cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response of Microtus pennsylvanicus to vegetation fertilized with various nutrients, with particular emphasis on sodium and nitrogen concentrations in plant tissues

Fertilization of 1 × 4m plots of old-field vegetation in Minnesota, USA, with various compounds resulted in increased plant tissue concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, and Mn. Microtrus pennsylvanicus showed significantly greater activity, estimated by scat counts, on plots fertilized with sodium sulphate. Data also suggested that increased Microtus activity in response to elevated plant tissue sodium concentration resulted in greater soil nitrogen availability and higher levels of nitrogen in plant tissues.
Utility of Ground Beetle Species in Field Tests of Potential Nontarget Effects of Bt Crops

Abstract Characteristics of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae), including their distribution, diet breadth, and importance as generalist predators, make them candidates for evaluating potential unintended effects of transgenic crops. The abundance and composition of carabids collected from pitfall traps placed in hybrid dent corn were used to determine which species are consistently present and abundant in Iowa carabid communities and to test for population differences in these species caused by transgenic (Bacillus thuringiensis [Bt]) or insecticide-based pest management. Power analyses were also used to evaluate the adequacy of the experimental design. Carabid collections indicate Harpalus pensylvanicus DeGeer is the best choice to sample based on its apparent ubiquity and abundance in Iowa and other corn-producing states. However, population levels were time-dependent, and composition of carabid communities differed between locations. Considering the numerical dominance of a few species per field, ...
Nonlinear mechanics of non-dilute viscoelastic layered composites

Abstract This paper investigates the nonlinear mechanics of layered composites that include a stiff elastic constituent and a soft viscoelastic constituent. Layered composites buckle with an infinite wavelength at small compressive strains in the case of a high volume fraction of the stiff constituent (the non-dilute case). An iterative algorithm is derived for the finite deformation of viscoelastic non-dilute layered composites with neo-Hookean phases. After validation by comparison to nonlinear finite element simulations, we analyze the effect of initial layer direction, strain rate, and prestrain on the response to time-dependent prescribed compressive strains. Interestingly, these composites have both a very high stiffness prior to buckling and a large energy dissipation capacity in the postbuckling regime. When these composites are subjected to cyclic strains of small amplitude, the effective stiffness and damping properties can be tuned by orders of magnitude by adjusting the prestrain.
Researching the Historical Representations of Ancient Egypt in Trade Books

State and national education initiatives require that historical information be introduced in the classroom through the utilization of multiple diverse texts. The role of non-fiction in the English/language arts classroom, as well as informational texts in the history/social studies classroom, increased considerably. The use of trade books allows teachers to connect the two curricula, while also meeting the standards. Primary sources can assist in filling the informational gap left by trade books and textbooks, which allow students to gain a more balanced view of historical events. Teachers, however, are not given direction as to which specific curricular materials are most appropriate. My research empirically evaluated how ancient Egypt is represented in trade books, a curricular topic that appears in world history. I reported misrepresentations that were found to be present within the data pool. My findings can direct classroom teachers in selecting appropriate literature about ancient Egypt.
Negative Numbers and Order of Numbers in Student Ratings

This study is one in a program of empirical examinations of the effects of format variables on student ratings of effectiveness of college teachers and courses. This study investigated the influence of negative numbers and order of numbers on the level and reliability of student ratings of teaching effectiveness. N o studies of student rating scales were found in which negative numbers or order of numbers were systematically investigated. However, Follman, Lucoff, Small, and Power (1973) in an earlier scudy, found that negative phrasing of items led to much lower mean scores than did positive phrasing. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate furcher different formats, specifically negative numbers (+2, +1, 0, -1, 2 , and reverse order ( 5 , 4, 3, 2, 1) and natural order (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ) . Two classes at the University of South Florida in May, 1973 constituted the student samples. Instructor 1 conducted an undergraduate guidance class, Instructor 2 an undergraduate science class. Within each class, students were randomly assigned to the three treatment groups. Ss were told that they were participating in a study of scale formats and they were asked to rate the instructor and course as they ordinarily would if no study were being conducted. The rating scale was a 17-item teacher and course scale developed at the University. Ratings were quanrified 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Ns, reliability estimates, and means, respectively, for Instructor 1 were: 25,.88, and 4.26 for the reverse order; 18, .90, and 4.20 for the natural order; and 21, .85, and 4.43 for negarlve numbers. Ns, reliability estimates, and means, respectively, for Instrucror 2 were: 21, .93, and 3.18 for the reverse order; 25, .94, and 2.96 for the natural order; and 23, .90, and 3.17 for negative numbers. Separate analyses of variance indicated no significant differences in total score for either instructor. Significant differences were found on four individual items for Instructor 1, none for Instructor 2. Ir is concluded that nature and order of numbers used on teacher rating scales is not important despite a slight tendency for lower ratings to be associated with the natural format.
Restoration of the Chandeleur Barrier Arc, Louisiana

