cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Urban Advocacy Groups, City Governance, and the Pursuit of Sustainability in American Cities

We ask this question: Why do some cities decide to adopt policies and programs aimed at trying to become more sustainable, while other cities do not? We pursue our inquiry by closely examining surveys we conducted of city councilors and administrators in 50 large American cities. The specific focus is on the interaction between advocacy groups and policymakers. The data utilized draws on questions concerning contact between groups and officials, the attitude of officials toward the reliability of information given to them by groups, and the likelihood of different advocacy group sectors being included in collaborative policy-making. Strong patterns emerged from the data analysis. First, we find low barriers to entry for urban advocacy groups. In stark contrast to Washington politics, it is relatively easy for urban groups to gain access to important policymakers and to meet with them frequently. Second, we find that neighborhood associations demonstrate surprising levels of interaction with policymakers. Despite scant resources, neighborhood associations are clearly part of the policy-making process in urban systems. Third, contact with different group sectors and degree of inclusiveness of those sectors in policy-making is linked to policymakers’ support for environmental protection and for sustainability. When environmental groups and labor unions are included in deliberations on issues of economic development and the environment, there seems to be much greater commitment to local sustainability policies and programs than when these groups are excluded.
Mass scales in grand unified theories

Explicit expressions for the upper and lower bounds for all unification mass scales in allowed breakdowns of SU(5) and SO(10) are reviewed. All breakdown patterns of ${\mathrm{E}}_{6}$ through maximal subgroups are catalogued and bounds on the mass scales in such chains are derived. In all cases but one, the mass scale characterizing proton decay is at least as large as in SU(5). The dependence of the bounds on ${{sin}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}}_{W}$ is examined and all bounds are found to be members of a single-parameter family whose significance is discussed. A weak-$\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{U}}_{L}(2)$ scale parameter ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{2}$ is introduced in analogy with the strong scale ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{3}$ and the unification masses are found to depend simply on ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{2}$ and ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{3}$ in a certain approximation.
Effects of management burning on prairie insect species richness within a system of small, highly fragmented reserves

A growing number of entomologists are expressing concern that insect species are being extirpated from fire-managed (F-M) reserves and are urging that management burning be substantially reduced. In accord with this view, the fire attrition hypothesis predicts that fire-excluded (F-E) sites will support greater species richness, greater mean population densities, and an inordinately large number of species that are absent from F-M sites. Comparative studies of remnant-dependent (r-d) species among F-M and F-E systems in northern Illinois, northwest Indiana, and southeast Wisconsin failed to support these predictions. Our results suggest that the fire-attrition model, based on prevailing burn practices, may be applicable to few if any species. We conclude that prevailing rotational, cool season burning practices have generally been compatible with the conservation of insect biodiversity within the highly fragmented prairie reserve system in the Chicago region.
The Conditionality of Hypothetical Imperatives

Kant famously distinguishes between the categorical imperative (CI) – the fundamental principle of morality – and hypothetical imperatives (HIs), which are instrumental norms. On the standard reading, Kant subscribes to the ‘disjunctive reading’ of HIs, which takes HIs to be consistency requirements that bind agents in exactly the same way whether or not agents are subject to CI and whether or not they conform their choices to CI. I argue that this reading cannot be squared with Kant's account of an agent's disposition, in particular his claim that cognition of CI is a necessary condition of willing a maxim. I further argue that Kant could not accept an account of HIs as consistency requirements. Finally, I outline Kant's conception of HIs as non-disjunctive requirements that arise when and only when agents will permissible ends. This account can help recapture Kant's conception of the unity of rational norms.
Design of resonant global clock distributions

We present a new approach to global clock distribution in which traditional tree-driven grids are augmented with on-chip inductors to resonate the clock capacitance at the fundamental frequency of the clock node. Rather than being dissipated as heat, the energy of the fundamental resonates between electric and magnetic forms. The clock drivers must only provide the energy necessary to overcome losses. As a result, power reduction of over 80% is possible depending on the Q of the resonant system. Clock latency is also improved because the effective capacitance of the grid is lower, and fewer buffer stages are necessary to drive the grid. Skew and jitter reductions come about because of this reduced buffer latency.
Pituitary-Gonadal Function Before and After Vasectomy

Blood samples were obtained from 8 males (29-49 years) on the day of elective vasectomy and from 28 to 92 days thereafter when azoospermia had been demonstrated. No significant short-term changes in pituitary gonadotrophins or testosterone occurred as measured by immunoassays of blood serum.
Growth, Development, and Wing Loading in The Evening Bat, Nycticeius Humeralis (Rafinesque)

Selected aspects of growth and development of young evening bats are presented and summarized. In addition, information on wing loading and development of flight in known-age animals is given. Data regarding growth, development, and wing loading of Nycticeius humeralis and information that is available for some other species of bats are compared and discussed.
Animal and lung model studies of tracheal gas insufflation.

