cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Groundwater depletion during drought threatens future water security of the Colorado River Basin.

Streamflow of the Colorado River Basin is the most overallocated in the world. Recent assessment indicates that demand for this renewable resource will soon outstrip supply, suggesting that limited groundwater reserves will play an increasingly important role in meeting future water needs. Here we analyze 9 years (December 2004 to November 2013) of observations from the NASA Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment mission and find that during this period of sustained drought, groundwater accounted for 50.1 km3 of the total 64.8 km3 of freshwater loss. The rapid rate of depletion of groundwater storage (−5.6 ± 0.4 km3 yr−1) far exceeded the rate of depletion of Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Results indicate that groundwater may comprise a far greater fraction of Basin water use than previously recognized, in particular during drought, and that its disappearance may threaten the long-term ability to meet future allocations to the seven Basin states.
miRDeep-P

Motivation: Ultra-deep sampling of small RNA libraries by next-generation sequencing has provided rich information on the microRNA (miRNA) transcriptome of various plant species. However, few computational tools have been developed to effectively deconvolute the complex information. Results: We sought to employ the signature distribution of small RNA reads along the miRNA precursor as a model in plants to profile expression of known miRNA genes and to identify novel ones. A freely available package, miRDeep-P, was developed by modifying miRDeep, which is based on a probabilistic model of miRNA biogenesis in animals, with a plant-specific scoring system and filtering criteria. We have tested miRDeep-P on eight small RNA libraries derived from three plants. Our results demonstrate miRDeep-P as an effective and easy-to-use tool for characterizing the miRNA transcriptome in plants. Availability: http://faculty.virginia.edu/lilab/miRDP/ Contact: ll4jn@virginia.edu Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
An Exhaled Breath Chamber System for Assessing Rates of Metabolism and Rates of Gastrointestinal Absorption with Volatile Compounds

The in vivo kinetic constants for chemical metabolism and the rate constant for uptake of chemical from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract following oral dosing are critical parameters for assessing t...
The dependence of span and delayed-response performance on prefrontal cortex

Theoretical and empirical research on the cognitive functions of the prefrontal cortex have established that this region mediates what have been called 'executive' processes that can influence working and long-term memory. Despite the accumulation of such empirical evidence, the dependence of purely mnemonic portions of memory tasks on PFC remains unresolved. To address this issue, we performed an analysis of reports of performance on tests of working memory of patients with lesions of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, focusing on published reports in the literature of simple span and delayed-response tasks. We found that none of the eleven studies of forward verbal and spatial span in patients with prefrontal cortical lesions that we reviewed (reflecting the performance of 166 individual patients) demonstrated a statistically significant deficit relative to normal controls. In contrast, our review of the delayed-response literature indicated that there are conditions under which PFC lesions disrupt delayed-response performance. Based on the results of our review of the literature, we present testable hypotheses about the working memory functions of the PFC.
President's address 2004: "wearing two hats": morphed perspectives on family quality of life.

In seeking to identify an appropriate topic for my presidential address, I concluded that I would focus on what I think is my rather unique contribution to the developmental disabilities field: a morphed perspective, namely, wearing two hats—professional and family. As I have reflected on the process of wearing two hats, I realize that I have ended up with a single hat, one—a morphed one—that combines my professional and family perspectives in ways that create a new framework for my thinking, research, and teaching. In this paper I identify how my morphed perspective has influenced my professional career and, especially, how it has provided insights into my current professional goal, which is enhancing family quality of life. For the last 25 years, I have been on the faculty at the University of Kansas. Currently, I am a professor in the Department of Special Education and co-director of the Beach Center on Disability with my husband and former AAMR president, Rud Turnbull.
Distributed Consensus Algorithms in Sensor Networks With Imperfect Communication: Link Failures and Channel Noise

The paper studies average consensus with random topologies (intermittent links) and noisy channels. Consensus with noise in the network links leads to the bias-variance dilemma-running consensus for long reduces the bias of the final average estimate but increases its variance. We present two different compromises to this tradeoff: the A-ND algorithm modifies conventional consensus by forcing the weights to satisfy a persistence condition (slowly decaying to zero;) and the A-NC algorithm where the weights are constant but consensus is run for a fixed number of iterations [^(iota)], then it is restarted and rerun for a total of [^(p)] runs, and at the end averages the final states of the [^(p)] runs (Monte Carlo averaging). We use controlled Markov processes and stochastic approximation arguments to prove almost sure convergence of A-ND to a finite consensus limit and compute explicitly the mean square error (mse) (variance) of the consensus limit. We show that A-ND represents the best of both worlds-zero bias and low variance-at the cost of a slow convergence rate; rescaling the weights balances the variance versus the rate of bias reduction (convergence rate). In contrast, A-NC, because of its constant weights, converges fast but presents a different bias-variance tradeoff. For the same number of iterations [^(iota)][^(p)] , shorter runs (smaller [^(iota)] ) lead to high bias but smaller variance (larger number [^(p)] of runs to average over.) For a static nonrandom network with Gaussian noise, we compute the optimal gain for A-NC to reach in the shortest number of iterations [^(iota)][^(p)] , with high probability (1-delta), (epsiv, delta)-consensus (epsiv residual bias). Our results hold under fairly general assumptions on the random link failures and communication noise.
Political accountability, fiscal conditions and local government performance—cross‐sectional evidence from Indonesia

