cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Object based scene representations using fisher scores of local subspace projections

Several works have shown that deep CNNs can be easily transferred across datasets, e.g. the transfer from object recognition on ImageNet to object detection on Pascal VOC. Less clear, however, is the ability of CNNs to transfer knowledge across tasks. A common example of such transfer is the problem of scene classification, that should leverage localized object detections to recognize holistic visual concepts. While this problems is currently addressed with Fisher vector representations, these are now shown ineffective for the high-dimensional and highly non-linear features extracted by modern CNNs. It is argued that this is mostly due to the reliance on a model, the Gaussian mixture of diagonal covariances, which has a very limited ability to capture the second order statistics of CNN features. This problem is addressed by the adoption of a better model, the mixture of factor analyzers (MFA), which approximates the non-linear data manifold by a collection of local sub-spaces. The Fisher score with respect to the MFA (MFA-FS) is derived and proposed as an image representation for holistic image classifiers. Extensive experiments show that the MFA-FS has state of the art performance for object-to-scene transfer and this transfer actually outperforms the training of a scene CNN from a large scene dataset. The two representations are also shown to be complementary, in the sense that their combination outperforms each of the representations by itself. When combined, they produce a state-of-the-art scene classifier.
Multi-scale Material Screening and Process Optimization for Natural Gas Purification

Abstract Vast reserves of natural gas are uneconomical to develop with current technologies due to high CO 2 content that must be removed to enhance energy content and satisfy pipeline specifications. Other methane sources include coalbed methane, shale gas, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) gas, biogas, and landfill gas. Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) is a promising technology to separate gas mixtures, but identifying the best sorbent, process topology, and operating conditions are important challenges in designing a cost-effective process. We propose a multi-scale computational framework to simultaneously address these issues using a hierarchical screening approach to filter a database of materials and rigorous mathematical process optimization to minimize the total cost of separation. The methodology has been used to discover 10 previously unconsidered sorbents, such as zeolite WEI, which can be used in an optimized adsorption process to purify natural gas with 5 % CO 2 at a cost of 0.15$/MMBTU and natural gas with 50 % CO 2 at a cost of 1.44 $/MMBTU. Other top zeolites with similar separation costs include zeolites AEN and AHT. We anticipate that this approach is suitable for the discovery of novel materials for other molecular separations of industrial importance.
Structural Investigations of Quiet Outer Membrane Protein G Nanopores

Interest in nanopore technology has been growing due to their unique capabilities in small molecule sensing, measurement of protein folding, and low cost DNA and RNA sequencing. The E. coli outer membrane protein OmpG is an excellent alternative to the heptameric α-hemolysin (αHL) because its pore is formed by a single polypeptide chain. OmpG is a 14-stranded β-barrel protein with seven flexible extracellular loops. It has been shown that loop 6 controls pore access in a pH-dependent manner and its dynamics result in spontaneous gating of the open pore current. This phenomenon ultimately limits the applications of OmpG in traditional biosensing. In this work, we modified the OmpG nanopore by selectively deleting several residues in and near loop 6. Electrophysiological measurements show that these modifications eliminate the flickering between open and closed states across wide pH range. We used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to assess the structural role of these modifications on nanopore function by solving the structure of our quiet OmpG. Our data show that chemical shift perturbations are more prominent near the modification site indicating possible structural rearrangements. We further modified the inside of the quiet OmpG derivative with a copper chelating moiety to facilitate the detection of small molecules such as catecholamines, amino acids, and nucleotides. For instance, we can concurrently detect glutamic acid and ATP using this approach.
ShapeOdds: Variational Bayesian Learning of Generative Shape Models

Shape models provide a compact parameterization of a class of shapes, and have been shown to be important to a variety of vision problems, including object detection, tracking, and image segmentation. Learning generative shape models from grid-structured representations, aka silhouettes, is usually hindered by (1) data likelihoods with intractable marginals and posteriors, (2) high-dimensional shape spaces with limited training samples (and the associated risk of overfitting), and (3) estimation of hyperparameters relating to model complexity that often entails computationally expensive grid searches. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian treatment that relies on direct probabilistic formulation for learning generative shape models in the silhouettes space. We propose a variational approach for learning a latent variable model in which we make use of, and extend, recent works on variational bounds of logistic-Gaussian integrals to circumvent intractable marginals and posteriors. Spatial coherency and sparsity priors are also incorporated to lend stability to the optimization problem by regularizing the solution space while avoiding overfitting in this high-dimensional, low-sample-size scenario. We deploy a type-II maximum likelihood estimate of the model hyperparameters to avoid grid searches. We demonstrate that the proposed model generates realistic samples, generalizes to unseen examples, and is able to handle missing regions and/or background clutter, while comparing favorably with recent, neural-network-based approaches.
Conflict, adaption, and strategic defiance: service providers’ roles in constructing prisoner reentry through role adaption

