cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intervening in the neuropsychiatric features of Parkinson’s disease

Although Parkinson’s disease is considered a movement disorder, it has a wide range and high prevalence of affective, psychotic, cognitive, behavioral and sleep-related features. To treat such features, agents including antidepressants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics and cognition-enhancing agents are commonly prescribed, although the targeted syndromes are often incompletely understood and controlled studies demonstrating a treatment’s efficacy and tolerability in Parkinson’s disease patients are often lacking. Nevertheless, the available information does suggest the outlines of management methods, pending expanded research to identify optimal strategies specific to Parkinson’s disease.
Predicting Development of Mathematical Word Problem Solving across the Intermediate Grades.

This study addressed predictors of the development of word problem solving (WPS) across the intermediate grades. At beginning of 3rd grade, 4 cohorts of students (N = 261) were measured on computation, language, nonverbal reasoning skills, and attentive behavior and were assessed 4 times from beginning of 3rd through end of 5th grade on 2 measures of WPS at low and high levels of complexity. Language skills were related to initial performance at both levels of complexity and did not predict growth at either level. Computational skills had an effect on initial performance in low- but not high-complexity problems and did not predict growth at either level of complexity. Attentive behavior did not predict initial performance but did predict growth in low-complexity, whereas it predicted initial performance but not growth for high-complexity problems. Nonverbal reasoning predicted initial performance and growth for low-complexity WPS, but only growth for high-complexity WPS. This evidence suggests that although mathematical structure is fixed, different cognitive resources may act as limiting factors in WPS development when the WPS context is varied.
Responses of Broiler Chickens to Cottonseed- and Soybean Meal-Based Diets at Several Protein Levels

Abstract Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of broiler chicks fed diets with cottonseed meal (CSM) as the major protein source. Experiment 1 was a 3 × 2 factorial with three crude protein levels (17, 20, and 23%) by two protein sources, CSM or soybean meal (SBM). Diets were fed to male broilers (n = 840) in floor pens from 21 to 49 d of age. L-Lysine-HCl was added to keep lysine at 5.22% of protein. Protein source and level had significant (P
Ion channels and tranporters in cancer. 2. Ion channels and the control of cancer cell migration

A hallmark of high-grade cancers is the ability of malignant cells to invade unaffected tissue and spread disease. This is particularly apparent in gliomas, the most common and lethal type of prima...
Indigenous Peoples and the Capitalist World System: Researching, Knowing, and Promoting Social Justice

This paper explores the major consequences of the expansion of the European-dominated capitalist world system, colonial terrorism, and continued subjugation for indigenous Americans, Australians, and Africans between the late fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. Western powers as well as most of the descendants of European colonialists in Europe, the Americas, Australia, and in Africa and their regional and local collaborators deny or forget or minimize the crimes committed against indigenous peoples and claim that their ancestors spread modernity and civilization around the world. Not recognizing these crimes and ignoring or forgetting or minimizing them have far reaching consequences for humanity and raise moral and ethical issues for the validity of modern civilization that claims to promote the principles of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, democracy, and social justice. The commitment to these principles and truly promoting them require reevaluating the past and present mistakes in the modern world system to openly and honestly debate them and seek correct and urgent solutions for the surviving indigenous peoples who are still suffering from state terrorism, massive human rights violations, dispossession of resources and rights, absolute poverty, disease, and illiteracy.
Comparison of environmental and egg microbiology associated with conventional and free-range laying hen management

ABSTRACT Eggs from alternative production practices are a growing niche in the market. Meeting consumer requests for greater diversity in retail egg options has resulted in some unique challenges such as understanding the food safety implications of eggs from alternative production practices. A study was conducted to determine what, if any, differences exist between nest run conventional cage-produced eggs and free range-produced eggs. A sister flock of brown egg layers was maintained in conventional cage and free-range production with egg and environmental sampling every 6 wk from 20 to 79 wk of age. Aerobic, coliform, and yeast and mold populations were monitored. Environmental microbial levels were not always indicative of egg contamination levels. When significant differences (P
Factors Affecting the Usefulness of Impenetrable Interface Element Borders

N. Walker and J. B. Smelcer (1990) found that selection times for menus could be reduced by placing the menus adjacent to the edge of the screen; this creates a border between the menu and the edge of the screen that the mouse cursor cannot penetrate. Based on this finding, they proposed that selection times for graphical user interface targets could be reduced by employing these impenetrable borders. Four studies tested this prediction with a Web browser's back button and scroll bar. Results demonstrated that targets employing impenetrable borders were always selected faster than were targets placed 1 pixel from the edge of the screen, which supports Walker and Smelcer's prediction. However, within the constraints of the current studies, this speed advantage asymptotes at approximately 283 ms for target heights of 2.00 cm and target distances of 3.50 cm. In addition, these findings generalized across most angles of approach. Actual or potential applications of this research include target placement decisions in the design or modification of graphical user interfaces.
Pulse Edge-Only Signaling Method Comparison for Wireline Interconnects

