cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal Optical Properties of Lunar Dust Simulants and Their Constituents

The total reflectance spectra of lunar simulant dusts (< 20 mm particles) were measured in order to determine their integrated solar absorptance (alpha) and their thermal emittance (epsilon) for the purpose of analyzing the effect of dust on the performance of thermal control surfaces. All of the simulants except one had a wavelength-dependent reflectivity (p (lambda)) near 0.10 over the wavelength range of 8 to 25 microns and so are highly emitting at room temperature and lower. The 300 K emittance (epsilon) of all the lunar simulants except one ranged from 0.78 to 0.92. The exception was Minnesota Lunar Simulant 1 (MLS-1), which has little or no glassy component. In all cases the epsilon was lower for the < 20 micron particles than for larger particles reported earlier. There was considerably more variation in the lunar simulant reflectance in the solar spectral range (250 to 2500 nm) than in the thermal infrared. As expected, the lunar highlands simulants were more reflective in this wavelength range than the lunar mare simulants. The integrated solar absorptance (alpha) of the simulants ranged from 0.39 to 0.75. This is lower than values reported earlier for larger particles of the same simulants (0.41 to 0.82), and for representative mare and highlands lunar soils (0.74 to 0.91). Since the of some mare simulants more closely matched that of highlands lunar soils, it is recommended that and values be the criteria for choosing a simulant for assessing the effects of dust on thermal control surfaces, rather than whether a simulant has been formulated as a highlands or a mare simulant.
Line-of-descent and genealogical processes, and their applications in population genetics models

A variety of results for genealogical and line-of-descent processes that arise in connection with the theory of some classical selectively neutral population genetics models are reviewed. While some new results and derivations are included, the principle aim is to demonstrate the central importance and simplicity of genealogical Markov chains in this theory. Considerable attention is given to "diffusion time scale" approximations of such genealogical processes. A wide variety of results pertinent to (diffusion approximations of) the classical multiallele single-locus Wright-Fisher model and its relatives are simplified and unified by this approach. Other examples where such genealogical processes play an explicit role, such as the infinite sites and infinite alleles models, are discussed.
The Redundancy of Two-Part Codes for Finite-Length Parametric Sources

In this paper, we investigate the redundancy in the universal compression of finite-length smooth parametric sources. Rissanen demonstrated that for a smooth parametric source with $d$ unknown parameters, the expected redundancy for regular codes is asymptotically given by $\frac{d}{2}\log n + o(\log n)$ for almost all sources. Clarke and Barron derived the "minimax expected redundancy" for memoryless sources, which is the maximum redundancy of the best code over the space of source parameters. However, the minimax redundancy is for a particular parameter value, which does not provide much insight about different source parameters. We derived a lower bound on the compression of finite-length memoryless sequences using a probabilistic treatment. In this paper, we extend our analysis to smooth parametric sequences. We focus on two-part codes with an asymptotic $O(1)$ extra redundancy. We also require that the length function be regular, which is not restrictive since all codes that we know are regular. We derive a lower bound on the probability that the source is compressed with redundancy greater than any redundancy level $R_0$, i.e., we find a lower bound on $\mb{P}[R_n(l_{2p},\theta)>R_0]$, where $R_n(l_{2p},\theta)$ is the redundancy in the compression of a parametric sequence of length $n$ using a two-part length function $l_{2p}$ for the source parameter $\theta$.
Brief Report: Post-traumatic Stress During Emerging Adulthood in Survivors of Pediatric Cancer

Objective To examine post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and disorder (PTSD) among survivors of childhood cancer and comparison peers during the transition to emerging adulthood. Method From elementary and middle school, we prospectively followed a cohort of 56 cancer survivors, 60 comparison peers, and their parents. Assessments were completed after the youth's 18th birthday using questionnaires and a semi-structured psychiatric interview. Healthcare providers rated treatment severity and late effects. Results Survivors and comparison peers did not differ on rates of PTSS or PTSD, but comparison peers reported more dissociative experiences than survivors. Late effects were associated with a greater number of past PTSS. Of the 16 cancer survivors who reported a traumatic event, five (31%) were cancer-related. Conclusions Levels of PTSS were similar for survivors and comparison peers. Research with other potentially traumatic diseases or treatments (e.g., amputations, brain tumors) is needed. The role of methodology and contextual factors in the assessment of PTSS/PTSD is discussed.
Freedom Of Speech And Censorship In The Internet

Internet censorship or internet content filtering is used to protect people from harmful materials, such as child pornography, as well as defamation and fraud, which are easily perpetrated on the internet. However, implementing censorship creates technical and social issues, such as over-blocking or false detection, decreased network performance, and freedom of speech. This paper describes internet content filtering approaches and technical difficulties to implementation. This paper also discusses censorship and freedom of speech with actual examples.
Social Ontology and the Philosophy of Society

