cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bureaucratic Role Perceptions and Gender Mainstreaming in Canada

Since the mid-1990s, governments have adopted gender mainstreaming (GM) as a strategy for achieving gender equality and improving women's social, economic and political conditions. Yet, studies indicate that GM continues to be unevenly implemented, both within and across countries. To explain this outcome, this paper focuses on the local implementers of GM — the gender focal points — and how they understand GM and interpret it in their everyday work. Drawing upon interviews with gender focal points in the Canadian public service, we explore how bureaucratic role perceptions shape how these local actors understand GM and how they navigate the complex terrain between bureaucratic neutrality and the equality agenda of gender mainstreaming. Our exploratory study shows no common understanding among our interviewees, revealing how the meaning of gender mainstreaming varies depending on whether the public servant views himself or herself as policy analyst, policy advisor or policy advocate. Based on these insights, we conclude with suggestions for future research on gender mainstreaming.
Gestational Weight Gain in the First Two Pregnancies and Perinatal Outcomes in the Second Pregnancy

Background Gestational Weight Gain (GWG) below or above the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, it remains unknown whether the risk of adverse outcomes is affected by GWG in a previous pregnancy. We examined associations between GWG in the index (second) pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, including preterm delivery and small for gestational age (SGA), while taking into consideration GWG in the first pregnancy. Methods In a population-based cohort study (n = 210 564), using the Missouri maternally-linked birth registry (1989–2005), we used multivariable Poisson regression with robust error variance stratified by prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) to evaluate associations between GWG in the index pregnancy and a composite indicator of GWG in the first and second pregnancies and our outcomes of interest, after controlling for sociodemographic and pregnancy-related confounders. Results Associations between GWG in the index pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes were moderated by GWG in the first pregnancy. Despite having GWG within recommendations in the index pregnancy, women had increased risk of preterm delivery and SGA if they had suboptimal GWG in their first pregnancy. Also, women having suboptimal GWG in the index pregnancy had increased risk of preterm delivery only if their GWG in the first pregnancy was also suboptimal. Conclusions The observation that women who have GWG within recommendations in a current pregnancy may still have increased risk of adverse outcomes if they had suboptimal GWG in the first pregnancy has considerable clinical and public health implications.
A simple model for snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) development, growth and yield in response to nitrogen

Abstract Irrigated processing snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production in Wisconsin, mostly in the central sands region, ranks first in both yield and harvested hectarage in the U.S. However, little crop modelling effort has been made to simulate the nitrogen (N) effects on growth and yield of non-nodulating snap bean, which demands high N inputs and imposes risks on groundwater nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3 -N) leaching in sandy soils. The objective of this study was to develop a simple model for non-nodulating snap bean development, growth and yield in response to N, following a phenomenological and physiological framework and applying the 4-N-pool approach to quantify the crop N demand. The two mechanisms under N limitation were tested and incorporated into the crop modelling, 1) reducing green leaf area while maintaining specific leaf N (SLN, g m −2 ), and (2) diluting the SLN which further reduces radiation use efficiency (RUE, MJ m −2 ) while maintaining green leaf area. The 2015 dataset with six N treatments, five plant densities and two sowing dates was used to develop the model, and an independent dataset from four commercial fields across the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons were used to validate the model. The model was first tested with 2015 dataset by comparing predicted and measured leaf area index (LAI), yield (pod dry weight, g m −2 ), above ground biomass (AGB, g m −2 ) and cumulative crop N uptake (CNUP, g m −2 ), and high coefficients of determination (R 2 , 0.83–0.90) and low root-mean-square errors (RMSE, 7.6–8.6% of the whole range of the target crop attributes) were determined. The external validation was conducted with the 2013 and 2014 datasets by comparing the yield, AGB and CNUP, a good agreement was found, with standard deviation (SD) lower than 10% of the mean (range, 1.9–9.0%), except for yield in one field in 2013 (SD = 19.4%). The results proved the robustness of the model to simulate snap bean growth and yield under various management strategies.
A new multi-layer approach for progressive damage simulation in composite laminates based on isogeometric analysis and Kirchhoff–Love shells. Part II: impact modeling

