cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quasi-convexity and optimal binary fusion for distributed detection with identical sensors in generalized Gaussian noise

We present a technique to find the optimal threshold /spl tau/ for the binary hypothesis detection problem with n identical and independent sensors. The sensors all use an identical and single threshold /spl tau/ to make local decisions, and the fusion center makes a global decision based on the n local binary decisions. For generalized Gaussian noise and some non-Gaussian noise distributions, we show that for any admissible fusion rule, the probability of error is a quasi-convex function of threshold /spl tau/. Hence, the problem decomposes into a series of n quasi-convex optimization problems that may be solved using well-known techniques. Assuming equal a priori probability, we give a sufficient condition of the non-Gaussian noise distribution g(x) for the probability of error to be quasi-convex. Furthermore, this technique is extended to Bayes risk and Neyman-Pearson criteria. We also demonstrate that, in practice, it takes fewer than twice as many binary sensors to give the performance of infinite precision sensors in our scenario.
The Impact of Goal Setting on Survey Returns

The article presents a study which explained the impact of organizational deadlines on employee behavior in an industrial setting. The author identifies two hypotheses derived from goal setting the...
Moon-Struck: Artists Rediscover Nature And Observe

We discuss rare early depictions of the Moon by artists who actually observed Earth’s nearest neighbor rather than relying on stylized formulas. The earliest, from the 14th and 15th centuries, reveal that revolutionary advances in both pre-telescopic astronomy and naturalistic painting could go hand-in-hand. This link suggests that when painters observed the world, their definition of world could also include the heavens and the Moon. Many of the artists we discuss — e.g., Pietro Lorenzetti, Giotto, and Jan Van Eyck — actually studied the Moon, incorporating their studies into several works. We also consider the star map on the dome over the altar in the Old Sacristy of San Lorenzo, Florence (c. 1442), whose likely advisor was Toscanelli. In addition, we examine representations by artists who painted for Popes Julius II and Leo X — Raphael and Sebastiano del Piombo, both of whom were influenced by individuals at the papal court, such as the astronomer, painter, and cartographer Johann (Giovanni) Ruysch and Leonardo da Vinci. We also discuss Leonardo’s pretelescopic notes and lunar drawings as they impacted on art and science in Florence, where Galileo would study perspective and chiaroscuro. Galileo’s representations of the Moon (engraved in his Sidereus Nuncius, 1610) are noted, together with those by Harriot and Galileo’s friend, the painter Cigoli. During the 17th century, the Moon’s features were telescopically mapped by astronomers with repercussions in art, e.g., paintings by Donati Creti and Raimondo Manzini as well as Adam Elsheimer. Ending with a consideration of the 19th-century artists/astronomers John Russell and John Brett and early lunar photography, we demonstrate that artistic and scientific visual acuity belonged to the burgeoning empiricism of the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries that eventually yielded modern observational astronomy.
Structure-function analysis of the rat prolactin promoter: phasing requirements of proximal cell-specific elements.

