cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Delamination : Laminate analysis and fracture mechanics

In the analysis of a multilayered composite laminate with an arbitrarily shaped delamination, accurate non-linear laminate analysis is required to obtain the kinematic and kinetic variables which characterize the local state of deformation at a generic point of the delamination front. These variables provide the strain/curvature parameters and the boundary tractions for the local analysis model of a multimaterial region containing an interfacial crack. The singular elasticity solution in the vicinity of the crack tip is obtained by an eigenfunction expansion, where the coefficients of the eigenfunctions are evaluated by boundary collocation. The accuracy of the present solution is indicated by the computed energy release rate, which is in close agreement with the result based on path-independent integrals.
Galactosyl-oligosaccharide formation during lactose hydrolysis: a review.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of lactose is accompanied by galactosyl transfer to other sugars, thereby producing oligosaccharides. These are hydrolyzed slowly, both in vitro and in vivo. They can be thought of as low molecular weight, non-viscous, water-soluble, dietary fibre. They are considered to be physiologically functional foods which promote the growth of bifidobacteria in the colon and a wide variety of health benefits has been claimed in connection with this effect. This article reviews the mechanism of oligosaccharide formation, and then discusses the amount and nature of the products as well as the factors which influence them. The appearance and disappearance of oligosaccharides is explored through consideration of the kinetics of tranferase activity. The consequences of oligosaccharide formation for dairy processing, food analysis, nutrition and health are then briefly discussed.
J-dependence in the 56Fe(p, d)55Fe reaction

Abstract The dependence of (p, d) angular distributions on the total angular momentum J of the picked-up neutron has been investigated in the 56Fe(p, d)55Fe and the 60Ni(p, d)59Ni reactions with 17.5 MeV protons. The differences in the angular distributions between p 1 2 and p 1 2 neutron pick-up and between f 5 2 and f 7 2 neutron stripping reaction.
Sex, Age, and Regional Differences in L-Type Calcium Current Are Important Determinants of Arrhythmia Phenotype in Rabbit Hearts With Drug-Induced Long QT Type 2

In congenital and acquired long QT type 2, women are more vulnerable than men to Torsade de Pointes. In prepubertal rabbits (and children), the arrhythmia phenotype is reversed; however, females st...
Variation in Parasympathetic Dysregulation Moderates Short-term Memory Problems in Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Although attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with impairment in working memory and short-term memory, up to half of individual children with ADHD perform within a normative range. Heterogeneity in other ADHD-related mechanisms, which may compensate for or combine with cognitive weaknesses, is a likely explanation. One candidate is the robustness of parasympathetic regulation (as indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia; RSA). Theory and data suggest that a common neural network is likely tied to both heart-rate regulation and certain cognitive functions (including aspects of working and short-term memory). Cardiac-derived indices of parasympathetic reactivity were collected during short-term memory (STM) storage and rehearsal tasks from 243 children (116 ADHD, 127 controls). ADHD was associated with lower STM performance, replicating previous work. In addition, RSA reactivity moderated the association between STM and ADHD – both as a category and a dimension – independent of comorbidity. Specifically, conditional effects revealed that high levels of withdrawal interacted with weakened STM but high levels of augmentation moderated a positive association predicting ADHD. Thus, variations in parasympathetic reactivity may help explain neuropsychological heterogeneity in ADHD.
Genome-scale sequencing to identify genes involved in Mendelian disorders.

The analysis of genome-scale sequence data can be defined as the interrogation of a complete set of genetic instructions in a search for individual loci that produce or contribute to a pathological state. Bioinformatic analysis of sequence data requires sufficient discriminant power to find this needle in a haystack. Current approaches make choices about selectivity and specificity thresholds, and the quality, quantity, and completeness of the data in these analyses. There are many software tools available for individual, analytic component-tasks, including commercial and open-source options. Three major types of techniques have been included in most published exome projects to date: frequency/population genetic analysis, inheritance state consistency, and predictions of deleteriousness. The required infrastructure and use of each technique during analysis of genomic sequence data for clinical and research applications are discussed. Future developments will alter the strategies and sequence of using these tools and are also discussed. Curr. Protoc. Hum. Genet. 79:6.13.1-6.13.19. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Keywords: exome; Mendelian inheritance; next generation sequencing; bioinformatics; clinical sequencing
Dietary choices and their implication for survival and development of omnivorous mole crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae)

Abstract Omnivory is a common feeding strategy in terrestrial arthropods, and omnivores that partake of a mixed diet often gain developmental and reproductive advantages. We determined the palatability and preference of plant and animal foods for two omnivorous mole crickets, Scapteriscus vicinus Scudder and Scapteriscus borellii Giglio-Tos. Adults of both species fed more readily on carrots than bermudagrass blades, rhizomes, and roots. When given a choice, S. vicinus preferentially fed on carrots (plant diet) whereas S. borellii preferred mealworms (animal diet). Nymphs of both species were reared on animal, plant, or mixed (plant–animal rotation) diets. S. borellii fed mealworms developed faster, with greater body mass and survival, and a longer pronotal length compared to individuals fed only carrots. Nymphs of S. vicinus, however, performed slightly better when fed mealworms, and poorer when given a mixed diet. Omnivory among Scapteriscus mole crickets may be a beneficial adaptation for insects in low nitrogen, grassland environments. This work suggests that these two species respond differently to plant and animal diets. S. borellii has a survival and developmental advantage by ingesting animal tissue. Diet will influence the age distribution of field populations, and this may influence interactions with their grass host and natural enemies.
Composite structure of auxin response elements.