The argument of this lecture will be a summary of some of the themes in my book, “The Construction of Social Reality”, and a continuation of the line of argument I presented there. Tonight I want to make a plea for a branch of philosophy that in English speaking countries does not yet exist. I don’t know if it exists in German speaking countries. It is what we might call the “philosophy of society” and I see this subject as centering essentially around questions of social ontology.
Quantifying the Exposure to Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens Among Patients Discharged From a Single Hospital Across All California Healthcare Facilities

Author(s): Datta, Rupak; Brown, Shawn; Nguyen, Vinh Q; Cao, Chenghua; Billimek, John; Avery, Taliser; Lee, Bruce Y; Huang, Susan S | Abstract: ObjectiveTo assess the time-dependent exposure of California healthcare facilities to patients harboring methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) upon discharge from 1 hospital.MethodsRetrospective multiple-cohort study of adults discharged from 1 hospital in 2005-2009, counting hospitals, nursing homes, cities, and counties in which carriers were readmitted, and comparing the number and length of stay of readmissions and the number of distinct readmission facilities among carriers versus noncarriers.ResultsWe evaluated 45,772 inpatients including those with MRSA (N=1,198), VRE (N=547), ESBL (N=121), and CDI (N=300). Within 1 year of discharge, MRSA, VRE, and ESBL carriers exposed 137, 117, and 45 hospitals and 103, 83, and 37 nursing homes, generating 58,804, 33,486, and 15,508 total exposure-days, respectively. Within 90 days of discharge, CDI patients exposed 36 hospitals and 35 nursing homes, generating 7,318 total exposure-days. Compared with noncarriers, carriers had more readmissions to hospitals (MRSA:1.8 vs 0.9/patient; VRE: 2.6 vs 0.9; ESBL: 2.3 vs 0.9; CDI: 0.8 vs 0.4; all Pl.001) and nursing homes (MRSA: 0.4 vs 0.1/patient; VRE: 0.7 vs 0.1; ESBL: 0.7 vs 0.1; CDI: 0.3 vs 0.1; all Pl.001) and longer hospital readmissions (MRSA: 8.9 vs 7.3 days; VRE: 8.9 vs 7.4; ESBL: 9.6 vs 7.5; CDI: 12.3 vs 8.2; all Pl.01).ConclusionsPatients harboring antibiotic-resistant pathogens rapidly expose numerous facilities during readmissions; regional containment strategies are needed.
Maternal Age and Oocyte Aneuploidy: Lessons Learned from Trisomy 21

Trisomy 21, the common chromosomal abnormality leading to Down syndrome, has become an important model for human chromosome nondisjunction. Here we review studies of the 90 % of chromosome 21 nondisjunction errors occurring in the oocyte that lead to trisomy 21 and have further separated these maternal cases by type of nondisjunction error: maternal meiosis I (MI) or maternal meiosis II (MII). Given the mechanistic differences and temporal separation of MI and MII, many have hypothesized that the risk factors for MI and MII nondisjunction errors are different. The ability to classify errors by parental and stage of origin of the meiotic event allows analysis of less heterogeneous etiologic-based groups, providing insight into factors associated with nondisjunction. These studies show that maternal age is a dominant risk factor for both MI and MII nondisjunction and all other investigations of nondisjunction risk factors must be carried out in the context of maternal age. Studies of recombination profiles and environmental factors by type of nondisjunction error and by maternal age have begun to suggest important features of meiosis that may be more or less vulnerable to exposures. Although results are not always consistent between studies, they have begun to provide insight into possible modifiable factors.
Delivery of miR-200c Mimic with Poly(amido amine) CXCR4 Antagonists for Combined Inhibition of Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Invasiveness

Cholangiocarcinoma is the second most common primary liver malignancy with extremely poor prognosis due to early invasion and widespread metastasis. The invasion and metastasis are regulated by multiple factors including CXCR4 chemokine receptor and multiple microRNAs. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that inhibition of CXCR4 combined with the action of miR-200c mimic will cooperatively enhance the inhibition of the invasion of human cholangiocarcinoma cells. The results show that CXCR4-inhibition polycation PCX can effectively deliver miR-200c mimic and that the combination treatment consisting of PCX and miR-200c results in cooperative antimigration activity, most likely by coupling the CXCR4 axis blockade with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition inhibition in the cholangiocarcinoma cells. The ability of the combined PCX/miR-200c treatment to obstruct two migratory pathways represents a promising antimetastatic strategy in cholangiocarcinoma.
Fully Quantum-State Resolved Study of NO2 Photodissociation: Correlated NO(2.PI..OMEGA., .nu. = 0,J,.LAMBDA.) + O(3Pj) Distributions

