cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing food system vulnerabilities: a fault tree modeling approach.

Food system function is vulnerable to disruption from a variety of sources. Disruption of the processes required for food provision may result in decreases in food security in affected communities. Currently, there are few tools that quantitatively predict or analyze food system vulnerabilities to contribute to food system resilience analysis. This work presents a prototype version of one such tool, a fault tree, which can be used conceptually and for future modeling work. Fault tree analysis is an engineering tool used to illustrate basic and intermediate factors that can cause overall system failures. The fault tree defines food system functioning as food security at the community level and maps the components of the food system onto three main tenets of food security – accessibility, availability, and acceptability. Subtrees were populated using a top down approach guided by expertise, extant literature, and 36 stakeholder interviews. The food system is complex, requiring 12 subtrees to elaborate potential failures. Subtrees comprising accessibility include physical accessibility of the vending point and economic accessibility among community members. Food availability depends on the functioning of the food supply chain, or, in the case of individuals who rely on donated food, the food donation system. The food supply chain includes processing, wholesale operations, distribution systems, and retail center subtrees. Elements of acceptability include the medical appropriateness, nutritional adequacy, and cultural acceptability of food. Case studies of the effects of Winter Storm Jonas of 2016 and the 2013–2017 California drought in Baltimore City illustrate the utility of the fault tree model. FTA of potential routes to food system failure provides a tool that allows for consideration of the entirety of the food system; has potential to provide a quantitative assessment of food system failure and recovery; and is able to capture short-term and long-term hazards in a single framework. This systems modeling approach highlights an extensive list of vulnerability points throughout the food system, and underscores the message that reducing food system vulnerabilities requires action at all levels to protect communities from the risks of short-term and long-term threats to food security.
Behavioral Assessment in the Psychiatric Setting

Behavioral assessment, with its empirical and pragmatic emphasis on identifying important causal functional relationships1 between setting events and biobehavioral responses, is the most appropriate and responsible means of meeting the specialized assessment demands of contemporary inpatient psychiatry. These specialized demands require that a comprehensive assessment be conducted to identify the components of disordered and/or adaptive behaviors and the variables that control them. The assessment information can then be used to (1) design interventions that bring about a modification of patient behavior and (2) monitor treatment effectiveness. Importantly, these assessment tasks must be accomplished rapidly, as most patients are discharged and become outpatients within two to three weeks of admission (Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities, 1988).
Probability concepts and signal characteristics

This chapter provides a brief summary of the relevant concepts of probability and random variables. It also introduces some concepts of estimation that are essential for signal analysis. Many situations occur that involve nondeterministic or random phenomena. Similarly there are many signal and time series measurements with random characteristics. Their behavior is not predictable with certainty because of several reasons. To analyze and understand these phenomena, a probabilistic approach must be used. The concepts and theory of probability and estimation provide a fundamental mathematical framework for the techniques of analyzing random signals. It begins by exploring random variables and their various properties. The concept of joint probability is also described here, which is very important in signal analysis. The joint probability density function and its moments are the basis for describing any interrelationships or dependencies between the two variables. It also discusses numerous general properties of estimators including convergence, recursion, and maximum likelihood estimation. The last section describes random numbers and signal characteristics. Signals with known characteristics are often needed to test signal processing procedures or to simulate signals with specific properties. This section introduces methods to generate random signals with different first order probability characteristics.
Characterization of the exometabolite of Leishmaniadonovani as a novel glycopeptidophosphosphingolipid

Abstract Using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and various colorimetric procedures, the exometabolite of Leishmania donovani was shown to be a novel glycopeptidophosphosphingolipid. In aqueous medium the exometabolite aggregated to form micellar structures of high molecular weight. Purity of the various preparations and the novel nature of the micellar structures was demonstrated by TLC. These micelles are unique because they do not break up upon solvation in organic solvents. This indicates that once the supramolecular structure is established, its integrity is maintained by forces other than the apolar ones involved in its formation.
Paying too Much for Petrol-Can Britain Justify Using its High Fuel Taxes to Pay for Social Spending?

