cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applying Organizational Justice: Questionable Claims and Promising Suggestions

With an eye toward promoting applications of organizational justice, I respond to commentaries on my focal article (Greenberg, 2009a). Specifically, I challenge questionable claims regarding (a) characterization of applied research, (b) why we don't conduct more applied justice research, (c) moral versus instrumental rationales for promoting justice, (d) the validity of intervention studies, and (e) interpretations of Lewin's classic observation about the practical value of theory. I also identify and comment upon two suggestions for promoting applied justice research: (a) promoting cooperation between researchers and practitioners and (b) conducting comprehensive, integrative interventions.
Tulip Breaking: Past, Present, and Future

This article focuses on the oldest recorded plant virus disease, tulip breaking, and reflects the authors’ interests in molecular virology, the history of virology, and the broad influence of viruses upon societies and their culture. The potyvirus Tulip breaking virus (TBV) induces in the petals of its host tulips beautiful variegated color patterns that break the solid color of the uninfected tulips, hence the name “tulip breaking.” The human passions of possession that these “broken tulips” induced in seventeenth century Holland generated an economic and social disorder with lasting cultural ramifications referred to as “tulipomania.” Although the lure of the broken tulip persists in the twenty-first century, the molecular mechanisms governing the virus-induced color breaking in tulips remain little understood. Here, we review aspects of the historical impact of tulipomania, the biology of TBV, the pathways and regulation of plant pigment formation, and the potential mechanisms underlying virus-induced color breaking. The reader is cautioned that tulipomania, like tulip breaking, is still contagious.
Shaping animal body plans in development and evolution by modulation of Hox expression patterns

Summary Most animals exhibit distinctive and diverse morphological features on their anterior-posterior body axis. However, underneath the variation in design and developmental strategies lies a shared ancient structural blueprint that is based on the expression patterns of Hox genes. Both the establishment and maintenance of the spatial and temporal distribution of Hox transcripts play an important role in determining axial pattern. The study of many animal systems, both vertebrate and invertebrate, suggests that the mechanisms used to establish Hox transcription are nearly as diverse as the body plans they specify. The strategies for maintenance of Hox expression pattern seem more conserved among different phyla, and rely on the action of Pc and trx group genes as well as auto- and cross-regulation among Hox genes. In mice, the sharing of regulatory elements coupled with auto- and cross-regulation could explain the conservation of the clustered arrangement of Hox genes. In contrast, fly Hox genes seem to have evolved insulators or boundary elements to avoid sharing regulatory regions. Differences in Hox transcription patterns can be correlated with morphological modifications in different species, and it seems likely that evolutionary variation of Hox cis-regulatory elements has played a major role in the emergence of novel body plans in different taxa of the animal kingdom. BioEssays 20:116‐125, 1998. r 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
α1-Antitrypsin and Neutrophil Elastase Imbalance and Lung Cancer Risk

Objective Imbalance between α 1 -antitrypsin and neutrophil elastase is an underlying cause of lung tissue damage that may create a favorable host environment for carcinogenesis. We conducted a case-control study to investigate whether genetic variations indicative of α 1 -antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD) or an excess of neutrophil elastase modify lung cancer risk Design The case patients were 305 consecutively identified primary lung cancer patients, and the control subjects were 338 community residents. Protease inhibitor-1 (PI1), encoding α 1 -antitrypsin, was typed by an isoelectric focusing assay. Neutrophil elastase-2 (ELA2), encoding neutrophil elastase, was typed by two single-nucleotide polymorphism sites. Multivariable logistic regression models tested the independent and interactive effects of PI1, ELA2, tobacco smoke exposure, COPD, and family history of lung cancer Results Sex and ethnicity were comparable between case patients and control subjects, but case patients were more likely to be smokers, and to have a history of COPD, environmental tobacco smoke exposure, and a positive family history of lung cancer. Haplotype analysis indicated an overall strong association between the two ELA2 markers and lung cancer risk. Our best-fitting model showed significant and independent effects of the PI1-deficient allele (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4 to 3.0) and the ELA2 T-G haplotype (OR, 4.1; 95% CI, 1.9 to 8.9) on lung cancer risk, and an increased risk (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.4 to 2.8) for individuals carrying both a PI1-deficient allele and a G-G haplotype Conclusions Genotypes indicative of A1ATD and/or an excess of neutrophil elastase are significantly associated with lung cancer risk. Our findings may provide opportunities to better understand the mechanisms of lung cancer development and risk reduction.
Examining the evidence about treatment in ALS/MND.

