cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Behavior Correlates of Post-Stroke Disability Using Data Mining and Infographics.

PURPOSE Disability is a potential risk for stroke survivors. This study aims to identify disability risk factors associated with stroke and their relative importance and relationships from a national behavioral risk factor dataset. METHODS Data of post-stroke individuals in the U.S (n=19,603) including 397 variables were extracted from a publically available national dataset and analyzed. Data mining algorithms including C4.5 and linear regression with M5s methods were applied to build association models for post-stroke disability using Weka software. The relative importance and relationship of 70 variables associated with disability were presented in infographics for clinicians to understand easily. RESULTS Fifty-five percent of post-stroke patients experience disability. Exercise, employment and satisfaction of life were relatively important factors associated with disability among stroke patients. Modifiable behavior factors strongly associated with disability include exercise (OR: 0.46, P<0.01) and good rest (OR 0.37, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Data mining is promising to discover factors associated with post-stroke disability from a large population dataset. The findings can be potentially valuable for establishing the priorities for clinicians and researchers and for stroke patient education. The methods may generalize to other health conditions.
The Buffalo CAPD Model: The Importance of Phonemes in Evaluation and Remediation

The Buffalo Model of Central Auditory Processing has Decoding of speech as its most basic category. Phonemes are processed in the auditory cortex, which is fundamental to the speech-language functions of the brain. Powerful phonemic test procedures and therapeutic approaches enable the audiologist to diagnose and improve decoding related aspects of speech, reading and other communication and academic difficulties. Decoding is the most common CAP category of the Buffalo Model in the general population. Because of multidimensional scoring each of the three basic tests of the Buffalo Model provide information regarding phonemic decoding. The Phonemic Synthesis test provides the most indicators of Decoding. In addition to other Decoding signs; all responses on the battery form a large sample of words and conditions in which errors are analyzed phonemically to compile a Phonemic Error Analysis. This tally is used to direct the Phonemic Training Program (PTP), a powerful procedure for retraining phonemically encoded errors. In addition to the PTP the Phonemic Synthesis Training program is used to remediate phonemic issues.
Estimation of detector response function for PET from point source measurements: Effect of point source configuration

The accuracy of the system model in an iterative reconstruction algorithm greatly affects the quality of reconstructed positron emission tomography images. For efficient computation in reconstruction, the system model in PET can be factored into a product of geometric projection and detector response function, where the former is often computed based on analytical calculation, and the latter is estimated using Monte Carlo simulations. Direct measurement of detector response function is difficult in practice because of the requirement of a collimated source. We have developed a method to estimate the 2D detector blurring matrix from point source measurements. A monotonically convergent iterative algorithm was derived to estimate the radial and angular components of the detector blurring matrix while taking into account of the detector block structure and rotational symmetry of modern PET scanners. In this work, we investigate the effect of point source configurations on the detector blurring matrix estimation. The objective is to obtain accurate estimate of the detector response function while reducing the amount of data needed during the measurement. We found that the detector blurring matrix estimation can be viewed as a limited-angle tomography problem. Monte Carlo simulation was used to evaluate the accuracy of the estimated blurring matrices. The number and position of discrete point source measurements as well as the sampling distance and acquisition time was varied. The Monte Carlo simulation results show that sampling distance of the point source has a significant impact on the estimation of the detector blurring matrix and the accuracy of the estimated blurring matrix is spatially variant. The results also show that placing point sources outside the reconstructed field of view is beneficial in some cases.
ELISA of Picogram Quantities of Aflatoxin M1 in Urine and Milk

Pretreatment of milk or urine with a Sep-Pak C-18 reversed-phase cartridge permits detection by direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of 10 to 25 pg/ml of aflatoxin M1 added to samples. The samples were first loaded to the Sep-Pak cartridge followed by washing with 10% acetonitrile in water. Aflatoxin M1 was eluted from the cartridge with 30% acetonitrile in water and then transferred to the methylene chloride. After the solvent was removed, the sample was redissolved in 50 μl of methanol, diluted with 0.45 ml of buffer, and finally subjected to the ELISA. The recovery of aflatoxin M1 added to milk and urine in the range of 10 to 250 pg/ml was between 77 to 110%.
Bi-objective evolutionary approach to the design of patrolling schemes for improved border security

