cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A National Study of Training Content and Activities for Faculty Development for Online Teaching

This article presents the results of a national study of 39 higher education institutions that collected information about their practices for faculty development for online teaching and particularly the content and training activities used during 2011-2012. This study found that the most frequently offered training content (97% of the institutions) was assessment of student learning, followed by creating online community (91.1%), and training on the institution’s CMS, student learning styles, and instructional design models (all at 84%). Most frequent training activities (over 90% of institutions) were the workshop, one-on-one training, short sessions, hands-on training, one-time training, and creating an online course. Interesting differences by Carnegie institution type were found, perhaps explained by developers placing more value on teaching pedagogies than tools.
Sustainability assessment of algae cofiring in a coal-fired power plant: A hybrid LCA model

THE environmental performance of various algae cofiring scenarios in a 300 MW coal-fired power plant were investigated using an ecologically based hybrid LCA model. Scenarios included cofiring options utilizing 100% Coal, 75% Coal & 25% Algae, 50% Coal & 50% Algae, 25% Coal & 75% Algae, and 100% Algae. These percentage values represent the share of energy production (MJ) by algae and coal resources to generate the same amount of electricity in the power plant.
Metabolic syndrome and vascular disease: is nature or nurture leading the new epidemic of cardiovascular disease?

Whereas the previous epidemic of coronary heart disease (CHD) between 1910 and the 1960s was largely attributed to increased intake of saturated fat, it is quite plausible that the current epidemic of obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS) will lead the new epidemic of CHD, not only in the United States but throughout the world. During the previous epidemic, the populations of the Western and industrialized nations were those predominantly affected; however, on the basis of the fact that obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in most parts of the world, the new epidemic of CHD related to obesity and MS is likely to impose an unprecedented global burden of cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD). Although the precise reason for the global epidemic of obesity and MS has not been established, there is general agreement that environmental factors and changes in lifestyle are major contributors. It is thought that common changes in people’s behavior, which lead to consumption of high-calorie, refined food in association with decreased levels of physical activity, are largely responsible for obesity and MS. Because of their strong association with CVD, both obesity and MS are major public health problems. See p 42 Because MS is associated with increased risk of CHD, it has also been called the “Deadly Quartet” or cardiovascular dysmetabolic syndrome.1,2 MS comprises a cluster of abnormalities that occur as a result of perturbations in multiple metabolic pathways, leading to hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance (IR), hyperglycemia, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Recent findings also suggest that MS is a proinflammatory condition, as characterized by elevations of serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.3,4 There is now evidence that several atherothrombotic factors also are increased in MS; these include increased levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, serum fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, factor VII, and thrombin, as well as increased platelet activation and …
Image coding for telecommunications

The application of transform and wavelet coding to encode monochrome images is investigated. The proposed image coders are based on entropy-constrained trellis coded quantization. Excellent peak-signal-to-noise ratios were obtained for encoding the monochrome version of the 512/spl times/512 Lenna image. Comparisons with other results from the literature reveal that the proposed image coders are quite competitive. The subjective quality of the encoded images is also excellent. >
Maternal Reading Skills and Child Mortality in Nigeria: A Reassessment of Why Education Matters

Mother’s formal schooling—even at the primary level—is associated with lower risk of child mortality, although the reasons why remain unclear. This study examines whether mother’s reading skills help to explain the association in Nigeria. Using data from the Demographic and Health Survey, the analysis demonstrates that women’s reading skills increase linearly with years of primary school; however, many women with several years of formal school are unable to read at all. The results further show that mother’s reading skills help to explain the relationship between mother’s formal schooling and child mortality, and that mother’s reading skills are highly associated with child mortality. The study highlights the need for more data on literacy and for more research on whether and how mother’s reading skills lower child mortality in other contexts.
An Empirical Assessment of Student Computer Use Behaviors in the Classroom

Universities have widely deployed assorted information technologies, which positions students' laptop as a key pedagogical tool outside and inside the classroom. Viewed critically, the value imparted by laptops in the classroom is determined through the complex interplay of intended and unintended computer use behaviors and is, therefore, suspect. In response, universities may implement classroom control systems that impose either comparatively restricted or unrestricted access levels. We distinguish between two kinds of use behaviors-applicable behaviors and extraneous behaviors. We address two research questions. Are amounts of applicable and extraneous behaviors associated with different access levels? Are learning outcomes associated with amounts of applicable and extraneous behaviors? Using a cross-sectional, quasi-experimental design and data on 71 subjects, we conclude that a restricted access level is associated with significantly higher levels of applicable behavior vis-a-vis the unrestricted access level, and that time spent on extraneous behavior is negatively associated with learning performance.
40Ar/39Ar geochronology, paleomagnetism, and evolution of the Boring volcanic field, Oregon and Washington, USA

