cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emotion, Decision Making and the Orbitofrontal Cortex

The somatic marker hypothesis provides a systems-level neuroanatomical and cognitive framework for decision making and the influence on it by emotion. The key idea of this hypothesis is that decision making is a process that is influenced by marker signals that arise in bioregulatory processes, including those that express themselves in emotions and feelings. This influence can occur at multiple levels of operation, some of which occur consciously and some of which occur non-consciously. Here we review studies that confirm various predictions from the hypothesis. The orbitofrontal cortex represents one critical structure in a neural system subserving decision making. Decision making is not mediated by the orbitofrontal cortex alone, but arises from large-scale systems that include other cortical and subcortical components. Such structures include the amygdala, the somatosensory/insular cortices and the peripheral nervous system. Here we focus only on the role of the orbitofrontal cortex in decision making and emotional processing, and the relationship between emotion, decision making and other cognitive functions of the frontal lobe, namely working memory.
Lattice defect equilibria in KCl: Eu++

A study of lattice defect equilibria is undertaken in pure and Eu-doped KCl single crystals in the as-received condition and after being exposed to chlorine and water atmospheres. The as-received conductivity of the KCl:Eu crystals followed the expected behavior for a crystal doped with a divalent metallic cation impurity. The Eu++ optical absorption coefficient is verified to be linearly proportional to the Eu++ content. Both the conductivity and the Eu++ optical coefficients decrease after exposure to the chlorine atmosphere, due to the formation of Eu3+. Crystals diffusion doped with OH ions show decreased conductivity due to the formation of EuOH-vacancy complexes. Possible interactions explaining the observed behavior are discussed. In reinen und mit Eu dotierten KCl-Einkristallen wird das Gitterdefektgleichgewicht ohne Vorbehandlung und nach Einwirkung einer Chlor- und Wasseratmosphare untersucht. Die Ursprungsleitfahigkeit der KCl:Eu-Kristalle folgt dem erwarteten Verhalten fur einen Kristall, der mit einer zweiwertigen metallischen Kationenstorstelle dotiert ist. Es wird gefunden, das der optische Absorptionskoeffizient fur Eu++ linear proportional dem Eu++-Gehalt ist. Sowohl Leitfahigkeit als auch die optischen Koeffizienten fur Eu++ nehmen nach der Einwirkung der Chloratmosphare infolge der Bildung von Eu3+ ab. Die Diffusion der mit OH-Ionen dotierten Kristalle zeigt verminderte Leitfahigkeit infolge der Bildung von EuOH-Leerstellenkomplexen. Mogliche Wechselwirkungen, die das beobachtete Verhalten erklaren, werden diskutiert.
Antioxidant strategies in protection against neurodegenerative disorders

The most common neurodegenerative diseases include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and stroke; they are devastating clinical problems which lack effective treatments. Although the aetiology of these diseases is not fully understood, oxidative stress is believed to be a contributing causative factor. In addition to conventional therapies, antioxidant strategies in protection against neurodegenerative conditions have been increasingly addressed, as evidenced by an increasing number of animal studies, clinical reports and patents regarding these processes in recent years. The effectiveness of antioxidants in protecting against neurodegenerative disorders lies mainly in their ability to cross the blood–brain barrier, their potential in terms of subcellular distribution occurring in membranes, in the cytoplasm and especially in mitochondria, and their multifunctional capacity as well as their synergistic actions. The naturally occurring antioxidants with different properties collaborate as an array to...
Stable Preanaphase Spindle Positioning Requires Bud6p and an Apparent Interaction between the Spindle Pole Bodies and the Neck

Faithful partitioning of genetic material during cell division requires accurate spatial and temporal positioning of nuclei within dividing cells. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, nuclear positioning is regulated by an elegant interplay between components of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons. Regulators of this process include Bud6p (also referred to as the actin-interacting protein Aip3p) and Kar9p, which function to promote contacts between cytoplasmic microtubule ends and actin-delimited cortical attachment points. Here, we present the previously undetected association of Bud6p with the cytoplasmic face of yeast spindle pole bodies, the functional equivalent of metazoan centrosomes. Cells lacking Bud6p show exaggerated movements of the nucleus between mother and daughter cells and display reduced amounts of time a given spindle pole body spends in close association with the neck region of budding cells. Furthermore, overexpression of BUD6 greatly enhances interactions between the spindle pole body and mother-bud neck in a spindle alignment-defective dynactin mutant. These results suggest that association of either spindle pole body with neck components, rather than simply entry of a spindle pole body into the daughter cell, provides a positive signal for the progression of mitosis. We propose that Bud6p, through its localization at both spindle pole bodies and at the mother-bud neck, supports this positive signal and provides a regulatory mechanism to prevent excessive oscillations of preanaphase nuclei, thus reducing the likelihood of mitotic delays and nuclear missegregation.
The evolution of the cognitive map.

