cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical Processing of Ceramics

Powder Synthesis and Characterization Hydrothermal Synthesis of Ceramic Oxide Powders, S. Somiya, R. Roy, and S. Komarneni Solvothermal Synthesis, M. Inoue Mechanochemical Synthesis of Ceramics, A.C. Dodd Cryochemical Synthesis of Materials, O.A. Shlyakhtin, N.N. Oleynikov, and Y.D. Tretyakov Environmentally Benign Approach to Synthesis of Titanium-Based Oxides by Use of Water-Soluble Titanium Complex, K. Tomita, D. Dey, V. Petrykin, and M. Kakihana Peroxoniobium-Mediated Route toward the Low-Temperature Synthesis of Alkali Metal Niobates Free from Organics and Chlorides, D. Dey and M. Kakihana Synthesis and Modification of Submicron Barium Titanate Powders, B.I. Lee, M. Wang, D.H. Yoon, P. Badheka, L. Qi, and L.-Q. Wang Magnetic Particles: Synthesis and Characterization, M. Ozaki Synthesis and Surface Modification of Zinc Sulfide-Based Phosphors, L. Qi, B.I. Lee, D. Morton, and E. Forsythe Characterization of Fine Dry Powders, H.K. Kammler and L. Madler Powder Processing at Nanoscale Theory and Applications of Colloidal Processing, W. Sigmund, G. Pyrgiotakis, and A. Daga Nanomicrostructure and Property Control of Single and Multiphase Materials, P. Colomban Nanocomposite Materials, S. Komarneni Molecular Engineering Route to Two Dimensional Heterostructural Nanohybrid Materials, J.-H. Choy and M. Park Nanoceramic Particulates for Chemical Mechanical Planarization in the Ultra Large Scale Integration Fabrication Process, U. Paik, S.K. Kim, T. Katoh, and J.G. Park Sol-Gel Processing Chemical Control of Defect Formation During Spin-Coating of Sol-Gels, D.P. Birnie, III Preparation and Properties of SiO2 Thin Films by the Sol-Gel Method Using Photoirradiation and Its Application to Surface Coating for Display, T. Ohishi Ceramic Via Polymers Organosilicon Polymers as Precursors for Ceramics, M. Weinmann Polymer Pyrolysis, M. Narisawa Processing of Specialty Ceramics Chemical Vapor Deposition of Ceramics, G. Cao and Y. Wang Ceramic Photonic Crystals: Materials, Synthesis, and Applications, J. DiMaio and J. Ballato Tailoring Dielectric Properties of Perovskite Ceramics at Microwave Frequencies, E.S. Kim, K.H. Yoon, and B.I. Lee Synthesis and Processing of High-Temperature Superconductors, T. Doi Synthesis of Bone-Like Hydroxyapatite/Collagen Self-Organized Nanocomposites in Chemical Processing of Ceramics, M. Kikuchi Ceramic Membrane Processing: New Approaches in Design and Applications, A. Ayral, A. Julbe, and C. Guizard Ceramic Materials for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications, J.P. Maranchi, O.I. Velikokhatnyi, M.K. Datta, I.-S. Kim, and P.N. Kumta Chemical Solution Deposition of Ferroelectric Thin Films, R. Schwartz, T. Schneller, R. Waser, and H. Dobberstein Index
Network meta-analyses performed by contracting companies and commissioned by industry

Industry commissions contracting companies to perform network meta-analysis for health technology assessment (HTA) and reimbursement submissions. Our objective was to estimate the number of network meta-analyses performed by consulting companies contracted by industry, to assess whether they were published, and to explore reasons for non-publication. We searched MEDLINE for network meta-analyses of randomized trials. Papers were included if they had authors affiliated with any contracting company. All identified contracting companies as well as additional ones from the list of the exhibitors at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, an annual meeting that representatives from many contracting companies attend and exhibit at, were surveyed regarding conduct and publication of network meta-analyses. In 162 of 822 (20%) network meta-analysis papers, authors were affiliated to 66 contracting companies. Another 36 contracting companies were identified by the exhibitors list. Three companies had no contact information and six merged with others, therefore 93 companies were contacted. Thirty seven out of ninety three (40%) companies responded, and 19 indicated that they had performed a total of 476 network meta-analyses, but only 102 (21%) papers were published. Thirteen companies that disclosed to have conducted 174 network meta-analyses (45 published) provided reasons for non-publication. Of the 129 still unpublished meta-analyses, for 40 there were plans for future publication, for 37 the sponsor did not allow publication, for 16 the contracting companies did not plan to publish the meta-analysis, for another 23 plans were unclear, and the remaining 13 were used as HTA submission. The protocol of the network meta-analysis was publically available from 11/162 (6.8%) network meta-analyses published by authors affiliated with contracting companies. There is a prolific sector of professional contracting companies that perform network meta-analyses. Industry commissions many network meta-analyses, but most are not registered before or published after analyses in the scientific literature. Mechanisms to improve publication rates of network meta-analysis commissioned by industry are warranted.
Erectile dysfunction and exposure to ambient air pollution in a nationally representative cohort of older men

