cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decentralization and Subnational Politics in Latin America: Decentralization and the Revival of Subnational Politics

Once administrative centralization has lasted for a while, the same power that founded it, were it later to want to destroy it, is always incapable of bringing about its ruin … [A]dministrative centralization assumes a skillful organization of authority; it forms a complicated machine of which all the gears engage each other and lend each other mutual support. Alexis de Tocqueville If Alexis de Tocqueville were alive today, he would be surprised to find that over the last quarter of the twentieth century, processes of decentralization of government – that is, the downward transfer of resources, responsibilities, or authority from national to subnational governments – have taken place in countries around the world (Manor 1999, vii). Part of a larger wave of economic and political reforms, the decentralization of governments followed the collapse of economic and political regimes with centralized commands and planning structures. Various world changes – the collapse of communism in the former Soviet Union and in Eastern Europe, the reforms to societal corporatism in Western Europe, and the demise of the developmental state in Latin America – all contributed to the search for new forms of articulation among the nation-states, their economies, and their societies. The decentralization of government policies that emphasized the principle of subsidiarity (of collecting, spending, and making public-policy decisions at the lowest possible level of government) proved functional to those larger political and economic changes.
A Stochastic Model for Controlled Discontinuous Crack Growth in Brittle Materials

Statistical Fracture Mechanics aims at describing fracture of brittle solids with complex microstructure and pronounced combination of scatter and’ scale effect’ for conventional fracture parameters such as fracture toughness, critical energy release rate, etc. It achieved significant progress in prediction of distributions of critical loads, crack lengths, displacements, etc., for a stressed structural element under a variety of conditions. The present paper addresses another important question: predicting life-time scatter for a stressed brittle structural element. We model an observed mode of slow crack growth in brittle materials, namely a Markovian stochastic pattern of a microscopic random jump, followed by a random waiting time, followed by a random jump, and so on. The waiting times are related, on physical grounds, to random energy barriers at the arrest points, whereas random magnitudes of the jumps are treated within the existing framework of Crack Diffusion Theory. The transition probability density for the resulting random process of crack growth is shown to satisfy a differential equation which admits a solution in quadratures. A simple illustrative example is considered.
Why nobody likes a prophet: Bartolomé de las Casas, a loud voice in the wilderness

AbstractThis essay focuses on and analyzes the role of prophet that Bartolome de las Casas (1485–1566) lived out in the conquest and settlement of the New World. Borrowing a great deal from a shorter essay written years ago by Stafford Poole on the history and nature of prophets, we examine how Las Casas’s life mirrored so many of the qualities and characteristics of the prophet, especially those of the Old Testament. It is part of our general argument that one can only truly understand the life of Las Casas, often described as the greatest defender of American Indians (the “indigenous” in today’s jargon), by placing him squarely within the Scriptural prophetic tradition that drove both is thinking and his actions. This is a “Critical Essay” and it was originally delivered as a public lecture.
Irradiated donor leukocytes promote engraftment of allogeneic bone marrow in major histocompatibility complex mismatched recipients without causing graft-versus-host disease.

Graft rejection in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can occur when donor and recipient are mismatched at one or more major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci. Donor T cells can prevent graft rejection, but may cause fatal graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). We tested whether irradiation of allogeneic donor lymphocytes would preserve their graft-facilitating activity while inhibiting their potential for GVHD. Infusions of irradiated allogeneic T cells did not cause GVHD in MHC-mismatched SJL --> (SJL x C57BL6) F1, C57BL6 --> B10.RIII, and C57BL6 --> B10.BR mouse donor --> recipient BMT pairs. The 60-day survival among MHC-mismatched transplant recipients increased from 2% (BM alone) to up to 75% among recipients of BM plus irradiated allogeneic splenocytes. Optimal results were obtained using 50 x 10(6) to 75 x 10(6) irradiated donor splenocytes administered in multiple injections from day -1 to day +1. Recipients of an equal number of nonirradiated MHC-mismatched donor splenocytes uniformly died of acute GVHD. The graft facilitating activity of the irradiated allogeneic splenocytes was mediated by donor T cells. Irradiation to 7.5 Gy increased nuclear NFkappaB in T cells and their allospecific cytotoxicity. Irradiated T cells survived up to 3 days in the BM of MHC-mismatched recipients without proliferation. Recipients of irradiated allogeneic splenocytes and allogeneic BM had stable donor-derived hematopoiesis without a significant representation of donor splenocytes in the T-cell compartment. Irradiated allogeneic T cells thus represent a form of cellular immunotherapy with time-limited biologic activity in vivo that can facilitate allogeneic BMT without causing GVHD.
Quality Meshing of a Forest of Branching Structures