Relative O(3Pj=~,~,~) spin-orbit populations correlated with specific N0[2nQ=l/2,3/2; Y = 0; J; A = II(A’), n(A”)] product states were obtained following photolysis of NO2 at excess energies Zi? = 390, 425, and 1054 cm-I. These fully quantum state-resolved measurements were carried out by recording spatial profiles of recoiling N0(213~,J,A) products using polarized radiation for photolysis and state-selective laser ionization detection. The relative O(3P,) populations correlated with each N0(213~,J,A) state show marked fluctuations at each excess energy as a function of rotational state and A-doublet component. The relative populations also fluctuate as a function of excess energy. The O(3Pj) spin-orbit population ratios, when averaged over all measurements, exhibit distributions that are colder than statistical, in agreement with previous results. In particular, we find that, on average, O(3P~):O(3P2) population ratios correlated with the ground N0(2171/2) state are colder than the corresponding ratios correlated with the excited NO(TI3/2) spin-orbit state. These results are in agreement with the state-specific calculations of Katigiri and Kat0 [J. Chem. Phys. 1993, 99, 88051 and are discussed in terms of long-range nonadiabatic transitions among electronic states correlating asymptotically with different spin-orbit states of the ground NO(TI) + O(3P) dissociation channel. I. Introduction The photodissociation of NO:! has attracted considerable experimental and theoretical attention. Due to its unique properties, NO:! has become a model system for testing statistical theories of unimolecular reactions. Usually, in a bond fission reaction proceeding without a barrier, high density of states and intramolecular vibrational redistribution in the excited molecule lead to product state distributions that can be well described by statistical theories, i.e., the product levels are populated as per their degeneracies and quantum state-specific effects are averaged out. In contrast, the unimolecular decomposition of NO:! represents a case in which both statistical and state-specific dynamical effects are manifest.’-19 Due to vibronic chaos at excitation energies > 16 000 cm-I, which results from strong couplings between the bright 12B2 state and the ground 12A1 state via a conical inter~ection,~.~~ the eigenstates in the vicinity of the dissociation threshold (DO = 25 130.6 cm-1)lc-14 are strongly mixed and have predominantly 12A1 chara~ter.~~~~~. ~~ Dissociation following 12B2
Recovery of Uranium and Thorium from Graphite Fuel Elements. I. Grind-Leach Process

A grind-leach method for the recovery of uranium from high-density graphite fuel elements containing greater than 5 weight per cent uranium has been developed on a laboratory scale as a head-end tr...
Certain Rational Functions Whose Power Series Have Positive Coefficients

(1972). Certain Rational Functions Whose Power Series Have Positive Coefficients. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 79, No. 4, pp. 327-341.
Improving accounting and accountability in local governments: The case of the Tennessee Taxpayers Association

While comprehensive auditing of federal government agencies in the United States had its inception in 1945, citizen-led efforts to evaluate and improve state and local government operations began much earlier. One such early pioneer organization was the Tennessee Taxpayers Association (TTA). Using group theory constructs from the political science field, this study documents how the TTA was able to use its power and influence to shape the development of accounting systems and accountability in the local governments of Tennessee as early as 1932. This study extends the body of historical research on public sector accounting by analyzing original publications issued by the TTA and documenting how the entity interacted with state and local governments and other power centers.
LOW CONCENTRATION OF COUMAPHOS AND TRICHLORFON SPRAY TREATMENTS FOR CONTROL OF THE CATTLE LICE SOLENOPOTES CAPILLATUS AND BOVICOLA BOVIS.

Coumaphos is recommended in 1964 USDA Handbook 120 as a 0.25% spray for lice control on beef cattle. The purpose of this experiment was to examine lower concentrations of coumaphos for possible control of lice, as the mentioned concentration might exceed the dosage needed for satisfactory lice control.
Love and Service in Adolescent Addiction Recovery

ABSTRACTThis article is one of the first to examine the relationships among a specific combination of “spiritual virtues” (helping others and the experience of divine love) and outcomes related to criminal involvement, sobriety, and character development among adolescents. One hundred ninety-five adolescents with substance dependency court-referred to residential treatment were assessed at intake, discharge, and 6 months posttreatment. Higher service to others predicted reduced recidivism, reduced relapse, and greater character development. Experiencing divine love enhanced the effect of service on recidivism. Greater attention to spiritual virtues might improve treatment for youth involved with alcohol, drugs, and certain forms of crime.
Institutional Arrangements in an Age of New Federalism: Public and Private Management in the State Revolving Fund Program

This article examines the nature and extent of private-sector involvement in the design, implementation, and administration of the State Revolving Fund (SRF) program, an environmental infrastructur...
An autoregressive approach to modeling commodity prices as a quasi-fractional Brownian motion

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to argue that a stationary-differenced autoregressive (AR) process with lag greater than 1, AR(q > 1), has certain properties that are consistent with a fractional Brownian motion (fBm). What the authors are interested in is the investigation of approaches to identifying the existence of persistent memory of one form or another for the purposes of simulating commodity (and other asset) prices. The authors show in theory, and with application to agricultural commodity prices the relationship between AR(q) and quasi-fBm. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper the authors develop mathematical relationships in support of using AR(q > 1) processes for simulating quasi-fBm. Findings – From theory the authors show that any AR(q) process is a stationary, self-similar process, with a lag structure that captures the essential elements of scaling and a fractional power law. The authors illustrate through various means the approach, and apply the quasi-fractional AR(q) proc...
Conclusion: The Workshop of Democracy

