cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical and Electrical Diagnostics of the Effects of Conductivity on Liquid Phase Electrical Discharge

The influence of solution conductivity on liquid phase pulsed electrical discharge was investigated by optical emission spectroscopy in a reactor with point-to-plane electrode geometry. The emission intensities of hydroxyl (OH) radical, hydrogen (H) radical, and oxygen (O) radical were measured using an emission intensity calibration method which used argon gas as a chemical actinometer. Control experiments showed that the addition of argon (Ar) bubbles did not disturb the electrical discharge. It was also found that the Ar emission peak at 750 nm is linearly related to the peaks of the other major species of interest (OH, H, and O) and that the slopes of these lines depend upon the solution conductivities. Therefore, the calibration method allows comparison of the radical generation rates in solutions of different conductivity. Hydrogen (H2), oxygen (O2), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were measured using gas chromatography and spectrophotometric methods. The results showed that OH radicals and H2O2 decreased with increasing solution conductivity consistently with previous results. The intensities of O and H radicals and the generation rates of H2 and O2 were found to have extrema values at a conductivity of 150 μS/cm, and these results in combination with the electrical diagnostics (current waveform and overall power input) and images of the discharge channels imply changes in discharge properties at this conductivity due partly to power input changes from the spark gap. This work clearly demonstrates the close coupling of radical and molecular species formation in liquid phase electrical discharge.
Assessment of demographic risk factors and management priorities: impacts on juveniles substantially affect population viability of a long‐lived seabird

Predicting population-level effects from changes in demographic rates of different life stages is critical to prioritize conservation efforts. Demographic modeling and sensitivity analysis in particular, has become a standard tool to evaluate how management actions influence species' survival. Demographic analyses have resulted in the robust generalization that, for long-lived species with delayed reproduction, population growth rates will be most sensitive to changes in survivorship of older-aged individuals. Although useful in guiding management, this simple maxim may limit options for conservation by causing managers to overlook actions that, although possibly not the most effective in terms of increasing a population's growth rate in an ideal world, can nonetheless more feasibly and rapidly slow a population's decline. We examine the population-level benefits of increasing chick survival in a long-lived seabird, the Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis. Specifically, we use a simple deterministic modeling approach to evaluate the impact of chick mortality (from ingestion of lead-based paint) on the population growth rate (λ) for Laysan albatross that breed on Sand Island, Midway Atoll (part of the Hawaiian Archipelago). We estimate that up to 7% of chicks on Sand Island fail to fledge as a result of lead poisoning, which will create a 16% reduction in the Laysan albatross population size (∼190 000 less birds) at 50 years into the future. We demonstrate how straightforward management actions that increase juvenile survivorship (e.g. removal of lead-based paint) can help slow population declines while efforts are underway to reduce politically and logistically challenging threats to adult survivorship (e.g. mortality from international fisheries bycatch). Our work exemplifies a situation where overgeneralizations about demography can stifle useful conservation actions and highlights the need to consider the population-level benefits from multiple management strategies.
Causes of Fever and Pulmonary Densities in Patients with Clinical Manifestations of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia, a leading cause of sepsis in patients with acute respiratory failure, is difficult to distinguish clinically from other processes affecting patients receiving mechanical ventilation. We conducted a prospective study of patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia to identify the causes of fever and densities on chest radiographs and to evaluate the diagnostic yield and efficiency of tests used alone and in combination. Methods: The 50 patients entered into the study underwent a systematic diagnostic protocol designed to identify all potential causes of fever and pulmonary densities. Diagnoses responsible for fever were established by strict diagnostic criteria for 45 of the 50 patients. The prevalence of specific conditions and diagnostic yield of individual tests were used to formulate a simplified diagnostic protocol. Results: The diagnostic protocol identified 78 causes of fever (median 2 per patient). Infections were the leading causes of fever and pulmonary densities. Of the 45 patients with fever, 37 had one or more infections identified (67 sources). Most infections (84 percent) were one of four types: pneumonia, sinusitis, catheter-related infection, or urinary tract infection. Ventilator-associated pneumonia occurred in only 42 percent. All but nine infections (87 percent) were directly or indirectly related to insertion of a catheter or a tube. Concomitant infections were frequent (62 percent), particularly in patients with sinusitis (100 percent), catheter-related infections (93 percent), and pneumonia (74 percent). Of concomitant infections, 60 percent were caused by a different pathogen. Noninfectious causes of fever were more common in the 22 patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome. Histologically proved pulmonary fibroproliferation was the only cause of fever in 25 percent of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome. Radiographic densities were caused by an infection in only 20 patients (19 pneumonia, 1 empyema). In more than 50 percent of the 25 patients without adult respiratory distress syndrome, congestive heart failure, and atelectasis were the sole causes of pulmonary densities, and fever always originated from an extrapulmonary site of infection. Used in combination, bronchoscopy with protected sampling, computed tomographic scan of the sinuses, and cultures of maxillary sinus aspirate, central intravenous or arterial lines, urine, and blood identified 58 of the 78 sources of fever (74 percent). Conclusions: The observations in this study document the complex nature of acute respiratory failure and fever and underscore the need for accuracy in diagnosis. The frequent occurrence of multiple infectious and noninfeetious processes justifies a systematic search for source of fever, using a comprehensive diagnostic protocol. A simplified diagnostic protocol was devised based on the diagnostic value of individual tests.
Cannabis Use Behaviors and Social Anxiety: The Roles of Perceived Descriptive and Injunctive Social Norms

