cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Survey of dairy managers in the Pacific Northwest identifying factors associated with teat chapping

Telephone interviews were conducted to evaluate the association of teat chapping with combinations of premilking and postmilking teat disinfectants (predip and postdip), other management practices, and climatic conditions. Holstein dairies (n = 100) in the DHIA SCC program were randomly selected from three northwest regions. During nonwinter seasons, herd managers using an iodophor dip without skin conditioner both premilking and postmilking were 9.7 times more likely to report chapping than were those using iodophor with conditioner. The herd managers least likely to report chapping problems were those using conditioner in both the predip and postdip. Use of conditioner in postdip only was associated with intermediate frequency of reported chapping. No conditioner in either predip or postdip was associated with the greatest frequency of reported chapping. Herd managers using a different germicide in the predip and postdip reported more chapping than herd managers using the same germicide. The frequency of chapping was highest during winter in all regions, and the percentage of herd managers reporting chapping within a region was associated with the temperature extremes of the region. For seasons other than winter, characteristics of predip and postdip combinations and parlor exit or barn design were the management factors that best described an association with reported chapping.
A Neutrally Buoyant, Upper Ocean Sediment Trap

Abstract The authors have designed and deployed a neutrally buoyant sediment trap (NBST) intended for use in the upper ocean. The aim was to minimize hydrodynamic flow interference by making a sediment trap that drifted freely with the ambient current. The principal design problem was to make the NBST descend to and stay near a prescribed depth. For a variety of reasons, the most success has been with NBSTs that were autoballasted by means of a microprocessor-controlled volume changer. Autoballasting NBSTs has demonstrated an ability to hold a prescribed depth to within 10 m. There have been two successful, concurrent deployments of NBSTs and conventional surface-tethered sediment traps (STSTs) at the Bermuda Atlantic Times Series site. During both periods the observed flow past the STSTs was low, about 0.05 m s−1, so that hydrodynamic effects on the STSTs would have been minimized. Comparisons of the trap results (described in a companion paper by Buesseler et al.) indicate that the total mass of collect...
Radiosonde Temperature Measurements in Strong Inversions: Correction for Thermal Lag Based on an Experiment at the South Pole

Abstract Very steep shallow temperature inversions occur during most of the year in the near-surface layer on the Antarctic Plateau. A radiosonde carried by a balloon rising at a few meters per second does not measure such inversions accurately because the response time of the thermistor is several seconds. To quantify this error, the authors flew a radiosonde on a tethered kite on several occasions in winter at South Pole Station immediately prior to the routine launch of the same sonde on a weather balloon. In all cases, the equilibrated temperatures measured by the tethered sonde at a given pressure level were higher than those from the balloon-borne sonde throughout most of the inversion layer. Assuming that the tethered sonde data represent the true atmospheric temperature profile, a procedure can be developed to correct the temperature data from routine radiosonde soundings for the finite response time of the thermistor. The authors devise an accurate deconvolution method to retrieve the true atmosp...
Strain energy limitations in Monte Carlo Potts modeling of grain growth

Abstract Previous literature reports that the Monte Carlo Potts (MCP) method can only reproduce the linear relationship between grain boundary velocity and strain energy driving force expected under ideal grain growth conditions for small values of strain energy. The exact range of strain energy values for which linearity can be reflected in MCP are not defined. To determine this range, a series of simulations are performed using Monte Carlo Potts in both square 2D and cubic 3D geometries using the Moore neighborhood. These simulations consider cases in which strain energy is either the sole driving force for grain growth or coupled with grain boundary curvature. The 2D results show that the strain energy upper bound is approximately 3.5 non-dimensional units. The 3D simulations show that the relationship between grain boundary velocity and strain energy is dependent on grain boundary curvature. Grain boundary curvature can affect the upper bound of the range of strain energy and can impose a lower bound as well, below which grain growth is discontinuous or stagnate. Both 2D and 3D results are dependent on simulation temperature, with simulation temperature capable of altering the lower and upper bounds in 3D. Increasing simulation temperature in 3D decreases both the upper and lower linearity bounds. MCP simulations using simulation temperatures of zero are not suitable for modeling strain energy driving forces, as grain boundary velocity becomes discontinuous with strain energy.
Benchmarking Twitter Sentiment Analysis Tools

Twitter has become one of the quintessential social media platforms for user-generated content. Researchers and industry practitioners are increasingly interested in Twitter sentiments. Consequently, an array of commercial and freely available Twitter sentiment analysis tools have emerged, though it remains unclear how well these tools really work. This study presents the findings of a detailed benchmark analysis of Twitter sentiment analysis tools, incorporating 20 tools applied to 5 different test beds. In addition to presenting detailed performance evaluation results, a thorough error analysis is used to highlight the most prevalent challenges facing Twitter sentiment analysis tools. The results have important implications for various stakeholder groups, including social media analytics researchers, NLP developers, and industry managers and practitioners using social media sentiments as input for decision-making.
Temporal Lobectomy for Epilepsy with Congenital Porencephaly and Hippocampal Sclerosis

