cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Methionine Ligand Interaction in a Blue Copper Protein Characterized by Site-Selective Infrared Spectroscopy

The reactivity of metal sites in proteins is tuned by protein-based ligands. For example, in blue copper proteins such as plastocyanin (Pc), the structure imparts a highly elongated bond between the Cu and a methionine (Met) axial ligand to modulate its redox properties. Despite extensive study, a complete understanding of the contribution of the protein to redox activity is challenged by experimentally accessing both redox states of metalloproteins. Using infrared (IR) spectroscopy in combination with site-selective labeling with carbon–deuterium (C–D) vibrational probes, we characterized the localized changes at the Cu ligand Met97 in the oxidized and reduced states, as well as the Zn(II) or Co(II)-substituted, the pH-induced low-coordinate, the apoprotein, and the unfolded states. The IR absorptions of (d3-methyl)Met97 are highly sensitive to interaction of the sulfur-based orbitals with the metal center and are demonstrated to be useful reporters of its modulation in the different states. Unrestricted...
Design of Scaled-Down Composite I-Beams for Dynamic Characterization in Subcomponent Testing of a Wind Turbine Blade

Blade certification in the wind industry starts with coupon testing of materials and eventually culminates with full-scale blade testing. Coupon testing is not always representative of the materials’ performance and full-scale testing is expensive and time consuming. Subcomponent testing can bridge this gap and increase the assurance of blade manufacturers for introducing new materials and designs into wind industry. In this study, similitude theory is applied to the I-beam structure of a utility-scale wind turbine blade to design scaled down models that emulate the dynamic characteristics of the full-scale I-beam. The governing equations of motion for vibration of a thin walled laminated I-beam are analyzed to derive the scaling laws. Derived scaling laws are used as a design criterion to develop models that can accurately predict the fundamental frequency of the full-scale I-beam. Both complete and partial similarity cases are investigated. The distorted layup scaling technique is introduced as a novel approach to design scaled down composite models with totally different layups than the full-scale component. According to the results, depending on the desired size of the scaled models and ply scheme of the full-scale I-beam, models could be found with very good accuracy in predicting the fundamental frequency of the full-scale I-beam using derived scaling laws.
A Multi-Level Explanation of Mass Support for the Judiciary

ABSTRACTPredispositions about regime type affect individuals' support for the judiciary on both the individual and the group level. I also show that the level of judicial independence affects public support for the judiciary in countries with dependent judiciaries, but the effect of judicial independence is conditioned by the predisposition that people have toward regime type. I show that judicial independence affects both (1) diffuse support and (2) specific political support for the judiciary. In particular, judicial independence has a positive effect on the diffuse support of liberal democrats. Meanwhile, delegative democratic specific political support is significantly higher than the specific political support of liberal democrats and authoritarians. Taken together, findings suggest that liberal democrats and delegative democrats support majoritarian governance in such a manner that judiciaries may promote certain decisions to these important constituents in the courts interactions with the executive...
Operational Technology and Information Technology in Industrial Control Systems

A modern ICS is a complex system that depends on many different components and technologies to monitor and control physical processes; along with many of the managerial, administrative, and regulatory responsibilities associated with this task. The heart of ICSs are operations technology (OT) which supports availability and safety of critical processes. Modern-day ICSs have incorporated information technology (IT) based on the system functions desired in the overall system. For reference, definitions of each are as follows:
The relationship between eligibility criteria and adverse events in randomized controlled trials of hematologic malignancies

To minimize adverse events (AEs) unrelated to drugs and maximize the likelihood of drug approvals, eligibility criteria for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) may be overly restrictive. The purpose of this study was to determine if RCTs in hematologic malignancies exclude patients irrespective of known toxicities or observed AEs. MEDLINE was searched from 1/2010 to 1/2015 for RCTs published in high-impact journals. Of 97 trials, 33% were conducted in leukemia, 28% in lymphoma, 34% in multiple myeloma and 5% in myelodysplastic syndromes or myelofibrosis. Expected toxicities at thresholds of ⩾10%, ⩾5% and <5% were not correlated with cardiac, hepatic or renal eligibility criteria (logistic regression). To explore this lack of correlation we tested the concordance of expected toxicities and eligibility criteria using a modified version of McNemar's test: at each threshold, hepatic, renal and cardiac expected toxicities were significantly discordant with eligibility criteria. Hepatic and renal eligibility criteria were also not correlated with observed AEs, P=0.69 and P=0.77, respectively, but a significant correlation was detected between cardiac eligibility criteria and observed AEs, P=0.02. Thus, the analyzed RCTs excluding patients with organ dysfunction do not reflect expected toxicities, based on prescription drug labels/prior experience, or reported AEs on the trials.
Prevalence of Internalized HIV-Related Stigma Among HIV-Infected Adults in Care, United States, 2011–2013

