cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Special Regulation for Third Sector Broadcasting – Is It Necessary?

The third sector broadcasting movement has gained significant momentum in recent years. During the last decade, many countries provided legal recognition to the sector for the first time, and advocacy efforts to obtain such recognition in other jurisdictions are ongoing. However, with legal recognition for the sector also often comes special regulation for it. Special regulation can aid the development of the sector, but it can also, intentionally or not, hinder the effectiveness and viability of third sector broadcasters. While the justifications and rationales for the special regulation of commercial and public sector broadcasters have been amply discussed in academic literature, third sector broadcasting regulation is, in comparison, an understudied field. The present article looks at the different rationales under which the regulation of third sector broadcasting is justified and at some examples of restrictions commonly imposed upon third sector broadcasters. The goal is to assess whether special regulation for third sector broadcasting is necessary or desirable.
Children's preference for mixed- versus fixed-ratio schedules of reinforcement: A translational study of risky choice

Laboratory research has shown that when subjects are given a choice between fixed-ratio and bi-valued mixed-ratio schedules of reinforcement, preference typically emerges for the mixed-ratio schedule even with a larger ratio requirement. The current study sought to replicate and extend these findings to children's math problem completion. Using an ABCBC reversal design, four fourth-grade students were given the choice of completing addition problems reinforced on either a fixed-ratio 5 schedule or one of three mixed-ratio schedules; an equivalent mixed-ratio (1, 9) schedule, a mixed-ratio (1, 11) schedule with a 20% larger ratio requirement, and an equally lean mixed-ratio (5, 7) schedule without the small fixed-ratio 1 component. This was followed by a reversal back to the preceding phase in which preference for the mixed-ratio schedule had been observed, and a final reversal back to the mixed-ratio (5, 7) phase. Findings were consistent with previous research in that all children preferred the mixed-ratio (1, 9) schedule over the equivalent fixed-ratio 5 schedule. Preference persisted for the leaner mixed-ratio (1, 11) schedule for three of the four children. Indifference or preference for the fixed-ratio 5 alternative was observed in phases containing the mixed-ratio (5, 7) schedule. These results extend previous research on risky choice to children's math problem completion and highlight the importance of a small ratio component in the emergence of preference for bi-valued mixed-ratio schedules. Implications of these results for arranging reinforcement to increase children's academic responding are discussed.
Soil Physiology: Processes of a Dynamic Process-Oriented Soil Science

Elaborating on and expanding the physiological explanation of soils introduced in Chapter 3 , Chapter 4 presents the soil respiratory, reproductive, information communication, and feedback systems. Biotic systems dominate these processes in modern soils. However, evidence of parallel abiotic processes remains evident in many of these soil physiological processes, suggesting a prebiotic template with the possible explanation for early biotic systems as an emergent property of prebiotic soils. These essential physiological soil processes are integrated with the 13 paired processes used in traditional soil science, connecting this process-oriented soil science with traditional soil science.
Measuring birth outcomes in New York State using a multidimensional approach.

Objective Poorer birth outcomes in the United States and New York State (NYS) remain a significant public health concern. The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of common and unique demographic, socioeconomic, and health services predictors on low birth weight (LBW), moderately LBW, very low birth weight (VLBW), and extremely low birth weight (ELBW) in NYS counties and to recommend policies that address unique differences at the county level. Methods Secondary data were collected for each of the 62 counties in NYS. Using a multidimensional approach, common and unique factors for LBW, moderately LBW, VLBW, and ELBW among NYS counties were evaluated. Correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted for each of the outcome variables. Results Late prenatal care was the only significant predictor across all measures of poorer birth outcomes in NYS counties. Out-of-wedlock births, Medicaid Obstetrical Maternal Service providers, rural location, early prenatal care, advanced maternal age, and teen pregnancy rate were significant predictors, but not for all measures. Conclusions Findings highlight the need to move beyond the number of providers when analyzing birth outcomes at the county level. Programs that support teens and women of all ages and marital status need to be expanded to curb poorer birth outcomes that take a heavy human and financial toll in NYS.
Increasing Competency, Self-Confidence, and Connectedness Among Foster Care Alumni Entering a 4-Year University: Findings from an Early-Start Program

Research shows that few foster care alumni enroll and complete post-secondary education. For those who do enroll, many experience challenges associated with academic and social adjustment and are a...
Multiple Pot Box for Container Plant Production

