cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Of Taxpayer Rights, Wrongs, and a Proposed Remedy

Since 1988, Congress has enacted three "taxpayer bills of rights." Each of these bills has contained a series of amendments and additions to the procedural provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Many of the new provisions have been prompted by anecdotes about taxpayers injured by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The article points out that, because anecdotes are rarely representative, and sometimes are inaccurate, the resulting legislation is more symbolic than effective. In fact, many of the so-called "rights" are actually duties imposed on the IRS without remedies for their violation. In addition, the bills have added costs to all tax controversies without regard to the usefulness of the new procedures to taxpayers. Although "horror story" anecdotes of taxpayer abuses are not a representative basis for legislation, there are some taxpayers actually victimized by IRS agents. The article argues that taxpayers harmed by inappropriate IRS activity need more than symbolism. "Taxpayer bill of rights" legislation is unhelpful because it generally does not provide suitable remedies to injured taxpayers. Congress is currently considering Taxpayer Bill of Rights 2000, but that legislation does not address this issue. The article proposes instead a civil damage remedy to compensate taxpayers who suffer material harm resulting from IRS personnel violation of applicable laws or rules.
Application of Variational Variance Reduction for Source-Detector Problems in Nuclear Non-proliferation

ABSTRACTThe VVR (Variational Variance Reduction) method has been tested extensively on criticality problems and has proven to be effective, but its application for shielding problems has been limited. In this work, the VVR method is tested on source-detector type problems that are of interest in nonproliferation applications. A 3D multigroup Monte Carlo code that uses parts of the framework of Attila, a production deterministic code for radiation transport problems, was developed to prototype hybrid (Deterministic/Monte Carlo) variance reduction techniques. The VVR method is applied to the forward Monte Carlo simulations based on a deterministically calculated adjoint solution using Attila. The performance of the VVR method when applied with 3 different configurations of the forward simulation are tested: (1) Monte Carlo calculation with implicit absorption, (2) Monte Carlo calculation with the Consistent Adjoint Driven Importance Sampling (CADIS) based weight windows method and (3) Monte Carlo calculatio...
13 EFFECTS OF NERVE GROWTH FACTOR-β, PURIFIED FROM BULL SEMINAL PLASMA, ON CORPUS LUTEUM FUNCTION AND CONCEPTUS DEVELOPMENT IN COWS

Nerve growth factor-β (NGF) has been identified in the seminal plasma of livestock and is required for the induction of ovulation in camelids. Until recently, it was thought to play a negligible role in species with spontaneous ovulation. On the contrary, recent studies have shown that systemic administration of NGF, purified from llama seminal plasma, was associated with larger corpus luteum (CL) diameter and higher concentrations of progesterone (P) following ovulation. The objective of the current project was to determine if systemic administration of NGF, purified from bovine seminal plasma, would improve CL formation and enhance embryonic development. Our hypothesis was that systemic administration of NGF at the time of artificial insemination in cows would lead to increased CL volume, increased P secretion, and improved expression of markers of conceptus development and maternal recognition of pregnancy. Seminal plasma was harvested from semen collected by electroejaculation in Angus cross bulls. Purification of NGF was performed using a combination of anion- and cation-exchange chromatography and gradient elution. Beef cows were randomly assigned to CONT (n = 30) or NGF (n = 30) groups and synchronized using a 7-day Co-Synch + CIDR program. At time of insemination (day 0), NGF cows received 296 µg of purified NGF, reconstituted in 12 mL of PBS, and CONT cows received 12 mL of PBS intramuscularly. Blood samples were collected from the coccygeal vein of each cow at days 0, 3, 7, 10, 14, 19, 21, 28, 31, 38, 45, and 66. Ultrasound was performed at each time point for determination of ovarian structures (day 0), corpus luteum volume (all time points), and fetus detection (day 28). Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance with repeated-measures in R (R version 3.2.2; https://www.r-project.org/). At day 28, 17/30 (57%) CONT cows and 21/30 (70%) NGF cows were diagnosed as pregnant (P = 0.15). At day 0, cows that later became pregnant had a larger follicular diameter (1.46 cm) than those diagnosed as open (1.16 cm; P < 0.01). Follicular diameter at day 0 did not differ significantly between CONT and NGF groups for either open (P = 0.35) or pregnant (P = 0.90) cows. CL volume in open cows was affected by day (P < 0.001) with no treatment (P = 0.84) or treatment by day (P = 0.42) interaction. CL volume in pregnant cows was affected by both day (P < 0.001) and treatment (P < 0.001), with CONT cows having a higher CL volume than NGF cows. Though NGF appeared to have an inhibitory effect on CL volume in pregnant cows, results are still pending for quantification of P, insulin-like growth factor 1, pregnancy-specific protein B, and interferon-stimulated genes, which will more accurately assess the effects that NGF may have on conceptus development. The results of this study will help us to better understand the role of the seminal plasma protein, NGF, at ovulation and determine if it can be utilised to enhance insemination programs in cattle.
Sequencing Acute Myeloid Leukemia Genomes with “Next Generation” Technologies.