Britain's gasoline tax amounts to $3.40 per gallon and is the highest among industrial countries. High fuel taxes have been defended on the grounds that they reduce pollution and traffic congestion, and that they provide revenues to help pay for public schools, hospitals, and so on. This article discusses what level of gasoline taxation might be justified on the grounds of reducing pollution and congestion, and whether it is appropriate to set a tax beyond this level to raise additional revenues, instead of relying on other revenue sources such as income taxes.
Re-examining ‘library futures’: Data, big data, and ethical innovation

I look at the malleable concept of data, explore big data and its impact on patrons and librarians, and examine the impact of surveillance on privacy. It’s a wide-open topic that touches on numerous aspects of “New” librarianship, including dealing with future changes to libraries’ infrastructures, their foundational ethical philosophies, and their potential possibilities as hubs of innovation (i.e. as maker spaces, research incubators, future open access publishers, information brokers, etc.).
The role of Gdf5 regulatory regions in development of hip morphology

Given GDF5 involvement in hip development, and osteoarthritis (OA) and developmental hip dysplasia (DDH) risk, here we sought to assess the role(s) of GDF5 and its regulatory sequence on the development of hip morphology linked to injury risk. The brachypodism (bp) mouse, which harbors a Gdf5 inactivating mutation, was used to survey how Gdf5 loss of function impacts the development of hip morphology. Two transgenic Gdf5 reporter BAC lines were used to assess the spatiotemporal expression of Gdf5 regulatory sequences. Each BAC line was also used to assess the functional roles of upstream and downstream sequence on hip morphology. bp/bp mice had shorter femora with smaller femoral heads and necks as well as larger alpha angles, smaller anterior offsets, and smaller acetabula, compared to bp/+ mice (p<0.04). Regulatory sequences downstream of Gdf5 drove strong prenatal (E17) expression and low postnatal (6 months) expression across regions of femoral head and acetabulum. Conversely, upstream regulatory sequences drove very low expression at E17 and no detectable expression at 6 months. Importantly, downstream, but not upstream Gdf5 regulatory sequences fully restored all the key morphologic features disrupted in bp/bp mice. Hip morphology is profoundly affected by Gdf5 absence, and downstream regulatory sequences mediate its effects by controlling Gdf5 expression during development. This downstream region contains numerous enhancers harboring risk variants related to hip OA, DDH, and dislocation. We posit that subtle alterations to morphology driven by changes in downstream regulatory sequence underlie this locus' role in hip injury risk.
The course of the Orphan Stream in the Northern Galactic hemisphere traced with Gaia DR2

The Orphan Stream is one of the most prominent tidal streams in the Galactic halo. Using data on red giants, RR Lyrae, and horizontal branch stars from Gaia and other surveys, we determine the proper motion of the Orphan Stream over a path of more than 90 degrees on the sky. We also provide updated tracks for the sky position, distance, and radial velocity of the stream. Our tracks in these latter dimensions mostly agree with previous results. However, there are significant corrections to the earlier distance and latitude tracks as the stream approaches the Galactic disk. Stream stars selected with three-dimensional kinematics display a very tight red giant sequence. Concordantly, we find that applying a proper motion cut removes the most metal-rich stars from earlier spectroscopic samples of stream stars, though a significant dispersion remains indicating a dwarf galaxy origin. The deceleration of the stream towards its leading end suggests a circular velocity of ~200 km/s at a galactocentric radius ~30 kpc, consistent with other independent evidence. However, the track of the stream departs significantly from an orbit; the spatial track does not point along the same direction as the velocity vector, and it exhibits a lateral wiggle that is unlikely to match any reasonable orbit. The low metallicity and small dispersion of the stream in the various coordinates point to a progenitor with a relatively low dynamical mass ~$10^8$ Msun.
Systematically collected information at encounters with HIV-positive students: A review of 10 years of electronic medical records.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine clinical and epidemiological information collected by Student Health Center (SHC) providers on HIV-positive students, and benchmark this inform...
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scans

Glucose is one of the basic currencies of energy in the body. Evaluation of hypermetabolic tumors is the most common indication for a PET study. The degree of uptake within a location is related to the metabolic uptake and activity associated with that location. During activity, skeletal muscles have increased metabolic demands with increased uptake of glucose. The inflammatory response also has a high metabolic demand, which can be localized with this imaging modality.
Collisional mechanism for GRB emission

Nuclear and Coulomb collisions in GRB jets create a hot electron-positron plasma. This collisional heating starts when the jet is still opaque and extends to the transparent region. The e+- plasma radiates its energy. As a result, a large fraction of the jet energy is converted to escaping radiation with a well-defined spectrum. The process is simulated in detail using the known rates of collisions and accurate calculations of radiative transfer in the expanding jet. The result reproduces the spectra of observed GRBs that typically peak near 1 MeV and extend to much higher energies with a photon index \beta ~ -2.5. This suggests that collisional heating may be the main mechanism for GRB emission.
Acceleration of 4+ Ions in an RF Linac Accelerator

