cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-speed low-latency portable visual-sensing system

My work in the field of computer vision has focused on building high speed visual tracking systems to provide position feedback for the control of unstable tasks. In order to make a juggling robot or a robotic helicopter stable, three qualities are essential -- high update rate, low latency, and decent accuracy and resolution. We want to put multiple vision systems on small robotic devices with limited payloads. Therefore the system must be very small, light, and cheap. However, we allow marking of the environment so the sophistication of the vision task can be extremely low. These constraints guided the development of AVS (which, due to lack of a better name, stands for Anne's Vision System).© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Pediatric Autonomic Disorders

The scope of pediatric autonomic disorders is not well recognized. The goal of this review is to increase awareness of the expanding spectrum of pediatric autonomic disorders by providing an overview of the autonomic nervous system, including the roles of its various components and its pervasive influence, as well as its intimate relationship with sensory function. To illustrate further the breadth and complexities of autonomic dysfunction, some pediatric disorders are described, concentrating on those that present at birth or appear in early childhood.
Spatial-Random-Access-Enabled Video Coding for Interactive Virtual Pan/Tilt/Zoom Functionality

High-spatial-resolution videos offer the possibility of viewing an arbitrary region-of-interest (RoI) interactively. Zoom functionality enables watching high-resolution content even on displays of lower spatial resolution. If arbitrary regions corresponding to arbitrary zoom factors can be served to the user, the transmission and/or decoding of the entire high-spatial-resolution video can be avoided. Moreover, if the video content can be encoded such that arbitrary RoIs corresponding to different zoom factors can be simply extracted from the compressed bitstream, we can avoid dedicated video encoding for each user. We propose such a video coding scheme that is vital in allowing the system to scale to large numbers of remote users as well as to encode and store the content for subsequent repeated playback. Apart from generating a multi-resolution representation, our coding scheme uses P slices from H.264/AVC. We study the tradeoff in the choice of slice size. A larger slice size enables higher coding efficiency for representing the entire scene but increases the number of pixels that have to be transmitted. The optimal slice size achieves the best tradeoff and minimizes the expected transmission bitrate. Experimental results confirm the optimality of our predicted slice size for various test cases. Furthermore, we propose an improvement based on background extraction and long-term memory motion-compensated prediction. Experiments indicate up to 85% bitrate reduction while retaining efficient random access capability.
Electrode Polarization And Biological Impedances

Electrode polarization is a major nuisance i n the field of dielectric spectroscopy of biological cells. Techniques to deal with this protkm require knowledge of frequency and signal strength dependence of the polarization impedance. We review this field and relevant models, concentrating on work done in our laboratory.
The Hidden World of WTO Governance: A Reply to Andrew Lang and Joanne Scott

EJIL (2009), Vol. 20 No. 4, 1063–1071 doi: 10.1093/ejil/chp099 In ‘The Hidden World of WTO Governance’, Andrew Lang and Joanne Scott rightly identify WTO committees as an understudied site of WTO governance. Their analysis deploys frameworks based largely on the sociology of global technocracy, lenses which bring into focus WTO behaviour not usually given much consideration, yet their description and analysis are incomplete, for they miss the central role of states as principals directing the activities of their representatives on the committees, as well as the power politics within and around WTO committees. Only by also considering the state, state interests, the relative power of states engaged in committee deliberation, and WTO committee participants as government representatives can we more fully understand and assess WTO committees as sites of governance.
Glass-fiber lasers in the ultraviolet and visible

The recent fabrication of rare earth-doped fluoro-zirconate (ZBLAN) glass fiber has spurred the development of a family of visible and ultraviolet fiber lasers pumped by upconversion. The performance of CW room temperature devices demonstrated to date is reviewed with emphasis on the recently reported Nd-doped ZBLAN fiber laser operating in the ultraviolet at 381 nm. >
An improved hydrogen bond potential: Impact on medium resolution protein structures

A new semi-empirical force field has been developed to describe hydrogen-bonding interactions with a directional component. The hydrogen bond potential supports two alternative target angles, motivated by the observation that carbonyl hydrogen bond acceptor angles have a bimodal distribution. It has been implemented as a module for a macromolecular refinement package to be combined with other force field terms in the stereochemically restrained refinement of macromolecules. The parameters for the hydrogen bond potential were optimized to best fit crystallographic data from a number of protein structures. Refinement of medium-resolution structures with this additional restraint leads to improved structure, reducing both the free R-factor and over-fitting. However, the improvement is seen only when stringent hydrogen bond selection criteria are used. These findings highlight common misconceptions about hydrogen bonding in proteins, and provide explanations for why the explicit hydrogen bonding terms of some popular force field sets are often best switched off.
Factors influencing parathyroid allotransplantation in rats

