cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uncertainty Calculation for Spectral-Responsivity Measurements.

This paper discusses a procedure for measuring the absolute spectral responsivity of optical-fiber power meters and computation of the calibration uncertainty. The procedure reconciles measurement results associated with a monochromator-based measurement system with those obtained with laser sources coupled with optical fiber. Relative expanded uncertainties based on the methods from the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement and from Supplement 1 to the “Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement”-Propagation of Distributions using a Monte Carlo Method are derived and compared. An example is used to illustrate the procedures and calculation of uncertainties.
Photochemistry of Organic Iron(III) Complexing Ligands in Oceanic Systems

Iron is a limiting nutrient for primary production in marine systems, and photochemical processes play a significant role in the upper ocean biogeochemical cycling of this key element. In recent years, progress has been made toward understanding the role of biologically produced organic ligands in controlling the speciation and photochemical redox cycling of iron in ocean surface waters. Most (>99%) of the dissolved iron in seawater is now known to be associated with strong organic ligands. New data concerning the structure and photochemical reactivity of strong Fe(III) binding ligands (siderophores) produced by pelagic marine bacteria suggest that direct photolysis via ligand-to-metal charge transfer reactions may be an important mechanism for the production of reduced, biologically available iron (Fe[II]) in surface waters. Questions remain, however, about the importance of these processes relative to secondary photochemical reactions with photochemically produced radical species, such as superoxide (O2-). The mechanism of superoxide-mediated reduction of Fe(III) in the presence of strong Fe(III) organic ligands is also open to debate. This review highlights recent findings, including both model ligand studies and experimentallobservational studies of the natural seawater ligand pool.
Constructing soliton solutions of geometric flows by separation of variables

This note surveys and compares results in (12) and (21, 22) on the separation of variables construction for soliton solutions of curvature equations including the Kahler- Ricci flow and the Lagrangian mean curvature flow. In the last section, we propose some new generalizations in the Lagrangian mean curvature flow case.
From Helena to Harlem: Barriers to Saving at Two SEED Sites

Policy makers are increasingly interested in incentivized savings programs for low-income children. This study reports findings from interviews with caregivers of accountholders in the Saving for Education, Entrepreneurship, and Downpayment (SEED), a national research initiative. Although asset-building proponents emphasize that low-income citizens can save with the right supports, median saving rates in the SEED study were quite low. In-depth interviews conducted with 27 caregivers at 2 distinct program sites describe obstacles to saving. Barriers are categorized as financial, spatial, cognitive, and behavioral. Policy and practice implications may enhance low savings rates among low-income participants in many incentivized savings programs.
The distribution and synonyms of Breutelia microdonta (Mitt.) Broth. with additional notes on certain taxa of Breutelia

Breutelia microdonta (Mitt.) Broth., described originally from Brazil, is the oldest name for a disjunct widespread tropical species that includes as synonyms B. angustifolia Rehm. ex Sim of Southern Africa and B. merrillii Broth. of the Philippines. Breutelia kilaueae (C. Muell.) Broth. of Hawaii is considered a synonym of the austral Pacific species B. affinis (Hook.) Mitt., and B. brachyphylla Broth. of Ecuador is reduced to synonymy under the North Andean B. squarrosa Jaeg. Breutelia anacolioides Herz. of Bolivia is removed to Philonotis as a synonym of the North Andean P. incana (Tayl.) H. Robins. Differences in spore ornamentation offer an additional character distinguishing Breutelia from Philonotis .
RunTex: A Community Landmark Run Out of Business

The case follows Paul Carrozza and his journey in building a once highly successful running shoe store in Austin, TX. The case presents newspaper accounts and other publicly available information regarding Carrozza and the store he built and ultimately had to close, RunTex. Specifically, the case offers both undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to evaluate the repercussions of a business that fails to engage in strategic planning. As a result, this case provides the ideal backdrop for instructors to convey the significance and obligation for future sport managers to understand the importance of strategic management. The case is primarily intended for use in strategic management, organizational behavior, and/or sport marketing courses wishing to highlight CSR strategies.
A High Order Cut Cell Method for Numerical Simulation of Three Dimensional Hypersonic Boundary-Layer Transition with Finite Surface Roughness

Hypersonic boundary-layer transition can be affected significantly by surface roughness. Many important mechanisms which involve transition induced by arbitrary roughness are not well understood. Direct numerical simulation is broadly applied for investigating the roughness induced instability and transition in recent decade. But due to the complex computational geometry with embedded 3-D roughness, the use of body fitted curvilinear grids could prove to be very difficult. In our previous papers [44,45], we proposed a new high-order cut cell method to overcome the natural complexities in grid generation around curvilinear surface. The new algorithms of up to 4 () Oh accuracy have been derived and applied to simulate two-dimensional boundary-layer transition with finite surface roughness. Compared with two-dimensional roughness, the flow with three-dimensional isolated and distributed roughness is more complicated in analyzing and simulating. In this paper, we extend our previous new high order cut cell method to simulate three-dimensional hypersonic flow with finite surface roughness. The flow structure in three-dimensional boundary layer is investigated by using the new numerical approach.
Inter- and Intrapopulation Isozyme Variation in Collections from Sexually Reproducing Populations of the Bean Rust Fungus, Uromyces Appendiculatus