In this two-part paper we introduce a new formulation for modeling progressive damage in laminated composite structures. We adopt a multi-layer modeling approach, based on isogeometric analysis, where each ply or lamina is represented by a spline surface, and modeled as a Kirchhoff–Love thin shell. Continuum damage mechanics is used to model intralaminar damage, and a new zero-thickness cohesive-interface formulation is introduced to model delamination as well as permitting laminate-level transverse shear compliance. In Part I of this series we focus on the presentation of the modeling framework, validation of the framework using standard Mode I and Mode II delamination tests, and assessment of its suitability for modeling thick laminates. In Part II of this series we focus on the application of the proposed framework to modeling and simulation of damage in composite laminates resulting from impact. The proposed approach has significant accuracy and efficiency advantages over existing methods for modeling impact damage. These stem from the use of IGA-based Kirchhoff–Love shells to represent the individual plies of the composite laminate, while the compliant cohesive interfaces enable transverse shear deformation of the laminate. Kirchhoff–Love shells give a faithful representation of the ply deformation behavior, and, unlike solids or traditional shear-deformable shells, do not suffer from transverse-shear locking in the limit of vanishing thickness. This, in combination with higher-order accurate and smooth representation of the shell midsurface displacement field, allows us to adopt relatively coarse in-plane discretizations without sacrificing solution accuracy. Furthermore, the thin-shell formulation employed does not use rotational degrees of freedom, which gives additional efficiency benefits relative to more standard shell formulations.
Two-Stage Elephant Trunk approach for open management of distal aortic arch and descending aortic pathology in patients with Marfan syndrome

Open surgical treatment of an aortic pathology (aneurysm or dissection) afflicting the entire length of the thoracic aorta is a surgical challenge (1). Therefore, a two-stage procedure for “mega-aorta” syndrome was instituted to address this surgical dilemma (2). However, Borst and colleagues observed that with the classical technique (conventional arch replacement followed by descending aortic replacement), mobilization of the previous graft at the distal arch anastomosis was cumbersome and could result in injury to the pulmonary artery, the aorta itself, the esophagus, and other surrounding structures (3). Therefore, in 1992 they introduced the Elephant Trunk technique, which was later modified by Crawford and Svensson (4). Connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome increase the complexity of management of aortic arch and descending aortic pathology. This autosomal dominant disease is characterized by the presence of cardiovascular disorders affecting mostly the thoracic aorta with an associated decrease in life expectancy (5). The weak tissues and characteristic distal progression of aneurysmal disease in Marfan syndrome have led to the recommendation for aggressive early surgical intervention in the ascending aorta and preemptive aortic arch replacement when a Type A dissection is the presenting event (6,7). The two-stage Elephant Trunk technique fits into this aggressive paradigm and facilitates the correction of coexistent or subsequent descending aortic dilatation (5). In this paper, we describe the technical essentials of both stages of the Elephant Trunk procedure as practiced extensively at our institution.
Deterministic stability regimes and noise-induced quasistable behavior in a pair of reciprocally inhibitory neurons.

Abstract Reciprocal inhibition is a common motif exploited by neuronal networks; an intuitive and tractable way to examine the behaviors produced by reciprocal inhibition is to consider a pair of neurons that synaptically inhibit each other and receive constant or noisy excitatory driving currents. In this work, we examine reciprocal inhibition using two models (a voltage-based and a current-based integrate-and-fire model with instantaneous or temporally structured input), and we use analytic and computational tools to examine the bifurcations that occur and study the various possible monostable, bistable, and tristable regimes that can exist; we find that, depending on system parameters (and on choice of neuron model), there can exist up to 3 distinct monostable regimes (denoted M0, M1, M2), 3 distinct bistable regimes (denoted B, B1, B2), and a single tristable regime (denoted T). We also find that synaptic inhibition exerts independent control over the two neurons – inhibition from neuron 1 to neuron 2 governs the spiking behavior of neuron 2 but has no impact on the spiking behavior of neuron 1 (and vice versa). The excitatory driving current, however, does not exhibit this property – the excitatory current to neuron 1 affects the spiking behavior of both neurons 1 and 2 (as does the excitatory current to neuron 2). Furthermore, we develop a methodology to examine the behavior of the system when the excitatory driving currents are allowed to be noisy, and we investigate the relationship between the behavior of the noisy system with the stability regime of the corresponding deterministic system.
Where is, in 2017, the evo in evo‐devo (evolutionary developmental biology)?

After the inaugural Pan-American-Evo-Devo meeting (2015, Berkeley), I showed how major concerns about evo-devo (Evolutionary Developmental Biology) research were demonstrated by a simple, non-biased quantitative analysis of the titles/abstracts of that meeting's talks. Here, I apply the same methodology to the titles/abstracts of the recent Pan-American-Evo-Devo meeting (2017, Calgary). The aim is to evaluate if the concerns raised by me in that paper and by other authors have been addressed and/or if there are other types of differences between the two meetings that may reflect trends within the field of evo-devo. This analysis shows that the proportion of presentations referring to "morphology", "organism", "selection", "adaptive", "phylogeny", and their derivatives was higher in the 2017 meeting, which therefore had a more "organismal" feel. However, there was a decrease in the use of "evolution"/its derivatives and of macroevolutionary terms related to the tempo and mode of evolution in the 2017 meeting. Moreover, the disproportionately high use of genetic/genomic terms clearly shows that evo-devo continues to be mainly focused on devo, and particularly on "Geno", that is, on molecular/genetic studies. Furthermore, the vast majority of animal evo-devo studies are focused only on hard tissues, which are just a small fraction of the whole organism-for example, only 15% of the tissue mass of the human body. The lack of an integrative approach is also evidenced by the lack of studies addressing conceptual/long-standing broader questions, including the links between ecology and particularly behavior and developmental/evolutionary variability and between evo-devo and evolutionary medicine.
Humanism: Phenomenological Approaches