The hippocampal formation of mammals and birds mediates spatial orientation behaviors consistent with a map-like representation, which allows the navigator to construct a new route across unfamiliar terrain. This cognitive map thus appears to underlie long-distance navigation. Its mediation by the hippocampal formation and its presence in birds and mammals suggests that at least one function of the ancestral medial pallium was spatial navigation. Recent studies of the goldfish and certain reptile species have shown that the medial pallium homologue in these species can also play an important role in spatial orientation. It is not yet clear, however, whether one type of cognitive map is found in these groups or indeed in all vertebrates. To answer this question, we need a more precise definition of the map. The recently proposed parallel map theory of hippocampal function provides a new perspective on this question, by unpacking the mammalian cognitive map into two dissociable mapping processes, mediated by different hippocampal subfields. If the cognitive map of non-mammals is constructed in a similar manner, the parallel map theory may facilitate the analysis of homologies, both in behavior and in the function of medial pallium subareas.
Rapid pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusions.

Study objective To determine the feasibility of rapid pleurodesis in patients with malignant pleural effusions in order to reduce hospital length of stay in patients with a limited life expectancy. Design Prospective case series. Setting Two university hospital programs. Patients Thirty-eight patients with symptomatic pleural effusions associated with malignancy. Interventions A 14F catheter was inserted percutaneously into the pleural space after radiographic confirmation of free fluid by lateral decubitus views. Following radiographic confirmation of complete fluid evacuation, a sclerosing agent (ie, talc slurry or bleomycin) was instilled into the pleural space. This was accomplished within 2 h of chest tube insertion, unless the tube was inserted in the evening or if the lung was trapped. After clamping the tube for 90 min, the pleural space was drained for 2 h, after which the chest tube was removed. The intervention was scored as "successful" if no radiographic evidence of fluid reaccumulation was noted at 4 weeks. A "partial successful" score indicated reaccumulation of fluid that did not produce symptoms and did not require repeat pleural drainage of any sort. All other outcomes were scored as "unsuccessful." Measurements and results Forty chest tubes were inserted into 38 patients. Four procedures revealed the presence of a trapped lung and did not result in any attempt at pleurodesis. Five patients who received pleurodesis died in less than 1 month and therefore were not evaluable. Two patients had technical problems with the chest tube and were not evaluable. Of the remaining 29 procedures, drainage procedures with pleurodesis were performed in 27 patients, a complete response was seen in 14 patients (48%), a partial response was seen in 9 patients (31%), and 6 patients (21%) did not respond to pleurodesis. Chemical pleurodesis was completed as an outpatient procedure in only two patients. In one of these, the outcome was unsuccessful. In the remainder, insertion of the chest tube in the evening or additional medical problems necessitated hospital admission, but the entire procedure was completed within 24 h. Conclusions Chemical pleurodesis can be accomplished with good results in
Lesions in Broiler and Layer Chickens in an Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus Infection

Fifteen chickens, five broilers and ten layers, from the Pennsylvania 1983 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection, were examined. Gross lesions in the broilers were limited to serosal petechiae and dehydration. In the layers there was comb edema, vesiculation, and necrosis. Microscopic lesions were mild to severe diffuse nonsuppurative encephalitis, very mild to severe diffuse necrotizing pancreatitis, and very mild to severe subacute necrotizing myositis involving numerous skeletal muscles and most severe in the external ocular muscles and limbs. While many of these lesions have been seen in experimental infections of chickens with influenza viruses, the pattern of organs involved in this group of chickens is distinctive.
Theoretical Comparisons of Forms of Exchange

A recent program comparing negotiated and reciprocal forms of social exchange offers important implications for theory development. Results of these investigations show that the form of exchange studied—negotiated or reciprocal—affects many of the processes and assumptions underlying contemporary theories of exchange. Three such effects are discussed here. First, the form of exchange affects the causal mechan– isms underlying power use and the relation between network structure and power. Second, whether exchange is negotiated or reciprocal affects the relative emphasis on learning or rational–choice models and the breadth of motivations assumed for “self–interested” actors, including reward maximization, loss avoidance, and reciprocity. Third, the form of exchange affects the salience of the cooperative and competitive “faces” of exchange, influencing actors’ subjective xperiences with exchange. These results show the limitations of theories based on any single form of exchange and the need for greater understanding of the full range of exchange forms that characterize social life.
A Survey on Intrusion Detection in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

In recent years, the use of mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) has been widespread in many applications, including some mission critical applications, and as such security has become one of the major concerns in MANETs. Due to some unique characteristics of MANETs, prevention methods alone are not sufficient to make them secure; therefore, detection should be added as another defense before an attacker can breach the system. In general, the intrusion detection techniques for traditional wireless networks are not well suited for MANETs. In this paper, we classify the architectures for intrusion detection systems (IDS) that have been introduced for MANETs. Current IDS ’s corresponding to those architectures are also reviewed and compared. We then provide some directions for future research.
Breast Cancer Resistance Protein–Mediated Efflux of Androgen in Putative Benign and Malignant Prostate Stem Cells

