cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 660pW multi-stage temperature-compensated timer for ultra-low-power wireless sensor node synchronization

Recent work in ultra-low-power sensor platforms has enabled a number of new applications in medical, infrastructure, and environmental monitoring. Due to their limited energy storage volume, these sensors operate with long idle times and ultra-low standby power ranging from 10s of nW down to 100s of pW [1–2]. Since radio transmission is relatively expensive, even at the lowest reported power of 0.2mW [3], wireless communication between sensor nodes must be performed infrequently. Accurate measurement of the time interval between communication events (i.e. the synchronization cycle) is of great importance. Inaccuracy in the synchronization cycle time results in a longer period of uncertainty where sensor nodes are required to enable their radios to establish communication (Fig. 2.7.1), quickly making radios dominate the energy budget. Quartz crystal oscillators and CMOS harmonic oscillators exhibit very small sensitivity to supply voltage and temperature [4] but cannot be used in the target application space since they operate at very high frequencies and exhibit power consumption that is several orders of magnitude larger (>300nW) than the needed idle power. A gate-leakage-based timer was proposed [5] that leveraged small gate leakage currents to achieve power consumption within the required budget (< 1nW). However, this timer incurs high RMS jitter (1400ppm) and temperature sensitivity (0.16%/oC). A 150pW program-and-hold timer was proposed [6] to reduce temperature sensitivity but its drifting clock frequency limits its use for synchronization. The quality of a timer is not captured well by RMS jitter since it ignores the averaging of jitter over multiple timer clock periods in a single synchronization cycle. Instead, we propose the uncertainty in a single synchronization cycle of length T as new metric and use this synchronization uncertainty (SU) to evaluate different timer approaches. The timer period is a random variable X(n), with mean and sigma, μ and σ. Given a synchronization cycle time T, consisting of N timer periods, we define SU as the standard deviation of T as given by √T/μ × σ, assuming X(n) is Gaussian. Note that a smaller clock period increases N and results in more averaging and a lower SU with fixed jitter (σ/μ).
Causal Attributions of Depression: Reliability of the “Causal Dimension Scale” in Research on Clinical Inference

This article presents estimates of internal consistency for the Causal Dimension Scale, recently developed to measure causal attributions in terms of attributions of locus, stability, and controllability of the causes. In a study of the clinical inference of depression, alpha coefficients ranging from .68 to .96 were noted for the whole test and the subscales. The scale may prove helpful in the study of causal attributions about the mental health of others.
RAMAN SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF KAOLINITE IN AQUEOUS SUSPENSION

The vibrational modes of clay minerals in aqueous suspension are uniquely accessible to Raman spectroscopy, but this potentially powerful approach has not been applied heretofore to study clays in aqueous samples. In this paper, Raman spectra in the 100- to 4000-cm-~ region were obtained for kaolinite in aqueous suspension and in air-dry samples. Contact with water perturbed the low-wavenumber Raman spectrum (100 to 1000 cm -~) significantly with respect to relative band intensities and resulted in a pH dependence of the integrated intensity in the OH-stretching region. Comparison of the Raman and infrared OR) spectra of air-dry kaolinite samples confirmed five Raman-active OH-stretching modes at 3621, 3652, 3668, 3688, and 3696 cm -~, in contrast to four IR-active modes at 3621, 3652, 3668, and 3695 cm -t. The Raman spectra of two kaolinites of different origin showed differences in band positions and intensities. These results suggest that Raman spectroscopy may provide a useful method to study clay mineral-water interactions, colloidal behavior in clay suspensions, and variations in clay mineral structure.
A Population-Based Analysis of 1037 Malignant Ovarian Tumors in the Pediatric Population

Background Concerns of malignant potential have impacted the utilization of ovarian salvage for treatment of ovarian masses in children. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry was analyzed for all females ≤ 19 y diagnosed with an ovarian tumor between 1973 and 2005. Results Overall, 1037 pediatric patients with ovarian tumors were identified. Approximately 61.7% of tumors occurred in patients 15 to 19 y old. The age-adjusted incidence of all malignant pediatric ovarian tumors in those ≤ 9 y was 0.102 versus 1.072 per 100,000 in those aged 10 to 19 y. The majority of cases (57.4%) present at an early localized stage. The predominant pathology was germ cell tumors in all age groups (77.4%). Overall 5- and 10-y survival rates are 91.7% and 91.4%, respectively. By multivariate analysis, advanced disease stage (HR 3.17, P Conclusions Malignant ovarian tumors are rare, particularly in patients under 5 y of age. Furthermore, the most common histologies are of low metastatic potential and carry high cure rates. Thus, the surgeon should implement ovarian-sparing strategies on the affected ovary unless a malignancy is clearly suspected and conserve the contralateral ovary in all children.
Street Vendors, Taxicabs, and Exclusion Zones: The Impact of Collateral Consequences of Criminal Convictions at the Local Level

