cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Choosing the Optimal Number of Generations in the Genetic Algorithms with Binary-real Solutions Coding

This work is devoted to the problem of choosing the optimal stopping criterion in the transition from the binary coding to the real number coding in genetic algorithms with binary-real representation of solutions in the chromosomes. The main criteria for stopping the modern genetic algorithms based on the phenotype or genotype of individuals are considered. Their advantages and disadvantages are presented. The main purpose of research is to develop a new intermediate stopping criterion of genetic algorithm with binary-real coding. The developed criteria based on the fact that the values of best chromosomes change within a certain low threshold for some generations. New intermediate stopping criterion allows the efficient spending computing resources using genetic algorithms with binary-real coding. A comparative efficiency analysis of the new stopping criterion of the transition from one type of coding to another in the optimization of complex multi-extremal function is conducted. Efficiency analysis allowed forming recommendations for the selection of the threshold values in the calculation of a new stopping criterion. The same analysis showed inefficient use of population convergence criterion as an intermediate stopping criterion. The advantages of the new criterion above the criteria based on the fact that the value of the best chromosomes is constantly for several generations are presented.
Ultrafast Lattice-Bonding Dynamics in Tellurium

A pump-probe technique measuring the dielectric function is presented and applied to the ultrafast dynamics of coherent phonons in Te. Oscillations in the bonding-antibonding splitting are revealed, allowing for THz modulation of a semiconductor-semimetal transition.
Guide to Effective Grant Writing: How to Write an Effective NIH Grant Application

Successfully writing a grant application is a crucial skill for faculty members at academic research institutions. Grant funding allows for hiring laboratory personnel, purchasing laboratory equipment and reagents, and conducting laboratory experiments. Successful research leads to publications which, in turn, play a significant role for faculty promotions. Thus, effective grant writing helps academic researchers survive in the competitive field of biomedical research.
Investigating the Long Memory Process in Daily High School Attendance Data

While high school attendance is a well-known mediator in the relationship between educational attainment, background variables such as poverty and parental support on the one hand and instructional and school policy variables on the other, the study of high school attendance as a variable of interest in its own right is extremely rare in education. At most, it is reported in aggregated form without an estimation of its variability over time. The analysis presented in this chapter demonstrates how nonlinear time series analysis, autoregressive fractionally integrated moving average (ARFIMA) methods in particular, can be used to analyze high school daily attendance rates over a long time period (7 years) to obtain a fine-grained assessment of the time dependency of attendance behavior. The chapter first discusses through simulated examples how error dependencies can play out over a longer time spectrum (e.g., short-term autoregression, pink noise, Brownian motion), and then presents an analysis of real daily high school attendance data to illustrate these dependencies. The analyses show evidence of self-organized criticality (pink noise) in some but not all schools analyzed, a finding that indicates that attendance rates are more stable and predictable in some schools than in others.
Toxicity and Environmental Applications of Graphene-Based Nanomaterials

Graphene can be found in pure form or as derivatives of graphene; both forms are known as graphene-based nanoparticles (GNPs). These derivatives of graphene include graphene oxide (GO), reduced GO, GNP–polymer nanocomposites, and GNP–metal hybrids. These modifications of graphene nanoparticles can lead to nanomaterials or nanocomposites with different and novel properties, such as antimicrobial, adsorbent, and catalytic properties. As antimicrobials, GNPs can be used in environmental and medical applications. In environmental application, as an antimicrobial, the particles of GNPs have shown to inactivate both pure cultures and wastewater microbial communities. When using the GNPs as coatings in medical devices or water treatment membranes, the surface inhibits microbial survival and biofilm growth. Aside from antimicrobial applications, GNPs have also been used as adsorbent; owing to their large surface area and presence of functional groups. These GNPs have the ability to remove both heavy metals and organic contaminants from water. In addition, GNPs can serve as semiconductors to increase the efficiencies of photocatalytic and electrocatalytic systems, which can be used to inactivate microorganisms and degrade organic chemicals in water. The many uses and applications of GNPs will inevitably lead to their way to the environment through manufacturing byproducts and wastes, as well as weathering of commercial products containing GNP-based nanomaterials. GNPs are bioactive and they can impact the environment. While GNPs might be extremely useful, we should find a middle ground between toxicity and applications to minimize risks to the ecosystem.
Measurements and Calculations of the Leakage Multiplication from Hollow Beryllium Spheres

Using the Pulsed-Sphere Method, the leakage spectra from hollow Be spheres of 4.5, 13.8 and 19.9 cm thickness have been measured. The predicted copious production of epithermal and thermal neutrons from the 13.8 and 19.9 cm spherical shells has been verified. A quantitative comparison of measured and calculated time-of-arrival count spectra over the energy range from thermal to ..integral.. 15 MeV indicates that the ENDL-84 library overestimates the leakage spectra between 2 and 10 MeV and in the epithermal and thermal energy regions. In the remaining regions, the leakage spectra are underestimated. Because of the above compensation the inferred leakage multiplication for the 19.9 cm Be is ..integral.. 3% higher than calculations. In the case of the 13.8 cm Be, the compensation is less exact and the inferred leakage multiplication is ..integral.. 9% higher than calculations.
Comparison of the safety and efficacy between 3-factor and 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrates for the reversal of warfarin.

