cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Local Journalism and the Information Needs of Local Communities: Toward a scalable assessment approach

This paper presents a three-level conceptual and methodological framework for assessing local journalism and the extent to which it meets community information needs. This research grows from frequent calls from policymakers, foundations, and advocacy groups for methods and measures to facilitate comparative analyses of the state of local journalism in different communities. Further, the goal here is to develop a methodological approach that can be realistically scaled to large numbers of communities in order to facilitate analysis of both the factors that affect the state of local journalism and the ways local journalism may affect the state of local communities. The methodological approach presented here focuses on infrastructure (the availability of journalistic sources), output (the quantity of journalistic output from these sources), and performance (the extent to which this output is original, is about the local community, and addresses critical information needs). An exploratory application of this...
Experimental investigation of collisionless electron-electron microinstabilities. Final technical report for the period August 1, 1997-October 31, 2000

This is the final report for the Office of Fusion Energy sponsored project entitled, "Experimental Investigation of Collisionless Electron-Electron Microinstabilities." The report summarizes the scientific and human resource development accomplishments supported through this project.
The Enduring Impact of Race: Understanding Disparities in Student Disciplinary Infractions and Achievement

To what extent do persistent race gaps in educational outcomes stem from differences in the level of advantage that students bring to school or from differences in opportunities to succeed? In order to disentangle the component elements of race gaps in middle school achievement and disciplinary infractions, the authors use demographic methods that quantify the proportion of the race gap that is linked to the student, peer, and school composition of race groups. Using administrative school records from North Carolina, the authors find that (1) students' family and demographic characteristics are the most important explanatory factors; (2) the distribution of students across schools with differing racial composition, school sizes, teacher qualifications, and poverty levels also contributes to explaining the gaps; but (3) a substantial portion of each race gap remains unexplained by these compositional differences.
Effect of Turbulence on an Adaptive Dynamic Inverse Flight Controller

An advanced flight control system, which has been demonstrated to compensate for unanticipated failures in military aircraft, is proposed for use in general aviation. The method uses inverse control to decouple the flight controls and to modify the handling qualities of the aircraft, while employing artificial neural network type learning algorithms in order to compensate for any modeling error. These errors can stem from any differences between the model and the actual aircraft. Therefore, they can include in-flight hardware failures, rendering the system fault tolerant and possibly reducing the necessity for multiple levels of hardware redundancy. The operation of the proposed system is evaluated in MATLAB Simulink simulations for longitudinal flight when encountering moderate to severe turbulence using the Dryden turbulence model. Turbulence intensity was varied from 3 to 9 feet per second and the length scale varied from 200 feet to 1,000 feet. These trials revealed that the commanded control inputs would require an unreasonable level of activity in elevator and throttle motions for controlling the flight path angle and the airspeed. A first order filter was used to “soften” the commanded values resulting in reasonable control actuation without much impact on accurate tracking of the commanded velocity and flight path angle despite the presence of turbulence.
CHARGE Syndrome: Diagnosis and Clinical Management in the NICU

CHARGE syndrome is a condition that has historically been diagnosed on the basis of the clinical findings of coloboma, heart disease, choanal atresia, restricted growth, and/or central nervous system anomalies, genital hypoplasia, and ear anomalies and/or deafness. Recently, researchers have discovered a genetic link, specifically, a strong association between the CHARGE phenotype and a mutation of the CHD 7 gene on the long arm of chromosome 8. Diagnosis now can be confirmed but not excluded with a positive mutation of this gene. This article offers an explanation of the diagnostic process as well as a description of the physical assessment and corresponding clinical implications of CHARGE syndrome in the neonatal population.
622 ERYTHROGENESIS IMPERFECTA IN SEVEN INDIVIDUALS IN THREE GENERATIONS

Erythrogenesis imperfecta usually begins in infancy and responds to steroid therapy. Because recent observations indicate a widening spectrum, attention to significant variants is important. The K family presents several unusual findings of ery-throid hypoplasia syndrome. Well documented episodes of severe anemia due to marrow erythroid hypoplasia (ErHy) has occured in three generations in 3 females and 4 males and is transmitted as an autosomal dominant. In each the anemia presents in the neonatal period. The affected females have had recurrence of severe anemia in each of 6 pregnancies which have spontaneously remitted at parturition. Transfusions are required to maintain hemoglobin above 5 Gm%. The anemia has been normocytic normochromic with M.C.V. in normal range. The innumerable bone marrow examinations have been typical ErHy while in exacerbation but normal during remission. An important difference from other reports is that during the 20 years this family has been followed, therapy with steroids has not been sucessfull. A most remarkable observation has been a reticulocyte response to diathermy treatment noted on several occasions. The female infants remit by 2 years of age whereas the males do not fully respond until 5 years of age. No evidence of thymoma has been seen in this family. All affected individuals have normal growth and development. The pathogenesis of this distinctly different ErHy is currently under investigation. This family provides an important addition to our knowledge of pure red cell anemia.
Homogenization of Integrated Thermal Protection System with Rigid Insulation Bars

