cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tracking filter for the mitigation of the ionospheric range bias

An extended Kalman filter (EKF) to estimate the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) along the radar line-of-sight has been developed. By varying the carrier frequency of consecutive radar pulses, it is shown that the TEC along the line-of-sight becomes observable and can be estimated in real-time to a high degree of accuracy. It is shown that the filtering formulation presented here optimally reduces the randomly varying range bias caused by the irregular electron density structure in the upper atmosphere. The performance of the tracking filter is examined with a Monte Carlo simulation analysis. It is shown that for a radar located in Thule, Greenland and operating at a nominal frequency of 435 MHz (UHF), an improvement of approximately 50% in the range estimation accuracy is achieved with a frequency separation of 18 MHz between two consecutive pulses. If the frequency separation is increased to 60 MHz, the increase in accuracy is 75%. It is also shown that in the absence of frequency separation, the performance of the tracking filter presented here reduces to that of a conventional six-state EKF that does not account for the ionospheric bias.
Architectural theory in the undergraduate curriculum: a pedagogical alternative

The study of architectural theory remains absent from many undergraduate design programs, or, if present, the structure of many curricula place “theory” as an autonomous, peripheral course. Theory, however, as it is in other disciplines, is the foundation of the discipline of architecture. To regain the importance and vitality of architectural theory amidst an evolving and highly crowded set of courses, creative pedagogies are much needed. This article, therefore, discusses the development of a pedagogical alternative to traditional architectural theory courses. The course is conceived according to the concept of the dialectic and is a required part of the Bachelor of Architecture curriculum at a public university in the United States.
Conservation efforts may increase malaria burden in the Brazilian Amazon.

Background Large-scale forest conservation projects are underway in the Brazilian Amazon but little is known regarding their public health impact. Current literature emphasizes how land clearing increases malaria incidence, leading to the conclusion that forest conservation decreases malaria burden. Yet, there is also evidence that proximity to forest fringes increases malaria incidence, which implies the opposite relationship between forest conservation and malaria. We compare the effect of these environmental factors on malaria and explore its implications. Methods and Findings Using a large malaria dataset (∼1,300,000 positive malaria tests collected over ∼4.5 million km2), satellite imagery, permutation tests, and hierarchical Bayesian regressions, we show that greater forest cover (as a proxy for proximity to forest fringes) tends to be associated with higher malaria incidence, and that forest cover effect was 25 times greater than the land clearing effect, the often cited culprit of malaria in the region. These findings have important implications for land use/land cover (LULC) policies in the region. We find that cities close to protected areas (PA’s) tend to have higher malaria incidence than cities far from PA’s. Using future LULC scenarios, we show that avoiding 10% of deforestation through better governance might result in an average 2-fold increase in malaria incidence by 2050 in urban health posts. Conclusions Our results suggest that cost analysis of reduced carbon emissions from conservation efforts in the region should account for increased malaria morbidity, and that conservation initiatives should consider adopting malaria mitigation strategies. Coordinated actions from disparate science fields, government ministries, and global initiatives (e.g., Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation; Millenium Development Goals; Roll Back Malaria; and Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria), will be required to decrease malaria toll in the region while preserving these important ecosystems.
Treatment with tetrahydrobiopterin reduces blood pressure in male SHR by reducing testosterone synthesis

Treatment with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) reduces blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that chronic BH4 reduces blood pressure in m...
An Introduction to the Special Issue: Designing for Virtual Communities in the Service of Learning

(2003). An Introduction to the Special Issue: Designing for Virtual Communities in the Service of Learning. The Information Society: Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 197-201.
Reaction pathways in the liquid phase alkylation of biomass‐derived phenolic compounds

Alkylation is a promising reaction for the upgrading of bio-oil because it maximizes the retention of carbon in the liquid product. The alkylation of m-cresol with isopropanol and HY zeolite was studied in a liquid phase system. The experimental results were fitted with two conventional surface kinetic models, Langmuir–Hinshelwood and Eley–Rideal, from which adsorption and rate constants were estimated. Two types of alkylation reactions were observed: C-alkylation with formation of a CC bond with the ring and O-alkylation with formation of an ether bond with the hydroxyl group. It was concluded that O-alkylation products do not undergo intramolecular rearrangement but first decompose into the corresponding phenolic. Alkylation occurs from both isopropanol and propylene, both of them yielding O-and C-alkylation to different extents. Isopropanol favors O-alkylation while propylene favors C-alkylation. Rate constants for multiple alkylation steps were progressively lower, suggesting the presence of steric hindrance during incorporation of additional isopropyl groups. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 598–609, 2015
Optimal Borrowing Through the Business Cycle

