cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polysulfide ligand exchange on zinc sulfide nanocrystal surfaces for improved film formation

Abstract The physical and chemical properties of nanocrystals can be modified by changing the ligands attached at their surfaces. A ligand exchange procedure with ammonium polysulfides has been developed to replace the native ligands on cubic zinc sulfide nanocrystals. Several mixtures of polysulfides in formamide and other solvents were prepared with different average chain lengths and used to achieve high yield ligand exchange, as confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that polysulfide content can be increased with longer surface ligands and that the exchange process yields compositionally pure surfaces before and after high temperature anneals. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy show that, when annealed in nitrogen at 525 °C, polysulfide ligands lead to average crystal sizes 2–3 times larger than in the un-exchanged control sample. The ligand exchange procedure itself does not alter nanocrystal size. Nanocrystal inks prepared from the exchanged samples form thin films that exhibit superior grain growth, morphology, mass retention, and composition compared to the un-exchanged material. Overall, polysulfide species are demonstrated as alternative ligands for the surfaces of metal chalcogenide nanocrystals which, when incorporated in an efficient ligand-exchange procedure, can improve the quality of ZnS nanocrystal inks.
Health benefits of probiotics

This paper reviews the evidence for the claims of health benefits derived from the use of probiotics. A brief history of probiotics and the types of probiotics currently used and the criteria for the selection of probiotics is discussed. The ability of probiotics to enhance the nutritional content and bioavailability of nutrients and the scientific evidence for the usefulness of probiotics in alleviating the symptoms of lactose intolerance and in enhancing growth development is examined. The remainder of the review focuses on studies of a specific probiotic, Lactobacillus GG which has been extensively investigated for its health benefits in humans and animals. These studies severe as a model for the potential benefits of probiotics. The ability of Lactobacillus GG to treat or prevent diarrhoeal disease, to serve as an adjuvant for vaccines, to prevent rotavirus-induced diarrhoea, to prevent milk-based allergic reactions, alcohol-induced liver disease and colon cancer are presented. The review concludes with a discussion of the data supporting the safety of probiotics.
Governance and Evidence-Based Medicine: Lessons from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network

One of the clearest demonstrations of the consistent implementation of evidence-based medicine in the United States is the use of statistical evidence and tacit knowledge within the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), a congressionally created private organization with responsibility for the design of organ allocation rules. Could a governance arrangement with the OPTN features be created to "bend the cost curve" for Medicare through evidence-based medicine? An answer to this question is given through a sketch of MedSAVE, an organization that would set reimbursement rates and reporting requirements for surgeries paid for by Medicare.
Duty and Ordinary Language

In the last chapter of The Place of Reason in Ethics Toulmin gives the following summary statement of his conclusions: “Of course, ‘This practice would involve the least conflict of interests attainable under the circumstances’ does not mean the same as ‘This would be the right practice’; nor does ‘This way of life would be more harmoniously satisfying’ mean the same as This would be better.’ But in each case, the first statement is a good reason for the second: the ‘ethically neutral’ fact is a good reason for the ‘gerundive’ moral judgment. If the adoption of the practice would genuinely reduce conflicts of interest, it is a practice worthy of adoption, and if the way of life would genuinely lead to a deeper and more consistent happiness, it is one worthy of pursuit. And this seems so natural and intelligible, when one bears in mind the function of ethical judgments, that, if anyone asks me why they are ‘good reasons,’ I can only reply by asking in return ‘What better kinds of reason could you want?”1
Recent Developments in the Control of Some Arthropods of Public Health and Veterinary Importance: Muscoid Flies

Each year the control of muscoid flies becomes increasingly more difficult, and in the United States, Japan, and certain other countries, more flies are probably being produced today than ever before. The remarks herein apply primarily to such flies as Musca domestica L., Fannia canicularis (L.), and some of their relatives ubiquitously associated with animal manures, garbage, etc., commonly referred to as domestic, filth, or synanthropic flies.
Adaptability of the SiNN Pincer Ligand in Iridium and Rhodium Complexes Relevant to Borylation Catalysis

A comparison of Rh and Ir complexes of the SiNN ligand (combining Si–H, amido, and quinoline donors) reveals its great degree of adaptability. The amido donor can function as a boryl group acceptor, and the Si–H/metal interaction is highly variable. In contrast to Ir analogues, complexes of Rh do not catalyze dehydrogenative borylation of terminal alkynes but do act as modest benzene borylation catalysts.
Analysis on the Rat Density Monitoring Results,Qingdao City,2006-2012

