cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alleviating Marriage Penalties in the Income Tax and the Earned Income Tax Credit

This testimony before the House Committee on Ways and Means explains why it is difficult to eliminate marriage penalties in the EITC. The testimony discusses policy options including a two-earner deduction or credit.
Conditioned Basis Array Factorization: An Approach to Gait Pattern Extraction

Snakes locomote through sophisticated coordinated motions of their many degrees of freedom (DoFs). The exhibited regularity of their body undulation implies the existence of low dimensional representations of snake gaits. We posit that investigating the underlying motion patterns will lead to insights for understanding how animals control low-level joint motions in a coupled fashion to achieve behavior-level control targets. To study snake motions in a concise way, we develop a novel modal decomposition algorithm called conditioned basis array factorization (CBAF). Unlike most modal decomposition algorithms, CBAF uses analytical bases which can be identified with temporal, spatial, and behavioral (e.g., moving in a straight line, turning, etc.) components of snake motions. Applying CBAF to shape change data collected from a series of snake behaviors results in analytical representations of the recorded motions. These analytical representations provide insight into biological system models, as well as generate families of gaits for snake robots. Although this work focuses on snakes, the generality of the analysis techniques suggest that a similar approach can be used as an effective motion generation technique for any system whose locomotion is kinematic in nature.
Quantitative Analysis of Plutonium Content in Particles Collected from a Certified Reference Material by Total Nuclear Reaction Energy (Q Value) Spectroscopy

Microcalorimeters with embedded radioisotopes are an emerging category of sensor with advantages over existing methods for isotopic analysis of trace-level nuclear materials. For each nuclear decay, the energy of all decay products captured by the absorber (alpha particles, gamma rays, X-rays, electrons, daughter nuclei, etc.) is measured in one pulse. For alpha-decaying isotopes, this gives a measurement of the total nuclear reaction energy (Q value) and the spectra consist of well-separated, narrow peaks. We have demonstrated a simple mechanical alloying process to create an absorber structure consisting of a gold matrix with small inclusions of a radioactive sample. This absorber structure provides an optimized energy thermalization environment, resulting in high-resolution spectra with minimal tailing. We have applied this process to the analysis of particles collected from the surface of a plutonium metal certified reference material (CRM-126A from New Brunswick Laboratory) and demonstrated isotopic analysis by microcalorimeter Q value spectroscopy. Energy resolution from the Gaussian component of a Bortels function fit was 1.3 keV FWHM at 5244 keV. The collected particles were integrated directly into the detector absorber without any chemical processing. The $$^{238}$$ Pu/ $$^{239}$$ Pu and $$^{240}$$ Pu/ $$^{239}$$ Pu mass ratios were measured and the results confirmed against the certificate of analysis for the reference material. We also demonstrated inter-element analysis capability by measuring the $$^{241}$$ Am/ $$^{239}$$ Pu mass ratio.
Genetic factors influencing the development of chronic graft-versus-host disease in a murine model

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of bone marrow transplantation that can occur in either acute or chronic forms. Much of the long-term pathology seen in chronic GVHD is a result of autoantibody production. In the DBA/2-->B6D2F1 murine model of chronic GVHD, anti-ssDNA autoantibodies can be detected by 14 days post cell transfer. These autoantibodies are not observed in B6D2F1 recipients of cells from C57BL/6 or B10.D2 donors, which develop acute rather than chronic GVHD. Therefore, in this model, donor genetic factors predispose to the development of chronic GVHD in recipients. We performed a genetic analysis aimed at mapping donor loci that influence the magnitude of early autoantibody production in B6D2F1 recipients of cells from DBA/2 donor mice. Linkage analysis suggested an influence of two loci: a locus on chromosome 11 linked to D11Mit278 and a locus on chromosome 4 linked to D4Mit226. The locus on chromosome 11 also appeared to influence the development of renal pathology associated with chronic GVHD.
Effect of Sleep Deprivation Combined with Chloraldurate on Sedation and Hypnosis of Infants with Pulmonary Function Test

Objective To explore the clinical effect of sleep deprivation combined with chloraldurate on the sedation and hypnosis of infants with pulmonary function test. Methods Six hundred cases of infants with pulmonary function test in our hospital were randomly divided into the observation group(n = 300, oral administration with chloraldurate combined with short time sleep deprivation before test)and the control group(n = 300, oral administration with chloraldurate before test). The sedative effect and the time for falling asleep were analyzed. Results No statistical difference was found in the total effective rate of sedation of aged from 2 to 7 months between two groups(P 0.05), but the total effective rate of sedation of aged from 8 months to 2 years and aged from 2 to 4 years of observation group were92.5% and 85.2% respectively, significantly higher than 81.3% and 65.1% of control group, respectively(P 0.05). No statistical difference was found in the time for falling asleep of aged from 2 to 7 months between two groups(P 0.05), but the times for falling asleep of aged from 8 months to 2 years and aged from 2 to 4 years of observation group were significantly shorter than those of control group(P 0.05).Conclusions Sleep deprivation combined with chloraldurate during the pulmonary function test in infants has good sedative-hypnotic effect,which can help infants fall asleep as soon as possible, and ensure the smooth and safe of test.
From vanguards of revolution to vanguards of consumption: Changing conceptualizations of adolescence in contemporary Vietnam and implications for adolescent/youth services