A multi-objective optimization approach to improve patrolling strategies is proposed.The approach demonstrated tradeoffs between the vulnerability and cost.Cost of patrolling strategies increases nonlinearly as vulnerability improves. Patrolling is vital to law enforcement missions and public safety, as patrollers are the most visible entities to perpetrators and first responders whenever there is a breach in security. Factors such as the size and geographical diversity of patrolling zones increase the complexity of protecting national borders, creating a need for advanced techniques to design adequate patrolling schemes that help patrol units prevent and deter potential suspicious activities. This study focuses on optimizing the deployment of personnel to patrol designated areas known for illicit cross-border activities. A multi-objective heuristic approach is proposed to design patrolling schemes with the intention to minimize vulnerability and cost. An evolutionary algorithm is used to find solutions, and the second-order stochastic dominance (SSD) approach is used to rank those solutions in order to obtain the approximate Pareto set of pseudo-optimal solutions, which are characterized by the routes followed by patrol units. Illustrative examples are provided to discuss how the model is applied.
Utilizing a modified care coordination measurement tool to capture value for a pediatric outpatient parenteral and prolonged oral antibiotic therapy program

Background Outpatient parenteral or prolonged oral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) programs reduce inpatient healthcare costs by shifting care to outpatient settings. Care coordination (CC) is a necessary component to successfully transition patients. Our objective was to assess outcomes of provider time spent on nonreimbursable CC activities in a pediatric OPAT program. Methods We used a qualitative feasibility pilot design and modified the Care Coordination Measurement Tool. We captured nonreimbursable CC activity and associated outcome(s) among pediatric patients enrolled in OPAT from March 1 to April 30, 2015 (44 work days) at Doernbecher Children's Hospital. We generated summary statistics for this institutional review board-waived QI project. Results There were 154 nonreimbursable CC encounters conducted by 2 infectious diseases (ID) providers for 29 patients, ages 17 months-15 years, with complex infections. Total estimated time spent on CC was 54 hours, equivalent to at least 6 workdays. Five patients with complex social issues used 37% of total CC time. Of 129 phone events, 38% involved direct contact with families, pharmacies (13%), primary care providers (13%), and home health nursing (11%). Care coordination prevented 10 emergency room (ER) visits and 2 readmissions. Care coordination led to 16 additional, not previously scheduled subspecialist and 13 primary care visits. The OPAT providers billed for 32 clinic visits during the study period. Conclusions Nonreimbursable CC work by OPAT providers prevented readmissions and ER visits and helped facilitate appropriate healthcare use. The value of pediatric OPAT involvement in patient care would have been underestimated based on reimbursable ID consultations and clinic visits alone.
Evaluating the voiding spot assay in mice: a simple method with complex environmental interactions

The voiding spot assay (VSA) on filter paper is an increasingly popular method for studying lower urinary tract physiology in mice. However, the ways VSAs are performed differ significantly between laboratories, and many variables are introduced compared with the mouse's normal housing situation. Rodents are intelligent social animals, and it is increasingly understood that social and environmental stresses have significant effects on their physiology. Surprisingly, little is known about whether change of environment during VSA affects mouse voiding and what the best methodologies are for retaining "natural" micturition patterns. It is well known that stress-related neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor is significantly elevated and induces dramatic voiding changes when rodents encounter stresses. Therefore we hypothesized that changes in the environmental situation could potentially alter voiding during VSA. We have examined multiple factors to test whether they affect female mouse voiding patterns during VSA, including cage type, cage floor, water availability, water bottle location, single or group housing, and different handlers. Our results indicate that mice are surprisingly sensitive to changes in cage type and floor surface, water bottle location, and single/group housing, each of which induces significant changes in voiding patterns, indicative of a stress response. In contrast, neither changing handler nor 4 h of water deprivation affected voiding patterns. Our data indicate that VSA should be performed under conditions as close as possible to the mouse's normal housing. Optimizing VSA methodology will be useful in uncovering voiding alterations in both genetic and disease models of lower urinary dysfunctions.
To “B” or not to “B”: Assessing the disclosure dilemma of bisexual individuals at work

Abstract Despite a recent push toward understanding and advocating for LGB employees in the workplace, the unique experiences of bisexual individuals have received little attention in scholarly and organizational contexts. In this manuscript, we attempt to address this by providing novel empirical data from two studies that assess the experience of disclosing bisexuality in a workplace context from multiple perspectives –bisexual employees themselves, as well as non-bisexual (i.e., heterosexual, gay, lesbian) individuals. Taken together, we found evidence suggesting bisexual employees are less likely to disclose their sexual orientation at work as compared to gay and lesbian employees. In addition, our findings indicate that heterosexual, gay, and lesbian individuals hold negative views about bisexuality, which we argue may in part explain bisexual employees' stronger hesitation to disclose their identities at work as compared to gay and lesbian employees. Finally, we found in a vignette-based study that bisexual applicants who disclosed their sexual identities in a job application incurred substantial job-related penalties as compared to gay applicants. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings and provide insight into several promising directions for future research.
Everyone’s Invited: A Website Usability Study Involving Multiple Library Stakeholders

