cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Local Origins of National Rural Development Policy in China

Since the mid-1990s, the Chinese government has implemented administrative and fiscal reforms aimed at shifting political power upwards. For example, many township and village governments have either been eliminated or merged, county governments have taken over several functions that were previously handled at the lower-levels, personnel appointments in certain departments have become more centralized, and all local governments have become increasingly reliant on inter-governmental fiscal transfers to cover their operating and program expenses. Despite what appears to be a dramatic re-centralization of state power, local governments, especially municipal and county governments, continue to wield enormous influence with respect to development policymaking. This paper sheds light on the origins of rural development policy by examining the interactions of officials at different levels of government, as well as the interactions between local officials and villagers. This paper makes the argument that China’s current national policy framework for rural development, “Building a New Socialist Countryside” (NSC), has its origins in local experiments conducted in Ganzhou city, Jiangxi province. Based on fieldwork carried out in 2010, this study shows that Pan Yiyang, the Party Secretary of Ganzhou, was instrumental in shaping local, provincial and national ideas about the NSC. The paper then shows how the Ganzhou model was integrated into a broader, national-level policy agenda in 2004-2005. The Ganzhou model of rural development emphasizes village renovation (i.e. the improvement of village infrastructure, sanitation and housing) and the use of independent peasant councils within the village to implement government policies. Finally, the limitations of scaling up the Ganzhou model are discussed. In particular, those places carrying out village renovation programs without the cooperation and assistance of peasant councils have experienced negative and, in some cases, disastrous development outcomes, as local governments have forcibly consolidated rural housing into “modern” apartment style buildings and sold off “surplus” land for urban-industrial development. This case study of Ganzhou suggests that despite the growing power of the central government, local governments have the power to both shape national policy and to adapt it, sometimes negatively, to suit local interests and conditions.
Canonical and Variant Forms of Histone H3 Are Deposited onto the Human Cytomegalovirus Genome during Lytic and Latent Infections

Chromatin is the nucleoprotein complex that protects and compacts eukaryotic genomes. It is responsible for a large part of the epigenetic control of transcription. The genomes of DNA viruses such as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) are devoid of histones within virions but are chromatinized and epigenetically regulated following delivery to the host cell nucleus. How chromatin is initially assembled on viral genomes and which variant forms of the core histone proteins are deposited are incompletely understood. We monitored the deposition of both ectopically expressed and endogenous histones H3.1 and H3.2 (collectively, H3.1/2) and H3.3 during lytic and latent HCMV infections. Here, we show that they are deposited on HCMV genomes during lytic and latent infections, suggesting similar mechanisms of viral chromatin assembly during the different infection types and indicating that both canonical and variant core histones may be important modulators of infecting viral genomes. We further show that association of both H3.1/2 and H3.3 occurs independent of viral DNA synthesis or de novo viral gene expression, implicating cellular factors and/or virion components in the formation of chromatin on virion-delivered genomes during both lytic and latent infections. IMPORTANCE It is well established that infecting herpesvirus genomes are chromatinized upon entry into the host cell nucleus. Why or how this occurs is a mystery. It is important to know why they are chromatinized in order to better understand cellular pathogen recognition (DNA sensing) pathways and viral fate determinations (lytic or latent) and to anticipate how artificially modulating chromatinization may impact viral infections. It is important to know how the genomes are chromatinized in order to potentially modulate the process for therapeutic effect. Our work showing that HCMV genomes are loaded with canonical and variant H3 histones during both lytic and latent infections strengthens the hypothesis that chromatinization pathways are similar between the two infection types, implicates virion or cellular factors in this process, and exposes the possibility that histone variants, in addition to posttranslational modification, may impact viral gene expression. These revelations are important to understanding and intelligently intervening in herpesvirus infections.
Molecular Basis of Metachromatic Leukodystrophies

Arylsulfatase A alleles were analyzed in 68 patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy in the Department of Biochemistry II, Georg-August-Universitat Gottingen, Gosslerstr, Gottingen, Germany.
Single-Ventricle Outcomes After Neonatal Palliation of Severe Ebstein Anomaly With Modified Starnes Procedure

Background:We have previously shown that neonates in profound cardiogenic shock caused by a severe Ebstein anomaly can be successfully salvaged with fenestrated right ventricular exclusion and syst...
Simple Testicular Cyst Diagnosed Preoperatively by Ultrasound

While fluid collections within the scrotum are not uncommon, an uncomplicated cyst attached to or within the various components of the scrotum is unusual. We report a case of a rare simple cyst of the testicle, which was diagnosed accurately by preoperative ultrasound examination.
Using Organizational Social Networks to Predict Employee Engagement

