cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The proposed elimination of full cost accounting in the extractive petroleum industry: An empirical assessment of the market consequences

Abstract On July 15, 1977, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Exposure Draft of Statement 19 in which a proposal was set forth to establish the uniform usage of successful efforts accounting and to eliminate full cost accounting in the extractive petroleum industry. This study addresses the question of whether the proposed elimination of full cost accounting had an adverse effect on the security returns of full cost versus successful efforts firms. The evidence presented in this study suggests that the proposal to eliminate full cost accounting was associated with a significant negative difference in risk-adjusted rates between full cost firms and successful efforts firms whose financial reports remained unaffected by the proposed change. This observed difference was found to be sustained over an eight month period including confirming events and disclosures associated with the initial proposal. We do not attribute this difference to market inefficiencies but, rather, to the anticipated consequences which this mandated accounting change is likely to have on managerial behavior and to increased costs that will have to be borne by the affected companies.
Integrating Multiple Representations of Spatial Knowledge for Mapping, Navigation, and Communication

A robotic chauffeur should reason about spatial information with a variety of scales, dimensions, and ontologies. Rich representations of both the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of space not only enable robust navigation behavior, but also permit natural communication with a human passenger. We apply a hierarchical framework of spatial knowledge inspired by human cognitive abilities, the Hybrid Spatial Semantic Hierarchy, to common navigation tasks: safe motion, localization, map-building, and route planning. We also discuss the straightforward mapping between the variety of ways in which people communicate with a chauffeur and the framework’s heterogeneous concepts of spatial knowledge. We present pilot experiments with a virtual chauffeur.
Cu2ZnSnS4 polycrystalline thin films with large densely packed grains prepared by sol-gel method

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) was obtained from a sol-gel precursor which consists of copper chloride, zinc chloride, tin chloride, and thiourea. CZTS thin films were prepared by spin-coating the sol-gel precursor followed by annealing in a nitrogen atmosphere. The morphology, composition, and structure of the absorber layer were studied by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Raman scattering. The optical measurement shows the bandgap of these films is ∼1.51 eV, and the optical absorption coefficient is on the order of 104 cm−1. CZTS solar cells with a structure of low-alkali glass/Mo/CZTS/CdS/i-ZnO/ZnO:Al/Al grid were tentatively fabricated. The best solar cell showed a short-circuit current density of 5.06 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage of 358 mV, a fill factor of 34.66%, and an efficiency of 0.63% under AM1.5 (100 mW/cm2) illumination. These results demonstrate the CZTS thin films were successfully deposited by a cheap sol-gel technique.
Integrating the ICF with positive psychology: Factors predicting role participation for mothers with multiple sclerosis

Objective Being a mother has become a realizable life role for women with disabilities and chronic illnesses, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Identifying psychosocial factors that facilitate participation in important life roles-including motherhood-is essential to help women have fuller lives despite the challenge of their illness. By integrating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) and a positive psychology perspective, this study examined how environmental social factors and positive personal factors contribute to daily role participation and satisfaction with parental participation. Method One hundred and 11 community-dwelling mothers with MS completed Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scales, the Medical Outcome Study Social Support Survey, the Short Form-36, and the Parental Participation Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses examined associations between social support and positive personal factors (environmental mastery, self-acceptance, purpose in life) with daily role participation (physical and emotional) and satisfaction with parental participation. One-way ANOVAs tested synergistic combinations of social support and positive personal factors. Results Social support predicted daily role participation (fewer limitations) and greater satisfaction with parental participation. Positive personal factors contributed additional unique variance. Positive personal factors and social support synergistically predicted better function and greater satisfaction than either alone. Conclusion Integrating components of the ICF and positive psychology provides a useful model for understanding how mothers with MS can thrive despite challenge or impairment. Both positive personal factors and environmental social factors were important contributors to positive role functioning. Incorporating these paradigms into treatment may help mothers with MS participate more fully in meaningful life roles.
Assessment of human–natural system characteristics influencing global freshwater supply vulnerability

Global freshwater vulnerability is a product of environmental and human dimensions, however, it is rarely assessed as such. Our approach identifies freshwater vulnerability using four broad categories: endowment, demand, infrastructure, and institutions, to capture impacts on natural and managed water systems within the coupled human–hydrologic environment. These categories are represented by 19 different endogenous and exogenous characteristics affecting water supply vulnerability. By evaluating 119 lower per capita income countries (<$10 725), we find that every nation experiences some form of vulnerability. Institutional vulnerability is experienced most commonly, occurring in 44 nations, and 23 countries suffer deficiencies in all four categories. Of these highly vulnerable countries, Jordan is the most vulnerable, reporting the greatest number of characteristics (5 of 19) at critical vulnerability levels, with Yemen and Djibouti nearly as vulnerable. Surprising similarities in vulnerability were also found among geographically disparate nations such as Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Guatemala. Determining shared patterns of freshwater vulnerability provides insights into why water supply vulnerabilities are manifested in human–water systems at the national scale.
Resistance in Culcine Mosquitoes in California—Countermeasures

