cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Search for Global CO2 etc. ‘Greenhouse Effects’

The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth's atmosphere has been steadily increasing since the inception of the Industrial Revolution. Believed to be due primarily to the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests, this phenomenon has two potential consequences of global importance.Many scientists believe that the CO2 increases projected for Earth's atmosphere by the middle of the next century will lead to a significant warming of the planet which could severely impact world agriculture and cause a melting of polar ice which would greatly raise sea-levels and lead to the flooding of coastal lowlands. Others, however, point to the demonstrable positive effects of elevated concentrations of atmospheric CO2 on plant productivity and wateruse efficiency, suggesting that more CO2 in the air will be beneficial to The Biosphere. Against this backlog of controversy, scientists of both persuasions have attempted the ‘first detection’ of either or both of these effects on a global scale.With respect to the quest for a climatic ‘signal’, numerous studies conducted to date have come up emptyhanded; it is just not discernible from the natural variations inherent in the data. However, there does appear to be a manifestation of enhanced global photosynthetic activity in the yearly amplitude of atmospheric CO2 concentrations at a number of sites around the world; and the most logical explanation of that seems to be the CO2-induced enhancement of plant growth and development which has been demonstrated to occur in hundreds of laboratory and field experiments.
Cooperative interactions in the West Nile virus mutant swarm

Background RNA viruses including arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) exist as highly genetically diverse mutant swarms within individual hosts. A more complete understanding of the phenotypic correlates of these diverse swarms is needed in order to equate RNA swarm breadth and composition to specific adaptive and evolutionary outcomes.
environmental conflict: in search of common ground. ground. j. j. pompe and j. r. rinehart. 2002. state university of new york press, albany, ny. 176 pp. $49.50 hardcover, $16.95 paperback.

economists by training, the authors of environmental conflict: in search of common ground offer a fast–moving and far–reaching analysis of current environmental debates — from global warming to biodiversity loss to industrial pollution. j. j. pompe and j. r. rinehart propose economic theory as an indispensable framework for understanding environmental policy decisions. by defining environmental degradation as an essentially economic problem, the authors set out to “demystify economics” as it applies to environmental decision making—which, like all decision–making processes (in their view), is fundamentally shaped by human choice and responses to change. peppered with popular analogies, from star wars to the extinction of the passenger pigeon, the lively style reflects the authors' intention to apply economic principles in lay terms, making it a useful introductory text to the field of environmental economics, especially at the undergraduate level.
Pulmonary dysfunction in neonatal SP-B-deficient mice

Pulmonary function was assessed in newborn wild-type and homozygous and heterozygous surfactant protein B (SP-B)-deficient mice after birth. SP-B+/+ and SP-B+/− mice became well oxygenated and surv...
Closed-loop architecture for distributed collaborative adaptive sensing of the atmosphere: meteorological command and control

Distributed Collaborative Adaptive Sensing (DCAS) of the atmosphere is a new paradigm for detecting and predicting hazardous weather using a dense network of short-range, low-powered radars to sense the lowest few kilometres of the earth's atmosphere. DCAS systems are collaborative in that the beams from multiple radars are actively coordinated in a sense-and-respond manner to achieve greater sensitivity, precision and resolution than possible with a single radar. DCAS systems are adaptive in that the radars and their associated computing and communications infrastructure are dynamically reconfigured in response to changing weather conditions and end-user needs. This paper describes an end-to-end DCAS architecture and evaluates the performance of the system in an operational testbed with actual weather events and end-user considerations driving the system. Our results demonstrate how the architecture is capable of real-time data processing, optimisation of radar control and sensing of the atmosphere in a manner that maximises end-user utility.
Inflation and bubbles in general relativity

Following Israel's study of singular hypersurfaces and thin shells in general relativity, the complete set of Einstein's field equations in the presence of a bubble boundary SIGMA is reviewed for all spherically symmetric embedding four-geometries ${M}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$. The mapping that identifies points between the boundaries ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{+}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ is obtained explicitly when the regions ${M}^{+}$ and ${M}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ are described by a de Sitter and a Minkowski metric, respectively. In addition, the evolution of a bubble with vanishing surface energy density is studied in a spatially flat Robertson-Walker space-time, for region ${M}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ radiation dominated with a vanishing cosmological constant, and an energy equation in ${M}^{+}$ determined by the matching. It is found that this type of bubble leads to a ``worm-hole'' matching; that is, an infinite extent exterior of a sphere is joined across the wall to another infinite extent exterior of a sphere. Interior-interior matches are also possible. Under this model, solutions for a bubble following a Hubble law are analyzed. Numerical solutions for bubbles with constant tension are also obtained.
Sorority Affiliation and Sexual Assault Victimization Assessing Vulnerability Using Path Analysis