Why are some local governments more successful than others in managing resources and delivering services? And even more vitally, how can malfunctioning governments be reformed so that they perform their responsibilities more effectively? This article contributes to our understanding of theses overarching questions by exploring the interactions between political institutions and public sector performance in the context of decentralisation and local governance. It shows–both theoretically and empirically–that performance outcomes are determined by the extent to which people can hold their governments accountable through political institutions. The basic hypothesis underlying this research is that political accountability, either by encouraging sanctions upon non-compliant public agents or simply by reducing the informational gap regarding government activities, will create forceful incentives for elected officials and civil servants to reduce opportunistic behaviour and improve performance. Using a cross-sectional regression the hypothesis is empirically tested against evidence from newly empowered local governments in Indonesia. The empirical findings broadly support our hypotheses. Improved public services on the ground, both in terms of quantity and quality, require informed and well functioning decision-making processes that allocate resources to priority areas that meet the demand of the broader community. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neural Network Controller Development and Implementation for Spark Ignition Engines With High EGR Levels

Past research has shown substantial reductions in the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) concentrations by using 10% -25% exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in spark ignition (SI) engines (see Dudek and Sain, 1989). However, under high EGR levels, the engine exhibits strong cyclic dispersion in heat release which may lead to instability and unsatisfactory performance preventing commercial engines to operate with high EGR levels. A neural network (NN)-based output feedback controller is developed to reduce cyclic variation in the heat release under high levels of EGR even when the engine dynamics are unknown by using fuel as the control input. A separate control loop was designed for controlling EGR levels. The stability analysis of the closed-loop system is given and the boundedness of the control input is demonstrated by relaxing separation principle, persistency of excitation condition, certainty equivalence principle, and linear in the unknown parameter assumptions. Online training is used for the adaptive NN and no offline training phase is needed. This online learning feature and model-free approach is used to demonstrate the applicability of the controller on a different engine with minimal effort. Simulation results demonstrate that the cyclic dispersion is reduced significantly using the proposed controller when implemented on an engine model that has been validated experimentally. For a single cylinder research engine fitted with a modern four-valve head (Ricardo engine), experimental results at 15% EGR indicate that cyclic dispersion was reduced 33% by the controller, an improvement of fuel efficiency by 2%, and a 90% drop in NOx from stoichiometric operation without EGR was observed. Moreover, unburned hydrocarbons (uHC) drop by 6% due to NN control as compared to the uncontrolled scenario due to the drop in cyclic dispersion. Similar performance was observed with the controller on a different engine.
Memory demands on facial composite identification

Face composites created with FACES 3.0 composite software were used to identify target photographs under varying conditions of memory load. Composites created while viewing a mugshot were presented concurrently with a five-photograph lineup of actual criminal suspects, immediately preceding the lineup, or with a filled delay between composite and lineup. Compared to a baseline using the mock witness technique, results demonstrated above-chance identification of target photographs from their composites in all four experiments. Identification was highest with concurrent composite-lineup presentation and lower under immediate, 30-second-delayed, and 4-minute-delayed conditions, with no significant identification differences across the three memory conditions. Confidence ratings in target selection only weakly predicted identification accuracy at best. These findings extend the limited research on computerized facial composite systems while addressing composite software use, efficacy, guidelines and limitations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
Research Note: Bioavailability of Copper in Cupric Oxide, Cuprous Oxide, and in a Copper-Lysine Complex

Abstract Young chicks were used in a 2-wk feeding study to evaluate Cu bioavailability (relative to CuSO4.5H2 O used as a reference standard) in analytical grade CuO, Cu2 O, and in a feed-grade Cu-lysine complex. A basal corn and soybean meal diet was formulated to contain 290 mg Cu/kg, and graded levels (0, 75, and 150 mg/kg) of supplemental Cu were added from each Cu source. Based upon accumulation of Cu in the liver, Cu2 O and Cu-lysine furnished Cu as efficiently as CuSO4.5H2 O, but CuO provided no bioavailable Cu to the chicks.
A Signal Processing System Used in Digital Ophthalmology Ultrasonography

