cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applying Corpus-Based Findings to Form-Focused Instruction: The Case of Reported Speech.

Arguing that the introduction of corpus linguistics in teaching materials and the language classroom should be informed by theories and principles of SLA, this paper presents a case study illustrating how corpus-based findings on reported speech can be integrated into a form-focused model of instruction. After overviewing previous work which compares ESL grammar textbooks descriptions and real language use, and promotes the use of corpus-based findings to inform L2 textbook descriptions, we outline the results of a survey of the presentation of reported speech in current popular textbooks. The survey findings are contrasted with the patterns of use found in two corpus-based cross-register studies of reported speech, showing how textbooks neglect important information on the use of this structure in real language. The frequency patterns of use that emerged in the corpus studies are then used to identify 10 principles that should inform the design of L2 materials and classroom instruction of reported speech...
Synthesis of glycolytic and peroxisomal enzymes in Tetrahymena following a change in culture conditions

The specific activity of a peroxisomal enzyme, lactate oxidase, and of pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, which are not peroxisomal, increased rapidly when shaken cultures of Tetrahymena were transferred to conditions of oxygen restriction and supplemented with glucose. Two other peroxisomal enzymes, catalase and TPN-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase, did not increase substantially, nor did succinate dehydrogenase. The increases were reduced if glucose was not added at the time of transfer, and were prevented by actinomycin D or cycloheximide, but not by chloramphenicol. The results suggest an involvement of peroxisomes in the metabolism of glycolytic endproducts when the availability of oxygen to the cell is limiting.
γ-SECRETASE SUBSTRATE SELECTIVITY CAN BE MODULATED DIRECTLY VIA INTERACTION WITH A NUCLEOTIDE BINDING SITE.

γ-Secretase is an unusual protease with an intramembrane catalytic site that cleaves many type I membrane proteins, including the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) precursor (APP) and the Notch receptor. Genetic and biochemical studies have identified four membrane proteins as components of γ-secretase: heterodimeric presenilin composed of its N- and C-terminal fragments, nicastrin, Aph-1, and Pen-2. Here we demonstrated that certain compounds, including protein kinase inhibitors and their derivatives, act directly on purified γ-secretase to selectively block cleavage of APP- but not Notch-based substrates. Moreover, ATP activated the generation of the APP intracellular domain and Aβ, but not the generation of the Notch intracellular domain by the purified protease complex, and was a direct competitor of the APP-selective inhibitors, as were other nucleotides. In accord, purified γ-secretase bound specifically to an ATP-linked resin. Finally, a photoactivable ATP analog specifically labeled presenilin 1-C-terminal fragments in purified γ-secretase preparations; the labeling was blocked by ATP itself and APP-selective γ-secretase inhibitors. We concluded that a nucleotide-binding site exists within γ-secretase, and certain compounds that bind to this site can specifically modulate the generation of Aβ while sparing Notch. Drugs targeting the γ-secretase nucleotide-binding site represent an attractive strategy for safely treating Alzheimer disease.
Properties of space-time codes for frequency-selective channels

Some important properties are derived for the diversity gain and the coding gain of space-time codes (STCs) for frequency-selective channels. It is proven that the diversity gain of a STC that provides maximum diversity gain for channels with a given number of taps is robust to a decrease in the number of taps. For coding gain analysis, we categorize the possible types of correlation matrices into several classes based on the type of power delay profile, spatial correlation, and tap correlation. It is proven that optimum STCs found for spatially independent and frequency-selective channels with uncorrelated taps and uniform power delay profile have coding gains that are robust against a mismatch in correlation structure if the number of taps is fixed. Thereafter, a systematic design procedure is applied to search for the best space-time trellis codes (STTCs) for frequency-selective channels. At a frame error rate (FER) of 0.01, our example 16-state binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) STTC outperforms the delay diversity code by 3.4 dB for a channel with three uncorrelated uniform taps. Further, the example STC designed for a channel with a given number of taps is shown to provide good performance for channels with fewer taps.
Cleaning Up Without Clearing Out? A Spatial Assessment of Environmental Gentrification

The environmental gentrification hypothesis predicts that environmental quality improvements in poor communities may spur gentrification and the displacement of residents. The author analyzes the r...
Clothing reduces evaporative water and heat loss in preterm infants