This research explores how service providers experience their work and influence prisoner reentry services. This paper builds on prior knowledge of street-level bureaucrats’ roles and discretionary...
Heat Losses in the Conductors of Alternating-Current Machines

The principal object of this paper is to show how hyperbolic functions of complex angles may be applied to the solution of the problem of heat losses in rectangular conductors that are embedded in open slots. A certain knowledge of the functions themselves is presupposed. Inasmuch, however, as they are handled like trigometric functions of real angles?except in regard to the plus and minus signs?it is a simple matter to acquire the requisite technical skill to use them. The hyperbolic function of a complex angle, consisting as it does of a real and an imaginary part, may represent a vector?the real part being the component of the vector along the horizontal, and the imaginary part, component along the vertical. Thus, for example, A sinh (x + j x) represents a vector just as A e j ? A/?, A (cos ? + j sin ?) represent vectors. Considerable experience has shown that the vector method for handling a-c. problems is much superior to the original method in which simple trigonometric functions were used. With this lesson before us, it should require but little contact with the problem at hand to demonstrate the superiority of the vector method, even though it employs the possibly unfamiliar hyperbolic quantities. These hyperbolic vectors have been used for a number of years in the analysis of problems involving a-c. circuits, which have distributed inductance and capacitance, and have proved their usefulness.
Thickness-dependent stabilization of tetragonal ZrO2 in oxidized zirconium

Abstract Here we describe a study on the effect of transmission electron microscopy sample preparation on the stability of the tetragonal ZrO2 phase, as determined by precession electron diffraction. It was found that sample thickness, and thus corresponding stress remaining within the sample, can significantly affect the percentage of tetragonal phase ZrO2 recorded in the oxide layers. The microscopy-based finding is complemented by density functional theory calculations, confirming that there exists a crossover in energy between the two phases that depends on compressive strain. These findings further confirm that the significant portion of tetragonal phase is the result of stress stabilization.
Nanomaterials in Cosmetics: Regulatory Aspects

Abstract This chapter examines existing regulatory structures for cosmetic products containing nanomaterials. It does this by first providing a snapshot of the types of nanomaterials that are being incorporated into today's cosmetic products, and the potential benefits thereof. Second, by drawing on the current and projected cosmetic product landscape, it examines how these products fit under existing regulatory arrangements within the United States (US) and the European Union (EU)—the two largest cosmetics markets in the world (by dollar value). As the chapter shows, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to regulating a class of product, and factors beyond just science and scientific uncertainty will drive the design and implementation of a regulatory regime. This is arguably more so, though, with nanotechnology in the US and the EU, given the historical context in which nano-based products are being placed.
An Event-Related Potential study of letter spacing during visual word recognition.

Abstract Increasing spacing between letters in words (e.g., s p a c e vs. space) helps children and adults read more fluidly and with fewer errors. This effect has been demonstrated behaviorally, chiefly through lexical decision reaction time and total paragraph reading time. To date, however, no electrophysiological work has examined the letter spacing effect, resulting in little insight regarding how letter spacing impacts “hidden” levels of processing between apprehension of the word form and the final behavioral outcome. Here, we examined how varying levels of interletter spacing (crowded, standard, and increased) impact ERPs elicited by words and other item types (pseudowords, illegal strings, and a false font). Results indicate that letter spacing does not impact the ERP within the first second after viewing a wordform, but that it does have downstream effects as indicated by data collected using a priming design. Further, the facilitation of downstream processing afforded by increased spacing seems to be greater for more word-like stimuli (e.g., greater for words than for consonant strings, etc). Results are discussed as being somewhat inconsistent with prevalent views of the mechanism of the letter spacing effect (i.e., crowding).
UNC-6/Netrin and its Receptors UNC-5 and UNC-40/DCC Control Growth Cone Polarity, Microtubule Accumulation, and Protrusion

Many axon guidance ligands and their receptors have been identified, but it is still unclear how these ligand-receptor interactions regulate events in the growth cone, such as protrusion and cytoskeletal arrangement, during directed outgrowth in vivo . In this work, we dissect the multiple and complex effects of UNC-6/Netrin on the growth cone. Previous studies showed that in C. elegans , the UNC-6/Netrin receptor UNC-5 regulates growth cone polarity, as evidenced by loss of asymmetric dorsal F-actin localization and protrusion in unc-5 mutants. UNC-5 and another UNC-6/Netrin receptor UNC-40/DCC also regulate the extent of protrusion, with UNC-40/DCC driving protrusion and UNC-5 inhibiting protrusion. In this work we analyze the roles of UNC-6/Netrin, UNC-40/DCC, and UNC-5 in coordinating growth cone F-actin localization, microtubule organization, and protrusion that results in directed outgrowth away from UNC-6/Netrin. We find that a previously-described pathway involving the UNC-73/Trio Rac GEF and UNC-33/CRMP that acts downstream of UNC-5, regulates growth cone dorsal asymmetric F-actin accumulation and protrusion. unc-5 and unc-33 mutants also display excess EBP-2::GFP puncta, suggesting that MT + end accumulation is important in growth cone polarity and/or protrusion. unc-73 Rac GEF mutants did not display excess EBP-2::GFP puncta despite larger and more protrusive growth cones, indicating a MT-independent mechanism to polarize the growth cone and to inhibit protrusion, possibly via actin. Finally, we show that UNC-6/Netrin and UNC-40/DCC are required for excess protrusion in unc-5 mutants, but not for loss of F-actin asymmetry or MT + end accumulation, indicating that UNC-6/Netrin and UNC-40/DCC are required for protrusion downstream of F-actin asymmetry and MT + end entry. Our data suggest a model in which UNC-6/Netrin polarizes the growth cone via UNC-5, and then regulates a balance of pro- and anti-protrusive forces driven by UNC-40 and UNC-5, respectively, that result in directed protrusion and outgrowth.
MDS Analysis Using Basic MDS Model

