cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of root fragment dimension, weight, burial depth, and water regime on Cirsium arvense emergence and growth

Sciegienka, J. K., Keren, E. N. and Menalled, F. D. 2011. Impact of root fragment dimension, weight, burial depth, and water regime on Cirsium arvense emergence and growth. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 1027–1036. Cirsium arvense is an aggressive, introduced, perennial invasive weed that flourishes in a wide variety of environments including conventional and organic agricultural systems as well as disturbed non-crop habitats. Even though much research has been conducted on the chemical, biological, and cultural management of C. arvense, less information is available on how pre-emergence factors affect its reproductive biology and growth. This research assessed the combined impact of root fragment size, root fragment biomass, burial depth, and water regime (a proxy of water availability) on C. arvenseemergence and growth in fallow conditions. In field experiments, root burial depth was the most important factor determining C. arvenseemergence and growth, with roots at the 10-cm depth having the greatest average e...
Strategies for Highly Effective Athletic Training Education Program Directors: A Practical Approach to Interdependence

Objective: Following Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, this article seeks to communicate effective strategies for athletic training education Program Directors (PDs) to follow. Commentary of Covey's work and practical strategies to integrate them into PD practice and responsibilities are provided. Background: Due to a lack of professional preparation, Program Directors often relate to what they know best–working long hours to get the job accomplished. It is not uncommon for PDs to mirror the work schedules of clinically practicing certified athletic trainers. With this in mind, we propose approaching the role of PD using Stephen Covey's wisdom from his literary work, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Practical strategies for integrating Covey's work into a PD's daily responsibilities, as well as remaining compliant with CAATE Standard expectations, are discussed.
Some unusual identities for special values of the Riemann zeta function

In this paper, we use elementary methods to derive some new identities for special values of the Riemann zeta function.
Long-Term Effects of a Medical School Sexuality Course

The study attempted to look at the long-term effects (2-5 years) of a 37 hour medical school sexuality course. Family practice residents who had taken the course were compared with a matched group ...
Role of Phospholipids in Iodine Binding

SummaryAfter an oral dose of Na131 I to rats, sacrificed after 48 hr, liver lecithin had maximum radioactivity compared to other phospholipid components; neutral lipids were devoid of any activity. Liver lipids had more activity than thyroid or plasma lipids. Plasma lipids had negligible activity after intravenous injection of Na131I after periods ranging from 15 min to 6 hr. Plasma lecithin does not seem to be a carrier of iodide in the blood. Liver slice or homogenate experiments failed to show any enzymatic process connected with association of lecithin with iodide.
Competitive Impact of a New Supermarket

The opening of a large supermarket creates heightened competition and concern about the concentration of food sales. This article explores the effect of one such opening. Before and after measures ...
Numerical analysis on non-premixed combustion of water ramjet

The combustion field in water ramjet was simulated by means of three-dimension,two-phase and turbulent Navier-Stokes equations and PDF model.And the influence of water flow rate on performance of water ramjet was discussed.The comparison results between simulation value and test value show that the method is suitable for simulating the non-premixed combustion process in water ramjet,and the results can be used for further investigation on water ramjet.
Highland and Lowland Peoples in Contact in the Tropical Urubamba

Before and after the Spanish Conquest, a stretch on the Urubamba River between 730 and 650 m above sea level (asl) became a contact zone where forest tribes encountered people of highland origin (Incas, Quechua Indians, mestizos, and Spaniards). Matsigenka Indians settled in that zone, but the other forest tribe, the Piro, annually came upriver from a long distance to trade. In the Inca period, contact rested on trading coca, woods, medicinal plants and ornaments from the jungle for salt and other goods from the highlands. Except for a small coca-growing fringe, the Incas did not permanently settle in the hot country. They had negative perceptions of the jungle environment. After the Conquest, Spaniards first took over Inca coca plantations on the fringe and then established coca and sugar cane estates through the colonial period. As highlanders pushed down the Urubamba below 800 m asl to start haciendas, they came into contact with Matsigenka. Catholic priests started a mission to save souls and haciendas used Matsigenka as a source of labor. An annual trade fair with forest tribes survived into the first decade of the twentieth century. Further highlander penetration down the Urubamba occurred during the cinchona bark and rubber booms in the late nineteenth century. Later, a new land policy of the Peruvian government distributed parcels in the jungle to highlanders. In the 1960s, road construction brought a migratory flow of highland peasants into the lower Urubamba. Engulfing the selva, highlanders cut forests, eroded the soils and depleted fishing and wildlife. A natural gas boom has led to further change in the lower Urubamba. The Matsigenka and Piro survive with their own blocks of land, but their aboriginal culture has largely disappeared.
A minimalist feedback-regulated model for galaxy formation during the epoch of reionization