Malignantly transformed stem cells represent a potential common nidus for the primary cancer and the recurrent cancer that arises after treatment failure. Putative prostate stem cells and prostate tumor stem cells in benign and malignant human prostate tissue, in primary human prostate xenografts, and in the transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) mouse model of prostate cancer, are defined by expression of breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), a marker of pluripotent hematopoietic, muscle, and neural stem cells, and by an absence of androgen receptor (AR) protein. Inhibition of BCRP-mediated efflux of dihydrotestosterone by novobiocin or fumitremorgin C in a rat prostate progenitor cell line that expresses BCRP and AR mRNAs, but minimal AR protein, results in stabilization and nuclear translocation of AR protein, providing a mechanism for lack of AR protein in BCRP-expressing stem cells. In both benign and malignant human prostate tissue, the rare epithelial cells that express BCRP and lack AR protein are localized in the basal cell compartment, survive androgen deprivation, and maintain proliferative potential in the hypoxic, androgen-deprived prostate. Putative prostate tumor stem cells that express BCRP but not AR protein in TRAMP are the source of a BCRP-negative and AR-negative, Foxa2- and SV40Tag-expressing, transit amplifying compartment that progresses to the poorly differentiated carcinomas that arise rapidly after castration. Therefore, BCRP expression isolates prostate stem/tumor stem cells from the prostate tissue microenvironment through constitutive efflux of androgen, protecting the putative tumor stem cells from androgen deprivation, hypoxia, or adjuvant chemotherapy, and providing the nidus for recurrent prostate cancer.
Advancing Gallaudet: Alumni Support for the Nation's University for the Deaf and Hard-of-hearing and its Similarities to Black Colleges and Universities

Gallaudet University, originally chartered by the US Congress as the Columbia Institute for the Deaf and Dumb and Blind in 1864, recently began to solicit donations from their alumni through formal fund-raising campaigns. Using a combination of historical and qualitative analysis coupled with descriptive statistics from institutional data and the Voluntary Support of Education Survey, Gallaudet's advancement story becomes apparent. Working within the Deaf culture and its nontraditional view of philanthropy, Gallaudet's fund-raising experiences and results are similar to those of historically black colleges and universities.
Mineral catalyzed organic synthesis in hydrothermal systems: An experimental study using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

[1] Hydrothermal fluids enriched in hydrocarbons of apparent abiotic origin vent from Fe-Ni sulfide bearing chimney structures on the seafloor at slow spreading mid-ocean ridges. Here we show results from a hydrothermal experiment using carbon isotope labeling techniques and mineral analytical data that indicate that pentlandite ((Fe2Ni7)S8) enhances formation of C2 and C3 alkanes, while also contributing to the formation of other more complex hydrocarbons, such as alcohols and carboxylic acids. ToF-SIMS data reveal the existence of isotopically anomalous carbon on the pentlandite surface, and thus, for the first time, provide unambiguous evidence that mineral catalyzed surface reactions play a role in carbon reduction schemes under hydrothermal conditions. We hypothesize that hydroxymethylene (-CHOH) serves as intermediary facilitating formation of more complex organic compounds. The experimental results provide an explanation for organic synthesis in ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal systems on earth, and on other water-enriched planetary bodies as well.
Recovery of Isotopic Succinate from Urine of Rats Administered Isotopic Acetate.

SummaryAfter the administration of malonate plus carboxyl-labeled acetate to rats, there has been recovered from the urine carboxyl-labeled succinate, an intermediate of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. This result is consistent with and additional evidence for the metabolism of acetate via the tricarboxylic acid cycle in the intact mammal.
Contour reconstruction for scaling of digital binary images

Binary images consist of a grid of square cells, which are colored either black or white depending on whether the center of the cell lies in this black or white region of the pre-image. Equivalently, the digitized boundary can be interpreted as a 4-directional chain code of the edge contour. We consider subpixel accuracy in determining the boundary of the pre-image and give a practical algorithm for its implementation. In particular we consider small curving objects digitized on a coarse grid. Experimental results show a high degree of reconstruction, allowing for the upward scaling of small objects from their digitized representation.
INVESTIGATION OF PERKINSUS SPP. IN AQUACULTURED HARD CLAMS (MERCENARIA MERCENARIA) FROM THE FLORIDA GULF COAST

Abstract Aquacultured hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) from Florida were examined for Perkinsus spp. using culture in Rays Fluid Thyioglycollate Medium (RFTM) and PCR. Clams were negative for P. marinus-specific PCR, but low-level infections were observed by RFTM culture and by genus-specific PCR. In contrast, P. marinus was frequently detected in wild oysters, indicating possible host specificity for this parasite.
In Search of New Targets and Endpoints in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