The 40 Ar/ 39 Ar investigations of a large suite of fine-grained basaltic rocks of the Boring volcanic field (BVF), Oregon and Washington (USA), yielded two primary results. (1) Using age control from paleomagnetic polarity, stratigraphy, and available plateau ages, 40 Ar/ 39 Ar recoil model ages are defined that provide reliable age results in the absence of an age plateau, even in cases of significant Ar redistribution. (2) Grouping of eruptive ages either by period of activity or by composition defines a broadly northward progression of BVF volcanism during latest Pliocene and Pleistocene time that reflects rates consistent with regional plate movements. Based on the frequency distribution of measured ages, periods of greatest volcanic activity within the BVF occurred 2.7–2.2 Ma, 1.7–0.5 Ma, and 350–50 ka. Grouped by eruptive episode, geographic distributions of samples define a series of northeast-southwest–trending strips whose centers migrate from south-southeast to north-northwest at an average rate of 9.3 ± 1.6 mm/yr. Volcanic activity in the western part of the BVF migrated more rapidly than that to the east, causing trends of eruptive episodes to progress in an irregular, clockwise sense. The K 2 O and CaO values of dated samples exhibit well-defined temporal trends, decreasing and increasing, respectively, with age of eruption. Divided into two groups by K 2 O, the centers of these two distributions define a northward migration rate similar to that determined from eruptive age groups. This age and compositional migration rate of Boring volcanism is similar to the clockwise rotation rate of the Oregon Coast Range with respect to North America, and might reflect localized extension on the trailing edge of that rotating crustal block.
The effects of metals on embryo-larval and adult life stages of the sea urchin, Diadema antillarum.

Since the massive population decline of the long-spined sea urchin, Diadema antillarum, in the early 1980s, the dynamics of coral reef ecosystems in the Caribbean have changed tremendously. The absence of D. antillarum, once a keystone herbivore, has led to macroalgal dominance in many of these reef communities. D. antillarumis not only important ecologically, but may also be a sensitive bioindicator species for toxicant exposure. Echinoderm larval development tests were conducted with D. antillarum exposed to elevated levels of aqueous copper (Cu), silver (Ag), nickel (Ni), or selenium (Se). All metals significantly affected larval development, based on normal development to the pluteus stage. The EC50s based on dissolved metal concentrations were 11g/L Cu, 6g/L Ag, 15g/L Ni, and 26g/L Se. Adult sea urchins were exposed to aqueous copper under flow through conditions for 96 h. The 96-h LC50 for this exposure was 25g/L dissolved Cu. Additionally, behavioral and physiological disturbance was observed. The physiological responses included both acid–base balance disturbance, as evidenced by reduced coelomic fluid pH and apparent ionoregulatory effects. In addition, behavioral effects included spatial orientation within the exposure tank, spine closure, and loss of spines. The high sensitivity of both adult and larval D. antillarum to these metals supports the use of this organism as an important biological indicator for metal exposure in marine environments. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
On a Method of Solving Sensitive Boundary Value Problems

Abstract Nonlinear two-point boundary value problems have always been difficult to solve. The difficulty is compounded if the problem tends to be inherently unstable. This paper describes an algorithm for solving such sensitive boundary value problems. The procedure is based on a computational method for finding the general solution of systems of ordinary differential equations used in conjunction with the multi-point quasilinearization method of Miele. The method is demonstrated by solving Troesch's problem and a singular perturbation problem.
User Experience Design for Technical Communication: Expanding Our Notions of Quality Information Design

Information design has traditionally favored instrumentalist and rationalist models of communication over more rich, experienced-based models, defining a 'good' text as one that enables users meet their goals with expedience. This paper critiques the expedient view of information design by offering a brief history of information design, and then presenting an alternative perspective derived from experience design literature to show what might characterize an expanded notion of information design. This new model argues for addressing people's emotional, psychological, physical, and social needs, as well as their cognitive ones and thereby redefining a 'good' text as one that embraces the complexity of humanity. This expanded notion of information design embodies Jurgen Habermas' concept of communicative rationality which counters the ethic of expedience inherent in most information design literature and practice.
Update in women's health.

For internists, women's health generally encompasses nonobstetric reproductive health, sex and gender differences in diseases that occur in both men and women, and conditions that occur predominant...
Common-mode EMI noise reduction for grid-interface converter in low-voltage DC distribution system

More attention to the electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues arises in grid-interface converter system where the radio frequency (RF) conducted emissions have to be considered on both dc and ac-side, such as in the application of photovoltaic (PV) system, dc distribution system, and charging system in electric vehicles (EVs). This paper presents a brief overview of the recent EMI research activities in such applications as well as the EMI filter design and measurement considerations. The common-mode (CM) conducted EMI noises pose more challenges of filter design in the grid-interface converter system due to the noise propagation paths are coupled between dc and ac side through the grounding capacitors. This paper presents a discussion on an ac EMI filter structure in the single-phase grid-interface converter for low-voltage dc distribution system, which helps reduce the coupling between dc and ac-side, and thus simplifies the CM EMI filter design process.
Protease nexin-1 expression is altered in human breast cancer