Publisher Summary Mosquito control programs in California have relied on and still utilize a multitude of approaches for mosquito suppression. With the advent of DDT and other synthetic insecticides, new mosquito control programs were instituted encompassing many populated areas of the state. Within a few years, the most important culicine species, Aedes nigromaculis, became resistant to DDT in California. Another important and widespread species, Culex tarsalis Coquillett, also showed resistance to a number of mosquito larvicides. As more mosquito control programs were initiated after the World War I, the use of larvicidal oils also attracted greater attention. The second material to be developed for mosquito control was Paris green. Among the chemical control agents, the petroleum hydrocarbon larvicides played a dominant role up to the time of the advent of DDT and other synthetic organochlorine insecticides. Dimilin, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, has been extensively studied against mosquitoes, and it is expected that this material will become commercial in the near future.
Study on System Clustering Method in Numerical Taxonomy of Loquat

The cluster analysis,which synthesizes multiple characters to carry on organism's quantitative comparison and objective pedigree analysis,has become an important method for data mining and statistics in numerical taxonomy.Based on the data of twenty-nine characters from shoot and leaf in 162 accessions of loquat germplasm resources that contained 8 species of genus Eriobotrya,the analysis and comparative study of 9 kinds of common system cluster methods of DPS software were conducted.The result showed that the ward method was the best one for cluster analysis and 162 accessions were divided into 6 relatively homogenous groups at the threshold value of 22.3.The germplasm accessions showed some similarity in the group and obvious difference among the groups.
Bariatric Surgery Patients and Their Families: Health, Physical Activity, and Social Support.

This study evaluated the social environment of bariatric surgery patients in the preoperative period. Forty bariatric surgery patients (mean = 46.2 ± 11.2 years), 35 adult cohabitating family members (mean = 45.2 ± 12.7 years), and 15 cohabitating children (mean = 11.5 ± 3.6 years) were recruited from a large rural medical center. Adult participants (patients and family members) completed height, weight, body composition, blood draws, and physical activity assessments (accelerometry), as well as eating behavior and social support inventories before the patient underwent bariatric surgery. Child participants completed demographic, height, and weight assessment only. Over 90 % of adult family members were overweight or obese (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2, as were 50 % of children (BMI percentile ≥ 85 %). More than one third (37.1 %) of family members met the criteria for moderate to severe insulin resistance. Physical activity measured by accelerometry was moderately correlated between the patient and adult family members (r = 0.46, p = 0.023). Bariatric surgery patients reported high levels of social support from their family members on multiple social support measures. Many family members of bariatric surgery patients also lived with obesity and related comorbidities, and demonstrate high sedentary behavior. However, patients reported high levels of support from family members, including support in following a healthy diet and engaging in physical activity. Engaging families in behavior change may help bariatric surgery patients and their families to become healthier.
Protein Conformational Flexibility Enables the Formation of Dense Liquid Clusters: Tests Using Solution Shear

According to recently proposed two-step nucleation mechanisms, crystal nuclei form within preexisting dense liquid clusters. Clusters with radii about 100 nm, which capture from 10(-7) to 10(-3) of the total protein, have been observed with numerous proteins and shown to host crystal nucleation. Theories aiming to understand the mesoscopic size and small protein fraction held in the clusters have proposed that in solutions of single-chain proteins, the clusters consist of partially misfolded protein molecules. To test this conjecture, we perturb the protein conformation by shearing solutions of the protein lysozyme. We demonstrate that shear rates greater than a threshold applied for longer than 1 h reduce the volume of the cluster population. The likely mechanism of the observed response involves enhanced partial unfolding of lysozyme molecules, which exposes hydrophobic surfaces between the constituent domains to the aqueous solution.
The Fluorescence Properties of Aromatic Amino Acids: Their Role in the Understanding of Enzyme Structure and Dynamics

Fluorescence spectroscopy has been extensively used in studies of enzymes and proteins (1–5). It has been shown to provide insights into important aspects of the interrelationships of enzyme structure, function and dynamics. The reasons for the wide applicability of fluorescence spectroscopy are due to several factors. Fluorescence has a high degree of sensitivity allowing one to work at low concentrations typical of “in vivo” conditions. Since the process depends on the absorption and emission of light energy it is selective, probing only those molecular subunits which have appropriate chromophoric properties. A wide vartiety of information is available including the study of inter and intramolecular interactions; the local environment of the fluorescent chromOphore; conformational heterogeneity; the rates of diffusional processes; the dynamics of the flexibility of the protein segments; and the kinetics of enzymatic processes. These studies have been facilitated by the relative ease of obtaining high quality fluorescence measurements using commercially available instruments.
Privacy and democracy