Typical high-speed electrical transmission lines use a variety of precoding and equalization techniques to counter the frequency-dependent channel loss and environmental conditions such as ISI. In this paper, we suggest a relatively narrow-band signaling method that is resilient to the effects of ISI and crosstalk and can be implemented with existing technology. Alternative modulation schemes are analyzed in terms of effectiveness, performance, and cost. In particular, line-encoded and on-off keyed modulation methods are evaluated in simulations of transmission lines to gauge effectiveness in high-speed conditions with limiting ISI.
Developments and Applications of the Differential Calculus

Frequently in analytical geometry the equation of a curve is given not in the form y = f(x) but in the form F(x, y) = 0. A straight line may be represented in this way by the equation ax + by + c = 0, and an ellipse, by the equation x2/a2 + y2/b2 = 1. To obtain the equation of the curve in the form y = f(x) we must “solve” the equation F(x, y) = 0 for y. In Volume I we considered the special problem of finding the inverse of a function y = f(x), that is, the problem of solving the equation F(x, y) = y—f(x) = 0 for the variable x.
Optimal and Direct-Current Vector Control of Direct-Driven PMSG Wind Turbines

With the advances of power electronic technology, direct-driven permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSGs) have increasingly drawn the interest of wind turbine manufacturers. At the present time, a commercial PMSG wind turbine primarily makes use of a passive rectifier followed by an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) inverter. Although a PMSG wind turbine with two back-to-back voltage source IGBT converters is considered more efficient, it has not been widely adopted by the wind power industry. This paper investigates both the conventional and a novel vector control mechanism for a PMSG wind turbine that has two side-by-side voltage source pulsewidth modulation converters. The proposed approach is based on a direct-current vector control mechanism for control of both machine- and grid-side converters of a PMSG wind turbine. Then, an optimal control strategy is developed for integrated control of PMSG maximum power extraction, reactive power, and grid voltage support controls. A transient system simulation using SimPowerSystem is built to investigate the performance of the conventional and proposed control techniques for the PMSG wind turbine under steady and gusty wind conditions. This paper shows that when using the direct-current vector control structure, a PMSG system has excellent performance in various aspects.
Contrasting Traditional In-Class Exams with Frequent Online Testing

Although there are clear practical benefits to using online exams compared to in-class exams (e.g., reduced cost, increased scalability, flexible scheduling), the results of previous studies provide mixed evidence for the effectiveness of online testing. This uncertainty may discourage instructors from using online testing. To further investigate the effectiveness of online exams in a naturalistic situation, we compared student learning outcomes associated with traditional in-class exams compared to frequent online exams. Online exams were administered more frequently in an attempt to mitigate potential negative effects associated with open-book testing. All students completed in-class and online exams with order of testing condition (in-class first, or online first) counterbalanced between students. We found no difference in long-term retention for material that had originally been tested using frequent online or traditional in-class exams and no difference in self-reported study time. Overall, our results suggest that frequent online assessments do not harm student learning in comparison to traditional in-class exams and may impart positive subjective outcomes for students.
Restoration of Southern Pine Forests After the Southern Pine Beetle

The southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann) is the most destructive insect pest of pine (Pinus spp.) forests in the southern United States. Restoring and managing pine stands infested by southern pine beetle are critically important for forest health and sustainability in the region. The successful restoration of damaged pine forests requires the integration of information of beetle biology and behavior, pine ecology, and landscape restoration. Certain social, economic, and political issues also need to be considered concomitantly. The knowledge for effective restoration and management of southern pine forests has increased greatly in the past decade. In this chapter, we provide a synthesis of new and existing knowledge to address the goals, framework, implementation, social and political impacts on the restoration of the southern pine forests in the context of southern pine beetle. We also provide information on common restoration methods and cost estimates. More effective use and further development of such knowledge could substantially reduce the economic, ecological, and social impact of southern pine beetle within the southern United States and adjacent areas.
Myocardial perfusion imaging using ultrasound contrast agents: now or never?

Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) have been in the echocardiographic “toolbox” for many years. Two such agents (Definity [Lantheus Medical Imaging, North Billerica, Massachusetts] and Optison [GE Healthcare, Princeton, New Jersey]) are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and
Development and Assessment of Signature Assignments to Increase Student Engagement in Undergraduate Public Health

According to some educationists, engaging disengaged students is one of the biggest challenges facing educators. While many higher education instructors may believe that they promote various areas ...
Plant Communities of Abes Run Wetland, Canaan Valley State Park, West Virginia

Abstract Abes Run wetland is a biologically diverse, 82-ac (33-ha) complex of wet meadow, marsh, scrub-shrub, and forested-swamp communities in Canaan Valley, WV. In 2002, we sampled the vegetation in six 65-ft (20-m)-wide transects and identified a total of 179 vascular plant species. We classified 23 species as introduced; 38 occurred at or near the southernmost known limit of their range. Two graminoid-dominated (e.g., Carex spp. [sedges], Leersia spp. [cutgrass], and Scirpus spp. [bulrush]) and forb-dominated (Euthamia spp. [goldenrods]) transects occurred in an area that had been forested and later inundated by Castor canadensis (North American Beaver) in the 1970s. Four transects were mixed-deciduous and coniferous forested-swamp communities. With the exception of transect 5, these sites had an organic horizon that was 32–40-in (80–100-cm) deep in the center, and the water table tended to persist at the wetland surface through the first half of the growing season. The tree stratum was well-developed...
Lecithin in swine diets: I. Weanling pigs.

One digestibility experiment (Exp. 1) and two growth experiments (Exp. 2 and 3) were conducted to evaluate the use of lecithin as an emulsifier of soy oil and(or) an energy source in a two-phase starter diet program. Phase 1 consisted of d 0 to 14 postweaning, and Phase 2 consisted of d 14 to 35 postweaning. Diets were based on corn, soybean meal, and 20% dried whey and contained a constant ME:lysine level. In Exp. 1 and 2, two levels of lecithin (0 and 2%) at two levels of soy oil (0 and 6%) were investigated. In both experiments, there was no interaction between lecithin and soy oil for any traits measured. In Exp. 1, the apparent digestibility of fat increased significantly with increased fat level in the diets. Addition of lecithin to diets improved (P < .05) nitrogen retention, and the addition of soy oil significantly improved apparent digestibility of DM, GE, fat, and CP. In Exp. 2, there was no significant effect of lecithin or soy oil on ADG. In Phase 2 and overall, the inclusion of lecithin and soy oil to diets significantly increased gain/feed but did not significantly improve gain/ME intake. In Exp. 3, pigs were fed diets containing 0, 1, 2, or 3% lecithin. The addition of lecithin to diets did not affect ADG, ADFI, gain/feed, or gain/ME intake during Phases 1, 2, or overall. These results fail to demonstrate that the addition of lecithin to diets for young pigs improves utilization of soy oil or growth performance.
A Comprehensive Numerical Study of Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics of Wind Turbine Blade Configurations

With rising demand for energy and depletion of non-renewable sources, new avenues of energy production are being explored. Wind energy is one popular alternative to meet the energy needs of the future. Apart from visual impact and dependence on strong wind conditions for good performance efficiency, aerodynamic noise from wind turbines serves to be a major obstacle for their societal acceptance. This study tries to understand the propagation of wind turbine noise to the far-field, particularly in the lower frequencies using a technique based on inverse acoustic methods, the Acoustic Intensity Based Method(AIBM). At first the far-field noise radiation from NREL S809 airfoil is predicted using AIBM coupled with 2-D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. Aeroscoustic characteristics of NREL Phase VI Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine rotor is then analyzed using AIBM. The flow field in 3-D is obtained by solving the Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes Equations (U-RANS). The CFD results of the flow field are validated against experimental data and they show good agreement. Thickness noise, created by displacement of a mass of air by the rotating blades, and loading noise, created by the rotor interacting with local flow deficiencies, are identified as the two causes of low frequency noise based on the calculated directivity patterns. The ultimate objective is to create a hybrid tool to predict far-field noise from a given set of flow field data obtained experimentally or numerically, using AIBM.
Vitamin D effect on growth and vitamin D metabolizing enzymes in triple-negative breast cancer.

Background Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive form of breast cancer that disproportionately affects women with darker skin. Epidemiological studies indicate that higher vitamin D levels prevent incidence of TNBC and translate to higher survival rates in those that have TNBC. Materials and methods The growth inhibition effects of two forms of vitamin D were assessed in MCF-7 and three TNBC lines using CellTiter-Glo. Expression of vitamin D-metabolizing enzymes was measured after vitamin D treatment by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results MCF-7 was growth inhibited by vitamin D at high concentrations but the TNBC lines were not. All cell lines demonstrated large increases in CYP24A1 mRNA levels under vitamin D treatment but there was little change in CYP27B1 or VDR mRNA levels. Conclusion These TNBC cell lines are resistant to growth inhibition by vitamin D. This could be due to large inactivation of vitamin D by CYP24A1 or by another mechanism.
On Comedic Meaning of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams contains many rich comedy factors that few people pay attention to in the past.This paper tries to discover comedic meaning of this play by analyzing its writing setting,the theme and the play's protagonist Blanche.
Genetic variance components of birth weight in a herd of unselected cattle.

