cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pornography culture and sexual crimes in digital age

Objectives: The study of the relationship between pornography and sexual crimes has been done for years.Under the social background of digital age,this article elaborated on the related problems of pornography in new-era Japan.Methods: this article aims to analyze pornography-related issues from the perspective of sociology,cultural science,ethics and sexology.Results: there is an overflow of pornography in Japanese society and culture,and the tolerance for such abnormal culture,is currently leading to various crimes in Japanese society.Especially,the online crimes have affected the social security.Conclusion: Like Japan,there is online sexual crime in China and we should learn experience from Japan in order to solve the similar problems.
Stress Incontinence: Conservative Therapy with Sympathomimetic Drugs

AbstractThere were 77 women with mild to moderate stress urinary incontinence treated with the sympathomimetic agent, phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride, combined with chlorpheniramine maleate and isopropamide iodide in a sustained release capsule (Ornade). The majority of these patients achieved significant improvement 3 months to 3 years after beginning therapy. A trial of conservative therapy is advisable for stress incontinence, especially when symptoms are mild or when the patients are in a poor risk category. Similar management of post-prostatectomy stress incontinence in men was disappointing. However, the occasional excellent results in patients with mild symptoms appear to justify a trial of conservative therapy before considering operative intervention in this group of patients.
Kym Thorne: A Remembrance

Kym Thorne’s path first crossed mine in 2005 at the Public Administration Theory Network conference in Krakow, Poland. No sooner had we exchanged initial pleasantries than he hustled me down the st...
The Influence of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Anionic Amphiphilic Compounds on Stabilization of Sodium- and Potassium-Activated Adenosine Triphosphatases by Acidic Phospholipids

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), extensively chlorinated biphenyls, deoxycholate, and phospholipase A inhibited beef brain and rabbit kidney (Na+ + K+)-ATPases (EC [3.6.1.3][1]). Phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylinositol but not phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylethanolamine prevented or reversed the inactivation of the enzymes by each of these inhibitors. Albumin protected against and reversed inactivation of (Na+ + K+)-ATPases by deoxycholate, oleate, or dodecyl sulfate; however, this protein was less effective against inactivation by the extensively chlorinated hydrocarbons. The extent of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase inactivation by anionic amphiphiles was dependent upon the temperature at which an enzyme-inhibitor mixture was incubated prior to assay, whereas inactivation by chlorinated hydrocarbons was not affected by temperature. Our experiments lead to the hypothesis that acidic phospholipids are necessary for stabilization of the enzyme and that chlorinated hydrocarbons, deoxycholate, and phospholipase A interfere with the stabilization process. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank Drs. R. W. Albers and N. K. Wilson for several helpful discussions relevant to this investigation. Dr. P. W. Albro performed gas chromatographic analyses of the Aroclor mixtures. [1]: pending:yes
September 1979–December 1980

From October 1979 through to the end of 1980 the divide surrounding Indo-China continued to widen. Reports of famine and the refugee crisis added a new dimension to Western responses to events in Cambodia. Although aid to the border was easily justified as a lifeline preventing many Cambodian civilians from starving to death, the aid played an additional role of rehabilitating, developing and sustaining the Khmer resistance to the Vietnamese invasion. Thus, while deliberation in the UN maintained the useful myth of the continued existence of the Democratic Kampuchea regime as a legitimate political entity, border aid, including internationally donated food and the provision of Chinese arms, transformed this myth into a reality.
Effect of aquatic dual-task training on balance and gait in stroke patients

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of aquatic dual-task training on balance and gait in stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty stroke patients were divided into the experimental (n=10) and control (n=10) groups. Both groups underwent neurodevelopmental treatment. The experimental group additionally underwent aquatic dual-task training for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks. Balance was measured using the Berg balance scale, Five Times Sit-to Stand Test, and Functional Reach Test. Gait was measured using the 10-Meter Walk Test, Timed Up and Go Test, and Functional Gait Assessment. [Results] For intragroup comparison, the experimental group showed a significant change after the experiment in all balance and gait assessment tests. For intergroup comparison, the experimental group showed relatively more significant change after the experiment in all balance and gait assessment tests. [Conclusion] Our results showed that aquatic dual-task training has a positive effect on balance and gait in stroke patients.
Reducing Joint Damage in Concrete Pavements: Quantifying Calcium Oxychloride Formation

Deterioration has been observed at the joints of many portland cement–based concrete pavements in midwestern U.S. states. It has been shown that this damage can be caused by either classic freeze–thaw behavior triggered by high saturation levels or a chemical reaction that occurs between the deicing salt (in this study, calcium chloride) and the cementitious matrix. The objective of this study was to show that low-temperature differential scanning calorimetry could be used to quantify the potential for the chemical reaction between the salt and matrix (i.e., calcium oxychloride formation). The formation of calcium oxychloride is expansive and may lead to significant cracking and spalling without exposure to freeze–thaw cycles. This study examined pastes made with ordinary portland cement; portland limestone cement; and portland cement combined with fly ash, slag, or silica fume. The results indicate that the amount of calcium oxychloride formation that occurs is not significantly different between ordinar...
Ovarian sensitivity to follicle-stimulating hormone during the follicular phase of the human menstrual cycle and in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome

Objective To investigate the existence of a different sensitivity of ovaries to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) during the follicular phase of the human menstrual cycle and in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Design Thirty-four normal subjects and 13 patients with PCOS were treated intravenously by FSH (75 or 225IU) or saline at different stages of follicular phase. Main Outcome Measures Plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), FSH, estradiol (E 2 ), and testosterone (T) in samples collected for a period of 26 hours after the injection. Results In patients at the early stages of follicular phase (baseline E 2 2 and E 2 :T-stimulated area under curve (AUC) in respect to saline experiments. In PCOS subjects, saline E 2 , and E 2 :T-stimulated AUC were significantly lower than normal women. Follicle-stimulating hormone (75 IU) dramatically increased these values, and no difference was seen in respect to 75 and 225IU FSH-treated controls. In patients with E 2 baseline plasma levels>50 pg/mL, FSH (75 or 225 IU) failed to increase both E 2 and E 2 :T-stimulated AUC in comparison with saline studies. Conclusions Early stages of follicular phase in normal and polycystic ovaries are the most responsive to the elevation of circulating FSH levels, whereas the ovarian sensitivity spontaneously decreases as follicular maturation enhances.
Blood pool contrast agents for venous magnetic resonance imaging

Imaging of the venous system plays a vital role in the diagnosis and management of a wide range of clinically significant disorders. There have been great advances in venous imaging techniques, culminating in the use of magnetic resonance venography (MRV). Although MRV has distinct advantages in anatomic and quantitative cross sectional imaging without ionizing radiation, there are well-known challenges in acquisition timing and contrast administration in patients with renal impairment. The latest advancement involves the addition of new contrast media agents, which have emerged as valuable alternatives in these difficult scenarios. In this review, we will focus on a group of specific contrast agents called blood pool agents and discuss their salient features and clinical applications.
Making Psychotherapy Great Again

Psychotherapy never stopped being as "great" as other treatments. This column explores the evidence base for both psychotherapy and medications, using depression as a specific example. The limitations are comparable for psychotherapy and medication, with much of the evidence based on small degrees of "statistically significant" rather than "clinically meaningful" change. Our field's biomedical emphasis leads to a false assumption that most patients present with single disorders, when comorbidity is the rule rather than the exception. This false assumption contributes to limitations in the evidence base and in our ability to treat patients optimally.
‘Many Makassars’: Tracing an African-Southeast Asian Narrative of Shaykh Yusuf of Makassar

This chapter addresses the role of story in connections between Indonesia and South Africa over the longue duree. It focuses on the biography of influential Sufi scholar and political exile Shaykh Yusuf of Makassar (1627–1699), banished to the Cape of Good Hope in 1694 for resistance against the Dutch East India Company. By focusing on the content of Shaykh Yusuf’s biography and the afterlives of his story in and between Indonesia and South Africa, the chapter illuminates both the nature of early modern connections between these regions and the rupture, revisiting and revival of these Afro-Asian flows in the postcolonial period.
Dimerization of AT2 and Mas Receptors in Control of Blood Pressure.

Angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) and receptor Mas (MasR) are part of the “protective arm” of the renin angiotensin system. Gene and pharmacological manipulation studies reveal that AT2R and MasR are involved in natriuretic, vasodilatory, and anti-inflammatory responses and in lowering blood pressure in various animal models under normal and pathological conditions such as salt-sensitive hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. The scope of this review is to discuss co-localization and heterodimerization as potential molecular mechanisms of AT2R- and MasR-mediated functions including antihypertensive activities. Accumulating evidences show that AT2R and MasR are co-localized, make a heterodimer, and are functionally interdependent in producing their physiological responses. Moreover, ang-(1-7) preferably may be an AT1R-biased agonist while acting as a MasR agonist. The physical interactions of AT2R and MasR appear to be an important mechanism by which these receptors are involved in blood pressure regulation and antihypertensive activity. Whether heteromers of these receptors influence affinity or efficacy of endogenous or synthetic agonists remains a question to be considered.
Mechanotransduction in Cardiac Hypertrophy and Ischemia

