cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuroimaging in Tourette Syndrome: Research highlights from 2014 to 2015

Tourette Syndrome (ts) is a developmental neuropsychiatric disorder of the central nervous system defined by the presence of chronic tics. While investigations of the underlying brain mechanisms have provided valuable information, a complete understanding of the pathophysiology of ts remains elusive. Neuroimaging methods provide remarkable tools for examining the human brain, and have been used to study brain structure and function in ts. In this article, we review ts neuroimaging studies published in 2014-2015. We highlight a number of noteworthy studies due to their innovative methods and interesting findings. Yet, we note that many of the recent studies share common concerns, specifically susceptibility to motion artifacts and modest sample sizes. Thus, we encourage future work to carefully address potential methodological confounds and to study larger samples to increase the potential for replicable results.
Review of Visualizing argumentation: software tools for collaborative and educational sense-making by Paul A. Kirschner, Simon J. Buckingham Shum and Chad S. Carr Springer-Verlag, 2003

Paul A. Kirschner, Simon J. Buckingham Shum and Chad S. Carr (Eds) Published by Springer-Verlag, 2003, xxvi + 216 pages. ISBN 1–85233–664–1
Modulatory effects of melatonin on behavior, hemolymph metabolites, and neurotransmitter release in crayfish

Melatonin affects a variety of circadian processes such as behavior and neurotransmitter release in vertebrates. Crayfish melatonin production occurs in the eyestalks, and the cycle of production may change seasonally. To date, however, melatonin's roles and mechanisms of action in crustacean physiology are unclear. We injected melatonin or saline into crayfish in scotophase and monitored activity and hemolymph glucose/lactate over 24 h in early spring. Crayfish were significantly more active in photophase versus the expected scotophase, and had concurrent glucose/lactate peaks. Melatonin reversed the activity pattern, causing a scotophase activity peak, but not the glucose/lactate patterns. This study was repeated in late summer, during which control activity and glucose/lactate levels were elevated in scotophase. Melatonin decreased the amplitude of scotophase activity and glucose/lactate, eliminating activity and glucose cycles. We also injected melatonin or saline at various times of day in early summer and monitored locomotor activity for 1 h. Controls had high activity at 1200 (mid-photophase) and 2100 h (early scotophase), and melatonin increased activity at 1200 h but decreased it at 2100 h. Melatonin also increased activity at 1500 h but not 1800 h (late photophase). Next, we examined the influence of melatonin on crayfish neurophysiology. Melatonin (10 microM) enhanced synaptic transmission at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). The presynaptic action resulted in more vesicles being released during evoked stimulation. Our study indicates that melatonin may have a phylogenetically conserved role in the transduction of circadian information in invertebrates as in vertebrates. Behavioral and physiological effects may be mediated by modulation of central pathways, enhanced at the peripheral level via neuromodulation of the NMJ.
Analysis of an adaptive detection algorithm for non-homogeneous environments

The adaptive matched filter (AMF) detector is known to be highly vulnerable to jammers and clutter discretes on which it has not properly trained. A vulnerability often leading to impractical false alarm rates in non-homogeneous environments. Sequentially following the AMF test with the adaptive cosine estimator (ACE) detector was proposed as a method of regulating the AMF's high false alarm rate. The overall detection algorithm, called the adaptive sidelobe blanker (ASB), is two dimensional and has exhibited significant potential in experimental settings of inhomogeneous environments. This paper theoretically examines the potential of this algorithm for application in non-homogeneous environments.
A quantitative recipe for engineering protein polymer nanoparticles

Protein polymers can assemble switchable nanostructures with emerging applications as biomaterials and nanomedicines. For example, above a critical micelle temperature (CMT) some elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) diblock copolymers assemble spherical nanoparticles, which may modulate cellular internalization and in vivo biodistribution. To achieve engineering-level control over their properties, this report explores a comprehensive library of ELP monoblock and diblock polymers. For the first time, we report that a surprisingly high core molecular weight is required for stable nanoparticle formation; furthermore, nanoparticle size depends on polymer molecular weight. A mathematical model was developed to characterize four ELP monoblock libraries and to predict the phase behavior of corresponding diblock copolymers. The CMT was almost entirely dependent on the hydrophobic core ELP, while the bulk phase transition temperature (Tt,bulk) depends predominantly on the hydrophilic block. Nanoparticle assembly was accompanied by a conversion in secondary structure of the hydrophobic block from random coil and β-sheets to type-2 β-turns. For the first time, this report enables the rational design of ELP protein polymer nanoparticles with physico–chemico properties that will be suitable for biological applications.
The Effects of Channel Errors in DPCM Systems and Comparison with PCM Systems

