cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Actin impacts the late stages of prion formation and prion propagation

In yeast, the [ PSI + ] and [ PIN + ] prions are aggregated forms of the Sup35 and Rnq1 proteins, respectively. The cellular mechanisms that underlie the formation and propagation of these prion states are not clearly understood. Our previous work suggested that actin networks play a role in early and late steps of the formation of [ PSI + ]. To further explore how actin impacts yeast prions, we turned to a set of actin point mutants. We found that the disruption of actin cables, either by an actin destabilizing drug or the act1-101 mutant, can enhance prion formation during the later stages of prion formation. Our data suggest that under normal conditions, actin cables play a role in limiting the inheritance of newly made prion particles to daughter cells. We also found actin can impact prion propagation. The act1-122 mutant, which contains a substitution in the fimbrin binding region, destabilized the [ PIN + ] prion over time. This is the first evidence that actin has a role in [ PIN + ] propagation. Taken together, our findings reveal novel roles for actin in the formation and propagation of prions.
Goal-predictive robotic teleoperation from noisy sensors

Robotic teleoperation from a human operator's pose demonstrations provides an intuitive and effective means of control that has been made feasible by improvements in sensor technologies in recent years. However, the imprecision of low-cost depth cameras and the difficulty of calibrating a frame of reference for the operator introduce inefficiencies in this process when performing tasks that require interactions with objects in the robot's workspace. We develop a goal-predictive teleoperation system that aids in “de-noising” the controls of the operator to be more goal-directed. Our approach uses inverse optimal control to predict the intended object of interaction from the current motion trajectory in real time and then adapts the degree of autonomy between the operator's demonstrations and autonomous completion of the predicted task. We evaluate our approach using the Microsoft Kinect depth camera as our input sensor to control a Rethink Robotics Baxter robot.
Ethical vs. Unethical Advertisements: Evaluation and Recall: An Abstract

This study begins to address the role of those advertisements with an ethical or unethical message. Past research has focused on the role of ethical products or deceptive advertising messages based upon product/service attributes. This research looks at another form of ethical advertising, the role of the message that is independent of the product/service. Those associations of this branded message can impact consumer response and their social judgment of the ethicality of the advertisement. Through an experimental design, with a one-week delay, we note that there are no recall effects based upon the ethical valence of the ad. Those ads judged as unethical were also more negatively evaluated, but the overall evaluation of the ad decreased for both ethical and unethical ads over time. Implications and future research are discussed.
“Point Men”: How religious women soldiers may restore Israel’s “Citizens’ Army”

ABSTRACTIt can be said that “a religious woman who decides to enlist in the IDF finds herself in two minorities: a woman in what is viewed as a man’s world and a religious person in a secular environment.” The recent phenomenon of women, particularly religious women, enlisting in the IDF has become a focal point among contending forces in Israel. Their presence in the IDF raises issues that go straight to the place where the military, civil society, religion, and state intersect. They are “point men” in a looming crisis over whether Israel will continue to field a military congruent with the founding model of a “people’s army” infused with a unitary set of nationally accepted norms, or whether it will become the prize in a competition among identity groups intent on recreating the IDF in accordance with their particular set of values. Religious women soldiers stand to play a far more significant role in settling these questions than their small number might suggest. The trend they have set in motion may h...
Unmalted Grains as Maltsters' Adjuvant and Brewers' Adjunct1

Unmalted cereal grains are a potentially attractive material for brewing. A range of cereals was evaluated by chemical analysis, in pilot scale operations, and by sensory analysis of the beers prod...
Quantitative ultrasound of the tongue: gray scale level and quantitative backscatter analysis approaches for detection of disease-related changes in ALS (P3.141)

Objective: 1) To characterize how gray scale level (GSL) and quantitative backscatter analysis (QBA) distinguish healthy and diseased tongue muscle; 2) To assess how echo intensity (EI) values generated by the two quantitative ultrasound (QUS) methods correlate with ALSFRS-R bulbar sub-scores in patients. Background: Bulbar dysfunction translates into major disability in the course of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but remains difficult to measure objectively. Tools that quantify associated changes in muscle are needed to evaluate disease progression and therapeutic response. As a method that detects structural alterations in limb and neck muscles early in ALS, QUS could also be used to measure tongue echo intensity (EI). EI increases in the setting of disease, and can be determined by GSL and QBA approaches. Design/Methods: Tongue ultrasound was performed using a linear 16–7 MHz transducer in 19 healthy and 5 ALS participants. The median EI of each image was ascertained using both GSL and QBA techniques. ALSFRS-R bulbar sub-scores were calculated for patients. Mann-Whitney tests were completed to compare the healthy and patient data sets. Spearman correlations were used to assess the relationship between EI and ALSFRS-R bulbar sub-score for patients. Results: Compared to that in the healthy cohort, the median EI was higher in the ALS group according to both methods; the between-group difference reached significance with both GSL and QBA (p=0.02 and 0.04 respectively). Further, EI values were negatively correlated with ALSFRS-R bulbar sub-scores using GSL and QBA (ρ=−0.97 p= 0.03 for both techniques). Conclusions: GSL and QBA are two ultrasound analysis methods that may be used to quantify ALS-related changes in tongue muscle. Here GSL and QBA data were strongly correlated with a standard metric of bulbar status in ALS patients. Data collection is underway to further explore the role of QUS parameters as biomarkers for bulbar dysfunction in motor neuron disease. Study Supported by: NIH grant F32DC014382 Disclosure: Dr. McIlduff has nothing to disclose. Dr. Yim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pacheck has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mijailovic has nothing to disclose. Dr. Qi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rutkove holds stock and/or stock options in Skulpt, Inc.
Some Aspects of the Developing Brain and Nervous System

