cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paradoxes of Moral Motivation

In suggesting that “philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind,” Thoreau did not wish to denigrate charity, but he took offense when even minor Christian leaders were ranked above Newton, Shakespeare, and other creative individuals “who by their lives and works are a blessing to mankind.”1 Such individuals might be motivated primarily by caring for nonmoral goods, such as scientific truth, aesthetic appreciation, or creative achievement. Yet, paradoxically, they often benefit humanity far more than they could have through direct humanitarian service. This creativity paradox has been given less attention than paradoxes of self-interest and altruism, but it contains an important insight about moral motivation. It also forces us to clarify the distinction between moral and nonmoral goods, and hence our conception of what morality is.
A quantitative framework for demographic trends in size-structured populations: analysis of threats to floodplain forests

Studies of population dynamics are continually seeking to develop quantitative approaches that can be easily applied to widely available data in ways that can guide management decisions. We present a method for quantifying demographic trends in size-structured populations that we applied to forest tree species and changes in forest structure associated with different threats to help identify forest health priorities. Strengths of the approach are that tree size and growth rate can be controlled for to separate mortality impacts of particular threats from background rates associated with stand self-thinning. We illustrate the method with tree census data from Connecticut River floodplain forests. We found that these floodplain forests are currently declining demographically across all sizes, with floodplain pioneer tree species particularly affected. Cutting by a large beaver population is contributing to this decline. Specifically, beavers are cutting 11.4% of the Salix nigra and 1.6% of the Populus delto...
The Demography of Aging

Demography is the study of changes in the size, diversity, distribution and composition of human populations over time. The world’s age composition has changed dramatically and these changes continue. The percentage of individuals ≥65 years of age will double from 7 to 14 %, rising from 506 million in 2008 to 1.4 billion by 2040, with the largest increases in developing countries. It is important to note that the older population is getting older, with the largest increases in those ≥80 years of age. Life expectancy at age 65 has increased. In 2003, the average 65-year old woman in the United States was expected to live an additional 19.6 years, and a man, an additional 16.8 years. The older population is mostly female, especially in developed nations. Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death worldwide. Disability in older adults is declining, though these trends may not continue given the exponential growth of the oldest old population. These demographic changes will profoundly impact public health. Cross-national research must address this unprecedented growth, specifically longitudinal studies to identify links between health, disability, economic status, work and family structure; to establish mechanisms to harmonize and standardize data collection internationally; and to develop multidisciplinary research designs to address issues impacted by population aging.
23. Pre-Chou Chronology: History VS. Numerology in Hsia, Shang, and Chou

(Ed. Note: This paper was an adaptation of Section X of my article “The Dates of Western Chou,” Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies 43.2[1983]:482–580. In the article, this section is titled “Numerological Postscript,” and occupies pp. 556–566.)As now revised, this section (with related earlier sections of the article) represents my arguments that pre-Conquest dates in the present Bamboo Annals ([Chin-pen] Chu-shu chi-nien) that are relevant to the beginning of Chou are partly historical and partly numerological. I argue that most of the dates that have historical validity have been distorted in two independent revisions of the original chronicle that were later combined. The first, in the 8th century B.C., moved Chou family dates back 12 years, and indirectly generated the Conquest date 1050, The second, in the late 6th century B.C., moved Shang dates (after Wu Ting) back 6 years, so that in this revision the Conquest was redated from 1045 to 1051. Both dates appear, in different places, in the present Bamboo Annals. This analysis results from my research in October of 1982, dating the Brundage rhinoceros tsun inscription, and thereby proving that the Bamboo Annals' date 1111 for Ti Yi is exactly 6 years early.
Preparation of Free-Standing PZT and Gold Nanoparticles

Free-standing PZT (Lead Zirconate Titanate ) and Gold nanoparticles (ceramic and metal) have been prepared by complex process. In case of PZT, the process involves the preparation of metal ion complex (ligand) solution followed by evaporation. Complete evaporation results in fluffy dried mass. Calcination of dried mass at low temperature produces free-standing PZT nanoparticles. The concept of the process involves choice of correct metal ion complex, stoiochiometry and drying conditions to produce free-standing individual nanoparticles. Similar process has been used to prepare free-standing gold nanoparticles where individual gold form complex with the ligands (complexing agents) to produce free-standing nanoparticles.
Neural Coding of General Odors in Insects

