cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein tyrosine phosphatase–σ regulates hematopoietic stem cell–repopulating capacity

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function is regulated by activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Receptor protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) counterbalance RTK signaling; however, the functions of receptor PTPs in HSCs remain incompletely understood. We found that a receptor PTP, PTPσ, was substantially overexpressed in mouse and human HSCs compared with more mature hematopoietic cells. Competitive transplantation of bone marrow cells from PTPσ-deficient mice revealed that the loss of PTPσ substantially increased long-term HSC-repopulating capacity compared with BM cells from control mice. While HSCs from PTPσ-deficient mice had no apparent alterations in cell-cycle status, apoptosis, or homing capacity, these HSCs exhibited increased levels of activated RAC1, a RhoGTPase that regulates HSC engraftment capacity. shRNA-mediated silencing of PTPσ also increased activated RAC1 levels in wild-type HSCs. Functionally, PTPσ-deficient BM cells displayed increased cobblestone area-forming cell (CAFC) capacity and augmented transendothelial migration capacity, which was abrogated by RAC inhibition. Specific selection of human cord blood CD34⁺CD38⁻CD45RA⁻lin⁻ PTPσ⁻ cells substantially increased the repopulating capacity of human HSCs compared with CD34⁺CD38⁻CD45RA⁻lin⁻ cells and CD34⁺CD38⁻CD45RA⁻lin⁻PTPσ⁺ cells. Our results demonstrate that PTPσ regulates HSC functional capacity via RAC1 inhibition and suggest that selecting for PTPσ-negative human HSCs may be an effective strategy for enriching human HSCs for transplantation.
Innovation in Faculty Practice: A College of Nursing and Juvenile Justice Collaboration

Residential Juvenile Justice Services (JJS) facilities are located in every state and, in general, represent an underserved and diverse adolescent population. The JJS centers present an exciting and innovative opportunity for collaboration with colleges of nursing to initiate faculty practice sites. The University of Utah College of Nursing has been serving 5 JJS centers for 14 years and recently doubled its services to incorporate 10 different JJS Centers in the state of Utah. Each center offers a unique patient population and setting providing the student with an opportunity to learn health assessment and physical examination skills not typically presented in more traditional hospital or outpatient facilities. This type of community collaboration affords an opportunity for faculty practice, education, research, and service. An interprofessional focus enriches the experience.
Failing Forward? The Euro Crisis and the Incomplete Nature of European Integration:

The European Union (EU) project of combining a single market with a common currency was incomplete from its inception. This article shows that the incompleteness of the governance architecture of E...
A Synchronous Context Free Grammar for Time Normalization

We present an approach to time normalization (e.g. the day before yesterday⇒2013-04-12) based on a synchronous context free grammar. Synchronous rules map the source language to formally defined operators for manipulating times (FindEnclosed, StartAtEndOf, etc.). Time expressions are then parsed using an extended CYK+ algorithm, and converted to a normalized form by applying the operators recursively. For evaluation, a small set of synchronous rules for English time expressions were developed. Our model outperforms HeidelTime, the best time normalization system in TempEval 2013, on four different time normalization corpora.
Dietary Phosphorus Levels and Calcium: Phosphorus Ratios Needed by Growing Turkeys

Abstract THE low requirements of developing turkeys for calcium and phosphorus as indicated by the data obtained by Nelson et al. (1961) prompted the test reported in this paper. These workers reported that dietary levels of 0.5% phosphorus and 0.5% calcium were adequate for growth and feed utilization of turkeys (8–24 wks.), a ratio of calcium: phosphorus (Ca:P) of 1:1. When the Ca:P ratio deviated from 1:1, a minimum requirement of 0.6% calcium and 0.6% phosphorus was required for optimum growth and feed utilization. However, higher levels of calcium and phosphorus were needed for maximum toe ash. Sullivan (1960) reported that for late growth (8–20 wks.), the total phosphorus requirements of female and male turkeys were 0.75% and 0.85%, respectively, where the ration contained 1.55% calcium. Maximum tarsometatarsus ash, growth and feed utilization were the criteria used to establish requirements. Using an all-vegetable ration containing 0.43% organic phosphorus and …
Abstract 3631: NMDA receptors as possible therapeutic targets for cancer

