cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlates and predictors of sexual health among adolescent Latinas in the United States: A systematic review of the literature, 2004–2015

Adolescent Latinas in the United States (US) are disproportionately affected by early pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in comparison to their non-Hispanic white counterparts. However, only a few studies have sought to understand the multi-level factors associated with sexual health in adolescent Latinas. Adhering to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a systematic literature review to better understand the correlates and predictors of sexual health among adolescent Latinas in the US, identify gaps in the research, and suggest future directions for empirical studies and intervention efforts. Eleven studies were identified: five examined onset of sexual intercourse, nine examined determinants of sexual health/risk behaviors (e.g., number of sexual partners and condom use), and three examined determinants of a biological sexual health outcome (i.e., STIs or pregnancy). Two types of variables/factors emerged as important influences on sexual health outcomes: proximal context-level variables (i.e., variables pertaining to the individual's family, sexual/romantic partner or peer group) and individual-level variables (i.e., characteristics of the individual). A majority of the studies reviewed (n=9) examined some aspect of acculturation or Latino/a cultural values in relation to sexual health. Results varied widely between studies suggesting that the relationship between individual and proximal contextual variables (including acculturation) and sexual health may be more complex than previously conceived. This review integrates the findings on correlates and predictors of sexual health among adolescent Latinas, and supports the need for strengths-based theoretically guided research on the mechanisms driving these associations.
PET Imaging in Neurology

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, a relatively noninvasive physiologic imaging technique, makes it possible to observe metabolic and biochemical changes in the human brain as it performs its basic and specific task-depended functions. Historically, not unlike first applications of computed tomography, PET imaging was used early on for examining the brain. PET has slowly evolved from a research tool to a clinically applicable diagnostic imaging modality and has been expanded into extracranial areas. The spectrum of PET imaging now includes important applications in cardiology and oncology. The history, the technical aspects of radiotracer production, instrumentation, and an overview of the utility of PET have been described in the first article ( 1) of this series on PET. This article will focus on PET applications in patients with complex partial epilepsy, cerebrovascular disease, dementia, and brain tumors. The use of PET for examining patients with mental functional illnesses is being developed at several PET research centers and will be discussed briefly. A description of useful parameters that can be evaluated by PET brain studies, the appropriate radiotracers and technical aspects of "neuro-PET" are described first. Examples of practical PET in neurology are given in the second half of this article.
Plato on Killing in Anger

The scope and purpose of this article1 are strictly limited: I want to see what sense can be made of one page (866 d-867 c) in Laws IX. Plato is engaged in sketching, if not strictly drafting, a code of criminal statutes for the Cretan city, and at 865 a he has begun to list the various legally different ways in which a man may axov kill another. I leave &xcov untranslated there, because the problem with which I am concerned is exactly how it is to be translated, together with excov and with the relatives of each, in particular the pair which are used throughout that page, viz. ?XuO6LOg and aocou6Lao.
Phylogenetic Analysis of Recent Procyonid Genera

A phylogenetic analysis of all Recent procyonid genera and selected mustelid genera was performed based on 69 cranial, 28 dental, 12 postcranial, and 20 soft morphological characters. The most parsimonious phylogenetic tree (consistency index = 0.763) supported two monophyletic clades within the Procyonidae. Bassaricyon and Potos comprised the first branch, whereas Bassariscus, Procyon, Nasua , and Nasuella formed the second clade. Bassaricyon and Potos were united by 10 synapomorphies (shared-derived features), among these are: relatively uninflated auditory bullae, reduction of dental cusps, and features of the petrosal and ear ossicles. Among the 14 synapomorphies that unite Bassariscus, Procyon, Nasua, and Nasuella are palatine inflation of the orbital wall, presence of a hypocone on P4 and M1, and an entoconid on m2.
Rational Tuning of Water Vapor and CO2 Adsorption in Highly Stable Zr-Based MOFs

We report the synthesis of a novel and highly robust monomethyl-functionalized Zr-based MOF (UiO-66-MM) by presynthesis functionalization of the BDC ligand. UiO-66-MM is isostructural to UiO-66 and is characterized by PXRD, FTIR, N2 adsorption, NMR, and TGA. Grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations are performed to confirm the increase in adsorbate–adsorbent interactions for CO2 and CH4 observed during the experimental measurements. This enhancement is due to the presence of the methyl group in UiO-66-MM, which increases the adsorption potential by constricting the pore diameter. However, UiO-66-MM is less hydrophilic than the parent UiO-66 due to the nonpolar methyl groups and adsorbs almost 30% less water than UiO-66. This new MOF also has a much higher CO2/CH4 selectivity under dry conditions due to enhanced van der Waals interactions with CO2. Hence, we expect UiO-66-MM to exhibit superior performance over the parent MOF in humid gas separations.
Predictive-inspection based process control in end milling operations