Because it is Britain’s foremost parliamentary seat Augustus Melmotte, the villain in Anthony Trollope’s The Way We Live Now decides in 1873 to stand for the borough of Westminster. ‘It was very much to be a member for Westminster’, the novel’s narrator points out; ‘one of the first cities of the empire’ had for a century combined ‘all the essences of the metropolis … the popular element, the fashionable element, the legislative element, the legal element, and the commercial element’. Campaigning as a Tory, Melmotte’s committee consists of grand aristocrats, bankers and publicans, ‘with all that absence of class prejudice for which the party has become famous since the ballot was introduced among us’. His Liberal opponent’s committee comprises Whig lords, professional men, tradesmen and ‘democratical mechanics’. Amid swirling rumours, including that he would withdraw from the contest, Melmotte makes a spontaneous, well-received speech in Covent Garden, and wins by the same margin as W. H. Smith’s in 1868.1
Mad about algebra

John Fitch's article "Mathematics goes automatic" (June p48) was rather disappointing. A comparison of computer algebra systems based on facts rather than opinions and bias would have been much more useful and interesting.
Negative Fiat: Resolving the Ambiguities of "Should.".

In recent years, a prominent difficulty for debate theory has involved the fiat of negative counterplans. Because of their abuse potential, some limits on counterplan fiat are needed. Nonetheless, ...
Sterilizing Velocities of Chlorine and Chloramine Under Varying Conditions of Organic Load and pH

The investigations of Holverda (1) and of Baker and Schmelkes (2) indicate that the variations in data on the sterilizing velocity of chloramines are, in part at least, due to variations in hydrogen ion concentration. These experiments and those of others, Gerstein (3) and Hinman and Beeson (4), were with waters carrying none or negligible amounts of organic matter. Gerstein carried out experiments on Lake Michigan water, but does not mention its organic content or chlorine demand. Hinman and Beeson worked with waters of known but low organic load. That hydrogen ion concentration is intimately related to the velocity of sterilization is well recognized, but the effect on this velocity of variations in organic load have not been adequately investigated. The object of the present studies were: 1. To compare the velocity of chloramine sterilization of water at various hydrogen ion concentrations. 2. To compare these velocities in waters of varying organic load. The studies were entirely on a laboratory scale, each run consisting of a 250 cm.3 volume containing the organic matter, test organisms and sterilizing agent. Hinman and Beeson's4 procedure of ammonia and chlorine application were followed. The chlorine solution was made by bubbling chlorine gas through
Protein Partial Molar Volumes in Multicomponent Solutions from the Perspective of Inverse Kirkwood–Buff Theory

Inverse Kirkwood–Buff (KB) solution theory can be used to relate macroscopic quantities with molecular scale interactions and correlation functions, in the form of KB integrals. Protein partial specific volumes (V2) from high-precision density measurements can be used to quantify solvent–solute and solute–solute KB integrals. Currently, general expressions for V2 as a function of cosolute concentration (c3) have been provided for only binary and ternary solutions. We derive a general multicomponent expression for V2 in terms of the relevant KB integrals for the case of low (infinite dilution) protein concentration but arbitrary cosolute concentrations. To test the utility of treating a quaternary system with a pseudoternary approximation, α-Chymotrypsinogen (aCgn) solutions with a series of solutes (NaCl, sucrose, and trehalose) were compared as a function of solute concentration with and without buffer present. Comparison between those ternary and quaternary solutions shows equivalent results within e...
Plurais em -ão do português brasileiro: efeitos de frequência

Este artigo investiga palavras do portugues terminadas em -ao no singular como avi ao , capit ao e cidad ao . A forma singular dessas palavras e igual, mas, no plural, cada palavra apresenta uma terminacao diferente: aviao - avi oes , capitao - capit aes , cidadao - cidad aos . Etimologicamente, cada palavra deveria ter somente uma forma de plural. No entanto, em corpora do portugues, e possivel encontrar formas como " capit oes " e " cidad oes ", em vez de " capit aes " e " cidad aos ". Neste artigo, argumenta-se que a frequencia de uso das formas linguisticas pode justificar variacoes neste grupo de palavras. O foco teorico adotado e o Modelo de Redes, proposto por Bybee (1985, 2001).
Binocular facilitation of cone-specific visual evoked potentials in colour deficiency