Some of the most severe collateral consequences of criminal convictions are imposed through city and county ordinances and policies. This Article offers the first in-depth examination of these municipal policies, including permits and licensing ordinances, registration and exclusion zones, third-party background-check requirements, and local hiring policies. Some municipal ordinances, such as residential restrictions on sex offenders, impose far harsher sanctions than their state counterparts, effectively banishing certain individuals from the community. In addition, municipal licensing ordinances limit access to occupations — such as street vending, operating a food cart, or driving a taxicab — that offer valuable entrepreneurial opportunities to individuals with criminal convictions. Often invisible to defendants at the time of sentencing, these local policies have been used as a way to exile “undesirables” by effectively barring them from living, working, or participating in public life in their communities. This Article offers suggestions for legislative reform to address the patchwork of collateral consequences that can lead to exile at the local level. States may pass laws preempting municipal restrictions, or municipalities can lead the way by adopting collateral consequences ordinances (such as the one unanimously passed in New Haven, Connecticut) that mitigate the impact of these restrictions by setting uniform standards and informing attorneys and the public.
Justification of Academic Corruption at Russian Universities: A Student Perspective

Academic corruption in Russia is extensively spread; it is not an isolated phenomenon. Rather, academic corruption is tightly embedded into the general corruption in society: in politics, business, and in everyday life. This paper illustrates some common types of cheating and corruption as well as the motives of the involved actors for applying, accepting, ignoring and/or pretending to ignore these activities, focusing on the students' perspective.
Learning the number of Gaussian cusing hypothesis test

This paper addresses the problem of estimating the correct number of components in a Gaussian mixture given a sample data set. In particular, an extension of Gaussian-means (G-means) and Projected Gaussian-means (PG-means) algorithms is proposed. All these methods are based on one-dimensional statistical hypothesis test. G-means and PG-means are wrapper algorithms of the k-means and Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithms, respectively. Although G-means is a simple and fast algorithm, it does not perform well when clusters overlap since it is based on k-means. PG-means can handle overlapped clusters but requires more computation and sometimes fails to find the right number of clusters. In this paper, we propose an extension, called Extended Projected Gaussian means (XPG-means). XPG-means is a wrapper algorithm of Possibilistic Fuzzy C-means (PFCM) algorithm. XPG-means integrates the advantages of both algorithms while resolving some of the disadvantages involving overlapped clusters, noise, and computational complexity. More specifically, XPG-means handles overlapped clusters better than G-means because of the use of fuzzy clustering, handles noise better than both algorithms because it uses possibilitistic clustering. XPG-means is less computationally expensive than PG-means because it uses local hypothesis testing scheme used by G-means that is specific to Gaussians wherease PG-means uses a more general Kolmogorov-Smirnow test on Gaussian mixtures. In addition, XPG-means demonstrates less variance in estimating the number of components than either of the other algorithms.
Distinct Roles of Myosins in Aspergillus fumigatus Hyphal Growth and Pathogenesis

Myosins are a family of actin-based motor proteins found in many organisms and are categorized into classes based on their structures. Class II and V myosins are known to be important for critical cellular processes, including cytokinesis, endocytosis, exocytosis, and organelle trafficking, in the model fungi Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus nidulans However, the roles of myosins in the growth and virulence of the pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus are unknown. We constructed single- and double-deletion strains of the class II and class V myosins in A. fumigatus and found that while the class II myosin (myoB) is dispensable for growth, the class V myosin (myoE) is required for proper hyphal extension; deletion of myoE resulted in hyperbranching and loss of hyphal polarity. Both myoB and myoE are necessary for proper septation, conidiation, and conidial germination, but only myoB is required for conidial viability. Infection with the ΔmyoE strain in the invertebrate Galleria mellonella model and also in a persistently immunosuppressed murine model of invasive aspergillosis resulted in hypovirulence, while analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) release and cellular infiltration were similar compared to those of the wild-type strain. The ΔmyoE strain showed fungal growth in the murine lung, while the ΔmyoB strain exhibited little fungal burden, most likely due to the reduced conidial viability. These results show, for the first time, the important role these cytoskeletal components play in the growth of and disease caused by a known pathogen, prompting future studies to understand their regulation and potential targeting for novel antifungal therapies.
Medication use and the risk of motor vehicle collision in West Virginia drivers 65 years of age and older: a case-crossover study.