Abstract Viburnum odoratissimum (Ker-Gawl.) plants were grown for 15 weeks in 3-liter (#1) containers in black multipot boxes that contained a water reservoir and in a conventionally spaced system on black polypropylene. Irrigation events were based on plants in multipot boxes which resulted in under-watering of plants in conventionally spaced containers. Plants grown in the multipot box production system had higher shoot and root dry weights as compared to plants grown in conventionally spaced containers, and their growth indices of the plants in multipot boxes increased at a greater rate than that of plants from the conventional system. Approximately 210 mm (8.3 in) of overhead irrigation was applied during the experiment, in addition to 340 mm (13.3 in) of rain.
Modeling the aesthetic axis of information organization frameworks, part 2: Case studies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework, based on contemporary philosophical aesthetics, from which principled assessments of the aesthetic value of information organization frameworks may be conducted. Design/methodology/approach – This paper identifies appropriate discourses within the field of philosophical aesthetics, constructs from them a framework for assessing aesthetic properties of information organization frameworks. This framework is then applied in two case studies examining the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), and Sexual Nomenclature: A Thesaurus. Findings – In both information organization frameworks studied, the aesthetic analysis was useful in identifying judgments of the frameworks as aesthetic judgments, in promoting discovery of further areas of aesthetic judgments, and in prompting reflection on the nature of these aesthetic judgments. Research limitations/implications – This study provides proof-of-concept for the aesthetic evaluation of ...
Abstract 14434: Oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein Elevates the Pro-osteogenic Activity in Human Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells via Innate Immune Receptors

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a chronic pathological process involving inflammation, fibrosis and calcification. Pharmacological intervention for prevention of CAVD progression remains unavailable. Calcified aortic valves display higher levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), and oxLDL has the potential to interact with Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Interleukin (IL)-37 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine and has been shown to inhibit TLR4-mediated inflammatory responses. We tested the hypotheses that oxLDL induces the osteogenic responses in human aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs) via TLRs and that IL-37 suppresses the responses and may have therapeutic potential for suppression of CAVD progression. Methods and Results: Human AVICs from normal valves were treated with oxLDL (20-80 μg/ml) for 72 hours in vitro. OxLDL up-regulated the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in a dose-dependent fashion. Further, oxLDL induced NF-κB and ERK1/2 phosphorylation through a mechanism involving TLR 2 and TLR4, but not LOX-1. Inhibition of NF-κB or ERK1/2 reduced the effect of oxLDL on BMP-2 and ALP expression. Treatment with recombinant IL-37 suppressed oxLDL-induced NF-κB and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, resulting in marked reductions in BMP-2 and ALP levels, ALP activity and calcium deposit formation. To determine the effect of IL-37 on aortic valve lesions in vivo, we fed wild-type and IL-37 transgenic mice with a high fat diet for 8 weeks. Feeding wild-type mice with the high fat diet resulted in aortic valve thickening and expression of BMP-2 that are associated with accumulation of oxLDL in aortic valve leaflets. Transgenic expression of IL-37 prevented aortic valve thickening and BMP-2 expression caused by the high fat diet. Conclusions: The results of this study show that oxLDL elevates the pro-osteogenic activity in human AVICs by activation of NF-κB and ERK1/2 through TLR2 and TLR4. IL-37 suppresses oxLDL-induced osteogenic responses in human AVICs and attenuate aortic valve thickening caused by a high fat diet in mice. These findings reveal a novel mechanism of CAVD pathogenesis and indicate that IL-37 has therapeutic potential for suppression of CAVD pathogenesis.
Nascent O 2 (a 1 Δ g , v = 0, 1) Rotational Distributions from the Photodissociation of Jet‐Cooled O 3 in the Hartley Band

We report rotational distributions for the O2 (a 1Δg) fragment from the photodissociation of jet-cooled O3 at 248, 266, and 282 nm. The rotational distributions show a population alternation that favors the even states, as previously reported for a 300 K sample by Valentini et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 86, 6745 (1987)]. The alternation from the jet-cooled precursor is much stronger than that observed by Valentini et al. and in contrast to their observations does not depend strongly on the O2 (a 1Δg) vibrational state or photolysis wavelength. The odd/even alternation diminishes substantially when the ozone beam temperature is increased from 60 to 200 K, confirming its dependence on parent internal energy. The magnitude of the even/odd alternation in product rotational states from the cold ozone sample, its temperature dependence, and other experimental and theoretical evidence reported since 1987 suggest that the alternation originates from a Λ-doublet propensity and not from a mass independent curve crossing effect, as previously proposed.We report rotational distributions for the O2 (a 1Δg) fragment from the photodissociation of jet-cooled O3 at 248, 266, and 282 nm. The rotational distributions show a population alternation that favors the even states, as previously reported for a 300 K sample by Valentini et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 86, 6745 (1987)]. The alternation from the jet-cooled precursor is much stronger than that observed by Valentini et al. and in contrast to their observations does not depend strongly on the O2 (a 1Δg) vibrational state or photolysis wavelength. The odd/even alternation diminishes substantially when the ozone beam temperature is increased from 60 to 200 K, confirming its dependence on parent internal energy. The magnitude of the even/odd alternation in product rotational states from the cold ozone sample, its temperature dependence, and other experimental and theoretical evidence reported since 1987 suggest that the alternation originates from a Λ-doublet propensity and not from a mass independent curve crossing e...
Ultrafast quasiparticle dynamics in the correlated semimetal Ca 3 Ru 2 O 7

