cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Substation Optimization Planning Based on Distributed Generation

Based on the constraint conditions of type, capacity, location of existing distribution generation (DG) in the planning area and substation load-bearing capacity, a comprehensive optimal planning model for substation with load demand satisfied, by considering DG and different block geographic information factors (GIF), the construction cost of distributed substation, the cost of feeder and operation cost including current supply losses, as well as the influence of GIF like land properties on the location and cost of construction. Furthermore, the influencial factors of different block geographic information on construction cost were obtained by means of interval analytical hierarchy process. Finally, optimization was carried out on the planning model by using quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) algorithm, and the proposed model and algorithm were proved to be scientific and effective through the empirical study on a planning area.
An Architecture for Secure Cloud Computing

A technical architecture for secure outsourcing of data and arbitrary computations in an entrusted commercial cloud environment is proposed.In this approach,the user could communicate with a trusted cloud(either a private cloud or a cloud based on multiple secure hardware modules) which encrypts and verifies the data stored and operations performed in the untrusted commercial cloud.By separating the computations the trusted cloud is principally used for security-critical operations in the less time-critical setup phase,while the entrusted commercial cloud employed for processing large quantity of computation,thus realizing the secure outsourcing of cloud-computing data.
1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor ontogenesis in fetal renal development

We used immunohistochemical techniques to examine the distribution of 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptors (VDR) in developing rat and mouse kidneys and murine metanephric organ culture. In vivo, the patterns of expression in the two species were similar despite the slight difference in gestational periods (rat, 22 days; mouse, 19 days). Starting at gestational day 15, epitopes for VDR were found in cells of branching ureteral buds and in surrounding mesenchyme and at later developmental stages in glomerular visceral and parietal epithelial cells and proximal and distal tubules (DT). Epitopes for the 28-kDa calcium-binding protein (calbindin D28k) were found exclusively in DTs starting at gestational day 19. The pattern of VDR expression during in vitro nephrogenesis in serum-free murine metanephric organ culture paralleled that seen in vivo. At the time of explantation into organ culture (gestational day 13), VDR epitopes were not detected. By 3 days of in vitro development, VDR expression was identical to that found in gestational day 15 metanephroi in vivo. VDR expression after 5 days of in vitro development mirrored the pattern of gestational day 17 metanephroi in vivo. No calbindin D28k epitopes were seen at any in vitro developmental stage studied. We demonstrate for the first time that VDR are present in specific areas of the developing rat and mouse kidney early in gestation. Calbindin D28k appears later in developing rat and mouse kidney and is distributed differently than the VDR. Metanephric organ culture may be a useful model for studying the regulation and function of VDR during early renal development.
Replication-Associated Recombinational Repair: Lessons from Budding Yeast

Recombinational repair processes multiple types of DNA lesions. Though best understood in the repair of DNA breaks, recombinational repair is intimately linked to other situations encountered during replication. As DNA strands are decorated with many types of blocks that impede the replication machinery, a great number of genomic regions cannot be duplicated without the help of recombinational repair. This replication-associated recombinational repair employs both the core recombination proteins used for DNA break repair and the specialized factors that couple replication with repair. Studies from multiple organisms have provided insights into the roles of these specialized factors, with the findings in budding yeast being advanced through use of powerful genetics and methods for detecting DNA replication and repair intermediates. In this review, we summarize recent progress made in this organism, ranging from our understanding of the classical template switch mechanisms to gap filling and replication fork regression pathways. As many of the protein factors and biological principles uncovered in budding yeast are conserved in higher eukaryotes, these findings are crucial for stimulating studies in more complex organisms.
Improved Method for the Measurement of Serum Thyroxine

Methodology for the measurement of thyroxine in unextracted human serum is described. Antibodies were prepared by immunization of rabbits with thyroxine-human serum albumin (T4-HSA) conjugates. Bound and free labeled hormones are separated using the double antibody technique. The validity of the assay has been demonstrated by the excellent recovery of exogenous T4 added to various serum samples and by production of a curve obtained by various dilutions of a hyperthyroid serum which is parallel to the standard curve. Radioimmunoassay T4 values ranged from 4.5 to 12.0 μg/100 ml in 172 euthyroid patients. In all clinical states, serum T4 values obtained by radioimmunoassay afforded excellent agreement (correlation coefficient, 0.95) with those obtained by competitive protein binding assay. Advantages of the method over commercially available radioimmunoassay kits or the competitive protein binding assay are outlined.
How Often Do Clinically Diagnosed Catheter‐Associated Urinary Tract Infections in Nursing Homes Meet Standardized Criteria?

