cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autocracy and the Vatican on the Eve of the “Imperialist War”: A Russian Foreign Ministry Document in Translation

Traditionally, the Russian tsars were anti-Catholic in their sentiments and policies. As a consequence of Russia's long struggle with Catholic states such as Poland and Lithuania, the animosity of Russian monarchs toward the "Latin Heresy" of Papal Catholicism intensified. During Nicholas I's reign (1825 1855) a reign of terror against all minority faiths was launched in Russia, but it was especially directed against the Catholic religion in conquered Poland.1 Believing that all his subjects must be faithful to Orthodoxy or their loyalties would gravitate to another state, Nicholas sent his gendarmes (the security police), accompanied by Orthodox priests, into areas that were heavily populated with Catholics. Here they closed and in some cases wrecked the churches and schools, arrested the priests, and began a campaign to educate the Catholics in the advantages of becoming Orthodox Christians. To escape imprisonment, many Catholic priests went into hiding, while hundreds of their parishioners, in order to avoid converting to a faith that they could not embrace voluntarily, fled abroad, first to Western Europe and later to the United States. Many of the Catholics, however, retaliated against Nicholas's repressive policies. Combining with nationalists and other dis gruntled elements of the Russian Empire, they staged a rebellion in Poland in 1831. Since the rebellious groups were disunited and had failed to win the support of the peasants, their revolt
Low-Energy AR+ Implantation of Uhmw-Pe Fibers: Effect on Surface Energy, Chemistry, and Adhesion Characteristics

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) has a highly chain-extended and crystalline structure which is functionally inert and requires surface-modification before it can successfully operate as a reinforcement in polymer-matrix composites. Although plasma treatments are adequate for this purpose, recent work has shown that irradiation with low-energy inert gas ions can produce increases in interfacial shear strength (ISS), in epoxy matrices, which exceed those of commercial plasma treatments, and cause little degradation in tensile properties. Low energy ions are readily produced in high-current beams using gridded sources having moderate cost, and processing times may be a short as a few seconds. In this paper, we present results of recent experiments using argon ions accelerated to energies between 100 eV and 1 keV to irradiate 20‐30 μm diameter UHMW-PE fibers to doses between 1x1016 and 1x1017 cmμ2, and compare our findings with previous work at higher accelerating potentials. At the optimum dose (which increases with decreasing energy), greater than 9-fold improvements in ISS level, measured in epoxy-resin droplet pulloff tests, were found for ion irradiation at 0.25 keV. Scanning electron microscopy of fiber surfaces, of ion irradiated as well as commercial oxygen plasma-treated materials, revealed small crack-like pits in both cases, with the pits smaller and more uniformly distributed on the ion-irradiated fibers. Surface chemistry studies using X-ray photoelec-tron spectroscopy (XPS) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) indicate that irradiation resulted in high surface concentrations of polar functional groups, and extensive surface oxidation. This was accompanied by a substantial increase in the polar component of surface energy, which resulted in improved fiber wetting by the resin.
Cost Savings From Screening Laboratory Orders

In an effort to reduce the misuse of laboratory tests, the University of Massachusetts Medical Center introduced a protocol whereby clinical pathology residents screen requests for specialized tests that are referred to an outside laboratory. The cost savings in the hematology and chemistry laboratories are analyzed. The most commonly misused and expensive tests are reviewed along with the reasons they are ordered incorrectly. The program revealed the cost-effectiveness of bringing a referred test in-house and uncovered redundancy between hospital laboratories. Also, communication has increased between clinicians and laboratory personnel, and physician test-ordering behavior has changed. Included are suggestions on how laboratory directors can best concentrate efforts for increasing cost savings.
The chick-a-dee call system of the Mexican chickadee

Chick-a-dee calls of the Mexican Chickadee (Parus sclateri) are composed of combinations of three common note types (A, C and D) and one very rare type (B). Calls have the invariant sequence of notes A-B-C-D, where any note type may be omitted, given once or repeated a variable number of times before transiting to the next type. The B and C notes are phonologically similar to the B and C notes of chick-a-dee calls of the Blackcapped Chickadee (P. atricapillus), but the A note is markedly different and the D note somewhat different from equivalent notes of the congener. A total of 2,071 calls recorded yielded 60 different call types, and Zipf-Mandelbrot plots show that the call system is "open"; as the sample size is increased new call types will be found without demonstrable bound. In relatively undisturbed contexts (with mate on territory, in fall flocks, alone in fall) birds gave mainly [A][D] calls with lesser numbers of [A] and [C] calls, where brackets indicate variable repetition of note types. In disturbed contexts (mobbing plastic Great Horned Owl, mobbing speaker playing calls of the Northern Pygmy-Owl, observer sitting under the nest cavity) the birds gave more [C] calls with [A][C] as well. In the longest mobbing session to owl calls, birds gave mainly [A] calls when approaching, switched to [C] calls while flying about the speaker, and then resumed [A] calls and moved offwhen the playback was stopped. Outside of human language, this is the second truly combinatorial system of vocal communication found in animals, the first being chick-a-dee calls of the Black-capped Chickadee. This study provides the first data substantiating quantitative differences in calls from different contexts, an important step toward understanding what kinds of information combinatorial chick-a-dee calls encode.
Optimal Decision-Making in an Opportunistic Sensing Problem