This paper studies optimal levels of borrowing at each point of a given business cycle when default is considered a possible optimal decision. It also searches for parameters that can cause the sustainable equilibrium of different points in the business cycle to become unstable, or nonexistent. This is achieved by performing simulations for different values of the parameters. Relevant parameters include time of exclusion from the financial markets after a default, interest rates, volatility of production, average production increases after inclusion, and the discount factor. An economy can borrow the most when growth is expected in the near future, while borrowing should be minimized when the cycle is ebbing. All else constant, short punishment periods, excessively high interest rates, and low patience levels increase the incentives to default. The paper shows that there is a minimum gain from participation in the financial sector that is necessary to eliminate the incentives to default, and greater benefits allow for greater borrowing. Even the wealthier countries require a minimum positive shift in average production to accept the greater volatility that is assumed to come with inclusion in the global financial market. There is also a minimum autarkic production that is necessary. Very poor countries need higher gains from inclusion to participate in the market. A study on the effects of volatility in production is also presented.
Impact of scale-up of maternal and delivery care on reductions in neonatal mortality in USAID MCH priority countries, 2000-2010

Impressive global gains in under-five mortality between 2000 and 2010 have been accompanied by more modest reductions in neonatal mortality . Of the 18 USAID priority countries for maternal and child health with two Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) available around the years 2000 and 2010, only six have shown statistically significant reductions in neonatal mortality within the study population of most recent children born in the five years preceding the survey. The study investigates the extent to which scale-up of maternal and delivery care is associated with reductions in neonatal mortality in the six countries. We find surprisingly little evidence that changes in coverage of measurable indicators of maternal and delivery care contributed to the improvements in neonatal survival . In the three malarious countries with complete mosquito bednet data for both surveys, household ownership of a mosquito bednet stands out as a driver of the observed reductions. This finding highlights the importance of malaria control in the arsenal of maternal and child health interventions. Overall, weak associations between other indicators of maternal and delivery care and neonatal survival were observed. This may be the result of limitations of population-based surveys to measure accurately the protective aspects of the interventions. The weak findings may also point to an issue of quality of care, highlighting the need for newborn survival strategies to emphasize strengthening health systems and improve quality of care alongside efforts to increase use of delivery health services.
Perspectives and Methods in the Development of Technological Tools for Supporting Future Studies in Science and Technology

The term “future studies” refers to studies based on the prediction and analysis of future horizons, able to examine the long-term impact of policies and technologies, and to anticipate emerging social challenges. Those studies experience today an emerging interest, also due to the large sets of data made available by the social media and big data phenomena. This paper presents a review of widely adopted approaches in these study activities, with three levels of detail scale: starting from a wide scale mapping of related disciplines, the second level focuses on the traditionally adopted methodologies and, on the level of greater detail, the paper describes methodological and software analysis tools that cope also with the semantic web and social media aspects.
Assessing Critical Thinking: The Use of Literature in a Policy Course

This article presents results from a pre- and posttest study designed to assess the degree to which students' critical thinking skill levels changed as a result of enrollment in a one-semester undergraduate social policy course that employed literary works to enhance critical thinking. Data were gathered from 124 students over the course of two years. The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, a standardized instrument, was used to operationalize the construct. No significant differences were found in the sample from pre- to posttest. Differences in mean scores were found between White students and students of color. Implications for social work education and for the defining and measuring of the critical thinking construct are discussed.
The influence of the route of administration of Newcastle disease virus on host response. II. Studies on artificial passive immunity.

Received for publication October 3, 1966. These studies were supported in part by U. S. Public Health Service Fellowship 5-F3-AI20,002 and by grant AI-04997 from the U. S. Public Health Service. Published with the approval of the Director of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station as paper NS 492. * Present address: Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 934 College Station Road, Athens, Georgia 30601. METHODS
Local upregulation of colonic angiotensin II receptors enhances potassium excretion in chronic renal failure

The role of angiotensin II (ANG II) in colonic secretion of K+ was examined in rats with chronic renal failure (CRF). The basal net secretory flux of86Rb+(as a tracer for K+) across the CRF distal colon (−0.20 ± 0.04 μeq ⋅ cm−2 ⋅ h−1) was reversed to an absorptive flux (0.35 ± 0.05 μeq ⋅ cm−2 ⋅ h−1) by injecting the rats with the AT1receptor antagonist, losartan. A similar result was observed when losartan was added to the CRF colonic tissue in vitro. In contrast, an AT2 receptor antagonist, PD-123319, did not reverse the CRF-induced alterations in Rb+ transport across the short-circuited colonic tissue. Plasma concentrations of ANG II, aldosterone, and K+, as well as the ANG II content of colonic tissues from CRF and normal rats, were similar. However, specific125I-labeled ANG II binding sites in rat distal colon increased twofold in CRF [maximal specific binding (Bmax) = 28.6 ± 1.6 fmol/mg protein] compared with normal (Bmax = 15.2 ± 0.4 fmol/mg protein). These studies suggest that CRF-induced secretion of K+ by the colon is mediated by an upregulation of AT1 receptors present in CRF.
Field method for evaluating the effectiveness of acaricides against lone star ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on domestic dogs.

