cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The pathogenesis of H7N8 low and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses from the United States 2016 outbreak in chickens, turkeys and mallards

In January 2016, a combined outbreak of highly pathogenic (HP) avian influenza virus (AIV) and low pathogenicity (LP) AIV occurred in commercial turkeys in the state of Indiana, United States. Genetically, the viruses were highly similar, belonged to the North American wild bird lineage, and had not been previously detected in poultry. In order to understand the pathobiology of the H7N8 LPAIV and HPAIV, infectivity, transmission and pathogenicity studies were conducted in chickens, turkeys, and mallards. Among the three species the lowest mean infectious dose for both the LP and HP phenotype was for turkeys, and also disease from the LPAIV was only observed with turkeys. Furthermore, although the HPAIV was lethal for both chickens and turkeys, clinical signs caused by the HPAIV isolate differed between the two species; neurological signs were only observed in turkeys. Mallards could be infected with and transmit both viruses to contacts, but neither caused clinical disease. Interestingly, with all three species, the mean infectious dose of the HP isolate was at least ten times lower than that of the LP isolate. This study corroborates the high susceptibility of turkeys to AIV as well as a pathobiology that is different from chickens. Further, this study demonstrates that mallards can be asymptomatically infected with HP and LP AIV from gallinaceous poultry and may not just be involved in transmitting AIV to them.
Family Firm(s) Outcomes Model: Structuring Financial and Nonfinancial Outcomes Across the Family and Firm:

Family firms are distinguished theoretically from nonfamily firms due to their pursuit of unique, family-related aspirations and goals. The pursuit of these aspirations and goals leads many family firms to define success or failure in terms of a broader set of outcomes than nonfamily firms. Despite this, family firm research has generally taken a constricted view of family firm outcomes by concentrating on narrowly defined financial performance as measured by accounting and/or market-based indicators. We contend that this somewhat myopic focus has slowed the field’s development to some degree, by constraining our ability to test its fundamental tenets. To address this, we draw on several disciplines to systematically order family firm outcomes within a family firm(s) outcomes model that encompasses both financial and nonfinancial dimensions. While financial performance is important in research and practice, herein we refer to both financial and nonfinancial outcomes and explain how these outcomes map on t...
Maternal Emotion Regulation and Children’s Behavior Problems: The Mediating Role of Child Emotion Regulation

Children’s difficulties managing emotions are contributors to their behavior problems, and parents’ emotion regulation difficulties are also likely contributors to their children’s regulatory challenges and behavioral difficulties. This study examined the associations among mothers’ emotion regulation, children’s emotion regulation, and children’s behavior problems. Children’s emotion regulation difficulties were hypothesized to mediate the association between maternal difficulties with emotion regulation and children’s internalizing and externalizing problems. A sample of 454 mothers completed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Emotion Regulation Checklist, and the Child Behavior Checklist for their children aged 3–7. Children’s emotion regulation difficulties accounted for the indirect association between mothers’ lower emotion awareness and both internalizing and externalizing problems. On the other hand, children’s emotional negativity accounted for the indirect association between mothers’ difficulties with emotion regulation and behavior problems. Future directions for research and clinical intervention focused on promoting parental and child emotion regulation are discussed.
Microscopic study of electrical transport through individual molecules with metallic contacts. I. Band lineup, voltage drop, and high-field transport

We present the first in a series of microscopic studies of electrical transport through individual molecules with metallic contacts. We view the molecules as ``heterostructures'' composed of chemically well-defined atomic groups, and analyze the device characteristics in terms of the charge and potential response of these atomic groups to the perturbation induced by the metal-molecule coupling and the applied bias voltage, which are modeled using a first-principles based self-consistent matrix Green's function (SCMGF) method. As the first example, we examine the devices formed by attaching two benzene-based molecular radicals---phenyl dithiol (PDT) and biphenyl dithiol (BPD)---symmetrically onto two semi-infinite gold electrodes through the end sulfur atoms. We find that both molecules acquire a fractional number of electrons with similar magnitude and spatial distribution upon contact with the electrodes. The charge transfer creates a potential barrier at the metal-molecule interface that modifies significantly the frontier molecular states depending on the corresponding electron density distribution. For both molecules, the metal Fermi level is found to lie closer to the highest-occupied-molecular-orbital (HOMO) than to the lowest-unoccupied-molecular-orbital (LUMO). Transmission in the HOMO-LUMO gap for both molecules is due to the metal-induced gap states arising from the hybridization of the metal surface states with the occupied molecular states. Applying a finite bias voltage leads to only minor net charge injection due to the symmetric device structure assumed in this work. But as current flows, the electrons within the molecular junction redistribute substantially, with resistivity dipoles developing in the vicinity of potential barriers. Only the delocalized $\ensuremath{\pi}$ electrons in the benzene ring can effectively screen the applied electric field. For the PDT molecule, the majority of the bias voltage drops at the metal-molecule interface. But for the BPD molecule, a significant amount of the voltage also drops in the molecule core. The field-induced modification of the molecular states (the static Stark effect) becomes significant as the bias voltage increases beyond the linear-transport region. A bias-induced reduction of the HOMO-LUMO gap is observed for both molecules at large bias. The Stark effect is found to be stronger for the BPD molecule than the PDT molecule despite the longer length of the former. For both molecules, the peaks in the conductance are due to electron transmission through the occupied rather than the unoccupied molecular states. The calculation is done at room temperature, and we find that the thermionic-emission contribution to the current-voltage characteristics of both molecules is negligible.
Reliability of kinetic visual field testing in children with mutation-proven retinal dystrophies: Implications for therapeutic clinical trials.