Background Neural compensatory mechanisms have been proposed, which preserve the binocular visual field in glaucoma, as well as cognition in Alzheimer's disease and motor function in Parkinson's disease. It is conceivable that comparable mechanisms operate to preserve function in congenital and/or dystrophic disease. In hereditary colour vision deficiency (CVD), we observed significant facilitation in the amplitude of the binocular cone-specific visual evoked potential (VEP) compared to the monocular amplitude for the cone type corresponding to the CVD. We propose that this finding may reflect preservation of function in hereditary colour vision deficiency. Methods Binocular and monocular L, M and S cone-specific VEPs were recorded from 12 colour vision deficient subjects and 17 with normal colour vision, confirmed to be CVD or normal on a battery of colour vision tests. Binocular VEP amplitudes were compared to monocular amplitudes within subjects and between subject groups. Results Subjects with CVDs showed binocular facilitation of VEP amplitude (enhancement more than 2.0 times; mean: 2.8 times, p = 0.0003) for the cone type corresponding to their CVD. Mean facilitation of 2.8 times exceeded binocular enhancement for other cone types within CVDs (2.8 times versus 1.2 times) and compared to colour vision normals (2.8 times versus 1.2 times). Conclusions Hereditary CVDs show binocular facilitation of cone VEP signals for the cone type corresponding to their CVD. As CVD is typically assessed with foveal stimuli, our findings using wider-field binocular stimulation suggest that enhanced colour perception may occur in CVD across a more extensive area of visual field. These results may relate to binocular visual field enhancement in glaucoma and improved colour vision in CVD at supra-threshold levels of stimulation.
Can Neurochemical Changes of Mood Disorders Explain the Increase Risk of Epilepsy or its Worse Seizure Control

The existence of a bidirectional relation between mood disorders and epilepsy has been suggested by six population-based studies. Furthermore, three studies have associated a higher risk of treatment-resistant epilepsy with a history of depression preceding the onset of epilepsy. Common pathogenic mechanisms operant in depression and epilepsy may provide a possible explanation of these observations. This article reviews some of the leading pathogenic mechanisms of depression with respect to potential proconvulsant properties that may provide explanations for these phenomena.
Atypical presentation of Parsonage-Turner syndrome confounded by surgical rotator cuff injury.

Parsonage-Turner syndrome (PTS) is a rare neuropathy that commonly presents as unexpected severe shoulder and arm pain that eventually subsides while weakness or paralysis ensues. During exceptions to this classic presentation, confirming PTS can be challenging. Alternative causes of upper extremity pain may confound the diagnostic algorithm. Moreover, objective findings from necessary diagnostic tests depend on when those tests are performed. We present an atypical onset of PTS, whereby the initial presentation of severe neuropathic pain was preceded by mild shoulder pain that should decrease one’s clinical suspicion for PTS. This milder pain coincided with the presence of a rotator cuff injury, whereby surgical intervention preceded impending paralysis and hindered postoperative rehabilitation. Physicians should be aware of the possibility of atypical presentations of PTS in hopes of avoiding either untimely surgery or delays in diagnosis.
Local null controllability of viscous Camassa–Holm equation

We consider the viscous Camassa–Holm equation in a one-dimensional torus. We prove that we can steer the solution of the equation to a constant steady state at any given time, using a localized interior control, when initial condition is in a small ball near the constant steady state.
Understanding Conversion-Type Electrodes for Lithium Rechargeable Batteries

ConspectusThe need/desire to lower the consumption of fossil fuels and its environmental consequences has reached unprecedented levels in recent years. A global effort has been undertaken to develop advanced renewable energy generation and especially energy storage technologies, as they would enable a dramatic increase in the effective and efficient use of renewable (and often intermittent) energy sources. The development of electrical energy storage (EES) technologies with high energy and power densities, long life, low cost, and safe use represents a challenge from both the fundamental science and technological application points of view. While the advent and broad deployment of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has dramatically changed the EES landscape, their performance metrics need to be greatly enhanced to keep pace with the ever-increasing demands imposed by modern consumer electronics and especially the emerging automotive markets.Current battery technologies are mostly based on the use of a transitio...
All-optical control of resonant semiconductor metasurfaces for nonlinear mid-IR nanophotonics (Conference Presentation)

We designed semiconductor metasurfaces comprised of rectangular arrays of all-Si antennas exhibiting sharp transmission dips. The sizes and periodicities of the antennas were shown to control the spectral positions and linewidths of the corresponding antenna resonances. The designed resonant metasurfaces were fabricated on a 600-nm-thick silicon-on-sapphire substrate using electron beam lithography, hard mask deposition, and inductively coupled HBr plasma etching. Multiple areas with different antenna sizes were defined on the same substrate. The samples were characterized with a FTIR system under normal incidence and paraxial beam configuration. The spectra revealed transmission dips in the spectral range of 3–4 μm, with the central wavelengths corresponding to the local simulated field enhancements of Eloc = 10–15. The metasurfaces were irradiated by a train of femtosecond laser pulses from a supercontinuum-based mid-IR optical parametric amplifier (OPA) pumped by a Ti:Sapphire amplifier. The incoming 200 fs mid-IR pulses, centered at 3.6 μm, had a maximum fluence of 60 mJ/cm2. The transmitted third harmonic radiation was refocused on and detected by an InGaAs detector based short wave-IR spectrometer. For pump–probe experiments, the residual near-IR 782 nm beam was split off from the output of the OPA, sent through a delay line, and focused at the sample collinearly to the mid-IR beam. Using a home-built calibrated mid-IR spectrometer based on a blazed diffraction grating and a mid-IR camera (Electrophysics PV320), we observed a pump-dependent blue-shifting and eventual disappearance of the resonant dips, accompanied by the reduction of the third harmonic generation.
Apolipoprotein E4 impairs spontaneous blood brain barrier repair following traumatic brain injury