Chapter 8 described the dialectic between humanism and scientific modernism. Rollo May’s quote captures humanist’s concerns that a scientific modernist, objective analyses of human behavior fail to capture human capacities for self-reflection and transformation. These capacities include self-awareness, intentionality,, and agency, all emergent properties that cannot be reduced to component parts or observed from outside perspectives. Phenomenological and experiential theorists agree to this extent. Their dialectic revolves around the question, “Do clients need active assistance in the process of self-discovery or do they only need an empathic listener who strives to understand their inner world?”
Alcohol consumption increases susceptibility to pneumococcal pneumonia in a humanized murine HIV model mediated by intestinal dysbiosis.

Abstract Alcohol use in persons living with HIV (PLWH) worsens the severity of bacterial pneumonia. However, the exact mechanism(s) by which this occurs remain ill-defined. We hypothesized that alcohol in the setting of HIV infection decreases Streptococcus pneumoniae clearance from the lung through mechanisms mediated by the gut microbiota. Humanized BLT (bone marrow, liver, thymus) mice were infected with 1 × 104 TCID50 of HIV (BAL and JRCSF strains) via intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. One week post-HIV infection, animals were switched to a Lieber-DeCarli 5% ethanol diet or an isocaloric control diet for 10 days. Alcohol-fed animals were also given two binges of 2 g/kg ethanol on days 5 and 10. Feces were also collected, banked, and the community structures were analyzed. Mice were then infected with 1 × 105 CFU (colony-forming units) of S. pneumoniae and were sacrificed 48 h later. HIV-infected mice had viral loads of ∼2 × 104 copies/mL of blood 1 week post-infection, and exhibited an ∼57% decrease in the number of circulating CD4+ T cells at the time of sacrifice. Fecal microbial community structure was significantly different in each of the feeding groups, as well as with HIV infection. Alcohol-fed mice had a significantly higher burden of S. pneumoniae 48 h post-infection, regardless of HIV status. In follow-up experiments, female C57BL/6 mice were treated with a cocktail of antibiotics daily for 2 weeks and recolonized by gavage with intestinal microbiota from HIV+ ethanol-fed, HIV+ pair-fed, HIV− ethanol-fed, or HIV− pair-fed mice. Recolonized mice were then infected with S. pneumoniae and were sacrificed 48 h later. The intestinal microbiota from alcohol-fed mice (regardless of HIV status) significantly impaired clearance of S. pneumoniae. Collectively, these data indicate that alcohol feeding, as well as alcohol-associated intestinal dysbiosis, compromise pulmonary host defenses against pneumococcal pneumonia. Determining whether HIV infection acts synergistically with alcohol use in impairing pulmonary host defenses will require additional study.
Let’s Get Emotional: the Strategic Use of Emotions in China’s Foreign Policy

In this article, I assess how states can use emotions as a strategic tool to advance their preferences in international politics. To test the argument in the literature on the significant role that emotions can play in international politics, I examine why China reacted the way it did to the 2008 torch relay fallout in France as a case study. Instead of material power playing a central role in this case, it was what the event (i.e., the torch relay, pro-Tibet protests, and the attempt to seize the torch out of the hands of a Chinese) represented in the minds of Chinese. This case study highlights the significant role that identity and emotions play in international politics.
Utilizing a Remote LED Stimulus to Concurrently Measure Cognitive and Visual Task Demand

The ISO 17488 standard Detection Response Task (DRT) has been validated as an effective tool for measuring fluctuations in cognitive workload while driving and performing secondary tasks. This rese...
Remarks on the Interplay Between Algebra and PDE

We discuss Hesse’s conjecture for homogeneous polynomials and Korenblum’s conjecture on algebras of harmonic functions from the standpoint of nonlinear first-order PDE. Also, we extend a recent theorem of McKinley and Shekhtman for homogeneous polynomial partial differential operators to a wider class of linear PDE with entire coefficients.
Interaction Between Neurogenic Stimuli and the Gene Network Controlling the Activation of Stem Cells of the Adult Neurogenic Niches, in Physiological and Pathological Conditions