The application of evidence-based medicine to the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is just beginning. A small number of systematic reviews analyzing the pertinent evidence, grading the methodology and formulating recommendations to guide clinical decision-making have begun to appear. The American Academy of Neurology practice parameters for informing the patient and managing nutritional and respiratory issues and palliative care are discussed. In addition, the first systematic review in the field of ALS/MND from the Cochrane collaboration concerns riluzole treatment and this meta-analysis is also described. Some of the most important recommendations that have the potential to significantly prolong survival and enhance quality of life are the early institution of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for patients with significant dysphagia, and the initiation of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation for patients with symptoms of early respiratory insufficiency. Assertive treatment of pain and dyspnea are also strongly recommended for patients with ALS. The North American ALS patient database, ALS C.A.R.E., is also described as a methodology for measuring clinical outcomes, and some early results are presented. The evidence on riluzole indicates effectiveness in prolonging survival with a good safety profile.
Theory of the Crestatron: A Forward-Wave Amplifier

In the past a considerable amount of experimental evidence presented by various workers has indicated that gain apparently occurs in a traveling-wave type device even though the voltage may be so high that growing waves cease to exist. This means, in terms of Pierce's traveling-wave tube theory, that the growth constant of the growing wave x1 is zero in this regime of operation. A theory explaining this phenomenon has been worked out and both small-signal and large-signal calculations have been carried out to investigate the characteristics of this type of operation. The gain occurs in this region due to a beating effect produced between the three small-signal forward waves described in traveling-wave tube theory as they travel along the RF structure. The maximum achievable gain is determined by the injection velocity and not by the length of the tube as in the normal case. Based on the above theory a device named the Crestatron, which utilizes this new mode of operation, has been built and tested to verify the theory, and it has been found that moderate gain (10-20 db) and high operating efficiency coupled with a very short length (4-6 wave-lengths) characterize this mode of operation.
Microsatellite DNA markers for population genetic studies and parentage assignment in cobia, Rachycentron canadum

Twenty nuclear-encoded microsatellites from a genomic DNA library of cobia, Rachycentron canadum , were isolated and characterized. The microsatellites include two tetranucleotide, one trinucleotide, three combination tetranucleotide/dinucleotide, nine dinucleotide, and five imperfect (dinucleotide) repeat motifs. Gene diversity ranged between zero to 0.910; the number of alleles among a sample of 24 fish ranged from one to 15. Cobia support an important recreational fishery in the southeastern United States and recently have become of interest to aquaculture. The microsatellites developed will be useful tools for studying both population genetics (e.g. stock structure, effective population size) and inheritance of traits important to aquaculture.
Electricity use of wired and wireless telecommunications networks in the United States

This paper investigates the electricity consumption of the telecommunications network in the United States. The scope of the study covers the 'voice' network, including equipment used by both the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)-used by traditional 'wired' phone companies-and the cellular network-used by wireless companies. Building on results from a previous study, the estimated total electricity consumption of the telecommunications network in the US was found to be 29-34 TWh/year, or about 0.8% to 0.9% of the US total electricity consumption. This paper analyzes the breakdown of the electricity consumption between the PSTN and the cellular network, and found the cellular network to be about 2 times more energy efficient in terms of energy used per subscriber connection; while the PSTN network is more energy efficient in terms of electricity consumed per call-minute. With the increasing trend of wireless subscriberships while the number of wired customers remains about constant, the energy efficiency of the cellular network is expected to grow, since the equipment requirements of the cellular network do not scale up proportionately with the number of cellular users.
Rhythms of the Earth

Many anthropologists view dance around the world as part of expressive culture, where dance steps and styles are particular to the cultures in which we encounter them. But in the late 1950s the ant...
Monocyte interactions with solid substrates monitored by chemiluminescence.

The kinetics of interaction of solid substrates with mononuclear cells is a little explored but important feature in the evaluation of potential prosthetic materials. Monocyte production of chemiluminescence in a luminol-enhanced system was used to explore such kinetics. A theoretical model of cell/surface interaction is developed and alternatives in the evaluation of data generated by chemiluminescent curves are presented. The interactions of monocytes with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) surface were similar to those seen in studies on phagocytosis and were dependent on an adsorbed serum protein layer. This study illustrates the use of a simple laboratory test for monocyte oxidative function in assessing the potential inflammatory effects of various prosthetic materials.
Dark Matter Trapping by Stellar Bars: The Shadow Bar

We investigate the complex interactions between the stellar disc and the dark-matter halo during bar formation and evolution using N-body simulations with fine temporal resolution and optimally chosen spatial resolution. We find that the forming stellar bar traps dark matter in the vicinity of the stellar bar into bar-supporting orbits. We call this feature the shadow bar. The shadow bar modifies both the location and magnitude of the angular momentum transfer between the disc and dark matter halo and adds 10 per cent to the mass of the stellar bar over 4 Gyr. The shadow bar is potentially observable by its density and velocity signature in spheroid stars and by direct dark matter detection experiments. Numerical tests demonstrate that the shadow bar can diminish the rate of angular momentum transport from the bar to the dark matter halo by more than a factor of three over the rate predicted by dynamical friction with an untrapped dark halo, and thus provides a possible physical explanation for the observed prevalence of fast bars in nature.
Survival of the Face Fly in Feces from Cattle Fed Alfalfa Hay or Grain Diets: Effect of Fermentation and Microbial Changes

