cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FCPA Settlement, Internal Strife, and the 'Culture of Compliance'

Most enforcement actions brought against firms under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) are resolved via a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) or non-prosecution agreement (NPA). But before federal regulators will consider negotiating over these types of settlement vehicles, they typically weigh a firm's willingness to cooperate with the underlying investigation and whether it promoted a "culture of compliance." As this paper shows, these two factors do not always intersect in ways that serve the best interests of firms at risk for FCPA scrutiny. Cooperation often means asking company counsel to identify individual agents responsible for the alleged wrongdoing. If these agents are then disciplined or prosecuted in separate actions, the resulting dynamic can lead to distrust between agents and counsel, a breakdown in internal communications, feelings of unfair treatment, and inappropriate levels of risk aversion - all of which are undesirable from a firm's perspective and can hinder efforts to maintain a law-abiding culture. These issues are not all new, but they take on particular significance in the FCPA context due to the often expansive way regulators interpret the FCPA, the complexities associated with the transnational nature of the underlying conduct, and the frequently blurry lines between permissible competitive activity and impermissible bribery. Though many firms may ultimately decide that the potentially negative effects of cooperation are worth the upside of settlement, it is essential that they and their counsel remain cognizant of these issues when designing internal compliance programs. Regulators, too, need to be aware of how their enforcement policies could hinder efforts at corporate self-policing.
The synthesis, photophysical properties and water oxidation studies of a series of novel photosensitizer–catalyst assemblies

Abstract A novel series of bridging ligands and their RuII photosensitizer–catalyst dyads have been prepared and characterized by NMR and electronic absorption spectroscopy as well as cyclic voltammetry. The presence of asymmetry in the ligands facilitated selective metal coordination, which greatly enhanced the ease of the preparation of the dyads. The photophysical properties of the photosensitizers and the photosensitizer–catalyst dyads were also studied. All the photosensitizers were found to be strong emitters while the extremely weak emission of the dyads suggested quenching by either energy or electron transfer. The water oxidation activities of the dyads have been evaluated under both light and CeIV activated conditions. The dyads were found to be active under CeIV activated conditions. Electrochemical studies also suggest that these systems may be used as electrocatalysts for photoelectrochemical water oxidation.
Planning as an iterative process

Activity planning for missions such as the Mars Exploration Rover mission presents many technical challenges, including oversubscription, consideration of time, concurrency, resources, preferences, and uncertainty. These challenges have all been addressed by the research community to varying degrees, but significant technical hurdles still remain. In addition, the integration of these capabilities into a single planning engine remains largely unaddressed. However, I argue that there is a deeper set of issues that needs to be considered - namely the integration of planning into an iterative process that begins before the goals, objectives, and preferences are fully defined. This introduces a number of technical challenges for planning, including the ability to more naturally specify and utilize constraints on the planning process, the ability to generate multiple qualitatively different plans, and the ability to provide deep explanation of plans.
Variability Of Real Uxo

Real UXO are often dented, bent, broken, rusted-out, or otherwise damaged. This generates variability in their Electromagnetic Induction (EMI) response and complicates the job of UXO/clutter discrimination. This SERDP-funded project was aimed at quantifying UXO variability by measuring a large number of real UXO and expressing variability in physically meaningful terms. Over 600 items were measured in air using both Time-Domain (EM63) and Frequency-Domain (GEM3) instruments and response was quantified by fitting a response model to both time-domain and frequency-domain data simultaneously. Four physically meaningful parameters are derived from the fits: 1) response magnitude, which relates to target size, 2) late time fundamental decay time constant, which relates to conductivity and maximum diameter, 3) magnetic cross-over time, which relates to quadrature peak, and 4) the static-field asymptote, which relates to target permeability and demagnetization factor. First and second order moments of variability for these parameters are estimated within each UXO class, along with uncertainties of those estimates found by Jackknife and Bootstrap re-sampling.
Parachute Dynamic Stability and the Effects of Apparent Inertia

Existing parachute dynamic models are discussed and the selection of a relevant model is shown. The chosen dynamic model that incorporates apparent inertia is summarized and used for analysis. The moments on the parachute system caused by the apparent inertia term are shown to aect both the equilibrium point and the stability of the system. The adjustment to equilibrium is observed and discussed. A small disturbance stability analysis is performed to give a stability criterion in terms of the slope of the tangential aerodynamic force. The dynamic modes, pitching and coning, are discussed. Computational integration of the equations of motion is used to validate the small disturbance analysis as well as to show the eects of
Pharmacotherapy for Insomnia in Primary Care