Objective:Individuals with greater social anxiety are particularly vulnerable to cannabis-related impairment. Descriptive norms (beliefs about others’ use) and injunctive norms (beliefs regarding others’ approval of risky use) may be particularly relevant to cannabis-related behaviors among socially anxious persons if they use cannabis for fear of evaluation for deviating from what they believe to be normative behaviors. Yet, little research has examined the impact of these social norms on the relationships between social anxiety and cannabis use behaviors.Method:The current study investigated whether the relationships of social anxiety to cannabis use and use-related problems varied as a function of social norms. The sample comprised 230 (63.0% female) current cannabis-using undergraduates.Results:Injunctive norms (regarding parents, not friends) moderated the relationship between social anxiety and cannabis-related problem severity. Post hoc probing indicated that among participants with higher (but not...
Pre‐Hispanic Occupance in the Valley of Sonora, Mexico: Archaeological Confirmation of Early Spanish Reports

Pre-Hispanic Occupance in the Valley of Sonora, Mexico: Archaeological Confirmation of Early Spanish Reports. William E. Doolittle. Anthropological Papers of the University of Arizona Number 48. Tucson: The University of Arizona Press, 1988. 87 pp. $24.95 (paper). ISBN 0-8165-1010-5
Employing static information in the generation of test cases

A commonly used approach for detecting defects in a program is to generate a suite of test inputs which exercises the entire program under a given testing criterion. Current techniques to generate test cases automatically that satisfy a testing criterion choose test input data by considering the testing requirements in an arbitrary order. In this paper, a technique is presented that groups the requirements and orders the generation of the test cases to reduce the number of test cases generated. The grouping is based on the statically determined property of post-dominance. Test cases for each group are generated taking into account requirements for other groups. The use of this technique to generate test cases can be expected to produce fewer test cases that have to be retained with the software. A smaller number of test cases will require less effort and resources to test the software. The technique is especially useful in the maintenance environment, whether retesting of a changed program is done exhaustively or incrementally. The technique not only attempts to minimize the number of test cases generated but also reduces the effort to generate the test cases using the concept of a program slice.
Creep Mechanisms of Fully-Lamellar TiAl Based Upon Interface Sliding

Deformation mechanisms of fully lamellar TiAl with a refined microstructure (γ lamellae: 100 ∼ 300 nm thick, α2 lamellae: 10 ∼50 nm thick) crept at 760°C have been investigated. As a result of a fine structure, the motion and multiplication of lattice dislocations within both γ and α2 lamellae are limited at low creep stresses ( 400 MPa).
Polycystic liver disease: studies on the mechanisms of cyst fluid formation. A case report.

Analysis of cyst fluid in a patient with polycystic liver disease was carried out at the time of incidental abdominal surgery. Preoperatively administered bromosulfophthalein and 14C-cholic acid could not be demonstrated in cyst fluid. Close similarities were found between cyst fluid and plasma osmolarity and electrolyte concentrations, suggesting that the cyst lining may be freely permeable to inorganic ions. Although the exact mechanism of hepatic cyst enlargement remains obscure, the additional findings of albumin, immunoglobulins, and secretory component in the cyst fluid suggest that these molecules may play a role in cyst growth by acting as osmotically active organic substances.
Two-Step System Identification and Trajectory Tracking Control of a Small Fixed-Wing UAV

An approach for obtaining dynamically feasible reference trajectories and feedback controllers for a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) based on an aerodynamic model derived from flight tests is presented. The modeling method utilizes stepwise multiple regression to determine relevant explanatory terms for the aerodynamic coefficients. A dynamically feasible trajectory is then obtained through the solution of an optimal control problem using pseudospectral optimal control software. Discrete-time feedback controllers are further designed to regulate the vehicle along the desired reference trajectory. Simulations in a realistic operational environment as well as flight testing of the feedback controllers on the aircraft platform demonstrate the capabilities of the approach.
Image-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy of soft-tissue masses in the pediatric population