Urokinase-type Plasminogen Activator (uPA), a serine protease, plays a pivotal role in human breast cancer metastasis by mediating the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins and promoting cell motility. In more advanced breast cancers, uPA activity is significantly up regulated and serves as a prognostic indicator of poor patient outcome. Classically, regulation of uPA activity, especially in breast cancers, is thought to be mediated by Type 1 Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor (PAI-1). However, we have recently found that a lesser known natural inhibitor of uPA, Protease Nexin 1 (PN-1), is expressed in normal human mammary tissue. Based on this observation, we investigated if PN-1 is also expressed in human breast cancers where it may contribute to the regulation of uPA and participate in the development of a metastatic phenotype. Using quantitative real-time PCR analysis, we measured PN-1 mRNA expression in tissues obtained from 26 human breast tumor biopsies and compared these values with those obtained from 10 normal breast tissue samples. Since both PAI-1 and uPA expression levels are known to be elevated in metastatic breast cancer, we also measured their levels in our 26 tumor samples for direct comparison with PN-1 expression. We found that PN-1 expression was elevated over that found in normal mammary tissue; an increase of 1.5- to 3.5-fold in 21 of 26 human breast tumors examined. As anticipated, both PAI-1 and uPA mRNA levels were significantly higher in the majority of breast tumors; 19 of 26 tumors for PAI-1 and 22 of 26 tumors for uPA. A quantile box plot of these data demonstrates that the elevated PN-1 expression in breast tumor tissues directly correlates with the increased expression levels found for PAI-1 and uPA. The fact that PN-1 expression is elevated in human breast cancer, and that its increased expression is directly correlated with increases measured for PAI-1 and uPA, suggests that PN-1 may contribute to the regulation of uPA-mediate tumor cell motility and metastatic spread.
The role of reasons in epistemology

The notion of a reason often plays a central role in epistemological theories. Justification is often explained in terms of the having of appropriate reasons, and a variety of epistemological distinctions are most naturally explained, it seems, by adverting to reasons. This paper examines the extent to which we may, instead, make do without appeal to such a notion. It is argued that the extent to which the notion of a reason should play an important role in epistemological theorizing will depend on how our psychological theories of belief acquisition and belief change are best conceptualized.
A simplified parametric GLRT for STAP detection

We consider multichannel signal detection in the presence of spatially and temporally colored disturbance, a problem also known as space-time adaptive processing (STAP) in radars [1]. A number of sample covariance matrix based STAP detectors (e.g., [2]–[5]) have been proposed, which often require a lot of training data to ensure convergence. In many practical scenarios, these detectors may suffer significant performance loss due to a lack of sufficient training data. This has motivated interest in techniques with reduced training requirements, such as partially reduced rank-dimension detection [1], parametric STAP [6], and others.
The Justification of Equal Opportunity

As a preliminary to the justification of equal opportunity, we require a few words on the concept. An opportunity is a chance to attain some goal or obtain some benefit. More precisely, it is the lack of some obstacle or obstacles to the attainment of some goal(s) or benefit(s). Opportunities are equal in some specified or understood sense when persons face roughly the same obstacles or obstacles of roughly the same difficulty of some specified or understood sort. In different contexts we might have different sorts of benefits or obstacles in mind. But in the current social context, and in the context of this discussion, we refer to educational and occupational opportunities, chances to attain the benefits of higher education and of socially and economically desirable positions, benefits assumed to be desired by many or most individuals, other things being equal. And we generally divide obstacles into two broad classes: those imposed by the social system or by other persons in the society, for example, the hardships of life in the lower economic classes or barriers from prejudices based on race, sex, or ethnic background; and those imposed by natural disabilities, for example, low intelligence or lack of talents.The initial question is whether a moral society is obligated to create equality in opportunities in the senses just defined. I shall assume here initially that there is some such obligation on the part of society or the state, although I shall specify its nature and limits more precisely below. With the exception of certain libertarians, almost everyone, liberal and conservative alike, agrees in this assumption.
Optimizing 0/1 Loss for Perceptrons by Random Coordinate Descent

The 0/1 loss is an important cost function for perceptrons. Nevertheless it cannot be easily minimized by most existing perceptron learning algorithms. In this paper, we propose a family of random coordinate descent algorithms to directly minimize the 0/1 loss for perceptrons, and prove their convergence. Our algorithms are computationally efficient, and usually achieve the lowest 0/1 loss compared with other algorithms. Such advantages make them favorable for nonseparable real-world problems. Experiments show that our algorithms are especially useful for ensemble learning, and could achieve the lowest test error for many complex data sets when coupled with AdaBoost.
IL-33 Markedly Activates Murine Eosinophils by an NF-κB–Dependent Mechanism Differentially Dependent upon an IL-4–Driven Autoinflammatory Loop

