cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geospatial Assessment of Grazing Regime Shifts and Sociopolitical Changes in a Mongolian Rangeland

Drastic changes have occurred in Mongolia’s grazing land management over the last two decades, but their effects on rangelands are ambiguous. Temporal trends in Mongolia’s rangeland condition have not been well documented relative to the effects of longterm management changes. This study examined changes in grazing land use and rangeland biomass associated with the transition from the socialist collective to the current management systems in the Tsahiriin tal area of northern Mongolia. Grazing lands in Tsahiriin tal that were formerly managed by the socialist collective are now used by numerous nomadic households with their privately owned herds, although the lands remain publicly owned. Grazing pressure has more than tripled and herd distribution has changed from a few spatially clustered large herds of sheep to numerous smaller herds of multiple species. Landsat image– derived normalized-difference vegetation index estimates suggest that rangeland biomass significantly decreased (P , 0.001) from the collective to the postcollective periods. The observed decrease was significantly correlated with changes in the grazing management system and increased stocking density (P , 0.001), even when potential climate-induced changes were considered. Furthermore, field- and Satellite Pour l’Observation de la Terre imagery–based rangeland assessments in 2007 and 2008 indicate that current rangeland biomass is low. Spatial pattern analyses show that the low biomass is uniform throughout the study site. The observed decrease in rangeland biomass might be further accelerated if current grazing land use continues with no formal rangeland management institution or organized, well-structured efforts by the local herding households.
Building Relationships in Integrated Care

The ability of the Medical Family Therapist (MedFT) to practice in integrated settings may rely on an understanding of population-based medicine, disease etiology, medication and psychopharmacology, and augmentations to patient conceptualization and practice. However, all of the specifics related to that care are ultimately leveraged on the relationships formed by the MedFT with their health-care colleagues. If this is indeed the case, then contemporary authors would suggest previous authors and researchers have not adequately described the relational process necessary to set the stage for these types of close working relationships—relationships that make integration, of any kind, a possibility. This chapter discusses three components related to the relational process of integration: (a) conceptual flexibility, (b) understanding and acceptance, and (c) acknowledgment and appreciation, as well as how these components provide the backdrop against which integrated care, as a practice, can emerge.
Two and three-dimensional gene transfer from enzymatically degradable hydrogel scaffolds.

The ability to genetically modify mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) seeded inside synthetic hydrogel scaffolds would offer an alternative approach to guide MSC differentiation. In this report, we explored gene transfer to MSCs seeded on top, or inside matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) degradable hydrogels that were loaded with DNA/poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) polyplexes. DNA/PEI polyplexes were encapsulated inside poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogels crosslinked with MMP degradable peptides via Michael Addition chemistry. Gene transfer was visualized and quantified through using a vector encoding for green fluorescent protein and luciferase. We found that gene transfer to MSCs was possible for cells seeded both in two and three dimensions. The amount of luciferase expression was similar for cells seeded in two and three dimensions even though the number of cells in three dimensions is significantly higher, indicating that gene transfer to cells seeded in two dimensions is more efficient than for cells seeded in three dimensions. The use of hydrogel scaffolds that allow cellular infiltration to deliver DNA may result in long lasting signals in vivo, which are essential for the regeneration of functional tissues.
Experimental Investigation on Dual-Purpose Cavity in Supersonic Reacting Flows

Experimental studies are in progress to investigate the possible use of cavities for performance gain in supersonic reacting flowfield. While high-speed flow over an open cavity may or may not result in highamplitude resonance depending on the cavity dimensions, both situations are of interest because a recirculating cavity flow would provide stable flameholding while an unstable cavity could be used to enhance the rate of turbulent mixing. Several wall cavities with various sizes and aspect ratios were evaluated for flow stability characteristics with a Mach 2 air stream, and were placed inside a combustor where exothermic reaction occurred between high-temperature fuel-rich products from a gas generator and Mach 2 air flow. The preliminary results obtained from a series of open flow testing are presented in this paper. Both stable and unstable cavities were tested with reacting flow, which was created by injecting the fuel-rich products at 45 degrees into the Mach 2 air stream. Flame length and luminosity were substantially modified by the use of such cavities. Currently, ducted supersonic combustion tests are underway.
Election Cycles and War

Insight into the effect of domestic factors on the international conflict behavior of democratic states can be garnered from treating electoral cycles as cycles in the relative power of state and society. This article shows that there is a discernible relationship between election cycles and the behavior of democratic states in international conflicts. In the past 200 years, democratic states have tended to get into relatively more wars early in the election cycle and fewer wars late in the cycle. Interestingly, this result holds regardless of whether it was a democracy or a nondemocracy which initiated the war. The author argues, however, that this pattern at the international level is insufficient for drawing firm conclusions about the preferences of democratic states and societies at the domestic level. Finally, the author suggests that although election dynamics may mitigate against war entry in the short run, it is plausible that they have made war more likely or more severe in the long run.
Environmental antiandrogens: low doses of the fungicide vinclozolin alter sexual differentiation of the male rat

