cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Political Economy of the Environment

Sociological theories about the political economy of the environment have appeared in two waves. The first wave has a productivist orientation, showing how the normal workings of industrial production damage the environment. It includes impact theories (IPAT and STIRPAT), the treadmill of production, growth machine theories, and resource extraction/ecologically unequal exchange theories. A second wave of theories focuses on environmental destruction and the social movements that challenge the agents of destruction. To accommodate popular unrest over environmental declines, states have typically created corporatist policymaking circles that include long-established, moderate environmental nongovernmental organizations and exclude disadvantaged and unorganized peoples. Advocates for environmental justice and sustainable consumption have attempted to mobilize the excluded, articulating a just sustainability theory that addresses both concerns. Current controversies in the field focus on the predictive power ...
Venous drainage of the femur permits passage of 100-μm particles

Iatrogenic metastasis of bone tumor is reportedly increased if aggregates of tumor cells enter the circulation. The current study used a previously developed animal model to explore the movement of 25-, 50-, and 100-micron-diameter particles from an experimental femur biopsy site into the circulation. The results indicate that cell aggregate-sized particles can enter the circulation from the femur at a rate similar to that of the 15-micron particles used in previous studies. Arterial blood samples collected during and after the injection of particles contained no 50- or 100-micron particles, suggesting that the lung is an effective filter for these larger particles.
Attentional Abilities and Functional Outcomes Following Stroke

Although stroke affects cognitive functioning as well as motor functioning, research on cognitive consequences has lagged behind that focused on motor function. The evidence that is accruing suggests that cognitive function is importantly related to successful rehabilitation. The present study examined two aspects of attentional functioning (divided attention and switching attention) in older adult stroke survivors and healthy older adults. In addition, the authors investigated the relation between attention and functional outcomes following stroke. Results revealed stroke-related deficits in both of the types of attention as well as significant associations between attentional functioning and both physical and social outcome measures. Poorer attentional performance was associated with a more negative impact of stroke on daily functioning. These findings suggest an important role for attention in post-stroke function and provide information that can contribute to improving outcomes following stroke.
Apex Blind Deconvolution of Color Hubble Space Telescope Imagery and Other Astronomical Data

The APEX method is a noniterative direct blind deconvolution technique that can sharpen certain kinds of high-resolution images in quasi real time. The method is predicated on a restricted class of blurs, in the form of 2-D radially symmetric, bell-shaped, heavy-tailed, probability density functions. Not all images can be usefully enhanced with the APEX method. However, the method is found effective on a broad class of galaxy images, including Hubble space telescope advanced camera for surveys (ACS) color imagery. APEX-detected optical transfer functions that successfully sharpen these images are very far from Gaussian, and of a type seldom found in the imaging literature. Several examples are given where significantly sharper and visually striking reconstructions are obtained, with sharpening confirmed by the tripling or quadrupling of image gradient norms.
Making Sense of Patient Safety Event Data: Leveraging the Power of Visualization

Over the past two decades, the focus on capturing and understanding patient safety events has led to the development of several initiatives and programs in hospitals across the country to increase ...
Recent refinements of quantitative microchemical analysis of tissues and cells of the inner ear.

The application of the quantitative histo-and cytochemical method of Lowry to microscopic structures of the inner ear is illustrated in several examples. The total energy reserve and the metabolic rate of inner ear structures are estimated on the basis of measurements of metabolite levels at resting conditions and following ischemia. Recent technical refinements, such as the separation of the organ of Corti into cell layers and the dissection of single hair cells, are described and preliminary chemical results presented. Value and limitations of the approach for the study of pathological states are briefly discussed.
The nucleus of IC 342 as a potential twin of the Galactic center

The Galactic center (GC), being the closest nucleus, holds a position of privilege in the study of galaxy centers, but because it is edge-on and hidden behind 30 magnitudes of visual extinction it is often difficult to understand the overall structure of the region. Nearby galactic nuclei potentially provide a guide to understanding the large-scale structure of the GC. High resolution maps of molecular line emission along with radio and optical continuum towards the nucleus of the nearby, face-on spiral IC 342 are discussed. Attention is focused on a comparison of the large-scale morphology, gas chemistry, and star formation between the two nuclei. The case is made that IC 342 is one of the best extragalactic templates for the GC. Both have a star formation rate within a factor of two of each other and an ISM morphology characterized by a R 300 pc central molecular zone formed from a pair of arms laced with a collection of dense star forming molecular clouds. IC 342 also exhibits a nuclear cluster and associated circumnuclear disk. Whether the nuclear morphology and chemistry in IC 342 is an extension of the disk bar, a separate nuclear bar, or results from radiative/mechanical feedback remains unsettled.
H-7 effect on outflow facility after trabecular obstruction following long-term echothiophate treatment in monkeys.

