cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surgical Management of Renal Cystic Disease

The kidney is one of the most common sites for cyst in the body (prevalence about 5%). Symptomatic or incidental cyst needs to be characterized further based on Bosniak classification as simple (Bosniak type I & II) or complex (Bosniak type III & IV) cysts with respect to risk of malignancy or other effects on the kidney. The management of simple cysts is entirely for its symptoms or complications (eg, hemorrhage, infection, hydronephrosis, and hypertension). Percutaneous aspiration alone or with sclerotherapy often is the first-line treatment. Surgical decortication generally is reserved for recurrent or very large symptomatic cysts. Laparoscopic surgery is highly efficacious and is associated with high satisfaction rates with minimal morbidity. Retroperitoneal approach is generally preferred, especially in infected or hydatid renal cyst to avoid spillage or contamination of virgin peritoneal cavity. Cyst decortication seems to be an appropriate indication for newer-emerging single-port laparoscopic approaches such as natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery, single-incision laparoscopic surgery, or laparoendoscopic single-site surgery. Where available, robot-assisted surgical management can supplant pure laparoscopic management for complex cysts, hydatid cyst, peripelvic cyst, and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease without any outstanding benefits, but with added cost, when robot is used.
Automatic classification of respiratory signals

The authors present an automatic classification algorithm which is used to classify respiratory signals into the following categories: (1) normal respiration, (2) respiration with artifacts, and (3) apnea. When the recorded signal is scored as respiration, respiration rate estimates are computed. Results obtained using pilot data show good agreement with the classifications obtained by manual scoring methods. >
Biochemical Systems Theory With Applications To Metabolic Control

An appropriate language or formalism with which to analyze organizationally complex biochemical or metabolic systems has been sought for several decades. The principal advantage of the Linear Formalism is a regular structure that has allowed development of general results, which can be easily applied to any of the innumerable special cases that are represented within this general form. The focus provided by this systematically structured representation has led to an array of powerful methods and made linear analysis the paradigm of successful analysis. Are there other formalisms that might possess similar properties, but be applicable to a large class of problems that are nonlinear? The Power-Law Formalism [ 1,2] is an example of such a canonical nonlinear representation, which provides the basis for a theory of intact biochemical systems that is called Biochemical Systems Theory. We shall (1) review its origins as a local nonlinear representation, (2) present a recasting algorithm that allows a wide class of nonlinear functions to be systematically transformed into this canonical form, (3) discuss the advantages of numerical methods that take advantage of this regular structure, and (4) review application of these techniques to problems of metabolic control.
Sandra Cisneros’s The House on Mango Street: (Collective) Memory Resonating from “the Barrio”

“The people I wrote about were real, for the most part, from here and there, now and then, but sometimes three real people would be braided together into one made-up person… I cut apart and stitched together events to tailor the story, gave it shape so it had a beginning, middle, and end, because real life stories rarely come to us complete. Emotions, though, can’t be invented, can’t be borrowed. All the emotions my characters feel, good or bad are mine.” (xxiii) Although Sandra Cisneros draws on autobiographical elements in The House on Mango Street (1984) , her novella does not stand for an autobiography, but it rather represents a collage of events, characters, and places that independently from one another constitute vignettes. These vignettes are not necessarily chronologically related, yet they make up a whole of voices, stories, colors, and movements that once reverberated along Mango Street. Through her (Cisneros’s) stories, Esperanza Cordero’s stories, and Esperanza’s neighbors’ stories, Cisneros conveys the Southwestern Latino experience of the big city and the streets, of the barrios that is . Taking my cue from Cisneros’s “The House on Mango Street,” I will try to examine how personal experiences become memories and those memories transcend into stories. Is what comes from experience and memory that makes writing strong, powerful, persuasive, and to a certain extent relatable? Have Cisneros’s memories, reflected in Esperanza’s living experience and language contributed to the Latino’s collective memory of the life in the barrios coupled with racism, poverty and shame? On that note, I shall see how Maurice Halbwachs’s concept of collective memory applies to Cisneros’ story and the Latino experience, where Latinos’ memory is dependent upon the life in the barrio within which the majority were/are situated.
When Dads Help: Male Behavioral Care During Primate Infant Development

In contrast to birds, male mammals rarely help to raise the offspring. Of all mammals, only among rodents, carnivores, and primates, males are sometimes intensively engaged in providing infant care (Kleiman and Malcolm 1981). Male caretaking of infants has long been recognized in nonhuman primates (Itani 1959). Given that infant care behavior can have a positive effect on the infant’s development, growth, well-being, or survival, why are male mammals not more frequently involved in “building babies”? We begin the chapter defining a few relevant terms and introducing the theory and hypotheses that have historically addressed the evolution of paternal care. We then review empirical findings on male care among primate taxa, before focusing, in the final section, on our own work on paternal care in South American owl monkeys (Aotus spp.). We conclude the chapter with some suggestions for future studies.
Data center power minimization with placement optimization of liquid-cooled servers and free air cooling ☆

