cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The mid-Cretaceous water bearer: isotope mass balance quantification of the Albian hydrologic cycle

A latitudinal gradient in meteoric N 18 O compositions compiled from paleosol sphaerosiderites throughout the Cretaceous Western Interior Basin (KWIB) (34^75‡N paleolatitude) exhibits a steeper, more depleted trend than modern (predicted) values (3.0x [34‡N latitude] to 9.7x [75‡N] lighter). Furthermore, the sphaerosiderite meteoric N 18 O latitudinal gradient is significantly steeper and more depleted (5.8x [34‡N] to 13.8x [75‡N] lighter) than a predicted gradient for the warm mid-Cretaceous using modern empirical temperature^N 18 O precipitation relationships. We have suggested that the steeper and more depleted (relative to the modern theoretical gradient) meteoric sphaerosiderite N 18 O latitudinal gradient resulted from increased air mass rainout effects in coastal areas of the KWIB during the mid-Cretaceous. The sphaerosiderite isotopic data have been used to constrain a mass balance model of the hydrologic cycle in the northern hemisphere and to quantify precipitation rates of the equable ‘greenhouse’ Albian Stage in the KWIB. The mass balance model tracks the evolving isotopic composition of an air mass and its precipitation, and is driven by latitudinal temperature gradients. Our simulations indicate that significant increases in Albian precipitation (34^52%) and evaporation fluxes (76^96%) are required to reproduce the difference between modern and Albian meteoric siderite N 18 O latitudinal gradients. Calculations of precipitation rates from model outputs suggest mid^high latitude precipitation rates greatly exceeded modern rates (156^220% greater in mid latitudes [2600^3300 mm/yr], 99% greater at high latitudes [550 mm/yr]). The calculated precipitation rates are significantly different from the precipitation rates predicted by some recent general circulation models (GCMs) for the warm Cretaceous, particularly in the mid to high latitudes. Our mass balance model by no means replaces GCMs. However, it is a simple and effective means of obtaining quantitative data regarding the mid-Cretaceous hydrologic cycle in the KWIB. Our goal is to encourage the incorporation of isotopic tracers into GCM simulations of the midCretaceous, and to show how our empirical data and mass balance model estimates help constrain the boundary conditions.
Wide Area Tracking in Single and Multiple Views

Maintaining the stability of tracks on multiple targets in video over extended time periods and wide areas remains a challenging problem. Basic trackers like the Kalman filter or particle filter deteriorate in performance as the complexity of the scene increases. A few methods have recently shown encouraging results in these application domains. They rely on learning context models, the availability of training data, or modeling the inter-relationships between the tracks. In this chapter, we provide an overview of research in the area of long-term tracking in video. We review some of the methods in the literature and analyze the common sources of errors which cause trackers to fail. We also discuss the limits of performance of the trackers as multiple objects come together to form groups and crowds. On multiple real-life video sequences obtained for a single camera as well as a camera network, we compare the performance of some of the methods.
Meta-neural networks that learn by learning

A novel method for training neural networks is introduced. The method uses an additional observing neural network called a meta-neural network (MNN) to direct the training of the basic neural network. The MNN provides the basic neural network with a step size and a direction vector which is optimal based on successful training strategies learned from problems solved previously. The combination of the MNN with the basic neural network is shown to improve learning rates for several problems when the MNN is trained on a similar problem. The MNN is shown to help solve the problem of sensitivity to initial weight vectors. In addition, computer simulations demonstrate the improvement in the learning rate of the enhanced neural network on a 4-b parity problem, when it has been trained on a different nonlinear Boolean function. >
Trajectory Association across Multiple Airborne Cameras

A camera mounted on an aerial vehicle provides an excellent means to monitor large areas of a scene. Utilizing several such cameras on different aerial vehicles allows further flexibility in terms of increased visual scope and in the pursuit of multiple targets. In this paper, we address the problem of associating trajectories across multiple moving airborne cameras. We exploit geometric constraints on the relationship between the motion of each object across cameras without assuming any prior calibration information. Since multiple cameras exist, ensuring coherency in association is an essential requirement, e.g., that transitive closure is maintained between more than two cameras. To ensure such coherency, we pose the problem of maximizing the likelihood function as a k-dimensional matching and use an approximation to find the optimal assignment of association. Using the proposed error function, canonical trajectories of each object and optimal estimates of intercamera transformations (in a maximum likelihood sense) are computed. Finally, we show that, as a result of associating trajectories across the cameras, under special conditions, trajectories interrupted due to occlusion or missing detections can be repaired. Results are shown on a number of real and controlled scenarios with multiple objects observed by multiple cameras, validating our qualitative models, and, through simulation, quantitative performance is also reported.
SOD2 protects against oxidation-induced apoptosis in mouse retinal pigment epithelium: implications for age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose Oxidative stress from reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated in many diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in which the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is considered a primary target. Because manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2), localized in mitochondria, is known to be a key enzyme that protects the cells against oxidative stress, this study was undertaken to examine oxidation-induced apoptosis in cultured RPE cells with various levels of SOD2.
Maximum likelihood estimation of a migration matrix and effective population sizes in n subpopulations by using a coalescent approach.