Feces from cattle fed alfalfa hay or grain diets were mixed in various proportions (wet weight) to study their effect on face fly survival. Fecal mixtures containing 10 to 40% grain feces enhanced larval survival and pupal weight. Greatest larval mortality occurred in fecal mixtures containing > 70% grain feces. Fecal pH dropped below 5 within 24 h in the 75, 85 and 100% grain fecal mixtures. Adult eclosion was lower in mixtures with at least 50% grain feces. Fecal moisture content was proportional to the amount of alfalfa hay feces but was not a significant factor in larval survival. Lactic acid concentrations in alfalfa hay feces increased from 17.2 to 31.5 μg/g feces within 24 h whereas grain feces increased from 52.8 to 810.5 μg/g feces. Lactobacilli in alfalfa hay feces decreased from 104 lactobicilli/g to 103/g after 24 h whereas grain feces initially had 107 lactobacilli/g and increased to 108/g after 24 h. Coliform bacteria populations were not affected by as much as 50% grain fecal mixtures but acid produced in the 100 and 75% grain fecal mixtures destroyed coliform bacteria after 24 and 48 h, respectively.
Clinical Pathology of the Ischemic Myelopathy

Obstruction of the blood supply of the spinal cord,and the consequent ischemic injury to the cord,is rela- tively rare compared with occlusive intracranial vascular disease.Not only the vasculature of the spinal cord varies considerably from that of the brain,but also the etiology,pathogenesis and pathology of ischemic myelopathy are greatly different from their cerebral counterparts.What's worse,the prognosis of ischemic myelopathy is usually poor.Thus,people should never trifle with this uncommon but malignant disease,
Analysis of Influenza Surveillance in Yunfu City from 2004 to 2005

Objective To analyze the epidemic characteristics of influenza infection in Yunfu city , and provide scientific basis for making prevention and control measures. Methods Yunfu city influenza infection was monitored through the network system,for the influenza epidemiology,occurrence and outbreaks. Results 2004 and 2005 cases monitoring hospitals reported 14 655 influenza or influenza like cases were reported in 2004-05,accounting for 3.60% of the hospital outpatient cases (pediatric outpatients and fever outpatients), mainly of children (86.48%). Cases occurred through out the year but with more cases in spring and winter. A total of 106 isolates were obtained in these two years, mainlyA3 (H3N2), A1 (H1N1) virus and B. A3 (H3N2) was predominant. Five outbreaks were occurred in primary and secondary schools. Four were caused by A3 (H3N2) and one by influenza B. Conclusion Yunfu city in 2004 and 2005 the incidence of influenza relatively few and without large outbreak. We should continue to strengthen the influenza surveillance and to setup an early influenza alert system.
The Second Sicilian Slave War, 104–100 b.c.

The second major slave war that afflicted the Roman state was almost a carbon copy of the first Taking place a generation after the first war, it also occurred on the island of Sicily. The sequence of events and the actions of the main protagonists are so reminiscent of the first slave war that some modern historians have hypothesized that the Greek and Roman historians who told the story of the second war simply copied the narrative patterns of the first. The real differences between the two wars, however, are significant, and the similarities may be explained by imitative behavior—the slaves and their repressors had learned from the first great war—and by the similar social, economic, and geographic conditions in which the events happened.
Choroidal Thickness and Structural Glaucoma Parameters in Glaucomatous, Preperimetric Glaucomatous, and Healthy Eyes using Swept-Source OCT:

PurposeTo evaluate choroidal thickness (CT) and its relationship with retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness (GCIPLT) in glaucomatous, preperimetric glau...
EMC Filter Design

Traditional filter design is complex. The maximum pass band ripple allowed, the roll off required, and the minimum loss in the stop band all must be considered. There are various standard filter types with linear phase, faster roll off, etc. Once it is decided which of the standard filter types is desired, the realizablility of the filter must be considered, and after all this, then we can start to assign values to the components of the filter. While these traditional filters are necessary in many applications, such as radio receivers, they are typically more complex than the real-world EMC application requires.
Multimorbidity of Four Cardiometabolic and Chronic Pulmonary Disease Groups: Prevalence and Attributable Fraction in US Adults, 2007–2012:

Background : Cardiometabolic and chronic pulmonary diseases may be associated with modifiable risk factors that can be targeted to prevent multimorbidity. Objectives: (i) Estimate the prevalence of multimorbidity across four cardiometabolic and chronic pulmonary disease groups; (ii) compare the prevalence of multimorbidity to monomorbidity and no disease; and (iii) quantify population attributable fractions (PAFs) for modifiable risk factors of multimorbidity. Design : Data from adults aged 18–79 years who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2012 were examined. Multimorbidity was defined as ≥2 co-occurring diseases across four common cardiometabolic and chronic pulmonary disease groups. Multivariate-adjusted PAFs for poverty, obesity, smoking, hypertension, and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were estimated. Results : Among 16,676 adults, the age-standardized prevalence of multimorbidity was 9.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 8.8–9.9). Multimorbidity occurred in 34.8% (95% CI 32.4–37.2) of adults aged 65–79 years and in 1.5% (95% CI 1.2–1.9) of adults aged 18–40 years. Multimorbidity was greatest among the poorest versus non-poorest adults and among blacks versus other races/ethnicities. Multimorbidity was also greater in adults with obesity, hypertension, and low HDL cholesterol. Risk factors with greatest PAFs were hypertension (38.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 29.4–47.4) and obesity (19.3; 95% CI 10.2–28.1). Conclusions : In the USA, 9.3% of adults have multimorbidity across four chronic disease groups, with a disproportionate burden among older, black, and poor adults. Our results suggest that reducing hypertension and obesity might yield over 50% reduction in the prevalence of multimorbidity of these diseases. *Equal contribution Journal of Comorbidity 2017;7(1):22–32
Comparing Capacity Coefficient and Dual Task Assessment of Visual Multitasking Workload

Capacity coefficient analysis offers a theoretically grounded alternative approach to subjective measures and dual task interference assessment of mental workload. Workload efficiency is a human information processing modeling construct defined as the efficacy with which the system responds to increases in the number of cognitive processes. In this paper, I explore the relationship between capacity coefficient analysis of workload efficiency and dual task interference response time measures. I examine how the relatively simple assumptions underlying capacity coefficient analysis parallel those made in dual task interference workload assessment. For the study of visual multitasking, capacity coefficient analysis enables a comparison of visual information throughput as the number of tasks increases from one to two to any number of simultaneous tasks. By using baseline models derived from transformations of response time distribution, capacity coefficient analysis enables theoretically grounded interpretations of workload. I illustrate the use of capacity coefficients for visual multitasking, compared to dual task interference analysis, on sample data from dynamic multitasking in the modified Multi-attribute Task Battery.
Development of Social Behavior in the Guinea Pig

A total of 68 guinea pigs were observed from birth to 60 days of age in a colony with other guinea pigs of all ages. Observers recorded the first day on which each animal was observed to initiate each of 13 social behaviors, and the first day on which the animal was the recipient of those social behaviors. Individual differences in the first day of occurrence of most of the behaviors were much greater than had been anticipated. The first social behaviors to appear were those associated with exploration. Aggressive behaviors appeared shortly after weaning, particularly in the males. Some sexual behavior was common shortly after puberty, but successful mounting did not appear until after the animals were sexually mature.
[18F]-Sodium Fluoride PET MR–Based Localization and Quantification of Bone Turnover as a Biomarker for Facet Joint–Induced Disability

SUMMARY: Our aim was to prospectively evaluate the relationship between low back pain–related disability and quantitative measures from [18F]-sodium fluoride ([18F]-NaF) MR imaging. Six patients with facetogenic low back pain underwent dynamic [18F]-NaF PET/MR imaging. PET metrics were correlated with clinical measures and MR imaging grading of lumbar facet arthropathy. A significant positive correlation was observed between maximum facet joint uptake rate and clinical disability (P
Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of Varenicline for Treating Co-Occurring Cannabis and Tobacco Use

ABSTRACTFew studies have evaluated treatment for co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of varenicline for co-occurring cannabis and tobacco use. Participants who reported cannabis use on ≥5 days per week were recruited from an urban, outpatient opioid treatment program (OTP). Participants were randomized to either four weeks of standard OTP clinical care (SCC; medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder and individual behavioral counseling), followed by four weeks of SCC plus varenicline (SCC+VT), or to four weeks of SCC+VT followed by four weeks of SCC. All participants contributed feasibility and outcome data during both study phases. Of 193 persons screened, seven were enrolled. Retention at eight weeks was 100%. No adverse effects prompted varenicline discontinuation. Participants reported lower cannabis craving during the SCC+VT phase compared to baseline, and lower frequencies and quantities of...
Measles and rubella elimination: learning from polio eradication and moving forward with a diagonal approach.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: In 1988, an estimated 350,000 children were paralyzed by polio and 125 countries reported polio cases, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution to achieve polio eradication by 2000, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was established as a partnership focused on eradication. Today, following eradication efforts, polio cases have decreased >99% and eradication of all three types of wild polioviruses is approaching. However, since polio resources substantially support disease surveillance and other health programs, losing polio assets could reverse progress toward achieving Global Vaccine Action Plan goals.Areas covered: As the end of polio approaches and GPEI funds and capacity decrease, we document knowledge, experience, and lessons learned from 30 years of polio eradication.Expert commentary: Transitioning polio assets to measles and rubella (MR) elimination efforts would accelerate progress toward global vaccination coverage and equity. MR elimination feasibility...
Teaching Campus Crisis Management Through Case Studies: Moving Between Theory and Practice

