cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Contribution of Various Sources of Spectral Mismatch to Audible Discontinuities in a Diphone Database

One of the major problems in concatenative synthesis is the occurrence of audible discontinuities between two successive concatenative units. Several studies have attempted to discover objective distance measures that predict the audibility of these discontinuities. In this paper, we investigate mid-vowel joins for three vowels with a range of post-vocalic consonant contexts typical for diphone databases. A first perceptual experiment uses a pairwise comparison procedure to find two subsets of unit combinations: Those with versus without audible discontinuities. A second perceptual experiment uses these two subsets in a procedure where formant resynthesis is used to manipulate three sources of discontinuity separately: formant frequencies, formant bandwidths, and overall energy. Results show mismatch in formant frequencies provides the largest contribution to audible discontinuity, followed by mismatch in overall energy
Staring Down the State: Police Power, Visual Economies, and the “War on Cameras”

This paper considers how the politics of security and order are also a politics of aesthetics encompassing practical struggles over the authority and regulation of ways of looking and knowing. To do this, the paper considers the visual economies of police power in the United States by engaging what has been called the “war on cameras”, or the police crackdown on citizen photographers who “shoot back” or “stare down” police. Despite US law generally endorsing the right for citizens to film or photograph on-duty public police officers, in recent years hundreds of cases have been documented where police have confiscated or smashed cameras, deleted film, or intimidated and threatened those wielding an unauthorized camera. For us, this crackdown on the unauthorized stare is a theoretically and politically insightful case study—a diagnostic moment—for engaging more openly and starkly the assumptions underpinning police power more generally, particularly the ways police power aims to actively fabricate social or...
Size-dependent variation of gender in high density stands of the monoecious annual, Ambrosia artemisiifolia (Asteraceae).

We examined the relationship between size variability and the distribution of functional gender in stands of the monoecious, wind-pollinated annual Ambrosia artemisiifolia. Populations of 60 individuals were grown in the greenhouse at a density of 372 m-2 and at two nutrient levels. Among the surviving plants, after self-thinning, variability in above-ground biomass and gender was higher in the high nutrient treatment. Among individuals there was a significant positive correlation between maleness and both height and biomass. Fecundity was also positively correlated with both measures of size. Based on the pattern of distribution of male and female flowers within the plant, it appears that the increase in maleness in larger plants is due to increased branching and axis elongation. These results demonstrate that competitive interactions, which lead to increased variability in biomass and fecundity, can also generate variability in gender within populations.
The Career Decision Scale: How Good Does it Have to be?

For more than 15 years, various writers have debated the underlying structure of the Career Decision Scale. Some are convinced it is best conceived to be a unidimensional measure, while others beli...
Micellar electrokinetic chromatography of fluorescently labeled proteins on poly(dimethylsiloxane)‐based microchips

MEKC of standard proteins was investigated on PDMS microfluidic devices. Standard proteins were labeled with AlexaFluor(R) 488 carboxylic acid tetrafluorophenyl ester and filtered through a size-exclusion column to remove any small peptides and unreacted label. High-efficiency MEKC separations of these standard proteins were performed using a buffer consisting of 10 mM sodium tetraborate, 25 mM SDS, and 20% v/v ACN. A separation of BSA using this buffer in a 3.0 cm long channel generated a peak with a plate height of 0.38 microm in <20 s. Additional fast separations of myoglobin, alpha-lactalbumin, lysozyme, and cytochrome c also yielded peaks with plate heights ranging from 0.54 to 0.72 microm. All proteins migrated with respect to their individual pIs. To improve the separations, we used a PDMS serpentine chip with tapered turns and a separation distance of 25 cm. The number of plates generated increased linearly with increasing separation distance on the extended separation channel chips; however, the resolution reached an asymptotic value after about 7 cm. This limited the peak capacity of the separation technique to 10-12.
Unattached and Unhinged: The Spinster and the Psychiatrist in Liberal Italy, 1860–1922

This article explores the role nineteenth-century Italian psychiatric sciences played in shaping attitudes towards adult women who never married. Initially in post-unification Italy unmarried women were largely invisible, while the bachelor appeared to threaten the newly formed nation's fragile political and social stability. In the last decades of the nineteenth century fears about the bachelor faded, replaced by growing concerns about the social dangers posed by the ‘spinster’. Drawing on writings from psychiatrists, anthropologists, sociologists, on patient records from psychiatric asylums as well as popular literature, this article traces the way psychiatric practice and theories transformed the image of the unmarried single woman.
Routine patterns of internet use & psychological well-being: coping with a residential move