The current research used survey data from 282 college women to investigate the relationship between female Greek membership and sexual assault victimization. Drawing from routine activity theory, low self-control, and social learning theory, this study tested a theoretical model that identified pertinent factors present among sorority environments to determine the relationships between Greek affiliation and sexual assault. Path analyses revealed that sorority women reported consuming more alcohol and with greater frequency, increased risk-taking behavior, delayed assessments of threat and responses to risk, and increased contact with fraternity men-all of which significantly predicted sexual assault. Future theory, research, and policy directions are proposed.
Infrared and TPD Studies of Nitrates Adsorbed on Tb4O7, La2O3, BaO, and MgO/γ-Al2O3

NO and O2 coadsorption on γ-Al2O3-supported Tb4O7, La2O3, BaO, and MgO has been investigated by in situ infrared spectroscopy coupled with temperature-programmed decomposition and desorption. BaO/γ-Al2O3 and MgO/γ-Al2O3 possess a higher NOx storage capability than Tb4O7/γ-Al2O3 and La2O3/γ-Al2O3. NO/O2 coadsorbed on Tb4O7, La2O3, and BaO in the form of bridging bidentate, chelating bidentate, and monodentate nitrates, and on MgO in the form of bridging bidentate and monodentate nitrates via the reaction of adsorbed NO with adsorbed oxygen at 298 K. NO/O2 coadsorbed as a chelating bidentate nitrate on Tb4O7 and La2O3, and as a distinctive bridging bidentate nitrate on BaO and MgO via the reaction of adsorbed NO with surface lattice oxygen at 523 K. These various forms of adsorbed nitrate differ in structure and reactivity from Tb(NO3)3, La(NO3)3, Ba(NO3)2, and Mg(NO3)2, the precursor used to prepare metal oxides for NO/O2 coadsorption. Temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of chelating bidentate nitrate ...
Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy

Asymptomatic bacteriuria occurs in 4 to 7 percent of pregnancies and is associated with the development of acute pyelonephritis, preterm labor and low-birth-weight infants. Treatment of bacteriuria prevents up to 80 percent of cases of pyelonephritis and reduces the risk of preterm delivery. All women should be screened for bacteriuria by a urine culture at the first prenatal visit. Women with bacteriuria should be treated with appropriate antibiotics and should be monitored throughout pregnancy to identify recurrences. Women with persistent bacteriuria require antibiotic suppression until delivery and urologic evaluation following delivery. Urologic evaluation during pregnancy is indicated if bacteriuria persists despite antibiotic therapy.
Design and usability evaluation of foot interfaces for dynamic text editing

The objective of this study was to design and evaluate the use of foot pedal controls for dynamic text editing. An experiment was conducted to assess whether the new foot control method would improve editing performance, compared to conventional mouse use, and to identify specific types of foot control most convenient for users. Four prototype methods involving use of two foot pedals vs. one pedal with zero-order or first order control were developed and tested against mousing in an editing task with dynamic changes in text size (e.g., instant messaging). Prototype methods involving first order control were found to be comparable to the mouse method in task completion time, accuracy and subjective workload. Among the four prototypes, foot control using two pedals with first order control was superior to the other methods, in performance. Consequently, foot pedals may be effectively utilized in computing operations, particularly dynamic text editing tasks, as an alternative or additional input device. Furt...
Gambling in the Public Marketplace: Adaptations to Economic Context

Department of Psychology, Badgley Science Center, Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, OR 97850; E-mail:clyons@eou.edu Demand for public games of chance was examined over a 24-year period, across various contexts of the prevailing gaming environment that included significant political and economic events. Lottery sales trends revealed devaluation of large jackpots beyond that due to inflation as they became more common, with the steepest discounting in the largest prizes. At the highest levels, jackpots continued to induce demand in games after they were claimed. The 2009 recession correlated with decreased demand for some gambling options but not for others; together with departures from matching between game odds and sales, this suggests that different games served different functions for their players. There was no evidence that public gambling baselines in Oregon were disrupted by the 2001 terrorist attacks. Despite several limitations, these data implicate behavioral influences, including habituation, induction, motivating operations, and matching within public gambling, consistent with the Behavioral Perspective Model of consumer choice.
Cyberspace Taxation: An Economic and Consumer Perspective

The introduction of Internet taxes (cybertaxation) to the e-marketplace is the topic of both public and private business' concerns. New technologies will enable the enforcement of taxation on Internet purchases in the near future and may affect consumer behavior towards Internet purchases. Economic and consumer behavior concepts may provide a practical and theoretical basis for working assumptions for consumer response to government-imposed taxes. By understanding the consumer, businesses should be able to make a more informed decision as to which strategy to administer-in essence the Internet tax issue only serves to cloud the issue, but sound business policies, practices and procedures should be the dominant issues.
Myxomycete reproductive systems: additional information

