cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasma citrulline concentration as a biomarker for bowel loss and adaptation in hospitalized pediatric patients requiring parenteral nutrition.

Background: Citrulline is a nonessential amino acid produced solely in the enterocyte. Plasma citrulline concentration has been proposed as a noninvasive biomarker for bowel length, function, and dependency on parenteral nutrition (PN). The purpose of this study was to determine if citrulline concentrations differed between pediatric patients with and without small bowel loss requiring specialized nutrition support. Methods: This was a retrospective categorical analysis of citrulline concentrations from previously published studies. Patients were included if they were receiving PN, more than 30 days of age, and if they had at least 2 plasma citrulline concentrations. Patients with renal insufficiency and who received outpatient PN treatment were excluded. Patients were categorized as either having or not having small bowel loss. Results: Thirty-six patients were included for analysis (18 per category). The median citrulline concentration was significantly lower in the group with bowel loss, 8.4 µmol/L vs 10.5 µmol/L (P < .0005), and undetectable citrulline concentrations occurred more often in the bowel loss group, 40% vs 8% (P < .0005). In 13 patients who received enteral nutrition during the study periods, plasma citrulline concentrations increased only in patients without bowel loss. Conclusions: These data confirm previous studies and identify decreased citrulline concentrations in pediatric patients with bowel dysfunction in the absence of bowel loss. These data also represent the first serial citrulline concentrations over a 21-day period. The increase in citrulline concentrations only in fed patients without bowel loss suggests that citrulline concentrations could provide a biomarker for bowel function and adaptation.
Importing Western Childhoods into a Chinese State-Run Orphanage

Since the early 1990s the Chinese government has allowed foreign humanitarian non-governmental organizations to aid children residing in official state-run orphanages. As one aspect of a larger research project on child abandonment and forms of orphanage care in contemporary China, this article examines an innovative state-civil society partnership of a Western infant special care unit housed within a large official state-run institution. The “Tomorrow’s Children” special care unit, funded and managed by middle-class Western volunteers, uses First World medical practices and universalistic ideologies of children and childhood to care for the institution’s most severely ill and disabled children. This article utilizes ethnographic methods to discuss conflicts over children’s best interests that arise between Western volunteer employers and the local working-class and poor Chinese caregivers who are expected to implement the imported practices. I contend that disagreements over appropriate childcare hinge on cultural and class-based understandings of childhood and differential access to social and financial resources. This research grounds discussions of globalization in a detailed case study by exposing the tensions and negotiations that occur at the local level in processes of transnational exchange.
Conventional Soybean Plant and Progeny Response to Glyphosate

Field studies were conducted to determine the sensitivity of conventional ‘Motte’ and ‘Pioneer 9831’ soybean to simulated glyphosate drift rates applied during vegetative and reproductive development and the effect of glyphosate on progeny. Glyphosate at 8, 84, and 420 g ae/ha was applied to soybean at the V3, V6, R2, and R5 growth stages. Glyphosate at 8 and 84 g/ha did not reduce soybean plant population, growth, or yield or cause deleterious effects on progeny, regardless of the growth stage at application. Soybean population, growth, and yield were reduced as much as 99 to 100% after application of 420 g/ha glyphosate at the V3 growth stage. Glyphosate at 420 g/ha applied at V6 was less detrimental to soybean compared with the V3 timing. Delaying the application of 420 g/ha glyphosate until R2 and R5 reduced soybean yields 22 to 49% and 43 to 44%, respectively. Soybean injury from 420 g/ha glyphosate was generally transient or less severe when applied at the V6 growth stage or later. However, 420 g/ha...
Ryanodine Receptor Function in Inflammation

The role of ryanodine receptors as an integral component in the inflammation response is currently unexplored. A survey of the literature, however, provides indication that ryanodine receptors participate directly with, or are modulated by elements of several metabolic pathways critical to the inflammatory response. In this chapter we outline and discuss the involvement of ryanodine receptor activity within the context of inflammation.
Death and Deterrence Redux: Science, Law and Causal Reasoning on Capital Punishment