Insects attempting to identify and classify general, food-related odors in a natural environment are faced with the difficult problem of turning a spatially and temporally noisy, multicomponent olfactory stimulus into a reliable neural code that is independent of spurious changes in concentration or the temporal structure of the odor plume. The insect nervous system accomplishes this by representing olfactory information in different forms in different parts of the olfactory sensory pathway. At the periphery, olfactory information is encoded as a simple rate code expressed in a large population of broadly tuned receptor neurons. Some information processing may take place as a result of interactions between olfactory receptor neurons located in the same sensillum of the insect antenna. The olfactory information is conducted to intrinsic interneurons within the antennal lobe of the brain. Olfactory information is subsequently transmitted from intrinsic interneurons to antennal lobe projection neurons that carry a condensed form of olfactory information to the mushroom bodies and other higher brain centers. Projection neurons appear to encode olfactory information in a complex temporal code comprising spike trains with variable interspike intervals. The precise timing of these action potentials may provide higher brain centers with information about the identity, concentration, and duration of the stimulus. The olfactory glomeruli appear to translate the simple rate code input into a complex temporal code output that may involve transient synchronization of the action potentials and oscillations of field potentials in the brain.
Der Aminosäurepool vonEscherichia coli bei Aminosäureaushungerung

Aminosaurepools vonEscherichia coli-Stammen wurden extrahiert und analysiert. Sie waren einander ahnlich in ihrer Gesamtaminosaurezusammensetzung: in allen Fallen war glutamat die vorherrschende Aminosaure. Jedoch bestanden unter den Stammen Unterschiede in der relativen Haufigkeit von einigen der anderen Aminosauren. Nach Aushungerung in bezug auf Arginin oder Histidin lagen Arginin bzw. Histidin nicht mehr in nachweisbaren Mengen im Aminosaurepool vor. Hingegen war Leucin im Pool einer nicht mit Leucin versorgten Kultur vorhanden, und Glycin im Pool einer glycinfrei ernahrten Kultur. Bei gleichzeitigem Entzug von exogenem Arginin und Histidin konnte keine dieser beiden Aminosauren im Pool nachgewiesen werden. Die anwesenheit desrel-Allels hatte weder einen Effekt auf den Pool exponentiell wachsender Kulturen noch auf den Pool aminosaureausgehungerter Kulturen. Isoleucin und Valin wurden im Pool einer nicht wachsenden, „downshifted culture”* eines RCrel-Stammes nicht gefunden; die Anwesenheit dieser Aminosauren gestattete ein Weiterwachsen. Das unterstutzt die Hypothese, das die durch downshift verursachte Hemmung auf der Aushungerung bezuglich Isoleucin und Valin beruht.
The First Three Years of a Community Lab: Lessons Learned and Ways Forward

The highly specialized nature of scientific research has erected substantial barriers between professional scientists and the laity, who have become distanced from the process of discovery. The Do-It-Yourself Biology movement seeks to remove these impediments, with community laboratories serving as vehicles for public engagement and participation in scientific inquiry. We describe our experience establishing and maintaining the BUGSS community lab in Baltimore. While each community lab is distinct in its structure, culture, and programming, we hope that this review of our experience will serve as a resource to inform those who seek to understand this growing movement and those who plan to establish their own community labs.
Blood, plasma, and drawn blood volumes in the rat.

Summary1. Blood and plasma volumes have been determined in the normal albino rat, and have been found to be approximately related to a power of body weight, the deviation being ascribed to deposition of avascular fat as the rat matures. There appeared to be no significant difference in this regard between the sexes.2. An estimation of blood volume changes may be made from the “drawn blood” volumes.
Rottlerin inhibits tonicity-dependent expression and action of TonEBP in a PKCδ-independent fashion

Novel protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms PKCδ and PKCe have recently been implicated in signaling by hypertonic stress. We investigated the role of the putative PKCδ inhibitor rottlerin on tonicity-de...
Numerical Methods for the Design of Meso-Structures: A Comparative Review

Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the intentional design of meso-structured materials that are optimized to target desired material properties. This paper reviews and critically compares common numerical methodologies and optimization techniques used to design these meso-structures by analyzing the methods themselves and published applications and results. Most of the reviewed research targets mechanical material properties, including effective stiffness and crushing energy absorption. The numerical methodologies reviewed include topology and size/shape optimization methods such as homogenization, Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization, and level sets. The optimization techniques reviewed include genetic algorithms (GAs), particle swarm optimization (PSO), gradient based, and exhaustive search methods. The research reviewed shows notable patterns. The literature reveals a push to apply topology optimization in an ever-growing number of 3-dimensional applications. Additionally, researchers are beginning to apply topology optimization and size/shape optimization to multiphysics problems. The research also shows notable gaps. Although PSOs are comparable evolutionary algorithms to GAs, the use of GAs dominates over PSOs. These patterns and gaps, along with others, are discussed in terms of possible future research in the design of meso-structured materials.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Trading in Secrets: Jews and the Early Modern Quest for Clandestine Knowledge