Objective To understand rat distribution,density and seasonal dynamics,so as to provide scientific basis for the control. Methods Rat density surveillance was conducted by night trapping method,with each surveillance site covering a residential area,a special industry and a natural rural village during 2006-2012. Results Over 47 316mousetraps were arranged and 179rats were captured in Qingdao city during 2006-2012.The average rat density was 0.39%.The average rat densities were 0.57%,0.40%,0.23%,0.21%,0.42%,0.33%and 0.59% during 2006-2012.Mus musculus,rattus norvegicus and apodemus agrarius were dominant in Qingdao city,and their component ratio was 51.96%,45.81%,and 2.23%.The peak of mean rat density was 0.49%in October.The density in villages was 0.63%,which was the highest in different condition. Conclusion The rat density has high-low-high trend during 2006-2012.
Research on the Influences of Reactive Power Fluctuation of Wind Farm on the System Voltage Stability

The integration of wind farm would cause a lot of influences to the grid due to its volatility and intermittent character,a regional wind farm is taken as the research subject in studying influences of wind farm integration on the grid voltage stability.The PSCAD platform is used to analyzes the voltage improvement effects of the manual(mechanical)switched capacitor,SVC,STATCOM and reactive power compensation device.By comparing the bus voltage curves under different conditions of wind farm output from 0 to 100%,the compensation effects of the above devices to the voltage stability is obtained.
Zidovudine-associated adverse reactions in a longitudinal study of asymptomatic HIV-1-infected homosexual males

Chemotherapeutic regimens frequently interact with and may influence nutritional factors. To determine the possible effects of zidovudine (ZDV) treatment on nutrient status, this study examined and compared the nutritional, immunological, and hematological status of asymptomatic, CDC stage III, HIV-1-seropositive males (n = 15) provided with ZDV (500-1,200 mg/day) and 22 nontreated, CD4-matched HIV-1-seropositive subjects. Prior to ZDV administration, hematological and plasma nutrient levels were similar in both groups. Following ZDV treatment, drug-treated subjects demonstrated alterations in hematological and nutritional parameters. A large proportion of the ZDV-treated participants exhibited decreased levels of zinc and copper along with a significant increase in red cell folate. The level of plasma zinc appeared to be particularly important in maintaining immune function in the ZDV-treated group. Whereas ZDV-treated subjects with adequate zinc levels displayed a significant increase in the response of peripheral blood lymphocytes to mitogens, this enhancement was not demonstrated in zinc-deficient, ZDV-treated participants or in untreated individuals whose lymphocyte response significantly declined over time, despite adeqaute zinc status. The findings of this study reveal a zidovudine-induced effect on nutritional parameters, indicating the importance of monitoring nutritional status with drug therapeutic regimens.
Healthcare injustice in patients with sickle cell disease

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to detail experiences that sickle cell disease (SCD) patients associate with healthcare justice and injustice in pain control. Design/methodology/approach – A content analysis study of open-ended comments written by 31 participants who completed a 20-item healthcare injustice questionnaire-revised twice: once in reference to experiences with doctors and once in reference to experiences with nurses. Findings – Participants’ mean age was 33±10 years; most were African-Americans and women. Themes showed: the four domains of healthcare justice were represented in patients’ comments; examples of justice and injustice were provided; specific incidents and interactions with healthcare providers were memorable to patients; and setting was a factor important to healthcare experiences because expectations about services vary by setting. Research limitations/implications – Patients were self-selected. Future work will include qualitative interviews and focus groups to uncover m...
Resurrecting the Public Trust Doctrine: How Rolling Easements Can Adapt to Sea Level Rise and Preserve the United States Coastline

The Atlantic coastline of the United States is experiencing sea level rise at a rate higher than the global average. Antiquated property laws and land use tools are unable to adequately assist state and local governments in managing coastal regions, in light of this threat. Rolling easements— prohibiting hard shoreline armoring and requiring the movement or abandonment of property once it becomes inundated by the sea—would allow for the natural inland migration of invaluable coastal resources such as beaches and wetlands. Further, enacting rolling easement polices would be a proactive step towards providing ocean-front property owners with notice of the necessarily finite nature of their property rights. In the long-term, such a policy would prevent future costs from emergency response needs, legal battles, and the loss of natural and economic benefits from coastal resources. Because the public already has a cognizable legal right in the coastline from the public trust doctrine, enacting a rolling easement policy to protect that legal right would not constitute a regulatory taking of private property. Sea level rise poses a particularly immediate threat to North Carolina and Virginia, therefore, this Note suggests that both states could benefit from enacting a rolling
Simulation of the Ultrafast Optical Response of Water

There has been considerable experimental and theoretical interest in ultrafast optical measurements[1]. In this paper we present a simulation of the two-puke photon echo of a vibrationless chromophore in water. We find the presence of intermolecular solvent vibrations in the calculated signal.
Evidence of a Clovis Presence at Wupatki National Monument

