cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The contribution of cellular mechanotransduction to cardiomyocyte form and function

Myocardial development is regulated by an elegantly choreographed ensemble of signaling events mediated by a multitude of intermediates that take a variety of forms. Cellular differentiation and maturation are a subset of vertically integrated processes that extend over several spatial and temporal scales to create a well-defined collective of cells that are able to function cooperatively and reliably at the organ level. Early efforts to understand the molecular mechanisms of cardiomyocyte fate determination focused primarily on genetic and chemical mediators of this process. However, increasing evidence suggests that mechanical interactions between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell surface receptors as well as physical interactions between neighboring cells play important roles in regulating the signaling pathways controlling the developmental processes of the heart. Interdisciplinary efforts have made it apparent that the influence of the ECM on cellular behavior occurs through a multitude of physical mechanisms, such as ECM boundary conditions, elasticity, and the propagation of mechanical signals to intracellular compartments, such as the nucleus. In addition to experimental studies, a number of mathematical models have been developed that attempt to capture the interplay between cells and their local microenvironment and the influence these interactions have on cellular self-assembly and functional behavior. Nevertheless, many questions remain unanswered concerning the mechanism through which physical interactions between cardiomyocytes and their environment are translated into biochemical cellular responses and how these signaling modalities can be utilized in vitro to fabricate myocardial tissue constructs from stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes that more faithfully represent their in vivo counterpart. These studies represent a broad effort to characterize biological form as a conduit for information transfer that spans the nanometer length scale of proteins to the meter length scale of the patient and may yield new insights into the contribution of mechanotransduction into heart development and disease.
Effects of Prolonged Consumption of Pornography on Family Values

Male and female students and nonstudents were exposed to videotapes featuring common, nonviolent pornography or innocuous content. Exposure was in hourly sessions in six consecutive weeks. In the seventh week, subjects participated in an ostensibly unrelated study on societal institutions and personal gratifications. Marriage, cohabitational relationships, and related issues were judged on an especially created Value-of-Marriage questionnaire. The findings showed a consistent impact of pornography consumption. Exposure prompted, among other things, greater acceptance of pre- and extramarital sex and greater tolerance of nonexclusive sexual access to intimate partners. It enhanced the belief that male and female promiscuity are natural and that the repression of sexual inclinations poses a health risk. Exposure lowered the evaluation of marriage, making this institution appear less significant and less viable in the future. Exposure also reduced the desire to have children and promoted the acceptance of ma...
Effects of raindrop canting and oscillation on rainfall rate estimates from 35 GHz differential attenuation

Attenuation and differential attenuation at 35 GHz have been previously proposed for use in estimating rainfall rate R. It has been suggested that specific attenuation at 35 GHz is linearly related to R and that this relationship is fairly insensitive to the drop size distribution. A 35-GHz dual-polarization propagation link was built and successfully tested for measuring R using differential attenuation (Ruf et al., 1996). The present authors evaluate the sensitivity of rainfall rate estimates obtained with this system to raindrop canting and oscillation, and to drop size distribution variations.
30 nm In 0.7 Ga 0.3 As Inverted-Type HEMTs with reduced gate leakage current for logic applications

We have fabricated 30 nm In 0.7 Ga 0.3 As Inverted-Type HEMTs with outstanding logic performance, scalability and high frequency characteristics. The motivation for this work is the demonstration of reduced gate leakage current in the Inverted HEMT structure. The fabricated devices show excellent L g scalability down to 30 nm. L g = 30 nm devices have been fabricated with exhibit g m = 1.27 mS/µm, S = 83 mV/dec, DIBL = 118 mV/V, I ON /I OFF = 4 × 104, all at 0.5 V. More significantly, the removal of dopants from the barrier suppresses forward gate leakage current by over 100X when compared with equivalent normal HEMTs. The L g = 30 nm devices also feature record high-frequency characteristics for an inverted-type HEMT design with f T = 500 GHz and f max = 550 GHz.
Does the Number of Post-secondary Agricultural Mechanics Courses Completed Affect Teacher Competence?

Preparing teachers to teach agricultural mechanics is a difficult task since many topic areas are included in the curriculum. This study examines the effect of the number of college courses taken on a teacher’s perceived competence to teach agricultural mechanics. Agricultural education teachers in Iowa ranked themselves according to their perceived, individual competence in 54 skill areas associated with agricultural mechanics curricula. Respondents also indicated the number of agricultural mechanics courses they completed in their teacher preparation program. Teachers who completed one or no courses had low to slight perceived level of competence while teachers who took two or more courses identified a moderate level of perceived competence in agricultural mechanics. Teachers indicating six or more classes completed exhibited a high-perceived competence. A positive correlation was identified between courses completed and perceived competence as the more courses taken the higher the self-perceived competence level of the teacher. To develop the competence of pre-service agricultural education teacher candidates it is recommended to examine the current agricultural mechanics curricula in teacher preparation programs. It is further recommended that professional development be offered in areas identified by agricultural education teachers as having low perceived competence.
The Question of Clinical Equipoise and Patients' Best Interests.

