cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Building compact exploitation graphs for a cluster computing environment

In this paper, a modeling process is described to address challenges in analyzing attack scenarios and mitigating vulnerabilities in networked environments. Known system vulnerability data, system configuration data, and vulnerability scanner results are combined to create exploitation graphs (e-graphs), which are used to represent attack scenarios. The modeling process consists of three primary steps. The first step is the creation of a knowledge base of known system vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities are represented using preconditions and postconditions. A template is used to represent preconditions and postconditions, and vulnerabilities are encoded using a predefined set of attributes. The second step involves the association of multiple vulnerabilities to create an e-graph specific to the system being modeled. The third step of this process involves the development of abstraction techniques that can be used to simplify exploitation graphs. A novel abstraction technique is proposed based on host connection similarity and exploitation similarity. These techniques have been applied into a high-performance cluster computing environment to show that they facilitate a compact representation of attack scenarios and provide in-depth vulnerability assessments.
Joint channel estimation and Markov Chain Monte Carlo detection for frequency-selective channels

In this paper, we develop a novel approach for joint channel estimation and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) detection for time-varying frequency-selective channels. First, we propose a sequential channel estimation (SCE) MCMC algorithm that combines an MCMC algorithm for data detection, and an adaptive least mean square (LMS) algorithm for channel tracking, in a sequential fashion. Then we develop a stochastic expectation maximization (SEM) MCMC algorithm that takes advantage of both the MCMC approach and the EM algorithm to find jointly important samples of the transmitted data and channel impulse response (CIR). The proposed algorithms provide a low-complexity means to approximate the optimal maximum a posterior (MAP) detection in a statistical fashion and are applicable to channels with long memory. Excellent behavior of the proposed algorithms is presented using both synthetic channels and real data collected from actual underwater acoustic experiments.
The inhibitory effects of bryostatin 1 administration on the growth of rabbit papillomas

Bryostatin 1 is a protein kinase C modulator that shows antineoplastic activity in a variety of tumor systems. This study examined the effects of bryostatin 1 administration on papilloma growth in rabbits. Investigations of optimal route, dose, and schedule were performed. Several groups of rabbits were inoculated with cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV) DNA. Bryostatin 1 was administered i.v., both daily and weekly, and intralesionally both weekly and bi-weekly. Intralesionally dosed papillomas were examined histologically for immune cell infiltration. In weekly and daily i.v. trials, 2.5 and 1.0 microg/kg, respectively, showed the greatest overall reduction in tumor size. Bryostatin 1 administered intralesionally also slowed papilloma growth. Treated lesions had significantly higher numbers of heterophils and eosinophils.
Teaching capstone design: The influence of problem complexity

Many capstone courses include design methodology but the characteristics of design problems that provide the best learning opportunities need to be defined and the effect on student perceptions measured. In an industrial setting, it is generally up to the engineer to decide which design methods should be applied in order to obtain the desired outcome. Thus if students do not believe the design methods to be effective, they will not choose to use them in the future. Functional modeling is a technique for systematically breaking down a design problem into its sub-functions. Groups were given either a simple or complex problem to solve for their senior design project. At the end of the semester, a quiz over the functional modeling concepts was administered, and a questionnaire was answered by the students to measure their perceptions of the design methods. An ANOVA shows an interaction between student opinions and the complexity of the design problem on the students' functional modeling ability. Results indicate the complexity of the problem and perceptions of the design methods are significant factors when determining the students' functional modeling abilities. Additionally, the complexity of the design problem likely affects other design skills.
Total customer satisfaction as a business strategy

There are two fundamental goals which are universal in business. The first is to grow market share, and the second to grow profits. In order to accomplish these goals, the company must differentiate itself from its competitors, in the customer's view, in one or more of the five following areas: (1) price, (2) delivery, (3) performance, (4) quality, (5) total customer experience. Stressing one area of differentiation to the exclusion of the others will not achieve the goals. For example, in stressing price alone, a company has defined its products as a commodity and as Dev Dion of the Strategic Planning Institute once said, ‘The producers of commodities reap commensurate rewards.’ Similarly, stressing fast delivery of a product of poor quality, or stressing superior quality for a product providing marginally useful performance are both losing strategies. The only strategy I know of which provides equally balanced focus on all five major areas of differentiation is total customer satisfaction, as the fundamental objective of the company. Bob Galvin, when Chairman of Motorola, summed it up by saying, ‘If you take care of the customer better than any of your competition, the business will take care of itself.’ In saying this, however, he meant not only the product, but all of the other ways in which you and the customer interact.
Particle manipulation with integrated optofluidic traps

On an integrated optofluidic waveguide platform we implement two complementary types of traps, in a transverse and a novel axial geometry. The traps are characterized and used to manipulate and study biomaterial.
MULTIPLE PEER USE OF PIVOTAL RESPONSE TRAINING TO INCREASE SOCIAL BEHAVIORS OF CLASSMATES WITH AUTISM: RESULTS FROM TRAINED AND UNTRAINED PEERS

