cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics : Thinking-related virtue ( Nicomachean Ethics , book 6)

Let us recapitulate Aristotle's argument once more. He is looking to identify the ultimate goal of human life, which he conceives of as some activity, regularly repeated, which appropriately serves to organize everything else that we do, and which has the marks of Ultimacy, Self-Sufficiency, and Preferability. He argued in the Function Argument of book 1 that activity like that will be something that only a good human being can do, that is, it is activity that can be accomplished only by someone who has the “virtue” of a human being. Thus he turned in book 2 to an examination of human virtue. But human virtue turns out to be complex; it admits of analysis; it has various “parts.” One such “part,” related to character, makes someone good at following or carrying out what he reasonably thinks he should do. It does this, Aristotle claimed, in two ways: by maintaining a person's motives in a condition of responsiveness falling between irrational and excessive extremes, and by assisting a person in crafting his action with refinement, so that it is appropriate as regards all of the various dimensions of an action. All stable conditions by which we become like this are particular character-related virtues, and Aristotle regards these as including courage, self-mastery, generosity, particular justice, and a handful of other good traits.
Lamellae of baddeleyite and Fe-Cr-spinel in ilmenite from the Basistoppen Sill, East Greenland

Ilnenite inthe Gabbro Picrite Zone of the Basistoppen rill, Ea$t Greenland, contain; exsolution lamellae of bad&leyite and Fe-Cr*pinel. The relative proportions of baddeleyite and Fe-Cr-spinel in isolated ilmenite grains indicate that the ilmenite was reduced during zubsolidus re-equilibration, although the sill in general was oxidized during cooling. Calculated pre-exsolutioncompositions for the ilrnenite contain up1o2.4Vo Cr2O3 and up to 7100ppm Zr. The calsulated Zr-content is higher than tlat of any previously reportd lgnar or terrctrid ilmenite. The reduction-exsolution of Fe-Cr*pinel is considered the result of the incorporatiou of Cr in the ilmenite dudng crystallization at concentrations that exceeded the solubility limit of Cr in ilmenite at the temperatures of re-equitbration. The Zr content of the host ilnenite is well below the solubility limit of Zr in ilmenite, indicating that oversaturation was not ttre driving force for the exsolution ofbaddeleyite. The exsolution of baddeleyite in tle ilmenite may have partly compensated fortle overallreduction of tle ilmenite resulting from the exsolution of Fe-Cr-spinel.
Water for the Southwest: Historical Survey and Guide to Historic Sites

In this document, a brief narrative history of the effects of the people who lived in the area (prehistoric Indians, the Spanish, and the Anglo-Americans) to secure and maintain water supply systems presented and illustrated by contemporary drawings and photos. This narrative history serves as an introduction to documentary and pictorial summary of early water supply systems in the Southwest. Sixty sites which represent locations of historical and technological significance are presented with supporting references, photos, and drawings. Included in the 60 documentations are sites in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.
Radiographic Determination of the Lay-up Influence and Loading Configuration on Fatigue Damage Development under Bearing/Bypass Loading Conditions

The goal of this academic project was to study the effects of several variables on the damage progression within a mechanically fastened joint. The variables tracked included the composite layup, loading configuration (single shear vs. double shear), R value, stress level, and damage mechanisms observed in each specimen. In-situ x-ray of the individual laminates recorded the extent of damage, mostly longitudinal splitting and bearing, as a function of the cycle count. The following lay-ups were included: [04/45/03/90/0]s, [45/90/45/02/45/02/-45/0]s, [±5/65/(±5)2/-65/±5]s, and [±5/65/(±5)2/-65/5/65]s. The stress levels at which detectable damage develops was determined. The researchers chose to apply 50,000 cycles at each stress level. Once damage was detected, the stress level was typically raised 2.5 ksi. Another 50,000 cycles was then applied until the bolt hole diameter elongated by 10% of it’s original length. The damage length versus stress level is plotted as a way to compare damage onset stresses and growth as a function of lay-up, stress ratio.
Nature's Civil War: Common Soldiers and the Environment in 1862 Virginia. By Kathryn Shively Meier. (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2013. Pp. xiii, 219. $39.95.)

This study is the most recent effort to expand the scope of military history, particularly that pertaining to the Civil War, to include many of the factors and considerations related to the natural...
Frequency of visits to a health care provider, health promoting behaviors, and perceived health status among African American women.