Purpose: Kinetic visual field testing is used to monitor disease course in retinal dystrophy clinical care and treatment response in treatment trials, which are increasingly recruiting children. Th...
Watch Out! Or do we? A Review of Literature on Human Locomotion, Visual Gaze, and Expectation of Trip Hazards:

Pedestrian trip and fall events, a major source of accidental injury and death, are often the result of a vertical perturbation that goes undetected by a pedestrian. Inattention is frequently blame...
Linear rheology of polymer nanocomposites with polymer-grafted nanoparticles

Abstract Polymer nanocomposites with polymer grafted nanoparticles (NPs) are of great interest since they have improved properties relative to their unfilled analogs. While it is well-appreciated that nanocomposite flow behavior is critically affected by filler dispersion, the roles of the matrix and the polymeric grafts remain unexplored. We perform linear oscillatory rheology on composites of polystyrene-grafted silica NPs in two different polystyrene matrices which have similar dispersion states and glass transition temperatures, T g . When the matrix viscosity is considerably lower than that of the neat NP melt, the composite viscosities follow the scaling ideas applicable to star/linear polymer mixtures, well above the Einstein prediction. The higher matrix molecular weight shows lower viscosity, essentially following the Einstein relationship, presumably because faster modes of relaxation become available. We conclude that there is a deep, currently unexploited, analogy between the viscosity of polymer-grafted NP and star polymers.
Populism during the Estado Novo

Embora as eleicoes tenham sido suprimidas durante o Estado Novo, alguns politicos ganharam experiencia valiosa com tecnicas que mais tarde se chamariam de populismo. Este artigo descreve a criacao deste estilo pelo prefeito Pedro Ernesto e as carreiras de outros seis lideres chamados de populistas. Conclui-se que o regime Vargas realmente ajudou a ascensao do populismo.
Groups of class 2n in which all proper subgroups have class at most n

Abstract Let n ≥ 3 be a positive integer. We show that there exist nilpotent groups of class 2n in which every proper subgroup has class at most n. (Such groups are necessarily finite.) We also show that there exists a torsion-free nilpotent group of class 2n in which every subgroup of infinite index has class at most n. These results are proved by establishing analogous result for nilpotent Lie algebras and then using the Lazard correspondence or the Mal'cev correspondence as appropriate.
Math Handwriting Recognition in Windows 7 and Its Benefits

Nowadays, writing a math paper in a word processing application or performing calculations in a computational engine often requires spending a considerable amount of time creating math expressions using either a complex UI model with a multitude of drop-down buttons or a complicated and difficult to remember linear format input. As of Windows 7, Microsoft provides users with the most natural and efficient way of inputting math - handwriting recognition, as part of its operating system. Microsoft has taken a completely new approach to this problem and raised math handwriting recognition to a whole new level in terms of functionality, performance and area coverage.
Long Term Outcomes to Family Caregiver Empowerment

The Vanderbilt Caregiver Empowerment Project evaluated a training program designed to enhance empowerment of caregiver and their subsequent involvement in the mental health treatment of their children. The intervention utilized a multi-component parent training curriculum that was designed to enhance: (a) knowledge of the service system; (b) skills needed to interact with the mental health system; and (c) the caregiver' s mental health services self-efficacy designed to improve caregivers beliefs in their ability to collaborate with service providers. The resulting increased empowerment was hypothesized to increase caretaker involvement, which should affect service use and ultimately the mental health status of the child. A randomized design was used to test the effectiveness of this model with caregivers of children receiving mental health services. The results one-year after the training replicated the intermediate outcomes of the project conducted 3-months after the training. The initial training continued to significantly influence the parent's knowledge and mental health services self-efficacy. However, the intervention had no effect on caregiver involvement in treatment, service use or the mental health status of the children.
A Practical Scale for Multi-faceted Organizational Health Climate Assessment