Clinical equipoise—the idea that the community of medical experts is uncertain about the relative therapeutic merits of the arms of a clinical trial at its outset—mitigates physicians’ responsibility for patients’ poor outcomes when patients are assigned to the control arm or are harmed by an investigational agent.
Phenelzine vs atenolol in social phobia: A placebo-controlled comparison.

Seventy-four patients who met DSM-III criteria for social phobia completed 8 weeks of double-blind, randomly assigned treatment with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor phenelzine sulfate, the cardioselective β-adrenergic blocker atenolol, or placebo. The overall response rates were 64% for phenelzine, 30% for atenolol, and 23% for placebo. Phenelzine was widely superior to both atenolol and placebo on independent rater analyses and, to a lesser extent, on self-report, with no significant differences between atenolol and placebo. At the end of 16 weeks, phenelzine was still significantly superior to placebo, while atenolol showed an intermediate response that did not differ significantly from either of the other treatments. Patients with generalized social phobia constituted 76% of the sample, and they were preferentially responsive to phenelzine. The small size of the discrete social phobic sample precluded separate outcome analyses for this subtype. Overall, the findings support the responsivity of social phobia to monoamine oxidase inhibitors.
Structural Deformities of Vertebrae: Bone Adaptation and Modeling in Experimental Scoliosis and Kyphosis

1. Scoliotic and kyphotic curvatures were induced in eleven monkeys by means of resection of the sacrospinalis muscles and interspinous and flaval ligaments. Curve progression was followed roentgenographically and histologically. 2. Wedge-shaped and irregularly quadrilateral vertebrae resulted, from adaptive modeling during growth. Their similarity to structurally deformed vertebrae of idiopathic scoliosis and juvenile kyphosis is demonstrated. 3. Much of the scoliotic curve was accounted for by intervertebral-disc distortation. 4. Failure of ligaments of the arch, as predicated by Ponseti, may have a role in the pathogenesis of the deformity. 5. Adaptive deformity of growing bone depended on at least the following mechanisms: A. Asymmetrical chondrogenesis and osteogenesis at the metaphysis, the result of unequal compression or tension, or both. Growth suppression or epiphyseodesis followed sufficient compression. Acceleration of cartilage growth and consequently of osseous metaphyseal growth followed tension applied to this region. Together they caused vertebral wedging. B. Unequal apposition and resorption of compact bone were related to the state of tension in periosteum and contributed to modeling by accretion and erosion of bone respectively. C. Reorientation of spongiosa was accomplished in part by formation of new trabeculae at two sites: the endosteal surface of expanding compact bone and the active metaphysis. 6. The most significant observation is that adaptational deformity of growing bone is the result of asymmetrical, quantitative alterations, not perversions of normal growth. 7. Vertebral ring epiphyses contributed to the body rim and only slightly to its total height. They played no part in structural curves, and when compressed by curvature failed to develop, as the result of interference with their vascularization. 8. The pathogenesis of idiopathic spinal deformity is believed to depend on separate conditions operating consecutively or together: predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, and terminating. These factors are discussed within the context of the report.
Sulfur influences on rumen microorganisms in vitro and in sheep and calves.

When continuously cultured ruminal microbes were given orchardgrass hay and sufficient sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid to maintain a pH of 5.5, fermentation and numbers of protozoa were reduced compared with cultures whose pH was controlled with phosphoric acid. Likewise, when sulfur-deficient, purified diets were supplied to cultures, less methane (mmol X liter-1 X d-1), 3.2 vs 32.6, was produced and fewer cellulolytic bacteria (log10/ml), 5.8 vs 7.2 were present than when cultures were given the same diet supplemented with .3% elemental sulfur. The rumen of sheep fed the .04% sulfur diet had reduced digesta weights (1.69 vs 3.2 kg) compared with sheep fed the diet with .34% sulfur at the same intake. There also was reduced methanogenesis 12.3 vs 25.8 mmol X liter-1 X d-1) and reduced numbers of cellulolytic bacteria (7.4 vs 8.4 log10/ml) in sulfur-deficient sheep in comparison to sulfur-supplemented sheep. In growing calves, the same types of bacteria predominated in the rumen, but more facultative anaerobic bacteria were isolated from calves fed .04% sulfur than from calves fed diets with .34 to 1.72% sulfur. None of the dietary levels of sulfur appeared toxic. Regardless of treatment, volatile fatty acids were more predominant than lactic acid as end-products of fermentation of ruminal microbes in fermenters, sheep and calves. The greater methanogenesis and the greater cellulolytic bacterial numbers of sulfur-supplemented sheep compared with sulfur-deficient in vitro cultures, is interpreted to be the result of recycling of sulfur to the rumen in sheep where it is efficiently scavengered by ruminal bacteria.
Searching for Higgs at e+e- and pp Colliders