As knowledge of human development increases, the sobering reality is becoming evident that the foundations for much of our life as adults, including our state of mind and life, are established in our mother’s womb prior to birth. Growth and development of the brain, the most complex organ not only in the body, but probably in the universe, is unique in many respects. As with other cells, those of the nervous system have identical genomic DNA sequences (the template of our heredity and instruction sets for gene expression); however, they develop into strikingly different and unique phenotypes. Neurons, the cells responsible for signaling, conducting, and communication, convert a variety of stimuli into control of short- and long-term memory, consciousness, and behavior. By late-gestation in the developing fetus, following a “brain growth spurt” neuron number is established with only modest postnatal neurogenesis other than in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and the periventricular and subventricular zones (PVZ and SVZ). Supporting astrocytes and glial cells follow a similar course, with a delay of several weeks. Maturation of oligodendrocytes with formation of myelin follows a much later time course. In view of the complexity of orchestrated neurogenesis with axon and dendrite formation during this period of rapid growth, specialized cell type differentiation with their neurotransmitters, migration, the connectivity of literally billions of synapses, and selective cell death, the brain is exquisitely sensitive to factors that may alter and interfere with its normal pattern of growth and development (Fig. 12.1).
Binocularity and Stereopsis in the Evolution of Vertebrate Vision

The investigation of the visual system forms a major part of the effort to compose a more comprehensive picture of the evolution of brain and behavior in vertebrates. The major thrust of this chapter is to consider the emergence of binocular vision and stereopsis as it is now revealed by quite recent anatomical, behavioral, and electrophysiological evidence.
Importing Data from Other Programs and Databases: HL7 Interfaces

The timely and accurate acquisition of information (data) from multiple sources is important to the good care of a patient. As an example, consider a pediatrician who is evaluating a 6-year-old girl with short stature who has just moved into town. The first piece of information to acquire is the girl’s growth chart from her previous caregiver. The next pieces of information to acquire are any laboratory values from any previous short stature workup—these values may be in the paper chart from the previous caregiver or they may reside on one or more centralized lab computers. Armed with this information the pediatrician can initiate the next steps in the workup, which may include some standard tests run at the local hospital, some much less common endocrine tests that are sent out to a national lab, and radiographic studies including potentially plain radiographs for bone age and, if indicated, an MRI of the hypothalamic-pituitary region. The more seamlessly the pediatrician is able to access the results of this diagnostic workup, the more efficiently care can be delivered—avoiding, for example, repeating tests when results are unavailable and evidence of a specimen having been sent is unavailable. In the paper world, transport, importation, and integration of this information takes place via fax, mail, manual collation of paper, and filing of paper into the paper record. The analogues in the electronic world are outlined in this chapter.
Strategies in population development for the improvement of Fe efficiency in soybean.

Iron (Fe) deficiency in some soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] genotypes is observed when they are grown on calcareous soil. Leaves become chlorotic at early stages of development. Plants may recover later in the season; however, yield reduction occurs. The improvement of Fe-efficiency in soybean is an objective of the soybean breeding project at Iowa State University. For cultivar development, the usefulness of single-cross and backcross, and of single-cross, backcross, and three-way cross populations was evaluated in two studies. High-yielding genotypes were crossed to highly Fe-efficient lines to obtain single crosses. The F2-derived lines of these crosses were evaluated for Fe efficiency on calcareous soil, and the most efficient lines were backcrossed to the high-yielding parent. For the three-way crosses, the selected lines were crossed to a third parent. Evaluation of lines for seed yield and Fe efficiency was conducted. Results indicated that high-yielding genotypes with improved Fe efficiency can be obtained from all population types. In both studies, the backcross populations had the highest yield and the lowest level of Fe efficiency. The single crosses had the highest level of Fe efficiency, but the lowest mean yield. The three-way crosses were intermediate to the single-cross and the backcrosses for seed yield and were similar in Fe efficiency to the backcrosses. For germplasm development, a recurrent selection program has been successful in improving Fe efficiency. Highly Fe-efficient genotypes have been released from this research.
Uncertainty Quantification of Concrete Utilized in Dry Cask Storage

