cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Couse white-tailed deer and desert cottontail in the southwestern oak savannas: Their presence before and after burning events

Coues white-tallied deer (Odocoileus virginianus couesi) and desert cottontail (Sylvilagus auduboni), also known as Audubon cottontail, are inhabits of oak savannas in the Southwestern Borderlands region. Food, cover, and scattered water for these two species are found in this comparatively open ecosystem. The results of a study on the presence (occurrence) of Coues white-tailed deer and desert cottontail in unburned the oak savannas of the Southwestern Borderlands Region are presented in this paper. Effects of cool-season and warm-season prescribed burning and a wildfire on the presence of these two species are also reported.
Interfacial phenomena controlling particle morphology of composite latexes

A thermodynamic analysis and a mathematical model were derived to describe the free energy changes corresponding to various possible morphologies in composite latex particles. Seeded batch emulsion polymerization was carried out at 70°C using as seed monodisperse polystyrene latex particles having different surface polarity. The surface polarity was estimated by contact angle measurement at the latex “film”/water interface for octane as the probe liquid. Methyl methacrylate and ethyl methacrylate were polymerized in a second stage seeded emulsion polymerization using polystyrene particles as seed in the presence of a nonionic stabilizer, nonyphenol polyethylene oxide (Igepal Co-990). Two types of initiators, potassium persulfate (K2S2O8) and azobisiobutyronitrile (AIBN), were used to change the interfacial tension between the second stage polymer (in monomer) and water interface. The values of the interfacial tension of polymer solutions in the second stage monomer vs. the aqueous phase, measured by drop-weight–volume method under conditions similar to those prevailing during the polymerization, correlated well with the determined particle surface polarity and the observed TEM particle morphology. The results showed that, rather than the polymer bulk hydrophilicity, the surface particle polarity is the controlling parameter in deciding which phase is inside or outside in the composite particle. The variation of the polymer phase interfacial tension with polymer concentration was also estimated. Based on experimentally measured interfacial tensions, composite particle configurations were predicted. The predicted morphologies showed good agreement with the observed particle morphologies of the composite latexes.
A survey of common control channel design in cognitive radio networks

Cognitive radio networks have been recognized as a promising paradigm to address the spectrum under-utilization problem. To improve spectrum efficiency, many operations such as sharing data in cooperative spectrum sensing, broadcasting spectrum-aware routing information, and coordinating spectrum access rely on control message exchange on a common control channel. Thus, a reliable and ''always on'' common control channel is indispensable. Since the common control channel may be subject to primary user activity, the common control channel design in cognitive radio networks encounters unprecedented challenges: cognitive radio users are unable to negotiate a new control channel when the original one is occupied by primary users. In this paper, the problem of common control channel design is presented by its classification, design challenges, design schemes, and its applications in network protocol layers. The issues of control channel saturation, robustness to primary user activity, limited control channel coverage, control channel security are identified as design challenges. Moreover, the major control channel design schemes such as sequence-based, group-based, dedicated, and ultra wideband approaches are presented. Lastly, the relation of the common control channel with radio interface, cooperative sensing, medium access control, and routing are discussed.
Type I collagen and divalent cation shifts disrupt cell-cell adhesion, increase migration, and decrease PTHrP, IL-6, and IL-8 expression in pancreatic cancer cells.

Background: We have shown in FG pancreatic cancer cells that α2β1 integrin-mediated type I collagen adhesion decreases parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), inerleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression, decreases the localization of E-cadherin and β-catenin in cell-cell contacts, increases cell migration, and increases glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) and protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) phosphorylation states relative to α5β1 integrin-mediated fibronectin (Fn) adhesion.
Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue in humans: differences between subcutaneous sites

We compared the fatty acid composition of adipose tissue from three different sites, one deep-seated site (perirenal) and two subcutaneous sites (abdominal and buttock), in 143 autopsied adult humans aged 24-61 y. The proportion of saturated fatty acids was highest in the perirenal adipose tissue and lowest in buttock adipose tissue. The proportions of monounsaturated fatty acids in the three sites were in the reverse order. Linoleic and linolenic acids were similar in the three adipose-tissue sites, an important finding for those concerned about the essential fatty acids, which are solely derived from the diet. The results clearly show that the fatty acid composition of the two subcutaneous fat depots differ significantly. We conclude that abdominal fat is more saturated than buttock fat.
Order-Optimal Data Aggregation in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Cooperative Time-Reversal Communication

The predominate traffic patterns in a wireless sensor network are many-to-one and one-to-many communication. Hence, the performance of wireless sensor networks is characterized by the rate at which data can be disseminated from or aggregated to a data sink. In this paper, we consider the data aggregation problem. We demonstrate that a data aggregation rate of Theta(logn/n) is optimal and that this rate can be achieved in wireless sensor networks using a generalization of cooperative beamforming called cooperative time-reversal communication.
Chemical Alteration of Biomer™ as a Result of Oxidative Degradation

