cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Autonomy in Promoting Healthy Dyadic, Familial, and Parenting Relationships Across Cultures

The chapter explains how autonomy, as defined in self-determination theory, facilitates closeness. Self-determination theory is fundamentally a theory of optimal relationship development and functioning. Basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness guide the motivational underpinnings of relational well-being. Autonomy, in particular, promotes openness rather than defensiveness and facilitates perspective-taking, authenticity, support of close others, and intrinsic rather than extrinsic investment in one’s relationships. Among couples, relationship autonomy and need fulfillment are associated with numerous positive relationship processes and outcomes such as more understanding and relationship-maintaining responses to conflicts and disagreements. Among families, parental autonomy support is associated with various indicators of positive internalization, self-development, and relational health and well-being. Autonomy thus seems important for healthy, optimally functioning personal relationships. Further cross-cultural research is needed. We argue that there is room for both essentialist and cultural relativist perspectives on autonomy as being necessary for optimal relational well-being.
The first Mesozoic stephanid wasp (Hymenoptera: Stephanidae)

T he stephanid wasps are of great phylogenetic and biological significance among parasitic Hymenoptera, itself one of the major radiations of insects and of critical ecological and agricultural importance. The family, the only one of its superfamily (e.g., Gauld and Bolton, 1988; Goulet and Huber, 1993: although Rasnitsyn, 1988, 2000 includes the traditional Trigonalyoidea, Megalyroidea, Ceraphronoidea, and some extinct lineages in the Stephanoidea), is hypothesized by some authors to be basal within the diverse parasitoid lineage Apocrita (Rasnitsyn, 1975, 2000; Konigsmann, 1978; Rohdendorf and Rasnitsyn, 1980; Whitfield, 1992, 1998; Vilhelmsen, 1996, 2001). Such a phylogenetic placement makes the stephanids an interesting link between the principally xylophagous wood wasps (i.e., the paraphyletic suborder Symphyta), the sole parasitic symphytan family Orussidae, and the remainder of the Apocrita (Orussidae + Apocrita = Euhymenoptera). Thus, stephanids may represent one of the earliest families of parasitoid wasps exhibiting the characteristic “wasp waist,” allowing for more control and flexibility during oviposition. Tantalizingly, the stephanids are morphologically similar to orussids in that both exhibit a characteristic series of tubercles on the head (presumably an adaptation for allowing them to move through burrows in wood after eclosion). These similarities, however, may be convergent adaptations of parasitizing wood-boring insects (a plesiomorphic biological trait across the Apocrita) and stephanids may belong to a clade of evaniomorphous wasps, albeit still relatively basal within that lineage (e.g., Rasnitsyn, 1988; Ronquist et al., 1999). In either case, Stephanidae figure prominently in cladistic studies of the Hymenoptera and are of presumably ancient origin based on their phylogenetic position (e.g., Rasnitsyn, 2000). Fossils of the family, however, are rare and until now have been restricted to Tertiary deposits. The fossil Stephanidae were revised by Aguiar and Janzen (1999). Two fossil genera and six …
The Central Case Approach to Human Rights

Human rights situations are often analyzed and described in binary terms, that is, whether rights have been violated or upheld. This Article argues that it is more meaningful to measure human rights situations in terms of deviations from a central case of key characteristics, and to understand the subtle interplay of social, political, and economic vectors that cause such deviations. Using Singapore as a case study, this Article demonstrates that in any State the real human rights situation revealed by central case analysis can be dramatically different than the traditional binary assessment of that situation. The Article concludes by showing how the central case methodology can be used by all decision-makers in every State to promote human rights, with particular reference to recent disputes over Muslim minority rights in France and Singapore, and the executive detention of enemy combatants in the United States.
Skeletal muscle force and actomyosin ATPase activity reduced by nitric oxide donor

Perkins, William J., Young-Soo Han, and Gary C. Sieck.Skeletal muscle force and actomyosin ATPase activity reduced by nitric oxide donor. J. Appl. Physiol.83(4): 1326–1332, 1997.—Nitric oxide (NO) ...
Stimulus compounding and response summation with an instrumental running response

A light and a tone each maintained a certain speed of an instrumental running response in a straight alley. When the light and tone were combined, their compound maintained a faster running speed than that maintained by either the light or tone alone. The results were interpreted in terms of summation of the response tendencies maintained by each stimulus and further demonstrated the wide generality of this phenomenon.
Drug Prices in Cities with and without a Fair Trade Law

The present article is designed to add to the growing but still meager body of factual information, regarding the influence of fair trade laws on price behavior.2 Since Missouri does not have a fair trade law, whereas Kansas has had such a law in effect since March 1937,1 Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, are well located for a price comparison. The two cities form one metropolitan center, but are divided by the state line. A comparison of retail prices in the two cities should, therefore, throw some light upon the effects of the Kansas law.
A SIGNIFICANT MORPHOGENETIC VARIANT OF DICTYOSTELIUM MUCOROIDES

(WITH 4 FIGURES) Genetic variation within a species is a commonly recognized occurrence generally not warranting special consideration. Variants of possible phylogenetic significance, however, deserve a more detailed examination. The variant of Dictyostelium mucoroides Brefeld described in this paper appears to be of such significance. It was isolated from rotting wood of Citrus sinensis collected in Turrialba, Costa Rica, on December 31, 1961. This variant, hereafter referred to as CR17, represents a modification of the morphogenetic development found in typical material of D. mucoroides and has several features common to other species. In the earliest description of D. mucoroides by Brefeld (1869), a brief explanation of sorocarp development was included, and in a later
Lactic and malic dehydrogenases in testes of zinc-deficient rats.