This historical study analyzes the transformation of the concept ‘adolescence’ in post-war Vietnam (1975–2005) and its implications for social work. Government-regulated media documents show that the concept of adolescence has undergone three phases corresponding to the three political-economic shifts in Vietnam over these decades: adolescents as miniature communists (1975–1986); adolescents as growing youths characterized by romantic sentiments, puberty, and identity search (1986–1995); and adolescents as the newly coined ‘teen Viet’ and vanguards of capitalist consumption (1996–2005). Social work with Vietnamese adolescents and families must consider the impact of these conceptual shifts on thoughts, emotions, and behaviors of corresponding adolescent cohorts.
Ecological Species Groups of Oak Ecosystems of Southeastern Michigan

Des groupes ecologiques ont ete determines d'apres des observations de terrains et les donnees de placettes analysees et arrangees en tables d'associations, dans des ecosystemes domines par le chene du Sud-est du Michigan. 13 groupes d'especes ont ete determines a partir de 68 especes herbacees et arbustives. La valeur indicative de station de ces groupes est discutee
Watch What Yuh Sayin

The author explores the power inherent in the use of language in our daily lives. Connecting her ideas and experiences with her Trinbagonian culture, the author notes that language is not only an instrument of communication, but is also representative of class, community, and cultural norms. Switching among variations of U.S. and Trinbagonian English, she examines the meanings and intersectionalities of her experiences as she navigates the influence of this power differential on her life as an immigrant to the U.S.
Actors in the Classroom: The Dramatic Pedagogy Model of Counselor Education

ABSTRACTRole playing is a fundamental component in the training of counselors to use counseling skills. However, role play activities commonly involve counseling students as clients or actors and hence have notable limitations. One training method widely practiced in the medical profession is the use of professional actors as patients. Although there are some examples in the literature of studies that have used actors for counselor training, most address only a specific topic or skill set. In this article, the authors propose the dramatic pedagogy model (DPM) as a comprehensive model for implementing client actors into the education of counselors. The DPM includes a set of pedagogical techniques and a structure for preparing actors and curriculum.
Clinical Reasoning: An unusual cause of indeterminate spells

A 38-year-old, right-handed woman presented to the epilepsy clinic for evaluation of recurrent spells. These spells are characterized by an aura of a “rushing” cephalic sensation and a sense of “spaciness” or “dizziness” followed by loss of awareness with subsequent amnesia for the event. During these events, the patient is observed by family to sit down and slump forward or fall, followed by hyperventilation and occasionally staring, for up to 3 minutes. There is no head turn, eye deviation, or abnormal body movements. Postictally, she reports generalized weakness without focality and confusion. The spells occurred sporadically for 8 years, but recently increased in frequency to 5 to 20 times per day. Triggers included lack of sleep, stress, and various food products. The patient reported some improvement with levetiracetam therapy at 1,500 mg twice daily.
Alpha particle enhanced permeabilization of the blood tumor barrier using alpha-v beta-3 (αvβ3) specific nanoparticles

633 Objectives Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor characterized by extensive angiogenesis and micrometastasis. Despite the leaky nature of GBM blood vessels, effective delivery of therapeutics has been a major challenge due to the highly torturous nature of newly formed vasculature in the tumor microenvironment, especially in the non-enhancing regions seen on MRI. We previously showed the permeabilization of the blood brain barrier (BBB) using αVβ3-targeted nanoparticles radiolabeled with alpha particle emitting isotopes in normal brain. In this work, we examine the ability of our radiolabeled nanoparticles to enhance the permeability of blood tumor barrier (BTB) in an orthotopic GBM model, as has been reported to occur after external beam radiation. Methods Human GBM cells were implanted intracranially in nude mice and allowed to grow for ~14 days. 225Ac labeled nanoparticles were injected intracranially into mice (~1µCi/animal). Enhancement of BTB permeability was measured 2 and 5 days post 225Ac injection (n=3). Effect of dexamethasone administration (48 h) on 225Ac enhanced BTB opening was also examined. Inherent BTB permeability of tumors was measured and used as control. Evan’s blue dye and fluorescent PGLA nanoparticles were used to measure BTB permeability in all mice. Results When compared to control mice, 225Ac labeled nanoparticles caused significant enhancement of BTB permeability 2 and 5 days post injection. Administration of dexamethasone caused a modest decrease in 225Ac-induced enhanced BTB permeability. γ-H2A.X staining showed negligible double stranded DNA damage in sectioned brains away from the site of injection, indicating that the BTB permeability in the distal regions was not related to direct damage caused by alpha particle emission in these regions, in contrast to the direct tumor killing seen at the injection site. Conclusions Based on these results, our targeted nanoparticles radiolabeled with alpha particle emitters can potentially be exploited to enhance the permeability of BTB for systemically administered therapies in addition to their direct toxicity on their targets.
Poster: SafeRoute a framework for assessment of road safety

