cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applying the process of backward design in revising an environmental science program

The purpose of this article is to share our model of a successful curriculum reform process and provide an overview so that it can be replicated by other programs. The process of backward design is commonly used for course design, and here we apply this framework to a program-level revision of student learning outcomes, curriculum, and assessment. Graduates from our Environmental Science program are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the appropriate academic content, to be able to conduct research and develop professional behaviors and dispositions. Our revised program now has clear, assessable student learning outcomes, a set of coursework that is well aligned with these outcomes, and planned assessment that will allow us to evaluate our students and our program. This program revision has been a long, time-consuming process that has been facilitated by the cooperative nature and dedication of the individuals on the Environmental Science committee and by support structures at our institution. We will discuss the methods used by our program to bring about these changes and also the challenges we faced.
st Polymers for electronic packaging in the 21 century

The next generation of polymeric materials for electronic packaging requires high performance, such as high T g , low loss, low dielectric constant for high frequency (in excess of 100 GHz for wireless and portable products), which are described in this chapter. Nanostructure air gap ultra-low dielectrics are developed. Furthermore, photo-definable with positive-tone materials for ease of process are needed for IG dielectric as well as sequential build-up high density PWB technology applications. High dielectric polymer composites (in excess of 100–200) with nanostructure inorganic filler will be needed for the capacitor application of building imbedded passives. Conductive polymers with high current density, high toughness, and low conductivity fatigue will be needed for ultra fine-pitch replacements for solder joint interconnects. The electronics consumer will depend on all these materials that will be multifunctional, high performance, yet low cost. It is a challenge that all chemists, materials scientists, and chemical engineers will face in the 21st century.
Effects of bound phosphate on the bioreduction of lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) and formation of secondary minerals

Natural FeIII oxides typically contain a range of trace elements including P. Although solution phase and adsorbed P (as phosphate) have been shown to impact the bioreduction of FeIII oxides and the formation of “biogenic” secondary minerals, little is known about the potential effects of occluded/incorporated phosphate. We have examined the bioreduction of FeIII oxides (lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH) and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3)) containing 0–3 mass% P as “bound” (a term we use to include both adsorbed and occluded/incorporated) phosphate. Kinetic dissolution studies showed congruent release of Fe and P, suggesting that the phosphate in these materials was incorporated within the particles; however, 53% or 86% of the total phosphate associated with the lepidocrocites containing 0.7 or 3 mass% P, respectively, was extracted with 0.1 M NaOH and can be considered to be adsorbed, both to exterior surfaces and within micropores. In the absence of phosphate, lepidocrocite was rapidly reduced to magnetite by Shewanella put...
Rev. of Playing House in the American West: Western Women's Life Narratives, 1839–1987, by CATHRYN HALVERSON

Halverson's project is an ambitious work that traces and unpacks the interlocking themes of domesticity and the American West in a variety of texts by a wide range of female authors. Each of the ni...
Error Analysis and Guided Treatment in Second Language Acquisition

Error is an unavoidable speech act in the process of second language acquisition. Proceed from the theories of error analysis and interlanguage and combining with the teaching practice, this paper attempts to analyze the causes and types of error formation during the learners' second language acquisition, and then try to advance some ways to deal with their errors.
Military Compliance and the Efficacy of Mass Killings at Deterring Rebellion

Reducing threats is an important objective of all governments. Mass killings are a tactic employed by some leaderships, presumably to achieve this goal. But do mass killings "work''? We argue that the groups targeted by violence are rarely the primary audience of mass killing policies, and to determine the true effectiveness of mass killings one must account for how all groups within a country respond to political violence. We develop a theory that focuses on how the compliance decisions of military members tasked with carrying out atrocities affect the coordination dilemma of individuals contemplating rebellion. Mass killings are shown to be effective at reducing anti-regime activity among individuals who are not direct targets of violence. Further, leaders enjoy a lower risk of removal following highly lethal mass killings. A variety of empirical tests provide strong support for our theory's implications.
Non-Specific Granulomatous Ureteritis

AbstractThe sixteenth case of non-specific granulomatous ureteritis is reported. Clinical course, pathology and treatment are discussed and the literature is reviewed.
Effects of Impurities on Bonding: Application to the Mo/MoSi2 Interface

The role of impurities in adhesion at a metal/intermetallic interface is determined from first principles. Electron density distributions, total energies, and forces as a function of interfacial spacing are reported for the Mo/MoSi2 interface. All impurities investigated at the monolayer level caused a decrease in adhesive energies. The decreases were substantial, being as large as a factor of 2 for S. On the other hand, C and O were found to substantially increase the peak interfacial strength. A linear relationship between interfacial spacing and impurity covalent radii was found. Impurity changes in bonding were mirrored by changes in electron density distributions.
Theoretical Applications, Research, and Practice of Family Life Coaching

