cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loyalty Can't Be Bought: Explaining Military Defection during Civilian Uprisings against Autocracies

Why do soldiers disobey orders to defend the regime against civilian protestors? Using a mixed-method approach with a time-series cross-sectional large-N analysis and cross- and within-case process-tracing, I test two competing logics: one that claims obedience follows from incentivizing loyalty and another that points to immaterial shared bonds. Contrary to the dominant stream in the literature, I provide evidence that a regime’s efforts to materially incentivize loyalty are not good predictors of whether soldiers will defend the regime in its hour of need. I argue that material incentives tend to be moot when soldiers are faced with the proximate decision of firing on civilians. Instead, other motivations come to the fore — specifically, whether soldiers are more strongly bonded to the society or to the military and which action would be the more socially costly as a result.
Influence of Salt on Supramolecular Oscillatory Structural Forces and Stratification in Micellar Freestanding Films

Freestanding films of soft matter containing micelles, nanoparticles, polyelectrolyte–surfactant complexes, bilayers, and smectic liquid crystals exhibit stratification. Stepwise thinning and coexisting thick–thin regions associated with drainage via stratification are attributed to the confinement-induced structuring and layering of supramolecular structures, which contribute supramolecular oscillatory structural forces. In freestanding micellar films, formed by a solution of an ionic surfactant above its critical micelle concentration, both interfacial adsorption and the micelle size and shape are determined by the concentration of surfactant and of added electrolytes. Although the influence of surfactant concentration on stratification has been investigated before, the influence of added salt, at concentrations typically found in water used on a daily basis, has not been investigated yet. In this contribution, we elucidate how the addition of salt affects stepwise thinning: step size, number of steps, ...
Impact of first-year mathematics study groups on the retention and graduation of engineering students

Many interventions have been proposed to improve the retention and graduation rates of engineering students. One such intervention is to use study groups for first-year college students; such group...
A Biology-themed Introductory CS Course at a Large, Diverse Public University

We present the curriculum and evaluation of a pilot Biology-themed CS1 course offering at a large public university. Inspired by Harvey Mudd's CS 5 Green, we adapt CS1 + Bio to fit the needs of our student body, which is much more typical for those US institutions that produce the bulk of the nation's CS undergraduate degrees. This course was team-taught by a computer science professor and a biology professor, and combined typical CS1 topics with relevant biology content. Our initial offering attracted students who would not otherwise have taken CS1, and was the only one of our three CS1 courses where more students reported planning to major in CS after the course than before it.
Design, Construction, and Initial Results of a Prototype Multi-Contrast X-Ray Breast Imaging System

By integrating a grating-based interferometer with a clinical full field digital mammography (FFDM) system, a prototype multi-contrast (absorption, phase, and dark field) x-ray breast imaging system was developed in this work. Unlike previous benchtop-based multi-contrast x-ray imaging systems that usually have relatively long source-to-detector distance and vibration isolators or dampers for the interferometer, the FFDM hardware platform is subject to mechanical vibration and the constraint of compact system geometry. Current grating fabrication technology also imposes additional constraints on the design of the grating interferometer. Based on these technical constraints and the x-ray beam properties of the FFDM system, three gratings were designed and integrated with the FFDM system. When installing the gratings, no additional vibration damping device was used in order to test the robustness of multi-contrast imaging system against mechanical vibration. The measured visibility of the diffraction fringes was 23±3%, and two images acquired 60 minutes apart demonstrated good system reproducibility with no visible signal drift. Preliminary results generated from the prototype system demonstrate the multi-contrast imaging capability of the system. The three contrast mechanisms provide mutually complementary information of the phantom object. This prototype system provides a much needed platform for evaluating the true clinical utility of the multi-contrast x-ray imaging method for the diagnosis of breast cancer.
Outcomes of the Arterial Switch Operation in ≤2.5-kg Neonates.

Although low birth weight is a known risk factor for mortality in congenital heart lesions and may consequently delay surgical repair, outcomes in low-weight neonates undergoing the arterial switch operation (ASO) have not been well described. Our objective was to assess the safety of this procedure in infants weighing ≤2.5 kg at the time of surgery. We retrospectively analyzed outcomes for all neonates undergoing the ASO at our institution from 2005 to 2015. Our primary outcome of interest was major morbidity or operative mortality, assessed as a composite outcome. From 2005 to 2015, 217 neonates underwent the ASO, with 31 (14%) weighing ≤2.5 kg at the date of surgery, and 8 weighing 2.5 kg, but there was no difference in the age at operation between these groups. Overall, 32 infants experienced a major morbidity or mortality, including 37.5% (n = 3) weighing 2.5 kg (P = 0.141). One infant weighing 2.5 kg died. In multivariable models, odds of major morbidity or mortality were significantly higher for infants weighing 2.5 kg (odds ratio 3.93, 95% confidence interval 1.04-14.85, P = 0.044), but there was no difference between infants weighing 2.0-2.5 kg and those weighing >2.5 kg (P = 0.225). The ASO can be performed safely in 2.0- to 2.5-kg neonates and yields results comparable with higher weight infants. Imposed delays for corrective surgery may not be necessary for these low-weight infants with transposition of the great arteries.
Computational Replication of Human Paraphrase Assessment