PURPOSE: To determine whether H-7 can enhance outflow facility after trabecular meshwork obstruction by extracellular material that accumulates after long-term treatment of monkeys with the cholinesterase inhibitor echothiophate iodide (ECHO). METHODS: Cynomolgus monkeys were treated topically with 150 microg ECHO in one (n = 4 eyes) or both (n = 8 eyes) eyes for up to 48 weeks. Accommodation response to topical pilocarpine was monitored periodically. Outflow facility response to H-7 was measured by two-level constant pressure perfusion on three or four different occasions after intraocular pressure was elevated for 12 to 18 weeks. RESULTS: Long-term treatment with ECHO decreased the accommodative response to pilocarpine and increased intraocular pressure, as has been reported. Baseline outflow facility was decreased by 46% +/- 7% (n = 12, P < 0.001). H-7 partially restored baseline outflow facility measured during subsequent perfusions while ECHO treatment was continued. Concurrent H-7 enhanced outflow facility by 73% +/- 18% (n = 12, P < 0.005) beyond the same-day baseline in ECHO-treated eyes. Cessation of ECHO treatment further restored baseline outflow facility, and the outflow facility response to H-7. CONCLUSIONS: H-7 can enhance OF in the presence of trabecular obstruction produced by long-term ECHO treatment. This suggests that H-7 may be useful in treating glaucoma, even in the presence of accumulated plaque material that has been described previously.
Ictal motor sequences: Lateralization and localization values

SummaryObjective To determine the lateralization and localization values of ictal motor sequences in the setting of focal epilepsy ending with a secondarily generalized motor seizure. Methods Retrospectively, the ictal motor sequences were analyzed in patients with focal epilepsy ending with a secondarily generalized motor seizure by three readers blinded to all clinical and electrographic data. One representative seizure per patient was selected. Prevalence, positive predictive value (PPV), and Fleiss Kappa for the following motor signs were calculated: version, unilateral limb tonic posturing, unilateral limb clonic seizure, figure-of-4, M2e, hand dystonia, clonic asymmetric ending, and Todd's paralysis. Sequences of signs with a PPV ≥ 80% were then analyzed to determine their lateralization and localization values. Results A total of 47 seizures were studied. The “reliable” motor signs with a robust lateralizing value (PPV > 80%) were version, unilateral tonic posturing, M2e, unilateral clonic seizure, asymmetric clonic ending, and Todd's paralysis. Figure-of-4 and hand dystonia had a relatively low PPV, and therefore were not included in the following sequence analysis, which included only 38 patients with two or more motor signs of high PPV. Multiple combinations of temporal progression of motor signs were seen in these 38 patients, with version being the most common initial motor sign (29 of 38 patients) usually followed by M2e (15 of 29 patients), and/or a focal tonic seizure (7 of 29 patients). Accurate lateralization of the epileptogenic zone (EZ) with a PPV of 100% can be predicted when two or more reliable motor signs point to the same side. However, the various sequences of reliable motor signs did not differentiate between temporal and extratemporal epilepsy. Significance The presence of reliable ictal motor signs in focal epilepsy is extremely valuable in lateralizing the EZ, but not in determining the localization of the EZ. This is especially useful when epilepsy surgery is indicated.
Transport of Solute from a Fine-Grained Unit to a Coarse-Grained Host Under Pulsed-Pumping Fluid Dynamics: An Experimental Investigation

Pulsed pumping has the potential to be an effective alternative to continuous pumping pump-and-treat remediation techniques in porous media that exhibit a sharp material interface and tailing phenomenon is observed. Solute transport experiments performed in a soil column filled with a uniform coarse sand containing a uniform silt cylinder were conducted. Concentration measurements using saltwater as a tracer were taken employing time-domain reflectometry probes located throughout the column. The laboratory trials employed continuous pumping, 24-h periods of pumping followed by 24-h periods of no pumping, and 4-h periods of pumping followed by 24-h periods of no pumping. The experimental results suggest that pulsed pumping can achieve similar contaminant removal for a given amount of time as continuous pumping while pumping less water.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Water–Acetonitrile Mixtures in a Silica Slit

Molecular dynamics simulations of aqueous acetonitrile confined in a planar silica slit are presented. It is found, in agreement with experimental observations, that a thin layer of water that excludes acetonitrile is in contact with the hydrophilic silica surface. The organization of the fluid–silica interfacial region is described for fluids with the fraction of water molecules in the system varying from 0 to 1 at 298 K. The width of the slit is set so that the density of the fluid in the central region of the slit is close to the density of the liquid for the temperature and composition of the mixture.
The use of CIE for the detection of Clostridium difficile toxin in stool filtrates: laboratory and clinical correlation.