The current study sought to develop a practical scale to measure 3 facets of workplace health climate from the employee perspective as an important component of a healthy organization. The goal was to create a short, usable yet comprehensive scale that organizations and occupational health professionals could use to determine if workplace health interventions were needed. The proposed Multi-faceted Organizational Health Climate Assessment (MOHCA) scale assesses facets that correspond to 3 organizational levels: (a) workgroup, (b) supervisor, and (c) organization. Ten items were developed and tested on 2 distinct samples, 1 cross-organization and 1 within-organization. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded a 9-item, hierarchical 3-factor structure. Tests confirmed MOHCA has convergent validity with related constructs, such as perceived organizational support and supervisor support, as well as discriminant validity with safety climate. Lastly, criterion-related validity was found between MOHCA and health-related outcomes. The multi-faceted nature of MOHCA provides a scale that has face validity and can be easily translated into practice, offering a means for diagnosing the shortcomings of an organization or workgroup's health climate to better plan health and well-being interventions.
The Transcriptional Signature of Growth in Human Fetal Aortic Valve Development

Background In the second trimester of human fetal development, a tenfold increase in fetal size occurs while cardiac valves grow and retain their function. Patterns of transcription in normally growing human aortic valves are unknown. Methods Discarded human aortic valve samples were collected from the second trimester, 6 from early (14, 15, 17 weeks) and 6 from late (20, 21, 22 weeks) gestation. Network analysis of RNA sequencing data identified subnetworks of significantly increasing and decreasing transcripts. Subsequent cluster analysis identified patterns of transcription through the time course. Pathway enrichment analysis determined the predominant biological processes at each interval. Results We observed phasic transcription over the time course, including an early decrease in cell proliferation and developmental genes (14 to 15 weeks). Pattern specification, shear stress, and adaptive immune genes were induced early. Cell adhesion genes were increased from 14 to 20 weeks. A phase involving cell differentiation and apoptosis (17 to 20 weeks) was followed by downregulation of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transformation genes and then by increased extracellular matrix organization and stabilization (20 to 22 weeks). Conclusions We present a unique data set, comprehensively characterizing human valve development after valve primordia are formed, focusing on key processes displayed by normal aortic valves undergoing significant growth. We build a time course of genes and processes in second trimester fetal valve growth and observe the sequential regulation of gene clusters over time. Critical valve growth genes are potential targets for therapeutic intervention in congenital heart disease and have implications for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
Testing Mark-all-that-apply Measures of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity:

Many social identities (e.g., race, ethnicity) are measured using mark-all-that-apply (MATA) questions because they allow survey respondents to account for the multiple, nonexclusive ways in which ...
Cost-driven thread coarsening for GPU kernels

Directive-based programming models like OpenACC provide a higher level abstraction and low overhead approach of porting existing applications to GPGPUs and other heterogeneous HPC hardware. Such programming models increase the design space exploration possible at the compiler level to exploit specific features of different architectures. We observed that traditional applications designed for latency optimized out-of-order pipelined CPUs do not exploit the throughput optimized in-order pipelined GPU architecture efficiently. In this paper we develop a model to estimate the memory throughput of a given application. Then we use the loop interleave transformation to improve the memory bandwidth utilization of a given kernel. We developed a heuristic to estimate the optimal loop interleave factor, and implemented it in the OpenARC compiler for OpenACC. We evaluated our approach on over 216 kernels to achieve a Geo-mean speedup of 1.32×. Our compiler optimization aims to provide the right balance between performance, portability and productivity.
Owning Slavery: An Interview with Katrina Browne

The transatlantic slave trade and heritage lie at the center of Katrina Browne’s work as a filmmaker, writer and activist. Her film, Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North (2008), which w...
Die Rolle von Vertrauen für den Erfolg der digitalen Transformation

Der Pauschalbegriff „digitale Transformation“, der fur eine der grosen aktuellen Herausforderung an Wirtschaft, Gesellschaft und Politik gepragt wurde, stellt ein Sammelbecken fur eine ganze Reihe von Innovationsfeldern dar, zu denen „Industrie 4.0“, „Internet der Dinge“, „Big Data“ und „Enterprise 2.0“ gehoren.
Approximate kernel reconstruction for time-varying networks

Most existing algorithms for modeling and analyzing molecular networks assume a static or time-invariant network topology. Such view, however, does not render the temporal evolution of the underlying biological process as molecular networks are typically “re-wired” over time in response to cellular development and environmental changes. In our previous work, we formulated the inference of time-varying or dynamic networks as a tracking problem, where the target state is the ensemble of edges in the network. We used the Kalman filter to track the network topology over time. Unfortunately, the output of the Kalman filter does not reflect known properties of molecular networks, such as sparsity. To address the problem of inferring sparse time-varying networks from a set of under-sampled measurements, we propose the Approximate Kernel RecONstruction (AKRON) Kalman filter. AKRON supersedes the Lasso regularization by starting from the Lasso-Kalman inferred network and judiciously searching the space for a sparser solution. We derive theoretical bounds for the optimality of AKRON. We evaluate our approach against the Lasso-Kalman filter on synthetic data. The results show that not only does AKRON-Kalman provide better reconstruction errors, but it is also better at identifying if edges exist within a network. Furthermore, we perform a real-world benchmark on the lifecycle (embryonic, larval, pupal, and adult stages) of the Drosophila Melanogaster. We show that the networks inferred by the AKRON-Kalman filter are sparse and can detect more known gene-to-gene interactions for the Drosophila melanogaster than the Lasso-Kalman filter. Finally, all of the code reported in this contribution will be publicly available.
Teaching and learning in uncertainty