Use of basic MDS model is explained. Examples are provided. How the basic model is estimated is discussed, although readers can skip this part. Interpretation of results from basic MDS analysis is further explained, including decision on number of dimensionality.
Effect of Acupuncture or Massage on Health-Related Quality of Life of Hemodialysis Patients.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of acupuncture and massage on health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) among end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Design: Pre–post test design. Setting: A hemodialysis (HD) unit located in a university hospital. Intervention: Participants were given the option to choose between 20 min sessions of massage or acupuncture therapy once a week for 8 weeks by licensed acupuncturists and massage therapists while undergoing their usual HD session in the University of California, San Diego Chronic HD unit. Outcome measures: Participants were asked to complete pre- and postintervention surveys, which consisted of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS™) Global Health Short Form and a Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale. Results: A total of 101 patients were included in this study. The average age was 57.6 (standard deviation: 14.5) dialysis vintage 7.5 years, 58% patients were male and the most common eti...
Similarities between chronic pain and tinnitus.

Objective The aim of this study is to review hypotheses about the mechanisms of chronic pain and to compare them with that of tinnitus. Hypotheses about the pathophysiology of severe tinnitus and chronic pain have been of mainly two kinds: one of which claims that pathology located in the periphery (the ear for tinnitus, and peripheral nerves for pain) can explain the symptoms, while the other claims that the symptoms are caused by changes in the function of nuclei of the central nervous system. Data sources A search of the literature from the past 35 years was used. Conclusions There is considerable evidence that both chronic pain and some forms of tinnitus are caused by changes in the central nervous system and that the anatomic location of the physiologic abnormality causing the symptoms of chronic pain and some forms of tinnitus is not the same location to which the symptoms are referred, i.e., the ear for tinnitus and the location of injury for pain. Such changes in the central nervous system may have been induced by peripheral processes such as tissue damage, but the changes can persist a long time after complete healing of a peripheral lesion. Different forms of tinnitus may respond to different treatments as is the case for chronic pain. If the different forms of tinnitus cannot be separated, then the results of studies of the efficacy of different kinds of drugs may be misleading.
Complete Three-Way Tables

When three polytomous variables are cross-classified, a large number of relationships between the variables are considered. A class of log-linear models called hierarchical models is used to describe such relationships. However, these models are not the only log-linear models appropriate for three-way tables. Nonetheless, the hierarchical models provide a general tool for the examination of contingency tables in which two or more variables are cross-classified. Such models are based on a general method of parametrization commonly encountered in the analysis of the variance of factorial tables. Several factors make hierarchical models of special interest. The hierarchical models have simple interpretations. Some computational convenience is associated with hierarchical models. The maximum-likelihood estimates and adjusted residuals for hierarchical models can be found without recourse to iterative computation, except for the model of no three-factor interaction. In the no three-factor interaction model, the iterative proportional fitting algorithm provides an alternative to the Newton–Raphson algorithm for the computation of maximum-likelihood estimates.
Bias Effect on Validity and Reliability of a Rating Scale

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of rater bias on the predictive validity and rater reliability of the Work Adjustment Rating Form (WARF). The results suggest that the WARF is ...
Variable-Temperature Solid-State NMR of Polyphosphazenes

When studying polymers in the solid state, questions frequently arise concerning structure, morphology, reactivity, or the motion of chains and functional groups. Since many of these properties are temperature dependent in typical polymers, variable-temperature (VT) solid-state NMR is often a valuable tool for polymer characterization. Several general articles on solid-state NMR have been published elsewhere [1,2], and the subject has also been introduced earlier in this volume. Applications of the VT experiment have also been reviewed [3,4].
Molecular Structure of the Hair Cell Mechanoelectrical Transduction Complex