Little is known about the association between air pollution and erectile dysfunction (ED), a disorder occurring in 64% of men over the age of 70, and to date, no studies have been published. To address this significant knowledge gap, we explored the relationship between ED and air pollution in a group of older men who were part of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a nationally representative cohort study of older Americans. We obtained incident ED status and participant data for 412 men (age 57–85). Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposures were estimated using spatio-temporal models based on participants’ geocoded addresses, while nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) concentrations were estimated using nearest measurements from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality System. The association between air pollution and incident ED (newly developed in Wave 2) was examined and logistic regression models were run with adjusted models controlling for race, education, season, smoking, obesity, diabetes, depression, and median household income of census tract. We found positive, although statistically insignificant, associations between PM2.5, NO2, and O3 exposures and odds of incident ED for each of our examined exposure windows, including 1 to 7 year moving averages. Odds ratios (OR) for 1 and 7 year moving averages equaled 1.16 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.55) and 1.16 (95% CI: 0.92, 1.46), respectively, for an IQR increase in PM2.5 exposures. Observed associations were robust to model specifications and were not significantly modified by any of the examined risk factors for ED. We found associations between PM2.5, NO2, and O3 exposures and odds of developing ED that did not reach nominal statistical significance, although exposures to each pollutant were consistently associated with higher odds of developing ED. While more research is needed, our findings suggest a relationship between air pollutant exposure and incident cases of ED, a common condition in older men.
TGFβ2 Induces the Formation of Cross-Linked Actin Networks (CLANs) in Human Trabecular Meshwork Cells Through the Smad and Non-Smad Dependent Pathways.

Purpose Increased intraocular pressure results from increased aqueous humor (AH) outflow resistance at the trabecular meshwork (TM) due to pathologic changes including the formation of cross-linked actin networks (CLANs). Transforming growth factor β2 (TGFβ2) is elevated in the AH and TM of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and induces POAG-associated TM changes, including CLANs. We determined the role of individual TGFβ2 signaling pathways in CLAN formation. Methods Cultured nonglaucomatous human TM (NTM) cells were treated with control or TGFβ2, with or without the inhibitors of TGFβ receptor, Smad3, c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK), P38, or Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK). NTM cells were cotreated with TGFβ2 plus inhibitors for 10 days or pretreated with TGFβ2 for 10 days followed by 1-hour inhibitor treatment. NTM cells were immunostained with phalloidin-Alexa-488 and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Data were analyzed using 1-way ANOVA and Dunnett's post hoc test. Results TGFβ2 significantly induced CLAN formation (n = 6 to 12, P < 0.05), which was completely inhibited by TGFβ receptor, Smad3, and ERK inhibitors, as well as completely or partially inhibited by JNK, P38, and ROCK inhibitors, depending on cell strains. One-hour exposure to ROCK inhibitor completely resolved formed CLANs (P < 0.05), whereas TGFβ receptor, Smad3 inhibitor, and ERK inhibitors resulted in partial or complete resolution. The JNK and P38 inhibitors showed partial or no resolution. Among these inhibitors, the ROCK inhibitor was the most disruptive to the actin stress fibers, whereas ERK inhibition showed the least disruption. Conclusions TGFβ2-induced CLANs in NTM cells were prevented and resolved using various pathway inhibitors. Apart from CLAN inhibition, some of these inhibitors also had different effects on actin stress fibers.
Reducing graphene-metal contact resistance via laser nano-welding

Publisher’s Note: This paper, originally published on February 17, 2017, was withdrawn per author request.
Kentucky’s Program for Traffic Safety Records Performance Measurement

Increasing highway safety is a critical transportation policy priority. To further that goal, NHTSA released a set of model performance measures for state traffic records databases, although states are free to develop their own metrics. This paper presents the results of Kentucky’s program to develop metrics to measure the performance attributes of its traffic records databases (timeliness, accuracy, completeness, consistency and uniformity, integration, and accessibility). After a brief discussion of the complex nature of the traffic records database system, Kentucky’s performance measurement program is described. Differences across the databases in obtaining useful information are noted, and implications are identified for database improvements. The paper documents advances in data accuracy, timeliness, and completeness. Findings are then connected to the broader effort to improve traffic records databases, including the construction of effective traffic records strategic plans.
Classical and Molecular Genetic Mapping

A brief history of classical and molecular genetic mapping in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is followed by a description of the most current version of the soybean genetic linkage map, which is primarily based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) or microsatellite markers as well as single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Like many plant and animal species, the first molecular map of soybean was based on restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers. Because of the relatively low level of sequence diversity in soybean, the first RFLP maps were constructed in populations derived from crosses of cultivated (G. max) × wild soybean [G. soja (Seib. et Zucc.)]. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and amplified fragment length polymorphism loci were briefly used in map construction, but soybean was the first plant species in which SSR markers were employed and SSRs soon became the marker of choice in map development. SNP markers are now being widely used by plant and animal geneticists, and the most recent molecular genetic map of soybean incorporates a large number of SNPs from genic and nongenic regions.
The Effect of Different Methods of Fermentation on the Detection of Milk Protein Residues in Retail Cheese by Enzyme‐Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)