ABSTRACTA complete Clovis point was recently discovered during a U.S. National Park Service surface inventory survey of Wupatki National Monument. The point is described in terms of the location of its discovery, its context, and its attributes. It is suggested that Clovis hunters in the Wupatki area might have pursued either mammoth or bison, perhaps by driving them into the numerous grabens and box canyons in the upland zone, or by ambushing them at predictable gathering points such as watering holes. The Wupatki Clovis point extends the known range of Clovis-age remains on the Colorado Plateau, and suggests that the area between the San Francisco Mountains and the Little Colorado River might be a promising zone for the discovery of additional sites.
Ontogeny of the Pulmonary Immune System

Abstract Unique features of the developing immune system contribute to increased infant susceptibility to disease, and external insults during this window of susceptibility have a persistent impact on lung function later in life. Postnatal maturation of systemic immunity involves both innate and adaptive arms of the immune system and does not occur in a linear fashion. Infant innate immunity is marked by attenuated granulocyte and monocyte function and altered Toll-like-receptor signaling, while distinct numbers, phenotypes, and functions of T, B, and NK cell populations characterize infant adaptive immunity. In the lung, seeding of alveolar macrophages and lymphocytes within the airways, expression of pulmonary cytokines and chemokines, and regulation of inflammatory cell trafficking occur both prenatally and postnatally. Alveolar macrophages, dendritic cells, and the airway epithelium in the infant lung display distinctive phenotypic and functional properties compared to adult cells. Together, the unique systemic and mucosal immune systems present during early life define the infant lung’s response to infection and environmental insults.
Fibroblast growth factors and pulmonary fibrosis: it's more complex than it sounds

Lung fibrosis results from the cumulative effect of dysfunctional wound repair involving multiple cell types, including fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and macrophages responding to an array of soluble and matrix-mediated stimuli. Recent studies have shown that a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets FGF, VEGF, and PDGF receptors can slow the rate of decline in pulmonary function in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, each of these growth factor families is comprised of multiple ligands and receptors with pleiotropic activities on different cell types such that their broad inhibition might have both pro-fibrotic and anti-fibrotic effects, limiting the potential therapeutic efficacy. Continued investigation and delineation of specific roles of individual proteins and receptors on different cell types hold promise for targeting specific pathways with precision and optimizing the potential efficacy of future approaches to lung fibrosis therapy. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New species of Euglossa . III. The bursigera species group (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

The group of species allied to Euglossa bursigera is characterized and treated as a distinct subgenus, Glossurella . A key to the males is provided, and eleven new species are described.
“All I know about politics is what I read in Twitter”: Weakly Supervised Models for Extracting Politicians’ Stances From Twitter

During the 2016 United States presidential election, politicians have increasingly used Twitter to express their beliefs, stances on current political issues, and reactions concerning national and international events. Given the limited length of tweets and the scrutiny politicians face for what they choose or neglect to say, they must craft and time their tweets carefully. The content and delivery of these tweets is therefore highly indicative of a politician’s stances. We present a weakly supervised method for extracting how issues are framed and temporal activity patterns on Twitter for popular politicians and issues of the 2016 election. These behavioral components are combined into a global model which collectively infers the most likely stance and agreement patterns among politicians, with respective accuracies of 86.44% and 84.6% on average.
Biophysical Characterization of Mesophyll and Bundle Sheath Chloroplasts Isolated from the Leaves of Eleusine coracana, an Aspartate-Type C-4 Plant1)1)The data presented in this paper form part of a thesis submitted by C. K. M. Rathnam to S. V. University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Ph. D. degree. Other papers in this series were submitted for publication elsewhere.

Summary Mechanochemical conformational changes in the mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts prepared from the leaves of Eleusine coracana were studied. Both high-amplitude swelling and low-amplitude shrinkage of the chloroplasts were found to take place in the presence of either PMS or FeCN. The kinetics of the two processes revealed that the light-induced chloroplast swelling is dependent on the electron transfer reactions, while the light-dependent shrinkage is supported by energy transfer reactions. It also became apparent that the degree of conformational changes exhibited by the mesophyll and bundle sheath chloroplasts are directly proportional to their inherent capacities to perform the photosynthetic electron transfer (PS I or PS II) and photophosphorylatin (cyclic or noncyclic) reactions. Therefore, the FeCN supported swelling or shrinkage was almost similar in both the types of chloroplasts, while the PMS-dependent conformational changes were of a higher degree with the bundle sheath compared to mesophyll chloroplasts.
Comparison of thermal decomposition and chemical reduction of particle-free silver ink for inkjet printing