Near-infrared surveys have now determined the luminosity functions of galaxies at 6 ≲ z ≲ 8 to impressive precision and identified a number of candidates at even earlier times. Here, we develop a simple analytic model to describe these populations that allows physically motivated extrapolation to earlier times and fainter luminosities. We assume that galaxies grow through accretion on to dark matter haloes, which we model by matching haloes at fixed number density across redshift, and that stellar feedback limits the star formation rate. We allow for a variety of feedback mechanisms, including regulation through supernova energy and momentum from radiation pressure. We show that reasonable choices for the feedback parameters can fit the available galaxy data, which in turn substantially limits the range of plausible extrapolations of the luminosity function to earlier times and fainter luminosities: for example, the global star formation rate declines rapidly (by a factor of ∼20 from z = 6 to 15 in our fiducial model), but the bright galaxies accessible to observations decline even faster (by a factor ≳ 400 over the same range). Our framework helps us develop intuition for the range of expectations permitted by simple models of high-z galaxies that build on our understanding of ‘normal’ galaxy evolution. We also provide predictions for galaxy measurements by future facilities, including James Webb Space Telescope and Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope.
Let's Talk Money: Evaluating the Security Challenges of Mobile Money in the Developing World

Digital money drives modern economies, and the global adoption of mobile phones has enabled a wide range of digital financial services in the developing world. Where there is money, there must be security, yet prior work on mobile money has identified discouraging vulnerabilities in the current ecosystem. We begin by arguing that the situation is not as dire as it may seem---many reported issues can be resolved by security best practices and updated mobile software. To support this argument, we diagnose the problems from two directions: (1) a large-scale analysis of existing financial service products and (2) a series of interviews with 7 developers and designers in Africa and South America. We frame this assessment within a novel, systematic threat model. In our large-scale analysis, we evaluate 197 Android apps and take a deeper look at 71 products to assess specific organizational practices. We conclude that although attack vectors are present in many apps, service providers are generally making intentional, security-conscious decisions. The developer interviews support these findings, as most participants demonstrated technical competency and experience, and all worked within established organizations with regimented code review processes and dedicated security teams.
Touch current suppression for semiconductor-based galvanic isolation

This paper presents the touch current (TC) suppression for the semiconductor-based galvanic isolation (SGI) solution. The solution achieves galvanic isolation by utilizing semiconductor switches to deliver differential-mode (DM) power during their ON states, while sustaining common-mode (CM) isolation voltage and blocking CM leakage current during their OFF states. In this solution, TC is resulted as the switch output capacitance is charged by the CM voltage at every switching event, and the TC rises as the switching frequency increases, which limits the system power density. This paper reviews multiple TC-suppression approaches for the SGI to meet the safety standard IEC60950. These approaches include preventing the TC generation, increasing CM impedance, bypassing the TC, and partially reduce the TC. Among them all, it is practical to reduce the TC via partial compensation for the switch output charge, using distributed auxiliary current-source circuits. To verify this approach, a simplified off-line power supply with a SGI-based dc/dc stage is built and tested. The results show the TC can be reduced effectively. It also allows the converter to operate at higher switching frequency to achieve higher power density, while meeting the IEC60950 TC requirement.
Use of milk fatty acids to estimate plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentrations as an indicator of animal energy balance

Negative energy balance is an important part of the lactation cycle, and measuring the current energy balance of a cow is useful in both applied and research settings. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine if milk fatty acid (FA) proportions were consistently related to plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA); (2) to determine if an individual cow with a measured milk FA profile is above or below a NEFA concentration, (3) to test the universality of the models developed within the University of Wisconsin and US Dairy Forage Research Center cows. Blood samples were collected on the same day as milk sampling from 105 Holstein cows from 3 studies. Plasma NEFA was quantified and a threshold of 600 µEq/L was applied to classify animals above this concentration as having high NEFA (NEFAhigh). Thirty milk FA proportions and 4 milk FA ratios were screened to evaluate their capacity to classify cows with NEFAhigh according to determined milk FA threshold. In addition, 6 linear regression models were created using individual milk FA proportions and ratios. To evaluate the universality of the linear relationship between milk FA and plasma NEFA found in the internal data set, 90 treatment means from 21 papers published in the literature were compiled to test the model predictions. From the 30 screened milk FA, the odd short-chain fatty acids (C7:0, C9:0, C11:0, and C13:0) had sensitivity slightly greater than the other short-chain fatty acids (83.3, 94.8, 80.0, and 85.9%, respectively). The sensitivities for milk FA C6:0, C8:0, C10:0, and C12:0 were 78.8, 85.3, 80.1, and 83.9%, respectively. The threshold values to detect NEFAhigh cows for the last group of milk FA were ≤2.0, ≤0.94, ≤1.4, and ≤1.8 g/100 g of FA, respectively. The milk FA C14:0 and C15:0 had sensitivities of 88.7 and 85.0% and a threshold of ≤6.8 and ≤0.53 g/100 g of FA, respectively. The linear regressions using the milk FA ratios C18:1 to C15:0 and C17:0 to C15:0 presented lower root mean square error (RMSE = 191 and 179 µEq/L, respectively) in comparison with individual milk FA proportions (RMSE = 194 µEq/L), C18:1 to even short-medium-chain fatty acid (C4:0-C12:0) ratio (RMSE = 220 µEq/L), and C18:1 to C14:0 (RMSE = 199 µEq/L). Models using milk FA ratios C18:1 to C15:0 and C17:0 to C15:0 had a better fit with the external data set in comparison with the other models. Plasma NEFA can be predicted by linear regression models using milk FA ratios.
Becoming Enthusiastic about Learning for the First Time Transitioning to High School and College