Objectives To determine the relationship between clinically diagnosed catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) and standardized criteria and to assess microorganism-level differences in symptom burden in a cohort of catheterized nursing home (NH) residents. Design Post hoc analysis of a prospective longitudinal study. Setting Twelve NHs in southeast Michigan. Participants NH residents with indwelling urinary catheters (n = 233; 90% white, 52% male, mean age 73.7). Measurements Clinical and demographic data, including CAUTI epidemiology and symptoms, were obtained at study enrollment, 14 days, and monthly thereafter for up to 1 year. Results One hundred twenty participants with an indwelling catheter (51%) were prescribed systemic antibiotics for 182 clinically diagnosed CAUTIs. Common signs and symptoms were acute change in mental status (28%), fever (21%), and leukocytosis (13%). Forty percent of clinically diagnosed CAUTIs met Loeb's minimum criteria, 32% met National Health Safety Network (NHSN) criteria, and 50% met Loeb's minimum or NHSN criteria. CAUTIs involving Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus spp. were least likely to meet criteria. CAUTIs involving Klebsiella pneumoniae were most likely to meet Loeb's minimum criteria (odds ratio (OR) = 9.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.3–40.3), possibly because of an association with acute change in mental status (OR = 5.9, 95% CI = 1.8–19.4). Conclusion Fifty percent of clinically diagnosed CAUTIs met standardized criteria, which represents an improvement in antibiotic prescribing practices. At the microorganism level, exploratory data indicate that symptom burden may differ between microorganisms. Exploration of CAUTI signs and symptoms associated with specific microorganisms may yield beneficial information to refine existing tools to guide appropriate antibiotic treatment.
Selection of treatment for patients with early stage non-small cell Lung cancer in a multidisciplinary thoracic oncology program

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in men and women. More than 170,000 Americans receive a diagnosis of lung cancer annually and the majority of them die of the disease [1]. There is considerable interest in improving treatment for lung cancer given its high impact on society. More than 80% of patients with lung cancer have non-small cell carcinoma (NSCLC). Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for patients with early stage NSCLC and results in cure of about 60–80% of patients with stage I (T1-2N0) disease [2]–[5].
Model for frequency comb generation in single-section quantum well diode lasers

We present a new, traveling-wave model for single-section quantum well diode lasers. We find that strong four-wave mixing based upon the gain grating, coupled with longitudinal spatial hole burning, allows for frequency comb generation.
Flipping the Script from Talking to Teens about “Celebrating Diversity” to Promoting Equity Through Embracing Vulnerability and Enacting Courage

Diversity and inclusion are popular, yet often challenging, topics for youth in schools. A common approach to address the issues is to invite outside speakers to discuss ways to “celebrate diversity.” After being invited to give such a talk, I created and enacted a presentation at an affluent high school on this topic that is grounded in social justice education. The presentation flips the script from celebrating diversity to promoting equity by using a framework that connects embracing vulnerability with enacting courage. This article provides the theoretical underpinnings of this embodied approach. The presentation maneuvers include definitions of courage as connecting with others while embracing vulnerability; modeling the approach through shared personal counternarratives; defining related social justice terms and concepts; sharing counternarratives of young people; and providing an example of ways (in this case, promoting alliances) to create connections to promote equity. This approach can be a star...
Cerebral protection devices for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Stroke is a devastating, potential complication of any cardiovascular procedure including transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Even clinically silent lesions as detected by magnetic resonance imaging have been associated with poor long-term cognitive outcomes. As a result, extensive efforts have been focused on developing stroke preventative strategies including the development of novel embolic protection devices. These devices aim to reduce this risk by capturing or deflecting emboli away from the cerebral circulation.Areas covered: This review provides an insight into the incidence and mechanisms of neurologic events during TAVI, explores the design features and initial human experience of each of the cerebral embolic protection devices that have been used during TAVI, and carefully explains the major clinical trials of each of these devices with a focus on safety, efficacy and other reported outcomes.Expert commentary: The potential benefit of neuroprotection cannot be ...
BoLTE: Efficient network-wide LTE broadcasting

Evolved-Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (eMBMS) is a set of features in LTE networks to deliver bandwidth-intensive multimedia content on a point-to-multipoint basis to subscribers. The notion of a Single Frequency Network (SFN) in eMBMS allows base stations to synchronize and transmit signals in a coordinated fashion across the same frequency-time radio resources using a common modulation rate. While SFN boosts the channel quality of users via transmit diversity gain, the use of a common rate across base stations results in reduced utilization for those that can individually support much higher data rates for their users, even without the notion of an SFN. Excluding such base stations from the SFN helps them utilize their resources better by not being constrained by the common rate, but creates additional inter-cell interference from their independent transmissions. Striking a balance between SFN cooperation and resource utilization is crucial for efficiently delivering broadcast content as well as other unicast flows. We design BoLTE, which carefully addresses this tradeoff and evaluate it using a prototype implementation over an SFN testbed, realized over a cloud-based radio access network system, as well as large-scale NS3 simulations. We show that BoLTE improves overall system throughput by around 40%.
Street-food, class, and memories of masculinity: an exploratory essay in three acts