Axcelis introduced the Purion VXE system, an RF linac-based very high energy ion implanter capable of maximum energies of up to 8MeV for phosphorus and arsenic. To maximize the energy range the Purion VXE accelerates 4+ charge state ions to achieve the highest energies.Charge state 4+ fraction after the magnetic mass analysis of the extracted beam from the ion source showed apparent abnormalities, the fraction being higher than that of 3+ ions. With two electrostatic analysis methods, it was confirmed that the mass-analyzed 4+ beam in fact contained a large amount of contaminant, doubly charged ions with the energy of the extraction voltage, which possess the same magnetic rigidity as the 4+ ions.This paper describes the nature of the contaminant, its population in the mass-analyzed 4+ beam at injection into the RF linac, and how the RF linac successfully discriminates between contaminate and desired ions to produce contamination-free final 4+ beam.
Negative Mood Reduces Negative False Memories After a Brief Mindfulness Exercise

Research on the effect of mindfulness meditation on false memories has produced mixed findings. Seminal research on the topic suggested that a brief mindfulness meditation before encoding increases false memories. Subsequent researchers have found no effect or even a decrease in false memories as a result of brief mindfulness meditation. None of these studies have analyzed mood or stimuli valence as a factor. One hundred and twenty-three introductory psychology undergraduate were assigned to one of four between-subject conditions. Depending on the condition to which they were assigned, participants either completed a brief mindfulness meditation exercise or were told to let think about whatever came to their mind (i.e., a control condition). In addition, half of the participants then received a negative mood induction while the other half did not. All participants completed a Deese-Roediger-McDermott false memory free recall and recognition procedure using both neutral and negative lists. The results showed that mindfulness and mood had little overall effect on false memory for neutral lures. Negative mood reduced the false recognition of negative lures only for those in the mindfulness condition. This pattern was more applicable to individuals with higher negative trait affect. Mindfulness mediation reduced false memory only when a negative mood and negative lures were present. We discuss the results in terms of the source monitoring framework as well as encoding and retrieval processes. Further work is needed to clarify the specific instances when mindfulness impacts the occurrence of false memory.
The Emergency Resiliency Initiative: A Pilot Mindfulness Intervention Program:

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of a pilot mindfulness intervention program, the Emergency Resiliency Initiative (ERI), as well as to investigate changes in burnout scores and key drivers to burnout among registered nurses (RNs) and patient care technicians (PCTs) in a Level 1 trauma center emergency department (ED). Design: A mixed methods pre/post study with data collection points before and after the 3-month intervention. Method: Three mindfulness educational/experiential sessions were delivered once a month at staff meetings with topic themes of Introduction to Mindfulness, Practical Applications of Mindfulness, and Cultivating Compassion. Participants were asked to complete a minimum of two weekly 5-minute meditations. Burnout scores were assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory at preintervention (baseline) and postintervention. Findings: From the pre- (n = 35) to post- (n = 26) intervention period there was a significant increase in personal accomplishment scores (p = .01) and decrease in emotional exhaustion scores (p = .03) for RNs and PCTs combined. Qualitative interviews revealed five burnout-related themes: (a) prioritization distress, (b) change fatigue, (c) self-protection through superficiality, (d) intentional response, and (e) community amid chaos. Conclusion: The ERI was a feasible and acceptable program associated with improvements in burnout scores. Qualitative interviews revealed the positive impacts of mindfulness on ED clinician resiliency and identified future opportunities to address burnout from a holistic perspective.
Neural connectivity predicts spreading of alpha-synuclein pathology in fibril-injected mouse models: Involvement of retrograde and anterograde axonal propagation.

In Parkinson's disease, some of the first alpha-synuclein aggregates appear in the olfactory system and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve before spreading to connected brain regions. We previously demonstrated that injection of alpha-synuclein fibrils unilaterally into the olfactory bulb of wild type mice leads to widespread synucleinopathy in brain regions directly and indirectly connected to the injection site, consistently, over the course of periods longer than 6 months. Our previously reported observations support the idea that alpha-synuclein inclusions propagates between brain region through neuronal networks. In the present study, we further defined the pattern of propagation of alpha-synuclein inclusions and developed a mathematical model based on known mouse brain connectivity. Using this model, we first predicted the pattern of alpha-synuclein inclusions propagation following an injection of fibrils into the olfactory bulb. We then analyzed the fitting of these predictions to our published histological data. Our results demonstrate that the pattern of propagation we observed in vivo is consistent with axonal transport of alpha-synuclein aggregate seeds, followed by transsynaptic transmission. By contrast, simple diffusion of alpha-synuclein fits very poorly our in vivo data. We also found that the spread of alpha-synuclein inclusions appeared to primarily follow neural connections retrogradely until 9 months after injection into the olfactory bulb. Thereafter, the pattern of spreading was consistent with anterograde propagation mathematical models. Finally, we applied our mathematical model to a different, previously published, dataset involving alpha-synuclein fibril injections into the striatum, instead of the olfactory bulb. We found that the mathematical model accurately predicts the reported progressive increase in alpha-synuclein neuropathology also in that paradigm. In conclusion, our findings support that the progressive spread of alpha-synuclein inclusions after injection of protein fibrils follows neural networks in the mouse connectome.
Gloriana, Biblical Typology, and Moral Transfiguration