A recent cohort of studies report deterrent effects of capital punishment that substantially exceed almost all previous estimates of lives saved by execution. Some of the new studies go further to claim that pardons, commutations, and exonerations cause murders to increase, as does trial delay. This putative life-life tradeoff is the basis for claims by legal academics and advocates of a moral imperative to aggressively prosecute capital crimes, brushing off evidentiary doubts as unreasonable cautions that place potential beneficiaries at risk of severe harm. Challenges to this "new deterrence" literature find that the evidence is too unstable and unreliable to support policy choices on capital punishment. This article identifies numerous technical and conceptual errors in the "new deterrence" studies that further erode their reliability: inappropriate methods of statistical analysis, failures to consider several factors such as drug epidemics that drive murder rates, missing data on key variables in key states, the tyranny of a few outlier states and years, weak to non-existent tests of concurrent effects of incarceration, inadequate instruments to disentangle statistical confounding of murder rates with death sentences and other punishments, failure to consider the general performance of the criminal justice system as a competing deterrent, artifactual results from truncated time frames, and the absence of any direct test of the components of contemporary theoretical constructions of deterrence. Re-analysis of one of the data sets shows that even simple adjustments to the data produce contradictory results, while alternate statistical methods produce contrary estimates. But the central mistake in this enterprise is one of causal reasoning: the attempt to draw causal inferences from a flawed and limited set of observational data, the absence of direct tests of the moving parts of the deterrence story, and the failure to address important competing influences on murder. There is no reliable, scientifically sound evidence that pits execution against a robust set of competing explanations to identify whether it exerts a deterrent effect that is uniquely and sufficiently powerful to overwhelm the recurring epidemic cycles of murder. This and other rebukes remind us to invoke tough, neutral social science standards and commonsense causal reasoning before expanding the use of execution with its attendant risks and costs.
Future arms, technologies, and international law: Preventive security governance

This article presents an initial discussion of the political and legal challenges associated with weaponised technologies in three interconnected areas that may impinge upon the ability to protect civilian populations during peace and war and imperil international security: armed unmanned combat aerial vehicles (commonly known as drones); autonomous weapons systems (known as ‘killer robots’); and the potential militarisation of cyberspace, or its use as a weapon, and the operation of drones and killer robots in the cyber domain. Supporting the argument that the world is ‘facing new methods of warfare’ and that international security governance and law are not keeping up, the article provides an overview and interpretation of three technologies in connection with aspects of five branches of law: state responsibility, use of force, international humanitarian law, human rights law, and law of the commons. I argue therefore that ‘preventive security governance’ could be a strategy to curtail uncertainty in the preservation of stability and international order. I define ‘preventive security governance’ as the codification of specific or new global norms, arising from existing international law that will clarify expectations and universally agreed behaviour on a given issue-area. This is essential for a peaceful future for humanity and for international order and stability.
Characterization of Small-Caliber Ammunition Performance Using a Virtual Wind Tunnel Approach

*A numerical approach for completely characterizing the aerodynamic and flight dynamic performance of small-caliber ammunition has been developed. The basis of the technique is two simple experiments that are performed in a virtual environment using a sophisticated computational fluid dynamics approach. The first experiment is the Magnus experiment, where a spinning projectile is held at a fixed incidence to the oncoming flow. The second experiment is the pitch-damping experiment, where the projectile is subjected to a prescribed motion that excites the angular rates associated with the pitching motion. Each experiment produces a different subset of the required aerodynamics, although both experiments can individually provide assessment of the static aerodynamic performance, such as drag and gyroscopic stability. The combined results allow a complete assessment of the aerodynamic stability and performance.
Analysis on occupational hazards of Trichloroethylene (TCE) at enterprise workplace of Shenzhen's Baoan district from 2006 to 2009

【Objective】 To provide scientific reference for prevention of occupational diseases by analyzing the information about TCE monitoring and health surveillance in enterprise workplace in Shenzhen's Baoan District,and knowing the occupational hazards status of TCE in this region.【Methods】 Get information from the internal computer of Disease Control and Prevention Center and analyze all the invoked enterprises,focusing on the electronics,hardware,printing,electroplating and other enterprises.Arrange the monitoring result of on-site occupational hazards factor and corresponding health surveillance information.Then,analyze the related workers' health materials,who work in the enterprise with TCE operation.If the result of the concentration of TCE is greater than 0.3 mg/m3 should be regarded as detection of TCE.Record all the collected information by Excel,and analyze.【Results】 Trichloroethylene occupational hazards mainly exist in electronic and hardware enterprises,60.6% for electronic enterprises,and 24.1% for hardware enterprises;the number of TCE-using jobs decreased dramatically from 235 to 75,and 90% of the were qualified;the ratio of using TCE in cleaning jobs and surface cleaning jobs is much higher than other jobs,one is 37.9% and the other is 36.3%,and the concentration of TCE in these jobs is higher;from 2006 to 2009,2179 people in 249 TCE-using enterprises were inspected,5 of them were suspected to be occupational diseases,43 of them removed from their jobs,and 28 suffering from contraindication,taking up 2.2‰,19.7‰ and 12.8‰ in total.【Conclusions】 The trichloroethylene occupational hazards is more serious in electronic and hardware enterprises in Shenzhen's Baoan District;the monitoring and health surveillance in cleaning jobs and surface cleaning jobs should be enhanced;as for the workers who are suffering from contraindication should be recommended to remove from TCE-using jobs,in order to avoid allergic reactions and causing physical damage.
EFFECTS OF RARE EARTH ELEMENT Gd ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF NiAl-Cr(Mo)-Hf EUTECTIC ALLOY