Abstract Two current major methods (thermal decomposition of silver organic salts and chemical reduction of silver salts) to formulate a particle-free silver ink are compared. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electronics microscopy (SEM) are used to investigate the printed silver patterns from conductive inks made from those two methods. Both processes are shown to make silver with high purity from XRD results. SEM images indicate that chemical reduction can make denser silver film than thermal decomposition. Thermogravimetric analysis and Differential thermal analysis indicates that the silver film is formed at very low temperature compared with thermal decomposition. This phenomenon may be caused by volume shrinkage of silver precursor decomposition after thermal sintering. The resistivity of printed silver patterns made by chemical reduction is also lower than the silver patterns made by thermal decomposition because of less porosity. Also, our results show that a polymer additive can render the silver film more uniform and easier to be sintered.
The Use of Asset-Based Community Development in a Research Project Aimed at Developing mHealth Technologies for Older Adults

The more we as mHealth researchers get involved in dissemination, the more important it becomes to engage the community in that activity not only during needs assessment, solution development, and testing, but also to position that research for later dissemination. Community-based participatory research is desperately needed to maximize the impact of innovations.
10.5-T MRI volume excitation using traveling-wave microstrip probes

This paper presents a volume excitation study of a human-sized MRI bore at 10.5 T using a circular patch, an interdigitated capacitor probe (ICP) array, and a combination of the two. Compared to an experimentally verified single patch probe excitation, the ICP array allows for B+ shimming by modifying the magnitude and phase of the elements to fill the field void left near the edges of an uniform phantom. Simulations using full-wave FDTD show an increase in field coverage inside of the uniform phantom which can further be improved by the addition of a simple, passive slow-wave helical boundary structure.
Whole-Gland Prostate Cancer Cryoablation with Magnetic Resonance Imaging Guidance: One-Year Follow-Up.

Patients who develop prostate cancer after prior abdominal perineal resection are poor surgical candidates, and have limited treatment options. Therefore, our goal is to present results from a single institutional experience of four patients who underwent whole gland MRI-guided cryoablation with a history complicated by prior abdominoperineal resection. Four MRI-guided cryoablative treatments (mean age 64, range 59-69 years) for primary and locally recurrent prostate adenocarcinoma were retrospectively reviewed in patients with prior abdominal perineal resection for colorectal cancer (3) and juvenile polyposis (1). Average prostate volume prior to ablation was 23 cc, with an average PSA of 5.6 ng/mL. For each gland, 7-10 cryoprobes were placed approximately 0.5 cm apart in the prostate gland under MRI guidance by a transperineal approach with 3-4 freeze-thaw cycles performed. Each patient had follow up imaging and PSA measurements out to 12 months post ablation. All four patient’s PSA dropped below 0.1 ng/mL at 3-6 month post-ablation and remained at these levels at 12 months. Three of the 4 patients had PSA measurements to 33 months post-ablation, with no evidence of recurrence. No patient developed urinary incontinence due to the whole gland cryoablation. With all four patients in our study having undetectable PSAs 12 months post ablation, and with no patient developing urinary incontinence due to the cryoablation, MRI-guided cryoablation appears to be a promising treatment option in patients who are poor surgical candidates due to prior pelvic surgery and/or radiation.
Aspects of the Fractal Percolation Process

The fractal percolation process is reviewed in selective detail. Most of the foundational results in the field are recapitulated, however in many cases, new techniques are brought into play to establish the results. In addition, there is a survey of some related models which, at present time, are the focus of much of the activity in the field. Finally, several new results are presented. Interspaced in these notes are a number of entry-level (open) problems. These range in difficulty from a weekend excursion to a full-blown research project.
Victimization of Elderly Women, “Witches,” and Widows

Violence against women is one of the most widespread unpunished crimes, affecting women of all backgrounds, cultures, and countries. In many societies, elderly widows are perhaps the most vulnerable to physical and mental abuse. The victimization of women living alone is committed not only by strangers seeking to steal her assets but also by her own family desirous of inheriting her property. In many countries, a woman’s status is linked to her husband, so that when he dies or divorces her, she becomes vulnerable and is ostracized. With no rights to ownership of her husband’s property, a widow may be thrown out of her own home and become destitute. In some societies, elderly women are accused of witchcraft or, in developed countries, deemed “incompetent” simply to acquire her property. Across Africa and Asia, widows are coerced into harmful, degrading traditional practices—ranging from shaving of the head, imprisonment in the home, and forced marriage to a relative to the burning of widows. But even in developed societies, widows can be denied proper medical care, have difficulties accessing credit, be liable for the debts of a deceased spouse, or be driven to suicide by the hostility of in-laws or the greed of their own children. The United Nations has set aside June 23 each year to commemorate International Widow’s Day in order to make visible the dilemmas of widows, promote national protection programs, combat religious and cultural practices, and also end impunity for widow abuse.
Novel Theory and Technology in Modernist Britain