Pharmacotherapy for insomnia in primary care settings can be challenging. Frequently, there are multiple coexisting medical and psychiatric conditions, drug interactions, concern regarding use of habit-forming sleep aids, and paucity of time in office visits to discuss management of sleep difficulties. This article reports the results of a literature search related to pharmacotherapy for insomnia and presents 4 clinical vignettes with corresponding treatment options.
Learning From Biological Systems: Novel Routes to Biomimetic Synthesis of Ordered Silica Structures

Biological systems have evolved mechanisms that precisely control inorganic structures on both the micro- and nanoscale, operating at ambient pressures and temperatures. In both the calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate and silicon dioxide utilizing organisms, proteins and polysaccharides have been found to play integral roles in the organization of these biominerals[1–3]. The organic constituents generally have been thought to act as direct templates or modulators for the deposition of the particular mineral. We have explored the synthesis and structural control of silica by the marine sponge, Tethya aurantia. Needles of amorphous silica comprise the skeletal system of this organism, representing 75% of the dry weight of the organism. These glassy needles, called spicules, are 2 mm in length and 30 µn in width[4,5]. We have characterized the structure, genetics and functions of the proteins that form an occluded axial filament within each silica spicule. Based on our discovery, a unique structure-directing catalytic mechanism exhibited by these protein filaments, and the structural determinants responsible for the catalytic activity, we have designed novel block copolypeptides that catalyze and spatially direct he condensation of silicon alkoxides to form organized silica structures ranging from transparent spheres to lath-like structures at ambient pressure, low temperature and neutral pH.
Internal composition of atmospheric dust particles from focused ion-beam scanning electron microscopy.

Use of focused ion-beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) to investigate the internal composition of atmospheric particles is demonstrated for assessing particle optical properties. In the FIB-SEM instrument equipped with an X-ray detector, a gallium-ion beam mills the particle, while the electron beam images the slice faces and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy provides element maps of the particle. Differences in assessments of optical behavior based on FIB-SEM and conventional SEM were shown for five selected urban dust particles. The benefit of FIB-SEM for accurately determining the depth and size of optically important phases within particles was shown. FIB-SEM revealed that iron oxide grains left undetected by conventional SEM could potentially shift the single-scattering albedo of the particle from negative to positive radiative forcing. Analysis of a coke-like particle showed that 73% of the light-scattering inclusion went undetected with conventional SEM, causing the bulk absorption coeff...
Effect of nanostructures on heat transfer coefficient of an evaporating meniscus

Abstract The effect of nanostructures on heat transfer coefficient of an evaporating meniscus in thin film evaporation and nucleate boiling is investigated using combined modeling and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The model is developed accounting for the evaporation kinetics, disjoining pressure, conduction resistance, and Kapitza resistance of an evaporating meniscus on a nanostructured surface. The model is then verified using MD simulations for a water–gold system with square nanostructures of varying depth and film thickness. Good agreement is obtained between MD results and model predictions. The results show the existence of a critical film thickness on the order of a few nanometers where the heat transfer coefficient reaches its maximum. For a film thickness below this critical value, the evaporation resistance dominates and the heat transfer coefficient increases with film thickness but decreases with nanostructure depth due to the enhanced disjoining pressure. However, for a film thickness greater than the critical value, the conduction resistance dominates and the heat transfer coefficient decreases with film thickness but increases with nanostructure depth. In addition, both critical film thickness and maximum heat transfer coefficient increase with the roughness ratio of the nanostructure, mainly due to the reduction in Kapitza resistance.
OnabotulinumtoxinA in the treatment of patients with chronic migraine: clinical evidence and experience

Chronic migraine is a debilitating neurobiological disorder that affects approximately 1.4-2.2% of the population worldwide. Patients with chronic migraine have 15 or more headache days per month, with at least 8 days per month that meet the criteria for migraine. Injection of onabotulinumtoxinA, using a standardized injection protocol, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2010 for the treatment of chronic migraine. The approval was made based on results from two large, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trials: the Phase III Research Evaluating Migraine Prophylaxis Therapy (PREEMPT) trials. Since then, numerous studies have been performed investigating the short-term and long-term benefits, risks and complications of the use of onabotulinumtoxinA injections for the treatment of chronic migraine. The purpose of this narrative review is to describe the currently available clinical evidence for the use of onabotulinumtoxinA injections for treating patients with chronic migraine.
Enhancing Global Virtual Small Group Communication Skills

VBP –Virtual Business Professional project was designed to give students real-world experience using communication and collaboration technologies employed in today’s corporate environment to collab...
Hamilton–Jacobi Reachability: Some Recent Theoretical Advances and Applications in Unmanned Airspace Management

