cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relaxation dynamics of nanosecond laser superheated material in dielectrics

Intense laser pulses can cause superheating of the near-surface volume of materials. This mechanism is widely used in applications such as laser micromachining, laser ablation, or laser assisted thin film deposition. The relaxation of the near solid density superheated material is not well understood, however. In this work, we investigate the relaxation dynamics of the superheated material formed in several dielectrics with widely differing physical properties. The results suggest that the relaxation process involves a number of distinct phases, which include the delayed explosive ejection of microscale particles starting after the pressure of the superheated material is reduced to about 4 GPa and for a time duration on the order of 1 μs. The appearance of a subset of collected ejected particles in fused silica is similar to that of micro-tektites and provides information about the state of the superheated material at the time of ejection. These results advance our understanding of a key aspect of the laser–material interaction pathway and can lead to optimization of associated applications ranging from material processing to laser surgery.
Making Tough Ethical Choices in a Morally Pluralistic World

This book uses neonatal intensive care as an example of the complex decisions that must be made as we try to harness ambiguous technology to human ends. The answers that we have come to about decisions in the NICU are not settled or final. The process of coming to moral consensus is iterative, non-linear, and ongoing. Scientific discoveries change the way we think about what it means to be human and what it means to live in community. Each story of scientific discovery and innovation is a story of the struggle to find the balance between the new emerging possibilities for human flourishing, and the risks and dangers that are held within it.
Autonomic performance and power control in virtualized datacenters

Virtualized datacenters, the platform for supporting Cloud computing, allow diverse applications to share the underlying server resources. Due to the highly dynamic nature of Internet workloads, increasing complexity of applications, and complex dynamics of shared infrastructure, datacenters face significant challenges in managing application performance while maintaining resource utilization efficiency and reducing power consumption costs. This thesis presents middleware approaches to autonomic performance and power control in virtualized datacenters. To this end, we designed self-adaptive resource management techniques based on queuing models, machine learning and feedback control theory. Firstly, we designed an efficient server provisioning mechanism based on end-to-end resource allocation optimization for client perceived response time guarantee in a multi-tier server cluster. To guarantee an important percentile-based performance in the face of highly dynamic workloads, we developed a self-adaptive and model-independent neural fuzzy controller, which is capable of self-constructing and adapting its server allocation policies. Secondly, we developed a non-invasive and energy-efficient mechanism for performance isolation of co-located applications on virtualized servers. Thirdly, we designed a system that provides coordinated power and performance control in a virtualized server cluster through a Fuzzy MIMO controller. We further developed a distributed and interference-aware control framework for large complex systems. Furthermore, we developed a power-aware framework based on GPU virtualization for managing scientific workloads running in GPU clusters. It improves the system energy efficiency through dynamic consolidation and placement of GPU workloads. Finally, we developed an automation tool for joint resource allocation and configuration of Hadoop MapReduce framework, for cost-efficient Big Data Processing in the Cloud. It addresses the significant challenge of provisioning ad-hoc jobs that have performance deadlines through a novel two-phase machine learning and optimization framework. We implemented and evaluated the proposed techniques in a testbed of virtualized blade servers hosting multi-tier applications, SPEC CPU2006 benchmarks, and Hadoop microbenchmarks. For evaluating power management of GPU clusters, we used NVIDIA Tesla C1060 GPUs. This thesis provides novel resource management solutions that control the quality of service provided by virtualized resources, improve the energy efficiency of the underlying system, and reduce the burden of complex system management from human operators.
Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Ovarian Cancer: Where Do We Go From Here?

The ongoing debate regarding a potential role for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the management of ovarian cancer represents an excellent example of the rarely publicly discussed fundamental clash between the requirements of evidence-based medicine and the roles of clinical innovation and optimization of care for the individual patient.
Anti-Alcohol Properties of Metronidazole in Rats.∗

SummaryThe effect of Metronidazole upon alcohol consumption of two groups of rats has been measured. The first group of 11 animals was selected because they clearly showed a heightened preference for alcohol after a period of forced addiction. In these, a daily in-traperitoneal injection of Metronidazole was followed by a precipitous drop in alcohol consumption. In a second group, 18 animals selected because of their primary preference for alcohol, demonstrated the same substantial drop in alcohol consumption after the Metronidazole injections. No sex differences were found.
A COMPACT DIODE-PUMPED, TUNABLE, TWO WAVELENGTH, MICRO PULSE Cr:LiSAF LASER

A compact, diode-pumped, Q-switched, Cr:LiSAF tunable two wavelength laser, has been developed and incorporated into a flow cytometer used for bio-medical diagnostics. This laser is tunable from 920 to 1000 nm, and operates at up to 2 kHz, yielding 13µJ pulses at 980 nm. Efficient tunable (475 to 495 nm) second harmonic generation is obtained by using an intra-cavity KNbO3 crystal, and >3 µJ is produced at 490 nm. Laser induced fluorescence with excellent signal to noise ratio from has been obtained from bio-molecules that were analyzed with the pulsed laser flow cytometer.
Death by family: Honor violence as punishment:

