cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Ellipsoidal and Core–Shell Geometries of Copper-Seamed C-Alkylpyrogallol[4]arene Nanocapsules in Solution

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies were used to probe the stability and geometry of copper-seamed C-alkylpyrogallol[4]arene (PgCnCu; n = 11, 13, 17) hexamers in solution. Novel structural features are observed at chain lengths greater than 10 in both solid and solution phase. Scattering data for the PgC11Cu and PgC13Cu in chloroform fitted as core–shell spheres with a total spherical radius of about 22.7 and 22.9 A respectively. On the other hand, the scattering curve for the PgC17Cu hexamer at both 1% and 5% mass fractions in o-xylene did not fit as a discrete sphere but rather as a uniform ellipsoid. The geometric dimensions of the ellipsoid radii are 24 A along the minor axis and 115 A along the major axis. It is expected that an individual hexamer with heptadecyl chains would exhibit a uniform radius of ca. 24 A. However, an approximate ratio of 1:5 between radii lengths for the minor axis and major axis is consistent with interpenetration of the heptadceyl chains of adjacent hexamers to fo...
An Algorithm for Frequency Hopping MSK Signals Detection and Implementation in FPGA

Frequency hopping MSK signals have important application in military communication.Aiming at the demand in communication reconnaissance receiver,the paper analyzes the characteristics of frequency hopping MSK signals.An algorithm of interception and recognition of frequency hopping MSK signals in broadband receiving condition is proposed.An approach of digital implement scheme based on software radio is presented and an analysis on implementation is given.The algorithm is implemented in real time in FPGA.Finally the correctness and feasibility of the scheme are validated through hardware test.
Shared Decision Making Among Clinicians and Asian American and Pacific Islander Sexual and Gender Minorities: An Intersectional Approach to Address a Critical Care Gap

Shared decision making (SDM) is a model of patient-provider communication. Little is known about the role of SDM in health disparities among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) sexual and gender minorities (SGM). We illustrate how issues at the intersection of AAPI and SGM identities affect SDM processes and health outcomes. We discuss experiences of AAPI SGM that are affected by AAPI heterogeneity, SGM stigma, multiple minority group identities, and sources of discrimination. Recommendations for clinical practice, research, policy, community development, and education are offered.
Cellular thermal shift and clickable chemical probe assays for the determination of drug-target engagement in live cells

Proof of drug-target engagement in physiologically-relevant contexts is a key pillar of successful therapeutic target validation. We developed two orthogonal technologies, the cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and a covalent chemical probe reporter approach (harnessing sulfonyl fluoride tyrosine labeling and subsequent click chemistry) to measure the occupancy of the mRNA-decapping scavenger enzyme DcpS by a small molecule inhibitor in live cells. Enzyme affinity determined using isothermal dose response fingerprinting (ITDRFCETSA) and the concentration required to occupy 50% of the enzyme (OC50) using the chemical probe reporter assay were very similar. In this case, the chemical probe method worked well due to the long offset kinetics of the reversible inhibitor (determined using a fluorescent dye-tagged probe). This work suggests that CETSA could become the first choice assay to determine in-cell target engagement due to its simplicity.
Visualizing co-occurrence of events in populations of viral genome sequences

Virologists are not only interested in point mutations in a genome, but also in relationships between mutations. In this work, we present a design study to support the discovery of correlated mutation events (called co-occurrences) in populations of viral genomes. The key challenge is to identify potentially interesting pairs of events within the vast space of event combinations. In our work, we identify analyst requirements and develop a prototype through a participatory process. The key ideas of our approach are to use interest metrics to create dynamic filtering that guides the viewer to interesting and relevant correlations of genome mutations, and to provide visual encodings designed to fit scientists' mental map of the data, along with dynamic filtering techniques. We demonstrate the strength of our approach in virology-situated case studies, and offer suggestions for extending our strategy to other sequence-based domains.
Poster: QoE-centric Mobile Operating System Design

Current operating systems are already proficient at managing certain system resources, such as the CPU, memory, and disk. But on interactive mobile devices, users care more about resources such as time, battery life, and money, that are unmanaged or poorly managed by today's smartphone platforms. It is the degree to which mobile devices effectively manage these human-facing resources that determines a user's quality of experience (QoE), and it is QoE which should drive not just policy, but decisions on mobile devices. To meet smartphone users' expectations, it is necessary to design systems that can accurately measure and understand QoE, and make decisions based on QoE.
NGOs, Civil Society and Democracy