A paucity of literature describes the use of imaged-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy for the diagnosis and characterization of pediatric soft-tissue masses and lesions. To retrospectively determine whether image-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy is adequate for diagnosing and characterizing benign and malignant pediatric soft-tissue masses and lesions. We identified children (≤18 years old) who underwent US- or CT-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy of a soft-tissue mass or other lesion between January 2012 and March 2014. Using medical records, we documented the following data: age and gender, site of the mass or lesion, size and number of biopsy specimens, whether the biopsy procedure was diagnostic, whether sufficient tissue was obtained for necessary ancillary testing (e.g., cytogenetic evaluation), and whether there was a procedural complication within 1 week. One hundred eight soft-tissue masses or lesions were biopsied under imaging guidance in 84 children; 39 (46%) were girls. Mean age ± standard deviation (SD) was 12.1 ± 5.1 years (range 6 months to 18 years). Of these procedures, 105/108 (97%) were diagnostic; 82/108 (76%) were US-guided; 87/108 (81%) were performed using a 17-gauge introducer needle/18-gauge biopsy instrument. The mean number ± SD of core needle biopsy specimens obtained was 8.9 ± 5.0. For newly diagnosed malignancies, adequate tissue was obtained for ancillary testing in 28/30 (93%) masses. One minor complication was documented. Image-guided percutaneous core needle biopsy of pediatric soft-tissue masses is safe, has a high diagnostic rate, and provides sufficient tissue for ancillary testing.
Nanosecond time-resolved 2 + 2 Radar REMPI measurements performed in molecular nitrogen

Many molecular interactions associated with combustion, high speed gas physics and plasma processes involve dynamics associated with molecular non-equilibrium phenomena. Radar REMPI (Resonance-Enhanced Multi-Photon Ionization) is a potential method for measuring local, time accurate non-equilibrium conditions. It uses multi-photon ionization to generate electrons and ions from selected atomic or molecular states. The ionization is resonantly enhanced when the multi-photon progression passes through an intermediate state. Thus, REMPI is state and species specific. Radar REMPI detects the ionization by microwave scattering and provides a remote, non-intrusive means of probing a physical system. This work is focused upon using Radar REMPI to measure population distributions in molecular nitrogen. Current measurements, made under equilibrium conditions, agree well with model predictions. Future work will focus on optimizing the accuracy of the diagnostic and probing a rotational and/or vibrational non-equilibrium environment.
Pseudoparaproteinemia due to hypertransferrinemia.

A patient with chronic iron deficiency anemia and an apparent M-spike deformity of the beta globulin zone of the serum electropherogram was found to have hypertransferrinemia rather than paraproteinemia. The height of the beta spike decreased progressively as the iron deficiency was corrected. The beta peak was proportional in height to the concentration of transferrin in the patient's serum, and the same relationship held in studies of other individuals with hypertransferrinemia, including men with iron deficency anemia, women in the third trimester of pregnancy, and women taking oral contraceptives. Hypertransferrinemia appears to be an important cause of nonmyelomatous beta spike deformity of the serum electrophoretic pattern.
Leadership Among Prison Inmates

share arrangements were best, for compensating sons interested in remaining on the farm, had adopted more innovations than had those who thought separate projects were best. In a partnership or share arrangement it is expected that the son would share more in the decisions than if the son had a separate project. These findings suggest that while the nature of decision-making within the family in general has little bearing upon acceptance of change in farm technology, perhaps the relationship between father and son with respect to farm matters does have a bearing upon acceptance.
Amphetamine effects on prepulse inhibition across-species: replication and parametric extension.

Amphetamine Effects on Prepulse Inhibition Across-Species: Replication and Parametric Extension
Poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate) Diblock Copolymer Micelles in an Ionic Liquid: Scaling of Core and Corona Size with Core Block Length

The structure of poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PMMA-b-PnBMA) micelles in the room temperature ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM][TFSI]), a selective solvent for the PMMA block, has been studied using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). A series of seven PMMA-b-PnBMA diblock copolymers were prepared by reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization, in which the degree of polymerization of the PMMA block was kept constant while the PnBMA block length was varied. All the polymers formed spherical micelles at ambient temperature in dilute solution; their hydrodynamic radius (Rh) and core radius (Rc) were obtained by DLS and SAXS, respectively. It was found that Rc and the degree of polymerization of the core block, NB, followed a power law relationship in which Rc ∼ NB0.71±0.01. The corona thickness (Lcorona), given by the difference of Rh and Rc, does not show any apparen...
Flush Erosion Wear Resistant Properties of Steel-Structure Coating Eroded by Sandstorm