Modernism reshaped novel theory, shifting criticism away from readers' experiences and toward the work as an object autonomous from any reader. Novel Theory and Technology in Modernist Britain excavates technology's crucial role in this evolution and offers a new history of modernism's vision of the novel. To many modernists, both novel and machine increasingly seemed to merge into the experiences of readers or users. But modernists also saw potential for a different understanding of technology - in pre-modern machines, or the technical functioning of technologies stripped of their current social roles. With chapters on Henry James, Ford Madox Ford, Wyndham Lewis, and Rebecca West, Novel Theory argues that in these alternative visions of technology, modernists found models for how the novel might become an autonomous, intellectual object rather than a familiar experience, and articulated a future for the novel by imagining it as a new kind of machine.
Pharmacokinetics of sisomicin in normal patients and those with depressed renal function

The pharmacokinetics of sisomicin were studied in 29 patients and seven patients on chronic hemodialysis. The mean peak serum levels after intramuscular injection were 3.55 µg/ml at 0.5 hours. Levels of 1.5 µg/ml were present at six hours. The mean half-life of the drug varied with the renal function. In normal individuals the half-life is 1.85 hours. The apparent volume of distribution is 17.9 liters. 81% of a dose is recovered in the urine in a 12 hour period. Sisomicin is removed by hemodialysis with an average half-life of six hours and 39% removed during a six-hour dialysis period.
Offset-fed Reflector Antenna with Lateral Feed Displacement for the MiRaTA Satellite

An offset parabolic reflector antenna is fed by two compact corrugated feeds, laterally displaced from the reflector's focal point. Results show high gain, high beam efficiency, and low crosspolar pattern characteristics.
Organic innovation: The growing importance of private label products in the United States

Abstract Using organic food and drink product innovation data for 2015, we document the growing role of private label (PL) products in the United States. A further focus is provided through two case studies of product categories: dairy and processed fruit & vegetable products. The strategic choices of firms are described with reference to the content of organic ingredients in multiingredient foods. The performance impact on consumers is described by reporting subcategory price differentials between PL and national brand organic and conventional food and beverage products. We demonstrate that PL products may be leading organic innovation in certain dimensions, particularly value.
Classifier Phrase as Host for Stage-Level Spanish Adnominal Participial Adjectives

This paper argues for a Classifier Phrase (CLP) as a functional layer in the Spanish DP. CLP has been proposed independently for other languages as the locus of individuation in nominals, making countable entities from masses. It has also been suggested as a host for dimensional modifiers (Svenonius 2008). We provide evidence that certain participial adjectives in Spanish are licensed as dimensional modifiers. These adjectives are exceptional in that they encode verbal (inchoative) aspect. This feature is shown to play a crucial role in the distribution of these adjectives. Our account of this generalization adopts the aspectual feature [BOUNDARY] of Marin and McNally (2011). Our analysis is that this feature provides a (temporal) value for dimensionality, thereby exceptionally licensing a stage-level reading. We further show that an account along the lines of Larson (1998), Larson and Takahashi (2007), based on a distinction between NP-layer and DP-layer modification, is not viable for the data under consideration.
“Change Agents” on Two Wheels: Claiming Community and Contesting Spatial Inequalities through Cycling in Los Angeles:

This study uses participant observation to examine how an all–female collective in Los Angeles uses urban cycling culture as a way to contest inequalities and advocate for social change in communit...
Oblivious coopetitive analytics using hardware enclaves

Coopetitive analytics refers to cooperation among competing parties to run queries over their joint data. Regulatory, business, and liability concerns prevent these organizations from sharing their sensitive data in plaintext. We propose Oblivious Coopetitive Queries (OCQ), an efficient, general framework for oblivious coopetitive analytics using hardware enclaves. OCQ builds on Opaque, a Spark-based framework for secure distributed analytics, to execute coopetitive queries using hardware enclaves in a decentralized manner. Its query planner chooses how and where to execute each relational operator to prevent data leakage through side channels such as memory access patterns, network traffic statistics, and cardinality, while minimizing overhead. We implemented OCQ as an extension to Apache Spark SQL. We find that OCQ is up to 9.9x faster than Opaque, a state-of-the-art secure analytics framework which outsources all data and computation to an enclave-enabled cloud; and is up to 219x faster than implementing analytics using AgMPC, a state-of-the-art secure multi-party computation framework.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Requiring Left-Sided Inferior Vena Cava Interposition.