This article describes a usability study of the University of Southern Mississippi Libraries’ website conducted in early 2016. The study involved six participants from each of four key user groups – undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, and library employees – and consisted of six typical library search tasks such as finding a book and an article on a topic, locating a journal by title, and looking up hours of operation. Library employees and graduate students completed the study’s tasks most successfully, whereas undergraduate students performed fairly simple searches and relied on the Libraries’ discovery tool, Primo. The study’s results identified several problematic features that impacted each user group, including library employees. This increased internal buy-in for usability-related changes in a later website redesign.
Narrative and identity: constructing oppositional identities in performance communities

This paper explores the relationship between narrative and identity as an active learning site for adolescents to construct public identities. Through research with About Face Youth Theatre, I explore the process of transforming personal narratives into public performance pieces by focusing on how identities change over time between the original telling and the subsequent public performance. This paper focuses on the case of one youth, Cari and her story, the "AFYT Groupie". An in depth, narrative analysis of her story reveals how the oppositional identity Cari has constructed for herself over time is incorporated into the public performance of her story; at the same time her story becomes more generic as the most reportable events of her life are left out. As a result, Cari constructs a new strong oppositional identity that allows her to reassert her positive identity claim as anti-establishment.
Canis aureus (Carnivore: Canidae)

Canis aureus (Linnaeus, 1758), the golden jackal, is a medium-sized, wide spread, terrestrial carnivore. It is 1 of 7 species found in the genus Canis. It ranges from Africa to Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. Due to its tolerance of dry habitats and its omnivorous diet, C. aureus can live in a wide variety of habitats. It normally lives in open grassland habitat but also occurs in deserts, woodlands, mangroves, and agricultural and rural habitats in India and Bangladesh. It ranges from sea level in Eritrea to 3,500 m in the Bale Mountains of Ethiopia and 2,000 m in India. C. aureus is listed as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Red List of Threatened Species version 2016.1.
Adventure education as aesthetic experience

ABSTRACTThis study is an investigation of what happens to participants during their adventure education (AE) experiences and the meanings they ascribe to those experiences. These topics were explored through the qualitative framework of educational connoisseurship and criticism at three sites: a backpacking expedition, a challenge course and a multi-activity adventure programme. Through 183 hours of observation and 74 interviews with 41 participants, the qualities of AE as aesthetic experience were revealed. This conception of AE experience is characterised through sensory encounters, full attention and aesthetic paradox. Findings are supported with the voices of participants, and the significance of this conception of AE experience is discussed.
Tooth Size—Body Size Scaling in a Human Population

The intent of this chapter is to examine the question of whether and how tooth size scales to body size in a living human population, and to determine the relationship that such intrapopulational scaling might have to the explanation and general understanding of the tooth size—body size relationship. In the process of this examination, focus is brought to the concept of allometry, its basis in fact and theory, the question of whether it is a descriptive or an explanatory device, and its potential for modeling the tooth size—body size relationship.
A New Aluminum-Base Alloy with Potential Cryogenic Applications

An Al-Fe-Ce alloy has been recently demonstrated to be suitable as a matrix material for a composite conductor with high-purity aluminum filaments which can be used in devices operating at liquid hydrogen temperatures. The alloy is lightweight and has high strength, but just as importantly, its major alloying elements (Fe and Ce) are practically diffusionless in Al. The material was initially synthesized by ALCOA using powder metallurgy. Dynamic recrystallization processes were further developed at the Air Force Materials Laboratory, resulting in a more homogeneous microstructure. This paper describes mainly the results of microstructural, electrical resistivity, and low temperature heat capacity measurements on samples before and after dynamic recrystallization.
Quality by Design and the Development of Solid Oral Dosage Forms

The intent of this chapter is to provide a high-level overview of the ­various options available within the QbD tool chest and to describe the benefits derived from adopting a QbD approach to drug product development. This chapter also presents a set of terms and definitions that are consistent with ICH Guidelines, practical examples of how QbD can be applied throughout a product life cycle, and the interrelationship between the multiple factors that contribute to product understanding and to the development of product specifications.
Using a Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensor (CRNS) to Monitor Vegetation

It is believed that the cosmic-ray neutron sensor can be used to measure vegetation. We compare biomass water equivalent (BWE) to neutron counts from a cosmic-ray neutron sensor. We believe that the thermal neutrons will have a highly correlated inverse relationship with BWE. This is due to the ambient energy of thermal neutrons and the ability of hydrogen to capture them easily. Our results for soybean in 2017 showed that there was better correlation between raw fast neutron count $(\mathbf{R}^{2}= \mathbf{0.61})$ and BWE than raw thermal neutron count $(\mathbf{R}^{2}= \mathbf{0.21})$ . It would be ideal to explore this relationship of fast neutrons to BWE, with the addition of other hydrogen pools at the surface.
Universally Composable Accumulators.

