cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An empirical investigation of partial effect sizes in meta-analysis of correlational data.

ABSTRACT. The partial correlation and the semi-partial correlation can be seen as measures of partial effect sizes for the correlational family. Thus, both indices have been used in the meta-analysis literature to represent the relationship between an outcome and a predictor of interest, controlling for the effect of other variables in the model. This article evaluates the accuracy of synthesizing these two indices under different situations. Both partial correlation and the semi-partial correlation appear to behave as expected with respect to bias and root mean squared error (RMSE). However, the partial correlation seems to outperform the semi-partial correlation regarding Type I error of the homogeneity test (Q statistic). Although further investigation is needed to fully understand the impact of meta-analyzing partial effect sizes, the current study demonstrates the accuracy of both indices.
Thermal Expansion of Low-pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition Polysilicon Films

Polysilicon films were deposited using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) onto oxidized silicon substrates, after which substrate curvature as a function of temperature was measured. The curvatures changed with temperature, implying that the thermal expansion of LPCVD polysilicon differs from that of the single crystal silicon substrate. Further, polysilicon films with tensile residual stresses displayed an increased thermal expansion, while polysilicon films with compressive residual stresses displayed a decreased thermal expansion. Following high temperature annealing, the residual stresses of the polysilicon films were reduced to near zero, and the thermal expansion of the polysilicon films matched that of the single crystal substrate. The apparent change in thermal expansion coefficient due to residual stress was much larger than predicted theoretically.
Microcapsules for arterial chemoembolization: appearance and in vitro drug release characteristics

AbstractMicrocapsules made of eight different capsular materials and containing flox uridine (FUDR) were formulated and evaluated with regard to physical properties (size and structure) and in vitro drug release characteristics. Capsules averaged 100, 150 and 200 μm in diameter and appeared as either round or ‘crystalline’ particles. The degree and pattern of drug release was dependent on the capsular material used. Alteration in the molecular architecture of a specific material produced changes in the percentage of total encapsulated drug released per unit of time, but not in the pattern of release. Changing capsular size or amount of drug contained within the capsules failed to alter either the pattern of drug release or the percentage of encapsulated drug released per unit of time. However, changes in either parameter did affect the total amount of drug released per unit of time.
Tobacco Rar1, EDS1 and NPR1/NIM1 like genes are required for N‐mediated resistance to tobacco mosaic virus

The tobacco N gene confers resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and encodes a Toll-interleukin-1 receptor/nucleotide binding site/leucine-rich repeat (TIR-NBS-LRR) class protein. We have developed and used a tobacco rattle virus (TRV) based virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) system to investigate the role of tobacco candidate genes in the N-mediated signalling pathway. To accomplish this we generated transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana containing the tobacco N gene. The transgenic lines exhibit hypersensitive response (HR) to TMV and restrict virus spread to the inoculated site. This demonstrates that the tobacco N gene can confer resistance to TMV in heterologous N. benthamiana. We have used this line to study the role of tobacco Rar1-, EDS1-, and NPR1/NIM1- like genes in N-mediated resistance to TMV using a TRV based VIGS approach. Our VIGS analysis suggests that these genes are required for N function. EDS1-like gene requirement for the N function suggests that EDS1 could be a common component of bacterial, fungal and viral resistance signalling mediated by the TIR-NBS-LRR class of resistance proteins. Requirement of Rar1- like gene for N-mediated resistance to TMV and some powdery mildew resistance genes in barley provide the first example of converging points in the disease resistance signalling pathways mediated by TIR-NBS-LRR and CC-NBS-LRR proteins. The TRV based VIGS approach as described here to study N-mediated resistance signalling will be useful for the analysis of not only disease resistance signalling pathways but also of other signalling pathways in genetically intractable plant systems.
Synthesis, Characterization and Copper Chemistry of a Non-symmetric Ligand: 2-Methyl-9-(3,5-dimethyl-N-pyrazolylmethyl)-1,10-phenanthroline.

Abstract The synthesis of an unsymmetrical phenanthroline-based ligand, 2-methyl-9-(3,5-dimethylpyrazolylmethyl)-1,10-phenanthroline (L), and its cupric [Cu(II)] (1) and cuprous [Cu(I)] (2) complexes, are reported. The X-ray structures of each of these Cu complexes show distinct changes in coordination environments consistent with the geometrical preferences of the two oxidation states. In the solid-state, the Cu(II) complex (1) adopts a geometry best described as trigonal bipyramidal, while the Cu(I) complex (2) consists of a single dicationic dimer in which the ligand bridges between two copper ions, separated by 4.26 A. The two Cu(I) coordination sites differ in 2 with one copper center complexed in a trigonal planar geometry and the other copper in a distorted tetrahedral environment; the latter coordination results from an additional CH3CN ligand. Complex 1 exhibits a reversible redox process at −0.34 V versus Fc/Fc+ in CH3CN, attributable to the Cu2+/Cu+ couple, while the dimeric Cu(I) complex (2) does not display this redox couple on the CV timescale. Over minutes however, complex 1 does oxidize in the presence of dioxygen to 2 in CH3CN.
U.S. and German case studies in chronic care management: an overview.