A maximum likelihood estimator based on the coalescent for unequal migration rates and different subpopulation sizes is developed. The method uses a Markov chain Monte Carlo approach to investigate possible genealogies with branch lengths and with migration events. Properties of the new method are shown by using simulated data from a four-population n-island model and a source–sink population model. Our estimation method as coded in migrate is tested against genetree; both programs deliver a very similar likelihood surface. The algorithm converges to the estimates fairly quickly, even when the Markov chain is started from unfavorable parameters. The method was used to estimate gene flow in the Nile valley by using mtDNA data from three human populations.
Pathogenesis of LCM Disease in the Rat

Intracerebral inoculation of neonatal rats with LCM virus resulted in varying extents of central nervous system parenchymal pathology dependent upon host age at infection and upon virus strain. Lesions were confined to brain areas undergoing postnatal proliferation and migration, with the most striking involvement being a profound necrosis of most of the cerebellar cortex following infection of rats at 4 days of age. The immunopathological basis of this LCM virus-induced cerebellar pathology has been demonstrated both by preventing it with immunosuppression of normally susceptible animals and by eliciting it by adoptive immunization, with LCM virus-immune spleen cells, of infected animals not normally susceptible.
Sound Quality Testing and Analysis of Multiple Brands of Sewing Machines

Sound quality analysis is an invaluable tool for the product designer. This tool is designed to help determine customer preferences, which can help the designer improve product quality, or the consumers’ perception of the product’s quality. Many industries desire to know how the consuming public perceives their product as this affects the product life and viability. This paper will present which of two brands of sewing machines ranging in market segments from entry-level, thru mid-level machines, to high-end computer controlled units, is the most acoustically pleasant. Results across market segments independent of brand will be evaluated and compared, as well. The methods used to determine the sound quality of these machines will be presented. These methods are both jury based listening tests and quantitative sound quality metrics.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Depletion region formation at low temperatures

The response of the semiconductor device at low temperatures is limited by the time taken for the formation of the depletion region. Hence the capacitance-voltage characteristics of the semiconductor device containing a junction displays dispersion. This paper reports a study of the dispersion caused in the accumulation and depletion regions of the C-V curve in n-channel MOS devices and in the depletion region of a one-sided n/sup +/p junction. The authors identify the dispersion in the 30-45 K temperature range as being due to substrate time constant effects and not due to dopant atom emission time constant effects. From the measured admittance as a function of temperature and frequency, the acceptor energy level is determined to within +or-0.4 meV. >
Software Assisted Digital RF Processor (DRP™) for Single-Chip GSM Radio in 90 nm CMOS

This paper proposes and describes a new software and application programming interface view of an RF transceiver. It demonstrates benefits of using highly programmable digital control logic in an RF wireless system realized in a digital nanoscale CMOS process technology. It also describes a microprocessor architecture design in Digital RF Processor (DRPTM) and how it controls calibration and compensation for process, temperature and voltage variations of the analog and RF circuits to meet the required RF performance. A few calibration examples to reduce a DCO bias current and improve device reliability, as well as to optimize transmit modulation and receive performance, are given. The presented circuits and techniques have enabled successful implementation of a commercial single-chip GSM radio in 90 nm CMOS.
Comparison of urea clearance in low-efficiency low-flux vs. high-efficiency high-flux dialyzer membrane with reduced blood and dialysate flow: an in vitro analysis.

Rapid removal of small molecules during hemodialysis places an acutely ill patient with kidney failure at an increased risk of hemodynamic instability and for dialysis disequilibrium syndrome. The use of high-flux, high-efficiency (HEF) dialyzers may increase this risk despite reductions in blood and dialysate flow. We performed in vitro experiments to compare urea clearance at low dialysate flow and various blood flows using a low-efficiency low-flux (LEF) and a HEF membrane. Compared to LEF, there was a significant increase in the clearance of urea at all blood flows with the HEF (all P values < 0.005). HEF dialyzer (F180NR) had higher urea clearance at a blood flow of 150 mL/min than LEF dialyzer (F5) at blood flow of 300 mL/min (144.1 ± 0.99 vs. 130.1 ± 0.001 mL/min for F180 vs. F5, respectively, P < 0.002). Our data suggest that use of HEF dialyzer are not as safe as LEF in high-risk acute dialysis patients since these are associated with more rapid removal of urea despite reduction in blood and dialysate flow as compared to LEF.
The Multiphase Halo of NGC 891: WIYN Hα and BVI Imaging