For nearly a century, researchers have sought to solve the problem of permanent hypocalcemia by allotransplanting the parathyroid glands. A thorough review of the literature revealed conflicting reports, many of which claim success but lack substantial data and sound criteria on which to base the success. At the present, there is no reproducible method of successfully transplanting parathyroid tissue to a nonimmunosuppressed host. The literature on the transplantation of other organs was reviewed in order to determine which methods might be tested on parathyroid tissue to achieve long-term graft survival. These methods include the use of fetal tissue and treatment of the host with cyclosporine. Cyclosporine is unique in that it affects graft rejection but does not alter the nonspecific defenses of the host. Five experimental groups were established to study variables influencing successful allotransplantation. Heterogeneic, aparathyroid adult rats with calcium levels below 5.5 mg/dl were the graft recipients. Our criteria for successful parathyroid transplantation included biochemical, functional, and histologic data. Maintenance of serum calcium levels above 8.0 mg/dl was considered biochemical evidence of graft function. Excision of the graft site with the subsequent return to pregraft hypocalcemia was considered evidence of graft function. Histologic evidence of normal parathyroid tissue at the graft site was the final criterion used to prove a successful transplant. Graft failure was documented through serum calcium determinations and histologic examination of the graft site. Rats from group 1 received allotransplanted adult parathyroid glands and showed no evidence of graft function. Animals from group 2 received parathyroid allografts from newborn rats and responded with a transient rise in serum calcium levels. Group 3 rats demonstrated a short period of normocalcemia after receiving fetal parathyroid allografts. In addition to undergoing fetal parathyroid allotransplantation, the rats in group 4 were treated with a 7-day course of cyclosporine. Calcium levels rose quickly and remained elevated for 2 weeks after cessation of cyclosporine. Calcium levels then returned to pregraft levels. Group 5 rats received continuous cyclosporine for 40 to 90 days after receiving fetal parathyroid allografts. These animals showed long-term graft survival by biochemical, functional, and histologic analysis.
Heavy Metal Accumulation by Old-field Plant Species During Recovery of Sludge-treated Ecosystems

Abstract Concentrations of heavy metals in old-field plant species were compared among untreated reference subplots, unlimed sludge-treated subplots and limed sludge-treated subplots during the 4th yr of ecosystem recovery following long-term (11-yr) nutrient enrichment. Although results varied on a metal-specific and species-specific basis, liming was overall successful in reducing metal concentrations in old-field plant species. For example, concentrations of Cd in leaves and roots and concentrations of Pb and Zn in roots of Ambrosia trifida were significantly lower in plants collected from limed compared to unlimed sludge-treated subplots. Liming significantly reduced concentrations of Cd in leaves and roots of Solidago canadensis, and in the leaves, roots, and seeds of Setaria faberii to levels found in untreated reference subplots. Liming also significantly reduced concentrations of Cu in the roots of Solidago canadensis, Pb in the roots and seeds of Setaria faberii, and Zn in the roots and leaves of...
Effects of light exposure at night during development

Disruption of the circadian system is increasingly prevalent in modern society. The mammalian circadian architecture is functional from birth and continues to develop throughout the early postnatal period. Importantly, light is the most salient entraining signal for the circadian system. Early life experiences can profoundly affect the developing brain, influencing adult behavior, health, and disease; thus, the immature circadian system may be particularly sensitive to circadian disruption. Indeed, early lighting environment impacts the maturation of the circadian system. The consequences of early light experience persist into adulthood influencing physiological and behavioral functions that are regulated by the circadian system. This review will discuss the development of the mammalian circadian system and implications of disruptive light exposure during early critical periods.
Propranolol Targets Hemangioma Stem Cells via cAMP and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Regulation

Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are the most common vascular tumor and arise from a hemangioma stem cell (HemSC). Propranolol has proved efficacious for problematic IHs. Propranolol is a nonselective β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) antagonist that can lower cAMP levels and activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway downstream of βARs. We found that HemSCs express β1AR and β2AR in proliferating IHs and determined the role of these βARs and the downstream pathways in mediating propranolol’s effects. In isolated HemSCs, propranolol suppressed cAMP levels and activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 in a dose-dependent fashion. Propranolol, used at doses of <10−4 M, reduced cAMP levels and decreased HemSC proliferation and viability. Propranolol at ≥10−5 M reduced cAMP levels and activated ERK1/2, and this correlated with HemSC apoptosis and cytotoxicity at ≥10−4 M. Stimulation with a βAR agonist, isoprenaline, promoted HemSC proliferation and rescued the antiproliferative effects of propranolol, suggesting that propranolol inhibits βAR signaling in HemSCs. Treatment with a cAMP analog or a MAPK inhibitor partially rescued the HemSC cell viability suppressed by propranolol. A selective β2AR antagonist mirrored propranolol’s effects on HemSCs in a dose-dependent fashion, and a selective β1AR antagonist had no effect, supporting a role for β2AR signaling in IH pathobiology. In a mouse model of IH, propranolol reduced the vessel caliber and blood flow assessed by ultrasound Doppler and increased activation of ERK1/2 in IH cells. We have thus demonstrated that propranolol acts on HemSCs in IH to suppress proliferation and promote apoptosis in a dose-dependent fashion via β2AR perturbation, resulting in reduced cAMP and MAPK activation.
Studies on the Immune Status of Patients with Renal Adenocarcinoma

