cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Will U.S. Homeowners Adopt Eco-Toilets?

AbstractOn Cape Cod, eco-toilets could help mitigate an existing pollution problem, but observed adoption rates have been extremely low. A household survey was used to examine primarily nonmonetary...
NFATc2 Modulates Microglial Activation in the AβPP/PS1 Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains are characterized by fibrillar amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide containing plaques and associated reactive microglia. The proinflammatory phenotype of the microglia suggests that they may negatively affect disease course and contribute to behavioral decline. This hypothesis predicts that attenuating microglial activation may provide benefit against disease. Prior work from our laboratory and others has characterized a role for the transcription factor, nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), in regulating microglial phenotype in response to different stimuli, including Aβ peptide. We observed that the NFATc2 isoform was the most highly expressed in murine microglia cultures, and inhibition or deletion of NFATc2 was sufficient to attenuate the ability of the microglia to secrete cytokines. In order to determine whether the NFATc2 isoform, in particular, was a valid immunomodulatory target in vivo, we crossed an NFATc2-/- line to a well-known AD mouse model, an AβPP/PS1 mouse line. As expected, the AβPP/PS1 x NFATc2-/- mice had attenuated cytokine levels compared to AβPP/PS1 mice as well as reduced microgliosis and astrogliosis with no effect on plaque load. Although some species differences in relative isoform expression may exist between murine and human microglia, it appears that microglial NFAT activity is a viable target for modulating the proinflammatory changes that occur during AD.
Differential Algebraic Methods in Feedforward Control Theory 1 1Supported by the US Department of Energy, Grant DEFG02-95ER40931.

Abstract Feedforward methods have often been met with concern in the field of control theory for a variety of reasons. One of them has been the lack of efficient and accurate methods for the computation of the inverse dynamics. In this paper we will take a new look at the problem of feedforward control and show how results from the field of differential algebraic methods can be used to obtain very accurate high-order inverses of functional relations. Together with sophisticated DA based ODE integration tools that allow differentiation of the solution with respect to parameters, this opens new opportunities for the application of feedforward methods in many control problems. The applicability of the method will be studied in detail with examples from autonomous feedforward control and time-dependent prescribed path problems. All presented methods have been implemented using the code COSY Infinity (Berz, 1997).
Ecocritical and Environmental Approaches: Teaching Victorian Poets and Novelists in the Age of the Internet

One value of studying the Victorians is that they connect the world of “new” historicism, formalism, and theory to an earlier pedagogy of close reading, literary biography, and “old” history. Tennyson has important connections to Darwinian thinking, while his knowledge of fossils and “Nature red in tooth and claw” contributes to ecocritical readings of many of his poems. Browning is environmentally significant for his careful attention to plants and animals, as well as his understanding of Darwin in a poem like “Caliban Upon Setebos.” Arnold’s masterpiece “Dover Beach” relies on a distinction between natural images of sea, beach, and tide and human weaknesses embodied in doubt, ambiguity, and uncertainty. Emphasis on “nature” and “the natural” helps students to appreciate aspects of the wilderness, animals, plants, and climate that will all play a crucial role in our shared future.
Student-centered learning approach in teaching basic grammar

The study determined the effect of student-centered learning approach in teaching basic grammar of the tenth-grade students. Specifically, this study sought answers to following questions: 1). How does the result of the pre-test compare to that of post-test of the control and experimental groups? 2). Is there any significant difference in the results of the test between the control and experimental groups? 3). What is student-centered teaching guide in basic grammar that can be developed based on the findings of the study? It was applied an experimental research design in this study. The result in the post-test of the control and experimental groups showed that the computed the T value of 3.03 was higher than the tabular value of 2.03, at the degree of freedom of 34, at 5% level of significance. This condition rejects the null hypothesis that there is no significant difference in the mean scores in the post-test of the control and experimental groups. The student-centered teaching guide enhanced the students’ writing skill in the basic grammar of the tenth-grade students in the experimental group .
Acute Management of Tension Pneumocephalus in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report.

Abstract Background Tension pneumocephalus is a rare but life-threatening condition in which air gains entry into the cranium and exerts mass effect on the brain, resulting in increased intracranial pressure. It occurs most frequently secondary to head trauma, particularly to the orbits or sinuses. Case Report A 13-year-old male sustained facial trauma from a motor vehicle collision and was found to have tension pneumocephalus on computer tomography. The patient underwent immediate rapid sequence intubation without preceding positive pressure ventilation in the emergency department. At the time of his craniotomy, the tension pneumocephalus was found to have resolved and he went on to have a complete recovery. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Any patient with facial or head trauma and pneumocephalus is at risk for the potential development of tension pneumocephalus. When present, we advocate that aggressive definitive airway management by rapid sequence intubation without preceding positive pressure ventilation and early surgical management should be prioritized.
Realistic lesion simulation: application of hyperelastic deformation to lesion-local environment in lung CT