Autonomous systems are becoming pervasive in everyday life, and many of these systems are complex and safety-critical. Formal verification is important for providing performance and safety guarantees for these systems. In particular, Hamilton–Jacobi (HJ) reachability is a formal verification tool for nonlinear and hybrid systems; however, it is computationally intractable for analyzing complex systems, and computational burden is in general a difficult challenge in formal verification. In this review, we begin by briefly presenting background on reachability analysis with an emphasis on the HJ formulation. We then present recent work showing how high-dimensional reachability verification can be made more tractable by focusing on two areas of development: system decomposition for general nonlinear systems, and traffic protocols for unmanned airspace management. By tackling the curse of dimensionality, tractable verification of practical systems is becoming a reality, paving the way for more pervasive and s...
Factors Affecting Brain Cholinesterase Activity in Bluegill (Lepomis Macrochirus)

Organophosphorus insecticides (OPs) are widely used to control crop pests, and can enter aquatic systems draining agriculturalwatersheds. Because OPs are highly toxic to aquatic organisms,monitoring is important, yet difficult due to the low persistenceof many OPs. Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibition can be used to monitor organisms' exposure to OPs and carbamates; however, highvariability in ChE activity may interfere with the ability of theassay to detect OP exposure. Several potential sources of variation in ChE activity, including water temperature, storage of samples, euthanasia method, and fish sex and size, were investigated in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). ChE activity did not vary significantly with water temperature in the range 20–31 °C, or following short-term storage ofeuthanized bluegill up to 8 h at 4 and 19 °C or long-term storage of brain homogenates up to 389 d at –198 °C. There was no difference in ChE activity by euthanasia method (spinal cord severing or anesthesia with Finquel®), nor by sex of fish. Mean ChE activity variedinversely with fish total length. Of the variables investigated in this study, only size needs to be restricted in fish collectedfor monitoring of OPs.
An Index of Toughness

All four measures defined in chapters 4 to 7 can be used to evaluate the “mildness” or “toughness” of a bonus-malus system. A system that penalizes claims heavily will exhibit high RSAL, high premium variability, high elasticity, and high average optimal retentions. These four measures, presented in tables 4–1, 5–1, 6–1, and 7–1 for a policyholder with claim frequency 0.10, are, however, highly positively correlated, as shown in table 8–1.
Fracture Surface Transition for Notched Bars in Torsion

Under torsional loading a circular rod of a brittle material fails along a spiral fracture surface. By notching the rod deeply enough the fracture will be constrained to a nominally flat, but localy faceted fracture surface. This faceted surface consists of a sequence of 45 degree surfaces linked to each other. Using notched PMMA rods under torsional loading, the notch depth at which the surface transitions from spiral to nominally flat is mapped out experimentally. The results show that for a notch depth/radius 20 % the surface is nominally flat. For notch depths/radius 10 % the surface is spiral.
DD81: Im Wahnsinn würde alles enden, wenn wir nicht so wahnsinnig hofften (Januar 2009)

Was bringt das neue Jahr 2009? Eine Rezession, neue Finanzskandale. Aber wir sind vergleichsweise heiteren oder mindestens gelassenen Mutes. Es gibt noch genug Hoffnung.
Sulfur Diffusion within Nitrogen-Doped Ordered Mesoporous Carbons Determined by in Situ X-ray Scattering

The low intrinsic conductivity of sulfur necessitates conductive additives, such as mesoporous carbons, to the cathode to enable high-performance metal–sulfur batteries. Simultaneous efforts to add...
Bone Marrow Contains Virus-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes

Immunizing bone marrow donors prior to bone marrow transplant (BMT) has the potential for adoptively transferring specific immunity against opportunistic pathogens. Studies have shown that long-term antibody production occurs in the bone marrow and that specific humoral immunity may be transferred from donor to recipient following BMT. However, the magnitude and duration of T-cell memory in the bone marrow compartment has not been adequately investigated. In this study, virus-specific CD8+ T-cell responses in the bone marrow were compared with those observed in the spleen of mice acutely infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). During the acute stages of infection, most CD8+ T cells in the spleen and bone marrow showed upregulated surface expression of the activation/memory marker, LFA-1 (LFA-1[hi]). After clearing LCMV infection, the antiviral immune response subsided to homeostatic levels and the ratio of CD8+/LFA-1(hi) to CD8+/LFA-1(lo) T cells in the spleen and bone marrow of LCMV immune mice returned to the value observed in naive mice. Virus-specific ex vivo effector cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses could be identified in both spleen and bone marrow compartments at 8 days postinfection. LCMV-specific CTL precursor (CTLp) frequencies peaked in the bone marrow at 8 days postinfection and averaged one in 200 to one in 650 CD8+ T cells, a frequency similar to that observed in the spleen. After clearing the acute infection, potent LCMV-specific CTL memory responses could be demonstrated in the bone marrow for at least 325 days postinfection, indicating long-term persistence of antiviral T cells at this site. Adoptive transfer of LCMV-immune bone marrow into severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice provided protection against viral challenge, whereas SCID mice that received naive bone marrow became chronically infected upon challenge with LCMV. These results indicate that after acute viral infection, virus-specific memory T cells can be found in the bone marrow compartment and are maintained for an extended period, and when adoptively transferred into an immunodeficient host, they are capable of conferring protection against chronic viral infection.
Optimal Obstetric Management for Women with Diabetes: the Benefits and Costs of Fetal Surveillance