NMDA receptors constitute important calcium channels that are chiefly found within the central nervous system. Our laboratory has shown that these receptors are also expressed by human tumors such as neuroblastoma, small-cell lung carcinoma, breast cancer, and now ovarian and prostate cancer. The hypothesis being tested in our studies is that selective tumor expression of NMDA receptors is essential for cancer cell growth and proliferation. Human breast and ovarian cancer cells were treated with NMDA antagonists and agonists and changes measured in cell proliferation/growth and apoptosis. It was shown NMDA receptors are critically involved in cell growth of these cancer cells, and if blocked, cell growth is inhibited. Interestingly, the non-cancerous cell line, HEK 293, also expresses NMDA receptors, but NMDA antagonists were found to not influence growth of these cells. Receptor knock-down in MCF-7 breast cancer cells is being accomplished with lentavirus-coupled shRNAs, and selection performed for puromyocin resistance. We have thus far been able to selectively stably reduce NMDA receptor expression by 70-80% for a period of two weeks. The rate of cell growth was significantly decreased when the expression level of NMDAR1 is knocked down. The response of NMDA receptor knock-down cells to antagonists such as MK-801 and Mementine will be examined. Confirmation that the actions of antagonists such as MK-801 on cancer growth are specifically due to blockade of NMDA receptors will further their potential future use in cancer treatment. By confocal microscopy we were able to demonstrate that breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer cells express NMDA receptors within the membrane of tumor cells. Treating breast cancer cells with NMDA receptor antagonists and an antibody against an extracellular region of the subunit 1 changes the sub-cellular localization of these NMDA receptors. This change in sub-cellular localization could be an indicator of the mechanism of action of these compounds on cancer cell growth through the expression levels of the receptors. Additional studies are now being performed using sub-cellular fractionation and fluorescent microscopy to determine the nature of NMDAR1 cellular translocalization. The goal of this project is to further evaluate NMDA receptors as possible targets for treatment of breast cancer and perhaps several other cancer types. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3631. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3631
A problem in the mathematical biophysics of interaction of two or more individuals which may be of interest in mathematical sociology.

The behavior of an individual may be discussed in terms of a “satisfaction function”. An individual may be considered to always behave in such a way as to make his satisfaction function a maximum. The interaction of two individuals may consist in a cooperation in the production of any kind of objects of satisfaction. Those objects may be either material goods or anything else. The satisfaction of each individual is determined by his share in the total output as well as by the effort he makes. It is shown that for a prescribed method of sharing a behavior in which each individual attempts to maximize the total satisfaction of both individuals results in a greater output than a behavior in which each individual attempts to maximize his own satisfaction.
Alternatives for the Detection of Residual Polyacrylamide in Geotextile Tube Dewatering—Streaming Current Detection and China Clay Settling Rate Methods

The use of polyacrylamide (PAM)-based flocculants has become an essential component of most geotextile tube dewatering projects. Although knowledge of the residual flocculant concentration in geotextile tube supernatant and effluent is essential to the safe use of PAM-based flocculants, residual flocculant concentration is not commonly measured in geotextile tube dewatering operations. Furthermore, there is no ASTM standard test method for measuring residual flocculant concentrations in water. This paper presents a comparative study of two different methods that are commonly used to measure residual flocculant concentrations in water: the Streaming Current Detection (SCD) method and the China Clay Settling Rate (CCSR) method, to evaluate their applicability to the geotextile tube industry. The comparison is based on an analysis of measured residual PAM concentrations obtained for five different cationic PAM polymers used to flocculate Tully fines soil. Optimum flocculant doses for the Tully fines soil were determined using the jar test (ASTM D2035-08) for three different solids concentrations by mass (5, 15, and 33 %). The SCD and CCSR methods were performed on the supernatants of Tully fines that were conditioned at their optimum doses and at concentrations 50 % above their optimum dose. Laboratory test results showed that both the SCD and CCSR methods produced similar residual PAM concentration results for the polymer/soil combinations tested. The SCD method, however, produced more consistent and repeatable results in comparison to the CCSR method. The SCD method was also easier to use and could be performed in shorter amounts of time than the CCSR method. Based on the results, it is recommended that the SCD method be standardized and used to measure residual PAM-based flocculant concentrations in geotextile tube supernatant and effluent.
Study of interfacial kinetics for liquid-liquid systems-I. The liquid jet recycle reactor

Abstract The liquid jet recycle reactor is proposed as a means of studying interfacial reactions in liquid-liquid systems. A preliminary study is presented which verifies the operation of the jet using well characterized systems. The LJRR features cocurrent flow of the jet and the outer organic fluid. The outer fluid is continuously recycled and its concentration monitored. A technique is developed to remove the stagnant layer which accumulates on the interface at the base of the jet. The extent of mass transfer in this region can be quantified. The aqueous phase diffusivities of toluene and benzene have been calculated from the rate of mass transfer between the jet and an outer fluid of cyclohexane. Diffusivity values agree with published values within 10%. The successful prediction of liquid diffusivities indicates that the technique will be a useful and accurate method of obtaining interfacial kinetics.
A Contribution toward a Monograph of the Scatopsidae. Part IX. The Genera Aspistes and Arthria (Diptera: Scatopsidae: Aspistinae)