In this paper, we consider the problem of sensing a finite set of (moving) objects over a finite planning horizon using a set of sensors in prefixed locations that vary with respect to time over a discretized space. Control in this situation is limited and the problem considered is one of opportunistic sensing. We formulate an integer program that maximizes the quality of sensor return given either deterministic or probabilistic (i.e., forecasted) object routes. We examine the computational complexity of the problem and show it is non-deterministic polynomial-hard. We theoretically and numerically illustrate subclasses of the problem that are computationally simpler, ultimately deriving a heuristic that is strongly polynomial. Real-world and constructed data sets are used in our analysis.
Analysis of urinary iodine monitoring in 2006~2008 for school children of Shunyi District

Objective:To investigate iodine nutritious state for school children in Shunyi Distirct to provide scientific data for IDD control and prevention.Methods:To analyze monitoring data of urinary iodine for 1024 school child of Shunyi District in 2006~2008.Results:The median urinary iodine in 2006~2008 were 213.0,238.3 and 168.1 μg/L,respectively.There was no sample urinary iodine less than 20 μg/L,and it was 1.2% that samples urinary iodine less than 50 μg/L.The median of urinary iodine for three age group,male and female were all more than 200.0 μg/L.The percentage of urinary iodine less than 100 μg/L was 42% in some school.Conclusion:The iodine nutritious state for school child in Shunyi Distirct was satisfactory,but there was a trend that more than adequate,and there was a risk of iodine deficiency in some school.We should enhance monitoring for IDD,implement different guidance in different region of iodine nutritious state.
Development of the Engineering Diagnostic System for Multi-Shot Pellet Injector

A velocity measurement method for high-speed hydrogen ice pellet and a technique of taking pellet photograph are introduced in this paper.The measurement results including the flying pellet photographs in the fueling experiments are also given.
Clinical comparison on shock treatment with methylprednisolone and dexamethasone in children with acute primary idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Objective To compare the clinical effect and adverse reactions of shock treatment with methylprednisolone and dexamethasone in children with acute primary idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP).Methods We retrospectively reviewed a cohort of 78 children with acute primary ITP.The patients were divided into two groups,methylprednisolone group(n=44)and dexamethasone group(n=34).Patients in methylprednisolone group were given 20 — 30 mg/(kg·d)methylprednisolone for 3 d,and patients in dexamethasone group were given 1.5 — 2 mg/(kg·d)dexamethasone for 3 d.The amounts of drugs in two groups were reduced from the day 4.On the day 7,patients were po received Asaison 1.6 mg/(kg·d)to carry out sequential therapy.We observed the platelet counts and the responses to treatments in two groups,respectively.The platelet numbers of the two groups were detected and the average reaction time was calculated since the beginning of therapy to be completely effective or effective and bleeding stopped time.At the same time,the adverse reactions of the patients were observed during the treatment.Results There was no significant difference in the treatment efficiency and bleeding stopped time between two groups(P0.05).No patients experienced severe adverse reaction.There was no significant difference in the adverse reactions between two groups(P0.05).Conclusion Two kinds of glucocorticoid are equally effective in curing acute primary ITP,and the short-term adverse reactions are mild.
Effect of Diffusion on Resonance Energy Transfer Rate Distributions: Implications for Distance Measurements.

Intrinsically disordered protein regions and many other biopolymers lack the three-dimensional structure that could be determined by X-ray crystallography or NMR, which encourages the application of alternative experimental methods. Time-resolved resonance energy transfer data are often used to measure distances between two fluorophores attached to a flexible biopolymer. This is complicated by the rotational and translational diffusion of the fluorophores and by nonmonoexponential donor decay in the absence of the acceptor. Equation IDA(t) = ID(t)·F(t) is derived here, which is applicable regardless of whether ID(t) is monoexponential. ID(t) and IDA(t) are the δ-excitation donor emission decays in the absence and in the presence of the acceptor; F(t) contains information about energy transfer, donor–acceptor distance distribution, and diffusion dynamics. It is shown that in the absence of rotational and translational diffusion, F(t) is a continuous distribution of exponentials, whereas in the presence of ...
Chirality imprinting and direct asymmetric reaction screening using a stereodynamic Brønsted/Lewis acid receptor

Molecular recognition, activation and dynamic self-assembly with Bronsted and Lewis acids play a central role across the chemical sciences including catalysis, crystal engineering, supramolecular architectures and drug design. Despite this general advance, the utilization of the corresponding binding motifs for fast and robust quantitative chemosensing of chiral compounds in a complicate matrix has remained challenging. Here we show that a stereodynamic probe carrying complementary boronic acid and urea units achieves this goal with hydroxy carboxylic acids. Synergistic dual-site binding and instantaneous chirality imprinting result in characteristic ultraviolet and CD readouts that allow instantaneous determination of the absolute configuration, enantiomeric excess and concentration of the target compound even in complex mixtures. The robustness and practicality of this strategy for high-throughput screening purposes is demonstrated. Comprehensive sensing of only 0.5 mg of a crude reaction mixture of an asymmetric reduction eliminates cumbersome work-up protocols and minimizes analysis time, labour and waste production.
Is shoulder arthroplasty an option for charcot arthropathy