Abstract For most patients with a sporadic presentation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), neither the initiating nor the progression mutations responsible for disease are known. Recent attempts to identify key mutations with directed sequencing approaches, or with array-based genomic studies, have had limited success, suggesting that unbiased whole genome sequencing approaches may be required to identify most of the mutations responsible for AML pathogenesis. Until recently, whole genome sequencing has been impractical due to the high cost of conventional capillary-based sequencing and the large numbers of enriched primary tumor cells required to yield the necessary genomic DNA for library preparation. “Next Generation” sequencing approaches have changed this landscape dramatically. Using the Solexa/Illumina platform, we have now sequenced the genomic DNA of highly enriched tumor cells and normal skin cells obtained from a carefully selected patient with a typical presentation of FAB M1 AML. We obtained 98.2 billion bases of sequences from the cytogenetically normal tumor cell genome (32.7 fold haploid coverage), and 41.8 billion bases of sequence from the normal skin genome (13.9 fold coverage). Using these data, we detected diploid sequence coverage of 91% of 46,320 heterozygous SNPs, defined in the tumor genome (by array-based genotyping), and 83% diploid coverage of the skin genome. Of 2,647,695 well-supported single nucleotide variants in the tumor genome, 2,588,486 (97.7%) were also detected in the patient's skin genome, defining them as inherited. From the remaining variants, 8 have been fully validated as somatic mutations by conventional capillary sequencing using PCR-generated amplicons. We also detected somatic mutations in the FLT3 (ITD) and NPM1 genes (a classic NPMc mutation). Based on deep read-count data of the novel variants on a 454 sequencer, we hypothesize that all of the mutations are in virtually all of the tumor cells, and all were retained at relapse 11 months later, suggesting that a single dominant clone contained all of the mutations. None of the novel mutations has previously been detected in AML cases (and none were found in any of 187 additional AML cases studied here). A number of additional potential somatic mutations in regions lying near genes (but not altering coding sequences) are currently being validated and tested for recurrence in other AML samples. Whole genome sequencing of a second M1 AML genome is now underway. These results demonstrate the power of unbiased whole genome sequencing approaches to discover cancer-associated mutations in novel candidate genes.
Suicidal ideation among suburban adolescents: The influence of school bullying and other mediating risk factors

Objective : Prior research has identified multiple factors that influence suicidal ideation (SI) among bullied youth. The effects of school bullying on SI cannot be considered in isolation. In this study, we examined the influence of school bullying on SI, through a constellation of risks, which include depressive and anxiety symptoms, family conflict, and alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use. We also provide recommendations for therapists working with bullied youth. Method : Our sample consisted of 488 adolescents (ages 10-18 years) from a northern New Jersey, United States suburban community. Students were recruited through the district’s physical education and health classes. Students responded to multiple measures, which included family cohesion/conflict, ATOD use, mental health indicators, SI, and school bullying experiences. Following preliminary analyses, several logistic regression models were used to assess the direct influence of bullying on SI, as well as the unique effects of family conflict, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and substance use. In addition, a parallel multiple mediating model with the PROCESS macro in SPSS was used to further assess mediating effects. Results : Logistic regression results indicated that school bullying increased the odds of SI among males and females and that when mediating variables were added to the model, bullying no longer had a significant influence on SI. Overall, these results display that for both males and females, school bullying was a significant contributor to SI. Results from the parallel multiple mediating model further illustrated the mediating effects that family conflict, depression, and ATOD use had between bullying and SI. Some variation was noted based on gender. Conclusion : This study draws attention to the multiple experiences associated with school bullying on SI, and how these results may differ by gender. The results of this study are particularly important for those working directly and indirectly with bullied youth. Therapists that engage bullied youth need to consider the multiple spheres of influence that may increase SI among male and female clients. To holistically and adequately assess SI among bullied youth, therapists must also consider how these mechanisms vary between gender groups.
High-power, wavelength-tunable NIR all-fiber lasers via intermodal four-wave mixing

We seed a unique, broad-gain-bandwidth (60nm at 1550nm) intermodal four-wave mixing process yielding 10kW-peak-power pulses tunable from 786–795nm, resulting in the first power-scalable all-fiber tunable source in the spectral range of the ubiquitous Ti:Sapphire laser.
Combined Treatment With CBT and Psychopharmacology

Abstract A large body of research provides strong support for the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy or pharmacotherapy in treating psychiatric disorders. As such, researchers have investigated whether combining treatment modalities would lead to more robust interventions. Although the literature is mixed on the advantages of combined treatment, generally the observed additive benefits of initiating combined treatments are modest and variable depending on the disorder being treated. The following chapter provides a review of the issues, advantages, and disadvantages of combination treatments for psychiatric disorders, including attention to the tolerability, availability, and cost/benefits of treatments. The chapter focuses most directly on disorders where combination treatments have been extensively examined, specifically the mood and anxiety disorders, and we also discuss a novel approach to combination treatments (e.g., pharmacologic augmentation of learning).
Assessing Energy Requirements in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Comparison Against Doubly Labeled Water.