The reproductive systems of 17 isolates of myxomycetes representing 10 species were examined and all of them were found to be nonheterothallic. For some species, Didymium difforme (one isolate), Di- dymium squamulosum (three isolates), Physarella oblonga (one isolate) and Physarum compressum (two isolates), these results provided additional nonheterothallic re? ports to earlier studies. For other species, Didymium iridis (three isolates), Diymium minus (one isolate), Fu- ligo septica (three isolates) and Stemonitis flavogenita (one isolate), these results added nonheterothallic iso? lates to previously known heterothallic/nonheteroth- allic combined systems. For the remaining two species, Didymium dubium (one isolate) and Physarum roseum (one isolate), these results were the first investigations of reproductive system and also the first report of spore-to-spore cultivation of Physarum roseum. Also, all known myxomycete culture and reproductive sys? tems reported in the literature were compiled and reviewed.
Neonatal lupus: Clinical spectrum, biomarkers, pathogenesis, and approach to treatment

Abstract For the 40% of women with systemic lupus erythematosus who have antibodies reactive with SSA/Ro, at least one in 50 will have a child with neonatal lupus (NL). Fetal exposure to these maternal autoantibodies transported across the human placenta via FcγRn can result in a spectrum of organ injury: transient if the tissue has regenerative capacity and permanent if this capacity is absent or limited. NL is often referred to as a syndrome, as it can comprise one or more manifestations inclusive of cardiac, cutaneous, liver, and hematologic abnormalities. While a rare disease, the incidence of which is estimated at about 600 cases per year in the United States, the study of NL provides a unique opportunity to address pathogenicity of an antibody reactive with an intracellular target in mediating tissue injury and to translate that to management. This chapter covers the epidemiology, clinical spectrum, proposed pathogenesis, biomarkers, and guidelines for prevention and therapy.
Planning in the spirit of Deleuze and Guattari? Considering community-based food projects in the United States and Mexico

ABSTRACTIn this article we argue that planning theory and practice should engage more with the normative political vision of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. They reject the transcendent authority of the State and arguably by extension, planning. As planners we should be concerned: need we reconceptualize, or abandon the planning project? We outline their vision, highlighting key concepts including lines of flight, revolution, the new land, and immanent organization, and use two cases from the United States and Mexico, the Food Commons and Center for Integral Farmer Development in the Mixteca, to show that planning in accordance with Deleuze and Guattari may indeed be possible. We end with questions: is what we describe planning? And what is planning – or what should it be?
Carbon cycle: A hump in ocean-air exchange

Semivolatile organic compounds from fossil fuels or incomplete combustion are ubiquitous. A suite of circumglobal measurements of their oceanic and atmospheric concentrations reveals large carbon fluxes through the deposition of these compounds.
Laughter as an approach to vocal evolution: The bipedal theory

Laughter is a simple, stereotyped, innate, human play vocalization that is ideal for the study of vocal evolution. The basic approach of describing the act of laughter and when we do it has revealed a variety of phenomena of social, linguistic, and neurological significance. Findings include the acoustic structure of laughter, the minimal voluntary control of laughter, the punctuation effect (which describes the placement of laughter in conversation and indicates the dominance of speech over laughter), and the role of laughter in human matching and mating. Especially notable is the use of laughter to discover why humans can speak and other apes cannot. Quadrupeds, including our primate ancestors, have a 1:1 relation between breathing and stride because their thorax must absorb forelimb impacts during running. The direct link between breathing and locomotion limits vocalizations to short, simple utterances, such as the characteristic panting chimpanzee laugh (one sound per inward or outward breath). The evolution of bipedal locomotion freed the respiration system of its support function during running, permitting greater breath control and the selection for human-type laughter (a parsed exhalation), and subsequently the virtuosic, sustained, expiratory vocalization of speech. This is the basis of the bipedal theory of speech evolution.
Cost-Effectiveness of a Health System-Based Smoking Cessation Program.

Introduction Project CLIQ (Community Link to Quit) was a proactive population-outreach strategy using an electronic health records-based smoker registry and interactive voice recognition technology to connect low- to moderate-income smokers with cessation counseling, medications, and social services. A randomized trial demonstrated that the program increased cessation. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of CLIQ from a provider organization's perspective if implemented outside the trial framework. Methods We calculated the cost, cost per smoker, incremental cost per additional quit, and, secondarily, incremental cost per additional life year saved of the CLIQ system compared to usual care using data from a 2011-2013 randomized trial assessing the effectiveness of the CLIQ system. Sensitivity analyses considered economies of scale and initial versus ongoing costs. Results Over a 20-month period (the duration of the trial) the program cost US $283 027 (95% confidence interval [CI] $209 824-$389 072) more than usual care in a population of 8544 registry-identified smokers, 707 of whom participated in the program. The cost per smoker was $33 (95% CI 28-40), incremental cost per additional quit was $4137 (95% CI $2671-$8460), and incremental cost per additional life year saved was $7301 (95% CI $4545-$15 400). One-time costs constituted 28% of costs over 20 months. Ongoing costs were dominated by personnel costs (71% of ongoing costs). Sensitivity analyses showed sharp gains in cost-effectiveness as the number of identified smokers increased because of the large initial costs. Conclusions The CLIQ system has favorable cost-effectiveness compared to other smoking cessation interventions. Cost-effectiveness will be greatest for health systems with high numbers of smokers and with the high smoker participation rates. Implications Health information systems capable of establishing registries of patients who are smokers are becoming more prevalent. This economic analysis illustrates the cost implications for health care systems adopting a proactive tobacco treatment outreach strategy for low- and middle-income smokers. We find that under many circumstances, the CLIQ system has a favorable cost-per-quit compared to other population-based tobacco treatment strategies. The strategy could be widely disseminable if health systems leverage economies of scale.
Verification and Validation of Flight-Critical Systems