ABSTRACTThe primary purpose of this study was to examine whether the self-reported number of health care visits over a 1-year period was associated with engagement in health promoting behaviors (i.e., healthy eating and physical activity) and perceived health status among a cross-sectional sample of African American women who were pre-hypertensive/hypertensive and/or overweight or obese (N = 180). The study participants were recruited in predominantly African American churches and had their data collected in April and May of 2009. Age, income, and education were also examined as moderators in the aforementioned relationships. Results revealed that the self-reported number of health care visits was significantly positively associated with healthy eating and perceived health status. Income moderated the relationship between self-reported number of health care visits and engagement in healthy eating. These results provide support for health promotion programs for African American women with program component...
Characterization and Performance Relationships for a Commercial Thin Film Composite Membrane in Forward Osmosis Desalination and Pressure Retarded Osmosis

This paper presents performance data for an early generation thin film composite membrane from Oasys Water. These tests sought to measure the membrane’s basic chemical and morphological characteristics with additional testing to measure benchmark performance in both seawater-riverwater pressure retarded osmosis and forward osmosis desalination using the ammonia-carbon dioxide draw solution. In pressure retarded osmosis the membrane exhibited compaction which increased structural parameter. While in forward osmosis desalination, substantial cation flux was observed using the ammonia-carbon dioxide draw solution.
Geographic range of Pachycondyla harpax (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Pachycondyla harpax (Fabricius) is a widespread and conspicuous New World ponerine ant (subfamily Ponerinae). To examine the geographic distribution of P. harpax , I compiled and mapped published and unpublished specimen records from >1500 sites. I documented the earliest known P. harpax records for 28 geographic areas (countries, West Indian islands, and US states), including four for which I found no previously published records: the islands of Guadeloupe, Margarita, and Tobago and the US state of Georgia. Pachycondyla harpax has been recorded from every country in South and Central America except Chile and Uruguay. Pachycondyla harpax is also now known from six West Indian islands: Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Margarita, Trinidad, and Tobago. The known continental range of P. harpax appears to be essentially continuous, extending from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil in the south (31.8°S) to Wood County, Texas in the north (32.8°N), including the continental islands of Margarita, Tobago, and Trinidad. Isolated island populations of P. harpax on Grenada, Guadeloupe, and Jamaica may be exotic, introduced through human commerce. In the US, it is unclear why P. harpax populations are only known from Texas, Louisiana, and Georgia, when there would appear to be suitable habitat for this species all along the Gulf coast of Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida.
Load Controllable Virtual Network Embedding Algorithm Based on Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization

According to the multi-rental pattern over virtual network embedding problem in cloud computing,a resource allocation algorithm named MLB-VNE-SDPSO w as proposed to reduce the substrate link load,speed up the mapping efficiency and increase the substrate physical resource utilization. The leveraging discrete binary particle sw arm optimization algorithm w as combined w ith the virtual netw ork embedding rules in the proposed algorithm. Both CPU and host resources utilization ratio w as taken into account,so the physical link bandw idth resource w as saved and the time for virtual link mapping process w as reduced. The major characteristic of the mapping algorithm w as that repeatable mapping for each virtual netw ork could be supported and the load of substrate node could be controlled. Simulation results show ed that in the premise of guaranteeing substrate netw ork load the algorithm can achieve better utilization ratio of substrate netw ork and higher revenue-cost ratio of virtual netw orks.
Tobacco intervention research in low- and middle-income countries: lessons learned and future directions.

Treating tobacco dependence is paramount for global tobacco control efforts, but is often overshadowed by other policy priorities. As stated by Jha (2009), “cessation by current smokers is the only practical way to avoid a substantial proportion of tobacco deaths worldwide before 2050.” Its importance is codified in Article 14 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and in the WHO's MPOWER package of effective country-level policies. Unfortunately, only 15% of the world's population have access to appropriate cessation support (WHO, 2015). Moreover, parties to the FCTC have implemented only 51% of the indicators within Article 14, on average, which is far lower than many other articles (WHO, 2014). Further, commenting on the use of “O” measures (Offer help to quit tobacco use) in the MPOWER acronym, WHO recently concluded, “while there has been improvement in implementing comprehensive tobacco cessation services, this is nonetheless a most under-implemented MPOWER measure in terms of the number of countries that have fully implemented it” (WHO, 2015). To the detriment of global tobacco control efforts, only one in eight countries provides comprehensive cost-covered services, only one in four provide some cost coverage for nicotine replacement therapy, and fewer than one third provide a toll-free quit line (WHO, 2015).
The Use of Mutants to Understand Competence for Shoot-Borne Root Initiation

Many research approaches have been used with an attempt to explain the basis for differences in competence for root initiation among species, clones and developmental phases within clones. Because of the long reproductive cycle in most woody perennial species, in which competence for root initiation is a limiting and practically important variable, a genetic research approach has not been feasible for them. With the rather recent development of molecular biological techniques, methods of generating and screening for monogenic mutants, and methods of tagging and cloning affected genes, a genetic approach to understanding the basis of competence, may now be the method of choice. Because shoot-borne rooting is likely to be a complex, multi-step process, a series of single gene mutants with, developmental blocks in various steps in the process, would provide a powerful tool for understanding competence for root initiation.
Skeletal Hard Tissue Biomechanics