In the manufacturing industry, product quality control is often treated as a completely different problem than process diagnostics. Diagnostics methods are used to quickly identify faults during the process, whereas product quality is assessed at the final inspection stage, after the process is completed. The large amount of data that is collected to enable the on-line diagnostics, however, can be used to predict the product quality before the part is measured at the final inspection stage. This predicted quality can be used as feedback to a control system that improves the process quality by adjusting the process inputs. In this paper we propose a predictive inspection based process control solution for a manufacturing process. A manufacturing process is modelled as an input-output system with the machine settings as inputs and two kinds of outputs: diagnostic data and quality. This model is obtained from off-line experiments using a combination of process inputs and external disturbances. In the online implementation the predictive process model is updated with the diagnostic data collected during runtime and quality is improved by using a two-loop control strategy, on a part-to-part or run-to-run (R2R) basis. The proposed approach is applied to and developed for an end milling operation and simulation and experimental results are presented.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Binary Analysis for Autonomous Hacking: Invited Abstract

Despite the rise of interpreted languages and the World Wide Web, binary analysis has remained the focus of much research in computer security. There are several reasons for this. First, interpreted languages are either interpreted by binary programs or Just-In-Time compiled down to binary code. Second, "core" OSconstructs and performance-critical applications are still writtenin languages (usually, C or C++) that compile down to binary code. Third, the rise of the Internet of Things is powered by devices that are, in general, very resource-constrained. Without cycles to waste on interpretation or Just-In-Time compilation, the firmware of these devices tends to be written in languages (again, usually C) that compile to binary.Unfortunately, many of these languages provide few security guarantees, often leading to vulnerabilities. For example, buffer overflows stubbornly remain as one of the most common discovered software flaws despite efforts to develop technologies to mitigate such vulnerabilities. Worse, the wider class of memory corruption vulnerabilities", the vast majority of which also stem from the use of unsafe languages, make up a substantial portion of the most common vulnerabilities. This problem is not limited to software on general-purpose computing devices: remotely exploitable vulnerabilities have been discovered in devices ranging from smart locks, to pacemakers, to automobiles.However, finding vulnerabilities in binaries and generating patches that fix exploitable flaws is challenging because of the lack of high-level abstractions, such as type information and control ow constructs. Current approaches provide tools to support the manual analysis of binaries, but are far from being completely automated solutions to the vulnerability analysis of binary programs.To foster research in automated binary analysis, in October of 2013, DARPA announced the DARPA Cyber Grand Challenge (CGC). Like DARPA Grand Challenges in other fields (such as robotics and autonomous vehicles), the CGC pits teams from around the world against each other in a competition in which the participants are autonomous systems. During the CGC competition, these systems must identify, exploit, and patch vulnerabilities in binary programs, without any human in the loop. Millions of dollars in prize money were announced: the top 7 teams to complete the CGC Qualifying Event (held in June, 2015) received 750,000 USD, and the top 3 teams in the CGC Final Event (held in August, 2016) will receive 2,000,000 USD, 1,000,000 USD, and 750,000 USD, respectively.The Shellphish hacking team is one of the qualified teams. This talk presents some insights into the field of automated binary analysis exploitation and patching, gained through the participation in the CGC competition. In addition, the talk provides a discussion of the use of competitions to foster both research and education, based on the experience in designing and running a large-scale live security hacking competition (called the iCTF) for the past 13 years.
Integration of the overall response to exercise

Physical activitiy ellicits major perturbations in metabolism during the period of exertion and continues to influence metabolism afterwards as well. The overall effect of these intermittent and extended effects on the balance between energy expenditure and food intake regulation can best be judged by the impact of exercise on the fat mass. Expansion of the adipose tissue mass promotes fat oxidation more than glucose oxidation, but excessive fat accumulation is often necessary to reach the state where fat oxidation becomes commensurate with fat intake. Since the steady-state of weight maintenance is achieved with less body fat in physically active individuals, exercise is a substitute for an enlarged fat mass in bringing about rates of fat oxidation commensurate with fat intake. The increases in energy expenditure induced by expansion of the adipose tissue mass or by physical activity are quantitatively very different. The fact that they are substitutes for each other in relation to body weight maintenance indicates that the critical issue, under conditions where food availability is not a limiting factor, is not overall energy turnover. It appears therefore that it is the effect of exercise on the 24-h RQ that allows the organism to operate with an average RQ as low as the diet's FQ in the presence of less body fat. This also explains why the diet's carbohydrate-to-fat ratio can be an important parameter in shaping the interactions between physical activity and body weight maintenance.
Medical epigenetics and twins

Monozygotic twins are essentially genetic copies. Greater phenotypic concordance between monozygotic twin pairs compared to dizygotic pairs is taken as evidence of an underlying genetic contribution. Discordance between monozygotic twin pairs have been taken as evidence for environmental influences on the phenotype. Twin studies have formed a major foundation for the dissection of complex traits and multifactorial disease in humans. Here, I discuss recent studies using discordant monozygotic twin pairs that suggest a role for epigenetics in simple and complex disorders and in aging. I also highlight caveats in interpretations of the data and some future directions in the field.
Das öffentliche Wirtschaftsrecht als Rechtsgebiet der Gegenwart

