cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mixed‐conifer forests of central Oregon: effects of logging and fire exclusion vary with environment

Twentieth-century land management has altered the structure and composition of mixed-conifer forests and decreased their resilience to fire, drought, and insects in many parts of the Interior West. These forests occur across a wide range of environmental settings and historical disturbance regimes, so their response to land management is likely to vary across landscapes and among ecoregions. However, this variation has not been well characterized and hampers the development of appropriate management and restoration plans. We identified mixed-conifer types in central Oregon based on historical structure and composition, and successional trajectories following recent changes in land use, and evaluated how these types were distributed across environmental gradients. We used field data from 171 sites sampled across a range of environmental settings in two subregions: the eastern Cascades and the Ochoco Mountains. We identified four forest types in the eastern Cascades and four analogous types with lower densities in the Ochoco Mountains. All types historically contained ponderosa pine, but differed in the historical and modern proportions of shade-tolerant vs. shade-intolerant tree species. The Persistent Ponderosa Pine and Recent Douglas-fir types occupied relatively hot–dry environments compared to Recent Grand Fir and Persistent Shade Tolerant sites, which occupied warm–moist and cold–wet environments, respectively. Twentieth-century selective harvesting halved the density of large trees, with some variation among forest types. In contrast, the density of small trees doubled or tripled early in the 20th century, probably due to land-use change and a relatively cool, wet climate. Contrary to the common perception that dry ponderosa pine forests are the most highly departed from historical conditions, we found a greater departure in the modern composition of small trees in warm–moist environments than in either hot–dry or cold–wet environments. Furthermore, shade-tolerant trees began infilling earlier in cold–wet than in hot–dry environments and also in topographically shaded sites in the Ochoco Mountains. Our new classification could be used to prioritize management that seeks to restore structure and composition or create resilience in mixed-conifer forests of the region.
The display of characters using gray level sample arrays

Character fonts on raster scanned display devices are usually represented by arrays of bits that are displayed as a matrix of black and white dots. This paper reviews a filtering and sampling method as applied to characters for building multiple bit per pixel arrays. These arrays can be used as alternative character representations for use on devices with gray scale capability. Discussed in this paper are both the filtering algorithms that are used to generate gray scale fonts and some consequences of using gray levels for the representation of fonts including:1. The apparent resolution of the display is increased when using gray scale fonts allowing smaller fonts to be used with higher apparent positional accuracy and readability. This is especially important when using low resolution displays.2. Fonts of any size and orientation can be generated automatically from suitable high precision representations. This automatic generation removes the tedious process of “bit tuning” fonts for a given display.
Basic science curriculum during residency: justification based on in-training examination scores.

The American Board of Surgery is increasing its emphasis on competency in surgical basic science as part of residency training. The 1991 American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE) c...
Measuring the Digital Divide with PingER

We introduce the PingER project/toolkit and show its relevance to monitoring sites in developing countries. We then show results from PingER that illustrate the extent of the Digital Divide in terms of Internet performance between developed and developing regions, which developing regions are catching up, keeping up, or falling behind and the magnitude of the differences in performance between developed regions and developing regions.
Individual and Cooperative Management of Invasive Species in Human-mediated Landscapes

As a bioinvasion spreads across a landscape from its point of introduction, damages rise roughly with the square of the distance from the original invasion. It is thus generally beneficial, at the landscape scale, to apply eradication or containment controls early if not immediately upon discovery. However, an individual property owner only has incentives to consider the costs and benefits of control on his/her own property rather than potential landscape‐scale damages. Bioinvasions will therefore generally be under‐controlled in a landscape of independent owners operating under a laissez‐faire system. A mechanism is thus needed to induce early cooperative contributions to control costs from beneficiaries who would, without them, be invaded later. We develop a spatially‐explicit, integrated model of invasion spread and human behavior to examine how different degrees of spatial cooperation affect patterns of invasion spread and the total costs and damages imposed. We compare individual laissez‐faire, cooperative control by adjacent neighbors, and cooperative control by groups including more distant but nearby neighbors. As expected, private laissez‐faire control decisions tend to under‐control the invasion relative to socially optimal control under most circumstances. But a reasonably high fraction of first best payoffs can be achieved with only a modest geographical reach of cooperation. We also find that less extensive cooperation is needed to control invasions whose costs and damages otherwise lead to the largest externalities (circumstances with costs that are relatively low compared with damages). This suggests that even small amounts of cooperation to control bioinvasions can provide large social benefits.
Dynamics of sessile drops. Part 1. Inviscid theory

