cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Political Psychology of Israeli Prime Ministers: Benjamin Netanyahu: Battling the World

A PLO state on the West Bank would be like a hand poised to strangle Israel’s vital artery along the sea . – Benjamin Netanyahu, 1993 Who are we, they ask, to resist the entire world? That it is sometimes – and in the case of Israel, often – necessary to dissent from and resist prevailing opinion seldom crosses their minds . – Benjamin Netanyahu, 2000 Jerusalem Isn’t a Settlement, It’s Our Capital – Benjaming Netanyahu, 2011 Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest serving prime minister since David Ben-Gurion, has been an enigma to many observers. He was prime minister from 1996 to 1999, from March 2009 to January 2013, and after receiving the most votes in January 2013, formed his third government in March 2013. Some argue that he is a hard-line ideologue representing the Revisionist Zionist roots of the Likud Party who needs to be replaced if peace is to be secured. Others insist that he is an opportunist who has no deeply held beliefs, and therefore will make a peace agreement if he believes it will keep him in office. Netanyahu’s actions over time underscore this enigma, as he has swerved between maintaining hard-line positions and taking small steps toward compromise, negotiation, and peace. He has, on the one hand, vehemently opposed the Oslo Accords since their inception. On the other hand, during the 1996 campaign to become prime minister, he argued that he would abide by the agreements if the Palestinians honored their commitments. After becoming prime minister, though, he undermined the Oslo process by slowing it down and minimizing its effects. Although not ceding territory is a central part of Netanyahu’s ideology, he granted additional land and jurisdiction to the Palestinians in the Hebron and Wye Agreements in order to improve his chances of getting elected again in 1999. Most of the withdrawals agreed to at Wye, however, were not implemented. This pattern continued through Netanyahu’s second term in office: in June 2009, under intense pressure from the United States, Netanyahu publicly agreed in principle to something he had rejected his entire life – the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel under certain conditions.
Evaluation and Selection

Prior to selecting a learning object, the user evaluates the object based upon specific criteria such as maintenance, user interface, and effectiveness. Maintenance involves making sure the object works the way it was designed to and that its content is appropriate in the required context. User interface is important especially in light of the potential of re-use across various audiences and contexts. Learning objects may be required to interact with other systems that have incompatible interface designs that hinder viewing and interaction. Also, criterion of the Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations may make the most appealing learning object unusable. Evaluation of effectiveness appears to be the most overlooked aspect of the learning object life cycle. Cisco Systems as well as other for-profit companies, does evaluate effectiveness of training, what Cisco refers to as ‘impact’ but the primary focus is on learning achievement rather than effectiveness of learning object design and operation. All of these factors need to be taken into consideration when evaluating and selecting an appropriate learning object.
Endocrinology of the Single Cell: Tools and Insights

Whether all cells ascribed to the same type are indeed identical and the related question, “How are signals integrated at tissue and cell levels?” are fundamental issues in biological research and are responsible, in part, for the acceleration of activity in single-cell research. Also contributing are the major advances in single cell methodology. The capability to interrogate, manipulate with spatiotemporal specificity, and acquire data on multiple activities in the same cell can be powerful for understanding normal function and also dysfunction and drug targeting. Reviewed here are examples of how the emergent field of single-cell analysis and its tools are being used to understand the dynamics of the multiple components in regulatory networks for genes, intracellular signaling molecules, and secretion. For more in-depth consideration, the pancreatic β-cell and the pituitary gonadotrope are reviewed as parallel examples for application of single-cell analysis in the examination of one component of regulated secretion.
Integration of SWMM into a Dam Break, Hurricane, and Extreme Flood Modeling and Damage Assessment Framework

SWMM5 has been seamlessly integrated with a Geographic Information System (GIS) for simulation of inundation and analysis of consequences resulting from extrem…
Meta-analysis To Define a Core Microbiota in the Swine Gut

The swine gut microbiota encompasses a large and diverse population of bacteria that play a significant role in pig health. As such, a number of recent studies have utilized high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to characterize the composition and structure of the swine gut microbiota, often in response to dietary feed additives. It is important to determine which factors shape the composition of the gut microbiota among multiple studies and if certain bacteria are always present in the gut microbiota of swine, independently of study variables such as country of origin and experimental design. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis using 20 publically available data sets from high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequence studies of the swine gut microbiota. Next to the "study" itself, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract section that was sampled had the greatest effect on the composition and structure of the swine gut microbiota (P = 0.0001). Technical variation among studies, particularly the 16S rRNA gene hypervariable region sequenced, also significantly affected the composition of the swine gut microbiota (P = 0.0001). Despite this, numerous commonalities were discovered. Among fecal samples, the genera Prevotella, Clostridium, Alloprevotella, and Ruminococcus and the RC9 gut group were found in 99% of all fecal samples. Additionally, Clostridium, Blautia, Lactobacillus, Prevotella, Ruminococcus, Roseburia, the RC9 gut group, and Subdoligranulum were shared by >90% of all GI samples, suggesting a so-called "core" microbiota for commercial swine worldwide. IMPORTANCE The results of this meta-analysis demonstrate that "study" and GI sample location are the most significant factors in shaping the swine gut microbiota. However, in comparisons of results from different studies, some biological factors may be obscured by technical variation among studies. Nonetheless, there are some bacterial taxa that appear to form a core microbiota within the swine GI tract regardless of country of origin, diet, age, or breed. Thus, these results provide the framework for future studies to manipulate the swine gut microbiota for potential health benefits.
Evaluating the Stability of a Freestanding Mast Climbing Work Platform