Lesion simulation programs can be used to insert realistic, generated lesions into anatomical images for further study. Most lesion simulation programs rely on insertion of a mask within an otherwise unchangeable, i.e., static surrounding—in reality, lesions deform their immediate surroundings. The goal of the current study was to develop a lesion model based on realistic morphology, but with additional hyperelastic modification of the lesion-local environment in accordance with lesion morphology and location. Physical displacement of the existing tissue was modeled by finite element application of hyperelastic theory to a lung tissue segmentation, incorporating the material properties for both parenchymal and stromal tissue. An observer study was conducted with the data generated from this model to ascertain the realism of hyperelastic and static lesion insertions compared to real lesions. The comparisons were characterized in terms of the area under the ROC curve, AUC. The results indicate that observers are less able to distinguish between hyperelastically-inserted lesions and real ones (AUCe0.62) compared to statically-inserted lesions (AUCe0.75). The findings indicate that hyperelastic deformation offers an improvement in the realism of simulated lesions in CT imaging.
Multi-parametric MRI guided dose escalated radiotherapy for treatment of localized prostate cancer (PCa): Initial toxicity results of a prospective phase II trial.

25Background: Multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) of PCa uses advanced sequences to detect aggressive, high grade and bulky lesions. Given known advantages of hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) to treat PCa (low a/b ratio), we conducted a phase II trial to escalate a high dose to mpMRI lesion(s) via Image-Guided (IG)-RT/Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT)/Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) technology. We present the acute toxicity results of this novel approach. Methods: 22 pts with mpMRI lesion(s) were prospectively treated to a course of IGRT/VMAT to the prostate & seminal vesicle +/- pelvic lymph nodes (PLN) to a dose of 45 Gy in 25 fractions followed by SBRT boost, 18 Gy in 3 fraction to the prostate with a simultaneous integrated boost 21 Gy in 3 fractions (EQD2 = 85.2 Gy using a/b 3 or 93.4 Gy using a/b 1.5) to the mpMRI prostatic lesion(s). Placement of 3 polymer based fiducial markers visible in both CT and MRI for image co-registration and treatment guidance was performed. Genitourinary (GU) and gastrointe...
Sodium bis­(ethyl­enedi­amine)­copper(II) tetra­cyanido­cuprate(I)

The title compound, Na[Cu(en)2][Cu(CN)4], where en represents ethyl­enedi­amine, NH2CH2CH2NH2, crystallizes as a salt with two distinct cations, Na+ and [CuIIen2]2+, and discrete [CuI(CN)4]3− anions. The anion geometry is tetra­hedral, with angles at the copper atom ranging from 105.0 (1) to 115.4 (1)°. The Cu—C distances are in the range 1.976 (3) to 1.993 (3) A. The divalent copper atom is coordinated by four N atoms of the two bidentate en ligands in a slightly distorted square-planar geometry. In the crystal, each sodium ion inter­acts with cyanide N atoms of four different anions, with Na—N distances lying in the narrow range of 2.344 (3) to 2.367 (3) A, and an approximately tetra­hedral arrangement around the sodium ions. The inter­acting sodium ions and [CuI(CN)4]3− anions form a three-dimensional network with channels which contain the [Cu(en)2]2+ cations. One of the chelate rings in the cation shows partial disorder between two different conformations and the C atoms were refined with occupancies in the ratio 0.817 (15):0.183 (15).
Justification of Necessary Optimality Conditions for Certain Integral Functionals

We consider the justification of formally obtained first order optimality conditions to be satisfied by the minimizer of an integral functional. The functionals with which we are concerned need not be convex and are not differentiable. The principal hypothesis (H1) is merely that the integrand be “locally smooth where finite.”
Energy Flows in a Quasi-Isobaric Fusion Reactor: Part I, Magnetohydrodynamic Equilibria

The dominant mechanics of energy flow in a novel magnetic confinement device have been examined. The plasma is contained in the space between two concentric cylinders. There is uniformity in the direction parallel to the curved surfaces of the cylinders, i.e., the toroidal direction, and the confining magnetic field is purely toroidal. The plasma has a rectangular cross section, bounded by a planar electrode at one end and a thermionic emitter at the other, and cylindrical walls inside and outside. There is a modest pressure gradient, i.e., NT [approx equal] constant. The temperature is high in the core of the plasma, where fusion occurs, but falls to low values near the walls and end-plates. It is hoped that the quasi-isobaric character will eliminate or reduce serious instabilities and that plasma behavior will be near classical. The high-N, low-T periphery should reduce damage to the walls from energetic plasma particles. The contributions of alpha-particle slowing down, electron cyclotron radiation transport, atomic processes, bremsstrahlung, conduction, convection, and heat exchange between electrons and ions to the energy balance in the plasma have been evaluated. Radio-frequency heating using waves in the lower hybrid range can balance the differential energy equations for electrons and ions more » throughout the plasma. For a device producing 125 MW of fusion power, there is a class of magnetohydrodynamic equilibria that is energetically sustainable, with Q[sub dt] [approx equal] 0.3. The inner and outer radii and height of the reactor are 31.4, 38.7, and 7.3 m, respectively. A high magnetic field is required, in the range of 20 to 40 T. The temperature T rises from 200 eV near the walls to 2.7 keV in the fusion core, where N[sub c] [approx equal] 1.5 x 10[sup 14] cm[sup [minus]3]. This device may be acceptable as the fusion driver of a fusion-fission hybrid reactor. 18 refs., 12 figs., 3 tabs. « less
Integration of Thalamic Inputs to Cat Primary Visual Cortex