The clinical characteristics and surgical outcome of 6 patients with intractable epilepsy and coexisting extratemporal porencephaly and hippocampal sclerosis are presented from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL.
Feminist epistemology Piercy’s Woman on the edge of time

Sandra Harding's view of science as a social activity leads her to propose critical interpretation as a mode of knowledge-seeking particularly useful for theorizing "the effects on the natural sciences of gender symbolism, gender structure, and individual gender." I have chosen Piercy's novel, Woman on the Edge of Time , with a view toward discovering how a contemporary American feminist writer envisions a non-gendered society. Specifically, I will examine some of the ways in which Piercy's imaginary culture relates to Harding's discussion of feminist epistemologies that are emerging as a response to sexist, classist and racist policies in science. A visao de Sandra Harding da ciencia como uma atividade social, leva-a a propor uma interpretacao critica como um modo de conhecimento particularmente util para teorizar "os efeitos nas ciencias naturais de simbolismo de genero, estrutura de genero, e genero individual." Escolhi o romance de Piercy, Woman on the Edge of Time , com o objetivo de descobrir como a escritora feminista contemporânea ve uma sociedade isenta de genero. Especificamente, examinei algumas formas em que a cultura imaginaria de Piercy relaciona-se com a discussao das epistemologias feministas de Harding, que estao emergindo como uma resposta a politicas sexistas, classistas e racistas.
Anomalous Schottky specific heat and structural distortion in ferromagnetic PrAl2

Unique from other rare earth dialuminides, PrAl(2) undergoes a cubic to tetragonal distortion below T = 30 K in a zero magnetic field, but the system recovers its cubic symmetry upon the application of an external magnetic field of 10 kOe via a lifting of the 4f crystal field splitting. The nuclear Schottky specific heat in PrAl(2) is anomalously high compared to that of pure Pr metal. First principles calculations reveal that the 4f crystal field splitting in the tetragonally distorted phase of PrAl(2) underpins the observed unusual low temperature phenomena.
Future directions in glioblastoma therapy.

Overview:The standard of care for both newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) patients has changed significantly in the past 10 years. Surgery followed by radiation and concurrent and adj...
Growth mindset tempers the effects of poverty on academic achievement

Two largely separate bodies of empirical research have shown that academic achievement is influenced by structural factors, such as socioeconomic background, and psychological factors, such as students’ beliefs about their abilities. In this research, we use a nationwide sample of high school students from Chile to investigate how these factors interact on a systemic level. Confirming prior research, we find that family income is a strong predictor of achievement. Extending prior research, we find that a growth mindset (the belief that intelligence is not fixed and can be developed) is a comparably strong predictor of achievement and that it exhibits a positive relationship with achievement across all of the socioeconomic strata in the country. Furthermore, we find that students from lower-income families were less likely to hold a growth mindset than their wealthier peers, but those who did hold a growth mindset were appreciably buffered against the deleterious effects of poverty on achievement: students in the lowest 10th percentile of family income who exhibited a growth mindset showed academic performance as high as that of fixed mindset students from the 80th income percentile. These results suggest that students’ mindsets may temper or exacerbate the effects of economic disadvantage on a systemic level.
Measuring transaminases in patients with rheumatoid arthritis on weekly methotrexate: does timing of blood testing matter?

The change in transaminase levels over a single week during therapy with methotrexate (MTX) has not been investigated or reported to date. In clinical practice, it is common to observe abnormal transaminase levels upon routine blood work for toxicity monitoring. Many have suggested that such lab abnormalities can sometimes be attributed to sampling blood for toxicity monitoring proximately following MTX dosing. The aim of our study was to evaluate changes in transaminase levels (AST/ALT) over 1 week after MTX administration in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. In this small proof of concept study, we evaluated 13 patients with RA taking stable doses of methotrexate and background medications (e.g., NSAIDs and prednisone), but no other disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). All patients were on a stable dose of folic acid. Patients received their usual doses of MTX administered at a specified time, and then sequential blood samples were obtained over the course of 7 days. Peripheral blood was obtained at each time point to measure serum transaminases. We did not observe any significant change in sequential transaminases over 1 week in relationship to MTX administration. It is possible that MTX therapy alone does not lead to significant weekly transaminase variations, contrary to our clinical expectations. The addition of other medications (i.e., NSAIDs) to stable MTX regimen may result in transaminase abnormalities.
Two-Stage Simulation Method to Improve Facial Soft Tissue Prediction Accuracy for Orthognathic Surgery