Employee engagement (EE) has been shown to have important implications for the success of organizations. Most researchers have discussed employee engagement in terms of factors in a top-down, hierarchical model of the organization. However, there may also be contributing factors from an employee‟s intra-organizational social network. (IOSN). In this paper, we show that an employee‟s social network attributes can contribute to the prediction of engagement, primarily through centrality and homophily in a large, multinational company. Our research expands the range of theoretical factors that can predict employee engagement from a top-down vertical model to a mixed-factor horizontal model. We discuss how this work points toward a richer set of methods to predict engagement, as well as new ways of thinking about organizational networks.
The language functions of tipo in Argentine vernacular

Abstract This article provides a case study account of the language functions of tipo, which is a pragmatic feature of Argentine Spanish vernacular, as used by 10 young adult native speakers of the language (ages 18–25), in the context of oral face-to-face and synchronous technology-mediated written interactions with young adult Spanish L2 learners. An examination of naturally occurring and self-reported language awareness data suggests that tipo has acquired a wide array of pragmatic functions—it is a marker of hesitation, exemplification, reformulation, vagueness, and quoted speech. In its non-pragmatic marking uses, it can refer to an unspecified man, preface a hyponym, and be used to make a comparison. Participants’ usage patterns, in conjunction with their understanding of sociopragmatic variability in the use of tipo, are discussed as a direction for research in colloquial features of youth vernacular.
Access Control Encryption for General Policies from Standard Assumptions

Functional encryption enables fine-grained access to encrypted data. In many scenarios, however, it is important to control not only what users are allowed to read (as provided by traditional functional encryption), but also what users are allowed to send. Recently, Damgard et al. (TCC 2016) introduced a new cryptographic framework called access control encryption (ACE) for restricting information flow within a system in terms of both what users can read as well as what users can write. While a number of access control encryption schemes exist, they either rely on strong assumptions such as indistinguishability obfuscation or are restricted to simple families of access control policies.
Distributed energy storage allocation algorithm for early stage design

This paper presents a novel algorithm for representing the effects of an optimal energy scheduling system in early stage analyses of systems employing distributed energy storage. The algorithm was developed in the context of a framework for analysis of systems employing energy storage, which includes such considerations as: system topology; load buffering, leveling, and shedding; uncertainty; size, weight, and cost. The presented algorithm provides a means for computing an optimal schedule of energy resource allocation for power- and energy-constrained scenarios. Of particular interest, the algorithm considers the possibility to withhold available stored energy from lower priority loads in order to serve higher priority loads at a later time (in a given scenario). By contrast, other works have generally assumed that energy is allocated immediately when a power deficit would otherwise require load to be shed.
Image and Video Enhancement

This chapter considers algorithms to enhance photos and still images. High-dynamic range algorithms, for example, generate a composite image from several images at different exposures. These algorithms are increasingly available on cameras, but they are not part of the traditional imaging chain. Many of the algorithms here require substantially more computation than was the case for the methods of Chap. 3. In the next chapter, we will take this development a step further to look at algorithms that do not produce images at all—they analyze images to produce succinct descriptions.
Moral Bioenhancement for Social Welfare: Are Civic Institutions Ready?

Positive assessments of moral enhancement too often isolate intuitive notions about its benefits apart from the relevance of surrounding society or civic institutions. If moral bioenhancement should benefit both oneself and others, it cannot be conducted apart from the enhancement of local social conditions, or the preparedness of civic institutions. Neither of those considerations have been adequately incorporated into typical neuroethical assessments of ambitious plans for moral bioenhancement. Enhancing a person to be far less aggressive and violent than an average person, what we label as “civil enhancement,” seems to be quite moral, its real-world social consequences are hardly predictable. A hypothetical case about how the criminal justice system would treat an offender who already received civil enhancement serves to illustrate how civic institutions are unprepared for moral enhancement.
eFeed-Hungers.com: Mitigating global hunger crisis using next generation technologies

Abstract Hunger is a global crisis and impacting the world for a very long time. Significant efforts have been made in the past by various organizations employing various means to address this persisting problem. Despite this, it still remains far from being resolved. Recently, the United Nations has published a report on global hunger, which claims that the global food production is fairly enough to feed the entire world with a population of about 7.3 billion. However, a major quantity of the food grown is not channeled appropriately and effectively to reach the needy and thus gets wasted unfortunately. Using the advanced computer technologies, we devise and develop a web-based computational framework (eFeed-Hungers.com) that serves as a bridge between the food waste and the hunger to mitigate the hunger issue; the food waste is the excess, unused, edible food, which otherwise is destined to the dumpster unfortunately. The eFeed-Hungers.com encourages and assists the food waste donation announcements with the least minimal efforts with the best possible outreach. Through the eFeed-Hungers.com, the food donations are globally searchable by the needy, with enough additional information imparted for quick decisions making to fetch the appropriate donated food. The eFeed-Hungers.com is envisioned to be a fully functional organization eventually with global outreach.
The usefulness of cone-beam computed tomography gray values for alveolar bone linear measurements