Charcot arthropathy is a rare cause of debilitating joint destruction. Shoulder arthroplasty for Charcot arthropathy is challenging secondary to local bone and soft tissue loss, lack of protective sensation, and altered muscle control. The purpose of this study is to review the outcomes, complications, and survivorship of shoulder arthroplasty for Charcot arthropathy. Between January 2000 and December 2011, ten shoulders with Charcot arthropathy were treated with shoulder arthroplasty at our Institution (six hemiarthroplasty, one total shoulder arthroplasty, three reverse shoulder arthroplasty). Shoulders were followed for a minimum of two years or until re-operation. Outcomes measures included pain, range of motion, complications, and reoperation. Shoulder arthroplasty improved pain to a mean score of 2.6 at follow up. However, gains in range of motion were not as substantial, with mean elevation of only 105°. External rotation improved from 20 to 43°. Subjectively, six of the ten patients rated the result as much better or better. Two shoulders underwent revision surgery at an average of five months after index arthroplasty. Shoulder arthroplasty for the treatment of the sequelae of a Charcot joint is a reasonable treatment option to provide substantial pain relief and improved motion. The relative indications of hemiarthroplasty, total shoulder arthroplasty, and reverse shoulder arthroplasty for this particular condition continue to evolve.
Barriers to Recognition

Despite the attention that elder abuse has achieved over the years, consistent reporting of suspected episodes remains an elusive goal. Those individuals experiencing abuse often do not report these episodes when they occur. Physicians, the first line of individuals with the opportunity to identify and screen for abuse, often lack the skills to recognize the signs of abuse. Additionally, when the signs are identified, physicians may fail to report their suspicions or document their findings sufficiently well enough for their discoveries to be useful in a legal investigation. These barriers limit the ability of communities to combat elder abuse, but they may serve as a focus for education and interventions to increase the success of those working to reduce elder abuse’s prevalence and impact.
Incorporating attitudinal aspects in roadway pricing analysis

Abstract The impacts of behavioral attitudes are rarely explored when it comes to roadway pricing strategies. The existing literature mainly focuses on observed traveler or trip characteristics and is less likely to capture latent preferences or heterogeneity of roadway users. Motivated to address this knowledge gap, the study herein puts an effort to examine how underlying behavioral attitudes will affect drivers’ choices in utilizing managed lane facilities. Based on the data from the South Florida Expressway Stated Preference Survey, factor analysis was conducted based on ten attitudinal statements, and four latent attitudinal factors were identified: willingness to pay, willingness to shift travel schedule, utility (cost/time) sensitivity, and congestion tolerance. In order to assess managed lane’s utility for drivers, two sets of multinomial logit (MNL) models were developed using combined revealed preference (RP) and stated preference (SP) data, with and without these attitudinal factors. Results indicated significant contribution of attitudinal parameters in the model, both in terms of coefficients and model performance. The factors were further used in a cluster analysis which identified major segments of roadway users. Such market segmentation is expected to provide valuable insights in capturing travelers’ behavior while accounting for attitudinal aspects, which could enhance transportation planning efforts and policy making procedures.
Bunshin: compositing security mechanisms through diversification

A number of security mechanisms have been proposed to harden programs written in unsafe languages, each of which mitigates a specific type of memory error. Intuitively, enforcing multiple security mechanisms on a target program will improve its overall security. However, this is not yet a viable approach in practice because the execution slowdown caused by various security mechanisms is often non-linearly accumulated, making the combined protection prohibitively expensive; further, most security mechanisms are designed for independent or isolated uses and thus are often in conflict with each other, making it impossible to fuse them in a straightforward way. In this paper, we present BUNSHIN, an N-versionbased system that enables different and even conflicting security mechanisms to be combined to secure a program while at the same time reducing the execution slowdown. In particular, we propose an automated mechanism to distribute runtime security checks in multiple program variants in such a way that conflicts between security checks are inherently eliminated and execution slowdown is minimized with parallel execution. We also present an N-version execution engine to seamlessly synchronize these variants so that all distributed security checks work together to guarantee the security of a target program.
Metro and Carrier Class Networks: Carrier Ethernet and OTN

This chapter presents industry standard approaches for Metro Ethernet, optical transport networking (OTN), and carrier class Ethernet. We begin with a historical review, including Synchronous Optical Networking/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SONET/SDH), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and classic Ethernet with virtual local area networks (VLANs). Standards set by the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) are discussed, including quality of service (QoS) and service reliability, scalability, and management issues. Virtualization and encapsulation techniques are discussed, including variants of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), Ethernet Virtual Bridge (EVB), and Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE), among others. OTN architectures, digital wrappers and frame structures, optical transport units (OTUs), and switched packet services in metropolitan area networks (MANs) are discussed.
Peptides of pHLIP family for targeted intracellular and extracellular delivery of cargo molecules to tumors.

