cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of landscape restoration and degradation on storm surge and waves in southern Louisiana

The purpose of this investigation was to examine storm surge and wave reduction benefits of different environmental restoration features (marsh restoration and barrier island changes), as well as the impact of future wetland degradation on local surge and wave conditions. Storm surge simulations of two representative hurricanes were performed using the ADCIRC storm surge model with the inclusion of radiation stress gradients from the STWAVE nearshore wave model. Coupled model simulations were made for a number of landscape configurations that involved both restored and degraded wetland features. The impact of barrier island condition on hurricane surge and waves was also evaluated. Effects of landscape features were represented by changes in elevation and frictional resistance. Restoration and degradation of marsh resulted in decreases (for restoration cases) and increases (for degradation cases) in both surge and waves. The magnitude of change was correlated with the magnitude of the horizontal extent and elevation changes in the marsh. In general, the wave change patterns are consistent with the water level changes. Deflation of the Chandeleur Islands (barrier island chain) resulted in slightly increased surge. Results suggest that coastal marsh does have surge and wave reduction potential. Results also indicate that the impact of the landscape features is amplified in areas where there are levee “pockets.” Barrier islands and coastal ridges reduce wave heights, even if in a degraded condition and thus can reduce wave energy in wetland areas, protecting them from erosion.
Stretch Magnitude and Frequency-Dependent Actin Cytoskeleton Remodeling in Alveolar Epithelia

Alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) maintain integrity of the blood-gas barrier with gasket-like intercellular tight junctions (TJ) that are anchored internally to the actin cytoskeleton. We hypothesize that stretch rapidly reorganizes actin (<10 min) into a perijunctional actin ring (PJAR) in a manner that is dependent on magnitude and frequency of the stretch, accompanied by spontaneous movement of actin-anchored receptors at the plasma membrane. Primary AEC monolayers were stretched biaxially to create a change in surface area (ΔSA) of 12%, 25%, or 37% in a cyclic manner at 0.25 Hz for up to 60 min, or held tonic at 25% ΔSA for up to 60 min, or left unstretched. By 10 min of stretch PJARs were evident in 25% and 37% ΔSA at 0.25 Hz, but not for 12% ΔSA at 0.25 Hz, or at tonic 25% ΔSA, or with no stretch. Treatment with 1 μM jasplakinolide abolished stretch-induced PJAR formation, however. As a rough index of remodeling rate, we measured spontaneous motions of 5-μm microbeads bound to actin focal adhesion complexes on the apical membrane surfaces; within 1 min of exposure to ΔSA of 25% and 37%, these motions increased substantially, increased with increasing stretch frequency, and were consistent with our mechanistic hypothesis. With a tonic stretch, however, the spontaneous motion of microbeads attenuated back to unstretched levels, whereas PJAR remained unchanged. Stretch did not increase spontaneous microbead motion in human alveolar epithelial adenocarcinoma A549 monolayers, confirming that this actin remodeling response to stretch was a cell-type specific response. In summary, stretch of primary rat AEC monolayers forms PJARs and rapidly reorganized actin binding sites at the plasma membrane in a manner dependent on stretch magnitude and frequency.
The Typing of Hyperlipoproteinemia: A Progress Report (1968)

Some years ago we began to examine the potential of lipoprotein patterns for separating different kinds of hyperlipidemia. A systematic study of the genetic errors leading to high plasma lipid concentrations had not been attempted previously. It was first necessary to select a method for obtaining lipoprotein patterns that could be made widely available and would be less expensive and time-consuming than the analytical ultracentrifuge. There was then, and is now, a minimum of four classes of lipoproteins that had to be differentiated. These are the alpha and beta lipoproteins (S f o 0–20), the S f o 20–400 lipoproteins, and Sf > 400 lipoproteins or particles. The S f o 20–400 (also called very low density lipoproteins or VLDL) carry glycerides that are either synthesized endogenously or, if they came from the diet, have been circulating for some time, mixed with endogenous glycerlde and perhaps undergone some changes in physical state after passage through one or more “pools” in the body. The particles > S f o 400 are mainly chylomicrons that have come into the bloodstream from the intestinal lacteals bearing dietary or “exogenous” glycerides.
Movement of Sterile Male Bactrocera cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a Hawaiian Agroecosystem

Abstract The melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae Coquillett, invaded the Hawaiian Island chain in 1895. In 1999, a program sponsored by the USDA–ARS to control melon fly and other tephritid pests in Hawaii over a wide area was initiated on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, and Oahu. To control these flies in an areawide setting, understanding how flies move within the landscape is important. To explore the movement of this fly, we examined the movement of marked, male, sterile, laboratory-reared B. cucurbitae on the island of Hawaii in an agricultural setting. Two releases of dyed, sterile flies consisting of ≈15,000 flies, were released 6 wk apart. Released flies were trapped back by using Moroccan traps baited with a male attractant. These two releases suggest that in the Hawaiian agricultural areas where the areawide control is being sought, melon flies do not move extensively when there are abundant larval host and adult roosting sites. Over the course of this study, only one fly made it the maximum distance ...
The use of traction for treating femoral shaft fractures in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