For the first time in many years, the NASA budget presented to congress calls for a focused effort on the verification and validation (V&V) of complex systems. This is mostly motivated by the results of the VVFCS (V&V of Flight-Critical Systems) study, which should materialize as a a concrete effort under the Aviation Safety program. This talk will present the results of the study, from requirements coming out of discussions with the FAA and the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) to technical plan addressing the issue, and its proposed current and future V&V research agenda, which will be addressed by NASA Ames, Langley, and Dryden as well as external partners through NASA Research Announcements (NRA) calls. This agenda calls for pushing V&V earlier in the life cycle and take advantage of formal methods to increase safety and reduce cost of V&V. I will present the on-going research work (especially the four main technical areas: Safety Assurance, Distributed Systems, Authority and Autonomy, and Software-Intensive Systems), possible extensions, and how VVFCS plans on grounding the research in realistic examples, including an intended V&V test-bench based on an Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) architecture and hosted by Dryden.
Ferguson and the Violence of Indifference in Our Classrooms

Robert F. Kennedy, the day after the death of Martin Luther King challenged our country to rid ourselves of the violence of indifference, which slowly corrodes humanity and poisons the relationships between men and women because of a difference in the color of their skin. The violence of indifference is what Ferguson is asking us to indict, and I draw on the voices, protests, and events in Ferguson to challenge educators to interrogate their own indifference and those of their students.
Association between sedentary behavior and normal-range lactate dehydrogenase activity.

ABSTRACTObjectives: Recent research demonstrates that lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity within the normal range may serve as a mediator in the (positive) relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular disease risk. Emerging work supports deleterious associations between sedentary behavior and health, independent of physical activity. Thus, this study evaluated if sedentary behavior was associated with normal-range LDH activity, independent of physical activity.Methods: Data from the 2003–2006 NHANES were used (N = 2,087 adults; 40–79 yrs). LDH activity levels were estimated from a blood sample using LX20 and LDH reagent; participants were included if they had LDH activity levels within the normal range (105–333 IU/L). Physical activity and sedentary behavior were assessed via accelerometry.Results: Sedentary behavior was inversely associated with normal-range LDH activity when physical activity was excluded from the model (OR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.83–0.97, P = 0.009 for LDH activity quartile 4 v...
American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons membership and its association with primary and revision shoulder arthroplasty volume

Background The overall impact of American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) membership on volume of primary and revision procedures has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between high-volume primary and revision arthroplasty surgeons and membership in the ASES using recent Medicare data. Methods Data from 2014 for all providers performing primary shoulder arthroplasty ( Current Procedural Terminology codes 23470 and 23472) and revision procedures ( Current Procedural Terminology codes 23473 and 23474) were identified using the Medicare Physician and Other Supplier Public Use File for 2016. Providers were rank ordered on the basis of the total number of procedures performed and subdivided as ASES members and nonmembers. Results ASES members composed 16% of all surgeons performing shoulder arthroplasty but performed 28% of primary arthroplasty and 63% of revision procedures. The mean number of procedures per provider was significantly greater for ASES members compared with non–ASES members (44.2 ± 30.7 vs. 21.4 ± 13.2; P Conclusion ASES members represent the largest proportion of high-volume shoulder arthroplasty surgeons in the United States and perform a majority of all primary and revision arthroplasties among this group.
Designing Playful Games and Applications to Support Science Centers Learning Activities