Objective To develop a signal processing system based on FPGA used in digital ophthalmology ultrasongraphy to process echo signals. Methods Main signal processing technique used in the system includes interpolation, dynamic filter, TGC, envelop demodulation and logarithmic amplifier. In FPGA, a schematic file acts as the top module, and hardware describe language VHDL act as bottom modules. Results By building a physical simulation model, the validity of each phases in signal processing of the system has been validated. By detecting normal human eyes and orbits, the echo signals gained are all right. Conclusion The system has good ability to process high frequency ultrasonic echo signals of ophthalmology in real time. It has reached design demands, and shows a good application prospect.
Plasma Membrane Receptors for Steroid Hormones in Cell Signaling and Nuclear Function

Steroid hormones play an important role in coordinating rapid, as well as sustained, responses of target cells in complex organisms to changes in the internal and external environment. The broad physiologic effects of steroid hormones in the regulation of growth, development, and homeostasis have been known for decades. Often, these hormone actions culminate in altered gene expression, which is preceded many hours earlier by enhanced nutrient uptake, increased flux of critical ions, and other preparatory changes in the synthetic machinery of the cell. Because of certain homologies of molecular structure, specific receptors for steroid hormones, vitamin D, retinoids, and thyroid hormone are often considered a receptor superfamily. The actions of ligands in this superfamily are postulated to be regulated by receptors in the cell nucleus. On binding ligand, nuclear receptors associate with target genes and permit selective transcription. This genomic mechanism is generally slow, often requiring hours or days before the consequences of hormone exposure are evident.
Voice Over Internet Protocol (Voip) Technology As A Global Learning Tool: Information Systems Success And Control Belief Perspectives

Voice over Internet Protocol- (VoIP) enabled online learning service providers struggling with high attrition rates and low customer loyalty issues despite VoIP’s high degree of system fit for online global learning applications. Effective solutions to this prevalent problem rely on the understanding of system quality, information quality, and individual beliefs about the usefulness of this technology. This research aims to provide insights into increasing the loyalty of users to VoIP-enabled global learning programs from the perspectives of information systems (IS) success and control belief. A theoretical model is proposed to integrate seven major constructs of IS success and planned behavior theory. We tested our model using the path analysis of data collected from an experiment where 66 undergraduate students from the USA and Taiwan worked in pairs using Skype to improve their English and intercultural communication skills. Data analysis results showed that information quality and perceived behavioral control are much more important than system quality in increasing satisfaction with the use of Skype. An increase in user satisfaction can lead to an improvement in intercultural communication competence and to increased user loyalty. Theoretical and practical implications are drawn from the findings to conclude this study.
The Ruler and Dividers

A ruler is used to draw lines. A dividers is used to carry distances. Both are everyday tools used by a drafter. If you have seen what looked like a compass with two points and no place for a pencil, that was a dividers. As a compass is sometimes called a pair of compasses, a dividers is often called a pair of dividers. Given points A,B,C,D with A ≠ B, the dividers is used to construct the point P on \( \overrightarrow {AB} \) such that AP = CD. Therefore, with the dividers we can copy segments. Can we swing the dividers with one end on a point until the other end comes to rest on a given line? No, only because it is against the rules here; we call the tooi that does that a compass. Knowing the allowed use of the dividers, you should expect the definition below. For practice in formulating these definitions, you should write down the definition of a ruler and dividers point before you read any further.
Il Caso Tronox (The old Kerr-McGee/Tronox Case: 'Securing Environmental Justice?' Tronox Inc., et al., and United States v. Anadarko Petroleum Corp., et al., Bankruptcy Adversary Proceeding No. 09-1198)

On April 3, 2014 the United States Department of Justice announced the “$5.15 Billion Settlement of Litigation Against Subsidiaries of Anadarko Petroleum Corp. to Remedy Fraudulent Conveyance Designed to Evade Environmental Liabilities.” The Department described it as the largest environmental enforcement recovery ever by the Department of Justice. Here in addition to the corporations the litigation involved the EPA; the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management of the U.S. Department of the Interior; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce; the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; the U.S. Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; the U.S. Department of Defense and several state governments and the Navajo Nation. This brief note describes the proposed settlement and the actions leading up to it.
Imaging of osteomyelitis and musculoskeletal soft tissue infections:: current concepts