AbstractStreets and sidewalks are often read as mere targets of urban development schemes, rarely acknowledged for their importance to various forms of everyday life. Western notions of public spac...
Examination of Parental Tolerance Among Parents of Young Children with and without ASD

Parental tolerance reflects the degree that parents tend to be bothered by childhood behavior. Parental tolerance of childhood disruptive behaviors is an important factor in shaping discipline practices employed by parents in reaction to childhood disruptive behavior. Numerous factors are hypothesized to influence parental tolerance, such as child gender and the presence of developmental delays or other psychiatric conditions. However, little research has explored the variations in parental tolerance across families of children with and without developmental delays. The current study sought to replicate previous findings on gender differences within parental tolerance in a neurotypical sample, as well as assess differences in parental tolerance in families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). MANOVA results revealed that parental tolerance of childhood misbehaviors significantly differed based on ASD status. Results demonstrated that parents of children with ASD were more tolerant overall of childhood disruptive behaviors compared to children without ASD. The findings from the study reveal important factors that could potentially affect parental tolerance.
Rapid quantitative analysis of methylphenidate and ritalinic acid in oral fluid by liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ-MS)

Methylphenidate (MPH), which is metabolized into ritalinic acid (RA), is an amphetamine derivative largely used in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, a neurological condition commonly diagnosed in early childhood. Ensuring that patients comply with clinical treatment is crucial and compliance is generally monitored in blood or urine specimens which, especially in the case of children, can be challenging to obtain on a repetitive basis. Here we report validation of a specific, non-invasive, and rapid dilute-and-shoot analytical method for the detection and quantitation of MPH and RA in oral fluid (OF). The method is based on liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole MS with electrospray ionization utilizing dynamic MRM mode. Subject OF specimens were collected using a Quantisal™ device, processed, and diluted for analysis with seven-point quadratic calibration curves (weighting of 1/x) using MPH-d9 and (±)-threo-RA-d10 as internal standards. QC samples and diluted specimens showed intra- and inter-day bias and imprecision values no greater than ±12%. The LOD and LOQ for MPH were 0.1 and 0.5 ng/mL, respectively, and 0.2 ng/mL and 0.5 ng/mL for RA, respectively, indicating the validity of the method for identification and confirmation at low concentrations. Selectivity was specific for the analytes of interest and matrix effects were minimized through the use of internal standard based quantitation.
Medical Support of Special Operations

“Special operations” as applied to the US military describe a variety of missions carried out by highly select units from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Individuals in these units are subjected to notably rigorous selection and training in preparation for missions which are often extremely physically demanding and carried out with limited support from larger conventional forces. Special operations units are required to operate under environmental extremes, in isolated, austere locations and with very limited supplies. Providing optimal medical support to these units requires a detailed understanding of the organizational structure of Special Operations Forces, the nature of the missions, the medical administrative tasks which must be addressed, acute and primary medical care, preventive medicine and the management of combat trauma in this special environment. These issues have not been previously addressed in a single comprehensive document. This chapter will meet that need; it draws substantially from a chapter published previously in the Textbook of Military Medicine.
Mechanosensitive Endocytosis of High-Stiffness, Submicron Microgels in Macrophage and Hepatocarcinoma Cell Lines

The mechanical properties of submicron particles offer a unique design space for advanced drug-delivery particle engineering. However, the recognition of this potential is limited by a poor consensus about both the specificity and sensitivity of mechanosensitive endocytosis over a broad particle stiffness range. In this report, our model series of polystyrene-co-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pS-co-NIPAM) microgels have been prepared with a nominally constant monomer composition (50 mol % styrene and 50 mol % NIPAM) with varied bis-acrylamide cross-linking densities to introduce a tuned spectrum of particle mechanics without significant variation in particle size and surface charge. While previous mechanosensitive studies use particles with moduli ranging from 15 kPa to 20 MPa, the pS-co-NIPAM particles have Young’s moduli (E) ranging from 300 to 700 MPa, which is drastically stiffer than these previous studies as well as pure pNIPAM. Despite this elevated stiffness, particle uptake in RAW264.7 murine macro...
Review: Trends, Safety, and Recommendations for Caffeine Use in Children and Adolescents.

