cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-singular boundary integral equation implementation

The basis of the boundary integral equation (BIE) development is the singular field solution for the Kelvin point load problem. The presence of the mathematical singularity in an otherwise non-singular problem has created over the years a variety of numerical coping strategies. The current paper extends some of the earlier works in a simple manner that eliminates the mathematical singularity through analytical integration of the critical terms. The resulting formulation is fully non-singular and is shown to be amenable to simple, low-order Gaussian integration. The critical class of problems involving thin sections and/or highly graded BIE meshes now can be solved without previous problems and concerns the accuracy of the numerical integrations used in creating the linear BIE equations. Extension of the formulation approach to remove hypersingular formulation problems in fracture mechanics is seen to be a future beneficiary of the semi-analytical BIE implementation reported herein.
Corticostriatal Output Gating during Selection from Working Memory

Summary Convergent evidence suggests that corticostriatal interactions act as a gate to select the input to working memory (WM). However, not all information in WM is relevant for behavior simultaneously. For this reason, a second "output gate" might advantageously govern which contents of WM influence behavior. Here, we test whether frontostriatal circuits previously implicated in input gating also support output gating during selection from WM. fMRI of a hierarchical rule task with dissociable input and output gating demands demonstrated greater lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) recruitment and frontostriatal connectivity during output gating. Moreover, PFC and striatum correlated with distinct behavioral profiles. Whereas PFC recruitment correlated with mean efficiency of selection from WM, striatal recruitment and frontostriatal interactions correlated with its reliability, as though such dynamics stochastically gate WM's output. These results support the output gating hypothesis, suggesting that contextual representations in PFC influence striatum to select which information in WM drives responding.
Rule flow learning: A multiple linear classifier algorithm

Rule flow is a directed graph with condition and action operator over business object's attributes. The results from the the rule flow is usually not linearly separable, which proposes great challenges to rule flow learning from sample results. This paper proposes to use multiple linear classifiers for rule flows whose condition is the linear combination of business object attributes. This is a two-step process. First, to construct the boundary of each category based on the nearest distance points policy. Then, use a stochastic selection approach to approximate the boundary by linear equations. The computation complexity of the process is quadratic level. The feasibility of such process is illustrated by a simple toy sample and air cargo load planning case.
Physical activity in US Blacks: a systematic review and critical examination of self-report instruments

Background: Physical activity self-report instruments in the US have largely been developed for and validated in White samples. Despite calls to validate existing instruments in more diverse samples, relatively few instruments have been validated in US Blacks. Emerging evidence suggests that these instruments may have differential validity in Black populations. Purpose: This report reviews and evaluates the validity and reliability of self-reported measures of physical activity in Blacks and makes recommendations for future directions. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted to identify published reports with construct or criterion validity evaluated in samples that included Blacks. Studies that reported results separately for Blacks were examined. Results: The review identified 10 instruments validated in nine manuscripts. Criterion validity correlations tended to be low to moderate. No study has compared the validity of multiple instruments in a single sample of Blacks. Conclusion: There is a need for efforts validating self-report physical activity instruments in Blacks, particularly those evaluating the relative validity of instruments in a single sample.
CICERÓN: EL DECORUM Y LA MORALIDAD DE LA RETÓRICA

La tension que hay entre la ﬁ losofia y la retorica es un tema comun y profundamente arraigado en la ﬁ losofia politica. La ﬁ losofia va en busca de la verdad, se apoya en la razon y dice la misma cosa a personas diferentes; la retorica va en busca de la persuasion, se apoya en la emocion y dice cosas diferentes a personas diferentes. Las lineas de esta batalla fueron trazadas por Platon en el
Intensity of transplant chronic rejection correlates with level of graft-infiltrating regulatory cells

Background The understanding of chronic rejection (transplant vascular sclerosis, or TVS) mechanisms is a major goal of transplantation. In this study we tested a cardiac transplant model for TVS development in connection with emerging T-regulatory cells (T-regs). We used 40-mer peptides derived from the donor MHC Class I α1 helix of the α1-domain to make recipients tolerant. Methods ACI recipients were transplanted with either RT1.A u (WF), RT1.A l (LEW), RT1.A c (PVG), or RT1.A b (BUF) cardiac grafts. The grafts were analyzed 120 days later for TVS and development of T-regs. Results Donor MHC peptides were injected through the portal vein (0.1 mg) into ACI recipients of WF hearts in addition to sub-therapeutic cyclosporine (CsA, 10 mg/kg for 3 days post-operatively). Peptide treatment specifically prolonged graft survival for >100 days ( n = 31). ACI recipients of WF or LEW hearts treated with PVG peptides promptly rejected the transplanted grafts (15 ± 4 and 20 ± 1 days, respectively). Presence of T-regs in tolerant recipients was confirmed by the adoptive transfer of T cells into a new cohort of syngeneic recipients (mean survival time [MST] >100 days, n = 3). CD4 + and FoxP3 + cells were detected in 70% of the chronically rejected grafts vs 38% (CD4) and 22% (FoxP3) in the well-preserved transplants. IgG and IgM deposits were found in only half of surviving cardiac grafts with a high level of TVS. Blood vessels in grafts with attenuated TVS were 80% IgG and IgM positive. Interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-2 were markedly down-regulated in the hearts with high TVS compared with well-preserved grafts. Long-term-surviving hearts demonstrated increased IL-10 expression. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) was more evident in the grafts with a high TVS. Conclusions Donor MHC Class I peptides can specifically prolong transplant survival and generate T-regs. The level of intragraft T-regs correlates with severity of TVS and IL-2/IL-4 down-regulation.
Sociopharmacology of drug use: initial thoughts

