cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Do Platform-Specific Factors Explain MicroRNA Profiling Disparities?

To the Editor: Because of the paucity of information on microRNA (miRNA)1 populations in many body fluids, we read with great interest the report by Weber et al. on the miRNA profiles of 12 body fluids (1). This important work suggests that fluids—some obtained noninvasively—are rich sources of miRNA biomarkers. Using quantitative PCR (Qiagen), the authors determined that all of the fluids examined have a complement of several hundred miRNAs, from approximately 200 in urine to >450 in saliva. Some miRNAs, they found, are specific to a single fluid, whereas others, such as miR-335*, miR-377*, miR-518e, and miR-616*, are among those with the highest abundance, as estimated by the threshold cycle of amplification (Cq), and occur in multiple types of fluids. We recently reported that a change in the production of 6 plasma miRNAs predicts the development of lentivirus-associated central nervous system disease (2), and we compared the plasma findings of Weber et al. with data from our ongoing work. Like Weber et al., we used quantitative PCR (Life Technologies) and global normalization. We were surprised to detect only a third of the miRNAs listed by Weber et al. as the 100 most abundant. Some were not detected in all pools. None of the top 100 miRNAs of Weber et al. was among our …
The Origins of Agriculture in the Lowland Neotropics

The Origins of Agriculture in the Lowland Neotropics. Dolores R. Piperno and Deborah M. Pearsall. San Diego. CA: Academic Press. 1998. 400 pp.
The effect of precipitation on the molecular weight distribution of cellulose tricarbanilate

The effect of precipitation on the molecular weight distributions of cellulose tricarbanilate (CTC) samples prepared from α-pulp, hydrolyzed α-pulp, and Avicel was determined using size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Precipitation of the CTC samples in methanol resulted in the loss of a low molecular weight fraction accounting for 26% of the weight of the hydrolyzed α-pulp, 20% of the Avicel, and 5% of the α-pulp. Precipitation in a methanol/water mixture resulted in less fractionation; in this case, however, the reaction byproducts were also precipitated. These results indicate that the molecular weight distribution of precipitated CTC may not accurately reflect the molecular weight distribution of the original cellulose. SEC analysis of the nonvolatile products from the carbanilation reaction offers a simple method for determining the complete molecular weight distribution of this cellulose derivative.
An empirical analysis of the product-process matrix

Process choice, a major part of operations strategy, is a key decision that links operations to business strategy. Hayes and Wheelwright, among others, argue that the emphasis given to product customization and other competitive priorities should agree with process choice. Our empirical study investigates whether firms actually link their process choice to product customization and other competitive priorities as hypothesized, and whether compatible decision patterns lead to better performance. Analysis of data collected from managers at 144 U.S. manufacturing plants shows a strong correlation between process choice, product customization, and competitive priorities. Process choice is highly related with the degree of product customization, and also with the emphasis placed on the quality and cost competitive priorities. Job shops and batch shops tend to have more product customization, higher costs, and higher quality. Some continuous flow shops use part commonality and flexible automation to achieve more customization than would otherwise be expected. Without these initiatives, customization in continuous flow shops results in weak performance.
Make IT matter: how computing can make a difference

Years ago I was trained as a software engineering researcher, well versed in the mathematical abstractions of programming. However, influenced by the writings and research of Mark Weiser and his Xerox PARC Ubiquitous Computing group, I started to think about a different way of doing research in computing. Computing technology, as Weiser predicted, has become so prevalent in our lives that we almost don't recognize everything that is computationally-based in our everyday world.In this talk, I will focus on how information technologies woven into our everyday lives can address significant problems in the delivery of health care for vulnerable populations. My main experience, driven by personal necessity, is with developmental disabilities, but I hope that my story will show how the integration of the physical and digital worlds makes a real difference in our lives and the lives of others.
The Relevance of Happiness to Eternal Existence: Some Reflections on Ibn Sina's View

The task of this paper is to determine Ibn Sina's view on the following issues: the nature of the object of human happiness, the method for attaining this object, and the consequence of attaining or of falling short of attaining this object.
Belowground ectomycorrhizal community structure of mature lodgepole pine and mixed conifer stands in Yellowstone National Park