AbstractThirty-one patients with renal carcinoma were divided into 3 groups according to the stage of the disease and evaluated with skin tests to determine cell-mediated immunity and an in vitro chemotaxis assay to measure monocyte function. The patients demonstrated a significant defect in monocyte function, that is the ability to undergo chemotaxis when compared to healthy controls and patients with non-neoplastic disease (p less than 0.001). The defect tended to be more severe in patients with advanced disease. Improvements in monocyte function occurred following nephrectomy in patients with localized disease.The patients were skin tested with recall antigens and dinitrochlorobenzene to determine the presence of a delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity response. Croton oil was used to evaluate the non-specific inflammatory response. These studies indicate that a defect exists in cellular immunity as well as the inflammatory response. Patients with advanced disease tend to be unresponsive to these skin tes...
The Place of Subjects in the Metaphysics of Material Objects

An under-explored intermediate position between traditional materialism and traditional idealism is the view that although the spatiotemporal world is purely material, minds nonetheless have a metaphysically special place in it. One way this can be is via a special role that subjects have in the metaphysics of material objects. Some metaphysical aspect of material objects might require the existence of subjects. This would support that minds must exist if material objects exist and thus that a mindless material world is impossible. This view, labeled the subjectivity thesis by Anton Friedrich Koch, was defended by him with an intriguing, purely metaphysical argument connected to the individuation of material objects in space and time. The present paper hopes to make progress on assessing the viability of such a position. It starts by critically examining Koch’s argument for the subjectivity thesis, as well as similar arguments that give minds a central place in the metaphysics of material objects via considerations about identity and difference. It then compares these ideas to similar ones in the philosophy of time, and concludes with an outlook on whether such a position is viable and what needs to be done to fill the gaps unearthed along the way.
An external audit of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the steady state performed in medical treatment facilities of the Department of Defense.

Objective This study provides the first objective assessment of a complete patient population undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the steady state. The authors determined the frequency of complications, particularly bile duct, bowel, vascular injuries, and deaths. Summary Background Data This retrospective study, conducted for the Department of Defense healthcare system by the Civilian External Peer Review Program, is the second complete audit of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Data were collected on 9130 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy between January 1993 and May 1994. Methods The study sample consisted of clinical data abstracted from the complete records of 9054 (99.2%) of the 9130 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed at 94 military medical treatment facilities. Results Of 10,458 cholecystectomies performed in the Military Health Services System, 9130 (87.3%) were laparoscopic and 1328 (12.7%) were traditional open procedures. Seventy-six medical records were incomplete; however, there was sufficient data to determine mortality and bile duct injury rates. Of the remaining 9054 cases, 6.09% experienced complications, including bile duct (0.41%), bowel (0.32%), and vascular injuries (0.10 percent). The mortality rate was 0.13%. Access via Veress technique was used in 57.6% and Hasson technique in 42.4% of patients. Intraoperative cholangiograms were performed in 42.7% of the cases with a success rate of 86.2%. Eight hundred ninety-two (9.8%) patients were converted to open cholecystectomies. Conclusions In the steady state, despite an increase in the percentage of laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed for nonmalignant gallbladder disease, there continues to be minimal complications and low mortality.
MR appearance and spectral features of injected ethanol in the liver: implication for fast MR-guided percutaneous ethanol injection therapy.