Abstract Milk and milk products are among the most important allergenic food ingredients, both in the United States and throughout the world; cheeses are among the most important of these milk products. Milk contains several major antigenic proteins, each with differing susceptibilities to proteolytic enzymes. The extent of proteolysis in cheese varies as a result of conditions during manufacture and ripening. Proteolysis has the potential to degrade antigenic and allergenic epitopes that are important for residue detection and elicitation of allergic reactions. Commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are not currently validated for use in detecting residues in hydrolyzed or fermented food products. Eighteen retail cheeses produced using 5 different styles of fermentation were investigated for detectable milk protein residues with 4 commercial ELISA kits. Mozzarella, Swiss, Blue, Limburger, and Brie cheeses were assessed. The Neogen Veratox® Casein and Neogen Veratox® Total Milk kits were capable of detecting milk residues in most cheeses evaluated, including blue-veined cheeses that exhibit extensive proteolysis. The other 2 ELISA kits evaluated, r-Biopharm® Fast Casein and ELISA Systems™ Casein, can detect milk residues in cheeses other than blue-veined varieties. ELISA results cannot be quantitatively compared among kits. The quantitative reliability of ELISA results in detection of cheese residues is questionable, but some methods are sufficiently robust to use as a semi-quantitative indication of proper allergen control for the validation of cleaning programs in industry settings. Practical Application Many commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) are not validated for detection of allergenic residues in fermented or hydrolyzed products. This research seeks to determine if commercial milk ELISAs can detect milk residues in varieties of cheese that have undergone different styles of fermentation and different degrees of proteolysis. Only certain milk ELISA kits are capable of detecting residues in all varieties of cheese. However, commercial milk ELISA kits are capable of semiquantitative detection of cheese residues in foods, or in industry settings for the validation of allergen cleaning programs.
Adult Pilocytic Astrocytoma: An Institutional Series and Systematic Literature Review for Extent of Resection and Recurrence.

Introduction Pilocytic astrocytoma is a classically benign tumor that most often affects pediatric patients. Rarely, it occurs during adulthood. We present a case series and systematic literature review of adult pilocytic astrocytoma (APA) to examine the clinical presentation, extent of resection, and recurrence rate associated with this tumor in this population. Materials and Methods Our institutional records were retrospectively reviewed for cases of pilocytic astrocytoma in adults. A PubMed search identified English-language studies of pathology-proven APA. A meta-analysis was performed to determine the relationship between extent of tumor resection and recurrence. Results Forty-six patients with APA were diagnosed at our institution (mean age 33.6 ± 13.3; 24 [52%] female). Twenty-four patients (52%) underwent gross total resection, 11 (24%) subtotal resection, 4 (9%) near total resection, 4 (9%) observation after biopsy, and 3 (6%) radiotherapy alone. Tumors recurred or progressed in 6 (13%) patients, of whom 4 were treated by STR and 2 were treated by radiotherapy alone. Thirty-nine (95%) patients were still alive at last follow-up. A systematic literature review identified 415 patients with APA in 38 studies. Including our case series, 7 studies reported extent of resection, follow-up, and recurrence. Of 254 patients with a weighted mean follow-up of 77.7 ± 49.6 (31–250) months, 129 (51%) were treated with gross total resection, and 125 (49%) underwent subtotal resection. Tumor recurred in 79 (31%) patients, 22 (27%) after gross total resection and 57 (73%) after subtotal resection (P Conclusions Pilocytic astrocytoma rarely presents during adulthood. Overall, prognosis is favorable and survival rates are high. APA recurrence is more likely after STR, and the goal of surgery should always be GTR when feasible.
Integrated genetic and epigenetic prediction of coronary heart disease in the Framingham Heart Study

An improved method for detecting coronary heart disease (CHD) could have substantial clinical impact. Building on the idea that systemic effects of CHD risk factors are a conglomeration of genetic and environmental factors, we use machine learning techniques and integrate genetic, epigenetic and phenotype data from the Framingham Heart Study to build and test a Random Forest classification model for symptomatic CHD. Our classifier was trained on n = 1,545 individuals and consisted of four DNA methylation sites, two SNPs, age and gender. The methylation sites and SNPs were selected during the training phase. The final trained model was then tested on n = 142 individuals. The test data comprised of individuals removed based on relatedness to those in the training dataset. This integrated classifier was capable of classifying symptomatic CHD status of those in the test set with an accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of 78%, 0.75 and 0.80, respectively. In contrast, a model using only conventional CHD risk factors as predictors had an accuracy and sensitivity of only 65% and 0.42, respectively, but with a specificity of 0.89 in the test set. Regression analyses of the methylation signatures illustrate our ability to map these signatures to known risk factors in CHD pathogenesis. These results demonstrate the capability of an integrated approach to effectively model symptomatic CHD status. These results also suggest that future studies of biomaterial collected from longitudinally informative cohorts that are specifically characterized for cardiac disease at follow-up could lead to the introduction of sensitive, readily employable integrated genetic-epigenetic algorithms for predicting onset of future symptomatic CHD.
Twelve tips to maximize the value of a clinical competency committee in postgraduate medical education