Two sentences are paraphrases if their meanings are equivalent but their words and syntax are different. Paraphrasing can be used to aid comprehension, stimulate prior knowledge, and assist in writing skills development. While automated paraphrase assessment is both common-place and useful, research has centered solely on artificial, edited paraphrases and has used only binary dimensions (i.e., is or is-not a paraphrase). In this study, we use 1998 natural paraphrases generated by high school students that have been assessed along 10 dimensions of paraphrase (e.g., semantic completeness). This study investigates the components of paraphrase quality emerging from these dimensions, and examines whether computational approaches (e.g. LSA, MED) can simulate those human evaluations. The results suggest that semantic and syntactic evaluations are the primary components of paraphrase quality, and that computationally light systems such as LSA (semantics) and MED (syntax) present promising approaches to simulating human evaluations of paraphrases.
A Multilook Processing Approach to 3-D ISAR Imaging Using Phased Arrays

This letter introduces novel processing structures enabling the formation of 3-D inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images from phased arrays. Unlike previous approaches to 3-D ISAR imaging, this approach uses a spatio-sensor multilook processing procedure that takes better advantage of both 1) the range-Doppler structure of the target and 2) the multiple phase center structure of the processing array. Simulation at both X-band and W-band demonstrates the new 3-D imaging algorithm provides robust interferometric calculations for height estimation under noisy sensing conditions.
Strategies for temporal and spectral imaging with x-ray computed tomography

X-ray micro-CT is widely used for small animal imaging in preclinical studies of cardiopulmonary disease, but further development is needed to improve spatial resolution, temporal resolution, and material contrast. This study presents a set of tools that achieve these improvements. These tools include the mathematical formulation and computational implementation of algorithms for calibration, image reconstruction, and image analysis with our custom micro-CT system. These tools are tested in simulations and in experiments with live animals. With these tools, it is possible to visualize the distribution of a contrast agent throughout the body of a mouse as it changes over time, and produce 5-dimensional images (3 spatial dimensions + time + energy) of the cardiac cycle.
Hormonal Responses to Surgical Stress

Surgical stress encompasses a broad range of metabolic, traumatic, and psychologic stimuli which are imposed upon host homeostatic mechanisms during the perioperative period. Increased adrenal secretion of cortisol has been considered an essential component of the response to surgical stress (1). This notion formed the basis for supplementing stressed adrenal insufficient patients with high-dose glucocorticoids and has implications that extend widely into clinical practice. In 1971, over 5,000,000 patients in the United States received glucocorticoids at doses sufficient to cause adrenal suppression (2) and 10–20% of these patients were subsequently referred for a surgical procedure (3). The current standard of care for these patients includes perioperative high-dose glucocorticoids to allegedly prevent hemodynamic instability and cardiovascular collapse.
Novel small molecule agonists of an Aedes aegypti neuropeptide Y receptor block mosquito biting behavior

Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes bite humans to obtain a blood-meal to develop their eggs. Remarkably, strong attraction to humans is suppressed for several days after the blood-meal by an unknown mechanism. We investigated a role for neuropeptide Y (NPY)-related signaling in this long-term behavioral suppression, and discovered that drugs targeting human NPY receptors modulate mosquito host-seeking behavior. In a screen of all 49 predicted Ae. aegypti peptide receptors, we identified NPY-like receptor 7 (NPYLR7) as the sole target of these human drugs. To obtain small molecule agonists selective for NPYLR7, we carried out a high-throughput cell-based assay of 265,211 compounds, and isolated 6 highly selective NPYLR7 agonists that inhibit mosquito attraction to humans. NPYLR7 CRISPR-Cas9 null mutants are defective in behavioral suppression, and resistant to these drugs. Finally, we show that these drugs are capable of inhibiting biting and blood-feeding on a live host, suggesting a novel approach to control infectious disease transmission by controlling mosquito behavior.
Final Infarct Volume of <10 cm3 is a Strong Predictor of Return to Home in Nonagenarians Undergoing Mechanical Thrombectomy