Newborn preterm infants have large losses of fluid from their immature skin. To minimize fluid and heat loss and reduce the risk of dehydration and hypothermia, infants are routinely nursed in humidified and temperature-controlled incubators. The incubator care can be interrupted by periods of skin-to-skin care (STS). However, data are limited on how to reduce fluid and heat loss from very preterm infants during STS. To investigate the effect of clothing during STS we measured the evaporation of water from the surface of a body/skin model designed to simulate the skin temperature and ambient conditions of an extremely preterm infant during the first days of life. A semi-permeable membrane was placed on top of a water filled chamber heated to body temperature and kept in an incubator at relevant environmental conditions. The evaporation rate (ER) was determined by evaporimetry from the membrane surface alone or from the membrane covered with layers of fabric. The effect of fabric clothing was also determined in a group of extremely preterm infants during incubator care. The evaporation rate (ER) was 51 ± 2.7 g/m 2 h from the membrane only. When layers of fabric were applied, ER decreased for each added layer. The ER and temperatures recorded in the model system were in the range relevant for preterm infants. In the infants, fabric clothing also resulted in a decreased ER. We conclude that layers of a simple cotton fabric provide a significant barrier to vapor diffusion thereby reducing evaporative loss of water and heat.
CTRL: a self-organizing femtocell management architecture for co-channel deployment

Femtocell technology has been drawing considerable attention as a cost-effective means of improving cellular coverage and capacity. However, under co-channel deployment, femtocells may incur high uplink interference to existing macrocells, and vice versa. To alleviate this interference, we propose a distributed and self-organizing femtocell management architecture, called CTRL Complementary TRi-control Loops), that consists of three control loops. First, for protection of macrocell users' uplink communications, CTRL controls the maximum TX power of femtocell users based on the fedback macrocell's load margin so as to keep, on average, the macrocell load below a certain threshold. Second, CTRL determines the target SINRs of femtocell users, conditioned on the maximum TX power, to reach a Nash equilibrium based on their utility functions, thus achieving efficient coordination of uplink usage among femtocells. Third, for protection of femtocell users' uplink communications, the instantaneous TX power of each femtocell user is controlled to achieve the target SINR against bursty interference from nearby macrocell or femtocell users. Our in-depth evaluation has shown CTRL to successfully preserve the macrocell users' service quality from femtocells' interference and converge to an optimal point under highly dynamic user TX conditions. CTRL is also shown to limit the effects of the estimation errors of channel gains and feedback delay.
Vulnerability Assessment on Adversarial Organization: Unifying Command and Control Structure Analysis and Social Network Analysis

People often look at social networks as a way of explaining and understanding the design of an organization. The structure of an organization, in terms of workflow, can itself be assessed for feasibility, strength and robustness. Currently, tools for assessing organizations from a social network and from a workflow perspective are completely separate. Thus, we show how you can infer the workflow from the social network and what additional information can be extracted. This enables you to assess organizations from multiple perspectives at once and to gain a depth of understanding of this organization.
COPI selectively drives maturation of the early Golgi

COPI coated vesicles carry material between Golgi compartments, but the role of COPI in the secretory pathway has been ambiguous. Previous studies of thermosensitive yeast COPI mutants yielded the surprising conclusion that COPI was dispensable both for the secretion of certain proteins and for Golgi cisternal maturation. To revisit these issues, we optimized the anchor-away method, which allows peripheral membrane proteins such as COPI to be sequestered rapidly by adding rapamycin. Video fluorescence microscopy revealed that COPI inactivation causes an early Golgi protein to remain in place while late Golgi proteins undergo cycles of arrival and departure. These dynamics generate partially functional hybrid Golgi structures that contain both early and late Golgi proteins, explaining how secretion can persist when COPI has been inactivated. Our findings suggest that cisternal maturation involves a COPI-dependent pathway that recycles early Golgi proteins, followed by multiple COPI-independent pathways that recycle late Golgi proteins.
Increased responsiveness to LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) in rats with median eminence lesions.

SummaryResponsiveness to synthetic LHRH, as measured by increments in plasma LH following its sc injection, was evaluated in castrated rats with median eminence lesions and compared to that in sham-operated controls and controls with intact brains. Median eminence lesions in castrates were followed by a decline in plasma LH to approximately 30% of control values at 1, 7, and 14 days postlesions. This was associated with an increase in responsiveness to LHRH at 1 day, followed by a return to normal responsiveness at 7 and 14 days postlesions. Even though plasma LH was lowered in the animals with lesions, pituitary LH was little changed, which indicates that these lesions, although effective to inhibit LH release, were probably incomplete.It is concluded that LH release is inhibited by lesions in the median eminence in the face of normal or even increased responsiveness to LHRH. The cause of the increased responsiveness to LHRH which appeared at 1 day after lesions remains to be elucidated.
Energy Costs & Performance of Transtibial Amputees & Non-amputees during Walking & Running