In humans and rodents, exposure to antiandrogenic chemicals during sexual differentiation can produce malformations of the reproductive tract. Perinatal administration of 100 or 200 mg vinclozolin (V) kg-1 day-1 during sexual differentiation in rats induces female-like anogenital distance (AGD), retained nipples, cleft phallus with hypospadias, suprainguinal ectopic scrota/testes, a vaginal pouch, epididymal granulomas, and small to absent sex accessory glands in male offspring. Vinclozolin is metabolized to at least two active forms, M1 and M2, that display antiandrogenic activity by binding the androgen receptor (AR). Here, we present information on the reproductive effects of oral treatment with low dosage levels of V during sexual differentiation of the male rat. Vinclozolin was administered to the dam at 0, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, or 100 mg kg-1 day-1 from gestational day 14 to postnatal day 3 (the period of fetal/neonatal testicular testosterone synthesis and sexual differentiation). At doses of 3.125 mg V kg-1 and above, AGD was significantly reduced in newborn male offspring and the incidence of areolas was increased. These effects were associated with permanent alterations in other androgen-dependent tissues. Ventral prostate weight in one year old male offspring was reduced in all treatment groups (significant at 6.25, 25, 50, and 100 mg kg-1 day-1), and permanent nipples were detected in males at 3.125 (1.4%), 6.25 (3.6%), 12.5 (3.9%), 25 (8.5%), 50 (91%), and 100 (100%) mg V kg-1 day-1. To date, permanent nipples have not been observed in a control male from any study in our laboratory. Vinclozolin treatment at 50 and 100 mg kg-1 day-1 induced reproductive tract malformations and reduced ejaculated sperm numbers and fertility. Even though all of the effects of V likely result from the same initial event (AR binding), the different endpoints displayed a wide variety of dose-response curves and ED50's. The dose-response data for several of the functional endpoints failed to display an obvious threshold. These data demonstrate that V produces subtle alterations in sexual differentiation of the external genitalia, ventral prostate, and nipple tissue in male rat offspring at dosage levels below the previously described no-observed-effect-level (NOEL). These effects occur at a dosage level an order of magnitude below that required to induce malformations and reduce fertility. Hence, multigenerational reproduction studies of antiandrogenic chemicals that were not conducted under the Environmental Protection Agency's new Harmonized Multigenerational Test Guidelines, which include endpoints sensitive to antiandrogens at low dosage levels, could yield a NOEL that is at least an order of magnitude too high.
Estimation of in vivo brain-to-skull conductivity ratio in humans

The electrical conductivity value of the human skull is important for biophysics research of the brain. In the present study, the human brain-to-skull conductivity ratio was estimated through in vivo experiments utilizing intra-cranial electrical stimulation in two epilepsy patients. A realistic geometry inhomogeneous head model including the implanted silastic grids was constructed with the aid of the finite element method, and used to estimate the conductivity ratio. Averaging over 49 sets of measurements, the mean value and standard deviation of the brain-to-skull conductivity ratio were found to be 18.7 and 2.1, respectively.
Hyperplasia, reduced E-cadherin expression, and developmental arrest in mammary glands oxidatively stressed by loss of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase.

Summary To investigate the dysregulating effect of excess oxidative stress on mammary gland development, mammary anlage from newborn female mice with normal (+/+) or absent (null, −/−) manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2) were excised and implanted under the renal capsule of normal host female nude mice with/without concurrent estrogen supplementation. After 30 days the transplanted glands were excised for wholemount, microscopic and immunohistochemical evaluation. In contrast to the normal growth and maturation of transplanted SOD2+/+ glands, SOD2−/− glands showed arrested development, reduced ductal outgrowth and branching, and absent lumen. These hypomorphic SOD2−/− ducts contained hyperplastic epithelium with increased Ki-67 labelling, loss of E-cadherin expression, and disorganized p63 and cytokeratin (K)-14 expressing basal and myoepithelial components. Estrogen treatment failed to upregulate progesterone receptor or normalize development. These findings suggest that excess oxidative stress from loss of SOD2 function can arrest mammary gland maturation and induce hyperplastic epithelium with early premalignant features.
Astrophysical Applications of Machine Learning at Scale and under Duress

Summary form only given: The universe is teeming with change on timescales from billions of years to milliseconds. A major goal of modern synoptic imaging surveys is to categorize this change over the entire sky to infer the diverse physical origins of variability. However, event discovery is only the beginning in the quest to extract the deepest insights: expensive follow-up resources (telescopes and people) are required, often in a time constrained environment. Viewing discovery and scientific insight through a resource-maximization lens, I discuss how machine learning is being applied to some modern astrophysics challenges. Here, the surfacing of parallelized feature engineering and machine learning into production-quality (scalable and fault tolerant) frameworks is the frontier for our field.
Worker self-management in the Third World, 1952–1979