Eosinophils are major effector cells in type 2 inflammatory responses and become activated in response to IL-4 and IL-33, yet the molecular mechanisms and cooperative interaction between these cytokines remain unclear. Our objective was to investigate the molecular mechanism and cooperation of IL-4 and IL-33 in eosinophil activation. Eosinophils derived from bone marrow or isolated from Il5-transgenic mice were activated in the presence of IL-4 or IL-33 for 1 or 4 h, and the transcriptome was analyzed by RNA sequencing. The candidate genes were validated by quantitative PCR and ELISA. We demonstrated that murine-cultured eosinophils respond to IL-4 and IL-33 by phosphorylation of STAT-6 and NF-κB, respectively. RNA sequence analysis of murine-cultured eosinophils indicated that IL-33 induced 519 genes, whereas IL-4 induced only 28 genes, including 19 IL-33-regulated genes. Interestingly, IL-33 induced eosinophil activation via two distinct mechanisms, IL-4 independent and IL-4 secretion/autostimulation dependent. Anti-IL-4 or anti-IL-4Rα Ab-treated cultured and mature eosinophils, as well as Il4- or Stat6-deficient cultured eosinophils, had attenuated protein secretion of a subset of IL-33-induced genes, including Retnla and Ccl17. Additionally, IL-33 induced the rapid release of preformed IL-4 protein from eosinophils by a NF-κB-dependent mechanism. However, the induction of most IL-33-regulated transcripts (e.g., Il6 and Il13) was IL-4 independent and blocked by NF-κB inhibition. In conclusion, we have identified a novel activation pathway in murine eosinophils that is induced by IL-33 and differentially dependent upon an IL-4 auto-amplification loop.
SEASONAL DIFFERENCES IN ONSET OF SURFACE ACTIVITY OF ORD'S KANGAROO RAT (DIPODOMYS ORDII)

Activity patterns of many nocturnal mammals are synchronized to daily cycles of light and dark. Light intensity is an important cue for nocturnal mammals because of the interplay between illumination and risk from visual predators. Studies suggest that nocturnal rodents are at greater risk from visually oriented predators before full darkness than after full darkness. We examined onset of surface activity of Ord’s kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii) over 3 seasons in central Nebraska. To determine surface activity, we used a nonobtrusive procedure—buried timers near burrows. Although initiation of aboveground activity was significantly correlated with sunset from season to season, mean onset of surface activity differed among seasons: 1 min before the start of full darkness in summer, 4 min before full darkness in autumn, and 15 min after full darkness in winter. Despite apparent costs of emerging before darkness, 61% of kangaroo rats in summer and 63% in autumn emerged before full darkness. In winter, however, only 19% of kangaroo rats began surface activity before full darkness. We suggest that emergence behaviors of nocturnal rodents from daytime shelters are plastic and probably linked to seasonal tradeoffs between costs of predation and benefits of reproduction and food abundance.
The median function on distributive semilattices

Abstract Continuing with the program to characterize the median function (f(x 1 ,…,x k ) = {x : ∑ i = 1 k d(x, x i ) is minimum }) on various finite metric spaces, we present a characterization when the metric space is a finite distributive semilattice endowed with the standard lattice metric.
Arriving at Results Efficiently: Using the Enhanced Evaluability Assessment Approach

Evidence, particularly practice-based evidence, is needed to guide public health practice. With the goal of contributing to practice-based evidence, the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention combined and streamlined aspects of an evaluability assessment and an effectiveness evaluation to create the Enhanced Evaluability Assessment (EEA). This approach offers a viable and less costly alternative to evaluators and practitioners by quickly identifying and evaluating models with evidence of effectiveness that can be replicated and expanded. The EEA can be applied to a range of public health topics, not just cardiovascular health. This article provides a step-by-step description of the EEA.
Capital Asset Pricing Model and Beta Forecasting

In this chapter, using the concepts of portfolio analysis and the dominance principle, we derive the capital asset pricing model (CAPM). Then we show how total risk can be decomposed into systematic risk and unsystematic risk. Finally, we discuss the determination of beta and introduce different methods for forecast beta coefficient.
A Power-Aware Symbiotic Scheduling Algorithm for Concurrent GPU Kernels