Medical education has shifted to a competency-based paradigm, leading to calls for improved learner assessment methods and validity evidence for how assessment data are interpreted. Clinical competency committees (CCCs) use the collective input of multiple people to improve the validity and reliability of decisions made and actions taken based on assessment data. Significant heterogeneity in CCC structure and function exists across postgraduate medical education programs and specialties, and while there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach, there are ways to maximize value for learners and programs. This paper collates available evidence and the authors' experiences to provide practical tips on CCC purpose, membership, processes, and outputs. These tips can benefit programs looking to start a CCC and those that are improving their current CCC processes.
Digital Rights Management: The Librarian’s Guide

Digital Rights Management: The Librarian’s Guide offers a comprehensive view of how digital rights management (DRM) shapes all kinds of library decision-making regarding acquisition, access, and management of electronic resources. It also explores how DRM can both be both a blessing and a curse for the continued evolution of electronic information.
Cholinergic Neurons: Septal-Hippocampal Relationships

There is abundant evidence that acetylcholine functions as a central nervous system (CNS) neurotransmitter (Hebb, 1970). It is present throughout the CNS, although its concentration varies from region to region. There are reviews of the extensive biochemical studies of this compound (Hebb, 1972; Phillis, 1970a) and there have been numerous electrophysiological studies (Phillis, 1970b).
Distribution of Refuse-Producing Activities at Hadza Residential Base Camps

Recent research on prehistoric hunter-gatherer site structure continues to be concerned primarily with the identification of discrete, activity-specific areas within sites (e.g., Carr 1984; Hietala 1984; Flannery 1986). However, an increasingly large body of ethnoarchaeological data suggests that such areas may be rare in the archaeological record, especially among middle- and low-latitude foragers (Yellen 1977; O’Connell 1987). Here we present additional data pertinent to this topic, derived from recent fieldwork among the Hadza of northern Tanzania. Preliminary analysis indicates that although activity areas can be identified within Hadza base camps, the range of activities associated with each are broad and broadly similar from area to area. Assumptions commonly made by archaeologists about the differential distribution of activities are only weakly supported by our data.
Surprise and Human Evolution: How a Snake Screen Enhanced Knowledge Transfer Through a Web Interface

It is reasonable to assume that enhanced cognition within the temporal vicinity of animal attacks allowed our hominid ancestors to better build and associate memories related to the animals and their typical habitat markers. This, in turn, increased their survival chances. This may be at the source of an unusual phenomenon with limited but interesting practical uses in the design of human–technology interaction interfaces for learning tasks. The phenomenon is often referred to as “flashbulb memorization ” and entails modern humans’ short-term memories being instantaneously turned into long-term memories through surprise . This chapter explores this phenomenon in the context of a computer-supported learning task, by testing the prediction that a simulated snake attack will lead to cognition enhancement within its temporal vicinity. In an experiment, those participants who were surprised by a Web-based snake screen did as much as 38% better at answering test questions for Web-based learning modules that were temporally adjacent to the snake screen.
Engaging Anti-Human Trafficking Stakeholders in the Research Process

The purpose of the present article is to show the importance of knowledge building about stakeholder engagement in the process of research on human trafficking. Stakeholder engagement in anti-traff...
Towards Lightweight and Robust Machine Learning for CDN Caching

Recent advances in the field of reinforcement learning promise a general approach to optimize networking systems. This paper argues against the recent trend for generalization by introducing a case study where domain-specific modeling enables the application of lightweight and robust learning techniques. We study CDN caching systems, which make a good case for optimization as their performance directly affects operational costs, while currently relying on many hand-tuned parameters. In caching, reinforcement learning has been shown to perform suboptimally when compared to simple heuristics. A key challenge is that rewards (cache hits) manifest with large delays, which prevents timely feedback to the learning algorithm and introduces significant complexity. This paper shows how to significantly simplify this problem by explicitly modeling optimal caching decisions (OPT). While prior work considered deriving OPT impractical, recent theoretical modeling advances change this assumption. Modeling OPT enables even lightweight decision trees to outperform state-of-the-art CDN caching heuristics.
Benefit-Risk Assessment of Blinatumomab in the Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory B-Cell Precursor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Blinatumomab is the first-and-only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved cluster of differentiation (CD) 19-directed CD3 bispecific T-cell engager (BiTE®) immunotherapy. It is currently FDA approved for the treatment of adults and children with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) and Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph−) relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and B-cell precursor ALL with minimal residual disease. Similarly, initial marketing authorization for blinatumomab in the European Union was granted for the treatment of adults with Ph− R/R B-cell precursor ALL. The benefits of treating R/R B-cell precursor ALL patients with blinatumomab include increased overall survival, more favorable hematologic remission and molecular response rates, and a lower incidence rate of selected adverse events when compared with standard-of-care chemotherapy. The key risks associated with blinatumomab treatment include cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity, and medication errors. Here, we review the benefits and risks of blinatumomab treatment and describe how these risks can be mitigated.
Lyapunov-based Model Predictive Control of an Input Delayed Functional Electrical Simulation

