cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneity and scale of sustainable development in cities

Rapid worldwide urbanization is at once the main cause and, potentially, the main solution to global sustainable development challenges. The growth of cities is typically associated with increases in socioeconomic productivity, but it also creates strong inequalities. Despite a growing body of evidence characterizing these heterogeneities in developed urban areas, not much is known systematically about their most extreme forms in developing cities and their consequences for sustainability. Here, we characterize the general patterns of income and access to services in a large number of developing cities, with an emphasis on an extensive, high-resolution analysis of the urban areas of Brazil and South Africa. We use detailed census data to construct sustainable development indices in hundreds of thousands of neighborhoods and show that their statistics are scale-dependent and point to the critical role of large cities in creating higher average incomes and greater access to services within their national context. We then quantify the general statistical trajectory toward universal basic service provision at different scales to show that it is characterized by varying levels of inequality, with initial increases in access being typically accompanied by growing disparities over characteristic spatial scales. These results demonstrate how extensions of these methods to other goals and data can be used over time and space to produce a simple but general quantitative assessment of progress toward internationally agreed sustainable development goals.
The Gender Gap in Financial Outcomes: The Impact of Medical Payments

In this report, the JPMorgan Chase Institute compares the financial outcomes of accounts held by women versus men and examines changes in these outcomes that result from an extraordinary medical payment. The JPMorgan Chase Institute assembled a de-identified data asset of roughly 210,000 de-identified Chase checking account customers between 2013 and 2015, for whom we could infer gender and categorize at least 80 percent of expenses. We organize our results into five findings. First, we find that while most primary account holders were men (54 percent), low-income primary account holders were more likely to be women. Second, there was a gender gap in financial outcomes — women exhibited roughly 20 percent lower levels of income, spending, and liquid assets, and slightly higher credit card debt burden than men. Third, across both men and women, roughly one in six account holders made an extraordinary medical payment in any given year, but these payments represented a higher fraction of monthly take-home income for women than for men. As in the JPMorgan Chase Institute general population, women who made an extraordinary medical payment were in a weaker financial position than men to withstand such a payment. Fourth, immediately before making an extraordinary medical payment, women exhibited a larger increase in liquid assets relative to men, suggesting that they were more likely than men to delay a medical payment until they were able to pay. Finally, a year after the extraordinary medical payment, the gender gap in financial outcomes had worsened, leaving women with significantly more revolving credit card debt than men. These findings underscore the importance of efforts to address the gender gap in financial outcomes and reduce debt burdens for women. In addition, extraordinary medical payments have negative impacts on financial outcomes, and this is especially true for women.
Genomic Analysis of Childhood Brain Tumors: Methods for Genome-Wide Discovery and Precision Medicine Become Mainstream.

Recent breakthroughs in next-generation sequencing technology and complementary genomic platforms have transformed our capacity to interrogate the molecular landscapes of human cancers, including childhood brain tumors. Numerous high-throughput genomic studies have been reported for the major histologic brain tumor entities diagnosed in children, including interrogations at the level of the genome, epigenome, and transcriptome, many of which have yielded essential new insights into disease biology. The nature of these discoveries has been largely platform dependent, exemplifying the usefulness of applying different genomic and computational strategies, or integrative approaches, to address specific biologic and/or clinical questions. The goal of this article is to summarize the spectrum of molecular profiling methods available for investigating genomic aspects of childhood brain tumors in both the research and the clinical setting. We provide an overview of the main next-generation sequencing and array-ba...
Plenary Lecture: Ion Microscopy and Surface Analysis

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) can be used for microspot or localized analysis, surface analysis, and depth analysis. Ion microscopy, a microanalytical method based on SIMS, is described and some of its unique features for the study of nonhomogeneous solid surfaces are discussed. The direct imaging capability of the method for the examination of the distribution and association of chemical species in the surface with high spatial resolution is emphasized.
Explaining How Activists Problematize Firms’ Practices

We examine how activists use rhetoric to convince managers that their firms’ practices constitute inappropriate behaviors, or, more basically, how activists use rhetoric to problematize firms’ prac...
Characterising Pre-pubertal Resistance to Death from Endotoxemia

Sepsis is a common and deadly syndrome in which a dysregulated host response to infection causes organ failure and death. The current lack of treatment options suggests that a new approach to studying sepsis is needed. Pre-pubertal children show a relative resistance to death from severe infections and sepsis. To explore this phenomenon experimentally, we used an endotoxemia model of sepsis in mice. Following intra-peritoneal injection of endotoxin, pre-pubertal mice showed greater survival than post-pubertal mice (76.3% vs. 28.6%), despite exhibiting a similar degree of inflammation after two hours. Age-associated differences in the inflammatory response only became evident at twenty hours, when post-pubertal mice showed prolonged elevation of serum cytokines and differential recruitment of peritoneal immune cells. Mechanistically, prevention of puberty by hormonal blockade or acceleration of puberty by oestrogen treatment led to increased or decreased survival from endotoxemia, respectively. Additionally, the adoptive transfer of pre-pubertal peritoneal cells improved the survival of post-pubertal recipient mice, while post-pubertal peritoneal cells or vehicle did not. These data establish a model for studying childhood resistance to mortality from endotoxemia, demonstrate that oestrogen is responsible for an increased susceptibility to mortality after puberty, and identify peritoneal cells as mediators of pre-pubertal resistance.
Understanding the Conflicts between R&D and Other Groups