The electroweak symmetry breaking (EWSB) mechanism of the Standard Model (SM) predicts an elementary spin-0 neutral Higgs boson1 with tree-level couplings L =1/v [2M W 2 HW + W -+ M Z 2 HZZ - m f f f] where v = (√2G F )-1/2 = 246 GeV is the vacuum expectation value of the neutral member of the scalar doublet. The HWW and HZZ couplings are tied to the verified M w and M z predictions and thus offer the most critical tests of the EWSB mechanism—the Yukawa couplings of the Higgs boson to quarks are not as directly related to the observed symmetry breaking.
In Vivo and In Vitro Spin-Labeling Studies of Pollutant-Host Interaction

Environmental pollutants in the marine ecosystem are known to invade fish tissue. Yet, in spite of numerous studies, little quantitative data is available to delineate the nature of the deposition--the precise location of pollutant in tissues and organs involved. Even less is known of physiological/pharmacological effects (whether physical or chemical in nature--or both) whichmay arise with entry of pollutants.
Abstract 4712: Discovery of INCB059872, a novel FAD-directed LSD1 inhibitor that is effective in preclinical models of human and murine AML

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a disease characterized by the expansion of a hematopoietic stem cell like population caused in part by a block of myeloid differentiation. In AML, an altered epigenetic landscape, often arising from genetic lesions in epigenetic regulators, enforces an oncogenic expression profile and suppresses myeloid differentiation. Lysine specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) catalyzes the demethylation of lysine 4 and 9 of histone H3 through an FAD-dependent redox process. Aberrant LSD1 activity has been proposed to maintain oncogenic programs and prevent differentiation of multiple subtypes of AML. Here, we describe INCB059872, a potent, selective and orally bioavailable inhibitor of LSD1 that achieves inhibitory activity through the formation of covalent FAD-adducts. INCB059872 inhibited cellular proliferation and induced cellular differentiation as measured by induction of CD86 and CD11b myeloid differentiation markers in a panel of human AML cell lines and primary human AML cells ex vivo. In vivo, pharmacodynamic (PD) assays confirmed the sustained induction of CD86 in human AML xenograft models, consistent with the mechanism of FAD-directed inhibition of LSD1. Oral administration of INCB059872 significantly inhibited tumor growth of human AML xenograft models as a single agent at doses exhibiting significant PD effects in vivo. Efficacy was further evaluated in the murine retroviral MLL-AF9 disseminated leukemia model that recapitulates hallmarks of human AML. INCB059872 significantly prolonged the median survival of MLL-AF9 expressing leukemic mice compared with vehicle treated animals. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that INCB059872 induced cell differentiation of murine blast cells, reduced blast colonies, and normalized clinical hematological parameters to those of non-leukemic mice. Notably, in both human AML xenografts and the murine MLL-AF9 leukemic model, maximal efficacy could be achieved with both daily (QD) and alternative-day (QoD) dosing regimens of INCB059872, consistent with the prolonged PD effects observed. Collectively, these studies demonstrate the key role that LSD1 activity can play in preventing leukemic cell differentiation, and support the therapeutic potential of INCB059872 in the treatment of human AML. Citation Format: Sang Hyun Lee, Matthew Stubbs, Xuesong Mike Liu, Melody Diamond, Valerie Dostalik, Min Ye, Yvonne Lo, Margaret Favata, Gengjie Yang, Karen Gallagher, Lynn Leffet, Chunhong He, Liangxing Wu, Alexander Margulis, Maryanne Covington, Richard Wynn, Wenqing Yao, Gregory Hollis, Reid Huber, Bruce Ruggeri, Peggy Scherle. Discovery of INCB059872, a novel FAD-directed LSD1 inhibitor that is effective in preclinical models of human and murine AML. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4712.
High Frequency Modulation Spectroscopy

Frequency modulation (FM) spectroscopy, first developed as a laser spectroscopy tool with a single mode cw dye laser by Bjorklund, [1] is a sensitive differential absorption technique. The essential idea is straightforward. If a laser is frequency modulated at a frequency far in excess of its bandwidth, the sidebands produced by the modulation are spectrally distinct from the laser carrier. If the modulated beam impinges on a square law detector, each of the sidebands beats with the carrier to produce a signal at the modulation frequency. However, the two beat notes are exactly out of phase and cancel. A small absorption of one of the sidebands destroys the cancellation, and a beat note at the modulation frequency appears. The sensitivity derives from the fact that there is no laser noise at the modulation frequency, since it far exceeds the laser bandwidth.
The Combination of IV and Perineural Dexamethasone Prolongs the Analgesic Duration of Intercostal Nerve Blocks Compared with IV Dexamethasone Alone.