The auxin-responsive soybean GH3 gene promoter is composed of multiple auxin response elements (AuxREs), and each AuxRE contributes incrementally to the strong auxin inducibility to the promoter. Two independent AuxREs of 25 bp (D1) and 32 bp (D4) contain the sequence TGTCTC. Results presented here show that the TGTCTC element in D1 and D4 is required but not sufficient for auxin inducibility in carrot protoplast transient expression assays. Additional nucleotides upstream of TGTCTC are also required for auxin inducibility. These upstream sequences showed constitutive activity and no auxin inducibility when part or all of the TGTCTC element was mutated or deleted. In D1, the constitutive element overlaps the 5' portion of TGTCTC; in D4, the constitutive element is separated from TGTCTC. An 11-bp element in D1, CCTCGTGTCTC, conferred auxin inducibility to a minimal cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter in transgenic tobacco seedlings as well as in carrot protoplasts (i.e., transient expression assays). Both constitutive elements bound specifically to plant nuclear proteins, and the constitutive element in D1 bound to a recombinant soybean basic leucine zipper transcription factor with G-box specificity. To demonstrate further the composite nature of AuxREs and the ability of the TGTCTC element to confer auxin inducibility, we created a novel AuxRE by placing a yeast GAL4 DNA binding site adjacent to the TGTCTC element. Expression of a GAL4-c-Rel transactivator in the presence of this novel AuxRE resulted in auxin-inducible expression. Our results indicate that at least some AuxREs have a composite structure consisting of a constitutive element adjacent to a conserved TGTCTC element that confers auxin inducibility.
Pulse Distortion and Mitigation Thereof in Spiral Antenna-Based UWB Communication Systems

A dispersion of two-arm planar equiangular and Archimedean spiral antennas is investigated. Frequency domain characterization of spiral antennas-based ultra-wideband link is conducted computationally and experimentally. The time domain performance is obtained by post processing frequency domain data using the inverse fast Fourier transform. Effects of source pulse shape and antenna's geometrical parameters on the dispersive properties of the channel are discussed and relevant conclusions regarding the low-distortion spiral antenna are presented. Finally, a theoretical pre-distortion compensation method based on a frequency-dependent delay removal technique is employed to enhance the performance of spiral antennas as pulse radiators.
Synthesis of TiO 2 Nanoparticles Using Chemical Vapor Condensation

Nano-sized TiO2 particles are of interest for many applications, including use as photocatalysts and in heat transfer fluids (nanofluids). In the present study, TiO2 nanoparticles with controllable phase and particle size have been obtained through homogeneous gas-phase nucleation using chemical vapor condensation (CVC). The phase and particle size of TiO2 nanoparticles under various processing conditions have been characterized using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Chamber temperature and pressure were found to be two key parameters affecting particle phase and size. Pure anatase phase was observed for synthesis temperatures as low as 600 °C with chamber pressure varying from 20-50 Torr. When the furnace temperature was increased to 1000 °C at a pressure of 50 Torr, a mixture of anatase and rutile phases was observed, with the predominant phase being anatase. The average particle size under all the experimental conditions was observed to be less than 20 nm.
The Black Body as Fetish Object

Symposium: Citizenship and Its Discontents: Centering the Immigrant in the International Imagination.Race is a form of pleasure. Race is racism, it can be nothing else, and there is nothing in race other than the pleasure it occasions. Indeed, race-pleasure is the defining pleasure of our time. Law's order is the extension of this sadomasochistic pleasure across time and space. “Sadistic” because race, for whites, is the pleasure of causing injury. “Masochistic” because race, for blacks in a non-revolutionary situation, is the pleasure of the injury. S/M requires two classes; one on top and the other on the bottom, and both tethered to a libidinal economy of suffering and being made to suffer. This article describes the persistence of race, and the failures of equality jurisprudence, in terms of that libidinal economy. Within this colonial relation the black is made to labor on itself to produce from its alienated subjectivity the race-pleasure that makes whiteness and blackness seem real. This article also describes a potential goodbye to all that.
Juror Evaluations of Auditor Decision Aid Use under Rules-Based and Principles-Based Frameworks