It is clinically important to accurately predict facial soft tissue changes prior to orthognathic surgery. However, the current simulation methods are problematic, especially in clinically critical regions. We developed a two-stage finite element method (FEM) simulation model with realistic tissue sliding effects. In the 1st stage, the facial soft-tissue-change following bone movement was simulated using FEM with a simple sliding effect. In the 2nd stage, the tissue sliding effect was improved by reassigning the bone-soft tissue mapping and boundary condition. Our method has been quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated using 30 patient datasets. The two-stage FEM simulation method showed significant accuracy improvement in the whole face and the critical areas (i.e., lips, nose and chin) in comparison with the traditional FEM method.
United States Water Resources Experience Related to European Water Management Concerns

The purpose of this paper is to discuss U.S. water resources planning and management practice and policy over the last several decades and to predict its evolution over the next twenty years. Planners are trained to observe the present and to assess changes in our societal and physical environment to develop adaptive strategies and actions for the future. As a planner, I will start the discussion by reviewing relevant recent studies and events as background.
Agent-based modeling: an introduction and primer

Agents are self-contained objects within a software model that are capable of autonomously interacting with the environment and with other agents. Basing a model around agents (building an agent-based model, or ABM) allows the user to build complex models from the bottom up by specifying agent behaviors and the environment within which they operate. This is often a more natural perspective than the system-level perspective required of other modeling paradigms, and it allows greater flexibility to use agents in novel applications. This flexibility makes them ideal as virtual laboratories and testbeds, particularly in the social sciences where direct experimentation may be infeasible or unethical. ABMs have been applied successfully in a broad variety of areas, including heuristic search methods, social science models, combat modeling, and supply chains. This tutorial provides an introduction to tools and resources for prospective modelers, and illustrates ABM flexibility with a basic war-gaming example.
Magnesium-ion battery-relevant electrochemistry of MgMn2O4: crystallite size effects and the notable role of electrolyte water content

MgMn2O4 nanoparticles with crystallite sizes of 11 (MMO-1) and 31 nm (MMO-2) were synthesized and their magnesium-ion battery-relevant electrochemistry was investigated. MMO-1 delivered an initial capacity of 220 mA h g-1 (678 mW h g-1). Electrolyte water content had a profound effect on cycle retention.
Toward a gender diverse workforce in the renewable energy transition

We explore gender diversity in the energy workforce and highlight the value of systematic assessment of women’s participation in the move toward sustainable renewable-energy systems. A gender imbal...
Environmental Applications of 2D Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) Nanosheets

In an era of graphene-based nanomaterials as the most widely studied two-dimensional (2D) materials for enhanced performance of devices and systems in numerous environmental applications, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets stand out as a promising alternative 2D material with many excellent physicochemical, biological, and mechanical properties that differ significantly from those of graphene-based nanomaterials, potentially leading to new environmental phenomena and novel applications. This Critical Review presents the latest advances in the use of MoS2 nanosheets for important water-related environmental applications such as contaminant adsorption, photocatalysis, membrane-based separation, sensing, and disinfection. Various methods for MoS2 nanosheet synthesis are examined, and their suitability for different environmental applications is discussed. The unique structure and properties of MoS2 nanosheets enabling exceptional environmental capabilities are compared with those of graphene-based nanoma...
Vasectomy Practice Patterns Among Family Medicine Physicians and Compliance With the American Urological Association 2012 Vasectomy Guidelines

Objective To survey urologists and family medicine physicians (FMPs) within a single institution to determine current vasectomy practice patterns and determine compliance with 2012 American Urological Association (AUA) vasectomy guidelines. Methods In 2016, a single-institution survey was conducted to understand the vasectomy practice patterns among urologists and nonurologists. The survey questions and 3 clinical scenarios were designed based on the 2012 AUA vasectomy guidelines. Results of the survey were compiled between urologists and nonurologists and then compared with the guideline recommendations. Results A total of 23 FMPs and 6 urologists responded. Fewer prevasectomy counseling topics were discussed by FMPs compared with urologists. A variety of vasectomy techniques were used among FMPs. Vas deferens segments were more likely to be sent for histology by FMPs than urologists (65% vs 17%, P = .02). FMPs were more likely to send postvasectomy semen analyses earlier than urologists ( P = .02) and more likely to send multiple postvasectomy semen analyses ( P = .006) before forgoing alternative contraceptive methods. Regarding the clinical scenario questions, FMPs were more likely to answer discordantly from guideline recommendations compared with urologists. Conclusion Significant vasectomy practice pattern heterogeneity still exists among nonurologists surveyed within our institution. The 2012 AUA vasectomy guidelines have yet to be broadly implemented within nonurology practices. Further studies are warranted to investigate national trends in nonurologist vasectomy practice patterns and determine how the guidelines can be better implemented in nonurologic practices.
Estimating the Values of Mortality Risk Reductions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries 1

The value of small changes in mortality risks, generally expressed as the value per statistical life, is an important parameter in benefit-cost analysis. However, little is known about the values held by populations in low- and middle-income countries. This article introduces a symposium that includes three additional articles which explore related theory and research.
A Note on BIBO Stability of Linear Discrete-Space Systems