As with all structures, whether man made or naturally occurring, the mechanical properties of bone are governed by physical principles. However, bone has the biological ability to change and adapt to its environment, not only to more efficiently bear the loads imparted on it but also to repair damage induced by loading and disease. It would be an impractical and impossible task to fit all of the information needed to understand bone mechanics into one short chapter in a textbook. This chapter is meant to provide an overview of the most pertinent information required to grasp the basics of bone mechanics and those factors that contribute most to bone mechanical properties; it should be accessible to individuals across medical, engineering, and basic science disciplines. For additional information, please see the references noted in the “Suggested Readings” section.
Digital Imaging Holography and Pyrometry of Aluminum Drop Combustion in Solid Propellant Plumes

Aluminized propellants produce molten particulates of variable size and temperature. In this work, sizes and three-dimensional positions are determined using digital in-line holography with a pulsed laser. Simultaneously, particle temperatures are measured using two-color pyrometry.
Social Class and Socioeconomic Status: Relevance and Inclusion in MPA-MPP Programs

Social equity has been challenged in recent years through increasing income inequality. The widening gap between the rich and the poor contributes to economic segregation among regions and neighborhoods and has a direct impact on public service delivery. This article examines declining mobility, economic segregation, and education to demonstrate the relevance of social class and socioeconomic status to the field of public administration. The potential for positive change lies in the willingness of scholars to advance social equity through representation, research, and pedagogy.
Historical Fire In Longleaf Pine ( Pinus palustris ) Forests of South Mississippi and Its Relation to Land Use and Climate

We characterized historical fire regimes in Pinus palustris (longleaf pine) forests of southern Mississippi with regard to global and regional coupled climate systems (e.g., El Nino–Southern Oscillation) and past human activity. The composite fire chronology spanned 1756–2013 with 132 individual scars representing 89 separate fire events. The mean fire interval was 2.9 yr, and mean intervals were significantly different between identified time periods (e.g., settlement period vs. management period). Evidence of biannual fire activity (up to three fires occurring within a 12- to 15-month period) was found coeval with a peak in livestock grazing and logging from the 1850s through the 1880s. Connections were also found between historical fire and Pacific climate variability (e.g., El Nino–Southern Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation; P < 0.05), yet the fire–climate linkage was likely at least partially masked by substantial human land use activities over the past several centuries. Coupled climate and human land use activity controlled the historical fire regime over the past ca. 240 yr. Although the many fire adaptions of P. palustris yield limitations in tree-ring-based fire history studies (e.g., thick bark), we highlight the efficacy of considering the height at which fire scars are analyzed along the bole as a way to glean a more accurate depiction of historical fire occurrence, especially in ecosystems characterized by a frequent, low-severity fire regime. This study suggests growing-season fire prescribed at a 2- to 3-yr interval would be the first step toward simulating historical landscape conditions and fire activity, should that be the goal by land managers.
Adoptive Infusion of Allogeneic KIR Ligand Mismatched NK Cells Reduce GVHD in an MHC Matched Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation Model.

Retrospective data suggest NK cells play a role in protecting recipients from graft versus host disease (GVHD) in the setting of killer IgG-like receptor (KIR) ligand incompatibility. In humans, this protective effect is most evident with MHC mismatched transplantation, usually following in vivo or in vitro T-cell depletion. In MHC mismatched murine transplant models, lethal GVHD is reduced following the adoptive infusion of KIR ligand mismatched NK cells; it is unknown whether NK cells can mediate similar protective effects following MHC matched transplantation. Therefore, we investigated the impact of adoptively infusing KIR ligand mismatched NK cells on GVHD in an MHC matched T-cell replete murine model of allogeneic transplantation. Balb/C recipient mice underwent allogeneic bone marrow (8 x 10 6 cells) and splenocyte (15 x 10 6 cells) transplantation from B10.d2 donors following 950cGy of irradiation. Allogeneic B10.d2 donor NK cells were first isolated by negative depletion using magnetic beads selecting for CD4, CD5, CD8a, CD19, Gr-1 and Ter-119, and then expanded over 4-6 days in vitro in DMEM media containing 10% FCS and 500U/ml of IL-2. NK cell subsets (KIR ligand matched vs. KIR ligand mismatched) were then isolated by flow cytometry into Ly49I/C+ NK cells (KIR ligand mismatched in the GVHD direction for Balb/C recipients) and Ly49A/G+ NK cells (KIR ligand matched for Balb/C recipients). On day +4, recipient mice received a single tail vein injection with either KIR ligand matched, KIR ligand mismatched or unsorted “bulk” NK cells (0.5–1.0 x 10 6 NK cells). All (9/9) control transplant recipients (no adoptive NK cell infusion) as well as recipients of Ly49A/G (KIR ligand matched) NK cells (13/13) developed skin GVHD, in contrast to 4/7 (57%, p=0.03) recipients of bulk NK cells and only a minority (13% [1/8], p
Truth and Falsity Attributions and Truth-Conditional Semantics in Private Languages