The genera Aspistes Meigen and Arthria Kirby are redescribed and illustrated. Previously described North American and European species are redescribed and illustrated. Aspistes antidactylatis, Aspistes dakotensis, and Aspistes occidentalis, Arthria spathis and Arthria masoni are described as new from North America, as is Aspistes freyi from Europe. Keys are presented to the known species.
Evolution of Optical Transport Networks and Its Solution in 3G Networks

3G network is a new generation mobile network that supports not only voice services, but also multimedia services, focusing on data service. Since 3G network is launched to provide high-speed data services, the traditional Optical Transport Network (OTN) with complex configuration, low utilization rate of bandwidth, high cost and the poor expansibility can't meet the requirements of 3G transport network. For solving the abovementioned problems, such technologies as Multi Service Transport Platform (MSTP), Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM), and Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON) can be introduced. MSTP technology based on Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) is recommended as the main solution for 3G access transport network,and the ASON+WDM technology is for 3G core transport network.
Analysis of Ultrasound Diagnostic for Special Type of Uterine Fibroids

Objective:To investigate the ultrasound diagnosis characteristics of special type of uterine fibroids.Method:60 patients had the special type of uterine fibroids with two-dimensional and color doppler ultrasound were retrospectively analyzed and confirmed by surgery and pathology.Result:After the two-dimensional and color doppler ultrasound examination 60 cases of patients with a particular type of uterine fibroids,misdiagnosed were 8 cases,the diagnostic coincidence rate was 87%(52/60).15 cases of submucosal uterine fibroids,misdiagnosed were 3 cases,the diagnostic coincidence rate was 80%.Subserosal uterine fibroids were 10 cases,1 case of misdiagnosis,the diagnostic coincidence rate was 90%.Broad ligament fibroids were 7 cases,misdiagnosis was 1 case,the diagnostic coincidence rate was 86%.7 cases of cervical fibroids,the diagnostic coincidence rate was 100%.6 cases of uterine fibroids with calcification,the diagnostic coincidence rate was 100%.Uterine fibroids steatosis were 2 cases,the diagnostic coincidence rate was 100%.9 cases of cystic degeneration of uterine fibroids,misdiagnosed were 2 cases,the diagnostic coincidence rate was 78%.4 cases of pregnant women with uterine fibroids,misdiagnosis was 1 case,the diagnostic coincidence rate was 75%.Conclusion:Color doppler ultrasound improves the special type of uterine fibroids diagnosis accuracy.
Religious Motivated Hate Crimes: Reporting to Law Enforcement and Case Outcomes

Relative to non-bias motivated crimes, hate crimes have much graver consequences for victims and their community. Despite the large increase in religious hate crimes over the past decade relative to all other hate crime, little is known about these types of crimes and the factors associated with both reporting to law enforcement and case outcomes. Utilizing the National Crime Victimization Survey and National Incident-Based Reporting System datasets, this study examines the relationship between victim, offender, and incident characteristics on reporting to law enforcement and case outcomes. Most religious hate crimes are not reported (41.3 %) in part due to perceptions of law enforcement’s perceived response. Of the violent incidents that are reported, the vast majority do not result in the arrest of an offender (22.2 %). Whereas only a small number of variables related to the seriousness of the offense are associated with both reporting and arrest, these exhibited large effect sizes.
Proteomics of Human Malignant Lymphoma

The proteome represents the total complement of proteins present in a complex, an organelle, a cell, tissue, or an organism. Proteomics encompass the multifaceted study of protein expression, interactions, posttranslational modification, and function at the cellular level. Mass spectrometry offers significant opportunities for the analysis of single proteins and the unbiased large-scale analysis of proteins in complex mixtures. The ability to conduct large-scale investigation of proteins in an unbiased fashion dramatically improves the opportunities for biological discovery and is relevant for the elucidation of novel biological insights into physiology and disease. In this regard, mass spectrometry is considered a key technology that will drive the achievement of several milestones in the identification of key proteins involved in disease detection and treatment. This chapter provides a synopsis of the principles of the techniques employed in the current state-of-the art proteomics and the opportunities that this suite of technologies offers in biological discovery as it relates to human lymphomas. Advances in mass spectrometry-based proteomics have shifted the paradigm of translational cancer research (for a review of background on proteomics and mass spectrometry see). The achievement of the ultimate goals of identifying biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis and the development of novel agents for therapy will require significant effort in understanding the basic protein building blocks and the global proteomic circuitry.
Resonant excitation of betatron oscillations