Connected with the problem of royal idealization in The Faerie Queene is an apparent conflict between the poet’s announced purpose to portray universal ideals of Christian virtue and his claims to be a “poet historicall” in the tradition of Virgil. This chapter argues that Spenser took a different view of history than the ancient classical writers, modeling the narratives of The Faerie Queene on scriptural history, which taught ideals of morality, theology, and politics through accounts of sinful human beings. Contrasting Virgil’s Aeneas with Spenser’s more errant Prince Arthur, Spenser develops a Protestant poetics in which types of Elizabeth resemble imperfect Old Testament types of Christ. Scriptural accounts of Moses and Elijah offer the nearest analogs to Spenser’s narrative techniques in presenting his Arthurian representations of Elizabeth.
Chapter 7 – Design of Advanced Membranes and Substrates for Water Purification and Desalination

Publisher Summary To be useful in a desalination process, membranes must exhibit a number of characteristics such as high water flux, high salt rejection, mechanical stability, resistance to fouling, and low cost. A number of polymer materials such as cellulose acetates, thin film composite (TFC) polyamides, cross-linked poly (furfuryl alcohol) and sulfonated polyethersulfone have been investigated for desalination. Of these, cellulose acetates and TFC polyamides have been the most successful. However, cellulose acetate membranes slowly hydrolyze over time; it is easily attacked by bacteria, and generally is not used above 35°C. Aromatic polyamides, although without those problems, have low resistance to fouling, as well as a low chlorine tolerance due to the existence of secondary amides and electron-rich aromatic rings. The currently available substrates used for the preparation of TFC membranes include polysulfone and polyethersulfone. Most of these membrane substrates, however, have relatively poor chemical and thermal stabilities, and for ultrafiltration (UF) are susceptible to performance degradation caused by fouling. Therefore, the development of more thermally and chemically resistant selective top layers and substrates is critically required for water purification. We have demonstrated a new method to conveniently make nanofiltration membranes with tailored surface chemistry from UF membranes.
Are non-abstinent reductions in World Health Organization drinking risk level a valid treatment target for alcohol use disorders in adolescents with ADHD?

Abstract Introduction Abstinence from drinking represents the primary treatment target for alcohol use disorders (AUD) in youth, but few adolescents who engage in problematic drinking seek treatment. A reduction in World Health Organization (WHO) drinking risk level has been established as valid and reliable non-abstinent treatment target for AUD in adults but remains unstudied in youth. Methods The present study used data from the NIDA-CTN-0028 trial to examine associations between reductions in WHO drinking risk level and changes in global functioning and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms during treatment in a sample of adolescents (ages 13–18 years) with ADHD and comorbid substance use disorder (SUD) (n = 297, 61% with AUD) receiving a 16-week intervention that combined ADHD pharmacotherapy (OROS-methylphenidate vs. placebo) and drug-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy. Results Shifts in drinking risk level during treatment were highly variable in adolescents treated for ADHD/SUD, and influenced by AUD diagnostic status. In the total sample, 15% of participants had a 2-level or greater reduction in WHO drinking risk level, with 59% and 24% showing no change or an increase in risk-level during treatment respectively. Achieving at least a 2-level change in WHO drinking risk level during treatment was associated with greater reduction in ADHD symptoms and better functional outcomes. Conclusions These findings parallel the adult AUD literature and provide preliminary support for the use 2-level reductions in WHO risk levels for alcohol use as a clinically valid non-abstinent treatment outcome for youth with ADHD and comorbid AUD.
Liquid Biofuels from Algae

Extensive uses of fossil fuels are posing several threats to the environment as well as human health. They have been used in such a way that in coming few decades, the finite sources of fossil fuels will be completely exhausted. Algae are one of the most primitive microorganisms on the Earth. They are small photosynthetic organisms that have an ability to completely replace the need of conventional fossil fuel for energy demand. They are robust microorganisms and can be grown in photo-bioreactors, open ponds, sewage or industrial waste without the need of arable land. Microalgal biomass can be converted to variety of biofuels via biochemical and thermochemical methods, they can also be used for the production of high value nutraceuticals at industrial scale. The present chapter deals with the various conversion technologies of algal biomass to biofuel, resource requirements, research gaps and operational costs associated with it.
Understanding stress: Insights from rodent models