Objective. The use of multiple-level, single-injection intercostal nerve blocks for pain control following video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS) is limited by the analgesic duration of local anesthetics. This study examines whether the combination of perineural and intravenous (IV) dexamethasone will prolong the duration of intraoperatively placed intercostal nerve blocks following VATS compared with IV dexamethasone and a perineural saline placebo. Design. Prospective, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial. Setting. Single level-1 academic trauma center. Subjects. Forty patients undergoing a unilateral VATS under the care of a single surgeon. Methods. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups and received an intercostal nerve block containing 1) 0.5% bupivacaine with epinephrine and 1 ml of 0.9% saline or 2) 0.5% bupivacaine with epinephrine and 1 ml of a 4 mg/ml dexamethasone solution. All patients received 8 mg of IV dexamethasone. Results. Group 2 had lower NRS-11 scores at post-operative hours 8 (5.05, SD = 2.13 vs 3.50, SD = 2.50; p = 0.04), 20 (4.30, SD = 2.96 vs 2.26, SD = 2.31; p = 0.02), and 24 (4.53, SD = 1.95 vs 2.26, SD = 2.31; p = 0.02). Equianalgesic opioid requirement was decreased in group 2 at 32 hours (5.78 mg, SD = 5.77 vs 1.67 mg, SD = 3.49; p = 0.02). Group 2 also had greater FEV1 measured at 8, 12, 24, and 44 hours; greater FVC at 24 hours; greater PEF at 28 through 48 hours; and greater FEV1/FVC at 8 and 36 hours. Conclusions. The combination of IV and perineural dexamethasone prolonged the duration of a single-injection bupivacaine intercostal nerve block as measured by NRS-11 compared with IV dexamethasone alone at 24 hours. Reduced NRS-11 at other times, reduced opioid requirements, and increased PFTs were observed in group 2.
Aggressive B-cell lymphomas: frequency, immunophenotype, and genetics in a reference laboratory population

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of lymphoma worldwide. The current World Health Organization classification includes several subtypes based on a combination of clinical, immunohistochemical, and genetic differences. Other aggressive variants of B-cell lymphomas, including Burkitt lymphoma and double-hit lymphomas are part of the differential diagnosis and often have overlapping features with DLBCL. In this study, we evaluated 760 of cases of DLBCL and other aggressive B-cell lymphomas using a relatively uniform immunohistochemical panel and genetic methods. We assessed the frequency of different subtypes and locations and documented distinctive immunophenotypic and genetic findings of these cases. Most cases in the study group were DLBCL (89%), including 38 CD5+ DLBCL, 28 T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphomas, and 33 Epstein-Barr virus-positive DLBCL (including 6 cases in elderly patients). The study also included 39 Burkitt lymphoma and 39 cases of double-hit lymphoma. In general, our results support the World Health Organization classification approach as well as other studies of DLBCL. In this study, we focus on specific issues of interest including cell-of-origin classification testing, comparing the Hans classifier with the tally classifier, correlation of MYC immunohistochemistry with MYC fluorescence in situ hybridization, and Epstein-Barr virus positivity in aggressive B-cell lymphomas.
Prognostic Indicators Predicting Degree of Change From Interventions for Adolescents at Risk for Language Weakness

Prognostic statements are a standard component of assessments for adolescents at risk for language-learning disabilities, but there is limited evidence on the validity of prognostic indicators. In ...
A Visualization Tool for 3D Graphics Program Comprehension and Debugging

Real-time 3D graphics programs are based on a 3D pipeline structure. In a 3D pipeline, data is loaded, prepared, transferred from CPU to GPU, and then processed on GPU to create images. Regular debuggers and special graphics debuggers primarily focus on displaying data but do not show how data is transferred from CPU to GPU. If there is an error in data transfer, programmers usually need to locate the error by reading the source code, which many of our students find difficult. We have developed a tool to visualize data flow between CPU and GPU in a 3D pipeline. The visualization helps students understand 3D graphics programs, especially some of the implicit data connections in 3D graphics APIs. It also helps students quickly locate bugs related to data transfer in a 3D pipeline. We demonstrate our tool with an example that shows how a subtle error can be quickly detected in our visualization.
Social Influences on Online Political Information Search and Evaluation

Americans are turning to the Internet to learn about politics in greater and greater numbers. Under the current “Web 2.0” paradigm in which users are encouraged to interact with online content, voters encountering political information on the Internet are typically exposed to more than just the news; online information is often colored by the reactions of previous readers, whether in the form of displayed comments or in readily apparent tallies of the number of “likes” or “shares” a particular item has received. In this paper we consider the effect these social cues have on online political information search and evaluation. Using processing-tracing software to monitor the patterns of information search and evaluation among our subjects, we find that social cues can function as a heuristic, allowing voters to reach judgments similar to those of their more informed counterparts. However, we also find that negative cues can adversely influence candidate evaluation, making subjects less disposed to a candidate than they would be in the absence of such signals.
Leveraging Consensus and Divergence in Bayesian Belief Aggregation

Many fields have a need to build representative or predictive models from a number of unique individuals who each can contribute their experience and beliefs to the whole. For instance, intelligence agencies may wish to build a model from a number of experts to analyze potential terrorist attacks. In addition, a sociological survey may want a model representing the beliefs of cultural or political groups. However, challenges remain that have limited the success of merging opinions to form consensus models. Our research in progress presents a new approach to combine, or aggregate the beliefs of many individuals using graphical models. Existing Bayesian belief aggregation methods utilize an opinion pool function to find a single consensus on a given probability distribution. These opinion pool functions have many theoretical problems including breaking several assumptions for Bayesian reasoning. More practically, existing opinion pool functions do not represent reality well, especially in cases of diverse opinions.
Androgen Receptor Splice Variants Are Not Substrates of Nonsense-Mediated Decay.