SummaryThe activities of LDH and MDH were evaluated in the testes of zincdeficient and control rats by both spectrophotometric and histochemical methods. There was no significant decrease in the activities of these enzymes by either method in the testes of rats fed the zinc-deficient ration for 28 days as compared with rats fed the zincsupplemented diet ad libitum or in restricted amounts. Histological changes were observed in the testes of zinc-deficient rats consisting of decreased tubule size, spermatogonic arrest, nuclear chromatolysis in spermatids and secondary spermatocytes, and pyknotic epithelial cells. The testes of restricted or ad libitum-fed controls appeared normal. The evidence presented does not support the hypothesis that reduced activity of these enzymes is a primary cause of the physiological and morphological changes observed in zinc deficiency.
In the Business of Free Speech: The Roberts Court and Citizens United

The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision is perhaps the Roberts Court’s most well-known and controversial ruling. It has been criticized and, indeed, reviled, by the President of the United States on down. It is also cited as Exhibit A for the proposition that the Roberts Court is a relentlessly pro-business institution in its key decisions. In this chapter of a book entitled Business and the Roberts Court, I contend that both the criticism of the decision and of the Court is wrong. In my view, Citizens United is a decision which embodied and applied classic First Amendment principles. In doing so, the Court freed labor unions, non-profit organizations and yes, business corporations, from unwarranted restraints on their ability to speak on behalf of their members, supporters, shareholders and adherents. In protecting free speech and political freedom, the landmark decision was part of a larger Roberts Court pattern of deregulatory rulings, not just in the campaign finance area, but in a number of First Amendment contexts far removed from that area. Indeed, many of the Court’s rulings manifest a strongly libertarian caste to them with a pervading theme that where free speech is concerned, it is the people, not the government, who get to decide what form and content that speech will take. In the end, the Citizens United decision, embodying these principles, reflects the work not of a pro-business Court, but of a pro-free speech Court.
Research on countermeasure of fire fighting and rescue in nuclear radiation area

With the development of society and the progress of science and technology,nuclear technique has been used more and more widely.The basic principles and procedures of fighting against the radiation area by fire forces were introduced based on the fire characteristics of radiation area.Gauss model was used to analyse the distribution of the nuclear element concentration and the division of safety zone.The techniques and tactics of fire fighting in the radiation area wee also discussed.It provides some helpful suggestions for fire fighting and rescue in nuclear radiation area.
Repeat Marshall-Marchetti procedure for recurrent stress urinary incontinence

Thirty-six patients with recurrent stress incontinence had undergone a total of 109 previous procedures, at least one of which had been a Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz (MMK) operation. At the time of operative dissection, it was apparent that most of these patients had had an "alleged" MMK operation with no evidence of adhesion or scarring in the periurethral and vesical neck regions. With the transvesical approach, accurate assessment of the tone and quality of the bladder neck and the proximal urethra is possible. This approach also provides an opportunity to "see and feel" the effect of the properly placed periurethral and suspending suture. Thirty-two of 36 patients are continent after repeated suspension augmented by plication and bladder revision
Social Science Collaboration with Environmental Health.

BackgroundSocial science research has been central in documenting and analyzing community discovery of environmental exposure and consequential processes. Collaboration with environmental health sc...
The healthfulness of food and beverage purchases after the federal food package revisions: The case of two New England states.

Abstract Objective In 2009, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) implemented new food packages to improve dietary intake among WIC participants. This paper examines how the healthfulness of food purchases among low-income households changed following this reform. Methods Point-of-sale data for 2137 WIC-participating and 1303 comparison households were obtained from a regional supermarket chain. The healthfulness of purchased foods and beverages was determined per their saturated fat, sugar, and sodium content. A pre-post assessment (2009–2010) of the product basket healthfulness was completed using generalized estimating equation models. Data were analyzed in 2015. Results At baseline, healthy products accounted for most of the food volume purchased by WIC participants, but beverages were dominated by moderation (less healthy) items. With new subsidies for fruit, vegetables and whole grains, the WIC revisions increased the volume of healthy food purchases of WIC-participating households by 3.9% and reduced moderation foods by 1.8%. The biggest improvements were reductions in moderation beverages (down by 24.7% in volume), driven by milk fat restrictions in the WIC food package revisions. The healthfulness of the product basket increased post-WIC revisions; mainly due to a reduction in the volume of moderation food and beverages purchased (down by 15.5%) rather than growth in healthy products (up by 1.9%). No similar improvements were seen in a comparison group of low-income nonparticipants. Conclusions After the WIC revisions, the healthfulness of participant purchases improved, particularly for beverages. Efforts to encourage healthy eating by people receiving federal food assistance are paying off.
Assessing Problem Gambling: a Review of Classic and Specialized Measures