A sessile droplet partially wets a planar solid support. We study the linear stability of this spherical-cap base state to disturbances whose three-phase contact line is (i) pinned, (ii) moves with fixed contact angle and (iii) moves with a contact angle that is a smooth function of the contact-line speed. The governing hydrodynamic equations for inviscid motions are reduced to a functional eigenvalue problem on linear operators, which are parameterized by the base-state volume through the static contact angle and contact-line mobility via a spreading parameter. A solution is facilitated using inverse operators for disturbances (i) and (ii) to report frequencies and modal shapes identified by a polar and azimuthal wavenumber. For the dynamic contact-line condition (iii), we show that the disturbance energy balance takes the form of a damped-harmonic oscillator with ‘Davis dissipation’ that encompasses the dynamic effects associated with (iii). The effect of the contact-line motion on the dissipation mechanism is illustrated. We report an instability of the super-hemispherical base states with mobile contact lines (ii) that correlates with horizontal motion of the centre-of-mass, called the ‘walking’ instability. Davis dissipation from the dynamic contact-line condition (iii) can suppress the instability. The remainder of the spectrum exhibits oscillatory behaviour. For the hemispherical base state with mobile contact line (ii), the spectrum is degenerate with respect to the azimuthal wavenumber. We show that varying either the base-state volume or contact-line mobility lifts this degeneracy. For most values of these symmetry-breaking parameters, a certain spectral ordering of frequencies is maintained. However, because certain modes are more strongly influenced by the support than others, there are instances of additional modal degeneracies. We explain the physical reason for these and show how to locate them.
Sexual dysfunction in dialysis patients treated with antihypertensive or antidepressive medications: results from the DOPPS

Background. The relationship between medication prescription and sexual dysfunction (SD) in dialysis patients is unclear. Methods. We studied antihypertensive and antidepressive agents prescribed for 7346 patients in the Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study phase 1 (DOPPS I) and 8891 patients in DOPPS II. At baseline, DOPPS I patients completed a quality of life survey, including four questions about sexual functioning, from which we created a composite SD scale. DOPPS II patients were asked only one question about SD. We examined predictors of SD with logistic regression, using numerous patient characteristics, comorbid conditions and additional variables. Results. Reported SD ranged from 66.4% (France) to 84.5% (Spain). The mean composite SD score ranged from 6.4 (Spain) to 7.9 (Germany) (on a 3–15 scale). Peripheral a-blockers increased odds of DOPPS I patients having their sex life bothered by end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (OR ¼ 1.18), and there were elevated odds of arousal problems with central antagonists, loop diuretics and peripheral a-blockers (OR ¼ 1.19, 1.24 and 1.29, respectively). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and benzodiazepines increased odds of problems with enjoyment (OR ¼ 1.59 and 1.26, respectively) and arousal (OR ¼ 1.70 and 1.24, respectively), and having sex life bothered by ESRD (DOPPS I: OR ¼ 1.36 and 1.24; DOPPS II: 1.30 and 1.31, respectively). Vasodilators reduced the odds of sexual enjoyment problems (OR ¼ 0.75). Composite SD scores worsened with peripheral a-blockers (þ0.41), tricyclics (þ0.78), SSRIs (þ0.80) and benzodiazepines (þ0.50), but not with vasodilators (� 0.57). Conclusions. Awareness of associations between SD and prescribed medications may offer opportunities for intervention.
Geomagnetic Induction to Measure Strong Nearshore Flow Velocities

Engineering and design criteria are given for two systems using geomagnetic induction to measure 1) tidal transport in a small lagoon entrance channel and 2) the longshore current in the surf zone. The electrical potentials measured are on the order of 40 microvolts per meter of cross flow distance per meter per second of flow speed. The salt-bridge instrumentation first used by Mangelsdorf (1962) and later refined by Sanford and Flick (1975) and Sanford (1977) for use over highly conducting bottoms has been adapted to settings of low bottom conductivity and strong flow speeds. The effects of strong unidirectional currents, cyclical wave loading, sand bottom erosion, kelp fouling and pressure signal changes are presented. Prototype deployments are described in which the salt-bridge support system failed under persistent 4 meter high breaking waves and 3 meter per second longshore currents.
A search and rescue robot

In order to increase the effectiveness of robotic systems, the robots must be able to negotiate a variety of terrains. In urban environments this task becomes challenging as environments built for humans often have impediments such as stairs and thresholds which may be difficult or impossible for wheeled or tracked vehicles to go over. This is further complicated in search and rescue scenarios where debris and rubble from collapsed structures may further complicate the environment. In order to address these limitations a novel robotic platform, the Loper, has been developed. The Loper utilizes a Tri-lobe wheel and a compliant chassis in order to traverse difficult terrain. In addition, multiple gait configurations of the Tri-lobe wheel enable the Loper to overcome a variety of obstacles, both indoors and out.
Teaching Students With LD to Use Diagrams to Solve Mathematical Word Problems