This chapter explores the current research on family life coaching with emphasis on the results of a grounded theory study of family life coaches. Based on the results of that study, as well as other recent studies of family life coaching, a model of theory and practice of family life coaching is presented. The theoretical underpinnings of family life coaching come from three primary sources: family life education literature, coaching psychology literature, and literature on family life coaching. Theories covered including Humanist, Solution-Focused Coaching, Positive Psychology, Appreciative Inquiry, Adlerian, Adult Learning, Gottman, and Social Learning. The chapter concludes with a look at how family life coaching fits within Family Science.
Women in Construction and the Workforce Investment Act: Evidence from Boston and the Big Dig

This article examines whether women’s representation among senior-level construction jobs increased over time during a long-term, large-scale construction project in Boston, Massachusetts, and whet...
Thermomechanical Fatigue in Sub-THz Vacuum Electron Devices

The transient temperature and stress distributions during the turn-on cycle of sub-THz vacuum electron devices (VEDs) are evaluated, thereby providing an explanation for the high stress environment created at the material surface causing fatigue failure. Furthermore, it is shown that there are transient tensile stresses that occur beneath the material surface out of phase from compressive stresses that can be the cause of the cracks observed in previously reported experimental data. High-frequency VEDs provide millimeter-wave radiation sources for many applications from space communication and medical imaging to remote chemical, biological, and weapon’s detection. Lifetime estimates are presented using stress-based and strain-based approaches for such devices based on their peak operating surface temperature for low as well as high stress operating conditions.
Die Neubestimmung der geschichtlichen Handlung als soziale Handlung

»Sollte man […] aktiv oder passiv sein? Schlieslich: wie aktiv, in welcher Weise mit welchen Methoden, das mus sorgfaltig unterschieden werden« (SPG 179).
Advances in Decorative Chromium Plating for Corrosion Protection of Zinc Die Castings

SummaryCrack-free chromium (0·025 or 0·05 mil thick) deposited at relatively high temperature provided excellent protection at static sites, but was only slightly better than ordinary chromium (0·01 mil) in mobile tests. Panels plated with duplex nickel (0·8 or 1·2 mil) plus ordinary or crack-free chromium suffered considerable basis-metal corrosion within two years on truck-trailers in the Michigan-Ohio area. Microcracked chromium with 1400 to 1800 cracks/in prevented basis-metal corrosion for 3½ years at all sites. Corrosion was faster on New York Harbour tugboats, but microcracked remained superior to crack-free chromium. Its superiority is attributed in part to its ability to resist damage by mechanical force.
A multidisciplinary course in computational biology

An elective course in computational biology is presented. The focus of the course is on the design and analysis of algorithms with applications in molecular biology. The course is offered to both computer science and biology students and taught by a pair of instructors, one from each of the two disciplines. The course includes, each week, a computer laboratory component. Two advantages for computer science students of such a multidisciplinary course are that students' learning is often motivated by problems with real and interesting applications and students improve their ability to solve cross-disciplinary problems in collaboration with others.
What Are You Looking at? The Complication of the Male Gaze in "Fin de Siècle" Cancan and Bob Fosse's "Sweet Charity".

Fin de siecle cancan dancers Jane Avril and Louise Weber (La Goulue) examined alongside the musical dance and song number “Big Spender” from Sweet Charity serve as examples of how decontextualizati...
A Novel Genus of Specialized Anti-Inflammatory and Pro-Resolution Lipid Mediators

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a novel genus of specialized anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution lipid mediators. The inflammatory response is a rapid physiological reaction of the body towards tissue damage and microbial invasion. It usually operates effectively to remove dead tissue and microbes, yet efficacy temporarily forces the body to deviate from homeostasis. Five cardinal signs of inflammation are often denoted to describe this deviation from apparent health: calor (heat), rubor (redness), tumor (swelling), dolor (pain), and functio laesio (loss of tissue function). It is important to appreciate that the regulation of the inflammatory response, the deployment of specific cell types to the site via the vasculature, and the magnitude of the response vary not only according to the extent of tissue damage and infection, but also depending on the site and state of the affected tissue/organ. The central nervous system (CNS), the cornea, and a few other specific sites in the body are regulated under the premises of immune silence, meaning that the magnitude of immune responses is strictly limited to preclude immune system-mediated potential tissue-damaging responses.
Effects of catch-and-release angling on a largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) population in a north temperate lake, 2001–2005