In a communications system the total system error is of importance. One measure of system error is the mean-square error between the input signal and the output signal. The total mean-squared error includes sampling error, quantization error, and channel error. The work reported here considers all three errors in differential pulsecode modulation (DPCM) systems and compares the results obtained with standard pulse-code modulation (PCM) systems. The total meansquared error is determined using well-defined system parameters such as quantizer levels, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), sampling rate, etc. Using the derived formulas the design of DPCM systems is facilitated along with various tradeoff studies. The error equations are determined for both uniform and nonuniform quantizers. The error due to channel noise is obtained in closed form for both cases. DPCM and PCM are compared for three different reconstruction filters, the zero-order hold (ZOH), the linear interpolator (LI), and the ZOH followed by a low-pass filter. The optimum prediction coefficient is shown to depend on the channel noise. The optimum prediction coefficient improves the performance of DPCM systems considerably. DPCM is shown to perform better than PCM in all cases. Simulation results are presented, which verify the theoretical results.
Comparison of open, laparoscopic, and robotic approaches for total abdominal colectomy.

The utilization of minimally invasive surgery is increasing in colorectal surgery. We sought to compare the outcomes of patients who underwent elective open, laparoscopic, and robotic total abdominal colectomy. The NIS database was used to examine the clinical data of patients who underwent an elective total colectomy procedure during 2009–2012. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to compare the three surgical approaches. We sampled a total of 26,721 patients who underwent elective total colectomy. Of these, 16,780 (62.8 %) had an open operation, while 9934 (37.2 %) had a minimally invasive approach (9614 laparoscopic surgery, and 326 robotic surgery). The most common indication for an operation was ulcerative colitis (31 %). Patients who underwent open surgery had significantly higher mortality and morbidity compared to laparoscopic (AOR 2.48, 1.30, P < 0.01) and robotic approaches (AOR 1.04, 1.30, P < 0.01 and P = 0.04, respectively). There was no significant difference in mortality and morbidity between the laparoscopic and robotic approaches (AOR 0.96, 1.03, P = 0.10, P = 0.78). However, conversion rate of laparoscopic surgery to open was significantly higher than that of robotic approach (13.3 vs. 1.5 %, P < 0.01). Patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery had significantly lower total hospital charges compared to patients who underwent open surgery (mean difference = $21,489, P < 0.01). Also, total hospital charges for a robotic approach were significantly higher than for a laparoscopic approach (mean difference = $15,595, P < 0.01). Minimally invasive approaches to total colectomy are safe, with the advantage of lower mortality and morbidity compared to an open approach. Although there was no significant difference in the morbidity between minimally invasive approaches, robotic surgery had a significantly lower conversion rate compared to laparoscopic approach. Total hospital charges are significantly higher in robotic surgery compared to laparoscopic approach.
Frequency dependence of fatigue life and internal heating of a fiber-reinforced/ceramic-matrix composite

The influence of loading frequency on the fatigue life and internal (frictional) heating of unidirectional SiC-fiber/calcium aluminosilicate-matrix composites was investigated at room temperature. Specimens were subjected to tension-tension fatigue at sinusoidal loading frequencies from 25 to 350 Hz and maximum fatigue stresses of 180 to 240 MPa. The key findings of the study were that (1) fatigue life decreased sharply as the loading frequency was increased, (2) for all loading frequencies, fatigue failures occurred at stress levels that were significantly below the monotonic proportional limit stress if [approximately]285 MPa, and (3) pronounced internal heating occurred during fatigue, with the surface temperature of the fatigue specimens increasing by 160 K during 350-Hz fatigue at a peak stress of 240 MPa.
Sexual Abuse Survivors’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of EMDR and Eclectic Therapy

Objective: This article examines survivor perspectives of the effectiveness of two different treatments for trauma symptoms among adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse—Eye movement Desen...
Well-fixed acetabular component retention or replacement: The whys and the wherefores☆☆☆

Occasionally the adult reconstructive surgeon is faced with a well-fixed acetabular component that is associated with an arthroplasty problem that ordinarily would require removal and replacement of the cup. Removal of a well-fixed cup is associated with considerable morbidity in bone loss, particularly in the medial wall of the acetabulum. In such a situation, retention of the cup with exchange only of the polyethylene liner may be possible. As preparation for a prospective study, I informally reviewed my experience of cup retention or replacement in revision total hip arthroplasty. An algorithm for retaining or revising a well-fixed acetabular component is presented here.
Scalable Secure Bidirectional Group Communication

Many network applications are based on a group communications model where one party sends messages to a large number of authorized recipients and/or receives messages from multiple senders. In this paper we present a secure group communication scheme based on a new cryptosystem that admits a rigorous proof of security against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack (IND-CCA2). Our scheme is bi-directional, supporting both one-to-many and many-to-one communications. Compared with existing solutions, our scheme achieves the following improvements: (1) It guarantees data confidentiality and authenticity in both directions; (2) It is the most scalable solution so far among all existing schemes achieving (1). The group member storage overhead is constant while both the center storage and rekeying communication complexity are independent of group size. (3) It can be made to achieve higher level of security and hide even the information about the group dynamics. We show that this protection is more effective and more efficient than existing solutions.
Using Newly available Homicide Data to Debunk Two Myths about Violence in an International Context: A Research Note