This study examined the effectiveness of instruction focused on teaching students with learning disabilities (LD) to solve 1- and 2-step word problems of varying types. Three students with LD in Grade 8 participated in the study. During the treatment, students received instruction in diagram generation and a strategy that incorporates diagrams as a part of the procedure to solve word problems. The results indicated that all students improved in the number of diagrams they used and in their ability to generate diagrams. Their word problem solving performance increased. Moreover, the students generated and used diagrams to solve other types of problems. Overall, the students were very satisfied with the instruction and would continue to use the diagrams and the strategy to solve word problems in other classroom settings.
Role of semantic paradigms for optimization of language mapping in clinical FMRI studies.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The optimal paradigm choice for language mapping in clinical fMRI studies is challenging due to the variability in activation among different paradigms, the contribution to activation of cognitive processes other than language, and the difficulties in monitoring patient performance. In this study, we compared language localization and lateralization between 2 commonly used clinical language paradigms and 3 newly designed dual-choice semantic paradigms to define a streamlined and adequate language-mapping protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve healthy volunteers performed 5 language paradigms: Silent Word Generation, Sentence Completion, Visual Antonym Pair, Auditory Antonym Pair, and Noun-Verb Association. Group analysis was performed to assess statistically significant differences in fMRI percentage signal change and lateralization index among these paradigms in 5 ROIs: inferior frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus for expressive language activation, middle temporal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus for receptive language activation. RESULTS: In the expressive ROIs, Silent Word Generation was the most robust and best lateralizing paradigm (greater percentage signal change and lateralization index than semantic paradigms at P CONCLUSIONS: The combination of Silent Word Generation and ≥1 visual semantic paradigm, such as Sentence Completion and Noun-Verb Association, is adequate to determine language localization and lateralization; Noun-Verb Association has the additional advantage of objective monitoring of patient performance.
Lonergan and Bhaskar: The Intelligibility of Experiment

The aim of this paper is to note the convergence between two critical realist philosophies of science, namely, that of Roy Bhaskar and Bernard Lonergan with regard to the intelligibility of experimental activity. Bhaskar very explicitly argues that ‘differentiation implies stratification.’ The idea is that because the situations produced in laboratories are special instances of closure (like the solar system in the open universe, they do not represent the general case) the significance of experimental activity is that it brings about regularities with a view to understanding scientific laws at a deeper level. This is to say, when experiment is properly understood, the weaknesses of empiricism are exposed. Although he is not as explicit, Lonergan also has recourse to this argument. The parallels between Bhaskar and Lonergan are not surprising given the Aristotelian heritage that is manifest in their common concern for a realist ontology. Nevertheless, some differences between the two emerge, for example, in Lonergan's concern with the development of statistical science, and as well, a firm commitment to substance (rather than to powers, simply). Some attention to the significance of experimental activity for the debate surrounding realism is explored; it is suggested that Lonergan has something to offer in the subsequent conversation associated with Maxwell, van Fraassen, Hacking and Cartwright.
Self-graded homework: Some empirical tests of efficacy

ABSTRACTAllowing students to grade their own homework promises many advantages. But can students perform such grading tasks honestly and accurately? Also, do such assessments vary by gender? To answer these questions, the authors analyzed the homework scores of 266 students in seven introductory programming classes. The statistical results were favorable to the hypothesis that students graded themselves fairly. Gender differences were slight, and more likely attributable to factors not connected with grading equity.
Obamacare & Man at Yale

After the most significant Supreme Court oral argument of the Roberts Court, elite law professors were stuck sitting on the sidelines at the Hogwarts-esque castle that is Yale Law School, mystified how they were likely headed towards an unprecedented defeat. Rather than accepting the validity of the arguments against Obamacare, leading academics directed their ire towards the recalcitrant Solicitor General, who, unlike his predecessor, shunned academics, and put forth losing arguments in Court. Further, the professors blamed the media (the New York Times in particular), that gave a “false equivalence” to libertarian law professors, and made their arguments legitimate.In writing Unprecedented: The Constitutional Challenge to Obamacare, I conducted over one-hundred interviews with the lawyers, journalists, professors, and politicos involved on both sides of the case. These insights shed light on the question Professor David Hyman seeks to answer in his important and timely new article: “Why Did Law Professors Misunderestimate the Lawsuits against PPACA?” For this contribution to a symposium in the Illinois Law Review, I highlight how the sentiments at this Ivy-League confab served as a fitting testament to the law professors’ “misunderestimation” of NFIB v. Sebelius.
Synthesis of Bi2Te3 nanotubes by galvanic displacement.