We have studied the chemistry and oxidative degradation of two lots (BSP067 and BSUA001) of Biomer™, a widely used commercial poly(ether urethane) (PEU). Although transmission infrared adsorption studies revealed no differences in the bulk chemistry of the two lots, the surface chemistry, as seen by XPS and SIMS, was different. Lot BSP067 showed soft segment enrichment at the surface, which is typical of PEU. Lot BSUA001 showed no evidence of either hard or soft segment PEU components at the surface. The surface of this lot was completely covered with a non-extractable additive, identified as poly- (diisopropylaminoethyl methacrylate). To assess the susceptibility of Biomer™ to oxidative degradation, samples of each lot were exposed to concentrated hydrogen peroxide for 24 hours. The extent of degradation was assessed by using high pressure gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC), XPS and SIMS. The molecular weight of lot BSP067 increased after reaction with hydrogen peroxide but the molecular weight of lot BSUA001 decreased after reaction with hydrogen peroxide. The surfaces of both lots showed significant chemical modification following exposure to hydrogen peroxide. The chemical reactions that occurred at the surface appear to be different than the reactions that dominate in the bulk of the polymer. This work indicate that hydrogen peroxide is capable of undergoing several reactions with PEUs and that small changes in the materials can affect which reaction will dominate.
Runtime support for multicore Haskell

Purely functional programs should run well on parallel hardware because of the absence of side effects, but it has proved hard to realise this potential in practice. Plenty of papers describe promising ideas, but vastly fewer describe real implementations with good wall-clock performance. We describe just such an implementation, and quantitatively explore some of the complex design tradeoffs that make such implementations hard to build. Our measurements are necessarily detailed and specific, but they are reproducible, and we believe that they offer some general insights.
Testing the Minimal Repair Assumption in an Imperfect Repair Model

Abstract Models assuming minimal repair specify that on repair, a failed system is returned to the working state, while the effective age of the system is held constant; that is, the distribution of the time until the next failure of the repaired system is the same as for a system of the same age that has not yet failed. These models are common in the literature of operations research and reliability, and many probabilistic results as well as inferential procedures depend on the minimal repair assumption. We propose two nonparametric tests of the assumption that imperfectly repaired systems are minimally repaired in some models. The large sample theory for these tests is derived from the asymptotic joint distribution of a survival function estimator and the ordinary empirical survival function based on the initial failure times of new or perfectly repaired systems. Simulation results are also provided for the null hypothesis case and under other alternatives.
Cross layer design for mobile Ad-Hoc Unmanned Aerial Vehicle communication networks

A Mobile Ad-Hoc Network (MANET) is a popular type of wireless network that is formed by a collection of mobile nodes. Each node in such network has the capability to communicate with its neighbors and non-neighbors through a wireless medium without using any existing network infrastructure. Due to the lack of infrastructure, all nodes in Ad-Hoc network are designed to act as an end system and a router for other nodes. Traditionally, the dominant design methodology for the network protocols is based on an Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) reference model. This methodology divided the stack into seven layers where each layer operates independently. Due to the dynamics of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Ad-Hoc network, the layered architecture is not flexible enough to achieve certain quality of services (QoS) required by some applications. To overcome the limitations of the layering technique, cross-layering approach is used in this paper so to adjust some key parameters in the first three layers based on the aircraft attitude variations (pitch, roll and yaw), hence we can enhance the performance of such networks. To that respect, directional antenna is going to be used by the UAVs to extend the coverage area and reduce the number of hops. Meanwhile, we designed a new Medium Access Control (MAC) scheme that adapts its parameters based on the channel bit error rate which is indeed affected by the new antenna system and aircraft attitude. we called this scheme Intelligent Medium Access Control Protocol for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (IMAC UAV). As for the routing protocol, We developed the Optimized Link State Routing Protocol (OLSR) so that the decision for selecting the route will be based on a local profile that holds the gathered information from the first three layers. Our new scheme is called Directional Optimized Link State Routing Protocol (DOLSR). We proved by OPNET simulator that our proposed techniques gave better end-to-end delay than the IEEE802.11 standard.
Racial Perceptions of Baseball at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The purpose of this study is to identify demographic backgrounds, participation patterns, and racial perceptions of baseball student-athletes at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the Southeastern United States. HBCUs were selected for this study because of the dearth of research on student-athletes at these institutions. An 11-item questionnaire and a focus group interview were used for data collection. Data were retrieved from student-athletes who participate in baseball at two selected HBCUs in the Southeastern United States. A grounded theoretical approach was used to examine demographic backgrounds, participation patterns, and racial perceptions of baseball student-athletes at HBCUs. The findings from this study revealed that increasing opportunities at all levels for Blacks to succeed in baseball is the most important way to increase Black participation in baseball.
Prosocial Involvement Among African American Young Adults: Considering Racial Discrimination and Racial Identity