Cochlear hair cells employ mechanically gated ion channels located in stereocilia that open in response to sound wave-induced motion of the basilar membrane, converting mechanical stimulation to graded changes in hair cell membrane potential. Membrane potential changes in hair cells cause neurotransmitter release from hair cells that initiate electrical signals in the nerve terminals of afferent fibers from spiral ganglion neurons. These signals are then propagated within the central nervous system (CNS) to mediate the sensation of hearing. Recent studies show that the mechanoelectrical transduction (MET) machinery of hair cells is formed by an ensemble of proteins. Candidate components forming the MET channel have been identified, but none alone fulfills all criteria necessary to define them as pore-forming subunits of the MET channel. We will review here recent findings on the identification and function of proteins that are components of the MET machinery in hair cells and consider remaining open questions.
Conversion Reactions of Atomically Precise Semiconductor Clusters

ConspectusClusters are unique molecular species that can be viewed as a bridge between phases of matter and thus between disciplines of chemistry. The structural and compositional complexity observed in cluster chemistry serves as an inspiration to the material science community and motivates our search for new phases of matter. Moreover, the formation of kinetically persistent cluster molecules as intermediates in the nucleation of crystals makes these materials of great interest for determining and controlling mechanisms of crystal growth. Our lab developed a keen interest in clusters insofar as they relate to the nucleation of nanoscale semiconductors and the modeling of postsynthetic reaction chemistry of colloidal materials. In particular, our discovery of a structurally unique In37P20X51 (X = carboxylate) cluster en route to InP quantum dots has catalyzed our interest in all aspects of cluster conversion, including the use of clusters as precursors to larger nanoscale colloids and as platforms for e...
Flutter instabilities of cantilevered piezoelectric pipe conveying fluid

In this article, a nonlinear model was developed for a cantilevered piezoelectric pipe conveying fluid that included geometric nonlinearity and electromechanical coupling. The Galerkin method discr...
“These Things Are a Parable”: Natural History Metaphors and Audience in Felix Holt (1866)

It is apparent that George Eliot’s novels were heavily engaged with development in natural history; her metaphors made use of and reflected on mid-1800s discussions of evolution and taxonomy. In this essay, research in science history and Eliot studies leads to evidence of how, in Felix Holt (1866), Eliot was influenced by evolutionary scientists, particularly Darwin and Huxley, in her fictional examination of how individuals struggle within a small isolated society. At the same time, Eliot’s discussion of the strengths and weakness of metaphors was also a direct engagement with Darwin and Huxley on the topic of how metaphors should be used in scientific writings.
Survival Strategies of Extracellular Bacterial Pathogens

Classic extracellular bacterial pathogens are endowed with an array of mechanisms that afford their survival in the inhospitable environment that is the human body. These mechanisms can be loosely grouped into those that defend the offending extracellular bacterial organisms from the devastating effects elicited by the host immune system, and those that are elaborated by extracellular bacterial pathogens to actively attack and override the human body. While extracellular bacterial pathogens employ different stratagems to subvert the human host, they are all unified by their exquisite ability to appropriate host cellular components and destroy target cells. In this chapter, we review, by means of prototypical examples, the different tactics utilized by extracellular bacterial pathogens to proliferate in the human body.
Fast-Track Construction for Concrete Pavement Rehabilitation: California Urban Highway Network

This case study presents an innovative fast-track reconstruction approach applied to a heavily trafficked Long-Life (30-plus years) Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies (LLPRS) project on I-15 in Devore in Southern California. A 4.5-km stretch of badly damaged concrete truck lanes was rebuilt over two 215-h (approximately 9-day) periods with one-roadbed full closures with counterflow traffic and around-the-clock (24 h per day/7 days per week) construction operations. The same project would have taken 10 months to complete with traditional nighttime closures. State-of-practice technologies were adopted on this Rapid Rehab project to accelerate construction, mitigate traffic disruptions, and propagate project information. From the initial planning and design stages, engineers used CA4PRS (Construction Analysis for Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies) software incorporated with traffic simulation models to develop an optimal and economical rehabilitation scenario. Postconstruction data validated the preconstruction analysis and simulation estimates of productivity and traffic delays. Because of the implementation of an Automated Work Zone Information System and proactive public outreach, a 20% reduction in traffic demand through the construction work zone was achieved and thereby reduced the maximum peak hour delay to a “tolerable” level. Surveys on the project website showed dramatic changes in public perception of the Rapid Rehab extended closures approach from initial reluctance and objection to positive support. Advantages of using this method of fast-track accelerated highway reconstruction included less traffic disruption for the traveling public, longer (more than 30 years) pavement life expectancy, improved safety for motorists and workers, and reduced agency cost compared with the traditional approach using repeated nighttime closures.
Case-Based Asynchronous Interactive Modules in Undergraduate Medical Education:

Undergraduate medical education traditionally consists of 2 years of lecture-based courses followed by 2 years of clinical clerkships. However, over the past couple decades, undergraduate medical e...
Development of a millimeter-period rf undulator