Abstract In this paper a Lyapunov-based model predictive control (LMPC) method to control knee extension during an input-delayed neuromuscular electrical stimulation is developed. This method incorporates a contractive constraint under a delay compensation control law that achieves system stability despite an unknown constant input delay and imperfectly estimated model parameters The simulations were performed to compare the LMPC method with the delay compensation control law. Robustness of the LMPC method and the boundedness of the LMPC inputs are depicted.
A Qualitative Study of Intimate Partner Violence and Employment Instability

Maintaining employment while suffering from intimate partner violence (IPV) is extremely difficult given the direct and indirect ways abusers disrupt work. The current qualitative study seeks to st...
Cross-National Variation in School Reopening Measures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

To contain the initial spread of the SARS-CoV2 virus and the COVID-19 disease, many countries opted to close schools. However, the importance of schooling to mitigate inequalities motivated many ec...
An Unusual ECG Artifact Caused by Faulty Cardiac Monitor Leads.

Author(s): Imhoff, Bryan; Casey, Wesley | Abstract: Case Presentation: We present the case of a 74-year-old female patient who presented to the emergency department with lower extremity weakness found to have a fixed frequency square wave artifact in all leads of her electrocardiogram (ECG). After troubleshooting, faulty external cardiac monitor leads were identified as the cause of this unique artifact.Discussion: The ECG is an important diagnostic tool for medical providers. Electrocardiogram artifacts are extremely common, and knowledge of artifacts is necessary to prevent inappropriate interpretation, diagnostic error, and unnecessary workup. Medical providers should have a low threshold for suspicion when ECG findings do not correlate with the patient’s chief complaint or history of present illness. They must also be familiar with the most frequent ECG artifact variants and be prepared to follow a stepwise approach to troubleshoot less frequent variants.
Creating culture-centered health and health insurance literacy resources: lessons learned from Haitian Creole, Mandarin, Native American, and Vietnamese communities

To improve health insurance literacy, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services launched From Coverage to Care (C2C) to help individuals translate health insurance into appropriate healthcare ...
Joint Optimization of Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning with Policy Gradient Based Algorithm.

Many engineering problems have multiple objectives, and the overall aim is to optimize a non-linear function of these objectives. In this paper, we formulate the problem of maximizing a non-linear concave function of multiple long-term objectives. A policy-gradient based model-free algorithm is proposed for the problem. To compute an estimate of the gradient, a biased estimator is proposed. The proposed algorithm is shown to achieve convergence to within an $\epsilon$ of the global optima after sampling $\mathcal{O}(\frac{M^4\sigma^2}{(1-\gamma)^8\epsilon^4})$ trajectories where $\gamma$ is the discount factor and $M$ is the number of the agents, thus achieving the same dependence on $\epsilon$ as the policy gradient algorithm for the standard reinforcement learning.
Neurobiological and behavioural outcomes of biofeedback-based training in autism: a randomized controlled trial.

The human brain has demonstrated the power to structurally change as a result of movement-based interventions. However, it is unclear whether these structural brain changes differ in autistic individuals compared to non-autistic individuals. The purpose of the present study was to pilot a randomized controlled trial to investigate brain, balance, autism symptom severity and daily living skill changes that result from a biofeedback-based balance intervention in autistic adolescents (13-17 years old). Thirty-four autistic participants and 28 age-matched non-autistic participants underwent diagnostic testing and pre-training assessment (neuroimaging, cognitive, autism symptom severity and motor assessments) and were then randomly assigned to 6 weeks of a balance-training intervention or a sedentary-control condition. After the 6 weeks, neuroimaging, symptom severity and motor assessments were repeated. Results found that both the autistic and non-autistic participants demonstrated similar and significant increases in balance times with training. Furthermore, individuals in the balance-training condition showed significantly greater improvements in postural sway and reductions in autism symptom severity compared to individuals in the control condition. Daily living scores did not change with training, nor did we observe hypothesized changes to the microstructural properties of the corticospinal tract. However, follow-up voxel-based analyses found a wide range of balance-related structures that showed changes across the brain. Many of these brain changes were specific to the autistic participants compared to the non-autistic participants, suggesting distinct structural neuroplasticity in response to balance training in autistic participants. Altogether, these findings suggest that biofeedback-based balance training may target postural stability challenges, reduce core autism symptoms and influence neurobiological change. Future research is encouraged to examine the superior cerebellar peduncle in response to balance training and symptom severity changes in autistic individuals, as the current study produced overlapping findings in this brain region.
Polar bear foraging behavior

