cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The relationship between antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation in enterococci from the intestinal tract of healthy people

Objective To investigate the relationship between antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation in enterococci from the intestinal tract of healthy people.Method The level of the resistance to 15 antibiotics was determined by K-B technique,and the biofilm formation test was performed in 96-well polystyrene plate.Result The resistance rates of biofilm formation positive isolates against streptomycin,tetracy cline and erythromycin were significantly higher than those of biofilm formation negative isolates,while there were no significant differences between biofilm formation positive isolates and negative ones in the antibiotic resistance tests of the other 12 antibiotics.Conclusion Biofilm formation enhances the ability of antibiotic resistance of enterococci to a certain extent,but the bacterial antibiotic resistance and the property of antibiotics should be concerned.
Serological survey of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection among population in Hunan Province

Objective To understand the infection condition and analytical methods of Influenza A (H1N1 ) virus in the population of Hunan Province during different periods. Methods Quick surveys on the positive rate of Influenza A (H1N1) virus hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test have been conducted for 5 times successively from November 2009 to March 2010 in 14 medical and health institutions of Changsha city, whose results were then compared with those from the sampling surveys of whole Hunan province.Results 2131 subjects were involved in this study; the total population standardized rates of antibody positive investigated for 5 times were 9. 32% , 14. 62%, 31.08%, 28.43% and 22. 80% respectively; the population of 6-17-years-old has the highest rate of antibody positive; only 9. 84% of the antibody positive subjects attributed to vaccine inoculation; there was no significant difference in the standardized positive rates between the quick serological surveys and the corresponding sampling survey of Hunan province( P ＞0.05 ). Conclusion The positive rate of A ( H1N1 ) virus antibody reached the peak in late January 2010;quick investigations in small region could be used to evaluate the infection prevalence during pandemic of infectious diseases. Key words: Influenza A virus, human; Infection; Immunologic surveillance
P-6: Aqueous Precursor Based Solution-Processed Metal Oxide Semiconductor

We investigated solution-processed oxide semiconductor films derived from various aqueous precursors. Findings show that the structure of metal complexes in the precursor solutions greatly affect decomposition temperature, impurity concentration, and more importantly, electrical performance. Also, facile redox reaction is demonstrated as one solution to remove impurities effectively.
A net carbohydrate and protein system for evaluating cattle diets: IV. Predicting amino acid adequacy.

The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System was modified to include an amino acid submodel for predicting the adequacy of absorbed essential amino acids in cattle diets. Equations for predicting the supply of and requirements for ab- sorbed essential amino acids are described and presented. The model was evaluated for its ability to predict observed duodenal flows of nitrogen, nonam- monia nitrogen, bacterial nitrogen, dietary nonammo- nia nitrogen, and individual essential amino acids. Model-predicted nitrogen, nonammonia nitrogen, bac- terial nitrogen, and dietary nonammonia nitrogen explained 93.2, 94.6, 76.4, and 79.3% of the observed duodenal flows, respectively, based on R2 values from predicted vs observed regression analysis. Based on slopes of regression lines, model-predicted duodenal nitrogen and nonammonia nitrogen were different from observed duodenal flows (P < .05), whereas model-predicted bacterial nitrogen and dietary nonam- monia nitrogen were not different from observed duodenal flows ( P < .05). Model-predicted duodenal flows of individual essential amino acids explained 81 to 90% of variation in observed duodenal amino acid flows. Based on slopes of regression lines, model- predicted duodenal threonine, leucine, and arginine were the only amino acids different from observed duodenal flows (P < .05). Ideas for further model improvements and research in amino acid metabolism were also presented.
The Resurgence of The Arab Cold War 1

Malcolm H. Kerr's classic study The Arab Cold War appeared in print in a circuitous way, which can be traced using archival materials that have previously been inaccessible to scholars. More important, the primary analytical themes of the book continue to be fundamentally misrepresented, despite the frequent appropriation of the book's title by students of regional affairs in the wake of the 2010–11 uprisings.
Glomerular hypertrophy accelerates hypertensive glomerular injury in rats.