Purpose The use of traction for treatment of femoral shaft fractures remains common in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The objective of this study is to systematically review the literature on outcomes of traction as definitive treatment for adult femoral shaft fractures in LMICs.
Catheter ablation for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia in patients with congenital heart disease

Background Variability in atrioventricular (AV) node location in congenital heart disease (CHD) can make catheter ablation for atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) challenging. objective The purpose of this study was to describe institutional technique and outcomes for slow pathway modification in a cohort with CHD. methods The study consisted of a retrospective review of CHD patients who underwent study from 2001 to 2013 with a diagnosis of AVNRT. Outcomes for slow pathway modification were recorded. In cases in which ablation was deferred, the reasons for this choice were examined. Results Forty-nine patients (median age 19 years) were included. CHD anatomy involved d-transposition of the great arteries (n = 6), "congenitally corrected" transposition of the great arteries (n = 4), Ebstein anomaly (n = 4), tetralogy of Fallot (n = 5), venous anomalies (n = 8), single ventricle (n = 16), and miscellaneous (n = 6). Ablation was attempted in 39 patients, using radiofrequency energy in 24, cryoablation in 8, and both in 7. Acute success rate was 92% (36/39). One patient had first-degree block in response to cryoablation, but no other complications occurred. At median follow-up 32 months, 1 patient had AVNRT recurrence. Most of the 10 patients in whom ablation was deferred had single-ventricle anatomy with uncertain AV node location. Conclusion Ablation for AVNRT in CHD can be accomplished successfully with attention to underlying anatomy and prior surgery. Patients with single ventricle are a difficult subgroup, and a pharmacologic approach may be indicated in some cases if node localization is ambiguous.
Cortical localization of human sustained attention: detection with functional MR using a visual vigilance paradigm.

Purpose : Our goal was to determine whether functional MRI on a standard 1.5 T system can localize activation during a visual vigilance sustained attention task and whether this corresponds to results described in a PET investigation of a similar task. Method : Sixteen volunteers were studied on a 1.5 T system using a gradient echo technique. A single axial section was oriented within a stereotaxic coordinate space, 40 mm superior to the anterior-posterior commissure line. Images with eyes closed were followed by images during subject concentration on a small dim spot. Motion correction and pixel-by-pixel statistical analysis were performed. Talairach grids were applied for summary statistical analysis and comparison to PET data, with analysis using a series of planned contrasts within a repeated measures analysis of variance. Results : Predominantly right-sided frontal and parietal activation was observed, with statistical significance across subjects in the right frontal lobe (F ≥ 5.9, p ≤ 0.041). Comparison with previously reported PET data yielded a very similar pattern of activation (F = 13.2 ; df = 1,8 ; p = 0.007). Conclusion : Activation of the right middle frontal gyrus and right parietal lobe during visual vigilance is detectable across functional imaging modalities.
Reproductive isolation in Stegomyia mosquitoes. I. Sexual isolation between Aedes aegypti and A. mascarensis.

Previous work has shown that A. aegypti (L.) and A. mascarensis MacGregor hybridize readily and produce fertile offspring. Single males from each of 5 strains of A. aegypti and 1 strain of A. mascarensis were given a choice of females from 2 strains. Mating preference was determined by examination of female spermathecae. Males of both A. a. formosus Walker and A. a. aegypti could readily discriminate between their own females and those of A. mascarensis. Indeed, A. aegypti males were able to seek out and inseminate their own females even when these females were outnumbered by A. mascarensis females in a ratio of 19:1. On the other hand, males of A. mascarensis did not demonstrate a consistent strong choice of mates. Differential mating preference was demonstrated also between A. a. aegypti and A. a. formosus. The implications of these findings for genetic control are discussed.
VizioMetrix: A Platform for Analyzing the Visual Information in Big Scholarly Data

We present VizioMetrix, a platform that extracts visual information from the scientific literature and makes it available for use in new information retrieval applications and for studies that look at patterns of visual information across millions of papers. New ideas are conveyed visually in the scientific literature through figures --- diagrams, photos, visualizations, tables --- but these visual elements remain ensconced in the surrounding paper and difficult to use directly to facilitate information discovery tasks or longitudinal analytics. Very few applications in information retrieval, academic search, or bibliometrics make direct use of the figures, and none attempt to recognize and exploit the type of figure, which can be used to augment interactions with a large corpus of scholarly literature. The VizioMetrix platform processes a corpus of documents, classifies the figures, organizes the results into a cloud-hosted databases, and drives three distinct applications to support bibliometric analysis and information retrieval. The first application supports information retrieval tasks by allowing rapid browsing of classified figures. The second application supports longitudinal analysis of visual patterns in the literature and facilitates data mining of these figures. The third application supports crowdsourced tagging of figures to improve classification, augment search, and facilitate new kinds of analyses. Our initial corpus is the entirety of PubMed Central (PMC), and will be released to the public alongside this paper; we welcome other researchers to make use of these resources.
Writing the Maghrib: Mobility, Patronage, and Scholarship in Seventeenth-Century Damascus