Abstract Catch-and-release associated mortality of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides; LMB) has received considerable attention due to the popularity of this fishery and the increasing prevalence of voluntary release by anglers. Most studies testing for the influences of catch-and-release fishing on LMB mortality and growth have been of short duration and conducted in artificial settings, which may or may not be representative of potential population-level responses observed in natural settings over longer time periods. We subjected Little Rock Lake South (8 ha), Vilas County, Wisconsin (closed to recreational angling) to an experimental five-year LMB catch-and-release fishery to test for effects on vulnerability to recapture, population abundance, size-structure, and growth. We fished Little Rock Lake South about once per week during May–September 2001–2005 with conventional angling gear and artificial lures. We also simulated or exceeded conditions typical of live-release tournaments by holding LMB after capture and later processing them for length, weight, and diet information. Catch-and-release mortality did not appear to negatively influence this LMB population as evidenced by the high number of recaptured individuals, increases in recruitment, and significant increase in density over time. We found no evidence of LMB being more difficult to recapture after being caught. Population size-structure decreased over time. Average body condition did not change over time; however, size-specific growth rates increased. The observed increase in growth rates, despite a significant increase in density, was likely associated with high prey availability. This increase may not be representative of growth effects observed over longer time scales should LMB density continue to increase. Our results suggest that catch-and-release fishing had minimal negative effects on the sustainability of an LMB population if greater abundances are desired. However, density-dependent compensatory responses in size-structure and growth may be expected over time.
Geographic Distribution of Providers With a DEA Waiver to Prescribe Buprenorphine for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder: A 5-Year Update

Purpose Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a substantial public health problem. Buprenorphine is an effective medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for OUD, but access is difficult for patients, especially in rural locations. To improve access, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 extended the ability to get a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) waiver to prescribe buprenorphine to treat OUD to nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs). This study summarizes the geographic distribution of waivered physicians, NPs, and PAs at the end of 2017 and compares it to the distribution of waivered physicians 5 years earlier. Methods Using the DEA list of providers with a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine to treat OUD and the Area Health Resources File, we assigned waivered providers to counties in 1 of 4 geographic categories. We calculated the number of counties in each category that did not have a waivered provider and county provider to population ratios and then compared our results to the waivered workforce in 2012. Findings The availability of a physician with a DEA waiver to provide office-based MAT has increased across all geographic categories since 2012. More than half of all rural counties (56.3%) still lack a provider, down from 67.1% in 2012. Almost one-third (29.8%) of rural Americans compared to 2.2% of urban Americans live in a county without a buprenorphine provider. NPs and PAs add otherwise lacking treatment availability in 56 counties (43 rural). Conclusions Overall, MAT access has improved, but rural communities still experience treatment disparities.
California Supreme Court Amicus Brief of Professor John Morley in Heller Ehrman LLP v. Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

This brief, written on behalf of and in consultation with Prof. John Morley, supports the law firms that hired former partners of Heller Ehrman LLP in their litigation against Heller over the unfinished business doctrine. Roughly stated, the unfinished business doctrine says that when a partner leaves a dissolved law firm (such as Heller), the partner’s new firm must pay to the dissolved firm any billings the partner subsequently generates for work on matters that were open at the time the partner left. This obligation extends not only to work the partner did before leaving the firm, but also to work that the partner does after leaving the firm, so long as the matter was already open at the time the partner left. This brief argues that the basic problem with the unfinished business doctrine is that it unduly discriminates between partners who leave a firm before and after the firm dissolves. Today, law firm partnership agreements commonly allow a firm to continue operating after a partner’s withdrawal, so that large law firms only tend to dissolve after many partners have already left and the remaining partners are forced to dissolve the firm by a formal vote. The unfinished business doctrine unfortunately draws a sharp distinction at the moment of such a vote by demanding that partners who stayed until after the dissolution share their billings with the firm, while allowing partners who left before the dissolution to walk away with no obligations. The fixation on dissolution as a trigger for liability creates three problems: First, it creates a self-propelling race for the exits as partners scramble to get out before the firm formally dissolves, thus making dissolution ever more likely. Second, the fixation on dissolution treats partners unfairly by arbitrarily discriminating between otherwise similar partners who merely happen to leave a firm at slightly different times. And third, the focus on dissolution undermines the effectiveness of the unfinished business doctrine by allowing partners who depart before dissolution to completely escape liability. This fixation on dissolution was not a problem when the unfinished business doctrine first appeared, because the doctrine initially applied only to law firms that dissolved automatically upon the withdrawal of every partner, which effectively eliminated the distinction between withdrawal and dissolution that makes the doctrine so problematic today. Prof. Morley therefore supports the respondent by arguing that the unfinished business doctrine should be greatly limited. In this case, that means applying the doctrine only to contingent-fee matters, and not to matters billed on an hourly basis.
ENDOCRINE MECHANISMS IN ESTUARINE ANIMALS: INVERTEBRATES AND FISHES