Abstract Psychopharmacological approaches to drug use focus on psychological traits of drug users and chemical traits of drugs. Whether through medicalisation or demonisation, this defines users as the problem, which ignores socioeconomic and other issues that make individuals, neighbourhoods, and population groups vulnerable to harmful drug use. We discuss a concept of ‘sociopharmacology of drug use' that locates drug use in broader contexts. This discussion suggests that (a) data on drug-related harm point to the ills and contradictions of society. (b) If anything is to be demonised, a sociopharmacological view suggests that it be the social order, not the individual user. (c) Nonetheless, current drug use patterns cause a lot of misery to drug users, their families, and their neighbours. Research and programs are needed to reduce these harms. (d) Laws that punish users and dealers are at best based on misdiagnosis of the roots of the problem, and can serve to scapegoat the vulnerable. (e) Research should trace how social, economic and health policies create conditions that increase harmful drug use, as well as develop better ways to provide resources to individuals and communities with which to ameliorate conditions that lead to harmful drug use and reduce harmful drug use among drug users. (f) The highest-priority research and action should nonetheless probably focus on social change rather than on changing drug users.
Thiazide diuretics, hypokalemia and cardiac arrhythmias

Thiazide diuretics are widely accepted as the cornerstone of antihypertensive treatment programs. Hypokalemia is a commonly encountered metabolic consequence of chronic thiazide therapy. We treated 38 patients (22 low renin, 16 normal renin) with moderate diastolic hypertension with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTC) administered on a twice daily schedule. Initial dose was 50 mg and the dose was increased at monthly intervals to 100 mg, 150 mg and 200 mg daily until blood pressure normalized. The serum K during the control period was 4.5 +/- 0.2 mEq/l an on 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg HCTZ daily 3.9 +/- 0.3, 3.4 +/- 0.2, 2.9 +/- 0.2, and 2.4 +/- 0.3 mEq/l, respectively. Corresponding figures for whole body K were 4107 +/- 208, 3722 +/- 319, 3628 +/- 257, 3551 +/- 336, and 3269 +/- 380 mEq, respectively. In 13 patients we observed the effects of HCTZ therapy (100 mg daily) on the occurrence of PVC's during rest as well as during static and dynamic exercise. During rest we observed 0.6 +/- 0.08 PVC beats/min +/- SEM and during static and dynamic exercise 0.6 +/- 0.06 and 0.8 +/- 0.15, respectively. Corresponding figures during HCTZ therapy 100 mg daily were 1.4 +/- 0.1, 3.6 +/- 0.7 and 5.7 4/- 0.8, respectively. The occurrence of PVC's correlated significantly with the fall in serum K+ observed r = 0.72, p less than 0.001. In conclusion we found that thiazide diuretics cause hypokalemia and depletion of body potassium. The more profound hypokalemia, the greater the propensity for the occurrence of PVC's.
A distributed parameter dependent control design for a flexible beam problem

This paper considers the analysis and synthesis of a distributed parameter dependent controller designed for a parameter-varying spatially interconnected system. It is assumed that the distributed linear parameter varying system depends on spatial varying parameters in linear fractional manner. The controller takes a similar structure as the system. Since the dependence is in linear fractional form, the. controller synthesis condition is characterized in terms of linear matrix inequalities, which are convex optimization problems for which efficient computation techniques are readily available. This distributed control approach is demonstrated on a flexible beam problem with nonuniform cross-section geometry.
Recurrent abdominal and flank pain in children with idiopathic hypercalciuria.

