cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Family Needs and Coping Strategies during Illness Crisis

This descriptive study was conducted to explore family needs and coping behaviors when faced with the stress of a family member's critical illness. Family systems, crisis, and coping theories provided the conceptual frameworks for this study. A convenience sample of 30 family members of 22 critically ill patients completed the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory and the Jalowiec Coping Scale and responded to a seven-item semi-structured questionnaire. The need to know the patient's prognosis was identified as most important on the basis of item mean scores. The top ten identified needs centered around the need for assurance, information, and proximity. Hope was the most frequently used method of coping. Seven of the top ten coping methods most frequently used were also identified by family members as being most effective. Coping styles labeled confronting and optimistic were found to be most useful and effective overall. Nursing interventions described by family members as helpful included: the provision of information, emotional support, and competence and manner of the nurse.
No contact terms for the magnetic field in Lorentz- and CPT-violating electrodynamics

Abstract In a Lorentz- and CPT-violating modification of electrodynamics, the fields of a moving charge are known to have unusual singularities. This raises the question of whether the singular behavior may include δ-function contact terms, similar to those that appear in the fields of idealized dipoles. However, by calculating the magnetic field of an infinite straight wire in this theory, we demonstrate that there are no such contact terms in the magnetic field of a moving point charge.
How Does Nanoporous Gold Dissociate Molecular Oxygen

Nanoporous Au and other dilute AgAu alloys are highly active and selective oxidation catalysts. Their ability to dissociate O2 is to a large extent unexplained, given that unsupported Au cannot generally dissociate O2, while large ensembles of Ag atoms (>4) are generally necessary to lower the O2 dissociation barrier significantly. Here, we identify a site on the surface of dilute AgAu alloys that is stable under reaction conditions and has a low O2 dissociation barrier, in agreement with experimental measurements. Although Ag generally prefers to disperse throughout Au, the presence of adsorbed O near surface steps creates sites of high local Ag concentration, where the Ag atoms sit in the rows next to the step Au atoms. O2 adsorbs on the Au step atoms, but the transition state involves significant Ag–O interaction, resulting in a barrier lower than expected from the adsorption energies of either the initial or final state.
Efficacy of estradiol vaginal cream in postmenopausal women

In a double-blind parallel study daily intravaginal administration of conjugated estrogen cream and estradiol cream for 14 days relieved vasomotor and vaginal postmenopausal symptoms in 29 postmenopausal women. By day 14, therapy with the estradiol vaginal cream resulted in plasma estrone and estradiol levels closer to those in premenopausal women than therapy with the conjugated estrogen cream. The extent of improvement and final estradiol plasma levels in the estradiol vaginal-cream group correlated. There was no correlation with severity of symptoms or estradiol plasma level at baseline. The metabolism of the conjugated estrogen cream might account for absence of correlation between improvement and final estradiol plasma levels in the conjugated vaginal-cream group.
Early-Onset Benign Occipital Seizure Syndrome

The recognition of a syndrome of early-onset benign childhood occipital seizures (EBOS) is proposed in a report from St Thomas’ Hospital. London, England.
Interactions among market mechanisms for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in California

Abstract Cap-and-trade, the renewables portfolio standard and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard are important parts of California’s efforts to reduce GHG emissions. Cap-and-trade interacts with RPS to help utilities pay for the RPS. If LCFS brings medium carbon-intensity fuel to market, that would free up allowances for other sectors. Cap-and-trade is not serving as a cost-minimizing mechanism.
Paragonimus kellicotti Presenting With Hemoptysis and a Left Upper Lobe Mass

A 46-year-old man presented to the thoracic surgery clinic with a 6-month history of cough and hemoptysis refractory to treatment. Examination of specimens from repeated biopsies was nondiagnostic, so the patient underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic left upper lobe wedge resection. Pathologic examination revealed Paragonimus organisms, and the patient was prescribed praziquantel, with resolution of his symptoms. Although Paragonimus infections are common in Asia, they are rare in the United States despite P kellicotti being endemic. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for patients presenting with unusual lung symptoms in endemic areas to avoid prolonged evaluations with potentially unnecessary diagnostic modalities.
Why No Kazakh Novorossiya? Kazakhstan’s Russian Minority in a Post-Crimea World

Some Western pundits have embraced a “domino” logic to suggest that Kazakhstan might share the fate of Ukraine, with its Russian minority being used as the pretext for Russian intervention and irredentism. In this article I explore several reasons that invalidate this simplistic and mechanical parallel. Russia’s policy toward Kazakhstan aims at remaining the main political and cultural yardstick for the whole of Kazakhstani society, not merely the protector of Russian minorities. Perceived historical and demographic similarities between Kazakhstan and Ukraine are narrower than it seems at first glance. Defining a potential “Kazakh Novorossiya” is not an easy task, even for Russian nationalists. Moreover, current demographic and economic trends do not favor Kazakhstan’s Russian-majority regions, and local political activism and grievances have remained limited since Crimea’s annexation.
A multidisciplinary approach to increase the pediatric HIV/AIDS treatment rates in Tanzania