The past several years have witnessed significant performance improvements in High-Performance Computing (HPC), due to the incorporation of GPUs as co-processors. On one hand, GPU devices are growing significantly in terms of the available number of cores and the memory hierarchy; as a result, effective utilization of the available GPU resources while limiting the system power consumption has become an issue of rising importance. On the other hand, GPU vendors are providing additional supporting features to make this easier, such as enabling concurrent execution of multiple kernels, and providing on-board power sensors that can accessed through software. Amidst these new developments, we are faced with new opportunities for efficiently scheduling GPU computational kernels under performance and power constraints. In this paper, we propose a power-aware scheduling technique that carries out both performance and power optimizations for concurrent GPU kernels. We have observed that for GPU kernels that are deployed for concurrent execution, the order in which the programmer specifies their invocation can significantly alter the execution time and the power draw. We attribute this behavior to the relative synergy (or lack thereof) among kernels that are launched within close proximity of each other. Accordingly, we define performance metrics for computing the extent to which kernels are symbiotic, as well as power metrics for reducing the overall power consumption. Both metrics are estimated by modeling the kernels' complementary resource requirements and execution characteristics. We then propose a power-aware symbiotic scheduling algorithm to obtain a concurrent kernel launch schedule with improved performance and reduced power consumption. Experimental studies are conducted on the Cray XK7 supercomputer with an NVIDIA K20 GPU in each node. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm-based approach, which can be readily adopted by programmers with minimal programming effort and risk.
An Enriched MT Grammar for Under $100

We propose a framework for improving output quality of machine translation systems, by operating on the level of grammar rule features. Our framework aims to give a boost to grammar rules that appear in the derivations of translation candidates that are deemed to be of good quality, hence making those rules more preferable by the system. To that end, we ask human annotators on Amazon Mechanical Turk to compare translation candidates, and then interpret their preferences of one candidate over another as an implicit preference for one derivation over another, and therefore as an implicit preference for one or more grammar rules. Our framework also allows us to generalize these preferences to grammar rules corresponding to a previously unseen test set, namely rules for which no candidates have been judged.
Microfinance Institutions and Foreign Exchange Risk: The Experience of ACCION's Latin American Affiliates

This InSight explores the following questions: How great a threat does exposure to foreign exchange rate risk represent to microfinance institutions (MFIs)? What motivates MFIs to acquire liabilities in a foreign currency? Do MFIs understand the exchange rate risks involved, and if so, how do they manage them? ACCION International presents the results of a survey of its Latin America affiliates on these questions.
Taxonomy and biostratigraphic significance of some Middle Cambrian trilobites from the Conasauga Formation in western Georgia

Biostratigraphic correlations of the Conasauga Formation in the southern Appalachians have been hindered by unreliable trilobite taxonomy. New fossil collections and re-examination of type specimens allow revision or confirmation of assignments for several Middle Cambrian trilobite taxa. These revisions reveal sufficient relationships with trilobites outside the region to place fossiliferous strata in Floyd County, Georgia, into the Oryctocephalus and Bolaspidella assemblage zones of the Middle Cambrian section defined for the Great Basin.Trilobite taxa considered are: (Agnostida) Baltagnostus centerensis (Resser, 1938) and Peronopsis cf. P. cuneifera (Barrande, 1846); (Ptychopariida) Alokistocare americanum (Walcott, 1916), Elrathia antiquata (Salter, 1859), Asaphiscus gregarius Walcott, 1916, and Glyphaspis cf. G. capella (Walcott, 1916).
A Project to Develop Initiative and Innovation through Laboratory Improvement

In an effort to cultivate initiative and innovative spirit, a new project was introduced in an undergraduate mechanical engineering laboratory, exemplified here by the Thermal Sciences Laboratory. In this project, each student lab group (typically a group of four) had to suggest improvements to a specific laboratory. There were no other imposed restrictions; improvements could be in any area, such as hardware, software, work procedure, technical presentation, and so on. By having the project run in parallel with the typical labs, several objectives were attained. First, students were exposed to the ideas of continuous innovation and product or process improvement. Second, being a group project, students were exposed to the practical aspects and important advantages of teamwork and brainstorming. Third, due to the latest innovations in technology and education, laboratory-based work is always in need of enhancement; students engaged in performing lab work are well positioned to understand the possible shor...
Global fishery prospects under contrasting management regimes

Data from 4,713 fisheries worldwide, representing 78% of global reported fish catch, are analyzed to estimate the status, trends, and benefits of alternative approaches to recovering depleted fisheries. For each fishery, we estimate current biological status and forecast the impacts of contrasting management regimes on catch, profit, and biomass of fish in the sea. We estimate unique recovery targets and trajectories for each fishery, calculate the year-by-year effects of alternative recovery approaches, and model how alternative institutional reforms affect recovery outcomes. Current status is highly heterogeneous-the median fishery is in poor health (overfished, with further overfishing occurring), although 32% of fisheries are in good biological, although not necessarily economic, condition. Our business-as-usual scenario projects further divergence and continued collapse for many of the world's fisheries. Applying sound management reforms to global fisheries in our dataset could generate annual increases exceeding 16 million metric tons (MMT) in catch, $53 billion in profit, and 619 MMT in biomass relative to business as usual. We also find that, with appropriate reforms, recovery can happen quickly, with the median fishery taking under 10 y to reach recovery targets. Our results show that commonsense reforms to fishery management would dramatically improve overall fish abundance while increasing food security and profits.
Innovative high-gain optically pumped far-infrared laser.