Objective: To evaluate the role of idiopathic hypercalciuria (IH) as a cause of recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) in children. Patients and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 124 children referred for various complaints who had 24-h urine calcium excretion greater than 2mg/kg/d or random urine calcium-creatinine ratio greater than 0.18mg/mg. Results: Fifty-two children with various clinical complaints had RAP or flank pain. These comprised of 22 males and 30 females, 9 mo to 15.9 y of age, mean 6.7 3.5 y. A family history of urolithiasis was present in 50% of all the children. Only 6 of the 52 children with abdominal pain had renal stones. In addition to abdominal pain, 27 children had hematuria and 10 had urinary incontinence. Mild metabolic acidosis was present in three children, parathyroid hormone activity elevated in two and serum vitamin D activity was increased in nine. All children were treated with increased fluid intake and a reduction in dietary sodium and oxalate and some required treatment with thiazide and antispasmodics. Forty-five cases responded to treatment, 5 failed to improve from therapy, and 2, which were not followed up as patients, were not available. Conclusion: We describe 52 children with RAP or back pain due to IH and recommend that IH be considered in the differential diagnosis of RAP in childhood.
What Can We Learn From MOTHER? Aortic Pathology Predicts Midterm Outcome

In 1953, DeBakey and Cooley1 successfully resected a large aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta and replaced it with a homograft by using a clamp-and-sew approach. The techniques used in contemporary open surgical repair by synthetic graft replacement are essentially unchanged since the early days of descending thoracic aortic repair. In the 1980s, Volodos et al2 and Parodi and colleagues3 pioneered the use of endovascular aortic stent grafts to repair thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms. Soon thereafter, Dake et al4 were instrumental in popularizing their use to repair descending thoracic aortic aneurysms. Pivotal trials (with stringent patient selection) were performed to establish the noninferiority of this newly emerging technology compared with standard open repair of aortic aneurysm.5,6 Concurrent open surgical controls were not used in any of the clinical trials targeted for US Food and Drug Administration approval. Article see p 24 The primary goal of both open and endovascular aortic aneurysm repair is to prevent death as a result of aortic rupture. Although early outcomes clearly favor endovascular therapy, the superiority of one technique over another has not yet been firmly established for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVR), because long-term data are still lacking. Since the Food and Drug Administration approved TEVR in 2005, the use of this approach to treat thoracic aortic pathology has grown. This growth includes off-label applications of TEVR, such as treating acute and chronic aortic dissection. It is estimated that currently, off-label applications constitute well over half of all TEVRs.7,8 Although the use of TEVR as a definitive treatment for either acute9 or chronic10 aortic dissection remains controversial, its use in emergent, complicated cases of acute DeBakey type III aortic dissection is generally considered acceptable and potentially lifesaving; in fact, in many …
Animation control for real-time virtual humans

The computation speed and control methods needed to portray 3D virtual humans suitable for interactive applications have improved dramatically in recent years. Real-time virtual humans show increasingly complex features along the dimensions of appearance, function, time, autonomy, and individuality. The virtual human architecture we’ve been developing at the University of Pennsylvania is representative of an emerging generation of such architectures and includes low-level motor skills, a mid-level parallel automata controller, and a high-level conceptual representation for driving virtual humans through complex tasks. The architecture—called Jack— provides a level of abstraction generic enough to encompass natural-language instruction representation as well as direct links from those instructions to animation control.
Thomas Precession: The Missing Link

This first chapter presents the Thomas precession of relativity physics as the motivational approach that led the author to the discovery of the theory of gyrogroups and gyrovector spaces. The theory of gyrogroups and gyrovector spaces provides a most natural generalization of its classical counterparts, the theory of groups and the theory of vector spaces. Readers who wish to start familiarizing themselves with the theory may, therefore, start reading this book from its second chapter and return to the first chapter only if and when their curiosity about the origin of the Thomas precession arises.
Shape's Related 3D Objects Indexing and Image Database Organization

The present paper considers the 3D shape as a sequence of 2D sections cut from the object. A part of the 2D sections (shapes) is essential for the 3D shape and the others are similar to the essential. Therefore a 3D object could be indexed through a sequence of 2D shapes, each of them coded by a numerical sequence with 4 parts. The 1st one describes the convex hull. The 2nd shows the number of 3rd and 4th level concavities. The 3rd and 4th parts are finite numerical sequences, describing the support of the convex set of the 2nd level concavity and the support of the 2nd level concavity. To comply with the sequence concept the image database is designed as a tree. The maximum number of leafs, the calculation complexity of the retrieval, and a comparison with methods close to the present one are given at the end of the paper.
Litmus tests for comparing memory consistency models: how long do they need to be?

Memory consistency litmus tests are small parallel programs that are designed to illustrate subtle differences between memory consistency models by exhibiting different outcomes for different models. In this paper, we show that for a class of memory models that is restricted yet expressive enough to include all store-atomic hardware memory models, litmus tests of a bounded size are sufficient for illustrating differences between memory consistency models in this class. We establish a bound of two threads and no more than six memory access instructions for differentiating litmus tests in this class of models. Thus, we can prove equivalence of two specification of memory consistency models in this class by exploring a bounded number of litmus tests. We build a tool for comparing memory models based on this result, and we use the tool to explore and map the space of this class of models.
More about Systems