Auditors use decision aids to achieve various objectives of their audit engagements. Decision aid use can be scrutinized by juries if auditors are sued for negligence in civil litigation. Lowe, Reckers, and Whitecotton (2002) investigate how juries perceive auditors‟ decisions to either not obtain, override, or follow the recommendations of available decision aids. They find that auditors are assigned more responsibility when they override decision aid recommendations and less responsibility when they follow decision aid recommendations. I replicate their study and find similar results. Additionally, I extend their work by investigating how jury perceptions change under rules- and principles-based accounting standards. Although I do not find significant differences between the two accounting frameworks, there are indications that the lack of findings may be them result of a lack of power. Future research would benefit from further studies of jurors‟ perceptions of auditor decision aid use under rules- and principles-based standards.
Paper: Direct and indirect model reference adaptive control

The paper considers the control of an unknown linear time-invariant plant using Direct and Indirect Model Reference Adaptive Control. Employing a specific controller structure and the concept of positive realness, adaptive laws are derived using Indirect Control which are identical to those obtained in the case of Direct Control. The stability questions that arise are also shown to be the same. Simulation results using the new scheme are presented for the control of both stable and unstable plants.
UDA-GIST: an in-database framework to unify data-parallel and state-parallel analytics

Enterprise applications need sophisticated in-database analytics in addition to traditional online analytical processing from a database. To meet customers' pressing demands, database vendors have been pushing advanced analytical techniques into databases. Most major DBMSes offer User-Defined Aggregate (UDA), a data-driven operator, to implement many of the analytical techniques in parallel. However, UDAs can not be used to implement statistical algorithms such as Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), where most of the work is performed by iterative transitions over a large state that can not be naively partitioned due to data dependency. Typically, this type of statistical algorithm requires pre-processing to setup the large state in the first place and demands post-processing after the statistical inference. This paper presents General Iterative State Transition (GIST), a new database operator for parallel iterative state transitions over large states. GIST receives a state constructed by a UDA, and then performs rounds of transitions on the state until it converges. A final UDA performs post-processing and result extraction. We argue that the combination of UDA and GIST (UDA-GIST) unifies data-parallel and state-parallel processing in a single system, thus significantly extending the analytical capabilities of DBMSes. We exemplify the framework through two high-profile applications: cross-document coreference and image denoising. We show that the in-database framework allows us to tackle a 27 times larger problem than solved by the state-of-the-art for the first application and achieves 43 times speedup over the state-of-the-art for the second application.
Disguising Social Change: The Role of Nonprofit Organizations as Protective Masks for Citizen Participation

The following paper is an attempt to further knowledge of citizen participation efforts in the U. S., particularly those where the effort to build participation is in its early stages of developmen...
Increased Rearing Efficiency of Two Hymenopterous Parasites Using a Non-diapausing Host Species, Choristoneura occidentalis

An experimental technique for reducing generation time from 23 wk to 7 wk for Apanteles fumiferanae Viereck and Glypta fumiferanae Viereck is reported. The 2 Hymenopterous parasites were reared on a non-diapausing strain of their host and both were able to forego diapause.
Asian Indian Americans in the Bay Area and the Glass Ceiling

Using the 1990 5% PUMS census data, this paper explores the glass ceiling experiences of college educated Asian Indian Americans in the Bay Area. Theoretical assumptions derived from human capital, assimilation, labor market structures, size discrimination, and cost of race perspectives are used to predict glass ceiling experiences. Separate analyses are conducted for males and females. U.S. born white males and females are used as benchmarks in the male andfemale models respectively. As predicted by the cost of race assumption, educated Asian Indian Ameri- can males experience a net disadvantage in rising to management levels. The relative success of immigrant white males in management provides additional support for the cost of race assumption. Once Asian Indian males become managers, their economic returns are better than or commensurate with that of comparable white male managers in some sectors but not in others. Immigrant and U.S. born Asian Indian females face the glass ceiling at both levels: they are disadvantaged in becoming managers and earn less than comparable U.S. born whitefemales once they become managers. There is no conclusive evidence to support the size discrimination hypothesisfor males andfemales. The glass ceilingfindings are interpreted using qualitative interview data from Asian Indian Ameri- cans in the Bay Area.
The Market and Infrastructure Context of Adoption: A Spatial Perspective on the Diffusion of Innovation

(1975). The Market and Infrastructure Context of Adoption: A Spatial Perspective on the Diffusion of Innovation. Economic Geography: Vol. 51, No. 3, pp. 185-216.
Migration in the Americas

Latin America has a long and rich history of migration within and outside the Western Hemisphere. The continent has been a destination for immigrants from all over the world, and more recently, has been an area that sends millions of migrants to other regions in the world. This chapter presents an overview of the recent scholarship on migration in Latin America. It starts with a historical overview of the major internal and international migration patterns in the region, and describes the recent trends and the demographic profile of the different groups that comprise this migratory flow. Our focus on the relationship between migration and social change in the region allows us to highlight some of the distinctive features and significant findings of the scholarship on Latin American international migration. The discussion that we present in this chapter covers varied issues such as remittances and socioeconomic development, hometown associations, indigenous migration, migration and the growth of cities, and the effects of conflict and violence on migration in the region. Given its numerical importance and its strong presence in the scholarship, we include an overview of the Mexico-U.S. migration system, focusing on trends, figures, sociodemographic characteristics and some areas where future research is needed. We close this chapter with a look into the future, where we suggest some key research questions for current scholars and relevant policy issues. We also discuss what we expect will be the main data needs and measurement discussions for the years to come.
Acquiring a Point of View: Confucian Dimensions of Self-Reflection