To elaborate on the risks and benefits associated with antenatal fetal surveillance for stillbirth prevention in women with diabetes. Women with pregestational diabetes have a 3- to 5-fold increased odds of stillbirth compared to women without diabetes. The stillbirth risk in women with gestational diabetes (GDM) is more controversial; while recent data suggest the odds for stillbirth are approximately 50% higher in women with GDM at term (37 weeks and beyond) than in those without GDM, it is unclear if this risk is seen in women with optimal glycemic control. Current professional society guidelines are broad with respect to fetal testing strategies and delivery timing in women with diabetes. The data supporting strategies to reduce the risk of stillbirth in women with diabetes are limited. Antepartum fetal surveillance should be performed to reduce stillbirth rates; however, the optimal test, frequency of testing, and delivery timing are not yet clear. Future studies of obstetric management for women with diabetes should consider not just individual but also system level costs and benefits associated with antenatal surveillance.
Modeling and predicting fecal coliform bacteria levels in oyster harvest waters along Louisiana Gulf coast

Abstract Fecal coliform bacteria are important indicator microorganisms that are commonly monitored monthly for the quality of oyster harvest waters and the end product, making the protection of public health challenging as oyster harvest may occur daily and fecal coliform levels in oyster harvest waters may also change daily. This paper presents an artificial intelligence-based neural network modeling approach to predict fecal coliform bacteria levels in oyster harvest areas (waters) daily. The new approach was demonstrated by developing an artificial neural network (ANN) model for daily prediction of fecal coliform levels in seven oyster harvest areas along the Northern Gulf of Mexico coast. The model input variables were selected by using the stepwise regression analysis method. It was found that the prevalence of fecal coliform bacteria in oyster growing waters was controlled by six independent environmental predictors, including wind, salinity, tide, water temperature, rainfall, and solar radiation, which were utilized as the model input variables. It was also found that the prevalence of fecal coliform bacteria in oyster growing waters is affected by not only current conditions of the six independent environmental variables but also antecedent conditions of the variables (particularly average solar radiation and cumulative rainfall over the past two days). Model prediction results indicated that the ANN model was capable to predict not only daily variations in fecal coliform levels but also seasonal fluctuations in observed fecal coliform levels characterized by high bacteria levels in the cold season and low bacteria levels in the warm season. The performance of the ANN model was demonstrated by the linear correlation coefficient (LCC) of 0.7421 and root mean square (RMSE) of 0.3844 for the model development phase and the LCC of 0.6312 and RMSE of 0.2835 for the independent validation phase. The ANN model makes it possible to reduce the harvest and consumption of fecally contaminated oysters and thereby greatly reduce the health risk to the general public and particularly oyster consumers. Although the predictive ANN model was specifically developed for oyster harvest areas along the Louisiana Gulf coast, the methods used in this paper are generally applicable to other oyster harvest areas and coastal waters.
Laser Synthesis and Spectroscopy of Molybdenum Oxide Nanorods

Molybdenum oxide nanorods have been synthesized using laser vaporization, oxidation reactions, and ligand coating in a gas flow reactor, followed by capture in a cryogenic trap and transfer to solution. This method produces small ligand-coated (acetonitrile) nanorods, 100 × 20 nm in size, with excellent size uniformity that are soluble in several common solvents. The electronic and optical properties are consistent with those of other known α-MoO3 materials. Raman spectroscopy indicates these rods are semiamorphous as produced but can be annealed to form crystalline MoO3. The as-produced material is highly reactive as a catalyst (degradation of methylene blue) but becomes less active following annealing. The laser synthesis method produces smaller, more reactive molybdenum oxide nanorods than other methods.
Modeling phenological controls on carbon dynamics in dryland sagebrush ecosystems