Estuarine crustaceans and fishes have highly evolved endocrine systems. Nevertheless, considerable endocrine involvement has been demonstrated in other estuarine invertebrates, particularly annelids and mollusks. Estuarine organisms face a wide variety of environmental problems, such as changes of salinity and temperature, that endanger them. Consequently, their endocrine systems have an important role in integrating the functions necessary to assure survival. Particularly important for survival of animals in an estuary, which is subject to wide salinity fluctuations, are the hormones that provide for salt and water balance, enabling the animals to regulate their “internal environment” within fairly narrow limits. Color changes also have adaptive significance, for example, by providing protective coloration. They are regulated by hormones in all crustaceans, and with few possible exceptions in all fishes. Furthermore, although hormonal regulation of growth and reproduction has been studied extensively in fishes and crustaceans, endocrine control of these two functions in other invertebrates also occurs. Other processes such as heart rate and carbohydrate metabolism are also hormonally controlled in at least some estuarine animals.
Role of Alginate in Bacterial Biofilms

The prevalence of obtaining alginate overproducing stains from lungs of patients with cystic fibrosis and since alginate is an epiphytic fitness and plant pathogenic virulence trait has promoted inquires into the biological function of alginate. Clues into the role of alginate have been revealed by exploring biofilm matrix composition and alginate biosynthesis regulation at the transcriptional and the posttranslational level. Thus, we are refining our appreciation of the types of environmental stressor that activate alginate production and how surface growth may be an important attribute necessary for alginate production. Alginate production likely occurs under conditions in which cues of environmental stresses and biofilm development processes are integrated into regulatory networks controlling alginate production in a fashion that promotes survival of biofilm residents.
Blue through UV polarization sensitivities in insects

A Signal-to-Noise optimization model has now been extended to explain the range of species-specific polarization sensitivities of insects. The different polarization sensitivities are shown to represent optimizations for the detection of plane polarized (Rayleigh-scattered) skylight over a range of atmospheric polarization conditions. Rhodopsin absorption spectra with peaks in the Blue (λmax≈450 nm) maximize detection efficiencies under conditions of high polarization. Rhodopsin absorption spectra peaking in the UV (λmax≈350 nm) maximize Signal-to-Noise Ratios for the detection of polarized skylight at the other extreme of low polarization.
Abstract LB-017: HER2 overexpression induces sensitivity to moringa isothiocyanates in breast cancer cells

Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are a class of natural products with promising anti-cancer activities and chemopreventive prospects. Moringa oleifera is a plant widely cultivated in the tropics and has been popularly used for centuries by locals to treat different diseases. Moringa leaves contain four unique sugar-modified aromatic glucosinolates, which can be converted to moringa isothiocyanates (MICs) by myrosinase also present in the leaves. In this study, we tested the efficacy of MIC-1 on 9 different breast cancer cell lines and found it to be a potent anti-cancer agent against them. Interestingly, the two cells lines most sensitive to MIC-1, BT474 and HCC1954, were both positive for HER2, which is amplified in up to 30% of breast cancer and correlates with poor prognosis. The correlation between HER2 overexpression and hypersensitivity to MIC was further confirmed using pairs of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells with and without HER2 overexpression. In studies to understand why the HER2+ breast cancer cells were more sensitive to MIC than HER2- lines, we observed higher basal intracellular ROS levels in HER2+ breast cancer cell lines compared to HER2- cells. Moreover, we observed that MIC regulates the abundance of KEAP1 and NRF2 across the different cell lines used in this study. In some cases, MIC-1 upregulated both KEAP1 and NRF2 at the same time, suggesting that it may directly or indirectly inactivate KEAP1 thereby stabilizing NRF2. More efforts are underway to elucidate the precise mechanisms of action. Our work shows that MICs may open new frontiers in breast cancer prevention and therapy, particularly for those with HER2 amplification. Citation Format: JULIA B. OLAYANJU, Bing Xia. HER2 overexpression induces sensitivity to moringa isothiocyanates in breast cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-017.
Analysis of extracellular mRNA in human urine reveals splice variant biomarkers of muscular dystrophies

Urine contains extracellular RNA (exRNA) markers of urogenital cancers. However, the capacity of genetic material in urine to identify systemic diseases is unknown. Here we describe exRNA splice products in human urine as a source of biomarkers for the two most common forms of muscular dystrophies, myotonic dystrophy (DM) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Using a training set, RT-PCR, droplet digital PCR, and principal component regression, we identify ten transcripts that are spliced differently in urine exRNA from patients with DM type 1 (DM1) as compared to unaffected or disease controls, form a composite biomarker, and develop a predictive model that is 100% accurate in our independent validation set. Urine also contains mutation-specific DMD mRNAs that confirm exon-skipping activity of the antisense oligonucleotide drug eteplirsen. Our results establish that urine mRNA splice variants can be used to monitor systemic diseases with minimal or no clinical effect on the urinary tract.
Animal Heat and Thermal Regulation

The concepts of temperature and heat are now accepted intuitively, although that was not always true. Studies conducted during the first part of the eighteenth century motivated in large part by a desire to understand thermoregulation in living creatures contributed to increased understanding of thermodynamics. In this chapter, we briefly outline work that laid the foundation for quantitative methods currently used to analyze human thermoregulation.
Deep learning of the back-splicing code for circular RNA formation