In this paper we examine how routine uses of the Internet for communication with family and friends and for entertainment may serve as indicators of overall levels of psychological well-being. Changes in psychological well-being in response to a major life event, such as a residential move, can drive changes in routine uses of the Internet, suggesting Internet-based coping strategies. Specifically, women who report high levels of depressive affect, decrease internet use for communication. Men with similar levels of depressive affect increase internet use for entertainment. We discuss implications of these findings for our understanding of the role of the Internet in everyday behavior and instances of coping with stressful situations.
D'ANNUNZIO'S ICARIAN MYTHOPOESIS

Some of D'Annunzio's works reflect the poet's fascination with airplanes taking shape in the incarnation of Icarus the aviator. This essay explores how the references to the Icarus Myth are interconnected. It deals first mainly with D'Annunzio's novel Forse che si forse che no. Then, it shows how the theme resurfaces during the poet's participation in World War I and his interest in aviation. Finally, it illustrates how the different patterns of meaning continue to evolve during the last stage of the poet's life to become ultimately, through a synthesizing creative act, D'Annunzio's Icarian mythopoesis.
Finite Strain Theory and the Earth's Interior

Summary It is shown that the Poincart-Brillouin approach to finite elastic strain theory leads to equations completely equivalent to those obtained by the Murnaghan-Birch approach. Applying the Brillouin pressurestrain equation to the Earth’s interior (Le. to Bullen’s models), it is evident that there is a multiplicity of possible conclusions. The relative accuracy of the determined parameters is discussed and it is concluded that the Bullen data can be interpreted to mean a lower mantle with po = 4.0 g/cm3, Ko/po = 33 km2/s2, and an outer core having po = 6-75 g/cma, KO = 1-2 x 10l2 dyn/cm2. The problem of the composition 9f the Earth’s interior from an elasticity point of view must be concerned with finite strain theory. However, the best method of applying this theory to a study of the Earth’s interior may not be at all obvious. This uncertainty resides not in the theory but in the absence of experimental data on materials relevant to the problem, at relevant strains. As it turns out, assumptions necessarily made at the beginning of the analysis have a ruling influence on the conclusions drawn. The gross significance of these assumptions will be pointed out and it will be suggested that final conclusions are more reasonably based on derived values of po and KO (zero pressure density and incompressibility, respectively) than on a derived value of (dK/dp)o. The basic assumptions that must be made are concerned with two problems: (A) the handling of third-order coefficients in equations such as (I) and (2) below. These are the equations relating stress to strain in the case of hydrostatic finite stress, (I) being taken from Birch (1938) and (2) from Brillouin (1925, 1946). A discussion of the equivalence of these two equations is in an appendix to this paper.
Scientists share breakthroughs in karst systems research

An international symposium on Breakthroughs in Karst Geomicrobiology and Redox Geochemistry held in Colorado Springs in February 1994 allowed scientists to cross traditional disciplinary boundaries to discuss the role of microorganisms in karst processes. Through 3 days of oral, poster, and field sessions, the 110 participants explored the mechanisms of the complex interactive biological, chemical, and physical processes acting in karst, a landscape dominated by soluble carbonate rocks and underlain by dissolution features such as caves. The meeting was organized by the Karst Waters Institute with funding from the National Science Foundation and in cooperation with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
Medicare+Choice: An Interim Report Card

While the aim of Medicare+Choice (M+C) was to expand choice, the choices available to Medicare beneficiaries have diminished since its inception: Existing plans have withdrawn from M+C, few new plans have entered the program from among the newly authorized plan types, greater choice has not developed in areas that lacked choice, and the inequities in benefits and offerings between higher- and lower-paid areas of the country have widened rather than narrowed. Operational constraints probably explain the most immediate declines in M+C enrollment, but Congress’s ability to foster success for M+C will ultimately depend on the way in which historical tensions related to competing goals and ideologies for the Medicare program are resolved.
Measuring Perceptions of Stigmatization by Others for Seeking Psychological Help: Reliability and Validity of a New Stigma Scale With College Students

Fear of being stigmatized is the most cited reason why individuals avoid psychotherapy. Conceptually, this fear should be strongest when individuals consider the reactions of those they interact with. Across 5 samples, the authors developed the Perceptions of Stigmatization by Others for Seeking Help (PSOSH) scale. In Sample 1 (N = 985), the 5 items of the PSOSH were selected (α = .91). In Sample 2 (N = 842), the unidimensional factor structure of the scale was examined across a diverse sample. In Sample 3 (N = 506), concurrent validity was supported through moderate associations with 3 different stigma measures (i.e., public stigma toward counseling, r = .31; public stigma toward mental illness, r = .20; and self-stigma, r = .37). In Sample 4 (N = 144), test-retest reliability across a 3-week period was calculated (.82). Finally, in Sample 5 (N = 130), reliability (α = .78) and validity were explored with a sample experiencing symptoms of psychological distress. Relationships between variables (i.e., public stigma toward counseling, r = .31, and self-stigma, r = .40) were similar to those in previous samples.
Face Sheet Buckling of Debonded Sandwich Panels Using a Two-Dimensional Elastic Foundation Approach