Expression of PRL, a member of the GH family of genes, is restricted to the lactotroph cells of the anterior pituitary. The proximal promoter of the rat PRL (rPRL) gene contains four factor-binding sites. Three nonadjacent elements, footprints (FP) I, III, and IV, are separated by an integral number of helical turns and bind a pituitary-specific factor, LSF-1. FP II binds another factor present in pituitary and nonpituitary cells. The mechanisms by which DNAbound proteins influence RNA polymerase-ll activity over large distances are not fully understood, but protein-protein interactions, with looping of intervening DNA, may bring distant sites into close proximity. Here, we demonstrate, using protein titration studies, that LSF-1 binds to the most proximal FP I element with the highest affinity, whereas it binds the more distal elements, FP III and FP IV, with progressively lower affinities. Time-course and saltsensitivity studies reveal that binding of LSF-1 to all three pituitary-specific rPRL promoter ...
Complement Component C5a Permits the Coexistence of Pathogenic Th17 Cells and Type I IFN in Lupus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a type I IFN (IFN-I)-driven autoimmune disorder with exaggerated B and Th cell responses. Th17 cells, a recently identified Th cell subset, have been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of SLE. Because IFN-I suppresses the generation and expansion of Th17 cells in an IL-27-dependent manner, it is unclear how pathogenic Th17 cells are generated in SLE in the presence of an environment characterized by high IFN-I levels. In this study, we showed that activation of c5aR on murine macrophages blocked IFN-I-mediated IL-27 production, thus permitting the development of Th17 cells. C5aR activation on IFN-I-responsive macrophages inhibits IRF-1-mediated transactivation of IL-27 gene expression via the PI3K/Akt pathway. Consistently, C5aR-deficient mice exhibited increased IL-27 expression and fewer Th17 cells and consequently developed reduced lupus nephritis in comparison with wild-type mice. In support of these findings in mice, we found that C5a inhibited IFN-I-induced IL-27 production from macrophages of lupus subjects. Moreover, the level of serum C5a correlated with Th17 frequency in peripheral blood. Collectively, these data indicate an essential role for C5a in the generation of pathogenic Th17 responses in SLE. Thus, therapeutic strategies to block C5aR activation may be beneficial for controlling pathogenic Th17-mediated inflammation in SLE.
Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Patients With Unresectable Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Purpose Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is an uncommon but lethal malignancy. We analyzed the role of definitive chemoradiotherapy for patients with nonmetastatic, locally advanced extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma treated at a single institution. Methods and Materials This retrospective analysis included 37 patients who underwent external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with concurrent chemotherapy and/or brachytherapy (BT) for locally advanced extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Local control (LC) and overall survival (OS) were assessed, and univariate regression analysis was used to evaluate the effects of patient- and treatment-related factors on clinical outcomes. Results Twenty-three patients received EBRT alone, 8 patients received EBRT plus BT, and 6 patients received BT alone (median follow-up of 14 months). Two patients were alive without evidence of recurrence at the time of analysis. Actuarial OS and LC rates at 1 year were 59% and 90%, respectively, and 22% and 71%, respectively, at 2 years. Two patients lived beyond 5 years without evidence of recurrence. On univariate analysis, EBRT with or without BT improved LC compared to BT alone (97% vs. 56% at 1 year; 75% vs. 56% at 2 years; p = 0.096). Patients who received EBRT alone vs. BT alone also had improved LC (96% vs. 56% at 1 year; 80% vs. 56% at 2 years; p = 0.113). Age, gender, tumor location (proximal vs. distal), histologic differentiation, EBRT dose (≤ or >50 Gy), EBRT planning method (two-dimensional vs. three-dimensional), and chemotherapy were not associated with patient outcomes. Conclusions Patients with locally advanced extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma have poor survival. Long-term survival is rare. The majority of patients treated with EBRT had local control at the time of death, suggesting that symptoms due to the local tumor effect might be effectively controlled with radiation therapy, and EBRT is an important element of treatment. Novel treatment approaches are indicated in the therapy for this disease.
The World Health Report 2000: expanding the horizon of health system performance

Anniversaries offer the opportunity to revisit events that have been enriched by the passage of time. They help to balance disagreements, create new consensuses and re-launch promising discussions. The decennial of the World Health Report 2000 (WHR 2000) may be such an auspicious occasion (WHO 2000). There are two aspects of the WHR 2000 that are worth considering: the context and the content. The key event regarding the context of the report was the election in 1998 of a new Director General for the World Health Organization (WHO), which took place in the midst of a leadership crisis. For the first time in the history of this organization, a former head of government, Gro Harlem Brundtland, was elected to the top position. In this role she had the vision to firmly place health at the centre of the development agenda, the ability to reposition WHO in the global health arena, the skill to transform an agency mostly focused on providing technical assistance to developing countries into an institution relevant to the entire world, and the commitment to promote evidence-based health policy. This last pledge was expressed in the creation of a new Cluster on Evidence and Information for Policy, a unit explicitly charged with developing a scientific foundation for decision making and undoubtedly one of the most important initiatives during Brundtland’s tenure. The first major product of this unit was precisely the WHR 2000, an ambitious undertaking aimed at transforming the way we think about, measure and compare health systems performance assessment. On the conceptual front, the report proposed a comprehensive framework to expand the view on health systems by addressing five fundamental questions (Murray and Frenk 2000):
Body Mass Index and Colon Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Obesity is associated with increased colon cancer mortality and lower rates of mammography and Pap testing. Methods: We conducted a systematic review to determine whether obesity is associated with lower rates of colon cancer screening. We searched the PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library databases. Two investigators reviewed citations, abstracts, and articles independently. Two investigators abstracted study information sequentially and evaluated quality independently using standardized forms. We included all studies in our qualitative syntheses. We used random effects meta-analyses to combine those studies providing screening results by the following body mass index (BMI) categories: Normal, 18.5–24.9 kg/m2 (reference); overweight, 25–29.9 kg/m2; class I obesity, 30–34.9 kg/m2; class II obesity, 35–39.9 kg/m2; and class III obesity, ≥ 40 kg/m2. Results: Of 5,543 citations, we included 23 articles. Almost all studies were cross-sectional and ascertained BMI and screening through self-report. BMI was not associated with colon cancer screening overall. The subgroup of obese white women reported lower rates of colon cancer screening compared with those with a normal BMI with combined ORs (95% CI) of 0.87 (0.82–0.93), 0.80 (0.65–0.99), and 0.73 (0.58–0.94) for class I, II, and III obesity, respectively. Results were similar among white men with class II obesity. Conclusions: Overall, BMI was not associated with colon cancer screening. Obese white men and women may be less likely to undergo colon cancer screening compared with those with a normal BMI. Impact: Further investigation of this disparity may reduce the risk of obesity-related colon cancer death. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(5); 737–46. ©2012 AACR .
Fabrication of functionally graded aerogels, cellular aerogels and anisotropic ceramics