A new method for testing acaricides against ticks on dogs is described. The tests involved natural populations of lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum (L.), which infested beagle dogs in the field in woodlots of eastern Oklahoma. The described method has the advantage of using natural populations and infestations; this procedure eliminates the need for rearing ticks and artificially infesting hosts. The method was used from April to July in 1982 and 1983 to compare the effectiveness of 11 commercially available acaricides that were applied as dips to experimental dogs in field trials against nymphal and adult A. americanum . The residues from the dips lost effectiveness in killing >50% of the attached ticks from <4 days (pyrethrins) to 22 to 29 days (chlorfenvinphos).
The Intergenerational Circumstances of Household Food Insecurity and Adversity

Household food insecurity is linked with exposure to violence and adversity throughout the life course, suggesting its transfer across generations. Using grounded theory, we analyzed semistructured interviews with 31 mothers reporting household food insecurity where participants described major life events and social relationships. Through the lens of multigenerational interactions, 4 themes emerged: (1) hunger and violence across the generations, (2) disclosure to family and friends, (3) depression and problems with emotional management, and (4) breaking out of intergenerational patterns. After describing these themes and how they relate to reports of food insecurity, we identify opportunities for social services and policy intervention.
Optimization model of low-carbon energy consumption structure and empirical analysis

To effectively investigate the carbon emissions reduction effects of energy consumption structure,on the premise of meeting economic growth,saving energy and reducing carbon emission,mathematical programming methods are used to construct an optimization model of energy consumption structure,so as to conduct an empirical study on the optimization of energy consumption structure in China in 2009-2020.Results showed: first,in the light of energy consumption intensity goal in 12th Five-Year Plan,optimization of energy consumption structure cannot reach the target of carbon intensity,the contribution potential of energy consumption structure optimization is 77.12%.Second,the realization of carbon intensity objective needs common-effect of energy efficiency and energy structure.Third,China's optimization of energy consumption structure is mainly represented in the declination of coal power consumption proportion and the great increase of electric power consumption proportion in the initial stage,and the sharp rising of natural gas consumption proportion in the later stage.
Abstract P217: Western Diet Promotes Cardiac Diastolic Dysfunction by Increasing Cardiomyocytes Calcium Sensing Receptor via Activation of Parathyroid Hormone, Parathyroid Related Hormone and Their Receptor- 1 in Female Mice

Background: Data from our Lab and others indicate that consumption of a western diet (WD), high in fat and refined carbohydrates promotes cardiac hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. Recently, a role for calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) and the fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF 23)/ Klotho axis has been increasingly recognized in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. However, the role of these factors in WD induced cardiac dysfunction has not been elucidated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying WD-induced cardiac diastolic dysfunction in female C57-Bl6/J mice. Methods and Results: Four week-old female C57-BL6/J mice were fed a control diet (CD) or WD containing fat (46%) and fructose (17.5%) for 16 weeks. Then, left ventricular (LV) and serum were harvested and processed for immunohistochemistry and serum analysis. Four μm paraffin embedded sections of the LV were incubated with primary antibodies (CaSR), parathyroid hormone (PTH), parathyroid related hormone (PTHrP), parathyroid hormone receptor-1 (PHTR-1), parathyroid hormone receptor-2 (PHTR-2), (FGF23), klotho and appropriate secondary antibodies. Images were captured with a bi-photon confocal microscope and signal intensities were quantified as gray scale intensities. Analysis of immunofluorescence images revealed that consumption of a WD resulted in significantly higher expression level of CaSR, PTH, PTHrP, PTHR-1 and FGF23. Also, consumption of WD significantly increased the serum PTH level. Furthermore, analysis of WGA stained images showed significant hypertrophy of LV cardiomyocytes. Interestingly, WD did not increase the expression of PTHR-2 and Klotho in LV but levels of this protein in the coronary arteries. Conclusion: These findings support the preliminary notion that there is a role of PTH, PTHR-1 and PTHrP signaling in dietary promotion of cardiomyocytes hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. These effects could be mediated via modulation of cardiac calcium metabolism.
Impalpable Testes: Observations based on 208 Consecutive Operations for Undescended Testes

AbstractA personal series of consecutive explorations for undescended testes is presented, with particular emphasis on the impalpable testis. It is concluded that without preoperative radiographs an exploration through an inguinal skin incision for either unilateral or bilateral undescended testes will 1) allow for correction of the usually present patent processus vaginalis peritonei, 2) provide for identification of either a testis or blind-ending spermatic vessels and 3) give adequate exposure for the accomplishment of a single stage orchiopexy if indicated regardless of the location of the testis.
Dose‐ranging trial of N‐acetylprocainamide in patients with premature ventricular contractions