Background Tanzania has the second largest burden of children yet to be started on treatment when applying the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) eligibility criteria. In partnership with the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund, Tanzania has 34,524 children on antiretroviral treatment at the end of FY2013, representing 26.5% coverage based on a UNAIDS estimate. Pediatric antiretroviral treatment coverage in Tanzania …
Toxin-mediated gene regulatory mechanism in Staphylococcus aureus

The dangerous human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus relies heavily on toxins to cause disease, but toxin production can put a strong burden on the bacteria's energy balance. Thus, controlling the synthesis of proteins solely needed in times of toxin production represents a way for the bacteria to avoid wasting energy. One hypothetical manner to accomplish this sort of regulation is by gene regulatory functions of the toxins themselves. There have been several reports about gene regulation by toxins in S. aureus, but these were never verified on the molecular level. In our study published in MBio [Joo et al., 7(5). pii: e01579-16], we show that phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs), important peptide toxins of S. aureus, release a repressor from the promoter of the operon encoding the toxin export system, thereby enabling toxin secretion. This study describes the first molecular regulatory mechanism exerted by an S. aureus toxin, setting a paradigmatic example of how S. aureus toxins may influence cell functions to adjust them to times of toxin production.
LAG3 limits regulatory T cell proliferation and function in autoimmune diabetes

Inhibitory receptors (IRs) are pivotal in controlling T cell homeostasis because of their intrinsic regulation of conventional effector T (Tconv) cell proliferation, viability, and function. However, the role of IRs on regulatory T cells (Tregs) remains obscure because they could be required for suppressive activity and/or limit Treg function. We evaluated the role of lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG3; CD223) on Tregs by generating mice in which LAG3 is absent on the cell surface of Tregs in a murine model of type 1 diabetes. Unexpectedly, mice that lacked LAG3 expression on Tregs exhibited reduced autoimmune diabetes, consistent with enhanced Treg proliferation and function. Whereas the transcriptional landscape of peripheral wild-type (WT) and Lag3-deficient Tregs was largely comparable, substantial differences between intra-islet Tregs were evident and involved a subset of genes and pathways that promote Treg maintenance and function. Consistent with these observations, Lag3-deficient Tregs outcompeted WT Tregs in the islets but not in the periphery in cotransfer experiments because of enhanced interleukin-2-signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 signaling and increased Eos expression. Our study suggests that LAG3 intrinsically limits Treg proliferation and function at inflammatory sites, promotes autoimmunity in a chronic autoimmune-prone environment, and may contribute to Treg insufficiency in autoimmune disease.
The Social Landscape of Potteries: Refined Earthenwares at Pottersville, South Carolina

ABSTRACTThis article provides an analysis of refined earthenwares uncovered in the Pottersville kiln site and associated work areas in Edgefield, SC, during excavations in 2011 and 2013. Past ceram...
Transforming clinical practice guidelines and clinical pathways into fast-and-frugal decision trees to improve clinical care strategies.

Background Contemporary delivery of health care is inappropriate in many ways, largely due to suboptimal Q5 decision-making. A typical approach to improve practitioners' decision-making is to develop evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPG) by guidelines panels, who are instructed to use their judgments to derive practice recommendations. However, mechanisms for the formulation of guideline judgments remains a "black-box" operation-a process with defined inputs and outputs but without sufficient knowledge of its internal workings. Methods Increased explicitness and transparency in the process can be achieved by implementing CPG as clinical pathways (CPs) (also known as clinical algorithms or flow-charts). However, clinical recommendations thus derived are typically ad hoc and developed by experts in a theory-free environment. As any recommendation can be right (true positive or negative), or wrong (false positive or negative), the lack of theoretical structure precludes the quantitative assessment of the management strategies recommended by CPGs/CPs. Results To realize the full potential of CPGs/CPs, they need to be placed on more solid theoretical grounds. We believe this potential can be best realized by converting CPGs/CPs within the heuristic theory of decision-making, often implemented as fast-and-frugal (FFT) decision trees. This is possible because FFT heuristic strategy of decision-making can be linked to signal detection theory, evidence accumulation theory, and a threshold model of decision-making, which, in turn, allows quantitative analysis of the accuracy of clinical management strategies. Conclusions Fast-and-frugal provides a simple and transparent, yet solid and robust, methodological framework connecting decision science to clinical care, a sorely needed missing link between CPGs/CPs and patient outcomes. We therefore advocate that all guidelines panels express their recommendations as CPs, which in turn should be converted into FFTs to guide clinical care.
Epinephrine auto-injector carriage and use practices among US children, adolescents, and adults.