The simulation sandstorm erosion test to the steel-structure coating was conducted by using airflow jet with sand in different erosion speed,angle,concentration and time.The mass loss,erosion wear resistant properties,micromorphology of failure surface of the specimens were discussed.The results show that erosion wear resistance of the coating is poor;the erosion rate is exponentially increased with erosion speed,existing low-speed and high-speed erosion stage at 45°;erosion mass loss were the highest at45°and lowest at 90°.The characteristics of the transition from brittle material to plastic material shows that erosion is mainly micro-cutting at low erosion angle,erosion wear resistance is mainly determined by the hardness;while erosion is mainly squeeze-chisel cutting at high erosion angle,erosion resistance is mainly determined by the toughness.Erosion mass loss with the increase of sand-dose reaches a maximum value at 300g/min;the cumulative mass loss of coating is roughly linear with time,and the erosion process obviously exist incubation period,acceleration period and stable period.
Effect of packaging during storage time on retail display shelf life of longissimus muscle from two different beef production systems

Two studies were conducted to evaluate the influence of packaging and production system (PS) on retail display life color (L*, a*, and b*), fatty acid profile (% of total fatty acids), lipid oxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; mg malondialdehyde/kg of muscle), vitamin E content (µg/g of muscle), and odor (trained panelists) during storage of LM. Four (or 3) different packaging treatments were applied to LM from steers fattened on grazing systems (Uruguayan) or on high-concentrate diets (U.S.). From fabrication to application of treatments, Uruguayan LM were vacuum packaged for air shipment and U.S. LM were also vacuum packaged and kept in a cooler until Uruguayan samples arrived. Treatments were applied 7 d after slaughter. In Exp. 1, treatments were vacuum packaging (VP), low-oxygen (O) modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (MAP/CO), low-O MAP with N2 plus CO and carbon monoxide (MAP/CO), and VP plus an application of peroxyacetic acid (VP/PAA). In Exp. 2 block 1, treatments were VP, MAP/CO, and VP with ethyl-arginate HCl incorporated into the film as an antimicrobial agent (VP/AM). In Exp. 2 block 2, treatments were VP, MAP/CO, MAP/CO, and VP/AM. After 35 d storage, steaks were evaluated during simulated retail display for up to 6 d. In Exp. 1, Uruguayan steaks under MAP/CO had greater ( 0.05) were detected among both VP and MAP/CO in U.S. steaks at this time. No significant ( > 0.05) packaging × PS × time interaction was observed in Exp. 2. Only PS (both experiments) and time (Exp. 1) affected ( 0.05) for any of the fatty acids. Beef from Uruguayan had lower ( < 0.05) SFA and MUFA and greater ( < 0.05) PUFA and n-6 and n-3 fatty acid percentages than U.S. beef. Complexity of fresh meat postmortem chemistry warrants a more comprehensive approach to maximize shelf life.
The Impact of Sustainable Investment Strategies

Sustainable, responsible, and impact investing (the new SRI) offers a dynamic approach to investing in this rapidly growing area. This type of investing involves a positive, proactive, and comprehensive review of a company to provide for a robust picture of a company’s operations and social, as well as economic, impact. Factors considered for this type of investing generally fall into the categories of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG). Through impact investing, investors will look to invest in companies, or investment strategies, that combine both social and financial returns. In other words, investors now want their conscience and wallets to both feel good about the companies that they are investing in through their stock portfolios. The impact that sustainable investment strategies will have on the global investment industry will increase significantly in the years to come.
Enzyme Kinetics, Inhibition, and Regioselectivity of Aldehyde Oxidase

The aldehyde oxidase (AO) enzyme family plays an increasing role in drug development. However, a number of compounds that are AO substrates have failed in the clinic because the clearance or toxicity is underestimated by preclinical species. Human AO is much more active than rodent AO, and dogs do not have functional AO. While AOs normally make non-reactive metabolites such as lactams, the metabolic products often have much lower solubility that can lead to renal failure. While an endogenous substrate for the oxidation reaction is not known, electron acceptors for the reductive part of the reaction include oxygen and nitrites. Reduction of oxygen leads to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) superoxide radical anion, and hydrogen peroxide. Reduction of nitrite leads to the formation of nitric oxide with potential pharmacological implications. To date, no clinically important drug-drug interactions (DDIs) have been observed for AOs. However, the inhibition kinetics are complex, and multiple probe substrates should be used when assessing the potential for DDIs. Finally, AO appears to be amenable to computational predictions of both regioselectivity and rates of reaction, which holds promise for virtual screening.
A survey of source code management tools for programming courses

Instructors of courses in which students submit programming assignments, especially those courses with frequent and / or significant amounts of programming. Attendees will gain a greater awareness of the features and limitations of source code management tools. The tutorial will help them identify which tools would be most appropriate for their pedagogical goals. Examples of how the tools can be applied to introductory programming courses as well as software engineering and capstone courses will be discussed. Information presented in the tutorial will be made available for download to conference participants.
Practicing Collaboration in Teacher Preparation: Effects of Learning by Doing Together