Mechanotransduction is the process by which load-bearing cells sense physical forces, transduce the forces into biochemical signals, and generate adaptive or maladaptive responses that lead to alterations in cell structure and function. Mechanotransduction in the heart not only affects the beat-to-beat regulation of cardiac performance, but also profoundly affects the growth, differentiation, and survival of the cellular components that comprise the human myocardium. Understanding the molecular basis for mechanotransduction is, therefore, important to our overall understanding of growth regulation and function during cardiac hypertrophy and ischemia. Cardiomyocytes rely on several intracellular components to sense mechanical load, and convert mechanical stimuli into biochemical events that affect cellular structure and function. These sensors include protein components within the myofilaments and Z-discs, integrins and other membrane-associated proteins that link the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton, and stretch-activated ion channels. A complex signaling web then transmits signals from mechanosensors to the nucleus and other organelles. Ultimately, it is hoped that new pharmacological and molecular genetic approaches targeted to specific components of the mechanotransduction machinery will be developed to translate this wealth of basic knowledge into therapeutic strategies designed to reduce cardiac hypertrophy, further protect the ischemic myocardium, and prevent its transition to heart failure.
Behavior Analysis and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

The observation that physiological functions can be altered, often in profound and enduring ways by environmental circumstances and behavioral interactions, has been repeatedly confirmed in both the laboratory and the clinic. The current resurgence of interest in the analysis of these relationships and their application in behavioral medicine reflects the strong empirical and conceptual influence of the experimental laboratory. In this regard, it is somewhat more than coincidental that the historical roots of an extensive research literature in the field can be traced to the early studies of Pavlov and Sherrington who, before the turn of the century, focused attention upon the central role of behavioral interactions in the physiological adaptations and adjustments of the internal environment (Pavlov, 1927, 1928; Sherrington, 1906). Of at least as great import, however, was the foundation provided by these early investigations, as well as by those of Beckterev (1932) in the Soviet Union and Thorndike (1898) in the United States, for conceptualizing the behavioral interactions between organism and environment within the framework of an orderly and systematic body of scientific knowledge based upon observation and experiment.
Membrane-associated carbonic anhydrase in cultured rabbit nonpigmented ciliary epithelium.

Purpose To measure the activity of membrane-associated carbonic anhydrase (CA) in cultured rabbit nonpigmented epithelial (NPE) cells, determine its identity and its sensitivity to extracellular trypsin, and compare the ability of acetazolamide and a cell-impermeant dextran-bound CA inhibitor to change cytoplasmic pH. Methods Studies were conducted using a cell line derived from rabbit NPE. The cells were lysed and separated into soluble and insoluble fractions by differential centrifugation. CA activity in these fractions was determined using a CO2 hydration assay. In studies with intact cells, a membrane-impermeable high-molecular-weight dextran-bound inhibitor (DBI) was synthesized and used to selectively bind and inhibit the extracellular-facing membrane-bound CA. Measurements of CA activity in intact red blood cells were conducted to confirm DBI remains extracellular. Acetazolamide, a membrane-permeable CA inhibitor, was used to inhibit total CA activity. Intracellular pH was determined using the pH-dependent absorbance of the fluorescent dye BCECF-AM. Results A low-speed pellet enriched with plasma membrane material accounted for 22.3 +/- 6.1% (n = 18) of the total CA activity in the cultured NPE. When intact cells were exposed to trypsin-EDTA, a 28% reduction of membrane-associated CA activity was observed; DBI inhibited this CA activity loss. Cytosolic CA activity was inhibited by 0.2% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). In contrast, membrane-associated CA was SDS resistant, a characteristic of the CA-IV isozyme. By Western blot, CA-IV immunoreactive polypeptide was detected in the cultured cells and also in native rabbit and porcine ciliary epithelium. Inhibition of total CA activity with acetazolamide and inhibition of extracellular-facing membrane-associated CA with DBI caused an identical intracellular pH decrease in intact NPE cells. Conclusions Expression of the CA-IV isozyme could account for the significant fraction of CA activity in the cultured NPE, which is membrane associated and SDS resistant. Sensitivity to tryptic hydrolysis suggests the membrane-associated CA partially faces extracellularly. As judged by responses to an extracellular CA inhibitor, the membrane-associated CA has a functional role in maintaining cytoplasmic pH.
An Introduction to Mining and Quarrying in the Ancient Andes: Sociopolitical, Economic and Symbolic Dimensions

Geological resources have long contributed in significant ways to economic, social, political, and ritual life in Andean communities. From the first mobile forager groups to the vast Inca empire, raw materials from mineral resources such as architectural, lapidary, ornamental, and knappable stone; clay for pottery mineral ores for prized metals such as gold, silver, and copper; minerals for pigments such as hematite, cinnabar, and manganese; and salt have all had a profound—if sometimes unacknowledged—role in the Andean world. While archaeologists have used a number of analytical techniques on the materials that people have procured from the earth, these materials all have one thing in common: they were extracted from a mine or quarry, and despite their importance, comparative analyses of mines and quarries have been exceptionally rare in the New World, especially in the Andes. The papers in the current volume focus on archaeological research at primary deposits of raw materials extracted through mining or quarrying in the Andean region (Fig. 1.1).
Parity Results for p-Regular Partitions with Distinct Parts