The meaning of privacy has been frequently disputed in the philosophical and legal literature since Warren and Brandeis first argued for it as a distinct and important personal and social value. Nevertheless, while the meaning of privacy is held to be vague, there is general agreement that Warren and Brandeis were correct in their assessment of its value. Theorists of democracy, on the other hand, have been ambivalent towards the realm of the private. This paper interrogates the intersection between privacy and democracy, questioning the place of privacy as a distinctly democratic value.
Investment risk allocation and the venture capital exit market: Evidence from early stage investing

Abstract This study provides evidence on how venture capitalists’ (VCs’) allocations of capital to riskier investments, as measured by the proportion of early versus late-stage investment in an industry, are linked to exit market conditions. Prior research has primarily focused on how VCs adjust aggregate investment to public equity market conditions. We develop a more inclusive measure of exit market conditions that accounts for recent secular changes that have affected the industry return structure, specifically, the sharp rise in the number of failures and M&A relative to IPO exits. We show that the dollars gained relative to dollars lost in recent exits and failures are significantly positively related to VCs’ allocations to early-stage companies over the period 1990–2008. The changes in allocations are large enough to have an effect on the availability of funding for early stage companies. In sum, our evidence shows that exit market conditions have a significant and economically meaningful influence on VCs’ allocations to riskier investments.
The Development of In Vivo Measures to Assess the Impact of Sex-Drive Reducing Medications in an Offender with an Intellectual Disability

The ability to adequately evaluate medications in the treatment of paraphilias has been limited by reliance upon self-report as a measure of effectiveness over periods of time that may be too short to detect reoffending. One solution to this shortcoming is the development of valid, long-term, stable assessment measures. The purpose of this case study was to analyze the effects of Prozac and Provera on an array of behaviors germane to the successful treatment of paraphilias, including: (a) sexual arousal in the laboratory and natural environment, (b) sexual thoughts (deviant and nondeviant) accompanied by arousal in the natural environment, and (c) overt actions in the community associated with increased risk of reoffending over a 31-month period for an exhibitionist with an intellectual disability. Despite the ineffectiveness of the medications, the measures demonstrated long-term, differentiated significant clinical responding; further underscored the importance of assessing deviant sexual arousal and adherence to relapse-prevention procedures in the natural environment; and provided a new methodology to assess sexual preoccupations and sexual arousal. Use of these in vivo measures raises questions regarding their potential to improve the predictability of risk assessments, and serve as an aide in the analysis of whether a treatment procedure is effective for an individual.
Coevolution, local adaptation and ecological speciation

Coevolution is one of the major processes organizing the earth's biodiversity, but it remains unclear when and how it may generate species diversity. The study by Parchman et al. (2016) in this issue of Molecular Ecology provides the clearest evidence to date that divergent local adaptation in a coevolving interaction may lead to speciation on one side of an interaction but not necessarily on the other side. Red crossbills in North America have diversified into ecotypes that specialize on different conifer species, use different calls and vary in the extent to which they are nomadic or sedentary. This new study evaluated genomic divergence among nine crossbill ecotypes. The authors found low overall genomic divergence among many of the ecotypes, but the sedentary South Hills crossbills, which are specialized to eat the seeds of a unique population of lodgepole pines, showed substantial divergence from other crossbills at a small number of genomic regions. These results corroborate past studies showing local coadaptation of the morphological traits of South Hills crossbills and lodgepole pines, and premating isolation of the South Hills crossbills from other populations. Together, the past and new results suggest that local coevolution with lodgepole pines has led to reduced gene flow between South Hills crossbills and other crossbills.
3D MRI quantification of femoral head deformity in legg-calvé-perthes disease†

The purpose of this study was to quantify femoral head deformity in patients with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD) using a novel three dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reconstruction and volume based analysis. Bilateral femoral heads of 17 patients (mean age 9.9 ± 2.0 years; 12 boys, 5 girls) with LCPD were scanned 1-2 times (n = 33 LCPD heads, 20 normal heads) using a 1.5T MRI scanner. Fourteen patients had unilateral and three had bilateral LCPD with five hips in the Waldenstrom initial stage, 9 in the fragmentation stage, 14 in the reossification stage, and 5 in the healed stage. 3D digital reconstructions of femoral heads were created using MIMICS software. Deformity was quantified using a 3D volume ratio method based on reference hemisphere volume as well as two surface geometry methods. Intra-observer analysis showed that 97% of the LCPD femoral heads were within 10% of the original value and test shapes had 99.6% accuracy. For normal femoral heads, the volume ratios of all except one were between 95 and 98% (n = 20) of a perfect hemisphere volume. For femoral heads affected with LCPD, the volume ratios ranged from 43% to 96% of a perfect hemisphere (n = 33). The volume ratio method and the two surface geometry comparison methods had high correlation (r = 0.89 and 0.96). In summary, the 3D MRI volume ratio method allowed accurate quantification and demonstrated small changes (<10%) of the femoral head deformity in LCPD. This method may serve as a useful tool to evaluate the effects of treatment on femoral head shape. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2051-2058, 2017.
Perceived and Actual Weight Stigma Among Romantic Couples