The diagnostic imaging of osteomyelitis can require the confluence of multiple imaging technologies. Conventional radiography should always be the first imaging modality. Sonography is most useful in the diagnosis of fluid collections in a joint or in the extra-articular soft tissues but is not useful for evaluating presence of osseous infection. CT scan can be a useful method to detect early osseous erosion and to document the presence of sequestrum, foreign body, or gas formation but generally is less sensitive than other modalities for the detection of bone infection. Nuclear medicine and MRI are the most sensitive and most specific imaging modalities for the detection of osteomyelitis. Nuclear medicine is particularly useful in identifying multifocal involvement, which is common in children. MRI provides more accurate information of the local extent of the soft tissues and possible soft tissue abscess in patients with musculoskeletal infection.
Development of Adaptive Control Laws for Actuator Fault Accommodation

This paper describes the development of a set of control laws for a research UAV aimed at obtaining reference command tracking under both nominal and non-nominal flight conditions, such as with the existence of actuator failures. The controller design consists of a set of linear quadratic baseline control laws, augmented with a model reference adaptive control approach. The control laws are designed using a linearized mathematical model of the UAV acquired through a parameter identification effort. Simulation results show that the selected control architecture provides capabilities for compensating failures in aircraft control actuators. Specifically, when adaptive augmentation is applied, the control system shows a substantial reduction of the tracking error with respect to the baseline configuration.
Accelerated Development of Salivary Glands of Early Postnatal Rats Following Isoproterenol.

SummaryChronic administration of the sympathetic amine isoproterenol to early postnatal rats (1–4 days old at time of first injection) for selected periods results in marked increases in the size of the submaxillary and parotid glands, and to a less extent, in the size of the heart. The sublingual salivary gland is unaffected. Other organs are reduced in size, especially after 3 to 5 weeks, when a retardation in body size and weight also becomes pronounced. A clear effect on differentiation of the parotid and submaxillary gland has been observed with isoproterenol treatment. The effect is most marked in parotid, where acini develop much earlier than in the litter-mate controls and striated ducts earlier become more abundant. The effects of isoproterenol on differentiation are separable from the influence of the drug on cell size.
Influence of Halogen Bonding Interactions in Crystalline Networks of Tetraarylethylene Halobenzoyl Esters

Solid state halogen bonding interactions have been examined in structurally similar tetratopic haloarenes bearing a common tetraphenylethylene core. This study was designed with the aim of providin...
Fe Doping Effects in Aerosol Processed YBa2 (Cu1-xFex)307–δ Submicrocrystalline Grains

Magnetization and Mossbauer spectroscopy results on aerosol processed YBa 2 (Cu 1-x Fe x ) 3 0 7–δ samples are presented. Systematics of T c (x), x (x) and Fe dopant site occupancies I n /I(x) as a function of dopant concentration ‘x’ are deduced and compared to those established on analogous solid-state- reacted samples. The absence of twinning in the aerosol processed grains leads to a random replacement of Cu for Fe in chains and planes of the host structure.
Ion Beam, Rapid Thermal, and Laser Mixing Phenomena in Insulators

We have studied mixing of metal overlayers (Ni, Cr, Ti, W, Ta, Zr, Cu) on insulators (SiC, Si3N4, Al2O3, SiO2) after ion beam irradiation, rapid thermal annealing, and pulsed laser irradiation. The nature and amount of mixing varies from stoichiometric to continuous, to ballistic, to no mixing at all. For a given system, the amount of mixing was found to increase with increasing substrate temperature. The enhanced mixing with increasing substrate temperature is correlated with concomitant free energy associated with the reactions. Certain systems such as Cu on Al2O3 do not exhibit mixing, but rearrangement within a few atomic layers at the interface results in enhanced adhesion and no aggregation upon annealing at moderate temperatures.
Differential effects of phentolamine and bretylium on pulmonary vascular responses to norepinephrine and nerve stimulation.

SummaryThe effects of specific adrenergic blocking agents on pulmonary vascular responses to sympathetic nerve stimulation and norepinephrine were evaluated in the perfused dog lung using a new right heart catheterization procedure which avoids dissection and cannulation of lobar vessels. The increase in pulmonary vascular resistance in response to nerve stimulation and norepinephrine but not serotonin was antagonized by phentolamine, an alpha receptor blocking agent. Responses to nerve stimulation but not exogenous norepinephrine were antagonized by bretylium, an adrenergic nerve terminal blocking agent. It is concluded that the pressor response to nerve stimulation is due to activation of alpha receptors by endogenous norepinephrine released from sympathetic nerve endings in the pulmonary blood vessels.
Improvements on Self-Propelled Equipment for Collecting, Separating, and Tagging Mass Numbers of Insects in the Field