ABSTRACTThis essay explores the significance and function of secrecy and secret sciences in Jewish–Christian relations and in Jewish culture in the early modern period. It shows how the trade in clandestine knowledge and the practice of secret sciences became a complex, sometimes hazardous space for contact between Jews and Christians. By examining this trade, the essay clarifies the role of secrecy in the early modern marketplace of knowledge. The attribution of secretiveness to Jews was a widespread topos in early modern European thought. However, relatively little is known about the implications of such beliefs in science or in daily life. The essay pays special attention to the fact that trade in secret knowledge frequently offered Jews a path to the center of power, especially at court. Furthermore, it becomes clear that the practice of secret sciences, the trade in clandestine knowledge, and a mercantile agenda were often inextricably interwoven. Special attention is paid to the Italian-Jewish alche...
Opening security: recovering critical scholarship as political

This article proposes that highlighting the theoretical and political challenges of ‘doing security’ is key to critical scholarship on security. In addition to broadening and deepening security, an opening of security is necessary to generate new security imaginaries. The article argues that an opening, which calls the frame into question and emphasizes everyday security enactments, is latent in existing scholarship but has not been explicitly named and explored. Paying attention to the epistemological and ontological implications of critical interventions – asking what, how, and who can know – is key to challenging security politics more deeply. It is essential to simultaneously examine what frames are enacted, how, by whom, when, where, and to what end. Drawing primarily on feminist, but also on poststructural and postcolonial scholarship, opening security moves us beyond adjusting the technologies of security and engages, as its central concern, the politics of security.
The Importance and Interest of Introductory Psychology Textbook Topics Student Opinions at Technical College, 2-, and 4-Year Institutions

Introductory psychology students at a technical college, 2-year community college, and a regional university rated how important textbook chapters or topics were to them now and in the future and how interesting they were. Importance and interest ratings were highly correlated, and the whole course was rated of greater importance and interest than was any individual topic. Most topics were ranked between important and quite important both currently and for the future, and university students typically rated both topic importance and interest higher. Males rated statistics of greater interest than did females; females rated importance of developmental now and in the future higher than did males. Women also rated current and future importance and interest in abnormal psychology and the future importance of therapy higher. Implications for introductory psychology instructors, departments, and advisors are discussed.
Abdominal vascular trauma

Abdominal vascular trauma, primarily due to penetrating mechanisms, is uncommon. However, when it does occur, it can be quite lethal, with mortality ranging from 20% to 60%. Increased early mortality has been associated with shock, acidosis, hypothermia, coagulopathy, free intraperitoneal bleeding and advanced American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Organ Injury Scale grade. These patients often arrive at medical centers in extremis and require rapid surgical control of bleeding and aggressive resuscitation including massive transfusion protocols. The most important factor in survival is surgical control of hemorrhage and restoration of appropriate perfusion to the abdominal contents and lower extremities. These surgical approaches and the techniques of definitive vascular repair can be quite challenging, particularly to the inexperienced surgeon. This review hopes to describe the most common abdominal vascular injuries, their presentation, outcomes, and surgical techniques to control and repair such injuries.
Formation and corrosion of a 410 SS/ceramic composite

This study addressed the possible use of alloy/ceramic composite waste forms to immobilize metallic and oxide waste streams generated during the electrochemical reprocessing of spent reactor fuel using a single waste form. A representative composite material was made to evaluate the microstructure and corrosion behavior at alloy/ceramic interfaces by reacting 410 stainless steel with Zr, Mo, and a mixture of lanthanide oxides. Essentially all of the available Zr reacted with lanthanide oxides to generate lanthanide zirconates, which combined with the unreacted lanthanide oxides to form a porous ceramic network that filled with alloy to produce a composite puck. Alloy present in excess of the pore volume of the ceramic generated a metal bead on top of the puck. The alloys in the composite and forming the bead were both mixtures of martensite grains and ferrite grains bearing carbide precipitates; FeCrMo intermetallic phases also precipitated at ferrite grain boundaries within the composite puck. Micrometer-thick regions of ferrite surrounding the carbides were sensitized and corroded preferentially in electrochemical tests. The lanthanide oxides dissolved chemically, but the lanthanide zirconates did not dissolve and are suitable host phases. The presence of oxide phases did not affect corrosion of the neighboring alloy phases.
SPECIALTY POULTRY PRODUCTION: IMPACT OF GENOTYPE, FEED STRATEGIES, ALTERNATIVE FEEDSTUFFS, AND DIETARY ENZYMES ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF HERITAGE BREED CHICKENS