According to research on weight bias, relationship stigma may be greater among romantic couples comprised of at least one overweight partner, as compared to two healthy-weight partners. However, comparison theories predict that the stigma of being overweight may be greater among mixed-weight couples (i.e., romantic partners with dissimilar body mass indexes; BMI) than matched-weight couples (e.g., similarly overweight partners). To test these rival hypotheses, we assessed perceived and actual stigma experienced by mixed-weight and matched-weight couples. In two studies, people inferred (Study 1) or reported the actual amount (Study 2) of relational stigma and weight-related discomfort experienced by a healthy-weight/overweight person in a mixed/matched-weight relationship. Supporting the weight bias hypothesis, people inferred overweight people and their partners experience greater stigma and weight-related discomfort (Study 1). However, only overweight people in a matched-weight, as compared to mixed-weight, relationships actually reported greater relational stigma and weight-related discomfort (Study 2).
Echocardiographic linear fractional shortening for quantification of right ventricular systolic function-A cardiac magnetic resonance validation study.

Background Echocardiography (echo)-based linear fractional shortening (FS) is widely used to assess left ventricular dysfunction (LVdys), but has not been systematically tested for right ventricular dysfunction (RVdys). Methods The population comprised LVdys patients with and without RVdys (EF<50%) on cardiac MRI (CMR): Echo included standard RV indices (fractional area change [FAC], TAPSE, Sʹ, and FS in parasternal long-axis (RV outflow tract [RVOT]) and apical four-chamber views (width [RVWD], length [RVLG]). Results A total of 168 patients underwent echo and CMR (3±3 days); FAC (46±9 vs 28±11), TAPSE (1.9±0.4 vs 1.5±0.3), and Sʹ (11.4±2.3 vs 10.0±2.6, all P≤.001) were lower among RVdys patients, as were FS indices (RVOT 32±8 vs 17±10 | RVWD 40±11 vs 22±12 | RVLG 16±5 vs 9±4%; all P<.001). FS indices yielded similar magnitude of correlation with CMR RVEF (r=.73-.56) as did FAC (r=.70), which was slightly higher than TAPSE (r=.47) and Sʹ (r=.31; all P<.001). FS indices decreased stepwise vs CMR RVEF tertiles, as did FAC (all P<.001). In multivariate analysis, FS in RVOT (regression coefficient .51 [CI 0.37-0.65]), RVWD (0.30 [0.19-0.41]), and RVLG (0.45 [0.20-0.71]; all P≤.001) was independently associated with CMR RVEF. FS indices yielded good overall diagnostic performance (AUC: RVOT 0.89 [CI 0.82-0.97] | RVWD 0.87 [0.78-0.96] | RVLG 0.80 [0.70-0.90]; all P<.001) for CMR-defined RVdy (RVEF<50%). Conclusions RV linear FS provides RV functional indices that parallel CMR RVEF. Parasternal long-axis RVOT width, four-chamber RV width, and length are independently associated with RVEF, supporting use of multiple FS indices for RV functional assessment.
On (the) nothing: Heidegger and Nishida

Two major twentieth century philosophers, of East and West, for whom the nothing is a significant concept are Nishida Kitarō and Martin Heidegger. Nishida’s basic concept is the absolute nothing (zettai mu) upon which the being of all is predicated. Heidegger, on the other hand, thematizes the nothing (Nichts) as the ulterior aspect of being. Both are responding to Western metaphysics that tends to substantialize being and dichotomize the real. Ironically, however, while Nishida regarded Heidegger as still trapped within the confines of Western metaphysics with its tendency to objectify, Heidegger’s impression of Nishida was that he is too Western, that is, metaphysical. Yet neither was too familiar with the other’s philosophical work as a whole. I thus compare and assess Nishida’s and Heidegger’s discussions of the nothing in their attempts to undermine traditional metaphysics while examining lingering assumptions about the Nishida–Heidegger relationship. Neither Nishida nor Heidegger means by “nothing” a literal nothing, but rather that which permits beings in their relative determinacy to be what they are and wherein or whereby we find ourselves always already in our comportment to beings. Nishida characterizes this as a place (basho) that negates itself to give rise to, or make room for, beings. For Heidegger, being as an event (Ereignis) that clears room for beings, releasing each into its own, is not a being, hence nothing. We may also contrast them on the basis of the language they employ in discussing the nothing. Yet each seemed to have had an intuitive grasp of an un/ground, foundational to experience and being. And in fact their paths cross in their respective critiques of Western substantialism, where they offer as an alterantive to that substantialist ontology, in different ways, what I call anontology.
Locally Stationary Quantile Regression For Inflation and Interest Rates