(1975). Understanding the Conflicts between R&D and Other Groups. Research Management: Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 16-21.
Cost and Quality in Packet Switched Networks

The notion of quality is an important factor in the design of any complex communication system. Since communication systems are increasingly dependent on packet switching as the underlying transport mechanism, this chapter explores the impact of levels of quality that a packet switched system can provide on cost. Several interesting results are presented that result in the notion of an optimum level of load that a packet switched system can handle given a defined upper bound on latency that a specified percentage of packets would suffer. The results presented offer a fresh insight into the relationship between cost and quality and they can be used to optimize the throughput of a packet switched system under specified levels of quality. The contents of this chapter have been published in [103] and are reproduced with permission.
Burke Joanne, dir. When African Americans Came to Paris . 2012. Six films, 4–8 minutes each. English. New York. Blue Lion Films. $100.00.

Joanne Burke, dir. When African Americans Came to Paris. 2012. Six films, 4-8 minutes each. English. New York. Blue Lion Films. $100.00.When African Americans Came to Paris, by the award-winning documentarian Joanne Burke, gives viewers a glimpse into the lives of several African American figures who sought opportunities in Paris during the Jim Crow era in the United States. The DVD consists of six videos that intersperse archival film footage from Paris at the time and photos from and about the subjects of each section. Each section also features commentaries from various scholars. In the end, the viewer comes away with a brief introduction to several important historical and cultural figures.The first video, 'W.E.B. DuBois and the 1900 Paris Exposition," focuses on Du Bois's exhibition of African American life in the Universal Exposition of Paris in 1900. Called "The Exhibit of the American Negro," the show, which was very popular among the visitors to the exposition, included hundreds of photos of urbanized, educated African Americans in the South only thirty-five years after the abolition of slavery. The video discusses how the exhibit, although shut out of the official U.S. pavilion, was able to be viewed a short distance away thanks to the efforts of Du Bois and his crew to find an alternative space.The second video, "Henry Ossawa Tanner: An Artist in Exile," tells the story of the artist whose famous painting "The Banjo Lesson" is known the world over. Scholarly commentary is interspersed with images of Tanner's work and a voiceover that describes the obstacles and physical violence that he faced in the United States because of racial prejudice. It is contrasted with the freedom he found in Paris and the accolades that he received as he neared the end of his life.The third video discusses the 369th Infantry Regiment, a black army unit that fought in France in World War I. Although American blacks who enlisted in the army did so out of a sense of patriotism, the white-run army employed them mainly as manual laborers. It was only when France became desperate for Fighters that black men were allowed into combat. Once allowed onto the battlefield they spent more time at the frontlines than any other American outfit and fought so fiercely that the Germans gave them the nickname "Hellfighters." Nevertheless, when they returned home they faced an increase in bigotry and violence.The fourth video takes as its subject Lt. James Reese Europe, a little known American musician and war hero who was the first African American officer to lead troops in combat in World War I. He was also New York's leading black orchestra conductor, who regularly performed at Carnegie Hall, and a businessman who organized small bands. He and his band performed internationally and made several musical recordings. Though a rising star, his life was tragically cut short at the age of thirty-nine. …
The Two Dimensional Case

As the spaces \(\mathbb{F}_k (\mathbb{R}^2 )\) and \(\mathbb{F}_k (S^2 )\) are not simply connected, the methods in the previous chapters need to be adapted accordingly. In particular, the choice of the basepoint q = (q 1 …, q k ) must always be considered.
Evolution of host preference in anthropophilic mosquitoes

Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) have played a large role in reducing the burden of malaria. There is concern however regarding the potential of the mass distributions and use of ITNs to select for insecticide and behavioural resistance in mosquito populations. A key feature of the vectorial capacity of the major sub-Saharan African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (s.s.) is its tendency to feed almost exclusively on humans. Here, an evolutionary model is used to investigate the potential for ITNs to select for increased zoophily in this highly anthropophilic species and how this is influenced by ecological and operational conditions. The evolution of a single trait, namely the tendency to accept cattle as hosts, is modelled in mosquito populations which initially only bite humans. Thus, the conditions under which a resource specialist would broaden its diet and become a generalist are investigated. The results indicate that in the absence of insecticide-treated nets, host specialization in mosquitoes is either driven toward human specialization (when humans are more abundant than alternative hosts), or displays evolutionary bistability. The latter implies that the evolutionary endpoint relies on the initial trait value of the population. Bed nets select for increased zoophily while in use. When ITNs are removed, whether or not the population reverts to anthropophagic or zoophagic behaviour depends on whether the intervention had been maintained sufficiently long to drive the population past the evolutionarily unstable point. The use of ITNs is likely to select for an increase in the biting preference for cattle. Bed nets may thus alter the population composition of major vector species in a manner that has positive epidemiological ramifications. Whether populations are set on a trajectory toward increased zoophily following the cessation of intense bed net usage in an area depends on the composition of host communities as well as operational conditions. This has potential implications for bed net campaigns, particularly with an eye toward scaling down interventions following interruption of transmission. Further research on malaria mosquito feeding behaviour is warranted to explore the conditions under which such adaptive shifts may actually occur in the field.
Simulation of Low-Frequency, Electromagnetic Phenomena in Plasmas

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses that the implicit formulation of the plasma dynamic equations has enlarged the scope of plasma simulation significantly. A phenomenon with VENUS is calculated on a time scale that is long compared with the electron plasma frequency, while retaining electron kinetic and inertia effects. As the examples illustrate, there is a lot of physics on longer time scales. It is difficult to compare the implicit moment method with the direct method, as they are not only at different stages of their development but also have developed differently. However, the heuristic approach adopted in developing the moment method and the more formal approach adopted in developing the direct method have both shown that many approximations can be made without sacrificing accuracy and stability. It is useful to compare fluid hybrid and full kinetic calculations with VENUS to understand the source of dissipation in the lower hybrid drift instability. An adaptively zoned particle simulation code is being developed, and new ways of solving the potential equations are explored.
Molecular investigation of the Pfmdr1 gene of Plasmodium falciparum isolates in Henan Province imported from Africa.

Efficacious antimalarial drugs are important for malaria control and elimination, and continuous monitoring of their efficacy is essential. The prevalence and distribution of Pfmdr1 were evaluated in African migrant workers in Henan Province. Among 632 isolates, 13 haplotypes were identified, NYSND (39.87%, 252/632), YYSND (2.85%, 18/632), NFSND (31.01%, 196/632), NYSNY (0.47%, 3/632), YFSND (13.77%, 87/632), NFSNY (0.32%, 2/632), YYSNY (2.06%, 13/632), YFSNY (0.16%, 1/632), N/Y YSND (1.90%, 12/632), N Y/F SND (6.17%, 39/632), N/Y Y/F SND (0.47%, 3/632), YYSN D/Y (0.16%, 1/632) and N/Y FSND (0.79%, 5/632). The highest frequency of NYSND was observed in individuals from North Africa (63.64%, 7/11), followed by South Africa (61.33%, 111/181), Central Africa (33.33%, 56/168), West Africa (28.94%, 68/235) and East Africa (27.03%, 10/37) (χ2 = 54.605, P < 0.05). The highest frequency of NFSND was observed in East Africa (48.65%, 18/37), followed by West Africa (39.14%, 92/235), Central Africa (26.79%, 45/168), South Africa (22.65%, 41/181) and North Africa (9.09%, 1/11) (χ2 = 22.368 P < 0.05). The mutant prevalence of codons 86 and 184 decreased. These data may provide complementary information on antimalarial resistance that may be utilized in the development of a treatment regimen for Henan Province.
Graphene - MoS2 ensembles to reduce friction and wear in DLC-Steel contacts

Abstract Recent demonstration of two dimensional (2D) solid lubricant materials to minimize friction to unmeasurable levels (superlubricity) and reduce wear at macroscale propelled further research investigations in the direction of exploring their potential in industrially relevant material combinations such as steel and diamond-like-carbon (DLC) in sliding contact. In this study, we have used a combination of 2D materials i.e. Graphene and MoS2 as a solid lubricant to reduce friction and wear in steel-hydrogenated DLC contacts even at high contact pressures and sliding speed. Sliding friction tests conducted under dry nitrogen conditions shows a reduction of friction and wear by 16 and 29 times, respectively as compared to Steel vs H-DLC (baseline) experiments and friction and wear by a factor of 43 and 434, respectively, compared to self-mated steel vs steel experiments. Optical and Raman investigations of the material pairs and the wear debris analysis in TEM indicated the formation of amorphous carbon mixed graphene layers at the sliding interface leading to such dramatic reductions in friction and wear.
Molecular fluorescence spectroscopy in the vicinity of a microstructure

A brief review is presented on fluorescence spectroscopy of molecules in the vicinity of a microstructure, which could be a surface structure, clustered ions/atoms, a colloidal particle in a solution, or a tip in certain molecular probes. This structure can be viewed as microscopic, mesoscopic or macroscopic, depending on the specific environment in which the molecule is located. An overview is given for selected experimental and theoretical aspects of this phenomenon, emphasizing some of the previous modeling work of the authors. Discussion of possible future attempts to explore the phenomenon in more detail is presented at the end.
Structural variant analysis for linked-read sequencing data with gemtools.