This article employs newly available crime and vital statistics data from Russia to debunk two myths about violence in an international context. The first myth is that the United States is the most violent industrialized nation in the world. The second myth is that in spite of other problems associated with Soviet society, at least the totalitarian regime was able to maintain low rates of crime and violence. The newly available data reveal the inaccuracies in each of these statements. Not only is the current Russian homicide victimization rate more than 3 times higher than in the United States, but it has been comparable to or higher than the U.S. rate for at least the past 35 years. Furthermore, preliminary analyses of these data also question the generalizability of other commonly held notions about the production of high rates of violence in the United States.
Which Side are You on? Identifying Perspectives at the Document and Sentence Levels

In this paper we investigate a new problem of identifying the perspective from which a document is written. By perspective we mean a point of view, for example, from the perspective of Democrats or Republicans. Can computers learn to identify the perspective of a document? Not every sentence is written strongly from a perspective. Can computers learn to identify which sentences strongly convey a particular perspective? We develop statistical models to capture how perspectives are expressed at the document and sentence levels, and evaluate the proposed models on articles about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The results show that the proposed models successfully learn how perspectives are reflected in word usage and can identify the perspective of a document with high accuracy.
Asymmetrical Social Influence in Freely Interacting Groups Discussing the Death Penalty: A Shared Representations Interpretation

Past research has shown that minorities arguing in favor of the majority opinion within a given population (i.e. the ‘Zeitgeist’) are more powerful sources of social influence than minorities arguing against the normative population opinion (i.e. Clark & Maass, 1988a and b; Paicheler,1977). We studied the Zeitgeist effect within the context of freely interacting groups discussing the death penalty. In direct contrast to past research, minorities arguing against the death penalty Zeitgeist were more powerful sources of social influence than those arguing in favor of it. Analyses of conversation content and thought-listing data suggest that minorities arguing against the death penalty may have been more influential because they were appealing to a superordinate shared belief system within their respective groups.
Acceleration of the modal series in the Neumann scattering problem for a hemispherical shell

A mixed boundary value problem for the scalar acoustic field scattered by an axisymmetric plane wave incident upon a hard hemispherical shell is formulated. The resulting discontinuity in surface pressure is expressed in terms of a complete set of weighted Chebyshev polynomials that satisfy the correct asymptotic edge condition. In this way, the extremely slowly converging modal series of spherical wave functions is transformed to a convergent sum of physically motivated basis functions. Truncation to a finite number of unknown coefficients, together with Galerkin projection, yields a set of linear algebraic equations.
Impact of power control error on PN acquisition performance for a code-division-multiple-access system

In this paper, the impact of power control error on PN acquisition performance is evaluated for a CDMA system in a fading channel. A parallel acquisition scheme is adopted since it achieves faster acquisition than serial acquisition schemes. Acquisition performance is evaluated in terms of mean acquisition time, and acquisition-based capacity is discussed. It is shown that the imperfect power control increases mean acquisition time substantially when the standard deviation of received power is above 1 dB. The results in this paper can be applied to the reverse link design of a CDMA system.
Device and circuit implications of double-patterning — A designer's perspective

Double-patterning lithography is a choice for critical layers in 32 nm and 22 nm technologies. Double patterning lithography techniques require additional masks to manufacture a single device layer. Consequently, double-patterning lithography brings overlay as a challenge that introduces additional variability to gate coupling capacitances. This additional variability may negatively impact circuit performance. We provide variational device and circuit analysis methods for double-patterning lithography. We demonstrate our methodology using TCAD and circuit simulations in a 32 nm technology. Proposed results shed light On understanding the possible impact of overlay on device and circuit performance.1
Direct methods for recovering motion

We have developed direct methods for recovering the motion of an observer in a static environment in the case of pure rotation, pure translation, and arbitrary motion when the rotation is known. Some of these methods are based on the minimization of the difference between the observed time derivative of brightness and that predicted from the spatial brightness gradient, given the estimated motion. We minimize the square of the integral of this difference taken over the image region of interest. Other methods presented here exploit the fact that surfaces have to be in front of the observer in order to be seen. We do not establish point correspondences, nor do we estimate the optical flow. We use only first-order derivatives of the image brightness, and we do not assume an analytic form for the surface. We show that the field of view should be large to accurately recover the components of motion in the direction toward the image region. We also demonstrate the importance of points where the time derivative of brightness is small and discuss difficulties resulting from very large depth ranges. We emphasize the need for adequate filtering of the image data before sampling to avoid aliasing, in both the spatial and temporal dimensions.
A community-based approach to preventing alcohol use among adolescents on an American Indian reservation.