Two CIE procedures (CIE-1, CIE-2) for the detection of Clostridium difficile in diarrheal stools were evaluated by comparison to cytotoxin assay and culture results and by comparison to a clinical likelihood of C. difficile -induced diarrhea. Using a combination of toxin assay and culture results for reference, the CIE-1 and CIE-2 procedures had sensitivities of 33% and 47%, specificities of 89% and 91%, and positive predictive values of 42% and 54%, respectively. Using clinical likelihood for reference, the best results were obtained by the CIE-2 method, which yielded a positive predictive value of 77%. Neither CIE procedure provided an acceptable sensitivity for the detection of C. difficile in stools.
NUMERICAL MODEL INVESTIGATION OF SELECTED TIDAL INLET-BAY SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS

A spatially integrated one-dimensional numerical model of inlet bay hydraulics has been combined with a simple sediment transport model to investigate selected tidal inlet-bay system characteristics. A parametric study has been performed using the models to determine the effect of various factors on the net direction and order of magnitude of inlet channel flow and sediment transport. Factors considered include astronomical tide type, storm surge height and duration, variation in bay surface area, time-dependent channel friction factor, and the addition of a second inlet connecting the bay and sea.
Validation of the activities assessment scale in women undergoing pelvic reconstructive surgery.

ObjectiveThe Activities Assessment Scale (AAS) is a 13-item postoperative functional activity scale validated in men who underwent hernia surgery. We evaluated the psychometric characteristics of the AAS in women who underwent vaginal surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incont
Tranquilizers in allergy.

The holistic approach is the most dependable, consistent and effective way to manage allergic patients.While most tranquilizers have a low allergenic effect, some do cause side reactions, and instances of these are cited and discussed. Selected psychopharmacologic agents may be useful adjuvants in the treatment of chronic allergic conditions. Examples are given of effective agents and of the situations to which they apply.
Horizontal deformation associated with the Loma Prieta earthquake

Abstract Co-seismic horizontal displacements for the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake were derived from preseismic triangulation/trilateration observations and post-seismic GPS observations. As part of this process, the empirical model entitled TDP-H91 was applied to “correct” the preseismic measurements for the crustal motion that occurred during the seven decades spanned by these data. These newly derived displacements were combined with previously documented geodetic results to generate a dislocation model for the earthquake. Our preferred model consists of a vertically segmented rupture surface represented by two rectangles that share a common edge at a depth of 9 km. The upper rectangle dips 90° and the lower rectangle dips 70°SW. Via a trial-and-error technique, the following estimates were found for the remaining parameters: strike = 134.4 ± 0.7°, fault length = 32.4 ± 0.7 km, upper depth = 4.8 ± 0.1 km, lower depth = 15.1 ± 0.3 km, right-lateral strike slip = 1.86 ± 0.06 m for the upper rectangle and 1.96 ± 0.13 m for the lower rectangle, and thrusting dip slip = 1.06 ± 0.06 m for the upper rectangle and 2.30 ± 0.18 m for the lower rectangle.
The Concept of Agreement

The economic model of government that has been developed throughout the previous nine chapters is built on a foundation of agreement and exchange. The constitutional rules which form the basis of government are a product of an agreement to exchange protection for tribute, and constitutional rules themselves are the agreed-upon principles that define the long-term relationship between a government and its citizens. As developed in the economic model of government, this agreement can be coercive in the sense that citizens might be threatened with harm if they do not go along with the government’s offer to exchange protection for tribute. Citizens are better off, nonetheless, agreeing to the constitution rather than being left unprotected in a state of anarchy.
SHP-1 is directly activated by the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and regulates BCL-6 in the presence of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).

The environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), which is a strong AHR agonist, causes significant suppression of human B cell activation and differentiation. The current studies describe the identification of Src homology phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) encoded by the gene PTPN6 as a putative regulator of TCDD-mediated suppression of B cell activation. Shp-1 was initially identified through a genome-wide analysis of AHR binding in mouse B cells in the presence of TCDD. The binding of AHR to the PTPN6 promoter was further confirmed using electrophoretic mobility shift assays in which, specific binding of AHR was detected at four putative DRE sites within PTPN6 promoter. Time-course measurements performed in human B cells highlighted a significant increase in SHP-1 mRNA and protein levels in the presence of TCDD. The changes in the protein levels of SHP-1 were also observed in a TCDD concentration-dependent manner. The increase in SHP-1 levels was also seen to occur due to a change in early signaling events in the presence of TCDD. We have shown that BCL-6 regulates B cell activation by repressing activation marker CD80 in the presence of TCDD. TCDD-treatment led to a significant increase in the double positive (SHP-1hi BCL-6hi) population. Interestingly, treatment of naive human B cells with SHP-1 inhibitor decreased BCL-6 protein levels suggesting possible regulation of BCL-6 by SHP-1 for the first time. Collectively, these results suggest that SHP-1 is regulated by AHR in the presence of TCDD and may, in part through BCL-6, regulate TCDD-mediated suppression of human B cell activation.
Selection and Fixed-Point Theorems