I continue to explore the language of Crusoe 5, an isolated rule-follower. I show that his language, just like our language, can sustain the use of truth and falsity attributions. That is, it is useful to Crusoe 5, just as it is useful to us, to be able to say that certain groups of statements (or utterances) are true or false. Furthermore, if Crusoe 5 is so inclined, he can develop a truth-conditional semantics for his own language. This is the case even though the sentences of his language are not all underwritten by correspondence facts. These points apply to the natural languages we speak as well.
Serum, Synovial, and Salivary Biomarkers for Orofacial Pain Conditions

Orofacial conditions such as temporomandibular disorders are often associated with extended bouts of debilitating chronic pain. Unfortunately, these and other similar pathologies are characterized by their inherent complexity and poorly understood etiologies making diagnoses and subsequent treatments exceedingly difficult. With a significant proportion of the population suffering from painful orofacial conditions, the development of new and accurate diagnostic procedures is essential to improve the current standard of care. Here, we overview the potential of serum, saliva, and synovial fluids as reservoirs of biochemical information capable of discerning specific disorders, including those correlated with orofacial pain. Determining the worth of these biofluids in the assessment of health status could expedite diagnoses and enhance pain management strategies while also enhancing our understanding of disease pathophysiology.
Support Structure Development and Initial Results for Metal Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing

Abstract The process of metal additive manufacturing is a relatively new method of fabricating complex parts in industry. Due to the infancy of the technology, limited documentation is available on how to rapidly and efficiently design and fabricate a given part. This paper covers one of the main practical issues of this technology, support generation and design when working with powder bed fusion metal additive manufacturing. This process requires support structures to hold and secure a part being built onto a base plate. The following paper will provide an introduction to the main options of support structure, grid and full support, as well as cover key understanding and developments with support structures for metal additive manufacturing. These support options and their variability will be discussed along with a methodology of rapidly obtaining baseline parameters for their use in fabrication.
Automatic Affective Evaluations of Physical Activity

People do not seem to be willing or able to sustain effortful self-regulation for behaviors such as physical activity. Affective processes can account for why some behaviors are more intrinsically rewarding than others. In this article, we hypothesize that automatic affective evaluations are instrum
Treatment of Postsurgical Chylothorax

Background Postoperative chylothorax can be managed by any or all of observation, parenteral nutrition, surgical duct ligation, pleurodesis, or thoracic duct embolization. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of standard therapies, such as surgical duct ligation and observation, compared with newer treatment methods (thoracic duct embolization). Methods A prospectively maintained database at a single institution was used to identify and review patients with postoperative chylothorax from 2008 to 2015. Results Postoperative chylothorax occurred in 97 patients, including 54 men (56%). The median age was 61 years (range, 24 to 87 years). Thoracic duct leak followed esophagectomy in 46 patients (47%), pulmonary resection in 30 (31%), mediastinal mass resection in 7 (8%), and after other procedures in 15. Of 28 medically observed patients achieving resolution without intervention, the median peak chest tube output in 24 hours was 725 mL compared with 1,910 mL in the group that required intervention ( p = 0.0001). Thoracic duct ligation was successful in 44 of 52 patients that proceeded to the operating room (85%). Of the 40 patients undergoing diagnostic lymphangiography, a leak was identified in 34 (85%), but the cisterna chyli could only be cannulated in 19 (48%) and was subsequently successful in 15 (38%). Conclusions Patients with chylous chest tube outputs of 1,100 mL or more in 24 hours postoperatively should be considered for intervention. Intention-to-treat analysis shows surgical duct ligation is more effective than thoracic duct embolization, with the ability to cannulate the cisterna chyli being the limiting factor. Lymphangiography may help determine which patients are better treated with ligation or embolization.
School Participation for Children with Disabilities in Kenya.

In Kenya, policies to increase access to quality education have largely focused on reducing rural/urban, gender, and income inequality. Yet, many children do not attend or fully participate in scho...
Transcatter X-Ray Technique for the Inspection of Insulated, Oil-Carrying Pipelines

Pipelines are subjected to corrosion and require periodic inspection. These pipes are generally covered with an insulating material, that is contained within a metal jacket. The removal of the insulating material is costly, and can hazardous if asbestos is the material being removed. Because a large number of pipes need to be inspected, a cost effective technique for the characterization of corrosion under insulation is desirable.
Waste Not: Can Household Biogas Deliver Sustainable Development?