Abstract Through incorporating both physical and psychological forms of stressors, a variety of rodent models have provided important insights into the understanding of stress physiology. Rodent models also have provided significant information with regards to the mechanistic basis of the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders such as anxiety disorders, depressive illnesses, cognitive impairment and post-traumatic stress disorder. Additionally, rodent models of stress have served as valuable tools in the area of drug screening and drug development for treatment of stress-induced conditions. Although rodent models do not accurately reproduce the biochemical or physiological parameters of stress response and cannot fully mimic the natural progression of human disorders, yet, animal research has provided answers to many important scientific questions. In this review article, important studies utilizing a variety of stress models are described in terms of their design and apparatus, with specific focus on their capabilities to generate reliable behavioral and biochemical read-out. The review focusses on the utility of rodent models by discussing examples in the literature that offer important mechanistic insights into physiologically relevant questions. The review highlights the utility of rodent models of stress as important tools for advancing the mission of scientific research and inquiry.
Bioethics Education and Nonideal Theory

Bioethics has increasingly become a standard part of medical school education and the training of healthcare professionals more generally. This is a promising development, as it has the potential to help future practitioners become more attentive to moral concerns and, perhaps, better moral reasoners. At the same time, there is growing recognition within bioethics that nonideal theory can play an important role in formulating normative recommendations. In this chapter we discuss what this shift toward nonideal theory means for ethical curricula within healthcare education. In particular, we contend that more attention to the particularities of historical and social context needs to be incorporated into bioethics training. To make this argument, we focus on two examples: teaching units on race and medicine and those that focus on stigma and coercion in mental health. For both, we show how a pedagogical approach in which educators focus on social injustice could influence how practitioners engage in ethics in the clinic. This chapter, then, demonstrates what a commitment to nonideal theory can mean practically when it comes to bioethics education.
“It's a Constant Juggling Act”: Toward Coherent Priorities for U.S. Policing

Democratic police reforms have reduced the isolation of officers from the public, putting recent public demands for changes to U.S. policing into stark relief with existing practices of police agen...
Injuries to Cadavers Resulting from Experimental Rear Impact

Low-velocity rear-end collisions frequently produce relatively minor damage to vehicles and perplexing injuries to occupants. These collisions are an ever-increasing hazard, especially at intersections, at interchanges, and to occupants of parked or stalled vehicles. In 1976 20% of all motor vehicle accidents were rear-end collisions involving two vehicles, but these accidents constituted only 4% of all motor vehicle fatalities [1]. The neck is the most frequently injured portion of the body, with 10% more cervical injuries reported in females than in males [2,3].
The New Illinois Civil Practice Act

PASSAGE of a new practice act controlling the civil procedure in the courts of the State of Illinois is an event of major importance not only in the jurisprudence of the state but also in the procedural history of the nation. The wave of reform of court procedure, which originated in New York in the middle of the last century and spread to a majority of the states, seemed to have dispelled itself some years ago so far as major changes in an entire state code were concerned. Recent procedural developments have been limited in the main to the perfection of special devices such as the summary judgment, the declaratory judgment and discovery before trial.' The adoption of a new practice in one of our great states is therefore notable particularly when that state is the one long regarded as the outstanding stronghold of the ancient forms-the example to which law professors might still point of the enduring importance of common law pleading.2 The invitation of the editors of the University of Chicago Law Review to comment upon this new Act has caused me not a little trepidation. One not immediately familiar with local practice cannot warn bench and bar of pitfalls so well as can local authors. The clear statement already published in this review and the announcement of at least one new and author-
Antenna Design and Radiation Pattern Visualization

Abstract : Characteristics and radiation patterns of many antenna geometries and antenna arrays can be evaluated but not easily visualized. This paper presents a software package that has been developed to allow for 2D and 3D visualization of the radiation patterns for many different types of antennas and antenna arrays. The package allows the user to visualize the field patterns for a given type of antenna, and to display the constituent parameters (input impedance, directivity, gain, etc). The user may inspect the field pattern for a single element of many different types of antennas (such as dipole, loop, aperture) or for arrays of common elements. The parameters for these antennas or arrays may be varied manually or via an automated swept parameter menu. The program allows for the design and study of diverse antenna arrays. Common types of 1-D, 2-D, and 3-D arrays are available, as well as a builder for an arbitrary system of elements. Synthesis and simulation tools are also integrated into the package to allow for automatically determining the best configuration for an array or an element to meet a predetermined radiation characteristic.
Visibility Graphs of 2-Spiral Polygons (Extended Abstract)

In a previous paper, the authors reduced the characterization of visibility graphs of simple polygons to the coordinatization of certain uniform rank 3 oriented matroids. We show here that in the case of 2-spiral polygons such coordinatization is possible therefore characterizing visibility graphs of 2-spiral polygons.
The European Regulations on Succession of July 2012: A Path Towards the End of the Succession Conflicts of Law in Europe, or Not?