Forest development patterns following wildfire are known to influence the physical and chemical attributes of soils at different points in time, and are further thought to influence ectomycorrhizal (ECM) community structure. We used molecular methods to compare belowground ECM species richness, composition, and abundance between adjacent stands of homogenous lodgepole pine (established after a fire around 1867) and old growth mixed conifer (around 300 years old) in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). In each stand type, we collected soil cores to both identify mycorrhizae and assess soil chemistry. Although no statistical difference was observed in the mean number of ECM root tips per core between stand types, the total number of species identified (81 versus 35) and the mean number of species per core (8.7 0.5 versus 2.5 0.3) were significantly higher in lodgepole pine. Species compositions were widely disparate between stands where only four of 112 species were shared. Soil analysis revealed that mixed conifer was significantly lower in mean pH, but higher in mean organic matter, potassium, phosphorus, and ammonium when compared to lodgepole pine. Although analysis of covariance did not statistically demonstrate that soil chemistry is driving ECM community structure with certainty, our data are, nonetheless, consistent with this hypothesis. Our data further suggest that fungal richness declines and composition shifts some time after Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir colonize mature lodgepole pine stands, and that time since last wildfire influences soil chemistry in this system. Moreover, because of data limitations, future field experiments will be necessary to determine if soil chemistry, as well as other biotic and abiotic factors not examined in this study, is a primary influence on ECM community structure at our study site in YNP. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Scale Interactions and Atmospheric Predictability: An Updated Perspective

An examination of the scale interactions in predictability experiments is made using the NCAR Community Climate Model Version 3 (CCM3) at various horizontal resolutions ranging from T42 to T170. Both identicalmodel and imperfect-model twin experiments are analyzed, and they show distinctive differences from the classical inverse cascade picture of predictability error growth. In the identical-model twin framework, error growth experiments using initial errors confined to long and short scales are compared and contrasted. In these cases, error growth eventually asymptotes to an exponential growth of baroclinically active scales. In the imperfect-model twin experiments, errors rapidly disperse from scales technically beyond model resolution to a small amplitude, spectrally uniform distribution of errors in resolved scales. The errors in resolved scales further amplify in a quasi-exponential growth of the baroclinically active scales. Finally, the implications of these growth mechanisms for the necessary resolution in short- to medium-range numerical weather prediction are given under the assumption that the accuracy of current initial state estimates of the atmosphere remain fixed at their present level.
The Practical and Ethical Concerns of Using Neuroscience to Teach Young Children and Help Them Self-Regulate

The 1990s was a time of burgeoning research on the brain because technological advances allowed scientists to watch brain development and see how a brain functions in vivo as a child learns or performs a task. Knowledge about the brain is growing, and this information is changing how we nurture and educate young children. Neuroscience is influencing the development of childhood products, curricula, and pedagogy, and because of this the care and education of young children is changing and with this change, developing ethical questions.
Effects of recombinant soluble type I interleukin-1 receptor on human inflammatory responses to endotoxin

Effects of soluble recombinant human type I interleukin-1 receptor (sIL-1RI) were evaluated in 18 volunteers given intravenous endotoxin and randomized to placebo (n = 6), low-dose (n = 6), or high-dose (n = 6) sIL-1RI. Soluble IL-1RI decreased IL-1 beta (P = .001), but decreased IL-1ra (P = .0001), and resulted in 10-fold and 43-fold dose-related increases in sIL-1RI-IL-1ra complexes compared with placebo (P < or = .001). High-dose sIL-1RI was associated with increased levels of immunoactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha (P = .02), IL-8 (P = .0001), and cell-associated IL-1 beta (P = .047). C-reactive protein levels were higher after sIL-1RI than placebo (P = .035). Soluble IL-1RI decreased the severity of chills (P = .03), but did not alter other symptoms, changes in temperature, systemic hemodynamic responses, or changes in leukocyte and platelet number. Thus, sIL-1RI had no discernable antiinflammatory effect following endotoxin administration due in part to low levels of circulating IL-1 beta and neutralization of IL-1ra inhibitory function. This latter interaction represents an indirect mechanism of agonist activity elicited by sIL-1RI and may contribute to increases in inflammatory mediators, limiting therapy with sIL-1RI during endotoxemia.
Varicella in Pregnancy, the Fetus, and the Newborn: Problems in Management

To the Editor?Varicella occurring in pregnancy remains an infrequent but potentially devastating problem. Brunell [1] has made an important contribution to this literature with his recently published review. As he points out, :^0*3d of children acquire varicella-zoster virus infection before age 14. The resulting high seroprevalance likely explains the low incidence of varicella in pregnancy noted in North America. To confirm this reported high seroprevalance in our military hospital patient population, we added a varicella ELISA IgG screening test (Whittaker Bioproducts, Walkersville, MD) to our routine prenatal serologic evaluation for a 1-month trial period. We found 438 (94^) of 463 patients tested had serologic evidence of varicella immunity. The 24 seronegative patients (5^) ranged in age from 16 to 29 years (mean, 23). The mean age of the seropositive patients was 24 years (range, 15-41). We did not attempt to document whether the patients had a history of varicella.
REMEDIATION OF UPLAND ACTIVE ACID SULFATE SOILS WITH LIME-STABILIZED BIOSOLIDS, LIME AND YARDWASTE COMPOST