The pH (low) insertion peptides (pHLIPs) target acidity at the surfaces of cancer cells and show utility in a wide range of applications, including tumor imaging and intracellular delivery of therapeutic agents. Here we report pHLIP constructs that significantly improve the targeted delivery of agents into tumor cells. The investigated constructs include pHLIP bundles (conjugates consisting of two or four pHLIP peptides linked by polyethylene glycol) and Var3 pHLIPs containing either the nonstandard amino acid, γ-carboxyglutamic acid, or a glycine−leucine−leucine motif. The performance of the constructs in vitro and in vivo was compared with previous pHLIP variants. A wide range of experiments was performed on nine constructs including (i) biophysical measurements using steady-state and kinetic fluorescence, circular dichroism, and oriented circular dichroism to study the pH-dependent insertion of pHLIP variants across the membrane lipid bilayer; (ii) cell viability assays to gauge the pH-dependent potency of peptide-toxin constructs by assessing the intracellular delivery of the polar, cell-impermeable cargo molecule amanitin at physiological and low pH (pH 7.4 and 6.0, respectively); and (iii) tumor targeting and biodistribution measurements using fluorophore-peptide conjugates in a breast cancer mouse model. The main principles of the design of pHLIP variants for a range of medical applications are discussed.
TTR (Transthyretin) Stabilizers Are Associated With Improved Survival in Patients With TTR Cardiac Amyloidosis

Background: TTR (transthyretin) cardiac amyloidosis is caused by dissociation of TTR into monomers, which misassemble into amyloid fibrils. TTR stabilizers act at the dimer–dimer interface to prevent dissociation. We investigated differences in survival among patients with TTR cardiac amyloidosis on stabilizer medications compared with those not on stabilizers. Methods AND RESULTS: A retrospective study of patients with TTR cardiac amyloidosis presenting to a single center was conducted. Baseline characteristics were compared between those treated with stabilizers and those not treated with stabilizers. Cox proportional hazards modeling assessed for univariate predictors of the composite outcome of death or orthotopic heart transplant (OHT). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards assessed whether stabilizer treatment was independently associated with improved death or OHT after controlling for significant univariate predictors. One hundred twenty patients (mean age, 75±8, 88% male) were included: 29 patients who received stabilizers and 91 patients who did not. Stabilizer use was associated with a lower risk of the combined end point of death or OHT (hazard ratio, 0.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.18–0.58; P P P =0.002), less likely to have a mutation (10% versus 36%; P =0.010), have lower troponin I (median 0.06 versus 0.12 ng/mL; P =0.002), and higher left ventricular ejection fraction (49% versus 40%; P =0.011), suggesting earlier stage of disease. In multivariable Cox analysis, the association between stabilizer and death or OHT persisted when adjusted for all noncollinear univariate predictors with P P =0.003). Conclusions: TTR stabilizers are associated with decreased death and OHT in TTR cardiac amyloidosis. These results need to be confirmed by ongoing randomized clinical trials.
Experiences with Administration of Marihuana to Glaucoma Patients

In 1971 Hepler and Frank reported reduction in intraocular pressure occurring after healthy young adults smoked marihuana. These initial observations led to additional studies designed to compare the pressure-reducing effects of placebo, smoked marihuana, and injected THC. Consistent, statistically-significant pressure reduction was observed in double-blind studies. Drop in intraocular pressure (IOP) was also observed in hospitalized subjects observed repeatedly for 12-hour periods. Additional hospitalized subjects were permitted to smoke marihuana ad libitum during a 5 1/2-hour period and comparisons were made between the pressure-reducing effects of smoking varying numbers of marihuana cigarettes. It was observed, for instance, that a subject smoking 22 cigarettes had only a slight further decrease in IOP as compared with a subject who smoked only 2 cigarettes. Hospitalized subjects observed for a total of 35 days, and other subjects observed for a total of 94 days, continued during these periods of prolonged chronic use of marihuana to show decrease in IOP with each period of intoxication. The results of these various investigations were reported at the International Conference on the Pharmacology of Cannabis, Savannah, Georgia, on December 4, 1974 (Hepler, Frank and Petrus, 1974). Graphical representation of the data is given in Figures 1–4. Publications by Shapiro (1974), Green and Podos (1974),and Purnell and Gregg (1975), among others, have confirmed the apparent IOP-reducing effect of marihuana and cannabinoids.
Scientific Computing Visualization — a new venue in the arts

An overview of nearly half a century of involvement with numerical simulations of wave and fluid phenomena has led me to the “visiometric” or visualization and quantification approach that is illustrated in this paper. I believe that the visiometric approach to simulated scientific data sets will provide opportunities for artistic innovation and expression.
The Sensitivity of Tracer Concentration to Nonuniform Permeability and Porosity