Abstract Mast Climbing Work Platforms (MCWPs) are becoming more common at construction sites and are being used as an alternative to traditional scaffolding. Although their use is increasing, little to no published information exists on the potential safety hazards they could pose for workers. As a last line of defense, a personal fall-arrest system can be used to save a worker in a fall incident from the platform. There has been no published information on whether it is safe to use such a personal fall-arrest system with MCWPs. In this study, the issues of concern for occupational safety included: (a) the overall stability of the freestanding mast climber during a fall-arrest condition and (b) whether that fall-arrest system could potentially present safety hazards to other workers on the platform during a fall-arrest condition. This research project investigated those safety concerns with respect to the mast climber stability and the workers using it by creating fall-arrest impact forces that are transmitted to the equipment and by subsequently observing the movement of the mast climber and the working deck used by the workers. This study found that when the equipment was erected and used according to the manufacturer's recommendations during a fall-arrest condition, destabilizing forces were very small and there were no signs of potential of MCWP collapse. However, potential fall hazards could be presented to other workers on the platform during a fall arrest. Workers near an open platform are advised to wear a personal fall-arrest system to reduce the risk of being ejected. Due to the increasing use of MCWPs at construction sites, there is a corresponding need for evidence and science-based safety guidelines or regulations and further research should be conducted to continue to fill the knowledge gap with MCWP equipment.
Philanthropy in Democratic Societies: History, Institutions, Values by Rob Reich, Chiara Cordelli, and Lucy Bernholz

Reich, R., Cordelli, C., & Bernholz, L. (2016). Philanthropy in Democratic Societies: History, Institutions, Values . Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. $30.00 (paperback), ISBN: 978-022633-564-3.
Colorimetric detection of epinephrine using an optimized paper-based aptasensor

A simple label-free colorimetric detection of epinephrine has been demonstrated based on its interaction with aptamer functionalized gold nanoparticles. The role of different parameters such as morphology of AuNPs, aptamer concentration and salt destabilization has been thoroughly investigated to enhance the performance of the sensor in terms of sensitivity and specificity. A range of common interfering agents such as 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), tryptophan, dopamine, ascorbic acid etc. showed very little/no aggregation in the solution which indicates the specificity of the sensor. The sensor was then tested on a hydrophobic paper substrate for the development of a cheap, portable and point of care diagnostic tool. A visible change in colour from red to blue was observed in the solution with increasing concentration of epinephrine. The present approach gave a detection limit of 0.9 nM using UV-visible spectroscopy which is by far the lowest detection limit of epinephrine using any colorimetric approach.
Anomalous Origin of the Left Coronary Artery From the Pulmonary Artery Presenting in Adulthood: A French Nationwide Retrospective Study, an Editorial Commentary

Adults with anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery typically have multiple venous and arterial collateral arteries surrounding the artery, making precise ligation imperative. Most physicians delay mitral valve repair until left ventricular function improves allowing for reperfusion through a 2-coronary system reimplanting the anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery into the aorta.
The Multi-scale Immune Response to Pathogens: M. tuberculosis as an Example

The immune response occurs over multiple temporal and spatial scales. Events at the genetic level can influence events at the cellular level and finally manifest at the population scale. Through the example of the human pathogen Mycobacterim tuberculosis we explore immune response events over multiple scales and how bridging these scales may ultimately lead to the greatest picture of how this complex system works.
STABILITY ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

The stability of multivariable ecological systems is examined. The components (or subcommunities) of the composite system (or entire community) are allowed to display non-linear characteristics. The stability analysis of the large-scale system is performed in the Lyapunov sense.
Formation of ΛΛ hypernuclei by Ξ − capture in light nuclei

We discuss the production of doubly strange \ensuremath{\Lambda}\ensuremath{\Lambda} hypernuclei in ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Xi}}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ atomic capture. The two-body ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Xi}}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${+}^{6}$Li${\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}^{6}$He+n reaction is a relatively favorable case, with a yield of order 3%. For heavier p-shell targets, such as $^{14}\mathrm{N}$, the (1${\mathit{s}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}$${)}^{2}$ ground-state yields in the ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Xi}}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$${+}^{\mathit{A}}$Z${\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}^{\mathit{A}}$(Z-1)+n reaction are suppressed, and states of (1${\mathit{s}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}$1${\mathit{p}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}}$) structure, coupled to an excited nuclear core, are preferentially populated.
Where Do We Look? An Eye-Tracking Study of Architectural Features in Building Design