In December 2004, the Bertelsmann Stiftung, The Commonwealth Fund, and AcademyHealth jointly sponsored a conference in Berlin, Germany on “Case Studies in Chronic Care Management.” This conference assembled representatives from the U.S. and German Governments, several organizations that had developed chronic care management initiatives in the two countries, and other health care and policy experts to discuss clinical, organizational, and financing issues. The case studies discussed at the conference are presented in this issue of the Review; this article describes some relevant considerations that are common to the U.S. and German health systems.
Epigenetic Up-regulation of Gene Expression in KAS 6/1 Human Multiple Myeloma Cells.

Cytosine methylation, an epigenetic form of regulating gene transcription, has gained importance upon the discovery that genes involved in the carcinogenic process may be regulated by this mechanism and, moreover, that certain cancers respond to treatment with demethylation-promoting drugs. Typically, the use of DNA methyltransferase inhibitor drugs results in the up-regulation of important tumor suppressor genes, previously down-regulated by the existence of abnormal cytosine methylation within their promoters. Here, we show microarray and RT-PCR results indicating that many genes are down- regulated upon treatment of KAS 6/1 multiple myeloma cells with Zebularine, a demethylating agent. Our findings suggest that, in addition to the typical methylation inhibitor-induced up- regulation of genes, removal of methylation in some genes may have a profound down-regulating effect upon their expression. The analysis of gene function showed that, of the down- regulated genes, 38 are associated with cell proliferation and/or cancer. Our analysis of the promoters of the subset of selected genes containing CpG islands showed that the distribution of cis elements differs between genes up- and down-regulated by methylation. Finally, we propose a model which shows how genes containing methylation sites within their basic promoters and/or enhancer sequences are susceptible to down-regulation, whereas genes methylated within silencer regions are up- regulated, thus providing a model as to how DNA methylation could induce such opposing effects on transcription. The epigenetic regulation of gene expression is controlled by
Flying Whispers of Inter-kingdom Conversation: A Complementary Perspective of Plant and Bacterial Volatile Signals

Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are released and utilized by various organisms starting from bacteria to higher organisms. The VOCs produced from plants are involved in self-repairing against biological and nonbiological insults as well as in communicating with neighbouring plants and other organisms for reasons such as priming and pollination. The VOCs produced by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria have immense capability of modulating plant growth and development, eliciting induced systemic resistance against biotic and abiotic stressors, and conferring stress tolerance. These bacterial volatiles also have direct anti-phytopathogenic (bacterial and fungal) and anti-phytoparasitic nematode activities, which in turn benefit plants indirectly. Additionally, bacterial volatiles are found to be involved in Quorum Sensing (QS), a coordinated multicellular behaviour. Sometimes, the QS system interferes with the production of bacterial VOCs. The metabolic investment of the bacteria in providing such benefits to plants is in expectation of obtaining mutual advantage for space and other resources. Recent studies demonstrate that bacterial interaction can contribute to the characteristic volatile composition of plant essential oils, which were previously thought to be solely of plant origin. Bacterial interaction can also manipulate emission of plant stress volatiles. Increasing evidence shows the multiple potentials of volatile signalling in plant–bacteria interactions. Recent research efforts aim to investigate a ‘Volatile Conversation’ in plant–bacterium interactions, in which dynamic and responsive exchanges of volatiles occur. The present chapter aims to address the important roles of plant and bacterial volatiles during interaction, and also discusses the future directions to better utilize and understand these valuable flying signals.
Microbial metabolism of cyclic hydrocarbons and related compounds.

The utilization of alicyclic hydrocarbons by microorganisms will be reviewed as well as substituted and unsubstituted cyclic hydrocarbons. The topics discussed include: the enzymes involved in biodegradation of cycloparaffins and probable intemediates involved in the metabolism of cycloparaffinic hydrocarbons; the role of cooxidation in the utilization of cycloalkanes as well as the accumulation of intermediates of cycloalkane metabolism via this technique; the oxidase (hydroxylase) involved in cycloalkane biodegradation; the aromatization of the cycloalkane ring in the aerobic degradation of cyclohexane and the reduction of benzoate in anaerobic metabolism of heterotrophs and photosynthetic bacteria; the incorporation of cycloalkanes with n-alkyl side chains into cellular lipids; and the biodegradation of terpenes and related compounds by microorganisms.
Citizenship Betrayed: Understanding Today’s Threats to Democratic Citizenship

There is much to say and admire about Margaret Somers’ Genealogies of Citizenship: Markets, Statelessness, and the Right to Have Rights (2008). I shall focus my remarks on two themes that received considerable treatment in this new work – (1) ‘citizenship’ as the right to have rights and (2) social exclusion and the demise of the promise of universal and equal citizenship – and then offer some thoughts on an issue that received comparatively less treatment in the book but happens to be of particular interest to me – (3) the challenge that globalization poses to citizenship and ‘the right to have rights’.
Comparative Fixation and Subsidence Profiles of Cementless Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty Implants.