In Search Of… was an American television series broadcast in the early 1980s that tackled various unsolved mysteries and paranormal phenomena. The show’s stated goal was to “suggest some possible explanations, but not necessarily the only ones, to the mysteries” examined in each episode.
Introduction-Intensional Mathematics and Constructive Mathematics

Publisher Summary This chapter discussesa conceptual link between the intuitionistic construction processes and the classical epistemic processes. This link, in turn, provides the philosophical background for constructivistic concerns in non-constructive contexts. Platonism and intuitionism are related in the respect that both views are implicitly opposed to materialistic accounts of mathematics, which take the subject matter of mathematics to contain material objects. Both views hold that mathematical objects are ideal. There is a serious divergence between perception as conceived by extreme subjective idealists and perception as conceived by those holding on to the existence of the outside world. The latter makes a presupposition that part of the external world is represented more or less accurately in perception. In the mathematical situation, a similar aim to exclude presumptions of an outside world from discussion motivates intuitionism. The constructive mode of thought and the effective mode of thought are both related to epistemic matters.
Constituting Feminist Subjects. By Kathi Weeks. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1998. 196p. $39.95 cloth, $13.95 paper.

Feminist theorists have struggled to develop accounts of women's oppression that are historically specific enough to capture the variability in forms of male domination but do not neglect possible transhistorical and transcultural features. A related challenge has been to theorize a feminist subjec- tivity that can anchor an oppositional politics but avoid an overly unified notion of feminist subjectivity, while neverthe- less attending to the patterned effects that women's system- atic location in the social whole may have on their subjectiv- ity.These challenges were the subject of sometimes polemical but mostly fruitful debates throughout the 1980s and 1990s. They have been deeply shaped by two distinct developments. The first is the political struggles and theoretical writings of women of color, whose work on subjectivity and male dom- ination has consistently pluralized women's subjectivity as well as historicized and contextualized male domination in relation to other axes of power. The second is postmodern critiques that charge modernist modes of theorizing are governed by either ahistorical metanarratives insufficiently attentive to variation and contingency or essentialist under- standings of subjectivity in either a humanist/liberal/volunta- rist or determinist/Marxist form.
Distributed Feedback Silicon Evanescent Laser

We report an electrically pumped distributed feedback silicon evanescent laser. The laser operates continuous wave with a single mode output at 1600 nm. The laser threshold is 25 mA with a maximum output power of 5.4 mW and a maximum operating temperature of 50 °C.
Common Student Citation Errors

This piece discusses the most common citation errors law students (primarily first-years) make, particularly when using case citations in practitioner documents. I offer explanations for the mistakes and possible solutions. But why should students and their teachers care about common citation errors? Three reasons: journals, seminar papers, and jobs.
An Exploratory Study of the Relationship between the Perceived Competitive Environment and Salesperson Job Performance

This study examines the relationship between salespeople’s perceptions of the competitive environment and their job performance. Results indicate a positive relationship between perceived competition and job performance when certain characteristics are present. Those who perform better in a competitive environment are identified. Implications for sales managers and sales researchers are provided. Additionally, directions for future research are given.
58 THE PREVALENCE OF 4G5G POLYMORPHISM OF THE PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR INHIBITOR-1 (PAI-1) GENE IN POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH PLASMINOGEN ACTIVATOR INHIBITOR ACTIVITY LEVELS

We assessed the mutant 4G allele of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and its relationship to hypofibrinolytic plasminogen activator inhibitor activity (PAI-Fx), an independent determinant of miscarriage in PCOS. We studied 913 women with PCOS who met the 2003 ESHRE/ASRM diagnostic consensus criteria and 126 healthy normal female controls. Of the 913 PCOS women, 78% had 4G4G or 4G5G genotypes vs 69% of controls (χ2 = 4.98, p = .026). The 4G allele frequency was 53% in PCOS women vs 46% in controls (χ2 = 4.06, p = .044). PCOS and normal women were both in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for the PAI-1 genotype distribution. By stepwise multiple regression, positive independent determinants of PAI-Fx included BMI (partial R2 = 10.8%, p
Epidemiological analysis of rubella in Hedong District of Tianjin from 2005-2011

[Objective]To know the epidemiological characteristics of rubella in Hedong District of Tianjin during 2005-2011,provide the scientific evidence for the prevention and control of rubella.[Methods]The epidemic data of rubella in Hedong District of Tianjin during 2005-2011 were analyzed by descriptive epidemiology method.[Results]A total of 1727 rubella cases were reported in Hedong District during 2005-2011with the average annual incidence of 30.61/lakh.There was an obvious seasonality,which spring and summer were the peak seasons.Most of cases were students,and 8 of 9 outbreaks occurred in schools.[Conclusion]In order to reduce the incidence rate of rubella,it is necessary to carry out rubella vaccination in children,teenagers and reproductive women,as well as implement the comprehensive measures,such as epidemic surveillance and health education.
Social Environment Has a Primary Influence on the Microbial and Odor Profiles of a Chemically Signaling Songbird