Summary Linked-read sequencing generates synthetic long reads which are useful for the detection and analysis of structural variants (SVs). The software associated with 10× Genomics linked-read sequencing, Long Ranger, generates the essential output files (BAM, VCF, SV BEDPE) necessary for downstream analyses. However, to perform downstream analyses requires the user to customize their own tools to handle the unique features of linked-read sequencing data. Here, we describe gemtools, a collection of tools for the downstream and in-depth analysis of SVs from linked-read data. Gemtools uses the barcoded aligned reads and the Megabase-scale phase blocks to determine haplotypes of SV breakpoints and delineate complex breakpoint configurations at the resolution of single DNA molecules. The gemtools package is a suite of tools that provides the user with the flexibility to perform basic functions on their linked-read sequencing output in order to address even more questions. Availability and implementation The gemtools package is freely available for download at: https://github.com/sgreer77/gemtools. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Efficacy of Non-Chemical Weed Control during Plug Establishment of a Wildflower Meadow

Abstract The efficacy of non-chemical weed control during plug establishment of a wildflower meadow on glyphosate-killed turf grass was studied. Each field sub-block (not-tilled or twice-tilled to ...
Do Workload and Sensory Modality Predict Pilots' Localization Accuracy?

Situation awareness (SA) decrements remain a safety issue for aviation, as reduced SA has been found to contribute to spatial disorientation (SD). SD has been linked consistently to aviation mishaps, costing aircrew lives, material assets, and millions of dollars. Prior research has focused on improving SA through multisensory cueing. Investigations on spatial cueing have evaluated differences in localization accuracy as a function of sensory modality (e.g., 3-D audio, tactile; Brill, Lawson, & Rupert, 2015; Brill, Rupert, & Lawson, 2015; Cholewiak, Brill, & Schwab, 2004). The current paper expands on previous findings by investigating whether subjective performance correlates with objective behavioral performance data. Implications for these findings include pilots' ability to monitor performance and whether these relationships hold across cue modalities. The findings should be considered when developing cues for displaying information in future systems.
Nanoindentation near the edge of a viscoelastic solid with a rough surface

Abstract We have developed a method to address problems associated with the use of nanoindentation near the edge of a small object with a rough surface, encountered in a variety of research fields including heritage conservation. The method consists of determining the structural compliance of an embedded material system based on the definition of reduced modulus that takes into account the effective contact point of the indenter with a rough sample surface. The method does not require the ratio of mean contact stress to reduced modulus squared to remain constant with penetration depth so as to be applicable to an embedded material system with a sharp elastic discontinuity. When applied to the dynamic indentation data of a viscoelastic paint film embedded in a ~10 times stiffer medium, the proposed method correctly predicted the flat modulus profile of the film across the thickness, in contrast to existing methods that significantly overestimated the modulus near the sample edge.
Risk of Biologics and Glucocorticoids in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Undergoing Arthroplasty.

Patients, particularly those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), are at increased risk for infection after major surgery. In this analysis, the authors examined risk for infection across different biol...
Giants: The Global Power Elite

In the history of the debate on the structure of power in the United States and elsewhere there have been many twists and turns. In the United States, in its modern form, this debate started in the...
Behavioral Health and Muslim Clients: Considerations for Achieving Positive Outcomes

US born Muslims and Muslim immigrants face behavioral health challenges that are both similar and yet different. What is sometimes common between them are experiences of prejudice and discrimination. These social forces interact with mental health stigma to negatively influence the mental health of Muslims (Ciftci et al., Journal of Muslim Mental Health 7:17–32, 2013; Phillips & Lauterbach, Journal of Muslim Mental Health 11:39–56, 2017). While it is the case that research on effective interventions that are specific to Muslim populations is currently needed (Anderson et al., Journal of Affective Disorders 176:183–196, 2015; Walpole et al., Journal of Affective Disorders 145:11–20, 2013), other scholarship has elucidated some general principles that are likely to be useful when providing services to Muslim clients. Practitioners who orient themselves to basic features of Islam, adopt an open and curious stance with respect to how individual clients incorporate Islam in their life, and who are mindful of the nuances that inform intergroup contact between Muslims and non-Muslims, are likely to find outcomes with those clients enhanced. The goal of this chapter is to orient the reader to important information about Muslims living in the USA, provide a nuanced take on issues related to cross-cultural interactions that relate to mental health issues, and suggest general guidelines for clinical service provision.
Examining the relationship between religion and thought-action fusion in a Protestant sample