Purpose Our goal was to evaluate several fast MR strategies for monitoring ethanol distributions so that percutaneous ethanol injection might be guided with MRI. Method Fast RF spoiled GRE sequences (SPGR) and T2-weighted rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) sequences with and without spectroscopic-quality water suppression techniques were assessed for their ability to depict the distribution of injected ethanol in ex vivo pig liver. A line scan Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill spectroscopic imaging sequence was used to validate observations and measure spectral relaxation characteristics of the ethanol signal in liver. Injected deuterated ethanol was also tested as an alternative possibility to depict the distribution of ethanol. Results The water-suppressed T2-weighted RARE sequence depicted the distribution of ethanol better than other sequences. Deuterated ethanol appeared as a signal void on all sequences. Conclusion Water-suppressed T2-weighted RARE sequences could be useful to rapidly monitor MR-guided PEI.
Pilot-in-the-Loop Flight Simulator for NASA’s Transport Class Model

An immersive flight simulator has been developed at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign using NASA’s Transport Class Model aircraft dynamics in an effort to streamline the design and testing process of a flight control law incorporating flight envelope protection and loss-of-control prediction and prevention systems. A modular simulator structure has been implemented using a Simulink dynamics model, X-Plane visualization, Frasca 142 cockpit, and a custom digital gauge panel, with communication between elements over a local area network. Utilizing purpose-built Simulink libraries, a single Simulink model is able to facilitate batch simulations, desktop piloted simulations, and pilot-in-the-loop simulations in the flight simulator. This paper presents an overview of the simulator architecture and its implementation.
To be Catholic or Not to Be: Is it Still the Question? Catholic Identity and Religious Education Today

Recent social studies have show that there are, especially among young American Catholics, different conceptions of what constitutes a Catholic. Factors contributing to this new understanding of Catholic identity include religious pluralism and the divergent conceptualizations of catholicity and Catholicism in contemporary theology. As a consequence, different criteria are used to define what it means to be a Catholic. These variations pose serious challenges to religious educators whose task is to shape the religious identity of the students.The study begins with a survey of the history of the concept of catholicity as well as of the criteria for Catholic identity. In view of the variations in the understanding of catholicity, the work discerns four challenges for religious education with its task of fostering Catholic identity: how to maintain a fruitful balance between Vatican II's recognition of the ecclesial nature of non-Catholic Christian communities and its claim that the Catholic Church possesses the fullness of the means of salvation; between Vatican II's call for dialogue with non-Christian religions and its insistence on the distinctiveness of Catholic beliefs and practices; between the legitimate concerns of “communal Catholics” and the necessity for all Catholics to participate fully in the Catholic symbol and ethical system; and between the spiritual and institutional, the invisible and visible elements of the church. The article concludes by suggesting an indirect method to develop and strengthen Catholic identity by means of the “deep structures” of the Catholic faith, with particular focus on Christian doctrines.
Impact of molecular weight and comonomer content on catalytic hydrogen-deuterium exchange in polyolefins

Abstract The effect of molecular weight (MW) and comonomer content (CC) on the catalytic hydrogen-deuterium exchange process (CHDEP) in a series of polyethylenes has been studied using a band filter based SEC-IR method. CHDEP permits deuterium labeling of polyolefins prepared by any synthetic route, a major advantage over the traditional method of polymerizing deuterated monomers. However, incompleteness in deuterium-exchange as well as heterogeneity in deuterium distribution are known challenges to deuterium labeling of heterogeneous polymers by this method. These factors complicate small angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies, in which the average deuterium-exchange level (DL) and deuterium distribution are critical. A band-filter based size exclusion chromatography (SEC)-infrared absorption (IR) technique is presented as a simple but accurate method to quantify the DL as a function of MW. The DL of a series of ethylene-alpha olefin copolymers has been found to increase with MW but does not depend strongly on CC for all the polyethylene samples. This behavior has been further confirmed with independent measurements of average DL as a function of weight-averaged MW of a series of fractions from a deuterated linear low density polyethylene. The SEC results for the fractions are in agreement with deuterium measurements on the fractions using NMR spectroscopy, density and FTIR.
FLEXIBLE PROCUREMENT APPROACHES THAT FACILITATE RELATIONSHIP CHANGE AND NEGOTIATION: THE USE OF THE INVITATION TO NEGOTIATE

The effectiveness of innovative procurement practices, illustrated at the US federal level by Performance Based Service Contracting and other best value approaches, depends upon changes in the public procurement organizational culture. These changes require agency officials to establish new relationships with contractors, as the challenges of acquiring complex as well as highly customized goods/services is best met through flexibility and negotiation throughout the life of the acquisition. Using procurement approaches that provide maximum flexibility provide challenges to public managers, as choices regarding negotiation include the content as well as the intensity and duration of negotiation sessions. The use of the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) approach by the State of Florida is one example of an approach that allows flexibility and facilitates different relationships with contractors. Two case studies, from the Departments of Transportation and Management Services illustrate the use of ITN.
Coevolution of binaries and circumbinary gaseous discs

