cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental study of zircon coarsening in quartzite ′H2O at 1.0 GPa and 1000 °C, with implications for geochronological studies of high-grade metamorphism

The rate and mechanism of zircon coarsening in quartzite ′H 2 O at 1.0 GPa and 1000 °C were characterized by performing time-series experiments in a piston-cylinder apparatus. Anhydrous experiments show no significant growth of zircon or textural modifications after 24 h. In the presence of 1-2 wt% H 2 O, zircon (2 wt%) in coarsely powdered quartz recrystallized in the first 8 hours so that mean crystal size decreased relative to the starting material. After 8 h zircon grew by Ostwald ripening and by coalescence of crystals, and maintained its position on quartz grain boundaries, even while quartz crystals coarsened, by recrystallizing in the fluid. Fitting the experimental data produced the growth-rate equation log ( " - n ) = log ( 2 - 2 ) = log (t - to) + log K n = log (t - to) - 5.9, where is mean diameter in micrometers, the subscript 0 denotes initial value at time zero, t is experiment duration in seconds, and K n is the growth-rate constant with units of μm 2 /s (five experiments, r 2 = 0.988). A value of n = 2 suggests that growth is interface controlled, with the rate limited by dissolution and precipitation on the crystal surface. An equivalent growth-rate equation is - = K 1 / n t"" = K 1 / n n t 1 / n = (1.12 x 10 - 3 μm/s 1 / 2 ) t 1 / 2 , a parabolic rate law equation that can be used to demonstrate that zircon in the presence of H 2 O at 1000 °C grows fast enough by Ostwald ripening to produce micrometer-thick overgrowths in <10 y. Rapid coarsening of zircon by Ostwald ripening will occur during thermal metamorphism when fluid is present. Addition of fluid (and possibly melt) greatly increases the rate of coarsening, suggesting that most metamorphic rims form nearly instantaneously during fluid influx (or anatexis), and that U-Pb rim ages date such events.
Complete Genome Sequence of an Edwardsiella piscicida-Like Species, Recovered from Tilapia in the United States.

ABSTRACT An Edwardsiella piscicida-like species is a Gram-negative facultative anaerobe that causes disease in some fish species. In this report, we present the complete and annotated genome of isolate LADL05-105, recovered from cultured tilapia reared in Louisiana, which contains a chromosome of 4,142,037 bp and no plasmids.
The Transformative Impact of Cultural Portals on the Ethnic Identity Development of Second-Generation Filipino-American Emerging Adults

ABSTRACTThis study considers why second-generation Filipino-Americans (SGFAs) may experience unique challenges regarding family socialization, ethnic identity formation, and a history of colonial mentality. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 SGFA emerging adults. An indigenous perspective and life story interview was used to underscore social, political, and historical contexts of participants. Despite experiencing colonial mentality, assimilation, and constrained enculturation, SGFAs displayed areas of resilience through cultural portals, or access points to their own heritage and culture, which allowed them to explore and develop their own ethnic identity in a transformative way.
Family of dilatons and metrics for AdS/QCD models

We explore some possibilities for obtaining useful metrics and dilatons for anti--de Sitter (AdS)/QCD models. As a guideline, we consider dilatons and/or metrics that on the one hand reproduce the mesonic spectrum, and that on the other hand allow us a correct implementation of chiral symmetry breaking in AdS/QCD models. We discuss two procedures: one is based on supersymmetric quantum mechanics techniques and the other considers the interpolation between some limits on dilatons and/or metrics.
1.4: Bad Blood (‘Sangue Africano’, Stefano Sollima)

-Vi piace la lotta? (Don Pietro)-Solo se vinco. (Comandante of the prison)Much hinges on (and in) ‘Sangue africano’, the fourth episode of Season One, directed by Stefano Sollima. Significant trans...
A Failed Private-to-Public Transplant: “New Public Management”

Public administration as practiced in the United States today is hostage to market-centric economics.
85 - Ethanol Modulation of cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase Subunits Activity: Mechanisms and Functional Consequences1

This chapter describes the mechanisms of modulation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity by ethanol. Acute and chronic ethanol exposure has been shown to alter several hormone and neurotransmitter-activated signal transduction pathways; cAMP pathway is a major target for ethanol in intact cells. The main effector of cAMP in mammalian cells is cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). NG108-15 cells contain PKA type I (CβRIβ) primarily in cytosol and PKA type II (CαRIIβ) in the particulate and nuclear fractions. Ethanol induces the translocation of the catalytic subunit Cα of PKA from Golgi area to the nucleus in NG108-15 cells. Ethanol also induces translocation of the RIIβ regulatory subunit of PKA to the nucleus; however, RI and Cβ are not translocated. Nuclear PKA activity in ethanol-treated cells is no longer regulated by cAMP. Ethanol obstructs association of Cα with RII, PKA inhibitor (PKI), and hydrophobic substrates. Pre-incubation of holoenzyme with ethanol does not induce dissociation of catalytic and regulatory subunits. Ethanol-induced translocation of PKA to the nucleus leads to cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation and cAMP response element (CRE)-mediated gene transcription in NG108-15 cells.
The microgenetic analysis of staged peer collaboration for introductory programming