The effects of rare earth element Gd on the microstructure and compressive properties of Ni-33Al-28Cr-5.9Mo-0.1Hf(atomic fraction,%) eutectic alloy at room temperature and 1373 K were studied.Very little amount of Gd dissolved in the NiAl and Cr(Mo) phases,and much more amount of Gd distributed in Heusler phase.Addition of Gd induced the microstructural refinement, including the decrease of the eutectic cell size and the lamellae spacing between the NiAl and Cr(Mo) plates.The proper Gd addition leads to the improvement of the compressive yield strength and ductility of the alloy at room temperature,but Gd has a little effect on the compressive properties at 1373 K. However,the Cr(Mo) phase was coarsened and distributed irregularly when 0.1 Gd(mass fraction, %) was added into the alloy,which resulted in the decrease of compressive properties at the testing temperature.
Forging professional learning communities: the role of external agency

AbstractThis article explored the effects of external agency on the establishment of professional learning communities (PLCs). The research was undertaken in the context of schools that have chosen to adopt the Primary Years Programme (PYP) of the International Baccalaureate (IB) worldwide. The study employed a two-stage qualitative sequential design including data collected from focus groups of administrators, teachers and parents in 122 PYP schools worldwide and case studies of six of these schools provided in-depth understanding of the factors emerging from the focus group data. Findings suggest that external agency can facilitate the development of PLCs that schools, operating in isolation and having to initiate the process without an external framework and oversight, would find difficult to implement regardless of their motivation to do so. The study suggests that in the case of the IBPYP this is done by ensuring schools adopting the programme have a clear vision, mission and ethos linked directly to...
Storage of platelet concentrates at 22 degrees C.

A technique has been proposed which allows easy preparation of platelet concentrates within a closed, sterile system and maximal utilization of other blood components. Lifespan studies have been performed to demonstrate the viability of platelets prepared in this manner. Such concentrates can be stored for as long as three days with adequate maintenance of viability for tranfusion purposes if certain technical requirements are met. Important among these are attention to concentrate volume and pH; agitation of the concentrate is helpful for maintenance of viability. Twelve studies in thrombocytopenic recipients suggest that stored concentrates will be safe and effective in transfusion practice.
Phase-speed Spectra of Eddy Tracer Fluxes Linked to Isentropic Stirring and Mixing in the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere

AbstractThe regions around the subtropical jets in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) are characterized by strong isentropic stirring and mixing. In this work, the wave spectrum of the associated eddy tracer fluxes is examined using an artificial passive tracer advected on isentropes by the two-dimensional flow. The eddy diffusivity computed from the flux–gradient relation captures the main features of the mixing structure. Eddy transport in the UTLS is strongest in the summer hemisphere, and weak eddy fluxes are found at the core and poleward of the subtropical jets, especially in the winter hemisphere. There is an important contribution of stationary planetary equatorial Rossby waves in the tropical upper troposphere. The transient eddy tracer transport is primarily linked to medium-scale waves (wavenumbers ~4–7) breaking in the regions of weak westerlies around the subtropical jets and to planetary-scale waves at high latitudes. Phase-speed spectra for transient eddy fluxes show a clos...
Maporal Hantavirus Causes Mild Pathology in Deer Mice (Peromyscus maniculatus).

Rodent-borne hantaviruses can cause two human diseases with many pathological similarities: hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the western hemisphere and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the eastern hemisphere. Each virus is hosted by specific reservoir species without conspicuous disease. HCPS-causing hantaviruses require animal biosafety level-4 (ABSL-4) containment, which substantially limits experimental research of interactions between the viruses and their reservoir hosts. Maporal virus (MAPV) is a South American hantavirus not known to cause disease in humans, thus it can be manipulated under ABSL-3 conditions. The aim of this study was to develop an ABSL-3 hantavirus infection model using the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), the natural reservoir host of Sin Nombre virus (SNV), and a virus that is pathogenic in another animal model to examine immune response of a reservoir host species. Deer mice were inoculated with MAPV, and viral RNA was detected in several organs of all deer mice during the 56 day experiment. Infected animals generated both nucleocapsid-specific and neutralizing antibodies. Histopathological lesions were minimal to mild with the peak of the lesions detected at 7–14 days postinfection, mainly in the lungs, heart, and liver. Low to modest levels of cytokine gene expression were detected in spleens and lungs of infected deer mice, and deer mouse primary pulmonary cells generated with endothelial cell growth factors were susceptible to MAPV with viral RNA accumulating in the cellular fraction compared to infected Vero cells. Most features resembled that of SNV infection of deer mice, suggesting this model may be an ABSL-3 surrogate for studying the host response of a New World hantavirus reservoir.
On the Neuroscience of Self-Regulation in Children with Disruptive Behavior Problems: Implications for Education.