Two children with autism and 8 typical peers participated in a study designed to replicate an earlier finding of successful social-skills intervention for children with autism using peer-implemented pivotal response training (PRT) and to assess the effects of using multiple peer trainers on generalization of treatment effects. During training, peers were taught PRT strategies using didactic instruction, modeling, role playing, and feedback. After treatment, children with autism engaged in increased levels of social behavior.
Comparison of performance characteristics between LLC-type and conventional parallel resonant convertors

By using a proper transformation of state variables, the third-order system of the parallel resonant convertor with LLC-type commutation (PRC-LLC) can be analysed by means of a two-dimensional state-plane diagram. A set of characteristic curves is derived from the analysis, based on which a comparison between the present convertor and the conventional PRC is given. It is concluded from our results that the convertor possesses more desirable features than the conventional PRC.
H + - and H - -beam position and current jitter at LANSCE

During the CY2005 and CY2006 Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) beam runs, beam-development shifts were performed in order to acquire and analyze beam-current and beam-position jitter data for both the LANSCE H+ and H- beams. These data were acquired using three beam-position monitors (BPMs) from the 100-MeV Isotope Production Facility (IPF) beam line and three BPMs from the Switchyard (SY) transport line at the end of the LANSCE 800-MeV linac. The two types of data acquired, intermacropulse and intramacropulse, were analyzed for statistical and frequency characteristics as well as various other correlations including comparing their phase-space characteristics in a coordinate system of transverse angle versus transverse position. This paper will briefly describe the measurements required to acquire these jitter data, the analysis of these data, and some interesting implications to beam operation.
INSOLATION IN RELATION TO CLOUDINESS AND CLOUD DENSITY

Abstract From records of insolation and from observations of cloudiness and cloud density obtained at Blue Hill Observatory relations have been derived which give the amount of insolation, T, to be expected on the average with a given cloudiness, cloud density and solar air mass. These relations are of the form T=(a/m)e−bm where m= air mass (i.e. secant of zenith distance of the sun), e = base of natural logarithms, a and b are constants which depend on the cloudiness and cloud density. The effect of the cloud density on the insolation is of the same importance as cloudiness if the sky is largely covered. The following table shows the insolation for different values of cloudiness and density and for air masses 1 and 3 in cal/cm2/hr. It will be seen that, especially with larger values of the cloudiness, the effect of the density is very important.
Sites on the Landscape: The Late Palaeolithic

Although the Late Palaeolithic has not been the object of concentrated research, its temporal position and general typological characteristics have been clearly documented in several stratified caves and rocksheiter sites in the Swabian Alb. It overlies Magdalenian deposits in at least three sites—Zigeunerfels, Dietfurt, and Helga-Abri—and underlies Early Mesolithic levels at these same sites as well as in two additional sites—Jagerhaushohle and Fohlenhaus. It also occurs stratified beneath Early Mesolithic deposits at the open-air site of Henauhof Nordwest on the Federsee. It dates to the periods of the Allerod and Younger Dryas, approximately 11,800–10,300 b.p.
Optimal Visual Perception and Detection of Oral Cavity Neoplasia Reflectance and Fluorescence

Ideal Observer model predicts optimal observation conditions for human observer in detecting oral cavity neoplasia reflectance and fluorescence. We test these predictions in determining effectiveness of multi-spectral imaging approaches to better identify margins of neoplasia.
Regulation of photorespiration in C3 and C4 species

Photorespiration is a light-stimulated oxidation of photosynthesis intermediates to CO2. This process occurs primarily in higher plants which fix CO2 via the C3 pathway of photosynthesis (Calvin cycle). The details of the mechanism of photorespiration are controversial, but glycolic acid metabolism is thought to be involved. Photorespiration appears to be a wasteful process, and net photosynthesis at atmospheric CO2 concentration can be increased by approximately 50% by stopping photorespiration and an associated oxygen inhibition of photosynthesis. Since most crop species fix CO2 by the C3 pathway, control of photorespiration represents a major opportunity for increasing crop productivity. Photorespiration is not readily detected in a second group of higher plants, the C4 species. C4 plants have solved the problem of photorespiration through the evolution of a specialized leaf anatomy and compartmented enzyme complement, which act to reduce glycolic acid biosynthesis and to recapture photorespiratory CO2 before it can exit from the leaf. However, breeding experiments indicate that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to transform photorespiratory C3 species into non-photorespiratory C4 species. Control of photorespiration in C3 species will have to be achieved by isolating photorespiratory-deficient mutants of C3 plants or by identifying chemical compounds that specifically inhibit photorespiratory metabolism.
Tw o-stages Dissociation of NaMgF3 Post-perovskite: a potential Low-pressure Analog of MgSiO 3 at Multi-Mbar Pressures