We report on the fabrication and characterization of anisotropic porous materials: functionally graded, cellular and compositionally anisotropic aerogels and ceramics. This new class of materials was fabricated by photopolymerizing selected regions of a homogeneous monolith using visible light. Visible light is not significantly absorbed and not significantly scattered by organic molecules and oxide nanoparticles in wet gels and it allows fabrication of deeply penetrating, well-resolved patterns. Simple variations of the exposure geometry allowed fabrication of a wide variety of anisotropic materials without requiring layering or bonding.
Potentiation of the actions of bradykinin by angiotensin I-Converting enzyme inhibitors: The role of expressed human bradykinin B2 receptors and angiotensin I-converting enzyme in CHO cells

Abstract Part of the beneficial effects of angiotensin I–converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are due to augmenting the actions of bradykinin (BK). We studied this effect of enalaprilat on the binding of [3H]BK to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably transfected to express the human BK B2 receptor alone (CHO-3B) or in combination with ACE (CHO-15AB). In CHO-15AB cells, enalaprilat (1 μmol/L) increased the total number of low-affinity [3H]BK binding sites on the cells at 37°C, but not at 4°C, from 18.4±4.3 to 40.3±11.9 fmol/106 cells ( P <.05; K d, 2.3±0.8 and 5.9±1.3 nmol/L; n=4). Enalaprilat preserved a portion of the receptors in high-affinity conformation ( K d, 0.17±0.08 nmol/L; 8.1±0.9 fmol/106 cells). Enalaprilat decreased the IC50 of [Hyp3-Tyr(Me)8]BK, the BK analogue more resistant to ACE, from 3.2±0.8 to 0.41±0.16 nmol/L ( P <.05, n=3). The biphasic displacement curve of the binding of [3H]BK also suggested the presence of high-affinity BK binding sites. Enalaprilat (5 nmol to 1 μmol/L) potentiated the release of [3H]arachidonic acid and the liberation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) induced by BK and [Hyp3-Tyr(Me)8]BK. Moreover, enalaprilat (1 μmol/L) completely and immediately restored the response of the B2 receptor, desensitized by the agonist (1 μmol/L [Hyp3-Tyr(Me)8]BK); this effect was blocked by the antagonist, HOE 140. Finally, enalaprilat, but not the prodrug enalapril, decreased internalization of the receptor from 70±9% to 45±9% ( P <.05, n=7). In CHO-3B cells, enalaprilat was ineffective. ACE inhibitors in the presence of both the B2 receptor and ACE enhance BK binding, protect high-affinity receptors, block receptor desensitization, and decrease internalization, thereby potentiating BK beyond blocking its hydrolysis.
Effects of targeted cattle grazing on fire behavior of cheatgrass-dominated rangeland in the northern Great Basin, USA

We evaluated the effectiveness of using targeted, or prescribed, cattle grazing to reduce the flame length and rate of spread of fires on cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)-dominated rangeland in northern Nevada. Cattle removed 80–90% of B. tectorum biomass during the boot (phenological) stage in grazed plots in May 2005. Grazed and ungrazed plots were burned in October 2005 to assess fire behavior characteristics. Targeted grazing reduced B. tectorum biomass and cover, which resulted in reductions in flame length and rate of spread. When the grazing treatments were repeated on the same plots in May 2006, B. tectorum biomass and cover were reduced to the point that fires did not carry in the grazed plots in October 2006. Fuel characteristics of the 2005 burns were used to parameterize dry-climate grass models in BEHAVE Plus, and simulation modeling indicates that targeted grazing in spring (May) will reduce the potential for catastrophic fires during the peak fire season (July–August) in the northern Great Basin.
Growth Performance, Survival Rate and Nutrient Profile of Clarias Gariepinus Fingerlings Fed Rations of Soybean as Alternative Protein Source

The need to augment fish production from the wild has necessitated increased attention in aquaculture. Such culture encourage the use of cheap and readily available feed which brings about increased size and high yield. Fishmeal was substituted (100%, 65%, 35%, 0%) with soybean (0%, 35%, 65% 100%) in Clarias gariepinus diet. One hundred and sixty fingerlings having mean body weight of approximately 10g each, were distributed into eight concrete tanks measuring 1×1×1.5m at the rate of twenty fingerlings/tank and fed albitium. Analysis of variance revealed that the highest value for final mean body weight (71.5 g), specific growth rate (2.3) and Protein Efficiency Ratios (1.48), were observed in diet 3. Glutamic acid was the major amino acid with the highest concentration (1.5 g) in diet 2. There was a decreasing level of Lysine and Methionine with increasing levels of soy bean inclusion, at various treatments. The study has shown that when 35% fishmeal was substituted with 65% soybean, fish yield was not only at its highest production, but was also nutritionally beneficial.
Advanced Photon Source booster synchrotron beam position monitor upgrade and applications

