cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Personality and comorbidity of common psychiatric disorders

Background We know little about the degree to which comorbidity, socommonly seen among psychiatric disorders, arises from variation in normal personality. Aims To study the degree to which variation in normal personality accounts for the comorbidity of eight common psychiatric and substance use disorders. Method Internalising disorders (major depression, generalised anxiety and panic disorders, phobias), externalising disorders (alcohol and drug dependence, antisocial personality and conduct disorders) and personality dimensions of neuroticism, extraversion and novelty seeking were assessed in 7588 participants from a population-based twin registry. The proportion of comorbidity explained by each personality dimension was calculated using structural equation modelling. Results Neuroticism accounted for the highest proportion of comorbidity within internalising disorders (20–45%) and between internalising and externalising disorders (19–88%). Variation in neuroticism and novelty seeking each accounted for a modest proportion (10–12% and 7–14%, respectively) of the comorbidity within externalising disorders. Extraversion contributed negligibly. Conclusions High neuroticism appears to be a broad vulnerability factor for comorbid psychiatric disorders. Novelty seeking is modestly important for comorbid externalising disorders.
The importance and relevance of peak bone mass in the prevalence of osteoporosis

Bone mass and strength achieved at the end of the growth period, simply designated as “Peak Bone Mass (PBM)”, plays an essential role in the risk of osteoporotic fractures occurring in adulthood. It is considered that an increase of PBM by one standard deviation would reduce the fracture risk by 50%. As estimated from twin studies, genetics is the major determinant of PBM, accounting for about 60 to 80% of its variance. During pubertal maturation, the size of the bone increases whereas the volumetric bone mineral density remains constant in both genders. At the end of puberty, the sex difference is essentially due to a greater bone size in male than female subjects. This is achieved by larger periosteal deposition in boys, thus conferring at PBM a better resistance to mechanical forces in men than in women. Sex hormones and the IGF-1 system are implicated in the bone sexual dimorphism occurring during pubertal maturation. The genetically determined trajectory of bone mass development can be modulated to a certain extent by modifiable environmental factors, particularly physi cal activity, calcium and protein intakes. Prepuberty appears to be an opportune time to modify environmental factors that impinge on bone mineral mass acquisition.
Soil microbial communities under conventional-till and no-till continuous cotton systems

Soil management practices affect soil microbial communities, which in turn influence soil ecosystem processes. In this study, the effects of conventional- (fall disking, chiseling and spring disking, field cultivation) and no-tillage practices on soil microbial communities were examined under long-term continuous cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) systems on a Decatur silt loam soil. Soil samples were taken in February, May, and October of 2000 at depths of 0 – 3, 3 – 6, 6 – 12, and 12 – 24 cm. Compared to the conventional-till treatment, the no-till treatment increased soil organic carbon and total nitrogen contents in the surface layer by 130 and 70%, respectively. Microbial biomass C content under no-till treatment was 60, 140, and 75% greater than under conventional-till treatment in February, May, and October, respectively. Principal components analysis of phospholipid ester-linked fatty acid (PLFA) profile indicated soil microbial communities shifted over time and with soil depth. This change appeared to be driven primarily by soil bacterial populations as indicated by the major PLFA contributors (i.e. fatty acids 16:0, 10Me16:0, cy19:0, 16:1 2OH, and i15:0) to the first two principal components. Tillage treatment differences were revealed by analysis of variance on the first principal components (PC 1), which accounted for 62% of the total sample variance, and by the relative abundance of selected PLFAs and PLFA ratios. The impact of tillage practices was significant in February and May, but not in October. During the growing season, changes in the microbial community may be primarily determined by soil conditions responding to cotton growth and environmental variables such as moisture and temperature; during fallow or prior to cotton establishment, community changes associated with tillage practices become more pronounced. These findings have implications for understanding how conservation tillage practices improve soil quality and sustainability in a cotton cropping system. q 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Early Literacy in Contested Spaces