Abstract Tracheal gas insufflation (TGI) is the continuous or phasic insufflation of fresh gas into the central airways for the purpose of improving the efficiency of alveolar ventilation and/or minimizing the ventilatory pressure requirements. Fresh gas is insufflated near the main carina, usually at flow rates of 2-15 L/min. During expiration, TGI clears the anatomic and apparatus dead space proximal to the catheter tip, thus improving carbon dioxide (CO2) clearance. Moreover, at high catheter flow rates turbulence generated at the tip of the catheter may enhance distal gas mixing. CO2 elimination during TGI depends on catheter flow rate, as at higher flow rates a greater portion of the proximal dead space is flushed clear of CO2. Consequently, as TGI flow is increased, arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) decreases. Eventually, with increasing catheter flow rate, fresh gas completely flushes the available dead space during expiration and the PaCO2 reaches a plateau. At that point, increasing catheter flow rate decreases PaCO2 much less, probably because of turbulent mixing in the airways distal to the catheter tip. In clinical practice, TGI can be applied either to decrease PaCO2 while maintaining tidal volume constant or to decrease tidal volume while keeping PaCO2 constant. In the former strategy, TGI is used to protect pH, whereas in the latter it is used to minimize the stretch forces acting on the lung parenchyma, to minimize ventilator-associated lung injury.
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

This chapter provides an overview of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and the pathophysiological considerations occurring with these patients. Diagnostic dilemmas exist and are discussed. Signs and symptoms are reviewed and current treatment modalities are presented.
Gradient Estimates for Solutions of Nonlinear Elliptic and Parabolic Equations

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a general outline of the maximum principle method for obtaining a priori estimates for the gradient of solutions of elliptic or parabolic equations of second order. It is well known that such gradient estimates are a fundamental element in the proof of existence theorems and it is this fact that has supplied the main motivation for the considerable efforts that have gone into obtaining these results. The maximum principle technique was originally introduced only for equations involving two independent variables and with the main ideas not fully worked out. The chapter illustrates the method in its simplest form by considering a solution u of the Laplace equation Δu = 0 in a domain Ω of n-dimensional Euclidean space. The maximum principle technique has been used independently by Ladyzhenskaya and Uraltseva and by James Serrin to obtain gradient estimates for non-uniformly elliptic equations with more than two variables. The technique was employed in an important paper of Ladyzhenskaya and Uraltseva to obtain interior gradient estimates for non-uniformly elliptic and parabolic equations. The chapter provides a self-contained exposition of the main ideas described, and at the same time, simplifying the treatment and determining more or less optimal hypotheses concerning the structure of the equation.
Weekend Discharge and Stroke Quality of Care: Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Data from a Comprehensive Stroke Center

Objective Get With The Guidelines-Stroke collects data on hospital compliance with evidence-based stroke quality of care indicators. Prior work has investigated a link between weekend hospital admission and increased mortality after stroke. There is, however, a paucity of work investigating a similar association between weekend hospital discharge and quality of care. We aimed to determine if weekend discharge affects care to enlighten opportunities for quality improvement. Materials and Methods Through a retrospective analysis of records from a Comprehensive Stroke Center from July 2010 to June 2015, we identified patients with ischemic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and intracerebral hemorrhage. Our quality of care indicators were dysphagia screening, rehabilitation assessment, smoking cessation counseling, stroke education, and weight reduction counseling. We created regression models to find adjusted differences in quality of care measure compliance for patients discharged on the weekend. Results Our analysis included 2737 patients, of which 431 were discharged on the weekend. After adjustment, weekend discharge was significantly associated with reduced stroke education (odds ratio .67, confidence interval .51-0.88, P = .004) and reduced weight reduction counseling (odds ratio .65, confidence interval .45-0.93, P = .018). Conclusions Hospital discharge on the weekend was associated with an adjusted one-third decrease in odds of stroke education and weight reduction counseling. There is an opportunity for quality improvement in educating stroke patients before hospital discharge on the weekend.
Miniaturized quasi-Yagi antenna based on metaedge reflector

This paper presents a novel quasi-Yagi antenna (QYA) design in which the conventional PEC reflectors are replaced by metaedges, one-dimensional artificial perfect-magnetic-conductor-like edges. The unique reflection property of the metaedge helps miniaturize overall dimensions of the QYAs while maintaining high-gain performances. We demonstrate that the separation between the radiators and the reflectors in the metaedge based QYAs can be reduced to be much less than a quarter-wavelength. The radiative gain of 5.2 dBi is achived even without the addition of the directors.
Representation Theory of Quantized Gieseker Varieties, I

We study the representation theory of quantizations of Gieseker moduli spaces. We describe the categories of finite-dimensional representations for all parameters and categories O for special values of parameters. We find the values of parameters, where the quantizations have finite homological dimension, and we establish the abelian localization theorem.We classify two-sided ideals. Finally, we determine the annihilators of the irreducible objects in categories O for some special choices of one-parameter subgroups.
Modeling Student Socioaffective Responses to Group Interactions in a Collaborative Online Chat Environment.