We predict computationally that NaMgF3 post-perovskite undergoes a pressure-induced twostages dissociation: first into NaF and NaMg2F5 at 29 GPa and then into NaF and MgF2 at 71 GPa. While these dissociations are almost the same as those predicted in MgSiO3, dissociation pressures in NaMgF3 are much lower than in MgSiO3 and can be achieved in diamond-anvil-cell experiments. Therefore, NaMgF3 is expected to be a good low-pressure analog for investigation of post-post-perovskite transitions in MgSiO3, which are fundamental for modeling interiors of terrestrial exoplanets.
Introducing Database Advisor: A new service that will make your research easier

Description de Database Advisor, outil sur le Web permettant de choisir- pour une recherche donnee- la base ou les bases les plus appropriees parmi les 25 bases de l'UCSD (University of California, San Diego). Ces bases concernent les domaines: Sciences et Techniques de l'Ingenieur
Contributions of microbial activity and ash deposition to post-fire nitrogen availability in a pine savanna

Abstract. Many ecosystems experience drastic changes to soil nutrient availability associated with fire, but the magnitude and duration of these changes are highly variable among vegetation and fire types. In pyrogenic pine savannas across the southeastern United States, pulses of soil inorganic nitrogen (N) occur in tandem with ecosystem-scale nutrient losses from prescribed burns. Despite the importance of this management tool for restoring and maintaining fire-dependent plant communities, the contributions of different mechanisms underlying fire-associated changes to soil N availability remain unclear. Pulses of N availability following fire have been hypothesized to occur through (1) changes to microbial cycling rates and (2) direct ash deposition. Here, we document fire-associated changes to N availability across the growing season in a longleaf pine savanna in North Carolina. To differentiate between possible mechanisms driving soil N pulses, we measured net microbial cycling rates and changes to soil δ15N before and after a burn. Our findings refute both proposed mechanisms: we found no evidence for changes in microbial activity, and limited evidence that ash deposition could account for the increase in ammonium availability to more than 5–25 times background levels. Consequently, we propose a third mechanism to explain post-fire patterns of soil N availability, namely that (3) changes to plant sink strength may contribute to ephemeral increases in soil N availability, and encourage future studies to explicitly test this mechanism.
Abstract 67: The Novel Role of the Matricellular Protein Cyr61 in the Extracellular Matrix Bridging LPA and Integrin Signaling Pathways Leading to Smooth Muscle Cell Migration

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a potent bioactive lipid, markedly induces smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration. We identified a novel function of the de novo synthesized matricellular protein Cyr61, which bridges LPA and integrin signaling pathways leading to cell migration. LPA transiently and markedly induced Cyr61 mRNA expression and the temporal and spatial expression of Cyr61 proteins in SMCs. The de novo synthesized Cyr61 proteins promptly accumulate in the Golgi apparatus and then translocate to the extracellular matrix. Using primary SMCs from LPA receptor knockout mice, we identified that LPA1 receptor is required for LPA-induced Cyr61 expression. Neutralization or knockdown of Cyr61 protein expression blocked LPA-induced cell migration, indicating the novel regulatory role of the induced matricellular protein Cyr61 in LPA-induced cell migration. LPA induces the activation of intracellular focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in SMCs. Interestingly, 1) knockdown of Cyr61 blocked LPA-induced cellular FAK activation and cell migration, and 2) knockdown of the expression of integrins alpha6, beta1 and beta3 prevented LPA or Cyr61-induced FAK activation and cell migration. These data reveal for the first time that a novel LPA/Cyr61 pathway controls cell migration and that the matricellular protein Cyr61 bridges LPA signaling and integrin signaling, which, in turn, activates FAK leading to cell migration.
First Report of the New Root-Lesion Nematode Pratylenchus sp. on Soybean in North Dakota

Root-lesion nematodes (RLN; Pratylenchus spp.) are important nematode pests on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). In May 2015 and 2016, sixtwo soil samples were collected from a soybean field in Walcott, Richland County, ND. Nematodes were extracted from soil using a sugar centrifugal flotation method., revealing these two All the samples contained RLN from 125 to 2, 000and 350 root-lesion nematodes per kg soil, respectively. In 2016, four soil samples were collected from the same field and all the samples had root-lesion nematodes ranging from 300 to 2,000. One soil sample with 350 RLN lesion nematodes per kg soil was planted withto soybean cultivar Barnes in four replicates each in a pot (6.4-cm × 25.4-cm) with 500 g soil(n = 4). After 15 weeks of growth at 22°C in a greenhouse room at 22°C, the root-lesion nematode RLN population was found to have increased greatly. The final population density in soil was 1,518 ± 541 lesion nematodesRLN per kg soil. Soybean roots were rinsed with water and brown lesion...
Redistribution of Growth Stress States Due to Cutting