BACKGROUND Although elderly patients have generally worse outcomes after acute ischemic stroke, they may derive significant incremental benefit from thrombectomy as compared with medical management. Although several case series for octogenarians have been reported, data for nonagenarians are scarce. METHODS A prospectively maintained institutional mechanical thrombectomy database was reviewed for nonagenarians who underwent thrombectomy between January 2013 and July 2017. Patient demographic data and clinical history data were extracted, and clinical and radiographic outcomes were assessed. Univariate analysis was used to determine correlation between treatment and radiographic data and outcome. RESULTS During the study period, 30 patients ≥90 years old underwent mechanical thrombectomy. Median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on presentation was 20. Successful reperfusion (Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction 2b/3) was achieved in 27 patients (90%). One patient (3%) was discharged to home, and 9 patients (30%) were discharged to a rehabilitation facility. The 90-day mortality was 70%. Six patients (21%) returned to living at home. All 6 patients had successful reperfusion after the procedure; average infarct burden on postthrombectomy neuroimaging was 1.5 cm3, and infarct volume was <7 cm3 in all cases. Final infarct volume of <10 cm3 was a strong predictor of whether a patient returned to live at home (P = 0.002), with a trend toward better outcome as assessed by modified Rankin Scale (P = 0.076). CONCLUSIONS Large vessel thrombectomy in nonagenarians is safe and offers patients a chance at returning to functional baseline. All patients returning home in our cohort had successful recanalization and minimal stroke burden after thrombectomy.
A systematic review of the effectiveness of interagency and cross-system collaborations in the United States to improve child welfare outcomes

Abstract The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the effects of interagency and cross-system collaboration aimed to improve child welfare-involved children and family outcomes related to safety, permanency, and well-being. We conducted a comprehensive search to identify studies that evaluated interagency/cross-system child welfare collaborations, resulting in 11 studies selected for inclusion. The analysis included narrative and meta-analysis approaches. All selected studies focused on substance use; our search criteria did not identify any interagency collaborations related to other co-occurring conditions, such as domestic violence and mental health. Results from both narrative and meta-analyses revealed family drug treatment court (FDTC) collaboration intervention was positively associated with the entry (OR = 2.935, 95% CI [1.498, 5.753]) and completion (OR = 2.074, 95% CI [1.263, 3.406]) of substance use services. Additionally, FDTC (OR = 2.401, 95% CI [1.751, 3.292]) and recovery coaches (OR = 1.522, 95% CI [1.166, 1.987]) were positively associated with likelihood of reunification. Narrative and meta-analysis results related to the relationship between FDTC and days to reunification were less positive across studies (g = 0.470, 95% CI [0.247, 0.694]). Thus suggesting, although FDTC may positively influence the likelihood that children are reunified with their families in the future, this intervention may have less influence on how quickly families achieve the reunification process. We found positive client outcomes regardless if there existed a lower (co-ordination) or higher (integration) level of collaboration, demonstrating positive collaboration outcomes may occur using limited child welfare resources. This systematic review can benefit child welfare practitioners, policymakers, and families in selecting the most appropriate and effective interagency/cross-system substance use services. We discuss recommendations for future research.
Preparation of U(IV) κ1-amidinate complexes by nitrile metathesis

Abstract Treating U(IV) imido compounds, Tp∗2U(N-p-methoxyphenyl) (2-OMe) and Tp∗2U(N-pTol) (2-pTol), with benzonitrile or 4-cyanopyridine results in unusual products of multiple bond metathesis ([2π + 2π]-cycloaddition and [2π + 2π]-cycloreversion). 1H and 11B NMR, infrared, and electronic absorption spectroscopic analyses provides evidence of tetravalent uranium compounds, while X-ray crystallography confirmed molecular structures to be Tp∗2U[ N C( N-pOMePh)pyr] (3-py), Tp∗2U[ N C( N-pOMePh)Ph] (3-Ph), Tp∗2U[ N C( N-pTol)pyr] (4-py), Tp∗2U[ N C( N-pTol)Ph] (4-Ph), Tp∗2U[ N C( N-pOMePh)p-CNPh] (5-OMe), and Tp∗2U[ N C( N-pTol)p-CNPh] (5-Tol). Previous examples of actinide imidos treated with nitriles resulted in cyclometallated products; thus, the compounds reported represent divergent chemistry in that an κ1-amidinate ligand is formed through [2π + 2π]-cycloaddition and [2π + 2π]-cycloreversion.
Analysis of Clinical Features of Mammary Analog Secretory Carcinoma Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database

This population-based study uses data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database to analyze the typical clinical characteristics of mammary analog secretory carcinoma.
Comment on Cheung and Moses. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Is It Time to Reconsider the Diagnostic Criteria? Diabetes Care 2018;41:1337-1338.