Chapter Five presents descriptive phenomenological investigations of becoming enthusiastic about learning for the first time upon entering high school and college. The studies are introduced on the basis of existing phenomenological literature on these life transitions. Structural analyses of becoming enthusiastic about learning are compared for the purpose of drawing relevant insights into the emergent process of becoming a lifelong learner. Immersed involvement in learning is shown to be a significant theme emerging from this research. Engagement has recently become a major concern within the ranks of higher education. Here, the phenomenon of engagement is interpreted ontologically as part of a process of capturing the imagination of the learner and mobilizing its creative power.
Delayed migration of a thrombosed aortic endograft within a thrombosed aneurysm sac resulting in continued sac expansion and rupture

Abstract We present the case of delayed migration of a thrombosed aortic endograft within a thrombosed aneurysm sac that expanded and ruptured. Dilation of the aortic neck likely led to endograft migration and exposure of the occluded endograft and aneurysm sac to systemic pressure. Although no endoleak was identified, a key finding on ultrasound showed mobility of the sac thrombus. This may be an indicator of flow within the sac that may predict potential for rupture. Despite thrombosis of the aortic sac and endograft, the risk of rupture still lingers, and thus continued surveillance of occluded endografts may be prudent.
Calcium-modulated supervised spike-timing-dependent plasticity for readout training and sparsification of the liquid state machine

The Liquid State Machine (LSM) is a promising model of recurrent spiking neural networks. It consists of a fixed recurrent network, or the reservoir, which projects to a readout layer through plastic readout synapses. The classification performance is highly dependent on the training of readout synapses which tend to be very dense and contribute significantly to the overall network complexity. We present a unifying biologically inspired calcium-modulated supervised spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) approach to training and sparsification of readout synapses, where supervised temporal learning is modulated by the post-synaptic firing level characterized by the post-synaptic calcium concentration. The proposed approach prevents synaptic weight saturation, boosts learning performance, and sparsifies the connectivity between the reservoir and readout layer. Using the recognition rate of spoken English letters adopted from the TI46 speech corpus as a measure of performance, we demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms a baseline supervised STDP mechanism by up to 25%, and a competitive non-STDP spike-dependent training algorithm by up to 2.7%. Furthermore, it can prune out up to 30% of readout synapses without causing significant performance degradation.
Elementary proofs of congruences for the cubic and overcubic partition functions

In 2010, Hei-Chi Chan introduced the cubic partition function a(n) in connection with Ramanujan’s cubic continued fraction. Chan proved that ∑ n≥0 a(3n+ 2)q = 3 ∏ i≥1 (1− q3n)3(1− q) (1− qn)4(1− q2n)4 which clearly implies that, for all n ≥ 0, a(3n+ 2) ≡ 0 (mod 3). In the same year, Byungchan Kim introduced the overcubic partition function a(n). Using modular forms, Kim proved that ∑ n≥0 a(3n + 2)q = 6 ∏ i≥1 (1− q3n)6(1− q) (1− qn)8(1− q2n)3 . More recently, Hirschhorn has proven Kim’s generating function result above using elementary generating function methods. Clearly, this generating function result implies that a(3n+ 2) ≡ 0 (mod 6) for all n ≥ 0. In this note, we use elementary means to prove functional equations satisfied by the generating functions for a(n) and a(n), respectively. These lead to new representations of these generating functions as products of terms involving Ramanujan’s ψ and φ functions. In the process, we are able to prove the congruences mentioned above as well as numerous arithmetic properties satisfied by a(n) modulo small powers of 2.
Hormonal Contraception and Breast Cancer Risk

Contemporary hormonal contraception formulations contain lower doses of estrogen, have new synthetic progestin components, and provide novel methods of delivery that have not been studied extensively in relation to breast cancer risk. Given that hormonal contraception is the leading method of birth control in the United States, it is important to reevaluate risk using current formulations. Recent studies including contemporary hormonal contraception formulations will be described.
Plasma ammonia concentration after L-asparaginase therapy in 27 dogs with high-grade lymphoma or leukemia.