Collaboration among professionals is a vital component for successful inclusion of students with disabilities. In many cases, teacher preparation programs assume that teacher candidates know how to...
Efficient, room temperature cascade laser action at 1.4 µm and 3.9 µm in Ho:BaY 2 F 8

Ho3+ ions are known to produce stimulated emission at several wavelengths across the infrared through sequential transitions between intermediate energy levels. For example, cascade laser action has been observed in Ho3+-dopcd YLF using short pulse resonant pumping of the 5S2 manifold by frequency-doubled Nd:glass1 and a dye2 lasers.
Differential Effects of Social Networks on Mammography Use by Poverty Status.

OBJECTIVES This study examines whether social networks have differential effects on mammography use depending on poverty status. METHODS Data were analyzed on US women (40+), employing logistic regression and simple slope analyses for a post hoc probing of moderating effects. RESULTS Among women not in poverty, living with a spouse/partner and attending church, regardless of frequency, were positively associated with mammography use; family size was negatively associated. Among women living in poverty, mammography showed a positive association only with weekly church attendance. Mammography was negatively associated with health-related social interactions occurring through the Internet. Post hoc probing showed significant moderating effects of poverty on the relationship between online health-related interactions and mammography use. CONCLUSIONS To make the Internet a meaningful health empowerment tool for women in poverty, future research should identify how health-related interactions that occur online affect women in poverty's psychological and behavioral reactions that will contribute to our understanding of why they are discouraged from having mammograms. The mechanisms behind the differential effects of church attendance and poverty status on mammography also need further clarification.
Co-incident insertion enables high efficiency genome engineering in mouse embryonic stem cells

CRISPR/Cas9 nucleases have enabled powerful, new genome editing capabilities; however, the preponderance of non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) mediated repair events over homology directed repair (HDR) in most cell types limits the ability to engineer precise changes in mammalian genomes. Here, we increase the efficiency of isolating precise HDR-mediated events in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells by more than 20-fold through the use of co-incidental insertion (COIN) of independent donor DNA sequences. Analysis of on:off-target frequencies at the Lef1 gene revealed that bi-allelic insertion of a PGK-Neo cassette occurred more frequently than expected. Using various selection cassettes targeting multiple loci, we show that the insertion of a selectable marker at one control site frequently coincided with an insertion at an unlinked, independently targeted site, suggesting enrichment of a sub-population of HDR-proficient cells. When individual cell events were tracked using flow cytometry and fluorescent protein markers, individual cells frequently performed either a homology-dependent insertion event or a homology-independent event, but rarely both types of insertions in a single cell. Thus, when HDR-dependent selection donors are used, COIN enriches for HDR-proficient cells among heterogeneous cell populations. When combined with a self-excising selection cassette, COIN provides highly efficient and scarless genome editing.
Searching for life in extreme environments: testing instrumental approaches in terrestrial settings

NASA's solar system exploration program has matured significantly in the 42 years since the first interplanetary spacecraft flew past Venus in 1962. With the exception of Pluto, the remainder of the planets and most of their major satellites have been examined with a variety of remote sensing observational techniques and a few have had in-situ investigations (The Moon, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Titan (very soon). The search for evidence of life (past or present) on these bodies is just beginning and each body represents an extreme environment compared to Earth-like conditions. The tool box is still in development. To be certain that we can answer the difficult questions when measurements are performed, we need to understand and demonstrate that our approaches work. Earth provides many natural sites to test our concepts. This talk will illustrate some of the places where we study extremophiles (deserts, deep ocean hydrothermal vents, beneath glaciers and ice sheets), and the methods we employ to gain knowledge about our terrestrial world that can be used elsewhere. We are advancing rapidly in our readiness to address the big question: 'Has life developed elsewhere in the solar system and how can we detect and measure such a condition with good certainty?'.
Increased complications of chronic erythrocytapheresis compared with manual exchange transfusions in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease.

Background Children and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at high risk of strokes and are frequently treated with red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. The goal is to suppress hemoglobin (Hb) S while minimizing transfusion-induced iron overload. RBCs may be given via simple transfusion, manual exchange transfusion (MET), or erythrocytapheresis (aRBCX). Chronic transfusion practices vary among institutions. Methods This single-institution, retrospective cohort study compares Hb S control and therapy complication rates between MET and aRBCX in a cohort of children and adolescents with SCD and stroke during a 5-year period from 2008 through 2012. Duration and mode of transfusion therapy, achievement of Hb S suppression goal, iron burden by ferritin levels, and catheter complications were evaluated. Results Thirty-seven children were included in analysis. The prevalence of catheter complications was 75% in aRBCX recipients compared with 0% in MET recipients (P 90% of transfusion appointments was associated with achieving Hb S suppression goals. Conclusion aRBCX may have increased complication risks compared with MET for chronic transfusion therapy in SCD. Risks and benefits of aRBCX and MET should be considered when selecting a chronic transfusion modality. Transfusion therapy modalities should be compared in prospective studies for stroke prevention in children with SCD.
Voodoo and Power: The Politics of Religion in New Orleans 1881–1940