In recent years, the mobility of people within the European Union has created major problems such as the settlement of cross-borders inheritances that may accelerate in the coming years.Europeans as well as foreigners own estates in different countries. This ownership triggers the application of multiple inheritance laws and creates conflicts of law. Currently in Europe, there are two types of inheritance law, the principle of scission (known in France, UK, and Belgium, but also outside Europe as in USA) and the law of the Unity Estate (currently applied in Germany, Spain, Italia or Portugal).Previous attempts to unify the rules of succession in Europe have been unsuccessful. Nevertheless, since 2005 , the European Union has focused on succession. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted last July 4th 2012 a European regulation on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of decisions, and acceptance, and enforcement of authentic instruments in matters of succession, and on the creation of a European Certification of Succession. Except for the United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland, this text is primarily geared to avoid conflicts of law of succession with a universal character. This means, for example, that an American citizen, owner of a property in Europe, could use these regulations. It retains the principle of one law applicable to the succession by determining the deceased’s habitual residence. This regulation denies all actual references to the rule of scission. It also admits the professio juris rule, holding that any citizen can decide the law applicable to his estates, which could be the law of his citizenship or the law of his habitual residence.In this paper, I examine some of the potential problems with the new European legislation such as the theoretical aspects of the rule of the habitual residence. Does the rule anticipate any conflicts of law? The paper also addresses the practical aspects of the regulations. One likely consequence is that the legal practitioners, who are mostly Notaries in the European continental law countries, will have to receive training about the relevant foreign laws. Till now, the question of how they will have access to this training and be ready to apply it to actual cases has not been adequately addressed. I suggest a new approach to deal with these issues. Since the European countries will have three years to reform their national laws to conform to the European regulations, the time is ripe to discuss the challenges that law ahead with respect to the succession laws. “Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity.”
A novel circular micro-plasma magnetic field sensor

We report a planar device with two co-axial electrodes for creating an atmospheric glow discharge (micro-plasma) that can easily rotate around an axis when a force is applied to the glow. When the device is placed in an external magnetic field, the glow experiences an accelerating Lorentz force and decelerating frictional and drag forces. Therefore, the glow rotates at an angular velocity proportional to the external magnetic field strength and to glow parameters such as electron/ion mobility. Hence, this device can be used both as a magnetic field sensor and a Hall-effect device, to measure carrier mobilities in micro-plasmas.
Nonlinear multimodal interference and saturable absorption using a short graded-index multimode optical fiber

A detailed investigation of the nonlinear multimodal interference in a short graded-index multimode optical fiber is presented. The analysis is performed for a specific device geometry, where the light is coupled in and out of the multimode fiber via single-mode fibers. The same device geometry was recently used to obtain ultra-low-loss coupling between two single-mode optical fibers with very different mode-field diameters. Our results indicate the potential application of this simple geometry for nonlinear devices, such as in nonlinear switching, optical signal processing, or as saturable absorbers in mode-locked fiber lasers. Saturable absorption in this all-fiber configuration is discussed and it is shown that it provides attractive properties that can potentially be used in high pulse energy mode-locked fiber lasers.
Clinical Trial Design for Anticancer Therapies

Clinical trials, which are prospective studies to evaluate the effect of interventions in humans under pre-specified conditions, have become a standard and integral part in the development of new cancer therapies. A properly planned and executed clinical trial is the most definitive tool for evaluating the effect and applicability of new anticancer therapies. Basic elements of clinical trial design are discussed, including study objective, population, design, randomization and blinding, primary and secondary end points, power and sample size calculation, study accrual, interim monitoring plan, and data analysis plan. The paradigm and essence of phase I, II, III, and IV trials are reviewed and illustrated with examples of commonly used designs. Novel study designs for the development of targeted agents, designs using biomarker and genomic end points, and Bayesian methods are introduced and reviewed. Finally, information on clinical trial conduct and reporting is provided and practical considerations and useful links are given. Keywords: adaptive designs; Bayesian methods; biomarkers and genomics end points; controlled clinical trials; phase I, II, III, IV trials; randomization and blindness; sample size; statistical power; targeted therapies; trial conduct and reporting
Multi-wavelength Observations of Composite Supernova Remnants