The Advanced Photon Source operates in top-up mode, which adds charge to the storage ring every two minutes to maintain the current at 102/spl plusmn/1.0 mA. This requires the booster synchrotron to operate efficiently and reliably. The booster BPM system was upgraded to overcome a severe performance limitation due to operation of the receiver at the low end of its input power range. The upgrade provided a 25-dB improvement in overall system gain. This improved dynamic range and resolution, and reduced other systematic errors. The booster BPMs have been used in studies including measurements of ring circumference, synchrotron and betatron tune, and orbit correction. Software feedback corrections of the energy and RF phase errors at injection have been implemented for routine operations using the BPM beam history/DSP-based synchrotron tune measurement. Transverse injection feedback is presently being commissioned. The latest experimental results using the upgraded BPMs will be presented.
An all-conjugated gradient copolymer approach for morphological control of polymer solar cells

This work introduces fully π-conjugated gradient copolymers as promising materials to control and stabilize the nanoscale morphology of polymer:fullerene solar cells. Gradient and block sequence copolymers of 3-hexylselenophene (3HS) and 3-hexylthiophene (3HT) are utilized as the donors (D) in bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells with phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as the acceptor (A). We show that for the same overall copolymer composition, the ordering of molecular constituents along the copolymer chain (copolymer sequence) significantly influences the nanoscale morphology and phase separation behavior of π-conjugated copolymer:fullerene devices. In addition, energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) of the blends revealed that relative to the block copolymer:PCBM, the gradient copolymer:PCBM sample formed a more uniform, continuous and interconnected network of polymer fibrils within the acceptor-rich phase, associated with a large D/A interface. Charge extraction of photogenerated carriers by linearly increasing voltage (photo-CELIV) shows that the gradient copolymer:PCBM device possesses the highest initial carrier density, n(0) = (3.92 ± 0.3) × 1018 cm−3, consistent with a larger D/A interfacial area suggested by the observed morphology, albeit at the expense of increased carrier recombination rate. Accelerated degradation studies show that the gradient copolymer:PCBM system maintains the highest efficiency over prolonged heat treatment.
Decreased catalytic subunit mRNA levels and altered catalytic subunit mRNA structure in a cAMP-resistant Chinese hamster ovary cell line

The mechanisms responsible for decreased levels of cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity in a mutant Chinese hamster ovary cell line have been examined. The cAMP-resistant Chinese hamster ovary 10260 cell line was found to possess only 20% of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity found in wild-type cells. The presence of decreased concentrations of the catalytic subunit in these cells was confirmed through binding studies using a radiolabeled, heat-stable inhibitor of the kinase. Cloned Chinese hamster ovary catalytic subunit cDNAs were isolated, characterized, and used as hybridization probes to examine the relative concentrations of catalytic subunit mRNAs in the wild-type and 10260 cell lines. A 40-50% decrease in the concentration of the mRNA for the C alpha isozyme of the catalytic subunit was observed in 10260 cells, as compared with wild-type. This decrease in catalytic subunit mRNA concentration probably accounts for a portion of the decreased kinase activity in the mutant cells. Further analysis of C alpha mRNA by polymerase chain reaction confirmed the decreased expression of C alpha mRNA in 10260 cells and further demonstrated the presence of two different species of C alpha mRNA in the 10260 cells. One species of C alpha cDNAs was indistinguishable from the wild-type cDNA, but the other species was shorter. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the amplified cDNAs led to the identification of a 191-base pair deletion in the shorter cDNA. Gene transfer studies using wild-type and 10260 C alpha cDNAs demonstrated that the longer cDNA from the 10260 cells produced wild-type activity, but the shorter cDNA was inactive. These studies suggest that at least two alterations in gene expression are responsible for decreased cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity in the 10260 cell line. One alteration results in an approximately 2-fold decrease in the concentrations of C alpha mRNA in the cells. The other change produces two species of C alpha mRNA; one of the C alpha mRNAs does not encode an active kinase.
A Bayesian analysis of the multinomial probit model with fully identified parameters

We present a new prior and corresponding algorithm for Bayesian analysis of the multinomial probit model. Our new approach places a prior directly on the identified parameter space. The key is the specification of a prior on the covariance matrix so that the (1,1) element if fixed at 1 and it is possible to draw from the posterior using standard distributions. Analytical results are derived which can be used to aid in assessment of the prior.
Hydraulically Drained Flows in Rotating Basins. Part II: Steady Flow

Abstract The slow, horizontal circulation in a deep, hydraulically drained basin is discussed within the context of reduced-gravity dynamics. The basin may have large topographic variations and is fed from above or from the sides by mass sources. Dissipation is provided by bottom friction. To the order of the appromixations made (weak forcing and dissipation), the nonlinear hydraulic control is found to influence only the mean level of the interface separating upper and lower layers, and not the horizontal circulation. For the case of forcing from above the interior basin flow is anticyclonic about closed geostrophic contours and feeds into diffusive boundary layers leading to the draining strait and sill. With sidewall forcing, the interior is motionless and flow is channeled directly to the strait in boundary layers. The latter may circle the basin cyclonically or anticyclonically depending on the source distribution, and a circulation integral is shown to predict the sense of the overall swirl velocity...
Heterotypic gap junction channel formation between heteromeric and homomeric Cx40 and Cx43 connexons.