Accumulators, first introduced by Benaloh and de Mare (Eurocrypt 1993), are compact representations of arbitrarily large sets and can be used to prove claims of membership or non-membership about the underlying set. They are almost exclusively used as building blocks in real-world complex systems, including anonymous credentials, group signatures and, more recently, anonymous cryptocurrencies. Having rigorous security analysis for such systems is crucial for their adoption and safe use in the real world, but it can turn out to be extremely challenging given their complexity.
Clearance and Return to Play for the Female Athlete Triad: Clinical Guidelines, Clinical Judgment, and Evolving Evidence.

The Female Athlete Triad (Triad) was first defined by a group of clinical and scientific experts in 1992 (28). Since then, two American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Position Stands have been published (1997, 2007) (21,22), and more recently, the Female Athlete Triad Coalition Consensus on Clear
Addressing Italy’s urban flooding problems through the holistic watershed approach by using blue/green infrastructure

Water resources have been neglected and stressed for many years, as anthropogenic changes in watersheds have increased runoff, decreased infiltration and aquifer recharge, caused stream incision and streambank erosion and degraded water quality and water resources. The watershed is the management unit to begin to solve stormwater problems and flooding issues. Reversing the mismanagement from the past is a complicated process and must consider a holistic approach factoring in all the processes that cause the aforementioned problems. There are many technological tools such as GIS and hydrologic, hydraulic and water quality models that help pinpoint the sources of problems in the watershed and help derive at a comprehensive solution. The objective of this paper is to provide researchers and practitioners a systematic, methodical and proven approach to documenting and solving water management issues cause by unmanaged anthropogenic changes that have occurred in rural and urban watersheds. There are many regulations and literature about flooding and watershed plans with very detailed guidelines composed by state authorities, however, there are few that completely address the comprehensive, inclusive approach to watershed management to solve a variety of problems. For example, the State of Pennsylvania, USA has separate flood plain management, stormwater management, erosion and sediment pollution control and nonpoint discharge and elimination system (NPDES), and water supply / wellhead protection programs and regulations as opposed to one single “water resources management” regulatory program. This paper defines an innovative approach to overcome some of the restrictions placed on engineers and planners by regulatory programs.
History of a Half-Arm

"History of a Half-Arm" is a piece of creative nonfiction that utilizes fragmentary, often chaotic narrative structures in order to explore the author's experience of living with and without a left-arm prosthetic. The author was born with what the medical community terms a "congenital abnormality of the left forearm" and was first fitted for a prosthetic at 3-months old. "History of a Half-Arm" captures the speaker's daily experience of navigating the world as a physically disabled person who has chosen not to utilize prosthetic technology.
Evaluation of the use of non-formulary oncology medications restricted to outpatient use in hospitalized patients after implementation of a criteria-for-use algorithm.

ObjectiveTo decrease the number of orders and total hospital spend for inpatient use of antineoplastic drugs of interest, while evaluating each case for urgent or emergent need for administration.M...
Production of a NiO/Al primary battery employing powder-based electrodes.

This paper describes the use of aluminum and zinc as anodic materials for a battery employing nickel (II) oxide (NiO) as cathode. Comparison of both materials resulted in the development of a compact, cost effective, and easy to use primary NiO/Al battery employing an alkaline electrolyte. The system features electrodes composed of powder forms of the active materials on modified paper substrates that are contained in a simple multilayer design utilizing thin laminated plastic materials to provide structure and flexibility to the battery as well as a paper separator. Various concentrations of potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte were examined and maximum performance was observed at 6 M KOH. A maximum current density and power density of 1.94 mA/cm2 and 1 mW/cm2 , respectively was achieved. This user-friendly device was able to produce a maximum capacity of 2.33 mAh/g when 2 mA/g was applied. This work demonstrates the viability of a paper-based battery featuring powder electrodes as a possible power source for microelectronic devices.
A New Multi-Scale State Estimation Framework for the Next Generation of Power Grid EMS

Accurate system state information under various operation conditions is a prerequisite for power grid monitoring and efficient control. To achieve that goal, a new multi-scale state estimation framework is proposed, paving the way for the development of next generation of energy management system (EMS). The developed framework consists of three key components, namely the static state estimation (SSE) module, the dynamic state estimation (DSE) module, the interfaces and switching logics between the two modules. Specifically, the singular spectrum analysis (SSA)-based change point detection approach is developed to monitor the system continuously. If no event is detected by the SSA, the robust SSE using both SCADA and PMU measurements is executed. Otherwise, the event is declared and the results from SSE are used to derive the initial condition for DSE. During the transient process, only PMU-based DSE is executed for system monitoring and it will be terminated when SSA does not detect any change point of the system. After that, the DSE results are forwarded for SSE initialization and bus voltage magnitude and angle estimations. Simulation results carried out on the IEEE 39-bus system demonstrate the effectiveness and benefits of the proposed framework.
Prekindergarten classroom language environments and children's vocabulary skills.