The objective of this paper is to analyze the uncertainty in radiation dose rate estimates outside of a used nuclear fuel (UNF) dry cask storage unit due to the parametric variability of concrete c...
Distributed Formation Control and Navigation of Fixed-wing UAVs at Constant Altitude

We present a distributed control strategy for a team of fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), such that they achieve a desired formation and travel along a desired direction at a constant altitude. We describe the motion of UAVs with the kinematic unicycle model, and impose the constraints that the airspeed and turning rate of UAVs must satisfy some practical bounds. Based on this model, a control strategy is proposed, and local convergence of the team to the desired formation and travel direction is proved. The control direction returned by our strategy is well-suited as a high-level motion planning input to a low-level UAV autopilot, which can compensate for the aerodynamics, wind effects, disturbances, etc., that are not accounted for in the unicycle model. The proposed strategy is fully distributed and can be implemented using relative position measurements acquired by UAVs in their local coordinate frames. Furthermore, UAVs do not need to communicate. Simulations are provided to typify the proposed strategy.
Comparison of Simplified Theories for Folded Plates

The fundamental principles underlying several simplified theories for prismatic folded plates (ignoring torsional moments, longitudinal bending moments, and shear deformations) are examined, and the close relationships existing among them are demonstrated. The theories are classified into groups, and in the process three new methods of analysis are developed.
Xm 2 Scores for Estimating Total Exposure to Multimodal Strategies Identified by Pharmacists for Managing Pain: Validity Testing and Clinical Relevance

Objective. To assess the validity of an exposure score obtained from the Xm2 tool for all pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies used by individuals to manage chronic pain. Methods. Using data from individuals with chronic pain, eXposure multimodal (Xm2) scores were calculated by assigning one point for every 100 mg of morphine equivalent used (opioid medications); 25% of the maximum recommended exposure used (nonopioid medications); and any use of another strategy then summed. Content, criterion, construct, and convergent validity were assessed. Results. The sample of 149 individuals used a mean of 12.6 (SD = 4.6) strategies to manage pain and had a mean Xm2 score of 16.8 (SD = 9.1). Content validity was established by demonstrating that the pain management strategies identified were also reported in the literature. Criterion validity was established by the positive association of exposure scores with the following: interference with work (odds ratio (OR) = 2.23, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.14–4.36), daily activities (OR = 2.10, CI = 1.07–4.13), relationships (OR = 1.98, CI = 1.01–3.88), and leisure activities (OR = 2.31, CI = 1.18–4.50); workdays missed (OR = 5.10, CI = 1.92–13.58); emergency department visits (OR = 3.40, CI = 1.17–9.91); hospitalizations (OR = 4.18, CI = 0.86–20.37); and by a negative association with satisfaction (OR = 0.40, CI = 0.18–0.88). Construct validity was established by the positive association of exposure with baseline pain intensity ( ) and odds of experiencing an adverse event (OR = 2.31, CI = 1.18–4.52). Convergent validity was established through correlations of pain intensity from the Xm2 score and existing quantitative analgesic questionnaire (QAQ) score. Discussion. Xm2 scores represent a valid estimate of total exposure to multimodal strategies used and provide clinically relevant information for deciding what strategies to use at what level.
Treatment and outcome of invasive urothelial carcinoma in patients after renal transplantation: A single-center experience.

e15522 Background: Optimal management and clinical outcome of urothelial cell carcinoma in renal transplant recipients are not well-defined. Optimal management can be challenging due to the immunos...
Modulation of the NOD-like receptors NOD1 and NOD2: A chemist's perspective

The innate immune system is the body's first defense against invading microorganisms, relying on the recognition of bacterial-derived small molecules by host protein receptors. This recognition event and downstream immune response rely heavily on the specific chemical features of both the innate immune receptors and their bacterial derived ligands. This review presents a chemist's perspective on some of the most crucial and complex components of two receptors (NOD1 and NOD2): starting from the structural and chemical characteristics of bacterial-derived small molecules, to the specific proposed models of molecular recognition of these molecules by immune receptors, to the subsequent post-translational modifications that ultimately dictate downstream immune signaling. Recent advances in the field are discussed, as well as the potential for the development of targeted therapeutics.
Author Correction: Synchronized Biventricular Heart Pacing in a Closed-chest Porcine Model based on Wirelessly Powered Leadless Pacemakers.