We present new, deep optical images (BVI + Hα) of the interstellar medium (ISM) far above the plane of the edge-on Sb galaxy NGC 891. These subarcsecond (08–09) ground-based images give a direct visual view of two physically distinct "phases" of the thick interstellar disk of this galaxy. A dense, likely cold, phase of the thick disk ISM is observed in our BVI images as highly structured dust-bearing clouds viewed in absorption against the background stellar light of the galaxy. These dusty structures are traceable to heights |z| ~ 2 kpc from the midplane. Though our data are deep enough to identify such clouds at higher z, very few highly structured dust features are present at |z| 2 kpc. If the more prominent dust structures have Galactic gas-to-dust ratios, then they have gas masses in excess of 105 M⊙, each having visual extinctions well in excess of unity. A warm ionized phase of the high-z ISM is observed through its well-studied Hα emission. Our images of this medium, to date the highest resolution observations of the warm ionized medium in NGC 891, show that the diffuse ionized medium in this galaxy is relatively smoothly distributed with some filamentary structure superposed on this smooth background. Our data show very little correspondence between the Hα-emitting material and the absorbing dust structures. These two phases of the multiphase high-z ISM are physically distinct. The material traced by Hα emission is much more smoothly distributed than that traced by the absorbing dust clouds, and it is clear that the Hα emission is being heavily extincted in many places by the dense dust-bearing medium. The high-z dust clouds in NGC 891 are a major component of the multiphase halo medium. The mass found in the cold dense, warm neutral, and warm ionized phases are for |z| > 0.4 kpc are comparable and of order a few × 108 M⊙. Our discussion of the physics of the multiphase medium at high z relies heavily on the theoretical work of Wolfire et al., and we suggest the dense phase of the thick disk ISM exists to |z| 2 kpc because the thermal pressures of the warm and hot phases in this region are sufficient for its maintenance. Our Hα observations show evidence for several discrete H II regions at large distances from the midplane (0.6 |z| 2.0 kpc). The presence of these H II regions in the thick disk of NGC 891 suggests that ongoing star formation may be present in some of the dense, high-z clouds visible in our images.
Mentalization and Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) are two approaches to the treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD). While DBT has the most empirical support, MBT has a small but significant evidence base. Dialectical behavior therapy synthesizes behaviorism, mindfulness, and dialectics, while MBT is conceptually anchored in psychoanalysis, attachment theory, cognitive neuroscience, and developmental psychopathology. While coming from strikingly different orientations, DBT and MBT therapists share more interventions and stances than one might suppose. The central purported active ingredient of MBT is the capacity to mentalize, which is crucial for the formation of secure attachment, and this ability is thought to be weak and unstable in individuals with borderline personality disorder. This article explores the question of whether or not mentalizing is already present in DBT practice, whether it would be compatible with DBT conceptually and practically, and whether a focus on mentalizing would be of use to the DBT therapists and their patients.
Waiting for Justice in an Era of Exonerations

Once an unfathomable notion, but now a disquieting phenomenon, wrongful convictions based on false confessions have become a recurring theme in headline news in the age of postconviction DNA analysis investigations. The idea that any person would falsely incriminate himself in a serious crime that
Do Managers Benefit from Superior Forecasting

I examine whether superior managerial talent signaled through earnings forecast accuracy is associated with higher compensation and career prospects. In the spirit of Trueman’s [1986] model, I expect that managers with superior forecast accuracy enjoy higher compensation and career prospects not as a result of their forecasting behavior per se, but rather because their observable forecasting behavior signals their unobservable managerial talent. Using a sample of CFOs in the S&P1500 providing management forecasts of annual and quarterly EPS over the period 1998-2006, I find that CFOs classified as superior forecasters receive higher bonus and equity pay, are more likely to advance their career, and enjoy higher salaries and initial equity grants in the subsequent year.
Effect of Processing on Protein Utilization by Ruminants

Processing with heat or chemical reagents will reduce protein digestibility by reducing protein solubility in digestion media, due in part to crosslinking of peptide chains. This effect will have adverse effects on protein utilization by monogastric animals. However, processing may actually improve ruminant protein utilization by reducing ruminal microbial degradation, thereby increasing the proportion of dietary protein escaping to the small intestine for digestion there. Chemical treatments, particularly formaldehyde-treatment, have been used to obtain ruminai protein protection. Results with formaldehyde however, have not yielded consistent improvements in ruminant protein utilization, probably because proteins have been over-protected. Heat-treatments, such as those used during oil extraction from oilseed meals, will also increase ruminal protein escape or by-pass. Experimental results illustrating these effects were obtained with samples of “cold-extracted” cottonseed meal (CSM) which were subjected to graded levels of heat-processing by autoclaving for various lengths of time. Reaction of lysine e-amino groups with carbohydrate and other compounds was assessed by ninhydrin assay on intact CSM samples. Also measured were N-solubilities in.02N NaOH, free gossypol content, in vitro ruminal degradation rate and estimated ruminai by-pass. Heat-treatment of CSM proteins was found to reduce solubility and ruminai degradation, with corresponding increases in estimated ruminai protein by-pass. Gossypol binding appeared to account for much of the loss of protein amino groups and possibly acted as a crosslinking agent, reducing ruminai solu-bility and therefore degradation. Other aspects of processing and ruminant protein nutrition are also discussed
Control of bovine viral diarrhea infection by use of vaccination.

