followed by a nonlinear transformation to make the transformed system partially feedback linearizable. A nonlinear control law is then derived to suppress limit cycle oscillations for velocities below the flutter velocity. It is demonstrated that the derived nonlinear control law does not involve cancellation of any coupled linear terms and renders the closed loop system asymptotically stable at least locally. Numerical simulations are used to establish the validity of the given results.
Multiplexed protein quantification in maize leaves by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry: an alternative tool to immunoassays for target protein analysis in genetically engineered crops.

A multiplexing liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC−MS/MS) method to quantify three proteins in maize leaves was developed and validated. For each protein, a hybrid Q-TRAP mass spectrometer was operated in the information-dependent acquisition (IDA) mode to select optimal potential signature peptides. The respective signature peptides were then further optimized and quantified as protein surrogates by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Leaf crude extracts were subject to microwave-assisted trypsin digestion for 30 min and then injected directly onto a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column without further separation or enrichment. The minimum sample process enabled us to achieve high recovery and good reproducibility, with a throughput of 200 samples per day. Using recombinant proteins as standards, a linear dynamic quantitative range of 2 orders of magnitude was obtained (correlation coefficient > 0.997) with good accuracy (deviation from nominal concentration < ...
Rapid construction of three-dimensional finite element model of human craniofacial complex

Objective:To develop a kind of digitized method to construct three dimensional finite element(3-D FE) model which may express biomechanic dynamic state characters of human craniofacial complex.Methods:A voluntary patient of skeletal class Ⅲ malocclusion in permanent dentition was chosen as a model.SCT image reconstruction technique and 3-D FEM were used in combination with Mimics software and HyperMesh software.Results:A 3-D FEM of human craniofacial complex was constructed.It included 108818 elements and 195654 nodes.lt could be observed at any dimension.Conclusion:The method to develop a model of human craniofacial complex adopting SCT 3-D image reconstruction technique,Mimics,and hypermesh are rapid and effective.
Approximate Calculation of Reradation Interference in High Frequency Signals From UHV Transmission Lines

How to avoid the high reradiation interference in adjacent radio station has become an important issue puzzling the routing choices of UHV transmission lines.To improve the method of moments which could not be used in high frequency interference solution,such as excessive computation,we proposed a calculation idea using uniform geometrical theory of diffraction(UTD) based on the reradiation surface model of power lines.According to the models of edge diffraction and surface diffraction defined in UTD,we researched the diffraction field of surface models with angle-steel in power tower and conductor,and introduced the solution method.Using a specific engineering case,we analyzed the reradiation interference on special radar in extremely high frequency from UHV transmission lines.It is proved that the interference from UHV transmission lines in high frequency can be mathematically calculated by UTD method,and its trend changes can be reflected by various conditions.
Tidal reversal and flow velocities using temperature and specific conductance in a small wetland creek

Abstract Characterizing flow dynamics in very small tidal creeks is complicated and not well suited to methods developed for upland streams or coastal estuaries, due to low flows, bidirectionality and shallow waters. Simple instrumentation enables thermal and salinity signals to be used to observe flow directions and estimate velocities in these settings. Using multiple inexpensive sensors over 500 m along a tidally influenced wetland creek, I demonstrate how advection of temperature and specific conductance pulses reveal flood and ebb tides and the temporary reversal of flow by warmer, estuarine water from the receiving embayment. The sequential rise of temperature upstream was most evident under hot and dry conditions, after daily peak air temperatures of 25 °C or above, and was subdued or disrupted under cooler or rainy conditions in summertime. Changes in specific conductance at successive sites upstream were less susceptible to environmental influences and confirm tidal flood velocity of between 0.07 and 0.37 m/s. The tidally-induced flow reversal suggests that periodic high tide conditions can interfere with rapid dispersal of pollution discharges, such as from the combined sewer overflow (CSO) located upstream of the studied creek reach. This low-cost approach of temperature and specific conductance sensing in vegetated coastal wetlands where access, precise elevation control and creek discharge measurements are difficult, provides a simple way of tracking water masses when sufficient contrast exists between water sources.
Thermal mapping of a pāhoehoe lava flow, Kīlauea Volcano