Background Left-sided inferior vena cava (IVC) is a rare congenital venous anomaly. We describe a case of open repair of a nonruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in a patient with left-sided inferior vena cava requiring IVC transection and reconstruction with interposition graft. Case Report A 56-year-old man presented for elective repair of a 6.2-cm AAA with preoperative imaging demonstrating a left-sided IVC. Intraoperatively, IVC crossing at the aneurysm neck conferred inadequate exposure for arterial anastomosis. After transection of the IVC, the AAA was repaired, and the IVC was reconstructed with a 24-mm Dacron tube graft. His recovery was uneventful, and grafts were patent at 3-month follow-up. Conclusions Left-sided IVC is a rare anomaly encountered during abdominal aortic surgery that presents technical challenges. Division of the IVC and reconstruction with interposition graft is a possible solution if other techniques fail to provide adequate exposure.
Long-term pasture management impacts on eolian sand soils in the southern mixed-grass prairie

Abstract Mixed grass pastures which occupy the eolian sand dunes of the southern Great Plains provide stabilizing soil cover, soil carbon (C) storage, and are a critical resource for livestock production. Large areas of dunes cover the American Great Plains, were active 700–1000 years ago during periods of frequent drought and have the potential to reactivate under forecasted climate scenarios and poor management. This study determined the soil age and development of eolian sandy soils and evaluated long-term grazing of native and improved pasture on root carbon, soil organic C (SOC), stable isotopes of soil fractions, and other soil properties. Pasture treatments included grazed and ungrazed (50 + yrs), improved pastures (28–50 yrs), and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) or go-back grass (for 28–30yrs). Improved pasture grass species included both native (switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and sand bluestem (Andropogon hallii Hack.) and non-native (weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees)), and caucasian bluestem (Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz.) S.T. Blake) species. The Eda soil age was very recent and ranged from present at the surface to
Imaging spectrum of NUT carcinomas

Nuclear protein of the testis (NUT) carcinoma (NC) (formerly known as NUT midline carcinoma) is an aggressive pleomorphic squamous cell carcinoma with a dismal prognosis. Primary NC tumors are commonly located in the chest or head and neck regions. Imaging plays an indispensable role in the staging, management, treatment response assessment, and surveillance of NC. Primary pulmonary NC usually presents as a large mass with lymphadenopathy and pleural involvement. Primary head and neck NC presents as a large expansile necrotic mass in the sinonasal region with locoregional destruction and occasional cervical lymph node involvement. These imaging features are relatively non-specific but are consistent among patients. Currently, there are no standardized guidelines for the treatment of NC. Because of its rarity, paucity of reports in the medical literature, and the lack of awareness among radiologists, NUT carcinoma (NC) has been largely underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. Clinical aggressive features and pleomorphic/undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma should prompt genetic evaluation for NUT translocation to diagnose NC. In this article, we discuss NC's clinicopathologic and imaging features and treatment options, including emerging new treatments.
Reading Achievement in Children With Hearing Loss Who Use Listening and Spoken Language: Results and Implications From a 2-Year Study

Purpose This longitudinal study explored the reading achievement of children with hearing loss who used listening and spoken language and examined their progress across reading domains over 1 year....
Atmospheric charged $$K/\pi $$ K/π ratio and measurement of muon annual modulation with a liquid scintillation detector at Soudan

We report a measurement of muon annual modulation in a 12-l liquid scintillation detector with a live-time of more than 4 years at the Soudan Underground Laboratory. Muon minimum ionization in the detector is identified by its observed pulse shape and large energy deposition. The measured muon rate in the detector is $$28.69\pm 2.09$$ muons per day with a modulation amplitude of ($$2.64\pm 0.07$$)% and a phase at Jul $$22 \pm 36.2$$ days. This annual modulation is correlated with the variation of the effective atmospheric temperature in the stratosphere. The correlation coefficient, $$\alpha _{T}$$, is determined to be $$0.898 \pm 0.025$$. This can be interpreted as a measurement of the atmospheric charged kaon to pion ($$K/\pi $$) ratio of $$0.094^{+0.044}_{-0.061}$$ for $$E_{p} > 7$$ TeV, consistent with the measurement from the MINOS far detector. To further constrain the value of $$K/\pi $$ ratio, a Geant4 simulation of the primary cosmic-ray protons with energy up to 100 TeV is implemented to study the correlation of $$K/\pi $$ ratio and the muon annual modulation for muon energy greater than 0.5 TeV. We find out that a charged $$K/\pi $$ ratio of 0.1598, greater than the upper bound (0.138) from this work at the production point 30 km above the Earth surface in the stratosphere cannot induce muon annual modulation at the depth of Soudan.
Ketamine-Induced Sclerosing Cholangitis (KISC) in a Critically Ill Patient with COVID-19.