Multi-wavelength studies of composite supernova remnants (SNRs) lead to a better understanding of their evolutionary development, the interaction of supernovae (SNe) and pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) with their surroundings, particle injection and loss processes, nucleosynthesis, and the production and processing of dust grains in SNe. This paper summarizes the basic evolutionary development of composite SNRs and describes two unique systems in different stages of evolution; G54.1+0.3, a PWN in the early stage of evolution that is expanding into inner SN ejecta, and G327.1-1.1, a composite SNR in the late stage of evolution whose PWN has interacted with the SNR reverse shock. Both systems exhibit unique properties that have not been observed previously.
Altered brain-gut axis in autism: Comorbidity or causative mechanisms?

The concept that alterated communications between the gut microbiome and the brain may play an important role in human brain disorders has recently received considerable attention. This is the result of provocative preclinical and some clinical evidence supporting early hypotheses about such communication in health and disease. Gastrointestinal symptoms are a common comorbidity in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), even though the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In addition, alteration in the composition and metabolic products of the gut microbiome has long been implicated as a possible causative mechanism contributing to ASD pathophysiology, and this hypothesis has been supported by several recently published evidence from rodent models of autism induced by prenatal insults to the mother. Recent evidence in one such model involving maternal infection, that is characterized by alterations in behavior, gut physiology, microbial composition, and related metabolite profile, suggests a possible benefit of probiotic treatment on several of the observed abnormal behaviors.
Developing Negotiation Case Studies

While a great deal of excellent advice exists for producing case studies on managerially relevant topics in general, negotiation cases have distinctive aspects that merit explicit treatment. This article offers three types of tailored advice for producing cases on negotiation and related topics (such as mediation and diplomacy) that are primarily intended for classroom discussion: 1) how to decide whether a negotiation-related case lead is worth developing; 2) how to choose the perspective and case type most suited to one’s objectives; and 3) in by far the longest part of the discussion, ten nuts and bolts suggestions for structuring and producing an excellent negotiation case study.
Macroinvertebrate responses to constructed riffles in the Cache River, Illinois, USA.

Stream restoration practices are becoming increasingly common, but biological assessments of these improvements are still limited. Rock weirs, a type of constructed riffle, were implemented in the upper Cache River in southern Illinois, USA, in 2001 and 2003–2004 to control channel incision and protect high quality riparian wetlands as part of an extensive watershed-level restoration. Construction of the rock weirs provided an opportunity to examine biological responses to a common in-stream restoration technique. We compared macroinvertebrate assemblages on previously constructed rock weirs and newly constructed weirs to those on snags and scoured clay streambed, the two dominant substrates in the unrestored reaches of the river. We quantitatively sampled macroinvertebrates on these substrates on seven occasions during 2003 and 2004. Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) biomass and aquatic insect biomass were significantly higher on rock weirs than the streambed for most sample periods. Snags supported intermediate EPT and aquatic insect biomass compared to rock weirs and the streambed. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordinations for 2003 and 2004 revealed distinct assemblage groups for rock weirs, snags, and the streambed. Analysis of similarity supported visual interpretation of NMDS plots. All pair-wise substrate comparisons differed significantly, except recently constructed weirs versus older weirs. Results indicate positive responses by macroinvertebrate assemblages to in-stream restoration in the Cache River. Moreover, these responses were not evident with more common measures of total density, biomass, and diversity.
Determination of dibenzo-p-dioxin (DBD) and dibenzofuran (DBF) in paper pulp mill defoamer additives and in paper pulp samples

Abstract An analytical procedure has been developed for quantitatively measuring dibenzo-p-dioxin (DBD) and dibenzofuran (DBF) present at part-per-billion levels in paper mill defoamers and paper pulp using gas chromatography coupled with either low resolution mass spectrometry (GC-LRMS) or high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS).
Perception of cognitive performance in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

This study examined discrepancies between perceived and actual performance by patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) confronted with a challenging cognitive task. Before and after completing a modified version of the Stroop task, 40 patients and 40 healthy control participants estimated their own performance and the performance that would normally be achieved by someone of equal age and education level. After correcting for differences between the groups in depression, we found no differences in actual performance on the Stroop. However, patients with CFS consistently underestimated their performance relative to normal performance. This difference was observed for both depressed and nondepressed subgroups of patients, persisted after adjusting the results for depression, and correlated with patients’ ratings of the mental effort and fatigue evoked by the task. The results are discussed in light of cognitive models of CFS that suggest the setting of impossibly high standards of personal performance may contribute to the dynamism of this disease.
Evaluation of In Situ Characterization Techniques for Pavement Applications of Portland Cement-Stabilized Soil