Author(s): Lyu, Hongming; John, Mathews; Burkland, David; Greet, Brian; Post, Allison; Babakhani, Aydin; Razavi, Mehdi | Abstract: An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Political Liberalism, Western History, and the Conjectural Non-West

Taking its distance from classical liberalism, political liberalism seeks to avoid controversial metaphysical assumptions by starting from institutional features of modern polities. Political liber...
“I Gotta Touch that?” Attitudes and Self-Efficacy of Pre-Service Teachers Regarding Scary or Disgusting Science

This study focused on our teaching efforts in regard to preparing preservice teachers to one day teach children about ecological concepts that many find scary or disgusting. Specifically, we examined the attitudes these preservice teachers had towards certain invertebrates. These attitudes were compared to their self-efficacy towards teaching about them. A multiple case study design was used, involving both qualitative and quantitative data. Participants were categorized as having positive, neutral, or negative attitudes towards the invertebrates and activities. Self-efficacy for participants’ perceived ability to teach these concepts were categorized as high, medium, or low. Correlations were run to examine relationships between variables of attitudes and self-efficacy. Participants demonstrated more negative than positive reactions towards the invertebrates. Positive correlations between attitudes towards invertebrates and their self-efficacy towards teaching about them were found. This indicates that if we want future teachers to be comfortable teaching about the scary and disgusting aspects of an ecosystem, we need to find ways to help them improve their attitudes towards those aspects of the outdoors.
Ultrasound vibro-elastography for assessing mechanical properties of porcine reproductive tissues in an ex vivo model

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to use ultrasound vibro-elastography (UVE) for measuring surface wave speed and assessing mechanical properties of ex vivo porcine reproductive tissues, including the uterus, bladder, cornua and cervix. Methods In UVE, a 0.1-s harmonic vibration at low frequency was generated on the tissue surface with a handheld shaker. A linear-array ultrasound probe was used to measure the resulting surface wave propagation. Surface wave speeds of tissues were measured in the frequency range of 100–300 Hz. Mechanical properties of the tissue were calculated based on wave speed dispersion with frequency. Findings The obtained results showed that the surface wave speeds of porcine bladder, cervix, cornua and uterus increased with frequency. There were no statistically significant differences in the wave speeds or mechanical properties among the porcine bladder, cervix, cornua and uterus. Interpretation Experimental data obtained in this study may be used as a reference to study in vivo surface wave speed or mechanical properties for porcine or human reproductive tissues.
Introduction to a Special Section on the Effects of the Dating Matters Model on Secondary Outcomes: Results from a Comparative Effectiveness Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Teen dating violence (TDV) affects millions of young people in the USA each year (Basile et al. 2020) and is associated with a myriad of negative consequences across the lifespan, including placing individuals at greater risk for experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in their more permanent relationships in adulthood (Exner-Cortens et al. Pediatrics 131(1):71–78 Exner-Cortens et al. 2013; Exner-Cortens et al. Journal of Adolescent Health 60(2):176–183 Exner-Cortens et al. 2017). The CDC developed the Dating Matters®: Strategies to Promote Healthy Teen Relationships comprehensive prevention model to prevent TDV and its consequences among young people, and it was found to be effective at reducing TDV perpetration and victimization compared with another evidence-based program (Niolon et al. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 57(1):13–23 Niolon et al. 2019). Dating Matters addresses multiple risk and protective factors for TDV through its multiple components, many of which are shared risk and protective factors for other forms of violence and risk behaviors among adolescents. This article introduces this special section, which includes three papers examining these secondary outcomes of the Dating Matters comparative effectiveness, multi-site, longitudinal cluster randomized controlled trial and concludes with an invited commentary by Debnam and Temple (2020). This introduction briefly discusses the Dating Matters comprehensive prevention model, the comparative effectiveness trial used to evaluate effectiveness, the outcomes examined by the three papers included in this special section and the commentary from external reviewers. This special section makes an important contribution to the field of violence prevention, highlighting a preventive intervention for TDV that addresses a constellation of risk and protective factors and demonstrating its effects on multiple adolescent risk and violence outcomes.
Speech and Language

Assessment in this domain examines an individual’s skill with oral and written language. In regard to oral communication, testing focuses on the mechanics of speech, as well as the understanding and instrumental use of language (receptive and expressive language, respectively). In regard to written communication, test instruments examine recognition and usage of spelling, grammar and punctuation, and meaningful self-expression. In addition, speech-language assessment focuses on pragmatic language (i.e., the more concrete, practical language skills necessary to engage successfully in daily interactions). Making requests, responding to questions, or taking turns in a conversation are important examples of pragmatic language.
The impact of individual conflict experiences on proximal task performance in a multi-team context

Conflict is a dynamic phenomenon that may manifest in different fashions over time. In understanding conflict in small groups and teams, however, much of our understanding is still limited around t...
Efficient TMS-Based Motor Cortex Mapping Using Gaussian Process Active Learning