Background Androgen receptor (AR) splice variants have been clinically associated with progressive cancer, castration-resistance, and resistance to AR antagonists and androgen synthesis inhibitors. AR variants can be generated by genomic alterations and alternative splicing, and their expression is androgen-regulated. There has been a suggestion that AR variants bearing premature termination codons and coding for truncated proteins should be regulated by the nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) mRNA surveillance pathway, suggesting that either the NMD pathway is dysfunctional in variant-expressing cell lines or that variants are somehow able to evade degradation by NMD. Methods We first used siRNA knockdown of the NMD regulator, UPF1, in an NMD reporter assay to determine if this surveillance pathway is functioning normally in AR variant-expressing cell lines. We then used UPF1 knockdown to determine if expression of the AR variants ARV3 and ARV7 is affected by inhibition of NMD. Next, we analyzed androgen regulation of UPF1 and used transcript expression analysis to determine if there is any association between UPF1 expression, resistance, and ARV3 or ARV7 expression. Results We found that the NMD pathway functions normally in the AR variant-expressing cell line 22Rv1 and that inhibition of NMD does not increase expression of ARV3 or ARV7. Furthermore, we found that expression of UPF1 is not androgen-regulated. We also found that UFP1 expression levels do not differentiate castration-sensitive from resistant cell line and that UPF1 expression does not correlate with expression of ARV3 or ARV7 in cells in which these variants are highly expressed. Conclusion This study eliminates a possible mechanism of regulation of certain AR variants. Future research into the regulation of AR variants should focus on other mechanisms to better understand the origin of these variants and to possibly inhibit their expression for the resensitization of resistant cancers. Prostate 77:829-837, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Small-Group Randomized Controlled Trial to Increase Condom Use and HIV Testing Among Hispanic/Latino Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men

Objectives. To evaluate the HOLA en Grupos intervention, a Spanish-language small-group behavioral HIV prevention intervention designed to increase condom use and HIV testing among Hispanic/Latino gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.Methods. In 2012 to 2015, we recruited and randomized 304 Hispanic/Latino men who have sex with men, aged 18 to 55 years in North Carolina, to the 4-session HOLA en Grupos intervention or an attention-equivalent general health education comparison intervention. Participants completed structured assessments at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Follow-up retention was 100%.Results. At follow-up, relative to comparison participants, HOLA en Grupos participants reported increased consistent condom use during the past 3 months (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.1; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2, 7.9; P < .001) and HIV testing during the past 6 months (AOR = 13.8; 95% CI = 7.6, 25.3; P < .001). HOLA en Grupos participants also reported increased knowledge of HIV (P < .0...
Poly(methyl methacrylate) as an Environmentally Responsive Capping Material for Aluminum Nanoparticles

We present an investigation of the photochemistry of aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) capped with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with total attenuated reflection confirm the presence of crystalline aluminum cores and the PMMA cap and allow us to confirm the latter’s photodegradation upon exposure to UV light. The PMMA-Al NPs were also characterized by differential scanning calorimetry coupled with thermogravimetric analysis to study the thermal profiles for polymer combustion and metal oxidation exotherms. Transmission electron microscopy confirms that the Al NPs, around 36 nm in diameter, are embedded in the PMMA matrix. Following UV irradiation, the PMMA-Al NPs react considerably faster with alkaline solutions, compared with unphotolyzed samples. Photoactivation of the nanocomposite induces partial decomposition of the PMMA capping layer, exposing the underlying reactive metal cores to the surrounding environment and accelerating its...
The not-so-free agent: Non-performance factors that contribute to free agent compensation premiums

Abstract In this study, the authors examine Major League Baseball free agency to identify whether certain factors beyond a player’s on-field performance contribute to contract premiums. These premiums are considered to be the difference between the compensation a player receives in free agency and the marginal revenue product (MRPt-1) in their contract year. Using 345 free agent transactions over a four-year period (2012–2015), the authors examine the relationships between potential free agent contract premiums and the attributes of a player’s previous team, as well as how contract premiums may be influenced by the level of interest from other teams and certain facets of the acquiring teams. Results suggest that free agents tend to receive compensation premiums when they played for a successful team during their contract year. Playing for a large-market team during their contract year also influenced contract premiums. In addition, free agents tended to realize compensations premiums when multiple teams were bidding for their services, the acquiring teams were in playoff contention the prior year, and the acquiring teams possessed relatively more financial resources. Findings shed additional light on how factors peripheral to a player’s on-field performance may influence the free agency market. Recommendations include that effective control mechanisms are necessary to ensure free agent compensation is commensurate with the value of the player.
Measures of generalized magnitude-squared coherence: Differences and similarities