Context Weight loss is prescribed to offset the deleterious consequences of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but a successful intervention requires an accurate assessment of energy requirements. Objective Describe energy requirements in women with PCOS and evaluate common prediction equations compared with doubly labeled water (DLW). Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Academic research center. Participants Twenty-eight weight-stable women with PCOS completed a 14-day DLW study along with measures of body composition and resting metabolic rate and assessment of physical activity by accelerometry. Main Outcome Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) determined by DLW. Results TDEE was 2661 ± 373 kcal/d. TDEE estimated from four commonly used equations was within 4% to 6% of the TDEE measured by DLW. Hyperinsulinemia (fasting insulin and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance) was associated with TDEE estimates from all prediction equations (both r = 0.45; P = 0.02) but was not a significant covariate in a model that predicts TDEE. Similarly, hyperandrogenemia (total testosterone, free androgen index, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) was not associated with TDEE. In weight-stable women with PCOS, the following equation derived from DLW can be used to determine energy requirements: TDEE (kcal/d) = 438 - [1.6 * Fat Mass (kg)] + [35.1 * Fat-Free Mass (kg)] + [16.2 * Age (y)]; R2 = 0.41; P = 0.005. Conclusions Established equations using weight, height, and age performed well for predicting energy requirements in weight-stable women with PCOS, but more precise estimates require an accurate assessment of physical activity. Our equation derived from DLW data, which incorporates habitual physical activity, can also be used in women with PCOS; however, additional studies are needed for model validation.
A Stochastic Rheological Model for the Calculation ofPolymeric Fluids

A stochastic rheological model for the calculation of polymer stress in polymeric fluids is developed and evaluated. The model is microscopic-based and combines aspects of reptation, modified network and continuum models. A concentrated Polyisobutylene (PIB) solution is simulated for material functions in various rheometric flows. Comparisons made with available experimental data shows that the model predicts well the qualitative material behavior of the fluid in the rheometric flows considered. In most cases, the predictions agree quantitatively with the available experimental data.
Dynamic Defrosting on Scalable Superhydrophobic Surfaces.

Recent studies have shown that frost can grow in a suspended Cassie state on nanostructured superhydrophobic surfaces. During defrosting, the melting sheet of Cassie frost spontaneously dewets into quasi-spherical slush droplets that are highly mobile. Promoting Cassie frost would therefore seem advantageous from a defrosting standpoint; however, nobody has systematically compared the efficiency of defrosting Cassie ice versus defrosting conventional surfaces. Here, we characterize the defrosting of an aluminum plate, one-half of which exhibits a superhydrophobic nanostructure while the other half is smooth and hydrophobic. For thick frost sheets (>1 mm), the superhydrophobic surface was able to dynamically shed the meltwater, even at very low tilt angles. In contrast, the hydrophobic surface was unable to shed any appreciable meltwater even at a 90° tilt angle. For thin frost layers (≲1 mm), not even the superhydrophobic surface could mobilize the meltwater. We attribute this to the large apparent contac...
Development of comprehension monitoring in beginner readers

The current study was designed to understand the development of comprehension monitoring among beginner readers from first to third grade, and to determine the extent to which first graders’ comprehension monitoring predicts reading comprehension in grade three. Participants were 113 children (57% female) from four US states who were followed from Grade 1 (M = 7 years, SD = 4 months) to Grade 3 (M = 9 years, SD = 4 months). Measures included decoding, vocabulary, working memory, comprehension monitoring, and reading comprehension. Children’s ability to monitor comprehension grew significantly from first to third grade, with a deceleration in growth over time. In addition, comprehension monitoring in Grade 1 made a significant contribution to reading comprehension in Grade 3, even after controlling for decoding, vocabulary, and working memory. Together, these findings supplement our understanding of young readers’ development of comprehension monitoring as well as its association with reading comprehension at a later time. Practical implications of the results in the context of providing support for higher-level language skills in beginning reading instruction are discussed.
The Effects of Teacher Use Of I-Messages on Student Disruptive and Study Behavior