Abstract Background Aseptic loosening is the primary cause of failure for both cemented and cementless unicondylar knee replacements (UKRs). Micromotion and subsidence of tibial baseplate are two causes of failure, due to poor fixation and misalignment, respectively. Methods Stair ascent activity profiles from Bergmann et al and Li et al were used. Biphasic Sawbones models were prepared according to the surgical techniques of traditional and novel cementless UKRs. Implants were tested for 10,000 cycles representing post-operative bone interdigitation period, and micromotion was observed using speckle pattern measurements, which demonstrated sufficient resolution. Additionally, the test method proposed by Liddle et al was used to measure subsidence with pressure sensors under increasingly lateralized loading. Results Mean displacement due to micromotion for mediolateral and anteroposterior plane was consistently greater for traditional cementless UKR. Mean displacement for axial micromotion was significantly higher for traditional UKR at the anterior aspect of the implant; however, values were lower for the medial periphery of the implant. Subsidence was significantly lower for the novel design with increasingly lateralized loading, and indentation was not observed on the test substrate, when compared to the traditional design. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that the novel cementless design is capable of fixation and elimination of subsidence in laboratory test settings. Both designs limit micromotion to below the established loosening micromotion value of 150 μm. The L-shaped keel design resists both micromotion and subsidence and may prevent failure modes that can lead to aseptic loosening for UKRs. These findings are highly relevant for clinical application.
Industrial Salesforce Motivation: A Critique and Test of Maslow's Hierarchy of Need

AbstractHistorically, members of the sales management community have used Maslow's Hierarchy of Need to explain motivation. However, a review of the literature shows little empirical support for the theory. Fourteen industrial companies participated in the study. Data were gathered by utilizing mail questionnaires, and responses were received from 266 sales representatives. A single hypothesis associated with Maslow's theory was tested. No support was found for the existence of the need hierarchy which underlies Maslow's theory. This raises the question as to why we continue to teach Maslow's theory in multiple marketing and management courses.
DNS for Late Stage Structure of Flow Transition on a Flat-Plate Boundary Layer

Direct numerical simulation of a spatially evolution flat-plate boundary layer transition process at free stream Mach number 0.5 is performed. The inflow is specified by laminar flow profile with imposed eigenmodes of two-dimensional and three dimensional Tollmien-Schlichting (T-S) waves. The parallel computation is accomplished through the Message Passing Interface (MPI) together with domain decomposition in the streamwise direction. H-type transition scenario is represented in the result of numerical simulation. Vortical structures formed by TS-waves and events at late stages of transition in wall boundary shear layers are investigated. Λ - (horseshoe-) vortices, Λ -shaped high-shear layers, and trains of ring-like ( Ω -, hairpin-) vortices are studied. These vortical structures are similar with which has been found in K-type transition scenario. The purpose of this DNS study is to understand the physics of the late transition stages. Many remaining questions related to the late stages of flow transition have been answered by this DNS study. Nomenclature ∞ M = Mach number Re = Reynolds number in δ = inflow displacement thickness w T = wall temperature
Maintenance of mouse bone collagenase activity in the presence of serum protein by addition of trypsin.

SummaryThe addition of trypsin main tained mouse bone collagenase activity in the presence of a concentration of serum which otherwise completely inhibited collagenase activity. The stoichiometry of the reaction and the fact that serum prepared free of trypsin inhibitors failed to inhibit collagenase activity, suggests that the component in serum which inhibits collagenase activity may be identical with that which inhibits trypsin activity.The authors gratefully acknowledge the technical assistance of Miss Diane Brickley, Mrs. Aurora Gar cis, Miss Natividad Gervasio, and Miss Sandy Mlodzianowski.
The Insectavac: A High-Clearance, High-Volume Arthropod Vacuuming Platform for Agricultural Ecosystems

A high-clearance tractor—the Insectavac—was constructed to facilitate the sampling of arthropods in field crops over large land masses. Mean catch rates varied from 14 to 64%, depending on the species sampled. The Insectavac consistently caught more insects on a per-unit basis than a standard, 38.10-cm sweep-net. Because the Insectavac greatly reduces the hand labor required to sample arthropod populations, large sample sizes can be collected with relatively small increases in labor. The Insectavac lends itself particularly well to sampling of parasites, predators, Lygus spp., adult and 1st- to 3rd-instar bollworms and other easily dislodged arthropods in cotton, and thus facilitiates the quantification of beneficial/prey ratios of this insect complex under field conditions. The Insectavac may work with equal or better precision in other cropping systems, particularly those with upright and compact growing requirements.
Learning about Palestinian narratives: What are the barriers for Jewish college students?