A positive peer learning collaboration is one where each participant engages with their partner's point of view. The negotiations that result from such engagements are the key to a productive collaborative learning experience. This paper presents a framework for in-class programming exercises done by dyads of students whose activity was mediated by an online learning platform. To maximize the amount of positive collaboration that occurs, it is crucial to consider the design of the interaction. The overall structure of the interaction for the platform described in this paper follows the think-pair-share (TPS) paradigm. The focus of the design is on the pair stage, which is where the heart of the collaboration lies. A model is developed of the progress of interaction during this stage, which is used to explain the data collected from a study of dyads of students engaged in problem-solving activities for short periods of time. A microgenetic analysis shows that students actively engage in collaboration through considering, comparing, and negotiating alternate viewpoints for a given exercise.
The longer term effects of federal subsidies on firm survival: evidence from the advanced technology program

The goal of this paper is to conduct a survival analysis to determine the causal impact of federal R&D subsidies on firms’ long-term survival. The data are small firms which applied to the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) in 1998 and 2000. The ATP’s focus was on ensuring that early stage, high-risk research was eventually commercialized successfully and resulted in broad economic benefits for society overall. This paper therefore explores whether the knowledge and benefits the ATP initially provided to a firm allowed it to more successfully transition future research projects from development and testing to commercialization. This paper utilizes a variant of the Heckman (Econometrica 47(1):153–161, 1979) research design to control for inherent pre-award differences between awarded and non-awarded firms. By using administrative data on reviewer scores, this analysis shows that the impact of ATP on small firm survival is robust to sample selection. This paper’s findings suggest that recei ving an ATP award can have a significant and positive causal effect on firm survival.
The Nordic Education Model: “A School for All” Encounters Neo-Liberal Policy, Ulf Blossing, Gunn Imsen, and Lejf Moos (Eds.)

This book includes the works of 19 scholars, most of whom are professors at universities spread across the five Nordic countries. This team of researchers was charged with examining specific areas ...
Using Experiential-Learning and Iterative Design to Benefit Colorado's Refugees

Rising trends of immigration and refugee resettlement is a global concern with reliance on local solutions. To support this population's needs, organizations such as the city of Aurora's Village Exchange Center work to build community and resettle new arrivals in Colorado. This paper presents design nuances for creating a digital information and communication technology (ICT) tool for Village Exchange Center's Natural Helpers program. Human-centered design methodologies were used to develop a digital resource guide based off of a previous paper incarnation. Four unique needs arose from our process: (1) a need for community feedback, (2) flexible service categorization, (3) password lapse considerations, and (4) the need for location context. We also discuss potential benefits of collaboration between students and low-resource organizations. Designing for refugees, immigrants, or similar populations with these considerations can improve users' experience and overall ICT utility.
Macroscopic models of clique tree growth for Bayesian networks

In clique tree clustering, inference consists of propagation in a clique tree compiled from a Bayesian network. In this paper, we develop an analytical approach to characterizing clique tree growth as a function of increasing Bayesian network connectedness, specifically: (i) the expected number of moral edges in their moral graphs or (ii) the ratio of the number of non-root nodes to the number of root nodes. In experiments, we systematically increase the connectivity of bipartite Bayesian networks, and find that clique tree size growth is well-approximated by Gompertz growth curves. This research improves the understanding of the scaling behavior of clique tree clustering, provides a foundation for benchmarking and developing improved BN inference algorithms, and presents an aid for analytical trade-off studies of tree clustering using growth curves.
Risk Factors Associated With Aortic and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Adolescents and Young Adults: The Muscatine Offspring Study