Ten patients with chronic premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) received short-term oral therapy with N-acetylprocainamide (NAPA) to determine its antiarrhythmic efficacy and side effects under the conditions of a placebo-controlled, dose-ranging trial. NAPA was effective in suppressing PVCs in 8 patients but caused a paradoxical increase in PVC frequency in one. Results were equivocal in the remaining patient because PVCs did not recur when NAPA therapy was withdrawn. Mean NAPA plasma levels as high as 41.1 microng/ml did not have untoward hypotensive or myocardial depressant effects, as judged by electrocardiographic and systolic time intervals. There was, in fact, a consistent reduction in PEP/LVET ratio, indicating that NAPA increases the force of myocardial contraction. The mean NAPA elimination half-life of 10.9 hr was longer than the 6.2 hr half-life reported for normal subjects, but its prolongation was predictably correlated with reductions in creatinine clearance. Gastrointestinal side effects experienced by 3 patients and insomnia noted by 2 patients are similar to known adverse reactions to procainamide.
La donación voluntaria de sangre desde la perspectiva comunicativa

Using the Communication Mediation Model, this study argues that interpersonal communication holds considerable potential to motivate and facilitate voluntary blood donation. To test this claim, three blood donation scenarios are used: past donation, future intention, and intention during an emergency. Results from path analysis using survey data from Colombia show that talking about blood donation is central to voluntary blood donation. The direct effects of blood talk on past donation and future intention are significant. Importantly, blood talk mediates the contribution of other variables in the model, including media use and pro-civic behaviors. Findings hold true for both first-time and repeat donors.
An Experimental Study of Computer Controlled Shear Spinning

Direct computer controlled shear spinning of conical, spherical, parabolic and sinusoidal shapes was performed with 5 inch (127 mm) diameter × 0.063 inch (1.59 mm) and 0.050 inch (1.27 mm) thick blanks of 1100-0 and 6061-0 aluminum. The DNC computer program permitted both easy contouring of the mandrels and the subsequent guidance of the spinning tool dynamometer for various axisymmetric shapes. Evaluation of axial spinning forces and final product thicknesses show that computer control of spinning variables can provide better production methods.
Conditions of completeness of the Q-matrix of tests for cognitive diagnosis

The associations between the items of a test based on the cognitive diagnosis framework and the skills required to solve them are documented in the Q-matrix. If the items have skill profiles that allow for the identification of all possible proficiency classes among examinees, then the Q-matrix of the test is said to be complete. An incomplete Q-matrix causes examinees to be assigned to proficiency classes to which they do not belong. Thus, completeness of the Q-matrix is an integral requirement of any cognitively diagnostic test. However, completeness of the Q-matrix is often difficult to establish, especially, for tests with a large number of items involving multiple skills. As an additional complication, completeness is not an intrinsic property of the Q-matrix, but can only be assessed in reference to a specific diagnostic classification model (DCM) supposed to underlie the data—that is, the Q-matrix of a given test can be complete for one model but incomplete for another. For different types of DCMs, conditions of Q-completeness are studied. Rules are derived to determine the completeness of a given Q-matrix.
Perspectives on care for young adults with type 1 diabetes transitioning from pediatric to adult health systems: A national survey of pediatric endocrinologists

Background Healthcare transition from pediatric to adult care for young adults (YA) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with risk of adverse outcomes. Consensus recommendations exist from US professional societies on transition care for YA with T1D, but it is not known whether they have been widely adopted. We describe experiences, barriers, and provider characteristics associated with transition care in a national sample of pediatric endocrinologists. Methods US pediatric endocrinologists identified through the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile were sent an electronic survey. Results Response rate was 16% (164/1020) representing 32 states. The majority of pediatric endocrinologists (age 44 ± 10; years in practice 12 ± 11) were female (67%) and worked in academic centers (75%). Main reasons for transfer were age (49%) and glycemic control (18%). Barriers to transition included ending long-therapeutic relationships with patients (74%), lack of transition protocols (46%), and perceived deficiencies in adult care (42%). The majority of pediatric endocrinologists reported lack of transition training (68%); those who received training were less likely to have difficulty ending patient relationships [odds ratio (OR) = 0.39, P = .03], more likely to perform patient record transfer to adult systems (OR=1.27, P = .006), and less likely to report patient returns to pediatric care after transfer (OR=0.49, P = .01), independent of endocrinologist gender, years in practice, or practice type. Conclusions There is wide variation in transition care for YA with T1D among US pediatric endocrinologists despite consensus recommendations. Dissemination of educational programming on transition care and provision of actionable solutions to overcome local health system and perceived barriers is needed.
A history of the heritage economy in Yoweri Museveni’s Uganda