Motivated by the potential time-varying and quantile-specific relation between inflation and interest rates, we propose a locally stationary quantile regression approach to model the inflation and ...
Physiology of Large Mammals by Implanted Radio Capsules

Our experience with implant telemetry of a few simple physiological measurements (body temperature, heart rate, and ECG) was aimed at not only recording interesting physiological data but also understanding the daily behavior of the animal. About 30 species of mammals were radio tagged, some weighing 400 kg. First it was necessary to realize how valuable simple heart rates can be, if recorded every 30 min; it is not necessary to know the stroke volume of the heart at the same time. Body temperature and heart rate data have to be used appropriately, however, with full knowledge of the day-night physiological setting. Examples will be given of this setting as seen in new data from wolverines and from American opossums. Our technical changes and progress over many years will also be reported.
Electrical and Mechanical Properties of Dilute Aluminum-Gold Alloys at 300, 77, and 4.2 K

Copper has a higher yield strength than aluminum at low temperatures and therefore has been used for stabilizing material in practically all applications of superconducting composite cable.[1] Only recently [2,3] has serious consideration been given to high-purity aluminum; increased availability and decreasing cost have helped to bring about this change. The major disadvantage of aluminum is its low yield strength. According to data assembled by Reed [4], the flow stress of 99.999 aluminum at 298 K has been reported to be on the order of 6.9 × 106 N/m2 (1000 psi) at plastic strains of 0.001 to 0.01. Aluminum of this purity would be expected to have a residual resistance ratio (RRR ≡ R300K/R4.2K) of less than 1000 [5] Baylis [6] suggests that for the design of an aluminum-stabilized tubular superconducting cable a yield strength of 4.48 x 107 N/m2 should be considered.
Deficient Functioning of Frontostriatal Circuits During the Resolution of Cognitive Conflict in Cannabis-Using Youth.

Objective Disturbances in self-regulatory control are involved in the initiation and maintenance of addiction, including cannabis use disorder. In adults, long-term cannabis use is associated with disturbances in frontostriatal circuits during tasks that require the engagement of self-regulatory control, including the resolution of cognitive conflict. Understudied are the behavioral and neural correlates of these processes earlier in the course of cannabis use disentangled from effects of long-term use. The present study investigated the functioning of frontostriatal circuits during the resolution of cognitive conflict in cannabis-using youth. Method Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 28 cannabis-using youth and 32 age-matched healthy participants during the performance of a Simon task. General linear modeling was used to compare patterns of brain activation during correct responses to conflict stimuli across groups. Psychophysiologic interaction analyses were used to examine conflict-related frontostriatal connectivity across groups. Associations of frontostriatal activation and connectivity with cannabis use measures were explored. Results Decreased conflict-related activity was detected in cannabis-using versus healthy control youth in frontostriatal regions, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, striatum, pallidum, and thalamus. Frontostriatal connectivity did not differ across groups, but negative connectivity between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and striatum was detected in the 2 groups. Conclusion These findings are consistent with previous reports of cannabis-associated disturbances in frontostriatal circuits in adults and point to the specific influence of cannabis on neurodevelopmental changes in youth. Future studies should examine whether frontostriatal functioning is a reliable marker of cannabis use disorder severity and a potential target for circuit-based interventions.
Borrelia burgdorferi 297 bmpA encode the mRNA that contains ORF for a leader peptide that regulates bmpA gene expression.

The Bmp proteins are highly conserved proteins with no well established functions in B. burgdorferi sensu lato and are immunogenic. It was reported that four genes from this cluster bmpD-bmpC-bmpA-bmpB are expressed in vitro as monocistronic and polycistronic messages. Evidence is presented in this report that bmpA mRNA contains two ribosome binding sites (SD) separated by 90 bases pairs. The SD1 precedes a small 32 amino acid ORF - leader peptide (BmpAL). The SD2 is the RBS for 342 amino acids BmpA. The bmpAL and bmpA ORFs in B.burgdorferi 297 overlap by eight base pairs suggesting that two proteins can be co-regulated. First five codons in the leader peptide and -GGG- in SD2 are rarely used in Borrelia, suggesting that they can regulate BmpAL and BmpA expression. Deletion of SD1 in the leader sequence, or introducing a stop codon immediately before SD2 leads to increased BmpA::GFP expression in B.burgdorferi 297 that contains bmpA::gfp translational fusion on the plasmid. In B. garinii G25 and B. afzelii IP3 the leader sequence is in frame with bmpA, and a result, in B. afzelii IP3 BmpA are expressed as the higher molecular weight protein compared to BmpA of B. burgdorferi 297 and B. afzelii DK7.
Abstract TP293: Door to Needle Time Over Telestroke for Primary Stroke Center Spokes versus Non Primary Stroke Center Spokes