Worker self-management has proliferated at key historical moments, worldwide, since 1917. In the wake of decolonization and the national liberation movements of the mid-20th century, unprecedented ...
A State Theoretical Approach to Understanding Contest in Higher Education

This chapter assesses the contemporary role of the state and the civil society in the continuing contest over academic capitalism in higher education in the United States and globally. Particular attention is turned to instances of resistance to neoliberal policies shaping postsecondary education and training, challenges to increasing levels of tuition and student loan debt, and continuing efforts to address the growing stratification of postsecondary institutions in the United States and other national contexts. A renewed commitment in the United States to realizing the public interest through higher education is evidenced by state efforts to reconsider policies financing the expansion of the for-profit postsecondary sector, the emergence of coalitions in the civil society in support of the DREAM act, and in the efforts of students seeking to shape institutional policies and practices through collective bargaining. The author suggests that, taken together, these nascent shifts in the political economy of higher education point to a variety of emerging transformations, and to the continued significance of the university in the public sphere.
A strategy for replacing electricity transmission protection and control systems to minimise the requirement for network outages

The primary plant and instrument transformers used in electricity transmission substations generally remain in-service for many decades, typically 40 - 60 years, and are renewed only when physically or mechanically life-expired, or technically not supported. However, the secondary systems, which include protection and control (P&C), have a much shorter asset life, and can require replacing more than twice during the life of the primary. Outages on the National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) networks to replace P&C equipment on a circuit using current methods takes typically 6 - 7 weeks. System access, or outages of equipment, is a constraint on successful delivery of the increasing volumes of work required on the electricity transmission systems. This paper presents National Grid's strategy and high level design principles to allow for the implementation of IEC 61850 architecture and using a standard interface box (switching box) to minimise installation, commissioning and subsequent asset replacement outages for protection and control systems. The lifetime issues with respect to operation and maintenance of the protection and control systems are also discussed. This strategy will increase the number of protection changes that can be scheduled, and by shortening the outages required, will also increase the number of opportunities that can be taken to coordinate these with other site work taking place. (5 pages)
Multiscaling and Multifactoring of Mechanical and Biological Systems

Multiscaling refers to the segmentation of physical systems of space-time having the same building blocks, a de facto hypothesis that is not likely to be challenged. Physical systems should be relatable to one another by space-time scale shifting. The mathematical proof will rightly so, be disrupted by the overriding force of political and economical expediency of new order of science and technology. Already in practice is that science and technology have globalized and personalized the world according to the priorities of the political and economical expediency. Personalization is definable only when distinction is made between the less from the more personalized. The “unitized function” is therefore invoked such that n number of factor types can be weighed and expressed by an “indicator”, say X0*. A similar quantity Xj* for the subject, of the mechanical or biological, can then be compared and weighed on the same basis. The subject with the least ΔX0*, the difference of Xj* and X0*, would be ahead in fitness. Physical systems are directed toward the well being of the individual. Multiplicity of scales and factor types in space-time call for partnership of “multiscaling” and “multifactoring”. The unitized function accommodates this combination and the binarism that is intrinsic to scalable data. Monolithic data are not scalable unless they are converted to be dualistic by scale shifting. Simply put, macro data should be converted to macro-micro by a process known as transitionalization. Restoration of the scalable capability in mechanics and physics is also connected with space-time non-symmetry. Non-symmetry refers to a reference (0), while (+) and (—) are directional dependence. This formalism can be degenerated to define a physical fitness ranking index for mechanical and biological systems. Monolithic data have been used in the field of fracture mechanics for decades. Only in recent times that the conversion to dualistic dependent data has restored the consistency required for shifting the space-time scale. The globalization and personalization will be discussed in terms of unitization of personal data at large. The longevity of the human subjects and physical fitness will be used for application, although the method applies to mechanical systems as well. For the human subjects, dualistic ma-mi unitized factor types are defined to avoid the violation of first principle and to show that the indicator X0* can be related to the physical fitness indices that are already in use for making health care national policies.
Expression Cloning of Signaling Proteins Regulated by Cell Adhesion

Many proteins involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion are regulated by signal transduction pathways and can activate signal transduction on ligation. Adhesion-related signal transduction is important throughout development, hemostasis, immunity, and in diseases such as cancer. Therefore, the identification of the various signaling pathways that are involved is crucial. Expression cloning is an unbiased way to isolate proteins with specific biological functions. This methodology has been adapted for the identification of proteins involved in cell signaling pathways that are mediated by cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. We have successfully developed and used a novel expression cloning strategy to isolate the integrin-regulated apoptosis signaling protein BIT-1. This screen was based on previous observations that integrin-mediated adhesion upregulates the anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2. Our strategy described in this chapter uses flow cytometry and a reporter construct in which the bcl-2 promoter is linked to enhanced green fluorescence protein. The advantage of using flow cytometry in expression cloning is that it increases the sensitivity of the screen by enabling us to examine function quantitatively at the level of a single cell millions of times in one experiment. The following protocol provides a detailed method for the isolation of proteins that are regulated by cell adhesion.
Financial Contracting As Behavior Towards Risk: The Corporate Finance of Business Cycles