The African continent, like the rest of the developing world, has been enveloped by the ‘third wave’ of democratization (Huntington, 1991). Within the space of a decade, scores of countries throughout the African continent have made an unsteady transition to some form of multiparty democracy. In 1989, 39 of the 45 Sub-Saharan countries had authoritarian forms of rule, but by early 1995, 31 of the 45 had democratic presidential or parliamentary elections (UN, 1996, p. 24). Whether these changes are classified as part of Huntington’s ‘Third Wave of Democratization’ or reflective of Fukayama’s ‘End of History’, or Africa’s ‘Second’ independence there is a process of profound change occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa. Donors no longer driven by polarized ideological considerations are unwilling to buttress authoritarian and illegitimate regimes. Aid is increasingly being funnelled through NGOs and other non-state actors rather than through the decrepit and often corrupt state.
Common Coagulation Disorders That May Arise Intraoperatively: Specifically DIC

Neurosurgical patients could have preexisting congenital or acquired systemic coagulation disorders that can complicate their intraoperative management. The most important coagulation disorder that may arise intraoperatively is disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). DIC is the result of a pathological overstimulation of the hemostatic pathway that could present as a simultaneous hemorrhagic and thrombotic process. Tissue factor (TF) plays an important role in the initiation of DIC in neurosurgical procedures. There is no single test or a set of tests that can accurately diagnose DIC. All laboratory testing should be combined with the clinical scenario to help with a diagnosis and management of DIC. DIC can occur intraoperatively during resection of brain tumors or with excessive use of hemostatic products like prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) and recombinant factor VIIa (rVIIa). The most important step in the management of DIC is to treat the underlying cause of DIC. The patient has to be supported aggressively with blood product replacement therapy and pharmacological agents depending on whether the patient has bleeding or thrombotic manifestations of DIC.
Radiative Energy Transfer in Scalar Wave Fields

In recent years several attempts have been made [1] to provide a satisfactory basis for the theory of radiative energy transfer in optical fields. The conventional theory [2], on which many investigations in astrophysics and in the field of atmospheric propagation are based, was developed quite independently of modern theories of radiation; consequently its range of validity is not understood at the present time.
Tuning the plasmonic properties of silver nanopatterns fabricated by shadow nanosphere lithography

Regular silver (Ag) nanopatterns, from disconnected nanotriangles to well coupled triangular clusters of nanoparticles, were prepared by shadow nanosphere lithography at different incident angles θ from 0° to 20° with continuous azimuthal rotation. The resulting nanopatterns were consistent with predictions by numerical calculations and Monte Carlo simulations of adatoms with high diffusivity. The visible localized surface plasmon resonance of these nanopatterns was tuned by θ systematically due to the change in size, shape, and arrangement of Ag nanopatterns. These resonances were consistent with finite-difference time-domain simulations using realistic nanopatterns based upon scanning electron micrographs. Such a simple fabrication strategy can be used to optimize surface enhanced Raman scattering substrate fabrication, as well as other plasmonics based applications.
Participant-Informant Relationship Affects Quality of Life Ratings in Incipient and Clinical Alzheimer’s Disease (P2.226)

Objective: Determine the role of the participant-informant relationship on informant assessments of quality of life (QOL), functional abilities, and behavioral symptoms in individuals with normal cognition (NC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer’s disease dementia (AD). Background: Clinical trials in incipient and clinical AD typically include informant-reported outcomes, since cognitive impairment may limit participant reliability. Informant reports in AD dementia may be modified by the nature of the participant-informant relationship. However, the effect of such relationships at earlier disease stages remains uncertain. Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from an ongoing study at the Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research at UCLA. Participants with NC (n=100), MCI (amnestic n=125, nonamnestic n=61), and AD (n=113) were subdivided into groups based on the participant-informant relationship (spouse versus non-spouse). We examined group differences in the Quality of Life-Alzheimer’s Disease (QOL-AD) scale, Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Multiple regression analyses were used to identify associations between informant relationship, demographics, participant Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE) scores and informant ratings of: 1) QOL for participants and themselves, 2) FAQ, and 3) NPI. Results: After adjusting for demographics, MMSE, and self-rated informant QOL, spouse informants reported higher participant QOL than non-spouses in the MCI (p=0.003) and AD (p=0.04) groups. Within the MCI group, spouse informants rated QOL higher than non-spouses for participants with amnestic MCI (p<0.001). There were no differences in informant QOL ratings for participants with nonamnestic MCI or NC. There were also no differences between spouse and non-spouse informant ratings on the FAQ or NPI in any of the groups. Conclusions: Informant relationship to the participant may modulate responses on subjective measures like the QOL-AD throughout the AD spectrum. Analyses of clinical trials that use informant measures may need to address these effects, which persist after adjustments for demographic factors and MMSE. Disclosure: Dr. Lin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Brook has nothing to disclose. Dr. Grill has received research support from Elan, Janssen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Medivation, and Pfizer. Dr. Teng9s spouse holds stock and/or in GE Healthcare and Cerner Corporation.
Innovation t-ball: Everybody wins!!