OF DISSERTATION SPECIALTY POULTRY PRODUCTION: IMPACT OF GENOTYPE, FEED STRATEGIES, ALTERNATIVE FEEDSTUFFS, AND DIETARY ENZYMES ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF HERITAGE BREED CHICKENS There is a growing market for specialty poultry production using alternative genotypes and management systems. However, producers interested in specialty poultry production face several challenges. One challenge is that little published data exists regarding the growth and production parameters for alternative genotypes like slow-growing meat strains and heritage breeds. To address this challenge, research at the University of Kentucky examined the effect of feed strategies, alternative feedstuffs, and dietary enzymes on the growth and performance of heritage breeds of chicken used for either eggor meat-production. The first trial documented the growth and nutrient intake of pullets from three heritage breeds (Rhode Island Red, Barred Plymouth Rock, and Black Australorp) and three egg-laying strains (Red Star, Black Star, and ISA Brown) on a selfselection feeding program through nineteen weeks of age. The second trial documented the growth and nutrient intake of males from those same three heritage breeds, a slowgrowing meat-type strain (Red Ranger), and males and females from a fast-growing meat-type strain (Cornish Cross). Birds used a self-selection feeding program and were grown to a common weight of 2300 grams. Carcass characteristics of these birds were evaluated in the third trial. The fourth trial evaluated the partial replacement of corn and soybean meal with alternative feedstuffs (field peas, buckwheat, and flax seed) and dietary enzymes on the performance of straight-run commercial broilers and two alternative breeds of chickens: males from a Black Sex-Link cross and straight-run Rhode Island Reds. The fifth trial examined the use of sorghum and field peas to completely replace corn and soybean meal in formulated diets for two heritage breeds (Rhode Island Red and Barred Plymouth Rock). Results of these trials showed that heritage breed pullets had similar growth parameters and nutrient intake as commercial egg-laying strains. Heritage breed cockerels grew significantly slower and exhibited poorer feed efficiency than meat-type birds, but seemed to tolerate low nutrient density diets better. Overall, the findings of these studies could help producers interested in raising slowgrowing meat-type chickens and heritage breeds create accurate business plans and determine if they can profitably produce meat and/or eggs for niche markets.
Ureteral Stone Diameter on Computerized Tomography Coronal Reconstructions Is Clinically Important and Under-reported

Objective To compare the maximum stone diameter of ureteral stones in the coronal plane to that of stones in the axial plane and to determine the clinical significance of the coronal diameter. Materials and Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on patients seen in the clinic between September 2013 and November 2015. Patients were included if they had a history of ureteral stone noted on computerized tomography (CT) performed with coronal reconstructions. Patients were excluded if they had multiple ureteral stones, a history of upper urinary tract abnormalities, a need for urgent intervention, or no follow-up. Management of the ureteral stone and pertinent medical history related to patients' stone disease, including stone diameter on axial and coronal CT imaging, were captured. Multivariate regression was performed to identify predictive factors for stone passage. Results A total of 150 patients met inclusion criteria. Fifty-four patients spontaneously passed stones and 96 required surgery. The reading radiologist reported the stone measurement in the coronal dimension in 17% of the cases. In 75% of the cases, the coronal diameter was larger than the axial diameter by an average of 1.2 mm. On univariate analysis, stone passage was associated with axial diameter ( P .001), coronal diameter ( P .001), stone location ( P = .001), age ( P .001), and medical expulsive therapy ( P = .008). On multivariate analysis, only coronal diameter ( P .001), stone location ( P = .01), and age ( P = .03) remained significant factors associated with spontaneous passage. Conclusion In the current series, only stone size as measured in the coronal diameter was associated with stone passage vs need for surgical intervention on multivariate analysis. We strongly recommend obtaining coronal reconstructions when CT is performed for ureteral stone to guide management decisions and appropriately counsel patients on the probability of stone passage.
Multiplication and Presence of Shielding Material from Time-Correlated Pulse-Height Measurements of Subcritical Plutonium Assemblies

Abstract We present the results from the first measurements of the Time-Correlated Pulse-Height (TCPH) distributions from 4.5 kg sphere of α-phase weapons-grade plutonium metal in five configurations: bare, reflected by 1.27 cm and 2.54 cm of tungsten, and 2.54 cm and 7.62 cm of polyethylene. A new method for characterizing source multiplication and shielding configuration is also demonstrated. The method relies on solving for the underlying fission chain timing distribution that drives the spreading of the measured TCPH distribution. We found that a gamma distribution fits the fission chain timing distribution well and that the fit parameters correlate with both multiplication (rate parameter) and shielding material types (shape parameter). The source-to-detector distance was another free parameter that we were able to optimize, and proved to be the most well constrained parameter. MCNPX-PoliMi simulations were used to complement the measurements and help illustrate trends in these parameters and their relation to multiplication and the amount and type of material coupled to the subcritical assembly.
The Impact of Real Food Labeling on Student Food Choice Behaviors and Attitudes