This study compared energy costs and performance differences of walking and running for transtibial amputee (TTA) and matched non-amputee runners. TTA were tested with 3 prosthetic feet: traditional foot, SACH; general purpose, energy storing and return (ESAR) foot, Renegade; running-specific ESAR foot, Nitro. During walking, VO2 and gait efficiency (GE) were similar between prosthetic feet. VO2 was increased (21-33%) and GE was decreased for TTA compared to controls. Self-selected walking speed (SSWS) was slower for SACH (4-6%) compared to Renegade and Nitro but SSWS for TTA was slower (16-22%) than controls. During running, VO2 was increased (8-18%) and GE was decreased using SACH and Renegade, compared to Nitro. During running, VO2 was greater (9-38%), GE was decreased and SSRS was slower (17-30%) for TTA, than controls. VO2 peak was similar for controls and TTA using Nitro, but peak running speed was slower for TTA. In conclusion, during walking energy costs are mostly similar between prosthetic feet, but ESAR feet likely provide faster SSWS for TTA. During running, energy costs and performance are improved for TTA using Nitro. Nonetheless, for all prosthetic feet conditions, TTA demonstrated an energy cost and performance disadvantage during walking and running compared to non-amputee runners.
Resective surgery for focal cortical dysplasia in children: a comparative analysis of the utility of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI).

Seizure freedom following resection of focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) correlates with complete resection of the dysplastic cortical tissue. However, difficulty with intraoperative identification of the lesion may limit the ability to achieve the surgical objective of complete extirpation of these lesions. Intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) may aid in FCD resections. The objective of this study is to compare rates of postoperative seizure freedom, completeness of resection, and need for reoperation in patients undergoing iMRI-assisted FCD resection versus conventional surgical techniques. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of pediatric subjects who underwent surgical resection of FCD at Children’s National Medical Center between March 2005 and April 2015. At the time of the last postoperative follow-up, 11 of the 12 patients (92 %) in the iMRI resection group were seizure free (Engel Class I), compared to 14 of the 42 patients (33 %) in the control resection group (p = 0.0005). All 12 of the iMRI patients (100 %) achieved complete resection, compared to 24 of 42 patients (57 %) in the control group (p = 0.01). One (8 %) patient from the iMRI-assisted resection group has required reoperation, compared to 17 (40 %) patients in the control resection group. Our results suggest that the utilization of iMRI during surgery for resection of FCD results in improved postoperative seizure freedom, completeness of lesion resection, and reduction in the need for reoperation.
Recombinant human erythropoietin therapy in pediatric patients receiving long-term peritoneal dialysis.

We evaluated the impact of (s.c.) recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) therapy on the hematological status, exercise capacity, and dietary intake of nine pediatric patients (mean age 12.4±3.2 years) receiving long-term peritoneal dialysis. Five children without medical illness served as controls for the exercise testing portion of the study. Following 7.9±2.8 weeks of twice weekly r-HuEPO (50 units/kg per dose), the hematocrit increased from 21.9±3.5% to 31.3±2.5% (P<0.001). A further increase to 33.2±3.0% occurred after 2 months of once weekly therapy. The blood transfusion requirement decreased from 0.5 transfusions per patient-month to 0.05 transfusions per patient-month (P<0.01). Graded exercise testing demonstrated an increase in peak oxygen consumption from 17.8±5.2 to 24.0±7.6 ml/kg per min (P<0.01). The oxygen consumption at anaerobic threshold increased from 13.1±3.9 to 17.1±3.5 ml/kg per min (P<0.02). Treadmill time increased from 5.3±1.2 to 7.5±1.3 min (P<0.001). In each case, the percentage improvement was significantly greater than the improvement seen in the control population. Dietary evaluation revealed no significant change in caloric or protein intake, despite a subjectively improved appetite. r-HuEPO, given by the s.c. route, corrects the anemia and improves the exercise capacity of pediatric patients receiving long-term peritoneal dialysis.
Integrative behavioral couple therapy

Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT) is based in part on traditional behavioral couple therapy but expands both the conceptualization of couple distress and of intervention. The efficacy of IBCT has been supported in three clinical trials, including one with five year follow-up. Additionally, the effectiveness of IBCT in the real world has been supported through a system-wide dissemination effort in the United States Department of Veteran's Affairs. The reach of IBCT has also been extended through an online program, www.OurRelationship.com, based on IBCT. A nationwide clinical trial with a representative sample of the US population demonstrated the effectiveness of this program on both relationship and individual variables.
Selected Discourses of Shenoute the Great: Community, Theology, and Social Conflict in Late Antique Egypt

Shenoute's life, times, and Discourses Part I. Heretics and Other Enemies of the Church: 1. And it happened one day 2. As I sat on a mountain 3. I am amazed Part II. Shenoute as Pastor and Preacher: 4. I see your eagerness 5. Some kinds of people sift dirt and Whoever seeks God will find 6. The idolatrous pagans, or And we will reveal something else 7. And let us also reprove 8. I answered 9. And after a few days 10. See how clearly revealed is the foolishness of pitiless people 11. Truly when I think 12. A priest will never cease 13. When the Word says Part III. The Christian's Struggle with Satan: 14. In the night 15. Because of you too, O Prince of Evil 16. A beloved asked me years ago 17. As we began to preach Part IV. The Conflict with Gesios: 18. Not because a fox barks 19. Let our eyes (translated by Stephen Emmel) 20. A26 21. God says through those who are His 22. God is blessed.
Race and Responsiveness: An Experiment with South African Politicians

