cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coordination chemistry and kinetics of preferential etching on surfaces of TiO2 (rutile)

Abstract Fused KHSO 4 can be used as both a polish and a preferential etchant for the {001} surfaces of rutile, depending on the temperature of the system. Polishing occurs at temperatures above 550°C. At temperatures below 550°C, three types of etch pit are observed, two well defined with regular shapes (sides parallel to the and and directions, respectively) and one irregularly shaped. Photochemical deposition of silver [1] onto the crystal surface and subsequent removal (HNO 3 ) prior to etching causes the irregularly shaped pits to be etched more rapidly than in the case of a surface region that was not predeposited. A chemical reaction mechanism is presented to interpret the observed etching behavior. The crystal structure (i.e. the different ionic composition of different crystallographic planes) and surface chemistry of rutile are considered in the formulation of this mechanism. It is suggested that etchant molecules form surface complexes on the TiO 2 (after dehydration of surface OH groups) through coordination of Ti 4+ via terminal and bridged out-of-plane O 2− positions. Evidence is presented to show that the etching rate-determining reaction is the dissolution of these soluble surface complexes. The observed photochemical effects are explained on the basis of the trapping of photogenerated holes or electrons at certain crystal defects.
A Cost Analysis and Management Reporting System in Occupational Therapy

Productivity management through cost analysis is fundamental in today's health care. A description ofa cost analysis and management reporting sys­ tem based on relative value units is presented in this article along with a practical method ofidenti­ fying variable, fixed, and total costs for occupa­ tional therapy. Occupational therapy management participation in the cost analysis process is also discussed
Physicians' ability to manually detect isolated elevations in leg intracompartmental pressure.

Background: Serial physical examination is recommended for patients for whom there is a high index of suspicion for compartment syndrome. This examination is more difficult when performed on an obtunded patient and relies on the sensitivity of manual palpation to detect compartment firmness—a direct manifestation of increased intracompartmental pressure. This study was performed to establish the sensitivity of manual palpation for detecting critical pressure elevations in the leg compartments most frequently involved in clinical compartment syndrome. Methods: Reproducible, sustained elevation of intracompartmental pressure was established in fresh cadaver leg specimens. Pressures tested included 20 and 40 mm Hg (negative controls) and 60 and 80 mm Hg (considered to be consistent with a compartment syndrome). Each leg served as an internal control, with three compartments having a noncritical pressure elevation. Orthopaedic residents and faculty were individually invited to manually palpate the leg with a known compartment pressure and to answer the following questions: (1) Is there a compartment syndrome? (2) In which compartment or compartments do you believe the pressure is elevated, if at all? (3) Describe your examination findings as soft, compressible, or firm. Results: When a true-positive result was considered to be the correct detection of an elevation of intracompartmental pressures and correct identification of the compartment with the elevated pressure, the sensitivity of manual palpation was 24%, the specificity was 55%, the positive predictive value was 19%, and the negative predictive value was 63%. With increasing intracompartmental pressure, fasciotomy was recommended with a higher frequency (19% when the pressure was 20 mm Hg, 28% when it was 40 mm Hg, 50% when it was 60 mm Hg, and 60% when it was 80 mm Hg). When a true-positive result of manual palpation was considered to be an appropriate recommendation of fasciotomy, regardless of the ability of the examiner to correctly localize the compartment with the critical pressure elevation, the sensitivity was 54%, the specificity was 76%, the positive predictive value was 70%, and the negative predictive value was 63%. Conclusions: Manual detection of compartment firmness associated with critical elevations in intracompartmental pressure is poor.
Intravascular Thrombophlebitis Related to the Peripheral Infusion of Amiodarone and Vancomycin

Patients on a telemetry unit experienced an increase in thrombophlebitis in 2004. The purpose of this research was to determine if peripheral IV amiodarone and vancomycin influenced the incidence of thrombophlebitis in an adult cardiothoracic population. Amiodarone phlebitis rates range up to 27%. In December 2004, Pharmacy diluted the amiodarone concentration to 600 mg/500 ml. By 2005, data demonstrated a consistent decrease in the incidence of thrombophlebitis. However, related to institutional policies and patient safety concerns, the amiodarone infusion concentration was reversed back to 900 mg/500 ml in October 2005. Thrombophlebitis increased after the return to a more concentrated amiodarone IV solution. Vancomycin infusion administration did not change during this time period. A retrospective chart review and observational, before and after study, demonstrated a correlation between amiodarone concentration and the incidence of thrombophlebitis. Vancomycin infusions appeared to prevent peripheral thrombophlebitis in the study population. Data was compelling and resulted in the institution standardizing the more dilute amiodarone IV concentration.
Photoluminescence anisotropy of uni-axially aligned electrospun conjugated polymer nanofibers of MEH-PPV and P3HT