Built environment plays an essential role in shaping the physical, physiological, and psychological human well-being given the fact that we spend more than ¾ of our times indoors. Various studies that investigated the impact of architecture on human health and well-being provided evidences on the influence of architecture with faster recovery in hospitals, better learning in schools, and more productivity in offices under variant configurations of architectural design features. This paper studied the impact of architectural design features (e.g., presence/size of windows, level of natural light and nature view) on human experience in buildings using a mobile eye-tracking solution to capture the subjects’ attention toward various design features. The subjects were exposed to two distinct virtual environments designed with polarizing features, and were instructed to conduct a series of navigational and informational tasks. The eye-tracking results showed that subjects were more focused and had higher attention level in the positively configured virtual environment. The result of the informational task, where the subjects were asked to recall an array of words they just saw in the virtual environment, showed that subjects performed better (i.e., recalled more words) and experienced positive recall (i.e., recalled more positive words) in the positively configured environment.
Religious heterogeneity and municipal spending in the United States

AbstractThe goal of this paper is to examine the effect of religious heterogeneity on various important metro-area variables such as total expenditure, taxes, property taxes, debt, and employment a...
Larval Morphology of Armostus ohyamatensis Hoshina and Satô (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Megasternini)

The larval morphology, including chaetotaxy of the head capsule and head appendages, of Armostus ohyamatensisHoshina and Sato, 2006 is described in detail. This is the first description of larval morphology for the genus Armostus Sharp, 1890. Adults and larvae were associated using DNA barcoding of a molecular marker, 658 bp of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I. Larvae of Armostus Sharp resemble other megasternine larvae, but they have a unique feature within the known hydrophilid larvae, i.e., incompletely cylindrically sclerotized maxillary palpomere 2.
Hepatic Complications of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Hepatobiliary disorders are commonly encountered in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although primary sclerosing cholangitis is the stereotypical hepatobiliary disorder associated with IBD, other diseases, including autoimmune hepatitis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, also are encountered in this population. Several agents used for treatment of IBD may cause drug-induced liver injury, although severe hepatotoxicity occurs infrequently. Furthermore, reactivation of hepatitis B virus infection may occur in patients with IBD treated with systemic corticosteroids and biologic agents.
What’s New in Diagnostic Testing and Treatment Approaches for Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infections in Children?

M. pneumoniae is a common cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in persons of all ages, including the very young and the very old. Extrapulmonary complications involving any organ system may accompany respiratory tract manifestations, or they may occur in persons without an obvious respiratory component to their illness. Clinical presentation is similar enough to other causes of respiratory infection that presentation alone cannot be used reliably to identify children in whom a mycoplasmal etiology is likely and coinfection with other bacterial or viral pathogens is common. Due to the many limitations of culture and serology, PCR is the preferred method for laboratory diagnosis, although it is not yet widely available in many countries. Macrolides have historically been the antibiotics of choice for children with mycoplasmal infections, but the emergence of clinically significant high-level resistance worldwide has necessitated a reevaluation of their use, particularly in locations where resistance is common. Consideration of alternatives such as tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones, even though these agents are not normally considered in younger children due to potential toxicities.
God, Guns, and Bathrooms: Concepts of Morality on the Campaign Trail

Historically, presidential campaigns have typically featured some aspect of a moral agenda. Much of that changed on the campaign trail in 2016. Many of the traditional topics used to measure public attitudes on select issues pertaining to morality and ethics were not present on the ANES 2016. Yet, the 2016 presidential campaign was noticeably devoid of a conventional “social problems” platform. This chapter examines the pivot away from the conventional campaign tactics on social issues and studies how a Supreme Court vacancy became a proxy issue that Republicans employed to court evangelicals. The vacancy effectively became a dog whistle for evangelicals and right-wing ideological conservatives to remain loyal to the Republican Party in the 2016 election.
Crevice corrosion and its relation to stress-corrosion cracking

Crevice corrosion of high-strength low-alloy D6AC and Type 316 stainless steel was surveyed using artificial crevice assemblies. A critical potential, referred to as the "crevice protection potential" was found, above which crevice corrosion occurs and below which it does not. The corrosion condition in the crevice is related importantly to the mechanism of cracking, that is, stress-corrosion cracking or hydrogen embrittlement.
Reassessing the Generational Disparity in Immigrant Offending: A Within-family Comparison of Involvement in Crime:

Objective:This study reassesses the generational disparity in immigrant offending. Patterns and predictors of offending are compared using traditional peer-based models and an alternative within-fa...
Optimal coordination between generation and storage under uncertainties

This chapter aims at providing some ideas on how to fit energy storage devices into the constantly evolving grid environment with more and more renewable generation. The core idea of this chapter is to assign tasks according to the capabilities of the resource assets. In the context of real-power balancing, this capability-based task assignment is exactly the so-called time-scale-matching principle. The proposed twolevel optimal control approach makes full use of the fast response capability of energy storage to tackle the real-power-balancing problem under the new environment. With the coordinated control of energy storage, better performance in frequency control is seen from the simulation results even that the conventional generators become less responsive to high-frequency portions in the spectrum of external power variations.
Ex vivo multi-electrode analysis reveals spatiotemporal dynamics of ictal behavior at the infiltrated margin of glioma

Abstract The purpose of this study is to develop a platform in which the cellular and molecular underpinnings of chronic focal neocortical lesional epilepsy can be explored and use it to characterize seizure-like events (SLEs) in an ex vivo model of infiltrating high-grade glioma. Microelectrode arrays were used to study electrophysiologic changes in ex vivo acute brain slices from a PTEN/p53 deleted, PDGF-B driven mouse model of high-grade glioma. Electrode locations were co-registered to the underlying histology to ascertain the influence of the varying histologic landscape on the observed electrophysiologic changes. Peritumoral, infiltrated, and tumor sites were sampled in tumor-bearing slices. Following the addition of zero Mg2+ solution, all three histologic regions in tumor-bearing slices showed significantly greater increases in firing rates when compared to the control sites. Tumor-bearing slices demonstrated increased proclivity for SLEs, with 40 events in tumor-bearing slices and 5 events in control slices (p-value = .0105). Observed SLEs were characterized by either low voltage fast (LVF) onset patterns or short bursts of repetitive widespread, high amplitude low frequency discharges. Seizure foci comprised areas from all three histologic regions. The onset electrode was found to be at the infiltrated margin in 50% of cases and in the peritumoral region in 36.9% of cases. These findings reveal a landscape of histopathologic and electrophysiologic alterations associated with ictogenesis and spread of tumor-associated seizures.
Current Controlled Operation of Cascaded H-Bridge Converter for Fast SoC Balancing in Grid Energy Storage

In grid energy storage systems based on batteries, the interface converter topology plays a significant role in the optimized operation of the system. Among different types of multi-level converters, cascaded H-bridge converter (CHBC) provides the advantage of utilizing isolated battery pack (BP) with a lower number of series-connected cells and can perform state of charge (SoC) balancing by controlling the power flow to/from each BP. However, the rate of SoC balancing is limited due to low balancing current when the amount of power exchange is low. This paper proposes a new power control method using hybrid modulation strategy with extended operating region (HMSEOR) which enables the CHBC to perform fast SoC balancing at constant current irrespective of the amount of power exchange between the battery system and the grid. The HMSEOR allows power flow from a BP with a higher SoC to a BP with a lower SoC without compromising power exchange with the grid. The performance of the proposed SoC balancing method is validated through real-time hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation and compared with the conventional SoC balancing at unity power factor operation.
Neoadjuvant checkpoint blockade for cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapies that target the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1):programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) immune checkpoint pathway have ushered in the modern oncology era. Drugs that block PD-1 or PD-L1 facilitate endogenous antitumor immunity and, because of their broad activity spectrum, have been regarded as a common denominator for cancer therapy. Nevertheless, many advanced tumors demonstrate de novo or acquired treatment resistance, and ongoing research efforts are focused on improving patient outcomes. Using anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 treatment against earlier stages of cancer is hypothesized to be one such solution. This Review focuses on the development of neoadjuvant (presurgical) immunotherapy in the era of PD-1 pathway blockade, highlighting particular considerations for biological mechanisms, clinical trial design, and pathologic response assessments. Findings from neoadjuvant immunotherapy studies may reveal pathways, mechanisms, and molecules that can be cotargeted in new treatment combinations to increase anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 efficacy.
Supporting the end of prostitution permanently (SEPP) prostitution court: examining inter-professional collaboration within alternative criminal justice settings

Problem-solving courts such as prostitution courts are becoming an important feature of the American court landscape. Internationally, while there is a great deal of skepticism regarding problem so...
Physical and antibacterial properties of alginate films containing cinnamon bark oil and soybean oil

Abstract Edible antimicrobial films with essential oils are potential intervention strategies to improve microbiological safety of foods. The aim of this work was to study the effects of incorporating soybean oil (SBO) on the physical and antibacterial properties of alginate films prepared with 1% or 2% cinnamon bark oil (CBO). The incorporation of SBO improved the microstructure homogeneity and transparency, reduced tensile strength, elongation at break, water solubility, and total solids content but had no obvious effects on the water vapor permeability of films. Films prepared with 1% CBO had a low residual CBO after film formation and storage. For 2% CBO treatments, the addition of SBO reduced the loss of CBO during storage of films and improved the antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica. The results suggest that SBO can be used to improve certain physical characteristics and the antibacterial efficacy of edible films containing essential oils.
3-Sasakian Manifolds

