cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tracking Ozone: Air-Mass Trajectories and Pollutant Source Regions Influencing Ozone in Pennsylvania Forests

Abstract Ground-level ozone pollution is causing measurable damage to the forests of the eastern United States, including those in Pennsylvania's Allegheny Plateau region. This area is surrounded by many urban and industrial pollution sources in the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast United States and in southeastern Canada. Any of these may play critical roles as source regions from which ozone and its precursor pollutants are carried toward the forests. This study identifies those geographic regions with the greatest potential influence on forests. This study identifies those geographic regions with the greatest potential influence on forest ozone concentrations via a climatological analysis of air-mass trajectories. In this analysis, observed meteorological data and a trajectory model are used to calculate the spatial history of polluted air-masses. Multiple trajectories are examined using a newly adapted methodology of ensemble trajectory analysis in combination with ozone data and key synoptic weather...
Subcultural Differences in Children's Language Development

Abstract Differences subculturelles dans le developpement du langage.—Les associations verbales des enfants, une fois classees selon la frequence des reponses paradigmatiques, fournissent un indice du developpement linguistique. Divers groupes d'enfants, qui se trouvent, respectivement, au jardin d'enfants, en Ire, 3e et 5e annee d'ecole primaire, qui ont ete appareilles du point de vue du QI, mais qui different par la classe sociale, le lieu d'habitation, l'appartenance subculturelle et la race, ont donne des associations a la měme serie de mots stimuli. A l'aide de l'indice fourni par les reponses paradigmat[icaron]ques et en controlant le niveau intellectuel, on a pu ordonner grossierement les differents groupes de Ire annee, comme suit:—1. enfants blancs habitant la zone des taudis (slum);—2. enfants noirs des taudis, enfants blancs d'ouvriers et enfants blancs de la classe moyenne;—3. enfants blancs des regions agricoles du Maryland;—4. enfants “Amish” vivant dans les regions agricoles de Pennsylvani...
Weighted Residual Method for Diffraction of Plane P-Waves in a 2D Elastic Half-Space Revisited: On an Almost Circular Arbitrary-Shaped Canyon

Scattering and diffraction of elastic in-plane P- and SV-waves by a surface topography such as an elastic canyon at the surface of a half-space is a classical problem which has been studied by earthquake engineers and strong-motion seismologists for over forty years. The case of out-of-plane SH-waves on the same elastic canyon that is semicircular in shape on the half-space surface is the first such problem that was solved by analytic closed-form solutions over forty years ago by Trifunac. The corresponding case of in-plane P- and SV-waves on the same circular canyon is a much more complicated problem because the in-plane P- and SV-scattered-waves have different wave speeds and together they must have zero normal and shear stresses at the half-space surface. It is not until recently in 2014 that analytic solution for such problem is found by the author in the work of Lee and Liu. This paper uses the technique of Lee and Liu of defining these stress-free scattered waves to solve the problem of the scattering and diffraction of these in-plane waves on an on an almost-circular surface canyon that is arbitrary in shape.
Why We Should Lose Our Natural Ontological Attitudes

Etude des problemes que rencontrent les theories de l'attitude ontologique naturelle (NOA) et les theories dites quietistes, concernant la theorie et le caractere d'ouverture a l'infini de la verite. Examinant la position d'A. Fine en faveur d'aucune theorie de la verite, l'A. montre que l'attitude ontologique naturelle doit etre abandonnee en raison de son anti-essentialisme, de son scepticisme et de son opposition aux grandes interpretations de la science (realiste, anti-realiste, positiviste)
What is the True Fraction of Barred Spiral Galaxies

We have determined the fraction of barred galaxies in the H-hand for a statistically well-defined sample of 186 spirals. At H, 56% of our sample is strongly barred, 16% is weakly barred, and only 27% is unbarred. The RC3 and the Carnegie Atlas of Galaxies both classify roughly 30% of our sample as strongly barred. Thus strong bars are nearly twice as prevalent in the H-band as in the optical. Roughly 40% of the galaxies in our sample that are classified as unbarred in the RC3 show evidence for a bar in the H-band; for the Carnegie Atlas the fraction is roughly 60%. We find no significant trend in bar fraction as a function of morphology, in either the optical or H-band.
Relationship between Morisita's model for estimating the environmental density and the generalized Eulerian numbers

The environmental density has been defined (Morisita (1971, Statistical Ecology, the Pennsylvania State University Press, 379-401)) as the value of a habitat expressing its unfavorableness for settling of an individual which has a strong mutual-repulsive influence to other indi- viduals in an environment. Morisita studied mutual repulsive behavior of ant lions (Glenuroides japanicus) and provided a recurrence relation without an explicit solution for the probability distribution of individuals settling in each of two habitats in terms of the environmental densities and the numbers of individuals introduced. In this paper the recurrence relation is explicitly solved; certain interesting properties of the distribu- tion are discussed including its relation to the generalized Eulerian numbers and the estimation of the parameters.
Prevalence of echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy in persons with systemic hypertension, coronary artery disease, and peripheral arterial disease and in persons with systemic hypertension, coronary artery disease, and no peripheral arterial disease.