(1979). Acquiring a Point of View: Confucian Dimensions of Self-Reflection. Monumenta Serica: Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 145-170.
Chronic intrauterine pulmonary hypertension impairs endothelial nitric oxide synthase in the ovine fetus

Endothelial (e) nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity modulates pulmonary vascular tone in the normal fetus and decreases pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) at birth. Mechanisms contributing to sustained elevations of PVR and the failure of postnatal adaptation at birth are uncertain but may include decreased eNOS activity. To test this hypothesis, we studied the effects of chronic intrauterine pulmonary hypertension on lung eNOS content and NOS activity in an ovine model of perinatal pulmonary hypertension and in normal lambs. We measured eNOS mRNA and protein content by Northern and Western blot analyses, respectively. Calcium-dependent and total NOS activities were determined by assaying the conversion of L-[14C]arginine to L-[14C]citrulline from lung homogenates. To determine the effects of intrauterine hypertension on lung eNOS content, fetal lung tissue was harvested 8-12 days after intrauterine closure of the ductus arteriosus (DA) performed at 125-128 days of gestation (term = 147 days). Although positive immunostaining for eNOS persisted in lung vascular endothelium, eNOS protein content was reduced by 48%, as measured by Western analysis (P < 0.001). Chronic hypertension reduced lung eNOS mRNA content by 30% (P < 0.05). Compared with age-matched controls, Ca(2+)-dependent NOS activity was decreased after DA ligation by 75% (P < 0.01). We conclude that chronic intrauterine pulmonary hypertension decreases eNOS in the fetal lung. We speculate that decreased NO production contributes to failure of postnatal adaptation in this experimental model of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.
Racial and socioeconomic disparities in body mass index among college students: understanding the role of early life adversity

The role of early life adversity (ELA) in the development of health disparities has not received adequate attention. The current study examined differential exposure and differential vulnerability to ELA as explanations for socioeconomic and racial disparities in body mass index (BMI). Data were derived from a sample of 150 college students (M age = 18.8, SD = 1.0; 45 % African American; 55 % European American) who reported on parents’ education and income as well as on exposure to 21 early adverse experiences. Body measurements were directly assessed to determine BMI. In adjusted models, African American students had higher BMI than European Americans. Similarly, background socioeconomic status was inversely associated with BMI. Significant mediation of group disparities through the pathway of ELA was detected, attenuating disparities by approximately 40 %. Furthermore, ELA was more strongly associated with BMI for African Americans than for European Americans. Efforts to achieve health equity may need to more fully consider early adversity.
Embracing tensions in feminist organizational communication pedagogies

ABSTRACTFeminist pedagogies hold potential to create more inclusive and transformative classrooms. Adopting a tension-centered approach, we draw on our individual and collective reflections on the design and instruction of a multisection undergraduate organizational communication course to build an autoethnographic account of the tensions associated with enacting feminist pedagogies. Specifically, we unpack the ways tensions emerged as we strove to align our practice with specific feminist pedagogical principles—building nonhierarchical relations, encouraging multivocality, and caring for students—and how we made sense of and discursively managed these tensions. In doing so, we dissect the ways that tensions are communicatively constituted, gauge how to transform our pedagogy by reframing dualisms into dialectics, emphasize the importance of reflexivity, and, finally, offer practical strategies for communication instructors who seek strategies for transforming classrooms.
Abstract P147: Antiangiogenic Effect of Doxorubicin on Human Cardiac Microvascular Endothelial Cells Does Not Result from Reduced Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Production

Clinical use of the potent anticancer agent doxorubicin (DOX) is limited by a dose-dependent cardiomyopathy. Although cardiac muscle has been thought to be a primary target of the cardiotoxic effect of doxorubicin, our studies indicate that adult cardiomyocytes may be resistant to the direct effects of this agent. These studies have prompted us to identify alternative targets for doxorubicin in adult heart that may contribute to the development of cardiomyopathy. Additionally, recent literature report ( Lee et al. PNAS 2009;106:2353–2358 ) indicated that DOX inhibited tumor angiogenesis due to the reduced production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by tumor cells. We set out therefore to test the hypothesis that DOX inhibits angiogenesis by human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMVEC) via inhibition of VEGF production. We detected reduced proliferation/viability of HCMVEC cultures treated with DOX. DOX increased caspase-3-like activity and development of apoptosis in HCMVEC, and inhibited the formation of vascular tubule formation in a co-culture of HCMVEC with human cardiac fibroblasts (HCF) with an IC 50 of 8 nM. HCF cultures released 7-fold greater amounts of VEGF into the culture media as compared with HCMVEC under the normoxic conditions while 1% hypoxia and 100 μM CoCl 2 further increased the production of VEGF by HCF. DOX moderately inhibited hypoxia- and CoCl 2 -induced VEGF release by these cells at concentrations above 500 nM whereas inhibition of vascular tubule formation by DOX in a co-culture system occurred at much lower concentrations and was not associated with the reduced production of VEGF. We conclude that DOX is a very potent antiangiogenic agent in the human cardiac microvascular endothelial cell system. However, this effect of DOX is not caused by the reduced production of VEGF. Inhibition of vascular network formation in the heart is likely to contribute to the development of doxorubicin cardiomyopathy in treated patients.
Stress and Strain