Integrated Thermal protection Systems (ITPS) are the features incorporated into a spacecraft’s design to protect it from severe aerodynamic heating combining both the load bearing structure and the thermal protection system (TPS) into one single structure. Previous work studied an ITPS concept with a corrugated-core sandwich structure made of face sheets supported by webs and filled with low density insulation material. Analysis was carried out with both analytical and finite element based homogenization of the ITPS structure as an equivalent orthotropic plate. In this paper we extend the finite element based homogenization method to a new concept of ITPS to determine the equivalent stiffness properties. A micromechanics based approach is applied to obtain the inplane, bending and coupling stiffness of the panel. Because of the way the panel and insulation bars are arranged, transverse shear is more pronounced in the components of the new composite structure. A cantilever beam model is used along with shear deformable plate theory to determine the transverse shear stiffness. The three dimensional ITPS panel and the homogenized plate are analyzed under pressure loading and the responses are compared to assess the accuracy of the homogenized model.
Invited Review: Choosing a calving date1

ABSTRACT Calving date affects cost and timing of production events. Because of the polyestrous nature of beef females, producers can choose a calving date that fits their production system and geographic region. Any time an entire production system is considered, decision making becomes complex. Any calving system, regardless of date, should address the relationship between nutritional requirements of beef females and the quality and quantity of available feed. Nutritional status of beef females is influenced by stage of production and the environment, including length of growing season, forage species, day length, topography, forage quality and availability, ambient temperature, annual rainfall, and weather extremes. These differences cause grazing and feeding strategies to vary across regions. Ideally, high nutrient demand at parturition and peak lactation overlaps with optimal weather conditions and seasonal peaks in forage quality, and lowest nutrient demand overlaps with lowest quality forage, to minimize supplemental feed cost. Calving systems that do not match nutritional demand with forage quality must address potential nutrient deficits faced by breeding females, likely occurring in late gestation and early lactation. Alternative calving systems with higher feed costs need to justify alternative dates through increased revenue generated from higher market value, increased calf performance, or improved reproductive performance. Heat stress, resulting from high temperature and humidity, can reduce calf performance and negatively affect reproductive performance in both the male and female. Hot and humid regions may favor a breeding season during seasonally lower temperatures to minimize poor reproductive performance. Additionally, regions prone to freezing temperatures, heavy snowstorms, or other severe weather events, must consider such risks when choosing a calving date. Many differences exist across regions in regard to environment, production systems, and marketing strategies that contribute to the complexity of choosing a calving date; therefore, beef producers must make site-based decisions according to conditions present on their operation.
Methylnaltrexone potentiates the antiangiogenic effects of the mTOR inhibitor, temsirolimus

e14636 Background: Angiogenesis is important in cancer growth and metastasis. Recent therapeutic interventions cancer, include drugs such as temsirolimus that target both tumor growth and angiogene...
Decreased Modulation of EEG Oscillations in High-Functioning Autism during a Motor Control Task.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are thought to result in part from altered cortical excitatory-inhibitory balance; this pathophysiology may impact the generation of oscillations on EEG. We investigated premotor-parietal cortical physiology associated with praxis, which has strong theoretical and empirical associations with ASD symptomatology. 25 children with high-functioning ASD (HFA) and 33 controls performed a praxis task involving the pantomiming of tool use, while EEG was recorded. We assessed task-related modulation of signal power in alpha and beta frequency bands. Compared with controls, subjects with HFA showed 27% less left central (motor/premotor) beta (18-22 Hz) event-related desynchronization (ERD) (p = 0.030), as well as 24% less left parietal alpha (7-13 Hz) ERD (p = 0.046). Within the HFA group, blunting of central ERD attenuation was associated with impairments in clinical measures of praxis imitation (r = -0.4; p = 0.04) and increased autism severity (r = 0.48; p = 0.016). The modulation of central beta activity is associated, among other things, with motor imagery, which may be necessary for imitation. Impaired imitation has been associated with core features of ASD. Altered modulation of oscillatory activity may be mechanistically involved in those aspects of motor network function that relate to the core symptoms of ASD.
Management of Glaucoma in Congenital Aniridia

Glaucoma in aniridia usually develops during childhood, due to either open- or closed-angle mechanisms. In our study of Aniridia Foundation International (AFI) members, approximately half of the subjects developed glaucoma, with glaucoma diagnosis at average age 13.6 years and median age 8.5 years. The majority of patients were treated surgically for glaucoma. Average central corneal thickness is increased in aniridia, which may be a consideration for assessment of intraocular pressure. Although surgical procedures vary, clinicians often use glaucoma drainage implants to treat aniridic glaucoma. Regular monitoring during childhood, with prompt recognition of elevated intraocular pressure and effective management, may prevent vision loss due to glaucoma in aniridia.
Modeling repeated fertilizer response and one-time midrotation fertilizer response in loblolly pine plantations using FR in the 3-PG process model