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) can be used to map cortical motor topography by spatially sampling the sensorimotor cortex while recording Motor Evoked Potentials (MEP) with surface electromyography (EMG). Traditional sampling strategies are time-consuming and inefficient, as they ignore the fact that responsive sites are typically sparse and highly spatially correlated. An alternative approach, commonly employed when TMS mapping is used for presurgical planning, is to leverage the expertise of the coil operator to use MEPs elicited by previous stimuli as feedback to decide which loci to stimulate next. In this paper, we propose to automatically infer optimal future stimulus loci using active learning Gaussian Process-based sampling in place of user expertise. We first compare the user-guided (USRG) method to the traditional grid selection method and randomized sampling to verify that the USRG approach has superior performance. We then compare several novel active Gaussian Process (GP) strategies with the USRG approach. Experimental results using real data show that, as expected, the USRG method is superior to the grid and random approach in both time efficiency and MEP map accuracy. We also found that an active warped GP entropy and a GP random-based strategy performed equally as well as, or even better than, the USRG method. These methods were completely automatic, and succeeded in efficiently sampling the regions in which the MEP response variations are largely confined. This work provides the foundation for highly efficient, fully automatized TMS mapping, especially when considered in the context of advances in robotic coil operation.
Hear no evil? investigating relationships between mindfulness and moral disengagement at work

To date, over forty-seven studies have examined the antecedents and outcomes of Moral Disengagement (MD) mechanisms used to rationalize unethical behavior. However, none have examined its relations...
From the Problem to its Mathematical Formulation

This chapter will cover the fundamentals of modeling problems such as the one introduced in the previous chapter but now with a view to modeling and solving much larger problems. By modeling we mean taking all the features of the original industrial or commercial problem and encapsulating the ideas in it as a mathematical programming problem. We aim for a one-to-one correspondence between the original problem and the model.
Perinatal Outcomes and Unconventional Natural Gas Operations in Southwest Pennsylvania

Unconventional gas drilling (UGD) has enabled extraordinarily rapid growth in the extraction of natural gas. Despite frequently expressed public concern, human health studies have not kept pace. We investigated the association of proximity to UGD in the Marcellus Shale formation and perinatal outcomes in a retrospective cohort study of 15,451 live births in Southwest Pennsylvania from 2007–2010. Mothers were categorized into exposure quartiles based on inverse distance weighted (IDW) well count; least exposed mothers (first quartile) had an IDW well count less than 0.87 wells per mile, while the most exposed (fourth quartile) had 6.00 wells or greater per mile. Multivariate linear (birth weight) or logistical (small for gestational age (SGA) and prematurity) regression analyses, accounting for differences in maternal and child risk factors, were performed. There was no significant association of proximity and density of UGD with prematurity. Comparison of the most to least exposed, however, revealed lower birth weight (3323 ± 558 vs 3344 ± 544 g) and a higher incidence of SGA (6.5 vs 4.8%, respectively; odds ratio: 1.34; 95% confidence interval: 1.10–1.63). While the clinical significance of the differences in birth weight among the exposure groups is unclear, the present findings further emphasize the need for larger studies, in regio-specific fashion, with more precise characterization of exposure over an extended period of time to evaluate the potential public health significance of UGD.
Paper-Based Device for Rapid Visualization of NADH Based on Dissolution of Gold Nanoparticles

We describe a paper-based device that enables rapid and sensitive room-temperature detection of dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) via a colorimetric readout and demonstrate its value for monitoring NAD+-driven enzymatic reactions. Our system is based on NADH-mediated inhibition of gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) dissolution in a Au3+-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) solution. We fabricated a device consisting of a mixed cellulose ester paper featuring a wax-encircled, AuNP-coated film atop a cotton absorbent layer sandwiched between two plastic cover layers. In the absence of NADH, the Au3+-CTAB complex dissolves the AuNP layer completely, generating a white color in the test zone. In the presence of NADH, Au3+ is rapidly reduced to Au+, greatly decreasing the dissolution of AuNPs and yielding a red color that becomes stronger at increasing concentrations of NADH. This device exploits capillary force-assisted vertical diffusion, allowing us to apply a 25 μL sample to a surface-confined test z...
A Novel Coding Scheme for Indexing Fingerprint Patterns

Indexing is the process of assigning a numerical value to a database entry in order to facilitate its rapid retrieval. Indexing a fingerprint database can reduce the search space and improve the response time of an identification system. We discuss a novel method for generating index codes for fingerprint images by using a small set of pre-determined reference fingerprints. In the proposed method, the match scores generated by comparing an input fingerprint with the reference fingerprints are subjected to a discretization function, which converts them into an index code. A search mechanism based on the Hamming distance identifies those index codes in the database that are similar to the code of the input image. The proposed technique has several advantages: it obviates the need to extract complex features from the fingerprint image; it utilizes the matcher that is already associated with a particular application; and it can be used to index any biometric database irrespective of the trait or matcher being used. Experimental results on two fingerprint databases (NIST-4 and WVU) indicate that the proposed encoding scheme generates index codes that are well-scattered thereby allowing noisy query images to be indexed correctly.
Bistatic SAR image registration accuracy