ABSTRACT FitzGerald, D.M., Georgiou, I., and Kulp, M., 2016. Restortation of the Chandeleur Barrier arc. Louisiana. In: Vila-Concejo, A.; Bruce, E.; Kennedy, D.M., and McCarroll, R.J. (eds.), Proceedings of the 14th International Coastal Symposium (Sydney, Australia). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 75, pp. 1282 - 1286. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The north-south trending barrier arc of the Chandeleur Islands protects valuable wetlands and reduces hurricane impacts in southeastern Louisiana. Avulsion of the lower Mississippi River ~ 1500 ka led to reworking of the St. Bernard deltaic headland concentrating sand and producing the proto-Chandeleur Islands. During the same period, landward interior delta plain erosion and subsidence formed Chandeleur Sound. Since the 1980's, isolation from new sand sources, high rates of relative sea-level rise (5 mm/yr), and hurricane impacts have produced a low transgressive barrier, periodically breached by numerous hurricane passes. Much of t...
Climate and seed availability initiate alternate post-fire trajectories in a lower subalpine forest

Questions Do functional traits explain individual tree species’ responses to environmental filters and dispersal limitations following stand-replacing fire? Can post-fire conditions initiate alternate trajectories of community assembly? Location Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. Methods We characterized the species composition of tree re-establishment following nine recent fires in the lower subalpine zone of Glacier National Park, a region with multiple co-dominant tree species that has experienced extensive fire in recent decades. We used GLMMs to describe individual species’ responses to spatial and temporal heterogeneity of post-fire conditions and seed availability, and used multivariate approaches to examine whether post-fire conditions can initiate alternate trajectories of forest community assembly. Results Post-fire regeneration responses were strongly species-dependent and consistent with functional trait differences. We found that there was a brief opportunity for establishment during the first several years after fire, during which tree recruitment for all species was contingent upon the availability of nearby seeds and the occurrence of favourable weather conditions. There was a remarkable amount of compositional change following fire, and the majority of our study sites transitioned from a mixed forest to a tree assemblage dominated by a single species. Conclusions Differential species-specific responses to climate and disturbance can initiate alternate trajectories of community assembly, triggering substantial changes in forest composition. The composition of post-fire tree assemblages reflects the differential responses of individual species to climate and disturbance, providing support for the interacting role of dispersal and environmental filtering in shaping post-disturbance communities and highlighting the importance of incorporating functional traits into predictive models of ecosystem dynamics.
Striation Processing of Data From the 2013 Target and Reverberation Experiment (TREX13)

In active sonar processing, the discrimination of the target versus clutter can be a significant challenge. Whereas conventional processing often uses target kinematics to limit the possible target tracks, it has recently been shown that frequency domain information (based on the waveguide invariant principle) can also be incorporated to further limit the possible target tracks in an environmentally robust fashion. This paper presents physics-based signal processing methods to extract information about the target track from striations in a target spectrogram formed from the echo spectra at each active sonar pulse repetition interval. The target tracking information is formulated as a post-track likeliness statistic that is extracted from the sonar data with image processing techniques. Results are demonstrated with shallow water sonar data collected during the 2013 Target and Reverberation Experiment (TREX13). It is expected that the physics-based signal processing algorithms discussed here will provide enhanced clutter rejection and improve tracking performance.
Sharing Scientific Data: Moving Toward “Open Data”

As the advantages of data sharing are increasingly recognized, the issues surrounding sharing and accessibility of scientific data are being widely discussed. Meanwhile, an “open data” revolution is taking shape in parallel to the open access movement for scientific publishing. The developments and contributions of a variety of stakeholders in shaping the dialog concerning scientific data sharing are discussed in this chapter. Data sharing issues and challenges are unique to each scientific discipline; highlighting these dissimilarities associated with two distinctly different disciplines, ecology and genomics are examined. In addition, challenges associated with openly sharing genomic data are discussed in detail.
An examination of alcohol risk profiles and co-occurring mental health symptoms among OEF/OIF veterans.

