cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preventing Youth Gang Joining and Facilitating Desistance: Recent Contributions to a Growing Field

In 2006, Malcolm Klein and Cheryl Maxson published a fantastic book highlighting the current state of the field regarding youth gang research and practice. Although it is a few years old now, it is an incredible resource. The authors make the case that research and policy are intertwined, and we—as scholars and policy makers—must understand the linkages between the two if we are to make important inroads in reducing youth gangs and their criminal activity. In their book, Klein and Maxson document recent patterns of youth gang membership and activities, present an overview of the research why these patterns exist, assess a number of popular antigang strategies, and provide a series of theoretically driven, empirically supported policy recommendations for antigang efforts to be pursued in the future. My hope in designing this special issue is that readers keep the interconnectedness of these topical areas in mind when assessing each article and the overarching themes. In short, I have asked each of the authors of the current studies to answer not just, ‘‘What did you do in your study?’’ and ‘‘What did you find?’’ but also focus on ‘‘What should we do with this new information?’’ In this vein, each of the authors included in this special issue have spent considerable effort in tying their study into the broader research on youth gang theory and policy. More specifically, the purpose of this special issue was to tackle two topics important to the field of youth gangs. On one hand, scholars should (and have) devoted considerable efforts during the past several decades to understanding why some youth join gangs while others do not, even when they are faced with similar social settings and opportunities. In short, much of the research during the past few decades has focused on how individual differences affect youth gang joining. While these studies have, in many ways, taken a departure from earlier gang research on group processes, such examinations have also provided considerable information relevant to evidence-based prevention practices (i.e., those designed to keep youth from becoming gang members) that focus on individual change strategies, which have grown increasingly popular among practitioners. I strongly encourage readers to explore Klein and Maxson’s (2006) work as they comprehensively and elegantly tackle both the strengths and the weaknesses of such approaches.
Molecular Changes in the Nasal Cavity after N, N-dimethyl-p-toluidine Exposure

N, N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMPT; Cas No. 99-97-8), an accelerant for methyl methacrylate monomers in medical devices, is a nasal cavity carcinogen according to a 2-yr cancer study of male and female F344/N rats, with the nasal tumors arising from the transitional cell epithelium. In this study, we exposed male F344/N rats for 5 days to DMPT (0, 1, 6, 20, 60, or 120 mg/kg [oral gavage]) to explore the early changes in the nasal cavity after short-term exposure. Lesions occurred in the nasal cavity including hyperplasia of transitional cell epithelium (60 and 120 mg/kg). Nasal tissue was rapidly removed and preserved for subsequent laser capture microdissection and isolation of the transitional cell epithelium (0 and 120 mg/kg) for transcriptomic studies. DMPT transitional cell epithelium gene transcript patterns were characteristic of an antioxidative damage response (e.g., Akr7a3, Maff, and Mgst3), cell proliferation, and decrease in signals for apoptosis. The transcripts of amino acid transporters were upregulated (e.g., Slc7a11). The DMPT nasal transcript expression pattern was similar to that found in the rat nasal cavity after formaldehyde exposure, with over 1,000 transcripts in common. Molecular changes in the nasal cavity after DMPT exposure suggest that oxidative damage is a mechanism of the DMPT toxic and/or carcinogenic effects.
Multi-Factorial Regulation of in Vivo Action of TRβ Mutants. Lessons Learned from RTH Mice with a Targeted Mutation in the TRβ Gene

The discovery that there is tight linkage between the affected family members of resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) and the thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ) gene locus ushered in an exciting opportunity to study the molecular basis of RTH (1). Indeed, shortly thereafter, a Pro453His mutation was identified in the TRβ gene of one kindred (2) and a Gly345rg mutation in another (3), establishing that mutations of the TRβ gene cause RTH. To date, about 100 different mutations in the TRβ gene have been reported in more than 300 families (4).
Resolution beyond Rayleigh's criterion: a modern resolution measure with applications to single molecule imaging

Rayleigh's criterion, although extensively used, is well known to be based on heuristic notions that are inadequate for modern optical microscopy applications. This inadequacy has necessitated a reassessment of the resolution limits of optical microscopes. By adopting a stochastic framework and using the statistical theory concerning the Fisher information matrix, we have derived a new resolution measure that overcomes the limitations of Rayleigh's criterion. Here, we provide a brief overview of this and other related results published by our group. The new resolution measure predicts that there is no resolution limit, but that the resolvability depends on the number of detected photons. It has been experimentally verified that distances well below Rayleigh's limit can be measured from images of closely spaced single molecules with an accuracy as predicted by the new resolution measure. The stochastic framework used to obtain the new resolution measure is applicable to a wide variety of estimation problems encountered in optical microscopy. As an application, we have investigated the localization accuracy problem, which is concerned with how accurately the 2D/3D location of a microscopic object can determined from its image. One of the shortcomings of current microscopy techniques is that they suffer from poor depth discrimination and as a result they are not well adapted for 3D tracking of single molecules/particles. We have recently developed a novel imaging modality called multifocal plane microscopy (MUM) to overcome this limitation. Using the stochastic framework, we have shown that MUM has significantly improved depth discrimination, which in turn enables 3D single particle tracking at high axial localization accuracy.
HOW WE HAVE USED ITEM RESPONSE THEORY AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TO IMPROVE STUDENT SUCCESS RATES IN LARGE GENERAL CHEMISTRY CLASSES