Objectives To establish the occurrence of increased plasma ammonia concentration after L-asparaginase (L-asp) administration in dogs with high-grade lymphoma or leukemia; to identify risk factors for the development of hyperammonemia after L-asp administration; and to determine occurrence of adverse events related to hyperammonemia. Design Prospective case controlled study of sequentially enrolled dogs between May 2011 and March 2012. Setting A university veterinary teaching hospital. Animals Twenty-seven dogs with high-grade lymphoma or leukemia. Interventions All dogs received L-asp intramuscularly at a median dose of 400 IU/kg. Measurements and main results Plasma ammonia concentrations were measured at baseline, 16 hours, and 48 hours after L-asp therapy. Clinicopathological abnormalities were assessed to determine risk factors for the development of hyperammonemia. Adverse events following L-asp were recorded. Median plasma ammonia concentrations at baseline, 16 hours, and 48 hours were 26 μmol/L (44 μg/dL), 98 μmol/L (166.9 μg/dL), and 67 μmol/L (114 μg/dL), respectively. Median plasma ammonia concentrations at 16 and 48 hours after administration were significantly increased compared to baseline. Six dogs had adverse events following L-asp administration. No significant clinical signs were noted that could clearly be attributed to hyperammonemia. No risk factors for developing hyperammonemia were identified; however, there was a positive correlation between the development of hyperammonemia at 16- and 48-hour time points. Conclusions Subclinical hyperammonemia in dogs with lymphoma or leukemia after L-asp administration appears to be common. No risk factors were identified for the development of hyperammonemia after L-asp treatment, and severe adverse events were rare.
Changing the Education Workforce? The Relationships among Teacher Quality, Motivation, and Performance Pay:

Background/ContextWith a growing body of evidence to support the assertion that teacher quality is vital to producing better student outcomes, policymakers continue to seek solutions to attract and...
Taking the lead? Transatlantic attitudes towards lethal drone strikes

While opinion polls indicate majorities of Americans support the use of lethal drone strikes for counterterrorism purposes, European publics generally are much less supportive. This article develop...
Conceptualizing Technology in Literary Terms: Some American Examples

How a writer conceptualizes technology, perhaps even more than how he thinks of his own pursuits, will determine whether he perceives or denies affinities between technology and literature. To some degree, such conceptions are functions of larger national concerns and social attitudes. For the framers of the Constitution of the United States, writers and inventors enjoyed certain privileges not accorded to other citizens. Theirs are the only two professions singled out by that document as entitled to special protection. Because books and inventions contribute to the public good, their creators are entitled to profit through copyright and patent; Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 8 gives Congress the power “To promote the progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries”, Their common property rights notwithstanding, American writers traditionally have not only declined to affirm the relationship, but have also viewed their colleagues with suspicion. The explanation is largely historical; for many years technology held no fixed place in American cultural hierarchies. That uncertainty, in turn, grew out of even more basic confusion about what, exactly, technology was. While the definition of imaginative literature as a symbol-making activity has remained reasonably constant over the last hundred years, conceptions of technology have been revised (beginning at least with Ernst Kapp’s Outlines of a Philosophy of Technology in 1877) to include activities and innovations beyond simple tool-making. Since poets and novelists and literary critics seldom read scholarly treatments of technology, they have tended to rely on popular notions, which rarely agree with professional assessments.
General Discussion: Calculation of the Aspartame Dose for Rodents that Produces Neurochemical Effects Comparable to Those Occurring in People

Doses of aspartame or phenylalanine that raise brain phenylalanine levels more than those of tyrosine diminish the release of brain (striatal) dopamine and reportedly enhance the test rodent’s susceptibility to seizure production (by pen-tylenetetrazole, fluorothyl, or electroconvulsive shock). Exogenous tyrosine has opposite effects on dopamine release and, reportedly, on sensitivity to pen-tylenetetrazole. This paper attempts to identify the quantitative relationships between the doses needed to elevate plasma phenylalanine, relative to tyrosine, by a certain amount in people and the doses needed to produce a comparable effect in experimental rodents.
Serum amyloid A – a review

Serum amyloid A (SAA) proteins were isolated and named over 50 years ago. They are small (104 amino acids) and have a striking relationship to the acute phase response with serum levels rising as much as 1000-fold in 24 hours. SAA proteins are encoded in a family of closely-related genes and have been remarkably conserved throughout vertebrate evolution. Amino-terminal fragments of SAA can form highly organized, insoluble fibrils that accumulate in “secondary” amyloid disease. Despite their evolutionary preservation and dynamic synthesis pattern SAA proteins have lacked well-defined physiologic roles. However, considering an array of many, often unrelated, reports now permits a more coordinated perspective. Protein studies have elucidated basic SAA structure and fibril formation. Appreciating SAA’s lipophilicity helps relate it to lipid transport and metabolism as well as atherosclerosis. SAA’s function as a cytokine-like protein has become recognized in cell-cell communication as well as feedback in inflammatory, immunologic, neoplastic and protective pathways. SAA likely has a critical role in control and possibly propagation of the primordial acute phase response. Appreciating the many cellular and molecular interactions for SAA suggests possibilities for improved understanding of pathophysiology as well as treatment and disease prevention.
Perovskite Promoted Mixed Cobalt–Iron Oxides for Enhanced Chemical Looping Air Separation