Navigation systems typically suggest directions to the user based on factors such as weather conditions, traffic information, and road hazards. By considering these factors, the system can suggest a route in which travel time is minimized. However, these navigation systems fail to include any meaningful information about the relative safety of different routes. For example, some roads are significantly more accident prone than others and can easily be avoided. By taking alternative paths, individuals can reduce risk, while often adding only minimal time to their commutes. We develop a model for road safety based on data from the California Freeway Performance Measurement System (PEMS) database. Our model for road safety considers risk using historical accident data based on factors such as the time of day, day of week, average speed, flow, and other traffic features. Our experimental results using the RandomForest classifier show a classification accuracy of 80% for identifying high-risk routes.
Rethinking the videogame case: trying and intending

In this paper, I defend the view that a person performs an action A intentionally only if she intends to A against Michael Bratman’s alleged counterexample to it: the videogame case. I object that Bratman is mistaken in assuming that the consistency among an agent’s intentions is about the consistency among intended goals or objectives. Instead, I argue that the real reason why an agent’s intentions need to be consistent with each other is due to the necessity of the compatibility of corresponding efforts of trying. But unfortunately for Bratman, this efforts-based consistency constraint – as a replacement of the objectives-based consistency constraint – cannot save the videogame case.
Myoelectric Control Based on a Generic Musculoskeletal Model: Toward a Multi-User Neural-Machine Interface

This paper aimed to develop a novel electromyography (EMG)-based neural-machine interface (NMI) that is user-generic for continuously predicting coordinated motion betweenmuscle contractionmetacarpophalangeal (MCP) and wrist flexion/extension. The NMI requires a minimum calibration procedure that only involves capturing maximal voluntary muscle contraction for themonitoredmuscles for individual users. At the center of the NMI is a user-generic musculoskeletal model based on the experimental data collected from six able-bodied (AB) subjects and nine different upper limb postures. The generic model was evaluated on-line on both AB subjects and a transradial amputee. The subjectswere instructed to performa virtual hand/wrist posture matching task with different upper limb postures. The on-line performanceof the genericmodelwas also compared with that of the musculoskeletal model customized to each individual user (called “specific model”). All subjects accomplished the assigned virtual tasks while using the user-generic NMI, although the AB subjects produced better performance than the amputee subject. Interestingly, compared with the specific model, the generic model produced comparable completion time, a reduced number of overshoots, and improved path efficiency in the virtual hand/wrist posture matching task. The results suggested that it is possible to design an EMG-driven NMI based on a musculoskeletalmodelthat could fit multiple users, including upper limb amputees, for predicting coordinated MCP and wrist motion. The present new method might address the challenges of existing advanced EMG-based NMI that require frequent and lengthy customization and calibration. Our future research will focus on evaluating the developed NMI for powered prosthetic arms.
Human Rights Education’s Curriculum Problem

Employing a theoretical perspective from the critical sociology of education, this article identifies a curriculum problem in human rights education (HRE) in schools and suggests strategies to solve it. The main problem is HRE’s lack of an episteme—a disciplinary structure created in specialist communities—and, related to this, the flight of scholars from the field of curriculum practice, redefining it away from subject matter. A more robust HRE in schools will require not only advocacy but a curriculum, one that teachers can adapt to local needs, constraints, and students. Knowledge matters. If knowledge work of this sort is missing from HRE then it is difficult to claim that HRE has a social justice mission.
An analysis of the students' academic background in a computer forensics program

It has been seven years since we began offering a baccalaureate program in computer forensics. This innovative program has been growing steadily each year with more than 200 students currently enrolled. In this paper, we will first present the current status of the program regarding its enrollment, lab development, faculty recruitment, community building, and curriculum improvement. Then we will fully discuss the academic background of our students according to their previous study interest areas and degree completions. Based on the study, the strategies for better serving our students will be presented.
Imagining, Creating, Playing, Sharing, Reflecting: How Online Community Supports Young People as Designers of Interactive Media