ABSTRACT Objectives: To test a proof-of-concept that the accuracy and reliability of alveolar bone height measurements from orthodontic grade (large field-of-view [FOV], large voxel-size) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images may be improved by using pixel gray values. Materials and Methods: Twenty fresh cadaver pig heads underwent CBCT scans (17 × 23 cm FOV, 0.4-mm voxel size). Buccal alveolar bone heights of maxillary first molars were measured using the conventional vision-based (VB) and the proposed gray value–assisted (GVA) methods. The GVA methods entailed localization of landmarks through observation of gray value pattern changes across tissue boundaries followed by mathematical calculation of distances between landmark pixels. Interrater reliability and accuracy of CBCT measurements made by all methods were statistically analyzed by comparing with physical measurements (gold standards). Results: The interrater reliability of CBCT measurements made by GVA methods was comparable to physical me...
Evidence for Jahn-Teller compression in the (Mg, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn)O entropy-stabilized oxide: A DFT study

Abstract The local atomic configuration and the electronic structure of the octahedral Cu2+ centers in the entropy-stabilized oxides (ESOs), (MgCoNiZn)1−xCuxO (x = 0.13, 0.2, 0,.26), have been investigated using density functional theory. The calculated Cu–O bond lengths combined with the analysis of the electronic density of states indicate that ∼10% of the CuO6 octahedra in ESOs undergo Jahn-Teller (JT) compression. This unexpected behavior is likely related to the structural constraints imposed by the rocksalt lattice and reflects the competition between the regular octahedral environment preferred by the cations in the system and the JT distortion imposed by the Cu-centers. The orientation of the distortions appears to be random, in agreement with recent experimental results.
Management of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders

The post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms that are one of the most serious complications of bone marrow and solid organ transplants. Because these disorders are rare, there are no randomized trials from which to derive optimal treatment. Management can be challenging and must balance the goal of PTLD eradication with the risks of graft rejection, graft-versus-host disease, further delays in immune reconstitution and life-threatening infections, among others. This paper will provide a comprehensive review of PTLD following solid organ transplant and haematopoietic stem cell transplant with a focus on management. Included is a discussion of novel agents that are being studied in clinical trials and, when combined or sequenced with conventional therapy, have the potential to improve outcomes.
Telehealth and peritoneal dialysis in the US: outcomes in practice

Starting 1 January 2019, home dialysis patients in the US may choose to receive their monthly end-stage kidney disease clinical assessments via telehealth. In preparation for these changes, certain...
Minority Patients are Less Likely to Undergo Withdrawal of Care After Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Prior studies of patients in the intensive care unit have suggested racial/ethnic variation in end-of-life decision making. We sought to evaluate whether race/ethnicity modifies the implementation of comfort measures only status (CMOs) in patients with spontaneous, non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We analyzed data from the Ethnic/Racial Variations of Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ERICH) study, a prospective cohort study specifically designed to enroll equal numbers of white, black, and Hispanic subjects. ICH patients aged ≥ 18 years were enrolled in ERICH at 42 hospitals in the USA from 2010 to 2015. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were implemented to evaluate the association between race/ethnicity and CMOs after adjustment for potential confounders. A total of 2705 ICH cases (912 black, 893 Hispanic, 900 white) were included in this study (mean age 62 [SD 14], female sex 1119 [41%]). CMOs patients comprised 276 (10%) of the entire cohort; of these, 64 (7%) were black, 79 (9%) Hispanic, and 133 (15%) white (univariate p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, compared to whites, blacks were half as likely to be made CMOs (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.34–0.75; p = 0.001), and no statistically significant difference was observed for Hispanics. All three racial/ethnic groups had similar mortality rates at discharge (whites 12%, blacks 9%, and Hispanics 10%; p = 0.108). Other factors independently associated with CMOs included age (p < 0.001), premorbid modified Rankin Scale (p < 0.001), dementia (p = 0.008), admission Glasgow Coma Scale (p = 0.009), hematoma volume (p < 0.001), intraventricular hematoma volume (p < 0.001), lobar (p = 0.032) and brainstem (p < 0.001) location and endotracheal intubation (p < 0.001). In ICH, black patients are less likely than white patients to have CMOs. However, in-hospital mortality is similar across all racial/ethnic groups. Further investigation is warranted to better understand the causes and implications of racial disparities in CMO decisions.
Effects of PV transformer energization on power quality