Household biogas systems are a renewable energy technology with the potential to provide sustainable development benefits by reducing pressure on forest stocks and by shifting household time allocation towards higher value activities or long-term investments in human capital. We estimate the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of biogas expansion in Nepal using an instrumental variables approach that exploits conditional variation in access to biogas installation companies. We confirm prior evidence that biogas use significantly reduces collected fuelwood, estimating changes of approximately 800–2000 kg per year per household. We find new evidence that biogas saves time in fuelwood collection (23–47%), and results in reallocation of time away from home production and wage labor towards agricultural labor and education. We find that biogas reduced forest cover loss in the Hill region and when combined with other forest protection policies. Together the results suggest that biogas can contribute modestly to sustainable development, particularly in combination with complimentary opportunities or policies.
Evaluating Relationships between Perception-Reaction Times, Emergency Deceleration Rates, and Crash Outcomes using Naturalistic Driving Data:

Perception-reaction time (PRT) and deceleration rate are two key components in geometric design of highways and streets. Combined with a design speed, they determine the minimum required stopping s...
Nurse perceptions of family nursing during acute hospitalizations of older adult patients.

Abstract Aims The purpose of this study was to describe nurses' critical appraisal of their family nursing practice and experience of interaction and reciprocity in the nurse-family relationship. Background Nursing practice that is inclusive of family during hospitalizations of older adults with chronic illnesses benefits patients and families, as well as nurses. There is, however, a limited amount of research that has focused on nurses' perceptions of caring for older adult patients and their families who are managing chronic illness. Design The Calgary Family Intervention Model guided this descriptive mixed-methods study. Methods Registered nurses working on four medical-surgical units completed the Family Nursing Practice Scale (n = 60), which includes a quantitative scale and three open-ended questions. Results The results showed positive perceptions from nurse participants overall with significant variation across study units in nurses' perceptions of interactions in the nurse-family relationship. Additionally qualitative results revealed several themes concerning the advantages and disadvantages of working with families, in addition to how nurses are currently including families in their practice. Conclusions This study provides details concerning the advantages and disadvantages of working with families and how nurses currently strive to include families in their nursing practice. Although nurses in this study did espouse the importance of family nursing practice, they did point out a number of disadvantages. It is essential to understand the problems that can arise when working with families so that nurses are better able to manage these issues.
The Role of Recurrent Tectonics in the Formation of the Nemaha Uplift and Cherokee-Forest City Basins and Adjacent Structural Features in Eastern Kansas and Contiguous States, USA

We elaborate on an old hypothesis suggesting that once the early-formed crust of the Earth attained sufficient buoyancy, thickness, and strength to react in brittle fashion, it was broken into semi-rectangular blocks by tensional stresses, perhaps associated with development of its equatorial oblateness. The roughly orthogonal fractures bounding the crustal blocks are spaced more or less evenly by dissipation of stresses between adjacent megafractures, depending upon the strength of the local crust. We further propose that once the primordial crust was broken, the fractures became the loci of stress relief for whatever combinations of horizontal, vertical, and shear stresses acting on them throughout geologic time. Because the through-crustal fractures (including the outlines of meteorite impact craters of whatever age) continue to be active, they propagate upwards to the present surface through succeeding layers and are manifested by stream patterns which reflect faults, flexures, and joints; outcrop anomalies; and even subtle tonal changes on remotely-sensed images. Examples are the Chesapeake, Bolivar-Mansfield faults, (Wilson and McCauley, 1989) which have been mapped in Missouri and are traced on trend into the Kansas subsurface by means of major stream lineaments or divides and other more subtle features. Other northwest- and northeast-trending structural zones are likewise recognized (Blair and others, 1992). The pattern or mapped faults and the interpretation of stream patterns suggests that many are wrench faults, and reversed movement at various times depending on the direction of applied horizontal compressive stresses and the orientation of the resisting or passive blocks. We postulate that the stresses originated at the eastern margins of the North American craton during continent-continent collisions beginning during Grenvillian or earlier times, and continued during the Taconian, Acadian, Appalachian-Alleghenian. Major episodes affected the midcontinent during the Ouachitan-Wichitan-Marathon orogenies, and with somewhat lesser effects during later geologic times to the present. The stresses are assumed to have been transmitted primarily via Precambrian basement rocks and the overlying Cambro-Ordovician through Mississippian carbonate rocks.
Brain abscess caused by Trueperella bernardiae in a child.

Background Recurrent intracranial abscesses secondary to refractory otitis media present a challenge which demands multidisciplinary collaboration. Case description We present the first known case of pediatric brain abscess caused by a polymicrobial infection of Trueperella bernardiae, Actinomyces europaeus, and mixed anaerobic species resulting from acute-on-chronic suppurative left otitis media. This patient required two separate stereotactic abscess drainages and a complex course of antibiotics for successful management. Conclusion Surgery is essential in the management of cerebral abscess both in agent identification and therapeutic drainage. Management of abscesses secondary to unusual and polymicrobial organisms often requires consultation from other medical and surgical specialties.
Aminoglycoside Enhances the Delivery of Antisense Morpholino Oligonucleotides In Vitro and in mdx Mice