The cornerstone of the theory of discrete-space single-input single-output linear systems is the idea that every such system has an input-output map H that can be represented by a convolution or the familiar generalization of a convolution. This thinking involves an oversight which, under some mild assumptions, was recently corrected by adding an additional term to the representation. Here we give a criterion for the bounded-input bounded-output stability of such systems.
Fostering Student Interest in Neurologic Surgery: The University of Pittsburgh Experience

Introduction Early involvement and research in neurosurgery can increase chances for medical students to matriculate successfully into residency. This study reports the creation of a Neurological Surgery Interest Group (NSIG) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and shares its activities over 2 academic years. Methods In October 2014, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine's NSIG was created to augment medical student interest in neurosurgery. The group consisted of 4 appointed officers for a membership base of 100 students. In June 2015, a neurosurgery resident and faculty member joined as mentors. A research committee of 14 medical students was created to conduct collaborative research projects with the department. In August of 2015 and 2016, surveys were sent out to the research committee regarding research productivity. Results The NSIG hosted 17 medical student-oriented events over 2 years, including didactic and suturing workshops, senior faculty panels, postmatch talks, and a neurosurgery networking dinner. A survey of students about scholarly achievement in neurosurgery reported 17 accepted publications in peer-reviewed journals with a mean impact factor of 3.5 ± 2.5. Ten abstracts were submitted to the 2015 and 2016 American Association of Neurological Surgeons Scientific Meetings, with a 100% acceptance rate. An increase in the number of students matching from our institution into neurosurgery residencies was observed following the group's inception. Conclusions An NSIG can be mutually beneficial to both medical students and an institution's neurosurgical department. This study's findings may be applied to numerous specialties and across various academic institutions.
Association Between Microinfarcts and Blood Pressure Trajectories.

Importance Cerebral microinfarcts are associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment and may have different risk factors than macroinfarcts. Subcortical microinfarcts are associated with declining blood pressure (BP) in elderly individuals. Objective To investigate BP slopes as a risk factor for microinfarcts. Design, Setting, and Participants From the population-based Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, 303 of 1158 individuals (26.2%) in this cohort study agreed to have an autopsy between November 1, 2004, and March 31, 2016. Cerebral microinfarcts were identified and classified as cortical or subcortical. Baseline and BP trajectories were compared for groups with no microinfarcts, subcortical microinfarcts, and cortical microinfarcts. A secondary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess associations of subcortical microinfarcts with midlife hypertension, as well as systolic and diastolic BP slopes. Main Outcomes and Measures The presence of cerebral microinfarcts using BP slopes. Results Of the 303 participants who underwent autopsy, 297 had antemortem BP measurements. Of these, 177 (59.6%) were men; mean (SD) age at death was 87.2 (5.3) years. The autopsied individuals and the group who died but were not autopsied were similar for all demographics except educational level with autopsied participants having a mean of 1 more year of education (1.06; 95% CI, 0.66-1.47 years; P P = .62) and diastolic (mean difference of slope, −0.90; 95% CI, −3.93 to 2.13; P = .56) BP compared with those with no microinfarcts. However, participants with subcortical microinfarcts had a greater annual decline (negative slope) of systolic (mean difference of slope, 4.66; 95% CI, 0.13 to 9.19; P = .04) and diastolic (mean difference, 3.33; 95% CI, 0.61 to 6.06; P = .02) BP. Conclusions and Relevance Subcortical microinfarcts were associated with declining BP. Future studies should investigate whether declining BP leads to subcortical microinfarcts or whether subcortical microinfarcts are a factor leading to declining BP.
Corticocortical projections to area 1 in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)

Cortical area 1 is a non-primary somatosensory area in the primate anterior parietal cortex that is critical to tactile discrimination. The corticocortical projections to area 1 in squirrel monkeys were determined by placing multiple injections of anatomical tracers into separate body part representations defined by multiunit microelectrode mapping in area 1. The pattern of labeled cells in the cortex indicated that area 1 has strong intrinsic connections within each body part representation and has inputs from somatotopically matched regions of areas 3b, 3a, 2 and 5. Somatosensory areas in the lateral sulcus, including the second somatosensory area (S2), the parietal ventral area (PV), and the presumptive parietal rostral (PR) and ventral somatosensory (VS) areas, also project to area 1. Topographically organized projections to area 1 also came from the primary motor cortex (M1), the dorsal and ventral premotor areas (PMd and PMv), and the supplementary motor area (SMA). Labeled cells were also found in cingulate motor and sensory areas on the medial wall of the hemisphere. Previous studies revealed a similar pattern of projections to area 1 in Old World macaque monkeys, suggesting a pattern of cortical inputs to area 1 that is common across anthropoid primates.
Intrinsic quantum anomalous hall effect in a two-dimensional anilato-based lattice.