Atherosclerosis begins in childhood with the accumulation of lipid in the intima of arteries to form fatty streaks. Fatty streaks occur in the aorta in almost every child over the age of 3 years (1). Data from the Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth Study (PDAY), an autopsy study of individuals aged 15 to 34 years, demonstrated a propensity to develop atherosclerotic lesions within certain segments of the affected arteries. In the abdominal aorta, lesions were most likely to develop in the dorsolateral vessel just proximal to the bifurcation (2). Atherosclerotic lesions occur later in life in the coronary and carotid arteries than in the aorta but there is a strong association between atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta and coronary arteries (3). In the PDAY Study, several risk factors were strongly associated with atherosclerotic lesions of all grades (2). Early atherosclerotic lesions may also be detected in living asymptomatic individuals non-invasively by using ultrasound to measure the intimal-medial thickness (IMT) of the affected vessel. In older adults, this method has been widely used to assess the carotid arteries and increased carotid IMT (cIMT) predicts the risk of developing myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and peripheral vascular disease (4). In young and middle-aged adults, increased cIMT is associated with cardiovascular risk factors (5-7). In case-control studies, high-risk children who have hypertension, obesity, familial hyperlipidemia, type 1 diabetes, or a parental history of early coronary artery disease (the cases) have significantly higher cIMT compared to controls (8). Serial cIMT measurements have been used to monitor the effect of statin therapy in children with familial hyperlipidemia (9). Since the atherosclerotic changes occur earlier in the abdominal aorta than in the carotid arteries, it has been suggested that measurement of aortic IMT (aIMT) may be a more sensitive indicator in younger individuals. Detection of the earliest manifestations of atherosclerosis could allow risk factor modification at an even younger age when the lesions are less advanced. McGill et al. recently suggested that risk factor control in youth would be the most effective strategy to prevent heart disease in the 21st century (2). The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that starting as early as 2 to 10 years of age, children with risk factors or a family history of premature heart disease or hyperlipidemia should be screened using a fasting lipid profile. This approach was recommended because there was no currently available noninvasive method to assess atherosclerosis in children (10). In the study reported herein, we measured aIMT and cIMT in adolescents and young adults who are members of the Muscatine Study Offspring cohort, to identify the relationship of concurrently measured cardiovascular risk factors with both of these ultrasound-derived IMT measures.
Colonic metastasis from infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma in a male patient: A case report.

Abstract Introduction A colonic metastasis from infiltrating breast ductal carcinoma is a rare phenomenon in the literature, especially in a male. Presentation of case We present a rare case of a 55-year-old male with a past medical history of breast cancer who presented with signs and symptoms of appendicitis. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed acute appendicitis in addition to a 2.3 cm cecal mass that correlated with a hypermetabolic region on positron emission testing (PET) the previous year. Analysis of a previously biopsied axillary lymph node demonstrated infiltrating ductal carcinoma. After an appendectomy and a right hemicolectomy were performed, pathologic analysis of the specimen revealed metastatic ductal carcinoma to the cecum. Discussion Gastrointestinal metastases of breast carcinoma are rare with colonic metastases occurring in approximately 3% of these cases. At the time of diagnosis of these colonic metastases, the disease is often times multifocal in the gastrointestinal tract. Solitary gastrointestinal metastases are less common than both secondary primaries and benign processes. Biopsies obtained during colonoscopy are often non-diagnostic, mandating surgical excision and pathologic examination. Conclusion Although colonic metastases from a primary breast ductal carcinoma are rare, a low level of suspicion must be maintained in a patient with such a history presenting with abdominal symptoms.
Flexible Antenna for Wearable Devices at Wi-Fi frequency band

This paper presents a structure for the patch antenna to make it more flexible for biomedical applications. In this structure, the electrical length of the antenna will not change by bending the antenna, and therefore the resonance frequency will not vary.
Vitamin K status and mobility limitation and disability in older adults: The Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study.

BACKGROUND Vitamin K has been implicated in chronic diseases associated with increased risk for mobility disability, such as osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease. However, the association between vitamin K status and mobility disability is unknown. Therefore, we examined the association between vitamin K status and incident mobility disability in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study. METHODS Plasma phylloquinone (vitamin K1) was categorized as <0.5, 0.5-<1.0 and ≥1.0 nmol/L (n = 1,323, 48% male). Plasma ucMGP, which increases when vitamin K status is low, was measured in 716 participants and categorized into tertiles. Mobility limitation and disability, defined as two consecutive semiannual reports of having any or a lot of difficulty walking a one-fourth mile or climbing 10 steps without resting, were assessed over a median 6-10 years of follow-up. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between vitamin K status and incident mobility limitation and disability. RESULTS Participants with plasma phylloquinone less than 0.5 nmol/L were more likely to develop mobility limitation and disability compared to those with at least 1.0 nmol/L (adjusted HR (95% CI) mobility limitation: 1.27 (1.05-1.53); disability: 1.34 (1.01-1.76)). After further adjustment for knee pain, the associations were partially attenuated (HR (95% CI) mobility limitation: 1.20 (0.99-1.45); disability: 1.26 (0.96-1.67)). Plasma ucMGP was not associated with incident mobility limitation, but was nonlinearly associated with incident mobility disability (HR (95% CI), compared to tertile 1: tertile 2 = 1.64 (1.19-2.27), tertile 3 = 1.17 (0.83-1.66), fully adjusted). CONCLUSION Our results suggest vitamin K may be involved in the disablement process in older age. Future studies are needed to confirm our findings and clarify the underlying mechanism.
Reconstructing Greater Sage-Grouse chick diets: diet selection, body condition, and food availability at brood-rearing sites.