Self-regulation is increasingly recognized as a key predictor of academic and social competence. A multidisciplinary understanding of this ability is timely and can strengthen theory and practice. ...
Tax Haven Incorporation and Financial Reporting Transparency

A widespread perception exists that tax havens facilitate corporate opacity. This study provides new evidence on the association between tax havens and the transparency of firm financial reporting using a unique group of firms whose parent companies are incorporated in tax havens but whose headquarters or primary operations—that is, their base—are in nonhaven countries. While most research suggests a negative association between tax havens and transparency, I examine whether this association depends on the firm’s corporate governance environment as well as its capital market incentives. I find that the negative association is limited to firms subject to weak governance in the base country. In contrast, I find, among firms in stronger governance environments, a positive association between tax haven incorporation and transparency, which is most concentrated among firms with greater capital market incentives. My findings suggest that future researchers should use caution when assuming an unambiguous negative association between tax havens and corporate transparency. The study also provides unique evidence that tax planning can motivate higher transparency in certain settings.
Is God just a big person? Children's conceptions of God across cultures and religious traditions

The present research examines the influence of intuitive cognitive domain and religion on the God concepts of children growing up in religious traditions that present God in ways varying from abstract to concrete. In Study 1, we compared children from a Latter-Day Saints (LDS) background with those from mainstream Christian (MC) backgrounds in the United States. In contrast to MC theology that holds that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and disembodied, LDS theology depicts God as embodied. In Study 1, 3- to 7-year-olds from LDS and MC backgrounds were asked about supernatural mental and immaterial attributes of God, a ghost, a dad, and a bug. In Study 2, children ages 3-7 from Muslim and Catholic backgrounds in Indonesia were presented with a variant of Study 1. Taken together, the two studies examine the God concepts of children raised in three different religious traditions with God concepts that range from highly abstract to concrete. Overall, we find that the youngest children, regardless of religion, distinguish God from humans and hold similar ideas of God, attributing more supernatural psychological than physical properties. Older children's conceptions of God are more in line with the theological notions of their traditions. The results suggest that children are not simply anthropomorphic in their God concepts, but early on understand supernatural agents as having special mental properties and they continue to learn about differences between agents, influenced by their religious traditions. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject Research on children's God concepts has established that children begin to distinguish the mind of God from that of humans by around age 4-5. The main debate in the field is whether children start out thinking about God in anthropomorphic terms or whether they start out with an undifferentiated idea of agents' minds as all having access to knowledge. Research on children's understanding of immortality has demonstrated that around the same age that children begin differentiating God's mind from human minds, they also differentiate between the two in terms of life-cycle attributes, attributing immortality to God, but not to humans. What does this study add? The present research contributes to the field by examining the God concepts of children from different religious backgrounds. These religious backgrounds have theologies with God concepts that range from physically concrete (Latter-Day Saints or Mormonism) to highly abstract (Islam). We also include Christian samples for comparison. The present research examines children's attributions to different supernatural agents including God, but also a ghost and an angel. The present studies look at children's attribution of not only supernatural mental attributions, but also the supernatural physical attributions of immateriality and omnipresence that have been understudied.
Pyroptosis and Apoptosis Pathways Engage in Bidirectional Crosstalk in Monocytes and Macrophages.

Pyroptosis is a lytic form of programmed cell death mediated by the inflammatory caspase-1, -4, and -5. We recently discovered that small-molecule inhibitors of the serine peptidases DPP8 and DPP9 (DPP8/9) induce pro-caspase-1-dependent pyroptosis in monocytes and macrophages. Notably, DPP8/9 inhibitors, unlike microbial agents, absolutely require caspase-1 to induce cell death. Therefore, DPP8/9 inhibitors are useful probes to study caspase-1 in cells. Here, we show that, in the absence of the pyroptosis-mediating substrate gasdermin D (GSDMD), caspase-1 activates caspase-3 and -7 and induces apoptosis, demonstrating that GSDMD is the only caspase-1 substrate that induces pyroptosis. Conversely, we found that, during apoptosis, caspase-3/-7 specifically block pyroptosis by cleaving GSDMD at a distinct site from the inflammatory caspases that inactivates the protein. Overall, this work reveals bidirectional crosstalk between apoptosis and pyroptosis in monocytes and macrophages, further illuminating the complex interplay between cell death pathways in the innate immune system.
Occult myeloproliferative neoplasms: not so occult any more.