This study investigated the influences of I-messages (statements describing the effects of a child’s behavior on the teacher) on disruptive and study behaviors’in the classroom. A single-subject, A-B-A replication design was employed. In Experiment 1, a teacher in a fifth-grade classroom was taught to use I-messages in response to disruption. Four students with behavior problems served as subjects. Three of the four children showed systematic decreases in disruption and increases in study behavior as a result. Experiment 2 was performed in order to control for different levels of teacher verbalization observed in Experiment 1. In this second investigation, two sixth-grade teachers were taught to use I-messages in response to disruption. In addition, the teachers received feedback in order to maintain appropriate levels of verbalization throughout the study. Results showed decreased disruptions in six of eight subjects. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for classroom management.
Designing Theory Solvers with Extensions

Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) solvers have been developed to natively support a wide range of theories, including linear arithmetic, bit-vectors, strings, algebraic datatypes and finite sets. They handle constraints in these theories using specialized theory solvers. In this paper, we overview the design of these solvers, specifically focusing on theories whose function symbols are partitioned into a base signature and an extended signature. We introduce generic techniques that can be used in solvers for extended theories, including a new context-dependent simplification technique and model-based refinement techniques. We provide case studies showing our techniques can be leveraged for reasoning in an extended theory of strings, for bit-vector approaches that rely on lazy bit-blasting and for new approaches to non-linear arithmetic.
A Study of Pupil Response Components in Human Vision

The accepted classical view of the pupil response to light is that the ambient light level determines largely the steady-state size of the pupil (Lowenstein et al, 1964) and that rapid increments in light flux on the retina cause a brisk constriction of the pupil, that is often described as the dynamic pupil light reflex response (Stark & Shermann, 1957; Alexandridis, 1985; Lowenfeld, 1993). The afferent pathways involved in the control of the pupil in man have been associated with subcortical projections and this is consistent with clinical observations which suggest that the pupils continue to respond normally to sudden changes in room illumination even when the patients are corticaliy blind (Brindley et al, 1969). The response of the pupil often represents an important measurement in neurological and ophthalmologic examinations, but the poor understanding of the visual pathways involved and the kind of stimulus characteristics that cause pupillary responses limit the usefulness and potential use of such tests. Animal studies have contributed significantly to our understanding of the afferent neural pathways that subserve the Pupil Light Reflex response (PLR) in man and helped to reinforce the accepted classical view. Lesion studies combined with measurements of pupil responses before and after surgery in monkey have demonstrated the direct invol vement of the pretectal olivary nuclei and the Edinger-Westphal nuclei in both the steady state control of pupil size and the dynamic PLR response (Pierson & Carpenter, 1974). In rat, the control of the pupil response is somewhat less complicated and functionally more consistent with the regulation of retinal illuminance (Clarke & Ikeda, 1985a, b). The pupil diameter follows an almost linear relationship when plotted as a function of the logarithm of retinal illuminance over a wide range.
Text Complexity in Graded Readers: A Systemic Functional Look

Text Complexity in Graded Readers: A Systemic Functional Look Utilizing the Systemic Functional Linguistic frameworks of taxis, logico-semantic relation, grammatical metaphor, and appraisal, this thesis examines two of the most popular rewrites: Jane Eyre and The Canterville Ghost from the Macmillian Reader, Black Cat Reading and Training, Oxford Bookworm, and Penguin ELT graded reader series. Although a considerable body of literature exists concerning graded readers, the majority of research tends to focus on statistical gains in fluency development or vocabulary acquisition and their retention rather than the linguistic properties of these texts. Furthermore, studies on textual adaptations primarily take a broad corpus-style approach, contrasting altered and unaltered material, rather than materials adapted for beginner, intermediate, and advanced level students. Selected on the basis of researchers’ and publishers’ ruminations regarding the nature of beginner, intermediate, and advanced materials, the Systemic Functional Linguistic frameworks of taxis, logico-semantic relations, grammatical metaphor, and appraisal structure this investigation of text complexity as both a structural and semantic concern. As far as the researcher is aware, this thesis would appear to be the first of its kind to attempt to explore text complexity in graded readers by comparing semantically equivalent passages across different rewrites of the same title. The results of this study (in terms of a greater percentage of nestled constituents, incongruent realizations, and conflicting appraisal items in the more advanced texts) are indicative of increased structural and semantic complexity by level. These findings suggest that a consideration of text complexity in context—as opposed to de-contextualized word or grammar lists—may be beneficial for students because “personal authenticity” (Van Lier, 1996) and its attendant increased autonomy and motivation can be enabled by teachers and publishers understanding and scaffolding areas of difficulty.
Business Intelligence and Data Mining

This chapter includes an application of business intelligence (BI) and data mining (DM) based on advanced multivariate data analysis. Two examples are presented: principal component decomposition of the large dataset of original observational data to identify contributing independent variables (BI), and cluster analysis (DM) to identify the distinct groups of population ZIP codes (clusters) in terms of patient contribution margins.
Psychiatrists’ and Non-Physician Psychotherapists’ Beliefs About Gender-Appropriate Behavior: A Comparison