Objective Caffeine use is common in children and adolescents, but the recommendations for safe consumption are based on decades-old data collected exclusively in adults. Increased availability of caffeine-containing products and a concerted marketing effort aimed at children and adolescents, has increased interest in understanding the physiological, behavioral, and psychological effects of caffeine within this population. This manuscript provides a review of the literature concerning trends and safety of ingested caffeine in children and adolescents. Method A search of the National Library of Medicine database was conducted using the terms caffeine, children, adolescents, and safety, in addition to tailored searches on specific topics using combinations of search terms such as energy drinks, cardiovascular, mood, cognitive, mental health, sleep, and regulations. Results The majority of the literature reviewed here suggests that typical, moderate caffeine consumption in children and adolescents is relatively safe, but that higher doses of caffeine consumption (>400 mg) can cause physiological, psychological, and behavioral harm, in particular in subgroups of children, such as those with psychiatric or cardiac conditions. More attention is being paid to the potential adverse effects of both acute and chronic caffeine use, and additional regulations surrounding the sale and marketing of highly caffeinated beverages are now being considered. Conclusion More research is needed to fill in gaps in our knowledge, including understanding the relationship between caffeine use and initiation of other substances, such as cigarettes, alcohol, or marijuana, identifying individuals at risk for caffeine toxicity, and developing harm-reduction strategies.
A fully-developed boundary condition for the random walk particle tracking method

Abstract Random walk particle tracking (RWPT) is an effective and flexible approach to resolve scalar transport in direct numerical simulations (DNS) of single and multi-phase flows. It is often part of a hybrid scheme where the flow field is recovered by a separate hydrodynamic solver and the scalar field is resolved by RWPT. Since RWPT method tracks the displacement of passive Brownian tracers, rather than discretizing the advection–diffusion equation, development of boundary conditions for RWPT is not trivial. Namely, rules imposed upon a single tracer at the boundary must, after averaging, recover the desired continuum scale boundary condition. Here we develop means for imposing a fully-developed outflow boundary condition for the RWPT method. The technique developed here utilizes a semi-reflecting barrier at the outflow boundary. Tracers that reach the boundary plane are either reflected back into the domain or allowed to vacate the domain. We show that the semi-reflecting barrier developed here converges to the classic reflective boundary and open boundary in the asymptotic limit of low and high Peclet number, respectively. The new outflow boundary condition is verified against boundary layer (BL) theory for flow past a hot plate. The temperature field extracted at the outflow boundary is observed to be in agreement with BL solutions.
CNS luteinizing hormone receptor activation rescues ovariectomy-related loss of spatial memory and neuronal plasticity.

Abstract Ovariectomy (OVX), a menopause model, leads to cognition and neuronal plasticity deficits that are rescued by estrogen administration or downregulation of pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH). LH is present in the brain. However, whether LH levels differ across brain regions, change across reproductive stages, or whether brain-specific LHR signaling play a role in OVX-related cognitive and neuroplasticity losses is completely unknown. To address this, we measured brain LH in cycling and OVX C57Bl/6 across brain regions and determined whether OVX-related functional and plasticity deficits could be rescued by intracerebroventricular administration of the LHR agonist (hCG). Here, we show that while pituitary LH is increased in OVX, brain LH is decreased, primarily in spatial memory and navigation areas. Furthermore, intracerebroventricular hCG delivery after OVX rescued dendritic spine density and spatial memory. In vitro, we show that hCG increased neurite outgrowth in primary hippocampal neurons in a receptor-specific manner. Taken together, our data suggest that loss of brain LH signaling is involved in cognitive and plasticity losses associated with OVX and loss of ovarian hormones.
"TEACHING TABLES I:"Telling Our Stories: Building Studentsâ€™ Writing and Leadership Skills through Publication

In May 2007, students in the Clinical Nurse Educator Academy wrote stories about their experiences moving from roles as experienced clinicians into new roles as clinical preceptors and educators, where they often felt like novices. These stories were so meaningful that the class of Nurse Educator graduate students in January 2008 implemented a project to publish the stories in a book that could enhance learning for future students. The students formed editing, graphic design, and publication teams to complete the project in one semester They contracted with iUniverse for online publishing of the book, which allowed for consistent control of the manuscript and timely submission.The result is Reflections: Nurses as Educators, in which the students reflect on their experiences as nurses and nurse educators. http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookSearchResults.aspx?Search=nurses%20as%20educators This creative project encouraged the students to appreciate how publication of nursing stories impacts the positive image of nursing.Publication of a book of narratives is applicable to many disciplines, especially those attempting to increase recruitment of individuals to the field. The valuable skills of writing, editing, grant writing, team work, reflection, organization, and a beginning knowledge of the publication process are gained through a project like this.Publication of the book was funded by a grant from Sigma Theta Tau, Epsilon Zeta Chapter. Proceeds from book sales fund projects benefiting nursing students and faculty involved in nursing education.
Herringbone-Patterned 3D-Printed Devices as Alternatives to Microfluidics for Reproducible Production of Lipid Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles.