Abstract Purpose Prior to the Food and Drug Administration approval of 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC), only 3-factor PCC (3F-PCC) products were available in the US. There is limited data comparing the safety and efficacy of 3F-PCC versus 4F-PCC. The purpose of our study, therefore, was to compare the safety and efficacy profiles of 3F-PCC versus 4F-PCC for the emergent reversal of warfarin. Methods A single-center, retrospective cohort analysis compared patients who received 3F-PCC or 4F-PCC for the emergent reversal of warfarin due to life-threating bleeding from January 2013 to September 2015. The primary objective of this study was the percentage of patients whose international normalized ratio (INR) reversed to ≤ 1.5 within 8 h of PCC administration. The secondary safety objective was incidence of thromboembolic events at 7 days post PCC. Results A total of 137 patients were included. The median baseline INR was 3.15 in the 3F-PCC group and 3.1 in the 4F-PCC group. The median post-PCC INR was 1.4 in the 3F-PCC group and 1.3 in the 4F-PCC group. INR ≤ 1.5 was achieved in 45/58 (78%) patients in the 3F-PCC group and 46/58 (79%) patients in the 4F-PCC group (p = 0.61). The thromboembolic event rate between the two groups at 7 days was similar, 4/68 (5.9%) for 3F-PCC versus 4/69 (5.8%) for 4F-PCC (p = 1.0). Conclusions There was no significant difference in the percentage of patients who achieved an INR ≤ 1.5 between the 3F-PCC and 4F-PCC groups for emergent reversal of warfarin.
Computational design of mixed-initiative human–robot teaming that considers human factors: situational awareness, workload, and workflow preferences:

Advancements in robotic technology are making it increasingly possible to integrate robots into the human workspace in order to improve productivity and decrease worker strain resulting from the pe...
Crisis of the Wasteful Nation: Empire and Conservation in Theodore Roosevelt's America. By Ian Tyrrell. (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2015. Pp. xii, 335. $40.00.)

This reviewer was surprised when the Sierra Club emerged as one of the major opponents of a lenient immigration policy. After reading Ian Tyrrell's new book, the surprise turns to a nodding “but of...
Novel Durable Antimicrobial Ceramic with Embedded Copper Sub-Microparticles for a Steady-State Release of Copper Ions.

Using pottery clay, porous ceramic stones were molded and then decorated with copper sub-microparticles inside the pores. Copper added antimicrobial functionality to the clay-based ceramic and showed ability in disinfecting water. Populations of both Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae in contaminated water were reduced by >99.9% in 3 h when exposed to an antimicrobial stone. This antimicrobial performance is attributed to a slow release of copper into water at both room and elevated temperatures. Copper is leached by water to produce ion concentrations in water at a level of 0.05–0.20 ppm after 24 to 72 h immersion tests. This concentration is reproducible over a number of cycles >400. To our knowledge, this is the first formulation of copper sub-microparticles inside the porous structure of commercial-sized ceramic stones that can disinfect bacteria-contaminated water over a period of at least several months.
Department of Defense institutional responses to increase engagement in mental health services among active-duty men.

Stigma related to help-seeking behavior is a widely documented phenomenon involving men in the U.S. military. Since the Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom engagements, the Department of Defense (DoD) has recognized that the intersection of male gender norms and military culture have greatly influenced men’s utilization of mental health care. The present article highlights the recent efforts made by the DoD to promote engagement in mental health services, particularly among active-duty men. A selection of DoD programs that reflect an awareness of male gender role beliefs and help-seeking behavior as well as a review of critiques and future recommendations is discussed.
Language and Alterity in Tolkien and Lévinas

Emmanuel Levinas’s philosophy and J.R.R. Tolkien’s creative work both upheld the rights of the individual Other in the face of dogmatism and totalitarianism. For both Tolkien and Levinas, who is often credited with being the originator of the concept of alterity, our relationship with the Other is necessarily an ethical relationship established through language. To respond to the Other while acknowledging his or her absolute Otherness is also to accept responsibility for him or her. The presence of many of Levinas’s principles in the relationships between radically different characters in Tolkien’s legendarium suggests that Tolkien’s fiction was on the cutting edge of philosophical enquiry. Well before the publication of Levinas’s major works, Tolkien had begun exploring themes related to language as the primal expression of our responsibility toward the Other.
Operations in Financial Services: Processes, Technologies, and Risks