Thermoelectric Bi2Te3 nanotubes were synthesized using galvanic displacement of nickel nanowires. The composition of Bi2Te3 nanotubes was precisely controlled by adjusting the [Bi3+]/[HTeO2+] ratio in the electrolyte. By combining the premagnetically assembled nickel nanowire and galvanic displacement reaction, individual Bi2Te3 nanotube-based devices were fabricated and their temperature-dependent electrical properties were measured.
Individuals recapitulate the proposed evolutionary development of spatial lexicons

When English speakers successively pile-sort colors, their sorting recapitulates an independently proposed hierarchy of color category evolution during language change (Boster, 1986). Here we extend that finding to the semantic domain of spatial relations. Levinson et al. (2003) have proposed a hierarchy of spatial category evolution, and we show that English speakers successively pile-sort spatial scenes in a manner that recapitulates that proposed evolutionary hierarchy. Thus, in the spatial domain, as in color, proposed universal patterns of language change based on crosslanguage observations appear to reflect general cognitive forces that are available in the minds of speakers of a single language.
Epsilon Aminocaproic Acid and the Control of Post-Prostatectomy Bleeding: A Prospective Double-Blind Study

AbstractWe randomized 61 patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate in a double-blind parallel fashion to receive epsilon aminocaproic acid or an equivalent volume of placebo solution immediately after the operation. All blood loss during the first 72 hours postoperatively was monitored. Four patients were nonevaluable. The use of epsilon aminocaproic acid caused no significant complication or side effect. There was no significant difference In regard to blood loss, hospital stay or days on catheter drainage between the 2 groups. We conclude that the routine use of epsilon aminocaproic acid after transurethral resection of the prostate is not warranted.
Enhancing Thematic Units Using the World Wide Web: Tools and Strategies for Students with Mild Disabilities:

Thematic units are one way that the World Wide Web can be used to support curriculum accommodations and enhance instruction for students with mild disabilities. This article presents key principles...
Characterization of L1-Ribonucleoprotein Particles

The LINE-1 retrotransposon (L1) encodes two proteins, ORF1p and ORF2p, which bind to the L1 RNA in cis, forming a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex that is critical for retrotransposition. Interactions with both permissive and repressive host factors pervade every step of the L1 life cycle. Until recently, limitations in detection and production precluded in-depth characterization of L1 RNPs. Inducible expression and recombinant engineering of epitope tags have made detection of both L1 ORFs routine. Here, we describe large-scale production of L1-expressing HEK-293T cells in suspension cell culture, cryomilling and affinity capture of L1 RNP complexes, sample preparation for analysis by mass spectrometry, and assay using the L1 element amplification protocol (LEAP) and qRT-PCR.
Yield of Staging Laparoscopy and Lavage Cytology for Radiologically Occult Peritoneal Carcinomatosis of Gastric Cancer

This study aimed to identify the yield of staging laparoscopy with peritoneal lavage cytology for gastric cancer patients and to track it over time. The medical records of patients with gastric or gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma who underwent pretreatment staging laparoscopy at the authors’ institution from 1995 to 2012 were reviewed. The yield of laparoscopy was defined as the proportion of patients who had positive findings on laparoscopy, including those with macroscopic carcinomatosis, positive cytology, or other clinically important findings. To compare the yield of laparoscopy over time, the patients were divided into three 6-year ranges based on the date of diagnosis. Associations between clinicopathologic factors and peritoneal disease were examined using uni- and multivariate analyses. The study included 711 patients. Among these patients, 43.5 % had gastroesophageal junction tumors, 72.9 % had poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, and 53 % had signet ring cell morphology. Endoscopic ultrasound had most commonly identified T3 (83.9 %) and N-positive (66.4 %) tumors. At laparoscopy, 148 (20.8 %) patients had been found to have macroscopic peritoneal carcinomatosis. Among 514 macroscopically negative patients who underwent peritoneal lavage cytologic analysis, 68 (13.2 %) had positive cytology results for malignancy. The total laparoscopy yield was 36 %, which did not change over time (p = 0.58). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that positive cytology or carcinomatosis was associated with poorly differentiated histology, linitis plastica, and equivocal computed tomography findings. Laparoscopy remains a useful staging procedure to evaluate for peritoneal spread when treatment or surgery is considered, even with the current availability of high-quality imaging.
L2 students' performance on listening comprehension items targeting local and global information