Occurring in a broad range of non-western and western countries, violence committed against women in the name of family honor has been viewed in several ways, including as a crime, as gendered viol...
Removal of Nitric Oxide by Aqueous Sodium Persulfate Simultaneously Activated by Temperature and Fe2+ in a Lab-scale Bubble Reactor

Nitric oxide (NO) removal by aqueous sodium persulfate (Na2S2O8) simultaneously activated by temperature and Fe2+ was studied in a lab-scale bubble reactor. The effects of Na2S2O8 (0.01–0.20 M), Fe2+ (0.00–0.10 M), gas-phase NO (500–1000 ppm) concentrations, and temperatures (23–90 °C) were investigated. NO fractional conversion at all temperatures with and without the presence of Fe2+ increased sharply with persulfate concentration up to about 0.10 M before leveling off. At 0.10 M Na2S2O8 and 0.01 M Fe2+ concentrations, conversions of up to 79% and approximately 100% were observed at 70 and 90 °C, respectively. Increased temperature led to increased conversions of NO at all persulfate levels, and activation by 0.01 M Fe2+ further improved NO conversion by ∼10% at all temperatures. The chemistry of NO removal and proposed reaction pathways are discussed. The results demonstrated the feasibility of improved NO aqueous scrubbing by temperature- and Fe2+-activated persulfate.
Products of enteropathogenic E. coli inhibit lymphokine production by gastrointestinal lymphocytes

Previously we have shown that lysates of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) inhibit lymphokine production by mitogen-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The aim of the present study was to determine whether products of EPEC alter lymphokine expression by gastrointestinal mucosal lymphocytes. Lysates from EPEC clones inhibited mitogen-stimulated interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-5, and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) but not IL-8 mRNA expression by lamina propria mononuclear cells isolated from surgically resected colon specimens. Inhibitory lysates did not significantly change CD25 expression on either CD4, CD8, or CD45R0 lymphocytes by flow cytometry. Bacterial supernatants of EPEC inhibited IL-2 and IL-5 protein secretion by mitogen-stimulated PBMCs. EPEC lysates inhibited IL-2 mRNA expression induced by lysates of nonpathogenic E. coli. In conclusion, EPEC contains a novel gene(s) that encodes factors that selectively inhibit IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-gamma expression by mucosal mononuclear cells without affecting CD25 or IL-8 expression. Thus enteric bacteria can produce factors that may regulate the function of the gastrointestinal mucosal immune system.
Women with Visual Impairment and Insured by Medicaid or Medicare Are Less Likely to Receive Recommended Screening for Breast and Cervical Cancers.

ABSTRACTPurpose: To investigate whether women with visual impairment (VI) receive mammography and Pap testing to the same extent as women without VI among the low income population or those aged 65+ years. Methods: We analyzed the 2000–2010 Medicaid and Medicare data for South Carolina women. Women with VI were identified on the basis of a qualifying diagnosis in billing data. We assessed women’s adherence (full adherence, partial adherence and no screening) with two United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) cancer screening recommendations (mammography and Pap testing) throughout the course of the study period. Multinomial models were estimated to describe the association between VI and adherence to the two cancer screening recommendations. Results: A total of 1308 women with VI and 2635 women without VI (mammography) and 1247 women with VI and 2483 women without VI (Pap testing) were included in the study. After adjusting for age, number of eligible enrollment years, insurance type (Medicare...
James Thomson’s The Seasons, Print Culture, and Visual Interpretation, 1730–1842, by Sandro Jung

Operating on the book-historical assumption that the material contours of a text shape reading experience and interpretation, James Thomson’s The Seasons, Print Culture, and Visual Interpretation, ...
Weighted Calderon-Zygmund Estimates for Weak Solutions of Quasi-Linear Degenerate Elliptic Equations

This paper studies regularity estimates in Sobolev spaces for weak solutions of a class of degenerate and singular quasi-linear elliptic problems of the form div[A(x,u,∇u)] = div[F] with non-homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions over bounded non-smooth domains. The coefficients A could be be singular, degenerate or both in x in the sense that they behave like some weight function μ, which is in the A2 class of Muckenhoupt weights. Global and interior weighted W1,p(Ω,ω)-regularity estimates are established for weak solutions of these equations with some other weight function ω. The results obtained are even new for the case μ = 1 because of the dependence on the solution u of A. In case of linear equations, our W1,p-regularity estimates can be viewed as the Sobolev’s counterpart of the Holder’s regularity estimates established by B. Fabes, C. E. Kenig, and R. P. Serapioni.
Technology-Oriented Suicide Prevention Interventions for Adolescents and Adolescent Gatekeepers: A Qualitative Review