Chemical signaling is an underappreciated means of communication among birds, as may be the potential contributions of symbiotic microbes to animal chemical communication in general. The dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) produces and detects volatile compounds that may be important in reproductive behavior. These compounds are found in preen oil secreted by the uropygial gland, and this gland supports diverse bacterial communities including genera known to produce some of these volatile compounds. We investigated the relative contributions of shared environments and genetic relatedness in shaping juncos’ symbiotic bacterial communities, and investigated whether these bacterial communities underlie juncos’ chemical signaling behavior. We sampled parents and nestlings at 9 junco nests during one breeding season at Mountain Lake Biological Station in Virginia, USA. From each individual, we collected swabs of the uropygial gland and the cloaca, preen oil, and a small blood sample for paternity testing. We characterized junco bacterial communities through 16S rRNA gene surveys and preen oil volatile compounds via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Nest membership and age class had the strongest influence on the structure of bacterial and volatile profiles. We compared father-offspring similarity based on paternity, and nestling similarity in nests containing full siblings and half siblings, and found that relatedness did not noticeably affect bacterial or volatile profiles. While we cannot rule out an influence of genetic relatedness on these profiles, it is clear that shared environments are more influential in shaping bacterial and volatile profiles among juncos. We did not find significant covariation between individual bacterial and volatile profiles. Possible explanations for this result include: 1) bacteria do not underlie volatile production; 2) ample redundancy in volatile production among bacterial types obscures covariation; or 3) the relationship is confounded by the fact that, unlike glands exclusively dedicated to chemical communication, uropygial glands have multiple functions, and symbiotic bacteria are hypothesized to contribute to each of these. Therefore, different bacteria may contribute to different phenotypes of the avian holobiont. Future work will include cultivation, metabolomic, genomic, and behavioral assay approaches to tease these scenarios apart.
Deep ultraviolet enhanced silicon carbide avalanche photodiodes

High sensitivity deep ultraviolet (DUV) photodetectors operating at wavelengths shorter than 280 nm are useful for various applications, including chemical and biological identification, optical wireless communications, and UV sensing systems (1). While semiconductor avalanche photodiodes (APDs) can be more compact, lower cost and more rugged than the commonly used photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), commercially available devices such as silicon (Si) single photon counting APDs have poor DUV single photon detection efficiency. In contrast, silicon carbide (SiC) APDs are ideal for high-sensitivity detection applications, as they can possess very low dark currents, small k factor, and high gain (2). However, the responsivity of these devices diminishes at wavelengths shorter than 260 nm due to increasing absorption and carrier generation in the top doped layer of this device, the short diffusion length of minority carriers in this region, and the presence of a high density of surface states.
Productive Parochialism: Regionalist Parties and Social Spending in Spain

Nationalism was the great scourge of the twentieth century, with dozens of wars and myriad massacres to its credit. Yet at least in Western Europe the warfare state also helped to build the welfare state. When can nationalism be a force for good, a source of social solidarity rather than enmity? Twenty-first century Europe has witnessed the resurgence of powerful regionalist movements, from the United Kingdom to Spain. An examination of detailed municipal spending data from Spain between 2001 and 2015 reveals that in Spain voting for regionalist parties correlates with higher social spending. Localities in which regionalist parties obtain a higher share of the vote, in either municipal or national elections, systematically spend more than comparable localities in which national parties are favored. Further analysis is required to ascertain in which direction causality flows — it may be that more parochially inclined voters favor higher social spending. Alternatively, regionalist parties may choose more intensive spending programs in order to generate support, by asserting their legitimacy, constructing identities and producing organizational resources. Clearly though, available quantitative evidence links regionalist vote share with municipal spending. In recent years, the connection between social services and state-building is discussed more often in the case of aspiring state actors than established ones, as with news accounts of ISIS providing public goods or Hezbollah's health clinics. But what about alternative group identities in the developed world? How does service provision affect identity formation and generate social solidarity at the sub-national level? In a Europe increasingly marked by both the greater decentralization of social services and the growing strength of separatist movements this is becoming a vital question.
Short-Term Preload Relaxation in Composite Bolted Joints Monitored with Reusable Optical Sensors