Do politicians engage in ethnic and racial favoritism when conducting constituency service? This article presents results from a replication field experiment with local South African politicians that tested for racial bias in responsiveness to requests about public goods provision. The experiment represents an adaptation of similar experiments conducted in the United States, extending the design to a different institutional environment, albeit one with a similar racially-charged history. Although one might suppose that politicians in South Africa would seek to avoid racial bias given the recent transition to full democracy, I find that South African politicians—both black and white—are more responsive to same-race constituents than to other-race constituents. Same-race bias is evident in both the dominant and the main opposition political parties. Moreover, politicians are not particularly responsive to anyone. Implications for the further study of democratic responsiveness are discussed.
Cost-effectiveness of SHINE: A Telephone Translation of the Diabetes Prevention Program:

Background: The Support, Health Information, Nutrition, and Exercise (SHINE) trial recently showed that a telephone adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention was effective in reducing weight among patients with metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study is to determine whether a conference call (CC) adaptation was cost effective relative to an individual call (IC) adaptation of the DPP lifestyle intervention in the primary care setting. Methods: We performed a stochastic cost-effectiveness analysis alongside a clinical trial comparing two telephone adaptations of the DPP lifestyle intervention. The primary outcomes were incremental cost-effectiveness ratios estimated for weight loss, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Costs were estimated from the perspective of society and included direct medical costs, indirect costs, and intervention costs. Results: After one year, participants receiving the CC intervention accumulated fewer costs ($2,831 vs. $2,933) than the IC group, lost more weight (6.2 kg vs. 5.1 kg), had greater reduction in BMI (2.1 vs. 1.9), and had greater reduction in waist circumference (6.5 cm vs. 5.9 cm). However, participants in the CC group had fewer QALYs than those in the IC group (0.635 vs. 0.646). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for CC vs. IC was $9,250/QALY, with a 48% probability of being cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay of $100,000/QALY. Conclusions: CC delivery of the DPP was cost effective relative to IC delivery in the first year in terms of cost per clinical measure (weight lost, BMI, and waist circumference) but not in terms of cost per QALY, most likely because of the short time horizon.
Abstract 5128: Changes in mitochondrial background affect nuclear DNA methylation

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA There is emerging evidence demonstrating that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) contributes to complex genetic diseases such as cancer. To test directly the role of mtDNA in tumorigenicity and metastasis, a new genetically engineered mouse model was created that contains nuclear DNA from one mouse strain and mtDNA contribution from different mouse strain(s). Taking advantage of maternal inheritance, Mitochondrial Nuclear Exchange (MNX) mice can be bred to mice sharing the same nuclear DNA background. As a result, MNX serves as an important tool to determine if and how mitochondrial genetic background contributes to cancer, negating the concern for mixing maternal and paternal nuclear DNA polymorphisms. MNX mice are healthy, breed normally, show no overt differences in cell cycle or apoptosis and are genetically stable for multiple (>10) generations. Nonetheless, they are distinct strains based upon behaviors and gene expression patterns. The mechanisms controlling gene expression in different MNX strains are not yet known; however, retrograde and anterograde cross-talk exists between the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Our hypothesis is that important epigenetic changes occur in the nuclear genome depending upon mitochondrial genetics. To test this hypothesis, we performed Meth-Seq using the Agilent Mouse SureSelect platform and Affymetrix gene expression arrays on four mouse brains (8 wk) that were pooled from different litters and cages of wild-type and MNX to minimize age, developmental, inter-individual and generational heterogeneity. Both differential DNA methylation and gene expression patterns were observed but analyses are ongoing to better define the observed differences. Together these observations provide novel insights into how mtDNA could be altering epigenetic regulation and thereby contribute to cancer pathogenesis. Support: Susan G. Komen for the Cure (SAC11037), Natl Fndn Cancer Res., Kansas Bioscience Authority, Steiner Family Fund. Citation Format: Carolyn J. Vivian, Amanda E. Brinker, Gerald C. Gooden, Christophe Legendre, Bodour Salhia, Danny R. Welch. Changes in mitochondrial background affect nuclear DNA methylation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5128. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5128
Origami-based mechanical metamaterials with tunable frequency band structures (Conference Presentation)