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict remains unresolved, and these tensions inflame relations on American college campuses. This study analyzed quantitative and qualitative data for Jewish college students to examine barriers that may exist for these students in learning about Palestinian narratives and history. Results of an online campus survey indicated gender, family Holocaust history, religiosity, concerns about anti-Semitism and attachment to Israel were not significant barriers, whereas having been to the West Bank or knowing or working with someone Palestinian, predicted more positive student attitudes about Palestinians. Interactions between students’ political views about Israel and family and parents’ beliefs predicted student attitudes about Palestinians. Qualitative analysis with students in a course about the conflict confirmed these findings, and identified additional barriers of media and personal communication skills. Recommendations are made for future research and intergroup education to improve relationships between Jewish and Arab college students.
Design of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Retaining Walls

This chapter deals with the design of mechanically stabilized earth retaining wall using strip reinforcement. Internal and external stability requirements of an MSE wall with strip reinforcement are discussed in details in this chapter. For internal stability of an MSE wall, safety against pullout and breakage of reinforcing strips is checked. For external stability, safety against overturning, sliding, and bearing capacity is also checked. The overall safety of the MSE wall (internal and external) was performed considering various design parameters such as constant/varying strip length and spacing between the strips (along the wall height and the wall length) under different types of applied surcharge loading conditions (line load, strip load, and embankment load). Additionally, a step-by-step procedure was introduced in this chapter to perform internal and external stability requirements for safe and economical designs. A number of design problems are also presented in this chapter and its solutions are explained in details. These problems are first hand-solved, and then, resolved using the MSE Wall-1 application of the foundationPro program. Finally, two design projects are suggested at the end of this chapter to allow the reader practice the concepts learned herein.
Time-Dependent Sensitization in Animals: A Possible Model of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity in Humans:

It of ten happens in science that clues to the nature of a problem under study come from a completely different, seemingly unrelated, line of investigation. This may be the case with MCS and Time-D...
Experiences of Disability Advocates and Self-Advocates in Texas

Legislative advocacy is a prime channel for disability advocates to affect civil rights and disability-related legislation and policy that leads to improved quality of life for individuals with dis...
Effects of carbon dioxide on juveniles of the freshwater mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea [Unionidae])

Carbon dioxide (CO2 ) has shown promise as a tool to control movements of invasive Asian carp, but its effects on native freshwater biota have not been well studied. The authors evaluated lethal and sublethal responses of juvenile fatmucket (Lampsilis siliquoidea) mussels to CO2 at levels (43-269 mg/L, mean concentration) that bracket concentrations effective for deterring carp movement. The 28-d lethal concentration to 50% of the mussels was 87.0 mg/L (95% confidence interval [CI] 78.4-95.9) and at 16-d postexposure, 76.0 mg/L (95% CI 62.9-90.3). A proportional hazards regression model predicted that juveniles could not survive CO2 concentrations >160 mg/L for more than 2 wk or >100 mg/L CO2 for more than 30 d. Mean shell growth was significantly lower for mussels that survived CO2 treatments. Growth during the postexposure period did not differ among treatments, indicating recovery of the mussels. Also, CO2 caused shell pitting and erosion. Behavioral effects of CO2 included movement of mussels to the substrate surface and narcotization at the highest concentrations. Mussels in the 110 mg/L mean CO2 treatment had the most movements in the first 3 d of exposure. If CO2 is infused continuously as a fish deterrent, concentrations <76 mg/L are recommended to prevent juvenile mussel mortality and shell damage. Mussels may survive and recover from brief exposure to higher concentrations. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:671-681. Published 2016 Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
Definition and Nature of Intellectual Disability

This chapter reviews the evolution of two approaches to classification for people with intellectual deficits. Both seek to improve the lives of people with these deficits and both emphasize a developmental perspective. The AAIDD classification focuses on the disability construct and emphasizes normalization and the supports needed for self-determination. Although its definition incorporates a standardized measure of intelligence, its focus is on the provision of supports to help each person reach their potential. It is an approach that advocates for the human rights of people with disability in education, community settings, and the law. In DSM-5, the American Psychiatric Association classifies neurodevelopmental disorders and focuses on the etiology of intellectual deficits and their underlying neurobiology. It recognizes that each person has a distinct inherited neurobiology that interacts with environmental experiences during development. It provides a mainstream definition of intellectual deficits that to be fully assessed necessitates both standardized measures of general intelligence and specific neuropsychological measures, especially executive functioning testing. Both types of testing are needed because there are many different patterns of intellectual impairment in neurodevelopmental syndromes that impact test scores. Severity is assessed based on adaptive functioning in academic, social, and practical domains instead of using IQ cutoff scores. Research in the basic neurosciences, genetics, and neuroimaging is providing new insights into our understanding of the underlying neurobiology of intelligence. Our field contributes to understanding the forms of human competence and the role that the intellectual functions play in facilitating adaptation to everyday life.
Interband Absorption —Mechanisms and Interpretation