We present the design of a rf undulator at 91.392 GHz that has a period of 1.75 mm, while the minimum beam aperture seen by the beam is 2.375 mm. To confine the fields inside the undulator a corrugated waveguide is connected through a matching section to a linear taper and a mirror. After the mirror, a Bragg reflector and a matching section are used to reflect back all the fields leaking out of the mirror opening. This undulator requires approximately 1.4 MW for submicrosecond pulses to generate an equivalent K value of 0.1. Transferring such amounts of power at mm-wave frequencies requires overmoded corrugated waveguides, and coupling through irises creates excessive pulsed heating. We have designed a coupling scheme that allows coupling power from a highly overmoded corrugated waveguide to the undulator cavity through the beam pipe without disturbing the undulator fields. This system of the rf undulator and its coupling scheme allows for fast dynamic control of the polarization of the emitted light.
Energy-efficient and Sustainable Computing across the Hardware/Software Stack

Energy efficiency is now a critically important design constraint for most computing systems today. Likewise, reliability has always been a top concern, from high-performance systems to mobile embedded applications. However, as technological advances produce devices only a few nanometers in length, and applications become more memory- and compute-intensive, energy-efficiency and reliability become harder to manage. In this talk, I will present techniques—past and present—across the HW/SW stack, for energy-efficient and reliable computing. I will also discuss how these techniques may be used to achieve more sustainable computing in the future.
Amplified detection of phosphocreatine and creatine after supplementation using CEST MRI at high and ultrahigh magnetic fields.

Abstract Creatine is an important metabolite involved in muscle contraction. Administration of exogenous creatine (Cr) or phosphocreatine (PCr) has been used for improving exercise performance and protecting the heart during surgery including during valve replacements, coronary artery bypass grafting and repair of congenital heart defects. In this work we investigate whether it is possible to use chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI to monitor uptake and clearance of exogenous creatine and phosphocreatine following supplementation. We were furthermore interested in determining the limiting conditions for distinguishing between creatine (1.9 ppm) and phosphocreatine (2.6 ppm) signals at ultra-high fields (21 T) and determine their concentrations could be reliably obtained using Bloch equation fits of the experimental CEST spectra. We have tested these items by performing CEST MRI of hind limb muscle and kidneys at 11.7 T and 21.1 T both before and after intravenous administration of PCr. We observed up to 4% increase in contrast in the kidneys at 2.6 ppm which peaked ~30 min after administration and a relative ratio of 1.3 in PCr:Cr signal. Overall, these results demonstrate the feasibility of independent monitoring of PCr and Cr concentration changes using CEST MRI.
The Grounded Instruction Librarian: Participating in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Melissa Mallon, Lauren Hays, Cara Bradley, Rhonda Huisman, and Jackie Belanger, eds. Chicago, IL: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2019. 378p. $76.00 (ISBN 0-8389-4621-3). LC 2019943314.

Although there is not one official definition for the scholarship of teaching and learning, a basic definition is that it is the multidisciplinary study of teaching and student learning in specific contexts within higher education. The Grounded Instruction Librarian: Participating in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning , edited by Melissa Mallon, Lauren Hayes, Cara Bradley, Rhonda Huisman, and Jackie Belanger, collects writings from academic librarians in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland on SoTL (as it is abbreviated in the book). The editors have research interests in teaching, learning, instruction design, and assessment, and Mallon has previously written another book on library instruction, The Pivotal Role of Academic Librarians in Digital Learning (2017).
Laparoscopic Repair of Extraperitoneal Ureteral Inguinal Hernia With Mesh Placement

Ureteral inguinal hernias are a well-described entity, within the spectrum of sliding hernias, with over 140 cases described since 1880. Though herniation of the ureter is relatively rare and complete ureteric obstruction is infrequent, a massive herniation may cause complete obstruction, leading to hydronephrosis. Management of these hernias is challenging and poses a significant danger of inadvertent injury and entrapment of a tortuous ureter. When faced with this type of hernia, extreme care should be taken to perform the appropriate preoperative workup and thoroughly plan the surgical approach. The present case describes a patient with a known ureteral inguinal hernia, who underwent a laparoscopic repair of the hernia with mesh placement.
Dense Ionized and Neutral Gas Surrounding Sgr A