Abstract The number of adult words children hear and conversational turns they experience are key aspects of their language environments. The current study examined variability in language environments throughout 2 prekindergarten days and variability within and between classrooms for 44 children (Mage = 4.77 years) in 11 classrooms in the United States. In addition, the study examined to what extent prekindergarten language environments are associated with children’s vocabulary skills. Language environments varied considerably throughout the prekindergarten day and between classrooms, although children within the same prekindergarten classrooms had generally similar experiences. Conversational turns were more robustly associated with children’s vocabulary skills than were adult words heard even when only examining within-classroom variability. Implications for understanding prekindergarten classroom language experiences and their associations with vocabulary skills are discussed.
Analysis of interfacial stresses in concrete beams strengthened by externally bonded FRP laminates using composite beam theory

Abstract Applications of externally bonded fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates retrofitting of existing concrete structures play a key role in ensuring the strength and rigidity of modern buildings design. The determination of interfacial stresses between the FRP laminate and the concrete substrate is important in the design phase in order to predict FRP end debonding failures. In this paper, governing equations that define the mechanics behavior of concrete beams with externally bonded FRP laminates considering the bond-slip relationship between FRP laminates and concrete are derived using composite beam theory and closed-form solutions are presented. Comparisons of the developed model with the published FE model and existing analytical solutions in the literature confirm the feasibility and accuracy of this novel approach. In addition, a parametric study using the developed methodology investigates the effect of various factors on the interfacial behavior of externally bonded FRP for strengthening concrete beams.
Chapter 1 – Anatomy and Connectivity of the Reward Circuit

While cells in many brain regions are responsive to reward, the cortical–basal ganglia circuit is at the heart of the reward system. The key structures in this network are the anterior cingulate cortex, the orbital prefrontal cortex, the ventral striatum, the ventral pallidum, and the midbrain dopamine neurons. In addition, other structures, including the dorsal prefrontal cortex, amygdala, thalamus, and lateral habenular nucleus, are key components in regulating the reward circuit. Connectivity between these areas forms a complex neural network that is topographically organized, thus maintaining functional continuity through the corticobasal ganglia pathway. However, the reward circuit does not work in isolation. The network also contains specific regions in which convergent pathways provide an anatomical substrate for integration across functional domains.
Eat to Live, Don't Live to Eat: Black Men, Masculinity, Faith and Food.

Men often have poorer health outcomes than women. In the United States, Black men in particular tend to have worse health than not only Black women but other racial/ethnic groups of men. One factor that contributes to health is the role of masculinity. Previous research notes that men who cling to hegemonic notions of masculine identity tend to engage in negative health behaviors. However, hegemonic masculinity is not the realm in which Black men exist. Criminalized, surveilled, and subject to structural racism and racial discrimination, Black masculinities exist on their own spectrum separate from that of White men. One characteristic associated with Black masculinity is that of faith, and faith is a growing field of study with respect to health. This paper examines the relationship between Black masculinity as framed by faith in shaping the food and eating habits of Black men. Food and eating are central to health and well-being yet remain understudied with respect to Black masculinity through the lens of faith. This study offers a qualitative account of Black men’s experiences through the use of in-depth interview data. The key finding of this study is that fasting operates as a mechanism of health promotion for Black men. This paper utilizes the term Black men as an all-encompassing term of members of the African diaspora as opposed to African American in order to recognize the diversity of the participants in this study.
Increased Risk of Cutaneous Diseases in Multiple Myeloma Patients.