The common-sense definition, as expressed by Eq. (1.1), looks overly simple Its simplicity, however, is only on the surface. That is, the definition is simple in its form, but it contains symbols, T and R, that are extremely rich in content. Indeed, T stands for any imaginable set of things of any kind, and R stands for any conceivable relation defined on T. To appreciate the range of possible meanings of these symbols, let us explore some examples.
Deposition of Triassic Sedimentary Rocks in Separate Basins, Eastern North America

Previous hypotheses proposing that the Triassic of Connecticut and New Jersey were deposited in a single, connected basin assumed that (1) three lava flows occurred at the same stratigraphic position in each basin, (2) an anticlinal link was subsequently eroded (except for the Pomperaug Outlier), and (3) the Triassic lithofacies distribution in each basin represented a “half-graben” remnant of a larger fault trough. Recent work on Triassic lava flow stratigraphy in Connecticut has revealed local complications in field mapping that makes regional correlation difficult. Measurements of the inclination of thermal remanent magnetization (TRM) of lava flows has shown that three distinct magnetic events occurred in Connecticut, but only one in New Jersey. Previous correlation of the three lava flows is not tenable, therefore. Potassium-argon measurements of Triassic sedimentary rocks and source rocks indicate that the New Jersey Triassic basin was an isolated basin, as previously documented from paleocurrent and mineralogical studies. Preliminary paleocurrent data indicate that the Connecticut Valley was an isolated basin too. Comparison to paleocurrent analyses of other Triassic basins of eastern North America confirms that each was a separate basin at the time of deposition. New data on Recent sediments in a modern graben show that the so-called “half-graben” distribution of sedimentary facies can occur in a simple graben where structural and physiographic boundaries do not coincide. Thus, facies analysis must be used with care when reconstructing the size of fossil fault trough basins such as the Triassic of eastern North America.
Managers as Writers: A Metanalysis of Research in Context

The argument is presented that managerial writing is performed within a unique context; consequently, it is important to review the extant research within that context to understand managerial writing. The literature is reviewed within the framework of writing context, process, and outcome. The paucity of research and the heavy emphasis on survey methodology expose the need for extensive research on managerial writing. Six general research questions are presented to guide future research efforts.
Taxonomic Status of Acris Gryllus Paludicola: In Search of the Pink Frog

Abstract Acris gryllus paludicola, the Coastal Cricket Frog, was described from Sabine Pass, Jefferson County, Texas, by L. W. Burger, P. W. Smith, and H. M. Smith in 1949. Additional specimens have not been reported or examined in the literature. At the time of its description, the association with Acris gryllus was parsimonious with the then-current understanding of the taxonomic position of the two species within the genus, A. gryllus and Acris crepitans. All subspecies within the genus were described within four years of each other, and all were subspecies of A. gryllus. The Coastal Cricket Frog is currently treated as a subspecies of A. crepitans but without an explicit treatment resolving its species level affinity. Seven individuals found on 19 May 2005 near the type locality are relatively smooth skinned; have reduced, or lack, anal warts; and retain ill-defined postfemoral striping; vocalizing males have pink-rose colored vocal pouches. Phenotypic comparison of the seven specimens fails to elimin...
Drafting New York Civil-Litigation Documents: Part XLV — Motions for Sanctions and Related Costs

This article, the 45th in a series on drafting New York litigation documents in civil cases, discusses motions for sanctions and costs associated with motions for sanctions.
Room-temperature continuous-wave operation of GaInNAsSb laser diodes at 1.55 [micro sign]m

The first 1.55 /spl mu/m room-temperature continuous-wave (CW) operation of GaAs-based laser diodes utilising GaInNAsSb/GaNAs double quantum well active regions grown by molecular beam epitaxy is reported. In electrically-pumped CW operation the narrow ridge waveguide devices have a room temperature lasing wavelength of 1550 nm near threshold, increasing to 1553 nm at thermal rollover. The CW threshold current was 132 mA for a 3/spl times/589 /spl mu/m device, with a characteristic temperature of 83 K, measured in pulsed mode between 20 and 70/spl deg/C.
Access to Care and Diabetes Management Among Older American Indians With Type 2 Diabetes.

Objective: To examine the relationship between health care access and diabetes management among a geographically diverse sample of American Indians (AIs) aged 50 and older with type 2 diabetes. Met...
Circular Probability Problems

(1961). Circular Probability Problems. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 68, No. 6, pp. 541-544.
Flow Accelerated Degradation of Corrosion Protective Organic Coatings