This article explores how scholars like the North African Muslim scholar al-Maqqarī (d. 1632) traveled throughout the Ottoman Arab provinces such as Damascus in the early seventeenth century to develop their scholarly reputation, and also to seek out local patrons to further their scholarly pursuits. More broadly, the article argues for the existence of a vibrant intellectual and cultural milieu in seventeenth-century Damascus, which encouraged the production and circulation of intellectual ideas within and outside of the Ottoman Arab provinces.
Risk factors for development of foot abscess in neonatal pigs

Factors associated with foot abscess were evaluated in a cohort of 3,322 suckling pigs reared on a woven-wire floor (wire diameter, 0.5 cm; size of openings, 1 x 3.8 cm). In bivariate analysis, foot abscess was significantly (P 10 pigs at birth) born to sows with postpartum illnesses had an increased risk (relative risk [RR], 3.77) of developing foot abscess, compared with pigs in small litters (< or = 10 pigs) born to unaffected sows. For sows without evidence of postpartum illness, pigs in large litters had a slightly increased risk (RR, 1.32) of developing foot abscess, compared with pigs in small litters. Pigs born to multiparous sows also had an increased risk (RR, 1.69) of developing foot abscess, compared with pigs born to primiparous sows. Similar risk estimates were obtained when logistic regression models included location farrowed (crate number) as a fixed effect, and when litter was a random effect in a logistic-binomial regression.
Evaluating the 'Vanishing Virtue' Argument in Medical Education: Motivation to Attend Medical School and Expected Work Areas Over the Course of the Medical School Experience.

A consequence of the 1910 Flexner Report on medical education is emphasis on objectivity at the expense of empathy (vanishing virtue). Previous studies of the vanishing virtue hypothesis used measures of empathy that produced inconsistent results. We use two indicators of empathy, reported motivation to attend medical school and anticipated career. Motive was defined as interest in academic medicine, service or economic success. Career interests were in scholarship, public health or private practice. Predictor variables include number of years in medical school, race, gender, type school (historically black or traditionally white), undergraduate GPA and debt. The sample is 375 medical students from a population of approximately 600 students in 8 medical schools, 5 traditionally white and 3 historically black. Using general linear models, we find that race, years in medical school and type school are the main predictors of academic and service motives.
East Europe: New Holding Institutions

The need for increasing the efficiency of state-owned enterprises of the transforming economies of East Europe has been clearly acknowledged by their governments. It is equally clearly expressed by these governments today that the principal vehicle for achieving this is a change in ownership, through privatization. Gradualist solutions are not sought, because in addition to the efficiency objective, the path of privatization serves the ideological objectives of creating private property and supporting new political beliefs. There is a danger that, if the moment is not seized, and irreversible reforms are not introduced, political and social momentum for the transformation may be lost. Budgetary pressures are not the driving force and indeed revenue may be sacrificed rather than gained in order to bring about rapid change.1 Why, in such a context, should state holding institutions be examined?
Simultaneous PET/MR images acquired with an RF-penetrable PET insert

Simultaneous PET/MRI shows great promise for improved detection and diagnosis of disease. Commercially available whole body combined PET/MRI systems are currently prohibitively expensive, limiting access to the technology. MRI-compatible PET inserts present a lower-cost alternative, adding PET capabilities to existing MRI installations. A brain sized radio-frequency (RF)-penetrable PET insert has been designed for simultaneous operation within MRI systems. This insert takes advantage of electro-optical coupling and battery power to electrically float the PET insert relative to the MRI ground, permitting RF signals to be transmitted and received through small gaps between the PET modules. Non-magnetic silicon photomultipliers are used in conjunction with a compressed sensing signal multiplexing scheme, and optical fibers transmit analog PET detector signals out of the MRI room for decoding, processing, and image reconstruction. Results of the first simultaneous PET/MR imaging studies with the full RF-penetrable PET ring are presented in this work. The PET insert was placed within a 3T whole body MRI system, and tomographic images of a 3D-printed resolution phantom with hot and cold rods of varying sizes were acquired both with only the B 0 field present, and under continuous pulsing from three MR imaging sequences: gradient echo (GRE), fast spin echo (FSE), and echo planar imaging (EPI). The resulting PET images have comparable contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) under all pulsing conditions, with an average (of all rod types) maximum CNR difference of 14.0% among images. MR images of the resolution phantom were successfully acquired through the RF-penetrable PET shielding using only the built in MR body coil, with mean CNR decreases of 19.5% and 29.8% for GRE and FSE, respectively. These results suggest that simultaneous imaging is possible with the RF-penetrable insert, and show promise for this technology as an alternative to costly integrated PET/MRI scanners.
Validity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease simulation using straws