Die ubernahme des wirtschaftlichen Geschehens in staatliche Gesamtverantwortung, welche den modernen liberalen und sozialen Verfassungsstaat auch dann kennzeichnet, wenn sich dieser fur den Markt als zentrales volkswirtschaftliches Steuerungsinstrument entschieden hat, macht die Zuordnung von Normen zu einem besonderen Rechtsgebiet “Wirtschaftsrecht” und die Aussonderung eines “offentlichen Wirtschaftsrechts” schwierig1. Die Grunde hierfur liegen nicht nur in dieser allumfassenden Verantwortungsubernahme, sie liegen auch in der Unbestimmtheit des Gegenstandes Wirtschaft2, in der Frage nach der fur eine Definition des Wirtschaftsrechts erforderlichen Qualitat und Intensitat einer Verbindung zwischen Recht und Wirtschaft3 und schlieslich scheinen die herkommlichen Kriterien zur Unterscheidung von offentlichem und privatem Recht hier weniger denn je zu greifen4. Stellen die Bemuhungen um ein offentliches Wirtschaftsrecht auserdem den Anspruch, mehr als eine pragmatische Ordnung des Materials zu bieten, weil sich ein eigenstandiges Rechtsgebiet nur durch eine einheitliche Systemidee, zumindest aber nur durch ubergreifende Grundsatze konstituieren last, dann scheinen sie von Anfang an vergebens, denn “Ordnung und Einheit”5 lassen sich wohl kaum in einer Rechtsmaterie herstellen, deren “Querschnittsfunktion”6, deren uber die einzelnen Rechtsgebiete hinausgreifender Charakter auser Frage steht.
Nanoplasmonic cytokine biosensor towards precision medicine

The framework of precision medicine envisions a world in which diseases are diagnosed not simply on the basis of a patient's symptoms but on accumulated data that reveals the fundamental mechanistic bases of human diseases. This raises an emerging clinical demand for transformative tools/biosensors that can measure the biochemical and biological markers to understand the dynamical response of the patient status in a rapid and accurate manner. Nanoplasmonic biosensors have shown great promise to enable such phenotypic measurements with high precision, sensitivity, specificity and simplicity. In this paper, we present a gold nanorod based opto-microfluidic sensing platform for monitoring functional immune response and their translation in clinical applications towards precision medicine. Specifically, we show a label-free, barcode LSPR nanoplasmonic biosensor for high-throughput, multiplex detection of cytokine biomarkers in a complex serum matrix and patient serum samples. Our strategy of monitoring immune functions using optofluidic nanobiosensors achieved high accuracy and sensitivity with much less sample volume and shorter assay time than that of the conventional methods, which provides new insight into disease severity and therapeutic response and offers great potential in future medical treatment for personalized medicine.
Low-field transport in SiO2

Low-field electronic transport trends in silicon dioxide (SiO2) are usually rationalized in terms of a mobility that is established by the rate of carrier (electron or hole) scattering. However, this perspective leads to a dilemma in which the hole mean free path in SiO2 is inferred to be much less than the interatomic spacing. An alternative picture is proposed herein in which electronic transport in an amorphous insulator such as SiO2 is diffusive (as exemplified by Brownian motion) and primarily involves carrier trapping, rather than scattering. Within this framework, electron transport in SiO2 is found to be a non-equilibrium, diffusive process with negligible trapping, whereas hole transport in SiO2 is dominated by quasi-equilibrium trapping. Non- or quasi-equilibrium behavior are distinguished by the relative magnitude of the carrier drift length compared to the SiO2 thickness, or equivalently, by the transit time compared to the carrier capture (trapping) time.
Integrating the little talks intervention into Early Head Start: An experimental examination of implementation supports involving fidelity monitoring and performance feedback

Abstract Enriching home visiting services by incorporating scientifically-supported interventions is a means for improving their effectiveness in promoting child development. However, deliberate efforts to ensure that home visitors are fully knowledgeable and supported to implement interventions with parents of young children are necessary. In this experimental study, a randomly-assigned group of Early Head Start home visitors monitored the fidelity of their provision of a scientifically-based intervention, Little Talks, and the program's general child development services. On a bi-weekly basis, home visitors received performance feedback specific to their implementation of Little Talks and based upon the fidelity data. Findings demonstrated that home visitors showed immediate and consistent mastery of the Little Talks content, while the quality of their implementation, including their clinical decision-making and collaborative processes, improved to adequate levels over time. The Little Talks home visitors showed generalized improvements in their ability to obtain Parent Input while providing the program's typical child development services were detected. In fact, Little Talks home visitors' were superior in obtaining Parent Input relative to comparison home visitors. Further, parents for whom low-quality intervention implementation was observed discontinued their enrollment in home visiting prematurely, while high-quality implementation was associated with sustained enrollment. Limitations for this study are identified, leading to future directions for advancing home visitors' incorporation of evidence-based practices.
Rehumanizing the “Other”: Race, Culture, and Identity in Education Research