A new optically pumped far-infrared (FIR) laser with separate pump beam reflector and FIR output coupler has been developed. The new design greatly simplifies the tuning of the laser and enables the optimization of the pump beam absorption without affecting the laser alignment. Working with formic acid (HCOOH) vapor pumped by a 30 W CO2 laser at the 9R20 line, a high laser gain of 3 dB/m and power conversion efficiency of 16.4% of the Manley-Rowe limit are achieved for the FIR wavelength of 433 μm.
Some High Intensity Flash Light Sources of the Luminescent Tube Type

AbstractThe design and performance of vacuum flash tubes of the cathode ray tube type are described in which short-duration impulses of a high-energy electron beam are used to excite a phosphor screen and thus to produce luminescent radiation pulses of high intensity. Triode type tubes are shown which may be operated with 2kW pulses, and a diode type tube is described where the screen may be energized with I MW pulses. Either single-pulse radiation or trains of pulses with short pulse intervals can be produced, the duration of an individual radiation pulse ranging from about 0.1 microsec to the order of 100 microsec according to the rated value of the respective flash tube. The spectrum of the radiation is continuous with a form of the spectral curve depending on the type of phosphor used for the screen.
Air Pollution and Lung Diseases

Epidemiological studies continue to show associations between adverse health effects and outdoor air pollution despite tighter regulation in recent years. These adverse effects occur at levels of pollutants much lower than those encountered in earlier air pollution disasters and, in some studies, at concentrations near or below the national standards. Although the relative risk tends to be low, the population attributable risk is significant due to the large number of people exposed to air pollutants. The adverse health consequences primarily are those related to respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Respiratory effects include decline in lung function, increases in respiratory-related hospital admissions, exacerbation of asthma and COPD, and elevations in the rates of respiratory infection. This chapter reviews the respiratory health effects associated with particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants and briefly discusses clinical approaches to managing air pollution-­associated lung disease, especially in susceptible populations, such as patients with pre-existing cardiopulmonary diseases.
Koopman performance analysis of a class of nonlinear dynamical networks

This paper builds upon the Koopman spectral analysis tools to develop a method for assessment of the performance of a class of first-order nonlinear consensus networks. This class of networks is defined over an interconnected graph with state-dependent weights that are nonlinear functions of the state of the network. The mean energy of the output of the system with respect to random initial conditions is utilized as the performance measure. We quantify this performance measure in terms of the Koopman eigenfunctions of the nonlinear dynamics, and the eigenvalues of the corresponding linearized system at the equilibrium of the network, where the eigenvalues of the linearized system are indeed Laplacian eigenvalues of the underlying graph with opposite sign. Our results reveal that the performance measure of the nonlinear network depends on the interconnection topology of the underlying graph. We illustrate effectiveness of our results using several examples, including a Cucker-Smale type consensus network and first-order network of identical Kuramoto oscillators.
Vision Recovery and Connectivity by Fetal Retinal Sheet Transplantation in an Immunodeficient Retinal Degenerate Rat Model.

Author(s): Seiler, Magdalene J; Lin, Robert E; McLelland, Bryce T; Mathur, Anuradha; Lin, Bin; Sigman, Jaclyn; De Guzman, Alexander T; Kitzes, Leonard M; Aramant, Robert B; Thomas, Biju B | Abstract: PurposeTo characterize a recently developed model, the retinal degenerate immunodeficient S334ter line-3 rat (SD-Foxn1 Tg(S334ter)3Lav) (RD nude rat), and to test whether transplanted rat fetal retinal sheets can elicit lost responses to light.MethodsNational Institutes of Health nude rats (SD-Foxn1 Tg) with normal retina were compared to RD nude rats with and without transplant for morphology and visual function. Retinal sheets from transgenic rats expressing human placental alkaline phosphatase (hPAP) were transplanted into the subretinal space of RD nude rats between postnatal day (P) 26 and P38. Transplant morphology was examined in vivo using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Visual function was assessed by optokinetic (OKN) testing, electroretinogram (ERG), and superior colliculus (SC) electrophysiology. Cryostat sections were analyzed for various retinal/synaptic markers and for the expression of donor hPAP.ResultsOptical coherence tomography scans showed the placement and laminar development of retinal sheet transplants in the subretinal space. Optokinetic testing demonstrated a deficit in visual acuity in RD nude rats that was improved after retinal sheet transplantation. No ERG responses were detected in the RD nude rats with or without transplantation. Superior colliculus responses were absent in age-matched control and sham surgery RD nude rats; however, robust light-evoked responses were observed in a specific location in the SC of transplanted RD nude rats. Responsive regions corresponded to the area of transplant placement in the eye. The quality of visual responses correlated with transplant organization and placement.ConclusionsThe data suggest that retinal sheet transplants integrate into the host retina of RD nude rats and recover significant visual function.
Social Networks, Contagion Processes and the Spreading of Infectious Diseases