This paper examines the effectiveness of a 5-year community-based health promotion program to reduce the rate of substance use, particularly alcohol, by adolescents on a Plains State American Indian reservation. The program was part of the Kaiser Family Foundation Community Health Promotion Grants Program. Since a reservation control group was not available, adolescents serving as control groups for other Community Health Promotion Grants Program communities, including a small sample of rural American Indians, were used as a basis for comparison. School-based surveys of 9th and 12th graders were carried out on the reservation and in five relevant California control communities--two suburban, three rural--in 1988, 1990, and 1992. The results showed that the use of both alcohol and marijuana declined substantially among American Indian adolescents living on the reservation. Binge drinking (five or more drinks on an occasion) declined from 46 percent to 30 percent, and marijuana use (in the past month) declined from 46 percent to 29 percent over the 4-year period. However, there were similar, if smaller, declines in alcohol use in the comparison groups. Since there was no evidence of a relative increase in exposure to alcohol and drug programs on the reservation, the authors are cautious in attributing the significant and heartening declines in substance use among adolescents on the reservation to the community-based program. Language: en
Age of Sexual Debut and Cannabis Use in the United States.

ABSTRACTBackground: Understanding the interrelationships between risky health behaviors is critical for health promotion efforts. Conceptual frameworks for understanding substance misuse (e.g. stepping-stone models) have not yet widely incorporated other risky behaviors, including those related to sexual health. Objectives: The goals of this study were to assess the relationship between early sexual debut and cannabis use, examine the role of licit substance use in this association, and evaluate differences by gender and race/ethnicity. Methods: Data came from the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication (NCS-R). Primary analysis was restricted to respondents who reported sexual debut at ≥12 years (n = 5,036). Age at sexual debut was categorized as early ( 18 years). Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between age at sexual debut and cannabis use. Interaction terms were used to evaluate effect modification by gender and race/ethnicity. Results: L...
Commentary: Contested Wills and Will Contests

When disinherited heirs challenge a will drafted by a person suspected of having dementia, a legal battle may ensue. The "lucid interval," a brief return to competence from a state of dementia, has been invoked in years past to establish the validity of contested wills. Shulman et al., having reviewed the medical and legal literature, make a convincing argument that no such period of competence occurs in the course of dementia. A neuropsychiatric autopsy is outlined in this commentary to provide a method of determining the validity of a last will and testament, by applying the clinical method described when witness statements do not provide accurate guidance.
A systematic review of education programmes to prevent concussion in rugby union

AbstractBackground: There is a high incidence of concussion sustained by athletes participating in rugby union, many of which go unreported. A lack of sufficient knowledge about concussion injuries may explain athletes’ failure to report. Several rugby union-playing countries have developed injury education and prevention programmes to address this issue. Objective: The aim of the current review was to systematically assess the content and level of evidence on concussion education/prevention programmes in rugby union and to make recommendations for the quality, strength, and consistency of this evidence. Methods: We searched PubMed, PsycInfo, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscuss, Webofscience, and conducted a manual search for articles. Results: Ten articles were included for review. Of these, six focused on the BokSmart injury prevention programme in South Africa, two focused on the RugbySmart injury prevention programme in New Zealand, one was an analysis of prevention programmes, and one was a systematic review of ru...
Soybean Response to Various Levels of Podworm Damage

Infestations of varying numbers of Heliothis zea (Boddie) were established in 1968 and 1969 on caged soybeans to determine the number of pod worms per row-foot necessary to produce economic damage. All artificially introduced podworm infestation levels resulted in reduced yields in 1969. Based on the cost of insecticidal control applications, an introduced population level of three podworms per row-foot would justify control measures. Population levels of 1 larva per foot of row, if introduced twice, would justify control measures. Pod-damage counts were made before harvest, and each larva had partially consumed at least 6 pods.
Use of host plant resources by the Euonymus scale, Unaspis euonymi (Homoptera: Diaspididae).

Patterns of Unaspis euonymi (Comstock) feeding and resource use were examined on Euonymus fortunei (L.) and Euonymus japonica (L.). Intracellular stylet penetration was observed in stems, leaves, and leaf petioles. In leaves, 62% of stylet tracks terminated in the upper palisade, and in petioles, 70% of stylet tracks terminated in the spongy mesophyll. In stems, however, 57% of the stylet tracks terminated in the xylem. Branched stylet tracks present in all tissues suggest active retraction and reinsertion of mouth parts by scales. On leaves of variegated E. japonica ‘Aureus’, female scales feeding on yellow leaf portions had 22% fewer offspring than those feeding on green portions. This supports the hypothesis that U. euonymi feeds primarily on cell contents (which differ markedly in green and yellow leaf portions) rather than phloem (which has similar composition in green and yellow leaf portions). A model of scale feeding is proposed that incorporates dynamic intracellular movement of mouthparts to nutrient-rich cells. Scales may feed on a variety of plant tissues to optimize the nutritional value of ingested food.
Identification of Diethyl 2,5-Dioxahexane Dicarboxylate and Polyethylene Carbonate as Decomposition Products of Ethylene Carbonate Based Electrolytes by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