Resonant excitation of betatron oscillations is a proposed mechanism for creating large amplitude, sinusoidal electron oscillations by overlaying a standard magnetic undulator and the radial electric fields of an ion channel to effectively create a very high strength undulator. By satisfying a resonance condition between the undulator and betatron periods, large transverse wiggling amplitudes are possible at short periods of oscillation. This skirts the existing limitations of magnetic undulators whose effective strength is constrained by the limits on high peak field values in a short (∼cm) period. Additionally, such motion can be achieved with on axis beam injection and greater operational amplitude and polarization tunability than offered in other incarnations of the plasma wiggler. This technique provides a path to applications that demand high K, tunable, bright x-ray or gamma ray radiation such as high flux polarized positron production and a practical realization of the ion channel laser.
Initiation of an Inhaled Corticosteroid During a Pediatric Emergency Visit for Asthma: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Study objective We determine whether prescribing an inhaled corticosteroid during a pediatric emergency department (ED) asthma visit increases ongoing use and improves outcomes. Methods This randomized trial enrolled children aged 1 to 18 years, with persistent asthma not previously prescribed a controller medication, and who were being discharged after ED asthma treatment. Intervention subjects received a 1-month prescription for an inhaled corticosteroid (fluticasone or budesonide by age) in addition to standard asthma therapy and instructions given to all patients. Outcomes included filling of the intervention and subsequent inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions, asthma-related symptoms and quality of life, and follow-up rates with a primary care provider. Outcomes were assessed during telephone interviews 2 and 8 weeks after the ED visit and by review of primary care provider and pharmacy records. Results One hundred forty-seven children were enrolled, and baseline measures were similar between groups. In the intervention group, 53.5% of patients filled an initial ED prescription for inhaled corticosteroid. There was no important difference between groups in subsequent filling of a primary care provider prescription (21% intervention versus 17% control; relative rate=1.24; 95% confidence interval 0.63 to 2.41). During the 2 weeks after the ED visit, intervention subjects reported reduced shortness of breath while awake and cough while asleep compared with controls. Groups did not differ by rates of primary care provider follow-up, functional limitations, or asthma-related symptoms and quality of life. Conclusion There was no difference in the proportion of patients who filled a primary care provider prescription after ED initiation of an inhaled corticosteroid. The intervention was associated with reduced reported symptoms but did not affect other asthma outcomes or primary care provider follow-up.
Pediatric Clavicle Injuries

The human clavicle assists in suspending the upper extremity from the axial skeleton. It is one of the first bones to ossify during human development and contains the last physis to close at the end of skeletal growth. Injuries to the clavicle are common in children, and may be underreported secondary to benign neglect and to self-treatment. Medial physeal fractures are the pediatric equivalent of adult sternoclavicular dislocations, and lateral physeal fractures are analogous to acromioclavicular dislocations. Newborns associated with complicated births are at risk for clavicle fracture during the birthing process. Congenital differences of the clavicle can occur also, most notably pseudarthrosis. Treatment of pediatric clavicle fractures is generally nonoperative although management is individualized.
Anthropogenic water sources and the effects on Sonoran Desert small mammal communities

Anthropogenic water sources (AWS) are developed water sources used as a management tool for desert wildlife species. Studies documenting the effects of AWS are often focused on game species; whereas, the effects on non-target wildlife are less understood. We used live trapping techniques to investigate rodent abundance, biomass, and diversity metrics near AWS and paired control sites; we sampled vegetation to determine rodent-habitat associations in the Sauceda Mountains of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. A total of 370 individual mammals representing three genera and eight species were captured in 4,800 trap nights from winter 2011 to spring 2012. A multi-response permutation procedure was used to identify differences in small mammal community abundance and biomass by season and treatment. Rodent abundance, biomass, and richness were greater at AWS compared to control sites. Patterns of abundance and biomass were driven by the desert pocket mouse (Chaetodipus penicillatus) which was the most common capture and two times more numerous at AWS compared to controls. Vegetation characteristics, explored using principal components analysis, were similar between AWS and controls. Two species that prefer vegetation structure, Bailey’s pocket mouse (C. baileyi) and white-throated woodrat (Neotoma albigula), had greater abundances and biomass near AWS and were associated with habitat having high cactus density. Although small mammals do not drink free-water, perhaps higher abundances of some species of desert rodents at AWS could be related to artificial structure associated with construction or other resources. Compared to the 30-year average of precipitation for the area, the period of our study occurred during a dry winter. During dry periods, perhaps AWS provide resources to rodents related to moisture.
Understanding and Trumping Behavioral Concerns in the Classroom.

ABSTRACTThis article describes the critical need for behavioral supports to be implemented across all students. The current inflammatory social and political climate appears to be having a negative...
Video-assisted thoracoscopic thoracic duct sealing is inconsistent when performed with a bipolar vessel-sealing device in healthy cats.