Drug-induced (secondary) sclerosing cholangitis has recently been observed with a number of agents (1). Ketamine is a remarkably safe anesthetic, providing sedation and analgesia as adjunct to or substitute for more traditional sedative medications. Although prior reports of recreational ketamine abuse have been associated with findings of secondary sclerosing cholangitis (SSC; 2,3), we report here a novel presentation of the syndrome in association with prolonged ketamine use in the intensive care unit.
Mps1 promotes poleward chromosome movements in meiotic prometaphase

In prophase of meiosis I, homologous chromosomes pair and become connected by cross-overs. Chiasmata, the connections formed by cross-overs, enable the chromosome pair, called a bivalent, to attach as a single unit to the spindle. When the meiotic spindle forms in prometaphase, most bivalents are associated with one spindle pole and then go through a series of oscillations on the spindle, attaching to and detaching from microtubules until the partners of the bivalent become bioriented-attached to microtubules from opposite sides of the spindle. The conserved kinase, Mps1, is essential for the bivalents to be pulled by microtubules across the spindle in prometaphase. Here we show that MPS1 is needed for efficient triggering of the migration of microtubule-attached kinetochores toward the poles and promotes microtubule depolymerization. Our data support the model Mps1 acts at the kinetochore to coordinate the successful attachment of a microtubule and the triggering of microtubule depolymerization to then move the chromosome.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs Regarding the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Women in Kansas.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought forward the challenge of dispersing accurate medical information to the public rapidly. Credible and non-credible sources may impact public reactions to the virus. The purpose of this study is to assess those reactions of women located in or near Kansas. A survey was conducted in July 2020 with questions on knowledge of COVID-19, attitudes and behaviors towards COVID-19, and primary sources of information. 305 survey respondents met criteria for further analysis, and descriptive statistical analyses were applied. Participants were generally knowledgeable of the pandemic, with a mean knowledge score of 11.40 out of 13 (SD 1.3). The attitude statement with the highest rate of agreement was that "social distancing is an effective way of controlling COVID-19 spread" (n = 265, 86.9%) and that with the highest rate of disagreement was, "I am not worried about my friends' and family members health" (n = 253, 83.0%). The most-implemented behaviors as indicated by participants were avoiding contact with sick individuals and washing hands with soap and water often (n = 294, 96.4%), and the least implemented was avoiding meat consumption (n = 257, 84.3%). Finally, most participants indicated that health officials were their primary source of information (n = 215, 70.5%). Participants of this survey had fairly good knowledge of the virus. Attitudes of participants as a whole may be described as cautious without being overly fearful. Reported behaviors also align well with current public health recommendations. These responses may be reflective of where participants are receiving their information, which, for the majority, is from public health officials.
Optimal Sensor Placement for Observer Design

Abstract This paper is motivated by sensor location problems for infinite dimensional linear distributed parameter systems (DPS) defined by partial differential equations (PDEs). In this setting the term “sensor location” usually refers to a spatial location. However, the problem is also meaningful in finite dimensional models and results in a parameterization of the system output matrix. The problem of “optimal” sensor (and actuator) location has a long history and plays an important role in controller design, system identification and state estimation and, depending on the application, can be formulated in many ways. Any optimal location problem implies that there is a cost function to be minimized and the choice of this cost function places specific requirements on the computational methods needed to solve the problem. In addition, as shown in the papers Yang and Morris [2014, 2015] choices such as “optimizing observability” can lead to ill-posed problems and result in non convergence of suboptimal placements. On the other hand, minimum error variance methods (Kalman filtering) can be shown be well-posed. Efficient computational methods for solving the corresponding Riccati partial differential equation have been developed and are readily available. In the classic paper by Luenberger [1964], he introduced the term “observer” for deterministic state estimation to distinguish it from the Kalman filter. In this paper we focus on state estimators based on the Luenberger observer and suggest some natural cost functions for sensor location. The framework is fairly general and applies to both finite and infinite dimensional systems. Examples are given to illustrate the ideas.
Noninvasive NIR Imaging of Senescence via In Situ Labeling

Cellular senescence, a process that arrests the cell cycle, is a cellular response mechanism for various stresses and is implicated in aging and various age-related diseases. However, the understanding of senescence in living organisms is insufficient, largely due to the scarcity of sensitive tools for the detection of cellular senescence in vivo. Herein, we describe the development of a self-immobilizing near-infrared (NIR) fluorogenic probe that can be activated by senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal), the most widely used senescence marker. The NIR signal is turned on only in the presence of SA-β-Gal, and the fluorescence signal is retained to the site of activation via in situ labeling, significantly enhancing the sensitivity of the probe. We demonstrate its efficient noninvasive imaging of senescence in mice xenograft models.
Estradiol regulates the expression of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A10 in normal and malignant human breast cell lines via the estrogen receptor

