cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Do Environmentally Responsible Endeavors Pay Off

Copyright: © 2012 Salvador RO. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. There has been substantial, growing interest in environmental responsibility and sustainability among both scholars and practitioners of tourism and hospitality over the last two decades [1]. In addition, there has been general agreement among hospitality and tourism teachers that concepts associated with environmental sustainability are critical components of educational and training programs [2]. Given this seeming consensus regarding the importance of managing in environmentally sustainable ways, as well as the costs of designing and implementing environmentally responsible activities, one recurring question among both academics and practitioners has been this: do environmentally responsible endeavors pay off for hospitality and tourism companies?
Regret-based pruning in extensive-form games

Counterfactual Regret Minimization (CFR) is a leading algorithm for finding a Nash equilibrium in large zero-sum imperfect-information games. CFR is an iterative algorithm that repeatedly traverses the game tree, updating regrets at each information set. We introduce an improvement to CFR that prunes any path of play in the tree, and its descendants, that has negative regret. It revisits that sequence at the earliest subsequent CFR iteration where the regret could have become positive, had that path been explored on every iteration. The new algorithm maintains CFR's convergence guarantees while making iterations significantly faster—even if previously known pruning techniques are used in the comparison. This improvement carries over to CFR+, a recent variant of CFR. Experiments show an order of magnitude speed improvement, and the relative speed improvement increases with the size of the game.
A comparative evaluation of β-catenin and plakoglobin signaling activity

Vertebrates have two Armadillo-like proteins, beta-catenin and plakoglobin. Mutant forms of beta-catenin with oncogenic activity are found in many human tumors, but plakoglobin mutations are not commonly found. In fact, plakoglobin has been proposed to suppress tumorigenesis. To assess differences between beta-catenin and plakoglobin, we compared several of their biochemical properties. After transient transfection of 293T cells with an expression vector encoding either of the two proteins, soluble wild type beta-catenin does not significantly accumulate, whereas soluble wild type plakoglobin is readily detected. As anticipated, beta-catenin is stabilized by the oncogenic mutation S37A; however, the analogous mutation in plakoglobin (S28A) does not alter its half-life. S37A-beta-catenin activates a TCF/LEF-dependent reporter 20-fold more potently than wild type beta-catenin, and approximately 5-fold more potently than wild type or S28A plakoglobin. These differences may be attributable to an enhanced affinity of S37A beta-catenin for LEF1 and TCF4, as observed here by immunoprecipitation assays. We show that the carboxyl-terminal domain is largely responsible for the difference in signaling and that the Armadillo repeats account for the remainder of the difference. The relatively weak signaling by plakoglobin and the failure of the S28A mutation to enhance its stability, may explain why plakoglobin mutations are infrequent in malignancies.
Metal ion binding to phospholipid bilayers evaluated by microaffinity chromatography

Group I and II ion binding to phospholipid membranes was evaluated by affinity chromatography utilizing a new stationary phase system based on lipid bilayers supported within large-pore particles composed of Stober silica spheres. Using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer for detection, robust determination of binding selectivity within group II ions is achieved with capillary columns containing nanomole quantities of lipid and using picomoles of metal analyte. Columns with a unique lipid formulation can be prepared within three hours using a solvent-casting assembly method. The observable thermotropic phase behavior of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine has a significant effect on alkaline metal binding and demonstrates the dynamic nature of the supported bilayers. Of the group I ions, only lithium exhibits retention with neutral phosphatidylcholine bilayer stationary phases. A comparison of Stober-based supports with two commercially available large-pore silicas reveals the effect that particle structure has on analyte accessibility to the bilayer surface as evaluated by retention per supported lipid mass.
Stndy on AlCl_3 replacing PbCH_3 in the measurement of beet's sugar content

In the measurement of beet's sugar content,the use of AlCl_3 solution,has less pollution to the environment than the use of PbCH_3 solution,thus,AlCl_3 solution is an ideal replacement of PbCH_3 solution.The paper describes the preparation of AlCl_3 solution used for the automatic measurement of beet's sugar content,and the relevant temperature and concentration measurement,and their control during the preparation.The relationship curves between electrical conductivity and temperature of the solution at a given concentration,and the temperature compensation method are also provided.
Immigration: Our Collective History

Chapter 2 describes in brief the history of Korean American immigration to the United States and the growth. of Korean American immigrant churches, it introduces the concepts of marginality and liminality, the first and second-generation’s theological and spiritual interpretation of the experiences of immigration, particularly influenced by the painful experience of racism and discrimination. The chapter also offers a brief overview of the relevant Korean American theologians and sociologists pertinent to the themes of marginality and liminality and the feminist ethnography central to the book.
Some Reflections on Transmitting the Memory of the Holocaust and its Implications, Particularly in Israel