Two replicates of a randomly selected herd of Hereford cattle have been developed at the Livestock and Range Research Station in Miles City, Montana. Dams were first bred to a random selection of bulls in 1976. For this study, birth weights of 1,012 calves born in 1977 through 1983 were adjusted for sex, age of dam and year effects. Analyses were on the entire data set and a series of subsets. Subsets were determined by parental birth weights, either above (H) or below (L) the overall mean for parents of that sex. Subsets were: H sires X random dams; L sires X random dams; random sires X H dams; random sires X L dams; H sires X H dams; H sires X L dams; L sires X H dams and L sires X L dams. Two additional subsets were termed assortative (H X H and L X L) and disassortative (H X L and L X H) matings. Genetic variance components including additive direct effects (sigma 2A), additive maternal effects (sigma 2M) and a covariance between transmitted and maternal effects (sigma AM) were estimated by solving simultaneous equations after estimating coefficients for offspring-sire, offspring-dam and offspring-midparent mean regressions and a paternal half-sib covariance. Estimates for heritability of direct effects, heritability of maternal effects and the genetic correlation between transmitted and maternal effects (h2 A, h2M and rAM) were .36, .82 and -.51, respectively, in the overall data set but varied considerably when estimated in the subsets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Cognitive Dysfunction from HHV-6A and HHV-B

Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) causes several conditions, each of which leads to cognitive dysfunction. HHV-6 can cause encephalitis at the time of primary infection, although this is an infrequent event. Reactivated infection with HHV-6 can cause encephalitis in immunocompetent older children and adults, although this also appears to be an infrequent event. In contrast, HHV-6 is perhaps the most common cause of encephalitis in immunosuppressed subjects, particularly following hematopoietic cell transplantation. Reactivated HHV-6 infection in the peripheral blood is often seen in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, and many patients with that illness have documented abnormalities of cognition. However, there is no strong evidence that HHV-6 infection in the peripheral blood or in the central nervous system is the cause of either chronic fatigue syndrome or the cognitive dysfunction seen in patients with the illness.
Cyclic Projections in Data Analysis

Many techniques in multivariate data analysis may be reduced in its mathematical subject to projection methods in linear matrix spaces, i.e. one has to find an element x* in a certain subset C of smallest distance to a given one x 0 (usually outside this set). Often the subset C has a complicated structure which prevents the explicit determination of projections. But in case that C may be described as the intersection of “simpler” sets C 1,..., C r, each of which admits an explicit calculation of projections, one could choose a step by step approach to obtain the global projection onto C in the following manner.
Research on teaching blended and online physical education

Physical education is one of the many school subjects (K-12) undergoing changes due to advances in digital technology. Online physical education (OLPE) faces the same issues as other content areas taught online such as academic honesty, learner readiness and motivation, student retention, technology issues, etc. However, OLPE has unique challenges such as the teaching and learning of motor skills (hopping, skipping, jumping, etc.), sport skills (throwing, catching, kicking, striking with bat, etc.), dance, and fitness. The purpose of this chapter is to examine what is known about current K-12 OLPE programs based upon how well these courses meet physical education content standards and guidelines. In addition, this chapter will synthesize and evaluate the limited research regarding OLPE, then outline suggestions for policy, practice, and future research. OLPE is an exciting, yet unproven, option as an alternative method of delivering physical education content at the secondary level.
Size of testes, ovaries, uterus and breast buds by ultrasound in healthy full-term neonates ages 0–3 days

Background Hormonally sensitive organs in the neonate can change size within days of birth as circulating maternal estrogen wanes. Although several reports document the size of these organs through infancy, few focus attention on the near-birth period. Clinical and research evaluation of hormonal and genitourinary disorders would benefit from reference size standards.
Utilization, trend and impact of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy compared to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in postmenopausal breast cancer patients: Analysis of the National Cancer Data Base.

578Background: Three small prospective trials that compared the efficacy of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy (NET) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) showed no statistically significant difference. We report the differences in utilization of NET and NCT using National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) and their trend, response rates (RR) and breast conservation rates (BCR). Methods: A retrospective review of hormone receptor positive breast cancer patients ≥ 50 yrs without metastasis using NCDB was performed (2004-2014). Patients underwent NET or NCT prior to definitive surgery. Utilization pattern, practice trend, RR and BCR between NET and NCT was assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic analysis. Results: Out of 2,246,279 breast cancer patients reported in NCDB, 38,632 met our inclusion criteria. 9178 received NET and 29,454 received NCT. On multivariate analysis NET use was higher in academic vs community centers [Odds ratio (OR) 1.355, 95% CI 1.270-1.445], age >70 vs < 70 (OR 6.603, 95% CI 6.110-7.137) ...
A 3D Mammometric Comparison of Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction With and Without Acellular Dermal Matrix (ADM).