Neurons are cellular compartments possessing branching morphologies, with information processing functionality, and the ability to communicate with each other via synaptic junctions (e.g. neurons come within less than a nano-meter of each other in a specialized way). A collection of neurons in each part of the brain form a dense forest of such branching structures, with myriad inter-twined branches, inter-neuron synaptic connections, and a packing density that leaves only 5% - 10% volume fraction of exterior-cellular space. Small-scale variations in branching morphology of neurons and inter-neuron spacing can exert dramatically different electrical effects that are overlooked by models that treat dendrites as cylindrical compartments in one dimension with lumped parameters. In this paper, we address the problems of generating topologically accurate and spatially realistic boundary element meshes of a forest of neuronal membranes for analyzing their collective electrodynamic properties through simulation. We provide a robust multi-surface reconstruction and quality meshing solution for the forest of densely packed multiple branched structures starting from a stack of segmented 2D serial sections from electron microscopy imaging. The entire 3D domain is about 8 cubic microns, with inter-neuron spacing down to sub-nanometers, adding additional complexity to the robust reconstruction and meshing problem.
Mitigation of Deep Turbulence Effects with SPGD Based Adaptive Optics System

A low-cost AO system designed to be installed into a amateur astronomical telescope was tested in deep turbulence conditions. The results demonstrate potentials of the technique for star-image quality improvement in amateur astronomical telescopes.
Electronic reanimation of facial paralysis--a feasibility study.

We set out to adapt the concept of functional electrical stimulation to the reanimation of the paralyzed face. In the New Zealand white rabbit model we studied the strength-duration curves of both ...
Pastoral care use among post-9/11 veterans who screen positive for mental health problems

As a result of their military experience, veterans with mental health problems may have unique motivations for seeking help from clergy. Patterns and correlates of seeking pastoral care were examined using a nationwide representative survey that was conducted among veterans of post-9/11 conflicts (adjusted N = 1,068; 56% response rate). Separate multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine veteran characteristics associated with seeking pastoral care and seeking mental health services. Among post-9/11 veterans with a probable mental disorder (n = 461) – defined as a positive screen for posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, or alcohol misuse – 20.2% reported talking to a “pastoral counselor” in the preceding year, 44.7% reported talking to a mental health professional, and 46.6% reported talking to neither. In a multivariate analysis for veterans with a probable mental disorder, seeing a pastoral counselor was associated with an increased likelihood of seeing a mental health professional in the past year (OR: 2.16; 95% CI: [1.28, 3.65]). In a separate bivariate analysis, pastoral counselors were more likely to be seen by veterans who indicated concerns about stigma or distrust of mental health care. These results suggest that pastoral and mental health care services may complement one another and underscore the importance of enhancing understanding and collaboration between these disciplines so as to meet the needs of the veterans they serve.
Ultrahigh Throughput Silicon Nanomanufacturing by Simultaneous Reactive Ion Synthesis and Etching

One-dimensional nanostructures, such as nanowhisker, nanorod, nanowire, nanopillar, nanocone, nanotip, nanoneedle, have attracted significant attentions in the past decades owing to their numerous applications in electronics, photonics, energy conversion and storage, and interfacing with biomolecules and living cells. The manufacturing of nanostructured devices relies on either bottom-up approaches such as synthesis or growth process or top-down approaches such as lithography or etching process. Here we report a unique, synchronized, and simultaneous top-down and bottom-up nanofabrication approach called simultaneous plasma enhanced reactive ion synthesis and etching (SPERISE). For the first time the atomic addition and subtraction of nanomaterials are concurrently observed and precisely controlled in a single-step process permitting ultrahigh-throughput, lithography-less, wafer-scale, and room-temperature nanomanufacturing. Rapid low-cost manufacturing of high-density, high-uniformity, light-trapping nan...
Sonic flow regulator for metering pressurized CO2 gas

A sonic flow regulator for metering pressurized CO 2 gas is described. Flow rates of 5,025, 700, and 400 ml/min were obtained with orifice sizes of 0.53-, 0.32-, and 0.20-mm inner diameter, respectively. This small, rugged regulator is an economical alternative to diaphragm-type regulators
A Procedure for Evaluating Fuel Composition Effects on Combustor Life

A generalized method is presented for estimating the effects of fuel composition on liner life. This method avoids the detail temperature and stress distribution calculations required when using conventional cyclic material property charts. The simplified approach became possible when it was found that cyclic life ratios due to fuel change were very similar when correlated with a convenient temperature parameter that had already been used in the past to correlate fuel composition with metal temperature change. This life ratio was found to be relatively independent of: (1) the peak temperature existing with the base fuel; (2) the coolant temperature; and (3) the actual detailed stress calculation. A trend of increased life ratio effect at longer cyclic lives for crack initiation was found. This trend can be incorporated into life ratio estimates from the prepared curves by using the actual observed service life without the need for a calculated absolute life.Copyright © 1982 by ASME
Quantifying freshwater-induced fragmentation of submerged aquatic vegetation communities using a multi-scale landscape ecology approach