In Voodoo and Power: The Politics of Religion in New Orleans 1881–1940, historian Kodi Roberts richly contextualizes the folklore around voodoo in the United States by theorizing the incentives for...
Ultrafast Phase Transition Dynamics in Strained Vanadium Dioxide Films

An ultrafast insulator–metal–insulator phase transition cycle in epitaxially strained vanadium dioxide films is observed. The films are characterized by optoelectronic autocorrelation measurements that reveal a 400 fs transient change in response spanning two orders in magnitude. These findings suggest a predominantly electronic mechanism and demonstrate the promise of this material for optoelectronic applications requiring fast, high-contrast switching.
Hoist on their own petards? The reinvention and collapse of authoritarian successor parties

What happens to authoritarian ruling parties when they accept democracy and reinvent their organizations, symbols, and programs to comply with the norms of free political competition? The consequen...
An Internet-based survey to evaluate the comfort and need for further pubovaginal sling training

The pubovaginal sling (PVS) dates to the 1940s as an efficacious surgical treatment for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Recently, it has been replaced by the midurethral sling (MUS). Since 2008, international regulatory agencies increased regulation and issued warnings on vaginal mesh for repair of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), which has led to increased scrutiny of the MUS. Thus, the need for surgical comfort with PVS is resurfacing. We sought to evaluate the surgical practice patterns among international urogynecologists for the treatment of SUI and identify whether a need and interest for more training exists. We developed a short, Internet-based survey for members of the International Urogynecological Association (IUGA). Descriptive analyses, binomial and multivariate logistic regressions were calculated to determine significant associations. Among 556 members who responded to the survey, 72% did not offer PVS in practice. Among those who did, there was as significant relationship between offering PVS and practicing in the United States, board-certification in urogynecology, PVS exposure in training, increasing number of PVS performed during training, and comfort with PVS. Members interested in further PVS training were younger, less comfortable with PVS, performed fewer PVS, or had no exposure in training. Most IUGA members do not offer PVS in clinical practice. As would be expected, members who performed more PVS in training and were more comfortable with PVS were likely to offer it to patients. Our results highlight a learning gap, especially among younger providers who are not comfortable with PVS and desire further training in this procedure.
The Validity of Cognitive Testing in Screening for Dementia

The concept of “cognitive impairment,” as an indicator of dementia, defined in 1980 as a loss of intellectual abilities of sufficient severity to interfere with social or occupational functioning, is the model which has been adopted for a condition, which has recently been reclassified from an “organic” to a “cognitive disorder.” Data derived from the assessment of a sample of older people demonstrated the extreme sensitivity of a widely employed cognitive assessment instrument to all levels of educational experience, and educational correlates, notably level of physical disability, were identified as other independent predictors of test performance. The analyses raise questions with regard to the reinterpretation of “lack of education,” from a confounding factor in prevalence estimates of cognitive impairment to a “risk factor” for dementia, and support those who have questioned the validity of the one-dimensional “cognitive paradigm,” and the trend to diagnosis based upon objective assessment with standardized instruments.
Review of Instruments to Measure Ethical Decisionmaking and Implications for Decision Support

This paper reviews various ethical belief measurements that dominate ethical decision-making research. It discusses these instruments within the context of Jones’ ethical decision-making model and explore possible gaps in research that need to be addressed. Possible implications are discussed for decision support systems research.
Reducing Populations of Interstitial Cells and Nematoblasts with Hydroxyurea

To lower selectively and reversibly the number of interstitial cells and nematoblasts in live hydra.
Construcción del sujeto intelectual en la Respuesta a Sor Filotea

La Respuesta a Sor Filotea ha dado Jugar a un gran numero de interpretaciones criticas. La mayor parte de estas la considera un documento "feminista" donde se defiende el derecho al saber de "toda mujer" en Nueva Espana del siglo xvn. Mi ensayo arguye que en la Respuesta Sor Juana asume un sujeto intelectual elitista en funcion de subalternidades relativas que le permiten explorar los resquicios abiertos por la carta de Sor Filotea, seudonimo de Manuel Fernandez de Santa Cruz, obispo de Puebla. Con su escrito, la monja jeronima no se enfrenta a una autoridad eclesiastica masculina, sino al sujeto teologico que trata de subordinar no a una mujer y si al sujeto racional. Sor Juana, en el terreno y con las armas elegidas por el obispo, construye un sujeto racional que se impone al teologico profundizando Jos temas planteados por este.
Active Learning for Non-Parametric Regression Using Purely Random Trees