We investigate a simple model for social learning with two agents: a teacher and a student. The teacher’s goal is to teach the student the state of the world Θ, however, the teacher herself is not certain about Θ and needs to simultaneously learn it and teach it to the student. We model the teacher’s and the student’s uncertainty via binary symmetric channels, and employ a simple heuristic decoder at the student’s end. We focus on two teaching strategies: a "low effort" strategy of simply forwarding information, and a "high effort" strategy of communicating the teacher’s current best estimate of Θ at each time instant. Using tools from large deviation theory, we calculate the exact learning rates for these strategies and demonstrate regimes where the low effort strategy outperforms the high effort strategy. Our primary technical contribution is a detailed analysis of the large deviation properties of the sign of a transient Markov random walk on ℤ.
Distributional Assumptions and the Estimation of Contingent Valuation Models

Contingent valuation methods are well-established techniques for measuring the value of goods and services not transacted in markets and have been applied in many different settings. Some of these applications include estimating the value of outdoor recreation, reducing risk, decreasing pollution, or reducing transportation time. The parameter estimates depend upon the survey design, the model specification, and the method of estimation. Distributional misspecification or heteroskedasticity can lead to inconsistent estimators. This paper introduces a partially adaptive estimation procedure, based on two families of flexible probability density functions [the generalized beta of the second kind (GB2) and the skewed generalized t (SGT)], to adjust for distributional misspecification and accommodate possible heteroskedasticity. Using a linear link function, these methods are applied to the problem of estimating the willingness to pay to protect Australia’s Kakadu Conservation Zone from mining. In this application, the assumption of homoskedasticity is not rejected for the GB2 family, but is rejected for the SGT. A Monte Carlo simulation confirms the importance of the homoskedasticity assumption as well as the impact of the bid design. For this example, many of the more flexible distributions are in fairly close agreement with some of their special cases. However, this application illustrates how flexible nested distributions can be used to accommodate diverse distributional characteristics, including possible heteroskedasticity.
Neural correlates of newsvendor-based decision making in the human brain: An exploratory study to link neuroeconomics with neuroimaging using fNIRS

Neuroeconomics with neuroimaging is a novel approach involving economics and neuroscience. The newsvendor problem (NP) is a prevalent economics concept that may be used to map brain activations during NP-evoked risky decision making. In this study, we hypothesized that key brain regions responsible for NP are dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Twenty-seven human subjects participated in the study using 40 NP trials; the participants were randomly assigned to a group with a low-profit margin (LM) or high-profit margin (HM) treatment. Cerebral hemodynamic responses were recorded simultaneously during the NP experiments from all participants with a 77-channel functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) system. After data preprocessing, general linear model was applied to generate brain activation maps, followed by statistical t-tests. The results showed that: (a) DLPFC and OFC were significantly evoked by NP versus baseline regardless of treatment types; (b) DLPFC and OFC were activated by HM versus baseline; and (c) DLPFC was activated during LM versus baseline. Furthermore, significant deactivation in right DLPFC was shown due to LM with respect to HM. This study affirms that DLPFC and OFC are two key cortical regions when solving NP. In particular, right DLPFC was found to be more deactivated under challenging risk decision making.
Brentano’s Concept of Descriptive Psychology

In this paper, I begin by outlining Franz Brentano’s connections with John Henry Newman (on issues of faith) and then explore in detail Brentano’s evolving conception of descriptive psychology from Psychology from an Empirical Standpoint (1874) to his Descriptive Psychology lectures (1887–1891). Brentano was developing a descriptive, “empirical” science of mental phenomena (in opposition to Wundt’s physiological psychology and to Fechner’s psychophysics), and his focus was on a priori necessary laws that are given directly to intuition. Brentano developed his psychology from Aristotle and from the then contemporary psychology (especially British psychologists, such as Alexander Bain, John Stuart Mill, Henry Maudsley, and others). Husserl’s descriptive phenomenology was deeply influenced by Brentano’s descriptive psychology, although, in his mature works, Husserl abandoned all of Brentano’s main distinctions and developed a new intentional analysis that identified consciousness as a self-enclosed domain governed by a priori eidetic laws. In this paper I will explore Brentano’s and Husserl’s conceptions of descriptive psychology but I shall also examine Wilhelm Dilthey’s account of descriptive psychology that was based on ‘motivation’, a concept adopted by Husserl. Husserl’s mature phenomenology advanced far beyond Brentano’s descriptive psychology. But, despite their differences, I shall show that both Brentano and Husserl were committed to a non-reductive sui generis exploration of the ‘life of consciousness’ (Bewusstseinsleben) understood as a dynamic complex of essential features that can be apprehended by reflective analysis.
Analysis of Rheological Properties and Moisture Resistance of Nanoclay-Modified Asphalt Binders