Recent evidence indicating formation of functional homomeric/heterotypic gap junction channels by connexin40 (Cx40) and connexin43 (Cx43) raises the question of whether data previously interpreted ...
You Look Suspicious!!: Leveraging Visible Attributes to Classify Malicious Short URLs on Twitter

Twitter is one of the most popular Online Social Networks (OSN). It is used by millions of users worldwide everyday. Due to the text limitation on Twitter (140 characters per tweet), URL (Uniform Resource Locator) shortening services are widely used, however they are not free from risks. Shortened URLs are completely different from the original URLs, and hence users have no idea where the short URLs will direct them to. Attackers leverage this knowledge to their advantage to spread malicious URLs. Most of the approaches proposed for classifying malicious URLs utilize information from both social networks and URL shorting service providers. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to detect malicious short URLs using only visible features of tweets and user profiles. We test four machine learning algorithms, i.e., Naive Bayes, random forest, support vector machine, and logistic regression and obtain an accuracy of up to 97% using random forest when classifying malicious short URLs. Our testing results indicate that the approach using visible features from social networks to detect malicious URLs is practicable.
Characterization of a P-Type Calcium Current in a Crayfish Motoneuron and Its Selective Modulation by Impulse Activity

Hong, Sungwon J. and Gregory A. Lnenicka. Characterization of a P-type calcium current in a crayfish motoneuron and its selective modulation by impulse activity. J. Neurophysiol. 77: 76–85, 1997. P...
Portal venous branch targeting with a platinum-tipped wire to facilitate transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedures

We describe a technique to aid in technically difficult transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedures by sonographically guided transabdominal fine-needle portal vein puncture for placement of a 0.018-inch platinum-tipped target guidewire within an appropriate portal venous branch.
Quantifying Reproductive Barriers in a Sympatric Pair of Darter Species

Quantifying and comparing the strengths of different reproductive barriers between diverging lineages is especially useful for determining the evolutionary mechanisms driving speciation. Etheostoma barrenense and Etheostoma zonale are closely related sympatric species of darters that are sexually dimorphic and exhibit clear differences in male nuptial coloration. Prior studies demonstrated that these species exhibit complete behavioral isolation, and that both intraspecific and interspecific variation in male coloration play a role in female choice, all consistent with speciation by sexual selection on male nuptial color. Remaining unclear, however, is whether behavioral isolation is the strongest reproductive barrier between these species or, alternatively, whether additional reproductive barriers are equally strong, which could implicate mechanisms other than sexual selection in speciation. Here, we compare the relative strengths of multiple reproductive barriers between the two focal species, measuring: (1) ecological isolation, (2) gametic incompatibility, (3) hybrid inviability, (4) conspecific sperm precedence, and comparing these measures to a previously estimated strength of behavioral isolation. We find that behavioral isolation is the strongest reproductive barrier measured to date and suggest it may be the only barrier that has evolved to completion. This result provides additional empirical evidence for speciation driven by sexual selection and provides insight into the maintenance of sympatric species in nature.
Thermodynamic properties of a Nd:YAG-CO2 double pulse laser-induced plasma and its applications under stand-off conditions

The effects of CO2plasma reheating are presented under low-irradiance conditions typical of stand-off laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The mechanisms and possible applications of the technique for enhancing stand-off measurements are discussed.
Heteroatom-Transfer Coupled Photoreduction and Carbon Dioxide Fixation on Metal Oxides

Photoactive metal oxides, such as hydrated TiO2, are known to reduce carbon dioxide to methane, but the mechanism for this photoreaction is insufficiently understood. In particular, it is not known whether the reduction of crucial reaction intermediates, including the formate anion, involves one- or two-electron reactions. In this study, we demonstrate that formic acid and its derivatives can be reduced to the formyl radical via a concerted reaction in which the electron transfer is coupled to oxygen transfer to a Ti3+ center on the oxide surface. Several other examples of such heteroatom-transfer reactions are demonstrated, suggesting a general pattern. The implications of these reactions for photocatalytic methanogenesis, perchlorate diagenesis, and planetary chemistry on Mars are discussed.
National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Certified Athletic Trainers' Perceptions of the Benefits of Sport Psychology Services.