Chemical looping air separation (CLAS) is a promising approach to produce high purity oxygen from air. Redox kinetics and oxygen carrying capacity of oxide-based oxygen carrier materials play a cri...
HIV/AIDS AWARENESS AMONG COLLEGE FRESHER'S

The rapid changes in the world expose the youth in to various dreadful actions and exposed to the risk of being victims of several health hazards. HIV is a major hazard to health care professionals. The objectives of the study is to find significance differences in HIV/AIDS awareness of college fresher's with respect to their gender, location and discipline of the study. Hypotheses were formulated on the basis of objectives. A self-constructed tool was used to collect data from 250 first year graduate students from various colleges of Arts and Science in Thanjavore district. Validity and reliability of the tool was established. Survey method was followed in this study. Results reveal that the significance difference in HIV/AIDS awareness of college fresher's with respect to their gender, location and discipline of the study.
What Are the Effects of the Maternal Voice on Preterm Infants in the NICU

Background/Significance:Premature infants often experience extended stays in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) as opposed to home with parents. This prolonged separation creates a strain for both parents and infants, decreasing attachment and parental caregiving. One strategy to combat this sh
Semi-Parametric Dynamic Contextual Pricing

Motivated by the application of real-time pricing in e-commerce platforms, we consider the problem of revenue-maximization in a setting where the seller can leverage contextual information describing the customer's history and the product's type to predict her valuation of the product. However, her true valuation is unobservable to the seller, only binary outcome in the form of success-failure of a transaction is observed. Unlike in usual contextual bandit settings, the optimal price/arm given a covariate in our setting is sensitive to the detailed characteristics of the residual uncertainty distribution. We develop a semi-parametric model in which the residual distribution is non-parametric and provide the first algorithm which learns both regression parameters and residual distribution with $\tilde O(\sqrt{n})$ regret. We empirically test a scalable implementation of our algorithm and observe good performance.
Intervention to reduce hypoglycemia fear in parents of young kids using video-based telehealth (REDCHiP)

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of a new video-based telehealth intervention to reduce hypoglycemia fear in parents of young children with type 1 diabetes. METHODS We randomized 42 parents to either immediate treatment (reducing emotional distress for childhood hypoglycemia in parents, REDCHiP; n = 22) or a waitlist control (WAITLIST; n = 21) condition. REDCHiP parents completed a 10-session video-based telehealth intervention, while WAITLIST parents continued in usual care. After 14-weeks, WAITLIST parents completed the telehealth treatment. We examined for between group changes in parental hypoglycemia fear and parenting stress (n = 18 per condition), 3-month maintenance of treatment effects for parents randomized to REDCHiP (n = 15), and pre-post changes for the entire sample (n = 36). RESULTS Mostly mothers participated (97.6%). They reported a mean age of 35.2 ± 5.0 years at pre-treatment. Children were 4.4 ± 1.4 years old and 59.5% boys. Between group comparisons showed a significant reduction in hypoglycemia fear (P = .04) and a trend toward reduction in parenting stress-frequency (P = .092) for REDCHiP parents compared to WAITLIST parents. After the three-month maintenance period, REDCHiP parents reported significant reductions in hypoglycemia fear, parenting stress-frequency, and parenting stress-difficulty (P's < .01) compared to pre-treatment. When all parents received the telehealth treatment, we also observed significant reductions in hypoglycemia fear, parenting stress-frequency, and parenting stress-difficulty (P's < .001), and sensitivity analyses revealed a significant reduction in child glycated hemoglobin for children who entered the treatment above target (P < .05). CONCLUSION Our new video-based telehealth intervention appears to reduce hypoglycemia fear and parenting stress and may help parents of very young children with T1D to better achieve optimal child glycemic control when children are above target.
Stabilization of Alpha-Synuclein Oligomers In Vitro by the Neurotransmitters, Dopamine and Norepinephrine: The Effect of Oxidized Catecholamines

Aggregation of the protein alpha-synuclein has been identified in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease and is initiated by the folding of the protein monomer into an amyloid form of insoluble fibrils. The neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine have been shown to both inhibit the formation of these fibrils and disaggregate existing fibrils, yielding the more toxic oligomeric form of α-synuclein. This study characterizes the stable oligomers formed through the aggregation and disaggregation processes in the presence of these catecholamines, and suggests differences in oligomer formation depending on the extent of oxidation of the neurotransmitter at the time of oligomerization. Unique oligomers are also stabilized, likely formed from the aggregation of monomeric α-synuclein and a proteolytic fragment of α-synuclein; however, proteolytic fragments do not form as readily in the presence of these neurotransmitters. These findings suggest novel pathways for the formation of α-synuclein oligomers in the presence of neurotransmitters, particularly oxidized forms.
Transabdominal Cerclage and Timing of Removal: Cesarean Vs. Interval Laparoscopic