Abstract Dryland ecosystems play an important role in determining how precipitation anomalies affect terrestrial carbon fluxes at regional to global scales. Thus, to understand how climate change may affect the global carbon cycle, we must also be able to understand and model its effects on dryland vegetation. Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) are an important tool for modeling ecosystem dynamics, but they often struggle to reproduce seasonal patterns of plant productivity. Because the phenological niche of many plant species is linked to both total productivity and competitive interactions with other plants, errors in how process-based models represent phenology hinder our ability to predict climate change impacts. This may be particularly problematic in dryland ecosystems where many species have developed a complex phenology in response to seasonal variability in both moisture and temperature. Here, we examine how uncertainty in key parameters as well as the structure of existing phenology routines affect the ability of a DGVM to match seasonal patterns of leaf area index (LAI) and gross primary productivity (GPP) across a temperature and precipitation gradient. First, we optimized model parameters using a combination of site-level eddy covariance data and remotely-sensed LAI data. Second, we modified the model to include a semi-deciduous phenology type and added flexibility to the representation of grass phenology. While optimizing parameters reduced model bias, the largest gains in model performance were associated with the development of our new representation of phenology. This modified model was able to better capture seasonal patterns of both leaf area index (R2 = 0.75) and gross primary productivity (R2 = 0.84), though its ability to estimate total annual GPP depended on using eddy covariance data for optimization. The new model also resulted in a more realistic outcome of modeled competition between grass and shrubs. These findings demonstrate the importance of improving how DGVMs represent phenology in order to accurately forecast climate change impacts in dryland ecosystems.
Photoredox-catalyzed deoxyfluorination of activated alcohols with Selectfluor®

Herein we disclose a deoxyfluorination of alcohols with an electrophilic fluorine source via visible-light photoredox catalysis. This radical-mediated C-F coupling is capable of fluorinating secondary and tertiary alcohols efficiently, complementing previously reported nucleophilic deoxyfluorination protocols.
Oxidative Stress, Micronutrients, and HIV Dementia

Cognitive impairment associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection continues to be quite prominent, despite the widespread use and effectiveness of combined antiretroviral drug therapy (cART). Thus, while mortality associated with HIV infection has been significantly reduced by cART, these regimens show only modest central nervous system penetrability, and many HIV-infected individuals show evidence of neurocognitive decline that may produce a progressive dementia. An imbalance of endogenous antioxidant defenses and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a common characteristic of HIV infection, and preclinical evidence implicates some HIV virotoxins in stimulating the production of ROS to promote neurodegeneration. Antioxidant approaches to address ROS activity produced by these virotoxins have been employed in preclinical models and demonstrate effectiveness in attenuating neurodegeneration produced by exposure to the virotoxins Tat and gp120. However, only a modest clinical literature exists with regard to effects of vitamin E and other antioxidant compounds on HIV progression and HIV-associated cognitive impairment. Findings of these studies demonstrate either no or modest effects of antioxidant regimens on HIV-associated cognitive impairment. Thus, the current state of opinion on the possible efficacy of antioxidant approaches to treat HIV-associated neurocognitive impairment remains unresolved, as a clear need for additional research is evident.
The gut microbiome: an orchestrator of xenobiotic metabolism

Microbes inhabiting the intestinal tract of humans represent a site for xenobiotic metabolism. The gut microbiome, the collection of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, can alter the metabolic outcome of pharmaceuticals, environmental toxicants, and heavy metals, thereby changing their pharmacokinetics. Direct chemical modification of xenobiotics by the gut microbiome, either through the intestinal tract or re-entering the gut via enterohepatic circulation, can lead to increased metabolism or bioactivation, depending on the enzymatic activity within the microbial niche. Unique enzymes encoded within the microbiome include those that reverse the modifications imparted by host detoxification pathways. Additionally, the microbiome can limit xenobiotic absorption in the small intestine by increasing the expression of cell-cell adhesion proteins, supporting the protective mucosal layer, and/or directly sequestering chemicals. Lastly, host gene expression is regulated by the microbiome, including CYP450s, multi-drug resistance proteins, and the transcription factors that regulate them. While the microbiome affects the host and pharmacokinetics of the xenobiotic, xenobiotics can also influence the viability and metabolism of the microbiome. Our understanding of the complex interconnectedness between host, microbiome, and metabolism will advance with new modeling systems, technology development and refinement, and mechanistic studies focused on the contribution of human and microbial metabolism.
Pantoea ananatis defeats Allium chemical defenses with a plasmid-borne virulence gene cluster