Operations in Financial Services establishes a framework for this research area from an operations management perspective. The first section presents an introduction and provides an overview of the topic. The second section establishes links between the current state of the art in relevant areas of operations management and operations research and three of the more important aspects of operations in financial services – (i) financial product design and testing, (ii) process delivery design, and (iii) process delivery management. The third section focuses on the current issues that are important in the financial services operations area. These issues center primarily on mobile online banking and trading in a global environment. The fourth section discusses operational risk aspects of financial services. The final section concludes with a discussion on research directions that may become of interest in the future.
Transdiagnostic pathways from early social stress to psychopathology: a 20‐year prospective study

Background Adverse family environments confer susceptibility to virtually all psychiatric problems. This study evaluated two possible models to explain this diversity of associations. Stressful family circumstances during childhood could either activate general, transdiagnostic liabilities to mental disorder or promote numerous disorder-specific liabilities. Methods We recruited a high-risk sample of 815 mother-offspring pairs and assessed social stressors in the family context prospectively from the perinatal period through offspring age 5. We factor analyzed offspring mental disorder diagnoses at age 20 to parse transdiagnostic and disorder-specific dimensions of psychopathology. Results Structural analyses revealed nearly equivalent prospective effects of early family stress on overarching Internalizing (β = .30) and Externalizing (β = .29) dimensions. In contrast, there was no evidence of disorder-specific effects. Conclusions Social stressors early in life activate transdiagnostic, and not disorder-specific, liabilities to psychopathology. A focus on higher-order dimensions of psychopathology could accelerate etiological research and intervention efforts for stress-linked mental disorders.
T-cell receptor-δ expression and γδ+ T-cell infiltrates in primary cutaneous γδ T-cell lymphoma and other cutaneous T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.

Aims The diagnosis of cutaneous γδ T-cell lymphoma (GDTCL) requires the identification of γδ chains of the T-cell receptor (TCR). Our aim in this study was, by using a new monoclonal antibody (mAb) against TCRδ, to evaluate TCRδ expression in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) skin tissue from TCRγ+ cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), and to assess TCRδ expression within a spectrum of other cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders (CLPDs). Methods and results Twelve cases (10 patients) with TCRγ+ CTCL and 132 additional CLPD cases (127 patients) were examined, including mycosis fungoides (MF) (n = 60), cutaneous GDTCL (n = 15), subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) (n = 11), and CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorder (LPD) (n = 24). Clone H-41 against TCRδ was used on a Leica Bond-3 automated stainer to label FFPE slides. H-41 immunostaining was graded as percentage infiltrate: high (50-100%), moderate (10-49%), and low (0-9%). In TCRγ+ tumours, 12 of 12 (100%) patients showed TCRδ expression comparable to TCRγ expression. No (0%) TCRγ+ cases were negative for TCRδ. In all CLPDs, TCRδ expression was as follows: GDTCL, 16 of 20 cases (14 of 15 patients) high, two moderate, and two low; MF, 0 of 60 cases high, nine moderate, and 51 low; CD30+ LPD, one of 24 cases high, two moderate, and 21 low; and SPTCL, 0 of 11 cases (0 of 9 patients) high, two moderate, and two low. Three MF-like cases and one SPTCL-like case showed high expression; the remainder showed low expression. Conclusions mAb H-41 against TCRδ matches TCRγ in immunostaining FFPE tissues from GDTCL, supporting H-41 as a replacement for mAb γ3.20. TCRδ expression in our study suggests that the true occurrence of γδ+ non-GDTCL CTCL/CLPD may be lower than suggested by the recent literature.
Addressable test structure design enabling parallel testing of reliability devices

This new design enabled an efficient layout of breakdown test devices for parametric and reliability testing. These reliability circuits consisted of interlocking combs of routing layers with varying widths and spaces that were representative of the design rules. These were accessed through multiplexer controlled pass gates. All addresses could be simultaneously enabled for stress biasing and addressed individually for failure detection. Once a breakdown was detected, as current leakage of the comb, each device could be addressed sequentially to find the failing structure. This was an improvement over previous designs which either grouped many devices in parallel, but could not electrically identify which device was failing, or only had a single device enabled, but suffered from poor pad efficiency. The grouping of these devices allows for simultaneous parallel stressing of each force and ground pad pair on the parametric testers. Electrical measurement showed that the same breakdown voltage values measured on this mux design were the same as standalone devices.
The Politics of Emotion in Nukulaelae Gossip

In the early days of psychological anthropology, the study of emotions was principally a cataloguing task: a typical endeavor consisted in identifying emotion terms in the language of the community that the anthropologist studied, and in attempting to arrive at a definition for each term. The resulting catalogue could then be compared with similar catalogues from other societies, and the similarities and differences that transpired from such comparisons would form the basis of hypotheses about the universality or cultural specificity of emotion categories.
Perceived discrimination among severely disadvantaged people with HIV infection.