Real Food is a growing movement of 42 American colleges and universities on 72 campuses, including the University of Utah, pledging to serve 20 percent Real Food by the year 2020. Real Food is locally, humanely, fairly, and ecologically-sound food that is produced and consumed within a values-based food economy. This study is the first to develop and test labeling of local, humane, fair, and ecologically-sound food, so that students can identify and purchase Real Food. Qualifying Real Food products were catalogued by calculating product invoices with Real Food criteria and identifying availability at select on-campus dining locations where Real Food labels were piloted. Labeling Real Food was in cooperation with University Dining Services and Chartwells, the institutional service provider. To sample the U of U's diverse population of 30,000 students, classrooms near campus dining locations were surveyed with pre- and post-labeling questionnaires. This participant sample is comprised of students in varied disciplines: Computer Science, Entertainment Arts & Engineering, Film, and Health Promotion & Education. Focus groups were conducted with university-sponsored social and multicultural student organizations. Labeling Real Food on a college campus impacts student food choice and attitudes. This study is important as the first study of humane and fair food on an American college campus and for understanding attitude and behavior outcomes surrounding local, humane, fair, and/or ecologically-sound food.
Perceived Relative Deprivation and Risk: An Aspiration-Based Model of Human Trafficking Vulnerability

While human trafficking often conjures up images of victims being taken by force, in reality, a minority of today’s slave population are physically abducted. Rather, a significant share of human trafficking victims are “pushed” (e.g., trying to escape crisis conditions) or “pulled” (e.g., pursuing the prospect of economic opportunities) into situations of high risk. This study focuses on those who are “pulled” into risky scenarios, assessing when individuals make decisions that may put themselves at risk. I assume that individuals are boundedly rational, and propose an aspiration-based model of decision-making, which predicts that increased salience in relative deprivation can lead individuals to be more risk-seeking, putting themselves and their children at greater risk for exploitation. Using both an original survey experiment and nationally-representative data in Nepal, I find that consistent with the theoretical model, perceptions of relative deprivation induce more risk-seeking behavior. This result speaks to the interaction between inequality and risk tolerance, and how economic and social forces that alter perceived relative deprivation can increase vulnerability to exploitation.
Abstract 4092: Targeting compensatory mechanisms of resistance to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Recent sequencing studies of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) have identified the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway as the most frequently mutated, oncogenic pathway in this cancer type. Despite the frequency of activating mutations or amplification in PIK3CA (the gene encoding the catalytic subunit of PI3K), targeted inhibitors of PI3K have not shown clinical efficacy as monotherapies. We tested a panel of more than 20 patient-derived oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) cell lines, which were profiled by Nimblegen V3 exome sequencing, and observed resistance to PI3K inhibitors despite PIK3CA copy number amplification and/or mutation. Of six inhibitors tested, only alpha-isoform selective and pan-PI3K agents were somewhat effective; these inhibitors, despite on-target and downstream activity, did not cause an appreciable reduction in cell viability when administered at submicromolar concentrations. We hypothesized that other oncogenic pathways might still be functional in the presence of PI3K inhibitors and might serve as mediators of this resistance. For example, our group and others have evaluated co-dependence on the Ras-MEK-ERK pathway in OCSCC, showing that this serves as a compensatory mechanism in some models. In order to more fully characterize other novel mechanisms of resistance, we have also developed a high-throughput screening approach that utilizes a resazurin cell viability assay. This screen serves as an unbiased means of testing ~1400 inhibitors as monotherapies and in combination with alpha-isoform selective PI3K inhibitor HS-173 and pan-PI3K inhibitor BKM120 in several OCSCC models. Further validation of “hits” from this screen, which are drugs that are effective in combination but not as monotherapies, may identify additional resistance mechanisms and lead to combination therapies to improve HNSCC patient prognosis. Citation Format: Nicole L. Michmerhuizen, Elizabeth Leonard, Susan K. Foltin, Aditi Kulkarni, Thomas E. Carey, Carol R. Bradford, Hui Jiang, Chad Brenner. Targeting compensatory mechanisms of resistance to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4092. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4092
Exploring Linkages Between Pollution Abatement and Trade in Textile Industry

This chapter discusses in detail the cost of pollution abatement among textile firms and integrates such costs in a large scale modelling framework. Using the GTAP model, the chapter further discusses the interplay between the costs incurred to meet the environmental regulations and the potential price premiums that the cleaner products would get in the international market to assess future trade prospects for India in the textile sector.
Iterative Convex Optimization of Multi-Beam Directional Modulation With Artificial Noise