Since 2012 we have tracked general chemistry student success rates at the University of Utah. In efforts to improve those rates we have implemented math prerequisites, changed our discussion session format, installed some metacognitive exercises aimed at the lowest quartile of students and instituted a flipped classroom model. Furthermore, using Item Response Theory we have identified what topics each individual student struggles with on practice tests. These steps have increased our success rates to ~76%. As well, student performance on nationally normed American Chemical Society final exams has improved to a median of 86 percentile. Our lowest quartile of students in spring 2016 scored at the 51 st percentile, above the national median.
Evaluation of reptation-based modeling of entangled polymeric fluids including chain rotation via nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation

Key theoretical variables of the tube model are examined with nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. Although quantifying corresponding physical properties with these variables appears realistic, it is shown that the evolution equations arising from various tube models are not complete for describing flow process dynamics.
African-Americans with Cirrhosis Are Less Likely to Receive Endoscopic Variceal Screening Within One Year of Cirrhosis Diagnosis.

Esophageal variceal hemorrhage is a complication of cirrhosis that carries high mortality, and can be reduced with timely endoscopic variceal screening and treatment. We aim to evaluate overall rates of and disparities in receipt of endoscopic variceal screening among an ethnically diverse urban safety-net hospital. All consecutive adults with cirrhosis (7/1/2014 to 12/31/2015) were retrospectively evaluated to determine the rates of receiving esophageal variceal screening within 6 months and within 1 year after cirrhosis diagnosis. Race-/ethnicity-specific differences in rates of variceal screening were compared using chi-square testing and multivariate regression methods. Among 157 patients (65% male, 33.8% Hispanic, 22.3% African-American, 44.6% alcoholic liver disease, 29.9% chronic HCV), 56.8% received variceal screening within 6 months and 65.8% received screening within 1 year. Compared to non-Hispanic whites with cirrhosis, African-Americans (52.2 vs. 76.2%, p < 0.05), Asians (57.1 vs. 76.2%, p < 0.05), and Hispanics (43.9 vs. 76.2%, p < 0.05) were all significantly less likely to receive endoscopic variceal screening within 6 months after cirrhosis diagnosis. On multivariate analysis, African-Americans with cirrhosis were 66% less likely to receive variceal screening compared to non-Hispanic whites (HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.15–0.77, p < 0.01). Among adults with cirrhosis at a community-based safety-net hospital system, overall first-time variceal screening remains suboptimal. African-Americans were the least likely to receive timely variceal screening. These findings are particularly concerning given the significant barriers that ethnic minorities and safety-net populations already face in timely access to medical care.
Catholics and the 2016 Elections

Mark Gray concludes with an analysis of Catholic voting patterns in 2016. He notes the difference in voting patterns of the major subgroups—non-Hispanic white Catholics and Hispanic Catholics. Whereas some have suggested that shifting demographics change the composition of the Catholic vote, Gray demonstrates that in recent election cycles, especially in 2016, turnout rates among the subgroups are more important determinants. He takes us through the Catholic vote in both the primaries and in the general election and finds some perhaps surprising results regarding the key issues for Catholic voters—particularly homeland security, immigration, and the economy.
Optimization of titanium alloys turning operation in varied cutting fluid conditions with multiple machining performance characteristics

Titanium alloys are widely used in engineering applications due to their superior properties. However, machining of titanium alloys has always been a problem due to high cutting temperatures. Though flood lubrication is a solution, it is not encouraged in sustainable machining. This paper describes a study that used sustainable lubricants in turning of Ti6Al4V. Soybean oil-based lubricants were used with/without addition of micro-graphite particles in minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) at the rate of 40 mL/h. PVD-coated carbide tools were used for machining under different cutting conditions. To minimize the number of experiments, Taguchi’s L9 array is used. Five different lubricating conditions, namely, dry machining, commercial cutting fluid with and without micro-graphite, and soybean-based cutting fluid with and without graphite, were studied. Tool wear, cutting forces, and surface roughness were measured in the experiments. ANOVA analysis was carried out to estimate the optimal conditions. Among the considered combinations, it was found that the cutting speed of 90 m/min, feed of 0.3 mm/rev, and depth of cut of 0.5 mm were optimal for overall machining performance. Confirmation tests were carried out at these conditions to validate the findings.
Phosphorus and the Ferritin Iron Core: Function-Balanced Biomineralization