Abstract Pāhoehoe lava flows are a major component of Hawaiian eruptive activity, and an important part of basaltic volcanism worldwide. In recent years, pāhoehoe lava has destroyed homes and threatened parts of Hawai'i with inundation and disruption. In this study, we use oblique helicopter-borne thermal images to create high spatial resolution (~ 1 m) georeferenced thermal maps of the active pāhoehoe flow on Kīlauea Volcano's East Rift Zone. Thermal maps were created on 27 days during 2014–2016 in the course of operational monitoring, encompassing a phase of activity that threatened the town of Pāhoa. Our results illustrate and reinforce how pāhoehoe flows are multicomponent systems consisting of the vent, master tube, distributary tubes, and surface breakouts. The thermal maps accurately depict the distribution and character of pāhoehoe breakouts through time, and also delineate the subsurface lava tube. Surface breakouts were distributed widely across the pāhoehoe flow, with significant portions concurrently active well upslope of the flow front, often concentrated in clusters of activity that evolved through time. Gradual changes to surface breakout distribution and migration relate to intrinsic processes in the flow, including the slow evolution of the distributary tube system. Abrupt disruptions to this system, and the creation of new breakouts (and associated hazards), were triggered by extrinsic forcing—namely fluctuations in lava supply rate at the vent which disrupted the master lava tube. Although the total area of a pāhoehoe flow has been suggested to relate to effusion rate, our results show that changes in the proportion of expansion vs. overplating can complicate this relationship. By modifying existing techniques, we estimate time-averaged discharge rates for the flow during 2014–2016 generally in the range of 1–2 m 3 s − 1 (mean: 1.3 ± 0.4 m 3 s − 1 )—less than half of Kīlauea's typical eruption rate on the East Rift Zone and suggestive of a weak eruptive regime during 2014–2016. We caution, however, that this discharge rate approach requires further independent corroboration. The thermal maps provide the first synoptic characterization of pāhoehoe flow activity at high spatial resolution, essential both for operational hazard assessment and fundamental understanding of pāhoehoe behavior.
Ultra-wide angle, directional spectrum splitting with visible-frequency versatile metasurfaces

We propose and experimentally realize a virtually flat metasurface which can split different visible-frequency photons to completely different or even contrary directions with ultra-wide angular range (> 90°). The phase gradients provided by the metasurface have been engineered to exhibit significant wavelength-selective features.
Burnin’ Down the House: The 2007 Recession and the Effect on Arson

ABSTRACTIn the economics and housing literature, the narrative of the “arsonist for profit” is popularized, where a would-be offender destroys personal property for financial gain. More of than not, arson is expected to increase during periods of economic decline. Over a 12-year period, data on this crime and other demographic variables were collected for 264 counties to study the impact of the 2007 recession on this firesetting. The analyses herein find no support for the profiting arsonist. Implications for future research in this area are discussed.
Oculomotor Prediction: A Window into the Psychotic Mind

Psychosis - an impaired contact with reality - is a hallmark of schizophrenia. Many psychotic symptoms are associated with disruptions in agency - the sense that 'I' cause my actions. A failure to predict sensory consequences of one's own actions may underlie agency disturbances. Such predictions rely on corollary discharge (CD) signals, 'copies' of movement commands sent to sensory regions prior to action execution. Here, we make a case that the oculomotor system is a promising model for understanding CD in psychosis, building on advances in our understanding of the behavioral and neurophysiological correlates of CD associated with eye movements. In this opinion article, we provide an overview of recent evidence for disturbed oculomotor CD in schizophrenia, potentially linking bizarre and disturbing psychotic experiences with basic physiological processes.
Effectiveness of Three Foodservice Equipment Training Interventions for Food and Nutrition Students

This study evaluated students’ (N = 65) reported knowledge, competence, and comfort in using foodservice equipment, as well as confidence in training others after completing one of the following in...
Perceptions of Harm to Children Exposed to Secondhand Aerosol From Electronic Vapor Products, Styles Survey, 2015

