cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanical properties of coral skeleton: compressive strength and its adaptive significance

Measurement of the compressive strength and elastic modulus of the skeletal material of three common Caribbean corals suggests that the mechanical properties of coral skeleton are an important factor in the adaptive repertoire of these animals. The strength (stress at fracture) of the specimens tested is 12-81 meganewtons/meter2, with material from branched colonies being generally stronger than ma- terial from massive colonies. These values are lower than the strength of most other carbonate skeletal materials, but higher than that of carbonate engineering materials like concrete and limestone. The comparatively low strength of coral skeleton may be the result of architectural properties produced by the requirements of competing adaptive factors, such as polyp phototropism, or it may reflect the low probability that a colony will be broken, and therefore need to be stronger, before it achieves reproductive parity. The skeleton of the three species tested here is strongest when stress is applied parallel to the growth direction of the polyps. Strength varies inversely with skeletal porosity. Decreasing porosity in highly stressed colonies represents a potentially valuable adaptation for enhancing strength. The adaptive value of porosity modification may explain differences in porosity and strength between highly stressed branched growth forms and more moderately stressed massive growth forms. Boring organisms reduce the strength of coral skeleton by increasing its porosity. Only minor amounts of boring can produce strength reductions of up to 50%. Specialized, stress-minimizing branch arrangements help maximize resistance of coral structures to mechanical degradation in situations where colony size is unusually large or hydraulic energy dangerously high.
Real, but Not Too Real: A Hierarchy of Reality for Recreational Middle-Class Boxers:

This article looks at how the (mostly) white, middle-class recreational boxers at KO Gym constructed an authentic boxing experience from which they could derive identity rewards from accomplishing a type of masculinity without stigma or injury. Gender, as we will see, was a central part of the story. Furthermore, social class complicated matters considerably, creating dilemmas for the white, middle-class male recreational boxers who sought risk—albeit a “pseudo-risk”—but were concerned about signifying hypermasculinity. It was thus vital for them to manage their conduct to express a certain situated kind of masculinity. In essence, class means there is a different style of self-presentation when men and women attempt to do gender.
Olfactory bulbectomy lengthens circadian period of locomotor activity in golden hamsters

Removal of the olfactory bulbs (BX) of rats or mice lengthens the circadian period of locomotor activity. In golden hamsters, BX elevates serum gonadotropin levels of hamsters maintained in long or short photoperiod and prevents the testicular regression associated with short days without altering the secretion or action of pineal melatonin. The present study examined the influence of BX on circadian wheel-running activity in hamsters and tested whether this effect was related to changes in serum testosterone levels. BX lengthened the free-running period of locomotor activity in gonadally intact hamsters by a mean of 21.0 min, and BX had a similar effect in orchidectomized animals with or without testosterone replacement. These results suggest that the olfactory bulbs normally tend to increase the frequency of the hamster's circadian oscillator and that this effect is unrelated to altering gonadal steroid levels.
Introduction to the Special Issue: Advancing Career Intervention for Life Design

Life design has emerged as a new paradigm and practice for career intervention in the 21st century (M. L. Savickas, 2012). The creation of a multinational collaboration (Nota & Rossier, 2015; M. L. Savickas et al., 2009), the life-design paradigm and its practical uses amplify person-environment fit and developmental career models and methods that predominated during the 20th century. Life design does this by offering career development practitioners and researchers a contextualized approach and lifelong, holistic, contextual, and preventive counseling intervention framework that aims to increase (a) activity to shape interests, capacities, and aspirations; (b) career adaptability to cope with changes in self and situation; (c) narratability to articulate a clear identity and coherent personal life/career story; and (d) intentionality to give meaning to activities and experiences related to life career.This special issue of The Career Development Quarterly showcases seven works that apply and advance the life-design paradigm and its practices, particularly through the lens of career construction counseling (M. L. Savickas, 2012). Leading off, Laura Nota, Sara Santilli, and Salvatore Soresi (2016) advance computer-assisted career guidance approaches by describing and providing empirical support for the efficacy of a lifedesign-based online intervention for middle-school-age students. J. G. (Kobus) Maree (2016) then applies career construction counseling to the case of a mid-career, Black, South African man to show how lifedesign methods assist clients across diverse contexts to reconstruct and redesign their lives during periods of instability and change. Responding to the need for life-design career intervention efficacy studies, Annamaria Di Fabio (2016) describes a qualitative assessment tool for appraising client change based on life-design practices and offers initial empirical support for its utility. Revisiting the long-standing, if artificial, distinction between career counseling and personal counseling, Paulo Cardoso (2016) proposes an intervention framework for systematically infusing psychotherapy with life-design counseling practices. Next, Rubina Setlhare-Meltor and Lesley Wood (2016) show how multiple approaches, including interviews, card sorts, and genograms, can be used within a life-design framework and particularly to assist clients living within very marginalized and vulnerable circumstances. Suzanne Savickas and Tracy Lara (2016) then offer an interview with former National Career Development Association and American Counseling Association president Lee Richmond to demonstrate how biographical life portraiture promotes clients' self-reflection to comprehend continuity and coherence in their life-career stories. …
State-of-Mind Effects on the Accuracy with Which Utility Functions Predict Marketplace Choice:

Derived and reported utility functions for members of a high school junior's family were used to predict actual college applications made the next year. The manipulations were whether or not advanc...
Charge Trapping and Storage by Composite P3HT/PC60BM Nanoparticles Investigated by Fluorescence-Voltage/Single Particle Spectroscopy

Fluorescence-voltage/single particle spectroscopy (F-V/SPS) was employed to study exciton–hole polaron interactions and interfacial charge transfer processes for pure poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) nanoparticles (NPs) and composite P3HT/PC60BM NPs in functioning hole-injection devices. F-V/SPS data collected on a particle-by-particle basis reveal an apparent bistability in the fluorescence-voltage modulation curves for composite NPs of P3HT and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC60BM) that is absent for pure P3HT NPs. A pronounced deep trapping of free electrons photogenerated from the composite P3HT/PC60BM NPs at the NP/dielectric interface and hole trapping by fullerene anions in composite P3HT/PC60BM NPs under photoexcitation lies at the basis of this finding. The deep electron trapping effect reported here for composite conjugated polymer/fullerene NPs presents an opportunity for future application of these NPs in nanoscale memory and imaging devices.
Enhancement of Biochar Gasification in Alkali Hydrothermal Medium by Passivation of Inorganic Components Using Ca(OH)2

The challenges with thermal gasification of biomass to produce syngas include high transportation and drying costs of biomass and the need for high-temperature (700–1000 °C) gasifiers and conditioning of the produced gases. Some of these challenges can be addressed by first converting biomass into high-energy-density biochar before transportation and then hydrothermal gasification of biochar at the site of the Fischer–Tropsch plant for liquid fuel synthesis. In this work, a high-energy-density (>27 MJ/kg) biochar is first produced via hydrothermal carbonization of switchgrass at 300 °C, and then the biochar is gasified in hydrothermal medium at 400–650 °C. The carbon gasification efficiency in hydrothermal medium is much better than that in the thermal medium. For example, at 550 °C, only 5.9% carbon gasification was achieved in the thermal medium, as compared to 23.8% in hydrothermal medium. The addition of 25 wt % K2CO3 catalyst enhances the hydrothermal gasification to 43.8%. The gasification can be fu...
Procedural Injustice, Risky Lifestyles, and Violent Victimization

Participation in risky lifestyles is a well-established predictor of victimization. Several variables have been identified as key predictors of risky activities (e.g., low self-control) but there may be additional sources not considered in the literature to date. We argue that perceptions of procedural unfairness represent a break in social control, thereby opening the door for participation in risky lifestyles that are conducive to victimization. Using three waves of data from the Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program, we demonstrated that police procedural injustice was positively associated with risky lifestyles, which partially mediated the relationship between procedural injustice and violent victimization. This study advances the literature by demonstrating that our understanding of victimization is enhanced by including procedural injustice into its explanation.
Multiplex immunoassay characterization and species comparison of inflammation in acute and non-acute ischemic infarcts in human and mouse brain tissue

This study provides a parallel characterization of the cytokine and chemokine response to stroke in the human and mouse brain at different stages of infarct resolution. The study goal was to address the hypothesis that chronic inflammation may contribute to stroke-related dementia. We used C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice to control for strain related differences in the mouse immune response. Our data indicate that in both mouse strains, and humans, there is increased granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-12 p70 (IL-12p70), interferon gamma-induced protein-10 (IP-10), keratinocyte chemoattractant/interleukin-8 (KC/IL-8), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β), regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), and Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the infarct core during the acute time period. Nevertheless, correlation and two-way ANOVA analyses reveal that despite this substantial overlap between species, there are still significant differences, particularly in the regulation of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), which is increased in mice but not in humans. In the weeks after stroke, during the stage of liquefactive necrosis, there is significant resolution of the inflammatory response to stroke within the infarct. However, CD68+ macrophages remain present, and levels of IL-6 and MCP-1 remain chronically elevated in infarcts from both mice and humans. Furthermore, there is a chronic T cell response within the infarct in both species. This response is differentially polarized towards a T helper 1 (Th1) response in C57BL/6 mice, and a T helper 2 (Th2) response in BALB/c mice, suggesting that the chronic inflammatory response to stroke may follow a different trajectory in different patients. To control for the fact that the average age of the patients used in this study was 80 years, they were of both sexes, and many had suffered from multiple strokes, we also present findings that reveal how the chronic inflammatory response to stroke is impacted by age, sex, and multiple strokes in mice. Our data indicate that the chronic cytokine and chemokine response to stroke is not substantially altered in 18-month old compared to 3-month old C57BL/6 mice, although T cell infiltration is attenuated. We found a significant correlation in the chronic cytokine response to stroke in males and females. However, the chronic cytokine response to stroke was mildly exacerbated by a recurrent stroke in both C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice.
Focal Mechanism Solutions of Intraplate Earthquakes and Stresses in the Lithosphere