This retrospective study utilizes 3D imaging and mammometrics to compare implant-based breast reconstruction with and without the use of ADM. Previous studies have suggested improved aesthetic outcomes with the use of ADM, but none have been able to quantify this difference. Images were obtained at early and late time points following the expander–implant exchange procedure. Measurements included the point of maximum projection, the superior, inferior, medial and lateral volumetric distribution, and the distance from the point of maximum projection to the inframammary fold along the breast meridian. The patients’ demographic information, implant size, and complication rate between the two cohorts were similar. In the early post-operative period, the patients with ADM demonstrated higher medial pole volume; however, this difference did not persist in the late post-operative period. Patients with ADM demonstrated a small but statistically significant greater point of maximum projection and length of lower pole curvature in comparison with the non-ADM cohort. In summary, the results of this study demonstrate improved mammometric measurements when ADM is used in implant-based breast reconstruction, supporting superior aesthetic outcomes in early and late post-operative time points. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Theory and Simulations of Random Lasers

We present a model to simulate the phenomenon of random lasers. It couples Maxwell’s equations with the rate equations of electronic population in a disordered system and includes the interaction of EM waves with electrons and the gain is saturable. Finite difference time domain methods are used to obtain the field pattern and the spectra of localized lasing modes inside the system. A critical pumping rate P r c exists for the appearance of the lasing peak(s) for periodic and random systems. The number of lasing modes increases with the pumping rate and the length of the random system. There is a lasing mode repulsion related to localization effects. This property leads to a saturation of the number of modes for a given size system and a relation between the localization length ξ and average mode length L m . The dynamic processes of the random laser systems are studied. We find some properties for evolving processes of the localized lasing modes.
Comparing 30-day all-cause readmission rates between tibiotalar fusion and total ankle replacement

Abstract Background End-stage ankle arthritis is a debilitating condition that negatively impacts patient quality of life. Tibiotalar fusion and total ankle replacement are treatment options for managing ankle arthritis. Few studies have examined short term readmission rates of these two procedures. The objective of this study was compare all-cause 30-day readmission rates between patients undergoing tibiotalar fusion vs. total ankle replacement. Methods This study queried the Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) from 2013–2014 and used international classification of disease, 9th revision (ICD-9) procedure codes to identify all patients who underwent a tibiotalar fusion or a total ankle replacement. Comorbidities, insurance status, hospital characteristics, and readmission rates were statistically compared between the two cohorts. Risk factors were then identified for 30-day readmission. Results A total of 5660 patients were analyzed with 2667 in the tibiotalar fusion cohort and 2993 in the total ankle replacement cohort. Univariate analysis revealed that the readmission rate after tibiotalar fusion (4.4%) was statistically greater than after total ankle replacement (1.4%). Multivariable regression analysis indicated that deficiency anemia (OR 2.18), coagulopathy (OR 3.51), renal failure (OR 2.83), other insurance relative to private (OR 3.40), and tibiotalar fusion (OR 2.51) were all statistically significant independent risk factors for having a readmission within 30-days. Conclusions These findings suggest that during the short-term period following discharge from the hospital, patients who received a tibiotalar fusion are more likely to experience a 30-day readmission. These findings are important for decision making when a surgeon encounters a patient with end stage ankle arthritis. Level of evidence: Level III, cohort study.
Society-based design: promoting societal well-being by designing sustainable and resilient infrastructure

Modern societies rely on large-scale interdependent networks and systems that are critical for economic growth and societal well-being. Such infrastructure are vulnerable to natural as well as anth...
Region of interest aware compressive sensing of THEMIS images and its reconstruction quality

Limited downlink rate is a bottleneck while transmitting large datasets acquired by imagers onboard spacecraft to Earth. Compressive Sensing (CS) provides an effective sensing and reconstruction methodology that is suitable under limited onboard computational resource environment in addition to the low downlink rate. However, we observe that random subsampling of a scene by CS leads to higher reconstruction error at regions in an image which consist of high frequency components. These high frequency components are often regions of interest (ROI). Very low reconstruction error is essential at the ROIs for further analysis by human experts. We propose a blocked ROI aware CS approach where the image is divided into blocks and a modified sensing matrix acquires higher number of samples at blocks overlapping with ROIs. This varying sampling density across an image is determined by leveraging the information from past observations of the scene, which automates the generation of the ROI based non-uniform sampling pattern. This technique is also suitable for ROIs that have varying spatial extent in a scene between successive observations. We develop an algorithm to vary the sensing matrix based on changes in the ROI. Comparison of image quality of CS with ROI aware CS shows significant improvement in reconstruction error at ROI at the same compression ratio by retaining the scientific quality of the image. We also observe the same image quality to be reached at a much higher compression ratio by the blocked ROI aware CS than conventional CS showing a potential improvement by a factor of four. Additionally, reduction in memory requirement due to compression implies an increased potential of the imager to acquire higher number of observations overall.
Somaclonal Variation in Sugarbeet

The sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) is an important world food crop in temperate and subtropical climates. On the international trade market its principle product, sugar, is an extremely important commodity, and it is also a significant industrial crop in some countries. Sugarbeets are cultivated as a warm or cool season crop in Europe, North and South America, northern Africa, and much of Asia where climate permits.
Chemoprevention Uptake for Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Varies by Risk Factor

The efficacy of chemoprevention for breast cancer risk reduction has been demonstrated in randomized controlled trials; however, use remains low. We sought to determine whether uptake differed by risk factors, and to identify reasons for refusal and termination. Women seen in a high-risk clinic from October 2014 to June 2017 considered eligible for chemoprevention (history of lobular carcinoma in situ, atypia, family history of breast/ovarian cancer, genetic mutation, or history of chest wall radiation) were retrospectively identified. Breast cancer risk factors were compared among those with and without chemoprevention use, and compliance was noted. Overall, 1506 women were identified, 24% with prior/current chemoprevention use. Women ≥ 50 years of age were more likely to use chemoprevention than women < 50 years of age (28% vs. 11%, p < 0.001). Chemoprevention use by risk factor ranged from 7 to 40%. Having multiple risk factors did not increase use. Significant variation by risk factor was present among women ≥ 50 years of age (p < 0.001), but not among women < 50 years of age (p = 0.1). Among women with a documented discussion regarding chemoprevention (575/1141), fear of adverse effects was the most common refusal reason (57/156; 36%). The majority of women (61%) who initiated chemoprevention completed 5 years. Chemoprevention use among women at increased risk for breast cancer remains low, with more frequent use among women ≥ 50 years of age. These data highlight the need for ongoing educational efforts and counseling, as the majority who begin therapy complete 5 years of use. Given the fear of adverse effects as well as low uptake, particularly among women < 50 years of age, alternative risk-reducing strategies are needed.
Cost-Sharing Requirements for the Herpes Zoster Vaccine in Adults Aged 60.

Background: Rates of zoster vaccination in US adults aged 60+ were approximately 30.6% in 2015. Out-of-pocket cost-sharing has been identified as a major barrier to vaccination for patients. To dat...
Intergenerational Transmission of Intimate Partner Violence and Its Impact on Adolescent Relationship Attitudes: A Qualitative Study

The purpose of this study was to explore the intergenerational transmission of intimate partner violence and the potential impact of a relationship education program on this process. Qualitative da...
Maize sugary enhancer1 (se1) is a gene affecting endosperm starch metabolism

sugary enhancer1 (se1) is a naturally occurring mutant allele involved in starch metabolism in maize endosperm. It is a recessive modifier of sugary1 (su1) and commercially important in modern sweet corn breeding, but its molecular identity and mode of action remain unknown. Here, we developed a pair of near-isogenic lines, W822Gse (su1-ref/su1-ref se1/se1) and W822GSe (su1-ref/su1-ref Se1/Se1), that Mendelize the se1 phenotype in an su1-ref background. W822Gse kernels have lower starch and higher water soluble polysaccharide and sugars than W822GSe kernels. Using high-resolution genetic mapping, we found that wild-type Se1 is a gene Zm00001d007657 on chromosome 2 and a deletion of this gene causes the se1 phenotype. Comparative metabolic profiling of seed tissue between these 2 isolines revealed the remarkable difference in carbohydrate metabolism, with sucrose and maltose highly accumulated in the mutant. Se1 is predominantly expressed in the endosperm, with low expression in leaf and root tissues. Differential expression analysis identified genes enriched in both starch biosynthesis and degradation processes, indicating a pleiotropic regulatory effect of se1 Repressed expression of Se1 and Su1 in RNA interference-mediated transgenic maize validates that deletion of the gene identified as Se1 is a true causal gene responsible for the se1 phenotype. The findings contribute to our understanding of starch metabolism in cereal crops.
National Rates of Nonadherence to Antihypertensive Medications Among Insured Adults With Hypertension, 2015.

Despite the importance of antihypertensive medication therapy for blood pressure control, no single data system provides estimates of medication nonadherence rates across age groups and health insu...
Do third grade students from low-income families have access to ‘just right’ books? Results from a home visit study:

This study investigated the extent to which third graders (n = 84) from predominantly low-socioeconomic status families had access to books matched to their reading levels in their homes. On averag...
Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of copper(II) complexes derived fromN-2-pyridyl-N-phenylthiourea