The primary aim of this study is to improve the rheological properties and moisture resistance of asphalt binder by the modification of a sustainable material named “nanoclay.” Rheological properties and moisture resistance of selected nanoclay-modified asphalt binders have been evaluated. Three types of nanoclays (Cloisite 10A, Cloisite 11B, and Cloisite 15A) at 1, 2, and 3% by the weight of asphalt binder were blended with a base binder (PG 64-22) from two sources. A blending protocol consisting of a duration of 2 h, a rotation of 2000 rpm, and a temperature of 1500 C were used to blend the nanoclays with the asphalt binders. Rheological properties of nanoclay-modified asphalt binders were then determined by using a Rotational Viscometer (RV) and a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR). The viscosity of the nanoclay 2% Cloisite 10A-modified binder was about 248% of that of the neat binder. It was found that the consistency of a nanoclay-modified binder was significantly higher than the neat binder. The rutting factor (G*/sinδ) also increased significantly for the nanoclay-modified asphalt binders. An Optical Contact Analyzer (OCA) was used to evaluate moisture susceptibility. Binder modified by 3% Cloisite 10A showed the highest surface free energy and cohesiveness. An Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was used to characterize the nanoclay-modified samples. Surface roughness increased, but no improvement was observed in the DMT (Derjaguin–Muller–Toporov) moduli values. Besides, the adhesion parameter, which indicates the moisture susceptibility, increased significantly.
As juventudes e as tecnologias: horizontes educacionais

The study discusses the different ways of living of the youths in the midst of the cultural learning stimulated by digital technologies, based on the approaches mapped in doctoral thesis produced from 2012 to 2016. It is a hermeneutic-reconstructive research carried out in the portal of the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations in the field of education, with the objective of identifying the problems, the dialogues and the challenges on the youths and the digital technologies. It is a question of recognizing the relationships between different perspectives that have come to us since the end of the 20th century, corresponding to the social changes that the media context is provoking in the possibilities of the intercultural dialogue of the youths. The debates about digital culture and its intertwining with the formation of young people feedback the educational processes, in the sense of going beyond instrumental ingenuity, which demands a practical impulse to the intercommunication in the world with the youths.
When Life Happens: Parental Leave, Part-Time Schedules, and Flexible Workplace Strategies

In the United States, women make up approximately 50% of medical students, 35% of radiation oncology residents, and 28% of radiation oncology faculty. Increased numbers of women in the field, coupled with a recent interest in promoting work–life balance, has led to an increase in flexible workplace practices. Flexible workplace practices allow for parental or familial leave, part-time and work-from-home scheduling as well as other creative policies to promote work–life balance and to allow for familial and domestic responsibilities outside of the workplace.
Cangrelor as a bridging antiplatelet therapy in a patient with recent intracranial and cardiac stenting: A case report and review of literature (4967)

Objective: Patients who require interruption of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after intracranial or coronary artery stenting for invasive procedures are at an increased risk of stent thrombosis. Limited evidence exists for the use of cangrelor (an intravenous P2Y12 inhibitor) as a bridging agent in patients with intracranial stents Background: We describe a safe and effective protocol leveraging cangrelor as a bridging agent for an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) patient (with both fresh intracranial and intracardiac stents) in need of an invasive procedure. Design/Methods: A case report and review of the literature on PubMed was performed and summarized. Results: A 68 year old woman presented with chest pain and headache. She was found to have myocardial infarction and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stent placement and initiated on aspirin and ticagrelor. Post PCI, CT brain revealed diffuse aneurysmal SAH from a ruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysm and underwent coil embolization with bilateral A1/A2 atlas neuroform stents. DAPT was continued with P2Y12 platelet reactivity unit (PRU) monitoring. Due to the need for a tracheostomy and ventriculoperitoneal shunt, ticagrelor was stopped and tirofiban was initiated for DAPT bridging. She developed tirofiban-related thrombocytopenia, requiring discontinuation. After platelet recovery (3 days), cangrelor was initiated as a bridge and titrated to a patient-specific PRU goal. Cangrelor was stopped 1 hour before and resumed 2 hours after surgery. Ticagrelor loading dose was administered 1 hour prior to discontinuation of cangrelor infusion. Aspirin was continued throughout the hospital course. No perioperative hemorrhagic complications were noted. Subsequent cerebral angiography confirmed intracranial stent patency. Conclusions: Here we report the use of cangrelor as a safe and effective procedural bridge therapy in the setting of both intracranial and coronary stents and tirofiban-related thrombocytopenia. Disclosure: Dr. Mathew has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wyatt has nothing to disclose. Dr. Akbik has nothing to disclose. Dr. Patel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ratcliff has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sadan has nothing to disclose.
Recurrence after successful parathyroidectomy—Who should we worry about?