As young people design interactive media, they go through an iterative process of imagining, creating, playing, sharing, and reflecting. In this chapter, we describe how this iterative design process is ideally supported by having access to other people. We illustrate this through case studies of young people using the Scratch programming environment to create their own interactive media with support from the Scratch online community.
Abstract 51: Degree of Clot Enhancement on Admission CT Predicts Revascularization Efficacy in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background: Thrombi in the setting of acute ischemic stroke have been classified in pathology studies as “red clots” (erythrocyte rich) versus “white clots” (platelet/fibrin rich). Current strategies in lysing these clots include pharmacological agents and mechanical devices. Despite these treatment options, thrombolysis fails in a significant portion of patients and may lead to hemorrhagic complications. Having insight into the clot composition may provide clinicians with a way to triage patients to the appropriate treatment. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether the lysability of thrombi in acute ischemic stroke can be predicted by measuring the Hounsfield (HU) on the admission non-contrast CT (NCT), post-contrast enhanced CT (CECT) and CTA. Methods: We studied 53 patients with acute anterior and posterior circulation large vessel ischemic strokes treated at our institution with IV tPA, IA tPA, and/or mechanical thrombectomy devices (Merci). The HU of the clot was measured on NCT, CECT and CTA. The HU of the homologous contralateral cerebral artery was also measured for standardization purposes. The obtained HU was corrected for hematocrit by using an accepted correction formula HUclot/HUcontralateral. The volume of the clot was calculated using the formula for a cylinder with an elliptical base (π x R x r xH). Recanalization was assessed by TICI grade (0-3). Results: There is a strong correlation between the HU of the thrombus on preintervention NCT and postintervention TICI grade among all patients regardless of pharmacological or mechanical treatment (Table 1). Patients with TICI≥2 demonstrated higher HU on NCT compared to patients with TICI Conclusion: Thrombi with lower HU on NCT appear to be more resistant to pharmacological and mechanical thrombectomy and likely represent “white clots.” While thrombi with higher HU are less resistant to acute stroke therapies and likely represent “red clots.” Measuring the HU of the thrombus on the admission NCT provides the stroke team with a rapid method to analyze the clot composition, a potentially useful discriminator in selecting the most appropriate reperfusion strategy for an individual patient.
Platelet monoamine oxidase. I: Effect of temperature, anticoagulant, and centrifugation technique

Platelet yield and monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity per platelet in platelets obtained by the method of Corash, which isolates essentially all platelets from whole blood, and by a single differential centrifugation of whole blood, were compared. Platelets recovered by one spin in a swinging bucket rotor appeared to be a homogeneous population containing a reliable representation of the platelet population obtained by the Corash method since the MAO specific activity yielded by the two methods was not significantly different. The effect of the anticoagulant, temperature, and type of rotor on platelet recovery from blood and MAO activity/platelet were also studied. The MAO and plasma amine oxidaze (PAO) activities obtained from blood anticoagulated with ethylenediaminetetracetate (EDTA) were significantly greater than those found when acid-citrate-dextrose was the anticoagulant. Blood centrifuged in a swinging bucket rotor at room temperature yielded 80-90% of total platelets as compared to the 45-65% recovered with a fixed-angle rotor at 0-4 C. The most efficient method of platelet isolation was found to be a 2 1/2-min room-temperature spin at 600 X g with a swinging bucket rotor using EDTA as anticoagulant.
Dance and Creativity

Dance and creativity outlines the interrelationship between the dancer, choreographer, and viewer. The creative process and the transient visceral nature of dance are discussed as a universal phenomenon that has persisted since dance's earliest beginnings. Dance forms and practices are summarized including descriptions of the historical, social and political climate of dance and the neurobiology operating during creativity and dance performance. Dance as a healing art, social activity, and aesthetic art form are elaborated throughout the article. Empirical research describing the dance artist and dance practices add to our global perspective of dance.
Tourism Demand Analysis of the Federal Protected Areas of Brazil

The purpose of this paper was to estimate the visitation potential within the Brazilian Federal system of Protected Areas, based on an expanded Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) framework (physical, social, and managerial attributes). In addition, this paper seeks to develop a series of models to estimate the number of visitors based on classes of recreational use. Data were collected from different sources: (1) primary data were collected online, surveying managers of 71 National Parks and 67 National Forests; (2) data were gathered from secondary sources (a government agency’s (ICMBio) internal management reports and other mediums, such as databases and websites). Selected variables, data collection methods, and analyses were adapted from previous research. The study employed Pearson’s correlation and stepwise linear regression to analyze how indicators from the physical, social, and managerial attributes were related to the number of visitors. Models were created to estimate the potential number of visitors. Results indicated that tourism demand was correlated to physical, social, and managerial attributes (internal and external) accordingly to the expanded ROS model. Besides, while internal characteristics and management objectives were the most important variables, external factors independent of protected areas governance were also influential. Using a conservative approach, analyses indicated that by increasing internal investments in the federal system, there would have been 13.4 million visitors to protected areas in 2015, instead of the observed 8.1 million visitors. This would represent an increase of 62% in recreation opportunities, augmenting revenues for the protected areas agency, and business and employment opportunities for local communities. Overall, results exemplified the relative importance of different protected areas attributes and their need in developing protected areas. In addition, outdoor recreation needs to be planned within a larger context of a touristic destination. Accordingly, outreach initiatives by managers at the local and regional levels are recommended. The findings of this study can assist in developing a more efficient visitor management system in Brazil. This has the potential to increase visitation and revenues, as well as subsequently provide resources to engage in environmental conservation and economic development. Subscribe to JPRA
A Gcn5-Related N-Acetyltransferase (GNAT) Capable of Acetylating Polymyxin B and Colistin Antibiotics in Vitro