Abstract Introduction Compared to the general population, veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF) are more likely to engage in hazardous alcohol use and meet criteria for mental health disorders including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Major Depressive Disorder. Less is known how distinct profiles of alcohol use behavior relate to mental health symptoms. Method The current study examined the extent that indicators of alcohol use (i.e., drinks per week, peak blood alcohol concentration, and alcohol-related problems) are categorized into different alcohol risk profiles utilizing a person-centered approach. We also examined how mental health symptoms (i.e., PTSD, depression, and anxiety-related symptoms) were associated with the alcohol risk profiles. Participants were 252 Veterans who reported consuming alcohol within the past month. Results Latent profile analysis indicated a four-class solution yielded the best-fitting model, and profiles were named based on their respective levels and patterns of alcohol use. Mental health symptoms were significantly different among the four profiles. Profiles of veterans who endorsed more alcohol-related problems (i.e., the “Severe alcohol behavior” and “Steady drinkers with functional impairment”) also reported comorbid clinical symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The “Binge drinkers with no functional impairment” and “Mild alcohol behavior” profiles reported the lowest levels of mental health symptoms. Discussion Findings highlight the unique relationship between distinct alcohol risk profiles and mental health outcomes. Targeted interventions and treatment options based on unique alcohol risk profiles may be helpful in tailoring prevention and intervention efforts in detecting co-occurring mental health symptoms among OEF/OIF veterans.
What if this is not Capitalism Any More, but Something Worse? NPS Plenary Lecture, APSA 2015, Philadelphia, PA

Thank you for the invitation to speak to the New Political Science section of the American Political Science Association. I am not a political scientist, so I hope you will extend a benevolent tole...
Assessing Reservoir Largemouth Bass Standardized Boat Electrofishing: Effect of Catchability on Density and Size Structure Indices

AbstractUnderstanding catchability—the fraction of a stock caught by a defined unit of effort—is crucial to using fisheries assessment data to index abundance. We conducted mark–recapture experiments to estimate catchability and evaluate standard boat electrofishing methods for assessing populations of Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides. We then used a resampling analysis to test for differences in bass CPUE (fish/h and fish/km) between two high-density reservoirs and one low-density reservoir and among surveys within each reservoir. We compared scenarios using surveys conducted only during (1) the standard time period (mid-April to mid-May) and (2) the entire assessment period (early April to mid-June). We considered the percentage of significant differences in CPUE between the high-density and low-density reservoirs to represent statistical power (i.e., the ability to detect a difference in CPUE when a difference actually exists) and the percentage of significant differences in CPUE between surveys i...
Highly selective multilayer polymer thin films for CO2/N2 separation

Multilayer thin films of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA), deposited via layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly from aqueous solutions, are investigated for CO2/N2 separation. Eight and ten bilayer (217 and 389 nm thick, respectively) PEO/PMAA thin films deposited on a 25 μm polystyrene substrate exhibit CO2/N2 selectivities of 142 and 136, respectively. These are the highest reported to-date for this gas pair separation using a homogeneous polymer film. While further work remains to improve CO2 permeability, these results indicate the potential of LbL assemblies as standalone CO2 separation membranes for low-flux/high-purity applications, or as part of a composite and/or mixed-matrix membrane for high-flux applications. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017.
Dynamic control of aptamer-ligand activity using strand displacement reactions

Nucleic acid aptamers are an expandable toolkit of sensors and regulators. To employ aptamer regulators within nonequilibrium molecular networks, the aptamer–ligand interactions should be tunable over time, so that functions within a given system can be activated or suppressed on demand. This is accomplished through complementary sequences to aptamers, which achieve programmable aptamer–ligand dissociation by displacing the aptamer from the ligand. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our simple approach on light-up aptamers as well as on aptamers inhibiting viral RNA polymerases, dynamically controlling the functionality of the aptamer–ligand complex. Mathematical models allow us to obtain estimates for the aptamer displacement kinetics. Our results suggest that aptamers, paired with their complement, could be used to build dynamic nucleic acid networks with direct control over a variety of aptamer-controllable enzymes and their downstream pathways.
Racial Witnessing and the Formation of "Los Conscientes" -- Race Critical Preservice Teachers.

AbstractThis article introduces the concept of racial witnessing – i.e. defining moments where an individual experiences a strong event in which they (or someone they care deeply about) were racialized, Othered, and/or treated differently (usually negatively) because of their racial group, racial affiliation, etc. It is these moments of racial witnessing that are pivotal in the development of los conscientes. These were the more critical-minded preservice teachers who demonstrated a greater understanding regarding race and racism and the impacts it has on the educational system and human lives. This article argues that it is not a specific variable and/or experience (such as those gained in field experiences) that creates race consciousness among preservice teachers. It is the accumulation of racial witnessing events that allow for a deeper understanding of how race dictates lives.
Data quality screening for high-resolution satellite imagery via spectral clustering

High-resolution satellite imagery data have been widely used in geoscience and remote sensing research. Dealing with data quality issue is the first and most important step before truly making use of these high-resolution images. Scientific results derived from poor-quality data can be problematic and unreliable. In this work, we propose a novel data quality screening method to discover and filter anomalous images contaminated by systematic errors in a dataset. In particular, cumulative distribution function based pairwise similarity matrix and spectral clustering are adapted to accurately identify clusters of normal and anomalous images. Using the proposed method, we have discovered abnormal images in a collection of high-resolution satellite imagery over the Arctic sea ice, which has been used as ground truth in previous melt pond studies.
Eclampsia complicating hydatidiform molar pregnancy with a coexisting, viable fetus. A case report.