Abstract Productivity of loblolly pine in the southeastern US is frequently limited by soil nutrient availability. Therefore, fertilization is commonly used to increase nutrient availability and subsequent growth. This study used the soil fertility rating (FR) in the 3-PG model (Landsberg and Waring, 1997) to predict fertilizer growth response of loblolly pine stands. We used the growth response following fertilization in a regional study installed at 11 locations to determine how FR is affected by repeated fertilization with N and P starting at a young age. FR values in the stands that received no fertilization treatment, baseline FR, were determined using the previously developed relationship between site index and FR. Two locations that did not respond to biannual fertilization of N and P were considered non-nutrient deficient. The baseline FR values on the control plots at these sites averaged 0.9. We assumed that this was the maximum FR value for loblolly pine in the southern US in an environment where N and P are non-deficient. FR was then adjusted to this value in the fertilized plots at the other sites and used in 3-PG to predict growth. Using this adjusted FR value 92% of the variation in observed aboveground biomass in the fertilized plots was described by 3-PG simulated aboveground biomass. We then derived the relationship between response to repeated fertilization and baseline FR in the control plots. An inverse relationship was observed between baseline FR and fertilizer response. Baseline FR described 56% of the variation in the fertilizer response. We also developed a dynamic function to model the FR to accurately predict growth in loblolly pine stands fertilized one time with N and P during the middle of the rotation. We used data from a series of midrotation loblolly pine plantations across the southeastern United States to model change in FR (ΔFR). This was done using an optimization process where the temporal distribution of the ΔFR was modeled using the Weibull function. Baseline FR, intensity of N fertilization, and year since treatment were used as input regressors to model dynamics of FR following midrotation fertilization. The model accurately described temporal changes in FR that enabled 3-PG to accurately predict response to midrotation fertilization with N and P. When FR values generated using this function were input into the 3-PG model, 80% of the variation in the observed aboveground biomass in fertilized loblolly pine plantations was described by the 3-PG simulated aboveground biomass.
Waveguide structures with surface corrugations

The dispersion characteristics and the field distributions for all kind of waves which can propagate in surface corrugated waveguides are calculated by a method based on the Floquet theorem. Numerical results are presented for several corrugated structures with rectangular and circular cross-section and a comparison is made with already established codes.
Women in Interventional Cardiology: Small Numbers, Big Impact.

Interventional cardiology requires extensive training, has unpredictable and long work hours, is physically and mentally demanding, and requires cognitive, technical, and leadership skills. For those that follow the calling, the rewards are immeasurable, improving and saving lives. I do not often think of myself as a minority, but as a female interventional cardiologist, and one of the few women in a leadership position within the field, I am a minority. This position comes with great responsibility—to broadcast the female workforce shortage and highlight the positive impact that women have on our profession and patients. The truth is in the numbers. Little progress has been made with respect to increasing representation of women in interventional cardiology in the past decade. The American Board of Internal Medicine tracks board certification and fellow workforce data annually. Although women still comprise about half of residents completing internal medicine, 50% of trainees in rheumatology, infectious disease, palliative care, and geriatrics are women. Among cardiology subspecialties, heart failure has the highest percentage of women at 35%.1 At a glance, it appears that women are choosing specialties with more predicable schedules or that require more compassion, but this may also reflect the mindset of individuals that choose internal medicine. The primary message from these statistics is that we need to reach women at an earlier stage in life, as young as high school but no later than medical school, to expose them to cardiology. My story is similar to many I have heard from my interventional colleagues. I was …
How Deep is Wollstonecraft's Democracy?: Sexuality and the Political Theory of Mary Wollstonecraft

In the face of a persistent tendency to (mis)interpret Mary Wollstonecraft as a simplistically liberal thinker, several scholars, most recently Daniel O'Neill, have attempted to recast her as an advocate of a "radical transformation of political, economic, social, and gender relations" in the direction of a "deeply democratic" ideal. In this paper, I call these attempts into question by foregrounding what I argue are the unacceptably shallow limits of Wollstonecraft's "deep democracy." These limits, I argue, are a product of Wollstonecraft’s highly restrictive views concerning sexuality, views that I show at work in her two novels, Mary, A Fiction and Maria, or The Wrongs of Woman, as well as her most renowned explicitly political work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. In Mary, A Fiction, sexuality is essentially private and morally suspect; in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, a monogamous, procreative, and deeply gendered sexuality is installed as a prerequisite for the attainment of social, economic, and political equality; and in Maria, or The Wrongs of Woman, women are portrayed as hapless sexual victims who must band together to protect themselves from men who are portrayed as, at best, capricious, manipulative, and unreliable, and, at worst, abusive sexual predators. The politics that are the handmaid of any of these visions of sexuality are, I argue, of a profoundly undemocratic character, a fact that renders contemporary portrayals of Wollstonecraft as the harbinger of a “deeply democratic” social and political order rather dubious. Moreover, I argue, the elision of the deeply undemocratic character of Wollstonecraft's views concerning sexuality by contemporary interpreters speaks to a blind spot concerning sexuality in contemporary political theory. Thus, by way of conclusion, I insist on the importance of attending to the sexual dimensions not only of Wollstonecraft’s political theory, but of all political theories. The failure to do so, I argue, is likely to result not only in incomplete or misleading interpretations of canonical thinkers, but, more importantly, in the exclusion of many persons from our purportedly democratic societies as well as a disastrous foreshortening of our democratic ideals.
When TLRs fail, IgG has your back