The current generation of older adults reports a higher lifetime prevalence of prescription, over-the-counter, and recreational drug use. The purpose of this analysis is to characterize the drug usage and determine the risk of motor vehicle collision associated with individual medications in a population of drivers ≥65 years. A case-crossover study was conducted at West Virginia University Healthcare’s facilities using data obtained from the electronic health records (n = 611) of drivers ≥65 years admitted for medical treatment following a motor vehicle collision which occurred between Jan. 1, 2009 and June 30, 2014. Patients’ medication usage 14 days before collision were matched and compared to their medication usage during four control periods prior to collision. Odds ratios were then calculated for the most prevalent individual medications and pharmaceutical sub-classes using conditional logistic regression. Analgesic, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal medicines were common. Few drivers tested positive for either licit or illicit drugs. Of those testing positive for drugs, benzodiazepines and opiates were prevalent. Drivers consuming Tramadol (adjusted OR 11.41; 95 % CI 1.27, 102.15) were at a significantly increased risk of motor vehicle collision. Older adult drivers who have a prescription for this medication may need to be aware of the potential risk. Further research is necessary in a larger, more nationally representative population.
Tasks Allocation to Agents using Market-Based Techniques

We consider the problem of allocating autonomous agents to perform multiple tasks, de ned by having geographic location, priority, and a time frame. We formulate the problem as a Multiple Traveling Salesmen Problem (MTSP) With Bene ts, which is a generalization of the well known Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). Similar to the TSP, optimal solutions to the MTSP are considered NP hard, but there are many approximate solutions with reduced complexity. We propose a market based technique, where each task is represented by an agent that o ers a time varying \bene t" to be assigned. Each autonomous agent o ers to perform a task based on the cost of traveling to the location of that task and the estimated time to perform it. Tasks are assigned to agents, which can later trade tasks among themselves to achieve a required global goal. In this work we present preliminary results for a simpli ed version of the problem, which corresponds to the common MTSP, where all tasks have the same constant bene t, and all of the tasks have to be performed. A comparison of results vs. optimal solutions obtained for simple cases and with genetic algorithm solutions for more complicated cases is presented, as well as the scalability of this approach. Future directions for this approach are discussed.
Atypical Laboratory Development of the Rock Strain of Aedes Aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Involving Long Submergence for Egg Hatching and a Short Pupal Period

Eggs of the ROCK strain of Aedes aegypti , which had been kept in our environmental rearing chamber during a period of malfunction. required 18 days of submergence before hatching rather than the usual few hours. Larval development appeared normal. The time span in the pupal stage was greatly shortened from the generally seen 42–50 h to less than 15 h. Attempts to reproduce the ecological conditions which might be responsible for this unusual depressed hatching and shortened pupal span failed.
Design and In Vitro Evaluation of Layer by Layer siRNA Nanovectors Targeting Breast Tumor Initiating Cells

Efficient therapeutics and early detection has helped to increase breast cancer survival rates over the years. However, the recurrence of breast cancer remains to be a problem and this may be due to the presence of a small population of cells, called tumor initiating cells (TICs). Breast TICs are resistant to drugs, difficult to detect, and exhibit high self-renewal capabilities. In this study, layer by layer (LBL) small interfering RNA (siRNA) nanovectors (SNVs) were designed to target breast TICs. SNVs were fabricated using alternating layers of poly-L-lysine and siRNA molecules on gold (Au) nanoparticle (NP) surfaces. The stability, cell uptake, and release profile for SNVs were examined. In addition, SNVs reduced TIC-related STAT3 expression levels, CD44+/CD24−/EpCAM+ surface marker levels and the number of mammospheres formed compared to the standard transfection agent. The data from this study show, for the first time, that SNVs in LBL assembly effectively delivers STAT3 siRNA and inhibit the growth of breast TICs in vitro.
Human Coordination Dynamics with Heterogeneous Robots in a Team

Robots with different behaviors will be a part of human-robot teams in the future and will impact the overall interaction patterns of teams. In this paper, we investigate how the presence of robots affect the coordination of human-robot teams when a single robot or multiple robots with the same or different behavior are the part of that team. We compare two different event anticipation methods for robots, and then extend those findings to assess its effects on the group coordination. Our results indicate that humans are significantly more synchronous as a group when they danced alone than with the robots. We also find that an addition of a robot with a different anticipation algorithm to a single robot team significantly reduces the group synchrony. This work will prove useful for the robotics community to build more fluent human-robot interactions in the future.
Status Quo of Cultivated Land and Basic Farmland Protection in Anxiang County and Its Strategies