Micropuncture and morphological studies were performed in four groups of rats that received subcutaneous infusions of saline or angiotensin II (ANG II) for 8 wk. Group 1 rats received saline; group...
Screening for Dyslipidemia in Younger Adults: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Background Dyslipidemia may occur in younger adults (defined as persons aged 21 to 39 years) and is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Screening might identify younger adults with asymptomatic dyslipidemia who may benefit from lipid-lowering therapies. Purpose To update the 2008 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force review on dyslipidemia screening in younger adults. Data sources The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and MEDLINE through May 2016, and reference lists. Study selection Randomized, controlled trials; cohort studies; and case-control studies on screening for or treatment of asymptomatic dyslipidemia in adults aged 21 to 39 years. Data extraction The plan was for 1 investigator to abstract data and a second to check their accuracy, and for 2 investigators to independently assess study quality; however, no studies met the inclusion criteria. Data synthesis No study evaluated the effects of lipid screening versus no screening, treatment versus no treatment, or delayed versus earlier treatment on clinical outcomes in younger adults. In addition, no study evaluated the diagnostic yield of alternative screening strategies (such as targeted screening of persons with a family history of hyperlipidemia vs. general screening) in younger adults. Limitation No direct relevant evidence. Conclusion Direct evidence on the benefits and harms of screening for or treatment of dyslipidemia in younger adults remains unavailable. Estimating the potential effects of screening for dyslipidemia in this population requires extrapolation from studies performed in older adults. Primary funding source Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Prehistoric Extinctions and Ecological Changes on Oceanic Islands

The body of ecological theory that relates specifically to islands was developed mainly through inference from modern patterns of diversity. Observations of process are limited, because they are usually restricted to the relatively short and recent periods of time covered by most field studies and experiments. Whether the processes that are important in these contexts can be extrapolated to explain biogeographic patterns that have been thousands to millions of years in genesis, is an essential question for which there are few relevant data. In this chapter, I argue that greater reliance on paleontological data would strengthen our understanding of island ecosystems, by linking modern patterns to processes that occur on evolutionary timescales.
Top-K Nodes Identification in Big Networks Based on Topology and Activity Analysis

Graphs and Networks have been the most researched topics with applications ranging from theoretical to practical fields, such as social media, genetics, and education. In many competitive environments, the most productive activities may be interacting with high-profile people, reading a much-cited article, or researching a wide range of fields such as the study on highly connected proteins. This thesis proposes two methods to deal with top-K nodes identification: centrality-based and activity-based methods for identifying top-K nodes. The first method is based on the topological structure of the network and uses the centrality measure called Katz Centrality; a path based ranking measure that calculates the local influence of a node as well as its global influence. It starts by filtering out the top-K nodes from a pool of network data using Katz centrality. By providing a means to filter out unnecessary nodes based on their centrality values, one can focus more on the most important nodes. The proposed method was applied to various network data and the results showed how different parameter values lead to different numbers of top-K nodes. The second method incorporates the theory of heat diffusion. Each node in the network can act as the source of heat. The amount of heat diffused or received by the node depends on the number of activities it performs. There are two types of activities: Interactive and Non-Interactive. Interactive activities could be likes, comments, and shares whereas posting a status, tweets or pictures could be the examples of non-interactive activities. We applied these proposed methods on Instagram network data and compared the results with the other similar algorithms. The experiment results showed that our activity-based approach is much faster and accurate than the existing methods.
Improving the Reliability of Tinnitus Screening in Laboratory Animals

Behavioral screening remains a contentious issue for animal studies of tinnitus. Most paradigms base a positive tinnitus test on an animal’s natural tendency to respond to the “sound” of tinnitus as if it were an actual sound. As a result, animals with tinnitus are expected to display sound-conditioned behaviors when no sound is present or to miss gaps in background sounds because tinnitus “fills in the gap.” Reliable confirmation of the behavioral indications of tinnitus can be problematic because the reinforcement contingencies of conventional discrimination tasks break down an animal’s tendency to group tinnitus with sound. When responses in silence are rewarded, animals respond in silence regardless of their tinnitus status. When responses in silence are punished, animals stop responding. This study introduces stimulus classification as an alternative approach to tinnitus screening. Classification procedures train animals to respond to the common perceptual features that define a group of sounds (e.g., high pitch or narrow bandwidth). Our procedure trains animals to drink when they hear tinnitus and to suppress drinking when they hear other sounds. Animals with tinnitus are revealed by their tendency to drink in the presence of unreinforced probe sounds that share the perceptual features of the tinnitus classification. The advantages of this approach are illustrated by taking laboratory rats through a testing sequence that includes classification training, the experimental induction of tinnitus, and postinduction screening. Behavioral indications of tinnitus are interpreted and then verified by simulating a known tinnitus percept with objective sounds.
Comparison of the direction estimation performance of high-frequency seismic arrays and three-component stations

Abstract This paper presents a theoretical comparison of the backazimuth and velocity estimation performance of arrays and three-component stations in severe noise conditions. Theoretical estimates of performance for low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) are validated through simulation. The high SNR limits of array performance are determined through an empirical study of 23 events at a single source location. Theory and simulation indicate a gradual and uniform deterioration in three-component station performance as the SNR is decreased, beginning at relatively high SNR. At very low SNR, the signal is overwhelmed by the noise, and the performance reaches an asymptotic plateau determined by a priori physical limitations on the velocity of incident waves. By contrast, arrays exhibit a sharp transition between a high SNR performance floor determined, presumably, by scattering effects in the signal, and a low SNR plateau. The SNR threshold for the transition in array performance is low enough that a band of SNRs exist for which arrays have usefully small direction and velocity errors, but three-component stations do not.
Result of Arid1a deletion on intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm formation.