Polar bears forage in the marine environment, primarily on the sea ice over the shallow waters of the continental shelf. They are solitary, ambush hunters that catch ringed and bearded seals when they surface to breathe in ice holes or haul out on the ice to rest and molt. In most parts of their range, polar bears experience dramatic seasonal variability in their ability to catch seals, with foraging success peaking in late spring and early summer when seal pups are weaned. During this time, the body mass of polar bears can nearly double, especially in pregnant females, such that body composition may reach 49% body fat. The accumulation of body fat is vital for these bears to survive through the autumn and winter when seals are less accessible or when pregnant adult female bears enter dens and fast. When the sea ice retreats in summer, some bears exhibit a temporary switch to omnivory, feeding on a variety of terrestrial food. However, the energetic benefit of most terrestrial food is small relative to their marine mammal prey and, in some regions, increased land use has been associated with declines in body condition. Reduced accessibility of seal prey to polar bears as a result of global climate change threatens the long-term sustainability of this Arctic predator.
Skin-Lightening Products: Consumer Preferences and Costs.

Disorders of skin hyperpigmentation have an appreciable impact on quality of life, carrying social and cultural importance that influences widespread consumer demand for cosmetic lightening products. We sought to investigate product factors that may influence consumer preference when choosing an over-the-counter cream for skin-lightening purposes. The keyword "lightening cream" was searched in the "Beauty and Personal Care category" of online retailer Amazon.com. The top fifth percentile of products was determined by filtering the search results for a minimum of four out of five stars from customer reviews, and then further filtered by products with over 100 reviews. Number of reviews, rating, price per unit, vehicle, application instructions, ingredients, and review attributes were evaluated. Over 2,900 products were catalogued as "lightening cream" on Amazon.com. There were 40 products rated >4 stars and >100 reviews, constituting the top 1.34% of entries. Tocopheryl was present in 58% of the top 40 products, ascorbic acid in 40%, and niacinamide in 20%. Notably, 22.5% of the top 40 products contained no known skin-lightening ingredient. There was a moderate positive correlation (R2=0.378) between price and consumer rating, with kojic acid being the most expensive per ounce ($24.89) and salicylic acid being the most highly rated (4.54 stars; $15.00/oz). This study provides insight on the factors influencing the choice, preferences, and satisfaction of consumer that sought Amazon for the purchase of lightening products.
Application of Karman's Logarithmic Law to Prediction of Airship Hull Drag

A F T E R experiments had shown that the i \ power law theory of von Karman and Prandtl, for the skin friction of a pointed flat plate in a two-dimensional flow parallel to the surface and perpendicular to the leading edge, could be used satisfactorily in determining the skin friction at the curved surface of a streamline body in a two-dimensional flow when the radius of curvature is large compared to the boundary layer thickness, Jones, Dryden and Kuethe extended the theory so as to give an account of the skin friction acting on a dirigible model in an axial flow. In both these discussions the dirigible was replaced by an ''equivalent flat plate. ' ' Although Boltze had given the equations for the laminar boundary layer for a body with axial symmetry about an axis in the direction of flow, and Levi-Civita had attacked the general problem of the turbulent boundary layer for a body of any shape, it remained for Millikan to give a satisfactory analysis applicable to dirigible models. Millikan derived the approximate form of the boundary layer equations in the neighborhood of the surface of a figure of revolution from the Navier-Stokes and continuity equations for the steady motion of a viscous incompressible fluid, letting the kinematic viscosity go to zero and neglecting powers of the square root of the kinematic viscosity higher than the first. The resulting equations are valid when the boundary layer thickness is small compared to its distance from the axis. In the turbulent boundary layer, Millikan assumed the one-seventh power law for the velocity profile. However, von Karman has shown that the power law is merely an interpolation of or approximation to the logarithmic law; and experiments, especially those of Nikuradse, show that the l /7 th power does indeed become a l /8 th power, then a l /9 th power, etc., as the Reynolds' Number increases. Both Millikan and von Karman have pointed out the desirability, where the analysis is to be used to predict drag coefficients at large Reynolds' Numbers, of extending Millikan's work by introduction of the logarithmic law. As a preliminary step, Millikan's equations were generalised to hold for a 1/n-th power law for the velocity distribution, and drag coefficients were calculated for several values of n for the N. P. L. Long Model at a large Reynolds' Number. The differences in the drag coefficients for the various power laws were found to be sufficient to justify the further refinement of introducing the logarithmic law. It was then assumed that the logarithmic velocity distribution, as developed by von Karman for the boundary layer on the flat plate, holds also for the boundary layer on the axially symmetric body. Aqcordingly we introduce the logarithmic velocity distribution
A Jacobi identity for relative untwisted vertex operators