Previous studies of isozyme banding patterns in Uromyces appendiculatus compared one isolate per population or location. In this study, five or more isolates were surveyed from each of 12 field collections to estimate genetic variation within and between the source populations. Five enzymes stained in polyacrylamide slab gels produced 10-21 bands grouped as 10 markers (putative loci); 14 of these bands were present in >72% of the isolates. Six markers indicated heterozygous loci. Marker I of phosphoglucomutase was the most diverse across the collections; three markers were fixed. One marker pattern was predominant for each enzyme, and one multi-isozyme phenotype occurred in 11 of the 12 collections and 21 of the 66 isolates. A 1986 collection from west-central Minnesota, denoted P24, had the lowest Shannon Diversity Index, the highest proportion of simple (homozygote-like) band patterns, the highest mean number of marker differences from isolates of the other collections, and no phenotypes in common with any other collection. Nei's Coefficient of Genetic Identity averaged 0.952 among 11 of the collections but only 0.791 between P24 and the other collections. Collection P24 may represent a late-season epidemic population of asexually produced spores.
SERUM IRON LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT DISEASE.

SummarySerum iron levels were determined on individuals in the following categories (average value indicated in parenthesis) : controls (81.0), cancer with no metastases (77.1), cancer with regional metastases (64.2), cancer with widespread metastases (47.8), nonmalignant disease (outpatients) (85.2), nonmalignant disease (inpatients) (83.0) and tuberculosis (54.7). Serum iron levels in patients with advanced breast cancer were not significantly different from the levels observed in cancer patients without metastases. The data indicate that the serum iron levels may be related to the extent of metastases, but that they are not a factor in determination of the presence of cancer per se.
Real-Time Classification of Hand Motions Using Ultrasound Imaging of Forearm Muscles

Surface electromyography (sEMG) has been the predominant method for sensing electrical activity for a number of applications involving muscle–computer interfaces, including myoelectric control of prostheses and rehabilitation robots. Ultrasound imaging for sensing mechanical deformation of functional muscle compartments can overcome several limitations of sEMG, including the inability to differentiate between deep contiguous muscle compartments, low signal-to-noise ratio, and lack of a robust graded signal. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of real-time graded control using a computationally efficient method to differentiate between complex hand motions based on ultrasound imaging of forearm muscles. Dynamic ultrasound images of the forearm muscles were obtained from six able-bodied volunteers and analyzed to map muscle activity based on the deformation of the contracting muscles during different hand motions. Each participant performed 15 different hand motions, including digit flexion, different grips (i.e., power grasp and pinch grip), and grips in combination with wrist pronation. During the training phase, we generated a database of activity patterns corresponding to different hand motions for each participant. During the testing phase, novel activity patterns were classified using a nearest neighbor classification algorithm based on that database. The average classification accuracy was 91%. Real-time image-based control of a virtual hand showed an average classification accuracy of 92%. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using ultrasound imaging as a robust muscle–computer interface. Potential clinical applications include control of multiarticulated prosthetic hands, stroke rehabilitation, and fundamental investigations of motor control and biomechanics.
Effect of constraints on Tiebout competition: evidence from a school finance reform

ABSTRACTEffect of constraints on Tiebout competition: evidence from a school finance reform. Regional Studies. Michigan's school finance reform significantly increased state aid to low-spending districts and placed restraints on the growth of spending in high-spending districts. It is noteworthy that there is no literature yet on the impact of such reforms on resource allocation by school districts. This study begins to fill this gap. It finds that the reform led the high-spending districts to allocate a lower share of their total expenditure to support services and a higher share to instruction (relative to the low-spending districts). To the extent that instructional expenditures are more productive and contribute to student achievement more than support services expenditures, these results suggest that the reform led to a relative increase in productivity in the high-spending districts.
Wakan Tipi and Indian Mounds Park: Reclaiming an Indigenous feminine sacred site

The colonization of Turtle Island (North America) resulted in genocide and attempts to erase the Indigenous and feminine cosmologies that permeated Indigenous lands, particularly Indigenous centers of power. This article uses a case study approach to critically examine the history, cosmology, destruction and restoration of an Indigenous sacred site located near present- day St. Paul, Minnesota, known to the Dakota peoples as Wakaŋ Tipi or Wakaŋyaŋ Tipi, names once incompletely translated as “sacred dwelling place” or “they live sacredly.” Wakaŋ Tipi, with its feminine birth mounds and unique ecology, is the place that connects earth and sky. The site has drawn Indigenous peoples from all over the world to learn from its teachings. The article includes discussion on the collaboration that has restored this sacred place from a toxic waste dump to a site where ceremony and learning can take place once again.
Can a Tomato Increase Your Productivity