An investigation of the effect of bistatic angle on the accuracy of registering a monostatic image of a target to a bistatic image of the same target is presented in this paper. Cross-correlation registration degradation is related to the decorrelation of a monostatic image with a bistatic image with respect to bistatic angle. This paper illuminates the absence of an image registration technique that is specifically designed for aspect-diverse bistatic images. Traditional monostatic image registration is not sufficient for bistatic images.
Quasi-ray Gaussian beam algorithms for subsurface sensing in the presence of a moderately rough air-soil interface

A major source of variability in ground penetrating radar (GPR) interrogating signals is related to reflection from, and (double) transmission through, the rough unknown air-soil interface which obscures the useful target-scattered signals. These considerations motivated our recent investigations toward a more robust, physics-based, adaptive approach to subsurface imaging in the presence of a moderately (both in height and slope) rough air-soil interface. The proposed approach entails prior estimation of the deterministic gross features of the rough interface and subsequent exploitation of this information to enhance underground target imaging. So far, this approach has been applied to two-dimensional (2D) frequency-stepped and pulsed GPR configurations, for slightly lossy soils and low-contrast mine-like targets, yielding encouraging results. In this paper, we briefly review the proposed framework and discuss some representative results.
The Integration of Retail Space Markets

Executive Summary. This study estimates optimized portfolios on an efficient frontier of real estate investment in the retail sector of fifty-eight metropolitan markets (MSAs), using quarterly samp...
Newt Lung Epithelial Cells: Cultivation, Use, and Advantages for Biomedical Research

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the cultivation, structure, advantages, and potential uses of ciliated and nonciliated newt lung epithelial cells (NLC). When compared to cells from other organisms, newt cells—especially pneumocytes and ciliated epithelia—derived from the lung-possess a number of advantages for examining cellular processes at various levels of microscopic organization. However, with the exception of the fibroblastic TV 1 cell line, derived from newt iris, there are no established caudate cell lines. In this respect, determining the optimal culture conditions for caudate cell survival and proliferation remains an important area for future research. The relatively long cilia, their planar waveform, and the development of models to study movement at various levels of organization makes newt lung ciliated epithelium an ideal material for functional studies of ciliary movement and mucociliary transport (MCT). The favorable optical properties and exceedingly thin nature of the NP prove valuable in the development of same cell-correlative light microscopic (LM)-EM methods, utilizing advanced techniques of cryofixation.
Artificial intelligence in behavioral and mental health care.

Artificial Intelligence in Behavioral and Mental Health Care summarizes recent advances in artificial intelligence as it applies to mental health clinical practice. Each chapter provides a technical description of the advance, review of application in clinical practice, and empirical data on clinical efficacy. In addition, each chapter includes a discussion of practical issues in clinical settings, ethical considerations, and limitations of use. The book encompasses AI based advances in decision-making, in assessment and treatment, in providing education to clients, robot assisted task completion, and the use of AI for research and data gathering. This book will be of use to mental health practitioners interested in learning about, or incorporating AI advances into their practice and for researchers interested in a comprehensive review of these advances in one source. * Summarizes AI advances for use in mental health practice* Includes advances in AI based decision-making and consultation* Describes AI applications for assessment and treatment* Details AI advances in robots for clinical settings* Provides empirical data on clinical efficacy* Explores practical issues of use in clinical settings
Space‐angle‐energy multigrid methods for Sn discretizations of the multi‐energetic Boltzmann equation

SUMMARY In a recent article, the author presented several improved multiple-coarsening/semi-coarsening schemes for Sn discretizations of the Boltzmann transport equation, improved over the original multiple-coarsening/semi-coarsening schemes. These improvements were derived from detailed space-angle descriptions of the near-nullspace components of the integral equation operator. In this paper, we use the techniques of this article to derive a description of the near-nullspace components of the multi-energetic Boltzmann equation, and use this description to develop a space-angle-energy multigrid method for this equation. This multigrid method is a scheme for solving a high-dimensional equation: for spatial 3-d, the equation is 6-d; for spatial 2-d, the equation is 5-d. This method is more robust and efficient than both the commonly used block Gauss-Seidel iteration that requires solving mono-energetic Boltzmann equations, and the improved multiple-coarsening/semi-coarsening schemes simultaneously applied to all the energy groups. Numerical experiments applied to multi-energetic equations with isotropic scattering cross-sections that simulate Compton-like scattering and fission, as well as anisotropic scattering cross-sections, are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new scheme. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analyzing pathways using SAT-based approaches