Ryan & Graue’s (2009) Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood special edition, Examining a Lifeworld: early childhood policy in practice, provides convincing evidence that early childhood is very much on the ‘policy radar.’ Indeed, one of the curricular domains where this trend has proven to be most accurate is with regard to early literacy teaching and learning. Over the years at international conferences, reading the latest research, and in discussions with colleagues, we have found ourselves chronicling the increased demands literacy policies place upon both children and professionals within early childhood settings. All too often, the locus of these reforms has been academic (e.g., prescribed language and literacy curricula), generating what Ryan & Graue would argue is policy’s way of creating a singular narrative from a particular point of view. Towards this end, through initiatives across the globe, curricular policies have emerged that predicate certain perspectives on literacy and the ways in which educators respond to children in these learning environments. The danger – as the novelist Chimamanda Adichie (2009) cautions – is creating a single story, in this case, of literacy learning. In this special issue, we ask: Who are most influenced by these policies? What pedagogical practices and beliefs existed previously, co-exist, or emerge as alternatives to dominant policy narratives? Are there other stories to be told? This special issue emphasizes today’s early childhood literacy context as a contested space with multiple voices and perspectives that should be part of the conversation. Despite policies that position literacy reform in predefined terms, we look to individuals to understand how they grapple with, embrace, and question literacy teaching and learning on a day-to-day basis. In this issue, we hear stories from classrooms in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States that shed light on how educators and children negotiate contested literacy spaces. Each of the six manuscripts is followed by a response, written by early literacy colleagues from different geographical areas (Akin; Campano & Low; Comber; Duckles & Larson; Simon; Soto & De Moed) that provide additional lenses to consider the data presented by the contributing authors. In the spirit of international dialogue, the respondents add to the traditional journal structure, beginning a conversation that will hopefully move beyond the pages of this volume and into classrooms, schools, and research institutions.
Fishy Business: The High Seas Boarding and Inspection Regime in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) was created in 2004 to more effectively conserve and manage the region's tuna fishery. One of the Commission's principal enforcement tools is the high seas boarding and inspection regime, which authorizes each member state to board and inspect fishing vessels engaged in a regulated fishery to verify compliance with the Commission's conservation and management measures. This article examines the structure of the WCPFC's high seas boarding and inspection regime and analyzes its effectiveness in furthering the Commission's conservations and management mandate.
Stability Analysis of Multi-Level Guyed Towers

Stability analysis is expressed in terms of critical moment of inertia corresponding to critical buckling wind load that is equal to design wind load multiplied by factor of safety; solution is made by rigorous linearization of nonlinear system.
Creation of the Canopy Research Network

The forest canopy is important in maintaining the diversity, resilience, and functioning of forest ecosystems. As new access techniques, such as the use of giant construction cranes, increase the interest and information about forest canopies, new tools and analytical approaches will be needed to manage, analyze and compare data from various studies. Canopy scientists will need to deal with: (1) new types of ,data, (2) a great deal more data, and (3) the need to share data among researchers with separate research ,questions. In July, 1993, The Canopy Research Network (CRN) was established with a two-year planning grant from the Database Activities Program and the Ecosystems Program of the National Science Foundation. The CRN is an effort to connect forest canopy researchers, quantitative scientists, and computer specialists to establish methods of collecting, storing, analyzing, interpreting, and displaying three-dimensional data relating to tree crowns and forest canopies. We are now soliciting input from scientists in other fields who may have developed techniques and software to help obtain answers to questions that concern the tree-dimensional structure of tree crowns and forest canopies. During the next two years, we plan to: (1) compile an array of research questions and issues requiring information on canopy structure, (2) examine useful information models and software tools already in use to allied fields, and (3) develop conceptual models and recommendations for the types and format of information and analyses necessary to answer research questions posed by canopy researchers. We are currently conducting a survey to gather information on canopy structure research and on potentially useful tools. If you have information about analytic tools that could be applied to this area of research, please contact the CRN. You can subsribe to the CRN e-mail bulletin board by sending a note to: Canopyrequest @ lternet.edu
Ribonucleic acid labelling and nucleotide pools during compensatory renal hypertrophy.

During the first 48h of compensatory renal hypertrophy induced by unilateral nephrectomy, RNA content per cell increased by 20–40%. During this period, rates of RNA synthesis derived from the rates of labelling of UTP and RNA after a single injection of [5- 3 H]uridine showed no change in the rate of RNA synthesis (3.1nmol of UTP incorporated into RNA/min per mg of RNA). ATP and ADP pools were not changed. The rate of RNA synthesis was considerably in excess of the increment of total RNA appearing in the kidneys. With [5- 3 H]uridine as label, only continuous infusion for 24h could produce an increase (60%) in the specific radioactivity of renal rRNA in mice with contralateral nephrectomies. With a single injection of [ methyl - 3 H]methionine used to identify methyl groups inserted into newly synthesized rRNA, the specific radioactivity of this rRNA was unchanged 5h after contralateral nephrectomy, increased by 60% at 9–48h, and returned to normal values at 120h. Most RNA synthesized in both nephrectomized and sham-nephrectomized mice has a short half-life. Since total cellular RNA content increases in compensatory hypertrophy despite unchanged rates of rRNA synthesis, the accretion of RNA might involve conservation of ribosomal precursor RNA or a change in rate of degradation of mature rRNA.
Practical Tips for Successful One-Shot Instruction