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the functional organization of the geniculocortical pathway in the cat with respect to the response properties of layer 4 simple cells. It reviews the experiments that have examined the specificity and strength of geniculate inputs to layer 4 neurons. Geniculate cells provide synaptic input to simple cells only when their receptive fields spatially overlap a simple receptive field and match the sign (on or off) of the overlapping sub-region. This thalamic input is sufficient to account for the orientation selectivity (and perhaps direction selectivity) of simple cells. However, the thalamic input alone cannot account for all of the excitatory drive to a simple cell; approximately 50%–70% of the drive to a simple cell comes from intracortical sources. Intracellular investigations performed in vivo provide an increasingly mechanistic understanding of the three major influences on simple-cell function: thalamocortical excitation, intracortical inhibition, and intracortical excitation. Of the three, thalamocortical excitation is certainly the best understood. New evidence for the push–pull model underscores the central role played by inhibition in the organization of on and off sub-regions.
Risk of second malignancies in breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy: A SEER analysis.

1565Background: Chemotherapy agents used in breast cancer have carcinogenic potential and can cause malignancies. Patients with breast cancer could also be at risk for a second malignancy as well. ...
Going the distance: Neocentromeres make long-range contacts with heterochromatin

Neocentromeres are ectopic centromeres that form at noncanonical, usually nonrepetitive, genomic locations. Nishimura et al. (2019. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201805003) explore the three-dimensional architecture of vertebrate neocentromeres, leading to a model for centromere function and maintenance via nuclear clustering with heterochromatin.
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of a novel antitumor wortmannin analogue inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase

4752 Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI-3-K) is activated by a wide range of growth factor receptors and oncogenic protein-tyrosine kinases as well as by p21Ras. Constitutive activation of PI-3-K occurs in human small cell lung cancer and in approximately 40% of human ovarian, head and neck, urinary tract and cervical cancers. The major mechanism for the oncogenic activity of PI-3-K is its role in survival signaling to prevent apoptosis through the down stream activation of PH domain-containing proteins such as Akt. PI-3-K signaling activity is attenuated by PTEN, a tumor suppressor that is lost in many human cancers. Thus, PI-3-K is a drug target to inhibit cancer cell survival signaling pathway and to compensate for lost PTEN. A PI-3-K inhibitor would be predicted to have antitumor activity and to potentiate the sensitivity of cancer cells to radiation and chemotherapy. We have previously reported that the irreversible PI-3-K inhibitor wortmannin has oral antitumor activity in animal models. Wortmannin is a highly reactive compound that cannot be detected in plasma after parenteral administration and causes toxicity, primarily to the liver. From screen of over 300 wortmannin analogues we have identified a wortmannin analogue that retains potent PI-3-K inhibitory activity with an IC50 of 10 nM against immunoprecipitated enzyme and an IC50 of 25 nM in EGF stimulated HT-29 colon cancer cells measured by phospho-Akt inhibition. DJM-166 is less reactive than wortmannin and has considerably decreased liver toxicity in mice. DJM-166 shows antitumor activity against a number of human tumor xenografts including established (100 mm3) OvCar-3 ovarian cancer that shows over expression of PI-3-K (DJM-166 8 mg/kg ip QD x 9, log10 cell kill= 1.2) and additive activity with radiation (DJM-166 12.5 mg/kg QD x 5, 2 hr before 1 Gy radiation, log10 cell kill from 0.6 to 1.6). DJM-166, has been subjected to pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) studies in mice. A HPLC/mass spectrometric assay was developed for PK studies DJM-166 in plasma. Following iv administration to mice at 10 mg/kg the peak plasma concentration was 1.9 μg/ml and half life 19.5 min. Oral administration of the same dose of DJM-166 gave barely detectable plasma DJM-166 concentrations around 0.1 μg/ml. PD studies showed that a single iv dose of DJM-166 at 10 mg/kg inhibited HT-29 tumor xenograft phopsho-Akt a maximum of 67.5 ± 5.0 % at 10 hr and recovery by 48 hr. The same dose of DJM-166 administered orally gave a maximum inhibition of 78.3 ± 1.8 % at 24 hr and remained at 69.0 ± 9.0 % at 48 hr. There was also inhibition of phospho-GSK-3, a down stream target of Akt. The work shows that DJM-166 causes pronounced inhibition of tumor xeonograft PI-3-K signaling and has antitumor activity. DJM-166 appears to be metabolized to active metabolite(s) especially after oral administration. Supported by CA52995 and CA90821
Serine and Methionine Metabolism: Vulnerabilities in Lethal Prostate Cancer.

Altered metabolism is a common feature of new and recurring malignancy. In this issue of Cancer Cell, Reina-Campos and colleagues report upregulation of the serine, glycine, one-carbon (SGOC) metabolic network is required for neuroendocrine prostate cancer, a castration-resistant aggressive form of the disease, and presents a targetable vulnerability.
Association of osteoarthritis and pain with Alzheimer's Diseases and Related Dementias among older adults in the United States.