In recent years there has been a renewed interest on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Following this interest, science centers’ staff started providing technology enhanced informal STEM education experiences. The use of well-designed mobile and ubiquitous forms of technology to enrich informal STEM education activities is an essential success factor. The goal of our research is to investigate how technology applications can be better used and developed for taking full advantage of the opportunities and challenges they provide for students learning about STEM concepts. In our approach, we have conducted a series of interviews with experts from science center curating and outdoor learning activities development, with the final goal of exploring and improving current learning environments and practices. This paper presents the development of set of design considerations for the development of STEM games and applications of young students. An initial set of best practices was first developed through semi-structures interviews with experts; and afterwards, by employing content analysis, a revised set of considerations was obtained. These results are useful for STEM education teachers, curriculum designers, curators and developers for K-12 education environments.
“ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY”: INDIAN MARRIAGE, PROPERTY RIGHTS, AND LEGAL TESTIMONY IN THE JURISDICTIONAL FORMATION OF INDIANA SETTLER SOCIETY, 1717-1897

This study examines the history of Indian-settler legal relations in Indiana, from the state’s pre-territorial period to the late-nineteenth century. Through a variety of interdisciplinary sources and methods, the author constructs a broad narrative on the evolution and co-existence of Native and non-Native customary legal systems in the region, focusing on matters related to marriage, property rights, and testimony. The primary thesis - which emphasizes reciprocally formative relations, rather than persistent conflict - suggests that Indiana’s pre-modern legal past involved an ad hoc yet highly effective process of cultural brokerage, reciprocity and inter-personal accommodation. That the American Indians lost much of their self-governing status following the period of contact is clear; however, a closer look at the ways in which nations historically defined, exercised, asserted, and shared jurisdiction, reveals a more intricate story of influence, authority, and concession. During the French and British colonial and American territorial periods, settler society adjusted to and often accommodated Native concepts of law and justice. Through a complex order of social obligations and community-based enforcement mechanisms, a shared set of rules and jurisdictional practices merged, forming a hybrid system of Indian-settler norms that bound these individuals across the cultural divide. When Indiana entered the Union in 1816, legal pluralism defined jurisdictional practice. However, with the nineteenth-century rise of legal positivism - the idea of law as the sole command of the nation-state, a sovereign entity vested with exclusive authority - territorial jurisdiction and legal uniformity became guiding principles. Many jurists viewed the informal, pre-existing custom-based regulatory structures with contempt. With the shift to a state-centered legal order, lawmakers established strict standards for recognizing the law of the “other,” ultimately rejecting the status of the tribes as equal sovereigns and forcing them to concede jurisdiction to the settler polity.
Considerations in Reoperative Hand Surgery

The reoperative hand surgeon is a unique individual. The surgeon who is willing to take on these types of cases, whether they be their own complications or patients who have been referred in from colleagues, faces some unique challenges when compared to dealing with the patient who has not previously been operated on for that particular disease or diagnosis. These patients have unique psychological and social considerations that are compounded by the need for further surgical intervention. Some of these patients may be overtly hostile, and others may have very unrealistic expectations. However, many patients will be very grateful for the surgeon who is willing to rise to the occasion and who has the caring temperament to help guide these patients through their diagnostic and decision-making process. Some patients who think they need surgery in actuality do not; moreover, some patients that would not benefit from further surgery will still want to have surgery performed in the hopes of having some improvement or change in their outcome. This chapter is for those surgeons who understand the unique role of the reoperative surgeon and wish to explore some of the insights needed to try and be more effective.
A NEW MORPHOLOGICAL APPROACH FOR REMOVING SPECKLE NOISE AND EMPHASIZING DEFECT FEATURES IN ULTRASONIC IMAGES

Ultrasonic NDE images are often contaminated with speckle noise. The degradation caused by the presence of speckle noise makes it difficult to identify features of interest that are typically thin or small in nature. A variety of techniques have been proposed to date for reducing such noise. As an example, lowpass filters can be employed to reduce speckle noise. However, they tend to blur thin features and edges. Median filters are also used widely to remove impulse type noise while preserving edges in images [1]. Unfortunately, such filters perform poorly when the spatial density of the noise is high [3,6]. As an alternative, gray-scale morphological approaches involving such operations as opening, closing or combinations thereof can be applied to reduce noise in gray-scale images [1–5]. Even in this case, features that are thin or small tend to be filtered out along with the noise [6]. Prior attempts to remedy the problem have relied on the use of multi-resolution (or multi-scale) morphological filters using an array of structuring element sizes. Such algorithms tend to be overly complex and computationally expensive to implement [6].
Organizational Health in the Systems Age: A Renaissance Systems Perspective

This paper briefly explores the relevance of a renaissance systems approach - an integrated pragmatic philosophy with a full range of unified epistemological, ontological, and methodological features - for helping modern organizations improve their ability to handle the increasing complexity of life in the Systems Age in a more responsible and effective fashion.
The endosomal-lysosomal system of neurons in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis: a review.