Species composition and abundance of nearshore submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) of Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA, are influenced by pulsed delivery of fresh water from canals that drain the Everglades and adjacent urban and agricultural areas. In the present study, we evaluated whether freshwater inflows were correlated with the spatial structure (e.g. patchiness, fragmenta- tion, spatial heterogeneity) of SAV. SAV patches were delineated using aerial photographs and object-based classification, and the SAV seascape structure was characterized at different spatial scales (200 m to 1 km from shore) using landscape metrics. The area closest to shore (200 m buffer) was identified as the area with the highest heterogeneity in SAV seascape structure; areas beyond this buffer did not differ significantly in landscape metrics. Within the 200 m buffer, SAV seascapes clustered into continuous SAV structures (CSS) and fragmented SAV structures (FSS). CSS had a higher proportion of the benthos covered by larger SAV patches with simpler boundaries. FSS had a higher density of smaller SAV patches with complex shapes and a lower proportion of the substrate covered by SAV patches. Neither structure type was distributed randomly along the shoreline. CSS were prevalent in areas with high and stable salinity. FSS were prevalent in areas influenced by freshwater discharges where salinity is low and variable, highlighting how the pulsed release of fresh water may adversely influence the structure of SAV seascapes, potentially resulting in fragmentation of the benthic community. Thus, this seascape approach provides a tool to assess the influences and effectiveness of the Everglades Restoration Project in Biscayne Bay.
The Expression of Caspase-9 in Rabbit Retinal Ischemia-Reperfusion and Estrogen Influence

Objective:To investigate the retinal ischemia-reperfusion and the effects of Caspase-9expression and effect of estradiol benzoate.Methods:The animals were randomly divided into sham group,ischemia group,estrogen treatment group,ischemia group and treatment group was divided into the the reperfusion after 1h,6h,12h,24h,48hand 72h6period.Production retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury in animal models,retinal morphological changes were observed,different times of the retinal tissue of Caspase-9expression detected by immunohistochemistry SABC method.Results:Estrogen therapy group observed indicators expression.Results compared with ischemia group,relative expression significantly reduced reperfusion 6h,12h,24h,48h,72hdifference P0.05,statistically significant.Conclusion:Estradiol benzoate can inhibit retinal ischemia reperfusion injury apoptosis gene Caspase-9in increased retinal expression,and inhibition of apoptosis to achieve its therapeutic effect on retinal ischemia reperfusion injury.
Digital campus model based on Multi-Agent for higher institutions

The paper brings up the Multi-Agent(Agent)model for digital campus for construction,analyzes the architecture of the model,and gives the methodology of digital campus construction,realizes the model example,addresses the collaboration,norm,reasonability,standardization intelligence and other issues for environment,resources and activities.The application proves to be excellent.
Challenging Critical Orthodoxies, Confronting Binary Oppositions: The Commentator par lui-même

This introductory chapter outlines the approach to reading taken in the book. The approach involves writing-as-reading and focuses, with attention to both Eliot and his “mentor” Lancelot Andrewes, on the “squeezing and squeezing” of words, attention to words in their immediate and remote contexts, and (eventually) deep and extended meditation. Here, commentary and poems mirror one another. The poems included in the two Ariel series are read as parts of a certain whole, around the idea for which they were commissioned, Christmas. This marks the first time they have been extensively considered (together) as Christmas poems.
PTP-1B Is the Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase That Initiates Integrin αIIbβ3 Outside-In Signaling in Platelets.

Outside-in signaling is triggered by αIIbβ3 interaction with fibrinogen or von Willebrand factor and is required for effective platelet thrombus formation on damaged vascular surfaces. It requires ligand-induced αIIbβ3 clustering, which results in the activation of several Src family tyrosine kinases that are directly associated with αIIbβ3. However, the mechanism of Src activation by αIIbβ3 is incompletely understood. Here we demonstrate that the protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTP-1B, is required for integrin activation of c-Src and for outside-in signaling in platelets. In human or mouse platelets, c-Src was constitutively-associated with αIIbβ3 through an interaction that involved the β3 cytoplasmic domain and the c-Src SH3 domain. In resting platelets, the catalytic activity of this pool of c-Src was relatively low due to auto-inhibitory constraints imposed, in part, by an intramolecular interaction between the SH2 domain and the C-terminus of c-Src. This was promoted by phosphorylation of the C-terminal tyrosine of c-Src, tyrosine 529, by the Csk kinase. When platelets became adherent to fibrinogen or bound soluble fibrinogen in response to MnCl2, PTP-1B became associated with αIIbβ3 and c-Src, as determined by co-immunoprecipitation. At the same time, Csk dissociated from the integrin complex, c-Src tyrosine 529 became dephosphorylated, and c-Src became activated, as measured by phosphorylation of activation loop tyrosine 418. In marked contrast, gene-targeted mouse platelets deficient in PTP-1B (PTP-1B−/−) exhibited no dephosphorylation of c-Src tyrosine 529 and no activation of c-Src in response to fibrinogen binding. Furthermore, unlike wild-type platelets, PTP-1B−/− platelets exhibited little or no fibrinogen-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Src substrates, and they failed to undergo cytoskeletal reorganization or to spread on fibrinogen. These abnormalities of PTP-1B−/− platelets were due to defective outside-in signaling because surface expression of αIIbβ3 was normal, and fibrinogen bound normally in response to platelet stimulation with ADP or PAR-4 receptor agonists. When Fura-2-loaded platelets were infused and visualized by real time intravital microscopy during arterial thrombus development following laser injury to the cremaster microcirculation of a living mouse, PTP-1B−/− platelets exhibited significantly reduced intracellular free Ca2+ responses and formed smaller, less stable thrombi compared to wild-type platelets. Altogether, these studies establish that PTP-1B is a necessary, positive regulator of αIIbβ3-associated c-Src during the initiation phase of outside-in signaling in platelets. Consequently, disruption of specific interactions between αIIbβ3, c-Src and PTP-1B, or abnormalities in the activation of integrin-associated c-Src or PTP-1B, may cause defects in primary hemostasis. Moreover, these interactions provide potential targets for pharmacological blockade of outside-in signaling during arterial thrombosis.
Exponential stability of nonlinear differential repetitive processes with applications to iterative learning control

