cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence on the response of US banks to changes in capital requirements

This paper develops a structural, dynamic model of a banking firm to analyze how banks adjust their loan portfolios over time. In the model, banks experience capital shocks, face uncertain future loan demand, and incur costs based on their proximity to regulatory minimum capital requirements. Non-linear relationships between bank capital levels and lending are derived from the model, and key parameters are estimated using panel data on large US commercial banks operating continuously between December 1989 and December 1997. Using the estimated model, the optimal bank response to changes in capital requirements, shocks to bank capital, and changes to bank loan demand is simulated. The simulations predict that increases in risk-based and leverage capital requirements, negative capital shocks, or a decline in loan demand cause a reduction in loan growth. Nevertheless, by calculating the optimal portfolio response to these various changes, it is shown that changes in capital regulation are a necessary ingredient to explain the decline in loan growth and the rise in bank capital ratios witnessed nearly a decade ago. Thus, this study suggests that the current effort to redesign bank capital requirements should work under the assumption that banks will optimally respond to the economic incentives found in the regulation.
Non-Governmental Agencies and Their Role in Development in Africa: A Case Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the problems of development in Africa. The word “development” is used here in a much broader sense than in the accustomed meaning assigned to it by an economist seeing it narrowly as economic growth. It is used here to encompass social growth by which I mean not only the development of new social institutions and cultural forms in keeping with modernization and the development of a technological civilization in Africa, but also the development of social attitudes, skills, and, if you will, “mental sets” which will favor modernization in the economic field, in education, in politics, and in religion. In my view, the demands for modernization are such that they will challenge traditional cultural norms, values, and prejudices. I do not assume here that the adoption of modernity will necessarily condemn all traditional values and social forms. I only assume that the challenge of modernity will be so thorough-going that no area of African life will go unchallenged. The values and institutions which will show themselves adaptable will survive while those which fail to pass the test of usefulness and meaningfulness will be discarded. In my view, there is nothing to worry about in this, for, as I have had occasion to poinṭ out before (Vilakazi 1957), there is neither moral nor intellectual excellence in a people's sticking to the past merely because it belongs to their forefathers.
Persistent urachus — an observation in miniature swine

The embryology and anatomy of the urachus has been described and documented in some mammals. Though rare, the anomalies associated with the urachus represent such a hazard to life that, in man at least, the incidence and treatment have been recorded regularly. Documentation of the presence of the persistent urachus in animals was not as complete. References in recent literature described the anomalous urachus in only a few dogs, cows, and horses. This study reported an impervious urachal canal from the urinary bladder to the umbilicus in a female “miniature” pig of the Pitman-Moore strain. The urachus observed was similar to previous descriptions given for domestic swine and other species but was reported because of the increasing use of swine as laboratory animals and the dearth of specific information in the literature concerning these animals.
The State and Future Directions of Atom Probe Tomography

Fifty years ago, Muller and Bahadur performed field ion microscopy experiments in which images of individual atoms were obtained for the first time. Over a decade later, Muller, Panitz and McLane added a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to that instrument so that the individual atoms could be identified [1]. This atom probe field ion microscope featured a hemispherical glass ball joint so that the apex of the specimen could be rotated to align the atom of interest with a small hole in the phosphor screen on which the field ion image was formed. This aperture served as the entrance aperture to the time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The flight time and hence the mass-to-charge ratio of each selected atom field evaporated from the specimen was measured with an oscilloscope. Many technological advances have improved the design. These advances include helium cryogenerators to cool the specimen to cryogenic temperature, solid state pulse generators to field evaporate the atoms from the specimen, computer controlled digital timing systems to measure the flight times, and position-sensitive single atom detectors to enable the coordinates of the atoms to be determined [2].
Edge detection using a neural network

An edge detection algorithm using multistate ADALINES (adaptive linear neurons) is presented. The proposed algorithm can suppress noise effects without increasing the mask size. The input states are defined using the local mean in a predefined mask, and the one-dimensional edges are defined so that they are linearly separable from nonedges. The two-dimensional edges are obtained using the rotation invariant property of layered neural networks. The proposed algorithm requires much less computation compared with Marr and Hildreth's (1980) edge detector for similar performance. An application of the proposed edge detector to adaptive image restoration is also presented. >
A MICROBOILER: WASTE HEAT TO POWER SCAVENGING SYSTEM