Background: The experience of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be simulated by breathing through straws. However, the simulated severity of COPD remains unclear. Objective: The purpose of this study was to clarify the validity of COPD simulation using straws. Methods: Ten young healthy men participated in the study. We measured forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and airway resistance through bundles of 0 (baseline) to 5 straws that were placed between the mouth and the measuring device. Airway resistance was measured by using a forced oscillation technique and airway resistance at 5 Hz was used for the analysis. Results: Airway resistance was approximately 20× baseline (=no straw) when breathing through 1 straw, 12× baseline through 2 straws, 6× baseline through 3 straws, 4× baseline through 4 straws, and 3× baseline through 5 straws. FEV1/FVC was 21.5% when breathing through 1 straw, 42.2% through 2 straws, 59.3% through 3 straws, 67.2% through 4 straws, and 73.0% through 5 straws. FEV1% predicted was 23.5% when breathing through 1 straw, 45.6% through 2 straws, 66.0% through 3 straws, 77.3% through 4 straws, and 80.8% through 5 straws. FVC was not affected by the number of straws. Conclusion: Breathing through 4 straws mimicked Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage 2 severity in healthy volunteers; breathing through 2 to 3 straws mimicked GOLD stage 3 severity, and breathing through 1 straw approximated GOLD stage 4 severity. It must be noted that the flow volume curve generated during disease simulation is different from that observed in actual COPD.
Spatializing Populism: Taking Politics to the People in Italy

Political parties with conventional memberships and hierarchical structures are under challenge across electoral democracies from movements and candidates that claim they are “going to the people” directly for their support. Italy has been a laboratory for this populism even as the term itself is used more widely. The basic question of what the people are to whom populism refers has not received much, if any, empirical examination. After surveying usage of the term populism, three facets behind the rise of Italian populism since 1990 are examined using a geographic perspective. First, the geography of voter turnout and rising abstention is considered to be emblematic of dissatisfaction with existing parties and the expanding pool of nonvoters available for mobilization by populist movements and candidates. Second, the role of the leader as an alternative focal point to the party is shown to be central to such populist movements. Silvio Berlusconi is the primary actor in this account, although other simila...
Determining Atomic-Scale Structure and Composition of Organo-Lead Halide Perovskites by Combining High-Resolution X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and First-Principles Calculations

We combine high-energy resolution fluorescence detection (HERFD) X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements with first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations to provide a molecular-scale understanding of local structure, and its role in defining optoelectronic properties, in CH3NH3Pb(I1–xBrx)3 perovskites. The spectra probe a ligand field splitting in the unoccupied d states of the material, which lie well above the conduction band minimum and display high sensitivity to halide identity, Pb-halide bond length, and Pb-halide octahedral tilting, especially for apical halide sites. The spectra are also sensitive to the organic cation. We find that the halides in these mixed compositions are randomly distributed, rather than having preferred octahedral sites, and that thermal tilting motions dominate over any preferred structural distortions as a function of halide composition. These findings demonstrate the utility of the combined HERFD XAS and DFT approach for determining structural d...
Robust Stability in Discrete Singularly Perturbed Systems

Abstract In this note, discrete singularly perturbed systems with norm bounded perturbations in the system matrix are discussed. Based on the small gain theorem, sufficient conditions for robust stability are derived in terms of an explicit upper bound on the mode-separation parameter so that the stability of the lower-order systems in separation time scales ensures the stability of the full-order model.
Four-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation using multiple conditioning inputs. Normative MEP responses

A four-pulse pattern of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was compared to traditional dual-pulse TMS for its ability to modulate motor cortical excitability. This novel pattern consisted of a three-pulse train of subthreshold conditioning pulses followed by a suprathreshold test pulse (i.e., SC-T). The intervals between these superconditioning (SC) pulses (1, 3, or 6 ms) and the follow-on test pulse (1, 3, 10, or 25 ms) were varied, and the resultant MEPs were compared to those elicited by: (1) single-pulse TMS; and (2) dual-pulse conditioning-test (C-T) TMS with either short (3 ms) or long (10 ms) intervals to elicit short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) or intracortical facilitation (ICF), respectively. Testing included abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and tibialis anterior (TA) in 15 neurologically normal adults. For superconditioning inputs, 10 ms test intervals caused especially strong facilitation of the test MEP, while 1 ms test intervals were particularly effective at causing inhibition of the test response. For both muscles and across all subjects, the most effective of the 12 SC-T inputs tested for causing either facilitation or inhibition was—with rare exception—superior to the dual-pulse TMS input for causing facilitation (i.e., ICF) or inhibition (i.e., SICI), while the overall magnitude of effect was more pronounced in APB compared to TA. Nevertheless, after normalization, the impact of a superconditioning input train on the test MEP was similar in APB and TA muscles, suggesting similar mechanisms of action. Limited findings from a single subject with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are included to further illustrate the potential advantages of using a train of conditioning pulses preceding a TMS test pulse to selectively investigate abnormal motor cortical excitatory and inhibitory circuitry.
Collaborative Relational Model