This paper describes an equilibrium macro finance model where contracts are the mechanism by which differentially risk averse bondholders and stockholders resolve a conflict of interest problem and confront the risks associated with future operating decisions and financing decisions of a representative firm/economy. In resolving this conflict of interest problem the interrelated covenants in the financial contract shape certain stylized financial facts of business cycles ignored in Classical and Keynesian models. The model set-up includes 2 agents (bondholders and stockholders); 2 decisions (production-investment decisions generating operating income and operating risk) and (financial decisions generating financial risk); and 2 no-arbitrage equilibrium conditions (market value equals economic book value for both bonds and stocks). In this 2x2x2 set-up contract constrained managers of the representative firm make production-investment decisions that conform to the risk aversion of stockholders as reflected in stock prices, and then use financing decisions to offset any effect of a change in operating risk on the market valuation of bonds. In this model managers work for both stockholders and bondholders. Preliminary evidence from the U.S. non-financial corporate sector does not reject the predictions of the model. A similar form of risk and return sharing is shown to occur between more risk averse mature and experienced workers with seniority and less risk averse young apprentice workers.
Tessellating memory space for parallel access

Modern reconfigurable computing chips, such as FPGAs, offer an unprecedented opportunity to achieving both multifunctionality and real-time responsiveness for memoryintensive embedded applications. However, how to cost-effectively synthesize application-specific hardware constructs that fully exploit memory-level parallelism remains to be a key challenge. To address this problem, we propose a new tessellation-based memory partitioning and mapping scheme that aims at maximizing parallel memory accesses while conserving both hardware and energy consumption. Comparing with the existing linear skewing and hyper-plane partitioning methodologies, our proposed technique exploits the regularity of tessellation patterns to assign memory bank and calculate intra-bank offset in a direct geometric-based manner, therefore not only quite intuitive to comprehend, but also quite straightforward to implement with hardware. To empirically validate our proposed tessellation-based methodology, we have implemented a baseline prototype with a standard Virtex 7 FPGA device and the Vivado HLS engine from Xilinx. Our experimental results have shown that on average for 5 benchmark applications from SPEC2006, compared with state-of-art methods, we have improvements in clock period of around 13%, memory overhead reduction of up to 100%, and reduction of DSP usage up to 100%.
Eric Allender: Solvable Groups

This chapter describes a pretty theorem by Allender, and connects it to the previous chapters’ discussion on partial results. Lipton and Regan shared their own idea for trying to extend Allender’s theorem, but an astute reader showed why it couldn’t work.
Being your own vet.

I read the what is your client thinking piece, ‘It’s so much harder to be your own vet’ ( VR , 13 January 2017, vol 182, p 35) with dismay and concern. My own view is completely opposite to that of …
Patterns of economic development and patterns of rural-urban migration in China

This paper examines three distinctive patterns of economic development in terms of their economic and migration outcomes in Zhejiang province, China. At the prefecture level, “trickle down” development works best in promoting rural development while reducing out-migration; but it requires a strong urban economy and sufficient investment. Rural household enterprise requires little government investment while boosting rural development; but it increases rural out-migration and, without a sound urban industrial base, is difficult to sustain in the long run. Rural collective industrialization achieves a better balance between rural development and out-migration. Future development should pay equal attention to rural development and urban expansion. The challenge should not be how to restrict but how to channel migration and capital flow.
Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: Short-term and long-term management

Abstract Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis remains the most common type of secondary osteoporosis because about 1% of the adult population has been prescribed oral glucocorticoids at any time. Glucocorticoids profoundly decrease osteoblastic function, quickly leading to increased fracture risk. Short-term management requires recognition of the acute increased fracture risk. For some patient groups, such as women of childbearing age, therapy is based on expert opinion. For long-term management, the general principle has been to continue osteoporosis treatment as long as the patient remains on oral glucocorticoids. Some side effects of bisphosphonate therapy may be increased in patients on glucocorticoid. For the patient at highest risk of fracture and likely to need long-term glucocorticoid treatment, use of an anabolic agent first should be considered.
Evaluation of Cotton Responses to Fomesafen-Based Treatments Applied Preemergence