The penetration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) continues to blur the boundary between the tradition ally held definitions of transmission and distribution systems. Increasingly, DERs are being connected at the sub-transmission and distribution voltage levels. As is the case with any new technology, the proliferation of such generation resources has led to certain unforeseen outcomes. This paper examines the effect on the power system (with regards to power quality), of the transformers that are being used to integrate DERs to the system. Two case studies from two different utilities in the United States, pertaining to Solar PV transformer energization are presented. One case study pertains to transformer energization and system unbalance leading to harmonic resonance issues while the other shows distortion around the zero crossing of the voltage caused by ringing during energization of PV transformers connected to solar inverters. A third, simulation case study examines PV transformer energization that excites resonance in systems containing transmission cables. Detailed analyses of the phenomena, underlying causes and mitigation techniques are presented. Finally, shortcomings with respect to modeling techniques and lessons learned in the process have been described. The paper closes with a description of future research avenues and expected work with regards to Power Quality in this field.
Stochastic Optimal Power Flow Under Forecast Errors and Failures in Communication

Communication networks play an important role in the operation and control of power grids. The integration of intermittent and stochastic renewable energy sources into the electricity system increases the criticality of these communications systems to maintain the reliability of the overall power network. Communication networks are employed to continually update system operators about the status of generators and loads in the system, as well as other key information. We present a stochastic optimal power flow formulation where we account for errors in forecasting future load and renewable generation while also considering random failures in the communication network employed to communicate the realized values of the quantities for which we have forecasts. The communication network is also assumed to be employed for the control of loads and generators in the power system. Thus, a failure to communicate between the grid operator and entities in the power grid can also result in the loss of controllability for any such entity. We illustrate the utility of our model by presenting results that identify the optimal topology for a communication network supporting the operation of an IEEE standard 9-bus system. We also discuss several properties regarding the identified optimal topologies.
Paraneoplastic syndromes causing movement disorders

Paraneoplastic neurological disorders are an extensive group of neurological syndromes that occur in patients with cancer and often present before the presence of an underlying tumor is known. Many of these disorders appear to be immune-mediated, with targets throughout the nervous system, including basal ganglia and brainstem, in which case they may result in movement disorders. Recent descriptions of new immune-mediated encephalitides in children and adults have substantially increased the number of patients with paraneoplastic movement disorders. There are several key concepts that assist in the identification of a movement disorder as likely paraneoplastic, including a rapid onset, the presence of cerebrospinal fluid inflammatory changes, and in some patients the identification of specific serum and cerebrospinal fluid antineuronal antibodies. Once identified, prompt diagnosis and treatment of the tumor can result in neurological symptom improvement or stabilization, although some patients may require immunotherapy only. Understanding the natural course of each immune-mediated paraneoplastic movement disorder minimizes unnecessary testing and the use of potentially toxic therapies.
A new CubeSat design with reconfigurable multi-band radios for dynamic spectrum satellite communication networks

Abstract Small satellites, or CubeSats, are envisioned as a promising solution for future satellite communication networks because of their low costs and short deployment cycle. Currently, CubeSats communicate at conventionally allocated satellite communication frequencies. However, with the increase in the number of CubeSats, CubeSat-enabled communication systems, and many new use cases, new spectrum bands and a more efficient spectrum usage are needed. In this paper, a novel CubeSat design with reconfigurable multi-band radios for communication in dynamic frequencies is proposed.The multi-band radio design is realized by two complementary approaches, namely, an electronics-based and a photonics-based approach. The multi-band communication covers a wide range from radio frequencies (2–30 GHz), millimeter wave (30–300 GHz), Terahertz band (up to 10 THz), and optical frequencies (with typical bands of 850 nm/350 THz, 1300 nm/230 THz, and 1550 nm/193 THz). A thorough link budget analysis is conducted to demonstrate the potential of the proposed multi-band architecture for space information networks. Key parameters in the satellite constellation design are investigated to explore the feasibility of deployment at different altitudes in the exosphere orbit (500 km and above). A continuous global coverage is demonstrated to serve the Internet of Space Things, a new paradigm for next generation satellite communication networks.
Impact of photographer experience and number of images on telecytology accuracy

BACKGROUND Studies evaluating the potential impact of photographer experience or the number of images evaluated using the "store-and-forward" method of telecytology are not reported. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine the diagnostic sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of static telecytology when images were taken by experienced and inexperienced cytologists and when the number of images taken varied. Clinical agreement between the diagnoses was compared. METHODS Fifty archived cytology cases were randomly chosen. A board-certified clinical pathologist and a recent veterinary graduate took five images of each case. A third pathologist made a preliminary diagnosis after reviewing two images, and a final diagnosis after reviewing all images. The gold standard for comparison was the glass slide cytologic diagnosis. RESULTS Se and Sp were higher for the experienced cytologist and the evaluation of more images, but differences were not statistically significant. Clinical agreement between the image and glass slide diagnoses was significantly higher when images were taken by an experienced rather than inexperienced cytologist after the evaluation of two (P = .007) and five images (P = .008). The telecytology diagnoses agreed with the gold standard diagnoses more frequently after evaluation of five images rather than two when images were captured by both the experienced (P < .001) and inexperienced cytologist (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS There is more clinical agreement when the photographer has more cytology experience and when more images are provided for interpretation.
Black Deaths Matter: The Race-of-Victim Effect and Capital Punishment