Abstract Background Preventing cervical reoperations is important—especially after parathyroidectomy. We sought to examine early predictors of recurrence of primary hyperparathyroidism after surgical cure. Methods Adult patients with sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism treated with parathyroidectomy between September 1, 1997, and September 1, 2019, with confirmed eucalcemia at 6 months postoperatively were identified. Recurrence was defined as hypercalcemia (>10.2 mg/dL) with an elevated or nonsuppressed parathyroid hormone level on subsequent follow-up. Results Parathyroidectomy was performed in 522 patients (median age, 62.1 years, 77% female) with the majority undergoing planned minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (85.4%, n = 446). After a median follow-up of 30.9 months, 13 patients (2.5%) recurred (median time to recurrence 50.2 months, interquartile range 27.9–66.5), all of whom underwent planned minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (n = 13/446, 2.9%). Recurrence was more common in those with higher (but still normal) 6-month calcium (10.1 vs 9.3 mg/dL, P 66.5 years, calcium ≥9.8mg/dL and parathyroid hormone ≥80 pg/mL at 6 months were associated with increased risk of recurrence. In addition, the presence of at least 1 preoperative imaging study that conflicted with intraoperative findings among minimally invasive parathyroidectomy patients (n = 446) was associated with increased risk of recurrence (hazard ratio 4.93, 95% confidence interval 1.25–16.53, P = .016). Conclusion Recurrence of sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism after initial surgical cure in the era of minimally invasive parathyroidectomy is 2.5%. Identification of those at risk for recurrence using 6-month serum calcium ≥9.8 mg/dL, parathyroid hormone ≥80 pg/mL, and/or potentially conflicting localization studies may inform surveillance strategies.
Influence of high heating rates on evolution of oxides on directed laser energy additively fabricated IN718

The effect of non-isothermal treatment in oxygen-containing air, via heating rates of 10, 50, and 1000 °C/min until 1000 °C followed by furnace cooling to room temperature on oxides formed on directed laser energy additively fabricated IN718 was studied. Another set of samples heated up to 1000 °C using the same heating rates were isothermally held at 1000 °C for 1 hr followed by furnace cooling to room temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated the presence of NiO on samples only heated at 1000 °C/min. Also, results indicated the absence of Fe-oxides on non-isothermally treated samples, irrespective of heating rate. However, isothermal treatment confirmed the presence of NiO on all samples and Fe-oxides on samples heated via 50 and 1000 °C/min. The durations in complement with the kinetics of the thermal treatments influenced oxide evolution in the samples. Such an experimental approach was adopted to study the material response under dynamic short duration-high temperature oxidation.
Quo Vadis, Humans? Engineering the Survival of the Human Species

Since life first appeared on Earth some 3.8 billion years ago, 99.9% of all species have gone extinct. What is the future of the human species confronted with these almost insurmountable odds? This paper defines Universal Method as a generalization of the Engineering Method and, in effect, develops a combined philosophy–engineering framework to engineer the survival of the human species. In so doing, it serves as a modest example of the importance of an applied philosophy of engineering.
Toward increasing professionalism in public relations: An activity-specific system for categorizing practitioners

The goal of this study was to test a method of categorizing public relations practitioners according to the tasks they perform, to determine if there were training and possibly accreditation needs not being met by existing programs. The study involved asking 93 Iowa Public Relations Society of America members (virtually the entire population of state members) which of 16 tasks they performed. They also were grouped, using the methods employed by Grunig, according to the four models of public relations he developed - publicity/press agentry, public information, two-way asymmetric, and two-way symmetric - to determine if the tasks performed and the characteristics of the models were correlated. Initial analysis indicated very low correlation between the tasks subjects performed and the model they represented. Further examination of the data, employing factor analysis, revealed three relatively distinct task groupings - writing, projects/information production, and research. Although the study was limited in...
Regulation of G Protein Coupled Receptors

The sections in this article are: 1 Signaling Via G Protein–Coupled Receptor Pathways 1.1 G Protein–Coupled Receptors 1.2 G Proteins 1.3 Effectors 2 Mechanisms of G Protein–Coupled Receptor Regulation 2.1 Classification of Desensitization 2.2 The Beta-Adrenergic Receptor and Rhodopsin Signaling Pathways: Model Systems of GPR Signaling and Regulation 2.3 Receptor Phosphorylation And Uncoupling: Rapid Desensitization 2.4 Receptor Sequestration 2.5 Receptor Down-Regulation 2.6 Receptor Polymorphisms 2.7 Sensitization 2.8 Desensitization of Other GPR Pathways 3 Summary
Six Lectures on Four 4-Manifolds