Fomesafen provides effective control of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth in cotton. However, cotton seedlings can be injured when fomesafen is applied PRE. Therefore, greenhouse and field experiments were conducted at Athens, GA, and at six locations in Alabama and Georgia in 2013 and 2016 to evaluate cotton growth and yield response to fomesafen applied PRE at 70, 140, 280, 560, 1,120, or 2,240 g ai ha-1, and in combination with pendimethalin, diuron, acetochlor, and fluridone at 1× label rates. Greenhouse bioassays indicated that fomesafen reduced cotton height and dry weight with increasing rate in Cecil sandy loam and Tifton loamy sand but not in Greenville sandy clay loam--possibly as a result of this soil's higher organic matter (OM) and clay content. Fomesafen applied at 2,240 g ai ha-1 reduced cotton stand by as much as 83% compared to the nontreated check (NTC) at all field locations except Alabama's Macon and Baldwin counties, and 1,120 g ai ha-1 reduced cotton stand only at Pulaski County, GA, by 52%. Cotton height was reduced by the two highest rates of fomesafen at all locations except Clarke County, GA, and Baldwin County, AL. Injury data indicated more visual injury followed increasing fomesafen rates, and high-rate treatments produced more injury in sandier soils. Cotton yield was unaffected by herbicide treatments at any location, except for the 1,120 g ai ha-1 rate at Pulaski County (49% yield loss compared to NTC), 2,240 g ai ha-1 at Pulaski County (72% yield loss), and Tift County (29% yield loss). These data indicated cotton yield should not be negatively affected by fomesafen applied PRE alone within label rates or in combination with pendimethalin, diuron, acetochlor, and fluridone at 1× label rates, although some visual injury, or stand or height reduction may occur early in the growing season.Nomenclature: Acetochlor; diuron; fluridone; fomesafen; glyphosate; pendimethalin; Palmer amaranth, Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats.; cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L.
Reconsideration of Disappearing and Fusing Wrists

Please “bear” with me, but the diagnosis offered by Wegner, et al 1 is challenged. The wrist alterations in the presented radiologic image1 are identical to those noted in Figure 1 presented here, except that in this instance, it has progressed to partial fusion. However, neither this … Address correspondence to Dr. B.M. Rothschild, Department of Medicine, West Virginia University College of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia 26501, USA. E-mail: spondylair{at}gmail.com
Frequent Tail-tip Blood Sampling in Mice for the Assessment of Pulsatile Luteinizing Hormone Secretion.

In many endocrine systems, circulating factors or hormones are not released continuously, but are secreted as a discrete pulse in response to a releasing factor. Single-point sampling measures are inadequate to fully understand the biological significance of the secretory pattern of pulsatile hormones either under normal physiologic conditions or during conditions of dysregulation. Luteinizing hormone (LH) is synthesized by the anterior pituitary gonadotrope cells and secreted in a pulsatile pattern which requires frequent collection of blood samples for pulse assessment. This has not been possible in mice until recently, due to the development of a high-sensitivity LH assay and advancement in a technique for frequent low-volume sample collection, initially described by Steyn and colleagues.1 Here we describe a protocol for the frequent peripheral blood sample collection from mice with sufficient handling acclimatization to detect pulsatile secretion of LH. The current protocol details an expanded acclimatization period that allows assessment of robust and continuous pulses of LH over multiple hours. In this protocol, the tip of the tail is clipped and blood is collected from the tail using a hand-held pipette. For assessment of pulsatile LH in gonadectomized mice, serial samples are collected every 5-6 min for 90-180 min. Importantly, the collection of blood and measurement of robust pulses of LH can be accomplished in awake, freely behaving mice, given adequate handling acclimatization and effort to minimize environmental stressors. Sufficient acclimatization can be achieved within 4-5 weeks prior to blood collection. This protocol highlights advances in the methodology to ensure collection of whole blood samples for assessment of pulsatile LH secretion patterns over multiple hours in the mouse, a powerful animal model for neuroendocrine research.
Heme/Lymphvasculogenesis, Hem/Lymphangiogenesis, Hem/Lymphangiotumorigenesis, and Tumor Hem/Lymphangiogenesis: Need for a Terminology Adjustment

The lymphatic and blood vasculatures develop and function as parallel yet interacting systems. In part because of the prominence of the latter and the dire sequelae of some blood circulatory disturbances, the lymphatic vasculature has been appropriately recognized only in lymphogenous spread of cancer and in congenital and acquired peripheral lymphedema. From the perspective of the last century’s landmark contributions in basic and clinical lymphology leading to current understanding of structure–function relationships in the lymphatic system, coupled with recent advances in molecular lymphology, a terminology adjustment in the angiogenesis field is needed and indeed overdue. The prefix terms hem/heme- or lymph- should be used routinely to designate which of the two distinct vasculatures are “arising de novo” (vasculogenesis), “sprouting from preexistent vessels” (angiogenesis), “forming vascular tumors” (angiotumorigenesis), or “newly supplying or draining tumors” (tumor angiogenesis). Nondesignation of the prefix heme- or lymph- should be reserved for general reference to vasculatures or to an unknown or undetermined vasculature. In this presentation, the molecular and developmental pathways thought to be involved in these lymphatic and blood vascular processes will be summarized and specific clinical entities and examples along the spectrum of angiogenic disorders from benign to malignant highlighted to illustrate the importance of distinguishing the physiologic and pathophysiologic including neoplastic processes involving each of the two vasculatures and where they may interact, merge, or become indistinct and indistinguishable. Indeed, the success of targeted therapy directed at either or both depends on such understanding, clear terminology, and precisely addressing and articulating unanswered questions and unquestioned answers.
Orthobaric Liquid Densities and Dielectric Constants of Carbon Dioxide