Echocardiographic left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy was present in 120 of 160 patients (75%) (mean age 72 ± 8 years) with systemic hypertension, coronary artery disease, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and in 43 of 94 age- and gender-matched patients (46%) with systemic hypertension, coronary artery disease, and no PAD (p
ToxR interferes with CRP‐dependent transcriptional activation of ompT in Vibrio cholerae

In pathogenic Vibrio cholerae, the transmembrane DNA-binding protein ToxR co-ordinates the expression of over 20 genes, including those encoding important virulence factors such as cholera toxin and the toxin-co-regulated pilus. The outer membrane protein OmpT is the only member of the ToxR regulon known to be repressed by ToxR. In this study, we examined the environmental conditions that regulate OmpT expression and demonstrated that ompT transcription is upregulated 14-fold when the bacteria enter late log phase from early log phase. Deletion of the crp gene completely abolishes OmpT expression. Comparison of ompT transcription levels in the isogenic crp-, toxR- and crp-toxR- mutants revealed that (i) in the absence of ToxR, constitutive high-level ompT transcription is dependent on cAMP receptor protein (CRP); (ii) ToxR not only interferes with CRP-dependent ompT activation, but also abolishes the CRP-independent, basal level ompT transcription; thus, the mechanism by which ToxR represses ompT transcription involves both antiactivation and direct repression; (iii) both CRP and ToxR are required for the regulation of OmpT expression by growth phase. To provide further insights into the molecular mecha-nism of CRP-dependent activation of ompT transcription, we demonstrated that CRP-dependent activation requires a CRP binding site centred at -310 of the ompT promoter, without which the interaction of CRP with other CRP binding site(s) more proximal to the promoter results in repression. Mutations in two regions on CRP (AR1 and AR2) that directly contact RNA polymerase (RNAP) abolish activation, suggesting direct interaction of CRP with RNAP from -310 of the ompT promoter via DNA looping.
Processing performance of two Kalman filter algorithms with a DSP32C by using assembly and C languages

Two Kalman filter algorithms are implemented with a DSP32C processor. These two Kalman filters use conventional matrix operation and U-D factorization algorithms, respectively. The real-time processing performance of each algorithm is evaluated in terms of throughput, program and data memory sizes. Both DSP32C assembly and high-level C language programs of these two algorithms are developed (a total of four programs) for evaluating the coding efficiency. It is observed that both algorithms can be more efficiently programmed by using assembly language, a matrix-based algorithm enjoys its simple and regular operations so that less program memory is required in both assembly and in C languages, the U-D factorization algorithm involves fewer multiply-accumulate operations and provides a fast throughput in C language only, and the advantage of less multiply-accumulate operations in U-D factorization algorithm no longer exists in assembly language when the number of states of a Kalman filter is large. >
Time series community genomics analysis reveals rapid shifts in bacterial species, strains, and phage during infant gut colonization

The gastrointestinal microbiome undergoes shifts in species and strain abundances, yet dynamics involving closely related microorganisms remain largely unknown because most methods cannot resolve them. We developed new metagenomic methods and utilized them to track species and strain level variations in microbial communities in 11 fecal samples collected from a premature infant during the first month of life. Ninety six percent of the sequencing reads were assembled into scaffolds of >500 bp in length that could be assigned to organisms at the strain level. Six essentially complete (∼99%) and two near-complete genomes were assembled for bacteria that comprised as little as 1% of the community, as well as nine partial genomes of bacteria representing as little as 0.05%. In addition, three viral genomes were assembled and assigned to their hosts. The relative abundance of three Staphylococcus epidermidis strains, as well as three phages that infect them, changed dramatically over time. Genes possibly related to these shifts include those for resistance to antibiotics, heavy metals, and phage. At the species level, we observed the decline of an early-colonizing Propionibacterium acnes strain similar to SK137 and the proliferation of novel Propionibacterium and Peptoniphilus species late in colonization. The Propionibacterium species differed in their ability to metabolize carbon compounds such as inositol and sialic acid, indicating that shifts in species composition likely impact the metabolic potential of the community. These results highlight the benefit of reconstructing complete genomes from metagenomic data and demonstrate methods for achieving this goal.
Analyzing online political discussion using three models of democratic communication

Research examining online political forums has until now been overwhelmingly guided by two broad perspectives: (1) a deliberative conception of democratic communication and (2) a diverse collection of incommensurable multi-sphere approaches. While these literatures have contributed many insightful observations, their disadvantages have left many interesting communicative dynamics largely unexplored. This article seeks to introduce a new framework for evaluating online political forums (based on the work of Jurgen Habermas and Lincoln Dahlberg) that addresses the shortcomings of prior approaches by identifying three distinct, overlapping models of democracy that forums may manifest: the liberal, the communitarian and the deliberative democratic. For each model, a set of definitional variables drawn from the broader online forum literature is documented and discussed.
Characterization of Phytophthora capsici associated with roots of weeds on Florida vegetable farms.