How can a tomato or even a lot of tomatoes help increase an individual’s productivity? The answer lies in the Pomodoro Technique, a time management strategy developed by Francesco Cirillo while he ...
General Aspects of the Three-Dimensional Organization of Cytoskeletal Components

The beginning of research on the biochemistry and supramolecular organization of the cytoskeleton is closely associated with two developments: 1. The use of antibodies to study the overall distribution of cytoskeleton-associated antigens in large populations of cells, an approach first applied at the light microscopic level and more recently at the electron microscopic level. 2. The use of nonionic detergents to remove the plasma membrane, internal membrane-bound organelles, and less stable components of the cytoplasm to generate a “cytoskeletal” preparation in which the organization of the major filament types can be studied at the electron microscopic level. Graphic images of critical point-dried or rapidly frozen preparations reveal fine details of the three-dimensional organization of filaments and their interactions, and are especially informative when viewed steroscopically. While both approaches are just ten years old, they have contributed to the establishment of a new branch of cell biological research. This section with discuss some general aspects of cytoskeletal organization as revealed by these techniques; more specialized features with then be dealt with in subsequent sections.
Adult Education and Lifelong Learning: The US Experience and Beyond

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by S.L. Willis, J.A. Margrett, volume 1, pp. 299–304, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd.
Sequential Treatment with Reduced Intensity Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation and Imatinib for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia is uniquely sensitive to the graft-vs-malignancy effects. Donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) can induce a high rate of durable remissions in patients relapsing after BMT. Imatinib mesylate may also induce remission in patients with recurrent disease post BMT. This suggests a strategy of sequential therapy using a reduced intensity allogeneic transplant to achieve initial cytoreduction with post transplant imatinib and DLI for recurrent disease as an approach to reduce the risks associated with allogeneic transplantation. We also assessed whether the addition of imatinib to the preparative regimen could be done without increased toxicity to take advantage of the synergistic effects of imatinib with cytotoxic chemotherapy. Patients received a reduced intensity regimen of imatinib (800 mg/d), busulfan ( 8 mg/m2 IV), fludarabine (160 mg/m2), Thymoglobulin (5 mg/kg) and allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Patients receive tacrolimus and mini-methotrexate for GVHD prophylaxis. Those who had molecular evidence of disease at 3 months receive imatinib and those with residual disease 3 months later receive DLI. 14 patients with Ph+ CML have been entered and have follow-up greater than 100 days. 8 had a matched sibling, 5 an unrelated donor and 1 a one antigen mismatched related donor. 4 received marrow and 10 blood progenitor cell transplants. All had received prior imatinib and all except 2 had failed to achieve a major cytogenetic response. 7 were in first chronic or accelerated phase and 7 were in > 2nd chronic phase after prior accelerated phase or blast crisis. All had hematologic control while receiving imatinib-based therapy. Median age was 48 (range 23–70) years. All patients achieved engraftment and none have died from treatment related causes. 3 developed grade 1–2 acute GVHD and 4 have developed chronic GVHD. 13 patients achieved cytogenetic complete remission, one patient failed to respond and was taken off study. 3 had cytogenetic progression with one having fatal recurrence of lymphoid blast crisis. 9 patients who were pcr positive for bcr-abl rearrangement at 3 months received imatinib; 7 have had ongoing disease reduction by quantitative pcr, 1 currently has no response and 1 patient had progressive disease and was taken off study. None have received DLI. 13 patients remain alive with 11 in cytogenetic remission. In summary, addition of imatinib to the preparative regimen was not associated with increased toxicity. This strategy allows for allogeneic transplantation using a reduced intensity regimen with capture of persistent or recurrent disease by post transplant imatinib and/or DLI. The low rate of severe morbidity and treatment related mortality makes this approach attractive for CML patients failing to have an optimal initial response to imatinib based therapy.
Physical family violence and externalizing and internalizing behaviors among children and adolescents

Family violence has been associated with various negative outcomes among children and adolescents. Yet, less is known about how unique forms of physical family violence contribute to externalizing and internalizing behaviors based on a child's developmental stage. Using data from the Illinois Families Study and administrative Child Protective Services data, we explored the relation between 3 types of physical family violence victimization and externalizing and internalizing behaviors among a sample of 2,402 children and adolescents. After including parent and family level covariates in Poisson regressions, we found that a unique form of family violence victimization was associated with increased externalizing behaviors among children at each age group: exposure to physical intimate partner violence (IPV) among children ages 3-5, exposure to the physical abuse of a sibling among children ages 6-12, and child physical abuse among adolescents ages 13-18. No form of physical family violence was significantly associated with internalizing behaviors for children in any age group. Including exposure to the child maltreatment of a sibling is crucial when attempting to contextualize children's responses to family violence and providing comprehensive services in an effort to enhance the well-being of all children in a family. (PsycINFO Database Record
Study of Antidepressant Molecular Structure Leading to Safer Dosing