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the origin or interpretation of the optical properties of solids at and above the band gap. It describes the interband transitions in specific. The chapter also introduces the specific many-body effects. The one electron picture can be applied to many solids, although if the number of atoms per unit cell becomes large, it is rather impractical. Many-body effects are much more difficult to incorporate in an arbitrary material. Further, the chapter presents a few examples of the spectra of typical solids. The calculation of the one-electron optical properties of solids arising from interband transitions can be carried out in a number of ways, all leading to essentially the same result. These calculations often are analogous to the calculation of the optical absorption spectrum of an atom. The electric field of the incident electromagnetic wave is treated as a time-dependent perturbation that induces transitions from filled eigenstates to empty eigenstates of the crystal Hamiltonian or an approximation to it.
Unsupervised Self-Normalized Change-Point Testing for Time Series

ABSTRACTWe propose a new self-normalized method for testing change points in the time series setting. Self-normalization has been celebrated for its ability to avoid direct estimation of the nuisance asymptotic variance and its flexibility of being generalized to handle quantities other than the mean. However, it was developed and mainly studied for constructing confidence intervals for quantities associated with a stationary time series, and its adaptation to change-point testing can be nontrivial as direct implementation can lead to tests with nonmonotonic power. Compared with existing results on using self-normalization in this direction, the current article proposes a new self-normalized change-point test that does not require prespecifying the number of total change points and is thus unsupervised. In addition, we propose a new contrast-based approach in generalizing self-normalized statistics to handle quantities other than the mean, which is specifically tailored for change-point testing. Monte Car...
Does Administration of Oral Versus Intravenous Antibiotics for Third Molar Removal Have an Effect on the Incidence of Alveolar Osteitis or Postoperative Surgical Site Infections

Purpose To compare the incidence of postoperative alveolar osteitis (AO) and surgical site infections (SSIs) in 2 separate cohorts of patients undergoing elective third molar removal: those who received postoperative oral (PO) antibiotics and those who received perioperative intravenous (IV) antibiotics. Materials and Methods A retrospective cohort study of all patients 14 to 30 years old undergoing elective outpatient third molar removal under a single surgeon's service over a 12-year period was completed. Patients undergoing third molar removal during the first 72 months received postoperative PO antibiotics alone. Patients undergoing third molar removal during the second 72 months received perioperative IV antibiotics alone. The primary predictor variable for the study was the antibiotic regimen used at the time of third molar removal. The primary outcome variable was the postoperative development of AO or SSI. Covariates included age and gender. Univariable and multivariable regression models assessed for associations between the antibiotic regimen used and the presence of AO and SSI. Results The study sample consisted of 1,895 patients (1,020 patients receiving postoperative PO antibiotics and 875 patients receiving perioperative IV antibiotics). Of patients receiving postoperative PO antibiotics, 6.4% developed AO an average of 5.7 days after the procedure and 2.6% developed an SSI an average of 23.2 days after the procedure. Of patients receiving perioperative IV antibiotics, 5.5% developed AO an average of 6.2 days after the procedure and 3.3% developed an SSI an average of 18.2 days after the procedure. No statistically significant associations between the antibiotic regimen used and the presence of AO or SSI were identified in univariable (P = 0.42 for AO, P = 0.32 for SSI) or multivariable (P = 0.65 for AO, P = 0.26 for SSI) analyses. In the postoperative PO antibiotic cohort, older age (P Conclusion The use of a postoperative PO versus a perioperative IV antibiotic regimen does not significantly alter the incidence of AO or SSI after elective third molar removal. If the surgeon chooses to use antibiotics in the setting of third molar surgery, then perioperative IV antibiotics are preferable over postoperative PO antibiotics because they obviate any issues with patient compliance and might be less costly.
Oil and Gas Seeps in the Gulf of Mexico

Oil and gas seeps are common worldwide; occur on land and beneath the ocean; are numerous in the Gulf of Mexico; and are biogenic, thermogenic, or mixed in origin. Seeps occur as gases, liquids, asphalts, and tars. Seeps are estimated to account for about 95 % of oil annually discharged to the Gulf of Mexico waters. Biogenic gas seeps have a microbial metabolic origin. Thermogenic hydrocarbons rise to the surface from more deeply buried source rock horizons or accumulations. The seepage of oil and gas into marine sediments initiates a complex biogeochemical cycle. A unique ecology has evolved in association with oil and gas seeps based on chemosynthesis and symbioses. Consortia of microbial species mediate the geological and biogeochemical processes that are essential for supporting what are commonly referred to as cold-seep communities. At these locations, bacteria oxidize hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide or bicarbonate ions, which favor the formation of hard ground substrate in otherwise mostly muddy environments. Thermogenic oil and gas seeps and biogenic gas seeps are pervasive and intrinsic features of the Gulf of Mexico. Thermogenic seeps will persist as long as oil and gas continue to migrate to the seafloor.
Spectral characterization of single photon sources with ultra-high resolution, accuracy and sensitivity