Motivation Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new class of endogenous RNAs in animals and plants. During pre-RNA splicing, the 5' and 3' termini of exon(s) can be covalently ligated to form circRNAs through back-splicing (head-to-tail splicing). CircRNAs can be conserved across species, show tissue- and developmental stage-specific expression patterns, and may be associated with human disease. However, the mechanism of circRNA formation is still unclear although some sequence features have been shown to affect back-splicing. Results In this study, by applying the state-of-art machine learning techniques, we have developed the first deep learning model, DeepCirCode, to predict back-splicing for human circRNA formation. DeepCirCode utilizes a convolutional neural network (CNN) with nucleotide sequence as the input, and shows superior performance over conventional machine learning algorithms such as support vector machine and random forest. Relevant features learnt by DeepCirCode are represented as sequence motifs, some of which match human known motifs involved in RNA splicing, transcription or translation. Analysis of these motifs shows that their distribution in RNA sequences can be important for back-splicing. Moreover, some of the human motifs appear to be conserved in mouse and fruit fly. The findings provide new insight into the back-splicing code for circRNA formation. Availability and implementation All the datasets and source code for model construction are available at https://github.com/BioDataLearning/DeepCirCode. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Bacterial chemotaxis. United we sense...

Some biological systems, such as those involved in chemotaxis, combine high sensitivity with wide dynamic range. For instance the bacterium Escherichia coli can sense chemical attractants over a concentration range of several orders of magnitude, and respond even to small signals in which ligand binds to only a minute fraction of chemotaxis receptors. New theoretical work shows how this may be achieved & the authors put forward the idea that adaptive receptor clustering is the mechanism concerned.
Multi-Operand Directed Logic-Based Electro-Optic Gates for Ultracompact Optical Computing

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a multi-operand electro-optic logic gate that allows a single gate to be controlled by several inputs simultaneously. A thorough analysis of its performance is fully implemented, which shows its potential to outperform the traditional logic gate in many aspects.
Frequency and classification of errors in laboratory medicine at a veterinary teaching hospital in the United States.

Background The accuracy of laboratory data is of utmost importance. Data regarding laboratory error in human laboratories are often extrapolated into veterinary settings. One study investigated the rate and type of errors in a European commercial veterinary laboratory, but that data might not directly apply to an educational setting. Objectives This study determined the frequency and type of errors in laboratory medicine at a veterinary teaching hospital. Methods Errors associated with clinical pathology samples were recorded over two 60-day periods. The first period included a time when new students and house officers started at the veterinary school. The second time period was 6 months later. The errors were assigned to categories, and the frequency of each was calculated. Sample hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia were evaluated separately using an automated index, as these conditions could be pathologic or the result of error. Frequencies of error and hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia were assessed between the groups. Results Total error rates were 4.7% and 3.5% for the first and second periods, respectively. The frequency of each error subclassification was similar to those observed in the veterinary and human literature, with preanalytic error predominating. Statistically significant differences in the overall error rate and percentage of preanalytic errors that occurred outside of and within the laboratory were observed comparing differences between the two periods. Conclusions The overall error rate in this veterinary teaching hospital was slightly higher than that previously reported in other settings, although a proportion of errors was as expected. Areas needing improvement were identified, and strategies to reduce error could be developed.
Estrous detection with an activity and rumination monitoring system in an organic grazing and a low-input conventional dairy herd

The objective of this study was to evaluate estrous detection using a physical activity and rumination monitoring system in a seasonal calving organic grazing (GRAZ) and a low-input conventional (ZEROGRAZ) dairy herd. The study was conducted from June 2014 to August 2017. During each breeding season, physical activity and rumination were monitored electronically using an activity and rumination monitoring system (HR-LD tags; SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel). Signals resulting from the activity and rumination monitoring system for individual cows were used to determine consistency of the values using this system with the breeding date of cows. Breeding dates were determined using EstrotectTM patches. The study included 1,463 breeding dates from 531 cows. Within the GRAZ herd, during the summer breeding season the monitoring system was less sensitive for estrous detection (33.8 %) than during the winter breeding season (79.8 %).The activity and rumination monitoring system had a sensitivity of 56.7 %, specificity of 99.3 % and positive predictive value of 59.8 % for the GRAZ herd, and sensitivity of 70.1 %, specificity of 99.2 % and positive predictive value of 66.3 % for the ZEROGRAZ herd. For cows that were determined to be pregnant and subsequently calved as a result of the mating, the sensitivity for estrous detection was slightly greater for the GRAZ (60.7 %) and ZEROGRAZ (72.5 %) herds. The activity and rumination monitoring system evaluated in this study has potential for estrous detection in grazing herds during the winter breeding season and in small-input dairy herds during both, winter and summer breeding seasons.
What's Known and What's Next: Contraceptive Counseling and Support for Adolescents and Young Adult Women