Non-cirrhotic, non-malignant portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is commonly secondary to inherited or acquired prothrombotic states. However, even after extensive workup, 25% of patients with PVT have no apparent prothrombotic aetiology identified (idiopathic PVT). Inherited conditions include factor V Leiden, PT mutation and protein C/S/AT deficiency. Acquired conditions include APS, PNH and BCR-ABL 1-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). BCR-ABL-1 negative MPNs are the most frequent underlying prothrombotic risk factor for PVT (15%–30%). However, peripheral blood counts often remain within normal ranges in these patients with MPN because of portal hypertension sequel. Despite suggestive features of MPN in bone marrow, these patients lack adequate diagnostic criteria and are classified as occult MPN. The discovery of recurrent molecular abnormalities such as CALR gene exon 9 mutation presented a crucial advance in the diagnosis of occult MPNs. In our patient, the diagnosis of MPN was made on this basis, despite lack of peripheral evidence of MPN.
A quantitative framework to group nanoscale and microscale particles by hazard potency to derive occupational exposure limits: Proof of concept evaluation

The large and rapidly growing number of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) presents a challenge to assessing the potential occupational health risks. An initial database of 25 rodent studies including 1929 animals across various experimental designs and material types was constructed to identify materials that are similar with respect to their potency in eliciting neutrophilic pulmonary inflammation, a response relevant to workers. Doses were normalized across rodent species, strain, and sex as the estimated deposited particle mass dose per gram of lung. Doses associated with specific measures of pulmonary inflammation were estimated by modeling the continuous dose-response relationships using benchmark dose modeling. Hierarchical clustering was used to identify similar materials. The 18 nanoscale and microscale particles were classified into four potency groups, which varied by factors of approximately two to 100. Benchmark particles microscale TiO2 and crystalline silica were in the lowest and highest potency groups, respectively. Random forest methods were used to identify the important physicochemical predictors of pulmonary toxicity, and group assignments were correctly predicted for five of six new ENMs. Proof-of-concept was demonstrated for this framework. More comprehensive data are needed for further development and validation for use in deriving categorical occupational exposure limits.
Traumatic Brain Injury Severity, Neuropathophysiology, and Clinical Outcome: Insights from Multimodal Neuroimaging.

Background: The relationship between the acute clinical presentation of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), long-term changes in brain structure prompted by injury and chronic functional outcome is insufficiently understood. In this preliminary study, we investigate how acute Glasgow coma score (GCS) and epileptic seizure occurrence after TBI are statistically related to functional outcome (as quantified using the Glasgow Outcome Score) and to the extent of cortical thinning observed 6 months after the traumatic event. Methods: Using multivariate linear regression, the extent to which the acute GCS and epileptic seizure occurrence (predictor variables) correlate with structural brain changes (relative cortical atrophy) was examined in a group of 33 TBI patients. The statistical significance of the correlation between relative cortical atrophy and the Glasgow Outcome Score was also investigated. Results: A statistically significant correlative relationship between cortical thinning and the predictor variables (acute GCS and seizure occurrence) was identified in the study sample. Regions where the statistical model was found to have highest statistical reliability in predicting both gray matter atrophy and neurological outcome include the frontopolar, middle frontal, postcentral, paracentral, middle temporal, angular and lingual gyri. Additionally, relative atrophy and GOS were also found to be significantly correlated over large portions of the cortex. Conclusion: This study contributes to our understanding of the relationship between clinical descriptors of acute TBI, the extent of injury-related chronic brain changes and neurological outcome. This is partly because the brain areas where cortical thinning was found to be correlated with GCS and with seizure occurrence are implicated in executive control, sensory function, motor acuity, memory and language, all of which may be affected by TBI. Thus, our quantification suggests the existence of a statistical relationship between acute clinical presentation, on the one hand, and structural/functional brain features which are particularly susceptible to post-injury degradation, on the other hand.
The Bone Marrow Microenvironment and Its Impact in Acute and Chronic B Cell Malignancies

The bone marrow (BM) hosts normal hematopoiesis by providing the cellular and molecular environment necessary for hematopoietic stem cell maintenance, expansion, and differentiation into the various hematopoietic lineages. This highly organized factory requires cross talk between hematopoietic and stromal elements in distinct microanatomical sites (niches), promoting the expansion of normal hematopoietic elements and the deletion of defective and potentially harmful cells [1]. The neoplastic cells from patients with lymphoid malignancies take advantage of the BM microenvironment by parasitizing niches that normally are restricted to hematopoietic progenitors [2]. Interactions with the marrow microenvironment contribute to malignant B cell growth and drug resistance, leading to a gradual replacement of normal hematopoiesis. In lymphoid malignancies, the BM also is a common site for residual disease and relapses after conventional therapies [3]. Therefore, there is growing interest in understanding the biology of the BM microenvironment. Over the last two decades, there has been substantial progress in identifying key cellular and molecular players in cross talk between malignant lymphocytes and the marrow microenvironment. In this chapter, we will highlight established pathways and current therapeutic approaches to target the microenvironment in acute and chronic B cell malignancies.
Conclusion and Policy Recommendations

This chapter summarizes the main findings of the analysis on the return intentions of the Turkish students and professionals residing abroad, with a special focus on the gender aspect. Then, the chapter discusses the challenges Turkey faces and provides policy recommendations regarding brain drain.
Strategies for Patient-Centered Communication in the Digital Age