In this study the structures of 16 molecules with known pKi values for CYP2D6 inhibition were evaluated in silico and quantified using molecular descriptors. The 16 molecules had similar structures, as they were all either SSRIs, SNRIs, or other molecularly similar drugs. The role of the molecular structure of the drugs in predicting the inhibition of the CYP2D6 enzyme was evaluated. This was done using a mathematical model that established a linear relationship between a drug's predicted pKi values and the drug's molecular structure. After measuring the effect that different molecular descriptors had on the accuracy of the predicted pKi values, the math model was limited to 4 descriptors that provided reasonably good fit to predict a drug's pKi inhibition: pKi = 2.56272 + (-0.68072 logS) + (2.49311 PC+) + (-1.48765 SlogP) + (-0.09520 TPSA). Using this model, the predicted pKi values for the 16 molecules in the test set were calculated, and they were cross-validated against the known pKi values for each of the molecules. The model was then used to predict the pKi values for 3 antidepressants whose pKi values for inhibiting 2D6 were unknown. Knowing this is imperative for physicians, as incorrect dosed medications can lead to deadly synergy between various drugs (drug-drug interactions).
Abstract T P80: Inhibition of Ezh2 Leads to Decreased M1 and Enhanced M2 Microglia Phenotypes

Background: Ischemic stroke results in the activation of microglia, which may polarize toward a pro-inflammatory (M1) phenotype or an anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective (M2) phenotype. Thus, simult...
Refining a Claims-based Algorithm to Estimate Biologic Medication Effectiveness and Cost per Effectively Treated Patient with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background Claims data generally lack information on clinical outcomes. However, a validated claims-based algorithm for estimating the effectiveness of biologic agents in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was recently developed and applied to various databases. Objectives The objectives of the study were to implement a claims-based algorithm in a large nationwide database to estimate medication effectiveness and cost for patients with RA using biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and to assess the effect of eliminating one criterion from the algorithm on results. Methods The DMARD groups included patients initiated on etanercept, adalimumab, abatacept, or infliximab. Patients were categorized as effectively treated if they met these six criteria: a medication possession ratio of 80% or greater; no escalation in biologic dose; no switch in biologics; no new nonbiologic DMARD; no new or increased oral glucocorticoid treatment; and no more than one glucocorticoid injection. In a follow-up analysis, the dose-escalation criterion was removed because an increase in dose for infliximab may be appropriate. Average costs for RA-related medications were calculated for each DMARD patient group and divided by the number of patients who met all six effectiveness criteria. Results A total of 1196 individuals were included in the analysis. Using the algorithm, the index biologic was categorized as effective for 25.4% of patients overall: 30.3% (102/337) of etanercept, 27.6% (104/377) of adalimumab, 32.7% (37/113) of abatacept, and 16.5% (61/369) of infliximab patients. Total costs for RA medication costs per effectively treated patient ranged from more than $80,000 for infliximab to ~$43,000-$46,000 for the other three groups. Removing the no dose-escalation criterion drastically reduced the cost per effectively treated patient in the infliximab group (to ~$42,000). Conclusions Using the original six-criteria claims-based algorithm in a large claims database, infliximab was the least-effective biologic agent and had the highest medication cost per effectively treated patient. However, when a follow-up analysis removed the dose-escalation exclusion criterion, the four groups had similar effectiveness and medication costs per effectively treated patient with RA.
Unique regulation of Na-glutamine cotransporter SN2/SNAT5 in rabbit intestinal crypt cells during chronic enteritis.

The only Na-nutrient cotransporter described in mammalian small intestinal crypt cells is SN2/SNAT5, which facilitates glutamine uptake. In a rabbit model of chronic intestinal inflammation, SN2 stimulation is secondary to an increase in affinity of the cotransporter for glutamine. However, the immune regulation of SN2 in the crypt cells during chronic intestinal inflammation is unknown. We sought to determine the mechanism of regulation of Na-nutrient cotransporter SN2 by arachidonic acid metabolites in crypt cells. The small intestines of New Zealand white male rabbits were inflamed via inoculation with Eimeria magna oocytes. After 2-week incubation, control and inflamed rabbits were subjected to intramuscular injections of arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone (ATK), piroxicam and MK886 for 48 hrs. After injections, the rabbits were euthanized and crypt cells from small intestines were harvested and used. Results Treatment of rabbits with ATK prevented the release of AA and reversed stimulation of SN2. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) with piroxicam did not affect stimulation of SN2. However, inhibition of lipoxygenase (LOX) with MK886, thus reducing leukotriene formation during chronic enteritis, reversed the stimulation of SN2. Kinetic studies showed that the mechanism of restoration of SN2 by ATK or MK886 was secondary to the restoration of the affinity of the cotransporter for glutamine. For all treatment conditions, Western blot analysis revealed no change in SN2 protein levels. COX inhibition proved ineffective at reversing the stimulation of SN2. Thus, this study provides evidence that SN2 stimulation in crypt cells is mediated by the leukotriene pathway during chronic intestinal inflammation.
Systemic biopolymer-delivered vascular endothelial growth factor promotes therapeutic angiogenesis in experimental renovascular disease