328Background: ARID1A, a member of the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, is mutated in up to 30% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Here, we studied the effect of Arid1a loss in pancreatic tumorigenesis in the setting of a constitutively activated Kras allele (KrasG12D), which is the basis of a well-established mouse model of pancreas cancer. Methods: Arid1a was deleted during embryogenesis in acinar, duct, and islet cells inPtf1a-Cre; Arid1af/f (CA) and KrasG12D; Ptf1a-Cre; Arid1a f/f (KCA) mice.Arid1a was inducibly deleted in adult mice specifically in duct or acinar cells with KrasG12D; Sox9-CreER; Arid1a f/f (KSERA), and KrasG12D; Ptf1a-CreER; Arid1a f/f (KPERA) mice, respectively. Tamoxifen was given at 4 weeks of age. Results: Genotyping of CA mice toes and pancreata showed Arid1a loss only in the latter confirming pancreas-specific recombination. Western blot confirmed decreased protein expression and immunohistochemistry (IHC) demonstrated Arid1a loss in most of the acini and half of ...
The relation between cultural values and condom use among Latino gay men

ABSTRACTLatino men who have sex with men (MSM) are the second largest group to be affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Latino cultural values may influence sexual behaviors that can result in HIV acquisition. This study explored the relations among traditional machismo, caballerismo, familismo, unprotected anal intercourse (UAI), and the appeal of sex without condoms (ASWC) among Latino gay men. Results indicated that higher levels of familial honor and traditional machismo predicted higher levels of ASWC. These findings suggest that exploration of gender roles and family are important factors to be included in HIV prevention and intervention programs.
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose? A review of Paul Sabatier’s “An advocacy coalition framework of policy change and the role of policy-oriented learning therein"

Paul Sabatier’s 1988 Policy Sciences paper, “An advocacy coalition framework of policy change and the role of policy-oriented learning therein” (21:129–168), introduced the advocacy coalition framework (ACF) to the policy discipline. Over the past 30 years, the ACF has become a generalizable theory of policy change. Another feature is the ongoing critical self-assessment and revisions of the framework’s theoretical and empirical assumptions. As a result, there have been many reviews of the ACF. However, the popularity of Sabatier’s contribution and the most cited article in this journal is its wider significance beyond the ACF. A bibliometric analysis of 737 peer-reviewed publications citing this paper is undertaken. This is followed by a summary chronicling ACF reviews and scholarship comparing the ACF with other policy process theories and frameworks.
Anomaly detection in dynamic programming languages through heuristics based type inference

The growth of agile methods has helped to popularize dynamic programming languages. Their concise syntax and the flexible type handling are well suited for the needs of agile development. Flexible type handling is advantageous in the application of polymorphism, a key ingredient of agile methods. Coincidentally, flexible type declarations have resulted in the loss of a significant tool for assuring software quality. Static typing has long been considered a key tool for identifying anomalies. Proponents of agile methods have come to depend upon a combination of static analysis and software testing to assure code quality. Existing static analysis tools have given little attention to type information. We have identified an approach that combines type inference based heuristics with existing static analysis tools in the identification of potential anomalies. This approach provides the programmer with an assessment of the likelihood that the code contains an anomaly. The goal of this approach is to help improve the quality of the resulting code while retaining the advantages already observed with dynamic programming languages. An initial evaluation of this approach resulted in potential type related anomalies being correctly identified 86% of the time while existing approaches were correct only 36 to 64% of the time.
Babies who don't get better: When it's not respiratory distress syndrome

Most preterm and late preterm infants who require mechanical ventilation for respiratory failure resolve their disease process and can be extubated. A small percentage, however, continues to exhibit respiratory failure and remain ventilator dependent. There are myriad conditions that the clinician needs to consider, some of which are treatable, but some of which are lethal. Strategies for diagnosis and management are discussed herein.
Basic Algebra. By Nathan Jacobson. Volume I (1974) and II (1980). W. H. Freeman, San Francisco. Algebra (second edition). By Saunders Mac Lane and Garrett Birkhoff

(1985). Basic Algebra. By Nathan Jacobson. Volume I (1974) and II (1980). W. H. Freeman, San Francisco. Algebra (second edition). By Saunders Mac Lane and Garrett Birkhoff. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 92, No. 10, pp. 743-745.
Deciduous Molar Microwear of South African Australopithecines