4479 It is well established that increased levels of estrogens circulating in the serum and estrogen-targeted cells such as breast cells have a significant impact on breast cancer risk. The local concentration of estrogen in human breast cells is the result of a balance between estrogen synthesis and metabolism. Recently, we have shown that UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) are involved in the inactivation of estrogens and facilitate the removal of these compounds from the body potentially preventing accumulation of estrogens in estrogen target cells and tissues. Specifically, human UGT1A10 catalyzes the glucuronidation of all native and hydroxylated estrogens. Here, we show for the first time that treatment of MCF7 (ER-positive) breast cancer cells with estradiol produces a dose-dependent upregulation of mRNA levels for this isoform, followed by a corresponding steady decrease, and that this upregulation can be blocked by the ER-antagonist, ICI182,780. In contrast, estradiol causes a significant decrease of UGT1A10 mRNA in MCF10F non-tumorigenic breast cells and has no effect on MDA-MB-231 (ER-negative) breast cancer cells. Collectively, these results suggest that the induction of UGT1A10 mRNA expression by estradiol is mediated through the ER. We have also characterized UGT1A10 mRNA in a total of 61 normal and malignant human breast tissue samples in from African American and Caucasian women by quantitative real-time PCR analysis in order to further characterize the role of this isoform in estrogen target tissue. Although, these results show wide individual variation in the expression of UGT1A10 mRNA within the normal and malignant tissue samples, the mean expression levels were significantly higher in normal tissues as compared to cancer tissues (252 ± 86 vs. 68.1 ± 25.6, for normal and malignant tissue, respectively; p
A Technical Review of Column Generation in Integer Programming

This paper provides a technical review of topics relevant to applying column generation methods to solve integer programs but emphasizes formulation issues as a means of achieving its goal, which is to bridge the gap between methodological development and application. Type I, II and III column generation approaches are described in detail and each is demonstrated by a set of prototypical formulations that provide a historical perspective of milestone contributions. Technical issues, including formulation, context, algorithm design and implementation are also related. Formulation issues encompass the restricted master problem (RMP) and subproblem (SP) structure, symmetry, complexity and the Integrality Property. Context issues comprise theoretical principles, dealing with binary or general integer variables and generating rows as well as columns. Algorithm design issues include branching strategies, SP solution strategies and problem-specific techniques. Implementation issues include determining an initial basic feasible solution, managing a pool of generated columns, optimizing the RMP at each iteration, and handling degeneracy and tailing off.
Scene sampling for the concentric mosaics technique [virtual reality]

Sufficient sampling for scene representation is an important topic in Image-Based Rendering (IBR). It determines both the rendered image quality and the quantity of image data that must be recorded, and it depends on the method by which the image samples are taken. The Concentric Mosaics technique is one way to get image samples of a scene, to which the sampling theory of the plenoptic function is applied in this paper to determine the required number of image samples at the different lengths of the rotation beam. The general spectral filtering model of image based rendering techniques is analyzed based on the Concentric Mosaics technique to provide a frequency domain interpretation. Simulations on both a numerical design example for a typical scene and the illustration of the different rendered image qualities with different number of image samples per rotation circle are provided.
The Relationship of Teacher-Facilitated, Inquiry-Based Instruction to Student Higher-Order Thinking.

Commissions, studies, and reports continue to call for inquiry-based learning approaches in science and math that challenge students to think critically and deeply. While working with a group of middle school science and math teachers, we conducted more than 100 classroom observations, assessing several attributes of inquiry-based instruction. We sorted the observations into two groups based on whether students both explored underlying concepts before receiving explanations and contributed to the explanations. We found that in both math and science classrooms, when teachers had students both explore concepts before explanations and contribute to the explanations, a higher percent of time was spent on exploration and students were more frequently involved at a higher cognitive level. Further, we found a high positive correlation between the percent of time spent exploring concepts and the cognitive level of the students, and a negative correlation between the percent of time spent explaining concepts and the cognitive level. When we better understand how teachers who are successful in challenging students in higher-order thinking spend their time relative to various components of inquiry-based instruction, then we are better able to develop professional development experiences that help teachers transition to more desired instructional patterns.
Isotopic oxygen exchange on supported Ru and Au catalysts

The isotopic exchange reaction of molecular oxygen is applied to supported ruthenium and gold catalysts. The results on supported ruthenium are similar to those on Ruq. The exchange reaction seems to be unaffected by differences in particle size or nature of the support (MgO or Siq, respectively). The heterogeneous exchange kinetics deviate from an exponential law. This indicates the presence of nonuniformities on the catalyst surface and/or a contribution of oxygen diffusion. On supported gold, high exchange activity and massive uptake of labeled oxygen by the solid phase are observed. Au/MgO is one order of magnitude more active than Au/SiOZ. The activation of support oxygen for the isotopic exchange reaction is related to an interaction between gold and support.
Theoretical investigations of AlO2

Abstract The potential energy surface for the ground state of the AlO2 molecule was computed using ab initio methods and model potential approaches. Calculated molecular parameters and harmonic vibrational frequencies are consistent with results from spectroscopic studies of matrix isolated products from reactions of aluminium with O2, providing interpretations of the experimental findings.