The advantages and disadvantages of inactivated and modified-live virus vaccines for bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) are addressed. Some current vaccination practices and guidelines for use of vaccines are discussed. Recent advances in knowledge of the virus, coupled with new approaches in vaccine construction, are likely to soon result in new vaccines.
Effects of human disturbance on the breeding success of gulls

DRENT, R., G. F. VAN TETS, F. TOMPA, AND K. VERMEER. 1964. The breeding birds of Mandarte Island, British Columbia. Can. Field-Nat. 78:208-263. EMLEN, J. T., JR. 1956. Juvenile mortality in a Ring-billed Gull colony. Wilson Bull. 68:232238. GILLETT, W. H. 1973. The effect of model gull orientation and movement on the responses of a Glaucous-winged Gull to the model. M.A. Diss., Andrews University. HARRIS, M. P. 1964. Aspects of the breeding biology of the gulls Larus argentatus, L. fuscus, and L. marinus. Ibis 106:432-456. HAYWARD, J. L. 1974. Orientation and sequences of behavior during aggressive communication by the Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens). M.A. Diss., Andrews University. KADLEC, J. A., AND W. H. DRURY, JR. 1968. Structure of the New England Herring Gull population. Ecology 49:644-676. KADLEC, J. A., W. H. DRURY, JR., AND D. K. ONION. 1969. Growth and mortality of Herring Gull chicks. Bird-Banding 40:222-223. LUDWIG, J. P. 1966. Herring and Ring-billed Gull populations of the Great Lakes 1960-1965. Pub. No. 15, Great Lakes Res. Div., Univ. Michigan, pp. 80-89. PALUDAN, K. 1951. Contributions to the breeding biology of Larus argentatus and Larus fuscus. Ejnar Munksgaard, Copenhagen. PAYNTER, A. 1949. Clutch-size and egg and chick mortality of Kent Island Herring gulls. Ecology 30:146-166.
Stigma From Psychological Science: Group Differences, Not Deficits-Introduction to Stigma Special Section.

Famed composer Judith Henderson observed that “our greatest strength as a human race is our ability to acknowledge our differences; our greatest weakness is our failure to embrace them.” As psychological scientists, we are experts at empirically identifying a vast array of distinctions among humans. But as psychological scientists, we can also fall prey to drawing invidious comparisons—contrasts and conclusions between groups of people that are made with either the explicit or unconscious goal of showing one group in a negative light (Cole & Stewart, 2001). Differences get framed as deficits, and such negativity enables stigma (Amundson, 2000). During my term as president of the Association for Psychological Science, I used the opportunity to call attention to this risk. In a column titled “On Not Being Human,” I traced the historical practice by philosophers and theologians to deem some groups of humans as subhuman and the unfortunate contemporary practice by some psychological scientists to do the same (Gernsbacher, 2007c). In a column titled “The Eye of the Beholder,” I illustrated how a neurological marker—the relative thickness of one’s cortex, or thinness, if you prefer—has been deemed an asset or a deficit depending on which group of participants has it (Gernsbacher, 2007a). In a column titled “Neural Diversity,” I illustrated how interpretations of brain imaging data are often susceptible to researchers’ bias (Gernsbacher, 2007b). For instance, activation in the amygdala is interpreted as reflecting the intense attachment, vigilant protectiveness, and empathy that characterize normal maternal attachment when the research participants are mothers looking at photos of their children (Leibenluft, Gobbini, Harrison, & Haxby, 2004), whereas activation in the same region is interpreted as identifying the regions involved in sexual/aggressive behavior when the research participants are boyfriends listening to sentences such as “my girlfriend gave a gorgeous birthday present to her ex-boyfriend” (Takahashi et al., 2006). In another column, titled “How to Spot Bias in Research,” I recommended a solution to such interpretative biases: Swap the participant groups’ labels (e.g., mothers vs. non-mothers or boyfriends vs. non-boyfriends) to see whether the resulting interpretation makes sense; if it doesn’t, the interpretation was most likely predisposed. For my Presidential Symposium, I gathered four of our field’s top scholars to continue to address the problem of stigma from psychological science and to provide further solutions. Susan Fiske of Princeton University addressed the topic with regard to gender differences; Douglas Medin of Northwestern University reviewed cross-cultural research; James Jones of the University of Delaware reflected on race differences; and Gregory Herek of the University of California, Davis, discussed sexualities. I am delighted that each of these scholars agreed to document their excellent presentations in the special section that follows.
A New Immersed Boundary Method for Aeroacoustic Sound Prediction around Complex Geometries