Being able to monitor collaborative learning environments using unobtrusive measures is crucial to maximizing students’ socioaffective experiences with a system. This analysis uses the cohesion of student responses to model students’ feelings of power and connectedness to the group, two factors which emerge from a principal component analysis of a motivational survey.
Simulating within-vector generation of the malaria parasite diversity.

Plasmodium falciparum, the most virulent human malaria parasite, undergoes asexual reproduction within the human host, but reproduces sexually within its vector host, the Anopheles mosquito. Consequently, the mosquito stage of the parasite life cycle provides an opportunity to create genetically novel parasites in multiply-infected mosquitoes, potentially increasing parasite population diversity. Despite the important implications for disease transmission and malaria control, a quantitative mapping of how parasite diversity entering a mosquito relates to diversity of the parasite exiting, has not been undertaken. To examine the role that vector biology plays in modulating parasite diversity, we develop a two-part model framework that estimates the diversity as a consequence of different bottlenecks and expansion events occurring during the vector-stage of the parasite life cycle. For the underlying framework, we develop the first stochastic model of within-vector P. falciparum parasite dynamics and go on to simulate the dynamics of two parasite subpopulations, emulating multiply infected mosquitoes. We show that incorporating stochasticity is essential to capture the extensive variation in parasite dynamics, particularly in the presence of multiple parasites. In particular, unlike deterministic models, which always predict the most fit parasites to produce the most sporozoites, we find that occasionally only parasites with lower fitness survive to the sporozoite stage. This has important implications for onward transmission. The second part of our framework includes a model of sequence diversity generation resulting from recombination and reassortment between parasites within a mosquito. Our two-part model framework shows that bottlenecks entering the oocyst stage decrease parasite diversity from what is present in the initial gametocyte population in a mosquito’s blood meal. However, diversity increases with the possibility for recombination and proliferation in the formation of sporozoites. Furthermore, when we begin with two parasite subpopulations in the initial gametocyte population, the probability of transmitting more than two unique parasites from mosquito to human is over 50% for a wide range of initial gametocyte densities.
Sleepiness and Behavioral Risk-Taking: Do Sleepy People Take More or Less Risk?

ABSTRACTBackground: Although sleep loss has been implicated in risk-taking behavior, it is unclear how individuals’ current propensity to fall asleep, known as sleepiness, influences risk-taking. Because sleepiness is not only driven by recent sleep but also by factors such as circadian rhythm and current stimulation, it may be an important contributor to risk-taking as it reflects the more immediate sleep-wake state. Participants: One hundred thirty participants were recruited from a large Midwestern U.S. university. Methods: Participants completed a short personality survey, reported their current sleepiness on the Stanford Sleepiness Scale, and then completed the Balloon Analog Risk Task, a computerized risk-taking measure in which participants earned real money for their performance. Results: There was little support for a linear relation between sleepiness and risk-taking, but the evidence indicated a robust curvilinear relation. Even after controlling for important individual differences in sleep an...
Functional morphology of hummingbird bill tips: their function as tongue wringers

Nectarivores are animals that have evolved adaptations to efficiently exploit floral nectar as the main source of energy in their diet. It is well known that hummingbirds can extract nectar with impressive speed from flowers. However, despite decades of study on nectar intake rates, the mechanism by which feeding is ultimately achieved - the release of nectar from the tongue so that it can pass into the throat and be ingested - has not been elucidated. By using microCT scanning and macro high-speed videography we scrutinized the morphology and function of hummingbird bill tips, looking for answers about the nectar offloading process. We found near the bill tip, in an area of strong lateral compression of internal mandibular width, that the tomia (cutting edges of the bill) are thinner, partially inrolled, and hold forward-directed serrations. Aligned with these structures, a prominent pronglike structure projects upward and forward from the internal mandibular keel. Distal to this mandibular prong, another smaller maxillary prong protrudes downwards from the keel of the palate. Four shallow basins occur at the base of the mandibular prong on the mandibular floor. Of these, two are small basins located proximally and at the sides of the mandibular prong. A third, slightly larger basin is positioned distally to the first two and directly under the maxillary prong. And the fourth basin, the largest, is found more proximally where the bill becomes thicker, as seen from the side. We documented that this group of structures is integrated into the area of the bill where tongue extrusion occurs, and we hypothesize that they function to enhance the nectar release at each lick. We suggest that this "wringer", operated by bill and tongue movements, helps to move nectar towards the throat.
Laura Mulvey’s ‘Delaying Cinema’: delayed thoughts on a resonant text