Based on an ecosystemic perspective, the Collaborative Relational Model of Financial Therapy addresses clients’ needs from a holistic perspective to facilitate improvements in overall well-being. The collaborative relational model of financial therapy is based on the concept of utilizing complementary professionals, each with expertise in their individual areas, to provide in-depth financial therapy to clients. This chapter will introduce the model, provide the foundation of its theoretical framework, and offer illustrations of its use in practice. Lastly, a discussion of its benefits, both for the counselors and clients, is presented.
Mixed-Valence in the Organic Solid State

A review of mixed valence in the organic solid state is given, with the intention of demonstrating the interplay of the various energies that stabilize the phenomenon. Since high electrical conductivity is one of the most spectacular results of mixed valence, those factors that lead to it will be discussed. Particular attention is paid to three classes of materials: the TTF halides, TTF-TCNQ and derivatives, and the newly discovered, highly conducting TTF-tetrahalo-p- benzoquinones.
THE EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS PLASMID

ABSTRACT The Epstein-Barr Virus plasmid, the molecular weight of which is approximately 100 × 10 6 daltons, persists in non-virus-producing cells in a stable regulated state. In the Burkitt-Lymphoma- cell line, Raji, there are 50-60 copies of EBV genomes per cell. The EBV DNA is situated in the nucleus and it is chromo-somally associated, but not covalently integrated into host-cell DNA. At least two-thirds of the viral DNA can be recovered in a supercoiled form with contour lengths approximating 100 × 10 6 daltons. Such molecular forms exist in Burkitt's lymphoma tissue and nasopharyngeal carcinomas in vivo. Supercoiled forms of EBV DNA have also been recovered from the EBV-producing Burkitt's lymphoma cell line, P3HR-1, by suppression of virus production with the antiviral drug, acycloguanosine, and from the EBV-producing marmoset lymphocyte line, B-95-8, with the use of phosphonoacetic acid. The contour length of P3HR-1 supercoiled genomes appears to be less than the length of Raji EBV genomes. Restriction-endonuclease digestion analyses of these forms of the EBV genome are now becoming available. This form of EBV DNA, which has been called the EBV plasmid or episome, appears to be replicated by host DNA polymerases rather than by virus-induced polymerases, can be induced to a limited extent with IUDR, but cannot be cured by any known treatment. The function of the stable EBV plasmid, whether it is expressed, particularly in relation to lymphocyte proliferation and transformation, and its relation to possible integrated viral DNA sequences are probably central issues in the cellular biology and pathobiology of EBV-associated diseases.
Innate Immune Mechanisms Triggering Lung Injury

The lungs comprise a unique interface between the body and the environment, presenting an alveolar surface area of approximately 75 square meters and only a minimal barrier of 4 to 8 μm between the alveolar airspace and the microvasculature. While this configuration is ideal for gas exchange, it also increases vulnerability to noxious stimuli and pathogens. Consequently, the lung must possess the capacity to generate a brisk innate host defense to both inhaled and hematogenous challenges. This response is characterized by acute inflammation and must provide prompt clearance of the offending agent while avoiding compromise of essential gas exchange. This acute pulmonary inflammatory response typically results in local increases in vascular permeability and a predominantly early neutrophilic influx followed by mononuclear cell infiltration. Once successful containment of the noxious agent has occurred, inflammation should then resolve with normal repair and tissue remodeling, and return to homeostasis. Because of the great capacity of the innate immune system to initiate acute inflammation, however, the lung may also be predisposed to tissue injury by excessive reactions generated by both local and distant mediators. In conditions such as acute lung injury (ALI), the over-exuberant tissue inflammation may result in severe, irreversible lung injury mediated primarily by elicited and activated leukocytes.
Some Historical Foundations for Teacher Education at Boston University.