Major barriers to the implementation of nanotechnology include reproducible synthesis and scalability. Batch solution phase methods do not appear to have the potential to overcome these barriers. Microfluidic methods have been investigated as a means to enable controllable and reproducible synthesis; however, the most popular constituent of microfluidics, polydimethylsiloxane, is ill-suited for mass production. Multi-inlet vortex mixers (MIVMs) have been proposed as a method for scalable nanoparticle production; however, the control and reproducibility of the nanoparticle is wanting. Here, we investigate the ability to improve the control and reproducibility of nanoparticles produced by using 3D printed MIVMs with herringbone patterns in the flow channels. We compare three methods, viz., microfluidic, MIVM, and herringbone-patterned MIVM methods, for the synthesis of lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPHNPs). The 3D printed herringbone-patterned MIVM method resulted in the smallest LPHNPs with the most ...
Sleep Patterns, Problems and Ecology among Toddlers in Families with a Child Protective Services Maltreatment Referral.

Abstract Purpose To describe sleep patterns, problems, and ecology among toddlers (13 to 36 months) from families referred to Child Protective Services (CPS) for maltreatment and to compare sleep duration among a subgroup (24- to 36-month-olds) to previously published population-based data. Design and methods A secondary analysis of a larger longitudinal study was conducted. Participants included 113 parent-toddler dyads recruited out of CPS offices based on having a recent maltreatment referral. Parents reported about their toddler's sleep at two time points (approximately six months apart). Results At the earlier and later time points, respectively, mean sleep duration was 11.03 and 10.90 h (nighttime), 1.36 and 1.36 h (daytime), and 12.47 and 12.28 h (total 24-h). Of the toddlers, 24% and 17% had two or more nighttime awakenings, 34% and 33% had at least a somewhat hard time falling asleep, and 25% and 26% had difficulty sleeping alone. Mean bedtimes were 8:50 pm and 8:58 pm. Nighttime sleeping arrangement/location, nap arrangement/location, and method of falling asleep at night varied. Compared to the population-based data, nighttime sleep duration was 43 min longer and nap duration was 46 min shorter in the CPS sample. Conclusions Symptoms of behavioral sleep problems were common in this sample of toddlers from families referred to CPS for maltreatment. Distribution of sleep, but not total 24-hour sleep, differed significantly between the CPS sample and the population-based data. Practice implications Nurses caring for toddlers from families involved with CPS can play an integral role promoting sleep health and addressing behavioral sleep problems.
Finding the body mass index cutoff for hospital readmission after ambulatory hernia surgery

Background The suitability of ambulatory surgery in obese patients remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the "cutoff" value of body mass index (BMI) associated with increased likelihood of hospital readmissions within the first 24 hours of surgery in patients undergoing ambulatory hernia repair. Materials and methods The study used data from the 2012-2016 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement (ACS-NSQIP). Cochran Armitage trend tests were conducted to assess progression in rates hospital readmissions across categories of patient BMI. The minimum p-value method, Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness of fit tests, logistic regression, and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to investigate the cutoff of patient BMI indicative of increased likelihood of readmissions. Results A total of 214,125 ambulatory hernia repair cases were identified. Of those, 908 patients (0.42%) had an unexpected hospital admission within the first 24 hours after surgery. The readmission rates did not significantly increase across the categories of BMI. However, some of the reasons for readmission significantly differed by BMI category. Logistic regression analysis revealed no statistically significant association between BMI and hospital readmissions (odds ratio [95% Cl], 0.96 [0.91-1.02] P = .179). An optimal BMI threshold predictive of an increased likelihood of hospital readmissions was not identifiable by any of the statistical methods used. Conclusions Although reasons for readmission differed by BMI category, there is no clear cutoff value of BMI associated with increased hospital readmission within the first 24 hours after surgery.
Optimization of All-Oxide 2D Layered Thermoelectric Device Fabricated by Plasma Spray

Harvesting waste energy using thermoelectric (TE) principles is a key technology that increases overall power conversion and efficiency from combustion-based energy generation systems. However, design restrictions of commercially available thermoelectric devices and toxicity of commercial thermoelectric materials currently limit large-scale deployment. Additive and multilayered design and manufacturing of thermoelectric modules are a potential pathway to overcome current design restrictions as it enables to implement the device directly to the engineering structures with direct access to waste heat. Plasma spray is the chosen technology in this work to fabricate such patterned and layered TE devices, using as p-type Ca2Co2O5 and the n-type material TiO2-x. The optimization of thermoelectric leg geometry results in a maximum power density output of 1.9 × 10−4 W/cm2 per couple and efficiency of 1.1% at 750 K. An important aspect of this TE device design is that it allows direct p-n contact, whereas the proportionality between p-n contact area and power output is demonstrated. A correlation between the coating thickness and nonlinear behavior of the thermoelectric voltage is also discussed, which is associated with the anisotropy degree of the n-type coating.
Investigation of the relationship between udder towel hygiene, udder towel management and intramammary infection in late lactation dairy cows:

Pre-milking cleaning and teat disinfection is a common practice on US dairy farms. Studies have shown that towel laundering practices can influence levels of bacteria in towels that are used in teat preparation. Consequently, some laboratories offer towel culture services, which are used by practitioners to evaluate the effectiveness of towel laundering systems. However, the impact of poor towel hygiene on udder health is not well understood, and few surveys have been conducted to describe towel hygiene, or management strategies to improve towel hygiene, on US dairy farms. The objectives of this cross-sectional study are to: 1) describe the levels of bacteria in udder towels on US dairy farms, 2) describe associations between towel total bacteria count (TBC) and intramammary infection (IMI) prevalence for individual pathogens and specific pathogen groups in late lactation cows, 3) identify laundering-related risk factors for high towel bacteria count, and 4) identify critical levels of bacteria in towels, that might be used as cut-points to guide practitioners when interpreting towel culture reports. This study is ongoing, with results currently being assembled. In this abstract we report preliminary results.
The Effects of Social Identities and Issue Involvement on Perceptions of Media Bias Against Gun Owners and Intention to Participate in Discursive Activities: In the Context of the Media Coverage of Mass Shootings

This study examined how news audience’s predispositions (value and outcome involvement, political and gun ownership identities) predicted perceived media bias in mass shooting coverage against gun ...
Will Women Catch Up to Their Fertility Expectations

In 2019, the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) dipped to 1.71 children per woman, an all-time low and far below the replacement rate of 2.10 children. Current levels of low fertility have important implications for the economy. To assess fertility trends, demographers often look at fertility expectations. Using this metric suggests no cause for concern. Women in their early 30s today, when first asked about their childbearing expectations in their early 20s, expected to have more than two children, similar to previous cohorts. But today’s 30-year-olds are much further from their 20-24 expectations than previous cohorts. And a number of trends have emerged in recent years that could suggest lower fertility. This project aims to shed light on whether women are likely to catch up to their fertility expectations and what factors influence their ability to do so. The analysis uses a regression framework to examine factors that drive fertility after age 30 for an older cohort of women surveyed in the NLSY79. The results are then used to predict the completed fertility for the younger cohort of women surveyed in the NLSY97, who are in their early- to mid-30s and still in their childbearing years. The paper found that: • Fertility expectations are the primary driver of achieved fertility for non-college graduates. • For college-educated women, other factors such as religion, marital status, and career length affect whether they achieve their fertility expectations. • Women in the NLSY97 (born in 1980-1984) are projected to have a total of 1.96 children. • This means that the gap between childbearing expectations in their early 20s and completed fertility will increase to 0.48, much higher than historical averages of 0.30. The policy implications of the findings are: • While the results seem to suggest that the current 1.71 TFR is capturing tempo effects from delayed childbearing, long-run fertility may be lower than 1.96 for several reasons. • The results are based on the 1980-1984 cohort, but younger cohorts may have fewer children because they have lower fertility expectations and face more economic uncertainty. • The gap might also grow since COVID-19 is likely to place downward pressure on fertility, both for the cohort studied and for younger women. • Therefore, while the current 1.71 TFR may reflect delayed fertility, actual completed fertility, especially for younger cohorts, might be lower than 1.96.
Adversarial Stein Training for Graph Energy Models.

Learning distributions over graph-structured data is a challenging task with many applications in biology and chemistry. In this work we use an energy-based model (EBM) based on multi-channel graph neural networks (GNN) to learn permutation invariant unnormalized density functions on graphs. Unlike standard EBM training methods our approach is to learn the model via minimizing adversarial stein discrepancy. Samples from the model can be obtained via Langevin dynamics based MCMC. We find that this approach achieves competitive results on graph generation compared to benchmark models.
Evaluation of 2D FLAIR hyperintensity of the optic nerve and optic nerve head and visual parameters in idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Abstract Background and purpose T2/FLAIR hyperintensity of the optic nerve/optic nerve head has been described as a sensitive finding in idiopathic intracranial hypertension using post-contrast 3D-T2/FLAIR imaging. The purpose of this study is to assess whether hyperintensity on non-enhanced 2D-T2/FLAIR imaging occurs more likely in diseased patients than controls and to evaluate the relationship between FLAIR signal and visual parameters Materials and methods A retrospective case-control study was performed of patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and controls who underwent orbital MRI. Three neuroradiologists reviewed the FLAIR images, subjectively evaluating for hyperintense signal within the optic nerves/optic nerve heads using a 5-point Likert Scale. Quantitative assessment of optic nerve signal using regions of interests was performed. Clinical parameters were extracted. The diagnostic performance was evaluated, and Spearman correlation calculated to assess the relationship between FLAIR signal and visual outcomes. Results The sensitivity of abnormal FLAIR signal within the optic nerves and optic nerve heads in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension ranged from 25–54% and 4–29%, respectively, with specificities ranging from 67–92% and 83–100%. Quantitative assessment revealed a significant difference in CNR between cases and controls in the left posterior optic nerve (p=.002). A positive linear relationship existed between abnormal optic nerve head signal and papilledema grade (OD: p=.02, OS: p=.008) but not with other visual parameters. Conclusion T2/FLAIR hyperintensity in the optic nerve/optic nerve head may support the diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension but its absence should not dissuade it. If present, abnormal signal in the optic nerve head correlates with papilledema.
Positive Youth Development in Organized Programs: How Teens Learn to Manage Emotions