Abstract The low rates of actual contraceptive failure and high rates of contraceptive use among young women highlight that choice of contraceptive method and patterns of contraceptive use greatly influence unintended pregnancy risk. Promoting contraceptive use among adolescent and young adult women requires supportive health systems and health providers who understand this population's evolving developmental needs. It also requires an awareness of effective tools for counseling patients, while being mindful of the power dynamics operational during clinical encounters to avoid inadvertently coercive interpersonal dynamics. Missed opportunities to provide such patient-centered care can lead to unplanned pregnancies and suboptimal health and social consequences for young women. Unfortunately, health providers often lack the tools and resources to appropriately identify and meet individual young women's contraceptive needs. This article summarizes the evidence supporting contraceptive counseling strategies linked with contraceptive initiation among young women, and evidence-based approaches for supporting contraceptive adherence and continuation after method initiation. It also orients readers to the unique neurodevelopmental factors that influence the shared decision-making process during contraception counseling sessions with young women. New and emerging approaches for supporting contraceptive initiation, adherence, and continuation are reviewed.
Retrospective evaluation of echocardiographic variables for prediction of heart failure hospitalization in heart failure with preserved versus reduced ejection fraction: A single center experience

Background Limited data exist on the differential ability of variables on transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) to predict heart failure (HF) readmission across the spectrum of left ventricular (LV) systolic function. Methods We linked 15 years of TTE report data (1/6/2003-5/3/2018) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to complete Medicare claims. In those with recent HF, we evaluated the relationship between variables on baseline TTE and HF readmission, stratified by LVEF. Results After excluding TTEs with uninterpretable diastology, 5,900 individuals (mean age: 76.9 years; 49.1% female) were included, of which 2545 individuals (41.6%) were admitted for HF. Diastolic variables augmented prediction compared to demographics, comorbidities, and echocardiographic structural variables (p < 0.001), though discrimination was modest (c-statistic = 0.63). LV dimensions and eccentric hypertrophy predicted HF in HF with reduced (HFrEF) but not preserved (HFpEF) systolic function, whereas LV wall thickness, NT-proBNP, pulmonary vein D- and Ar-wave velocities, and atrial dimensions predicted HF in HFpEF but not HFrEF (all interaction p < 0.10). Prediction of HF readmission was not different in HFpEF and HFrEF (p = 0.93). Conclusions In this single-center echocardiographic study linked to Medicare claims, left ventricular dimensions and eccentric hypertrophy predicted HF readmission in HFrEF but not HFpEF and left ventricular wall thickness predicted HF readmission in HFpEF but not HFrEF. Regardless of LVEF, diastolic variables augmented prediction of HF readmission compared to echocardiographic structural variables, demographics, and comorbidities alone. The additional role of medication adherence, readmission history, and functional status in differential prediction of HF readmission by LVEF category should be considered for future study.
Integrating a model predictive control into a spray dryer simulator for a closed-loop control strategy

Abstract Despite the wide-spread applications of spray drying in the production of chemicals, food, and pharmaceuticals, accurate control and development of this unit remains an elusive task because of the complex interactions of variables and phenomena. In this paper, we offer the development of a computationally efficient closed-loop system with a model predictive controller (MPC) where a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) process model is utilized to represent the process behavior. In particular, we present the development of an MPC and its implementation within the CFD model of a lab-scale spray dryer. Dynamic model is created with an adopted CFD model based on a 2D axisymmetric dryer, and Reaction Engineering Approach (REA)- as the drying kinetic method. Then, an MPC control strategy is designed using a linear approximation of a data-driven dynamic model and implemented within the CFD simulation as a user-defined function (UDF). We demonstrate the application of the developed MPC within the CFD simulation to address highly cross-coupled effects among different components of the dryer and guarantee desired product quality measures even in the presence of various disturbances. The proposed MPC embedded CFD modeling tool can serve as an efficient control strategy for other thermo-fluid systems as well.
HNF4 Regulates β-Oxidation and is Indispensable for Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Intestinal stem cell (ISC) function is regulated by diet and cellular metabolism; however, regulatory mechanisms controlling ISC metabolism are not fully understood. HNF4 transcription factors are important regulators of metabolism, but their functions in ISCs are not elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that fatty acid oxidation (FAO) supports ISC renewal, and HNF4 transcription factors bind to and activate the FAO gene program. Loss of HNF4 paralogs reduces fatty acid oxidation and instead increases fatty acid synthesis. Compound mutant mice reveal that HNF4 transcription factors function redundantly to promote ISC renewal. HNF4 loss leads to reduced levels of FAO gene transcripts, FAO activity and TCA metabolites. Metabolic intervention partially restores TCA metabolites and ISC function in the absence of HNF4. These findings link core cellular transcription factor networks with metabolic state to broaden our understanding of metabolic regulation in stem cell homeostasis.
On QoE-Oriented Cloud Service Orchestration for Application Providers