Abstract Most of today's data centers are equipped with servers that rely on air cooling, which is well known to have low cooling efficiency due to undesired air recirculation. As a result, many data centers have started to adopt liquid cooling and free air cooling for improved cooling efficiency. In this paper, we make two key observations. First, since data centers normally replace only a portion of their servers at a time, an important problem is where in the data center to place those new liquid-cooled servers for the best return on their investment. Given the complex thermal dynamics in a data center, we find, in our process of deploying liquid-cooled servers, different placement strategies lead to significantly different cooling power consumption. Second, different cooling techniques, including traditional air cooling, liquid cooling, and the emerging free air cooling, must be intelligently coordinated with dynamic workload allocation in order to minimize the cooling and server power of a data center. Based on the two observations, we propose SmartPlace, an intelligent placement algorithm that deploys liquid-cooled servers to minimize the power consumption of the data center cooling system. SmartPlace also takes into account the coordination with free air cooling and dynamic workload distribution among servers for jointly minimized cooling and server power in the entire data center. We compare SmartPlace with a state-of-the-art cooling optimization solution for two data centers with 1,280 and 10,240 servers, respectively. The results show that SmartPlace achieves up to 26.7% (with an average of 15%) less total power consumption with dynamically guaranteed application response time. Our hardware testbed results also demonstrate the effectiveness of SmartPlace. Moreover, we analyze how soon a data center can gain a full return on the capital investment of liquid-cooled servers.
The Interaction of Liquid and Vapor Water with Nearly Defect-Free and Defective TiO2(100) Surfaces

The interaction of both liquid and vapor water on nearly defect-free and defective TiO 2 (100) surfaces has been investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS). The study has focused on examining electronic or chemical defects as created in vacuum and after exposure to both liquid and vapor water. Defective surfaces were prepared by electron-beam exposure and Ar + bombardment. For a nearly defect-free (100)1×1 surface, water coverage was ∼0.02 ML (1ML = 2.9×10 15 /cm 2 ) at 10 4 L exposure to low vapor pressure water, ∼0.08 ML at 10 8 L exposure to higher vapor pressure water, and ∼0.12 ML with liquid water exposure, respectively. Defect intensities were greatly reduced after exposing defective surfaces to ∼10 2 L low vapor pressure water. More significantly, electron-beam induced defects were completely removed upon higher-pressure vapor exposure (>10 4 L) or liquid water exposure, while defects created by Ar + bombardment were only partially removed. The adsorption behavior and surface defect reactivity for TiO 2 (100) 1×1 surfaces were compared with those for TiO 2 (110) surfaces. The adsorption rates for nearly defect-free (100) 1×1 and (110) surfaces are comparable. However, the rate of defect “healing” for a defective (100) surface is much faster than that for a defective (110) surface.
Comments on a proposed «new» approach for selecting agents for the biological control of weeds

The “new approach” to selecting biological control agents, as proposed by Hokkanen and Pimentel in 1984, through the use of new exploiter–victim associations is inappropriate for the biological control of weeds because of certain misconceptions in their method. Examples of biological control of weeds cited in their analysis were biased towards cactaceous insects, and cacti are not representative of target weeds. Several of their “new” associations were inaccurate. These inaccuracies are discussed and additional examples are provided to refute the proposed method. Contrary to the recommendation of Hokkanen and Pimentel, new exploiter-victim associations offer limited opportunities for biological control of non-cactaceous weeds with insects, and should not be used as the preferred method in selecting biotic agents for the biological control of weeds.
Development of a Sampling Program for Estimation of Pupal Densities of Green Cloverworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Soybeans and Evaluation of Alternative Sampling Procedures

Intensive surveys of pupal green cloverworms (GCW), Plathypena scabra (F.), were conducted in six soybean fields during 1979 and 1980 to develop a sampling program suitable for life table research. Nested analyses of variance (NANOVA) demonstrated that differences within soil-surface sample sites and among plant canopy samples accounted for >95% of the total variation observed in pupal densities. NANOVA also indicated that simple random sampling plans are satisfactory for pupal surveys. Calculation of an optimal sample unit size showed that an area 60 by 50 cm, centered over the soybean row, represented the best compromise between sampling cost and precision. Sequential count plans, based on Taylor's power law, were calculated for estimating pupal densities with three predetermined precision levels. Evaluation of fixed-time and single-date pupal sampling techniques suggested that the former method is a potential time-saving alternative to intensive survey procedures and that the latter method is too imprecise for GCW pupal life table studies.
Research on the Mechanism of Industry Structure in Dali Baizu Autonomy State