Concentration of tracer at a producing well is a function of time and of the flow field that transports the tracer from one well to another. Small localized changes in the permeability and porosity fields result in small changes in the observed concentration history. Calculation of the effect of changes in the petrophysical parameter fields on observed concentration is an integral part of most approaches to solving the inverse problem, i.e. calculation of permeability and porosity fields that are consistent with observed tracer concentrations. This paper does not address the inverse problem directly, only the forward problem, but the results are presented as semi-analytic formulas which are intended to provide physical insight into the limitations of the inverse procedure. In particular, for a simple example of dipole flow between two wells in a nearly homogeneous infinite 2D porous medium, the width of the region of significant influence is shown to scale as √αd where α is the dispersivity and d is half the interwell distance. Also, for fixed injection and production rates the influence on concentration of variation in porosity and in log-permeability are shown to be similar in magnitude.
Virtual apartment stroop task: Comparison with computerized and traditional stroop tasks.

Abstract Background Measurement of supervisory attentional control is typically performed by placing task-relevant information in conflict with task-irrelevant information. A number of paper-and-pencil versions of the Stroop task have been developed to assess executive functioning and inhibitory control through the presentation of blocks of multiple Stroop stimuli on a card. While multi-item paper-and-pencil Stroop tasks are often used, there are instances when a single-item presentation of Stroop stimuli may be preferable. For example, there may be situations when neuropsychologists are interested in precise analysis of reaction times for individual stimuli. A limitation of these modalities is that they may not reflect the cognitive load found in everyday activities that are replete with distractors. New method A potential answer to this issue is to embed Stroop stimuli into a virtual environment that includes distractors. Comparison with existing method We compared the performance of 91 healthy undergraduates on a virtual apartment-based Stroop with traditional (multi-item) and computerized (single item) modalities. Results Results revealed that the classic “Stroop pattern” found in traditional modalities was observed in the Virtual Apartment Stroop task. Furthermore, participants performed more poorly on the Virtual Apartment Stroop task when distractors were present. Conclusions These results suggest the potential of the Virtual Apartment Stroop task to distinguish between prepotent response inhibition and resistance to distractor inhibition in young adults.
The CAGE around cyberspace? How digital innovations internationalize in a virtual world

Abstract This paper analyzes some salient factors affecting the internationalization speed of digital innovations by tracking international penetrations of 127 apps at Apple's app store. Although apps are globally available via online platforms, their international penetration is still subject to cultural, administrative, geographic, and economic (CAGE) distances that act as user adoption barriers to impede app internationalization. App developers may overcome these barriers by employing the demand-side strategies of engaging users in value co-creation. We contribute to an improved understanding of internationalization process in a digital context and also extend demand-side perspective to inform international entrepreneurship research.
Beyond guerrilla urbanism: Can Batlló and the slowness of knowing, managing, and making

Guerrilla urbanism has enjoyed widespread popularity over the past decade, provoking a reconsideration of the conventional roles of technicians, designers, and citizens and prompting a surge of creative tactics for improving cities. Nonetheless, some inquietude has accompanied the movement’s success—namely concerns about superficial citizen engagement, a focus on immediacy versus sustainability, and a disregard for expertise. While unsanctioned urban design has always existed in cities and is unlikely to disappear, the challenges that this movement faces could limit its contributions to local communities, planning institutions, and the design professions. This paper evaluates a case in Barcelona called Can Batllo in order to introduce the potential of “slowness” for sustaining guerrilla urbanism. In what began in 2009 as a guerrilla social movement and continues to thrive as an autonomous community center, this project has avoided the pitfalls of superficiality, immediacy, and amateurism by connecting with larger processes that are designed to last. Three themes are highlighted to elucidate these connections: autoconeixement (self-knowing), autogestio (self-management), and autoconstruccio (self-building). As the case study shows, tactical approaches to city-making that are deployed within a larger strategic frameworks allow time for meaningful engagement, deliberative processes, and the promotion of craft and expertise.
Estimating Passenger Car Equivalent using the HCM-6 PCE Methodology on Four-Lane Level Freeway Segments in Western U.S.:

The passenger car equivalent (PCE) of a truck is used to account for the presence of trucks in the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM). The HCM-6 employed an equivalency capacity methodology to estimate ...
Investigations of the sensitivity of ornamental, fruit, and nut plant species to driftable rates of 2,4-D and dicamba