A two-dimensional elastic foundation model for analysis of the face sheet buckling behavior of sandwich panels with an embedded rectangular debond has been developed. The model is based on an energy method which assumes that the core behaves as an elastic foundation supporting the face sheets everywhere except over the debond. The face sheet buckling load is presented in a versatile form expressed into two buckling coefficients. Parametric studies are conducted to evaluate the influences of the foundation modulus, face sheet modulus, face sheet anisotropy, debond and panel dimensions, and aspect ratios. It is shown that the critical buckling load is very sensitive to the core modulus and flexural stiffness of the face and less sensitive to the debond size and face anisotropy. Model predictions are compared to experimental results obtained for sandwich panels consisting of glass/epoxy face sheets over a H100 PVC foam core with a range of square face/core debond sizes. Reasonable agreement with experimental...
Using spreadsheets in introductory EE courses

Ways in which spreadsheet programs can be used to introduce practical considerations in introductory electrical engineering courses are discussed. Examples are presented which show that spreadsheets can be used to predict and/or minimize the errors due to loading, the availability of only standard resistor values, and resistor tolerances. The circuits considered in these examples were selected to be as simple as possible. These examples could be used in the first semester of sophomore credits. They illustrate trade-offs, performance criteria, and nonunique solutions, and are intended to illustrate the power of spreadsheet programs. In the first example, a macro is used to implement a simple iterative optimization procedure. In the second example, minimization is done by exhaustive search using the table lookup capabilities of the spreadsheet. In the final example, the spreadsheet's random number generator is used to perform a Monte Carlo analysis. >
Corporate international diversification and risk

Abstract This study analyzes the effects of corporate international diversification (CID) on risk. Results document a mostly positive relation between CID, as measured by four different empirical proxy variables, and equity risk. I also find that diversification increases the volatility of cash flows and earnings. There is no empirical support of a reduction in correlations between firm-level and domestic market-level cash flows of internationally diversified firms. Finally, this study shows that the risk-increasing effects of CID are stronger for firms that are in more advanced stages of the internationalization process. The latter finding would be consistent with firms expanding to more risky countries in their latter stages of CID.
Development of a Two-Dimensional Model of the Human Arm to Investigate the Biomimetic Substitution of Human Bicep Muscle With a Dielectric Electroactive Polymer Muscle Actuator

Current prostheses are not able to meet the needs of patients. The authors have recently been investigating the feasibility of integrating multiple types of electroactive polymers (EAP) to develop an artificial muscle for prostheses and muscle implants; much like biological muscle is made up of multiple types of muscle fibers. The intent is to produce a lightweight device which has smooth fluid-like motion, in contrast to the jerky motion of current prostheses which use heavy rotary actuators. A human arm model, isolating the bicep muscle, was developed to better understand the requirements on force and strain that an artificial muscle must meet to replace biological muscle. This study was conducted with the assistance of orthopedic surgeons from the Rochester General Hospital. Bicep muscle characteristics were compared with those of dielectric elastomer electroactive polymers (DEAP), since they produce relatively high force and large strain during actuation. Results show that current characteristics of DEAPs will not allow for direct substitution of human muscle fibers with EAPs because their force and strain outputs are too low. To increase the force and strain output of DEAPs to that of human muscle fibers, the stiffness of the DEAP needs to be increased. The analysis done and results obtained are discussed in the paper, as well as possible ways to increase the stiffness of EAPs to better meet the requirements for biological muscle replacement.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
The Tolerability and Efficacy of Rapid Infliximab Infusions in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Few studies have assessed the loss of efficacy or patient and caregiver satisfaction with rapid infliximab infusions. The aim of this study is to assess the tolerability, loss of efficacy and to describe the impact on resource utilization and patient satisfaction in rapid infliximab infusions. Subjects with inflammatory bowel disease receiving rapid infliximab infusions were included in the study. Subjects received maintenance infusions from June 2011 to June 2013. Incidence of adverse reactions and the total number of rapid infliximab infusions were recorded. Efficacy was compared to published studies evaluating the long-term efficacy of infliximab infusions. Patient satisfaction was addressed through a survey following the implementation of the rapid infusion protocol. Seventy-five subjects with IBD were included in the study. Five hundred and twenty-two rapid infliximab infusions were provided to patients. There were no acute or delayed infusion reactions. Ten subjects (13 %) required either a dose escalation or interval adjustment between infliximab infusions. A majority of patients reported increased satisfaction with 1-h infliximab infusions, and 97 % of surveyed patients opted to continue rapid infusions. The rapid infliximab infusion protocol increased infusion unit efficiency by increasing capacity by 15 %. Cost savings in the elimination of nursing time translated to approximately $108,150 savings at our institution. Rapid infliximab infusions do not appear to increase the risk of loss of response compared to historical studies of long-term infliximab efficiency. A rapid infliximab infusion protocol improved efficiency in our infusion unit and increased patient and nursing satisfaction.
Substance Abuse, General Principles