In future quantum communication systems, single photons, as the information carriers, are required to possess very narrow linewidths and accurate wavelengths for an efficient interaction with quantum memories. Spectral characterization of such single photon sources is necessary and must be performed with very high spectral resolution, wavelength accuracy and detection sensitivity. In this paper, we propose a method to precisely characterize spectral properties of narrow-linewidth single-photon sources using an atomic vapor cell based on electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT). By using an atomic cesium vapor cell, we have experimentally demonstrated a spectral resolution of better than 150 kHz, an absolute wavelength accuracy of within 50 kHz and an exceptional detection sensitivity suitable for optical signals as weak as −117 dBm.
Gerald E. Wagner — 1978 Data Educator of the Year

(1978). Gerald E. Wagner — 1978 Data Educator of the Year. The Journal of Data Education: Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 18-19.
Obtaining central access in challenging pediatric patients.

Central catheter placement is one of the most commonly performed procedures by pediatric surgeons. Here, we present a case series of patients where central access was obtained at our institution with the utilization of a novel ultrasound-guided technique. This series represents the first of its kind where the native, parent vessels were inaccessible, resulting in a challenging situation for providers. A retrospective chart review was performed in pediatric patients (0–17 years) at a tertiary care institution between July 2012 and November 2017 on all central line procedures where ultrasound was utilized to cannulate the brachiocephalic or superior vena cava in face of proximal occlusion. Our group has previous experience utilizing an image-guided in-plane approach to central line placement in the pediatric population. Demographics, operative characteristics, and postoperative complications were reviewed. A total of 11 procedures were included in this case series where the BC (N = 9) or SVC (N = 2) were cannulated for access. Internal jugular vein cannulation was attempted on each patient unless preoperative imaging demonstrated occlusion. The median operative time was 43 ± 23 min. Most procedures were performed on the right sided (63%), with catheters ranging from 4.2F single lumen to 14F double lumen. Since being placed, three (27%) catheters have been removed, with one due to non-use, one due to sepsis, and the final one due to malposition. With the continued need for long-term central access in the pediatric population, distal vein occlusion or inaccessibility can prove challenging when attempting to obtain central access. Here, demonstrated a safe alternative technique that provides an additional option in the pediatric surgeon’s armamentarium for patients with difficult central access.
The Meanings of Words and Confucian Political Philosophy: A Study of Matsunaga Sekigo’s Ethics

This study interprets Matsunaga Sekigo’s 松永尺五 (1592–1657) Ethics (Irinshō 彝倫抄) as an early-modern Japanese statement of Confucian political philosophy, one based on Confucius’ Analects (Lunyu 論語 Rongo) argument that “rectifying terms” provides the essential semantic grounds for a just and righteous political order. Through this genre and methodology, here referred to as philosophical lexicography, Sekigo’s Ethics pioneered common ground shared with many later Japanese and East Asian texts. Unlike most subsequent works in this genre, all of which were modeled after a late-Song dynasty Chinese text, Chen Beixi’s 陳北溪 (1159–1223) The Meanings of Human Nature and Principle (Xingli ziyi 性理字義 Seiri jigi), Sekigo’s rectification of the meanings of philosophical terms generously affirmed Buddhism and Shintō as well as Confucian and Neo-Confucian notions and nuances in its unequivocal, united-front effort to check the fortunes of Christianity in Japan. Written in the wake of the Shimabara Rebellion, Sekigo’s Ethics combatted, with words rather than swords, the foreign heterodoxy, Christianity, that threatened to undermine the fundamental integrity of the social, political, spiritual, and philosophical order of Tokugawa Japan. In drawing on various East Asian religio-philosophical dimensions Sekigo’s Ethics displayed a wide-ranging, seemingly open-minded cosmopolitanism, as well as the very limits of the same in early-modern Japanese philosophical history.
A review on the very high nanofiller-content nanocomposites: Their preparation methods and properties with high aspect ratio fillers

Abstract For many years, the inorganic content in nanocomposites has seldom exceeded 10 vol%. Novel fabrication methods have been employed to incorporate high inorganic loading within the polymer matrix. This review reports recent progress in high filler-content nanocomposites with high aspect fillers and the various unique techniques used for their fabrication. This review will also highlight the high filler-content nanocomposites, including mechanical, electrical, gas barrier and flame-retardant properties, with particular emphasis on quantitative information.
Evidence Supporting Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy for Treatment of Spastic Cerebral Palsy