Although academic librarians will most certainly gain instruction skills from their own practical experience and background knowledge of pedagogical theory, advice from other teaching librarians can be invaluable. Practical tips from other instruction librarians should always be considered when planning for the successful one-shot instruction session. Assessment can also be used to plan future instruction sessions. Feedback from students and faculty allow for learning from past sessions to improve future sessions. Although one-shot instruction sessions are still requested of and conducted by academic librarians, how they are conducted, the instruction methods used, and electronic tools employed during instruction are rapidly changing.
Three-body calculations for the K - pp system within potential models

We present three-body nonrelativistic calculations within the framework of a potential model for the kaonic cluster K − pp using two methods: the method of hyperspherical harmonics in the momentum representation and the method of Faddeev equations in configuration space. To perform numerical calculations, different NN and antikaon–nucleon interactions are applied. The results of the calculations for the ground-state energy for the K − pp system obtained by both methods are in reasonable agreement. Although the ground-state energy is not sensitive to the pp interaction, it shows very strong dependence on the K − p potential. We show that the dominant clustering of the system in the configuration Λ (1405) + p allows us to calculate the binding energy to good accuracy within a simple cluster approach for the differential Faddeev equations. The theoretical discrepancies in the binding energy and width for the K − pp system related to the different pp and K − p interactions are addressed.
Rhetoric, Precarity, and mHealth Technologies

Wearable technologies in general and mHealth data in particular are championed frequently for ways they afford individual agency and empowerment and promote what the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) calls a “culture of health.” This article complicates such epideictic rhetorics based on results from a situational analysis of the RWJF’s Data for Health listening events, which incorporated panelists from the RWJF, JawBone, Inc., the Quantified Self, and other mHealth technology organizations as well as audience participants who work in community health. Given panelists’ and audiences’ diverging claims about how mHealth data either succeed or fail in creating a culture of health, I mobilize precarity as an analytic construct for critiquing the coexistence of technoscientific progress alongside the persistence of health disparities among vulnerable populations.
Fundamentals of Multiphase Flow: Internal Flow Energy Conversion

Introduction One of the most common requirements of a multiphase flow analysis is the prediction of the energy gains and losses as the flow proceeds through the pipes, valves, pumps, and other components that make up an internal flow system. In this chapter we attempt to provide a few insights into the physical processes that influence these energy conversion processes in a multiphase flow. The literature contains a plethora of engineering correlations for pipe friction and some data for other components such as pumps. This chapter provides an overview and some references to illustrative material but does not pretend to survey these empirical methodologies. As might be expected, frictional losses in straight uniform pipe flows have been the most widely studied of these energy conversion processes and so we begin with a discussion of that subject, focusing first on disperse or nearly disperse flows and then on separated flows. In the last part of the chapter, we consider multiphase flows in pumps, in part because of the ubiquity of these devices and in part because they provide a second example of the multiphase flow effects in internal flows. Frictional Loss in Disperse Flow Horizontal Flow We begin with a discussion of disperse horizontal flow. There exists a substantial body of data relating to the frictional losses or pressure gradient, (− dp/ds ), in a straight pipe of circular cross section (the coordinate s is measured along the axis of the pipe).
Cultured skin substitutes

Abstract: Biopolymer scaffolds for tissue engineering allow cellular organization into tissue substitutes and can regulate development of connective tissue to minimize scarring. Cultured skin substitutes (CSS), consisting of autologous fibroblasts and keratinocytes on a biopolymer sponge, have been successfully used to treat full-thickness burns. While the current model of CSS has distinct advantages, it is clear that alternative fabrication strategies may improve the quality and function of bioengineered skin. Electrospinning of biopolymers offers advantages in precision of fabrication and versatility of composition compared to freeze-dried sponges. With optimized structures and degradation rates, electrospun biopolymer scaffolds have been shown to increase mechanical strength and stability, reduce wound contraction and promote engraftment of epidermal tissue substitutes. Based on current findings, electrospinning of biopolymers may be expected to contribute to advanced designs for engineered human skin and to reduction in morbidity from skin wounds.
Placing Teacher Diversity at the Center

This chapter provides a literature review on diversity in teacher education programs, the specifics of curriculum and instruction offered within these programs, and an exploration of how candidates of color experience curriculum and instruction in these programs. While there is a clear pattern in teacher education literature to address the diversity of students in P-12 schools, there is not much research exploring the value of culturally responsive pedagogy in the preparation of teacher candidates of color, and what we do know is based primarily on research in individual teacher education courses and limited studies of field experiences.
Cost Analysis of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks and Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Prevention in Patients Undergoing Cerebellopontine Angle Surgery.