Excavation of sulfidic materials during construction has resulted in acid rock drainage (ARD) problems on disturbed lands throughout much of Virginia. In particular, exposure of sulfide-bearing Tertiary marine sediments in the Coastal Plain has become increasingly prevalent. Once exposed, these sediments rapidly produce acid sulfate soils which do not readily support vegetation. To date, the most extensive case of acid sulfate weathering problems in the Coastal Plain occurs at Stafford Regional Airport (SRAP) in Stafford, Virginia. Field plots were established at SRAP in 2002 to evaluate a variety of amendments for remediation and revegetation of acid sulfate soils. The plots were constructed in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments and 4 replications per treatment. Prior to treatment, surface (0–15cm) soil samples were collected from all plots to determine pH and peroxide potential acidity (PPA). Treatments included two rates of lime-stabilized biosolids (184 and 92 Mg ha -1 ) with small amounts of additional lime to achieve calcium carbonate equivalences (CCE) of 53 and 27 Mg ha -1 , two rates of lime (47 and 23 Mg ha -1 CCE) with N, P, and K fertilizers, yardwaste compost (101 Mg ha -1 ) with lime (24 Mg ha -1 CCE) and P and K fertilizers, and a control. The plots were seeded with a mix of acidand salt-tolerant grasses. Soil and vegetation samples were collected in duplicate from each plot after 1 and 2 years. No significant differences were observed among the amended treatments for surface soil pH, surface soil EC, or vegetation production for either of the sampling dates, indicating that all of the tested amendment combinations were effective in stabilizing these materials. Additional
Safety Evaluation on Influenza A H1N1 Vaccine in Ji'an City,2009-2010

Objective To analyze the suspected abnormal reaction of immunization(AEFI)characteristics after vaccination of influenza A H1N1vaccine in Ji'an,and thus to evaluate the safety of the vaccine.Methods Descriptive epidemiology was applied to analyze the related indicators.Results From 2009to 2010,totally 240 AEFI cases were reported,with an incidence of 80.99/105.There were 153AEFI cases reported within 2days,accounting for 64% of the total AEFI cases.Among the 240cases,22(9.17%)were allergic eruption and all with favorable prognosis.Conclusion After inoculation of influenza A H1N1vaccine,the abnormal reaction rate of the vaccination is comparatively low,which can be a proof of its safety.
Effect of noise on hearing,blood pressure and electrocardiogram of container manufacturing workers in Dongguan City

[Objective]To discuss the influence of noise on hearing,blood pressure and electrocardiogram of container manufacturing workers.[Methods]A total of 1 025 workers exposed to noise in a container factory were selected as the exposure group,The exposure group was divided into noise group( 487 workers) and mixed noise group( 538 workers),another 222 office and logistic workers without noise exposure were selected as control group,three groups received the blood pressure measurement,electrocardiogram examination and pure tone hearing test,and the results were analyzed statistically.[Results]①The difference on the abnormal rate of blood pressure between the noise exposure group and the control group or between the mixed noise exposure group and the control group was not significant( P 0. 05).②The difference on the abnormal rate of ventricular high voltage between the noise exposure group and the control group was significant( P 0. 05); The difference on the abnormal rate of ventricular high voltage between the mixed noise exposure group and the control group was significant( P 0. 05).③The difference on the abnormal rate of pure tone hearing test between the noise exposure group and the control group or between the mixed noise exposure group and the control group was significant( P 0. 05). [Conclusion]Noise can damage the hearing and the cardiovascular system of container manufacturing workers. The workers who were exposed to noise in a container factory changed jobs frequently with short service length. The relevant departments should strengthen the supervision of the occupational health,take measures to reduce environmental noise and protect workers' health.
Report of Pus Bacteria Culture and Drug Sensitivity Test in Children with Perforated Appendicitis

Objective To analyze the major pathogenic bacteria and drug sensitivity in children with perforated appendicitis,and to supply the foundation of clinical selection of reasonable antibiotics.Methods From June 2008 to June 2010,totally 108 cases underwent appendectomy,and the abdominal cavity pus specimens of 98 cases were collected during the operations.The Results of bacteria culture and drug sensitivity from 83 positive specimens are retrospectively analyzed.Results The major pathogenic bacteria was still Escherichia coli in childhood perforated appendicitis,and the drug sensitivity rates from high to low were Imipenem,Nitrofurantoin,Compound piperacillin,Ciprofloxacin levofloxacin,Maxipime,Aztreonam,Ceftazidime,Ceftriaxone,Cefazolin,Gentamycin,Tobramycin,Ampicillin–sulbactam,Ampicillin and SMZ.Conclusion Escherichia coli is still the major pathogenic bacteria in childhood perforated appendicitis,with higher resistance rate to routine antibiotics.Pus bacteria culture is the guidance in the antibiotic treatment in children with perforated appendicitis.
Gait development on Minitaur, a direct drive quadrupedal robot