In the adult mammalian brain new neurons are continuously generated throughout life in two niches, the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone. This process, called adult neurogenesis, starts from stem cells, which are activated and enter the cell cycle. The proliferative capability of stem cells progressively decreases during aging. The population of stem cells is generally quiescent, and it is not clear whether the potential for stem cells to expand is limited, or whether they can expand and then return to quiescence, remaining available for further activation. Certain conditions may deregulate stem cells quiescence and self-renewal. In fact we discuss the possibility of activation of stem cells by neurogenic stimuli as a function of the intensity of the stimulus (i.e., whether this is physiological or pathological), and of the deregulation of the system (i.e., whether the model is aged or carrying genetic mutations in the gene network controlling quiescence). It appears that when the system is aged and/or carrying mutations of quiescence-maintaining genes, preservation of the quiescent state of stem cells is more critical and stem cells can be activated by a neurogenic stimulus which is ineffective in normal conditions. Moreover, when a neurogenic stimulus is in itself a cause of brain damage (e.g., kainic acid treatment) the activation of stem cells occurs bypassing any inhibitory control. Plausibly, with strong neurogenic stimuli, such as kainic acid injected into the dentate gyrus, the self-renewal capacity of stem cells may undergo rapid exhaustion. However, the self-renewal capability of stem cells persists when normal stimuli are elicited in the presence of a mutation of one of the quiescence-maintaining genes, such as p16Ink4a, p21Cip1 or Btg1. In this case, stem cells become promptly activated by a neurogenic stimulus even during aging. This indicates that stem cells retain a high proliferative capability and plasticity, and suggests that stem cells are protected against the response to stimulus and are resilient to exhaustion. It will be interesting to assess at which functional degree of deregulation of the quiescence-maintaining system, stem cells will remain responsive to repeated neurogenic stimuli without undergoing exhaustion of their pool.
Chapter 47 – Mechanisms and management of bone cancer pain

Bone cancer pain is a multifactorial process with many potential targets for therapeutic intervention. As pain is the most common presenting symptom in patients with skeletal metastases and is directly proportional to the patient's quality of life, clinical improvements in the treatment of bone cancer pain are of the utmost importance. Research targeting pain-related cytokines, anti-osteoclastic medications, and ion channels have shown significant clinical progress in the treatment of cancer-related bone pain. With continued efforts into these and other therapeutic strategies, we hope to continue to improve the quality of life of those patients suffering with bone cancer pain.
Basics of Astrostatistics

This chapter introduces the key statistical concepts that are necessary to understand and analyze high-energy astronomical data. Our goal is to present enough information such that a reader may learn to judge the quality of their inferences and properly evaluate claims made in the literature. We first describe the role played by statistical methodology in analysis in Sect. 6.1. We then introduce the Poisson likelihood, which governs how counts fluctuations are described, in the context of several other useful distributions, in Sect. 6.2. Methods to determine and propagate uncertainties are discussed in Sect. 6.3. This is followed by a discussion of model fitting in Sect. 6.4, followed by hypothesis tests and model comparisons in Sect. 6.5. We list some targeted references from astronomical literature, and some books for further reading, in Sect. 6.6.
Mission Assurance for Autonomous Undersea Vehicles

Autonomous vehicles are all but inevitable, and assurance that they will behave safely with respect to passengers, as well as bystanders incidentally exposed to them, is moving forward, albeit slowly. The state of the art often involves stopping the vehicle, perhaps after diverting it to a nearby safe place. While this is good news, it does not fully realize the benefits of autonomy. Autonomous vehicles are built for a purpose; call it a mission. Being able to perform the mission, or part of it, while experiencing faults (or cyber-attack) should be a factor in determining the vehicle's suitability for the mission. This paper explores the state of the art in achieving autonomous mission assurance in the context of autonomous undersea vehicles (AUVs). It identifies gaps in the literature and proposes a novel plan to address certain gaps.
Optimal adjustment of the human circadian clock in the real world.

Which suggestions for behavioral modifications, based on mathematical models, are most likely to be followed in the real world? We address this question in the context of human circadian rhythms. Jet lag is a consequence of the misalignment of the body’s internal circadian (~24-hour) clock during an adjustment to a new schedule. Light is the clock’s primary synchronizer. Previous research has used mathematical models to compute light schedules that shift the circadian clock to a new time zone as quickly as possible. How users adjust their behavior when provided with these optimal schedules remains an open question. Here, we report data collected by wearables from more than 100 travelers as they cross time zones using a smartphone app, Entrain. We find that people rarely follow the optimal schedules generated through mathematical modeling entirely, but travelers who better followed the optimal schedules reported more positive moods after their trips. Using the data collected, we improve the optimal schedule predictions to accommodate real-world constraints. We also develop a scheduling algorithm that allows for the computation of approximately optimal schedules "on-the-fly" in response to disruptions. User burnout may not be critically important as long as the first parts of a schedule are followed. These results represent a crucial improvement in making the theoretical results of past work viable for practical use and show how theoretical predictions based on known human physiology can be efficiently used in real-world settings.
Presencia militar adelantada de Estados Unidos, criterios y propuestas para una política adecuada.