Abstract Onion (Allium. cepa L), garlic (A. sativum L.), and other members of the Allium genus produce volatile antimicrobial thiosulfinates upon cellular damage. Allicin has been known since the 1950s as the primary antimicrobial thiosulfinate compound and odorant produced by garlic. However, the roles of endogenous thiosulfinate production in host-bacterial pathogen interactions have not been described. The bacterial onion pathogen Pantoea ananatis, which lacks both the virulence Type III and Type II Secretion Systems, induces necrotic symptoms and extensive cell death in onion tissues dependent on a proposed secondary metabolite synthesis chromosomal gene cluster. We found strong correlation between the genetic requirements for P. ananatis to colonize necrotized onion tissue and its capacity for tolerance to the thiosulfinate allicin based on the presence of an eleven gene, plasmid-borne, virulence cluster of sulfur/redox genes. We have designated them ‘alt’ genes for allicin tolerance. We show that allicin and onion thiosulfinates restrict bacterial growth with similar kinetics. The alt gene cluster is sufficient to confer allicin tolerance and protects the glutathione pool during allicin treatment. Independent alt genes make partial phenotypic contributions indicating that they function as a collective cohort to manage thiol stress. Our work implicates endogenous onion thiosulfinates produced during cellular damage as mediators of interactions with bacteria. The P. ananatis-onion pathosystem can be modeled as a chemical arms race of pathogen attack, host chemical counter-attack, and pathogen resistance. Significance Statement Alliums (e.g. onion and garlic), after sustaining cellular damage, produce potent antimicrobial thiosulfinates that react with cellular thiols. The bacterial onion pathogen Pantoea ananatis, which lacks the virulence Type III and Type II Secretion Systems, induces cell death and necrotic symptoms on onions. We have identified a plasmid-borne cluster of sulfur/redox virulence genes that 1) are required for P. ananatis to colonize necrotized onion tissue, 2) are sufficient for tolerance to the thiosulfinates, and, 3) protect the glutathione pool during thiosulfinate treatment. We propose that the thiosulfinate production potential of Allium spp. governs Allium-bacterial interaction outcomes and that the P. ananatis-onion pathosystem can be modeled as a chemical arms race of attack and counterattack between the pathogen and host.
Comparative Analysis of ODE Solution Methods

In the previous chapters, we discussed a few different methods and MATLAB/Simulink built-in functions to solve IVPs of first-, second-, higher-order, and coupled ODEs defined explicitly and implicitly, and we showed examples of them. Summarizing all discussed methods, we can generalize that there are six different approaches to solving IVPs with MATLAB/Simulink tools, functions, and toolboxes and with script writing.
Return Hospital Admissions Among 1419 COVID-19 Patients Discharged from Five U.S. Emergency Departments.

Although many ED patients with known or suspected Covid‐19 require hospital admission, the majority are discharged home. Concern for surges in hospital occupancy compel emergency providers to preserve inpatient resources and discern which patients benefit most from admission. Even in the absence of surge conditions, patients may prefer to recover at home if safe to do so. However, some patients with Covid‐19 experience delayed decompensation.
Preschoolers' choices of television characters as sources of information: Effects of character type, format, and topic domain.

Abstract Educational television (TV) for preschoolers often features unrealistic (anthropomorphic and/or animated) characters, and it is unclear how children perceive such characters as sources of information. In this study, 92 3- to 5-year-olds saw images of characters and chose which would be best for learning about six topics across three domains: animal biology, human biology, and socioemotional. Children were randomized to one of three conditions in which they chose between paired images of (1) live-action humans versus animated humans (i.e., holding character type constant and varying format), (2) animated humans versus animated anthropomorphic animals (i.e., holding format constant and varying character type), or (3) live-action humans versus animated anthropomorphic animals (i.e., most realistic vs. least realistic character choices). Results indicated that children chose animated characters over live-action characters (Conditions 1 and 3). They did not choose humans significantly more often than animals even for human biology and socioemotional lessons (Conditions 2 and 3). However, in Condition 2, they chose animals significantly more often than humans for animal biology lessons. In sum, children showed little sign of prioritizing realism. The study adds children’s perspectives to the literature on the effects of reality cues on early learning from educational TV.
Virtual reality can reduce anxiety during office-based great saphenous vein radiofrequency ablation.

Abstract Objective Office-based treatment of venous pathology is common and frequently involves the use of anxiolytic medication to reduce anxiety. Virtual reality (VR) has been shown to effectively reduce pain and anxiety in a variety of settings. The objective of the present study was to determine whether VR could be smoothly integrated into office-based vascular procedures and to ascertain whether VR could reduce procedural pain or anxiety. Methods A total of 40 patients undergoing an office-based endovenous radiofrequency ablation were included in the present study. Of the 40 patients, 20 were randomized to the VR group and 20 to the control group. The patients in the VR group were equipped with a Samsung GearVR headset and headphones (Samsung, Suwon, South Korea) running AppliedVR software (AppliedVR Inc, Los Angeles, Calif), which ran throughout the duration of the procedure. All 40 patients underwent unilateral great saphenous vein radiofrequency ablation. After the procedure, the patients were surveyed regarding their preprocedure anxiety and their pain and anxiety during the procedure using the Wong-Baker scale. Results All procedures were successfully completed, and all patients were generally satisfied with their treatment. The average procedure time was not significantly different. No statistically significant differences were present in preprocedure anxiety or procedural pain between the two groups. The anxiety level during the procedure, however, was 4.09 of 10 in the control group vs 2.95 of 10 in the VR group, statistically significant difference using a paired t test. Furthermore, the anxiety level for the control group had increased during the procedure but that of the VR group had decreased. Finally, 85% of the patients in the VR group would recommend using VR to someone undergoing a similar procedure. Conclusions VR can be safely and efficiently integrated into office-based vascular procedures. VR was generally well liked and recommended by those who used it. Most importantly, our findings suggest that VR can decrease procedural anxiety. Further research should examine whether this might obviate the need for anxiolytic medication.
Pesticide and Mycotoxin Detection and Quantitation