We investigate wave dynamics in origami-based mechanical metamaterials composed of bellows-like origami structures, specifically the Tachi-Miura Polyhedron (TMP). One of the unique features of the TMP is that its structural deformations take place only along the crease lines, therefore the structure can be made of rigid plates and hinges. By utilizing this feature, we introduce linear torsional springs to model the crease lines and derive the force and displacement relationship of the TMP structure along the longitudinal direction. Our analysis shows strain softening/hardening behaviors in compression/tensile regions respectively, and the force-displacement curve can be manipulated by altering the initial configuration of the TMP (e.g., the initial folding angle). We also fabricate physical prototypes and measure the force-displacement behavior to verify our analytical model. Based on this static analysis on the TMP, we simplify the TMP structure into a linkage model, preserving the tunable strain softening/hardening behaviors. Dynamic analysis is also conducted numerically to analyze the frequency response of the simplified TMP unit cell under harmonic excitations. The simplified TMP exhibits a transition between linear and nonlinear behaviors, which depends on the amplitude of the excitation and the initial configuration. In addition, we design a 1D system composed of simplified TMP unit cells and analyze the relationship between frequency and wave number. If two different configurations of the unit cell (e.g., different initial folding angles) are connected in an alternating arrangement, the system develops frequency bandgaps. These unique static/dynamic behaviors can be exploited to design engineering devices which can handle vibrations and impact in an efficient manner.
Agency rulemaking in a separation of powers system

Rulemaking gives agencies significant power to change public policy, but agencies do not exercise this power in a vacuum. The separation of powers system practically guarantees that, at times, agencies will be pushed and pulled in different directions by Congress and the president. We argue that these forces critically affect the volume of rules produced by an agency. We develop an account of agency rulemaking in light of these factors and test our hypotheses on a data set of agency rules from 1995 to 2007. Our results show that even after accounting for factors specific to each agency, agencies do, in fact, adjust the quantity of rules they produce in response to separation of powers oversight. Further analysis shows that the president’s influence is limited to those agencies that he has made a priority.
Latina Baccalaureate Attainment: A Mixed Methods Case Study of a TRIO Intervention:

Research demonstrates that Latinas are one of the most at-risk female demographics in higher education and have the lowest baccalaureate attainment rate of all female groups, especially at Hispanic...
The Future of Electronic Reserves and the Presence of Librarians in Content Management Systems: A Case Study at Manhattan College.

ABSTRACTThis article addresses the development of electronic reserves within academic libraries. Libraries have been offering electronic reserve services on separate platforms since the 1990s (Aust...
Prehospital education in triage for pediatric and pregnant patients in a regional trauma system without collocated pediatric and adult trauma centers.

Abstract Purpose Patient triage to the appropriate destination is critical to prehospital trauma care. Triage decisions are challenging in a region without collocated pediatric and adult trauma centers. Methods A regional survey was administered to emergency medical response units identifying variability and confusion regarding factors influencing patient disposition. A course was developed to guide the triage of pediatric and pregnant trauma patients. Pre- and posttests were administered to address course principles, including decision making and triage. Results A total of 445 participants completed the course at 22 sites representing 88 different prehospital provider agencies. Pre- and posttests were administered to 62% of participants with an average score improvement of 53.4% (pretest range 30% to 56.6%; posttest range 85% to 100%). Improvements were seen in all categories including major and minor trauma in pregnancy, major trauma in adolescence, and knowledge of age limits and triage protocols. Conclusion Education on triage guidelines and principles of pediatric resuscitation is essential for appropriate prehospital trauma management. Pre- and posttests may be used to demonstrate short term efficacy, while ongoing evaluations of practice patterns and follow-up surveys are needed to demonstrate longevity of acquired knowledge and identify areas of persistent confusion. Level of Evidence Level IV, Case Series without Standardized.
Intraocular pressure and cardiovascular alterations investigated in artificial gravity as a countermeasure to spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome

This is the first study, to the authors’ knowledge, to measure intraocular pressure in short-radius centrifuge artificial gravity (AG), which has been proposed as a countermeasure to the spacefligh...
Multilateral Environmental Agreements and Trade Policies

A brief summary of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) incorporating trade measures is given below. Among the most significant MEAs using trade restrictions for environmental objectives are: Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Montreal Protocol (MP) to the Vienna Convention on the Ozone Depleting Substances, and the Basel Convention on the Transport of Hazardous Waste.
Simulating the Marketplace of Ideas: Fully Considered Healthcare Policy Preferences and Deliberation Effects on Opinion Change

Informed consideration of conflicting arguments regarding public issues is assumed to be central to citizens’ democratic decision making. In this regard, two aspects of political reasoning are crucial: knowledge of relevant facts and the consideration of opposing views and arguments. Drawing on The Healthcare Dialogue Project, a multi-wave study involving several online deliberations and surveys, I examine the relationship between these two requisites of political decision making, finding that well informed citizens tend to take a slanted set of arguments into consideration. I then estimate “fully informed” preferences, and “fully considered” preferences, which respectively correct for political ignorance and for narrow and imbalanced considerations, finding that fully informed and fully considered opinions diverge in important ways. Finally, I present evidence that actual deliberation moves policy opinions towards the statistically imputed fully considered preferences, but not towards fully informed preferences.
Regional Deformation of the Optic Nerve Head and Peripapillary Sclera During IOP Elevation.