This qualitative study explored the learning outcomes of an exercise intended to introduce student affairs professionals to crisis management skills and competencies. Ten student affairs professionals, from various functional areas, were observed as they collaboratively worked through an interactive, sequential, crisis-related case study exercise. Observational data were combined with participants’ written reflections about the process. Findings suggest that such an exercise is an effective method of practicing and honing crisis management skills.
Imaging of Liver Transplantation

This chapter reviews the function of imaging in preoperative and postoperative evaluation of liver transplant patients as well as common radiographic findings that may be present during these respective stages of transplant. The role of the radiologist in liver transplantation begins with evaluation of the transplant eligibility of the recipient and with facilitation of operative planning. In the posttransplant period, the primary role of imaging is the diagnosis of complications. Vascular and biliary complications are among the most common complications after transplant, and imaging techniques for their diagnosis are reviewed here. Other common complications with radiographic findings that are reviewed in this chapter include infection, hematoma, and malignancy (e.g., posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder).
Perceiving the Status Quo as Non-Ideological: Implications for evaluation of leaders and policies

In the current research we examine the hypothesis that people view the status quo and its proponents as less subject to ideological forces, in comparison with its alternatives and its detractors. W...
A Phenomenological Approach to Child Development

That it is even possible to take a phenomenological approach to child development rests upon a radical empirical fact: To be human means that one is or was once a child. The experience of being or having been a child is known to every person as an essential condition of his or her existence. This knowledge is accessible either directly to children who are currently living through their own developing childhoods or indirectly to adults who recollect childhood experiences out of the fabric of their already developed life-worlds. It is the radicality of this “world fact” (Wild, 1959) concerning childhood that makes possible a phenomenological approach to child development. For one cannot make sense of the world of a developing child without existential grounding in the experience of living or having lived as a child. And one cannot hope to communicate with others about the meaning of the developing child’s world unless those others, too, are or have been children.
Statistical Learning Theory in Equity Return Forecasting

We apply Mangasarian and Bennett’s multi-surface method to the problem of allocating financial capital to individual stocks. The strategy constructs market neutral portfolios wherein capital exposure to long positions equals exposure to short positions at the beginning of each weekly period. The optimization model generates excess returns above the S&P 500, even in the presence of reasonable transaction costs. The trading strategy generates statistical arbitrage for trading costs below 10 basis points per transaction.
Philosophy, Not Theology, Is the Key for Economics: A Catholic Perspective

LINK TO ABSTRACT In spite of all its strengths, mainstream economics is deeply inadequate. Three problems stand out: an inadequate conception of human choice, the eclipse of real causal forces that occur within the ‘black box’ of the market, and an inadequate conception of method in social science. People of religious faith have religiously-founded objections to these inadequacies, but it does not take religious faith to recognize the problems, nor to address them. Although some people have argued to the contrary (Milbank 2006), economics does not need an infusion of religious or quasi-religious formulations; it needs, rather, the insights of other social sciences as well as of the philosophy of social science. The title of this essay describes my view as a “Catholic” perspective on the question because, more than any Protestant denomination, Roman Catholicism has always had a strong confidence in what human reason can grasp, even reason as unaided by the divine revelation of the Bible. The theologians of the early centuries of Christianity borrowed heavily from the secular philosophical traditions of Greece and Rome, particularly from Stoicism. The most important theologian in the history of Catholic theology, Thomas Aquinas, extended Aristotle’s “pagan” understanding of the structure of the world into a “natural law” ethics, by which both believers and non-believers can discern what leads to a flourishing human life, the basic characteristic of virtues in both Aquinas and Aristotle. The fundamental conviction that God both established the natural order of the universe and revealed
Fine-Tuning Brand Endorsements: Exploring Race-Sport Fit with Athlete Endorsers