An experiment was conducted in 2017 and 2018 to determine the sensitivity of driftable rates of 2,4-D and dicamba with or without glyphosate on common ornamental, fruit, and nut species. Three driftable rates corresponding to ½, 1/20th, and 1/200th of the manufacturer’s labeled rate (1 × rate) of 2,4-D (1.09 kg ae ha−1), 2,4-D plus glyphosate (1.09 kg ae ha−1 plus 1.10 kg ae ha−1), dicamba (0.56 kg ae ha−1), and dicamba plus glyphosate (0.56 kg ae ha−1 plus 1.10 kg ae ha−1) were applied to apple, crabapple, dogwood, American elderberry, American elm, grapevine, hydrangea, red maple, pin oak, peach, pecan, eastern redbud, rose, red raspberry, strawberry, sweetgum, nannyberry viburnum, and black walnut plants. Visible estimates of injury were recorded 28 and 56 days after treatment (DAT). Plant measurements included leaf malformation, tree trunk growth, and shoot length. Across all species, the ½ × rate of 2,4-D plus glyphosate resulted in 61% injury 28 DAT, whereas the ½ × rate of dicamba plus glyphosate resulted in 51% injury. Across plant species and herbicides, ½ ×, 1/20 ×, and 1/200 × rates caused injury ranging from 3% to 100%, 0% to 66%, and 0% to 19%, respectively. Hydrangea was the least sensitive species; grapevine was most sensitive. Changes in plant measurements were dependent on the species and herbicide applied. Treatments at the ½ × or 1/20 × rate resulted in shoot length, leaf malformation, and trunk tree diameter differences for 11, 10, and 7 species, respectively, compared with nontreated plants. Collectively, the measurements and visual injury assessments indicated apple, red maple, peach, and pin oak were more sensitive to treatments containing dicamba, whereas black walnut, grapevine, and American elm were more sensitive to 2,4-D. Although the 1/200 × rates of 2,4-D and dicamba did not result in changes to plant measurements, obvious injury symptoms were observed, which could render these plants unsalable.
Electrical impedance myography as a biomarker of inclusion body myositis: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract Objective To assess the value of electrical impedance myography (EIM) in inclusion body myositis (IBM). Methods Patients with clinically defined IBM and healthy controls (HC) of similar age group were recruited. Each participant underwent manual muscle testing (MMT), 6-min walk test (6MWT), handgrip dynamometry, and IBM-functional rating scale assessment (IBM-FRS). EIM measurements were obtained from bilateral deltoid, biceps, forearm-flexors, quadriceps, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius. Results Fourteen IBM patients and 12 HCs with mean age 68.6 ± 6 and 67.4 ± 5.4 years were included in the final analysis. Averaged phase value at 50 kHz (EIM50) and ratio of phase value at 50 kHz/200 kHz (EIMPR) from six-muscles were significantly lower in IBM patients when compared to HC (5.23 ± 1.34 vs 7.88 ± 1.9, p-value 0.002, and 0.55 ± 0.09 vs. 0.68 ± 0.09, p-value 0.004, respectively). A strong correlation was noted between IBM-FRS, 6MWT, disease-duration and the averaged value of EIM50 and EIMPR in the IBM patients (Spearman |rho|>0.7, p-values Conclusions EIM can differentiate between IBM patients and HCs and EIM parameters correlate with clinical outcome measures. Significance EIM may be a potential objective biomarker for IBM. A longitudinal validation study is warranted.
Explosive exhalations by common bottlenose dolphins during Karenia brevis red tides

Abstract Harmful algal blooms (HABs) such as those produced by Karenia brevis have acute negative impacts on common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Florida coastal waters, frequently causing illness and death. However, much less is known about chronic, sub-acute effects on these important sentinel species. This study investigates whether bottlenose dolphin behavior in Sarasota Bay, Florida is influenced by the presence of severe red tide events, focusing on respiratory and other behaviors likely affected by abundant toxin aerosols produced during these blooms. Through focal animal behavioral follows, we observed free-ranging dolphin respiratory behavior, activity budgets, and movement patterns relative to K. brevis abundance in the study area. We compared behavior from dolphins observed during a 2005 K. brevis bloom to those observed during inter-bloom conditions where K. brevis was present at background concentrations. We found that the rate of “chuffing”, an explosive type of exhalation, was significantly greater in dolphins observed during the bloom. No apparent effect on respiratory rate, heading change rate or activity budgets was observed. We propose that this chuffing behavior is analogous to symptoms of respiratory irritation observed in humans exposed to such red tide events, and suggest that this may be a type of disturbance response. With an observed increase in both the frequency and severity of HABs, such disturbance responses may have large-scale chronic impacts to the health and fitness of bottlenose dolphins in regions where such HABs are common.
Making questions with tone: Polar question formation in Kinyarwanda

Kinyarwanda is a Bantu language with one phonemic (H) tone (Kimenyi 2002). This can phonetically realized as high, low, rising, and falling. This talk addresses the tonological discrepancy between declaratives and polar questions in Kinyarwanda. Kimenyi(1980) briefly addresses Kinyarwanda polar questions and describes them as "rising pitch at the sentence final position". This generalization captures crucially cannot predict polar questions in which there is no LHL contour at the end of the sentence. I argue that what polar questions share is (a) suspension of downstep on the rightmost lexical H and (b) deletion of all word-final prosodic H. Kinyarwanda forms a prosodic structure that takes the scope of the question. This expands on Richards (2010) analysis of wh-questions. Kinyarwanda marks the right edges of prosodic words using boundary tones, similar to Chichewa (Kanerva 1990; Myers 1996).
Treatment Potential for LCA5-Associated Leber Congenital Amaurosis.