The objective of this review is to analyze the evidence supporting selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) for the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy (CP). We reviewed 85 outcome studies from 12 countries between 1990 and 2017. The published results are overwhelmingly supportive of SDR, and 39 studies form a basis for this review. Also included is some of the clinical experience of the senior author. The results show that SDR plus postoperative physiotherapy (PT) improved gait, functional independence, and self-care in children with spastic diplegia. In adults with a follow-up of 20 to 28 years, the early improvements after childhood SDR were sustained and improved quality of life. Furthermore, majority of the adults who underwent SDR as children would recommend SDR to others. On the clinical side, while SDRs through multilevel laminectomies or laminoplasty were associated with spinal deformities (i.e., scoliosis, hyperlordosis, kyphosis, spondylolisthesis, spondylolysis, and nonhealing of laminoplasty), SDRs through a single level laminectomy prevented SDR-related spinal problems. The outcomes of SDR specific to spastic quadriplegia require further investigation because of the relatively small patient population with quadriplegia. Lastly, we found that SDR can prevent or reverse premature aging in adolescents and adults with spastic diplegia. In conclusion, the evidence supporting the efficacy of SDR is strong, and SDR is a well-established option for spasticity management in spastic CP.
CDK9 Expression Shows Role as a Potential Prognostic Biomarker in Breast Cancer Patients Who Fail to Achieve Pathologic Complete Response after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Failure to achieve pathologic complete response is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). However, prognostic biomarkers for clinical outcome are unclear in this patient population. Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) is often dysregulated in breast cancer, and its deficiency results in genomic instability. We reviewed the records of 84 breast cancer patients from Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute who had undergone surgical resection after NACT and had tissue available for tissue microarray analysis (TMA). Data recorded included disease presentation, treatment, pathologic response, overall survival (OS), locoregional recurrence free survival (LRRFS), distant-failure free survival (DFFS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and event-free survival (EFS). Immunohistochemistry was performed on patient samples to determine CDK9 expression levels after NACT. Protein expression was linked with clinical data to determine significance. In a Cox proportional hazards model, using a time-dependent covariate to evaluate the risk of death between groups beyond 3 years, high CDK9 expression was significantly associated with an increase in OS (HR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.07-0.98, p=0.046). However, Kaplan-Meier curves for OS, LRRFS, DFFS, RFS, and EFS did not reach statistical significance. The results of this study indicate that CDK9 may have a potential role as a prognostic biomarker in patients with breast cancer following NACT. However, further validation studies with increased sample sizes are needed to help elucidate the prognostic role for CDK9 in the management of these patients.
Improve Integrated Learning in Computer Information Technology through Cross-Curricular Instruction?

In order to better understand the cognitive process of undergraduate students in connecting and transferring knowledge from one setting to another, and better assist students to obtain the big picture of information technology, investigations into cross-curricular instruction are needed to reinforce the integrative learning through cross-curricular instructional units and collaborative projects.
Diagnosis of Yersinia enterocolitica Infection in Cancer Patients With Diarrhea in the Era of Molecular Diagnostics for Gastrointestinal Infections.

Background Yersinia enterocolitica is an uncommon cause of diarrhea, mesenteric adenitis and bacteremia in the United States. There is limited information regarding the clinical course in immunocompromised patients. We describe the clinical presentations and outcomes in patients with cancer with Y. enterocolitica diagnosed at a US cancer center before and after introduction of gastrointestinal multiplex panel (GIMP) nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). Methods We reviewed medical records of all patients with Y. enterocolitica isolated from cultures or identified by means of NAATs from 2000 to 2018. We then extracted demographic information, clinical characteristics, treatment, and overall mortality rate at 30 days after the diagnosis of yersiniosis. Results We identified 17 cases: 6 cases by culture before April 2016 and 11 cases by NAATs after that; 4 of the latter were confirmed by means of culture (36%). This represented an 8-fold increase for overall detection and a 3-fold increase in culture-proved infections when adjusted per 1000 admissions. The most common presenting symptom was diarrhea (11 of 14 [79%]), followed by abdominal pain (9 of 14 [64%]) and nausea and vomiting (6 of 14 [43%]). In 1 patient, the infection resolved spontaneously; the other patients received antibiotic treatment, the majority with a fluoroquinolone. The 30-day mortality rate was 7.1%, and the cause of death was a complication of advanced cancer. Conclusion Since implementing use of the GIMP, we observed an increase in Y. enterocolitica cases, possibly related to increasing number of patients with cancer at our institution who are receiving intensive immunosuppression, increased testing due to ease and availability, and increased sensitivity of NAATs. GIMP NAATs are redefining the epidemiology of Y. enterocolitica infection in patients with cancer.
Coxsackie Virus: Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is a highly contagious viral illness characterized by fever and mucocutaneous vesiculopapules on the palms, soles, mouth, and buttocks, commonly caused by coxsackievirus-A16, enterovirus 71, and less commonly other members of the Picornavirus group.
Jouët-Pastré, Clémence, and Letícia J. Braga. Becoming Brazuca: Brazilian Immigration to the United States. Harvard UP, 2008.