Abstract The magnitude-squared coherence (MSC) is a measure that estimates the extent to which one real- or complex-valued signal can be predicted from another real- or complex-valued signal using a linear model. It is also used as a measure of the similarities in the frequency content of two signals. The measure is widely used in signal analysis, especially in fields such as biomedical, where a large number of signals must be processed simultaneously. It is natural to wish to generalize this idea to compare two vector-valued signals, and a variety of approaches have been proposed. This paper reviews these generalizations, presents new relationships among the measures, and demonstrates a series of results that show the similarities and dissimilarities among these measures. Some of the measures have a clear link with total interdependence; some are related to the mutual information rate. Basic results such as the various Sandwich Theorems show how the measures relate, and understanding these properties is key to an informed use of any vector generalization of MSC.
College alcohol beliefs and drinking consequences: A multiple mediation analysis of norms, expectancies, and willingness to experience drinking consequences.

Objective: We explored the potential mediating role of willingness to experience drinking consequences and other traditional alcohol outcome predictors (descriptive norms, injunctive norms, positiv...
Shear Adhesion of Tapered Nanopillar Arrays

Tapered nanopillars with various cross sections, including cone-shaped, stepwise, and pencil-like structures (300 nm in diameter at the base of the pillars and 1.1 μm in height), are prepared from epoxy resin templated by nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes. The effect of pillar geometry on the shear adhesion behavior of these nanopillar arrays is investigated via sliding experiments in a nanoindentation system. In a previous study of arrays with the same geometry, it was shown that cone-shaped nanopillars exhibit the highest adhesion under normal loading while stepwise and pencil-like nanopillars exhibit lower normal adhesion strength due to significant deformation of the pillars that occurs with increasing indentation depth. Contrary to the previous studies, here, we show that pencil-like nanopillars exhibit the highest shear adhesion strength at all indentation depths among three types of nanopillar arrays and that the shear adhesion increases with greater indentation depth due to the higher bending stiffness and closer packing of the pencil-like nanopillar array. Finite element simulations are used to elucidate the deformation of the pillars during the sliding experiments and agree with the nanoindentation-based sliding measurements. The experiments and finite element simulations together demonstrate that the shape of the nanopillars plays a key role in shear adhesion and that the mechanism is quite different from that of adhesion under normal loading.
Reliability and Sensitivity Analysis of the Controllable Repair System with Warm Standbys under the Recovery Threshold Policy

This article performs reliability and sensitivity analyses of a controllable repair system with M operating units, S warm standby units, and an unreliable repair server under the recovery threshold policy. Failure times and service times of an operating unit or a standby unit are assumed to follow exponential distributions. When the repair server normally operates, it is subject to breakdowns; while a breakdown occurs, the repair server requires repair at another repair facility, and the repair of the breakdown server cannot be initiated until there are more than or equal to q failed units. The times to breakdown and repair times of the server are also assumed to be exponentially distributed. A server during a breakdown period can provide partial service with lower service rates. This article derives expressions for system reliability as well as the mean time to failure. The sensitivity analyses of both system performance measures are performed. Finally, some numerical experiments are designed and performed to demonstrate how the system performance measures are affected by the change of each system parameter.
Best Practice Principles for Microfinance Impact Analysis

To promote financial sector development in Southeast Europe, KfW and its partners have implemented several projects to establish new microbanks and to down-scale existing banks. These projects are designed to improve the performance of financial sectors in the region by establishing effective financial intermediation for micro and small enterprises. Effective financial intermediation can unleash the productive potential of the region’s entrepreneurs with the ultimate objectives of expanding economic opportunities, promoting economic recovery, and improving economic welfare.
Social Development in Nigeria: A Case Analysis

Nigeria is plagued by a social poverty that continues to escalate dramatically, in spite of the rapid economic growth associated with the "petrol naira." Efforts to check this deterioration and ensure development are hindered by the lack of culturally rooted structural and conceptual supports in the social development sector. These support components have been, and still are absent and until they are established, economic growth and ideological choices will be irrelevant to any rational effort to halt the escalation of social poverty and enhance the quality of life enjoyed by Nigerians.
Itinerant to localized electronic transition in Sr 2 Fe Mo 1 − x W x O 6

Structural, transport, and magnetic measurements on the system ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{FeMo}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{W}}_{x}{\mathrm{O}}_{6}$ $(0l~xl~1)$ have been used to monitor the transition from itinerant-electron ferromagnetism in ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{FeMoO}}_{6}$ to localized-electron antiferromagnetism in ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{FeWO}}_{6}.$ An anomalous expansion of the cell volume with increasing x reflects the progressive localization of the minority-spin electrons. The percolation threshold for itinerant ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\pi}}}^{\mathrm{*}}$ electrons occurs in the interval $0.75lxl0.85,$ and compositions in the range $0.8lxl1.0$ exhibit spin-glass behavior. For $xl~0.5,$ antiferromagnetic coupling across antiphase boundaries produces an M-H hysteresis loop that, although having a low remanence and coercivity, nevertheless saturates by 10 kOe. A peculiar field dependence of the Weiss constant of the paramagnetic molar susceptibility disappears for $xg~0.25.$ Transport and structural data are consistent with a relative stabilization of the ${d}_{\mathrm{xy}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{*}$ band relative to the ${d}_{\mathrm{yz}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}\mathrm{izx}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{*}$ bands at lower temperatures and higher values of x.
Crystal structures of the hexa-fluorido-phosphate salts of the isomeric 2-, 3- and 4-cyano-1-methyl-pyridinium cations and determination of solid-state inter-action energies.