Objective To determine if cranioplasty techniques following translabyrinthine approaches to the cerebellopontine angle are cost-effective. Study design Retrospective case series. Patients One hundred eighty patients with available financial data who underwent translabyrinthine approaches at a single academic referral center between 2005 and 2015. Intervention Cranioplasty with a dural substitute, layered fat graft, and a resorbable mesh plate secured with screws Main Outcome Measures: billing data was obtained for each patient's hospital course for translabyrinthine approaches and postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. Results One hundred nineteen patients underwent translabyrinthine approaches with an abdominal fat graft closure, with a median cost of $25759.89 (range, $15885.65-$136433.07). Sixty-one patients underwent translabyrinthine approaches with a dural substitute, abdominal fat graft, and a resorbable mesh for closure, with a median cost of $29314.97 (range, $17674.28-$111404.55). The median cost of a CSF leak was $50401.25 (range, $0-$384761.71). The additional cost of a CSF leak when shared by all patients who underwent translabyrinthine approaches is $6048.15. The addition of a dural substitute and a resorbable mesh plate after translabyrinthine approaches reduced the CSF leak from 12 to 1.9%, an 84.2% reduction, and a median savings per patient of $2932.23. Applying our cohort's billing data to previously published cranioplasty techniques, costs, and leak rate improvements after translabyrinthine approaches, all techniques were found to be cost-effective. Conclusion Resorbable mesh cranioplasty is cost-effective at reducing CSF leaks after translabyrinthine approaches. Per our billing data and achieving the same CSF leak rate, cranioplasty costs exceeding $5090.53 are not cost-effective.
Caspase-2: Divide and conquer

Tau is converted into insoluble, hyperphosphorylated inclusions in a group of neurodegenerative diseases—including Alzheimer’s disease (AD)—collectively called tauopathies. Memory impairment and neuronal death in animal models of these diseases can be uncoupled from the formation of these
New perspectives on coherent vertical cavity laser arrays

Coherently coupled photonic crystal vertical cavity laser arrays have been developed and studied. Dynamic coupled mode theory is applied from the perspectives of monolithic injection locking or parity-time symmetry considerations. We have found new predicted phenomena which agrees quantitatively with theory which may enable new applications.
Using Natural Language Processing Techniques for Stock Return Predictions

Our Applied Finance Project aims to develop a framework to determine if financial news headlines have meaningful impact on stock prices. This framework is a novel structure that primarily leverages on existing Natural Language Processing, including Name Entity Recognition, and Global Vector for Word Representation (GloVe) model, before combining them with techniques such as k-means clustering and portfolio optimization. The subsequent study on events with predictive abilities could be of interest to institutional investors. Starting with 1.8 million financial news headlines obtained from the Internet Archive: Wayback Machine, we successfully identified several events with meaningful post-event drifts. These events include situations where the equities of a firm are oversold, approval is given to a firm, a deal or agreement is signed as well as when an advisor is hired. The out-of-sample information ratios for these events are between a range of -1.02 and 0.76. The events we identified are by no means exhaustive, signifying the potential of our model.
IR spectral assignments for the hydrated excess proton in liquid water

The local environmental sensitivity of infrared (IR) spectroscopy to a hydrogen-bonding structure makes it a powerful tool for investigating the structure and dynamics of excess protons in water. Although of significant interest, the line broadening that results from the ultrafast evolution of different solvated proton-water structures makes the assignment of liquid-phase IR spectra a challenging task. In this work, we apply a normal mode analysis using density functional theory of thousands of proton-water clusters taken from reactive molecular dynamics trajectories of the latest generation multistate empirical valence bond proton model (MS-EVB 3.2). These calculations are used to obtain a vibrational density of states and IR spectral density, which are decomposed on the basis of solvated proton structure and the frequency dependent mode character. Decompositions are presented on the basis of the proton sharing parameter δ, often used to distinguish Eigen and Zundel species, the stretch and bend character of the modes, the mode delocalization, and the vibrational mode symmetry. We find there is a wide distribution of vibrational frequencies spanning 1200-3000 cm-1 for every local proton configuration, with the region 2000-2600 cm-1 being mostly governed by the distorted Eigen-like configuration. We find a continuous red shift of the special-pair O⋯H+⋯O stretching frequency, and an increase in the flanking water bending intensity with decreasing δ. Also, we find that the flanking water stretch mode of the Zundel-like species is strongly mixed with the flanking water bend, and the special pair proton oscillation band is strongly coupled with the bend modes of the central H5O2+moiety.
PHENIX results on multiparticle correlations in small systems