Based on the land-use change data of Anxiang County of Hunan Province in 2010,the current situations of cultivated land and basic farmland protection in Anxiang County has been analyzed.In order to attain the objectives of sound and rapid development of the economy and society in Anxiang County,some countermeasures for protecting cultivated land and basic farmland were put forward in terms of administration,economy,legal and techniques according to the major problems in land use,such as reducing cultivated land resources,outstanding conflict between people and land,easy occurrence of flood disaster,decreasing quality of cultivated land,serious pollution,degradation of soil texture,etc..
Cisplatin sensitivity in cAMP-dependent protein kinase mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract The emergence of cisplatin resistance poses a significant problem to the treatment of a variety of human malignancies. Therefore, understanding the molecular basis of cisplatin resistance could improve the clinical effectiveness of this anticancer agent. Recently, our laboratory has demonstrated that cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) mutants of the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and the mouse adrenocortical carcinoma Y1 cells exhibited increased resistance to cisplatin as well as other DNA-damaging drugs. Further studies showed that either the functional inactivation of PKA or the mutation in the regulatory subunit gene may cause increased recognition of cisplatin-damaged DNA and enhanced DNA repair capacity. In this study, we evaluated the role of PKA in modulating cellular sensitivity to cisplatin in a series of PKA mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mutants with decreased kinase activity resulting from a srv2 mutation showed no alterations in cisplatin sensitivity. Complementation of TPK1 in a yeast strain containing mutant tpk1 and also tpk2 and tpk3 deletions did not significantly alter its sensitivity to this DNA-damaging agent. Yeast transformants containing increased kinase activity resulting from overexpression of RAS2Val19 or TPK1 and yeast strains having increased kinase activities due to mutations in the BCY1 gene also did not show alterations in their sensitivity to cisplatin. Therefore, results from these studies unambiguously demonstrate that changes in PKA activity have no effect on cisplatin sensitivity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Wanting the Unwanted Again: Safeguarding Against Normalizing Dehumanization and Discardability of Marginalized, “Unruly” English-Learning Latinos in Our Schools

Our current high-stakes accountability system for too long has allowed officials in positions of power and oversight to discard students viewed as too much of a liability as a practice of policy and pedagogy. This practice especially has altered how English learners are taught and the lens through which they are viewed. The authors present how a scandal in a large, urban borderland district in which “unruly” and English-language learning Latinas/os were systematically eliminated from test-taking and pushed-out illustrates how the consequences of No Child Left Behind have brought us to a tipping point in the education of the marginalized. Our education system has evolved into one in which the dehumanization of vulnerable students, their parents, and their communities has now dangerously become commonplace. In the pursuit of praxis, this essay argues that we must consider actions at the individual and local level, to bring about localized, incremental change that can result in larger cumulative movements of counter-narratives and counter-pedagogies in response to this trend of dehumanization in our schooling of ethnic, racial, and linguistic minorities.
Gender Differences in Perceived Unmet Treatment Needs Among Persons With and Without Co-occurring Disorders.

This study examined gender differences in perceived unmet treatment needs among persons with and without co-occurring substance use disorders and serious mental health conditions. Data were drawn from the 2008–2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (unweighted N = 37,187) to test the hypothesis that the relationships between diagnosis and perceived unmet treatment needs differ as a function of gender. Compared to individuals with a substance use disorder or severe mental illness, those with co-occurring disorders were more likely to report perceived unmet needs for substance abuse and mental health treatment. Gender significantly moderated the relationship between diagnosis and unmet needs, suggesting that men with co-occurring disorders might be more adversely affected. Findings highlight the need for better understanding of gender-diagnosis differences with respect to unmet needs for substance abuse and mental health care.
Biochemistry of Halogenated Carboxylic Acids

Mono-, di-, and tricarboxylic acids are key intermediates in several metabolic pathways. The ability of halogenated analogues of many of these acids to mimic their behavior, or to inhibit critical enzymes required for the processing of these acids, has made such analogues important research tools for the study of a broad spectrum of biological processes. For example, in the 1930s, extensive use of iodoacetic acid as an inhibitor was an important strategy in the elucidation of metabolic pathways. In another example having major impact on biochemistry, the studies on the mechanism of fluoroacetate toxicity carried out by Sir Rudolf Peters in the 1950s spurred intense interest in the development of fluorinated compounds as antimetabolites and mechanistic probes. Over the past few decades, an enormous number of halogenated carboxylic acids have been synthesized, and virtually every aspect of energy metabolism has been studied using such analogues. In this review, topics have been arranged progressively from simple to more complex carboxylic acids, with one exception. Because of the intimate biochemical and historical relationship between fluoroacetate and fluorocitrate, the biochemistry of these compounds will be considered together.
Intelligent RF-Based Gesture Input Devices Implemented Using e-Textiles

We present an radio-frequency (RF)-based approach to gesture detection and recognition, using e-textile versions of common transmission lines used in microwave circuits. This approach allows for easy fabrication of input swatches that can detect a continuum of finger positions and similarly basic gestures, using a single measurement line. We demonstrate that the swatches can perform gesture detection when under thin layers of cloth or when weatherproofed, providing a high level of versatility not present with other types of approaches. Additionally, using small convolutional neural networks, low-level gestures can be identified with a high level of accuracy using a small, inexpensive microcontroller, allowing for an intelligent fabric that reports only gestures of interest, rather than a simple sensor requiring constant surveillance from an external computing device. The resulting e-textile smart composite has applications in controlling wearable devices by providing a simple, eyes-free mechanism to input simple gestures.
Scalable process for mitigation of laser-damaged potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystal optic surfaces with removal of damaged antireflective coating.