1. Kirstin A. M. Nackers, MD* 2. Patricia Kokotailo, MD, MPH* 3. Sharon J. L. Levy, MD† 1. *Department of Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. 2. †Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening for alcohol and other drug use at adolescent health supervision visits and appropriate acute-care visits, (1) yet many clinicians find addressing substance use with youth to be a challenge. After completing this article, the reader should be able to: 1. Describe the use trends for alcohol and common other drugs by youth in the United States. 2. Explain the primary care clinician’s role in screening and management of alcohol and substance use. 3. Using motivational interviewing techniques, adopt an in-office brief intervention across the spectrum of adolescent substance use. 4. Analyze the utility of urine drug testing in various clinical situations, such as random screening in a low-risk patient/population, testing an adolescent who self-reports ongoing substance use, monitoring adherence to treatment for a substance use disorder, and evaluating a patient with signs/symptoms of acute toxicity. Adolescent drug and alcohol use remains a major issue in the United States. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends screening for use of these substances at adolescent health supervision visits and appropriate acute-care visits. (1) Primary care clinicians (PCCs) serve an important role in both the identification and management of alcohol and substance use disorders (SUDs). This role comes with many challenges, including managing the dynamics of families that may be in crisis, issues of adolescent confidentiality, and high variability of local resources to support patients in need of treatment for SUDs. In this article, we review the epidemiology of alcohol and substance use, the approach to screening and treatment, the issue of adolescent confidentiality, and the role of urine drug testing. ### Epidemiology The epidemiology of adolescent substance use must be …
Professional Skills as Cornerstones of Liberal Education: Moving Students from Theory to Action.

ABSTRACTThis article presents the Simmons World Challenge curriculum, an intensive, interdisciplinary program for sophomore undergraduate students that emphasizes student-directed collaborative learning and skills development. The authors present the curricular approach and assessment outcomes, and they relate this program to goals of the AAC&U's Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) Initiative. Beyond introducing students to content and sensitizing them to social challenges, the Simmons World Challenge supports students in developing transferable problem-solving, team work, and project management skills that they can apply to future academic and real-world challenges.
Band-reject infrared metallic photonic band gap filters on flexible polyimide substrate

Metallic photonic band gap (MPBG) structures are multi-layer metallic meshes imbedded in a dielectric medium. We report the successful design, fabrication, and characterization of infrared band-reject filters using MPBG structures in a flexible polyimide substrate. The metal layers of the MPBG have square grid patterns with short perpendicular cross-arm defects added halfway between each intersection. The transmission characteristics of these filters show a higher order band-reject region in addition to a lower order band gap that extends from zero to particular cut off frequency. The critical frequencies of the filters depend on the spatial periodicity of the metal grids and length of the cross-arm defects. Optical transmission measurements of the bandreject filters show lower edge cutoff frequency of about 2 THz and the higher order bandgap region centered around 4.5THz with attenuation of more than 35 dB in the bandgap region. This is in good agreement with the theoretical calculations. The filters maintain their optical characteristics after repeated bending, demonstrating mechanical robustness of the MPBG structure and have minimal dependence on angle of incidence.
Genetic Differences among Populations of the Black Turpentine Beetle, Dendroctonus terebrans, and an Engraver Beetle, Ips calligraphus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

Starch gel electophoresis was used to assay genetic variability in Dendroctonus terebrans Olivier, the black turpentine beetle, and Ips calligraphus Germar, an engraver beetle, to measure genetic differentiation among geographic populations of these two bark beetle species. There was no evidence of genetic differences between D. terebrans from Georgia and Florida, but these two southeastern populations differed significantly from one in Mississippi. A population in Texas differed from all the others in possessing unique electromorphs for the Got-I locus. No significant genetic differences were found between I. calligraphus populations from Georgia and Florida, or from Mississippi and Texas, but the two sets of populations differed significantly. Thus, demonstrable genetic differences exist among widely separated populations of these two bark beetle species. The overall level of genetic differentiation among populations of either species, however, is relatively low. The genetic distances between populations in either species are like those reported for local populations of many other animal species.
Potency of a Human Monoclonal Antibody to Diphtheria Toxin Relative to Equine Diphtheria Anti-toxin in an Animal Model.