Laura Mulvey’s essay ‘Delaying Cinema’ forms a chapter in her 2006 book Death 24x a Second Stillness and the Moving Image. On one level it is a valentine or paean to the process of closely reading ...
Abstract WP302: Racial Differences in Imaging Characteristics and Risk Factors for Primary Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Final Results from the DECIPHER Study

Background: Previous studies have reported racial differences in the incidence, location and risk factors for primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We now report differences in imaging characteristics and risk factors for ICH from the DiffErenCes in the Imaging of Primary Hemorrhage based on Ethnicity or Race (DECIPHER) study. Methods: DECIPHER is a longitudinal, multicenter, MRI-based, natural history study of racial differences in primary ICH. Inclusion criteria were: primary ICH, age ≥ 18, baseline and 1 year MRI scan obtained. Clinical and demographic data were collected on all subjects. Results: A total of 193 subjects of black or white race were enrolled. Subject characteristics overall and by race are provided in the table. Black subjects were younger, had a higher rate of hypertension, cocaine use, and were more frequently smokers. White subjects had a higher rate of hyperlipidemia. A lobar ICH location was more frequent in the white subjects, while infratentorial hemorrhages were more common in blacks. 60% of blacks had 1 or more microbleeds compared to 52% of whites (NS), and blacks tended to have more severe white matter disease. Conclusions: In the DECIPHER study, there were significant racial differences both in the risk factors for primary ICH and in the imaging characteristics. Compared to whites, blacks have a greater rate of hypertension, as well as cocaine and tobacco use. Imaging findings are indicative of a more severe underlying small vessel vasculopathy in the black cohort. The risk factor information may be used to enhance prevention programs tailored for black communities at risk of ICH, while imaging data may provide a useful biomarker to assess the impact of these interventions.
Speed(ing): A Quality Control Approach

Publisher Summary The purpose of this chapter is threefold. First it recognizes that explaining driver preferred speed(ing) is inherently complex. Second it conducts a brief literature review as a means of demonstrating the usefulness of the quality control approach to: organize the rich literature, and illustrate the science of speed(ing) as a big picture made up of a multitude of specific research questions and goals. Third it discusses how government leaders, researchers, and safety and traffic experts may use the quality control approach to manage the qualities that influence driver speed and the associated consequences of speed. When building a car, auto manufacturers must address the complexities of design, planning, resources, processes, assembly, testing, delivery, sale, and customer satisfaction. The car being built can be considered a nexus because there are thousands of parts that make up many components, and these components are then assembled into a vehicle that has functionality and identity. Today, auto manufactures realize that cars of low quality are not likely to be appreciated by owners. The ability to manage multiple “assembly lines of causation” that come together to build a quality car is a daunting task. From engineers to assembly line workers, each plays a role in the building of a car, and thus each contributes to the car's quality as revealed in some variance measure. To help control variance and increase quality in the assembly of a vehicle, manufacturers turn to quality control initiatives.
Interrater Reliability of the Braden and Braden Q by Skin Champion Nurses.

Abstract The interrater reliability of the Braden Q skin risk assessment scale has never been reported. The purpose of the study was to assess the interrater reliability among pediatric Skin Champion (SC) nurses with the use of the Braden and Braden Q scales. The pilot study included 16 paired SC nurses. Each pair of nurses attempted to assess 8 patients using the Braden and Braden Q scales. However, patient care requirements at the time of the study assessments limited the number slightly. The actual number of assessments with the Braden scale was n = 52 and the Braden Q was n = 63. The Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC) for the Braden scale was 0.894, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.823, 0.938), which is excellent agreement. The ICC for the Braden Q was 0.726, 95% CI (0.585, 0.824), which is fair to good agreement. Among the six subcategories on the Braden scale, mobility and activity had higher agreement scores among the SC nurses. Among the seven subcategories on the Braden Q scale, mobility and sensory perception had higher agreement scores. Nutrition and friction/shear subcategories on both scales had the lowest agreement scores. Subcategories with the lowest agreement usually have the greatest measurement error. Possible sources of error include unclear definitions of scoring criteria, different clinical data pulled from different locations in the chart. Error can be reduced by clarifying the subcategory definitions and standardizing the data used for the assessment and the location of each data point in the EMR. A high interrater agreement is the goal because it provides confidence that the scale is used reliably to identify high risk patients who require additional care to prevent harmful events.
Despite Active Public Health Campaigns, Death from Falls Increased 30% in the Past Decade: Is Ageism Part of the Barrier to Self-Awareness?