Deeper exploration of uncharacterized Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferases has the potential to expand our knowledge of the types of molecules that can be acylated by this important superfamily of enzymes and may offer new opportunities for biotechnological applications. While determining native or biologically relevant in vivo functions of uncharacterized proteins is ideal, their alternative or promiscuous in vitro capabilities provide insight into key active site interactions. Additionally, this knowledge can be exploited to selectively modify complex molecules and reduce byproducts when synthetic routes become challenging. During our exploration of uncharacterized Gcn5-related N-acetyltransferases from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we identified such an example. We found that the PA3944 enzyme acetylates both polymyxin B and colistin on a single diaminobutyric acid residue closest to the macrocyclic ring of the antimicrobial peptide and determined the PA3944 crystal structure. This finding is important for several reasons. (1) To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of enzymatic acylation of polymyxins and thus reveals a new type of substrate that this enzyme family can use. (2) The enzymatic acetylation offers a controlled method for antibiotic modification compared to classical promiscuous chemical methods. (3) The site of acetylation would reduce the overall positive charge of the molecule, which is important for reducing nephrotoxic effects and may be a salvage strategy for this important class of antibiotics. While the physiological substrate for this enzyme remains unknown, our structural and functional characterization of PA3944 offers insight into its unique noncanonical substrate specificity.
Lgbt Visibility and Anti-Gay Backlash: Unintended Consequences of Responses to HIV/AIDS in Malawi and Senegal

Throughout the 2000s, donor organizations successfully argued for the inclusion of men who have sex with men (msm) in the global response to HIV/AIDS. These efforts have had unintended consequences for msm and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (lgbt) populations in sub-Saharan Africa. Focusing on Malawi and Senegal, we find that donors’ emphasis on msm provided new urgency and sources of support for nascent lgbt- and msm-identified groups to organize around sexual identities and disseminate prevention strategies to their communities. These interventions increased the visibility of msm and lgbt populations in both countries; however, this new visibility also positioned msm and lgbt organizations between Western donors and political elites, contributing to political backlash against lgbt Malawians and Senegalese by the late 2000s. Further, while some msm- and lgbt-identified organizations in Malawi and Senegal ultimately expanded their activism to include lgbt rights, other HIV organizations working with msm to gain access to new donor funding did not advocate for the rights of lgbt populations. We discuss the implications of these processes for development initiatives and argue for a more expansive definition of health in HIV and development work to address a broader set of community concerns.
SMCHD1 terminates the first embryonic genome activation event in mouse two-cell embryos and contributes to a transcriptionally repressive state.

Embryonic genome activation (EGA) in mammals begins with transient expression of a large group of genes (EGA1). Importantly, entry into and exit from the 2C/EGA state is essential for viability. Du...
Application of the transport pediatric early warning score

The transport pediatric early warning score (TPEWS) is a scoring tool for critically ill referrals.It could be used as a common language for inter-hospital referrals to help the referral team accurately evaluate the severity of the referral′s condition and applied to emergency transshipment centers to help the transfer center prioritize the order of referrals which could make sufficient use of medicl resources.It also could be applied to assess whether the child needed hospitalization in the emergency department which could help to reduce the workload of the emergency department.This paper describes the development process of TPEWS and application status. Key words: Transport pediatric early warning score; Critically pediatrics; Inter-hospital transportation
Community Hospital Experience With Bovine Tissue in Infected Vascular Fields

BackgroundVascular prosthetic graft infections are rare but associated with high morbidity and mortality. Treatment involves removal of the infected graft requiring arteriotomy closure. Previously ...
Tumor Necrosis Factor α Receptor Type 1 Activation in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus Contributes to Glutamate Signaling and Angiotensin II-Dependent Hypertension.

There are significant neurogenic and inflammatory influences on blood pressure, yet the role played by each of these processes in the development of hypertension is unclear. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) has emerged as a critical modulator of blood pressure and neural plasticity, however the mechanism by which TNFα signaling contributes to the development of hypertension is uncertain. We present evidence that the TNFα type 1 receptor (TNFR1) plays a key role in heightened glutamate signaling following slow-pressor angiotensin II (AngII) in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), a key central coordinator of blood pressure control. Fourteen-day administration of a slow-pressor dose of angiotensin II (AngII) in male mice was associated with transcriptional and post-transcriptional (increased plasma membrane affiliation) regulation of TNFR1 in the PVN. Further, TNFR1 was shown to be critical for elevated NMDA-mediated excitatory currents in sympathoexcitatory PVN neurons following AngII infusion. Finally, silencing PVN TNFR1 prevented the increase in systolic blood pressure induced by AngII. These findings indicate that TNFR1 modulates a cellular pathway involving an increase in NMDA-mediated currents in the PVN, suggesting a mechanism whereby TNFR1 activation contributes to hypertension mediated by AngII via heightened glutamate-dependent signaling. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Inflammation is critical for the emergence of hypertension, yet the mechanisms by which inflammatory mediators contribute to this dysfunction are not clearly defined. We show that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) receptor 1 (TNFR1) in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN), a critical neuroregulator of cardiovascular function, plays an important role in the development of hypertension in mice. In the PVN, TNFR1 expression and plasma membrane localization are upregulated during hypertension induced by angiotensin II (AngII). Further, TNFR1 activation was essential for NMDA signaling and the potentiation of NMDA currents during hypertension. Finally, TNFR1 silencing in the PVN inhibits elevated blood pressure induced by AngII. These results point to a critical role for hypothalamic TNFR1 signaling in hypertension.
Communal Religious Education in a Multicultural Indonesian Church