We recently developed a therapeutic biopolymer composed of an elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) fused to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and showed long-term renoprotective effects in experimental renovascular disease after a single intra-renal administration. Here, we sought to determine the specificity, safety, efficacy, and mechanisms of renoprotection of ELP-VEGF after systemic therapy in renovascular disease. We tested whether kidney selectivity of the ELP carrier would reduce off-target binding of VEGF in other organs. In vivo bio-distribution after systemic administration of ELP-VEGF in swine was determined in kidneys, liver, spleen, and heart. Stenotic-kidney renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate were quantified in vivo using multi-detector computed tomography (CT) after six weeks of renovascular disease, then treated with a single intravenous dose of ELP-VEGF or placebo and observed for four weeks. CT studies were then repeated and the pigs euthanized. Ex vivo studies quantified renal microvascular density (micro-CT) and fibrosis. Kidneys, liver, spleen, and heart were excised to quantify the expression of angiogenic mediators and markers of progenitor cells. ELP-VEGF accumulated predominantly in the kidney and stimulated renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, improved cortical microvascular density, and renal fibrosis, and was accompanied by enhanced renal expression of VEGF, downstream mediators of VEGF signaling, and markers of progenitor cells compared to placebo. Expression of angiogenic factors in liver, spleen, and heart were not different compared to placebo-control. Thus, ELP efficiently directs VEGF to the kidney after systemic administration and induces long-term renoprotection without off-target effects, supporting the feasibility and safety of renal therapeutic angiogenesis via systemic administration of a novel kidney-specific bioengineered compound.
Effectiveness of earmuffs in protecting hearing during shooting practice: a case-study

Objective: This investigation was designed to determine the effectiveness of earmuffs worn by a single individual during shooting practice.Design: Single subject experimental design. Study sample: ...
Metabolism of exogenously applied fructose 1,6-bisphosphate in hypoxic vascular smooth muscle

Exogenously administered fructose 1,6-bisphosphate reportedly protects ischemic or hypoxic tissue and facilitates metabolic recovery. The mechanism of action of exogenous fructose 1,6-bisphosphate has been an issue of considerable debate, since there is a lack of direct evidence that fructose 1,6-bisphosphate can cross the cell membrane and act as an intermediate in glycolysis. We synthesized [1,6-13C]fructose 1,6-bisphosphate and directly examined its cellular metabolism in hog carotid artery segments using 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. [1,6-13C]fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (2.1 mM) was metabolized by hog carotid artery during normoxia and hypoxia with a major metabolic product being [3-13C]lactate. The production of [3-13C]lactate was greater during hypoxia than during normoxia, indicating that fructose 1,6-bisphosphate metabolism responded to the energetic state of the tissue. We found that exogenously added fructose 1,6-bisphosphate at 2.1 mM did not significantly improve the ability of hypoxic hog carotid artery to maintain isometric force, whereas 20 mM fructose 1,6-bisphosphate did significantly, although modestly, improve isometric force maintenance. These results indicate that exogenously added fructose 1,6-bisphosphate is capable of entering cells and serving as a glycolytic intermediate.
Forest Development in Iceland

When Iceland was settled 1,100 years ago, at least 30 percent of the land area was covered by woodland. Icelandic birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.) was the major tree species (Sigurosson, 1977). Little is known about the dimensions of the trees, but they were utilized by the farming society for firewood, charcoal, and even as small building timber. The woodlands were also felled to make way for stock grazing. But grazing hindered woodland regeneration and deprived the soil of its protective cover, eventually causing severe erosion.
Fare il salto

Non c’e da meravigliarsi che Jerrie Cobb sia diventata un’aviatrice. Trascorrete anche una sola ora in Oklahoma, e vedrete che qualunque cosa prende il volo. Pensate alla Highway 35, per esempio, che corre in direzione nord-sud tra Ponca City, dove vivevano i genitori di Jerrie, e Oklahoma City. Cartelli stradali oscillano avanti e indietro sui propri pali metallici; incarti di barrette al cioccolato, lasciati cadere dai pick-up, si incalzano lungo la corsia d’emergenza; falchi cosI immobili da sembrare dipinti galleggiano nel cielo su oceani d’aria. E come se in Oklahoma tutto cio che non e fissato con dei chiodi venisse sollevato e scagliato nell’immenso cielo dell’Ovest.
Teacher's Aide: Modeling Hole-Effect Variograms of Lithology-Indicator Variables