Water percolation into coating-metal interface is usually the main cause for the deterioration of corrosion protective property of organic coatings, which leads to coating delamination and under film corrosion. Recently, flowing fluid has received attention due to its capability to accelerate the degradation of materials. A plethora of works have focused on the corrosion of metallic materials accelerated by the flow of working fluids, while few studies have investigated the flow accelerated degrading behavior of organic coatings. For organic coatings, flowing fluid above the coating surface affects corrosion by enhancing the water percolation and by abrading the surface due to wall shear stress. Hence, it is of great importance to understand the influence of flowing fluids on the degradation of corrosion protective organic coatings.In this study, a commercially available epoxy based clear coating and pigmented marine coating were exposed to the laminar flow as well as stationary immersion. The laminar flow was pressure driven and confined in a newly designed flow channel. A 3.5 wt% sodium chloride solution was employed as the working fluid with a variety of flow rates. The corrosion protective properties of organic coatings were monitored inline by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurement. Equivalent circuit models were employed to interpret the EIS spectra. The time evolution of coating resistance and capacitance obtained from the model was studied to demonstrate the coating degradation. Thickness, gloss, and other topography characterizations were conducted to facilitate the assessment of the corrosion. The immersing solutions were measured by pH and conductivity meters as well as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) to trace coating degradation products as they leached out from the coating. Initial attempts to acquire acceleration factors and predict service lifetime of organic coatings were also conducted.© 2013 ASME
Enzymes of oxidative metabolism in the human eosinophil.

SummaryHuman eosinophils exhibit reduced pyridine nucleotide oxidase activity toward both NADH and NADPH. This activity is more active toward NADPH and appears in both the 500g pellet and 27,000g pellet upon differential centrifugation; activity toward both substrates is greater in eosinophils than neutrophils, consistent with the greater respiratory burst observed in eosinophils upon phagocytosis. Other enzymes involved in detoxification of oxygen metabolites are at least as active in eosinophils as in neutrophils, and in many cases appear to be more active. These include catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. Thus, the enzyme content of the eosinophil would prepare the cell for a role which involves generation of active oxidizing agents.
INDEPENDENCE OF LUTEINIZING HORMONE AND ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIN SECRETION IN THE RAT.

Summary1. Adrenalectomy of spayed rats produced a borderline rise in plasma LH, whereas acute or chronic treatment with large doses of cortisol failed to alter plasma LH. Chronic treatment with cortisol lowered pituitary ACTH and elevated pituitary LH slightly. 2. Treatment of ovariectomized rats with a large dose of estradiol benzoate lowered plasma LH while adrenal weight remained unchanged. Since body weight fell, the ratio of adrenal to body weight rose. Pituitary LH was markedly lowered by this treatment, whereas pituitary ACTH was slightly elevated. 3. It was concluded that alteration in target gland steroids produces specific effects on LH in the case of ovarian steroids, and ACTH in the case of cortical steroids. Estrogen can stimulate ACTH secretion at the same time that it inhibits LH secretion.
Matched-filter detection of surface waves of periods up to seventy-five seconds generated by small earthquakes

Very long-period Rayleigh waves detected in Texas from a large source area exhibited remarkably stable dispersion characteristics. It appears that similarities in the gross structure of the Earth have created a wave guide over the pole from the source area, the Sino-Soviet landmass. These observations were made possible by using a seismograph system which had a peak response at a longer period than usual (50 sec), enabling the detection of very long-period Rayleigh waves from small earthquakes at teleseismic distances.
Public Disaster Communication and Child and Family Disaster Mental Health: a Review of Theoretical Frameworks and Empirical Evidence

Children have been identified as particularly vulnerable to psychological and behavioral difficulties following disaster. Public child and family disaster communication is one public health tool that can be utilized to promote coping/resilience and ameliorate maladaptive child reactions following an event. We conducted a review of the public disaster communication literature and identified three main functions of child and family disaster communication: fostering preparedness, providing psychoeducation, and conducting outreach. Our review also indicates that schools are a promising system for child and family disaster communication. We complete our review with three conclusions. First, theoretically, there appears to be a great opportunity for public disaster communication focused on child disaster reactions. Second, empirical research assessing the effects of public child and family disaster communication is essentially nonexistent. Third, despite the lack of empirical evidence in this area, there is opportunity for public child and family disaster communication efforts that address new domains.
Cryptosporidium parvum Among Coprolites from La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (600–800 CE), Rio Zape Valley, Durango, Mexico

Abstract In the present study, 90 coprolites from La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (CMC) were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests for 3 diarrhea-inducing protozoan parasites, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia duodenalis, and Cryptosporidium parvum, to determine whether these parasites were present among the people who utilized this cave 1,200–1,400 yr ago. These people, the Loma San Gabriel, developed as a culture out of the Archaic Los Caracoles population and lived throughout much of present-day Durango and Zacatecas in Mexico. The Loma San Gabriel persisted through a mixed subsistence strategy of hunting-gathering and agricultural production. The results of ELISA testing were negative for both E. histolytica and G. duodenalis across all coprolites. A total of 66/90 (∼73% prevalence) coprolites tested positive or likely positive for C. parvum. The high prevalence of C. parvum among CMC coprolites contributes to our growing knowledge of the pathoecology among the Loma San Gabriel w...
Reversible Thermal Stiffening in Polymer Nanocomposites.