The rapid expansion of legalized gambling opportunities over the past 20 years has generated interest in problem gambling and gambling disorder. This review will provide an overview of classic and newer instruments in the field. Early instruments in the field of gambling studies were focused exclusively on population prevalence or diagnosis of disorder. However, a growing body of research, particularly in the clinical and neurobiological areas, have led to the development of a targeted measurement instruments and increased specialization designed for screening of a gambling disorder. Newer instruments and those that with renewed clinical and research interest are focused on specific areas such as cognitive distortions, and control of urges and cravings, which are key components of sustained recovery. Measurement in the field of problem gambling is moving away from solely measuring population prevalence and psychiatric disorder toward targeting the specific mechanisms that underlie problem gambling and barriers to recovery. Future advances in measurement will necessitate using standardized measures to assess various facets of problem gambling and adopting a holistic approach to assessing facets synergistically to identify sub-groups and inform targeted treatment strategies.
Discovery of inulin acetate as a novel immune-active polymer and vaccine adjuvant: synthesis, material characterization, and biological evaluation as a toll-like receptor-4 agonist

Vaccine adjuvants are an essential part of modern vaccine design, especially against intracellular pathogens such as M. tuberculosis, malarial parasite, HIV, influenza virus and Ebola. The present work offers a unique approach to designing novel vaccine adjuvants by identifying polymers that mimic “pathogen associated molecular patterns” (PAMPS) and engineering an immune-active particulate vaccine delivery system that uses the polymer. By using this strategy, we report the discovery of the first plant polymer based toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) agonist, inulin acetate (InAc). InAc was synthesised from the plant polysaccharide inulin. Inulin acetate as a polymer and particles prepared using InAc were characterised using various physicochemical techniques. The TLR-4 agonistic activity of InAc was established in multiple immune, microglial, dendritic, peripheral blood mononuclear (human and swine) and genetically modified epithelial cells (HEK293) that exclusively express TLR-4 on their surface. InAc activated all the above-mentioned cells to release proliferative cytokines; however, InAc failed to activate when the were cells either pre-incubated with a TLR-4 specific antagonist or isolated from mice deficient in adapter proteins involved in TLR signalling (Mal/MyD88). Antigen encapsulated microparticles prepared with TLR-4 agonist InAc mimicked pathogens to offer improved antigen delivery to dendritic cells compared to soluble antigen (47 times) or antigen encapsulated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) particles (1.57 times). In conclusion, InAc represents a novel polymer-based modern vaccine adjuvant targeting specific signalling pathways of the innate immune system, which could be formulated into a platform vaccine delivery system against cancer and viral diseases.
Calibration of the L3 BGO calorimeter using an RFQ accelerator

Abstract An improved calibration technique based on a radio-frequency-quadrupole (RFQ) accelerator is presented. A high-intensity flux of 17.6 MeV photons, produced by radiative capture of 1.85 MeV protons from the RFQ in a lithium target, is used to calibrate 11000 crystals of the L3 BGO calorimeter. In this paper, we present results obtained for the calibration of 1997 and 1998 L3 data samples. For the first time a calibration preciion better than 0.5% is reached for the entire BGO calorimeter.
Bernard’s Belching Bride: The Affectus that Words cannot Express

ABSTRACTIn Sermon 67 of his set of sermons on the Song of Songs, Bernard of Clairvaux is rendered speechless by the verse Dilectus meus mihi et ego illi. There are no words with which to express the soul’s delight in its union with the divine. There is resort only to the language of affectus – a spontaneous eruption of joy unconstrained by the rules of normal speech. In this instance, it is the belch that expresses the inexpressible love of the soul for God. This paper suggests several reasons why Bernard selected the belch: It is consistent with the references to eating, both metaphorical and literal, that recur throughout the commentaries. It is a phenomenon that makes palpable on a physical level the experience of the divine. Consideration is given to whether the belch is a form of jubilus. Bernard’s focus on the belch, furthermore, suggests his ambivalence towards matters of the body.
Facilitating Whole-Class Discussions in History: A Framework for Preparing Teacher Candidates:

Both the Common Core Standards for Literacy and the College, Career, and Civic Life Framework for Social Studies State Standards underscore the importance of classroom discussion for the developmen...
Structural malformations of the brain, eye, and pituitary gland in PHACE syndrome