INTRODUCTION The US Surgeon General has concluded that e-cigarette aerosol is not harmless and can contain harmful and potentially harmful chemicals, including nicotine. We assessed factors associated with adults' perceptions of harm related to children's exposure to secondhand aerosol from electronic vapor products (EVPs). METHODS Data came from the 2015 Styles, an Internet panel survey of US adults aged 18 years or older (n = 4,127). Respondents were asked whether they believe aerosol from other people's EVPs causes children harm. Harm perceptions were assessed overall and by cigarette smoking, EVP use, and sociodemographic characteristics. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess odds of perceived harm. RESULTS Overall, 5.3% of adults responded that secondhand EVP exposure caused "no harm" to children, 39.9% responded "little harm" or "some harm," 21.5% responded "a lot of harm," and 33.3% responded "don't know." Odds of "no harm" response were greater among men than among women, current and former cigarette smokers than among never smokers, and current and former EVP users than among never users; odds were lower among non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, and non-Hispanic other races than among non-Hispanic whites. Odds of responding "don't know" were greater among men, current cigarette smokers, and current and former EVP users; odds were lower among those aged 45 to 64 years than those aged 18 to 24 years and lower among non-Hispanic other races and Hispanics than non-Hispanic whites. CONCLUSION Two-fifths of US adults believe that children's exposure to secondhand EVP aerosol causes some or little harm, while one-third do not know whether it causes harm. Efforts are warranted to educate the public about the health risks of secondhand EVP aerosol, particularly for children.
ROBERTS, Janine, TALES & TRANSFORMATIONS: Stories in Families and Family Therapy

ROBERTS, Janine, TALES & TRANSFORMATIONS: Stories in Families and Family Therapy. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1994, 230pp., $27.00 US, $35.00 Canadian, hardcover. Reviewed by: CHESTER A. WINTON This book explores the role of storytelling in a therapeutic process of affecting change, both intrapsychic change for an individual and interpersonal changes affecting relationship dynamics between people. The author begins by exploring different kinds of stories. There are oral stories that are told. Stories that are told about the past tend to be selective in the memories that are evoked. The selectivity process is grist for the therapeutic mill. Many people and families have stories that are unspoken, that they prefer not to tell. The secretive stories often function to inhibit change, because what is not disclosed, not discussed, is often about a problem. So long as the problem is avoided or repressed, it is maintained. The exploration of stories can thus be a valuable tool in confronting areas that are left out for any of multiple reasons. Stories have a past, present and a future and time is one dimension that can be used in therapeutically working with stories. Spoken stories have the benefits of spontaneity and immediacy. They can be used either in individual psychotherapy or in dealing with interpersonal interactions, where one person tells a story or part of a story and a family member or partner tells a story of what they heard, creating a dialogue around the story. Then there are written stories. This can involve writing one's own story or a family's story. It can involve reading a written story to another, again creating a dialogue around the story. The stories may be illustrated, by photographs that are stories within a story, or by pictures drawn by children, as may be useful when a child writes a story of a parental divorce. Written stories can include thank you notes or letters of appreciation which the author refers to as mini-stories. Stories can be enacted, which allows people to tell the story and be in the story simultaneously. Enactments may involve role-playing, sculpting, or using puppets. The author uses one chapter to link cultural themes and values to stories before discussing how she uses stories to train therapists. She discusses different styles of stories including intertwined stories that are used in an interpersonal context, distinct/separated stories, minimal/interrupted, silenced/secret, rigid and evolving stories. I think that all stories can become evolving stories. Throughout this book, there, there are innumerable illustrations of stories as told by the author's clients and students. …
Difficulties in dopamine transporter radioligand PET analysis: the example of LBT-999 using [18F] and [11C] labelling: Part I: PET studies