BACKGROUND: Eclampsia is a rare and serious complication of pregnancy. The occurrence of preeclampsia prior to the 20th week of ges tation has been associated with concurrent hydatidiform molar pregnancy. We present a case of eclampsia complicating a partial molar pregnancy associated with a viable fetus. CASE: A 22-year-old white woman, gravida 1, para 0, at 14 weeks' gestation, presented with an excruciating headache associated with hypertension, proteinuria and a viable intrauterine fetus with gas troschisis. Subsequently the patient had a generalized tonic-clonic seizure which resolved with magnesium sulfate therapy. Markedly elevated quantitative human chorionic gonadotropin and a moderately thickened placenta were the sole clinical features suggestive of a molar gestation. Dilation and evacuation was performed revealing unremarkable products of conception. Pathologic and cytogenetic analyses revealed a triploid fetus (69,XXX) consistent with partial molar pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Development of preeclampsia/eclampsia prior to 20 weeks of gestation should prompt a clinical evaluation to exclude the possibility of an underlying hydatidiform molar pregnancy.
SGLT2 inhibition in a kidney with reduced nephron number: modeling and analysis of solute transport and metabolism.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors enhance urinary glucose, Na+ and fluid excretion, and lower hyperglycemia in diabetes by targeting Na+ and glucose reabsorption along the proximal ...
Tissue Repairs for Inguinal Hernia

Although recent decades have seen proliferation of tension-free mesh techniques, the tissue-based inguinal hernia repair remains a critical element of every general surgeon’s arsenal. Proficiency in tissue-based repair is crucial in circumstances where synthetic mesh placement is contraindicated, undesirable, or unavailable. In this chapter, we describe the indications and techniques for performing the four modern tissue-based repairs: Bassini, Shouldice, McVay, and Desarda procedures. With appropriate patient selection, sound understanding of inguinal anatomy, and meticulous attention to operative technique, these repairs can achieve favorable outcomes.
Evolutionary Concept in Genetics and Genomics

In times past, gathering information on a potential partner in marriage or business routinely started with the simplest question “What family does he or she come from?” Affiliation with a certain family immediately provided a starting point for further inquiries, a general idea of what might be expected from a certain individual. Of course, families are never uniform, and classic literature from Homer to Shakespeare to Tolstoy provides ample illustrations that any expectation based solely on family history should be taken with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, absent other clues to the character of the subject in question, an educated guess could be made based on the family structure and the individual’s position within that structure.
A new method for direct synthesis of Li 2 CO 3 powders by membrane electrolysis

A new method for the direct synthesis of Li2CO3 powders by membrane electrolysis from LiCl solution is demonstrated in this paper, where a novel electrolysis system combining ventilation, agitation and loop filtration functions was reported. The aim of this work is to explore the effect of the starting concentration of LiCl on the phase and micromorphology of Li2CO3 crystals and thereafter to explore the mechanism of crystallization and grain growth law. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicate that the particles become irregular polycrystalline from well-defined flower-like and the micro-crystals change from lamellar to needle-like and subsequently to smaller globular granules, and the surface of the crystals becomes smooth with LiCl concentration increasing from 50 to 400 g·L−3. The crystalline phases of the different samples were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the results prove that pure Li2CO3 crystals can be obtained in a single step by the electrolysis method. The particle size distributions show that both volume mean crystal sizes and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) decrease when the starting LiCl concentration increases from 50 to 300 g·L−3 and also decreases from 400 to 300 g·L−3.
Stress and Obesity

Many pathways connect stress and obesity, two highly prevalent problems facing society today. First, stress interferes with cognitive processes such as executive function and self-regulation. Second, stress can affect behavior by inducing overeating and consumption of foods that are high in calories, fat, or sugar; by decreasing physical activity; and by shortening sleep. Third, stress triggers physiological changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, reward processing in the brain, and possibly the gut microbiome. Finally, stress can stimulate production of biochemical hormones and peptides such as leptin, ghrelin, and neuropeptide Y. Obesity itself can be a stressful state due to the high prevalence of weight stigma. This article therefore traces the contribution of weight stigma to stress and obesogenic processes, ultimately describing a vicious cycle of stress to obesity to stigma to stress. Current obesity prevention efforts focus solely on eating and exercise; the evidence reviewed in this article points to stress as an important but currently overlooked public policy target.
Extracting the Energy Sensitivity of Charge Carrier Transport and Scattering