Public health messaging campaigns stating that falls are bad and can be prevented are not effective, as evidenced by a 30% increase in death from falls over the past decade. A first approach is to use measures of balance to show the magnitude of the problem. Second, the role of ageism as a barrier to required behavioral change should be addressed. Third, explanations should be provided regarding why mobility and balance have changed. As a counter to ageism, pros and cons for specific interventions and how these maximize momentum and mobility should be discussed
Quantification of Effector Binding to the Hemoglobin Central Cavity by Intrinsic and Extrinsic Steady-State Fluorescence

The relative intrinsic and extrinsic fluorescence of hemoglobins are established markers of the R (oxy) → T (deoxy) transition and reveal site-specific conformational differences amongst hemoglobin (Hb) mutants. The Hb central cavity has been probed by binding the fluorescent analogue of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, 8-hydroxy-1,3,6-pyrenetrisulfonate (HPT). An approach to quantify binding of HPT to HbC (β6 Lys) and HbA (β6 Glu), by steady-state front-face fluorescence spectroscopy using both the intrinsic and extrinsic emissions, is presented. When HPT specifically binds to Hb, efficient fluorescence energy transfer from the intrinsic fluorescence of Hb to HPT occurs, decreasing the intrinsic fluorescence of Hb that plateaus upon stoichiometric binding. HPT fluorescence is significantly but not totally quenched upon binding to HbA and HbC. HPT exhibits a molecular binding ratio of 2:1 to HbC, in contrast to HbA (1:1 binding). The apparent secondary binding site for HbC is weaker (KD1 = 25 μM vs. KD2 = 0.15 mM). Conformational alterations of HbC at the αα and ββ clefts of the central cavity are further supported by these data.
Communication—Black GaAs with Sub-Wavelength Nanostructures Fabricated via Lithography-Free Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching

A practical nanofabrication process is detailed here for the generation of black GaAs. Discontinuous thin films of Au nanoparticles are electrodeposited onto GaAs substrates to catalyze site-specific etching in a solution of KMnO4 and HF according to the metal-assisted chemical etching mechanism. This provides a solution-based and lithography-free method for fabricating sub-wavelength nanostructure arrays that exhibit solar-weighted reflectance approaching 4 %. This two-step benchtop process can be entirely performed at room-temperature without lithographic patterning or vacuum instrumentation, providing an alternative high-throughput nanotexturing approach for thin-film photovoltaics applications.
Coccolithophore distributions of the North and South Atlantic Ocean

Abstract We present average coccolithophore and associated biogeochemical results from ten Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) cruises between 50oN-50oS, results that show a number of unique observations across this massive data set. Lowest concentrations of coccolithophores were consistently found in equatorial waters. Highest concentrations of coccolithophore cells and coccoliths were associated with temperate, sub-polar environments. Concentrations of detached coccoliths were dispersed to ∼300m depth and show low inter-cruise variance. Coccolithophore cell concentrations in the subtropics remain highest at 1 while all other waters showed BSi:PIC ratios
The Impact of Enhancement, Degree of Doneness, and USDA Quality Grade on Beef Flavor Development

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of enhancement, degree of doneness (DOD), and USDA quality grade on beef volatile flavor compounds from cooked strip loin steaks. This study also aimed to evaluate relationships between volatile compounds and consumer sensory responses. Beef strip loins (n = 72; 24/grade) of 3 quality grades (USDA Prime, Low Choice, and Low Select) were enhanced (8% of green weight with brine containing 0.35% salt and 0.4% sodium phosphate) or not enhanced, and cooked to 3 DOD (Rare: 60°C; Medium: 71°C; Very Well Done: 83°C) before volatile analysis. Volatile compounds were evaluated through a split-plot design where enhancement level and quality grade were used as the whole plot factors and DOD served as the subplot factor. Principal component analysis (PCA) was utilized to explore relationships between volatile compounds, consumer response, and treatments. The majority of compounds (n = 32) were impacted (P 0.05). In agreement, PCA indicated volatile compound production was primarily driven by degree of doneness and quality grade. There was no strong link between enhancement and beef volatile flavor compound development, despite the dramatically improved flavor liking scores from consumers.
Challenges to Effective Evaluation of Assistive Technology

Evaluation in the context of assistive technology can take several forms. Engineers evaluate the devices and technologies they develop. Clinicians perform clinical evaluations to decide which device(s) are most appropriate for their client. Finally, researchers hope to evaluate the long-term outcomes of assistive technology interventions. Evaluating a new assistive technology in the lab can be complicated by small user populations and the lack of universally accepted performance measures. The obstacles to effective clinical evaluations include the wide variety of devices that can meet each client’s needs and the limited time and resources available to clinicians and their clients. Evaluating assistive technology outcomes is a relatively new pursuit, with many open questions.
Perceptions of Terrorism and Counterterrorism: Fear, Risk and the 2016 Trump Effect