Recently, the major professional societies in Radiology have embarked upon a campaign to increase the patient-centeredness of Radiology. At the foundation of this initiative is direct communication between radiologist and patient, an area that has long been a deficiency for the field. Historically, there have been a number of barriers to effective radiologist-patient communication including logistical challenges, a negative impact on efficiency, and uncertainty of the role of the radiologist in discussing results with patients. The ubiquity of the internet and the wealth of applications that allow the safe transmission of robust information provide a number of opportunities for the radiologist. The purpose of this article is to review key web-based platforms that can improve communication, highlight unique initiatives being employed by thought leaders, and emphasize why radiologist-patient communication is paramount to the patient centered imaging experience.
The Effect of Size-Dependent Dry Deposition Velocities in an Eulerian Regional-Scale Particulate Model

Atmospheric aerosol concentrations are frequently observed at levels that may adversely affect health and welfare. As a first step toward developing an Eulerian model of the physical and chemical processes which affect atmospheric aerosol concentrations, EPA’s Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory (AREAL) has developed the Engineering Aerosol Model (EAM). The EAM’s framework was derived from the Regional Acid Deposition Model (RADM) which is described by Chang et al. (1987). Specifically, the EAM was developed from the RADM’s Engineering Model, Version 2 (EM2) by the addition of various aerosol chemistry and kinetics mechanisms. These mechanisms were originally developed by Systems Applications, Inc. (SAI) (Hudischewskyj et al., 1987), and were subsequently corrected and improved for use in the RADM model framework.
Chaos Theory and Creativity

Chaos – or nonlinear dynamical systems (NLDS) – theory, is an exciting, rapidly developing area of mathematics with increasing application in the physical, biological, and social sciences. It can add rigor and realism to human sciences and help us to understand creativity, an elusive, sometimes near magical phenomenon that has defied simple explanation. Chaotic systems can demonstrate surprising flexibility and adaptability, as well as order, complexity, and self organization. Simple, mechanistic, completely deterministic models are capable of surprising and seemingly unpredictable change. This theory may be well suited to rigorous understanding of the creative process and product.
Toward a Galactic Common Good: Space Exploration Ethics

The field of Astroethics addresses moral and societal issues arising out of speculation regarding terrestrial contact with extraterrestrial life in both its intelligent and non-intelligent forms. This chapter tackles 15 ethical quandaries, 12 of which are associated with space exploration within the solar system plus 3 with exoplanet communication. Within our solar ghetto, scientists expect at best to find only microbial life, leaving intelligent life to exoplanets elsewhere in our galaxy. The intra-solar system quandaries are these: (1) What does planetary protection mean? (2) Does microbial life have intrinsic value? (3) Should space explorers invoke the Precautionary Principle? (4) Should we clean up our space junk? (5) What should we do about satellite surveillance? (6) Should we weaponize space? (7) Should scientific research take priority over commercial space ventures? (8) Should we terraform Mars? (9) Should we colonize Mars? (10) Should we prepare for bombardment of Earth by asteroids? (11) Should we rely upon a single planetary community of moral deliberation? (12) Should we pursue the good of the galactic commons? The extra-solar quandaries deal with three degrees of extraterrestrial intelligent creatures: (13) those with less intelligence than us Homo sapiens, (14) our Extraterrestrial Intelligent creatures (ETI) peers in intelligence, and (15) ETI who are superior to us in intelligence. To each quandary we ask: What is our terrestrial moral responsibility toward extraterrestrial life? Our answer is grounded in an appeal to a galactic common good.
Investigation of Sentinel-2 Bidirectional Reflectance Hot-Spot Sensing Conditions

Directional reflectance effects, often described by the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), occur in Sentinel-2 multispectral instrument reflectance. The bidirectional hot-spot is a special case of the BRDF used to describe the increased backscatter reflectance that occurs over most surfaces when the solar and viewing directions coincide. A global year of Sentinel-2A metadata extracted using the Committee on Earth Observation Satellite Visualization Environment (COVE) tool and an established astronomical model were used to quantify the range of solar geometry and scattering angles expected in Sentinel-2A data. The established astronomical model was adapted to be Sentinel-2A specific and was parameterized as a function of the sensor acquisition date and nadir latitude. Solar zenith angles varied from 15.335° to 91.454°, and the scattering angles varied from 84.714° to 173.967°. To confirm the global COVE results, the scattering angles of a sample of Sentinel-2A data were examined and differed by less than 0.17° with respect to the COVE data. Given that hot-spots are only apparent when the scattering angle is close to 180°, we conclude that hot-spot will not occur in Sentinel-2A data. Equations and software to predict the scattering angle at the Sentinel-2A swath edge as a function of acquisition date and nadir latitude are provided so users may obtain data over a range of scattering angles in support of their BRDF studies.
When Men Miss Their Periods

AbstractThis is a commentary on Steinem’s (1978) essay “If Men Could Menstruate,” which is reprinted in this issue. The essay is placed in its historical and media contexts, noting the restrictions...
AGRICULTURAL BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICE SENSITIVITY TO CHANGING AIR TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION.