Abstract Background Previous studies have suggested that epinephrine auto-injector (EAI) carriage and emergency use practices could be suboptimal for patients prescribed these devices for anaphylaxis management. Objective To characterize EAI prescription fill rates, carriage, and use practices and associated factors and perceived barriers to recommended anaphylaxis management behaviors in US children, adolescents, and adults. Methods Survey data were collected for adults (n = 450) and parents of children (n = 255) and adolescents (n = 212) who had been prescribed an EAI. Of eligible participants, survey completion rates were higher than 90%. A multiple-group structural equation model was fit to test adjusted associations. Results Most patients (89%) filled their EAI prescriptions; however, of those who did not, the most commonly cited barriers to filling prescriptions were no history of reactions (26%) and EAI cost (25%). Forty-four percent carried at least 1 EAI “all the time” and 24% carried multiple EAIs. Sixty-five percent of respondents reported a personal history of EAI use. Most adults (52%) reported that an EAI was not used, although it would have been beneficial during their most severe allergic reaction. The most frequently given reasons for not using an EAI among respondents owning one were that an EAI was not available (45%) followed by their allergy was undiagnosed at the time (35%). To improve clinical anaphylaxis management, 61% of patients desired more effective patient education and 47% desired more time dedicated to patient education during the physician visit. Conclusion These data suggest that current anaphylaxis management practices are suboptimal but could be facilitated through lowering EAI-related out-of-pocket costs and improving patient education efforts.
A review of temephos with particular reference to the West African Onchocerciasis Control Program.

For many decades the widespread use of synthetic pesticides was indiscriminate. Scientists have found that not only are the insects building up tolerances to certain common pesticides, but that pesticides residues are also accumulating in the environment at an alarming rate. Pesticides like DDT and aldrin are being replaced by malathion and temephos and others which are less persistent in the environment. It is important to know the environmental fate of pesticides of public health importance especially when used repeatedly for many years. The objective of this paper is to review the work that has been done on temephos, an insecticide which is being used extensively in several parts of the world and particularly in the Volta Basin, West Africa, to control the vectors of onchocerciasis (river blindness).
A CLASS OF MODULES WITH SEMISIMPLE BEHAVIOR

Weakly semisimple modules were introduced in [11] as a simultaneous generalization of semisimple modules and of monoform compressible modules. A principal goal of this paper is to show that the quasi-injective hull of a weakly semisimple module, when viewed in terms of its lattice of quasi-injective submodules, exhibits the behavior of a semisimple module.
When Statutory Regimes Collide:Will Wisconsin Right to Life and Citizens United Invalidate Federal Tax Regulation of Campaign Activity?

In Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life (2007) and Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission (2010), the United States Supreme Court dramatically reduced the ability of Congress to regulate campaign finance activities of corporations and others active in elections. Many of the same activities are still subject to restrictions by the Internal Revenue Code, which regulates the type and amount of political campaign activities that certain nonprofits exempt under federal tax law can engage in. In the wake of the campaign finance decisions, the constitutionality of the tax law’s restrictions on campaign activity is now being challenged in the lower courts. This Article analyzes the two recent campaign finance decisions and campaign finance precedents more broadly to determine how, if at all, the Roberts’ Court’s campaign finance jurisprudence is likely to alter existing tax law jurisprudence in the area of campaign activity. It finds that, for the most part, tax law constitutional doctrines have developed independently of other areas of First Amendment free speech law. Based upon an analysis of the distinctive tax law doctrines, the Article concludes that the tax law provision prohibiting section 501(c)(3) charities from engaging in campaigns is likely to withstand challenges arguing that the provision prevents these nonprofits from engaging in protected political speech. However, there is some likelihood that the tax law prohibition is vulnerable to constitutional attack under traditional doctrines of vagueness or overbreadth due to the lack of precision of the terms of the political prohibition, as these have been elaborated by the IRS and the courts to date.
Simple method for selective amplification of cDNA from a defined promoter

A simplified technique for the detection of transcripts from a defined promoter is described. After reverse transcription, a PCR target sequence is selectively added to the 3′ end of cDNA strands b...
Clinical Correlates and Treatment Outcomes for Patients With Short Telomere Syndromes.