Inherited TIRAP deficiency confers susceptibility to staphylococcal disease via impaired TLR2 and TLR4 responses, which can be rescued by bacteria-specific antibodies.
Immediate postpartum intrauterine device and implant program outcomes: a prospective analysis.

Background In-hospital placement of intrauterine devices and contraceptive implants following vaginal and cesarean delivery is increasingly popular and responds to maternal motivation for highly effective postpartum contraception. Immediate postpartum intrauterine device insertion is associated with higher expulsion than interval placement, but emerging evidence suggests that the levonorgestrel intrauterine device may have a higher expulsion rate than the copper intrauterine device. Objective This study evaluated in-hospital provision, expulsion, and 6-month continuation of immediate postpartum copper T380 intrauterine devices, levonorgestrel intrauterine devices, and contraceptive implants. Study Design We offered enrollment in this prospective observational trial to women presenting to the University of Utah labor and delivery unit from October 2013 through February 2016 who requested an intrauterine device or implant for postpartum contraception during prenatal care or hospitalization at the time of delivery. Following informed consent, participants completed questionnaires prior to hospital discharge and at 3 and 6 months postpartum. Data on expulsions at 6 months were validated by chart abstraction. Results During the study period, 639 patients requested a postpartum intrauterine device or implant and 350 patients enrolled in prospective follow-up prior to discharge from the hospital. Among enrollees, 325 (93%) received their preferred contraceptive device prior to hospital discharge: 88 (27%) copper intrauterine device users, 123 (38%) levonorgestrel intrauterine device users, and 114 (35%) implant users. Participants predominantly were Hispanic (90%), were multiparous (87%), reported a household income Conclusion An immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraception program effectively provides women who desire highly effective reversible contraceptive devices with their method of choice prior to hospital discharge. Immediate postplacental levonorgestrel intrauterine device users have higher expulsion rates than copper intrauterine device users, but >8 of 10 women initiating an intrauterine device or implant continue use at 6 months postpartum.
Ideology and Threat Assessment: Law Enforcement Evaluation of Muslim and Right-Wing Extremism

Does ideology affect assessment of the threat of violent extremism? A survey of law enforcement agencies in the United States in 2014 offers a comparison suggesting a small but statistically significant effect: Political attitudes were correlated with assessment of threats posed by Muslim extremists, and threat assessment was not correlated with the number of Muslim Americans who had engaged in violent extremism within the agency’s jurisdiction. By contrast, the perceived threat of right-wing terrorism was correlated with the number of incidents of right-wing violence and not with political attitudes. These findings reflect the context of growing polarization of attitudes toward Muslims in the United States as well as the challenge of bringing counterterrorism policies into proportion with the actual scale of violent extremism.
A microdilution method for antibiotic susceptibility testing: an evaluation.

A micromethod for serial dilution antibiotic susceptibility tests has been described and evaluated. The delivery of optimal-sized droplets of medium and inoculum is influenced greatly by static electric charges on plastic well plates in which the test is performed. Dissipation of these charges by ultraviolet irradiation improved the results so that minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) end-points were comparable within plus or minus one dilution step, when compared with conventional tube dilution susceptibility tests. Further comparison showed the reproducibility of the micromethod to be only slightly less than that of the conventional tube dilution technic. Once the user is aware of certain pitfalls inherent in the microdilution method, it can provide reliable results.
Basics of active filters

Chapters 5, 6, and 7 deal with the theory and basic methods of realizing filters that use passive elements - chiefly inductors and capacitors. These filters were the mainstay for filtering applications from the 1920’s through the 1940’s. Since the 1940’s, another type of filters - the active filters - have emerged and the technology has improved to the point that they are now in very common use and have attained a great deal of success. Originally motivated mainly by the low-frequency applications of filters in which inductors are too costly or too bulky and heavy, engineers began to search for alternative approaches using active devices. In the early stages of the development of active filters, some successes were achieved even when vacuum tubes were used. However, those filters were only feasible for very low frequency applications. When low-cost, light-weight, low-voltage solid-state devices became available, active filters became much more attractive and are applicable over much wider frequency ranges. As integrated-circuit devices - chiefly the op amp - became more and more economical and their applicable frequency range became wider and wider, so active filters became quite competitive with passive ones. Nowadays, both types of filters have their appropriate places in filtering applications.
Classifying the Severity of COPD: Are We There Yet? Editorial for "Coton, S. et al. Severity of Airflow Obstruction in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Proposal for a New Classification".

The forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) is the bedrock of objective measures of lung function. Spirometry, which for this discussion I will limit to measurement of FEV1, Forced Vital Capa...
Fc receptors (FcR) on the surface of human breast cancer cells may facilitate the cytotoxic effects of hTRA-8, a new humanized apoptosis-inducing antibody.

5491 Introduction: A death receptor 5 (DR5) specific, mouse monoclonal antibody known as mTRA-8 was a promising therapeutic agent in mouse models of human breast cancer (Buchsbaum, et. al, Clin Can Res 9: 3731-41, 2003), and the humanized version (hTRA-8) is under study. Death receptor antibodies selectively induce apoptosis in tumor cells, a process that appears to require death receptor aggregation. Immune cells and endothelial cells within tumors express FcR and facilitate aggregation in vivo. Hypothesis: Breast cancer cells endogenously express FcR, which enhances the cytotoxicity of hTRA-8. Methods: The metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 (2LMP variant) was treated for 24 hrs with hTRA-8 in vitro with or without cross-linking antibody, to induce aggregation and subsequent apoptosis. ATPLite assays (n=3) measured cell viability after exposure. FcRs were measured by flow cytometry and Scatchard analyses using fluorescently labeled and Tc-99m-labeled hTRA-8, respectively, with appropriate controls. Results: Apoptosis induced by hTRA-8 was dose-dependent (ATP levels were diminished between 40-80% of controls) and an exogenous cross-linking reagent was not required at any concentration. The MDA-MB-231 cells expressed surface FcR2; control fluorescence averaged 253+55 while hTRA-8 averaged 527+17. Conclusion: Breast cancer cells may act in a paracrine or autocrine manner, facilitating the aggregation of DR5 receptors through the interaction between the DR5-hTRA-8 (receptor-ligand) complex and tumor-expressed FcR2.
A descriptive model for a multidisciplinary unit for colorectal and pelvic malformations.

Abstract Introduction Patients with anorectal malformations (ARM), Hirschsprung disease (HD), and colonic motility disorders often require care from specialists across a variety of fields, including colorectal surgery, urology, gynecology, and GI motility. We sought to describe the process of creating a collaborative process for the care of these complex patients. Methods We developed a model of a devoted center for these conditions that includes physicians, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and advanced practice nurses. Our weekly planning strategy includes a meeting with representatives of all specialties to review all patients prior to evaluation in our multidisciplinary clinic, followed by combined exams under anesthesia or surgical intervention as needed. Results There are 31 people working directly in the Center at present. From the Center's start in 2014 until 2017, 1258 patients were cared for from all 50 United States and 62 countries. 360 patients had an ARM (110 had a cloacal malformation, 11 had cloacal exstrophy), 223 presented with HD, 71 had a spinal malformation or injury causing neurogenic bowel, 321 had severe functional constipation or colonic dysmotility, and 162 had other diagnoses including familial polyposis, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis. We have had 170 multidisciplinary meetings, 170 multispecialty outpatient, and 52 nurse practitioner clinics. In our bowel management program we have seen a total of 514 patients in 36 sessions. Conclusion This is the first report describing the design of a multidisciplinary team approach for patients with colorectal and complex pelvic malformations. We found that approaching these patients in a collaborative way allows for combined medical and surgical decisions with many providers simultaneously, facilitates therapy, and can potentially improve patient outcomes. We hope that this model will help establish new-devoted centers in other locations to encourage centralized care for these rare malformations. Level of evidence IV.
Understanding variability in recycled aggregate concrete mechanical properties through numerical simulation and statistical evaluation

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of adhered mortar content on the mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) systems using two-dimensional finite element analysis of RAC specimens subjected to uniaxial compression. Sensitivity and statistical analyses of RAC systems were conducted to explore how individual material stiffnesses (aggregate, mortar matrix, adhered mortar, new Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ), and old ITZ) and adhered mortar contents (2, 10, 20 and 50%) influence RAC mechanical performance. In total, 128 simulation results were performed to understand variability in stress development, damage progression, compressive strength, and elastic modulus of RAC systems. Statistical inferences on the effects of variability in material stiffness and adhered mortar content were made based on frequency distributions, probability density functions, Pareto charts, main effects plots, and bivariate contour plots. Numerical results showed that compressive strength and elastic modulus decreased with increasing adhered mortar contents, while the strain corresponding to compressive softening increased with adhered mortar contents. Statistical results showed that compressive strength was most significantly influenced by aggregate stiffness and mortar matrix stiffness. Strain localizations were observed near the aggregate boundaries due to large material stiffness discontinuities in the RAC meso-level structure. RAC elastic modulus and ultimate compressive strain were mainly governed by the stiffness of the mortar matrix. Based on the numerical results, bivariate contour plots were developed to understand how variations in material stiffness and adhered mortar content influence the strength and stiffness of RAC systems.
Sub-Picogram Determination of Serotonin Using HPLC with Electrochemical Detection for Microdialysis Studies of Serotonin Release