Abstract Research has established that individuals who belong to different religious affiliations may differ on levels of thought-action fusion (TAF), a cognitive bias heavily implicated in obsessive-compulsive symptoms. However, research has relied on correlational methods and comparisons primarily have been between broad religious groups and not targeted aspects of religious beliefs or teachings. In our study, 99 Protestant undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of two priming conditions: reading and writing about a forgiving or a punishing God. Participants then completed a behavioral TAF task that induces an obsession-like thought, after which in vivo responses were measured. Comparisons between the forgiving God (FG) and punishing God (PG) conditions revealed that those in the PG condition were higher on in vivo anxiety and urge to neutralize. However, there were no differences on in vivo moral wrongness ratings or on neutralizing behavior. Findings provided mixed support for the salience of a punishing God concept as an influence on elevated TAF in Protestant individuals. The study was limited by a sample with a strong baseline view of God as forgiving, which likely limited the effectiveness of the God concept prime. Other limitations and observations are addressed to inform the methodology of future research.
Assessment of fungicide product applications and program approaches for control of downy mildew on pickling cucumber in North Carolina

Abstract Pseudoperonospora cubensis, the causal agent of cucurbit downy mildew (CDM), is the most economically devastating and widespread disease of cucurbitaceous crops in the Eastern United States (US). Cucumbers are particularly susceptible and as a result, disease management of P. cubensis relies heavily on fungicide use. The re-emergence of P. cubensis in the US in 2004 resulted in the failure of previously effective host resistance and the pathogen has become less sensitive to several fungicides, limiting the efficacy of crop protection. The implementation of effective spray programs is recommended to minimize the development of fungicide resistance in pathogen populations. However, few studies have examined annual efficacy trials to generate robust recommendations. To determine the efficacy of fungicide applications on CDM in pickling cucumber regarding disease severity and marketable yield, field experiments were conducted from 2013 to 2016 in North Carolina. Evaluations included single-product fungicide applications as well as program treatments on susceptible cultivars. Although there was some variability between years due to differences in products applied, our analysis revealed that several single-site treatments were effective in the suppression of disease, including treatments that included oxathiapiprolin, cyazofamid, propamocarb, ethaboxam, fluazinam, and a mixture of mancozeb/zoxamide. Additionally, when compared to the non-treated controls, spray programs that included tank mixes with protectants and alternations of fungicide modes of action, resulted in lower levels of downy mildew and increased marketable yield.
Acceptability and Preliminary Effects of a Mindfulness Mobile Application for Ruminative Adolescents.

Abstract Rumination is a transdiagnostic risk factor that appears to be reduced through mindfulness interventions. However, mindfulness mobile apps have not been tested for their effects on rumination, especially among adolescents. Thus, we aimed to test the acceptability and effects of a mindfulness mobile intervention among ruminative adolescents using a within-subjects pretest/posttest design. Participants were 80 adolescents ages 12-15, selected for moderate-to-high rumination (M age = 14.01, SD = .99; 46.2% girls; 86.25% White; 3.75% Hispanic). We asked adolescents to use our mindfulness app 3 times per day for 3 weeks. Participants and parents completed questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, and 6 and 12 weeks later. Acceptability was assessed by tracking app use and asking adolescents and parents to report on their experiences post-intervention. We assessed repetitive negative thinking (i.e., rumination and worry) and internalizing symptoms via self- and parent-report. The intervention demonstrated acceptability, and there were significant reductions in rumination, worry, anxiety and parent-reported internalizing symptoms post-intervention. Effects on rumination, anxiety and internalizing symptoms persisted throughout the 12-week follow-up with large effect sizes using an intention-to-treat approach. Thus, a brief mindfulness mobile app intervention appeared to be both engaging and helpful in reducing negative repetitive thinking and internalizing symptoms among ruminative adolescents. It will be important to test this intervention in a randomized controlled trial to control for effects of time and attention.
Evaluating and Managing the Painful Total Ankle Replacement.

The number of total ankle replacements (TARs) performed in the United States has dramatically increased in the past 2 decades due to improvements in implant design and surgical technique. Yet as th...
Wooden Spoons for Woodcock

The American woodcock (Scolopax minor; hereafter, woodcock) is an important game species in central and eastern North America. In this paper, we argue that the wildlife community should consider several novel ideas. At the landscape level, one of the most effective ways to perpetuate aspen (Populus spp.) forests is through commercial forest management. Aspen underpins the major forest products industries: its fiber is highly sought after for pulp, paper, oriented strand board and other engineered lumber products, and lumber. The most cost-effective and reliable way to maintain woodcock habitat is through commercial forest management and through periodic timber harvests. Non-commercial habitat management is possible but expensive and time consuming. Support for forest products industry business attraction and development is good for woodcock habitat, good for local communities, and good for local economies. We recommend that the wildlife community consider greater involvement in the broader social discussion over the use of wood products, and be actively engaged in discussions involving economic development and energy use by the forest products industry at the state and local level.
Consumer Payment Systems: Conceptual and Empirical Perspectives