In this chapter, the authors examine the trajectory of the literature on race, culture, and identity in education research through the past century. The literature is first situated within its hist...
Twenty Years of IALSP: Past, Present, and Future

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the International Association of Language and Social Psychology (IALSP). In this article, a brief historical account of the association is presented, followed by a discussion of the association’s current status and future prospects.
National Trends in Admission and In-Hospital Mortality of Patients With Heart Failure in the United States (2001–2014)

BackgroundTo investigate heart failure (HF) hospitalization trends in the United States and change in trends after publication of management guidelines. Methods and ResultsUsing data from the Natio...
Validity of Body Mass Index as a Measure of Adiposity in Infancy.

Objectives To assess the validity of body mass index (BMI) and age- and sex-standardized BMI z-score (BMIZ) as surrogates for adiposity (body fat percentage [BF%], fat mass, and fat mass index [kg/m2]) at 3 time points in infancy (1, 4, and 7 months) and to assess the extent to which the change in BMIZ represents change in adiposity. Study design We performed a secondary analysis of 447 full-term infants in a previous trial of maternal vitamin D supplementation during lactation. Study staff measured infant anthropometrics and assessed body composition with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at 1, 4, and 7 months of age. We calculated Spearman correlations (rs) among BMI, BMIZ, and adiposity at each time point, and between change in BMIZ and change in adiposity between time points. Results Infants (N = 447) were 52% male, 38% white, 31% black, and 29% Hispanic. The BMIZ was moderately correlated with BF% (rs = 0.43, 0.55, 0.48 at 1, 4, and 7 months of age, respectively). BMIZ correlated more strongly with fat mass and fat mass index, particularly at 4 and 7 months of age (fat mass rs = 0.72-0.76; fat mass index rs = 0.75-0.79). Changes in BMIZ were moderately correlated with adiposity changes from 1 to 4 months of age (rs = 0.44 with BF% change; rs = 0.53 with fat mass change), but only weakly correlated from 4 to 7 months of age (rs = 0.21 with BF% change; rs = 0.27 with fat mass change). Conclusions BMIZ is moderately correlated with adiposity in infancy. Changes in BMIZ are a poor indicator of adiposity changes in later infancy. BMI and BMIZ are limited as surrogates for adiposity and especially adiposity changes in infancy. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT00412074 .
Lifetime acute suicidal affective disturbance symptoms account for the link between suicide-specific rumination and lifetime past suicide attempts.

Abstract Background Suicide-specific rumination, defined as rumination about one's suicidal thoughts, intentions, and plans, and Acute Suicidal Affective Disturbance (ASAD) have each been proposed as relevant and proximal predictors of suicidal behavior. The purpose of the current study was to examine relations between suicide-specific rumination, ASAD, and previous number of lifetime suicide attempts, particularly whether ASAD accounted for the association between suicide-specific rumination and previous lifetime suicide attempts. Methods Undergraduate students with a past history of suicidality (N = 300) completed measures of their suicide-specific rumination, lifetime ASAD symptoms, and lifetime history of suicide attempts on an online questionnaire in exchange for course credit. Results ASAD accounted for the association between suicide-specific rumination and lifetime number of past suicide attempts. This effect was particularly driven by suicidal intent aspect of ASAD, as opposed to the ASAD social alienation, self-alienation, and overarousal facets. An alternative model indicated that suicide-specific rumination did not account for the association between ASAD and lifetime past suicide attempts. Limitations This study utilized exclusively self-report measures and a cross-sectional design, thereby precluding inferences of causality. Conclusions These findings indicated that ASAD may explain the relationship between suicide-specific rumination and lifetime past suicide attempts. Future research using a prospective design is needed to elucidate these patterns and determine causal relationships.
OCT4B regulates p53 and p16 pathway genes to prevent apoptosis of breast cancer cells

Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) is a transcription factor with a well-defined role in stem cell pluripotency. Two OCT4 isoforms, OCT4A and OCT4B, tend to be downregulated as normal cells differentiate. However, OCT4, particularly OCT4B, may become reactivated in cancer cells. Despite this observation, the exact function of OCT4B re-expression in cancer is unclear. In the present study, the role of OCT4 in breast cancer cells was determined. In particular, the ability of OCT4 to regulate key genes involved in cellular proliferation and apoptosis, two pathways that are frequently deregulated in cancer, was examined. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A locus encodes p16INK4a and p14ARF, two important cell cycle inhibitors. The tumor suppressor p53 also has well characterized roles in suppressing proliferation and promoting apoptosis. The present study demonstrated, via overexpression and genetic knockdown techniques, that OCT4B regulates the expression of several of these genes and ultimately regulates the rate of apoptosis of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. It was also observed that, while OCT4B and OCT4A regulate one another, it is OCT4B that serves a more prominent role in regulating the transcription of downstream genes. Taken together, the present results suggest that OCT4B is re-expressed in a number of breast cancer cell lines, where it affects both the transcription of cell cycle genes and the rate of apoptosis. These properties of OCT4B may depend on, at least in part, the co-function of OCT4A.
CamPUF: physically unclonable function based on CMOS image sensor fixed pattern noise