In this chapter we will give more of a survey of 3-Sasakian manifolds and only a few proofs. A more thorough treatment is given in the book by Boyer and Galicki [2008, Chapter 13].
Sleeve gastrectomy promotes sustained weight loss while increasing heat production in middle aged, obese female mice

BackgroundSleeve gastrectomy (SG) is currently the most frequently performed bariatric surgery in the United States. The majority of patients undergoing SG are middle aged women. Most preclinical models of bariatric surgery, however, utilize juvenile male mice. A long-term characterization of the response of mature wild type, obese female mice to SG has not been performed. Thus, we set out to characterize the response of middle aged obese female mice to SG. MethodsTen-month old C57bl/6J obese female mice were randomized to undergo SG, sham surgery without caloric restriction (SH) or sham surgery with caloric restriction to match body weight to the SG group (SWM). Body weight, body composition and glucose tolerance were matched at baseline. Mice were followed for 60 days following their respective surgeries. ResultsThe SG group had a more pronounced percent weight loss than the SH and SWM control groups (p<0.05), while consuming more calories than the SWM group (p<0.05). The SG group had a significant improvement in glucose tolerance compared to the SH control group (p<0.05). Plasma leptin was significantly decreased in the SG and SWM group, compared to the SH group (p<0.01). Unexpectedly, FGF-21 was increased in the SH group compared to the SG and SWM groups (p<0.01), while there was no difference in plasma insulin among the three groups. Heat production was increased in the SG group compared to SWM and SH groups (p<0.001). SG also had a significantly increased mRNA expression of Uncoupling Protein 1 (UCP-1), Adiponectin and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha (PGC1-alpha) in brown adipose tissue (BAT), compared to SWM and SH groups. Both SG and SWM groups had increased fecal lipid excretion (p<0.05), compared to the SH group. ConclusionsSG in obese, middle aged female mice leads to sustained weight loss and blood glucose improvement. It appears that increased metabolism in BAT may be linked to these effects.
Court Packing as an Antidote

Court packing is considered the nuclear weapon that may unleash total chaos on the American constitutional system. Even in the face of a highly controversial appointment process to the U.S. Supreme Court during the 2020 presidential election season, scholars caution against the wisdom and utility of resorting to court packing. This Essay makes three bold arguments: First, a President may nominate a candidate to the Supreme Court at any time, including his last year in office; this is true both empirically and normatively. It is the Senate’s responsibility to ensure the People’s will is not frustrated. Second, never since the American Civil War did the Senate confirm a Supreme Court Justice in a presidential election year without bipartisan support. In fact, except for the sensational appointment of Justice Peter Daniel in 1841, all appointments to the Supreme Court in presidential election years involved either bipartisan consent or confirmation by the incoming Senate with a fresh mandate. This is true even of appointments made after presidents became lame duck or lost re-election bids and even when the President’s party controlled the Senate. Disregard of this embedded constitutional convention undermines fundamental principles of popular sovereignty. Third, the breach of this constitutional convention is not a matter for political repercussions alone. Well aware of the potential of court packing to rein in a Court, the Founding Fathers intentionally allowed its exercise in the Constitution. Further, they adopted life tenure for Justices while relying on the availability of court packing as a restraining mechanism to protect popular sovereignty. Court packing is the antidote by constitutional design to a partisan takeover of the Supreme Court during election time as part of the inherent checks and balances of a popular sovereignty system. Senators must be aware that an appointment confirmed by a purely partisan vote during presidential election time legitimizes court packing as a countermeasure.
Well Logging in Fractured Media

This chapter provides an overview of well logging in carbonate formations from the perspective of CO2 sequestration projects. The chapter begins with a summary of the various types of logs such as gamma ray, neutron porosity, bulk density, resistivity, photoelectric, sonic, pulsed neutron capture, nuclear magnetic resonance, image log, and elemental spectroscopy. Next comes a discussion of analyses performed with these log outputs for characterizing attributes such as: facies, shale volume, porosity, permeability, fluid saturation, geomechanical properties, and fractures and vugs. This is followed by best practices for log interpretation, including data QA/QC and a typical workflow. A case study on well-log interpretation is then presented using two fields from the Northern Michigan Pinnacle reef trend. This example covers data acquisition, porosity analysis, integration of core and log data, facies analysis, and fractures and vugs. The application of machine learning to well logging data is presented next, beginning with a discussion of machine learning basics, which is followed by an example application for vug characterization. Collectively, these topics cover the most common set of conventional and emerging techniques that are relevant in the utilization of well logs for characterization of carbonate formations.
Perceptions of barriers to effective family planning services among women with disabilities