The recent discoveries of circumbinary planets by $\it Kepler$ raise questions for contemporary planet formation models. Understanding how these planets form requires characterizing their formation environment, the circumbinary protoplanetary disc, and how the disc and binary interact and change as a result. The central binary excites resonances in the surrounding protoplanetary disc that drive evolution in both the binary orbital elements and in the disc. To probe how these interactions impact binary eccentricity and disc structure evolution, N-body smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations of gaseous protoplanetary discs surrounding binaries based on Kepler 38 were run for $10^4$ binary periods for several initial binary eccentricities. We find that nearly circular binaries weakly couple to the disc via a parametric instability and excite disc eccentricity growth. Eccentric binaries strongly couple to the disc causing eccentricity growth for both the disc and binary. Discs around sufficiently eccentric binaries that strongly couple to the disc develop an $m = 1$ spiral wave launched from the 1:3 eccentric outer Lindblad resonance (EOLR) that corresponds to an alignment of gas particle longitude of periastrons. All systems display binary semimajor axis decay due to dissipation from the viscous disc.
The PECARN TBI Rules Do Not Apply to Abusive Head Trauma.

The Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) traumatic brain injury (TBI) prediction rules were developed to identify children at very low risk for clinically-important TBIs (ciTBIs), for whom computed tomography (CT) scans can typically be obviated.1 The PECARN prediction rules have been validated in several settings and countries.2-5 The PECARN TBI rules, one developed for children younger than 2 years, and the other for those 2 years and older, rely on accurate patient history and physical examination findings gathered at the time of emergency department (ED) presentation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Crystalball: statically analyzing runtime behavior via deep sequence learning

Understanding dynamic program behavior is critical in many stages of the software development lifecycle, for purposes as diverse as optimization, debugging, testing, and security. This paper focuses on the problem of predicting dynamic program behavior statically. We introduce a novel technique to statically identify hot paths that leverages emerging deep learning techniques to take advantage of their ability to learn subtle, complex relationships between sequences of inputs. This approach maps well to the problem of identifying the behavior of sequences of basic blocks in program execution. Our technique is also designed to operate on the compiler's intermediate representation (IR), as opposed to the approaches taken by prior techniques that have focused primarily on source code, giving our approach language-independence. We describe the pitfalls of conventional metrics used for hot path prediction such as accuracy, and motivate the use of Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUROC). Through a thorough evaluation of our technique on complex applications that include the SPEC CPU2006 benchmarks, we show that our approach achieves an AUROC of 0.85.
Adaptive control of a surface marine craft with parameter identification using integral concurrent learning

A controller is developed for a three degrees-of-freedom surface marine craft where both the rigid body and hydrodynamic parameters are unknown. A Lyapunov-based analysis is presented to show the closed loop system is globally exponentially stable and the uncertain parameters are identified exponentially without the requirement of persistence of excitation. Simulation results are provided to validate the theory and demonstrate performance.
Evidence of differential mass change rates between human breast cancer cell lines in culture

Investigating the growth signatures of single cells will determine how cell growth is regulated and cell size is maintained. The ability to precisely measure such changes and alterations in cell size and cell mass could be important for applications in cancer and drug screening. Here, we measure the mass growth rate of individual benign (MCF-10A), non-invasive (MCF-7), and highly-invasive malignant (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cells. A micro-patterning technique was employed to allow for the long-term growth of motile cells. Results show mass growth rates at 4.8%, 1.2%, and 2.8% for MCF-10A, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231, demonstrating that normal cells have a higher mass growth rate than cancerous cells. All the cell lines show an increase in mass change rate indicating that the mass accumulation rate is exponential over a single cell cycle. The growth rates measured with our MEMS sensor are compared with doubling times obtained through conventional bulk analysis techniques, and exhibit excellent agreement.
‘Capitalism 2.0’: Web 2.0 Manifestoes and the New Spirit of Capitalism:

This article locates social media management literature in relation to broader shifts in management ideology. While studies of recent management ideology have highlighted its emphasis on the partic...
Proximal Pulmonary Artery Evaluation in Infants With Shunt-Dependent Pulmonary Blood Flow: Computed Tomographic Angiography Versus Transthoracic Echocardiography:

Background:Infants with shunt-dependent pulmonary blood flow are at risk for developing proximal pulmonary artery (PA) stenosis, which may result in morbidity and mortality. Transthoracic echocardi...
Temporal Variations in the Nature of Atmospheric Dust above an Interior Desert Basin

Qualitative infrared microspectrophotometric analysis of 99 six-hour samples of atmospheric dust collected during April and May 1968 at a mountain laboratory in south central New Mexico, U. S. A., revealed a systematic, meteorologically interpretable, temporal variation in the mineral constituency of the dust. The ratio of silicate clays to carbonates was high during the early morning, at times of convective activity and precipitation, and at times of cold frontal passage from the east; it was low during the afternoon and at times of convective inactivity and no precipitation. The low ratio dust is attributed to advection of fresh continental particles from the exchange layer over the adjacent basin and mountains and the high ratio dust to advection of fresh continental particles from the western Great Plains and aged continental particles from the free atmosphere.
Ethics and Moral Intensity: An Analysis of Information Technology and General Education Students