Focal mechanism solutions of 33 intraplate earthquakes are presented. These solutions, 47 additional mechanism solutions from the literature, and measurements of stress in situ indicate that the interiors of many lithospheric plates are characterized by large horizontal compressive stress. The predominance of com-pressive stress is particularly notable for oceanic areas where no examples of normal faulting (only thrust and strike-slip faulting) were found for crust older than about 10 to 20 m.y. The distribution of stress in lithospheric plates may be related to the driving mechanism of plate tectonics or it may result mainly from thermo-elastic stresses related to the cooling of the lithosphere.
There is More to Marketing: An Encore to Layton's Ring Cycle and the Compelling Case for Marketing Systems Theory, Research and Management*:

The purpose of this commentary is to expand the conceptualization, purpose and positioning of marketing, while also commemorating the contributions of Professor Roger Layton, who has worked similar...
Evaluating the effectiveness of the flipped classroom approach for learning outcomes in environmental engineering courses

Inverted or 'flipped' classrooms represent a growing area of interest in environmental engineering education. The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of the integration of the flipped classroom pedagogical model to an environmental engineering elective course. The approach involved community-based projects related to installing rain harvesting systems in the local area. The key findings from the study demonstrate that the integration of the flipped classroom improved the students' attitudes towards engineering, higher-order cognitive learning, self-efficacy, ease of learning the subject matter, team working and communication skills; all relevant objectives related to engineering accreditation.
Electrically induced, non-volatile, metal insulator transition in a ferroelectric-controlled MoS2 transistor

We demonstrate an electrically induced, non-volatile, metal-insulator phase transition in a MoS2 transistor. A ferroelectric capacitor made of single crystalline, epitaxially grown PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 was connected to the gate of a field effect thin film MoS2 transistor. When a voltage is applied to this ferroelectric capacitor, a clear transition from an insulator to a metal and vice versa is observed in the transistor. Importantly, when the biased voltage is turned off, the remnant polarization in the ferroelectric can keep the MoS2 in its original phase, thereby providing a non-volatile state. Thus, a metallic or insulating phase can be written, erased, or retained simply by biasing the externally connected ferroelectric capacitor.
A Machine Learning Decision-Support System Improves the Internet of Things’ Smart Meter Operations

An Internet of Things’ (IoT) connected society and system represents a tremendous paradigm shift. We present a framework for a decision-support system (DSS) that operates within the IoT ecosystem. The DSS leverages advanced analytics of electric smart meter (ESM) network communication-quality data to improve cost predictions for smart meter field operations and provide actionable decision recommendations regarding whether to send a technician to a customer location to resolve an ESM issue. The model is empirically evaluated using data sets from a commercial network. We demonstrate the efficiency of our approach with a complete Bayesian network prediction model and compare with three machine learning prediction model classifiers: 1) Naive Bayes; 2) random forest; and 3) decision tree. Results demonstrate that our approach generates statistically noteworthy estimations and that the DSS will improve the cost efficiency of ESM network operations and maintenance.
Comprehensive estimates of seabird–fishery interactions for the US Northeast and mid-Atlantic

Relatively little is known about seabird–fishery interactions (i.e. bycatch) for the U.S. North-east and mid-Atlantic, despite concerted efforts to document observed interactions since 1989. Fisheries observer data were used to estimate seabird–fishery interactions for 10 species and six gear types that operated within the US Northeast and mid-Atlantic from 1996 to 2014. Hierarchical Bayes estimation was used and accounted for temporal, spatial, and operational considerations inherent in the data through post-stratification. Over the 19-year study period, 48 821 (coefficient of variation [CV] = 0.03) seabirds were estimated to have interacted with commercial fishing gear, resulting in an average of 2570 interactions per year. Trends in estimated interactions were explored using the marginal posterior distributions, with the majority of interactions pertaining to gillnets and shearwaters/fulmars. Comparison with previous work highlighted the need for consistency in data preparation, making it easier to compare relative trends in seabird bycatch estimates for the region. Future assessments should focus on providing context for the interaction estimates, so that population-level impacts can be inferred and the necessary conservation measures enacted.
Parallel Screening for Rapid Identification of Orthogonal Bioluminescent Tools