The technique of microdialysis offers a unique avenue for monitoring extracellular chemical dynamics in nervous tissue. In using this technique to monitor neurotransmitters with high affinity uptake systems, the accurate determination of the extremely small amounts of material recovered represents an analytical challenge. For determinations of serotonin (5-HT) in microdialysis perfusates, HPLC coupled with either fluorescence (Kalen et al., 1988), or electrochemical (Brazell et al., 1985; Sharp et al., 1986) detection has been employed. Both means of detection offer high sensitivity and selectivity. This manuscript presents a Chromatographic system we have designed and constructed which offers extremely high sensitivity, suitable for analysis of microdialysis perfusates. In addition, the cost of the components for this system are roughly an order of magnitude less than the cost of a commercial system. The essential components are a pneumatic displacement fluid pump, narrow bore HPLC column, and battery-powered potentiostat for the electrochemical detection of 5-HT.
Algorithm for a least-distance programming problem

An algorithm is developed for the problem of finding the point of smallest Euclidean norm in the convex hull of a given finite point set in a Euclidean space, with particular attention paid to the description of the procedure in geometric terms.
Soybean Cyst Nematode (Heterodera glycines) Distribution in North Carolina, U.S.A.

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines Ichinohe, is an obligate, sedentary, and devastating parasite that is a major pathogen of soybean and accounts for an estimated $1.2 billion in prod...
Overstating America's Wrongful Conviction Rate? Reassessing the Conventional Wisdom About the Prevalence of Wrongful Convictions

A growing body of academic literature discusses the problem of wrongful convictions — i.e., convictions of factually innocent defendants for crimes they did not commit. But how often do such miscarriages of justice actually occur? Justice Scalia cited a figure of 0.027% as a possible error rate. But the conventional view in the literature is that, for violent crimes, the error rate is much higher — at least 1%, and perhaps as high as 4% or even more. This Article disputes that conventional wisdom. Based on a careful review of the available empirical literature, it is possible to assemble the component parts of a wrongful conviction rate calculation by looking at error rates at trial, the ratio of wrongful convictions obtained through trials versus plea bargains, and the percentage of cases resolved through pleas. Combining empirically based estimates for each of these three factors, a reasonable (and possibly overstated) calculation of the wrongful conviction rate appears, tentatively, to be somewhere in the range of 0.016%–0.062% — a range that comfortably embraces Justice Scalia’s oftencriticized figure. If this Article’s tentative error-rate range is correct, it means that previous scholarship has significantly overstated the risk of wrongful conviction. Moreover, it is possible to compare the lifetime risk of being wrongfully convicted to the risk of being a victim of a violent crime. The relative risk ratio appears to be about 30,000 to 1. This decidedly skewed ratio suggests that reform measures for protecting the innocent may need to be cautiously assessed to ensure that they do not interfere with the important goal of prosecuting the guilty.
Catalytic and Non-catalytic Conversion of Methane to C2 Hydrocarbons in a Low Temperature Plasma

The direct conversion of methane to C2 hydrocarbons, in a quartz tube reactor enforced by a DC corona discharge, was investigated at atmospheric pressure. The process was carried out in the presence of metal oxide catalysts of Mn/W/SiO2, Mn/W/SiO2 (tetraethyl orthosilicate, TEOS), and Mn/W/CNT (supported on carbon nanotubes). The total yield to C2 hydrocarbons in the presence of metal oxide catalysts in plasma environment was in the order of Mn/W/SiO2> Mn/W/SiO2 / TEOS> Plasma only> Mn/W/CNT. The order changes to Mn/W/SiO2>Mn/W/CNT>Plasma only> Mn/W/SiO2/ TEOS, when the selectivity and yield of ethylene is considered. The highest yield to C2 hydrocarbons was 15.8%, which was obtained by using Mn/W/SiO2 in combination with gas discharge plasma without external heating; it was lower when the same feed composition was tested over this catalyst at 825 °C. The catalyst Na2WO4/Mn2O3/SiO2 –b1, which produces the least carbon oxides, gives rise to the highest production of higher hydrocarbons and ethylene. Catalysts Na2WO4/Mn2O3/SiO2 /TEOS-b2 and Na2WO4/Mn2O3/‍CNT-b3,due to their high selectivity toward carbon oxides, show low efficiency in producing more valuable hydrocarbons.
The Influence of Clays on Human Health: a Medical Geology Perspective