The present study examines the effect of an athlete endorser’s race-sport fit in the decision-making process of athlete endorsed product selection. The results of this study reveal that the race of athlete endorsers can influence endorsement strategies depending on the sport associated with the athlete endorser. Perceived race-sport fit was also a key factor in creating both positive sport consumer attitudes and increased purchase intentions toward an athlete endorsed product. The findings of this study should be beneficial to athletes and sport business professionals when considering endorsement strategies for sport-related products and brands. Subscribe to JASM
Ultrasensitive Detection of Aggregated α-Synuclein in Glial Cells, Human Cerebrospinal Fluid, and Brain Tissue Using the RT-QuIC Assay: New High-Throughput Neuroimmune Biomarker Assay for Parkinsonian Disorders

Adult-onset neurodegenerative disorders, like Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), that share the accumulation of aggregated α-synuclein (αSynagg) as their hallmark molecular pathology are collectively known as α-synucleinopathies. Diagnosing α-synucleinopathies requires the post-mortem detection of αSynagg in various brain regions. Recent efforts to measure αSynagg in living patients include quantifying αSynagg in different biofluids as a biomarker for PD. We adopted the real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay to detect very low levels of αSynagg. We first optimized RT-QuIC for sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility by using monomeric recombinant human wild-type αSyn as a substrate and αSynagg as the seed. Next, we exposed mouse microglia to αSyn pre-formed fibrils (αSynPFF) for 24 h. RT-QuIC assay revealed that the αSynPFF is taken up rapidly by mouse microglia, within 30 min, and cleared within 24 h. We then evaluated the αSyn RT-QuIC assay for detecting αSynagg in human PD, DLB, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) post-mortem brain homogenates (BH) along with PD and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples and then determined protein aggregation rate (PAR) for αSynagg. The PD and DLB BH samples not only showed significantly higher αSynagg PAR compared to age-matched healthy controls and AD, but RT-QuIC was also highly reproducible with 94% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Similarly, PD CSF samples demonstrated significantly higher αSynagg PAR compared to age-matched healthy controls, with 100% sensitivity and specificity. Overall, the RT-QuIC assay accurately detects αSynagg seeding activity, offering a potential tool for antemortem diagnosis of α-synucleinopathies and other protein-misfolding disorders.
Vortex-lattice structure and topological superconductivity in the quantum Hall regime

Chiral topological superconductors are expected to appear as intermediate states when a quantum anomalous Hall system is proximity coupled to an s-wave superconductor and the magnetization direction is reversed. In this paper we address the edge state properties of ordinary quantum Hall systems proximity coupled to s-wave superconductors, accounting explicitly for Landau quantization. We find that the appearance of topological superconducting phases with an odd number of Majorana edge modes is dependent on the structure of the system's vortex lattice. More precisely, vortex lattices containing odd number of superconducting flux quanta per unit cell, always support an even number of chiral edge channels and are therefore adiabatically connected to normal quantum Hall insulators. We discuss strategies to engineer chiral topological superconductivity in proximity-coupled quantum Hall systems by manipulating vortex lattice structure.
Prevalence and Correlates of Receiving Medical Advice to Increase Physical Activity in U.S. Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2016.

Introduction National objectives recommend healthcare professionals provide physical activity advice. This study examined health and demographic characteristics associated with receipt of medical advice to increase physical activity among U.S. health care–utilizing adults and differences in associations by age group. Methods Analyses included 8,410 health care–utilizing adults aged ≥20 years from the 2013–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (analyzed in 2018). Logistic regression was used to examine associations between receipt of medical advice to increase physical activity in the past year and measured health conditions, reported health behaviors, and demographic characteristics. Models were stratified by age group (20–39, 40–59, and ≥60 years). Results Physical activity medical advice was received by 42.9% (95% CI=40.8, 44.9) of adults overall. By age group, 32.7% of younger adults, 46.7% of middle-aged adults, and 48.9% of older adults received advice. Among all adults and across all age groups, receipt of advice was higher among adults with chronic health conditions: obesity (63.0%, 95% CI=60.3, 65.7), hypertension (56.5%, 95%=CI 53.8, 59.2), diabetes (69.8%, 95% CI=66.5, 72.8), hypercholesterolemia (55.6%, 95% CI=52.3, 59.0), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (53.8%, 95% CI=50.1, 57.4). Among all adults, those with obesity, hypertension, and diabetes had significantly greater odds of receipt of advice after adjustment. Stronger associations between diabetes and hypercholesterolemia and receiving physical activity advice were observed among younger adults. Conclusions Receipt of physical activity medical advice was highest among adults with specific chronic health conditions, and this pattern was stronger among younger adults with diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. However, most health care–utilizing adults did not receive physical activity medical advice.
Comparison of SiPM and PMT Performance Using a ${\rm Cs}_{2}{\rm LiYCl}_{6}:{\rm Ce}^{3+}$ (CLYC) Scintillator With Two Optical Windows