The formation of passive films on electrodes due to electrolyte decomposition significantly affects the reversibility of Li-ion batteries (LIBs); however, understanding of the electrolyte decomposition process is still lacking. The decomposition products of ethylene carbonate (EC)-based electrolytes on Sn and Ni electrodes are investigated in this study by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The reference compounds, diethyl 2,5-dioxahexane dicarboxylate (DEDOHC) and polyethylene carbonate (poly-EC), were synthesized, and their chemical structures were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Assignment of the vibration frequencies of these compounds was assisted by quantum chemical (Hartree-Fock) calculations. The effect of Li-ion solvation on the FTIR spectra was studied by introducing the synthesized reference compounds into the electrolyte. EC decomposition products formed on Sn and Ni electrodes were identified as DEDOHC and poly-EC by matching the features of surface species formed on the electrodes with reference spectra. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of accounting for the solvation effect in FTIR analysis of the decomposition products forming on LIB electrodes. © 2014 American Chemical Society.
A Cybernetic Model of the US Defense Expenditure Policymaking Process

The observation that US military expenditures are largely a function of internal, domestic factors is increasingly becoming a part of the conventional wisdom. This result is counterintuitive, particularly when compared with the statements of US defense planners. In addition, most explanations lack an explicit characterization of decisionmaking and decisionmakers. This article addresses these twin problems by developing a model of US defense expenditure policymaking which is based upon the following principles of cybernetic behavior: (a) decisionmakers are boundedly rational; (b) they respond to a limited number of environmental factors in a hierarchic fashion; and (c) the structure of this hierarchy is a function of “survival” considerations. A multiactor, multistage model is operationalized and tested for the period of Fiscal Years 1947–1980. This article concludes that the hierarchic search structure posited by the cybernetic approach is a reasonable approximation to the behavior of the major actors in the US defense expenditure process.
Activation of Peroxymonosulfate by Subsurface Minerals

In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) has become a widely used technology for the remediation of soil and groundwater. Although peroxymonosulfate is not a common oxidant source for ISCO, its chemical structure is similar to the ISCO reagents hydrogen peroxide and persulfate, suggesting that peroxymonosulfate may have the beneficial properties of each of these oxidants. Peroxymonosulfate activation in the presence of subsurface minerals was examined as a basis for ISCO, and possible reactive species (hydroxyl radical, sulfate radical, and reductants+nucleophiles) generated in the mineral-activated peroxymonosulfate systems were investigated. Rates of peroxymonosulfate decomposition and generation rates of reactive species were studied in the presence of three iron oxides, one manganese oxide, and three soil fractions. The iron oxide hematite-activated peroxymonosulfate system most effectively degraded the hydroxyl radical probe nitrobenzene. Reductants+nucleophiles were not generated in mineral-activated peroxymonosulfate systems. Use of the probe compound anisole in conjunction with scavengers demonstrated that both sulfate radical and hydroxyl radical are generated in mineral-activated peroxymonosulfate systems. In order to confirm the activation of peroxymonosulfate by subsurface minerals, one natural soil and associated two soil fractions were evaluated as peroxymonosulfate catalysts. The natural soil did not effectively promote the generation of oxidants; however, the soil organic matter was found to promote the generation of reductants + nucleophiles. The results of this research show that peroxymonosulfate has potential as an oxidant source for ISCO applications, and would be most effective in treating halogenated contaminants when soil organic matter is present in the subsurface.
THE EFFECTS OF URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT ON SPECIES GROUP OF MOSQITOES INLINYI CITY

Objective To explore the variation tendency of the species groups and density of mosquitoes before and after the urban environmental improvement to eliminate mosquitoes and control mosquito-borne diseases.Methods Observation points were chosen according to the various urban orientations and different water bodies.The species groups and density were classified by laboratory tests by collecting mosquitoes.Results 5316 kinds of mosquitoes in 28 species in 5 genuses were distinguished.70.39% of them were culex pipiens pallens and 12.38% were anopheles hyrcanus sinensis in Urban.Others were mainly anopheles hyrcanus sinensis(12.38%).The density of aedes albopictus and aedes koreicus was found to have increased.Conclusion The species groups and density of mosquitoes have changed with the changes in ecological environment,and the proportion of the unprivileged mosquitoes has increased.
Degree of Specialization and Size of National Scientific and Technological Activities