We present high resolution H41a hydrogen recombination line observations of the 1.2' (3 pc) region surrounding Sgr A* at 92 GHz using the OVRO Millimeter Array with an angular resolution of 7" x 3" and velocity resolution of 13 km/s. New observations of H31a, H35a, H41a, and H44a lines were obtained using the NRAO 12-m telescope, and their relative line strengths are interpreted in terms of various emission mechanisms. These are the most extensive and most sensitive observations of recombination line to date. Observations of HCO+ (1 - 0) transition at 89 GHz are also obtained simultaneously with a 40% improved angular resolution and 4-15 times improved sensitivity over previous observations, and the distribution and kinematics of the dense molecular gas in the circumnuclear disk (CND) are mapped and compared with those of the ionized gas. The line brightness ratios of the hydrogen recombination lines are consistent with purely spontaneous emission from 7000 K gas with n_e = 20,000 cm$^{-3}$ near LTE condition. A virial analysis suggests that the most prominent molecular gas clumps in the CND have mean densities of 10^7 cm^{-3}, sufficient to withstand the tidal shear in the Galactic Center region. Therefore, these clumps may survive over several dynamical times, and the CND may be a dynamically stable structure. We estimate a total gas mass of 3 x 10^5 solar mass for the CND. \
The Elusiveness of Self-Defense for the Black Transgender Community

This Essay was written as a part of the Nevada Law Journal's symposium on Race and Gender and Policing. It explores the need for but elusiveness of self-defense as a viable affirmative defense for Black transgender victims of crime. The Black transgender community suffers disproportionate rates of intimate partner violence, discriminatory harassment, and sexual violence from both strangers and acquaintances. Yet members of this community also report disproportionate rates of ambivalence, discriminatory treatment, and physical violence from law enforcement investigating these crimes. Black transgender individuals experience under-policing driven by stereotyped attitudes that transgender individuals are inherently "deceitful" or that transgender women are "actually men" and can handle themselves. And they experience over-policing for "walking while trans," a widely reported phenomenon wherein transgender individuals walking in public are repeatedly targeted for suspected prostitution. Within this reality of violence and under protection, many members of the Black transgender community report resorting to self-defense tactics to protect themselves, including carrying firearms in public. Unfortunately, recent high profile cases of Black transgender self-defense illustrate that viable affirmative self-defense claims prove elusive for this community. Racist biases about the inherent criminality of Black individuals infect every step of the criminal justice process, negating otherwise viable self-defense claims. Moreover, many of the same trans-phobic attitudes affecting the criminal investigative process similarly impact the viability of self-defense claims for transgender individuals using self-defensive measures as a necessary last resort.
Isolating the Contributions of Specific Network Sites to the Diffuse Vibrational Spectrum of Interfacial Water with Isotopomer-Selective Spectroscopy of Cold Clusters.

Decoding the structural information contained in the interfacial vibrational spectrum of water requires understanding how the spectral signatures of individual water molecules respond to their local hydrogen bonding environments. In this study, we isolated the contributions for the five classes of sites that differ according to the number of donor (D) and acceptor (A) hydrogen bonds that characterize each site. These patterns were measured by exploiting the unique properties of the water cluster cage structures formed in the gas phase upon hydration of a series of cations M+·(H2O)n (M = Li, Na, Cs, NH4, CH3NH3, H3O, and n = 5, 20-22). This selection of ions was chosen to systematically express the A, AD, AAD, ADD, and AADD hydrogen bonding motifs. The spectral signatures of each site were measured using two-color, IR-IR isotopomer-selective photofragmentation vibrational spectroscopy of the cryogenically cooled, mass selected cluster ions in which a single intact H2O is introduced without isotopic scrambling, an important advantage afforded by the cluster regime. The resulting patterns provide an unprecedented picture of the intrinsic line shapes and spectral complexities associated with excitation of the individual OH groups, as well as the correlation between the frequencies of the two OH groups on the same water molecule, as a function of network site. The properties of the surrounding water network that govern this frequency map are evaluated by dissecting electronic structure calculations that explore how changes in the nearby network structures, both within and beyond the first hydration shell, affect the local frequency of an OH oscillator. The qualitative trends are recovered with a simple model that correlates the OH frequency with the network-modulated local electron density in the center of the OH bond.
Application of Bayesian Networks to hindcast barrier island morphodynamics

Abstract Prediction of coastal vulnerability is of increasing concern to policy makers, coastal managers and other stakeholders. Coastal regions and barrier islands along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts are subject to frequent, large storms, whose waves and storm surge can dramatically alter beach morphology, threaten infrastructure, and impact local economies. Given that precise forecasts of regional hazards are challenging, because of the complex interactions between processes on many scales, a range of probable geomorphic change in response to storm conditions is often more helpful than deterministic predictions. Site-specific probabilistic models of coastal change are reliable because they are formulated with observations so that local factors, of potentially high influence, are inherent in the model. The development and use of predictive tools such as Bayesian Networks in response to future storms has the potential to better inform management decisions and hazard preparation in coastal communities. We present several Bayesian Networks designed to hindcast distinct morphologic changes attributable to the Nor'Ida storm of 2009, at Fire Island, New York. Model predictions are informed with historical system behavior, initial morphologic conditions, and a parameterized treatment of wave climate. We refine a preliminary Bayesian Network by 1) increasing model experience through additional observations, 2) including anthropogenic modification history, and 3) replacing parameterized wave impact values with maximum run-up elevation. Further, we develop and train a pair of generalized models with an additional dataset encompassing a different storm event, which expands the observations beyond our hindcast objective. We compare the skill of the generalized models against the Nor'Ida specific model formulation, balancing the reduced skill with an expectation of increased transferability. Results of Nor'Ida hindcasts ranged in skill from 0.37 to 0.51 and accuracy of 65.0 to 81.9%.
A multidisciplinary approach to the management of phagophobia