Abstract Short telomere syndromes (STSs) are accelerated aging syndromes with multisystemic manifestations that present complex management challenges. In this article, we discuss a single-institution experience in diagnosing and managing patients with inherited STSs. In total, we identified 17 patients with short telomeres, defined by flow-fluorescence in-situ hybridization telomere lengths of less than first centile in granulocytes/lymphocytes OR the presence of a characteristic germline pathogenic variant in the context of a highly suggestive clinical phenotype. Genetic variations in the telomere complex were identified in 6 (35%) patients, with 4 being known pathogenic variants involving TERT (n=2), TERC (n=1), and DKC1 (n=1) genes, while 2 were variants of uncertain significance in TERT and RTEL1 genes. Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) (n=12 [71%]), unexplained cytopenias (n=5 [29%]), and cirrhosis (n=2 [12%]) were most frequent clinical phenotypes at diagnosis. At median follow-up of 48 (range, 0-316) months, Kaplan-Meier estimate of overall survival, median (95% CI), was 182 (113, not reached) months. Treatment modalities included lung transplantation for IIP (n=5 [29%]), with 3 patients developing signs of acute cellular rejection (2, grade A2; 1, grade A1); danazol therapy for cytopenias (n=4 [24%]), with only 1 out of 4 patients showing a partial hematologic response; and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant for progressive bone marrow failure (n=2), with 1 patient dying from transplant-related complications. In summary, patients with STSs present with diverse clinical manifestations and require a multidisciplinary approach to management, with organ-specific transplantation capable of providing clinical benefit.
Blue-light emergency phones on campus: Media infrastructures of feeling:

In recent years, movements such as #metoo, Slutwalk, and others have drawn attention to women’s experiences of a lack of safety in public, professional, and educational spaces. This article steps b...
Apixaban and Rivaroxaban in Patients With Acute Venous Thromboembolism

Abstract Objective To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of apixaban with those of rivaroxaban for the treatment of acute venous thromboembolism (VTE). Patients and Methods Consecutive patients enrolled in the Mayo Thrombophilia Clinic Registry (between March 1, 2013, and January 30, 2018) and treated with apixaban or rivaroxaban for acute VTE were followed forward in time. The primary efficacy outcome was VTE recurrence. The primary safety outcome was major bleeding; the second safety outcome was clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (CRNMB); and the third was a composite of major bleeding or CRNMB. Results Within the group of 1696 patients with VTE enrolled, 600 (38%) were treated either with apixaban (n=302, 50%) or rivaroxaban (n=298, 50%) within the first 14 days of VTE diagnosis and who completed at least 3 months of therapy or had a study event. Recurrent VTE was diagnosed in 7 patients (2.3%) treated with apixaban and in 6 (2%) treated with rivaroxaban (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.4; 95% CI, 0.5-3.8). Major bleeding occurred in 11 patients (3.6%) receiving apixaban and in 9 patients (3.0%) receiving rivaroxaban (aHR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.5-3.2). Clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding was diagnosed in 7 patients (2.3%) receiving apixaban and in 20 (6.7%) receiving rivaroxaban (aHR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.9). The rates of composite major bleeding or CRNMB were similar (aHR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.3-1.2). Most study events occurred in patients with cancer. Conclusion In the setting of a standardized, guideline-directed, patient-oriented clinical practice, the efficacy and safety of apixaban and rivaroxaban for the treatment of acute VTE were comparable.
UO22+-mediated ring contraction of pyrihexaphyrin: synthesis of a contracted expanded porphyrin-uranyl complex.

A new mixed hexaphyrin, pyrihexaphyrin (0.1.0.0.1.0) (1), was prepared via an acid catalyzed cyclization between 5,5′-(pyridine-2,6-diyl)bis(pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde) (2) and terpyrrole (3). This expanded porphyrin undergoes a ring contraction upon metallation with uranyl silylamide [UO2[N(SiMe3)2]2] under anaerobic conditions followed by purification over basic aluminum oxide exposed to air. The uranyl-contracted pyrihexaphyrin (0.0.0.0.1.0) complex (4) produced as a result contains a unique structural architecture and possesses a formally 22 π-electron globally aromatic periphery, as inferred from NMR spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray diffraction, and computational analyses. Support for the proposed contraction mechanism came from experimental data and DFT calculations. Proton NMR and mass spectroscopic analysis provided the first insight into expanded porphyrin-mediated activation of the uranyl dication (UO22+).
Type conversion from native California sage scrub to non-native grassland accelerates decomposition processes

Abstract Predicting how plant invasions influence decomposition processes is difficult, as multiple factors change with plant community alteration. Here, we examined the importance of various abiotic and biotic factors (litter quality (C:N), UV radiation, and macroinvertebrate access) in driving early decomposition processes in native California sage scrub (CSS) and in adjacent non-native grassland habitats. Many findings from our experiment were consistent with studies from semi-arid regions (e.g., UV radiation drove decomposition processes and high quality litter decayed more rapidly). However, the acceleration of litter decomposition in the non-native grassland relative to native California sage scrub (CSS) was unexpected and contrasts with studies of partially invaded CSS systems. Our results highlight that studies of invaded systems that still retain native species diversity should not be extrapolated to type-converted systems. We hypothesize that high grass cover in the type-converted grassland created conditions that enhanced soil moisture, bacterial abundance, and macroinvertebrate influence relative to the CSS, accelerating decomposition and reducing regional C storage.
Biphenotypic Differentiation of Pancreatic Cancer in 3-Dimensional Culture.