HIV-infected U.S. adults have reported internalized HIV-related stigma; however, the national prevalence of stigma is unknown. We sought to determine HIV-related stigma prevalence among adults in care, describe which socio-demographic groups bear the greatest stigma burden, and assess the association between stigma and sustained HIV viral suppression. The Medical Monitoring Project measures characteristics of U.S. HIV-infected adults receiving care using a national probability sample. We used weighted data collected from June 2011 to May 2014 and assessed self-reported internalized stigma based on agreement with six statements. Overall, 79.1% endorsed ≥1 HIV-related stigma statements (n = 13,841). The average stigma score was 2.4 (out of a possible high score of six). White males had the lowest stigma scores while Hispanic/Latina females and transgender persons who were multiracial or other race had the highest. Although stigma was associated with viral suppression, it was no longer associated after adjusting for age. Stigma was common among HIV-infected adults in care. Results suggest individual and community stigma interventions may be needed, particularly among those who are <50 years old or Hispanic/Latino. Stigma was not independently associated with viral suppression; however, this sample was limited to adults in care. Examining HIV-infected persons not in care may elucidate stigma’s association with viral suppression.
Landmark Kernel tICA for Conformational Dynamics

Molecular dynamics simulations of biomolecules produce a very high dimensional time-series dataset. Performing analysis necessarily involves projection onto a lower dimensional space. A priori selection of projection coordinates requires (perhaps unavailable) prior information or intuition about the system. At best, such a projection can only confirm the intuition. At worst, a poor projection can obscure new features of the system absent from the intuition. Previous statistical methods such a time-structure based independent component analysis (tICA) and Markov state modeling (MSMs) have offered relatively unbiased means of projecting conformations onto coordinates or state labels, respectively. These analyses are underpinned by the propagator formalism and the assumption that slow dynamics are biologically interesting. Although arising from the same mathematics, tICA and MSMs have different strengths and weaknesses. We introduce a unifying method which we term “landmark kernel tICA” (lktICA) which uses a variant of the Nystrom kernel approximation to permit approximate non-linear solutions to the tICA problem. We show that lktICA is equivalent to MSMs with “soft” states. We demonstrate the advantages of this united method by finding improved projections of (a) a 1D potential surface (b) a peptide folding trajectory and (c) an ion channel conformational change.
Monitoring Microwave Ablation of Ex Vivo Bovine Liver Using Ultrasonic Attenuation Imaging.

Thermal ablation of soft tissue changes the tissue microstructure and, consequently, induces changes in its acoustic properties. Although B-mode ultrasound provides high-resolution and high-frame-rate images of ablative therapeutic procedures, it is not particularly effective at delineating boundaries of ablated regions because of poor contrast in echogenicity between ablated and surrounding normal tissue. Quantitative ultrasound techniques can provide quantitative estimates of acoustic properties, such as backscatter and attenuation coefficients, and differentiate ablated and unablated regions more effectively, with the potential for monitoring minimally invasive thermal therapies. In this study, a previously introduced attenuation estimation method was used to create quantitative attenuation coefficient maps for 11 microwave ablation procedures performed on refrigerated ex vivo bovine liver. The attenuation images correlate well with the pathologic images of the ablated region. The mean attenuation coefficient for regions of interest drawn inside and outside the ablated zones were 0.9 (±0.2) and 0.45 (±0.15) dB/cm/MHz, respectively. These estimates agree with reported values in the literature and establish the usefulness of non-invasive attenuation imaging for monitoring therapeutic procedures in the liver.
Genetic analysis and molecular characterization of the W4 locus and the k2 Mdh1-n y20 chromosomal region in soybean [Glycine max (L) Merr]

The W4 locus is an important locus to the anthocyanin biosynthesis in soybean flowers and hypocotyls. Mutations at this locus would cause less-pigmented flowers and hypocotyls, such as near-white flowers conditioned by the w4 allele. Its mutable allele (w4m) was suspected to contain an autonomous transposon. In this study, we reported a mutation with pale flowers and green hypocotyls conditioned by a new allele at the W4 locus, w4-p. The dominance of these four alleles is: W4 > w4-m > w4-p > w4. The inbred mutant line (w4p w4-p) was assigned Genetic Type Collection number T369. The W4 locus was positioned on the MLG D2 between Satt386 and nearby telomere with 2.3 cM genetic distance from Satt386. The major components of anthocyanins in soybean flowers were found to be delphinidin and its derivatives, which were reduced in less pigmented flower petals caused by mutations at the W4 locus. Results in this study showed that the pigment reduction was due to low transcript level of the DFR 2 (dihydroflavonol reductase 2) gene. The results also indicated that the W4 gene very likely encoded the DFR2 protein. Three closely linked genes k2, Mdhl-n, and y20 form an unstable chromosomal region. The Mdhl-n mutation in T261 and all the Mdhl-n y20 mutations were suggested to be due to genomic deletions. Four more new mutants in this region were reported in this study. One had tan-saddle seed coat (k2) isolated from a bulk harvest of cv. Kenwood. Three independent mutants (k2 Mdhl-n y20) were reported in the instability experiments. The unstable region was located on MLG H near SSR markers Satt253, Satt279, and Satt314. In addition, an extra putative deletion that covered Satt253, Satt279, and Satt314 was identified in T261. Mapping results indicated the two deletions were separate. An Mdhl contig with size around 96 kb was constructed. Three copies of truncated Calypso5-l like retroelements were found downstream of the Mdhl gene (AF180335), and clustered in a -16 kb chromosomal region. The deletions in all the Mdhl-n or Mdhl-n y20 mutants examined were larger that ~70 kb, but the breakpoints couldn't be identified.
Opinion Mining and Sentiment Analysis