Our study examines respondents’ perceptions of terrorism and counterterrorism in the USA during the 2016 presidential campaign. It does so by conducting an experiment where a group of respondents were randomly assigned to a vivid example of a terrorist attack and another group did not receive this treatment. The study’s results find opposing individual perceptions of the job government is doing to protect the country from terrorism and on differences among respondents as to the root causes of terrorism. Our research points to one explanation of this difference: Americans feel there is little they can do about terrorism and though the government is working to protect the nation, the public feels the government cannot stop, only prevent, terrorist acts from occurring. This causes the public to shift their perceptions of terrorism away from questions of efficient public policy responses to one of values. The experiment suggests heightened levels of fear among 2016 Trump voters who received the treatment compared to both Republican voters and Clinton supporters, though control and treatment groups also showed variation. Finally, this work highlights a major challenge for counter-terrorism policymakers in dealing with a highly polarized public. Recent electoral campaigns have demonstrated that politicians are actively trying to politicize terrorism. This work provides evidence that these efforts are resonating among the public. The danger of politicizing terrorism is that it blocks efforts to find common ground, between polarized groups in society in keeping the nation safe.
Webs of Supportive Relationships: A Positive Youth Development Approach to Career and Workforce Development with Risk-Immersed Youth

As major social, political, and economic trends reshape the nature of work and careers worldwide, communities are confronted with the challenge of preparing youth to navigate an increasingly complex occupational landscape. For risk-immersed youth, significant barriers across developmental contexts may disrupt progress along productive career pathways. Relationships represent a fundamental vehicle through which to deliver key social supports to empower youth to manage adversity, express resilience, and leverage career and workforce development (CWD) opportunities. This chapter proposes a Webs of Support framework as an example of a strengths-based, relationship-focused, positive youth development (PYD) framework within which CWD approaches can be situated to provide the comprehensive developmental resources necessary to help youth thrive. The authors provide recommendations to assist practitioners, scholars, and policymakers in advancing this relationships-focused PYD approach to facilitate improved CWD outcomes for risk-immersed youth across diverse contexts.
Semiempirical Model for Homogeneous Nitrogen Condensation in Hypersonic Wind Tunnels

A semiempirical density gradient theory (DGT) is used to model nanoscale nitrogen droplets formed by homogeneous nucleation. The constant of the inhomogeneous DGT term is found using planar surface...
Pre-operative aerobic exercise on metabolic health and surgical outcomes in patients receiving bariatric surgery: A pilot trial

Objective Examine if adding aerobic exercise to standard medical care (EX+SC) prior to bariatric surgery improves metabolic health in relation to surgical outcomes. Methods Fourteen bariatric patients (age: 42.3±2.5y, BMI: 45.1±2.5 kg/m2) met inclusion criteria and were match-paired to pre-operative SC (n = 7) or EX+SC (n = 7; walking 30min/d, 5d/wk, 65-85% HRpeak) for 30d. A 120min mixed meal tolerance test was performed pre- and post-intervention (~2d prior to surgery) to assess insulin sensitivity (Matsuda Index) and metabolic flexibility (indirect calorimetry). Aerobic fitness (VO2peak), body composition (BodPod), and adipokines (adiponectin, leptin) were also measured. Omental adipose tissue was collected during surgery to quantify gene expression of adiponectin and leptin, and operating time and length of hospital stay were recorded. ANOVA and Cohen's d effect size (ES) was used to test group differences. Results SC tended to increase percent body fat (P = 0.06) after the intervention compared to EX+SC. Although SC and EX+SC tended to raise insulin sensitivity (P = 0.11), EX+SC enhanced metabolic flexibility (P = 0.01, ES = 1.55), reduced total adiponectin (P = 0.01, ES = 1.54) with no change in HMW adiponectin and decreased the length of hospital stay (P = 0.05) compared to SC. Albeit not statistically significant, EX+SC increased VO2peak 2.9% compared to a 5.9% decrease with SC (P = 0.24, ES = 0.91). This increased fitness correlated to shorter operating time (r = -0.57, P = 0.03) and length of stay (r = -0.58, P = 0.03). Less omental total adiponectin (r = 0.52, P = 0.09) and leptin (r = 0.58, P = 0.05) expression correlated with shorter operating time, and low leptin expression was linked to shorter length of stay (r = 0.70, P = 0.01), and low leptin expression was linked to shorter length of stay (r = 0.70, P = 0.01). Conclusion Adding pre-operative aerobic exercise to standard care may improve surgical outcomes through a fitness and adipose tissue derived mechanism.
Epistemicide: the Roman Case

The desire to recover and preserve the antiquity that in some circles is designated as “classical” is rooted in the conviction that knowledge of that antiquity is a good. But does (or should) awareness of the epistemicides that define Greco-Roman antiquity modify the texture of that desire? Relying on the definition of epistemicide proposed by the postcolonial theorist Boaventura de Sousa Santos, this article argues that the Roman Republic and Empire engineered a staggering loss of epistemic diversity throughout the ancient Mediterranean, traceable along multiple vectors — from mass enslavement to ecological upheaval. It concludes with a summons to come to terms with the scope of ancient Rome’s epistemicide, and to embrace the epistemological and ethical recalibration needed to write its history.
Preparation and Characterization of Biobased Lignin-Co-Polyester/Amide Thermoplastics.