Summary Background Emerging evidence suggests that Pain Interference (PI) and certain chronic pain conditions, including Osteoarthritis (OA) may be associated with risk for Alzheimer's disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). However, research exploring the relation of OA and PI to ADRD remains sparse. Objective To assess the association of OA and PI to ADRD using cross-sectional data from a representative sample of USA adults aged ≥65 years. Design Retrospective cross-sectional. Study sample Older adults (age ≥ 65 years) drawn from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS, 2009–2015). Methods OA was identified using both medical conditions files and participant responses to arthritis-specific queries. ADRD was ascertained using the medical conditions files. PI was defined as reported frequent PI with normal activities (PIA). OA and PIA were categorized as a composite variable: 1) OA with PIA; 2) OA without PIA; 3) No OA with PIA; and 4) No OA and no PIA (reference group). Adjusted associations of OA and PIA to ADRD were assessed using logistic regression and adjusted for biological, demographic, socio-economic, lifestyle, and health conditions. Results Overall, 27.1% had OA, of whom 47.6 % reported PIA vs 31.1% of those without OA; 2.8% had diagnosed ADRD. Adults with PIA either with or without OA had significantly higher odds of ADRD relative to those without OA or PIA (Adjusted odd ratios (AOR's) = 1.37, 95%CI – 1.01, 1.86 (p = 0.04) and 1.44, 95%CI – 1.13, 1.82 (p = 0.003), respectively). Conclusion PIA in both the presence and absence of OA remained significantly and positively associated with ADRD after adjustment for multiple confounders.
Readability of Patient Education Materials in Radiation Oncology-Are We Improving?

Abstract Purpose Prior research suggests that patient education materials on radiation therapy from various professional groups are written at reading levels above national recommendations of sixth to eighth grade. Since publication of these initial findings, many materials from these sources have been updated or newly created. However, the extent to which readability was considered in the design of these new documents remains unknown. Therefore, the goal of this investigation was to evaluate readability of online education materials for radiation therapy, comparing readability of updated materials with those included in the previous study. Methods and Materials Patient education materials related to radiation oncology were identified from websites of the 3 professional societies used in the original investigation (the American College of Radiology, the American Cancer Society, and the American Society for Radiation Oncology). The documents included in the first analysis were used as a comparator. To allow for accurate evaluation across groups, materials were matched by content; when necessary, documents were combined from the original cohort to create topically equivalent materials to reflect those currently available on society websites. Identified materials were analyzed using 7 validated readability indices, and results are reported in grade-level equivalents. Original materials were also reanalyzed with the same method. Results American Cancer Society materials had the lowest average baseline levels (9.4-11.3 grade level) and showed improved readability in the more recent materials (8.0-10.5 grade level). By contrast, the American Society for Radiation Oncology materials had high average baseline readability levels (11.1-13.9 grade level) that actually worsened in the more recent materials (11.7-16.2 grade level). The number of documents meeting national recommendations did not improve in the updated cohort. Conclusion Despite evidence that readability levels of patient education materials in radiation oncology are unacceptably high, the readability of newly created materials is not consistently improving across professional societies. Although certain groups may incorporate readability in the design of educational documents, more consistent consideration across all organizations is needed.
Evaluation of Pavement Performance due to Overload Single-Trip Permit Truck Traffic in Wisconsin

This study investigated the impacts of overweight (OW) permit truck traffic on flexible pavement performance in Wisconsin using field investigation and analysis utilizing the AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design software. A database of overweight single-trip permit truck records was analysed to produce a network of Wisconsin corridors heavily travelled by OW trucks. Four Wisconsin highways were selected for investigation due to high levels of OW truck traffic. The research included field work (traffic counts and visual pavement surface distress surveys) and AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design. Comprehensive analyses were conducted to evaluate pavement performance due to normal traffic loads as well as normal traffic loads plus the OW truck traffic loads. The use of mechanistic-empirical (ME) pavement analyses provided a methodology for estimating the proportion of pavement deterioration attributable to OW truck traffic. OW axle load distributions were developed and integrated with baseline truck traffic levels to develop axle load spectra and other traffic input parameters for the ME pavement analysis. The predicted total pavement deterioration levels from the AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design software were generally consistent with the levels of deterioration observed. The proportion of pavement damage and deterioration attributable to OW truck traffic was predicted to constitute a relatively minor proportion of total deterioration, with most distress indices showing relative increases of approximately 0.5% to 4%, with a few outliers. However, due to the small proportion of OW vehicles relative to the overall traffic levels, the OW vehicles were generally predicted to cause up to ten times the per-truck damage as compared with a typical legal-weight truck, depending on the distress mode and the test site.
Progress for National Autonomy: An Outline of a Theory of Civilization (Bunmeiron no gairyaku)

This chapter focuses on Fukuzawa’s masterpiece, An Outline of a Theory of Civilization. Keeping a more academic audience in mind, Fukuzawa tried in this work to theorize his understanding of “progress” and the difference between “barbarism” and “civilization.” In addition to introducing the idea of progress, which did not yet exist in East Asia, Fukuzawa identified ideal progress with his liberal vision of the completion of individual autonomy. The work left an enduring impact on early Meiji politics by attacking the prevailing belief in retaining the “Japanese spirit” while selectively accepting the technological novelties of Western civilization, represented by the slogan “Japanese spirit, Western practice.” Fukuzawa, instead, suggested that Japan should accept liberalism as the foundation of modernization and retain the practical side of the Japanese tradition.
Feeding Infants and Toddlers: A Qualitative Study to Determine Parental Education Needs.