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability and mortality, to which there is currently no comprehensive treatment. Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) dysfunction is well documented in human TBI patients, yet the molecular mechanisms that underlie this neurovascular unit (NVU) pathology remains unclear. The apolipoprotein-E (apoE) protein has been implicated in controlling BBB integrity in an isoform dependent manner, via suppression of Cyclophilin A (CypA)–Matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) signaling cascades, however the contribution of this pathway in TBI-induced BBB permeability is not fully investigated. We exposed C57Bl/6 mice to controlled cortical impact and assessed NVU and BBB permeability responses up to 21 days post-injury. We pharmacologically probed the role of the CypA-MMP-9 pathway in BBB permeability after TBI using Cyclosporin A (CsA, 20 mg/kg). Finally, as the apoE4 protein is known to be functionally deficient compared to the apoE3 protein, we used humanized APOE mice as a clinically relevant model to study the role of apoE on BBB injury and repair after TBI. In C57Bl/6 mice there was an inverse relationship between soluble apoE and BBB permeability, such that damaged BBB stabilizes as apoE levels increase in the days following TBI. TBI mice displayed acute pericyte loss, increased MMP-9 production and activity, and reduced tight-junction expression. Treatment with the CypA antagonist CsA in C57Bl/6 mice attenuates MMP-9 responses and enhances BBB repair after injury, demonstrating that MMP-9 plays an important role in the timing of spontaneous BBB repair after TBI. We also show that apoe mRNA is present in both astrocytes and pericytes after TBI. We report that APOE3 and APOE4 mice have similar acute BBB responses to TBI, but APOE3 mice display faster spontaneous BBB repair than APOE4 mice. Isolated microvessel analysis reveals delayed pericyte repopulation, augmented and sustained MMP-9 expression at the NVU, and impaired stabilization of Zonula Occludens-1, Occludin and Claudin-5 expression at tight junctions in APOE4 mice after TBI compared to APOE3 mice. These data confirm apoE as an important modulator of spontaneous BBB stabilization following TBI, and highlights the APOE4 allele as a risk factor for poor outcome after TBI.
Exploring the mechanisms of the racial disparity in drowsy driving.

Abstract Objective Drowsy driving is a significant cause of traffic accidents and fatalities. Although previous reports have shown an association between race and drowsy driving, the reasons for this disparity remain unclear. Study design A cross-sectional analysis of responses from 193,776 White, Black, and Hispanic adults participating in the US Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from 2009 to 2012 who answered a question about drowsy driving. Measurements Drowsy driving was defined as self-reporting an episode of falling asleep while driving in the past 30 days. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and medical comorbidities. Subsequent modeling evaluated the impact of accounting for differences in health care access, alcohol consumption, risk-taking behaviors, and sleep quality on the race–drowsy driving relationship. Results After adjusting for age, sex, and medical comorbidities, the odds ratio (OR) for drowsy driving was 2.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.69-2.53) in Blacks and 1.80 (95% CI 1.51-2.15) in Hispanics relative to Whites. Accounting for health care access, alcohol use, and risk-taking behaviors had little effect on these associations. Accounting for differences in sleep quality resulted in a modest reduction in the OR for drowsy driving in Blacks (OR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.27-1.89) but not Hispanics (OR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.45-2.08). Conclusion US Blacks and Hispanics have approximately twice the risk of drowsy driving compared to whites. Differences in sleep quality explained some of this disparity in Blacks but not in Hispanics. Further research to understand the root causes of these disparities is needed.
A Hegelian Approach to Global Poverty

According to Thomas Pogge’s theory of human rights, those of us in the developed world have a negative duty to eliminate world poverty. In other words, we have a duty not only to help the global poor but to stop harming them by hoarding natural resources, dictating inequitable trade relations, and pursuing unreasonable patent laws. Given that Hegel developed a theory of ethical life in opposition to Kant’s emphasis on duty, his philosophy may seem an unlikely resource in this debate. But I argue that Hegel would agree that we have a responsibility to the global poor. Hegel clearly thought that civil society had obligations towards those made poor by its excesses. Based on similarities between civil society and the contemporary global economy, I argue that Hegel would have extended this obligation to the global poor. I then ask whether Hegel would have phrased this idea in terms of duty, and, if not, what other resources in his philosophy could found such an obligation. I discuss recognition as a possible source of obligation; drawing on Hegel’s analysis of the institutions of ethical life, I also consider whether such obligations are best understood as personal or institutional.
Two Dimensional Multi-Frequency Eddy Current Data Fusion