Growth and survival of juvenile birds is nutritionally demanding, making the availability of major foods critical to population productivity. Access to nutritious foods for juveniles has important implications because poor foraging conditions during development could result in mortality, or reduced fitness in adulthood. Selection of brood-rearing habitats by female Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) thus has broad implications to survival of juveniles and persistence of populations. Previous research using crop contents demonstrated that invertebrates and forbs comprise the major portion of sage-grouse chick diets for the first few months post-hatch. We coupled stable isotope analysis of feathers and field measurements to quantify chick diet and then correlated that with measures of chick body condition. We sought to reconstruct sage-grouse chick dietary history (2013–2015) using nitrogen stable isotopes to (1) evaluate whether selection of brood-rearing habitats by female sage-grouse was related to chick diet, and (2) assess the relationship between dietary consumption and body condition. Brood-rearing females selected habitats in areas where diet resources occurred in proportion to their availability, with the exception that females selected areas with greater forb abundance 4 weeks after hatch. Diet assimilation by chicks at brood-rearing locations was unrelated to the availability of forbs and invertebrates, but consumption of forbs increased with chick age. Chicks that assimilated proportionally greater amounts of plant-derived nitrogen in their feathers during their first week of life tended to weigh more and have longer wing chords. This relationship was similar between male and female chicks. The importance of quality foods for sage-grouse is well recognized and conservation efforts should aim to maintain functioning sagebrush ecosystems containing adequate brood-rearing habitats for juvenile sage-grouse; there remains a need to identify whether desirable effects are achievable when attempting to improve big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) habitats to benefit sage-grouse populations.
Pod indehiscence is a domestication and aridity resilience trait in common bean

Plant domestication has strongly modified crop morphology and development. Nevertheless, many crops continue to display atavistic characteristics that were advantageous to their wild ancestors but are deleterious under cultivation, such as pod dehiscence (PD). Here, we provide the first comprehensive assessment of the inheritance of PD in the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), a major domesticated grain legume. Using three methods to evaluate the PD phenotype, we identified multiple, unlinked genetic regions controlling PD in a biparental population and two diversity panels. Subsequently, we assessed patterns of orthology among these loci and those controlling the trait in other species. Our results show that different genes were selected in each domestication and ecogeographic race. A chromosome Pv03 dirigent-like gene, involved in lignin biosynthesis, showed a base-pair substitution that is associated with decreased PD. This haplotype may underlie the expansion of Mesoamerican domesticates into northern Mexico, where arid conditions promote PD. The rise in frequency of the decreased-PD haplotype may be a consequence of the markedly different fitness landscape imposed by domestication. Environmental dependency and genetic redundancy can explain the maintenance of atavistic traits under domestication.
Enhancing thermoplastic road-marking paints performance using sustainable rosin ester

Abstract The binder systems of conventional thermoplastic road-marking paint (TRM) formulations typically contain a thermoplastic resin and a liquid plasticizer/toughening agent. The liquid plasticizer often migrates to the paint surface and is leached away, negatively affecting the performance during its service life. The purpose of this study was to eliminate and/or reduce the liquid plasticizer from TRMs compositions by developing a sustainable thermoplastic resin compatible with the other resin types. To this end, a series of resins were prepared by reacting two bio-renewable based compounds including rosin ester compound, RE, with different amounts of epoxidized soybean oil, ESO via an esterification reaction. Various techniques were used to characterize ESO-treated RE. A variety of TRM paints were formulated by melt blending different types of resins, including; neat rosin ester, ESO-treated RE, hydrocarbon resin, and a mixture of both, and other essential components such as fillers and glass beads. The TRM coatings were then evaluated for softening point temperature (Tsp), color difference (ΔE), luminescence factor, β, before and after the heat stability test, and accelerated weathering performance. Taber abrasion, flow resistance, and cold impact resistance of the TRM samples were also determined. The drop-on glass beads retention of various samples was evaluated by means of a standard wash-ability test. The results revealed that the use of combination of sustainable ESO-treated RE and hydrocarbon-based resins improves the physical and mechanical properties of TRM materials thereby improving the compatibility between the components and increasing the toughness of TRM materials. The results also showed improved glass beads retention in the samples containing ESO-treated RE, probably as a result of interactions between the hydroxyl groups and some residual oxirane rings of the ESO compound with the hydroxyl groups on the glass beads’ surface.
Quantification of Neonatal Fc Receptor and Beta-2 Microglobulin in Human Liver Tissues by Ultraperformance Liquid Chromatography-Multiple Reaction Monitoring-based Targeted Quantitative Proteomics for Applications in Biotherapeutic Physiologically-based Pharmacokinetic Models

Neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) and beta-2 microglobulin (β2M) play an important role in transporting maternal IgG to fetuses, maintaining the homeostasis of IgG and albumin in human body, and prolonging the half-life of IgG- or albumin-based biotherapeutics. Little is known about the influence of age, gender and race, and interindividual variability of human FcRn and β2M on the protein level. In this study, an ultraperformance liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry-based targeted quantitative proteomic method was developed and optimized for the quantification of human FcRn and β2M. Among the 39 human livers studied (age 13-80 years), the mean (±S.D.) concentrations of FcRn and β2M were 147 (±39) and 1250 (±460) pmol/g of liver tissue, respectively. A four-fold interindividual variability (63-243 pmol/g of liver tissue) was observed for the hepatic FcRn concentration. A moderate correlation was found between the hepatic β2M and FcRn expression levels. Influences of age, gender, and race on the hepatic expression of FcRn and β2M were evaluated. The findings from this study may aid the development of physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models that incorporate empirical FcRn tissue concentrations and interindividual variabilities, and the development of personalized dosing of biopharmaceuticals. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This is the first study to evaluate the influence of age, gender, and race on the expression of neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) and beta-2 microglobulin (β2M) and their interindividual variability in human livers. This study describes a validated ultraperformance liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring-based targeted quantitative proteomic method for quantifying human FcRn and β2M in biological tissues. Results from this study may aid current development of physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models for biotherapeutics, where FcRn plays a significant role in clearance mechanism, and its expression level and interindividual variability are largely unknown.
Machine and person: reconstructing Harry Collins’s categories

Are there aspects of human intelligence that artificial intelligence cannot emulate? Harry Collins uses a distinction between tacit aspects of knowing, which cannot be digitized, and explicit aspects, which can be, to formulate an answer to this question. He postulates three purported areas of the tacit and argues that only “collective tacit knowing” cannot be adequately digitized. I argue, first, that Collins’s approach rests upon problematic Cartesian assumptions—particularly his claim that animal knowing is strictly deterministic and, thus, radically different from human knowing. I offer evidence that human linguistic intelligence depends upon embodied forms of animal intelligence. Second, I suggest the development of deep-learning algorithms means that Collins’s mimesis assumption (that successfully realized explicit instructions to machines are needed to confirm human-artificial intellectual equivalence) is no longer appropriate; equivalent accomplishment of goals is what counts (as he also concedes). However, persons must realize and integrate many goals and also deal with failures; a general-purpose AI capable of integrating all the needs and goals of human existence resists development. Third, I explain how Michael Polanyi’s understanding of tacit knowing, quite different than Collins’s concept of the tacit, exemplifies features that are missing in contemporary AI. I make use of evolutionary theory, studies of animal intelligence, biological insights, individual construction of meaning, and notions of human responsibility to argue for the existence of three categories that distinguish human from artificial intelligence.
Processing, structure and properties of polyacrylonitrile fibers with 15 weight percent single wall carbon nanotubes

Abstract For the first time, a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber with up to 15 wt% single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was produced by dry-jet wet-spinning while maintaining good SWNT individualization. These fibers exhibited a tensile modulus of 32.1 GPa, tensile strength of 0.8 GPa, and axial electrical conductivity of 2.2 S/m. This was possible by using SWNTs that were non-covalently wrapped with poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-SWNTs). Furthermore, this non-covalent PMMA functionalization significantly reduced the amount of solvent and time needed for processing of the spinning solution, as compared to the methods used in prior studies. Rheology of the spinning dispersions and mechanical properties and structural parameters of the produced fibers were related to the filler individualization, filler content and presence of filler-matrix interaction. Potential applications of this PAN fiber with high SWNT loading are briefly discussed.
A pilot study of enhanced operation fit: The feasibility of a camp-based health intervention for ethnically diverse families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Background Obesity rates are higher in children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (DD) compared to typically developing (TD) children. In TD children, family-based (FB) interventions for obesity are the most effective interventions. Research addressing obesity interventions for children with IDD is limited. Method We adapted a community-based obesity intervention created for TD children for children with IDD and added a parent education component. The current study examined the feasibility of Enhanced-Operation Fit, a camp-based intervention created in order to reduce weight, and improve health behavior outcomes. Participants were 16 children (68.8% male; Mage = 13.15, SDage = 1.62) and their parents. Results Results indicated that incorporating a daily parent education group limited recruitment potential, but showed promising preliminary improvements in parent feeding and child eating behaviors. Conclusions Health interventions for children with IDD are greatly needed and the current study may be a cost and time-efficient intervention to help address this public health crisis.
Major Blame: Examining Male Rape Myth Acceptance across College Majors