PHACE syndrome is the association of segmental facial hemangiomas with congenital arterial, brain, cardiac, and ocular anomalies. Structural brain malformations affect 41-52% of PHACE patients and can be associated with focal neurologic deficits, developmental delays, and/or intellectual disability. To better characterize the spectrum of structural brain and other intracranial anomalies in PHACE syndrome, MRI scans of the head/neck were retrospectively reviewed in 55 patients from the PHACE Syndrome International Clinical Registry and Genetic Repository. All registry patients with a diagnosis of definite PHACE syndrome who had MRI scans of satisfactory quality were included. Of 55 patients, 34 (62%) demonstrated ≥1 non-vascular intracranial anomaly; structural brain malformations were present in 19 (35%). There was no difference in the prevalence of brain anomalies between genders. Brain anomalies were more likely in patients with S1 and/or S2 distribution of facial hemangioma. The most common structural brain defects were cerebellar hypoplasia (25%) and fourth ventricle abnormalities (13%). Dandy-Walker complex and malformations of cortical development were present in 9% and 7%, respectively. Extra-axial findings such as pituitary anomalies (18%) and intracranial hemangiomas (18%) were also observed. Six patients (11%) had anomalies of the globes or optic nerve/chiasm detectable on MRI. Brain malformations comprise a diverse group of structural developmental anomalies that are common in patients with PHACE syndrome. Along with brain malformations, numerous abnormalities of the pituitary, meninges, and globes were observed, highlighting the need for careful radiologic assessment of these structures in the neuroimaging workup for PHACE syndrome.
Reliability and validity of food portion size estimation from images using manual flexible digital virtual meshes.

Objective The eButton takes frontal images at 4s intervals throughout the day. A three-dimensional manually administered wire mesh procedure has been developed to quantify portion sizes from the two-dimensional images. The present paper reports a test of the inter-rater reliability and validity of use of the wire mesh procedure. Design Seventeen foods of diverse shapes and sizes served on plates, bowls and cups were selected to rigorously test the portion assessment procedure. A dietitian not involved in inter-rater reliability assessment used standard cups to independently measure the quantities of foods to generate the 'true' value for a total of seventy-five 'served' and seventy-five smaller 'left' images with diverse portion sizes. Setting The images appeared on the computer to which the digital wire meshes were applied. Subjects Two dietitians and three engineers independently estimated portion size of the larger ('served') and smaller ('left') images for the same foods. Results The engineers had higher reliability and validity than the dietitians. The dietitians had lower reliabilities and validities for the smaller more irregular images, but the engineers did not, suggesting training could overcome this limitation. The lower reliabilities and validities for foods served in bowls, compared with plates, suggest difficulties with the curved nature of the bowls. Conclusions The wire mesh procedure is an important step forward in quantifying portion size, which has been subject to substantial self-report error. Improved training procedures are needed to overcome the identified problems.
Bigger Is Not Always Better: Tumor Size and Prognosis in Advanced Melanoma.

Tumor burden is a key consideration for the treatment of solid malignancies. Large baseline tumor size (an assessment of volume of disease in target lesions prior to treatment), elevated LDH, and site of disease are prognostic of poor overall survival for patients with advanced melanoma treated with pembrolizumab.
Aminoacyl transfer ribonucleic acid synthesis in toluene treated liver cells

SUMMARY Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases were studied in suspensions of individual liver cells made permeable to tRNA by treat- ment with toluene. Centrifugation of the toluene-treated cells revealed that about 90% of the aminoacyl-tRNA syn- thetase activity remained associated with the cell pellet. If the toluene-treated cells were preincubated under assay conditions and then centrifuged, about ‘75% of the amino- acyl-tRNA synthetase activity remained associated with the cell pellet suggesting that aminoacylation occurred within the cell. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthesis in this system was dependent on exogenous tRNA, ATP, and Mg2+. Enzyme activity remained linear with time through about 10 min of incubation and a IO-fold increase in cell concentration. The product of the reaction was exclusively aminoacyl-tRNA. This system should prove useful for study of macromolecular synthesis in mammalian cells. Toluene treatment of bacteria has been used for a number of years to make such cells permeable to exogenous substrates (1). This procedure has received considerable attention recently in studies of DNA replication since the toluene-treated cells appear to remain relatively intact and synthesize DNA normally (2). Generally, toluene treatment has been used to render bacteria permeable to low molecular weight compounds, although it is known that pancreatic DNase can enter treated cells (2), and that the presence of Triton X-100 also makes such cells permea- ble to large proteins (3). To our knowledge, toluene treatment has not been used to study macromolecular syntheses in cells of mammalian origin. Several years ago our laboratory reported the isolation from rat liver of a high molecular weight complex containing all the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and a large proportion of the cellu- lar tRNA (4). In a continuation of these studies we have at- tempted to examine aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases under condi- tions which would lead to minimal disruption of the complex. For this purpose we have been working with suspensions of in- dividual liver cells made permeable by treatment with toluene. In this communication we report that aminoacyl-tRNA synthe- tases can be studied within such toluene-treated liver cells, and that these cells are permeable to exogenous tRNA. Livers were obtained from male Long-Evans rats (125 to 150 g) fed ad
An agent-based genetically-aware entomological model