Purpose To measure the deformation of the porcine optic nerve head (ONH) and peripapillary sclera (PPS) in response to intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. Methods High-frequency ultrasound was used to image the ONH and PPS of 12 porcine eyes during ex vivo inflation testing from 5 to 30 mm Hg. A speckle tracking algorithm was used to compute tissue displacements in the anterior-posterior direction and expansion of the scleral canal. Through-thickness, in-plane, and shear strains were calculated within the ONH. Regional displacements and strains were analyzed and compared. Results The ONH and PPS showed overall posterior displacement in response to IOP elevation. Posterior displacement of the ONH was larger than and strongly correlated with the posterior displacement of the PPS throughout inflation testing. Scleral canal expansion was much smaller and leveled off quicker than ONH posterior displacement as IOP increased. Through-thickness compression was concentrated in the anterior ONH, which also experienced larger in-plane and shear strains than the posterior ONH. Within the anterior ONH, all three strains were significantly higher in the periphery compared with the center, with the shear strain exhibiting the greatest difference between the two regions. Conclusions High-resolution ultrasound speckle tracking revealed the full-thickness mechanical response of the posterior eye to IOP elevation. A mismatch in posterior displacement was found between the ONH and PPS, and regional analyses showed a concentration of strains within the periphery of the anterior porcine ONH. These deformation patterns may help in understanding IOP-associated optic nerve damage and glaucoma susceptibility.
Evaluation of maize germplasm from Saint Croix for resistance to leaf feeding by fall armyworm.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a preferred host of fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae), with larvae primarily feeding on developing leaves and ear tissue. The fall armyworm is resistant to several classes of insecticide and Bt-maize grown in certain areas. Native sources of plant resistance to the pest are available for public use, but new sources of resistance need to be discovered and developed. The objective for this study was to test maize germplasm collected from Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, for resistance to leaf feeding by fall armyworm. Plants were grown in the field and artificially infested at a high level. Scores of damage by fall armyworm feeding on leaves at 7 and 14 days differed significantly for the 13 maize genotypes tested. Scores at 14 days for Saint Croix Group 1 (5.8), Saint Croix Group 3 (5.6), Saint Croix 2 (5.6), and Saint Croix 7 (6.0) were moderately resistant and not significantly different from one another. Individual plants in the populations were variable for resistance to leaf feeding, and scored between 4 and 7. It should be possible to select within the populations for greater resistance to damage by fall armyworms feeding on leaves.
Local tumor response and survival outcomes after combined stereotactic radiosurgery and immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases.

Objective Concurrent use of anti-PD-1 therapies with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) have been shown to be beneficial for survival and local lesional control in melanoma patients with brain metastases. It is not known, however, if immunotherapy (IT) confers the same outcome advantage in lung cancer patients with brain metastases treated with SRS. Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed 85 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases who were treated with SRS between January 2006 and December 2016. Thirty-nine PD-L1 antibody-positive patients received anti-PD-1 therapy with SRS (IT group) and 46 patients received chemotherapy (CT) with SRS (CT group). Results were obtained using chi-square, Kaplan-Meier, and Mann-Whitney U tests and Cox regression analyses. Results Median survival following first radiosurgical treatment in the whole study group was 11.6 months (95% CI 8-15.5 months). Median survival times in the IT group and CT group were 10 months (95% CI 8.3-13.2 months) and 11.6 months (95% CI 7.7-15.6 months), respectively (p = 0.23). A Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score 500 mm3, 90% of lesions shrank after radiosurgery in the IT group compared with 47.8% in the CT group (p = 0.001). Median times to initial response and times to maximal shrinkage were faster in the IT group than in the CT group: initial response 49 days (95% CI 33.7-64.3 days) versus 84 days (95% CI 28.1-140 days), p = 0.001; maximal response 105 days (95% CI 59-150 days) versus 182 days (95% CI 119.6-244 days), p = 0.12. Conclusions Unlike patients with melanoma, patients with NSCLC with brain metastases undergoing SRS showed no significant benefit-either in terms of survival or total amount of lesional response-when anti-PD-1 therapies were used. However, in lesions with volume > 500 mm3, combining SRS with IT may result in a faster and better volumetric response which may be particularly beneficial in lesions causing mass effect or located in neurologically critical locations.
Estimating the Financial Impact of Reducing Primary Cesareans.