The racial dimensions of the death penalty are well-documented. Many observers assume this state of affairs derives from bias—often implicit and occasionally explicit—against black defendants in particular. Research points to an even more alarming factor. The race of the victim, not the defendant, steers cases in the direction of death. Regardless of the perpetrator’s race, those who kill whites are more likely to face capital charges, receive a death sentence, and die by execution than those who murder blacks. This short Essay adds a contemporary gloss to the race-of-victim effect literature, placing it in the context of the Black Lives Matter movement and showing how it relates to the broader, systemic devaluation of African-American lives.
Did Nero Fiddle While Rome Burned? Why “Being There” Is Essential to Leadership

History fascinates me because it is frequently stranger than fiction. It’s also an epic drama that keeps recycling the same cast of characters to different places and times. Certain aspects of human relationships, such as the relationship between leaders and followers, do not change much. The description of Nero “fiddling” while Rome burned is not just a peculiar story about a leader. It is a story that became an expression we use to describe leaders who are inattentive or uncaring. I got to wondering what is was about this story that made it into a shorthand for a type of leader behavior. Moreover, what could this story tell us about the moral expectations that followers have of their leaders in times of crisis? So, I began researching the Nero story and how the expression came to us through history. I then looked at contemporary cases where, like Nero, leaders were in the wrong place and/or doing the wrong thing in a time of crisis. Through the story of Nero, this paper illustrates how the physical location of a leader in a crisis affects followers’ perceptions about whether the leader cares about them.
Source Identification of Nutrient Impairment in North Biscayne Bay, Florida, USA

AbstractThe limiting nutrient in North Biscayne Bay identified using the Redfield ratio does not correspond to a significant quantitative relation between measured concentrations of the identified ...
Platelet Transfusion After Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage in Patients on Antiplatelet Agents

Abstract Background With an aging population, the number of patients on antiplatelet medications and traumatic brain injury (TBI) is increasing. Our study aimed to evaluate the role of platelet transfusion on outcomes after traumatic intracranial bleeding (IB) in these patients. Methods We analyzed our prospectively maintained TBI database from 2014 to 2016. We included all isolated TBI patients with an IB, who were on preinjury antiplatelet agents and excluded patients taking anticoagulants. Outcome measures included the progression of IB, neurosurgical intervention, and mortality. Regression analysis was performed. Results A total of 343 patients met the inclusion criteria. Mean age was 58 ± 11 y, 58% were men, and median injury severity score was 15 (10-24). Distribution of antiplatelet agents was as follows: aspirin (60%) and clopidogrel (35%). Overall, 74% patients received platelet transfusion after admission with a median number of two platelet units. After controlling for confounders, patients who received one unit of pooled platelets had no difference in progression of IB (odds ratio [OR]: 0.98, [0.6-1.9], P = 0.41), need for neurosurgical intervention (OR: 1.09, [0.7-2.5], P = 0.53), and mortality (OR: 0.84, [0.6-1.8], P = 0.51). However, patients who received two units of pooled platelets had lower rate of progression of IB (OR: 0.69, [0.4-0.8], P = 0.02), the need for neurosurgical intervention (OR: 0.81, [0.3-0.9], P = 0.03), and mortality (OR: 0.84, [0.5-0.9], P = 0.04). Both groups were compared with those who did not receive platelet transfusion. Conclusions The use of two units of platelet may decrease the risk of IB progression, neurosurgical intervention, and mortality in patients on preinjury antiplatelet agents and TBI. Further studies should focus on developing protocols for platelet transfusion to improve outcomes in these patients. Level of evidence Level III prognostic.
Nonintrusive measurement of time-resolved emittances of 1-GeV operational hydrogen ion beam using a laser comb

We proposed and demonstrated a novel technique to measure time-resolved transverse emittances of the hydrogen ion (${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) beam in a 1-GeV high-power accelerator. The measurement is performed in a nonintrusive manner by using a laser comb---laser pulses with controllable multilayer temporal structure. The technique has been applied to the transverse emittance measurement of a 1-GeV ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ beam in the Spallation Neutron Source high energy beam transport line. More than 20 time-resolved emittances have been simultaneously determined within a macropulse, a single minipulse, or a single bunch of the 1.4-MW neutron production ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ beam from a single measurement.
Equivalent Circuit Models for Closed-loop Multiphysics Drive Systems