ABSTRACTWhen the National Resistance Movement (NRM) came to power in 1986, its cadres overflowed with reformist zeal. They set out to transform Uganda’s public life, put an end to ethnic division, and promote local democracy. Today much of this reformist energy has dissipated, and undemocratic kingdoms largely define the cultural landscape. This essay attempts to explain how these things came to pass. It argues that the heritage economy offered NRM officials and other brokers an ensemble of bureaucratic techniques with which to naturalize and standardize cultures. Discomfited by the enduring salience of the occult among the people they governed, and alive to the new opportunities that the global heritage economy offered, the secular men of the NRM turned to managers who could superintend cultural life. In the field of medical practice NRM authorities delegated considerable authority to an organization called “Uganda N’eddagala Lyayo” (Uganda and Its Medicines), which worked to transform the situational an...
Recombinant Bacterial Larvicides for Control of Important Mosquito Vectors of Disease

The development of recombinant DNA techniques has made it possible to significantly improve the efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) currently used to control larvae of important mosquito disease vectors. As part of this symposium honoring the career of Professor Mir S. Mulla, I briefly review here advances we have made using recombinant DNA technology to combine the most potent insecticidal proteins from Bti, B. thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan (Btj), and B. sphaericus (Bs) into new bacterial strains that are ten-fold more toxic than wild type species of Bti and Bs used in current commercial formulations. These advances have been achieved by combining new knowledge derived from basic studies of the molecular biology and genomics of these bacteria with technical developments that enable increases in the synthesis of mosquitocidal proteins produced per unit of fermentation medium. Several bacterial strains have been constructed that have LC50s in the range of 1.5–2 ng/ml of fermentation solids against fourth instars of Culex quinquefasciatus and Anopheles gambiae, compared to LC50s of 13–20 ng/ml for the commercial wild type strains. These new bacterial larvicides, which are currently under commercial evaluation, offer environmentally compatible options for use as components in integrated vector control programs aimed at reducing malaria, filariasis, and many important viral diseases of humans.
Virus Particle Stability and Structure

The Bromo-, Cucumo-, Ilar-, and alfalfa mosaic viruses are grouped together in this volume as they contain four distinct sizes of RNA molecules which can be separated by Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Abbreviations used for the various viruses discussed in the text are listed below.* This chapter will concentrate on the virion particle structures and is divided into two major sections. The first reviews current knowledge of the atomic resolution structures for the capsid proteins of three spherical, icosahedral plant viruses, namely, TBSV, SBMV, and STNV. The second section presents detailed empirical results and related references for each of the four viral classes. Table VI of Chapter 1 lists the gross structural parameters for the Bromo, Cucumo, alfalfa mosaaic, and Ilarvirus groups.
Knowledge convergence among pre-service mathematics teachers through online reciprocal peer feedback

This research focused on pre-service mathematics teachers’ sharing of knowledge through reciprocal peer feedback. In this study, pre-service teachers were divided into groups of five and engaged in an online reciprocal peer feedback activity. Specifically, after creating an individual concept map indicating high school students’ possible solutions to an algebra problem, pre-service teachers shared their individual maps with team members and engaged in online discussion, commenting on the concept maps of other group members and responding to peers’ feedback. Similarities in team members’ knowledge representations before and after this peer feedback activity were compared in order to analyze their knowledge convergence. It was found that a team member’s knowledge was more likely to match that of other team members after the online reciprocal peer feedback activity. Qualitative analysis was also conducted in order to explore the possible influence of a team’s interaction process on members’ knowledge convergence. It was also found that, after engaging in this peer feedback process, pre-service teachers demonstrated greater improvement in their convergence of concepts relating to problem-solving strategies than in the concepts representing problem context and domains. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2017.09.001
Diet of the Oligocene anthropoidsAegyptopithecus andApidium

Diets of the Oligocene anthropoidsAegyptopithecus zeuxis andApidium phiomense are inferred from measurements of the anterior and posterior dentition of these species. Ideas are presented which can be checked as the hypodigms expand. Comparisons with extant anthropoids demonstrate a probably frugivorous diet forA. zeuxis, while the diet ofA. phiomense was not characterized by a high degree of frugivory requiring extensive incisal preparation of food. Additional inferences about the diet ofA. phiomense might be gleaned from future examination of incisor morphology, implantation and occlusion. Even when allowance is made for the presence of P2 inA. phiomense, the dietary position of this species with respect to extant anthropoids is equivocal, and it is possible that the normal anthropoid relationship between anterior and posterior dentitions, with a small incisor span correlating with a great amount of mastication, had yet to be developed.
The role of migraine headache severity, associated features and interactions with overweight/obesity in inhibitory control