Background: Faster door to needle (DTN) times has been shown to lead to better functional outcome in patients with acute ischemic stroke. The implementation of telestroke networks has improved acce...
Preparing Urban Youth to Live-up to their Civic Promise? Researching Youth Positionality of Civic Engagement Using an Arts-Based Instrument

Additional research is needed on ways in which urban youth report their civic engagement. Existing resesearch indicates that federal legislation has resulted in reduced instructional time and resources in social studies and civic education in many states, which has led to a civic education opportunity gap that resonates through many urban communities (Kahne, 2008; Maguire, 2007). This intrinsic case study explored how third through seventh-grade urban youth ( N =544) positioned civic engagement in a constructed “significant circle,” an employed arts-based data collection instrument. Findings indicated that 3% of the students included at least one idea related to civic engagement and responsibility in their circle, and less than 1% of the students demonstrated balance across three program goals that included civic engagement, academic success, and leading a healthy lifestyle.
Intramolecular Hydrosilylation as a Route to 1-Aza-2,4-disilacyclobutanes

The addition of Pt catalyst to trisilyl-substituted amines results in the formation of intramolecular cyclization products. Unexpectedly, four-membered-ring products are formed predominantly, rathe...
Party Loyalty and Defection from the Ruling Party Under Proliferation

This chapter applies the economist Albert Hirschman’s concepts of exit, voice, and loyalty to the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), assessing how Senegalese politicians approach party loyalty and party switching in the context of party proliferation. The chapter first situates Senegal within the literature and provides a brief history of loyalty and defection in the PDS. It then presents descriptive analysis of the loyalty and defection behaviors of all current and former PDS members who became government ministers while in the party, showing that those who joined the PDS after alternance had lower propensities for loyalty. The chapter closes with case studies of the loyalty and defection choices of multiple current and former PDS elites, including several who participated in semi-structured interviews with the author in 2015. The analysis suggests that as uncertainty increased about the institutional mechanisms for advancing within the PDS, and as party system fluidity increased, party creation took on multiple meanings and became used both as a means of permanent exit from the PDS (often accompanied by “voice from without”) and as a tool for attempting to use voice outside of the PDS to negotiate a return (“exit as voice”).
Interval Colorectal Cancer in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The Role of Guideline Adherence

Factors associated with interval colorectal cancer (CRC) development in the inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) population remain unclear. Among a cohort of patients with interval CRC, we aimed to evaluate IBD characteristics, colonoscopy quality indicators, and surveillance guideline adherence. We performed a retrospective review of IBD- and non-IBD-associated interval CRCs diagnosed between January 2007 and December 2014 within a large US healthcare system. We evaluated risk factors for CRC among patients with IBD. We assessed adherence to surveillance guidelines according to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (IBD surveillance) and the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer (polyp surveillance). We compared colonoscopy quality measures between patients with and without IBD. Among 5345 cases of colonic adenocarcinoma, we detected 15 IBD-associated cases of interval CRC and 230 non-IBD-associated cases of interval CRC. Compared to patients without IBD, IBD patients were younger (54.5 vs. 70.4 years; p < 0.0001) and experienced a shorter interval between index colonoscopy and CRC diagnosis (20.7 vs. 35.1 months; p = 0.0009). Fifty three percent (8/15) of interval CRCs in IBD patients were detected within surveillance guidelines. All IBD patients with interval CRC detected after guideline surveillance interval had high-risk features, including active inflammation, previous low-grade or indefinite dysplasia, multiple pseudopolyps on index colonoscopy, or a first-degree relative with CRC. There were no differences in colonoscopy quality measures between patients with and without IBD. This study stresses the importance of strict short-interval surveillance for IBD patients with high-risk features, including active inflammation on index colonoscopy.
Mission-Based Optimal Control for the Evaluation of Power and Energy System Capability