Evaluation of the structural capacity of in-service pavements with a cement-stabilized soil layer provides a unique challenge. Properties required to assess the structural capacity include strength and stiffness of the material. Traditionally these parameters are determined from laboratory testing of samples obtained in situ. Obtaining, transporting, and testing material samples are expensive procedures often not possible due to the low strength of some stabilized blends. The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center investigated the potential of implementing a series of portable tools to rapidly obtain these parameters in the field. Field tests were performed at three sites, and samples were recovered and subjected to laboratory testing. Regression analyses were used to determine the existence of linear relationships between the results of the laboratory and field testing. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the validity of applying select relationships from literature and those developed in this study. The development of a reliable evaluation procedure was hindered by the inherent variability of stabilized materials. However, the devices investigated in this study should be considered for quality control testing on new construction with portland cement-stabilized soil.
Reentry for Serious and Violent Offenders: An Analysis of Program Attrition

With approximately 650,000 prisoners returning home each year, the discussion surrounding how to best plan for their transition home has increased. Traditional supervision-focused parole services have a limited ability to adequately address all of the exprisoners needs and issues. As such, in 2003, the federal government established the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI). The SVORI is a large-scale program that provided states with federal funding to develop or enhance existing reentry services. The current study builds on the previous research by examining factors associated with program failure for both the institutional and community phases of a SVORI-funded reentry program. The results indicate that those individuals who were unemployed, who did not reside with family members, and who were higher risk were significantly more likely to fail the program during the community reentry phase.
Further evidence regarding instructional effects on frequency judgments

Previous experimental reports have provided contradictory evidence regarding instructional effects on frequency judgments. An experiment was performed to clarify these findings, in which frequency discrimination was compared for two groups of subjects. One group was instructed as to the nature of the forthcoming frequency judgment task, while the other was told to prepare for an unspecified memory task. To avoid the possibility of response bias effects, the frequency discrimination coefficient, a correlational measure, was used to assess performance. Howell’s 1973 finding of no instructional effects on frequency judgments was replicated. An attempt is made to reconcile this result with the finding by Begg and Rowe that subjects in a continuous frequency judgment task gave unusually accurate mean frequency judgments compared to subjects who were tested following study of all items.
Treatment of Ebola Virus Disease

In March 2014, the largest Ebola outbreak in history exploded across West Africa. As of November 14, 2014, the World Health Organization has reported a total of 21,296 Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases, including 13,427 laboratory-confirmed EVD cases reported from the three most affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone). As the outbreak of EVD has spread, clinical disease severity and national EVD case-fatality rates have remained high (21.2-60.8%). Prior to 2013, several EVD outbreaks were controlled by using routine public health interventions; however, the widespread nature of the current EVD outbreak as well as cultural practices in the affected countries have challenged even the most active case identification efforts. In addition, although treatment centers provide supportive care, no effective therapeutic agents are available for EVD-endemic countries. The ongoing EVD outbreak has stimulated investigation of several different therapeutic strategies that target specific viral structures and mechanisms of Ebola viruses. Six to eight putative pharmacotherapies or immunologically based treatments have demonstrated promising results in animal studies. In addition, agents composed of small interfering RNAs targeting specific proteins of Ebola viruses, traditional hyperimmune globulin isolated from Ebola animal models, monoclonal antibodies, and morpholino oligomers (small molecules used to block viral gene expression). A number of EVD therapeutic agents are now entering accelerated human trials in EVD-endemic countries. The goal of therapeutic agent development includes postexposure prevention and EVD cure. As knowledge of Ebola virus virology and pathogenesis grows, it is likely that new therapeutic tools will be developed. Deployment of novel Ebola therapies will require unprecedented cooperation as well as investment to ensure that therapeutic tools become available to populations at greatest risk for EVD and its complications. In this article, we review several agents and strategies that are now under active development.
Reviews, Catalogs & New Publications

Margot Blum Schevill 1986 Costume as Communication. Bristol, RI02809. Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology. 28. 23 cm, 138 pp. 20 color plates, 31 figures plus unnumbered black and white illustrations for catalogue listings, technical diagrams, maps, appendix, glossary, bibliography, Paperback, $20. Distributed by the Haffenreffer Museum and the University of Washington Press, PO Box C-50096, Seattle, WA 98145.