N-2-pyridyl-N′-phenylthiourea (HPyPt) complexes of copper(II) have been synthesized and characterized by analytical and spectroscopic (i.r., u.v.-vis., n.m.r. and e.s.r.) studies. Two types of complexes have been isolated; one involving the neutral HPyPt ligand (e.g., [Cu(HPyPT)Br2]) and the other the deprotonated PyPT (e.g., [Cu(PyPT)H2O](ClO4)). The first type has the ligand behaving in a bidentate manner coordinatingvia the (NH′) and the pyridyl nitrogens in case of the halide complexes. The second type has the ligand serving as a NN-bidentate with the sulfur atom bridging to an adjacent copper(II) to form a polymeric structure. This behavior is suggested for the polyatomic anion complexes in which a water molecule completes the coordination number to four about the copper ion. Spectral studies suggest distorted octahedral geometry for the copper(II) chlorides, square pyramidal structure for the copper(II) bromide dimer and a distorted tetrahedral structure is envisioned for the polyatomic anion complexes.
Impact of iron formulations on topramezone injury to bermudagrass

Goosegrass control options in bermudagrass are limited. Topramezone is one option that offers excellent control of mature goosegrass, but application to bermudagrass results in unacceptable symptoms of bleaching and necrosis typical of hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase inhibitors. Previous research has shown that adding chelated iron reduced the phytotoxicity of topramezone without reducing the efficacy of the herbicide, resulting in safening when applied to bermudagrass. Our objective was to examine additional iron sources to determine whether similar safening effects occur with other sources. Field trials were conducted in the summers of 2016 to 2018 (Auburn University). Mixtures of topramezone and methylated seed oil were combined with six different commercial iron sources, including sodium ferric ethylenediamine di-o-hydroxyphenyl-acetate (FeEDDHA), ferrous diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (FeDTPA), iron citrate, FeSO4, and a combination of iron oxide/sucrate/sulfate, some of which contained nitrogen. Bermudagrass necrosis and bleaching symptoms were visually rated on a 0% to 100% scale. Reflectance (normalized difference vegetation index) and clipping yield measurements were also collected. Application of FeDTPA and FeSO4 reduced symptoms of bleaching and necrosis when applied with topramezone. Other treatments that contained nitrogen did not reduce injury but did reduce bermudagrass recovery time following the appearance of necrosis. Inclusion of small amounts of nitrogen often negated the safening effects of FeSO4. The iron oxide/sucrate/sulfate product had no effect on bleaching or necrosis. Data suggest that the iron source had a differential effect on bleaching and necrosis reduction when applied in combination with topramezone to bermudagrass. Overall, FeSO4 and FeDTPA safened topramezone the most on bermudagrass.
The incoherence of sustainability literacy assessed with the Sulitest

Improving sustainability knowledge has long been central to international efforts to achieve sustainable development. In response to these efforts, which are formalized in Target 4.7 of the Sustainable Development Goals, a global group of scholars and practitioners, in cooperation with the United Nations, designed and fielded the ‘Sulitest’, a survey tool that assesses sustainability knowledge in a variety of contexts. The Sulitest has been taken by over 160,000 individuals across 63 countries. Despite its substantial use, there is little systematic analysis of the data or the test itself. We analyse the Sulitest using both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, common techniques for identifying latent components within observed data. The Sulitest was designed to measure knowledge within four themes; however, this architecture is not supported by the data. Analysis suggests there is no coherent structure of sustainability knowledge. We urge caution to policymakers and educators when using the Sulitest as a diagnostic tool for assessing sustainability knowledge. The Sulitest, developed to gauge sustainability knowledge, has been given to thousands of people worldwide. This analysis evaluates the test and its role as a diagnostic tool for sustainability education.
Beyond the Target Market: Product Advertising and Rule 10b-5's 'In Connection With' Requirement

An investor purchases Apple common stock in reliance on representations in advertisements that the new iPad is capable of connecting to “ultrafast” 4G wireless networks. It turns out that the iPad is not compatible with the fastest wireless network in Australia or the 4G networks in Sweden and Germany. If the investor suffered a loss a result, can the investor recover from Apple for securities fraud under Rule 10b-5 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934? A number of possible impediments to recovery exist. One is Rule 10b-5’s limited scope. The Rule applies only to a fraud that is “in connection with” a securities transaction, and whether a false or misleading statement primarily directed to consumers has the requisite connection is an open question. This Article evaluates Rule 10b-5’s “in connection with” requirement as it relates to product advertisements and concludes that false or misleading statements in advertisements are actionable under the Rule. The Article also suggests that, to determine whether a particular advertisement meets the “in connection with” requirement, courts should look to factors considered in determining whether an advertisement is an “offer” under the Securities Act of 1933.
Co-culture fermentation on the production of bacterial cellulose nanocomposite produced by Komagataeibacter hansenii