On March 2, 1988, the then director of the Van Leer Institute, the late professor Yehuda Elkana, published an article in Haaretz, a leading Israeli newspaper, under the title “The Need to Forget” (Elkana, Haaretz.1988;http://www.haaretz.co.il/opinions/1.1841380.). He was referring to forgetting the Holocaust (hereafter, Shoah the Hebrew name of the holocaust will be used). Yehuda’s motivation was undoubtedly complex, as he himself survived Auschwitz, but the essential thrust of his argument was moral or moral-political. He argued that the frequent references to the Shoah in all aspects of Israeli life had become a justification for policies of domination imposed on the Palestinians and for the defiant nationalism that has become familiar. Yehuda’s impassioned plea closed with the following lines: “I do not see any more important political or educational stance for our leaders than to stand up for life… rather than deal, day and night, with symbols, ceremonies and lessons of the Holocaust.” And he added: “The rule of historical remembrance must be uprooted from our lives” (cited in Segev, The seventh million. Hill and Wang; 1993).
Formalism and its Discontents

(1992). Formalism and its Discontents. Studies in Art Education: Vol. 33, No. 2, pp. 122-126.
Brain Radiotherapy and Cognition

Cognitive function and school achievement were studied prospectively over 3 to 4 years in 19 children treated for brain tumors with whole-brain radiotherapy at the Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
Linear Programming Formulation of Idle Times for Single-Server Discrete-Event Simulation Models

Mathematical programming representations (MPRs) are discrete-event simulation models represented using math programming. In this paper, we first introduce an MPR formulation for single-server queueing systems based on idle times. We use this formulation to conduct a perturbation analysis to study the effect of imposing a constraint on idle times. We apply the formulation to obtain a linear programming-based gradient estimator for idle times. We demonstrate the integration of optimization into MRP and identify properties of the optimal solution to facilitate finding the optimal solution.
Re-examining environmental Kuznets curve for China’s city-level carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions

Abstract Chinese central government promised to reduce its CO 2 emissions intensity by 40%–45% by 2020 compared to the level of 2005. However, with limited knowledge on local CO 2 emissions, the government could hardly decompose its mitigation plan to local administrative divisions. In this paper, we first interpolate the provincial CO 2 emissions to prefectural cities with a combination of areal interpolation method and DMSP/OLS nighttime light data. Then, we test the EKC hypothesis with this city-level data and spatial econometric modeling. This research reveals an uneven landscape of CO 2 emissions at both provincial and city scales, suggesting a differentiated decomposition of the mitigation target in China. The city-level monotonic increasing relationship between GDP per capita and CO 2 emissions per capita confirmed by our EKC test indicates that CO 2 emissions would not decrease automatically as income increases. To that end, actions such as improving the energy efficiency and implementing carbon taxes should be taken to reduce CO 2 emissions.
Former Entrepreneurs in Dutch Personal Insolvency Law: Comparison with US, UK, Germany, Denmark, and France

This is a chapter from a forthcoming book on the treatment of former entrepreneurs in the Dutch personal insolvency law (the Wsnp). To contribute a comparative perspective, this chapter contrasts the Dutch law and practice with developments in the United States, England and Wales, Germany, Denmark, and France. It concludes with several observations about convergence and challenges for the future for these procedures, especially as applied to former small business people.
Abstract 259: Xenon-loaded Echogenic Liposomes Provide Cardioprotection in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death. Following AMI, left ventricular (LV) remodeling plays an important pathophysiologic role in progression to ...
Binary Collision Density in a Non-Ideal Gas as a Function of Particle Density, Collision Diameter, and Temperature

Using molecular dynamics simulations, binary collision density in a dense non-ideal gas with Lennard-Jones interactions is investigated. It is shown that the functional form of the dependence of collision density on particle density and collision diameter remains the same as that for an ideal gas. The temperature dependence of the collision density, however, has a very different form at low temperatures, where it decreases as temperature increases. But at higher temperatures the functional form becomes the same as that for an ideal gas.
PLACEMENT OF CONTROL DEVICES FOR PASSIVE, SEMI-ACTIVE, AND ACTIVE VIBRATION CONTROL OF STRUCTURES

An important subject in vibration control of large structures is the placement of control devices. The goal should be to achieve the best performance with minimum cost. A good number of papers have been published on distribution of control devices in recent years. The purpose of this article is to present a review of the papers published on placement of passive, semi-active, active, and hybrid devices for vibration control of structures subjected to various dynamic loading such as earthquakes and winds. Significant additional research is needed especially in the areas of semi-active and hybrid vibration control of large structures with hundreds or thousands of members to make the adaptive/smart structure technology cost effective.
Predicting delayed cerebral ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage using physiological time series data