Abstract Background: Limited evidence-based guidance is available to parents regarding optimal child feeding practices to prevent early childhood obesity from birth to 24 months of age (B–24). The ...
Revision Joint Arthroplasty and Renal Transplant: A Matched Control Cohort Study

Abstract Background There is little literature concerning clinical outcomes following revision joint arthroplasty in solid organ transplant recipients. The aims of this study are to (1) analyze postoperative outcomes and mortality following revision hip and knee arthroplasty in renal transplant recipients (RTRs) compared to non-RTRs and (2) characterize common indications and types of revision procedures among RTRs. Methods A retrospective Medicare database review identified 1020 RTRs who underwent revision joint arthroplasty (359 revision total knee arthroplasty [TKA] and 661 revision total hip arthroplasty [THA]) from 2005 to 2014. RTRs were compared to their respective matched control groups of nontransplant revision arthroplasty patients for hospital length of stay, readmission, major medical complications, infections, septicemia, and mortality following revision. Results Renal transplantation was significantly associated with increased length of stay (6.12 ± 7.86 vs 4.33 ± 4.29, P Conclusion Prior renal transplantation among revision joint arthroplasty patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality when compared to nontransplant recipients.
Nitrogen application effects on forage sorghum production and nitrate concentration

Forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is an important annual forage crop but prone to high nitrate concentration which can cause toxicity when fed to cattle (Bos taurus and Bos indicus). Two...
Effectiveness of Combined Behavioral and Drug Therapy for Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Men: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance First-line behavioral and drug therapies for overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms in men are effective but not usually curative. Objective To determine whether combining behavioral and drug therapies improves outcomes compared with each therapy alone for OAB in men and to compare 3 sequences for implementing combined therapy. Design, Setting, and Participants In this 3-site, 2-stage, 3-arm randomized clinical trial, participants were randomized to 6 weeks of behavioral therapy alone, drug therapy alone, or combined therapy followed by step-up to 6 weeks of combined therapy for all groups. Participants were recruited from 3 outpatient clinics and included community-dwelling men 40 years or older with urinary urgency and 9 or more voids per 24 hours. Data were collected from July 2010 to July 2015 and analyzed from April 2016 to September 2019. Interventions Behavioral therapy consisted of pelvic floor muscle training with urge suppression strategies and delayed voiding. Drug therapy included an antimuscarinic (sustained-release tolterodine, 4 mg) plus an α-blocker (tamsulosin, 0.4 mg). Main Outcomes and Measures Seven-day bladder diaries completed before and after each 6-week treatment stage were used to calculate reduction in frequency of urination (primary outcome) and other symptoms (ie, urgency, urgency incontinence, and nocturia). Other secondary outcomes included validated patient global ratings of improvement and satisfaction, Overactive Bladder Questionnaire score, and International Prostate Symptom Score. Results Of the 204 included men, 133 (65.2%) were white, and the mean (SD) age was 64.1 (11.1) years. A total of 21 men discontinued treatment and 183 completed treatment. Mean (SD) voids per 24 hours decreased significantly in all 3 groups from baseline to 6-week follow-up (behavioral therapy: 11.7 [2.4] vs 8.8 [2.1]; change, 2.9 [2.4]; percentage change, 24.7%;P Conclusions and Relevance Combining behavioral and drug therapy yields greater improvements in OAB symptoms than drug therapy alone but not behavioral therapy alone. When using a stepped approach, it is reasonable to begin with behavioral therapy alone. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier:NCT01175382
Clarifying the Identity of the Enigmatic Mistletoe Cladocolea biflora (Loranthaceae)

Since its description almost 40 years ago, the mistletoe Cladocolea biflora (Loranthaceae) has been considered an extraordinary species due to its combinations of unique morphological characters, which made it difficult to confidently assign it to any of the extant genera of Neotropical Loranthaceae. In this contribution, we propose that the specimen from which C. biflora was described does not represent a mistletoe but instead the hemiparasitic tree Schoepfia schreberi (Schoepfiaceae). Morphological characters evaluated to justify this decision and taxonomic implications are discussed, and a synonymization of C. biflora under S. schreberi is proposed.
Three-level Gate Driving Method for Inrush Current Suppression in a Hybrid Si+SiC based Transformer-Less Medium Voltage PV Inverter