Bioluminescence imaging with luciferase enzymes and luciferin small molecules is a well-established technique for tracking cells and other biological features in rodent models. Despite its popularity, bioluminescence has long been hindered by a lack of distinguishable probes. Here we present a method to rapidly identify new substrate-selective luciferases for multicomponent imaging. Our strategy relies on parallel screening of luciferin analogues with panels of mutant enzymes. The compiled data set is then analyzed in silico to uncover mutually orthogonal sets. Using this approach, we screened 159 mutant enzymes with 12 luciferins. Thousands of orthogonal pairs were revealed with sufficient selectivity for use in biological environments. Over 100 pairs were validated in vitro, and three were applied in cell and animal models. The parallel screening method is both generalizable and scalable and will streamline the search for larger collections of orthogonal probes.
Human-assisted navigation through sliding autonomy

This paper describes the application of sliding autonomy to the robot navigation task such that the humanrobot team can accomplish the mission under many new or unexpected situations. Our approach extends the traditional sliding autonomy by including a new mode that support human-robot peer-to-peer collaboration. We validated our approach on physical robots through a simplified search and rescue task, and demonstrated that the human-robot team's overall performance can be improved under the sliding autonomy control.
Materials for chairside CAD/CAM restorations.

Abstract: Chairside computer-aided design/computer-aidedmanufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems have become consider-ably more accurate, efficient, and prevalent as the technologyhas evolved in the past 25 years. The initial restorative mate-rial option for chairside CAD/CAM restorations was limited toceramic blocks. Restorative material options have multipliedand now include esthetic ceramics, high-strength ceramics,and composite materials for both definitive and temporaryrestoration applications. This article will review current mate-rials availabl e for chairside CAD/CAM restorations. T he delivery of ceramic restorations in a single ap-pointment became a treatment option in 1985 withthe introduction of the first chairside computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM)system.' In today's dental marketplace, two chairside CAD/CAM systems are available. The CEREC* acquisition cen-ter (AC) (Sirona, www.sirona.com) and the E4D DentistTable 1:Categories of Materials for Chairside CAD/CAM Restorations
Cystic fibrosis-related education: Are we meeting patient and caregiver expectations?

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to improve patient education in clinic by evaluating patient perceptions of education provided, as well as patient self-confidence related to topics within cystic fibrosis (CF). The study assessed whether self-confidence matched knowledge and defined patient-specific goals for education timing and information sources. Methods Age specific questionnaires were distributed over four months to patients 11 years of age and older and caregivers of patients of all ages at a single CF Foundation accredited care center. Results Participants reported frequent education on all topics except for reproductive effects of CF and mental health. A positive correlation was seen between overall confidence in CF-related knowledge and performance on a validated knowledge scale in adolescent caregivers only. Participants expected all educational milestones to be met by 13–14 years of age. Conclusions Gaps in CF education remain and educational models should deliver information by the early teens without overlooking reproductive effects and mental health. Practice Implications The educational model for CF clinics should become more comprehensive by including education on topics such as mental health and reproductive effects. Providers are an important pathway for information and should not disregard the value of education provided during clinic visits.
Choroidal Mucinous Metastatic Adenocarcinoma from the Colon: A Diagnostic Challenge

An enucleated globe was submitted from an outside hospital to the Ophthalmic Pathology Laboratory for evaluation. There was a minimal amount of accompanying clinical history. Histopathologic examination revealed a mucinous adenocarcinoma of the choroid. The determination of the origin of the tumor proved to be challenging based on the lack of a definitive systemic diagnosis. Initial suspicions that the tumor may represent a breast carcinoma were disproved when immunohistochemical biomarkers for breast carcinoma were negative. Similarly, typical markers of colon adenocarcinoma were not expressed. Positive immunostaining with a newer immunohistochemical marker, SATB2, and defects in DNA mismatch repair helped to confirm that the ocular metastasis was of colonic origin. Further clinical evaluation including imaging studies established that the patient had a primary colonic adenocarcinoma with widespread systemic metastases. The diagnostic utility and biologic significance of these latest immunohistochemical biomarkers for colon cancer are reviewed. Clinicians are encouraged to provide detailed clinical histories with the tissue specimens to enable the discovery of undetected "silent primaries" at the time an ocular metastasis develops and is discovered.
Chest Examinations in Children