In the previous four Chapters the specialization profiles of advanced countries have been identified according to both technology and science indicators. The mapping of sectoral strengths and weaknesses, however, also requires a description of how concentrated (or spread out) national science and technology activities are across fields. Beyond analysis at the sectoral level, in fact, the resulting aggregate tendencies, and differences existing among countries, should be explored. This Chapter examines the extent to which countries focus their efforts in a few areas of science and technology, or distribute their resources over many different fields. This analysis qualifies the study of national sectoral specialization developed in the previous Chapters, and constitutes an original contribution of this report.
Examining Volatility Persistence and News Asymmetry in Soybeans Futures Returns

Four alternative generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH), and three asymmetric GARCH models (EGARCH, TGARCH and APARCH) are used to examine the presence of volatility persistence and news asymmetry in soybeans futures data. Presence of fat tails in the data series resulted in applying Student’s-t and generalized error distributions in addition to Gaussian normal distribution. The results reveal that soybean return series exhibit volatility characteristics typical of a financial time series. The findings of this study indicate that the leverage effect was absent for soybeans suggesting that positive news causes more volatility to the commodity than negative news. Results further suggest that the fit of the GARCH models is improved by applying t-distribution errors. The diagnostic tests reveal that GARCH models are correctly specified and among all the competing models, APARCH (1,3) model with t-distribution performed best in capturing the volatility.
Robert Kroetsch, Play, and the Specter

As for Bob Kroetsch, my Canadian SUNY-Binghamton colleague since 1967 and co-founding editor of boundary 2, he was my antithesis. He was responsive to the imperative of unending play inhering in an ontology grounded in the nothingness of being. I, despite my theoretical commitment to errancy, tended to minimize that play in favor of conveying an urgent political message. In the process, however—and in keeping with the liminal interregnum in which we lived—we developed a unique form of dialogue. It was a loving strife—Auseinandersetzung, in Heidegger’s vocabulary—in which the traditional warring meanings of the binarist identitarian terms lost their dominance and were transformed into an intimate relationality that enhanced rather their now identityless identities.
Pulmonary delivery of nanoparticle chemotherapy for the treatment of lung cancers: challenges and opportunities

Lung cancer is the second most prevalent and the deadliest among all cancer types. Chemotherapy is recommended for lung cancers to control tumor growth and to prolong patient survival. Systemic chemotherapy typically has very limited efficacy as well as severe systemic adverse effects, which are often attributed to the distribution of anticancer drugs to non-targeted sites. In contrast, inhalation routes permit the delivery of drugs directly to the lungs providing high local concentrations that may enhance the anti-tumor effect while alleviating systemic adverse effects. Preliminary studies in animals and humans have suggested that most inhaled chemotherapies are tolerable with manageable pulmonary adverse effects, including cough and bronchospasm. Promoting the deposition of anticancer drugs in tumorous cells and minimizing access to healthy lung cells can further augment the efficacy and reduce the risk of local toxicities caused by inhaled chemotherapy. Sustained release and tumor localization characteristics make nanoparticle formulations a promising candidate for the inhaled delivery of chemotherapeutic agents against lung cancers. However, the physiology of respiratory tracts and lung clearance mechanisms present key barriers for the effective deposition and retention of inhaled nanoparticle formulations in the lungs. Recent research has focused on the development of novel formulations to maximize lung deposition and to minimize pulmonary clearance of inhaled nanoparticles. This article systematically reviews the challenges and opportunities for the pulmonary delivery of nanoparticle formulations for the treatment of lung cancers.
ROS and Docker

In this tutorial chapter we’ll cover the growing intersection between ROS and Docker, showcasing new development tools and strategies to advance robotic software design and deployment within a ROS/Gazebo context by utilizing advances in Linux containers. Tutorial examples here will focus on robotics software development for education, research, and industry, specifically: constructing repeatable and reproducible environments, leveraging software defined networking, as well as running and shipping portable ROS applications.
Ideal Arch Form

Abstract No Abstract Available. * Read before the Ninth Annual Meeting of the Edward H. Angle Society of Orthodontia, Chicago, October 21st, 1933.
On the solution of the linear least squares problems and pseudo-inverses

It is known that the computed least squares solutionx ofAx=b, in the presence of the round-off error, satisfies the perturbed equation(A+E)(x+h)=b+f. The practical considerations of computing the solution are discussed and it is found that rank(A+E)=rank (A). A general analysis of the condition of the linear least squares problems and pseudo-inverses is then presented using this assumption. Norms of relevant round-off error perturbations are estimated for two known methods of solution. Comparison between different algorithms is given by numerical examples.
Spatial distribution of estuarine diamond-backed terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) and risk analysis from commercial blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) trapping at the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex, USA