There are multiple agent-based simulations investigating population and behavior dynamics of mosquito vectors. Some of these simulations model intervention pressures on the mosquito population to predict the impact of vector control strategies. These are complex models that can accurately characterize mosquitoes and simulate the effects of various interventions. One class of intervention methods involves the injection of altered genotypes into the vector population. The gene interrupts development and is inherited through the paternal line. Simulating these interventions requires an entomological model to be genetically-aware. We extend an existing model to capture genetic and heredity dynamics in a vector population. We show that it is possible to model heredity and simulate the effects of these intricate interventions through agent-based modeling. As a proof-of-concept, we simulate a method for insect control known as sterile insect technique (SIT). With our simulation, we show that introducing a female-specific lethal gene within the mosquito population greatly reduces the mosquito vector's ability to transmit malaria.
Fasting and refeeding induce differential changes in hypothalamic mRNA abundance of appetite-associated factors in 7 day-old Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica.

Abstract There is little information regarding effects of fasting on feeding behavior and hypothalamic physiology in young Japanese quail. The aim was thus to measure food intake and hypothalamic mRNA in response to fasting and refeeding. Five d-old quail ate little during the dark cycle. Food intake was greatest during the first 2 h of the light cycle. Six day-old quail fasted for 6 h ate the most during the first 15 min of refeeding. In 7 d-old quail, 3 h of fasting up-regulated hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY), NPY receptor sub-type 2 (NPYR2), agouti-related peptide (AgRP), orexin receptor 2 (ORXR2), melanocortin receptors 3 and 4 (MC3R and MC4R, respectively), and neuropeptide S (NPS) and decreased corticotropin-releasing factor receptor sub-type 1 (CRFR1) mRNA. Quail fasted for 3 h and refed for 1 h had greater NPY, AgRP, POMC, and MC3R but less CRFR1 mRNA than fed quail. Quail fasted for 6 h expressed more NPY, NPYR1, NPYR2, and MC3R and less ORXR2, prolactin releasing peptide (PrRP), cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART), and calcitonin (CAL) mRNA than fed quail. Quail fasted for 6 h and refed for 1 h expressed more NPY, NPYR1, NPYR2, AgRP, MC3R, MC4R, and NPS and less galanin, ORXR2, PrRP, CART, and CAL mRNA than fed birds. Hence, fasting induced changes in hypothalamic mRNA, with the largest changes occurring in genes associated with NPY and melanocortin signaling. Most genes remained elevated or downregulated after refeeding, suggesting that there was a time lag for transcription to respond to compensatory feeding.
Polyboride Networks, Molybdenum Clusters, and Uranium Bonding

The extended Huckel tight-binding method is used to analyze the bonding in the boron, molybdenum, and uranium substructures as well as the B−Mo interactions in U5Mo10B24. This compound, recently synthesized by Jeitschko and co-workers, contains relatively close U−U contacts, molybdenum clusters, and several different one- and two-dimensional polyboride structures. Molecular orbital calculations support a formal electron partitioning as follows: for a one-dimensional graphitic strip kinked at an “inserted” boron; for a simpler graphitic strip; for an unusual propellane-like one-dimensional polymer. The tetrahedral Mo clusters and U needles are also examined in analyzing the electronic structure of this unique compound sublattice by sublattice. With respect to the formation of this compound vs the originally expected U5Mo10B30 (presumably analogous to ThCr2B6), the results indicate that the higher metal:boron ratio creates more opportunity for metal−metal and metal−boron contact, leading to more Mo−Mo bond...
Residency, class, and community in the contemporary Chinese city

During the last four decades, China has undergone tremendous transformation. For much of this transition, urbanization has been at the core. Cities have emerged as engines of growth and centers of ...
OrigamiBoat: An Application of Thick Rigid Flat-Folding Origami to Portable Watercraft

In this paper, we present an application of rigid flat-folding origami in which a portable boat is developed from a symmetric, four-vertex origami pattern. The flat-folding conditions are laid out, and a simplified construction is identified through reduction of panels which remain adjacent in the open and flat-folded configurations. Additional compactness is achieved through identifying symmetries similar to a recursive application of Kawasaki’s theorem. The boat is prototyped to demonstrate proof of concept, and merits of an alternate design are compared.
Multimeric Insulin Desensitizes Insulin-Specific B Cells

Adaptive immunity plays a central role in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Among past treatment approaches, B cell ablation has yielded unmistakable therapeutic potency; however, global immunos...
Multiple Pregnancies as a Complication of Medically Assisted Reproduction

Multiple gestations have long been a subject of interest to the medical community. In 1895, Polish pathologist Dyonizy Hellin established a formula for calculating the rate of multiples in the general population: he estimated twinning in 1 in 89 pregnancies; triplets 1 in 892, or 7921; and quadruplets 1 in 893, or 704,969. To this day, these calculations provide a reasonable approximation of naturally occurring multiple pregnancy rates [Fellman J, Eriksson AW (Twin Res Hum Genet 12:183–90, 2009)]. However, current worldwide rates of multiple gestations significantly outpace Hellin’s law. Why? The introduction of fertility treatments has caused an explosion of multiple gestations, especially in higher-order multiples (triplets or greater). Recent estimates show that 36% of twin births and 77% of high-order births result from fertility treatments.
Understanding COVID-19 vaccine efficacy.