The transformer-less medium voltage (MV) photovoltaic (PV) inverter based on a five-level (5L) decoupled active neutral point clamped (DANPC) converter using hybrid “Si-IGBTs and SiC-MOSFETs” has benefits including low cost, high efficiency, simple control and improved thermal balance. However, it suffers the inrush current caused by the voltage difference on the dc-link capacitors. This paper proposes a three-level (3L) gate driving method to increase IGBT's damping to suppress the inrush current and improve the inrush energy loss distribution. Utilizing the gate loop's RC characteristic, proposed 3L gate driving method can be implemented on the conventional two-level (2L) gate driver hardware. Proposed 3L gate driving method is verified by simulation and experimental results.
Assessing the Heterogeneity of Cardiac Non-myocytes and the Effect of Cell Culture with Integrative Single Cell Analysis

Abstract Cardiac non-myocytes comprise a diverse and crucial cell population in the heart that plays dynamic roles in cardiac wound healing and growth. Non-myocytes broadly fall into four cell types: endothelium, fibroblasts, leukocytes, and pericytes. Here we characterize the diversity of the non-myocytes in vivo and in vitro using mass cytometry. By leveraging single-cell RNA sequencing we inform the design of a mass cytometry panel. To aid in annotation of the mass cytometry datasets, we utilize data integration with a neural network. We introduce approximately 460,000∼ single cell proteomes of non-myocytes as well as 5,000∼ CD31 negative single cell transcriptomes. Using our data, as well as previously reported datasets, we characterize cardiac non-myocytes with high depth in six mice, characterizing novel surface markers (CD9, CD200, Notch3, and FolR2). Further, we find that extended cell culture promotes the proliferation of CD45+CD11b+FolR2+IAIE- myeloid cells in addition to fibroblasts.
Comparing Surgeon Approaches to Patient-Centered Cancer Care Using Vignette Methodology

We sought to characterize surgeon perceptions of patient attachment-related behaviors relative to patient-centered approaches during treatment decision-making within the clinical encounter. An online survey including clinical vignettes was sent to board-certified surgeons to assess their approach to patient-centered treatment decision-making. Within these vignettes, patient behaviors associated with attachment styles (secure vs 3 insecure subtypes: avoidant, anxious, and fearful) were fixed and patient factors (age, race, occupation, and gender) were randomized. Analysis included repeated measures mixed-effects linear regression. Among the 208 respondents, the majority were male (65.4%) and White/Caucasian (84.5%) with an average age of 51.6 years (SD = 9.9). Most surgeons had been in practice for more than 10 years (66.8%) and treated adult patients (77.4%). Surgical specializations included breast (27.2%), HPB (35.0%), and broad-based/general (21.8%). Patient race, age, and gender did not impact surgeons’ patient-centered approach to treatment decision-making (all ps > 0.05). However, when the “patient” had a white collar occupation and were securely attached, surgeons reported a greater likeliness to spend equal time presenting all treatment options (p = 0.02 and p < 0.001, respectively) and believe the patient wanted an active role in decision-making (p = 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively). Surgeons reported being least likely to agree with a patient’s treatment decision (p < 0.001) and an increased likelihood of being directive (p = 0.002) when patients exhibited behaviors associated with avoidant attachment. Attachment-related behaviors were associated with differences in surgeon approaches to patient-centered decision-making. Attachment styles may offer a framework for providers to understand patient behaviors and needs, thereby providing insight on how to tailor their approach and provide optimal patient-centered care.
Perceived Message Effectiveness and Campaign-Targeted Beliefs: Evidence of Reciprocal Effects in Youth Tobacco Prevention.

Perceived message effectiveness (PE) has been widely used in campaign formative research and evaluation. The relationship between PE and actual message effectiveness (AE) is often assumed to be cau...
Trends in Health and Wellness Peer Educator Training: A Five-Year Analysis.

This study explored trends in health and wellness peer educator training using five years of data from a multi-institutional study. Findings indicated training increased among 17 health and wellnes...
Spatial delineation of rock types in the Meramec Formation by integrating core and seismic measurements, Loyal area, Kingfisher County, Anadarko Basin

AbstractThe Mississippian-age Sooner Trend Anadarko Canadian Kingfisher (STACK) area of Oklahoma is one of the more important new resource plays in North America. It consists of multilevel drilling...
The impact of statin therapy and aerobic exercise training on skeletal muscle and whole-body aerobic capacity.