The focus in the previous chapter was on the verification of the internal residual stress states in trees as predicted by the theoretical models which were discussed in Chapter 4. Of course, in order to verify the existence of the various internal residual stress states, it was necessary to carry out special cutting procedures. However, it is of great practical value to study the redistribution of residual growth stresses which occurs because of routine cutting procedures which are associated with the harvesting and conversion of trees to dimensional lumber.
Inhibition of p75 neurotrophin receptor does not rescue cognitive impairment in adulthood after isoflurane exposure in neonatal mice

Abstract Background Isoflurane is widely used for anaesthesia in humans. Isoflurane exposure of rodents prior to post-natal day 7 (PND7) leads to widespread neurodegeneration in laboratory animals. Previous data from our laboratory suggest an attenuation of apoptosis with the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) inhibitor TAT-Pep5. We hypothesized that isoflurane toxicity leads to behavioural and cognitive abnormalities and can be rescued with pre-anaesthesia administration of TAT-Pep5. Methods Neonatal mouse pups were pretreated with either TAT-Pep5 (25 μl, 10 μM i.p.) or a scrambled control peptide (TAT-ctrl; 25 μl, 10 μM i.p.) prior to isoflurane exposure (1.4%; 4 h) or control (n = 15–26/group). Three to 5 months after exposure, behavioural testing and endpoint assays [brain volume (stereology) and immunoblotting] were performed. Results No significant difference was observed in open field, T-maze, balance beam or wire-hanging testing. The Barnes maze revealed a significant effect of isoflurane (P = 0.019) in errors to find the escape tunnel during the day 5 probe trial, a finding indicative of impaired short-term spatial memory. No difference was found for brain volumes or protein expression. TAT-Pep5 treatment did not reverse the effects of isoflurane on neurocognitive behaviour. Conclusion A single isoflurane exposure to early post-natal mice caused a hippocampal-dependent memory deficit that was not prevented by pre-administration of TAT-Pep5, although TAT-Pep5, an inhibitor of p75NTR, has been shown to reduce isoflurane-induced apoptosis. These findings suggest that neuronal apoptosis is not requisite for the development of cognitive deficits in the adults attendant with neonatal anaesthetic exposure.
Studying Military Community Health, Well-Being, and Discourse Through the Social Media Lens

Social media can provide a resource for characterizing communities and targeted populations through activities and content shared online. For instance, studying the armed forces’ use of social media may provide insights into their health and well-being. In this paper, we address three broad research questions: (1) How do military populations use social media? (2) What topics do military users discuss in social media? (3) Do military users talk about health and well-being differently than civilians? Military Twitter users were identified through keywords in the profile description of users who posted geo-tagged tweets at military installations. These military tweets were compared with the tweets from remaining population. Our analysis indicates that military users talk more about military related responsibilities and events, whereas nonmilitary users talk more about school, work, and leisure activities. A significant difference in online content generated by both populations was identified, involving sentiment, health, language, and social media features.
Electronic Structure of Anilinopyridinate-Supported Ru25+ Paddlewheel Compounds.

The electronic structures of the diruthenium compounds Ru2(ap)4Cl (1, ap = 2-anilinopyridinate) and Ru2(ap)4OTf (2) were investigated with UV–vis, resonance Raman, and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopies; SQUID magnetometry; and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Both compounds have quartet spin ground states with large axial zero-field splitting of ∼60 cm–1 that is characteristic of Ru25+ compounds having a (π*, δ*)3 electron configuration and a Ru–Ru bond order of ∼2.5. Two major visible absorption features are observed at ∼770 and 430 nm in the electronic spectra, the assignments of which have previously been ambiguous. Both bands have significant charge-transfer character with some contributions from d → d transitions. MCD spectra were measured to enable the identification of d → d transitions that are not easily observable by UV–vis spectroscopy. In this way, we are able to identify bands due to δ → δ* and δ → π* transitions at ∼16 100 and 11 200–12 300 cm–1, respectively, the...
Putting the RuBisCO pieces together.

Among the thousands of different enzymes that have evolved in nature, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (known as RuBisCO) holds a special place. It is the enzyme in plants, algae, and many photosynthetic bacteria that ultimately takes energy derived from the Sun and uses it to convert or “fix” atmospheric CO2 into organic forms of carbon that constitute the basis for life ( 1 ). Globally, RuBisCO fixes enormous quantities (gigatons) of carbon annually. To carry out such a massive chemical conversion requires a huge amount of the enzyme, especially because RuBisCO performs reactions quite slowly. Accordingly, RuBisCO is believed to be the most abundant enzyme on the planet ( 1 , 2 ). RuBisCO is unusual in other ways as well. Each RuBisCO enzyme in the cell requires a tremendous amount of help, from chaperones, to fold into the correct three-dimensional shape required for its function. The large number of chaperones is important for two reasons. One is that there are numerous questions about the identities of these chaperones and how they operate on a structural level. Another is that it has been difficult to produce correctly folded RuBisCO in laboratory experiments, which has also limited the ability to engineer alternate forms of the enzyme. On page 1272 of this issue, Aigner et al. ( 3 ) fill in some of the most important remaining pieces of the RuBisCO folding and assembly puzzle.
Trident utility: Accounting for nuclear decommissioning costs