It is a challenge to extract the energy sensitivity of charge carriers’ transport and scattering from experimental data, although a theoretical estimation in which the existing scattering mechanism(s) are preliminarily assumed can be easily done. To tackle this problem, we have developed a method to experimentally determine the energy sensitivities, which can then serve as an important statistical measurement to further understand the collective behaviors of multi-carrier transport systems. This method is validated using a graphene system at different temperatures. Further, we demonstrate the application of this method to other two-dimensional (2D) materials as a guide for future experimental work on the optimization of materials performance for electronic components, Peltier coolers, thermoelectricity generators, thermocouples, thermopiles, electrical converters and other conductivity and/or Seebeck-effect-related sensors.
Quejas ilustradas. Litigios en la historia de España e Hispanoamérica (siglo XVIII)

This article offers a preliminary analysis of civil cases in six regions of the eighteenth-century Spanish empire. It finds relative stability in the use of civil courts in Spain, in contrast to a marked increase in litigiousness in the Spanish colonies. A historiographical review of works treating conflict and law indicates that various cultural factors, including patterns of “infrajustice” and community defense, deflected individuals in Spain from using the court system. In contrast, in Spanish America, a weakening of local authority and the permeability of legal culture led ordinary litigants into the justice system.
Optimal Player Policies for Continuous Ambush Games

An autonomous navigation problem is considered, whereby a traveler aims at traversing an environment in which an adversary sets an ambush. A two-player zero-sum game is introduced describing the pl...
Technical modifications in the repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the technical modifications in the repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms represent extensive deterioration of the aortic wall in patients who generally are elderly and often plagued with other degenerative diseases, especially hypertension and coronary artery disease. Failure to repair these aneurysms results in a 5-year survival rate of less than 20%. The entire aneurysm is exposed, proximal and distal occluding clamps are placed, and a vertical arteriotomy is made through the lateral wall along the entire length of the aneurysm. It is found that if the left kidney is left in place, the left renal vein is mobilized so that the graft may be passed beneath it without difficulty. After opening the aneurysm, a catheter is placed in the left renal artery and the kidney is perfused with iced heparinized saline to irrigate and cool it during ischemia. A low-porosity woven graft is then sutured, end-to-end, to the partially transected proximal thoracic aorta, using 2/0 polypropylene on a heavy curved needle. It is found that after the proximal anastomosis has been treated briefly, a button of graft is excised opposite the orifices of the celiac, superior mesenteric, and right renal arteries.
The Rhododendron Genome and Chromosomal Organization Provide Insight into Shared Whole-Genome Duplications across the Heath Family (Ericaceae)

The genus Rhododendron (Ericaceae), which includes horticulturally important plants such as azaleas, is a highly diverse and widely distributed genus of >1,000 species. Here, we report the chromosome-scale de novo assembly and genome annotation of Rhododendron williamsianum as a basis for continued study of this large genus. We created multiple short fragment genomic libraries, which were assembled using ALLPATHS-LG. This was followed by contiguity preserving transposase sequencing (CPT-seq) and fragScaff scaffolding of a large fragment library, which improved the assembly by decreasing the number of scaffolds and increasing scaffold length. Chromosome-scale scaffolding was performed by proximity-guided assembly (LACHESIS) using chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) data. Chromosome-scale scaffolding was further refined and linkage groups defined by restriction-site associated DNA (RAD) sequencing of the parents and progeny of a genetic cross. The resulting linkage map confirmed the LACHESIS clustering and ordering of scaffolds onto chromosomes and rectified large-scale inversions. Assessments of the R. williamsianum genome assembly and gene annotation estimate them to be 89% and 79% complete, respectively. Predicted coding sequences from genome annotation were used in syntenic analyses and for generating age distributions of synonymous substitutions/site between paralgous gene pairs, which identified whole-genome duplications (WGDs) in R. williamsianum. We then analyzed other publicly available Ericaceae genomes for shared WGDs. Based on our spatial and temporal analyses of paralogous gene pairs, we find evidence for two shared, ancient WGDs in Rhododendron and Vaccinium (cranberry/blueberry) members that predate the Ericaceae family and, in one case, the Ericales order.
The association among demographic factors, health behaviors and sleep quality in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Abstract Background A majority of youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have disrupted sleep patterns, but there has been limited research examining factors associated with sleep in this population. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare demographic and lifestyle behaviors with sleep quality in youth with ASD. Methods: A total of 49 children (12.44 years; 78% male) with ASD wore the Actigraph GT9X accelerometer over seven days and nights to assess moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sedentary behavior (SB), total sleep duration, and sleep efficiency. Parents reported their child’s weekly amount of screen time and demographic information. Participants were classified according to whether they met sleep criteria for duration and efficiency (8–9 h of sleep duration and ≥85% sleep efficiency). T-tests and ANOVA were used to compare demographic and lifestyle factors between the groups. Results: Participants who meet both sleep duration and efficiency criteria had greater minutes of MVPA per day (113.65 min/day) than participants who only met sleep efficiency criteria (40.27 min/day) and participants who did not meet either sleep criteria (67.5 min/day; p
Targeting the Epicardial Adipose Tissue