After managing the white clan autonomy state lag of the economic social development greatly,current nature of,the rea-son of the history,also have the factor of the policy,the system effect,but more important still lie in the oneself industrial structure's fall behind with the low effect.Yunnan manages the typical model characteristic that the industrial structure of the white clan auton-omy state has the race region greatly,its three greatest industries and it changed to reflect western region the development track and special featureses of the economy in the race region,therefore,how press the industrial structure that the request of the market econ-omy speeds the national autonomy region excellent turn is the race main topic of the economic development.
Characteristics and Influential Factors of Chang 6 Reservoir of Panlong Oilfield in Ordos Basin

Through analyzing large amount of casting thin sections and geological data of the study area,pore types,petrological characteristics,porosity,permeability characteristics and pore structures of Chang 6 reservoir of Panlong oilfield in Ordos basin were studied,influential factors for reservoir properties were analyzed.The results show that petrological characteristics of Chang 6 reservoir in Panlong oilfield is low compositional maturity and high structural maturity.The lithology of Chang 6 reservoir is fine-grained and fine-medium grained feldspar sandstone,lithic feldspathic sandstone.Main reservoir spaces are pores.The small throat is main seepage channels of Chang 6 oil flowing.It's typical low porosity and low permeability reservoir.Cementation type is porosity-film type,contact relationship is linear,uneven contact is also very common.Main influential factors for physical properties of Chang-6 reservoir include microfacies,sandstone material composition,compaction and pressure dissolution,dissolution and post-crack,in which depositional environment of the reservoir sands is the most important influential factor for reservoir properties in the area.
Improving the health of the nation: HRSA's mission to achieve health equity.

Mary Wakefield, PhD, RNa Improving the health status of the United States is predicated on reducing and eventually eliminating health disparities and achieving health equity. Meaningfully addressing health disparities is complex work and involves considering what are, at times, seemingly unrelated factors. Recognizing this challenge, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently hosted an inter-professional summit titled Nursing in 3D: Workforce Diversity, Health Disparities, and Social Determinants of Health. The speakers included experts in nursing, health workforce, epidemiology, and public health who presented recent findings on complex connections among workforce diversity, health disparities, and social determinants of health. The interplay of these factors is not a new focus for HRSA; in fact, the basis for some of the meeting’s agenda was drawn from an earlier HRSA report titled “The Rationale for Diversity in the Health Professions: A Review of the Evidence.”1 The report shows that patients are best served by providers who are knowledgeable and conversant in the background and culture of the patients for whom they care. Through these and many other related efforts, HRSA has engaged a sharp focus on eliminating disparities in health outcomes and enhancing health equity across the populations served by our programs. An essential element in this effort is building a culturally and linguistically diverse health workforce by increasing both minority participation in the health professions and the cultural competency of all health professionals. Increased diversity among health professionals leads to improved patient satisfaction, patient-clinician communication, and access to care for racial/ethnic minority patients.2 Consequently, for many of HRSA’s health professions training grants, the agency requires grant applicants (generally health professions schools) to identify in their applications innovative programs and institutional strategies to effectively develop and retain a diverse and culturally competent workforce. Such strategies often include supporting activities to recruit diverse students and provide cultural competency training. During academic year 2011–2012, 46% of graduates and individuals who completed training and received direct financial support through one of HRSA’s Title VII or Title VIII programs were from underrepresented minority groups and/or disadvantaged backgrounds.3 HRSA is evaluating these strategies and incentives to identify and expand on
Is brand alliance always beneficial to firms

Abstract In this research, we develop a fresh analytical model to examine the impact of brand quality on the firms’ performances when two firms selling substitute products form a brand alliance. Our results indicate that when two products have equal brand qualities, brand alliance is always a beneficial strategy for two firms to employ. However, when two products have different brand qualities, brand quality differential shows a positive relationship with the profit of the firm with the low-quality brand but demonstrates a negative relationship with the profit of the firm with the high-quality brand in the brand alliance. Our results also show that brand quality differential has a greater effect on the profit of the firm with the high-quality brand than on that of the firm with the low-quality brand. In addition, we find that brand alliance becomes much more valuable to the firm with the high-quality brand when the brand quality differential decreases, but the value of brand alliance has a concave relationship with the profit of the firm with the low-quality brand when the brand quality differential increases.
Evaluation of quantitative assays for the identification of direct signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) inhibitors