Prosocial involvement is conceptualized as support for or engaging in behaviors that contribute to or benefit African American communities. The current study examines the relationship between prosocial involvement and race-related factors among 303 African American college students. Using two underlying dimensions of prosocial involvement, prosocial attitudes and prosocial behaviors, models were tested to examine racial discrimination and racial identity as predictors of prosocial involvement. Overall, participants showed strong support for prosocial involvement. Racial discrimination, racial centrality, and private regard were positively related to both dimensions of prosocial involvement. There was also a positive association between nationalist and assimilation ideology with prosocial attitudes. Findings from this study highlight the complexity of prosocial involvement and the relevance of race-related factors among African American college students.
Searches for H I in the Outer Parts of Four Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxies

Previous searches for atomic gas in our Galaxy's dwarf spheroidal companions have not been sufficiently complete to settle the question of whether or not these galaxies have H I, especially in their outer parts. We present new observations of the dwarf spheroidals Sextans, Leo I, Ursa Minor, and Draco, using the NRAO 140 ft telescope, to search much farther in radius than has been done before. The new data go out to at least 2.5 times the core radius in all cases and well beyond even the tidal radius in two cases. These observations give H I column-density limits of 2–6 × 1017 cm-2. Unless H I is quite far from the galaxies' centers, we conclude that these galaxies do not contain significant amounts of atomic gas at the present time. We discuss whether the observations could have missed some atomic gas.
The Case of the Pilfered Paper: Implications of Online Writing Assistance and Web-Based Plagiarism Detection Services

While there is nothing new about academic dishonesty, how it is committed, prevented, and detected has been dramatically transformed by the advent of online technologies. This article briefly describes the concurrent emergence of online writing assistance services and Web-based plagiarism detection tools and examines the implications of both for student-faculty relations, faculty workload, and student learning. Finally, we provide three alternative strategies for deterring, detecting, and documenting all forms of plagiarism.
Bereaved Elders: Transformative Learning in Late Life:

This qualitative study sought to understand older adults’ (elders) transformative learning through bereavement in late life. Nine bereaved elders were engaged through in-depth interviews. Data analysis via the constant comparative method indicated deep changes in views of death-related issues as well as ongoing life-related issues. The process of transformation, which was found to be highly fluid and oscillating, included the components of acute distress, reflection, emerging sense of change in perspectives, and new behaviors. The consequences of these findings affirm certain aspects of transformative learning theory, such as the presence of disorienting distress and significant reflections, while contesting some of its foundational tenets such as the import of premise reflection and social discourse. Implications of this study are presented, along with recommendations for further research.
Differential regulation of CD11b on γδ T cells and monocytes in response to unripe apple polyphenols

Leukocyte adhesion and migration are mediated partially by CD11b/CD18 (membrane-activated complex-1, CR3). Earlier studies have demonstrated a role for green tea polyphenols in down-regulating CD11b on CD8(+) T cells and monocytes. We have shown recently a stimulatory effect of unripe apple polyphenols (APP) on gammadelta T cells. Thus, we compared the effect of APP on bovine gammadelta T cell and monocyte CD11b expression. Purified bovine monocytes and monocyte-depleted PBLs were cultured with APP. CD11b levels decreased on monocytes in response to APP. In contrast, a gammadelta T cell subset responded to APP by up-regulating CD11b. The CD11b regulation was not seen on gammadelta T cells or monocytes treated with APP fractions depleted of tannins. The APP-induced down-regulation of CD11b on monocytes was inhibited by an anti-CD11b mAb, consistent with previous studies showing that polyphenols bind CD11b. As expected, the anti-CD11b mAb had no effect on the APP response in resting gammadelta T cells, as these cells lacked CD11b. Consistent with the changes in surface CD11b expression, APP-treated gammadelta T cells showed increased adherence to plastic, whereas monocyte adhesion was reduced. APP also induced cytokine gene expression in gammadelta T cells. Some polyphenols are thought of as anti-inflammatory agents; however, these data, as well as other ongoing studies, indicate they have a proinflammatory effect on gammadelta T cells. In vivo, plant polyphenols may enhance gammadelta T cell migration and function at sites of inflammation, where they could induce rapid, immune-regulatory and innate-like immune responses.
Benjamin Franklin and Static Electricity. Considerations of Past, Present, and Future