The reality of diversity is an integral part of Gereja Protestan di Indonesia bagian Barat (The Protestant Church in Western Indonesia, abbreviated as GPIB). This contextual plurality is the church’s wealth, which should make an essential contribution to its ministry. However, a singular challenge that arises in light of that diversity relates to the strong emphasis on “church unity”—which should be a supportive element—thus contributing to problems with the church’s ministry and pedagogy. How is this so? Given that centralized efforts to promote unity correlate closely with the imposition of rules that dominate and determine Christian religious education in the church, this article asserts the necessity of communal identity for an ongoingly diverse reality; communal identity, in other words, must not be destroyed in the name of promoting unity. The argument unfolds in three stages, entailing (1) a summary of the current context of the GPIB and problems it faces, (2) an academic study of the objectives of Christian religious education, to be considered in the context of the GPIB, and (3) a rationale for setting these objectives. Through these three stages, the communal vision is expected to contribute to the church’s ministry and education in the midst of the congregation and the whole Indonesian society with its multicultural context.
The Mechanism of Macular Sparing.

Patients with homonymous hemianopia sometimes show preservation of the central visual fields, ranging up to 10°. This phenomenon, known as macular sparing, has sparked perpetual controversy. Two ma...
Ti 50 ( d , p ) Ti 51 : Single-neutron energies in the N = 29 isotones, and the N = 32 subshell closure

A measurement of the $^{50}\mathrm{Ti}(d,p)^{51}\mathrm{Ti}$ reaction at 16 MeV was performed using the Super Enge Split-Pole Spectrograph to measure the magnitude of the $N=32$ subshell gap in Ti. Seven states were observed that had not been observed in previous $(d,p)$ measurements, and the $L$ transfer values for six previously measured states were either changed or measured for the first time. The results were used to determine single neutron energies for the ${p}_{3/2}$, ${p}_{1/2}$, and ${f}_{5/2}$ orbitals. The resulting single neutron energies in $^{51}\mathrm{Ti}$ confirm the existence of the $N=32$ gap in Ti. These single neutron energies and those from previous measurements in $^{49}\mathrm{Ca}$, $^{53}\mathrm{Cr}$, and $^{55}\mathrm{Fe}$ are compared to values from a covariant density functional theory calculation.
The role of motivation on physical activity and screen time behaviors among parent-adolescent dyads: The FLASHE study.

Abstract Behavioral theories inform the development of lifestyle interventions to address low participation in physical activity (PA); however, relatively little is known about the value of self-determination theory (SDT) for explaining screen time (ST) behaviors or in extending SDT into a dyadic context. Actor-partner (i.e., parent-adolescent) interdependence models (APIMs) allow for examination of these interpersonal relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine PA and ST among parent-adolescent dyads using the cross-sectional Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) Study. Parent-adolescent dyads provided responses to online surveys addressing PA (n = 1177 dyads) and ST (n = 1489 dyads) behaviors. We examined the influence of SDT-based constructs (perceived competence and motivation) on PA and ST behaviors. Structural equations were used to estimate APIMs in STATA 15.1. Full models provided a good fit to the data. For both PA and ST, perceived competence was more strongly associated with motivation among adolescents compared with parents (PA: β = 0.72 vs. 0.58, ST: β = 0.34 vs. 0.22, p's
Complex nonverbal response inhibition and stopping impulsivity in childhood stuttering.

Abstract Purpose The primary purpose of this study was to examine complex nonverbal response inhibition and stopping impulsivity in children who do (CWS) and do not stutter (CWNS). Method A total of 30 CWS and 30 CWNS between the ages of 3;1 and 6;0 (years; months) performed the Peg-Tapping Task (PTT; Diamond & Taylor, 1996; Luria, 1966), in which children were required to tap a dowel once when an examiner taps twice and vice versa. The main dependent variables were the number of practice trials, response accuracy, response latency for accurate responses, and the number of extra taps (i.e., tapping more than two times). Results The CWS were less accurate and slower on the PTT than the CWNS, with no differences in the number of practice trials. Furthermore, the CWS, especially boys, produced more extra taps than the CWNS. Conclusions Findings revealed that preschool CWS have weaknesses in complex response inhibition and stopping impulsivity in the nonverbal domain compared to CWNS. Taken together, these findings along with those of previous studies indicate that CWS may have weaknesses in inhibition and impulsivity in the nonverbal domain as well as the verbal domain, suggesting a domain-general weakness.
Hydrogen sulfide and hypoxia-induced changes in TASK (K2P3/9) activity and intracellular Ca2+ concentration in rat carotid body glomus cells