Miscible polymer blends with different glass transition temperatures (Tg) are known to create confined interphases between glassy and mobile chains. Here, we show that nanoparticles adsorbed with a high-Tg polymer, poly(methyl methacrylate), and dispersed in a low-Tg matrix polymer, poly(ethylene oxide), exhibit a liquid-to-solid transition at temperatures above Tg’s of both polymers. The mechanical adaptivity of nanocomposites to temperature underlies the existence of dynamically asymmetric bound layers on nanoparticles and more importantly reveals their impact on macroscopic mechanical response of composites. The unusual reversible stiffening behavior sets these materials apart from conventional polymer composites that soften upon heating. The presented stiffening mechanism in polymer nanocomposites can be used in applications for flexible electronics or mechanically induced actuators responding to environmental changes like temperature or magnetic fields.
Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Male External Genitalia

Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are the most common malignant (cutaneous) neoplasms worldwide, with an incidence of approximately 2.8 million in the United States. The lifetime risk of developing a BCC is about 30 % in Caucasians, and most of the tumors develop in patients older than 50 years of age. Individuals with Fitzpatrick type I and II complexions have the highest risk of developing BCC. Though exposure to the ultraviolet component of sunlight is the most common cause, about 0.27 % cases of BCC occur in the non-sun-exposed genital skin.
Resistive switching behavior of reduced graphene oxide memory cells for low power nonvolatile device application

Graphene Oxide (GO) based low cost flexible electronics and memory cell have recently attracted more attention for the fabrication of emerging electronic devices. As a suitable candidate for resistive random access memory technology, reduced graphene oxide (RGO) can be widely used for non-volatile switching memory applications because of its large surface area, excellent scalability, retention and endurance properties. We demonstrated that the fabricated metal/RGO/metal memory device exhibited excellent switching characteristics, with on/off ratio of two orders of magnitude and operated threshold switching voltage of less than 1 V. The studies on different cell diameter, thickness, scan voltages and period of time corroborate the reliability of the device as resistive random access memory. The microscopic origin of switching operation is governed by the establishment of conducting filaments due to the interface amorphous layer rupturing and the movement of oxygen in the GO layer. This interesting experimental finding indicates that device made up of thermally reduced GO shows more reliability for its use in next generation electronics devices.
“What About the Rest of Us?” An Overview of LGBT Poverty Issues and a Call to Action

ABSTRACTIn this article, I argue that, despite the myth of gay affluence, existing research is conclusive enough to claim that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults are overall less financially secure than their heterosexual, cisgendered counterparts. I demonstrate that LGBT poverty is a broad social issue that can no longer be viewed as affecting only specific subpopulations of LGBT communities. I argue that the social work profession and the LGBT movement need to recognize LGBT poverty as a social issue. I then present a call to action for social work practitioners, researchers and LGBT organizations.
Verfassungsrechtliche Anforderungen an die Finanzierung des öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunks

Im 7. Rundfunk-Urteil hat das Bundesverfassungsgericht den engen Zusammenhang zwischen Programmfreiheit und Finanzausstattung der offentlichrechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten auf eine eingangige Formulierung gebracht. „Programmentscheidungen“, kann man dort lesen, „haben finanzielle Voraussetzungen, Finanzentscheidungen haben programmliche Konsequenzen“.1 Diese Formulierung ist freilich nicht nur ausgesprochen eingangig, sie fuhrt zugleich in das Zentrum der Herausforderungen, vor denen der offentlichrechtliche Rundfunk gegenwartig steht: Gerade die eine Seite dieses Zusammenhangs, die programmlichen Konsequenzen eines knapper werdenden Finanzetats, sind in den letzten Jahren uberaus deutlich geworden. Wahrend der Gesamtumfang der Brutto-Werbeinvestitionen seit dem Ubergang zur dualen Rundfunkordnung von ca. 2 auf 10 Milliarden Mark gewachsen ist, haben die offentlich-rechtlichen Anstalten etwa die Halfte ihrer Einnahmen aus Werbung eingebust, wobei das ZDF von diesen Einbusen besonders hart betroffen ist, da es sein Programm bis 1992 zu ca. 40% aus Werbung finanzieren konnte, wahrend es dies seither nur noch zu ca. 20% vermag.2
Integrated Management of DOD and ISO Networks

Over the next ten years, the DOD will migrate from the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to standards developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO). Large TCP/IP networks, as well as future ISO-based networks, will require standards to allow management of multi-vendor products. Opportunities now exist to create management standards that will ease the integrated management of ISO and DOD products within the same network. An architecture for such an integrated management system is presented.
Delayed Partial Nephrectomy for Hydronephrosis After Renal Trauma