Common variogram models, such as spherical or exponential functions, increase monotonically with increasing lag distance. On the other hand, a hole-effect variogram typically exhibits sinusoidal waves that form peaks and troughs, thereby conveying the cyclicity of the underlying phenomenon. In order to incorporate this cyclicity into a stochastic simulation, hole effects in the experimental variogram must be fitted appropriately. In this paper, we recommend use of several multiplicative-composite variogram models to fit hole-effect experimental variograms. These consist of a cosine function to provide wavelength and phase of cyclicity, multiplied by a monotonic model (e.g., spherical) to attenuate amplitudes of the cyclical peaks and troughs. These composite models can successfully fit experimental lithology-indicator variograms that contain a range of cyclicities, although experimental variograms with poor cyclicity require special considerations.
Mechanisms and Current Research

Until recently, primary cicatricial alopecias had received little attention in the clinical and research realm. With the dramatic increases in our knowledge of basic hair biology, new and powerful tools have become available to study these rare disorders in ways that were previously not possible. As we have moved from traditional clinical studies and histopathology to molecular biology, new paradigms regarding the pathophysiology of cicatricial alopecia have been developed. However, after clarifying many previously unanswered questions, we are faced with a series of new and unanswered ones. By the time this publication is completed, new information will be available, and we encourage the reader to stay tuned and engaged as research in cicatricial alopecia continues to unfold.
Inferring bladder cancer research prioritization from patient-generated online content.

Patients and their families utilize online resources when dealing with a diagnosis of bladder cancer. Many patients have questions regarding clinical management options. Online research forums may help researchers and providers identify research areas of interest. Our objective was to review online forums and identify research questions that are important to patients and families impacted by bladder cancer diagnosis. We reviewed 1 month of online content from the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Inspire online community ( https://www.inspire.com/groups/bladder-cancer-advocacy-network ). Using affinity diagramming, we categorized the submitted content from patient users into themes stratified by the cancer severity of the patient user (non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, muscle-invasive bladder cancer, metastatic bladder cancer). We categorized the content by the audience of forum posts (i.e., inwardly directed, those seeking support, vs. outwardly directed, those sharing personal experiences) and constructed comparative effectiveness research questions from the submitted content. From 14 July 2014 to 14 August 2014, a total of 394 forum posts were collected, of which 3 were excluded from analysis due to non-relevant content, leaving 391 comments for final analysis. Almost 38% of posts involved muscle-invasive bladder cancer and 25% of posts were from people other than the patient. Inwardly and outwardly directed posts were commonly related to clinical treatment concerns. Review of online patient-generated content may offer insight into comparative effectiveness research topics of importance to bladder cancer patients. A more formalized process may better represent research priorities among bladder cancer patients.
Organized Sports and Physical Activities as Sole Influencers of Fitness: The Homeschool Population

Homeschool children may rely solely on organized sports and physical activities to achieve recommended levels of physical activity and fitness. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in fitness levels between homeschool children who did, and did not, participate in organized sports or physical activities, and then examine relationships between hours per week in sports or physical activities and cardiorespiratory fitness as measured by portions of the FitnessGram® test battery. Organized sports/physical activity participation information was gathered on 100 children ages 10-17 years who completed tests of upper, abdominal, and cardiorespiratory fitness. The current investigation revealed that participation alone was not associated with higher levels of physical fitness as assessed by the 90° push-up test or curl-up test nor was time in participation related to cardiorespiratory fitness as assessed by the Progressive Aerobic Capacity Endurance Run (PACER). These activities alone may be insufficient for meeting physical activity recommendations and improving physical fitness. Therefore, children and adolescents educated at home may need additional opportunities to participate in unstructured daily physical activity.
Distributed Non-convex Optimization of Multi-agent Systems Using Boosting Functions to Escape Local Optima: Theory and Applications

We address the problem of multiple local optima arising due to non-convex objective functions in cooperative multi-agent optimization problems. To escape such local optima, we propose a systematic approach based on the concept of boosting functions. The underlying idea is to temporarily transform the gradient at a local optimum into a boosted gradient with a non-zero magnitude. We develop a Distributed Boosting Scheme (DBS) based on a gradient-based optimization algorithm using a novel optimal variable step size mechanism so as to guarantee convergence. Even though our motivation is based on the coverage control problem setting, our analysis applies to a broad class of multi-agent problems. Simulation results are provided to compare the performance of different boosting functions families and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the boosting function approach in attaining improved (still generally local) optima.
Validation of MSKCC pre-prostatectomy nomogram in men who undergo MRI-targeted prostate biopsy prior to radical prostatectomy.