Abstract Background Statin use is widely recognized for improving cardiovascular health, but questions remain on how statin use influences skeletal muscle, particularly mitochondrial function. Study objective, design and participants The influence of statin therapy and exercise (EX) on aerobic capacity was determined. In Study1, skeletal muscle aerobic capacity was measured before and after 80 mg atorvastatin therapy. In Study2, aerobic capacity (skeletal muscle and whole body) was measured before and after a 12-week exercise randomized control trial in older adults (age = 67 ± 5 yrs.), a subset of which were on chronic low-moderate intensity statin therapy. Main outcome measures Muscle oxidative capacity was determined from the phosphocreatine recovery rate constant (kPCr) using 31P Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Whole body peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) was measured during a graded exercise test with indirect calorimetry. Results High dose statin therapy resulted in a 12% reduction in muscle oxidative capacity (pre = 1.34 ± 0.34 min−1, post = 1.17 ± 0.25 min−1, p = 0.004). Similarly, chronic low-moderate dose statin therapy was associated with lower muscle oxidative capacity at baseline (1.50 ± 0.35 min−1) compared to non-statin users (1.88 ± 0.047 min−1, p = 0.019). Following EX, muscle oxidative capacity increased by 35–40% (statin: Pre: 1.39 ± 0.44 vs. Post: 1.88 ± 0.47 min−1, no statin Pre: 1.86 ± 0.58 vs. Post: 2.58 ± 0.85 min−1) compared to control groups (Pre: 1.74 ± 0.27 vs Post: 1.75 ± 0.49 min−1, p = 0.001). VO2 peak increased by 11% for EX groups (Pre: 18.8 ± 2.8 vs. Post: 20.8 ± 3.0 ml·kg−1·min−1) following training compared to a small decline in controls (Pre: 21.8 ± 3.7 vs. Post: 20.8 ± 3.04 ml·kg−1·min−1, p = 0.001). Conclusions Statin therapy resulted in reduced muscle oxidative capacity. Aerobic exercise improved skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and whole-body aerobic capacity during statin therapy.
Frequency-aware Trajectory and Power Control for Multi-UAV Systems

Deploying large numbers of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within a region can result in an overcrowded radio frequency (RF) spectrum, requiring UAVs to coordinate frequency selection and mobility to prevent data loss. Current work in interference coordination for multi-UAV systems reduces interference through the use of either trajectory and power control or channel assignments, but not both. We propose a novel controller which selects channels, creates trajectories, and controls transmit power for each UAV to increase the networking capacity of a multi-UAV system. Results show that the proposed controller yields 27% increased network capacity over state of the art UAV frequency reuse algorithms, 152% increased network capacity over state of the art UAV trajectory and power controllers, and 135% faster control overall.
Time Series Forecasting of Global Price of Soybeans using a Hybrid SARIMA and NARNN Model: Time Series Forecasting of Global Price of Soybeans

Global price of soybeans has a big impact because of the trade war between the U.S. and China. Under this circumstance, price forecast is vital to facilitate efficient decisions and will play a major role in coordinating the supply and demand of soybeans globally. Hence, the primary purpose of this study was to demonstrate the role of time series models in predicting process using the time series data of monthly global price of soybeans from January 1990 to January 2021. The SARIMA and NARNN models are good at modelling linear and nonlinear problems for the time series, respectively. However, using the hybrid model, a combination of the SARIMA and NARNN models has both linear and nonlinear modelling capabilities, can be a better choice for modelling the time series. The comparative results revealed that the Hybrid-LM model with 8 neurons in the hidden layer and 3 time delays yielded higher accuracy than the NARNN-LM model with 8 neurons in the hidden layer and 3 time delays, and the SARIMA, ARIMA(0,1,3)(0,0,2)12, model, according to its lowest MSE in this study. Thus, this study may provide an integrated modelling approach as a decision-making supportive method for formulating price forecast of soybeans for the global soybean market.
Accurate Detection and Quantification of FLT3 Internal Tandem Duplications in Clinical Hybrid Capture Next-Generation Sequencing Data.

FLT3 internal tandem duplications (ITDs) are found in approximately one-third of patients with acute myeloid leukemia and have important prognostic and therapeutic implications that have supported their assessment in routine clinical practice. Conventional methods for assessing FLT3-ITD status and allele burden have been primarily limited to PCR fragment size analysis because of the inherent difficulty in detecting large ITD variants by next-generation sequencing (NGS). In this study, we assess the performance of publicly available bioinformatic tools for the detection and quantification of FLT3-ITDs in clinical hybridization-capture NGS data. We found that FLT3_ITD_ext had the highest overall accuracy for detecting FLT3-ITDs and was able to accurately quantify allele burden. Although all other tools evaluated were able to detect FLT3-ITDs reasonably well, allele burden was consistently underestimated. We were able to significantly improve quantification of FLT3-ITD allelic burden independent of the detection method by utilizing soft-clipped reads and/or ITD junctional sequences. In addition, we show that identifying mutant reads by previously identified junctional sequences further improves the sensitivity of detecting FLT3-ITDs in post-treatment samples. Our results demonstrate that FLT3-ITDs can be reliably detected in clinical NGS data using available bioinformatic tools. We further describe how accurate quantification of FLT3-ITD allele burden can be added on to existing clinical NGS pipelines for routine assessment of FLT3-ITD status in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
Split Interest Valuation: The Devil is in the Detail

Each item of property included in a decedent’s gross estate is valued at the time of decedent’s death. The fair market value of an item of property included in gross estate is “the price at which the property would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, neither being under any compulsion to buy or sell and both having a reasonable knowledge of relevant facts.” The Regulations under IRC § 2031 contain substantial guidance on application of this standard. For example, specific rules and methods apply to valuation of stocks, notes, bonds, interests in a business, and household personal effects. Complications, however, arise when an asset that is transferred is split into more than one interest. For example, if a donor seeks to gift or bequest an annuity for life, income interest for life, or a corresponding remainder interest, the value of each is dependent upon an estimation of the remaining years of life of the life interest holder. Valuation of such “partial” or “split” interests in a single asset requires knowledge of the lifespan of the relevant interest holder or the specific term which the interest will be held. The closest that we can come to determining the length of a human lifespan is an actuarial determination or estimation of the lifespan of the relevant individual. Without assistance from the IRS or the Treasury, taxpayers imposed upon by the IRC to value a partial interest in property for a person’s life must engage a professional actuary to perform a statistical calculation of risk or life expectancy for valuation purposes. However, requiring such a valuation in every instance of a gift would be expensive, inefficient and time consuming.
Adhesive force measurement between HOPG and zinc oxide as an indicator for interfacial bonding of carbon fiber composites.