Both from the standpoint of understanding important theoretical results in economics and as tools for the development of new theory, the material which we will be studying in this chapter consists of some of the most useful mathematical topics which I know about. We begin this study by presenting what is, essentially, Berge’s development of his maximum thoerem (12.2, 12.3, and 12.4, below). We will then discuss a result which generalizes Berge’s Theorem, and which is based upon some results due to Walker [1979].
The role of dietary fat in obesity-induced insulin resistance

Consumption of excess calories results in obesity and insulin resistance and has been intensively studied in mice and humans. The objective of this study was to determine the specific contribution of dietary fat rather than total caloric intake to the development of obesity-associated insulin resistance. We used an intragastric feeding method to overfeed excess calories from a low-fat diet (and an isocalorically matched high-fat diet) through a surgically implanted gastric feeding tube to generate obesity in wild-type mice followed by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies to assess the development of insulin resistance. We show that overfeeding a low-fat diet results in levels of obesity similar to high-fat diet feeding in mice. However, despite a similar body weight, obese high-fat diet-fed mice are more insulin resistant than mice fed an isocaloric low-fat diet. Therefore, increased proportion of calories from dietary fat further potentiates insulin resistance in the obese state. Furthermore, crossover diet studies revealed that reduction in dietary fat composition improves glucose tolerance in obesity. In the context of the current obesity and diabetes epidemic, it is particularly important to fully understand the role of dietary macronutrients in the potentiation and amelioration of disease.
Embedding neoliberalism in Greece: the transformation of collective bargaining and labour market policy in Greece during the Eurozone crisis

This paper examines the current struggles between labour and capital in Greece within the broader context of attempts to integrate Southern Europe into the neoliberal project of European Monetary U...
O-GlcNAc transferase regulates excitatory synapse maturity

Experience-driven synaptic plasticity is believed to underlie adaptive behavior by rearranging the way neuronal circuits process information. We have previously discovered that O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT), an enzyme that modifies protein function by attaching β-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) to serine and threonine residues of intracellular proteins (O-GlcNAc), regulates food intake by modulating excitatory synaptic function in neurons in the hypothalamus. However, how OGT regulates excitatory synapse function is largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that OGT is enriched in the postsynaptic density of excitatory synapses. In the postsynaptic density, O-GlcNAcylation on multiple proteins increased upon neuronal stimulation. Knockout of the OGT gene decreased the synaptic expression of the AMPA receptor GluA2 and GluA3 subunits, but not the GluA1 subunit. The number of opposed excitatory presynaptic terminals was sharply reduced upon postsynaptic knockout of OGT. There were also fewer and less mature dendritic spines on OGT knockout neurons. These data identify OGT as a molecular mechanism that regulates synapse maturity.
Definitive thoracic radiotherapy in oligometastatic stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

e18032 Background: Intrathoracic tumor control in patients (pts) with metastatic NSCLC is controversial as most die of distant disease. But a subset of good performance status pts with minimal burd...
Models of diffusion signal decay in magnetic resonance imaging: Capturing complexity

Diffusion-weighted MRI is a key diagnostic component of clinical medicine. Radiologists use models of the effects of diffusion weighting to connect the decay of the signal intensity in tissues with macroscopic (diffusion tensor imaging) and microscopic (q-space imaging) structures. This multi-scale problem has stimulated the creation of many diffusion models spanning phenomenon in cells, in tissues, and in organs. Such models can be heuristic or based on simulations, stochastic processes, histological structure or physical and physiological constraints. The goal of this paper is to provide an overview of these approaches by considering several different classes of mathematical models (linear, nonlinear, integer, and fractional orders) that can, and have in some cases, been used to fit diffusion attenuation in complex biological tissues, such as brain white and gray matter. The focus here is not on solving the Bloch-Torrey equation or on fitting curves to data, but on the choices (Gaussian, anomalous, isotropic, anisotropic) one often has to make when beginning the analysis of diffusion data. It is hoped that this presentation, while oversimplified, will be of use to students and to new investigators who seek an introduction to diffusion attenuation model selection and characterization. Examples are given that illustrate the relationship between the functional form of the diffusion decay rate and, in the case of a Stejskal-Tanner gradient pulse sequence, the expected signal decay. Model limitations are noted and connections to more advanced treatments of diffusion modeling methods are provided.
How to Be a Pluralist About Self-Knowledge

This chapter presents a pluralist account of self-knowledge—that is, knowledge of our own mental states—and connects it to discussions regarding epistemic pluralism in general. The first, existential thesis, at the heart of this kind of pluralism, is that there is an asymmetry between first- and third-personal cases of self-knowledge. The second is a meta-epistemological thesis: A complete account of self-knowledge needs to address both first- and third-personal cases. The third thesis is an axiological one: Both kinds of self-knowledge are equally epistemically interesting and existentially important. The fourth thesis is that pluralism about self-knowledge is philosophically committal: Even though it makes room for the compatibility of different accounts of self-knowledge by re-configuring their proper boundaries, it does not entail that all extant accounts of self-knowledge are in good standing. In particular, the proposed account endorses constitutivism with respect to first-personal self-knowledge and defends it from the prima facie devastating objection of rendering it a misnomer to call that kind of self-knowledge thus. Moreover, it embraces methodological pluralism with respect to third-personal self-knowledge and draws attention to the epistemologically different, so far largely unexplored ways in which we can gain it.
Geography: the substance of tourism