A high-order, sharp-interface immersed boundary method for aeroacoustic sound prediction around complex geometries is proposed. The present immersed boundary method sharply resolves the interface of immersed boundaries with a ghost-cell approach, and the boundary conditions on the body surface are applied using a high-order approximating polynomial with a least-square error minimization. For the efficient computation of flow induced noise around complex geometries at low Mach numbers, the present immersed boundary approach is applied to the hydrodynamic/acoustic splitting method where the flow field around complex geometries is computed by the immersed boundary, incompressible flow solver, and the acoustic field is then predicted by the linearized perturbed compressible equations (LPCE) employing the present immersed boundary method. The present method is validated for canonical acoustic wave scattering problems and a fundamental flow induced noise problem by comparing the results with the analytical solutions and the result of direct simulation performed on a body-fitted grid.
Identifying and modeling key trade-offs between hydrogen fuel cell and electric vehicles

AbstractThrough a sensitivity analysis, the trade-off between vehicle range and CO2 emissions is investigated as a function of electric emissions coefficient. Various powertrains were analysed for use in a small crossover sport utility vehicle. Gasoline, gasoline electric hybrid, diesel, fuel cell and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were considered. Using various upstream fuel pathways and a model for vehicle performance, emissions and energy use were estimated. The hydrogen fuel cell vehicle was found preferable to BEVs under conditions of high CO2 emissions per kW-hr and a high vehicle range requirement. The BEV was preferable for all other conditions.
Baseline Investigation Analysis of Methadone maintenance treatment in Sanmenxia community

Objective: To know the characters of drug users' who entered methadone maintenance treatment(MMT)clinic drug taking and sexual behavior,etc,and provide basis for the establishment of HIV/AIDS protection measures.Methods: Chose 220 drug users who entered MMT clinic,investigated them with demography,drug taking and sexual behavior,etc.Results: Among 220(male 82.71%;female 17.29%) drug users with average age of 33.86±5.39 years,HIV positive rate was 0.90% and HCV positive rate was 10.9%.The drug taking methods were mainly by mouth;27(12.27) persons took drugs by mixing injection and other methods.Among intravenous drug users,there are 39(17.73%) persons have shared syringes in last month.Only 64(29.09%) persons used condoms in their last sexual act.104(47.27%) never used condoms while having sexual act.Conclusion: There are high risks of HIV and HCV spread among the drug users entered MMT clinics.It is pressing need to carry out HIV health education and act intervention in the same time of Methadone maintenance treatment.
Ouabain in plasma from spontaneously hypertensive rats

Ouabain has recently been identified in mammalian plasma with an apparent adrenocortical origin. The objectives of the present study were to determine whether boiled plasma supernatants (BPS) from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) contained elevated levels of material able to inhibit 86Rb uptake, an indicator of sodium pump activity, compared with Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Furthermore, the effect of increasing dietary calcium content from 1 to 3% on 86Rb-uptake inhibitory activity in plasma was examined. BPS from SHR and WKY consuming 1% calcium contained sodium pump inhibitory activity equivalent to 16.43 +/- 0.23 and 5.08 +/- 0.10 ng ouabain/ml, respectively (P < 0.0001). Increasing dietary calcium intake to 3% reduced plasma ouabain-like activity (OLA) to 9.97 +/- 0.20 ng/ml (P < 0.0001) in SHR but was without effect in WKY (5.39 +/- 0.05; not significant). It was then determined whether the plasma 86Rb-uptake inhibition could be attributed to authentic ouabain. In WKY plasma pools the percentage of...
Beyond the Slave Narrative: Dessalines's America

The news of the entry into the colony of two blacks from Saint-Domingue bearing the proclamations of Dessalines turned out to be only an unfounded rumor. But the decree I had the honor of mentioning to you […] really was printed, in both French and English, in the newspapers of the United States. Bertolio, May 3, 1804 The Government of the Island of Hayti (St. Domingo) has directed the publication of the following arete in the papers of the United States. Columbian Centinel (Massachusetts), May 5, 1804 Declaring Independence The moving public spectacle of the inauguration of the first black president of the United States in January of 2009 prompted many Haitians and friends of Haiti to think back to the ascension of the first black leader in a New World nation, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, in January of 1804. The coming to power of Dessalines coincided with the celebration of the new nation's independence through a formal declaration of independence. Thomas Jefferson described the U.S. Declaration of Independence as “an instrument pregnant with […] the fate of the world,” and it was in Haiti, as David Armitage has noted, that the declaration of independence as a genre began its trajectory from a single nation's document to a “global history” of “imitations and analogues.”
A Trusted Source of Information How Systematic Reviews Can Support User Decisions About Adopting Evidence-Based Programs

Background:Systematic reviews sponsored by federal departments or agencies play an increasingly important role in disseminating information about evidence-based programs and have become a trusted s...
Novel frontier in quantum metamaterials(Conference Presentation)