Objective Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third most common cause of cancer death in the United States. Improved characterized models of PDAC are needed for drug screening. Methods We grew 4 established pancreatic cancer cell lines in hanging drop cultures to produce spheroids. We also grew organoids from explanted xenografted PDAC and surgically resected primary PDAC. We performed transmission and scanning electron microscopy and compared findings with those of the normal pancreatic duct. We also performed single-cell cloning to determine the potential options for differentiation. Results Spheroids contained tight junctions and desmosomes but lacked zymogen granules, as expected. The former features were present in normal pancreatic duct but absent from PDAC cell lines grown in standard 2-dimensional culture. Spheroids functionally excluded macromolecules in whole mounts. Cells on the surface of PDAC spheroids were carpeted by microvilli except for rare cells with prominent stereocilia. Carpets of microvilli were also seen in low passage organoids produced from xenografts and surgically resected human PDAC, in addition to normal human pancreatic duct. We performed single-cell cloning and resulting spheroids produced both cell phenotypes at the same approximate ratios as those from bulk cultures. Conclusions Pancreatic cancer spheroids/organoids are capable of biphenotypic differentiation.
Tony Skyrme and the Origins of Skyrmions

I first discuss the main motivations for Tony Skyrme's highly original program (1958-62) of making fermionic nucleons out of bosonic pion fields, as described in his Cosener's House talk in 1984. These include a dislike of point-like elementary particles, which he blamed for infinite renormalization, and a preference for extended objects distinguished by what we would now call topological quantum numbers. In this he was strongly influenced by William Thomson (Lord Kelvin), who was so impressed by Helmholtz's proof of the conservation of circulation ("Wirbelbewegung") in fluid vortices that he developed an entire theory of atoms as knotted vortices in the ether fluid. Skyrme liked mechanical models, as did Kelvin, and he grew up fascinated by the ingenuity of Kelvin's machine for predicting tides, an example of which stood in his grandfather's house. This seems to have been connected to his strong preference for bosonic fields, which have a classical limit, over fermionic fields which do not. I then sketch the progress of Skyrme's ideas in the series of six papers in the years 1958-62, which passed largely unnoticed at the time. I emphasize his remarkable intuition that the kink solution of the classical Sine-Gordon equation would be a fermion when quantized, and the novelty of his identification of the Skyrmion winding number with baryon number in the three-dimensional case. I end by briefly describing how Skyrme's work was dramatically related to QCD in 1983-4.
Minimally Invasive Ivor Lewis Esophagectomy (MILE): technique and outcomes of 100 consecutive cases

Esophagectomy is the mainstay of therapy for esophageal cancer but is a complex operation that is associated with significantly high morbidity and mortality rates. The primary aim of this study is to report our perioperative outcomes, and long-term survival of Minimally Invasive Ivor Lewis Esophagectomy (MILE). IRB approved retrospective study of 100 consecutive patients who underwent elective MILE from September 2013 to November 2017 at University of Florida, Jacksonville. Primary diagnosis was esophageal cancer (n = 96) and benign esophageal disease (n = 4). Anastomotic leak rate was observed in 6%; 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 2% and 3%, respectively. The mean length of hospital stay was 10.3 days; 87 patients were discharged to home, while 12 patients were discharged to rehabilitation facility, and there was one in-hospital mortality secondary to graft necrosis. At a mean follow-up was 37 months (2–74), the 3- and 5-year overall survivals are 63.9 ± 5.0% (95% CI 53.3–72.7%) and 60.5 ± 5.3% (95% CI 49.4–69.9%), respectively. The 3- and 5-year disease-free survival is 75.0 ± 4.8% (95% CI 64.2–83.0%) and 70.4 ± 5.5% (95% CI 58.0–80.0%). MILE can be performed with low perioperative mortality, and favorable long-term overall and disease-free survival.
Chapter 20 – Bioactive Lipids

Historically, lipids have been associated with two basic functions: as a structural component of membranes; and as a source of metabolic energy. More recently, a third, very different function, referred to as “bioactive lipids”, has emerged and has had a tremendous impact on cell biology. In a review article in Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, Hannun and Obeid stated “It has become increasingly difficult to find an area of cell biology in which lipids do not have important, if not key, roles as signaling and regulatory molecules” [1]. Included in a long and ever increasing litany of functions supported by bioactive lipids are: regulation of cell growth, death, senescence, adhesion, migration, inflammation, angiogenesis, and intracellular trafficking. And this abbreviated list goes on and on. Hannun states that bioactive lipids can be “broadly defined as changes in lipid levels that result in functional consequences”. The concept of bioactive lipids has its origins in the discovery that the lipid diacylglycerol (DAG) affects protein kinase C (PKC) activity thus influencing cell signaling.
Lessons Learned: One Researcher’s Same-Sex IPV Journey