Vaccine efficacy in high-risk groups and reduced viral shedding are important for protection
Women and men in the United Nations: A corpus analysis of General Debate addresses:

The United Nations (UN) has demonstrated a commitment to women’s empowerment over seven decades of work. Yet gender inequality pervades in countries around the world and even within the UN. This co...
Virtual reality game level layout design for real environment constraints

Abstract This paper presents an optimization-based approach for designing virtual reality game level layouts, based on the layout of a real environment. Our method starts by asking the user to define the shape of the real environment and the obstacles (e.g., furniture) located in it. Then, by representing a game level as an assembly of chunks and defining the game level layout design decisions in cost terms (mapping, fitting, variations, and accessibility) in a total cost function, our system automatically synthesizes a game level layout that fulfills the real environment layout and its constraints as well as the user-defined design decisions. To evaluate the proposed method, a user study was conducted. The results indicated that the proposed method: (1) enhanced the levels of presence; (2) enhanced the levels of involvement of participants in the virtual environment; and (3) reduced the fear of collision with the real environment and its constraints. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed.
Emergence

Here I offer a precise analysis of what it takes for a property to count as emergent. The features widely considered crucial to emergence include novelty, unpredictability, supervenience, relationality, and downward causal influence. By acknowledging each of these distinctive features, the definition provided below captures an important sense in which the whole can be more than the sum of its parts.
Tuning Valley Degeneracy with Band Inversion

Valley degeneracy is a key feature of the electronic structure that benefits the thermoelectric performance of a material. Despite recent studies which claim that high valley degeneracy can be achieved with inverted bands, our survey of rock-salt IV-VI compounds demonstrates that mere band inversion is an insufficient condition for high valley degeneracy; rather, there is a critical degree to which the bands must be inverted to induce multiple carrier pockets. The so-called “band inversion parameter” is a chemically-tunable parameter, offering a design route to achieving high valley degeneracy in compounds with inverted bands. We predict that the valley degeneracy of rock-salt IV-VI compounds can be increased from NV = 4 to NV = 24, which could result in a corresponding increase in the thermoelectric figure of merit zT.
Secure Featurization and Applications to Secure Phishing Detection

Secure inference allows a server holding a machine learning (ML) inference algorithm with private weights, and a client with a private input, to obtain the output of the inference algorithm, without revealing their respective private inputs to one another. While this problem has received plenty of attention, existing systems are not applicable to a large class of ML algorithms (such as in the domain of Natural Language Processing) that perform featurization as their first step. In this work, we address this gap and make the following contributions: We initiate the formal study of secure featurization and its use in conjunction with secure inference protocols. We build secure featurization protocols in the one/two/three-server settings that provide a tradeoff between security and efficiency. Finally, we apply our algorithms in the context of secure phishing detection and evaluate our end-to-end protocol on models that are commonly used for phishing detection.
A State-of-the-Art Review of Bridge Inspection Planning: Current Situation and Future Needs

Abstract Inspections are important to ensuring adequate safety and performance of a bridge throughout its service life. Bridge inspections are highly connected with maintenance decisions and can he...
Heavy Ion Physics with the Atlas Detector

The heavy-ion program at the Large Hadron Collider has been commenced in November 2010 by three experiments including ATLAS, a multipurpose detector. It was originally constructed to study high-energy proton-proton collisions but now it also proves to be an excellent tool for studying nuclear interactions. In these proceedings results from the lead-lead run at root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV based on the minimum-bias data sample are reviewed. In particular, an observation of the centrality-dependent dijet asymmetry is reported. Also a centrality-dependent suppression in the yield of J/psi mesons decaying to mu(+)mu(-) pairs is discussed along with an observation of the Z boson production. These evidences may bring new insight to the dynamics of heavy-ion collisions.
Zinc content of blood cellular components and lymph node and spleen lymphocytes in severely zinc-deficient rats

Several investigators have suggested that the measurement of leukocyte zinc may be useful for the assessment of zinc nutriture. However, in an earlier study, we found that the methods used did not adequately separate platelets from the different leukocyte populations. We subsequently developed a method which does adequately separate platelets, mononucleated cells (MNC), polymorphonucleated cells (PMN), and erythrocytes (RBC) from a single blood sample. This method was applied to a study of severe zinc deficiency in adult male rats. Significant reductions in plasma and femur zinc indicated severe zinc deficiency in the zinc-deficient animals compared with pair-fed or ad libitum-fed control rats in two separate experiments. However, we noted no differences in the zinc content of the MNC, PMN, RBC or lymph node lymphocytes, on a per cell basis, between the zinc-deficient and ad libitum- or pair-fed control groups of rats. A minor, but not significant (P greater than 0.05) reduction of platelet zinc was noted in zinc-deficient rats in two separate studies. These data indicate that the zinc contents of blood cellular components are not sensitive indicators of zinc deficiency in rats.
Enabling fail-safe and initial charge limitation in uncontrolled rectifiers by applying virtual-air-gap variable reactors