Geographers were among the very earliest academics to ponder, theorize and examine the socio-spatial manifestations of tourism. Geographers’ analytical toolkits were especially valuable in understa...
Design for Collaborative Survival: An Inquiry into Human-Fungi Relationships

In response to recent calls for HCI to address ongoing environmental crises and existential threats, this paper introduces the concept of collaborative survival and examines how it shapes the design of interactive artifacts. Collaborative survival describes how our (human) ability to persist as a species is deeply entangled with and dependent upon the health of a multitude of other species. We explore collaborative survival within the context of designing tools for mushroom foraging and reflect on how interactive products can open new pathways for noticing and joining-with these entanglements towards preferable futures. In addition to highlighting three tactics-engagement, attunement and expansion-that can guide designs towards multispecies flourishing, our prototypes illustrate the potential for wearable technology to extend the body into the environment.
The Effectiveness of Parental Questionnaires in the Assessment of Speech-Language and Auditory Function in Children.

OBJECTIVE This study investigates the use of a parental questionnaire to determine its effectiveness as a screening tool in identifying speech-language and/or auditory impairments in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS Parents completed speech-language (n = 36) or audiology (n = 23) questionnaires prior to their child's speech-language and/or auditory evaluations. The speech-language and audiology evaluations were conducted by clinicians at three different universities not familiar with the administration and scoring of the parental questionnaires. A research assistant coded the results of the speech-language and audiology evaluations. Statistical analysis was used to determine if any aspects of the parents' evaluation of their child's speech, language, or hearing correlated with the speech-language pathologists'/audiologists' assessment. The results of the analyses would indicate whether parental reports are a reliable alternative to professionals' assessment. RESULTS The speech-language questionnaires for children aged 2-5 years revealed the parents' perception of their children speaking 3-word sentences significantly (p < 0.05) corresponded to the children's comprehension and expression skills. The results from the auditory questionnaires revealed that reports of a child's ear pain were (p < 0.05) correlated with auditory dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS These questionnaires can potentially be used in low-income countries where professional resources are scarce and there are barriers to identifying children with speech-language and/or auditory impairment.
El guion de ficción televisiva serial como producto

Focusing on the analysis of the television series narrative in Spain, this article looks into the nature of scripts. Even though screenwriting is just a link in the chain of tasks and processes resulting in a TV show as a final product, the text proposes to understand the TV series script as a product in itself. From this perspective, TV fiction screenwriting appears as an activity resulting in an autonomous product that works as a commodity in itself regardless of its translation to the screen
Higher Education Hospitality Schools: Meeting the Needs of Industry

(1992). Higher Education Hospitality Schools: Meeting the Needs of Industry. Hospitality & Tourism Educator: Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 41-43.
Fractionated single-particle states of 31 Si at E x =5.3-9.4 MeV

A total of 21 states of $^{33}\mathrm{S}$ in the region of excitation from about 8.6 to 9.5 MeV have been studied using the reaction $^{32}\mathrm{S}(d, p)$ at 12 MeV incident deuteron energy and a biased quadrupole spectrometer. Fractionated single-particle states are identified via their forward-angle cross sections, using distorted-wave Born-approximation predictions with resonance state form factors for the residual $^{33}\mathrm{S}$ system. Results are compared with those from ($n, n$) and/or ($n, \ensuremath{\gamma}$) studies over the same region of excitation, where this is possible. It is shown that states strongly populated in ($n, n$) do not often show up in ($d, p$) spectra and vice versa.
Usability Improvement of a Clinical Decision Support System

This paper focuses on improving the usability of an electronic health record (EHR) embedded clinical decision support system (CDSS) targeted to treat pain in elderly adults. CDSS have the potential to impact provider behavior. Optimizing CDSS-provider interaction and usability may enhance CDSS use. Five CDSS interventions were developed and deployed in test scenarios within a simulated EHR that mirrored typical Emergency Department (ED) workflow. Provider feedback was analyzed using a mixed methodology approach. The CDSS interventions were iteratively designed across three rounds of testing based upon this analysis. Iterative CDSS design led to improved provider usability and favorability scores.
Treatment of bleb leaks with transforming growth factor-beta in the rabbit model.