As we all come together at FIE to explore advancements in engineering education, many attendees may ask themselves, “How could I use this in my classroom?” At Penn State, the Leonhard Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Education has been working with faculty for the last 25 years to help answer that exact question. This special session will offer FIE participants the opportunity to bring their new ideas together to collaborate with other participants, and members of the Leonhard Center, to develop specific strategies for how they can take that new idea (innovation) and turn it into classroom practice. The structure of this session will mimic a t-ball game to help exemplify the Leonhard Center's core values of exuberance and fun through learning while allowing participants to think about classroom practices from a different perspective.
Whole-transcriptome response to water stress in a California endemic oak, Quercus lobata

Reduced water availability during drought can create major stress for many plant species. Within a species, populations with a history of seasonal drought may have evolved the ability to tolerate drought more than those in areas of high precipitation and low seasonality. In this study, we assessed response to water stress in a California oak species, Quercus lobata Nee, by measuring changes in gene expression profiles before and after a simulated drought stress treatment through water deprivation of seedlings in a greenhouse setting. Using whole-transcriptome sequencing from nine samples from three collection localities, we identified which genes are involved in response to drought stress and tested the hypothesis that seedlings sampled from climatically different regions of the species range respond to water stress differently. We observed a surprisingly massive transcriptional response to drought: 35,347 of 68,434 contigs (52%) were differentially expressed before versus after drought treatment, of which 18,111 were down-regulated and 17,236 were up-regulated. Genes functionally associated with abiotic stresses and death were enriched among the up-regulated genes, whereas metabolic and cell part-related genes were enriched among the down-regulated. We found 56 contigs that exhibited significantly different expression responses to the drought treatment among the three populations (treatment × population interaction), suggesting that those genes may be involved in local adaptation to drought stress. These genes have stress response (e.g., WRKY DNA-binding protein 51 and HSP20-like chaperones superfamily protein), metabolic (e.g., phosphoglycerate kinase and protein kinase superfamily protein), transport/transfer (e.g., cationic amino acid transporter 7 and K+ transporter) and regulatory functions (e.g., WRKY51 and Homeodomain-like transcriptional regulator). Baseline expression levels of 1310 unique contigs also differed among pairs of populations, and they were enriched for metabolic and cell part-related genes. Out of the large fraction of the transcriptome that was differentially expressed in response to our drought treatment, we identified several novel genes that are candidates for involvement in local adaptation to drought.
A comparative study of photosynthetic unit models for algal growth rate and fluorescence prediction under light/dark cycles

Abstract Accurate description of light-limited algal growth, especially under short light/dark (L/D) cycles, is crucial for prediction of photobioreactor performance and for optimization of operating conditions. Here, a variety of widely used photosynthetic unit (PSU)-based models are evaluated to determine their ability to predict algal specific growth rate and photochemical efficiency under a range of light/dark cycle conditions. Six models were fit to previously published experimental data for algal specific growth rate and photochemical efficiency. Subsequently the weighted sum of squared error (SSE) values, normalized sensitivities to parameter change, and corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AICc) scores were compared. The quality of the fits and the model sensitivities were used to evaluate the assumptions and relative merits of the models considered. For the available data under light/dark cycling conditions, the Bernardi Model scored significantly better on the AICc measure and shows good potential for future use in predicting algal behavior under L/D cycles.
Bimetallic Cooperativity in Proton Reduction with an Amido-Bridged Cobalt Catalyst.

The bimetallic catalyst [CoII2 (L1 )(bpy)2 ]ClO4 (1), in which L1 is an [NN'2 O2 ] fused ligand, efficiently reduced H+ to H2 in CH3 CN in the presence of 100 equiv of HOAc with a turnover number of 18 and a Faradaic efficiency of 94 % after 3 h of bulk electrolysis at -1.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). This observation allowed the proposal that this bimetallic cooperativity is associated with distance, angle, and orbital alignment of the two Co centers, as promoted by the unique Co-Namido -Co environment offered by L1 . Experimental results revealed that the parent [CoII CoII ] complex undergoes two successive metal-based 1 e- reductions to generate the catalytically active species [CoI CoI ], and DFT calculations suggested that addition of a proton to one CoI triggers a cooperative 1 e- transfer by each of these CoI centers. This 2 e- transfer is an alternative route to generate a more reactive [CoII (CoII -H- )] hydride, thus avoiding the CoIII -H- required in monometallic species. This [CoII (CoII -H- )] species then accepts another H+ to release H2 .
Variable methodological quality and use found in systematic reviews referenced in STEMI clinical practice guidelines.