The synthesis and crystal structures of the isomeric mol­ecular salts 2-, 3- and 4-cyano-1-methyl­pyridinium hexa­fluorido­phosphate, C7H7N2+·PF6−, are reported. In 2-cyano-1-methyl­pyridinium hexa­fluorido­phosphate, C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds form chains extending along the c-axis direction, which are associated through C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds and P—F⋯π(ring) inter­actions into stepped layers. For 3-cyano-1-methyl­pyridinium hexa­fluorido­phosphate, corrugated sheets parallel to [001] are generated by C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds and P—F⋯π(ring) inter­actions. The sheets are weakly associated by a weak inter­action of the cyano group with the six-membered ring of the cation. In 4-cyano-1-methyl­pyridinium hexa­fluorido­phosphate, C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds form a more open three-dimensional network in which stacks of cations and of anions are aligned with the b-axis direction. Dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT-D) calculations were carried out in order to elucidate some of the energetic aspects of the solid-state structures. The results indicate that the distribution of charge within a mol­ecular ionic cation can play a large role in determining the strength of a cation–anion inter­action within a crystal structure. Crystals of 2-cyano-1-methyl­pyridinium hexa­fluorido­phosphate are twinned by a 180° rotation about the c* axis. The anion in 3-cyano-1-methyl­pyridinium hexa­fluorido­phosphate is rotationally disordered by 38.2 (1)° in an 0.848 (3):0.152 (3) ratio.
URPE at Fifty: Reflections on a Half Century of Activism, Community, Debate (and a Few Crazy Moments):

Nearly a dozen Union for Radical Political Economics (URPE) members, including founders and activists (past and present), review URPE’s history and legacy, including its political activism, hilario...
Neither Anterior nor Posterior Referencing Consistently Balances the Flexion Gap in Measured Resection Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Computational Analysis.

Abstract Background Whether anterior referencing (AR) or posterior referencing (PR) produces a more balanced flexion gap in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using measured resection remains controversial. Our goal was to compare AR and PR in terms of (1) medial and lateral gaps at full extension and 90° of flexion, and (2) maximum medial and lateral collateral ligament (MCL and LCL) forces in flexion. Methods Computational models of 6 knees implanted with posterior-stabilized TKA were virtually positioned with both AR and PR techniques. The ligament properties were standardized to achieve a balanced knee at full extension. Medial-lateral gaps were measured in response to varus and valgus loading at full extension and 90° of flexion; MCL and LCL forces were estimated during passive flexion. Results At full extension, the maximum difference in the medial-lateral gap for both AR and PR was 25° of flexion in all models. Conclusion In measured resection TKA, neither AR nor PR better balance the ligaments and produce symmetrical gaps in flexion. Alternative bone resection techniques and rotation alignment targets are needed to achieve more predictable knee balance.
Extending the forecast model: Predicting Western Lake Erie harmful algal blooms at multiple spatial scales

Abstract Lake Erie is a classic case of development, recovery from, and return to eutrophication, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms. Forecast models are used annually to predict bloom intensity for the whole Western Lake Erie Basin, but do not necessarily reflect nearshore conditions or regional variations, which are important for local stakeholders. In this study we: 1) developed relationships between observed whole basin and nearshore bloom sizes, and 2) updated and extended a Bayesian seasonal bloom forecast model to provide new regional predictions. The western basin was subdivided into 5 km near-shore regions, and bloom start date, size, and intensity were quantified with MODIS-derived images of chlorophyll concentrations for July–October 2002–2016 for each subdivision and for the entire basin. While bloom severity within each subdivision is temporally and spatially unique, it increased over the study period in each subdivision. The models for the 5 km subdivisions explained between 83 and 95% of variability between regional sizes and whole bloom size for US subdivisions and 51% for the Canadian subdivision. By linking predictive basin-wide models to regional regression estimates, we are now able to better predict potential bloom impacts at scales and in specific areas that are vital to the economic well-being of the region and allow for better management responses.
Carbonization of Co-BDC MOF results in magnetic C@Co nanoparticles that catalyze the reduction of methyl orange and 4-nitrophenol in water