Youth suicide is increasing in the United States. To moderate youth suicide, it is important to implement effective prevention programs and target modifiable protective and risk factors through intervention. This review examined programs that are consistent with these goals, specifically, technology-oriented suicide prevention programs included in the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and Best Practices Registry (BPR). Technology-oriented programs are highly accessible among adolescents, as well as adolescent gatekeepers. Gatekeepers were defined as adults in a community who frequently interact with youth in the community, and who may be trained to identify and refer at-risk youth (e.g., teachers, coaches, counselors, parents). To understand the impact of these interventions, program efficacy (i.e., outcomes), program reach (i.e., population-level impact, level of technology integration), location of supporting program evidence (i.e., medical literature, Google Scholar, national registries, program organizational website), and quality of supporting research evidence (i.e., study design, quality of research ratings) were explored. PubMed, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, PASCAL, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Library (n = 3,942); Google Scholar (n = 411); the NREPP (n = 127); the BPR (n = 114); and program organizational websites (n = 26) were searched. Published and unpublished studies (n = 35) were integrated. Review of technology-oriented interventions indicated that many have been found to improve secondary outcomes, suicide outcomes, and gatekeeper preparedness. Interventions also demonstrated potential for reach, as technology generally enhanced the spread of prevention content among adolescents and/or adolescent gatekeepers. However, the accessibility of evidence was often reduced through dispersion, as evidence was retained within multiple forums (i.e., medical literature, Google Scholar, national registries, program organizational websites). Finally, the quality of supporting research evidence was generally strong, although there was variability with regard to rigor in study design and inclusion of large samples. Additional research is important toward strengthening the evidence base, and additional evidence that is readily accessible may increase both reach and sustained use, to enhance overall impact.
Komplementär- und Alternativmedizin bei Krebs

Komplementar- und Alternativmedizin (KAM) ist bei Krebspatienten weit verbreitet. Bis zu 2/3 aller Betroffenen wenden Methoden der KAM an, meist zusatzlich zu schulmedizinischen Behandlungen. Pflegende werden von ihren Patienten haufig auf diese Methoden angesprochen. Sie sollten daher Informationen zu KAM vermitteln konnen und wissen, welche Hoffnungen und Risiken damit verbunden sind.
A net carbohydrate and protein system for evaluating cattle diets: I. Ruminal fermentation.

The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) has a kinetic submodel that predicts ruminal fermentation. The ruminal microbial population is divided into bacteria that ferment structural carbohydrate (SC) and those that ferment nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC). Protozoa are accommodated by a decrease in the theoretical maximum growth yield (.50 vs .40 g of cells per gram of carbohydrate fermented), and the yields are adjusted for maintenance requirements (.05 vs .150 g of cell dry weight per gram of carbohydrate fermented per hour for SC and NSC bacteria, respectively). Bacterial yield is decreased when forage NDF is < 20% (2.5% for every 1% decrease in NDF). The SC bacteria utilize only ammonia as a N source, but the NSC bacteria can utilize either ammonia or peptides. The yield of NSC bacteria is enhanced by as much as 18.7% when proteins or peptides are available. The NSC bacteria produce less ammonia when the carbohydrate fermentation (growth) rate is rapid, but 34% of the ammonia production is insensitive to the rate of carbohydrate fermentation. Ammonia production rates are moderated by the rate of peptide and amino acid uptake (.07 g of peptide per gram of cells per hour), and peptides and amino acids can pass out of the rumen if the rate of proteolysis is faster than the rate of peptide utilization. The protein-sparing effect of ionophores is accommodated by decreasing the rate of peptide uptake by 34%. Validation with published data of microbial flow from the rumen gave a regression with a slope of .94 and an r2 of .88.
Now Peru Is Mine: The Life and Times of a Campesino Activist by Manuel Llamojha Mitma, Jaymie Patricia Heilman (review)

Llamojha Mitma, Manuel and Jaymie Patricia Heilman. Now Peru Is Mine: The Life and Times of a Campesino Activist. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2016. Review by William O. Deaver, Jr.
Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation of the Elbow Joint: A Cadaveric Study.

Background Surgical options for the unreconstructable elbow are limited to arthrodesis, total arthroplasty, or osteoarticular allograft reconstruction. Each of these options is limited by severe functional impairment and/or high complication rates. Vascularized allotransplantation of the elbow joint has the potential to mitigate these complications. In this study, we describe our technique for harvesting the elbow for vascularized joint transplantation and demonstrate the flap's vascularity using contrast angiography. Methods Anatomical studies were used to design and harvest a vascularized elbow joint flap pedicled on the brachial vessels in 10 cadaveric arms. Diaphyseal blood supply is provided by 3 nutrient arteries, and periarticular supply arises from the various collateral arteries of the arm and recurrent arteries of the forearm. The brachialis and supinator, and their respective nerves, were included as functional muscles because of their intimate association with critical vasculature. Tendinous insertions of the biceps and triceps, as well as the flexor/pronator and extensor origins, were preserved for repair in the transplant recipient. Both lateral arm and radial forearm flaps were preserved to aid in soft tissue inset as well as vascular/immunologic monitoring. Contrast angiography of each dissected specimen was performed to assess the location of the nutrient vessels and assess flap vascularity, as indicated by filling of the critical extraosseous and endosteal vessels. Results Angiographic imaging of 10 specimens demonstrated that this flap dissection preserves the nutrient endosteal supply to the humeral, radial, and ulnar diaphysis, in addition to the critical extraosseous arterial structures perfusing the elbow joint and periarticular tissues. From proximal to distal, these arteries are the musculoperiosteal radial, posterior branch of the radial collateral, inferior ulnar collateral, recurrent interosseous, radial recurrent, and the anterior and the posterior ulnar recurrent. Conclusions Vascularized composite allotransplantation of the elbow joint holds promise as a motion and function preserving option for young, high-demand patients with a sensate and functional hand, who would otherwise be limited by the restrictions of total elbow arthroplasty or fusion. In this study, we propose a flap design and technique for harvest and also offered vascular imaging-based evidence that this flap is adequately vascularized.
High pressure processing (HPP) of aronia berry puree: Pilot scale processing and a shelf-life study