This paper presents the detailed fabrication and baseline operational characterization of a miniature device capable of recovering waste heat for power. Waste heat to power is the process of scavenging heat from a large process as a result of mechanical inefficiencies and using that heat to generate useful power. To address this waste heat to power recovery approach, a MEMS based microboiler has been investigated in this work which is capable of capturing waste heat. The microboiler consists of a micro fabricated boilerplate and a steamdome. The boilerplate has been designed with capillary channels capable of driving fluid flow from the surrounding reservoirs to the heated surface, thus eliminating the need of an electrically powered flow pump. The working fluid undergoes phase change inside the enclosed central steamdome attached atop the boilerplate. This pressurized vapor can be made available to another MEMS device such as PZT membrane capable of generating mechanical or electrical power. In this way, the discarded heat from the larger process can be utilized to generate power output. In contrast to the previous work, a thick acrylic steamdome has been replaced with a thin glass steamdome to minimize premature condensation of vapor due to heat loss via large mass. The tests were performed on the microboiler with the input powers of 1.8 W and 2.7 W and the comparisons of the results were carried out using a simulation model. The average temperatures at the top of the boilerplate were 106 ◦ C and 144 ◦ C for the power inputs of 1.8 W and 2.7 W, respectively. The available powers at the top of the boilerplate via heat conduction were ∗ Address all correspondence to this author. 1.14 W and 1.72 W for the power inputs of 1.8 W and 2.7 W for the supplied powers of 1.8 W and 2.7 W, respectively. With these known available power throughputs and the heat of vaporization of the future working fluid, the calculated maximum mass flow rates were 13.6 mg s and 9.12 mg s , respectively.
On minimal-node-cost planar embeddings

The problem of embedding an undirected graph on the planar grid is considered. Two common cost measures for this sort of problem are the area consumed by the embedding and the total length of edges in the embedding. This paper considers a third cost measure, called the node cost measure, which is the total number of bends that are present along edges of the embedding. The node cost measure has applications to light or microwave circuits where it requires a separate device each time a corner is turned. In addition, this problem has limited applications to traditional circuit and VLSI layout. Although it is shown that finding a minimal node-code embedding is in general an NP-complete problem, three good approximation strategies are given along with worst-case bounds on their performance; one of the strategies is shown to be nearly optimal for a large class of graphs.
Real-time detection of femtosecond optical pulse sequences via time-to-space conversion in the lightwave communications band

A spectral nonlinear optics time-to-space converter operating in the lightwave communications band is reported for the first time. We demonstrate serial-to-parallel conversion of short frames of femtosecond pulses, for the first time operating at a conversion efficiency level allowing direct electronic readout at a conversion rate of hundreds of megaframes/s in real time, without signal averaging and with good signal-to-noise ratio. The results demonstrate that applications such as real-time measurements of ultrafast optical data sequences and header recognition in ultrafast optical time-division-multiplexed (OTDM) packet networks are approaching feasibility. Moreover, we analyze tradeoffs between optical powers and data rates from a system perspective, which allows us to assess the challenges for scaling to parallel demultiplexing of bit-interleaved OTDM transmission systems.
Modeling emergent behavior in tactical wireless networks

In large networks of nodes with mobility, such as certain tactical wireless networks, overall system behaviors can be difficult to predict given the number of interactions between nodes and the number of possible behavior outcomes. Agent-based modeling is seen as an attractive method for representing and analyzing tactical wireless networks. This paper investigates the use of agent-based models to discover emergent behavior in wireless networks. An initial agent-based model of a tactical wireless network incorporating abstract elements from the physical layer and Media Access Control sub-layer of the OSI model is described. Our experiment results demonstrate the potential in uncovering fundamental rules driving emergent behavior. This research reveals some of the emergent network behaviors in tactical scenarios and illuminates the need to comprehensively consider the underlying networking issues in tactical wireless networks.
Reprogrammed Endothelial Cells: Cell Therapy for Coronary Collateral Growth?

See related article, pages 241–252 Myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and atherosclerosis of arteries supplying the heart, brain, and lower extremities are leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The abundance of native preexisting collateral vessels in tissues, and their anatomic lumen enlargement induced by arterial obstruction (remodeling or arteriogenesis) are major determinants of the severity of ischemic tissue injury caused by these diseases. Unfortunately, findings in animal studies showing that both of these determinants vary significantly among individuals because of differences in genetic background and environmental factors (eg, cardiovascular risk factors) are beginning to find corroboration in humans.1–6 Although efforts to increase collateral growth in ischemia using small molecules, proteins, and gene therapy have shown some effectiveness in experimental animals, patient trials for therapeutic angiogenesis have been largely disappointing.7–9 Recent preclinical studies suggesting that cell-based therapies may provide a transformative approach to augment vascular growth have generated considerable excitement and have led to initial clinical trials.10–12 A key unanswered question concerns the best cell type to use.12 Since the discovery that four transcription factors, Klf-4, Sox2, Oct4, and c-Myc, could reprogram somatic cells to become induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) capable of differentiating into any cell type of the body,13–15 investigation of cell reprogramming for tissue regeneration has moved forward rapidly.15–19 Although iPSCs offers great promise, their capability to form tumors presents a significant hurdle.15,20 Thus, in a sense, the greatest potential strength of iPSCs for regenerative therapies—their pluripotency—is also their greatest weakness. In this issue …
Diet of Australopithecus afarensis from the Pliocene Hadar Formation, Ethiopia