Metamaterials are artificial materials with exotic physical, chemical and optical properties not found in natural materials. In the past decade they have attracted monumental attention from the scientific community owing to their applications ranging from physics to engineering. However, the conventional solid-state metamaterial platforms suffer from inevitable optical loss, defects which severely curtain their application at few-photon level. The quest for quantum optical applications with metamaterial-based technologies has stimulated researchers to engineer novel lossless materials and construct new platforms. Recently, by integrating two important and timely realms of science − trapped atom physics and metamaterials −, we proposed and theoretically demonstrated a topologically reconfigurable and lossless quantum metamaterial. The atomic lattice quantum metamaterial is immune to aforementioned critical challenges and can be employed at a single-photon level. Moreover, in stark contrast to conventional solid-state platforms, optical lattices provide the necessary freedom to precisely localize (within few nanometer of uncertainty) a probe atom, inside the atomic lattice quantum metamaterial to harness its exotic optical properties. In addition to its aforementioned novel characteristics, our atomic lattice quantum metamaterial offers a unique degree of freedom, namely all-optical control on ultrafast time scales over the photonic topological transition of isofrequency contours using weak fields, not possible with previous solid-state platforms. In this work, we leverage the tools, techniques, scientific advances in the field of atomic, molecular and optical physics, integrated with the concepts used in metamaterials to propose and theoretically demonstrate a novel platform towards quantum metamaterial with novel functionalities by bringing together the best of two worlds.
Real-time gymnast detection and performance analysis with a portable 3D camera

Abstract Sports analysis is a useful application of technology, providing value to athletes, coaches, and sports fans by producing quantitative evaluations of performance. To address this field in the context of men’s gymnastics, we introduce a system that utilizes a Microsoft Kinect 2 camera to automatically evaluate the performance of a gymnast on the pommel horse apparatus, specifically in regards to the consistency of the gymnast’s timing and body angle. The Kinect’s ability to determine the depth at each pixel provides information not available to typical sports analysis approaches based solely on RGB data. Our approach consists of a three stage pipeline that automatically identifies a depth of interest, localizes the gymnast, detects when the gymnast is performing a certain routine, and finally provides an analysis of that routine. We demonstrate that each stage of the pipeline produces effective results: our depth of interest approach identifies the gymnast 97.8% of the time and removes over 60% of extraneous data; our activity recognition approach is highly efficient and identifies ‘spinning’ by the gymnast with 94.8% accuracy; and our performance analysis method evaluates the gymnast’s timing with accuracy only limited by the frame rate of the Kinect. Additionally, we validate our system and the proposed methods with a real-world online application, used by actual gymnastics coaches and viewed as a highly effective training tool.
Using Plants as Medicines and Health Foods in Southern Jalisco

This chapter deals with the incorporation of medicinal plant knowledge in the practices of non-biomedical healers in west central Mexico. Ethnographic data are presented to suggest that what occurs with the translation of health knowledge across ethnomedical systems is more complex than existing explanations of “cultural diffusion,” “cultural borrowing,” or “colonization” but instead reflects important cultural constructivist dynamics: (1) embedded ethnomedical histories; (2) predominant health culture; and (3) individual worldview. Non-biomedical practitioners in contemporary Mexico adapt various ethnomedical texts and therapies to their local environment and clientele. Ethnographic research in one Mexican town is used to demonstrate the spectrum of practitioners whose experiences highlight the interplay of these three dynamics. The spectrum of practitioners can help us begin to construct more nuanced understandings of the translations of ethnomedical knowledge across global networks. The incorporation of plants into the range of non-biomedical practices is nutritional, supplemental, and sometimes medicinal.
Increased metalloproteinase activity in the hippocampus following status epilepticus

Increased neuronal plasticity and neuronal cell loss has been implicated in the development of epilepsy following injury. Parvalbumin fast spiking inhibitory interneurons have a robust extracellular matrix coating their cell bodies and the proximal dendrites called the perineuronal net (PNN). The role of the PNN is not clear but it has been implicated in closing of the critical period, altering seizure thresholds and providing neuronal protection from oxidative stress. The PNN is susceptible to degradation following a prolonged seizure and there is an increase in proteolytic-fragments of the PNN enriched proteoglycan aggrecan (Dzwonek et al., 2004). Here we demonstrate an increase in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in the hippocampus following status epilepticus (SE). We further assessed MMP3 and 13, two of 24 identified MMPs, both MMP3 and 13 mRNA increase in the hippocampus after SE and MMP13 activity increases by functional assay as well as it co-localizes with PNN in rat brain. In contrast, two of the brain expressed ADAMTS (A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase with ThromboSpondin motifs) also implicated in aggrecan degradation, did not consistently increase following SE though ADAMTS4 is highly expressed in glia and ADAMTS5 in neuronal cell bodies and their processes. The increase in MMP activity following SE suggests that in the future studies, MMP inhibitors are candidates for blocking PNN degradation and assessing the role of the PNN loss in epileptogenesis and cellular function.
Non-coding RNAs profiling in head and neck cancers