Abstract Aronia berry puree was subjected to 400 and 600 MPa, 5 min high pressure processing (HPP) and then microbial shelf-life and quality changes of aronia puree during 8-week refrigerated storage were evaluated. HPP reduced the aerobic plate counts (APC) significantly and APC changed insignificantly during the 8-week storage. HPP completely inactivated yeasts and molds, and no regrowth was observed during 8-week storage. In contrast, yeasts in untreated puree increased from 4.7 to 6.1 log CFU/g. Physicochemical properties, total phenolic contents and antioxidant capacities of aronia puree had insignificant changes right after HPP and during 8-week refrigerated storage. Total anthocyanin content of untreated samples and those treated at 400 MPa decreased continuously during the storage. HPP, especially processing at 600 MPa for 5 min, could be an effective preservation technique for microbial population reduction, quality retention, and shelf-life extension of aronia puree. Industrial relevance The growing demand for minimal processed and antioxidant-rich aronia berry products has stimulated the interest of food industry. Industrial sector demands methods to extend the microbial shelf-life and maintain its quality and nutritional values of aronia berry products during refrigerated storage. The results of this study demonstrated that HPP is effective in extending the microbial shelf-life, maintaining the quality and preserving the bioactive antioxidants of aronia berry puree during 8 weeks of refrigerated storage.
The Doubletime Homolog KIN-20 Mainly Regulates let-7 Independently of Its Effects on the Period Homolog LIN-42 in Caenorhabditis elegans .

The Caenorhabditis elegans ( C. elegans ) heterochronic pathway, which regulates developmental timing, is thought to be an ancestral form of the circadian clock in other organisms. An essential member of this clock is the Period protein whose homolog, lin-42 , in C. elegans is an important heterochronic gene. LIN-42 functions as a transcriptional repressor of multiple genes including the conserved lin-4 and let-7 microRNAs. Like other Period proteins, levels of LIN-42 oscillate throughout development. In other organisms this cycling is controlled in part by phosphorylation. KIN-20 is the C. elegans homolog of the Drosophila Period protein kinase Doubletime. Worms containing a large deletion in kin-20 have a significantly smaller brood size and develop slower than wild type C. elegans . Here we analyze the effect of kin-20 on lin-42 phenotypes and microRNA expression. We find that kin-20 RNAi enhances loss-of-function lin-42 mutant phenotypes and that kin-20 mutant worms express lower levels of LIN-42 . We also show that kin-20 is important for post-transcriptional regulation of mature let-7 and lin-4 microRNA expression. In addition, the increased level of let-7 found in lin-42(n1089) mutant worms is not maintained after kin-20 RNAi treatment. Instead, let-7 is further repressed when levels of kin-20 and lin-42 are both decreased. Altogether these results suggest that though kin-20 regulates lin-42 and let-7 microRNA, it mainly affects let-7 microRNA expression independently of lin-42 . These findings further our understanding of the mechanisms by which these conserved circadian rhythmic genes interact to ultimately regulate rhythmic processes, developmental timing and microRNA biogenesis in C. elegans .
Poverty and Adolescent Development

In this article, we define poverty as a dynamic and complex social phenomenon that impacts individuals, families, and communities. We examine how the characteristic features of poverty interact with adolescents' experiences in relation to those around them and in the context of their homes, schools, and neighborhoods. We synthesize evidence from research supporting the claim that adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the emergence of negative mental health-related behaviors and symptoms and maladaptive coping behaviors, and we use that claim to emphasize how poverty can affect adolescents. Throughout the article, we emphasize two distinct but related themes: (1) that poverty can disrupt healthy adolescent development of psychological autonomy and identity; and (2) that the timing of onset of poverty and its duration are salient in establishing its impact on adolescent outcomes. We provide examples throughout to illuminate how the phenomena associated with both themes can interact with developmental age to moderate poverty's effects on adolescents.
5.11 – Carbonaceous Particles: Source-Based Characterization of Their Formation, Composition, and Structures