Study Objective To demonstrate the steps of transabdominal cerclage (TAC) placement and removal. The video addresses timing of removal at time of cesarean section versus interval laparoscopic removal and reviews tips and tricks for both approaches. Design The video describes a needle-less technique to TAC placement which avoids penetration into the cervical stroma, prevents scarring, and facilitates removal. Additionally, we describe tips and tricks to utilize while performing cerclage removal and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of TAC removal at the time of cesarean section. Setting The patient was placed in either dorsal lithotomy and/or supine position for the videos. Patients or Participants In this surgical video we present a case of a gravid woman with cervical insufficiency who required placement of a TAC. The pregnancy was uncomplicated and she had a scheduled cesarean section, tubal ligation, and TAC removal. Interventions Robotic-assisted TAC placement for cervical insufficiency followed by removal at time of cesarean section. Interval laparoscopic removal is also demonstrated. Measurements and Main Results Successful removal of TAC during cesarean section delivery was accomplished. If TAC removal at the time of cesarean section is precluded, it can be deferred to interval laparoscopic removal. Conclusion In placement of transabdominal cerclage, a minimally invasive approach is safe and effective. Removal of TAC at either time of cesarean delivery or with an interval laparoscopic removal is possible utilizing these surgical tips and tricks.
Exploring a Social Identity Theory of Shared Narrative: Insights from Resident Stories of Police Contact in Newark, New Jersey, and Cleveland, Ohio:

Narrative identity theorists have long held that individuals construct identities as a coherent tale of their past, present, and future selves. These life stories are structured along predictable s...
Conservation lost: host-pathogen battles drive diversification and expansion of gene families.

One of the strongest drivers in evolution is the struggle to survive a host-pathogen battle. This pressure selects for diversity among the factors directly involved in this battle, including virulence factors deployed by pathogens, their corresponding host targets, and host immune factors. A logical outcome of this diversification is that over time, the sequence of many immune factors will not be evolutionarily conserved across a broad range of species. Thus, while universal sequence conservation is often hailed as the hallmark of the importance of a particular gene, the immune system does not necessarily play by these rules when defending against co-evolving pathogens. This loss of sequence conservation is in contrast to many signaling pathways in development and basic cell biology that are not targeted by pathogens. In addition to diversification, another consequence of host-pathogen battles can be an amplification in gene number, thus leading to large gene families that have sequence relatively specific to a particular strain, species or clade. Here we highlight this general theme across a variety of pathogen virulence factors and host immune factors. We summarize the wide range and number across species of these expanded, lineage-specific host-pathogen factors including ubiquitin ligases, nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors, GTPases, as well as genes without obvious biochemical function but that nonetheless play key roles in immunity.
Comparison of Performance of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms for Real-Time Atrial Fibrillation Detection using Instantaneous Heart Rate

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) condition that may cause a fatal cardioembolic stroke. The episode of AFib can be paroxysmal which increases challenges for its clinical manual diagnosis and affects the quality of life. Real-time cardiac monitoring with wearable health trackers can improve the chances of detecting this unpredictable event. In this paper, various Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms have been developed to classify beat-to-beat variation of AFib episodes in real-time using Instantaneous Heart Rates (IHR). Publicly-available clinical datasets from Physionet.org have been used for training and testing the AI algorithms. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, precision, F1 score, recall, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of these algorithms are evaluated and compared. It was found that, in comparison to other AI algorithms, the deep Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) with Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) demonstrates better performance for classifying the AFib episodes. The models developed can be integrated into wireless health tracker-based mHealth applications to detect AFib using IHR in real-time.
Hydrodynamic interactions with coral topography and its impact on larval settlement

Many benthic larvae rely on ambient flow and turbulence for their dispersal to settlement sites. After reaching the seafloor, larvae must prevent predation as well as overcome flow forces which act to dislodge them in order to achieve successful settlement. Most oceanic benthic habitats are topographically complex and are characterized by a combination of tidally driven currents and wave-driven oscillatory flows, which can exert substantial forces along settlement surfaces. In this study, computational fluid dynamics was used to numerically model both wave-dominated and unidirectional flows over surfaces of varying topography designed to mimic the surface roughness of corals. Near-surface hydrodynamic parameters, including velocities, turbulence statistics, and surface shear stresses, were computed, along with forces on simulated larvae settled on surfaces. It was found that widely spaced surface roughness (characterized as a k-type roughness with roughness width/height > 1) yielded 50–100% higher surface shear stress than tightly spaced roughness (characterized as d-type with width/height < 1), owing to eddy vortex ejection from k-type topographies. Results also found that a larva experiences up to two orders of magnitude greater mean fluid forces when settled on top of a roughness element rather than between roughness elements. Maximum drag and lift forces on a larva were two to three times greater in wave conditions compared to unidirectional flows. Our findings demonstrate that larvae have a higher probability to remain attached to surfaces when in less wavy environments and sheltered within coral crevices of d-type roughness.
Form and Substance in a Theory of Human Association: Vincent Ostrom’s Democratic Theorizing