The recent proliferation of social media has enabled users to post views about entities, individuals, events, and topics in a variety of formal and informal settings. Examples of such settings include reviews, forums, social media posts, blogs, and discussion boards. The problem of opinion mining and sentiment analysis is defined as the computational analytics associated with such text.
Predictors of the effect of bariatric surgery on knee osteoarthritis pain.

Abstract Introduction Bariatric surgery reduces obesity and knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain, but some patients improve more than others. We aimed to identify characteristics that predict this knee pain improvement. Methods We reviewed NYU Langone Health bariatrics records (2002–2015) and called eligible patients reporting pre-operative knee pain. Patients were asked to rate their pain on a 10-point scale at three time points: before surgery, one year post-surgery, and time of survey administration. Subjects were asked about pre-operative knee injuries and surgeries, presence of OA in other joints, and OA family history. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and ANOVA. Results Of 125 eligible patients reporting knee pain, we analyzed the 120 patients who had laparoscopic gastric band (LAGB) surgery. The cohort was 78.3% female, with an average age at surgery of 49.7 ± 10.2 years. There was no correlation between pre-operative body mass index (BMI) and knee pain reduction at one year post-LAGB, but the subgroup with the most BMI improvement reported the most knee improvement (p = 0.043). We found significantly better pain reduction after one year in younger patients (p = 0.009). Those with prior knee injuries improved less than those who were injury-free (p = 0.044), but a history of prior knee surgery was not similarly significant. Patients with multifocal OA improved less (p = 0.001). Conclusion Younger knee OA patients and those without prior knee injury or other OA involvement, experience more knee pain relief from LAGB weight loss surgery. LAGB may be a viable treatment option for knee OA pain, irrespective of the degree of obesity.
High-visibility interference between two heralded pure-state photons without spectral filtering

We measure 90% visibility in Hong-Ou-Mandel interference between two independent heralded single photons from pulsed spontaneous parametric downconversion with a Gaussian spectral phase-matching profile, and study its dependence on the pump spectral properties.
Content-Sensitive Characterization of Peer Interactions of Highly Engaged Users in an Online Community for Smoking Cessation: Mixed-Methods Approach for Modeling User Engagement in Health Promotion Interventions.

Background Online communities provide affordable venues for behavior change. However, active user engagement holds the key to the success of these platforms. In order to enhance user engagement and in turn, health outcomes, it is essential to offer targeted interventional and informational support. Objective In this paper, we describe a content plus frequency framework to enable the characterization of highly engaged users in online communities and study theoretical techniques employed by these users through analysis of exchanged communication. Methods We applied the proposed methodology for analysis of peer interactions within QuitNet, an online community for smoking cessation. Firstly, we identified 144 highly engaged users based on communication frequency within QuitNet over a period of 16 years. Secondly, we used the taxonomy of behavior change techniques, text analysis methods from distributional semantics, machine learning, and sentiment analysis to assign theory-driven labels to content. Finally, we extracted content-specific insights from peer interactions (n=159,483 messages) among highly engaged QuitNet users. Results Studying user engagement using our proposed framework led to the definition of 3 user categories-conversation initiators, conversation attractors, and frequent posters. Specific behavior change techniques employed by top tier users (threshold set at top 3) within these 3 user groups were found to be goal setting, social support, rewards and threat, and comparison of outcomes. Engagement-specific trends within sentiment manifestations were also identified. Conclusions Use of content-inclusive analytics has offered deep insight into specific behavior change techniques employed by highly engaged users within QuitNet. Implications for personalization and active user engagement are discussed.
Estimation of Dynamic Chemoreflex Gain from Spontaneous Breathing Data