We adapted the Bem Sex-Role Inventory to survey therapists' beliefs about gender-appropriate behavior for hypothetical patients. We previously studied psychiatrists, finding that women were more likely to choose masculine or androgynous (high masculine and high feminine) traits as optimal for female patients while men were more likely to choose the undifferentiated (low masculine and low feminine) category for patients of either sex. In this study we used the same measure to compare psychologists and social workers to the psychiatrists, to determine the effect of medical education on these attitudes. We found that regardless of educational background, women were more likely to choose the androgynous category and men were more likely to choose the undifferentiated category. Women psychiatrists were more likely to choose masculine traits as optimal than were women non-physician therapists. Male therapists of all backgrounds were least likely to choose masculine traits as optimal for either male or female patients. Medical education per se does not seem to determine attitudes about gender-appropriate behavior. Men entering professions in which they are concerned about others' emotional well-being may have less stereotypically masculine beliefs about gender-appropriate behavior than women entering the same fields. Possible reasons for this difference are discussed.
Advanced Silicon MOS Devices and Related Problems

The key to the tremendous progress in integrated circuits during the last decade has been the ability to reduce the size of individual devices and circuits through improvements in the photolithographic processing steps used to fabricate the structures. The projected era of Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) in the near future relies on the continuation of this trend through further improvements in optical techniques or the application of newly developing electron-beam or X-ray patterning techniques with much higher resolution capability.
The Gains from Basing Grain Storage Decisions on Cash-Future Spreads

TRADITIONALLY, hedging by holding a short position in a futures contract has been viewed as a means of reducing the price risks associated with storage. However, Holbrook Working [5, pp. 436 ff.] and others have pointed out that firms hedge for other purposes besides simply avoiding risks. Our objective in this study was to identify and measure some of the potential benefits from hedging beyond simple risk reduction. Clearly, the need to predict uncertain future events is a major factor in grain storage decisions. Storing grains is like participating in a game of chance where the odds change each time the game is played. Hedging does not usually change the odds, but the hedger may be able to estimate the odds more accurately than the nonhedger. If so, not only can he avoid risk, but he may actually increase his average earnings over the long run by refusing to play the game, i.e., by refusing to store grains, on those occasions when earning prospects are particularly unfavorable. In most situations, hedging has little effect on average storage earnings when grains are held over the same intervals each year.1 If a manager is to increase his grain storage earnings through hedging, he must be able to predict year-to-year differences in storage earnings on hedged grains and he must respond to these predictions by altering his storage operations from year to year. In this study, least-squares regression was employed to determine whether cash-future spreads could be used effectively to forecast year-to-year differences in corn price movements over the storage season in Michigan. The potential gains from employing such predictions were estimated by incorporating the forecasting equations into decision rules and simulating their application using a Monte Carlo procedure.2
Research on Gender and Psychotherapy

Although psychotherapists, at least since the time of Freud, have recognized and written about the importance of gender, until recently the sex of therapist and/or patient has not received much systematic attention in psychotherapy research. In their view of the literature on adult sex roles and mental illness, Gove and Tudor concluded that, “Sex acts as a master status, channeling one into particular roles and determining the quality of one’s interaction with others.”1 At this point, however, the effects of these roles on the quantitative and qualitative aspects of psychotherapy remain poorly understood and to a degree controversial. In this chapter, we examine some of the relevant psychotherapy research, including our own work, and its implications for psychotherapy theory and practice.
Understanding Dreams and Other Spontaneous Images: The Invisible Storyteller

Understanding Dreams and Other Spontaneous Images: The Invisible Storyteller applies a contemporary interdisciplinary approach to dream interpretation, bringing cognitive anthropology, folklore studies, affective neuroscience, and dynamic systems theory to bear on contemporary psychodynamic clinical practice. It provides a practical guide for working with dreams that can be used by both individuals on their own and therapists working with clients. Erik D. Goodwyn invites us to examine key features of reported dreams, such as the qualities of the environment depicted, its familiarity or unfamiliarity, the nature of the characters encountered, and overall themes. This method facilitates an understanding of the dream in the full context of the dreamer’s life, rather than interpreting individual, isolated elements. Goodwyn also introduces the mental process which orchestrates dreams, conceptualised here as the ‘Invisible Storyteller’, and explores how understanding it can positively impact satisfaction in waking life. As a whole, the book provides a collection of tools and techniques which can be referred to time and again, as well as a wealth of examples. Exploring dreams as a natural source of clinical insight, The Invisible Storyteller will appeal to Jungian psychotherapists and analytical psychologists, other professionals working with dreams with clients, and readers looking for a scientific approach to dream interpretation.
Current Design with Minimum Error in Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