In the biomineralization of storage iron, the proteins ferritin and hemosiderin sequester iron in a mineral form of colloidal dimensions ( <80 A). This mineral is the metastable hydrous ferric oxide ferrihydrite (5Fe2O3·9H2O). Ferrihydrite represents an appropriate mineralogical choice to balance the important but opposing physiological functions of iron storage; and iron mobility. The ferrihydrite in both ferritin and hemosiderin contains important amounts of non-structural phosphorus adsorbed to the crystallite surfaces. Experimental data support the suggestion that this phosphorus can act to preserve the role of iron mobility by inhibiting the potential during iron storage for inversion of the more readily soluble, metastable ferrihydrite to one of the less soluble, more stable phases such as goethite (αFeOOH) or hematite (αFe2O3).
Networks and Fundamental Concepts

This chapter introduces basic terminology and network concepts. Subsequent chapters illustrate that many data analysis tasks can be addressed using network methods. Network concepts (also known as network statistics or network indices) can be used to describe the topological properties of a single network and for comparing two or more networks (e.g., differential network analysis). Dozens of potentially useful network concepts are known from graph theory, e.g., the connectivity, density, centralization, and topological overlap. Measures of node interconnectedness, e.g., based on generalizations of the topological overlap matrix, can be used in neighborhood analysis. We distinguish three types of fundamental network concepts: (1) whole network concepts are defined without reference to modules, (2) intramodular concepts describe network properties of a module, and (3) intermodular concepts describe relationships between two or more modules. Intermodular network concepts can be used to define networks whose nodes are modules.
Lyman- α Models for LRO LAMP from MESSENGER MASCS and SOHO SWAN Data

From models of the interplanetary Lyman-α glow derived from observations by the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer (MASCS) interplanetary Lyman-α data obtained in 2009–2011 on the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) spacecraft mission, daily all-sky Lyman-α maps were generated for use by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) LAMP Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) experiment. These models were then compared with Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Solar Wind ANistropy (SWAN) Lyman-α maps when available. Although the empirical agreement across the sky between the scaled model and the SWAN maps is adequate for LAMP mapping purposes, the model brightness values best agree with the SWAN values in 2008 and 2009. SWAN’s observations show a systematic decline in 2010 and 2011 relative to the model. It is not clear if the decline represents a failure of the model or a decline in sensitivity in SWAN in 2010 and 2011. MESSENGER MASCS and SOHO SWAN Lyman-α calibrations systematically differ in comparison with the model, with MASCS reporting Lyman-α values some 30 % lower than SWAN.
Total parenteral nutrition utilization in metastatic cancer patients: A nationwide 10-year analysis from 2006 to 2015.

e18693Background: TPN use in metastatic cancer patients is controversial. We aim to explore the characteristics, trend of utilization and outcome of TPN use in metastatic cancer patients. Methods: ...
A deeper insight into how GABA-B receptor agonism via baclofen may affect alcohol seeking and consumption: lessons learned from a human laboratory investigation.

Previous studies suggest that GABA-B receptor agonism may represent an effective pharmacological approach to treat addictive disorders. Baclofen is a selective GABA-B receptor agonist which has been investigated as a potential treatment for alcohol use disorder. However, research is needed to understand the biobehavioral mechanisms underlying baclofen’s effect on alcohol use. In the present randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, thirty-four alcohol-dependent individuals were randomized to receive baclofen (30 mg/d) or placebo for a week, and then participated in a laboratory experiment consisting of three procedures: alcohol cue-reactivity, priming, and self-administration. During the experiment, craving and other subjective responses to alcohol were assessed, and blood samples were collected for pharmacokinetic measurements. The effects of baclofen on the relationships between different alcohol-related laboratory parameters were investigated. Baclofen pharmacokinetic parameters and their correlations with behavioral measures were also examined. Results showed that baclofen disrupted the link between alcohol priming and self-administration, as indicated by significant interaction effects between drug condition (baclofen vs. placebo) and some of the priming variables (alcohol craving: F3,9 = 6.03, p = 0.01; alcohol sedation: F3,6 = 7.16, p = 0.01) on the total amount of alcohol self-administered. Considerable interindividual variability in baclofen pharmacokinetic parameters was observed. Maximum plasma concentrations of baclofen negatively correlated with cue-induced alcohol craving (r = −0.57, p = 0.03) and priming-induced ratings of ‘like more’ (r = −0.59, p = 0.02). In conclusion, baclofen may work by dissociating the link between an initial drink (priming) and subsequent alcohol consumption (self-administration). Considerable pharmacokinetic variability is an important factor to take into account when employing baclofen as a treatment for alcohol use disorder.
Diffusion of Ar atoms implanted in a TiO2 matrix studied with Temperature Programmed Out-Diffusion✰