New virtualization technologies allow Infrastructure Providers (InPs) to lease their resources to Application Service Providers (ASPs) for highly scalable delivery of cloud services to end-users. However, existing literature lacks knowledge on Quality of Experience (QoE)-oriented cloud service orchestration algorithms that can guide ASPs on how to plan their budget to enhance satisfactory QoE delivery to end-users. In contrast to the InP’s cloud service orchestration, the ASP’s orchestration should not rely on expensive infrastructure control mechanisms such as Software-Defined Networking (SDN), or require apriori knowledge on the number of services to be instantiated and their anticipated placement location within InP’s infrastructure. In this paper, we address this issue of delivering satisfactory user QoE by synergistically optimizing both ASP’s management and data planes . The optimization within the ASP management plane first maximizes Service Level Objective (SLO) coverage of users when application services are being deployed, and are not yet operational. The optimization of the ASP data plane then enhances satisfactory user QoE delivery when applications services are operational with real user access. Our evaluation of QoE-oriented algorithms using realistic numerical simulations, real-world cloud testbed experiments with actual users and ASP case studies show notably improved performance over existing cloud service orchestration solutions.
Gastrointestinal disorders in hyperkinetic movement disorders and ataxia.

Abstract Background Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders have been thoroughly investigated in hypokinetic disorders such as Parkinson's disease, but much less is known about GI disorders in hyperkinetic movement disorders and ataxia. The aim of this review is to draw attention to the GI disorders that are associated with these movement disorders. Methods References for this systematic review were identified by searches of PubMed through May 2020. Only publications in English were reviewed. Results Data from 249 articles were critically reviewed, compared, and integrated. The most frequently reported GI symptoms overall in hyperkinetic movement disorders and ataxia are dysphagia, sialorrhea, weight changes, esophago-gastritis, gastroparesis, constipation, diarrhea, and malabsorption. We report in detail on the frequency, characteristics, pathophysiology, and management of GI symptoms in essential tremor, restless legs syndrome, chorea, and spinocerebellar ataxias. The limited available data on GI disorders in dystonias, paroxysmal movement disorders, tardive dyskinesias, myoclonus, and non-SCA ataxias are also summarized. Conclusion The purpose of our systematic review is to draw attention that, although primarily motor disorders, hyperkinetic movement disorders and ataxia can involve the GI system. Raising awareness about the GI symptom burden in hyperkinetic movement disorders and ataxia could contribute to a new research interest in that field, as well as improved patient care.
Enhanced Sensitivity of Degenerate System Made of Two Unstable Resonators Coupled by Gyrator Operating at an Exceptional Point.

We demonstrate that a circuit comprising two unstable LC resonators coupled via a gyrator supports an exceptional point of degeneracy (EPD) with purely real eigenfrequency. Each of the two resonators includes either a capacitor or an inductor with a negative value, showing purely imaginary resonance frequency when not coupled to the other via the gyrator. With external perturbation imposed on the system, we show analytically that the resonance frequency response of the circuit follows the square-root dependence on perturbation, leading to possible sensor applications. Furthermore, the effect of small losses in the resonators is investigated, and we show that losses lead to instability. In addition, the EPD occurrence and sensitivity are demonstrated by showing that the relevant Puiseux fractional power series expansion describes the eigenfrequency bifurcation near the EPD. The EPD has the great potential to enhance the sensitivity of a sensing system by orders of magnitude. Making use of the EPD in the gyrator-based circuit, our results pave the way to realize a new generation of high-sensitive sensors to measure small physical or chemical perturbations.
From Perverts to Fab Five: The Media's Changing Depiction of Gay Men and Lesbians

Introduction 1. "Perverts" on the Potomac: Homosexuals Enter the News Arena 2. Stonewall Rebellion: Reporting on an Epic Event 3. The Boys in the Band: Homosexuality Comes to the Big Screen 4. Soap: A Gay Man Comes to TV Land 5. AIDS Enters the News: Reporting on the "Gay Plague" 6. AIDS Becomes Major News: "Now No One Is Safe" 7. Gays in the Military: The Debate over Lifting the Ban 8. Fleeting Images of Lesbians: Killing, Kissing, Being Chic 9. Philadelphia: "A Quantum Leap for Gays on Film" 10. A New Gay Man in Town: Hollywood Shifts to Positive Stereotypes 11. Ellen: Coming Out, On Screen and Off 12. Will & Grace: The Biggest Gay Hit in TV History 13. Queer as Folk: "An Unvarnished Treatment of Gay Life" 14. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: The "Fab Five" as Gay Reality Special section: Gay Visibility Vs. Lesbian Visibility 15. The L Word: Lesbians Move into the Spotlight 16. Same-Sex Marriage: A Journalistic Love Fest 17. Brokeback Mountain: "A Breakthrough Gay Romance" Conclusion: From "Perverts" to "Fab Five": Progress in Three Stages ...and Waiting for a Fourth
The Constitutionalisation of Indian Private Law