Using first-principles calculations, we predict an intrinsic quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) state in a monolayer anilato-based metal–organic framework M2(C6O4X2)3 (M = Mn and Tc, X = F, Cl, Br and I). The spin–orbit coupling of M d orbitals opens a nontrivial band gap up to 18 meV at the Dirac point. The electron counting rule is used to explain the intrinsic nature of the QAH state. The calculated nonzero Chern number, gapless edge states and quantized Hall conductance all confirm the nontrivial topological properties in the anilato-based lattice. Our findings provide an organic materials platform for the realization of the QAH effect without the need for magnetic and charge doping, which are highly desirable for the development of low-energy-consumption spintronic devices.
Methylphenidate attenuates brain metabolic activation patterns induced by cocaine cues in cocaine abusers

275 Objectives Dopamine is implicated in conditioned responses to drugs of abuse. Imaging studies in cocaine abusers show decreases in striatal dopamine levels, which we hypothesize may enhance conditioned responses since tonic dopamine levels modulate phasic dopamine increases triggered by conditioned-cues. Methods The effects of increasing tonic dopamine levels with oral methylphenidate on the regional brain metabolic activation induced by cocaine-cues were measured with PET and FDG in 24 active cocaine abusers tested four times; twice watching a neutral video (nature scenes) and twice watching a cocaine-cues video with each video preceded once by placebo and once by methylphenidate (20 mg, po). Results The cocaine-cues video significantly increased self-reports of craving to the same extent when preceded by placebo (68%) or methylphenidate (64%). In contrast, SPM analysis of the normalized metabolic images (comparison of neutral vs cocaine-cues videos) showed greater differences with placebo than with methylphenidate; with placebo there were significant decreases with the cocaine-cues (p Conclusions These results corroborate our hypothesis of a blunting of regional brain metabolic responses to cocaine-cues by oral methylphenidate but failed to corroborate a parallel blunting in craving. Future studies that evaluate the functional significance of the blunting of limbic responses to conditioned-cues by a low dose of oral methylphenidate may help identify potential therapeutic benefits of this medication in cocaine addiction. Research Support NIH and Department of Energ
All that Glitters isn’t Silicon

At the 1974 International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), Marty Lepselter gave an invited talk under the title “Integrated circuits — The New Steel” [1]. His message was that the emerging integrated circuit technology was likely to play the same central role in the industrial revolution of the late-20th century that steel played in the great industrial revolution of the early-19th century.
Building International CSR on Solid Foundations: Locational Aspects of Nonmarket Environments

Multinational companies’ (MNCs) corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs frequently comprise a portfolio of disconnected country-level programs or, alternatively, consist of blanket corporate...
Intermittent blockade of OGFr and treatment of autoimmune disorders

The opioid growth factor (OGF)–OGF receptor (OGFr) axis is present in normal and abnormal cells and tissues, and functions to maintain homeostatic cell replication. OGF is an inhibitory growth fact...
Establishing the incidence and timing of hypoglycemia at a residential diabetes camp.

Abstract Aims To establish the incidence and timing of hypoglycemia at a week-long residential diabetes camp for children. We hypothesized that hypoglycemia would occur more frequently during the first two days of camp and following evening all-camp games. Methods 225 children (mean age 12.0 ± 2.3 years, 56% female, mean hemoglobin A1c 8.4% [71.6 mmol/mol]) had blood glucose (BG) levels obtained before meals, at bedtime, and as needed to detect hypoglycemia. Insulin adjustments were made by medical staff according to camp protocol and at the discretion of medical staff during camper check-in. Results Mild hypoglycemia (BG 50–69 mg/dL [3.9 mmol/L]) occurred ≥ 1 time in 90% of campers while 43% had ≥ 1 episode of BG Conclusions Nocturnal hypoglycemia occurred more frequently during the first two nights, establishing this period as high risk and supporting implementation of a standard protocol to lower insulin doses. Rates of hypoglycemia were unaffected by all-camp games, indicating current practices are effective at minimizing hypoglycemia.
Privacy, Power, and Invisible Labor on Amazon Mechanical Turk

Tasks on crowdsourcing platforms such as Amazon Mechanical Turk often request workers' personal information, raising privacy risks that may be exacerbated by requester-worker power dynamics. We interviewed 14 workers to understand how they navigate these risks. We found that Turkers' decisions to provide personal information during tasks were based on evaluations of the pay rate, the requester, the purpose, and the perceived sensitivity of the request. Participants also engaged in multiple privacy-protective behaviors, such as abandoning tasks or providing inaccurate data, though there were costs associated with these behaviors, such as wasted time and risk of rejection. Finally, their privacy concerns and practices evolved as they learned about both the platform and worker-designed tools and forums. These findings deepen our understanding of both privacy decision-making and invisible labor in paid crowdsourcing, and emphasize a general need to understand how privacy stances change over time.
Power-bandwidth limits in near-field nanophotonics