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to assess the methodological quality and clarity of reporting of the systematic reviews (SRs) supporting clinical practice guideline (CPG) recommendations in the management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) across international CPGs. Methods We searched 13 guideline clearinghouses including the National Guideline Clearinghouse and Guidelines International Network (GIN). To meet inclusion criteria CPGs must be pertinent to the management of STEMI, endorsed by a governing body or national organization, and written in English. We retrieved SRs from the reference sections using a combination of keywords and hand searching. Two investigators scored eligible SRs using AMSTAR and PRISMA. Results We included four CPGs. We extracted 71 unique SRs. These SRs received AMSTAR scores ranging from 1 (low) to 9 (high) on an 11-point scale. All CPGs consistently underperformed in areas including disclosure of funding sources, risk of bias, and publication bias according to AMSTAR. PRISMA checklist completeness ranged from 44% to 96%. The PRISMA scores indicated that SRs did not provide a full search strategy, study protocol and registration, assessment of publication bias or report funding sources. Only one SR was referenced in all four CPGs. All CPGs omitted a large subset of available SRs cited by other guidelines. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the variable quality of SRs used to establish recommendations within guidelines included in our sample. Although guideline developers have acknowledged this variability, it remains a significant finding that needs to be addressed further. Funding This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
The Place of Physical Education in the General Theory of Education

(1919). The Place of Physical Education in the General Theory of Education. American Physical Education Review: Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 75-82.
A weather-type-based cross-time-scale diagnostic framework for coupled circulation models

AbstractThis study proposes an integrated diagnostic framework based on atmospheric circulation regime spatial patterns and frequencies of occurrence to facilitate the identification of model systematic errors across multiple time scales. To illustrate the approach, three sets of 32-yr-long simulations are analyzed for northeastern North America and for the March–May season using the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory’s Low Ocean–Atmosphere Resolution (LOAR) and Forecast-Oriented Low Ocean Resolution (FLOR) coupled models; the main difference between these two models is the horizontal resolution of the atmospheric model used. Regime-dependent biases are explored in the light of different atmospheric horizontal resolutions and under different nudging approaches. It is found that both models exhibit a fair representation of the observed circulation regime spatial patterns and frequencies of occurrence, although some biases are present independently of the horizontal resolution or the nudging approach and...
Gendered Self Images and Gender Stereotypes: How Candidates Present Themselves to the Public

A significant literature on political gender stereotypes suggests that voters see women and men as better able to handle certain kinds of policies. These voter expectations conform to stereotypes about “female” and “male” issues. In light of these stereotypes, candidates have to make careful choices about how they create issue campaigns. Women candidates, in particular, have a more complicated set of decisions to make as they decide whether to conform their issue campaigns to public expectations of attention to “female” issues or whether they want to counter stereotypes and campaign on more traditionally “male” issues. This project examines the decisions that women and men candidates for U.S. Congress in 2010 made with regard to the creation of their issue campaigns. Employing a database of more than 1400 campaign ads and 500 websites from more than 350 candidates in 29 states, I test a series of hypotheses about whether and when women and men play to gender stereotypes or attempt to break out of gendered constraints in creating their issue images.
Collection Method of SERS Active Nanoparticles for Sensitive and Precise Measurements.

Developing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based biosensors requires not only synthesizing SERS active nanoparticles or nanoprobes that produce intense signal but also collecting them in a consistent manner to obtain sensitive and precise measurements. Nanoprobes are commonly measured in solution; however, this approach has several disadvantages that can reduce sensitivity, such as probing only a small percentage of the nanoprobes present in the sample. In this work, a novel collection device was designed, built, and tested which consistently concentrates nanoprobes in a specific area to yield highly sensitive (femtomolar) and repeatable measurements. A particular silica nanoprobe composed of aggregated silver nanoparticles with Raman reporters on them was synthesized and functionalized to measure it on the collection device. The collection device was assessed by collecting several concentrations of nanoprobes and comparing their SERS intensities to determine their limit of detection and the pr...
The Paradigmatic Differences Between Name/Date and Footnote Styles of Citation

Two predominant forms of citation characterize citation practices in English-language educational research: name/date style and footnote style. Because of the prevalence of certain APA journals, the name/date style is becoming dominant; some consider this a merely stylistic choice, or a rather trivial concession to the preferred style of those journals. In fact, I will argue, the differences are significant and profound (i.e., ‘paradigmatic’). This chapter will review these paradigmatic differences along three interrelated lines of argument: 1. The epistemic functions of citation practices (see for example, Charles Bazerman’s landmark 1987 essay, “Codifying the Social Scientific Style: The APA Publication Manual as a Behaviorist Rhetoric”), as name/date and footnote styles actually reflect deeper assumptions about the nature and purpose of research as a knowledge enterprise. 2. Name/date and footnote citation styles also reflect certain assumptions about the nature of research communities and who is included in them—to put it in contemporary terms, citation practices as a form of social networking. Audrey Thompson, for example, in her 2004 essay, “Gentlemanly Orthodoxy: Critical Race Feminism, Whiteness Theory, and the APA Manual”, argues that citation forms and citation practices actually discriminate against certain groups of scholars—and as a consequence discriminate against certain substantive points of view, certain theories, and certain areas of scholarship. They are by no means neutral or transparent: they filter and prioritize. 3. Name/date and footnote styles also represent, and reinforce, certain rhetorics of writing (for example, R.J. Connors, “The rhetoric of citation systems”, from 1999). They break up text in different ways and they place different kinds of information in different places on the printed page. At a deeper level, they reinforce certain styles of writing and even connote different views of the writer’s authority.
Oncolytic Virus-Mediated RAS Targeting in Rhabdomyosarcoma