Abstract This paper studies exponential stability properties of a class of two-dimensional (2D) systems called differential repetitive processes (DRPs). Since a distinguishing feature of DRPs is that the problem domain is bounded in the “time” direction, the notion of stability to be evaluated does not require the nonlinear system defining a DRP to be stable in the typical sense. In particular, we study a notion of exponential stability along the discrete iteration dimension of the 2D dynamics, which requires the boundary data for the differential pass dynamics to converge to zero as the iterations evolve. Our main contribution is to show, under standard regularity assumptions, that exponential stability of a DRP is equivalent to that of its linearized dynamics. In turn, exponential stability of this linearization can be readily verified by a spectral radius condition. The application of this result to iterative learning control (ILC) is discussed. Theoretical findings are supported by a numerical simulation of an ILC algorithm.
Synthesis of Substituted γ- and δ-Lactams via Pd-Catalyzed Alkene Carboamination Reactions.

The synthesis of substituted γ- and δ-lactams via palladium-catalyzed alkene carboamination reactions between aryl halides and alkenes bearing pendant amides is described. The substrates for these reactions are generated in 1–3 steps from commercially available materials, and products are obtained in good yield with up to >20:1 diastereoselectivity. The stereochemical outcome of the alkene addition is consistent with a mechanism involving anti-aminopalladation of the alkene.
DNA damage-induced nuclear factor-kappa B activation and its roles in cancer progression

DNA damage is a vital challenge to cell homeostasis. Cellular responses to DNA damage (DDR) play essential roles in maintaining genomic stability and survival, whose failure could lead to detrimental consequences such as cancer development and aging. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is a family of transcription factors that plays critical roles in cellular stress response. Along with p53, NF-κB modulates transactivation of a large number of genes which participate in various cellular processes involved in DDR. Here the authors summarize the recent progress in understanding DNA damage response and NF-κB signaling pathways. This study particularly focuses on DNA damage-induced NF-κB signaling cascade and its physiological and pathological significance in B cell development and cancer therapeutic resistance. The authors also discuss promising strategies for selectively targeting this genotoxic NF-κB signaling aiming to antagonize acquired resistance and resensitize refractory cancer cells to cytotoxic treatments.
Anomalous Current Oscillations in Semiconductor-Insulator-Semiconductor Structures and Related Devices

During the last few years, the study of two-dimensional (2-D) systems has been intimately related to the physics of semiconductor heterojunctions.1 One of the many different experimental techniques used to investigate the electronic properties of 2-D electron gas is tunneling across the insulator of metal-insulator-semiconductor (M.I.S.) structures2. This technique has been used as a means to obtain information about the carriers in accumulation or inversion at the semiconductor-insulator interface3. Under certain circumstances, experiments reveal intriguing secondary effects which result from fundamental transport processes in the entire M.I.S. structure. This is the case for anomalous oscillations observed in the I–V characteristics of different kinds of tunnel heterojunctions. In an early experiment, Katayama and Komatsubara4 reported oscillatory characteristics in the tunnel conductance of a M.I.S. structure fabricated from n-InSb with a carrier concentration of 2xl014 cm−3 at liquid helium temperature. The metal electrode used was Al and the oxide layer was about 30 A thick. Under reverse bias, electrons tunnel from the metal into the semiconductor. The voltage period of the oscillations was 25 mV which apparently corresponds to the L.O. phonon energy of 24.4 meV in InSb. The oscillatory amplitudes decrease with temperature and in the presence of magnetic fields. These authors interpreted their results as a modulation of the tunnel conductance by L.O. phonon emission: the phonons emitted by hot carriers in InSb scatter electrons in the metal and increase the tunneling probability.
An Aerobic Synthetic Approach toward Bis-Alkynyl Cobalt(III) Compounds