Weeds were sampled in commercial vegetable fields in Palm Beach County, FL in August 2001, December 2001, and March 2002 for the presence of Phytophthora capsici. Fields sampled had a recent history of this plant pathogen. P. capsici was successfully isolated from the roots of six of 42 Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum) plants, four of 28 American black nightshade (Solanum americanum) plants, and two of 130 common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) plants. All but one of the 12 isolates were of the A1 mating type. All 12 isolates were resistant to mefenoxam, although at different levels. All but one isolate were strongly pathogenic on pepper seedlings. When two or three isolates recovered from each weed were inoculated onto the roots of their weed host of origin, P. capsici was recovered from the roots. Isolates of P. capsici were tested on four other solanaceous weeds of importance or potential importance to agricultural fields in Florida: Solanum nigrum, S. ptycanthum, S. carolinense, and S. capsicoides. Recovery of P. capsici from roots varied with weed species and isolate tested. P. capsici caused disease mortality on S. nigrum, and no reisolation of P. capsici was possible with S. capsicoides. This is the first report of S. americanum and G. carolinianum being alternative hosts for P. capsici under field conditions. This study also validated P. oleracea as an alternative host. In Florida, and perhaps elsewhere, weeds may contribute to pathogen survival in the absence of a host crop or when propagules may not readily survive in soil or plant debris.
1α-Hydroxy-vitamin D2: a new look at an ‘old’ compound

Calcitriol is effective in suppressing PTH levels in haemodialysis patients with hyperparathyroidism but has a low therapeutic index. There is a search for other vitamin D sterols that suppress PTH but cause less hypercalcaemia. We review evidence that 1 alpha-hydroxy-vitamin D2 (1 alpha-D2) may be an effective and safer alternative to calcitriol. In vitamin D-deficient rats, 1 alpha-D2 is equipotent to 1 alpha-D3, which is converted to calcitriol before it acts; but, in normal rats, 1 alpha-D2 is much less toxic at high doses. In osteopenia models, either steroid-induced or following ovariectomy, 1 alpha-D2 is equal to or more effective than 1 alpha-D3 in preventing bone loss but causes less hypercalciuria. Studies in osteoporotic women reveal minimal hypercalciuria with 1 alpha-D2 at doses up to 4 micrograms/day, data suggesting greater safety than reported with calcitriol or 1 alpha-D3. Preliminary data in haemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism demonstrate the efficacy of 1 alpha-D2 in suppressing PTH levels with minimal untoward effects on serum Ca and no effects on serum P. Taken together, these observations suggest that 1 alpha-D2 deserves strong consideration as a therapeutic agent for secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with end-stage renal disease.
Preoperative botulinum toxin test injections before muscle lengthening in cerebral palsy.

Background Muscle weakening is a well-known side effect of muscle-tendon lengthening. Botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) weakens the muscle temporarily by blocking the neuromuscular junction. Hence application of the drug is a logical step to test whether weakness deteriorates function prior to an operation. In the present study, BTX-A application is used to test preoperatively whether the gait pattern depends on the strength of the tested muscle. Since 1999, instrumented gait analysis, including kinematic, kinetic, and dynamic electromyographic data, is routinely used to define the individual surgical program.
Unveiling de Soto's mystery: property rights, capital formation, and development

Hernando de Soto attributes the poor economic performance of developing countries to insecure property rights. When property rights are not well-defined individuals do not have the incentives to invest in capital, and assets cannot be used as collateral, hindering capital formation and economic growth. This paper tests de Soto's hypothesis empirically by examining how the security of property rights impacts wealth, collateral, and capital formation across nations. Using several different measures and model specifications, we find support for de Soto's conjecture. Our results suggest that better defined property rights would result in substantial improvements in capital formation and economic growth in developing countries.
Line-Item Analysis of Earnings Quality

In this paper, we discuss earnings quality and the related concept of earnings management, focusing on the primary financial accounts. For each key line-item from the financial statements, we summarize accounting and economic considerations applicable to that item, discuss implications for earnings quality, evaluate the susceptibility of the item to manipulation, and identify potential red flags. The red flags and specific issues discussed for the individual line-items provide a framework for fundamental and contextual analysis by academic researchers and practitioners.
Improved bounds on the heavy neutrino productions at the LHC