This paper describes the development of a dynamic, quadrupedal robot designed for rapid traversal and interaction in human environments. We explore improvements to both physical and control methods to a legged robot (Minitaur) in order to improve the speed and stability of its gaits and increase the range of obstacles that it can overcome, with an eye toward negotiating man-made terrains such as stairs. These modifications include an analysis of physical compliance, an investigation of foot and leg design, and the implementation of ground and obstacle contact sensing for inclusion in the control schemes. Structural and mechanical improvements were made to reduce undesired compliance for more consistent agreement with dynamic models, which necessitated refinement of foot design for greater durability. Contact sensing was implemented into the control scheme for identifying obstacles and deviations in surface level for negotiation of varying terrain. Overall the incorporation of these features greatly enhances the mobility of the dynamic quadrupedal robot and helps to establish a basis for overcoming obstacles.
Association between feline immunodeficiency virus antibodies and host characteristics in Finnish cats.

Toward the end of 1989 the largest private veterinary laboratory in Finland (Vet/lab) began using a commercial combined ELISA test for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) antibodies and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) antigens (Cite ComboR). The overall proportion of FIV seropositive feline samples was 5% during the 22 month study period. The number of tests performed increased slowly while the positive test results decreased with time (7% in 1990 and 4% in 1991). The decrease in prevalence was assumed to reflect a change in the sample population rather than an actual change in the general cat population. There were more symptomatic and domestic cats tested in 1990 than 1991. The lower-risk groups in the second year of the study may simply be an indication that the cat owners became more aware of FIV and the motivation to send samples switched from the veterinarian’s interest to diagnose the disease in a symptomatic cat to the owner’s interest to survey their cats for possible FIV infection. In a multivariable analysis, breed, symptoms, age and sex were associated with the risk of FIV seropositivity The risk increased faster with age in males than in females (i.e., the age effect was not constant between sexes). The cats with symptoms had a higher risk than those without symptoms and non-purebred cats were at a higher risk than purebred cats. FeLV infection was not associated with FIV.
Validation of an instrument to measure registered dietitians'/nutritionists' knowledge, attitudes and practices of an intuitive eating approach.

Objective The purpose of the present study was to develop and assess the construct validity of a tool to measure knowledge, attitudes and practices of registered dietitians/nutritionists (RD/N) regarding an intuitive eating lifestyle. Design Cross-sectional study design that utilized a survey administered to a random sample and remaining full population of RD/N. Setting A national survey conducted via online survey software. Subjects A random sample of 10 % of all RD/N in the USA (n 8834) was invited to participate. Survey completion rate was 22·2 % (n 1897). After initial validation, the survey was distributed to the remaining 90 % of RD/N to confirm validation. Results After removing items with insufficient factor loadings, results were consistent with a four-factor solution: (i) knowledge of intuitive eating; (ii) attitudes towards intuitive eating; (iii) traditional and restrictive practices; and (iv) non-restrictive and intuitive eating practices. Confirmatory factor analysis provided further evidence of the validity of the four factors and the factors had strong reliability. Conclusions Unlike the hypothesized three-factor solution (knowledge, attitudes and practices), validation analysis revealed that the survey measures knowledge of intuitive eating, attitudes towards intuitive eating, use of traditional and restrictive weight-management practices, and use of non-restrictive and intuitive eating practices. With the landscape of weight management and health promotion undergoing a shift towards a health centred, size acceptance approach, this instrument will provide valuable information regarding the current knowledge, attitudes and practices of RD/N and other health promotion professionals.
Comparison of the effects of unidirectional and sign-alternating temperature gradients on the sintering of ice spheres

To simplify the complex snow structures that occur in nature, polycrystalline ice spheres were produced and arranged vertically to model the sintering process. By controlling the temperatures on both the top and bottom of the ice sphere array, the effect of upward and downward vapor transfers was examined. The evolution of the neck areas between ice spheres was observed using X-ray Computed Micro-Tomography. As frequently observed under the basal part of a snow layer and previous experiments of snow temperature gradient metamorphism, depth hoar structures were formed along neck areas and their formation was found to be directly related to the vapor transfer direction. To model the TG inversion that can be induced in nature by daily cycles of radiative heating and cooling, we also performed sign-alternating temperature gradient experiments on the ice sphere arrays. The morphological evolution of the neck and the associated vapor transfer were examined through image analysis and 2D modeling. The final microstructures of the neck area turned out to be a symmetrical distribution of ice protrusions bridging neighboring ice spheres.
Single-View 3-D Reconstruction of Correlated Gamma-Neutron Sources