Reported herein is an expanded investigation into a new method for the preparation of Co(III) cyclam bis-alkynyls (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) under aerobic, weak base conditions. Treatment of trans-[Co(cyclam)(C2Ar)Cl]Cl-type complexes (Ar = C6F5 (1a), 4-C6H4NMe2 (1b)) with AgOTf in MeCN resulted in the doubly charged complexes [Co(cyclam)(C2Ar)(NCMe)](OTf)2 (Ar = C6F5 (2a), 4-C6H4NMe2 (2b)). These solvento complexes 2a,b undergo rapid alkynylation under aerobic conditions in the presence of an organic base and HC2Ar′ to form the symmetrical or unsymmetrical bis-alkynyl complexes trans-[Co(cyclam)(C2Ar)(C2Ar′)](OTf) (Ar/Ar′ = C6F5 (3a), 4-C6H4NMe2 (3b); Ar = C6F5 and Ar′ = 4-C6H4NMe2 (3c), C2Ph (3d)) in good yields. Molecular structures of the new compounds were established using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Structural studies revealed a notable trans influence for the Co–Cα bond lengths in the unsymmetrical complex 3c with a bond length of 1.929(7) A for the electron-withdrawing −C2...
The growth of heterostructures by pulsed laser deposition

Au/YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x /MgO and La 0.5 Sr 0.5 CoC 3 /Fused Silica heterostructures were grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition. By monitoring the orientation of the Au film in the first heterostructure, we were able to investigate the surface degradation kinetics of YBa2Cu307_x and correlate it to the contact resistance. In the second heterostructure, we demonstrated the growth of grain oriented perovskite Lao.5Sr 0.5 CoC 3 film on an amorphous substrate. Finally, we were able to grow the entire structure consisting of grain oriented PLZT film sandwiched between two La 0.5 Sro.5C o C 3 films on a fused silica by inserting a YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x /SrTiO 3 buffer layer.
Reduction of Readmissions of Patients with Chronic Conditions: A Clinical Decision Support System Design for Care Management Interventions

When the population is aging in a fast track, it is imperative to take care of or manage chronic conditions. We should employ multiple strategies to optimize the best practical solutions for achieving high quality and low cost of care. This chapter offers an exciting opportunity to demonstrate the usefulness of a collaborative project for chronic care management and health promotion research. Building an effective and efficient PHM program for specific chronic diseases with a decision support system, particularly related to poly chronic conditions, will require a concerted effort in synchronizing multi-prone solutions and strategies for risk reduction or avoidance of rehospitalization through (1) advocating the delivery of patient-centric care and education, (2) integrating health information technologies to generate meaningful use and integrated informatics for enhancing clinical and administrative decisions, and (3) containing costs for care via the use of value-based payment system.
Cost effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval cytoreductive surgery versus primary cytoreductive surgery for patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer during the initial treatment phase

Abstract Objective Advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC) can be treated with either neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) or primary cytoreductive surgery (PCS). Although randomized controlled trials show that NACT is non-inferior in overall survival compared to PCS, there may be improvement in short-term morbidity. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of NACT relative to PCS for AEOC from the US Medicare perspective. Methods A cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov model with a 7-month time horizon comparing (1) 3cycles of NACT with carboplatin and paclitaxel (CT), followed by interval cytoreductive surgery, then 3 additional cycles of CT, or (2) PCS followed by 6cycles of CT. Input parameters included probability of chemotherapy complications, surgical complications, treatment completion, treatment costs, and utilities. Model outcomes included costs, life-years gained, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER), in terms of cost per life-year gained and cost per QALY gained. We accounted for differences in surgical complexity by incorporating the cost of additional procedures and the probability of undergoing those procedures. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) was performed via Monte Carlo simulations. Results NACT resulted in a savings of $7034 per patient with a 0.035 QALY increase compared to PCS; therefore, NACT dominated PCS in the base case analysis. With PSA, NACT was the dominant strategy more than 99% of the time. Conclusions In the short-term, NACT is a cost-effective alternative compared to PCS in women with AEOC. These results may translate to longer term cost-effectiveness; however, data from randomized control trials continues to mature.
The Counseling Function of Pastors: A Study in Practice and Preparation:

This study looked at the counseling function of pastors in terms of several practice and preparation variables by studying a group of pastors from the Columbia District, United Methodist Church, Co...
Estimation of transmitter I/Q imbalance using convolutional neural networks

Transmitter induced I/Q imbalance occurs when the modulator's in-phase and quadrature components are not orthogonal. This causes the real and imaginary components of the complex signal to interfere with each other. In addition to potentially degrading performance of the transmitter, I/Q imbalance can also be used as an identifying feature when performing Specific Emitter Identification (SEI) techniques. This work investigates Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) as a means to estimate transmitter I/Q imbalance using only raw I/Q data as input instead of predefined features, with no need for synchronization, demodulation, or test signals, for I/Q imbalance correction, SEI, or other applications. The selection of the CNN architecture and network design and training are discussed. Performance analysis shows the network's ability to estimate both gain and phase offset, with performance improving as the number of inputs to the network increases and/or as SNR increases.
“Negro Girl (meager)”: Black Women’s In/Visibility in Contemporary Films About Slavery