Carbonaceous particles contribute about half of the atmospheric aerosol, but the knowledge of their composition and sources has lagged behind that of the inorganic components because of the diversity of organic compounds and the complexity of their mixtures. The past decade has provided new measurement techniques that have allowed the identification and chemical characterization of four categories of carbonaceous particle sources – fossil fuel combustion, biofuel and biomass burning, biogenic vapor fluxes, and mechanically lofted biological components. There are a number of other smaller and more localized source categories such as evaporative solvents from industrial (noncombustion) operations that are not included in these four major categories. The formation, composition, and structure of these particles are summarized here, with a brief discussion of the impacts of these particles on the atmosphere.
Economics and Justice

In the Western European cultural tradition, the attempt to define and clarify justice as a social and moral concept received its classic formulation in Book V of Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics. According to some authorities, most notably Joseph A. Schumpeter (1954, pp. 60–62), Book V is also the locus classicus for an early but not notably felicitous effort to understand the connection between the demands of justice as a moral virtue and the ethical problems encountered by a society that relies on market relationships for the organization and coordination of economic activity. Though he may not have succeeded in answering them, Aristotle does indeed bequeath a series of basic moral questions to those successors of Adam Smith in the tradition of mainstream economics who have tried to articulate the justice imperative as it relates to a private-property, market economy.
Prevalence and Correlates of Criminal Behavior Among the Non-institutionalized Elderly: Results From the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Objectives:First to explore the prevalence of criminal behavior committed by the non-institutionalized geriatric American population. Second to determine the correlates of criminal behavior among t...
Synthesis of new nickel hydrides at high pressure

We predict two new nickel hydrides, $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}$ ($C2/m$) and $\mathrm{Ni}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ ($I4/mmm$), to be thermodynamically stable at 60 GPa by DFT calculations. The calculated structure of $\mathrm{Ni}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ is similar to the one observed earlier for $\mathrm{Fe}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}$. However, to the best of our knowledge, the monoclinic structure predicted for $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}$ was never reported in the other hydrides. We successfully synthesized the monoclinic $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}$ phase using a laser-heating technique in a diamond anvil cell at pressures around 60 GPa. The $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{H}}_{3}$ phase can be retained down to 17 GPa, and DFT calculations predict it to be nonmagnetic and nonsuperconducting. However, we did not find in our experiments the theoretically predicted $\mathrm{Ni}{\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ phase. Higher pressures and/or different synthesis conditions might be needed to synthesize this and other polyhydrides of nickel. Our results show that the Ni-H system behaves differently in comparison to the Fe-H system: Ni extends its own chemical identity to pressures as high as 60--80 GPa. This finding may have significant implications for the high-pressure behavior of Fe-Ni alloys at the high-pressure conditions relevant for the Earth and planetary sciences.
Developing theory for using music technologies in music therapy

This commentary is being published at just the eighth anniversary of the release of the first-generation iPad and after the twentieth anniversary of the MP3 player, with Smartphones having a simila...
Perceptions of non-caregiving roles among siblings of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Siblings have the longest familial tie. Further, when a disability is present in the family, siblings may also fulfil various roles for their brothers and sisters with intellectual and developmenta...
Longitudinal increases in reward-related neural activity in early adolescence: Evidence from event-related potentials (ERPs)

Adolescence is frequently described as a developmental period characterized by increased sensitivity to rewards. However, previous research on age-related changes in the neural response to gains and losses have produced mixed results, with only some studies reporting potentiated neural responses during adolescence. The current study examined the ERP responses to gains and losses during a simple monetary reward (i.e., Doors) task in a large and longitudinal sample of 248 adolescent females assessed at two time points, separated by two years. At baseline, when the sample was 8- to 14-years-old, age related to larger (i.e., more positive) ERP responses to both gains and losses; moreover, age-related effects were stronger in relation to gains than losses. Overall, the amplitude of the ERP response to gains, but not losses, significantly increased from baseline to follow-up; however, this effect was moderated by age, such that reward-related ERPs only increased longitudinally among the younger participants. At the follow-up assessment, ERP responses to gains and losses were equally related to age. Collectively, these within- and between-subjects findings suggest a relatively specific developmental increase in reward-related neural activity during late childhood and early adolescence.
Host preferences and behaviour of oxpeckers: co-existence of similar species in a fragmented landscape

The host preferences and behaviour of red-billed and yellow-billed oxpeckers (Buphagus erythrorynchus and Buphagus africanus) were studied at two locations in Kenya and combined with previously published data from East and South Africa. Red-billed oxpeckers are generally more common and have a greater niche breadth with respect to host preferences than yellow-billed oxpeckers, possibly due to the behavioural dominance of the latter. Otherwise, the host preferences are remarkably similar: both prefer larger species of ungulates and are found predominantly on species with manes. There are also no significant differences in the time–activity budgets of the two species controlling for site and host species, and differences in the proportion of time spent on different body parts of hosts are small in absolute magnitude even when statistically significant. Despite these and other basic ecological similarities, no evidence for competitive displacement was detected by comparing host preferences in areas of sympatry with areas of allopatry, even though each species appears to depress the population size of the other when sympatric. Traditional single-community competition theory cannot explain the geographical ecology of these two species. Instead, co-existence appears to be dependent on the patterns of extinction and colonization characterized by metapopulations distributed among a fragmented habitat.
Hessian Curvature and Optimal Transport