There are many current information technology positions that are generally regarded as unethical. This study finds that there are mixed results in the ethical judgments of today’s students in addressing these common information technology issues. For all students surveyed, not all unethical information technology statements are opposed. The survey examines differences between information technology students and general education students and finds that overall information technology students do not judge unethical issues differently from general students. Components of moral intensity influencing moral judgments are also studied and complex decision influences are found in many cases. The most important component is found to be consequences of actions. Based on this limited study, information technology ethics needs to be a greater part of the curriculum and needs to address the complex ethical decision making process. Limitations, implications, recommendations, and further study are reviewed.
Evaluating Adherent Bacteria and Biofilm Using Biochemical and Immunochemical Methods

In its infancy, the study of microbial adhesion relied heavily upon direct measurements of cell number or cell mass as a means of quantitation. This was generally accomplished by microscopic enumeration of surface-bound microorganisms, spectrophotometric measurements of stained or unstained biofilm layers, scintillation counting of radiolabeled microorganisms, or colony count determinations of organisms dislodged from a colonized surface. These assays were often time consuming and labor intensive, required handling and disposal of radionuclides or provided only crude measurements of biofilm density. As the study of microbial adhesion grew in complexity over the past decade to include an examination of interactions with eukaryotic cell surfaces and synthetic or biological polymers, the need to develop assays with increased versatility, sensitivity, and economy of scale became paramount. In contrast to earlier methods, the techniques used to evaluate microbial adhesion that will be reviewed in this chapter rely upon the quantitation of indirect markers as a proxy for microbial cell count or biofilm density. These procedures can be further subdivided into two basic categories: immunologic methods that target cell surface antigens as an indication of microbial adhesion and biological assays that measure organism-specific enzyme activity as evidence of surface colonization. While there are numerous descriptions of each type of assay reported for a wide variety of microorganisms, only a select number of reports will be discussed as examples of each.
Playing by the rules? Phenotypic adaptation to temperate environments in an American marsupial

Phenotypic variation along environmental gradients can provide evidence suggesting local adaptation has shaped observed morphological disparities. These differences, in traits such as body and extremity size, as well as skin and coat pigmentation, may affect the overall fitness of individuals in their environments. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is a marsupial that shows phenotypic variation across its range, one that has recently expanded into temperate environments. It is unknown, however, whether the variation observed in the species fits adaptive ecogeographic patterns, or if phenotypic change is associated with any environmental factors. Using phenotypic measurements of over 300 museum specimens of Virginia opossum, collected throughout its distribution range, we applied regression analysis to determine if phenotypes change along a latitudinal gradient. Then, using predictors from remote-sensing databases and a random forest algorithm, we tested environmental models to find the most important variables driving the phenotypic variation. We found that despite the recent expansion into temperate environments, the phenotypic variation in the Virginia opossum follows a latitudinal gradient fitting three adaptive ecogeographic patterns codified under Bergmann's, Allen's and Gloger's rules. Temperature seasonality was an important predictor of body size variation, with larger opossums occurring at high latitudes with more seasonal environments. Annual mean temperature predicted important variation in extremity size, with smaller extremities found in northern populations. Finally, we found that precipitation and temperature seasonality as well as low temperatures were strong environmental predictors of skin and coat pigmentation variation; darker opossums are distributed at low latitudes in warmer environments with higher precipitation seasonality. These results indicate that the adaptive mechanisms underlying the variation in body size, extremity size and pigmentation are related to the resource seasonality, heat conservation, and pathogen-resistance hypotheses, respectively. Our findings suggest that marsupials may be highly susceptible to environmental changes, and in the case of the Virginia opossum, the drastic phenotypic evolution in northern populations may have arisen rapidly, facilitating the colonization of seasonal and colder habitats of temperate North America.
Cross-sectional echocardiographic evaluation of the Atrioventricular valves in Acquired and congenital heart disease

The mitral valve was one of the first cardiac structures to be visualized by reflected ultrasound. During his pioneering echocardiographic studies, Edler described the typical motion pattern of the normal mitral valve and also documented that this motion pattern was distinctly different in patients with mitral stenosis l)–4). Subsequent studies have demonstrated that M-mode echocardiography can be used to diagnose a large number of conditions including mitral valve prolapse 5)–9), hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (IHSS) 10)–12), aortic regurgitation 13), left atrial myxoma 14), and decreased left ventricular compliance 15), 16). All of these studies describe diagnostic markers that are based on the detection of an abnormal pattern of motion of the mitral valve. However, the technique provides little information about the actual shape of the valve.
Linking: Syntactic Argument Positions and Aspectual Roles