Power electronics drives are complex systems with coupled dynamical phenomena across electrical, control, and mechanical domains. This mix of heterogeneous subsystems obscures straightforward analysis, intuition, and design from an integrated system perspective. In this paper, we first show that each of these subsystems can be converted into an equivalent circuit. Leveraging the universality of energy, we stitch together a unified model where the closed-loop drive system is drawn as a single equivalent circuit. Focusing on permanent magnet synchronous machines with rotor saliency, drive control action is depicted as an RLC circuit, torques from d and q axis stator currents appear as current flows, electromechanical energy conversion is portrayed using an ideal transformer, inertia mimics capacitive storage, and the drivetrain also appears as a circuit. A simulation is provided where an end-to-end closed-loop electric vehicle system is modeled entirely as a circuit.
Vowel identification and goodness based on level of formant detail

Neel (2004) asked how much time-varying formant detail is needed for vowel identification. In that study, starting with vowel recordings from one male speaker and one female speaker, multiple stimuli were synthesized for each vowel: 1-point (monophthongal with midpoint values), 2-point (linear from onset to offset), 3-point, 5-point, and 11-point. Results suggested that a 3-point model was optimal. The present study partially replicates Neel (2004) but draws from more robust phonetic sources (Jacewicz et al., 2011; Hillenbrand et al., 1995). Eight English monophthongs were chosen for synthesis. 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-point stimuli were created as described above, and another 1-point stimulus was created with onset values rather than midpoint values. These 40 stimuli were used in two studies (n = 18 for each). First was a vowel identification task, where the ten choices were [hVd] words with the chosen vowels (heed, hid, etc.). Second was a goodness rating task with a 7-point Likert scale, where participants were played a vowel stimulus while being shown the orthographic [hVd] word containing that vowel. The results of neither study showed improvements beyond 2-point stimuli, in contrast to the previous finding of 3-point stimuli as optimal.
Intro and Recap Detection for Movies and TV Series

Modern video streaming service companies offer millions of video-titles for its customers. A lot of these titles have repetitive introductory and recap parts in the beginning that customers have to manually skip in order to achieve an uninterrupted viewing experience. To avoid this unnecessary friction, some of the services have recently added "skip-intro" and "skip-recap" buttons to their video players before the intro and recap parts start. To efficiently scale this experience to their entire catalogs, it is important to automate the process of finding the intro and recap portions of titles. In this work, we pose intro and recap detection as a supervised sequence labeling problem and propose a novel end-to-end deep learning framework to this end. Specifically, we use CNNs to extract both visual and audio features from videos, and fuse these features using a B-LSTM in order to capture the various long and short term dependencies among different frame-features over time. Finally, we use a CRF to jointly optimize the sequence labeling for the intro and recap parts of the titles. We present a thorough empirical analysis of our model compared to several other deep learning based architectures and demonstrate the superior performance of our approach.
Identifying New Pathways and Targets for Wound Healing and Therapeutics from Natural Sources.

Chronic wounds remain a significant public problem and the development of wound treatments has been a research focus for the past few decades. Despite advances in the products derived from endogenous substances involved in a wound healing process (e.g. growth factors, stem cells, and extracellular matrix), effective and safe wound therapeutics are still limited. There is an unmet need to develop new therapeutics. Various new pathways and targets have been identified and could become a molecular target in designing novel wound agents. Importantly, many existing drugs that target these newly identified pathways could be repositioned for wound therapy, which will facilitate fast translation of research findings to clinical applications. This review discusses the newly identified pathways/targets and their potential uses in the development of wound therapeutics. Some herbs and amphibian skins have been traditionally used for wound repairs and their active ingredients have been found to act in these new pathways. Hence, screening these natural products for novel wound therapeutics remains a viable approach. The outcomes of wound care using natural wound therapeutics could be improved if we can better understand their cellular and molecular mechanisms and fabricate them in appropriate formulations, such as using novel wound dressings and nano-engineered materials. Therefore, we also provide an update on the advances in the wound therapeutics from natural sources. Overall, this review offers new insights into novel wound therapeutics.
Regional variations and relationships among cytokine profiles, white blood cell counts, and blood mercury concentrations in Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups

The Steller sea lion (SSL) population west of 144°W longitude experienced a significant population decline. While there appears to be a stable or increasing population trend in rookeries in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Southeast Alaska (SEA), some rookeries within the Aleutian Islands (AI) have failed to recover. Previous studies found regional differences in whole blood total mercury concentrations ([THg]) showing more than 20% of AI pups had [THg] above critical thresholds for increased risk of immunological effects and other adverse outcomes. Measurements of immune cell-signaling proteins can be used to evaluate the immune status of marine mammals in relation to [THg]. We compared serum cytokine and chemokine concentrations in pups among regions (AI, eastern GOA, SEA), and examined associations among cytokines, chemokines, white blood cell (WBC) counts, and [THg]. Considering liver is an important target organ for mercury and immune protein synthesis we additionally examined the relationship of [THg] with liver-related enzymes serum aspartate (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). We observed regional differences in cytokine and chemokine measurements and immune protein associations. There was a positive association between total WBC counts and [THg] in AI pups, whereas a negative association between lymphocytes and [THg] in SEA pups. These findings may indicate regional variation in proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells, differences in immune system development, and/or a difference in antigenic stimuli. No associations between [THg] and cytokines, chemokines, AST or ALT were found. Observed regional differences in cytokine and chemokine milieu during gestational and early development in SSL pups could lead to an imbalance in cell differentiation that could impact immunological resiliency in juvenile and adult life stages. We report concentration ranges of a suite of cytokines and chemokines which may prove to be a useful metric for ecotoxicology and risk assessment studies in SSLs and other wildlife.
Is Transracial Adoption in the Best Interests of Ethnic Minority Children?: Questions Concerning Legal and Scientific Interpretations of a Child's Best Interests.

ABSTRACT In the past two decades a growing body of empirical research has purported to demonstrate that transracial adoption does not negatively impact, and may positively benefit, children of color, particularly Black children. This manuscript critically examines the studies purporting to establish this conclusion. It is argued that several methodological difficulties exist in these studies. In addition, both legal and scientific assessments of children's well-being define adjustment and maladjustment according to Eurocentric norms that define individual well-being in isolation from the well-being of one's racial or ethnic group. It is suggested that further research is necessary, most notably research that takes an Africentric approach, in order to establish that transracial adoption serves the best interests of Black and other ethnic minority children.
High hydrostatic pressure treatment of finfish to inactivate Anisakis simplex

High hydrostatic pressure has been demonstrated to be a useful technique for treating food to reduce the number of pathogenic organisms and to extend shelf life. Most research in this area has focused on bacteria. However, a concern in the sashimi (raw fish) industry is that nematode worms such as Anisakis simplex occur naturally in cold-water marine fish. The objectives of this research were to perform a pilot study to determine the effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the viability of Anisakis simplex larvae, commonly found in king salmon and arrowtooth flounder, and to evaluate the effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the color and texture of the fish fillets. Pieces of fish (ca. 100 g per bag) containing 13 to 118 larvae were exposed to pressures of up to 80,000 lb/in2 (552 MPa) for up to 180 s. The times and pressures required to kill 100% of the larvae were as follows: 30 to 60 s at 60,000 lb/in2 (414 MPa), 90 to 180 s at 40,000 lb/in2 (276 MPa), and 180 s at 30,000 lb/in2 (207 MPa). For all salmon treatments that killed 100% of the larvae, a significant increase in the whiteness of the flesh was observed. Although high hydrostatic pressure was effective in killing A. simplex larvae in raw fish fillets, its significant effect on the color and overall appearance of the fillet may limit its application to the processing of fish for raw-fish markets.
Management of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease represents the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. Current estimates suggest that nearly 50% of those over age 85 years have the disorder. Many gaps still exist in our understanding of its etiology and management. Scientific discoveries that once seemed to promise effective treatments have not lived up to our expectations. There are, however, many therapeutic interventions (environmental and pharmacologic) that can greatly enhance the quality of the lives of patients with Alzheimer's disease and that of their families.
Extracellular matrix (mesoglea) of Hydra vulgaris. II. Influence of collagen and proteoglycan components on head regeneration.

Abstract Hydra are characterized by having their body wall organized as an epithelial bilayer with an intervening acellular layer termed the mesoglea. As an extension of the previous study which indicated that mesoglea is a primitive basement membrane which has retained some characteristics of interstitial extracellular matrix, the present study was undertaken to analyze the role of mesoglea components during head regeneration in Hydra vulgaris. Studies were conducted that utilized drugs that affect collagen processing or secondary collagen structure (β-aminoproprionitrile; 2,2′-dipydridyl; and cis-4-hydroxy- l -proline) and a drug that inhibits addition of glycosaminoglycan chains to proteoglycan core proteins (p-nitrophenyl-β- d -xylopyranoside). These studies indicated that alternations in the structure of collagens or proteoglycans caused blockage of head regeneration in Hydra as monitored over a 48-hr period. Blockage of head regeneration was reversible once the drugs were removed, indicating that the drugs were not having a general toxic effect on the organism. Radiotracer studies also indicated that blockage of head regeneration was not simply due to a general depression of protein synthesis by the drugs. Various controls indicated that each drug was affecting mesoglea components under the conditions utilized in these studies. These observations indicate that preservation of normal mesoglea structure is required for Hydra head regeneration to proceed.
The Role of Literature in Reading Achievement