We describe a new method of 3-D image reconstruction of neutron sources that emit correlated gammas (e.g., Cf-252, Am-Be). This category includes a vast majority of neutron sources important in nuclear threat search, safeguards and non-proliferation. Rather than requiring multiple views of the source this technique relies on the source’s intrinsic property of coincidence gamma and neutron emission. As a result, only a single-view measurement of the source is required to perform the 3-D reconstruction. In principle, any scatter camera sensitive to gammas and neutrons with adequate timing and interaction location resolution can perform this reconstruction. Using a neutron double scatter technique, we can calculate a conical surface of possible source locations. By including the time to a correlated gamma we further constrain the source location in three-dimensions by solving for the source-to-detector distance along the surface of the cone. As a proof of concept we applied these reconstruction techniques on measurements taken with the Mobile Imager of Neutrons for Emergency Responders (MINER). Two Cf-252 sources measured at 50 and 60 cm from the center of the detector were resolved in their varying depth with average radial distance relative resolution of 26%. To demonstrate the technique’s potential with an optimized system we simulated the measurement in MCNPX-PoliMi assuming timing resolution of 200 ps (from 2 ns in the current system) and source interaction location resolution of 5 mm (from 3 cm). These simulated improvements in scatter camera performance resulted in radial distance relative resolution decreasing to an average of 11%.
Ten Measures of Inspection Performance

Ten measures of inspection performance are reviewed. The measures are their sample estimates are given. Variances of the estimates are presented under stated conditions. The paper concludes with a discussion of performance characteristics using an examp..
Direct measurement of the image displacement instability in a linear induction accelerator

The image displacement instability (IDI) has been measured on the 20 MeV Axis I of the dual axis radiographic hydrodynamic test facility and compared to theory. A 0.23 kA electron beam was accelerated across 64 gaps in a low solenoid focusing field, and the position of the beam centroid was measured to 34.3 meters downstream from the cathode. One beam dynamics code was used to model the IDI from first principles, while another code characterized the effects of the resistive wall instability and the beam break-up (BBU) instability. Although the BBU instability was not found to influence the IDI, it appears that the IDI influences the BBU. Because the BBU theory does not fully account for the dependence on beam position for coupling to cavity transverse magnetic modes, the effect of the IDI is missing from the BBU theory. This becomes of particular concern to users of linear induction accelerators operating in or near low magnetic guide fields tunes.
Sex differences in behavioral and psychological expression of grief during adolescence: A meta-analysis

Abstract This meta-analysis synthesizes the results of 14 independent studies conducted in the U.S. (N = 6979 participants) that examined sex differences in internalized, externalized, and PTSD symptoms associated with grief during adolescence. The mean age of participants was 12.22 years (SD = 2.31) with 50% male and 50% female sex assigned at birth. While no mean-level differences were found between adolescent females and males in externalizing behaviors associated with grief (d = 0.03), on average, females reported higher levels of internalized grief responses (d = 0.18) and higher levels of PTSD symptoms (d = 0.36) than their male counterparts. Findings suggest the need for additional, more nuanced research to investigate possible sex differences in externalized behaviors relating to grief. In addition, research should examine whether tailored therapeutic and intervention measures and resources are needed for adolescents experiencing internalized grief and PTSD symptoms given sex differences in these reactions.
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is robustly induced by ethanol and has a protective role in ethanol associated liver injury.

Abstract Objective Excess ethanol consumption has serious pathologic consequences. In humans, repeated episodes of binge drinking can lead to liver damage and have adverse effects on other organs such as pancreas and brain. Long term chronic consumption of ethanol can also result in progressive alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a metabolic regulator with multiple physiologic functions. FGF21 is a novel biomarker for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in humans and limits hepatotoxicity in mice. Therefore, we explored the possibility that FGF21 plays a role in response to ethanol consumption in both humans and mice. Methods We used a binge drinking paradigm in humans to examine the effect of acute ethanol consumption on circulating FGF21. We adapted this paradigm to evaluate the acute response to ethanol in mice. We then examined the role of FGF21 on liver pathology in two models of chronic ethanol consumption in both wild type (WT) mice and mice lacking FGF21 (FGF21-KO). Results Acute ethanol consumption resulted in a robust induction of serum FGF21 after 6 h in both humans and mice. Serum ethanol peaked at 1 h in both species and was cleared by 6 h. Ethanol clearance was the same in WT and FGF21-KO mice, indicating that FGF21 does not play a major role in ethanol metabolism in a binge paradigm. When FGF21-KO mice were fed the Lieber–DeCarli diet, a high fat diet supplemented with ethanol, a higher mortality was observed compared to WT mice after 16 days on the diet. When FGF21-KO mice consumed 30% ethanol in drinking water, along with a normal chow diet, there was no mortality observed even after 16 weeks, but the FGF21-KO mice had significant liver pathology compared to WT mice. Conclusions Acute or binge ethanol consumption significantly increases circulating FGF21 levels in both humans and mice. However, FGF21 does not play a role in acute ethanol clearance. In contrast, chronic ethanol consumption in the absence of FGF21 is associated with significant liver pathology alone or in combination with excess mortality, depending on the type of diet consumed with ethanol. This suggests that FGF21 protects against long term ethanol induced hepatic damage and may attenuate progression of alcoholic liver disease. Further study is required to assess the therapeutic potential of FGF21 in the treatment of alcoholic liver disease.
Occupancy modeling of autonomously recorded vocalizations to predict distribution of rallids in tidal wetlands