To develop and validate a prediction model for delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) using a temporal unsupervised feature engineering approach, demonstrating improved precision over standard features. 488 consecutive SAH admissions from 2006 to 2014 to a tertiary care hospital were included. Models were trained on 80%, while 20% were set aside for validation testing. Baseline information and standard grading scales were evaluated: age, sex, Hunt Hess grade, modified Fisher Scale (mFS), and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). An unsupervised approach applying random kernels was used to extract features from physiological time series (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation). Classifiers (Partial Least Squares, linear and kernel Support Vector Machines) were trained on feature subsets of the derivation dataset. Models were applied to the validation dataset. The performances of the best classifiers on the validation dataset are reported by feature subset. Standard grading scale (mFS): AUC 0.58. Combined demographics and grading scales: AUC 0.60. Random kernel derived physiologic features: AUC 0.74. Combined baseline and physiologic features with redundant feature reduction: AUC 0.77. Current DCI prediction tools rely on admission imaging and are advantageously simple to employ. However, using an agnostic and computationally inexpensive learning approach for high-frequency physiologic time series data, we demonstrated that our models achieve higher classification accuracy.
Compensation Management: Rewarding Performance in the Modern Organization@@@Comp - $ - Man: A Performance Workbook to "Compensation Management"

The article presents a review of two books, “Compensation Management: Rewarding Performance in the Modern Organization,” by Richard I. Henderson and “Comp--$--Man: A Performance Workbook to Compensation Management,” by Richard I. Henderson, Robert O. Wilson and Stephen C. Carlson.
MTF measurements, identifying bias, and estimating uncertainty

The modulation transfer function (MTF) describes how an imaging system will modify the spatial frequency content of a scene. Many performance metrics are strongly dependent on the MTF as it provides information of the limiting resolution. To measure the MTF, an image of a known or assumed scene is analyzed. In this correspondence we will detail potential issues that can contribute uncertainty or bias into the calculation of the MTF when using a tilted edge to super-resolve the system MTF of a sampled imaging system. Differences in measuring the system MTF can be categorized into 4 categories: data corruption, equipment, operator selection, and system under test effects. For each category we provide notional examples to demonstrate the severity of the measurement uncertainty as well as best practices to avoid or reduce their influence. We provide the full 2D derivation of the tilted edge technique, highlighting the impact of non-uniformity. We will discuss the influence of finite regions of interest (ROI) and stray-light, defective pixels, non-uniform illumination, and non-square pixels. Additionally we show how confidence intervals from sensor noise can be estimated and how they are related to frame averaging and ROI size. In support of the reproducible research effort, the Matlab functions associated with this work can be found on the Mathworks file exchange [1].
Piping Systems of Anaesthesia Machines

Gases used with anaesthesia machines may be supplied from large service cylinders, small service cylinders, small reserve cylinders, or low pressure gas lines. Normally, anaesthesia machines combine two or more of these alternatives. Gases supplied from cylinders, with the exception of cyclopropane, require pressure regulators in the system. Cyclopropane is used with and without pressure regulators. Gases supplied from low pressure gas lines normally do not require the use of regulators.
The Synthesis and Polymerization of Vinyl Organometallic Monomers

There is currently a considerable research effort in both academic and industrial laboratories concerning the synthesis and properties of metal-containing polymers. These new materials are not only of intrinsic interest, but they offer potential utility as catalysts, semiconductors, lithographic photoresists, electrode coating materials, anti-fouling agents, and for a variety of other applications.1,2 In principle, there are two basic routes to the formation of metal-containing polymers. One approach has been to derivatize preformed organic polymers with organometallic functions.3 A second approach has involved the synthesis of organometallic compounds which contain polymerizable functional groups, followed by homopolymerization of these monomers or copolymerization with conventional organic monomers. We have developed this second route to metal-containing polymers in a joint program of research over the past several years, and report here a summary of our recent results.
Teaching Family Therapy: A Division Director’s Perspective

A Director of a Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry juggles a number of priorities. Of these, the most relevant to this symposium are theory-training-service. Each setting has some idiosyncratic service needs, be they the population served, the relative paucity of funds that always results in if-more-for-one-then-less-for-another program, or the interests and expertise of the staff who petition for various training emphases. For example, at Downstate Medical Center-Kings County Hospital the services we provide include an inpatient, a day hospital, an outpatient, a retardation, a child abuse, a sex abuse, a court-adolescent day hospital, a school consultation, a learning disability, a high-risk infant intervention program, and a surgical-pediatric-neurological-and family practice consultation- liaison program. These service obligations are a not unusual list in university-municipal based Divisions.
Assessing the Performance of the Diffusion Monte Carlo Method As Applied to the Water Monomer, Dimer, and Hexamer.

The diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) method is applied to the water monomer, dimer, and hexamer using q-TIP4P/F, one of the most simple empirical water models with flexible monomers. The bias in the time step (Δτ) and population size (Nw) is investigated. For the binding energies, the bias in Δτ cancels nearly completely, whereas a noticeable bias in Nw remains. However, for the isotope shift (e.g, in the dimer binding energies between (H2O)2 and (D2O)2), the systematic errors in Nw do cancel. Consequently, very accurate results for the latter (within ∼0.01 kcal/mol) are obtained with moderate numerical effort (Nw ∼ 103). For the water hexamer and its (D2O)6 isotopomer, the DMC results as a function of Nw are examined for the cage and prism isomers. For a given isomer, the issue of the walker population leaking out of the corresponding basin of attraction is addressed by using appropriate geometric constraints. The population size bias for the hexamer is more severe, and to maintain accuracy similar to that of...
Awareness and Readiness for Graduate School of African American Male Computer Science Students

This paper investigates the preparedness, knowledge, and confidence of African American male undergraduate Computer Science students in applying to graduate school. Recent data has shown a gross underrepresentation of African Americans and other minority groups in computing and technology at the Masters and Doctoral levels. With a greater demand for diversity within the field of computing, it becomes more prevalent to find the causes for a lack of participation of such populations at the post-secondary level and find solutions to help increase the numbers. The study conducted looked at students’ knowledge and experience in conducting and presenting research as well as their academic capabilities and programming experience. The study also probed the students about their knowledge and confidence in applying to graduate school and if they feel their inner circle was sufficient in preparing to apply. Our findings from the survey revealed that although the participants appeared to meet the academic requirements and had some level of research experience, they indicated that they did not possess much knowledge about nor feel confident in their ability to get into a graduate program. Findings also showed that the students know of people they can seek out to learn about graduate school, but most of them do not hold a Ph.D. At the end of the paper, current practices that help to provide students with the knowledge, confidence, and ability to pursue graduate studies in computing are reviewed.
RECOMBINANT DNA: A PUBLIC HEALTH VIEWPOINT

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights public health viewpoint on recombinant DNA. The Asilomar conclusions reached, and the decisions made, were essentially of investigators with a background in biochemistry or in genetics and whose expertise lay in the application of these disciplines to gene transplantation but not in the comprehension of the nature of pathogens; of how to work with disease incitants; and of how to evaluate the relative risks and hazards involved. This involved arousal of fear that unbridled the application of recombinant DNA techniques and gave rise to novel organisms with pathogenic properties which, should they escape from the laboratory, would find an ecological niche conducive to their biological needs, replicate, and wreck devastation on other forms of life. An important facet of the scenarios reflecting the fears of recombinant DNA technology is the presumption that on the basis of current knowledge, the ability to contain these engineered organisms, biologically or physically, is inadequate. It has also been suggested that a chimeric organism may acquire new antigens that cross-react with the tissue antigens of the infected host and, thus, give rise to a destructive autoimmune response. There is, thus, a built-in mechanism to protect self against non-self; not perfect but reasonably effective. The guidelines may have, in a way, served a useful purpose by calling attention to a number of facets of safety and containment of dangerous pathogens. None of the conjectured possibilities that gave rise to the guidelines have eventuated and over the past several years, these guidelines have been modified and relaxed.
Medieval “Miracle of Equilibrium” or Contemporary Shrine of “Rock-Hard Faith”?: The Role of Digital Media in Guiding Visitors’ Experiences of Rocamadour, France

When pilgrims encounter sacred sites, much of their experience is mediated through guides of one sort of another, such as books, tour leaders, or even, recently, electronic media available on handheld devices. Although the French shrine of Rocamadour celebrated a millennium of Catholic pilgrimage in 2013, it is better known as a tourist center than as a religious destination, due to the lure of outdoor activities, regional cuisine, and various animal parks. Weibel uses ethnographic data in this chapter to detail conflicts between local tourist agencies and the Diocese of Cahors and Rocamadour over the portrayal of the site, then considers how twenty-first-century digital and social media have been harnessed by each in order to persuade the public to interact with and interpret Rocamadour in specific ways.
Income inequality, size of government, and tax progressivity: A positive theory

Abstract I investigate the relationship between income inequality and the composition of public spending in redistributive policies. I extend the Meltzer–Richard model of voting over redistribution allowing voters to choose not only the amount of a uniform lump-sum transfer, but also the level of provision of a public good. The governmental budget is balanced; thus these two choices determine the tax rate on labor income. The multidimensionality of the policy space implies that there is no Condorcet winner. I adopt a citizen-candidate model of electoral competition to tackle this problem. I show that the progressivity of the tax system is increasing in the mean-to-median income ratio while the size of the government need not be. This means that higher income inequality implies a more progressive tax system but, in contrast with the traditional analysis, it may also result in a smaller size of government. Such results are consistent with the most recent findings in the empirical literature.
Physics Identity Development: A Snapshot of the Stages of Development of Upper-Level Physics Students.