This paper uses Vincent Ostrom’s treatment of democracy as entailing a Faustian bargain to explore some challenges that confront his research program into the theory of human association. To carry this exploration, I concentrate on Ostrom’s 1997 book, The Meaning of Democracy and the Vulnerability of Democracies. Ostrom recognized that the same formal theory could unfold in a variety of substantive directions. Ostrom worked with an ill-ordered soul and not a well-ordered utility function. Hence, both conflict and cooperation are endemic in human societies, with the crooked timber of humanity never allowing any good thing ever to be permanent. Ostrom was a realist and not a utopian with respect to the potential for human association. He contrasted a notion of genuine democracy with the faux-democratic ideas that are in promiscuous play today. As for the prospects for genuine democracy, Ostrom would surely have counseled a sober realism.
Transformation of Congressional Lawmaking by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 and Its Effects

From the 19th Century to the early 1970s the U.S. was consistently at the frontier of publicly relevant technology and policy advances. The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 (CAA) continued this tradition. However, the CAA transformed conventions for Congressional lawmaking in ways that had unintended negative effects on federal government operations, environmental management, and U.S. society. The CAA’s bipartisan framers came together at a time of environmental crisis and skepticism over federal regulators’ stewardship over the nation’s environment. Manufacturing and industry were prime sources of pollution. The framers feared that the formers’ economic and political power would influence regulators. The CAA therefore broke previous norms for lawmaking by giving the Environmental Protection Agency comprehensive national authority over air pollution and prescribing operational detail. In effect, Congress became the sheriff and the Environmental Protection Agency became the summons server for environmental policy. With powerful teeth, the CAA of 1970 and subsequent laws influenced by CAA precedents achieved rapid progress in controlling pollution. However, they replaced trust in federal agencies and cooperation between government and the private sector by regulations and punitive provisions, arousing antagonism in the business community. The results included deindustrialization, with mass exodus of business from manufacturing; litigiousness; barriers to innovation in environmental technology and policy; and perpetual battle over environmental regulation. Attempts by business and conservative-linked groups to reform regulatory policy were unsuccessful because they mainly sought inhibitions on the regulatory process. They failed to consider deep concerns of the environmental community and fundamental flaws in the regulatory system.
Microstructure and corrosion of non-equimolar multi-principal element alloys hardened by metastable precipitates

Abstract The design and corrosion resistance of five single-phase Ni-Fe-Cr-Mo-W-X (X = Mn, Al, and Cu) multi-principal element alloys (MPEAs) has been recently reported. In this study, these alloys were heat treated at 800 °C for up to 160 h starting from the solutionized single-phase to allow precipitation of secondary phases that provide increased hardness and strength. During heat treatment at 800 °C, σ-phase rich in Cr, Ru, Mo and W precipitated at the grain boundaries in each alloy. Furthermore, copious in-grain precipitation was observed in the MPEAs containing Mn and Al. After aging, the hardness of the MPEA containing Al showed the most significant increase in hardness, about 90%, due to the precipitation. Multiple phases that were different from those predicted to exist at thermodynamic equilibrium were identified in the microstructure of the aged MPEAs using electron microscopy. During cyclic potentiodynamic polarization experiments in 0.6 M NaCl, all five aged MPEAs were found to be spontaneously passive. Only the MPEAs containing Mn, Cu or Al became susceptible to localized corrosion at higher potentials due to breakdown at the interface between the matrix and precipitate.
Insect Activity and Its Relationship to Decay Rates of Human Cadavers in East Tennessee

This is the first report on an ongoing study conducted to collect data on the specific insects that are found in association with decaying human cadavers. Four nude unembalmed human cadavers were each placed, at various times of the year, within a decay research facility located in open wooded area. Data were collected daily throughout the entire decay cycle on the various insect populations that frequented each cadaver. Analysis of the data shows that there is a direct correlation between the rate of decay and the succession of insect families and species found in association with a decaying cadaver. Application of this entomological information can contribute to a more accurate estimation of “time since death” of an individual.
Nonverbal Communication in Expert Testimony

I will try to show that nonverbal communication in the courtroom is a little noticed, yet powerfully important part of the communication process. My research suggests that nonverbal communication might, under certain circumstances and conditions, change the outcome of a trial. Second and probably most importantly, I will try to share with you the techniques and insights that I use as a consultant for law firms preparing for trial. I will explicate pretrial preparation; the importance of physical appearance and establishing your expert qualifications; and how to describe your research, use videotape, state your conclusion, transcend your ego, answer hypothetical questions, and handle cross-examination.
Post-Enron Reform: Financial Statement Insurance, and GAAP Re-Visited