The Majorana neutrino in the type-I seesaw and the pseudo-Dirac neutrinos in the inverse seesaw can have sizable mixings with the light neutrinos in the standard model, through which the heavy neutrinos can be produced at the LHC. In producing the heavy neutrinos, we study a variety of initial states such as quark-quark, quark-gluon and gluon-gluon as well as photon mediated processes. For the Majorana heavy neutrino production, we consider a same-sign dilepton plus dijet as the signal events. Using the recent ATLAS and CMS data at s=8 TeV with 20.3 and 19.7 fb−1 luminosities, respectively, we obtain direct upper bounds on the light-heavy neutrino mixing angles. For the pseudo-Dirac heavy neutrino production we consider the final sate with a trilepton plus missing energy as the signal events. Using the recent anomalous multilepton search by CMS at s=8 TeV with 19.5 fb−1 luminosity, we obtain upper bounds on the mixing angles. Taking the varieties of initial states into account, the previously obtained upper bounds on the mixing angles have been improved. We scale our results at the 8 TeV LHC to obtain a prospective search reach at the 14 TeV LHC with high luminosities.
Mobilizing for Human Rights: Theories of Compliance

I believe the decision by totalitarian states to formally (if not practically) recognize these shared values results in part from the international program of support for human rights movements around the world. These legal commitments serve both as the encouraging fruit of efforts to force observance of human rights and as a useful tool by which to transform totalitarian governments into more democratic ones. Leonid Romanov, member of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly and chairman of the parliament's Commission on Education, Culture, and Science Human rights have been one of the most powerful normative concepts of the past half century. They have been championed by groups and individuals disgusted by the oppression of which some governments have shown themselves capable. They have been supported by governments genuinely eager to set a pro-rights example as well as by cynical governments for purposes of international posturing. Cynical ratification was theorized to be rational only under certain narrow conditions – for instance, when information is thin and autocratic leaders' time horizons are short. Much of the evidence presented in the previous chapter followed patterns consistent with these expectations. Democracies have tended to be at the forefront in the process of ratification, while nondemocratic regimes have fairly consistently lagged behind. There is also evidence of strategic ratification in the form of social camouflage, but really only during the Cold War years, where the news media were under the governments' tight control, and in regions with wider dispersions in actual rights practices.
Axisymmetric Bending of Cylindrical Shells

We saw in the last chapter that the equilibrium equations for an axisymmetric shell can be satisfied by membrane stresses σ1,σ2, which are uniform through the thickness of the shell. However, the radial displacements predicted by the membrane theory generally involve discontinuities at the supports or wherever there is a discontinuity in radius or thickness. In such cases, continuity is restored by localized bending of the shell. In the present chapter, we shall investigate the axisymmetric bending of cylindrical shells, but important features of the results carry over to other axisymmetric shell bending problems.
Understanding Commercial Real Estate Indices

This paper examines five indices in the commercial real estate (CRE) markets: the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) Index, the National Council of Real Estate Investmen...
The Insufficiency of Integrity

As part of its evolving notions of self, contemporary Western culture has come to regard integrity as a preeminent public and private virtue. The meanings now given to integrity appear to cluster around its form, which is personal coherence, and its content, which is standing for something important. Building on Stephen Carter's explication of integrity, and in response to its veneration as a moral panacea, three limitations of integrity are discussed. First, integrity does not guarantee that right and wrong have actually been discerned, only that an attempt has been made, that moral reflection has occurred. Second, integrity does not necessarily engender or even preserve interpersonal peace, but instead frequently causes conflict it is then unable to resolve. Third, integrity does not always precipitate or prevent the reform of social structures and organizations, because it remains subject to the exercise of interpersonal power.
Electric traction motors for Cadillac CT6 plugin hybrid-electric vehicle

The Cadillac CT6 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) power-split transmission architecture utilizes two motors. One is an induction motor type while the other is a permanent magnet AC (PMAC) motor type referred to as motor A and motor B respectively. Bar-wound stator construction is utilized for both motors. Induction motor-A winding is connected in delta and PMAC motor-B winding is connected in wye. Overall, the choice of induction for motor A and permanent magnet for motor B is well supported by the choice of hybrid system architecture and the relative usage profiles of the machines. This selection criteria along with the design optimization of electric motors, their electrical and thermal performances, as well as the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance are discussed in detail. It is absolutely crucial that high performance electric machines are coupled with high performance control algorithms to enable maximum system efficiency and performance. Specifically, key challenges toward that goal are inverter voltage utilization, for maximum power capability and accurate current control for torque production. We focus of on the specific challenges in controlling induction machines where the leading requirement form the machine design side to lower leakage inductance has negative ramification on the controllability of the machine.
Electrophoretic Deposition of Ferroelectric Composites for Applications in Electronic Scanning Systems