The chemoreflex control of ventilation is traditionally assessed by presenting the respiratory system with different inhalation mixtures of hypercapnic and/or hypoxic gas. In the steady state method1, the composition of the inhalate is kept constant and the “steady state” ventilatory response is measured several minutes after the start of the test. In the rebreathing method introduced by Read2, the stimulus increases progressively with time in a ramp-like function. However, from these simple techniques, we can only deduce the combined steady state responses of the central and peripheral chemoreceptors. The dynamic characteristics of the chemoreflexes cannot be inferred from surh tests. It is generally accepted that the breath-to-breath control of ventilation is achieved rimarily through the reflex action of the fast-responding peripheral chemoreceptors3. Interventions which augment peripheral chemosensitivity have been shown in theoretical4 and experimental5,6 studies to produce periodic breathing or ventilatory oscillations. In anesthetized animals, it is possible to achieve physical separation of the central and peripheral drives by isolating the perfusion of the brain-stem from that of the carotid bodies7. Such invasive procedures are clearly impossible to apply in humans. Consequently, the tests of dynamic respiratory control that are performed in humans have been limited to techniques in which rapid changes in inspired gas concentrations are effected. These techniques are based on the premise that the two groups of chemoreceptors can be functionally separated, since the central chemoreflex is believed to be considerably more sluggish than the peripheral chemoreflex. The responses to hypercapnic steps, pulses and sine-waves have been examined by several investigators8–12.
Detection of Self-Similar Modes in Turbulence: Application to a Wake Flow

By using the space-time scaling invariance of the Navier-Stokes equations, the spatio-temporal structure of fully developed turbulence, in the homogeneous or inhomogeneous cases, can be understood in terms of a spatio-temporal self-similarity. The latter consists in a hierarchy of spatial and temporal modes which are all similar, namely related to each other through a dilation symmetry group. Our analysis uses biorthogonal decompositions which decompose the flow into spatial and temporal orthogonal modes for which there is a one-to-one correspondence. It also permits the derivation of (exponential) spectrum laws which, for the kinetic energy of the flow, coincide with Kolmogorov’s k−5/3 power law when the flow is both homogeneous and incompressible. Such self-similarity, or fractal structure in a spatio-temporal sense, originates in the space-time dynamics of the flow and is unlikely to be observed from the analysis of a one-dimensional signal (obtained by a single point measurement or an instantaneous picture of the flow). It is, however, recovered by the spatial and temporal two-point correlations and therefore should appear in the structure of the eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition in which the ensemble average is a time average. The analysis of spatial two-point correlations, experimentally measured in a turbulent far-wake flow, supports the previous theory.
Statistical Link Between United States Tropical Cyclone Activity and the Solar Cycle

The recent increase in the power of Atlantic tropical cyclones is attributable to greater oceanic warmth in part due to anthropogenic increases in radiation from greenhouse gases. However solar activity may directly influence a hurricane's power as well. In this chapter we report on a finding that Caribbean tropical cyclone activity and U.S. hurricane counts have a pronounced 10-year periodicity with tropical cyclone intensities inversely correlated with sunspot number on the inter-annual and daily time scales. The finding is in accord with the heat-engine theory of hurricanes that predicts a reduction in the maximum potential intensity with a warming in the layer above the hurricane. An active sun warms the lower stratosphere through ozone absorption of additional ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Since the dissipation of the hurricane's energy occurs through ocean mixing and atmospheric transport, tropical cyclones can act to amplify the effect of a relatively small change in the sun's output appreciably altering the climate. The finding has serious implications for life and property throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, and portions of the United States.
Research on Religion, Spirituality, and Mental Health: A Review:

Religious and spiritual factors are increasingly being examined in psychiatric research. Religious beliefs and practices have long been linked to hysteria, neurosis, and psychotic delusions. However, recent studies have identified another side of religion that may serve as a psychological and social resource for coping with stress. After defining the terms religion and spirituality, this paper reviews research on the relation between religion and (or) spirituality, and mental health, focusing on depression, suicide, anxiety, psychosis, and substance abuse. The results of an earlier systematic review are discussed, and more recent studies in the United States, Canada, Europe, and other countries are described. While religious beliefs and practices can represent powerful sources of comfort, hope, and meaning, they are often intricately entangled with neurotic and psychotic disorders, sometimes making it difficult to determine whether they are a resource or a liability.
Silicon photonic-enabled bandwidth steering for resource-efficient high performance computing

This paper presents the integration of multiple silicon photonic (SiP) switches within a high-performance computing environment to enable network reconfigurability in order to achieve optimized bandwidth utilization. We demonstrate a physical testbed implementation that incorporates two fabricated SiP switches capable of switching traffic under real HPC benchmark workloads. The system uses dynamic optical bandwidth steering to match its physical network topology to the traffic characteristics of the application, and achieves up to approximately 40% reduction in application execution time of the high-performance computing benchmark. We present the detailed design of the network architecture and control plane of the system, and discuss the system performance improvements that arises from bandwidth-steering with silicon photonic-based circuit switching.
Improving reading comprehension in the primary grades:Mediated effects of a language-focused classroom intervention