Purpose To determine the therapeutic window for gene augmentation for Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) associated with mutations in LCA5. Methods Five patients (ages 6-31) with LCA and biallelic LCA5 mutations underwent an ophthalmic examination including optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), full-field stimulus testing (FST), and pupillometry. The time course of photoreceptor degeneration in the Lca5gt/gt mouse model and the efficacy of subretinal gene augmentation therapy with AAV8-hLCA5 delivered at postnatal day 5 (P5) (early, n = 11 eyes), P15 (mid, n = 14), and P30 (late, n = 13) were assessed using SD-OCT, histologic study, electroretinography (ERG), and pupillometry. Comparisons were made with the human disease. Results Patients with LCA5-LCA showed a maculopathy with detectable outer nuclear layer (ONL) in the pericentral retina and at least 4 log units of dark-adapted sensitivity loss. The Lca5gt/gt mouse has a similarly severe and rapid photoreceptor degeneration. The ONL became progressively thinner and was undetectable by P60. Rod- and cone-mediated ERGs were severely reduced in amplitudes at P30 and became nondetectable by P60. Subretinal AAV8-hLCA5 administered to Lca5gt/gt mice at P5 and P15, but not at P30, resulted in structural and functional rescue. Conclusions LCA5-LCA is a particularly severe form of LCA that was recapitulated in the Lca5gt/gt mouse. Gene augmentation resulted in structural and functional rescue in the Lca5gt/gt mouse if delivered before P30. Retained photoreceptors were visible within the central retina in all patients with LCA5-LCA, at a level equivalent to that observed in rescued Lca5gt/gt mice, suggesting a window of opportunity for the treatment of patients with LCA5-LCA.
Morphology control of SERS-active 2D gold nanosnowflakes

Two-dimensional (2D) gold-branched nanomaterials such as nano-snowflakes or nano-dendrites have previously been demonstrated as promising candidates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates and catalysis. Herein, we present a rapid and effective synthesis method for preparing 2D gold nanosnowflakes (Au NSFs) where pre-existing seeds in the growth solution act as nucleation centers and avoid new nucleus formation. Methods to fine-tune the morphology and size of the 2D Au NSFs by adjusting the synthesis conditions are also explained, along with the discussion of a proposed formation mechanism to explain the experimental data on morphology formation. In addition, the optical properties of various controlled morphologies of 2D Au NSFs are explored and the SERS performance is investigated to study the relationship between the substrate local environment and SERS enhancement. This work not only involves the preparation of SERS active 2D Au NSFs with controlled morphology, but also provides a deeper understanding of dendritic formation.
An Android-based mobile paratransit application for vulnerable road users

Making an optimal travel plan is not an easy task, mostly for vulnerable road users like the elderly and people with mobility disabilities. This optimal travel plan is dependent on the time of day to travel, the route to ply, ways to navigate, and suitable mode of transportation as these vulnerable road users need to reserve paratransit ahead of time. Researchers and mobile app developers are faced with difficulties in incorporating all necessary information that would ease navigation and bus riding for vulnerable road users (that is, making a more assistive system for vulnerable road users). In response to these challenges, this research is designed to develop an interactive android mobile application to ease and significantly encourage vulnerable road users (VRUs) especially the elderly and the disabled to use paratransit to improve their traveling experiences. This paper assesses the challenges facing the paratransit service. It provides an improvement in areas of reservation, dispatch & routing, and user experience. In response to these challenges, an interactive android mobile application has been developed to ease and significantly encourage vulnerable road users (VRUs) especially older adults and the disabled to use paratransit services and improve their traveling experiences.
The use of a traditional nonlooping event monitor versus a loan-based program with a smartphone ECG device in the pediatric cardiology clinic

Background A smartphone-enabled device has been developed that provides a single-lead electrocardiogram using a portable monitor. The increase in direct-to-consumer medical devices may lead to health disparities affecting members of socially disadvantaged populations. Objective Here we provide a single center’s experience in the use of this device in a pediatric cardiology clinic using a loan-based program. We also compare it to retrospective data from patients who received a traditional nonlooping event monitor. Methods Forty AliveCor Kardia monitor devices were purchased with grant support from the South Carolina TeleHealth Alliance. The devices were provided between June 2018 and August 2019 to patients presenting to the pediatric cardiology clinic who would have otherwise received a nonlooping event monitor. A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients who were given a MicroER nonlooping event monitor between May and December of 2017. Results Over a 15-month period, 65 patients were given the smartphone device. A total of 692 tracings were recorded by patients with 9 abnormal recordings. Of the devices expected to be returned, 35 devices have been returned to clinic (54%). Over an 8-month period, 61 patients received the traditional event monitors, accounting for a total of 142 transmissions with 3 abnormal transmissions. Conclusion Our results reveal adequate use of the device with reliable tracings and show more frequent utilization of the smartphone-enabled device. Utilization of these devices in a loan-based program may improve access to care with improved methods to ensure return of the devices.
Malignant Melanoma With Neuroendocrine Differentiation: A Case Report and Literature Review