As part of a longitudinal study into identity development in upper- level physics students a phenomenographic research method is employed to assess the stages of identity development of a group of upper-level students. Three categories of description were discovered which indicate the three different stages of identity development for this group of students: Student, Aspiring Physicist, and Physicist. The main influences on the stages of identity development were found to be: ideas of when one becomes a physicist, career definitiveness, and metacognitive level.
Design and application of single-cell RNA sequencing to study kidney immune cells in lupus nephritis.

The immune mechanisms that cause tissue injury in lupus nephritis have been challenging to define. The advent of high-dimensional cellular analyses, such as single-cell RNA sequencing, has enabled detailed characterization of the cell populations present in small biopsy samples of kidney tissue. In parallel, the development of methods that cryopreserve kidney biopsy specimens in a manner that preserves intact, viable cells, has enabled the uniform analysis of tissue samples collected at multiple sites and across many geographic areas and demographic cohorts with high-dimensional platforms. The application of these methods to kidney biopsy samples from patients with lupus nephritis has begun to define the phenotypes of both infiltrating and resident immune cells, as well as parenchymal cells, present in nephritic kidneys. The detection of similar immune cell populations in urine suggests that it might be possible to non-invasively monitor immune activation in kidneys. Once applied to large patient cohorts, these high-dimensional studies might enable patient stratification according to patterns of immune cell activation in the kidney or identify disease features that can be used as surrogate measures of efficacy in clinical trials. Applied broadly across multiple inflammatory kidney diseases, these studies promise to enormously expand our understanding of renal inflammation in the next decade. Applying single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to human tissues can reveal the phenotypic diversity of resident and infiltrating cells at high resolution. In this Review, the authors examine important design considerations for applying this technology to kidney cells and discuss current findings from scRNA-seq studies of lupus nephritis.
Mining clinical phrases from nursing notes to discover risk factors of patient deterioration.

Abstract Objective Early identification and treatment of patient deterioration is crucial to improving clinical outcomes. To act, hospital rapid response (RR) teams often rely on nurses’ clinical judgement typically documented narratively in the electronic health record (EHR). We developed a data-driven, unsupervised method to discover potential risk factors of RR events from nursing notes. Methods We applied multiple natural language processing methods, including language modelling, word embeddings, and two phrase mining methods (TextRank and NC-Value), to identify quality phrases that represent clinical entities from unannotated nursing notes. TextRank was used to determine the important word-sequences in each note. NC-Value was then used to globally rank the locally-important sequences across the whole corpus. We evaluated our method both on its accuracy compared to human judgement and on the ability of the mined phrases to predict a clinical outcome, RR event hazard. Results When applied to 61,740 hospital encounters with 1,067 RR events and 778,955 notes, our method achieved an average precision of 0.590 to 0.764 (when excluding numeric tokens). Time-dependent covariates Cox model using the phrases achieved a concordance index of 0.739. Clustering the phrases revealed clinical concepts significantly associated with RR event hazard. Discussion Our findings demonstrate that our minimal-annotation, unsurprised method can rapidly mine quality phrases from a large amount of nursing notes, and these identified phrases are useful for downstream tasks, such as clinical outcome predication and risk factor identification.
The role of Snail in the pathogenesis of human non-small cell lung cancer

5362 The pulmonary microenvironment is a unique milieu in which lung carcinogenesis proceeds in complicity with the host cellular network. We previously found that lungs at risk for carcinogenesis contain inflammatory mediators capable of potently promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through the induction of E-cadherin transcriptional repressors, including the zinc finger transcription factor family member Snail. In these studies, we are exploring the role of Snail expression in the pathogenesis of human lung cancer. We utilized Snail gene-modified human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC) to define early events in lung carcinogenesis. Snail was up-regulated and E-cadherin was concomitantly down-regulated in HBEC Snail cells (HBEC-S) compared to HBEC vector control cells (HBEC-V). In a three-dimensional (3D) spheroid culture model, HBEC-V formed compact spheroidal colonies, whereas HBEC-S formed stellate cell aggregates with invasive processes. In a 3D organotypic culture model, HBEC-V formed well-organized epithelial cell layers atop a modified basement membrane. In contrast, HBEC-S epithelial cell layers were disorganized and discohesive, and they completely invaded the underlying mucosa after only one week. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of E-cadherin was intense in HBEC-V but nearly absent in HBEC-S. Snail, cytokeratin 14, and p63 staining of HBEC-V was restricted to the basal epithelial cell layer, whereas HBEC-S were uniformly positive for the markers regardless of the location of the cells within the epithelium and underlying mucosa. The proliferation marker Ki67 was also up-regulated in HBEC-S compared to HBEC-V. These findings suggest that over-expression of Snail in normal lung epithelium results in down-regulation of E-cadherin and induction of subsequent molecular and morphological changes characteristic of EMT. To define the role of Snail in established lung cancer, we utilized Snail gene-modified NSCLC cell lines. In a SCID murine model, tumor cell lines over-expressing Snail demonstrated enhanced tumor growth and metastasis. Snail tumors displayed increased vascularity and augmented expression of the angiogenic proteins IL-8, ENA-78, and VEGF. These findings suggest that Snail expression plays an important role in the pathogenesis of NSCLC by serving as a critical link between inflammation, angiogenesis, and EMT. These studies were supported by: UCLA SPORE in Lung Cancer P50CA90388 and UT Southwestern SPORE in Lung Cancer P50CA75907.
Learning constitutive relations from indirect observations using deep neural networks