Physically unclonable functions (PUFs) have proved to be an effective measure for secure device authentication and key generation. We propose a novel PUF design, named CamPUF, based on commercial off-the-shelf CMOS image sensors, which are ubiquitously available in almost all mobile devices. The inherent process mismatch between pixel sensors and readout circuits in an image sensor manifests as unique fixed pattern noise (FPN) in the image. We exploit FPN caused by dark signal non-uniformity (DSNU) as the basis for implementing the PUF. DSNU can be extracted only from dark images that are not shared with others, and only the legitimate user can obtain it with full control of the image sensor. Compared to other FPN components that can be extracted from shared images, DSNU facilitates more secure and usable device authentication. We present an efficient and reliable key generation procedure for use in wireless low-power devices. We implement CamPUF on Google Nexus 5X and Nexus 5 and evaluate the uniqueness and robustness of the keys, as well as its security against counterfeiting. We demonstrate that it discriminates legitimate and illegitimate authentication attempts without confusion.
Methodology for the Isolation of Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons for Qualitative, Quantitative, and Bioassay Studies

Sources of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the environment generally also contain heteroatom analogues of PAH. These 0- and N-PAH also contribute to air pollution (Dong et al, 1977; Lao et al, 1975) and are found along with S-PAH, such as dibenzo-thiophene, in petroleum (McKay et al, 1976) and coal-derived fuels (Sharley, 1976). They often interfere in the analyses of PAH because of similar chromatographic characteristics. Therefore, in choosing a method for the analysis of PAH in an environmental sample, it is important to consider the source of the PAH and the possible presence of heteroatom aromatics.
Estimating Causes of Ethnic Differences in the Effects of Schooling

Children of ethnic minorities perform less effectively in school, on the average, than students from the majority culture, in many countries. Debate has ranged at times, with great intensity of feeling, over the possible causes of ethnic differences in the outcomes of schooling. For years, many asserted it was a non-fact: that the measures of achievement were themselves biased against ethnic minorities (Green, 1972; Messick, 1975; Reschly, 1981; Schmidt and Hunter, 1974; Jensen, 1980). The October, 1981 American Psychologist, reviewing all of the evidence, concluded that test bias was found to be small (Cole, 1973) and that real performance differences clearly exist. This echoes Jencks’ analysis of inequalities in schooling outcomes (1973). Hum (1978) pointed out the severe limitations of large scale statistical analyses, using relatively crude, insensitive or inappropriate measures, which characterized the Coleman and Jencks studies. Hum described several possible sources of inequality: unequal school resources and school quality; ethnic differences in aptitude (whether genetic or environmental in origin); and cultural deprivation of ethnic children that reduces their capacity to use schooling effectively. Differences in achievement could also be caused, at least in part, by discriminatory treatment of minority students by school administrators or teachers who are ethnically biased. Disentangling these various influences, and identifying their relative contributions to the problem with objective evidence, is an intricate undertaking. Indeed, it has not been attempted in any one place, until now.
Chromatin’s physical properties shape the nucleus and its functions

The cell nucleus encloses, organizes, and protects the genome. Chromatin maintains nuclear mechanical stability and shape in coordination with lamins and the cytoskeleton. Abnormal nuclear shape is a diagnostic marker for human diseases, and it can cause nuclear dysfunction. Chromatin mechanics underlies this link, as alterations to chromatin and its physical properties can disrupt or rescue nuclear shape. The cell can regulate nuclear shape through mechanotransduction pathways that sense and respond to extracellular cues, thus modulating chromatin compaction and rigidity. These findings reveal how chromatin's physical properties can regulate cellular function and drive abnormal nuclear morphology and dysfunction in disease.
Upstroke-based acceleration and head stabilization are the norm for the wing-propelled swimming of alcid seabirds.

Alcids, a family of seabirds including murres, guillemots and puffins, exhibit the greatest mass-specific dive depths and durations of any birds or mammals. These impressive diving capabilities have motivated numerous studies on the biomechanics of alcid swimming and diving, with one objective being to compare stroke-acceleration patterns of swimming alcids with those of penguins, where upstroke and downstroke are used for horizontal acceleration. Studies of free-ranging, descending alcids have found that alcids accelerate in the direction of travel during both their upstroke and downstroke, but only at depths <20 m, whereas studies of alcids swimming horizontally report upstroke-based acceleration to be rare (≤16% of upstrokes). We hypothesized that swimming trajectory, via its interaction with buoyancy, determines the magnitude of acceleration produced during the upstroke. Thus, we studied the stroke-acceleration relationships of five species of alcid swimming freely at the Alaska SeaLife Center using videography and kinematic analysis. Contrary to our prediction, we found that upstroke-based acceleration is very common (87% of upstrokes) during both descending and horizontal swimming. We reveal that head-damping - wherein an animal extends and retracts its head to offset periodic accelerations - is common in swimming alcids, underscoring the importance of head stabilization during avian locomotion.
Understanding social factors in alcohol reward and risk for problem drinking