We investigate an approach for the recycling of laser-damaged large-aperture deuterated potassium dihydrogen phosphate (DKDP) crystals used for optical switching (KDP) and for frequency conversion (DKDP) in megajoule-class high-power laser systems. The approach consists of micromachining the surface laser damage sites (mitigation), combined with multiple soaks and ultrasonication steps in a coating solvent to remove, synergistically, both the highly adherent machining debris and the laser-damage-affected antireflection coating. We identify features of the laser-damage-affected coating, such as the “solvent-persistent” coating and the “burned-in” coating, that are difficult to remove by conventional approaches without damaging the surface. We also provide a solution to the erosion problem identified in this work when colloidal coatings are processed during ultrasonication. Finally, we provide a proof of principle of the approach by testing the full process that includes laser damage mitigation of DKDP test parts, coat stripping, reapplication of a new antireflective coat, and a laser damage test demonstrating performance up to at least 12 J/cm2 at UV wavelengths, which is well above current requirements. This approach ultimately provides a potential path to a scalable recycling loop for the management of optics in large, high-power laser systems that can reduce cost and extend lifetime of highly valuable and difficult to grow large DKDP crystals.
Gemcitabine (G) and vinorelbine (V) in patients (pts) with recurrent advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): Sequence of administration matters

17101 Background: G and V have demonstrated clinical efficacy as single agents and in combination in pts with metastatic NSCLC. Methods: This single-institution, prospective, phase II trial evaluat...
A closer look at the creativity gap and why students are less creative at school than outside of school

Abstract Previous research has reported that there is a discrepancy between the creativity students display when they are in school and that which they display when they are not in school. The present investigation explored this creativity gap. A measure that captures creative activity and achievement in various domains (art, science and technology, everyday creativity) was administered to 254 Turkish undergraduates. This investigation also used statistical techniques that allowed the explanatory power of personality, creative attitudes and values, students’ perceptions of supports and barriers at school, and various background variables, such as parental education to be determined. Results confirmed that there was a discrepancy between the in school and outside of school creative activities and achievements. Significantly more creativity was reportedly displayed outside rather than in school. Students’ social preferences, creative attitudes and values, and creative personality traits explained much of the discrepancy. Various interpretations of these results are examined, one being that students have creative potential, as evidenced by their creative activities and achievements outside of school, but these potentials are not displayed when they are in school, perhaps because usually there is more structure and more restrictions in school, and creativity entails autonomy and independence. Limitations and future research are discussed.
Alleviating Anxiety through Shopping: Roles of a Sense of Control and an Approach/Avoidance Motivation

Retail therapy is a strategic and conscious attempt to repair negative mood through shopping and purchasing. Despite its prevalence, there are very few empirical studies on this topic and there is no strong conceptual model to explain the underlying psychological and behavioral processes of therapeutic shopping behavior. Furthermore, few studies have examined individual differences in shopping approaches and outcomes in this context. This study proposes theoretical links among anxiety, a therapeutic shopping motive, shopping values, and a sense of control and to predict a moderating role of an approach/ avoidance motivation in the therapeutic shopping process. A proposed model can be empirically tested in a field setting to validate the theoretical linkages and provide practical implications for retailers and marketers to develop more fine-tuned strategies to help different types of shoppers achieve their therapeutic shopping goals.
Risk of natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in patients with multiple sclerosis: a retrospective analysis of data from four clinical studies.

Summary Background Previous estimates of risk of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in patients with multiple sclerosis receiving natalizumab were stratified by three risk factors: anti-John Cunningham virus (JCV) antibodies in serum, previous immunosuppressant use, and treatment duration, which were estimated using population-based assumptions. We aimed to calculate PML risk estimates from patient-level risk-factor data and to stratify risk by concentrations of anti-JCV antibody in serum (anti-JCV antibody index). Methods Data on natalizumab-treated patients were pooled from four large, observational, open-label studies: STRATIFY-2, STRATA, TOP, and TYGRIS. Data were analysed with and without imputation for missing values of anti-JCV antibody status and previous immunosuppressant use. For anti-JCV antibody-positive patients in this pooled cohort, cumulative PML risk with or without previous immunosuppressant use was estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Annual PML risks (per 12 natalizumab infusions) for patients without PML in the preceding year were estimated using conditional probability based on the life table method. For anti-JCV antibody-positive patients without previous immunosuppressant use, risk estimates were further stratified using a probability distribution for anti-JCV antibody index values, separately for patients with or without PML. Anti-JCV antibody index cutoffs were selected via sensitivity and specificity assessments for identifying PML cases in an index cohort. Findings 156 ( Interpretation Our risk estimates calculated from patient-level clinical data allow individualised annual prediction of risk of PML in patients receiving natalizumab for multiple sclerosis, supporting yearly benefit–risk re-evaluation in clinical practice. Further, our estimates are generally consistent with previously calculated estimates. Incorporating anti-JCV antibody index allows further risk stratification for anti-JCV antibody-positive patients who have not previously taken immunosuppressants. Funding Biogen.
Particle Resuspension From Surfaces: Overview of Theoretical Models and Experimental Data