This essay focuses on two recent British feature films that have documented parts of the history of the African diaspora. Each focusing on a single black historical figure, the films 12 Years a Slave (2013, directed by Steve McQueen) and Belle (2013, directed by Amma Asante) are notable for their black directors and their portrayals of eighteenth and nineteenth-century British and American black slave histories. However, the films’ approaches to the representation of black women vary considerably. “Negro Girl (meager)” explores the problematics of portraying black female agency in these feature films and argues for continued vigilance in the deployment of a black feminist vision.
Comprehensive Validation of Cytology Specimens for Next-Generation Sequencing and Clinical Practice Experience

Biopsy specimens are subjected to an expanding portfolio of assays that regularly include mutation profiling via next-generation sequencing (NGS). Specimens derived via fine-needle aspiration, a common biopsy technique, are subjected to a variety of cytopreparatory methods compared with surgical biopsies that are almost uniformly processed as formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. Therefore, the fine-needle aspiration–derived specimens most commonly accepted for molecular analysis are cell blocks (CBs), because they are processed most similarly to surgical biopsy tissue. However, CB preparations are fraught with challenges that risk unsuccessful sequencing and repeat biopsies, with the potential to further increase health care costs and delay clinical care. The diversity of cytopreparations and the resource-intensive clinical validation of NGS pose significant challenges to more consistent use of non-CB (NCB) cytology specimens. As part of clinical validation of a targeted NGS assay, DNA subjected to nine cytopreparatory methods was evaluated for sequencing performance and was shown to be uniformly acceptable for clinical NGS. Of the 379 clinical cases analyzed after validation, the majority (56%) were derived from NCB cytology specimens. This specimen class had the lowest DNA insufficiency rate (1.5%) and showed equivalent sequencing performance to surgical and CB formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue. NCB cytology specimens are valuable sources of tumor nucleic acid and are the preferred specimen type for clinical NGS at our institution.
Assessing the Implementation of the Good Behavior Game: Comparing Estimates of Adherence, Quality, and Exposure:

Treatment fidelity assessment is critical to evaluating the extent to which interventions, such as the Good Behavior Game, are implemented as intended and impact student outcomes. The assessment me...
Disease Specific Ontology of Adverse Events: Ontology extension and adaptation for Chronic Kidney Disease.

Abstract Background Adverse Event (AE) ontology can be used to support interoperability and computer-assisted reasoning of AEs. Despite significant progress in developing biomedical ontologies, they are facing the obstacle of adoption partly because those ontologies are too general to meet the requirements of a specific domain. Understanding and representing of AEs for a specific domain such as Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) has both theoretical and clinical significance. CKD patients are at a high risk for an array of disease-intervention specific AEs, and these in turn can contribute to disease progression unlike other diseases. This study proposes Disease Specific Ontology of Adverse Events (DSOAE) to address specific requirements of CKD, and applies it to different usage scenarios with real data. Methods We introduce a method for developing DSOAE through the extension and adaption of general ontologies by incorporating domain-specific information and usage requirements. It starts with specifying the goal and scope of a target domain (i.e. selecting seed ontologies), followed by identifying main AE classes and relations, extracting and creating classes and relations, aligning and identifying upper-level classes and lower-level classes, and finally populating the ontology with instances. Any of these steps may be repeated to refine the ontology. Results DSOAE contains 22 CKD-specific AE classes, which are grouped into two general categories: patient-reported AEs and biochemical/laboratory-related AEs. In addition, disease history and comorbidity classes as introduced in this study help model patient-related risk factors for AEs. With the support of DSOAE, we build a knowledge base of CKD-specific AEs using data from different sources (e.g. patient cohort data and social media), and apply the knowledge base to data analysis and data integration. Conclusions DSOAE enables the interoperability of AEs across different sources and supports the development of a knowledge base of domain-specific AEs. DSOAE can also meet the needs of different usage scenarios. The approach to constructing DSOAE is generalizable and can be used to develop AE ontology in other domains.
Cities in the urban age: A dissent, by Robert Beauregard

Cities in the Urban Age: A Dissent elevates the importance of engaging with the problems, struggles, and political dimensions of cities and urban life. Dissenting from contemporary urban scholarshi...
Geriatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Unique Considerations for Presentation and Outcome (S49.007)