Abstract The diffusion of noble gas argon in the near-surface region of rutile TiO2 has been explored with the Temperature Programmed Out-Diffusion (TPOD) method. The Ar atoms were deposited in a several-nanometer-deep layer of the single-crystal TiO2(110) surface by bombardment with 1–5 keV energy Ar ions. Subsequently, in the TPOD experiments this sample was heated at a linear rate and the out-diffusion of argon was monitored with a mass-spectrometer. Surface conditions were probed with Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) and Low-Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED). The experimental results were analyzed with the aid of numerical simulations. The measurements showed a dependence of the Ar diffusion rates on the concentration of buried argon and composition of the surface layer. The kinetic parameters of Ar diffusion in pristine rutile TiO2 were estimated as Ea = 104 kJ/mol and D0 = 6 ⋅ 10−9 m2/s. A distinctive diffusion regime, related to the rock salt TiO phase formation, were identified.
Chapter 18 – Advanced Validation

Forensic tools can make changes to the target evidence. Unlike computer forensics, mobile forensic examiners must rely (in most cases) on connecting to a “live” piece of evidence. Because of this, aspects of the file system can change. The examiner must be able to articulate what changes, if any, took place. The judicial process may involve a savvy attorney asking the correct questions. Do changes at the binary or even folder level nullify the mobile forensic examination? What changes took place? What methods can be used to validate what a tool is doing to a phone, even when it is only a logical examination, between two simple forensic tools? Vendors may claim forensic tools are “read-only.” They may also claim that their tool “does not make changes to the target evidence.” Steps employed with advanced validation can assist in answering these questions and visually understanding what does change when conducting an examination.
Thirty-Day Readmission Risk Model for Older Adults Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: Early readmissions among older adults hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are costly and difficult to predict. Aging-related functional impairments may inform risk predic...
Promoting Persuasion With Ideologically Tailored Science Messages: A Novel Approach to Research on Emphasis Framing:

Motivated reasoning in response to disconfirming science information presents a challenging barrier to science communication. This article presents a novel approach to emphasis framing, in which fu...
Drift-ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations of m = 0 modes in Z-pinch plasmas

The effects of m = 0 modes on equilibrium Z-pinch plasmas are studied in this paper using a drift-ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. The model equations are an extension of ideal MHD to include finite-ion-inertial-length/cyclotron-frequency (Ωi) effects in Ohm's law and in the electron and ion heat transport equations. The linear modes contained in this model include the ideal interchange (sausage) mode and in the magnetized limit, Ωiτi≫1 with τi the ion collision time, nonideal entropy modes. It is well known that these two modes are decoupled in the kρs≪1 limit, where k is the axial mode number and ρs=cs/Ωi is the gyro-Bohm scale with cs the sound speed [B. Kadomtsev, Sov. Phys. JETP-USSR 10, 780 (1960)]. For Bennett equilibrium profiles, it is shown that the regions of stability for both modes are completely governed by the adiabatic coefficient γ in these limits. Equilibria with Bennett profiles are stable to entropy modes for γ 2. However, these modes are no longer decoupled when kρs≳1. The simulation results of the fully nonlinear set of equations in the magnetized limit show that seeded modes with kρs≳1 and γ = 5/3 display the characteristics of both ideal and entropy modes. The general heat flux for both ions and electrons as a function of the species magnetization is retained in the model. Both the linear and nonlinear behaviors of seeded modes for kρs≳1 display a strong dependence on the magnetization of the ions. The growth rate increases linearly with k at large kρs when the ions are magnetized but decreases with increasing k when Ωiτi≲1.The effects of m = 0 modes on equilibrium Z-pinch plasmas are studied in this paper using a drift-ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. The model equations are an extension of ideal MHD to include finite-ion-inertial-length/cyclotron-frequency (Ωi) effects in Ohm's law and in the electron and ion heat transport equations. The linear modes contained in this model include the ideal interchange (sausage) mode and in the magnetized limit, Ωiτi≫1 with τi the ion collision time, nonideal entropy modes. It is well known that these two modes are decoupled in the kρs≪1 limit, where k is the axial mode number and ρs=cs/Ωi is the gyro-Bohm scale with cs the sound speed [B. Kadomtsev, Sov. Phys. JETP-USSR 10, 780 (1960)]. For Bennett equilibrium profiles, it is shown that the regions of stability for both modes are completely governed by the adiabatic coefficient γ in these limits. Equilibria with Bennett profiles are stable to entropy modes for γ 2. However,...
A hyper-elastic thermal aging constitutive model for rubber-like materials:

Different phenomenological, empirical, and micromechanical constitutive models have been proposed to describe the behavior of incompressible isotropic hyper-elastic materials. Among these models, v...
Introduction: Temperature and Some Comment on Work

This introductory chapter informs the reader that this book is a disquisition of heat and energy. Understanding of heat and energy has two general requirements: the reader must achieve mastery of both the first law of thermodynamics and the second law of thermodynamics, and the reader must appreciate the difference between thermodynamic objects as systems and mechanical objects as mere mass bodies. Treatment of heat begins, in this chapter, with the introduction of the intensity of heat, i.e., temperature, and equation of state for ideal gases and ideal-gas mixtures.
Regular sea urchins as drivers of shallow benthic marine community structure

Abstract Regular sea urchins may be the single most important consumer affecting shallow marine communities worldwide. Vast sea grass beds and kelp forests have been denuded by foraging aggregations of sea urchins resulting in loss of habitat, food, and changes to the physical environment. On coral reefs, sea urchins shift algal communities from fleshy algae, hostile to corals, to encrusting coralline algae that facilitates coral recruitment and reef resilience. Sea urchins evolved unique foraging capabilities in the Mesozoic Era, but their relatively small size, limited mobility, and modest defenses made them susceptible to large Cenozoic vertebrate predators including sea otters and large fish. Global fisheries-induced declines of predators over the past century may have contributed to sea urchin hyperabundances. This trend reversed rapidly in recent decades by the global sea urchin fishery. Fishing on predators and sea urchins altered the strength of interactions in food webs and in some places has created alternative stable states from which sea urchin population are slow or unable to recover.
Economic Analysis of Home Photovoltaics System: Extreme Weather Case Study

A case study of the electric usage and cost of residential households under severe weather conditions is presented in this article. Extremely hot weather in Texas led to a sharp increase in electric usage at the local power grid, which necessitated a corresponding increase in price. For the residential households installed with Home Photovoltaics (PV) System, the solar power could provide a strong support to keep the utility electricity cost from this price surge. Additionally, extra solar energy could help a neighboring household avoid most of the abnormal electricity price. Matlab simulation results also indicate that this electric energy interaction between neighbors can reduce the energy cost of the household with the Home PV System.
Caveolae Spelunking: Exploring a New Modality in Tensional Homeostasis.

In this issue of Developmental Cell, Teo et al. (2020) uncover how caveolae control a PIP2-FMNL2 pathway that regulates tensional homeostasis at cell-cell junctions. They further examine caveolae-mediated tensional dysregulation and its functional consequences in oncogenic cell extrusion.
The multiple shortest path problem with path deconfliction

Abstract To address the increasingly relevant challenge of routing autonomous agents within contested environments, this research formulates and examines the Multiple Shortest Path Problem with Path Deconfliction (MSPP-PD) to balance agent routing efficiency with group vulnerability. Within the general model formulation, multiple agents are routed between respective source and terminus nodes while minimizing both the total distance travelled and a measure of path conflict, where path conflict occurs for any instance of more than one agent traversing an arc and/or node. Within this modeling structure, this research presents and inspects a set of alternative, conceptually-motivated penalty metrics to inhibit path conflict between agents. Illustrative testing demonstrates the distinguishability of different MSPP-PD variants as they relate to optimal agent routing solutions, as well as the non-dominated solutions attainable via different relative priorities over the objective functions. Subsequent empirical testing over a set of synthetic instances demonstrates the effect of different penalty function metrics on both optimal solutions and the computational effort required to identify them. Concluding the work are recommendations about the utility of the MSPP-PD model variants, both individually and collectively.
Branching behaviour of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability in linear viscoelastic fluids

The Rayleigh–Taylor instability of a linear viscoelastic fluid overlying a passive gas is considered, where, under neutral conditions, the key dimensionless groups are the Bond number and the Weissenberg number. The branching behaviour upon instability to sinusoidal disturbances is determined by weak nonlinear analysis with the Bond number advanced from its critical value at neutral stability. It is shown that the solutions emanating from the critical state either branch out supercritically to steady waves at predictable wavelengths or break up subcritically with a wavelength having a single node. The nonlinear analysis leads to the counterintuitive observation that Rayleigh–Taylor instability of a viscoelastic fluid in a laterally unbounded layer must always result in saturated steady waves. The analysis also shows that the subcritical breakup in a viscoelastic fluid can only occur if the layer is laterally bounded below a critical horizontal width. If the special case of an infinitely deep viscoelastic layer is considered, a simple expression is obtained from which the transition between steady saturated waves and subcritical behaviour can be determined in terms of the leading dimensionless groups. This expression reveals that the supercritical saturation of the free surface is due to the influence of the normal elastic stresses, while the subcritical rupture of the free surface is attributed to the influence of capillary effects. In short, depending upon the magnitude of the scaled shear modulus, there exists a wavenumber at which a transition from saturated waves to subcritical breakup occurs.
Comorbidity Influence on Postoperative Outcomes Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