Epicardial fat (EAT) is the visceral fat depot of the heart. Given its rapid metabolism, organ fat specificity, and simple objective measurability, epicardial fat can serve as a target for pharmaceutical agents targeting the adipose tissue. EAT has shown to significantly respond to thiazolidinediones (TZD), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i), and statins. EAT may represent a measurable risk factor and modifiable therapeutic target. Targeted pharmaceutical interventions may allow EAT to resume its physiological role. A drug-induced browning effect on EAT suggests the development of pharmacological strategies to increase energy consumption. The potential of modulating the EAT transcriptome with targeted pharmacological agents can open new avenues in the pharmacotherapy of cardiometabolic diseases.
Pre-Operative Hyponatremia as a Risk Factor for Mortality in Patients after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Purpose Hyponatremia is a recognized risk factor for adverse outcomes in heart failure and after cardiac surgery. We hypothesized that hyponatremia would be associated with poorer short-term and longer-term survival in patients after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) placement. Methods Patients who received a CF-LVAD between January 2012 and December 2017 were identified in a single-center database. Sodium values within 14 days of LVAD insertion were averaged; hyponatremia was defined as Na Results Out of 322 patients, 49.7% (n=160) were found to have hyponatremia prior to LVAD insertion. There were no significant differences in comorbidities between groups. Pre-operative hyponatremia was associated with increased length of post-operative stay (38 vs 30 days, p=0.02). Though there was no difference in short-term (90-day) mortality, hyponatremia was associated with increased long-term, five-year mortality (61% vs 44%, p=0.03) (Figure 1). On binary logistic regression analysis, hyponatremia (OR 1.88 95% CI [1.073-3.315], p=0.03), increased age (OR 1.03 95% CI [1.007-1.053], p=0.01), elevated neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (OR 1.064 95% CI [1.004-1.128], p=0.037), decreased albumin (OR 0.94 95% CI [0.887-0.992], p=0.03), and elevated mean right atrial pressure/pulmonary capillary wedge pressure ratio (OR 4.69 95% CI [1.762-12.473], p=0.002) were independent risk factors of mortality. Conclusion Pre-operative hyponatremia is associated with increased mortality after LVAD implantation and can be used as a marker or added to existing risk scores to further risk stratify patients. Whether hyponatremia correction improves long-term survival should be investigated.
Now you see it, now you don’t: ecstasy or not?

Abstract A case of false positive 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and methamphetamine (MET) result on a urine drug screening performed on a pregnant female is described. The case study highlights how increasing concentration of ephedrine in the urine sample can cause a false positive MDMA and MET screening result. Value of second-tier assays to confirm an equivocal urine drug screening result is demonstrated.
A novel approach for personalized response model: deep learning with individual dropout feature ranking

Deep learning is the fastest growing field in artificial intelligence and has led to many transformative innovations in various domains. However, lack of interpretability sometimes hinders its application in hypothesis-driven domains such as biology and healthcare. In this paper, we propose a novel deep learning model with individual feature ranking. Several simulated datasets with the scenarios that contributing features are correlated and buried among non-contributing features were used to characterize the novel analysis approach. A publicly available clinical dataset was also applied. The performance of the individual level dropout feature ranking model was compared with commonly used artificial neural network model, random forest model, and population level dropout feature ranking model. The individual level dropout feature ranking model provides a reasonable prediction of the outcomes. Unlike the random forest model and population level dropout feature ranking model, which can only identify global-wise contributing features (i.e., at population level), the individual level dropout feature ranking model allows further identification of impactful features on response at individual level. Therefore, it provides a basis for clustering patients into subgroups. This may provide a new tool for enriching patients in clinical drug development and developing personalized or individualized medicine.
Anatomie d’une enquête criminelle

Malgre l’attention considerable portee a l’etude du maintien de l’ordre, les criminologues omettent l’une de ses principales fonctions. Les enquetes criminelles impliquent environ 16 % du personnel d’application de la loi et jouent un role majeur, en fonction de leurs succes et de leurs echecs, dans la maniere dont les forces de l’ordre sont percues par le public. Cette lacune scientifique est d’autant plus surprenante compte tenu du role primordial que jouent les detectives et les enqueteurs policiers quant a la suite des choses. Sans la resolution du crime et l’arrestation de l’individu fautif, aucune autre instance du systeme de justice – procureur, avocat de la defense, juge, jure, probation, maison de detention, prison, liberation conditionnelle, reinsertion sociale – n’entre en jeu. Les quelques recherches menees sur le sujet se sont surtout interessees a l’aspect organisationnel et technique du travail de detective. J’opterai ici pour une approche differente et analyserai l’anatomie d’une enquete criminelle : sa structure sous-jacente, ce que cette demarche implique et exige, comment atteindre ces exigences, quelles en sont les failles, et ou est la place a l’amelioration. Les points plus specifiques que sont la phase operationnelle de l’enquete, la definition et la nature de la preuve et la structure systemique derriere l’echec d’enquetes seront aussi abordes. L’enquete dans l’affaire Gail Miller-David Milgaard servira d’exemple a l’etude.
Torture and Truth