The chest film is the most frequently ordered pediatric radiographic examination. However, because one looks at so many chest radiographs, familiarity may create a false sense of security rather than expertise. A thorough, detailed, systematic approach to the radiographic evaluation is crucial for anyone dealing with children. In this chapter we discuss the general diagnostic principles and approach; the specifics of chest examinations for neonates and infants are reviewed in Chap. 3. This chapter also stresses those areas where the approach to the pediatric chest radiograph differs from the adult film (the 3 T’s: technical factors, tubes and traps, i.e., anatomical structures unique to kids; thanks to Dr. Moira Cooper, pediatric radiologist, Izaak Walton Killam Children’s Hospital, Nova Scotia, Canada) as well as the different pathological conditions.
Aɛ-bounded, finite rank perturbations of s.c. group generators A: Counterexamples to generation and to another condition for well-posedness

We wish to give here, within the limits of allowed space, some preliminary results on a question which was raised very recently in various circles, and in particular during the preceding Workshop of the present series, held in Vorau (Austria) in July 1982. As far as we are concerned, the question was motivated by the study of well-posedness of certain (linear) hyperbolic partial differential equations of order two (or systems of order one), in "feedback form", where a finite dimensional range feedback operator acting on the "position" and/or "velocity" is applied on the boundary conditions. In abstract terms, the question may be formulated as follows. Let Y be a (separable) Hilbert space the case in our applications with inner product and let A: Yn D(A) + Y be the infinitesimal generator of a strongly continuous (s.c.) semigroup At e on Y, possibly a group (indeed, a unitary group for the canonical wave equation). We explicitly exlude with no further mention made the case where e At is analytic for t > 0 (parabolic case). If a and b are two vectors in Y, we let
Abstract 3028: Cardiac-Specific Overexpression of microRNA-494 Protects Against Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Injury by Targeting PTEN, ROCK1 and CaMKII{Delta}

We recently observed that microRNA-494 (miR-494) was downregulated in murine hearts upon ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in vivo , consistent with other findings in human infarcted hearts. However, miR-494 was significantly upregulated in ex vivo I/R murine hearts. To further elucidate the functional role of miR-494 in both ex vivo and in vivo I/R-induced cardiac injury, we generated a mouse model with cardiac-specific overexpression of miR-494. All miR-494 transgenic (TG) mice were healthy and showed no apparent cardiac morphological or pathological abnormalities. TG hearts with 4-fold overexpression of miR-494 and wild-type hearts were then subjected to global no-flow I/R (40 min/120 min) using the Langendorff preparation. TG hearts exhibited improved recovery of contractile performance over the whole reperfusion period. This improvement was accompanied by a 2.5-fold decrease in lactate dehydrogenase released from the TG hearts. The extent of apoptotic cell death was also significantly decreased by ~70%, which was measured by TUNEL staining and DNA fragmentation. Furthermore, in vivo experiments of 30 min myocardial ischemia, via coronary artery occlusion, followed by 24 h reperfusion, showed that the infarct-to-risk region ratio was 6.1±1.4% in TG hearts (n=7) compared to 21.5±3.1% in WT hearts (n=9, p<0.001). Using Target-Scan software, we identified PTEN, ROCK1 and CaMKII Δ , three well-known proteins that are detrimental in I/R, as important candidate targets for miR-494. To test this prediction, we examined the expression levels of PTEN, ROCK1 and CaMKII Δ in TG and WT hearts. Indeed, the protein levels of PTEN, ROCK1 and CaMKII Δ were decreased by 60%, 55%, and 30%, respectively, in miR-494 hearts, relative to WT hearts. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of miR-494 on 3′UTRs’ activities of PTEN, ROCK1 and CaMKII Δ utilizing a luciferase reporter assay. In agreement with the protein level data, the 3′UTRs’ activities of PTEN, ROCK1 and CaMKII Δ were strongly inhibited (up to 4-fold) by miR-494. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that increased miR-494 levels in the heart protect against I/R-induced injury via antithetical regulation of PTEN, ROCK1 and CaMKII Δ . Thus, miR-494 may constitute a new therapeutic target for ischemic heart diseases.
Climate Change and Free Riding

Does the receipt of benefits from some common resource create an obligation to contribute toward its maintenance? If so, what is the basis of this obligation? I consider whether individual contributions to climate change can be impugned as wrongful free riding upon the stability of the planet's climate system, when persons enjoy its benefits but refuse to bear their share of its maintenance costs. Two main arguments will be advanced: the first urges further modification of H.L.A. Hart’s “principle of fairness” as the basis for demanding that would-be free riders pay their fair share in the context of climate change, while the second claims that remedial action on climate change is better captured through collective action analysis than through harm principles that seek to connect individual actions to bad environmental outcomes.
Enterprise System Connection (ESCON) Fiber-Optic Link