While it may be unconventional to comment on a Commentary, emphasis on some of the points raised by Cheung and Moses (1) as well as the addition of a few others seems indicated. The Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) study, which combined data from 15 medical centers on five continents, created a large database of glucose tolerance test (GTT) results of pregnant women representing a diversity of racial and ethnic groups. Their combined data demonstrated a near-linear positive association between maternal glucose levels and selected adverse pregnancy outcomes (2). Given this observation, one may reasonably infer that threshold values defining gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) derived from these data will correctly identify for …
High Accuracy Range Estimation for ATSC DTV Signal Based Positioning System

The synchronization ATSC DTV signals are designed for channel modeling and multipath mitigation, and consequently can be used for accurate positioning. In this paper, we present our study of a high accuracy range estimation method for DTV signal based positioning system. The proposed method is robust, accurate, fast and easy to implement to the conventional RF receiver for indoor positioning and tracking purpose. Performance analysis was done in Matlab simulated data and verified with raw field data.
The neural and genetic correlates of satisfying sexual activity in heterosexual pair-bonds.

Introduction In humans, satisfying sexual activity within a pair-bond plays a significant role in relationship quality and maintenance, beyond reproduction. However, the neural and genetic correlates for this basic species-supporting function, in response to a pair-bonded partner, are unknown. Methods We examined the neural correlates of oxytocin- (Oxtr rs53576) and vasopressin- (Avpr1a rs3) receptor genotypes with sexual satisfaction and frequency, among a group of individuals in pair-bonds (M relationship length = 4.1 years). Participants were scanned twice (with functional MRI), about 1-year apart, while viewing face images of their spouse and a familiar, neutral acquaintance. Results Sex satisfaction scores showed significant interactions with Oxtr and Avpr variants associated with social behaviors in a broad network of regions involved in reward and motivation (ventral tegmental area, substantia nigra [SN], and caudate), social bonding (ventral pallidum), emotion and memory (amygdala/hippocampus), hormone control (hypothalamus); and somatosensory and self-other processing (SII, frontal, and temporal lobe). Sexual frequency interactions also showed activations in the SN and paraventricular hypothalamus for Avpr, and the prefrontal cortex for Oxtr. Conclusions Satisfying sexual activity in pair-bonds is associated with activation of subcortical structures that support basic motivational and physiological processes; as well as cortical regions that mediate complex thinking, empathy, and self-other processes highlighting the multifaceted role of sex in pair-bonds. Oxtr and Avpr gene variants may further amplify both basic and complex neural processes for pair-bond conservation and well-being.
Technological Competence: Training Educational Leaders.

With the continued need to find ways to improve the efficiency of educational organizations, much attention has focused on the utilization of technology. An essential component in the effective use...
Visualization of Cardioplegia Delivery

Homogeneous delivery of cardioplegia to the heart is essential for myocardial protection during the ischemic cross clamp period. Inadequate cardioplegia is a known and recognized cause of delayed postoperative ventricular recovery. In current clinical practice, however, cardioplegia delivery is performed in an essentially blind manner by surgeons.
Serious Mental Illness

Changes in behavior and thought process are a common clinical conundrum in home-based medicine. Depression in older adults is under-recognized and undertreated. Depression with psychotic features is more severe than depression without psychotic features and often results in prolonged incapacity and an increased likelihood of recurrence. First-line treatment should include an antidepressant and antipsychotic given concomitantly or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
Random Graph Models and Matchings

In this paper we will provide an introductory understanding of random graph models, and matchings in the case of Erdos-Renyi random graphs. We will provide a synthesis of background theory to this end. We will further examine pertinent recent results and provide a basis of further exploration.
Factors Associated With Trial Completion and Adherence in App-Based N-of-1 Trials: Protocol for a Randomized Trial Evaluating Study Duration, Notification Level, and Meaningful Engagement in the Brain Boost Study

BACKGROUND N-of-1 trials promise to help individuals make more informed decisions about treatment selection through structured experiments that compare treatment effectiveness by alternating treatments and measuring their impacts in a single individual. We created a digital platform that automates the design, administration, and analysis of N-of-1 trials. Our first N-of-1 trial, the app-based Brain Boost Study, invited individuals to compare the impacts of two commonly consumed substances (caffeine and L-theanine) on their cognitive performance. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to evaluate critical factors that may impact the completion of N-of-1 trials to inform the design of future app-based N-of-1 trials. We will measure study completion rates for participants that begin the Brain Boost Study and assess their associations with study duration (5, 15, or 27 days) and notification level (light or moderate). METHODS Participants will be randomized into three study durations and two notification levels. To sufficiently power the study, a minimum of 640 individuals must begin the study, and 97 individuals must complete the study. We will use a multiple logistic regression model to discern whether the study length and notification level are associated with the rate of study completion. For each group, we will also compare participant adherence and the proportion of trials that yield statistically meaningful results. RESULTS We completed the beta testing of the N1 app on a convenience sample of users. The Brain Boost Study on the N1 app opened enrollment to the public in October 2019. More than 30 participants enrolled in the first month. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this will be the first study to rigorously evaluate critical factors associated with study completion in the context of app-based N-of-1 trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04056650; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04056650. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/16362.
Gefitinib (ZD-1839) with concurrent docetaxel and conformal three-dimensional thoracic radiation followed by consolidative docetaxel/gefitinib for patients with stage III NSCLC: A phase I study