The majority of studies on human cancers published to date focus on coding genes. More recently, however, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are gaining growing recognition as important regulatory components. Here we characterise the ncRNA landscape in 442 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCs) from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA). HNSCs represent an intriguing case to study the potential role of ncRNA as a function of viral presence, especially as HPV is potentially oncogenic. Thus, we identify HPV16-positive (HPV16+) and HPV-negative (HPV-) tumours and study the expression of ncRNAs on both groups. Overall, the ncRNAs comprise 36% of all differentially expressed genes, with antisense RNAs being the most represented ncRNA type (12.6%). Protein-coding genes appear to be more frequently downregulated in tumours compared with controls, whereas ncRNAs show significant upregulation in tumours, especially in HPV16+ tumours. Overall, expression of pseudogenes, antisense and short RNAs is elevated in HPV16+ tumours, while the remaining long non-coding RNA types are more active in all HNSC tumours independent of HPV status. In addition, we identify putative regulatory targets of differentially expressed ncRNAs. Among these 'targets' we find several well-established oncogenes, tumour suppressors, cytokines, growth factors and cell differentiation genes, which indicates the potential involvement of ncRNA in the control of these key regulators as a direct consequence of HPV oncogenic activity. In conclusion, our findings establish the ncRNAs as crucial transcriptional components in HNSCs. Our results display the great potential for the study of ncRNAs and the role they have in human cancers.
Pain in the Addiction Rehabilitation Patient

The occurrence of opiate overdoses, which result in death and disability, has increased dramatically over the past 15 years. The vast majority of these overdoses have occurred with the use of prescription opioids and benzodiazepines. The population of people suffering from chronic pain is estimated to be over 100 million and a large number of these individuals are prescribed opioids. A large population of individuals with the dual problem of addiction and chronic pain has emerged, presenting a significant challenge to the healthcare system. This population is complex, fragile, and requires a complexity of approaches, which take into account the complicated problems of pharmacology, genetics, physical pathology, co-morbid issues, emotions, and behavior.
Abstract P180: Atrogin-1, a Muscle-Specific Ubiquitin Ligase, Drives Atrophic Remodeling of the Heart

The heart adapts to changes in load by remodeling both metabolically and structurally. During this process, cardiomyocytes break down unnecessary or damaged proteins and use the resulting amino acids for the synthesis of new proteins and/or energy provision. Protein degradation via the ubiquitin proteasome system is controlled by ubiquitin ligases, which determine the specific proteins to be degraded. Atrogin-1, a muscle specific ubiquitin ligase, is required for skeletal muscle atrophy, and over-expressing Atrogin-1 inhibits the development of cardiac hypertrophy. We now tested the hypothesis that Atrogin-1 is required for atrophic remodeling of the unloaded heart. Hearts from wild type (WT) and Atrogin-1 -/- mice (8-10 weeks old, n =8-12) were subjected to mechanical unloading by heterotopic transplantation. In WT hearts, seven days of unloading significantly reduced heart weight and myocyte cross-sectional area, while hearts lacking Atrogin-1 significantly hypertrophied (at least a 1.5-fold increase in heart weight, 2-fold increase in myocyte area). Conventional markers of atrophic remodeling, such as the reactivation of the fetal gene program (ANF, MHC isoform switch), were detected in both WT and Atrogin-1 -/- transplanted hearts. Proteasome activity and markers of autophagy were increased after unloading, although not significantly different between WT and Atrogin-1 -/- hearts. Pathways regulating protein synthesis were enhanced in the absence of Atrogin-1; there was an increase in activated Akt and its downstream pathway including mTOR, 4E-BP1, and p70 S6 kinase. Additionally, two known targets of Atrogin-1 involved in hypertrophy and protein synthesis, calcineurin and eukaryotic initiation factor 3f, were upregulated in unloaded Atrogin-1 deficient hearts. Consequently, “unloaded” cardiomyocytes lacking Atrogin-1 in vitro exhibit increased basal rates of protein synthesis. The results suggest that Atrogin-1 not only enhances protein degradation, but also keeps protein synthesis in check. Thus Atrogin-1 has a duel role in regulating cardiac mass.
The sense of presence for the suddenly deafened adult: Implications for virtual environments

Reports from adventitiously deafened individuals of a sense of unconnectedness with their surroundings, of a sense that the world seems “dead,” offer a compelling rationale for the argument that auditory cues are a crucial determinant of the sense of presence. Moreover, the crucial element of auditory stimulation for creating a sense of presence may be the auditory background, comprising the incidental sounds made by objects in the environment, rather than the communication and warning signals that typically capture our attention. Although designers of virtual environments have most often tried to maximize the sense of presence in the user by attempting to improve the fidelity of visual displays, the arguments presented here suggest that background auditory stimulation may be useful or even critical for achieving a full sense of presence.
Justice Scalia's Soulcraft as Statecraft

In December 1986, just three months after his appointment to the Supreme Court. Justice Antonin Scalia explored the relationship between law, his Christian faith, civic virtue, and republican government. Three decades later, we can find the themes that he explored in those brief (and long-overlooked) remarks resonating through many of his subsequent judicial opinions, articles, and speeches. Taking those writings together, we see the foundation for Justice Scalia's view of constitutional law and the work of judges in our constitutional system — and the crucial role that education must play in sustaining the virtues that undergird and sustain republican government. This essay was written for a December 2016 workshop on Scalia and education, organized by Prof. Paul E. Peterson, for the Harvard Kennedy School's Program on Education Policy and Governance. It was later published in two versions: as an essay in the Fall 2017 issue of National Affairs, and as a chapter in "Scalia's Constitution: Essays on Law and Education," edited by Paul E. Peterson and Michael McConnell (2017).
High-Temperature Reliability of Wire Bonds on Thick Film