A joint optimization algorithm for designing multi-beam directional modulation (MBDM) symbols with artificial noise (AN) is proposed for physical layer security in wireless communication systems. The proposed approach guarantees specific minimum error probabilities along the given eavesdropper directions. The algorithm is implemented by iterating between a convex program that optimizes symbols with AN and a convex (linear) program optimizing a set of weight vectors to guarantee specific error probabilities along the eavesdropper directions. The proposed method is compared against several MBDM algorithms, and is found to provide excellent bit error rate performance results. A hardware experimental test bed is described and is used to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed solution.
Abstract 4225: Myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia following use of chemo-immunotherapy and granulocyte colony-stimulating factors among elderly non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF) in relation to risk of myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia (MDS/AML) in a population-based cohort of elderly patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults ages 66 years and older diagnosed with first primary NHL between 2001 and 2011 using the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database. Patients were included if they were alive and without documented secondary primary cancer at three months post-diagnosis. Using a validated algorithm with Medicare claims and SEER records, we identified MDS/AML cases, primary NHL treatment received (i.e., chemo-immunotherapy and radiation) and type and number of doses of G-CSF received (i.e., filgrastim and/or pegfilgrastim). We determined the risk of developing MDS/AML at 12 months or longer after NHL diagnosis. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for MDS/AML risk associated with G-CSF use in cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models, stratified by treatment to account for confounding by indication. Results A total of 18,245 patients were included with a mean age of 76 years and median follow up of 3.5 years. Most patients were diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (34%) and follicular lymphoma (22%). Fifty-six percent of all patients received chemo-immunotherapy, among whom most received rituximab-based chemotherapy (74%) or monotherapy (18%). G-CSF was most commonly used among those who received rituximab plus chemotherapy (77%). Subsequent MDS/AML was observed in 666 (3.7%) patients. Overall, we found a modest increased risk of MDS/AML with any use of G-CSF (HR=1.28, 95% CI 1.01-1.62); although, a linear trend was observed with increasing number of G-CSF doses (P Conclusions In this study of elderly NHL patients, we observed a higher MDS/AML risk among those receiving chemo-immunotherapy and G-CSF that was specific to higher number of filgrastim doses but not pegfilgrastim. The benefits of preventing complications from therapy-related neutropenia in patients receiving highly myeloablative treatments likely outweigh the risk of this rare but serious second primary cancer. Understanding differential risk by type of agent warrants further study with the increasing use of G-CSF and FDA-approved biosimilar products (filgrastim-sndz) newly available. Citation Format: Kellyn M. Moran, Zhaoju Wu, Sruthi Adimadhyam, Todd A. Lee, Brian C. Chiu, Gregory S. Calip. Myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia following use of chemo-immunotherapy and granulocyte colony-stimulating factors among elderly non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4225.
Hypotension and Blunt Abdominal Trauma

Hypotension associated with intra-abdominal injury is most commonly the result of a solid organ injury (liver, spleen, kidney) but may be due to vascular injury or injuries to the visceral mesentery. Hypotension in the face of blunt abdominal trauma requires rapid, systematic evaluation and intervention to optimize survival.
Urban flooding, social equity, and “backyard” green infrastructure: An area for multidisciplinary practice

“Backyard” green infrastructure programs are an innovative way to manage urban stormwater, with many social and ecologic benefits. In many programs, however, residents with lower incomes are not re...
Linguistic and Cognitive Ability of Children Before Five Years Old on Their Effort to Communicate Action

We here described on the ability of children before their old five years old. They have a special power in learning their life to able to do something. Of course, they have a difficult thing regarding how to communicate each other. To make a communication, an action should be done, therefore, the cognition is a very important thing that must be sharpened. As it is discussed, linguistics is a study can be entered to all subcategory aspects. The linguistics has significant value on its contribution based on the effort of the children to obtain the communication action. Many phenomena can be described in the present study. The result showed all normal children can do communication with their mother in a unique way.
Ranking the Drop-Weight Impact Sensitivity of Common Explosives Using Arrhenius Chemical Rates Computed from Quantum Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Drop-weight impact tests are used routinely to characterize the handling safety of explosives. Numerous studies have sought to connect various physical and chemical properties of the energetic mole...
THz Cluster-Based Modeling and Propagation Characterization in a Data Center Environment