Abstract Researchers have long sought to capture acute rewarding effects associated with drinking alcohol with the view that a better understanding of alcohol's rewards will ultimately inform our knowledge of factors motivating problematic drinking. Importantly, however, although most everyday alcohol consumption occurs in social contexts, and drinkers report that socially enhancing effects of alcohol motivate their drinking, researchers studying alcohol's effects have often examined participants drinking alone and have neglected social elements of alcohol's impact on experience. Here, we present a program of work aimed at examining the social rewards individuals gain from alcohol consumption with the aim of achieving a more complete picture of factors that might reinforce alcohol consumption and potentially lead some to drink excessively. Using methods and measures aimed at tapping social elements of experience, we revisit questions that have been of enduring interest in the alcohol literature, including the question of what mechanisms might explain alcohol's rewarding effects, whether there exist individual differences in sensitivity to alcohol's rewards, as well as the extent to which context-level factors might moderate rewards gained from alcohol. We also explore questions left unanswered within this body of work, together with ongoing and future research directions.
Subjects of ectogenesis: are ‘gestatelings’ fetuses, newborns or neither?

Subjects of ectogenesis-human beings that are developing in artificial wombs (AWs)-share the same moral status as newborns. To demonstrate this, I defend two claims. First, subjects of partial ectogenesis-those that develop in utero for a time before being transferred to AWs-are newborns (in the full sense of the word). Second, subjects of complete ectogenesis-those who develop in AWs entirely-share the same moral status as newborns. To defend the first claim, I rely on Elizabeth Chloe Romanis's distinctions between fetuses, newborns and subjects of ectogenesis. For Romanis, the subject of partial ectogenesis 'is neither a fetus nor a baby' but is, instead, a 'new product of human reproduction'. In this essay, I begin by, expanding upon Romanis's argument that subjects of partial ectogenesis are not fetuses while arguing that those subjects are newborns. Next, I show that the distinction that Romanis draws between subjects of partial ectogenesis and newborns needs to be revised. The former is a kind of the latter. This leads us to an argument that shows why different moral statuses cannot be justifiably assigned to subjects of partial ectogenesis and subjects of complete ectogenesis, respectively. As subjects of partial ectogenesis share the same moral status as newborns, it follows that subjects of complete ectogenesis share the same moral status as newborns as well. Iconclude by considering implications that this essay may have for the research and development of AW technology and conceptual links between a subject's moral status and birth.
Instructional Tools for Online Physical Education: Using Mobile Technologies to Enhance Learning

The growth of the Internet and related technologies has resulted in changes in education and society that have placed new demands on teachers. Online physical education (OLPE) presents a unique set...
Displacement Capacities of H-Piles in Integral Abutment Bridges

AbstractIntegral abutment bridge (IAB) length is limited by the lateral displacement capacity of the piles supporting the bridge. This paper presents a numerical study calibrated to experimental te...
Magnetic anisotropy and entropy change in trigonal Cr 5 Te 8

We present a comprehensive investigation of the anisotropic magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of quasi-two-dimensional weak itinerant ferromagnet trigonal ${\mathrm{Cr}}_{5}{\mathrm{Te}}_{8}$ single crystals. Magnetic-anisotropy-induced satellite transition ${T}^{*}$ is observed at low fields applied parallel to the $ab$ plane below the Curie temperature (${T}_{c}\ensuremath{\sim}230\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\mathrm{K}$). ${T}^{*}$ is featured by an anomalous magnetization downturn, similar to that in structurally related ${\mathrm{CrI}}_{3}$, which possibly stems from an in-plane antiferromagnetic alignment induced by out-of-plane ferromagnetic spins canting. Magnetocrystalline anisotropy is also reflected in magnetic entropy change $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}{S}_{M}(T,H)$ and relative cooling power. Given the high Curie temperature, ${\mathrm{Cr}}_{5}{\mathrm{Te}}_{8}$ crystals are materials of interest for nanofabrication in basic science and applied technology.
Finding cancer drivers in the UPS system

Identifying cancer driver mutations is essential to understand disease biology and devise effective therapies, but remains a complex endeavor. A focused analytical approach is now presented that defines driver mutations affecting ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis through machine learning and mining of cancer multi-omics data.
Understanding the Association Between Electronic Health Record Satisfaction and the Well-Being of Nurses: Survey Study.

Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses experience high levels of burnout related to the high-stress environment. Management of electronic health records (EHR) is a contributing factor to physician burnout. However, limited research has established the relationship between the nurse’s well-being and EHR use. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the association between EHR use and the well-being of nurses. Methods: We surveyed registered nurses employed at a major Southeastern medical center in the United States about their demographics, experience with EHRs, satisfaction with EHRs, and elements of well-being. The correlation between subgroup demographics and survey questions was examined using Kendall and Fisher tests. Results: A total of 113 ICU registered nurses responded to the survey, of which 93 (82.3%) were females. The population had a mean age of 35.18 years (SD 10.65). A significant association was found between satisfaction and well-being scores, where higher EHR satisfaction was associated with higher self-reported well-being (correlation 0.35, P<.001). Nurses who were unhappy with the time spent in EHR use compared with direct patient care reported higher levels of stress (P<.001) and isolation (P=.009). Older nurses reported higher dissatisfaction with the amount of time spent on EHR tasks related to direct patient care compared to younger nurses (P<.001). Conclusions: Although nurses reported acceptable satisfaction scores with EHR use, deeper analysis suggests that EHR indirectly affects the well-being of nurses. These findings strongly indicate that lower EHR satisfaction can impact the well-being of nurses. More research is needed to optimize the nurse-EHR experience through more user-centered design approaches.
Bankruptcy Claim Dischargeability and Public Externalities: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

In 2009, the Seventh Circuit ruled in U.S. v. Apex Oil that certain types of injunctions requiring firms to clean up previously released toxic chemicals were not dischargeable in bankruptcy. This was widely perceived to represent a split with Sixth Circuit precedent, although Supreme Court cert was denied. Numerous legal commentators wrote of the significance of this decision in strengthening incentives for firms, and their creditors, to reduce the likelihood of costly environmental damage that would no longer be dischargeable in the event of bankruptcy. I show using difference in differences and triple difference methodologies that companies whose operations are confined to the Seventh Circuit (and thus likely to file for bankruptcy there) responded by reducing the volume of toxic chemicals they release on-site by approximately 15%. In place of these releases, firms substituted off-site treatment by specialized facilities generally considered to be safer for the environment. I also show evidence of a tightening of credit to impacted firms, helping shed light on the mechanism of influence via pressure from creditors. These results point to important ways in which bankruptcy law and other legal rules that impact recovery for firms’ creditors can work to shape the positive or negative externalities those firms generate.
Pediatric to Adult Transitions of Ketogenic Dietary Therapy for Epilepsy.

Ketogenic therapy is now an accepted treatment for pediatric and adult patients with medically refractory epilepsy.1-3 However, young adults treated with a ketogenic diet face unique challenges whe...
Influence of in vitro release methods on assessment of tobramycin ophthalmic ointments.

Abstract The current investigation was carried out to identify appropriate parameters for measuring the in vitro release of tobramycin (TOB) ophthalmic ointments and to evaluate the feasibility of in vitro release testing methods to assess the product performance. Drug release was assessed using USP dissolution apparatus IV and a modified USP dissolution apparatus I with simulated tear solution (STS) as the dissolution medium. The study variables included temperature, membrane material, source and pore size. The results demonstrated a significant influence of the membrane source and pore size on the release of TOB from the ointments. A dissolution medium temperature of 40 °C was found to be appropriate for the release studies. Both of the apparatuses were able to discriminate between the release profiles of ointments with different physicochemical/rheological properties. Maximum release rate of TOB was observed in the first hour which followed a logarithmic time dependent release. The correlation between the release rates/amounts and yield stress of the ointments was observed in both the dissolution apparatuses. These results support a rational approach to guide the in vitro release testing of TOB ophthalmic ointments.
GPU-Based LDPC Decoding for vRAN Systems in 5G and Beyond

Next-generation virtual radio access networks (vRAN) will benefit from the flexibility provided by virtualization in proposed Cloud-RAN configurations. These systems for 5G and beyond may consist of commodity hardware such as GPUs in data centers with multiple connected base stations (gNBs) flexibly receiving allocated resources depending on time-varying, real-time demands. In this paper, parallel reconfigurable algorithms and architectures for channel decoding are proposed. In particular, flexible rate and block length LDPC decoders for the new radio (NR) physical layer on GPU are characterized. We implement these GPU decoders using reduced word lengths of 8-bits to represent the log-likelihood ratios during decoding, and we utilize multiple GPU streams to process multiple blocks of codewords in parallel. These techniques allow our implementation to reduce the device transfer overhead and achieve the low-latency or high-throughput targets for 5G and beyond. Moreover, we integrate our decoder into the Open Air Interface (OAI) NR software stack to investigate virtualization capabilities when containerizing vRAN functionality such as the LDPC decoder.
Baseflow nitrate dynamics within nested watersheds of an agricultural stream in Nebraska, USA