Organized youth programs provide opportunities for adolescents to develop life and career skills while working on real-world projects, such as planning community events or creating public service announcements. In this chapter, we focus on adolescents’ development of skills for managing emotions. We first discuss how youth learn strategies for handling emotions that arise in their work on projects, and then look at how adult program leaders facilitate youth’s learning. Key findings from our qualitative research are that youth learn about emotions through active, conscious processes of observing and analyzing their experiences; and they learn not only to regulate frustration, anger, and worry, but also to use the functional aspects of these emotions in constructive ways. Program leaders facilitate youth’s active learning process through emotion coaching – helping youth reflect on unfolding emotional episodes, consider alternative strategies, and persist in problem solving. The chapter shows how effective organized programs provide rich affordances for positive youth development.
X-Ray Spectra of Clusters of Galaxies

X-ray spectroscopy has played a crucial role in the study of clusters of galaxies, possibly more so than in any other area. In one stroke, the detection of iron line emission from clusters by Mitchell et al. (1976) and Serlemitsos et al. (1977) showed that the dominant X-ray emission mechanism is thermal bremsstrahlung and that the intracluster gas is enriched with heavy elements — since the iron line strengths imply near-solar abundances.
Crony Capitalism: Corruption and Development in South Korea and the Philippines

List of figures List of tables Acknowledgements 1. The puzzle and the theory 2. Comparing Korea and the Philippines 3. Institutions: bureaucrats and rulers 4. Mutual Hostages in Korea 5. Bandwagon politics in the Philippines 6. Democracy in the 1980s and the financial crisis of 1997 7. Conclusion: corruption and development Index.
Mitosis in primary cultures of Drosophila melanogaster larval neuroblasts

Although Drosophila larval neuroblasts are routinely used to define mutations affecting mitosis, the dynamics of karyokinesis in this system remain to be described. Here we outline a simple method for the short-term culturing of neuroblasts, from Drosophila third instar larvae, that allows mitosis to be followed by high-resolution multi-mode light microscopy. At 24°C, spindle formation takes 7±0.5 minutes. Analysis of neuroblasts containing various GFP-tagged proteins (e.g. histone, fizzy, fizzy-related and α-tubulin) reveals that attaching kinetochores exhibit sudden, rapid pole-directed motions and that congressing and metaphase chromosomes do not undergo oscillations. By metaphase, the arms of longer chromosomes can be resolved as two chromatids, and they often extend towards a pole. Anaphase A and B occur concurrently, and during anaphase A chromatids move poleward at 3.2±0.1 μm/minute, whereas during anaphase B the spindle poles separate at 1.6±01 μm/minute. In larger neuroblasts, the spindle undergoes a sudden shift in position during midanaphase, after which the centrally located centrosome preferentially generates a robust aster and stops moving, even while the spindle continues to elongate. Together these two processes contribute to an asymmetric positioning of the spindle midzone, which, in turn, results in an asymmetric cytokinesis. Bipolar spindles form predominately (83%) in association with the separating centrosomes. However, in 17% of the cells, secondary spindles form around chromosomes without respect to centrosome position: in most cases these spindles coalesce with the primary spindle by anaphase, but in a few they remain separate and define additional ectopic poles.
The Combined Use of the Thermofluor Assay and ThermoQ Analytical Software for the Determination of Protein Stability and Buffer Optimization as an Aid in Protein Crystallization

The Thermofluor assay, also referred to as a thermal shift assay or differential scanning fluorescence (DSF), is a fast and simple method that is based upon high-throughput measurements of protein stability. The Thermofluor method can be performed on nearly all qPCR machines, meaning no special instrumentation is necessary, and can be used to validate the quality of protein preparations, screen for ligands or cofactors, and discover buffers and additives that maximize protein stability. This unit describes how to set up a Thermofluor method on several common models of qPCR instruments, how to prepare the samples for the assay, and how to run and analyze the resulting data. The unit also describes a 96-well screen to determine optimal buffer conditions for protein stability, which may assist in protein crystallization, and details the use of custom software, developed specifically for the analysis of data from Thermofluor screens.
The fever index: a quantitative indirect measure of hospital-acquired infections in obstetrics and gynecology.