More than 23 million tonnes of lignin are produced annually in the US from wood pulping and 98% of this lignin is burnt. Therefore, creating products from lignin, such as plastics, offers an approach for obtaining sustainable materials in a circular economy. Lignin-based copolymers were synthesized using a single pot, solvent free, melt condensation reaction. The synthesis occurred in two stages. In the first stage, a biobased prepolymer consisting of butanediol (BD, 0.8–1 molar content) and a diacid (succinic (SA), adipic (AA) and suberic acids (SuA), with varying amounts of diaminobutane (DAB, 0–0.2 molar content) was heated under vacuum and monitored by Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In the second stage, prepolymer was mixed with a softwood kraft lignin (0–50 wt.%) and further reacted under vacuum at elevated temperature. Progression of the polymerization reaction was monitored using FTIR spectroscopy. The lignin-copolyester/amide properties were characterized using tensile testing, X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. Lignin co-polymer tensile (strength 0.1–2.1 MPa and modulus 2 to 338 MPa) properties were found to be influenced by the diacid chain length, lignin, and DAB contents. The lignin-copolymers were shown to be semi-crystalline polymer and have thermoplastic behavior. The SA based copolyesters/amides were relatively stiff and brittle materials while the AA based copolyesters/amides were flexible and the SuA based copolyesters/amides fell in-between. Additionally, > 30 wt.% lignin the lignin- copolyesters/amides did not exhibit melt behavior. Lignin-co-polyester/amides can be generated using green synthesis methods from biobased building blocks. The lignin- copolyesters/amides properties could be tuned based on the lignin content, DAB content and diacid chain length. This approach shows that undervalued lignin can be used in as a macromonomer in producing thermoplastic materials.
“The revolution will not be supervised”: Consent and open secrets in data science

The social impacts of computer technology are often glorified in public discourse, but there is growing concern about its actual effects on society. In this article, we ask: how does “consent” as a...
Loss of SELENOF Induces the Transformed Phenotype in Human Immortalized Prostate Epithelial Cells

SELENOF is a member of the class of selenoproteins in which the amino acid selenocysteine is co-translationally inserted into the elongating peptide in response to an in-frame UGA codon located in the 3'-untranslated (3'-UTR) region of the SELENOF mRNA. Polymorphisms in the 3'-UTR are associated with an increased risk of dying from prostate cancer and these variations are functional and 10 times more frequent in the genomes of African American men. SELENOF is dramatically reduced in prostate cancer compared to benign adjacent regions. Using a prostate cancer tissue microarray, it was previously established that the reduction of SELENOF in the cancers from African American men was significantly greater than in cancers from Caucasian men. When SELENOF levels in human prostate immortalized epithelial cells were reduced with an shRNA construct, those cells acquired the ability to grow in soft agar, increased the ability to migrate in a scratch assay and acquired features of energy metabolism associated with prostate cancer. These results support a role of SELENOF loss in prostate cancer progression and further indicate that SELENOF loss and genotype may contribute to the disparity in prostate cancer mortality experienced by African American men.
Biology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the humoral immunoresponse: A systematic review of evidence to support global policy-level actions and research

Abstract Background Both population-level epidemiological data and individual-level biological data are needed to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Population-level data are widely available and efforts to combat COVID-19 have generated proliferate data on the biology and immunoresponse to the causative pathogen, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, there remains a paucity of systemized data on this subject. Objective In this review, we attempt to extract systemized data on the biology and immuno-response to SARS-CoV-2 from the most up-to-date peer-reviewed studies. We will focus on the biology of the virus and immunological variations that are key for determining long-term immunity, transmission potential, and prognosis. Data Sources and Methods Peer-reviewed articles were sourced from the PubMed database and by snowballing search of selected publications. Search terms included: “Novel Coronavirus” OR “COVID-19” OR “SARS-CoV-2” OR “2019-nCoV” AND “Immunity” OR “Immune Response” OR “Antibody Response” OR “Immunologic Response”. Studies published from December 31, 2019 to December 31, 2020 were included. To ensure validity, papers in pre-print were excluded. Results Of 2,889 identified papers, 36 were included. Evidence from these studies suggests early seroconversion in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Antibody titers appear to markedly increase two weeks after infection, followed by a plateau. A more robust immune response is seen in patients with severe COVID-19 as opposed to mild or asymptomatic presentations. This trend persists with regard to the length of antibody maintenance. However, overall immunity appears to wane within two to three months post-infection. Conclusion Findings of this study indicate that immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 follow the general pattern of viral infection. Immunity generated through natural infection appears to be short, suggesting a need for long-term efforts to control the pandemic. Antibody testing will be essential to gauge the epidemic and inform decision-making on effective strategies for treatment and prevention. Further research is needed to illustrate immunoglobulin-specific roles and neutralizing antibody activity.
Quasilinear Reaction Diffusion Models For Exothermic Reaction