In the last full year of the Lochner era, the conservative "nine old men" on the Supreme Court decided Brown v. Mississippi, a decision so progressive that after more than seventy years it remains one of the Court's great opinions. Brown is a great opinion because it broke new ground in constitutional law. Brown was the first case in which the Supreme Court reversed state court criminal convictions that rested upon confessions coerced from the defendants. Brown triggered the development of an entire area of constitutional law by establishing that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment limited the force state and local government officials could use to persuade suspects to confess, and that federal judges could enforce those limits. The Court would not incorporate the Fifth Amendment Privilege Against Self-Incrimination into the Fourteenth Amendment Due Process Clause and impose it upon the states for almost another thirty years, but Brown confirmed that due process protected individuals from government misconduct, and helped preserve this concept for future decades. Brown is a great opinion because the Court confronted two profound moral issues and resolved them honorably. The investigators in Brown tortured three African-American murder suspects until they confessed, and the coerced confessions were the only evidence probative of their guilt introduced at the trial. Within a week of the murder, the three defendants were tortured, tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that the convictions and sentences "were void for want of the essential elements of due process." Chief Justice Hughes wrote that "[i]t would be difficult to conceive of methods more revolting to the sense of justice than those taken to procure the confessions of these petitioners." Today this legal conclusion seems obvious, but in 1936 the Court had not yet begun the process of dismantling the system of racial segregation created and enforced by law. The opinion's repeated references to the race of the murder victim, the race of the defendants, and the race of their inquisitors do more than merely demonstrate a general awareness of the institutionalized racism existing in that time and place. They inform the reader that the Justices recognized that these men were physically abused before trial and mistreated by the state's legal system because of their race. Ultimately, Brown is a great opinion because the Supreme Court rejected both racism and torture as legitimate elements in the processes of justice.
The Unreluctant Litigant? An Empirical Analysis of Japan's Turn to Litigation

This paper describes and analyzes the rapid increase in civil litigation in Japan during the 1990s in light of existing theories of Japanese litigiousness. Using a unique dataset of prefecture-level data, it demonstrates that the 1990s increase in litigation is best attributed to two main factors: the expansion in institutional capacity for litigation traced to procedural reforms and an expansion in the formerly minuscule bar; and structural changes in the Japanese economy related to the post-bubble slowdown in growth. The paper contributes to three literatures. First, it builds on earlier institutionally oriented research on civil litigation in Japan by Haley and Ramseyer by providing new data and detail about the institutional barriers to litigation. Second, it contributes to the literature on the relationship between economic change and litigation more generally. Finally, it contributes to the empirical and comparative literature on litigation rates by providing evidence about the determinants of litigation in one country.
230Th-234U and 231Pa-235U radiochronometry of hydrolyzed uranium hexafluoride gas

Radiochronometry analyses of three hydrolyzed UF6 gas samples were performed using the 230Th-234U and 231Pa-235U chronometers. All 230Th-234U model ages are younger than, and two of the three 231Pa-235U model ages overlap with, the known UF6 gas transfer dates. The 230Th-234U discordance is caused by 8–10% 230Th loss relative to the measurement reference date, likely during alkali hydrolysis. These results confirm that UF6 gas transfers effectively purify uranium from daughter progeny. Daughter progeny fractionation can occur if solutions are not kept within optimal conditions post-UF6 gas transfer and hydrolysis, and discordance between the 230Th-234U and 231Pa-235U chronometers may result from the laboratory procedures used to prepare samples.
Ranking Important Factors for Using Postoperative Chemotherapy in Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: Conjoint Analysis Results From the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC).

Purpose:National and International guidelines recommend the use of one dose of intravesical chemotherapy immediately following surgery for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, which is performed inf...
Deep Learning-Based COVID-19 Twitter Analysis

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the pandemic has impacted billions of people's lives around the world. Social media, such as Twitter, has been one of the major platforms where people express their emotions and thoughts about the unprecedented pandemic. In this paper, we perform Twitter sentiment analysis to gain insights into the development of Twitter users’ sentiments during the period from February 1 to December 31, 2020. We use Long Short-term Memory (LSTM), a deep learning-based Natural Language Processing (NLP) method, to detect multiple sentiments out of eleven kinds. We also picked a number of topics of interest, such as social justice, mental health, vaccines, and misinformation, and conducted theme-specific sentiment analysis. In order to delve deeper into the meaning behind the sentiment trends, we used the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) algorithm to perform theme-specific topic modeling, which reveals interesting results.
Psychophysical inference of frequency-following fidelity in the neural substrate for brain stimulation reward