Conservation and management for a species requires reliable information on its status, distribution, and habitat use. We identified occupancy and distributions of king (Rallus elegans) and clapper (R. crepitans) rail populations in marsh complexes along the Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers in Virginia, USA by modeling data on vocalizations recorded from autonomous recording units (ARUs). Occupancy probability for both species combined was 0.64 (95% CI: 0.53, 0.75) in marshes along the Pamunkey and 0.59 (0.45, 0.72) in marshes along the Mattaponi. Occupancy probability along the Pamunkey was strongly influenced by salinity, increasing logistically by a factor of 1.62 (0.6, 2.65) per parts per thousand of salinity. In contrast, there was not a strong salinity gradient on the Mattaponi and therefore vegetative community structure determined occupancy probability on that river. Estimated detection probability across both marshes was 0.63 (0.62, 0.65), but detection rates decreased as the season progressed. Monitoring wildlife within wetlands presents unique challenges for conservation managers. Our findings provide insight not only into how rails responded to environmental variation but also into the general utility of ARUs for occupancy modeling of the distribution and habitat associations of rails within tidal marsh systems.
Treatment of hypereosinophilic syndrome and eosinophilic dermatitis with reslizumab.

Abstract Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a rare disease defined by organ damage directly attributable to hypereosinophilia that is either primary (neoplastic), secondary (reactive) or idiopathic. The mainstay of therapy in idiopathic HES centers around systemic steroids, and cytoreduction with hydroxyurea and interferon-alfa in steroid refractory cases. We describe the successful treatment of recalcitrant, idiopathic cutaneous HES with reslizumab, a humanized interleukin-5 blocker.
Editorial 4: Layered Discourses, Dynamic Semiotics

Legal semiotics has its problems with semiotics in general in so far as law is in many regards and very much despite the urgent need to change this feature, a static discourse. It is only since Russian structural linguistics, Greimas and Kristeva, that this need to further a dynamic semiotics is registered. That urge is described in the 4th editorial and brought in relation with Greimas’ notion of different layers characterizing a text. The dynamic approach to semiotics as exposed in Julia Kristeva’s essay “The Engenderment of the Formula”, from which key fragments are translated in the final chapter of this book for the first time, is introduced to understand the surface character of texts as produced by deep layers. In the case of law and legal discourse, this need for dynamics is a fascinating project. It focuses on the specific textual structure of law’s discourse and its institutionally controlled surface. This type of dynamic semiotics has wide-ranging consequences in Court practices as well in legal scholarship.
Public Leadership Ethics: A Management Approach

Designed to help midlevel and senior managers in organizations dedicated to public purposes, this book provides trained self-awareness to deploy values to guide decisions and build the culture of their organizations. The book explores how all managing involves leading and identifies the levels of ethical responsibility for managerial leaders. Highlighting the fundamental role that ethics plays in organizational life, J. Patrick Dobel uses insights from cognitive and social psychology to discuss how to anticipate and address threats to integrity and value informed decision making. Building on traditional ethical theory and modern research, the book begins with the fundamental assumption that individuals possess responsibility when they act for ethical purposes and results in taking a position within a public or nonprofit organization. This assumption of responsibility recognizes the inherent discretion in all positions and claims that effective ethical management requires self-awareness, self-mastery, integrity and a working frame of one’s values and character. The book pays special attention to the challenges of integrating diverse people and perspectives in public organizations as well as attending to the slippages to integrity in organizational life and how managers and leaders can foresee and address ethical slippage and corruption. The book provides checklists and decision frameworks that individuals can adopt and deploy to guide decisions. Public Leadership Ethics: A Management Approach will help create strong value informed cultures supported by communication, transparency, incentives and strong management cadres to achieve high quality service and integrity based actions. It will be of special interest to managerial leaders in public service and teaching in public administration and policy programs or executive training.
State of the practice of FRP composites in highway bridges

Abstract This case study presents the use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in highway infrastructure. The state of current practice of FRP materials is established through a survey questionnaire and follow-up interviews with 46 responding transportation jurisdictions in North America (44 United States Departments of Transportation and 2 Canadian agencies) to identify current challenges requiring technical and administrative efforts to facilitate the employment of this promising construction material. FRP composites for infrastructure projects are generally satisfactory and promising. Most agencies have used FRP since 1996, although some agencies reveal pioneering endeavors in the early 1990s. The nature of construction projects determines whether FRP applications are experimental or a standard practice. The survey shows that CFRP-strengthening for upgrading bridge piers (primarily columns) is the most accepted standard practice, followed by GFRP-reinforced bridge decks. Challenges experienced by the responding agencies are detailed and analyzed. Various tests at material and structure levels are conducted to examine the performance of structural members constructed with FRP composites. Despite these endeavors, the long-term durability of in-situ FRP still requires additional research to generate technical data and to convince end-users. Lessons learned from sites are elaborated to assist practitioners who are interested in FRP-based projects. The majority of respondents state that more training is necessary to help understand the use of FRP composites in construction projects.
Anisotropic dispersal by the Asian longhorned beetle ( Anoplophora glabripennis ): quantifying spatial risk and eradication effort with limited biological data