We report the preparation of the uni-axially aligned nanofibers containing poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) or poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) using the electrospinning technique. The emission anisotropy of the aligned conjugated polymer nanofibers was investigated using the luminescence polarization spectroscopy. The results revealed that the photoluminescence of the aligned nanofibers was highly anisotropic with stronger emission along the nanofiber axis; in contrast, the photoluminescence of random nanofibers and thin films showed weak emission anisotropy. These results suggested that the electrospun conjugated polymer nanofibers had macromolecular chains preferably oriented along the nanofiber axis. The study provides new guidance in the development of unique optoelectronic devices based on electrospun nanofibers of conjugated polymers.
Acyl unsaturation and cholesteryl ester miscibility in surfaces. Formation of lecithin-cholesteryl ester complexes

The surface behavior of a series of cholesteryl esters was studied in mixtures with a model phospholipid, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine. The cholesteryl esters were representative of the predominant forms occurring naturally and qualitative similarities in their phase behavior permits generalization of their surface properties. Quantitative differences, however, show that the availability of cholesteryl esters in all surface states is dependent on the structure of the acyl moiety. All except cholesteryl stearate were surface-active and formed preferred packing arrays, i.e., complexes, with the lecithin at compositions grouped around cholesteryl ester mol fractions of 0.015. Exceptions were cholesteryl arachidonate and docosahexaenoate, with complex stoichiometries of 0.034 and 0.032, respectively. Lecithin had the same apparent area in all complexes, 56.5 +/- 1.04 A2, which was larger than that of uncomplexed lecithin, 53.3 +/- 0.7 A2. This implies that the conformation or orientation of the two polyunsaturated species in complexes is markedly different than the others studied. The areas and hydrations of all uncomplexed cholesteryl esters were similar. Because mixing of complex with uncomplexed cholesteryl ester deviated positively from ideality, the apparent molecular areas of the uncomplexed cholesteryl esters ranged from 161 +/- 22 (complex-rich) to 107 +/- 15 A2 (cholesteryl ester-rich). The similarity of the monolayer phase complex stoichiometries and the bilayer miscibilities of cholesteryl oleate suggests a correspondence between states. If so, the availability of cholesteryl arachidonate or docosahexaenoate in bilayers should be approximately twice that of other naturally occurring cholesteryl esters.
Reflections on the future of leisure studies.

(2000). Reflections on the Future of Leisure Studies. Journal of Leisure Research: Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 125-128.
Revision of the Apocephalus pergandei-group of ant-decapitating flies (Diptera: Phoridae)

The species of the mostly Neotropical Region Apocephalus analis group are revised, and found to comprise 21 species, 19 of which are new to science: A. bilineatus, A. euryacanthus, A. holdenae, A. mexacanthus, A. paracanthus, and A. rectisetus in the newly recognized A. comatus series, and the following unclassified species: A. amacayacuensis, A. amati, A. amenti, A. amorimi, A. camarae, A. criniventris, A. gonzalezae, A. marinhoi, A. papei, A. pittadearaujoi, A. riccardae, A. strazhnikae, and A. xavierfilhoi. Little is known of the natural history of this group, other than that the two previously known species, A. analis Borgmeier and A. comatus Borgmeier, were collected with the army ant Labidus coecus (Latreille).
Temporal biological variability in dendritic cells and regulatory T cells in peripheral blood of healthy adults

Abstract Background Studies evaluating circulating dendritic cells (DCs) and natural and induced regulatory T cells (nTregs, iTregs) are often obtained at a single time point and difficult to interpret without understanding their intrinsic day-to-day biologic variability. Methods We investigated the day-to-day variability in quantifying DCs, nTregs (FoxP3 + CD25 + CD4 + ) and cytokine production by iTregs (granzyme B—GZB, Th1/2 cytokines following CD3 plus CD46 in vitro activation) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected on three consecutive days in healthy adults. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to evaluate intra-individual variability. Results In 10 healthy adults, the %PBMCs of plasmacytoid (pDC) and myeloid (mDC1 and mDC2) were 0.27 ± 0.12, 0.22 ± 0.10, and 0.02 ± 0.02, with ICC 0.91, 0.90, and 0.17 respectively. Natural Tregs (3.27 ± 1.27% CD4 + cells) had an ICC of 0.86. Inducible Tregs (GZB-positive, 35.3 ± 17.7% CD4 + cells) had an ICC of 0.77. The ICCs for IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-5 production by iTregs were 0.49, 0.63, 0.68, 0.74, and 0.82, respectively. There were no significant changes in ICC ( Conclusions No meaningful day-to-day biologic variability was observed for the quantification of nTregs, pDC and mDC1 in normal adults; however, there was substantial variability in measuring mDC2 proportions and iTreg production of IL-10. These results suggest obtaining an average of several measurements over time to determine the most representative value of these biologic measures.
Factors related to condom use with casual partners among urban African-American and Hispanic males.