Abstract We present measurements of 2- and 4-particle correlations in d+Au collisions at four different center-of-mass energies: 200, 62.4, 39, and 19.6 GeV. The data were collected in 2016 by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC. The second Fourier coefficient v2 of the particle azimuthal distributions is measured using the Q-cumulant method as a function of event multiplicity. The results give a strong indication of collective behavior down to the lowest energy.
Profilin Directly Promotes Microtubule Growth through Residues Mutated in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Summary Profilin is an abundant actin monomer-binding protein with critical actin regulatory roles in vivo [1, 2]. However, profilin also influences microtubule dynamics in cells, which may be mediated in part through its interactions with formins that in turn bind microtubules [3, 4]. Specific residues on human profilin-1 (PFN1) are mutated in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) [5, 6]. However, the observation that some ALS-linked PFN1 mutants fail to alter cellular actin organization or dynamics [5–8] or in vitro actin-monomer affinity [9] has been perplexing, given that profilin is best understood as an actin regulator. Here, we investigated direct effects of profilin on microtubule dynamics and whether ALS-linked mutations in PFN1 disrupt such functions. We found that human, fly, and yeast profilin homologs all directly enhance microtubule growth rate by several-fold in vitro . Microtubule stimulatory effects were unaffected by mutations in the canonical actin- or poly-proline-binding sites of profilin. Instead, microtubule activities depended on specific surface residues on profilin mutated in ALS patients. Furthermore, microtubule effects were attenuated by increasing concentrations of actin monomers, suggesting competition between actin and microtubules for binding profilin. Consistent with these biochemical observations, a 2-fold increase in the expression level of wild-type PFN1, but not the ALS-linked PFN1 mutants, increased microtubule growth rates in cells. Together, these results demonstrate that profilin directly enhances the growth rate of microtubules. They further suggest that ALS-linked mutations in PFN1 may perturb cellular microtubule dynamics and/or the coordination between the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, leading to motor neuron degeneration.
Neurobiology of substance use in adolescents and potential therapeutic effects of exercise for prevention and treatment of substance use disorders.

Substance use (e.g., alcohol, marijuana, opioids, cocaine., etc,) use often initiates during adolescence, a critical period of physiological and social development marked by an increase in risk-taking due, in part, to heightened motivation to obtain arousal from rewards. Substance use during adolescence has been associated with a greater risk of substance use disorders (SUD) in adulthood. Although use rates for most substances have remained relatively stable, the frequency of marijuana use and the perception that regular marijuana use is not harmful has increased in adolescents. Furthermore, the nonmedical use of opioids has increased, particularly in the South, Midwest, and rural low-income communities. Substance use in adolescence has been associated with adverse structural and functional brain changes and, may exacerbate the natural "imbalance" between frontal/regulatory and cortical-subcortical circuits, leading to further heightened impulsive and reward-driven behaviors. Exercise increases growth and brain-derived neurotrophic factors that stimulate endogenous dopaminergic systems that, in turn, enhance general plasticity, learning, and memory. Exercise may help to reinforce the "naive" or underdeveloped connections between neurological reward and regulatory processes in adolescence from the "bottom up" and "offset" reward seeking from substances, while concomitantly improving cardiovascular health, as well as academic and social achievement. In this review, we provide an overview of the current state of substance use in adolescents and rationale for the utilization of exercise, particularly "assisted" exercise, which we have shown increases neural activity in cortical-subcortical regions and may modulate brain dopamine levels during adolescence, a unique window of heightened reward sensitivity and neural plasticity, for the prevention and adjunctive treatment of SUD.
The Development of Economical Rotating Heat Pipes

ABSTRACT In this experiment, a rotating heat pipe was constructed with a single evaporator section but with several commercially available cylindrical condenser sections. Tests were made with cylinders having smooth walls, straight axial fins, spiralled fins, and helical corrugations. Heat transfer measurements were taken at rotational speeds of 700, 1400 and 2800 RPM using distilled water, ethyl alcohol and Freon-113 as working fluids. Results show that the commercially available cylinders can be used effectively in place of more costly condensers manufactured with tapered walls. A comparison of heat transfer performance is provided.
Volunteering to Be Mortal

As part of an extended participant observation study of hospice, I present in this article some reflections on my first experiences as a hospice volunteer. Discussion of these experiences emphasizes the influences of my own socialization, but suggests the types of filters trough which people often see and behave in the world of the dying and beyond.
Analysis and synthesis of frequency-diverse ultrasonic flaw-detection systems using order statistics and neural network processors

Abstract: Ultrasonic imaging is used for nondestructive evaluation of materials and flaw detection. Flaw detection in the presence of microstructure scattering noise is a challenging problem. Frequency-diverse ultrasonic detection algorithms decorrelate the microstructure scattering noise and enhance the visibility of echoes associated with defects. The performance of ranked order-statistic processors is examined using both theory and ultrasonic experiments. Split-spectrum processing combined with neural networks as post-processors can improve flaw detection. Neural networks have robust performance and are capable of outperforming conventional detection techniques. A field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based case study demonstrates the real-time operation of ultrasonic flaw-detection algorithms. Architecture details and implementation results with various hardware/software partitioning schemes are discussed.
A Reappraisal of Charles Darwin's Engagement with the Work of William Sharp Macleay.