Vertically aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires have recently been utilized as an interphase to increase the interfacial strength of carbon fiber composites. It was shown that the interaction between the carbon fiber and the ZnO nanowires was a critical parameter in adhesion; however, fiber based testing techniques are dominated by local defects and cannot be used to effectively study the bonding interaction directly. Here, the strength of the interface between ZnO and graphitic carbon is directly measured with atomic force microscopy (AFM) using oxygen plasma treated highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and an AFM tip coated with ZnO nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis is used to compare the surface chemistry of HOPG and carbon fiber and to quantify the presence of various oxygen functional groups. An indirect measurement of the interfacial strength is then performed through single fiber fragmentation testing (SFF) on functionalized carbon fibers coated with ZnO nanowires to valid...
Agency costs of free cash flow and conditional conservatism

Abstract This study investigates whether agency costs of free cash flow (FCF) are associated with conditional conservatism. Prior research documents that conditional conservatism improves ex ante efficient investment decisions and facilitates ex post monitoring of managers’ investment decisions. As conditional conservatism can provide protection from possible managerial expropriation, the demand for conditional conservatism should increase with the agency costs of FCF. Using excess cash as a proxy for the agency costs of FCF, I provide evidence that firms with higher agency costs of FCF incorporate losses in a timelier manner relative to gains compared to their counterparts. Additionally, the association between excess cash and conditional conservatism predictably varies with the presence of alternative monitoring mechanisms that mitigate FCF problems, such as debt or dividend payouts or repurchases. Further investigation suggests that greater conservatism is associated with a lower likelihood of overinvestment among firms bearing high agency costs of FCF, demonstrating the ability of conservatism to reduce agency costs of FCF.
Empirical Damping Constants for Sands and Clays

The results of a laboratory investigation of the damping properties of saturated sands and clays of relatively high plasticity are reported. An effort is made to relate these damping properties to common physical properties of the soils tested. A series of dynamic (impact) and static tests were performed on a variety of sand and clay soils. The sands varied in grain size and grain shape, and the clays varied in plasticity and moisture content. Velocity of sample deformation, peak dynamic loads, and peak static loads were measured so that damping constants for the soils could be evaluated. A mathematical model in current use which describes soil action at the point of a pile is examined. The model is used in wave equation studies of piling behavior. A modification of this model is made in order to achieve a constant damping value over the full range of loading velocities. Damping constants are evaluated for all soils tested. The damping constant is related to void ratio and effective angle of internal shearing resistance in sands, and moisture content and liquidity index in clays.
Diaspora, Migration, and Globalization: Expanding the Discourse of Adult Education.

This article explores how notions of diaspora, migration, and globalization intersect to inform identities and social realities of those who leave their homeland and resettle in other nations. It calls for expanding the discourse of adult education to incorporate critical studies of the diaspora to make visible the inequality and imbalance of power inherent in the process of migration and resettlement.
The influence of vadose zone conditions on groundwater pollution: Part I: Basic principles and static conditions

Abstract The significance of the vadose soil zone (i.e., above a water table) is of the utmost importance in groundwater pollution problems. Much of this zone is unsaturated, such that fluid movement and contaminant attenuation conditions are favorable for mitigation of aquifer pollution. In this paper, the basic principles of moisture retention and the implications for leachate control are described in a state-of-the-art format. To illustrate the use of these concepts six generalized examples are presented. They cover a wide range of practical situations, including: • vadose zone storage • land treatment of wastewater and sludges • waste dewatering • hydrocarbon spill storage • capillary break situations • air and water drainage under liners Since this paper treats only the static condition, a companion paper will be offered shortly dealing with leachate flow and seepage in a wide range of applications.
Critical Action Research with Urban Youth: Studying Social Reality Through Mathematics

Th is paper describes a long-term action research project (over 15 years) on critical mathematics—a study of urban, public school students (ages 11 to 19 ) in the U.S. who used and learned mathematics to simultaneously learn about their social reality. Two major questions were: How does one teach critical mathematics? and What do students learn? Th e theoretical framework builds on Paulo Freire’s concepts, epistemology, and theory of political change. Th e settings were two schools in low-in- come, working class Latino and African American communities. Students were active co-research participants and contributed to every aspect of the project.
Test techniques for model development of repetitive service energy storage capacitors

Advanced development in repetitive pulse capacitor technology has produced new testing requirements that include high-average power modulator test platforms and developed instrumentation.