The enhanced dietary flexibility of early hominins to include consumption of C4/crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) foods (i.e., foods derived from grasses, sedges, and succulents common in tropical savannas and deserts) likely represents a significant ecological and behavioral distinction from both extant great apes and the last common ancestor that we shared with great apes. Here, we use stable carbon isotopic data from 20 samples of Australopithecus afarensis from Hadar and Dikika, Ethiopia (>3.4–2.9 Ma) to show that this species consumed a diet with significant C4/CAM foods, differing from its putative ancestor Au. anamensis. Furthermore, there is no temporal trend in the amount of C4/CAM food consumption over the age of the samples analyzed, and the amount of C4/CAM food intake was highly variable, even within a single narrow stratigraphic interval. As such, Au. afarensis was a key participant in the C4/CAM dietary expansion by early australopiths of the middle Pliocene. The middle Pliocene expansion of the eastern African australopith diet to include savanna-based foods represents a shift to use of plant food resources that were already abundant in hominin environments for at least 1 million y and sets the stage for dietary differentiation and niche specialization by subsequent hominin taxa.
Financialization of the Economy

Financialization refers to the increasing importance of finance, financial markets, and financial institutions to the workings of the economy. This article reviews evidence on the causes and consequences of financialization in the United States and around the world, with particular attention to the spread of financial markets. Researchers have focused on two broad themes at the level of corporations and broader societies. First, an orientation toward shareholder value has led to substantial changes in corporate strategies and structures that have encouraged outsourcing and corporate disaggregation while increasing compensation at the top. Second, financialization has shaped patterns of inequality, culture, and social change in the broader society. Underlying these changes is a broad shift in how capital is intermediated, from financial institutions to financial markets, through mechanisms such as securitization (turning debts into marketable securities). Enabled by a combination of theory, technology, and...
Repositioning leisure services

It is postulated that the key to winning broader support for public leisure services is to broaden the base of their appeal beyond regular users by stressing the collective benefits that also accrue to nonusers and occasional users. This can be done by repositioning leisure services so they are aligned with the politically important issues in a community. Three repositioning strategies are suggested: real repositioning, competitive repositioning and psychological repositioning. Their application is illustrated in the context of the potential economic development contributions of leisure services departments through their involvement in tourism.
Expression pattern of four membrane-type matrix metalloproteinases in the normal and diseased mouse mammary gland†

Both mammary gland development and mammary carcinogenesis involve extensive remodeling of the mammary gland extracellular matrix. The expression of four membrane-type matrix metalloproteinases (MT-MMPs) with matrix remodeling potential in development and tumorigenesis was evaluated by in-situ hybridization on mouse mammary gland sections. MT1-MMP and MT3-MMP were found in the mammary stroma mainly around epithelial structures in both developing and mature mammary gland. In contrast, MT2-MMP was found exclusively in the mammary epithelium. Lactating gland expressed none of the examined MT-MMPs. Mammary gland tumors expressed MT1-MMP, MT2-MMP, and MT3-MMP while MT4-MMP was not expressed in any developmental or cancerous stage analyzed here. Our results suggest that MT1-MMP, MT2-MMP, and MT3-MMP may be involved in remodeling of both the normal and diseased mammary gland either directly or indirectly by activation of other MMPs. Published 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Estimating ocean production from satellite-derived chlorophyll - Insights from the EASTROPAC data set

The EASTROPAC expedition took place in 1967-68 in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Primary production was related to near-surface chlorophyll in these data. Much of the variability in the relation was due to the light-history of the phytoplankton and its photoadaptive state. This was due to changes in the depth of mixing of the surface waters more than changes in insolation. Accurate estimates of production from satellite chlorophyll measurements may require knowledge of the temporal and spatial variation in mixing of this region.
Comparing radial with femoral artery access in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: the benefits and risks.

The transradial approach for percutaneous coronary intervention (TR-PCI) has garnered increasing attention in the USA, primarily as a method to decrease bleeding and vascular complications while im...
CD8+, HLA-unrestricted, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte line against malignant melanoma

A CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) line was derived from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with primary melanoma. The CD8+ CTL line specifically lysed the autologous primary melanoma cells and not the natural killer cell-sensitive K562 cells or lymphokine activated killer cell-sensitive DAUDI cells. When a large panel of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched and -unmatched allogeneic melanoma, glioma, breast and colorectal carcinoma cells was tested as targets in cytolysis assays, 4 HLA-matched and two HLA-unmatched allogeneic metastatic melanoma lines were lysed by the CD8+ CTL. Lysis of autologous and allogeneic melanoma cells was dependent on the effector-to-target cell ratio. Lysis of autologous melanoma cells was not blocked by anti-HLA class I or class II antibodies, confirming that the cytolytic activity of the CD8+ CTL was HLA-unrestricted. CTL lysis of autologous melanoma cells was CD3 (T cell receptor) dependent and FAS-FAS-L, and CD1 independent. Identification of the melanoma-associated antigen recognized by the HLA-unrestricted CTL may provide a vaccine for a broad population of melanoma patients.
Life History Traits of the Mirror Shiner, Notropis spectrunculus, in Western North Carolina