Charles Darwin, in his species notebooks, engaged seriously with the quinarian system of William Sharp Macleay. Much of the attention given to this engagement has focused on Darwin’s attempt to explain, in a transmutationist framework, the intricate patterns that characterized the quinarian system. Here, I show that Darwin’s attempt to explain these quinarian patterns primarily occurred before he had read any work by Macleay. By the time Darwin began reading Macleay’s writings, he had already arrived at a skeptical view of the reality of these patterns. What most interested Darwin, as he read Macleay, was not the quinarian system itself. Rather, Darwin’s notes on his reading primarily concerned certain background principles animating Macleay’s work, in particular: (a) the non-existence of a saltus between human and animal minds, (b) the difficulty of establishing boundaries between species and varieties, and (c) Macleay’s method of variation. Darwin’s interest in the last of these left a mark on his discussion of taxonomic methodology in the Origin.
Key personality traits and alcohol use disorder symptoms in first and second year college students: detangling antecedent from consequence.

Abstract Background Studies have consistently shown that low constraint and high negative emotionality are associated with higher levels of alcohol use and greater alcohol related problems. Less research has examined associations between these traits and alcohol use disorder (AUD) from the first to second year of college, when alcohol use increases rapidly, or has evaluated gender differences in these associations. Methods The longitudinal College Experiences Study (N = 209, 60% female, 90% white) was used to detangle antecedent vs. consequence between constraint, negative emotionality, and AUD symptoms using multiple methods (cross-lagged panel analysis, latent difference score approach). Results Providing evidence for a scar/complication model, greater AUD symptoms in the first year of college was predictive of rank-order and correlated decreases in constraint in the second year, but only for males. Surprisingly, negative emotionality was not associated with AUD symptoms for either gender. Qualitative analyses show that the vast majority of those that met an AUD diagnosis (90%+) did not consider their drinking to be problematic. Conclusion Given the vast majority of college students with AUD do not perceive their drinking to be problematic, results support the potential of using personality-based risk prevention/intervention programs to target at-risk individuals for problematic drinking, rather than targeting problematic drinking alone.
A fluorescent 3D cell culture assay for high throughput screening of cancer drugs down-regulating survivin

Abstract Survivin, a member of inhibitor of apoptosis family, is currently undergoing intensive investigations as a promising cancer marker due to its overexpression in multiple tumor tissues and close relationship with chemotherapy resistance. In this study, a novel 3D survivin promoter assay was developed, using enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) as the reporter to assess survivin promoter activity for cancer drug screening. Breast cancer MCF-7 cells were engineered to express EGFP controlled by a human survivin promoter and a CMV promoter, respectively. These cells were cultured in three-dimensional (3D) polymer-based scaffolds on a 40-microbioreactor platform (40-MBR) with real-time monitoring of EGFP signals. The EGFP production driven by the survivin promoter was strongly correlated with survivin transcriptional level in MCF-7 cells treated with YM155, a small-molecule survivin promoter suppressant. Moreover, the potential inhibition effects of doxorubicin and cisplatin on survivin and their cytotoxicity were also evaluated in this system. This study demonstrated the potential application of the novel 3D survivin promoter-EGFP reporter assay for high-throughput screening of chemicals down-regulating survivin as a molecular target for cancer therapy.
Using a comparative approach to investigate the relationship between landscape and genetic connectivity among woodland salamander populations

For many amphibian species, reduced landscape connectivity results in reduced genetic connectivity among populations. However, large effective population sizes (Ne) slow the rate of genetic drift, causing subdivided populations to remain genetically similar despite little gene flow among them. Therefore, it is important to address the combined effects of Ne and matrix permeability to quantify the relative importance of gene flow and genetic drift on isolated amphibian populations. We applied a landscape genetic approach to investigate how patterns of gene flow (m), Ne (inferred via θ) and genetic differentiation differ among Eastern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) populations in a fragmented landscape (n = 4) compared to a continuous forest (n = 4). We assayed a panel of 10 microsatellite markers for population genetic analyses. Additionally, we constructed and validated a distribution model to generate resistance surfaces for examining the relationship between landscape connectivity, m, θ, and genetic differentiation (FST) using maximum-likelihood population-effects models (MLPE). Populations in continuous habitat were undifferentiated, whereas fragmented populations exhibited genetic structure driven by a single population. Results of the MLPE models in the fragmented landscape revealed spatial variation in θ as the best predictor of pairwise FST, followed by estimates of m, suggesting migration-drift interactions have a stronger influence on genetic differentiation than matrix permeability. Moreover, model coefficients for landscape resistance were comparable between landscapes. Overall, our results provide insight as to how the interaction of gene flow and genetic drift shapes population structure for a dispersal-limited species within a predominately anthropogenic landscape.
Swelling-induced twisting and shearing in fiber composites: the effect of the base matrix mechanical response