In Canada and most states in the U.S., medicinal and adult recreational use of cannabis and cannabinoid products have been legalized. In these regions, safety and quality testing prior to commercial sale is regulated. Testing includes determinations of potency and terpene content, heavy metals testing, analysis for residual solvents in products extracted from cannabis, microbial screening to ensure potentially dangerous bacteria and fungi are not present in the products, and testing for residual pesticides and mycotoxins. Of these required tests, pesticides and mycotoxins testing is the most challenging. It requires sample preparation procedures that remove chemical interferences and improves the sensitivity and robustness of the analysis. Testing in some regions further requires a multi-platform approach that leverages the power of analytical systems in both the liquid and gas phases. Even though cannabis products are subjected to a great deal of testing, there are still opportunities for the use of off-target list pesticides, adulteration with synthetic chemicals, the occurrence natural oxidation and degradation chemicals in the growing and production industries, or while the products are in storage that will not be identified using targeted analysis. As the cannabis industry matures, more comprehensive approaches to testing will be required. This chapter will provide a background of pesticide usage, discuss sample preparation procedures, provide examples of rigorously vetted testing methodologies, and discuss approaches to comprehensive testing.
A Well-Defined Isocyano Analogue of HCo(CO)4. 3: Hydride Migration to Olefins, H-Atom Transfer and Reactivity toward Protic Sources

The tetraisocyano cobalt hydride complex HCo(CNArMes2)4 (ArMes2 = 2,6-(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)2C6H3) has previously been shown to serve as a well-defined structural and spectroscopic analogue to the classic...
A Transaction Data Analysis of Nonsynchronous Trading

Weekly returns of stock portfolios exhibit substantial autocorrelation. Analytical studies suggest that nonsynchronous trading is capable of explaining from 5 to 65 percent of the autocorrelation. The varying importance of nonsynchronous trading in these studies arises primarily from differing assumptions regarding nontrading periods of stocks. We simulate the effects of nonsynchronous trading by sampling stock returns from a return generating process using transactions data to obtain the precise time of each stock?s last trade. We find that simulated weekly portfolio returns exhibit autocorrelations that are roughly 25 percent that of their observed (CRSP) weekly returns.
AMPK activators for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Introduction As the global population ages at an unprecedented rate, the burden of neurodegenerative diseases is expected to grow. Given the profound impact that neurodegenerative diseases like dementia exert on both individuals and society writ large, researchers, physicians, and scientific organizations have cited a need for increased investigation into their treatment and prevention. Recently, both metformin and aspirin have been associated with improved cognitive outcomes. These agents are related in their ability to stimulate AMP kinase (AMPK). Momordica charantia, another AMPK activator, is a component of traditional medicines used across the world and a novel agent for the treatment of cancer. It is also being evaluated as a nootropic agent. Areas covered This article is a comprehensive review which examines the role of AMPK activation in neuroprotection and the role that AMPK activators may have in the management of dementia and cognitive impairment. It evaluates the interaction of all three agents, metformin, aspirin, and Momordica charantia, with AMPK, and reviews the literature characterizing their impact on neurodegeneration. Expert opinion We suggest that AMPK activators should be considered for the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. We identify multiple areas of future investigation which may have a profound impact on patients worldwide.
A Maze of Challenges and Opportunities: An Autoethnography of a Queer Latinx Woman and Her Journey in Elementary Education Workplaces in the Borderland

Heteronormativity, gender bias, and whitewashed notions of education threaten queer identities in K–12 educational spaces, specifically queer women educators of color seeking leadership roles withi...
Mapping Species Distributions: Spatial Inference and Prediction

Maps of species' distributions or habitat suitability are required for many aspects of environmental research, resource management and conservation planning. These include biodiversity assessment, reserve design, habitat management and restoration, species and habitat conservation plans and predicting the effects of environmental change on species and ecosystems. The proliferation of methods and uncertainty regarding their effectiveness can be daunting to researchers, resource managers and conservation planners alike. Franklin summarises the methods used in species distribution modeling (also called niche modeling) and presents a framework for spatial prediction of species distributions based on the attributes (space, time, scale) of the data and questions being asked. The framework links theoretical ecological models of species distributions to spatial data on species and environment, and statistical models used for spatial prediction. Providing practical guidelines to students, researchers and practitioners in a broad range of environmental sciences including ecology, geography, conservation biology, and natural resources management.
Frequency Dependent Changes in Excitatory Synaptic Efficacy