Abstract We present a new approach for predictive modeling and its uncertainty quantification for mechanical systems, where coarse-grained models such as constitutive relations are derived directly from observation data. We explore the use of a neural network to represent the unknown constitutive relations, compare the neural networks with piecewise linear functions, radial basis functions, and radial basis function networks, and show that the neural network outperforms the others in certain cases. We analyze the approximation error of the neural networks using a scaling argument. The training and predicting processes in our framework combine the finite element method, automatic differentiation, and neural networks (or other function approximators). Our framework also allows uncertainty quantification in the form of confidence intervals. Numerical examples on a multiscale fiber-reinforced plate problem and a nonlinear rubbery membrane problem from solid mechanics demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework.
Incidental learning of list membership is affected by serial position in the list

Cowan, Donnell, and Saults [(2013). A list-length constraint on incidental item-to-item associations. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 20, 1253–1258] examined incidental memory of whether two words h...
Ephemerality as Data Prevention: Values for an Ethics of Ephemeral Mobile Media:

Mobile media is a chief driver of digitizing locational information, geotags, and photos that are produced and collected as we communicate with and exist within our networks. But when these data ar...
A role for the Sts phosphatases in negatively regulating IFNγ-mediated production of nitric oxide in monocytes.

Introduction The atypical Sts phosphatases negatively regulate signaling pathways in diverse immune cell types, with two of their molecular targets being the related kinases Syk and Zap-70. Mice lacking Sts expression (Sts-/- ) are resistant to infection by the live vaccine strain (LVS) of Francisella tularensis. Although the mechanisms underlying the enhanced resistance of Sts-/- mice have not been definitively established, Sts-/- bone marrow-derived monocytes (BMMs) demonstrate greater clearance of intracellular LVS following ex vivo infection, relative to wild type cells. To determine how the Sts proteins regulate monocyte bactericidal properties, we analyzed responses of infected cells. Methods Monocyte bacterial clearance was assayed using ex vivo coculture infections followed by colony-forming unit analysis of intracellular bacteria. Levels of gene expression were quantified by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, levels of Nos2 protein levels were quantified by Western blot analysis, and levels of nitric oxide (NO) were quantified directly using the Griess reagent. We characterized monocyte cytokine production via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results We demonstrate that Sts-/- monocyte cultures produce elevated levels of interferon-γ (IFNγ) after infection, relative to wild type cultures. Sts-/- monocytes also demonstrate heightened responsiveness to IFNγ. Specifically, Sts-/- monocytes produce elevated levels of antimicrobial NO following IFNγ stimulation, and this NO plays an important role in LVS restriction. Additional IFNγ-stimulated genes, including Ip10 and members of the Gbp gene family, also display heightened upregulation in Sts-/- cells. Both Sts-1 and Sts-2 contribute to the regulation of NO production, as evidenced by the responses of monocytes lacking each phosphatase individually. Finally, we demonstrate that the elevated production of IFNγ-induced NO in Sts-/- monocytes is abrogated following chemical inhibition of Syk kinase. Conclusion Our results indicate a novel role for the Sts enzymes in regulating monocyte antibacterial responses downstream of IFNγ.
Wrong-way migrations of benthic species driven by ocean warming and larval transport

Ocean warming has predictably driven some marine species to migrate polewards or to deeper water, matching rates of environmental temperature change (climate velocity) to remain at tolerable temperatures. Most species conforming to expectations are fish and other strong swimmers that can respond to temperature change by migrating as adults. On the Northwest Atlantic continental shelf, however, many benthic invertebrates’ ranges have instead shifted southwards and into shallower, warmer water. We tested whether these ‘wrong-way’ migrations could arise from warming-induced changes in the timing of spawning (phenology) and transport of drifting larvae. The results showed that larvae spawned earlier in the year encounter more downwelling-favourable winds and river discharge that drive transport onshore and southwards. Phenology and transport explained most observed range shifts, whereas climate velocity was a poor predictor. This study reveals a physical mechanism that counterintuitively pushes benthic species, including commercial shellfish, into warmer regions with higher mortality. Many marine species have migrated towards the poles as water temperatures warm. In contrast, due to changes in the timing of spawning and transport, benthic invertebrates on the Northwest Atlantic continental shelf are pushed into warmer waters where mortality could be higher.
The role of UCP3 in brown adipose tissue mitochondrial bioenergetics is complementary to that of UCP1