ince the report Becoming a Nation of Readers (Anderson et al. 1985), the relationship between the amount of time elementary school students spend reading and their level of reading achievement continues to generate interest. The findings of this report strongly suggest that school reading programs should give greater priority to time spent on actual reading throughout the school day. Equally important is the acknowledgement of a relationship between students' time spent reading outside of school and their reading achievement (Anderson, Wilson, and Fielding 1988). Time spent reading books is closely associated with the measure of a child's status as a reader. Reading books has been found to be "a cause, not merely a reflection of reading proficiency" (35). The gradual effect of these reports has been to shift the focus of elementary reading programs away from a traditional basal reader program toward a literature-based approach, using quality children's literature as the basis of a sound reading curriculum (Cullinan 1987). In response to this research, teachers have encouraged more reading not only within their reading programs but also during freetime activity. Sustained silent reading, reading incentive programs, and reading aloud are activities that have reappeared in elementary classrooms in an attempt to influence reading habits both inside and outside of school.
A structural equation model of turnover for a longitudinal survey among early career registered nurses

Abstract Background Key predictors of early career nurses' turnover are job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job search, intent to stay, and shock (back injuries) based on the literature review and our previous research. Existing research has often omitted one of these key predictors. Objectives The purpose of this study in a sample of early career nurses was to compare predictors of turnover to nurses' actual turnover at two time points in their careers. Design A multi-state longitudinal panel survey of early career nurses was used to compare a turnover model across two time periods. The sample has been surveyed five times. Participants: The sample was selected using a two-stage sample of registered nurses nested in 51 metropolitan areas and nine non-metropolitan, rural areas in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Methods The associations between key predictors of turnover were tested using structural equation modeling and data from the earliest and latest panels in our study. We used predictors from the respondents who replied to the Wave-1 survey in 2006 and their turnover status from Wave 2 in 2007 ( N =2386). We compared these results to the remaining respondents' predictors from Wave 4 in 2011 and their turnover status in Wave 5 in 2013 ( N =1073). We tested and found no effect for missingness from Wave 1–5 and little evidence of attrition bias. Results Strong support was found for the relationships hypothesized among job satisfaction, organizational commitment, intent to stay, and turnover, with some support for shock and search in the Wave 1–2 sample. However, for Wave 4–5 sample ( n =1073), none of the paths through search were significant, nor was the path from shock to turnover. Conclusions Nurses in the second analysis who had matured longer in their career did not have a significant response to search or shock (back injuries), which may indicate how easily experienced registered nurses find new jobs and/or accommodation to jobs requiring significant physicality. Nurse turnover is a major concern for healthcare organizations because of its costs and related outcomes. The relevant strength and relationships of these key turnover predictors will be informative to employers for prioritizing strategies to retain their registered nurse workforce. We need more research on programs that implement changes in the work environment that impact these two outcomes, as well as research that focuses on the relevant strength or impact to help administrators prioritize translation of results.
Methylation-dependent and independent regulatory regions in the Na,K-ATPase alpha4 (Atp1a4) gene may impact its testis-specific expression

The α4 Na,K-ATPase is a sperm-specific protein essential for sperm motility and fertility yet little is known about the mechanisms that regulate its expression in germ cells. Here, the potential involvement of DNA methylation in regulating the expression of this sperm-specific protein is explored. A single, intragenic CpG island (Mα4-CGI) was identified in the gene encoding the mouse α4 Na,K-ATPase (Atp1a4), which displayed reduced methylation in mouse sperm (cells that contain α4) compared to mouse kidney (tissue that lacks α4 expression). Unlike the intragenic CGI, the putative promoter (the -700 to +200 region relative to the transcriptional start site) of Atp1a4 did not show differential methylation between kidney and sperm nevertheless it did drive methylation-dependent reporter gene expression in the male germ cell line GC-1spg. Furthermore, treatment of GC-1spg cells with 5-aza2-deoxycytidine led to upregulation of the α4 transcript and decreased methylation of both the Atp1a4 promoter and the Mα4-CGI. In addition, Atp1a4 expression in mouse embryonic stem cells deficient in DNA methyltransferases suggests that both maintenance and de novo methylation are involved in regulating its expression. In an attempt to define the regulatory function of the Mα4-CGI, possible roles of the Mα4-CGI in regulating Atp1a4 expression via methylation-dependent transcriptional elongation inhibition in somatic cells and via its ability to repress promoter activity in germ cells were uncovered. In all, our data suggests that both the promoter and the intragenic CGI could combine to provide multiple modes of regulation for optimizing the Atp1a4 expression level in a cell type-specific manner.