Purpose This article includes results from a multistate randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the impacts of a language-focused classroom intervention on primary grade students' proxi...
Creating a more informed health care consumer : How one medical library participates in Mini Medical School

A 2005 Pew Internet and American Life Project survey on search engine users revealed that 70% of Internet users are aware and comfortable with the concept of paid or sponsored results to their query. While this concept may not be important when conducting searches on culture, news, or trivial inquiries, health information is of vital importance. More and more people are using the Internet to find information about their personal health and are innocently clicking away at the first results presented. Librarians are obligated to educate consumers and train them to question, on a continuous basis, the bias and financial motivation affecting how search engines perform and present results. Mini Medical School provides a venue for such instruction. This article describes how one medical library actively participates in its School of Medicine's Mini Medical School program and focuses on the curriculum used to teach consumers ways to find quality health care information online.
Imaging biomarkers for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors in neurofibromatosis type 1.

Objective To determine the utility of quantitative metrics obtained from fMRI using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)/apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping compared with metabolic (18F-fluorodeoxyglucose [FDG]-PET/CT) imaging in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) for the characterization of peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) as benign or malignant. Methods This Institutional Review Board–approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–compliant study retrospectively reviewed imaging of 55 PNSTs in 21 patients with NF1. Imaging included anatomic (unenhanced T1, fluid-sensitive, contrast-enhanced T1-weighted), functional DWI (b = 50, 400, 800 s/mm2) and ADC mapping, magnetic resonance sequences, and FDG-PET/CT imaging. Anatomic (size), functional (minimum ADC values), and metabolic (maximum standardized uptake values [SUVmax]) imaging characteristics were recorded. ADC values were correlated with SUVmax. With histologic correlation for all malignant PNSTs (MPNSTs) or clinical or imaging stability (>12 months) for benign lesions used as reference standards, diagnostic accuracy was calculated. Results Of 55 PNSTs, there were 19 (35%) malignant and 36 (65%) benign PNSTs. Benign PNSTs were overall smaller than MPNSTs (largest diameter 4.3 ± 1.3 vs 8.2 ± 3.3 cm, respectively, p = 0.014). Benign PNSTs had higher ADCmin (×10−3 mm2/s) than MPNSTs (1.6 ± 0.4 vs 0.6 ± 0.2, respectively, p 3.2, DWI yielded a specificity of 94% while FDG-PET/CT offered a specificity of 83%. Conclusions Both quantitative metabolic imaging and functional imaging offer high sensitivity for the characterization of PNSTs in NF1; however, DWI/ADC mapping offers increased specificity and may be a more useful modality. Classification of evidence This study provides Class II evidence that for patients with NF1, MRI using DWI/ADC mapping accurately distinguishes malignant and benign PNSTs.
Lavender Oil Bronchodilation Effect: A Pilot Study

Background: Essential oils (EOs) are combinations of volatile organic compounds that have been used to induce various effects on the body via neurological and pharmacological pathways (Horvath and Acs 2015), including altering respiratory infections and inflammatory response in asthma. Lavender oil (LO) is thought to alleviate symptoms of bronchial asthma through attenuation of the inflammatory cell response and mucous cell hyperplasia. One study (Ueno-lio et al 2014) found the inhalation of lavender oil in mice to reduce the number of eosinophils and total white blood cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, reduced numbers of IL-4, 5, and 13 in lung tissue, and reduced Muc5b expression in lung tissue. However, studies have yet to replicate these results in mice models and the LO was inhaled over a period of days before data was collected (Ibid). Although human EO use is common, it is not known if LO can attenuate inflammatory and hyperreactive airway response in humans. We investigated if brief inhalation of LO produces a rapid improvement in breathing effort (eg, less airways resistance (RAW), improved FEV1, FVC, FEV1%) after a brief period of exercise. Methods: This IRB-approved study of seven healthy adults (6 female, ages 21-33 y) measured lung function via spirometry and plethysmography following ATS guidelines (FVC, FEV1 and RAW) at baseline, after a 6-min stair climb challenge and after inhalation of LO (source: DoTERRA, Pleasant Grove, UT) passively diffused from a gauze patch placed on the chin for 15 min. Two drops of undiluted stock solution (half the manufacturer9s maximum recommended dose for diffusion) was used for each participant (one drop = 0.05 mL). Results: Using Friedman9s Test, the only significant change detected was a decrease in FEV1 (P Conclusions: A brief (15 min) inhalation of LO post stair challenge did not improve lung function as measured by FEV1, FVC, FEV1% or RAW. Subjects exhibited no negative effects from inhalation of undiluted LO. The FEV1 did statistically decrease (but not clinically) from baseline to final measurement. A control comparison would be needed to determine if the decrease would have been greater without LO inhalation. A next step would be exposing known asthmatic subjects to a longer period of LO inhalation.
Self-Governance in Bolivia’s First Indigenous Autonomy: Charagua