Measurements of thermal neutrons and gamma rays using multiple ${\mathrm{ Cs}}_{2}{\mathrm{ LiYCl}}_{6}:{\mathrm{ Ce}}^{3+}$ (CLYC) crystals with photomultiplier tube (PMT) and silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) are compared. The first set of measurements used three single-sided crystals (two made from 95% enriched 6Li and one made with 99% enriched 7Li) mated with the PMT and SiPM to compare the energy resolutions and figures of merit (FOM) for the pulse shape discrimination of gamma rays and neutrons. All crystals and photomultipliers were able to resolve full-energy photopeaks for 137Cs and 60Co and distinguish gamma-ray interactions from neutron interactions ( $\text {FOM} > 1$ in all cases) while operating in a thermal neutron environment. Measurements made with the PMT had better energy resolution, and switching to the SiPM degraded the energy resolution by an average of 34.0± 0.7% (at 662 keV). The second set of measurements used a CLYC crystal with two optical windows to enable simultaneous measurements with the PMT and SiPM. Once again, both photomultipliers were able to distinguish gamma rays from neutrons, and the PMT had the best energy resolution. However, in this case, the SiPM was not able to resolve the 137Cs full-energy photopeak, and neither photomultiplier could resolve any photopeaks if 60Co was used simultaneously. The degradation in energy resolution was due to the relative splitting of scintillation light intensity between each photomultiplier depending on the position of the interaction site within the crystal. Each pair of waveforms recorded from the PMT and SiPM, corresponding to a single interaction within the double-sided crystal, were combined to improve the energy resolution at 662 keV from 15.9 ± 0.9% to 12.7 ± 0.3% and the FOM from 1.850 ± 0.004 to 2.117 ± 0.003 when compared to the data just from the PMT.
The solar corridor crop system: a pivotal production system for African smallholder farmers

Abstract Intercropping is the global practice of the solar corridor crop system (SCCS) and is a pivotal production system for African smallholder farmers. The benefits of intercropping include improved light penetration into the canopy, complementary use of resources by intercropped species, efficient utilization of labor, suppression of weeds and insect pests, sequential harvesting, and better resistance to environmental stresses by diverse plant communities. Physiological differences between crops can help maintain food security in times of climatic adversity. As agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa changes to meet the needs of a growing global population, policy makers and farmers should strive to preserve and expand the practice of intercropping. Instead of adopting monoculture systems, an alternative path for African agriculture is one of ecological intensification, in which production emphasis is placed on diversity, efficiency, recycling, and regulation. The objective of this chapter is to demonstrate how the SCCS can be utilized by smallholder farmers as an effective multiple-cropping system for food and feed production.
Sustainable Design of Energy Systems by Integrating Life Cycle Optimization With Superstructure Optimization

Abstract This paper provides an overview of sustainable design and synthesis of energy systems based on the superstructure optimization framework and life cycle optimization (LCO) principles. Basic steps, recent progress and research challenges on combining superstructure optimization with LCO for sustainable design of energy systems are presented. A number of research challenges and future research directions, such as automatic superstructure generation, broadening the scope of sustainable design with a consequential perspective, handling uncertainties and resilience using multi-stage data-driven robust optimization techniques, and integrating standalone energy systems through multi-scale nested superstructure optimization, are further discussed.
Personalised pharmacotherapy: an interim solution for antidepressant treatment?

Healy’s engaging historical perspective on the rise of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants questions the efficacy and biological plausibility of these drugs.1 However, his focus on low serotonin levels is irrelevant to whether SSRIs are effective treatments for depression. Importantly, the response to SSRIs seems to be heterogeneous rather than universally poor. Unbiased trajectory based analysis of more than 2500 patients treated with SSRIs or placebo indicated that most patients (>75%) given an SSRI showed a superior response to those given placebo. However, nearly a quarter of …
Thoracic 11-Lumbar 1 Laminoplasty for Resection of Conus Arteriovenous Malformation: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

Conus medullaris spinal arteriovenous malformations are uniquely classified by the Spetzler classification. They possess a glomus (type II) nidus in either or both the intra- and extramedullary compartments, with multiple feeding arteries and niduses resulting in complex venous drainage patterns. These characteristics make resection of these lesions challenging, and these lesions are associated with a high risk for recurrence. This patient presented with a subarachnoid hemorrhage, and thorough imaging evaluation revealed a conus arteriovenous malformation. The patient underwent thoracic 11 to lumbar 1 laminoplasty for resection of the lesion. The arteriovenous malformation was circumdissected off the conus and lumbosacral nerve roots using sharp dissection and bipolar forceps. It was visualized both before and after resection with indocyanine green fluoroscopy. The patient tolerated the procedure well, and postoperative angiography demonstrated complete resection. The patient gave informed consent for surgery and video recording. Institutional review board approval was deemed unnecessary. Used with permission from Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona.
The YrbE phospholipid transporter of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi regulates the expression of flagellin and influences motility, adhesion and induction of epithelial inflammatory responses.