Active learning is the task of using labelled data to select additional points to label, with the goal of fitting the most accurate model with a fixed budget of labelled points. In binary classification active learning is known to produce faster rates than passive learning for a broad range of settings. However in regression restrictive structure and tailored methods were previously needed to obtain theoretically superior performance. In this paper we propose an intuitive tree based active learning algorithm for non-parametric regression with provable improvement over random sampling. When implemented with Mondrian Trees our algorithm is tuning parameter free, consistent and minimax optimal for Lipschitz functions.
COMPACT SPACES AND RELATED TOPICS

This chapter presents an account of advanced theories on compact spaces. It discusses Tychonoff's product theorem. The Hilbert cube is a compact metric space because it is the product of countably many closed segments that are compact. For every completely regular space R , there exists a compact T 2 -space β ( R ) such that R is homeomorphic with a subspace R' of β ( R ), R' is dense in β ( R ), and every bounded real-valued continuous function over R' can be extended to a continuous function over β ( R ). It is an interesting problem to find a compact space R * for a given topological space R such that R is homeomorphic with a dense subset R' of R *. Generally, a space such as R * is called a compactification of R . The concept of compactification appears at present in fields other than general topology. There is a tremendous number of extensions and modifications of the concept of compact space. Paracompact and locally compact spaces are significant examples of these extensions and modifications.
Defining the Content for a Quality and Safety in Surgery Curriculum Using a Nominal Group Technique.

Objective There is growing awareness of the need to provide surgical residents with training in quality and safety. Previous studies have revealed a need for a formal curriculum, but the content and structure of such a curriculum has not been defined. Our objective was to develop a surgery resident curriculum using a consensus, team-building approach. Design This study consisted of moderated, structured focus groups using a nominal group technique to guide discussion. Participants generated rank lists of topics to be included and answered questions regarding structure and design of teaching and assessment modalities. SETTING Two separate focus groups among 9 surgical residents and 10 faculty experts in quality and safety were held in conjunction with the American College of Surgeons Quality and Safety Conference in July 2017. A total of 16 institutions were represented. RESULTS A total of 35 topics were initially proposed by the resident group and a total of 41 topics were proposed by the expert group. After discussion, each group reached consensus on a final list of 9 topics. Most topics in the final lists fell into the broad areas of improvement science and nontechnical skills. Residents indicated that most topics were, on average, poorly covered by their current training program, however, a wide range was noted within each topic. Faculty indicated a preference for didactic instructional methods and assessment using multiple-choice questions. CONCLUSIONS Quality and safety are integral components of surgical training. Learners and experts agreed that topics within the domains of improvement science and nontechnical skills should be included in a formal curriculum. Learners reported wide variation on how well these topics are currently included in graduate medical education training programs.
The natural kingdom of God in Hobbes’s political thought

In Leviathan, Hobbes outlines the concept of the ‘Kingdome of God by Nature’ or ‘Naturall Kingdome of God’, terms rarely found in English texts at the time. This article traces the concept back to ...
Strontium isotope geochemistry of a low potassium olivine tholeiite and two basalt-pyroxene andesite magma series from the Medicine Lake Highland, California

Three contemporaneous yet mineralogically and chemically distinct lava series which range in composition from olivine basalt through basaltic andesite through two-pyroxene andesite, have been analyzed for their strontium isotopic composition. The Mammoth-Modoc lavas produce a mantle isochron which suggests derivation from a source approximately 243 m.y. old. The Medicine Lake shield-forming extrusives produce a minimum mantle isochron; the age of this source is likely greater than 760 m.y. old. Encompassing the entire time span of eruption for the two basalt-andesite series are a number of low potassium high alumina olivine tholeiite lavas which, when analyzed as a coherent group, produce a zero age. Lavas related to these three magma series have been extruded during the last 105 years and cover a limited geographic area. The isotope data suggest a model with substantial heterogeneity in the subcontinental lithosphere and asthenosphere, at least beneath the Medicine Lake Highland portion of the southern Cascade petrographic province.
Effects of Emotions on Sexual Behavior in Men with and without Hypersexuality

The association between positive and negative affect and sexual behavior in 39 MSM with and without hypersexuality (HS) was explored using ecological momentary assessment. Participants reported their current positive and negative affect three times per day and their sexual behavior each morning and evening. The relationship between affect and sexual behavior differed between men with or without HS. In those with HS, the timing of and interactions between experienced affect differentially predicted types of sexual behavior, indicating differing mechanisms driving partnered sexual behavior and masturbation. These findings lend support to conceptualizing HS behavior as a coping strategy for affective arousal.
The Evolution of Recombination Models

The search for a general model or description of genetic recombination has stirred many investigators over the years, and has been recently intensified as we seem to be coming within reach of some manipulable components of the system. It seems to me that this search, though conceptual, has had its own evolution like any material system.
Single-Cell-Based Digital PCR Detection and Association of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Serogroups and Major Virulence Genes.