14Background: The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) Pre-Prostatectomy nomogram is a widely used resource using clinical factors to predict the likelihood of adverse pathology at radica...
Salutarismo e medicalização da vida cotidiana

This article considers some implications of the new health consciousness and movements – holistic health and self-care – for the definition of and solution to problems related to ‘health’. Healthism represents a particular way of viewing the health problem, and is characteristic of the new health consciousness and movements. It can best be understood as a form of medicalization, meaning that it still retains key medical notions. Like medicine, healthism situates the problem of health and disease at the level of the individual. Solutions are formulated at that level as well. To the extent that healthism shapes popular beliefs, we will continue to have a non-political, and therefore, ultimately ineffective conception and strategy of health promotion. Further, by elevating health to a super value, a metaphor for all that is good in life, healthism reinforces the privatization of the struggle for generalized well-being.
Leadership on Request: Followers and the Social Construction of Milton Hershey's Leader Identity

Although leadership is co-constructed through a complex interchange among leaders and followers, leadership research is still primarily leader-centric in its focus. This state has led to calls for ...
Community-based grassroot communication strategies, process and product: The drawings that saved our hospital

A case-study analysis of an urban design communication strategy employed by our university-based design team entrusted with re-envisioning the uncertain future of a local small-town community hospital in Indiana. The design process is carefully constructed from structured public input, and community participation, whereby students, faculty, physicians, nurses, as well as ordinary citizens combine their efforts to strategically develop their ‘plan for planning’. Finding a strategy to define the scope of their future needs and the definition of important priorities to organize the project scope prior to engaging professional consultants. In this scenario, the design team is only the guide and translator, working closely with stakeholders to help them visualize and clarify the aspirations of their town. This paper will present our community-based design methods and most importantly our graphic communication techniques, specifically formulated to envision and facilitate consensus for a new unified public health system in a small Midwestern American city.
Parametric optimization and spectral line selection for liquid sampling-atmospheric pressure glow discharge – optical emission spectroscopy

A design-of-experiment (DOE) parameterization was performed with the liquid sampling-atmospheric pressure glow discharge (LS-APGD) optical emission spectroscopy (OES) system to establish the optimal powering mode and operating conditions that allow for maximum signal intensity, signal-to-background (S/B) ratio, and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. Different from other APGD sources, the operation principles of the LS-APGD provide alternative means of applying the discharge potential. As a result of this parameterization, the sensitivity of the LS-APGD was dramatically improved, as noted by the ∼30× improvement in limit of detection (LOD), now 0.8 μg mL−1 for 20 μL injections, versus earlier reports, with the solution-grounded cathode (SGC) found to be the preferred powering mode. Using the parameters from the DOE analysis, a line selection evaluation was performed for Ag, Ca, Cr, Cu, K, Mg, Na, and Zn as test elements. The best emission lines for analytical performance determination and future works were determined by measuring the stability and signal intensity for all observed lines. The chosen lines were probed for sensitivity by acquiring calibration curves for each of the analytes' transitions. When single-element solutions were used, the LODs acquired for many of the analytes were superior to previously reported LS-APGD results. While the sensitivity of the LS-APGD-OES is lower than that of an ICP-OES, the LODs for the LS-APGD are likely acceptable for those applications where portability and low-cost instrumentation are desired.
The Five Thread Guideline: A New Guideline for Predicting Primary Stability With Dental Implants.

While industry best practices exist for sizing and positioning dental implants, too few guidelines are designed to aide clinicians in predicting primary implant stability in healed or fresh extract...
Intelli-Dynamic Malware Detection Based on Processor Behaviors

The number of malicious programs and potentially unwanted applications continues to rise annually with the total number of malwares approaching one billion in 2020. In addition, modern malwares use advanced obfuscation techniques such as polymorphism to avoid detection and continue the exploitation of user privacy. As a result, accurate and timely detection of malware is an urgent issue in the cybersecurity field. Existing hardware-based solutions have applied machine learning algorithms to distinguish between malicious and benign applications based on the readings from hardware performance counters (HPCs), and have accomplished high accuracy rates for malware detection. However, there are physical limitations for processors currently available in the market that cannot be ignored; such as, the number of HPCs available simultaneously. Also, due to the astronomical costs and complexity associated with malware annually, proposed HPC solutions require improvement in terms of real-time processing and intelligent learning model. Multiple representations of the hardware events as feature inputs need to be thoroughly investigated; in addition to, architectural optimization for the existing deep learning models. In this paper, we use the sum of total HPC accesses over a sampling interval and 28 × 28 × 1 images of the same sampling window as two representations of low-level processor behavioral events for input features. Through comprehensive feature selection analysis, we show that malware can be separated from benign applications with the sum of HPC accesses and the images using only five HPCs. We also propose a CNN architecture that reduces the complexity of LeNet5 and accomplishes higher accuracy than VGGNet. Our results show 97–99% classification rate for identifying executable malware with the proposed CNN and with ensemble learning models.
Noise and spatial resolution properties of a commercially available deep learning‐based CT reconstruction algorithm