Antisense oligonucleotide (AO) therapy has been the specific treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, with ongoing clinical trials. However, therapeutic applications of AOs remain limited, particularly because of the lack of efficient cellular delivery methods imperative for achieving efficacy. In this study, we investigated a few aminoglycosides (AGs) for their potential to improve the delivery of antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) both in vitro and in vivo. AGs had lower cytotoxicity compared with Endoporter, the currently most effective delivery reagent for PMO in vitro, and improved efficiency in PMO delivery 9- to 15-fold over PMO alone. Significant enhancement in systemic PMO-targeted dystrophin exon 23 skipping was observed in mdx mice, up to a 6-fold increase with AG3 (kanamycin) and AG7 (sisomicin) compared with PMO only. No muscle damage could be detected clearly with the test dosages. These results establish AGs as PMO delivery-enhancing agents for treating muscular dystrophy or other diseases.
Needs Assessment: What Are the Barriers to Use of Equine Genetic Testing?

Abstract Genetic testing offers precise and accurate data to horse owners concerning their horse’s health and offers potential economic value increases of foal crops via genome-assisted selection. Despite availability of at least 96 commercially available markers, fewer than 20 are commonly used. This project seeks to identify the barriers to the incorporation of genomic tools in diverse equine operations. Based on studies examining public opinion of human medical testing, we expected that lack of genetic education and few industry requirements for testing may contribute to neutral or negative opinions regarding genomic tools for horses. We developed a 20 total question survey to capture demographic information such as facility size, type, and primary breed, as well as horse owner familiarity, use, and outlook regarding equine genetic testing. Question types included multiple choice, Likert-type scale, and open-ended response. Recruitment through county extension agents and breed organizations supplied a broad sampling of the Florida horse industry. Responses were collected from February through May 2019. Data showed that 25% of horse owners had genetically tested their horses (n = 60). Of these consumers, 80% rated the quality of their experience as “excellent” or “good” (n = 15). There was a significant positive association between genetic education and likelihood to genetically test. Most respondents (65%) were interested in receiving information regarding genetic testing. Study participants preferred to find materials on genetic testing through Web-based articles and veterinarians. Results of this study will provide researchers with critical knowledge of their audience’s needs and a roadmap to tailor future educational resources.
Factors associated with not receiving HPV vaccine among adolescents by metropolitan statistical area status, United States, National Immunization Survey–Teen, 2016–2017

The 2016 and 2017 National Immunization Surveys-Teen (NIS-Teen) highlighted disparities in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage by metropolitan statistical area (MSA) status. Coverage wi...
Development of a coarse-grained lipid model, LIME 2.0, for DSPE using multistate iterative Boltzmann inversion and discontinuous molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract We suggest an improved version of the intermediate resolution implicit solvent model for lipids, LIME, that was previously developed for use with discontinuous molecular dynamics (DMD) simulations. LIME gets its geometrical and energy parameters between bonded and nonbonded pairs of coarse-grained (CG) sites from atomistic simulations. The improved model, LIME 2.0, uses multiple square wells rather than the single square well used in original LIME to obtain intermolecular interactions that more faithfully mimic those from atomistic simulations. The multi-state iterative Boltzmann inversion (MS-IBI) scheme is used to determine the interaction parameters. This means that a single set of interaction parameters between coarse-grained sites can be used to represent the lipid bilayers at different temperatures. The physical properties of CG DSPE lipid bilayer are calculated using CG simulations and compared to atomistic simulations results to verify the improved model. The phase transition temperature of the lipid bilayer is measured accurately and the lipid translocation phenomenon, “flip-flop” is observed through CG simulation. These results suggest that CG parameterization using multiple square-wells and the MS-IBI scheme is well suited to the study of lipid bilayers across a range of temperatures with DMD simulations.
Direct observation of phonon Anderson localization in Si/Ge aperiodic superlattices

Phonon Anderson localization has been receiving increasing interest in creating unique thermal transport properties. However, due to challenges to resolve and track the mode-specific transmission, the existence of phonon Anderson localization has only been inferred from the decay of overall thermal conductivity versus device length. In this work, we present direct evidence of phonon Anderson localization using the exponential decay of their mode-resolved transmissions. We clearly capture localized modes in different structures, even with a monotonically upward thermal conductivity trend.
A comparative analysis of attitudes towards female and male breadwinners in Germany, Sweden and the United States

This paper presents a comparative study that examines attitudes towards female and male breadwinners in Western societies. Data from Wave 6 of the World Values Study are used to analyse attitudes i...
Nanoscale Dynamics of Cellulase TrCel7A Digesting Cellulose