In this paper, two beneficial features are enabled in uncontrolled rectifiers by controlling virtual-air-gap variable reactor (VAG-VR): 1) fail-safe function — the VAG-VR can automatically isolate the faulty rectifier from power source, to ensure the power quality of other devices connected to the power source and protect the faulty rectifier from large fault current and thus overheating; 2) initial charge limitation — the VAG-VR provides a large reactance initially to suppress high current to a specified level in the uncontrolled rectifier. Then the reactance of VAG-VR decreases to the minimum value gradually, which does not affect the steady-state operation of rectifiers. Compared with other existing approaches of initial charge limitation, the VAG-VR demonstrates controllable reactance rather than resistance. Moreover, the fail-safe function is a novel feature brought into the uncontrolled rectifiers. In the test, the transient voltage sag is reduced from 84 V to 23 V and the inrush current into the faulty rectifier is limited from 125 A to 34 A. These two beneficial features are verified by simulation tests as well as experiments.
Effect of Varied Weight Training Programs on Strength

Abstract Nine different weight training programs were compared to determine which were more effective in improving strength. The experiment was conducted with the bench press lift for a period of 12 weeks with approximately 20 subjects in each weight training program. Subjects were tested for the 1 RM on the bench press lift at the beginning of training and at three-week intervals. Training took place three times weekly with the variations in programs involving one, two, and three sets, and two, six, and ten repetitions per set. The results showed that three sets and six repetitions per set were best for improving strength.
Margin of Error

Margin of Error is a half of the length of a 95% confidence interval. Keywords: confidence intervals; sampling; opinion polls
On the nature of the biocompatibility and on medical applications of NiTi shape memory and superelastic alloys

Nitinol based shape memory alloys were introduced to Medicine in the late seventies. They possess a unique combination of properties including shape memory, superelasticity, great workability in the martensitic state, resistance to fatigue and corrosion. Despite these exceptional physical, chemical and mechanical properties the worldwide medical application has been hindered for a long time because of the lack of knowledge on the nature of the biocompatibility of these enriched by nickel alloys. A review of biocompatibility with an emphasis on the most recent studies, combined with the results of X-ray surface investigations, allows us to draw conclusions on the origin of the good biological response observed in vivo. The tendency of Nitinol surfaces to be covered with TiO2 oxides with only a minor amount of nickel under normal conditions is considered to be responsible for these positive results. A certain toxicity, usually observed in in vitro studies, may result from the much higher in vitro Ni concentrations which are probably not possible to achieve in vivo. The essentiality of Ni as a trace element may also contribute to the Nitinol biocompatibility with the human body tissues. Examples of successful medical applications of Nitinol utilizing shape memory and superelasticity are presented.
The effect of selected herbicides on CO2 assimilation, chlorophyll fluorescence, and stomatal conductance in johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense L)

Abstract Greenhouse studies were initiated to determine the duration of time after herbicide treatment required to render johnsongrass physiologically noncompetitive. Nicosulfuron, imazapic, clethodim, and glyphosate were applied to rhizomatous johnsongrass at 35, 70, 140, and 840 g ai ha−1, respectively. Net carbon assimilation, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll meter readings, and maximum (dark adapted) efficiency of photosystem II were measured. Net carbon assimilation (AN) was assumed to be the best indicator of johnsongrass competitiveness. Johnsongrass was considered to be physiologically noncompetitive when AN declined below 50% of that of nontreated check. From these data, it was concluded that glyphosate rendered johnsongrass noncompetitive most readily, 4.3 d after treatment, whereas no differences were detected between nicosulfuron, imazapic, or clethodim throughout the experiment. Stomatal conductance (gs) was highly correlated to AN and was determined to be an adequate substitute for AN when ...
Clinical Evaluation of Once-Weekly Dosing of Epoetin Alfa in Chemotherapy Patients: Improvements in Hemoglobin and Quality of Life Are Similar to Three-Times-Weekly Dosing

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and clinical benefits of once-weekly epoetin alfa therapy as an adjunct to chemotherapy in anemic cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 3,012 patients with nonmyeloid malignancies who received chemotherapy were enrolled onto this multicenter, open-label, nonrandomized study conducted in 600 United States community-based practices. Patients received epoetin alfa 40,000 U once weekly, which could be increased to 60,000 U once weekly after 4 weeks dependent on hemoglobin response. Treatment was continued for a maximum of 16 weeks. RESULTS: Among the 2,964 patients assessable for efficacy, epoetin alfa therapy resulted in significant increases in hemoglobin levels, decreases in transfusion requirements, and improvements in functional status and fatigue as assessed by the linear analog scale assessment (energy level, ability to perform daily activities, and overall quality of life) and the anemia subscale of the Functional Assessment of ...
The hidden order of wikipedia