Delayed sequelae following conservative management of renal trauma in the pediatric population are uncommon. Reports of delayed operations to manage these sequelae are even less common. Here we present the case of a 16-year-old male patient who had delayed development of upper urinary tract obstruction with recurrent infections following high-grade renal trauma managed conservatively. Ultimately, he required a robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy 2 years after initial nonoperative management. This is unique as no prior studies to our knowledge have described delayed hydronephrosis and delayed partial nephrectomy over a year following renal trauma.
VINYL AND BETA-ALKOXY RADICALS IN ORGANIC SYNTHESIS

Abstract. The heretofore not used cyclization of vinyl radicals, usually generated by abstraction of halogen from a vinyl bromide or iodide, into a suitably situated double bond is shown to be a very valuable construction method. The process can be extended to the initial formation of the required vinyl radical by internal addition of an intramolecularly held radical center to an appositely placed triple bond. A particularly valuable version of this latter process is one in which the initiating radical is derived from a mixed acetal with a beta bromine atom. Indeed, the cyclization of beta bromo mixed acetals of propargylic and allylic alcohols appears to be a very promising synthetic operation.
Produced water reuse for irrigation of non-food biofuel crops: Effects on switchgrass and rapeseed germination, physiology and biomass yield

Abstract High volumes of flowback and produced water are generated everyday as a byproduct of hydraulic fracturing operations and shale gas developments across the United States. Since most shale gas developments are located in semi-arid to arid U.S. regions close to agricultural production, there are many opportunities for reusing these waters as potential alternatives or supplements to fresh water resources for irrigation activities. However, the impacts of high salinity and total organic content of these types of water on crop physiological parameters and plant growth needs to be investigated to determine their utility and feasibility. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the response of switchgrass and rapeseed to treated produced water as an irrigation water source. In this greenhouse study, the influence of produced water at four total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations [1.22, 38.3, 232.2 and 1352.4 mg/l] and three total dissolved solids (TDS) levels [400,3,500, and 21,000 mg/l] on rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), two relatively salt-tolerant, non-food, biofuel crops, was studied. Seedling emergence, biomass yield, plant height, leaf electrolyte leakage, and plant uptake were evaluated. Irrigation water with the highest salinity and TOC concentration resulted in significantly lower growth health and physiological characteristics of both crop species. The organic content of the produced water had a negative impact on biomass yield and physiological parameters of both species. The results of this study could be valuable for regulators and stakeholders in development of treatment standards in which organic matter should be removed to less than 50 mg/l to keep leaf EL (cell damage) to less than 50% and a TOC concentration of less than 5 mg/l required to keep a sustainable biomass production rate.
DIY Consumers and Wearable Electronics: What Factors Affect Technology Adoption?

This study explored factors which affect DIY consumers' attitude toward and intention to adopt wearable technology within the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) using the variables of Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Playfulness. A survey, hands-on activity, and focus groups were carried out with seventeen U.S. adult participants (N = 17) and the data were analyzed based on thematic content analysis and linear regression analyses. Both survey and focus group data gathered indicated that creativity of DIY consumers affects adoption of wearable technology. The characteristic of creativity helped participants overcome the initial intimidation of the device, allowed them to perceive it more favorably in terms of playfulness and usefulness, and also increased the likelihood of device adoption, especially if it could be customized. Building on this work, academic and industry professionals can address the needs of this increasingly powerful demographic of consumers alongside the advancement of wearable technology.
Gymnast’s Wrist

The wrist is a frequent site of symptoms and injury in the gymnast, both acute and chronic. The chronic injuries are due to repetitive loading of the musculoskeletal system, and their incidence rises as participation and level of competition rises. More attention needs to be directed toward prevention, but many of these injuries seem to be inherent to the sport as it transforms the upper extremities into weight-bearing limbs. Evaluation and recognition of wrist injuries in the gymnast will allow appropriate management for these patients; however, the compulsive and intense nature of many gymnasts can lead to recurrent or new injury and continued wrist symptoms. Much more sophisticated and detailed examination of the gymnast's wrist should be done before onset of training, before increase of intensity of training, before competition, and with the onset of any symptoms, including observed guarding. In addition, pretraining and annual follow-up wrist radiographs should be considered for the skeletally immature gymnast. Follow-up evaluation after skeletal maturity and retirement from active participation is needed to elucidate the long-term effect of gymnastics on the wrist.
Bridging Art and Bureaucracy: Marginalization, State-Society Relations, and Cultural Policy in Brazil:

Even under many formally democratic regimes, large swaths of the citizenry experience alienation from states with uneven presence throughout the national territory. Addressing a gap in scholarship ...
Design and simulation of advanced fault tolerant flight control schemes