In 1964, 3 dispersal studies of Lygus hesperus Knight were conducted in California. On 3 different occasions, nearly a million adult Lygus bugs were collected in the field in a single day, tagged with a fluorescent pigment, and released the same day. Many workers contributed to several phases of the study and, therefore, summarized data on L. hesperus movements in alfalfa and cotton will be presented in another report. This paper describes the conversion of a self-propelled, high-clearance pesticide sprayer into an insect-collecting machine. Photographs and drawings of the machine are shown and explained. Methods of separating plant debris as well as separating different species by using nylon nets with mesh openings of appropriate size are discussed. The movements of a variety of pest and beneficial species can be studied with this collecting unit. The machine can be used also in other types of studies where mass numbers of insects are needed.
Item Analysis, Measurement, and Instruction

(1968). Item Analysis, Measurement, and Instruction. Improving College and University Teaching: Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 163-164.
Subnanometric Roughness Affects the Deposition and Mobile Adhesion of Escherichia coli on Silanized Glass Surfaces.

We investigate the deposition and transient adhesion of Escherichia coli on alkyl and fluoroalkyl silanized glass surfaces of different carbon chain lengths. The rate at which bacteria deposit onto these surfaces decreases as the shear stress is increased from 3 to 67 mPa, but trends in the deposition rate across all surfaces cannot be predicted from extended DLVO calculations of the interaction potential. As the surface root-mean-square (rms) roughness increases, the deposition rate increases and the percentage of motile tethered cells decreases. Furthermore, on surfaces of root-mean-square roughness of less than 0.2 nm, bacteria exhibit mobile adhesion, for which surface-associated cells linearly translate distances greater than approximately 1.5 times their average body length along the flow direction. E. coli bacteria with and without flagella exhibit mobile adhesion, indicating that this behavior is not driven by these appendages. Cells that express fimbriae do not exhibit mobile adhesion. These resu...
Associations among lactation, maternal carbohydrate metabolism, and cardiovascular health

In mammalian reproductive physiology, lactation follows pregnancy; growing evidence suggests that disruption of this physiology affects a woman's lifetime risk of metabolic disease. These differences may reflect lactation-induced mobilization of fat stores and modulation of maternal stress reactivity. In addition, confounders may play a role: women who breastfeed for long durations are more likely to engage in other healthy behaviors, and obesity and insulin resistance may interfere with breastfeeding physiology. These findings underscore the importance of evidenced-based care to enable women to achieve their infant feeding goals.
Multifunctional Three-dimensional Microscopic System

To address the limitations in three-dimensional microscopy, we present a multi-functional microscopic system. By taking advantages of the properties from individual function, the proposed system enables a range of imaging capabilities for achieving high precision three-dimensional measurement and extended depth of field imaging.
Arm position influences the activation patterns of trunk muscles during trunk range-of-motion movements

To understand the activation patterns of the trunk musculature, it is also important to consider the implications of adjacent structures such as the upper limbs, and the muscles that act to move the arms. This study investigated the effects of arm positions on the activation patterns and co-activation of the trunk musculature and muscles that move the arm during trunk range-of-motion movements (maximum trunk axial twist, flexion, and lateral bend). Fifteen males and fifteen females, asymptomatic for low back pain, performed maximum trunk range-of-motion movements, with three arm positions for axial twist (loose, crossed, abducted) and two positions for flexion and lateral bend (loose, crossed). Electromyographical data were collected for eight muscles bilaterally, and activation signals were cross-correlated between trunk muscles and the muscles that move the arms (upper trapezius, latissimus dorsi). Results revealed consistently greater muscle co-activation (higher cross-correlation coefficients) between the trunk muscles and upper trapezius for the abducted arm position during maximum trunk axial twist, while results for the latissimus dorsi-trunk pairings were more dependent on the specific trunk muscles (either abdominal or back) and latissimus dorsi muscle (either right or left side), as well as the range-of-motion movement. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of interactions between the upper limbs and trunk, and highlight the influence of arm positions on the trunk musculature. In addition, the comparison of the present results to those of individuals with back or shoulder conditions may ultimately aid in elucidating underlying mechanisms or contributing factors to those conditions.
The Development of Methods to Assess the Temporal Relationship of Depressive and Psychotic Symptoms in Schizophrenia

Depression presents a serious problem for many schizophrenic patients. However, little is known about the nature and course of this depression. Van Putten and May (1) suggested that some of the observed depression in schizophrenia may be a drug-induced akinesia syndrome. It has been proposed that depression in schizophrenia can be a “reactive” depression to the disruptive effects of the psychotic episode (2). McGlashan (3) introduced the term “aphanisis” to describe the residual schizophrenic defect state that might be confused with depression. It has also been argued that postpsychotic depression actually begins concurrent with psychotic symptoms but that the depressive symptoms are not noticeable until the florid symptoms begin to remit (4,5). In addition, Herz and Melville (6) demonstrated that depression is commonly reported in the prodromal period, suggesting that “prepsychotic” or prodromal depression may be an addition relevant type of depression.
Psychosocial Issues in Adolescent Bariatric Surgery