The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes Indigenous peoples’ rights to self-determination and to maintain their distinct institutions. This article investigates how those rights are being exercised in Charagua, which became Bolivia’s first “Indigenous autonomous government” when the municipality’s Guarani majority approved conversion in 2015. We explore the construction of novel institutions of self-government to assess how local Guarani leaders are negotiating autonomy, both externally and internally. The result of those negotiations is a hybrid political system in which power is balanced between an executive organ (as required by Bolivian law) and a deliberative assembly (the Nemboati Guasu, which operates according to Indigenous custom). The prominence of the assembly expresses a significant form of autonomy that promotes intercultural political participation and enacts Indigenous self-government in ways that are important to Guarani people. Yet, because the new political unit does not control subsoil rights and thus cannot determine the sorts of development that take place in its territory, we cannot yet say the Guaranis are exercising full and robust autonomy as expressed by the UN Declaration’s provisions for self-determination. Resumen La Declaracion sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indigenas de la ONU reconoce que pueblos indigenas tienen el derecho de auto-determinacion y mantencion de sus instituciones propias. Este articulo investiga como se ejerce estos derechos en Charagua, que fue el primer “gobierno autonomo indigena” en Bolivia, despues de que la mayoria de la poblacion aprobo conversion en 2015. Exploramos la construccion de nuevas instituciones de auto-gobierno para evaluar como los lideres guaranies estan negociando autonomia, tanto externamente como internamente. El resultado de estas negociaciones es un sistema politico hibrido en donde el poder es equilibrado entre un organo ejecutivo (mandado por ley boliviana) y una asamblea deliberativa (el Nemboati Guasu, que opera bajo normas indigenas). La prominencia de la asamblea expresa una forma significante de autonomia la cual promueve participacion politica intercultural y pone en practica auto-gobierno indigena de manera importante para el pueblo guarani. Sin embargo, porque el municipio no tiene control sobre los usos del subsuelo, and por eso no puede control las formas de desarrollo en su territorio, todavia no podemos decir que estan ejercitando una autonomia tan plena y robusta como se entendio en la Declaracion de la ONU.
A Synthetic Hall Effect for Photons

We experimentally realize a synthetic Hall effect for light, by producing synthetic electric and magnetic fields in a nanophotonic resonator chain. We show that the effect can be dynamically reconfigured and manifests as non-reciprocal light transmission through the system.
Collaboration Between Oncology Social Workers and Nurses: A Patient-Centered Interdisciplinary Model of Bladder Cancer Care.

ABSTRACT Objectives We propose a bladder cancer patient-centered, interdisciplinary collaboration model of care adapted from an earlier model by Black, Dornan, and Allegrante (1986). The Bladder Patient-Centered Interdisciplinary Team (BPIT) model provides a conceptual foundation for assembling interdisciplinary teams and emphasizes the patient as an active participant in treatment and member of the care team, along with oncology nurses, wound ostomy and continence nurses, and oncology social workers. Data Sources This model integrates scopes of practice and practice standards from nursing and social work professional organizations, findings from peer-reviewed articles, and expert clinical opinion in conceptualizing interdisciplinary bladder cancer care. Conclusion BPIT is not meant to be an exhaustive or proscriptive catalog of roles and responsibilities. Future research is needed in this area to further refine and delineate the oncology social worker and nursing scopes of practice and standards for collaborative teamwork. Implications for Nursing Practice The unmet supportive care needs of patients with bladder cancer across all phases of the cancer continuum are well documented. Oncology and wound ostomy and continence nurses are of critical importance to holistically addressing these needs and enhancing the health-related quality of life. The BPIT model provides a broad overview of the discipline-specific and interdisciplinary team-specific roles and responsibilities for bladder cancer care.
The Emotional Experiences of Paralympic Swimming Medalists: Not All Wins and Losses Are Equal

The goal of this study was to determine if emotional expressions at the end of swimmers' 2016 Paralympic races varied according to medal won and if their race wins and losses were close or not close. Using FaceReader software, videos of 46 races of medal-winning Paralympic (M age = 24.6; SD = 5.4) swimmers' faces (78 males and 60 females) from 22 countries were analyzed. Silver medalists were angrier and sadder than gold medalists and angrier and more disgusted than bronze medalists. Swimmers who swam slower than their 2015 best time were angrier than Paralympians who swam faster. Paralympians who finished lower than their 2015 world ranking had more neutral emotions and were less happy than Paralympians who finished higher. Gold medalists who narrowly defeated silver medalists were less happy and more fearful than gold medalists who won easily. Bronze medalists with close wins had fewer neutral emotions and were happier, less angry, and more surprised than bronze medalists with not-close wins. All medalists with close wins were more surprised than medalists with easier wins. Bronze medalists with close losses to silver medalists were happier and less angry than bronze medalists who lost more easily. Effect sizes ranged from d = 0.27 to 1.01. These results provide theoretical support to basic emotion theory and confirm the anecdotal observations that Paralympic competition generates wide-ranging and diverse emotions.
Efficiency Optimization of Dual Active Bridge Converter Based on dV/dt Snubber Capacitors