// Steffanie L. Furtek 1 , Christopher J. Matheson 1 , Donald S. Backos 1 , Philip Reigan 1 1 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA Correspondence to: Philip Reigan, email: philip.reigan@ucdenver.edu Keywords: STAT3, FP assay, ELISA, lnhibitors, niclosamide Received: August 02, 2016 Accepted: October 13, 2016 Published: October 25, 2016 ABSTRACT In many forms of cancer the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) transcription factor remains constitutively active, driving cancer survival and progression. The critical role of STAT3 in tumorigenesis has prompted a campaign of drug discovery programs to identify small molecules that disrupt the function of STAT3, with more recent efforts focusing on direct STAT3 inhibition. There are two target binding sites for direct STAT3 inhibitors: the SH2 dimerization domain and the DNA-binding domain. An in vitro fluorescence polarization assay, using recombinant STAT3 protein, has successfully identified compounds that target the SH2 domain; however, no assay has been reported to identify inhibitors that bind the DNA-binding domain. The lack of such a quantitative assay has limited the identification and development of STAT3 DNA-binding domain inhibitors. Here, we report a modified DNA-binding ELISA to incorporate recombinant STAT3 protein to evaluate small molecules that prevent STAT3-DNA binding. The concomitant use of the ELISA and fluorescence polarization assay enables the classification of direct STAT3 inhibitors by their site of action. Our data provide further support that niclosamide inhibits STAT3 through interaction with the DNA-binding domain. Furthermore, the ELISA can support medicinal chemistry efforts by identifying DNA-binding domain inhibitors and allowing the determination of an IC 50 value, supporting the ranking of inhibitors and development of structure-activity relationships. Therefore, we propose a tandem evaluation approach to identify small molecules that target the SH2 domain or the DNA-binding domain of STAT3, which allows for quantitative evaluation of candidate STAT3 inhibitors.
PSYCHOMETRIC AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING OF AN UNDERDETERMINED COMPUTER-BASED RESPONSE TYPE FOR QUANTITATIVE REASONING

This study evaluated the psychometric and cognitive functioning of a new computer-delivered response type for measuring quantitative reasoning skill. This open-ended, automatically scorable response type, called “Generating Examples,” presents underdetermined problems that can have many right answers. Two GE tests were randomly spiraled among a group of paid volunteers. The tests differed in the manipulation of specific item features hypothesized to affect difficulty. Both within-group correlational and between-group experimental analyses relating to internal consistency reliability, relations with external criteria, features that contribute to item difficulty, adverse impact, and examinee perceptions were performed. Results showed that GE scores were reasonably reliable, but only moderately related to the GRE quantitative section, suggesting the two tests might be tapping somewhat different skills. In the difficulty analyses, two of three item features manipulated had the predicted effect; these features were asking examinees to supply more than one correct answer and to identify whether an item was solvable. Our impact analyses detected no significant gender differences independent of those associated with the General Test. Finally, examinees were evenly divided as to whether they thought GE items provided a fairer indicator of their ability than multiple-choice items, but as in past studies, they overwhelmingly preferred to take more conventional questions.
FDTD based model of ISOCT imaging for validation of nanoscale sensitivity (Conference Presentation)

Many of the earliest structural changes associated with neoplasia occur on the micro and nanometer scale, and thus appear histologically normal. Our group has established Inverse Spectroscopic OCT (ISOCT), a spectral based technique to extract nanoscale sensitive metrics derived from the OCT signal. Thus, there is a need to model light transport through relatively large volumes (< 50 um^3) of media with nanoscale level resolution. Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) is an iterative approach which directly solves Maxwell’s equations to robustly estimate the electric and magnetic fields propagating through a sample. The sample’s refractive index for every spatial voxel and wavelength are specified upon a grid with voxel sizes on the order of λ/20, making it an ideal modelling technique for nanoscale structure analysis. Here, we utilize the FDTD technique to validate the nanoscale sensing ability of ISOCT. The use of FDTD for OCT modelling requires three components: calculating the source beam as it propagates through the optical system, computing the sample’s scattered field using FDTD, and finally propagating the scattered field back through the optical system. The principles of Fourier optics are employed to focus this interference field through a 4f optical system and onto the detector. Three-dimensional numerical samples are generated from a given refractive index correlation function with known parameters, and subsequent OCT images and mass density correlation function metrics are computed. We show that while the resolvability of the OCT image remains diffraction limited, spectral analysis allows nanoscale sensitive metrics to be extracted.
Abstract 084: Avoiding Heart Failure Readmissions

Background: Heart failure (HF) has high in-hospital mortality and is associated with high readmission rates. Reasons for and ways to avoid HF readmissions are unclear. We explored readmission diagn...
Epigenetics in SLE