Context: Certified athletic trainers (ATs) are responsible for integrating relevant professionals into the rehabilitation team to assist with the holistic care of injured athletes. Objective: To explore National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I (DI) ATs' experience with sport psychology consultants (SPCs), willingness to encourage athletes to use SPCs for injury rehabilitation, and perceptions of the benefits of sport psychology services. Design: Quantitative study. Setting: A Web-based survey was administered to a national sample of DI ATs. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 659 (341 men, 318 women) ATs completed the survey. Main Outcome Measure(s): Athletic trainers' experience with SPCs, willingness to encourage athletes to seek sport psychology services, and perceptions of the benefits of those services in injury-rehabilitation settings were self-reported using a rating scale that ranged from 1 (never or not at all) to 5 (definitely or extremely). Results: Logistic regression reveale...
Monoclonal antibody-purged bone marrow transplantation therapy for multiple myeloma

Forty patients with plasma cell dyscrasias underwent high-dose chemoradiotherapy and either anti-B-cell monoclonal antibody (MoAb)-treated autologous, anti-T-cell MoAb-treated HLA-matched sibling allogeneic or syngeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The majority of patients had advanced Durie-Salmon stage myeloma at diagnosis, all were pretreated with chemotherapy, and 17 had received prior radiotherapy. At the time of BMT, all patients demonstrated good performance status with Karnofsky score of 80% or greater and had less than 10% marrow tumor cells; 34 patients had residual monoclonal marrow plasma cells and 38 patients had paraprotein. Following high-dose chemoradiotherapy, there were 18 complete responses (CR), 18 partial responses, one non-responder, and three toxic deaths. Granulocytes greater than 500/microL and untransfused platelets greater than 20,000/microL were noted at a median of 23 (range, 12 to 46) and 25 (range, 10 to 175) days posttransplant (PT), respectively, in 24 of the 26 patients who underwent autografting. In the 14 patients who received allogeneic or syngeneic grafts, granulocytes greater than 500/microL and untransfused platelets greater than 20,000/microL were noted at a median of 19 (range, 12 to 24) and 16 (range, 5 to 32) days PT, respectively. With 24 months median follow-up for survival after autologous BMT, 16 of 26 patients are alive free from progression at 2+ to 55+ months PT; of these, 5 patients remain in CR at 6+ to 55+ months PT. With 24 months median follow-up for survival after allogeneic and syngeneic BMT, 8 of 14 patients are alive free from progression at 8+ to 34+ months PT; of these, 5 patients remain in CR at 8+ to 34+ months PT. This therapy has achieved high response rates and prolonged progression-free survival in some patients and proven to have acceptable toxicity. However, relapses post-BMT, coupled with slow engraftment post-BMT in heavily pretreated patients, suggest that such treatment strategies should be used earlier in the disease course. To define the role of BMT in the treatment of myeloma, its efficacy should be compared with that of conventional chemotherapy in a randomized trial.
Blue-on-Black Violence: A Provisional Model of Some of the Causes

This Article offers a theoretical model that explains the persistence of what I will call “blue-on-black violence.” Six features comprise the model: (1) A variety of social forces converge to make African-Americans vulnerable to ongoing police surveillance and contact. (2) The frequency of this surveillance and contact exposes African-Americans to the possibility of police violence. (3) Police culture and training encourage that violence (mostly implicitly). (4) When violence occurs, a range of legal actors in the civil and criminal process translate that violence into justifiable force. (5) The doctrine of qualified immunity makes it difficult for plaintiffs to win cases against police officers, and when plaintiffs win such cases, police officers rarely suffer financial consequences because their local government indemnifies them. (6) The conversion of violence into justifiable force, the qualified immunity barrier to suing police officers, and the frequency with which cities and municipalities indemnify police officers reduce the risk of legal sanction police officers assume when they employ excessive force. This reduction in the risk of legal liability diminishes the incentive for police officers to exercise care with respect to when and how they deploy violent force. Although the foregoing factors are not exhaustive of the causes of police violence against African-Americans, they suggest that the problem is structural and transcends the conduct of particular officers engaging in particular acts of violence against particular African-Americans.
Impact of Media on the Effectiveness of Corrective Messages

The medium through which a firm transmits corrective messages to consumers deceived by its previous advertisements may influence how effectively such messages eradicate relevant residual advertising deception. Conceptual literature and empirical results supporting this conclusion are respectively reviewed and discussed in this paper.
Influence of plant maturity on anthocyanin concentrations, phenolic composition, and antioxidant properties of 3 purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivars

Abstract We have determined the effect of plant maturity on total and individual anthocyanin concentrations, phenolic acid content, and antioxidant capacities in three purple basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) cultivars. Plant maturity significantly influenced total phenolic content (with values ranging from 3.30 to 20.08 mg/g dry weight, DW) and average concentrations of individual phenolics, including caftaric (0.08–0.85 mg/g DW), chicoric (0.13–3.55 mg/g DW), and rosmarinic (1.31–21.31 mg/g DW) acids. Cultivar and plant maturity significantly affected the total anthocyanin content (2.07–9.72 mg/g DW) and the concentrations of the four most abundant individual anthocyanins. Plant maturity also had a significant effect on measured FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) reducing capacities (3.50–28.73 mmol/100 g DW), and phenolic acid concentrations were found to have an important influence on basil antioxidant properties. Overall, the cultivar and the maturity of basil at the time it is harvested play critical roles in the herb’s phenolic and anthocyanin composition as well as its antioxidant properties.
Decolonizing the State of Nature: Notes on Political Animism