An alarming 6 % of today’s teenagers face the day-to-day challenge of being extremely obese. While obesity-related medical comorbidities are both common and of concern, the greater and more immediate impact of extreme obesity in adolescence is arguably psychosocial. This chapter reviews an emerging literature that characterizes the psychosocial health of adolescents with extreme obesity, those seeking surgical weight loss, and the initial psychosocial outcomes for adolescents who undergo bariatric surgery. Unlike the adult patient, adolescent bariatric surgery and the subsequent postoperative course progress through critically important and transitional times in psychosocial development—a period when change in physical, emotional, interpersonal, social, and educational and vocational domains is expected. For example, there is growing evidence that in addition to the “usual (psychosocial) suspects” most often the focus of the adult bariatric literature (e.g., depression, binge eating disorder, and quality of life), there are key age-salient psychosocial factors (versus psychopathology) affected by extreme obesity in adolescence that may be positively impacted by surgical weight loss (e.g., perceived competence, body image, the social network). There are also contextual factors known to negatively affect psychosocial functioning for any adolescent, regardless of weight status (e.g., impaired parent/family functioning, engagement in high-risk behaviors, high-risk contexts), that also must be considered. Thus, understanding of the adolescent patient must occur within an age-salient psychosocial context.
Cancer Worry Among Urban Dominican Women: A Qualitative Study:

Background: Two thirds of respondents of a recent survey, primarily self-identified urban immigrant Dominican females, indicated that cancer was the health problem they worried about the most. Purp...
Use of Oral Anticoagulation in the Management of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with ESRD: Verdict 2

Philosophically, the concept of peer review of a debate on the merits of oral anticoagulation [specific agent unspecified] for end-stage renal disease patients with atrial fibrillation on hemodialysis ([1][1],[2][2]) is a bit nebulous, because the outcome of debates depends on more than enumerating
China’s public diplomatic networks on the Ebola issue in West Africa: Issues management in a network society

Abstract Practitioners of public diplomacy often need to deal with complex international issues and they could learn from the issues management perspective. However, little effort has linked issues management with public diplomacy. This paper develops an analytical model that combines the relational concepts of issues management and public diplomacy, and applies that model to the case of the Chinese Ebola public diplomacy campaign in West Africa. The goal is to better understand how China mobilizes a wide range of resources (human resources, material resources, financial resources, etc.) and builds relationships with various actors to manage the Ebola issue. This study applied social network analysis and qualitative content analysis to offer a comprehensive understanding of the function and structure of Chinese Ebola public diplomatic networks. The study demonstrates the broad application value of issues management.
Spatial Coregistration of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Brain MRI.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Traditional neuroimaging techniques restrict movement and make it difficult to study the processes that require oral, upper limb, or lower limb motor execution. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an optical neuroimaging modality that measures brain oxygenation and permits movement during data acquisition. A key limitation of fNIRS, however, is the lack of a standard method to coregister quantitative fNIRS measurements to structural images such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Additionally, fNIRS-MRI coregistration studies have not been reported in older adults. METHODS fNIRS and structural MRI were acquired from 30 nondemented older adults. Sixteen fNIRS channels that assess hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC; an area crucial in various age-related processes) were coregistered to structural MRI. Vitamin E capsules were used to mark the locations of fNIRS detectors and light sources on the scalp. We used the balloon-inflation algorithm to project fNIRS channel locations on the scalp to underlying cortical surface. RESULTS We provide coordinates for the 16 fNIRS channels in the PFC on the cortical surface in both MNI and Talairach spaces, with minimal variability that is within the spatial resolution of our fNIRS system. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides useful spatial information for stand-alone fNIRS data in future studies, particularly investigations in age-related processes.
Emotional Labor, Teacher Burnout, and Turnover Intention in High-School Physical Education Teaching.