The concept of data fusion has received significant attention recently. Work in the field has been motivated by the belief that a single NDE measurement is sometimes inadequate and does not offer sufficient information about the specimen under test [1–5]. The rationale underlying data fusion is that the use of multiple NDE methods, together with intelligent techniques for synergistically combining the data, can potentially lead to a better estimate of the desired information.
Internet Monitor 2013: Reflections on the Digital World

This publication is the first annual report of the Internet Monitor project at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. Instead of offering a traditional project report, and to mirror the collaborative spirit of the initiative, we compile — based on an open invitation to the members of the extended Berkman community — nearly two dozen short essays from friends, colleagues, and collaborators in the United States and abroad. The result is intended for a general interest audience and invites reflection and discussion of the past year’s notable events and trends in the digitally networked environment. Our goal is not to describe the “state of the Internet” in any definitive way, but rather to highlight and discuss some of the most fascinating developments and debates over the past year worthy of broader public conversation. Our contributors canvass a broad range of topics and regions — from a critique of India’s Unique Identity project to a review of corporate transparency reporting to a first-person report from the Gezi Park protests. A common thread explores how actors within government, industry, and civil society are wrestling with the changing power dynamics of the digital realm. 2013 has proven to be a particularly interesting year in which to produce the Internet Monitor’s first annual report. For better or worse, Edward Snowden’s leaks in June 2013 regarding mass surveillance programs conducted by the United States National Security Agency and its international partners have dominated nearly all subsequent discussions of the online space. While we did not set out to focus on the implications of digital surveillance, this emerged as a common theme in many of essays contributed to this publication. Whether taken individually or collectively, it is clear that the authors view the public recognition of digital surveillance as a potential game changer. The Internet Monitor project has grown out of several key Berkman Center efforts, including the Open Net Initiative, which for over a decade has worked to investigate and analyze Internet filtering and surveillance practices around the world. These roots are evident in this report: we approach questions of privacy, security, architecture, and regulation with the goal of taking a broad view of the evolving dynamics of Internet activity and control, measuring what facilitates or hinders online expression and community formation. In describing these dynamics, we focus on the provision of physical infrastructure, the policies and actions of governments and companies, and the contributions and activities of netizens and civil society groups. The report reflects the diversity of ideas and input the Internet Monitor project seeks to invite. Some of the essays within this report are descriptive; others prescriptive. Some of the essays are confined to factual observations and others offer personal opinion. We believe that they all offer insights and hope they will provoke further reflection, conversation, and debate in both offline and online settings around the globe.
RETROSPECTIVE: PAUL FRANKLIN GRADY

This paper, written by his son-in-law of 37 years, is a collection of anecdotal “folklore” about a man who had a very significant impact on the development of the accounting profession during the “Golden Age of Accounting”. Paul Grady's greatness arose from his enormous dedication, strength and character, coupled with his complete honesty and relentless ruthlessness in seeking to have his views prevail. The only purpose in the paper is to provide a glimpse of the nature of this truly remarkable person. If the paper fails in this, then perhaps the reader will at least find the stories mildly amusing.
Effectiveness of Calculator Instructional Materials: A Pilot Study:

An informal pilot study was run to assess the appropriateness of existing instructional materials for three calculators designed for use by blind and visually handicapped persons. Fifteen subjects ...
Diverse microbial communities hosted by the model carnivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea: analysis of both bacterial and eukaryotic composition across distinct host plant populations.

Background The pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea supplements nutrient acquisition through carnivory, capturing insect prey which are digested by a food web community of eukaryotes and bacteria. While the food web invertebrates are well studied, and some recent studies have characterized bacteria, detailed genetic analysis of eukaryotic diversity is lacking. This study aimed to compare eukaryotic and bacterial composition and diversity of pitcher communities within and between populations of host plants in nearby but distinct wetland habitats, and to characterize microbial functions across populations and in comparison with another freshwater community. Methods Pitcher fluid was sampled from the two wetlands, Cedarburg and Sapa Bogs, community DNA was extracted, and 16S and 18S rRNA amplicons were sequenced and data processed for community-level comparisons. Results and Conclusions Bacterial diversity in the small pitcher volume rivaled that of larger aquatic communities. Between pitcher plant populations, several bacterial families (Kiloniellaceae, Acetobacteraceae, Xanthobacteraceae, Sanguibacteraceae, Oligoflexaceae, Nitrosomonadaceae, Chromatiaceae, Saprospiraceae) were significantly higher in one population. However, although predicted pitcher bacterial functions were distinct from other freshwater communities, especially for some amino acid metabolism, functions were similar across all the pitchers in the two populations. This suggests some functional redundancy among bacterial taxa, and that functions converge to achieve similar food web processes. The sequencing identified a previously under-appreciated high diversity of ciliates, Acari mites, fungi and flagellates in pitcher communities; the most abundant sequences from eukaryotic taxa were Oligohymenophorea ciliates, millipedes and Ichthyosporea flagellates. Two thirds of taxa were identified as food web inhabitants and less than one third as prey organisms. Although eukaryotic composition was not significantly different between populations, there were different species of core taxonomic groups present in different pitchers-these differences may be driven by wetland habitats providing different populations to colonize new pitchers. Eukaryotic composition was more variable than bacterial composition, and there was a poor relationship between bacterial and eukaryotic composition within individual pitchers, suggesting that colonization by eukaryotes may be more stochastic than for bacteria, and bacterial recruitment to pitchers may involve factors other than prey capture and colonization by eukaryotic food web inhabitants.
HYDRODYNAMIC SYNTHESIS OF MARINE STRUCTURES