18165 Background: The safety of 3-dimensional (3D) conformal thoracic radiation delivered with concurrent gefitinib/docetaxel chemotherapy in patients with inoperable stage III NSCLC has not been e...
Women, Novices, and Veterans: Diversity in the 2018 Democratic House Primaries

A high number of novice candidates received the Democratic nomination for the US House in 2018. However, a deeper look reveals even more novice candidates ran during the primary phase of the election. This chapter explores the backgrounds and experiences of these candidates with three oft-discussed trends in 2018: the wave of women, novices, and veterans running for the US House. A number of interesting findings emerged. Favorable electoral factors played little role in motivating candidate entry, suggesting that 2018’s “high opportunity” environment was influential across all districts, regardless of the local electoral environment. Further findings indicate that traditional regional patterns in candidate entry did not hold in 2018, providing evidence for nationalized congressional elections. Finally, candidates who seemed to perform best in these primary contests were women and those with prior electoral experience, suggesting the “quality” effect.
Service Deserts and Service Oases: Utilizing Geographic Information Systems to Evaluate Service Availability for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring symptoms often require lifelong services. However, access to autism spectrum disorder services is hindered by a lack of available autism spectrum disorder ...
Space-Very Long Baseline Interferometry Mission Requirements Analysis on Space Borne Frequency Standards and Optical Frequency Combs

Low phase noise microwave frequency generation with low power and miniaturized optical frequency comb may greatly impact future space-based Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) missions. In this paper, we will show our analysis of the frequency and timing requirements on frequency standards and optical frequency combs for the future space mission. Copyright 2019 California Institute of Technology.
Muslim Environmentalisms: Religious and Social Foundations by Anna M. Gade

While the global environmental crisis has escalated rapidly in recent years, work at the intersection of Islamic Studies and Environmental Studies is a newly developing area, to which Anna Gade’s Muslim Environmentalisms: Religious and Social Foundations presents a significant contribution. While the most immediate readership of the work would be those interested in the intersection of those fields, the book makes a broad claim that critically engages with questions of boundaries and constructions of both fields and is of interest to scholars of Islam as well as non-Islamicists in the areas of Environmental Studies and Environmental Humanities. The work is in conversation not only with previous Islamic Studies works on the environment, such as Seyyed Hossein Nasr’s several earlier works in this area as well as Sarra Tlili’s more recent Animals in the Qur’an, but also recent critical interrogations field-forming discourses such as Shahab Ahmed’s What Is Islam: The Importance of Being Islamic. As a scholar of Islam who is only newly becoming acquainted with the field of Environmental Humanities, I consider the text here most specifically in terms of its contribution to Islamic Studies, but it is important to note that the book has a broad readership beyond this area. Download
Three-Modal Theory of Early Embryo Asymmetric Cleavage Determination

Developmental biology attempts to understand the most remarkable phenomenon of life, the process of embryogenesis, and trace back the common link between different groups of animals to analyze when and how the advantage of multicellularity and pluripotency first emerged. Gradual changes accumulated in animal genomes and the environmental influence on gene expression have led to the emergence of a higher complexity in body patterning and tissue diversity best seen in mammals. Although many questions have been answered, even more await to be elucidated. Presented is a developmental biology theory set into three main hypothetical claims that are collectively harmonizing at the molecular level of animal embryogenesis. Focusing on vertebrates and mammals, the three-modal theory of early embryo asymmetric cleavage determination attempts to explain how over 200 mammalian cell lines originate from a single zygote. Within the theory, biophysical interactions between first mammalian embryo cells are expected to develop a biochemical niche pivotal for further interblastomeric communication and asymmetric fate determination distribution, including those of the maternal origin. The theory builds on extensive research data from the past century and coherently fits in modern molecular understanding of a plethora of embryological processes.
Tedious Versus Taxing: The Nature of Work in a Behavioral Health Context

The goal of this study was to examine the work practices of behavioral health professionals with a view towards designing interactive systems to support their work. We conducted a qualitative workplace study, including in situ observations and semi-structured interviews, in a multidisciplinary clinic treating pediatric feeding disorders. This paper contributes a detailed characterization of clinicians' work practices and conducts a comparative analysis of three types of work: treatment, record management, and preparation work. We found that clinicians have a preference for taxing over tedious work. For example, they experience real-time data collection as more taxing but less tedious than retroactive data entry. Design efforts should balance the tension between addressing the taxing (data collection during meals) versus the tedious (manually entering data into spreadsheets). Although addressing the taxing improves within-routine efficiency, addressing the tedious improves overall morale. Further, we hypothesize that there is a rewarding or unrewarding quality to work that is dictated in part by its social, temporal, and clinical characteristics. We discuss conceptual and design implications for supporting clinical work, and highlight considerations unique to behavioral health.
Self-retained internal ureteral stents: a new approach.