Objective: Compare injury characteristics and 6-month neurobehavioral outcomes between young (18–39y), middle-aged (40–59y), and older (60+y) adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Background: Older adults have the highest incidence of TBI of any other age group, largely due to low-level falls. Few studies have investigated age-related differences in TBI presentation and neurobehavioral outcomes. Design/Methods: Data are from the TRACK-TBI pilot study, a prospective multi-site study of 572 patients (44% young, 35% middle-aged, 21% older) presenting ≤24h of injury to participating trauma centers with TBI of sufficient severity to warrant head CT. We compared baseline injury characteristics and 6-month neurobehavioral outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended [GOSE], Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique-Short Form [CHART-SF], Brief Symptom Inventory [BSI], Acute Concussion Evaluation [ACE], Rivermead Post-concussion Questionnaire-3 [RPQ-3], and Post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD] checklist-civilian [PCL-C]) across age groups using chi-square tests or ANOVA. Results: While older patients had more severe TBI per Acute Injury Scale, Injury Severity Scale, CT pathology, and ICU admission vs. young/middle-aged patients (all P P =0.001) and post-traumatic amnesia (PTA, P =0.02) and had similar presenting Glasgow Coma Scale scores ( P =0.24). Older patients had higher 6-month mortality and lower rates of moderate-good functional recovery on GOSE compared to younger patients, but 53% still achieved good recovery ( P Conclusions: GCS, LOC, and PTA may poorly approximate TBI severity in older adults. Most older adults had good recovery per GOSE and were less likely to report most neurobehavioral symptoms. However, older patients endorsed less independence in several domains vs. younger patients, suggesting that older patients may have greater pre-injury vs. non-brain injury-related functional deficits. Study Supported by: The NINDS (Beeson K23NS095755), American Federation for Aging Research, and UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. Disclosure: Dr. Gardner has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sharma has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yue has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kaup has nothing to disclose. Dr. Manley has nothing to disclose.
Efficient Design and Implementation of Energy Detection-Based Spectrum Sensing

Cognitive radio allows opportunistic spectrum access by finding and using temporally and spatially unused radio channels to enhance the utilization of scarce radio spectrum. Various spectrum sensing techniques have been proposed to detect the availability of unoccupied radio channels. In this article, we first briefly discuss the merits of various spectrum sensing techniques. We then present an efficient hardware architecture for energy detection-based spectrum sensing. We discuss various design parameters and features, such as transform length, window selection, window overlap, ensemble averaging, and dynamic thresholding for efficient realization of the designed spectrum sensing module. Then, an efficient hardware architecture for an optimal energy detection-based spectral estimator is presented. To reduce the computational complexity, we utilize a polyphase filter structure. For the high-performance implementation of the proposed spectrum sensing architecture, we use cutset retiming, and for the compact realization, we use the time-multiplexing technique to reuse hardware resources. We model our spectrum sensing module in both floating-point and fixed-point representations using our custom-developed library of numerical operations. The synthesizable parameteric model of the energy detection-based spectrum sensing module is developed in Verilog hardware description language. The architecture of the designed spectrum sensing module is implemented on a Xilinx Virtex-7 field-programmable gate array and operates at 327 MHz. The cycle-accurate bit-true hardware simulation results are verified against its fixed-point software simulation results. An ASIC architecture of the designed spectrum sensing module is estimated to occupy $$5.65\,\hbox {mm}^2$$ and dissipate 9.10 mW from a 1.05-V supply while operating at 200 MHz in a standard 32-nm CMOS technology for a 200 MHz bandwidth.
New multituberculate mammals from the mid-Cretaceous (lower Cenomanian) Wayan Formation of southeastern Idaho and implications for the early evolution of Cimolodonta

During the mid-Cretaceous, multituberculate mammal communities were restructured, as ‘plagiaulacidan’ multituberculates, common from the Middle Jurassic through Early Cretaceous, began to be replac...
Enhancing emotional intelligence in project management: strategies for better outcomes and community with limited financial overhead

During the SIGGRAPH 2018 BOF "Emphasizing Empathy in Pipeline Project Management," group consensus stated that highly effective project management can only be achieved when emphasis is placed on demonstrated empathy for any and all project contributors at the project management level and when challenges are framed as opportunities to enhance both the team and the project manager's own emotional intelligence. The reality faced in the industry, however, can present unique challenges, specifically relating to toxic cultural folkways, lack of leadership support, and lack of designated monetary resources. Based on subsequent discussions borne from the initial presentation with industry professionals and team leaders, it seems imperative to address not only the theories of Emotional Intelligence in greater depth, but also to acknowledge the potential obstacles in applying this basic theory in the real world. This talk aims to illuminate opportunities for individual production professionals to both challenge their own perceptions of the industry culture and make effective changes pertaining to their management and communication styles to affect positive change in their work environment, increase employee morale, and build community, barring financial allotment, to the overall benefit of their team members and their project health.
Citrobacter rodentium infection inhibits colonic P-glycoprotein expression