Measurements of the orthobaric liquid densities and dielectric constants of carbon dioxide have been obtained at temperatures between 220 and 300 K. Densities were determined with a magnetic suspension densimeter, while a concentric cylinder capacitor was used for. measurements of dielectric constant. The experimental densities and dielectric constants have been used to compute values for the Clausius-Mossotti function. Comparisons with the experimental results of other investigators are presented.
A conceptual analysis of request teaching procedures for individuals with severely limited verbal repertoires

There have been many published reports of attempts to teach requests to individuals with severely limited verbal repertoires associated with developmental disabilities. Few of these studies used Skinner’s (1957) term mand to refer to the behavior taught, yet many seemed to be influenced by Skinner’s analysis. We analyzed procedures according to three variables: motivational conditions, supplemental stimulation, and consequences. Individuals with severely limited verbal repertoires provide unique opportunities to study how each of these three variables influence the acquisition of requests. Our analysis indicated that several different procedures were effective in teaching requests, however the degree of supplemental stimulation for the requests varied greatly. Future request teaching programs should consider how each of these three variables influences targeted responses as well as how these variables influence generalization from teaching contexts to nonteaching contexts.
Competition between Exceptionally Long‐Range Alkyl Sidechain Ordering and Backbone Ordering in Semiconducting Polymers and Its Impact on Electronic and Optoelectronic Properties

Intra- and intermolecular ordering greatly impact the electronic and optoelectronic properties of semiconducting polymers. Despite much prior efforts regarding molecular packing, the interrelationship between ordering of alkyl sidechains and conjugated backbones has not been fully detailed. We report here the discovery of a highly ordered alkyl sidechain phase in six representative semiconducting polymers, determined from distinct spectroscopic and diffraction signatures. The sidechain ordering exhibits unusually large coherence lengths of at least 70 nm, induces torsional/twisting backbone disorder, and results in a vertically layered multilayer nanostructure with ordered sidechain layers alternating with disordered backbone layers. Calorimetry and in-situ variable temperature scattering measurements in a model system PBnDT-FTAZ clearly delineate this competition of ordering that prevents the simultaneous long-range order of both moieties. The long-range sidechain ordering can be exploited as a transient state to fabricate PBnDT-FTAZ films with an atypical edge-on texture and 2.5x improved OFET mobility. The observed influence of ordering between the moieties implies that improved molecular design could produce synergistic rather than destructive ordering effects. Given the large sidechain coherence lengths observed, such synergistic ordering should greatly improve the coherence length of backbone ordering and thereby improve electronic and optoelectronic properties such as charge transport and exciton diffusion lengths.
Mobility and Memory: British Architects and Their Tools, ca. 1700-1780

Objects such as tools play an essential role in the history of architecture, yet little scholarly attention has been paid to how they inform the history of the profession. Britain’s object-based culture after the Restoration is particularly revelatory. Both professional and amateur architectural practice shifted away from the gentry as increased accessibility to resources encouraged avocation. This essay looks at objects that testify to a culture of architectural practice beyond professionals and gentlemen, as tools and materials to facilitate drawing became more affordable and portable.
THE AIR IN THERE: EARLY CARDIAC TAMPONADE DUE TO PNEUMOPERICARDIUM AS A COMPLICATION OF ADVANCED MESOTHELIOMA

Cardiac tamponade is commonly due to fluid or blood in the pericardial space. We describe a case of pneumopericardium leading to echocardiographic findings consistent with early cardiac tamponade. A 75 year old male with mesothelioma presented with dyspnea. Initial blood pressure was stable at 123/
Introduction: Lessons in Leadership

The idea for Lesson in Leadership in the Field of Educational Technology grew out of a presidential panel sesson at the 2017 international convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, titled From the Classroom to the Board Room: Becoming an Administrative Leader at Your Institution. We were joined by Marcy Driscoll, Dean of the College of Education at Florida State University, Allison Carr-Chellman, Dean of the College of Education at the University of Idaho, Kay Persichitte, Professor Emeritus and former Dean of the College of Education at the University of Wyoming and Jason Huett, Associate Dean of Online Development and University System of Georgia eCampus. During that presentation, we briefly discussed our individual journeys into administration, some of the advantages and challenges along the way, and what we would have like to have known when we began our administrative careers.
Study of laser-driven magnetic fields with a continuous wave Faraday rotation diagnostic