ABSTRACTAim of the Study: While migraine and obesity are related and both conditions are associated with reduced executive functioning, no study has examined whether obesity exacerbates executive dysfunction in migraine. This cross-sectional study examined whether overweight/obesity moderated associations of migraine severity and associated features with inhibitory control, one aspect of executive function.Materials and Methods: Women (n = 124) aged 18–50 years old with overweight/obesity body mass index (BMI) = 35.1 ± 6.4 kg/m2 and migraine completed a 28-day smartphone-based headache diary assessing migraine headache severity (attack frequency, pain intensity) and frequency of associated features (aura, photophobia, phonophobia, nausea). They then completed computerized measures of inhibitory control during an interictal (headache-free) period.Results: Participants with higher migraine attack frequency performed worse on the Flanker test (accuracy and reaction time; p < .05). Migraine attack frequency a...
Alzheimer's Disease Pathology Burden Associated with Clinical Dementia Decreases with Age (P04.213)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between AD pathology burden and age in dementia. BACKGROUND: Age is the number one risk factor for Alzheimer9s disease (AD). Previous studies suggest that AD pathological burden is a less salient etiological factor for dementia in older individuals. Few have objectively examined tissue markers of AD pathology in relation to dementia onset (DO) age. DESIGN/METHODS: 285 Oregon AD Center volunteers underwent brain autopsy with both standard neuropathological examination and immunochemical analysis of the detergent-insoluble fraction of frontal cortex. 142 had significant AD pathology (≥Braak IV). 110 had dementia, 32 did not. 3 dementia groups were created based on DO: Young (DO RESULTS: Adjusting for gender, dementia duration, brain weight, and APOe4, qTau decreased with increasing DO. Similarly, qAs42 was increased in the Young group compared with YO or OO groups. qAs42 and qTau were elevated in all dementia groups compared with nondemented elderly. In a final model comparing differences between YO and OO groups, older DO was associated with decreased dementia duration, vascular pathology, and no APOe4 allele. In this model older DO was associated with decreased qTau but not Braak score or either qAs42 or CERAD score. CONCLUSIONS: AD pathology in dementia decreases with age, a finding not fully accounted for by brain atrophy and vascular disease. Results suggest that tau is a more sensitive marker of dementia in the aging brain, and that immunochemical markers may be more clinically relevant than traditional scoring measures. Further studies investigating tissue markers accounting for dementia risk are needed. Supported by: NIA/NIH (1R01AG036772 , R01 AG024059 P30 AG08017), Department of Veterans Affairs, Max Millis Fund for Neurological Research, the Storms Family Fund, and the T&J Meyer Family Foundation. Disclosure: Dr. Silbert has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kaye has received personal compensation for activities with Lily LZAM and LZAN clinical trials as a member of the Data Safety and Monitoring Board. Dr. Kaye has receied research support from Elan Corporation, Danone Medical, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Satoris, and Intel. Dr. Erten-Lyons has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dodge has nothing to disclose. Dr. Quinn has received personal compensation for activities with Novartis. Dr. Quinn has received research support from Elan Corporation, Baxter, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, and Pfizer Inc. Dr. Oken has received personal compensation for activities with Dr. Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Wild has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lahna has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tran has nothing to disclose. Dr. Woltjer has nothing to disclose.
Cognitive Reflection and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election

We present a large exploratory study ( N = 15,001) investigating the relationship between cognitive reflection and political affiliation, ideology, and voting in the 2016 Presidential Election. We find that Trump voters are less reflective than Clinton voters or third-party voters. However, much (although not all) of this difference was driven by Democrats who chose Trump. Among Republicans, conversely, Clinton and Trump voters were similar, whereas third-party voters were more reflective. Furthermore, although Democrats/liberals were somewhat more reflective than Republicans/conservatives overall, political moderates and nonvoters were least reflective, whereas libertarians were most reflective. Thus, beyond the previously theorized correlation between analytic thinking and liberalism, these data suggest three additional consequences of reflectiveness (or lack thereof) for political cognition: (a) facilitating political apathy versus engagement, (b) supporting the adoption of orthodoxy versus heterodoxy, and (c) drawing individuals toward candidates who share their cognitive style and toward policy proposals that are intuitively compelling.
Early-Career Systems Microbiology Scientists.

The views expressed in this Editorial do not necessarily reflect the views of this journal or of ASM. mSystems® vol. 3, no. 2, is a special issue sponsored by Janssen Human Microbiome Institute (JHMI) . Early-career scientists, especially those just stepping into their first independent roles,
From Dis-Ability to Difference: Conceptual and Methodological Issues in the Study of Physical Disability