We have investigated the electrophoretic deposition (EPD) as a low cost and conformal method of fabricating barium strontium titanium (BST) based composite thick films. The films were deposited at a controlled rate on platinum substrate in acetone-based slurry under electric bias. Acetone-aerosol OTS surfactant dispersion was used as dispersive medium. Conformal BST based thick films of 10-80 μm were obtained. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor of Ba0.60Sr0.40TiO3 and Ba0.60Sr0.40TiO3–20wt% compositions were 603.3 and 0.029 and 327.0 and 0.002, respectively. The low frequency electronic properties of the electrophoretic films were also compared with those of the bulk BST ceramics. In addition, the optical and the structural properties of the films are also discussed. The various techniques employed include x-ray diffraction, SEM and surface profilometer.
A 3D computational study of the flow-structure interaction i n flapping flight

We have developed a three-dimensional, high-fidelity numer ical approach to simulate the interaction between a viscous, unsteady flow and deformable thin s tructures. The flow solver is based on a versatile sharp-interface immersed-boundary method with special treatment to suppress the artificial force oscillations caused by moving boundaries, and the structure solver is based on the nonlinear finite-element method with the capability of hand ling large deformations and various element types such as the frame, membrane, plate and shell element. The flow‐structure interaction is computed using an iterative and implicit approach. The numerical method is suitable for modeling a wide range of biological structures such as insect wings and fish fins. In addition, both the flow and structure solvers are developed in house, and thus the code has very good portability. In this paper, we will describe the numerical method and present several computational examples.
Reconciliation: Aspects, Growth, and Sequences (2007)

Throughout history, many people have engaged in personal or representative acts of reconciliation. In recent years, such reconciliation efforts are widely discussed and frequently undertaken (Kritz 1995; Weiner 1998). Reconciliation between antagonists in a destructive conflict is often an important part of establishing a mutually acceptable coexistence between them. The condition of reconciliation, however, varies in degree and over time. It also varies along many dimensions and differs among the diverse groups constituting the opposing sides. The process of antagonists reconciling with each other, therefore, is hugely complex. This article focuses on three issues: the increase in reconciliation efforts around the world, the patterns of reconciliation, and alternative sequences of various aspects of reconciliation.
The continuing mystery of lipid rafts.

Since its initial formalization nearly 20 years ago, the concept of lipid rafts has generated a tremendous amount of attention and interest and nearly as much controversy. The controversy is perhaps surprising because the notion itself is intuitive: compartmentalization in time and space is a ubiquitous theme at all scales of biology, and therefore, the partitioning of cellular membranes into lateral subdivision should be expected. Nevertheless, the physicochemical principles responsible for compartmentalization and the molecular mechanisms by which they are functionalized remain nearly as mysterious today as they were two decades ago. Herein, we review recent literature on this topic with a specific focus on the major open questions in the field including: (1) what are the best tools to assay raft behavior in living membranes? (2) what is the function of the complex lipidome of mammalian cells with respect to membrane organization? (3) what are the mechanisms that drive raft formation and determine their properties? (4) how can rafts be modulated? (5) how is membrane compartmentalization integrated into cellular signaling? Despite decades of intensive research, this compelling field remains full of fundamental questions.
Sound waves near T c in a dynamic spherical model

The solution of the isotropic $n$-component spin models by expanding in powers of $\frac{1}{n}$ has been very helpful in studying static critical phenomena. The limit $n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ is the spherical model. There are many possible generalizations of these models for studying dynamic (time dependent) critical phenomena. In this paper we study the propagation of sound waves and heat diffusion near the critical point in a $\frac{n}{2}$- component complex-spin (each complex component has two real components) model in the limit of large $n$. This model is a particular dynamic generalization of the spherical model and is equivalent to a system of bosons obeying quantum mechanics.
Precisely Assembled Cyclic Gold Nanoparticle Frames by 2D Polymer Single-Crystal Templating

In recent decades, extensive studies have been devoted to assembling nanoparticles (NPs) into various ordered structures to achieve novel optical properties. However, it still remains a challenging task to assemble NPs into cyclic one-dimensional (1D) shapes, such as rings and frames. Herein, we report a directed assembly method to precisely assemble NPs into well-defined, free-standing frames using polymer single crystals (PSCs) as the template. Preformed poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) single crystals were used as the template to direct the crystallization of block copolymer (BCP) poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PEO-b-P4VP), which directs the gold NPs (AuNPs) to form AuNP frames. By controlling the PSC growth, we were able to, for the first time, precisely tune both the size and width of the AuNP frame. These novel AuNP frames topologically resemble NP nanorings and cyclic polymer chains, and show unique surface plasmon resonance (SPR) behaviors.
Über das Gaußsche Eliminationsverfahren zur Invertierung dünn besetzter Matrizen