Background. Morbidity and mortality from toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae is greatly reduced by prompt administration of anti-toxin. Current treatment relies upon equine-derived antibodies to diphtheria toxin (Diphtheria Anti-Toxin [DAT]) that carry the risk of a severe allergic reaction. The global supply of DAT is extremely limited as most manufacturers have ceased production. MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School has developed a human monoclonal antibody (S315) that neutralizes diphtheria toxin in vitro and protects toxin-exposed animals. A human monoclonal has the potential to provide a safer alternative to equine DAT and address critical supply issues for global use. Methods. To guide dose selection for investigational new drug-enabling pharmacology and toxicology studies, we dose-ranged S315 and DAT in a guinea pig model of diphtheria intoxication based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Minimum Requirements (1946) potency assay for DAT preparations. Guinea pigs (5 per cohort) were dosed with a single subcutaneous injection of DAT (1.25–2.5 IU) or S315 (8–100 µg) premixed with a fixed dose of toxin. Animals were monitored daily for 30 days and assigned a score for presence of symptoms (lethargy, dehydration, weak limbs) or death. A logistic analysis was performed using Fieller's theorem to calculate the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) around the ED50 for each group. Results. All animals receiving ≥27.5 µg of S315 or ≥1.75 IU of DAT survived toxin exposure whereas all animals receiving ≤22.5 µg of S315 or ≤1.25 IU of DAT died, yielding a potency estimate of 17 µg S315 /IU DAT (95% CI, 16–21) for an endpoint of survival. Because some of the surviving animals exhibited transient limb weakness, possibly a manifestation of peripheral neuropathy due to diphtheria toxin, the ED50 required to prevent any signs of diphtheria intoxication were also calculated for DAT and S315, yielding a relative potency of 48 µg/IU (95% CI, 38–59). Conclusion. To support the advancement of S315 into clinical trials, these potency estimates will be used to evaluate the efficacy of S315 versus DAT in an animal model in which antibody will be administered after exposure to diphtheria toxin, more closely modeling the timing of anti-toxin administration in humans. Disclosures. H. Smith, MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School: Employee, Salary; P. Cheslock, MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School: Employee, Salary; M. Leney, MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School: Employee, Salary; B. Barton, MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School: Collaborator, Salary; D. Molrine, MassBiologics of the University of Massachusetts Medical School: Employee, Salary
Relation of Milk Secretion to Iodine in Milk—An Abstract

AbstractA series of experiments has been conducted with lactating dairy cows to define further the manner in which iodine enters milk. The effects of variations in milk yield on secretion of I131 into milk were studied in eight comparisons with identical twin Jersey cows. Cows averaging 23.2 lb milk
Solid Waste Management in Vellore District, Tamil Nadu

Rapid growth of population and urbanization has resulted in increasing the volume of solid waste generation in the study area in particular and in India with 68.8 million tons/day. The improper disposal of solid waste becomes a major menace to the urban area and their surroundings. The management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) has become an acute problem to the society due to enhancement of economic activities and modernization. The composition of MSW is 51 % organic, 17.5 % recyclables (paper, plastic, metal and glass). The composition of MSW in the North, East, South and Western regions of the country varied between 50 and 57 % of organics, 16–19 % of recyclables, 28–31 % of inserts and 45–51 % of moisture. In Tamil Nadu, the estimated volume of solid waste is around 6404 tons/day and the per capita solid waste generation is 0.71 kg. The development along with population growth resulted in the accumulation of huge amount of solid waste including hazardous and toxic waste. The main purpose of this paper is to give a view of the solid waste management, practices and its implications on environment in Tamil Nadu.
Between State, Company, and Market: A Preliminary Engagement on the Business and Human Rights Obligations of States and State Owned Enterprises (SOEs)

This past summer, the Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights and Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises delivered its 2016 Report to the U.N. Human Rights Council. The focus of that report was the relationship of states and state owned enterprises to the state duty to protect and the corporate responsibility to respect human rights at the core of the United Nations Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights. Part II develops a deep analysis of the 2016 WG Report, interrogating its conceptual framework and its implantation programs. Part III then briefly considers the work left to be done: from conceptual lacunae to implementation. It consists of a set of ten (10) challenges and recommendations for further development. These recommendations and challenges suggest that issues of corporate personality, of sovereign immunity, of asset partition, and of the mania for compartmentalization that marks certain approaches to global economic and financial regulation may well hobble the work of embedding human rights within the operation of states as owners and SOEs as public enterprises. More importantly they suggest the difficulty of the current strongly held consensus that the focus of regulatory governance must be grounded in and through a formally constituted enterprise, the SOE, rather than focusing regulation on economic activity irrespective of the form in which it is undertaken. Until these conceptual issues are considered the regulation of economic activates — SOEs, supply chains, multinational corporations, will remain elusive.
Abstract P099: Angiotensin Type I Receptor (AT1R) and (Pro)renin Receptor (PRR) Functional Heterodimer Mediates ERK Phosphorylation