We find upper bounds to near-field optical response, for any material over any bandwidth. We apply this approach to CDOS, a photon-entanglement measure, and derive the first general bounds to near-field radiative heat transfer. © 2019 The Author(s)
The role of three‐dimensional printing in the surgical management of breast cancer

A patient-specific 3-dimensional printed model (3DPM) of a woman with breast cancer was created. Mastectomy was favored as BCS would necessitate significant breast size alteration due to the extent of disease. After review of the 3D printed model, the patient and surgeon agreed on breast-conserving surgery. Use of patient-specific 3DPM in the setting of breast cancer may aid patient decision making and surgical planning, leading to enhanced surgical and oncological outcomes.
A Place for Writing: Examining a Place-Based Curriculum for High-Performing Rural Writers

This study explored how a critical and place-based language arts curriculum influenced high-performing rural students as writers. This study uses data from a larger, federally funded grant. The sample included 199 students, who comprised the second cohort of students participating in the Promoting Place in Rural Schools grant and were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Students in the treatment groups were provided instruction using four language arts units designed for high-achieving, rural students, while students in the control group were provided the traditional language arts curriculum for their grade level. This study uses 149/199 pre-tests and 158/199 post-tests due to students being absent for testing or dropping out of or being added to the study. Qualitative analysis of student pre- and post-test writing tasks provided data that supported the conclusion that while students in the control group made place connections, students in the treatment group made deeper and more critical connections to place. These findings suggest that writing instruction that values students’ lived experiences provides opportunities for students to make meaning using what they know, as well as to critically examine their experiences as members of their local communities. This study provides insight into writing classrooms that embrace student experience and view students as valuable members of their communities.
Coherent transfer of quantum information in a silicon double quantum dot using resonant SWAP gates

Spin-based quantum processors in silicon quantum dots offer high-fidelity single and two-qubit operation. Recently multi-qubit devices have been realized; however, many-qubit demonstrations remain elusive, partly due to the limited qubit-to-qubit connectivity. These problems can be overcome by using SWAP gates, which are challenging to implement in devices having large magnetic field gradients. Here we use a primitive SWAP gate to transfer spin eigenstates in 100 ns with a fidelity of $${\bar{F}}_{{\rm{SWAP}}}^{{\rm{(p)}}}=98 \%$$. By swapping eigenstates we are able to demonstrate a technique for reading out and initializing the state of a double quantum dot without shuttling charges through the quantum dot. We then show that the SWAP gate can transfer arbitrary two-qubit product states in 300 ns with a fidelity of $${\bar{F}}_{{\rm{SWAP}}}^{{\rm{(c)}}}=84 \%$$. This work sets the stage for many-qubit experiments in silicon quantum dots.
High Resolution 4.7 um Keck/NIRSPEC Spectra of Protostars. I: Ices and Infalling Gas in the Disk of L1489 IRS

We explore the infrared M band (4.7 um) spectrum of the class I protostar L1489 IRS in the Taurus Molecular Cloud. This is the highest resolution wide coverage spectrum at this wavelength of a low mass protostar observed to date (R=25,000; Dv=12 km/s). Many narrow absorption lines of gas phase 12CO, 13CO, and C18O are detected, as well as a prominent band of solid 12CO. The gas phase 12CO lines have red shifted absorption wings (up to 100 km/s), likely originating from warm disk material falling toward the central object. The isotopes and the 12CO line wings are successfully fitted with a contracting disk model of this evolutionary transitional object (Hogerheijde 2001). This shows that the inward motions seen in millimeter wave emission lines continue to within ~0.1 AU from the star. The colder parts of the disk are traced by the prominent CO ice band. The band profile results from CO in 'polar' ices (CO mixed with H2O), and CO in 'apolar' ices. At the high spectral resolution, the 'apolar' component is, for the first time, resolved into two distinct components, likely due to pure CO and CO mixed with CO2, O2 and/or N2. The ices have probably experienced thermal processing in the upper disk layer traced by our pencil absorption beam: much of the volatile 'apolar' ices has evaporated and the depletion factor of CO onto grains is remarkably low (~7%). This study shows that high spectral resolution 4.7 um observations provide important and unique information on the dynamics and structure of protostellar disks and the evolution of ices in these disks.
Simulation of Functionally Graded Material (FGM) for Cable Joint in AC and DC Field Optimization

Application of functionally graded materials (dielectric materials with spatial variated permittivity or conductivity distribution) is a promising approach for the electric field optimization in cable accessories. In this paper, we uses a multi-layer optimization approach to design the permittivity and conductivity distribution in cable joint insulation, which are intended to be applied in AC and DC applications, respectively. The results shows that the electric field intensification phenomena were inhibited after the optimization process. Moreover, the degree of E-field optimization is affected by the permittivity/conductivity range, the layer number and the direction of layered permittivity/conductivity gradient.
Uncertainty and the Economy: The Evolving Distributions of Aggregate Supply and Demand Shocks (preprint)