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a severe autoimmune/inflammatory condition of unknown pathophysiology. Though genetic predisposition is essential for disease expression, risk alleles in single genes are usually insufficient to confer disease. Epigenetic dysregulation has been suggested as the missing link between genetic risk and the development of clinically evident disease. Over the past decade, epigenetic events moved into the focus of research targeting the molecular pathophysiology of SLE. Epigenetic alteration can be the net result of preceding infections, medication, diet, and/or other environmental influences. While altered DNA methylation and histone modifications had already been established as pathomechanisms, DNA hydroxymethylation was more recently identified as an activating epigenetic mark. Defective epigenetic control contributes to uncontrolled cytokine and co-receptor expression, resulting in immune activation and tissue damage in SLE. Epigenetic alterations promise potential as disease biomarkers and/or future therapeutic targets in SLE and other autoimmune/inflammatory conditions.
Nanomechanical characterization of IMCs formed in SAC solder joints subjected to isothermal aging

Isothermal aging of lead-free Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) solder joints leads to growth of intermetallic (IMC) particles in the solder bulk as well as growth of intermetallic layers at the joint interfaces with copper bond pads. Fracturing near the interfacial IMC layers is often found to be the primary reason for failures caused by drop impacts. The IMCs in SAC joints are primarily Ag s Sn and Cu 6 Sn 5 binary compounds. Cu-Ni-Sn based ternary IMCs can also form at the interface of Ni containing surface finish (i.e. ENIG) and SAC solder. The mechanical properties of these IMCs are very different than those of the Sn rich dendrites and Cu pads. Nanoindentation (NI) techniques are powerful tools to characterize mechanical properties of small particles and thin layers. In this study, the mechanical behaviors of IMC particles and layers in SAC solder joints have been characterized using nanoindentation. SAC bga solder joints were first aged for 6 months at T = 125 °C. Test samples were subsequently prepared by cross-sectioning the aged solder joints, and then molding them in epoxy and polishing them to prepare the joint surfaces for microscopy and nanoindentation. Intermetallics formed in the bulk solder region, copper pad and SAC solder interface, and ENIG plating finish and SAC solder interface were observed and detected using SEM and the energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) technique. The same intermetallics were then indented to measure their room temperature mechanical properties including the elastic modulus, hardness, and creep strain rate. To ensure the indentation occurred at the desired phase, SPM imaging was done prior and after the indentations. As expected, the measured properties of the IMCs were significantly higher than the Sn-matrix forming the solder joints. The measured elastic modulus and hardness values were 98.1 ± 6.3 and 5.80 ± 0.70 GPa for the Cu 6 Sn 5 layers at the joint and copper bond pad interfaces, 132.5 ± 4.5 and 8.58 ± 1.13 GPa for the Cu 1-x Ni x ) 6 Sn 5 layers at the joint and ENIG plating finish interfaces, and 75.2 ± 4.0 and 3.085 ± 0.50 GPa for the AgsSn IMC particles in the solder joint bulk. These are all much higher than the values of 42.7 ± 2.3 and 0.21 ± 0.12 GPa measured for the β-Sn phase in the solder joint bulk. Creep testing performed at 25 °C revealed that the (Cu 1−x Ni x )6Sn 5 IMC layers had the lowest steady state secondary creep rate of 1.088 × 10−3 sec−1, whereas the Cu6Sn5 layers had a creep rate of 1.66 × 10−3 sec−1, and the Ag s Sn IMC particles had a creep rate of 2.34 ×10−3 s−1. The creep stress exponents were evaluated from log-log plots of the strain rate vs. applied stress data.
Health behaviors and union dissolution among parents of young children: Differences by marital status.

Previous research finds that marriage is associated with better health and lower mortality, and one of the mechanisms underlying this association is health-related selection out of marriage. Using longitudinal survey data from 2,348 couples from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, we examine whether certain health behaviors—smoking and binge drinking—are associated with risk of union dissolution among couples with young children. We use discrete time hazard models to test whether associations between health behaviors and union dissolution differ between married and cohabiting parents. We find no statistically significant association between binge drinking and union dissolution for either cohabiting or married couples. Parental smoking, however, is associated with union dissolution. On average, married and cohabiting couples in which both parents smoke have a higher risk of union dissolution than couples in which neither parent smokes. Additionally, father’s smoking (in couples in which the mother does not smoke) is associated with union dissolution, but only for married couples. These findings illustrate the importance of considering the health behaviors of both partners and provide further evidence of differences in union dissolution dynamics between married and cohabiting couples.
Estimating the Flashover Probability of Residential Fires Using Monte Carlo Simulations of the MQH Correlation