P-glycoprotein (Pgp/MDR1) serves as a biological barrier that protects intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) by transporting out xenobiotics and bacterial toxins. Decreased Pgp function and expression has been seen in mouse models of inflammatory colitis and also in patients with IBD. Pgp knockout mice spontaneously develop severe colitis, which is also seen in human patients with ulcerative colitis. However, whether Pgp is also altered in infectious colitis is not known. Citrobacter rodentium (CR), a murine pathogen has been shown to cause colonic hyperplasia and colitis in mice by attaching to IECs. The current study investigated the direct effects of Citrobacter rodentium infection on intestinal Pgp expression in mice. Mice were challenged with a single dose of C. rodentium (1 × 109 CFU) by oral gavage for 9 days and Pgp expression in the ileum and colon was measured by real time qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence studies. Our results showed that C. rodentium infection significantly decreased Pgp mRNA and protein expression in the colon, although no significant change was observed in the ileum of mice. These findings suggest that inhibition of the efflux protein, Pgp by C. rodentium can cause perturbations in the intestinal epithelial integrity, which could further lead to the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation as observed in infectious colitis.
Evaluation of Myocardial Perfusion and Immune Cell Response in Cardiac Allograft Dysfunction of Heart-Transplant Patients

Background We investigated the myocardial perfusion differences and changes in immune cell response in heart-transplant patients with nonspecific graft dysfunction (NGD) compared to cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) patients and normal heart-transplant patients. Methods and Results We prospectively studied 17 heart-transplant patients (59.8±14.1 years, 78% male) from January to June 2016. Regadenoson stress cardiac MRI was performed in the patients and peripheral blood obtained contemporaneously to isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Stress myocardial perfusion showed significantly decreased myocardial perfusion using maximum upslope method in NGD and CAV patients compared to normal heart-transplant patients. Myocardial scar by late gadolinium enhancement also was significantly increased in nonspecific graft dysfunction patients compared to normal. Evaluation of PBMCs by flow cytometry showed a trend towards increased activated HLA-DR+ T cells in NGD patients compared to normal. Clinical outcomes for cardiac hospitalization, allograft loss/retransplant, death were assessed at 3 years. Conclusions NGD shows decreased stress myocardial perfusion by cardiac MRI and a trend towards increased activated T cells in PBMCs, suggestive of an immune-mediated cause for allograft dysfunction.
Z hu Xi and the Idea of One Body

Zhu Xi idealizes a state of existence in which one forms one body (yi ti 一體) with all things, describing the sage as being in such a state. This chapter will discuss the way he understands this idea and its philosophical implications. Zhu’s understanding of the idea has five dimensions: (1) sensitivity to harm to all things; (2) giving life to and nourishing all things; (3) viewing the human community in terms of family relationships; (4) a sense of mission and accountability; and (5) the idea of no self (無我). The first four dimensions draw on ideas before Zhu’s times, and Sect. 2 discusses the evolvement of these four themes from pre-Qin to early Song. Section 3 focuses on Zhu’s understanding of the idea of one body, how he draws on and integrates ideas of other early Song Confucians, inlcuidng Zhang Zai (1020–1077), Cheng Hao (1032–1085) and Cheng Yi (1033–1107). These early Song thinkers, including Zhu himself, highlight the idea of no self in relation to the idea of one body. Section 4 discusses the philosophical implications of the idea of one body, in particular its relation to contemporary discussions of related ideas such as sympathy, empathy, perspective taking, and self-other merging.
Chapter 62 – An Orthopedic Perspective of Osteoporosis

Publisher Summary The clinical significance of osteoporosis is overwhelmingly related to fracture events in affected patients. Management of these fractures comprises a large portion of the efforts of nearly all practitioners of orthopedic surgery. The goal of treatment of any osseous injury is a rapid return to normal function. This almost always includes an interval of immobilization of the injured bone by externally applied casts or braces or internally stabilizing it by operatively placed internal fixation devices. A disappointing number of fractures occur within or adjacent to articular surfaces. Accurate reduction of intraarticular fracture fragments and preservation of motion in the joint are important treatment objectives. Displacement of non-articular fractures can also have important functional significance; translational, angular, and rotational deformities may also add complexity to the problems of a fracture management program. Surgical management of a patient with an acute fracture, where decreased mineral density is suspected, should include an assessment of fracture risk and appropriate treatment and counseling for the patient's overall osteoporotic condition as well as his or her recent fracture. Immediately following fracture, the hospital environment is an excellent place to initiate counseling with regard to diet, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and potential anti-resorptive therapies. A bone mineral density examination should be considered. The fracture event provides an opportunity to initiate ongoing treatment for bone fragility, which should continue long after hospital discharge.
The association between perceived racial discrimination and subclinical symptoms of psychosis.

Schizophrenia is one of the most disabling disorders with the poorest outcomes. Cross-cultural research indicates an association between perceived racial discrimination and depression, anxiety, gen...
Nonlinear Chalcogenide Photonic Devices

An excellent platform for nonlinear optical devices is offered by chalcogenide glasses, with high nonlinearities and long wavelength transparencies. A new method for characterizing the linear and nonlinear properties of chalcogenide microresonators will be presented, as well as wedge and disk microresonators, and photosensitive control.
“Hey Mama;” “Dear Sister;” “Sister Love”: Black Women’s Healing and Radical Self-Care through Epistolary Work

This work is an examination into the act of letter-writing as a mode of radical self-care, paying special attention to the significance of the practice when performed between Black women. Black wom...