This paper presents a lossless regenerative dV/dt snubber circuit for PWM converters to achieve high-efficiency high power-density without significant cost and reliability penalties. The dV/dt snubber employs lossless capacitors for each MOSFET device in a converter to provide an additional path to store the switching energy during turn-off transient and decrease the actual turn-off loss of the MOSFET channel. A novel mathematical turn-off loss model is built to separate the actual turn-off loss of the MOSFET channel and the recycling switching energy stored in the total equivalent output capacitance including Coss, the dV/dt snubber, and etc. Necessary snubber optimization strategy is proposed in order to balance the turn-off loss with ZVS operation range and deadtime conduction loss, and thereby achieving an optimal efficiency performance. To prove the validity and accuracy of the novel turn-off loss model and optimization strategy, the dV/dt snubber has been incorporated into a 1.3kV/200kW DC/DC and a 1kV/70kVA DC/AC PWM converters. Experimental results are given to demonstrate the validity of the proposed dV/dt snubber capacitors and optimization strategy.
Electrohydrodimerization of an Activated Alkene: Tetraethyl 1,2,3,4-Butanetetracarboxylate

Electrohydrodimerization of an activated alkene: tetraethyl 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylate product: Tetraethyl 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylate Keywords: electrolytic reactions; tetrabutylammonium perchlorate; electrolysis apparatus, cell, power supply for; electrolysis apparatus, for electrohydrodimerization
In situ characterization of the formation of a mixed conducting phase on the surface of yttria-stabilized zirconia near Pt electrodes

The electrochemical reactions of solid oxide fuel cells occur in the region where gas-phase species, electrode, and electrolyte coincide. When the electrode is an ionic insulator and the electrolyte is an electronic insulator, this triple phase boundary is assumed to have atomic dimensions. Here we use photoemission electron microscopy to show that the reduced surface of the electrolyte yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has a sharp electronic metal-insulator boundary near Pt negative electrodes. The electronic conductivity of the reduced YSZ allows for oxygen reduction, allowing the reduced YSZ to behave as an extended triple phase boundary. This extended triple phase boundary can be many microns in size, depending on oxygen pressure, temperature, applied voltage, and time.
Current Trends in the Production and Applications of Torrefied Wood/Biomass - A Review

Trends in the production and applications of torrefied wood/biomass are reviewed in this article. The thermochemical conversion of biomass is a promising technology because biomass is an environmentally friendly fuel that produces substantially lower CO2 emissions compared to fossil fuel. Torrefaction is the thermal treatment of biomass at temperatures from 200 to 300 oC in the absence of air or oxygen to liberate water and release volatile organic compounds, primarily through the decomposition of the hemicelluloses. Torrefied biomass has a higher heating value, is more hydrophobic, resists rotting, and has a prolonged storage time. The different torrefaction technologies and reactors are described. An overview of the applications of torrefied biomass, the economic status, and future prospects of torrefaction technology are presented and discussed. Currently, torrefaction demonstration plants have technical problems that have delayed their commercial operation. Torrefaction reactors still require optimization to economically meet end-use requirements and attain product standardization for the market. Several characteristics of torrefaction need to be demonstrated or scaled up for successful commercialization.
Pharmacogenomics of drug transporters: the next drug delivery challenge.

Abstract Scientifically, the third millennium begins with a major triumph – the publishing of the human genomic map, which is destined to have a momentous impact on the quality of life in our time. Disease prevention, individualized medicine, and genotyped-based medicine will soon become a reality. Pharmacogenetics, the forerunner of pharmacogenomics, began in the 1950s with a series of observations relating drug response to various genetic factors. It took almost two more decades for scientists to discover that cytochrome p450 2D6 was responsible for the metabolism of many drugs. This landmark discovery helped focus attention on how gene expression could impact the response to drugs. The stage was set for a revolution in therapeutics some 30 years later as the Human Genome Project crossed the finishing line triumphantly. A parallel development in drug delivery that may also benefit from the fruits of the Human Genome Project is the growing acceptance/awareness of drug transporters as a gateway to epithelial drug transport. This presentation addresses an area in need of attention: the possible impact of genetic polymorphism of drug transporters in pharmacokinetics and the challenge it poses in drug delivery.
Biological Imaging of Atherosclerosis: Moving Beyond Anatomy