Objective To describe a technique for video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) thoracic duct ligation (TDL) in normal cats with a bipolar vessel-sealing device and to assess durability of the seal. Study design Prospective case series. Animals Six healthy research cats. Methods Cats were placed under anesthesia for computed tomography lymphangiography (CTLA) to identify thoracic duct anatomy. On the basis of CTLA findings, cats were positioned in either right or left lateral recumbency for a 3-port VATS TDL. Thoracic duct branches were dissected from the aorta after subcutaneous indirect near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) lymphography with indocyanine green was performed to optimize detection. A vessel-sealing device was used to seal each thoracic duct in 1 or more locations. Postattenuation, indirect NIRF lymphography was repeated to confirm complete occlusion of thoracic duct flow. CTLA was repeated in all cats 3 months postoperatively. Results The thoracic duct was surgically approached from the right in 3 cats and from the left in 3 cats. A median of 2.5 (range 1-6) TDL seal sites were applied. In 2 cats, leakage of chyle was detected during dissection. At 3 months postoperatively, CTLA confirmed reestablished chylous flow in 5 of 6 cats, appearing to occur through recanalization of previously sealed sites rather than through development of de novo lymphatic vessels. Conclusion VATS TDL is feasible in cats, although the variable and delicate nature of feline thoracic duct anatomy should be considered preoperatively. Clinical significance Bipolar vessel-sealing devices are not a durable modality for thoracic duct sealing in healthy cats in a seal only fashion.
WEAK LOCALIZATION OF ELECTRONS ON A HELIUM SURFACE

Weak localization by vapor-atom scattering is studied for electrons on a helium surface. Dephasing times are measured as a function of electron density. The electron-electron collision time is determined. The dephasing mechanism is due to the motion of helium atoms.
Mohs micrographic surgery. A historical perspective.

Excising cancer in successive layers and examining the entire underside of each layer in the microscope by the systematic use of frozen sections ensure eradication of the neoplasm, including its “silent” outgrowths, and this is accomplished with the maximal sparing of normal tissue. Fresh-tissue micrographic surgery is used for most cancers, but the fixed-tissue technique is safer for melanomas because all incisions are made through fixed (killed) tissues, avoiding the danger of disseminating highly transplantable melanoma cells from transecting silent outgrowths or clinically invisible satellites. Although the essential concept was very simple, more than a half century of continuing development was required to bring the method to its present status; further progress is an exciting prospect.
Comparisons between Pectic Enzyme Genes from ErwiniaCarotovora Subsp. Carotovora and E. Carotovora Subsp. Atroseptica

We have used molecular cloning to isolate DNA sequences coding for pectolytic enzymes from Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora strain EC14 and Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica strain SR-8. Ten pectolytic cosmid clones and four pectolytic pBR322 clones from EC14 were compared with two pectolytic pBR322 clones from SR-8 using restriction mapping, Southern hybridization, and gene product analysis. Preliminary results suggest a close relationship between heterologous endo-pectate lyase genes from the two subspecies.
The Household Workers of the East India Company Ports of Pre-Colonial Bengal

This article examines the various experiences of slavery and freedom of female household workers in the Dutch and English East India Company (VOC and EIC, respectively) ports in Bengal in the early eighteenth century. Enslaved household workers in Bengal came from various Asian societies dotting the Indian Ocean littoral. Once manumitted, they entered the fold of the free Christian or Portuguese communities of the settlements. The most common, if not the only, occupation of the women of these communities was household or caregiving labour. The patriarchy of the settlements was defined by the labour and subjection of these women. Yet, domestic service to VOC/EIC officials only partially explains their subjectivity. This article identifies the agency of enslaved and women of free Christian or Portuguese communities in their efforts to resist or bypass the institution of the European household in the settlements. These efforts ranged from murdering their slave masters to creating independent businesses to the formation of sexual liaisons and parental/fraternal/sororal relationships disregarding the approval or needs of their settlement masters.
Balance confidence scale: Preliminary validity, reliability, and relation to neural excitability in young adults

Abstract Balance confidence may reflect and affect balance performance, and this effect may be mediated by neural inputs to muscles. Available balance confidence scales are designed for older adults and individuals with pathological conditions. To eliminate ceiling effects for young adults and to enable the study of neural excitability in relation to confidence relevant to balance, we developed a Balance Confidence Scale (BCS), comprised of items depicting single limb stance conditions of varying difficulty. Motor cortical excitability was measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Preliminary construct validity was examined relative to balance performance, perceived steadiness, and previous physical activity in 20 young adults (25.7 ± 4.2 years; 11 females). The scale showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.81) and good test-retest reliability (ICC2,1 = 0.84) in a separate sample of 21 young adults (23.8 ± 4.6 years; 11 females). Balance confidence ranged from 34 to 79.6% in the validity sample. Confidence was correlated with performance indexed using center of pressure velocity (r = −0.62, p = 0.01) and area (r = −0.49, p = 0.04), in a relatively difficult standing condition with one leg positioned on an unstable spring. Perceived steadiness and overall physical activity were not correlated with confidence; however, participants with higher confidence scores reported greater experience with balance-related activities. Finally, confidence was related to indices of motor cortical excitability. The Balance Confidence Scale has sound preliminary validity and reliability and holds promise for the study of neural processes mediating social-cognitive influences on balance performance.
Predicting product co-consideration and market competitions for technology-driven product design: a network-based approach