Abstract This case relates to current accounting for the costs that utility companies will incur in the future to decommission their nuclear plants and how the accounting would change under a new Exposure Draft. There is currently considerable diversity in the methods used to account for costs incurred to decommission nuclear power plants. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an initial Exposure Draft concerning these costs in 1996 and issued a revised version in February 2000. The Exposure Drafts propose more uniform accounting practices in this area. The proposed standard would, however, have significant effects on the balance sheets of utility companies that own nuclear power plants. This case investigates the consequences that the proposed standard would have on financial analysts’ perceptions of the financial soundness of utility companies affected by the standard. The case also explores some recent developments regarding deregulation of the electric utility industry and their ramifications for accounting.
Human Factors Risk Analyses of a Doffing Protocol for Ebola-Level Personal Protective Equipment: Mapping Errors to Contamination.

Background Doffing protocols for personal protective equipment (PPE) are critical for keeping healthcare workers (HCWs) safe during care of patients with Ebola virus disease. We assessed the relationship between errors and self-contamination during doffing. Methods Eleven HCWs experienced with doffing Ebola-level PPE participated in simulations in which HCWs donned PPE marked with surrogate viruses (ɸ6 and MS2), completed a clinical task, and were assessed for contamination after doffing. Simulations were video recorded, and a failure modes and effects analysis and fault tree analyses were performed to identify errors during doffing, quantify their risk (risk index), and predict contamination data. Results Fifty-one types of errors were identified, many having the potential to spread contamination. Hand hygiene and removing the powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) hood had the highest total risk indexes (111 and 70, respectively) and number of types of errors (9 and 13, respectively). ɸ6 was detected on 10% of scrubs and the fault tree predicted a 10.4% contamination rate, likely occurring when the PAPR hood inadvertently contacted scrubs during removal. MS2 was detected on 10% of hands, 20% of scrubs, and 70% of inner gloves and the predicted rates were 7.3%, 19.4%, 73.4%, respectively. Fault trees for MS2 and ɸ6 contamination suggested similar pathways. Conclusions Ebola-level PPE can both protect and put HCWs at risk for self-contamination throughout the doffing process, even among experienced HCWs doffing with a trained observer. Human factors methodologies can identify error-prone steps, delineate the relationship between errors and self-contamination, and suggest remediation strategies.
Design Techniques for Hardware Trojans Prevention and Detection at the Layout Level

A hardware Trojan can be inserted in a gate-level netlist by a rogue designer, or it already exists in a provided gate-level netlist (e.g., a firm intellectual property) by an untrusted third-party design developer. Various techniques have been proposed to prevent hardware Trojan insertion or to detect hardware Trojans at the gate level. This chapter studies some of the major existing techniques and discusses their effectiveness.
LANGUAGES WITH ADDED QUANTIFIER “THERE EXIST AT LEAST χα”

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses languages with added quantifier. The study of these languages was suggested in Mostowski and Mostowski. The suggestion was taken up by Craig, who in turn caused several other people to get interested in the subject, including the author. Mostowski and Craig consider, however, a more general situation: they admit several quantifiers, quantifiers binding more than one variable, and, in particular, allow also other classes besides the Cα's in the semantical rules. The special case treated here recommends itself by its simpler intuitive content.
Acquisition of USSR Citizenship

The contents of Chapter II of the 1978 citizenship statute which deals with the sub­ject of acquisition of USSR citizenship evince the most substantial changes consum­mated by the latest enactment in the existing law on Soviet citizenship.
Modeling cognitive development on the balance scale task

In this paper we describe a production system model of children's development on the balance scale task. Starting with a set of rules that makes random predictions, the system iearns from its errors and improves as it gains experience. The transition mechanism is a discrimination process that searches for differences between cases in which correct predictions are made and cases in which errors are made The stages through which the system progresses are very similar to those observed in children, so the model provides an explanation of the observed developmental trends Since the system has no notion of torque, it never acquires the ability to completely predict the balance scale's behavior; however, it is able to learn heuristically useful rules despite its incomplete representation of the environment, much as children do.
Status of the UCLA PEGASUS Injector Laboratory

The Pegasus plane wave transformer injector has been conditioned to 20 MW of RF power. Initial operations show a 15 MeV dark current beam that will be used for beam radiation studies. The design of a new LaB6 cathode will allow for both thermionic emission and photoinjection operation. Experiments currently planned include novel beam instrumentation, surface effects in optical transition radiation, and waveguide SASE FEL.
IgG4/7 responses correlate with contraception in mares vaccinated with SpayVac.