I have always loved the Muriel Rukeyser quote “What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open.” (Poetry Foundation). I am not so self-important that I think my journey as a researcher will have that effect. However, as I look back over 35+ years, I hope sharing my self-reflection and growth might provide some insight into the recognition that without constant and humble examination, our world-view will pull us toward hegemony; at best, hegemony likely blinds us to the realities of people’s lived experiences and at worst, reinforces knowledge that perpetuates harm. As a direct-service provider in the early 1980s, I was prone to an essentialist feminist worldview. As I began to work with same-sex IPV, the essentialist paradigm no longer fit. I realized that I must attend to differences in the location of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people within the societal systems that interact with IPV, a microcosm of society. I’ve come to believe that if we continue to research the LGBTQ communities as a monolith, we do a disservice to each community and the heterogeneity within each as well. This article shares my thoughts to date; I don’t pretend to have the answers but hope that my journey and current thinking will support others’ research to better understand the victim/survivor experiences and inform policies and practices to be as equitable and inclusive as possible.
Plant water uptake from soil through a vapor pathway

Water uptake from the soil via a vapor pathway was tested. Viburnum suspensum L. seedlings were divided into: (1) irrigated, (2) drought with vapor, and (3) drought without vapor treatments. Each plant was placed into a larger bucket containing deuterium labelled water as a vapor source (vapor treatment) or no water (drought and irrigation treatments). We also tested whether uptake via a vapor pathway could mitigate drought effects. Net CO2 assimilation (A), transpiration (E) and stomatal conductance (gs) were measured daily until the first visible signs of stress. Soil water content, stem water potential (Ψ), and the stable hydrogen isotope ratio (δ2 H) of soil and plant xylem water were then measured in all treatments. We show that water is taken up by plants through the vapor phase in dry soils. The δ2 H values of the soil water in the vapor treatment were highly enriched compared to the background isotope ratios of the non-vapor exposed irrigated and drought treatments. Stem water δ2 H values for the vapor treatment were significantly greater than those for irrigation and drought treatments not exposed to isotopically-enriched vapor. In this experiment, movement of water to the plant via the vapor phase did not mitigate drought effects. Net CO2 assimilation, E, plant Ψ and gs significantly decreased in the drought and vapor treatments relative to the controls, with no significant differences between vapor and drought treatments. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Integrated Planning, Decision-Making, and Weather Modeling for UAS Navigating Complex Weather

Aircraft of all types, and especially small UAS, are significantly affected by atmospheric motion. Employing numerical weather models and trajectory planning algorithms that reason over model uncertainty can allow an aircraft to safely and efficiently traverse a complex, uncertain environment. However, even paths robust to a priori uncertainty may be inferior to trajectories planned using an environmental model refined using in situ observations. This work develops a dynamic data driven applications system (DDDAS) architecture that uses the aircraft as a sensor to the environmental state and updates a model of the wind field model through trajectory execution. A Monte Carlo Rapidly-Exploring Random Tree (MCRRT) algorithm plans a set of probabilistically safe paths and predicts the distribution of their cost. Decision-making at the tasking level directs aircraft on paths which are possibly suboptimal with respect to a single mission in order to sample the environment and update the model. This tasking reconfigures the observations gathered to target portions of the environment relevant to mission execution. Initial simulations show that this approach is able to reduce error in the modeled environment.
Existence of Pair Potential Corresponding to Specified Density and Pair Correlation

Given a potential of pair interaction and a value of activity, one can consider the Gibbs distribution in a finite domain $$\Lambda \subset \mathbb{Z}^{d}$$ . It is well known that for small values of activity there exist the infinite volume $$(\Lambda \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}^{d})$$ limiting Gibbs distribution and the infinite volume correlation functions. In this paper we consider the converse problem – we show that given ρ1 and ρ2(x), where ρ1 is a constant and ρ2(x) is a function on $$\mathbb{Z}^{d}$$ , which are sufficiently small, there exist a pair potential and a value of activity, for which ρ1 is the density and ρ2(x) is the pair correlation function.
Ocean data classification using unsupervised machine learning: Planning for hybrid wave-wind offshore energy devices

Abstract Wave-wind hybrid energy systems have become a recent focus due to the benefits they provide in terms of power reliability and long-term cost reduction for offshore power production. The efficiency of these systems partially depend on the wave and wind properties of the installation site. In this work, an unsupervised machine learning technique was used to classify the regions in the United States based on data provided by the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC). The aim was to create an initial assessment tool to improve decision-making in the design process for wave-wind hybrid systems with high adaptability within each region based on the recorded data. The data for all the weather stations was collected from 2010 to 2019. Three features of wave height, wave period and wind speed were used to cluster the regions during 2019, using the 72 stations with available data. The classification procedure was then repeated for the available data for five-year (2015–2019) and ten-year (2010–2019) periods. For the clustering purpose, the wave and wind properties for each year were considered as features. The characteristics of each cluster were discussed and the results were compared with the outcomes for the classifications based on one-year data. Further, detailed statistical information regarding each cluster were provided.
On-ground calibration of the HaloSat science instrument