Aberrant activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase-mediated RAS signaling cascade is the primary driver of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS), a pediatric cancer characterized by a block in myogenic differentiation. To investigate the cellular function of activated RAS signaling in regulating the growth and differentiation of ERMS cells, we genetically ablated activated RAS oncogenes with high-efficiency genome-editing technology. Knockout of NRAS in CRISPR-inducible ERMS xenograft models resulted in near-complete tumor regression through a combination of cell death and myogenic differentiation. Utilizing this strategy for therapeutic RAS targeting in ERMS, we developed a recombinant oncolytic myxoma virus (MYXV) engineered with CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing capability. Treatment of pre-clinical human ERMS tumor xenografts with an NRAS-targeting version of this MYXV significantly reduced tumor growth and increased overall survival. Our data suggest that targeted gene-editing cancer therapies have promising translational applications, especially with improvements to gene-targeting specificity and oncolytic vector technology.
Molecular weight dependence of intrinsic viscosity of polymer solutions

Intrinsic viscosities of low molecular weight polystyrene fractions measured in an “ideal” solvent (i.e., in cyclohexane at the “θ temperature,” 34°C.) are in accord with the relationship [η]θ = KM1/2. Even at a molecular weight of only 4000, the observed value of K agrees with that for high molecular weights.
Secure, Reliable Information

This chapter introduces “clock arithmetic”, or modular arithmetic, using the division theorem and the concept of least non-negative residue. These ideas are used to describe some historic examples of the two main applications of the book. Cryptology, or the study of methods of making information secret except to persons with special knowledge, is illustrated by additive Caesar ciphers, and Vigenere and Vernam (one-time pad) cryptosystems. Coding, or the study of methods to add redundancy to a message to determine if it is compromised by errors, is illustrated by check digits in several settings, and by repetition coding, a special case of which has historically been known as triple modular redundancy.
Clerking for Judge Mack: What Does Air Taste Like?

In this Howard Law Journal Symposium on noted jurist the Honorable Julia Cooper Mack, the author takes a look back at being a law clerk to the judge in her first year of being appointed to the bench as the first black female on DC's highest court. Appointed under DC's new Home Rule legislation allowing for the appointment of judges, the judge left a long legacy of ground-breaking jurisprudence.
CRL5-dependent regulation of Arl4c and Arf6 controls hippocampal morphogenesis.

The small GTPase Arl4c participates in the regulation of cell migration, cytoskeletal rearrangements, and vesicular trafficking in epithelial cells. The Arl4c signaling cascade starts by the recruitment of the Arf-GEF cytohesins to the plasma membrane, which in turn engage the small GTPase Arf6. In the nervous system, Arf6 regulates dendrite outgrowth in vitro and neuronal migration in the developing cortex. However, the role of Arl4c-cytohesin-Arf6 signaling during brain development and particularly during hippocampal development remain elusive. Here, we report that the E3 ubiquitin ligase Cullin 5/Rbx2 (CRL5) controls the stability of Arl4c and its signaling effectors to regulate hippocampal morphogenesis. Rbx2 knock out causes hippocampal pyramidal neuron mislocalization and formation of multiple apical dendrites. The same phenotypes were observed when Cullin 5 was knocked down in pyramidal neurons by in utero electroporation. We used quantitative mass spectrometry to show that Arl4c, Cytohesin-1/3, and Arf6 accumulate in the telencephalon when Rbx2 is absent. Arl4c expression is post-transcriptionally regulated, with a peak in expression at early postnatal stages, and is localized at the plasma membrane and on intracellular vesicles in hippocampal pyramidal neurons. Furthermore, we show that depletion of Arl4c rescues the phenotypes caused by Cullin 5 knock down in the hippocampus, whereas depletion of Arf6 exacerbates over-migration. Finally, we show that Arl4c and Arf6 are necessary for the dendritic outgrowth of pyramidal neurons to the most superficial strata of the hippocampus. Overall, we identified CRL5 as a key regulator of hippocampal development and uncovered Arl4c and Arf6 as novel CRL5-regulated signaling effectors that control pyramidal neuron migration and dendritogenesis.
Symbiotic Life of Echinoderm Larvae