Mitochondrial uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) plays a complementary role in uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-dependent uncoupling in mammalian thermogenesis. Using mouse strains that lack UCP1 or UCP3, plus a UCP1/UCP3 double knockout, we have previously demonstrated that UCP3 is necessary for sustained heat production. However, how and where UCP3 is essential for heat production remains unknown. Here we use brown adipocyte mitochondria from mice lacking UCP1, UCP3, or UCP1 plus UCP3 (double knockout) we found that in the absence of UCP1, UCP3 does not act as a free fatty acid-inducible uncoupling protein; however, UCP3 is necessary for maximal GDP-sensitive respiration. We additionally confirm that the loss of UCP1 is a dominant regulator of mitochondrial respiratory chain activity, assembly, and composition in brown adipose tissue. Our data suggest without UCP1, brown adipose tissue is not a significant source of heat production, and that UCP3-dependent heat generation serves a regulatory function outside of adipose tissues. Together these findings suggest that in brown adipose tissue, UCP3s thermogenic function is independent of its role as a bona fide uncoupling protein.
Tet1 Isoforms Differentially Regulate Gene Expression, Synaptic Transmission, and Memory in the Mammalian Brain

The dynamic regulation of DNA methylation in postmitotic neurons is necessary for memory formation and other adaptive behaviors. Ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) plays a part in these processes by oxidizing 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), thereby initiating active DNA demethylation. However, attempts to pinpoint its exact role in the nervous system have been hindered by contradictory findings, perhaps due in part, to a recent discovery that two isoforms of the Tet1 gene are differentially expressed from early development into adulthood. Here, we demonstrate that both the shorter transcript (Tet1S ) encoding an N-terminally truncated TET1 protein and a full-length Tet1 (Tet1FL ) transcript encoding canonical TET1 are co-expressed in the adult mouse brain. We show that Tet1S is the predominantly expressed isoform and is highly enriched in neurons, whereas Tet1FL is generally expressed at lower levels and more abundant in glia, suggesting their roles are at least partially cell type-specific. Using viral-mediated, isoform and neuron-specific molecular tools, we find that the individual repression of each transcript leads to the dysregulation of unique gene ensembles and contrasting changes in basal synaptic transmission. In addition, Tet1S repression enhances, while Tet1FL impairs, hippocampal-dependent memory in male mice. Together, our findings demonstrate that each Tet1 isoform serves a distinct role in the mammalian brain.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In the brain, activity-dependent changes in gene expression are required for the formation of long-term memories. DNA methylation plays an essential role in orchestrating these learning-induced transcriptional programs by influencing chromatin accessibility and transcription factor binding. Once thought of as a stable epigenetic mark, DNA methylation is now known to be impermanent and dynamically regulated, driving neuroplasticity in the brain. We found that Tet1, a member of the ten-eleven translocation (TET) family of enzymes that mediates removal of DNA methyl marks, is expressed as two separate isoforms in the adult mouse brain and that each differentially regulates gene expression, synaptic transmission and memory formation. Together, our findings demonstrate that each Tet1 isoform serves a distinct role in the CNS.
Racial Liberalism Resurgent: Connecting Multi-Racial Protests and Electoral Politics Today

In this paper, we consider the changing nature of today's protest–election connection by looking back to the Blue Wave of the 2018 midterm elections that led to Republicans losing control of the House of Representatives. We ask whether White voters' participation in the Blue Wave of the 2018 elections is related to the multi-racial participation in the #BlackLivesMatter protests of 2020. Could it be that White participation in both is symptomatic of a larger resurgence of racial liberalism that is likely to continue to play a significant role in our politics going forward starting with the 2020 election?
Discussions of Potential Mammography Benefits and Harms among Patients with Limited Health Literacy and Providers: "Oh, There are Harms?"

Starting breast cancer screening at age 40 versus 50 may increase potential harms frequency with a small mortality benefit. Younger women’s screening decisions, therefore, may be complex. Shared de...
Designing immersive virtual reality stories with rich characters and high interactivity to promote learning of complex immunology concepts

Immunology concepts taught at the college level often involve complex factual and process-based knowledge and can be difficult for students to visualize and relate to. To promote students’ understanding of specific immunology concepts and increase their learning motivation and engagement, we leveraged the strengths of immersive storytelling and virtual reality (VR) interactivity and created a guided interactive and immersive VR storytelling experience with rich characters and engaging narratives. The experience builds on immunology concepts of a specific type of white blood cell called neutrophils, and it takes students on an exciting journey inside the human body by embodying the cell and fighting pathogens. In this demo paper, we will describe the design of a working prototype of the VR application.
Novel Putative Positive Modulators of α4β2 nAChRs Potentiate Nicotine Reward-Related Behavior.