bSYNOPSIS Objectives. Studies continue to document that people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) experience discrimination in their interactions with the health-care system, which can have negative implications for maintaining continuity in care and outcomes. We explored the patient characteristics associated with perceived discrimination and whether these experiences are associated with health-care system quality ratings in a survey of severely disadvantaged people with HIV who are at great risk of inconsistent access to appropriate health care. Methods. Five hundred and twenty-three participants were recruited from temporary housing facilities for people with HIV in the New York City area and administered a survey using audio computer-assisted self-interviewing technology. Results. Of the 207 participants (39.6%) who reported experiencing discrimination in the health-care system, the most common attributions were HIV infection (n5122, 59.8%), drug use (n5100, 49.8%), homelessness (n571, 34.6%), and race/ethnicity (n569, 35.2%). Length of time HIV infected, use of non-prescription opioids, white race, higher education, female gender, younger age, and poorer self-reported health status were all significantly associated with greater odds of perceived discrimination. After adjusting for participant characteristics, perceived discrimination was significantly associated with poorer participant ratings of quality of health care. Conclusions. Members of this vulnerable population commonly report experiences of discrimination from within the health-care system and these experiences are associated with poor health-care ratings. These findings support the need for closer examination of the adequacy of cultural competency training within the HIV health-care delivery system to improve access to appropriate care for disadvantaged people.
Bifurcations of Dynamical Systems

The subject of these lectures is the bifurcation theory of dynamical systems. They are not comprehensive, as we take up some facets of bifurcation theory and largely ignore others. In particular, we focus our attention on finite dimensional systems of difference and differential equations and say almost nothing about infinite dimensional systems. The reader interested in the infinite dimensional theory and its applications should consult the recent survey of Marsden [66] and the conference proceedings edited by Rabinowitz [89]. We also neglect much of the multidimensional bifurcation theory of singular points of differential equations. The systematic exposition of this theory is much more algebraic than the more geometric questions considered here, and Arnold [7,9] provides a good survey of work in this area. We confine our interest to questions which involve the geometric orbit structure of dynamical systems. We do make an effort to consider applications of the mathematical phenomena illustrated. For general background about the theory of dynamical systems consult [102]. Our style is informal and our intent is pedagogic. The current state of bifurcation theory is a mixture of mathematical fact and conjecture. The demarcation between the proved and unproved is small [11]. Rather than attempting to sort out this confused state of affairs for the reader, we hope to provide the geometric insight which will allow him to explore further.
Extraction of steroidal glucosiduronic acids from aqueous solutions by anionic liquid ion-exchangers

A pilot study on the extraction of three steroidal glucosiduronic acids from water into organic solutions of liquid ion-exchangers is reported. A single extraction of a 0.5mm aqueous solution of either 11-deoxycorticosterone 21-glucosiduronic acid or cortisone 21-glucosiduronic acid with 0.1m-tetraheptylammonium chloride in chloroform took more than 99% of the conjugate into the organic phase; under the same conditions, the very polar conjugate, β-cortol 3-glucosiduronic acid, was extracted to the extent of 43%. The presence of a small amount of chloride, acetate, or sulphate ion in the aqueous phase inhibited extraction, but making the aqueous phase 4.0m with ammonium sulphate promoted extraction strongly. An increase in the concentration of ion-exchanger in the organic phase also promoted extraction. The amount of cortisone 21-glucosiduronic acid extracted by tetraheptylammonium chloride over the pH range of 3.9 to 10.7 was essentially constant. Chloroform solutions of a tertiary, a secondary, or a primary amine hydrochloride also will extract cortisone 21-glucosiduronic acid from water. The various liquid ion exchangers will extract steroidal glucosiduronic acid methyl esters from water into chloroform, although less completely than the corresponding free acids. The extraction of the glucosiduronic acids from water by tetraheptylammonium chloride occurs by an ion-exchange process; extraction of the esters does not involve ion exchange.
Perinatal arterial ischaemic stroke in term babies

Abstract Perinatal arterial ischaemic stroke (PAIS) affects between 1:2300 and 1:4000 births, so most paediatricians and neonatologists will see a number of cases during their working life. The exact cause of PAIS in an individual usually is unknown, and discussion may occur about whether prothrombotic investigations, aspirin or anticoagulation are needed. The causes, investigation and treatment of PAIS are completely different from stroke in the older paediatric and adult group. Outcome tends to be good, although cerebral palsy may be seen in up to 30% of cases, epilepsy in 15–25% and cognitive problems may also occur. Fortunately, EEG and MRI can help identify those children with PAIS at the highest risk of neuro-developmental difficulties. This paper reviews what we know about the potential mechanisms causing PAIS, what investigations are necessary, and the likely outcome for the child.
Judging the environmental impact of green consumption: Evidence of quantity insensitivity