Un aspecto particular de la estrategia de seguridad nacional, la presencia militar adelantada, merece ser reevaluado a la luz de los cambios que se estan produciendo en los intereses de la seguridad. En efecto, el desafio que enfrentan los estrategas nacionales es determinar si las regiones que son importantes para el pais hoy seran igualmente importantes manana. El gobierno de los Estados Unidos deberia actuar como todo inversionista sagaz: debe invertir mas en areas donde los beneficios potenciales son importantes, y poco o nada donde las ganancias posibles sean limitadas. Si alguna vez el aforismo que dice que “el comercio sigue a la bandera” fue verdad, ya no lo es, al menos en el sentido de que los comerciantes estadounidenses ya no necesitan que los diplomaticos o las fuerzas armadas les allanen el camino. ?Cuales son entonces las “unidades” geograficas que deben tener en cuenta los responsables de las politicas estadounidenses, si ya ni siquiera la OTAN define una zona suficientemente cohesiva y homogenea en terminos de los intereses estadounidenses?
An Introduction to Entropy

Entropy provides a tool for assigning a measure of complexity or randomness to a dynamical system. Since the definition at first seems technical, we begin with a heuristic discussion with a few natural examples.
Netflix and Chill: Teaching Sexual Scripts in a Sociology Classroom:

Whereas most sociologists consider sexuality a social construct, the general public tends to view it in more essentialist terms. This tendency is commonly manifested in the idea of sexual drives as...
Non-Objective Truth

We shall focus on thesis 2 which entails the basic redundancy theory: the claim that for any sentence A, A and “it is true that A” say the same. There are three objections to this claim which we shall take up. The first is that not all truth is realist or objective truth, and that thesis 2 does not fit non-objective truth. The second is an objection put forth by Michael Dummett. Dummett argues against thesis 2 using principles he thinks are found in Frege’s philosophy. The third objection against thesis 2 is that thesis 2 is inconsistent with truth value gaps. In this chapter we take up the first objection. In the next chapter we take up the second and third objections.
More than meets the eye. The role of visuals in science textbooks.

Visuals and visuality are an integral part of science; whether in the thinking of scientists, the portraying of their work, or in the teaching of science. This paper examines the role of visuals in university-level textbooks. Apart from the function usually associated with visuals--that of interest--graphic devices serve a wide range of functions--as many as 10 or 15, some of which are crucial to the scientific process. These functions include such items as elaboration and economy, understanding and remembering, persuasion and analysis. We will explore some of these functions as well as the different degrees of reality that various graphics contain. We will also analyze the critical relationship between text, visual, amd caption text; a relationship that is not fully appreciated by readers and writers alike. The paper further investigates such issues as linearity and branching in the text, plus the interaction between graphics. The final section discusses the relationship between genres (e.g., pictures and tables) and functions (e.g., remembering and problem-solving).
A 25 kHz-500 kHz, 0.001 to 0.75 power factor, 10 MW wattmeter

A multi-range instrument is described that measures-usually within 0.1%-voltages (100 V to 20 kV), currents (1 A to 1000 A), and powers (P.F.'s from 0.001 to 0.75) from 25 kHz to 500 kHz. Several novel zero power factor calibration techniques are proposed. Theory is confirmed by experimental results. Traceability is established. >
Studies of immune responses in mice prone to autoimmune disorders: II. Decreased down-regulation by auto-anti-idiotype antibody in autoimmune-prone mice

Abstract Three lines of evidence are presented which suggest that autoimmune-prone mice are deficient in the production of auto-anti-idiotype antibody during their immune response to trinitrophenylated Ficoll (TNP-F). (1) NZB, MRL lpr/lpr and older BXSB male mice have no hapten-augmentable plaque-forming cells (PFC). Hapten-augmentable PFC have been previously shown to be cells whose secretion of antibody has been inhibited by the binding of auto-anti-idiotype antibody to cell surface idiotype. (2) Sera from TNP-F immunized NZB mice lack PFC inhibiting activity (anti-idiotype antibody). (3) Spleen cells from TNP-F immune NZB mice fail to transfer antiidiotype antibody-mediated suppression to naive mice as do spleen cells from immune nonautoimmune-prone mice. Taken together these data suggest that autoimmune-prone mice are deficient in auto-anti-idiotype antibody-mediated downward regulation of their immune responses. It was further shown that the immune response of NZB mice to TNP-F shows a slower decline in splenic PFC and a greater heterogeneity of PFC affinity than do the responses of non-autoimmune-prone strains. Since athymic (nude) mice, which were previously shown to be defective in the production of auto-anti-idiotype antibody, also show a slower decline in splenic PFC and an increased heterogeneity of PFC affinity, it is suggested that these peculiarities of the immune responses of autoimmune-prone and athymic mice are also the consequences of the lack of autoanti-idiotype antibody-mediated down-regulation.
Airglow and Aurora in the Atmospheres of Venus and Mars