Abstract We investigated the life history of Notropis spectrunculus (Mirror Shiner) at 4 locations in the Tennessee River drainage in western North Carolina that we sampled monthly over 7 months. Specimens were collected by seining and examined to identify age, growth, reproductive patterns, and feeding habits. Sexual maturity occurred at approximately 1 year of age. Spawning occurred from April to July with 13–331 mature oocytes (mean = 115.53, SD = 75.36), and male breeding coloration was present in specimens collected in May, June, and July. Gut contents consisted mainly of insect fragments, primarily Coleoptera and Diptera. Fish were found to inhabit water 0.5–0.75 m deep with sandy substrate, directly below flow-disrupting objects.
A Review of Social Interventions for Students with Learning Disabilities

Twenty-two studies are reviewed that report the effects of social skills training and intervention with 572 children identified as learning disabled between 5 and 19 years of age. These studies are reviewed to examine characteristics and components of intervention effectiveness. Age and sex of subjects, grade grouping, group size, intervention duration, intervention procedures, subject selection, and type of interventional model are examined to find patterns that reflect intervention success. Several intervention characteristics and components are associated with social intervention effectiveness: selecting subjects who had social skills difficulties or low peer acceptance, using cognitive-behavioral intervention procedures, providing individual or small group instruction, and applying long-term intervention and training. Discussion focuses on difficulties in comparing studies to determine intervention effectiveness through the examination of outcome measures, a call for revisions in future reporting of s...
Detection of left atrial appendage thrombus by cardiac computed tomography: a word of caution.

In this issue of iJACC , Martinez et al. ([1][1]) report their experience with cardiac computed tomography (CCT) to detect left atrial appendage thrombi in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing pulmonary vein radiofrequency ablation. Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common
Driven by Social Comparisons: How Feedback about Coworkers’ Effort Influences Individual Productivity

Drawing on theoretical insights from research on social comparison processes, this article explores how managers can use performance feedback to sustain employees’ motivation and performance in organizations. Using a field experiment at a Japanese bank, we investigate the effects of valence (positive versus negative), type (direct versus indirect), and timing of feedback (one-shot versus persistent) on employee productivity. Our results show that direct negative feedback (e.g., an employee learns her performance falls in the bottom of her group) leads to improvements in employees’ performance, while direct positive feedback does not significantly impact performance. Furthermore, indirect negative feedback (i.e., the employee learns she is not in the bottom of her group) worsens productivity while indirect positive feedback (i.e., the employee learns she is not in the top of her group) does not affect it. Finally, both persistently positive and persistently negative feedback lead to improvements in employees’ performance. Together, our findings offer insight into the role of performance feedback in motivating productivity in repetitive tasks.
Sampling by sponge wipe or skin excision for recovery of inoculated Salmonella and Campylobacter from defeathered broiler carcasses.

Broilers may carry Salmonella and Campylobacter on inner and outer surfaces upon arrival at the slaughter plant, and carcasses can be further contaminated during commercial processing. A sensitive, nondestructive, repeatable sampling method would be useful to test carcasses for levels of bacteria before and after specific processing steps to measure either contamination or efficacy of intervention techniques. Blending of excised skin is accepted as an effective sampling method but requires damage to the carcass; this makes repeated measurements on the same carcass difficult. Herein we compare sponge sampling to skin excision to recover inoculated Salmonella and Campylobacter from broiler carcasses. In each of three replications, broiler carcass breast skin was inoculated with approximately 6.0 log antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella and Campylobacter, allowed to dry for 60 s, and sampled by either sponge, skin excision, or sponge followed by skin excision. Antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella and Campylobact...
A Framework for Research in the Actions of Community Groups

tinuity. In the study of groups, it has not been common to think in terms of developmental processes. As Norman Hilmar has pointed out, field theorists "can only attempt to describe a situation at different moments of time but cannot describe how the changes take place from one static moment to the next ... one fails to discern any such description of evolutionary processes in the momentary fields of forces that characterize the Lewinian description of groups and group problems."2 Hilmar, in pointing out the differences between role and field theory, says, "The starting point of
The management of breech presentation.