Abstract As consumers strive to reduce their environmental impact, it is important to understand how people perceive the environmental impact of consumption choices. Prior research reveals that “green” (eco-friendly) labels can bias judgments, as when a conventional plus a green product is perceived as less environmentally impactful than the conventional product alone (the “negative footprint illusion”). We ask a related question: are people less sensitive to quantity when judging the environmental impact of green versus conventional consumption? In a 2 × 2 between-subjects design, 370 participants rated the environmental impact of a family that was depicted as owning either one or two automobiles, that were described as either “hybrid” or conventional. Results show evidence of quantity insensitivity in the hybrid condition: whereas an additional conventional automobile increased judgments of the family's environmental impact, an additional hybrid automobile did not. Discussion focuses on possible underlying mechanisms and implications for everyday consumption behaviors.
Age at Onset of Metabolic Syndrome Among Women With and Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome–Like Status

Context Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), but whether they develop MetS earlier than women without PCOS is unknown. Understanding the impact of PCOS on the timing of MetS onset is important for screening and clinical care in this population. Design Women with PCOS-like status (PCOSp) were identified from participants of the Michigan Bone Health and Metabolism Study based upon history of irregular menstrual cycles, high free-androgen index, and high levels of antimullerian hormone. MetS was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Age at MetS onset was compared between women with and without PCOSp using an accelerated failure time model adjusted for baseline education, lifestyle factors, and midlife body weight. Results Among the 496 women in the analysis, 11.7% (n = 58) were determined to have PCOSp. Over a mean follow-up of 11 years, 20 women with PCOSp and 136 women without PCOSp developed MetS. After adjusting for smoking, education, and physical activity, women with PCOSp developed MetS at an age 14.4% (95% CI -22.7, -5.2) younger than women without PCOSp. The magnitude of the association was attenuated to 5.4% in models additionally adjusted for body mass index (95% CI -12.4, 2.1). Because a typical study participant without PCOSp developed MetS at 51.5 years old, 5.4% translates to almost 3 years earlier onset of MetS for a comparable woman with PCOSp. Conclusions Women with PCOSp develop MetS at a younger age. Earlier screening for MetS in women with PCOS may be warranted.
Progression free survival (PFS) benefits of immuno-oncology agents (IOs) and implications for market cost-sharing inefficiencies.

6643Background: Cancer care expense has high financial toxicity with 6 in 10 patients reporting distress about finances. System wide cost has also increased with new treatment approvals; from 2011 ...
Managed Retreat in the United States

Managed retreat—the purposeful, coordinated movement of people and assets out of harm's way—is a controversial and often overlooked adaptation tool but also a potentially transformative one. In the United States, managed retreat has occurred primarily through federally funded property acquisition programs that are unlikely to be able to scale to meet the future demands of climate change. There are numerous psychological, institutional, and practical barriers to engaging in managed retreat, so understanding how United States communities have overcome these barriers, even at a small scale, could provide insights for applying retreat in other contexts and at larger scales. This paper articulates why the United States needs managed retreat to be viable at scale, identifies barriers, recommends areas for scholarship and practice to learn from past experience, and argues for a national vision for coastal adaptation, such as a National Seashore, to provide a coordinating and motivating focus for future work.
Numerical Simulation of Laboratory Strength Tests Using a Stochastic Approach

Heterogeneity and discontinuity significantly affect rock strength. For accurate stability prediction, intact rock behavior is imperatively included in rock mass behavior. However, past research largely used arbitrary scaling approaches to produce rock strength. This paper considers a stochastic approach in order to determine the strength of a rock. Based on the laboratory data, a MATLAB® with extreme value stochastic model generates a database for each physico-mechanical property. Then FLAC® simulates laboratory-sized rock specimens. The grids developed in the numerical model can in turn develop random material properties in MATLAB®, which researchers then applied to the final FLAC® model. Model runs simulate the approach performed in the laboratory. The results from the model indicate that a stochastic approach produces strengths that are lower than a deterministic approach. Failure modes for each specimen are different, similar to observations in the laboratory. In addition, random density also influences the failure mode, highlighting the importance of stochastic analysis in rocks.
A Silent Corrupting Force? Criminal Sentencing and the Threat of Recall

39 U.S. states authorize recall elections, but the incentives they create are not well understood. We examine how changes in the perceived threat of recall alter the behavior of one set of officials: judges. In 2016, outrage over the sentence imposed on a Stanford athlete following his sexual assault conviction sparked an ultimately successful drive to recall the presiding judge. Using data on over 22,000 sentences from six California counties and matched arrest records for a subset of more than 12,000, we examine whether critical events in the recall campaign were accompanied by corresponding changes in other judges' sentences. We find a large, discontinuous increase in punitiveness associated with the campaign's announcement, but not the recall itself -- suggesting the announcement shifted judges' beliefs about their political environment. The increase may have indirectly produced a disproportionate burden for minority defendants. Our findings are the first to document incentive effects of recall, and suggest that targeted political campaigns may have far-reaching, unintended consequences.
AI tool makes phase identification crystal clear