We estimate the time-varying distribution of aggregate supply (AS) and aggregate demand (AD) shocks defined in the Keynesian tradition. In modeling the time variation in higher order moments, we distinguish between traditional Gaussian uncertainty and "bad" uncertainty, associated with negative skewness. The Great Moderation is driven by decreases in Gaussian (not bad) uncertainty. The increased role of bad uncertainty implies that the conditional skewness of GDP growth and inflation and the correlation between level and uncertainty shocks in macro data are more negative. Bad uncertainty for aggregate supply is the main factor explaining why total uncertainty negatively predicts economic activity.
Cool birds: facultative use by an introduced species of mechanical air conditioning systems during extremely hot outdoor conditions.

Rapid climate change across the globe is having dramatic effects on wildlife. Responses of organisms to shifting thermal conditions often include physiological and behavioural accommodations, but t...
Cellular Viability of Partial Heart Transplant Grafts in Cold Storage.

Congenital heart defects are the most common types of birth defects in humans. Children with congenital heart defects frequently require heart valve replacement with an implant. Unfortunately, conventional heart valve implants do not grow. Therefore, these children are committed to serial re-operations for successively larger implant exchanges. Partial heart transplantation is a new and innovative approach to deliver growing heart valve implants. However, the transplant biology of partial heart transplant grafts remains unexplored. This is a critical barrier for clinical translation. Therefore, we investigated the cellular viability of partial heart transplants in cold storage. Histology and immunohistochemistry revealed no morphological differences in heart valves after 6, 24, or 48 hours of cold storage. Moreover, immunohistochemistry showed that the marker for apoptosis activated caspase 3 and the marker for cell division Ki67 remained unchanged after 48 hours of cold storage. Finally, quantification of fluorescing resorufin showed no statistically significant decrease in cellular metabolic activity in heart valves after 48 hours of cold storage. We conclude that partial heart transplants remain viable after 48 hours of cold storage. These findings represent the first step towards translating partial heart transplantation from the bench to the bedside because they have direct clinical implications for the procurement logistics of this new type of transplant.
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pathophysiologic Perspective

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by chronically elevated blood glucose (hyperglycemia) and elevated blood insulin (hyperinsulinemia). When the blood glucose concentration is 100 milligrams/deciliter the bloodstream of an average adult contains about 5-10 grams of glucose. Carbohydrate-restricted diets have been used effectively to treat obesity and T2DM for over 100 years, and their effectiveness may simply be due to lowering the dietary contribution to glucose and insulin levels, which then leads to improvements in hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia. Treatments for T2DM that lead to improvements in glycemic control and reductions in blood insulin levels are sensible based on this pathophysiologic perspective. In this article, a pathophysiological argument for using carbohydrate restriction to treat T2DM will be made.
Shape-Based Approach for Low-Thrust Earth–Moon Trajectories Initial Design

A robust finite Fourier series (R-FFS) approach is developed for fast generation of Earth–moon trajectories using continuous low thrust. Each component of the position vector is approximated using ...
Still the Wild River Runs: Congress, the Sierra Club, and the Fight to Save Grand Canyon

Between 1963 and 1968, environmentalists were outraged when western water interests sought to construct two dams in Grand Canyon as part of the Central Arizona Project. The Sierra Club led a national campaign opposed to the project, which most environmental historians credit with defeating the dams. In the wake of its victory, the Sierra Club has been lauded as the savior of Grand Canyon. Byron Pearson now takes a closer look at history to show that the Sierra Club's ability to mobilize public opinion did not appreciably influence Congress, where the issue was actually decided. When Arizona congressman Stewart Udall became Interior Secretary in 1960, he promoted a plan to import water from the Pacific Northwest to California in order to placate that state's opposition to the CAP with its proposed dams. When this support dissolved in the face of resistance from Washington senator Henry Jackson, who chaired the Senate Interior Committee, the pragmatic Udall sought passage of a bare-bones CAP bill without the dams before he and Arizona senator Carl Hayden retired. Despite this congressional deal-making, the Sierra Club received credit for blocking the dams and was propelled to the undisputed leadership of the environmental movement. Using the myth that it had saved the Canyon, the club transformed its image of power into real political influence after Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act in 1970, giving environmental advocates access to the policy-making process for the first time. In revealing how the Sierra Club played a much lesser role in blocking the dams than they would have had the public believe, Pearson contrasts the ways in which the controversy unfolded in the court of public opinion versus the actual political process. He takes readers into congressional chambers and conference rooms, reconstructing the legislative process to convey the full flavor of this political give-and-take. Based on research in archives from all over the country, Still the Wild River Runs will itself be a subject of controversy as it challenges long-standing notions about the power of environmental lobbies. By putting this chain of historical events in clearer perspective, it can give citizens concerned with future causes a better understanding of the political process and what really moves it.
RESERV: An Instrument for Measuring Real Estate Brokerage Service Quality