John Dewey felt that the central problem of philosophy of education was to identify and to form the right mental and moral habitudes towards the difficulties of contemporary social life. One might identify differentials of social class and racial conflict as contemporary difficulties in achieving equality of educational opportunity and social integration. Dewey might have referred to problems of social class and of racial conflict as dualisms reflecting difficulties in the structure of an American society which aspires to a democratic ideal. Does a dualism between the liberal and technical in teacher education not only reflect but also perpetuate some of these troubles? To help make teacher education at Boston University relevant to such difficulties in contemporary social life, it may be helpful to call attention to the following historic and foundational resources as hypotheses for further testing: (1) The University's concept of service, which is rooted in its history of Methodism, urbanism, and professionalism, offers a uniquely viable commitment.
Accounting for Data Architecture on Structural Equation Modeling of Feedlot Cattle Performance

Structural equation models (SEM) are a type of multi-trait model increasingly being used for inferring functional relationships between multiple outcomes using operational data from livestock production systems. These data often present a hierarchical architecture given by clustering of observations at multiple levels including animals, cohorts and farms. A hierarchical data architecture introduces correlation patterns that, if ignored, can have detrimental effects on parameter estimation and inference. Here, we evaluate the inferential implications of accounting for, or conversely, misspecifying data architecture in the context of SEM. Motivated by beef cattle feedlot data, we designed simulation scenarios consisting of multiple responses in a clustered architecture. Competing fitted SEMs differed in their model specification so that data architecture was explicitly accounted for (M1; true model) or misspecified due to disregarding either the cluster-level correlation between responses (M2) or the correlation between observations of a response within a cluster (M3), or ignored all together (M4). Model fit was increasingly impaired when data architecture was misspecified or ignored. Both accuracy and precision of estimation were also negatively affected when data architecture was disregarded. Our findings are further illustrated using data from feedlot operations from the US Great Plains. Standing statistical recommendations that call for proper model specification capturing relevant hierarchical levels in data structure extend to the multivariate context of structural equation modeling. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear on-line.
Extreme Value-Based Methods for Modeling Elk Yearly Movements

Species range shifts and the spread of diseases are both likely to be driven by extreme movements, but are difficult to statistically model due to their rarity. We propose a statistical approach for characterizing movement kernels that incorporate landscape covariates as well as the potential for heavy-tailed distributions. We used a spliced distribution for distance travelled paired with a resource selection function to model movements biased toward preferred habitats. As an example, we used data from 704 annual elk movements around the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from 2001 to 2015. Yearly elk movements were both heavy-tailed and biased away from high elevations during the winter months. We then used a simulation to illustrate how these habitat effects may alter the rate of disease spread using our estimated movement kernel relative to a more traditional approach that does not include landscape covariates. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online.
The Rhetoric of Expert Testimony Standards: Why the War Between Frye and Daubert Still Smolders

One only need look as far as Florida to see why different standards for the admissibility of expert testimony still exist in the states. Unlike other Federal Rules of Evidence that have been more or less uniformly adopted by states, the expert testimony standard of Rule 702 involving the admissibility of expert testimony continues to meet resistance. This essay highlights the importance of rhetoric in framing the debate. Specifically, the labels given each test have been used to influence and shape views about their propriety. Instead of the rhetoric, the question that should be asked is supplied by design thinking analysis, what are the rules for screening the admissibility of expert testimony at trial hired to do?
Self-Doubt Effects Depend on Beliefs about Ability: Experimental Evidence

Past research has shown negative effects of chronic self-doubt on psychological and performance outcomes. Recent correlational evidence suggests that incremental beliefs about ability ameliorate certain self-doubt effects. The current research examines whether these correlational findings are robust when subjected to experimental testing. In Experiment 1, we manipulated beliefs about ability (incremental vs. entity) and demonstrated that changing beliefs about ability altered responses to self-doubt. For individuals primed with entity beliefs, higher self-doubt was associated with greater nervousness and poorer anagram performance; for individuals primed with incremental beliefs, self-doubt had no significant effects. Experiment 2 was a 2 (manipulated belief: incremental vs. entity) × 2 (self-doubt: doubt induction vs. control) factorial design. The result showed that self-doubt induction lowered self-esteem relative to control when people were primed with entity beliefs but did not affect self-esteem when incremental beliefs were primed. However, Experiment 1 results on affect and performance were not replicated in Experiment 2. Thus, although we provide some causal evidence that inducing individuals to adopt an ability-is-malleable mindset reduces the negative effects of self-doubt, further experimental work is required to study the moderating role of mindsets for self-doubt effects.
Utilization of a Parental Approach to Informed Consent in Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator Administration Decision-Making: Patient Preference and Ethical Considerations