Measurements and models of the luminosity that originates in the Martian and Venusian atmospheres, including dayglow, nightglow and aurora, are compared. Most of the emission features considered appear in the UV and visible regions of the spectrum and arise from electronic transitions of thermospheric species. Spatially and temporally variable intensities of the oxygen 1304 and 1356 A lines have been observed on the nightside of Venus and have been labeled 'auroral', that is, ascribed to electron precipitation. Only a future aeronomy mission to Mars could unequivocally determine whether such emissions are present on the nightside of Mars.
Climate change impacts on global agricultural water deficit

[1] This paper assesses the change in crop water deficits (the difference between crop evapotranspiration and precipitation that is effective for crop growth) of 26 crops (including rainfed and irrigated) under current (1961–1990) and projected climates (2070–2099). We found that despite the universally rising mean temperature, crop water deficits are likely to decline slightly at the global scale, although changes vary by region. While the increasing precipitation and changing intra-annual precipitation distribution in many areas can lead to more effective rainfall for crop growth, the declining diurnal temperature range will play a key role in offsetting the warming effect at the global scale. Regionally, Africa and China are likely to benefit from lower water requirements, but the impacts on other regions, including Europe, India, South America, and the United States, are subject to the land-use types (rainfed or irrigated) and the uncertainty involved in the assessment approaches.
Evaluating the effectiveness of a Safe Harbor Program for connecting wildlife populations

Conversion of lands to agriculture and development within remaining natural habitats have fragmented ecosystems and reduced wildlife populations. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has adopted an incentive-based conservation strategy known as the Safe Harbor Program (SHP) to reduce the vulnerability of federally protected species located on private properties. In addition to protecting populations, the SHP also strives to enhance species viability by devising strategies to (re)connect populations among habitat patches. We empirically evaluated the effectiveness of the initial Safe Harbor agreement, developed for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (Picoides borealis, hereafter RCW) in the North Carolina Sandhills, in enhancing connectivity for that species. According to our results, breeding territories located on private properties enrolled in the SHP promoted dispersal of RCWs and enhanced overall population connectivity relative to otherwise similar territories located on non-SHP properties. Moreover, the SHP created extensive stepping-stone corridors throughout the region. Our analysis also showed that RCW connectivity will be negatively impacted directly and indirectly by encroaching urban growth. By combining an urban growth model with estimated connectivity, managers and conservation planners can identify which properties critical for connectivity are most threatened by urban encroachment. These results can help conservation planners develop strategic actions on private land based on the species specific movement ability, current landscapes and projected urban growth.
Distribution to Distribution Regression

We analyze 'Distribution to Distribution regression' where one is regressing a mapping where both the covariate (inputs) and response (outputs) are distributions. No parameters on the input or output distributions are assumed, nor are any strong assumptions made on the measure from which input distributions are drawn from. We develop an estimator and derive an upper bound for the L2 risk; also, we show that when the effective dimension is small enough (as measured by the doubling dimension), then the risk converges to zero with a polynomial rate.
Problem behavior and urban, low-income youth: a randomized controlled trial of positive action in Chicago.

Background Youth problem behaviors remain a public health issue. Youth in low-income, urban areas are particularly at risk for engaging in aggressive, violent, and disruptive behaviors. Purpose To evaluate the effects of a school-based social–emotional learning and health promotion program on problem behaviors and related attitudes among low-income, urban youth. Design A matched-pair, cluster RCT. Setting/participants Participants were drawn from 14 Chicago Public Schools over a 6-year period of program delivery with outcomes assessed for a cohort of youth followed from Grades 3 to 8. Data were collected from Fall 2004 to Spring 2010, and analyzed in Spring 2012. Intervention The Positive Action program includes a scoped and sequenced K–12 classroom curriculum with six components: self-concept, social and emotional positive actions for managing oneself responsibly, and positive actions directed toward physical and mental health, honesty, getting along with others, and continually improving oneself. The program also includes teacher, counselor, family, and community training as well as activities directed toward schoolwide climate development. Main outcome measures Youth reported on their normative beliefs in support of aggression and on their bullying, disruptive, and violent behaviors; parents rated youths' bullying behaviors and conduct problems; schoolwide data on disciplinary referrals and suspensions were obtained from school records. Results Multilevel growth-curve modeling analyses conducted on completion of the trial indicated that Positive Action mitigated increases over time in (1) youth reports of normative beliefs supporting aggressive behaviors and of engaging in disruptive behavior and bullying (girls only) and (2) parent reports of youth bullying behaviors (boys only). At study end-point, students in Positive Action schools also reported a lower rate of violence-related behavior than students in control schools. Schoolwide findings indicated positive program effects on both disciplinary referrals and suspensions. Program effect sizes ranged from −0.26 to −0.68. Conclusions These results extend evidence of the effectiveness of the Positive Action program to low-income, minority, urban school settings, and to middle school–aged youth. Trial registration This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01025674.
Nurse practitioner faculty research: Results from the 2012 National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties Survey.