Bolted fastening is one of the oldest joining techniques, and it is widely used in vast number of applications. Although such fasteners provide many advantages, bolted joint assemblies and in-service behaviors demonstrate complex phenomena and stress distributions. Among these factors, bolt tension affects joint reliability and residual lifetime most significantly. One of the major concerns in bolted joints with composite panels is the effect of creep in the through-the-thickness direction of the material, which leads to preload reduction and premature failure of the loosened bolted joint. Thus, it is essential to monitor the preload after joint assembly. In this work, a previously developed bolt tension monitor that is instrumented with a reusable optical sensor was used to evaluate the short-term relaxation of preload in similar and dissimilar composite bolted joints. A single-parameter model was used to fit experimental data and obtain a relaxation parameter, which was assumed to be an extensive property. Preload reductions in lap joints with steel and glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), and GFRP with GFRP were measured for ca. 9 min after the application of two levels of initial preloads. It was found that, depending on the joint configuration, the preload reduction varied considerably; and an increase in initial preload tends to reduce the preload relaxation. Overall, this technique provides robust and cost-efficient health monitoring in composite bolted joints.
Self-powered piezo-floating-gate sensors for health monitoring of steel plates

Abstract This paper presents a new method for structural health monitoring using self-powered piezo-floating-gate (PFG) sensors with variable injection rates. An experimental study was performed on an A36 thin steel plate subjected to an in-plane tension mode to verify the proposed method. Different piezoelectric transducers were mounted on the plate for both empowering the sensor and monitoring the damage progression. The changes of charge on the floating-gates of the sensor due to electron injection were considered as damage indicator parameters. In order to improve the damage detection accuracy, several features were extracted from the cumulative voltage droppage for each memory gate, based on sensor group concept. The obtained features were then fed into a support vector machine (SVM) classifier to identify multiple damage states. An optimization process was developed to optimize the parameters of the classifier in order to increase the detection rate accuracy. Based on the results, the performance of the proposed method is satisfactory for detecting damage progression in steel plates.
Crystallization kinetics in a Ni24Zr76 amorphous alloy

Isothermal crystallization kinetics of Ni24Zr76 amorphous alloy has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Theoretically estimated transient times are found to be consistent with the experimentally observed incubation periods. The crystallization kinetics has been analyzed in terms of Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami (KJMA) model and significant departure from the linear KJMA behavior was observed. Such non-linearity is due to the surface-induced crystallization, anisotropic growth of the crystals, impingement effects and variation of the nucleation rate during crystallization etc. By applying high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM), it has been shown that the nucleation and growth of the crystals do not take place at a constant state of disorder.
O7 T1ρ magnetic resonance imaging of the talar cartilage in individuals with & without chronic ankle instabiltiy

Study Design Case control study. Objectives To determine if chronic ankle instability (CAI) patients have lower proteoglycan density (PGD) in their talar cartilage compared to the uninjured controls. Background Recurrent ankle injuries are a leading cause of ankle post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). PGD is responsible for the high elasticity and resilience of the tissue and decreased PGD measured with T1ρ MRI may be an early indicator of PTOA, but PGD has not been examined in CAI patients. Methods and Measures 9 CAI and 9 controls participated. T1ρ MRI was performed using a Siemens Magnetom TIM Trio 3T scanner. Participants were non-weight bearing for 30 min prior to the scan to unload the cartilage. The involved CAI limb and dominant limb for controls were scanned. Segmentation of the talar cartilage was performed with T1ρ MRI images acquired during the 0 ms spin lock duration using ITK-SNAP software. Four regions of interest (ROI): anteriomeidal (AM), anteriolateral (AL), posteriomedial (PM), and posteriolateral (PL) were identified during segmentation. Voxel by voxel T1ρ relaxation times were calculated from a five-image sequence created with a custom Matlab program. Mean T1ρ relaxation times, an indicator of PGD, in each ROI were compared between CAI patients and healthy controls using independent t-tests. Results Significant T1ρ relaxation time differences (p=0.015) in the PL ROI in CAI patients (67.66±5.87 ms) compared to controls (60.59±5.10 ms). Despite higher relaxation times in CAI patients (AM:67.92±7.11 ms, AL:68.20±6.66 ms, PM:68.63±6.99 ms) no differences were noted (AM: p=0.920, AL: p=0.131, PM: p=0.086) compared to controls (AM:67.57±7.12 ms, AL:63.57±5.62 ms, PM:63.33±5.18 ms). Conclusions CAI patients showed higher T1ρ relaxation times compared to controls suggesting reduced PGD in the talar cartilage. This finding supports the existing arthroscopic literature that illustrates early degenerative changes in CAI patients. Further research is needed to determine therapeutic interventions that can improve measures of cartilage health by improving ankle joint biomechanics.
Life, death and nuclear spots