ABSTRACT.There was great interest in static electricity during the early years of discovery. Following the demonstration of flowing electricity, however, interest and application of static electricity waned as new uses for flowing electricity were found. At present, single capacitor discharges are used only in cardiac defibrillation. Might this form of electrical therapy be an improvement on present electrocon-vulsive therapy?
A New Video Steganography Algorithm Based on the Multiple Object Tracking and Hamming Codes

In the modern world, video steganography has become a popular option for secret data communication. The performance of any steganography algorithm is based on the embedding efficiency, embedding payload, and robustness against attackers. In this paper, we propose a new video steganography algorithm based on the multiple object tracking algorithm and Hamming codes. The proposed algorithm includes four different stages. First, the secret message is preprocessed, and Hamming codes (n, k) are applied in order to produce an encoded message. Second, a motion-based multiple object tracking algorithm is applied on cover videos in order to identify the regions of interest of the moving objects. Third, the process of embedding 3 and 6 bits of the encoded message into the 1 LSB and 2 LSBs of RGB pixel components is performed for all motion regions in the video using the foreground mask. Fourth, the process of extracting the secret message from the 1 LSB and 2 LSBs for each RGB component of all moving regions is accomplished. Experimental results of the proposed video steganography algorithm have demonstrated a high embedding efficiency and a high embedding payload.
Detecting Lung Diseases from Exhaled Aerosols: Non-Invasive Lung Diagnosis Using Fractal Analysis and SVM Classification.

Background Each lung structure exhales a unique pattern of aerosols, which can be used to detect and monitor lung diseases non-invasively. The challenges are accurately interpreting the exhaled aerosol fingerprints and quantitatively correlating them to the lung diseases. Objective and Methods In this study, we presented a paradigm of an exhaled aerosol test that addresses the above two challenges and is promising to detect the site and severity of lung diseases. This paradigm consists of two steps: image feature extraction using sub-regional fractal analysis and data classification using a support vector machine (SVM). Numerical experiments were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the breath test in four asthmatic lung models. A high-fidelity image-CFD approach was employed to compute the exhaled aerosol patterns under different disease conditions. Findings By employing the 10-fold cross-validation method, we achieved 100% classification accuracy among four asthmatic models using an ideal 108-sample dataset and 99.1% accuracy using a more realistic 324-sample dataset. The fractal-SVM classifier has been shown to be robust, highly sensitive to structural variations, and inherently suitable for investigating aerosol-disease correlations. Conclusion For the first time, this study quantitatively linked the exhaled aerosol patterns with their underlying diseases and set the stage for the development of a computer-aided diagnostic system for non-invasive detection of obstructive respiratory diseases.
LGBT Inclusive Athletic Departments as Agents of Social Change

Despite advances, prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals continues to plague many areas of sport, including intercollegiate athletics. There are, however, some athletic departments that are inclusive of LGBT athletes, coaches, and administrators, and that have inclusive organizational cultures and practices. In this paper, the author draws from an institutional theory perspective to suggest these athletic departments act as agents of social change, working to deinstitutionalize norms of exclusivity and heterosexism, articulating a viable alternative, and then working to reinstitutionalize new structures, processes, and norms of LGBT diversity and inclusion.
Nomadic Computing for Big Data Analytics

Analyzing the massive datasets of today's applications will require scalable and sophisticated machine-learning methods. NOMAD, a novel nomadic framework, combines two common approaches: stochastic optimization and distributed computing.
The LeVeen Shunt—A Technique for Testing Shunt Patency

A modification of the test procedure for evaluation of the peritoneo-venous shunt is described. When Tc-99m sulfur colloid is introduced by intraperitoneal injection, scintiphotos of a patent shunt can usually be obtained immediately after injection. If the shunt is not visualized immediately, a liver scan must be obtained to distinguish ascitic fluid from functioning liver tissue. Cases in which this technique has been used show it to be a reliable method for assessing peritoneo-venous shunt patency.
RFID Middleware System based on the Low-Level Reader Protocol

The application of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has proceeded rapidly in recent years. The RFID middleware system—between the application system and readers—is an important component of the RFID network,and functionsas a tag information processing centre. Conventional RFID middleware systems provide a unified ALE (Application Level Events ) interface for the upper layer application system ,while establishing a connection with readers by adapting to variable private interfaces. This is obviously not beneficial for the rapid construction of the RFID application system. On the other hand,another kind of RFID middleware system ,based on Low-Level Reader Protocol (LLRP),offers a standard interface for connecting readers of different manufacturers ,This significantly improves the efficiency of building the RFID application system.
Pressure resolves two sites of action of inert gases.