Terahertz (THz) wireless data centers can provide low-latency networks and dynamic scalability that are vital for the next-generation cloud computing infrastructure. The knowledge of THz propagation characteristics in a data center environment is essential to the development of novel THz communication systems. However, a comprehensive characterization and modeling of THz propagation channels, which includes various obstructions in a data center is not available. This paper presents results from a THz channel measurement campaign conducted in a data center environment. Various propagation scenarios such as line-of-sight (LoS) link, non-LoS (NLoS) link using existing materials in a data center to redirect the beam, and obstructed-LoS (OLoS), -NLoS (ONLoS) links with common objects in data centers (cables and server racks’ mesh doors) serving as obstruction were investigated. Propagation channel parameters such as pathloss and root-mean-squared (RMS) delay spread were analyzed in the aforementioned scenarios while cluster-based modeling was implemented for some scenarios. The proposed model for THz propagation in a data center environment was validated with the measured data. The average inter-arrival time of clusters ( $1/\Lambda $ ) and rays ( $1/\lambda $ ) are estimated as 4.4 ns and 0.24 ns, respectively. We find that local scattering objects such as server-rack frames/pillars can be used to assist the NLoS type of link, and that cooling airflow in the data center has a negligible impact on THz propagation. Power cables and mesh doors of the server racks can cause additional attenuation of about 20 dB and 6 dB, respectively. Cluster model and other characterization results provided in this work are pertinent to THz wireless system design for data center environments.
Urban vacant lands impart hydrological benefits across city landscapes.

Cities evolve through phases of construction, demolition, vacancy, and redevelopment, each impacting water movement at the land surface by altering soil hydrologic properties, land cover, and topography. Currently unknown is whether the variable physical and vegetative characteristics associated with vacant parcels and introduced by demolition may absorb rainfall and thereby diminish stormwater runoff. To investigate this, we evaluate how vacant lots modulate citywide hydrologic partitioning by synthesizing a novel field dataset across 500+ parcels in Buffalo, New York, USA. Vacant lot infiltration rates vary widely (0.001 to 5.39 cm h−1), though parcels are generally well-vegetated and gently sloped. Extending field estimates to 2400 vacant parcels, we estimate that vacant lands citywide may cumulatively infiltrate 51–54% additional annual rainfall volume as compared to pre-demolition state, in part by reducing and disconnecting impervious areas. Our findings differentiate vacant lots as purposeful landscapes that can alleviate large water fluxes into aging wastewater infrastructure. The authors investigate the infiltration potential of more than 500 vacant lots in the City of Buffalo, NY, USA. They found that the expanding footprint of pervious cover as urban vacant land provides stormwater volume retention benefits on an event and annual basis.
In Vitro Evaluation of a Novel Synthetic Bilirubin Analog as an Antioxidant and Cytoprotective Agent for Pancreatic Islet Transplantation

Bilirubin is a natural cytoprotective agent and physiologic doses have proven to be beneficial in various models of organ and cellular transplantation. Recently, we showed that bilirubin has protective effects in models of pancreatic islet transplantation, preventing cell death associated with islet stress and suppressing the release of damage-associated molecular patterns. Despite these promising therapeutic attributes, the natural bilirubin used in these research studies is animal-derived (porcine), making it unsuitable for clinical application. In the current study, we synthesized two bilirubin analogs that can be produced without the use of animal-derived products. Antioxidant activity for the analogs was measured using the ferric-reducing-ability-of-plasma (FRAP) and 2,2V-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) assays. Dose-dependent cytotoxicity and cytoprotective effects were then demonstrated in isolated rat islets. Compound 1 showed similar antioxidant activity to natural bilirubin. Dose-dependent cytotoxicity was seen following treatment with Compound 1 and natural bilirubin at doses >40 μM, resulting in significantly increased cell death when compared to control islets (P < 0.05) or islets treated with doses ≤20 μM (P < 0.05). Following hypoxic challenge, islet cell death was reduced in islets treated with Compound 1 at 10 μM (17.27% ± 0.26%) compared to natural bilirubin at 10 μM (51.36% ± 0.71%; P < 0.0001) or 20 μM (59.02% ± 0.83%; P < 0.0001) and control islets (36.51% ± 0.44%; P < 0.0001). Compound 1 was found to have promising antioxidant and cytoprotective effects, limiting islet cell death in a model of islet transplantation hypoxic stress. Compound 1 may serve as a synthetic drug lead for clinical islet transplantation and further evaluation of this molecule and its analogs is warranted.
CTSA recruitment resources: An inventory of what CTSA hubs are currently offering.