The essay argues that the convergence of posthumanism and postcoloniality may help questioning the theoretical dispositif of the Western ‘state of nature,’ thus overcoming the colonial fracture between political society and ‘premodern’ modes of existence. Some examples are provided of the resonances between postcolonial politics of knowledge and approaches to things and nature that, from within the boundaries of Western philosophical discourse, question the foundations of the post-Hobbesian ‘state of nature,’ mobilizing the unsettling energy of archaic relations to nonhumans.
Blood Pressure and LV Remodeling Among American-Style Football Players

Abstract Objectives This study sought to determine the relationships among American-style football (ASF) participation, acquired left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, and LV systolic function as assessed using contemporary echocardiographic parameters. Background Participation in ASF has been associated with development of hypertension and LV hypertrophy. To what degree these processes impact LV function is unknown. Methods This was a prospective, longitudinal cohort study evaluating National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I football athletes stratified by field position (linemen: n = 30; vs. nonlinemen, n = 57) before and after a single competitive season, using transthoracic echocardiography. LV systolic function was measured using complementary parameters of global longitudinal strain (GLS) (using 2-dimensional speckle-tracking) and ejection fraction (EF) (2-dimensional biplane). Results ASF participation was associated with field position-specific increases in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (a Δ SBP of 10 ± 8 mm Hg in linemen vs. a Δ SBP of 3 ± 7 mm Hg in nonlinemen; p Conclusions ASF participation at a lineman field position may lead to a form of sport-related myocardial remodeling that is pathologic rather than adaptive. Future study will be required to determine if targeted efforts to control blood pressure, minimize weight gain, and to include an element of aerobic conditioning in this subset of athletes may attenuate this process and translate into tangible downstream health benefits.
Veterans' Mental Health in Higher Education Settings: Services and Clinician Education Needs.

Objective:Utilization of the GI Bill and attendance at higher education institutions among student veterans have significantly increased since passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Campus counseling centers should be prepared to meet the mental health needs of student veterans. This study identified the mental health resources and services that colleges provide student veterans and the education needs of clinical staff on how to serve student veterans.Methods:Directors of mental health services from 80 California colleges completed a semistructured phone interview.Results:Few schools track the number, demographic characteristics, or presenting needs of student veterans who utilize campus mental health services or offer priority access or special mental health services for veterans. Directors wanted centers to receive education for an average of 5.8 veteran-related mental health topics and preferred workshops and lectures to handouts and online training.Conclusions:Significant training needs exist among clinic...
Physical activity, but not body mass index, predicts less disability before and after stroke

Objective: To determine whether physical activity and body mass index (BMI) predict instrumental or basic activities of daily living (I/ADL) trajectories before or after stroke compared to individuals who remained stroke-free. Methods: Using a prospective cohort, the Health and Retirement Study, we followed adults without a history of stroke in 1998 (n = 18,117) for up to 14 years. We estimated linear regression models of I/ADL trajectories comparing individuals who remained stroke-free throughout follow-up (n = 16,264), those who survived stroke (n = 1,374), and those who died after stroke and before the next interview wave (n = 479). We evaluated whether I/ADL trajectories differed by physical activity or BMI at baseline (before stroke), adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic covariates. Results: Compared to those who were physically active, stroke survivors who were physically inactive at baseline had a lower probability of independence in ADLs and IADLs 3 years after stroke (risk difference = −0.18 and −0.16 for ADLs and IADLs, respectively). However, a similar difference in the probability of independence was also present 3 years before stroke, and we observed no evidence that physical activity slowed the rate of decline in independence before or after stroke. Unlike the results for physical activity, we did not observe a consistent pattern for the probability of independence in ADLs or IADLs comparing obese stroke survivors to normal-weight or to overweight stroke survivors 3 years before stroke or 3 years after stroke. Conclusions: Physical inactivity predicts a higher risk of being dependent both before and after stroke.
An experiment of hit-and-run wireless attacks

Most security research focuses on protection from security threats. In this paper, we surveyed potential attacks to wireless networks, especially the usage of virtual machine infrastructure to carry out hit-and-run type of attacks. In the study of attacks, we demonstrate how to use a virtual machine to gain access and control to wireless routers while hiding attacker identities. We illustrate such attacks on our own private wireless network, as well as neighbourhood networks with granted permissions. Besides identifying the vulnerabilities of wireless routers, we studied the damages that can be done through such attacks and propose some solutions to detect and protect against this kind of hit-and-run attacks.
Voter Suppression Policies in the 2016 Campaign Cycle