The correlated polar semimetal ${\mathrm{Ca}}_{3}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ exhibits a rich phase diagram including two magnetic transitions (${T}_{N}=56$ K and ${T}_{C}=48$ K) with the appearance of an insulating-like pseudogap (at ${T}_{C}$). In addition, there is a crossover back to metallic behavior at ${T}^{*}=30$ K, the origin of which is still under debate. We utilized ultrafast optical-pump optical-probe spectroscopy to investigate quasiparticle dynamics as a function of temperature in this enigmatic quantum material. We identify two dynamical processes, both of which are influenced by the onset of the pseudogap. This includes electron-phonon relaxation and, below ${T}_{C}$, the onset of a phonon bottleneck hindering the relaxation of quasiparticles across the pseudogap. We introduce a gap-modified two-temperature model to describe the temperature dependence of electron-phonon thermalization, and use the Rothwarf-Taylor to model the phonon bottleneck. In conjunction with density functional theory, our experimental results synergistically reveal the origin of the $T$-dependent pseudogap. Further, our data and analysis indicate that ${T}^{*}$ emerges as a natural consequence of $T$-dependent gapping out of carriers, and does not correspond to a separate electronic transition. Our results highlight the value of low-fluence ultrafast optics as a sensitive probe of low-energy electronic structure, thermodynamic parameters, and transport properties of Ruddlesden-Popper ruthenates.
Simple Glowmatography: Chromatographic Separation of Glow-Stick Dyes Using Chalk

An experiment is described that uses easily obtained materials (glow sticks, chalk, and acetone or alcohol) to separate the dyes contained in glow sticks that actively emit chemiluminescent light. The experiment is very easy to carry out, making it amenable for students to perform in laboratory or outreach settings. The separation occurs fast enough that the experiment can be conducted as an in-class demonstration.
Exploring the role of soil geochemistry on Mn and Ca uptake on 75-year-old mine spoils in western Massachusetts, USA

Manganese pollution to plants, soils, and streams from Mn-rich mine spoils is a global and persistent issue. Some former mining sites can be revegetated readily while others struggle to support plants. We explored Mn in plants and soils following 75 years of soil development and reforestation of a pine-northern hardwood forest at the former Betts Mine in western Massachusetts, USA. We studied soils on four Mn-rich mine spoils and at two control sites: an undisturbed location adjacent to the mine and on a non-Mn mineral bearing rock formation to determine if soil conditions have influenced the uptake of Mn and Ca by vegetation. We collected mid-season foliage from five dominant canopy trees and four common understory plants and excavated three soil pits at each site during July 2018. We found that control sites had lower total Mn (980 ± 140 µg g−1) in their soils than on the mine spoil sites (5580 ± 2050 µg g−1). Our soil data indicated that < 1% of total Mn was strong acid extractable at mine spoil soils and control sites. Surprisingly, the canopy trees established on mine spoils at the Betts Mine had equal to or lower foliar Mn concentrations (840 ± 149 µg g−1) and lower Mn/Ca ratios (0.3 ± 0.1 mol mol−1) than at control sites (1667 ± 270 µg g−1; 1.1 ± 0.2 mol mol−1), refuting our hypothesis of mine spoils driving highest Mn uptake. Soil pH and physicochemical properties suggest Mn primarily exists within primary minerals or form insoluble oxides at the mine spoil sites. Our results suggest higher Ca availability and pH in soils likely reduced Mn uptake and promoted reforestation of the mine spoils.
Patient care without borders: a systematic review of medical and surgical tourism.

Background Medical tourism (MT) is an increasingly utilized modality for acquiring medical treatment for patients globally. This review assimilates the current literature regarding MT, with particular focus on the applications, ethics and economics. Methods A systematic review of MEDLINE and PubMed Central databases for publications relating to MT from 2005 to 2018 yielded 43 articles for this review. Results Patients seeking elective bariatric, cosmetic and orthopedic surgery abroad are motivated by significantly lower costs, all-inclusive vacation packages and reduced wait times. Complication rates as high as 56% include infection, poor aesthetic and functional outcome and adverse cardiovascular events. Cross-border reproductive care has steadily increased due to less restrictive policies in select countries; however, the depth of research on outcomes and quality of care is abysmal. Stem cell therapy promise treatments that are often not well researched and offer minimal evidence of efficacy, yet patients are drawn to treatment through anecdotal advertisements and a last sense of hope. Transplant surgery sought to decrease wait times carries many of the similar aforementioned risks and may contribute to the practice of organ trafficking in countries with high rates of poverty. Patients and countries alike are motivated by a plethora of factors to engage in the MT industry but may be doing so without accurate knowledge of the quality, safety or potential for economic gain. Safety is of utmost importance to prevent surgical complications and the spread of treatment-resistant bacteria. Conclusions MT is growing in popularity and complexity. The lack of standardization in its definition and regulation leads to difficulty in epidemiologic and economic analysis and ethical issues of informed consent and health equity. The findings of this review may be used by the stakeholders of MT, including patients and providers, to enhance informed decision-making and quality of care.
Depositary Receipts and Firm Value: Evidence from Firms Domiciled in Central Europe and Russia