We propose a data-driven network-based approach to understand the interactions among technologies, products, and customers. Specifically, the approach enables both a qualitative understanding and a quantitative assessment of the impact of technological changes on customers’ co-consideration behaviors (decision of cross-shopping) and as a consequence the product competitions. The uniqueness of the proposed approach is its capability of predicting complex co-consideration relations of products as a network where both descriptive analyses (e.g., network statistics and joint correspondence analysis) and predictive models (e.g., multiple regressions quadratic assignment procedure) are employed. The integrated network analysis approach features three advantages: (1) It provides an effective visual representation of the underlying market structures; (2) It facilitates the evaluation of the correlation between customers’ consideration preferences and product attributes as well as customer demographics; (3) It enables the prediction of market competitions in response to potential technological changes. This paper demonstrates the proposed network-based approach in a vehicle design context. We investigate the impacts of the fuel economy-boosting technologies and the turbocharged engine technology on individual automakers as well as the entire auto industry. The case study provides vehicle engineers with insights into the change of market competitions brought by technological developments and thereby supports attribute decision-making in vehicle design.
Oppressive Staff Dynamics at an Intentionally Diverse Urban Charter School

City Preparatory Academy (CPA) is a charter school in a midwestern city that intentionally serves a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population. This exploratory research began as an ...
Chapter 36 – Psychoneuroendocrinology

Publisher Summary The basic principles of psychoneuroendocrinology can be extracted from the efforts to characterize the complex interactions among the central nervous system, hormones, and behavior. The presence of psychiatric symptoms in endocrine disorders generated the question as to whether endocrine abnormalities might accompany psychiatric illness. Pursuit of this question was enabled by the isolation and characterization of hormones and subsequent development of biochemical assays that allowed their direct measurement. Increasingly, the idea that individuals with primary endocrinopathies variably display associated behavioral symptoms reflects shared clinical understanding. Genetic context offers a ready explanation for marked differences in response to an endocrine signal across individuals. Independent of changes in genetic structure, intracellular signaling is highly context-dependent. The response to a hormonal stimulus is determined by the concentration and type of co-regulators present as well as the presence or absence of other hormone signals. The differential sensitivity to gonadal steroids seen in women with histories of reproductive-related mood disorders emphasizes that the response to a biological signal cannot be inferred without an understanding of the context in which the signal occurs.
Distribution of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) in natural habitats in California, USA

A total of 270 soil samples from 30 different habitats in 10 geographic regions of California were evaluated for the presence of rhabditid entomopathogenic nematodes. Nematodes were isolated from 26.3% of the samples. The recovered isolates were identified as Steinernema carpocapsae, S. feltiae, S. kraussei, S. longicaudum, S. oregonense, Heterorhabditis marelatus and H.bacteriophora. Among the steinernematids, S. kraussei and S. feltiae were the most commonly encountered species, generally occurring in acidic soils high in organic matter. Among the heterorhabditids, H. bacteriophora was isolated along the southern coast, whereas H. marelatus was recovered along the northern coast of California. Steinernematids were recovered from coniferous forests, oak woodlands and grasslands whereas heterorhabditids were isolated from coastal marshes.
Thirty-day readmissions and reoperations after total elbow arthroplasty: a national database study

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of short-term complications after TEA and identify predictors of readmission and reoperation. We hypothesized that TEA performed for acute elbow trauma would have higher rates of 30-day readmission and reoperation than TEA for osteoarthritis. Methods Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement (NSQIP) database years 2011-2017, we identified patients undergoing TEA for fracture, osteoarthritis, or inflammatory arthritis. Patient demographics, comorbidities, reoperations and readmissions within thirty days of surgery were analyzed. Potential predictors of reoperation and readmission in the model include: age, sex, race, body mass index (BMI), diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, smoking, bleeding disorders, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, wound classification, operative time, and indication for surgery. Results A total of 414 patients underwent TEA from 2011-2017. Of these patients, 40.6% underwent TEA for fracture, 37.0% for osteoarthritis, and 22.7% for inflammatory arthritis. The overall rate of unplanned readmission was 5.1% (21 patients). The rate of unplanned reoperations was 2.4% (10 patients). Infection was the most common reason for both unplanned readmission and reoperation. The rate of reoperation and readmission was not significantly associated with any of the three operative indications: fracture, osteoarthritis, or inflammatory arthritis. A multiple logistic regression analysis found increased BMI to be associated with lower odds of an unplanned readmission (OR=0.883, 95% CI: 0.798 to 0.963, p=0.0035), wound classification > 3 associated with increased odds of an unplanned reoperation (OR=16.531, 95% CI: 1.300 to 167.960, p=0.0144) and total local complications (OR=17.587, 95% CI: 2.207 to 132.019, p=0.0057). Patients who were not functionally independent were more likely to experience local complications (OR=4.181, 95% CI: 0.983 to 15.664, p=0.0309) than functionally independent patients. Conclusions The 30-day unplanned reoperation rate after TEA was 2.4%, and the unplanned readmission rate was 5.1%. Low BMI was predictive of readmission. Wounds classified as contaminated or dirty were predictive of reoperation. Dependent functional status and contaminated wounds were predictive of local complications. The indication for TEA (fracture versus OA versus RA) was not found to be a risk factor for reoperation or readmission after TEA.
Rapid and Accurate Interpretation of Clinical Exomes Using Phenoxome: a Computational Phenotype-driven Approach