Abstract The diamond-backed terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a small estuarine turtle distributed along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the USA. Terrapin populations are declining throughout their range and one of the main causes is mortality by drowning as bycatch in commercially-fished blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) traps (aka pots). We conducted head counts of terrapins and documented the distribution and number of crab pots on the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex in southeast Georgia, USA. Using an index for representing relative degree of crabbing pressure, we conducted a spatial risk analysis for each of the four refuges surveyed. We fit a series of generalized linear mixed effect models to test hypotheses about the scale (creek scale vs. refuge/island scale) at which terrapin relative abundances respond to crab trapping and environmental variables. Several creeks were found to be at high risk of terrapin mortality from crab pots. Areas with low terrapin head counts may be a result of past crab pot mortality. The best model relating terrapin counts to crab trapping revealed a negative effect of crab pots calculated at the refuge/island scale and included a positive association between cloud cover and terrapin counts. The estimated effect of crab pot number at the refuge/island scale suggests that an increase in crab pot density of one pot per creek is associated with a 74.6% decline in terrapin head counts, underscoring the sensitivity of terrapin populations to crab pot mortality. Mitigation of this mortality factor via redesigned crab traps with bycatch reduction devices may be necessary to maintain healthy terrapin populations on the refuges.
Videoscopic Inguinal Lymphadenectomy for Metastatic Melanoma

Background: The standard treatment of care for melanoma metastatic to the inguinal lymph node basin is lymphadenectomy. However, up to 50% of patients forgo the operation partly due to concerns about morbidity. Videoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy (VIL) is a minimally invasive technique designed to minimize wound complications while achieving comparable oncological control. Methods: We reviewed pertinent literature related to open inguinal lymphadenectomy and VIL specific to melanoma, offering personal experience where appropriate. Results: Despite efforts to minimize the complications of open inguinal lymphadenectomy, approximately 50% of patients experience a wound-related complication. However, performing minimally invasive VIL has led to a significant decrease in length of hospital stay, a decrease in complications, and equivalent or superior lymph node retrieval in patients with metastatic melanoma to the inguinal basin. Conclusions: VIL is an alternative to open inguinal lymphadenectomy for patients with melanoma and regional metastases.
Real-Time PCR

Abstract Realtime PCR (or qPCR) is a widely used gold of standard for quantitative analysis of gene expression. It is also a very sensitive method for viral copy number detection, and genotyping. This Protocol outlines qPCR theory, data analysis and detailed procedures.
Airloads and Moments on an Aircraft Flying Over a Pair of Inclined Trailing Vortices

When an aircraft flies across the wake of a preceding one, it is subjected to changing airloads and moments induced by the trailing vortices of the first aircraft. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the magnitude and characteristics of the time dependent aerodynamic forces so produced. Both aircraft are assumed to be in horizontal flight but the direction of flight of the second aircraft is assumed to be inclined at a small angle to the trailing vortices of the first aircraft. The airloads then will change relatively slowly with time and may be estimated with reasonable accuracy by quasi-steady aerodynamic theory without taking Wagner growth of lift effects into account. In the present study, the pilot of the second aircraft is assumed to have sufficient control power to maintain his aircraft in level flight. However, in practice, this condition is likely to be violated when the aircraft is close to one of the trailing vortices of the leading aircraft, particularly when the latter happens to be a large transport plane. In such circumstances the following aircraft could stall and would, in any case, be subjected to big changes of lift and rolling moment as indicated by the results presented. In the development of the theory it is assumed that the trailing vortices are a chord length or more below the following aircraft and that the vorticity distribution over its wings will have negligible effect on the trailing vortices themselves. The pair of vortices will give rise to an upwash distribution over the wings of an approaching aircraft which must be balanced by an equal and opposite velocity distribution induced by the vorticity distribution created over the wing. The effects of the induced velocity components along the span and in the direction of flight are neglected. The problem then is one of finding the appropriate vorticity distribution at each stage of the aircraft’s flight over the trailing vortices. This can be done approximately by using a modified lifting line theory or, more accurately, by lifting surface theory. To illustrate the methods of analysis employed, calculations were done for an aircraft with rectangular wings, but only the airloads on the wings were determined. Values of the lift, rolling moment and pitching moment coefficients, corresponding to vortex inclinations of 0, l0, 20, 30, and 60° were obtained for a rectangular wing of aspect ratio 6 at different times during its passage over the trailing vortices.
TRAGÉDIA E RECONHECIMENTO NA TRAJETÓRIA FORMATIVA

O artigo busca evidenciar e compreender o papel do saber tragico na experiencia formativa, compreendido a partir de Jaspers e Ricoeur. A problematizacao aborda a potencia criadora do tragico como um projeto de conhecimento presente na vida e na atuacao de uma educadora de periferia, articulando com a discussao sobre o papel da escola e sua relacao com a luta por reconhecimento social. A possibilidade de interlocucao de questoes teoricas e narrativas inscreve-se no contexto metodologico da pesquisa-formacao, com base na historia de vida. Na discussao, analisamos o impacto dado a formacao (inter)subjetiva pelo saber tragico que tem como desafio a redencao ou a libertacao, visto que a tragedia pode ser superada pela obra do ser humano mediante a autopoiesis .
Distinct Biological Phenotypes of Marburg and Ravn Virus Infection in Macaques