IntroductionDespite spectacular advances in deﬁning invariants for simply connected smoothand symplectic 4-dimensional manifolds and the discovery of eﬀective surgical tech-niques, we still have been unable to classify simply connected smooth manifolds upto diﬀeomorphism. In these notes, adapted from six lectures given at the 2006 ParkCity Mathematics Institute Graduate Summer School on
The Nomic Role Account of Carving Reality at the Joints

Natural properties are those that carve reality at the joints. The notion of carving reality at the joints, however, is somewhat obscure, and is often understood in terms of making for similarity, conferring causal powers, or figuring in the laws of nature. I develop and assess an account of the third sort according to which carving reality at the joints is understood as having the right level of determinacy relative to nomic roles. The account has the attraction of involving very weak metaphysical presuppositions, but fails to capture several features that natural properties are presumed to have.
CRANIAL SIZE VARIATION AND LINEAGE DIVERSITY IN EARLY PLEISTOCENE HOMO

A recent article in this journal concluded that a sample of early Pleistocene hominin crania assigned to genus Homo exhibits a pattern of size variation that is time dependent, with specimens from different time periods being more different from each other, on average, than are specimens from the same time period. The authors of this study argued that such a pattern is not consistent with the presence of multiple lineages within the sample, but rather supports the hypothesis that the fossils represent an anagenetically evolving lineage (i.e., an evolutionary species). However, the multiple-lineage models considered in that study do not reflect the multiple-species alternatives that have been proposed for early Pleistocene Homo. Using simulated data sets, I show that fossil assemblages that contain multiple lineages can exhibit the time-dependent pattern of variation specified for the single-lineage model under certain conditions, particularly when temporal overlap among fossil specimens attributed to the lineages is limited. These results do not reject the single-lineage hypothesis, but they do indicate that rejection of multiple lineages in the early Pleistocene Homo fossil record is premature, and that other sources of variation, such as differences in cranial shape, should be considered.
The Distribution of Target Registration Error in Rigid-Body, Point-Based Registration

Point-based registration is performed by matching a set of homologous points in two spaces. It is common to use such techniques as an aid to navigation during neurosurgical procedures. For many years, statistics concerning Target Registration Error (TRE) have been studied qualitatively using numerical simulations. We present here an expression that gives a good approximation to the distribution of TRE for any given target and configuration of fiducial points.
How Well Aligned Are Textbooks to the Common Core Standards in Mathematics

Research has identified a number of problems limiting the implementation of content standards in the classroom. Curriculum materials may be among the most important influences on teachers’ instruction. As new standards roll out, there is skepticism about the alignment of “Common Core–aligned” curriculum materials to the standards. This analysis is the first to investigate claims of alignment in the context of fourth-grade mathematics using the only widely used alignment tool capable of estimating the alignment of curriculum materials with the standards. The results indicate substantial areas of misalignment; in particular, the textbooks studied systematically overemphasize procedures and memorization relative to the standards, among other weaknesses. The findings challenge publishers’ alignment claims and motivate further research on curriculum alignment.
Application of rhetorical appeals in interactive design for health

The theory of rhetoric could provide critical foundations for interactive design. One core idea of rhetoric is the rhetorical appeals, which include logos, pathos, and ethos. The authors report a research-based design project with reflections from the design process and usability evaluations. The project explored the application of the rhetorical appeals in the design of a mobile web application for childhood obesity prevention.
Hardware selection and clustering in the HYPER synthesis system

A novel approach for the hardware selection and clustering problem in high level synthesis is presented. The goal of the hardware selection is to select a set of hardware modules which minimize the implementation cost of an algorithm, given the timing and throughput constraints. At the same time, simple operators are clustered into large combinatorial blocks to reduce the register count and to increase the throughput. The proposed approach is organized as a search employing a relaxed scheduling for cost estimation and uses a simple, yet accurate timing analysis to verify timing constraints. The results from real applications showed the excellent performance of the proposed algorithm. >
Promoting youth physical activity in rural Southern communities: practitioner perceptions of environmental opportunities and barriers