Once a breeding population of an invasive species has established in a novel environment, management efforts commonly focus on eradicating the species or limiting its spread. However, information describing the biology and behavior of an invading organism is often limited, highlighting the need to assess dispersal with incomplete information. Here we extend a previously described graph-theory-driven model of dispersal for the Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky) to evaluate the impacts of three poorly documented biological and behavioral parameters on the spatial extent and distribution of dispersal risk in three breeding beetle populations under eradication in the United States. The parameters assessed include 1) whether beetles disperse from lightly/recently infested trees, 2) the presence and impact of anisotropic dispersal, and 3) the rate at which beetles emigrate from infested trees. The results suggest three key patterns. First, beetle behavior, i.e. dispersal from lightly infested trees, alters the dispersal kernel calculated for each of the infestations, though the effects of this parameter on the distribution of dispersal risk on the landscape is limited. Second, dispersal within each location was anisotropic (variable based on direction), and biases in dispersal direction varied among the three infestations. The incorporation of this anisotropy substantially altered the estimated distribution of risk within each landscape. Third, changes in the rate of beetle dispersal did not alter the perimeter of the landscape with dispersal risk but did alter the severity of risk within that perimeter. Higher rates of dispersal result in the need to mitigate larger portions of the landscape to achieve a given probability of eradication. These tools can aid in quantifying and comparing dispersal risk under varying assumptions of dispersal, and may help prioritize research on biological and behavioral parameters to facilitate management and eradication.
Phenylethylamine, Tyramine and Other Trace Amines in Patients with Affective Disorders: Associations with Clinical State and Antidepressant Drug Treatment

In 22 patients with major affective disorders, phenyl-ethylamine (PE) excretion tended to be higher and more variable in 12 females (25 ± 39 μg/d) than in 10 males (8 ± 1 μg/day). In a subgroup of 15 patients studied intensively as part of a treatment trial with the MA0-inhibitors, clorgyline and pargyline, pretreatment PE excretion was not consistently associated with differences in severity of depression, anxiety, activation or hypomania, although almost all correlations with psychopathology were in the negative direction, including several [self-rated dysphoria (r=-.55), anger (r=-.49), functional deficit (r=-.59)] which were statistically significant. Excretion of m-tyramine (m-TA) also exhibited generally negative associations with psychopathology, including self-rated depression (r=-.52) and anxiety (r=-.59), while hypomania was positively correlated (r=.72). Significant cross-correlations among PE, m-TA, and p-TA were not present at baseline, but MAO-inhibitor treatment led to intercorrelated increases in these trace amines, as well as phenylethanolamine, o-TA and platelet MAO activity changes. Increased PE excretion was associated with significantly decreased self-rated depression and anxiety during MAO-inhibitor treatment. Some baseline cardiovascular measures were negatively correlated with PE excretion, including systolic blood pressure, pulse and plasma norepinephrine concentrations, while baseline p-TA excretion was significantly correlated with pulse increases and systolic and diastolic blood pressure reductions produced by standing. These associations suggest that further study of behavioral connections with PE and m-TA excretion and of cardiovascular interactions with p-TA and PE might be of interest. Our data could be considered consistent with an amended hypothesis relating phenylethylamine to a cluster of depression-related symptoms including dysphoria and anger, but not depressed mood alone.
Time series forecasting of solar power generation for large-scale photovoltaic plants

Abstract Accurate solar power forecasting is essential for grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems especially in case of fluctuating environmental conditions. The prediction of PV power output is critical to secure grid operation, scheduling and grid energy management. One of the key elements in PV output prediction is time series analysis especially in locations where the historical solar radiation measurements or other weather parameters have not been recorded. In this work, several time series prediction methods including the statistical methods and those based on artificial intelligence are introduced and compared rigorously for PV power output prediction. Moreover, the effect of prediction time horizon variation for all the algorithms is investigated. Hourly solar power forecasting is carried out to verify the effectiveness of different models. The data utilized in the current work comprises 3640 h of operation data taken from a 20 MW grid-connected PV station in China.
Heart Rate Variability During an Internal Family Systems Approach to Self-Forgiveness