Abstract SpayVac® is an immunocontraceptive vaccine based on porcine zona pellucida (pZP) antigens and uses a patented liposome formulation (VacciMax™ or DepoVax®). It has delivered single-dose, long-lasting (4–10 years) immunocontraception in several species. Previous studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between levels of pZP antibodies produced and contraceptive effect; however, individual mares that were consistently infertile did not necessarily have the highest antibody titers. The objective of this study was to identify potential differences in specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) isotype responses among mares treated with SpayVac (VacciMax formulation) to improve our understanding of vaccine efficacy and potential management applications. We analyzed serum samples collected 1, 2 and 4 years post-vaccination from mares in another study that were continuously infertile or had foaled at least once during the 4-year period (n = 14 each). Additional samples from the continuously infertile mares were collected 5 years post-vaccination. A fluorescent bead-based assay was used to distinguish IgG isotype responses against pZP. IgG1 antibodies were generally higher in the infertile compared to the fertile mares, but only IgG4/7 antibodies were significantly higher in infertile mares during years 1 and 2 post-vaccination (p
Comparison of self-report and clinician-rated schizotypal traits in schizotypal personality disorder and community controls

Given the common use of self-report questionnaires to assess schizotypy in personality pathology and schizophrenia research, it is important to determine the concordance between self-report and clinician ratings. 250 individuals with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) and 116 community controls (CTR) were assessed on schizotypal traits using a clinical interview, the Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality disorders (SIDP), and a self-report questionnaire, the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). Ordinal logistic regressions examined concordance between self-reported and clinician-rated scores in CTR and SPD separately. Analyses of variance examined how the SPQ performed on differentiating between CTR with low schizotypy, CTR with high schizotypy, and SPD. For both CTR and SPD, higher SPQ subscale scores were significantly associated with higher clinician ratings on the respective SIDP items for the Ideas of Reference, Magical Thinking, Unusual Perceptual Experience, Suspiciousness, and Social Anxiety items, but not the Odd Speech or Limited Affect items. Higher SPQ subscale scores for Odd Behavior and Lack of Close Friends were significantly associated with the clinician-rated SIDP item scores in CTR but not SPD. CTR with low schizotypy scored lower on all SPQ subscales than CTR with high schizotypy, who did not differ from SPD. Self-report ratings are concordant with clinician ratings for positive schizotypal traits, whereas certain disorganization and interpersonal traits are not, particularly for individuals with SPD. The SPQ can differentiate between high and low schizotypy controls, but not between high schizotypy controls and individuals with SPD. Assessment of schizotypal traits should include both self-report questionnaires and clinician ratings.
Influence of Loading Conditions and Temperature on Static Friction and Contact Aging of Hydrogels with Modulated Microstructures

Biological tribosystems enable diverse functions of the human body by maintaining extremely low coefficients of friction via hydrogel-like surface layers and a water-based lubricant. Although stiction has been proposed as a precursor to damage, there is still a lack of knowledge about its origin and its relation to the hydrogel's microstructure, which impairs the design of soft matter as replacement biomaterials. In this work, the static friction of poly(acrylamide) hydrogels with modulated composition was investigated by colloidal probe lateral force microscopy as a function of load, temperature, and loading time. Temperature-dependent studies enable to build a phase diagram for hydrogel's static friction, which explains stiction via (polymer) viscoelastic and poroelastic relaxation, and a subtle transition from solid- to liquid-like interfacial behavior. At room temperature, the static friction increases with loading time, a phenomenon called contact aging, which stems from the adhesion of the polymer to the colloid and from the drainage-induced increase in contact area. Contact aging is shown to gradually vanish with increase in temperature, but this behavior strongly depends on the hydrogel's composition. This work scrutinizes the relation between the microstructure of hydrogel-like soft matter and interfacial behavior, with implications for diverse areas of inquiry, not only in biolubrication and biomedical applications but also in soft robotics and microelectromechanical devices, where the processes occurring at the migrating hydrogel interface are of relevance. The results support that modulating both the hydrogel's mesh size and the structure of the near-surface region is a means to control static friction and adhesion. This conceptual framework for static friction will foster further understanding of the wear of hydrogel-like materials.
Preservers of restricted unitary orbits of projections

Abstract Given a pure state (rank-1 self-adjoint projection) P and a group G of unitary operators acting on a complex Hilbert space, let the restricted unitary orbit of P (relative to G ) be U G ( P ) = { U P U − 1 : U ∈ G } . We study linear transformations T which map U G ( P ) into pure states, or more stringently, back into U G ( P ) . A complete characterization is obtained when G is an abelian group of unitary matrices equal to its bicommutant.
Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis

Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) is a relatively rare, heterogenous disorder characterized by chronic and recurrent infections of the skin, mucous membranes, and nails with Candida spp. Many afflicted patients have associated endocrinopathy or autoimmune phenomena. The primary immune defect usually involves either the thymus-dependent lymphocytes or the monocyte/macrophage system.
Understanding patterns of child material deprivation in five regions of the world: A children’s rights perspective

Abstract Current research suggests that poverty affects children at different rates across the world ( OECD, 2018 , Unicef Innocenti Research Center, 2007 ). Additionally, poverty affects children differently – from deprivation of basic needs (ex. lack of food, clothing) to lack of access to digital technology. Previous studies of child poverty and its impact on children have predominantly approached this topic using income-based measures of poverty. This paper employs a material deprivation approach to study child poverty in different cultural contexts. Therefore, this study answers the following questions: Does child material deprivation have different patterns across world regions? If so, what characteristics do these patterns of material deprivation have? Are these patterns of material deprivation more likely to affect certain world regions? This paper utilizes data from the International Survey of Child Well-Being. The data includes children at the age of 12 from Norway, Germany, England, Spain, Malta, Estonia, Romania, Algeria, Israel, Turkey, Ethiopia, and South Africa. The analyses were based on the items available in the Child Material Resource Index. Latent class analysis and multinomial logistic regression were utilized to explore patterns of material deprivation. Findings suggest five patterns of child material deprivation, ranging from extreme to no deprivation. The distribution of these patterns varies significantly across world regions. This study suggests that the distribution of resources to eliminate poverty should be based not only on income-based indicators but should also include an assessment based on perceived deprivation scales, especially in international contexts.
Rare Rewards Amplify Dopamine Learning Responses

Dopamine neurons drive learning by coding reward prediction errors (RPEs), which are formalized as subtractions of predicted values from reward values. Subtractions accommodate point estimate predictions of value, such as the average value. However, point estimate predictions fail to capture many features of choice and learning behaviors. For instance, reaction times and learning rates consistently reflect higher moments of probability distributions. Here, we demonstrate that dopamine RPE responses code probability distributions. We presented monkeys with rewards that were drawn from the tails of normal and uniform reward size distributions to generate rare and common RPEs, respectively. Behavioral choices and pupil diameter measurements indicated that monkeys learned faster and registered greater arousal from rare RPEs, compared to common RPEs of identical magnitudes. Dopamine neuron recordings indicated that rare rewards amplified RPE responses. These results demonstrate that dopamine responses reflect probability distributions and suggest a neural mechanism for the amplified learning and enhanced arousal associated with rare events.
Do Black Students Need African American Teachers: Commentary on Prescod-Weinstein

The view of most commentators is that all students need role models who “look like them,” and that this is especially true of members of minority groups. The present essay takes issue with that contention.
Mitral Valve Endocarditis in a Pediatric Patient: When Is the Right Time to Intervene? A Case Report

Infective endocarditis (IE) is most often treated conservatively with medical management. There are no clear guidelines in the pediatric population for timing of surgical intervention. This is a case report of an 18-month-old male admitted to the hospital with IE. His workup showed a large vegetation on the mitral valve with evolving regurgitation caused by Kingella kingae, a HACEK group organism. Factors that led to consideration for early surgical intervention included the size of the vegetation (19 mm), the etiologic agent (K. kingae) described to be associated with a high rate of complications, the absence of neurologic complications, and the possibility for valve-sparing repair strategies. Following mitral valve repair, the patient made an uneventful recovery and he was discharged home within a week, to complete a course of antibiotics. Surgical intervention early in the disease course of IE can be a safe option and could pre-empt the development of embolic complications especially in the setting of very large vegetations and certain types of high-risk organisms. Additionally, early surgery allows for valve repair and could avoid valve replacement with its attendant risk of anticoagulation therapy and future surgery.
2,2′,3,3′-Tetra­methyl-6,6′-biquinoxaline

The molecule of the title compound, C20H18N4, has twofold rotational symmetry. Each aromatic ring of the fused quinoxaline ring system is skewed from the other by 4.93 (7)°. The two quinoxaline units make a dihedral angle of 43.52 (2)°.
Inclusion of Signing Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Students: Factors That Facilitate Versus Challenge Access and Participation

Purpose Past studies have consistently indicated a need for improvements in inclusive educational practices. Many have focused on a single actor (e.g., the student), not taking into account the int...
Significance of Vocational Education at Secondary Level of Education in Jharkhand

Every fifth person in our country is an adolescent who may be eligible to contribute to the social, economic, and political progress of the nation. Vocational education is an instrument in transmitting necessary knowledge and skills to these young adults so that they are prepared to survive as well as flourish in today’s advanced technological era. This paper discusses at length the need for vocational education in our country so that we are able to make use of the demographic dividend and there is no dearth of skilled workforce. There are various issues concerning the effective implementation of vocational programs and need to be addressed. The paper covers the possible suggestions for improving the present situation of vocational education and training.
Islands in the Lake: Environment and Ethnohistory in Xochimilco, New Spain