Es wird die Berechnung einer dunn besetzten faktorisirten Form fur die Inverse einer dunn besetzten Matrix beschrieben. Die Matrix wird zunachst durch Permutationen in eine obere Dreiecks-Block-matrix uberfuhrt, sodann wird eine Variante der bekannten Gaus-Elimination angewandt. Neue von Null verschiedene Elemente konnen nur in den Diagonalblocks entstehen; fur diese Diagonal-blocks lassen sich Methoden zur Beschrankung der Entstehung neuer von Null verschiedener Elemente leicht anwenden, da ihre Dimension i. a. klein gegenuber der Dimension der gesamten Matrix ist.
Latent Porosity in Alkali-Metal M2B12F12 Salts: Structures and Rapid Room-Temperature Hydration/Dehydration Cycles

Structures of the alkali-metal hydrates Li2(H2O)4Z, LiK(H2O)4Z, Na2(H2O)3Z, and Rb2(H2O)2Z, unit cell parameters for Rb2Z and Rb2(H2O)2Z, and the density functional theory (DFT)-optimized structures of K2Z, K2(H2O)2Z, Rb2Z, Rb2(H2O)2Z, Cs2Z, and Cs2(H2O)Z are reported (Z2– = B12F122–) and compared with previously reported X-ray structures of Na2(H2O)0,4Z, K2(H2O)0,2,4Z, and Cs2(H2O)Z. Unusually rapid room-temperature hydration/dehydration cycles of several M2Z/M2(H2O)nZ salt hydrate pairs, which were studied by isothermal gravimetry, are also reported. Finely ground samples of K2Z, Rb2Z, and Cs2Z, which are not microporous, exhibited latent porosity by undergoing hydration at 24–25 °C in the presence of 18 Torr of H2O(g) to K2(H2O)2Z, Rb2(H2O)2Z, and Cs2(H2O)Z in 18, 40, and 16 min, respectively. These hydrates were dehydrated at 24–25 °C in dry N2 to the original anhydrous M2Z compounds in 61, 25, and 76 min, respectively (the exact times varied from sample to sample depending on the particle size). The ...
Cardiac Three-Dimensional Printing Using Noninvasive Modalities: Will It Revolutionize Cardiac Care?

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a tool for clinicians to understand the underlying mechanisms and pathophysiology of these disorders in a simulated setting. Three-dimensional printing consists of manipulating a two-dimensional (2D) image obtained via noninvasive modalities, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or 3D echocardiography, to a 3D dataset and then finally into a physical model. Three-dimensional printing allows for creation of specific models in a variety of diseases such as cardiac shunts that can be visualized by surgeons prior to device placement in a matter of hours. Further, cardiac tumors, which typically invade the myocardium, have been replicated to allow surgeons the ability to plan procedures prior to any incision. This creates the potential for propagation of error within the health field. Three-dimensional printing has emerged as a tool for clinicians to understand the underlying mechanisms and pathophysiology of these disorders in a simulated setting though standardization of the technique is yet awaited.
Incubation temperature impacts nestling growth and survival in an open-cup nesting passerine.

For oviparous species such as birds, conditions experienced while in the egg can have long-lasting effects on the individual. The impact of subtle changes in incubation temperature on nestling development, however, remains poorly understood, especially for open-cup nesting species with altricial young. To investigate how incubation temperature affects nestling development and survival in such species, we artificially incubated American robin (Turdus migratorius) eggs at 36.1°C ("Low" treatment) and 37.8°C ("High" treatment). Chicks were fostered to same-age nests upon hatching, and we measured mass, tarsus, and wing length of experimental nestlings and one randomly selected, naturally incubated ("Natural"), foster nest-mate on days 7 and 10 posthatch. We found significant effects of incubation temperature on incubation duration, growth, and survival, in which experimentally incubated nestlings had shorter incubation periods (10.22, 11.50, and 11.95 days for High, Low, and Natural eggs, respectively), and nestlings from the Low treatment were smaller and had reduced survival compared to High and Natural nestlings. These results highlight the importance of incubation conditions during embryonic development for incubation duration, somatic development, and survival. Moreover, these findings indicate that differences in incubation temperature within the natural range of variation can have important carryover effects on growth and survival in species with altricial young.
Letter by Rus et al Regarding Article, "RGC-32 (Response Gene to Complement 32) Deficiency Protects Endothelial Cells From Inflammation and Attenuates Atherosclerosis".