A network of reactions is a commonly used paradigm for representing knowledge about a biological process. How does one understand such generic networks and answer queries using them? In this paper, we present a novel approach based on translation of generic reaction networks to Boolean weighted MaxSAT. The Boolean weighted MaxSAT instance is generated by encoding the equilibrium configurations of a reaction network by weighted boolean clauses. The important feature of this translation is that it uses reactions, rather than the species, as the boolean variables. Existing weighted MaxSAT solvers are used to solve the generated instances and find equilibrium configurations. This method of analyzing reaction networks is generic, flexible and scales to large models of reaction networks. We present a few case studies to validate our claims.
Attitudes & effectiveness of professional programs for primary prevention of violence: exploratory validation of the PREVENT primary prevention of violence self-assessment

The PREVENT (Preventing Violence through Education, Networking, and Technical Assistance) project trained violence practitioners across the USA in Primary Prevention of Violence techniques (PPV). The purpose of this study is to describe the development and psychometric properties of the subscales of the PREVENT PPV Self Assessment. Of 800 participants, 585 responded (73.1%). We analyzed the data using factor analyses, reliabilities and LISREL structural equation measurement models. The Perceived PPV Project Success subscale exhibited a one-factor structure (R2 = .534, X2/df = 1.28, p = .277, GFI = .99, NNFI = .99); PPV Self-Efficacy and Support showed a four-factor structure (R2 = .583, X2/df = 3.7, p = .00, GFI = .94, NNFI = .93); Perceived PPV Collaboration showed a three factor structure (R2 = .544, X2/df = 4.20, p = .00, GFI = .92, NNFI = .93); Anticipated Future PPV Work yielded a three-factor structure (R2 = .656, X2/df = 4.76, p = .00, GFI = .94, NNFI = .91); and PPV Confidence a marginally accepta...
Can deployment of renewable energy put downward pressure on natural gas prices

Abstract High and volatile natural gas prices have increasingly led to calls for investments in renewable energy. One line of argument is that deployment of these resources may lead to reductions in the demand for and price of natural gas. Many recent US-based modeling studies have demonstrated that this effect could provide significant consumer savings. In this article we evaluate these studies, and benchmark their findings against economic theory, other modeling results, and a limited empirical literature. We find that many uncertainties remain regarding the absolute magnitude of this effect, and that the reduction in natural gas prices may not represent an increase in aggregate economic wealth. Nonetheless, we conclude that many of the studies of the impact of renewable energy on natural gas prices appear to have represented this effect within reason, given current knowledge. These studies specifically suggest that a 1% reduction in US natural gas demand could lead to long-term average wellhead price reductions of 0.8–2%, and that each megawatt-hour of renewable energy may benefit natural gas consumers to the tune of at least $7.5–20.
Where to live in the United States: Combined energy demand for heating and cooling in the 50 largest metropolitan areas

The 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States were examined to estimate the combined energy demand per person for residential heating and cooling. The analysis used heating and cooling degree days data to produce a combined index of total energy demand for climate control. The main results are as follows: (1) the two extremes on this combined index, San Diego (the lowest) and Minneapolis (the highest) show a fourfold difference in total energy demand; (2) the metropolitan areas with the greatest total energy demand are those with the greatest heating demand; (3) the areas with the greatest cooling demand have moderate total energy demand. The tabular information presented could be used as one relevant input for individual decision-making concerning where to live in the United States.
Regional anesthesia in children: Controversy and reason

N 'EURAL BLOCKADE has been used for anesthesia or analgesia in children for nearly 100 years. In fact, in 1899, when Bier documented the first use of spinal anesthesia, an l 1-year-old patient was included in the report. 1 When the field of regional anesthesia originally evolved, general anesthesia was fraught with complications, particularly in children. However, interest in the use of regional anesthesia waned as anesthesia techniques improved and surgeons ceded this aspect of intraoperative care to other physicians. When a resurgence in interest in regional anesthesia for adults took place in the 1980s, as physicians recognized the various benefits, so too did we see a renewed interest in using regional anesthesia in children. In addition, during this period, clinicians finally became more attentive to the need for pain management in children. This clearly has stimulated many anesthesiologists to hone their skills in the placement of single-shot regional blocks or catheters for continuous postoperative analgesia. In many centers, application of regional anesthesia to the care of children has become quite commonplace. In other centers, even possibly some that provide a significant volume of care for children, there seems to be a continued reluctance {o adopt some of these techniques. Many excellent reviewsY chapters, 4'5 and even a textbook 6 address the general topic and techniques of regional anesthesia in children. The goal of this review, however, is to focus on some of the issues that should guide the prudent use of regional anesthesia in children. Specifically, I will concentrate on a discussion of safetyand efficacy-related issues for pediatric regional anesthesia. In addition, I will include a discussion of the limited information available that relates outcome measures to the use of these techniques.
Interplay of Catalyst Size and Metal−Carbon Interactions on the Growth of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Single-walled carbon nanotubes grow by decomposition of a carbon-containing precursor gas over metal nanocatalysts. It is known that the shape, size, and chemical nature of the catalysts play significant roles in the nucleation and growth processes. Here, we use reactive molecular dynamics simulations to analyze how the catalyst particle size and the strength of adhesion between the surface and nascent carbon structures may affect the growth process. As a result, we determine if the process leads to cap lift-off or if it causes graphitic encapsulation and, therefore, poisoning of the catalyst. In agreement with the Hafner−Smalley model, our MD simulation results illustrate that the work of adhesion must be weak enough so the curvature energy of a spherical fullerene is less favorable than that of a single-walled carbon nanotube with the same diameter, thus allowing the cap-lifting process to take place. Moreover, we propose that a simple model combining curvature energy and kinetic effects may help to ide...
Relationship Between Ultrastructure and the Nanoindentation Properties of Intramuscular Herring Bones