We consider the partition function bp(n), which counts the number of partitions of the integer n into distinct parts with no part divisible by the prime p. We prove the following: Let p be a prime greater than 3 and let r be an integer between 1 and p−1, inclusively, such that 24r + 1 is a quadratic nonresidue modulo p. Then, for all nonnegative integers n, bp(pn + r) ≡ 0 (mod 2).
Innovative Leadership Initiatives to Reduce the Cost of Healthcare.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study involved an examination of the literature with the goal of establishing innovative leadership initiatives to reduce healthcare costs. To achieve this objective, the author used a qualitative research design based on grounded theory to identify the key drivers of high healthcare costs and examine ways to manage them. The study outcomes show that the key drivers were unnecessary diagnostic procedures such as imaging tests, large numbers of specialty referrals, and hospitalization. The author observed that adoption of patient-centered care results in a significant reduction in hospitalization, unnecessary procedures, and specialty visits. The findings also indicate that an emphasis on primary care reduces hospitalization, unnecessary procedures, and visits to specialists. Further, organizational restructuring had a significant impact on reducing unnecessary diagnostic procedures. The study outcomes suggest that healthcare leaders should promote the active participation of patients in care delivery. Leaders also should develop strategies that enhance primary care as a means of reducing hospitalization and the need for specialty referrals. Finally, the study proposes that leaders should focus on organizational restructuring as a means of limiting unnecessary diagnostic procedures.
A partial reconstitution implicates DltD in catalyzing lipoteichoic acid d-alanylation

Modifications to the Gram-positive bacterial cell wall play important roles in antibiotic resistance and pathogenesis, but the pathway for the d-alanylation of teichoic acids (DLT pathway), a ubiquitous modification, is poorly understood. The d-alanylation machinery includes two membrane proteins of unclear function, DltB and DltD, which are somehow involved in transfer of d-alanine from a carrier protein inside the cell to teichoic acids on the cell surface. Here, we probed the role of DltD in the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus using both cell-based and biochemical assays. We first exploited a known synthetic lethal interaction to establish the essentiality of each gene in the DLT pathway for d-alanylation of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and confirmed this by directly detecting radiolabeled d-Ala-LTA both in cells and in vesicles prepared from mutant strains of S. aureus We developed a partial reconstitution of the pathway by using cell-derived vesicles containing DltB, but no other components of the d-alanylation pathway, and showed that d-alanylation of previously formed lipoteichoic acid in the DltB vesicles requires the presence of purified and reconstituted DltA, DltC, and DltD, but not of the LTA synthase LtaS. Finally, based on the activity of DltD mutants in cells and in our reconstituted system, we determined that Ser-70 and His-361 are essential for d-alanylation activity, and we propose that DltD uses a catalytic dyad to transfer d-alanine to LTA. In summary, we have developed a suite of assays for investigating the bacterial DLT pathway and uncovered a role for DltD in LTA d-alanylation.
Interdisciplinary Exploration and Domain-Specific Expertise Are Mutually Enriching

Interdisciplinary and domain-specific investigative trajectories represent very different approaches to the study of creative intelligence. They proceed in opposing directions and seem to generate contradictions. Interdisciplinary work seems to make domain-specific inquiry look excessively insular while domain-specific work seems to undermine the credibility of investigations that cross disciplinary borders. In actuality, these two very different approaches can enrich each other if their adherents develop healthy forms of mutual respect.
Changing characteristics of runoff and freshwater export from watersheds draining northern Alaska

Abstract. The quantity and quality of river discharge in Arctic regions is influenced by many processes including climate, watershed attributes and, increasingly, hydrological cycle intensification and permafrost thaw. We used a hydrological model to quantify baseline conditions and investigate the changing character of hydrological elements for Arctic watersheds between Utqiagvik (formerly known as Barrow)) and just west of Mackenzie River over the period 1981–2010. A synthesis of measurements and model simulations shows that the region exports 31.9 km 3 yr −1 of freshwater via river discharge, with 55.5 % (17.7 km 3 yr −1 ) coming collectively from the Colville, Kuparuk, and Sagavanirktok rivers. The simulations point to significant ( p ) increases (134 %–212 % of average) in cold season discharge (CSD) for several large North Slope rivers including the Colville and Kuparuk, and for the region as a whole. A significant increase in the proportion of subsurface runoff to total runoff is noted for the region and for 24 of the 42 study basins, with the change most prevalent across the northern foothills of the Brooks Range. Relatively large increases in simulated active-layer thickness (ALT) suggest a physical connection between warming climate, permafrost degradation, and increasing subsurface flow to streams and rivers. A decline in terrestrial water storage (TWS) is attributed to losses in soil ice that outweigh gains in soil liquid water storage. Over the 30-year period, the timing of peak spring (freshet) discharge shifts earlier by 4.5 d, though the time trend is only marginally ( p=0.1 ) significant. These changing characteristics of Arctic rivers have important implications for water, carbon, and nutrient cycling in coastal environments.
Analog neuromorphic computing using programmable resistor arrays