The authors report their findings from an examination of factors related to condom use with casual female partners among a probability sample of urban African-American and Hispanic males aged 15-24 years from low-income areas of Detroit. 1435 interviews were completed during February-July 1991 resulting in an overall response rate of 85%. 137 of the 590 male respondents who reported having had sexual intercourse with women during the past year reported casual partners. The men with casual partners were similar in age and educational level to other males although a larger proportion of males with casual partners were not married and were Hispanic. Moreover men with casual partners had a larger mean number of partners ever and during the past year. Based upon the use of constructs from the Health Belief Model and the Theory of Reasoned Action the authors stress the importance of promoting a sense of male responsibility regarding condom use promoting the belief that condoms should be used with all partners developing skills for condom use and partner communication and increasing perceived susceptibility to HIV infection when designing intervention programs.
Chemical Strain and Point Defect Configurations in Reduced Ceria

New density functional theory (DFT+U) calculations on ceria show that next-nearest-neighbor (NNN) configurations for Ce3+ and oxygen vacancy are more stable than the nearest-neighbor (NN) configuration usually found in such calculations, thus removing a long-standing discrepancy with classical simulations. The calculated chemical expansion due to reduction is now in excellent agreement with the experimental value, in contrast to that predicted by the NN configuration. The results suggest that the reduction mechanism in ceria involves relaxation from metastable NN to stable NNN configurations through charge transfer or oxygen hopping. The energy barrier for oxygen hopping mechanism was found to be 0.43 eV. It also suggests that DFT+U simulations of mixed-valence materials should be conducted with considerable care.
Determination of subpopulations of leukocytes involved in the synthesis of alpha 1-antitrypsin in vitro.

SummaryCell-free culture medium from stimulated and unstimulated 6-day cultures of mononuclear leukocytes (MNL), nonadherent MNL (lymphocytes), and adherent MNL (monocytes) was evaluated for evidence of in vitro synthesis of protein and of α1-antitrypsin (A1AT). Phytohemagglutinin (PHA, 2.0 μg/ml) promoted significant increases in 3H-labeled protein content in both MNL and lymphocyte cultures, whereas endoxotin (25.0 μg/ml) but not PHA caused significant increases in the amount of protein synthesized by monocytes. A1AT was found to be made by MNL and monocytes in culture but was not newly synthesized by lymphocytes. Evidence for the presence of de novo synthesized A1AT was obtained by Sephadex G-200 chromatography, immuno-precipitation with antibody specific for A1AT, and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Evidence was also found for the release of small amounts of A1AT from the surface of lymphocytes after 6 days in culture, presumably complexed to labeled protease; however, this accounted for less ...
N2O Adsorption and Photochemistry on High Area TiO2 Powder

The adsorption and photochemistry of N2O chemisorbed on TiO2 powder has been investigated. At 157 K, nitrous oxide is molecularly adsorbed on the reduced titanium dioxide. Adsorption on the TiO2 surface takes place through both the N and O ends of the nitrous oxide molecule. The photochemistry of the adsorbed N2O molecules was studied at 157 K by use of UV irradiation in the range 2.1−5.0 eV. The photoactivity of the adsorbed molecule is dependent on the N2O coverage. At low coverages, the adsorbed N2O is photodepleted to produce adsorbed nitrogen. Larger coverages of N2O are not photodepleted to N2 due to the site blocking in the adsorption process. N-bonded species show a higher photoreactivity than the O-bonded species. Photoformation of NO was not observed at any N2O coverage.
Comprehensive Application of Cluster Analysis and Discriminant Analysis in Safety Assessment

Two analysis methods,cluster analysis and discriminant analysis are comprehensively applied in safety assessment.The comprehensive affecting weighting coefficient of indexes has avoided the bad influence of the application of human weighting coefficient in safety assessment.The stages and result of cluster are analyzed and the Fisher discriminant method is studied to discriminate the safety class of the object.At last the assessment results are given by analyzing discriminant function.
Solving Graph Laplacian Systems Through Recursive Partitioning and Two-Grid Preconditioning

We present a parallelizable direct method for computing the solution to graph Laplacian-based linear systems derived from graphs that can be hierarchically bipartitioned with small edge cuts. For a graph of size $n$ that can be recursively partitioned into equal-sized sets with constant-size edge cuts, our method decomposes a graph Laplacian in time $O(n \log n)$ and then uses that decomposition to perform a linear solve in time $O(n \log n)$. Many real-world graphs, however, do not possess this property. So, we use this technique to design a preconditioner for graph Laplacians that do not have this property. Finally, we augment this preconditioner with a two-grid method that accounts for much of the preconditioner's weaknesses. We present an analysis of this method, as well as a general theorem for the condition number of a general class of two-grid support graph-based preconditioners. Numerical experiments illustrate the performance of the studied methods.
Bone morphogenetic protein signaling in rotator cuff muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration.