Magnetic fields driven by a laser in coil targets were studied for laser energies of ∼25 J and two pulse durations of 2.8 ns and 70 ps. Axial magnetic fields in the coils were measured by continuous wave Faraday rotation diagnostics. The diagnostics indicated magnetic fields of 6–14 T in the coil and currents of 10–20 kA. Magnetic fields were compared for similar laser targets, focusing conditions, and laser energies. A 30-times increase in the intensity of the laser beam by reducing the pulse duration resulted in an increase in the magnetic field and current by a factor of 2. The relaxation time of the magnetic pulse was on the sub-microsecond scale.
Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) and the Implications for Vestibular Schwannoma and Meningioma Pathogenesis

Patients diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) are extremely likely to develop meningiomas, in addition to vestibular schwannomas. Meningiomas are a common primary brain tumor; many NF2 patients suffer from multiple meningiomas. In NF2, patients have mutations in the NF2 gene, specifically with loss of function in a tumor-suppressor protein that has a number of synonymous names, including: Merlin, Neurofibromin 2, and schwannomin. Merlin is a 70 kDa protein that has 10 different isoforms. The Hippo Tumor Suppressor pathway is regulated upstream by Merlin. This pathway is critical in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis, characteristics that are important for tumor progression. Mutations of the NF2 gene are strongly associated with NF2 diagnosis, leading to benign proliferative conditions such as vestibular schwannomas and meningiomas. Unfortunately, even though these tumors are benign, they are associated with significant morbidity and the potential for early mortality. In this review, we aim to encompass meningiomas and vestibular schwannomas as they pertain to NF2 by assessing molecular genetics, common tumor types, and tumor pathogenesis.
Digital almost nets.

Digital nets (in base $2$) are the subsets of $[0,1]^d$ that contain the expected number of points in every not-too-small dyadic box. We construct sets that contain almost the expected number of points in every such box, but which are exponentially smaller than the digital nets. We also establish a lower bound on the size of such almost nets.
Cooperative Inverters to Overcome PLL Malfunctions

This article introduces a cooperative strategy between grid-interactive inverters to prevent undesired trips of inverters due to Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) malfunctions. The PLL is typically used to measure the inverter’s phase-angle at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC). Accurate phase-angle measurement is critical for grid-interactive inverters to stay synchronized with the power grid and independently control active and reactive power. The cooperative strategy utilizes the phase-angles of inverters at their PCCs in a region to identify any possible PLL malfunctions, exchanges data, and then enables the inverters to make corrective decisions. In this article, the efficacy of the cooperative strategy is verified through simulation results in MATLAB/Simulink environment.
Chemotherapy plus immunotherapy versus chemotherapy plus bevacizumab versus chemotherapy alone in EGFR-mutant NSCLC after progression on osimertinib

Abstract Introduction : Patients with EGFR-mutant lung cancer who have had disease progression on osimertinib commonly receive platinum doublet chemotherapy, but whether adding immunotherapy or bevacizumab provides additional benefit is unknown. Methods : This was a retrospective analysis at 2 university-affiliated institutions. Patients with EGFR-mutant lung cancer who had progression on osimertinib and received next-line therapy with platinum doublet chemotherapy (chemo), platinum doublet chemotherapy plus immunotherapy (chemo-IO), or platinum doublet chemotherapy plus bevacizumab (chemo-bev), were identified; patients who continued osimertinib with these regimens were included. Efficacy outcomes including duration on treatment (DOT) and overall survival (OS) from the start of chemotherapy were assessed. Associations of treatment regimen with outcomes were evaluated using adjusted Cox regression models, using pairwise comparisons between groups. Results : 104 patients were included: 57 received chemo, 12 received chemo-IO, and 35 received chemo-bev. In adjusted models, patients who received chemo-IO had worse OS than did those who received chemo (hazard ratio (HR) 2.66, 95% CI 1.25-5.65; p=0.011) or those who received chemo-bev (HR 2.37, 95% CI 1.09-5.65; p=0.030). A statistically significant difference in OS could not be detected in patients who received chemo-bev versus those who received chemo (HR 1.50, 95% CI 0.84-2.69; p=0.17). Conclusions : In this retrospective study, giving immunotherapy with platinum doublet chemotherapy after progression on osimertinib was associated with a worse OS compared with platinum doublet chemotherapy alone. Platinum doublet chemotherapy without immunotherapy (with consideration of continuation of osimertinib, in selected cases) is a reasonable choice in this setting, while we await results of clinical trials examining optimal next-line chemotherapy-based regimens in EGFR-mutant lung cancer. Micro Abstract : Optimal treatment of EGFR-mutated lung cancer after progression on osimertinib is unknown. We retrospectively evaluated outcomes in patients who received platinum doublet chemotherapy alone or in combination with immunotherapy or bevacizumab. We found that the addition of immunotherapy to chemotherapy was associated with worse survival; statistically significant differences in survival could not be detected with the addition of bevacizumab to chemotherapy.
A computationally efficient clustering linear combination approach to jointly analyze multiple phenotypes for GWAS