Abstract Models of academic listening ability indicate that two skills are crucial, identifying factual information and making appropriate inferences (e.g., Aryadoust, Goh, & Kim, 2012; Rost, 2011). However, designing tasks that target students' ability to make inferences can be challenging. This challenge is particularly important for academic English programs (AEPs) where such skills are important for academic success, and therefore, are often included in proficiency tests used for placement/exit decisions. For this study, questions from an AEP listening test were categorized as assessing either local or global comprehension skills. Examinees' performance on these questions was analyzed to determine whether: 1) four proficiency groups (advanced, high, intermediate, and low) differed in their performance on questions targeting local (factual/detail) and global (inference-propositional and inference-pragmatic) listening comprehension, and 2) within-group differences existed in examinees' performance on the same questions. Examinees' scores for questions measuring local and global listening comprehension were compared using an ANCOVA test. While examinees’ performance on the questions targeting local and global listening comprehension varied among the proficiency groups, scores revealed significant differences for listening skills within several of the proficiency groups. The findings raise important questions about the types of inference questions that should be included in L2 listening tests.
CONCANAVALIN A (CON A) RECEPTORS ON THE CYTOTOXIC T LYMPHOCYTE (CTL) SURFACE ARE INVOLVED IN CYTOLYTIC ACTIVITY

ABSTRACT Con A at low concentrations strongly inhibits antigen-specific CTL activity in different allo- and syngeneic systems. The effect of Con A is shown to reflect direct interaction with high affinity Con A-binding receptors on the surface of CTLs. Preliminary results, involving immunoprecipitation of radiolabelled lymphocytes suggest that a critical protein is part of the T200 complex.
The Tea Party versus Agenda 21: local groups and sustainability policies in U.S. cities

ABSTRACTAs local governments have moved toward adopting sustainability policies, there have been some cases where local Tea Parties have emerged as aggressive and strident opponents of such changes. Looking broadly at the Tea Party movement across the United States and systematically measuring its influence in urban America, we assess each Tea Party chapter’s capacity – its ability to convert resources into meaningful political advocacy. Data is derived from surveys of political elites in 50 cities as well as from determining the level of sustainability programming in each of these same cities. Evidence demonstrates that the Tea Party has not had a significant impact on city policymaking in the area of sustainability. Rather, the typical Tea Party chapter appears to be at best a modest presence in local politics.
El mito de la masculinidad y su evolución a lo largo del siglo XX en Marvel Comics

Los personajes masculinos fueron los protagonistas principales de Marvel Comics durante el siglo XX. Dichos personajes mostraban algunas caracteristicas de forma persistente que ayudaron a fraguar un mito de la masculinidad. A pesar de esto, dicho mito evoluciono a partir de 1961, ampliando los estrechos margenes de la masculinidad. Los objetivos de este articulo son, en primer lugar, entender cual fue el mensaje que lanzaba dicho mito, como afectaba a los hombres en funcion de si eran jovenes, adultos o ancianos, y en que modo cambio con el paso del tiempo. En segundo lugar, nos proponemos entender las transformaciones sociales, economicas y productivas que ayudaron a desarrollar un nuevo mito de la masculinidad. Para lograr esto, vamos a estudiar algo mas de un centenar de publicaciones de Marvel Comics publicadas entre los anos 1940 y 2000, analizando desde la perspectiva de los Estudios Culturales los arquetipos presentados. Entre las conclusiones a las que hemos llegado cabe destacar la existencia de un modelo patriarcal de masculinidad que sobrevivio sin problemas hasta 1960 debido a una mezcla de factores politicos, economicos y productivos, si bien los importantes cambios en la produccion de comics experimentada en las oficinas de Marvel durante 1961 condujeron a que dicho modelo dejase de ser el unico existente; a esto ayudaron en los anos sesenta y setenta los importantes problemas politicos, economicos y sociales que sacudieron los Estados Unidos. A pesar de todo ello, no podemos afirmar que el mito de la masculinidad evolucionara de una manera irreversible e imparable, antes al contrario, existio una relacion dialectica entre un nuevo y un viejo mito de masculinidad.
Tour 13: From Precarity to Ephemerality

This article explores a temporary street art project in Paris’s 13th arrondissement, Tour 13. The project, which involved more than 100 street artists taking over abandoned apartments and transforming them, to be displayed for a one-month period before the building was demolished, draws attention to the rhythms of creative destruction that underlie urban renewal practices. Moreover, the process of waiting to enter the building and the works contained within function to draw attention to both the losses caused by precarious economies and the need for an alternative social temporal framework, one more focused on ephemerality. Bridging recent discussions in cultural studies, rhetoric, and critical urban studies, this article explores the politics of precarity and the creative class as it effectuates built space in Paris and argues that ephemerality offers an alternative temporal and political response to precarity.
Mining Heterogeneous Healthcare Networks Extracted from Health-Consumer-Contributed Contents for Adverse Drug Reaction Detection