This paper discusses conceptual and methodological concerns in the study of physical disability and the human body from the perspective of a phenomenologically informed sociology.1 The study of physical disability and the human body has claimed the attention of philosophers, social scientists, psychologists, physicians, public health administrators, insurers, and so forth, each of whom brings a unique disciplinary perspective as well as distinct research interests and goals. In this paper I identify theoretical and conceptual biases in the study of disability that: (1) tend to narrow its understanding to a unitary phenomenon, i.e., as a dysfunction (either patho- physiological or psychological) affecting only the individual; (2) hamper its conceptualization as a form of difference; and (3) restrict the ability of persons with disabilities to live independent and respectful lives. Further, I demonstrate how socio-political conceptions of disability raise many theoretical and practical questions regarding research, as well as fostering the uncritical use of notions of normality and difference.2 Contemporary research on disability and the human body is faced with a challenge: to describe and analyze the world of disability within its social, political and human contexts without perpetuating biased assumptions, ignoring bodily differences, and marginalizing the experience of disability.3 This paper suggests that a phenomenologically-informed sociology can help researchers meet this challenge. Instead of seeing able-bodied and dis-abled persons as separate and opposed, disabled embodiment may be conceived as a form of human diversity, thus moving towards an understanding of dis-ability as difference. This paper discusses how researchers can reach this understanding through the phenomenological technique of bracketing and by listening to the criticisms offered by disability advocates and writers.
Microbial populations of Botrytis cinerea-inoculated strawberry fruit exposed to four volatile compounds

Aerobic, microaerophilic, coliform, and mold populations of Botrytis cinerea-inoculated strawberry fruit not exposed (control) or exposed to low and high quantities of four volatile compounds during storage at 2 degrees C were determined after storage for 7 days and after removal of the volatile and transfer to 22 degrees C for 3 days. Fruit harvested at the ripe stage were inoculated with 10(6) conidia B. cinerea per ml and were placed in plastic containers containing no volatile compound (control) or two quantities of (E)-2-hexenal (10 or 100 microliters), (E)-2-hexenal diethyl acetal (30 or 300 microliters), benzaldehyde (30 or 300 microliters), or methyl benzoate (12 or 60 microliters). The fruit containers were overwrapped with a low-density polyethylene film, sealed, stored at 2 degrees C for 7 days, and then transferred to 22 degrees C for 3 days. Aerobic, microaerophilic, and coliform populations of fruit exposed to volatile compounds tended to be lower than the controls after storage at 2 degrees C for 7 days and, depending on the volatile compound, similar, lower, or higher than the controls after transfer and storage at 22 degrees C. However, due to variability in initial aerobic, microaerophilic, and coliform populations of the fruit used in the different trials (P 0.05). Strawberry fruit exposed to 100 microliters of (E)-2-hexenal was the only treatment that did not show a significant increase in mold populations after transfer and storage at 22 degrees C for 3 days. Additional studies are needed to determine if (E)-2-hexenal can be used in combination with other postharvest storage conditions, such as low temperature and controlled/modified atmosphere, to delay mold spoilage and extend the shelf life of the strawberry.
Piecewise Linear L1 Modeling

Lester Taylor (Taylor and Houthakker 2010) instilled a deep respect for estimating parameters in statistical models by minimizing the sum of absolute errors (the L1 criterion) as an important alternative to minimizing the sum of the squared errors (the ordinary least squares or OLS criterion).
Criminal Justice System Outcomes for Buyers, Sellers, and Facilitators of Commercial Sex in Houston, Texas:

This study draws upon the economic model of prostitution to explore the relationship between gender, prostitution role, and criminal justice system outcomes. Official court data for 1,027 prostitution arrestees from Harris County (Houston), Texas, were used to differentiate participants by their role in the commercial sex trade (buyer, facilitator, or seller). Logistic regression results indicate that gender differences persist for case dismissal and plea deal acceptance among prostitution arrestees even after controlling for their criminality and role in the prostitution offense. Although gender does not influence the likelihood of conviction, buyers are significantly less likely to be convicted than sellers. Implications from these findings, as well as limitations and suggestions for further research, are discussed.
Conversion of a soluble diazepam prodrug to supersaturated diazepam for rapid intranasal delivery: Kinetics and stability

Abstract The low aqueous solubility of diazepam (DZP) presents a challenge in formulating nasal sprays without the use of organic solvents. One approach to overcome this challenge involves co-administration of a soluble prodrug, avizafone (AVF), with a converting enzyme to produce supersaturated DZP at the site of administration. In addition to overcoming solubility issues, the supersaturated state of DZP provides an increased driving force for enhanced permeation across nasal mucosa. However, supersaturated solutions are metastable, and there is a limit to the degree of supersaturation (S) that can be reached without causing spontaneous phase separation of the solute. The aim of this article was to determine how formulation parameters affect the rate of DZP supersaturation, maximum degree of supersaturation, and phase separation kinetics. A model enzyme, Aspergillus oryzae protease (AOP), was used to convert AVF to DZP, via an open ring intermediate (ORI). A second derivative UV spectroscopic method was developed to simultaneously monitor DZP solution concentration and the time course of DZP phase separation. Fitting a kinetic model, with prior knowledge of the enzyme kinetic parameters, the rate constant for conversion of ORI to DZP was found to be 0.470 ± 0.012 min−1. Kinetics and supersaturated solution stability were studied as a function of formulation parameters, including temperature, pH, buffering agent, AVF concentration, and enzyme concentration. The maximum aqueous solution concentration for DZP at 32 °C was determined to be 1.22 ± 0.03 mM DZP (S = 9.38) and was insensitive to changes in formulation parameters, excepting temperature. Supersaturated solutions of DZP could be maintained at the maximum concentration for >24 h, even in the presence of phase separated DZP. Polarized light microscopy, PXRD, and DSC analysis indicated that the phase separated DZP was amorphous upon formation and remained so for >24 h. Our findings suggest that co-administration of AVF with a suitable human converting enzyme will provide a viable mechanism for IN delivery of DZP and result in very rapid and complete absorption to quickly terminate seizure emergencies.
Development of a cerebrovascular magnetic resonance imaging biomarker for cognitive aging.