Background and Aim: Self-recrimination is a stress-inducing cognitive process, so there is a strong need for evidence-based effective self-forgiveness interventions. Most individuals, and particularly those in professions with high occupational stress, can suffer damaging bouts of self-recrimination, leading to depression, burnout and/or suicide. Unfortunately, useful frameworks for developing self-forgiveness skills appear limited. Methods: We designed a guided imagery session, based on the internal family systems therapeutic model, to facilitate the process of self-forgiveness. We used surveys and ECG recordings to 1) determine the effectiveness of the self-forgiveness imagery, 2) collect baseline psychometric data on forgiveness, particularly self-forgiveness, 3) collect ECG data during baseline, self-critical rumination and self-forgiveness periods and 4) correlate the psychometric and physiological data. Results: Together, our outcomes indicate the intervention is highly effective and that the self-forgiveness state produces high parasympathetic tone. Conclusion: A single, relatively short guided imagery session can facilitate significant self-forgiveness which is associated with reduced physiological stress.
How to foster the formation of STEM identity: studying diversity in an authentic learning environment

STEM identity has been shown to have a powerful role in an individual’s success in educational environments, as well as on their career goals and trajectories. Historically, however, STEM identity formation for underrepresented students has been hampered by the lack of representation of in STEM fields, which predominantly consist of white males. One educational challenge is diversifying STEM classrooms, both in terms of the students themselves and also in terms of the science and scientists they learn about. We piloted a 4-credit History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Science course at Michigan State University. Students were tasked with creating exhibits focused on themes of diversity and inclusion in science for a real client. Using a STEM identity survey, we assessed students’ attitudes towards the sciences, issues of diversity in science, and their sense of belonging to their educational communities. We also had the students respond to various short-answer questions throughout the semester to better understand their experiences working on a collaborative authentic learning task. Our results suggest that authentic learning experiences based around ideas of diversity and inclusion can help students develop sense of belonging and positive STEM identities. Students demonstrated shifts in their self-identities as scientists, focusing more on the intersection between their gender, ethnicity, and self-perception as a scientist. Through qualitative analysis of short-answer questions, we were able to ascertain that working in groups in an authentic learning environment helped the students improve their communication and collaboration skills. Students’ increased focus on gender and ethnicity suggests that they are thinking critically about how their personal identities intersect with their scientific identities. Additional research would help us better understand if the coupling of authentic learning and inclusive teaching practices have significant impacts on the formation of students’ STEM identities.
Effectiveness of Intensive Alternative Family Treatment on Reducing Re-Admissions to Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities:

Children and youth with high behavioral health needs can receive care in a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF). Overutilization of PRTFs is concerning because they are highly restrict...
Changes in US Parents’ Domestic Labor During the Early Days of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Stay-at-home orders and the removal of care and domestic supports during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic substantially disrupted US parents? work and family lives. Although much is known about changes in US parents? paid labor arrangements, the evidence regarding changes in unpaid domestic labor has been largely anecdotal. This study uses novel data from 1,025 US parents in different-sex partnerships to provide a descriptive overview of changes in mothers? and fathers? participation in, and division of, housework and childcare from March 2020 to the early days of the pandemic (late April 2020). Findings show an overall increase in domestic responsibilities for mothers who were already doing most of the household labor. Still, both mothers and fathers report a general shift toward more egalitarian divisions of household labor, driven by increases in fathers? contributions. The shift toward more egalitarian sharing of domestic labor is observed across demographic groups and across types of domestic tasks. Consistent with findings from other countries, egalitarian divisions of domestic labor increased among U.S. parents during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mothers, nonetheless, report retaining primary responsibility for domestic labor in the majority of families.
Static statistical timing analysis for latch-based pipeline designs

A latch-based timing analyzer is an essential tool for developing high-speed pipeline designs. As process variations increasingly influence the timing characteristics of DSM designs, a timing analyzer capable of handling process-induced timing variations for latch-based pipeline designs becomes in demand. In this work, we present a static statistical timing analyzer, STAP, for latch-based pipeline designs. Our analyzer propagates statistical worst-case delays as well as critical probabilities across the pipeline stages. We present an efficient method to handle correlations due to re-convergent fanouts. We also demonstrate the impact of not including the analysis of reconvergent fanouts in latch-based pipeline designs. Comparing to a Monte-Carlo based timing analyzer, our experiments show that STAP can accurately evaluate the critical probability that a design violates the timing constraints under a given statistical timing model. The runtime comparison further demonstrates the efficiency of our STAP.
The Business Group Advantage in Mutual Funds: Evidence from India

Indian business group-owned mutual funds earn substantially more on their investments in industries where the group has significant real operations, with stocks in related industries out- performing stocks in unrelated industries by 6 percent per year; this out-performance increases to 13 percent per year in over-weighted stocks. The business groups' own stock performance explains much of the advantage, suggesting that business-group fund managers use information on their own group's performance to trade profitably on stocks whose performance is correlated with their own group. Policymakers should consider the informational advantage business groups have in determining mutual fund regulation in emerging markets.