The rewarding effect of electrical brain stimulation has been studied extensively for 60 years, yet the identity of the underlying neural circuitry remains unknown. Previous experiments have characterized the directly stimulated ("first-stage") neurons implicated in self-stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle. Their properties are consistent with those of fine, myelinated axons, at least some of which project rostro-caudally. These properties do not match those of dopaminergic neurons. The present psychophysical experiment estimates an additional first-stage characteristic: maximum firing frequency. We test a frequency-following model that maps the experimenter-set pulse frequency into the frequency of firing induced in the directly stimulated neurons. As pulse frequency is increased, firing frequency initially increases at the same rate, then becomes probabilistic, and finally levels off. The frequency-following function is based on the counter model which holds that the rewarding effect of a pulse train is determined by the aggregate spike rate triggered in first-stage neurons during a given interval. In 7 self-stimulating rats, we measured current- vs. pulse-frequency trade-off functions. The trade-off data were well described by the frequency-following model, and its upper asymptote was approached at a median value of 360 Hz (IQR = 46 Hz). This value implies a highly excitable, non-dopaminergic population of first-stage neurons. Incorporating the frequency-following function and parameters in Shizgal's 3-dimensional reward-mountain model improves its accuracy and predictive power.
Accurate non-contact measurements of Rayleigh wave speed and attenuation

For the measurement of wave speed and attenuation, where measurements are needed at two locations, the use of a probe with dual detection points is advisable. In the present work, a plane Rayleigh wave has been generated which does not require a diffraction correction. A measurement of signal reception at two points separated by a known distance in the detection of wave propagation has been achieved by modifying a heterodyne interferometer to a dual-probe modality. Surface wave pulses passing through the detection points have been recorded. Results are presented for metal sheets that have been subjected to cyclic loading, and the changes of surface wave speed and attenuation are reported. >
CRASH SIMULATION OF SKIN-FRAME STRUCTURES USING A FINITE ELEMENT CODE

A mathematical model for crash simulation of aircraft structures -- built up from beams, stringers, and skin panels -- is being developed in the form of a finite element, large displacement elastic-plastic computer code called DYCAST. As a preliminary exercise, the code was applied to simulate a low-speed forward impact of a skin-covered framework carrying large concentrations of nonstructural mass at its rear. The computer-generated data from the mathematical crash simulation can be extremely valuable in providing physical insight into the structural behavior in the crash event. With this insight, the structural details can be more intelligently changed by the addition, deletion, or alteration of individual or groups of members, and the consequences of these design changes on the predicted crash behavior can be quickly seen. The mathematical model internally computes the variable interactive nonlinear stiffness characteristics for each component, which greatly reduces the engineering effort required for such studies.
Adaptationist Claims – Conceptual Problems

Adaptationism is the name for a general approach in evolutionary biology that emphasizes the importance of natural selection above all other evolutionary processes. In 1978, Gould and Lewontin published a now classic critique of adaptationism, launching a fierce debate about both the empirical and conceptual adequacy of this approach. Keywords: adaptationism; adaptation; constraint; natural selection
Rückblick und Ausblick

In der Einleitung zu dieser Arbeit werden zwei Aspekte hervorgehoben, zum einen, das in diesem Ansatz Sprache in Bezug auf konkrete Szenen verwendet wird, zum anderen wird ein Textziel fur eine Beschreibung vorgegeben: Der Horer soli sich ein Bild von der beschriebenen Szene machen konnen. Dieses konkrete Textziel, zusammen mit der Verbhierarchie und der Wahrscheinlichkeit des Auftretens eines Ereignisses fuhrt zur Operationalisierung der Auswahlprozesse fur Verben und Tiefenkasus, die im letzten Kapitel vorgestellt wurden. Die speziell fur zeitveranderliche Daten entworfene Referenzierungskomponente, die auf einer open-world Annahme beruht1, fuhrt zu eindeutigen Charakterisierungen von Szenenobjekten.
FILIPINO WOMEN WRITERS IN ENGLISH AND THE WORK OF APPRENTICESHIP

Among Filipino writers in English, women have had a central place in “training” writers, facilitating social networks, creating opportunities for print exposure, and producing writing themselves. As many critics of Anglophone Filipino writing have suggested, these writers' mastery of English and the short fiction form placed them in a privileged economic position. This article interrogates the relationship between Filipino women writers in English and the Filipino national body during the interwar period (1920–1946), asking after the kind of labor they contributed in the early decades of Filipino writing in English. Reading short fiction by Ligaya Victorio Fruto, a writer on the margin of the Philippine Anglophone canon, this essay proposes that the short story—in its form and practice—allowed women writers to depict the contradictions of national unity and class conflict, and modern and traditional Filipino femininity.