Chemical synapses are not static. The strength or efficacy of synaptic transmission is highly variable. One may measure synaptic efficacy by recording intracellularly the size of the postsynaptic potential (PSP, or EPSP at excitatory synapses) near the spike initiating zone. At some synapses, PSPs grow dramatically during repetitive stimulation to many times, even hundreds of times, the size of an isolated PSP. If this growth occurs quickly, within tens of milliseconds to a second during a tetanus, and decays afterwards just as quickly, it is called synaptic facilitation. If the growth in transmission develops gradually, requiring tens of seconds of continuous stimulation, it is referred to as potentiation or tetanic potentiation; its persistence and gradual decay after a tetanus is called post-tetanic potentiation (PTP). Enhanced synaptic transmission with a lifetime between potentiation and facilitation is sometimes called synaptic augmentation. At some synapses, potentiation can persist for hours or even days: then it is referred to as long term potentiation (LTP). In addition to the differences in timing that characterize facilitation, augmentation, potentiation and PTP, and LTP, there are differences in the physiological mechanisms underlying these processes.
Shelf life extension, safety, and quality of fresh pork loin treated with high hydrostatic pressure.

The optimal conditions of pressure, time, and processing temperature required to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes Scott A and Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 13311 in fresh pork loin and the effect of these optimal conditions on quality and shelf life were determined. Twenty-five grams of fresh pork loin were inoculated with either of the two organisms and were subjected to pressures between 414 and 827 MPa at either 2 or 25 degrees C for 30 min. The D414MPa(25 degrees C) was determined to be 2.17 min for L. monocytogenes and the D414 MPa (2 degrees C) was determined to be 1.48 min for S. typhimurium. Samples subjected to a 6D process were evaluated by sensory and objective tests as well as for shelf life. These samples were found to be different (P 0.05) from controls in flavor, juiciness, and firmness. Color, peak load, water-holding capacity, and moisture were not found to be different (P > 0.05) between samples treated at 25 degrees C and controls when both were cooked. However, in the raw state, differences were found in the values for color parameters L and b. The level of psychrotrophs was 5.7 log CFU/g for samples treated at 25 degrees C after 33 days of storage at 4 degrees C, as compared with 7.0 log CFU/g for controls. The color and peak load (texture) did not change over the storage period (P > 0.05) in any of the samples. All samples spoiled in 5 days when stored at 25 degrees C.
Corporate Governance and the Timeliness of Financial Reporting: A Summary of Prior Studies

This article summarizes the findings of more than 20 studies on the timeliness of financial reporting. Some studies also examined which audit firms audited the companies and which set of accounting principles were used in the company annual reports. Links are provided to some studies, making it possible for scholars to obtain the full study.
Typing untyped λ-terms, or reducibility strikes again!

Abstract It was observed by Curry that when (untyped) λ-terms can be assigned types, for example, simple types, these terms have nice properties (for example, they are strongly normalizing). Coppo, Dezani, and Veneri, introduced type systems using conjunctive types, and showed that several important classes of (untyped) terms can be characterized according to the shape of the types that can be assigned to these terms. For example, the strongly normalizable terms, the normalizable terms, and the terms having head-normal forms, can be characterized in some systems D and D Ω. The proofs use variants of the method of reducibility. In this paper, we present a uniform approach for proving several meta-theorems relating properties of λ-terms and their typability in the systems D and D Ω. Our proofs use a new and more modular version of the reducibility method. As an application of our metatheorems, we show how the characterizations obtained by Coppo, Dezani, Veneri, and Pottinger, can be easily rederived. We also characterize the terms that have weak head-normal forms, which appears to be new. We conclude by stating a number of challenging open problems regarding possible generalizations of the realizability method.
Optimal Financial Management of the Yellow-Poplar/Oak Covertype in the Central Appalachians

The yellow-poplar/oak cover type is one of the most highly productive cover types found in the central and southern Appalachians. This cover type is composed of a mixture of yellow-poplar and red and white oaks and presents interesting opportunities for stand management. Yellow-poplar exhibits rapid growth and has regional markets for small diameter material, but it has a lower sawtimber value than the slower growing oaks which do not have strong regional markets. Using a variety of market conditions, optimal financial rotation schemes were studied using dynamic programming with individual-tree models. Initial findings indicate that three-state dynamic programming models incorporating a stand composition variable do not perform better than two-state models using smaller state neighborhoods. In terms of stand management, under current market conditions, optimal financial returns favor short rotations of yellow-poplar. As oak composition increases, rotation length increases to capture the value increment of high quality oak. In many cases, improvement thinnings are helpful in increasing high-quality stem production.