In the marketing literature little attention has been given to the investigation of consumer payment systems. Payment systems are modes of facilitating economic value exchanges; they are the set of financial alternatives which consumers may use to pay for goods and services. Payment systems form a portion of the essential core of the marketing exchange process; without them marketing transactions could not occur.
From Homophobia and Heterosexism to Heteronormativity

SUMMARY By examining homophobia and heterosexism within the larger context of heteronormativity at the intersections of race, class, and gender, I propose, in this article, a model of queer interventions in the university classroom. The article is divided into three sections. First, I describe the conceptual terrain of homophobia, heterosexism, and heteronormativity, and their potential limitations. Second, I present an integrative model, using heteronormativity as the central site of violence, to examine homophobia at the intersections of race, class, and gender within the larger social and cultural domain (macroscopic level) and interpersonal context (microscopic level) and illustrate this model with specific classroom activities. Finally, I discuss the implications of the model for teaching and theorizing about homophobia, heterosexism, and heteronormativity.
Ein Jahr Obama. Errungenschaften und Erwartungen in den transatlantischen Beziehungen

Der Beitrag wirft einen Blick auf die Errungenschaften in den transatlantischen Beziehungen seit der Amtseinfuhrung von US-Prasident Barack Obama im Januar 2009. Gleichzeitig betrachten die Autoren die Herausforderungen fur die transatlantische Partnerschaft im Bereich der Ausen- und Sicherheitspolitik, der Finanz- und Wirtschaftskrise sowie des Klimaschutzes und zeigen in diesen Themenfeldern Kooperationsmoglichkeiten auf. Insbesondere die Beitrage, die Deutschland hierzu im Jahr 2010 und daruber hinaus leisten kann, werden in der Analyse berucksichtigt.
Evaluation of Multidisciplinary Tobacco Cessation Training Program in a Large Health Care System

Background: Health care professionals can have a dramatic impact by assisting patients with tobacco cessation but most have limited training. Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of a 4-hour tobacco cessation training program. Methods: A team of multidisciplinary health care professionals created a veteran-specific tailored version of the Rx for Change program. The curriculum was administered through local trainings at 5 Veterans Affairs facilities. Participants completed pre- and posttraining surveys to assess key knowledge-based competency components, perceived ability to implement the 5 A's of treatment (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange), and self-efficacy for overall ability to assist patients with quitting. Results: A total of 205 out of 291 health care professionals completed pre- and posttraining surveys. Participants reported significant improvement in their overall ability and ability to implement the 5 A's of tobacco treatment (P < .0001). No significant differences were found between heal...
Influence of initial conditions and climate forcing on predicting Arctic sea ice

[1] The recent sharp decline in Arctic sea ice has triggered an increase in the interest of Arctic sea ice predictability, not least driven by the potential of significant human industrial activity in the region. In this study we quantify how long Arctic sea ice predictability is dominated by dependence on its initial conditions versus dependence on its secular decline in a state-of-the-art global circulation model (GCM) under a ‘perfect model’ assumption. We demonstrate initial-value predictability of pan-Arctic sea ice area is continuous for 1–2 years, after which predictability is intermittent in the 2–4 year range. Predictability of area at these longer lead times is associated with strong area-thickness coupling in the summer season. Initial-value predictability of pan-Arctic sea ice volume is significant continuously for 3–4 years, after which time predictability from secular trends dominates. Thus we conclude predictability of Arctic sea ice beyond 3 years is dominated by climate forcing rather than initial conditions. Additionally, we find that forecast of summer conditions are equally good from the previous September or January initial conditions.
Neural Stem Cells: Historical Perspective and Future Prospects

How a single fertilized cell generates diverse neuronal populations has been a fundamental biological problem since the 19 th century. Classical histological methods revealed that postmitotic neurons are produced in a precise temporal and spatial order from germinal cells lining the cerebral ventricles. In the 20 th century, DNA labeling and histo- and immunohistochemistry helped to distinguish the subtypes of dividing cells and delineate their locations in the ventricular and subventricular zones. Recently, genetic and cell biological methods have provided insights into sequential gene expression and molecular and cellular interactions that generate heterogeneous populations of NSCs leading to specific neuronal classes. This precisely regulated developmental process does not tolerate significant in vivo deviation, making replacement of adult neurons by NSCs during pathology a colossal challenge. In contrast, utilizing the trophic factors emanating from the NSC or their derivatives to slow down deterioration or prevent death of degenerating neurons may be a more feasible strategy.
Open Government Data: A Data Analytics Approach

The International Open Government Dataset Search (IOGDS) team discusses what they've learned about international government data publication trends and tendencies through the application of data analytics and visualization to metadata.
The effect of joint exposure to alcohol and tobacco on risk of cancer of the mouth and pharynx