Introduction Multiple myeloma (MM) is a monoclonal gammopathy characterized by malignant proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow, leading to the overproduction of monoclonal immunoglobulins. Knowledge of cutaneous findings associated with multiple myeloma is limited. This study aims to characterize cutaneous manifestations in patients with MM or monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Methods This is a retrospective study of patients seen at a single institution between January 2000 and January 2019 with a diagnosis of "multiple myeloma," "monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance," or "smoldering myeloma," and an on-site dermatology clinic visit. Results Twenty patients met the inclusion criteria. Most patients were male and Caucasian. Comorbid cutaneous malignancies were noted in 65% of patients (n = 13). Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) was characterized in 55% of patients (n = 11), followed by squamous cell carcinoma in 50% of patients (n = 10), and melanoma in 10% of patients (n = 2). Conclusions Patients with monoclonal gammopathy may be predisposed to developing cutaneous malignancies and skin infections. Given the low prevalence of monoclonal gammopathy, larger multi-center studies with a control cohort may be necessary to delineate the significance of these comorbid skin conditions.
Unusually large upward shifts in cold-adapted, montane mammals as temperature warms.

The largest and tallest mountain range in the contiguous United States, the Southern Rocky Mountains, has warmed considerably in the past several decades due to anthropogenic climate change. Herein we examine how 47 mammal elevational ranges (27 rodent and 4 shrew species) have changed from their historical distributions (1886-1979) to their contemporary distributions (post 2005) along 2,400-m elevational gradients in the Front Range and San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Historical elevational ranges were based on more than 4,580 georeferenced museum specimen and publication records. Contemporary elevational ranges were based on 7,444 records from systematic sampling efforts and museum specimen records. We constructed Bayesian models to estimate the probability a species was present, but undetected, due to undersampling at each 50-m elevational bin for each time period and mountain range. These models leveraged individual-level detection probabilities, the number and patchiness of detections across 50-m bands of elevation, and a decaying likelihood of presence from last known detections. We compared 95% likelihood elevational ranges between historical and contemporary time periods to detect directional change. Responses were variable as 26 mammal ranges changed upward, 6 did not change, 11 changed downward, and 4 were extirpated locally. The average range shift was 131 m upward, while exclusively montane species shifted upward more often (75%) and displayed larger average range shifts (346 m). The best predictors of upper limit and total directional change were species with higher maximum latitude in their geographic range, montane affiliation, and the study mountain was at the southern edge of their geographic range. Thus, mammals in the Southern Rocky Mountains serve as harbingers of more changes to come, particularly for montane, cold-adapted species in the southern portion of their ranges.
Preparing Frontera for Texascale Days

Recently, the Texas Advanced Computing Center at the University of Texas at Austin held its third Texascale Days event on Frontera. Frontera is the most powerful academic supercomputer in the U.S. This tightly connected system allows experienced users with sophisticated parallel applications to run across thousands of cores. Frontera offers a unique opportunity for National Science Foundation researchers. Texascale Days provides researchers the opportunity to execute half- to full-system runs. Events such as Texascale Days allow our colleagues to experiment outside their regular workflow and push their applications and our systems to the limit. The issues we encounter and overcome provide insight on how to better deploy our systems and support their research. These events are stepping stones to the science problems of tomorrow and the HPC resources required to investigate them. Here, we describe the effort required to offer the Texascale Days opportunity to our researchers.
Resting-state functional connectivity associated with gait characteristics in people with Parkinson's disease

Abstract Introduction Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a movement disorder caused by dysfunction in the basal ganglia (BG). Clinically relevant gait deficits, such as decreased velocity and increased variability, may be caused by underlying neural dysfunction. Reductions in resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) between networks have been identified in PD compared to controls; however, the association between gait characteristics and rs-FC of brain networks in people with PD has not yet been explored. The present study aimed to investigate these associations. Methods Gait characteristics and rs-FC MRI data were collected for participants with PD (N = 50). Brain networks were identified from a set of seeds representing cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions. Gait outcomes were correlated with the strength of rs-FC within and between networks of interest. A stepwise regression analysis was also conducted to determine whether the rs-FC strength of brain networks, along with clinical motor scores, were predictive of gait characteristics. Results Gait velocity was associated with rs-FC within the visual network and between motor and cognitive networks, most notably BG-thalamus internetwork rs-FC. The stepwise regression analysis showed strength of BG-thalamus internetwork rs-FC and clinical motor scores were predictive of gait velocity. Conclusion The results of the present study demonstrate gait characteristics are associated with functional organization of the brain at the network level, providing insight into the neural mechanisms of clinically relevant gait characteristics. This knowledge could be used to optimize the design of gait rehabilitation interventions for people with neurological conditions.
A note on “A modified method to compute economic order quantities without derivatives by cost-difference comparisons”

There has been growing interest in the last several decades for deriving the optimal solutions to the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) and the Economic Production Quantity (EPQ) problems and their ext...
The impact of startup CEO communication on employee relational and behavioral outcomes: Responsiveness, assertiveness, and authenticity