Abstract Background LBT-999 (E)- N -(4-fluorobut-2-enyl)-2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4′-tolyl)nortropane is a dopamine transporter (DAT) ligand. [ 18 F]LBT-999 was first labelled with carbon-11; we will now describe its in vivo behaviour in comparison to that of [ 11 C]LBT-999. Methods/Results Positron emission tomography (PET) experiments (baboons) confirmed the high affinity/specificity of [ 18 F]LBT-999 for DAT. The brain regional distribution was in accordance with that of DAT. Pre-treatment with LBT-999 (1 mg/kg iv), but not with desipramine, a norepinephrine (NET) antagonist, reduced the striatum-to-cerebellum ratio by 96%, confirming the specificity for DAT vs. NET. The parent compound decreased rapidly and represented 24.3±5.0% of plasma radioactivity at 30 min pi. Whole-body scans showed an important bone uptake of free fluorine following metabolism of [ 18 F]LBT-999. In the cerebellum and striatum, distribution volumes increased by 30–40% between 80 and 230 min, suggesting the polluting role of a radiometabolite(s). [ 11 C]LBT-999 exhibited a 40% higher standardized uptake value in the striata. This difference is likely due to N -dealkylation followed by [ 18 F]fluoride release. 2β-Carbomethoxy-3β-(4′-tolyl) nortropane is then formed, while [ 11 C]2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4′-tolyl) nortropane is formed following injection of [ 11 C]LBT-999. This metabolite has high affinity for the DAT. In one specific PET experiment, intravenous injection of this metabolite induced a strong displacement of [ 18 F]LBT-999 in the striata, confirming that this metabolite readily crosses the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and binds to DAT. Conclusions [ 18 F]LBT-999 is N -dealkylated in vivo to yield (1) a nonradioactive metabolite that crosses the BBB and has a high affinity for the DAT and (2) a [ 18 F]fluoro-alkyl chain which is further defluorinated. The temporal changes in distribution volumes are consistent with the accumulation of a radiometabolite(s) in the brain. Therefore, the quantification of DAT density with [ 18 F]LBT-999 is rather difficult.
La recitación: el re-mix, presentando a Faith Smith y Jamaica Kincaid

Este ensayo parte del trabajo de las estudiosas Leah Rosemberg y Faith Smith –asi como de la obra de la escritora caribena Jamaica Kincaid y de la guionista afroamericana Suzan Lori Parks– para explorar el modo en que algunas mujeres de la diaspora han utilizado las herramientas retoricas de la recitacion, la repeticion y la revision con el fin de reclamar y reposicionar una historia intelectual y literaria largamente dominada por hombres, quienes, a su vez, tambien han luchado por re-escribir dicha historia. ?De que forma estas mujeres se han apropiado de las mismas herramientas que sus silenciadores han usado por tanto tiempo para elevar sus voces fuerte y claramente? ?Cuales son las conexiones entre las diferentes practicas literarias que han viajado de isla en isla hasta el continente, extendiendo el alcance del archipielago “metafisico”?
Feeling Better at This Age? Investigating Three Explanations for Self-Rated Health Improvements Among the Oldest-Old.

Background and Objectives Although the majority of individuals in their 80s or 90s do not experience improving health, a significant portion of this age group either (a) subjectively assess their health as improving; or (b) demonstrate self-rated health improvements when comparing consecutive surveys. While there is a body of research that examines self-rated health declines in older ages, much less work has studied possible determinants of self-rated health improvements. This is important, since there is increasing evidence that oldest-old adults have unique health evaluative processes that are not yet well-understood. Research Design and Methods Using 21,155 observations from eight waves of the Asset and Health Dynamics survey (the oldest-old portion of the Health and Retirement Study), I use hierarchical linear models to test three explanations as to why the oldest-old may report or demonstrate self-rated health improvements: (a) normalized pre-existing chronic conditions, (b) positive lifestyle changes, and (c) recovery from recent prior health shocks. Results Health improvements calculated by comparing consecutive surveys were related to a recovery from four particular serious health diagnoses (cancer, stroke, heart disease, and lung disease). Conversely, explicitly reported health improvements were associated with normalizing pre-existing conditions. Lastly, starting a regular exercise routine was related to both types of health improvements; while the cessation of negative health behaviors (i.e., drinking and smoking) was not related to either type. Discussion and Implications These results suggest that while subjective health "improvements" among the oldest-old may be a sign of successful aging, they should be interpreted critically and cautiously.
21 Use of trauma registry data underestimates the incidence of firearm assault