Twenty-two scholars have authored these research and theoretical articles selected among those presented at the First National Conference on Brazilian Immigration, which took place at Harvard University in the Spring semester of 2005. In her astute “Prologue: The Diasporic Experinece,” Carola Suarez-Orozco calls attention to today’s intense, unprecedented flows of migration, and to the fact that at the onset of the twenty-first century the world has over 200 million immigrants and refugees. The United States alone has been receiving more than one million new residents annually. According to the U.S. Census Bureau data from 2006, writes Suarez-Orozco, this is the nation of “35.7 million people who were born abroad” (v).
Sleep Data, Physical Performance, and Injuries in Preparation for Professional Mixed Martial Arts

The purpose of this investigation is to present observational data regarding sleep variables in professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) athletes. These sleep performance measures were related to physical performance and injury in MMA athletes. Eight professional athletes were placed into a quasi-controlled, multivariable fight-camp environment for a six-week period in preparation for fight competition. Throughout a six-week fight camp environment, athletes were continuously monitored for sleep performance measures (sleep latency, sleep efficiency, onset, and wake variances) via validated wearable sleep monitoring technology. Athletes were tested seven days prior to competition on measures of physical performance (vertical jump, VO2max, heart rate recovery, prowler sled push, and pull-ups). Multiple correlational analyses were utilized to assess relationships between all sleep and physical performance measures. There were significant (P < 0.05) correlations between sleep latency and VO2max, heart rate recovery, prowler sled push, vertical jump, and missed practice sessions. There were also significant (P < 0.05) correlations between average fall asleep time and heart rate recovery. Lastly, there were significant (P < 0.05) correlations between sleep efficiency, heart rate recovery, and missed practice sessions. MMA athletes who exhibited consistency in sleep demonstrated stronger relationships with performance testing during the fight-camp period.
AN INTRIGUING CASE OF ISOLATED SEVERE TRICUSPID REGURGITATION

Isolated severe tricuspid regurgitation results in progressive right heart failure and adversely impacts survival. Early diagnosis and management are necessary to prevent progression of the disease. Only 20% of patients with carcinoid syndrome will develop heart disease secondary to the circulating
Diblock and triblock copolymers of polylactide and polyglycolide

Abstract Polymer matrices offer an exciting platform for the controlled delivery of drugs and biologics for sustainable formulation advancements. Polylactide (PLA) and polyglycolide (PGA) are amongst the very first macromolecules that were synthesized to fabricate absorbable medical grade sutures, implants, and other controlled drug delivery systems. The emerging popularity of these macromolecules is chiefly attributed to their biocompatibility and biodegradability, thus, eliminating the need for surgical implantation and then removal following drug release. Amongst the several types of biodegradable and biocompatible polymers, aliphatic poly(esters) of lactide and glycolide are the most commonly used. In this chapter, diblock and triblock copolymer based drug delivery systems which harness the diverse benefits that poly( d,l -lactic acid) and poly( d,l -lactic-co-glycolic acid) can offer as resorbable polymer matrices are explored. The synthesis and characterization of these copolymers and their application in the development of microspheres, nanoparticles, and stimuli-sensitive delivery systems using thermosensitive diblock and triblock copolymers will be covered in detail. Commercial and investigational formulations will be thoroughly examined before finally offering a summary of what the future might hold for resorbable polymer matrices for drug delivery.
Toward personalized dose-prescription in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Validation of published normal tissue complication probability models.

Abstract Purpose To identify published normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) models suitable for patient-specific dose-prescription in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) through in-house validation. Material and methods From eight previously published candidate NTCP models (≥grade 2 acute esophagitis and radiation pneumonitis; AE2, RP2), patient-specific dose–responses were calculated using model variables and fractionation-corrected doses for 241 LA-NSCLC patients treated with chemo-IMRT to 50–80 Gy@1.8–2.0 Gy between 2004 and 2014 (AE2/RP2 rate: 50%/12%). A model was judged final if it significantly predicted AE2 or RP2 (p ≤ 0.05), was discriminative and well calibrated (AUC > 0.60; Hosmer–Lemeshow test pHL > 0.05), which were assessed as the median over 1000 bootstrap samples. Results Models for AE2 had superior discrimination to RP2 models (AUC = 0.63–0.65 vs. 0.51–0.65). The final AE2 model included mean esophageal dose and concurrent chemotherapy (AUC = 0.65; p Conclusion Of the eight investigated and published NTCP models, one model successfully described AE2 and one slightly adjusted model successfully described RP2 in the independent cohort. Estimates from these two NTCP models will, therefore, be considered internally when prescribing patient-specific doses in LA-NSCLC patients.
Trade Globalization and the US Economy

This chapter examines the costs and benefits of trade integration for the US economy. The economic arguments in favor of trade liberalization are first reviewed in order to identify the particular assumptions and mechanisms by which it provides both benefits and costs for trading partners. The critical role of government policy in facilitating labor market adjustments for those workers adversely affected by trade developments is also discussed. Three case studies of important trade issues for the US economy are examined: (1) the economic impact of trade opening with China since the beginning of the current century; (2) the expected benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, had it been adopted by the United States; and (3) the effects of NAFTA on domestic output and employment.