An important indicator of fire hazard in residential fires is the occurrence of flashover in the room of fire origin. Since the variability of residential fire scenarios is large, many different cases must be considered to evaluate the hazard of a given flammable product. Efficiently predicting the occurrence of flashover of a naturally ventilated compartment is possible using the correlation of McCaffrey, Quintiere, and Harkleroad (MQH). The large variability in United States (U.S.) living room fire scenarios is characterized from available data and propagated through the MQH correlation using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. For the parameters, for which no relevant data was found, uniform probability distributions were assumed. The scenarios sampled in the MC simulations generally fell within the range of scenarios for which the MQH correlation has been validated. Flashover probabilities were estimated for fires up to 5 MW in heat release rate (HRR) and up to 8 min in duration. It was found that fires with HRRs less than 400 kW have a flashover probability of less than 0.01% regardless of their duration. Typical furniture fires were used as example cases, and it was predicted that a three seat upholstered sofa with a peak HRR of 2.15 MW has a 90% chance of flashing over a randomly chosen U.S. living room. The results of a global sensitivity analysis indicates that the fire location parameter and the vent opening width are the most important parameters affecting the prediction of the occurrence of flashover in U.S. living rooms. The methodology presented is generalizable, and the results can be readily improved by the collection of more data and the use of higher fidelity fire models.
Multivariate Visualization by Density Estimation

Density estimation and related methods provide a powerful set of tools for visualization of data-based distributions in one, two, and higher dimensions. This chapter examines a variety of such estimators, as well as the various issues related to their theoretical quality and practical application.
Child Abuse, Sexual Assault, Community Violence and High School Graduation

Researchers from a range of disciplines have conducted studies to identify why one in five persons in the United States fails to complete high school. Our research contributes to this literature by exploring the link between violence victimization as a youth on subsequently dropping out of high school and years of schooling completed. This pathway has largely been neglected in prior studies, although about a third of all women and men report being the victim of violence prior to the age of 16. Using data drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R) and the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), our analysis reveals that females and males who are the victims violence are more likely to drop out of high school relative to their peers who report that they never were the victims of violence. In addition, these negative effects appear to be driven by the effect of home violence for both genders while men also experience negative effects from community violence.
Retrospective analysis of factors affecting clinical outcome following CHOP-based chemotherapy in dogs with primary nodal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Numerous factors are known to affect the prognosis of dogs with chemotherapy-treated lymphomas. However, prognostic factors for dogs with specific subtypes of lymphoma are less clearly defined. The objective of this study was to identify prognostic factors for dogs receiving CHOP-based chemotherapy for primary nodal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Medical records of dogs treated for DLBCL at the Purdue Veterinary Teaching Hospital (PUVTH) from 2006 to 2016 were reviewed. Factors potentially related to prognosis were analysed using multivariable statistical methods. Ninety-eight dogs were included in the study. Best overall response to chemotherapy was complete remission in 80 dogs (81.6%) and partial remission in 18 dogs (18.4%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) for the entire population was 252 days (range 19-1068). Factors significantly associated with achieving partial (rather than complete) remission following CHOP included presence of thrombocytopenia at diagnosis (OR 6.88; 95% CI 1.98-23.93; P = .002), baseline serum globulin concentration (OR 2.63; 95% CI 1.03-6.75; P = .044), and age at diagnosis (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.08-1.71; P = .009). Factors significantly associated with PFS in the lowest quartile (≤93 days) included presence of thrombocytopenia at diagnosis (OR 8.72; 95% CI 1.54-49.33; P = .014), age at diagnosis (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.12-1.94; P = .005), and baseline neutrophil count (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.02-1.37; P = .025). Presence of thrombocytopenia, greater age, higher neutrophil count, and higher serum globulin concentration all may be associated with a particularly poor outcome in dogs receiving CHOP-based chemotherapy for DLBCL.
A novel filtration approach to create small unilamellar liposomes for drug delivery

Nanoscale drug carriers have quickly risen to the forefront of translational research and promise to play a prominent role in point of care applications. The protocol for synthesizing these particles typically relies on extensive secondary post processing techniques (e.g. extrusion, dialysis, or ultracentrifugation) that are time consuming and can lead to a net loss in either the number of particles or amount of encapsulated molecules. Here we utilize filter centrifugation to efficiently purify and concentrate liposomal particle solutions. Using this technique, we are able to remove 99.99% of nonencapsulated molecules from solution in less than half of the time required for ultracentrifugation without net loss of particles from the solution.
Test reordering for improved scan chain diagnosis using an enhanced defect diagnosis procedure

A test reordering algorithm is presented to improve the results of scan chain diagnosis when a limited amount of fail data is collected by the tester. Tests are reordered based on information derived by applying an enhanced defect diagnosis procedure to the faulty units with scan defects. Tests that are found important for diagnosis of more faulty units are placed earlier in the test set based on the expectation that these tests will be useful for diagnosis of other faulty units as well. Experimental results collected for benchmark circuits in the presence of single and multiple scan chain defects indicate that reordering tests based on diagnostic information improves the quality of scan chain diagnosis when a limited amount of fail data is collected by the tester.
Bubbles and Trading Volume