Abstract This study examined how startup CEOs’ communication influences employees’ relational and behavioral outcomes. Specifically, it tested the influence of startup leaders’ communication responsiveness, assertiveness, and authenticity on employee-startup relationships and organizational citizenship behavior. Through an online survey of 744 startup employees across various industries in Mainland China, the study found that startup CEOs’ communication responsiveness, assertiveness, and authenticity all positively influenced employee relationships with the startups; though assertiveness showed much weaker impact on employee-startup relationships than the other two attributes. Assertive communication also showed a small significant positive effect on employees’ organizational citizenship behavior. The quality of employee-startup relationships mediated the effects of startup CEOs’ communication attributes on employees’ organizational citizenship behavior.
DFT Study of Microsolvated [NO3·(H2O)n]- (n = 1-12) Clusters and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Nitrate Solution.

Investigation of the process of the NO3- anion solvation is central to understanding the chemical and physical properties of its aqueous solutions. The importance of this topic can be seen in atmospheric chemistry, as well as in nuclear waste processing research. In this work, we used a particle swarm optimization technique driven by density functional theory to sample the potential energy surface of various microsolvated [NO3·(H2O)n]- (n = 1-12) clusters. We found that the charge transfer plays a crucial role in the stabilization of the investigated species. Moreover, by conducting ab initio molecular dynamics simulations, we showed that at low concentrations (∼0.2 M) the NO3- species tend to be located on the surface of water solution. We also observed that the contact ion pair K+-NO3- undergoes a fast dissociation and each of the ions is solvated separately. As a result, from our calculations, we expect that at low concentration there could be oppositely signed concentration gradients for NO3- and K+ ions in a thin water film.
Different Classifications of Aortic Stenosis

Different classification systems for aortic stenosis (AS) exist depending on the underlying pathology and native versus prosthetic AS, stages of progression, severity of AS, ejection fraction (EF) and flow, and the presence of area/gradient concordance.
Resonance Raman and Site-Directed Mutagenesis Studies of Myoglobin Dynamics

The protein structure-function relationships involved in the binding of ligands to heme proteins have been the focus of a wide variety of physical, biological and chemical investigations during the last several decades. A well studied process from an experimental point of view is the geminate recombination of CO to myoglobin: $$Mb \cdot CO\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} \gamma \\ \rightleftarrows \\ {\left\{ k \right\}} \end{array}Mb + CO$$ ([1]) Equation 1 denotes the photolysis of carbon monoxy myoglobin (MB · CO) by light (y) and the subsequent rebinding ({k}). The curly brackets around the (k) indicate that a single rate is not sufficient to describe the rebinding and that a distribution in rates is necessary to explain the non-exponential kinetics observed at low temperature (Austin et al., 1975). We believe that the distribution in rates is due to protein structural fluctuations that are frozen in below Tf (Srajer et al., 1988). Above Tf the protein fluctuations are rapid compared to kinetic time scales and a single exponential rate, averaged over the fluctuations, is observed.
The Clean Water Act on the Cutting Edge: Climate Change and Water Quality Regulation

On January 16, 2009, the EPA agreed to review the Center for Biological Diversity's December 2007 petition requesting that the EPA revise its marine pH water quality criteria pursuant to the federal Clean Water Act to reflect current knowledge about ocean acidification. Ocean acidification is the result of increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As a result, the petition and the EPA's response to it raise very basic questions about what, if anything, the Clean Water Act can do about climate change. This short article first describes how climate change is likely to impact water quality. It then reviews how courts have been linking other environmental statutes to climate change issues, concluding that these intersections highlight three climate change problems: information generation; climate change mitigation, and climate change adaptation. Using the Center for Biological Diversity's petition as a focus, the article then reviews how various aspects of the Clean Water Act are likely to interact with climate change. It concludes that the Clean Water Act is best viewed as a climate change adaptation tool and indeed suggests that the Act may require increased flexibility to respond rationally to climate change impacts on water quality.
The Internet and Electronic Medical Records to Assist with Pain Relief

The use of computers and the internet to improve information and communication as a conduit for improving pain control was discussed in the first edition of the Handbook of Pain Relief in Older Adults. Since that time, there have been few changes that have standardized electronic health records to allow for adequate ­handling of pain issues. The literature continues to be devoid of meaningful discussions on this issue as well. Nonetheless, computer technology provides a tremendous opportunity to improve the overall care of patients, particularly those in pain. This chapter comments on the use of the internet and electronic medical record (EMR) systems to facilitate improved pain management.
Biomarkers of metastatic tumor microenvironment induced drug resistance