Purpose The mechanism through which peribleb injection of autologous blood results in resolution of bleb leak in the rabbit model remains unclear. This study evaluates the clinical and histologic effects of peribleb injection of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) after leak induction in mitomycin-C-treated blebs. Method Posterior lip sclerectomies treated with mitomycin-C were created in New Zealand White rabbits. On postoperative day 7, a standardized stab incision was performed on all blebs, and the eyes were randomized to receive a peribleb injection of either TGF-beta or of a balanced salt solution. Results Injection of TGF-beta was associated with the resolution of bleb leak and maintenance of a functioning bleb in 50% (4 of 8) of treated eyes. The remaining TGF-beta-treated eyes and control eyes demonstrated continued bleb leaks or bleb failures with intraocular pressure returning to preoperative levels. Histologic examination revealed increased peribleb cellularity and denser collagen deposition in the TGF-beta-treated eyes compared with that observed in control eyes. Conclusions Peribleb TGF-beta injections may contribute to healing bleb leaks, but the injections do not appear in this model to be as useful as whole-blood injections.
Open-Source Microcontrollers for Science: How to Use, Design Automated Equipment With and Troubleshoot

An open-source single-board microcontroller, like the Arduino, acts as a light-weight brain for scientific automation-related tasks. The open-source microcontroller environment simplifies the task of customizing controls for your particular project as it is both extremely flexible and relatively easy to learn and use for beginners. An open-source microcontroller can sense the environment by receiving input from a long list of sensors and then based on rules you set affect its surroundings by controlling a similarly long list of outputs (e.g. lights, motors, and other actuators). This chapter discusses how to use, design and troubleshoot scientific tools using open-source microcontrollers. We will explore in detail an example system of an open-source environmental chamber, which is used to control temperature and humidity for a wide range of experiments that cuts across many disciplines. Without any previous electronics experience, you should be able to understand the basics of open-source microcontrollers after reading this chapter and get well into a project of your own in an afternoon.
Rural Residents' Knowledge of Lead Poisoning Prevention

This cross-sectional study assessed rural adults' knowledge of lead poisoning prevention. Residents of three rural Ohio counties were randomly selected to answer 15 True/False lead poisoning prevention questions and 12 demographic questions via telephone. Because not all residents have a phone, the survey was also mailed to Women, Infants and Children (WIC) recipients without phones in the three counties using Dillman's (1978) mailed survey methods. Both groups of respondents correctly answered an average of two-thirds of the questions. In the random sample (n = 1,211) correct scores were related to being elderly, unemployed, female, having a high school education or less, and not being exposed to lead poisoning prevention education during the previous week. Factors predictive of lower lead knowledge scores for the WIC respondents without phones (n = 69) were age (22 and 27 years), unemployment, marital status (married), type of dwelling (other than a single family home or apartment), and having fewer children. Most respondents were able to identify groups at high-risk for lead poisoning, that lead poisoning could occur in ways other than ingestion of lead paint chips, lead poisoning results in long-term learning problems in children, and a blood test is used to determine blood lead levels. Respondents were less knowledgeable about methods of lead exposure and the importance of prevention measures. Gaps in lead poisoning prevention knowledge exist for rural residents and educational efforts should focus on decreasing these gaps.
Under the Black Flag in Borno: experiences of foot soldiers and civilians in Boko Haram's ‘caliphate’

Boko Haram's operations and ideology have been the subject of increasing research in recent years. This article, in contrast, explores the culture of Boko Haram through an ethnographic analysis of the group's internal videos that were not intended for public release. The authors find that in their everyday lives Boko Haram foot soldiers are different from the image the group presents to the world in propaganda videos. While unmistakably a violent movement, in territories under the group's control that it attempted to administer, foot soldiers participated in conflict resolution with elders, explained the group's position on external alliances to villagers, engaged in recreation to pass time off the battlefield and created bonds of solidarity with other members of the group. Using insights from anthropology and the examination of ‘Jihadi Culture’, this article's insights help us understand how and why Boko Haram foot soldiers fight beyond the group's public ideology or stated goals: for many of them, it is simply a lifestyle.
Molecular, Cellular, and Circuit Basis of Depression Susceptibility and Resilience

Abstract Prolonged stressful events are an important risk factor for major depressive disorder. However, there are dramatic individual variations in response to stress: a relatively small proportion of people (10%–20%) experiencing prolonged stress develop stress-related disorders, such as depression (susceptibility to stress), whereas most stress-exposed individuals maintain normal psychological functioning (resilience to stress). An accumulating body of studies investigating the neural basis of susceptibility vs resilience to depression is revealing the genetic, epigenetic, immune, and neurophysiological mechanisms that underlie stress susceptibility as well as the active mechanisms that underlie resilience. In this chapter, we discuss, mainly based on our own work, key pathological mechanisms of susceptibility that are identified as potential therapeutic targets for depression treatment. We also review novel mechanisms that promote natural resilience as an alternative strategy to achieve treatment efficacy. These studies are opening new avenues to develop conceptually novel therapeutic strategies for depression treatment.
A Young Woman With a Rapidly Growing Thoracic Tumor.