Introduction Preventing a primary cesarean birth in nulliparous women with term, singleton, vertex pregnancies (NTSV) is recognized as an important strategy to reduce maternal morbidities and risks to the newborn. Multiple professional organizations are supporting approaches to safely reduce NTSV cesarean rates, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine; and the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) is leading one such effort as part of its Healthy Birth Initiative: the Reducing Primary Cesareans (RPC) Learning Collaborative. The objective of this study is to estimate the cost savings of a decrease in NTSV cesareans at one hospital participating in the RPC Learning Collaborative. Methods All women giving birth at Baystate Medical Center from October 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017, and their newborns were identified by Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group (N = 1747). Total hospital costs were calculated using a resource consumption profile for each of 6 groups: women who had vaginal birth, primary cesarean, and repeat cesarean and their linked newborns. A model was developed to estimate cost differences for the first and second births and overall cost savings. Results For the NTSV birth, total costs for primary cesarean and newborn care were $5989 higher compared with vaginal birth and newborn care. For the subsequent birth, repeat cesareans and newborn care were $4250 higher compared with vaginal birth. In 2016, 69 primary cesareans were prevented, for an actual cost savings of $413,241. Projecting the prevention of 66 subsequent repeat cesareans would result in additional savings of $280,500, for a total savings of $693,741. Apgar score at 5 minutes and length of stay remained unchanged. Discussion Participation in ACNM's RPC Learning Collaborative led to significant savings in hospital costs during the first year without affecting quality metrics. This cost comparison model could be replicated by other hospitals involved in cesarean reduction endeavors.
Changes in Risk Factors during the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents

Abstract This study aimed to assess whether changes in potentially modifiable risk factors associated with the construct of neuroticism and common to emotional disorders (i.e., poor distress tolerance and heightened avoidance) occur in concordance with the administration of different treatment components of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) and with reductions in emotional disorder symptoms (i.e., anxiety and depressive symptoms) overall. Using single-case analytic strategies, including multiple-baseline design and modeling techniques the authors treated eight adolescents with emotional disorder diagnoses and evaluated trajectories of change in distress tolerance and experiential avoidance as well as in the sequencing of such change in regard to change in anxiety and depressive symptoms. Clinical outcomes were favorable based on parent, adolescent, and clinician-rated measures. Treatment-based change was demonstrated, at both group and individual levels, and at expected points in treatment, in regard to facets of neuroticism. Overall, self-reported change in experiential avoidance and distress tolerance tended to occur simultaneously to reductions in emotional disorder symptoms. This study helps to clarify the course of expected change in variables believed to be common among a range of emotional disorders during a transdiagnostic treatment and provides initial information regarding tailoring the UP-A for individuals with different clinical profiles.
Re-imagining leisure education with Canadian hope: will the caravan of American individualism keep rolling?

Leisure education needs to move beyond an American individualistic model focused on changing or fixing individuals and can be used to change ecological factors and be used in a system-directed and ...
Hope in Ancient Greek Philosophy

This chapter aims to illuminate ways in which hope was significant in the philosophy of classical Greece. Although ancient Greek philosophies contain few dedicated and systematic expositions on the nature of hope, they nevertheless include important remarks relating hope to the good life, to reason and deliberation, and to psychological phenomena such as memory, imagination, fear, motivation, and pleasure. After an introductory discussion of Hesiod and Heraclitus, the chapter focuses on Plato and Aristotle. Consideration is given both to Plato’s direct comments on hope and to the narrative contexts of his dialogues, with analysis of Plato’s positive and negative representations of hope, hope’s relationship to reason, and Plato’s more psychological approach in the Philebus, where hope finds a place among memory, recollection, pleasure, and pain. The chapter then reviews Aristotle’s discussions of confidence, hope, and courage, observing that although Aristotle does not mention hope as a virtue, he does note its importance to human agency and deliberation and as a foundation for the further development of virtue. The chapter concludes that discussions surrounding hope in ancient Greek philosophy are rich and challenging and can serve as a lively stimulus to further exploration of the concept of hope.
Probabilistic risk-based Area of Review (AoR) determination for a deep-saline carbon storage site

Abstract Regulatory oversight of a geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) project relies on iterative estimations, throughout the project lifetime, of the area where increased risks to underground sources of drinking water (USDWs) may occur due to injection of CO2. This area, referred to as Area of Review (AoR), is typically delineated by predicting the migration of fluid between the reservoir and the lowermost USDW via an open wellbore using predictions from physics-based reservoir simulators. The inherent uncertainty in input parameters used in reservoir modeling therefore affects the accuracy of determining the AoR for a project. Furthermore, the standard analytical approaches for calculating a critical pressure to delineate the risk area yield an infinite AoR for cases where the injection reservoir is overpressured relative to the USDW. A methodology is presented here to better characterize the risk to USDWs while accounting for the uncertainty in reservoir modeling, with an application to a permitted GCS project with an overpressured injection formation, FutureGen 2.0. The methodology is demonstrated using the National Risk Assessment Partnership’s open-source integrated assessment model (NRAP-Open-IAM) to develop a probabilistic estimate of impact risk to USDW quality. CO2 and pressure predictions from the reservoir modeling conducted using the STOMP-CO2 simulator for the FutureGen 2.0 site are used in a NRAP-Open-IAM model with reservoir, wellbore, and aquifer components to: (1) assess the extent of potential leakage into the USDW for the predicted reservoir pressure conditions; (2) evaluate the extent of potential impact using “no-net-degradation” thresholds; and (3) account for uncertainty in reservoir permeabilities.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis in the lumbosacral spine of a toddler: Periarticular osteopenia in a rare location