Abstract Digital logic technology has been extraordinarily successful and has been fueled by incredible gains in integration density and performance achieved over the years following Moore’s law. This has led to societal changes where more and more everyday functions are aided by smart devices following the path to artificial intelligence. However, in the field of deep machine learning, even this technology falls short, partly because device scaling gains are no longer easy to come by, but also due to intractable energy costs of computation. Deep learning, using labeled data, can be mapped onto artificial neural networks, arrays where the inputs and outputs are connected by programmable weights, and which can perform pattern recognition functions. The learning process consists of finding the optimum weights however this learning process is very slow for large problems. Exploiting the fact that weights do not need to be determined with high precision, as long as they can be updated precisely, the device community has recognized that analog computation approaches, using physical arrays of memristor (programmable resistor) type devices could offer significant speedup and power advantages compared to pure digital, or pure software approaches. On the other hand, the history of analog computation is not reassuring since the rule has been that more capable digital devices invariably supplant analog function. In this paper I will discuss the opportunities and limitations of using analog techniques to accelerate the learning process in resistive neural networks.
Review of Olexiy Haran and Maksym Yakovlyev, editors. Constructing a Political Nation: Changes in the Attitudes of Ukrainians during the War in the Donbas.

Book review of Olexiy Haran and Maksym Yakovlyev, editors. Constructing a Political Nation: Changes in the Attitudes of Ukrainians during the War in the Donbas. Translated by Jarema Hawrylyshyn and Olha Nikolska, Stylos Publishing, 2017. Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation , dif.org.ua/uploads/pdf/18212736635aaf8ae4bfc014.12076744.pdf . xvi, 223 pp. Tables. Figures. Appendices. E-book.
Early-age performance of longitudinal bridge joints made with shrinkage-compensating cement concrete

Abstract Longitudinal joints that connect adjacent box beams in bridges are known to experience early-age cracks due to temperature and shrinkage effects. Such cracks can open a direct path for water and deleterious agents to penetrate into the bridge, causing corrosion of embedded steel rebars and degradation of superstructure and substructure elements. To mitigate this problem, a solution explored in this study is to use Type K shrinkage-compensating cement, which has the promise to enhance the volume stability of concrete, minimize early-age cracks, and thus, increase the service life of the entire structure. For achieving a holistic assessment of this solution, a test setup consisting of two full-scale box beams connected with concrete made with Type K shrinkage-compensating cement was investigated in the laboratory setting under various temperature profiles. Response data, including temperature, longitudinal and transverse strain/stress, and deflection, were collected at the joint and each box beam during the thermal tests. To extend the scope of investigations beyond the temperature profiles tested in the laboratory, a set of three-dimensional finite-element simulations were performed as well. The results obtained from both experimental tests and numerical analyses showed that the stresses in the joint made with shrinkage-compensating cement concrete remain below the cracking threshold under temperature and shrinkage effects. With maintaining a proper bond with the box beams, the developed joint was found to provide superior performance, especially at early age, addressing the issues associated with the use of conventional concrete in longitudinal bridge joints.
РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ БЕССТЕПЛЕРНОГО МИНИ-ГАСТРОШУНТИРОВАНИЯ В ЛЕЧЕНИИ МЕТАБОЛИЧЕСКОГО СИНДРОМА: РАНДОМИЗИРОВАННОЕ КЛИНИЧЕСКОЕ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ

In the present article, after assessment of the effectiveness of the developed stapleless mini-gastric bypass was described on equally effective of the stapleless and standard stapler methods of treating the metabolic syndrome
502. The Impact of Combating COVID-19 on Blood Culture Contamination and Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infection Rates

Background Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has presented challenges to every facet of the healthcare system. There is limited research evaluating the consequence of diverting resources from patient safety initiatives to COVID-19 crisis efforts. In an attempt to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on quality of patient care, we compared rates of blood culture contamination and central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) during COVID-19 to those before the pandemic.
Resin cast impressions as a tool for microscopic observations of fungal epiphytes on leaves

A simple method for fungal epiphyte microscopic observations and preservation is described. A two-part clear casting resin, cotton leaves and two species of fungi were used to validate this protocol. We obtained very detailed images of fungal structures using this approach in addition to retaining the impressions for future reference.
Antiplatelet and Antithrombotic Therapy in Percutaneous Coronary Interventions

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is the cornerstone of pharmacological therapy preventing atherothrombotic complications. Advances in drug-eluting stent technology, antiplatelet pharmacotherapy, and novel parenteral and oral anticoagulants (OAC) have led to constant evolution in periprocedural antithrombotic strategy. The following chapter outlines our cardiac catheterization laboratory’s current approach to antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy in various clinical settings based on current guidelines and expert opinion.
Engaging with ELL Students in Their Personal Writing