Objective This study aims to detail the association between comorbidity burden and achieving minimum clinically important difference (MCID) following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Methods A prospective surgical registry was retrospectively reviewed. Patients with missing preoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System physical function (PROMIS PF) were excluded. Patients were stratified by Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI): no comorbidities = 0 point; low CCI = 1-2 points; high CCI = ≥ 3 points. Demographic and perioperative characteristics were collected and evaluated for differences. Visual analogue scale (VAS), 12-item Short Form health survey (SF-12), and PROMIS PF were collected pre- and postoperatively and assessed for differences. Differences in achievement of MCID were compared using established values: VAS neck = 2.6, VAS arm = 4.1, NDI = 8.5, SF-12 physical composite score (SF-12 PCS) = 8.1, PROMIS PF = 4.5. Results One hundred twenty-five ACDF patients were included: 37 had no comorbidities, 64 with low CCI, and 24 with high CCI. Higher CCI groups were older, nonsmokers, diabetic, arthritic, hypertensive, and had cancer. Multilevel fusions, operative time, length of stay, and later discharge day were associated with high CCI. VAS neck differed preoperatively by group. SF-12 PCS and PROMIS PF were inversely associated with CCI groups. CCI did not impact achievement of MCID for all outcomes. A lower rate of reaching MCID was demonstrated at 3 months for SF-12 PCS. Conclusion Regardless of comorbidity burden, patients undergoing ACDF for cervical pathology demonstrated a similar rate of achieving MCID for VAS neck, VAS arm, NDI, and PROMIS PF. Regardless of CCI score, ACDF can have a significant benefit for patients.
Know your price: Valuing Black lives and property in America’s Black cities: by A. M. Perry, Washington, DC, Brookings Institution Press, 2020, 224 pp., $17.09 (hardcover), ISBN: 9780815737278.

Through thorough research and touching passion, Andre Perry illuminates the deliberate devaluation of Black culture and Black majority cities in his book Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Pr...
Asynchronous group learning in learn from the learner approach: A Learning Object That Enhances and Facilitates Distance Self and Shared Learning.

Abstract Learning with the learner in an asynchronous group learning approach is a promising method of education that provides a rich, interactive, and socially mediated education. As online learning became more prevalent, and more users are adopting this approach, innovative and theory-based educational activities became necessary. In this article, we introduce and describe a novel form of asynchronous, interactive, and socializing educational activity using educational technology. The educational session is based on a small group learning activity that is made available for all learners anywhere and anytime. The approach avoids the trap of using educational technology for mere simulation of in-person learning. Based on learning theories, learning with the learner enhances interactive, self-directed, experiential, and social learning. Future development and enhancement with ongoing discussions through online chat platforms open the door for the continuous evolution of the concept.
Delayed Cerebral Ischemia after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is the most feared complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). It increases the mortality and morbidity associated with aSAH. Previously, large cerebral artery vasospasm was thought to be the sole major contributing factor associated with increased risk of DCI. Recent literature has challenged this concept. We conducted a literature search using PUBMED as the prime source of articles discussing various other factors which may contribute to the development of DCI both in the presence or absence of large cerebral artery vasospasm. These factors include microvascular spasm, micro-thrombosis, cerebrovascular dysregulation, and cortical spreading depolarization. These factors collectively result in inflammation of brain parenchyma, which is thought to precipitate early brain injury and DCI. We conclude that diagnostic modalities need to be refined in order to diagnose DCI more efficiently in its early phase, and newer interventions need to be developed to prevent and treat this condition. These newer interventions are currently being studied in experimental models. However, their effectiveness on patients with aSAH is yet to be determined.
Combustion Bomb Tests of Laser Ignition

Tests of laser ignition are conducted in a combustion bomb. A range of fuels is investigated comprising isooctane, cyclohexane, n-hexane, clear indolene, and No. 1 diesel fuel. The ignition characteristics of laser-induced sparks are compared with sparks generated with a spark plug for different air/fuel ratios. The power density required to produce laser induced sparks is investigated. Although laser ignition appears to be impractical as an ignition device because of its low efficiency and high cost, it presents some interesting possibilities compared to the standard spark plug in that the laser spark is electrodeless and can be positioned anywhere inside the combustion chamber. Its preimary use appears to be as a research tool.
Abstract 331: Recovery of Mitochondrial Bioenergetics after Hypoxia via Regulating Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase and Adenosine Monophosphate-activated Kinase