Abstract Bacterial cellulose (BC 1 ) is a biomaterial produced by various strains of microorganisms. BC has improved strength and unique structural properties as compared to plant cellulose, thus has many usages in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In our previous study, a novel co-culture agitated fermentation of Komagataeibacter hansenii, a BC producer, with Aureobasidium pullulans, a producer of pullulan polysaccharide, had been demonstrated where the BC produced exhibited improved mechanical properties. Therefore, this study is undertaken to analyze BC production under different medium composition using response surface methodology (RSM) in shake-flasks and benchtop bioreactors. A verified local high point provided 22.4% higher BC production and 4.5- to 6- folds higher elastic moduli in shake-flasks and bioreactors compared to the baseline media. Overall, the study had revealed the potential of the co-culturing method to enhance BC production while maintaining the desired mechanical properties of BC produced in shake-flasks and larger scale bioreactors.
Perceptions of Help-Seeking Barriers Among College Students With Mental Health Disabilities

Colleges and universities are seeing increasing numbers of students seeking mental health services, including both students who have a history of mental health conditions and those seeking support for the first time. The academic consequences for students with mental health conditions are significant, including poor class attendance, lower grade-point average, and course failure. Individuals struggling academically are less likely to persist and graduate with a degree. Understanding student experiences, including their satisfaction with mental health services, is critical to providing effective resources. Perceptions of stigma, campus climate, and satisfaction with services are among the most prevalent barriers to help-seeking, presenting significant challenges to efforts to support student mental health. This study used data from the Healthy Minds questionnaire to examine differences in perceptions of help-seeking barriers based on students’ history of mental health diagnoses and indicators of self-harm. Results indicated students with histories of mental health and/or risk of self-harm have fewer positive perceptions of stigma, campus climate, and satisfaction with services on campus. Suggestions for professionals providing supports to college students with mental health disabilities are provided.
The Effect of Cultural Orientation on Consumer Responses to Personalization

While marketing activities increasingly involve personalizing product offers to individually elicited preferences, these unique specifications may not be universally important for product choice. Providing evidence of the limits of treating each customer differently, three experiments show that individuals who exhibit interdependent or collectivistic tendencies tend to be more receptive to recommendations that are not personalized to their own preferences, but instead to the collective preferences of relevant in-groups. However, we find that cultural orientation affects responses to personalized recommendations for only those products whose consumption or choice decision is subject to public scrutiny. We further demonstrate that the favorability of thoughts elicited by ads offering targeted versus personalized offers mediates the effect of cultural orientation on responses to personalization. Finally, both individualistic and collectivistic consumers respond more favorably to offers of targeted recommendations when they believe relevant others share their preferences and when their level of expertise is relatively low.
Clinical Importance of Detecting Mycoplasma Contamination of Cell Cultures

The preceding papers in this symposium have convincingly detailed the wide range of cellular alterations induced by mycoplasma infection. It is also apparent that considerable advances have been achieved in the technology employed for detecting mycoplasma contamination of cells in culture. Therefore, it behooves the investigator working with cultured cells to be certain that he is examining uncontaminated cell cultures. It is also becoming increasingly clear that mycoplasma contamination may represent a hazard to successful clinical use of cell cultures.
Paramagnetic Relaxation of Water Protons Effects of Nonbonded Interactions, Electron Spin Relaxation, and Rotational Immobilization

Proton relaxation by paramagnetic centers has been historically a powerful structural tool applied largely to metalloprotein systems (Dwek, 1973; Burton et al., 1979; Kushnir and Navon, 1984). The development of high-resolution multidimensional NMR has displaced some of these applications; however, the added effects of paramagnetic centers have provided new opportunities for high-resolution work in larger macromolecular systems (Emerson and La Mar, 1990a, b; Hauksson et al., 1990; Dugad et al., 1990).
Evolutionary, developmental neural networks for robust robotic control

The use of artificial evolution to synthesize controllers for physical robots is still in its infancy. Most applications are on very simple robots in artificial environments, and even these examples struggle to span the "reality gap," a name given to the difference between the performance of a simulated robot and the performance of a real robot using the same evolved controller. This dissertation describes three methods for improving the use of artificial evolution as a tool for generating controllers for physical robots. First, the evolutionary process must incorporate testing on the physical robot. Second, repeated structure on the robot should be exploited. Finally, prior knowledge about the robot and task should be meaningfully incorporated. The impact of these three methods, both in simulation and on physical robots, is demonstrated, quantified, and compared to hand-designed controllers. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Stationary Neutron Radiography System

General Atomics (GA) is currently under turn-key contract to construct a Stationary Neutron Radiography System (SNRS) at McClellan Air Force Base, Sacramento, California. The SNRS is a custom designed neutron radiography inspection system, see Fig. 1, which utilizes a 1000 kW TRIGA reactor as a neutron source to inspect aircraft components for corrosion and other defects. The SNRS project is made up of four major systems: the Shielding and Containment System (SCS); TRIGA Reactor System (TRS); Neutron Beam System (NBS); and Component Inspection System (CIS). The SNRS project is currently close to completion with the construction phase completed and the equipment installation and testing phase well underway.