The recently published article by Cui et al1 sheds new light on the role of RGC-32 (response gene to complement 32) in atherogenesis. This interesting article describes a new mechanism of action of RGC-32 in inducing the expression of the endothelial cell adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, which are necessary for monocyte recruitment into the atherogenic lesion core. We would like to add a few comments on several findings reported in this article. We have also examined the expression of RGC-32 in the human aortic atherosclerotic wall.2 We found that RGC-32 was expressed in human aortic atherosclerotic lesions: by endothelial cells, by inflammatory cells (CD4+ and CD68+ cells) in intimal thickenings and fibrous …
Self-Reported Lifetime Violence Exposure and Self-Compassion Associated With Satisfaction of Life in Historically Black College and University Students:

In the United States, approximately 25% of minors have witnessed a violent act, specifically physical assault. African Americans from under-served backgrounds are more likely than other racial and ...
Effects of correctness and suggestive feedback on learning with an autonomous virtual trainer

In this paper we investigate interaction strategies for autonomous virtual trainers. Fourteen participants were immersed in our VR system to learn relative areas of countries by sorting virtual cubes. We evaluated two different feedback strategies used by the virtual trainer assisting participants. One provided Correctness Feedback at the end of each task, while the other provided Suggestive Feedback during the task. Correctness feedback was the most effective given that it received higher preference and led to shorter task completion time with equivalent performance outcomes.
Evaluating the Long-Term Impacts of an Applied Interdisciplinary Product Development Curriculum on Food Science, Nutrition, and Packaging Science Undergraduate Students

The research objective was to evaluate the long-term impacts of an Applied Interdisciplinary Product Development (AIPD) curriculum on students’ self-confidence in product development skills and kno...
Jane Austen, The Beautifull Cassandra: A Novel in Twelve Chapters . Afterword by Claudia L. Johnson. Artwork by Leon Steinmetz.

Review by Megan Quinn (Princeton University) of Jane Austen, The Beautifull Cassandra: A Novel in Twelve Chapters . Afterword by Claudia L. Johnson. Artwork by Leon Steinmetz. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2018. Pp. 72. £13.99. ISBN 9780691181530.
Dimensions of irritability in adolescents: longitudinal associations with psychopathology in adulthood

Background There is an emerging consensus in developmental psychopathology that irritable youth are at risk for developing internalizing problems later in life. The current study explored if irritability in youth is multifactorial and the impact of irritability dimensions on psychopathology outcomes in adulthood. Methods We conducted exploratory factor analysis on irritability symptom items from a semi-structured diagnostic interview administered to a community sample of adolescents (ages 14–19; 42.7% male; 89.1% white). The analysis identified two factors corresponding to items from the mood disorders v. the oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) (Leibenluft and Stoddard) sections of the interview. These factors were then entered together into regression models predicting psychopathology assessed at age 24 (N = 941) and again at age 30 (N = 816). All models controlled for concurrent psychopathology in youth. Results The two irritability dimensions demonstrated different patterns of prospective relationships, with items from the ODD section primarily predicting externalizing psychopathology, items from the mood disorder sections predicting depression at age 24 but not 30, and both dimensions predicting borderline personality disorder symptoms. Conclusions These results suggest that the current standard of extracting and compositing irritability symptom items from diagnostic interviews masks distinct dimensions of irritability with different psychopathological outcomes. Additionally, these findings add nuance to the prevailing notion that irritability in youth is specifically linked to later internalizing problems. Further investigation using more sensitive and multifaceted measures of irritability are needed to parse the meaning and clinical implications of these dimensions.
Painful Skin Nodules, Prolonged Fever and Cervical Lymphadenopathy

Disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections occurring in a young patient should raise the suspicion of an underlying primary immunodeficiency First line investigations should comprise a search for mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD), in particular IL-12:IFN-γ loop defects Patients with acquired defects that could disrupt the IFN-γ-associated immune pathway, such as pathological presence of anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies with neutralizing capacity, display a similar immunodeficiency picture to MSMD
Gestures as Intrinsic Creativity Support: Understanding the Usage and Function of Hand Gestures in Computer-Mediated Group Brainstorming