We examine the procedural side of Wikipedia, the well-known internet encyclopedia. Despite the lack of structure in the underlying wiki technology, users abide by hundreds of rules and follow well-defined processes. Our case study is the Featured Article (FA) process, one of the best established procedures on the site. We analyze the FA process through the theoretical framework of commons governance, and demonstrate how this process blends elements of traditional workflow with peer production. We conclude that rather than encouraging anarchy, many aspects of wiki technology lend themselves to the collective creation of formalized process and policy.
Ganglioneuroblastoma in an adult patient

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common tumor in children but is extremely rare in adults. Sparse literature exists on adult NB or the subtype ganglioneuroblastoma (GNB). We present a 40-year-old male complaining of decreased strength and pain in his left hand. Imaging studies showed a paraspinal tumor at T1 and an abdominal mass while laboratory tests were significant for high plasma and urine metanephrines suggesting a diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Percutaneous core needle biopsy was performed and a diagnosis of GNB was made based on immunohistochemical staining. The patient underwent debulking surgery and final pathology confirmed the diagnosis. The patient demonstrates no signs of local recurrence but developed diffuse bony metastasis after the debulking procedure. Systemic therapy regimens for GNB are largely extrapolated from pediatric regimens and efficacy is unknown. Differentiation between adult and pediatric NB remains unclear.
Consent for Organ Donation — Balancing Conflicting Ethical Obligations

Given the ever-increasing gap between the number of organs needed and the supply, clinicians have an ethical obligation to help ensure that the desires of people who want to donate organs are respected. However, clinicians have an obligation to ensure that the consent process is informed and voluntary. Dr. Robert Truog discusses the tensions that have evolved between these two ethical commitments.
Distributed matching based spectrum allocation in cognitive radio networks

In cognitive radio (CR) networks, due to the uncertainty of primary users' (PUs) traffic, there are vacant bandwidths that can be accessed by secondary users (SUs). Thus, this provides mutual benefit opportunities for both PUs and SUs. In this paper, the objective is to select the optimal channel utilization for maximizing the system utility. To solve the problem, we employ the matching theory as the mathematical framework to form mutually beneficial relationships between PUs and SUs. In particular, we propose a distributed matching algorithm for many-to-one matching considering both SUs' and PUs' characteristics. Simulation results show that the proposed distributed algorithm achieves a performance close to the centralized method, and outperforms the greedy allocation in different scenarios.
Pentamidine transport in Trypanosoma brucei-kinetics and specificity.

Abstract Pentamidine, an aromatic diamidine used in the treatment and control of African trypanosomiases, is rapidly absorbed by Trypanosoma brucei and is lethal to the parasite both in vitro and in vivo . The pentamidine transport system in T. brucei exhibits saturation kinetics and shows specificity for the aromatic amidine moiety of this compound. The inhibition of uptake by salicyl hydroxamic acid (SHAM) and iodoacetate (IAA), and the retention of intracellular substrate against large chemical gradients indicate a coupling of energy to this system. The system shows high affinity for pentamidine with an average K m value of 2.68 μM. Structural specificity in relationship to varying drug affinities for this transport site and the role it might play in drug resistance are discussed.
Performance scaling of ultrabroadband OPCPA with conformal pulse profiles

Employing closed-form solutions derived for the pump-depletion regime of parametric amplification, we show that application of conformal profile theory to ultrabroadband OPCPA can extend its efficiency, bandwidth, and peak-power capabilities by several hundred percent.
A measurement of the IR flux from a radio lobe

Prompted by the detection of optical radiation from the extended lobes and jets of some radio galaxies1–3, we have begun a search for IR radiation from such sources. Initially we have observed the western lobe of 3C247 (or 3C247W) at 2.2 µm and measured a flux density of 250±27 µJy (mK = 16.0±0.1). This result shows there to be a break in the spectrum between radio and optical wavelengths, such that the IR–optical spectrum is steeper than would be predicted from the radio and optical data alone. If the spectrum of 3C247W is applicable to other sources, then IR searches are a good way of finding high frequency counterparts of lobes of radio galaxies.
Periodic spectrum variations in helium-rich stars.

Spectroscopic observations of four helium-rich stars are presented. In HD 37776, antiphase variations of Si III and He I have been found, which represent another point of similarity to the Ap phenomenon. The remarkable H-alpha emission variations in Sigma Ori E are illustrated with uniform phase coverage, and strict periodicity over a five-year interval is shown. A radial-velocity study of HD 64740 shows constancy to within the accuracy of the observations. Finally, Delta Ori B is confirmed as a helium-rich star.
Neural substrates of motor memory consolidation depend on practice structure

Motor-skill practice drives subsequent offline activity in functionally related resting human brain networks. We investigated the manner in which offline neural networks are modulated by practice structures that affect motor-skill retention. Interference to dorsolateral-prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), but not to primary motor cortex (M1), after variable practice attenuated motor-skill retention, whereas interference to M1, but not to DLPFC, after constant practice attenuated motor-skill retention. We conclude that neural substrates of motor-memory consolidation are modulated by practice structure.