As a non-invasive brain stimulation technology, transcanial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been recently attracting more and more attention in research and clinic applications due to its convenient implementation and modulation of the brain functionality. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-electrode tDCS current configuration model that minimizes the total error under the safety constraints. After rewriting the model as a linearly constrained minimization problem, we develop an efficient numerical algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). Numerical experiments have shown the great potential of the proposed method in terms of accuracy and focality.
Are newer insulins always the better option

Purpose of reviewSince its discovery almost a century ago, there have been numerous advancements in the formulations of insulin. The newer insulin analogs have structural modifications with the goal of altering pharmacokinetics to achieve either quick onset and offset of action (mealtime bolus analo
Monitoring the Evolution of Resistance in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to the Cry1F Protein in Argentina

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important and widely cultivated crops in Argentina. Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is a common maize pest capable of causing significant yield losses and is most destructive in late-planted maize in subtropical regions, going through five to six generations per growing season. The Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) trait Herculex I Insect Protection technology by Dow AgroSciences and Pioneer Hi-Bred (HX I, event DAS-O15O7-1), expressing Cry1F protein, was launched in the 2005-2006 season in Argentina and was widely adopted because of the high level of efficacy against S. frugiperda, as well as other pests such as Diatraea saccharalis (J.C. Fabricius). However, increased late-season plantings, limited adoption of refuge, and properties of S. frugiperda biology (high number of generations and migratory behavior) have led to high S. frugiperda exposure to Cry1F and resistance selection pressure. Field efficacy monitoring has been conducted throughout the main maize production areas in Argentina from 2009 to 2016. Laboratory monitoring has been conducted throughout the same areas from 2010 to 2015. Here, we describe changes in field efficacy of HX I and the results of laboratory-based susceptibility monitoring conducted using purified Cry1F protein. Increases in larval survival and crop damage were evident throughout the 2012-2016 period and spanned the majority of maize production areas in Argentina. Over the same period, random larval collections showed increasing survivorship on diet containing purified Cry1F protein. These field and laboratory studies confirmed that resistance to Cry1F has developed and is now widely distributed in S. frugiperda populations in Argentina.
Age and Sex Estimation Using Artificial Intelligence From Standard 12-Lead ECGs.

Background: Sex and age have long been known to affect the ECG. Several biologic variables and anatomic factors may contribute to sex and age-related differences on the ECG. We hypothesized that a ...
Leukocyte function assessed via serial microlitre sampling of peripheral blood from sepsis patients correlates with disease severity

Dysregulated leukocyte responses underlie the pathobiology of sepsis, which is a leading cause of death. However, measures of leukocyte function are not routinely available in clinical care. Here we report the development and testing of an inertial microfluidic system for the label-free isolation and downstream functional assessment of leukocytes from 50 μl of peripheral blood. We used the system to assess leukocyte phenotype and function in serial samples from 18 hospitalized patients with sepsis and 10 healthy subjects. The sepsis samples had significantly higher levels of CD16dim and CD16− neutrophils and CD16+ ‘intermediate’ monocytes, as well as significantly lower levels of neutrophil-elastase release, O2− production and phagolysosome formation. Repeated sampling of sepsis patients over 7 days showed that leukocyte activation (measured by isodielectric separation) and leukocyte phenotype and function were significantly more predictive of the clinical course than complete-blood-count parameters. We conclude that the serial assessment of leukocyte function in microlitre blood volumes is feasible and that it provides significantly more prognostic information than leukocyte counting. The serial assessment of the functional parameters of leukocytes isolated via an inertial microfluidic system from 50 μl of peripheral blood from sepsis patients provides significantly more prognostic information than leukocyte counting.
A review of U.S. Medical schools' promotion standards for educational excellence.

Phenomenon: Given the growing number of medical science educators, an examination of institutions' promotion criteria related to educational excellence and scholarship is timely. This study investigates the extent to which medical schools' promotion criteria align with published standards for documenting and evaluating educational activities. Approach: This document analysis systematically analyzed promotion and tenure (PT 52 of 120) documented a well-defined education-related pathway for advancement in academic rank. Across five education-specific domains, only 24% (12 of 50) of the investigated criteria were referenced by at least half of the schools. The least represented domain within P&T documents was "Educational Measurement and Evaluation." P&T documents for 47% of schools were rated as "below average" or "very vague" in their clarity/specificity. Insights: Less than 10% of U.S. medical schools have thoroughly embraced published recommendations for documenting and evaluating educational excellence. This raises concern for medical educators who may be evaluated for promotion based on vague or incomplete promotion criteria. With greater awareness of how educational excellence is currently documented and how promotion criteria can be improved, education-focused faculty can better recognize gaps in their own documentation practices, and more schools may be encouraged to embrace change and align with published recommendations.
Effect of Visual Condition on Use of Proprioceptive Cues in Performing a Balance Task