Background reduced mass (atrophy) and increased fat content (fatty infiltration) of rotator cuff muscles are common complications of large or massive rotator cuff (RC) tears, and are believed to be irreversible even after tendon repairs. Clinically, both muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration are important factors contributing to poor functional outcomes after tendon repairs. The molecular mechanism of RC muscle atrophy and FI remains undefined. In this study, we investigated the role of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) signaling in RC muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration using a rat model. Methods unilateral massive RC tears was induced in adult rats. RC muscles were harvested at 2 and 6 weeks after injury for BMP signaling analysis. In a separate experiment, BMP inhibitor (LDN-193189) was injected to rats through daily intraperitoneal injection. RC muscles from rats in the treated and control groups were harvested at 6 weeks after injury for biochemistry and histology analysis. Results we found significantly increased BMP-14 and BMP-7 expression in rotator cuff muscles after RCT. Inhibiting BMP signaling resulted in increased muscle atrophy and reduced fatty infiltration in rotator cuff muscle after RC tears. Conclusion this result suggests that BMP signaling inhibits RC muscle atrophy but promotes fatty infiltration.
Diagnosis and epidemiology of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. The last 5 years have been marked by rapid developments in understanding the pathophysiology of PD as well as by the introduction of a number of new drugs for symptomatic treatment of the disease. On the other hand, the diagnosis of PD is still made purely on clinical grounds. Due to continuing advances in therapy, it is increasingly important to recognize PD in its earliest stages and to distinguish it from other causes of parkinsonism, for which prognosis and response to treatment differ. This article reviews the epidemiology of PD and then elaborates on the diagnosis and differential diagnosis.
Abstract 392: Effects of Dietary Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Plus Minus Aspirin on Plasma Lipids and Hepatic Gene Expression in ApoE-Deficient Mice

BACKGROUNDOmega-3 fatty acids (O3FA) have hypolipemic, anti-inflammatory and atheroprotective effects. Aspirin (ASA) may potentiate these beneficial effects, by altering the production of anti-infl...
Toward Automating HIV Identification: Machine Learning for Rapid Identification of HIV-Related Social Media Data.

Author(s): Young, Sean D; Yu, Wenchao; Wang, Wei | Abstract: Introduction"Social big data" from technologies such as social media, wearable devices, and online searches continue to grow and can be used as tools for HIV research. Although researchers can uncover patterns and insights associated with HIV trends and transmission, the review process is time consuming and resource intensive. Machine learning methods derived from computer science might be used to assist HIV domain experts by learning how to rapidly and accurately identify patterns associated with HIV from a large set of social data.MethodsUsing an existing social media data set that was associated with HIV and coded by an HIV domain expert, we tested whether 4 commonly used machine learning methods could learn the patterns associated with HIV risk behavior. We used the 10-fold cross-validation method to examine the speed and accuracy of these models in applying that knowledge to detect HIV content in social media data.Results and discussionLogistic regression and random forest resulted in the highest accuracy in detecting HIV-related social data (85.3%), whereas the Ridge Regression Classifier resulted in the lowest accuracy. Logistic regression yielded the fastest processing time (16.98 seconds).ConclusionsMachine learning can enable social big data to become a new and important tool in HIV research, helping to create a new field of "digital HIV epidemiology." If a domain expert can identify patterns in social data associated with HIV risk or HIV transmission, machine learning models could quickly and accurately learn those associations and identify potential HIV patterns in large social data sets.
Patient and Kidney Allograft Survival in Recipients With End-Stage Renal Disease From Amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND Outcomes after kidney transplantation for patients with amyloidosis-associated end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have not been well characterized. METHODS We performed a retrospective propensity score matched cohort study with Cox proportional hazards modeling using data from the United Network of Organ Sharing including patients transplanted from 1987 to 2015 (N = 310 629). RESULTS Amyloidosis patients (N = 576) had higher rates of death (hazard ratio [HR], 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28-1.95) and graft loss (HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.19-1.87) compared with nonamyloidosis patients. The results were similar when the cohort was restricted to patients transplanted on or after 2001 (HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.31-2.26 for death; HR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.35-2.33 for graft loss). However, there was no significant difference in risk of death or graft loss when amyloidosis patients were compared with those with diabetes-associated ESRD (mortality: HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.84-1.17; allograft loss: HR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.84-1.20), or when compared with elderly patients (age, >65 years at the time of transplant) (mortality: HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.81-1.21; graft loss: HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.82-1.26). CONCLUSIONS For patients with amyloidosis-associated ESRD deemed suitable for transplantation, patient and graft survivals are diminished compared to kidney transplant recipients overall, but are comparable to other high-risk subgroups.
Fibulin-5 promotes airway smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration via modulating Hippo-YAP/TAZ pathway