Rational bubbles in stocks can cause increases in trading volume, even after accounting for their expansionary effect on output and consumption. Trading volume increases are not caused by speculation driven by differences in beliefs. Dividend-bearing assets used to transfer resources intertemporally reduce the need for portfolio rebalancing after a bad shock. Bubbles, on the contrary, do not produce dividends and require more rebalancing after a bad shock.
Regional amyloid accumulation and cognitive decline in initially amyloid-negative adults

Objective To assess whether global or regional changes in amyloid burden over 4 years predict early declines in episodic memory in initially amyloid-negative adults. Methods One hundred twenty-six initially amyloid-negative, cognitively normal participants (age 30–89 years) were included from the Dallas Lifespan Brain Study who completed florbetapir PET and a cognitive battery at baseline and 4-year follow-up. Standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) change was computed across 8 bilateral regions of interest. Using general linear models, we examined the relationship between change in global and regional SUVR and change in episodic memory, controlling for baseline SUVR, baseline memory, age, sex, education, and APOE status. Results In initially amyloid-negative adults, we detected a regionally specific relationship between declining episodic memory and increasing amyloid accumulation across multiple posterior cortical regions. In addition, these amyloid-related changes in memory persisted when we focused on middle-aged adults only and after controlling for atrophy in global cortical, hippocampal, and Alzheimer disease signature cortical volume. Conclusion Our results indicate that assessing regional changes in amyloid, particularly in posterior cortical regions, can aid in the early detection of subclinical amyloid-related decline in episodic memory as early as middle age. Future research incorporating tau and other markers of neurodegeneration is needed to clarify the sequence of events that lead to this early, subclinical memory decline.
Lawful tracking of visual motion in humans, macaques, and marmosets in a naturalistic, continuous, and untrained behavioral context

Much study of the visual system has focused on how humans and monkeys integrate moving stimuli over space and time. Such assessments of spatiotemporal integration provide fundamental grounding for the interpretation of neurophysiological data, as well as how the resulting neural signals support perceptual decisions and behavior. However, the insights supported by classical characterizations of integration performed in humans and rhesus monkeys are potentially limited with respect to both generality and detail: Standard tasks require extensive amounts of training, involve abstract stimulus-response mappings, and depend on combining data across many trials and/or sessions. It is thus of concern that the integration observed in classical tasks involves the recruitment of brain circuits that might not normally subsume natural behaviors, and that quantitative analyses have limited power for characterizing single-trial or single-session processes. Here we bridge these gaps by showing that three primate species (humans, macaques, and marmosets) track the focus of expansion of an optic flow field continuously and without substantial training. This flow-tracking behavior was volitional and reflected substantial temporal integration. Most strikingly, gaze patterns exhibited lawful and nuanced dependencies on random perturbations in the stimulus, such that repetitions of identical flow movies elicited remarkably similar eye movements over long and continuous time periods. These results demonstrate the generality of spatiotemporal integration in natural vision, and offer a means for studying integration outside of artificial tasks while maintaining lawful and highly reliable behavior.
Do Vaccines Cause Diabetes

Vaccines currently routinely recommended to the general population in the U.S. do not cause diabetes.
The Orientation Effect of the Agricultural Tunnel Greenhouse on Aerodynamic and Energy Properties

The aim of this present numerical study is to investigate the effect of solar radiation intensity and the variation of the wind velocity direction on the inside greenhouse temperature profile. The very important aerodynamic phenomenon which can be highlighted in this work, is to distinguish the three known laminar, transitory and turbulent air flow patterns and their simultaneous influence on temperature behavior that have compared with drag coefficient evolution according to Reynolds number variation. Using the Fluent software to resolve our problem aero-dynamical and thermal variation phenomena that occurred in the greenhouse environment have been combined. Where, the finite volume method was adopted to carry out the fullness elliptic partial differential equation problem. Where, the three dimensional mesh grid has been used to determine the computational domain geometry of the greenhouse section, moreover the external medium around the bluff body. The numerical study of the agricultural tunnel greenhouse exposed to a three-dimensional of air flow taken account in this work has been considered with two directions longitudinal and transversal at different values of the wind speed. The evolution of the temperature inside the greenhouse is influenced by the latter. Furthermore, the drag coefficient evolution with the wind velocity has been studied, and found in good agreement with the literature.
Robert R. Blake, With Recognition of Jane S. Mouton

This article reviews the life and contribution of Dr. Robert R. Blake, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994 from the International Association for Conflict Management for his pioneering work and prolific career in the field of conflict management. As a longtime co‐author and collaborator, Dr. Jane S. Mouton certainly would have been joint recipient of this award if it were not for her death in 1987: The vast majority of their research was published together. Jane Mouton and Robert Blake became famous for their promotion of the Managerial Leadership Grid and through their work as consultants to a variety of professions and organizations. But there is much more to Robert Blake's career and contributions than the Grid. Together, Blake and Mouton were tremendously influential in their work on managerial leadership and organizational development.
Exploring College Students’ Classroom Participation: A Case Study of A Developmental Literacy Classroom