Since adverse drug reactions (ADRs) represent a serious world-wide health problem, how to detect ADR signals effectively and efficiently has been of great medical significance. Currently, methods proposed to detect ADRs are mainly based on data sources such as spontaneous reporting data, electronic health record, pharmaceutical databases, and biomedical literature. However, these data sources are either limited by high cost, under-reporting ratio, privacy issues, or long publication cycle. In this work, we propose to explore online health communities, a timely, informative and publicly available data source, for ADR detection. We construct a weighted heterogeneous healthcare network that contains drugs, ADRs, diseases, and users extracted from online health consumer-contributed contents, extract topological features, develop weighted path count to quantify the features, and use supervised learning techniques to detect ADR signals. The experiment results show that weighted heterogeneous healthcare network using leverage and lift as weighting schema are more effective in ADR detection than non-weighted counterpart.
Service And The Millennial Business Student: The Motivating Influence Of An E-Book Class Project

A commitment to voluntary service that benefits others was reinforced for students who authored an e-book on service as a class project in a senior business course. The immersive experience of writing short essays that focused on service shifted students’ motivations toward service and solidified their intentions to continue with service after graduation. The article reviews millennials’ characteristics and their activities related to volunteering services. The concerns of generations covering the past 100 years illustrate the shift from physical hardship and a rudimentary standard of living in earlier times toward present-day issues of millennials, namely economic security, technology change, globalization and meaningfulness in life and careers. A 4-stage model shows how student engagement in creating the e-book influenced commitment to service. The stages include (a) salience (being tasked with the assignment), (b) reflection (thinking about service), (c) internalization (deciding about service in their own lives), (d) commitment-action (resolve to actively integrate service into future life). Examination of millennials’ values and work styles indicated the e-book as a class project matched their preferences. Each of 5 teams was tasked to complete deliverables, which the students produced operating under a “leaderless classroom” structure. Corporations that encourage employees to offer pro bono services have recognized benefits to their employees, reinforcing the need for business education programs to include service-related experiences.
The web of microRNA in B lymphoblastic leukemia.

B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-ALL) is a cancer of precursor B-cells with highest incidence in the pediatric age-group. While the incidence declines with increasing age, older patients diagno...
Understanding and predicting profile structure and parametric scaling of intrinsic rotation

This paper reports on a recent advance in developing physical understanding and a first-principles-based model for predicting intrinsic rotation profiles in magnetic fusion experiments. It is shown for the first time that turbulent fluctuation-driven residual stress (a non-diffusive component of momentum flux) along with diffusive momentum flux can account for both the shape and magnitude of the observed intrinsic toroidal rotation profile. Both the turbulence intensity gradient and zonal flow E×B shear are identified as major contributors to the generation of the k∥-asymmetry needed for the residual stress generation. The model predictions of core rotation based on global gyrokinetic simulations agree well with the experimental measurements of main ion toroidal rotation for a set of DIII-D ECH discharges. The validated model is further used to investigate the characteristic dependence of residual stress and intrinsic rotation profile structure on the multi-dimensional parametric space covering the turbul...
A Microcosting Study of Establishing a Baby Café® in Texas:

Background:This article focuses on the costs of opening and running a Baby Cafe. A Baby Cafe is an intervention that focuses on providing peer-to-peer support for breastfeeding mothers.Research aim...
Abstract 18796: Neighborhood Income Rather Than Food Access is Associated With Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Food Deserts

Introduction: Environmental characteristics and limited access to healthy food have been associated with cardiovascular risk factors. Food deserts, neighborhoods defined as both low income communities with limited access to healthy food, are a national concern. We evaluated the impact of living in food deserts on cardiovascular events and whether neighborhood income or food access is driving the health effect of food deserts. Hypothesis: Food deserts will be associated with cardiovascular outcomes. Methods: Subjects undergoing cardiac catheterization and recruited into the Emory Cardiovascular Biobank had their zip codes entered into the Food Deserts Atlas (U.S. Department of Agriculture) that specifies food deserts as combined low food access and low income areas. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze the association of these area characteristics with adverse events (all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction [MI]). Results: Of the 5240 patients (age 63±12, 64% male) enrolled, 1056 (24.1%) were living in low income areas, 1723 (32.9%) in low food access areas, and 1056 (20.2 %) in food deserts. During a median follow-up of 3.2 years, 988 (18.9%) patients died or developed a MI. After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and previous MI, patients living in food deserts had a higher risk of adverse events with hazard ratio (HR) of 1.28, (95% CI 1.04 - 1.58), p=0.018 (Figure). However, when compared to subjects in high income and good food access areas, those with high income and low access had similar outcomes HR 0.99 (CI 0.82-1.20). Moreover, even people within low income neighborhoods with good food access had similar outcomes to those in food deserts HR 0.96 (CI 0.78-1.16). Conclusions: Although living in food deserts is associated with a higher risk of death and MI, its impact is mainly due to area income rather than food access. Whether this is due to nutritional status or lifestyle of people living in these areas needs to be further evaluated.
Ularitide in Acute Heart Failure