In this Essay, I examine the interaction between Indian constitutional law and Indian tort law. Using the context of the Indian Supreme Court’s dramatic expansion of its fundamental rights jurisprudence over the last three decades, I argue that while the Court’s conscious and systematic effort to transcend the public law/private law divide and incorporate concepts and mechanisms from the latter into the former might have produced a few immediate and highly salient benefits for the public law side of the system, its long terms effects on India’s private law edifice have been devastating. The Court’s fusion of constitutional law and tort law has successfully cabined the independent efficacy, normativity, and analytical basis of equivalent private law claims in Indian lower courts. Coupled with the unique history of India’s various basic private law regimes, and the legal system’s concerted failure to strengthen these regimes after independence, the Court’s efforts have only served to undermine the overall legitimacy of India’s private law mechanisms.
Preservation of IGO Documents in a Digital Environment

This article discusses threats to digital preservation of inter-governmental organization (IGO) documents, including natural disaster and sabotage, and makes recommendations for preservation strategies by external organizations.
Tolerance and contact sensitivity to dnfb in mice. Vii. Functional demonstration of cell-associated tolerogen in lymph node cell populations containing specific suppressor cells.

Abstract Adoptive tolerance to contact sensitivity to DNFB is mediated by suppressor T cells. These cells are induced by iv injection of the hapten DNB-SO 3 . Experiments were carried out to investigate the question of simultaneous transfer of tolerogen (DNB-SO 3 or its conjugation product DNP) with the suppressor cells. The results showed that tolerant lymph node cells pretreated in vitro with anti-TNP serum before transfer were unable to induce unresponsiveness to DNFB. Tolerant cells treated with either anti-TNP serum which had been passed over a TNP-affinity column or with polyvalent anti-immunoglobul in serum were not inhibited. These results functionally demonstrate that LN cell populations containing DNFB suppressor cells have accessible hapten (e.g., DNP) associated with their membrane, which is necessary for induction of adoptive tolerance. The hapten (tolerogen) appears to be bound directly to the cell surface rather than as an immune complex.
Spatiotemporal programming of a simple inflammatory process

Summary: Inflammatory processes are essential for recruiting leukocytes to the site of infection in sufficient numbers and for initiating adaptive immunity. Unresolved inflammation, however, can cause serious damage to host tissues and indeed is known to contribute to the pathology of many acute and chronic diseases. Leukocytes activated by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) respond, in part, by secreting tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and by shedding the TNF receptor, the latter process occurring with slower kinetics. We suggest that this pro/anti-inflammatory switch is a simple program that helps ensure the resolution of inflammation. To examine this idea, we have developed a microsimulation model in which individual leukocytes with non-trivial internal dynamics move in three-dimensional tissues and interact with each other and with stromal cells through diffusing soluble factors, including TNF, the soluble form of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR), and the chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein-1. By manipulating parameters in numerical experiments with soluble PAMP stimulation of varying intensity and duration, we elicit qualitatively distinct patterns of innate immune response and elucidate a key relationship between leukocyte density enhancement by chemotaxis and paracrine TNF signaling. By reducing the rate of sTNFR shedding, we induce massive unresolved inflammation, underscoring a potentially crucial role of sTNFR in controlling innate immunity.
A Study of Flame Development and Engine Performance with Breakdown Ignition Systems in a Visualization Engine

A conventional coil ignition system and two breakdown ignition systems with different electrode configurations were compared in M.I.T.'s transparent square piston engine. The purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of how the breakdown and glow discharge phases affect flame development and engine performance. The engine was operated with a standard intake valve and with a shrouded intake valve to vary the characteristic burning rate of the engine
An Introduction to Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods

This article provides an introduction to Markov chain Monte Carlo methods in statistical inference. Over the past twelve years or so, these have revolutionized what can be achieved computationally, especially in the Bayesian paradigm. Markov chain Monte Carlo has exactly the same goals as ordinary Monte Carlo and both are intended to exploit the fact that one can learn about a complex probability distribution if one can sample from it. Although the ordinary version can only rarely be implemented, it is convenient initially to presume otherwise and to focus on the rationale of the sampling approach, rather than computational details. The article then moves on to describe implementation via Markov chains, especially the Hastings algorithm, including the Metropolis method and the Gibbs sampler as special cases. Hidden Markov models and the autologistic distribution receive some emphasis, with the noisy binary channel used in some toy examples. A brief description of perfect simulation is also given. The account concludes with some discussion.