The nanoindentation technique was used to characterize the indentation modulus of intramuscular herring bone (Clupea harengus) along its length, from early to fully mineralized regions. Both the indentation modulus and modulus anisotropy ratio, indentation modulus longitudinally/indentation modulus transversely, increased nonmonotonically with mineralization, from 1.1 in the early stages of mineralization to 2.1 in the fully mineralized region. The indentation modulus in the fully mineralized region decreased from 19.9 ± 2.0GPa in the longitudinal direction to 11.4 ± 1.5GPa in the transverse directions. In the earliest stages of mineralization, the indentation modulus was 3.8 ± 0.7GPa in the longitudinal direction and 3.5 ± 0.3GPa in the transverse direction. High-intensity synchrotron x rays were used to examine two parameters of crystal texture, the coherence length and the angular spread. Low angular spread was seen along the c axis of bone crystallite. However, the large angular spread observed along the (300) plane indicated an imperfection of crystallite periodicity in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in the bone. The relatively high coherence length was related to the low angular spread. In general, the indentation modulus increased with increasing crystallite size, but the indentation modulus decreased with increasing crystallite size along the (300) plane. © 2001 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC01: 8719Rr, 8715La, 8715By, 8719Ff
Hydrothermal synthesis of heteroepitaxial Pb(ZrxTi1–x)O3 thin films at 90–150 °C

Pb(Zr{sub x}Ti{sub 1{minus}x})O{sub 3} and PbZrO{sub 3} heteroepitaxial thin films were produced in an aqueous solution (10 M KOH) at ambient pressure and low temperatures (90{endash}150{degree}C) on (001) SrTiO{sub 3} and LaAlO{sub 3} single crystal substrates. Growth of the Pb(Zr{sub x}Ti{sub 1{minus}x})O{sub 3} and PbZrO{sub 3} thin films initiates by the formation of {l_brace}100{r_brace} faceted islands. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis of the Pb(Zr{sub x}Ti{sub 1{minus}x})O{sub 3} thin film shows that the Zr:Ti ratio is 44:56, nearly identical to the molar ratio of the precursors. This route might provide a viable low temperature alternative for the formation of high dielectric constant thin films for applications such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM).{copyright} {ital 1997 Materials Research Society.}
Ischemic Heart Disease in Patients with Epilepsy

SUMMARY It has been suggested that patients with epilepsy and particularly those on long-term anticonvulsant medication may have a lower than expected risk of Ischemic heart disease. The records of a cohort of patients with epilepsy in Rochester, Minnesota were reviewed to ascertain their rates of occurrence of Ischemic heart disease. The results did not show any relative decrease in the incidence or mortality rates due to Ischemic heart disease among men or women with epilepsy. The numbers of Ischemic heart disease incidence and mortality cases were 25 and 15, respectively, relative to corresponding expected values of 15.0 and 15.7 new and fatal events. The use of anticonvulsant medications did not appear to influence the rates of Ischemic heart disease among the patients with epilepsy. Subgroups of the epilepsy patients, by etiology and types of epilepsy, were not found to account for a disproportionate share of the Ischemic heart disease. The survivorship of epilepsy patients after the initial manifestations of Ischemic heart disease was comparable to that expected among all Ischemic heart disease patients.
Chromatographic Evaluation of Alkyl-Bonded Phases Prepared Through Olefin Hydrosilylation on a Hydride-Silica Intermediate.

Abstract The chromatographic characterization of alkyl-bonded silica-based stationary phases for HPLC is described. A previously established method involving catalytic hydrosilylation of terminal olefins on a hydride-modified intermediate was used to obtain octyl and octadecyl packings. Generally speaking, the resulting phases were found to be chromatographically equivalent (comparable retention and selectivity) to sorbents produced in a conventional manner using organosilanization. The new bonded phases are, however, significantly more stable toward hydrolysis than conventional bonded silicas. This highly desirable feature of the new bonded phases not only reduces the need for frequent column replacement but also provides enhanced long-term reproducibility of retention data. The new bonded phases exhibit good separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, basic solutes and polypeptides.