In addition to nucleoli, eukaryotic nuclei contain a number of subnuclear structures which have a speckled distribution. These include sites of DNA replication, RNA synthesis, spliceosomes, coiled bodies and nuclear bodies1, 2. Nuclear bodies, also known as PML-oncogenic domains (PODs), are enigmatic structures identified by immunostaining with antisera from patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, an autoimmune disease which results in the destruction of bile ducts3, 4. Subsequent immunofluorescent studies showed that PML, encoded by a gene mutated in acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL), localizes to these nuclear spots. Despite a flurry of papers devoted to PML and the identification of nearly 20 POD-associated proteins, the precise role of PODs remains murky. Two studies in this issue (p.259, p.266)5, 6 go some way to slicing through the murk by providing compelling evidence that PML plays a central role in the regulation of programmed cell death (apoptosis).
Dysfunctional Wound Healing in Diabetic Foot Ulcers: New Crossroads

Diabetic foot ulcerations (DFU) affect 25% of patients with diabetes mellitus during their lifetime and constitute a major health problem as they are often recalcitrant to healing due to a constellation of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The purpose of this review is to (1) detail the current mechanistic understanding of DFU formation and (2) highlight future therapeutic targets. From a molecular perspective, DFUs exhibit a chronic inflammatory predisposition. In addition, increased local hypoxic conditions and impaired cellular responses to hypoxia are pathogenic factors that contribute to delayed wound healing. Finally, recent evidence suggests a role for epigenetic alterations, including microRNAs, in delayed DFU healing due to the complex interplay between genes and the environment. In this regard, notable progress has been made in the molecular and genetic understanding of DFU formation. However, further studies are needed to translate preclinical investigations into clinical therapies.
LEAD CHARACTERISTICS ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH INCIDENTAL THROMBUS FORMATION ON TRANSVENOUS LEADS

The conditions leading to thrombus formation on transvenous leads are not well understood. We prospectively performed peri-operative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to evaluate the incidence of lead thrombi and the associated clinical and lead characteristics in patients undergoing lead
Urban Water Conservation Policies in the United States

Urban water supply systems in the United States are increasingly stressed as economic and population growth confront limited water resources. Demand management, through conservation and improved efficiency, has long been promoted as a practical alternative to building Promethean energy-intensive water-supply infrastructure. Some cities are making great progress at managing their demand, but study of conservation policies has been limited and often regionally focused. We present a hierarchical Bayesian analysis of a new measure of urban water conservation policy, the Vanderbilt Water Conservation Index (VWCI), for 195 cities in 45 states in the contiguous United States. This study does not attempt to establish causal relationships, but does observe that cities in states with arid climates tend to adopt more conservation measures. Within a state, cities with more Democratic-leaning voting preferences and large and rapidly growing populations tend to adopt more conservation measures. Economic factors and climatic differences between cities do not correlate with the number of measures adopted, but they do correlate with the character of the measures, with arid cities favoring mandatory conservation actions and cities in states with lower real personal income favoring rebates for voluntary actions. Understanding relationships between environmental and societal factors and cities’ support for water conservation measures can help planners and policy-makers identify obstacles and opportunities to increase the role of conservation and efficiency in making urban water supply systems sustainable.
Business intelligence

As companies become larger, more complex, and more multinational, it becomes harder for them to understand who their customers are, how to best serve them, and how to maximize profits. In order to achieve these business objectives, data on every single aspect of the business should be collected and then rigorously analyzed so that optimal business decisions can be made. This approach relies on large "data warehouses" and complex software that uses sophisticated algorithms to pore through the huge amounts of data; hence the now popular term "big data".
Interplay of paramagnetism and topology in the Fe-chalcogenide high-T c superconductors

The high-${T}_{c}$ superconductor, $\mathrm{FeT}{\mathrm{e}}_{0.55}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{e}}_{0.45}$, has recently been shown to support a surface state with topological character. Here we use low-energy laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy with variable light polarization, including both linear and circular polarizations, to reexamine the same material and the related $\mathrm{FeT}{\mathrm{e}}_{0.7}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{e}}_{0.3}$, with a larger Te concentration. In both cases, we observe the presence of a surface state displaying linear dispersion in a cone-like configuration. The use of circular polarization confirms the presence of a helical spin structure. These experimental studies are compared with theoretical studies that account for the local magnetic effects related to the paramagnetism observed in this system in the normal state. In contrast to previous studies, we find that including the magnetic contributions is necessary to bring the chemical potential of the calculated electronic band structure naturally into alignment with the experimental observations.
Poly(phenylene ethynylene) Conjugated Polyelectrolytes Synthesized via Chain-Growth Polymerization

This study examines the use of Pd(0)-catalyzed chain-growth Sonogashira coupling to prepare a series of poly(phenylene ethynylene) (PPE)-type conjugated polyelectrolytes that feature alkyl sulfonat...
Snapchat Usage Among Minority Populations

ABSTRACTUsing Hall’s essential work on encoding/decoding as a theoretical framework, this research analyzes “snaps” posted during a two-week period on the Snapchat Story at Brigham Young University...
The use of a contextualized case study in the senior capstone course