Echinoderms larvae have served as a fundamental system for understanding development and life history evolution over much of the last century. In the last few decades, our understanding of echinoderm larvae has expanded to the microbiota that they associate with. These symbionts and the communities that they form in relation to echinoderm larval host is the focus of this review. Our synthesis of the literature suggests three primary themes. First, larval echinoderms associate with ‘subcuticle bacteria’ that appear to colonize select tissue types. Second, the bacterial communities associated with larval echinoderms exhibit compositional shifts that are correlated with several fundamental properties of larval biology (e.g., development and morphological plasticity) and ecology (e.g., feeding environment). Third, echinoderm larvae exhibit specific responses to pathogenic bacteria that may aid in maintaining the symbiont community and avoid dysbiosis. To our knowledge, no studies have focused on whether climate-related stressors impact the composition of these symbiont communities or how changes in bacteria may modulate response by larvae to these environmental stressors. Lastly, we conclude by outlining techniques that need to be established in echinoderm larvae to transition from correlations between larvae and their associated microbiota to the function of these symbionts.
5 – Soil Structure and Aggregation

Publisher Summary The arrangement or organization of the particles in the soil—that is, the internal configuration of the soil matrix—is called soil structure. Because soil particles differ in shape, size, and orientation and can be variously associated and interlinked, their mass can form complex and irregular patterns that are difficult to characterize in exact geometric terms. Soil structure is affected by changes in climate, biological activity, and soil management practices, and it is vulnerable to the destructive forces of a mechanical and physicochemical nature. For these various reasons, there is no truly objective or universally applicable way to measure soil structure per se, and the term soil structure therefore expresses a qualitative concept rather than a directly quantifiable property. The numerous methods proposed for characterizing soil structure are designed not to measure soil structure itself but soil attributes that are supposed to depend on structure. Many of these methods are specific to the purpose for which they are devised, and some are completely arbitrary.
Virtual Equating of Test Forms

This chapter builds upon the linking chapter that we presented in Rasch Analysis in the Human Sciences. In this chapter, we present a technique that can be used when a researcher attempts to link two tests that measure the same trait when the two tests do not share any common items. The linking process involves a first step of identifying items that, while not identical, are hypothesized to mark the same portion of the unidimensional trait. In this chapter, we detail the steps that researchers can take when they wish to attempt such equating.
The Inconspicuous DHS: The Supreme Court, Celebrity Culture, and Justice David H. Souter

Thirty years ago this summer President George H.W. Bush nominated Judge David H. Souter to fill the Supreme Court seat from which Justice William Brennan had just announced his retirement. Souter quickly became known as the “stealth nominee”—he had taken no public positions on the controversial issues of the day and lived an unusually disconnected personal life. Liberals were convinced he had given private assurances he would provide the fifth vote to overrule Roe and conservatives hoped that was the case. Those who knew Souter—and Souter himself—claimed he would bring no agenda to the Court. This latter group proved most prescient. Indeed, in just his second term Justice Souter teamed with Justices Kennedy and O’Connor to author a joint opinion in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, in which they provided the crucial votes to uphold Roe. As a result, “No More Souters” became a conservative refrain. More generally, Souter’s behavior as a justice tracked that of his past. He shunned celebrity and the trappings of life as a justice. Each summer he quickly retreated to his home in New Hampshire in an effort “to make a close approach to solitude.” This essay provides a brief biographical sketch of Justice Souter (the first of its kind since his retirement), then situates his life and career in light of recent concerns arising out of the celebrity culture that increasingly surrounds the Court and its justices. Souter provides an example that was unique and curious even thirty years ago. His instinctive aversion to the spotlight and general reluctance to engage with the Court’s various public audiences, I contend, helped provide him the space and ability to follow the law wherever it led him, disappointing the results-based expectations of those who supported his appointment but in a larger sense acting in accordance with the ideal of the rule of law. His approach stands in marked contrast to the current justices, who write books, cultivate audiences, and in some cases achieve a level of general celebrity—all of which, as many commentators have suggested, may have pernicious effects on their behavior as justices. In an ideal world, perhaps, the Court would be populated with justices who likewise resist the allure of celebrity. But there likely will be no more Souters, partly because Souters are rare, and partly because contemporary political culture works strongly against their emergence. As a result, second-best solutions, such as the anonymization of opinions, may thus represent the most realistic avenues for reform. Either way, “No More Souters” should thus take on a new meaning, less as mantra and more as lament.
Relationship between right ventricular pacing and non-sustained ventricular arrhythmias in patients with dual-chamber pacemaker and normal range left ventricular ejection fraction