Case Presentation A 38-year-old woman presented with 2 months of dry cough, progressive shortness of breath, central chest pain, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. She was previously healthy and was not taking any medications. She denied fever, night sweats, or weight loss. She had a two pack-year smoking history and had quit smoking at 27 years of age. She denied drug use and had no recent travel history. Family history was pertinent for ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and colon cancer.
First-principles study of the single- and double-walled nanotubes of TiO2

The geometric and electronic properties of the TiO2 single- and double-walled nanotubes (SWNT and DWNT), constructed by rolling the hexagonal nanosheet along the armchair (n,n) and the zigzag (n,0) directions, have been investigated systematically using the methods based on the density functional theory. The SWNTs with size to n=20 have been modeled and studied. The strain energies of the SWNTs decrease monotonically as the radii of the nanotubes increase, regardless of the rolling direction. The band gaps of the SWNTs are increased with the increase of the n value, approaching that of the nanosheet. The stability of the DWNT in respect to their SWNT components is studied and the optimized distance between the walls has been determined. The band gap values of DWNTs are decreased significantly compared with that of SWNTs due to the offset of the bands of the two constitutive SWNTs. And the value of band gap is almost independent of the intershell distance. The band edges of nanotubes with respect to the redox potentials of water splitting are estimated. The band gaps of TiO2 nanotubes could cover the redox potentials of water splitting, by comparing the band gap position of the bulk anatase with respect to the redox potentials of water splitting.
The oral tradition of Pierre Bourdieu: Classification Struggles, On the State, and Manet:

This essay discusses the three most recent posthumous publications of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. With the 2019 release of Classification Struggles, coming after On the State (2014) and Man...
Transcriptome analysis during photostimulated recrudescence reveals distinct patterns of gene regulation in Siberian hamster ovaries

In Siberian hamsters, exposure to short days (SDs, 8 h light:16 h dark) reduces reproductive function centrally by decreasing gonadotropin secretion, whereas subsequent transfer of photoinhibited hamsters to stimulatory long days (LDs, 16 L:8 D) promotes follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) release inducing ovarian recrudescence. Although differences between SD and LD ovaries have been investigated, a systematic investigation of the ovarian transcriptome across photoperiod groups to identify potentially novel factors that contribute to photostimulated restoration of ovarian function had not been conducted. Hamsters were assigned to one of four photoperiod groups: LD to maintain ovarian cyclicity, SD to induce ovarian regression, or post transfer (PT), where females housed in SD for 14-weeks were transferred to LD for 2-days or 1-week to reflect photostimulated ovaries prior to (PTd2) and following (PTw1) the return of systemic FSH. Ovarian RNA was extracted to create RNA-sequencing libraries and short-read sequencing Illumina assays that mapped and quantified the ovarian transcriptomes (n = 4/group). Ovarian and uterine masses, plasma FSH, and numbers of antral follicles and corpora lutea decreased in SD as compared to LD ovaries (P < 0.05). When reads were aligned to the mouse genome, 18 548 genes were sufficiently quantified. Most of the differentially expressed genes noted between functional LD ovaries and regressed SD ovaries; however, five main expression patterns were identified across photoperiod groups. These results, generally corroborated by select protein immunostaining, provide a map of photoregulated ovary function and identify novel genes that may contribute to the photostimulated resumption of ovarian activity.
Controllability and Observability of Linear, Stochastic, Time Discrete Control Sytems

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the problem of determining optimal control policies for linear stochastic systems, and describes its relationship to the problem of estimating the state of a linear system from noisy measurement data. The controllability of time-discrete systems is reviewed, and the relation to the optimal terminal control problem is discussed. The duality principle provides, primarily, a formal recognition of the similarity of the optimal linear feedback control policy and the optimal recursive linear filter developed by Kalman. The duality can be attributed to the fact that the problem of obtaining the optimal estimate can be formulated as a problem of minimizing a quadratic function of the state and measurement data. The linear, recursive estimation procedure referred to as the Kaiman filter provides a minimum variance estimate of the state of a linear, dynamical system from measurement data that are linearly related to the state. For time-discrete systems, the plant and/or the measurements contain additive white noise sequences. The covariance matrix of the error in the estimate is used as a measure of the accuracy of the estimate.
Why subject naturalists need pragmatic genealogy