There has been an increasing interest in joint analysis of multiple phenotypes in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) because jointly analyzing multiple phenotypes may increase statistical power to detect genetic variants associated with complex diseases or traits. Recently, many statistical methods have been developed for joint analysis of multiple phenotypes in genetic association studies, including the Clustering Linear Combination (CLC) method. The CLC method works particularly well with phenotypes that have natural groupings, but due to the unknown number of clusters for a given data, the final test statistic of CLC method is the minimum p-value among all p-values of the CLC test statistics obtained from each possible number of clusters. Therefore, a simulation procedure must be used to evaluate the p-value of the final test statistic. This makes the CLC method computationally demanding. We develop a new method called computationally efficient CLC (ceCLC) to test the association between multiple phenotypes and a genetic variant. Instead of using the minimum p-value as the test statistic in the CLC method, ceCLC uses the Cauchy combination test to combine all p-values of the CLC test statistics obtained from each possible number of clusters. The test statistic of ceCLC approximately follows a standard Cauchy distribution, so the p-value can be obtained from the cumulative density function without the need for the simulation procedure. Through extensive simulation studies and application on the COPDGene data, the results demonstrate that the type I error rates of ceCLC are effectively controlled in different simulation settings and ceCLC either outperforms all other methods or has statistical power that is very close to the most powerful method with which it has been compared.
The Diffusion of Pastebin Tools to Enhance Communication in FLOSS Mailing Lists

This paper describes how software developers who use mailing lists to communicate reacted and adjusted to a new supplementary collaboration tool, called a pastebin service. Using publicly-available archives of 8800 mailing lists, we examine the adoption of the pastebin tool by software developers and compare it to the model presented in Diffusion of Innovation (DoI) theory. We then compare the rate at which software developers decided whether to accept or reject the new pastebin tools. We find that the overall rate of pastebin adoption follows the S-curve predicted by classic DoI theory. We then compare the individual pastebin services and their rates of adoption, as well as the reaction of different communities to the new tools and the various rationales for accepting or rejecting them.
Effects of PEEP on Air Embolism and ICP During Neurosurgical Procedures in the Sitting Position

The main venous drainage from the posterior fossa and posterior cervical region is through the cervical vertebral venous plexus (4, 5, 8, 10).
Engaging the Public Policy Agenda: A Conference on Accountability and Financial Support of Public Higher Education

An institute of higher education charged with the mission of teaching, research, and service (increasingly referred to as outreach and engagement), such as the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia, must explore mechanisms for integrating these three broad responsibilities. At the same time, such an institute must initiate specific activities to invigorateand make operational the notion of engagement, which is arguably the least understood and least employed of the three missions. This article describes one such activity of engagement by the Institute of Higher Education: the development and implementation of the conference, “Accountability and Financial Support of Public Higher Education.” This forum brought together representatives of the higher education community and some of its sponsoring constituencies in order to examine issues and advance the dialogue surrounding the assessment and funding of state-supported higher education.
Teaching and Learning Negotiation in a Simulated Environment

The essay, written by a raving ADR fanatic, discusses several points pertaining to participatory learning in law school negotiation courses.
Physicochemical basis of the recognition process in nucleic acid interactions. I. Interactions of polyuridylic acid and nucleosides.

Interaction of adenosine and poly U† was studied by equilibrium dialysis, solubility, optical rotation, ultracentrifugation and viscosity measurements. Only when a threshold concentration of adenosine is reached does binding of adenosine to poly U take place in a co-operative manner, with a stacking energy of 5 to 6 kcal. estimated from the adsorption isotherm. The complex thus formed has an ordered structure, presumably helical, and, as expected, a molecular weight higher than that of poly U. The stability of the complex, besides being highly dependent on the concentration of adenosine, is influenced by ionic strength and temperature in a manner similar to the system of polynucleotide interaction. The stoichiometry of the complex is 1A to 2U at 5°C and becomes 1A to 1U at 20°C. This interaction is specific, with the possible involvement of N-1,6-amino and N-7 of adenosine in the hydrogen-bonding scheme, while the pentose moiety has a relatively insignificant role. Other studies from our laboratories have shown that both purines and nucleosides associate to form stacks in aqueous solution as a result of hydrophobic and stacking energy. It is proposed that these adenosine stacks are bound to poly U through specific hydrogen bonding. Thus, both hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic stacking energy co-operate and complement each other in providing the driving forces for this interaction.