The combination of prematurity and breech presentation subjects the fetus to great danger of death or birth trauma. Fetal mortality associated with breech presentation is 10 times higher when prematurity is added. Liberalization of indications for cesarean section is recommended as one way of improving fetal survival and lowering fetal morbidity associated with this abnormal fetal position.
Useful and Easy to Apply Indicators of Petroleum Pollution in the Marine Environment

Case histories of studies in the Gulf of Mexico show that: 1. Dissolved low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons (C1 to C5) are sensitive indicators of the inputs of crude petroleum and some refinery and municipal activities. 2. Stable carbon isotope compositions are indicators of crude oil residues in sediments. 3. The amounts of floating oil residues define the extent of petroleum contamination by transportation activities.
Conductive plastic electrodes reduce EEG artifact during pediatric ECMO therapy

PURPOSE Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving heart and lung bypass procedure that can cause substantial EEG artifact. Continuous EEG monitoring is nonetheless a helpful neuromonitoring tool for patients receiving ECMO therapy because neurologic complications are frequent, but factors such as sedation, neuromuscular blockade, and hemodynamic instability limit clinical and radiographic evaluation. We examined whether using conductive plastic electrodes in place of conventional gold electrodes reduces artifact in clinical EEG studies of pediatric ECMO patients. METHODS Four masked electroencephalographers assessed artifact and its impact on overall EEG interpretation in samples from 21 consecutive EEGs recorded during ECMO therapy (14 gold and 7 plastic). A spectral power analysis then quantified 50- to 70-Hz artifact in a larger group of 14 gold and 34 plastic electrode studies during ECMO and 4 non-ECMO gold electrode studies. RESULTS The masked electroencephalographers identified less artifact (P < 0.001) and indicated greater confidence in the accuracy of EEG interpretation (P < 0.001) among studies recorded with plastic electrodes. In quantitative analyses, ECMO was associated with greater 50- to 70-Hz power among studies using gold electrodes (P < 0.001) and gold electrodes exhibited greater 50- to 70-Hz power than plastic electrodes (P < 0.001). Contrasting studies in which most of the electroencephalographers believed that interpretation was (n = 12; 7 gold and 5 plastic) or was not (n = 7; all gold) compromised by artifact, 50- to 70-Hz power was similarly higher among the compromised studies (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Plastic electrodes substantially reduce the burden of electrical artifact in EEG studies performed on pediatric ECMO patients and improve confidence in EEG interpretation.
Improved Electrical Characterization of Ceramic Oxides Bulk vs. Interface Effects

Electrical conductivity measurements, although one of the oldest characterization techniques, remains one of the most sensitive and versatile tools for the characterization of defects and mobility mechanisms in solids. Measurements may be performed under in-situ conditions over a broad range of temperatures, pressures and chemical environments. This enables one, for example, to monitor the kinetics of various types of reactions (e. g. redox, corrosion) which otherwise remain difficult to study. The interpretation of such measurements are, however, often hampered by interface phenomena such as exist at the electrodes and grain boundaries.
Novel micro-/nano- porous cellular membranes by forced assembly co-extrusion technology

Abstract Production of novel membranes for filtration applications is still a burgeoning demand with the rising environmental concern about pollution in different spheres of human biota. This paper presents a novel approach, yet a continuous production method, to fabricate bi-component cellular membranes. Multilayer membranes having thousands of alternating layers, where cells are aligned vertically and separated by thin, solid polymer layers, were produced using unique multilayer co-extrusion and multiplication technology. Post-drawing techniques, both uniaxial and biaxial, were employed to create interconnected through pores in cellular membranes. Two different polymer pairs, polystyrene/polypropylene (PS/PP) and polypropylene/nylon 6 (PP/PA6), have been chosen to develop multilayer cellular membranes. The modulus contrast between film and foam layers played an important role in creating hierarchical porous structures in the membrane. Uniaxially drawn membranes exhibit very narrow pore size distribution whereas biaxially drawn membranes exhibit slightly larger pore size distribution. In addition, the porosity can be varied (20–60%) either by changing the chemical blow agent (CBA) concentration, foam content or the draw ratios of membranes. The membranes also exhibit high water flux and high micro-particle separation efficiency.
Ultra-Long Crystalline Red Phosphorus Nanowires from Amorphous Red Phosphorus Thin Films

Heating red phosphorus in sealed ampoules in the presence of a Sn/SnI4 catalyst mixture has provided bulk black phosphorus at much lower pressures than those required for allotropic conversion by anvil cells. Herein we report the growth of ultra-long 1D red phosphorus nanowires (>1 mm) selectively onto a wafer substrate from red phosphorus powder and a thin film of red phosphorus in the present of a Sn/SnI4 catalyst. Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction characterization suggested the formation of crystalline red phosphorus nanowires. FET devices constructed with the red phosphorus nanowires displayed a typical I–V curve similar to that of black phosphorus and a similar mobility reaching 300 cm2 V−1 s with an Ion/Ioff ratio approaching 102. A significant response to infrared light was observed from the FET device.
Balancing Optimal Outcomes With Access to Care: It Can Be Done!∗