AbstractDefinitive surgical treatment of ureteral obstruction may not be appropriate in patients with advanced malignancy, complex benign ureteral disease or even simple obstructive disease accompanied by unacceptable operative risk. Endoscopic placement of self-retained internal ureteral catheters (stents) offers satisfactory relief for many of these patients. A new 6F pigtail ureteral stent and placement technique are described. These stents are placed easily, effective and well tolerated for short-term and long-term drainage in selected patients with ureteral obstruction.
The Role of Community Structure in Opinion Cluster Formation

Opinion clustering arises from the collective behavior of a social network. We apply an Opinion Dynamics model to investigate opinion cluster formation in the presence of community structure. Opinion clustering is influenced by the properties of individuals (nodes) and network topology. We determine the sensitivity of opinion cluster formation to changes in node tolerance levels through parameter sweeps. We investigate the effect of network community structure through rewiring the network to lower the community structure. Tolerance variation modifies the effects of community structure on opinion clustering: higher values of tolerance lead to less distinct opinion clustering. Community structure is found to inhibit network wide clusters from forming. We claim that advancing understanding of the role of community structure in social networks can help lead to more informed and effective public health policy.
Factors influencing male mating success in bur oak, Quercus macrocarpa

Pollen donors of acorns and saplings in a stand of bur oak were identified by paternity exclusion using microsatellite genotype analysis. Here we examine the influence of several factors likely to affect reproductive success of males with wind-dispersed pollen, including distance of pollen donor from maternal tree, genetic relatedness of pollen donor to maternal tree, direction of pollen donor relative to maternal tree, and size of pollen donor (crown volume and trunk diameter). Surprisingly, none of these factors were strongly correlated with fertilization success, although weak but significant correlations with crown volume and distance were found. The slight influence of distance is actually overestimated here, because our analysis necessarily excluded a large proportion of pollinations that were effected by trees outside the stand. The pollen donors outside the stand were not identified, but were more than 150 meters away. Pollination patterns in this stand of bur oak are quite complicated. Seed parents were fertilized by multiple pollen donors within the stand from all directions and as far as 200 m away. These results caution against the use of models of pollination that are based on simple distance or directional parameters because they will not adequately predict gene flow or male reproductive success. Our results further emphasize the importance of genetically identifying successful pollen donors rather than relying on patterns of physical movement of pollen.
Separating Dijet Resonances Using the Color Discriminant Variable

Color-singlet and color-octet vector bosons predicted in theories beyond the Standard Model have the potential to be discovered as dijet resonances at the LHC. A color-singlet resonance that has leptophobic couplings needs further investigation to be distinguished from a color-octet one. In previous work, we introduced a method for discriminating between the two kinds of resonances when their couplings are flavor-universal, using measurements of the dijet resonance mass, total decay width and production cross-section. Here, we describe two extensions of that work. First, we broaden the method to the case where the vector resonances have flavor non-universal couplings, by incorporating measurements of the heavy-flavor decays of the resonance. Second, we apply the method to separating vector bosons from color-octet scalars and excited quarks.
Cardiac function in muscular dystrophy associates with abdominal muscle pathology.

Background: The muscular dystrophies target muscle groups differentially. In mouse models of muscular dystrophy, notably the mdx model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the diaphragm muscle shows marked fibrosis and at an earlier age than other muscle groups, more reflective of the histopathology seen in human muscular dystrophy. Methods: Using a mouse model of limb girdle muscular dystrophy, the Sgcg mouse, we compared muscle pathology across different muscle groups and heart. A cohort of nearly 200 Sgcg mice were studied using multiple measures of pathology including echocardiography, Evans Blue dye uptake and hydroxyproline content in multiple muscle groups. Spearman rank correlations were determined among echocardiographic and pathological parameters. Findings: The abdominal muscles were found to have more fibrosis than other muscle groups, including the diaphragm muscle. The abdominal muscles also had more Evans blue dye uptake than other muscle groups. The amount of diaphragm fibrosis was found to correlate positively with fibrosis in the left ventricle, and abdominal muscle fibrosis correlated with impaired left ventricular function. Fibrosis in the abdominal muscles negatively correlated with fibrosis in the diaphragm and right ventricles. Together these data reflect the recruitment of abdominal muscles as respiratory muscles in muscular dystrophy, a finding consistent with data from human patients.
Frequency of Use, Form Retention, and Real Time Effects