Choking phobia, better referred to as phagophobia, leads to significant dietary restriction or complete refusal to eat and drink, which may result in dehydration, and/or malnutrition. Current liter...
Returning to the Office During the COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery: Early Indicators from China

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to abruptly shift to remote work in early 2020. But as countries progressed through a recovery from the pandemic, as occurred in China beginning in the spring of 2020, companies went through a process of reopening their offices. People worked in a hybrid mode in which they could decide how to divide their time working from home and in the office. In this research, we explored what are the key factors that shaped employees’ decisions. We conducted a survey and interviews with employees in China of a global technology company. The data demonstrated people’s work time arrangements between home and office, their experiences when working from home, and their preferred work mode. Through the interviews, we identified people’s diverse strategies and reasons behind the decisions of where to work during the hybrid work phase.
Lecture Notes on Baby Boolean Relation Theory

This is an introduction to the most primitive form of the new Boolean relation theory, where we work with only one function and one set. We give eight complete classifications. The thin set theorem (along with a slight variant), and the complementation theorem are the only substantial cases that arise in these classifications.
Approaches to the Determination of Chemical Species in Biological Materials

Living systems exist in dynamic equilibrium, wherein levels and interconversions between different chemical species is constantly changing. To gain information regarding the biological function and utilization of these chemical species, a concerted collaborative effort using a wide variety of techniques and disciplines is required. At present most analyses of chemical species rely upon in vitro measurements, which must then be used to extrapolate to real-time measurements of the fluctuation of these species in vivo. Analytical approaches to the determination of chemical species generally include various separation techniques followed by specific spectroscopic methodologies to quantitate the trace element content of the separated fractions. A number of specific studies have covered a wide range of separation and atomic detection techniques. Applications of molecular spectroscopic techniques, which have been limited due to sensitivity, can give a great deal of information on the chemical species itself rather than just quantitation of the metal content. These molecular techniques may be rejuvenated in the future due to significant advances in sensitivity combined with continuous flow analysis techniques capable of very rapid, high-precision, low blank-level, and multisample analyses. Use of biocatalytic and ion-sensitive microelectrodes for in vivo determination of chemical species has considerable promise for relatively noninvasive measurements in single cells. Further development and use of computer simulation models of equilibria in human blood plasma between a number of trace elements with naturally occurring and administered chelating agents will be very beneficial to an understanding of these complex systems. The growing awareness of the important multiple roles of trace elements in human health has led to increased medical-clinical interest in diagnosis and therapy involving specific chemical species of these elements.
Low-output-impedance 0.6 /spl mu/m CMOS sub-bandgap reference

A 0.6 µm CMOS sub-bandgap reference circuit, the output voltage of which is, unlike reported in the literature, concurrently low voltage and low output impedance, is presented. Experimental measurements verify that the proposed circuit, which produces a first-order temperature-compensated reference voltage of 890 mV, sources up to 5 mA of load current and rejects noise by a factor of 30.8–8.1 dB at 500 kHz–4 MHz, neither of which feature is achieved by state-of-the-art sub-bandgap circuits.
Chapter 2 Na+-H+ and Na+-Ca2+Exchange in Activated Cells

Publisher Summary There are various membrane transport systems that utilize the energy of the Na + electrochemical gradient to move ions in a direction that is opposite to the direction that they would move in response to their electrochemical gradients and that is also counter to the direction in which Na + moves on these transporters. Thus, these transporters are referred to as counter-transport systems. The chapter focuses on these systems, particularly the Na + –Ca 2+ and the Na + –H + exchange systems. The involvement of these two systems in maintaining and modifying the cytosolic Ca 2+ activity, and the intracellular pH in activated cells are discussed. The Na + –H + exchange in activated cells and in differentiating cells is reviewed. The mechanism for the stimulation of Na + –H + exchange in activated cells is also discussed, which considers two possible mechanisms for the activation of the Na + –H + exchanger. One of these mechanisms involves Ca 2+ as the second messenger and the other involves diacylglycerol as the second messenger.
Predominant constitutive CFTR conductance in small airways.