We consider the problem of optimal transport where the cost function is given by a \(\mathcal {D}^{(\alpha )}_\varPsi \)-divergence for some convex function \(\varPsi \) [21], where \(\alpha = \pm 1\) gives the Bregman divergence. For costs of this form, we introduce a new complex geometric interpretation of the optimal transport problem by considering an induced Sasaki metric on the tangent bundle of the domain of \(\varPsi \). In this framework, the Ma-Trudinger-Wang (MTW) tensor [12] is proportional to the orthogonal bisectional curvature. This geometric framework for optimal transport is complementary to the pseudo-Riemannian approach of Kim and McCann [10].
Synergy between Cyclase-associated protein and Cofilin accelerates actin filament depolymerization by two orders of magnitude.

Cellular actin networks can be rapidly disassembled and remodeled in a few seconds, yet in vitro actin filaments depolymerize slowly over minutes. The cellular mechanisms enabling actin to depolymerize this fast have so far remained obscure. Using microfluidics-assisted TIRF, we show that Cyclase-associated protein (CAP) and Cofilin synergize to processively depolymerize actin filament pointed ends at a rate 330-fold faster than spontaneous depolymerization. Single molecule imaging further reveals that hexameric CAP molecules interact with the pointed ends of Cofilin-decorated filaments for several seconds at a time, removing approximately 100 actin subunits per binding event. These findings establish a paradigm, in which a filament end-binding protein and a side-binding protein work in concert to control actin dynamics, and help explain how rapid actin network depolymerization is achieved in cells. Cellular actin networks can be rapidly disassembled and remodeled in a few seconds, yet in vitro actin filaments depolymerize over minutes. Here the authors show that Cyclase-associated protein (CAP) and Cofilin synergize to processively depolymerize actin filament pointed ends 330-fold faster than spontaneous depolymerization.
Intra-familial Violence and Peer Aggression Among Early Adolescents: Moderating Role of School Sense of Belonging

Aggression among peers during adolescence is associated with deleterious developmental outcomes. Family violence has been strongly associated with many forms of aggression - such as verbal and physical aggression. Yet, associations between sibling and peer aggression at school and the protective role of school belonging remain understudied. Thus, the present study addresses this gap. Middle school students (N = 1611) completed self-report surveys four times across 2 years in a U.S. Midwest state. A multi-level within- and between-person longitudinal design was employed to examine associations among sibling aggression perpetration, witnessing intrafamilial violence, and verbal and physical peer aggression at school. Also, the moderating effect of school belonging between family violence and peer aggression was also investigated. Higher levels of sibling aggression were associated with higher verbal peer aggression at both within- and between-person levels. Family violence was associated with higher verbal and physical peer aggression, but only at the between-person level and not within-individuals. Higher school belonging was associated with less verbal and physical peer aggression overtime. School belonging moderated the relation between sibling aggression and verbal as well as physical aggression; higher within-person level sibling aggression was associated with lower verbal and physical aggression when students reported a strong sense of school belonging. Aggression prevention programs that focus on fostering school connectedness may mitigate the transmission of violence from home to school.
Young adult trauma symptoms in the context of community violence exposure

Aims The primary purpose of this study is to understand how community violence exposure is associated with both common and unique variance characterizing posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms among young adults living in a low-resourced setting. Methods Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey design. Participants were recruited from public housing developments in a city in the eastern United States. Participants completed a survey that included questions related to community violence, PTS symptoms, and optimism. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results We found a relationship between a generalized PTS response and each of the PTS symptom categories. Experiencing community violence was significantly related to generalized PTS response over and above other traumatic events. Conclusion Young adults who experience community violence have a general distress response to those experiences, and yet, beyond that general response, there are ways in which each symptom is distinct from a generalized distress reaction.
Diurnal Blood Pressure Abnormalities and Cardiovascular Risk Markers In Obese Pediatric Patients

Background: Hypertension is a recognized concern in obese children and can include short-term and long-term consequences. Early life hypertension is linked to increased risks for other cardiovascular disease states during adulthood, with large social and medical costs. 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has become one of the most important tools in diagnosing hypertension in children and circadian patterns of blood pressure may be important disease-risks predictors. Design/Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review with patients aged 7-21 …
Resource selection and movement by northern bobwhite broods varies with age and explains survival