Abstract Background Women with disabilities have the same rights as women without disabilities to prevent unintended pregnancy, yet little is known about their experiences in accessing family planning methods. Objective This qualitative descriptive study explored perceptions of barriers to effective family planning services among women with disabilities. Method Semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted with 31 women with diverse disabilities as part of a larger study investigating risks and facilitators of unintended pregnancy among women with disabilities across the United States. Results Analysis revealed multiple barriers experienced by women with disabilities in accessing effective family planning services needed to prevent unintended pregnancy. Barriers included physical or system barriers, financial limitations, and nonresponsive healthcare providers. Women also identified difficulties in finding appropriate family planning methods, both related and unrelated to disability. Conclusions This is the first in-depth exploration of barriers to accessing family planning services and challenges to finding effective family planning options among women with disabilities. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, improved provider training, and policy changes to optimize reproductive healthcare, improve access to family planning services, and prevent unintended pregnancy among women of childbearing age with diverse disabilities.
Quantifying Bone Quality Using Computed Tomography Hounsfield Units in the Mid-sagittal View of the Lumbar Spine.

Background Computed tomography Hounsfield unit (HU) is an alternative tool to the dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scan T-score to quantify the bone quality. DEXA scan can overestimate the bone mineral density. We studied the correlation of the vertebral mid-axial and mid-sagittal HU to the T-score. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients who underwent dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and computed tomography scans within 1 year. Age, sex, mid-axial and mid-sagittal HU, and T-score were collected and statistically analyzed. Results We identified 100 patients with computed tomography of the L1-L4. There were 80 female and 20 male patients. The average age was 60.25 years (±12.54 years). Nineteen patients were diagnosed with degenerative spine disease. There were 56 patients with a normal T-score, 33 with osteopenia, and 11 with osteoporosis. The average HU for the mid-sagittal view was 163 (±59) for L1, 159 (±62) for L2, 151 (±59) for L3, and 150 (±62) for L4. The mid-axial and mid-sagittal HU were positively correlated to the DEXA T-score (P Conclusions Mid-sagittal HU is positively correlated to the T-score, similar to the mid-axial HU. Therefore, it can be used to acquire a general overview of the bone quality before spinal instrumentation.
Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Teff Producing Farmers in Ethiopia

A large majority of Ethiopians and the poor live in rural areas are deriving their livelihood from agriculture. The major grain crops grown in Ethiopia are teff, wheat, maize, barley, sorghum, and millet. Teff has remained an important crop to Ethiopian farmers for several reasons, namely: the price for its grain and straw are higher than other major cereals; the crop performs better than other cereals under moisture stress and waterlogged conditions; its grain can be stored for a long period of time without being attacked by weevils. The primary objective of this seminar was to review determinants and level of technical efficiency of teff production system in Ethiopia. This was achieved by reviewing the efficiency of smallholder teff farmers and identifying the determinants of technical efficiency. The review showed that DEA and SPF models are used to estimate level of technical efficiency and identify determinants of technical efficiency, and technical efficiency is significantly affected by Income level, improved seed, education level, livestock holding, extension contact, training, participation in irrigation, labor availability, fertilizer, participation in soil and water conservation, off/non-farm occupation, sex of the household, fertility status of land, credit availability, man day, oxen day, pesticides, herbicides, access to input and output market, number of weeding, family size, group membership, Households` expenditure, farm size, participation in share cropping, social status, age of the household, slop of the farm, number of crops cultivated by the households and land fragmentation. Moreover the level of technical efficiency of teff production in Ethiopia falls on between 55% and 90% indicating a good potential for increasing teff output by 10%-45% with the existing technology and levels of inputs.
A Systematic Review of the Last Decade of Civic Education Research in the United States

The United States has witnessed a steady increase in concern about political polarization and its impact on youth. We systematically review and compare the empirical research literature on civic ed...
Effects of intranasal oxytocin on threat- and reward-related functional connectivity in men and women with and without childhood abuse-related PTSD

Abstract Novel treatments that target neurobiological alterations associated with childhood trauma, particularly among those with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), could mitigate negative outcomes for these at-risk individuals. PTSD is characterized by abnormalities within the brain's salience network and reward circuitry, which are modulated by intranasal oxytocin. Using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover design, we tested whether intranasal oxytocin (24 international units) influenced functional coupling of the amygdala with the anterior insula (AI), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and nucleus accumbens in response to implicitly presented fearful, angry, and happy faces among childhood trauma-exposed individuals with (n = 16, 9 women) and without PTSD (n = 18, 12 women). Psychophysiological interaction analyses revealed that oxytocin effects were limited to amygdala-AI connectivity in the fear condition, distinct for men and women, and not impacted by PTSD diagnosis. In response to fear faces, oxytocin reduced left amygdala-left AI connectivity for women but not men; reduced left amygdala-right AI connectivity among women, but increased this connectivity in men; and reduced right amygdala-right anterior insula connectivity for men, but increased it for women. Results suggest that intranasal oxytocin modulates threat salience among childhood trauma-exposed individuals and that these effects vary as a function of gender and hemisphere.
The Writing Teacher’s Second Self: Theory and Practice of Responding to Student Writing