The diverse and sometimes irregular geometry of offshore structures, together with their exposure to a severe dynamic marine environment, results in a system of hydrodynamic loads whose origins lie in several different fluid phenomena. The fundamental reasons for computing the hydrodynamic forces are twofold: first, they are needed for computing the motions of the floating structure in waves and second, they form an important part of the structural load system. The characteristics of structure geometry and motion environment which influence the above phenomena will be outlined. The various components of loads and their interaction will be discussed and we examine the techniques currently in use for design analysis.
Evaluating the Association of Clinical Factors With Symptomatic Recurrence of Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis.

Importance Idiopathic subglottic stenosis (iSGS) is a progressive and potentially life-threatening condition with very few targeted treatment options. Objective To characterize the clinical factors of patients with iSGS, including body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), and evaluate their association with iSGS symptomatic recurrence. Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective medical record review included 186 adult patients with iSGS treated at a single tertiary referral center between January 1, 1989, and December 31, 2015. All data analysis took place from January 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures The 3 BMI categories were examined for their association with iSGS recurrence. Outcome measurements included time to first symptomatic recurrence (TTFR) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Comorbidities were recorded. Results Of the 186 patients in the study, 182 (98%) were women; mean (interquartile range) patient age, 49 (41-60) years. At iSGS diagnosis, 65 (35%) patients were underweight or normal weight; 45 (24%) were overweight; and 76 (41%) were obese (class 1, 2, or 3). Median BMI was 27.4. Ninety-one patients experienced TTFR at a median of 14 months. Compared with underweight or normal-weight patients, the hazard ratios for the associations of overweight, obese class 1, and obese class 2/3 patients with recurrence were 1.14 (95% CI, 0.65-1.99), 1.74 (95% CI, 1.04-2.93), and 1.04 (95% CI, 0.54-1.99), respectively. No differences in concomitant medical treatment regimens were found. While several comorbidities (gastroesophageal reflux disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus) were associated with increasing BMI, they were not associated with iSGS symptomatic recurrence on multivariable analysis. Conclusions and Relevance Results of this retrospective review show that class 1 obesity was associated with an increased rate of iSGS symptomatic recurrence compared with underweight or normal-weight patients. This association was not seen in class 2 or class 3 obesity. Patients with class 1 obesity should be counseled about this risk to aid in the assessment and management of symptoms.
24/7 Study: Conducting a focus to improve services

Many of us remember our own experiences with final exams during our college years: certain determination tinged with jitters, endless cups of coffee, and the lamp light illuminating the desk throughout the night. Final exams account for, for most classes, a substantial portion of students’ final grade, and at a university that puts keen emphasis on student success, it is imperative that students encounter their final exams with proper preparation. One way the library can help is to provide them with an optimal place to study for exams, any time of any day.
Learning representations for improved target identification, scene classification, and information fusion

Object representation is fundamental to Automated Target Recognition (ATR). Many ATR approaches choose a basis, such as a wavelet or Fourier basis, to represent the target. Recently, advancements in Image and Signal processing have shown that object recognition can be improved if, rather than a assuming a basis, a database of training examples is used to learn a representation. We discuss learning representations using Non-parametric Bayesian topic models, and demonstrate how to integrate information from other sources to improve ATR. We apply the method to EO and IR information integration for vehicle target identification and show that the learned representation of the joint EO and IR information improves target identification by 4%. Furthermore, we demonstrate that we can integrate text and imagery data to direct the representation for mission specific tasks and improve performance by 8%. Finally, we illustrate integrating graphical models into representation learning to improve performance by 2%.
On the Success of Seriously Mishandling Euclid’s Lemma

In the November 2016 issue of the Monthly, A. W. Dudek showed that the implication r | ab→r | aorr | b over positive integers is almost always false in a certain probabilistic sense. By considering...