This case study examined postsecondary students’ participation within a developmental literacy course, Reading 100. The study involved five weeks of observations and two student interviews. Finding...
Resistance of Postnatal Hippocampal Neurogenesis to Alcohol Toxicity in a Third Trimester‐Equivalent Mouse Model of Gestational Alcohol Exposure

Background The adult hippocampal dentate is comprised of both developmentally generated dentate granule cells (dDGCs) and adult-generated dentate granule cells (aDGCs), which play distinct roles in hippocampal information processing and network function. EtOH exposure throughout gestation in mouse impairs the neurogenic response to enriched environment (EE) in adulthood, although the basal rate of adult neurogenesis under standard housing (SH) is unaffected. Here, we tested whether the production and/or survival of either dDGCs or aDGCs are selectively impaired following exposure of mice to EtOH vapors during early postnatal development (human third trimester-equivalent), and whether this exposure paradigm leads to impairment of EE-mediated dentate neurogenesis in adulthood. Methods All experiments were performed using NestinCreERT2 :tdTomato bitransgenic mice, which harbor a tamoxifen-inducible tdTomato (tdTom) reporter for indelible labeling of newborn hippocampal DGCs. We exposed all mice to EtOH vapor or room air (Control) for 4 h/d from postnatal day (PND) 3 through PND 15. This paradigm resulted in a mean daily postexposure blood EtOH concentration of ~160 mg/dl. One cohort of neonatal mice received a single injection of tamoxifen at PND 2 and was sacrificed at either PND 16 or PND 50 to assess the impact of EtOH exposure on the production and long-term survival of dDGCs born during the early postnatal period. A second cohort of mice received daily injections of tamoxifen at PND 35 to 39 to label aDGCs and was exposed to SH or EE for 6 weeks prior to sacrifice. Results Early postnatal EtOH exposure had no statistically significant effect on the production or survival of tdTom+ dDGCs, as assessed at PND 16 or PND 50. Early postnatal EtOH exposure also had no effect on the number of tdTom+ aDGCs under SH conditions. Furthermore, early postnatal EtOH exposure had no significant impact on the adult neurogenic response to EE. Conclusions Both early postnatal dentate neurogenesis and adult dentate neurogenesis, as well as the adult neurogenic response to EE, are surprisingly resistant to early postnatal EtOH vapor exposure in mice.
Unexpected Transitions Yield Interesting Science and High-Performance Materials

Solid-state materials are among the most promising enablers of future technologies and pose substantial challenges for accelerating scientific discovery. Combinatorial methods excel at finding surprising transitions in materials properties, and deeper materials understanding often follows.
Dismantling Domination through Womanist Rituals of Resistance

A womanist way of being disrupts the “epistemological sea of forgetfulness” and admonishes us to “tell our truths, ‘anyway,’ even when they tell us our truth is a lie… tell it ‘anyway.’”1 – Katie G...
Rapid characterization of neutral polymer brush with a conventional zetameter and a variable pinch of salt

The fundamental and practical importance of particle stabilization has motivated various characterization methods for studying polymer brushes on particle surfaces. In this work, we show how one can perform sensitive measurements of neutral polymer coating on colloidal particles using a commercial zetameter and salt solutions. By systematically varying the Debye length, we study the mobility of the polymer-coated particles in an applied electric field and show that the electrophoretic mobility of polymer-coated particles normalized by the mobility of non-coated particles is entirely controlled by the polymer brush and independent of the native surface charge, here controlled with pH, or the surface-ion interaction. Our result is rationalized with a simple hydrodynamic model, allowing for the estimation of characteristics of the polymer coating: the brush length L, and the Brinkman length ξ, determined by its resistance to flows. We demonstrate that the Debye layer provides a convenient and faithful probe to the characterization of polymer coatings on particles. Because the method simply relies on a conventional zetameter, it is widely accessible and offers a practical tool to rapidly probe neutral polymer brushes, an asset in the development and utilization of polymer-coated colloidal particles.
Hair Cell Regeneration

Hair cells are the sensory cells in the inner ear, and damage to or loss of the cells results in auditory and/or vestibular deficit. In nonmammalian vertebrates, neighboring supporting cells return to the cell cycle and divide and their progeny differentiate into replacement hair cells and supporting cells. These replacement hair cells become innervated and bring about the restoration of auditory or vestibular function. In mammals, such regenerative proliferation is limited, and sensory deficits from the loss of hair cells appear to be permanent. Ongoing work seeks to understand the mechanisms behind regeneration and how to promote regeneration in the mammalian inner ear.