Huw Price’s subject naturalism has emerged as a leading pragmatist position within recent debates surrounding philosophical naturalism. Unlike orthodox views which tend to be guided by metaphysical questions about the “place” of, for instance, the mind, meaning, and morality within the natural world, subject naturalism focuses philosophical attention on language-users and the functions that certain concepts play within discursive practices. This paper considers two objections to subject naturalism and argues that they can be overcome by looking to the methodological insights of philosophical genealogy. Although Price occasionally characterizes his project as a kind of genealogy, he offers little explanation of what such a methodological orientation is supposed to involve. I suggest that subject naturalists ought to remedy this theoretical lacuna by looking to the work of Bernard Williams. On the one hand, doing so can serve a diagnostic function: Williams’ conception of genealogy affords a perspective from which subject naturalism’s explanatory inadequacies are more clearly understood. On the other hand, Williams’ elaborated conception of genealogy represents a path by which the subject naturalist can overcome the shortcomings discussed in this paper.
Smoking behavior in 18–20 year-olds after tobacco 21 policy implementation in California: A difference-in-differences analysis with other states

Abstract In June 2016, California implemented a Tobacco 21 (T21) policy that increased the minimum sale age of tobacco products from 18 to 21. This study examined the association between California's T21 policy and smoking behavior (ever, current, daily, and nondaily) in 18–20 year-olds using data from the 2012–2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (n = 15,863). The annual change in odds of smoking among 18–20 year-olds post-policy (July 2016–December 2019) was compared with the pre-policy period (January 2012 – June 2016) 1) within California and 2) compared with states without a T21 policy. As a sensitivity analysis, 21–23 year-olds in California were used as the referent. Difference-in-difference estimates (D-I-D) were calculated using adjusted logistic regression and compared the post to pre-policy change in trends in California to the referent groups. Before California's T21 policy, there was an 11% annual decrease in the odds of ever smoking among 18–20 year-olds in California and a 6% decrease in the referent states. After the policy, these trends did not change significantly. Results for current smoking were similar. For daily smoking, there was an 8% annual decrease before the policy and a 26% annual decrease after the policy among 18–20 year-olds in California; D-I-D estimates were 0.80 (95% CI: 0.57, 1.14) using referent states as the comparison and 0.62 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.95) using 21–23 year-olds in California as the comparison. There was an association between California's T21 policy and a decrease in daily smoking among 18–20 year-olds, compared with 21–23 year-olds, more than three years post-implementation.
Neuronal responses to focused ultrasound are gated by pre-stimulation brain rhythms

Background: Owing to its high spatial resolution and penetration depth, transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) is one of the most promising approaches to non-invasive neuromodulation. Identifying the impact of the stimulation waveform and endogenous neural activity on neuromodulation outcome is critical to harnessing the potential of tFUS. Objective: Here we tested a new form of tFUS where the amplitude of the ultrasonic waveform is modulated at a rate much slower than the operating frequency. Moreover, we sought to identify the relationship between pre-stimulation neural activity and the neuronal response to tFUS. Methods: We applied three minutes of amplitude modulated (AM) tFUS at 40 Hz to the rat hippocampus while recording local field potentials (LFP) and multi-unit activity (MUA) from the sonicated region. To assess the role of AM, we also tested continuous-wave (CW) stimulation. Results: AM tFUS reduced firing rate during and immediately after stimulation. On the other hand, CW tFUS produced an acute firing rate increase that was abolished after sonication. For both waveforms, firing rate changes were stronger in units exhibiting high baseline LFP power, particularly in the gamma band (30-250 Hz). The neuromodulatory effect was also influenced by the prevalence of sharp wave ripples (SWR) during the pre-stimulation period, with firing rates modulated by up to 33% at units showing frequent baseline SWR. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that AM and CW tFUS produce qualitatively different neuronal outcomes, and that baseline rhythms may effectively gate the response to tFUS.
Cryothermal vacuum measurement of thermochromic variable-emittance coatings with heating/cooling hysteresis for spacecraft thermal management

Abstract In this work, the dynamic heat rejection of a VO2-based nanophotonic variable-emittance coating is demonstrated in a cryothermal vacuum experiment that simulates a cold space environment. The fabricated coating displays a significant augmentation in radiated heat flux, from 136 W/m2 at the onset of the VO2 insulator-to-metal phase transition to 444 W/m2 at the end, which is in excellent agreement with theoretical modeling. Additionally, the temperature stability of both VO2 thin films and the fabricated nanophotonic emitter are assessed for cryogenic temperatures (down to −196 °C) and high temperatures (up to 450 °C). The VO2 thin film shows little change in transmittance from cryogenic temperatures up to temperatures of 200 °C. The variable-emittance coating likewise shows no change in behavior at cryogenic temperatures, while the emittance remains stable up to 200 °C. The partial heating/cooling hysteresis behavior is also investigated for VO2 thin films on silicon and the variable-emittance coating, where a theoretical model quantifying the hysteresis effect is developed for both. The substantial increase in heat rejection upon VO2 phase transition at higher temperatures indicates great promise for the nanophotonic variable-emittance coating to be used for spacecraft thermal control with excellent temperature stability and resistance to thermal cycling.
Characterization of Unmalted Barley Treated with Aspergillus oryzae

Koji is a complex of substrate and the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae. It is used for saccharification in fermented foods and beverages. Its role in co-fermentations is known, but its applic...