Questions concerning how pathogens spread in a population, the worldwide diffusion of new emerging diseases, as well as the description of many social contagion phenomena such as smoking behavior or the adoption of dietary habits, are all dealing with the complex features of our increasingly interconnected societies. The dynamic processes that characterize large-scale spreading and contagion phenomena are indeed at work in complex societies where infrastructures composed of different technological layers are interoperating within the social component that drives their use and development. In other words, the characterization and understanding of these systems goes through a system-level perspective, which represents a new challenge that has considerably transformed the mathematical and conceptual framework for the study of dynamic processes in complex systems.
Time, Existential Presence and the Cinematic Image: Ethics and Emergence to Being in Film

AbstractThe sustained tension in film between, in Mulvey’s phrase, “stillness and the moving image” enacts an existential drama that directs access not only to the Freudian “uncanny”—the unheimlich—but to the existential coming of being and presence. Mulvey’s project of delayed cinema opens a new territory in cinema and media studies by concentrating on the stillness of the image in relation to the flow of images that all together constitute a film from the framed image to the launching of the audio–visual trajectory of a film’s images and signs. Mulvey’s epistemology and method can be used to study the emergence of existential presence in film as a new time and ontology of cinema.
Cardiac pathophysiology in response to environmental stress: a current review.

Environmental stressors are disturbing our ecosystem at an accelerating rate. Increasingly relevant stressors include air pollutants, whose levels are increasing worldwide with threats to human health. Air pollutants are associated with increased mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular diseases. In this review we discuss environmental stressors focusing mainly on the various types of air pollutants, their short-term and long-term cardiovascular effects, and provide epidemiological evidence associated with the adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Direct and indirect pathophysiological mechanisms are linked with cardiovascular complications such as thrombosis, fibrinolysis, hypertension, ischemic heart diseases and arrhythmias. Evidence to date suggests that humans are constantly being exposed to unhealthy levels of environmental toxicants with the potential of serious health conditions. Environmental stressors adversely affect the cardiovascular system and pose an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases for those who reside in highly polluted areas. People with existing risk factors and those with established cardiovascular disease have increased susceptibility to environmental stressors. The literature reviewed in this article consequently supports public health policies aimed at reducing pollutant exposure to benefit public health.
A Comparison of Secular and Religious Versions of Cognitive Therapy with Depressed Christian College Students

This study was designed to answer two related questions: (a) Could Beck's cognitive-behavioral treatment of depression be efficaciously employed in a religious population, and (b) would the efficac...
Contributions of Adult-Generated Granule Cells to Hippocampal Pathology in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: A Neuronal Bestiary

Hippocampal neurogenesis continues throughout life in mammals - including humans. During the development of temporal lobe epilepsy, newly-generated hippocampal granule cells integrate abnormally into the brain. Abnormalities include ectopic localization of newborn cells, de novo formation of abnormal basal dendrites, and disruptions of the apical dendritic tree. Changes in granule cell position and dendritic structure fundamentally alter the types of inputs these cells are able to receive, as well as the relative proportions of remaining inputs. Dendritic abnormalities also create new pathways for recurrent excitation in the hippocampus. These abnormalities are hypothesized to contribute to the development of epilepsy, and may underlie cognitive disorders associated with the disease as well. To test this hypothesis, investigators have used pharmacological and genetic strategies in animal models to alter neurogenesis rates, or ablate the newborn cells outright. While findings are mixed and many unanswered questions remain, numerous studies now demonstrate that ablating newborn granule cells can have disease modifying effects in epilepsy. Taken together, findings provide a strong rationale for continued work to elucidate the role of newborn granule cells in epilepsy: both to understand basic mechanisms underlying the disease, and as a potential novel therapy for epilepsy.
Bottling gender: accomplishing gender through craft beer consumption

While beer has maintained a position as the most popular alcoholic beverage among men age 21–34, a recent Gallup poll indicates that craft beer has surpassed wine as the most popular beverage for women in the same age group in USA. In light of this trend, there has been little research done to explore gender dynamics in craft beer consumption and the craft beer industry. This paper seeks to understand the increasing popularity of craft beer among women by: (1) exploring beer as a gendered object, (2) illuminating the experiences of women in the craft beer culture and industry, and (3) examining how gender is done, redone, and undone in craft beer spaces. Drawing from a discursive content analysis of an online beer community, it seeks to consider the gendered nature of beer and how gender is both reconfigured and upheld, allowing for the possibility for new consumption patterns.
Phage Display of Dynamic Covalent Binding Motifs Enables Facile Development of Targeted Antibiotics