I am currently a student teacher at a charter school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My class is a self-contained 7th and 8th grade ELL classroom, where the cooperating teacher (CT) teaches all content classes. In English Language Arts (ELA) this month, students were assigned to write a personal friendship story. Prior to writing, students were asked to fill out a graphic organizer with three columns: (1) My Friends, (2) Places I have Friends, and (3) Things I like to do with Friends.
Colorectal Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection: An Update on Best Practice

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a method of en-bloc resection of neoplastic colorectal lesions which is less invasive compared to surgical resection. Lesion stratification, architecture recognition and estimation of depth of invasion are crucial for patient selection. Expert endoscopists have integrated a variety of classification systems including Paris, lateral spreading tumor (LST), narrow band imaging (NBI), international colorectal endoscopic (NICE) and Japanese NBI expert team (JNET) in their day-to-day practice to enhance lesion detection accuracy. Major societies recommend ESD for LST-non granular (NG), Kudo-VI type, large depressed and protruded colonic lesions with shallow submucosal invasion. Chance of submucosal invasion enhances with increased depth as well as tumor location and size. In comparison to endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), ESD has a lowerl recurrence rate and higher curative resection rate, making it superior for larger colonic lesions management. Major complications such as bleeding and perforation could be seen in up to 11% and 16% of patients, respectively. In major Western countries, performing ESD is challenging due to limited number of expert providers, lack of insurance coverage, and unique patient characteristics such as higher BMI and higher percentage of previously manipulated lesions.
Up From Political Liberalism (But Not Entirely)

This chapter is a draft of an autobiographical sketch of the author's political pilgrimage. In it the author discusses his philosophical and political influences as well as how he changed his mind on several issues.
The Essential Work of Crip Resistance: Demanding Dignity in Spain's Pandemic Austerity

This article considers crip resistance to the politics of austerity with which Spain's government has reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic, roughly a decade after the 15-M anti-austerity movement and its occupations. Given the intensification of austerity politics and their effects on people with disabilities, I examine three instances of crip resistance and their virtual, local, and global settings. Beyond McRuer's expansive view of crip resistance as comprised of tactics that center disability against global austerity, my analysis establishes its groundwork in the current demands by Spanish disability advocacy groups and on Javier Romanach's modelo de diversidad funcional , the prevalent model of disability among Spanish disability activists that centers the concept of dignity. Throughout this analysis, I demonstrate how crip tactics that emerge in a crisis can help make sense of a continuing emergency as they challenge the existing conditions of cultural austerity and contribute to the concept of dignity as an organizing principle .
Regulation of acid-sensing ion channels by protein binding partners

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are a family of proton-gated cation channels that contribute to a diverse array of functions including pain sensation, cell death during ischemia, and more broadly to neurotransmission in the central nervous system. There is an increasing interest in understanding the physiological regulatory mechanisms of this family of channels. ASICs have relatively short N- and C-termini, yet a number of proteins have been shown to interact with these domains both in vitro and in vivo. These proteins can impact ASIC gating, localization, cell-surface expression, and regulation. Like all ion channels, it is important to understand the cellular context under which ASICs function in neurons and other cells. Here we will review what is known about a number of these potentially important regulatory molecules.
Pathogenetic Roles of Intracellular Calcium and Magnesium in Membrane-Mediated Progressive Muscle Degeneration in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in humans is a progressively crippling X-linked recessive neuromuscular disease with no effective treatment (Rowland, 1980; Moser, 1984). It is characterized by profound biochemical (Kar and Pearson, 1976; Bertoriniet al., 1982; Bhattacharya and Crawford, 1985), electrocardiographic (Sanyal and Johnson, 1982), histopathological (Bodensteiner and Engel, 1978; Emery and Burt, 1980; Bertoriniet al., 1982, 1984), and ultrastructural (Mokri and Engel, 1975; Oberc and Engel, 1977) abnormalities of skeletal and cardiac muscle, and a 70–80% reduced life expectancy. Although a “vascular hypothesis” implicating abnormal microvasculature has been presented in the past to explain many aspects of the dystrophic pathophysiology, the most tenable mechanism for the classical muscle degeneration in DMD is now widely attributed to a generalized functional and structural defect(s) in the plasma membrane integrity of myofibers (Mokri and Engel, 1975; Schotlandet al., 1977) and erythroeytes (Araki and Mawatari, 1971).
A Low Cost Virtual Reality Human Computer Interface for CAD Model Manipulation