Literature and attention to rape myth acceptance (RMA) often focuses on female victims, however, studies have found evidence of male rape myth acceptance (MRMA) and linked negative perceptions of m...
Who would respond to A troll? A social network analysis of reactions to trolls in online communities

Abstract Trolls are individual internet users with anti-social remarks and behaviors who can disrupt on-topic discussions and wreak havoc on the various functions of online communities. This study investigated the aftermath of trolling on community dynamics by examining the likelihood and conditions in which individual users react toward trolls. Using a longitudinal behavioral dataset collected from popular video communities on YouTube, the study found that the valence of the trolling message, characteristics of the individual member, as well as the patterns of past engagement with trolls from other community members all played a role in predicting how an individual would react to trolls. In other words, well-connected users situated in densely connected communities with a prior pattern of engaging trolls are more likely to respond to trolls, especially when the trolling messages convey negative sentiment.
Single molecule fluorescence imaging of nanoconfinement in porous materials

This review covers recent progress in using single molecule fluorescence microscopy imaging to understand the nanoconfinement in porous materials. The single molecule approach unveils the static and dynamic heterogeneities from seemingly equal molecules by removing the ensemble averaging effect. Physicochemical processes including mass transport, surface adsorption/desorption, and chemical conversions within the confined space inside porous materials have been studied at nanometer spatial resolution, at the single nanopore level, with millisecond temporal resolution, and under real chemical reaction conditions. Understanding these physicochemical processes provides the ability to quantitatively measure the inhomogeneities of nanoconfinement effects from the confining properties, including morphologies, spatial arrangement, and trapping domains. Prospects and limitations of current single molecule imaging studies on nanoconfinement are also discussed.
Mobile health assisted self-monitoring is acceptable for supporting weight loss in rural men: a pragmatic randomized controlled feasibility trial.

Background Addressing overweight and obesity among men at-risk for obesity-related diseases and disability in rural communities is a public health issue. Commercial smartphone applications (apps) that promote self-monitoring for weight loss are widely available. Evidence is lacking regarding what support is required to enhance user engagement with and effectiveness of those technologies. Pragmatically comparing these apps effectiveness, including rural men's desired forms of support when using them, can lead to greater weight loss intervention impact and reach. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a mobile technology application applied differently across two groups for weight loss. Methods In a two-armed, pragmatic pilot feasibility study, 80 overweight and obese men aged 40-69 were randomized using a 1:1 ratio to either an enhanced Mobile Technology Plus (MT+) intervention or a basic Mobile Technology (MT) intervention. The MT+ group had an enhanced smartphone app for self-monitoring (text messaging, discussion group, Wi-Fi scale) whereas the MT group received a basic app that allowed self-monitoring logging only. Assessments were collected at baseline, 3 and 6 months. App logs were analyzed to track engagement and adherence to self-monitoring. Acceptability was assessed via focus groups. Analysis included descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. Results Of 80 men recruited, forty were allocated to each arm. All were included in the primary analysis. Recruitment ended after 10 months with a 97.5 and 92.5% (3 month, 6 month) retention rate. Over 90% of men reported via survey and focus groups that Lose-It app and smart scale (MT+) was an acceptable way to self-monitor weight, dietary intake and physical activity. Adherence to daily app self-monitoring of at least 800 dietary calories or more (reported respectively as MT+, MT) was positive with 73.4, 51.6% tracking at least 5 days a week. Adherence to tracking activity via recorded steps four or more days weekly was positive, 87.8, 64.6%. Men also adhered to self-weighing at least once weekly, 64, 46.3%. At 6 months, an observed mean weight loss was 7.03 kg (95% CI: 3.67, 10.39) for MT+ group and 4.14 kg (95% CI: 2.22, 6.06) for MT group, with 42.9 and 34.2% meeting ≥5% weight loss, respectively. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions This National Institutes of Health-funded pilot study using mobile technologies to support behavior change for weight loss was found to be feasible and acceptable among midlife and older rural men. The interventions demonstrated successful reductions in weight, noting differing adherence to lifestyle behaviors of eating, monitoring and activity between groups, with men in the MT+ having more favorable results. These findings will be used to inform the design of a larger scale, clinical trial. Trial registration The trial was prospectively registered with ClinicalTrials NCT03329079 . 11/1/2017.
Min-Max Task Assignment and Sequencing with Heterogeneous Unmanned Vehicles

This article addresses a planning problem for a team of heterogeneous, unmanned surface vehicles whose time costs are attributable to either transiting or task execution costs. Given a set of target regions and a team of unmanned vehicles, the Heterogeneous Multi-vehicle Planning Problem (HMPP) aims to find a tour for each vehicle such that each target is visited at least once by some vehicle and the maximum mission cost of any unmanned vehicle is minimized. The mission cost incurred by each unmanned vehicle in this work includes its travel costs as well as the costs involved in performing the tasks in the regions visited by the vehicle. This problem is a generalization of the single vehicle Traveling Salesman Problem and is NP-Hard. We develop a fast approximation algorithm that provides a feasible solution with a bound on the cost of solution found and improve on it further through variable neighborhood search heuristics. We also present numerical results to corroborate the performance of the proposed approaches.
Mechanics of Fluids