Abstract The effect of joint exposure to smoking and alcohol on risk of development of oral cancer was evaluated from a case-control study. Although a simple 2 × 2 relative risk table suggests almost complete synergy of the two exposures, regression analysis and a more detailed relative risk table which reduces confounding demonstrate the definite individual effects of the two exposures in addition to the synergistic effect. If smoking and drinking both are causes of oral cancer—as the data suggest—then the removal of both will be necessary to prevent a large proportion of the disease in males.
The algebraic synthesis of a spatial TS chain for a prescribed acceleration task

In this paper, we formulate and solve the algebraic synthesis equations for a TS serial chain, which is a 5R chain formed so that the first two joint axes intersect at right angles, the T joint, and the last three joints have axes that intersect in a point, forming the S joint. The task for this chain is to have a prescribed acceleration for the end-effector movement. In this case, we show that there are two basic cases for the synthesis problem: (i) tasks in which one acceleration is specified; and (ii) tasks that have two specified accelerations. The polynomial systems for these two cases are shown to have 30 and 38 roots, and we present a polynomial elimination procedure that yields in 30 and 44 roots, respectively. An example is presented that positions a robot arm, in which the elbow joint has failed, in order to accomplish a given task.
Barrier-top resonances and heavy ion reactions

Abstract In reactions involving strong absorption, we show that the narrowest potential (two body) resonances may be of a novel type, barrier-top (or “orbiting”) resonances whose ReE are at the centrifugal-Coulomb barrier top and whose wave functions are localized at the barrier radius. These resonances provide the link between semiclassical orbiting and quantal Regge poles and establish the close relationship between these concepts. We exploit the dominance and simplicity of barrier-top scattering in a model in which direct reaction amplitudes for heavy ion particle transfers can be calculated analytically. The model assumes complete absorption at small r of inward propagating waves, and a parabolic barrier potential which approximates the optical potential in the barrier region; the wave functions of the model (Weber functions) correspondingly approximate the optical potential wave functions (distoreed waves) in the barrier region. The results of this model reproduce many of the features present in more detailed DWBA computations, and provide simple physical explanations for these features.
The neuronal composition of area 17 of rat visual cortex. III. Numerical considerations

The neuronal population of area 17 of rat visual cortex has been examined by using tissue from brains fixed by perfusion. The tissue was osmicated and embedded in plastic so that the same neurons could be examined by both light and electron microscopy. In these preparations area 17 was 1.49 mm thick and by stereological procedures it was calculated that there are about 120,000 neurons beneath 1 mm2 of cortical surface. If one assumes area 17 in each hemisphere of the rat to occupy between 7.1 and 9.4 mm2 of cortical surface, then in each hemisphere the area contains between 850,000 and 1,128,000 neurons. Of these neurons 85% are pyramidal cells and 15% are nonpyramidal cells. About one-third of the nonpyramidal cells occur in layers I and VIb, both of which contain only this kind of neuron. The remaining two-thirds of the nonpyramidal cells are in layers II-VIa. Within these layers it has been possible to differentiate bipolar cells from other types of nonpyramidal cells and in each of these two nonpyramidal cell groups to recognize both small and large neurons. The greatest concentration of nonpyramidal cells occurs in layer II/III. To confirm the validity of the stereologically derived data direct counts were made of the medium and large pyramidal cells in layer V.
Enhancement of effects of dopaminergic agonists on neuronal activity in the caudate-putamen of the rat following long-term d-amphetamine administration

Abstract Amphetamine- and apomorphine-induced changes in the activity of neurons in the caudate-putamen of paralyzed, locally anesthetized rats were recorded in animals pretreated with 2.5 mg/kg d-amphetamine sulphate for 6, 18 or 36 days, or in animals pretreated with saline for 36 consecutive days. In saline-pretreated animals, 2.5 mg/kg d-amphetamine sulphate (IP) produced an initial, brief potentiation of neuronal firing that was followed by a marked depression of neuronal activity lasting for approximately 35 to 110 min after injection. In amphetamine-pretreated animals, this depression of neuronal activity to the same dose of the drug was markedly prolonged, especially in animals given 36 consecutive days of d-amphetamine pretreatment. A similar enhancement occured in response to 0.25 mg/kg apomorphine (IP) in animals pretreated with amphetamine for 36 days compared to saline-pretreated control animals. These results are discussed in relation to the known behavioral and biochemical effects of acute and long-term amphetamine administration.
High efficiency transduction of single strand plasmid DNA into enteric bacteria

This report demonstrates high efficiency transduction of enteric bacteria using single strand plasmids packaged in M13 phage capsids. Transformation by plasmid DNA is usually a very inefficient process in many enteric bacteria other than Escherichia coli K12. Plasmids carrying an M13 origin of replication can be replicated and packaged when cells carrying such plasmids are infected with M13 or a derivative helper phage. By introducing an F′ plasmid into E. coli, Serratia marcescens, Citrobacter freundii, and Enterobacter aerogenes, these species can now be infected at high efficiency with M13 phage and with packaged single strand plasmids, yielding an efficient method to introduce cloned DNA fragments into these bacteria. The titer of colony forming units in a lysate was essentially equivalent in all the bacteria, demonstrating an equal efficiency of transduction of these other enteric bacteria compared to E. coli.
Epidemiological studies of CHD and the evolution of preventive cardiology