Interactions with high volume complex three-dimensional data using traditional two-dimensional computer interfaces have, historically, been inefficient and restrictive. However, during the past decade, virtual reality (VR) has presented a new paradigm for human-computer interaction. This paper presents a VR human-computer interface system, which aims at providing a solution to the human-computer interaction problems present in today’s computer-aided design (CAD) software applications. A data glove device is used as a 3D interface for CAD model manipulation in a virtual design space. To make the visualization more realistic, real-time active stereo vision is provided using LCD shutter glasses. To determine the ease of use and intuitiveness of the interface, a human subject study was conducted for performing standard CAD manipulation tasks. Analysis results and technical issues are also presented and discussed.
By the Numbers: The 2013 Indexed Pension and Social Security Numbers

We present the 2013 indexed pension and Social Security numbers in an easy-to-read table. Feel free to photocopy this table and keep it handy.
Transient Infrared Spectroscopy

Transient infrared spectroscopy is a pair of closely related techniques that allow measurement of useful spectra from opaque, moving materials. In the techniques a transient thermal gradient is used to spectroscopically isolate a thin surface layer from the bulk of the sample. The basic elements of the techniques and some industrially relevant applications are described.
Clinical impact of stool cultures for campylobacter in adults with acute or chronic diarrhea

Campylobacter jejuni has emerged as a frequent cause of diarrhea. During a 12-month period at the Houston Veterans Administration Medical Center, we isolated C jejuni from 3.4% of the 290 stool cultures from patients with diarrhea. This compared to an isolation rate of 4.1% for Salmonella and 3.1% for Shigella. During the same period, 17 additional cases of Campylobacter-associated diarrhea were identified in adults at the two other Baylor College of Medicine teaching hospitals. We correlated the clinical history, treatment, and outcome of these 27 cases of Campylobacter-associated diarrhea (22 cases of acute diarrhea and five of chronic diarrhea). In most patients with acute disease, the diarrhea was resolving by the time the results of the cultures were available. The duration of illness was the same whether treated with antibiotics to which Campylobacter was susceptible (effective therapy) or antibiotics to which it was not susceptible (ineffective therapy); the mean duration of diarrhea after submitting the culture was 5.2 days for those with ineffective therapy versus 5.6 days for those receiving effective therapy. Thus, antibiotic therapy did not appear to shorten the duration of acute diarrhea due to Campylobacter. Five patients had chronic diarrhea; all had an unrelated underlying disease, and antibiotic treatment did not change the clinical course despite bacteriologic cure. This study raises questions as to the value of antibiotic therapy for campylobacteriosis, and in this light, we discuss the value of routine culturing for Campylobacter.
An efficient information sharing approach for large scale multi-agent team

Effective communication among agents in large teams is crucial because the members share a common goal but only have a partial views of the environment. Information sharing is difficult in a large team because, a team member may have a piece of valuable information but not know who needs the information, since it is infeasible to know what each other agent is doing. Although much related work has been done on efficient delivery of information, most work is based on assumptions which are not suited to large scale multiagent teams. In this paper, we made two contributions. Firstly, we present a solution to sharing information that is applicable to large teams based on previous research. A key to the solution is imposing a static network topology on the members of the team where each agent requiring communication to be only along very few links in that network. The key observation underlying this solution is that each piece of information is interrelated and the sender of a piece of information can ldquoguessrdquo who might need some information based on previously sent messages. Thus, when an agent has a piece of information, it can determine which of its neighbors in the network is most likely to either need the information or know who does, based on related messages previously received. Secondly, we investigate the influence of different types of team network topology on the efficiency of information sharing. Our results show that our algorithm works with various topologies but gets the best performance on a scale free network.
Towards an Internet Enabled Cooperative Manufacturing Management Framework

In this paper, manufacturing management issues are addressed at three levels: inter-enterprise, infra-enterprise and shop floor levels. An Internet enabled framework based on Web services and software agents for cooperative manufacturing management is proposed. A Web based integration environment consisting of an agent based scheduling system, a Web based remote monitoring and control system, and corresponding services is designed and developed for the shop floor management. Prototype implementation is briefly introduced and the ongoing research is prospected.
Mosaic arrangement of ganglion cell receptive fields in rabbit retina.

DeVries, Steven H. and Denis A. Baylor. Mosaic arrangement of ganglion cell receptive fields in rabbit retina. J. Neurophysiol. 78: 2048–2060, 1997. The arrangement of ganglion cell receptive field...
Surface Stress Development Associated With Hybridization of Monomolecular DNA Film

Surface stress changes associated with hybridization of surface immobilized DNA molecules are measured. A novel interferometry technique employing two adjacent micromachined cantilevers a sensing/reference pair is used to measure the surface stress development. Measurement approach relies on coating the sensing cantilever with single stranded DNA (30-mer Adenine (poly A)) and reference cantilever with hybridized DNA. The sensing/reference pair is exposed to varying concentrations of complimentary DNA strand (30-mer Thymine (Poly T)) and differential deflection of sensing cantilever with respect to reference is measured to determine the change in surface stress. Experimental results indicate that surface stress develops only on exposure to complimentary strands (specific binding) and is not affected by exposure to other single stranded DNA (non-specific binding). Varying the poly T concentration from 0.1 to 1.0 μM results in a linear increase of the surface stress changes from 40 to 110 mN/m during DNA hybridization. Surface stress development starts as soon as the complementary poly T is introduced in the fluid cell and reaches a stable value within 15 minutes of injection time.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
SU‐FF‐J‐31: Comparison of Image Registration Tools Used for Daily KV Imaging‐Based Patient Set‐Up