A prominent feature of brain pathology in Alzheimer's disease is a robust activation of the neuronal lysosomal system and major cellular pathways converging on the lysosome, namely, endocytosis and autophagy. Recent studies that identify a disturbance of the endocytic pathway as one of the earliest known manifestation of Alzheimer's disease provide insight into how β-amyloidogenesis might be promoted in sporadic Alzheimer's disease, the most prevalent and least well understood form of the disease. Primary lysosomal dysfunction has historically been linked to neurodegeneration. New data now directly implicate cathepsins as proteases capable of initiating, as well as executing, cell death programs in certain pathologic states. These and other studies support the view that the progressive alterations of lysosomal function observed during aging and Alzheimer's disease contribute importantly to the neurodegenerative process in Alzheimer's disease.
Current Approaches to Experimental Bone Grafting

A number of osteogenic, osteoinductive, and osteoconductive substances currently are being investigated for use in bone repair. It is conceivable that a selected combination of osteogenic cells, osteoinductive factors, and osteoconductive matrices can be combined and fabricated into an implantable material custom-suited to particular clinical demands. Consequently, it is crucial that potential graft substances be experimentally characterized in terms of their precise contribution to the bone-forming mechanisms. In this article, the authors review current areas of research in the realm of experimental grafting, including the current understanding of materials that manifest osteogenic, osteoinductive, or osteoconductive properties.
Application Level Security in a Public Library: A Case Study

Libraries have historically made great efforts to ensure the confidentiality of patron personally identifiable information (PII), but the rapid, widespread adoption of information technology and the internet have given rise to new privacy and security challenges. Hypertext Transport Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is a form of Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) that enables secure communication over the public internet and provides a deterministic way to guarantee data confidentiality so that attackers cannot eavesdrop on communications. HTTPS has been used to protect sensitive information exchanges, but security exploits such as passive and active attacks have exposed the need to implement HTTPS in a more rigorous and pervasive manner. This report is intended to shed light on the state of HTTPS implementation in libraries, and to suggest ways in which libraries can evaluate and improve application security so that they can better protect the confidentiality of PII about library patrons.
Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric approach for simultaneous determination of safingol and D-erythro-sphinganine in human plasma.

Abstract A simple and specific hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of C18-L-threo-sphinganine (safingol, an anti-neoplastic in phase I trials) and its diastereomer, C18-D-erythro-sphinganine (sphinganine), in human plasma. Sample pretreatment involved a protein precipitation with methanol using 25 μL aliquots of plasma. Chromatographic separation of the diastereomers and C17-D-erythro-sphinganine, an internal standard, was achieved on a Xbridge HILIC (3.5 μm, 100 × 2.1 mm) using isocratic elution with the mobile phase of 2 mM ammonium bicarbonate in water (pH 8.3) and acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. Electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry was operated in the positive ion mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The calibration curves obtained were linear over the concentration range of 0.2–100 ng/mL with a lower limit of quantification of 0.2 ng/mL. The relative standard deviation of intra-day and inter-day precision was below 8.27%, and the accuracy ranged from 92.23 to 110.06%. The extraction recoveries were found to be higher than 93.22% and IS-normalized matrix effect was higher than 90.92%. The analytes were stable for the durations of the stability studies. The validated method was successfully applied to the analyses of pharmacokinetic samples from patients treated with safingol and all-trans-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)retinamide; (fenretinide, 4-HPR) in a current phase I clinical trial (SPOC-2010-002, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01553071 ).
SHORT TERM RECURRENCE RATE OF TAKOTSUBO CARDIOMYOPATHY

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a stress related cardiomyopathy. Although considered reversible, many reports have described varying recurrence rate of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. We aimed to study the short-term recurrence of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy using the Nationwide Readmission database (NRD) for
Spontaneous Switching among Conformational Ensembles in Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

The common conception of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) is that they stochastically sample all possible configurations driven by thermal fluctuations. This is certainly true for many IDPs, which behave as swollen random coils that can be described using polymer models developed for homopolymers. However, the variability in interaction energy between different amino acid sequences provides the possibility that some configurations may be strongly preferred while others are forbidden. In compact globular IDPs, core hydration and packing density can vary between segments of the polypeptide chain leading to complex conformational dynamics. Here, we describe a growing number of proteins that appear intrinsically disordered by biochemical and bioinformatic characterization but switch between restricted regions of conformational space. In some cases, spontaneous switching between conformational ensembles was directly observed, but few methods can identify when an IDP is acting as a restricted chain. Such switching between disparate corners of conformational space could bias ligand binding and regulate the volume of IDPs acting as structural or entropic elements. Thus, mapping the accessible energy landscape and capturing dynamics across a wide range of timescales are essential to recognize when an IDP is acting as such a switch.
Globalized Students vs. Unglobalized Families: Limiting Family Participation in Education