The 2016 general election demonstrated that voter suppression is alive and well. Despite a string of court decisions in the summer striking down the most egregious obstacles, efforts to make voting more difficult expanded in a widening number of states. In addition to strict ID laws, rollback of early voting, and increased obstacles for ex-felons, states reduced polling places, closed locations where qualifying IDs could be obtained, and employed letter-perfect standards to reject thousands of voter registrations and provisional ballots—disproportionately affecting racial minorities, poor, and disabled voters. While difficult to quantify, these suppression efforts had noticeable impact in several swing states. Two elections after the Supreme Court’s Shelby County decision, voter suppression is entrenched as a partisan strategy, to the detriment of American democracy.
Hematologic Complications of Chronic Kidney Disease: Erythrocytes and Platelets

Anemia is a common complication of CKD, particularly among patients whose GFR is less than 30–40 mL/min. The most important factor contributing to this anemia is the relative deficiency of the glycoprotein hormone erythropoietin. Erythropoietin is produced in the kidneys by cortical peritubular interstitial fibroblasts. The production of erythropoietin by the kidneys declines as functioning renal mass declines. Iron deficiency is also a common factor contributing to anemia in CKD. Iron metabolism is normally tightly regulated by hepcidin. Abnormalities in hepcidin that reduce iron availability for erythropoiesis induced by inflammation contribute to anemia in CKD patients. Erythrocytosis is a much less common occurrence in patients with CKD, and is mostly seen in patients with polycystic kidney disease or following kidney transplantation. Defective platelet function with a bleeding tendency is well-known to occur in patients with advanced CKD and uremia. At what CKD stage platelet dysfunction becomes clinically relevant is not known. Therapies aimed at improving this acquired platelet dysfunction include initiation of dialysis, desmopressin (DDAVP), cryoprecipitate, improvement in anemia, and estrogens.
Synthesis and characterization of a novel aminopolycarboxylate complexant for efficient trivalent f-element differentiation: N-butyl-2-acetamide-diethylenetriamine-N,N′,N′′,N′′-tetraacetic acid

The novel metal ion complexant N-butyl-2-acetamide-diethylenetriamine-N,N′,N′′,N′′-tetraacetic acid (DTTA-BuA) uses an amide functionalization to increase the total ligand acidity and attain efficient 4f/5f differentiation in low pH conditions. The amide, when located on the diethylenetriamine platform containing four acetate pendant arms maintains the octadentate coordination sphere for all investigated trivalent f-elements. This compact coordination environment inhibits the protonation of LnL− complexes, as indicated by lower K111 constants relative to the corresponding protonation site of the free ligand. For actinide ions, the enhanced stability of AnL− lowers the K111 for americium and curium beyond the aptitude of potentiometric detection. Density functional theory computations indicate the difference in the back-donation ability of Am3+ and Eu3+ f-orbitals is mainly responsible for stronger proton affinity of EuL− compared to AmL−. The measured stability constants for the formation of AmL− and CmL− complexes are consistently higher, relative to ML− complexes with lanthanides of similar charge density. When compared with the conventional aminopolycarboxylate diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA), the modified DTTA-BuA complexant features higher ligand acidity and the important An3+/Ln3+ differentiation when deployed on a liquid–liquid distribution platform.
Le impronte sonore della geografia fisica per la scoperta della storia del paesaggio geomorfologico

Per analogia con la creazione dei paesaggi sonori applicando il filtro percettivo al suono e non all’immagine, e creato il concetto di paesaggio sonoro geomorfologico. I suoni in geomorfologia sono studiati da tempo, ma il processo di percezione che permette di creare un paesaggio sonoro geomorfologico e ancora molto limitato. L’estraniamento di suoni geomorfologici permette di utilizzarli al livello di impronta sonora come suoni tipici di un ambiente in un contesto temporale preciso. Tre esempi dove e avvenuta la riproduzione di suoni attuali in relazione con paesaggi passati, mostrano come la lettura del paesaggio e rinforzata dall’utilizzo di un’impronta sonora propria che permette di creare dei paesaggi sonori. Grazie all’utilizzo di impronte sonore tipiche di un luogo e della sua storia geomorfologica, e quindi possibile incrementare, potenziare e integrare il processo percettivo basato esclusivamente sulla vista, creando un’esperienza sensoriale piu completa del paesaggio.
Pushing the Boundaries: Searching for Housing in the Most Segregated Metropolis in America

The Housing Choice Voucher Program struggles to assist families in accessing low–poverty neighborhoods. This paper explores a newly introduced incentive in the voucher program in Milwaukee County t...
Immune Checkpoint Blockade across the Cancer Care Continuum.

Four studies recently reported in the New England Journal of Medicine highlight advances in treatment with immune checkpoint blockade across the cancer care continuum. These findings demonstrate efficacy of these agents in the treatment of early and late-stage disease, as monotherapy or in combination, and in addition to—or in place of—standard front-line therapy.