The pathological hallmarks of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are inflammation of the small airways (bronchiolitis) and destruction of lung parenchyma (emphysema). These forms of disease arise from chronic prolonged infections, which are usually never present in the normal lung. Despite the fact that primary hygiene and defense of the airways presumably requires a well controlled fluid environment on the surface of the bronchiolar airway, very little is known of the fluid and electrolyte transport properties of airways of less than a few mm diameter. We introduce a novel approach to examine some of these properties in a preparation of minimally traumatized porcine bronchioles of about 1 mm diameter by microperfusing the intact bronchiole. In bilateral isotonic NaCl Ringer solutions, the spontaneous transepithelial potential (TEP; lumen to bath) of the bronchiole was small (mean ± sem: -3 ± 1 mV; n = 25), but when gluconate replaced luminal Cl-, the bionic Cl- diffusion potentials (-58 ± 3 mV; n = 25) were as large as -90 mV. TEP diffusion potentials from 2:1 NaCl dilution showed that epithelial Cl- permeability was at least 5 times greater than Na+ permeability. The anion selectivity sequence was similar to that of CFTR. The bionic TEP became more electronegative with stimulation by luminal forskolin (5 μM)+IBMX (100 μM), ATP (100 μM), or adenosine (100 μM), but not by ionomycin. The TEP was partially inhibited by NPPB (100 μM), GlyH-101* (5–50 μM), and CFTRInh-172* (5 μM). RT-PCR gave identifying products for CFTR, α-, β-, and γ-ENaC and NKCC1. Antibodies to CFTR localized specifically to the epithelial cells lining the lumen of the small airways. These results indicate that the small airway of the pig is characterized by a constitutively active Cl- conductance that is most likely due to CFTR.
Signal transduction by calcitonin: Multiple ligands, receptors, and signaling pathways

Calcitonin (CT) is a peptide hormone that is secreted by the parafollicular cells of the thyroid in response to elevated serum calcium levels. It acts to reduce serum calcium by inhibiting bone resorption and promoting renal calcium excretion. In addition to this hypocalcemie effect, calcitonin modulates the renal transport of water and several ions other than calcium and acts on the central nervous system to induce analgesia, anorexia, and gastric secretion. The CT receptor, a member of a newly described family of serpentine G protein-coupled receptors, has recently been shown to couple to multiple trimeric G proteins, thereby activating several signaling proteins, including protein kinase C, cAMP-dependent protein kinase and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. In kidney proximal tubule cells (LLC-PK1), the CT-activated signaling mechanisms vary in a cell cycle-dependent manner, with the receptor coupling through a G(s) protein during G(2) phase and through a G(i) protein and possibly a G(q) protein during S phase. These signaling mechanisms differentially modulate the activities of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and the apical Na(+)/H(+) exchanger, effector molecules that play important roles in transepithelial Na(+) transport. Cloning of CT receptors has revealed the presence of alternatively spliced cassettes, resulting in the expression of different isoforms of the receptor. The availability of these recombinant CT receptors has allowed preliminary characterization of the effects of changes in the receptor's structure on its ligand binding and signal transduction properties. Thus, the cellular and molecular biology of CT is complex, with several structurally related peptide ligands and multiple isoforms of the CT receptor that can independently activate diverse signaling pathways. As the recent exciting results in this field are extended, we can expect rapid progress in understanding the molecular basis of the diverse effects of CT and, possibly, of the CT-related peptides CGRP and amylin.
River drying lowers the diversity and alters the composition of an assemblage of desert riparian arthropods

SUMMARY 1. Many studies have shown negative effects of river drying on in-stream animals. However, the influence of river drying on riparian animals remains poorly studied. We examined grounddwelling riparian arthropod assemblages along a drying section of the semi-arid San Pedro River in southeastern Arizona, U.S.A. 2. We found strong differences in assemblage composition, taxon diversity and the abundance of key taxa between dry and flowing sites, with higher diversity and abundance of most taxa at flowing sites. 3. Changes in assemblage composition, taxon diversity and abundance of representative taxa were associated with a combined measure of water availability that included distance to water and type of water. Other environmental variables showed a weaker association with changes in these arthropod assemblages. 4. Thus, we found evidence that desert riparian arthropods are sensitive to river drying and to reduction in water resources. Increases in drying along this river may reduce the diversity and the abundance of many groups of ground-dwelling arthropods, leading to marked shifts in community composition.
Experiencing a Shame Response as a Precursor to Violence

The shame response is a primitive physiological response to a rejection of oneself by another. The discomfort of this response may vary from intense physical pain to one that is barely noticeable, if at all. When this pain is sufficient, it causes anger that may be directed outward against another or inward against oneself. The intensity of the shame response, hence the intensity of the pain and anger, is related to the significance of the other, the significance of witnesses to the rejection, one's vulnerability, whether or not the rejection is of oneself or an aspect of oneself, and if the rejection comes as a surprise. When most intense (i.e., most painful), the shame response may include a tightness of the throat, nausea, stomach pain, and a sense that the contents of one's chest and abdomen are collapsing, exploding, or imploding. In reviewing what preceded an act of violence, it is necessary to determine whether the assailant had experienced a shame response and how intense it was. Understanding that a shame response can lead to anger and violence allows for the prevention of violence. This requires that individuals do not experience rejections that are so painful as to lead to violence.