Background Melanoma has a wide range of histologic variants and cytomorphologic features that make its diagnosis challenging. Melanoma can also rarely have neuroendocrine markers adding further diagnostic uncertainty particularly given that unrelated tumor types, such as prostate cancer, can also display focal neuroendocrine differentiations. Case presentation Our patient is a 74-year-old Caucasian man found to have a lung mass. Initial biopsy revealed typical microscopic morphology and neuroendocrine differentiation consistent with small cell carcinoma. Despite standard chemoradiation treatment, the patient continued to progress with new metastasis in the brain, liver and bone. Subsequent chest wall biopsy revealed golden-brown pigment associated with melanin. Further tumor immunohistochemistry revealed extensive neuroendocrine differentiation with CD56, synaptophysin, and INSM1, as well as strong immunoreactivity for melanocyte markers including SOX10, S100, PRAME, and MITF, consistent with metastatic melanoma with neuroendocrine differentiation. Genomic testing revealed increased tumor mutational burden and alterations in NF1, BRAF, CDKN2A/B, TERT. The patient was transitioned to checkpoint inhibitor therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab and had resolution of his intracranial mass and decrease in size of other metastatic lesions. Conclusion Often the combination of anatomic findings such as a lung mass, typical microscopic morphology, and confirmation of neuroendocrine differentiation correctly identifies a patient with small cell carcinoma. However, in a patient who fails to respond to treatment, a broader immunohistochemical workup along with molecular testing with additional tissue may be warranted.
Closed range composition operators on Hilbert function spaces

Abstract We show that a Carleson measure satisfies the reverse Carleson condition if and only if its Berezin symbol is bounded below on the unit disk D . We provide new necessary and sufficient conditions for the composition operator to have closed range on the Bergman space. The pull-back measure of area measure on D plays an important role. We also give a new proof in the case of the Hardy space and conjecture a condition in the case of the Dirichlet space.
Clinical factors, but not C-reactive protein, predict progression of calcific aortic-valve disease: the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) and calcific aortic valve disease in a large, randomly selected, population-based cohort. Background The pathobiology of calcific aortic stenosis involves an active inflammatory, atheromatous, osteogenic process. Elevations in CRP, a measure of systemic inflammation, have been associated with aortic stenosis. Methods Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography and CRP measurement were performed at baseline in 5,621 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Multivariable analysis was used to identify CRP as a predictor of baseline and incident aortic stenosis. Results At a mean echocardiographic follow-up of 5 years, 9% of subjects with aortic sclerosis progressed to some degree of aortic stenosis. Increasing age (odds ratio [OR] 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 1.16; p Conclusions In this large population-based cohort, approximately 9% of subjects with aortic sclerosis progressed to aortic stenosis over a 5-year follow-up period. There was no association between CRP levels and the presence of calcific aortic-valve disease or incident aortic stenosis. C-reactive protein appears to be a poor predictor of subclinical calcific aortic-valve disease.
The glucose transporter GluT4 and secretory carrier membrane proteins (SCAMPs) colocalize in rat adipocytes and partially segregate during insulin stimulation.

Abstract Secretory carrier membrane proteins (SCAMPs) mark the recycling system for the insulin-responsive glucose transporter, GluT4, in rat adipocytes. Anti-GluT4 and anti-SCAMP antibodies each immunoadsorbed vesicles containing both antigens from a low density microsomal fraction that is enriched in both antigens. The immunoadsorbed vesicles also contain VAMPs (synaptobrevins), synaptic vesicle membrane proteins. All three antigens were colocalized in low density microsomal vesicles from both basal and insulin-stimulated adipocytes. The SCAMPs have the same electrophoretic mobility as a major polypeptides detected in GluT4 vesicles. During insulin stimulation, 40% each of GluT4 and VAMPs redistribute from low density microsomes to the plasma membrane fraction; however, < 10% of the SCAMPs redistribute. Immunocytochemical staining of adipose tissue shows almost complete coincidence of SCAMPs and GluT4 in the basal state and extensive redistribution of both antigens to the cell periphery during insulin stimulation. Segregation of antigens during stimulation is not as distinct as observed by fractionation, although there are regions at the cell border where the SCAMPs appear more concentrated than GluT4. These data suggest that during insulin stimulation, in contrast to the behaviour of GluT4, SCAMPs remain tightly associated with the recycling system.
Set Containment Characterization

Characterization of the containment of a polyhedral set in a closed halfspace, a key factor in generating knowledge-based support vector machine classifiers [7], is extended to the following: (i) containment of one polyhedral set in another; (ii) containment of a polyhedral set in a reverse-convex set defined by convex quadratic constraints; (iii) Containment of a general closed convex set, defined by convex constraints, in a reverse-convex set defined by convex nonlinear constraints. The first two characterizations can be determined in polynomial time by solving i>m linear programs for (i) and i>m convex quadratic programs for (ii), where i>m is the number of constraints defining the containing set. In (iii), i>m convex programs need to be solved in order to verify the characterization, where again i>m is the number of constraints defining the containing set. All polyhedral sets, like the i>knowledge sets of support vector machine classifiers, are characterized by the intersection of a finite number of closed halfspaces.