Related terms used to define the intensity of internal reactive forces in a deformed body and associ…
Stress Singularities Resulting From Various Boundary Conditions in Angular Corners of Plates in Extension

As an analog to the bending case published in an earlier paper, the stress singularities in plates subjected to extension in their plane are discussed. Three sets of boundary conditions on the radial edges are investigated: free-free, clamped-clamped, and clamped-free. Providing the vertex angle is less than 180 degrees, it is found that unbounded stresses occur at the vertex only in the case of the mixed boundary condition with the strength of the singularity being somewhat stronger than for the similar bending case. For vertex angles between 180 and 360 degrees, all the cases considered may have stress singularities. In amplification of some work of Southwell, it is shown that there are certain analogies between the characteristic equations governing the stresses in extension and bending, respectively, if ν, Poisson's ratio, is replaced by -ν. Finally, the free-free extensional plate behaves locally at the origin exactly the same as a clamped-clamped plate in bending, independent of Poisson's ratio. In conclusion, it is noted that the free-free case analysis may be applied to stress concentrations in V-shaped notches.
Atmospheric Aqueous Aerosol Surface Tensions: Isotherm-Based Modeling and Biphasic Microfluidic Measurements.

Surface properties of atmospheric aerosol particles are crucial for accurate assessments of the fates of liquid particles in the atmosphere. Surface tension directly influences predictions of particle activation to clouds, as well as indirectly acting as a proxy for chemical surface partitioning. Challenges to accounting for surface effects arise from surface tension dependence on solution concentration and the presence of complex aqueous mixtures in aerosols, including both surface-active organic solutes and inorganic electrolytes. Also, the interface itself is varied, in that it may be a liquid–vapor interface, as in the surface of an aerosol particle with ambient air, or a liquid–liquid interface between two immiscible liquids, as in the interior surfaces that exist in multiphase particles. In this Feature Article, we highlight our previous work entailing thermodynamic modeling of liquid–vapor surfaces to predict surface tension and microscopic examinations of liquid–liquid interfacial phenomena to mea...
Why Olympia matters for modern sport

AbstractFrom the modern scientific perspective, Olympia is a ruin at the far end of a fading sense of history that represents little more than the origins from which sport has continuously evolved. Quantitative measurements show continued increases in human performance, equipment efficiency and funding. But some question this athletic evolution. We worry about qualitative issues, such as virtue, meaning and beauty. The source of this contrast is a difference in values: Olympic vs. Efficiency values. Such values establish an ethos in sporting communities that influences how we behave, explain and even conceptualize our activities. I argue from the perspectives of metaphysics, epistemology, aesthetics, ethics and politics, that Olympic Ethos is needed to balance out the modern Efficiency Ethos, which threatens to dehumanize sport.
Scan patterns during real-world scene viewing predict individual differences in cognitive capacity

From the earliest recordings of eye movements during active scene viewing to the present day, researchers have commonly reported individual differences in eye movement scan patterns under constant stimulus and task demands. These findings suggest viewer individual differences may be important for understanding gaze control during scene viewing. However, the relationship between scan patterns and viewer individual differences during scene viewing remains poorly understood because scan patterns are difficult to analyze. The present study uses a powerful technique called Successor Representation Scanpath Analysis (Hayes, Petrov, & Sederberg, 2011, 2015) to quantify the strength of the association between individual differences in scan patterns during real-world scene viewing and individual differences in viewer intelligence, working memory capacity, and speed of processing. The results of this analysis revealed individual differences in scan patterns that explained more than 40% of the variance in viewer intelligence and working memory capacity measures, and more than a third of the variance in speed of processing measures. The theoretical implications of our findings for models of gaze control and avenues for future individual differences research are discussed.
Effects of low-dose lipopolysaccharide and age on spatial learning in different Morris water maze protocols:

Objectives:Animals administered lipopolysaccharide exhibit dose-related sickness behaviors (decreased food intake, weight loss, and cognitive changes). While research has demonstrated that spatial ...
The Interval Between VNS-Tone Pairings Determines the Extent of Cortical Map Plasticity.