Mapping X-ray diffraction patterns to crystal structures is a comprehensive and time-consuming task for chemists and materials scientists. In a recent work, researchers developed a machine-learning tool to make this job more ‘self-driving’.
Laughing Matters: When Humor Is Meaningful

While humor can perpetuate and preserve stereotypes, it also can redress a wide variety of prejudices and preconceptions. This paper offers several examples of positive humor. Humor can serve as a teaching tool to reduce stress and make people receptive to serious subjects that range from statistical analysis to social justice. It can also tie people together, give psychological strength to victims, and enable them to rise above despair and hopelessness. It can even enhance teamwork in the workplace. Of course, the wrong kind of humor can be a negative, causing irreparable harm to people. In a nutshell, humor is not a laughing matter and should be taken seriously.
Quantification of kappa opioid receptor ligand potency, efficacy and desensitization using a real-time membrane potential assay.

Abstract We explored the utility of the real-time FLIPR Membrane Potential (FMP) assay as a method to assess kappa opioid receptor (KOR)-induced hyperpolarization. The FMP Blue dye was used to measure fluorescent signals reflecting changes in membrane potential in KOR expressing CHO (CHO-KOR) cells. Treatment of CHO-KOR cells with kappa agonists U50,488 or dynorphin [Dyn (1−13)NH2] produced rapid and concentration-dependent decreases in FMP Blue fluorescence reflecting membrane hyperpolarization. Both the nonselective opioid antagonist naloxone and the κ-selective antagonists nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI) and zyklophin produced rightward shifts in the U50,488 concentration-response curves, consistent with competitive antagonism of the KOR mediated response. The decrease in fluorescent emission produced by U50,488 was blocked by overnight pertussis toxin pretreatment, indicating the requirement for PTX-sensitive G proteins in the KOR mediated response. We directly compared the potency of U50,488 and Dyn (1−13)NH2 in the FMP and [35S]GTPγS binding assays, and found that both were approximately 10 times more potent in the cellular fluorescence assay. The maximum responses of both U50,488 and Dyn (1−13)NH2 declined following repeated additions, reflecting receptor desensitization. We assessed the efficacy and potency of structurally distinct KOR small molecule and peptide ligands. The FMP assay reliably detected both partial agonists and stereoselectivity. Using KOR-selective peptides with varying efficacies, we found that the FMP assay allowed high throughput quantification of peptide efficacy. These data demonstrate that the FMP assay is a sensitive method for assessing κ-opioid receptor induced hyperpolarization, and represents a useful approach for quantification of potency, efficacy and desensitization of KOR ligands.
The HealthCAST program: Interdisciplinary, simulated-patient education with health care and theatre students

Abstract HealthCAST (Collaboratively Acted Simulation Training), a simulated patient program developed between a university's nursing and theatre programs, models how multiple departments collaborated to create an interprofessional, simulated-patient program. HealthCAST had two goals: 1 Provide opportunities for skill acquisition and feedback for health care and theatre students. 2 Apply basic quality management principles (measurement, assessment, improvement) to continuously improve the process (simulation learning) and outcomes (knowledge and skills acquisition) for participants. This article describes the process used to create the program, including an analysis of the program's results. The quality management process supported the use of HealthCAST to provide interprofessional education for students in health care and theatre. Lessons learned from the development and evaluation of the program included: (1) engage local partners; (2) use a simulated-patient model; (3) articulate expectations; (4) bridge professions; (5) debrief using open-ended questions; and (6) evaluate often, using mixed methods.
Real-Time Drone Surveillance System for Violent Crowd Behavior Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) – Human Autonomy Teaming (HAT)