If a helical network of fibers is embedded in a swellable matrix, and if the fibers themselves resist swelling, then a change in the amount of swelling agent will cause a corresponding twisting motion in the material. This effect has recently been analyzed in highly deformable soft material tubes using the theory of hyperelasticity, suitably modified to incorporate the swelling effect. Those studies examined the effect of spiral angle and fiber-to-matrix inherent stiffness in the context of a ground state matrix material that exhibited classical neo-Hookean behavior in the absence of swelling. While such a ground state material is nonlinear in general, its shear response is linear. As we describe here, it is this shear response that governs the matrix contribution to the twist-swelling interaction. Because gels, elastomers, and even biological tissue can exhibit complex ground state behavior in shear—behavior that may depart significantly from a linear response—we then examine the effect of alternative ground state behaviors on the twist-swelling interaction. The range of behaviors considered includes materials that harden in shear, materials that soften in shear, materials that have an ultimate shear stress bound, and materials that collapse in shear. Matrix materials that either soften or collapse in shear are found to amplify the twisting effect.
A statistical model of secondary ion emission and attenuation clarifies disparities in quasi-simultaneous arrival coefficients measured with secondary ion mass spectrometry

Rationale Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) data collected using electron multiplier (EM) detectors are subject to a correction for the quasi-simultaneous arrival (QSA) effect. Published Poisson statistical models indicate that the quasi-simultaneous arrival (QSA) coefficients, β, should have an invariant value of 0.5, whereas, with one exception, published experimental determinations vary between 0.6 and 1.0, with a mean value of 0.75. Methods We developed a more complex model, combining both ion emission and attenuation, that predicts the observed range in measured β and elucidates the mechanism of secondary ion formation. For a given aperture setting, any secondary ion has an equal probability of successful transit to the electron multiplier. Binomial statistics can model pass-fail aperture attenuation but require probability distributions of the quasi-simultaneously emitted (QSE) ion tally, per primary ion, as input. Assuming a) that each primary ion impact results in 0, 1, 2… secondary ion emissions, randomly, with an average (Ks ) and b) that there is finite probability (P2) of a further emission process dependent on Ks, the required QSE probability distributions were generated via a combined Poisson-binomial statistical model. Results β was output as a function of Ks and P2. For values of P2>0 and any value of Ks, β always exceeds 0.5. As P2→0, β→0.5, for values of increasing P2>0.5 and decreasing Ks 1. Conclusions Were the emission of one ion not to influence the probability of the formation of a second (i.e., model output for P2=0) β should always be 0.5. Yet measurements have never reported this value. Consequently, assuming that published β values are correct, emissions of QSE secondary ions do not occur independently, and it may be inferred that there are linked mechanisms of secondary ion formation as shown here.
Pembrolizumab in unresectable or metastatic MSI-high colorectal cancer: safety and efficacy.

Microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a unique subset of CRC characterized by elevated neoantigen expression and a high degree of intraepithelial T-cell infiltr...
Yarn on yarn abrasion performance of high modulus polyethylene fiber improved by graphene/polyurethane composites coating

As a high-performance fiber, high modulus polyethylene fiber (HMPE) has been widely used in the rope industry. However, due to its low melting point and poor thermal conductivity, it tends to break...
Benchmarking Minimax Linkage in Hierarchical Clustering

Minimax linkage was first introduced by Ao et al. (2004) in 2004, as an alternative to standard linkage methods used in hierarchical clustering. Minimax linkage relies on distances to a prototype for each cluster; this prototype can be thought of as a representative object in the cluster, hence improving the interpretability of clustering results. Bien and Tibshirani analyzed properties of this method in 2011 (Bien and Tibshirani 2011), popularizing the method within the statistics community. Additionally, they performed some comparisons of minimax linkage to standard linkage methods. In an effort to expand upon their work and evaluate minimax linkage more comprehensively, we follow the guidelines for neutral benchmark studies outlined in Van Mechelen et al. (2018), focusing on thorough method evaluation via multiple performance metrics on several well-described data sets. We also make all code and data publicly available through an R package, for full reproducibility. Similarly to Bien and Tibshirani (2011), we find that minimax linkage often produces the smallest distances to prototypes, meaning that objects in a cluster are tightly clustered around their prototype. This is true across a range of values for the total number of clusters (k). However, this is not universally true, and special attention should be paid to the case when k is the true known value. For true k, minimax linkage does not always perform the best in terms of all the evaluation metrics studied, including distance to prototype.
Transitioning from algae to clay as turbidity agents: Timing, duration, and transition rates for larval sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria)