Clinical exome sequencing (CES) has become the preferred diagnostic platform for complex pediatric disorders with suspected monogenic etiologies, solving up to 20%-50% of cases depending on indication. Despite rapid advancements in CES analysis, the major challenge still resides in identifying the casual variants among the thousands of variants detected during CES testing, and thus establishing a molecular diagnosis. To improve the clinical exome diagnostic efficiency, we developed Phenoxome, a robust phenotype-driven model that adopts a network-based approach to facilitate automated variant prioritization and subsequent classification. Phenoxome dissects the phenotypic manifestation of a patient in conjunction with their genomic profile to filter and then prioritize putative pathogenic variants. To validate our method, we have compiled a clinical cohort of 105 positive patient samples (i.e. at least one reported pathogenic variant) that represent a wide range of genetic heterogeneity from The Children9s Hospital of Philadelphia. Our approach identifies the causative variants within the top 5, 10, or 25 candidates in more than 50%, 71%, or 88% of these patient samples respectively. Furthermore, we show that our method is optimized for clinical testing by yielding superior ranking of the pathogenic variants compared to current state-of-art methods. The web application of Phenoxome is available to the public at http://phenoxome.chop.edu/.
A Novel Lysolecithin Model for Visualizing Damage in vivo in the Larval Zebrafish Spinal Cord

Background: Lysolecithin is commonly used to induce demyelinating lesions in the spinal cord and corpus callosum of mammalian models. Although these models and clinical patient samples are used to study neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), they do not allow for direct visualization of disease-related damage in vivo. To overcome this limitation, we created and characterized a focal lysolecithin injection model in zebrafish that allows us to investigate the temporal dynamics underlying lysolecithin-induced damage in vivo. Results: We injected lysolecithin into 4-6 days post-fertilization (dpf) zebrafish larval spinal cords and, coupled with in vivo, time-lapse imaging, observed hallmarks consistent with mammalian models of lysolecithin-induced demyelination, including myelinating glial cell loss, myelin perturbations, axonal sparing, and debris clearance. Conclusion: We have developed and characterized a lysolecithin injection model in zebrafish that allows us to investigate myelin damage in a living, vertebrate organism. This model may be a useful pre-clinical screening tool for investigating the safety and efficacy of novel therapeutic compounds that reduce damage and/or promote repair in neurodegenerative disorders, such as MS.
Partisanship in Mutual Fund Portfolios: Biased Expectations or In-Group Favoritism? (preprint)

Partisan bias in fund portfolios is the effect of fund manager's political affiliation on portfolio allocation decisions. I study two potential channels of this bias: biased expectations where managers become optimistic (pessimistic) when their party comes in (goes out of) the government, and in-group favoritism where managers have higher holdings of politically aligned firms. I find strong evidence for the biased expectations channel. Managers misaligned with the incumbent party underweight value, small, and volatile stocks, and overweight momentum stocks. However, contrary to past literature, I find no evidence for in-group favoritism. I also document a partisan bias in holdings of stocks exposed to politicized topics (COVID-19 and Brexit) but limited evidence for past pandemics (H1N1, Ebola and Zika).
Suitability of EtO Sterilization for Polydopamine-coated, Self-fitting Bone Scaffolds.