Grounded upon the conservation of resources theory, this study sought to examine the relationships between the three emotional labor strategies, teacher burnout, and turnover intention among physical education teachers. A total of 613 high-school physical education teachers from 47 states across the United States completed online questionnaires that measured the proposed variables. The goodness-of-fit statistics indicated that the structural model showed a reasonable fit, χ2(605) = 1391.26 = 2.30, p < 0.01; RMSEA = .05; TLI = .93; CFI = .93. The results also revealed that teacher burnout was positively associated with surface acting and negatively associated with genuine expression. Further, teacher burnout was positively associated with turnover intention. Mediation analysis showed that teacher burnout fully mediated the trajectory from emotional labor strategies to turnover intention. The results highlight the impact of emotional labor on physical education teachers’ well-being and intention to leave th...
Abstract WP247: Use and Importance of Emergency Medical Services in Rural Delivery of tPA in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Introduction: Data indicate approximately 60% of stroke patients use Emergency Medical Systems (EMS) to access medical care. EMS use is associated with improved door to physician and CT times in st...
Investigating the association between emotion regulation and distress in adults with psychotic-like experiences.

Abstract Many individuals in the general population experience psychotic-like experiences in the absence of a psychotic disorder. The degree of psychological distress associated with these experiences is a key predictor of clinical outcomes. One factor that may influence the degree of distress from psychotic-like experiences is emotion regulation. Although it has been demonstrated that emotion regulation deficits are present in psychotic disorders, the association between emotion regulation and subclinical psychotic-like experiences is not well understood. Here, we examined the associations between frequency of and distress from psychotic-like experiences and several key components of emotion regulation: difficulties with emotion regulation; emotion regulation self-efficacy; and emotion regulation strategy use. Difficulties with emotion regulation and maladaptive patterns of emotion regulation strategy use were associated with the frequency of both positive and negative psychotic-like experiences. In addition, results suggest that habitual acceptance use and reappraisal self-efficacy may serve as protective factors against the distress associated with psychotic-like experiences.
The United Nations Material Assistance to Survivors of Cholera in Haiti: Consulting Survivors and Rebuilding Trust.

Introduction In August 2016, the United Nations (U.N.) Secretary General acknowledged the U.N.'s role in the cholera epidemic that has beset Haiti since 2010. Two months later, the Secretary General issued a historic apology to the Haitian people before the U.N. General Assembly, for the organization's insufficient response to the cholera outbreak. These steps are part of the U.N.'s "new approach" to cholera in Haiti, which also includes launching a material assistance package for those most affected by cholera. Methods This paper draws on the authors' experience and findings from consultations with more than 60,000 victims and communities affected by disasters and violence in a dozen countries. We reviewed the literature on best practices for consultation with and outreach to communities affected by development and transitional justice programming, and reviewed our own findings from previous studies with a view to identifying recommendations for ensuring that the assistance package reflects the views of people affected by cholera. Results The assistance package program is an opportunity to rebuild the relationship between the victims and the United Nations. This can only be achieved if victims are informed and engaged in the process. This consultation effort is also an opportunity to answer a set of key questions related to the nature, structure, and implementation of the victims' assistance program, but also how the program may be designed to contribute to rebuilding Haitians' confidence in the U.N. as an institution that promotes peace, human rights, and development. Discussion We recommend that the consultations must be accompanied by an outreach effort that provides clear, accurate information on the assistance program, so that it begins to establish a dialogue between the U.N. and cholera victims. Finally, we conclude by offering a number of concrete next steps that the U.N. can take to kick start the consultation process.
Uplink LTE cascaded priority-based scheduler in IoT and smart grid applications: performance and comparison

The diversity traffic requirements, reliability communication infrastructure, and the real-time end-to-end (E2E) latencies are some of the major communication challenges to support a diverse set of emerging Internet of Things (IoT) applications include Smart Grid (SG) applications. For instance, using point-to-point fibers between each device and the controller has been reported, previously, as one of the solutions to address the E2E latency requirements. However, even with the fiber capacity, utilizing the technique was limited due to its excessive cost. Hence, using a commercial multiservice cellular network such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and Long-Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) is a considerable solution due to the high-performance metrics: high throughput, low latency, higher reliability, and large bandwidth. In this paper, we propose an uplink LTE Cascaded Priority-based scheduling algorithm (CPb) that supports a diverse set of Smart Grid (SG) applications, and improves the performance metrics compared to other two well-known schedulers, Proportional Fairness (PF) and Round Robin (RR). The proposed CPb algorithm uses a differentiation technique, applying the Time Domain Scheduler (TDS) and the Frequency Domain Scheduler (FDS), to meet the various SG traffic requirements and types for massive Machin-to-Machine (M2M) devices. Four SG traffic types for each M2M device are used in this study: (1) SG delay sensitive event-driven traffic is used as a SG Distribution Automation (DA), (2) Time driven traffic is used for the other SG types of traffic, including video surveillance, (3) Power quality data, and (4) Periodic Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) data. The CPb results show a significant improvement in the performance metrics compared to the PF and RR schedulers, according to the LTE QoS Class Identifier (QCI) parameters.
SEIU Local 36 Benefits Office