Although rhetorical theorists such as N. Sommers (1988), C. H. Knoblauch and L. Brannon (1984), and E. M. White (1984) suggest that writing teachers insinuate clear and helpful readerpersonae in the written comments they make on student writing, this article focuses on students’ impressions of such personae. The research employs A. A. Lunsford’s (1992) key topoi of teachers’ commentary on student writing in the United States, analysis of marked student essays, and interviews of student-authors to ascertain the relationships among the types of comments teachers make, the impressions these comments make on students, and their impact on students’ strategies for revising their writing. Results suggest that teachers’ comments in the third person impersonal paint of view, on form, and in the declarative or imperative modes suggest a ‘teacherly’ persona and students are more willing to adopt the comment and revise the text in question. Comments in the first person, on content, and in the interrogative mode suggest a ‘writerly’ persona, one that reinforces students’ identities as ‘writers’, though they are less likely to revise the text.
Using a novel echo-marker to identify high mortality risk patients with moderate aortic stenosis

BackgroundRecent studies have shown that patients with moderate aortic stenosis and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction may benefit from earlier intervention instead of periodic surveillance. Identifying patients at higher risk is therefore warranted concerning the possibility of expanding aortic valve replacement indication. ObjectiveWe aim to investigate the usefulness of a novel echo-marker, augmented mean arterial pressure (AugMAP), in identifying high-risk patients with moderate aortic stenosis. MethodsAdult patients with moderate aortic stenosis (aortic valve area 1.0-1.5 cm2) at Mayo Clinic sites in 1/2010-12/2020 were identified. Baseline demographics, echocardiography, and all-cause mortality data were retrieved. Patients were grouped into higher and lower AugMAP groups using a cutoff of 80 mmHg for analysis. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to assess the performance of AugMAP. ResultsA total of 4,563 patients with moderate aortic stenosis were included. The mean age was 73.7{+/-}12.5 years and 60.5 % were male. The median follow-up was 2.5 years, and 36.0% of patients died. The mean LVEF was 60.1 {+/-} 11.4%, and the mean AugMAP was 99.1 {+/-} 13.1 mmHg. Patients in the lower AugMAP group, with either preserved or reduced LVEF, had significantly worse survival performance (all p< 0.0001). Multivariate Cox regression showed that AugMAP was independently associated with all-cause mortality after adjusting for age, sex, and LVEF (HR: 0.99 per unit increase, 95%CI: 0.978-0.996, p=0.01). ConclusionAugMAP is a simple and effective echo-maker beyond LVEF to identify high-risk moderate aortic stenosis patients who may benefit more from earlier intervention. Condensed abstractPatients with moderate aortic stenosis and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction may benefit from earlier intervention. We aim to validate the usefulness of a novel echo-marker, augmented mean arterial pressure (AugMAP), in identifying high-risk patients with moderate aortic stenosis. AugMAP can identify patients at higher mortality risk within the first two years after the diagnosis of moderate aortic stenosis, regardless of LVEF. AugMAP was also independently associated with all-cause mortality after adjusting for age, sex, and LVEF. AugMAP is a simple and effective novel echo-maker beyond LVEF to identify high-risk moderate aortic stenosis patients who may benefit from earlier intervention.
A Review of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology: Perspectives and Standards for Interdisciplinary Practice

Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology is an unusually good book covering a panorama of issues of interest to expert witnesses, current and potential, and to legal people. It is well edited; for example, the various chapters are cross-referenced so that the reader can pick up related data in other sections of the book.
Some Results From an Automated Statewide Comparison Among Attempted, Committed, and Nonsuicidal Patients

: In the Missouri Division of Mental Health statewide automated Standard System of Psychiatry, 151 patients who had attempted suicide were compared with 424 who had not and with 97 who had committed suicide. Much of the data was provided from relatives using an automated history. Compared with nonattempters, attempters were younger and more often female, depressed, assaultive, and had a family history of suicide. Actual suicides were more often male, better educated, and in general more resembled the attempters than nonattempters.
Genetic approaches to the study of aging.