To study the effect of visual condition on performance of a balancing task, 48 children ages 8 to 10 and 12 to 14 who were totally blind, legally blind, sighted, and blindfolded sighted were tested...
Prepregnancy adherence to dietary recommendations for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in relation to risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Background It is unclear whether adherence to diet recommendations for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the general population is also related to the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension (GHTN). Objectives The aim was to evaluate the relation of prepregnancy adherence to the American Heart Association (AHA) diet recommendations and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) with the risk of pre-eclampsia and GHTN. Methods Between 1991 and 2009, we prospectively followed 16,892 singleton pregnancies among 11,535 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study II. Prepregnancy diet was assessed every 4 y, from which we calculated dietary pattern scores from the DASH diet (8 components) and the diet recommendations from the AHA 2020 Strategic Impact Goals (primary score: 5 components; secondary score: primary score plus 3 components). Pregnancy outcomes were self-reported, and we estimated the RR (95% CI) of pre-eclampsia and GHTN with log-binomial regression using generalized estimating equations to account for repeat pregnancies and adjusting for potential confounders. Results Women had a mean (SD) age of 34.4 (34.0) y at pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia was reported in 495 (2.9%) pregnancies and GHTN in 561 (3.3%) pregnancies. The RR (95% CI) of pre-eclampsia for women in the highest quintile of the DASH was 0.65 (0.48, 0.87) compared with women in the lowest score quintile. A similar inverse trend was observed for the AHA primary (0.74; 95% CI: 0.55, 1.00) and secondary (0.81; 95% CI: 0.61, 1.07) scores comparing women in the highest versus the lowest score quintile. Neither the DASH nor the AHA scores were related to GHTN. Conclusions Women with higher adherence to dietary recommendations for the prevention of CVD in the general population had a lower risk of pre-eclampsia-a common pregnancy complication related to higher CVD risk among women-than women with lower adherence to these recommendations.
Perspectives from micronutrient malnutrition elimination/eradication programmes.

Micronutrient malnutrition cannot be eradicated, but the elimination and control of iron, vitamin A and iodine deficiencies and their health-related consequences as public health problems are currently the targets of global programmes. Remarkable progress is occurring in the control of goitre and xerophthalmia, but iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) has been less responsive to prevention and control efforts. Subclinical consequences of micronutrient deficiencies, i.e. "hidden hunger", include compromised immune functions that increase the risk of morbidity and mortality, impaired cognitive development and growth, and reduced reproductive and work capacity and performance. The implications are obvious for human health and national and global economic and social development. Mixes of affordable interventions are available which, when appropriately adapted to resource availability and context, are proven to be effective. These include both food-based interventions, particularly fortification programmes, such as salt iodization, and use of concentrated micronutrient supplements. A mix of accompanying programmes for infection control, community participation, including education, communication and information exchange, and private sector involvement are lessons learned for overcoming deterrents and sustaining progress towards elimination.
Modifying Behavioral Activation to Reduce Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Adults.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe our modification of Behavioral Activation to address social isolation and loneliness: Brief Behavioral Activation for Improving Social Connectedness. Our recent randomized clinical trial demonstrated the effectiveness of the intervention, compared to friendly visit, in alleviating loneliness, reducing depressive symptoms, and increasing social connectedness with lonely homebound older adults receiving home-delivered meals. Methods We modified Brief Behavioral Activation Treatment for Depression to address social isolation and loneliness by addressing each of its key elements: Psychoeducation; intervention rationale; exploration of life areas, values and activities; and activity monitoring and planning. The intervention consisted of six weekly sessions, up to 1 hour each. Interventionists were bachelor's-level individuals without formal clinical training who participated in an initial 1-day training as well as ongoing supervision by psychologists and social workers trained in BA throughout the study delivery period. Results We provide three case examples of participants enrolled in our study and describe how the intervention was applied to each of them. Conclusions Our preliminary research suggests that Behavioral Activation modified to address social connectedness in homebound older adults improves both social isolation and loneliness. This intervention has potential for scalability in programs that already serve homebound older adults. Further research is needed to solidify the clinical evidence base, replicate training and supervision procedures, and demonstrate the sustainability of Brief Behavioral Activation for Improving Social Connectedness for homebound and other older adults.
Homeland insecurity: Biopolitics and sovereign violence in Beowulf

This article argues that the figure of Grendel in the heroic poem Beowulf can be read through theories of biopolitics in order to understand the concept of sovereignty and ‘ancestral homelands’ as it has been presented in the poem. I argue that we must regard the poem as presenting a particular biopolitics of the homeland and sovereign power, specifically in how Grendel and his kin are represented as a kind of ‘proto’-Indigenous people that unsettle the Danes’ territorial and political stability. In this way, Grendel and his mother trouble the kingship of Hrothgar and the Danish territorial sovereignty, portrayed as violent and as both inside and outside of the political order. I conclude by examining the term eþel [‘ancestral homeland’] which crystallizes in a single linguistic and orthographic unit the relationship between kin/genealogy and territory/property.
Pain Interference and Decreased Physical Function After Emergency General Surgery: Measuring Patient-Reported Outcomes.