Providing optimal access to care for complex medical procedures frequently bumps up against the inconvenient reality of the relationship between procedural volumes and the outcomes achieved. This volume-outcome relationship has been extensively studied and documented to be present on both a hospital
Smart parking brake distributes electric park brake functions

In 2002, TRW Automotive introduced the first calliper integrated electric parking brake in the world. Since then, the Electric Parking Brake (EPB) has been launched in over 20 vehicle models — from luxury to midrange platforms. The new Smart Parking Brake (SPB) System presented by TRW removes the requirement for the electric parking brake to have a separate Electronic Control Unit, integrating the EPB into existing systems such as electronic stability control. The new SPB system creates the opportunity for systems integration at a higher level.
50 Million Strong for All: Universally Designing CSPAPs to Align with APE Best Practices

Many children in the United States fail to meet the national recommendations for daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). However, children with disabilities are more sedentary than their typically developed peers. Comprehensive school physical activity programming (CSPAP) is a whole-of-school approach to provide children with opportunities to participate in 60 minutes of daily MVPA. Meeting daily MVPA requirements is central to SHAPE America's 50 Million Strong by 2029 vision, which seeks to meet its goal by reducing diseases associated with sedentary behavior. Given the well-documented health-related fitness benefits of achieving 60 minutes of daily MVPA, it is imperative that all children, including those with disabilities, have access to programs like CSPAPs. Universal design for learning (UDL) is evidence based and ensures the inclusion of all children. The purpose of this article is to operationalize UDL in the context of CSPAPs so that all physical education professionals can collaborat...
Exploring the Intricate Details of Antibiotic Biosynthesis

It is not sufficient to identify the ordinary metabolic precursor(s) of a secondary metabolite, and then simply use “paper chemistry” to infer the subsequent processes leading to the final product. In order to illustrate the scope of the approaches we are currently using to elucidate the intricate details of secondary metabolism in microorganisms, portions of three studies are presented.
Regulatory Science – An Underappreciated Component of Translational Research

Translational science refers to translating basic scientific findings to practical application (i.e., 'bench-to-bedside'). An underappreciated aspect of translational science is regulatory science. Herein, we focus on the importance of regulatory science to facilitate development of innovative new drugs and optimize use of approved drugs, with a call for community participation.
A Regional Experience with Carotid Endarterectomy in Patients with a History of Neck Radiation.

Background Historically, a history of neck radiation has been considered as an anatomic risk factor for poor outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). However, this is based on small and primarily single institution reports with few comparative series. This study uses a regional quality database to compare perioperative outcomes of CEA in patients with and without a history of neck radiation (RAD and NORAD, respectively). Methods The Vascular Study Group of New England database was queried for all CEA from 2003 to 2017. The RAD group included a history of neck radiation. Primary end points included perioperative stroke (30-day), myocardial infarction (MI) (in-hospital), death (30-day), a composite end point including major adverse events (MAEs: stroke, MI, and death), and long-term survival. Results Overall, 18,832 patients underwent CEA (18,551 NORAD, 281 RAD). Baseline demographics differed in the following: the RAD group more frequently had a history of contralateral carotid artery stenting (1.4% vs. 0.3%, P = 0.009), anatomic high risk features (12.8% vs. 1.3%, P 0.999), MI (0.4% vs. 0.9%, P = 0.736), death (0.7% vs. 0.6%, P = 0.683), MAE (2.1% vs. 2.2%, P > 0.999), or long-term survival (79.9% vs. 85.0%, P = 0.357). When only symptomatic or asymptomatic stenosis was considered, there remained no difference in primary end points. However, perioperative neurologic events (transient ischemic attack or stroke) was higher in symptomatic RAD versus symptomatic NORAD (6.7% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.020). Conclusions This regional experience with CEA in RAD patients shows similar perioperative morbidity, mortality, and long-term survival when compared with CEA for standard surgical patients (NORAD). Symptomatic presentation was associated with higher perioperative neurologic events, but this was not reflected in stroke rates. RAD is not always a contraindication to CEA and select patients can expect outcomes comparable to standard surgical patients.
Occupant localization using footstep-induced structural vibration