Can mouse genetics teach us enough about the biology of aging to guide the search for anti-aging medicines that can delay late-life illness? Recent progress gives reason for optimism, with new data showing that changes in single genes can extend average and maximal life span by 40%. Mice with these genetic variants remain healthy, active, and cognitively intact at average ages that correspond to 110-120 years of human life span. Multiple lines of evidence now point to a hormone, IGF-I, as a key influence on life span, with low IGF-I levels associated with extended longevity in multiple model systems. The goal of this research is not gene therapy-we have no idea of what genes to change, how to change them, or what harm such changes might do-but instead to use insights from the cell biology and endocrinology of genetically long-lived mice and other species to help develop drugs that manipulate aging and thus postpone the many diseases and disabilities that are typically troublesome in old age. The complete conquest of cancer or heart disease would each lead to an increase of a mere ∼3% in mean life span in humans, i.e. about a tenth of what can be accomplished, today, in laboratory animals of delayed aging. In this context the paltry commitment to research in biological gerontology (six cents per $100 of NIH funding, for example) seems worth reconsideration.
Supplanting the ‘Minnesota’ prior: Forecasting macroeconomic time series using real business cycle model priors

Abstract Although general equilibrium models are in wide use in the theoretical macroeconomic literature, their empirical relevance is uncertain. We develop procedures for using dynamic general equilibrium models to aid in analyzing the observed time series relationships among macroeconomic variables. Our strategy is based on that developed by Doan, Litterman, and Sims (1984), who constructed a procedure for improving time series forecasts by shrinking vector autoregression coefficient estimates toward a prior view that vector time series are well-described as collections of independent random walks. In our case, the prior is derived from a fully-specified general equilibrium model. We demonstrate that, like the atheoretical random-walk priors, real business cycle model priors can aid in forecasting.
Range image segmentation using Zernike moment-based generalized edge detector

The authors proposed a novel Zernike moment-based generalized step edge detection method which can be used for segmenting range and intensity images. A generalized step edge detector is developed to identify different kinds of edges in range images. These edge maps are thinned and linked to provide final segmentation. A generalized edge is modeled in terms of five parameters: orientation, two slopes, one step jump at the location of the edge, and the background gray level. Two complex and two real Zernike moment-based masks are required to determine all these parameters of the edge model. Theoretical noise analysis is performed to show that these operators are quite noise tolerant. Experimental results are included to demonstrate edge-based segmentation technique. >
A 5.4-GHz high-Q tunable active-inductor bandpass filter in standard digital CMOS technology

A transistor-only CMOS active-inductor with an all-NMOS signal path is presented. By tuning the varactor-augmented parasitic capacitance at the only internal node the circuit losses from submicron MOSFETs can be partially or fully compensated to permit realizing unlimited values of Q, with little frequency and no power-consumption penalties. Transistor-only second-order bandpass filters using the active inductor were built in the TSMC 0.18-μm CMOS process, and high filter Q was obtained by tuning the varactor. The highest center frequency measured was f 0 = 5.7 GHz for 0.2-μm gate lengths and the maximum repeatably measured Q was 665. Lower Qs can be obtained by reducing the capacitive compensation or by adjusting the circuit biasing. f 0 and Q are tunable via separate varactors. IIP 3 and input 1-dB compression point were simulated as 0.523 VPP and 0.128 VPP (?1.65 and ?13.9 dBm from a 50-? source) at 5.7 GHz with Q = 100 and midband gain equal 4.7 dB. For the same conditions, the output noise and noise figure (R S = 50 k?) were simulated to be 0.8 μV/Hz1/2 and 25.6 dB, respectively. The filter core occupies an area of 26.6 μm × 30 μm and dissipates 4.4 mW at 5.4 GHz from a 1.8-V power supply. As the circuits use only MOSFETs they are fully compatible with standard digital CMOS processes. f 0 statistics were obtained by measuring 40 chips at identical biasing condition.
Pharmacokinetics of combined intraperitoneal and incisional lidocaine in the dog following ovariohysterectomy

Topical application of local anesthetics provides safe analgesia following abdominal surgery in people. Conservative doses have been utilized to avoid toxicity. Toxic effects are proportional to amount of drug administered and the plasma concentration of the drug, allowing predictions of safety following pharmacokinetic studies. The maximum plasma level, the pharmacokinetics and the safety of lidocaine hydrochloride when administered by the combined intraperitoneal (8 mg/kg i.p. with epinephrine 1:400 000) and incisional (2 mg/kg with epinephrine 1:200 000) routes were studied in six mixed breed dogs following ovariohysterectomy. Rapid uptake of lidocaine produced a peak concentration of 1.45 +/- 0.36 microg/mL (mean +/- SD, range 0.80-1.86 microg/mL) by 0.37 +/- 0.26 h (range 0.11-0.81) after administration. The absorption half-life was 0.13 +/- 0.1 h. Plasma concentrations decreased rapidly and the elimination half-life was 1.17 +/- 0.11 h. No signs of toxicity were observed in these dogs in the 18 h following drug administration. The dose studied generated levels of lidocaine well below toxic.