HaloSat is a CubeSat-class microsatellite sensitive in the 0.4 to 7.0 keV energy band and designed to survey the entire sky in search of soft x-ray emissions from highly ionized oxygen residing in the halo of the Milky Way galaxy. Those observations will help constrain the mass and spatial distribution of the Milky Way halo and help us understand if hot galactic halos constitute a significant contribution to the overall cosmological baryon budget. We describe the science instrument calibration products, including channel-to-energy transformation, instrument energy resolution and instrument response, and the on-ground efforts that led to their creation. We also describe the alignment process used to obtain the field of view information for the HaloSat science instrument.
Decoherence and Vacuum Fluctuations

The interference pattern of coherent electrons is effected by coupling to the quantized electromagnetic field. The amplitudes of the interference maxima are changed by a factor which depends upon a double line integral of the photon two-point function around the closed path of the electrons. The interference pattern is sensitive to shifts in the vacuum fluctuations in regions from which the electrons are excluded. Thus this effect combines aspects of both the Casimir and the Aharonov-Bohm effects. The coupling to the quantized electromagnetic field tends to decrease the amplitude of the interference oscillations, and hence is a form of decoherence. The contributions due to photon emission and to vacuum fluctuations may be separately identified. It is to be expected that photon emission leads to decoherence, as it can reveal which path an electron takes. It is less obvious that vacuum fluctuations also can cause decoherence. What is directly observable is a shift in the fluctuations due, for example, to the presence of a conducting plate. In the case of electrons moving parallel to conducting boundaries, the dominant decohering influence is that of the vacuum fluctuations. The shift in the interference amplitudes can be of the order of a few percent, so experimental verification of this effect may be possible. The possibility of using this effect to probe the interior of matter, e.g., to determine the electrical conductivity of a rod by means of electrons encircling it is discussed. (Presented at the Conference on Fundamental Problems in Quantum Theory, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, June 18-22, 1994.)
Coalescence characteristics of bulk nanobubbles in water: A molecular dynamics study coupled with theoretical analysis

Nanobubble coalescence is a process of great importance to a broad range of applications such as froth flotation of fine or ultrafine mineral particles, detergent-free cleaning of clothes, and de-inking of recycled papers. To investigate the differences between nanobubble coalescence and macrobubble coalescence, we use molecular dynamics simulations and theoretical analysis to study the coalescence characteristics of bulk nanobubbles in water. We provide quantitative evidence showing nanobubble coalescence characteristics universally deviate from macroscopic bubble theories due to the small bubble size and the unique effects of Laplace pressure in nanobubbles.
Spectral graph theory of brain oscillations -- revisited and improved

Mathematical modeling of the relationship between the functional activity and the structural wiring of the brain has largely been undertaken using non-linear and biophysically detailed mathematical models with regionally varying parameters. While this approach provides us a rich repertoire of multistable dynamics that can be displayed by the brain, it is computationally demanding. Moreover, although neuronal dynamics at the microscopic level are nonlinear and chaotic, it is unclear if such detailed nonlinear models are required to capture the emergent meso- (regional population ensemble) and macro-scale (whole brain) behavior, which is largely deterministic and reproducible across individuals. Indeed, recent modeling effort based on spectral graph theory has shown that an analytical model without regionally varying parameters can capture the empirical magnetoencephalography frequency spectra and the spatial patterns of the alpha and beta frequency bands accurately. In this work, we demonstrate an improved hierarchical, linearized, and analytic spectral graph theory-based model that can capture the frequency spectra obtained from magnetoencephalography recordings of resting healthy subjects. We reformulated the spectral graph theory model in line with classical neural mass models, therefore providing more biologically interpretable parameters, especially at the local scale. We demonstrated that this model performs better than the original model when comparing the spectral correlation of modeled frequency spectra and that obtained from the magnetoencephalography recordings. This model also performs equally well in predicting the spatial patterns of the empirical alpha and beta frequency bands.
The Knowledge Economy and Its Critics