Abstract Clay (claywater) can substitute for algae (greenwater) as a turbidity agent after the first week of feeding for larval sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), reducing dependence on expensive algae. However, more information is needed to optimize the timing and rate of transition from greenwater to claywater, and to determine whether claywater can be used until the end of the larval period. This study compared four turbidity schedules through the entire 35-day larval period: greenwater transitioned to claywater on day 8, greenwater transitioned to claywater on day 18, greenwater throughout, and claywater throughout. Both gradual and sudden transitions were explored on days 8 and 18. Transitioned larvae, compared to non-transitioned larvae, had lower feeding rates the day after sudden day-8 transitions, but not the day after sudden day-18 transitions, and had lower body weights seven days after sudden day-8 and day-18 transitions. Gradual transitions (over four days instead of one) did not alleviate these negative effects on feeding rates and weight. However, by the end of the larval period, larvae in both transitioned treatments had higher body weight and biomass than larvae from non-transitioned treatments. This suggests that the short-term negative effects on feeding and body weight in transitioned larvae were followed by greater growth benefits. Transitioning at day 8 minimized algae costs, and transitioning at day 18 maximized biomass. Both treatments that transitioned from greenwater to claywater were better than the traditional greenwater-throughout treatment in algal cost savings, biomass, and wet weight per larva. This study provides detailed methods for the use of claywater to further reduce monetary cost and improve production for sablefish aquaculture.
The Impact of a Lifestyle Intervention on Postpartum Weight Retention Among At-Risk Hispanic Women

Introduction This study assesses the impact of a culturally modified, motivationally targeted, individually tailored intervention on postpartum weight retention among Hispanic women with abnormal glucose tolerance during pregnancy. Methods Estudio Parto (Project Aiming to Reduce Type twO diabetes) was an RCT conducted in Western Massachusetts (collected 2013‒2017, analyzed 2018–2020). Hispanic women with blood glucose ≥140 mg/dL (7.77 mmol/L) on routine nonfasting oral glucose challenge test were randomized to a Lifestyle Intervention (n=100) focusing on healthy exercise and diet or to a comparison Health and Wellness Intervention (n=104) with no mention of exercise or diet behavior changes. The primary outcome was change in weight, calculated as the difference between prepregnancy weight and 6-week, 6-month, and 12-month postpartum weight. The secondary outcome was achievement of weight reduction to prepregnancy weight if prepregnancy BMI was normal, or a 5% reduction if prepregnancy BMI was overweight/obese. Results In intent-to-treat analyses, there were no significant differences in weight change pattern between the intervention arms across all follow-up timepoints (β=0.03, 95% CI= −3.38, 3.45). However, at 12 months postpartum, women in the Lifestyle Intervention arm had a statistically significant 2.5-fold higher odds of meeting the secondary weight reduction outcome (OR=2.52, 95% CI=1.09, 5.82) than women in the Health and Wellness arm. Regardless of intervention arm, women who reported higher levels of postpartum sports/exercise had a greater decrease in weight (β= −2.39, 95% CI= −4.66, −0.13, p=0.04) than women reporting lower levels. Conclusions In this randomized trial among Hispanic women, no significant overall differences in weight change pattern between intervention arms were observed. Higher levels of self-reported physical activity were associated with greater weight loss in both arms.
Teachers Unions and Dual Enrollment Policy in Collective Bargaining Agreements

This study explores how teachers’ unions are responding to the growing policy of dual enrollment (DE). I reviewed all available collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) of public schools in Ohio, us...
Is percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy safer than percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to compare the indications, adverse events, removal rates, and mortality of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) and percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy (PRG) techniques at our tertiary care institution from 2014 to 2019. Material and Methods: We undertook a 5-year retrospective review of patients who underwent either PEG or PRG at our institution from 2014 to 2019. Common adverse events include tube clogs, leaks, minor bleeds, and wound infections, while more rare major complications include peritonitis, intra-abdominal infection, and major hemorrhage. The procedures were all performed with either conscious sedation or general anesthesia. A total of 789 patients were reviewed, of whom 519 (65.8%) had a PRG and 270 (34.2%) had a PEG. PRGs were more likely to be placed for head-and-neck cancer (P < 0.0001) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (P < 0.0001), while PEGs were more likely to be placed for gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) (P <.0001) and malnutrition (P < 0.0001). Results: The rate of major adverse events was similar between the two groups (P = 0.938). GI placed gastrostomy tubes were more likely to have a minor adverse event (P < 0.0001), however, this was secondary to a significant increase in tube clog in the PEG/J group as compared to PEG (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: The decision to place a PEG or PRG should be individualized to the patient’s specific condition and indication. Both procedures have favorable safety profiles, and it is likely that institutional expertise and procedural access will be the primary determinants of the procedural technique chosen for minimally invasive gastrostomy.