Abstract Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a group of childhood inflammatory arthropathies that affects multiple joints including the spine, particularly the cervical region. There is paucity of literature regarding JIA in the lumbosacral spine; the few published studies which discuss imaging findings in the lumbosacral spine only include cohorts of older children and adolescents. We present a 22-month-old boy with refusal to walk, in which plain radiographs and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbosacral spine suggested a diagnosis of JIA.
Transformative Radical Self-care by Women in African and Pan-African Spiritual Traditions: Divine Power of Joy, Lemonade Self-care, Self-love Holiday

Exploring radical self-care practices as liberatory political resistance exposes the paradox that freedom from suffering is not free or an entitlement, instead it is a daily practice. This is a par...
De-Conferring Judicial Legitimacy

Scholars have devoted considerable attention to the U.S. Supreme Court’s legitimacy-conferring capacity, arguing that the Court attaches some of its legitimacy to its rulings, leading people to accept those decisions. Missing from earlier research is recognition that the U.S. is a federal legal system that often pits state courts against the U.S. Supreme Court. Moreover, state courts have legitimacy of their own that may inoculate the state high court from attacks from the federal court. Examining Caperton v. Massey, a ruling against the West Virginia Supreme Court and using a panel survey of West Virginia residents, we find that the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling harmed the state court’s support among its constituents, but the state court’s legitimacy also protected it from the U.S. Court’s ruling. These findings suggest that a new approach to understanding legal federalism is required, one that focuses on the relative legitimacy of the institutions involved.
Genetic testing in beef practice

Genomic technologies are emerging as an important tool in beef genetic improvement strategies. Genetic tests are used extensively by many progressive seedstock breeders to increase accuracy of selection and accelerate genetic progress. Increasing use of these technologies in the seedstock sector have also led to development of applications for commercial cattle. There are several keys to technical evaluation of genomic technologies. The first is the accuracy of the prediction which can be expressed as a genetic correlation or an increase in accuracy of EPDs when incorporated into genetic evaluation. The second is the association between the prediction and the observed phenotype. In the case of the genomically enhanced EPD, this is implicit in the reported accuracy. For commercial applications, this should include some external validation of the predictions in a population independent of that used for the development of the test. Provided these validation criteria are met, the application of the technology is very straightforward and effectively the same as historical practices. The principal differences are that the selection decisions can be made earlier in life with greater accuracy, including for traits that are not expressed phenotypically until much later in life. This accelerates genetic progress by minimizing selection mistakes and allowing producers to identify and exploit superior genetics much sooner than with traditional approaches.
Melting phase diagram of bubble phases in high Landau levels

A low-disorder, two-dimensional electron system (2DES) subjected to a large perpendicular magnetic field and cooled to very low temperatures provides a rich platform for studies of many-body quantum phases. The magnetic field quenches the electrons' kinetic energy and quantizes the energy into a set of Landau levels, allowing the Coulomb interaction to dominate. In excited Landau levels, the fine interplay between short- and long-range interactions stabilizes bubble phases, Wigner crystals with more than one electron per unit cell. Here, we present the screening properties of bubble phases, probed via a simple capacitance technique where the 2DES is placed between a top and a bottom gate and the electric field penetrating through the 2DES is measured. The bubbles formed at very low temperatures screen the electric field poorly as they are pinned by the residual disorder potential, allowing a large electric field to reach the top gate. As the temperature is increased, the penetrating electric field decreases and, surprisingly, exhibits a pronounced minimum at a temperature that appears to coincide with the melting temperature of the bubble phase. We deduce a quantitative phase diagram, as a function of Landau level filling factor (\ensuremath{\nu}) and temperature, for the transition from the bubble to liquid phases for $4\ensuremath{\le}\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\le}5$.
Effect of sterile boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and insecticide in isolated small plots in Florida.

In the spring and summer of 1989, insecticide and sterile boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were applied to plots of cotton on two private research farms at Vero Beach, Florida to suppress ...
Current State of the Art in Distributed Autonomous Mobile Robotics

As research progresses in distributed robotic systems, more and more aspects of multi-robot systems are being explored. This article surveys the current state of the art in distributed mobile robot systems. Our focus is principally on research that has been demonstrated in physical robot implementations. We have identified eight primary research topics within multi-robot systems — biological inspirations, communication, architectures, localization/mapping/exploration, object transport and manipulation, motion coordination, reconfigurable robots, and learning — and discuss the current state of research in these areas. As we describe each research area, we identify some key open issues in multi-robot team research. We conclude by identifying several additional open research issues in distributed mobile robotic systems.