Filoviruses are among the most pathogenic infectious agents known to human, with high destructive potential, as evidenced by the recent Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. As members of the filovirus family, marburgviruses have caused similar devastating outbreaks, albeit with lower case numbers. In this study we compare the pathogenesis of Ravn virus (RAVV) and Marburg virus (MARV) strains Angola, Musoke, and Ozolin in rhesus and cynomolgus macaques, the 2 nonhuman primate species most commonly used in filovirus research. Our results reveal the most pathogenic MARV strain to be Angola, followed by Musoke, whereas Ozolin is the least pathogenic. We also demonstrate that RAVV is highly pathogenic in cynomolgus macaques but less pathogenic in rhesus macaques. Our results demonstrate a preferential infection of endothelial cells by MARVs; in addition, analysis of tissue samples suggests that lymphocyte and hepatocyte apoptosis might play a role in MARV pathogenicity. This information expands our knowledge about pathogenicity and virulence of marburgviruses.
Is there a performance tradeoff in managing order fulfillment and the bullwhip effect in supply chains? The role of information sharing and information type

Abstract In a supply chain setting with demand and lead time variability, we use simulation to investigate the impact of information sharing on both the Bullwhip Effect (BWE) and the Order Fulfillment Performance (OFP) in a multi-echelon supply chain system. The results confirm past studies that indicate that using information sharing to coordinate orders in the supply chain generally reduces the negative effects of the bullwhip effect. However, particularly in situations when firms are unwilling or cannot share certain types of information, we find that there are significant performance tradeoffs in managing both order fulfillment and the negative impact of the BWE. Specifically, we find that the information type that leads to the best order fulfillment performance in these cases has the opposite impact on managing the bullwhip effect. Given these findings, we argue that type of information (ITYPE) that is used to set inventory up-to levels needs to be chosen carefully when information sharing is neither feasible nor practiced widely among firms in the supply chain.
From potency to act: hyloenergeism

Many contemporary proponents of hylomorphism endorse a version of hylomorphism according to which the form of a material object is a certain kind of complex relation or structure. Structural approaches to form, however, seem not to capture form’s traditional role as the guarantor of diachronic identity, since more “dynamically complex” material objects, such as living organisms, seem to undergo, and survive, various structural changes over the course of their existence. As a result, some contemporary hylomorphists have looked to alternative, non-structural approaches to form. One of the leading non-structural approaches is the powers approach, according to which the form of a material object is a certain kind of power continuously activated in the object or in its material parts. In this paper, I begin by offering an overview and assessment of this powers approach to form. I argue that while the powers approach captures some crucial elements for understanding the nature of more dynamically complex material objects, when we press on the details of the view we find that it actually points to a related, but importantly distinct, third approach to understanding form, according to which the form of a material object is a certain kind of activity or process in which the material object or its parts are continuously engaged. I call this third approach “Hyloenergeism”. In the second half of the paper, I consider what such a view of material objects might look like and what its principal virtues might be.
Retrieving Aerosol Characteristics from the Pace Mission, Part 1: Ocean Color Instrument

NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Clouds, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite mission is scheduled to launch in 2022, with the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) on board. For the first time reflected sunlight from the Earth across a broad spectrum from the ultraviolet (UV: 350 nm) to the short wave infrared (SWIR: 2260 nm) will be measured from a single instrument at 1 km spatial resolution. While seven discrete bands will represent the SWIR, the spectrum from 350 nm to 890 nm will be continuously covered with a spectral resolution of 5 nm. OCI will thus combine in a single instrument (and at an enhanced spatial resolution for the UV) the heritage capabilities of the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), while covering the oxygen A-band. Designed for ocean color and ocean biology retrievals, OCI also enables continuation of heritage satellite aerosol products and the development of new aerosol characterization from space. In particular the combination of MODIS and OMI characteristics allows deriving aerosol height, absorption and optical depth along with a measure of particle size distribution. This is achieved by using the traditional MODIS visible-to-SWIR wavelengths to constrain spectral aerosol optical depth and particle size. Extrapolating this information to the UV channels allows retrieval of aerosol absorption and layer height. A more direct method to derive aerosol layer height makes use of oxygen A-band absorption methods, despite the relative coarseness of the nominal 5 nm spectral resolution of OCI. Altogether the PACE mission with OCI will be an unprecedented opportunity for aerosol characterization that will continue climate data records from the past decades and propel aerosol science forward towards new opportunities.