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the quasilinear reaction diffusion models for exothermic reaction. The chapter mentions an idealized model of irreversible chemical reaction. Actual chemical reactions involve a large number of chemical species and many intermediate chemical reactions. For example, it is argued that the production of water by combination of molecular hydrogen and molecular oxygen is described by a reaction sequence involving eight chemical species and a minimum of sixteen reactions whereas a more complicated process such as methane oxidation involves twelve chemical species and twenty two reactions. In an effort to make such processes analytically and computationally tractable various idealized models have been put forth. General principles of chemical thermodynamics postulate that closed balanced systems attract to constant steady states.
Age and sexual assault in correctional facilities: a blocked opportunity approach

We use data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to examine the effects of age on the risk of sexual and physical assault in prisons and jails. Our evidence suggests that male inmates of all ages tend to sexually assault young men. The preference for the young is much stronger for sexual than for physical assault, which suggests that the young are sexually assaulted because of their sexual attractiveness rather than because of their vulnerability. We argue that the strong relationship between sexual attractiveness and age reduces opportunities for consensual sex among older inmates. As a result of blocked opportunities for consensual sex, older men are much more likely to commit sexual assault than one would expect, given the general tendency of young men to be more violent. Thus, the age-attractiveness relationship can parsimoniously explain the contrasting age patterns one observes for offenders and victims. Language: en
Integrated problem-based learning in the neuroscience curriculum – the SUNY Downstate experience

Background This paper reports the author's initial experience as Block Director in converting a Conventional Curriculum into a problem-based learning model (PBL) for teaching Psychopathology. As part of a wide initiative in curriculum reform, Psychopathology, which was a six-week course in the second-year medical school curriculum, became integrated into a combined Neuroscience block. The study compares curriculum conversion at State University of New York (SUNY), Downstate, with the experiences at other medical centres that have instituted similar curricula reform.
Large Shareholders and the Value of Takeover Defenses

Takeover defenses are generally viewed as a tool used by entrenched managers to prevent raiders from taking over the firm. As a consequence, activist groups interested in governance reform have recently been arguing for the elimination of such defenses. In this paper we analyze the value impact of takeover defenses when looking at the takeover market as one component of the overall governance system of the firm. We demonstrate that governance reform that attempts to eliminate takeover defenses is not necessarily optimal for shareholders. The key insight of the model is that a company may be monitored by two distinct entities: an "active" outside raider and a large (institutional) shareholder. The paper finds that an ex-ante commitment to a more aggressive takeover defense strategy will result in both a decrease in the incentive of potential raiders to search for a value-increasing takeover as well as an increase in the incentive of the large institutional shareholder to monitor current management. Thus, the model offers a motivation as to why takeover defenses may increase the ex-ante value of the firm. An analysis of the resulting equilibrium generates several empirical predictions with respect to the conditions under which this is the case.
Shedding of decidua during uterine pregnancy and its clinical significance.

D URING pregnancy the uterine mucosa undergoes characteristic changes which are known as decidual reaction. At one time, the decidual transformation was considered the histologic characteristic of the endometrium alone. With the accumulated knowledge it was learned that decidual tissue may he Sound not only in the endometrium but in the cervix also. Bayer1 is being credited with the first’ (1885) demonstration of decidual tissue in the cervix. A number of publications appeared in the literature since then. Some authors described localized elevations or nodules upon the portio vaginalis uteri. Others saw this tissue within the cervical canal or at the external OS, appearing as polyps or tumorlike structures. Still others found de&dual cells in the cervical erosions. Most, of the writers considered their findings unusually rare. While in some cases the occurrence of deeidual tissue in the uterine cervix may have only an academic interest, in others it is associated wit,h a symptomatology which might confuse the diagnosis and alter the prognosis of the pregnancy, unless the true nature of the lesion be recognized. The present author’s case, which differed essentially from others, emphasizes this point clearly. The tissue in question, found in the cervical canal of an early pregnancy, resembled grossly fetal membranes. This finding aroused fear for the pregnancy itself and raised the question of proper treatment. To emphasize the diagnost.ic pitfalls and their avoidance is the purpose of this report and its justification.