We are now in a position to state and prove our “generalized Jacobi identity” for relative untwisted vertex operators. Even for h* = 0, this result generalizes the Jacobi identity in [FLM3] (Theorems 8.8.9 and 8.8.23) by removing all integrality restrictions on the “inner products” of lattice elements. Since the proof is very similar to that of Theorem 8.6.1 of [FLM3], we shall omit some computations, referring the reader to that proof for more details.
Inappropriate attempts to use distributions of 228Ra and 226Ra in coastal waters to model mixing and advection rates

Abstract Numerous investigators have used the advection–diffusion equation and the distributions of the four isotopes of radium to model coastal mixing rates. However, there is a dichotomy in approach. Some models use the short-lived 224 Ra ( T 1/2 =3.7 days) and 223 Ra ( T 1/2 =11 days) to determine horizontal mixing coefficients and the long-lived 226 Ra ( T 1/2 =1600 years) and 228 Ra ( T 1/2 =5.75 years) to test for the effects of advection. Because the timescales of mixing in most coastal systems (10–80 km offshore) are on the order of months or less, radioactive decay and particle removal of the long-lived isotopes are neglected in these models. If the long-lived isotopes display a linear gradient with distance offshore, this is taken as evidence that conservative mixing rather than advection controls the radium distribution. In this case it is appropriate to neglect the advection term and calculate mixing rates based on the exponential decay of the short-lived isotopes. Other models assume that radioactive decay of all of the isotopes impacts their distribution offshore. These models set up equations that separate the effects of mixing from advection and attempt to force mixing rates derived from all of the Ra isotopes to match. There are several reasons these models are doomed to fail. First, 224 Ra and 223 Ra look at different scales of mixing-there is no reason they must give the same rate. Secondly, on the timescale of coastal mixing decay of 226 Ra and 228 Ra is essentially zero. Equations that include decay terms for 226 Ra and 228 Ra become unrealistic when we consider that the measurement error is considerably greater than decay. In fact particle removal of 226 Ra is more important than radioactive decay. Finally, these models require steady-state conditions on the timescales of the decay terms. In order to use such models, the source functions and distributions of 228 Ra and 226 Ra would have to be constant for several times their half lives, approximately 25 and 4000 years, respectively. Seasonal and annual variability in supply and mixing rearranges the distributions, violating the steady-state assumption. Thus, models utilizing 226 Ra and 228 Ra radioactive decay are useless in the coastal zone.
An optical thin film Bessel filter for 40Gbit/sec -100GHz spacingD-WDM system

It is difficult to employ conventional Butterworth filters in 40 Gbit/sec applications with 100 GHz-spacing due to their strong group delay dispersions. This paper shows design, fabrication and measurements of a thin film Bessel filter applicable for 40 Gbit/sec VSB signals, and compares the results to a typical Butterworth filter. This Bessel filter has very low dispersion because of its flattened group delay, and in turn, this allows VSB signal filtering with minimal linear distortions
Group Sequential Methods in Biomedical Research

Group sequential methods have become a common practice in biomedical research due to various reasons such as ethical, administrative, and economic concerns. In testing statistical hypotheses a group sequential procedure allows the hypotheses to be tested repeatedly at several time points after a group of observations have been completed. The sequential methods pose great challenges to statisticians. These challenges include not only finding appropriate methods of determining critical values at each interim test to control error rates such as false positive/negative rate, but also developing efficient inferential procedures for secondary analysis such as estimation, confidence intervals, p-values and secondary endpoints. This is because the data-based random stopping of the sampling process introduces bias to conventional procedures that are appropriate in a non-sequential (fixed-size) setting. In the context of Brownian motion as approximation to various test statistics, this article presents an overview of several common group sequential testing procedures, and methods for computing point estimation, confidence intervals, and p-values. Keywords: Analysis following sequential tests; Brownian motion; clinical trials; error spending functions; interim analysis; stopping boundaries; Type I error
Canadian Work on Plastics and Laminated Woods

NO technical development in all our industrial history has been as highly glamorized as the subject of plastics. It has shown an amazing degree of popular appeal for several reasons, including probably the idea of synthesis from “coal, air and water”, the beauty of colour and finish in decorative effects, and the fact that the objects of early manufacture were those of common use by the general public. Feature writers have regrctably enjoyed a general field‐day revelling in the subject, and unfortunately there has been a tendency towards certain misconceptions and exaggerations in such writings. Plastic aeroplanes now flying, plastic automobiles and plastic homes of the future have been described. Actually there is no such thing today as the plastic aeroplane. The plywood airframe has attained great importance owing to the advent of plastic glues, and what might be termed a “plywood plastic” aircraft is still actually a high‐grade plywood. The plastic automobile bodies envisaged today are secondary structures to be built over a metal framework. The post‐war homes will undoubtedly have dozens of items in which plastics will play a part, but primary load‐carrying structures are not among these components as yet. The plastic industry itself has recently become somewhat concerned about the dangers attendant on over‐glamorization and some remedial action has been studied.
Informal Labor, Formal Politics, and Dignified Discontent in India