There is increasing emphasis on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) measures in healthcare, but this area remains largely unexplored in emergency general surgery (EGS) conditions. We hypothesized that postoperative patients in our EGS clinic would report detrimental changes in several domains of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We administered the PROMIS-29, a HRQoL measurement tool, to postoperative patients in our EGS clinic (11/2019–4/2020). Patients responded to measures of 7 domains. Domain scores were converted to t-scores, allowing comparison to average values within the general US population (set to 50 by definition). We report the mean scores within each domain. Higher scores in negatively worded domains (e.g., “Depression”) are worse; vice versa for positively worded domains (e.g., “Physical Function”). Changes in scores at subsequent clinic visits were analyzed using the paired t-test. There were 97 patients who completed the PROMIS-29 at the first postoperative visit. Mean (SD) age was 54.1 (16.2) years; 51% were male. There was no difference in our patients from the average US population in the domains of Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities, Anxiety, Fatigue, and Sleep Disturbance. However, EGS patients experienced significantly greater Pain Interference (56.1 [54.1, 58.1]) and worse Physical Function (40.6 [38.4, 42.7]) than average. For patients seen in follow-up twice (13 patients, median interval between clinic visits 21 days), there were improvements in the domains of Physical Function (42.9 vs 37.3; p = 0.04) and Fatigue. We demonstrate room for improvement in the domains of pain interference and physical function. While positive changes over a relatively short period of time are encouraging, consideration should be given to patient perceptions of illness and lifestyle impact when managing EGS patients.
Early prediction of clinical deterioration using data-driven machine learning modeling of electronic health records

Abstract Objectives Develop and evaluate a high-dimensional, data-driven model to identify patients at high risk of clinical deterioration from routinely-collected electronic health record (EHR) data. Methods In this single-center, retrospective cohort study, 488 patients with single-ventricle and shunt-dependent congenital heart disease (CHD) Results At 4 hours before deterioration, the model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.92 (95% CI 0.84-0.98), 0.881 sensitivity, 0.776 positive predictive value, 0.862 specificity, and 0.571 Brier skill score. Performance remained high at 8 hours before deterioration with 0.815 (0.688-0.921) AUC. Conclusions I-WIN accurately predicted deterioration events in critically-ill infants with high-risk CHD up to 8 hours before deterioration, potentially allowing clinicians to target interventions. We propose a paradigm shift from conventional expert-consensus-based selection of risk factors to a data-driven, machine-learning methodology for risk prediction. With the increased availability of data capture in EHRs, I-WIN can be extended to broader applications in data-rich environments in critical care.
Automated stable region generation, detection, and representation for applications to mission design

This paper presents an automated algorithm to extract dynamical features, such as stability constraints, from phase space maps. The functional representation of these constraints allows their inclusion in optimization problems and thus expands the use of dynamical tools in space mission design. The challenge to autonomously detect the regions of interest in stability maps is discussed through utilizing image processing algorithms to cluster map data. Additionally, to use the detected regions, both discrete and smooth functional representations are studied. Based on similar clustering techniques that have been considered in extracting and representing features of phase space maps, we proposed an adaptively map generation algorithm. It creates a nonuniform grid of points on a map which is denser near the boundaries of the regions of interest. Both representation and map generation algorithms provide significant performance enhancements in phase space analysis. All these techniques are illustrated on examples of stability maps in small body dynamics.
3-D Modeling of Heat Transfer in Diesel Engine Piston Cooling Galleries

Ever increasing specific power of diesel engines has put huge demand on effective thermal management of the pistons for the desired reliability and durability. The piston temperature control is commonly achieved by injecting cooling oil into piston galleries, but the design of the cooling system as well as the boundary conditions used in FEA simulations have so far relied mostly on empirical methods. A numerical procedure using 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has therefore been developed to simulate the cooling process and to estimate the cooling efficiency of gallery. The model is able to predict the detailed oil flow and heat transfer in gallery, of different designs and engine applications, under dynamic conditions. The resulted spatially resolved heat transfer coefficient from the CFD model, with better accuracy, enables improved prediction of piston temperature in finite element analysis (FEA). The model has demonstrated to be a valuable tool in optimizing the piston cooling, including the management of cooling oil and piston gallery design.