This research indicates an average valuation premium of 27.3% in a sample of 43 companies domiciled in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia relative to 123 companies from the region that choose not to cross-list. After controlling for a host of country-specific micro- and macro-economic variables, the results reveal that firms that have less access to sound money in domestic markets and firms from countries with large government sectors are more likely to issue a depositary receipt. These companies also realize a higher market value, measured by Tobin's Q.
Sexual minority status and child maltreatment: How do health outcomes among sexual minority young adults differ due to child maltreatment exposure?

Abstract Background Although prior studies indicate heightened health and well-being concerns for sexual minority (SM) youth, as well as for youth exposed to child maltreatment in the general population, it is unclear whether there are differences in these outcomes among SM youth that have and have not experienced maltreatment. Objective Our aim was to investigate the unique associations between child maltreatment and emerging health outcomes beyond the impact of SM status. Data was drawn from a nationally representative sample of 648 SM youth in the U.S. in grades 7–12 during the 1994–1995 school year. Methods Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, descriptive statistics and ordinary least squares regression models were used to investigate differences in SM young adult outcomes by experiences of child maltreatment. Results Maltreatment among SM individuals showed strong associations with poor adult mental health outcomes (e.g. depression, anxiety, isolation, and suicidal ideation) and fairly strong negative associations with general health outcomes (e.g., heart and lung problems) when compared to their non-maltreated peers. Associations with maltreatment and behavioral health and socioeconomic outcomes were not as strong for this population, which suggests the effects of maltreatment for SM youth are most salient in regards to mental and physical health. Conclusions Findings provide insight into what areas of health and well-being should be focused on when working with SM youth that have been maltreated, and offer evidence to encourage further exploration of the outcomes of SM maltreated individuals in young adulthood.
Trends in Self-reported Prediabetes and Metformin Use in the USA: NHANES 2005-2014.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that treatment with metformin be considered for prevention of type 2 diabetes in persons with prediabetes. However, metformin use outside the setting of diagnosed diabetes in US adults is not well characterized. To examine trends in self-reported prediabetes and treatment with metformin. We also compared characteristics of adults self-reported prediabetes who were vs. were not taking metformin. Cross-sectional analysis. Adults ≥ 20 years of age who participated in the 2005–2014 National Health and Nutrition and Examination Survey (NHANES), n = 28,461. We characterized trends in self-reported prediabetes and metformin use in this population. We used multiple logistic regression models to identify predictors of metformin use among adults with self-reported prediabetes. All analyses accounted for the weighted complex survey design to generate nationally representative estimates. The prevalence of self-reported prediabetes increased from 5.1% in 2005–2006 to 7.4% in 2013–2014 (P-for-trend < 0.001). In persons with self-reported prediabetes, metformin use increased, from 2.4 to 8.3% (P-for-trend = 0.013). Adults who were taking metformin were more likely to be obese and to report trying to lose weight in the past year. Self-reported prediabetes has increased in the past decade. Metformin use in the setting of prediabetes has also increased but remains relatively uncommon at 8% in adults who self-report prediabetes, despite current clinical recommendations.
Helping Families Affected by Substance Abuse: What Works and What Does Not

The chapter begins with providing an understanding of substance abuse within the family context. Interventions that do not have support for the effectiveness, and research-based intervention and prevention approaches are discussed. Interventions with research support include CRAFT, the 5-Step Method, Behavioral Couples Therapy, the Nurturing Parenting Program, and Motivational Interviewing.
Development of Abel's inversion method to extract radially resolved optical emission maps from spectral data cubes collected via push-broom hyperspectral imaging with sub-pixel shifting sampling

Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) imaging is often used for diagnostics for better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of plasmas. Typical spectral images, however, contain intensity maps that are integrated along the line-of-sight. A widespread method to extract the radial information is Abel's inversion, but most approaches result in accumulation of error toward the plasma axial position, which is often the region of most interest. Here, a Fourier-transform based Abel's inversion algorithm, which spreads the error evenly across the radial profile, is optimized for OES images collected on a push-broom hyperspectral imaging system (PbHSI). Furthermore, a sub-pixel shifting (SPS) sampling protocol is employed on the PbHSI in the direction of the radial reconstruction to allow improved fidelity from the increased number of data points. The accuracy and fidelity of the protocol are characterized and optimized with a software-based 3-dimensional hyperspectral model datacube. A systematic study of the effects of varying levels of representative added noise, different noise filters, number of data points and cosine expansions used in the inversion, as well as the spatial intensity distribution shapes of the radial profile are presented. A 3D median noise filter with 3-pixel radius, a minimum of 50 points and 8 cosine expansions is needed to keep the relative root mean squared error (rRMSE) <8%. The optimized protocol is implemented for the first time on OES images of a micro-capillary dielectric barrier discharge (μDBD) source obtained via SPS PbHSI system and the extracted radial emission of different plasma species (He, N2, N2+) are shown.
Eye care providers’ emerging roles in early detection of diabetes and management of diabetic changes to the ocular surface: a review