Abstract Repeatedly pairing vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) with a tone or movement drives highly specific and long-lasting plasticity in auditory or motor cortex, respectively. Based on this robust enhancement of plasticity, VNS paired with rehabilitative training has emerged as a potential therapy to improve recovery, even when delivered long after the neurological insult. Development of VNS delivery paradigms that reduce therapy duration and maximize efficacy would facilitate clinical translation. The goal of the current study was to determine whether primary auditory cortex (A1) plasticity can be generated more quickly by shortening the interval between VNS-tone pairing events or by delivering fewer VNS-tone pairing events. While shortening the inter-stimulus interval between VNS-tone pairing events resulted in significant A1 plasticity, reducing the number of VNS-tone pairing events failed to alter A1 responses. Additionally, shortening the inter-stimulus interval between VNS-tone pairing events failed to normalize neural and behavioral responses following acoustic trauma. Extending the interval between VNS-tone pairing events yielded comparable A1 frequency map plasticity to the standard protocol, but did so without increasing neural excitability. These results indicate that the duration of the VNS-event pairing session is an important parameter that can be adjusted to optimize neural plasticity for different clinical needs.
Burden of Catastrophic Health Expenditures for Acute Myocardial Infarction and Stroke Among Uninsured in the United States.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke are unanticipated major healthcare events that require emergent and expensive care. Given the potential financial implications of AMI and stroke among uninsured patients, we sought to evaluate rates of catastrophic healthcare expenditures (CHEs), defined as expenses beyond financial means, in a period before the implementation of insurance expansion and protections in the Affordable Care Act. 1
Traction-separation relationship for polymer-modified bitumen under Mode I loading: Double cantilever beam experiment with stereo digital image correlation

Abstract The traction-separation law under Mode I loading for a polymer modified bitumen commonly used as an adhesive for 3–tab roofing shingles is quantified. Double cantilever experiments are performed at three different loading rates (0.03 mm/min, 0.3 mm/min and 3 mm/min). Load-displacement measurements are synchronized with speckle image acquisition and the data analyzed to determine (a) J-integral, (b) cohesive zone end opening displacement and (c) the crack opening displacement (COD) as a function of crack extension. Imaging is performed using two stereo vision systems equipped for capturing speckle images of the DCB specimen at two different magnifications with fields of view of (a) 14 mm × 12 mm and (b) 170 mm × 140 mm. The stereo vision system used to acquire data at higher magnification is mounted on a translation stage and focused on a region close to the crack tip as the crack propagated. This stereo vision system is used to measure the strain fields near the crack tip and for measurement of crack opening displacement (COD) at 1 mm behind the current crack tip for a range of crack extensions. The second stereo vision system is used to visualize the process zone size and measure the strain fields over larger fields of view ahead of the crack tip. Assessment of the fracture surface for lower loading rates (0.03 mm/min and 0.3 mm/min) revealed a ductile type fracture (rough surface due to void growth in the process zone). For the highest loading rate (3 mm/min), the fracture surface is typical of the type seen during brittle fracture (shiny surface with striations), with intermittent rapid crack propagation events followed by crack arrest along clearly visible arrest fronts. Analysis of the data obtained for the two slower loading rates that exhibited ductile fracture throughout the entire growth process shows that the energy release rate Gcd = 70 J/m2, and the final separation, δcd = 250 µm for the slowest loading rate of 0.03 mm/min and, Gcd = 120 J/m2, and the final separation, δcd = 250 µm for 0.3 mm/min loading rate. For the highest loading rate, which exhibited nominally brittle fracture, the energy release rate Gcb = 10 J/m2, and the final separation δcd = 1.5 µm. The peak cohesive stresses during ductile and brittle fracture are determined to be σd = 0.7 MPa and σb = 9.6 MPa, respectively, for loading rates of 0.3 mm/min and 3 mm/min, respectively. Finally, COD at the onset of crack growth measured at 1.00 mm behind the moving crack tip for the loading rate of 0.3 mm/min, CODd ≈ 0.30 mm, remaining constant for crack lengths, a, in the range 25 mm ≤ a ≤ 165 mm.
Long-term sustainability of Washington State's quality improvement initiative for the management of pediatric spleen injuries.

Abstract Background Initial results of Washington State's quality improvement initiative addressing the management of blunt traumatic pediatric spleen injuries were published in 2008. In this update, we evaluated whether these effects were sustained over time. Methods Data from the Washington Trauma Registry for years 1999–2001 (pre-intervention), 2003–2005 (post-intervention), and 2012–2014 (follow-up) were used in a retrospective cohort study. Children between ages 0 to 14 years who were hospitalized with a traumatic blunt spleen injury were included. Multivariable logistic regression was used to account for patient, injury, and hospital characteristics. Results Overall, splenectomies continued to be less common with 8.3% of pediatric patients receiving splenectomies in the follow-up period compared with 14.3% and 7.2% in the preintervention and post-intervention periods ( p = 0.034). After adjustment, splenectomies remained less likely to be performed in both post-intervention (OR = 0.37; 95% CI = 0.16–0.90) and follow-up periods (OR = 0.29; 95% CI = 0.12–0.70) compared to pre-intervention. Children were much more likely to be cared for at pediatric trauma hospitals in the follow-up period (OR = 5.13; 95% CI = 2.79–9.43) after adjustment. Conclusions Evaluation of this statewide quality improvement initiative showed that positive changes in management practices persist. This evidence suggests that statewide quality improvement initiatives can be sustainable with minimal ongoing effort. Level of evidence Level III.
Loss and gain of N-linked glycosylation sequons due to single-nucleotide variation in cancer