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs), or drones, continue to increase in capabilities and sophistication across a wide range of applications. UASs have high mobility, are easily deployed, and capable of real-time monitoring of crowd behavior by utilizing multi-sensor-based detection and remote sensing of objects. These capabilities make UASs a very useful tool for Human Autonomy Teaming (HAT) applications, such as Law Enforcement (LE), capitalizing on Human Factors (HF). This study examines the concept of leveraging drone technology together with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) methods to produce a UAS system that can assist LE in the monitoring and assessment of crowd behaviors during peaceful and non-peaceful events. LE agencies are increasingly being tasked with engaging in dynamic environments that exist at public events. Utilized as a force multiplier and autonomous tool, would benefit from an AI-UAS platform utilizing artificial intelligence assisting in identifying behavior of peaceful people as opposed to malevolent participants or instigators that may attempt to take control. AI-UASs of this type would allow LE to leverage existing resources within their organizational structures and provide increased situation awareness via a Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) broadcast and monitoring of these dynamic environments. Information provided from these AI-UAS systems would provide real-time information to field forces as well as command and control operations that may be remotely located. AI-UAS Sensors can be dynamically allocated as needed for monitoring/documenting crowd behavior and police actions. Video recordings would provide evidence in court as well counter truth-bending recordings published by professional protestors and agenda driven main-stream media outlets. The benefits and impact of this type of LE AI-UAS platform would be profound. Traditional visible light based sensors can be greatly influenced by environmental factors preventing their ability to determine variations regarding abnormal crowd behaviors. In order to overcome this challenge, this project proposes to utilize four types of collection methods, Multitask Cascading CNN (MC-CNN), ScatterNet Hybrid Deep Learning Network, multiscale infrared optical flow (MIR-OF), and Event Cameras such as Event-based Vision, and Event Camera SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). AI methods will be developed to monitor crowd density, average ground speed, human pose estimations, and movement behaviors, as well as identification of primary violent instigators. This proposed system will detect violent individuals in real-time by leveraging onboard image processing as well as cloud processing. Fundamental research for this project is inspired and built upon recent Drone Surveillance System (DSS) publications from IEEE and MDPI.
Understanding the Set Consensus Partial Order Using the Borowsky-Gafni Simulation (Extended Abstract)

We present a complete characterization of the Set Consensus Partial Order, a refinement of the Consensus Hierarchy of Herlihy. We define the (n, k) -set consensus problem as the k-set consensus problem for n processors. We then answer the question of whether an (n, k)-set consensus object (an object which solves the (n, k)-set consensus problem) can be implemented using a combination of (m, l)-set consensus objects and snapshot objects, for all possible values of n, k, m,l, creating a partial order of set consensus objects. The model we consider is the asynchronous shared memory model.
Preparation of pentafluorobenzyl esters of arachidonic acid lipoxygenase metabolites : Analysis by gas chromatography and negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry

Abstract 5-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) and leukotriene B 4 have recently been shown to possess potent chemotactic and chemokinetic properties. Because of the very low concentrations found in certain biological systems, negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry has been investigated as a potential assay method for detecting these compounds. A facile derivatization to form the pentafluorobenzyl esters, and clean up are reported for these compounds at the 15-ng level. Gas chromatographic properties, negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectra, and positive-ion electron impact spectra are reported for the pentafluorobenzyl ester, trimethylsilyl ether derivatives of 5-HETE and leukotriene B 4 isomers.
End-of-Life Care

As the trajectory of a patient’s medical course approaches its end stage, assessing a patient’s prognosis through tools such as the FAST score and the “surprise question,” and using communications frameworks such as the “Ask-Tell-Ask” model can assist in engagement of patients and families in goals of care discussions. Home-based medical care providers should be skilled at providing primary palliative care and refer patients to palliative medicine specialists or to hospice care when appropriate.
Effects of Maximizing Inertial Resistance on Performing and Learning a Motor Task

Abstract An attempt was made to interfere with learning on a continuous rotational fine motor foot-tracking task by maximizing the effects of artificially increased mass (moment of inertia) through the employment of massed practice (MP). College men (N = 120) performed the first 25 trials under one of the following assigned practice conditions: C, E–1 (MP), E–2 (medium mass and MP), and E–3 (heavy mass and MP). After a 5-min rest, all groups performed the last 10 trials under control conditions. With the exception of C, there was no significant improvement in prerest performance for the three experimental groups. However, significant learning occurred in all groups with no difference in the amount learned among groups. There was no change in leg strength measured before and after tracking and little relationship between it and performance and learning. It was pointed out that severe, related physical fatigue, introduced before and maintained throughout early learning, offers the best chance to significant...
The developmental basis for germline mosaicism in mouse and Drosophila melanogaster