The fact that auditors are paid by the companies they audit creates an inherent conflict of interest that is endemic to the relation between the firm (the principal) and the auditor (the agent). I analyze a financial statement insurance mechanism that eliminates the conflict of interest auditors face and properly aligns their incentives with those of shareholders thus mitigating market inefficiencies arising from uncertainty regarding the quality of financial statements. Instead of appointing and paying auditors, companies would purchase financial statement insurance that provides coverage to investors against losses suffered as a result of misrepresentation in financial reports. The insurance coverage that the companies are able to obtain is publicized, as are the premiums paid for that coverage. The insurance carriers would then appoint and pay the auditors who attest to the accuracy of the financial statements of the prospective insurance clients. Firms announcing higher limits of coverage and smaller premiums would distinguish themselves in the eyes of the investors as companies with higher quality financial statements. In contrast, those with smaller or no coverage or higher premiums will reveal themselves as those with lower quality financial statements. Every company will be eager to get higher coverage and pay smaller premiums lest it be identified as the latter. A sort of Gresham’s law in reverse would be set in operation, resulting in a flight to quality.
GEORGES BATAILLE'S MYSTICAL CRUELTY

In this reply to Kent Brintnall's response to my essay on Georges Bataille and the ethics of ecstasy, I explore two primary questions: whether instrumentalization is inherently violent and non-instrumentalization is inherently non-violent, and whether there is a way to intervene in the world that avoids both “apathetic disengagement” and domination. I endorse the view that instrumentalization can be good as well as bad, and I suggest that it is possible to strive to intervene in the world without striving to master it. I make reference to Sarah Coakley as a Christian theologian who advances particular practices that aim for non-dominating intervention in theworld.
Historical Perspective on Experimental Methods

Aerospace structures are high-performance structures with stringent requirement on size, weight, load-carrying capacity, reliability and durability. Over the past century, significant advances have been made in furthering aerospace structures technology. Today's aerospace structures have benefited from significant experimental investigations that have revealed modes of failure – from buckling to fatigue to plastic deformation to fracture that occur in these structures. Experimental characterization, using prototypes and failure investigations, have enabled the generation of a physical understanding of the root causes of degradation of structural performance and the development of procedures for enhancing the reliability and durability. A brief review of some major advances triggered by failures is provided in this chapter to highlight the role of experiments in this process. Keywords: testing; prototypes; accident investigations
Abstract 20466: De-Sumoylation and Phosphorylation of Magi1 Induce Microcirculation Dysfunction via Endothelial P90rsk Activation in Endotoxemia

Background: In sepsis, intermittent blood flow (a form of disturbed blood flow) occurs along with microcirculatory dysfunction, leading to multiple tissue/organ damage. Membrane associated guanylate kinase-1 (MAGI1) is a p90RSK-binding protein, but the functional significance of this association remains unknown. Methods and Results: When endothelial cells (ECs) were exposed to disturbed flow or thrombin, p90RSK was activated and MAGI1-S741 was phosphorylated. Normally, MAGI1 is SUMOylated at K931 and localized in the membrane/cytosol. However, after disturbed flow or thrombin stimulation, MAGI1 not only was phosphorylated at S741 but also was de-SUMOylated. These post-translational modifications occurred independently, and were significantly inhibited by dominant negative p90RSK adenovirus transduction (Ad-DN-p90RSK). Thrombin-induced NF-κB activation, E-selectin expression, and EC permeability measured by trans-endothelial electric resistance were significantly inhibited in ECs transduced by Ad-DN-p90RSK and Ad-MAGI1-S741A mutant. Expression of a p90RSK-MAGI1 binding inhibitory fragment (MAGI1aa362-543) significantly inhibited thrombin-induced NF-κB activation. In contrast to the MAGI1-S741A phosphorylation site mutant, MAGI1-K931R SUMOylation defect mutant enhanced thrombin-induced NF-κB activation and EC permeability, while MAGI1-SUMO3 chimera expression inhibited it. Together, these results suggest that MAGI1 de-SUMOylation plays a key role in up-regulating both EC inflammation and permeability. We then studied effects of FMK-MEA, a specific p90RSK inhibitor, on capillary perfusion in the cerebral cortex of mice exposed to endotoxin using in vivo 2-photon microscopy. p90RSK inhibition reduced the incidence of intermittent blood flow (disturbed flow) and the number of rolling leukocytes, and restored the velocity of capillary blood flow in endotoxemic mice. Systemic blood pressure, blood oxygenation, heart rate, and respiratory rate were not affected by FMK-MEA. Conclusions: MAGI1-S741 phosphorylation and MAGI1-K931 de-SUMOylation via p90RSK activation are critical in regulating endothelial inflammation and permeability and may play a major role in micro-circulatory dysfunction in sepsis.
On the Modeling of Two Manipulators Holding a Rigid Object

In this paper, a two arm control model is developed for the closed chain motion of two six joint manipulators holding a rigid object in a three-dimensional workspace. Dynamic and kinematic constraints are combined with the equations of motion of the manipulators to obtain a dynamic model of the entire system in the joint space. A novel transformation approach is then applied to the entire system model to obtain a transformed reduced order two arm model which has great advantage over other two arm model. Specifically, this two arm model is identical to the model used for a single constrained robot manipulator; therefore, all existing control algorithm developed for single constrained robot manipulators, such as [17, 19 and 33], can be applied to two cooperating robot manipulators.