Introduction: In order to tackle the challenge of efficiently meeting clinical research accrual goals, many Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) recipients have developed recruitment support mechanisms and resources to help investigators successfully recruit study participants. Disseminating recruitment best practices and developing collaborations between institutions can help strengthen recruitment capabilities and methodologies currently utilized by researchers. Methods: To discover what recruitment resources and mechanisms CTSAs are using, the CTSA Recruitment and Retention working group developed an electronic survey, which was distributed to CTSAs between May and July 2019. The survey contained over 50 multiple choice and short answer questions, with 40 of the 64 CTSA institutions completing the survey. Institutions reported on registries, feasibility assessment tools, clinical trial listings, experience recruiting special populations, program operations and evaluation, workforce education, social media use, and other recruitment resources. Results: All respondents currently utilize some form of a volunteer registry; over 80% of the CTSAs provide investigators with recruitment consultations, feasibility assessments, study listings, and electronic health record (EHR) utilization; 73% assist with study materials; 47% offer social media assistance. Many institutions reported success in recruiting patients and healthy volunteers, but difficulty in recruiting special populations such as non-English-speaking persons and rural populations. Additional recruitment tools included use of the EHR to facilitate recruitment, use of registries, and use of social media to engage participants. Conclusions: Areas of opportunity or growth include the development of innovative solutions in the areas of social media advertising, identification of participants from special populations, and research volunteer engagement.
Impact of Harmonic Power Terms on the Energy Measurement in AC Railways

In electric ac railways, a nonnegligible amount of active power and reactive power can be associated with harmonics. Electric railways are characterized by a mix of moving loads in variable operating conditions with a substantial superposition of different distortion patterns. The EN 50463-2 standard for the measurement of energy and of active power and reactive power does not include harmonic power terms, leading to possible inaccuracy. This article reports the estimate of the harmonic power for ac railways in real scenarios and its variability due to the operating conditions and moving loads, together with the uncertainty in the energy consumption estimate.
Back to the basics: Hand washing is public health 101 and it works to slow down the spread of viruses.

• Despite the advice of normative health institutions such as the CDC and WHO on the importance of handwashing to slow the spread of viruses, in the U.S. there is an almost exclusive focus on social distancing, mask wearing and disinfecting the environment. • A central component to reopening safely should be requiring hand sanitizing upon entering an establishment. Washing hands should become as automatic as wearing a seatbelt, bike helmet or refraining from smoking in public, all of which are simple and cost-effective ways to prevent injury and disease. • Although this novel virus requires innovation in balancing control measures to maximize safety while protecting livelihoods, there is tremendous value in relying on proven strategies and `getting back to public health basics,’ such as hand washing.
Protein phosphorylation in the regulation and adaptation of receptor function.

Publisher Summary Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of proteins play important and ubiquitous roles in the regulation of neural function. This evidence is based on two lines of investigation. The first is the demonstration that various neurotransmitters, neurohormones, and neurotropic factors, either directly or indirectly, regulate the phosphorylation of different proteins in neural tissue. The second line of investigation has demonstrated that various neuronal processes are regulated by phosphorylative activity. These include the metabolism and release of neurotransmitters, the induction and biosynthesis of neural-specific enzymes, axonal transport, chemically and electrically induced depolarization, receptor sensitivity, neuronal maturation and differentiation. Moreover, reports from several laboratories have implicated modifications in protein phosphorylation systems in processes whereby neurons respond with long-lasting alterations to persistent environmental, hormonal or pharmacological stimulations. In addition, several key cellular processes, such as DNA and RNA synthesis, metabolism of carbohydrates, and lipids, membrane permeability, mitochondrial function, cell division, and transitions in cell cycle have been shown to involve protein phosphorylation.
Comparing Policies to Improve Water Quality When Dischargers of Pollutants are Strategic

Market-based instruments such as fees or tradable perm its can be used to simultaneously regulate point and non-point sources of pollution discharge into a river However sources of pollution discharge often have more information about their own costs of pollution abatement than do regulators. This information asymmetry may lead to strategic behavior which can lead to different outcomes under different policies. This paper estimates a Nash payoff of a two-period strategic game using econometrically estimated abatement costs for point and non-point source phosphorus discharges in the Minnesota River Basin. Results show that when dischargers of pollutants are strategic, discharge perm its may yield lower deadweight losses than discharge fees.
Quality improvement approaches to reduce racial/ethnic disparities in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Abstract Inequities in neonatal care quality and outcomes persist. Current models of neonatal quality improvement (QI) typically involve implementation of standardized approaches to clinical care that seek to provide consistent care to all infants and their families, which may neglect to account for the unique needs of diverse patient populations. Current approaches often fail to track outcome and process measures by important social disparity metrics, such as race/ethnicity and primary language. Despite these shortcomings, use of a QI structure has tremendous potential to address disparities in neonatal care. Crucial components of a QI approach to achieve health equity include: (1) Identifying equity goals from the inception of a project; (2) Inclusion of diverse family members on multidisciplinary teams; (3) Tracking outcome and process measures according to disparity metrics; and (4) Conducting interventions that preferentially address barriers of high-risk social groups. Hospital-system commitment to diversity and inclusion in the healthcare work force, recognition of the impact of unconscious provider bias and advocacy in the greater public health setting are needed to address underlying social inequities that impact neonatal care quality.