Asthma is a common chronic disease mainly occurs from childhood. Increased airway smooth muscle mass is involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. Fibulin-5 was upregulated in the lung tissues of patients with COPD and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This study aimed to investigate Fibulin-5 expression in asthmatic patients and the effect and mechanism of Fibulin-5 on the proliferation and migration of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs). The expression of Fibulin-5, YAP, and TAZ in the induced sputum of 38 asthmatic children (19 mild and 19 moderate asthmatics) and 19 healthy controls was determined. The effects and mechanisms of Fibulin-5 on the proliferation and migration of ASMCs were analyzed through upregulating Fibulin-5. We found compared with healthy controls, the expression of Fibulin-5, YAP, and TAZ was increased in the induced sputum of asthmatic children and much higher in moderate asthmatics. Fibulin-5 overexpression promoted the proliferation and migration of ASMCs, upregulated the expression of YAP and TAZ, and reduced the levels of p-YAP and p-TAZ. YAP inhibitor (Peptide 17) abrogated the proliferation and migration of ASMCs induced by Fibulin-5 overexpression in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, Fibulin-5 overexpression enhanced its binding capacity of β1 integrin, and β1 integrin blocking antibody partly reversed the effect of Fibulin-5 overexpression on the levels of YAP and TAZ. In conclusion, Fibulin-5 expression is correlated with the pathogenesis of childhood asthma. It may function at least partly through binding to β1 integrin and modulating Hippo-YAP/TAZ pathway to promote the proliferation and migration of ASMCs.
Using Vivado-HLS for Structural Design: a NoC Case Study.

There have been ample successful examples of applying Xilinx Vivado's "function-to-module" high-level synthesis (HLS) where the subject is algorithmic in nature. In this work, we carried out a design study to assess the effectiveness of applying Vivado-HLS in structural design. We employed Vivado-HLS to synthesize C functions corresponding to standalone network-on-chip (NoC) routers as well as complete multi-endpoint NoCs. Interestingly, we find that describing a complete NoC comprising router submodules faces fundamental difficulties not present in describing the routers as standalone modules. Ultimately, we succeeded in using Vivado-HLS to produce router and NoC modules that are exact cycle- and bit-accurate replacements of our reference RTL-based router and NoC modules. Furthermore, the routers and NoCs resulting from HLS and RTL are comparable in resource utilization and critical path delay. Our experience subjectively suggests that HLS is able to simplify the design effort even though much of the structural details had to be provided in the HLS description through a combination of coding discipline and explicit pragmas. The C++ source code can be found at this https URL.
Decentralized and reproducible geocoding and characterization of community and environmental exposures for multisite studies.

Objective Geocoding and characterizing geographic, community, and environmental characteristics of study participants is frequently done in epidemiological studies. However, participant addresses are identifiable protected health information (PHI) and geocoding must be conducted in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant manner. Our objective was to create a software application for this process that addresses limitations in current approaches. Materials and methods We used a containerization platform to create DeGAUSS (Decentralized Geomarker Assessment for Multi-Site Studies), a software application that facilitates reproducible geocoding and geomarker assessment while maintaining the confidentiality of PHI. To validate the software, 215 350 addresses in Hamilton County, Ohio, were geocoded using DeGAUSS, ArcGIS, Google, and SAS and compared to a gold-standard approach. We distributed the DeGAUSS software to sites in an ongoing multisite study (Electronic Medical Records and Genomics, or eMERGE), and individual sites independently geocoded and assigned median census tract-level income and distance to nearest major roadway to their participants' addresses, removed associated PHI, and returned deidentified data. Results Within a multisite study, 52 244 study participants' addresses across 5 sites were geocoded with a median distance to roadway of 10 022m and a median census tract income of $57 266, demonstrating the feasibility of DeGAUSS within a multisite study. Compared to other commonly used geocoding platforms, DeGAUSS had similar geocoding and geomarker assessment accuracies. Conclusion The open source DeGAUSS software overcomes multiple challenges in the use of address data in multisite studies and also serves as a more general reproducible research tool for geocoding and geomarker assessment.
Engaging staff in advance care planning during National Healthcare Decisions Week at a major cancer hospital.

19Background: In a 2014 study of US adults, “lack of awareness” was the most commonly reported reason for not having an advance directive (AD). Medical staff have opportunities to increase AD aware...
Longer-Term Evaluation of Revegetation of Medusahead-Invaded Sagebrush Steppe☆

Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae [L.] Nevski) and other exotic annual grasses have invaded millions of hectares of sagebrush (Artemisia L.) steppe. Revegetation of medusahead-invaded sagebrush steppe with perennial vegetation is critically needed to restore productivity and decrease the risk of frequent wildfires. However, it is unclear if revegetation efforts provide long-term benefits (fewer exotic annuals and more perennials). The limited literature available on the topic questions whether revegetation efforts reduce medusahead abundance beyond 2 or 3 yr. We evaluated revegetation of medusahead-invaded rangelands for 5 yr after seeding introduced perennial bunchgrasses at five locations. We compared areas that were fall-prescribed burned immediately followed by an imazapic herbicide treatment and then seeded with bunchgrasses 1 yr later (imazapic-seed) with untreated controls (control). The imazapic-seed treatment decreased exotic annual grass cover and density. At the end of the study, exotic annual grass cover and density were 2-fold greater in the control compared with the imazapic-seed treatment. The imazapic-seed treatment had greater large perennial bunchgrass cover and density and less annual forb (predominately exotic annuals) cover and density than the untreated control for the duration of the study. At the end of the study, large perennial bunchgrass density average 10 plant·m-2 in the imazapic-seed treatment, which is comparable with intact sagebrush steppe communities. Plant available soil nitrogen was also greater in the imazapic-seed treatment compared with the untreated control for the duration of the study. The results of this study suggest that revegetation of medusahead-invaded sagebrush steppe can provide lasting benefits, including limiting exotic annual grasses.
Utenriksminister Børge Brende (2013-2017): Reaktivt avventende1