This review article will summarize the currently available data for ularitide in acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Hospitalization for ADHF represents a key prognostic event in the time course of many patients with HF. It is associated with a high risk for rehospitalization (~ 50% at 6 months) and 1-year mortality rate (~ 30%). There is an unmet need for agents that will improve symptoms and outcomes for clinical outcomes in ADHF. Several agents with vasodilating properties have been studied in this population, but there is limited data demonstrating definitive efficacy of currently available therapies. Ularitide is a synthetic form of urodilatin, a natriuretic peptide produced in the distal renal tubule cells.
Patients with core antibody positive and surface antigen negative Hepatitis B (anti-HBc+, HBsAg−) on anti-TNF therapy have a low rate of reactivation

Abstract Anti-TNF agents are widely used to treat immune-mediated disorders. Reactivation of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with immunosuppressive agents and biologics such as anti-TNF. There are limited data and differing guidelines for patients with negative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg−) but positive antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc+) on anti-TNF with regards to outcomes and need for anti-viral prophylaxis. We examined the prevalence of HBV reactivation in a single-center retrospective cohort study of 120 HBsAg−, anti-HBc+ patients on anti-TNF, totaling 346.6 patient years. One patient (0.8%) who had a detectable VL (
A Systematic Review of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation Management

Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation is a neurovascular lesion characterized by an abnormal connection between arterial and venous systems, resulting in a tangle of blood vessels lacking intervening capillaries. The goal of treatment is to prevent catastrophic hemorrhage, neurological injury, or death. Despite the availability of multiple cutting-edge treatment options there is little consensus on the most promising approaches for treatment due to the novelty of each Arteriovenous Malformation case. This analysis will link the various angioarchitectural characteristics and associated presentations of Arteriovenous Malformation to treatment modalities. In the era of personalized medicine, genomics-driven research to normalize by drawing parallels between Cerebral Cavernous Malformation and Arteriovenous Malformation, both of which are characterized by hemorrhage-prone vascular malformations, may provide insight for the development of pharmacological therapy. Understanding the underlying mechanisms and genes responsible for the symptoms will allow us to better treat patients in a non-invasive manner and paves future directions in Arteriovenous Malformation treatment.
Assessment of Psychosocial Factors in Population Studies

Evidence has accrued over the past half century clearly documenting the importance of psychosocial factors on health, well-being, and disease risk. This evidence has accumulated through the scientific contributions of multiple disciplines using a variety of study designs. The goal of this chapter is to present pertinent information regarding the assessment of psychosocial factors in population-based studies and therefore our focus is on epidemiologic studies and methods. We present a brief historical overview of the primary lines of evidence that have contributed to our understanding of the impact of psychosocial factors on health outcomes, followed by the rationale for choosing psychosocial factors for inclusion in population-based research. We then discuss frequently used methods of assessment, including associated strengths and challenges, and report on widely used interview and self-report questionnaire measures of psychosocial factors to guide readers in selecting appropriate measures for their studies. We conclude by noting important issues for future work.
Slip and Dislocation in Crystalline Solids as Precursors to Localized Deformation

We use crystal plasticity to describe the slip and dislocation in crystalline solids under mechanical loading. The constitutive formulation involves linearly dependent slip systems from which we extract a group of linearly independent slip systems using the ultimate algorithm advocated by Borja and Wren (Int J Numer Methods Eng 36:3815–3840, 1993). We implement the ultimate algorithm into a 3D nonlinear finite element code with infinitesimal deformation. We use the code to compare the deformation fields generated by crystal plasticity formulation and the classic J 2 plasticity model.
Absorption of Water Vapour

One of the most intriguing aspects of water balance in land arthropods concerns the mechanisms by which water vapour is absorbed from unsaturated air. The process has been recognized for a long time, but an explanation in physiological terms is still lacking. Relevant reviews are those of Beament (1961, 1964, 1965), Locke (1964), and Noble-Nesbitt (1976).
Organotypic 3D Models of the Ovarian Cancer Tumor Microenvironment