This chapter surveys the dominant landscape of the knowledge economy today, from right to left, via the center. Each recognizes the increasingly central role of knowledge in the production and reproduction of economic value, social relations, and life. Because they’re taking different class viewpoints, however, they tell contrasting narratives, utilize different frameworks, and, clearly, have different goals in mind. Whereas the right wants to understand knowledge production in order to more effectively harness or exploit it for capitalist accumulation, those critical of the hegemonic capitalist takes on the knowledge economy identify and probe at its limitations and restrictions, in which they locate new possibilities for resistance and resources for a movement beyond the accumulation of capital. They do so by diagnosing the new forms of exploitation and oppression in the knowledge economy and the attendant potentialities for resistance and transformation that lie within.
Understanding Tensions and Resilient Practices that Emerge from Technology Use in Asian India Families in the U.S.: The Case of COVID-19

Families with teenagers are known to experience various challenges, as parents and teens often have conflicting opinions in regard to technology use. To understand how the disruption caused by SARS-CoV2-2 impacted dynamics around technology use within Asian Indian families with teens in the U.S., we conducted a mixed-methods study with 22 Asian Indian parent-teen dyads of different socioeconomic status (SES). Based on our empirical data, we present the complex picture of technology use in Asian Indian families during a period of disruption. We discuss the differences and similarities in (a) tensions that emerged in regard to technology use and mediation as participants from different SESs adjusted their daily life routines and (b) the ways technology helped them to develop practices that contributed to family resilience. Finally, we offer recommendations for the designers of technologies that can support parents and teens not only in times of crisis, but also under normal circumstances.
Words Matter: What Do Patients Find Judgmental or Offensive in Outpatient Notes?

Sharing outpatient notes with patients may bring clinically important benefits, but notes may sometimes cause patients to feel judged or offended, and thereby reduce trust. As part of a larger survey examining the effects of open notes, we sought to understand how many patients feel judged or offended due to something they read in outpatient notes, and why. We analyzed responses from a large Internet survey of adult patients who used secure patient portals and had at least 1 visit note available in a 12-month period at 2 large academic medical systems in Boston and Seattle, and in a rural integrated health system in Pennsylvania. Adult ambulatory patients with portal accounts in health systems that offered open notes for up to 7 years. (1) Quantitative analysis of 2 dichotomous questions, and (2) qualitative thematic analysis of free-text responses on what patients found judgmental or offensive. Among 22,959 patient respondents who had read at least one note and answered the 2 questions, 2,411 (10.5%) reported feeling judged and/or offended by something they read in their note(s). Patients who reported poor health, unemployment, or inability to work were more likely to feel judged or offended. Among the 2,411 patients who felt judged and/or offended, 2,137 (84.5%) wrote about what prompted their feelings. Three thematic domains emerged: (1) errors and surprises, (2) labeling, and (3) disrespect. One in 10 respondents reported feeling judged/offended by something they read in an outpatient note due to the perception that it contained errors, surprises, labeling, or evidence of disrespect. The content and tone may be particularly important to patients in poor health. Enhanced clinician awareness of the patient perspective may promote an improved medical lexicon, reduce the transmission of bias to other clinicians, and reinforce healing relationships.
State Definition in the Tetris Task: Designing a Hybrid Model of Cognition.

In defining state/action pairs for reinforcement learning of the Tetris task, we seek to recognize known game states, as well as to learn new ones according to relevant game features. We propose a model of cognition that uses categorization as a mechanism to sort such features into appropriate state-types, and an attention mechanism based on predicted values of each state as a method for deciding which states/features are relevant.
Effect of manganese and enzymatic deoxyribonucleic acid digests on population changes and respiration of Pneumococci.

Firshein, William (Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn.). Effect of manganese and enzymatic deoxyribonucleic acid digests on population changes and respiration of pneumococci. J. Bacteriol. 84:478–484. 1962.—Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA; Na salt) treated with deoxyribonuclease and Mn++ (as MnSO4) stimulated R (avirulent) to S (virulent) population changes in vitro. Under certain environmental conditions and with certain strains, Mn++ alone elicited these changes, but, in most cases, both digested DNA and Mn++ were necessary for maximal effect. These population changes were due to a selective stimulation of the multiplication of S cells and a delay in S-cell lysis, with either a slight inhibitory effect or no effect against the multiplication of R cells. The magnitude of the population change depended upon the presence of digested DNA, the level of Mn++, the strain, and the concentration of basal medium. Mn++ enhanced respiration of S cells while inhibiting that of R cells.
Ethical reasoning and the use of insider information in stock trading

The cognitive developmental theory of ethics suggests that there is a positive relationship between ethical reasoning and ethical behavior. In this study, we trained a sample of accounting and finance students in performing competitive stock trading in our state-of-the-art trading room. The subjects then performed trading of stocks under two experimental conditions: insider information, and no-insider information where significant performance-based financial awards were at stake. We also administered the Defining Issues Test (DIT). Ethical behavior, as the dependent variable was measured in a binary scale: whether the subjects used insider information for trading of stocks or not. Ethical reasoning as measured by the DIT P-score indicated statistically significant effect on ethical behavior. The results have important implications for recruitment and training of professionals engaged in the use of financial markets for securities trading.