Statement of purpose Absent a single data source, researchers have characterised firearm injury epidemiology using trauma registry data. To understand bias associated with this approach, we compared trends in firearm assault incidence and mortality in Philadelphia over 10 years from two sources: the Pennsylvania Trauma Outcomes Study (PTOS) and the Philadelphia Police Department database (PPD). Methods We included PTOS Philadelphia County firearm assaults patients and PPD firearm assault victims from 2005–2014. We compared subject demographics and calculated counts of fatal and non-fatal incidents between the two data sources. We used generalised linear models adjusting for seasonality to estimate temporal trends in firearm assault rates and fatality over the study period for both data sources. Results A total of 6,988 PTOS and 14,172 PPD subjects met inclusion criteria. Compared to PTOS subjects, PPD subjects were younger (27Â±10 vs. 28Â±13 years; p Conclusions Relative to PPD data, PTOS data underestimated firearm assault incidence and overestimated case fatality rate. Both data sources demonstrated decrease in the incidence of firearm assault, but the rate of decrease was lower in PTOS data. Contributions to Injury/Violence Prevention Science Local law enforcement data is a promising source for studying city-level firearm injury epidemiology. As trauma registry data likely underestimates firearm assault incidence, future research should use inclusive or linked data sources to reduce this risk of bias.
Stochastic Hybrid Dynamic Multicultural Social Networks

In this work, we investigate the cohesive properties of a stochastic hybrid dynamic multi-cultural network under random environmental perturbations. By considering a multi-agent dynamic network, we model a social structure and find conditions under which cohesion and coexistence is maintained using Lyapunov’s Second Method and the comparison method. In this paper, we present a prototype illustration that exhibits the significance of the framework and approach. Moreover, the explicit sufficient conditions in terms of system parameters are given to exhibit when the network is cohesive both locally and globally. The sufficient conditions are algebraically simple, easy to verify, and robust. Further, we decompose the cultural state domain into invariant sets and consider the behavior of members within each set. We also analyze the degree of conservativeness of the estimates using Euler-Maruyama type numerical approximation schemes based on the given illustration.
Language, Intelligence, and Rule-Governed Behavior

One of the odder phenomena of the past thirty years is that Chomsky’s transformational, i. e., “generative” linguistic theory denies the major premises of modern biological thought but nonetheless claims to have a biological basis. Chomsky and his adherents claim to hold a nativist biological position. Generative grammar supposedly reflects the species-specific neural constraints of the human brain. Chomsky (1980a), for example, claims that human beings all have a “universal grammar” that derives from a neural mechanism, a “fixed nucleus,” that he places in the left, dominant hemisphere of the brain. Given this strong biological claim, one would expect that linguists were working in a biological framework, where the properties of the human brain would constrain linguistic theories concerning the ontogenetic development language, the relationship between language and cognition, and the evolution of language. We might expect linguists to take account of the findings of neuroanatomy, developmental and comparative psychology, and evolutionary biology. However, it is clear these biological data are irrelevant to linguists because present linguistic theories are, at best, disjoint from any actual characteristics of the human brain, human biology or human evolution.
Diversity, Distribution and Ecology of Green Algae and Cyanobacteria in Urban Habitats

Dr. Fabio Rindi is a postdoctoral research associate in the department of biological sciences at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. He obtained his PhD at the University of Pisa, Italy, in 1999. He has subsequently spent 6 years as postdoctoral researcher at the National University of Ireland, Galway, investigating taxonomy and ecology of some groups of terrestrial and marine algae of western Ireland in collaboration with Prof Michael Guiry. His research interests include taxonomy, phylogeny, biogeography and life histories of selected groups of marine, freshwater and terrestrial algae. Green algae of the orders Trentepohliales, Prasiolales and Klebsormidiales represent the main target groups of his research.
Sintered electrode full cells for high energy density lithium-ion batteries