Are the cranial, dental and mandibular differences between ‘gracile’ (Australopithecus africanus) and ‘robust’ (A. robustus, A. crassidens and A. boisei) autralopithecines merely allometric correlates of increased body size, or do they reflect adaptations to different dietary regimens? The question of diet is central to the construction of models of early hominid ecology and evolution, because dietary considerations bear directly upon trophic adaptations, musculo-skeletal developments associated with food acquisition, and perhaps also upon inter-specific relationships. The dietary proclivities of the australopithecines have been the subject of considerable debate, with arguments for and against various hypotheses stemming from multifarious approaches (see Grine, 1981 for a review of the literature). One of the more potentially useful approaches is the evaluation of the microscopic details of occlusal wear facets (Walker, 1979, 1980, 1981; Walker et al., 1978).
Sympathetic Neural Control of Indoleamine Metabolism in the Rat Pineal Gland

The rate of melatonin biosynthesis in the mammalian pineal gland varies rhythmically. Melatonin secreted from the pineal acts on the brain to modify its biochemical composition (Anton-Tay, 1971) and influence such diverse behavioral and physiological functions as rhythmic locomotor activity patterns (Quay, 1970), the electroencephalogram (Roldan and Anton-Tay, 1968), sleep (Marczynski, Yamaguchi, Ling, and Grodzinska, 1964), and, through its apparent effects on the anterior pituitary, gonadal function and other peripheral endocrine effects (Reiter and Fraschini, 1969). The endocrine rhythms associated with pineal gland function are described by Russel Reiter elsewhere in this volume.
A history of intellectuals and the demise of the new class: Academics and the U.S. government in the 1960s

Les rapports entre professionnalisation academique et son influence sur le gouvernement des Etats-Unis dans les annees 60 sont analyses : quel a ete le role des intellectuels dans les politiques sociales? En quoi consiste cette influence?
Nanoscale Bupivacaine Formulations To Enhance the Duration and Safety of Intravenous Regional Anesthesia

Intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA; Bier block) is commonly used to anesthetize an extremity for surgery. Limitations of the procedure include pain from the required tourniquet, the toxicity that can occur from systemic release of local anesthetics, and the lack of postoperative pain relief. We hypothesized that the nanoencapsulation of the local anesthetic would prolong local anesthesia and enhance safety. Here, we developed an ∼15 nm micellar bupivacaine formulation (M-Bup) and tested it in a rat tail vein IVRA model, in which active agents were restricted in the tail by a tourniquet for 15 min. After tourniquet removal, M-Bup provided local anesthesia for 4.5 h, which was two times longer than that from a larger dose of free bupivacaine. Approximately 100 nm liposomal bupivacaine (L-Bup) with the same drug dose as M-Bup did not cause anesthesia. Blood levels of bupivacaine after tourniquet removal were lower in animals receiving M-Bup than L-Bup or free bupivacaine, demonstrating enhanced safety. Ti...
Exploring Identities and Preferences for Intervention Among LGBTQ+ Young Adult Smokers Through Online Focus Groups.

Abstract Purpose LGBTQ+ young adults are disproportionately affected by tobacco use and associated health conditions. A culturally tailored intervention may improve smoking cessation with this priority population. We conducted focus groups to inform development of a social media intervention to help LGBTQ+ young adults quit smoking. Methods We conducted two focus groups with LGBTQ+ young adults (N = 27) throughout the United States in a Facebook secret group online setting. An online survey characterized tobacco and other substance use. Questions posed to focus group participants addressed patterns and contexts of smoking, LGBTQ+ identity, and barriers and facilitators to participating in a culturally tailored smoking cessation intervention on social media. Focus group transcripts were coded and analyzed using directed content analysis. Results Overall, young adults had mixed feelings about linking the identities of LGBTQ+ and smoking, and reflected differences in online and “real life” identities. Participants were generally receptive to a social media smoking cessation intervention with concerns about privacy in sharing their smoking status and LGBTQ+ identities with their online social networks. Gender nonconforming individuals had some unique concerns about Facebook policies. Conclusions This study highlights important considerations in tailoring a social media intervention for LGBTQ+ young adults. We identified experiences of LGBTQ+ young adults that would support tailoring to a diverse community, and suggestions for how to make smoking cessation programs more appealing to this priority population.
Economical, Financial and Environmental Evaluation for the Civil Fish Farms in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate

Fish farming in the private aquaculture sector is the most common. The main objective of the study was to study the economic and environmental assessment of the national fish farms. Field data were obtained through a sample of 138 form representing 16.23% of the total national farms. The most important explanatory variables affect the quantity of the output Of the fish in the sample farms are the number of used labor, the number of fry used, the amount of fodder used, the water area, and the results showed that all the farms of the sample did not achieve economic efficiency for a number of reasons, It was also found that the average size of the average fish production for the three sample groups which below the cost is about 3.57, 49.5, and 5.68 tons / fed. The maximum profit production was also found to be about 0.56, 4.56, 6.5 Ton / fed for the three categories respectively. The internal rate of return for the three categories was 49.8%, 59.4% and 64.5%, respectively, which is higher than the prevailing interest rate of 20% and it was found that the investment in aquaculture So that the most effective economically and financially from depositing money in banks, the study recommended by encouraging the private sector to invest in the field of aquaculture. .
Carotid Artery Echolucency, Texture Features, and Incident Cardiovascular Disease Events: The MESA Study