This case describes how a service organization approached the Y2K compliance issue and how a complex decision-making process led to near operational disaster. We will see how software vendor relations can be complicated by vendor viability and technological innovations. Another issue we will explore concerns opportunities for personal growth and expanded responsibility in a small business environment. We will see how turnover creates stresses, particularly in an organization of this size. Changes in focus from developing in-house expertise to more extensive use of outside support will be examined. Finally, we will examine the relationships that exist among the various service suppliers and how data is interchanged between these suppliers and the organization. While standards exist in other fields, none have been adopted here. Case readers will be encouraged to formulate upto- date management strategies that address these issues head-on.
Family Violence and Delinquency

In this chapter we strive to summarize the state of research that pertains to two specific dimensions of family violence—child maltreatment and domestic violence. We provide definitions of each dimension of child maltreatment, which includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and psychological abuse. We also define each dimension of domestic violence—physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, and psychological violence. In addition, we provide updated information on prevalence rates in the US of child maltreatment and domestic violence. We also discuss research related to the co-occurrence of child maltreatment and domestic violence. Next, we summarize the empirical literature that considers whether child maltreatment and domestic violence are linked to delinquency in adolescence and crime in adulthood. A topic of growing research explores whether the inter-generational transmission of family violence occurs. Importantly, the utilization of longitudinal data has expanded in the last decade, so too has the conceptualization of polyvictimization. The final sections of the chapter link family violence research findings to evolving theories of crime and concludes with suggestions for next steps in the research agenda.
Selective supervision: guiding supervised learning with decision-theoretic active learning

An inescapable bottleneck with learning from large data sets is the high cost of labeling training data. Unsupervised learning methods have promised to lower the cost of tagging by leveraging notions of similarity among data points to assign tags. However, unsupervised and semi-supervised learning techniques often provide poor results due to errors in estimation. We look at methods that guide the allocation of human effort for labeling data so as to get the greatest boosts in discriminatory power with increasing amounts of work. We focus on the application of value of information to Gaussian Process classifiers and explore the effectiveness of the method on the task of classifying voice messages.
Localized surface-ice weakness on a glacial ice runway

Following construction of a glacial ice runway on the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica, and prior to flight operations, the runway was proof-rolled. The proof exercise was designed to simulate typical heavy aircraft. Initial testing produced numerous brittle surface failures in the runway ice. Thin sections of ice cores taken from the failed areas showed large crystals (с axis vertical) of clear, blue ice with long, vertical bubbles, indicative of ice formed directly from meltwater. Uniaxial unconfined compression tests on core samples were used to compare runway ice strength with published data for polycrystalline laboratory ice. Since the frequent failure of surface ice had not been expected, it was critical to understand the formation and mechanical properties of the weak ice to prevent its occurrence in the future and to strengthen the existing problem areas. We discuss the likely scenarios for development of weak ice on the airstrip and the physical properties of this type of ice. Also, the procedure used to repair successfully the runway surface is described, which culminated in test flights, followed by full flight operations.
GABPβ1L Wakes Up TERT.

TERT catalyzes telomere maintenance. While silenced in most normal somatic cells, TERT is expressed in cancer, often due to promoter mutations, facilitating replicative immortality. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Mancini et al. demonstrate that GABPβ1L is required for mutant TERT promoter activity, thus identifying a potential therapeutic target.
Influence of Growth Hormone Supplementation in Patients with Thin Endometrium Undergoing Frozen Embryo Transfer

Objective: To evaluate the effect of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) supplementation during hormone-replacement therapy and frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) in patients with thin endometrium. Methods: A retrospective research was conducted on 225 patients, who underwent artificial cycle FET in Shanghai, China, between January 2016 and November 2017. Data from 245 FET cycles were analyzed, of which 184 cycles received rhGH (GH group) and 61 did not (control group). Results: Clinical pregnancy and implantation rates were significantly higher in the GH group than those in the control group (64.7% vs. 49.2%, P = 0.032; 44.8% vs. 32.8%, P = 0.019, respectively). After logistic regression analysis, rhGH was considered the only significant variable that influenced clinical pregnancy rate, increasing it by 1.89-fold. On the other hand, the presence of rhGH did not seem to affect the early pregnancy loss. Conclusions: Our results indicated that simultaneous addition of rhGH could improve clinical outcomes of FET in patients with thin endometrium, particularly in patients between 30 and 34 years of age.
Computers and graph theory: representing knowledge for processing by computers

Transition networks solving puzzles networks and dynamic programming transition networks and uncertainty trees.