The effect of pressure upon the potency of two pharmacological effects of inert gases has been studied in mice. In one series of experiments the effect of high pressures of helium on the anesthetic potency of nitrogen, argon, nitrous oxide, carbon tetrafluoride and sulfur hexafluoride was studied up to pressures of 183 atm. Pressure increased the ED50 for loss of righting reflexes by 36% at 100 atm on average. In the other experiments we measured the ability of these inert gases to raise the ED50 pressure at which pressure-induced hyperexcitability (spasms) was observed. Subanesthetic partial pressures of all the gases raised the ED50 pressure for spasms significantly. These data were used to test the two hypotheses that anesthesia results when anesthetics expand some hydrophobic phase by a critical amount, while the hyperexcitabiity occurs when pressure reduces the volume of some hydrophobic phase by a critical amount (the critical volume hypothesis). Theoretical calculations show that both sets of data are consistent with their respective hypotheses. The site at which the inert gases exert their anti-hyperexcitabiity effect is much more compressible and has a slightly lower solubility parameter than the site for anesthesia.
The relationship between perfectionism and discounting measures

Abstract Two separate studies examined the relationship between impulsivity, measured with delay discounting, and perfectionism, measured with the Almost Perfect Scale – Revised (APS-R) or the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS). Participants scoring in the top 15% of the perfectionism scales were compared to those scoring in the bottom 85% to reflect the increased perfectionism found in clinical populations. There was no relationship between delay discounting and perfectionism for the APS-R. However, on the FMPS, participants in the top 15% of perfectionism were significantly less impulsive compared to those who scored in the bottom 85%. Two subscales, Doubt and Parental Criticism, showed the strongest negative associations with impulsivity. Results suggest that certain aspects of perfectionism are more strongly associated with impulsivity, as measured with delay discounting, than others. Additionally, these results may have implications for individuals diagnosed with clinical disorders, such as anorexia nervosa (AN), as previous studies have shown that increases in impulsivity and perfectionism also show increases in eating disorders.
Design of a nanopatterned long focal-length planar focusing collector for concentrated solar power

Concentrated solar power (CSP) facilities heavily utilize parabolic troughs to collect and concentrate sunlight onto receivers that deliver solar thermal energy to heat engines for generating electricity. However, parabolic troughs are bulky and heavy and result in a large capital investment for CSP plants, thereby making it difficult for CSP technology to be competitive with photovoltaics. We present the design of a planar focusing collector (PFC) with focal length beyond the micron scale. The PFC design is based on the use of a nanostructured silver surface for linearly polarized singlewavelength light. The designed PFC consists of metallic nanogrooves on a dielectric substrate. The geometric properties, namely the width and depth, of a single-unit nanogroove allows for full control of the optical phase at desired spatial coordinates along the nanogroove short-axis for a single wavelength. Moreover, we show numerically that such phase control can be used to construct a phase front that mimics that of a cylindrical lens. In addition, we determine the concentration ratio by comparing the width of our PFC design to the cross-sectional width of its focal spot. We also determine the conversion efficiency at long focal lengths by evaluating the ratio of the collected optical power to the incoming optical power. Finally, we examine the focusing behavior across multiple wavelengths and angles of incidence. Our work shows how nano-optics and plasmonics could contribute to this important area of CSP technology.
Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

No area in sleep-disorders medicine has been marked by as much controversy as the surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The literature has been hampered frequently by poorly defined outcomes or outcomes that varied from study to study. The exact surgical procedures being done often vary, making two papers are difficult to compare as the surgical techniques are different. In recent years, however, the literature of surgical therapy has improved and there are now many papers with sound methodology using well-defined end points. However, no single surgical procedure has ever been found to be entirely satisfactory for the treatment of OSA. As a result, there is continued intensive investigation finding the ideal surgical treatment for OSA.
The National Meals on Wheels Foundation/Vegetarian Resource Group Vegetarian Initiative: two year follow-up.

Abstract A previous report described a unique collaboration between The National Meals on Wheels Foundation (NMOWF), the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NA-NASP), and the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) in the formation of the Vegetarian Initiative, a program to introduce meatless meal options into senior feeding programs (1997). This article presents results from a two year demonstration of the program in 25 meal sites throughout the New York City metropolitan area. Recommendations are given for practitioners and others who seek to bring about similar changes in other feeding programs.
Total Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition in the ICU: Evolving Concepts

Appropriate nutrition in the hospital setting, particularly in critically ill patients, has long been tied to improving clinical outcomes. During critical illness, inflammatory mediators and cytokines lead to the creation of a catabolic state to facilitate the use of endogenous energy sources to meet increased energy demands. This process results in increasing the likelihood of overfeeding. The literature has revealed exponential advances in understanding the molecular basis of nutritional support and evolution of clinical protocols aimed at treating artificial nutritional support as a therapeutic intervention, preventing loss of lean body mass and metabolic deterioration to improve clinical outcomes in the critically ill.
Power and Post-Metaphysics