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an understanding of the Enterprise System Connection (ESCON) from a system perspective and design consideration. ESCON systems architecture is a total network interconnection system for large server complexes. It encompasses fiber-optic technology links, serial data transfer, new link-level protocols, data encoding/decoding, new system transport architecture, and a new topology. It is intended as the backbone network that spans a customer's premises. In some cases, it may be a machine room, whereas in other cases it could be a large multi building campus that may span 20 km or more. The topology chosen for ESCON is "switched point-to-point", which utilizes a central switch to direct the network traffic to the various elements of the network. It offers the highest throughput, excellent connectivity with minimal number of links, and the ability to grow the network in a non-disruptive manner.
Assessment of Student Affective Behaviors in US Medical Technology Programs

Medical technology students must demonstrate competent cognitive, psychomotor, and affective behavior skills to assume professional roles. We identified the affective behaviors assessed in 189 medical technology programs and compared the assessment of these behaviors in hospitalbased and college- and university-based programs. Most medical technology programs have affective domain assessment instruments and objectives. The five affective behaviors assessed most frequently were dependability regarding time, initiative, interrelationships with professional personnel and peers, judgment, and ability to respond to professional direction. Our findings indicated that a national consensus exists regarding the affective behaviors assessed and that a professional culture is emerging.
Are Grittier Front-Line Therapists More Likely to Implement Evidence-Based Interventions?

Substance use disorder remains a pervasive problem in the U.S. and elsewhere. Recent scholarship has explored therapist characteristics and evidence based intervention implementation in an attempt to improve client outcomes. One such construct that has received considerable attention is grit. People with high levels of grit tend to remain determined despite setbacks. This study sought to elucidate the relationship of grit to therapeutic alliance and attitudes towards evidence-based interventions in a sample of front-line therapist (n = 240). Grit was found to be positively associated with therapeutic alliance and correlated with favorable attitudes towards using proven practice. Findings suggest that gritty therapists may sustain the use of evidence based interventions in their usual services and have better client outcomes.
Are piriformis reconstruction implants ideal for prophylactic femoral neck fixation

Abstract Objectives Prophylactic femoral neck fixation may be performed in the setting of geriatric diaphyseal femur fracture, pathologic or impending atypical femur fractures. Fixation constructs often utilize cephalomedullary implants with one or two proximal interlocking screws into the femoral head/neck. Variations in proximal femoral anatomy and implant design can interfere with the placement of two screws in the femoral head and neck. Our objective was to assess the strength of piriformis entry reconstruction implants with one versus two proximal interlock screws for prophylactic femoral neck fixation. Methods Thirty fourth generation synthetic femur models were separated into 5 groups. The control group was an intact femur, and the second group was an intact femur with an entry hole in the piriformis fossa. The remaining groups had an intramedullary nail placed with either 0, 1, or 2 screws placed into the femoral head and neck. Each femur was mechanically loaded along the mechanical axis through the femoral head. Load to failure and failure displacement were recorded. Results Mean load to failure was 5583 ± 543 N in the intact femur. Constructs with 2 screws had a significantly higher mean load to failure (3223 ± 474 N) compared to one screw constructs (2368 ± 280 N). All of the experimental groups remained significantly lower than the intact femur model (p Conclusion Our results demonstrate that piriformis entry reconstruction implants have a significantly lower load to failure compared to an intact femur irrespective of screw construct. Further studies are needed to investigate this potential iatrogenic weakening.
Alternative to Animal Use for Detecting Biologically Active Staphylococcal Enterotoxin Type A.

Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) are a food safety concern. Existing methods for biologically active SE detection rely on the emetic response in live kittens or monkeys. This method suffers from low sensitivity, poor reproducibility, and causes ethical concerns regarding the use of experimental animals. The Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act encourages the development and adoption of alternatives to testing on animals for chemical toxicity methodologies. In this study, we utilized the superantigenic effect of SE type A (SEA) and used an ex vivo bioassay as an alternative to live animal testing. We found that interleukin-2 (IL-2) secreted by splenocyte can be utilized for quantifiable detection of SEA in food products. To avoid food matrix interference and attenuation of signal, we separated SEA from spiked food products by employing immunomagnetic beads that were coated with an anti-SEA antibody. This ex vivo method has achieved the detection of 1 ng mL−1 of SEA, which is 107 times more sensitive than the existing live animal testing methods. However, this ex vivo bioassay requires sacrificing of mice. To overcome this limitation, we established a cell based in vitro assay using CCRF-CEM, a human CD4+ T-cell line, for the quantitative detection of SEA. Incubation of SEA with CCRF-CEM human T-cells and Raji cells led to quantifiable and dose dependent secretion of IL-2. This novel cell-based assay is highly specific to biologically active SEA, compared with the related SE toxin subtypes B, D, and E or heat inactivated SEA, which produce no secretion of IL-2. This is the first demonstration of an alternative assay that completely eliminates the use of animals for quantitative detection of active SEA.
On the role of the Atlantic Ocean in forcing tropic cyclones in the Arabian Sea