Biological or molecular imaging is now providing exciting new strategies to study atherosclerosis in both animals and humans. These technologies hold the promise to provide disease-specific, molecular information within the context of a systemic or organ-specific disease beyond traditional anatomical-based imaging. By integration of biological, chemical, and anatomical imaging knowledge into diagnostic strategies, a more comprehensive and predictive picture of atherosclerosis is likely to emerge. As such, biological imaging is well positioned to study different stages of atherosclerosis and its treatment, including the sequence of atheroma initiation, progression, and plaque rupture. In this review, we describe the evolving concepts in atherosclerosis imaging with a focus on coronary artery disease, and we provide an overview of recent exciting translational developments in biological imaging. The illuminated examples and discussions will highlight how biological imaging is providing new clinical approaches to identify high-risk plaques, and to streamline the development process of new atherosclerosis therapies.
Methamphetamine Treatment Affects Blood and Liver S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM) in Mice: Correlation with Dopamine Depletion in the Striatuma.

Methamphetamine (METH) is a major drug of abuse which causes neurotoxicity by depleting dopamine, its metabolites, high-affinity dopamine uptake sites and tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the striatum. Dopamine depletion and reduced dopamine transit are associated with depression. S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM) is the chief methyl donor used in dopamine and other neurotransmitter metabolism in mammals. Low SAM is associated with depression and other psychological and neurological disorders in humans. SAM is used to treat depression and some other neurological and psychiatric disorders. The present study was designed to determine if single or multiple doses of METH induce alterations in blood or liver SAM in mice and if these correlate with dopamine levels in the striatum. Adult male C57 mice were injected intraperitoneally with either single (1 × 40 mg/kg) or multiple (4 × 10 mg/kg) doses of METH. Animals were sacrificed at various intervals. A single injection of METH resulted in slightly higher blood SAM levels at 4 hr. Multiple doses of METH resulted in decreased hepatic and blood SAM levels at 72 hr. Blood SAM returned to control levels by 1 wk. Published work shows that dopamine levels increase hours after a single injection of METH, whereas dopamine decreases days after multiple injections of METH. These present data clearly demonstrate that METH dosing leads to significant alterations in liver and blood SAM and that these changes in SAM levels correlate with changes in striatal dopamine levels.
CT of the Lung Parenchyma and the Pulmonary Function Test

Computed tomography (CT) views of the lung parenchyma were compared with the corresponding pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in 39 patients. Scans were assigned a quantitative degree of involvement based on previously described CT findings. CT was fairly successful in confirming a normal appearance of the lungs in patients with normal PFTs (ten cases). CT was accurate in detecting the presence of a chronic interstitial pattern in patients with restrictive defects on PFTs (15 cases). CT was generally less successful in both the detection and quantitation in patients with PFT criteria of chronic obstructive lung disease (14 cases).
Effects of Hydrostatic Pressure on In-Plane Shear Properties of Graphite/Epoxy Composites:

In order to determine effects of the fiber orientation on the pressure de pendent in-plane shear properties of continuous graphite fiber reinforced composites, mandrel-wrapped tubes are tested in torsion in the specially designed high pressure torsion test apparatus that is capable of containing pressure up to 7 Kbar.The shear properties that are determined include the in-plane shear modulus, shear yield strength and fracture strengths (maximum stress), and the strain to fracture as a function of hydrostatic pressure and fiber orientation. These results are then compared with those of the epoxy resin matrix without fibers and (0°) composite samples also tested under hydrostatic pressure. In all cases, the shear properties increase with increasing pressure but in different rates depending on the fiber orientation. The increase in the strengths and the toughness is manifested in the change in the modes of fracture. Visual and SEM examination are made to study fracture surface morphology and possible frac tu...
Genetic and environmental variation in anther, pollen and pistil dimensions in sesame

Measurements of anther (length, width, depth), pollen grain (percent fertility, polar diameter, equatorial diameter, polar diameter/equatorial diameter ratio, volume) and pistil (stigma length, style length, ovary length, total pistil length, stigma width, style width, ovary width) were taken on 12 diverse sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) genotypes on each of four collection dates in 1994. Highly significant differences among genotype means were obtained for all characters except polar diameter. Highly significant differences among environment (collection date) means were found for ten of the 15 characters measured. Highly significant genotype x environment interactions were obtained for all characters except anther length. For the anther characters measured, relatively high repeatability values were found, ranging from 99.8% for length to 87.6% for depth. For the pollen grain characters measured, the repeatability values ranged from 67.6% for percent fertility to 23.1% for polar diameter. For the pistil characters measured, the repeatability values ranged from 94.0% for style width to 49.6% for total pistil length. These results indicate that genotype and environment influence anther, pollen grain and pistil characters. Variation in some of these morphological aspects could influence the consistency and interpretation of male transmission studies on both the applied and evolutionary levels.
Gilman D. Veith (1944-2013)--a dedication.

With the passing of Dr Gilman D. Veith on 18 August 2013 the QSAR community lost one of its true visionaries. His career spanned more than four decades, during which he repeatedly demonstrated visi...