Receptor dimerization was shown to enhance the receptor efficacy, trafficking and signal transduction. Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and (Pro)renin receptor (PRR) are expressed in the kidney. Studies demonstrated that these two receptors have some similarities in their signaling mechanisms and effects. In the present study we hypothesized that the AT1R and PRR form functional heterodimer to enhance cellular ERK phosphorylation. Using Immunoprecipitation technique, confocal immunofluorescence staining (IF), and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), we evaluated the presence of AT1R and PRR heterodimer in rat renal mesangial (RMC) and PC12W cells transfected with AT1R. These two receptors coimmunoprecipitated at 80kD band. IF demonstrated AT1R and PRR co-localization as shown in figure below and FRET demonstrated the physical distance between them to be less than 10nm (<100 A), providing strong evidence for these receptors heterodimerization. To evaluate the function of the AT1R/PRR dimer, PC12W cells were treated with scramble siRNA or PRR siRNA . There were no significant differences in phosphorylation of ERK between control and scramble siRNA. PRR siRNA treatment significantly reduced the ERK phosphorylation by 35%, P<0.05. There was 60% (P<0.01) increase in ERK phosphorylation in PC12W cells transfected with AT1R. In these cells, PRR siRNA treatment attenuated the increase in ERK phosphorylation by 33% (P< 0.05). We conclude that AT1R-PRR form a heterodimer that is functionally active to enhance ERK phosphorylation. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Cavity designs for GHz frequency combs

A comprehensive modeling of the mode-locked laser is presented. The methodology, based for a large part on space-time analogy, applies to any cavity, but may be particularly important for short cavities with particular emphasis where very tight parameter control is essential. Unlike earlier models the beam deformation by nonlinear index in time and space is completely accounted for. It is shown that the mechanism responsible for starting mode-locking is not only Kerr lensing but also Kerr deflection. The problem of directionality in a ring laser is addressed. Will the operation be bidirectional, or unidirectional, and in the later case in which direction? It is suggested that this question can be addressed by considering the analogy between a ring laser and a quantum mechanical two level system. While it is generally taken for granted that multi-GHz combs can only be obtained by miniaturization of the laser, it is shown that a high frequency comb can be generated in a mode-locked laser by inserting a glass etalon.
Virtual reference librarians (Chatbots)

Purpose This paper aims to explore integrating chatbot applications into libraries to improve reference services. Design/methodology/approach This paper explores the benefits of using chatbots as virtual reference librarians. Emma the Mentor Public Library’s Catbot is used as a case study. Findings Chatbots cannot replicate the complexity of human interaction (both knowledge and emotional), but these can provide a cost-effective way to answer the majority of routine reference questions and direct users to the appropriate service. Originality/value Readers will increase their awareness of how chatbots can streamline the work of the reference department by answering the majority of routine reference questions and freeing library staff to focus on more demanding research and tasks uniquely suited to humans.
Identification in a generalization of bivariate probit models with dummy endogenous regressors

Abstract This paper provides identification results for a class of models specified by a triangular system of two equations with binary endogenous variables. The joint distribution of the latent error terms is specified through a parametric copula structure that satisfies a particular dependence ordering, while the marginal distributions are allowed to be arbitrary but known. This class of models is broad and includes bivariate probit models as a special case. The paper demonstrates that having an exclusion restriction is necessary and sufficient for global identification in a model without common exogenous covariates, where the excluded variable is allowed to be binary. Having an exclusion restriction is sufficient in models with common exogenous covariates that are present in both equations. The paper then extends the identification analyses to a model where the marginal distributions of the error terms are unknown.
Metastatic adnexal cancer in a man.

Primary cutaneous adnexal neoplasms are mostly benign in nature; however, there have been reports of malignant adnexal tumors with distant metastasis to lymph nodes. Adnexal cutaneous malignancy with metastasis to the gastrointestinal tract has never been reported. Here, we present a rare case of a man with primary adnexal cutaneous adenocarcinoma who presented with symptomatic anemia secondary to occult gastrointestinal bleeding, found to be from gastrointestinal metastasis of the adnexal malignancy. Keywords Primary cutaneous adnexal neoplasms, gastrointestinal malignancy, skin tumor Ann Gastroenterol 2017; 30 (5): 581-582
Evaluating the impact of man-made disasters on imperiled species: Piping plovers and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