Mitochondrial quality control is critical for the survival of cardiac myocytes during stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of metabolic substrates and regulators of metabolism on mitochondrial bioenergetics, as an indicator of mitochondrial quality, and how these factors might influence the recovery of the cell’s bioenergetics after hypoxia/ischemia. By monitoring oxygen consumption rates (OCR), in real-time, in live neonatal rat myocytes and human cardiac myocyte-differentiated induced pluripotent stem cells, we found that both cell types can maintain basal OCR efficiently with any metabolic substrate; however, the neonatal cells require both glucose and fatty acid, while the human adult cells require fatty acid only, for mounting maximum reserve respiratory capacity (RRC). Our data also show that subjecting cardiac myocytes to hypoxia results in a reduction of the cells’ basal OCR and oxidative phosphorylation, and exhausts the RRC, which is accompanied by an increase in pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (Pdk) 1 and 4. Except for normalization of Pdk1 levels, there was little or no recovery of these parameters after reoxygenation. We, thus, hypothesized, that inhibition of Pdks may help recovery of the cell’s bioenergetics. Indeed, our results show that by inhibiting Pdks with dichloroacetate (DCA) before or after hypoxia, the cells’ bioenergetics, including OCR, oxidative phosphorylation, and RRC in neonatal myocytes, and RRC in the human myocytes fully recover within 24 h. On the other hand, activating AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) resulted in delayed (96 h) improvement of the cells’ RRC that was accompanied by an increase in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1α (3.5x), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (2x), and mitochondrial number (2x). These results led us to conclude that compromised mitochondrial quality can be rescued through mechanisms that regulate glucose or fatty acid oxidation by either inhibiting Pdks or activating AMPK, respectively, in rodent and human myocytes.
Fast Algorithms for Signal Processing: Introduction to abstract algebra

Good algorithms are elegant algebraic identities. To construct these algorithms, we must be familiar with the powerful structures of number theory and of modern algebra. The structures of the set of integers, of polynomial rings, and of Galois fields will play an important role in the design of signal-processing algorithms. This chapter will introduce those mathematical topics of algebra that will be important for later developments but that are not always known to students of signal processing. We will first study the mathematical structures of groups, rings, and fields. We shall see that a discrete Fourier transform can be defined in many fields, though it is most familiar in the complex field. Next, we will discuss the familiar topics of matrix algebra and vector spaces. We shall see that these can be defined satisfactorily in any field. Finally, we will study the integer ring and polynomial rings, with particular attention to the euclidean algorithm and the Chinese remainder theorem in each ring. Groups A group is a mathematical abstraction of an algebraic structure that appears frequently in many concrete forms. The abstract idea is introduced because it is easier to study all mathematical systems with a common structure at once, rather than to study them one by one. Definition 2.1.1 A group G is a set together with an operation (denoted by ✻) satisfying four properties .
Identification of a New Tetracycline Resistance Determinant tet47 from Fish Intestine.

To better understand food safety risks, functional genomic analysis was conducted to identify undescribed antibiotic resistance genes in fish samples from an aquaculture fish farm in Ohio. A fosmid genomic library from pooled DNA of antibiotic-resistant isolates was used to screen for resistance genes against tetracycline (Tet). A new Tet-resistant determinant designated as tet47 was identified, with the original hosts being Providencia spp. from fish intestine. The new gene was also found to confer Tet resistance in Escherichia coli. Fish and byproducts were shown to be possible carriers that may disseminate new, functional, and potentially transmissible antibiotic resistance determinants through food, feed, and environmental contacts.
Actions of sex hormones on the brain: 'organization' and 'activation' in relation to functional teratology.

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the impact of gonadal hormones on the nervous system related to the functional teratologies. The chapter investigates the basic neuroendocrinology underlying gonadal steroid actions on the developing and adult brain. The nervous system responds to hormones secreted by the gonads, adrenals, and thyroid gland during its development and in maturity. Hormonal responsiveness is related to the presence of receptor sites that mediate actions of these hormones at the level of gene expression. These hormone receptors are proteins with a steroid binding domain and a DNA binding domain, which regulate genomic activity through binding to specific DNA sequences called “enhancers.” In the adult nervous system, normal effects include facilitation of sexual and aggressive behavior, whereas abnormal effects include actions that alter dopamine dependent motor activity or elevate sexual and aggressive behavior inappropriately and artificially. During development, testosterone is responsible for the masculinizing and defeminizing aspects of sexual differentiation.
A cataract tele-surgery training application in a hapto-visual collaborative environment running over the CANARIE photonic network