Purpose: To assess daily set‐up of thoracic patients, based on kV images and kV cone‐beam CT(CBCT), and to compare different tools for analysis of kV images.Method and Materials: Nine thoracic patients who had daily kV imaging as a part of their routine treatment were evaluated. A total of 205 images (18–26 images per patient) were available for analysis. Patients were set up daily to skin marks, and orthogonal kV images were acquired. Shifts used for patient treatment were determined by side‐by‐side visual inspection of images in a commercial R&V system. Weekly CBCTimages were obtained, and patient alignment was done using an in‐house 3D‐3D rigid registration tool. All images were retrospectively analyzed by a single observer using in‐house 2D‐3D image registration tools. In this software, split windows and shifting of the reference image were used to determine the shifts. Results: The standard deviation of the shifts actually made, for all 9 patients, were 3.8, 4.5, and 4.6 mm (L/R, S/I and A/P respectively). The standard deviation of the differences between actual shifts and those obtained retrospectively by manual 2D‐3D matching were 2.7, 3.0, and 2.7 mm (L/R, S/I and A/P respectively). The standard deviation of the differences between manual kV shifts and CBCT were 2.3, 2.5, and 1.5 mm (L/R, S/I and A/P respectively). The largest systematic difference observed was between manual 2D‐3D and CBCT shifts (1.0 mm in the A/P direction). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that PTV margins are non‐zero and need to be determined even when using daily kV imaging. The differences between different manual methods of evaluating daily patient images are smaller than the actual shifts made, but still substantial. Reduction of this variation, through use of better tools, training, or improvements in image quality, may improve patient set‐up and allow for further margin reduction.
A differential electrometer with dynamic gain for pulsed amperometric measurement

An electrometer is described which will measure the transient currents in an electrochemical cell activated by a pulsed polarization potential. This electrometer consists of dual current to voltage transducer stages allowing differential current measurement. Each stage has dynamic stepped-up gain capability which can be varied under digital control. The dynamic gain enables maximum sensitivity of measurement while preventing saturation of the amplifiers by large magnitude current spikes present at the initial application of the polarization potential. The electrometer can measure the current passing through an unshielded electrochemical cell with an accuracy of ±10pA. The electrometer does not affect nor interfere with the electrodes performance. Also, the instrument does not influence the electrochemical processes. This electrometer has application in pulse polarography and other amperometric type electrochemical measurements.
Principal component analysis of the features of concentric needle EMG motor unit action potentials.

Motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) were recorded from the biceps muscle of normal subjects and of patients with nerve of muscle diseases. Principal component analysis of the MUAP amplitude, area, area/amplitude ratio, duration, and the number of turns and phases produced three components that among them contained 90% of the variance of the data set. Thus the dimensionality of data was reduced from six to three. The first component reflected changes in the size of the MU, whereas the second reflected variations in the arrival time at the recording electrode of the action potentials of muscle fibers in the motor unit. The third factor reflected local loss of muscle fibers within the MU territory. Patterns of variations in the three components were different in patients with neuropathy and myopathy.
Polarization analysis of a twisted nematic liquid crystal display using a Poincare sphere

Twisted nematic liquid crystal displays (TN-LCD) are being widely adopted for personal computers. Figure 1 shows the transmittance -voltage (T-V) characteristics for the normally - white mode of a first minimum TN display. Here the polarizer transmission axis is parallel to the liquid crystal (LC) alignment direction on the adjacent substrates (e-mode TN-LCD). Figure 2 shows the viewing angles. In the lower azimuth view, the T-V curve oscillates, causing gray scale image inversion. In the upper azimuth view, the transmittance at an intermediate voltage is high and the gray scale image washes out. In the right and left azimuth view, the T-V curve is almost the same as a normal view, giving a clear gray scale image. The symmetry of viewing characteristics has been investigated 1), and light propagation in the normal direction has been calculated using a Poincare sphere2. Light propagation for oblique viewing had not yet been examined. We investigated this using a Poincare sphere.
Applying agile software development processes to global virtual teams: a study of communication modalities

Today's information technology (IT) environment dictates speed, flexibility and a people-centered focus. Many of the new emerging agile software development processes accomplish these goals by calling for team collaboration in face-to-face settings. Globalization and the pressure to lower development costs have increased the utilization of virtual teams. These virtual teams represent a new organizational form that does not provide for same proximity collaboration. We propose an experiment that explores the impacts of different communication modalities in face-to-face and global virtual software development environments.