serovar Typhi is the etiologic agent of typhoid fever, a major public health problem in the developing world. Moving toward and adhering to the intestinal epithelium represents key initial steps of...
The craft of urgency: performing prosperity, running capital, and the making of a buying crowd in home presales in Nanjing, China

This article examines home presales – the selling of future residential properties – at the urban fringe of Nanjing, China. It argues for an analytical focus on urgency as a temporal quality that c...
Interfacing Copper and Carbon Nanotubes with Titanium for Enhanced Electrical Performance

Hybrid Cu-carbon nanotube (CNT) conductors provide high electrical conductivities, while benefiting from the low temperature coefficient of resistance for CNTs. However, the poor interaction between Cu and CNTs requires a method of interfacing the components to improve the connectivity of the Cu-CNT conductor while preserving the electrical properties. Herein, Ti and Ni were evaluated as interfacial metals by thermally evaporating 10 nm layers onto a CNT conductor to assess the nanoscale morphology and impact on temperature dependent electrical properties. SEM analysis shows Ni deposits onto the CNT surface as a continuous layer in the form of discrete nanoscale crystallites. In contrast, Ti deposits a uniform layer along the surface of the CNT network. The Ni crystallites coalesce from the initially continuous layer upon exposure to temperatures up to 400 °C, while Ti is shown to remain as a stable uniform coating on the CNTs over such temperatures. Subsequent deposition of a 100 nm Cu layer onto CNT, Ti-CNT, and Ni-CNT conductors was performed to measure electrical stability with increasing annealing temperature. The 100 nm Cu layer forms gaps as it delaminates from the CNTs after exposure to 400 °C in a H2/Ar anneal when no adhesion metal is present, and the resistance per length (R/L) increases by 40%. The gaps formed in the Cu layer by the 400 °C anneal expose underlying CNTs, indicating poor surface interaction. The Cu-Ni-CNT conductor maintains Cu layer integrity from the adhesion metal, but exhibits a 125% increase in R/L for similar annealing conditions. In comparison, Ti sustains favorable interaction for the metal layers on CNTs, and achieves a 12% reduction in R/L after exposure to 400 °C. Temperature dependent electrical measurements performed under vacuum confirm the permanent change in electrical properties at elevated temperature for the hybrid conductors with an adhesion metal, demonstrating the increase in R/L for the Cu-Ni-CNTs and a decrease in R/L for Cu-Ti-CNT conductors. Thus, Ti emerges as an effective adhesion metal for use in metal-CNT conductor operation at elevated temperatures, demonstrating sustained adhesion up to 400 °C, and improvement in electrical properties for Cu-Ti-CNT conductors. Transitioning to scalable systems for integrated CNT conductors, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique will be investigated as a delivery route for improved penetration of Ti into the CNT network.
A novel approach to modeling multifactorial diseases using Ensemble Bayesian Rule classifiers

Modeling factors influencing disease phenotypes, from biomarker profiling study datasets, is a critical task in biomedicine. Such datasets are typically generated from high-throughput 'omic' technologies, which help examine disease mechanisms at an unprecedented resolution. These datasets are challenging because they are high-dimensional. The disease mechanisms they study are also complex because many diseases are multifactorial, resulting from the collective activity of several factors, each with a small effect. Bayesian rule learning (BRL) is a rule model inferred from learning Bayesian networks from data, and has been shown to be effective in modeling high-dimensional datasets. However, BRL is not efficient at modeling multifactorial diseases since it suffers from data fragmentation during learning. In this paper, we overcome this limitation by implementing and evaluating three types of ensemble model combination strategies with BRL- uniform combination (UC; same as Bagging), Bayesian model averaging (BMA), and Bayesian model combination (BMC)- collectively called Ensemble Bayesian Rule Learning (EBRL). We also introduce a novel method to visualize EBRL models, called the Bayesian Rule Ensemble Visualizing tool (BREVity), which helps extract interpret the most important rule patterns guiding the predictions made by the ensemble model. Our results using twenty-five public, high-dimensional, gene expression datasets of multifactorial diseases, suggest that, both EBRL models using UC and BMC achieve better predictive performance than BMA and other classic machine learning methods. Furthermore, BMC is found to be more reliable than UC, when the ensemble includes sub-optimal models resulting from the stochasticity of the model search process. Together, EBRL and BREVity provides researchers a promising and novel tool for modeling multifactorial diseases from high-dimensional datasets that leverages strengths of ensemble methods for predictive performance, while also providing interpretable explanations for its predictions.