Abstract There is a need to evaluate high surface nitrate concentrations across agricultural watersheds, both spatially and temporally, to increase understanding of source and timing of nitrogen loads in streams and rivers. Bazile Creek is a high-nitrate stream originating in the agriculturally intensive Bazile Groundwater Management Area of Eastern Nebraska, USA. It is a gaining stream that receives groundwater with high nitrate concentrations originating from nonpoint sources. The objective of this study was to determine spatial and temporal variability of baseflow nitrate concentrations in Bazile Creek and its tributaries and to relate this variability to watershed characteristics. Surface-water nitrate samples were collected monthly from July 2018 through September 2019 from nine sites in the watershed and were analyzed for nitrate concentration. Average surface water nitrate-N concentrations within the watershed ranged from 2.7 to 15 mg L−1 and were significantly different between the sites (p
Theodore Roosevelt: Of Mice and Men, Birds and Bison

This book chapter celebrates the conservation victories of President Teddy Roosevelt, and examines the lasting implications of his use of strong, often unilateral, executive power over federal public lands and wildlife. It assesses Roosevelt’s ability to deploy his expertise as a naturalist in the campaign for wildlife protection and hunting ethics. It also highlights the creation of wildlife refuges, in particular Pelican Island and the National Bison Range, and national monuments, including the Grand Canyon. Along the way, Roosevelt’s impacts on the nascent National Park System are illuminated. Although much ink has been spilled on all of these subjects, this chapter strives to present Roosevelt’s legacy in a new and different light by placing it in the context of modern environmentalism and executive power. Roosevelt took center stage during a pivotal moment in conservation history, and he charted a course for subsequent presidents, both with respect to conservation-related measures and with respect to the exercise of sweeping presidential powers. Drawing parallels between the early twentieth century executive office and the early twenty-first century executive office reveals some compelling themes relevant to conservation and democracy. The chapter concludes with a comparative assessment of Roosevelt and President Trump, and draws insights about the role of the presidency in national conservation initiatives and counter-initiatives.
Triple contagion: a two-fears epidemic model.

We present a differential equations model in which contagious disease transmission is affected by contagious fear of the disease and contagious fear of the control, in this case vaccine. The three ...
Switchable Dual-Band Bandpass Filter with High Selectivity

In this paper, a novel switchable dual-band bandpass filter (BPF) with high selectivity is proposed. Half wavelength resonators and open stub loaded resonators are employed to provide third-order filtering responses in each band. By utilizing stepped-impedance open stubs and one-end-shorted couple lines, the individual passband signal can be suppressed independently with switches. In addition, the proposed coupling topology introduces multiple transmission zeros providing high frequency selectivity and good out-of-band rejection. The proposed switchable filter is implemented with two passbands centered at 2.90GHz and 4.79GHz with a low insertion loss of 1.2 dB and 1.1 dB, respectively, providing band-edge steepness over 97.7 dB/GHz. Four operating modes (dual-band, no band, high band, and low band) are achieved by controlling the states of passbands with switches.
A flow-cytometry-based protocol using diverse cell types for detecting autoantibodies from human plasma and serum samples.

Summary Here, we describe a protocol for cell-based detection of autoantibodies from human plasma and serum samples using a standard flow cytometer. The protocol allows detection of autoantibodies against a wide array of extracellular antigens. Antigen coverage is limited to the cell types tested, and researchers will need to further determine if autoantibody-positive samples correlate with cytotoxic or clinical outcomes. This protocol is less expensive and faster to perform when compared to protein microarrays and requires no prior knowledge of potential targets. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Wong et al. (2021) .
Nonsedated Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Visualization of the Velopharynx in the Pediatric Population.

Background Non-sedated MRI is gaining traction in clinical settings for visualization of the velopharynx in children with velopharyngeal insufficiency. However, the behavioral adaptation and training aspects that are essential for successful pediatric MRI have received limited attention. Solution We outline a program of behavioral modifications combined with patient education and provider training that has led to high success rates for non-sedated velopharyngeal MRI in children.
Prior’s Core Theory

As late as 1954 Prior published a paper1 in which he argued in ways incompatible with the view we call his “core theory”. But within a year2 his publications began to articulate the ideas which go into what we call his “core theory”.
A cross-sectional study of medication-related factors and caries experience in asthmatic children.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the specific types of medication, length of use, frequency of use, and dosing time of day on the dental caries of children diagnosed with asthma. Methods: Using a patient list from a previous study, surveys were mailed to the parents of 179 asthmatic children. The survey itself consisted of a table that asked 4 questions: (1) What combination of asthma medications was used by the subject? (2) How long were the medications used? (3) How often were the medications used? (4) What time of day were the medications used? Results: Of the 179 surveys that were mailed out, 156 were returned. Children who used their medication greater than twice daily were significantly more likely to experience dental disease in both the primary (odds ratio (OR)=2.56, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.45- 6.29) and mixed dentitions (OR=3.56, 95% CI 2.45-5.94). Conclusions: Increased frequency of asthma medication use was associated with increased likelihood of caries experience. The time of day asthma medication was used was associated with increased likelihood of caries experience in children in the primary dentition. Duration of asthma medication use was associated with a decreased likelihood of caries experience in children in the mixed dentition. (Pediatr Dent 2006;28:415-419)