US adults visit eye care providers more often than primary healthcare providers, placing these doctors in a prime position to help identify and manage patients with prediabetes and diabetes. Currently, diabetes is identified in eye clinics in an advanced stage, only after visible signs of diabetic retinopathy. Recent ophthalmic research has identified multiple subclinical and clinical changes that occur in the anterior segment of the eye with metabolic disease. The corneal epithelium exhibits increased defects and poor healing, including an increased risk of neurotrophic keratitis. Increased thickness and stiffness of the cornea artificially alters intraocular pressure. There is damage to the endothelial cells and changes to the bacterial species on the ocular surface, both of which can increase risk of complications with surgery. Decreased corneal sensitivity due to a loss of nerve density predispose patients with metabolic disease to further neurotrophic complications. Patients with diabetes have increased Meibomian gland dysfunction, blepharitis and reduced tear production, resulting in increased rates of dry eye disease and discomfort. Early detection of metabolic disease may allow eye care providers to be more proactive in recommending referral and intervention in order to reduce the risk of blindness and other diabetes-related morbidity. Continued research is needed to better understand the time course of changes to the anterior segment and what can be done to better detect and diagnose patients with prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes and provide improved care for these patients.
Lawn Lake, a high montane hunting camp in the Colorado (USA) rocky mountains: Insights into early Holocene Late Paleoindian hunter-gatherer adaptations and paleo-landscapes:

The Lawn Lake site is a stratified hunting camp situated on a glacial lake outlet river terrace in Rocky Mountain National Park’s upper subalpine forest zone. Its archaeological assemblage represen...
A new attempt on synthesis of spherical nano hydroxyapatite powders prepared by dimethyl sulfoxide - poly vinyl alcohol assisted microemulsion method

Abstract Hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) is one of the most essential inorganic compound which is extensively used as a typical bioactive ceramic showing osteoconduction, i.e. bone-bonding properties. In this current study, a spherical hydroxyapatite powder was synthesized by microemulsion method using poly vinyl alcohol (PVA), dimethyl sulfoxide and hexane. The effect of surfactant concentration on the stability of microemulsion method was studied. The prepared poly vinyl alcohol assisted hydroxyapatite powders were characterized by analytical techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic result shows no impurity peaks. X-ray diffraction results shows the phase pure hydroxyapatite powders with average crystallite size of around 20 nm while the thermogravimetric analysis proves the thermal stability of the powders. The scanning electron microscopy result shows the formation of spherical hydroxyapatite nanoparticles with good uniformity, shape and size control which could assist as a great aspirant for potential biomedical applications.
Constraints, Values, and Information: How Leaders in One District Justify Their Positions During Instructional Decision Making:

Using over 350 hours of observational data from district-level meetings, we investigate how leaders support their interpretations of problems and proposed solutions during closed-door negotiations ...
The fiftyfication of dual language education: one-size-fits-all language allocation’s “equality” and “practicality” eclipsing a history of equity

The rising popularity of dual language education programs resembles gentrification in policy spaces where the influx of privileged newcomers coincides with some form of pushing out of the former beneficiaries or their interests, which can include the promotion or exclusion of certain program models. Using critical discourse analysis, we examined state policy documents regarding these programs for a trend in the U.S. toward what we call fiftyfication or 50:50 eclipse, that is, subtle or obvious privileging of the 50:50 model (equal language allocation) over equitable models that allocate more instructional time in the partner (non-English) language. Since quantitative research has consistently documented several advantages of equitable over equal language allocation, we argue that it is problematic to educational equity to find marginalization of equitable allocation in state policy documents. Such fiftyfication functions as part of what we term programmatic gentrification, one of three processes where programs, program options, and public discussion begin to provide less attention and benefit to marginalized communities than are provided to more privileged communities. Beyond the recognized case of Utah, we found six states whose policy documents contained contradictions and assertions that privileged 50:50. Delaware and Georgia emerged as heavily fiftyfied because they silenced or misrepresented relevant research, significantly privileged English-dominant students, reinforced intersectional English hegemony, and unethically overemphasized feasibility to rationalize fiftyfication. We discuss (a) consequences of this policy discourse for educational equity, (b) future research needed, and (c) ways the field can counteract 50:50 eclipse.
Routine preoperative resting echocardiography does not predict adverse cardiopulmonary events after bariatric surgery.