Abstract In this paper, we present an occupant localization approach through sensing footstep-induced floor vibrations. Occupant location information is an important part of many smart building applications, such as energy and space management in a personal home or patient tracking in a hospital room. Adoption of current occupant location sensing approaches in smart buildings (e.g., camera, radio frequency (RF), mobile devices, etc.) is often limited due to the maintenance, installment, and calibration requirements of these sensing systems. To overcome these limitations, we introduce a new approach to use footstep-induced structural vibration for step-level occupant localization. The intuition behind this approach is that footsteps induce floor vibrations which are received in different vibration sensor locations at different times. This paper focuses on localizing a single occupant within each sensing range. To localize the footsteps, we utilize the time differences of arrival (TDoA) of the footstep-induced vibrations. However, this approach involves two main challenges: (1) the vibration wave propagation in the floor is of dispersive nature (i.e., different frequency components travel at different velocities) and (2) due to floor heterogeneity, these wave propagation velocities vary in different structures as well as in different locations in a structure. These issues lead to large localization inaccuracies or calibration requirements. To address dispersion challenge, we present a decomposition-based dispersion mitigation technique which extracts specific components (which have similar propagation characteristics) for localization. To address velocity variations, we introduce an adaptive multilateration approach that employs heuristics to constrain the search space and robustly locate the footsteps when the propagation velocity is unknown. Constraining the search space overcomes the additional complexity which is resulted from adding an unknown variable (propagation velocity). We evaluated our approach using the field experiments in 3 different types of buildings (both commercial and residential) with human participants. The results show an average localization error of 0.34 m, which corresponds to a 6X reduction in error compared to a baseline method. Furthermore, our approach resulted in standard deviation of as low as 0.18 m, which corresponds to a 8.7X improvement in precision compared to the baseline approach.
A System for an Accountable Data Analysis Process in R

Efficiently producing transparent analyses may be difficult for beginners or tedious for the experienced. This implies a need for computing systems and environments that can efficiently satisfy reproducibility and accountability standards. To this end, we have developed a system, R package, and R Shiny application called adapr (Accountable Data Analysis Process in R) that is built on the principle of accountable units. An accountable unit is a data file (statistic, table or graphic) that can be associated with a provenance, meaning how it was created, when it was created and who created it, and this is similar to the ‘verifiable computational results’ (VCR) concept proposed by Gavish and Donoho. Both accountable units and VCRs are version controlled, sharable, and can be incorporated into a collaborative project. However, accountable units use file hashes and do not involve watermarking or public repositories like VCRs. Reproducing collaborative work may be highly complex, requiring repeating computations on multiple systems from multiple authors; however, determining the provenance of each unit is simpler, requiring only a search using file hashes and version control systems.
Nuclear envelope regulation of signaling cascades.

The ultimate purpose of signal transduction is to transmit extracellular or cytoplasmic stimuli to the nuclear interior to elicit a cellular response, mediated primarily through changes in gene expression. The evolution of the nuclear envelope and the consequent compartmentalization of the genome, which is a defining feature of eukaryotes, introduced a physical barrier to the free access of genes. Initially regarded as nothing more than this, a physical barrier with selective permeability, recent findings have transformed our view of the nuclear envelope and its diverse roles in various aspects of cell biology and human diseases, much of which is only beginning to be understood. The realization that mutations in genes encoding nuclear envelope proteins cause a diverse array of tissue-selective diseases often referred to as “laminopathies” has provided new insight into structural and regulatory functions of the nuclear envelope. Genetic mutations causing abnormalities in the nuclear envelope can lead to dysregulated signaling that underlies pathogenesis of these diseases. The emerging picture indicates that the nuclear envelope is a node that fine-tunes signaling output and as such it may play a role in the biology of cancer.
Phospholipid Degradation and the Early Release of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Evolution of Brain Edema

Using both in vitro cortical slices and in vivo models, we have studied the roles of phospholipid degradation and the release of polyunsaturated fatty acid in the evolution of brain edema. We have shown that pus, i.e., fragmented polymorphonuclear leukocytes and other inflammatory cells, acts as a potent inducer of cellular swelling in brain slices13. The swelling factors were identified as free fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)5,8. Linoleic acid (18:2), linolenic acid (18:3), arachidonic (20:4) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) caused a two to three-fold increase in tissue swelling concomitant with the increase of intracellular sodium and decrease of intracellular potassium. The extracellular inulin space was also decreased indicating the presence of cellular (cytotoxic) edema. This model of cellular edema was also associated with changes in cellular metabolism since lactic acid levels were elevated and high energy nucleotides were reduced13,5.
Pseudo-exhaustive testing of sequential machines using signature analysis

A design for testability (DFT) structure for sequential machines is presented. This design has the following characteristics: it requires augmentation of sequential machines by addition of an extra input and some associated logic; the test sequence is the same for all machines with a given number of input combinations, states, and outputs; it uses signature analysis to compact the output response; fault diagnosis is possible by obtaining intermediate signatures; and it is suitable for built-in self-test (BIST). A systematic procedure for testing the sequential machines designed by this method is presented. The test length is also calculated. An example of a practical machine is used to illustrate the proposed scheme.
Energy Distribution of Secondary Organic Ions Emitted by Amino Acids