Modern Portuguese possesses two grammatical constructions that have the principal function of expressing future time reference, the Morphological Future (MF; example 1) and the Periphrastic Future (PF; example 2):(1) no inicio o criterio de avaliacao... PODERA ser bastante flexivel... 'In the beginning the criterion for evaluation... can (future) be quite flexible...'(2) voce nao VAI ASSISTIR? 'You aren't gonna attend?'Following Bybee's (1985) proposal that irregular patterns in a language remain irregular as a result of high frequency while low frequency leads to regularization, the purpose of this paper is to show that the frequency of use of the verbs used in MF is responsible for the retention of the form where it remains, in light of the highly productive, emerging PF. This study uses transcripts from approximately 240,000 words of the NURC-Rio de Janeiro corpus (Callou 1992; Callou & Lopes 1993, 1994, w/o date). All tokens of MF and PF were extracted from the corpus, yielding the 897 tokens used in this study with 12% being of MF and 88% being of PF. Each token was coded for numerous linguistic and extralinguistic variables. The tokens were subjected to a multivariate analysis using the GoldVarb X (Sankoff, Tagliamonte, & Smith 2005). In line with Zipf's (1965[1935]) observation that high frequency words tend to be shorter than low frequency words, frequency of use and the length of the verb stem interact heavily and as a result frequency of use and stem length had to be considered a single variable in the statistical analysis. GoldVarb X selected the combined frequency/length variable as significant with the greatest magnitude of effect. Shorter, more frequent verbs favor retention in MF, while longer, less frequent verbs disfavor such retention. This result supports Bybee's (1985) hypothesis that frequent items remain in a language in the face of language change while less frequent items tend to occur with the more productive patterns. Other factor groups selected as significant include the stem (ir)regularity in MF, type of multi-verb construction, and speaker gender. A subset of the interviews in the corpus of study were repeated twenty years later on the same speakers, allowing for the examination of language change in real time. Results from the comparison between the two time periods suggest that while the rate of use of MF diminishes through time, the overall distribution of the verbs used with MF remains relatively stable.
Inhibitory activity of the novel CB2 receptor agonist, GW833972A, on guinea-pig and human sensory nerve function in the airways

Background and purpose: Sensory nerves regulate central and local reflexes such as airway plasma protein leakage, bronchoconstriction and cough. Sensory nerve activity may be enhanced during inflammation such that these protective effects become exacerbated and deleterious. Cannabinoids are known to inhibit airway sensory nerve function. However, there is still controversy surrounding which receptor is involved in eliciting these effects. Experimental approach: We have adopted a pharmacological approach, including using a novel, more selective CB2 receptor agonist, GW 833972A (1000-fold selective CB2/CB1), and receptor selective antagonists to investigate the inhibitory activity of cannabinoids on sensory nerve activity in vitro and in vivo in guinea-pig models of cough and plasma extravasation. Key results: GW 833972A inhibited capsaicin-induced depolarization of the human and guinea-pig and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and hypertonic saline-induced depolarization of the guinea-pig isolated vagus nerve in vitro. GW 833972A also inhibited citric acid-induced cough but not plasma extravasation in the guinea-pig and this effect was blocked by a CB2 receptor antagonist. Conclusions and implications: This confirms and extends previous studies highlighting the role of CB2 receptors in the modulation of sensory nerve activity elicited both by the exogenous ligands capsaicin and hypertonic saline but also by endogenous modulators such as PGE2 and low pH stimuli. These data establish the CB2 receptor as an interesting target for the treatment of chronic cough. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 155, 547–557; doi:10.1038/bjp.2008.298; published online 11 August 2008
Effectiveness of software-based patient education on inhaler technique: A clinical study

National asthma guidelines to improve asthma outcomes rely on inhaled medications. However, it has been commonly recorded that the majority of asthma patients use inhalers incorrectly and that poor inhaler technique is correlated with poor asthma control. Common inhaler education is written instruction, but some patients receive no training. We tested the effectiveness of a computer based training solution versus traditional written instruction on inhaler technique. An example of a computer based training solution used was videos found at www.use-inhalers.com. We hypothesize that it can increase a provider's ability to deliver high quality instruction to all patients without increasing time burden on providers. Our controls were patients without any training and patients given written training. Videotapes of patients using their inhalers before and after training were created and analyzed by a fixed rubric and given a score. 50 patients were recruited in the Junta De Beneficencia Hospital in a randomized, unblinded enrollment process. Analysis was done through multivariate regression analysis where the different trainings were binomial indicator variables. Video training improved inhaler technique by more than 70% (p .05), and on average, only improved technique by less than 10%. We conclude that (1) written instruction may not be enough to instruct patients for inhaler technique education (in fact, most patients missed more than 50% of the necessary steps) and (2) a computer-based alternative can have the desired educational effect without an increased time effort.
Vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization of small water clusters.