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) cause nearly one-third of all deaths worldwide. Coronary heart disease (CHD) accounts for the greatest proportion of CVDs, and risk factors such as hypertension, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus or elevated glucose level, elevated cholesterol levels, and obesity or being overweight are the top six causes of death globally. Ecological and population-based longitudinal studies, conducted globally or within individual countries, have established the role of traditional and novel risk factors and measures of subclinical disease in the prediction of CHD. Risk assessment with short-term or long-term risk prediction algorithms can help to identify individuals who would benefit most from risk-factor interventions. Evaluation of novel risk factors and screening for subclinical atherosclerosis can also help to identify individuals at highest cardiovascular risk. Prevention of CHD focuses on identifying and managing risk factors at both the population and individual levels through primordial, primary, and secondary prevention. Epidemiological studies have provided the hypotheses for subsequent clinical trials that have documented the efficacy of risk-factor interventions, which are the basis of preventive cardiology. Future research efforts will determine the screening and intervention strategies that have the greatest effect on CHD prevention.
SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF FLUORINATED ETHERS WITH FLUOROBENZENE RINGS

The physical and chemical properties exhibited by per- and polyfluorinated ethers are unique, and make this class of compounds useful in a wide range of applications. In this study, we apply siloxane derivatives of various fluoroalcohols to the preparation of fluorinated ethers containing fluorinated aromatic moieties, e.g., C6F5CF3 + (CH3)3SiOCH2(CF2)2CH2OSi(CH3)3 → [CF3C6F4OCH2CF2]2. The thermal stabilities of these polyfluorinated aromatic ethers are compared as a function of structure in the presence (or absence) of selected metals.
Cross section and analyzing powers for 6 Li- 4 He elastic scattering at 5.5 and 19.6 MeV

Measurements of the differential cross section and the analyzing powers iT{sub 11}, T{sub 20}, T{sub 21}, and T{sub 22} for {sup 6}Li-{sup 4}He elastic scattering have been made at incident {sup 6}Li energies of 5.5 and 19.6 MeV. The measurements cover an angular range of {theta}{sub c.m.}=18.8{degree}{endash}165{degree} at 19.6 MeV, and {theta}{sub c.m.}=37.8{degree}{endash}160{degree} at 5.5 MeV. The data are compared to several different optical model calculations. Also, the calibration of a {sup 6}Li(pol) polarimeter, which employs {sup 6}Li(pol)-{sup 4}He elastic scattering, is described. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
USING ROBUST CONCEPT EXPLORATION AND SYSTEMS DYNAMICS MODELS IN THE DESIGN OF COMPLEX INDUSTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS

In studying complex systems such as an organization, a system of industries, or a natural ecosystem, models are developed to enhance the amount and quality of information that a decision-maker can obtain. Due to the complexity of such systems, the simulation models include approximations of the real world. In this paper, system dynamics is used to model the flow and accumulation of matter, information, and energy in a system of industries in Kalundborg, Denmark. This model is utilized in the analysis and improvement of the Kalundborg system with a response surface-based concept exploration process in which the degree of approximation present in the simulation model is acknowledged and handled. Instead of directly using response surfaces to make decisions, the information embodied in the response surfaces is used to locate promising regions of the design space, which are then searched with the simulation model. This response surface based concept exploration process is unique in that: ·the final recommenda...
Observation of homogeneously nucleated fine particles of PbI2 by electron microscopy and light scattering

Abstract Homogeneous nucleation of PbI2 particles with diameters less than 10 nm has been observed in N2 gas by white light scattering. The relative intensity of the scattered light has been measured as a function of wavelenght. Particle sizes and shapes have been determined by electron microscopy.
Reovirus receptors and pathogenesis.

Mammalian reoviruses are nonenveloped viruses that contain a segmented double-stranded RNA genome. Most mammalian species, including humans, serve as hosts for reovirus infection, but reovirus-induced disease is restricted to the very young (reviewed in reference [61][1]). Reovirus infections of
‘Mixed-material evolution analysis of the ITER divertor’

Abstract Evolution of the ITER outer divertor target surface is analyzed for the case of wall-sputtered beryllium transported to an initially tungsten divertor. Coupled codes for the convective edge plasma, impurity transport, and mixed-surface sputtering, give the wall-source beryllium flux to the divertor, the sputtering erosion/redeposition response, and the resulting beryllium surface content/growth. The analysis shows zero net Be growth over most (∼80%) of the divertor, due to high re-sputtering and reflection—with an equilibrium Be/W surface quickly formed (∼10 s)—but with a region near the strike point having substantial (∼1 nm/s) growth.