Despite availability of sequence site-specific information resulting from years of sequencing and sequence feature curation, there have been few efforts to integrate and annotate this information. In this study, we update the number of human N-linked glycosylation sequons (NLGs), and we investigate cancer-relatedness of glycosylation-impacting somatic nonsynonymous single-nucleotide variation (nsSNV) by mapping human NLGs to cancer variation data and reporting the expected loss or gain of glycosylation sequon. We find 75.8% of all human proteins have at least one NLG for a total of 59,341 unique NLGs (includes predicted and experimentally validated). Only 27.4% of all NLGs are experimentally validated sites on 4,412 glycoproteins. With respect to cancer, 8,895 somatic-only nsSNVs abolish NLGs in 5,204 proteins and 12,939 somatic-only nsSNVs create NLGs in 7,356 proteins in cancer samples. nsSNVs causing loss of 24 NLGs on 23 glycoproteins and nsSNVs creating 41 NLGs on 40 glycoproteins are identified in three or more cancers. Of all identified cancer somatic variants causing potential loss or gain of glycosylation, only 36 have previously known disease associations. Although this work is computational, it builds on existing genomics and glycobiology research to promote identification and rank potential cancer nsSNV biomarkers for experimental validation.
The next‐generation K‐means algorithm

Typically, when referring to a model-based classification, the mixture distribution approach is understood. In contrast, we revive the hard-classification model-based approach developed by Banfield and Raftery (1993) for which K-means is equivalent to the maximum likelihood (ML) estimation. The next-generation K-means algorithm does not end after the classification is achieved, but moves forward to answer the following fundamental questions: Are there clusters, how many clusters are there, what are the statistical properties of the estimated means and index sets, what is the distribution of the coefficients in the clusterwise regression, and how to classify multilevel data? The statistical model-based approach for the K-means algorithm is the key, because it allows statistical simulations and studying the properties of classification following the track of the classical statistics. This paper illustrates the application of the ML classification to testing the no-clusters hypothesis, to studying various methods for selection of the number of clusters using simulations, robust clustering using Laplace distribution, studying properties of the coefficients in clusterwise regression, and finally to multilevel data by marrying the variance components model with K-means.
Effects of Streptococcal Components on Immunity

The group A streptococcus is an example of a bacterial cell from which several, apparently antagonistic, immunomodulating activities have been isolated (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). The substances we have studied are derived from the cell envelope. We have reported that the peptidoglycan isolated from the cell wall contained the adjuvant activity associated with cells and cell walls (7). Many biological properties, which may be relevant to the immunopotentiating activity, have been described for peptidoglycan and the muramyl dipeptide moiety (1). We have been interested in the capacity of peptidoglycan to activate the alternative complement pathway (ACP), since complement can influence the immune system, especially macrophage activity (11). In our studies, peptidoglycan was the most potent activator of the ACP in human serum (5).
“Welding the Unweldable”: Vsevolod Meyerhold’s Refraction of Japanese Theatre

This chapter demonstrates that what was truly decisive for V. E. Meyerhold after having seen (instead of reading or imagining) a Kabuki performance had, after all, nothing to do with the authenticity of the “Kabuki” performance he saw, or with the veracity of his understanding of Kabuki theatre, but had everything to do with his perception of such a performance as a confirmation of the ideas that had been fermenting in his mind. Thus, the “new light” shed by his direct experience of the “Kabuki” theatre he witnessed was not predicated on the actual authenticity of the gazed, but rather, on the preconditioned desire of the gaze. Meyerhold’s perception of Kabuki theatre and Japanese theatre in general must be understood in the context of his theory and practice. His ahistorical and practical approach to theatrical traditions—“welding the unweldable”—necessitates the refraction, and thereby, the displacement and re-placement, of the essence of those traditions out of their historical-social contexts, as exemplified in his use of Japanese and Chinese theatre.
Disarming the Philosophers and Arming the Prophet: Savonarola's Critiques of Natural Philosophy and Machiavelli's Response