The case study approach helps computer science and information systems/technology students learn to recognize the important features being studied, the range of problems to which a particular information technology solution can be transferred and applied, and to abstract general principles from them. An overview of case-based and solution-based learning and their uses, which allow students to develop reflective thinking skills, is presented. The paper contains a discussion regarding the design and implementation of information technology case studies in the senior capstone course. A discussion that synthesizes the concepts that should be explored in information technology case studies, the rationale for the learning objectives chosen, and the educational outcomes of the case study are provided. Reflections on the use of a contextualized case as a part of an information systems/technology senior capstone course are also provided.
Intervention Components Targeting Self-Management in Individuals with Multiple Chronic Conditions: An Integrative Review:

Multiple chronic conditions (MCC) are becoming increasingly common and self-management (SM) interventions to address MCC are emerging. Prior reviews have broadly examined SM interventions in MCC; however, interventional components were not thoroughly described. Components of SM interventions that have been delivered to individuals with MCC were identified. A review of CINAHL, Cochrane, PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Embase was completed. This search yielded 13,994 potential studies; 31 studies among those 13,994 studies met inclusion for analysis. The literature is multidisciplinary and describes a wide variety of interventional strategies implementing various combinations of components. A descriptive analysis of the studies' components, application of the components, delivery methods, and primary outcomes demonstrated clear variations between programs. The most common components noted in the 31 studies were education, action planning/goal setting, self-monitoring, and social/peer support. The variation in SM programs limits conclusive evidence for which components are recommended to improve self-management in individuals with MCC.
Ancestry adjustment improves genome-wide estimates of regional intolerance

Genomic regions subject to purifying selection are of greater importance to the health and survival of an organism than regions not under such selection and therefore more likely to carry disease causing mutations in humans. Methods for identifying such regions can roughly be divided into those using cross species conservation and those using intolerance to standing genetic variation within a species. Cross species conservation relies on identifying regions with fewer differences than expected given divergence times between species. This makes regions that are under purifying selection in only one species difficult to detect. In contrast, intolerance looks for depletion of variation relative to expectation within a given species, allowing species specific features to be identified. When investigating the intolerance of coding sequence, this depletion is often focused on variation that affects the amino acid sequence. However, in noncoding sequence, the functional consequence of variation is less well defined, and methods strongly leverage variant frequency distributions. As the expected distributions depend on demography, if not properly controlled for, ancestral population source may obfuscate signals of selection. We demonstrate that properly incorporating demography in intolerance estimation results in greatly improved variant classification (14% increase in AUC relative to comparison constraint test, CDTS; and 7% relative to conservation). We provide a genome-wide intolerance map that is condition on demographic history that is likely to be particularly valuable in variant prioritization.
Teacher Presence in a Different Light: Authority Shift in Multi-user Virtual Environments

Teacher presence has been considered one of the cornerstones of students’ motivation and engagement in traditional and online education. However, we argue that diminished teacher presence can actually be beneficial for building a democratic, student-led classroom. We hypothesize that this can be achieved through the use of an Open Source Educative Processes framework and what is known as multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs). Social Network Analysis was conducted to analyze student–student and student–teacher interactions in two classrooms (N = 57); one of them implemented a MUVE element (Second Life) and the other did not. The results supported the idea that diminished teacher presence can encourage students to become active and independent learning agents.
Research progress of Henoch-Schonlein pmpura-related genes

Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is a common childhood systemic small vasculitis,but its pathogenesis is not clear so far.In recent years,the role of genetic factors has been causing attention from researchers in China and globally.Numerous studies have found that certain genes and their polymorphism are closely associated with the pathogenesis,susceptibility,progression and prognosis of HSP.Therefore,comprehensive analysis of the recent advances of HSP-related genes will provide important theoretical foundation for understanding the nature of HSP from gene level and developing new treatment in future. Key words: Henoch-Schonlein purpura; Gene; Polymorphisms
Physical and Cognitive Performance During Upper-Extremity Versus Full-Body Exercise Under Dual Tasking Conditions.

The purpose of this study was to investigate physical and cognitive performance during dual task conditions of upper-extremity (UE) or full-body (FB) rowing exercise. In a crossover counterbalanced...
How I do it: minimally invasive resection of a sub-ependymoma of the fourth ventricle.

A 54-year-old female was referred to our clinic with a lesion of the lower fourth ventricle extending to the median aperture. Here, we report the use a minimally invasive sub-occipital approach (MISA) as a safe and effective surgical management. We performed a MISA using a short midline incision and a 1-cm sub-occipital craniectomy. Dissection of the lesion was performed, and “en bloc” resection could be achieved. The lesion was confirmed to be a grade I sub-ependymoma. MISA can be safely used when confronted to a lesion of the lower fourth ventricle.