PURPOSE To characterize the noise and spatial resolution properties of a commercially available deep learning-based computed tomography (CT) reconstruction algorithm. METHODS Two phantom experiments were performed. The first used a multisized image quality phantom (Mercury v3.0, Duke University) imaged at five radiation dose levels (CTDIvol : 0.9, 1.2, 3.6, 7.0, and 22.3 mGy) with a fixed tube current technique on a commercial CT scanner (GE Revolution CT). Images were reconstructed with conventional (FBP), iterative (GE ASiR-V), and deep learning-based (GE True Fidelity) reconstruction algorithms. Noise power spectrum (NPS), high-contrast (air-polyethylene interface), and intermediate-contrast (water-polyethylene interface) task transfer functions (TTF) were measured for each dose level and phantom size and summarized in terms of average noise frequency (fav ) and frequency at which the TTF was reduced to 50% (f50% ), respectively. The second experiment used a custom phantom with low-contrast rods and lung texture sections for the assessment of low-contrast TTF and noise spatial distribution. The phantom was imaged at five dose levels (CTDIvol : 1.0, 2.1, 3.0, 6.0, and 10.0 mGy) with 20 repeated scans at each dose, and images reconstructed with the same reconstruction algorithms. The local noise stationarity was assessed by generating spatial noise maps from the ensemble of repeated images and computing a noise inhomogeneity index, η , following AAPM TG233 methods. All measurements were compared among the algorithms. RESULTS Compared to FBP, noise magnitude was reduced on average (± one standard deviation) by 74 ± 6% and 68 ± 4% for ASiR-V (at "100%" setting) and True Fidelity (at "High" setting), respectively. The noise texture from ASiR-V had substantially lower noise frequency content with 55 ± 4% lower NPS fav compared to FBP while True Fidelity had only marginally different noise frequency content with 9 ± 5% lower NPS fav compared to FBP. Both ASiR-V and True Fidelity demonstrated locally nonstationary noise in a lung texture background at all radiation dose levels, with higher noise near high-contrast edges of vessels and lower noise in uniform regions. At the 1.0 mGy dose level η values were 314% and 271% higher in ASiR-V and True Fidelity compared to FBP, respectively. High-contrast spatial resolution was similar between all algorithms for all dose levels and phantom sizes (<3% difference in TTF f50% ). Compared to FBP, low-contrast spatial resolution was lower for ASiR-V and True Fidelity with a reduction of TTF f50% of up to 42% and 36%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The deep learning-based CT reconstruction demonstrated a strong noise magnitude reduction compared to FBP while maintaining similar noise texture and high-contrast spatial resolution. However, the algorithm resulted in images with a locally nonstationary noise in lung textured backgrounds and had somewhat degraded low-contrast spatial resolution similar to what has been observed in currently available iterative reconstruction techniques.
Borders Beyond Borders - Protecting Essential Tribal Relations Off-Reservation under the Indian Child Welfare Act

The year 2008 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the enactment of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), one of the most dynamic pieces of legislation in the field of federal Indian affairs, which irrevocably changed the traditional jurisdictional prerogatives of states in child custody matters. ICWA's jurisdictional scheme vests exclusive jurisdiction over Indian children who reside or are domiciled on the reservation, and grants states concurrent jurisdiction over Indian children located off the reservation. A crucial but often overlooked facet of ICWA's jurisdictional scheme is tribal wardship determinations, a remarkably constructive provision that establishes exclusive tribal jurisdiction over Indian children who are wards of the tribal court -- irrespective of the child's domicile. This jurisdictional construct directly conflicts with the normative notions of state court jurisdiction over family relations. And the cross-hatching of state and tribal interests in off-reservation child welfare matters has engendered serious tension and questions about the precise contours of tribal sovereignty and the *16 boundary line between state and tribal power, particularly as to Indian children located outside a tribe's geographic territory. This Article attempts to demarcate that line. From an examination of the historical development of tribal wardship decisions and ICWA's legislative history, material unexamined in this context in other scholarship, I posit that that there should be no fixed geographic boundary delimiting tribal jurisdiction over Indian children who are wards of the tribal court. The welfare of Indian children lies at the heart of tribal sovereignty. Thus, there are no real boundaries to protecting these essential tribal relations where the exercise of tribal authority is vital to the maintenance of its identity and self-determination. “[T]here can be no greater threat to ‘essential tribal relations,’ and no greater infringement on the right of [tribes] to govern themselves than to interfere with tribal control over the custody of their children.”
Corporate Social and Financial Performance in Chemical Industry in the United States

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between corporation financial performance (CFP) and corporate social performance (CSP). This study uses return on assets (ROA) to measure corporate financial performance. We use two different measurement strategies independently to measure corporate social performance: (a) KLD index as perceptual CSP measure strategy; (b) Percentage change in waste produced by the corporation (TRI index) as behavior CSP measure strategy. Using the sample of 123 U.S chemical firms from 2009-2018, this paper finds that KLD index has a significantly positive association with CFP, while TRI index is not significantly associated with CFP. Meanwhile, this paper also finds that seven individual dimensions of CSP are significantly related to CFP except for the environment dimension. The result expands the importance of CSP measurement methods from cross-industry research to single industry research and contributes to the CSP individual dimensions literature.