Interpersonal communication is essential to group creativity tasks, such as group brainstorming. However, what's easily overlooked in supporting group creativity is the potential use of nonverbal behavior in communication. When people communicate verbally (e.g., discussing a topic through conversation), they may also co-produce hand movements along with verbal contents as part of the communication process. Going beyond using external interventions for creativity gain, we examine the potential to facilitate worker's in-conversation gesture use as an intrinsic mechanism for bolstering group creativity. In this paper, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the usage and function of hand gestures in computer-mediated group brainstorming. Through a laboratory study, we verified that metaphoric gestures, or producing spatial cues with hands to convey intended concepts, can best influence self's and partner's idea generation. Also, the positive effect of metaphoric gesture is independent of media richness of communication medium (e.g., whether there's visibility or not). The results help to fill in the knowledge gap regarding how gesture use may relate to group creativity, and reveal the potential viability of shaping metaphoric gesture use as an intrinsic creativity support.
A retrospective study on the prognostic value of preoperative C-reactive protein to albumin ratio in patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Background Although the C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) can predict poor outcomes in assorted cancers, its prognostic value in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. We explored the value of preoperative CAR in predicting clinical outcomes in OSCC patients treated with radical surgery. Methods All the recommended cutoff values were defined analyzing receiver operating characteristic curves or overall survival (OS). Dichotomization was performed on the basis of optimal CAR cutoff, and we compared the clinicopathological features between groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis was also performed to compare OS curves between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazards model were conducted to find the clinical characteristics that were most closely correlated with disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). A nomogram incorporated CAR and several clinicopathological factors was established to predict prognosis and its accuracy was evaluated using concordance index (c-index). Results In this retrospective study, a total of 326 patients with newly diagnosis of OSCC and received primary surgery between 2008 and 2017 were enrolled. Through the executed ROC curve analyses, the optimal CAR cutoff derived was 0.195 (area under the curve = 0.718, p < 0.001), with this cutoff exhibiting a discrimination ability superior to that of other inflammation-based prognostic scores after comparing the area under curves. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CAR (≥0.195/<0.195) was associated with OS (hazard ratio 3.614; 95% CI [1.629-8.018]; p = 0.002) and DFS (hazard ratio 1.917; 95% CI [1.051-3.863]; p = 0.029). Kaplan-Meier analysis and log rank test revealed a significant difference in DFS and OS curves between patients with low CAR (<0.195) and those with high CAR (≥0.195; both p < 0.001). The c-index of the nomogram based on TNM system alone was 0.684 and could be increased to 0.801 if CAR and other clinicopathological factors were included. Conclusions Preoperative CAR could constitute an independent prognostic indicator for OS and DFS prediction in OSCC patients treated with curative surgery. The established nomogram that incorporated CAR and prognostic factors might increase the accuracy of prognostic prediction for patients with OSCC.
The Fate of Unmatched Orthopaedic Applicants: Risk Factors and Outcomes.

Introduction Orthopaedic surgery residency has become increasingly competitive for medical school applicants with at least one in five applicants not matching annually. For unmatched applicants, the new application cycle is a perplexing and disconcerting period, where unique decisions must be addressed by the applicant. We aimed to investigate the risk factors and outcomes of unmatched orthopaedic applicants. Methods This was a retrospective study using a survey-based questionnaire administered electronically to medical students annually from 2016 to 2019 immediately after match day. Applicant responses totaled 934 completed surveys, of which 81 identified themselves as unmatched from the previous year and reapplied for a subsequent cycle. Variables collected through the survey included demographics, United States Medical Licensing Examination scores, Electronic Residency Application Service application characteristics, and interim year pursuits. A univariate analysis was performed with an alpha level of 0.05 denoting statistical significance. Results Overall, 58.0% of unmatched applicants subsequently matched into an orthopaedic residency. Applicants who pursued a research year or surgical internship after initially not matching had a subsequent match rate of 52.1% and 64.0%, respectively (p = 0.46). Of those who matched, 19.1% were Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) compared with 2.9% in the unmatched group (p = 0.04). When stratified by gender, 83.3% of women matched subsequently compared with 50.8% of men (p = 0.02). There were no differences in Step 1 scores (242.5 vs. 240.7, p = 0.60), Step 2 clinical knowledge (CK) scores (248.3 vs. 244.5, p = 0.60), or the number of publications (15.6 vs. 10.9, p = 0.25) between applicants who matched or did not match, respectively. Discussion Our findings demonstrate that most orthopaedic applicants matched during their subsequent attempt. Women and those with AOA status had a significantly higher match rate than their counterparts. There was no difference in outcomes between those who pursued a research year or surgical internship, Step 1 or 2CK scores, or the number of publications. Further study is warranted to properly analyze risk factors for not matching on a subsequent attempt. Level of evidence Prognostic Level IV.
Factors associated with walking activity in adults with cerebral palsy

Abstract Background This prospective study used instrumented gait analysis, patient-reported outcomes, and portable accelerometers to examine walking activity in adults with cerebral palsy (CP). Research question This study aimed to provide objective data and evaluate factors associated with walking activity in adults with CP. Methods Participants with CP (ages 25–45 years) completed instrumented gait analysis and patient-reported outcomes, including the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) and Satisfaction with Life Score (SWLS), and wore a StepWatch for 8 days. Average strides per day, stratified by Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), were compared with nondisabled adults ages 30–39 years utilizing Welch’s t-tests with Bonferroni corrections. Correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple linear regression analyses examined relationships between walking activity and GMFCS, gait deviation index (GDI), gait velocity, PROMIS physical function, SWLS, body mass index (BMI), and employment. Results Participants included 109 adults with CP, ages 29 ± 4 years, classified at GMFCS levels I/II (73 %) and III/IV (27 %). Compared with nondisabled adults, daily stride count was significantly lower in both groups of adults with CP (p Significance Physical function, as classified by GMFCS or measured by PROMIS and self-selected walking velocity, has the strongest association with and is the most significant predictor of walking activity in adults with CP. After accounting for physical function, a small amount of the variation in walking activity can be explained by GDI, employment, and age.