Understanding how cellulases catalyze the digestion of lignocellulose is a major goal of bioenergy research. Cel7A from Trichoderma reesei is a model exoglucanase that degrades cellulose strands from their reducing ends by processively cleaving individual cellobiose units. Despite being one of the most studied cellulases, the binding and hydrolysis mechanisms of Cel7A are still debated. We used single-molecule tracking to analyze the dynamics of 11,116 quantum dot-labeled TrCel7A binding to and moving processively along immobilized Gluconoacetobacter cellulose. Enzyme molecules were localized with a spatial precision of a few nanometers and followed for hundreds of seconds. Most enzymes bound into a static state and dissociated without detectable movement. Processive enzymes moved an average distance of 39 nm at an average speed of 3.2 nm/s. Static binding episodes preceding and following processive runs were of similar duration to static binding events that lacked any processive movement. Transient jumps of >20 nm were observed, but no diffusive behavior indicative of a diffusive search of the enzyme for a free cellulose strand end was observed. These data were integrated into a three-state model in which TrCel7A molecules can bind from solution into either a static or a processive state, and can reversibly switch between static and processive states before dissociating. From these results, we conclude that the rate-limiting step for cellulose degradation by Cel7A is the transition out of the static state either by dissociation from the cellulose surface or initiation of a processive run.
Landscape of Heart Transplantation Following Changes in UNOS Donor Allocation Policy

Purpose The new donor heart allocation policy in United States, which prioritizes the most urgent patients on the waitlist, may affect post-transplant care and outcomes. The objective of this study was to analyze national transplantation outcomes and the use of temporary mechanical circulatory support before and after the implementation of the new allocation system. Methods A retrospective review of the UNOS registry of all heart transplants performed between April 2018 and April 2019 (n=3431) was performed. Patients were divided according to their allocation status and whether they underwent transplantation prior to the allocation change (n=2143) or after (n=1288). Results The proportion of patients listed in the urgent status of 1,2 or 3 (77%) was significantly higher than status 1A (69%), while the proportion of patients in status 4 listing (19%) was significantly lower than status 1B (27%). The use of ECMO significantly increased from 1% prior to the change in allocation to 5% after the implementation of the new allocation system, with no differences in survival (76% vs. 79%, respectively). No significant changes in the use of temporary microaxial support devices (Impella) were observed. Survival was reduced from 98% prior to the change in allocation to 77% in the new allocation schema (p=0.006). IABP utilization significantly increased in the new allocation system (8% to 23%), with no significant changes in survival. Conclusion The utilization of ECMO and IABP in United States increased under the new donor allocation system, and was associated with high proportion of patients classified as status 1,2 and 3 compared to status 1A. While the new allocation prioritizes reduction in waitlist time and mortality, we observed higher post-transplant mortality in status 1, 2, 3 and 4 patients. Thus, lower mortality on the waitlist may be annulled by higher post-transplant mortality.
Clash of the Titans: Hercules v. Dennis Martinez, or Why Dworkin and Fish are Both Wrong

At first blush, the debate between Stanley Fish and Ronald Dworkin that took place over the course of the 1980s and early 90s seems to have produced little of lasting intellectual value. The two scholars, both giants in their fields, seemed to talk past each other time after time, making it difficult to discern the stakes of their quarrel. It would thus be easy to reach the conclusion that their debate should be happily forgotten, along with the mullets and headbands that marked the style of the decade in which they wrote. But that conclusion is only half right. There is a sense in which Fish and Dworkin talked past each other. Yet a real question lies at the heart of their dispute, and the impasse their exchange produced reveals well why neither theorist offers a satisfying answer to it. The question at stake is whether law is a genuinely intellectual practice—that is, a practice in which ideas matter, for explaining both individual judicial decisions and legal change over time. That question is hard and important. But neither Fish nor Dworkin offers an adequate answer to it because both are handicapped by their assumption that efforts to reflect theoretically on law necessarily take place either “inside” or “outside” of legal practice. Thus, although the two theorists purport to reach diametrically opposed conclusions about the intellectual integrity of law, their two accounts turn out to be just mirror images of each other—two sides of the same methodological coin. Only by abandoning the “inside/outside” dichotomy to which both theorists cling is it possible to get beyond the stalemate they reach and to begin to make sense of what it is to genuinely learn in and about law.
Public education, neoliberalism, and teachers: New York, Mexico City, Toronto: by Paul Bocking, Toronto, Canada, University of Toronto Press, 2020, 299 pp., $45.00 (cloth), ISBN: 978-1-487-50660-5

Paul Bocking, a scholar, public school teacher and union leader, draws upon case studies of Mexico City, New York City and Toronto to argue for ‘the importance of understanding neoliberal education...
Solving inverse problems in stochastic models using deep neural networks and adversarial training

Abstract Inverse problems associated with stochastic models constitute a significant portion of scientific and engineering applications. In such cases the unknown quantities are distributions. The applicability of traditional methods is limited because of their demanding assumptions or prohibitive computational consumption; for example, maximum likelihood methods require closed-form density functions, and Markov Chain Monte Carlo needs a large number of simulations. We propose a new method that estimates the unknown distribution by matching the statistical properties between observed and simulated random processes. We leverage the expressive power of neural networks to approximate the unknown distribution and use a discriminative neural network for computing the statistical discrepancies between the observed and simulated random processes. We demonstrated numerically that the proposed methods can estimate both the model parameters and learn complicated unknown distributions.
Levels of Engagement in Task-based Synchronous Computer Mediated Interaction