The theory developed in this work is a theory about the interface between syntax and lexical semantics. The existence of an interface implies a limited autonomy, or modularity, of syntax from lexical semantics and vice versa. Different rules and systems may be used to describe each one to a large extent, but these rules and systems interact, or intersect, or are visible to each other through a narrow common vocabulary. However we may choose to think about it, an interface requires that some element of one system be hooked up to some element of the other system. It is a basic thesis of this work that what is hooked up on the lexical semantic side is a set of aspectual properties, related to the particular aspectual property I will call delimitedness. Under this view, the intersection between syntax and lexical semantics is basically an aspectual one. Furthermore, the interactions between the two components are highly constrained, since they are organized around a limited vocabulary of aspectual notions. This theory therefore maintains the basic assumption of the autonomy of syntax, focusing on the locus of the intersection between syntax and lexical semantics.
Nucleotide Release by Airway Epithelia

The purinergic events regulating the airways’ innate defenses are initiated by the release of purines from the epithelium, which occurs constitutively and is enhanced by chemical or mechanical stimulation. While the external triggers have been reviewed exhaustively, this chapter focuses on current knowledge of the receptors and signaling cascades mediating nucleotide release. The list of secreted purines now includes ATP, ADP, AMP and nucleotide sugars, and involves at least three distinct mechanisms reflecting the complexity of airway epithelia. First, the constitutive mechanism involves ATP translocation to the ER/Golgi complex as energy source for protein folding, and fusion of Golgi-derived vesicles with the plasma membrane. Second, goblet cells package ATP with mucins into granules, which are discharged in response to P2Y2R activation and Ca2+-dependent signaling pathways. Finally, non-mucous cells support a regulated mechanism of ATP release involving protease activated receptor (PAR)-elicited G12/13 activation, leading to the RhoGEF-mediated exchange of GDP for GTP on RhoA, and cytoskeleton rearrangement. Together, these pathways provide fine tuning of epithelial responses regulated by purinergic signaling events.
Prosopis Genus as Food and Drug Repository: Exploring the Literature Databases

The genus Prosopis, a member of Fabaceae family grows profusely in arid regions of the world. Native tribes have used this plant as a source of subsistence for generations. The high-protein, low-carbohydrate flour of its pod is touted to be a potential food source. Some recently reported bioactive potentials range from functional food, antioxidant, hypolipemic, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antinociceptive, estrogenic, anticancer, antimicrobial and neurostimulator to larvicide. This chapter furnishes a comprehensive account of the current state of knowledge and proposes future scopes.
Methods for the Isolation and Investigation of the Diversity of Cold-Adapted Yeasts and Their Ex Situ Preservation in Worldwide Collections

Cold-adapted (psychrophilic and psychrotolerant) yeasts have been isolated from a variety of substrates, using a variety of cultivation methods. Yeasts able to grow at as low as 0 °C have been isolated from cold substrates such as glaciers, snow, and deep-sea sediment, but also from temperate and tropical climates. A broad diversity of media and culture conditions have been used to isolate and cultivate these yeasts. Low-temperature incubation is used to select for psychrophiles, thus depending on the strains relatively long incubation time (up to 14 weeks) may be required. Cold-adapted yeast strains belong to many species in many clades of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Numerous strains have been deposited in public culture collections. Online strain catalogs of some public yeast culture collections include searchable fields for growth temperatures, allowing selection of yeasts able to grow at desired temperatures. Culture-independent methods for profiling yeast diversity in mixed communities can be used to profile populations, allowing detection of yeasts whose DNA is present in a specimen but that were not cultivated.
Role of binders in solid electrolyte interphase formation in lithium ion batteries studied with hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Lithium-ion batteries featuring electrodes of silicon nanoparticles, conductive carbon, and polymer binders were constructed with electrolyte containing 1.2 M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate (1:1, w/w). Material binders used include polyvinylidene difluoride (PVdF), polyacrylic acid (PAA), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and a mixture of equal masses of CMC and PAA (CMCPAA). Hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) was performed on the electrodes when fresh, cycled at reduced potential, and cycled one full time to study how substrate material binders affect the early formation of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer. Electrodes cycled 5, 10, and 20 times were also analyzed to discern what changes to the SEI occur after initial formation. We also present estimates of the SEI thickness by cycle count, indicating that PAA develops the thinnest SEI, followed by CMCPAA, CMC, and PVdF in order of increasing layer thickness.
Strategic Alliances in Knowledge-Intensive Industries: An Integrated View