Purpose To better understand the research capacity and productivity of nurse practitioner (NP) faculty, a study was conducted to describe the types of research that have been and are being completed by National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) members. Data sources A web-based survey was developed with input from members of the NONPF Research Special Interest Group and the NONPF Board. This 23-question survey included demographic, academic degree, NP population focus, and research-related questions. Three e-mails were sent to NONPF members over a 10-week period of time (late December 2012 to early February 2013). Conclusions Respondents (N = 344) in the sample were Advanced Practice Registered Nurses with either a Masters, Doctor of Nursing Practice, DNS or PhD as their highest academic degree. Study results demonstrated that current NP faculty research includes a wide breadth of clinical areas studied, types of methodologies used, variety of funding mechanisms, and successful publication records. Implications for practice Because NP faculty conduct a wide array of research on clinically relevant topics, and demonstrate successful funding and publication track records, they are poised to continue to be leaders in healthcare research.
Oligonucleotide-microarray analysis of peripheral-blood lymphocytes in severe asthma

CD4 + lymphocytes play a key role in asthma pathogenesis, but much remains unknown about the genetic mechanisms that affect disease severity. In this study we sought to investigate global patterns of gene expression in CD4 + lymphocytes isolated from subjects with severe asthma through the use of microarray technology. CD4 + lymphocytes were separated from peripheral blood, total RNA was purified, and biotinylated complementary RNA was prepared and hybridized to Affymetrix HU133 chips (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, Calif). Using the robust multi-chip average procedure, we compared the messenger RNA expression profiles of more than 33,000 genes of CD4 + lymphocytes in subjects with severe ( n = 5) and mild ( n = 5) asthma. Forty genes had 2-fold mean expression differences or greater. Thirty-seven genes were up-regulated, including transforming growth factor-β and those involved in T-cell activation, proliferation, and cytoskeletal changes. Three genes were down-regulated, including the T-cell-receptor delta locus. This study demonstrates a method by which CD4 + lymphocytes can be extracted from blood for the purpose of microarray analysis. Furthermore, we show that T-lymphocytes from the peripheral blood of subjects with severe and mild asthma differ in their gene-expression profiles, supporting the view that asthma is a systemic disease. These differentially expressed genes identify potential molecular targets for preventive and therapeutic options for severe asthma.
Premesh Lalu's Post-colonial Push: Is it Time to Dismantle the Discipline?

Abstract In The Deaths of Hintsa, Premesh Lalu argues that South African history remains trapped by colonial modes of thinking. As a necessary consequence, he claims that the field needs a post-colonial moment, suggesting that historians engage with a deconstructionist strand of subaltern studies so as to sever the field from colonial epistemologies. In this essay, I review the book and then locate Lalu within a broad overview of South African historiography in order to offer a critical response to his proposals. I highlight radical and social historians because I think that they have more to offer the field today than Lalu is willing to admit. In a final section, I briefly explore Jonathon Hyslop's idea of an epistemological middle ground and Clifton Crais's engagement with subaltern studies. Both scholars provide useful alternatives to Lalu's work. I conclude that South African history does not need Lalu's post-colonial moment because it would privilege creativity at the expense of coherence and promote...
Factors affecting the intelligibility of synthesized speech

Intelligibility measures for three speech synthesizers, the Echo IIb™, SmoothTalker™ (version 2.0, male voice), and DECTalk™ (“Perfect Paul”) were obtained using two methods of presentation of stimuli (audiotaped vs. live) and two methods of response (written vs. spoken). Twenty adult listeners each listened to 30 randomized synthesized sentences. Consistent with previous studies, the Echo IIb™ synthesized output was the poorest in terms of intelligibility; the DECTalk™ output was the best. The method of response did not appear to have an effect on the intelligibility measures. However, there was a significant difference between the methods of presentation. All three types of synthesized speech output were more easily understood in the live condition. Implications for future research are discussed.
Biosynthesis of myelin proteins in vitro.

— The rates of uptake of DL-[1-14C]leucine into the three classes of protein in myelin isolated from slices of rat brain and spinal cord were determined. Basic protein exhibited the slowest rate of uptake; chloroform-methanol-soluble proteolipid protein exhibited intermediate rates and the insoluble protein had the most active uptake. All myelin proteins were less active than the mixture of proteins derived from the non-myelin fraction. Cyclohexi-mide (10−3 M) and choramphenicol (5 × 10−3 M) inhibited the incorporation of [1-14C]leucine into brain proteins by as much as 95 per cent. γ-Aminobutyric acid had no effect on the system. Chloramphenicol also inhibited the uptake of [1-14C]acetate into myelin lipids, but cycloheximide did not affect lipid synthesis. These effects were observed on both 35-day-oldand 18-month-old rats, but the biosynthetic activity was far less in myelin from the older rats. The results are discussed in relation to the structure of myelin. It is suggested that the data best fit models in which lipid and protein are in separate phases in the membrane.
Anti-corrosive surface modification of 6061 aluminum using plasma source ion implantation