Data involving germline mosaics in Drosophila melanogaster and mouse are reconciled with developmental observations. Mutations that become fixed in the early embryo before separation of soma from the germline may, by the sampling process of development, continue as part of germline and/or differentiate into any somatic tissue. The cuticle of adult D. melanogaster, because of segmental development, can be used to estimate the proportion of mutant nuclei in the early embryo, but most somatic tissues and the germlines of both species continue from samples too small to be representative of the early embryo. Because of the small sample of cells/nuclei that remain in the germline after separation of soma in both species, mosaic germlines have percentages of mutant cells that vary widely, with a mean of 50% and an unusual platykurtic, flat-topped distribution. While the sampling process leads to similar statistical results for both species, their patterns of development are very different. In D. melanogaster the first differentiation is the separation of soma from germline with the germline continuing from a sample of only two to four nuclei, whereas the adult cuticle is a representative sample of cleavage nuclei. The presence of mosaicism in D. melanogaster germline is independent of mosaicism in the eye, head, and thorax. This independence was used to determine that mutations can occur at any of the early embryonic cell divisions and still average 50% mutant germ cells when the germline is mosaic; however, the later the mutation occurs, the higher the proportion of completely nonmutant germlines. In contrast to D. melanogaster, the first differentiation in the mouse does not separate soma from germline but produces the inner cell mass that is representative of the cleavage nuclei. Following formation of the primitive streak, the primordial germ cells develop at the base of the allantois and among a clonally related sample of cells, providing the same statistical distribution in the mouse mosaic germlines as in D. melanogaster. The proportion of mutations that are fixed during early embryonic development is greatly underestimated. For example, a DNA lesion in a postmeiotic gamete that becomes fixed as a dominant mutation during early embryonic development of the F1 may produce an individual completely mutant in the germ line and relevant somatic tissue or, alternatively, the F1 germline may be completely mutant but with no relevant somatic tissues for detecting the mutation until the F2. In both cases the mutation would be classified as complete in the F1 and F2, respectively, and not recognized as embryonic in origin. Because germ cells differentiate later in mammalian development, there are more opportunities for correlation between germline and soma in the mammal than Drosophila. However, because the germ cells and any somatic tissue, like blood, are derived from small samples, there may be many individuals that test negative in blood but have germlines that are either mosaic or entirely mutant.
Prolactin regulation of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase and protein kinase C in human prostate cancer cells

Citrate production is a major physiological function of the prostate that is regulated by testosterone and prolactin. Mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase (mAAT) is a key enzyme in the metabolic pathway of prostate citrate production. In addition, prolactin stimulates expression of mAAT in the rat lateral prostate. In this report we establish the role of prolactin in the regulation of mAAT in two prostate cancer cell lines, LNCaP and PC-3. LNCaP cells respond to hormonal stimulation with increased secretion of prostate specific products. PC-3 cells, on the other hand, are testosterone independent and apparently do not respond to other growth factors either. Results showed that both LNCaP and PC-3 cells responded to prolactin with increased mAAT activity and an increased steady state level of mAAT mRNA. Prolactin also increased protein kinase C (PKC) activity in both these cell lines. Treatment of LNCaP and PC-3 cells with the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol (TPA) caused the same effect on mAAT activity and mRNA level as prolactin. The results suggest that the diacylglycerol-PKC signal transduction system mediates the prolactin effect on mAAT. In addition, these results also show that the prolactin effect on mAAT is independent of androgens since PC-3 cells reportedly lack androgen receptor expression. Thus, these results provide evidence that prolactin is a physiological regulator of prostate function in human as well as rat prostate. In addition, the results also show that though prostate cancer cells are androgen independent, they remain responsive to prolactin. This could have important implications for the treatment and management of prostate cancer.
Children, Parents and the State: Rethinking the Relationships in the Child Welfare System

How should we construct the relationship between the state, parents, and children with respect to children's welfare? What principles should guide it in a liberal democracy such as ours, in which we expect parents to bear considerable responsibility for raising children, but also conceive of the state as having some responsibility for these same children? In this comment, I consider the problems inherent in the dominant conception of this relationship in public thought and law. This conception, which conceives parenting as an activity that can and should be performed autonomously, without aid from those outside the family; which treats the child's welfare as solely the parents' responsibility in the normal course of events, without considering how systems outside of the parent-child relationship affect the child's welfare; and which views the state as an entity whose intervention in families is a sign of the failure of parents, imposes significant costs on the state, parents, and most particularly, children. In place of this model, I argue for conceiving the state as integral to, and enabling of, families, and as an active protector of children's wellbeing both inside and outside of families. State policies that follow this model of the "supportive state," I contend, would reduce, at the very least, some of the most tragic costs incurred under the current approach to child welfare.
Mercado de esperanças

A proliferacao de programas de formacao executiva tem crescido nos ultimos anos e mostrado que o fenomeno parece ser mais do que um modismo. Sua emergencia depende da fragilidade do sistema de ensino convencional, das mutacoes no sentido mesmo de educacao, das pressoes por permanente atualizacao e das proprias empresas. O artigo analisa, detidamente, as expectativas ou esperancas dos que frequentam esses programas e o que as instituicoes lhes tem oferecido.
Guidelines for facilitating the development of learning communities in online courses

Online learning has grown exponentially in recent years; however, dropout problem remains challenging for some online programmes. The dropout problem can be attributed to a number of reasons, with a lack of interaction between learners and the instructor constituting one of the main reasons. The lack of interaction also leads to learners' feeling of isolation. Learning communities can provide learners with an environment conducive to increased interactions and alleviate their feeling of isolation. Unfortunately, there are no clear rules that instructors can follow to help learners create learning communities. In this paper, we propose guidelines for online instructors to facilitate the development of learning communities in online courses. We first review the definition of a learning community, importance of a learning community and factors affecting the development of a learning community. Afterwards, based on a review of the existing guidelines and other relevant literature, we propose guidelines for facilitating the development of learning communities in online courses.