Since the 1980s, the world's governments have decreased state welfare and thus increased the number of unprotected 'informal' or 'precarious' workers. As a result, more and more workers do not receive secure wages or benefits from either employers or the state. This book offers a fresh and provocative look into the alternative social movements informal workers in India are launching. It also offers a unique analysis of the conditions under which these movements succeed or fail. Drawing from 300 interviews with informal workers, government officials and union leaders, Rina Agarwala argues that Indian informal workers are using their power as voters to demand welfare benefits from the state, rather than demanding traditional work benefits from employers. In addition, they are organizing at the neighborhood level, rather than the shop floor, and appealing to 'citizenship', rather than labor rights.
Mice, big mammals, and seeds: it matters who defecates what where

By placing pseudodefecations of horse dung and cow dung mixed with guanacaste seeds (Enterolobium cyclocarpum), guapinol seeds (Hymenaea courbaril), black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), wild lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus), and chaperno seeds (Lonchocarpus costaricensis) (all Leguminosae) in various ages and kinds of forest (and pasture) in seasonally dry Santa Rosa National Park (northwestern lowland Costa Rica), I determined that an initial seed shadow may be thinned and trimmed differentially by post-dispersal seed predation; the differences depend at least on what kind of animal defecates the seeds, what kind of seeds they are, and where the defecations occur. Spiny pocket mice Liomys salvini (Heteromyidae) were the seed predators that removed the seeds from the dung. This was a dry season experiment and therefore uncomplicated by seed burial by large dung beetles (Scarabaeidae). The Liomys mice found large seeds more readily than they found small ones, preferred to mine in horse dung rather than in cow dung, removed the seeds more thoroughly from dung with many seeds than from dung with few seeds, learned to reject toxic seeds that they found in the dung, and were more thorough in seed removal in forest than in pastures. In the first few days after pseudodefecations were placed out in the forest, there were stronger differences between horse and cow dung, and among habitats, than after the mice had 20–40 days to find all the pseudodefecations and remove as many seeds as they would. In the end, the mice not only removed the majority of the seeds from the dung, but they also removed all of the seeds from the pseudodefecations with high seed density. They also removed all of the seeds from more than half of the 5 liter pseudodefecations that contained a low concentration of seeds (20 guanacaste seeds, five guapinol seeds and 20 black beans). The latter type of trimming of the seed shadow, as opposed to simply thinning it, cannot be compensated for by density-dependent seedling survival.
Promising School-Based Practices for Students with Attention Deficit Disorder

The Federal Resource Center (FRC) at the University of Kentucky was charged with locating public school practices that were considered by practitioners to be successful in serving students with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and their families. The FRC formed teams of stakeholders, representing parents, school personnel, health care and family support professionals, and researchers, to develop criteria by which to judge practices and to select promising practices. This article reviews key features of the educational practices that showed strong promise in identification, intervention, and assessment.
Transfer of Adoptive Immunity to Tuberculosis in Mice

A system is described for studying adoptive immunity to tuberculosis in syngeneic mice. Donor mice were immunized with 104 BCG intravenously, and lymphoid cells were harvested 28 days later. Adoptive immunity was measured in recipient mice in terms of the inhibition of growth of BCG in the liver and spleen following intravenous injection. Adoptive immunity was expressed optimally when recipients were sublethally irradiated (500 R), challenged with 104 to 105 viable organisms, and given sensitized lymphoid cells intravenously. Adoptive immunity was not manifest until 14 days after challenge and was effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv as well as BCG. Immunity could be conferred by spleen, lymph node, peritoneal exudate, and resident peritoneal (washout) cells. The lymphoid cells conferring immunity were shown to be thymus-dependent lymphocytes by virtue of their nonadherence to glass wool and sensitivity to anti-θ serum plus complement. The sensitized cells were relatively susceptible to both in vitro and in vivo X-irradiation.
Forming the dots: live optical motion capture animation dance

Bob's Palace is a multi-media dance piece for nine dancers, one video operator, two camera technicians, one motion capture animation artist/designer and one composer/musician. The subject matter of the dance revolves around panic, anxiety and everyday fears. It premiered at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Urbana, Illinois, on February 4th, 2003.
General theory of oscillon dynamics

We present a comprehensive, nonperturbative analytical method to investigate the dynamics of time-dependent oscillating scalar field configurations. The method is applied to oscillons in a ${\ensuremath{\phi}}^{4}$ Klein-Gordon model in two and three spatial dimensions, yielding high accuracy results in the characterization of all aspects of the complex oscillon dynamics. In particular, we show how oscillons can be interpreted as long-lived perturbations about an attractor in field configuration space. By investigating their radiation rate as they approach the attractor, we obtain an accurate estimate of their lifetimes in $d=3$ and explain why they seem to be perturbatively stable in $d=2$, where $d$ is the number of spatial dimensions.
Maximal elements of non-binary choice functions on compact sets

Abstract We give sufficient conditions for the existence of maximal elements on compact sets for ‘contraction consistent’ (but possibly non-binary) choice functions. Our result generalizes the Bergstrom-Walker theorem on the existence of maximal elements with acyclic preference relations.