With the advent of high energy pulse mission loads and distributed power and energy on all-electric ship platforms, a new total ship control system capability is emerging that could significantly impact overall mission success. No longer are loads limited to an all-or-nothing power per use approach. Rather, energy applied to advanced mission loads can be scaled—even regulated—to achieve a desired outcome. Within this new framework, the effectiveness of unique missions can be quantified as a function of the amount and allocation of power to service each mission load. Power elasticity enables a new frontier of how decisions are made during intense operational scenarios where limited power and energy resources are applied to competing load demands. Herein, a power allocation strategy that addresses this challenge is proposed. The general approach is to use state-space models to represent the evolution of both the mission and the engineering system that is supporting the mission. An optimal control problem is performed to maximize some functional over the mission state and actions. By doing so, it indicates the capability of the engineering system to support such missions. The uniqueness of this approach is that solutions become far more mission specific. Results based on a simple two-function platform—each competing for the same limited power resources—show that this approach can be used to assess the probability of success given a certain initial allocation of power.
The Importance of Facial Gender Confirmation Surgery

To distinguish the phenotypic sex of a newborn, observers typically inspect the primary external genitalia and pronounce the child female, male, or intersex. Throughout maturation, and most notably during exposure to increased gonadal hormones during puberty, secondary sex characteristics develop (Table 10.1). These include the development of patterned body hair, the presence or absence of breasts, change in muscle mass, and differentiation of the skeleton, including the face and skull. Among all the secondary sex characteristics, facial features are the most visible in social life and have a significant impact on a person’s vision of themselves in the mirror. They are also the most difficult to alter. This chapter outlines the importance and implications of facial gender markers from a social, historical, and patient perspective.
In situ observations of interfacial evolutions in solid-state lithium battery with sulfide-based solid electrolyte

Solid electrolytes provide for safe rechargeable lithium batteries and allow the batteries with lithium metal anodes to possess higher energy densities than those of traditional liquid electrolyte based batteries. However, the structural evolution-induced interfacial failures during the electrochemical cycling have not been explored at a fundamental level. In this report, a practical setup is developed for in situ detection of the electrochemical reaction- induced micro and nanoscale morphological changes along the battery’s interface. We have focused on the anode interface with lithium metal as the electrode and solid sulfide as the electrolyte, while monitoring an inflating phenomenon in the electrolyte during the lithium plating. This observation suggests that the lithium dendrite formation as well as the lithium deposition in the porous structures drives the volume expansion of the solid electrolyte. This rare finding offers a fresh perspective, indicating a new impact of the lithium plating in sulfide electrolyte, which does not accord with the conventional structural evolution model at the electrode-solid electrolyte interface. This study contributes significant insights into the mechanism of the interfacial phenomena in sulfide solid-state battery and paves the way for their advanced engineering.
Robust Sliding Mode Control of A Three-Phase Grid-Forming Inverter in Non-Ideal Grid Conditions and Isolated Mode of Operation

Grid forming inverters controlled as a virtual synchronous generator can improve the dynamic response of autonomous microgrids. However, the capability of operating in weak grid conditions and isolated mode of operation along with maintaining the voltage at the point of common coupling embodies multiple nonlinear dynamics which can be tackled by a control structure as a discontinuous state function known as sliding mode control. In this paper, a swing equation-based control architecture augmented with a nonlinear sliding mode control has been adopted to design a robust control for a three-phase grid-forming inverter. The proposed control structure can furnish non-oscillatory power to the load during unbalanced grid conditions. This system can operate in isolated mode and sustain the nonlinearities, which can arise due to changes in plant parameters. The performance of the proposed controller is verified through Hardware-in-the-Loop cosimulation results, which confirms the enhanced robustness of such a system.
Accountable Care Organizations and Spending for Patients Undergoing Long-Term Dialysis.

Background and objectives Despite representing 1% of the population, beneficiaries on long-term dialysis account for over 7% of Medicare’s fee-for-service spending. Because of their focus on care coordination, Accountable Care Organizations may be an effective model to reduce spending inefficiencies for this population. We analyzed Medicare data to examine time trends in long-term dialysis beneficiary alignment to Accountable Care Organizations and differences in spending for those who were Accountable Care Organization aligned versus nonaligned. Design, setting, participants, & measurements In this retrospective cohort study, beneficiaries on long-term dialysis between 2009 and 2016 were identified using a 20% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries. Trends in alignment to an Accountable Care Organization were compared with alignment of the general Medicare population from 2012 to 2016. Using an interrupted time series approach, we examined the association between Accountable Care Organization alignment and the primary outcome of total spending for long-term dialysis beneficiaries from prior to Accountable Care Organization implementation (2009–2011) through implementation of the Comprehensive ESRD Care model in October 2015. We fit linear regression models with generalized estimating equations to adjust for patient characteristics. Results During the study period, 135,152 beneficiaries on long-term dialysis were identified. The percentage of long-term dialysis beneficiaries aligned to an Accountable Care Organization increased from 6% to 23% from 2012 to 2016. In the time series analysis, spending on Accountable Care Organization–aligned beneficiaries was $143 (95% confidence interval, $5 to $282) less per beneficiary-quarter than spending for nonaligned beneficiaries. In analyses stratified by whether beneficiaries received care from a primary care physician, savings by Accountable Care Organization–aligned beneficiaries were limited to those with care by a primary care physician ($235; 95% confidence interval, $73 to $397). Conclusions There was a substantial increase in the percentage of long-term dialysis beneficiaries aligned to an Accountable Care Organization from 2012 to 2016. Moreover, in adjusted models, Accountable Care Organization alignment was associated with modest cost savings among long-term dialysis beneficiaries with care by a primary care physician.
Liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass for methane production: A review