Ovarian cancer progression involves multifaceted and variable tumor microenvironments (TMEs), from the in situ carcinoma in the fallopian tube or ovary to dissemination into the peritoneal cavity as single cells or spheroids and attachment to the mesothelial-lined surfaces of the omentum, bowel, and abdominal wall. The TME comprises the tumor vasculature and lymphatics (including endothelial cells and pericytes), in addition to mesothelial cells, fibroblasts, immune cells, adipocytes and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. When generating 3D models of the ovarian cancer TME, researchers must incorporate the most relevant stromal components depending on the TME in question (e.g., early or late disease). Such complexity cannot be captured by monolayer 2D culture systems. Moreover, immortalized stromal cell lines, such as mesothelial or fibroblast cell lines, do not always behave the same as primary cells whose response in functional assays may vary from donor to donor; 3D models with primary stromal cells may have more physiological relevance than those using stromal cell lines. In the current review, we discuss the latest developments in organotypic 3D models of the ovarian cancer early metastatic microenvironment. Organotypic culture models comprise two or more interacting cell types from a particular tissue. We focus on organotypic 3D models that include at least one type of primary stromal cell type in an ECM background, such as collagen or fibronectin, plus ovarian cancer cells. We provide an overview of the two most comprehensive current models-a 3D model of the omental mesothelium and a microfluidic model. We describe the cellular and non-cellular components of the models, the incorporation of mechanical forces, and how the models have been adapted and utilized in functional assays. Finally, we review a number of 3D models that do not incorporate primary stromal cells and summarize how integration of current models may be the next essential step in tackling the complexity of the different ovarian cancer TMEs.
A Review of Child Sexual Abuse: Impact, Risk, and Resilience in the Context of Culture

Child sexual abuse is a problem with both a national and worldwide prevalence. In this review, the authors note that while empirical research has clearly shown the negative impact of child sexual abuse on social, psychological, and sexual functioning later in life, it has also been reported that some individuals remain asymptomatic despite a history of experiencing child sexual abuse. This implies that negative outcomes later in life are not inevitable and illustrates the critical need to elucidate how resilience may moderate the negative impacts of child sexual abuse. In addition to emphasising the role of resilience, this review also underscores the important role that cultural context plays in understanding child sexual abuse, as there are known risk factors and protective factors specific to different cultures. Similarly, one's culture may also influence whether abuse is reported and addressed, and the topic is given special attention in this paper because it is not widely discussed within the existing literature. The impact of child sexual abuse on mental health, sexual health, and social functioning is also discussed.
Optimization of sand fly embryo microinjection for gene editing by CRISPR/Cas9.

Background Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 technology has rapidly emerged as a very effective tool for gene editing. Although great advances on gene editing in the medical entomology field have arisen, no attempts of gene editing have been reported in sand flies, the vectors of Leishmaniasis. Methodology/Principal findings Here, we described a detailed protocol for sand fly embryo microinjection taking into consideration the sand fly life cycle, and manipulation and oviposition requirements of this non-model organism. Following our microinjection protocol, a hatching rate of injected embryos of 11.90%-14.22% was achieved, a rate consistent with other non-model organism dipterans such as mosquitoes. Essential factors for the adaptation of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to the sand fly field were addressed including the selection of a target gene and the design and production of sgRNA. An in vitro cleavage assay was optimized to test the activity of each sgRNA and a protocol for Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (spCas9) protein expression and purification was described. Relevant considerations for a successful gene editing in the sand fly such as specifics of embryology and double-stranded break DNA repair mechanisms were discussed. Conclusion and significance The step-by-step methodology reported in this article will be of significant use for setting up a sand fly embryo microinjection station for the incorporation of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the sand fly field. Gene editing strategies used in mosquitoes and other model insects have been adapted to work with sand flies, providing the tools and relevant information for adapting gene editing techniques to the vectors of Leishmaniasis. Gene editing in sand flies will provide essential information on the biology of these vectors of medical and veterinary relevance and will rise a better understanding of vector-parasite-host interactions.
A Novel Decision Aid to Encourage Smoking Cessation Among Patients at an Urban Safety Net Clinic.

Introduction Decision aids are not readily available to individualize the benefits of smoking cessation but could help health care providers engage in meaningful conversations with their patients to explore and encourage an attempt to quit smoking. We conducted a pilot study of a novel decision aid among an underserved population to assess its effectiveness in increasing readiness to quit and quit attempts. Methods We designed a decision aid that used images of birthday cakes to highlight the number of years of life that could be gained from smoking cessation and tested it in an urban safety net clinic. Active adult smokers were randomized to receive smoking cessation counseling, either with motivational interviewing techniques alone (control) or with motivational interviewing and the decision aid (intervention). The primary outcome assessed was readiness to quit, measured by using a previously validated contemplation ladder. The secondary outcome assessed was making a quit attempt. Results Immediately following the interview, 21.1% of patients rose on the readiness-to-quit ladder; at 1 month, 40.6%; and at 3 months, 46.6%. We saw no significant difference between the control and intervention groups immediately after the interview (P = .79), at 1 month (P = .92), or at 3 months (P = .79). Over the 3-month follow-up period, 25% of patients in the control group made a quit attempt, and 15.4% of patients in the intervention group made a quit attempt (P = .30). Patients found the decision aid useful and easy to understand. Conclusion Patients from an underserved population were highly receptive to a visual and personalized decision aid that highlighted the positive impact of smoking cessation. However, we found no difference in readiness to quit between patients who received motivational interviewing with the decision aid or without it.