Tunable vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionization studies of water clusters are performed using 10−14 eV synchrotron radiation and analyzed by reflectron time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. Phot...
Interdisciplinary Gap Filling: Game Theory and the Law

More than a half century has passed since John Von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstem published their pioneering work that provided the foundations for the field now known as "game theory."' By redirecting analytical focus away from a static environment (where individuals merely "react" to their surroundings) and toward a strategic one (where each individual's very surroundings depend centrally on others' reactions), game theory offered a fresh account of human behavior that was descriptively richer and more satisfying than most of its predecessors. In the decades since, the emergent field has cultivated significant advances not only in economics and finance, but also in disciplines as diverse as psychology, biology, political science, and eventually, law. Indeed, by the beginning of this decade, prominent law reviews began to provide a steady stream of articles utilizing the game-theoretic approach. It was therefore hardly surprising when in 1994, Douglas Baird, Robert Gertner, and Randal Picker (all of the University of Chicago) published Game Theory and the Law, which represents the first comprehensive manual
Performance of InSb/KDP monochromator crystal pair

Abstract We report on the performance of an InSb/KDP monochromator mismatched crystal pair in use on beamline X24A at the National Synchrotron Light Source. This crystal pair provides extremely high spectral resolving power and throughput in the photon energy range 1750 to 2100 eV, which is below the physical limit of Si(111). By measuring the back-reflection from a Si(111) single crystal, we determine the resolution of the mismatched pair to be 0.40±0.05 eV at 1977 eV. The first Si 1s absorption spectrum (1840 eV) recorded with resolution better than the core-hole lifetime is also reported.
Longitudinal Mode Combustion Instabilities in a Dump Combustor

The mechanism by which longitudinal modes of a dump combustor are excited has been investigated. The unsteady combustion is a result of the shedding of large scale vortical structures from the flameholder. Driving and damping as determined by Rayleigh's criterion were investigated by using the cross-spectrum and phase of the fluctuating pressure and radiation intensity signals at various locations in the combustor. Thus, the excitation of a particular mode was found to depend on the pressure mode shape and the magnitude and phase of the velocity fluctuation at the flameholder. Fluid mechanical mixing and the chemical reaction rate of the fuel also effect the distribution of heat release and hence the locations of driving and damping. Finally, a mechanism for existence of the limit cycle is discussed.
Relationships between Adaption-Innovation, Experienced Control, and State-Trait Anxiety

This study examines correlations among scores on the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory, the Tiffany Control Scales, and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for 104 undergraduates enrolled in the general psychology classes at a middle-sized midwestern university. Analysis indicated that adaptors and innovators perceive control from and/or over some aspects of their lives differently. Innovators feel control over internal (self) and over external (environment) while adaptors feel control from internal (self) and from external (environment). These results suggest innovators generally feel that they are in control of both themselves and the environment. Adaptors, however, generally feel they are controlled by internal drives and impulses or environmental events. The present study yielded no correlation between choice of college major and adaption-innovation but more research is needed. A relation between adaption and state anxiety was found, which may suggest adaptors feel more pressure when completing a novel task (answering questionnaires) than innovators. Finally, no significant correlation was found between the Kirton scores and trait anxiety.
Murine coronavirus-induced oligodendrocyte apoptosis is mediated through the activation of the Fas signaling pathway

We previously showed that infection of rat oligodendrocytes by ultraviolet light-inactivated mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) resulted in apoptosis, suggesting that the apoptosis is triggered during cell entry. To further characterize the earliest apoptotic signaling events, here we treated cells with an antibody specific to the MHV receptor prior to and during virus infection or with an antibody specific to MHV spike protein following virus binding. Both treatments blocked virus infection and apoptosis, indicating that virus-receptor binding is necessary but not sufficient for the apoptosis induction. Furthermore, virus infection significantly increased the formation of the "death-receptor complexes" consisting of Fas, Fas-associated death domain and procaspase-8, but did not induce the complexes involving the tumor necrosis factor receptor and its associated death domain, demonstrating the specific activation of the Fas signaling pathway. Moreover, virus infection did not alter the abundance of the individual proteins of the complexes, suggesting that the activation of the Fas signaling pathway was at the post-translational level. Treatment with a Fas/Fc chimera, which blocks Fas-Fas ligand-mediated apoptosis, inhibited the formation of the complexes and blocked the activation of caspase-8 and apoptosis in MHV-infected cells. It also inhibited the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and the activation of caspase-9. These results demonstrate that oligodendrocyte apoptosis is triggered by MHV infection during cell entry through the activation of the Fas signaling pathway.