Abstract Herein we report a simple, facile and green technique for the preparation of magnetic cobalt nanoparticles (NPs) embedded on porous carbon (C@Co) nanocatalyst using MOFs template and explored for the catalytic reduction of Methyl orange (MO) and 4-Nitrophenol (4-NP). The morphology, structure and composition of the nanocatalyst were characterized by using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) techniques. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of metallic Co NPs as well as their high crystalline structure. TEM analysis revealed that all the Co NPs are wrapped and protected by the porous carbon matrix. Catalytic studies revealed that the prepared magnetic C@Co nanocatalyst could catalyze the reduction of MO and 4-NP in 2 min effectively. Furthermore, the nanocatalyst showed an outstanding reusability and recyclability characteristics that remained unchanged even after several cycles. Consequently, this research offers a highly active, recyclable and magnetically isolable nanocatalyst, which can be utilized for many catalytic industrial processes. In this regard, the magnetic C@Co nanocatalyst could be a potential candidate for the wastewater treatment.
Pancreatic perfusion modulation following glucose stimulation assessed by noninvasive arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI.

BACKGROUND More than 100 million adults in the US suffer from prediabetes or type-2 diabetes. Noninvasive imaging of pancreas endocrine function might provide a surrogate marker of β-cell functional integrity loss linked to this disease. PURPOSE To noninvasively assess pancreatic blood-flow modulation following a glucose challenge using arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI. STUDY TYPE Prospective. SUBJECTS Fourteen adults (30 ± 7 years old, 3M/11F, body mass index [BMI] = 24 ± 3 kg.m-2 ). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3T MRI / background-suppressed pseudocontinuous PCASL preparation with single-shot fast-spin-echo (FSE) readout before and after an oral glucose challenge using either fruit juice (n = 7) or over-the-counter glucose gel (n = 7). ASSESSMENT Subjects were fasting prior to initiation of oral stimulation, then dynamic perfusion measurements were performed every 2 minutes for 30 minutes. We quantified absolute blood flow at each timepoint. STATISTICAL TESTS Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by paired t-tests to assess for a significant effect of glucose challenge on measured perfusion. RESULTS Measured basal blood flow was 187 ± 53 mL/100g/min. A significant blood flow increase of +38 ± 26% was observed 10 minutes poststimulation (P < 0.05) and continuing until the end of the experiment. The gel stimulation provided the most consistent results, with an early rise followed by an additional later increase consistent with the known pancreatic insulin response to elevated blood glucose. Across-subject variations in blood flow increase were partially attributable to basal flow, with a negative correlation of r = -0.84 between basal and maximal relative flow increase in the gel group. DATA CONCLUSION ASL can be used to measure pancreatic flow in response to a glucose challenge, which could be linked to insulin release and secretion. This paradigm might be useful to characterize disorders of glucose regulation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 3 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:854-860.
Large, ultrafast induced index changes in ITO (Conference Presentation)

We present beam deflection measurements to study the nondegenerate nonlinear refraction of highly doped semiconductors at epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) for several different pump and probe polarizations. Beam deflection is sensitive to induced optical path length as small as 1/20,000 of a wavelength, which enables us to resolve NLR in the presence of large nonlinear absorption backgrounds. The optically induced index changes in these materials can be both very large (on the order of unity) and fast (on the order of 100 fs). Our results show that carrier redistribution effects dominate the nonlinear refraction, and by independently tuning the pump and probe wavelengths, we find that the strong wavelength dependence of nonlinearities around the ENZ point is different for pump and probe waves. These nonlinear optical properties, where the ultrafast index change can be larger than the linear index, offer new paradigms for dynamically switchable diffractive elements that respond to structured light, allowing manipulation of optical beams in transmission and reflection not only along the two spatial dimensions but also in time. This is a revolutionary change in the field of nonlinear optics allowing a myriad of potential applications, ranging from rapid all-optical beam steering and switching, to spectral scanning, spatial mode conversion, as well as pulse shaping and suppression, all on sub-picosecond time scales.
Hurricane exposure and personality development

OBJECTIVE We evaluated the role of natural disaster adversity on personality development in the wake of a hurricane, and the moderating role of previous hurricane exposure. METHOD We used a two-wave longitudinal design and a diverse sample of emerging adults (n = 691; mean age = 22 years; 72% females, 27% European American, 29% Latino, 23% Asian American, 15% African American, 6% Multiracial/Other) who were exposed to one of the most damaging hurricanes on record, though to differing degrees. Immediately after the hurricane, we assessed objective individual-level hurricane exposure, previous exposure to hurricanes, demographics, socioeconomic status, and Big Five personality traits. One year later, we re-assessed Big Five personality traits. RESULTS Using latent change models, we found significant individual differences both in participants' initial levels of personality traits at baseline, as well as in their developmental patterns of change in the year following the hurricane. However, there was no evidence of mean-level change. Moreover, neither hurricane exposure level, nor its interaction with previous exposure showed statistically significant associations with the rates of change in any personality trait. CONCLUSIONS The present findings support a stability account, whereby individuals largely maintain their personality dispositions following an adverse life event, in this case a hurricane.