In today’s society, the use technology is no longer a luxury but a need (Machado-Casas, 2009; Sanchez, 2010). Considering this, countless education stakeholders have explored the concept of the digital divide, the gap that exists between people who have access to digital technology and those who do not. Oftentimes, this divide exists between parents, particularly, Latino parents who lack access to technology and their children who have more access to it via school technology-based curriculum and the creation of afterschool technology programs. Countless afterschool technology literacy programs have been created to help students improve technology literacy skills; however, many do not offer families the same opportunity. Therefore, expanding the digital divide that exists between students and families. Based on a three year qualitative and quantitative research study, this manuscript raises questions about the ways schools continue to develop technology programs aimed at schooling (“globalized”) students, yet they do not take into account that while schools are globalizing students their families continue to be less technologically developed (“unglobalized”). This study explores the digital divide that often times is present at home, creating a multigenerational gap between parents and their children, a border that children have crossed and their families have not. The study looks at the example of La Clase Magica, a technology literacy afterschool program for student and their families, in which parent workshops were used to explore the technology needs of family members to create a program that was culturally, linguistically, and technologically diverse. The program not only helped parents forge connections with their children, but also facilitated their successful participation in society as they use technological tools to perform everyday tasks and strive to create a “familia global” (globalized family).
Dual Role for CIB1 in Thrombopoiesis: CIB1 Suppresses Megakaryocyte Quantities but Supports Adhesion, Migration, and Proplatelet Formation

Abstract 2384 Megakaryocytes (MKs) are large polyploid cells that produce platelets through a process known as thrombopoiesis. Thrombopoietin (Tpo) is the major cytokine that regulates a variety of steps in this process, including hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) differentiation to MKs, proplatelet formation, and platelet release into the circulation. However, the molecular mechanism of thrombopoiesis is poorly understood. We have previously reported that calcium- and integrin-binding protein 1 (CIB1) regulates endomitosis in Dami cells. To further characterize the role of CIB1 in thrombopoiesis, we utilized a Cib1 −/− mouse model. We observed that Cib1 −/− mice have a slightly elevated number of platelets and bone marrow (BM)-derived MKs than wild-type (WT) controls (p Cib1 −/− and WT mice, suggesting that the defective clearance is not the cause of the observed elevated platelet number. In order to determine if the HSC differentiation is dysregulated by the ablation of Cib1, we analyzed MK-colony forming unit production, which revealed an increase in the colony forming cells with Cib1 deletion compared to WT (p Cib1 −/− mice, cultured with Tpo for 24 hours, produced more highly polyploid MKs than WT BM (p Y925 phosphorylation in Cib1 −/− BM-derived MKs treated with Tpo. Consequently, Akt and ERK1/2 activation downstream of Tpo was enhanced. These results suggested that Cib1 inhibits Tpo signaling by augmenting FAK activation. Interestingly, platelet recovery in Cib1 −/− mice following platelet depletion by experimental immunothrombocytopenia was attenuated compared to WT (p Cib1 −/− MKs compared to WT (p Cib1 −/− MKs formed fewer proplatelets compared to WT (p Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Detailed electrochemical performance and microstructural characterization of nickel – Yttria stabilized zirconia cermet anodes infiltrated with nickel, gadolinium doped ceria, and nickel – Gadolinium doped ceria nanoparticles

Abstract Infiltration of nickel nanoparticles into nickel – yttria-stabilized-zirconia (Ni-YSZ) cermet anodes improves anode performance by reducing the average nickel feature size of the electrode, thus increasing the density of triple phase boundaries (TPBs). However, the TPBs of nickel nanoparticles are not fully utilized because there is no conductive pathway between nanoparticles, and nickel nanoparticles suffer from rapid coarsening during operation. This work explores the infiltration of Gd0.1Ce0.9O2-δ (GDC) as a material for connecting and stabilizing infiltrated nickel nanoparticles. Anodes were infiltrated with Ni, GDC, and Ni-GDC to study their stability and electrochemical performance. Measurements show that the simultaneous infiltration of nickel and GDC results in a greater performance improvement than either nickel or GDC alone. From this result, it is speculated that GDC provides a conducting pathway between nickel nanoparticles, better utilizing their TPBs. Fitting of electrochemical impedance spectra with an equivalent circuit model is used to measure individual cell resistances, revealing that infiltration of GDC reduces the activation energy of the anodic charge transfer reaction from 1.29 eV to 0.74 eV. The Ni-GDC nanoparticles are also more durable than nickel nanoparticles, demonstrating microstructural stability after 120 h of constant current at 800 °C, while nickel alone shows extensive coarsening.
IMPACT OF FORMAL BEDSIDE TRANSTHORACIC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY TRAINING FOR INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENTS

The expanding use of point of care beside ultrasound in the medical field has resulted in a growing need to implement formal training for medical students and residents in training. A once monthly bedside transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) skills session for internal medicine residents was
Public policy spillovers from private energy governance: New opportunities for the political acceleration of renewable energy transitions