Background We hypothesized that measures of common carotid artery echolucency and grayscale texture features were associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and could predict CVD eve...
A Rayon-Level Analysis of the Russian Election and Constitutional Plebiscite of December 1993

Two specialists on the electoral geography of post-Soviet Russia present findings from the first systematic study of regional political patterns at the rayon level. Drawing on a sample of 303 rayons from nine oblasts, the analysis underscores the salience of the urban-rural divide in Russian politics, as manifested in voters' preferences for parties and their support for the new Russian constitution in the national election of December 1993. The extent to which party preference, voting on the constitution, and voter turnout are associated with one another and with the age composition and educational attainment of the population in the respective units is tested using regression techniques. 4 figures, 6 tables, 28 references.
chromoMap: An R package for Interactive Visualization and Annotation of Chromosomes

Abstract Summary chromoMap is an R package for constructing interactive visualizations of chromosomes/chromosomal regions, and mapping of chromosomal elements (like genes) onto them, of any living organism. The package takes separate tab-delimited files (BED like) to specify the genomic co-ordinates of the chromosomes and the elements to annotate. Each rendered chromosome is composed of continuous loci of specific ranges where each locus, on hover, displays detailed information about the elements annotated within that locus range. By just tweaking parameters of a single function, users can generate a variety of plots that can either be saved as static image or shared as HTML documents. Users can utilize the various prominent features of chromoMap including, but not limited to, visualizing polyploidy, creating chromosome heatmaps, mapping groups of elements, adding hyperlinks to elements, multi-species chromosome visualization. Availability and implementation The R package chromoMap is available under the GPL-3 Open Source license. It is included with a vignette for comprehensive understanding of its various features, and is freely available from: https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=chromoMap. Contact lakshayanand15@gmail.com Supplementary information Supplementary data are available online.
The Production of Brailled Instructional Materials in Texas Public Schools

This study investigated the background of personnel who are responsible for transcribing braille in Texas. Most respondents were not certified by the Library of Congress and believed that they had begun their careers less than adequately prepared, yet they rated the quality of the materials that they produced as either excellent or
Cognitive-behavioural therapy for IBS comes home: mapping a route for efficacy and efficiency in the digital age.

On any given day, a gastroenterologist will enter a consulting room and have a 25% chance of seeing a patient presented with IBS symptoms. She/he will describe abdominal pain, diarrhoea and/or constipation as severe, disruptive and a significant source of angst. Their exact cause will be as perplexing as the uncertainty that whatever treatment is prescribed will provide much relief. This much will be clear: One of the only treatments with the strongest empirical support for the full range of IBS symptoms—cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT)—will be unavailable unless the gastroenterologist happens to work in close proximity to one of the relatively few academic medical centres that dispense CBT. This state of affairs has led to the development of CBT regimens that retain the efficacy of ‘gold standard’ clinic-based CBT delivered one-to-one but are more efficient and easier to implement. An early approach addressed this issue by dramatically reducing therapist time, featuring a largely home-based version of CBT.1 Other teams emphasised digital technology (eg, internet) to deliver CBT.2 This issue of Gut describes the most recent effort to tackle this problem: the Assessing Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (ACTIB).3 The trial has many strengths, chief of which is it is the largest CBT for IBS trial conducted to date. The two CBT treatments (web -based, telephone delivered) were superior to treatment as usual (TAU) at both post-treatment and 12-month follow-up. Like the recently completed National Institutes of Health-funded IBS Outcome Study4 (IBSOS) that pitted home-based CBT against face-to-face CBT, both CBT arms were associated with substantial reductions in scores on the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS). Unlike the IBSOS, ACTIB leaves unanswered the most pressing and practical question of whether higher intensity CBT (8 hours of clinician time) was equivalent to the lower intensity (2 hours) version. …
Image Politics: a call to struggle, play, and hope

When I entered the field of communication, I was surprised to find that the discipline had not taken images seriously until the 1980s and 1990s, largely due to an adherence to the superiority of th...
Integrating complex soil dynamics using the non-equilibrium effective temperature