Resource selection is a dynamic process driven by habitat valuation and risk avoidance in heterogeneous landscapes. Resource selection and movement decisions of individuals may be sensitive to intrinsic factors, such as body condition, and variation in these choices may have consequences on subsequent survival. We evaluated northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) brood resource selection patterns to quantify utility of different cover types during the development period using integrated step-selection analysis in a Bayesian hierarchical modeling framework with three brood stages: flightless broods ≤ 14 days old, dependent broods 15–35 days old, and independent broods over 35 days old. Broods showed strongest selection for native grasslands that were burned and grazed at least once in the previous two years, and agricultural fields. Brood mobility improved with age; broods > 35 days old travelled farther on average and took daily steps > 200 m more frequently than younger broods. Young broods ≤ 14 days old did not select for idle native grasslands, while broods > 35 days old did select for that cover type. Young broods also selected areas farther from trees compared to older broods. We evaluated the survival consequences of resource selection by comparing patterns in choices of broods that succeeded to choices of broods that failed to survive to 35 days. Successful broods chose habitats with more shrub cover and areas farther from trees compared to failed broods. Our results suggest that conservation planning should consider age-specific patterns in habitat use and demographic consequences of habitat choice for greatest effectiveness.
Impact of a pharmacist-led, mHealth-based intervention on tacrolimus trough variability in kidney transplant recipients: A report from the TRANSAFE Rx randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Nonadherence is a leading cause of death-censored allograft loss in kidney transplant recipients. Strong associations have tied tacrolimus intrapatient variability (IPV) to degree of nonadherence and high tacrolimus IPV to clinical endpoints such as rejection and allograft loss. Nonadherence is a dynamic, complex problem best targeted by multidimensional interventions, including mobile health (mHealth) technologies. METHODS: This was a secondary planned analysis of a 12-month, parallel, 2-arm, semiblind, 1:1 randomized controlled trial involving 136 adult kidney transplant recipients. The primary aims of the TRANSAFE Rx study were to assess the efficacy of a pharmacist-led, mHealth-based intervention in improving medication safety and health outcomes for kidney transplant recipients as compared to usual care. RESULTS: Patients were randomized equally to 68 patients per arm. The intervention arm demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in tacrolimus IPV over time as compared to the control arm (P = 0.0133). When analyzing a clinical goal of tacrolimus IPV of less than 30%, the 2 groups were comparable at baseline (P = 0.765), but significantly more patients in the intervention group met this criterion at month 12 (P = 0.033). In multivariable modeling, variables that independently impacted tacrolimus IPV included time, treatment effect, age, and warm ischemic time. CONCLUSION: This secondary planned analysis of an mHealth-based, pharmacist-led intervention demonstrated an association between the active intervention in the trial and improved tacrolimus IPV. Further prospective studies are required to confirm the mutability of tacrolimus IPV and impact of reducing tacrolimus IPV on long-term clinical outcomes.
A mapping review of NIDA-funded implementation research studies on treatments for opioid and/or stimulant use disorders.

Abstract Background The biomedical research enterprise invests greatly in discovery-oriented science, but significantly less in how to implement the most effective of these innovations. The return on investment in public health benefit is therefore low. In the context of substance-related overdose epidemics, presently with opioids and/or stimulants, the gap in proven treatments and routine access is amplified. Implementation research is designed to deepen understanding of how best to scale-up proven treatments. This study assessed how implementation research has been deployed in the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) efforts to address the opioid and stimulant epidemics. Methods Adapting a procedure developed to categorize HIV-focused research, a four-stage systematic mapping review of NIDA-funded R01, R34, R61, and U studies pertaining to opioids and/or stimulants funded between 2015 and 2019 was performed. Abstracts were retrieved using NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools. Key study characteristics were abstracted and coded by two independent reviewers. Results An initial search across NIH institutes yielded 5963 relevant records. Of these, 666 (11.2 %) were NIDA funded. One-hundred-and-thirty-four (20.1 %) of the 666 studies were opioid and/or stimulant treatment related. Of these, 28 (4.2 %) were categorized as Implementation Preparation (IP), and 16 (2.4 %) were categorized as Implementation Research (IR). Over the five-year period, there was a gradual increase in both IP and IR studies. Conclusions Implementation research is a small but slowly growing component of the federal portfolio to address substance-related public health issues. To more effectively respond to contemporary overdose epidemics, implementation research must take on an even more significant role.
Risks and Efficiency in the Islamic Banking Systems: The Case of Selected Islamic Banks in MENA Region

The present paper examined the correlation between risks and efficiency within Islamic banks in the MENA area. This paper used three stages of analyses. The first stage consisted of measuring the efficiency of those banks by employing the nonparametric technique, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) while the second stage involved analyzing risks by measure credit, operational, and liquidity risks using financial ratios. The third stage would be employing Pearson Correlation Coefficients to examine the correlation between credit, operational, liquidity risks to efficiency for the period of 2006 to 2009. The study results have revealed credit risk has negative relationship to efficiency, while operational risk has found to be negatively correlated to efficiency too. The liquidity risk showed insignificant correlation to efficiency in Islamic banks in MENA area. Keywords: Efficiency; Liquidity Risk; Credit Risk; Operational Risk; Islamic Banks; MENA banking; Data Envelopment Analysis. JEL Classifications: G01; G21; G24; G29
Complications and Outcomes Associated With a Novel, Prefabricated, Articulating Spacer for Two-Stage Periprosthetic Joint Infection Treatment.