Hermeneutic Communism is premised on the idea that there are a multitude of metaphysical interpretations regarding the nature of reality, and human nature. However, Vattimo and Zabala often drift into postmodern refusals of metaphysical philosophy. I argue that this turn towards postmodernism tends to deter from the more powerful methods they create with Hermeneutic Communism. If in capitalism, all that is solid melts into air, then postmodern refusals towards any ontological grounding reinforce the anomic-normlessness of the alienating lack of communal social relations. Capitalism atomizes, deterring its subjects from what the Buddhists call ‘unity-mind’ which I see as the basis of communist social interactions. This metaphysical turn back to grounding relations in union with others is a point that should enable new and old metaphysical interpretations to emerge side by side. By attempting a fusion of post-metaphysical thought with the interpretive capabilities of communist criticism, Vattimo and Zabala have accomplished something unique and prescient. Hermeneutic Communism, while being a remarkable accomplishment in the field of Marxist theory, also contains several years’ worth of what one might call observations directed towards contemporary political events. At first, they offer a new approach to the hermeneutical approach to Marx’s famous line, ‘philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways, the point is to change it’ by claiming this was not a classical refusal of the critical power to interpret. Rather, Vattimo and Zabala hold that Marx meant that the only way actually to change the world is to alter its interpretations. This does not necessarily mean un-grounding our social relations.
Spaceflight-induced changes in white matter hyperintensity burden in astronauts

Objective: To assess the effect of weightlessness and the respective roles of CSF and vascular fluid on changes in white matter hyperintensity (WMH) burden in astronauts. Methods: We analyzed prespaceflight and postspaceflight brain MRI scans from 17 astronauts, 10 who flew a long-duration mission on the International Space Station (ISS) and 7 who flew a short-duration mission on the Space Shuttle. Automated analysis methods were used to determine preflight to postflight changes in periventricular and deep WMH, CSF, and brain tissue volumes in fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and high-resolution 3-dimensional T1-weighted imaging. Differences between cohorts and associations between individual measures were assessed. The short-term reversibility of the identified preflight to postflight changes was tested in a subcohort of 5 long-duration astronauts who had a second postflight MRI scan 1 month after the first postflight scan. Results: Significant preflight to postflight changes were measured only in the long-duration cohort and included only the periventricular WMH and ventricular CSF volumes. Changes in deep WMH and brain tissue volumes were not significant in either cohort. The increase in periventricular WMH volume was significantly associated with an increase in ventricular CSF volume (ρ = 0.63, p = 0.008). A partial reversal of these increases was observed in the long-duration subcohort with a 1-month follow-up scan. Conclusions: Long-duration exposure to microgravity is associated with an increase in periventricular WMH in astronauts. This increase was linked to an increase in ventricular CSF volume documented in ISS astronauts. There was no associated change in or abnormal levels of WMH volumes in deep white matter as reported in U-2 high-altitude pilots.
Finite Element Basics with the Bar Element: Uniaxial Deformations—Interpolants, Stiffness Matrices and Nodal Loads

In this introductory chapter, we emphasize important concepts of the finite element method using simple, intuitive examples. An undergraduate engineering mathematics background should be adequate. However, the basic operations with linear algebra and differential equations are reviewed within the context.
Long Lives: Herbivores and Detritivores

Gastropod mollusks, several groups of millipedes, cryptostigmatid mites (see Mitchell, 1977), apterygote insects, cicadas, several prominent families of beetles, and certain root-feeding lepidopterans belong to this category. They have in common a diet consisting mainly of living or dead plant material, and a longevity of several to many years. These traits are associated with life-history options that, in the uncertain environments of deserts, are modifications of those already seen in multi- and univoltine species.
Capitalism in the Classroom: Confronting the Invisibility of Class Inequality

In this chapter, I present and discuss two classroom activities to create students’ awareness of class location, social structures, and ideologies of class inequalities. The income quiz asks students to identify their own class labels and compare it to national data on median family incomes. Myths of meritocracy, middle class bias, and individualism are explored. The Train Game simulates competitive individualism as the practice of capitalism and offers students an experience to interrogate their own ideologies of class. Discussion encourages reflection on practices of learning class ideology in a variety of environments, such as games, schools, and business practices. Handouts and directions are included in Appendix A.
Co-occurring Mangroves and Salt Marshes Differ in Microbial Community Composition