In his sermons and apologetic writings delivered during the last decade of his life, Savonarola’s criticisms of the “worldly wise” are second only to his criticisms of corrupt clergy. Savonarola accuses lovers of natural philosophy of succumbing to the worst sin – hubris, and he blames them for Florence’s inability to overcome its enemies. However, Savonarola does not disapprove of all philosophical wisdom; in keeping with his scholastic training, Savonarola argues repeatedly that true philosophical wisdom is perfectly in synch with Christian doctrine. Those philosophical pursuits such as astrology that seek knowledge without the aid of revelation are what Savonarola deems to be unacceptable. Several decades after Savonarola launched his attacks against the Renaissance humanist learning made popular during his lifetime by thinkers such as Marsilio Ficino, another influential Florentine remarked on Savonarola’s message. In Book III, Chapter 30 of the Discourses, Machiavelli discusses how envy can be an impediment for government reform, and he claims that Savonarola “knew this necessity very well”, filling his sermons accusations and invectives against the wise of the world, who Machiavelli says were envious of and opposed to the Friar’s orders. Machiavelli, too, thinks philosophical wisdom can be a hindrance to having good government, but his reasons are different than those of the Friar’s. In the Preface of Book I of the Discourses, Machiavelli credits an “ambitious idleness” for Italy’s problems, and this is an idleness he attributes to both philosophical study and Christian living. This paper examines how Savonarola reacts to the humanistic revival of the study of classical thinkers in his sermons and writings and Machiavelli’s reflection up on this.
ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC DEEP TERMINAL NEGATIVITY OF THE P WAVE IN V1 AND STROKE MORTALITY

Prior studies examining the link between atrial cardiopathy and stroke risk focused mainly on non-fatal stroke. We sought to examine the association between abnormal deep terminal negativity of the P wave in V1 (DTNPV1), an electrocardiographic (ECG) marker of atrial cardiopathy, with stroke
Synthesis and alkylation of cyclopentane β-ketoxime sulfones. α,α-methylation-alkynylation of cyclopentanone

Abstract The synthesis and selected transformation of some cyclopentanoid β-ketoxime sulfone derivatives are reported. Utilization of the sulfone group to stabilize adjacent negative charge facilitates smooth alkylation. Subsequent 1,4-elimination of the sulfonyl moiety generates a vinyl nitroso species that is readily intercepted by lithium acetylides.
Tightly Coupled Array of Horizontal Dipoles Over a Ground Plane

The design and performance of a circular array of tightly coupled horizontally polarized dipoles placed close to a ground plane is discussed. The dipoles are resonated with the ground plane below, a conducting reflector behind, a capacitive load in front, and a dielectric slab ring above to provide a 3.45:1 impedance bandwidth and consistent radiation patterns near the horizon, both as an omnidirectional radiator and as an array of four sectoral antennas. The design process is simplified by using a unit cell with periodic boundary conditions, and the effects of each resonance are characterized to provide design insight. Then, a theoretical analysis of the radiated fields of the array is performed, explaining nulls found in the radiation pattern near the horizon. A dielectric slab is added to mitigate this problem, and the effects of its dimensions on the radiation pattern and impedance match are presented. The array is fabricated and measured, and excellent agreement between simulation and measurement is observed. The array is found to provide > t1 dBi of horizon gain per sector (8 dBi max) with a cross-polarization ratio better than 18 dB or > t9 dBi of gain as an omnidirectional antenna at the horizon (8 dBi max) with a cross-polarization ratio better than 9 dB.
Hopelessness and Youth Violent Behavior: A Longitudinal Study

Researchers have often neglected the role of hopelessness in violent behavior during adolescence. Moreover, little research has examined this relationship over time. Using data from Waves I and II ...
The Unmet Need for Discussions Between Health Care Providers and Adolescents and Young Adults.

Abstract Purpose The aims of the study were to identify factors related to (1) adolescents and young adults (AYA) desire to discuss health topics; (2) whether discussions occurred at their last medical visit; and (3) the gap (unmet need) between desire and actual discussion. Methods We used data from a nationally representative, cross-sectional online survey of AYA aged 13–26 years (n = 1,509) who had had a visit in the past 2 years. Bivariate analyses examined 11 topics. Multivariable regression identified health care factors and demographic factors related to unmet need across four salient topics (HIV/sexually transmitted infections, alcohol and drug use, tobacco, and contraception). Results Across 11 topics, unmet need averaged 28% and ranged as high as 60%; unmet need generally increased with AYA age. In multivariable analyses, ever having discussed confidentiality with a health care provider was associated with greater desire to discuss three of four salient topics, increased discussions (four of four topics), and reduced unmet need (two topics). Patient use of a clinical checklist/questionnaire at the last medical visit was associated with an increase in discussions (four topics) and reduced unmet need (four topics). Longer office visits were associated with an increase in discussions (three topics) and reduced unmet need (two topics). Older and minority youth had greater desire for discussions and unmet need. Conclusions A considerable gap exists between young people's desire to discuss health topics with their health care providers and actual practice.
SEASONAL PATTERNS OF SPRING DISCHARGE AT SILVER FALLS, CROSBY COUNTY, TEXAS

Abstract Beneath the high plains of the Llano Estacado lies the southern extension of the Ogallala aquifer, which provides a key source of groundwater for the region. Along the eastern fringes of t...