Abstract Focused on a particular facet of private climate and energy governance – corporate demand for and procurement of carbon-free electricity from renewable sources – this study uncovers a new set of opportunities for the political acceleration of energy transitions. In seeking to understand the grid-greening impacts of corporate renewable procurement and demand, the study reveals that private energy and electricity governance can actually serve to alter the politics of energy transitions. Specifically, the analysis presented in this paper shows that public–private governance interactions can destabilize the politics of carbon lock-in by expanding coalitions for decarbonization and triggering positive private–public regulatory feedbacks. Grounded in the empirical context of the US electricity sector – a dynamic site of coexistence and interaction between public and private energy governance, the research and analysis presented in this paper show that business engagement in private, market-driven greening of the electricity sector can advance renewable transition both directly, through buyer-driven increases in renewable generation capacity; and indirectly, through turning corporate renewable buyers into the beneficiaries and supporters of public policy and regulatory action that advances decarbonization.
The New Generation of Researchers and Educators: An Interview with Natasha Mendoza, PhD, MSW, Associate Professor and Director, Center for Applied Behavioral Health and Policy Arizona State University, School of Social Work Phoenix, Arizona

Marilyn Lewis (ML): Dr. Mendoza, thank you very much for participating in this ‘Special Topics’ interview for the Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions. I’m looking forward to speaking ...
Exploiting Technology to Popularize Goals-of-Care Conversations and Advance Care Planning.

Background Goals-of-care conversations are a central component of high-quality patient-centered care. However, clinicians may not engage in such conversations until patients are critically ill. Objective To assess the frequency and quality of goals-of-care conversation documentation among patients who died in an intensive care unit, and then to develop and implement mechanisms to improve the quantity and quality of such conversations. Methods A baseline retrospective medical records review of intensive care unit deaths that occurred within 1 year was conducted to assess the barriers to high-quality goals-of-care conversations. A nurse-led inter-professional task force was formed to address possible solutions. Interventions A new electronic health record tab, note type, and preformatted template known as a SmartPhrase for goals-of-care conversations were created. Nurses and physicians were educated and encouraged to perform and document goals-of-care conversations. Results Before implementation of the initiative, the electronic health record lacked a consistent place to document goals-of-care conversations, and such conversations were not occurring until patients required intensive care. Moreover, the content of documentation of the conversations was inconsistent. Three years after implementation of the initiative, the goals-of-care conversation documentation tab was used for 75% of hospital deaths, and 67% of goals-of-care conversation notes included use of the SmartPhrase template. Conclusions Electronic health record platforms can be used to improve the frequency, consistency of documentation, and quality of goals-of-care conversations. A standardized process coupled with effective work tools can foster a culture of advance care planning.
Subcortical rather than cortical sources of the frequency-following response (FFR) relate to speech-in-noise perception

ABSTRACT Scalp-recorded frequency-following responses (FFRs) reflect a mixture of phase-locked activity across the auditory pathway. FFRs have been widely used as a neural barometer of complex listening skills, especially speech-in noise (SIN) perception. Applying individually optimized source reconstruction to speech-FFRs recorded via EEG (FFREEG), we assessed the relative contributions of subcortical [auditory nerve (AN), brainstem/midbrain (BS)] and cortical [bilateral primary auditory cortex, PAC] source generators with the aim of identifying which source(s) drive the brain-behavior relation between FFRs and SIN listening skills. We found FFR strength declined precipitously from AN to PAC, consistent with diminishing phase-locking along the ascending auditory neuroaxis. FFRs to the speech fundamental (F0) were robust to noise across sources, but were largest in subcortical sources (BS > AN > PAC). PAC FFRs were only weakly observed above the noise floor and only at the low pitch of speech (F0≈100 Hz). Brain-behavior regressions revealed (i) AN and BS FFRs were sufficient to describe listeners’ QuickSIN scores and (ii) contrary to neuromagnetic (MEG) FFRs, neither left nor right PAC FFREEG predicted SIN performance. Our preliminary findings suggest subcortical sources not only dominate the electrical FFR but also the link between speech-FFRs and SIN processing as observed in previous EEG studies.
Hydraulics of Sprinkling Systems for Irrigation

Portable systems for sprinkling agricultural crops were first used in the Sacramento Valley of California in 1931, although in 1930 there were a few scattered installations in the southern part of ...
An optimization problem arising in CR geometry

We determine the asymptotic behavior as the degree tends to infinity of the minimal L1 norm m(n,d) of the solution of an optimization problem arising when studying polynomial sphere maps. Here n is the source dimension and d is the degree. We provide upper and lower bounds for m(n,d). We use these bounds to show that the function d→m(n,d) is monotone increasing in d. We prove that limd→∞m(n,d) d=n(n−1). Let N(n,d) denote the minimum possible target dimension of a monomial sphere map of degree d. We show, in source dimension unequal to 2, that limd→∞m(n,d) N(n,d)=n. The limit is 4 when n=2. We discuss some complicated results obtained by coding when n=2.