Abstract Background A routine resting echocardiography has been suggested as a means to assess cardiac functioning and predict adverse cardiopulmonary events after bariatric surgery. Objectives To describe the findings of routine resting echocardiographs in bariatric surgical candidates over a 3-year period and correlate them with observed adverse cardiopulmonary outcomes. Setting Tertiary-care university-based referral hospital. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 422 consecutive patients who underwent a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy or laparoscopic gastric bypass at our center over 3 years, of whom 321 (76%) received a routine resting preoperative echocardiogram. Abnormal preoperative echocardiogram findings and patient characteristics were recorded. The primary outcome measure was the number of adverse cardiopulmonary events within 30 days of surgery, a composite measure defined as any instance of myocardial infarction, sustained hypotension, stroke, new-onset arrhythmia, heart failure, intensive care admission for cardiopulmonary monitoring, or cardiac arrest. Results Routine screening preoperative echocardiograms revealed left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction in 7 patients (2%), LV diastolic dysfunction in 71 patients (22%), LV hypertrophy in 73 patients (23%), wall motion abnormalities in 4 patients (1%), pulmonary hypertension in 47 patients (15%), left atrial enlargement in 45 patients (14%), and LV enlargement in 6 patients (1%). Adverse cardiopulmonary events occurred in only 4 patients, all of whom had a history of coronary revascularization, and 3 of whom had a prior myocardial infarction. No finding on the routine preoperative echocardiograms was associated with adverse cardiopulmonary events. Conclusion A routine resting preoperative echocardiography added little to the cardiopulmonary risk stratification of patients who underwent bariatric surgery. High-risk patients were identifiable based on their medical history, particularly those with a known history of coronary artery disease and coronary revascularization.
U.S. Domestic Workers' Willingness to Accept Agricultural Field Jobs Before and During COVID-19

Worker shortages in US agricultural field jobs are widespread. Since US domestic workers typically forgo agricultural field jobs, their participation could potentially alleviate the labor shortfalls. We used an attribute-based discrete choice experiment administered before and during COVID-19 to evaluate US domestic workers' willingness to accept agricultural field jobs and determine domestic workers' valuation for non-pecuniary benefits. Results indicate that before the pandemic, domestic workers have an average reservation wage of \$23.57 per hour, which is substantially larger (\$9.58 or 68\%) than the 2019 national average wage rate of \$13.99 for field work, but similar to the national average non-farm wage rate of \$23.51 per hour. This partially explains why a minority of field workers are born in the United States. However, non-pecuniary benefits for insurance, housing, food allowance, and transportation notably increase domestic workers' willingness to accept agricultural field jobs by reducing mean reservation wage. Respondents' willingness to accept agricultural field work increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for respondents with previous field-work experience, those that prefer domestically produced food, and those who believe food is a national security issue. Respondents that lost employment or income due to the pandemic had the lowest mean WTA of \$17.16 and \$18.79 without any additional non-pecuniary benefits. The results generally suggest that the non-pecuniary benefits clearly increase domestic workers willingness to accept agricultural field jobs. Hence, it is possible to entice domestic workers to work in agricultural fields, with a combination of reasonable wages and mix of non-pecuniary benefits.
Chapter 10 Use of Micromanipulators in Yeast Studies

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights use of micromanipulators in yeast studies. Micromanipulators are used in yeast genetic studies (1) for the separation of ascospores from individual asci, (2) for the separation of zygotes from mass-mating mixtures, (3) for positioning of vegetative cells and spores for mating purposes, and (4) for single-cell analyses. Micromanipulators usually can be subdivided into two major types: those having three separate controls for positioning the microtool and those having a single lever or joystick, which freely controls the microtool either in three dimensions of space or in one plane. Micromanipulators that operate with control levers or joysticks can translate hand movements into synchronously reduced movements of microtools. The Singer MKIII micromanipulator is a robust mechanical micromanipulator used for yeast genetic studies in several laboratories in England. In the Singer MKIII micromanipulator, lateral-hand movements control the horizontal movements of the microtool, while rotation of the same lever controls vertical movements.
Watch List Face Surveillance Using Transductive Inference

The open set recognition task, most challenging among the biometric tasks, operates under the assumption that not all the probes have mates in the gallery. It requires the availability of a reject option. For face recognition open set corresponds to the watch listface surveillance task, where the face recognition engine must detect or reject the probe. The above challenges are addressed successfully in this paper using transduction, which is a novel form of inductive learning. Towards that end, we introduce the Open SetTCM-kNN algorithm, which is based upon algorithmic randomness and transductive inference. It is successfully validated on the (small) watch list task (80% or more of the probes lack mates) using FERET datasets. In particular, Open Set TCM-kNN provides on the average 96% correct detection / rejection and identification using the PCA and/or Fisherfaces components for face representation.
Ionization of air by gamma-rays as a function of pressure and collecting field II