E. coli serogroups O157, O26, O45, O103, O111, O121 and O145, when carry major virulence genes, Shiga toxin genes stx1, stx2, and intimin gene eae, are important foodborne pathogens. They are referred to as the “top-7” Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and were declared by USDA as adulterant to human health. Since the top-7 serogroup-positive cattle feces and ground beef can also contain non-adulterant E. coli strains, regular PCR cannot confirm whether the virulence genes are carried by adulterant or non-adulterant E. coli serogroups. Thus the traditional gold standard STEC detection requires bacterial isolation and characterization, which is not compatible with high-throughput settings, and often takes a week to obtain a definitive result. In this study, we demonstrated that the partition-based multi-channel digital PCR (dPCR) system can be used to detect and associate the E. coli serogroup-specific gene with major virulence genes, and developed a single cell-based dPCR approach for rapid (within one day) and accurate detection and confirmation of major STEC serogroups under high throughput settings. Major virulence genes carried by each of the top-7 STECs were detected by dPCR with appropriately diluted intact bacterial cells from pure culture, culture-spiked cattle feces, and culture-spiked ground beef. Furthermore, from 100 randomly collected, naturally shed cattle fecal samples, three O103 strains carrying eae, and two O45 strains carrying stx1 were identified by this dPCR assay and verified by the traditional isolation method. This novel and rapid dPCR assay is a culture-independent, high-throughput, accurate, and sensitive method for STEC detection and confirmation.
Regulation of peroxisome and lipid droplet hitchhiking by PxdA and the DipA phosphatase

The canonical mechanism of microtubule-based movement uses adaptor proteins to link cargos to the molecular motors dynein and kinesin. Recently, an alternative mechanism known as 9hitchhiking9 was discovered: ribonucleoproteins, peroxisomes, lipid droplets, and endoplasmic reticulum achieve motility by hitching a ride on motile early endosomes, rather than attaching directly to a motor protein. In the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans we identified a molecular linker, PxdA, that associates with early endosomes and is essential for peroxisome hitchhiking. However, the molecular components that interact with PxdA, as well as the regulatory mechanisms that govern hitchhiking, are not understood. Here, we report the identification of two new pxdA alleles, including a point mutation (R2044P). We find that the R2044P mutation disrupts PxdA9s ability to associate with early endosomes and consequently reduces peroxisome movement. We also identify the phosphatase DipA as an interaction partner of PxdA. DipA associates with early endosomes in a PxdA-dependent manner, and regulates the movement and distribution of peroxisomes. Finally, we find that PxdA also regulates the distribution of lipid droplets, but not autophagosomes or mitochondria. Our data suggest that PxdA is a central regulator of early endosome-dependent hitchhiking and requires the DipA phosphatase to regulate the movement and distribution of lipid droplets and peroxisomes.
Towards a Knowledge-rich Curriculum

This action research is to develop a framework of knowledge-rich curriculum from the knowledge-based curriculum. Rather than to replace current approaches to knowledge-based learning, this article enriches the knowledge mining orientations with additional criteria for organizing and assessing knowledge to ensure the quality of educational experience through which those orientations are developed. The proposed curriculum is characterized by principles for specific components: content, teacher roles, teaching sequence, and assessment. It presents one typical class session and teacher reflections that actualized the framework put into practice with Secondary education for English as a Foreign Language in Vietnam during 2016-2017 academic year.
Antidepressant use in patients with heart failure.

Abstract Objective There is little evidence that antidepressants are efficacious for depression in patients with heart failure (HF), and equivocal evidence that they are safe. This study identified characteristics that are associated with antidepressant use in hospitalized patients with HF. Method Logistic regression models were used to identify independent correlates of antidepressant use in 400 patients hospitalized with HF between 2014 and 2016. The measure of depression in the primary analysis was a DSM-5 diagnosis based on a structured interview; this was replaced by a PHQ-9 depression score in a secondary analysis. Results In the primary analysis, there were positive associations between antidepressant use and white race, younger age, unemployment, non-ischemic HF, number of other prescribed medications, current minor depression, history of major depression, and functional impairment. In the secondary analysis, there were positive associations with white race, unemployment, number of other prescribed medications, and functional impairment; the effect of current severity of depression differed between patients with vs. without a history of major depression. Conclusions Current depression is only one of several factors that influence the use of antidepressant medications in patients with HF. Further research is needed to ensure that these agents are being used appropriately in this patient population.