Objective Recent availability of amyloid and tau positron emission tomography (PET) has provided us with a unique opportunity to measure the association of systemic vascular health with brain health after accounting for the impact of Alzheimer disease (AD) pathologies. We wanted to quantify early cerebrovascular health-related magnetic resonance imaging brain measures (structure, perfusion, microstructural integrity) and evaluate their utility as a biomarker for cerebrovascular health. Methods We used 2 independent samples (discovery, n = 390; validation, n = 1,035) of individuals, aged ≥ 60 years, along the cognitive continuum with imaging from the population-based sample of Mayo Clinic Study of Aging. We ascertained vascular health by summing up recently existing cardiovascular and metabolic conditions (CMC) from health care records (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cardiac arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and stroke). Using multiple regression models, we quantified associations between CMC and brain health after accounting for age, sex, education/occupation, and AD burden (from amyloid and tau PET). Results Systemic vascular health was associated with medial temporal lobe thinning, widespread cerebral hypoperfusion, and loss of microstructural integrity in several white matter tracts including the corpus callosum and fornix. Further investigations suggested that microstructural integrity of the genu of the corpus callosum was suitable for assessing prodromal cerebrovascular health, had similar distributions in the discovery and independent validation datasets, and predicted cognitive performance above and beyond amyloid deposition. Interpretation Systemic vascular health has significant impact on brain structure and function. Quantifying prodromal cerebrovascular health-related brain measures that are independent of AD pathology-related changes has great utility for cognitive aging. Ann Neurol 2018;84:713-724.
Customer satisfaction and firm performance: insights from over a quarter century of empirical research

Emphasizing customer satisfaction as a strategic lever for enhancing business performance is a widespread business practice. However, just over 25 years of empirical studies by academic researchers has produced evidence that is sometimes contradictory. Hence, greater academic clarity and improved managerial understanding could result from a meta-analysis of the customer satisfaction-business performance relationship. To that end, the authors analyzed 251 correlations from 96 studies published between 1991 and 2017. While the satisfaction-performance relationship is positive and statistically significant on average (r = .101), more meaningful insights emerge from the explication of moderating and mediating relationships. Illustrative of these insights is the finding that satisfaction is more appropriately depicted as mediating the effects of selected marketing strategy variables on firm performance outcomes. Moreover, when satisfaction is viewed in the right setting using the right satisfaction and performance measures, a most favorable contingencies (MFC) perspective, the estimated correlation is reasonably strong (r = .349).
Neighborhood Environment and Health of Injured Urban Black Men

Urban black males are at disproportionately high risk of poor health outcomes; thus, we need to measure neighborhood environments appropriately in order to understand aspects of neighborhoods that influence their mental and physical health. We explored associations between physical and mental health of injured, urban black men with objectively measured and perceived neighborhood characteristics. In 2017–2018, we analyzed data from 486 black, adult males in Philadelphia admitted to a trauma center with injury between January 2013 and February 2017. Area-level measures of social, economic, and built environments were obtained from multiple sources. At enrollment, participants answered questions about neighborhood environment and self-reported physical and mental health 30 days before injury. We conducted factor analysis to identify neighborhood characteristics, then estimated odds of poor physical or mental health, accounting for spatial correlation of participants. Poor physical and mental health was reported by 12% and 22% of participants, respectively. In participants’ neighborhoods, 29% of adults lived in poverty. Individually, 73% of men reported abandoned buildings, and 31% reported not feeling safe walking around their neighborhood. Physical health was associated with neighborhood poverty and disconnectedness. Mental health was associated with neighborhood economics and individual perceptions of social disorder and safety. Individual-level factors were not correlated with area-level factors. We found both area-level and individual-level measures were associated with health, perhaps operating through different mechanisms, but individual experiences may not be easily extrapolated from area-level data. By identifying important components of neighborhood environments, we may better understand how neighborhoods contribute to health in vulnerable populations.