By applying the process utilized in the development of a generic service quality measurement instrument (SERVQUAL), an instrument to measure perceived levels of satisfaction with real estate broker...
Chapter 13 - Motor Cortex: Neural and Computational Studies

ABSTRACT The motor cortex can be regarded as a network of neurons processing, inter alia, spatial motor information. A basic component of this information is the direction of movement in space. Experimental studies in behaving monkeys have shown that the impulse activity of single motor-cortical cells relates to this component in an orderly fashion, such that the frequency of cell discharge is a sinusoidal function of the direction of movement, with the direction for which cell discharge is highest denoting the "preferred direction" of the cell. The neuronal ensemble of such directionally tuned cells can be regarded as a network in which each cell is represented as a vector pointing in the cell's preferred direction. The network operates to generate a signal in the direction of a desired movement. We regard this operation as the vectorial summation of the cell vectors, weighted by a scalar measure of the intensity of cell activation. The resulting vector sum is called the "neuronal population vector." Analysis of experimental data has shown that the population vector points in the direction of the movement. In addition, the population vector can be calculated as a time-varying signal and, as such, is a robust predictor of the direction of the upcoming movement during the reaction time and during instructed and memorized delays. Finally, it has proven a good tool for monitoring and deciphering directional information when more complex directional operations are performed.
An empirical study of selected factors influencing the decision to list on foreign stock exchanges

The growing internationalization of capital markets suggests that an increasing number of firms perceive the benefits of listing their stocks on foreign exchanges as outweighing the related costs. Many other firms, however, still limit listing their securities to their domestic exchanges. This study investigates the motives for listing abroad. The empirical analyses, based on data on 481 multinationals, indicate significant association between the likelihood of listing abroad and 1) the relative size of a firm in its domestic capital market, 2) the ratio of foreign to total sales.
DECREASED BRAINSTEM AND PUTAMEN SERT BINDING POTENTIAL IN DEPRESSED SUICIDE ATTEMPTERS USING [11C]‐ZIENT PET IMAGING

Background Deficits in serotonergic neurotransmission have been implicated in the pathogenesis of depression and suicidality. The present study utilized a novel positron-emission tomography (PET) ligand to quantitate and compare brain regional serotonin transporter (SERT) binding potential in depressed patients with a past history of suicide attempts to that of healthy comparison subjects. Method We used [11C]-ZIENT PET to label SERT in the serotonergic cell body rich brainstem, and forebrain projection fields. Quantitative PET emission data from 21 adults (10 healthy controls and 11 drug-free patients with major depression) was used for group comparison. SERT binding potential (BPND) in eight MRI-based brain regions of interest (ROI) were compared in high-resolution PET images. Results SERT binding potential was significantly decreased in the midbrain/pons (P = .029) and putamen (P = .04) of depressed patients with a past suicide attempt relative to comparison subjects. Forebrain SERT binding was also reduced in the patient sample, though these region effects did not survive a multiple comparison correction. Conclusion These results suggest that decreased availability of the brainstem and basal ganglia SERT represents a biomarker of depression and thus confirm and extend the role of dysregulation of brain serotonergic neurotransmission in the pathophysiology of depression and suicide.
Differential laminar distribution of corticostriatal neurons in the prefrontal and pericruciate gyri of the dog

This investigation was undertaken to determine whether the laminar distribution of corticostriatal neurons differs between different anatomical and functional areas of the frontal lobe. Injections of lectin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase were made into the lateral, intermediate, and medial parts of the head of the caudate nucleus. After injections into the medial part of the caudate, most of the labeled neurons were found in the proreal and subproreal gyri of the prefrontal region. In both gyri, the majority of labeled cells were localized within layer V, and fewer neurons were located in the deeper part of layer III and in layers IV (proreal gyrus) and VI. No labeled neurons were noted in layer II. This distribution contrasted with that seen following injections into the intermediate and lateral parts of the caudate nucleus. In those cases, the majority of labeled cells were located in the pericruciate region (areas 4 and 6) and on the medial and lateral banks of the presylvian sulcus (paraorbital and internal composite areas, respectively). In the paraorbital and internal composite areas, the majority of labeled cells were still localized within layer V, but a larger percentage of labeled neurons were also noted in layer III. In areas 4 and 6, the laminar distribution shifted so that the majority of labeled cells were now located in layer III, with a widespread distribution of neurons throughout layers II-VI. These results indicate that corticostriatal neurons in the frontal lobe have different laminar distributions, depending on the particular anatomical or functional area in which they are located. The majority of neurons in the prefrontal region are located in infragranular layers, while those in the pericruciate region are located in supragranular layers.