Abstract Even in the presence of environmental safeguards, catastrophic accidents related to anthropogenic activities occur that can result in both immediate and chronic impacts on local biota. However, due to the unplanned nature of catastrophes, studies aimed to identify the effects of these accidents on an ecosystem and its inhabitants often have imperfect study designs that are reactive rather than proactive, resulting in methodological and analytical challenges. On 20 April 2010, following an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, a well blowout occurred on the seafloor approximately 80 km off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico. This blowout resulted in the largest marine oil spill in United States history, which impacted critical migratory stopover and overwintering habitat for many seabird and shorebird species, including species of high conservation concern such as the piping plover ( Charadrius melodus ). Here, we assessed the potential longer-term demographic impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on piping plovers in a capture-mark-recapture framework. We examined whether a series of demographic processes, including probabilities of remaining at a specific wintering site, over-winter and annual apparent survival, winter stopover duration, and abundance varied among oiled and unoiled habitats. We found that the perceived amount of oiling on land, in water, and on individual birds, as well as numerous demographic processes, were spatially or temporally variable. However, we found little support that piping plover demography was negatively influenced by the magnitude of oil observed at an impacted area, or that demographic rates substantially varied between reference and oil impacted areas. Nor did we find that piping plovers that were observed to be oiled had lower survival probabilities following the DWH oil spill relative to non-oiled individuals from the same winter population. Although we did not find that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill substantially influenced piping plovers, our methods provide an analytical framework to more appropriately address both the near or long-term impacts of an anthropogenic disturbance on a species.
Automated Classification of Benign and Malignant Proliferative Breast Lesions

Misclassification of breast lesions can result in either cancer progression or unnecessary chemotherapy. Automated classification tools are seen as promising second opinion providers in reducing such errors. We have developed predictive algorithms that automate the categorization of breast lesions as either benign usual ductal hyperplasia (UDH) or malignant ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). From diagnosed breast biopsy images from two hospitals, we obtained 392 biomarkers using Dong et al.'s (2014) computational tools for nuclei identification and feature extraction. We implemented six machine learning models and enhanced them by reducing prediction variance, extracting active features, and combining multiple algorithms. We used the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for performance evaluation. Our top-performing model, a Combined model with Active Feature Extraction (CAFE) consisting of two logistic regression algorithms, obtained an AUC of 0.918 when trained on data from one hospital and tested on samples of the other, a statistically significant improvement over Dong et al.'s AUC of 0.858. Pathologists can substantially improve their diagnoses by using it as an unbiased validator. In the future, our work can also serve as a valuable methodology for differentiating between low-grade and high-grade DCIS.
Transforming participation in water governance: the multisectoral alliances of rural water committees and NGOs in Nicaragua

This paper examines new forms of political participation on the part of rural water committees in Nicaragua in the mid-2000s. In particular, it explores the role of multisectoral alliances in facil...
Bulk, surface structures and properties of sodium borosilicate and boroaluminosilicate nuclear waste glasses from molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract The bulk and surface structures, as well as physical properties such as ionic diffusion and mechanical moduli, of sodium borosilicate and boroaluminosilicate model nuclear waste glasses with composition similar to the international simplified glass (ISG) have been studied using molecular dynamics simulations with the recently developed partial charge composition dependent potentials. Short and medium range structures of these glasses were analyzed and it was found that, for glass former cations, silicon ion is all four-fold coordinated by oxygen, aluminum is also mainly four-fold coordinated, while boron exists in a mixture of 3- and 4-fold coordination, with the fraction of 4-fold coordinated B (N 4 value) close to but slightly higher than the experimental and theoretical values. The medium range structure features such as network former cation oxygen polyhedral connectivity, sodium distribution around the network formers, and network ring size distribution were characterized. The surface structure was generated from the simulated bulk glass structures and showed sodium enrichment on the glass surface. Addition of alumina to borosilicate glasses increased B N 4 value and overall glass network connectivity that led to improved mechanical properties. Ion diffusion properties, mechanical properties as well as surface characteristics for the simplified ISG have also been investigated with simulations and compared with available experimental data. This detailed atomic structure information provides insight of the physical properties of these glasses and a step further in understanding the chemical durability and dissolution behaviors.
The Use of Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time As a Surrogate to Predict Residual FVIII Activity in the Bethesda Assay