Abstract In a harsh environment, wire-bonded interconnects are critical for overall reliability of microelectronic assemblies. Aluminum is the dominating metallization of the die wire bonding pads and aluminum wires are used to achieve monometallic bonding system on die side. On the substrate side, a monometallic connection is not readily available and typically involves expensive aluminum thin-film deposition or labor-intensive bonding tabs. Nickel-palladium-gold galvanic or electro-less plating stacks are also used to improve bondability and reliability of non-monometallic Al wire bonds on the substrate side. However, these plating stacks do not perform well after excursions above 330°C that are needed for the attachment of die and passives prior to wire bonding. At these temperatures, both palladium and nickel diffuse through the gold and form surface oxides that degrade wire bondability. In monometallic wire-bonding schemes, in addition to aluminum wires gold wires within same assembly are often also ...
When We Know Better, We Don't Always Do Better: Facilitating the Research to Practice and Policy Gap in School Mental Health.

The complexity of getting research into policy and practice, or “GRIPP,” is amplified in school mental health due to its position at the intersection of two distinct fields, education and mental health. GRIPP is hindered by several obstacles, including mutual distrust of researchers and practitioners/policymakers, their differing timelines and misaligned incentives, poor articulation of research findings and practice/policy priorities, and structural barriers that inhibit change. In line with many of the research, practice, and policy-driven studies described in the “Accessing Behavioral Health Services” special issue, this commentary reviews promising mechanisms to facilitate GRIPP. These include translating research findings into brief synopses; increasing networks and shared work among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers via conference and research-practice meetings; facilitating knowledge translation and implementation through intermediary organizations; and improving quality through research-practice partnerships. Addressing the GRIPP challenge in school mental health should include efforts to enhance research with wider methodologies that fit the education context and inclusion of practitioners and policymakers throughout the research process, and expanding and incentivizing the communication of findings through relevant outlets, including social media and policy briefs.
Elevated expression of human bHLH factor ATOH7 accelerates cell cycle progression of progenitors and enhances production of avian retinal ganglion cells

The production of vertebrate retinal projection neurons, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), is regulated by cell-intrinsic determinants and cell-to-cell signaling events. The basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein Atoh7 is a key neurogenic transcription factor required for RGC development. Here, we investigate whether manipulating human ATOH7 expression among uncommitted progenitors can promote RGC fate specification and thus be used as a strategy to enhance RGC genesis. Using the chicken retina as a model, we show that cell autonomous expression of ATOH7 is sufficient to induce precocious RGC formation and expansion of the neurogenic territory. ATOH7 overexpression among neurogenic progenitors significantly enhances RGC production at the expense of reducing the progenitor pool. Furthermore, forced expression of ATOH7 leads to a minor increase of cone photoreceptors. We provide evidence that elevating ATOH7 levels accelerates cell cycle progression from S to M phase and promotes cell cycle exit. We also show that ATOH7-induced ectopic RGCs often exhibit aberrant axonal projection patterns and are correlated with increased cell death during the period of retinotectal connections. These results demonstrate the high potency of human ATOH7 in promoting early retinogenesis and specifying the RGC differentiation program, thus providing insight for manipulating RGC production from stem cell-derived retinal organoids.
Health Information Technology in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety: Literature Review

Background: The area of healthcare quality and patient safety is starting to use health information technology to prevent reportable events, identify them before they become issues, and act on events that are thought to be unavoidable. As healthcare organizations begin to explore the use of health information technology in this realm, it is often unclear where fiscal and human efforts should be focused. Objective: The purpose of this study was to provide a foundation for understanding where to focus health information technology fiscal and human resources as well as expectations for the use of health information technology in healthcare quality and patient safety. Methods: A literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed publications reporting on the actual use of health information technology in healthcare quality and patient safety. Inductive thematic analysis with open coding was used to categorize a total of 41 studies. Three pre-set categories were used: prevention, identification, and action. Three additional categories were formed through coding: challenges, outcomes, and location. Results: This study identifies five main categories across seven study settings. A majority of the studies used health IT for identification and prevention of healthcare quality and patient safety issues. In this realm, alerts, clinical decision support, and customized health IT solutions were most often implemented. Implementation, interface design, and culture were most often noted as challenges. Conclusions: This study provides valuable information as organizations determine where they stand to get the most “bang for their buck” relative to health IT for quality and patient safety. Knowing what implementations are being effectivity used by other organizations helps with fiscal and human resource planning as well as managing expectations relative to cost, scope, and outcomes. The findings from this scan of the literature suggest that having organizational champion leaders that can shepherd implementation, impact culture, and bridge knowledge with developers would be a valuable resource allocation to consider.