Coastal ecosystems such as mangroves and salt marshes store large amounts of carbon due to high rates of plant productivity and low organic matter decomposition rates in anoxic soils. As woody mangroves continue to encroach into herbaceous salt marshes, it is important to understand how these wetland biomes differ in soil microbial communities. Mangroves and marsh plants have different rooting structures and chemical qualities and could generate different environments for soil microbes, thus leading to changes in soil carbon processing. In an ecotonal ecosystem in Florida, where mangroves are rapidly encroaching into salt marshes, we compared wetland soil microbial community composition and function in mangrove-dominated vs. salt marsh-dominated plots. Microbial community structure differed between mangrove-dominant and marsh-dominant plots. The top indicator genera in the marsh-dominated plots belonged to putatively anaerobic groups (Tepidibacter, Caldithrix, Desulfovibro, Fibrobacteres, Thiotrichaceae) while top indicator genera in mangrove-dominated plots had representatives within Acidobacteria, Nitrospirae, and Proteobacteria. In a substrate-induced respiration assay, samples from mangrove plots with the greatest root mass also had the highest rate of labile C substrate consumption. Our results suggest that mangroves and marsh plants have different sediment microbial communities and that future mangrove encroachment into salt marshes could alter soil microbial communities with potential implications for soil carbon storage.
Effects of grape consumption on biomarkers of inflammation, endothelial function, and PBMC gene expression in obese subjects.

Abstract This study investigated effects of grape consumption on biomarkers of cardiovascular health in obese participants in both postprandial and chronic settings. Twenty obese adults participated in this randomized, placebo controlled, double-blinded crossover trial. Participants were randomized to consume 60 g freeze-dried polyphenol-rich whole grape powder (GP) or placebo (PBO) followed by high fat high carbohydrate (HFHC) meal challenge. Following acute challenge, participants consumed their respective treatment daily for 4 weeks to determine effects of chronic consumption. Consumption of GP with HFHC meal significantly increased nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF2) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) at 3 h (p clinicaltrials.gov NCT01674231.
a note on the Wien Displacement Law

It is pointed out that, when deriving the Wien Displacement Law in terms of wavelength as compared to wavenumber, the spectral points of maximum flux are not equivalent. It is shown that this results from (where B(T) is the Planck Blackbody Function), and because B(T) is implicitly a differential.
Twenty-one years of developmental nephrology: the kidney then and now.

Developmental renal physiology was guided for a long time by the notion that the "immature" kidney is characterized by glomerular-tubular imbalance, with glomerular preponderance. In accordance with this concept, the filtering capacity of the developing kidney exceeds the ability of the renal tubules to handle the filtrate, resulting in the urinary loss of substances such as amino acids and bicarbonate. Estimates of age-related changes in glomerular volume, based on measurements of glomerular diameter, and of proximal tubular volume, based on measurements of tubular length and tubular diameter, appeared to support this contention. The experimental approach that led to these conclusions was based on the assumptions that the increase in glomerular size is distributed evenly between the vascular and nonvascular elements and that tubular volume increases pari passu with the luminal surface area. Both assumptions were proved wrong. Moreover, micropuncture studies performed in guinea pigs and rats revealed that the proportionality between glomerular filtration and proximal reabsorption of fluid (i.e., glomerulo-tubular balance) is maintained throughout development. Subsequent studies showed that several transport mechanisms function quite adequately from the first days of extrauterine life. Sodium is avidly reabsorbed in distal nephron segments, under the stimulus of the high levels of aldosterone present during infancy. The increase in the secretion of potassium that would occur in the adult under these circumstances is mitigated by the low expression of potassium channels. In the case of phosphate, there is enhanced reabsorption, particularly at the level of the proximal tubule, due in part to a growth-specific NaPi type II transporter. These different adaptive mechanisms converge towards the maintenance of a positive external balance for substances that are essential to growth. The emergence of cellular and molecular biology has also encouraged research in the field of renal morphology. The genes that control mesenchymal-epithelial interactions and the signaling factors that mediate their effect have been described. Progress is being made in the identification of genes involved in certain forms of renal malformations. Novel methods of investigation, such as DNA arrays, are likely to lead to an even fuller, dynamic portrayal of gene expression during nephrogenesis. Characterizing the functional correlates of these genes will require investigators who are not only proficient in molecular biology, but who are also masters of physiological methods.
53 Plastic Surgery Following Weight Loss

Minimally invasive gastrointestinal bypass surgery for morbid obesity is being successfully applied at the University of Pittsburgh Bariatric Center (1). With over 1000 patients treated last year, the demand for body contouring has skyrocketed. Following massive weight loss, these patients develop disheartening changes in body contour with repulsive hanging skin and bizarre rolls of skin and fat. In the course of achieving extraordinary weight loss and alleviation of comorbidities, successful bariatric surgery creates these problems that diminish patients’ quality of life. Our Bariatric Center clinical staff anticipates these issues and encourages completion of rehabilitation through skilled body contouring surgery.
Global Resource Management of Response Surface Methodology