An overview of theoretical models for particle resuspension and the available experimental data on particle removal is presented. The different particle removal models are described in detail and the important effects of surface roughness on particle detachment are described. A series of experimental data for particle resuspension in wind tunnel studies available in the literature was compiled, presented in terms of critical shear velocities, and compared against each other. Differences in the measured critical velocities for particle resuspension were observed which were attributed to different factors such as particle size, surface roughness, relative humidity, and the duration that the surface was exposed to airflow. The theoretically predicted critical shear velocities for detachment of particles were compared with the available experimental data. The smooth surface contact models are seen to overestimate the critical shear velocity for particle removal. However, with the inclusion of effects of surface roughness, the model predictions were found to be in reasonable agreement with the experimental data.
“Your writing, not my writing”: Discourse analysis of student talk about writing

Student voice is a difficult concept to capture in research. This study attempts to provide a vehicle for understanding student perceptions about writing and writing instruction through a case stud...
Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy for Retinoblastoma: A Collaborative Effort

Abstract Approximately 300 children in the United States are diagnosed yearly with retinoblastoma. For a generation, it has had the highest cure rate among pediatric solid tumors, allowing reduction in side effects of management to become important determinants of therapy. Priorities of treatment are saving life, eyes, and vision. Standard treatment involves enucleation, multiagent systemic chemotherapy, and radiation and intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC). IAC is a treatment option to deliver chemotherapy locally to the eye while minimizing systemic exposure. Research in the treatment of retinoblastoma has led to new treatment protocols for children. The purpose of this article is to define retinoblastoma, introduce the goals and priorities of retinoblastoma treatment, and describe the standard of care treatment options with a focus on IAC, which is administered in interventional radiology. It also highlights important nursing issues including the administration of chemotherapy in a clinical area where it is not traditionally administered and the challenges faced in caring for children and families with retinoblastoma.
Large effect quantitative trait loci for salicinoid phenolic glycosides in Populus: Implications for gene discovery

Genomic studies have been used to identify genes underlying many important plant secondary metabolic pathways. However, genes for salicinoid phenolic glycosides (SPGs)-ecologically important compounds with significant commercial, cultural, and medicinal applications-remain largely undescribed. We used a linkage map derived from a full-sib population of hybrid cottonwoods (Populus spp.) to search for quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the SPGs salicortin and HCH-salicortin. SSR markers and primer sequences were used to anchor the map to the V3.0 P. trichocarpa genome. We discovered 21 QTL for the two traits, including a major QTL for HCH-salicortin (R2 = .52) that colocated with a QTL for salicortin on chr12. Using the V3.0 Populus genome sequence, we identified 2,983 annotated genes and 1,480 genes of unknown function within our QTL intervals. We note ten candidate genes of interest, including a BAHD-type acyltransferase that has been potentially linked to Populus SPGs. Our results complement other recent studies in Populus with implications for gene discovery and the evolution of defensive chemistry in a model genus. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use a full-sib mapping population to identify QTL intervals and gene lists associated with SPGs.
Re: Dysrhythmias with Loperamide Used for Opioid Withdrawal

We read the article, “Dysrhythmias with Loperamide Used for Opioid Withdrawal” by Vithalani et al[1][1] with great interest. As they elegantly highlighted, the opioid abusing population is young and facile with access to Web-based resources. This has opened up multiple channels through which
Item Parameter Drift in Context Questionnaires from International Large-Scale Assessments