Agricultural best management practices (BMPs) reduce nonpoint-source pollution from cropland. Goals for BMP adoption and expected pollutant load reductions are often specified in water quality management plans to protect and restore waterbodies; however, estimates of the needed load reductions and pollutant removal performance of BMPs are generally based on historic climate. Increasing air temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns and intensity are anticipated throughout the U.S. over the 21st century. The effects of such changes on agricultural pollutant loads have been addressed by several studies, but how these changes will affect the performance of widely promoted BMPs has received limited attention. We used the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to investigate potential changes in the effectiveness of conservation tillage, no-till, vegetated filter strips, grassed waterways, nutrient management, winter cover crops, and drainage water management practices under potential future temperature and precipitation patterns. We simulated two agricultural watersheds in the Minnesota Corn Belt and the Georgia Coastal Plain with different hydroclimatic settings under recent conditions (1950-2005) and multiple potential future mid-century (2030-2059) and late-century (2070-2099) climate scenarios. Results suggest future increases in agricultural source loads of sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorous. Most BMPs continue to reduce loads, but removal efficiencies generally decline due to more intense runoff events, biological responses to changes in soil moisture and temperature, and exacerbated upland loading. The coupled effects of higher upland loading and reduced BMP efficiencies suggest that wider adoption, resizing, and/or combining practices may be needed in the future to meet water quality goals for agricultural lands.
Fueling the Creative Agency of Generation Z

ABSTRACTThis article discusses the identifying traits of Generation Z and how those traits manifest in the college composition class. The author shares her recent efforts to meet students where the...
Integration of contextual-pragmatic and phonetic information in speech perception: An eye-tracking study

Pragmatic information, such as inferences regarding upcoming coreference, has been shown to influence phonetic perception (Rohde & Ettlinger, 2012). Pragmatic information, however, comes in many forms. Using a Visual World Paradigm, tracking listeners’ categorical responses and the time-course of information integration via eye movements, we investigated whether and how a different kind of pragmatic information, the contrastive function of prenominal adjectives (Sedivy, Tanenhaus, Chambers, & Carlson, 1999), can affect listeners’ perception of voicing in initial plosives. Our results suggest that the pragmatic contrast inference did not affect the behavioral judgments on phonetic categorization, but it did have an (albeit limited) influence during the online processing of voice onset time (VOT). Our findings suggest that different kinds of higher-level pragmatic inferences are not uniform in how (successfully) they are integrated with low-level phonetic properties in real-time comprehension.
Improved breastfeeding duration with Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative implementation in a diverse and underserved population.

Background Few studies have evaluated the impact of Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) implementation on underserved populations in the United States. We undertook this study in New Mexico, a large southwestern state with a diverse population and limited health care access. Methods A quasi-experimental, retrospective cohort design was used to compare short-term breastfeeding duration between a pre-BFHI and a post-BFHI cohort. Among the post-BFHI cohort, logistic regression models were fitted to predict short-term breastfeeding duration from both individual and cumulative exposure to inpatient maternity care practices (Steps 4 to 9). Results Implementation of the BFHI and cumulative exposure to the Ten Steps increased short-term duration of any breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding at 2-6 weeks postpartum. Exposure to all six of the inpatient Ten Steps increased the odds of any breastfeeding by 34 times and exclusive breastfeeding by 24 times. Exposure to Step 9 ("Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples") uniquely increased the likelihood of any breastfeeding at 2-6 weeks postpartum by 5.7 times, whereas Step 6 ("Give infants no food or drink other than breastmilk") increased the rate of exclusive breastfeeding by 4.4 times at 2-6 weeks postpartum. Conclusion These findings demonstrate that the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative can have a positive impact on breastfeeding among underserved populations.
Effect of sample morphology on the spectral and spatiotemporal characteristics of laser-induced plasmas from aluminum