Abstract Background Various prefabricated articulating spacer options have been described for 2-stage treatment of chronic periprosthetic joint infection, but their results are poorly generalizable between designs due to differing antibiotic and material properties. This study reports outcomes for a novel, prefabricated, commercially available cement-on-cement articulating spacer. Methods A retrospective review of prospectively collected data for patients undergoing treatment with a prefabricated articulating cement spacer was performed. Outcomes were categorized as spacer complications, reimplantation rates, function, reinfection, and mortality. Results Seventy-six knees and 28 hips were analyzed. Spacer survival free of fracture, instability, or other implant-related complication until reimplantation was 100%. There were no bony or spacer fractures during the interstage or reimplantation. Reimplantation occurred in 84.6% of resected joints. Following spacer implantation, all but 1 patient was allowed to bear weight. The proportion of patients requiring an assistive device decreased from 67% prior to resection to 31% following reimplantation. Knee flexion improved from an average of 88.1° before resection to 111.9° following reimplantation. Eighty-seven percent of cases were infection free at mean follow-up of 16.6 ± 10.4 months. Conclusion Study results demonstrate that this novel, prefabricated, articulating antibiotic spacer is safe, allows for good interstage function, and results in reasonable infection eradication rates at early term follow-up. Level of evidence Therapeutic Level III.
SpKin 1: Kin1 (S. pombe)

Loss of function of Schizosaccharomyce pombe kin1+ results in morphological and growth defects. Kin1-disrupted cells grow slowly, and as spheres, rather than rods. Differential sensitivity of Kin1-disrupted cells to lysis by treatment with a- and b-glucanases suggests an alteration in either the composition or organization of their cell walls. SpKin1 is closely related to Kin1/2 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The subunit of SpKin1 has 891 amino acids and a molecular weight of 98000. Its database accession number is M36060 for EMBL.
Testing a problem solving paradigm [engineering education]

In a paper at the 1996 FIE Conference, Morton, Thomas, Walker and Marr (MTWM) related the success of students in an elementary physics course to their use of a problem solving method. The paper suggested that stressing the use of the paradigm could improve student performance. The paradigm: (1) draw; (2) write general equations; (3) evolve operational equations; (4) get an answer; and (5) evaluate, is widely preached in many engineering courses. This paper reports the author's attempts to replicate the results of the MTWM study. During the 1996 fall semester, the author collected copies of final examination papers in several courses, two in engineering mechanics and one in mechanical engineering. The problems selected were ones on which he felt the "expert method" could appropriately be applied. These papers were scored according to the MTWM criteria and the results correlated with the individuals' overall performance. Correlations of the "method" score with "grade" on the same problem and overall examination grade were positive. At the same time, they were small enough to draw the conclusion that the "method" score is related to, but not predictive of overall success on a solution. Given these results, it is suggested that the paradigm not be used as a way of "measuring problem solving". On the other hand, use of the paradigm for studying students' work may be useful if it is done to help study and/or advise students on the communication of problem solutions.
The Heroic Profile of Bilbo Baggins

As a f a i r y t a l e . The Hobbit l a c k s nothing. B i l b o , while not e x a c t l y a s t e p c h i l d , i s a "Took-Baggins" and not a " S a c k v i l l e B a g g i n s , " ergo he i s not q u i t e r e s p e c t a b l e . The greedy behaviour o f the S a c k v i l l e B a g g i n s e s at the c o n c l u s i o n o f The Hobbit a l s o supports t h e i r i d e n t i t y as wicked s t e p s i b l i n g s . B i l b o ' s mother, "the fabulous Belladonna Took," i s o n l y a name i n the background, l i k e the l o s t , b e l o v e d mother o f a f a i r y t a l e orphan. One day, t h i s o r d i n a r y f e l l o w , whose o n l y s k i l l s are accuracy i n stonethrowing and s i l e n c e i n running and walking, i s chosen by a s o r t o f f a i r y g o d f a t h e r t o "go out i n t o the world and seek h i s f o r t u n e . " Lik e the f a i r y t a l e youth, B i l b o r e c e i v e s h e l p from magical f i g u r e s , even when he hasn't "earned" i t . Gandalf rescues him from the t r o l l s , the eagles rescue him from the g o b l i n s , and Beorn g i v e s comfort and refuge. Even the thrus h which c a l l s h i s a t t e n t i o n t o Smaug's "back door" i s t y p i c a l o f bird-messengers i n f a i r y t a l e s . T y p i c a l , too, are the "magical implements" he r e c e i v e s : a r i n g and a sword w i t h s u p e r n a t u r a l p r o p e r t i e s . I t does not matter, o f course, t h a t these items are a c q u i r e d i n a l e s s than l e g i t i m a t e f a s h i o n . F a i r y t a l e heroes are allowed to take u n f a i r advantage o f e v i l people, because i t i s so easy f o r the l i s t e n e r o r reader t o recognize them as e v i l , and to agree t h a t the "good" hero or heroine i n c u r s no g u i l t by doing a bad t u r n to bad people.