En utenriksministers utfordringer kan sorteres i C-momenter – tiltak som utvider handlingsrommet, B-momenter - sla til seg og gjennomfore konkrete og avgrensede policy-initiativer og A-momenter – skjotte lopende initiativer, lose allerede aktualiserte problemer og overhale eget apparat og den beslutningsstrommen det er en del av. Artikkelen trekker pa de andre bidragene til dette symposiet og konkluderer med at Borge Brendes innsats som utenriksminister (2013-2017) er den svakeste siden Jan Petersens tid (2001-2005).
Validation of GPU-accelerated superposition-convolution dose computations for the Small Animal Radiation Research Platform.

Purpose The Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP) has been developed for conformal microirradiation with on-board cone beam CT (CBCT) guidance. The graphics processing unit (GPU)-accelerated Superposition-Convolution (SC) method for dose computation has been integrated into the treatment planning system (TPS) for SARRP. This paper describes the validation of the SC method for the kilovoltage energy by comparing with EBT2 film measurements and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Methods MC data were simulated by EGSnrc code with 3 × 108 -1.5 × 109 histories, while 21 photon energy bins were used to model the 220 kVp x-rays in the SC method. Various types of phantoms including plastic water, cork, graphite, and aluminum were used to encompass the range of densities of mouse organs. For the comparison, percentage depth dose (PDD) of SC, MC, and film measurements were analyzed. Cross beam (x,y) dosimetric profiles of SC and film measurements are also presented. Correction factors (CFz) to convert SC to MC dose-to-medium are derived from the SC and MC simulations in homogeneous phantoms of aluminum and graphite to improve the estimation. Results The SC method produces dose values that are within 5% of film measurements and MC simulations in the flat regions of the profile. The dose is less accurate at the edges, due to factors such as geometric uncertainties of film placement and difference in dose calculation grids. Conclusion The GPU-accelerated Superposition-Convolution dose computation method was successfully validated with EBT2 film measurements and MC calculations. The SC method offers much faster computation speed than MC and provides calculations of both dose-to-water in medium and dose-to-medium in medium.
Testing a motivational model of delivery modality and incentives on participation in a brief alcohol intervention.

Abstract Objectives The current research evaluated delivery modality and incentive as factors affecting recruitment into a personalized normative feedback (PNF) alcohol intervention for heavy drinking college students. We also evaluated whether these factors were differentially associated with participation based on relevance of the intervention (via participants' drinking levels). Method College students aged 18–26 who endorsed at least one heavy drinking episode and one alcohol-related consequence in the past month (N = 2059; 59.1% female) were invited to participate in a PNF intervention study. In this 2 × 2 design, participants were randomized to: (1) complete the computer-based baseline survey and intervention procedure remotely (i.e., at a time and location of their convenience) or in-person in the laboratory, and (2) receive an incentive ($30) for their participation in the baseline/intervention procedure or no incentive. Results Consistent with hypotheses, students were more likely to participate when participation occurred remotely (OR = 1.87, p Discussion The present results showed a strong selection bias for participation in a web-based intervention study relative to one in which participants were required to participate in-person. Results have implications for researchers recruiting college students for alcohol interventions.
Ontogenetic differences and interspecific variation in the tarsal aggregate pores on leg IV of cosmetid harvestmen (Opiliones: Laniatores)

Abstract Morphological studies of harvestmen usually investigate the structures of adults, seldom including data regarding ontogenetic differences in the microanatomy of the appendages. In gonyleptoidean harvestmen, adults have clusters of pores on the distal-most tarsomeres of legs III and IV that are known as tarsal aggregate pores (TAPs). In gonyleptid harvestmen, these pores occur on the prolateral and retrolateral surfaces as groups adjacent to the tarsal claws. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to compare the microanatomy of the TAPs occurring on leg IV of adults and antepenultimate nymphs for three common species of Neotropical cosmetid harvestmen, nymphs of an additional seven cosmetid morphospecies, and adults and antepenultimate nymphs of three species of gonyleptoidean harvestmen. The distal tarsomere of leg IV of adult cosmetid harvestmen features two pairs of aggregate pores including dorsal TAPs and ventrolateral vTAPs. The TAPs of cosmetid nymphs have denticulate bor...
On detection of current and next-generation botnets