Clay is unique especially from the perspective of medical geology, that is, the impacts of geologic materials and geologic processes on animal and human health. Clay is the only natural material that can impact human health through all routes of exposure: ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Moreover, these impacts can be harmful as well as beneficial. Ingestion of clay, a form of geophagy, has been practiced for millennia and is still widely practiced today. Humanoids have been ingesting clay for at least two million years to ease indigestion and counteract poisons. Some additional benefits may accrue from eating clays such as providing some nutrients but these benefits are far outweighed by the likely negative consequences such as tissue abrasion, intestinal blockage, anemia, exposure to pathogens and toxic trace elements, and potassium overdose. Inhalation of airborne minerals including clays has impacted the heath of millions. In the 1930s thousands of people living in the Dust Bowl in the U.S. southwest inhaled copious amounts of clay contributing to deadly ‘dust pneumonia.’ Using clay as a poultice to stem bleeding and cure certain skin ailments is an age-old practice that still has many adherents. A classic recent example of the antibacterial properties of clay is the use of certain clays to cure Buruli ulcer, a flesh eating disease. However, walking barefoot on clays in certain volcanic soils can result in non-filarial podoconiosis or elephantiasis. The absence of clays in soils can have serious health consequences. In South Africa, clay-poor soils yield crops lacking in essential nutrients and may be the principal cause of Msileni joint disease. Clearly, a detailed knowledge of the clays in the environment can have significant benefits to human health and wellbeing.
Pulse Contrast Enhancement via Non-Collinear Sum-Frequency Generation of the Signal and Idler of an Optical Parametric Amplifier

We improve the temporal contrast of the front end of a high-intensity laser system to better than twelve orders of magnitude using non-collinear sum-frequency generation of the signal and idler of an optical parametric amplifier. © 2019 The Author(s)
Intergenerational Metabolic Syndrome and Neuronal Network Hyperexcitability in Autism

We review evidence that suggests a role for excessive consumption of energy-dense foods, particularly fructose, and consequent obesity and insulin resistance (metabolic syndrome) in the recent increase in prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Maternal insulin resistance, obesity, and diabetes may predispose offspring to ASD by mechanisms involving chronic activation of anabolic cellular pathways and a lack of metabolic switching to ketosis resulting in a deficit in GABAergic signaling and neuronal network hyperexcitability. Metabolic reprogramming by epigenetic DNA and chromatin modifications may contribute to alterations in gene expression that result in ASD. These mechanistic insights suggest that interventions that improve metabolic health such as intermittent fasting and exercise may ameliorate developmental neuronal network abnormalities and consequent behavioral manifestations in ASD.
Stepping After Stroke: Walking Characteristics in People With Chronic Stroke Differ on the Basis of Walking Speed, Walking Endurance, and Daily Steps.

Background What contributes to free-living walking after stroke is poorly understood. Studying the characteristics of walking may provide further details that guide interventions. Objective The objectives of this study were to examine how the walking characteristics of bouts per day, median steps per bout, maximum steps per bout, and time spent walking differ in individuals with various walking speeds, walking endurance, and daily steps and to identify cutoffs for differentiating ambulators who were active versus inactive. Design This study involved a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Locomotor Experience Applied Post-Stroke trial. Methods Participants were categorized by walking speed, walking endurance (via the 6-minute walk test), and daily steps (via 2 consecutive days of objective activity monitoring). Differences in walking characteristics were assessed. Linear regression determined which characteristics predicted daily step counts. Receiver operating characteristic curves and areas under the curve were used to determine which variable was most accurate in classifying individuals who were active (≥5500 daily steps). Results This study included 252 participants with chronic stroke. Regardless of categorization by walking speed, walking endurance, or daily steps, household ambulators had significantly fewer bouts per day, steps per bout, and maximum steps per bout and spent less time walking compared with community ambulators. The areas under the curve for maximum steps per bout and bouts per day were 0.91 (95% confidence interval = 0.88 to 0.95) and 0.83 (95% confidence interval = 0.78 to 0.88), respectively, with cutoffs of 648 steps and 53 bouts being used to differentiate active and inactive ambulation. Limitations Activity monitoring occurred for only 2 days. Conclusions Walking characteristics differed based on walking speed, walking endurance, and daily steps. Differences in daily steps between household and community ambulators were largely due to shorter and fewer walking bouts. Assessing and targeting walking bouts may prove useful for increasing stepping after stroke.
Time-resolved Simulation of Optical Modulation from Ionization-induced Fast Charge Carriers