Abstract Corrosion properties of 6061T aluminum alloy treated by nitrogen plasma source ion implantation (PSII) have been investigated. Results from corrosion tests demonstrate that the nitrogen PSII significantly increased the pitting resistance of implanted 6061T Al samples. Scanning electron microscopy of corrosion-tested samples found that both pit size and density of the PSII treated samples were smaller than those of untreated samples, although no significant changes in the corrosion potential or the corrosion current were observed. These results demonstrate PSII's potential for metal corrosion protection.
Stimulation of cytokines in osteoblasts cultured on enamel matrix derivative

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of enamel matrix derivative (EMD) on the release of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in human and mouse osteoblasts. Study design Human MG-63 and mouse MC3T3-E1 cells were seeded onto 6-well culture plates at an initial density of 5,000/cm 2 and grown in Dulbecco's eagle medium (DMEM) with 10% fetal bovine serum for 24 h. Then cells were cultured either with 100 μg/mL EMD added to DMEM or with DMEM only. After 2, 5, and 9 days' incubation the culture medium was collected and analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent analysis. Data were analyzed using Student t test. Results The EMD treatment significantly increased the production of IL-6 and TGF-β1 ( P P Conclusion This study suggests that the stimulatory effects of EMD on tissue regeneration are mediated by the up-regulation of local mediators released by osteoblasts.
Synthesis and Characterization of Shape-Memory Polyurethane–Polybenzoxazine Compounds

The study investigates the scope for significant enhancements in shape-memory properties in blends of thermoplastic polyurethanes (PUs) and polybenzoxazine (PB). PB was expected to serve as a second fixed phase in addition to hard segment of PU. The shape-memory compounds were prepared in three steps. First, benzoxazine monomer was dissolved in urethane prepolymer synthesized from 4,4′-methylenebis (phenyl isocyanate) (MDI) and poly (tetramethylene) glycol (PTMG). Second, the prepolymer was chain extended with 1,4-butanediol (BD) without curing of benzoxazine. Third, the benzoxazine was polymerized into PB by thermal curing at 180 °C for 3 h. A compound with 17 wt% PB exhibited a recovery stress (RS) of 13 MPa and strain recovery (SR) of 93% compared with RS of 6.8 MPa and SR of 72% for PU.
The determination of organically bound chlorine and ionic chloride with an adsorption indicator method

Abstract A rapid method for the determination of chlorine is described. The method is applicable to the chloride ion formed following an oxygen fast-combustion procedure or for soluble ionic hydrochlorides. The percentage of chloride is determined by titrating the chloride ion with silver nitrate; 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein was used as an adsorption indicator to detect the end point. Compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, chlorine, and sulfur were successfully analyzed.
Accelerated aging studies for polycarbonate optical disk substrates

Accelerated aging studies demonstrated that polycarbonate substrates degrade by a hydrolytic cleavage of the polymer chain. Data collected at different temperatures obeyed an Arrhenius relation. The activation energy for polycarbonate degradation was 68.0 kJ/mol.
Nuclear matrix as acceptor for cAMP-binding proteins

Abstract Using [ 32 P]-8-N 3 -cAMP, a photoaffinity analog of cAMP, we have established that nuclear binding of cAMP is preferentially localized in the “nuclear matrix”. Two major radioactive bands corresponded to proteins of M r 40 K and 50 K, and three minor bands to proteins of M r 55, 150 and 200 K. Even though the molecular weight of the major nuclear binding proteins in the matrix are similar to those of the cytosolic cAMP binding proteins, the characteristics of the binding reaction in the nucleus were markedly different from those in the cytosol.
A trans-disciplinary approach to the evaluation of social determinants of health in a hispanic population

Individual and community health are adversely impacted by disparities in health outcomes among disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. Understanding the underlying causes for variations in health outcomes is an essential step towards developing effective interventions to ameliorate inequalities and subsequently improve overall community health. Working at the neighborhood scale, this study examines multiple social determinates that can cause health disparities including low neighborhood wealth, weak social networks, inadequate public infrastructure, the presence of hazardous materials in or near a neighborhood, and the lack of access to primary care services. The goal of this research is to develop innovative and replicable strategies to improve community health in disadvantaged communities such as newly arrived Hispanic immigrants.
Structural Aspects of a Village Art1

This article demonstrates that compositional principles of decorated textiles in East Sumba, Indonesia, find parallels in the formal rules by which major activities of the society are organized. In exploring the implications of this common use of structures, it suggests that this art does not reflect society but that both respond to the same structural principles which are those preferred as intellectual forms by the local culture.