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the properties of fluids that permit an analysis of their mechanics and the introduction of pressure, a quantity that is useful in considering the way in which forces may affect fluids and in which fluids exert forces. A practical application of fluid statics is the use of Pascal's law, which treats the transmission of pressure in confined fluids (hydraulic systems). At the microscopic level, all matter is composed of particles that are constantly in random motion. The particles in a solid are strongly bound together; their random motion is confined to jiggling about equilibrium positions that are virtually fixed relative to each other. Thus, solids are relatively rigid. The particles in a gas essentially interact only during brief, intense collisions with other particles of the gas or with the walls of their container. The motion of particles in a liquid is random but not as chaotic as the motion of particles of a gas. The attractive forces between particles in a liquid are sufficiently strong on the average to make the liquid cohesive yet are weak enough to permit the liquid to flow. In flowing, the particles of the liquid pass one another easily without macroscopic separation of the mass of liquid.
Intraarticular Platelet Rich Plasma vs Corticosteroid Injections for Sacroiliac Joint Pain-a Double Blinded, Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE Using stringent inclusion criteria, a double-blinded study protocol, and fluoroscopic guided injections, we compare intraarticular sacroiliac joint platelet rich plasma injections to intraarticular steroids. DESIGN Double-blind, randomized controlled trial. SETTING Two large university-based interdisciplinary spine centers. SUBJECTS 26 patients after positive diagnostic block (>80% relief). METHODS Subjects who a positive diagnostic block were randomized to either undergo a fluoroscopically-guided intra-articular injection of steroid or platelet rich plasma injection. Follow-up was at 1-month, 3 months, and 6-months. Outcomes included level of pain as indicated on a 0- to 100-mm Numeric Pain Rating Scale and functional disability score using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). RESULTS At one, three, and six months, both groups improved, however subjects who received steroid injections reported lower pain scores than subjects who received platelet rich plasma. Using categorical data, we observed significantly more responders (defined as pain scores which improved by 50% or more from baseline) at one and three months in the group that received steroids compared to the group that received platelet rich plasma. CONCLUSION While both groups showed improvements in pain and function, the steroid group had significantly greater response and significantly more responders than the PRP group.
Institutions of Learning or Havens for Illegal Activities: How the Supreme Court Views Libraries

The role of libraries in American society is varied: libraries act as curators and repositories of American culture's recorded knowledge, as places to communicate with others, and as sources where one can gain information from books, magazines and other printed materials, as well as audio-video materials and the Internet. Courts in the United States have called libraries "the quintessential locus of the receipt of information,"' places that are "dedicated to quiet, to knowledge, and to beauty," and "a mighty resource in the free marketplace of ideas." These positive views of libraries are often in sharp contrast with views by some courts that the materials contained in libraries are dangerous. The tension between the concept of a library as a place for learning and the collector of the quality materials with that of the library as a place for illicit materials and behavior is a long-running one. The United States Supreme Court has had three major cases in its history addressing the appropriate role of libraries and the activities allowed within library premises. The Court has attempted to walk a fine line between viewing libraries as purveyors of high culture and dangerous places. This uncertainty about the role of libraries runs throughout the Supreme Court opinions as well as the subsequent court opinions that come after these important rulings. This article takes the position that the views of the Supreme Court often conflict with how librarians view themselves. These views of libraries by the courts have had a strong effect on patrons by limiting the information options of patrons, such as school library books, public library Internet-access, and the library profession, by forcing librarians to act in accordance to the Supreme Court's views of their appropriate role. This article argues that the Supreme Court's views are frequently based on a limited understanding, which fails to recognize that libraries and the services they provide fall within the scope of a public forum. The lack of government understanding of the role of libraries and librarians can have extensive implications for institutions, their employees, and the public.
Preliminary Glass Development and Testing for Incontainer Vitrification of Hanford Low-Activity Waste