Botnets are one of the most serious security threats to the Internet and its end users. A botnet consists of compromised computers that are remotely coordinated by a botmaster under a Command and Control (C& C) infrastructure. Driven by financial incentives. botmasters leverage botnets to conduct various cybercrimes such as spamming, phishing. identity theft and Distributed-Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. There are three main challenges facing botnet detection. First, code obfuscation is widely employed by current botnets, so signature-based detection is insufficient. Second, the C&C infrastructure of Botnets has evolved rapidly. Any detection solution targeting one botnet instance can hardly keep up with this change. Third, the proliferation of powerful smartphones presents a new platform for future botnets. Defense techniques designed for existing botnets may be outsmarted when botnets invade smart phones. Recognizing these challenges, this dissertation proposes behavior-based botnet detection solutions at three different levels—the end host, the edge network and the Internet infrastructure—from a small scale to a large scale, and investigates the next-generation botnet targeting smartphones. It (1) addresses the problem of botnet seeding by devising a per-process containment scheme for end-host systems; (2) proposes a hybrid botnet detection framework for edge networks utilizing combined host-and network-level information; (3) explores the structural properties of botnet topologies and measures network components' capabilities of large-scale botnet detection at the Internet infrastructure level: and (4) presents a proof-of-concept mobile botnet employing SKIS messages as the C&C and P2P as the topology to facilitate future research on countermeasures against next-generation botnets. The dissertation makes three primary contributions. First, the detection solutions proposed utilize intrinsic and fundamental behavior of botnets and are immune to malware obfuscation and traffic encryption. Second, the solutions are general enough to identify different types of but nets, not a specific botnet instance. They can also be extended to counter next-generation botnet threats. Third, the detection solutions function at multiple levels to meet various detection needs. They each take a different perspective but are highly complementary to each other, forming an integrated botnet detection framework.
Correlation of Analysis and Test in Modeling of Structures: Assessment and Review

For any structure, mechanical system or component, an accurate mathematical model is a necessity for the prediction of loads and responses, establishing stability margins, design of control system and integrity monitoring, among other uses. Analytical modeling techniques, even through fairly advanced, possess enough uncertainties to justify testing of the full scale actual structure, or a prototype, in order to verify, improve or optimize an existing analytical model. Test data, or identified parameters, are usually used to identify a dynamic model-mass, stiffness and damping distribution or optimize an existing analytical model.
The impact of ownership structure on dividend policy and cash holdings for Chinese privatised firms

This paper examines the impact of ownership structure on dividend policies and cash holdings of privatised Chinese firms. In particular, we examine investor valuation of dividends and cash holdings between firms where the Chinese Government holds majority ownership versus firms where private and foreign stockholders possess substantial ownership. We also examine measures designed to reflect agency problems in privatised Chinese firms to determine if dividend and cash holding policies can alleviate these agency problems. We find that government ownership has negative impact on firm value in China. In addition, we find that in firms where the government ownership is substantial, holding large reserves of cash does not impact on the firm's future profitability. In contrast, we find that firms with low government ownership concentration have better use for cash thus, relatively lower dividend payments constitutes positive signal about the firm's future prospects. Finally, we find foreign ownership has positive impact on firm value and contributes to mitigation of agency problems in Chinese firms.
The Myth of Hukou: Re-examining Hukou’s Implications for China’s Development Model:

The hukou system is typically treated as an institutional base for rural-urban chasm in the literature regarding internal migration in China. However, these works rarely separate hukou’s social imp...
School Resource Officers and Students with Disabilities: A Disproportional Connection?

A comprehensive search of the Westlaw case database for the period January 1, 2008 to August 31, 2018 identified 22 court decisions that contained federal civil rights claim rulings specific to the...
Self-Reported Measures of Discretionary Salt Use Accurately Estimated Sodium Intake Overall but not in Certain Subgroups of US Adults from 3 Geographic Regions in the Salt Sources Study

BACKGROUND Excess sodium intake can increase blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Accurate population sodium intake estimates are essential for monitoring progress toward reduction, but data are limited on the amount of sodium consumed from discretionary salt. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to compare measured sodium intake from salt added at the table with that estimated according to the Healthy People 2020 (HP 2020) methodology. METHODS Data were analyzed from the 2014 Salt Sources Study, a cross-sectional convenience sample of 450 white, black, Asian, and Hispanic adults living in Alabama, Minnesota, and California. Sodium intake from foods and beverages was assessed for each participant through the use of 24-h dietary recalls. Estimated sodium intake from salt used at the table was assessed from self-reported frequency and estimated amounts from a previous study (HP 2020 methodology). Measured intake was assessed through the use of duplicate salt samples collected on recall days. RESULTS Among all study participants, estimated and measured mean sodium intakes from salt added at the table were similar, with a nonsignificant difference of 8.9 mg/d (95% CI: -36.6, 54.4 mg/d). Among participants who were non-Hispanic Asian, Hispanic, had a bachelor's degree or higher education, lived in California or Minnesota, did not report hypertension, or had normal BMI, estimated mean sodium intake was 77-153 mg/d greater than measured intake (P < 0.05). The estimated mean sodium intake was 186-300 mg/d lower than measured intake among participants who were non-Hispanic black, had a high school degree or less, or reported hypertension (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The HP 2020 methodology for estimating sodium consumed from salt added at the table may be appropriate for the general US adult population; however, it underestimates intake in certain population subgroups, particularly non-Hispanic black, those with a high school degree or less, or those with self-reported hypertension. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02474693.
Functionalization of 2D materials for enhancing OER/ORR catalytic activity in Li–oxygen batteries