Now notorious for its aridity and air pollution, Mexico City was once part of a flourishing lake environment. In nearby Xochimilco, Native Americans modified the lakes to fashion a distinctive and remarkably abundant aquatic society, one that provided a degree of ecological autonomy for local residents, enabling them to protect their communities' integrity, maintain their way of life, and preserve many aspects of their cultural heritage. While the area's ecology allowed for a wide array of socioeconomic and cultural continuities during colonial rule, demographic change came to affect the ecological basis of the lakes; pastoralism and new ways of using and modifying the lakes began to make a mark on the watery landscape and on the surrounding communities. In this fascinating study, Conway explores Xochimilco using native-language documents, which serve as a hallmark of this continuity and a means to trace patterns of change.
Skin Cancer Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Non-Medical Skin Care Professionals: A Narrative Review of Cross-sectional and Interventional Studies.

BACKGROUND Skin cancers are the most common malignancies in the United States. Total body skin examination by a physician, especially a dermatologist, is the gold standard for detecting suspicious lesions that may require further evaluation. Non-medical professionals (NMPs) including massage therapists, estheticians, hairdressers, and cosmetologists have the unique opportunity to frequently examine their client's skin outside of a clinical setting. By evaluating their knowledge of and comfort with evaluation of suspicious lesions, multiple studies have gauged the utility of patient encounters with NMPs for skin cancer detection. Several studies have also focused on assessment of intervention strategies for assessing and improving NMPs ability to detect suspicious lesions and to refer for physician evaluation when necessary. AIMS To conduct a narrative review of skin cancer knowledge, attitudes, and practices among NMPs. PATIENTS/METHODS A systematic search of the databases yielded 16 studies for review. A total of 8 cross-sectional studies examined the knowledge and attitudes of NMPs toward skin evaluation, and 8 studies assessed interventional strategies for improving NMPs' ability to assess skin lesions for consideration of physician referral. RESULTS This review finds that NMPs are open to the idea of examining the exposed body surfaces relevant to their work with clients and are willing to refer for physician evaluation when needed. Multiple interventional strategies have demonstrated success with educating NMPs on the importance of skin surveillance and the characteristic physical examination findings associated with skin cancers. CONCLUSION Strengthening the readiness of NMPs to examine their client's skin offers an opportunity to reduce time to skin cancer diagnosis, improve patient outcomes, and lower healthcare-associated costs of skin cancer treatment.
Severity of e-scooter rider injuries associated with trip characteristics

Abstract Introduction: E-scooter rider injuries have been growing, but little is known about how trip and incident characteristics contribute to their severity. Method: We enrolled 105 adults injured while riding e-scooters who presented to an emergency department in Washington, DC, during 2019. Enrolled participants completed an interview during the emergency department visit, and their charts were abstracted to document their injuries and treatment. Logistic regression examined the association of incident location and circumstances with the likelihood of sustaining an injury on the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) ≥ 2, while controlling for rider characteristics. Results: The most common locations of e-scooter injuries in our study sample occurred on the sidewalk (58%) or road (23%). Accounting for other trip and rider attributes, e-scooter riders injured on the road were about twice as likely as those injured elsewhere to sustain AIS ≥ 2 injuries (RR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.23–2.36) and those who rode at least weekly more often sustained AIS ≥ 2 injuries compared with less frequent riders (RR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.11–2.32). Conclusions: Greater injury severity for riders injured on the road may reflect higher travel speeds. Practical applications: Injury severity associated with riding in the road is one factor that jurisdictions can consider when setting policy on where e-scooters should be encouraged to ride, but the risk of any crash or fall associated with facilities should also be examined. Although injuries are of lower severity on sidewalks, sharing sidewalks with slower moving pedestrians could potentially lead to more conflicts.
One dimensional heavy ion beam transport: Energy independent model

Attempts are made to model the transport problem for heavy ion beams in various targets, employing the current level of understanding of the physics of high-charge and energy (HZE) particle interaction with matter are made. An energy independent transport model, with the most simplified assumptions and proper parameters is presented. The first and essential assumption in this case (energy independent transport) is the high energy characterization of the incident beam. The energy independent equation is solved and application is made to high energy neon (NE-20) and iron (FE-56) beams in water. The numerical solutions is given and compared to a numerical solution to determine the accuracy of the model. The lower limit energy for neon and iron to be high energy beams is calculated due to Barkas and Burger theory by LBLFRG computer program. The calculated values in the density range of interest (50 g/sq cm) of water are: 833.43 MeV/nuc for neon and 1597.68 MeV/nuc for iron. The analytical solutions of the energy independent transport equation gives the flux of different collision terms. The fluxes of individual collision terms are given and the total fluxes are shown in graphs relative to different thicknesses of water. The values for fluxes are calculated by the ANASTP computer code.