B59 Metastasis and drug resistance are major hurdles in curative cancer treatment. More attention is needed in decoding these aspects of cancer in order to develop more effective therapies. Recently we have discovered that the invasive mammary cancer cells in rodent models are resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs. Identification of molecular markers for both invasive and drug resistant cells from within the primary tumor would open a new vista in cancer molecular diagnosis. These would also potentially identify new pathways for therapeutic intervention which will be a useful adjunct to conventional therapies, interfering with tumor progression at several pivotal points. We have developed an in vivo invasion assay, which provides an opportunity to collect primary tumor cells that are actively in the process of invasion. The in vivo invasion assay has been combined with array-based gene expression analyses to investigate the gene expression patterns of carcinoma cells in primary mammary tumors during invasion. The expression of genes involved in cell division and survival, and cell motility were most dramatically changed in invasive cells indicating a population that is neither dividing nor apoptotic but intensely motile. We have performed biological assays to show in two different rodent models that the invasive carcinoma cells are hypoproliferative and drug resistant even before any therapeutic intervention is done on them. This invasion signature provides a general resource of possible targets for future anti-invasion and drug resistance therapy. Currently we are identifying biomarkers that can predict the potentially invasive and drug resistant cells in the primary tumor. We are utilizing unique RNA amplification methods along with in situ amplification and detection methods to detect the biomarker RNA either from or in the tissue. We have also performed florescence microscopy on the invasive mammary cancer cells to determine their cell surface marker expression. Work is in progress to perform fluorescence microscopy and flowcytometry on the invasive cells to identify selective expression and stability of expression of different protein biomarkers belonging to the invasion signature as well as the drug resistance pathways. We have also been successful in isolating the cancer cells at different steps of the metastatic process and studied their gene expression pattern and have identified a set of genes whose expression is altered transiently due to the tumor microenvironment.
The Gift of Listening: JUST Listening Strategies

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the simple act of listening deeply to patients serves as a potentially powerful tool in determining treatment plans, improving patient compliance, decreasing costs, increasing efficacy, and improving patient-practitioner relationships. Nonegoic listening is a transformative practice that can be integrated into clinical training and practice. A growing body of experiential and anecdotal evidence indicates that this is an area ripe for further investigation to enhance nursing interventions and cultural competencies. Given the significant role that advance practice nurses have in directing patient care, integrative listening can be valuable in shaping patient care.
Acute Kidney Injury in Hospitalized Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Background: Children hospitalized for cystic fibrosis related pulmonary exacerbation are at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI); yet the incidence of AKI using contemporary definitions has yet to be investigated. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for two era’s of about 2 years each. During the former era SCr was measured as per clinician. In the latter era, a standardized heightened surveillance program was implemented. Using the 2012 KDIGO AKI definition, we compared the incidence, severity of AKI, hospital costs and length of hospital stay between the two eras. Results: AKI was more common after surveillance implementation (23.8% vs. 15.2%; p < .001). The number of SCr measurements per each admission was increased in the surveillance era (. 3.4 ± 5.4 vs 2.1 ± 2.1; p < .001). Cost and length of stay were highest in those with AKI in the heightened surveillance era (p<0.001). Conclusions: We found that approximately one-quarter of hospitalized patients with CF will develop AKI. Those with AKI have higher hospital costs and length of stay. Prospective studies to better understand surveillance practices, risk factors, outcomes and strategies to decrease the incidence of AKI are greatly needed.
A Preliminary Molecular Investigation of Aleocharine Phylogeny (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

The subfamily Aleocharinae Fleming is one of the largest and most diverse lineages of staphylinid beetles (≈12,000 species). Being one of the most taxonomically difficult groups of beetles, the classification of the 52 tribes in this subfamily is artificial and almost void of any phylogenetic context. As a preliminary step toward building a tribal-level phylogeny for this lineage of beetles, a molecular investigation of partial sequences of 12s and 16s mitochondrial genes was undertaken for 21 species in eight different tribes. These sequences were analyzed using parsimony, bayesian, and maximum likelihood methods. Results largely support the findings of previous morphological analyses. The “higher” Aleocharinae form a monophyletic group. The tribe Myllaenini Ganglbauer is supported as a member of the higher Aleocharinae. The subtribe Gyrophaenina Kraatz is monophyletic. These results suggest that 12s and 16s mitochondrial genes are phylogenetically informative molecular characters for building a tribal-level phylogeny of the Aleocharinae.
Effects of saccades on the activity of neurons in the cat lateral geniculate nucleus.

Lee, Daeyeol and Joseph G. Malpeli. Effects of saccades on the activity of neurons in the cat lateral geniculate nucleus. J. Neurophysiol. 79: 922–936, 1998. Effects of saccades on individual neuro...