The popular tobacco and e-cigarette chemical flavorant (−)-menthol acts as a nonselective, noncompetitive antagonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), and contributes to multiple physiological effects that exacerbates nicotine addiction-related behavior. Menthol is classically known as a TRPM8 agonist; therefore, some have postulated that TRPM8 antagonists may be potential candidates for novel nicotine cessation pharmacotherapies. Here, we examine a novel class of TRPM8 antagonists for their ability to alter nicotine reward-related behavior in a mouse model of conditioned place preference. We found that these novel ligands enhanced nicotine reward-related behavior in a mouse model of conditioned place preference. To gain an understanding of the potential mechanism, we examined these ligands on mouse α4β2 nAChRs transiently transfected into neuroblastoma-2a cells. Using calcium flux assays, we determined that these ligands act as positive modulators (PMs) on α4β2 nAChRs. Due to α4β2 nAChRs’ important role in nicotine dependence, as well as various neurological disorders including Parkinson’s disease, the identification of these ligands as α4β2 nAChR PMs is an important finding, and they may serve as novel molecular tools for future nAChR-related investigations.
An insider's reflection on quantitative research in the social and environmental disclosure domain

Abstract In this commentary, I reflect on my use of quantitative techniques to assess corporate social and environmental accounting (SEA) and disclosure. In addition to summarizing my intended agenda in that regard, I offer my reasons for relying on quantitative methods while also acknowledging issues and concerns within the body of SEA research using these techniques. Overall, I try to make the case that multiple approaches to analysis of SEA issues are necessary to truly understand, and ultimately, improve corporate disclosure, and accordingly, there is a place for quantitative investigations within the critical arena.
Are Twenty-Fold Differences in “Lifesaving” Costs Justified?: A Psychometric Study of the Relative Value Placed on Preventing Deaths from Programs Addressing Different Hazards

Government programs to reduce risks to health vary greatly in their cost per death prevented. This research asks whether the magnitude of these disparities is justified by citizens’ preferences about the relative value of reducing different kinds of risks. Three groups were asked to rank the relative priority of preventing ten deaths in any of eight different programs and then to rate how large the differences in spending should be. The results indicate that, partly because individuals disagree about which projects deserve priority, aggregated preferences rarely show more than a two-fold difference in the amount that should be spent to prevent different types of premature deaths.
Mutation of serine 32 to threonine in peroxiredoxin 6 preserves enzymatic activity but prevents trafficking to lamellar bodies in vivo (950.1)

Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6), a peroxidase that also expresses phospholipase A2 (aiPLA2) activity, protects lungs from oxidative stress and participates in lung surfactant phospholipid (PL) turnover. Prdx6 has been localized to both cytosolic and acidic (lamellar body [LB] and lysosomal) compartments in lung epithelium. We propose that Prdx6 LB targeting facilitates its role in the degradation and remodeling of lung surfactant phosphatidylcholine. Although, we have previously shown that mutation of serine 32 (S32) to alanine abolishes Prdx6 aiPLA2 activity, we now show that serine to threonine mutation has no effect on either Prdx6 peroxidase or aiPLA2 activity. Since S32 is a necessary component of the amino acid motif that mediates Prdx6 LB targeting, we studied the effect of the S32T mutation on Prdx6 LB localization. In a “knock-in” mouse model carrying an S32T mutation in the Prdx6 gene, there was phospholipid (PL) accumulation in the lung and a marked decrease in aiPLA2 activity in LB. Prdx6 was absent f...
A geometrical unification of the theories of NBTI and HCI time-exponents and its implications for ultra-scaled planar and surround-gate MOSFETs

A unification of time-exponents for negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) and hot carrier injection (HCI) is established under the geometric interpretation of interface trap generation. Resolving the fundamental inconsistencies, a numerical reaction-diffusion (R-D) model that agrees with recent measurements is developed. The implications regarding the degradations of future sub-100 nm planar and surround-gate MOSFETs are presented.
Failed State: Political Corruption and the Collapse of Democratic Institutions in Bell, CA

This article seeks to explain recent patterns of corruption in the City of Bell, CA. After reviewing the literature on municipal corruption and reform, political participation, and democracy in immigrant communities, the paper examines the Bell case study. It is argued that the city’s primary democratic institutions, voter participation, local media coverage, and community organization engagement had atrophied in the years prior to the scandal. In addition, it is argued that the city manager form of government contributed to a climate of non-participation in the city. In this ‘failed state,’ local officials systematically employed governmental power for corrupt purposes. Implications for democratic institution building and political reform in high immigration cities are discussed.