This research effort describes the design and simulation of a distributed Neural Network (NN) based fault tolerant flight control scheme and the interface of the scheme within a simulation/visualization environment. The goal of the fault tolerant flight control scheme is to recover an aircraft from failures to its sensors or actuators. A commercially available simulation package, Aviator Visual Design Simulator (AVDS), was used for the purpose of simulation and visualization of the aircraft dynamics and the performance of the control schemes. For the purpose of the sensor failure detection, identification and accommodation (SFDIA) task, it is assumed that the pitch, roll and yaw rate gyros onboard are without physical redundancy. The task is accomplished through the use of a Main Neural Network (MNN) and a set of three De-Centralized Neural Networks (DNNs), providing analytical redundancy for the pitch, roll and yaw gyros. The purpose of the MNN is to detect a sensor failure while the purpose of the DNNs is to identify the failed sensor and then to provide failure accommodation. The actuator failure detection, identification and accommodation (AFDIA) scheme also features the MNN, for detection of actuator failures, along with three Neural Network Controllers (NNCs) for providing the compensating control surface deflections to neutralize the failure induced pitching, rolling and yawing moments. All NNs continue to train on-line, in addition to an offline trained baseline network structure, using the Extended Back-Propagation Algorithm (EBPA), with the flight data provided by the AVDS simulation package. The above mentioned adaptive flight control schemes have been traditionally implemented sequentially on a single computer. This research addresses the implementation of these fault tolerant flight control schemes on parallel and distributed computer architectures, using Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD) sockets and Message Passing Interface (MPI) for inter-process communication.
Usable Knowledge for National Park and Protected Area Management: A Social Science Perspective

Scientific understanding of the relationship between people and parks is critically important to protected area management. The social sciences can and must provide usable knowledge to managers, at the appropriate scale and dealing with issues relevant to protected area management. In this paper, the social sciences are defined and described, as is the concept of usable knowledge. The ecological context of protected area management is discussed, and a research agenda for the social sciences is presented. To accomplish this agenda, an international network of Cooperative Protected Area Studies Units (CPASUs) is proposed.
The Family of Human T-Cell Leukemia Viruses and Their Role in the Cause of T-Cell Leukemia and AIDS

HTLV is the generic name we gave the first human retroviruses. The majority of isolates are very closely related; we call them human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I). HTLV-I is endemic (at low rates) in the Caribbean, South and Central America, southeast U.S., southern Japan, and especially Africa. Viruses closely related to HTLV-I, but distinct from it, have been isolated from Old World monkeys. This and other facts led us to propose that the ancestral origin of HTLV is in Africa. Evidence indicates that HTLV-I is the direct cause of an aggressive form of adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma. The mechanisms involved in the in vitro immortalization and in vivo malignancy are not yet clear but apparently do not involve any visible consistent chromosomal change, consistent virus expression, or known onc genes. Whichever the mechanism for growth induction by HTLV-I, its efficiency in causing malignancy may be because it has dual major effects on infected cells: (1) immortalization of some T cells, and (2) interference with function and cytopathic changes in many others. In collaboration with D. Golde and colleagues, we also discovered a second class of human T-lymphotropic retroviruses (HTLV-II). It shares many features with HTLV-I but has major genomic differences.
Leafhopper-Induced Activation of the Jasmonic Acid Response Benefits Salmonella enterica in a Flagellum-Dependent Manner.

Enteric human pathogens such as Salmonella enterica are typically studied in the context of their animal hosts, but it has become apparent that these bacteria spend a significant portion of their life cycle on plants. S. enterica survives the numerous stresses common to a plant niche, including defense responses, water and nutrient limitation, and exposure to UV irradiation leading to an increased potential for human disease. In fact, S. enterica is estimated to cause over one million cases of foodborne illness each year in the United States with 20% of those cases resulting from consumption of contaminated produce. Although S. enterica successfully persists in the plant environment, phytobacterial infection by Pectobacterium carotovorum or Xanthomonas spp. increases S. enterica survival and infrequently leads to growth on infected plants. The co-association of phytophagous insects, such as the Aster leafhopper, Macrosteles quadrilineatus, results in S. enterica populations that persist at higher levels for longer periods of time when compared to plants treated with S. enterica alone. We hypothesized that leafhoppers increase S. enterica persistence by altering the plant defense response to the benefit of the bacteria. Leafhopper infestation activated the jasmonic acid (JA) defense response while S. enterica colonization triggered the salicylic acid (SA) response. In tomato plants co-treated with S. enterica and leafhoppers, both JA- and SA-inducible genes were activated, suggesting that the presence of leafhoppers may affect the crosstalk that occurs between the two antagonistic defense pathways. To rule out the possibility that leafhoppers provide additional benefits to S. enterica, plants were treated with a chemical JA analog to activate the immune response in the absence of leafhoppers. Although bacterial populations continue to decline over time, analog treatment significantly increased bacterial persistence on the leaf surface. Bacterial mutant analysis determined that the bacterial flagellum, whether functional or not, was required for increased S. enterica survival after analog treatment. By investigating the interaction between this human pathogen, a common phytophagous insect, and their plant host, we hope to elucidate the mechanisms promoting S. enterica survival on plants and provide information to be used in the development of new food safety intervention strategies.