Increasing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries at the electrode and cell level is necessary to continue the reductions in the size and weight of battery cells and packs. Energy density improvements can be accomplished through increasing active material density in electrodes by decreasing porosity and removing inactive additives, as well as by using thicker electrodes that reduce the relative fraction of separators and current collectors in the cell. This paper describes the fabrication of sintered electrodes comprised of only electro-active material toward the goal of thick electrodes free of binders and conductive additives. The electrodes reported herein have no inactive additives in the electrode, > 62% active material volume fraction, and high thicknesses of > 500 µm. The high capacity of these electrodes presents challenges for material characterization and extended cycling. In particular, lithium metal anodes limit the performance of sintered electrode cells at > 1 mA cm−2, a relatively low rate for these thick electrodes. In this work, full Li4Ti5O12/LiCoO2 (LTO/LCO) sintered electrode cells with total combined thickness of anode, separator, and cathode of up to 2.90 mm have been successfully fabricated and electrochemically evaluated. These full cells have improved stability and high areal capacities, as high as 45 mAh cm−2 capacity at 1.28 mA cm−2.
Study of Cathepsin B inhibition in VEGFR TKI treated human renal cell carcinoma xenografts.

Several therapeutic options are available for metastatic RCC, but responses are almost never complete, and resistance to therapy develops in the vast majority of patients. Consequently, novel treatments are needed to combat resistance to current therapies and to improve patient outcomes. We have applied integrated transcriptome and proteome analyses to identify cathepsin B (CTSB), a cysteine proteinase of the papain family, as one of the most highly upregulated gene products in established human RCC xenograft models of resistance to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). We used established RCC models to test the significance of CTSB in the progression of renal cancer. Our evaluation of CTSB showed that stable CTSB knockdown suppressed RCC growth in vitro and in vivo. Stable over-overexpression of wild-type CTSB (CTSBwt/hi), but not of an CTSB active site mutant (CTSBN298A), rescued cell growth in CTSB knockdown cells and abolished the efficacy of VEGFR TKI treatment. Genome-wide transcriptome profiling of CTSB knockdown cells demonstrated significant effects on multiple metabolic and stem cell-related pathways, with ALDHA1A (ALDH1) as one of the most significantly downregulated genes. Importantly, survival analysis across 16 major TCGA cancers revealed that CTSB overexpression is associated with low rates of three and five year patient survival rates (P = 2.5e–08, HR = 1.4). These data strongly support a contribution of CTSB activity to RCC cell growth and tumorigenicity. They further highlight the promise of CTSB inhibition in development of novel combination therapies designed to improve efficacy of current TKI treatments of metastatic RCC.
Power losses minimization in the SEPIC DC-DC converter using Particle Swarm Optimization technique (PSO)

High efficiency is the main objective desired in Light Emitting Diode (LED) drivers. Therefore, the optimal design of the power electronic components with low voltage and current ripples implies a reduction in the power dissipation and guarantees a high efficiency in the power converter. In this study, we will minimize the power losses components in order to optimize the Single Ended Primary Inductor Converter (SEPIC) used in LEDs lighting applications. A particle swarm optimization method (PSO) is applied in order to achieve the power loss minimization under thermal, electric and magnetic constraints. Simulation results show that the power losses are minimized to 3.24 W and the efficiency achieves the desired value 98%. Therefore, the PSO optimization algorithm is suitable to improve the power converter efficiency.
Post-diagnosis use of antihypertensive medications and the risk of death from ovarian cancer

Abstract Objective To examine associations between post-diagnosis use of antihypertensive (AH) medications including thiazide diuretics (TDs), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), beta blockers (BBs) [both non-selective (NSBBs) and selective (SBBs)] and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and ovarian cancer-specific survival. Methods This cohort study used SEER-Medicare data on 2195 women 66+ years of age who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer during 2007–2012 and who survived for at least 12 months. Use of an AH class was defined as two or more fills during the year after diagnosis. Ovarian cancer-specific death was assessed starting one year after diagnosis and continued through the end of 2013. Associations between AH use and ovarian cancer-specific mortality were assessed using Cox proportional hazard models, comparing users of a given class of AH to non-AH users. Results Overall, 718 (33%), 690 (31%), 521 (24%), 154 (7%) of women used a TD, ACEI, BB, or CCB, respectively, with some women (48%) using more than one class of drug. Ovarian cancer-specific mortality was found to be lower among women who used an ACEI (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63–0.92), a TD (aHR 0.82, 95%CI 0.68–0.99), or a NSBB (aHR 0.60, 95%CI 0.43–0.83), but no such association was seen in women who took a SBB or CCB. Conclusion We observed that women who took certain forms of an AH medication during the year following a diagnosis of ovarian cancer were thereafter at a relatively reduced risk of dying from their disease. However, the potential for residual confounding by disease severity argues for a cautious interpretation.
Energetics of hydration on uranium oxide and peroxide surfaces