Acute hypoxia depolarizes carotid body chemoreceptor (glomus) cells and elevates intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i). Recent studies suggest that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) may serve as an oxygen sensor/signal in the carotid body during acute hypoxia. To further test such a role for H2S, we studied the effects of H2S on the activity of TASK channel and [Ca(2+)]i, which are considered important for mediating the glomus cell response to hypoxia. Like hypoxia, NaHS (a H2S donor) inhibited TASK activity and elevated [Ca(2+)]i. To inhibit the production of H2S, glomus cells were incubated (3h) with inhibitors of cystathionine-β-synthase and cystathionine-γ-lyase (DL-propargylglycine, aminooxyacetic acid, β-cyano-L-alanine; 0.3 mM). SF7 fluorescence was used to assess the level of H2S production. The inhibitors blocked L-cysteine- and hypoxia-induced elevation of SF7 fluorescence intensity. In cells treated with the inhibitors, hypoxia produced an inhibition of TASK activity and a rise in [Ca(2+)]i, similar in magnitude to those observed in control cells. L-cysteine produced no effect on TASK activity or [Ca(2+)]i and did not affect hypoxia-induced inhibition of TASK and elevation of [Ca(2+)]i. These findings suggest that under normal conditions, H2S is not a major signal in hypoxia-induced modulation of TASK channels and [Ca(2+)]i in isolated glomus cells.
Long-Term Potentiation and Long-Term Depression

Long-term potentiation and depression are enduring changes in synaptic efficacy following brief high-frequency or low-frequency electrical stimulation of nerve fibers. Both are considered to be candidate mechanisms of learning and memory. Keywords: trisynaptic circuit; plasticity; hippocampus; NMDA receptors; opioid receptor
INVERSION OF SCATTERED RADIANCE HORIZON PROFILES FOR GASEOUS CONCENTRATIONS AND AEROSOL PARAMETERS

Techniques have been developed and used to invert limb scan measurements for vertical profiles of atmospheric state parameters. The parameters which can be found are concentrations of Rayleigh scatters, ozone, NO2, and aerosols, and aerosol physical properties including a Junge-size distribution parameter and real and imaginary parts of the index of refraction.
Model-based dependability analysis of programmable drug infusion pumps

Infusion pumps are commonly used in home/hospital care to inject drugs into a patient at programmable rates over time. However, in practice, a combination of faults including software errors, mechanical failures and human error can lead to catastrophic situations, causing death or serious harm to the patient. Dependability analysis techniques such as failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) can be used to predict the worst case outcomes of such faults and facilitate the development of remedies against them. In this paper, we present the use of model-checking to automate the dependability analysis of programmable, real-time medical devices. Our approach uses timed and hybrid automata to model the real-time operation of the medical device and its interactions with the care giver and the patient. Common failure modes arising from device failures and human error are modeled in our framework. Specifically, we use "mistake models" derived from human factor studies to model the effects of mistakes committed by the operator. We present a casestudy involving an infusion pump used to manage pain through the infusion of analgesic drugs. The dynamics of analgesic drugs are modeled by empirically validated pharmacokinetic models. Using model checking, our technique can systematically explore numerous combinations of failures and characterize the worse case effects of these failures.
Nurse Manager Engagement: A Concept Analysis

AIM. This concept analysis examines the visibility of nurse manager engagement in the healthcare work environment. BACKGROUND. The term employee engagement was derived from studies of morale or the willingness of a group to accomplish objectives in the 1920s. “Following World War II group morale scores were used as predictors of speed, quality, and militancy by US Army researchers. The goal was to identify star, or high performers. A term was needed to describe emotional attachment of an individual to the organization, fellow associates, and the job” (“Employee engagement origins,” 2010, p. 1). DATA SOURCES. The CINAHL, MEDLINE, ABI INFORM, PsycINFO, and Ovid databases and the Internet were searched for the period of 2005–2010 for literature published in English with a focus on peer-reviewed journals from disciplines of health sciences, health administration, business, and psychology. METHODS. The Walker and Avant method was used for this analysis. The experience of the author as a current and previous nurse manager was also used for this analysis. RESULTS. Nurse manager engagement was assumed to be present based indirectly on empirical referents and consequences, such as low or high vacancy rates for staff nurses. CONCLUSION. Further research is needed to explore the identity of the nurse serving in the role of manager/leader who is able to demonstrate the skills and talents necessary to visibly demonstrate engagement and facilitate a culture of engaged nurse managers.
Multi-wavelength switchable comb filter based on acousto-optic interaction in superstructure fiber gratings