Statistical research can be more difficult to plan than other kinds of projects, since the research must adapt as knowledge is gained. This dissertation establishes a formal language and methodology for designing experimental research strategies with limited resources. It is a mathematically rigorous extension of a sequential and adaptive form of statistical research called response surface methodology. It uses sponsor-given information, conditions, and resource constraints to decompose an overall project into individual stages. At each stage, a ”parent” decision-maker determines what design of experimentation to do for its stage of research, and adapts to the feedback from that research’s potential ”children”, each of whom deal with a different possible state of knowledge resulting from the experimentation of the ”parent”. The research of this dissertation extends the real-world rigor of the statistical field of design of experiments to develop an deterministic, adaptive algorithm that produces deterministically generated, reproducible, testable, defendable, adaptive, resourceconstrained multi-stage experimental schedules without having to spend physical resource.
Calcium ion homeostasis in urinary bladder smooth muscle.

The purpose of the urinary bladder is to store urine at low pressures, and allow for effective evacuation at an appropriate time, location and social situation. For this complex set of requirements to be carried out, it is essential that the major components of the lower urinary tract interact in a unified fashion.1 The basic elements of the bladder which contribute to the active (contractile) and passive properties (resistance to deformation) are listed in Table 1. It is important to note that even the passive properties of the urinary bladder are in part determined by actin myosin interactions that are calcium mediated and energy dependent. Failure of any one (usually several) of these components will contribute to a failure to empty or to store, or some combination thereof. Although each component within this table makes an important contribution to shaping the bladder’s biologic properties, the purpose of this review will be to focus on the role of cell calcium regulation in which the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) plays a major role.
Corruption of neuroblastoma patient derived xenografts with human T cell lymphoma.

Abstract Background Patient derived xenografts (PDXs) provide a unique opportunity for investigators to study tumor cell activity, response to therapeutics, and resistance patterns without exposing the human patient to experimental compounds, and thereby play a crucial role in pre-clinical evaluation of new therapies. It has been reported that PDXs may undergo a transformation to lymphoma, most commonly associated with Epstein Barr virus (EBV). If the character of a xenograft becomes compromised and remains undetected, it could have a detrimental impact on the research community as a whole. Our lab has established a number of pediatric solid tumor PDXs which accurately recapitulate the human tumors following several passages. One particular neuroblastoma PDX was noted to grow quickly and with an unusual phenotype, leading us to hypothesize that this PDX had undergone a transformation. Methods The PDX in question was investigated with histology, immunohistochemistry (IHC), EBER in situ hybridization, and PCR to determine its identity. Results Histology on the tumor revealed a small, round blue cell tumor similar to the original neuroblastoma from which it was derived. IHC staining showed that the tumor was composed of lymphocytes that were CD3 positive, Conclusion These findings indicate that a human T Cell lymphoma developed in place of this neuroblastoma PDX. Changes in PDX identity such as this one will significantly impact studies utilizing pediatric PDXs and the mechanism by which this occurred warrants further investigation.
Effects of Ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis, Foraging Trails on Behavior of Tamarixia radiata

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, is a threat to citrus production because it transmits the bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which causes huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening. Insecticide use is the most common tactic for reducing D. citri populations. However, emerging concerns caused by frequent insecticide applications are insecticide resistance and indiscriminate elimination of beneficial organisms. Biological control can potentially contribute to D. citri management but the interactions occurring between natural enemies of this pest are poorly understood. Prominent natural enemies of D. citri in Florida, U.S. include the primary ectoparasitoid, Tamarixia radiata and several species of predacious ladybeetles, often including Harmonia axyridis. We investigated the behavioral response of T. radiata to trail semiochemicals deposited by ladybeetles (H. axyridis) while foraging. The total residence times of T. radiata were shorter on leaves containing H. axryidis trails than on untreated controls. Likewise, both parasitism and host feeding of D. citri nymphs were reduced on whole plants treated with H. axyridis trails as compared with unmarked controls. Wasp behavior was not affected by ladybeetle trail extracts as clearly when similarly treated detached leaves were presented in paired choice tests confined within 9 cm diameter Petri dishes. The results suggest that T. radiata detects predator trails as an indicator of areas where intraguild predators were present, and this information may be used by parasitoids for predator avoidance and decreased competition. The impact of intraguild competition between natural enemies of D. citri on overall biological control deserves further investigation.
The October Revolution and End of the “Great War”: Lenin versus Wilson

Max Weber was prescient when he wrote in 1905 about the prospects for the 300-year-old Romanov dynasty in Russia: “Only in the tragic event of a European war would the autocracy finally be destroyed.” Weber wasn’t the first to speculate on how a war of such magnitude and developments in Russia could be interrelated. Frederick Engels raised that possibility in 1888: “revolution in Russia at this moment would save Europe from the horrors of a general war and would usher in universal social revolution.”