Soil dynamics, such as aggregate turnover, play central roles in modulating global cycles of carbon, nitrogen and water. However, understanding soil dynamics, and the role they play in soil system functioning is complicated by the fact that soils naturally exhibit scale-dependent physical and chemical variability across more than a dozen orders of magnitude in both space and time. Herein it is argued that scale-dependent soil variability emerges at large scales in part because soils systems, in the larger sense, are non-equilibrium thermodynamic systems. One driver of soil disequilibrium is pedoturbation, or soil stirring. Soil stirring is widely implicated in affecting long-term processes such as aggregation, horizonation, and rates of chemical weathering. This observation aligns well with advancements recently made in theoretical physics. For a variety of non-equilibrium physical systems , the stirring rate has been shown to be equivalent to an \emph{effective temperature} of the system, and can be used to recover thermodynamic relationships in non-equilibrium settings. This work primarily presents the mathematical basis for calculating the effective temperature, a measurement approach, and discusses the implications of this framework on several outstanding problems within soil science. While effective temperatures have yet to be measured in soils, this framework has the potential to greatly simplify and compliment the modeling of complex soil dynamics, but also potentially provide a new tool to rectify the discordance between small and large scale rates of soil processes.
Copepod Behavior Responses Around Internal Waves

Internal waves are ubiquitous features in coastal marine environments and have been observed to mediate vertical distributions of zooplankton. Internal waves possess fine-scale hydrodynamic cues that copepods and other zooplankton are known to sense, such as fluid density gradients and velocity gradients (quantified as shear strain rate). The role of copepod behavior in response to cues associated with internal waves is largely unknown. The objective is to provide insight to the bio-physical interaction and the role of biological versus physical forcing in mediating organism distributions. A laboratory-scale internal wave apparatus is designed to facilitate fine scale observations of copepod behavior in flows that replicate in situ conditions of internal waves in two-layer stratification. An experimental configuration is presented with a density jump of 1 sigma_t. Theoretical analysis of the two-layer system provided guidance to the target forcing frequency needed to generate a standing internal wave with a single dominate frequency of oscillation. Flow visualization and signal processing of the interface location were used to quantify the wave characteristics. The results show a close match to the target wave parameters. Marine copepod (mixed population of Acartia tonsa, Temora longicornis, and Eurytemora affinis) behavior assays were conducted for three different physical arrangements: (1) no density stratification (i.e. control), (2) stagnant two-layer density stratification, and (3) two-layer density stratification with internal wave motion. Digitized trajectories of copepod swimming behavior indicate that in the control (case 1) the animals showed no preferential aggregation. In the stagnant density jump treatment (case 2) copepods preferentially moved horizontally, parallel to the density interface. In the internal wave treatment (case 3) copepods demonstrated loopy, orbital trajectories near the density interface. Analysis of advected trajectories in the internal wave, with and without superimposed copepod swimming, reveal distinct differences with the observed copepod trajectories in the internal wave treatment. These differences and a consideration of the potential hydrodynamic cues indicate that copepod behavior response has a substantial influence on the swimming trajectories in the internal wave region.
Metal Sequestration and Antimicrobial Activity of Human Calprotectin Are pH-Dependent.

Human calprotectin (CP, S100A8/S100A9 oligomer) is an abundant innate immune protein that sequesters transition metal ions in the extracellular space to limit nutrient availability and the growth o...
The Long Southern Strategy: How Chasing White Voters in the South Changed American Politics

An exchange student from Virginia in my U.S. politics course at the University of Exeter in England in 1968 first introduced me to what he called the “Southern difference” from the rest of the Unit...
Gendering the practice turn in diplomacy

International Relations has developed an exciting new research agenda on diplomatic practice, drawing largely on the theories of Pierre Bourdieu. However, it largely ignores Bourdieu’s theory of pa...
The Holy Spirit Makes the Church: Changing the Church as a Responsive Act

This essay argues that if church is the anticipation of the eschatological promise of relational flourishing and reconciliation, and if the effective agent who brings that reality into being is the Holy Spirit, then church is a creation of the Spirit and ecclesial change is first and foremost the Spirit’s work. Contrary to how it is often imagined and practiced, the human role in such change is responsive, not causal. Forgetting this often leads to thinking of and being church in less healthy ways than is the case when a robust eschatological and pneumatological ecclesial conception and practice are retained. This essay, therefore, cautions against language identifying human beings as the agents who “build,” “grow,” or “change” churches. It advocates instead for thinking of church members as disciples of Christ engaged in discerning and participating in the ecclesial building, growing, and changing that the Holy Spirit initiates, inspires, and empowers.
Dynamic Contact Angle Measurements

One of the major problems arising in the Oil Industry is those associated with oil extraction. The ideal conditions on the rock surface should be water wet conditions, to facilitate the easy extraction of oil. Contact angle measurements are key to determine surface tension between solids and various fluids. If the rock wettability is oil wet, the oil company may need to change the rock wettability. We will determine wettability (water wet or oil wet), analyze how the effect of different brine concentrations on wettability and contact angle measurements using the Dynamic Contact Angle Analyzer (DCA 315).
Widespread Positive Direct and Indirect Effects of Regular Physical Activity on the Developing Functional Connectome in Early Adolescence.