The ionization of air by γ-rays was studied for pressures from 1 to 93 atmospheres and for collecting fields from 1.55 to 1009 volts per cm. Increases in ionization current of over 40 percent were observed when the potential gradient was varied over this range, thus indicating that the lack of proportionality of ionization current with pressure obtained by previous observers was principally due to lack of saturation.
What is Gender? Sociological Approaches edited by Mary Holmes

In What is Gender? Sociological Approaches, author Mary Holmes offers a refreshingly accessible overview of gender and sociological traditions. The book is impressive in that it covers a great deal...
Sensory system for early detection of pilot pollution interference in UMTS networks

Pilot pollution interference is a fresh research direction in a typical W-CDMA based system such as Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS). The objective of the study is to quantify the impact of pilot pollution interference effect on UMTS radio network coverage quality. An innovative approach is proposed to detect any excess of pilot pollution interference beyond limits, which leads to coverage shortage or gaps. An immediate false alarm signal will be sent to the network operator indicating a need for a corrective action. The proposed approach is investigated and compared with the existing approaches. In addition, a new concept called one sigma visualization device is introduced to help with evaluating the proposed approach. Although the proposed approach aims to assist the network operator picturing and managing the network performance, it is also used in the early life cycle of network planning. Experiments on a real world-planning task show the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Design of a bioinformatics practicum aimed at integrating concepts in immunology, virology, and pharmaceutical sciences in pharmacy curricula (EDU1P.253)

The purpose of this educational design is to develop hands-on experiences to equip pharmacy students with bioinformatics skills through analysis of immunological problems. The instructional template uses bioinformatics tools available in the public domain to predict potential adverse drug events through identification of shared T-cell epitopes between commonly prescribed protein drugs and viral antigens. We developed a module using the web-based tools Immune Epitope and Database and Analysis Resource (http://www.iedb.org) to predict histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules ligands and the NCBI protein database to select viral and peptide drug sequences for comparison. IEDB contains scanning tools by which sequences retieved from NCBI-PB can be analyzed for shared epitopes. Initially, students analyzed tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors, a class of protein drugs that are often prescribed for chronic inflammatory diseases. Students were tasked to construct matrices representing overlapping MHC-II ligands for each drug-antigen pair. A preliminary analysis identified in the drug infliximab (heavy-chain 52-61: IRSKSINSAT) a molecular mimicry of a known T cell epitope in influenza A hemagglutinin (322-334: PRYVKQNTLKLAT)). The ultimate goal is to develop transportable exercises that can be implemented throughout the curriculum and to provide experience to students in analyzing major classes of biologic drugs and infectious pathogens.
Demonstration that Golgi endo-alpha-D-mannosidase provides a glucosidase-independent pathway for the formation of complex N-linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins.

Studies on N-linked oligosaccharide processing were undertaken in HepG2 cells and calf thyroid slices to explore the possibility that the recently described Golgi endo-alpha-D-mannosidase (Lubas, W.A., and Spiro, R.G. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 3775-3781) is responsible for the frequently noted failure of glucosidase inhibitors to achieve complete cessation of complex carbohydrate unit synthesis. We have found that in the presence of the glucosidase inhibitors, castanospermine (CST) or 1-deoxynojirimycin, there is a substantial production of the glucosylated mannose saccharides (Glc3Man, Glc2Man, and Glc1Man) which are the characteristic products of endomannosidase action. Furthermore, in HepG2 cells, a secretion of these components into the medium could be demonstrated. Characterization of the N-linked polymannose oligosaccharides produced by HepG2 cells in the presence of CST (as well as 1-deoxymannojirimycin to prevent processing by alpha-mannosidase I) indicated the occurrence, in addition to the expected glucosylated species, of substantial amounts of Man8GlcNAc and Man7GlcNAc. Since Man9GlcNAc was almost completely absent and the Man8GlcNAc isomer was shown to be identical with that formed by the in vitro action of endomannosidase on glucosylated polymannose oligosaccharides, we concluded that this enzyme was actively functioning in the intact cells and could provide a pathway for circumventing the glucosidase blockade. Indeed, quantitative studies in HepG2 cells supported this contention as the continued formation of complex carbohydrate units (50% of control) during CST inhibition could be accounted for by the deglucosylation effected by endomannosidase.
Closure of Linear Processes

We consider the sets of moving-average and autoregressive processes and study their closures under the Mallows metric and the total variation convergence on finite dimensional distributions. These closures are unexpectedly large, containing nonergodic processes which are Poisson sums of i.i.d. copies from a stationary process. The presence of these nonergodic Poisson sum processes has immediate implications. In particular, identifiability of the hypothesis of linearity of a process is in question. A discussion of some of these issues for the set of moving-average processes has already been given without proof in Bickel and Buhlmann.(2) We establish here the precise mathematical arguments and present some additional extensions: results about the closure of autoregressive processes and natural sub-sets of moving-average and autoregressive processes which are closed.
Translation and validation of restless leg syndrome quality of life questionnaire in Hindi language

Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) itself as well as the problems that are secondary to RLS may worsen the quality of life. Aim: The aim of this study is to translate and validate the Restless Legs Syndrome Quality of Life (RLS-QOL) questionnaire in Hindi language. Settings and Designs: Patients attending psychiatry OPD and sleep clinic in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: Thirty four consecutive patients of RLS and twenty nine control subjects were included in the study. Permission for translation and validation of RLS-QOL questionnaire scale was obtained. Translation was done according to the guidelines provided by the publisher. After translation, the final version of the scale was applied in both the groups to find the reliability and validity. Statistical Analysis: SPSS, version 17.0 was used for the analysis. Independent sample t test was used to compare age. Chi-square test was applied to compare non-parametric variables. Pearson's and Spearman's correlations were used to find out the correlation between parametric and non-parametric items, respectively. Reliability analysis was done by using Cronbach's alpha. Results: Among the RLS subjects, mean Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score, International Restless Legs Syndrome Severity Rating Scale (IRLS) score and Computed Score of RLS-QOL questionnaire were 25.43 (7.39), 12.7 (8.34) and 29.8 (8.39), respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed between both the groups on all these scores (ISI: t= −11.2, P<0.001, 95% CI= −22.62 to −15.76; IRLS: t = −8.1, P< 0.001, 95% CI =−15.81 to −9.58; RLS-QOL: t =−19.07, P<0.001 with 95% CI = −32.69,- 28.83). A significant correlation between ISI and RLS-QOL (r 2 = 0.59; P< 0.001) was seen. Most of the items also showed good correlation with each other. Internal consistency done by Cronbach's alpha showed good correlation (0.85). Conclusion: Hindi version of the Restless Legs Syndrome Quality of Life (RLS-QOL) questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of the quality of life in patients with RLS.
A dual sensor for real-time monitoring of glucose and oxygen

A dual glucose and oxygen sensor in a polymer format was developed. The dual sensor composed of a blue emitter as the glucose probe, a red emitter as an oxygen probe, and a yellow emitter as a built-in reference probe which does not respond to either glucose or oxygen. All the three probes were chemically immobilized in a polyacrylamide-based matrix. Therefore, the dual sensor possesses three well separated emission colors and ratiometric approach is applicable for analysis of the glucose and oxygen concentration at biological conditions. The sensor was applied for real-time monitoring of glucose and oxygen consumption of bacterial cells, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), and mammalian cells of mouse macrophage J774 and human cervical cancer HeLa cell lines. On the other hand, in order to achieve satisfactory sensing performance for glucose, compositions of the matrices among poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), polyacrylamide, and poly(6-aminohexyl methacrylamide) which is a linker polymer for grafting the glucose probe, were optimized.
Hypophyseal regulation of hepatic histidase during postnatal development and adulthood. I. Pituitary suppression of histidase activity.

Abstract Hypophysectomy at 3 weeks of age effects precocious development augmentation of hepatic histidase activity in both the maturing male and female rat; pituitary excision likewise augments this enzymic activity in adult males and in ovariectomized but not in gonad-bearing, adult females. This enhanced histidase activity following hypophysectomy is entirely blocked when liver protein synthesis is inhibited by administration of l -ethionine. Attempts to ascertain the identity of the histidase repressive factor(s)_have implicated the anterior pituitary as their site of origin. Since hypophysectomy of castrated-adrenalectomized males results in elevation in histidase activity, it is thought that the hypophysis secretes principle(s) suppressive to hepatic histidase which are supplementary to and distinct from trophic influences on the testis and adrenal, which themselves also contribute to suppression of histidase under certain conditions. In hypophysectomized animals lacking target glands corresponding to particular pituitary trophic hormones, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, alone and in combination, and thyrotrophic hormone are without effect, whereas growth hormone and adrenocorticotrophic hormone both suppress hepatic histidase activity. These, and possibly other as yet unidentified, hypophyseal repressive influences contribute to the establishment of the characteristic postnatal developmental pattern and to the maintenance of adult levels of hepatic histidase in the rat.
Fail-Safe Testing of Safety-Critical Systems

This paper proposes an approach for testing of safety critical systems. It is based on a behavioral and a fault model. The two models are analyzed for compatibility and necessary changes are identified to make them compatible. Then transformation rules are used to transform the fault model into the same model type as the behavioral model. Integration rules define how to combine them. This approach results in an integrated model which then can be used to generate tests using a variety of testing criteria. The paper illustrates this general framework using a CEFSM for the behavioral model and a Fault Tree for the fault model. A case study from the literature illustrates how to apply the approach.