Antibiotic resistance of bacterial pathogens poses an increasing threat to the wellbeing of our society and urgently calls for new strategies for infection diagnosis and antibiotic discovery. The antibiotic resistance problem at least partially arises from extensive use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Ideally, for the treatment of infection, one would like to use a narrow-spectrum antibiotic that specifically targets and kills the disease-causing strain. This is particularly important considering the commensal bacterial species that are beneficial and sometimes even critical to the health of a human being. In this contribution, we describe a phage display platform that enables rapid identification of peptide probes for specific bacterial strains. The phage library described herein incorporates 2-acetylphenylboronic acid moieties to elicit dynamic covalent binding to the bacterial cell surface. Screening of the library against live bacterial cells yields submicromolar and highly specific binders for clinica...
Studies of cerebral edema III: Alterations in the white matter: An electron microscopic study using ferritin as a labeling compound

Normal perivascular glial cells have an abundance of paired fibrillar structures which run in bundles to the region of the basement membrane. Ferritin passes through the endothelium of white matter of cat brain and into both the extracellular space and the perivascular glial cells. The passage through the endothelium is by pinocytosis, the passage across the basement membrane is direct, the passage into the perivascular glial cells is by pinocytosis. In cerebral edema, there is an exaggeration of pinocytotic activity in the endothelial cells, with the contents of these vesicles being poured into the region of the basement membrane. Next, one notes an increase in the extracellular space, and then an increase in number of vesicles in the perivascular glial cells. (The passage through the endothelium is by pinocytosis, the passage across the basement membrane is direct, the passage into the perivascular glial cells is by pinocytosis.) Alteration of the fine structure of the perivascular glial cells follows, with the appearance of protein globules in these cells. The changes in the glial cells peripheral to the vessels occur after those in the extracellular space adjacent to the vessel and in the perivascular glial cells.
Prevention of Obturator Nerve Stimulation During Transurethral Surgery

AbstractThe obturator nerve passes in close proximity to the inferolateral bladder wall, bladder neck and lateral prostatic urethra. During a transurethral operation resection in these areas may result in stimulation of the obturator nerve, causing violent adductor contraction and possible inadvertent bladder perforation. To block this reaction d-tubocurarine and succinylcholine can be used during general anesthesia. However, it often is preferable to use spinal anesthesia during transurethral operations. Local anesthetic blockade of the obturator nerve as it passes through the obturator canal is effective for adductor spasm during spinal anesthesia. We herein describe the anatomy, pharmacology, technique and results of local obturator nerve blockade.
Clarifying the Social Roots of the Disproportionate Classification of Racial Minorities and Males with Learning Disabilities

ABSTRACTThe disproportionate placement of racial minorities and males into special education for learning disabilities (LDs) raises concerns that classifications occur inaccurately or inequitably. ...
SedanSpot: Detecting Anomalies in Edge Streams

Given a stream of edges from a time-evolving (un) weighted (un) directed graph, we consider the problem of detecting anomalous edges in near real-time using sublinear memory. We propose SedanSpot, a principled randomized algorithm, which exploits two tell-tale signs of anomalous edges: they tend to (i) occur as bursts of activity and (ii) connect parts of the graph which are sparsely connected. SedanSpot has the following desirable properties: (a) Burst Resistance: It provably downsamples edges from bursty periods of network traffic, (b) Holistic scoring: It takes into account the whole (sampled) graph while scoring the anomalousness of an edge, giving diminishing importance to far-away neighbors, (c) Efficiency: It supports fast updates and scoring and hence can be efficiently maintained over stream; further, it can detect anomalous edges in sublinear space and constant time per edge. Through experiments on real-world data, we demonstrate that SedanSpot is 3x faster and 270% more accurate (in terms of AUC) than the state-of-the-art.
Wide complex tachycardia in an elderly woman due to Ebstein’s anomaly with two accessory pathways

Among elderly patients presenting with wide complex tachycardia, the differential diagnosis is skewed toward ventricular tachycardia (VT), given their higher prevalence of structural heart disease. Despite this, other diagnoses should be considered, including late presentations of congenital anomalies. The aim of this case report is to describe a de novo diagnosis of Ebstein’s anomaly (EA) in an elderly patient presenting with wide complex tachycardia. Her initial electrocardiogram (ECG) was consistent with pre-excited atrial fibrillation (AF), and once in sinus evidence of multiple accessory pathways was present. Imaging confirmed the diagnosis of EA, and she ultimately underwent successful catheter ablation.
The Provability of Consistency

We offer a mathematical proof of consistency for Peano Arithmetic PA formalizable in PA. This result is compatible with Goedel's Second Incompleteness Theorem since our consistency proof does not rely on the representation of consistency as a specific arithmetical formula. Our findings show that formal theories can finitely formalize proofs of certain properties presented as schemes without reducing the presentation of those properties to a single formula. We outline a theory of proving schemes in PA.