In this study, we examine strategic alliances between large pharmaceutical companies (LPCs) and new biotechnology firms (NBFs) in the knowledge-intensive biopharmaceutical industry in the light of two explanations for the motives behind R&D alliances, namely, the transaction cost explanation and the learning with flexibility explanation. We develop a series of propositions based on an integrated view of the motives behind strategic alliances in knowledge-based industries.
Advancing emergency management higher education: Importance of cultural competence scholarship

The evolving demographics, needs, and demands of society requires managers to be culturally competent in all phases of emergency management, especially when responding to disasters. A culturally incompetent manager and/or organization can increase a hazard's impact on often already vulnerable communities. Are cultural competencies lacking in emergency management education? Are these competencies as important as other highly regarded emergency management competencies? What are effective pedagogy and andragogy to create, implement, and evaluate cultural competency in emergency management higher education? As scholars work to advance the emergency management discipline, there is an increasing need for scholarship of teaching and learning research, especially regarding cultural competency. This article reviews the existing literature, as well as pedagogy from related disciplines, to identify gaps and provide recommendations for future research.
Moving (slowly) toward understanding knowledge as a global commons

Marton Demeter responds to the move to de-westernization (Waisbord and Mellado 2014; Waisbord 2019) by asking whether the reality of practice in cultural discourse studies fits with the stated goal...
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures: Electoral Competitiveness, Poll Position, and Campaign Negativity

How does a candidate’s position in the polls affect the decision to go negative? The endogenous nature of campaign negativity and the relative position of a candidate in the polls raises questions about the causal relationship of these two variables in previous observational studies of campaigns. To address this problem, this paper uses an experiment embedded in a survey of campaign practitioners to evaluate the role of poll positioning on the use of campaign negativity. Political operatives are more likely to advocate for negative campaign tactics when they are told a campaign is behind than when they are told the campaign is ahead. Moreover, a competitive race is more likely to encourage negativity from the favored candidate than a blowout. This study finds that if the pathway to electoral victory is more difficult, campaign practitioners are more likely to encourage the use of negative campaign tactics.
Gliotransmission: A Novel Target for the Development of Antiseizure Drugs:

For more than a century, epilepsy has remained an incapacitating neurological disorder with a high incidence worldwide. Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a common type of epilepsy without an effective pharmacological treatment. An increase in excitability and hypersynchrony of electrical neuronal activity during development are typically associated with an excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in the neuronal network. Astrocytes release gliotransmitters, which can regulate neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission; therefore, the classical neurocentric vision of the cellular basis of epileptogenesis has begun to change. Growing evidence suggests that the key contribution of astrocyte-to-neuron signaling in the mechanisms underlies the initiation, propagation, and recurrence of seizure activity. The aim of this review was to summarize current evidence obtained from experimental models that suggest how alterations in astroglial modulation of synaptic transmission and neuronal activity contribute to the development of this brain disease. In this article, we will summarize the main pharmacological, Ca2+-imaging, and electrophysiological findings in the gliotransmitter-mediated modulation of neuronal activity and their possible regulation as a novel cellular target for the development of pharmacological strategies for treating refractory epilepsies.
Jazz, space and labor: Mixed media aestheticization of work songs in Jason Moran’s STAGED

Pianist and composer Jason Moran's multimedia project STAGED debuted at the 2015Venice Biennale and was later expanded for an exhibition at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.Its centerpieces are three sculptures: life-size replicas of stages from venuesnow closed. Live performances occur on the stages within the galleries that host theexhibition, and recorded sound plays when performers are absent. These stages originallyappeared in the Savoy Ballroom, a major social dancing hub, the Three Deuces, asmall club associated with early bebop, and Slugs', a haven for free jazz. Through themixture of musical genres and historical eras created on both sonic and visual levels,Moran transforms the notion of a single thread of jazz history progressing through timefrom folk and popular culture toward high art into a web that elevates everyday formswhile questioning assumptions about the freedom and autonomy of highbrow forms.
Probabilistic Analysis of UAV Routing with Dynamically Arriving Targets

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are indispensable part of modern operations, from information collection and transportation in civilian and military domains alike. However, the problem of finding the best route for the UAVs for multi-target tracking, surveillance, and information collection is a very important problem which can greatly affect the performance of UAVs. In this paper, we address this problem, and propose two different greedy policies, analyze them mathematically, and find the expectation of the distance travelled in each case. Such analysis can help guide the decision maker with choices in dispatching and scheduling these important assets.
Salience driven attention is pivotal to understanding others' intentions.

Interpreting others’ beliefs, desires and intentions is known as “theory of mind” (ToM), and is often evaluated using simplified measurement tools, which may not correctly reflect the brain circuit...