Irregularly shaped craniomaxillofacial (CMF) defects may be advantageously treated by "self-fitting" shape memory polymer (SMP) scaffolds, namely those prepared from poly(e-caprolactone)diacrylate (PCL-DA) networks and PCL-DA/poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) (75:25 wt%) semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs). In addition to achieving good scaffold-tissue contact, a polydopamine (PD) coating can be leveraged to enhance bioactivity for improved osseointegration. Sterilization with ethylene oxide (EtO) represents a logical choice due to its low operating temperature and humidity. Herein, for the first time, the impact of EtO sterilization on the material properties of PD-coated SMP scaffolds was systematically assessed. Morphological features (i.e., pore size and pore interconnectivity), and in vitro bioactivity were preserved as were PCL crystallinity, PLLA crystallinity, and crosslinking. These latter features led to sustained shape memory properties, and compressive modulus. EtO-sterilized, PD-coated scaffolds displayed similar in vitro degradation behaviors versus analogous non-sterilized scaffolds. This included maintenance of compression modulus following 28 days of exposure to non-accelerated degradation conditions.
Early Response (2018–2020) to the Threat of Spotted Lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) in Pennsylvania

Spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) is an invasive planthopper first detected in the United States in one county in Pennsylvania in September 2014. As of October 2020, 43 counties in nine states are under quarantine due to the presence of SLF in those areas, and it has been detected in 10 additional states. The greatest economic impacts from SLF have been reported from grape growers, nurseries, and Christmas tree growers, and it is considered a nuisance pest by residents. Because this insect feeds on over 70 species of herbaceous and woody trees and plants, it has the potential to cause wide ranging damage across agricultural, urban, suburban, and forested landscapes. Due to these widespread impacts, SLF management has demanded cooperation at local, state, regional, and national levels. However, the immediate response to the threat of SLF in Pennsylvania during the early phases of the infestation was a catalyst for initiating these efforts, and this response was coordinated via a partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania State University College of Agricultural Sciences. The history of SLF in the United States is recounted, highlighting the early priorities that emerged. The resulting actions taken in 2018–2020 in response to these priorities, which involved research, Extension, and public awareness are summarized, and areas in which improvements are needed that have been identified are discussed.
New Approaches to the Design of Hopper Dredges

Three new hopper dredges of different sizes and mission performance are currently under construction for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This paper describes the particular features of the dredges that constitute advances in the state of the art, and reviews the philosophy behind their design. In addition, the author demonstrates how this new dredge fleet, though smaller than earlier fleets, will improve the Corps' capability, for both civilian and military purposes, to maintain all U.S. coastal waterways as well as locations overseas that are of interest to the United States. Finally, damage stability requirements and noise abatement specifications are treated in separate appendices.
Plasmas as Fluids

In a plasma the situation is much more complicated than that in the last chapter; the E and B fields are not prescribed but are determined by the positions and motions of the charges themselves. One must solve a self-consistent problem; that is, find a set of particle trajectories and field patterns such that the particles will generate the fields as they move along their orbits and the fields will cause the particles to move in those exact orbits. And this must be done in a time-varying situation!
The British Experience in Palestine: A Decade of Jewish Cooperation and Resistance, 1936-46

In attempting to understand the reasons for the withdrawal of an imperial power from its colonies, one should examine the reasons that made it possible to maintain control in the first place. Imperial rule, it will be argued here, can be maintained only through the cooperation of the local leadership. Britain's experience in Palestine during the decade between 1936 and 1946 seems to confirm this observation. The British made strenuous efforts to encourage cooperation from the official institutions of the Yishuv (the Jewish Community in Palestine) as well as from the illegal resistance groups. Furthermore, the British attempted to demonstrate fairness by promoting bom Jews and Arabs in the Palestine Administration. The leaders of the Yishuv, who regarded the Mandate as a vital framework for the growth of the National Home, helped the British to maintain control, and thereby allowed the Mandate to operate in a relatively smooth fashion until after the Second World War. Jewish assistance continued despite the stormy events which threatened to destroy it (mainly, the Arab Rebellion of 1936-39 and the British government's 1939 White Paper policy statement on Palestine). Only after the Second World War, when the British failed to maintain the cooperative mechanism by not rewarding those who cooperated, did the latter unite with the non-cooperative elements and force the British to withdraw.
Properties of preliminary test estimators and shrinkage estimators for evaluating multiple exposures—application to questionnaire data from the ‘Study of nevi in children’

Epidemiology studies increasingly examine multiple exposures in relation to disease by selecting the exposures of interest in a thematic manner. For example, sun exposure, sunburn, and sun protection behavior could be themes for an investigation of sun-related exposures. Several studies now use pre-defined linear combinations of the exposures pertaining to the themes to estimate the effects of the individual exposures. Such analyses may improve the precision of the exposure effects, but they can lead to inflated bias and type I errors when the linear combinations are inaccurate. We investigate preliminary test estimators and empirical Bayes type shrinkage estimators as alternative approaches when it is desirable to exploit the thematic choice of exposures, but the accuracy of the pre-defined linear combinations is unknown. We show that the two types of estimator are intimately related under certain assumptions. The shrinkage estimator derived under the assumption of an exchangeable prior distribution gives precise estimates and is robust to misspecifications of the user-defined linear combinations. The precision gains and robustness of the shrinkage estimation approach are illustrated using data from the SONIC study, where the exposures are the individual questionnaire items and the outcome is (log) total back nevus count.