Hydrothermal pretreatment (HTP) (Hot water extraction (HWE) and steam pretreatment) and pyrolysis have the potential to liquefy lignocellulosic biomass. HTP produces hydrolysate, consisting mainly of solubilized hemicellulose, while pyrolysis produces aqueous pyrolysis liquid (APL). The liquid products, either as main products or by-product, can be used as anaerobic digestion (AD) feeds, overcoming shortcomings of solid-state AD (SS-AD). This paper reviews HWE, steam pretreatment, and pyrolysis pretreatment methods used to liquefy lignocellulosic biomass, AD of liquefied products, effects of inhibition from intermediate by-products such as furan and phenolic compounds, and pretreatment tuning to increase methane yield. HTP, focusing on methane production, produces less inhibitory compounds when carried out at moderate temperatures. APL is a challenging feed for AD due to its complexity, including various inhibitory substances. Pre-treatment of biomass before pyrolysis, adaptation of microorganism to inhibitors, and additives, such as biochar, may help the AD cultures cope with inhibitors in APL.
Predictors of Stress in First-Generation College Students.

A multiple regression analysis was performed to determine if self-esteem, social support, locus of control, or coping strategies could predict perceived stress in first-generation college students....
One of the Good Ones: Rhetorical Maneuvers of Whiteness:

Drawing on the literature on white habitus, colorblindness, diversity ideology, and happy talk, I argue that rhetorical maneuvers are key aspects of white habitus that allow whites to construct a n...
Using a cultural and social identity lens to understand pandemic responses in the US and India

The world over, countries have been racing to control the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Central to the mitigation of the virus spread is the ability of nations to ensure behavior of its people adheres to the constraints imposed in the wake of the pandemic. However, there has been much variation in how individuals and collectives have responded in conformance to expected behavioral changes necessitated by the pandemic. The paper offers a cross-cultural and social identity perspective based on group categorizations to understand the variation in pandemic responses in the context of two different countries, that of India and the United States. Relevant cultural dimensions of difference shaping behavior such as individualism-collectivism, power distance, and other cultural norms shaping divergent behavioral responses in the US and India are examined. Differing group categorizations relevant for each country are also explored to understand the dynamics of behavioral response, be it adherence to mask wearing and following norms of social distancing, or the migrant labor exodus in India from urban to rural areas amidst the first wave of the pandemic. Implications for managing behavioral responses considering cross-cultural differences and group categorization processes are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of International Journal of Cross Cultural Management is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
A Technique for Monitoring Nutrient Absorption in the Conscious, Unrestrained Pig

A surgical preparation allowing for the determination of apparent absorption in the conscious, unrestrained pig is described. The technique allows the collection of blood from the hepatic portal vein and vena cava, as well as the simultaneous determination of rate of flow through the portal vessel. A chronic electromagnetic blood flow probe is placed around, and a mechanical, hydraulically activated sampling needle attached to, the hepatic portal vein. An indwelling catheter is placed within the vena cava. By simultaneously determining nutrient concentration of hepatic portal and vena cava blood and then multiplying their difference by the rate of blood flow through the hepatic portal vein, one can make a point-in-time estimate of apparent absorption from the gastrointestinal tract.
A Mutant of Bacteriophage T7 Deficient in Polynucleotide Ligase

Abstract An amber mutant of bacteriophage T7, obtained by mutagenesis with hydroxylamine, fails to induce the T7 polynucleotide ligase upon infection of Escherichia coli. The mutant (T7amHA13) grows normally on a suppressor-negative host; its sensitivity to ultraviolet light is the same as that of wild type T7. The DNA synthesized upon infection of E. coli by T7amHA13 is identical with that synthesized after infection by wild type phage, as measured by sedimentation in alkaline sucrose gradients. However, T7amHA13 does not grow in a ligase-deficient mutant of E. coli, E. coli N1318. Small fragments (11 S) of DNA accumulate after T7amHA13 infection of N1318, suggesting that the T7 ligase plays a role in DNA replication, but that the wild type host can supply sufficient ligase activity for growth of phage T7.