Abstract This study examines the impacts of tropical South Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies on the frequency of the Arabian Sea tropical cyclones (TCs) during the pre-monsoon season (May–June) using observations and climate model experiments. There is a statistically significant association between the Atlantic SST anomalies and the frequency of Arabian Sea TCs during May–June of 1979–2016 based on the observations. These results can be explained from a physical perspective through the classic Matsuno-Gill responses to the Atlantic SST forcing, leading to changes in vertical wind shear in the Arabian Sea. The reduced vertical wind shear related to the Atlantic SST warming is associated with anomalous upper-level westerlies and lower-level easterlies. The physical mechanisms identified in the observations are strongly supported by a suite of experiments with an atmospheric general circulation model. Overall, the experiments reproduce the observed Matsuno-Gill responses, which are responsible for changes in vertical wind shear, lending confidence to the strong impacts of the Atlantic SST anomalies on the frequency of pre-monsoon Arabian Sea TCs.
Electronic Excitation of Molecules by Electron Impact

In this talk I will review the recent progress that has been made in the theoretical determination of differential and integral cross sections for the electronic excitation of molecules by low-energy electrons. Whereas there has been considerable progress in the development and application of theoretical methods for treating inelastic electron-atom scattering [1], the situation is quite different for the related molecular problem. It is well-known that this difference is ultimately due to the difficulties associated with the nonspherical nature of the electron-molecule force field. In fact, it was not until the 1960’s that a renewed interest in processes involving H2 and N2 resulted in the application of plane-wave theories to treat the excitation of electronic states in these molecules. In the last five years more advanced theories such as the distorted-wave method, the impact-parameter method, and the close-coupling method have been applied to the description of electron impact excitation of diatomic molecules. The results of these more recent applications, and their comparison with available experimental data, will be the focal point of my presentation. We will see that, although the results of some of these theoretical applications are encouraging, there are substantial disagreements between both the predictions of the different methods themselves, and with the experimental data. There clearly remains a serious need for further development of theoretical methods for the prediction of electron impact excitation cross sections of both linear and polyatomic molecules.
Linewidth Enhancement Factor in InAs/GaAs Quantum Dot Lasers and Its Implication in Isolator-Free and Narrow Linewidth Applications

The linewidth enhancement factor ( $\alpha _\mathrm{H}$ ) is an important parameter for semiconductor lasers. In this paper, we investigate, both theoretically and experimentally, the key parameters that affect $\alpha _\mathrm{H}$ of InAs/GaAs quantum dot lasers. Both dot uniformity and doping density are found to be critical in achieving small $\alpha _\mathrm{H}$ in quantum dot lasers. The prospects for quantum dot lasers in isolator-free and narrow linewidth applications are also discussed.
Schedule-Induced Polydipsia: The Role of Orolingual Factors and a New Hypothesis

When a food-deprived animal is intermittently fed small amounts of food, it rapidly develops a tendency to ingest water immediately following the ingestion of each morsel (Falk, 1961, 1969). An appropriate choice of various parameters can lead these animals to ingest greatly excessive quantities of water. In one experiment, female rats with a mean free-feeding weight of 264 g were deprived of food until their body weights dropped to 70–80% of normal. When they were given the opportunity to bar-press for 45-mg dry food pellets on a variable-interval 1-min schedule, they ingested a mean of 92.5 ml of water per 3.17-hr session (Falk, 1961). Such quantities of intake are greatly excessive whether compared to the normal 24-hr intake or to the amount of water that would be ingested if the rats were allowed to eat the same amount of food ad libitum. This phenomenon, which is referred to as schedule-induced polydipsia or by the acronym SIP (Falk, 1964), can be explained neither in terms of traditional behavioral phenomena, such as adventitious reinforcement or timing behavior (Falk, 1969), nor in terms of water-regulatory variables, such as impaired renal concentrating ability or de facto water deprivation (Falk, 1969; Stricker and Adair, 1966).
The Kerner Commission Report: Did It Incentivize or Cause an Increase in the Production and Hiring of Black PhD Economists in Academia?:

Approximately 50 years ago, the Kerner Commission Report cited pervasive racial discrimination in training, education, and employment as a contributor to Black–White inequality and stratification i...
Trueness of Fit of Biphasic Transversely Isotropic Parameters Model in the Porcine Temporomandibular Joint Disc and Mandibular Condylar Cartilage and Regional Dependence.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders (TMDs) are not well understood and the mechanical differences between the regions of the mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC) and the TMJ disc have not been thoroughly compared. As of now, there are no commercially available regenerative therapies for the TMJ. Elucidating the mechanical properties of these two structures of the articulating joint will help future efforts in developing tissue engineering treatments of the TMJ. In this study, we evaluate the compressive properties of the porcine disc and mandibular condylar cartilage by performing unconfined compression at 10% strain with 4.5%/min strain rate. Punches (4 mm biopsy) from both tissues were taken from five different regions of both the MCC and TMJ: anterior, posterior, lateral, medial, and central. Previously, theoretical models of compression in the porcine tissue did not fit the whole ramp-relaxation behavior. Thus, the data stress-relaxation was fitted to the biphasic transversely isotropic model, for both the TMJ disc and cartilage. From the results found in the disc, it was found that the posterior region had the highest values in multiple viscoelastic parameters when compared to the other regions. The mandibular condylar cartilage was only found to be significantly different in the transverse modulus between the posterior and lateral regions. Both the TMJ disc and MCC had similar magnitudes of values (for the modulus and other corresponding compressive properties) and behavior under this testing modality.
Is there a gender gap in preschoolers’ competitiveness? An experiment in the U.S

Abstract We experimentally investigate the difference in competitiveness of 3–5 year-old boys and girls in the U.S. 123 children from a preschool are randomly matched into girl–girl, boy–boy, and boy–girl pairs of similar age and participate in a gender-neutral, competitive classroom activity using candy as an incentive. Children participate in a piece rate incentive scheme and a tournament incentive scheme in rounds 1 and 2, and select their preferred incentive scheme for round 3. We find that girls and boys choose to compete at equal rates – with 80% of children choosing to compete overall. We also find that girls’ output in the task is significantly lower than that of boys under the tournament scheme, but not different in round 3 for the girls and boys who self-select into the tournament. All children display a remarkable rate of confidence – 84% of children believe they won under the tournament scheme. The gender of the match does not play a significant role.
Food web controls on mercury fluxes and fate in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon

Mercury (Hg) biomagnification in aquatic food webs is a global concern; yet, the ways species traits and interactions mediate these fluxes remain poorly understood. Few pathways dominated Hg flux in the Colorado River despite large spatial differences in food web complexity, and fluxes were mediated by one functional trait, predation resistance. New Zealand mudsnails are predator resistant and a trophic dead end for Hg in food webs we studied. Fishes preferred blackflies, which accounted for 56 to 80% of Hg flux to fishes, even where blackflies were rare. Food web properties, i.e., match/mismatch between insect production and fish consumption, governed amounts of Hg retained in the river versus exported to land. An experimental flood redistributed Hg fluxes in the simplified tailwater food web, but not in complex downstream food webs. Recognizing that species traits, species interactions, and disturbance mediate contaminant exposure can improve risk management of linked aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems.
Planar cell polarity: moving from single cells to tissue-scale biology

Planar cell polarity (PCP) reflects cellular orientation within the plane of an epithelium. PCP is crucial during many biological patterning processes and for organ function. It is omnipresent, from convergent-extension mechanisms during early development through to terminal organogenesis, and it regulates many aspects of cell positioning and orientation during tissue morphogenesis, organ development and homeostasis. Suzanne Eaton used the power of Drosophila as a model system to study PCP, but her vision of, and impact on, PCP studies in flies translates to all animal models. As I highlight here, Suzanne's incorporation of quantitative biophysical studies of whole tissues, integrated with the detailed cell biology of PCP phenomena, completely changed how the field studies this intriguing feature. Moreover, Suzanne's impact on ongoing and future PCP studies is fundamental, long-lasting and transformative.
Development of a chromatography-free method for high-throughput MS-based bioanalysis of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.

Aim: Our objective was to test the feasibility of developing an LC-free, MS-based approach for high-throughput bioanalysis of humanized therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Methodology: A universal t...
Trends in Diabetes Treatment and Control in U.S. Adults, 1999-2018.

Abstract Background Documenting current trends in diabetes treatment and risk-factor control may inform public health policy and planning. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data fr...
Narrative-Based Learning Activities for Science Ethics Education: an Affordance Perspective

Boasting a wide range of interactive and engaging features, narrative-based learning has become increasingly popular in educational settings. Narrative-based instructional approaches engage students in a novel set of engaging experiences for educational purposes. Although it is not a new concept, the implications of narrative-based learning for science ethics education are still understudied in the learning sciences. In this paper, we use the concept of educational affordances to describe how educators and learners could utilize narrative-based learning activities for science ethics education. We illustrate our educational framework through the example of Frankenstein200 — a learning experience inspired by Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein. Based on short essays describing students’ perceptions of the Frankenstein200 experience, we propose that narrative-based learning activities afford the development of two distinct mental models: doing responsible science and being a responsible scientist. These mental models can serve as important tools for learners to develop a more concrete and elaborated understanding of science ethics. The framework will help educators create narrative-based learning experiences, activities, and artifacts to support their students’ engagement with science ethics across diverse mediums.