Investigating task-based synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) interaction has increasingly received scholarly attention. However, studies have focused on negotiation of meaning and the quantity, focus and resolution of language related episodes (LREs). This study aims to broaden our understanding of the role of audio, video, and text SCMC conditions by additionally examining second language (L2) learners’ levels of engagement during the production of LREs as a result of interactive real-world tasks. We tested 52 dyads of L2 Spanish intermediate learners who completed a decision- making/writing task. Our main analysis revealed that dyads in the audio SCMC condition engaged in more limited LREs vis-a-vis the text SCMC group, and audio SCMC dyads also showed a trend of engaging more in elaborate LREs. The findings imply that interactive SCMC conditions can place differential demands on L2 learners, which has an effect on the ways in which L2 learners address LREs during task-based interaction.
COVID-19 Surveiller: toward a robust and effective pandemic surveillance system basedon social media mining.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has become one of the most severe pandemics in human history. In this paper, we propose to leverage social media users as social sensors to simultan...
A new soft switching technique for bi-directional power flow, full-bridge DC-DC converter

This paper proposes a new soft switching technique for the phase-shift controlled bi-directional DC-DC converter. The described converter employs a low profile high frequency transformer and two active full-bridge converters for bidirectional power flow capability. A new soft switching technique is proposed, which guarantees soft switching over wide range (no load to full load) without any additional circuit components. In the proposed switching scheme, the switch pairs in the diagonal position of the converter each are turned on/off simultaneously by the switching signals with a variable duty ratio depending on the phase shift amount, and the converter is operated without freewheeling interval. The load range for soft switching is analyzed mathematically and verified by experiments.
Do healthcare professionals discuss the emotional impact of cancer with patients

Background It is known that cancer may affect patients' emotions and their relationships with other people and that those with strong emotional support may enjoy improved outcomes. We sought to determine the frequency with which healthcare professionals discuss the impact of cancer on patients' emotions and relationships with others. Methods Data regarding healthcare professionals' discussions of the emotional impact of cancer and relevant covariates were obtained from the 2010 National Health Interview Survey. Statistical analyses were performed using sudaan software (Research Triangle Institute, Raleigh, NC, USA). Results Of the 2074 people with a prior diagnosis of cancer surveyed, 701 (33.8%) claimed that a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional had discussed with them ‘how cancer could affect their emotions or relationships with others’. Of these, 586 (84.5%) reported that they were ‘very satisfied’ with how well their emotional and social needs were met; 73.4% of those who had not had this discussion reported being very satisfied. Patients with leukemia/lymphoma, younger patients, African Americans, and those with a lower degree of education were most likely to report having discussions about emotional issues. Gender was not correlated with these discussions (30.6% in men vs. 33.3% in women). On multivariate analysis, age, race, and cancer type remained independent significant predictors of having a discussion regarding the emotional impact of cancer. Conclusion Only a third of cancer patients discussed the emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis with their healthcare professional. Age, race, and type of malignancy affect the likelihood of having these discussions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
U.S. Department of Energy Collector Cost Reduction Program

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is engaged in a broad-based program that focuses on the basic research and technology development required to reduce the price of photovoltaic collectors, both flat-plate and concentrating, to $0.70/peak watt (FOB factory module price in 1980 dollars) by 1986, and 0.15 to 0.40/peak watt by 1990 (1). The technologies required to achieve these cost reductions are to be identified by 1982 and 1986, respectively. The approaches to achieving these goals and their current status and future prospects are reviewed in this paper.
Can Glucksberg Survive Lawrence? Another Look at the End of Life and Personal Autonomy

In Washington v. Glucksberg (2007), the Court declined to find a right to physician-assisted suicide (PAS) in the Constitution. Not a single justice dissented. One would expect such a ruling to be quite secure. But Lawrence v. Texas (2003), holding that a state cannot make consensual homosexual conduct a crime, is not easy to reconcile with Glucksberg. Lawrence certainly takes a much more expansive view of substantive due process than did Glucksberg. It is conceivable that the five justices who made up the Lawrence majority - all of whom still sit on the Court - might overrule Glucksberg. For various reasons, however, this seems improbable. Unlike the situation with respect to the pre-Lawrence era, Glucksberg does not stigmatize any politically vulnerable group. When there is no democratic defect in the political process, there is much to be said for courts deferring to reasonable legislative judgments. Moreover, unlike the developments preceding Lawrence, there has been no emerging awareness of a right or liberty to enlist the assistance of a physician in committing suicide. No state supreme court has found a right to PAS in its own state constitution. Nor, in the decade since Glucksberg, has any state legislature legalized PAS. And attempts have been made to do so in some twenty states.