We have experimentally demonstrated the superstructure fiber gratings can be used for obtaining a multi-wavelength switchable comb filter by both transverse flexural and longitudinal acoustic waves simultaneously for providing index-acoustic amplitude and grating-phase modulation respectively.
Expression of Active Human GROβ and GROγ Neutrophil Chemotactic Proteins in E. coli

Human GRO alpha, GRO beta, and GRO gamma are neutrophil chemoattractants structurally related to IL-8 and compete with IL-8 for binding to IL-8 receptors on neutrophils. These proteins are part of a large superfamily of chemotactic cytokines, the "chemokines," members of which share striking structural similarities. We have expressed GRO cDNA's in Escherichia coli as fusions to the MalE gene product, maltose-binding protein (MBP), in a way that allows separation of GRO and MBP moieties by factor Xa cleavage. GRO beta and GRO gamma expressed in bacteria were active in in vitro chemotaxis assays and were as effective as IL-8 in inducing chemotactic migration of neutrophils. Recombinant GRO beta was chemotactic rather than chemokinetic when tested by checkerboard analysis while GRO gamma showed evidence of chemokinetic as well as chemotactic activity. The activities of GRO beta and GRO gamma were not species-specific as both proteins were active on rat as well as human neutrophils and were inhibitable by antibodies raised against CINC, the rat GRO homolog. These data indicate that the MBP fusion protein expression system provides a rapid and simple method for obtaining large quantities of members of the chemokine protein family for biological uses.
Creating Integrative Solutions in Conflict Episodes

This article analyzes the conflict management literature and presents an operational enhancement to the construction of an integrative solution during a conflict episode. It does this by redefining stakeholder aims and/or belief systems with respect to a conflict.
Intravenous digital subtraction angiography in the assessment of patients with left to right shunts before and after surgical correction.

Pre- and postoperative structural changes and pulmonary to systemic flow (QP/QS) ratios were assessed using digital angiography in 34 patients documented to have a left to right shunt at cardiac catheterization. There were 16 men and 18 women whose ages ranged from 4 months to 60 years. The radiographic single mask mode was used for all digital subtraction angiographic studies with a typical radiographic sequence being 80 to 100 kV, 5 to 10 mA/frame at six frames/s for 15 seconds. Renografin-76 was used as a bolus injection at 0.5 to 1.0 ml/kg via an arm vein in most patients. The level of the left to right shunt and any associated anomalies were noted and compared with results from cardiac catheterization. Digital subtraction angiographic flow curves were generated from the pulmonary arteries, and QP/QS ratios were calculated pre- and postoperatively using the gamma variate fit method and compared with the QP/QS ratio from first pass radionuclide studies. A strong correlation between preoperative digital subtraction angiographically derived QP/QS ratio and radionuclide-derived QP/QS ratio was found, with an r value equal to 0.89, p Intravenous digital subtraction angiography provides accurate quantitative and anatomic data in patients with a left to right shunt, is potentially an important outpatient method to assess adequate surgical correction and may suffice preoperatively to proceed to cardiac surgery without preoperative cardiac catheterization.
New directions in fracture characterization

Using rotary sidewalls cores from a deep natural gas exploration well, a small E&P company recently measured natural fracture intensity, orientation, and openness in four separate potential target horizons. Results pin-pointed one zone having high fracture intensity and open fractures. Another zone with similar fracture intensity was identified as having closed fractures. Along with information on fracture strike, results were used to evaluate the risk of stimulating the well versus drilling a horizontal lateral. Historical production data from the play suggest that natural fractures are key to outstanding production, yet conventional well logs provided little usable information on natural fracture attributes in the four potential completion targets. Why? The vertical well did not intersect visible fractures. Sidewall cores also lack fractures visible to the unaided eye. So how were the measurements used in the fracture evaluation obtained?
Structure of End-Grafted Polymer Brushes in Liquid and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide: A Neutron Reflectivity Study

Neutron reflectivity was used to characterize the structure of end-grafted deuterated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (d-PDMS) brushes on SiOx wafers exposed to liquid and supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2). The solvent quality was tuned continuously over a large range from ideal gas conditions to a near-ϑ solvent by varying temperature and CO2 density. Two distinct regions were seen in the segment density profile as a function of distance from the surface: (i) an inner concentrated region near the substrate where the segment density is high due to the strong attractive short- and long-ranged interactions between the d-PDMS and the SiOx substrate and the attractive intra- and interchain interactions and (ii) an outer solvated region that is dilute in polymer due to solvation by CO2. In the outer solvated region, the well-defined block profile at the worst solvent conditions changes to a more parabolic profile with improving solvent quality. The thickness and volume fraction profiles for the outer solvated region ...
Words Worth of Wisdom: Toward an Understanding of Affirmative Action.

This article lays a conceptual foundation that is needed if social scientists and policymakers are to design and implement fair and effective affirmative action programs. Because the policy of affirmative action is oftentimes misunderstood, the article starts with definitions and contrasts affirmative action with equal opportunity. We argue that affirmative action is a necessary policy if organizations are to be fair. Finally, we conclude by reviewing the relevant empirical literature in support of this argument.