Species stratification and local plasma composition can affect microsecond-timescale oxidation reaction rates of metals such as Al in an oxidizing atmosphere. Here, we utilize fast, gated emission spectroscopy and a high-speed framing camera to determine the intensity and spatiotemporal evolution of various Al ablation products within a laser-induced plasma. Using a high-purity Al plate, micron- and nano-sized Al powders, and inert micron Al2O3 powder, we studied the effect of Al morphology and reactivity on the oxidation characteristics and plasma hydrodynamics in air at 1 atm over two temporal regimes (2–10 μs and 20–100 μs). We observed an increase in the spatial distribution and intensity of emission from vaporized Al within the plasma for powder-based samples compared to plate Al due to enhanced material dispersion. In nano-Al, AlO emission forms at, and propagates along, the surface of the powder bed from 2–10 μs, whereas for micron powder, there is a delay in AlO formation within the bulk of the plasma until tens of microseconds. We measured electron densities from a variety of spectral lines, which can range from ~ 2 × 1015 to 2 × 1018 cm−3, and which scale inversely with the rate of plasma expansion across morphologies. The Al I and Al II species temperatures from 2 to 10 μs calculated via Boltzmann plots are similar (from ~ 10,000 to 14,000 K), and we performed a suite of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) validity calculations to establish that these two species are in LTE, while H is not. Using image co-registration, we calculated the thickness of the AlO layer surrounding the expanding Al cloud at times > 20 μs, which can range from ~ 50 to 300 μm. These results allow us to begin to understand the complexities of laser ablated metal powder reactions at microsecond timescales.
Monitoring the Caustic Dissolution of Aluminum Alloy in a Radiochemical Hot Cell Using Raman Spectroscopy

Chemical processing of highly radioactive materials commonly takes place in heavily shielded hot cells. The remote, real-time monitoring of chemical processing streams via optical spectroscopic tec...
Promoting Collaboration Among Special Educators, Social Workers, and Families Impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects how a child behaves and communicates in social settings. Caregivers and family members of children with ASD are financially and mentally stressed as they struggle to find appropriate interventions and supportive resources. Children and youth with ASD present with complex needs that can be addressed by a multidisciplinary team of professionals in various settings. Using a multidisciplinary approach, social workers and special educators increase the effectiveness of ASD-related services offered to children and families. Special educators and social work professionals can work together to encourage increased family engagement and to improve life outcomes for children diagnosed with the disorder. The purpose of this article is to provide practical strategies that support family engagement and collaboration between social work professionals, special educators, and families affected by ASD.
Unbounded circumambient patterns in segmental phonology

We present an empirical challenge to Jardine's (2016) assertion that only tonal spreading patterns can be unbounded circumambient, meaning that the determination of a phonological value may depend on information that is an unbounded distance away on both sides. We focus on a demonstration that the ATR harmony pattern found in Tutrugbu is unbounded circumambient, and we also cite several other segmental spreading processes with the same general character. We discuss implications for the complexity of phonology and for the relationship between the explanation of typology and the evaluation of phonological theories.
Low-temperature photothermal bubble generation in a biphasic liquid system for protein sensing

Photothermally generated surface microbubbles can build up high local concentration of solute near the bubble-surface interface. Since conventional surface-based biosensor systems inherently rely on the interaction of target analyte in a solution with surface-immobilized capture molecules, this concentrating phenomenon has a potential for improving sensor performance by breaking the diffusion-limited transport from bulk to surface. However, optical power and subsequent temperature for bubble generation should be alleviated due to thermal degradation of protein’s activity at above the boiling temperature of water. Here, we demonstrate that low-power photothermal generation of microbubbles can be realized by formulating volatile liquid droplets in the aqueous medium. This biphasic liquid system, wherein droplets on the plasmonic substrate undergo microbubble transformation upon light illumination, was able to induce Marangoni flow that concentrates proteins from bulk to the substrate.
Asthma control and psychological health in pediatric severe asthma

OBJECTIVES Psychological comorbidities have been associated with asthma in adults and children, but have not been studied in a population of children with severe asthma. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that symptoms of anxiety or depression are highly prevalent in pediatric severe asthma and negatively effects asthma control. METHODS Longitudinal assessments of anxiety or depression symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-4 [PHQ-4]), asthma control (Asthma Control Test [ACT]), and lung function were performed in a single-center pediatric severe asthma clinic. Participant data were collected during routine clinical care. Primary outcomes were ACT and forced expiratory volume in 1 s per forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC). RESULTS Among 43 subjects (with total 93 observations), 58.1% reported at least one anxious or depressive symptom and 18.6% had a PHQ-4 more than 2, the threshold for an abnormal test result. After adjusting for age, sex, race, and asthma medication step, there was a significant reduction in ACT for girls with PHQ-4 more than 2 (adjusted mean [SE] ACT for PHQ-4 > 2: 13.64 [0.59], ACT for PHQ-4 ≤ 2: 20.64 [1.25], p = .02) but not boys. Moreover, there was a significant differential effect of mental health impairment for girls than boys. ACT for girls with PHQ more than 2: 13.64 (0.59) compared with boys with PHQ-4 more than 2: 17.82 (0.95), adjusted mean difference ACT by sex = 4.18 points; 95% confidence interval, 0.63-7.73; p = .033. In adjusted models, there was no association between PHQ-4 more than 2 and FEV1/FVC. CONCLUSIONS Symptoms of anxiety and depression are common. In children with severe asthma, a PHQ-4 score more than 2 is associated with worse asthma symptom control in girls, but not boys.