The purpose of the current study was to examine the impact of item parameter drift (IPD) occurring in context questionnaires from an international large-scale assessment and determine the most appropriate way to address IPD. Focusing on the context of psychometric and educational research where scores from context questionnaires composed of polytomous items were employed for the classification of examinees, the current research investigated the impacts of IPD on the estimation of questionnaire scores and classification accuracy with five manipulated factors: the length of a questionnaire, the proportion of items exhibiting IPD, the direction and magnitude of IPD, and three decisions about IPD. The results indicated that the impact of IPD occurring in a short context questionnaire on the accuracy of score estimation and classification of examinees was substantial. The accuracy in classification considerably decreased especially at the lowest and highest categories of a trait. Unlike the recommendation from...
Effect of Potting Media Components on the Infectivity of Metarhizium anisopliae against the Black Vine Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The black vine weevil (BVW), Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.) is a serious pest of nursery crops, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. The fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae (F52), has recently been registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for BVW control. The objective of this study was to determine the persistence of M. anisopliae in five common soilless potting media components (coir, fir bark, hemlock bark, peat moss and perlite), which was measured as pathogenicity against BVW larvae. Fungal granules (½ lb/yd3) were incorporated with each media component at potting and fungal persistence determined for 133 days. Experiments were performed with and without plants to determine if the presence of a plant impacted fungal persistence. Overall, the fungus persisted well in all of the potting media components tested up to 133 days post application. Persistence was somewhat lower in the first experiment, likely due to fluctuating media moisture. In the second experiment, with more stable media moisture levels, the percentage of larval infection did not drop below 88% in any media at 133 days post application. It is likely that M. anisopliae will persist well and provide high levels of BVW larval control in most of the commercial potting media used in containerized nursery production, particularly those comprised primarily of the media components tested in these studies.
Unique experiences in religious groups, in the US and China—a qualitative study

This qualitative inquiry examined the unique experiences of members in religious groups in the US and China to inductively derive a theory of what protects against suicide. Twenty-one non-religious...
A survey identifying nutritional needs in a contemporary adult cystic fibrosis cohort

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease in which nutritional barriers are diverse and common, with malnutrition greatly influencing pulmonary trajectory and overall outcomes. Despite this, the most effective methods to optimize CF nutrition are unknown, and literature describing patients’ perspectives on their specific nutritional needs is lacking, particularly in the modern era of CF care. This study aimed to identify the most important nutritional needs and desired health-improvement resources in a contemporary adult CF cohort. A 14-question investigator-designed survey addressing nutrition concerns, preferred health-improvement resources, and dietary/exercise routines was administered to CF adults. Clinical characteristics and survey responses are presented with descriptive statistics, and responses compared by body mass index (BMI) category (< 18.5 kg/m2; 18.5–24.99 kg/m2; 25–29.99 kg/m2; ≥30 kg/m2), gender, and socioeconomic status using Chi square or Fisher’s Exact testing. Of 66 total patients, nine (13.6%) were underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2), while 19 (28.8%) were overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). In the overall cohort, the most common primary concern was preventing weight loss [in 20/66 patients (30.3%)], but there were significant differences by BMI (p < 0.001), with the most common concern in the overweight subgroup being preventing weight gain. Fifteen (46.9%) men (BMI mean 20.7, range 16.4–29.2 kg/m2) listed preventing weight loss as the primary concern, compared to only 5 (14.7%) women (BMI mean 18.4, range 16.2–19.9 kg/m2), representing a trend toward a difference in primary concerns by gender (p = 0.066). The most commonly desired health-improvement resource was online CF nutrition and fitness information, found in 26 patients (39.4%) in the overall cohort, without significant differences by BMI (p = 0.814) or gender (p = 0.199). Financial assistance was the preferred resource in 17 (26.2%), without differences by socioeconomic status (p = 0.367). We identified a wide variety of nutritional needs in CF adults, including a high prevalence of overweight status, many patients desiring weight loss, and many seeking financial resources. Our findings support the individualization of modern-day CF nutrition programs and development of online resources, in an effort to address the heterogeneous barriers that exist in the contemporary CF population and improve outcomes in patients with the disease.
Combining Two Developmental Screening Tests to Improve Predictive Accuracy.

Abstract Objective Single developmental screening tests are insufficient for supporting clinical decisions, showing less than 50% of those referred are actually delayed. Combining two tests can address this problem. We used likelihood ratios (LR) to evaluate the predictive value (PV) of combining the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) and Parents Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) screening tests. Methods We used data from Limbos and Joyce that included information on the ASQ, PEDS, and an age-appropriate diagnostic assessment of delay on 328 children (ages 12–60 months) drawn from primary care. LRs were calculated for each of the available ASQ/PEDS combinations then rank ordered. PV was examined using different LRs to define referral and nonreferral thresholds. Results Setting the referral threshold at LR 2.0 for combined scores decreased the number of false positives from 66 to 28, increased false negatives from 6 to 9 with positive predictive value (PPV) improving significantly from 30% to 47% (P Conclusions Combining the ASQ and PEDS significantly improved predictive accuracy of a referral in a single threshold analysis. Predictive value improved further as requirements for referral increased and an inconclusive group needing further study was recognized. Systematic research is needed to identify what readily available information will assist decision making in this group.
Genomic instability of TnSMU2 contributes to Streptococcus mutans biofilm development and competence in a cidB mutant.