Knowledge of the energy distribution (ED) of secondary organic ions sputtered from the surface of the target is helpful in understanding the mechanism of organic sputtering and in optimization of solid and liquid SIMS experiments.Based on our previous experiments [1,2] we proposed that the primary mechanism responsible for the emission of secondary organic ions is linear cascade sputtering, since this process results in the production of ions with a lower kinetic energy than in the case of inorganics. The energy distribution of various amino acids as well as effects of liquid matrix on this parameter has been studied. Experimental data were obtained on the instrument described previously by us in detail [3]. A computer system based upon an IBM PC-XT was used to scan the main cylinder of the electrostatic energy analyser (Bessel Box) and to control the quadrupole mass spectrometer. The target bias remained fixed during the energy scan, and the energy distribution was determined as the function of ion abundance versus the voltage difference between the main cylinder and the target. Complete mass spectra were stored for each step of the voltage change. These voltage steps could be varied depending on the number of data points required to obtain a reasonable energy distribution curve.
Site-Specific Fluorescent Labeling of Tubulin

Fluorescent tubulin can be prepared in which a fluorophore is covalently bound to the protein at only the carboxy terminus of the α-subunit of the αβ-tubulin dimer. This two-step procedure consists of an enzymatic reaction followed by a bioorthogonal chemical reaction. In the first step of the process, the enzyme tubulin tyrosine ligase is used to attach a reactive tyrosine derivative, 3-formyltyrosine, to the protein. In the second step of the procedure, a fluorophore possessing a complementary reactive functional group, such as a hydrazine, hydrazide, or hydroxylamine, is allowed to react with the protein under conditions that are compatible with native tubulin. Polymerization-competent, fluorescently labeled tubulin can be prepared in just a few hours using this protocol. The method described here should be useful for attaching virtually any probe or material to tubulin at this site.
S aureus bacteremia: TEE and infectious disease consultation.

Morbidity and mortality rates in patients with Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia remain high even though diagnostic tests have improved and antibiotic therapy is effective. Diagnosis and management are made more complex by difficulties in finding the source of bacteremia and sites of metastatic
Lifetime dynamics of plasmons in the few-atom limit.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules are essentially graphene in the subnanometer limit, typically consisting of 50 or fewer atoms. With the addition or removal of a single electron, these molecules can support molecular plasmon (collective) resonances in the visible region of the spectrum. Here, we probe the plasmon dynamics in these quantum systems by measuring the excited-state lifetime of three negatively charged PAH molecules: anthanthrene, benzo[ghi]perylene, and perylene. In contrast to the molecules in their neutral state, these three systems exhibit far more rapid decay dynamics due to the deexcitation of multiple electron–hole pairs through molecular plasmon “dephasing” and vibrational relaxation. This study provides a look into the distinction between collective and single-electron excitation dynamics in the purely quantum limit and introduces a conceptual framework with which to visualize molecular plasmon decay.
Application timing of fungicides for the management of sugarcane orange rust

Abstract Management of sugarcane orange rust, caused by Puccinia kuehnii, currently relies on fungicide applications in Florida. Field experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017 in Belle Glade, FL to evaluate the efficacy and application timing of fungicides on progress of disease severity and sugarcane yields. Two treatment programs of three fungicide applications each were applied to sugarcane cultivar CL85-1040 susceptible to orange rust. Each program was also started at three different initiation dates separated by one month, and the first treatment was initiated when rust severity reached 5–10% on the top visible dewlap (TVD) leaf. Program A consisted of two consecutive applications of fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin followed by an application of metconazole. Program B consisted of three consecutive applications of fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin, fluxapyroxad, and pyraclostrobin. For each program, the three fungicide applications were separated by one month each and control plots remained unsprayed. Percent leaf area affected by rust was recorded every two weeks on TVD leaf and leaf +2 (leaf immediately below TVD leaf). Fungicide treatment programs initiated at the beginning of orange rust epidemics resulted in highest reduction of disease severity (41–45%) and highest yield increase (26–33%) as compared to untreated control plants. These results suggested that the application of fungicides initiated through early epidemic season are required for best management of sugarcane orange rust.
Methodological considerations for conducting focus groups in HIV prevention research among Black men who have sex with men.

Introduction Focus groups are an important learning tool in HIV prevention research among U.S. Black men who have sex with men (BMSM), for whom incidence persists. Focus groups are useful in designing interventions, but many have struggled to engage BMSM in research. To optimize the utility of focus group methodology on HIV prevention among BMSM, this paper offers methodological considerations for conducting and managing focus groups with BMSM. Methods Perspectives come from the process of conducting nine focus groups (N = 52) to explore the role of religion and spirituality in the lives of BMSM in Baltimore City and how these concepts could be used to inform local HIV prevention interventions. Results Themes from field notes captured important concepts to consider regarding the following: recruitment and retention, recruiting from within the social network, screening for HIV status, focus group stratification, and focus group facilitation. Discussion Considerations and recommendations for mitigating the challenges in focus group research and enriching data collection with BMSM are outlined.