Roughly 50 million gallons of high-level waste (HLW) are stored at the Hanford site. This waste will be separated into HLW and low-activity waste (LAW) fractions and each fraction will be immobilized for final storage/disposal. The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection (ORP) is constructing a Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) which will be capable of separating the waste, vitrifying the entire HLW fraction of the waste and vitrifying roughly 50% the LAW fraction. The remaining fraction of LAW will be immobilized by one of a number of possible technologies. ORP is currently evaluating options for LAW immobilization. One possible option is In-Container Vitrification (ICV) of the LAW. ICV is a technology developed by AMEC, GeoMelt Division, for treatment of hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes. The ICV process, as applied to Hanford LAW, includes the blending of liquid waste with additives (primarily composed of local soil) and drying to a granular state. The dried material is loaded into a refractory lined steel box and melted by passing a current through the material between two graphite electrodes. The box containing the molten waste/additive mixture is cooled, backfilled, and disposed of. The purpose of the study was tomore » develop a glass composition suitable for the demonstration of ICV on Hanford LAW at full scale. Testing included crucible-scale tests with simulants and actual Hanford LAW. Following the crucible-scale tests, engineering-scale and large-scale melts were performed with LAW simulants. This paper discusses the formulation and testing of glass compositions for ICV of Hanford LAW at crucible scale. The results from process scale-up test are reported elsewhere.« less
Mode-specific energy disposal in the four-atom reaction OH + D2 --> HOD + D.

Experiments, employing crossed molecular beams, with vibrational state resolution have been performed on the simplest four-atom reaction, OH + D2 → HOD + D. In good agreement with the most recent quantum scattering predictions, mode-specific reaction dynamics is observed, with vibration in the newly formed oxygen-deuterium bond preferentially excited to v = 2. This demonstrates that quantum theoretical calculations, which in the past decade have achieved remarkable accuracy for three-atom reactions involving three dimensions, have progressed to the point where it is now possible to accurately predict energy disposal in four-atom reactions involving six dimensions.
Denitrification in the Marine Environment

Denitrification and the Marine Nitrogen Cycle Denitrifying Bacteria General Controls on Denitrification Quantifying Denitrification Rates Locations and Patterns of Denitrification Activity in the Marine Environment Keywords: denitrification; marine environment; nitrogen cycle; nitrification; sediments
An Analysis of Geographic Content in the Online Lesson Plans of the National Park Service

Presented to the Graduate Council of Texas State University-San Marcos in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, April 2010.
Negative regulation of Armadillo, a Wingless effector in Drosophila

Drosophila Armadillo and its vertebrate homolog beta-catenin play essential roles both in the transduction of Wingless/Wnt cell-cell signals and in the function of cell-cell adherens junctions. Wingless and Wnts direct numerous cell fate choices during development. We generated a mutant protein, Armadillo(S10), with a 54 amino acid deletion in its N-terminal domain. This mutant is constitutively active in Wingless signaling; its activity is independent of both Wingless signal and endogenous wild-type Armadillo. Armadillo's role in signal transduction is normally negatively regulated by Zeste-white 3 kinase, which modulates Armadillo protein stability. Armadillo(S10) is more stable than wild-type Armadillo, suggesting that it is less rapidly targeted for degradation. We show that Armadillo(S10) has escaped from negative regulation by Zeste white-3 kinase, and thus accumulates outside junctions even in the absence of Wingless signal. Finally, we present data implicating kinases in addition to Zeste white-3 in Armadillo phosphorylation. We discuss two models for the negative regulation of Armadillo in normal development and discuss how escape from this regulation contributes to tumorigenesis.
Nuclear matrix protein Matrin 3 is a regulator of ZAP-mediated retroviral restriction

Matrin 3 is a nuclear matrix protein involved in multiple nuclear processes. In HIV-1 infection, Matrin 3 serves as a Rev cofactor important for the cytoplasmic accumulation of HIV-1 transcripts. ZAP is a potent host restriction factor of multiple viruses including retroviruses HIV-1 and MoMuLV. In this study we sought to further characterize Matrin 3 functions in the regulation of HIV gene expression. Here we describe a function for Matrin 3 as a negative regulator of the ZAP-mediated restriction of retroviruses. Mass spectrometry analysis of Matrin 3-associated proteins uncovered interactions with proteins of the ZAP degradation complex, DDX17 and EXOSC3. Coimmunoprecipitation studies confirmed Matrin 3 associations with DDX17, EXOSC3 and ZAP, in a largely RNA-dependent manner, indicating that RNA is mediating the Matrin 3 interactions with these components of the ZAP degradation complex. Silencing Matrin 3 expression caused a remarkably enhanced ZAP-driven inhibition of HIV-1 and MoMuLV luciferase reporter viruses. This effect was shared with additional nuclear matrix proteins. ZAP targets multiply-spliced HIV-1 transcripts, but in the context of Matrin 3 suppression, this ZAP restriction was broadened to unspliced and multiply-spliced RNAs. Here we reveal an unprecedented role for a nuclear matrix protein, Matrin 3, in the regulation of ZAP’s antiretroviral activity. Suppressing Matrin 3 powers a heightened and broader ZAP restriction of HIV-1 gene expression. This study suggests that this ZAP regulatory mechanism is shared with additional nuclear matrix proteins.