To greatly advance coincidence time resolution for positron emission tomography (PET), one possible mechanism is to utilize the transient free carrier effect resulting from 511 keV photon interactions in a crystal. It is challenging, however, to obtain precise timing information of carrier cascades, due to asynchronous decay of positrons. To address this problem, we propose to use relativistic electrons from ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) setup, which provides femtosecond (10 −15 s) time resolution capabilities. We conducted simulation studies to understand the behavior of free carrier generation resulting from relativistic electrons, by expanding our previous work, which used 350 keV photo-electrons. Most UED facilities have higher electron energy than 511 keV, and we simulated 750 keV and 3 MeV for matching the actual experimental conditions. We report ionization electron cascade duration of 1.14 ps for 350 keV, 2.79 ps for 750 keV, and 12.1 ps for 3 MeV electrons in CdTe. We found that by decreasing the sample thickness, for example with 400 µm CdTe, the cascade time reduces to 2.1 ps, and absorbed the energy of 500 keV, approaching the regime relevant to PET. Time-resolved carrier cascade dynamics were simulated, which showed that the charge density decreased with higher energy (8.46 × 10 18 cm −3 for 350 keV, 2.48 10 18 cm −3 for 750 keV, and 1.02×10 18 cm −3 for 3 MeV), due×to charge cloud spreading over longer cascade times. Finally, we obtained detectable optical modulation strengths in the first 350 µm in the charge carrier trajectory in CdTe, with maximum intensity change of 3.05% over a 120 µm by 160 µm area in z-projection. These results indicate the feasibility of using relativistic electron simulations to understand the temporal characteristics of ionization-induced electron cascade events generated by 511 keV photons.
Adolescent coping with academic challenges: The role of parental socialization of coping

Abstract Introduction How youth cope with academic challenges has important implications for their academic outcomes. The contributions of parental involvement have been relatively well-established; however, few, if any studies have investigated the role of parental socialization of academic coping (i.e., coping suggestions) in shaping youth coping with academic challenges. Methods Using a community sample from the United States, we utilized a multi-informant, longitudinal design to investigate the prospective association between parental socialization of academic coping and adolescent coping with academic challenges. Adolescent gender was also examined as a moderator of associations. Participants included 86 two-parent families (54% boys; 38–52% ethnic minorities). At Time 1, mothers and fathers reported on their problem-solving, help-seeking, and disengaged coping suggestions in response to three hypothetical academic challenge scenarios (i.e., forgetting about or performing poorly on an assignment, difficulties managing academic demands). At Times 1 and 2, adolescents reported on their coping strategies (e.g., strategizing, help-seeking, escape) in response to academic challenges. Results Father-reported problem-focused suggestions were associated with youths' more adaptive coping (e.g., strategizing, help-seeking) over time. Interestingly, father-reported disengaged suggestions were associated with less maladaptive coping over time. Further, adolescent gender moderated associations linking mothers' and fathers' problem-focused suggestions and fathers’ help-seeking and disengaged suggestions with adolescent coping over time. Conclusions Overall, fathers' coping suggestions were associated with more adaptive coping for girls as compared with boys. Findings highlight the role of parental socialization of coping, particularly fathers’ role, in the academic domain.
Initial dose of oncolytic myxoma virus programs durable antitumor immunity independent of in vivo viral replication.

Background Oncolytic therapy uses live-replicating viruses to improve the immunological status of treated tumors. Critically, while these viruses are known to self-amplify in vivo, clinical oncolytic therapies still appear to display a strong dose dependence and the mechanisms mediating this dose dependence are not well understood. Methods To explore this apparent contradiction, we investigated how the initial dose of oncolytic myxoma virus affected the subsequent ability of treatment to alter the immunological status of tumors as well as synergize with programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1) blockade. Results Our results indicate that, due to viral self-amplification in vivo, the overall load of myxoma virus rapidly normalizes within treated tumors despite up to 3-log differences in inoculating dose. Because of this, therapeutic efficacy in the absence of checkpoint blockade is largely dose independent. Despite this rapid normalization, however, treatment with high or low doses of myxoma virus induces distinct immunological changes within treated tumors. Critically, these changes appear to be durably programmed based on the initial oncolytic dose with low-dose treatment failing to induce immunological improvements despite rapidly achieving equivalent viral burdens. Finally, due to the distinct immunological profiles induced by high and low myxoma virus doses, oncolytic efficacy resulting from combination with PD1 blockade therapy displays a strong dose dependence. Conclusions Taken together, these data suggest that the ability of oncolytic myxoma virus to immunologically reprogram treated tumors is dependent on initial viral dose. Additionally, this work could provide a possible mechanistic explanation for clinical results observed with other oncolytic viruses.
Analysis of Active Response in the Immune System with Computer Network Considerations

Abstract : Response of the immune system to invading alien proteins is considered as an example of a highly successful defense mechanism of a complex system against an, effectively, information attack. Specific components of this mechanism are described and subjected to mathematical modeling. The entire mechanism is viewed as a closed-loop, nonlinear, negative feedback circuit. Generic conditions resulting in two distinctive outcomes of such an attack, lethality and full recovery are established. The control law, inevitably resulting in the full recovery outcome is described. A chronology of a recent information attack on the international computer network community is presented, and the resemblance between the particular stages of the attacks on the computer network and the immune system is emphasized. It is concluded that the control law established for the immune defenses could be fruitful in application to computer defenses.