Objective. While administration of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) is the standard of care in acute ischemic stroke and has been shown to have statistically significant benefit, there can also be potentially life-threatening complications; however, there is no standard informed consent approach. The purpose of this study was to present a parental, technical, and general model of informed consent for IV-TPA and to determine which approach was preferred. Methods. Survey respondents were asked to hypothetically decide whether or not to provide consent for their family member to receive IV-tPA. Respondents were presented with 3 informed consent models: one emphasizing parental qualities, one emphasizing statistical data, and one representing a general consent statement. After being presented each model, the respondents had to select their preferred consent model, as well as rate their level of agreeability toward their family member receiving the medication following each approach. Results. The results of 184 surveys showed respondents were equally as likely to give consent for their family member to receive IV-TPA following all three approaches; however, respondents were significantly more likely to prefer the parental approach compared to a technical or general approach. Conclusion. Our results indicate that while paternalism is generally discouraged in the medical community, some degree of parental language may be preferred by patients in tough decision-making situations toward consent to receive medical interventions.
Characterization of MSC Potential To Treat GVHD Using Molecular Markers Linked to MSC-Mediated Immunosuppression In Vitro.

Abstract Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are rare progenitor cells present in adult bone marrow that have the capacity to differentiate into a variety of tissue types, including bone, cartilage and fat. The biological activities of MSCs suggest a number of potential clinical applications, where each particular application is related to a specific MSC activity mediated by a different mechanism. Osiris Therapeutics has developed a technology for isolation and expansion of hMSCs from adult bone marrow for clinical use. Data from pre-clinical and clinical studies suggest that the ability of MSCs to migrate to inflammatory sites, modulate immune response, down-regulate inflammation, and accelerate tissue repair in the local environment may have therapeutic effects. Therefore in developing therapeutic applications, the MSCs should be verified to display one or more of above-mentioned functions, calling for the need to develop predictive functional assays. Modulation of the immune response is an apparent in vivo therapeutic property of the MSC necessary for successful Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD) treatment. Based on previous knowledge regarding mechanisms underlying MSC-mediated immunosuppressive effects, several markers for developing an MSC potency assay have been proposed. In the present study a relationship between selected markers and hMSC-mediated immunosuppression was investigated in vitro. Results show that co-culture of hMSCs with anti-CD3/CD28-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) caused inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation. The hMSC effect on lymphocyte proliferation is dose-dependent, causing > 50% inhibition at approximately 1:10–1:25 MSC: T-lymphocyte ratio. Supernatants of parallel co-cultures taken on days 1, 3, and 5 were analyzed for prostaglandin 2 (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and tryptophan. The results showed increased levels of PGE2, decreased levels of TNF-α and increased depletion of tryptophan related to indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) enzyme activity, associated with increasing number of MSCs in each well. The quantity of PGE2 on day 1 and the level of tryptophan on day 5 in the MSC-PBMC co-culture supernatants correlated to the level of inhibition of proliferation, with the PGE2 range from approximately 11,000 to 22,000 pg/mL and 50% tryptophan depletion resulting in a 50% inhibition of the lymphocyte proliferation point. Further studies demonstrated that the addition of TNF-α to MSCs induced PGE2 secretion at a level which was similar to that detected in the co-culture studies of MSCs-PBMC. Thus, a strong correlation between inducible PGE2 secretion/IDO enzyme activity and the inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation by hMSCs in vitro indicates key molecules responsible for hMSC functional activity related to the immunological responses involved with diseases such as GVHD, solid organ transplantation and autoimmune diseases.
8 – Horticulture Plastics

Plastics are used in horticulture for production, improved mechanization, and shipping. Historically plants have been grown in heavy brittle clay pots because no other material was available. That changed with introduction of lightweight molded plastics in the 1960s, allowing greenhouses, nurseries and vegetable growers to become larger, more efficient, and profitable by shipping products all over the country. It is estimated that over 400,000 tons of horticulture plastic is used in the United States yearly. Today European and North American plastic firms are reducing waste by recycling and developing compostable plastics. The plastic industry is achieving sustainability by using bioplastic made from vegetable fats and oils, cornstarch, and soybean flour.
Stability of residual hearing and cochlear implant function following multiple scuba dives: case report.

Objectives There are limited data regarding the safety of cochlear implants during exposure to pressure changes associated with scuba and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. There are no data regarding the effects of barometric pressure changes on preserved low-frequency hearing after cochlear implantation. This case report evaluates the effect of barometric pressure changes on preserved low-frequency hearing after cochlear implantation. Patient This is a case report of a patient who underwent successful cochlear implantation with postoperative preservation of residual low-frequency hearing. Interventions 20 scuba dives up to depths of 92 feet (3.8 atmospheres absolute). Results Audiometric testing both before and after scuba shows no change in hearing thresholds. The internal receiver-stimulator of the cochlear implant was unaffected by prolonged and repeated pressures up to approximately 3.8 atmospheres absolute. The patient had no adverse middle ear effects during or after the dives, and no evidence of inner ear barotrauma or decompression sickness as a result of the elevated pressures. Conclusions This is the first report of preserved hearing after cochlear implantation being maintained following scuba diving, and corroborates previous literature showing that exposure to increased pressures with a cochlear implant in situ is safe without adverse effects on the implant hardware or software. Scuba diving appears safe not only with cochlear implants but also in patients with residual hearing.
Hydrogen Peroxide Levels in Freshly Brewed Coffee and the Effects of Storage