Adolescence is a period of profound but incompletely understood changes in the brain's neural circuitry (the connectome), which is vulnerable to risk factors such as unhealthy weight, but may be protected by positive factors such as regular physical activity. In 5955 children (median age = 120 months; 50.86% females) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) cohort, we investigated direct and indirect (through impact on body mass index [BMI]) effects of physical activity on resting-state networks, the backbone of the functional connectome that ubiquitously affects cognitive function. We estimated significant positive effects of regular physical activity on network connectivity, efficiency, robustness and stability (P ≤ 0.01), and on local topologies of attention, somatomotor, frontoparietal, limbic, and default-mode networks (P < 0.05), which support extensive processes, from memory and executive control to emotional processing. In contrast, we estimated widespread negative BMI effects in the same network properties and brain regions (P < 0.05). Additional mediation analyses suggested that physical activity could also modulate network topologies leading to better control of food intake, appetite and satiety, and ultimately lower BMI. Thus, regular physical activity may have extensive positive effects on the development of the functional connectome, and may be critical for improving the detrimental effects of unhealthy weight on cognitive health.
Experiments on active control of vibrational power flow using piezoceramic actuators and sensors

The active control of flexural power flow in both semiinfinite and finite elastic beams is experimentally investigated. The experimental results demonstrate that piezoceramic transducers when used in conjunction with an adaptive least mean squares controller, can effectively control flexural power flow in thin beam systems. The piezoceramic transducers offer distinct size and weight advantages over conventional transducers. The experiments also demonstrate the use of an axial scanning laser vibrometer to determine out of plane velocity and power flow.
Can Viagra Advertising Make More Babies? Direct-to-Consumer Advertising on Public Health Outcomes

Although product advertising has been widely studied and understood in relation to the consumer’s purchase decision, advertising may also have unintended but important societal and economic consequences. In this paper, we examine a public health outcome — birth rate — associated with advertisements for erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs. Since the United States loosened regulations on direct-to-consumer television advertising for prescription drugs in 1997, ED drug makers have consistently been top spenders. By comparing advertising data with multiple birth data sets (patient-level hospital data from Massachusetts between 2001 and 2010 and micro birth certificate data from the U.S. between 2000 and 2004), we demonstrate that increased ED drug television advertising leads to a higher birth rate. Our results, which are robust with respect to different functional forms and falsification tests, show that a 1% increase in ED drug advertising contributes to an increase of 0.04-0.08% of total births. Our findings suggest that beyond the customer purchase decision, advertising can have important public health outcomes, with resulting implications for managerial decision-making and policy formulation.
Origins of International Criminal Justice

The idea of a permanent tribunal to try serious crimes including genocide and war crimes is not a new idea; it arose even before the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials prosecuted senior government officials for their roles in the atrocities of World War II . Although the idea for a permanent criminal court was shelved during the Cold War, a small group of committed activists pushed the establishment of the Court onto the international agenda during the 1990s. This chapter will explore the other international criminal tribunals that followed the Nuremberg and Tokyo experiments, including the Yugoslavia and Rwanda tribunals and the hybrid tribunals in Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Timor-Leste , and the Balkans.
Introduction: Plate Tectonics and Geology

Plate tectonics, as it operates in the modern earth, represents in a fundamental sense a mechanism by which excess thermal energy from the mantle is dissipated (Sclater et al. 1980). Substantial evidence now exists for the operation of plate tectonics during Phanerozoic time, and evidence for similar tectonic activity during Proterozoic time is steadily growing, both in quantity and quality (Hoffman 1988). Furthermore, concrete evidence for the operation of essentially analogous forms of plate tectonics during Archean time is now appearing (Condie 1982; Helmstaedt et al. 1986) supporting the notion that the provocative similarities that exist between certain elements of Archean terranes and plate boundary-related terranes of late Phanerozoic age can be reasonably interpreted in terms of uniformitarianism.
Does consumption of high‐fructose corn syrup beverages cause obesity in children?

The consumption of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) beverages has increased since the 1970s. At the same time, childhood obesity is on the rise, causing children to be at risk of heart disease, diabetes and other diseases. Healthcare providers have attributed childhood obesity to the consumption of HFCS in the form of beverages. This article will look at the available research and determine if there is scientific evidence underlying the idea that sweetened soft drinks, especially those containing HFCS, could cause or contribute to childhood obesity. A thorough literature search was performed using the ISI Web of Sciences, PubMed and Scopus databases within the years 2006-2012. The search generated 19 results. The articles were screened, and six were deemed eligible: four systematic reviews and two meta-analyses. Two systematic reviews found that there is no relationship between consumption of HFCS beverages and obesity in children. The other two systematic reviews found possible links between HFCS and childhood obesity. The meta-analysis articles found that consumption of HFCS beverages can contribute to childhood obesity, and limitation of sweetened beverages may help decrease obesity in children. Available research studies demonstrate inconclusive scientific evidence definitively linking HFCS to obesity in children.
Erythrism in the Maritime Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis pallidulus , in Nova Scotia