Right ventricular pacing (RVP) increases heart failure, AF, and death rates in pacemaker patients and ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in defibrillator patients. However, the impact of RVP on VAs burden and its clinical significance in pacemaker patients with normal range LVEF of > 50–55% remains unknown. We sought to evaluate the relationship of RVP and VAs and its clinical impact in a pacemaker patient population. Records of 105 patients who underwent de novo dual-chamber pacemaker implant or a generator change (Medtronic™ or Boston Scientific™) for AV block and sinus node disease at a tertiary care center between September 1, 2015, and September 1, 2016, were retrospectively reviewed. Data from 105 patients (51% females, mean age 76 ± 1 years, mean LVEF 61 ± 0.7%) without history of VAs (98.2%) were reviewed over 1044 ± 23 days. Dependent patients (100% RVP) exhibited the lowest VAs burden when compared to 1/h of PVC runs and increasing PVC runs/h were significantly associated with hospitalization (p = 0.04) and all-cause mortality (p = 0.03), respectively. In pacemaker patients with normal range LVEF (> 50–55%), 100% RVP is associated with the lowest burden of NSVT. Furthermore, patients with < 1% RVP also exhibit low VA burden; however, intermittent RVP seems to significantly correlate with non-sustained VAs.
An Interview with Joan Tronto on Care Ethics and Nursing Ethics

Joan Tronto’s book, Moral Boundaries (1993) established care ethics as a scholarly discipline and led to new initiatives and new ways of thinking especially in political theory, professional ethics, and studying care as practice. Nearly 30 years on, Joan remains committed to an expansive understanding of care and, in this interview, she addresses the synergy between scholarship in care ethics and nursing ethics. First, she recognizes the situation of nurses within healthcare organizations which affords them the opportunity to defend and promote caring as a central form of human practice. She points to some of the key challenges for nurses and nursing ethics from a care ethics perspective: how the larger issues of health care and cost containment affect the ethical possibilities of what nurses can accomplish; the tension between increasingly technical and technologically distant practices and the basic human needs of patients, such as the need to be touched and to be heard; the organizational and political tension between professionalism for nurses and the place of nurses as advocates for everyone else in care settings—especially their role in respecting difference and addressing disparities. Finally, she touches on some of the challenges which the COVID-19 pandemic presents and suggests that, even though it is a huge crisis in health care, it also presents nurses with the opportunity to reorient social values toward all forms of care.
On Waves, Clusters, and Diffusion: A Conceptual Framework

This article makes a conceptual and theoretical contribution to the study of diffusion. The authors suggest that the concept of diffusion be reserved for processes (not outcomes) characterized by a certain uncoordinated interdependence. Theoretically, the authors identify the principal sources of clustered policy reforms. They then clarify the characteristics specific to diffusion mechanisms and introduce a categorization of such processes. In particular, they make a distinction between two types of diffusion: adaptation and learning. They argue that this categorization adds conceptual clarity and distinguishes mechanisms with distinct substantive consequences.
Spatial knowledge and firefighters’ wayfinding performance: A virtual reality search and rescue experiment

Abstract Firefighters often need to digest complex spatial information within a short period of time for search and rescue. Previous wayfinding literature has documented evidence about how the general population in normal situations leverage different forms of spatial information, including landmarks, routes and survey (maps), to develop spatial knowledge and guide wayfinding. However, little is known about how the arbitrarily given spatial information affects firefighter wayfinding behavior and performance when the time is limited and there is no privilege for them to develop complete spatial knowledge in an evolving manner. To narrow the knowledge gap, we conducted a wayfinding experiment with firefighters (n = 40) using Virtual Reality (VR). In the experiment, firefighters were required to find three victims in a simulated office maze. Each firefighter randomly experienced four experimental conditions in this study including control condition, landmark condition, route condition, and survey (map) condition. For each experimental condition, firefighters had 3 min to memorize the different layouts of the virtual office mazes using one of three spatial information including landmarks, routes, and survey (map), and then went to the virtual office maze to find the victims. The number of victims found, time, and navigation patterns were used to evaluate firefighters’ wayfinding performance. The results indicated that the route and survey spatial information was more efficient in facilitating firefighter to memorize the layout, leading to a better wayfinding performance. We also found that although the survey information provided more complete information about the layout, it also burdened firefighters in a way that they had to plan the path with limited time. Since survey information may induce different path planning strategies, survey information did not result in a better performance than the route information as suggested by previous studies. This research helps explain the relationship between different forms of spatial information and the wayfinding performance of firefighters. The findings will help professionals design better training protocols and technologies for firefighters.
Interstitial Lung Disease and its Associations in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Data from a District General Hospital in Sri Lanka

Context:Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a frequent pulmonary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). No Sri Lankan studies have determined the prevalence of lung disease in RA and its associ...
From concept to creation: Shaping inquiry culture on campus with a co-curricular panel

How can a campus promote a culture of inquiry? How can students’ awareness of behaviors and attitudes involved in inquiry be cultivated? How can barriers between faculty/staff and students be reduced? Our experience developing a co-curricular, interdisciplinary panel discussion series spotlights how librarians and instructional designers shape inquiry culture on campus through programming.
The relationship between macro-socioeconomics determinants and COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