Abstract The fever index is a numerical expression of the total quantity of fever for a patient. A FORTRAN computer program was written to calculate the area above a base line of 99° F., when oral temperatures are recorded at least 4 times a day, and the result is expressed in degree hours. This calculation was used to evaluate various groups of obstetric and gynecologic patients with hospital-acquired infections.
Inspissated oral secretions and a review of their clinical, biological, and physiological significance

People with some chronic diseases may dehydrate and develop thick, viscous inspissated oronasal secretions that include cellular debris. This material can lead to ductal or airway obstructions that can prove to be life threatening. Asthma, allergy with superinfection, cystic fibrosis, intubated ventilation, burn injuries, and medication-induced complications are discussed in this paper. Many patients with chronic debilitating conditions may also be unable to communicate, and so may be unable to verbally convey that they have a compromised airway or an obstruction. Therefore, it is essential to maintain hydration and good oral hygiene that not only addresses the teeth and prostheses, but also the oral mucosal surfaces. People who are institutionalized and bed-ridden, in particular, need to be closely monitored to prevent adverse sequellae. A daily oral sweep with a 4 × 4 surgical sponge moistened with chlorhexidine may prevent aspiration pneumonia or a fatality due to an airway obstruction. Human oronasal secretions are involved with immunity, digestion, lubrication, and speech. Saliva is the most volumetrically important. These secretions moisturize inspired and expired air but can lose water, causing an increase in viscosity. The viscous secretions trap particles, food debris, and bacterial colonies, thereby increasing inspissations that may obstruct the airway.
Influence of Gas Production and Filament Orientation on Stromatolite Microfabric

Alternating light-dark laminae within stromatolites have been attributed to a phototactic response of the constituent microbial communities, whereby filaments orient vertically during the day and recline at night. This study examines the orientation of cyanobacterial filaments within a laminated siliceous stromatolite from a Yellowstone National Park hot spring to identify the controls on microfabric development and whether phototaxis plays a role. Results indicate that filament orientation is predominantly perpendicular or parallel to lamination, even when laminae are steeply inclined. Thus, phototaxis is not a significant control of microfabric development in these stromatolites. Vertical aspects of the fabric are dominated by hourglass-shaped filament bundles (hourglass structures) adjacent to rounded pores, rather than being defined by individual filaments. The rounded pores likely represent oxygen-rich bubbles generated during photosynthesis. Upon stabilization by filaments, upward buoyancy of the bubbles rotated the bundles toward a vertical orientation. Thus, vertical aspects of the fabric in this stromatolite result from buoyancy forces rather than phototaxis. Examples from the Neoproterozoic Beck Spring Dolomite reveal that similar subvertical hourglass structures are present in the rock record and may be better preserved than individual filaments. The presence of rounded pores (fenestrae) and hourglass structures in ancient microbialites, here termed the hourglass-associated fenestral fabric, can serve as an indication of biogenic influence in stromatolites, especially in the absence of preserved filaments, and may be an indication of oxygenic photosynthesis.
Synthesis and characterization of a bioactive 82-residue sphingolipid activator protein, saposin C

The sphingolipid activator protein, saposin C (also termed SAP 2), was chemically synthesized, purified, and characterized. The fully protected 82-residue protein was synthesized by automated solid-phase methods, with multiple recoupling steps resulting in a high average coupling efficiency of 98.8%. The overall yield was estimated to be approx 40%. Deprotection and cleavage of the peptide from the resin was followed by folding in the absence of chaotropic agents at pH 8.5. The protein was purified by reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and its purity determined by capillary electrophoresis and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The composition of the synthetic saposin C was determined by amino acid analysis. Its sequence was verified by Edman sequence analysis of overlapping peptide fragments generated by chymotryptic andStaphylococcus aureus V8 digestions. The sequence at the C-terminus was determined by digestion with carboxypeptidase P, followed by phenylthiohydantoin (PTH) derivitization and HPLC analysis of the released amino acid residues. Deglycosylated native saposin C appeared as a lower molecular-weight species than synthetic saposin C on SDS-PAGE. This has been explained by amino acid and C-terminal analysis showing native saposin C to be two amino acids shorter at the C terminus than a deduced sequence (from cDNA) previously published. Synthetic saposin C displayed 85% of full biological activity as determined by its ability to stimulate glucocerebrosidase activity in vitro: Synthetic and native saposin C increased glucocerebrosidase catalyzed hydrolysis of 4-methylumbelliferyl β-D-glucoside by factors of 6.0 and 7.1, respectively. Furthermore, synthetic and native saposin C share similar Kact values (0.5 and 1.5 μM respectively) indicating that they bind to glucocerebrosidase with similar affinities.