Abstract Introduction: Bethesda assays, used in the quantification of factor VIII inhibitors, are time and labor intensive. They are performed by mixing one part of normal pooled plasma (NPP) with an equal amount of serial dilutions of patient plasma in imadizole buffered saline (IBS), and incubating at 37°C for 2 hours. After the incubation time, most laboratories perform factor VIII (FVIII) activities on each tube. These results are divided by the activity resulted on the control (NPP+IBS) to obtain the percent residual activity. The dilution with a percent residual FVIII activity between 25-75% is then converted to a Bethesda Unit using the Bethesda graph. This value is multiplied by the dilution to calculate final Bethesda units/mL. We propose an alternative method, involving performing partial thromboplastin times (PTTs) on all dilution tubes and only performing FVIII activity testing on a limited number of tubes e.g. 2 tubes rather than all 10 tubes. The study below describes the methodology and provides data to show how the PTT can be used as a surrogate. Using PTTs may reduce cost per test by reducing the amount of FVIII deficient plasma used for FVIII activity testing, especially in the case of very high titer inhibitors. Methods: Serial dilutions of patient plasma with IBS are prepared to the 512 dilution (10 tubes) and incubated with an equal amount of NPP along with a control consisting of IBS and NPP. PTTs are run using Siemens Actin FSL reagent on the BCS coagulometer (Siemens) on all 10 tubes and the control. The tube with a resultant PTT within 5 seconds above the control is identified and then that tube, along with the next higher dilution, are tested for residual factor VIII activity (ACL TOP, Instrumentation Laboratory). These results are used to calculate the percent residual FVIII activity and Bethesda units/mL as described above. To support our hypothesis, we performed PTT and FVIII activities on all dilution tubes. Results: We performed 14 inhibitor assays on 9 patients. 44% (4/9) had congenital hemophilia A with an inhibitor and 56% had acquired hemophilia A. Table 1 shows results from dilution tubes that resulted in residual FVIII activities between 25-75%. The dilutions with residual activity closest to 50% were used in the final interpretation and are bolded. Using the 5 seconds above control PTT to identify dilutions to limit FVIII assays correlated with residual FVIII activities in 12 of the 14 samples tested (86%). Furthermore, this method identified the dilution with the residual FVIII activities closest to 50% in 10 of the 12 samples. Two samples demonstrated no correlation between PTT and FVIII activities. These samples had low titer inhibitors ( Conclusion: An alternative method, using PTT testing to perform targeted FVIII activity testing, may be used in the Bethesda Assay. Download : Download high-res image (221KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures Sarode: CSL Behring: Consultancy, Honoraria.
S Marks the Spot: Linking the Antioxidant Activity of N-Acetyl Cysteine to H2S and Sulfane Sulfur Species.

N-Acetyl cysteine (NAC) is commonly used as an antioxidant and cytoprotectant, yet a broadly applicable mechanism of these activities has remained elusive. In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Ezeriņa et al. (2018) report an alternative mechanism for NAC cytoprotection and antioxidant activity by demonstrating that NAC treatment increases sulfane sulfur production via intermediate H2S generation.
Predictive Validity of Kindergarten Progress Monitoring Measures Across the School Year: Application of Dominance Analysis:

Although several measures are available for monitoring kindergarten reading progress, little research has directly compared them to determine which are superior in predicting year-end reading skill...
Morality as Cooperation

Living a "moral" life is often contrasted with living a "prosperous" life. Major philosophers, ancient and modern, have tended to praise the virtuous life of personal sacrifice for the public good, while discounting the moral worth of the individual’s pursuit of individual happiness. When an individual’s pursuit of his own interests generates socially desirable outcomes it is understood as a mere accident, and when attempts by political leaders to achieve a defined social virtue result in degradation (economic and moral) of the people, it is explained as an accident of history or the corruption of an ideal by unscrupulous individuals.
Slicing it Thin

Over six hundred years ago, the Blessed John Colombini of Siena founded a new religious order, originally devoted to nursing and burying the victims of the rampant bubonic plague that swept away more than a third of the population of Europe. The group, known as the Jesuats (in no way related to the Jesuits—which at the time had not yet been founded), was officially approved by Pope Urban V in 1367. As time went on, the order declined, and in 1606 a partially successful attempt was made to revive the group. But certain abuses, apparently involving the manufacture and sale of distilled liquors in a manner not sanctioned by Canon Law, crept in. This, along with a difficulty in maintaining a reasonable membership quota, led to the order’s abolishment by Pope Clement IX in 1668. The order had existed for just over three hundred years.
Abstinence and Curricular Approaches to Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention for Adolescents

Being abstinent is a part of adolescent psychosexual development, and even sexually experienced adolescents have periods of abstinence. It is a strategy that is effective for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and abstinence is recognized as an important component of effective developmentally appropriate comprehensive approaches to adolescent STI prevention. This is supported by effectiveness data, ethics and human rights arguments, best practices, and parent and adolescent support. In contrast, abstinence-only sex education should be avoided as it has multiple effectiveness, medical accuracy, ethics, and human rights critiques. US and international resources exist to help communities implement effective and developmentally and culturally appropriate comprehensive sex education programs to prevent HIV and STIs among adolescents.