Streptococcus mutans is a key pathogenic bacterium in the oral cavity and a primary contributor to dental caries. The S. mutans Cid/Lrg system likely contributes to tolerating stresses encountered in this environment as cid and/or lrg mutants exhibit altered oxidative stress sensitivity, genetic competence, and biofilm phenotypes. It was recently noted that the cidB mutant had two stable colony morphologies: a "rough" phenotype (similar to wild type) and a "smooth" phenotype. In our previously published work, the cidB rough mutant exhibited increased sensitivity to oxidative stress, and RNAseq identified widespread transcriptomic changes in central carbon metabolism and oxidative stress response genes. In this current report, we conducted Illumina-based genome resequencing of wild type, cidB rough, and cidB smooth mutants and compared their resistance to oxidative and acid stress, biofilm formation, and competence phenotypes. Both cidB mutants exhibited comparable aerobic growth inhibition on agar plates, during planktonic growth, and in the presence of 1 mM hydrogen peroxide. The cidB smooth mutant displayed a significant competence defect in BHI, which was rescuable by synthetic CSP. Both cidB mutants also displayed reduced XIP-mediated competence, although this reduction was more pronounced in the cidB smooth mutant. Anaerobic biofilms of the cidB smooth mutant displayed increased propidium iodide staining, but corresponding biofilm CFU data suggest this phenotype is due to cell damage and not increased cell death. The cidB rough anaerobic biofilms showed altered structure relative to wild type (reduced biomass and average thickness) which correlated with decreased CFU counts. Sequencing data revealed that the cidB smooth mutant has a unique "loss of read coverage" of ~78 kb of DNA, corresponding to the genomic island TnSMU2 and genes flanking its 3' end. It is therefore likely that the unique biofilm and competence phenotypes of the cidB smooth mutant are related to its genomic changes in this region.
Limiting αIIb Extension at the Genu Differentially Affects Binding of Small and Large Ligands to αIIbβ3

Structural data of integrin αIIbβ3 have been interpreted as supporting a model in which: 1. the receptor exists primarily in a “bent,” low affinity conformation on unactivated platelets, and 2. activation induces an extended, high affinity conformation prior to, or following, ligand binding. Previous studies found that “clasping” the αIIb head domain to the β3 tail decreased fibrinogen binding. To study the role of αIIb extension about the genu we created and analyzed an energy-optimized model of the complete extracellular domain of αIIbβ3 and then introduced a disulfide “clamp” between the αIIb thigh and calf-1 domains by mutating αIIb R597 and Y645 to cysteine residues. Increased mobility of the clamped mutant on SDS-PAGE under nonreducing, but not reducing conditions, relative to the WT receptor supported the successful introduction of a new disulfide bond. Clamped αIIbβ3 had markedly reduced ability to bind the large soluble ligands fibrinogen [induced by mAb AP5; net normalized fluorescence intensity (NNFI) of 17 ± 2 for normal αIIbβ3 and 0.4 ± 0.2 for clamped αIIbβ3; n=3; p<0.001] and PAC1 [induced by mAb PT25-2; NNFIs of 17 ± 7 and 2 ± 1, respectively (n=3; p<0.001)]. The defect in fibrinogen and PAC-1 binding could be partially restored (~40–50%) by treating the cells with the reducing agent DTT. In contrast, the clamp had little effect on the binding of the Mr 7,500 snake venom kistrin (non-significant ~30% reduction) or αIIbβ3-mediated adhesion to immobilized fibrinogen (non-significant ~20% reduction). Remarkably, the defect in binding the large soluble ligands was rescued by co-expressing clamped αIIb with the β3- activating mutation N339S. The clamped αIIbβ3 also displayed a defect in kistrin-induced (200 nM) exposure of the mAb AP5 epitope in the PSI domain of β3 (NNFI 50 ± 11 for normal αIIbβ3 vs. 24 ± 5 for clamped αIIbβ3; p<0.001; n=5), and this abnormality was also reversed by DTT. By analyzing the solvent accessible areas in our model of αIIbβ3 with and without extension, we determined that extension results in a 370 A2 reduction in buried solvent-accessible area in the PSI domain as a result of losing some of its interactions with the IEGF-2 domain. We hypothesize that clamping αIIb may, therefore, partially preserve these PSI-IEGF-2 domain interactions. Collectively, our studies support a role for αIIb extension in the binding of large, but not small ligands, and suggest that αIIb extension is less important for interactions with immobilized than soluble fibrinogen. Our data are consistent with αIIb extension resulting in increased access to the ligand binding site and/or destabilizing β3 headpiece-tailpiece interactions and thus facilitating the conformational change(s) that affect the intrinsic affinity of the binding pocket for ligand. They may also provide an explanation for the paradoxical finding that platelet binding of soluble fibrinogen requires exogenous activation, whereas platelet adhesion to immobilized fibrinogen does not.