Enthalpies of water adsorption on amorphous and crystalline oxides and peroxides of uranium are reported. Despite substantial structural and computational research on reactions between actinides and water, understanding their surface interactions from the energetic perspective remains incomplete. Direct calorimetric measurements of hydration energetics of nano-sized, bulk-sized UO2, U3O8, anhydrous γ-UO3, amorphous UO3, and U2O7 were carried out, and their integral adsorption enthalpies were determined to be −67.0, −70.2, −73.0, −84.1, −61.6, and −83.6 kJ/mol water, with corresponding water coverages of 4.6, 4.5, 4.1, 5.2, 4.4, and 4.1 H2O per nm2, respectively. These energetic constraints are important for understanding the interfacial phenomena between water and U-containing phases. Additionally, this set of data also helps predict the absorption and desorption behavior of water from nuclear waste forms or used nuclear fuels under repository conditions. There are also underlying relations for water coverage among different U compounds. These experimentally determined data can be used as benchmark values for future computational investigations.
Integrating gene expression biomarker predictions into networks of adverse outcome pathways

Abstract Microarray profiling in the context of toxicity testing in animals has been used for years to identify mechanisms of toxicity, derive points of departure using dose–response modeling, and determine human relevance. High-throughput transcriptomic technologies are increasingly being used to screen environmental chemicals in vitro to identify molecular targets and provide mechanistic context for regulatory testing. This review will discuss the use of gene expression biomarkers to make predictions of activity of molecular targets of chemicals that can be linked to adverse outcomes in a number of cellular and tissue contexts. Gene expression biomarkers are built using global gene expression comparisons from cells or tissues exposed to chemicals with known effects on the factor of interest. Incorporating profiles in which the expression of the factor is altered (e.g. in gene-null mice) facilitates the identification of predictive genes. As an example of their use, biomarkers that predict molecular initiating events and key events in liver cancer adverse outcome pathways have been shown to accurately identify chemical–dose combinations in short-term studies that lead to liver cancer in 2-year bioassays. In the near future, batteries of biomarkers that predict modulation of important targets of environmental chemicals could be used to interpret high-throughput transcriptomic screening data.
Pharmacologic Management of Hepatic Encephalopathy

Pharmacologic management of hepatic encephalopathy includes a broad range of therapies. This article covers the specific mainstays of therapies, such as antimicrobials and laxatives, with an established evidence base. This article also covers newer modalities of therapies, such as fecal microbiota transplant, probiotics, bioartificial support systems, small molecular therapies such as l-ornithine l-aspartate, branched chain amino acids, l-carnitine, zinc, and other forms of therapy currently under review.
When Ideology Replaces the Market: Gentrification in East Jerusalem

This chapter explores East Jerusalem’s urban renewal as a case presenting a different motivation for gentrification, namely the ideological model of gentrification. Multiple studies identify gentrification’s principle impetus as neoliberalism, involving wealthier middle-class individuals displacing poorer individuals by purchasing property and upgrading it through renovation and modernization. Challenging this fundamental assumption, the question explored is, can we expect similar dynamics of gentrification when the motivation is not economic? In other words, what happens when gentrification is not profit or market driven? I suggest that different motivation for gentrification defines who are the groups involved and the tactics used. By mapping the difference between the actors and tactics used in the economic model to those in the ideological model, it is shown that the motivations of gentrifiers influence the dynamics of gentrification, that ideological gentrification is zero-sum oriented, and that ideological gentrification attracts the support of external ideological actors.