We discuss our efforts in developing a hapto-visual application that medical students can use to gain valuable experience in performing eye cataract surgery on a human. Our application supports three scenarios: an instructor and a trainee in geographically distant locations interacting in real-time having the instructor tele-mentor the trainee using haptic devices at both ends; a trainee learning the surgical procedure by means of perceptual cues (e.g. projective lighting); and finally, a trainee performing the surgery without any guidance. Collaboration and remote interaction is done over the CANARIE CA*net4 photonic network. Organizationally, project development responsibilities are split into four functional components: the GUI, the graphic rendering, the haptic rendering (which includes collision detection and collision response by means of a physics engine), and networking. In this paper, we discuss our work on the four components, comment on the challenges we are facing and expect to face, and also discuss remaining work.
Elimination of the transient ipsilateral retinotectal projection is not solely achieved by cell death in the developing chick

During development of the projection from the retina to the brain in the chick, a transient ipsilateral retinotectal projection forms and disappears. This disappearance is coincident with a wave of ganglion cell death in the retina. The contribution of cell death to the disappearance of this projection, as opposed to another mechanism such as axon retraction, was examined. Retinal ganglion cells with a projection to the ipsilateral tectum were retrogradely labeled by injection of long-lasting fluorescent dyes into the tectum prior to the onset of ganglion cell death. Large injections of fast blue labeled approximately 1800 ganglion cells in the ipsilateral retina before the period of cell death began. If the injected embryos were allowed to survive past the peak period of ganglion cell death, the average number of labeled ganglion cells in the ipsilateral retina was reduced by somewhat more than half. It is possible that the remaining labeled ganglion cells projected only to nontectal visual nuclei and were labeled by fast blue that had diffused out of the tectum. This was tested by repeating the study using very localized injections of 1,1′- dioctodecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate or fluorescent microspheres into the tectum. These small injections confirmed that cells with transient projections to the ipsilateral tectum survived past the elimination of this projection. Thus, ipsilaterally projecting ganglion cells have, at most, a slightly greater propensity for death than the average ganglion cell, and elimination of the transient ipsilateral retinotectal projection in chick can be explained only, in part, by the mechanism of cell death.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Variable selection by a reversible jump MCMC approach

In this paper we address the problem of selecting the best subset of predictors in linear models from a given set of predictors. In computing the posterior probabilities of the various models, we propose to use the method of reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling which cyclicly sweeps through the set of possible predictors and includes or removes them from the model one at a time. Special emphasis is given to a scheme that does not require sampling of the model coefficients and is based on predictive densities. Numerical results are provided that show the performance of the proposed approach.
Private Colleges' Pricing Experience in the Early 1990s: The Impact of Rapidly Increasing College-Funded Grants.

During the early 1990s, percentage increases in private colleges' “sticker prices” continued to outpace increases in the economy-wide inflation rate, input prices, and income growth; but after netting out the effect of rapidly increasing college-funded grants, the positive differentials appear to have decreased relative to the 1980s. Perhaps as important as the overall picture, substantial dispersion exists among private colleges in the actual net prices received by the colleges from full-time freshmen. While total revenue net of college-funded grants increased at healthy rates in the aggregate, a substantial subset of colleges experienced declines or subdued growth in net revenue. Shortfalls in the growth of net revenue were especially concentrated among colleges with less stringent admissions selectivity. The broad dispersion of college experiences supports the view that, in the context of national estimates of student responsiveness to price and aid changes, college decision makers consider their own college's special characteristics and local conditions in making price and aid decisions.
Blood Politics: Race, Culture, and Identity in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma

Blood Politics: Race, Culture, and Identity in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma Circe Sturm (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002)
Benign melanocytic lymph node deposits in the setting of giant congenital melanocytic nevi: the large congenital nodal nevus.

Background Benign melanocytic rests are a frequent finding in superficial lymph nodes removed during sentinel lymph node biopsies for melanoma. Whereas the histopathology of these deposits is well understood, very little is known regarding melanocytic lymph node deposits in the setting of giant congenital melanocytic nevi. Methods We analyzed lymph nodes removed from the drainage basin of giant congenital melanocytic nevi in three patients who had developed melanoma within their giant congenital nevi. Results Two of three patients showed widespread, capsular and parenchymal melanocytic deposits in multiple nodes (9 of 11 nodes in one patient and 6 of 8 in the other). Melanocytes were small, non-mitotically active and resembled those in the associated giant congenital melanocytic nevus. Melanocytes were arranged singly and in small nests ∼0.05 mm in diameter, with some larger sheets up to 1 mm. Nodal melanocytes stained for Melan A and S100 on immunohistochemical evaluation, but showed negative or minimal HMB-45 reactivity. Conclusions Evaluation of lymph nodes in the setting of giant congenital melanocytic nevi is complicated by the presence of often numerous, parenchymal melanocytic nevic deposits. Bland cytology and minimal or absent HMB-45 staining may be helpful in differentiating these nodal melanocytic nevi from metastatic melanoma. We term this phenomena large congenital nodal nevus.