PURPOSE: Research on youth physical activity has focused on urban areas. Rural adolescents are more likely to be physically inactive than urban youth, contributing to higher risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Study objectives were to: (1) identify perceived opportunities and barriers to youth physical activity within a rural area and (2) identify rural community characteristics that facilitate or inhibit efforts to promote youth physical activity. METHODS: Thirty in-depth interviews were conducted with expert informants in 2 rural southern US counties. Interviewees were recruited from diverse positions across multiple sectors based on their expert knowledge of community policies and programs for youth physical activity. FINDINGS: Informants saw ball fields, natural amenities, and school sports as primary resources for youth physical activity, but they were divided on whether opportunities were abundant or scarce. Physical distance, social isolation, lack of community offerings, and transportation were identified as key barriers. Local social networks facilitated political action and volunteer recruitment to support programs. However, communities often lacked human capital to sustain initiatives. Racial divisions influenced perceptions of opportunities. Despite divisions, there were also examples of pooling resources to create and sustain physical activity opportunities. CONCLUSIONS: Developing partnerships and leveraging local resources may be essential to overcoming barriers for physical activity promotion in rural areas. Involvement of church leaders, school officials, health care workers, and cooperative extension is likely needed to establish and sustain youth rural physical activity programs. Allocating resources to existing community personnel and volunteers for continuing education may be valuable. Language: en
Genetically Modified, Insect Resistant Maize: Implications for Management of Ear and Stalk Diseases

Because the fungi that produce mycotoxins in maize are frequently associated with insect damage, insect control has the potential to reduce mycotoxin concentrations in grain. Our research indicates...
Voluntary consumption of ethanol in WSP, WSC and WSR selectively bred mouse lines

Abstract The genetic correlation between voluntary consumption of ethanol solutions and severity of withdrawal seizures after chronic ethanol exposure was assessed using the selectively bred Withdrawal Seizure Prone (WSP) and Resistant (WSR) mouse lines. WSP mice have at least ten-fold more severe withdrawal than WSR mice after equal chronic ethanol exposure, and withdrawal in a non-selected control line (WSC) is intermediate to withdrawal in the WSP and WSR lines [4]. In the first experiment, mice from the WSP, WSC and WSR lines were offered a choice between 2.2, 4.6 and 10.0% ethanol solutions and water in three consecutive eight-day sessions. WSR mice consumed more ethanol than WSP mice, and WSC mice were intermediate. In a second experiment, WSP and WSR mice were offered ethanol solutions in concentrations that were adjusted up or down every two days depending upon the amount of ethanol consumed. WSP and WSR mice displayed very different patterns of drinking, with WSP mice drinking more ethanol in early stages of the experiment, and WSR mice drinking more ethanol later. Results of these experiments suggest that some genes influencing severity of withdrawal from ethanol also influence voluntary ethanol drinking.
Inhibition of heparin precipitation, bacterial growth, and fungal growth with a combined isopropanol-ethanol locking solution for vascular access devices.

Abstract Background Clinical reports of ethanol-lock use for the prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infections have been marked by the occurrence of serious catheter occlusions, particularly among children with mediports. We hypothesized that precipitate forms when ethanol mixes with heparin at the concentrations relevant for vascular access devices, but that the use of a combination of two alcohols, ethanol and isopropanol, would diminish heparin-related precipitation, while retaining anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effects. Methods Heparin (0–100units/mL) was incubated in ethanol–water solutions (30%–70% vol/vol) or in an aqueous solution containing equal parts (35% and 35% vol/vol) of isopropanol and ethanol. Precipitation at temperatures from 4 to 40°C was measured in nephelometric turbidity units using a benchtop turbidimeter. Growth of Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , and Candida albicans colonies were measured following exposure to solutions of ethanol or isopropanol–ethanol. Groupwise comparisons were performed using analysis of variance with Bonferroni-corrected, post-hoc T-testing. Results Seventy percent ethanol and heparin exhibit dose-dependent precipitation that is pronounced and significant at the concentrations typically used in mediports ( p p p Conclusions A combined 35% isopropanol–35% ethanol locking solution inhibits bacterial and fungal growth similarly to 70% ethanol, but results in less precipitate than 70% ethanol when exposed to heparin. Further study of a combined isopropanol–ethanol locking solution for the prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infections should focus on the determination as to whether such a locking solution may reduce the rate of precipitation-related catheter occlusion, and whether it may be administered with low systemic toxicity.
Existence of conserved currents in the perturbative sine-Gordon and massive Thirring models

The existence of infinitely many conserved currents in the quantized sine-Gordon and massive Thirring models is proved in renormalized perturbation theory.
Wetting transitions of helium on weak binding substrates

Abstract We review recent experiments on the behavior of helium films adsorbed on alkali metal substrates, which bind 4 He more than an order of magnitude more weakly than conventional substrates such as graphite or gold. The phase diagram of 4 He on cesium has several unique features which have not been previously observed in any other system. At low temperature, 4 He does not wet cesium. At the wetting temperature T w ≏ 2K, a first order phase transition occurs, and it becomes possible to form thick films; there are large hysteresis effects near T w associated with the nucleation of the thin phase. For T T w , films grow in a discontinous way, with a first order thin-thick transition, which is known as prewetting. Prewetting can interfere with the usual Kosterlitz-Thouless superfluid transition. The position of the prewetting line can be tuned by varying the thickness of the cesium substrate, or by doping the film with 3 He.