A major barrier toward the practical application of lithium-oxygen batteries is the high overpotential caused by the precipitation of oxygen-reduction products at the cathode, resulting in poor cyclability. By combining first-principle calculations and reactive molecular dynamics simulations, we show that surface functionalization of 2D MXene nanosheets offers a high degree of tunability of the catalytic activity for oxygen-reduction and oxygen-evolution reactions (ORR/OER). We show that the controlled creation of active vacancy sites on the MXene surface enhances ORR in excess of a factor of 60 compared to graphene-based cathode materials. Furthermore, we find that increasing the ratio of fluorine vs. oxygen termination of the functionalized Ti4N3-MXene catalyst reduces the charge overpotential by up to 70% and 80% compared with commercial platinum-on-carbon and graphene catalysts, respectively. These results provide direct guidance toward the rational design of functionalized 2D materials for modulating the catalytic activity for a wide range of electrocatalytic applications. Lithium oxygen batteries are prone to degradation resulting from the applied overpotential. Here the surface functionalisation of titanium nitride and carbide MXenes is studied theoretically and shown to reduce the overpotential by up to 80% and to enhance ORR by a factor of 60 compared to common graphene-based catalysts.
Recurrent and novel USP6 fusions in cranial fasciitis identified by targeted RNA sequencing

Cranial fasciitis is a benign myofibroproliferative lesion of the scalp and underlying bones typically occurring in the pediatric population. Histologically, it is characterized by loose fascicles of stellate cells in a fibromyxoid background, findings similar to those described in the closely related variant nodular fasciitis. Previously characterized as a reactive process, the identification of USP6 translocations in over 90% of nodular fasciitis cases prompted their reclassification as a clonal neoplastic process. Unlike nodular fasciitis, the molecular underpinnings of cranial fasciitis are less clear. While a subset of cranial fasciitis has been associated with Wnt/β-catenin pathway dysregulation, recent case reports suggest that this entity may also harbor USP6 fusions, a finding we sought to further investigate. We identified fifteen archival cases of cranial fasciitis, five females and ten males ranging in age from 3 months to 9 years (median 11 months), composed of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded and fresh frozen tissues (11 and 4 cases respectively). Samples were evaluated on an RNA-based targeted sequencing panel targeting genes recurrently rearranged in neoplasia, including USP6. Five of fifteen cases (33%) were positive for USP6 rearrangements predicted to result in the fusion of the entire USP6 coding region to the promoter of the 5′ partner, (three of which were novel): two SERPINH1-USP6 (novel) and one each of COL3A1-USP6 (novel), SPARC-USP6, and MYH9-USP6. These results demonstrate the recurrent nature of USP6 rearrangements in cranial fasciitis, and highlight the success of targeted RNA sequencing in identifying known and novel fusion partners. The identification of USP6 promoter-swapping rearrangements is helpful in understanding the underlying biology of cranial fasciitis, and reinforces its biologic relationship to nodular fasciitis. Targeted RNA sequencing is a helpful tool in diagnosing this pseudosarcomatous lesion.
The keratocystic odontogenic tumour (KCOT)—an odyssey

The most appropriate management for the lesion now known as the keratocystic odontogenic tumour (previously known as the odontogenic keratocyst) remains controversial. This article reviews the different management protocols adopted by one surgical unit over the last 30 years and the results obtained from the different treatment modalities. A current treatment protocol consisting of initial decompression followed by aggressive curettage and peripheral ostectomy with methylene blue staining appears to be successful, but our longest follow-up is only 6 years.
Management of Chronic Pain: Nonpharmacological and Multidisciplinary Approach

The primary care provider can manage various aspects of care for the patient with chronic pain. This is a multidisciplinary approach. Management of chronic pain involves the coordination of care from various organ specialists, physical therapists, and behavioral health specialists. It also involves the psychosocial aspects of pain which the primary care provider can address. Goal settings, expectation setting, positive affect interventions can be done in the primary care setting. Identifying negative affects such as depression, catastrophizing, and solicitous relationships can also be done by the primary care provider. Lastly, the primary care provider can refer to various pain specialists which may recommend procedures to improve chronic pain. Pain management techniques and interventions can be summarized as the combination of three components: a stimulus that alters nerve function, a delivery method, and a nervous system target (i.e. brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerve).
Commentary on “Using Human Raters in Constructed Response Scoring: Understanding, Predicting, and Modifying Performance”

This special issue of AME provides a rich set of articles related to monitoring human scoring of constructed response items. As a starting point for this commentary, is it worth mentioning that the...