The Maritime Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis pallidulus , is highly variable in pattern and colour. Although this subspecies is largely defined on the basis of colour, four colour morphs have previously been described for the subspecies, including a melanistic form. Based on specimens from Nova Scotia, Canada, a fifth, uncommon erythristic variant is added to the complex colour variation known for the Maritime Garter Snake. Erratum for figure included.
Extension of synaptic extracellular matrix during nerve terminal sprouting in living frog neuromuscular junctions

Remodeling of the synaptic extracellular matrix (ECM) and its dynamic relationship with nerve terminal plasticity have been demonstrated in normal frog neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in vivo (Chen et al., 1991). Our previous work has led to a hypothesis that extension of synaptic ECM precedes nerve terminal growth during synaptic remodeling. To test this hypothesis, the present study examined the changes of synaptic ECM in frog NMJs that were primarily undergoing nerve terminal growth and sprouting. Frog sartorius muscles were double stained with a fluorescent nerve terminal dye (4-Di-2-Asp) and rhodamine-tagged peanut agglutinin (PNA), which recognizes synaptic ECM. The double-labeled NMJs were visualized in vivo with video-enhanced fluorescence microscopy. Nerve sprouting was then induced in the muscle by grafting segments of the contralateral sciatic nerve. The identified NMJs were restrained and reexamined 2-3 months later. Extensive sprouting was observed in 46% of 167 identified NMJs. At junctional regions that showed extension or formation of new branches, synaptic ECM was commonly seen to have the same shape and distribution as the nerve terminal. However, extension of synaptic ECM beyond the corresponding nerve terminals, often by tens of microns, was observed in 29% of these newly formed junctional regions. This lack of correlation might be transient, as growth of nerve terminals following extended, PNA-stained ECM was seen. Examination with histological staining not only confirmed a lack of nerve terminal at the extended synaptic ECM region but also indicated an absence of AChE and postsynaptic junctional folds. The absence of these postsynaptic specializations at the extended, PNA-stained ECM region makes it unlikely that this region was previously occupied by nerve terminals that had retracted. Thus, the present study provides further findings consistent with the hypothesis that synaptic ECM precedes nerve terminal outgrowth and that the extension of synaptic ECM may play a role in synaptic remodeling.
Full-color real-time video broadcasting over ATM LAN

In this paper our experience of broadcasting full-color, full-size, real-time video over an ATM LAN is reported. The broadcasting system is adaptive in that each receiver can view video at its highest affordable frame rate. Effort has been made to guarantee continuous audio and best-effort audio and video synchronization. The key factors of the major components of the system which limit the performance of real-time ATM video applications are then discussed. Suggestions are given to address these limitations.
Resistance weight training during caloric restriction enhances lean body weight maintenance

To assess the individual and combined effects of weight loss and weight training on body weight and body composition, 40 obese women were randomly assigned to one of four groups for an 8 wk weight-loss study. These groups were control (C); diet without exercise (DO); diet plus weight training (DPE); and weight training without diet (EO). Body weight decreased for DO (-4.47 kg) and DPE (-3.89 kg) compared with C (-0.38 kg) and EO (0.45 kg). Lean body weight (LBW) increased for EO (1.07 kg) compared with DO (-0.91 kg) and C (-0.31 kg) and for DPE (0.43 kg) compared with DO. Upper-arm muscle areas (determined by radiograph) increased for DPE (11.2 cm2) and EO (10.4 cm2) compared with C (2.7 cm2) and DO (2.1 cm2). It was concluded that weight training results in comparable gains in muscle area and strength for DPE and EO. Adding weight training exercise to a caloric restriction program results in maintenance of LBW compared with DO.
Eating Disorder Symptoms Among College Students: Prevalence, Persistence, Correlates, and Treatment-Seeking

Abstract Objective: To examine the prevalence, correlates, persistence, and treatment-seeking related to symptoms of eating disorders (EDs) in a random sample of college students. Participants: A random sample of students at a large university were recruited for an Internet survey in Fall 2005 and a follow-up survey in Fall 2007. Methods: ED symptoms were measured using the SCOFF screen and adjusted for nonresponse using administrative data and a nonresponse survey. Results: 2,822 (56%) students completed the baseline survey. Among undergraduates the prevalence of positive screens was 13.5% for women and 3.6% for men. Among students with positive screens, 20% had received past-year mental health treatment. In the follow-up sample (N = 753), ED symptoms at baseline significantly predicted symptoms 2 years later. Conclusions: Symptoms of EDs were prevalent and persistent among college students in this study. These findings suggest that brief screens can identify a large number of students with untreated EDs.