Since coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has continued to spread globally, many countries have started vaccinations at the end of December 2020. This research examines the relationship between COVID-19 vaccine distribution and two macro-socioeconomics measures, including human development index and gross domestic product, among 25 countries for two points in time, including February and August 2021. The COVID-19 dataset is a collection of the COVID-19 data maintained by Our World in Data. It is a daily updated dataset and includes confirmed cases, vaccinations, deaths, and testing data. Ordinary Least Squares was applied to examine how macro-socioeconomic measures predict the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine over time. Results The results indicate that a higher gross domestic product per capita is positively associated with higher COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and this relationship becomes more robust over time. However, some countries may have more successful vaccine distribution results regardless of their gross domestic product. In addition, the result shows human development index does not have a significant relationship with vaccine distribution. Conclusion Economic measures may be counted as a more vital indicator for vaccine distribution as they have a more direct relationship distribution with health infrastructure than social measures such as human development index.
COMPARING THE EFFECTS OF CONVENTIONAL AND PASTURED POULTRY PRODUCTION SYSTEMS ON THE STRESS LEVELS OF BROILERS

The objective of this study was to measure stress levels in broilers raised on a pasture production system (PPS) and a conventional production system (CPS) by evaluating lymphoid organ weights, white blood cell profiles (WBCP), total white blood cell counts (TWBC), and heterophil to lymphocyte ratios (HLR). Broilers were brooded indoors for 3 weeks then divided into 2 groups; one placed on pasture while the other remained indoors. Blood was collected at weeks 3, 5, and 7 via brachial venipuncture. After 49 days, birds were slaughtered and lymphoid organs harvested. Results showed no differences between treatments for lymphoid organs, TWBC, or WBCP. Eosinophils were higher (P < 0.05) in CPS (333.33) compared to PPS birds (148.00) at week 5. The HLR was lower (P < 0.05) in PPS broilers at week 5 (0.40) than weeks 3 (0.44) and 7 (0.43). The PPS broilers experienced less stress overall than CPS birds.
CRITICAL QUESTIONS FOR BIG DATA

The era of Big Data has begun. Computer scientists, physicists, economists, mathematicians, political scientists, bio-informaticists, sociologists, and other scholars are clamoring for access to the massive quantities of information produced by and about people, things, and their interactions. Diverse groups argue about the potential benefits and costs of analyzing genetic sequences, social media interactions, health records, phone logs, government records, and other digital traces left by people. Significant questions emerge. Will large-scale search data help us create better tools, services, and public goods? Or will it usher in a new wave of privacy incursions and invasive marketing? Will data analytics help us understand online communities and political movements? Or will it be used to track protesters and suppress speech? Will it transform how we study human communication and culture, or narrow the palette of research options and alter what ‘research’ means? Given the rise of Big Data as a socio-tech...
Extensions for 3d graphics rendering engine used for direct tessellation of spline surfaces

In current 3D graphics architectures, the bus between the triangle server and the rendering engine GPU is clogged with triangle vertices and their many attributes (normal vectors, colors, texture coordinates). We have developed a new 3D graphics architecture using data compression to unclog the bus between the triangle server and the rendering engine. This new architecture has been described in [1]. In the present paper we describe further developments of the newly proposed architecture. The current paper shows several interesting extensions of our architecture such as backsurface rejection, NURBS real time tesselation and a description of a surface based API. We also show how the implementation of our architecture operates on top of the pixel shaders.
Social safety net assessments from Central America : cross-country review of principal findings

This paper reviews the first generation of Social Safety Net Assessments (SSNAs) conducted in Central America, including those of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The World Bank supports SSNAs to help identify strengths and weaknesses in social protection policies and recommend improvements in the programs for the consideration of governments and other stakeholders. The paper provides an overview of social protection systems in the region, summarizes findings and policy recommendations, and outlines the implications for future analyses.
Mid-Sized Axiomatizations of Commonsense Problems: A Case Study in Egg Cracking

We present an axiomatization of a problem in commonsense reasoning, characterizing the proper procedure for cracking an egg and transferring its contents to a bowl. The axiomatization is mid-sized, larger than toy problems such as the Yale Shooting Problem or the Suitcase Problem, but much smaller than the comprehensive axiomatizations associated with CYC and HPKB. This size of axiomatization permits the development of non-trivial, reusable core theories of commonsense reasoning, acts as a testbed for existing theories of commonsense reasoning, and encourages the discovery of new problems in commonsense reasoning. We present portions of core theories of containment, falling, and pouring, integrated into Shanahan's circumscriptive event calculus, and show how these can serve as the basis of an axiomatization that partly characterizes egg cracking. We discuss several commonsense reasoning problems encountered during this research, such as the Initial Specification Problem (a relative of the frame problem that occurs in theories in which fluents can trigger actions), and the Unobtainable State Problem (the problem of determining whether or not a theorem stating that one cannot get from one state to another is meaningful).