Summary One of the world’s most consumed beverages, coffee has its origins as early as the 15th century Ethiopia. Although there are studies on caffeine and other components of coffee such as cafestol and kahweol, up until recently knowledge of the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in coffee was confined to the scientific community and some informed public. It is a general belief that H2O2 is formed only after long periods of storage or with certain roasting practices. The present study is focused on dispelling the myths of H2O2 in coffee. We first measured H2O2 in freshly brewed coffee from different companies using the ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange binding (FOX) assay. Following this, we examined the time-dependent accumulation of H2O2 and its changes with temperature. Further, H2O2 was estimated in coffee obtained from several local vendors. Contrary to the general belief that the accumulation of H2O2 is an aging phenomenon of coffee, we found this toxicant even in freshly brewed coffee. This was true for all brands tested, and the H2O2 content increased upon storage. The highest increase was seen in coffee stored on the hot plate compared to the ones kept at room temperature (22-25 °C) or in the cold (0-4 °C). The H2O2 content of coffee from different vendors ranged between 0.29 and 0.82 mM, which is 5- to 20-fold higher than the typical H2O2 concentrations at which significant cytotoxic effects have been reported for assay systems using the human Fanconi deficient (PD20 FANCD2−/−) fibroblasts and other cell types. Our findings are deemed to shine new light on the probable toxic effects of a commonly consumed beverage like coffee, and the time and temperature dependent variations of keeping. While there are documented benefits of consumption of coffee, the possible H2O2-medicated toxic effects are critical and should be considered. Future studies are warranted to delineate the contribution of H2O2 in the healthy wellbeing of individuals who consume coffee extensively.
The Role of Psychological Factors and Institutional Channels in Predicting the Attainment of Postsecondary Goals.

Developmental systems theory and life span development describe the role of individual-context interactions in individual development but have not directly addressed how individuals pursue achievement goals in institutional contexts. We developed a theory informed by these perspectives that explains how institutional contexts affect emerging adults' success in transitioning to and progressing through college. We theorize that institutional contexts increase individuals' probability of attaining specific goals when they provide stronger channels that offer more versus fewer structural supports for these goals. Moreover, we theorize, these institutional channels influence which individual differences, including belonging certainty, growth mindset of intelligence, and grit, will be useful in goal pursuit, above and beyond individuals' academic preparation and demographic factors. We examined postsecondary goal pursuit over a 6-year period among 1,850 students who attended one of four district high schools in Pennsylvania or Massachusetts. On average, they began the study at 17.91 years of age; 48% were male, 43% belonged to a historically marginalized ethnicity, and 56% had free or reduced lunch status. We found that channel strength and psychological factors interacted in ways predicted by our theory. Higher belonging certainty and growth mindset in Grade 12, which encourage a focus on process and progress, predicted better outcomes in weaker postsecondary channels, especially college enrollment and on-track progress. Higher grit, which encourages a commitment to goal attainment, predicted better outcomes in stronger postsecondary channels, especially on-time graduation. The study locates the importance of psychological factors in predicting goal attainment in different-strength institutional channels during emerging adulthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Ultrasound-mediated hyperthermia with the guidance of x-ray-induced radiation acoustic imaging

A new concept to achieve ultrasound-mediated hyperthermia (USHT) with the guidance of X-ray-induced radiation acoustic imaging (xRAI) is proposed. During radiation therapy of cancer patients, the received acoustic signals for xRAI can be used to correct the aberration caused by inhomogeneous acoustic property of human skull and provide guidance for focused ultrasound to achieve USHT with the same ultrasound array at the X-ray dose deposition area. To prove this concept, simulations with a human head model were made for both point targets and a tumor volume. The focused acoustic patterns with and without xRAI-based aberration correction were compared. The feasibility of this xRAI-guided USHT concept was further demonstrated by experimental studies using a human skull.
Hormonal Therapy in the Postpartum Cow - Days 1 to 10:

In 1986 the late Prof. Raimunds Zemjanis from the University of Minnesota was the advisor for a PhD thesis entitled, "Uterine Motility Patterns in the Postpartum Dairy Cow" (Burton, MJ). In my opinion this work contains some of the most definitive data to date about the effects of exogenous hormones on the postpartum bovine uterus. Thus, much of the information presented in this paper is based on that thesis. Unfortunately some good work by our European colleagues is not readily accessible. It is often published in foreign language journals in which there is no more than a brief English abstract. One renowned group (Kundig, Thun & Zerobin) has validated Burton's conclusions. The author has had this series of uterine motility papers translated so that pertinent information could be included in this review.97,98,168